The episode they showed this morning...That was so cool! I loved it so much, and it just made me love Tech so much more! And he was such a cute little nerd-I-mean-scientist.
But seriously, that was such a great episode.
Though I was a little confused about some things. So obviously, their fur colors didn't change after being struck by the meteor, and they're all still original animal colors. But the suits they wear doesn't cover their entire face. So it looks like some of their fur is different. How does that work? Oh well. Maybe it's just some weird thing with their suits.
And in any case, I loved seeing them without the suits. I wanted to squeeze Slam so much, he looked so cute and fluffy!
Oh! And that episode also gave me inspiration for another story. But that's beyond the point right now. At the moment, I need to finish this one. Anyway, here's the next chapter, so enjoy!
"I don't really remember much after that…I just sat there thinking, wondering, and trying to make sense of it all. But I couldn't…I don't even know how time passed while I just stayed like that…"
"Then what happened?"
"Well…after a while, I felt the presence of several beings, and I knew it was the metacs. I wasn't sure how far away I was from Acmetropolis, or if I had still been in the city, but with the metacs there, I figured they were trying to leave. So I attacked them."
"You attacked them?"
"Yeah. I mean, I was really mad about everything, and I wasn't really thinking. So I attacked them. But I hadn't trained to deal with that many opponents, and since I wasn't really in my right mind that didn't help much. The metacs got the upper hand of me…then as I was on hanging on the edge, I heard the sound of a ship coming closer. Seconds later I passed out, and the next thing I know, I wake up here…"
The room was silent for the longest time. Then Danger gave a short laugh. "Y'know, you were right…" he said, placing his hands on his waist. "That was really weird."
Ace grinned slightly. "Yeah, I know, wasn't it? The really weird thing was that I was watching everything that was happening, like a show or something, but I could hear all of my own thoughts but no one else's. So it was like I was experiencing it while watching it at the same time."
"Wow…" Lexi said softly, sitting back in her seat. "That was quite a dream, Ace."
"Try a nightmare…" the leader responded.
The bunny shrugged in reply. "Well, I warned you and Slam not to try that Super Double Deluxe Sundae."
Slam protested with some grumbles and grunts.
"I think I was just tired, that's all," Ace said. "I mean, even though it was a nightmare, and a disturbing one at that, that was the first night I had slept all the way through. It's kind of strange."
Before Lexi could remark, Rev jumped up to his feet. "Nightmare-or-not-that-was-the-creepiest-thing-I've-ever-heard!" he exclaimed. "I-mean-I've-had-nighmares-before-and-I've-seen-horror-movies-but-wow!-I-was-sitting-on-the-edge-of-my-seat-the-whole-time!"
Ace wasn't entirely sure if the roadrunner was frightened by the dream or if he was amused by it. After all, Rev did watch a lot of horror movies.
"But-how-come-I-had-to-die-first?" the quickster added, pouting slightly.
"Aw, c'mon Rev," the rabbit replied. "It was just a dream after all…"
"Maybe…" Tech's voice piped in suddenly, "but you never know…"
The other five looked over at the coyote who sat with his arms folded over his torso. It was the first time he had spoken that morning since Ace began telling his reverie.
"What do you mean?" Ace asked.
"Well…" the scientist said, "I've read a few things where people thought that dreams were filled with underlying themes or messages. Many others believe that dreams are gateways to the world beyond. But some thought that dreams were visions of the future…"
"Oh come on Tech," Lexi said. "You're the last person I would have thought to believe something like that."
"Well, I'm not sure if I do believe it." Tech rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But I just thought it was odd how Ace dreamt that I had sample dust from the meteor."
The rabbit blinked slightly. "Do you?"
The coyote looked at the leader with serious eyes. "I've never told anyone about it…" he replied.
"Well-maybe-he-just-thought-it-was-something-you'd-do," Rev piped up. "I-mean-being-a-scientist-and-all-it-just-sounds-a-lot-like-you."
"I guess, but it just seems too much of a coincidence. Even if you say it's something I'd do, did any of you think that I had that sample before Ace's dream?"
The others fell silent as they thought over the coyote's words. They had never really stopped and considered it before. Even if they could imagine him gathering dust left by the meteor, they never considered the possibility that he actually had the sample until that moment.
"What's really odd," Tech continued, "is when, in the dream, I had mentioned that the meteor had a distinctive, unrecognizable property that I've never seen before. Eerily enough, that's true…"
"So, you've done tests on the meteor dust?" Ace asked.
The scientist nodded slightly.
"Okay, so the meteor dust is different," Danger said. "So what? Do you really think that in five years, the city's gonna be under attack by metallic creatures while we start dying off?"
Tech was still for a moment, a thoughtfulness settling in his features as he closed his eyes. He sat that way for a few a while before his eyes opened again and he looked at the others. "In regards to the…metacs…" he finally said slowly, "I couldn't really say. There was no idea where they came from or what they were really made of…"
The coyote paused for a moment, and Ace could see that the other was thinking again, developing all possible options and outcomes, considering every fact and what each could mean.
Soon, the scientist spoke once again. "As for the microbes in our bodies…I don't know about you guys, but the last time my blood was checked was right after the meteor hit. There was nothing found then, but we've been at this for about a year. Maybe the microbes were too small to see a year ago, but…well, if there was anything inside of us…they've had some time to grow…"
They were all quiet as the coyote's implication hung over their heads. Just the very idea of that alarming episode being a reality…Ace closed his eyes as the images of his dream – his nightmare – returned to him. When he had been telling the others about his dream, he had done his best to appear calm and collected, but in all honesty the event had left him just as shaken as his imagined self. He had awoken that morning soaked in his own sweat and tears, and the vivid emotions that lingered from the aftermath of the visions had left him sitting in his bed for more than an hour just trying to recollect himself. He had somehow managed to convince himself that the entire affair had only been a dream.
But even if there was some truths in his dream…if they did something about it now, then everything would be okay. Right?
He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a gentle touch on his arm. "Ace…" he heard Lexi say softly, "are you okay?"
Underlying her question, in his mind, was the sound of her screaming as she had in his dreams. Tears burned under his eyelids as the unwanted images returned to him, and the feelings that accompanied them swept over his body caused him to shudder slightly. Sighing heavily, he somehow managed to find his voice and answer her.
"I don't know Lexi. At the moment…I really don't know…"
The End
Mwahaha. How was that ending? If you didn't like it, then I apologize if you feel that I've wasted your time. If you did like it, then that's good.
But whether or not you liked it, I am not at all sorry for ending it the way I did.
See, when I first thought of this story, I immediately knew that I wanted the entire thing to be a dream. I'm not sure why, but that's just how I wanted to do it. When I started writing it, though, I realized that I didn't want to end it just like that. I mean, I didn't want to leave it as just a 'oh it was all a dream and they're all really okay and it's such a happy ending' kind of thing. So I gave it that little twist where it just might be possible.
So again. If you didn't like it, I apologize if I've wasted your time. But I don't apologize for ending it this way.
On another note, this probably won't be the last you'll see of me, because I've got a few other stories in the works. Of those are three one shots, one chapter story, and two others that a friend and I have been conceiving. Hopefully I can get them done, and I really hope that people don't have the same ideas and post them up before me. If they do...well, I'll still write and post them up anyway. Heheh. So I'm going to try writing them and posting them up as soon as possible.
On another, totally unrelated note, during the past week I've been stressing over my Statistics class (it's so evil) because I had a test on Thursday. Well, I saw my grade tonight. It was an A! Oh, that relieved me in so many ways!
Anyway, now that that's off my chest, I hope you enjoyed the story. Please review (and no flames if you can help it) and I'll see you in my next story!