Well, here's the first chapter of my fic, as promised. Be warned, it's long. (Most of my writing is. Is that bad?) If you like it, I'll post more. Enjoy!
A flock of seagulls soared over the Truce Inn as the sun rose over the Kingdom of Guardia. The sounds of balloons being launched from Leene Square were heard from a distance. A bell rang in Leene Square. Inside the Truce Inn, Mike Nelson was attempting to get some sleep.
"MIKE!" Tom Servo shouted in Mike's ear. "Wake up!"
"It's too early," Mike groused as he rolled over.
"Come on, Mike!" Crow pleaded. "You promised us you'd take us to the Millennial Fair!"
"I know. But not this--"
"MIKE!" Servo cried. "MikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMike..."
"MikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMike..." Crow began.
Gypsy joined the chorus. "MikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMikeMike..."
"ALL RIGHT!!" Mike sat up and threw his hands up in defeat. "I need to get dressed. Gypsy, go down to the bar and get me a cup of coffee."
"Sure, Mike!" She walked to the door, and clamped her mouth around the doorknob to open it. She then headed downstairs.
"Tom and Crow, go get some donuts."
"Yay!" They walked--or, in Servo's case, hovered--out of the room.
"Cambot, you've got the most important job. Make sure Tom and Crow don't eat any of the donuts."
Cambot gave an affirmative gesture and left the room.
Mike jumped out of bed and pulled on an old Minnesota Vikings shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He slipped on combat boots before heading to the bathroom to wash up.
Once he finished, he headed downstairs to the bar. Gypsy was at the bar, and Cambot was fighting with Crow and Tom over the donuts.
Mike approached the bar. "Thanks, Gypsy." He took a sip of his coffee before heading over to Tom and Crow.
"Donuts are for people. You get RAM chips."
"Awww..." Crow groaned.
"Oh, quit whining. Here you go." Mike dug into his pocket and pulled out some RAM chips. He motioned for Gypsy to come over, then threw them on the table.
***
Joel Robinson was beginning another day at Guardia Castle. Joel's family had assumed that he had died, so they gave his assets to his brother Jim. He had nothing, so he took a job at the castle as a janitor. He didn't get much money, but he was able to live in the servants' quarters for free.
Joel wasn't sure what had happened. One minute he was on Earth, the next he was in Truce Village. All he knew was that he had to try to make a living.
He had the day off for the Millennial Fair. Unfortunately, Princess Nadia would use this as an excuse to escape from the castle.
Joel headed out the main doors. Nadia then ran down the stairs behind him.
"Can I come with you? Please, please, ple--"
"No," Joel told her in a gentle but firm manner. "Your father wants you to stay here."
"I don't care! I'm coming with you!"
"GUARDS!" Joel called. A bevy of guards came running to his rescue. "Take care of Princess Nadia."
"Yes, sir." One took her by the arm and escorted her away.
Spoiled brat, Joel thought to himself. He opened the castle doors, greeted by the sunshine.
***
As Mike ate, he started thinking about the necklace he possessed. It was all he had left of his family.
No. He couldn't think about this now, not when the `bots were so happy...
His thoughts shifted elsewhere. Whatever happened to that other test subject, Joel?
"Are you done, guys?" The bots nodded. "Let's go."
As they filed out of the bar, Mike was barraged with hyperactive chants of "YAY! We're going to the fair!"
***
Joel walked into Leene Square. Such a wonderful party...the `bots would love it. He missed them horribly.
Also, what about that guy Mike, who was imprisoned after him?
His answer came when Joel and Mike ran into each other. Mike's pendant went flying across the Square.
Mike pushed himself up, then stood up. Approaching Joel, he began to apologize profusely until he noticed his pendant was gone.
"My pendant! Don't tell me I've lost it!"
Joel pushed himself off the ground and stood up to search for the pendant. He found it lying on the cobblestone near a candy counter. He picked it up and handed it to Mike, who was walking around a tent looking for it.
"Thank you so much! That pendant has a lot of sentimental value!" He looked at Joel again, then did a double take. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"
Joel studied Mike's features carefully. "I remember you, Mike. You took my place."
"Your name's Joel, right?"
Joel nodded. "It's nice to meet you finally. Where are the `bots? I haven't seen them in such a long time."
Mike looked around. "You're right. Where are they?"
The two headed down a flight of stairs and found the `bots at a soda guzzling booth. There were empty cans of soda all over the ground. Cherry Coke dribbled out of Crow's beak, and Gypsy had a soda can in her mouth. Cambot was looking away, pretending that the others didn't exist.
Mike sighed. "I told you guys not to go off alone."
"Hey, are these things yours?" the booth attendant asked. "The purple one was able to drink 11 cans in 45 seconds." Gypsy then demonstrated this ability by placing another can in her mouth and tilting back so the contents emptied into her.
Servo hovered over to the two humans. "Oh, hi Joel--JOEL!! Joel's here!"
"JOEL!!" The `bots hurried over to the two. Joel gave Crow a big hug.
"I missed you guys so much!" Joel hugged each one of the `bots, who were pushing and shoving each other to get to him. "You guys have been behaving for Mike, right?"
"Um..." Servo began.
"That depends on what your definition of `behave' is," Crow stated.
The booth attendant looked at his watch. "That girl Lucca's device is all set up. The show is at the north end of the square."
"I promised Lucca I'd go watch," Joel said. "Let's go see."
"Ooh! Who's Lucca?" Servo teased.
Joel carried Servo up the stairs. Mike and the other bots were following him. "She's an inventor. She and her dad are really into science."
At the north end of Leene Square, two large platforms stood at opposite ends. Each was encompassed in a semicircle of glass. A large pair of machines stood between them. Wires snaked all over the cobblestone. The whole setup reminded Mike of "This Island Earth."
"Joel!" Lucca rushed over to the group. She was a slender girl of medium height, with purple hair that hung down underneath the hat she wore. She also had on a pair of Coke bottle glasses. "Nobody wants to try the Telepod!"
"I'll try it," Joel told her. "You and your dad can go get in position."
"Thanks, Joel! That's so nice of you! Just step onto the left platform." She ran to the machine next to the right platform. Her father, Taban, headed to the machine on the left.
"I'll be right back," Joel told the group before stepping onto the left platform.
Taban flipped the switches on his machine. "All systems on!"
Lucca flipped the switches on hers. "Begin energy transfer!"
Joel vanished and transformed into several sparks of light. The sparks shot over to the right platform, then collected, making Joel reappear.
"Oh wow!" Gypsy cheered. "That was great!"
"Wow, cool!" Mike yelled. "I want to try it, too!"
Joel stepped off the right platform. "By all means."
"Hey, are you sure about this?" Taban asked. "There's still time to change your mind!"
"No way!" Mike said. "Throw the switch!" He stepped up onto the left platform.
Taban took his position at the left machine. "All systems on!"
"Begin energy transfer!" Lucca ordered.
The machines gave out a loud whine as Mike's pendant began to sparkle. An unknown force sent Mike spinning in circles as rays of light shot out of the two machines.
"My pendant!" Mike cried. "It's--"
The pendant seemed to leap off his body as he began to levitate. He was dragged into the light between the machines. A large blue portal materialized behind him. It sucked him in, then vanished.
"What happened?!" Taban screamed. "Where is he?!"
Lucca examined the machines. "The way he disappeared couldn't have been caused by the Telepod!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Joel could see the pendant glimmering on the left platform. He stepped back up onto the platform and grabbed the pendant.
"Joel!" Lucca was shocked. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm going after him."
Taban turned to Lucca. "Won't they both be lost?"
"This is our only hope!" Lucca replied. She spoke to Joel again. "That pendant seems to be the key, so hang onto it, and brace yourself!"
Joel nodded. "Will you guys watch the `bots while I'm gone?"
"Sure," Lucca said as she rushed to the right machine.
Taban fiddled with the switches on the left machine. "All systems on!"
"Begin energy transfer!" Nothing was happening. "Power to full!" Lucca yelled.
"Roger!" Taban turned a few dials on his machine.
"More! Give me more power!"
"Roger!" Taban played with the machine until rays of light shot out from both machines.
"There!" Lucca stated. "We did it!"
The blue portal materialized again. Joel was pulled into it.
"I'll follow you after I know what went wrong," Lucca told Joel. "Good luck!"
The portal closed. Joel was sent reeling through time and space. He clenched his eyes shut and gripped the pendant in his hands.
Joel was then deposited into a canyon. He looked around, bewildered by his new surroundings. Where the hell was he?
He didn't have time to think about that. Three small blue monsters made their way towards him.