"Umm... Mr. McGucket, sir! Your breakfast is ready!"
I beamed happily as I poked my head through the door, carrying a tray full of buttered scones, toast, and a steaming cup of coffee. I'd etched a happy smiley-face onto the slice of toast with strawberry jam. Hehe. I was really sure he'd appreciate that!
There was a man stood at the other side of the room, looking down at a desk full of blueprints. This man reminded me very much of a friend of mine; he was really smart, even if he didn't look the part. But who said you had to look the part when it came to intelligence, huh? I was taught never to judge a book by its cover: you could miss some really important things if you did!
This man was taller than me, though admittedly, he was a little bit hunched. He hardly ever straightened, and especially so if he was focusing on something. I'm not sure if he hurt himself a lot, but he had several bandages about him. There was a massive cast on his arm, and wraps of bandages around the soles of his feet. He had this battered hat, and he wore a set of brown overalls that seemed a little… patched up. It really stood out in this big fancy place…
He ushered a hand in my direction, confirming that I could enter.
I smiled more widely in response, eyeing the tray in my hands and ensuring everything was correct, and in order. After a good confirmation that everything was A-Okay, I began walking in with the tray and being careful as not to tip anything.
"Okay, so, today, you have buttered scones-I think I did them really good today, so look forward to it, okay?" I gave him a warm, confident expression; I was really proud of my scones today! "Coffee, and... um... Oh, you'll really like what I did with your toast!"
After a couple of seconds, he stopped observing his blueprints. The man turned, his white beard swishing as he looked at me with a slightly guilty expression.
"Schmoodle-doodle, Cream, ah thought I told you not to do that..."
"Oh, please don't feel bad, sir!" I gently set the tray down on a free space on the table. I looked at him cheerily, bowing politely. "It's an honour, after all!"
Mr. McGucket looked at me with a still slightly-disapproving expression.
He still felt this way, long after I'd began residing here… But I honestly wanted to help him! It was only fair… But I wish that he wouldn't feel so bad about it… he deserves this…
"I want to help you!" I added brightly, closing my eyes happily. I opened them again, then stared at him with joyous brown eyes, my hands innocently behind my back as I rolled on my heels.
"Yeah, but ah don't want you to... Yer a little gal, not a butler..." my carer responded, straightening his hat and looking over his food. He inspected it quite thoroughly, though he made it apparent he was trying to do it discreetly. I guess that so much examination was a good thing… he hadn't commented on the actual food yet, so…
"Oh, I know… but I really can't think of any other way to repay you, Mr. McGucket!" I chimed, not minding doing this for him. "Besides… you need your strength too!"
He'd given me breakfast this morning, too, and he'd not had any! Mr. McGucket was always working... You should never work on an empty stomach... That's what my Momma always said. And Momma was always right!
"..." There was a very long silence, and he stared at me. That worried me... "Mr. McGucket?"
"...well, ain't this a darn-tooting good breakfast!" He grinned widely, looking back at the food. My hope rose, and the man broke out into a hearty-albeit slightly shaky-laugh, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Eheh..." I smiled sheepishly in response.
Sometimes, Mr. McGucket's personality was a bit... unique, but I still appreciated him for what he'd done for me... He was a good person... really smart too... Some of the things he made I couldn't really understand... though I wish I could. He always seemed quite proud of them, and a more well-versed bit of opinion seemed better than one that barely knew anything about it...
He seemed happy about my input anyways, though, so I don't feel too bad...
Sometimes, though... I really felt like he needed that... Mr. McGucket... didn't have a family. I wasn't sure what happened to them, but... no one else lived there apart from him. Before I came... he must have been really lonely... He might even have still felt that way now... I didn't have the nerve to ask, and I hated to pry...
For a little while, I guess I'd been staring into space for too long, because the scones had already disappeared. All that remained on the plate now were a few crumbs, but... Mr. McGucket made sure to eat every last bit; the plate with the scones was clean... He was definitely hungry. It really was a good thing I brought him up breakfast, no matter how much he didn't like me doing that...
He gave a momentary glance to the toast, and then the tea. He sighed to himself, and slowly, Mr. McGucket turned to smile at me.
"That's a mighty fine smile you got there..." he told me warmly.
My face lit up like a lamp, and I beamed in return. "Yup! I made it as carefully as I could!"
"Eh... I praise yer effort... But ya' know, you don't need to plaster it all over a piece a' bread!"
"Huh...?"
I looked at him in confusion, then tilted my head, putting a questionable index finger to my lips. What did he mean...?
Had I done something wrong?!
Was I wasting jam? Was that not a nice thing to do? Did he not like jam...?
I quickly took back that last question; it's silly... I mean, he'd been having it for a while, and not complained... unless... his taste buds changed...? Momma said that sometimes, people who hated something, could like something ages later, and vice-versa! But it'd only been a couple of days... So...
What was wrong?
The concept was making me a little nervous, but I was certain my friend would clear it up...
"Because you got it yerself," Mr. McGucket told me with a crooked grin.
My eyes widened slightly at this, and I couldn't be any happier at that response. Though, admittedly... I did feel a little embarassed...
"Th-thank you, Mr. McGucket!" I thanked him bashfully. "But... um... just... to make sure... you... DO like the jam... right?"
"Ah do, ah do, and you're welcome." He turned away from me, once again focusing on the pieces of paper on the table. "I'll get to 'em in a minute, Cream..."
I nodded in acknowledgement, and then I turned around, about to walk out of the room and leave him to his important work. After a second, I hesitated, and then looked over at Mr. McGucket with big, curious eyes.
I faced his direction again, and walked over to the desk, slowly, peeking at his blueprints. They seemed really complicated... they had pictures of a... um... I didn't know how to describe it... But I was definitely sure that there was a plunger in one of them... He seemed to be contemplating something deeply, so I wasn't sure if he was aware of my presence or not...
"Matter transporter," he grumbled, probaby to solve my confusion.
Even so, I still didn't really understand...
"Um... what's that... sir?"
"Moves things, all willy nilly. Objects, people... maybe even places..." His tone seemed a bit adventurous, but a little frustrated at the same time. "Last one needs a ton of power though..."
"But... why would people want to move places, Mr. McGucket?" I asked curiously. Why would he need it...? To save towns from battles...?
"Heh. That's a toughie," he replied with a shrug, his tone a little humourous. "All I know is, with the right doo-das, this could make a real good transporter..."
"Heheh... I bet," I agreed, smiling at him proudly. "You're really good at this, Mr. McGucket. You remind me of my friend, Tails..."
"Tails? That kid from your world?"
"Yup!" I walked to the big window across from the desk, pressing my hands against it and looking at the sky in awe. "He flies this really cool plane... somersaults and everything... Sometimes, he even dives through the clouds... and he invents stuff, just like you!"
There was a moment of quietness, and I was about to question why when my friend replied after consideration.
"Sounds a swell fella."
I turned around to see him focused on the blueprints again... but there was something I spotted and heard that I disliked.
"Mr. McGucket?"
"'Am sorry."
Mr. McGucket's tone sounded really guilty... he was frowning deeply, then, he looked at me with sincere eyes.
"Huh...?"
"If ah could get ya' home, I would... not that I don't value your company or nuthin, but..." He trailed off uneasily.
"..."
Oh... that...
I was quiet as I looked at him with a mirrored expression, and then looked down at the floor, anxiously clasping my hands.
Mr. McGucket... he was... really good at what he did, but... when I asked about maybe building something to help us... he seemed really reluctant. He wanted to, but... he said he didn't want to interfere with our dimensions... Or any dimensions 'anymore'...
I didn't know what he meant... Had he messed with them before...?
But... I respected his answer... No one could force him to do anything... and if Mr. McGucket thought it was unsafe, then I just had to trust him. And... really, I did trust him!
"It's okay, Mr. McGucket. I'm... perfectly fine with that..."
He glanced at me sadly.
He knew I wasn't... not completely, anyways...
I'd told him all about Momma. About my world. My friends. Cheese. Amy...
He knew how much they meant to me, and... I think that's why... he feels so glum now...
But... even though I do miss my world... my family and friends...
I could wait. I was patient. I would get home... someday. And maybe... Mr. McGucket would be the one to help me... when dimensions wouldn't be so dangerous to tinker with...
"Really, Mr. McGucket! You've no need to worry!" I put on a brave smile to give him reassurance, and briefly, I think it cheered him up a little bit...
"Ah know I don't, Cream, but... family's important. I understand that, and so do you..."
He seemed to be recalling something, but didn't speak of it.
"Told two kids and some fella that once..."
"Well, that's good; that kinda advice is really important!"
"Mhm..."
Mr. McGucket was now digging into his toast, and at that, I was immediately eager for feedback.
"Mmmm! That's some good toast!"
"Ehehe..."
Looking on this whole scenario... it made me realize how lucky I was to be taken in by someone like this... sure... people... might find him a little... unique. But at heart... He's a really good person...
Blackness... That's all I could see at first. It was unnerving... it was scary... I didn't know how... how to respond to it... It was so sudden, so quick... One second, I had been home, asleep in my bed, and the next... I wasn't so sure...
All I remember was something obscure grabbing me... and... then...
Air was abruptly rushing against me as I felt weightless; I was falling through something... something dark and faintly-lit with a purple hue... It felt like forever... it felt like it was never going to stop...
Then... it did.
I hit solid ground, and the world around me vanished into nothingness, replaced with dark greens and browns. I couldn't see clearly, as my vision was tainted, as if a cloud of charcoal was blurring my vision, but after a couple of seconds, that hinderance was no more...
I was in a clearing, under a cluster of trees... they looked so tall and scary in the dark-I was frightened... I didn't move. I just stayed where I was, hugging my legs and glancing around, trying to take in this whole situation. Because, for the life in me, I couldn't.
It was cold... I hugged myself tighter, burying my head into my lap, closing my eyes. Shivering, I gave a tiny glance upwards, hesitant and afraid.
I took a small, deep, brave breath... and decided to call out.
"Hello?"
My voice barely echoed; it was a tiny whimper and I'd have been really surprised if anyone had heard that. It was like a drop of rain, tiny on its own, but coupled with more effort, more raindrops, louder and more noticeable...
"Ch-Cheese?" I called gently, swallowing and glancing around anxiously.
Something rustled in the bushes, and I tensed up visibly. My senses heightened, and I focused squarely on the movement in the bushes. Fear froze me, fear of the unknown... A small creature... that seemed... a little humanoid... rushed from one place to another, shrouded as a silhouette.
I stared with a fixated, frightened gaze and looked at the night sky above. All I could see were small cracks of light through the mass array of tree branches. The moon was hidden behind the trees' branches, which meant little light for me...
"Cheese!" I called again, louder and more desperate.
My friend... my friend wasn't with me... he wasn't... so... where... where was he?!
I was immensely worried, and frozen in fear. None of my friends were here... and I had no idea where I was...
I sniffed and shuffled against a rough tree trunk, my hug on my legs tight, hiding my face from the outside world. This... scenario... it was horrible... I thought... maybe... the best thing to do was to try and sleep... The sun would be up later... right...?
That was my only hope... but it wasn't the best one... It wasn't one I could commit to...
I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep at all. All I could think about was the monsters, the dark, my family, my friends...
I sniffled and soon enough, I felt dampness under my eyes. I didn't recognize this at first-I just kept... staring, staring at nothing... I blinked, and wiped them, but the tears only worsened. The worst thing was... that I couldn't cry out. If I cried out... something scary might have found me...
I sobbed silently, but... I couldn't be so silent... I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself, trying to make myself brave... I had to be brave... I had to be so, so brave...
But it just didn't work...
"Ch-Cheese!" I gave a louder yelp, progressively raising my broken voice, "Momma!" It soon drifted into a whine as I gave up, "Amy..."
A breeze shifted past my being, and I shuddered in response. But... that wasn't the only thing that portrayed visual movement of the plants and trees...
There was a shadow, strange in shape... I wasn't sure how to describe it... I couldn't make it out, not entirely; the moon wasn't bright enough to catch such a shadow, but... I saw something... I could promise that I did!
"What the curoodle?"
"...?!"
My head whirled suddenly to see feet on the ground, feet in front of me.
I looked up slowly with big, terrified eyes. There was a figure stood in front of me; this strange figure was postured stangely, carrying strange things, looking down at me, eyeing me... but... a light was placed where the both of us could be seen, and...
That's how I met Mr. McGucket.
That was also where I first saw Billford...