Chapter 17 - A New Kind of Adventure - Part 2 : An Alliance, An Empire, And a Scribblenaut.
"What would you do if you discovered the world you knew has gone?"
"What do you mean?" I asked him.
He sighed, "Many years ago. An Empire risen under the lead of the man we knew as The Emperor, he destroy all of the world's government with his Empire, and took control of the world with himself at the throne. He act as our new leader, but he made a lot of change from our old world. He forbid any Scribblenaut under his command, he will imprison any Scribblenaut that dare to resist him and hang them for their crime as Scribblenaut." What?! Becoming a Scribblenaut is counted as a crime? How dare The Emperor did that?
"Many of the Scribblenauts around the world resist him, and they all imprisoned. Some of them escaped and survived, and some of them died from being hanged or being executed by the Emperor himself. The surviving Scribblenauts was hiding around the world and lived away from civilization to avoid being captured by Empire. But some of the them and the people around the world that dare to resist The Empire formed a resistance force and become what we knew as The Alliance to bring back the world we knew before." He continued.
We were stunned for a second and silence filled the conversation, "So, who is your name sir?" Maxwell asked.
"Alex, my name is Alex." He answered.
We were shocked, including me who was shocked the most. Maxwell, Lily, Sarah, and Sophia stared at me. His name is Alex? But, how? How does he has the same name and appearance as me? My eyes widened and my body couldn't move. Lily shook my body and I was returned to normal. I shook my head and came back to reality.
"Look we don't have time for this, right now let's get to my base now." He motioned us to follow him and led us to a nearest bus stop.
Once we got a bus, we picked a seat and I sat next to Maxwell. My mind was trapped in my own thoughts, thinking all about him. 'That machine maybe sent us to the future, or another dimension. In here the world was completely 180 degrees different from our world. I mean, he's married and he has child! Also, he was an adult. Now how are we going to get back home?' My thought was cut off by Maxwell, he put his left hand at my right shoulder, "Listen, don't think about it again. We'll figure it out next time to go back home."
I nodded, I realized that the bus stopped and we arrived at our destination. Alex (of course the other me.) payed the driver and we exited the bus. We was on the location that I first brought into Maxwell's world, Edwin's Farm.
"Wait, we're on Edwin's Farm." Maxwell said to Alex.
"Yeah, I know. Now follow me." He replied.
The farm wasn't much change from the last time I saw it, tractors and harvesters working on the field. Except, the farm was much bigger in this world. He led us into a yellow house, which is Edwin's house. The house interior doesn't change at all since the last time I saw it. He led us to a lift that I never see before, the lift door opened and we entered it. He pressed some buttons on the panel and the door shut. "Listen, when we get there, act as nice as you can, stay in the group, and don't stare at the guards." He said to us.
We all nodded and didn't asked anything to him until the lift stopped, the door opened and showed us a hallway with blue walls. He led us to the end of the hallway with two guards standing at the side of a door. Wearing a dark blue uniform, bulletproof vest, and a helmet with a lid that covered their eyes. They also held a rifle in their arms, "Welcome back sir." Both of the guard saluted to him and he saluted back. They opened the doors for us and revealed a large room with large computers on the walls, and a large round table in the center with some people discussing something.
When we approached the table, one of the man that he talked at the hologram before greeted him, "Ah, Alex. How's your mission going?" One of the man asked.
"It was a success. The traitor's dead and our secrets is safe." He replied.
"It's great then. Now we could-" He was cut off when he noticed us, "You bring some kids with you?" He asked.
"Yeah. I need to discuss this in private, you kids could go to that room." Alex pointed to a door with his right hand, "In there, you could meet a woman that will take you all to her home. I'll catch up with you all later." He explained.
We nodded and headed to the door and entered another hallway, we're not saying anything until we sure that our conversation cannot be heard by anyone. "You see all those guys? They're like, an adult version from all of us!" Maxwell exclaimed.
"Yeah, maybe we're sent to another dimension or some sort. Where us, instead live in normal life and being Scribblenaut and all. We are actually become a rebel faction leader to fight an Empire." I replied.
"I wish we could go home as fast as we can, I don't like being in here." Lily said to us.
"Well, you can thank Maxwell for getting us into all of this." I said to her.
When we reached the end of the hallway, we opened the door and revealed a woman wearing a pink rooster helmet with pigtails, blue tank top that covered her whole body, and pink skirt. The same clothes as Lily, but she look like an adult version of her.
"You must be the kids that Alex meant. Now let me take you all to my house for dinner while waiting for Alex to finish his business." She said to us and led us to her car.
Meanwhile, back at the base...
3rd Person POV
"So, who are those kids Alex? And why did you bring them here?" A man asked Alex.
"They are us, Maxwell. The other version of us that came from another world." Alex replied.
"How do you know that?"
"Because they didn't know the Empire, our Alliance, and the war. And, they were Scribblenauts just like us before the Empire take control of our world."
That is what silenced Maxwell, both of he and Alex was a Scribblenauts before the Empire rise. Until the Empire took everything from him. His friends, family, and even his own self. He remembered when the Emperor came to his house with his army and stole his parents, his brothers, and his friends and imprisoned all of them. But, he and some of his brothers escaped with Alex and Lily. The fate of his parents, the rest of his brothers with Sarah and Sophia is unknown. He didn't even know the location where they all imprisoned.
Maxwell pulled out his wallet and took a photo of his family. It was taken when he was 12 with his parents, all of his brothers, and his only sister, Lily. Before received their own magical gift. "Yeah, I remember those days. When we all still together. Playing and messing around as a teen. Helping people to earn starites when we were still Scribblenauts." He sighed and put the photo in the wallet back. Trying to shook all his thoughts and focused back on the discussion.
"So, what have you got in your mission?" He tried to change the subject.
"Listen, the Capital City was divided into 2 districts. The North and South district. We control the south one, and the Empire with the north one. From what I got in an intel, they planned a surprise attack on south district in an attempt to retake Capital City fully under their control tomorrow." Alex explained.
"So, what plans do you have sir?" A woman asked.
"Well Jennifer, we have no other choice than sending more troops and rally our defenses there. We cannot suffer anymore defeat, the Capital City would provide us great assets for the Alliance."
"Sorry for interrupting sir." A man raised his right hand, "But how about those kids? By their looks, they look like a Scribblenaut. Which is a rare people that we need right now. My suggestion is to ask for their help to assist our ground troops in the Capital City." He suggested.
"Good idea Robert." Alex pointed to him, but another thought was in his mind. He crossed his arms and rubbed his thin beard on his chin using his right hand, "But we can't risk them. They still kids, 13 years old at least. They could get killed in the battlefield full of the Empire's elite soldiers."
"But, sir. Some Scribblenauts have their own magical gift right?" Robert asked and Alex nodded, "So, what magical gifts do they have sir?"
"Three of them, two boys and one of the girls has a magic notebook that could make anything by just writing the words in it. The other two girls has a magical globe that could take them anywhere." Maxwell replied.
"Then, they could give us some weapons and artillery to help our troops." Robert continued.
Alex fell silent for a few seconds, "Maybe I'll convince them for that." He sighed, "Now, this meeting is over. You're all dismissed."
After everyone on the table was gone, there was only Alex and Maxwell left, "So, you think you could convince them to help us?" Maxwell asked.
"I think so. When I was still at their age, Sophia and I like to play those Call of Duty games. Maybe they'll get exited to help us fighting against the Empire, being a soldier and all. Or not because worrying about their lives." Alex replied.
"Listen, just try at your best. We'll appreciate if you can do it nor not." Maxwell put his left hand at Alex right shoulder,"But, the fate of this Alliance rest in your hands. We must restore the world we knew before from the Empire, we only have two choices. Victory, or lose and letting this Alliance being destroyed by the Empire." That's all he said before left Alex alone with all his thoughts on the table.
Alex decided to go home, maybe his wife is already taken them home.
Meanwhile, with (the other) Alex...
Alex POV
When we arrive at her house, which is somewhere at Hyphen Heights as Maxwell said, the woman opened the door and led us inside the house. The interior of the house was quite comfortable, there's tv, sofas and couches, dining room with kitchen, and a stairs lead to the second floor. "Now I want you to meet my kids." She said to us.
There was multiple footsteps coming from the stairs, and three boys came downstairs and hugged her. "Mom, where's dad? Is he finished his job?" One of the boys asked.
"No, but he'll come home in just a few minutes after finished some of his paperwork." She answered.
All of the boys cheered, and stared at us, they seems noticed us, "Who are these people mom? Are they our new friends?" The other boy asked her.
"Yeah, this is some of my... Uh, nephew's kids. They will stay here for a few days."
All of boys cheered again, "Hey, come with us. We play together upstairs." The other boy said to us before left to upstairs.
"Why are they so excited?" I asked them.
"Because, Alex isn't at home for 2 days because his mission and stuff. And we're all worried and missed him. I can't tell them Alex's real job as the Alliance leader. And they had no friends." I was silence of a while, so he has kids and didn't tell them his real job. And, they had no friends. "Now go upstairs and have fun for a while, I'll call you all once I get the dinner ready." She said to us.
We nodded and followed the boys upstairs, I was lost in my own thoughts, she looked like Lily and possibly that she is her. And, in this world. I married Lily and had kids, I became an Alliance leader that fights against an Empire. But, heck. This world was like my future or some sort. We followed them to a room and entered it, it has two large beds, a toy box and the content was spilled next to it. "Come in." One of the boys motioned us to followed them.
Well, guess the other me actually had 4 kids, 3 boys and a girl. Because, now she is sitting on her bed. Playing with some of her dolls, all of the boys sat in the front of tv, playing some multiplayer game of Need for Speed game at their playstation. I looked at the girl, she looked so lonely and only playing with her dolls. So I decided to cheer her up a bit, I headed at her bed and called her, "Hey."
"Who are you? Are you one of the guys that mom meant?" She asked me.
"Yeah." I answered, "So, why are you didn't join your brothers to play? I mean, you just sitting here, playing alone. Meanwhile your brothers having fun."
"It's not fun when you are the only girl around. Being called that you are different from them, and having different toys and personality." She replied.
"Look, one day when I was still in kindergarten. I was the only boy in my group, meanwhile the rest are the girls. I was shy, because I was different from them. But then, I asked them to play with them, and the answer was not like I expected."
"They decline it?"
"No, they actually accept it, They let me play in their games, I was having fun. Blending in their group like I was one of them."
"Including when you was the only girl in your family." Lily voice trailed from behind, she approached us and sat on the bed next to me, "I was the only girl in my family, beside my other 43 brothers."
"Wow, really? Uncle Maxwell also told me that my mother was also has 43 brothers including him."
Lily was stunned for a while, realizing that in this world, she actually married me and had her as one of her child, "Yeah. So, I just tried to play with all of them. Trying to be a bit tomboy and play with them. It wasn't a problem being a tomboy girl or a sissy boy to be accepted into a group. This is just how you are, being a forever alone or have many friends." She said to her.
The girl was silence for a while, "Yeah, I think you are right." She smiled to us, "By the way. My name is Rosa." She held out her hands and offered a handshake.
"I'm Alex." I shook her hand.
"And I'm Lily." Lily shook her hand, "So, how old are you?"
"I'm 11, but I will turn 12 next week with my twin brother, Nichols. And how old are you both?"
"We are 13 now." Lily answered.
"So, how many kids do your family had?" I asked her to get more information.
"Well, my family had their first twin. Daniel and Marcus, they 12 now. And then, I and Nichols came a year after them." She explained.
So, in this world. I actually had two twins, Daniel with Marcus, and Rosa with Nichols.
"You made me crash!"
"No, you hit a traffic and it's all your own fault!"
"Then, why did you hit my car?!"
"I didn't. The cops does, now try to focus from escaping them! You've just increased the heat level!"
"Well, that's Daniel and Marcus. Always fighting over a video game or a comic book and some nonsense." Rosa said to us.
"Yeah, at least they didn't went to other world to proof who's better." Lily replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Uh.. Nothing."
I smiled to Lily, she's actually talked about when she and Maxwell went to DC universe to proof which one better, Batman or Superman. Well, I knew that because she always told her adventures with Maxwell before we came to their world.
"So, what are you wearing? That helmet thing on your head." Rosa pointed at my rooster helmet.
"Oh, this?" I took off my headphones and my rooster helmet, revealing my short black hair, "It's a rooster helmet, and pretty much a helmet that a Scribblenaut would wear in their head." I answered.
"Yeah, there are some different models too. And depends on the person too." Lily took off her rooster helmet, revealing her blonde hair that reached her back shoulders. Wow, I never saw her hair before. Man, she looks quite charming, to me.
"Wow, you both are a Scribblenaut?"
"Yes. And don't worry, you're going to be a Scribblenaut when you're 12." Lily smiled to her.
Rosa look like a mix from both of me and Lily. She had Lily's blonde hair and her face, she also had my blue eyes. "Hey Rosa. Wanna play with Sarah and Sophia? They invited you to their truth or dare game." Nichols asked her.
Nichols had my black hair and his face looked a lot like me, he also had Lily's dark grey eyes. "Yeah, I think I'll join them." They went to play and left both of me and Lily
"Look at them Lily. They're like our kids in the future." I said to Lily.
"Yeah. I still didn't believe that I married you in the future." She replied.
I let out a long sigh and collapsed at the bed, I covered my face with both of my hands. Damn, I just wish we could go home as fast as we can, because I just couldn't stand to see my own future. Wait a minute. Future? If this is future, why don't just create a time machine and get back home? That's it, I quickly pulled out my notebook to write 'time machine', "Hey, Alex. You should see this." Lily called me.
I quickly sat back, she was looking at the calendar, "Alex, this is not future. Look at the year." She pointed at the calendar year, it was the year of 2014. Which is the year in our time now. "Look, I think we're not in future. But, that machine maybe sent us to another dimension. So, looks like spawning a time machine wouldn't work."
I groaned in frustration, that means we can't go home. And now we need to find that machine to get back to our home, but where? That machine could be not exist in this dimension, if it exist, I'm glad. But, we didn't know where Maxwell's house is. "Listen, don't think about that now. We'll figure it out later when the other you is here." She stood and put her rooster helmet back. That is what Maxwell said to me earlier.
I pocketed back my notebook and got up, I wore back my rooster helmet and headphones back at my head, I saw Nichols sneaking up behind Lily and suddenly slapped her butt. She was surprised and turned around, "Nichols what are you doing? That's not nice." She waved her right index finger to him while rubbing her butt with her left hand.
"Sorry, I chose dare and Maxwell told me to." Nichols pointed at Maxwell.
"Maxweeeellll!" Lily's face suddenly reddened in anger and took a pillow from the bed, she ran to the group and start beating Maxwell with it. I decided to join their group, Daniel and Marcus also joined.
Daniel and Marcus looked almost same, they had my hair and their face is a bit like Lily. But Daniel had my eyes and Marcus had Lily eyes, and that what is made them different. We waited for Lily to stop beating Maxwell with a pillow, after a few minutes she threw the pillow back to the bed and sat next to me. Crossing her arms in frustration.
After a few truths and dares...
"So Alex, you choose truth or dare?" Maxwell asked me.
"I choose dare!" I answered.
"I dare you to... Kiss and say 'I love you' to Lily!"
"What?! No way I'm going to do that!"
"Come on Alex, don't you like her? Didn't you and Lily always admired each other? Why don't you just told each other now?" Everyone stared at me and Lily, I and Lily just stared at each other.
"Look Lily, it's not what you thinking. I-I'm not admiring you, it's just the..." I was loss of words, she put her right index finger at my lips to silenced me, "That's okay Alex. I know, and I actually like you too. If you want to do it, then just do it." She said to me.
I was surprised, she actually liked me? And I like her too. Damn, I should've told her before. And now our secret just spilled thanks to Maxwell.
I forced myself to approached her face, she didn't back away or evade me either. She just gave me a smile and do nothing as I drew closer to her face, my hands felt cold and my lips are trembling, it was going to be my first kiss in my entire life, I closed my eyes and- "Kids, dinner is served!" Oh thank god, I was save from this humiliating event.
The boys quickly rushed outside, the horror came when Daniel accidentally nudged my body and I fell toward Lily. My lips somehow met her, she didn't react and just widened her eyes and stared at me. She seems enjoying the kiss rather than quickly back away like other people do. I quickly backed away and breathing heavily, so does she. Realizing what we just did, "Listen Lily. I'm sorry, it's an accident. I swear! Daniel nudged me and, I-" She put her right index finger at my lips for the second time to silenced me.
"That's okay, I know it was an accident. Next time, just be careful okay?"
I was stunned, she doesn't mad? I mean, other girls was going to be angry and slap someone when things like this happen, but Lily. She doesn't mad or slap me or do anything to me, she also doesn't get upset, even a little! "Y-Yeah. Now let's go to dinner." I said to her.
I quickly got up and held my right hand, she smiled and accepted it, I helped her to stand and headed downstairs to catch up with the others.
About a few hours after the dinner. Daniel, Marcus, Nichols, Rosa, Sarah, and Lily was already asleep. Only left me, Maxwell and Sophia awake, because Alex and the other Lily want to us to attend a meeting with them. We gathered in the living room and Alex, wearing only a white shirt with green shorts, start talking.
"So, the reason I gathered you all here because we're in an emergency situation."
"What emergency situation?" I asked him.
"The Empire is planning to attack our territory in the Capital City tomorrow, and we need your help to defend it." He answered.
We fell silence for a while, defending the Capital City from the Empire forces? "You mean. You want us to help your troops defending the Capital City?" Maxwell asked them.
"It's not that, but just give us some artillery and weapons to fight the Empire. But if you all can do that, we'll appreciate it thank you all for that."
Me, Maxwell, and Sophia conferred for a while. We decided to accept his offer, "We accept it." Sophia said to him.
He smiled, "It's good then, so prepare for tomorrow and I'll take you to the Alliance's base at early morning."
"But Alex, we can't risk them. They still kids like our child does. What if they got killed in the battlefield?" Lily said to him.
"Trust me Lily. They won't get killed under my watch." He replied.
I gulped, killed in the battlefield? Well, no one want that happen to anyone. When we returned to the room next to the other me and Lily child's room, it was another bedroom for us. I sleep next to the Lily, Maxwell and Sophia is going to sleep in the other bed. I released my headphones and rooster helmet then put it at the table next to the bed, careful not to dropping the alarm clock, which was showing that now is 11 PM. I stared at the ceiling, what would happen tomorrow? I do not want to get killed in the battlefield, especially when you were still a kid like me. Alex said the Empire will attack in full forces, consisting of their best weapons and artillery with their elite soldiers. Enough to overwhelm the Alliance's forces in Capital City. Lily was fell asleep next to me, snoring lightly. Her face was facing mine and her rooster helmet was placed at the gap of our pillows, showing her blonde hair. I tried to forgot that kissing accident, but that memory was stuck in my head forever. I closed my eyes and slept shortly.