19. The Nature of Things

Eddy should have arrived home in a good mood. He was feeling pretty good about managing to get Sonic off the hook, and Blossom was alive, against the odds.

But everything had sort of been ruined by Blossom going back to jail. It was stupid, he thought, of course she would have to go back. She was still a murder, that hadn't changed. But now she was a hero as well as a murder, in the eyes of the public at least. But justice is impartial.

He turned to Edward and MJ. The two kids where exhausted by there ordeal, psychically, mentally and emotionally. They didn't appear to have the energy left to cry or moan. They just looked completely defeated.

"Dinner's still on the table," Eddy said, remembering that they hadn't eaten. Edward looked at him briefly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Sausages."

Edward nodded, and made his way to the kitchen without another word, where he preceded to slowly and silently eat the cold dinner. MJ didn't.

"I already ate," she said sadly, and she made her way to bed. She looked as devastated as Eddy felt.


The Prince of Krypton looked at his mangled arm. Most of the flesh on it had been eaten by that dammed kid. It was bandaged up now, but it still stung.

"This is disgraceful!" he said to Hump-RE.

"Yes Sire."

"I lost the fight, Arm-OR's dead, and my entire army has retreated here in a complete mess!"

"Quite awful Sire."

"How am I going to live this down? My opponents will be on us in a second."

"On you Sire," reminded Hump-RE. The Prince shot him a look.

"Okay then," he conceded. "You're paid to advise me Hump-RE, how do I get out of this mess?"

"I assume you mean without loosing your head?"

"YES."

"Very well Sire. First, we leave this planet earth immediately."

"Good," said the Prince bitterly. "Wretched planet," he continued, trying to convince himself that he'd never really wanted to invade it. "But how does that help?"

"It should avoid any awkward bits of information coming up from the planet on what actually happened. Next, we issue a statement,"

"A statement!" screamed the Prince, "saying what precisely? That I lost a fight to a girl and that the entire army was tricked by an uncoded computer message!"

"Of course not sire. What we say is that you did a deal with the authorities of earth, who agreed to trail Blossom for us, as you didn't want the taxpayers to have to pay for her legal aid. Then, we say that we have discovered a terrible infection that inhabits the planet which could have killed us all, and it was only quick action from your Generals that prevented a catastrophe, that should pacify the army. "

"But no of that's true!"

"No," said Hump-RE, "but no one can prove it isn't."

"What about the television footage of the fight!"

"Ah yes," the civil servant smiled. "I gave it to my assistant, Burn-RD. He's 'loosing' as we speak."

"Are you sure that it will work?" said the Prince doubtfully.

"Well, obviously there will be some dark mutterings from your enemies for the next few days, but I've arranged for the ship to have a major engine failure once we are a light-year from earth. And the failure will happen in such a way, that only you will be able to fix it. That'll shut them up."

The Prince sat back in his chair. "Well done, Hump-RE," he said, now a lot calmer. "Go ahead."

"Thank you Sire," said Hump-RE. He turned to leave, and stopped just at the door. "By the way sire, you might want to think about the Civil Service paid raise claim while I'm away, just as something to do…"


Blossom was sat in a prison cell again. She'd spent the night there again, hadn't slept well. She now felt bad too. Had see really been through all that just to get killed by the government? Sure, her kids and family were safe, but she could have got that from the Prince's deal.

The other thing that was concerning her was the crazy yellow from she'd taken during the fight against the Prince. She was now almost certain that she'd turned into it when she'd killed Superman. This worried her. What if it happened again, possibly during her trial? She felt such irrational anger while in that form; she'd been prepared to destroy everything. It worried her, was she really a monster. Maybe she should be executed. It would probably be safer that way.

The cell door was opened. Blossom looked up, and saw a policeman and Matt Murdock (her lawyer, remember? Cause I don't) standing there. To her surprise, the policeman had the belongings that had been confiscated from her when she was arrested.

"You're free to go," he said. Blossom stood up in shock.

"Pardon?" she asked.

"That's just it," said Murdock, "a Presidential Pardon, on the grounds of you coming up with and executing the plan to save the world."

"But I… really?"

"Yep," said Murdock. He lent of his guiding stick. "Of course, due to your desire not to get out of the trial on technicalities, I assume you will be turning it down."

Blossom looked blank for a moment. Murdock couldn't see her expression, but he didn't need to, for moments latter he lost the battle to keep a straight face.


The red Puff wondered through the corridors of the SSR, a free woman. The last few hours had been spent with her family, she'd put this moment off for as long as possible, but she had questions that needed answering. So she had to go in.

The walk was varied. Some of the Heroes she walked past completely ignored her (Wonder Woman for example) others congratulated her on the fight, while Vegeta berated her for not finishing the "smug arsehole." Still, she made it to her destination in one piece; still uncertain about what the members would think of her once the euphoria of the defeat of Krypton had died down.

She walked past her desk, and knocked on a door. The door that had Sonic the Hedgehog, Leader emblazoned on it.

"Enter," said a voice. Blossom did. Sonic looked up. "Ah, Blossom. Good to have you back."

Blossom looked at him, and around the room. The swagger had returned to him. He had his feet on the desk, and he'd already retrieved the filing cabinets and such from Blossom's make shift office. She supposed that meant he was back in charge. Still, she had to talk to him.

"Good meeting with the President," she asked. Sonic rocked his head from side to side.
"Sort of," he said. He didn't elaborate so Blossom cut to the chase.

"Why did you tell him the plan was all my idea?" she asked.

"Why do you think?" Sonic asked.

"I'm not sure. Was it because one of the Mobius government criticisms of you in the war was that you always took the credit for things?"

"No, it was because I like to beat you. So I decided to rescue you from execution at the first attempt." He looked at her studiously. "Why, aren't you happy with it?"

"Of course I am!" said Blossom indignantly, "I'm delighted that I've got more time to spend with my family, and Eddy. It's just… doesn't it seem weird that one moment the public is calling for my execution and the next moment my pardoning? And even more so that the President caved in?"

"Not really," said Sonic, "According to the evening paper, his approval rating is up five points because of it."

"That's awful!" Blossom found her self saying, "hundreds of people get executed a year, yet I'm let off because it's popular?"

"It's Democracy. Justice is impartial, but the criminal justice system is not."

"I'm not that Cynical Sonic."

"Of course not," the hedgehog said, "yet. Anyway, do you have anything else to say?"

"Well, yes. I was going to tell you how I defeated the Prince."

"Gloating?"

"No." Blossom said flatly. "I lost control, just like against Superman, my hair and everything went yellow, my power and strength increased dramatically, and I threatened to destroy… well, everything. I nearly hurt my kids! I was just wondering if you knew anything about it, since you know so much about Chaos Energy."

Sonic clicked his pen against the desk, staring into middle distance for a while. Then he sat up, swing his feet to the ground. "Sit down why don't you," he said concerned. Blossom did, expecting a lecture.

"I can do that too," said Sonic. "I become an insane creature called Super Sonic if surrounded by too much Chaos energy, or if I get really angry. Its only purpose is to kill, and there is no way to control it. I suspect that is what happened to you."

"But… when Goku becomes a 'Super Saiyan,' he's not evil."

"Different power source," Sonic explained. "Chaos energy is evil, remember?"

"Like you'd ever let me forget," Blossom said. "Is there anything I can do about?"

"Not really," said Sonic, "just try to control your anger. But don't worry, if you do go insane and try to destroy the planet, I'll be here to stop you."

"Yes." Blossom tried to hide her disappointment. "So you're back in charge of the SSR?"

"Sort of," Sonic admitted. "You see, the President didn't feel he could have a murder in soul command of the organisation."

"I see."

"But I'm a murder too," reminded Sonic. Blossom raised an eyebrow. "Robotnik," the hedgehog prompted. Blossom nodded. "Anyway," Sonic continued, "the President has decided that he wants to appoint a government official to over see the running of the SSR."

"WHAT!" said Blossom, "That's impossible! No one will stand for it! We're supposed to be independent of politics! Well, we're supposed to look independent of politics."

"I know," said Sonic unhappily, "the staff is going to have a fit when they find out. But theses things take time, and are likely to be opposed in Congress, so I'm hopping to submit my own proposal."

"What are you suggesting?"

"A more balanced leadership, where the Second in command has as a lot more responsibility for running the organisation."

"Really?"

"Yep," said Sonic, "and to that end, I want you to clear out your desk." Blossom paused.

"What?" she said completely devastated.

"I'm sorry," Sonic said, looking away, "but I have no choice. You see, the builders won't be able to build a proper office for you if your desk is covered in crap."

"What?"

"Sorry, haven't you always wanted your own office, with your name on the door? Because I can always keep you in the corridor."

"You bastard," said Blossom, not knowing whether to thank him for the office or to kill him for the way he told her.

"Your welcome," said Sonic. "Now, about this proposal, I need you to construct a document for me which basically states that I'm in charge of the discipline and the major decisions, while you do all the day to day running and the minor decisions."

"No problem," said Blossom.

"But it needs to be completely unintelligible so no Congress man will have a clue what they are voting for."

"That makes it even easier," said Blossom. Sonic nodded.

"Good," he said. Blossom turned to leave. "Hang on," the Hedgehog said, "one last thing."

"Yes Sonic?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "How do you stop your daughter going out with someone you don't want them to?"

"I don't know," said Blossom, "MJ's not of dating age yet."

"Okay, okay, but how did the Professor stop you girls when you were young?"

"I don't think he ever did. Not successfully. Who is Sonia dating?"

"Crash Bandicoot," said Sonic miserably. Blossom laughed.

"Well I'll have a think about it. We're having a family celebration of my release tonight; perhaps you'd like to discuss it further there?"

Sonic paused for a moment. "I'd like that," he said.


As Blossom sat in bed that night, something was different. For the first time in years, she felt completely guilt free. Well, almost completely guilt free.

"Eddy," she asked, "do you think Brick will find someone, you know, to keep him going. Because I could be here a while, and I don't like to think of him getting lonely."

"Why?" asked Eddy from behind his book.

"Well, by rights it should be me up there. Alone." Blossom seemed distant for a moment. Eddy put "How to become a Millionaire with out alienating all your Friends" down and turned to her.

"I'm sure once he gets up and starts looking he will. He'll find a nice girl, just to take him through, and she'll understand that. She'll know that how ever much she loves her," he took Blossom's hand and looked deep into her eyes, "that he'll love you more. But despite knowing this, she will struggle, because she'll find that he is the only one for her, that he'll mean everything in the entire universe to her, that even her old loves – like, I don't know, money perhaps – will take a back seat to him. She'll never tell him this, for fear of loosing him, but she'll always be bursting to tell him."

"Are you hinting something?" asked Blossom, but Eddy continued regardless.

"And when the day you die comes along, and they are reunited, it will be the worst day of her life. But she'll carry it through with a smile and good grace, because she loves him to much to make it hard for him. And she'll leave, feeling like the most pathetic person in the entire world."

Blossom blinked. "Eddy, I…"

"Let me finish," Eddy leant back. "So once all this happens, she'll need someone for support. Someone who knows how she feels, and bang! I land Brick's hot reject!" Blossom paused and laughed. "What?" said Eddy, "your not the only one allowed a plan for when you die!"

"If you're paralleling Brick's love life with ours," said Blossom, leaning closure, "What makes you think that he's going to get someone hot?"

"That's easy," said Eddy confidently, "if you hadn't had mental problems coming out of your ears, you would have married a handsome man. But as it is you got me!"

Blossom leant on to him. "I'm not that unlucky really," she said and kissed him gently on the lips. Eddy smiled, and then turned off the light.

The End


Okay, well I hoped you liked that, and I'm sorry to those of you who wanted Blossom to end up leading the SSR, but I got one request for Sonic and one for Blossom, and I wanted Sonic, so I got casting vote. If more people had requested… but ah well.

Anyway, I am planning a sequel saga, which will be starting soon. If you're interested, I hope to see you there. But as it is, I'm going to leave you with a quote that I didn't quite manage to work into the story. It's one of the less famous quotes form one of the history's most quotable men, and show that although I'm a complete cynic, I do have some basic faith in the system. See you all soon. And please review. Thanks.

"Democracy is the worst form of Government… except for all the others" – Sir Winston Churchill