Chapter 3: Out of the City

After Globby and Felony Carl ate lunch, they finished their excursion through the market and picked up their various items as discussed. With a little effort from the gelatinous mutant, he made a blue bag to carry everything in and a large basket with a lid to attach to Carl's motorcycle when they were getting ready to leave. "I think it's secured nice and tight. Ready to set out again?" Globby asked as he shifted back to his Dibs form.

Felony Carl nodded before putting on his helmet and replying, "Let us continue with the day's journey." Both of the former felons proceeded to jump onto the spike and flame-ornate bike, with Dibs holding onto Felony Carl again as the engine started to rev. They then carefully backed out of their parking space and drove around the other parked cars back to the front entrance, being sure to stop for pedestrians leaving/entering the market. Once they were on Langosta St. again, they kept driving south until the on-ramp for the highway came into view. When the light turned green, Felony Carl turned right and sped up to merge with the afternoon traffic.

The plan they had worked out was to head north across the bay and out of town, followed by driving through some of the picturesque forests and hills nearby. Felony Carl noted how they hadn't left the city in a long time and thought a nature trip would help mark this anniversary as special.

Globby was so excited for this trip at first (and he still was), but he remembered something Big Hero 6 had told him and felt the need to inform Carl. "If we go near Muirahara Woods, they warned me that there's a creature named Bessie who has this power that could turn me into a puddle against my will or worse if she uses it on me. So, I don't know exactly how far I can go in there before it gets too unsafe; probably a good thing I haven't trekked up there since I became Globby," the shapeshifter sadly told his boyfriend.

Felony Carl didn't seem bothered by the change in plans and offered that they would drive up to the woods, but not actually walk through them for fear of Globby's wellbeing; this made the reformed mutant feel a mix of relief and sadness.

As the duo dashed along the highway towards Torii Gate Bridge, Globby couldn't help but feel guilty at messing with Felony Carl's plans. He seemed so excited to get to spend time outdoors and I bet he put a lot of thought into it, he sullenly remarked to himself. There's got to be something else that's special that we could do, something we haven't done before. The disguised mutant's thoughts were interrupted as they were approaching a tunnel. Inside the concrete tube, he could hear the sounds of the other vehicles echoing off its walls before making a whoosh when they came out the other side. As the second tunnel came into view, he got a fun idea and shouted to Carl, "Hey! Follow my lead!" The husky biker got a curious look on his face, but he didn't question Dibs. When they drove through the tunnel entrance, the shapeshifter let out a very loud "Wooo!"

The sound quickly reverberated around them and with only the slightest delay, Felony Carl shouted "Wooo!" too and created another echoing wave. The two of them then laughed at their gesture as they exited, finding themselves right in front of the towering Torri Gate Bridge.

After checking that it was clear, Felony Carl moved to the far-right lane so they could get a better view of the bay. As they sped down the pavement, Dibs caught sight of the seagulls overhead as they searched for food and places to rest. He also saw the dismal, giant rock that was Akuma Island, with its scorched-grey and black state contrasting the rippling blue water around it. Man, I really hope they plant something there to bring some life back into that place. Glad I didn't have to stay too long on that pile of pebbles, Globby thought to himself.

Due to residing on the East side of the bridge, the former felons weren't able to see Kireina beach too well as they got closer, but could make out a couple parasailers and surfers out in the deeper waters. Watching the people out having fun on the water gave Globby a bit of inspiration on what they could do to replace their nature walk; he decided to wait to tell Felony Carl until they got closer since it would be their first time attempting this idea. With the wind whipping them every which way, they finished crossing the bridge and continued north to their destination.

Once out of San Fransokyo, the highway they travelled on offered an interesting dichotomy of having the green and brown hills on their left while the bay stretched out on their right. They then went through the Lenore Shimamoto tunnel, where Felony Carl went ahead and called out with a loud "Wooo!" and to which Dibs quickly followed, making them laugh again for a few brief seconds.

Within a minute, the city of Sumahamita came into view, which had a fair amount of urbanization from the road to the water; their view to the left was still covered with bushes and grass along the elevated land. Traffic had started to pick up now, so Felony Carl had to speed up some to make a few lane changes around a couple semi-trucks and other oncoming cars. Dibs kept holding on tight to the husky biker as he made these maneuvers, being sure to keep an eye out for any problem drivers just in case.

Shortly afterwards, the two riders where driving through Baia City, which was considerable smaller than the last town, but still had some homes and businesses visible in the surrounding area. Their route now placed them alongside the marina, where several dozen boats were docked and a warm breeze could be felt in the air. Felony Carl then got over to the far-right lane to exit, allowing them to take Serpentine Hwy through the small community of Ringito. As they worked their way closer to the woods, the unibrowed man had to slow down and stop more frequently as the road was lined with various fast-food restaurants and houses; however, the cars and houses appeared less and less the more they travelled down the highway. The road began to swerve left and right as they turned west and the duo was now the lone vehicle on the road.

The motorcyclist proceeded to shoot north for a minute until making a hard left onto Muirahara Woods Rd, making them head straight towards their target. Dibs could see the trees start to line the surrounding area more and more as well as started to grow in height.

Okay. Almost time.

Once the trees were all around them, the air began to get a fresh, earthy smell and had more shade provided by the towering redwoods. A minute later, they could see the sign indicating the entrance to Muirahara Woods and the designated parking area, where several other cars laid waiting.

After Felony Carl found a nice vacant spot, he finally turned the engine off and the two disembarked the motorcycle. Globby had immediately shifted back to his pink and purple self once he was free of his helmet, then proceeded to just take everything in as he stood there; the sound of the birds tweeting, the rustling of leaves as the wind blew through them, the grandness and sense of peace the trees created. It had been so long since the shapeshifter had been out of the city that this felt almost like a completely new experience all on its own.

"Enjoying the ambiance?"

"Huh?" Globby turned, awoken from his state of suspended animation. He briefly blinked and shook his head to focus again before grinning sheepishly. "Sorry. It's just a much slower pace out here than what I'm used to," he explained before letting his head droop in guilt. "I'm sorry Carl. You drove all this way and I know we've been here only a minute, but I can tell whatever you had planned was going to be nice and relaxing; I just wish my condition didn't have such a…what's the term I'm looking for?" the gelatinous mutant questioned halfway through his apology.

"Achilles' heel," the buff man simply answered.

"Yeah, that's it. So, since actually going further in is potentially dangerous, would you be willing to try something else as a way of celebrating today? We can still wait a little before moving on; you definitely chose a lovely place to visit," Globby said as he took Felony Carl's hand.

The bandana-clad man offered a sympathetic smile and squeezed Globby's malleable mitt a little bit tighter in reassurance. "I am not strictly set to follow any particular plan. I am eager to hear your proposal and was only primarily concerned with spending this time together. I too feel the need to apologize for being unaware of your predicament."

Globby now smiled and replied, "Oh, there's nothing for you to be sorry about. It was something that slipped my mind and I should have told you once I knew. Hindsight, am I right?" This remark made Felony Carl give a soft chuckle as the two then turned back to the forest and stood there silently for a few minutes. Since no one else was currently in the parking lot, they just enjoyed the tranquility that came over them while watching a few leaves fall to the ground ever now and then.

After the reformed criminals both let out a contented sigh, Felony Carl turned to Globby and finally asked, "Well, where was this impromptu destination you had in mind?"

Looking sheepish again, the gelatinous mutant replied, "I thought if we drove by a beach, maybe we could do something out on the water…sort of a fun experiment."

Felony Carl raised part of his unibrow up before he said, "I did not pack the necessary clothes for such an excursion, but you have piqued my curiosity."

Globby smiled in relief as he rested his transparent head on the larger man. "I didn't pack any swim trunks either, but I can make you some if it'd make you feel better."

They both laughed a little at his remark before sighing once more. "Thanks again for driving all the way up here," Globby sincerely told Felony Carl as he continued to gaze at what he could of the forest.

"It was a pleasure. Truly, just getting to have a joyous time together while commemorating your transformation is what I aspired to achieve today; everything else is secondary in importance," Felony Carl informed the gelatinous mutant. The duo stood together for a minute longer before turning towards each other. "Ready to depart?" the husky biker inquired.

"If you are. Know of any beaches nearby?" Globby questioned right back.

Felony Carl nodded and answered, "We may not have Muirahara Woods, but if memory serves, there is a Muirahara Beach at our disposal."

"Ooo. Well, now consider my curiosity piqued," the shapeshifter remarked and looking noticeably more excited. They then took one last look around before Globby changed back into Dibs and they both got back onto Carl's motorcycle. Once the engine got revving, the former felons backed out of their spot and started driving down the parking lot to the other exit. With them being the only vehicle on the road again, the only sounds they could hear were their ride and the wind that whooshed past them as they headed south.

They first went through Arboreal Canyon, where Dibs and Felony Carl were treated to towering trees on both sides, creating a sea of greens and browns as they whipped by. Dibs was half-tempted to try flying above to get a better view, but he decided to wait since it might mess up Carl's driving; if tonight went according to plan, he'd be doing some flying then anyway.

The trees began to space out more as they entered Kane Canyon, making the surrounding hills stand out more and allowing them to see farther in certain spots. It admittedly still felt weird for the disguised shapeshifter not seeing any buildings or people around, but he wasn't complaining and just continued to enjoy his current situation with Felony Carl. The road then curved to the left, causing the two to gently lean into the turn and finding themselves in an open meadow area covered with grass and bushes. The surrounding hills on their left created a rippling effect of low to high to low again as they drove past, while the right had its hills off in the distance covered in cluster of trees.

A minute later, they found themselves back on Serpentine Hwy briefly before turning right, and after driving over a bridge, saw the beach parking lot down the road on their left. As they pulled into another parking space, Felony Carl and Dibs could see there were about thirty cars already parked and vacant. To the west, the former felons saw the crashing waves wash over the tan-colored sand as its blue-green waters stretched out over the horizon into a much darker hue. On the beach, they could see it wasn't crowded with only a handful of people sitting under their umbrellas or out swimming and splashing each other; there were also a couple people jumping off the rocks that were half submerged off the cliffs which surrounded the area.

"It appears we will have plenty of space to attempt whatever experiment you have planned," Felony Carl finally spoke as they dismounted the motorcycle.

"Yeah," Dibs said as he proceeded to revert back to his pink and purple self. "Everybody else must be out hiking or something."

After Felony Carl put all his valuables in the side pouch on his bike, Globby sealed it up for good measure and the two then began their walk down to the beach. As they journeyed the long path, the husky biker felt the need to ask, "So, do I need to change my attire?"

"I mean, you can if you want, but if this goes well you should be fine," Globby casually informed him. "I didn't plan on this being super long too, but if you like it, then maybe we can keep it going," he added with a wink. They were turning right on the path when a young couple heading up from the beach caught sight of them. Globby and Felony Carl politely waved and said "Afternoon" as they walked by while the other two stopped in their tracks and slowly waved back, clearly trying to process this situation.

When the reformed criminals got a little distance from them, the shapeshifter wondered out loud, "Do you think their shock from seeing me is because of my status or because they hadn't heard of me?"

With a brief moment to ponder, Felony Carl answered, "Word of your existence surely has spread outside of the city, so the most probable reason is they have merely never seen you in person; whether fame is a factor or not I am unable to say."

The gelatinous mutant listened and nodded in agreement. "Good point. Plus, they didn't scream or call me a 'freak' or run away, so progress at the very least when it comes to first encounters." A moment later, they were at the edge of Muirahara Beach, where they just stood there breathing in the salty air and feeling the heat rising off the sand.

The motorcyclist turned to his boyfriend and inquired, "Well, we have reached our destination, so would you be inclined to inform me what task we are about to undertake?"

Globby, who somehow appeared both excited and apprehensive now, replied, "I wanted to try something new with you, but also wanted you to be okay in case something went wrong. So Carl…" In an instant, the gelatinous mutant created a patch of ice beneath the two of them, with some of the ice forming a secure grip around the biker's boots so he wouldn't slide uncontrollably. "…care to have some fun with me?" Globby asked with a warm smile and extending a hand to hold. Almost instantly, Felony Carl accepted his hand and returned the smile. Before they began to move, the pink and purple man slyly added, "Oh and FYI, this isn't your present and this wasn't the request I was referring to this morning."

Felony Carl smirked and simply said, "Then I will wait to see what you have in store." Globby smiled again and with a thought, started to form a path of ice leading them to the water's edge and the two began gently sliding. The other people on the beach looked at the ice in confusion until they saw the two men.

As they reached the lapping waves, Globby briefly stopped and said to Felony Carl, "Now, I've seen my friend do this a few times and I've dabbled a little, but never with a partner. So…ready?" Felony Carl nodded and tightened his grip on the shapeshifter's hand. "Let's do this."

A moment later, they shot out over the water with Globby keeping his ice bridge flexible as it was being created, allowing the forming waves beneath to lift it up and down. When they reached the rippling section, they too went up and down as if they were on a kiddie roller coaster. The gelatinous mutant then made a hard right, making a small crested wall like in a skate park to keep the water from hitting them. After a few seconds, Globby did it again but turned to the left this time as he kept their speed up. He did several more serpentine movements before looking back at Carl to find him smiling in excitement and at ease with the ride, making the reformed mutant feel emboldened to add to it.

Once he made the next curve, he kept it going until they were moving in a circle. When they were almost back to the beginning of the loop, Globby willed the ice path to form on an incline as the two now spiraled up and over the water. As they got higher, the pink and purple man could see the beach goers lining the water, either watching or recording the scene on their phones. Hope they like the show even though this isn't for them, he happily thought as he was about to stop their ascent.

When they were about 70ft up, Globby moved them out of the spiral and created a sharp, downward slope that sent them sliding back towards the ocean at breakneck speed. The wind rushed all around them as they went, carrying with it the salty tinge of sea spray and the excitement that comes from such a drop. As they were about to hit the water, Globby flattened it out and saving the two from a painful, wet fall.

The shapeshifter looked back again as a sheepish, embarrassed expression suddenly crossed his face upon seeing some of his globs had gotten on Felony Carl's shirt and pants in the descent. Globby briefly stopped the ice bridge as he went to wipe Carl clean and said, "Sorry."

The biker merely smiled and replied, "I hope you are not planning on stopping on account of this."

"Of course not," Globby answered with a wink as he started making their path again. He then had them head towards the southern cliff, with its dark rocks looming over the ocean. With a thought, the gelatinous man had the ice bridge climb up the side and taking them up it too. At the top, the track then arced down and generated a brief sense of weightlessness in them before accelerating back towards the water. They leveled out again as Globby created more serpentine maneuvers into existence, but when the turns came this time, had the water splash along the backside to make a sparkly crown around it. He proceeded to hold tighter onto Felony Carl's hand and boots as his next idea took shape.

A moment later, the ice bridge became a corkscrew and the two former felons spiraled upside down three times before flattening out again. Globby turned to check that Felony Carl was okay again, who then gave him a thumbs up and a big grin to indicate he was good. Okay. Wrap up time, he thought with determination.

For the last trick, he set the path out past his previous constructions while having it undulate up and down. After a couple seconds, he began curving into a circle again and spiraling upwards except this time, having its radius decrease as it went up. Once they were 50ft up, Globby formed a ramp at the end of the path that launched them well into the air, disconnecting them from the ice for a brief moment. Looking down, the two managed to see the beautiful formation from above before Globby stretched his legs to make contact with the top of the spiral, pulling and securing Felony Carl back to it safely. They then began their spinning descent downward until they were at the base, where the gelatinous mutant changed the path back towards the beach. He proceeded to widen the ice as he turned to take his boyfriend's other hand and together, began spinning around in circles. They both stared at each other while smiling for a few seconds before laughing as the bridge went up and down with the waves. Globby then let go of Carl's hand as he finished up the last of their ride, where the two of them slid gently back onto the dry, beige sand and looking thoroughly thrilled.

"Not bad for mostly winging it," the shapeshifter remarked with a small laugh. As he was still connected to the ice, he concentrated on the massive structure he had made and willed it to turn into water, followed by letting it collapse into the ocean below. It created an enormous splash and generated a white mist of sea spray that the wind blew in their direction; a moment later, it looked as if nothing had ever happened and causing the small number of beach goers to cheer at the show they got. "So, what'd you think?" Globby eagerly asked even though he already knew the answer.

"It was an exhilarating experience I will not soon forget and I am touched you selected me to field test it. Truly an impressive feat," Felony Carl sincerely responded before surprising Globby with a hug and brief spin.

"Glad you enjoyed it and you know, this sort of thing doesn't just have to be for today," the chocolate-loving mutant said while blushing slightly. The duo could see the other people on the water's edge excitedly coming their way, so Globby turned to Felony Carl and inquired, "We still have some time left in the day. Do you want to get going before that mob over there makes it to us?"

The motorcyclist smirked and replied, "It would be most unfortunate to deny your fans a chance to talk to you. I think it is acceptable to spare a few minutes." He then punctuated his statement with a wink. Globby gave a small smile and playfully nudged Felony Carl just before the others arrived. As promised, the next few minutes were spent talking to the beach goers, Globby occasionally throwing the conversation over to Felony Carl and getting a couple photos for the ones that had their phones on hand.

Afterwards, the former felons began their journey back to the parking lot, still excited over what happened and both curious to see what the other had planned for the evening.

NOTES

Ever since "Lie Detector" came out, Bessie blasting Globby has been one of the biggest fears I had in regard to what could happen on the show. O_O (The 4-month hiatus along with Nega-Globby inside of him didn't help either). I also figured it'd be cool to show Globby using his powers to make more constructs since usually it's just shapeshifting we see him do. ^_^ I looked a lot into the layout of San Francisco, Muir Woods and the smaller cities surrounding it, so I hope you found the ride realistic as well as liked the names I used to bring in some more world building. ;) In addition, hopefully you enjoyed Globby having a fun time with Felony Carl while he did his little experiment since it was something relatively new for both of them. ^_^

The next chapter will have Felony Carl and Globby return to the city and prepare for dinner, which does come with a few surprises. ;)