Chapter 7: Gravity

"Just one question." Eustace said.

Adorabeezle sighed.

"What is it, Strych?" Adorabeezle asked.

"If we can fit through this vent to get into space, why didn't we just use it to get rid of the blob in the first place?" Eustace asked.

"Because you were being stubborn. Now come on." Adorabeezle replied.

Adorabeezle attached the magnets, which were now attached to the rope of the bungie cord (which had been cut in halves and tied to the space suits), to the side of the vent, before putting her hands on the vent release hatch. She held her hands up to her ear.

"Guys, did you remember to close the vent behind us?" Adorabeezle asked.

"Yeah, we're good. Me and Taffyta are putting the filter on now. The rest is on you, Adorabeezle." Vanellope replied.

"Good." Adorabeezle said. She turned to Eustace and said "Well, here goes nothing.".

She lifted the hatch up. For a moment, there was the rush of escaping air and then an eerie silence.

"Alright, here we go, nice and easy." Adorabeezle whispered into her helmet radio.

She pushed herself out of the vent. Unfortunately, she had pushed herself out a little too hard and immediately swung off to the side, slamming into a window.

"Ow." Adorabeezle muttered.

She shook her head and looked in the window. Parasite and Candlehead looked back at her.

"Uh oh." Adorabeezle muttered.

Inside the shuttle, Parasite looked at the girl hanging outside the craft. For a minute, he stared at her in utter confusion as she was reeled away by her rope.

"How in the name of the nine constellations did she get out there?" Parasite asked in confusion.

Candlehead shrugged.

"She's up to something. Get that door open, minion. Now!" Parasite ordered.

Candlehead saluted and went back to trying to force the door open.

"Vanellope, Taffyta, he knows what we're doing! Stall him!" Adorabeezle said into her radio as Eustace reeled her back to the vent.

"But he can't get in here." Vanellope said.

"But if he decides to follow us out the front door, he'll suck out all the internal pressure and the craft could explode!" Vanellope explained.

There was a pause.

"Why would he do that? Can he even breathe in space?" Taffyta asked.

"I'm not taking any chances, Taffyta! Think of something!" Adorabeezle replied.

She grabbed the side of the vent, looking up at a smirking Eustace.

"Don't even say it." Adorabeezle ordered as she began to climb along the side of the craft.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Eustace said, smugly.

"Location: Amity Park, The World Of Nickelodeon, July 12th 2109"

Back in Amity Park, Vlad was sitting at his desk, his hands resting in front of his chin.

"Collins." Vlad greeted.

Collins responded with a cordial nod.

"Take a seat." Vlad ordered, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

He waited until Collins had sat down before continuing. He had deliberately turned down the air conditioning to make the room colder because he wanted to make sure that his 'secretary' knew who held the cards.

"What did you need, Mr. Mayor?" Collins asked, politely.

Vlad turned his chair to face the window.

"You were a member of the Guys in White, am I right? A Section, Midwestern Branch?" Vlad asked.

"Yes, that's right." Collins replied.

Vlad nodded.

"Kenton, Oliver, Denton, Charles, Vermont, Ubekke. Do they mean anything?" Vlad asked.

Collins shook his head.

"Operatives K, O, D, C, V and U. A Section, Midwestern Branch. Based out of Amity Park, Illinois. Furthermore, Charles... the only Operative C in the GIW... has worked there for fifteen years." Vlad said. He turned his chair around and asked "Who are you really, Mr. Collins?".

Collins crossed his arms.

"I could ask you the same thing, Wisconsin Ghost." Collins replied, calmly.

Vlad scowled.

"You know, your supposed to be intimidated, but I get the idea that you've done this before." Vlad said.

"More times then you could imagine, Mr. Mayor." Collins said.

"Well then, now that we've established that we both have double identities, let's start this again." Vlad said.

There was a flash of black as Vlad changed into his ghost form.

"Vlad Plasmius." Vlad introduced.

Collins reached into a jacket and pulled out an identity card.

"Phil Coulson, agent of SHIELD." Collins introduced.

"Location: Retroville, The World Of Nickelodeon, July 12th 2109"

Vanellope and Taffyta stood in front of the door, Taffyta's hand over the lock.

"Adorabeezle, you there?" Taffyta asked.

"I'm halfway to the chute, hang on." Adorabeezle replied.

"We got an idea to distract him. It's kind of stupid, but it'll buy time." Vanellope explained.

"Then by all means, don't let me stop you." Eustace said.

"Eustace." Adorabeezle sneered.

Taffyta gulped and unlocked the door. In less then a second, Parasite had her and Vanellope by the collar.

"What are you doing, you ignorant apes?" Parasite asked.

Vanellope gulped.

"Gloyd, I need you to listen." Vanellope replied.

"You remember back in 2012? That whole Turbo incident?" Vanellope asked.

"Oh my goodness, they're trying to break Parasite's control. How cliché." Eustace said.

"Well, at least he's not going after us." Adorabeezle said.

The two reached the garbage chute, and Adorabeezle grabbed the filter.

"Alright, this'll take me a few minutes. Pass me the hammer." Adorabeezle ordered.

There was no reply. Eustace was instead staring into space.

"Eustace, I told you to..." Adorabeezle started to say.

Adorabezle turned around and her jaw dropped. The craft was floating towards a television satellite.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Adorabeezle exclaimed.

"And then Ralph turned up, and he scared me, you, and everyone else away. And then he and Vanellope made their deal..." Taffyta started to say.

Parasite held up an arm.

"This is clearly a ploy for time. But this story amuses me. When I conquer your world, I shall make you two my chief jesters. Continue!" Parasite ordered.

"It's getting closer!" Eustace shouted.

"Stop shouting! The suit's radio is right in my ear." Adorabeezle ordered.

"THEN WORK FASTER!" Eustace thundered.

Adorabeezle winced and began to bolt the last nail to attach the filter.

"FASTER!" Eustace yelled.

Adorabeezle jumped and dropped the hammer. It floated away, towards the satellite. Adorabeezle's eyes widened.

"Eustace, catch it!" Adorabeezle ordered.

Eustace let go of the side of the craft and reached for the hammer.

"And then Turbo flew into the beacon, I reset the game, and we won. Don't you remember that, Gloyd? Don't you remember us?" Vanellope asked. She looked Gloyd in the eyes and whispered "Please remember.".

Gloyd narrowed his eyes.

"Your Gloyd is lost forever, and so is your civilization." Gloyd snarled.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and the sound of rushing wind, and Vanellope and Taffyta fell out of Parasite's grip. Parasite clutched his face as goo began to leak from his ear. He screamed as his form was ripped from Gloyd's head, shooting through the filter into the garbage chute. Taffyta grinned and walked over to the chute.

"Well, bon voyage, Lord Parasite." Taffyta said.

She pressed the button on the garbage release.

Adorabeezle and Eustace cheered as the blob was sucked out of the filter, floating aimlessly into space.

"Yes! I did it! I did it!" Eustace exclaimed.

There was a loud crash as the satellite collided with the craft. Eustace shrieked as he felt his magnet separate from the vent, and the force of impact threw him away from the side of the elevator. He swung head-over-heels, and for a minute, he could see the Earth.

"Well, I guess this is how it ends." Eustace thought.

Eustace closed his eyes and extended his arms dramatically.

"Gotcha!" a voice said.

Eustace felt his rope yank as Adorabeezle reeled him back in.

"Y-You saved my life." Eustace whispered.

Adorabeezle shrugged.

"What was I going to do, Strych? Let you float off into space? Your uncle would kill me!" Adorabeezle said. She then looked behind them and asked "Whose satellite was that, anyway?".

"Vixen News, I think." Eustace replied.

"Oh, nothing important, then." Adorabeezle said.

Gloyd cringed, rubbing his head. Behind him, Candlehead did the same.

"Is it over?" Gloyd asked.

"Yep, he's gone. We're good... except for the whole getting down thing." Taffyta replied.

"Oh. How are we doing that?" Candlehead asked.

Vanellope waved as Adorabeezle and Eustace climbed back out of the vent behind her.

"Well, we've got five minutes until re-entry, so I'm pretty sure that there's nothing we can do. But you know, I've got the feeling that something is going to happen to get us out of this." Vanellope replied.

"T-minus five minutes! It's time!" P.I.X.A.L. shouted.

Swizzle was still in the cockpit, clutching the stick and sweating profusely. Minty was now in the cockpit with him, on the same single seat, which made it quite cramped. Gizmo was on the wing, ensuring that they were strapped in securely.

"Look, guys, c-can't we send someone else up? Someone who knows more about rocketry?" Swizzle asked nervously.

"Are you kidding? Do you know how dangerous those things are?" Gizmo asked. He then grinned, gave them the thumbs-up, and said "Well, good luck!".

He shut the canopy and jumped off the wing. Swizzle gulped.

"Okay, the most important thing is that we take deep breaths and brace ourselves for when we..." Swizzle started to say.

There was a thunderous roar, and Swizzle and Minty were pushed back into the seat by g-forces. They screamed as the Komet thundered along the guard rail and up into the sky.