M.K. smiled to herself when she saw Nod and Ronin bickering, again. "Oh please," she sighed and walked up to the two," Just say you love each other." The look of complete surprise on Nod's face was worth it, and she was…happy that he seemed so happy to see her. He just seemed so relieved that she was still there.

Ronin shrugged. "I thought we just did."

Nod rose to his feet with a smile. "Hey, you're still here."

M.K.'s face fell at the reminder. "Yeah…I guess I missed my chance." Yes, she knew the risk when she left the pod to go get her dad. But at the good it caused, she decided it was worth the risk. Was her choice really that bad?

"I'm sorry," Nod told her, knowing how much she missed her home. But when he smiled and said," But not completely sorry," she readily accepted his hand. It felt warm and strong in hers, and she suddenly found herself thinking. 'What would I do without this lovable idiot?'

'I'm not completely sorry either.'

Almost instantly, a strong wind blew and what felt like a strong force started to pull her away. Her hand clenched around his, trying to find stability. Not understanding, Nod chuckled," Wow. Strong grip."

Then he felt the wind too. As it got stronger, M.K. reached out with her other hand and met his other outstretched hand. "What's happening?!" she yelled when her feet were swept off the ground.

"The Queen brought you here," Nim told her," How 'bout a queen send you back?" He gestured to the young Queen, who was comically concentrating her powers by pointing her fingers to her head. "It's working!"

"I have to say goodbye," M.K. exclaimed, holding tighter onto Nod's arms. She wanted something that would give her more time. To leave like this, so suddenly? She could barely stand it, and the devastated look on Nod's face made it even worse.

"What for?" Ronin spoke up and she looked at him over Nod's shoulder," You're part of us."

"Many leaves, I always say," Grub butted in, wearing a Leafman helmet (probably Nod's). Noticing Ronin looking at him funny, Grub flustered. "Uh, I mean…I mean 'Leafmen say'." He sadly pulled off the helmet and handed it to Ronin," Not that I'm a Leafman." Only to feel Ronin slap the helmet back onto his snail head. "Says who?"

Grub turned around and happily hugged a grossed out Ronin.

"We'll find each other!" Mub yelled to M.K. "Just follow the slime!" Mub couldn't have known that Ronin said the same thing, but the irony was not lost on them. Despite the wind still trying to M.K. away, she and Nod smiled bitterly. "We will, Mub," she reassured the enamored slug.

Then the wind got stronger. "You're really leaving," Nod gasped, holding onto her tighter. M.K. looked back to him, tears in her eyes. She really was leaving, wasn't she? Would she ever see him again? She would go back to being a Stomper, and he would… stay here.

"Put…put your arms around me."

There wasn't a moment's hesitation on his part. With a strength she didn't know he had, Nod pulled her towards him and she hugged him tightly. It felt right. When his cheek pressed against hers, she felt warm and happy, like she was where she was supposed to be.

That's why she kissed him. It felt right and she wanted to. She wanted some way to tell him how she felt, before it was too late…

And she realized… 'I can't say goodbye.'

"I want to stay."

She barely whispered it, but he heard her just the same. "What?" he breathed, not entirely sure if he heard her correctly.

"Please," M.K. looked towards the new Queen," Don't send me away. I don't want to leave."

"What?" the young queen paused and glanced up in surprise. She then looked to Nim Galuu for guidance," Can she do that? Can she stay?"

With a knowing smile, three of Nim's arms gestured to Nod and M.K. "Only if it's what they want." The Queen glanced back at the two; their arms were still intertwined and Nod was the only thing keeping M.K. grounded.

"Are you sure?" Nod asked M.K. He asked worriedly and he was nervous that she would say no, but a large part of him was still hopeful. He was so hoping that he wouldn't have to lose her. "What about your dad? Your world?"

She smiled; it was so sweet of him to worry about her. It was another reason why she would miss him too much if she left. "He'll understand," she told him, referring to her dad.

"Nod…" she squeezed his arms tight and spoke quietly," I want to stay."

Nod smiled wide and gripping her forearms, he pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her. This time when he did so, her feet touched the ground and stayed there.

She was staying.

"M.K.!" Mub was the first one to separate the two of them by rushing forward to hug M.K.

"Gya!" Nod was the unfortunate victim to be brutally shoved aside by the amorous slug," Hey!"

"Now we can be together forever!" Mub was overly excited, completely ignoring Nod's glares and attempts to pull him off M.K. Said girl was just laughing and smiling, so overjoyed to be staying with her friends and the ones she's come to care so much about.

Giving up on Mub, Nod stepped back and simply watched as M.K. reveled in being a new, permanent Jinn. Behind him, Ronin stepped forward and a hand was placed on Nod's shoulder. He glanced up and saw Ronin's small smile.

"She's staying," Nod breathed, finally realizing that it was true. M.K. was staying for good; she wasn't leaving. He smiled and wondered if she stayed solely because of him. It was a nice sentiment.

"Yeah," Ronin agreed, then noticing Nod's lovestruck gaze, he shook his head and playfully shoved his foster son forward. "Now don't mess it up, you here? That girl gave up a lot for you." Nod's eyes widened.

"You really think she-" he began, but stopped himself when he saw Ronin's knowing smile. "I won't," he promised.

Off to the side, Nim Galuu smiled at the happiness of all those in front of him. "Now this is one for the scrolls."

….

The sun was just beginning to rise when Bomba walked into his house. Even Ozzy was tired and upon finally reaching his plush bed, the three legged pug collapsed and began snoring loudly.

"I know, Ozzy," Bomba chuckled at the family dog," Pretty exciting day, huh?" He set his helmet down and sat warily at his desk. The monitors in front of him were dark and silent; he would have to plug them back in soon. But first…

"Mary-Katherine should be home soon," he mused, smiling to himself and then he perked up," And just think of all the stories she has to tell!"

Then suddenly realizing just how much he had discovered that night, he remembered that he still needed to document everything. "Now where did I put that journal?" he wondered out loud, then saw the open notebook on the other side of his desk. And right next to it…

…a hummingbird sat with a solitary rider upon it.

Bomba blanched and his face fell. "Uh, I…" He was at a loss for words. The hummingbird jumped up from the desk with a vertical launch and flew in front of his face. With the bare eye, he could barely make out the pink jacket wearing form behind the fluttering wings. A moment later, the flitting little bird flew over to the his helmet and circled it a few times.

Silently, Bomba made his way over the helmet and slowly put it on," Mary-Katherine?"

"Dad…" Though the multiple lenses, his daughter became quite visible, riding atop the little hummingbird.

"But… I don't understand…" he began," Weren't you able to turn big again?"

M.K. landed the bird on the desk and dismounted. "I'm sorry, Dad," she started," I actually…I chose to stay this small." It was certainly not what he was expecting.

"Mary-Katherine…Is this goodbye?"

"No!" she didn't mean to shout, but it came out in a rush and she held her hands up to stop him so she could explain. "I just…I couldn't leave them. The Leafmen and all my friends and Nod."

"Who?" he asked, but M.K. continued without pause. "And I thought that it wouldn't necessarily mean I had to leave you too. I mean, look at us right now; we're in different dimensions, but we're still talking. You were right about everything, Dad, and I can help you with your research. I can visit you every day and tell you about the Leafmen. I can-"

Bomba smiled ruefully, listening as his beloved daughter kept trying to come up with rood reasons as for why she chose to stay. But in truth, there only needed to be one reason.

"Oh, Mary-Katherine," he interrupted her," Is this what you really want? Will this make you happy?"

She didn't have to think long to come up with her answer," Yeah, I really think it will." She smiled, imagining how different her life would be now. Everyday would be an adventure, and she had the greatest of friends to be with.

That was all her father needed to hear, and he smiled wide. "Well, as long as you promise to visit often, then I'm happy for you, Mary-Katherine. Err, I mean, M.K. Who's Mary-Katherine?"

M.K. giggled, and deep inside her heart, she knew everything would be okay.

…

A/N: And so there it is. How I kept hoping the movie would end. M.K's adventures will continue in oneshots, so if anyone has any ideas for adventures they'd like to see, shoot me a message.