Getting Sucked In

“Duuuude...what are you doing in the bathroom?” Ray asks. He turns and looks at the sea of faces watching him curiously. He smiles. Ray turns back to the bathroom and enters. His voice fades as he says, “Long time no see man,” and closes the door behind him. He emerges minutes later with Damon following close behind. The demon has toilet paper hanging off of both horns and his mouth is coated in mauve lipstick. He is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that reads “Visit Faerie. Enchantment Awaits.” Damon follows Ray into the living room eagerly, smiling as he looks around at all of the familiar faces. His eyes stop. His smile disappears. The demon walks straight to Diomedes and hands him an envelope.

Writer Lady and Monitor Man keep low. They make their way through the rain forest using every caution. After verifying that they have lost their pursuers, the two find their way to the bubble landing site. Hiding behind...what else? Trees, the pair watch as a family of platypus leave their abandoned bubbles and head into a stand of trees in the distance. The bubbles darken slightly and the noise level lowers to a quiet hum.

“What's happening?” Monitor Man asks.

“I think that they may be shutting down. No...wait...the bubbles are still humming. They must be in quiet mode? Why?” She responds.

“They're waiting for new passengers.” He suggests.

Writer Lady and Monitor Man look at the empty bubble, look at each other, and smile. Each make their way to a bubble.

“How do we get inside?” He asks.

“I don't know.”

Something rustles among the trees. Both look in the direction of the sound. A lioness emerges from the shadows with a house cat following close behind.

“Can't we ride the bubbles Mom?” The cat asks.

“Not this time dear. We need to get home. Your father is already on his way back from the canned fish convention.”

“If we take bubbles won't we get there faster?”

“We're practically home now.”

“Mo-om.” The cat whines.

“Maybe next time dear.”

“Mom...I promise not to break another one.” He says, trying again.

“You have better control of your claws?” The lioness asks.

“I practice every day. I remember what Dad said too, 'If you knead you can't fly with speed'.”

“That's very good.”

“Let me show you.” The house cat presses.

“Next time.”

“Pleeeaase?”

The lioness smiles, she blinks, and answers patiently. “Next time.”

“O...kay.”

“A lioness and a house cat.” Monitor Man says, watching as they continue their journey.

“Yeah.” Writer Lady says, returning to the task at hand.

“Did you hear me? A lioness and a house cat?”

“Faerie? We're in Faerie. We are going to see things like that. Can you help me get one of these bubbles moving or do you need to be shot at before motivation kicks in?” Writer Lady asks, crossing her arms.

“Asks the cranky woman.”

“Excuse me.” She says, pointing to the target on the front of his t-shirt. “I am traveling in another dimension with a moving target and an unknown assailant. It makes a woman cranky.”

There's a rustling noise in the trees. Both Writer Lady and Monitor Man look in the direction the sound originated.

A second louder sound echoes through the open expanse. An orange monkey screeches as it travels through nearby branches.

“Maybe now is a good time to get going. We're too visible here.” Monitor Man says.

“Ya think?”

Spots Wash looks through the trees and watches Monitor Man as his eyes follow the lioness and house cat walking past him. He starts talking the moment that he senses Smudge Mal behind him.

“Am I still your useless little brother? I found him.”

Smudge Mal looks at what Spots Wash is looking at. “I'll be...”

“darned.” Spots says finishing his brother's sentence.

“Finally...things are gonna get interesting.”

“Help!” Carp calls into the vastness that is Faerie.

“Here comes another one.” Tinkletoes says. “Be more aggressive.”

“Remember that in Faerie everything can sense your emotions and can reject you at any time because of them.” Black Buck coaches.

A bubble zips across the meadow, skirting over grasses and flowers.

“Here it comes.” Black Buck says.

“Take control.” Tinkletoes says, looking at Carp. “You're a soldier.”

Carp looks at Tinkletoes and nods. Facing the bubble, he raises both hands indicating that he is the one in need of a ride. The bubble floats to Carp, immediately reversing within inches of the self-trained assassin.

Carp looks at Tinkletoes with uncertainty.

“I won't let you fail.” Tinkletoes says, turning to the bubble. “Hey!” He yells. The bubble pauses its retreat.

Black Buck and Carp look at each other.

“Come on.” Tinkletoes says, looking at Carp.

Carp makes his way over to Tinkletoes and the bubble. He reaches out and bubble starts backing away.

Tinkletoes walks around the back of the bubble stopping behind it. The bubble stops moving.

“Try again.” Tinkletoes says.

Carp raises his hand again, as the bubble floats back Tinkletoes stops it with his own hand. The spot where Tinkletoes' hand meets the surface turns green. The bubble begins warming.

“I have seen that before.” Black Buck says.

As the bubble warms, Tinkletoes' hand pushes its way through the bubble's membrane.

The bubble moves closer. Slowly, more and more of Tinkletoes is surrounded by the sphere.

“Whoa.” Tinkletoes says. “Slow down. I'm not getting inside. Carp is.”

The bubble continues inching its way forward engulfing the self-proclaimed mercenary's arm to his shoulder.

“I said, Whoa.”

The bubble glows, turning red. It begins to back up. Beep...beep...beep...

“Hey...Hey!” Tinkletoes yells.

The bubble stops.

Tinkletoes looks at Carp and Black Buck, standing tall and muscular with a floating bubble half engulfing one forearm.

“I think that the bubble disagrees.” Black Buck says.

“I didn't ask the damn thing what it wanted.” He responds glaring at the bubble. Tinkletoes looks at Carp. “You...get over here.”

Carp makes his way to Tinkletoes.

“Get in.” Tinkletoes says.

The bubble begins floating back and forth.

Carp reaches up to steady the bubble. A sheet of bright light travels along the outside of the bubble illuminating and electrifying its surface. “Ouch.” Carp says removing his hands.

The light disappears. The bubble adjusts its position inching closer and closer to Tinkletoes. There is a loud sucking sound. The self-proclaimed mercenary is surrounded.

“I have never seen that before.” Black Buck says.