Chapter 24: The Conclusion
Unfortunately for Chief Jerry, word did end up getting out about the demolished air ship thing in the middle of nowhere, and that it was connected to the cross country manhunt for Calvin.
"Yes, that whole manhunt for the kid is linked to that airship thing... But we found who were looking for, so as far as we're concerned, the matter has been taken care of." Jerry said at a Press Conference before hurrying away, trying to avoid the bombardment of reporters asking him questions.
While the media coverage was exactly what the FBI wasn't hoping for, for Calvin, it was a dream come true.
Calvin quickly gathered a lot of media attention, and was quickly being flown all over the place to do interviews for morning shows, news shows, and late night talk shows.
Calvin would take Hobbes to these interviews, and got annoyed when everyone simply saw him as a stuffed tiger. Nonetheless, Calvin would recount his escapade from start to finish. He would go on and on about how he and Hobbes saved the world, and without fail, he would go off on a tangent on how he deserves a ticker tape parade and a national holiday dedicated to him.
Of course, this just further gained more attention for Calvin through his zany interviews, and became an internet celebrity, and started being recognized everywhere.
But alas, like all popular trends, Calvin's fame declined in a few weeks time, and soon, everything was back to normal, much to the relief of his parents.
One day after returning from their media tour, Calvin and Hobbes walked outside, bored out of their minds.
"So... What should we do to kill some time?" Calvin asked to Hobbes.
"Beats me, its honestly been a while since we've had nothing on our docket." Hobbes replied back.
"Yeah, but I kinda enjoyed finally being recognized for my greatness for once." Calvin said lamenting. Hobbes just rolled his eyes.
"Well now, finally back from running the talk show circuit?" A familiar voice remarked.
Calvin and Hobbes looked to see that Susie was walking towards them.
"Well hello Susie, sorry that Hobbes and I haven't launched any G.R.O.S.S. attacks against you. We've been busy receiving fame, and hopefully, fortune as well." Calvin said to Susie.
"Given the stuff you did on TV, I doubt anyone would actually want to pay you." Susie replied back.
"Oh please! They loved it!" Calvin retorted.
"I think everyone got bored of your act when you went on a rant on all the things you should be awarded with for the thousandth time." Susie remarked.
"I believe that saving the world justifies having a national holiday dedicated to me!" Calvin said in his defense.
"I think everyone forgets that's why you were even on in the first place." Susie responded back.
"Well Susie, maybe you try saving the world, and then you can bask in fame as well!" Calvin quickly replied.
"Right... I liked things better around here when you were considering a wanted fugitive." Susie lamented.
"Hey, the FBI admitted it was a mistake going after me, even though they don't understand everything about it!" Calvin said proudly.
"Nobody does, just like they don't understand you..." Susie remarked as she turned and walked away.
"Women..." Calvin said as he rolled his eyes.
"You think the ladies would be swooning over us for our heroic actions. I've been disappointed about the lack of it." Hobbes remarked.
"Y'know what I've been disappointed about the lack of? Money. We should really be rolling in the dough for all that we did." Calvin pointed out.
"Knowing you, you would blow it all in two days tops." Hobbes chuckled.
"Oh please! We both know you'd blow it all on tuna!" Calvin shot back.
"Guilty as charged." Hobbes replied back with a smirk.
Just then, a black van pulled up in front of Calvin's house. Jerry and Cooper emerged from the van.
"Darn, they came back sooner than I thought they would've." Hobbes remarked jokingly.
"Oh shut up fleabag!" Calvin shot back.
Jerry and Cooper walked up to the two of them.
"Good morning there er... Cleveland-"
"It's CALVIN you numbskull! You of all people should know considering you ordered an international manhunt against me!"
"Right, Calvin... Sorry about that..." Chief Jerry said sheepishly.
"We just came to deliver this letter to you." Cooper said as he handed Calvin a letter.
Calvin quickly ripped open the envelope and began to read it, with Hobbes peering over him.
"An invitation to the White House?" Hobbes said surprised.
"I'll say!" Calvin exclaimed, "Its about time the President recognizes my greatness! Once I meet him, it'll be no time until Calvin Day becomes a national holiday, I get put on the one dollar bill, all girls get sent to Pluto, school gets abolished..."
Chief Jerry groaned, he wasn't a big fan of Calvin to begin with, and hearing basically all the same things he had said on TV was getting real old.
"I'll be in the van when you're ready." Chief Jerry said as he went back to the van and shook his head as Calvin continued to go on and on.
"It looks like the Chief isn't a big fan of you." Hobbes pointed out.
"Well I'm not either, so we're even." Calvin quickly replied back.
"Where did uh, Hobbes come from?" Cooper asked confused.
"I've been here the whole time." Hobbes replied.
"But before he was just a-"
"Relax... You'll get used to it after a while." Calvin said reassuringly.
"I don't know what's been weirder about this whole thing. The whole tiger thing, or the actually mad scientist, and the duplicates..." Cooper remarked.
"Life is strange like that. Trust me, I've been kidnapped by aliens before that sucked away all my math skills." Calvin replied back.
Cooper and Hobbes looked at Calvin perplexed.
"Long story. As with many of my other escapades I've had over the years." Calvin said.
"Just like the Noodle Incident?" Hobbes asked.
"THAT REPORT IS FULL OF FALLACIES! NOT TO MENTION THAT I WAS FRAMED!" Calvin yelled out in defense.
"Certainly..." Cooper chuckled, "That reminds me, we're gonna need you for some depositions soon for the reports we gotta work on this whole mess."
"You mean I'm not gonna be able to testify at all the trials?! I was actually looking forward to that!" Calvin exclaimed.
"Don't worry, the depositions will be played at the trials." Cooper said reassuringly, "But yeah, due to various reasons, that's how they want it to be done."
"Lame..." Calvin grumbled.
"But anyway, I need to be heading out, but I gotta thank you guys." Cooper remarked.
"Thank us? For what?" Hobbes asked confused.
"Well, as you can well imagine, chasing you guys was quite the experience that took me all over the place. I kept chasing even though I really didn't want to, and in the end, with you guys stopping all those freaks, and me somehow being able to keep up and report it all, finally got me a chance to experience something new." Cooper explained.
"Something new? And what exactly would that be?" Calvin inquired.
"I've been named the head of a new top-secret agency that's part of the FBI." Cooper said proudly, "And I really wouldn't have gotten it if it weren't for me having to chase after you guys."
"I see, glad we could be of service." Hobbes said as he bowed.
"Yeah, I'll send you a 12x16 autographed photo of me for your office." Calvin said, "Just be sure to send the address."
"I'll be sure to." Cooper chuckled, "Anyway, I better get going. I'm sure I'll see you guys again real soon!"
And with that, Cooper gave one final wave to the duo, before hopping in the van and driving off.
Calvin and Hobbes watched until it drove off out of sight.
"I'm gonna have to add this letter to my growing hall of fame." Calvin remarked as he looked at the letter from the White House again.
"I feel like that meeting is gonna result in either a national security breach, or the start of World War III." Hobbes remarked.
"Oh shut up, you're the walking definition of 'glass half empty'". Calvin remarked as he rolled his eyes.
"I'm more of a realist than a pessimist in my opinion." Hobbes replied back.
Calvin simply ignored this remark as the two sat down in the grass.
"So Hobbes, what do we do now?" Calvin asked as the two looked up at the sky.
"Well, I mean we've gone on quite the escapade already, wouldn't you rather just kick back and relax for a little?" Hobbes asked in response.
"Oh come on Hobbes! We're basically superheroes now! Heroes never rest! But it just seems that there's nothing else to do now! We literally saved the world! How can you just build off of that?" Calvin exclaimed.
"Well... That is true..." Hobbes conceded, "I mean we are able to reminisce and talk about all the new places we explored... Even if many of those were near-death experiences..."
"Explore... That's it!" Calvin exclaimed as he got up and ran off. Moments later, Calvin returned with the wagon in tow.
"I should've seen this coming." Hobbes chuckled as he got up, and the two ventured off into the forest, and to the top of another hill.
After they got to the top, Calvin hopped into the front of the wagon.
"It was so obvious Hobbes! All we gotta do to make the most of things is by exploring! Just exploring places are an adventure in themselves!" Calvin remarked.
"At least in our neck of the woods, our chances of death go down significantly." Hobbes added in.
"Oh, you're just a sissy." Calvin shot back.
"Then again, considering what we've went through, any near-death experiences will be nothing compared to before." Hobbes conceded.
"Exactly, and besides Hobbes, its a magical world out there." Calvin said.
"Indeed it is." Hobbes said in agreement.
"Well c'mon ol' buddy! Lets go exploring!"
And with that, Hobbes gave a push and hopped on the wagon, and the dynamic duo sped through on the wagon, looking for more adventures to go off on.
THE END
You've made it to the end! However, there's just one more chapter, a bonus chapter to be exact, where you can find about some other information regarding this shindig I've made. So read on!