Random Encounters: Home

Bing Bang Boom

Gwen sits in the corner of the garage, her hair pulled into a messy bun. She's hunched over the device, adjusting the black gloves on her hands. She sticks her tongue out slightly, tweaking some of the last things she needs to on the mechanism. Her breakdown from earlier is basically forgotten for her as she eats chicken salad between her actions. Across the room, however, AJ sits, staring at her warily. Her words and actions stick in his brain, superglued there intentionally. He rubs his forehead as the pressure in his head becomes more evident. He's more than ready to get Nate back, but Gwen's breakdown has made him start rethinking his actions. Perhaps he was being irrational and-

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME" A voice screams.

Spooky pulls Goose in as she flails and struggles. AJ perks up, leaning back.

"Ah, I see you found Loona," AJ leans back.

Goose fights off Spooky, Spooky tightens her grip, blowing a strand of silver hair out of her face.

"She was hard to track down, but I got her, she was visiting PG in the rehabilitation center," Spooky explains.

"Good job, Loona," AJ turns to Goose, "Riddle me this: If a fowl goes missing why does she do so and where does she go?"

"If we're calling me Loona, can we at least call Spooky Phasmalia?" Goose asks, stil resisting her arrest.

"What?! No," Spooky says, offended.

"We're not calling her Phasmalia," AJ shakes his head, "Now answer my question."

Goose stops struggling, taking a breath, "I left to try to get someone to alter my existence."

Spooky lets her go, flattening out the indigo sweater she's wearing. AJ nods.

"And why would you want to do that?" He asks.

Goose adjusts the feather cardigan she's wearing and sighs, "Because I didn't like my existence without Nathan. Can I go now?"

Spooky crosses her arms, "Tell him what you told Eggman and I."

Goose shoots her a dirty look, "I really really like Nathan and so I kept hopping in and out of the brain in an attempt to keep some of his keepsakes in the house."

"You what?!" AJ exclaims, "Don't you know that can alter our entire existence?! Why would you even do that?!"

Goose sniffles, rubbing her forearm apologetically, "I wasn't trying to hurt anyone, I just..."

She collapses to the ground dramatically, starting to cry. AJ's face transforms from angry to pensive.

"Goose, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to-" AJ begins the sentence before abandoning it.

"Goose, AJ and Gwen are working towards getting Nate back, and that means you can talk to him anytime," Spooky crouches next to her.

"I-I guess," Goose frets.

"Yeah, I just need you to stay safe, to stop wandering the brain. We're also going to need you here for recovery. That way Nate has a solid basis for what's real and what isn't," AJ explains.

Goose nods, lifting her head a bit. AJ smiles and she forces one too. Spooky smiles as well.

"See not that bad? You two have fun, alright?" AJ says.

Goose and Spooky nod as a tap comes on AJ's shoulder. AJ looks up, Gwen's face looking down at him. She's beaming from ear to ear. She holds up the metal device in a chipper manner.

"It's done," she whispers, excitedly.

AJ looks up, in slight disbelief. He raises a brow and tilts his head. Gwen's grin grows wider.

"Done, done?" He mutters.

"Done, done!!" She squeals.

AJ jumps up from his seat in excitement as Gwen bounds to the house. AJ follows after her at a slower pace, he trails her upstairs to the hallway, the infamous hallway. Gwen is attaching small metallic devices to the walls, as she does, each one points a small, red laser beam at the center of the hall. She adjusts her layout a bit, the device shoved underneath her left arm.

"What is all of this?" AJ asks, careful not to walk into the beams.

"Well," Gwen begins, cutting through one of the beams, showing AJ they're harmless, "These beams, when I set them up completely, will create a net around the center of the room. Keeping us out of the vortex, but still pulling Nate in."

"No backlash," AJ murmurs, "Genius."

"Thank you, thank you, no autographs, please," Gwen teases.

She crouches near the center of the room, setting the device down. She adjusts the angle of it then presses a yellow button. The device breaks open into a platform and Gwen hits another button, casting a beam of light straight through the middle. She steps off to the side, homing a remote in her right hand, she presses a third button and the red laser beams transform into a red laser net. AJ watches in awe.

"So what happens?" AJ inquires.

"I press this button," Gwen points to a red button, "It opens the vortex to Dimension 13, Nate sees the beam of light, jumps in. Bing, bang, boom, he's home safe and we can bring this drawn out series to a real end."

AJ smiles broadly, pulling her into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispers into her ear.

"I'm proud of you," she counters, pulling out of the hug, "let's do this."

She clicks the button and a large swirling maelstrom opens in the ceiling. Darks blues and purples rippling from the center to the outer edges. AJ casps his hand around Gwen's, anxious of what's to happen next.