Random Encounters: Dimension 13

And That's How it Started

"If Nate wants some, he has to come and get it," Spooky crosses her arms as Goose stares at it.

"But you heard the lady, he hasn't come out of his room. He could be in hiding!" Goose exclaims, "He could be in the closet..."

"I highly doubt that," Spooky rolls her eyes, "Besides, I don't think he wants... what even is all of this?"

Goose looks down at her tray which is completely covered in candies.

"I call it Food Ala Goose," she shoves it into Spooky's face.

Spooky pushes it away, "That looks like a heart attack waiting to happen."

"That's a way better name for it! A Heart Attack Waiting to Happen... I like it," Goose nods.

Spooky shakes her head a bit, "Is that chocolate syrup in a cup?"

"Yes. I wonder why AJ doesn't let us have sweets in the brain," Goose smiles, clearly jittery from a sugar spree.

"Yeah... I wonder," Spooky mumbles, "Alright, fine, we can take it to him, but, no picking locks."

Goose sighs from disappointment, but still bounds up the stairs in an excited fashion. Both girls look around, only just realizing they don't know where Nate's room is. Gwen walks out of AJ's office, closing the door behind her.

"Hey, where's Nate's room?" Spooky asks her.

Gwen points to a door at the end of the hall, only glancing up at them slightly.

"Okay, thanks!" Goose exclaims as the two begin towards the door.

Gwen stops herself and looks up, realizing what just happened. She jumps in front of the girls causing Goose to drop her tray of sweets, sugary substance spewing all over the carpeting. Goose stares down at the mess in shock.

"You are real! I knew it!" Gwen says loudly with delight.

"Hey!" Goose exclaims, staring down at the mess Gwen made.

"If you're not Katie and Adriana... who are you?" Gwen asks, scanning the two in a skeptical manner.

"I am Spooky, this is Goose," Spooky introduces themselves.

Gwen nods slowly, squinting a bit.

"Okay..." she finally says slowly and still skeptical, "Why did you want to go to Nate's room? Don't you know he hasn't come out since mid March?"

Goose and Spooky share a look.

"What do you mean?" Goose asks.

"He's been locked up in there since we finished recording for the musical," Gwen explains, "He doesn't even come out to eat, AJ takes him his meals."

Goose's eyes grow wide with concern, "But we need to talk to him-"

"We want to talk to him," Spooky corrects Goose under her breath.

"You can try, but he doesn't even let AJ in," Gwen motions towards AJ's office.

"Goose, you can try, I'm going to clean this mess up," Spooky kneels on the floor, "Gwen, if you don't mind, can you make sure Goose doesn't do anything?"

"She's just knocking on the door-" Gwen says.

"No she's not, she's going to pick the lock if you don't watch her."

Gwen raises a brow in confusion, then realizes Goose has yet to knock, and rushes over to watch her. Goose sighs, shoving her lockpick set in her feathers. She knocks on the door like a respectable human being. No answer. She knocks again. No answer.

"Worth a shot," Gwen says, turning on her heels to leave.

Goose grabs her arm, forcing her to stay. Goose pounds on the door with all her force. There's the sound of some objects falling. Gwen looks back at the door, then at Goose. The door to AJ's office swings open and AJ walks out, Spooky looks up and smiles nervously. AJ looks over at Gwen and Goose who are staring at him blankly.

Gwen smirks a bit, "I told you I wasn't imagining them."

AJ darts his eyes around the scene then sighs and hangs his head, rubbing it as though he has a headache. Goose looks at him a little concerned. AJ starts chuckling, which, surprisingly, concerns everyone more.

"How did you get out?" AJ finally asks, looking up at Goose.

Goose points to Spooky, meekly. Spooky looks up at her offended.

"Well?"

"Eggman and I built a machine similar to the one that transported Nate into the brain so we could get out and see the real world..." Spooky mumbles.

"I see... Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We'll get you and Goose back where you belong before the infrastructure of the brain collapses. I am seriously debating the Good Employee Film for you two," AJ says, shaking his head a bit.

"I thought that was illegal!" Goose protests.

"Well..."

"Wait. You and Nate weren't kidding about the whole brain thing?" Gwen pipes up.

"You thought I was joking when I said that characters run around in my brain?" AJ asks, oblivious to what he just said.

"No, I thought you were erratic," Gwen retorts.

AJ nods slowly, "Alright, I see how it's gonna be," he turns to Spooky, "We have the contraption in the prop closet, I can grab and bring back, get you guys where you belong."

"That seems a little too easy, doesn't it?" Goose says.

"What do you mean?" Spooky asks.

"Well, the author wouldn't have made a sequel this short... Something has to happen," Goose explains.

"Yep, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," AJ says, heading across the hall.

Spooky shakes her head in a disapproving manner, then stands up slowly, smoothing out her dress as she does. Goose hangs her head, a bit from boredom, a bit from despondency. She kicks at the carpet as AJ returns with a small black box in his hands. He walks to the center of the hall, motioning both girls to the center of the room.

"Yikes, that's a stain that's staying for a while," AJ says when he catches sight of where the tray of sweets splattered on the floor, "Anyways, place your hands on this."

Goose and Spooky do as they're told.

"I now pronounce you Ghost and Goose," AJ laughs to himself, then clears his throat, "Sorry... Okay, I'll flick this switch, badda bing, badda boom, you're back where you belong. Got that?"

"You lost me at the first badda," Spooky jokes.

AJ shakes his head and snickers to himself. He adjusts his grip and prepares to flip the switch. Gwen steps forward out of curiosity. What would happen? Was this all an elaborate joke? Would someone pop out and scream "April Fool's Day"? She keeps stepping closer as AJ flips the switch. Suddenly, everything is a bright white and Gwen squints her eyes, letting them readjust, waiting for the hallway with the girls and AJ to enter her vision again. But they don't. Everything is white.