𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 - a never-ending story

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 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 hear the rumbling echoing from within Starcourt Mall; the ground shook beneath them and it felt as though a crater might appear and swallow them whole... it'd be better than being cornered by the Mind Flayer, at least.

 The children had scurried into their seats, tucking themselves away within the car all the while their wide eyes peered out the window... Lucas would fall atop Will and Mike's lap if he teetered any closer to the fogged glass.

 Jonathan hadn't spared a glance at the car across the lot. The ignition cable within his grasp was their one way out, so while Billy revved his engine and kept his light on full beam... Jonathan popped the hood and dove straight in.

 He entrusted his safety, along with his little brothers with the two girls that had decided to face Billy Hargrove head-on.

 Scarlet's hands hadn't taken more than a heartbeat to alight with crimson. It dripped off her hands like slick blood, soon disappearing into the air. Nancy, on the other hand, had a gun held before her features... like Scarlet, her hands were steady. There wasn't a single tick upon their fingers, no hint of a tremble to be seen.

 They were both entirely resolved to win, and while neither of the two wanted to bring any heartbreak to Max Mayfield... they'd warned her that if they could escape without blowing him to pieces, they would. But Billy wasn't giving them much of a choice.

 As Jonathan cursed at the still-sputtering car, and Billy revved the engine of his own once more. It was a low growl, so very similar to the Mind Flayer that Scarlet wouldn't have been surprised if the beast had possessed the damn vehicle too.

 Then, the car raced forth. Each grumble of the engine fell to the back of their minds, the vibrant beams burning into their iris' were forgotten, and Nancy couldn't conceal the sneer on her features. She pressed the trigger. She squeezed it again and again and again.

 Each bullet that whizzed through the air dented the metal of the car. They bounced off and clattered upon the gravel. Some broke through the windshield and pushed through the seats within... but none quite hit the deranged driver.

 As the car stalked ever closer, tearing through the parking lot, Nancy faltered. Her hand fell to her side eyes roving over the multitude of holes in the glass, the smattering of dents and chipped paint; she'd leave the rest to the girl by her side...

 Scarlet needed no words to step forth. No plea to raise her hands and watch as crimson fell from her fingertips. She willed it forth, waiting as energy festered like a plague within her palms... and then... her head twisted to the side.

 Her eyes parted from the glare of Billy's headlights, and instead found another — new — source of light. From her left, yet another car came storming their way with the clear intent of crashing into Billy. There was no doubt in Scarlet's mind when it came to who was within the drivers seat. It had to be Steve. It was always Steve.

 Where Steve Harrington went, Robin was no longer far behind. Half of the Scoops Troop had turned tail and come to help... Scarlet threw her hands forth. The target had changed, and so had Scarlet's means of power — rather than watch a pulse of energy collide with Billy's car, she encased the Tod Father within a sturdy maroon shield.

 The cars collided and — with the rippling wave of crimson surrounding Steve and Robin — Billy's car was sent spiralling across the parking lot with screeching tires and smoke billowing from the hood, the Tod Father remained in one pristine piece.

 The shield dropped instantaneously, and Scarlet hadn't cared to spare Billy another glance.

 Within mere seconds Scarlet was before the driver's side door with Steve's arms already curled around her waist, "What are you doing here?"

 "You didn't answer, and the lights went out." Steve murmured back, and it was easy to spy the utter relief in his tone. Back upon the hill that overlooked the entirety of Hawkins, he'd been beside himself.

 Steve had paced and paced all the while Dustin cried into the walkie, begging and pleading for an answer. Steve had felt his stomach twist, his heart lurch as it prepared to burst from his chest... and then Starcourt Mall fell into darkness.

 If not for Robin clamping a hand on his shoulder, Steve might have toppled all the way back down the hill they'd climbed. He hadn't wasted a second in sprinting for the car... Robin had followed instantaneously — Steve couldn't have appreciated it more.

 Scarlet cracked her eyes open, peering over Steve's shoulder at a rather shell-shocked Robin. Her chopped hair was wild and blown in all directions from the speed they'd been going, there were traces of fear etched upon her face, "You okay?"

 Robin blinked while that dazed expression remained. She at least managed a crooked smile, "Ask me tomorrow?"

 "And you?" Steve muttered, forcing himself to pull back just ever so slightly, "Are you okay?"

 She might have been unscathed, bar the bruises and cuts sustained within the Russian base... But Steve knew the tell-tale signs of absolute worry. No, it wasn't just worry, it was panic. It wasn't often that he'd see such a look residing in those eyes, but now as he met them unrelentingly, he could see it sparking like a wildfire.

 Scarlet's throat bobbed. Her eyes flashed to the mall for just a moment, swiftly sealing shut upon a hefty footstep from the Mind Flayer; it rattled the ground, "I'm — I'm fine... but It's in there, and Eleven —"

 "— El's not with you? What about Max? Mike?"

 That was when Scarlet felt any fight leaving her body. Her lower lip wobbled, a hand darting to smooth out the pressure building on her forehead, "We got separated — I don't know where —" he words fell short when Steve scooped up her hand and bent just ever so slightly to meet her eyes.

 "Hey, hey." He let what he hoped to be a loose smile fall over his lips, "She'll be alright, they all will. We'll find them, just like always."

 Scarlet's head nodded while Steve's thumbs hastily wiped just below her eyes, banishing away any pesky tears that might have escaped... She wanted to believe that they'd be okay, that they'd somehow managed to escape. All they could do now... was draw the Mind Flayer away.

 A deafening screech rumbled through the night, almost splitting the haze of clouds high above. All heads whipped towards the mall, watching with nothing but horror as the Mind Flayer climbed higher and higher until it loomed over them like a terrifying omen. Its slimy flesh glinted beneath the taunting moonlight, and shards of glass still lodged within its skin sparked and shone like the edge of a knife.

 The beast's mass of razor-sharp teeth looked like a smattering of spears all pointing their way. Each and every tooth made of sharpened bone seemed to gleam as blood and saliva dropped from the points. It stared down at them, a low rumble building within its gut — its prey had escaped its grasp far too many times.

 Scarlet felt Steve's fingers grapple for his hand, tightening with all of his strength. He and Robin had the fortune of bypassing the Mind Flayer's original appearance... now they had seen it in all its vile glory. It was far more menacing than they'd ever imagined.

 There was no more time to dwell and comfort one another. No time to worry about Eleven, Max and Mike. They had to move, and they had to move now. "Robin!" Scarlet called, already yanking Steve towards Nancy's car, "Let's go!"

 Scarlet tossed open the trunk, and the sound of the reverberating engine was a relief to hear. No sputtering could be heard. Both Scarlet and Steve helped Robin inside, and Scarlet didn't waver when it came to jumping in after her.

 Steve felt his eyes gravitate towards the beast atop the mall once more, a single screech was all it took to spur him onwards. He clambered into the car and slammed the trunk to a close, breathing heavily through the sudden silence.

 It was... cosy, to say the very least. Three teenagers squashed into the very back, and two of them were made of nothing but gangly and boney limbs. Scarlet was sandwiched between them, Steve's arm slung over her shoulder in the hopes of making the ride just a little bit more comfortable.

 The tires of the car screeched and squealed against the gravel as they took off. Jonathan hadn't faltered and swiftly slammed his foot upon the gas pedal, willing the car to fly forth as fast as it could possibly manage.

 Scarlet didn't watch as the mall faded from sight, nor did she stare through the window as the moon peeked through the bursting trees. There was no wind, no light howl in the night to comfort them... just the sound of a rumbling engine, and the rattle of the Mind Flayer's footsteps.

 She could feel Steve's thumb rubbing mindless patterns into her bicep, sending a jolt over her flesh... but even that wasn't enough to prevent a descent into madness. She couldn't think about anything except those they'd left behind.

 Scarlet knew there was nothing else they could have done and that they had to simply trust in their plan to draw the Mind Flayer away for as long as possible. It would keep the thing from El, it would give Hopper time to shut down the machine and close the gate... Perhaps it was the pessimistic part of her that thought it all sounds too simple.

 Sure, luring away a monster wasn't exactly simple in the slightest... but what were the chances that everything went according to plan? That wasn't within their skills... they didn't have that kind of luck.

 The car jolted with every single bump on the road... Lucas had knocked his head against the window, poor Will had bumped his skull against the roof... Even Nancy had a white-knuckled grip on the side of her chair, eyes cast towards the side mirrors to watch as the Mind Flayer chased them through a game of cat and mouse.

 Scarlet felt each stomp from the creature tailing them. Every footstep sent the car rattling like a sad little leaf clinging upon its brunch during a volatile hurricane. Scarlet, Steve and Robin had the perfect view; each slimy leg crushed the road beneath it, a trail of shining blood and goo was left behind like it was some overgrown slug dragging along Hawkins.

 The three shared a short look; if they didn't gain distance... they'd soon find their blood joining the gross little pathway.

 As shivers wracked each of their spines, and as goosebumps covered their exposed flesh... the walkie that Robin had been clinging to for dear life sparked to life. It hissed, then it crackled and Robin soon tossed it to the girl beside her.

 Scarlet held it before her face, fiddling with the dials in the very same way Dustin and Will had both shown her... then a voice chattered through, one none of them recognised.

 "Dusty-bun, do you copy?" It was a child's voice, that much was obvious. The unknown girl's voice was high and sweet. She practically cooed the little nickname.

 Dustin's tone soon followed, surrounded by static, "I copy Suzy-poo. It sounds much better now, thanks."

 Steve couldn't help but grimace at the nicknames. Sure he might have been deemed Stevie... but the way that Scarlet said it made it kind of... anyway... Steve looked at his companions and was relieved to see the mirrored looks upon their crumpled features. He cleared his throat, speaking through his frown, "Dusty-bun?"

 Scarlet couldn't say much, truly, for she too loved a nickname or two... but Dusty-bun was a bit too much... Still, it didn't take a genius to guess the name of the girl cooing through the walkie; it had to be Suzie. The girl that Dustin had gushed about, the one that Steve still didn't believe actually existed.

 "Oh, my God," She whispered like a teenager spreading gossip, knocking on Steve's arm, "It's Suzie."

 "Shit. She's real?" Steve chuckled to himself in utter bewilderment. All of Dustin's talk of this girl being 'hotter than Phoebe Cates'... Steve had almost immediately deemed the girl as nothing more than a sad little figment of Dustin's imagination. He'd almost asked Dustin if he'd been seeing anything else, and not just his made-up girlfriend.

 Dustin, unaware of the perplexed looks being tossed around, ignorant of the way he was being mocked, spoke once more, "Okay, so, listen, do you know Planck's constant?"

 On the other end of Cerebro... Suzie giggled, "Do you know the earth orbits the sun?"

 "Are they flirting in nerd right now?" Steve groaned as he plonked his head atop Scarlets, grinning to himself when he felt her laugh in turn. It seemed to be an almost impossible feat, getting even a hint of joy from her... all Steve had spied were her wide eyes and curled brows as she peered out the window...

 She had looked to be staring down the Mind Flayer as though it was nothing more than a bully, but Steve knew her mind was absent of any thoughts pertaining to the beast. She was thinking about the kids.

 But even that little snort she'd spouted was enough for now.

 Dustin snickered at the joke, and Scarlet could imagine his cheeks turning pink, "Okay, so I know it starts with two sixes, and then a... What — What is it?"

 "Okay, let me just be clear on this. I haven't heard from you in a week, and now you want a mathematical equation that you should know, so you can... Save the world?" Suzie asked with utter exasperation flooding her sweet-as-sugar voice.

 To be entirely honest, Scarlet could understand where she was coming from. Days of utter silence — even though Dustin really had tried to speak with her — and now he came crawling and grovelling at her feet all to 'save the world' which was a true enough statement, even if Suzie didn't quite know how true it really was.

 Dustin's voice fell, "Suzie-poo, I promise, I will make it up to you as soon as possible."

 Suzie-poo had been a step too far, and even Scarlet couldn't conceal the queasiness on her features. With a frown, she twisted her sights to similar-looking Robin all the while gesturing to Steve, "If we ever get like that, do us a favour? Hurt the both of us."

 Steve couldn't find himself disagreeing, even when Robin snorted and said, "My pleasure."

 Suzie didn't seem to take Dustin's promise all that well, for despite the giggle that slipped through her lips and echoed through the walkies, she soon sobered, "You can make it up to me now," Her giggles had dissipated like a puff of smoke, "I want to hear it."

 Steve blinked, leaning closer to Scarlet as he muttered into her ear, "I'm starting to feel uncomfortable."

 "Not right now," Dustin's voice had an edge of... panic? Perhaps embarrassment? Scarlet couldn't quite tell whether it was one or the other, or maybe even both. The one thing she did know, was that such desperation had never been torn from the boy's lips before.

 "Yes, now, Dusty-bun."

 "I really don't like where this is going." Steve voiced once more, and upon hearing a light chime from Scarlet, Robin and even Will Byers, he couldn't help but grin. Still, he truly meant it, "They're like twelve, this is weird."

 "Suzie-poo," Dustin cried, smacking his head against his walkie, "This is urgent!"

 "Yes, yes, you're saving the world, I heard you the first time, but Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off."

 There was a beat of apprehension within the car; each of them knew that Suzie was the last chance at getting the code that would shut down that damned machine. The only thing that would stop the Mind Flayer right in its path.

 But Scarlet trusted Dustin with her life; no matter how embarrassing it may be, she knew Dustin would do as Suzie asked. To save his friends. To save them all.

 "Wait, wait, wait! Okay. Okay." He proved her right once again, but his voice displayed his complete and utter dismay. He sucked in a breath until they all thought his lungs might pop, and with his exhale... he did the one thing that none of them could have foretold. Dustin Henderson started to sing.

 "Turn around... Look at what you see... In her face... The mirror of your dreams..."

 Steve sat bolt upright while he watched Scarlet almost melt into the ground, "You're kidding me." He trailed a hand through his hair... Dustin had gotten through a single line and Steve was already tempted to tug on his hair until he pulled it free.

 "What the —" Robin breathed, followed swiftly by Scarlet's exasperation.

 "Jesus Christ." She uttered, wide eyes staring at nothing. What else was there to say? Two kids were beating their poor little hearts out, all the while their audience grimaced and groaned and wished for it to end.

 Maybe giving themselves over to the Mind Flayer wasn't so bad of an idea after all...

 The two children singing with all their might remained blissfully aware of the utter horror of their audience. They couldn't see Scarlet's repulsion. They had no idea of the grimace scrunching up Steve's features, no clue about how Robin looked ready to scramble out of the car and toss herself into the road... Then, the harmonising came, "Make believe I'm everywhere given in the light! Written on the pages is the answer to a never-ending story!"

 "I don't think I can take this much longer." Robin's voice was plain, as though she'd already traversed the five stages of grief. Her twitching, freckled fingers seemed impatient, almost anxiously awaiting for the moment they could open the trunk and toss her to her freedom.

 Steve's head bobbed with her words; she'd get absolutely no argument from him... actually, he flicked the girl on her shoulder, "Hey, Scarlet's right... hurt us. Hurt us as much as you want if we ever do anything even close to this."

 "Oh, you don't even have to ask, dingus."

 There was nothing but silence from the occupants of the car, even as the singing stretched on. They didn't dare speak... actually, none of them knew what the hell to say. Lucas seemed to lose any will to live, beside him, Will Byers looked as though his dinner was going to crawl back up his throat, and his big brother looked no different.

 Nancy was likely wondering why she'd ever opposed Billy in the first place, all of the singing could have been avoided so very easily.

 But, in reality, they all knew that while Dustin was taking his damned time to have his own musical number amidst their horror, it was with good reason. Suzie knew no better, and Dustin was only doing what he needed to do.

 It was hard to say whether the musical number or the Mind Flayer was more frightening, though. Actually, there was a split second that had Scarlet curling her fingers around the walkie even tighter, ready to toss it out the car — maybe the damned voices flooding through would scare it enough to have it flee right back to the upsidedown.

 A miserable groan came from Robin's direction, and Scarlet ever so gently patted her friend's back while Robin planted her head between her knees, trying with all her might to block the sounds from her pounding skull.

 Scarlet's thoughts soon had her picturing her father. She truly wondered how he, of all people, was dealing with the little show they were all receiving. She could almost see him now, face slack and filled to the brim with nothing but despair... he might have pressed his head against the wall, or even descended into utter madness like herself.

 For a moment, she thought about pressing the button that would allow her own voice to be heard. She wanted to call out to them both with all the sternness of her own father, she wanted to tell them to chop-fucking-chop... but, fortunately for them all, the singing soon came to a close.

 A collective sigh filed from child and teenager alike, and a smattering of fog soon covered the car windows.

 Suzie let out a great sigh, one filled with a whimsicalness one could only ever find in a fantasy story, "Planck's constant is 6.62607004."

 Scarlet felt Steve's weight lean against her, and now, she could finally feel the hammering of her heart. In the midst of such... oddness, she hadn't put much thought to the feeling in her chest, nor the shaking of her fingers but now she could. They finally had their answer, and she knew her father would waste a beat when it came to punching the code in.

 "You just saved the world!" Dustin cried out, and though yes... Suzie certainly had given them the code they needed to proceed with the plan, they had also decimated minutes upon minutes of vital time.

 In fact, as the duo gushing about one another on the walkies continued to coo and swoon — soon to be interrupted by a very disgusted, and permanently scarred, Erica Sinclair — Scarlet could see the true consequences that had come alone with such wasted time.

 She leaned forth, ignoring Steve as he grappled for her hand and Robin who had finally pulled her head higher. There... out the window... The Mind Flayer had paused. The rumbling of the earth had come to a complete and abrupt stop.

 Her heart seized.

 Chase us. Chase us. Chase us. Scarlet all but chanted like a prayer...

 Her whims went unheard, and the Mind Flayer soon let out a bellowing cry that all of Hawkins would hear. It moved once more, squelching flesh pounding into the ground and tearing up the tarmac... The problem was, it wasn't after them anymore. The Mind Flayer was heading right back in the direction they had fled from. 

 It was heading for Eleven.

 Scarlet's voice had never sounded so shrill before, "Nancy! Jonathan! It's going back!" 

 Almost every word broke — shattered like a thin pane of pitiful glass. Etched within the light lines of her features was fear, she felt it in her hands as they shook in the air, a finger pointed towards the fleeing beast.

 There was warmth around that particular finger, as a hand covered in light cuts and scrapes wrapped it tightly and lowered it, gaining her attention.

 The car teetered, and Jonathan cried out as he whipped the car around, a gush of smoke sailing from the wheels. The sound of screeching tires did nothing to beckon the Mind Flayer back to them, it just kept trailing away, closer and closer to Eleven, Maxine, and Mike.

 "Hey." Steve tried, shaking the hand he's taken ahold of, and with no reply, he leaned closer, "Scar, they'll be okay."

 "You don't know that."

 The bleakness was enough to recoil, and Steve shook his head, "No... I don't. But we're going back for them. You'll make sure they're okay, you always do."

 Her gaze cleared, finally snapping away from the ever-fogging window. Steve stared at her with nothing but honesty within those molten brown eyes... he believed his words completely. He knew that if any of them were to help, it would be her. She wanted to scoff and tut, or shake her head and pull away.

 But when could ScarletHopper ever pull away from Steve Harrington? It was impossible, unfeasible.

 So, instead, she leaned into his hold, eyes flashing back to the shadow of the beast and made herself a promise.

 She'd tie it within a crimson noose and hang it from the front of Starcourt like a trophy.

 This was it. The fight for Starcourt, the fight for Eleven, and the fight for their shoddy little town of Hawkins was upon them, looming like a nightmare.

 And it was a fight they simply couldn't afford to lose.

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13-06-2020

edited version: 29/11/2022

:･ﾟ★ the never-ending story bit fills me with such undeniable rage. Like kiddies, pls be quiet<3

There will be ANOTHER chapter posted later; I'm feeling rather generous after finally finishing the rewrite of the last chapter (as well as starting on the oneshots for this act) so make sure to keep an eye out.

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