Gadget's New Mission

In The Darkest Depths

Morning comes, and I'm woken up by Mighty's voice.

"Rise and shine!"

I yawn loudly. "Good morning!" I get up and stretch out my arms.

"We've got a hard day of work ahead of us!"

"How so?"

"Further developing this bad boy," Mighty says as he points to his remote detonator. "You're willing to help me out I'm assuming?"

"Yeah... but... I have my own plans too..." I'm reluctant to speak to him. He's my friend, I'm hoping he'll understand... "My parents... there's a chance they're still out there, looking for me, or waiting for me. I didn't come all this way just to find you, Mighty... If there's a slim chance that my parents are alive and need help, then I have to take it!"

Mighty looks at me stone-faced.

"Where did you plan to look?"

"My next stop was going to be the Guardian Rock. A... source of mine told me I might find you there... if he thinks people like you are there, my parents could be holed up in that place... If they aren't there... well, you could help out with that..." I give him a guilty looking smile. Mighty slowly walks up to me and grabs my shoulder.

"Count me in! You deserve your parents! I won't let you be alone with just me!"

"Thank you, Mighty! ...But, what about your-"

"That can wait, for all we know, your parents could be in danger! I can do my little errand anytime... Every second counts for your parents and I'm not gonna wait around any longer to figure out what they could be going through!" He struts toward the door and puts on his robe along with his mask. Finally, he turns to me. "You coming?"

I walk over to him as I ready my grapple hook. "Need a lift?"

Mighty looks surprised... "Is that a-?"

"A grappling hook? Yeah, it is..."

He snickers before saying, "You have no idea how jealous I am right now..."

We both laugh as I grab hold of Mighty and start our ascent to Guardian Rock. The forest is less intimidating during the day but I can't help but think that takes away from its charm... The trees and the light-up buildings are a sight to behold at night. I can hear Mighty both terrified and overjoyed at the same time. It was also pretty hilarious hearing it all with his voice modification from the mask. Even I couldn't hold in laughter. He definitely hasn't been through anything as exhilarating as this.

We are starting to enter the Green Hill area... or the Sand Hill area... I had completely forgotten how barren it looked without that green grass and trees. I see the giant Guardian Rock in the distance. Memories come jogging back into my head. Still, a rookie, providing a distraction for the resistance, evading that giant enemy crab... thing... I've come a long way from becoming a rookie to where I am now: a hero, and his best friend, hoping to seek and recover his forgotten parents... I'm no longer part of the resistance, but I want my heroism to live on.

I now start to think about Mighty and his journey. He hasn't told me about anyone he has fought against. Is Mighty suitable for the possible danger coming ahead? I start to grow anxious... I'll do what I can to protect him, but I still feel uneasy... I don't want to lose him again... or for life... I won't allow it!

"You think they'll be inside?"

"That's my best guess. You see a way in?"

"No... nothing."

We both land near the behemoth and stare at it to the top. "What a spectacle! I don't remember it being THIS huge!"

"You've been here before, Gadget?"