Eerie Indiana Fanfiction: Family Meeting

[froodle]

"I do," Harley insisted. Smoke began to curl from the rough wooden beams of the skeletal walls and the worm-eaten skirting board still attached to the stone floor started to blacken and char.

"Okay," said Simon, holding up both hands in a gesture similar to one Marshall had used himself earlier that same day. "Okay, fine! You're a Prince of Hell, you can do what you like!"

The smell of burning dissipated and the flames creeping up through cracks in the floor died back down.

"That's right," said Harley. His lower lip was pushed out and trembling, and his tone was sulky. "I can."

"I'm sorry," said Simon. "I didn't come here to start a fight. Plenty of devils have bad teeth and collect food stalls that they stole from the Sewer Clowns, there's nothing wrong with any of that."

Harley said nothing, but his expression softened and he unbent enough to nod an acknowledgement at his big brother. The Rat King, who had gathered in vaguely man-shaped clumps at the edges of the room, broke apart again.

Simon dug in his backpack again, this time producing the tea-stained letter that had been sent to Fred Suggs, or at least to someone he was pretending to be.

"This is way I'm here," he said. "Did you send this to the man who works at the Baitshop?"

Harley took it, fingers leaving scorch marks on the paper. Marshall thought about saying something, but remembered Simon's advice and stayed quiet.

Besides, in a weird way, the singed edges only made it look more authentic.

Harley read the note, his red-stained lips moving as he sounded out some of the longer words. He giggled.

"The Rat King did it," he said. "I told him to."

If the Rat King resented being thrown under the bus like this, it didn't show. In fact, a few of the larger rats sat up on their hind legs and began to clean themselves in a decidedly smug manner.

"You're scaring the people that live in the lake, Harley," Simon chided gently. "The ghost pirates have all abandoned ship and gone to hide out on dry land. If a ghost ship gets ghosted by the ghosts that live there, it becomes a double ghost ship and goes full circle back to having a physical existence again."

Marshall snapped his fingers, sudden realisation over-riding the warnings his best friend had given him earlier.

"The Museum of Maritime History!" he said. "That's where they get the exhibits - it's the ghosts moving on!"

He noticed both Holmes' staring at him and flushed.

"What?"

"Nothing," said Simon. Harley opened his mouth, but his brother nudged him and he too fell silent.

"Oh," said Marshall. "Common knowledge in Eerie, I guess?"

Simon nodded.

"Sorry," he apologised. "I sometimes forget you didn't grow up here."

"I'll get over it," said Marshall. "Maybe the Eerie Library keeps the course curriculum for elementary school on file and I can do a bit of catching up."

He smiled to show there were no hard feelings, then turned back to Harley.

"So, what?" he asked. "You wanted a galleon of your own and there's no boat-builders in Hell?"

Harley shook his head. He looked expectantly at his big brother, who sighed.

"Charon Industries makes all kinds of boats," Simon explained. "Lakes of tears, lakes of fire, lakes of forgetting - you can buy a watercraft to navigate pretty much everything down there. Even some of the things in the lake will go to Charon, I've heard."

He glared at Harley.

"Which means this was always about the King Crab, wasn't it?" he said. "I just realised. You're trying psy-ops on him and his people by making them think they're losing a secret war. If the Kingdom Under the Waves is facing a threat even the Mackerel Soldiers can't defeat, moral will plummet, civil unrest will ensue, and you can finally get a foothold in the Wetlands."

Harley grinned, expression sanguine, smile bloody. Simon shook his head.

"Why didn't the Jenny Hannivers come to me?" he said, mostly to himself. "I thought we were on good terms. I trusted them to let me know what's happening at the lake."

Harley shrugged.

"Made them a better offer," he said. "A home under the water, after we win."

"You can't do that," Marshall interjected. "They were banished to the shorelines centuries ago. Their hearts are too dry; at this stage they wouldn't even survive submergence."

Harley shrugged. Around him, a hundred rats copied the gesture.

"Their problem," he said. "Not mine."

Simon's face was pale, even in the ruddy hellfire light of the cavern. His freckles stood out ashy-grey against his white skin, and his lips were pressed into a thin, tight line.

"Harley," he said, his voice thin and choked, "I am on the verge of being disappointed in you."

Marshall gasped. The Rat King gasped too, from a thousand tiny throats. Harley did not gasp, but something of that serene and sticky smile faded, just a little.

Simon swiped at his eyes with quick, furious gestures. He glanced around the gutted shell of the house that had never once been a home, then lunged for his brother with a sudden burst of speed that startled them all.

Marshall took an involuntary step backwards as the Rat King surged forward, only for both to grind to a stumbling, awkward halt as Simon wrapped the Anti-Christ in a gentle embrace.

"I'm leaving now," he whispered into the stunned silence. "You know where I am. You know you're always welcome. You'll be welcome even if you go ahead with this, but I hope you won't."

He pressed a kiss into Harley's baby-soft cheek, and for a moment Marshall swore he saw Harley's skin blacken and burn under the pressure. Then the damage was gone, and only the smell of scorched flesh lingered in the air.

Simon stood.

"Be good, Harley," he said. "Or at least, be less bad than Mom and Dad were."



Ongoing Verse: Holmes Brothers



Castle, in which there is unexpected architecture in Eerie

The End by froodle, in which Simon reads Harley a bedtime story

Drains by froodle, in which clowns are evil, murderous sacks of shit, and Simon is having none of it

Bathtub, in which the Holmes' have further problems with their plumbing

Communication Difficulties, in which there are barriers to understanding

Playground, in which Simon and Harley should maybe come back another day

Dish of the Day, in which Simon and Marshall return to the playground

Stonewall, Mud Walls, in which Harley is an implacable foe

Biters, in which there is screaming

Riverbank, in which Simon encounters a kelpie

Kaleidoscope by froodle, in which Simon has cause to regret buying cheap toys at the World o' Stuff

Festival by froodle, in which Eerie's local businesses celebrate the summer

Strawberry by froodle, in which there is unauthorised hubbub in Eerie

Drive In, in which there is a movie screening

Staged, in which Harley visits a building site

Distractions, in which Simon and Marshall walk home from school

Class of '89, in which they collect Harley

Unsuitable Substitute, in which there is a changeling

Anticipation by froodle, in which Simon and Harley look forward to the Equinox

Informed Shopper, in which Simon contemplates a purchase

Infestation, in which there are pixies

BBQ, in which the Tellers hold a BBQ

Door-to-Door, in which it is Halloween and there are trick-or-treaters

Sentinel, in which it is Halloween and there is hot chocolate

The Stand, in which it is Halloween and there is a war

Dark Messiah, in which there are witches

Ruminant, in which a rescue is mounted

Good to Eat, in which Dash and Simon fill Marshall in

Gridlock, in which Harley encounters one of Eerie's many cults

Common Ground, in which one of Eerie's local youth organisations would like Harley to join them

Persuasion Tactics, in which the recruitment drive becomes aggressive

A Kings' Ransom, in which Harley goes to the beach

Competing Traditions, in which Dash and Marshall wait out the Easter weekend

Advent Calendar, in which Marilyn is making Christmas treats for all her children

Window Paint, in which Harley helps decorate his elementary school for Christmas

Pantomime, in which the Tellers enjoy some traditional Christmas entertainment

Visiting Santa, in which Marshall and Simon take Harley on a trip

The Tree, in which Harley helps Simon decorate for Christmas

KrampusNacht, in which the Holmes household has a visitor

Cygnet, in which Harley and Lillian go to the park

Tagged, in which the Bob brothers go to the park

Defacement, in which the Eerie PD investigates a terrible crime

Read the Sign, in which the city council was serious about that fountain

Salvage Rights, in which Harley and Lillian return to the lake

To Serve Birds (Right), in which Marshall and Harley bond

Sneakers by froodle, in which the latest Sky Monsters are released

Hangover, in which Marshall has a little too much to drink, and an innocent sandcastle pays the price

Brand Loyalty, in which MArshall's new shoes are a disappointment

The Hut by froodle, in which Simon takes on the forces of Eerie solo

Shattered Dreams, in which there is a space whale

They, in which Marshall leaves for college and Simon is left behind

Good Secrets Are Hard To Keep, in which Marshall submits a story to his college newspaper

Reception by froodle, in which Simon has problems with his mobile phone

Bulk Buy, in which Simon's desk tidy isn't suited for the job, but he's still better off than his office mates

Incendiary, in which Marshall reads a situation and reaches completely the wrong conclusion

Divergent, in which Dash and Harley talk

Workaday, in which Simon encounters one of Harley's old enemies

Presentation, in which Simon has a plan

Children Are Strange, in which Eerie's local Black Eyed Kids take an interest in Simon's dog



Ongoing Verse: Microwave



Preliminary sketch for a custom Sparky plush by Pixelkei

Finished Sparky plush by Pixelkei

Sparky 2 plush by Erik237

Sparky versus Manticore sketch by Kari L Korthals

The Bridge, in which there is not a troll, and Mars is very sad

Garden Warfare, in which the age-old rivalry between garden gnomes and lawn flamingoes finally boils over

Bonfire by froodle, in which Pinocchio is ruined forever

Lost and Found, in which the Unkind Ones honour one of their own

Chicken, in which something has made it's den in Eerie

Ruminant, in which there are witches, and also a goat

Good to Eat, in which Marshall investigates the Chickeniest Chicken Palace

Underwhelming, in which a cursed book fails to deliver

Virtual Reality, in which Things Incorporated branches out into the world of home entertainment

Mystery Box, in which Syndi helps the boys out

Numeracy, in which Marshall is not believed

Statistically Possible, in which Marshall is still not believed

Rules of War, in which there is a waterfight

Family Business, in which Marshall and Syndi help their dad out

Castle, in which there is unexpected architecture in Eerie

Budget Restraints, in which Simon and Marshall's disguises are somewhat lacklustre.

Concealment, in which there is a costume party

Party Guests, in which the costume party is attended

Targeted Marketing, in which Radford has a new advertising campaign, and Marshall has doubts

Controversial, in which Poplio's wrath is invoked

Film Festival, in which Poplio and Holly Golightly battle it out

Competing Traditions, in which there's nothing worse than an Easter weekend

Gingerbread by froodle, in which there is a witch in the Eerie Woods

Leaves by froodle, in which plantlife finds Marshall entirely too enticing

Defacement, in which the Eerie PD investigates a terrible crime

Foreseeable, in which an Eerie parade goes exactly as usual

Obvious, in which, in Dash's opinion, some people aren't worth saving

Loss Prevention, in which the boys investigate strange goings on at the Eerie Mall

Disco, in which there are ghouls, and disco balls

Pop Culture, in which Marshall dresses for Halloween

Offspring by froodle, in which there are dragons

Message in a Bottle, in which something is bugging Marshall

And Introducing... in which Dash X makes some powerful allies

Untouchable, in which the boys are dismayed by Eerie's fauna

Shattered Dreams, in which there are cosmic whales

Ewww... in which Simon makes poor choices

Divergent, in which Harley and Dash have a conversation

The Worst Christmas Ever, in which Marshall buys a pie from a food stall, and is very disappointed

The Off Season, in which a stakeout at Lake Eerie proves disappointing

Observations, in which there is suspicious activity on Wolf Mountain

Wildlife by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the beach

Dinner Conversation, in which Syndi and Marshall revive an old argument

Don't Cross the Streams, in which Dash commits the cardinal sin

Sub-Aquatic, in which there are suspicious stains in the fountain

Aesthetics/Practicalities, in which Dash and Marshall clash over outerwear

Desired Effect, in which Simon and Marshall shop for decorations

Based on Your Previous Purchases by froodle, in which Mars should really pay attention to Amazon's reccomendations

Community Service, in which Dash refuses to quietly do his time

Technicalities, in which Simon is both disappointed, and mad

Golf Course, in which the re-seeding does not take as well as hoped

Housework by froodle, in which a rota cannot be agreed upon

Division of Labour, in which the eventually-agreed-upon rota may have overlooked a few things

Misleading, in which Grungy Bill struggles with the concept of French Toast

Breakfast by froodle, in which Dash's attempts at cookery do not go well

Ghost in the Machine by froodle, in which a new laptop opens an old wound

Consequences by froodle, in which an encounter with leprechauns leaves the boys very tired indeed

The Microwave by froodle, in which Andrea Fantucci returns to Eerie after a considerable absense

The Eldritch Abomination in the Room by froodle, in which the microwave is most definitely not discussed

Basic Household Maintenance by froodle, in which manticores are inconsiderate houseguests

The Lift, in which Marshall is not fooled

Torrential by froodle, in which there is a storm, and the boys eat ice-cream

Shortest Day, in which the lack of daylight takes effect

Neighbourly, in which Marshall tries to help out a person who might not even be there

Saturday Brunch, in which some eggs go awry

Upgrade?, in which the possibility of a new sofa is mooted

Linens by froodle, in which Dash X makes a bed

Bedtime, in which Marshall brushes his teeth

Bathtub, in which there is something in the pipes

Product Testing, in which there is something distressing on the breakfast table

Multiplicity, in which there are milkmen

Hound by froodle, in which Simon makes a friend

Night Music by froodle, in which Simon is woken by a nocturnal visitor

Houseshare, in which Sparky learns an important life lesson regarding Manticores

Sabotage, in which Marshall also learns an important life lesson regarding Manticores

Event Appropriate, in which Simon is startled

Inherent, in which evidence is destroyed and Marshall suspects a conspiracy

Inevitable, in which the weather is spiteful and the manticore is indifferent

In For The Night by froodle, in which Dash refuses to leave the house

Errands by froodle, in which Simon has a to-do list

Dinner Theatre, in which Marshall has trouble finishing his meal

Walkies, in which Simon takes his dog for a walk

Tractable, in which Sparky's new lead does not go well

Obedience, in which Sparky misbehaves and an ancient nature god is displeased

Play Date, in which Sparky mades some friends

The Bad News List, in which Dash makes an upsetting announcement

Stable, in which there is a Night Mare

Children Are Strange, in which there is a visitor

Morning Routine, in which Marshall brews coffee

Waterlogged by froodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfall

A Form You Are Comfortable With, in which Marshall has car drama

Parking Spot, in which Marshall is particular

Antiquing, in which Marshall offers a helping hand to Mary C. Carter, and she's not that into it

Arboretum, in which Simon keeps the home fires burning

Belfast Disco, in which it is St. Patrick's Day in Eerie

Bulk Buy, in which Dash's rivalry with the leprechauns quite literally spills over to a shared office space

Incendiary, in which Marshall gets the wrong end of the shillelagh

Bright Lights, in which there is glitter

Explicit Lyrics, in which Sparky is a cheeky boy

Woozy, in which Marshall isn't well

Leisurewear, in which Dash has some time off

Tempest, in which the Sea Hag makes an appearance

Rescue, in which there are jackalope kittens

Turnip, in which Marshall dispenses some interesting facts

Plausible, in which there is damage to Marshall's car

Parking, in which Marshall struggles to parallel park and Dash is less than helpful

Rainbow by froodle, in which Dash fails to properly appreciate Michael Flatley

Premature, in which Simon is festive at exactly the wrong time

Too Far, in which Simon is once again thwarted

Jackolantern by froodle, in which the local pumpkin patch has a problem

Pest Control, in which Mayor Chisel is a dissatisfied customer

Pressure Tactics, in which the Mayor goes up against Eerie's ravens

Absent Friends, in which Wally and Simon share a moment

Reconnaissance, in which Dash is unhappy with his assignment

Changeable Conditions, in which the weather still hates Marshall

Trash Day, in which the bins need emptying

Cleanup, in which Dash is... himself.

Alternative Version, in which there is another Sparky

Shared Facilties, in which there is bathroom drama

The Fir Tree, in which there is further feline misbehaviour

Costumed Hero, in which Marshall is way too excited about left-over party trash

Clear Out, where the post-Christmas leftovers meet their doom

Project Research, in which there's something wrong with the tap water

Pixie Paste, in which Dash uses a garlic paste

Civic Duty, in which the Ladies Society for the Beautification of Eerie take up their positions

At The Dinner Table, in which an invitation is extended

Workaday, in which Simon heads to his job and encounters one of Harley's old foes

Moon Rabbit, in which Simon performs surgery

Presentation, in which Chisel has an edict, and Simon has a plan

Early Finish, in which there is a disturbance outside Simon's office