Sorry I was gone for so long. Here's another chapter.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Reform (part two)
Dr. Krankcase stood at the front entrance to the Senseis' Dojo, wooden spider legs stiff, hands shaky. He held a paper in his right hand- a speech to give to the Sensei he was there to see. His heart raced in his chest, nervous about what he was going to do.
Bad Juju hovered behind him, holding Junior in her arms. She raised a brow at the doctor, seeming to smirk at him.
"She is your daughter," Bad Juju reminded him. "Technicality or not."
"I know she's my daughter, Juju," Dr. Krankcase grumbled. "But you know, she's not going to want to see me. I can tell she won't. She knew right from the start what kind of person I was, and after what I did back at that old lab, she's not going to want anything from me."
"Yet here we are."
"Only because you keep persisting."
"You wrote that speech and everything, though."
Sure he did. But it didn't matter. And he did want to make things right. But that didn't matter, either. Trying to make amends wouldn't matter if she didn't want anything to do with him. He didn't see much purpose to the visit with that in mind, so perhaps it wasn't even worth doing.
"We'll never know unless we try," Bad Juju persisted once more.
Dr. Krankcase nodded. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Someone opened the door to greet them, but not who they were looking for. This person was a blue lady with green kelp-like hair, wearing a black tasset with orange armor beneath it. She leaned on the edge of the doorframe, lips pursed in curiosity.
"Hello there," the lady, Tidepool, greeted them. "Hoping to get some sparring in with us? I'm afraid most of the others are out on duty, or at your Academy. Unless, of course, you need something else..."
"Is Boom Bloom here?" Dr. Krankcase muttered.
"Sure, she's in the sitting room, watching TV. What do you need from her?"
"Well...I don't know if she's mentioned me at all, at least by name, but I'm...her creator."
"Ohh! Yeah, she has mentioned you before- though usually not without the 'sleazy buttface criminal' after it."
Dr. Krankcase let out a nervous laugh, grasping the paper with both hands now. "That's how I thought she felt about me. Many of us reformed villains from Cloudcracker Prison are working on making amends to those we've wronged, starting here at the M.A.P. I'd...I'd thought that I had no one here to try and make amends to, but then after telling Bad Juju of one of my past experiments, she reminded me that Boom Bloom was here and...well, here we are."
"Junior and I are moral support," Bad Juju added.
Tidepool nodded. She escorted the two of them inside, leading them through the entryway. They turned left, entering the sitting room. Boom Bloom was there, watching the television as Tidepool had said.
"Hey Bloom, I have a visitor for you," Tidepool shouted. "Why don't you turn that off and come here for a second."
"Come over there? Is this a serious talk?" Boom Bloom wondered grabbing the remote and turning the television off. She looked at Tidepool, then at Dr. Krankcase and Bad Juju. In one quick movement, Boom Bloom dove under the couch, grabbing a thorny whip, and leapt on Dr. Krankcase's body. He found himself tied in the whip, Boom Bloom tightening it further and further, constricting him. Tidepool quickly pulled the plant girl away from him, and Bad Juju assisted him in getting the whip off.
"Let go of me! He's one of the bad guys!" Boom Bloom hollered.
"He came to see you!" Tidepool yelled at her. "He says he's here to try and make amends."
The plant girl stopped struggling in Tidepool's grasp for a moment. "Now that's really funny," she insisted. "Him? Making amends?"
Bad Juju unwrapped the whip around Dr. Krankcase. The doctor stood back up, patting down his now-torn red jacket. He realized that the paper holding his speech had fallen out of his grasp, and he scanned the ground to try and find it, unable to do so. Dr. Krankcase guessed that he'd have to do without it.
"Ahem, yes Boom Bloom, I truly am sorry for...for the way I've acted in the past," Dr. Krankcase stammered. "I regret-"
"You made me and several others into monsters, locking the rest of my kin in a basement," Boom Bloom frowned.
He looked at her frown, feeling guilty about how he treated her. "I...regret the things I did to you and...to them as well," he slowly continued. "If there was something I could do to make up for everything that happened between us, I would do it. The...the most I can do right now, though is just...ask for forgiveness."
"Unless you were somehow able to free my kin from that basement, I'll never forgive you. Ever."
Dr. Krankcase nodded, preparing to show himself the way out. He paused for a minute, an idea coming to his head. The two of them hadn't seen each other in years. He hadn't even gone back to see how that old lab was in that time, either. Perhaps...
"...I haven't seen that lab in forever. Maybe they managed to find their way out," Dr. Krankcase wondered. "It's worth the look."
"Do...do you really think that?" Boom Bloom muttered curiously.
"Like I said, it's worth the look."
Boom Bloom eagerly gripped at Tidepool's tasset. "Oh, Tidepool! Can we go!? I have to see if they made it out!" she begged her.
"Are you sure you want me along for this?" Tidepool asked her.
"Well I'm not going with just him, that's for sure."
"Alright. I'll make arrangements for a transport vessel to take us there."
Boom Bloom squealed in delight. It made Dr. Krankcase feel good to see her so happy, to be able to try and make things up to her. He hoped that whatever was at that old lab did not disappoint her.
Tidepool found an old Sky Baron transport vessel that was able to take the five of them to Dr. Krankcase's old lab. It took a while getting there, and the length of the journey made him more and more nervous. What were they going to find there? What would happen if they found nothing? He could hardly bear the thought of finding nothing and losing any chance of fixing things with Boom Bloom.
Junior had placed himself closest to a window, dragging Bad Juju over to point things out for him. Dr. Krankcase looked at the two of them, thinking of the kind of bond that the they must have shared. He suddenly felt jealous of that bond, wishing that he could have something like that.
"Is that old lab?" Junior asked.
"No," Bad Juju insisted.
"Is that old lab?"
"Not that one, either."
"Is that-"
Bad Juju giggled, patting him on the head. "Look, we'll let Krankcase tell you when we get there."
Yup, it was indeed sweet.
Dr. Krankcase put his attention to the windshield in order to look out for the old lab, only for it to move away slightly to Boom Bloom and Tidepool. Boom Bloom sat closest to Tidepool, who was piloting the vessel. The plant girl gripped her arm as she looked out the windshield, and when her gaze wandered over to Dr. Krankcase, she narrowed her eyes at him. Great, she still didn't like him. Though he didn't really expect her to after so little time of seeing him again.
"So...Boom Bloom...you seem to have found a good place with the Senseis," he noted.
"What are you doing?" Boom Bloom asked him.
"Small talk, I guess. Just trying to get to know you."
Boom Bloom poked at Tidepool's arm, trying to get her input.
"He wants to talk to you," Tidepool insisted, keeping her eyes ahead of her. "I promise, if he does anything that makes you mad, I will personally tie him to a flag post and throw fish at him when we get home."
Boom Bloom nodded with a sigh, crossing her arms. "Sometime after leaving that lab- I don't know how long after, and I really don't care- I met Ambush and Ember on a mission. I helped them out with looking for some kind of artifact that they needed to keep safe, and then they decided to take me home with them. I'm not sure why, though- I think I annoyed them half to death in that time."
"Maybe they didn't feel that way."
No comment.
"What...what things to you like to do?"
"Fighting, playing, oh, and it's a lot of fun to pull pranks with Buckshot. We usually trick King Pen and Chain Reaction on the weekends."
"The Senseis are really good to you, aren't they?"
"I guess you can say that."
"I'm glad."
He noticed a familiar shape out there- a kind of lopsided tower with a hat shape at the top of the spire. Dr. Krankcase told Tidepool to set them on the ground, insisting that this was the place. They came in closer to the tower before landing, noting how overgrown it was. Vines wrapped around the tower, circling it in intricate shapes. Some of them conformed to the lines of the bricks that made the foundation, defying the building determined to squash nature. This was indeed Dr. Krankcase's old lab, and it had indeed been a long time.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Tidepool asked him.
"I recognize it, too," Boom Bloom interjected. "This is his old lab."
The doors opened, and Junior practically sped out with excitement- though he quickly retreated back inside to Bad Juju. Dr. Krankcase understood why. There was this foreboding element in the air, seeming to speak of danger. It was too empty around here. It was too quiet.
"It might be good if someone were to stay behind and watch the ship," Dr. Krankcase decided.
"I'm still not going anywhere without Tidepool," Boom Bloom argued. "Bad Juju can watch the ship, if she likes."
Tidepool left the captain's seat, taking to their side. "Juju, will you and your son be okay on your own if we go in?" she asked the spirit.
"Don't worry about me," Bad Juju argued. "I've got enough might and magic to keep us safe."
So Dr. Krankcase, Boom Bloom and Tidepool left the ship, walking up to the dilapidated old lab. Boom Bloom led them around the base, eventually pausing at a spot where the vines simply grew to the ground without weaving about. She parted these, revealing a hole in the wall. "This is the spot where I escaped the first time," she explained. "We can enter through here."
Dr. Krankcase and Tidepool followed her lead, making their way inside. The halls in this area were gray, covered in mold. Little light made its way to them, forcing Tidepool to pull out a flashlight. Dr. Krankcase started taking the lead, following a staircase heading downwards toward a room that he was sure the basement was near. A creaking sound came up, differentiating itself from the steps of the three of them.
"So what exactly happened here?" Tidepool asked him. "I know Bloom told us the story, but-"
"I'm sure it's not different from her version," Dr. Krankcase shrugged nervously. "I was doing bad things, experimenting and such. I was a big coward back then, and when the experiment went south, I hid them all away."
"Interesting. I can guess why she doesn't like you."
"You don't even have to go that far," Boom Bloom spat. "You don't just lock things away like that. How is anything supposed to grow in a stuffy old basement with no light? What was even his purpose for starting that experiment to begin with?"
His purpose had been to find purpose, mostly to his own existence. He saw no practical use for the Eviliken monsters until the Golden Queen asked for them. He'd seen no practical use of his own skills until the Doom Raiders validated them. The pillaging and theft and experimentation had felt great, because he'd found a purpose for them. Nowadays, however, Dr. Krankcase was trying to find a new purpose. If his existence held no real meaning, then he wasn't sure what to think.
There was no way to explain that to Boom Bloom, given her stance on it.
They made their way to a green room, where Dr. Krankcase had grown all of those plants for experimentation. The tables had overgrown with succulent plants and cacti, almost joining up with one another. There was a crack in the wall, created by some vines, from which light seeped through. A bit of water was on the ground, probably explaining why the plants hadn't shriveled up after all this time. A door was seen on the far wall, slightly ajar, with a strange noise coming from inside.
"That's the basement," Dr. Krankcase gasped. "Somehow, I don't like this."
"Hello? Anyone?" Boom Bloom called. "It's me, Boom Bloom. It's okay to come out. No one here is going to hurt you."
She gave him a glance, as if to ask, right? It made him feel awful.
"Whatever is down there, it sounds agitated," Tidepool warned them. "Best to give them a wide berth, to be safe."
Dr. Krankcase backed away from them, hiding behind a table. If the mutant plants down there were agitated, it was a smart idea for him not to be near when they came out. Boom Bloom knelt down to ensure that she didn't appear threatening. Tidepool stepped up to the door, slowly and carefully opening the door.
A mutant slowly crawled up from the basement, making its way to them. It was about the height of Boom Bloom, though since it was crawling around, it was hard to tell. There was a ridge of small red bulbs along the back of its head. The mutant looked at Tidepool nervously, and then turned its attention to Boom Bloom. Its eyes lit up as it recognized her.
"Hi there," Boom Bloom whispered. "You remember me, don't you? It's alright. We're going to get you out of there. Do you have a name?"
The mutant sat up a bit, pointing to a tag on its gray tattered clothes.
"236? You're one of the mutants he just gave a number to. That's so mean," Boom Bloom sighed.
"Can't he talk?" Tidepool asked worriedly. "Why isn't he talking?"
Boom Bloom shrugged. Dr. Krankcase admitted to himself that he didn't have the answer, either. He was sure that he had given all of the mutant plants the ability to speak.
"Are the others down there?" Boom Bloom asked.
The mutant shook its head.
"They're not dead, are they?"
The mutant shook its head again.
"Where are they, then?"
The mutant shrugged.
"I guess it doesn't matter right now, then. Let's get you out of here."
No, it couldn't be as easy as that, could it? There was still something else here. That had to be the reason for that foreboding feeling from earlier, right?
Dr. Krankcase made his way out of hiding, emerging slowly so he didn't frighten the mutant. While it appeared apprehensive around him, the mutant didn't seem to be too scared of him. They began to make their way back up, steps creaking on the ground. Dr. Krankcase found himself halting just as they returned to the hallway, finding that the creaking sound hadn't gone away when they stopped.
"What are you doing? Our mission's complete. We can go now," Boom Bloom hissed.
"Something's wrong. I just don't know what it is," Dr. Krankcase stammered.
"What are you worried about? If it's the creepy sounds, it's probably because this building is old."
Tidepool seemed to sense his urgency, shining her flashlight around the hallway. "His nerves might have a point, Bloom," she insisted. "There might be something else here."
They stayed put for a minute, listening to the strange creaking. A sliding sound was also heard, sending shivers down Dr Krankcase's spine. The creaking sped up a bit, becoming louder than before.
"Okay, maybe you were right," Boom Bloom muttered, hands shaking.
Dr. Krankcase pulled out a goo gun, shooting a ring around the three of them. The mutant jumped at the act, crouching behind Boom Bloom. She frowned at the doctor, though she seemed to appreciate the glowing ring that was now there. A creature could be seen lurking near them, and while it wasn't scared of them, it didn't dare move near the glowing goo. It resembled a dog, made from twisting vines. Succulent flowers grew from its body, ranging from red to pink. It bared thorny teeth at them and snarled.
"I didn't make that one," Dr. Krankcase gasped in fear. "Maybe it originated from the plants in the green room."
"Well let's chase it off, then," Tidepool decided, picking up her squid guns. "We need to get out of here. Krankcase, create more light from us. Boom Bloom, keep your friend safe."
Tidepool shot ink from her squid guns, making the creature back up a little. It shot sticky pollen from its bulbs, but Boom Bloom knocked them back with her whip, the spores hitting the creature and injuring it. The group hurried away, Dr. Krankcase shooting goo to light their path and keep the creature away. They ran through the halls, making their way to Boom Bloom's hole. A scratching sound was heard overhead, and Dr. Krankcase looked up to find the creature crawling on the ceiling above them.
"Hurry out!" Dr. Krankcase shouted. "Head back to the ship!"
"What are you going to do?" Boom Bloom asked him.
"Just go! I'll be fine!"
Tidepool and Boom Bloom nodded, taking the mutant and heading outside. The creature glared at Dr. Krankcase, snarling at him. He'd assumed that the creature was after him, and he certainly wasn't going to let anyone get hurt by his mistakes anymore. He shot goo at the creature, causing it to fall down in fear. It shot pollen at him, but he quickly ducked before they hit him. Dr. Krankcase shot more goo at the creature, this time hitting his mark. It gave a loud screech of pain, one that made Dr. Krankcase feel especially guilty.
Did it hate being this way? Did it wish it hadn't been made by him?
Dr. Krankcase dropped his guns, shaky hands up in the air. "I came here to make things right," he sighed. "I'm sorry."
The creature lunged to get him, but pollen shot at it, forcing it to yield. Boom Bloom rushed through the hole, wrapping her whip around the creature. She grabbed Dr. Krankcase by the arm and hauled him away. He found himself confused for a moment, wondering why she came for him if she didn't like him.
"What are you being stupid for? Don't let yourself get mauled by it," Boom Bloom hissed. "Let's go. Everyone else is on the ship."
The trip home was free from danger or conflict. Soon the Senseis returned to their dojo, mutant in hand. Dr. Krankcase and Bad Juju went on their way back to the Academy. The doctor felt...melancholy, for lack of a better term. This trip felt like a wasted effort, though he wasn't sure why.
"So I'm guessing things went well in there," Bad Juju grinned, her child mimicking her. "That had to be the reason for Boom Bloom running back to help you."
"You'd guess wrong, then," Dr. Krankcase sighed. "She was pretty snotty with me when she dragged me back to the ship."
"Yeah, what was your purpose for hanging back?"
Dr. Krankcase cast his gaze to the sunset at his side. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me," he replied. "It was only after me, and no one else."
Bad Juju shrugged at an over-excited Junior in her arm, she continued, "You seem upset. Aren't you happy that you helped her?"
"I should be. It shouldn't matter that I didn't get what I wanted. But I'm not happy. And I hate myself for not being happy for her."
"You know that forgiveness isn't guaranteed right away. It just takes time."
He'd heard that one before. It might be easier if he could actually see that things were changing. But he still couldn't see a point to it. And he still couldn't see a purpose for himself.
They spotted Boom Bloom running up to them, and paused to let her catch up. She stopped right next to Dr. Krankcase, panting heavily. That familiar glare was present, but it wasn't as venomous as before.
"Tidepool told me to thank you for your help," Boom Bloom told him. "She said it would be rude not to."
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," Dr. Krankcase insisted. " Honestly, you carried the whole team. The Senseis are lucky to have you."
Boom Bloom's eyes widened in surprise, only for the glare to return. "I only saved you because I wanted to beat you up later. I wasn't going to let a monster take that away from me," she spat.
She hurried off, pausing to look back at him one more time. "Same time tomorrow, then?"
"If you want that." Dr. Krankcase shrugged.
Boom Bloom nodded, running off once more. The doctor waved goodbye, finding himself more confused than before. He'd created a strange mutant, hadn't he?
Bad Juju looked at him, giving him a sly look.
"Shut up," Dr. Krankcase retorted.