"How's she doing?"
Commander Peepers waited outside the infirmary as the Nurse Watchdog came out, looking disheartened. He was the same one who treated Wander for his wounds the month before. Since then, he'd became more motivated to help the sick and injured. Sylvia was no exception.
He sighed at the commander,
"She's fine, there aren't any wounds. But her mind is just somewhere else it seems."
Peepers raised his brow at him,
"Somewhere else?" What do you mean?"
"Can't say so myself." The nurse shrugged, "A few things could have happened, but right now..I know she's going through some form of shock."
"Shock.." Peepers repeated softly.
"Not that I blame miss Sylvia, she was on a planet about to be destroyed, that had to have been it."
"I see." Peepers folded his arms behind his back. "You're free to go, Al."
Al grinned.
"Thank you sir, I instructed Sylvia if she needs anything, she can push the emergency call next to her bed."
He left and headed to his own room, Peepers watched him, lost in thought of what could have happened to the Zbornak in that jungle.
Wander quietly crept on him, and cleared his throat,
"Can I go in and speak with her?"
Peepers jolted, not noticing he was standing in front of him.
"Um, I think so..if Sylvia isn't too upset." He shrugged.
Wander blinked and turned to the entry door,
"My Sylvia..." He said softly.
"Huh? did you say something?" Peepers asked.
Wander frowned, his hand on the door.
"My Sylvia is back at home..."
He went in. Leaving Peepers questioning what he meant.
"Home? but they don't live here, that's for sure."
His speaker buzzed, and answered,
"Commander Peepers here-"
"PEEPS! WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS WANDER?" Lord hater yelled at the other end.
In a split second, Peepers knew why he was shoutung; he was looking for him to interrogate him, and kick him off the ship. But personally the commander needed some answers from Wander so it was a dumb decision to dump him off. So.. he did the only thing he could to back him up; he lied.
"Sorry sir! But I have no idea where he went. Need help looking for him?-"
"NO,I'LL DO IT MYSELF!" -Click-
Peepers rolled his eye, internally thanking that was over and he didn't need to say anything else.
"Whatever is going on with Wander and Sylvia should be dealt with among themselves."
...
"Sylvia?"
The nomad spotted her from a bed in the corner, with her back turned away. Wander's face softened; which was something that didn't happen and never realized it, but only when something important was in front of him.
"Why did you come back, Wander?"
Sylvia glanced over her shoulder, looking glum. Wander walked to her, and sat on the bed next to hers.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but that planet was going to be doomed and I couldn't leave you there." He answered truthfully.
Sylvia frowned, but said nothing... and stared at another bed.
"I saw you throw away your hat."
She held a green hat with a yellow star, and a grey poncho.
Confused, Wander thought they were supposed to mean something to him, but he didn't know what.
"It doesn't make sense, so how did you get us out of there; without the hat's help?" She shook her head, frazzled.
Wander only stared at her like she was crazy, not understanding a single thing she was saying. He didn't say it yet, but he was surprised to find Sylvia on a different planet, he knew he left her back at their hideout in the other galaxy...
This must be an impostor, or...
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me, but that's not my hat, or blanket."
"UGH!"
Sylvia grunted so suddenly and paced to him, and put her hands on his scarf and bandana,
"HEY, what are you doing? DONT TOUCH THOSE!" He scuffled against her hard skin, trying to get away
They struggled against one's grip, she managed to take off the bandana and put on the hat.
"Have you become so lost Wander ,that you've put on some hero-act?" Sylvia spat.
Ripping the hat off he protested,
"I told you: this isn't mine, and you're confusing me with someone else!" Wander yelled, holding the hat in his hands.
He pointed at her,
"I've been to a lot of galaxies in my lifetime, but not once..have I seen you in one of my lone -travels and I told you to stay put."
"Now you're the one not making any sense," Sylvia argued, "You attacked me, and just forget everything that's happened since Rockna was taken over.."
"What?" Wander was flabbergasted at this point.
"Why can't you remember, and accept you made a mistake?" She said in a low voice.
After some moments of silence, and looking over the hat, Wander tried to fit the pieces together.
"Sylvia...I'm...not from here." He admitted, "I'm not the person who you think I am."
Now to see how she would react to that. Sylvia looked into his eyes, confused but searched for a lie in them.
He continued,
"I'm from another galaxy. And after some more thinking, I've concluded you're not the Sylvia I know either."
"Then WHO are you then, if what you say is the truth?" Sylvia folded her arms, "Something isn't right with you."
"Ever heard of alternative universes, and twisted time spaces?" Wander suggested.
"No." She shook her head.
"It seems to me, you and I are a different Sylvia and Wander." He shrugged, but it was all he could think of.
"Then let me ask you this," Sylvia got closer,
Wander actually got a little nervous and intimidated for a moment, since he had no idea what this Sylvia was capable of.
"Put your hand in the hat, it might tell you something." She winked at her.
"Pardon me?" He dead-panned.
"I want to believe you, but I think the only way it can be cleared up is with the hat." She said hopefully.
Wander stared at her again.
"Go ahead, you might think I'm crazy now, but trust me on this." She said coolly.
He rolled his eyes and made a loud sigh. He did what he was told, and was surprised to find something slim fill in between his slender fingers;
"How can that be...?"
He held the item in hand and looked at the hat again, trying to make sense of what just happened, then he looked at the said item
A photo. One of Lord Hater, scowling, and...
Wander on his shoulder, smiling so widely it looked like his face could break , holding the camera to take the photo.
"W-what is t-this?" He shuddered, and dropped the hat and photo.
"I guess that means..." Sylvia came to his side and put her hand on his shoulder, "You are different."
"I don't ever, in my life.. remember taking that picture, who is that on Hater's shoulder?! Why does he look like me?"
"Well buddy, the hat never lies. If it's possible that two people from a different time and universe can be in two places at once, you've made me a believer."
She smiled for the first time in days.
"I guess my theory was right then." Wander input, sounding sure.
Sylvia held her hands on each side of his face, looking over his features, this made him of course, uncomfortable and squirm.
"Let me go, please." He gruffed at her.
"Nope. Won't do." She giggled.
But looking at him now and further up close, he was much different, his face was stern and had circles under his eyes, his body was more aged slightly, and fur was thinner. And 6 inches taller.
"I need to give you a different name." She said suddenly, and released his face.
"New name? what's wrong with mine?" He seemed offended.
"Hear me out, it's to prevent confusion." She gestured her hand at him. Judging by his attitude and how he fights, he has traits of myself than my Wander so...
Wander pointed a finger at her, "If you give me some stupid, cute name I swear, I'll-"
"Role-swapped." Sylvia said, and snapped her fingers.
Wander made a disgruntled face and kept his finger at her.
"What?"
"Role-swapped Wander, or Roleswitched Wander."
"What the flarf does that have to do with anything?" Wander asked in a high pitch voice.
"Calm it." Sylvia patted her hands in him, then gasped;
"Oh my grop! Wander!" Her eyes popped out.
"Uh, I'm right here?" "Roleswapped" Wander dead panned at her.
"Do you know where he is!? He disappeared in the jungle..! And...and it's my fault," Sylvia glazed over with guilt.
Wander shoved her hands off, concerned.
"I don't know. I'm sorry." He bent his head.
Sylvia turned away and bit her lip, on the verge of crying.
"But I do know the ship that destroyed it." Wander said firmly.
Immediately Sylvia gaped with desperation,
"I've encountered it before, many years ago, I'm surprised Nate didn't recognize it earlier-"
"TELL me!" Sylvia shook him hard, cutting him off," Don't tell me who I think it is..!"
He glared at her, not of anger at her, but the one person who might know where Sylvia's best friend was.
"Lord Dominator." They said simultaneously.
On Dominator's ship, Wander made himself comfortable on a guest couch Dominator provided herself. For now, he was alone.. drinking a hot beverage that he wasn't too sure about what it was, but didn't complain. She told him she went to do a quick task before joining him, he wondered what it could be she was off doing, and did offer help, but gently turned him down.
"She said she'd be back in a few minutes." He smiled to himself.
After a few more sips, his worry returned. His chest hurt. Wander felt bad for running away and leaving Sylvia to fend for herself, but after what had happened before it all, he knew it was for the best ;
"She's afraid of me, I don't blame her. I'd just hurt her further if I stayed."
"Why so gloomy?"
Wander looked up and to see Dominator holding a glass of something to drink herself, her hair damp.
"Sorry if I took long, I was in the shower." She explained.
"Oh, no problem." Wander clapped his hands together, but remembered he was holding a hot cup and almost let it fall.
As she was getting situated herself, Wander stared at the room they were in. As ominous as the moving veins and lines were on the surface, he was fascinated by them, power for Dominator's only home flowed underneath and passed him like water in a river.
"Okay, let's talk business."
She sat on the other side of him on the couch, and crossed one leg. She scootched so close she almost squeezed him and was closer to his personal space more than he liked, not that he didn't mind, it just wasn't helping the pain of his wounds.
"Oh, sorry."
She moved over, but it wasn't hard to miss that her apology was sarcasm.
"How's the medicine working?" She asked.
"A lot better, I think they closed up a little more after I put it on." Wander explained.
He did check to see, they were finally closing up and less swollen compared to a few days ago.
"Now here's what I need you to do."
"Oh?" Now his attention was on her.
She pulled him closer into a one-armed embrace;
"I need you bring Hater here." She said sweetly.
He thought that as strange at first, but still smiled from the sound of the request.
"Is it alright if I asked why?"
His curiosity got the best of him.
"Well you seem to know him the best, he's always on your tail and complains you get in his way..so..."
She let go, and stood up to grin..
"I want you to bring him to me, so I can destroy both of you." She hissed with glee.
Wander's enthusiastic smile instantly.. went flat and gaped at her, and dropped his drink.
"BUT that's not all!" She pointed up with her index finger; and went to the opposite side and turned on a computer screen,
"After I get that finished, this beautiful, magnificent planet will be MINE..!"
She let out her cruel maniacal laughter, it echoed throughout the ship.
Wander's heart sank as it slowly started to collect into his mind, he was a tool, but even more so after Dominator revealed on screen:
Planet Rockna..
Nate's only home...
One of the few planets for vacation and paradise...
"You'll do this for me, won't you,.. Wander?" She pet his head, his head bent down.
Wander's claws popped from his fingers.
Dominator didn't see or hear them retract, because he was sitting on his hands, hiding them...
"I'm not going to just destroy it," She leaned closer to his ear, "I'm going to make every last person living there tremble in fear." She whispered.
He knew and felt himself getting angry, and tried to suppress the growl from within his chest, but she did hear it, and she smiled even wider,
"Oh, dearie me, did I strike a nerve?" She pitched in a cutesy voice.
Wander had to do something , other than get angry and let whatever on his mind take full control of his emotions,
But grop it...
He was too angry, his vision blackened.
Dominator looked down at the scenery of the planet before her in wonder, then hit the window with her fist,
"I just can't WAIT to see what it looks like... all red, shriveled, and dried to the bone.."
Her back was turned and didn't notice Wander taking slow steps forwards,
He popped his neck, his fangs grew over his lips, cracked his fingers, his feet stretched in length and claws retracted from his toes...
He was half-aware of what was happening, but didn't care how he looked, right now he had only one agenda in mind: he had to stop a threat from destroying his friend's home,
"You look good enough to eat too," Wander hissed though his teeth.
"Hmm?" Dominator turned and flinched,
"Whoa! What's with you?" She raised her brows at Wander,
She jumped even more when suddenly some invisible force pushed all the furniture away from themselves, breaking and slamming against the walls.
But that wasn't the only thing Dominator was confused about;
"I could've sworn you were smaller." She wasn't afraid like most would be, just annoyed.
Wander was meters away from her, growling, his bones and body creaking with every move, and had grown 3 times his normal height, over towering Dominator...
"Dominator, I'd run if I were you." He snarled.