Okay, this was the twenty-ninth one written and I'm still going strong… even if I own nothing but the plot bunny. As for the timing… early July 2010.
And yes, there's actually a Heinz museum. I went there once as a kid. I love Heinz ketchup so much…
Cinema Snob was behind the wheel, Nostalgia Chick had claimed shotgun, and therefore Spoony and Linkara were in the car's backseat. Apparently the Angry Video Game Nerd had made one too many snide remarks about the recent failed invasion of Molassia so Nostalgia Critic had gone over to Pennsylvania to duke it out with him. Nostalgia Critic had lost and now he had no way to get back.
"If he ran all the way from Chicago to Philadelphia he ought to be able to make his way back," Nostalgia Chick complained once again, her arms folded across her chest. Cinema Snob shrugged, his fingers tapping against the wheel as he drove down the highway. "He's bushed from the fight and didn't bring along his wallet."
"He's lucky he brought along his cell phone," Linkara muttered. Spoony snorted. "Nope. The Nerd let him use his phone according to the Other Guy."
The other three groaned. Nostalgia Chick grumbled, "We should just leave him there."
"That's not fair to the Nerd," Spoony pointed out reasonably. "Besides, the Other Guy has his hands full already with the Bum and Ask That Guy. So full in fact that we have to pick up his baby brother for him."
"Maybe we should install a guest teleporter at the Nerd's house; it would have saved us a trip," Linkara observed. Cinema Snob raised his eyebrows at the other man in the rearview mirror. "Give Nostalgia Critic and the Nerd regular access to one another? Are you serious?"
"Good point."
Nostalgia Chick then turned on the radio, effectively ending all conversation. None of them were exactly eager to save Nostalgia Critic's butt from his own headstrongness but they all weren't so dismayed as to not do it.
Quietly Spoony rested his cheek against the car window, watching vehicles zoom by. He felt déjà vu from the train trip back home. Linkara had been sitting next to him then as well, although this time there was the middle seat between them for when Nostalgia Critic got picked up. The scenery flew by, and Spoony felt his blinks growing longer.
"Hey, Spoony. Want to count cars?" Linkara's voice broke through the DJs' voices. With a shrug he responded, "Sure. One truck, two trucks… one red car…"
"A blue minivan! A green Jeep, a white car, a red minivan… and a third truck."
Cinema Snob and Nostalgia Chick tolerated the rambling for about twenty minutes before the former requested flatly, "Shut up, Spoony and Linkara."
"Aw…" the pair complained. Turning up the radio Nostalgia Chick leaned back in her seat, hopeful that relative quiet would reign. Instead Linkara and Spoony started to comment on the shapes clouds overhead made.
"That's a bunny rabbit."
"Superman."
"A cupcake. I'm getting hungry."
"You're always hungry, Spoony. Hey, there's a butterfly."
"Nuh-uh. I'm not hungry when I'm sleeping. Speaking of which, that one looks like a pillow."
"Yeah, I see it too. Hey, that one looks like a sword."
"Uh… that cloud looks a bit like a hunchback."
"Maybe… it looks more like a deranged version of you to me."
"Dr. Insano in other words?"
"Yes."
Both men laughed. Cinema Snob and Nostalgia Chick exchanged dour looks, but deep down they were relieved the revelation hadn't shattered the two's friendship. Even if it meant they couldn't just enjoy the scenery.
The sun was low in the sky when the car passed into Pennsylvania at last. Nostalgia Chick pointed out crankily, "This would have been a lot easier if we had just taken the metro from near Nella's place in NYC."
"We didn't think of that when the Other Guy called us to Chicago," Linkara pointed out. "And I don't remember you suggesting it at the time."
"Yeah, and this has been fun," Spoony backed up his best friend. "So… are we going to spend the night in Pittsburgh?"
"Might as well," Cinema Snob acknowledged. Spoony grinned, "Ketchup! Seriously, the Heinz Museum is there."
"There's a museum about ketchup?" Nostalgia Chick questioned in disbelief. Spoony amended, "Well, it's about the Heinz Company… which is most famous for its ketchup."
"Maybe we could stop there on our way back," Linkara compromised. "Right now we're on a mission."
"Right: a mission to receive our brawl-prone boss."
An hour later they entered the hotel room they had been able to snag. On her way to the bathroom Nostalgia Chick stated firmly, "I get a bed."
"I'll take the couch then," Cinema Snob sighed, shrugging off his suit jacket. Spoony and Linkara studied the remaining bed.
"Rock, paper, scissors, Spock for it?" the latter offered. Cracking his neck Spoony commented, "Nah, you're the younger one. You can have the bed. Just toss me a pillow and a blanket so I can sleep comfily on the floor."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Besides, I'm still adjusting from the Kickassia sleeping conditions. This will be a piece of cake," Spoony assured his best friend. Turning on the TV, Cinema Snob flipped through the channels which included a kids' cartoon, an infomercial, and a documentary on the construction of the Notre Dame cathedral. Finally he settled on a showing of Silent Movie. Exiting the bathroom Nostalgia Chick said, "Hey, Spoony, Linkara?"
"What?" The two men looked over at her.
"Tomorrow… could you two not comment on every bit of semi-interesting thing you can see from your car seats?"
"But what can we do?" Linkara protested, tilting his head. Nostalgia Chick shrugged as she flopped down onto the bed.
"Something quiet. We really ought to make a road trip kit for the next time we or another group has to do something like this. It could have snacks, a book or two, a Gameboy with some game thingys- everything to keep the immature members along quiet."
Scowling neither man deigned to response to that insult.
