Sheen Rescue Squad...or...Welcome to Planet Sheen

Chapter 12-Homecoming

Jimmy gave up on counting the hours of how long the people of Zeenu had celebrated their victory, in both defeating King Goobot and Dorkus. Not that Jimmy was complaining. On the contrary, he, like the rest of his company, was enjoying the praise. Even so, the had long since been due for them to take their leave. However, when the party was over, no one felt like flying off into space, so Jimmy made arrangements with the emperor to leave the following day.

In the morning, the emperor assembled the whole palace to follow them to the rocket's landing sight to see them off. Jimmy listened to the emperor give them his farewell address to them, dreading that it would be very prolong indeed; he was not wrong at all.

"It's happened at last!" cried the emperor, running up to Sheen and hugging him. "The prophecy has been fulfilled! You have brought peace to Zeenu! Had you not crashed here, your friends would never have come to save us from Dorkus and my treacherous daughter. You have fulfilled your duty as I knew you would." He gestured to Sheen encouragingly to join the others. "Now go in peace."

Sheen bowed low to the emperor. When he stood up to his full height, he smiled down at him. "Thank you, noble emperor. To think, perhaps one of these days, Earth and Zeenu will form a great alliance."

Under her breath, Cindy whispered to Libby, "Yeah, that will be the day, won't it?"

Jimmy heard her and could tell she was still angry at some of the people of Zeenu for imprisoning her down in the dungeon. Since he didn't know how acute some of these aliens hearing might be, he stepped forward and shook the emperor's hand.

Grinning confidently, Jimmy said curtly, "I'm glad we could help, we undertake these sorts of galactic endeavors all the time." He turned to look back at Cindy and Libby, who remained impassive, though Jimmy could tell they had their fill of Zeenu. "Whether, we ever have to return again, however, remains to be seen. But rest assured, we'll always be around." In truth be told, however, Jimmy thought the only reason he would ever return to this planet would be to study the creatures native to Zeenu. Ultimately, he decided that what the emperor didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Well then," said the emperor, returning Jimmy's smile and clearing his throat, "so long, farewell, no need to say goodbye. I think that's how the saying goes. But goodbye, until we meet again, if we meet again."

"Right," said Jimmy. He now turned his back on the emperor and joined the others beside the rocket. With one hand, he waved goodbye to the emperor, Doppy (now in his new advisory outfit, which Jimmy felt that Libby could design much better) and the rest of the people of Zeenu. With the other, he ushered the others inside, from Carl to Sheen to Cindy to Libby to Goddard to Aseefa and finally to Nesmith, the last of whom had seemed overjoyed the most at the sight of Jimmy's rocket, safe and intact on the ground.

Apart from Sheen, Carl and Aseefa were the only ones to look back at Zeenu as they flew further and further away from the planet. Jimmy could understand why Aseefa was somewhat melancholy. After all, it must've been hard to leave the place you grew up and knew oh so very well as she was doing right now. As for Carl, Jimmy could tell he had enjoyed his time here more than anyone else in the group. Even as he looked at his llama-loving friend, he could tell he was fighting back tears about leaving.

When Jimmy had set coordinates for Earth, Jimmy turned his attention over to Nesmith. "So what happens to you?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Nesmith indifferently, as if Jimmy had made a rude comment about a hypothetical wart on his face. Jimmy had noticed that the only reason Nesmith had been upset about their departure from Zeenu was that he had not been first onto the rocket. Yet Jimmy felt guilty of taking away some select things from his new furry friend.