================================================================================================
A/N: Don't feel bad about writing the badniks as... well, bad. :D This is just how I would hope they would end up... :)
================================================================================================
CHAPTER 15: To Leave or Not to Leave?
Since I had a few spare minutes while everyone was busy, I decided to take a shower. Besides, Electra's air freshener was starting to wear off. I returned to the room where I had stayed my first night in Mobius and retrieved my pajamas. Electra had washed them and left them neatly folded on the bed. I picked them up and smelled them - they were fresh as a flower garden. I've always loved the smell of clean clothes.
The shower was completely resfreshing, and it felt good to have clean hair again as well. I picked up the tailor-made clothes and took a whiff, "P.U.!" I deposited them in a trash can. There was no use trying to salvage them - the sewer sludge was caked in - that, and I had no idea where the fortress laundry room was.
* * * *
A little later, Sonic returned from taking the bots to their new home. I was sitting in the lab, watching Tails and Professor Von Schlemmer hard at work on the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
Sonic screeched to a halt and greeted me, "Hey," he then sniffed the air, "Oooh! You clean up good!"
"Thanks," I replied.
"How's it coming, guys?" Sonic asked Tails and the Professor as he checked out the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
"You're just in time. We're almost done!" Tails answered, fastening the metal face back onto the control console, "We just have to hook it back up and turn it on!"
"Cool!" Sonic replied, patting him on the back, "Great job, lil' bro!"
I approached Sonic, "I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble. If I wasn't such a huge fan, maybe none of this would've ever happened..."
"Hey, you can't help being who you are," he said with a wink, "Besides, Robotnik was the one who gave us trouble - not you. Knowing him, he probably would have bothered another fan if not you. Actually," he chuckled, "I'm kinda glad he did... otherwise I'd never would've met you-" he stopped for a second, "Er... I mean, if the rest of my fans are anything like you - I'd love to meet 'em all!"
"That goes double for them," I replied.
"And who knows - maybe I will someday... That would definitely be way past cool!"
"Okay! We're done!" The Professor called, "Now all we have to do is calibrate the coordinates of the dimension."
"How do we do that?" Sonic asked.
"Well, we aren't sure," Tails said.
Oh great, I thought, just when I was about to go home. I tried to think of something, "Robotnik said he located my dimension by connecting to my planet's computer network," I headed over to his large computer. I turned the monitor back on and saw Sonic Land appear in the internet browser window. I refreshed the page. Luckily he was still connected, "He's still on!" I said, "Can we try that?"
The Professor rubbed his chin, "Well, it couldn't hurt."
Tails picked up a network cable, "Okay, let's do it!" He plugged one end into the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
"Allow me!" Sonic grabbed the cable, and sped over to the computer, "Uh, where do I hook this thing up?"
"How about here?" I asked, pointing to a hook-up on the console.
"That's it!" Tails called.
"Okay!" he plugged it in, "All set, Keed!"
"Well, here goes something!" Tails said, pushing a large red button. Why is it always the large red button?
The machine whirred and hummed. Lights flashed and a circular blue portal opened up on a platform near where the broken containment tube had been.
The vortex suddenly blew us back. A cloud of items burst out before Tails could shut down the portal, "YIKES!" We ducked as Tails closed the portal quickly, "Guess I'd better fix that."
"Perhaps the portal stablilizer is on the fritz?" Professor Von Schlemmer examined the control panel, "Oops! I don't think we even turned it on!"
The miscellaneous items sucked into our dimension lay scattered about on the lab floor. I glanced around at them. Among the items were: a leatherbound book, some pages of typed paper, miscellaneous pieces of trash, a pastel drawing of Sonic and Tails, pens, pencils, and a left sock, "Hey, I think it worked! This stuff... it's from my house!"
I excitedly picked up the papers and discovered they were pages from my original cartoon story. I also grabbed the picture of Sonic and Tails that I had drawn and looked at it. I smiled.
"Whoa! You got my good side!" Sonic commented, taking the picture, "This is really good!"
"Really?"
"Yeah... Hey, you wouldn't mind if I could, uh-"
"You want it? SURE!" I smiled, "Wow! Yeah, have it!" I couldn't believe that he actually liked my art. He folded it up and put it away. How do cartoon characters store all that stuff, anyway? Especially when they don't have pockets? Yet another mystery of the animated world, I guess.
"Are you an artist?" he asked.
"Yeah, but what I really want to be is a writer... for cartoons," I smiled, "Kinda silly, huh?"
"No! That would be sooo cool!" Tails said, "You mean you would write stories like our adventures?"
I nodded, "I have some original ideas of my own too."
"That's way past cool!" Sonic said, "I'm not much of a creative thinker..."
"Sure you are! What do you call all the times you've outsmarted Robotnik? That's some first rate acting! You'd be great in the theatre!"
"Well, maybe I'll stick to being a hero," he said, "At least for right now."
"We've got it hooked up now!" Tails said, "You ready to try again?"
"Yep, let's go!" I said.
Tails pushed the button again and the portal reappeared. We braced ourselves, but surprisingly nothing happened. It didn't suck us in, and it didn't blast stuff out from it - perfect!
"Ahh, much better!" Tails said, making a few more minor adjustments.
I headed over there, "Thank you Professor, for helping Tails."
"You're quite welcome, my dear!" he replied.
"Do you really have to go, Joanie?" Tails asked, "I mean, now that we have it working, couldn't you stay a bit longer. Please?"
"I don't think so," I said, "I don't want my family and friends to worry about me. I wish I could though," I gave him a big hug, "Take care of yourself," I added in a whisper, "and Sonic too... Thanks for believing in me,"
"Sure, I mean it's not everyday I get to meet someone special like you!" he smiled. My eyes filled with a few tears, and we hugged tightly.
"Don't you ever try to be someone else," I said, "You're perfect just the way you are."
I sniffled and wiped my nose a little. I hoped I wouldn't completely breakdown and cry in front of my friends. Tails smiled at me brightly.
Sonic stood by me, "I meant what I said earlier," he started, "And you're a hero as far as I'm concerned," he held my hand, "Just promise me you won't give up on your dreams."
"I promise," shaking his hand.
Sonic smiled, "You ready to go?"
I returned a smile, "I just have to do one more thing," I said and then kissed him gently on his cheek, "Thank you, Sonic... for everything."
He blushed brightly, "Ahh, it was nothing," he gave me a hug.
I really didn't want to leave - now that things were finally going right. I knew I had to, though. I couldn't stay with them - I didn't belong here on Mobius. I belonged in my dimension, on Earth, in the U.S., in Missouri, in good-old normal Kansas City, with my family and my friends. I couldn't stop a few more tears that trickled down my face.
Sonic wiped them away, "Ah, cheer up!" He said, "You're going home!"
"Right," I smiled as I started to head for the portal, "Thanks again everyone! Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!" They waved.
I walked up to the platform, and turned around one last time. I gave them a thumbs-up and then leaped into the shimmering portal. I heard my Mobian friends call out to me as I reappeared in the peaceful realm of flowing colors. I floated along, my entire body starting to feel very heavy. I guess I didn't realize how late it actually was - or was it early now? - or how very tired I was. I yawned and slowly fell asleep in the colorful vortex.
* * * *
On the other side of the portal, Sonic stood vigil for a few more seconds until Professor Von Schlemmer shut down the portal. The shimmering blue circle dissipated into the air. A lone tear fell down Sonic's cheek as he turned away to stare at the wall. The tear rolled off his face and hit the floor noiselessly.
Tails approached him from behind, "What's wrong Sonic?" Tails put a hand on his arm, "You're so quiet..."
"Nothing..." Sonic sighed.
"Are you thinking about Joanie too?" Tails asked.
He glanced back towards where the portal had been, "There was something different about her, Keed. I don't know what it was... But I'd like to find out-" he suddenly noticed a hand-sized, brown leatherbound book on the ground. He bent down and picked it up. He flipped open the front cover and saw a name printed in red permanent marker, "Looks like she accidentally left us another souvenir..." he commented and flipped through it.
One page was folded and had a passage marked in yellow highlighter. He read it aloud, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
"Then that makes you really great!" Tails said, giving his friend a hug.
"Thanks, Tails," he returned it, "I think I'll hang onto this," he closed it and put it away, "You want a chilidog?"
"When have I not wanted one?" he replied with a shrug.
"Good point," Sonic laughed, "Hey, Professor, do you think you could get rid of this machine for us? I don't want to give Robotnik any way of getting back. We'll be back after some breakfast!"
"Sure!" Von Schlemmer replied, "See you later!"
"I feel the need, the need for speed!" Sonic called, grabbing Tails wrist and rushing out of the fortress.
The Professor waved and then scratched his head, "Now, what was it he wanted me to do? Hmm... Maybe I will remember later... after dinner," he walked off and headed for the kitchen, "Oh, excuse me, Madam!" He apologized as he bumped into Robotnik's lab coat rack, "Lovely weather we're having, hmm?" He continued to converse with the coatrack.
TO BE CONTINED...
===============================================================================================
A/N: HAHAHA! *cough* Anyways, just one Chapter left (and an epilogue too!)... Be prepared for some reflection and humor (In that order!)... :)
===============================================================================================
A/N: Don't feel bad about writing the badniks as... well, bad. :D This is just how I would hope they would end up... :)
================================================================================================
CHAPTER 15: To Leave or Not to Leave?
Since I had a few spare minutes while everyone was busy, I decided to take a shower. Besides, Electra's air freshener was starting to wear off. I returned to the room where I had stayed my first night in Mobius and retrieved my pajamas. Electra had washed them and left them neatly folded on the bed. I picked them up and smelled them - they were fresh as a flower garden. I've always loved the smell of clean clothes.
The shower was completely resfreshing, and it felt good to have clean hair again as well. I picked up the tailor-made clothes and took a whiff, "P.U.!" I deposited them in a trash can. There was no use trying to salvage them - the sewer sludge was caked in - that, and I had no idea where the fortress laundry room was.
* * * *
A little later, Sonic returned from taking the bots to their new home. I was sitting in the lab, watching Tails and Professor Von Schlemmer hard at work on the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
Sonic screeched to a halt and greeted me, "Hey," he then sniffed the air, "Oooh! You clean up good!"
"Thanks," I replied.
"How's it coming, guys?" Sonic asked Tails and the Professor as he checked out the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
"You're just in time. We're almost done!" Tails answered, fastening the metal face back onto the control console, "We just have to hook it back up and turn it on!"
"Cool!" Sonic replied, patting him on the back, "Great job, lil' bro!"
I approached Sonic, "I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble. If I wasn't such a huge fan, maybe none of this would've ever happened..."
"Hey, you can't help being who you are," he said with a wink, "Besides, Robotnik was the one who gave us trouble - not you. Knowing him, he probably would have bothered another fan if not you. Actually," he chuckled, "I'm kinda glad he did... otherwise I'd never would've met you-" he stopped for a second, "Er... I mean, if the rest of my fans are anything like you - I'd love to meet 'em all!"
"That goes double for them," I replied.
"And who knows - maybe I will someday... That would definitely be way past cool!"
"Okay! We're done!" The Professor called, "Now all we have to do is calibrate the coordinates of the dimension."
"How do we do that?" Sonic asked.
"Well, we aren't sure," Tails said.
Oh great, I thought, just when I was about to go home. I tried to think of something, "Robotnik said he located my dimension by connecting to my planet's computer network," I headed over to his large computer. I turned the monitor back on and saw Sonic Land appear in the internet browser window. I refreshed the page. Luckily he was still connected, "He's still on!" I said, "Can we try that?"
The Professor rubbed his chin, "Well, it couldn't hurt."
Tails picked up a network cable, "Okay, let's do it!" He plugged one end into the Dimensional Matter Displacer.
"Allow me!" Sonic grabbed the cable, and sped over to the computer, "Uh, where do I hook this thing up?"
"How about here?" I asked, pointing to a hook-up on the console.
"That's it!" Tails called.
"Okay!" he plugged it in, "All set, Keed!"
"Well, here goes something!" Tails said, pushing a large red button. Why is it always the large red button?
The machine whirred and hummed. Lights flashed and a circular blue portal opened up on a platform near where the broken containment tube had been.
The vortex suddenly blew us back. A cloud of items burst out before Tails could shut down the portal, "YIKES!" We ducked as Tails closed the portal quickly, "Guess I'd better fix that."
"Perhaps the portal stablilizer is on the fritz?" Professor Von Schlemmer examined the control panel, "Oops! I don't think we even turned it on!"
The miscellaneous items sucked into our dimension lay scattered about on the lab floor. I glanced around at them. Among the items were: a leatherbound book, some pages of typed paper, miscellaneous pieces of trash, a pastel drawing of Sonic and Tails, pens, pencils, and a left sock, "Hey, I think it worked! This stuff... it's from my house!"
I excitedly picked up the papers and discovered they were pages from my original cartoon story. I also grabbed the picture of Sonic and Tails that I had drawn and looked at it. I smiled.
"Whoa! You got my good side!" Sonic commented, taking the picture, "This is really good!"
"Really?"
"Yeah... Hey, you wouldn't mind if I could, uh-"
"You want it? SURE!" I smiled, "Wow! Yeah, have it!" I couldn't believe that he actually liked my art. He folded it up and put it away. How do cartoon characters store all that stuff, anyway? Especially when they don't have pockets? Yet another mystery of the animated world, I guess.
"Are you an artist?" he asked.
"Yeah, but what I really want to be is a writer... for cartoons," I smiled, "Kinda silly, huh?"
"No! That would be sooo cool!" Tails said, "You mean you would write stories like our adventures?"
I nodded, "I have some original ideas of my own too."
"That's way past cool!" Sonic said, "I'm not much of a creative thinker..."
"Sure you are! What do you call all the times you've outsmarted Robotnik? That's some first rate acting! You'd be great in the theatre!"
"Well, maybe I'll stick to being a hero," he said, "At least for right now."
"We've got it hooked up now!" Tails said, "You ready to try again?"
"Yep, let's go!" I said.
Tails pushed the button again and the portal reappeared. We braced ourselves, but surprisingly nothing happened. It didn't suck us in, and it didn't blast stuff out from it - perfect!
"Ahh, much better!" Tails said, making a few more minor adjustments.
I headed over there, "Thank you Professor, for helping Tails."
"You're quite welcome, my dear!" he replied.
"Do you really have to go, Joanie?" Tails asked, "I mean, now that we have it working, couldn't you stay a bit longer. Please?"
"I don't think so," I said, "I don't want my family and friends to worry about me. I wish I could though," I gave him a big hug, "Take care of yourself," I added in a whisper, "and Sonic too... Thanks for believing in me,"
"Sure, I mean it's not everyday I get to meet someone special like you!" he smiled. My eyes filled with a few tears, and we hugged tightly.
"Don't you ever try to be someone else," I said, "You're perfect just the way you are."
I sniffled and wiped my nose a little. I hoped I wouldn't completely breakdown and cry in front of my friends. Tails smiled at me brightly.
Sonic stood by me, "I meant what I said earlier," he started, "And you're a hero as far as I'm concerned," he held my hand, "Just promise me you won't give up on your dreams."
"I promise," shaking his hand.
Sonic smiled, "You ready to go?"
I returned a smile, "I just have to do one more thing," I said and then kissed him gently on his cheek, "Thank you, Sonic... for everything."
He blushed brightly, "Ahh, it was nothing," he gave me a hug.
I really didn't want to leave - now that things were finally going right. I knew I had to, though. I couldn't stay with them - I didn't belong here on Mobius. I belonged in my dimension, on Earth, in the U.S., in Missouri, in good-old normal Kansas City, with my family and my friends. I couldn't stop a few more tears that trickled down my face.
Sonic wiped them away, "Ah, cheer up!" He said, "You're going home!"
"Right," I smiled as I started to head for the portal, "Thanks again everyone! Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!" They waved.
I walked up to the platform, and turned around one last time. I gave them a thumbs-up and then leaped into the shimmering portal. I heard my Mobian friends call out to me as I reappeared in the peaceful realm of flowing colors. I floated along, my entire body starting to feel very heavy. I guess I didn't realize how late it actually was - or was it early now? - or how very tired I was. I yawned and slowly fell asleep in the colorful vortex.
* * * *
On the other side of the portal, Sonic stood vigil for a few more seconds until Professor Von Schlemmer shut down the portal. The shimmering blue circle dissipated into the air. A lone tear fell down Sonic's cheek as he turned away to stare at the wall. The tear rolled off his face and hit the floor noiselessly.
Tails approached him from behind, "What's wrong Sonic?" Tails put a hand on his arm, "You're so quiet..."
"Nothing..." Sonic sighed.
"Are you thinking about Joanie too?" Tails asked.
He glanced back towards where the portal had been, "There was something different about her, Keed. I don't know what it was... But I'd like to find out-" he suddenly noticed a hand-sized, brown leatherbound book on the ground. He bent down and picked it up. He flipped open the front cover and saw a name printed in red permanent marker, "Looks like she accidentally left us another souvenir..." he commented and flipped through it.
One page was folded and had a passage marked in yellow highlighter. He read it aloud, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
"Then that makes you really great!" Tails said, giving his friend a hug.
"Thanks, Tails," he returned it, "I think I'll hang onto this," he closed it and put it away, "You want a chilidog?"
"When have I not wanted one?" he replied with a shrug.
"Good point," Sonic laughed, "Hey, Professor, do you think you could get rid of this machine for us? I don't want to give Robotnik any way of getting back. We'll be back after some breakfast!"
"Sure!" Von Schlemmer replied, "See you later!"
"I feel the need, the need for speed!" Sonic called, grabbing Tails wrist and rushing out of the fortress.
The Professor waved and then scratched his head, "Now, what was it he wanted me to do? Hmm... Maybe I will remember later... after dinner," he walked off and headed for the kitchen, "Oh, excuse me, Madam!" He apologized as he bumped into Robotnik's lab coat rack, "Lovely weather we're having, hmm?" He continued to converse with the coatrack.
TO BE CONTINED...
===============================================================================================
A/N: HAHAHA! *cough* Anyways, just one Chapter left (and an epilogue too!)... Be prepared for some reflection and humor (In that order!)... :)
===============================================================================================