Author Note
This is a very short chapter, with not much to speak for. Basically I was getting really tired of the long and not so exciting monologues with Jacoby so...all I'll say is sidekick time! There were lots of "auditions" but only one character from the MTR universe had the ability to make the transition over to the Artificial Romance universe...
Chapter VI
"Another day off, Carl?" Cornelius hadn't expected to see the robot still hanging around the house so was shocked when he passed him in the foyer.
"Pretty much, chief. The only story Jones wants us working on right now is the one with Aelisa. So as long as Tallulah's with Aelisa, then the boss is happy," Carl explained.
"I bet you're pretty happy too, then," Cornelius assumed with a laugh.
"It is nice to take a breather. Of course, I don't really know what to do with myself now that I've got the free time. I've already taken care of what I needed to with Jacoby."
"How'd that go?"
"It was pretty interesting," Carl said, not revealing the reason what he meant as he thought of his conversation the day before. "But everything's been straightened out with the chip now, so I'm as good as new again."
"Well, that's good to hear. Say, I forgot to say this at breakfast, but after the news you gave us last night about Tallulah and the fashion job, we decided that when she comes to dinner on Friday, it'll be a surprise celebration dinner," Cornelius divulged the family's plans.
"She'll appreciate that. I think she could really use everyone's encouragement right now. Honestly, I think she wants to come back home but is maybe afraid that she's ruined that chance and now she's just trying to be strong," Carl said with a sigh. "Of course I'm just speculating based on a few things she said to Aelisa about family and friends and the tone in her voice. It might not be true."
"If anyone would know her best, it would be you, Carl," Cornelius assured. "Whatever the case, we'll make sure she knows how happy we are for her newest success."
"Sounds good," Carl nodded. "I think I'll go find Wilbur. I haven't had much free time to talk to him for a long time now, so I think I'll bug him today." Carl and Wilbur had been close before he had chosen to keep an eye on Tallulah as she pursued her independence.
Cornelius chuckled a little as he thought about his son. "Best of luck there. Now that he's a teenager…"
"He's just like he was when he was younger?"
"Yeah, basically, only with the added stubbornness of being a teenager," Cornelius laughed again as he headed towards the door, on his way to Robinson Industries. "Enjoy your day off, Carl. Oh, and let Wilbur know that I meant it when I told him to clean out the basement a little."
"I'm sure he'll love that," Carl snickered to himself, and went in search of the thirteen year old.
"Hey, Carl!" Wilbur said in amazement when Carl found him playing a game of chargeball in his room. "Why aren't you out with the ball and chain?" he asked, not breaking focus from what he was already doing.
"Uh, Wilbur? Who exactly are you referring to?" Carl asked.
"As if you didn't know," Wilbur laughed as he made the game winning score.
"Actually, I really don't," Carl replied insistently.
"Come on, Carl," Wilbur took off his charge glove and threw it aside, "don't play dumb. We both know exactly who I'm talking about…the person you follow around like a sick puppy dog."
"A sick puppy dog!? I do not follow Tallulah around like a sick puppy dog!" Carl defended.
"Then how did you know that I was referring to Tallulah?"
"Well, I, uh, you know, I assumed and, uh…" Carl couldn't make up an excuse quick enough.
"Don't bother fumbling for an answer. After all, this has been coming since as far back as I can remember," Wilbur looked at his friend, almost trying to hide a smug grin since he was certain he was right.
"Little buddy, what are you trying to imply by that?" Carl looked at his inventor's son incredulously.
"You know," Wilbur wiggled his eyebrows as he said it. "Anyone who thinks that you and Tallulah are just friends are either blind or haven't known you long enough."
"So it's obvious is it?" Carl put his hands on his hips in annoyance and Wilbur nodded in response. "Well, then, if it's so obvious then how come me and Tallulah don't know a thing about it? Huh?"
"Duh, Carl. Because you and Tallulah fall under the blind category. Everyone knows that the two parties in question are blind to the matter at hand until the right moment presents itself," Wilbur replied, as if it were the most common knowledge in the world.
"You've been watching chick flicks with your mom again haven't you?"
"No I haven't!" Wilbur defended but not convincingly. "And don't try to change the subject. It's only more proof that you're in denial."
"Listen, Wilbur, I didn't come in here to be badgered about my so-called love life. All I wanted was to spend a nice day off with my favorite little buddy. But, hey, if you'd rather make up wild stories with that imagination of yours, be my guest. But you're going to have to find a different victim," Carl left the room and headed for his own. As he entered, he sighed. He knew he couldn't admit to Wilbur that he was on the right track. Carl hadn't relented to the possibility that he was in love with Tallulah, but he couldn't deny that he did feel some new attraction towards her, and that the thought had entered his mind numerous times, especially in recent days.
He walked over to his bed and sat down. He then bent down and pulled a bag from underneath the bed. He opened it and pulled out the top portion of the disguise that Jacoby had made for him should he continue with his moonlighting hero work. "Hey, Carl, I…what's that!?" Wilbur startled Carl and the robot, becoming all thumbs, struggled to hide the disguise but it was obviously too late. Wilbur's curiosity had already been sparked. "Seriously, Carl, what are you trying to hide? You killed someone didn't you!? And now you're hiding the body in that bag!" Carl just stared at the 13 year old blankly. "Yeah, I guess that doesn't make too much sense. Come on, you can tell me. I can keep a secret, honest."
"I guess that's true," Carl thought out loud. Wilbur couldn't keep a promise for anything in the world but he could keep a secret. After all, his status-either grounded or ungrounded-usually depended on his ability to keep secrets from his parents. Of course, that didn't always turn out too well in the long run either. Carl sighed, hesitant in sharing.
"You know I'm not going to let up until you give in, so you might as well save yourself the long hard fight," Wilbur was definitely persistent.
"Okay, you win," Carl knew that it would be best to tell him now and spare the chances of him weaseling it out of him by other means. "But what I'm going to tell you, I need your word that you won't repeat to anyone. Only Jacoby knows."
"Knows what already?"
"I'm the Midnight Mirage," Carl said dramatically, waiting for the response from Wilbur.
The response came when Wilbur began laughing hysterically. "Wow, Carl, since when did you become so funny? That's a good one…you, the Midnight Mirage. Oh, I'm going to be laughing for days."
"Wilbur, I'm not joking. I really am," he pulled out the disguise and showed it to him. "Look, see, this is my disguise so no one can figure out my identity. Jacoby made it for me to use…if I choose to that is. It's true, Wilbur. I saved Aelisa Stevenson from the attacking robot the day me and Lula were at the rally. If you don't believe me, I can upload my memories in the lab and prove it to you."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…you're serious?" Wilbur still didn't want to believe him. "You mean you're actually Todayland's new superhero?" Carl nodded. "I guess it could make sense, I mean, after all, you having all of your robotic abilities and whatnot. But, that's still a doozy. I never would have guessed it. So, why don't you just turn yourself in and get that huge reward and all the fame."
"Because, I don't want to be a hero!" Carl exclaimed in hushed tone so that no one else in the house would hear him.
"Well, don't you think you should have thought about that before saving the mayor's daughter," Wilbur pointed as he made his accusation. "And what about the other people who were reportedly saved by the Midnight Mirage? Why'd you save them?"
"Look, I already gave this whole spiel to Jacoby. Short and sweet, I'm not a hero. I was just acting on instincts or something of that nature…maybe a side effect from my new primary chip. Whatever the reason, it doesn't mean I'm going to go on being the Midnight Mirage or any other super hero. I'm just Carl," he explained with a deep sigh.
"Okay, you say you're 'just Carl' and nothing else. But if that's the case, then why are you hiding your disguise? Why don't you just throw it away? I mean, you obviously don't need it," Wilbur challenged slyly.
"I…I don't know that I won't need it ever…" Carl said timidly.
"Aha! So that's how it is. You know you can't give up hero work and you just don't want to admit it. You obviously enjoy the rush, the thrill, the beautiful damsels in distress," Wilbur added the last part mostly based on his own teenage hormones.
"Beautiful what?" Carl stared in disbelief. "Okay, look, you've got a point. I am confused…happy? I don't know what I want. All I know is that it's complicated. I want to do what I'm supposed to do, but there are a lot of reasons why I don't want to do that if it means continuing as the Midnight Mirage. I don't expect you to understand, Wilbur. But in the meantime, I'm keeping the disguise with me because Jacoby said that I would know when the time is right."
"Hey, he's right! And here I thought he was just some stuffy old man who…not the point," Wilbur stopped himself when he saw Carl's glare. "And I do understand actually. I've seen enough movies to get where you're coming from. It's a dilemma every super hero has to face."
"It is?" Carl asked, not sure if even his powerful data processor could keep up with Wilbur.
"Of course, and do you know what helps the hero in his time of need?" Wilbur posed the question deliberately, his teenage mind scheming and racing with thoughts about how he could twist this new circumstance to his benefit. Carl shook his head, not knowing what was hatching in the recesses of Wilbur's head. "A sidekick!"
"A sidekick?"
"Yes, a sidekick. Someone who can help with backup, information reconnaissance, charm and wit if you will," Wilbur said puffing his chest out egotistically.
"And I'm guessing that you want the job?" It didn't take too long to note the gleam in Wilbur's eye and figure out just exactly where he was going with his point.
"If you insist," Wilbur jumped at the opportunity to volunteer.
"Now, hold up. I don't think that's such a good idea. First, I never said that I was going to continue my so called hero work; masquerade is more like it. Second, there's no way you can follow me around at night without your parents eventually finding out and blowing my cover. And third, it's too dangerous anyway! I'm not going to let you get into any trouble on my account, little buddy," Carl said with genuine friendly concern.
"Oh, come on! There's ways around all of those points you made," Wilbur argued. "One, we wait to see if you continue with your 'masquerade' as you called it. Two, if you do, I don't actually follow you around at night, maybe every now and then in the daytime because that would be less conspicuous, but instead we'll use means of contact that way I can know if you're ever in danger that you can't handle alone or worse. And three, the above mentioned point solves the thought of me being in any true danger. And besides, in any situation, Wilbur Robinson never fails."
"Wilbur Robinson never fails alright. He never fails to annoy his robot friend, that's for sure. Wait! What did you mean by or worse?" Carl asked in a worried tone.
"Abduction, being held prisoner at a villain's lair, being forced to give up your life to save someone although as soon as you're dead there's no one to make the villain keep his promise. You know, the usual," Wilbur answered calmly.
"Oh, is that all?" Carl gulped. "I think we just solved issue number one."
"Don't be such a baby, Carl," Wilbur shook his head. "I can already see who's going to be the real brains of this duo…and to think I'm willing to let you get all of the numero uno glory. What was I thinking?"
"No…" Carl grabbed the top part of his disguise and studied it. "What am I thinking?"
A/N Continued... Alright, so I didn't want to give away who the character was, so here's the rest of my a/n. I tried to keep Wilbur as close to the Wilbur we all know and love by only making a few minor alterations here and there (more which will show later) such as the idea of him and Carl not being as close as they really are in the movie because Carl's best friend is Tallulah.