Never As It Seems

The Last Encounter

Flames glared at the Fuzzy Guy. "So here's where you've been hiding all this time." 

"Don't act so surprised!" said the Fuzzy Guy, his voice entirely smug. "Of course I would be here. I mean, where else would I be? Let me tell you, though, it's been a lot of fun waiting for you... and your friends, too, but mostly you. You didn't act as singlehandedly as I thought you would, though. That was a bit of a letdown." 

"If I were going to do this all by myself I would have come here alone," Flames retorted. The guard let go of his grip on his arm and walked to the side, and Flames stayed standing where he was.  

"No, no, I was expecting that. But going through my puzzle with your group, that was a bit unexpected. I thought you would take charge or take off on your own- I mean, you've been so full of yourself for years, wouldn't you have wanted to do things your way?" 

Flames laughed. "You can talk about being full of yourself! Look around! You're sitting on your own little throne in the center of a room surrounded by twenty or so guards that are only here to protect you. That's being full of yourself. I'm growing out of it, and you never will. See, I've learned something that you haven't. It's okay to care about people, especially if they care too." 

"That's awfully sweet," he replied. "But where are they now, hmm? Out in that hallway, aren't they? I don't see them coming to help you." 

"That's none of your business." 

"Well, I'm just saying. Kind of hypocritical, aren't you? You say you care about these people, and that they care about you, too, but neither of you are endeavoring to help each other out in your times of need. Kind of saddening, really. It's fine with me, though. I have no need for those friends of yours." 

"Whatever. They've helped me out so far, and it's been useful." He glanced around. "Anyway, what is the point of this whole thing? Why have you set up this whole maze, or whatever it is? Are you trying to get something out of it?" 

The Fuzzy Guy was silent for a moment, and then he said, "You might say so. It's an interesting thing. You know why I set up this little puzzle for you, Flames Pond?" 

"No, why?" 

He laughed. "Because it's fun." 

Flames froze, and stared at him in utter disbelief.  

"Are you serious?" he said finally, his voice coated with incredulity and irritation. "That was your reason for setting up this whole maze puzzle thing in an entire floor of a hotel? Because you thought it would be fun?" 

"That's about it!" 

"You're kidding me." 

"Nope." 

"You -" 

"Look, Flames. I haven't seen a whole lot of you in a while. Like I told you before in my little room with the computers, right? I had been on my wonderful planet, you've been here on Earth, and we've been separated. No more sending my minions after you, no more interrogation-alist rooms - it was all gone forever! What was I supposed to do? I was bored. So I came back here - don't ask how, I found my way - and you were here, and I thought we could strike up a friendship again." 

"I'll never be friends with you," said Flames distastefully.  

"That's a pity. That's part of why I set this thing up, you know, so you could have fun too." 

"I didn't." 

"Aw. Well, that's too bad. Not even a little bit?" 

"No."