ACT EIGHT
Garfield slowly began to awaken and his vision became clear, but he still felt groggy. “What’s… happening? Where am I?” he groaned.
“Shh, just relax.” said Nurse Redheart, as she gave him an oxygen mask to help him stabilize.
Garfield noticed the other Murakami students, as well as the Equetsrians, Celestia and Luna were there in the room with him. “What are you all doing here?”
“Terra found you in the hallway.” replied Kori “…You collapsed.”
Garfield suddenly remembered, “I did! Wait, Terra… you helped me?”
Terra nodded softly.
“She came to your aid… like a friend.” said Sunset “And after all the mean things you said to her, and to us, she was still willing to help you, and so were we.”
Everyone nodded, and Garfield was a mix of emotions, but still feeling so groggy he could barely think straight.
“I’ve never seen anyone in such bad shape before.” said Redheart “How much sleep have you gotten?”
“I think about… six or seven.” replied Garfield. “Six or seven hours a night; well that’s not really bad.” said Redheart, but Garfield corrected her, “…I meant all week.”
Everyone’s expressions turned shock. It was no wonder his eyes looked so burned and baggy, and obviously why he was such a grump most of the time. Anyone who hadn’t slept for that long would be no different.
“Garfield, this is crazy!” snapped Dick “Six or seven hours of sleep in a week isn’t healthy!”
“He’s right.” added Vic “And look at you, your all skin and bones. I don’t how you’re still walkin’, but you can’t keep this up!”
Garfield was not only starting to feel a bit more alert, but his outrage was returning. “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do with my life! It’s none of your concern! That goes for all of you! Got it?!”
“That’s enough!” snapped Celestia “You are a student at this school, and it IS my concern for your well-being and health.”
Redheart, seeing that this was about to get ugly, quietly slipped over to the counter and prepared a sedative-shot to calm Garfield down…!
The bell rang, signifying school was out already. Garfield realized he had been knocked out all afternoon. “I’m going to be late for work!” He tried to get out of bed, but Luna held him down, “You’re not going anywhere, young man!”
“Garfield, we want to help you.” Fluttershy said.
“I don’t want your help!!” Garfield yelled as he tried to get up, Prompting Vic, Rainbow and applejack to help hold him down. “Let me go!! LET ME GO!!”
Redheart moved in closer with the sedative ready, and stuck him in the arm. The powerful drug took effective almost immediately and Garfield slowly faded into a deep sleep, which Redheart said “The rest will do him a world of good, but he needs more care for his malnourishment. I’m going to call the hospital.”
Everyone agreed, it was the best thing Garfield needed for now, and Celestia and Luna sent the other students all off as school was out.
“Poor, Garfield.” Terra muttered “I’m really worried about him.”
Much as the others felt just as worried for Garfield’s health and well-being, they all couldn’t help but note in Terra’s concern being much greater than theirs.
The Murakamis knew this wasn’t first time. Terra had been having moments of concern for Garfield ever since Grade Nine, when they all met in High School, but it almost seemed like something more.
“Terra… is there something you’re not telling us about you and Garfield?” Kori asked. Terra didn’t comfortable saying it for everyone to hear, but the goths glared at her eerily. “You may as well tell us what’s got you.” said Raven. “If not, may the dark spirits feast upon your soul as you sleep, and haunt you in the day as you walk.” added Kato.
Feeling freaked out by such thoughts, Terra confessed, “Garfield once saved my life. I remember it well.”
*Terra’s POV*
When I was twelve, before I went to high school, I had just been adopted from the orphanage and was doing some grocery shopping for my foster parents, when suddenly it began to rain hard. The kind that soaked you to the bone… then again, it is rain after all.
Anyway, I was just turning the corner to walk to down the street that lead to my foster family’s apartment, when I was ambushed by two street-punks, and they were both puffed up and mean to the core.
They pointed a gun and a knife at me demanding I hand them any money I had, as well as the groceries as they were starving as well, but just as things were about to get ugly…
He came rushing in and tackled the two muggers. Though he was only twelve like me, he showed incredible skills.
After the crooks were beaten, he searched them, I think looking for spare change, but when he couldn’t find any on either of them, he growled angrily.
“You saved me…” I said to him “Thank you.” and he turned at me, his eyes hidden behind his shades and sneered “Don’t mention it… Ever!” and then he just ran off.
“Hey… Wait!” I called to him, but he had already gone away! I just stood there wondering who he was. He didn’t look like anyone I knew.
Then, when I finally got into Murakami High, was I ever surprised, there he was, the same boy who saved me before; I know it was Garfield, I recognized him anywhere, but when I tried to approach him or befriend him, he brushed me off, he didn’t want anything to do with me… or anyone for that matter.
*POV Ends*
“That’s… well… how I do I make that out?” asked Rainbow.
“Well, we’re all agreed on one thing…” said Dick “Whatever Garfield’s been doing with himself, he can’t keep this up. We really need to get to the roots of his pushiness, and figure why he really does it.”
“I agree…” said Sunset, “He may be tired and malnourished, but… I still think there something else behind all this. Something that compels him to be deliberately mean to people, even to those who try to help and befriend him.”
“Well, we could always check out his home and see what it’s really like.” Fluttershy suggested.
Spike wanted to protest he already told them what his home was like, but Twilight gave him a soft pat on the head warning him not to break his “No-Talking” cover.
“Just one problem…” Raven pointed out “We don’t even know where he lives.”
“You’re right, I guess it’s hopeless.” Pinkie smugly said “We might as well go home and forget about it.”
Everyone was surprised by her attitude, but Pinkie winked at her friends and at Spike, and they all got the drift.
“So, uh… how about we just go study and my place?” said applejack “We got some makeup tests ya know for missin’ half the day.”
“I’m up for that.” said Rainbow “We could order sick amounts of pizza and everything.”
They girls all acted coy and sly as they walked off, leaving the Murakamis confused and baffled, but not one of them fell for the bluff a bit.
“Well that performance was terrible.” said Vic “What are they really up to?”
Dick stepped forth, “I think they know something we don’t. Well whatever it is, we’ll find out.”
Everyone agreed, and it was a good thing their motor-cycles and Vic’s car were in the parking-lot.
A while later, the paramedics showed up to take Garfield to the hospital, but when they were escorted by Celestia and Luna, and Nurse Redheart to the Nurse’s office… they found Garfield was nowhere to be seen.
“Where did he go?” asked Celestia.
“He was right here in bed.” cried Redheart “I gave him enough sedative to knock out a horse.”
Luna looked out the window and could see in the parking-lot, “His moped is gone!”
“Will someone explain to us what is going on here?!” one of the paramedics asked, but the ladies had no idea themselves other than there were a poor disheveled young boy out there!
Soon, all the girls were driving along on their motorbikes, riding two-by-two. The very bikes used from the Friendship-games. It was a good thing they all had their licenses too, but they were traveling a really-really long way out of town.
“Our parents aren’t really going to like this!” Fluttershy whimpered. “Ah, they’ll never know.” said Rainbow “We told them we’d be studying extra late tonight.”
Applejack still didn’t feel cool about lying to her family, but she knew they were doing the right thing by heading far, far out to check Garfield’s home.
“Why do I have to come?” Spike complained, “I don’t want to have to go back to that creepy only place!”
“Because only you know the way.” replied Twilight “And if it really is as bad as you say it is you can guide us.”
Spike sighed and slithered back into her knapsack as the girls continued to roam along the road… unaware that they were being followed close behind.
The Murakamis had been keeping a sharp eye on their friends and were following them but keeping well back so as not to be scene. Dick was riding his motor-cycle while the others all rode in Vic’s car.
Vic’s ride was specially made and supped up by him and his expertise in auto-mechanics, and his car was equipped with a special zoom-camera that could see the girls from really far, and they kept in contact with Dick through his hands-free cellphone he wore under his riding helmet.
“They’re heading straight for Jump City.” said Dick.
“Our hometown…? Why head there?” asked Kori.
“Wait…!” cried Dick “They’re turning off… now they’re heading for the outback lands.”
Now there was cause for concern. They all knew the outback lands were extremely hot at this time of the afternoon, not to mention the roads were extremely rough and bumpy.
“They just drove fifty miles to head out there?” Raven asked, “Okay, this is officially getting weird.”
“Nevertheless, we must pursue them.” said Kato. Vic and Dick agreed, but it was going to be one bumpy ride.
The girls were already experiencing the rough roads. The road was bumpy they all jiggled like sitting on a washing machine. Applejack felt a little green in the gut, “I don’t feel too good.” She groaned.
“I find it kinda fun.” cried Pinkie, and she did a back-wheely stand “Whee-Heee!”
“Oh, please don’t do that again!” cried Fluttershy.
“Spike are you sure this is the right way?” asked Sunset. “I’m positive!” replied Spike, I was hanging onto Garfield’s moped, remember? I saw, we flew right over all this.”
Rarity didn’t like the sudden bumping in the roads, as well as the heat of the setting sun. they had been driving for nearly two whole hours. “It certainly would have saved us much time and trouble if we used our magic.” she called to the others
“Yeah, well what about me?” said Twilight “I don’t have any magic like you all do. How’d I come along?”
“Besides, we can’t…” Sunset cut in, “Our magic only works when we’re in real danger, fighting for Friendship, or tapping into our own abilities.”
Suddenly, the sky up ahead looked really dark. “It’s almost nightfall, already?” cried Sunset.
“That isn’t the night…” Spike said, “Those are the storm clouds over Garfield’s home.”
All the girls gasped in shock, “What?! That’s all a giant storm?” asked Rainbow.
Twilight gawked up as the errie clouds grew darker and darker, “Impossible…!”
The road began to feel less bumpy and grassier as they got closer and closer, which meant it was also growing darker and darker. Soon it was as dark as the night, and with no city lights or anything it was very hard to see.
and suddenly, Spike nervously pointed forth “There it is!”
Garfield’s mansion in the horrifying grounds as thunder and lightning shook the skies.
(start at 2:58)
The girls could only gawk in extreme horror. “This… No way!” cried Rainbow “This is Garfield’s home?”
Spike nodded, “I told you it was a nightmare!”
A another loud crash of thunder and lightning hit, making everyone yelp and huddled together while shivering with fear, as well as the chill in the howling winds.
“I don’t like it here!” peeped Fluttershy.
Rarity stepped on a twig and screamed slightly, making the girls jump again! “I think I’d like to leave now.”
All the girls agreed, even Sunset, “Oh, but wait…!” she suddenly said “We really should look around a bit. We need to gather as much evidence as we can.”
Spike could not believe this a bit! “I already told you what this place is like! What, coming here wasn’t enough?!” he shouted, followed by another thunder crash.
“Spike, we need to gather evidence to take back with us.” Twilight said “Garfield needs help… more now than I ever realized just looking at this place.”
As frightful as everyone felt, they got out their cell-phones and began to take pictures and video record as much as they could, as well as using the flashlights to see better.
They would have called for more help, but unfortunately they had no signals, and couldn’t even call each-other. “It must be the storm cloud.” said Twilight “It’s so thick and dense and all the lightning flashing must block out the signals.”
“That’s swell… but when are they going to let up already?” asked Rainbow.
“They don’t.” Spike replied, “The wind blows in circular motions around this entire area for miles, so the cloud stays right put. Kind of like in-casing this whole area in a glass.”
Twilight thought that to be more ridiculous than ever, but she couldn’t deny the facts, and she also deduced that it never rained because of all the constant lightning strikes, making it so hot above, any water trying to fall from the clouds evaporated back into the clouds before it could even fall, which also explained why the cloud was so thick and dark.
“You think it’s dark now…?” Spike chuckled “It’s only coming up to early evening. Wait until nightfall, when it REALLY gets dark!”
Pinkie Pie was starting to freak out “D-D-Darker than this?!”
Applejack looked one way, and then another, “How can anybody live in a place like this?”
Everyone else felt the same way. The spookiness was bad enough, but they soon found that everything was exactly as Spike first told them. “Let’s go in the house, we’ll be safer in there. Garfield’s not home anyway.”
The girls agreed, feeling it was better than standing outside in the chilling winds, and to their surprise the door opened due to its latches being loose, yet they still made those sickening creaking noises!
“Come on, girls…” Sunset whispered and they all crept inside closing the doors behind them.
No sooner had they gone in did the Murakami students step into the grounds, having just arrived and parked their vehicles, and using flashlights and phone lights to see, they took one look at the place and they were stunned.
“What kind of place is this?” asked Dick. “We’re practically in the middle of nowhere!”
Kori was quivering nervously, and held Dick’s hand, much to his delight. “It’ll be okay, Kori. Don’t worry…” he said trying to sound brave.
The goths looked all around, and could see the entire place was surrounded by hostile environments.
Such as... an old abandoned tower on a hilltop…
A Cemetery…
Murky Lake…
A hapless forest…
…And vast fields of dark and endless misery.
“This place is… heavenly!” Raven said with a deep and loving expression on her face as she held her boyfriend’s hand. “And I thought we were experts on picking dark places.” Kato said “We could do so much with this place.”
The others couldn’t believe them, acting amazed at such a place, but didn’t bother argue. “Why would the girls come here?” Vic asked.
“Maybe this is… like… their secret meeting place?” Terra suggested.
Dick looked down by his feet and noticed a trail many mixed trails of footprints leading into the forest--unaware that they were actually Garfield’s footprints.
“Don’t tell me you’re going in there?” asked Terra.
Kori didn’t like the looks of the forest “It could be swarming.”
“With wolves…” hissed Raven, “And bats…!” added Kato. Unable to resist, they ran off hand-in-hand towards the forest entrance, “Wait you guys!” Dick called, but their friends had already vanished into the darkness.
“Ah, man!” Vic groaned as he dashed off after them, followed by the others.