(my mind's) fully fading | Mystery Skulls Animated [Editing]

Prologue

CONTENT WARNING: Mention of needles, vague reference to amputation.

"So I was thinking, maybe we could set up a website," Arthur mused, fingers tapping away at his laptop. The rain outside showered against the roof in a light drone. "Flagging for key terms or something. That way it'd be much easier for Vivi to find new tip-offs."

        "Oh, she'd love that," Lewis said appreciatively, whisking whatever it was he held in the white bowl. "I'd come and help you if I didn't have my hands full."

        "Mhm," Arthur said skeptically, thinking of his too-big fingers struggling with his laptop keys. "You say that like baking for you is a treat. As if you don't do it all the time."

        "Ah well," Lewis winked, "You need a little extra, flaquito."

        They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Lewis set the bowl down, wiped his hands on his apron and started forward.

        Arthur jumped up before him. "Hands full, my ass!"

        Lewis only laughed in surprise. "I thought you were busy with the technical stuff? Are you expecting someone?"

        "More like I can't have you tarnish our good name turning up at the door with a pink Kiss the Cook apron," he teased back, turning for the door. "Even if it is in Spanish."

        "Mami gave it to me," Lewis said, defensively. "She altered it herself! You know how hard it is to find clothes in my size!"

        "Sure, sure," Arthur snickered, hastening down the hall in front of him. He opened the door to a bedraggled Vivi, standing impatiently in the rain.

        "What took you so long!" she cried, and bustled in, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. He flushed pleasantly.

        As she kicked off her shoes, dripping onto the carpet, he noticed that she was very obviously hiding something big and angular under her sweater.

        "What's that you've got?"

        She immediately perked up and pulled the thing out—a thick battered tome.

        "I was protecting it from the rain," she explained at his inquiring look. "I just found it today at the Tomb! Look at this thing!" She opened it, flipping through hundreds of yellowed pages, eyes glittering with excitement. "It's got, like, everything in here! Ciphers, spells, guides, maps. . ."

        . . . She looked beautiful like that.

        "Vee!"

        She turned around at Lewis' voice and flashed him a huge grin. "Lew-Lew! Look at this book I found today!"

        She dumped it in his capable hands and he flipped through it slowly, eyes scanning the pages. "Wow, Vivi. . . this is amazing! Where'd you get it?"

        "Tome Tomb," she replied smugly. "It came in a shipment of weird books. Duet looked through them and sent them back—said they got the wrong address—but not before I fished this out!"

        He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that. . . stealing?"

        "Well, I mean, yeah . . . but half the stuff we do is already illegal."

        "Um, I object," Arthur cut in.

        She turned around and stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, half the time you hide behind Mystery and don't do anything, anyway."