The bedroom was quiet. Outside, behind the round, matte window glass, the sky was faintly gray. The crack of dawn would draw its more dazzling colors there later; yet the darkness still overruled. Yoka squirmed slightly in her sleep. All night the rest had been fidgety for her. Nightmares, this time it was her turn to experience those. And Buzz' shift to wince awake because of her. His own nocturnal troubles had fallen more faded, perhaps due to his long talk with Zurg. Usually, when the heart is free of guilt, even the dreams harass less. Yet, her anguish was the unknown fear, not remorse.
During the breakfast the Lightyear household's atmosphere relieved slightly, although the Kalevan had been very cranky, almost sulky the past hours. Buzz considered her suffering from some of those feminine whims that women used to have every so often, and just treated her with his usual devotion. No one had kept him a tirade about yesterday's weird conflict, thus he was unaware of the hindmost confusion-reasons. Therefore he though this to be a part of his learn-to-be-patient program of emotional character development.
Yoka-hanen gathered also a part of her convenience back. He seemed gentle, just like usually. Tinkling with his coffee spoon and explaining that his father should cut his hair a bit, if not willing to look like a walking shrubbery. In the night, there had been his attempts to comfort her because of the restlessness. She sighed, commanding herself to calm down. Perhaps the happenings would not repeat themselves any more. Perhaps this day would occur to be just normal.
Some time passed. Buzz had left, Yoka was alone in the house. She threw herself to sit on the sofa, and snapped the holo-TV on. The morning appeared light, white rays of the sun fluttered in through the clean, round window. Her head was still rather dizzy after yesterday, but the strong breakfast started shoveling the mud off from her brains. Still... inside this house was something creepy. Either it was Buzz, or then something else. But what else looked and sounded like Proud Crescent? Or had she really just seen hallucinations, something that prevaricated from the days of her beginning existence as a vaimo? Like reflections of the first nauseous moments with Buzz...? No, not likely. She was not insane, not biased. At least that she kept repeating to herself with hard determination.
The troubles scooted in faster today. As lounging lazily there on the soft seat, her left arm hanging loosely on the armrest, she abruptly felt a small waft of air sleeking past. Then, a whisper at her ear, drawling out of nowhere.
"Good morning, Yoka... Your dear friend is back..."
In a reflex, she screamed, but this time also acted physically. The voice had come from the left side, so her resting arm was in a bolt strained to a strong hit. Smack, and her knuckles actually did smite something in the middle of plain nothing. Though, this was perhaps scarier than if the hand had met only pure air. But, instead, there was something solid, yet cold ahead. Like rubber... or a cooled corpse.
Screaming she retreated to the other end of the sofa, staring at the empty spot at the voice's place. What had she hit?
"Uhh, feisty, eh?" now the speech came from another region of the room, added with a tinge of suffocated pain in it. As if the eerie had truly been hurt. "But stupid. Miserable damsel in distress who can't even speak properly. Soooo afraid... hahahaha."
Stuttering with both fear and hatred, the Kalevan shrieked from her corner. "Why yu thees do me? Is yu Buzz? Eef then, eef yu Buzz, why yu teese me do? I no likee this!"
A cold, hard, long laughter filled the room. A voice identical to Buzz Lightyear's voice, with a death-callous nuance added in it. "What did I say! Can't even speak properly! Do you think someone can understand that twanging?" it pitched its voice to falsetto, in order to imitate her scornfully. "Ees yu bass, mee speek ape. Ooga booga! Just pathetic! Hahahahah!"
Tears had begun trickling down her face. The ghost was viler, and acted twice as arrogantly as yesterday. But it could not be her dear Owner, could it? He had so caringly acted towards her this morning... but what did she actually still know about him? Proud Crescent remained furthermore as a half-stranger. Or was he some kind of schizoid with an evil half in him? And under the reign of that kind of atrocity her father had amortized her for the rest of her days? No, no, no, it could not be!
"Ees yu Buzz? Why yu no answeer me?" She had stood up, tears messing her cheeks. She cast her regard upwards, since it was as if the derisive laugh was twirling around her, all over the room. It had no coherent spot, though it seemed coming closer... closer... and snatch. Something took a hold of her arms from behind, with a cold, merciless grip.
"Perhaps, perhaps... As I said, I'll let you decide, if I'm your precious lovin' Buzz Lightyear, hahahaha."
With a forceful yank, Yoka ripped herself free from that abominable, clammy clutch. Her senses were blurring, the first image of a sanctuary that popped in her mind, was the bedroom. With a hard, locked door. She made a leap towards the stairs, but this time, the voice followed, speeding right on her heels. It mocked her, mocked her every sore part and flaw with mischievousness. Stairs up... with every step it was closer again, closer... the laughter turning to hoarse croak.
Slam! The woman had jammed the bedroom's door shut and fastened the lock. In the last possible second. Panting, sweat dripping down the back of her neck, she slumped down onto the bed. She buried her face in her hands, muffling the sound of her anxious cry. Again this had had to happen?
The bedroom's entrance stood tight. Clank, clank... The handle was groped by an invisible hand from the outside, but it did not give in. A small gush could be heard in the half-lit corridor, as something left the doorway, beginning to drag itself back downstairs. A low, gruff cackle walked together with the soft swish of some fine canvas.
"Hehehehe... craters, this is getting definitely fun! She's really freaking out more and more! Stupid chick, though spunky, got to admit that. Hmh, and I still don't know what to do to you, Mister Buzz Lightyear. All these years here, and still I have no plan. But it's fun to tease you for starters. Heheh", the imperceptible shadow sniggered to himself. "But still I need to think and wait, since not being sure what to do. But that chick is definitely funny, thinks that I am her brainless doody-goody husband! Hmm... yes, perhaps I'll tear your friends apart at first, then strike you. Hmm sounds like a fun idea..."
Suddenly, as if the plain air had given birth to something ghastly, a black form of robes dived out of nowhere, at the root of the staircase. It hovered a few inches above the floor, and seemed to fold and wrap some grayish bundle with its gloved hands. A pair of crumpled, piercing eyes leered the widths of the living-room from the shadows of the black deep hood. The shadow opened slightly its cape, and tugged the thing it had been holding in his hands inside a large pocket. Then, its eyes got attached to something on the living-room wall. Zora's picture seemed to interested it enormously again. It swept to hover in front of it with a soft spurt.
"You." It talked to the picture, frowning. "You were supposed to be dead! Lightyear wasn't supposed to have a living father!" A fierce shush left the depths of the cowl. "Zurg lied to me. I can't believe he lied to me! Blast, gloated his victory in front of me and praised himself how he had slaughtered Lightyear's stupid father. And here I come to hear him blabbering in the phone to his living, well-being daddy!" Then, the expression in the robed person's eyes changed slightly to more arrogant, as it was pondering topics further. "Zurg would get his revenge too because of lying to me. No-one lies to me, ever! But darn it, he's dead!" It opened slowly its clenched fists. "But oh well. Better him to be gone than to face my wrath, hahahaha. Blast, I still would have enjoyed him withering and crawling in front of me... but... I'll concentrate on these instead." It leered at the grinning oil painting once more. "I'll finish you off anyway someday, no one needs these new generation Lightyears around. Too bad, too bad that they didn't appear like their fancy ancestors..."
With an angryish puff, the form left the living-room and headed to the empty kitchen. It stopped in front of the fridge, listened carefully to the air for a moment in order to spot any even a petty crack, and then drew the fridge door open.
"Darn, if only I had food in my neat fortress, I wouldn't need to steal my rations like some pathetic parasite. It's so degrading! I had might and power; the infinities were in my hands, and what am I now? Handicapped, alone, and still unable to leave this stupid planet! All is lost, I can't get back. And was it necessary from that girlie to hit me that hard? Grrhghh. My arm hurts still." The shadow snarled at himself, bringing a bowl of cold soup near the hood. A sniffing voice emerged from the cloth's blackness, and a spoon was filched from the drawer. Soon the weird phantom began bailing the soup inside the hood. "So humiliating..."
Meanwhile, Buzz was approaching Star Command with good speed. Today would be performed the promotion of a certain member of his old team. Though... she had not wanted any glossy parties to be celebrated because of it. Just the modest ceremony at the Base, and that would be it. As much as a cliché it was, the Morphean's mind flushed full of mementos of the past adventures. It had been a completely different thing with the Rookie of the Year award, ages ago. His team had been so full of eager to compete against each other, everyone willing to be the best and to get to bask in the glory. Later on, at least two of Team Lightyear had grown humbler, whereas XR seemed remaining always the oh-I-want-to-be-the-galactic-champion -personality.
A few days ago it had been announced that Mira was going to get the status of captain. Both Booster and the robot were also to receive a bucketful of medals because of some of their previous deeds, so they all had a certain kind of summit today. Thus, Lightyear had left from his work after the lunchtime, hoping he would catch his former team somewhere in the vast corridors of Star Command. If the festivals had been arranged yesterday, he would have had far much better chances to slip in. However, now he would be thankful to see the last seconds of the rite, or even to catch anyone of Team Nova before they would return to patrolling.
At last his ship was parked in the launch bay. But he was considerably late, and would not hear any horn toots echoing any more. Yet curiously, Lightyear traipsed forwards, in case he might be able to yank Munchapper's or anyone's sleeve. He felt immense pride; the ones he had trained ready in practice, with hard teamwork, had reached a point of honor. His big boots brought him deeper inside the Headquarters. And, near the briefing room, he spotted the Princess. There she stood, her brand new uniform on, surrounded still by a small crowd after the formalities. Commander Nebula was about to leave, though, but a few females -obviously rookies themselves- still prattled around her. Buzz curved behind the swarm, giving then a knock on her shoulder.
Surprised Mira swirled around. "Oh, hi Buzz! Didn't expect to see you around. I though you..."
"...had a workday on Morph. Yeah, but I'm allowed to move around more liberally nowadays. Uhh well that much liberally that I managed to miss the fiesta." He threw in a grin. "But yeah. I'm not that obsessed with my job any more. There's also other life than Star Command existing for me. And I think you know why. Heh." A slight blush reddened his visage.
She simpered back, remembering the eccentric girl he had snatched aboard from the uncharted planet.
"I'm teaching her to write and read. Hehe, keeps it really exciting. Likes especially the letter 'B', she says it looks harmonic", Buzz gave a merryish laugh, swallowing the fact that the last night had been very awkward in their household. Then he went on shaking Nova's hand warmly. "Well, then. Congratulations, Mira."
She curved her mouth into an uneasy smirk. "Uh, yeah. Thanks. Well I guess I learned from the best, though."
"Heh well the 'best' has been in the dark side twice", he made a bit fun of himself. "For the starters of your captain-career, I recommend to stay away from there." Another abashed-esque grin responded. Though, Lightyear's tone grew more severe now. "I guess your fa... uhh... King Nova wasn't really pleased to hear about this?"
Mira's face flew austere, her lips pursing. It was obvious that the things between her and her father were not quite conversational any more. Something about the Kaleva case had destroyed the last bits of confidence. Slightly after the searchers had returned home with the lost ones, Nova had appeared back to Star Command with a changed appearance. No more things to remind her of Tangea, or her troublesome patron. Even her red locks had received a deep-blue dye. Yet, Buzz had to admit that this a little bit rebellious choice actually was not a bad idea. The orange flames had made a tad too strong contrast with blue skin, perhaps. In any case, the transformation had been remarkable.
The Princess had gathered the fragments of her self-control back, though still puffing and snorting. Not a very pleasing topic for her to chat about. "I don't understand what's his problem. His attitude towards people different from him just gets worse every day. I mean, you wouldn't have wanted to hear what he talked to me about Yoka's people behind everyone's backs. And how he called your wife. I think the Kalevans were really nice, friendly people, and they had a beautiful grasp of arts and everything." Her sonus had evolved into a stern mutter. "I do respect him as a parent, yes, but I can't accept his way of thinking. It's going too far, starting to sound almost dangerous. I... I just don't know what..."
Buzz sighed, his regard leering at the floor. Not only once he had been called a 'low-browed ape' by King Nova. Conceivably he was not a puzzle master or Stephen Hawking, but still it was offending. Though... on the other hand his own father was a certain champion in insults. Everyone was pathetic or lack-wit or amoeba-brain... every day Zurg seemed inventing new bynames for the folks around him. Then again, he slandered everyone equally, not favoring anyone over someone else. And... he in his heart did not seriously mean to defame anyone. Buzz remembered just about a week ago, how Zora at first had called his son a numbskull ninny, then a minute later had hugged him warmly and told how proud he was of him. Thus, the case of King Nova was rather much different.
"I really don't know what's gonna happen now. But I'm keeping my mind and staying at Star Command. Although I'm still sort of working as your substitute, I'm proud to lead an own team", she nodded to Buzz.
"That's good to hear", he smiled back. "So, how have XR and Booster taken this? And have you considered of taking a new copilot with?" he winked cunningly, "You know, it's in the updated Space Ranger Manual guidelines that a regular space ranger team should consist of four members."
"Heh, yeah right", she sneered amused. "A solo-flying lone wolf who wrote half of the rules, huh? Nah, we're going along fine as a triplet. Though, ranger Munchapper's gone a bit too official and needs to relax. I mean, years ago he stopped calling me plain 'Princess' or 'Your Highness', but since he heard that I'd get a promotion, he's been bowing and addressing me 'Your Captainnessness', or 'Lady Captain-Princess'. And..."
"Heyodales, royal captains, Prince of Purple Buckethead Empire and Princess of Tangoland! What's up doc? A pool party with a champagne fountain waiting?" XR's sarcastic greeting broke her sentence. Lightyear could see over Nova's shoulder him and the Jo-Adian approaching them. Booster had his big front full of gleaming and glittering badges, his grin resembling a bathtub in size. The mecha was smugly carrying his ones on a silver platter over his head, in order to double his splendor. Buzz broke to a smile and dashed to congratulate them both, Mira shrugging and rolling her eyes behind him.
Buzz' homecoming that day was anything but pleasing. As he had stepped over the threshold, it took half an hour from him to find Yoka-hanen. And two hours to get her persuaded out of the hard-locked bedroom. Her face pale, hands trembling, she slowly let the door open, as if assuring that there was none kind of walking mummy or relevant ogre behind there. And as Buzz tried asking what was wrong, she pushed him away half-angrily, half-afraid, remaining silent and sulking the rest of the day.
The following week made no difference, but turned day by day more complicated. The sun rose, Buzz left to work... and the inferno was ready to begin. The shadow's attacks grew more brutal. The more Yoka was afraid of the unexplained, the more cruel the invisible something transformed. The devilish laughter echoed throughout the dwelling, mocking her, telling her how devolved, how pathetic she was, clinging to every flaw and sore emotion she had. As if it had known exactly what made her feel ultimate sadness and horror... Buzz Lightyear's voice damning her just like as if she had been back under the pressure in Kaleva... Occasionally that cold, putrid-feeling grip of the hidden horror snatched her arm into its harsh clutch. It felt always as haunted, wraith-like... putting her to loose the last nerves in her. Never she saw anything physical, although something like dressed in silky clothes or something, seemed hovering around. Once or twice Yoka had been able to distinguish a very faint shadow being outlined against a wall... but it disappeared as soon as it had arisen, leaving no chance to spot its origins.
Thus, day by day, the timid-turned, depressed female believed more and more that it was Proud Crescent who caused her this. Why, how, that she did not comprehend. Yet, every day, he came back from "work", looking so baffled and innocent. As if he knew nothing... Or what if he... really knew nothing? In her apprehension, she was dead-afraid to ask. But the Kalevan knew she was not imagining things. It was real, whatever it was then. One weird detail more was certainly that the attacks never happened when Buzz was present. As if the treeroots had swallowed the vile phantom then.
For Lightyear himself, the occurrences were a real enigma. A sad, frustrating enigma. What had happened to his Yoka? His lively, vivid, happy Yoka? After this one night that she had dashed upstairs, holding her temples, everything had fallen uncanny. She was silent, isolated, as if being shocked about something. Even gentleness had no effect. She pushed him away, always the same frightened gaze in her pupils. Had he done something to her, or why was she suddenly like this? So abruptly, without any logical reason. No answer came, nothing was sung back when he endeavored to ask. Nothing. Even the English lessons she had so much adored at the beginning, had turned averse to her. The female did slouch to the evening school, but looking like as if she just wanted to get out of his sight. Yet, there did not end the puzzles. Constantly Lightyear had to scratch his hair while opening the fridge. Where did all that food vanish? Yoka could never have dumped that much nosh in her trap. Then... there was the riddle of some of his clothes. That did not bother him that much though, it only appeared odd that some of his most practical garments had been swallowed by a black hole. They were not in the closet, not in wash, not in dry-clean. The captain was none kind of mannequin, so he did not even own a whole store of outfits. Hence the missing plagued, but it was not the end of the galaxy.
The tardily past-crawling days felt dreadful. What to believe, what to do... questions without answers, all it swam in a black tarn of turbidity. Nightmares, mazes, uncertainty.
Another awful day was behind. This time the ghost had gotten in to the bedroom. So Yoka had had no other choice but to escape out of the house, run out of the garden and spend the day by roving around the suburban streets. At least there the ghoul had not pursued her. Aimlessly, without a sense, she had walked some kind of a circle until tired out and trudged back to the mercy of the grisly house. Several bywalkers had goggled at her strangely, their blameless curiosity only tearing her emotions more. A week spent in Gehenna. That it felt like. Back at the dwelling, the crushed woman did not know where to go. Outside the dusk had fallen with a rain, so sojourning there was not an option any longer. And, she knew perfectly no-one in this town, so where could she have fled? In this state of mind, Yoka had no courage to go to knock any neighbor's door either. Besides, what to explain them? They would only stare at her teary face, not succeeding to understand her broken English. Thus, she stayed in the living-room, concealing herself in her own woe.
Lightyear was late again, yet he had given Yoka a note that he would come home just in the evening. Perhaps his work was called a part-time job, but occasionally -and that occasionally was too often-, required overtime. And he had called, had tried giving her an apology via comlink for having to stay in his office with a boring pile of A4's, but as usual, no-one answered. Concerned he had become of her well-being, pondering it even now with a grunt as flying back home.
Yes, the same discomfort awaited at the destination even today. Though, in a measure wider he had expected. As stepping onto the front door's rug, hard snivels reached his ears from the room ahead. Yoka was crying, no other explanation. Baffled, Buzz stepped in the living-room. His briefcase got dropped onto the floor, flung open and all its inners scattered around the parquet like a flock of cockroaches.
"Y-Yoka...? What's the matter?" he stuttered, frozen on his place. She crouched in the furthest corner of the sofa, sobbing against her palms, drastic shivers swaying her lanky body.
No answer. He moved cautiously on, not caring to clean the mess from the floor. What on Saturn was the sorrow for? She had been so strange and avoiding the previous days and now... those were not any crocodile tears. There definitely was something serious bothering her, but what? And what hindered her from telling him, since he would certainly listen? Lightyear made a nod to himself; he would do anything to keep her happy and feel safe. Just anything. And she should have been aware of that too. Had he not tried expressing his love in all the best ways he was able to? Tried to be kind, understanding, patient... With a quick thought he agreed, that this uncanny whim of affliction had been quite temporary yet, but the scale of it was alarming.
"Yoka... come here. What's troubling you?" He sat beside her, starting to slide his thick arms around her shuddering body. She winced roughly, shook his hold off, and curled up more towards the sofa's armrest. The sobbing only seemed to escalate.
"Please... don't push me away. I only want to know what's the matter", he sighed sadly, taking another try to close her in his clutch. This time it went on smoother, though the girl still endeavored nudging him away. Buzz managed to get her lifted up to sit on his knees.
As he peeled her hands away to uncover her teary face, it became evident that this weeping had not begun a minute ago. Her eyes were all red, swollen, dizzy-looking. They did not cast a glance back, as he tried diving into her thoughts through them. The gray deepness beyond the glimmer of tears kept its riddles. Only uttermost confusion could be fumbled out from their grim profundity. They stared somewhere aside his worried face.
"Yoka? Please... tell me what's wrong?" he prompted against her lips, forcing her to encounter his visage. She avoided an eye-contact, even now. As if there had been some deformed poltergeist reflecting from his oculars.
"I... I... I d-d-don--nnot k-k-know..." she produced a graceless whimper. Yes, she did not know. The things went beyond her understanding. The invisible... the unexplainable... that vile, cold something stamped in her awareness... then he appears like knowing nothing, like being a person completely different. What should she believe, since the faith had been ripped away?
Buzz could not wait until the universe's end for more clarifications. He yearned to hold her, heal the sadness away. His thick lips slowly began trailing across her face, kissing every single tear away. Slipping down her cheek, they reached her mouth, softly melting together with it. He was soon losing the sense of this universe, it always seemed to happen as he expressed his mildest feelings to the first person he had ever loved this way. But oh, why did it have to be so difficult? He had wished, hoped everything to settle down into a calm wisp of dreamy mist. Where they could just be united with no wail, no agony... Nonetheless, again there were tears to be wiped away, just like in Kaleva. Though... this was not caused by him. Was the well of this bale homesickness, a burnout, or what? If it was something equal to those, why did she not just tell him honestly? Or did she feel shame, guilt about something? Not likely. If she would only tell...
His kisses had reached her neck, climbing tardily up along it to meet her lips again. Her tears had ceased somewhat, but still those drops of anguish rolled slowly down her jowls. Still no answer... no answer why the crying. But, at least this time she did not shove him away. Well, she had attempted that, though. However Yoka was blocked inbetween the sofa's backrest and the thorax of the space ranger. In addition that his big chest pushed her diagonally even more towards the hindrance.
Her strength had molten away. This, this did not feel at all like he would have wanted to tease her insane. His kisses, touches, everything at this moment, were as if they would be milder than ever, concentrating with all their force to console her. Several days she had refused to receive his endearments. Now however, something in the sheer essence of him broke down the resistance. She... she would need to tell him. Or ask. Talk at least something about those strange things. Otherwise she would live in insecurity for infinity and beyond.
As his lips were back united with hers, she answered half-afraid a bit to his kisses. This measure made him double the clutch of his embrace, and at least triple-deepen the kiss. After an indefinite time, Buzz gradually cared to open his eyes and met her ones, which were still teary, timorous, and wide-flown. He separated his mouth from hers, but kept his face near.
"Yoka... what's wrong? Do you want to go back home, or what is it? Please tell me."
She angstily goggled at him. Never it had popped in her mind that he would ask something like that. As if he had no idea what bothered her heart. The space ranger's visage literally shone with innocence, yet with the dominating sad shade. So was he lying or not? It did not look like that. Hence, she stuttered something incoherent that she did not wish to go back to Kaleva.
"It's OK, you can tell me if you want to go back", he whispered, smoothing her cheek with a big thumb.
But she denied it again, this time with a clearer expression.
"Then what is it? Yoka, please. I love you, and I'll help you with anything that worries you."
"I fear..." she got a hasty gulp gargled out of her throat. "Yu... yu no wuuld want me scared, yu don't haluisi pelotella minua? Minae en tiedae, mikae minun on, minua pelottaa taeaellae yksin, minae..." The bewilderment blocked her feeble English.
Buzz snapped his wrist translator on, turning back to her. She was afraid of something? What, and why? There should have been nothing scary in this calm house, although... he felt the weird sensation of being stared in his nerves again.
With careful and very slow questioning, the Captain finally brought at least a fragment of the apprehension out of her. Yoka's stories were very mixed, and did not for the most parts seem to make any sense. According to her lisping, she had heard voices, seen or felt something ghastly, inside these rooms. From one grumble he grasped that Yoka thought him causing her this, or so that sob at least had sounded like. He? But how that could be possible? Buzz was not even near the house while lodging at work during the daylight. Was his wife psychologically exhausted somehow, afraid of being alone, or what on Tellus was it? Yes, she seemed to have mentally broken down. The girl that huddled shuddering in his arms was nothing like the usual perky Indian.
His synapses went on piling up together the last few weeks. They had indeed been quite obscure. Though, not physically, but... still. His own nightmares, the horrible stories he had heard, in addition of those rumors, the caustic humming of his subconscious... The mind attempted dousing for connections, but there were none. All it just fell apart, without a link, without sense. However, Yoka could not be left in this state. Perhaps being alone in here was not a good thing to her at all. Pursing, he squinted. Should Buzz take her to the care of his friends or relatives for a while? He remembered that he had not been able to catch Warp in days with a comlink. Most possibly he was lodging in the nameless place where he used to disappear so often with Zarah. So the Darkmatters were not an option. But how about Zurg? Mariañ was having a longer vacation from her work, whereas Zora, as idiotic as it sounded, was retired. So they were almost around the clock in their purple 'palace'. There was the risk of Capital Planet's disturbing hubbub existing, but perhaps it was a smaller exposure compared with the panic his wife suffered here.
"Yoka, would you... like to spend some time with my father's family? I mean, if you... are afraid over here when being alone. I'm sure dad would let us stay there for a while. I'd go to work normally but you'd have some company while I'm gone. Or... how'd you like that?"
She stared at him with lacrima-sticky eyes. It positively did not sound like he would want her to suffer, if offering her this. Mariañ and that zeta-alphabet-whatever-fan? They were as bizarre as Proud Crescent, but had been nice to her. But anything would go, so that she would not need to stay here. Dawn by dawn this stone teepee felt more appalling. Nodding with a small sob, she agreed with Buzz' plan.
His gentle smile shone with gratification. He understood that she was not rebuffing him any longer, but had received the trust back. "There, now..." Buzz lifted her back to sit fully in his lap, in the safety of his strong hold. "I'm sure this'll all turn out good again. I should've been more at home, with you... I'll call dad tomorrow and explain the things." Since not comprehending the full depths of her dilemma, he added though, "I still got a huge amount of stuff to do at the office tomorrow, but I'm sure you'll be able to stand that time here, eh? But I'll try getting the following day free." With these words, he rose up, and began carrying the girl upstairs.
But in the shadows of the hall, a hard grate of teeth was heard. Then, pungent hissing, as if a swarm of snakes had wriggled along the floor -or that something tried breathing in with a great rage storming in him.
"They're settling the dispute, I can't believe it! Craters, I failed! I won't stand this, I won't! Darn it, I've pathetically rotten years here, and should have come up with a decent plan by this time, but no! Darn it my weakness, thought I would heal up faster but of course not. And now I believed that that stupid woman would run away with a little scaring and that would crush his precious Buzzy, but no, no, no! They're getting back together and planning to go away! That's it! If it's up to her, if that's what makes that cursed Lightyear so happy, so may it be. Time to play rough. She's going first, and then I'll think what to do next. Alone here, still tomorrow... hahahaha."
The front door creaked noiselessly open, as something glided out of the house into the black, rainy night.
...to be continued...