Chapter XX: Bound Together
Settling in at the table, Ushio glanced around at all the new people. From what she could tell, they were quite the eccentric bunch. Given all the people she'd already met, she couldn't exactly call them out on it. Looking to her side, she spotted the robot from earlier coming out.
"Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served." Carl stated. His chest popped open as miniature versions of himself came out and delivered the plates for everyone.
Getting their plates, the family began to chat around the table as they started their meal. Ushio looked over at Lewis who seemed out of it. She picked at her meal as she tasted the food. Though it was a simple spaghetti and meatballs dish, it tasted grand. She attributed the fact to the cook and the fact that it's been a while since she had a good meal on her journey.
Hearing Carl 'cough', she watched as he and Wilbur ducked under the table. With all the noise, she couldn't hear what they were talking about. Given that she was a guest, it seemed rude to go under the table with them, so she remain topside as she continued her meal.
"So, who's the girl?" Franny, the mother, asked.
"Me?" Ushio questioned.
"She's, uh, helping me out. Part of a school program thing where older students help younger ones with projects and whatnot." Wilbur covered. Even though he didn't know Ushio's whole story, he couldn't just tell his mother that an older girl was with him without a reason. He didn't want his family to get any ideas. Though all of this seemed to be the least of his worries.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ushio." she told his mother.
"Ushio, huh? That's certainly a different name." Franny said. "And Lewis, are you in Wilbur's class?"
"No." Lewis started.
"Yes." Wilbur quickly said over him.
"Yes."
"No."
The pair tried switch answers to no avail.
"Well, yes and no." Wilbur began explaining. "Lewis is a new transfer student."
The conversation started to get out of hand as they tried explaining more of Lewis's 'backstory'. Ushio thought that it was fortunate for her that she got a simple, said and done type deal that required little explanation. She could tell that the situation was escalating as Wilbur threw a meatball at his uncle Gaston as a distraction. However, this caused the situation to escalate in a different way as a food fight began to break out. Franny and Gaston engaged in their little fight until she deflected the food back at him causing him to surrender.
"I don't even know what to say." Ushio said as she slunk down in her seat.
With the first course done, Carl came out with a strange contraption on his head. Launching bread at the dinner occupants, he attempted to use a peanut butter and jelly dispenser, only to have it jam.
"My friend Lewis is an inventor. He can fix it." Wilbur said, dragging the boy over to the robot.
Lewis seemed to lack confidence after before. The family took turns encouraging him to help out.
"Come on, you can do it." Ushio joined in.
Lewis got to work on fixing the device as everyone gathered around and watched. After a short bit, Franny chimed in.
"So, how's it looking?"
"Pretty good, Mrs. Robinson." Lewis started. "I recalibrated the dispensing conduits and aligned the ejection mechanism and-"
"I'm not exactly the best when it comes to this stuff, but that means it should be working soon, right?" Ushio interrupted.
"Yeah." Lewis responded. "Okay, that should do it."
Handing the device back over to Carl, he fired it up as it began to spin around. However it seemed to jam again as it suddenly stopped and began making noises. It exploded as peanut butter and jelly rained over everyone. Ushio grabbed onto her hoodie as she observed the mess.
"No." Lewis cried. "I didn't know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"You failed!" the grandfather, Bud, called out in a happy tone.
"And it was awesome!" Gaston added.
"Exceptional!" Uncle Art called out.
"From failing, you learn. From success, not so much." Aunt Billie said.
"She has a good point." Ushio said as she walked over to Lewis. "And besides, I've had stuff far worse than this happen to me just over the past few days or so."
Finally getting acceptance, the mood of the room changed for Lewis. He felt…happy.
—
"Excellent. This is going to go smoothly." the Bowler Hat Guy smiled. "Doris is going to be so surprised by this. I just know it."
Loud footsteps could be heard as a large shadow fell overhead. As it grew closer to the home, the man laughed.
—
"All right, everyone, quiet down. Quiet down." Granny spoke. "I propose a toast to Lewis and his brilliant failure. May it lead to success in the future."
"Gosh, you're all so nice." Lewis started. "If I had a family, I…I'd want them to be just like you."
Ushio looked at him. From her earlier talk with him, she knew this seemed like a touchy subject. Looking around, she could also see the looks in everyone else's eyes from the revelation. The sympathy seemed real.
"Oh, well then, to Lewis!"
"To Lewis!" everyone called out.
After their toast, the group began to chat again. Ushio started to go towards the two she'd met earlier when she saw how they seemed busy with others. With all this talk about family, Ushio thought once more about her own. After everything was said and done, even if it was just a small talk over the Gummi Phone, she wanted to see hers again.
As she went to join the group, a loud thumping could be heard. Glancing out the window, she spotted the source of the vibrations.
"Oh no!"
"What is that!"
Ushio was immediately on alert as she summoned up her Keyblade. Running in front of everyone, she stared down the large, dinosaur-like Catastrochorus.
"Everyone, stand back. Wilbur, Lewis, remember how I told you about the Heartless. Well, this is one."
The creature roared as as crashed through the window into the dinning room. It attempted to go for Lewis as Ushio whacked its face away.
"Whoa, what's that." Lewis stared at her weapon.
"It's a Keyblade. Long story short, I helps me take these things down. Now everyone, stay back."
"I'm sorry, but we can't leave someone to fight by themselves." Franny replied.
As Ushio continued her attack on the giant Heartless, a loud train sound came into earshot.
"Choo-Chew on this!" came Aunt Billie.
Ushio jumped out of the way as a large train collided with the Heartless. The force pushed it back into the yard. Everyone ran outside to join the fight.
Ushio leapt at the Heartless as she wailed at the head of the creature. Gaston launched their giant octopus butler at the foe as Lazlo shot at it with paint as a distraction. The Heartless fought back as it grabbed Lewis's shirt by its teeth and held onto him. The octopus grabbed the boy and set him free at it and Ushio continued to try to bring it down. Having enough of them, it threw both the girl and animal off. Ushio hit the ground rolling as she attempted to soften her landing.
"You messes with the wrong family!" Carl cried out as he was stretched out. Using him to trip the Heartless, Ushio took the opportunity to once again combo hits on it.
Art's flying saucer flew by as it launched melty dough onto it. Encasing it fully, the Heartless stopped its motion. With the threat seeming gone, the family began to approach it.
"Be careful." Ushio said. "I don't think it's down yet."
As of on cue, the Heartless roared as it got back up. The family began to run back as Ushio prepared her stance once more. The Catastrochorus thrashed about as some of the family were thrown to the side. As Lewis ran from its nearby vicinity, it seemed to chase after him. The pair ran as the Keyblade wielder jumped onto its back.
Clinging on for dear life, she reached the head as it cornered Lewis. Looking below briefly, she spotted Wilbur taking Lewis and running. With some distance between them, Ushio thrashed the Heartless. Putting in one final swing, the damage it had accumulated pushed it past it's breaking point as the Heartless disappeared.
As the sun set more, the rest of the family caught up to Wilbur, Lewis, and Ushio.
"All you three all right?" Franny asked.
"We're good, Mom." Wilbur replied.
"Nothing I haven't dealt with before." Ushio shrugged off.
"Oh man! It was so cool, Mom!" Lewis said ecstatically. The last part threw Franny through a loop as she looked at the boy. "Oh, I mean, I'm sorry. I didn't…"
"Oh Lewis, it's okay." she said hugging him. "I'm really happy you're safe."
"Your head." Lewis pointed out.
"It's just a bruise, Lewis." she replied.
Realizing how scratched up everyone in the family was in addition to the ones on Ushio, Lewis has a realization.
"You all sacrificed so much…for me."
"It's nothing." Ushio stated. "I protect all my friends. It's the right thing to do."
"Of course." the family added. "You're a special kid."
"Well, it's been a long, hard day." Wilbur interjected. "Why don't you all hit the hay. Lewis and me need to get going."
"Do you have to go now?" Franny asked.
"Yeah, can't you two say a bit longer?" Ushio joined her side.
"Maybe Lewis could spend the night." Franny continued.
"Mom, maybe some other time." Wilbur said.
"Well, any time you want to come over, you just come over. The truth is, we love having you. You have to stay. I mean, who would be a better family for you than us? What do you say, Lewis? Do you want to be a Robinson?"
"You want to adopt me?" Lewis said in shock.
Before he had a chance to answer, Wilbur knocked off his hat, revealing his puffed up blond hair. The entire Robinson family gasped in shock upon seeing the sight.
"Okay, it's true. I'm from the past." Lewis admitted. "Now you know the big secret."
"Wilbur, what have you done?" Franny asked. "How could you bring him here?"
"Wait, he's just from the past, right? What's everyone so concerned about?" Ushio tried questioning the group to no response.
"Please, don't be mad at Wilbur." Lewis stated.
"Lewis, I am so sorry, but you have to go." Franny said. "I know what I said, but…Lewis, look at me. You're a great kid and we would never do anything to hurt you, but…I'm sorry. You have to go back to your own time."
"Yeah, about that, one of the time machines is broken, and the other was stolen by a guy with a bowler hat." explained Wilbur.
"Wait, if I have to leave, can I at least go back and find my mom. Wilbur promised." Lewis said.
"You promised what?" Franny grew angry.
"I was never gonna do it. I swear." Wilbur stated. He quickly covered his mouth as he realized what he said.
"You lied to me?" Lewis said as he stormed off
"Wait, Lewis!" Ushio said as she ran after him.