The Mystical Vacation (A PM: TTYD AU)

Interlude: A Captured YouTuber

Meanwhile, two X-Nauts take Rhys (Razzbowski) to where Lord Crump is, along with the leader of the X-Nauts. Rhys struggles to get out of their grip. "O great, exalted Grodus! We brought the YouTuber you ordered, sir!" An X-Naut said. "Well, well, well, my pet... Isn't it about time you told us where the map is?" Grodus told. "Razzbowski. You will speak when spoken to." "I'm telling you, I don't know! I'm just a gaming YouTuber, you know this!" Rhys remarked. "There's no point in trying to hide it. We know you had it. We KNOW this. Trust me, it's very much in your interest to be absolutely honest with us. We X-Nauts are not all rainbows and lollipops, I assure you. We're quite nasty," Grodus explained.

Rhys rolls his eyes. "Grodus, sir! I have news," Another X-Naut said, through a hologram. "Report at once," Grodus replied. "You know that Crystal Star we thought maybe Hooktail had? Well, someone nabbed it." "What? WHAT did you say? Someone else is after the Crystal Stars? And he defeated that Hooktail creature, you say? SPEAK, soldier!" "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. There's more, too. See, according to the report... It was a tall British man, with black short hair, a British accent with a hint of Scottish... And his 3 other British friends," The X-Naut explained. Rhys gasps. "Lewis!" Rhys cried. "Excuse me? Lewis?" "Oh crap." "Gaack ack ack ack ack! I see... So you know of this Lewis, do you? Hmmm... I assume he's with the two Ryans... And Will Ryan. This fool matters not at all. I'll know all about him before long, that I promise. I grow bored of talking. Take Razzbowski back to the holding room," Grodus announced. 

"Yessir!" "And men! Take good care of Razzbowski. Understand? He is not to be harmed." "You got it, sir!" The X-Nauts take him back to his room. "Well, Lord Crump... If this Lewis character has the map... Then it's highly likely he'll find the Crystal Star we're hunting in the Boggly Woods. You must return there immediately and hasten the excavation. It must not fail," Grodus told. "Whuzzat?!? Oh, yeah, sure! Roger, Grodus! And with that... Pow! I'm gone!" Crump leaves. "I wonder if sending Lord Crump there alone is wise... He is a bit...out there. Hmmm... X-Naut! I summon you!" An X-Naut walks up to Grodus. "You rang, dude? I mean, sir? You rang, sir, Grodus, dude? Grodus? Sir Grodus, sir?" The X-Naut asked. "Shut up. Go get the Shadow Sirens over here." "The Sh-Shadow Sirens, sir? But they..." Grodus interrupts them. "I don't care how you planned to end that sentence, fool. Go get them. Now," Grodus threatened. "Gotcha!" The X-Naut walks off. The honorable Grodus has need of us? Then we arrive without delay.

The three Shadow Sirens appear. "Mmmwee hee hee hee hee... Did the YouTuber tell you where the map is?" Beldam asked. "Still your tongue, Beldam. We would already have it if you'd snatched him earlier... But now, since you missed your chance, some poor fool named Lewis has the map," Grodus explained. "It wasn't my fault, truly! There were too many prying eyes there. Too many... Besides, a strange old man showed up at the moment of truth, and we had to retreat. Why worry? All we need to do now is find this Lewis and steal the map, yesss?" "Indeed, that is YOUR duty. Must I remind you? That map is vital to the X-Naut plan. I will have my men prepare all available information on this Lewis. 

Not only Lewis, but the Ryans, and Will Ryan as well... For now, hear me, Beldam! You Shadow Sirens must take care of these troublemakers! "Mmmmwee hee hee hee... Fear not, sire. I, Beldam, shall return with what you seek. Let's go, my lovelies! Marilyn! Vivian! Come! We've got a job to do!" Beldam announced. Beldam leaves. "Guhhhhh..." Marilyn leaves. "Mmm hm hm hm hm..." Vivian leaves. Meanwhile, in Rhys's room, Rhys is pacing the floor. "I can't believe this happened. All I wanted was to go on an adventure! Maybe even film it for YouTube, like a vlog. But...hang on a moment! Where in the world am I, anyway? It's so unfamiliar... I'm sure Lewis and our friends are worried about me. 

Rhys explores the area a bit and finds a shower. "What a lovely shower! No soap scum, even! Wow. I wonder if it works..." He gets in the shower, and sings a song to himself. After getting freshened up, Rhys finds a nice outfit for himself and changes into it. "That actually makes me feel a little better... I should go back to my room." He goes back to his room, only to notice a door open automatically. "What was that? Hey! How odd... The doors opened by themselves! This place is haunted!!" Rhys goes through the door leading to a hallway, then it closes. "Weird... It doesn't look like...anyone's around." He continues to a room with a computer in it. The lights turn on and the computer activates. "Hello, Rhys Williams," The computer said. "Huh? What? Who said that? Where are you?" Rhys was confused. 

"How amusing. I am right here, before your eyes. I am this laboratory's main computer. I am the TEC-XX. Many call me TEC. You may. Sir Grodus created me to be a perfect computer, one that is flawless in its reason," TEC explained. "Grodus... Wait, he's that awful rude guy who interrogated me, right?" Rhys asked. "Sir Grodus is not awful. He is a very great person. He is marvelous." "Well, I don't think so. But I doubt I'll change your mind... Why did you lead me in here?" "I am unsure. An unusual program deviation occurred when I observed you earlier. My higher-brain circuity malfunctioned and nearly overheated at your image. Also, an unidentified impulse sped through my processors. Those events are new to me. There is more to this phenomenon, as well. I ran diagnostic programs...

And their solution was... I want to know more about you. I want to observe you. Such a compulsion has no precedence. Cause unknown. I, the perfect computer... I must diagnose this unusual situation. I will not fail. That is why I led you here." Rhys's eyes widened. "Wait... Did you just say... You want to observe me? ...To know more about me?  Could it be that you... No! Impossible! It can't be. You're a computer..." "What has happened to me? If you know my malfunction, you must tell me of it. "Oh, I couldn't, really... Because... It's just too weird!" Rhys remarked. "Please tell me. Please. I am the world's best computer. I am perfect. There should not be anything that I do not understand. Please." 

"Well, you know, maybe... Is it possible that, well...you're... in love... with me?" Rhys choked on his words. He had a loving wife, and a kid too. There was no way a computer could fall in love with him, right? "Love? What is... love?" TEC asked. "Wait, you don't know what love is? Love... How do I explain? Love tells you when you want to be with a person forever. It makes you feel happy just to see that person happy, smiling... having fun. When you love someone, you will do anything to help when he or she is in trouble," Rhys explained. "Happiness? Fun...? I have definitions for these words, but... My programming is insufficient. There should be nothing I cannot comprehend. I am a perfect computer." TEC seemed puzzled.

"Comprehend love? Love's not something you comprehend, TEC. You feel it," Rhys replied. "Rhys Williams... Will you teach me to feel this thing you call love?" "What? You're a computer! Why would you care about love?" "I am perfect. There must be nothing that I cannot comprehend. Nothing. That is why you must help me understand this thing called love. Please. If you have any wishes that I can grant you in exchange, I will grant them. But, of course, I am unable to grant such a wish as letting you escape." Rhys sighed. Of course, they wouldn't let him out. "I must learn of this thing. I must. There is no alternative. I must be a perfect computer. That is why, if you would just consider teaching me, I will grant your wishes. Do you understand me, Rhys Williams? Now, tell me your wish."

"Are you sure? Okay. Can I contact someone? The sooner, the better..." "Yes, of course you may. Use my communicator to send wireless mail to anywhere you want. If you so wish, you can use it right now. It is no trouble. Use the keyboard in front of you. Enter the recipient, address, and message," TEC demonstrated. Rhys walked up to the keyboard and typed a message to Lewis. "Okay, it's ready, TEC. Could you send it please?" TEC sends the message. "The message has been sent. For the time being, you may return to your room. I will call you in again when I want to ask you something." Rhys walks to the door. "TEC, you can call me by my first name... Or my YouTube name, Razzbowski. It feels weird when someone calls me by my full name." "Understood. Goodnight, Rhys." "Goodnight, TEC." Rhys heads back to his room.