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It was a gloomy night.
The clouds were covering the midnight sky, pouring their sorrows onto the smooth pavements of asphalt road and concrete sidewalks. Various rodents, cats, and critters sought out shelter from the rain in flimsy boxes, rancid dumpsters, or under the roofs of buildings.
Not Arthur though.
Arthur loved the rain, the breeze, the darkness, the time to themself. They loved a lot of things, like randomness. And randomness includes all things, so you could say they loved everything!
They danced, jumped, spun all sorts of crazy and embraced the feeling of bliss that others would see as a burden.
Alright, that’s enough Arthur! The rain is fun, but you’re getting sidetracked. Main destination: The Lab. That’s where I want to be.
With one final spin, they continued their way to find Beanie’s lab.
It really stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other architecture of Boon County. It had two big satellite dishes atop the roof. Fluorescent letters that didn’t work too well. Broken glass windows, most likely from escaped experiments or damage caused by machines that were poorly blocked by wooden boards. And a rather large garage door.
Arthur peeked through one of the windows to check if the coast was clear, to which it was. They could see a few full and empty flasks lying around the area.
They carefully slipped through, easily dodging the glass shards that were still left of the window.
They landed gracefully and scanned their surroundings, taking in the familiar interior. It was very gray. Very sad. They could hear the faint whines and cries of what could presumably be half-humans and half-rats. The lab always had that kind of smell that wasn’t bad, but definitely one you shouldn’t breathe in.
Arthur shook off all of the water drenching their body began to take their time walking around. And since Dr. Beanies was asleep, they certainly had no rush. The lab though… it was like an endless maze. You could run across wonderful spectacles, or some of the most god awful abominations known to man. (Known if Beanies didn’t keep everything he did a secret. The government would be after him in an instant.)
In one room, Arthur came across their favorite psychic.
“Arthur!” Alice gleefully shouted first upon spotting the Jester.
“Alice!” They shouted back as they ran over to her. “How’s my favorite three eyed feline friend doing?”
“I was just practicing my telekinesis skills, but my third eye could feel your presence when you came near.”
“Were you practicing them on someone or something?”
Alice giggled a bit at Arthur’s question. Knowing she had to be honest, she replied with a playful “Someone.”
She pointed to a half-human, who was heavily wounded and bleeding out against the floor next to a spiky rock.
“I didn’t like that one,” she quipped in a slightly bitter tone.
“That’s quite impressive, Alice. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind me teaching you a thing or two someday? I know a lotta things about magic, y’know.”
“That’d be cool,” she answered with a nod.
“I do have another question though. Super big and important.”
“Yeah?”
“Could you tell me where Franklin is possibly? I wanna see him.”
“Him? Oh, he just put himself in some kennel as punishment for a robocat gone haywire. I don’t know if he did it in the moment or destroyed it and then went inside.”
“Have you tried freeing him? When was this?”
“No. And I think.. Uhmm… like three hours ago?”
“You’re telling me he’s been stuck in a cage for three hours.”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t bother to help him.”
“Yeah.”
“Alice…” They said with a small grumble. “Why not?”
“I didn’t want to interfere is all!”
Arthur sighed and shook their head. “Can you tell me where he is now?”
Alice put a paw to her head, lightly tapping against it to determine where the tinkerer was.
“Seems you have to go forward from where you’re facing and take a left.”
“Thanks Alice. Stay safe, okay?”
“You too, Arthur.”
Arthur gave a small pat to her back before heading off to find Franklin.
A couple more short steps and a turn later, they could see that poor blue cat stuck in a cage, moping to himself with his tail curled against him as a source of comfort. He was brushing it and muttering to himself about how “it’s gonna be okay… someone will rescue me…”
What good is it to simply say hello though? Arthur approached the cage slowly, stalking behind so they wouldn’t alert Franklin. And then…
“FRANKLIN!”
He jolted up from the jumpscare, letting out a screech and hitting his head against the top of it. He whipped his head to Arthur, which had a scowl plastered onto it.
“Arthur! What was that for??”
“I wanted to greet you in a friendly way!”
Franklin groaned and rolled his eyes while turning to face them.
“Well that wasn’t very friendly, was it? I hit my head against the cage! My second brain could’ve been severely damaged in its capsule!”
“I didn’t know you’d be such a scaredy-cat is all.”
“Whatever. Help me out of here.”
“And why should I help you?”
“You see, I got stuck in here due to a… very intimidating experiment that went rabid. Yes. I trapped myself in here for my own safety.”
“A little purple cat told me you put yourself in here on purpose due to a malfunction with a robocat?”
“Alice, that little…” he growled before shaking his head to redirect his words. “Fine. I was ashamed of my creation so I put myself in here. It’s the truth. Now let me out!” He said as he grabbed bars and pathetically shook them.
“What’s the magic word?”
Franklin’s scowl drooped into a frown at the question. Hesitantly, he wept “Please.”
“That’s more like it, Frankie!”
Arthur lifted open the lock and pulled the door open at his request.
“Thanks. It wasn’t very comfy or nice in there.”
“I doubt it was,” they jeered as they circled around Franklin and laid down next to him.
“So… how’s the outside been? Anything new to tell me? I’d love to know.”
“Hmm… there’s always been these random groups of four cats I can’t help but fight. I’ve seen them in the alley and the desert. Here too. I’m sure you know of their presence?”
“Aw, yes. Them. Instructed by that giant fat lady! My mech has proven time and time again that it’s of the utmost advanced technology out there!”
“I’ve seen one of them summon an exact replica of your mech, Franklin. Don’t act like what you do hasn’t been done already.”
“Excuse me? I’m the best tinkerer! The best cat even! You know yourself!”
“Debatable,” Arthur teased.
“Who’s better than me??”
“Everyone’s the best in their own ways,” they responded as they rolled onto their back and stretched. “There’s a cat as smart as you out in the alley who casts magic instead of inventing. Lucy. Her skills intrigue me.”
“An alley cat who knows magic? Nonsense! Where could she learn such things??”
“That’s none of my business.”
“I suppose you’re correct.”
Franklin stroked his beard-like fur and narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
“You’re my favorite though,” Arthur chimed. They sat up and licked Franklin’s cheek. “Is that what you were thinking about?”
Franklin shook his head and looked back at Arthur in slight shock.
“Ha ha, no!” He tried to giggle out which sounded like a cackle. “Of course I’m your favorite.”
What they said confused him though, so he questioned “Why, actually?”
“I feel as if you’re the one who understands me best. You’re crazy. I’m crazy. A better way to describe me is coo-coo. Much more silly! Zany! Heheh!”
Arthur snuck a paw up to run it through Franklin’s fur beard, continuing their explanation. “But we’re also smart. You might not know this, or you do… but I know more things than you. I can make robocats! I can construct a mech! Maybe I didn’t say that until now just ‘cause I like to hear you gloat about yourself. Because it’s true, really. You’re real smart, Franklin. And I think you can put your knowledge to use outside of this awful lab.”
“B-but the lab is safe! It’s home!” he stammered. “I don’t know what’s out there!”
“Have my stories not been enough? Or are they just fiction to you? I wouldn’t lie to you, Franklin. Besides, the lab is full of raging who knows what in its chambers and hallways.”
“It’s not either of those. I’m scared of the unknown, Arthur. What else lies beyond the alley or desert that you haven’t told me?”
“Many things,” they admitted. “But that’s for you to discover. You love learning new things, right? Meeting new cats, probably not. I have a feeling they’d like you though. Like the mage I brought up!”
“I don’t think anything’ll change my mindset. I want to stay here.”
“...I won’t force anything onto you. I’m sorry for pushing further,” they softly pleaded as they set their paw back onto the cold floor.
“It’s alright. Thanks for understanding.”
Wanting to cheer up Arthur, Franklin nuzzled his face into theirs and flicked his tongue at their nose. “You technically count as the outside. When you bring in dirt. Grime. Water. Your stories. It’s enough for me.”
Arthur nuzzled back with a purr and curled their tail around Franklin in an affectionate gesture.
“I’m glad,” they grinned softly. “How does me staying here until Dr. Beanies comes back sound?”
“Wonderful! It gets a bit lonely without–”
Grumble grumble…
“Augh, the cage must’ve made me hungry,” Franklin whimpered.
“Here,” spoke Arthur. With two up and down swipes with their right arm, they threw a piece of cooked meat onto the floor to hopefully satiate Franklin’s unwelcome hunger.
“Oh! Goodie!” He exclaimed before ferociously tearing into the meat like it was the last meal on Earth.
“Was it good?” Arthur asked. “You practically gobbled it up in one bite!”
“Delish,” he chuckled as he licked some of the blood off his lips.
But then he shuddered in denial at his behavior. “D-don’t… that was the cat in me that took over,” Franklin stuttered.
“As if it’s a problem?”
“Really isn’t I guess…”
Franklin watched Arthur drag out the rather large cat bed from the cage and flop onto it, kneading the bedding with their paws before making themself comfortable.
“Cuddling’s a nice way to spend time together. Unless there’s something I should hear from you?”
“Ahaha, nonono! Cuddling’s perfect! When I can hear you best and feel the warmest along with you!”
Franklin laid next to Arthur on the bed and rested an arm over them, cuddling close and licking their fur.
“Now… tell me more stories about the outside!” Franklin urged excitedly.
“Alright alright… So I see this green cat in the alley, right? Thinking he’s all smart and wise with his traps or whatever. He also wears an eyepatch. Who knows if he’s actually missing an eye or if it’s just for show…”