The Teleporter
NO. NO WAY. He thought he destroyed that evil thing! He threw it on the floor and smashed it to bits! Granted it worked for him before aboard the Toppat orbital station, but that was just a stroke of luck! No way would that work for him again!... would it?
Biting his lip, he was about to make his move when he suddenly remembered his comrade.
He eyed the panther, who was standing by his side with his hands behind his back and looking at the device with great curiosity.
Henry looked back at the device, then back to the cat. He never used the teleporter in front of other people - and creatures - before. And he wasn't sure he wanted to try and use it with someone around. Even if the Pink Panther held no ill intent towards him, Henry was in no position to fully trust any being in this place filled with completely foreign shapes and inhabitants. The gadget was, unfortunately, tailor made for him alone. He whipped a hand in front of the cat, as though to ward him off from the device. The panther just shrugged in response.
Heaving an annoyed sigh, he rolled his eyes up to the borderless skies. Sometimes he hated his life. And the Superior who brought up this ridiculous suggestion.
Automatically pressing buttons in the specific sequence he was taught, he finally pushed the big red button in the middle of the green trinity of squares and braced for impact.
He cautiously opened an eye.
He gasped.
He looked over himself and his location, but he was fine. He was not trapped in some wall or piece of metal, or teleported to some distant alien planet.
Nothing happened...?
Curious, and ready to regret it, Henry typed in the combination once again.
But as before, nothing occurred.
This was strange. Why wasn't it working? He brought the gadget up to his eye for inspection. Maybe something was faulty in the wiring, or maybe this world had some type of bizarre effect on it? Or maybe it was his untamed ability with luck messing with him again?
The Pink Panther tapped Henry on the shoulder, prompting his attention. He proceeded to indicate the device before pointing at himself and made a twisting motion with his hand, as though to suggest he could try to fix it. But Henry fiercely shook his head and held the teleporter close to his chest as though it was a golden and precious ring. It was his and his alone! But his protective glare softened as he looked down at the object in his arms. He glanced up at the patient cat.
Maybe he should relent. But would the third time be a curse?
Taking a great big gulp, he handed over the teleporter to the Panther. He pointed out the exact sequence in which to press the buttons before finishing his explanation with a finger directed at the red button. He hopped back a step and held his arms over his head to protect himself while he waited for the teleporter to do its worst.
Nodding, the Pink Panther did as he was instructed -
He held the teleporter in his hands.
He pushed the green buttons.
He pushed the red button in the center and...
A hole in the ground opened up underneath Henry and he fell through, screaming his lungs out!
The Pink Panther, mildly confused, immediately went over to the hole and inspected it. He peered down into it, but all that could be seen in the hole was nothingness. He pinched the edge of the hole and peeled the rubbery hole off the ground. Lifting it up, he waved it back and forth. Blinking, he placed his other hand on his hip and looked to us with a blank stare.
The FAIL Superior has spoken:
The teleporter is still full of 'holes', I see.
See what I did there? Ha ha ha?
A/N: One down, three to go! Poor Hen though - even in the middle of some far off and pink-laced strange land, he can't catch a break with the fails. Which one do y'all think the next FAIL will be? If you'd like to cast your vote, feel free to do so. I'm curious. :)
References:
-"But Henry fiercely shook his head and held the teleporter close to his chest as though it was a golden and precious ring" - Henry is doing his best Gollum impression as he guards the thing like it was the One Ring to Rule Them All in the land of Middle Earth from the Lord of the Rings.
-The 'fail text' is a nod to the cartoon gag of portable holes in the ground or wall, like what you would see in a Looney Tunes cartoon with Wile E. Coyote or Bugs Bunny pulling these gags off.
-The Pink Panther knows of the fourth wall and has demonstrated this awareness in many of his cartoons. I think he also knows of the FAIL Superior from up above... maybe.
Enjoy!
