Homeward Bound
AKA - The Not So Incredible Journey
Subreality Series - 10 - Finale
By: SLWatson
KRWalker
Brief Cameo: Jess Willey
Notes: Sorry this one took so long, but now you don't have to worry about the boys running amuck in Subreality. Though, knowing that pair, they'll be back sometime or another to cause trouble. Thanks for putting up with us!
- --------- - --
It had been an odd run, at any length. Starting out in the Subreality Cafe, then taking a trip down the road, and even further, Mike Nelson and Joel Robinson were now ready to go home. It had been fun for the most part, aside from the temporary scare they had gotten by losing the Plot Convenience Device. They had learned a lot about the nature of Reality, Subreality, and Fiction. They had learned that though they were nothing more than fiction characters technically, in truth, they were so much more. In truth, they were capable of independent thought and feeling. Perhaps that was what separated them from some other characters... the ability to decide for themselves what they would be.
Now, as fall was beginning to come to an end and the days were getting colder even in Subreality, they decided to go home. It hadn't been long since they had gotten their device back. Since that time they had met a few more familiar faces, some unfamiliar faces, were chased around by some things that looked like bunny slippers... but then, it couldn't have been. Bunny slippers were just not that scary... were they?
But anyway, it had been a trip. Now the trip was over.
Joel and Mike stood outside of the Subreality Cafe. The pub behind them was lively with laughter and the neon sign glowed merrily into the night. The air outside was crisp and cold, filled with the smell of smoke wafting from the building, and of frost which would gather on the ground soon enough. Joel programmed the modified handheld computer easily enough, having gotten good at it over the time since it had been invented. "Well, I guess this is it," he commented, tossing a glance over at Mike.
Mike nodded. He was ready to go home to the Mansion now, and back to life as normal... well, as normal as it ever got in the X-Mansion. He missed razzing Remy at every chance he got, and missed sitting on the dock fishing. "Take 'er away, skipper."
Joel smiled and hit the send button.
Nothing happened.
He pursed his lips in a moment of confusion and tried again.
Still nothing.
"Problem?" Mike asked, leaning over to look at it. Joel didn't answer, and tried programming it slightly different.
Deader than a doornail.
"Nothing," the inventor murmured, worry making a brief appearance on his face. He ran a quick diagnostic, but it showed everything in proper working order. the batteries were brand new, and there was nothing that should be keeping them from making the trip home.
"Nothing?" Mike raised both of his eyebrows. He didn't like the sound of that. After being in Subreality for this long, he really really wanted to go home. Not that it was a bad place, but home was home, and he didn't want to be trapped forever.
"Nothing." A somewhat cool voice broke in, coming from behind the two men. Slowly they turned around to find the speaker. She was taller than most females, long hair that was less than neat, dark-ringed eyes that screamed of sleep deprivation, paint speckled leather jacket, torn jeans, and a gold ring on her wedding finger that glowed more than rings normally glowed out there in Reality. "Something the matter, gentlemen?"
"Um..." Mike basically answered for the both of them. He didn't know what to make of this; they had met some unfriendly people out there, but this woman was all but dripping ice onto the front steps of the Cafe.
"You know, I don't think I'm unjust to you, Nelson. I don't think I step over the lines very far, if at all, and I sure as Hell don't cross into Corruption..." Her voice trailed off for a moment and she turned a slight shade of red, but regained her composure before they could question it. "But if you ever, and I mean *ever*, decide to rebel without some sort of advanced warning, I am going to kick your farmboy butt to Pluto."
Well that explained the irritability, and the sleep deprived look. She was the Writer, and by the way the cold seemed to radiate off of her, she was a very unhappy Writer to boot. Mike blinked once or twice, then opted for his best smugly defiant look, feeling safe and secure with the knowledge Scott had given him a long time ago... she liked him too much to mess him up. "We didn't do anything wrong... b'sides, you could have come and gotten us any time you wanted."
"Yea, and we were just about to come back," Joel added, hoping that Mike wasn't leading them both into bad situation.
"And you," she turned her dark look to Joel, "Your Writer needs to lock you in the Danger Room with a mad Wolverine in heat and throw away the key... er, door lock combination..." she sighed, "whatever."
Joel swallowed hard, eyes wide open with well-founded worry. That thought could scare any man.
"Now, we're going to put you back in your own universe, and you two are going to behave. At least behave until everything is settled, okay?" The Writer looked between the two lunatics, and wondered again how she had gotten into this.
"Ummm.... you wrote yourself in?" came a voice from behind her. "Sorry about that. I was just reading your narration."
"Have we met?" the Writer asked.
"Sorta....we've chatted on IRC. You're right. You're Fictives are out of control... but you made the mistake... you gave them a fraction of your Writer powers by giving them free will. Let a more experienced Subrealizen handle this."
"What?" the Writer said, the ice queen level notching up a hair.
"What? Don't you trust me?" the other Writer replied.
Joel felt a tap on the shoulder. "Huh? You, but you're over there," Joel commented, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"It's a Writer thing.... no one can see me but you right now. I can get you home, but you have to send me one of those engines with this crystal put in it. Y'see I already wrote it into an RR post," the second Writer's twin said.
"I dunno, wouldn't that be going behind my Writer's back?" Joel asked.
"Come on, I'm a trustworthy guy..."
"Hey, Joel, who are you talking to?"
"Umm.. no one."
The first Writer stared at the second Writer with mild contempt. "What are you pulling?"
"Nothing.... I mean come on, if you can't trust a Subreality Safety Inspector, who can you trust?" the second Writer asked.
The first Writer smirked. "Well, my instincts for one, dear." She looked back at the two Fictives, who were both looking a little lost and confused. "Are you two ready to go home, or do I have to break out the ion cannon?"
It was Mike's turn to swallow hard, and he nodded. "More'n ready."
She stepped forward, prying the Plot Convenience Device away from Joel. "Good." He looked like he wanted to protest, but in a flash of light, he and Mike were both gone. She turned, smiling slightly at the other Writer. "You know, it's hard to coerce a fictive when the words are on the screen, luv." Then the Writer tossed him the Plot Convenience Device with a wink, and vanished herself.
------- ------ -----
When they appeared back in their own world, it couldn't have been too long after they left. Of course, this was back in the universe created for them, and in that universe, time wasn't necessarily an issue.
It much have been long enough to strike worry into the hearts of their family, though. Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot exited the front doors of the Mansion like streaks of red and gold, all but throwing themselves onto their two humans. They jabbered about a mile a minute, scolding, grumbling, and finally sniffling. Life in the X-Mansion had taught them one thing... never take the people you care about for granted.
Kitty walked out a moment later, looking very much like the Writer had. She was not a happy woman. She had spent days worrying about where they were, and had called upon X-Men resources to try and locate them. Now they showed up, perfectly fine, and she wondered exactly what the heck they were doing gone for so long without so much as a call.
Once the 'bots had their turn chewing the Dynamic Duo out, Kitty stepped forward to give her lecture. "If you two had any idea about how worried we were, and..." her voice trailed off as she was given two near identical expressions. Puppy-dog eyes. Pouting. Completely adorable. She sighed heavily... there was no way she could possibly lecture. Once the lip trembling thing started, she'd lose it. "Where were you?"
"Ummmm..." Mike looked at Joel, shrugging helplessly.
"We, uh... we don't know," Joel supplied, a bit too quickly.
"You don't know," Kitty echoed, looking between the two of them. Two years before when she had been given her own command, she had never imagined having such nutcases on her team. Back then, it hadn't been hard. No insubordination, no crazy stunts, and no riffing her debriefings behind her back. Then, in the early summer, Mike had shown up (thanks to Scott), and they had retrieved Joel not long after. Since then, and since they had been inducted into ShadowKnight, they had certainly... *livened* the place up. "Well, do tell me when you have it figured out, okay?"
The two men nodded in unison, and after a moment headed back towards the house. Kitty fell in with them, and the 'bots went on ahead.
"Hey, Kitty?" Mike asked, discreetly reaching over and taking her hand, then looking at the sky and whistling a little tune. Not much he could do about blushing, though.
"Yea Mike?" She asked in turn, smiling slightly, but not really all that interested in getting her hand back.
He looked back at her for a moment, blue eyes twinkling. "Don't ever cut your hair short, okay? And if this guy named Pete comes around, just point him out to me."
Kitty smiled a little more, shaking her head. She had no idea where that came from. "I'll agree to that if you agree to leave a note before you run off."
Mike nodded solemnly, then grinned. "Deal."
------- ------ -----
The Writer collapsed onto the battered couch at her parent's house, rubbing her eyes. They could drive a person to drink, those two. After a moment, she looked up at her sister, confident, best friend, and Co-Writer. "The boys are home safe. Any idea for punishment? I was thinking Christmas shopping in New York City during a half-off sale with touring Midwestern mothers."
Her sister sat in the computer chaironly a few feet away, leaned back and posing the question. She wore a pair of faded jeans, a black shirt with the word Orgy plastered across the chest ('cause that's how she was) and a black velvet coat that was the closest thing to a cap without actually being one. He hair was down, nearly as long as the Writer, and black, half-framed glasses added to the ensemble, "Punishment? That's more like torture..."
"Well, after the Hell they put us through on a regular basis," the eldest of the two muttered. She idly pet the dog, looking at the ceiling. "Maybe have an old man show up as an exotic dancer, hired by Kitty, to torment the boys." She grinned. "I threatened Joel with Wolverine in heat, locked in the Danger Room with no way out. I think I scared him."
"Probably," she smiled, "Then again, he's probably going to make me pay for it later. Those cleats on gray matter kills me."
"Ow... well, worst comes to worst and we just let them be until we think up a suitable retaliation." The first Writer shrugged. "Afterall, next year is a new year, and a whole new set of opportunities."
"Agreed. Should be interesting... fun."
"Or odd and disturbing." A wicked grin. "Either works."
- --------- - --
Disclaimers: Mike, Joel and the 'bots belong to BBI. Kitty, Scott, and anyone else X-Related belongs to Marvel. Jess belongs to himself, and so do Karen and I. Kielle concepted Subreality, and for that, we're in her debt.
AKA - The Not So Incredible Journey
Subreality Series - 10 - Finale
By: SLWatson
KRWalker
Brief Cameo: Jess Willey
Notes: Sorry this one took so long, but now you don't have to worry about the boys running amuck in Subreality. Though, knowing that pair, they'll be back sometime or another to cause trouble. Thanks for putting up with us!
- --------- - --
It had been an odd run, at any length. Starting out in the Subreality Cafe, then taking a trip down the road, and even further, Mike Nelson and Joel Robinson were now ready to go home. It had been fun for the most part, aside from the temporary scare they had gotten by losing the Plot Convenience Device. They had learned a lot about the nature of Reality, Subreality, and Fiction. They had learned that though they were nothing more than fiction characters technically, in truth, they were so much more. In truth, they were capable of independent thought and feeling. Perhaps that was what separated them from some other characters... the ability to decide for themselves what they would be.
Now, as fall was beginning to come to an end and the days were getting colder even in Subreality, they decided to go home. It hadn't been long since they had gotten their device back. Since that time they had met a few more familiar faces, some unfamiliar faces, were chased around by some things that looked like bunny slippers... but then, it couldn't have been. Bunny slippers were just not that scary... were they?
But anyway, it had been a trip. Now the trip was over.
Joel and Mike stood outside of the Subreality Cafe. The pub behind them was lively with laughter and the neon sign glowed merrily into the night. The air outside was crisp and cold, filled with the smell of smoke wafting from the building, and of frost which would gather on the ground soon enough. Joel programmed the modified handheld computer easily enough, having gotten good at it over the time since it had been invented. "Well, I guess this is it," he commented, tossing a glance over at Mike.
Mike nodded. He was ready to go home to the Mansion now, and back to life as normal... well, as normal as it ever got in the X-Mansion. He missed razzing Remy at every chance he got, and missed sitting on the dock fishing. "Take 'er away, skipper."
Joel smiled and hit the send button.
Nothing happened.
He pursed his lips in a moment of confusion and tried again.
Still nothing.
"Problem?" Mike asked, leaning over to look at it. Joel didn't answer, and tried programming it slightly different.
Deader than a doornail.
"Nothing," the inventor murmured, worry making a brief appearance on his face. He ran a quick diagnostic, but it showed everything in proper working order. the batteries were brand new, and there was nothing that should be keeping them from making the trip home.
"Nothing?" Mike raised both of his eyebrows. He didn't like the sound of that. After being in Subreality for this long, he really really wanted to go home. Not that it was a bad place, but home was home, and he didn't want to be trapped forever.
"Nothing." A somewhat cool voice broke in, coming from behind the two men. Slowly they turned around to find the speaker. She was taller than most females, long hair that was less than neat, dark-ringed eyes that screamed of sleep deprivation, paint speckled leather jacket, torn jeans, and a gold ring on her wedding finger that glowed more than rings normally glowed out there in Reality. "Something the matter, gentlemen?"
"Um..." Mike basically answered for the both of them. He didn't know what to make of this; they had met some unfriendly people out there, but this woman was all but dripping ice onto the front steps of the Cafe.
"You know, I don't think I'm unjust to you, Nelson. I don't think I step over the lines very far, if at all, and I sure as Hell don't cross into Corruption..." Her voice trailed off for a moment and she turned a slight shade of red, but regained her composure before they could question it. "But if you ever, and I mean *ever*, decide to rebel without some sort of advanced warning, I am going to kick your farmboy butt to Pluto."
Well that explained the irritability, and the sleep deprived look. She was the Writer, and by the way the cold seemed to radiate off of her, she was a very unhappy Writer to boot. Mike blinked once or twice, then opted for his best smugly defiant look, feeling safe and secure with the knowledge Scott had given him a long time ago... she liked him too much to mess him up. "We didn't do anything wrong... b'sides, you could have come and gotten us any time you wanted."
"Yea, and we were just about to come back," Joel added, hoping that Mike wasn't leading them both into bad situation.
"And you," she turned her dark look to Joel, "Your Writer needs to lock you in the Danger Room with a mad Wolverine in heat and throw away the key... er, door lock combination..." she sighed, "whatever."
Joel swallowed hard, eyes wide open with well-founded worry. That thought could scare any man.
"Now, we're going to put you back in your own universe, and you two are going to behave. At least behave until everything is settled, okay?" The Writer looked between the two lunatics, and wondered again how she had gotten into this.
"Ummm.... you wrote yourself in?" came a voice from behind her. "Sorry about that. I was just reading your narration."
"Have we met?" the Writer asked.
"Sorta....we've chatted on IRC. You're right. You're Fictives are out of control... but you made the mistake... you gave them a fraction of your Writer powers by giving them free will. Let a more experienced Subrealizen handle this."
"What?" the Writer said, the ice queen level notching up a hair.
"What? Don't you trust me?" the other Writer replied.
Joel felt a tap on the shoulder. "Huh? You, but you're over there," Joel commented, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"It's a Writer thing.... no one can see me but you right now. I can get you home, but you have to send me one of those engines with this crystal put in it. Y'see I already wrote it into an RR post," the second Writer's twin said.
"I dunno, wouldn't that be going behind my Writer's back?" Joel asked.
"Come on, I'm a trustworthy guy..."
"Hey, Joel, who are you talking to?"
"Umm.. no one."
The first Writer stared at the second Writer with mild contempt. "What are you pulling?"
"Nothing.... I mean come on, if you can't trust a Subreality Safety Inspector, who can you trust?" the second Writer asked.
The first Writer smirked. "Well, my instincts for one, dear." She looked back at the two Fictives, who were both looking a little lost and confused. "Are you two ready to go home, or do I have to break out the ion cannon?"
It was Mike's turn to swallow hard, and he nodded. "More'n ready."
She stepped forward, prying the Plot Convenience Device away from Joel. "Good." He looked like he wanted to protest, but in a flash of light, he and Mike were both gone. She turned, smiling slightly at the other Writer. "You know, it's hard to coerce a fictive when the words are on the screen, luv." Then the Writer tossed him the Plot Convenience Device with a wink, and vanished herself.
------- ------ -----
When they appeared back in their own world, it couldn't have been too long after they left. Of course, this was back in the universe created for them, and in that universe, time wasn't necessarily an issue.
It much have been long enough to strike worry into the hearts of their family, though. Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot exited the front doors of the Mansion like streaks of red and gold, all but throwing themselves onto their two humans. They jabbered about a mile a minute, scolding, grumbling, and finally sniffling. Life in the X-Mansion had taught them one thing... never take the people you care about for granted.
Kitty walked out a moment later, looking very much like the Writer had. She was not a happy woman. She had spent days worrying about where they were, and had called upon X-Men resources to try and locate them. Now they showed up, perfectly fine, and she wondered exactly what the heck they were doing gone for so long without so much as a call.
Once the 'bots had their turn chewing the Dynamic Duo out, Kitty stepped forward to give her lecture. "If you two had any idea about how worried we were, and..." her voice trailed off as she was given two near identical expressions. Puppy-dog eyes. Pouting. Completely adorable. She sighed heavily... there was no way she could possibly lecture. Once the lip trembling thing started, she'd lose it. "Where were you?"
"Ummmm..." Mike looked at Joel, shrugging helplessly.
"We, uh... we don't know," Joel supplied, a bit too quickly.
"You don't know," Kitty echoed, looking between the two of them. Two years before when she had been given her own command, she had never imagined having such nutcases on her team. Back then, it hadn't been hard. No insubordination, no crazy stunts, and no riffing her debriefings behind her back. Then, in the early summer, Mike had shown up (thanks to Scott), and they had retrieved Joel not long after. Since then, and since they had been inducted into ShadowKnight, they had certainly... *livened* the place up. "Well, do tell me when you have it figured out, okay?"
The two men nodded in unison, and after a moment headed back towards the house. Kitty fell in with them, and the 'bots went on ahead.
"Hey, Kitty?" Mike asked, discreetly reaching over and taking her hand, then looking at the sky and whistling a little tune. Not much he could do about blushing, though.
"Yea Mike?" She asked in turn, smiling slightly, but not really all that interested in getting her hand back.
He looked back at her for a moment, blue eyes twinkling. "Don't ever cut your hair short, okay? And if this guy named Pete comes around, just point him out to me."
Kitty smiled a little more, shaking her head. She had no idea where that came from. "I'll agree to that if you agree to leave a note before you run off."
Mike nodded solemnly, then grinned. "Deal."
------- ------ -----
The Writer collapsed onto the battered couch at her parent's house, rubbing her eyes. They could drive a person to drink, those two. After a moment, she looked up at her sister, confident, best friend, and Co-Writer. "The boys are home safe. Any idea for punishment? I was thinking Christmas shopping in New York City during a half-off sale with touring Midwestern mothers."
Her sister sat in the computer chaironly a few feet away, leaned back and posing the question. She wore a pair of faded jeans, a black shirt with the word Orgy plastered across the chest ('cause that's how she was) and a black velvet coat that was the closest thing to a cap without actually being one. He hair was down, nearly as long as the Writer, and black, half-framed glasses added to the ensemble, "Punishment? That's more like torture..."
"Well, after the Hell they put us through on a regular basis," the eldest of the two muttered. She idly pet the dog, looking at the ceiling. "Maybe have an old man show up as an exotic dancer, hired by Kitty, to torment the boys." She grinned. "I threatened Joel with Wolverine in heat, locked in the Danger Room with no way out. I think I scared him."
"Probably," she smiled, "Then again, he's probably going to make me pay for it later. Those cleats on gray matter kills me."
"Ow... well, worst comes to worst and we just let them be until we think up a suitable retaliation." The first Writer shrugged. "Afterall, next year is a new year, and a whole new set of opportunities."
"Agreed. Should be interesting... fun."
"Or odd and disturbing." A wicked grin. "Either works."
- --------- - --
Disclaimers: Mike, Joel and the 'bots belong to BBI. Kitty, Scott, and anyone else X-Related belongs to Marvel. Jess belongs to himself, and so do Karen and I. Kielle concepted Subreality, and for that, we're in her debt.