Most of the show's viewers saw it as a thing that either would happen or wouldn't. It tried its best to squeeze onto the air, and it always succeeded whenever it tried.
Little did they know, until the show started, that their week off this time was for a completely different reason.
Rachel, the show's hostess, stood behind the curtain, taking ahold of one of its folds as if saying "It's okay. I'm here now."
Suddenly, "Hey, Rachel," came from beside her. She looked to find the blessed show's head producer, Elektor.
"Hi there!" Rachel waved.
"Feeling better?" Elektor asked. "You sounded absolutely, wretchedly miserable when we spoke on the phone last week."
"Better? Definitely," Rachel nodded, a slight clogginess still evident in her voice.
"Great," Elektor smiled. "…We've got the guest list for Episode Party, which is taking place… next week, correct?"
"Next week is the plan," Rachel replied. "Unless something like that rears its ugly head again."
"Our guest list… is only comprised of two people," Elektor sighed. "And they're also today's guests. Levi Lester and Mercury the Hedgehog."
"Ah, alright," Rachel nodded. "They're fun. I just feel bad for the poor suckers who…"
Her eyes just so happened to be on the clock on the wall. Which read 8:30pm on the dot.
"Shoot, I gotta get out there!" she panicked, quickly stepping out from behind the curtain. Even quicker, Elektor was dashing to his space in front of all the cameras.
The cameras flipped on. They were noticeably dusty.
"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Thoughts of the Unknown!" Rachel beamed. "Very first of all, I must explain some things. I realize, despite the fact that we very much had guests prepared, that the show took a mysterious hiatus last week. You have the force known as disease to blame for that; all I had to do was go to a couple of schools for a few days, and I was down in bed feeling like a bag of crushed Eggmans."
Much of the audience nodded in sympathy.
"I didn't know a cold could have such power…" she continued. "Well, I've got all my HP back, and I'm ready to get my head back in the game! Thank you very much, to you and our guests for today, for having patience and allowing me to recover in peace. Today, we're discussing a shipping that's… pretty much canon, isn't it? We're talking about Tailsmo, the brilliant young mind and the beautiful young plant girl. Well… I personally support it, because it's uncannily obvious. I saw how they look into each other's eyes; I saw how having to lose her tore Tails, in his entirety, to shreds. He was never the same. Here with me today are two guests, both Thoughts of the Unknown alumni. First, welcome our longest-appearing guest, Levi Lester!"
The usual hype burst out from the crowd as Levi walked onstage. Hearty, with… a broad smile on his face and a confident wave on his arm.
"Now, give a warm welcome to our second guest… Mercury!"
The applause was greater, but there were no outstanding cheers quite yet. Mercury quickly paced to her seat.
"Welcome, you guys," Rachel smiled, sitting in her own seat. "And thank you so much for being patient with me."
"Hey, germs suck," Mercury shrugged.
"Your health is not something to be put on the line for the entertainment of others," Levi nodded.
"Thank you," Rachel replied, a slight blush brimming on her cheeks. "Now… Tailsmo. Thoughts? Levi… is it a train wreck or the Polar Express?"
"…Cosmo's sadly no longer around, correct?" Levi responded. "They, um, loved each other. It worked out (until it didn't quite work out). The end was absolutely tragic."
A quick silence.
"I've not any more to say," Levi shrugged.
"Very well," Rachel nodded. "Sounds like thoughts that'd come out of something canon. Which it was. Mercury, your thoughts?"
"I, uh… really don't care much about this couple," Mercury explained. "I mean, what exactly did they see in each other? They just… saw things. They fell in love. No warning. No build up. Love at first sight… kinda like it. And, I mean, of we want to get technical… Tails would be dating a plant. It's… kinda a gray area for me. Don't love it. Don't hate it. That's just me, though."
"…So Tailsmo is just… this thing that's happening," Rachel summarized. "Is this what we're saying?"
Levi and Mercury glared at each other before looking back at Rachel and nodding "Yep."
"I see…" said Rachel.
She stood.
"Well, that's it for this week's episode of Thoughts of the Unknown!" she announced. "And I'm extremely hyped up to announce that if everything goes properly… Codename Episode Party will be turning up here at the studio next week!"
The stands erupted with applause.
"WOO!" Rachel joined in. "We'll have Sonic, Tails, Silver, Vector, Dr. Eggman, Orbot, Cubot, Amy, and Rouge hanging out here with us. We'll ask them questions, we'll get their take on the shippings they're shoved into, and we'll allow two lucky, and predetermined, guests to ask them questions and meet them! Oh, and Levi? Mercury?"
She turned around to face them. They looked back up at her curiously.
"You are those two guests!" Rachel giggled.
Mercury giggled to herself in sheer excitement. Levi merely smiled a bit.
Rachel turned back to the camera and continued "Those who are somehow not a fan of all of this, though… Think of it as an extra week to think about the next shipping we'll address as commoners. That shipping will be… Oh, dear God… How would you pronounce it? Scourgona?"
Most of the audience caught on. A few grunted in sheer disgust. A couple laughed.
"Scourge and Fiona, everyone," Rachel sighed. "Well… See ya next week, when we turn up for the most sleepover-like episode of anything anyone's ever done. Hey, why don't we have everyone wear pajamas? That's… technically always okay, but it's encouraged for Episode Party, got it?"
Request for the reader: I've got a poll up on my profile! I suppose you could answer the question through a review or PM if you really wanted to, though… Should I open up a Twitter account to keep you guys updated on when I'll be sick, or interesting things that are going on in my life?