Festival workers scrambled through Leene Square with various pieces of machinery as Joel, Mike, and Damien headed to the Vallant residence. They were setting up for the final night of the Millennial Fair, which was the next night. Mike watched the festival workers with a melancholy feeling. The end of the Millennial Fair meant that he would have to leave Guardia Kingdom.
Joel knocked on the Vallants' front door. Mike also knew that leaving Guardia Kingdom would mean leaving Joel behind, and that was something he did not want to think about.
Lucca opened the door and gasped. "I never thought you guys would come back alive."
"It's all because we worked as a team," Damien said. "I used to work alone, but these two have taught me the importance of comrades." Damien turned to Joel and Mike and smiled. "Thank you."
Joel and Mike stared blankly at Damien. They weren't sure which was more startling: getting thanked by Damien or the fact that he was smiling.
Lucca smiled. "See? Friends are everything. Come on in."
***
"And then what?!" Servo asked excitedly as he edged closer to the couch. The `bots were all crowded around Joel and were eagerly listening to the details of the final battle.
"Pearl and Damien had the same power," Joel explained. "It was going nowhere, so I realized that I had to disable the Mammon Machine if we were going to get anywhere."
Mike looked up and realized that Damien had left the room. He rose from his recliner and headed for the front door. He knew where Damien had gone. Mike left the house and headed for the alley where he had previously spoken to Damien.
As Mike had expected, Damien was standing in front of the river. Damien was staring off into space.
"Hey," Mike said as he walked towards Damien.
Damien looked at Mike, and then back in front of him. "After the fair is over, I'm going back to my own time. I'm going to help the Earthbound Ones finish rebuilding, and then live there myself."
"You don't want to stay here?" Mike asked.
"I do not belong here." Damien looked down at the ground. "Schala would have wanted to help rebuild the village, too."
"I don't want to leave," said Mike.
Damien nodded. "I know. It was obvious from the start."
"Huh?" Mike asked, confused.
"You climbed Death Peak for him." Damien turned to Mike and stared into his eyes. "You refused to let him go alone in the fortress. Joel is to you what Schala was to me."
Mike's jaw dropped. Suddenly, everything he had felt made sense. He remembered the anguish of watching Joel die, how he and Joel had relied on one another, and how determined he was to climb Death Peak to save Joel. Joel had once told him that he had his own reasons for wanting to go with Mike. Could it be...?
"I am certain he feels the same for you," Damien continued. "You told me about how he took care of you after you fell from the bridge. He also took that hit from Lavos to protect you."
***
"Joel!" Lucca called from the front door. "The castle mechanics want to see you."
Joel looked down at the `bots. "Sorry, guys, I have to go. I'll tell you the rest later."
"PLEEEEEEAAAASSSEE???" chorused the `bots.
"Of course," Joel said, smiling. "I'll be back later."
Lucca led Joel into Leene Square. Several mechanics were having trouble with the final act of the Millinneal Fair.
"They want your help," Lucca said before running off.
Joel walked to one of the machines and inspected it. Once he found the problem, he opened up the machine with a Phillips screwdriver and pulled out the faulty circuit.
"Hey!" one of the castle mechanics called out. "How'd you do that?"
"Simple," Joel replied. "It was a faulty circuit."
"Are you a mechanic?" another mechanic called out.
Joel shook his head. "No, I'm a janitor."
"Is the King crazy? One we get these all fixed up, we're gonna ask him to make you a full-time mechanic. You'll live in a house outside the castle for free!"
"Not bad," said Joel, grinning. "Let's finish this up."
***
Mike thought about what Damien had said as he went back to the Vallant residence. Everything Damien said was true. Mike had been stifling his feelings for Joel though the entire time.
The `bots were asleep on the living room floor. Mike picked up Servo and placed him on the couch. He placed a pillow under Servo's head.
Mike then carried Cambot upstairs to his room. He placed Cambot on the floor before going back downstairs.
When Mike got downstairs, he picked up Gypsy and carried her upstairs to Joel's room. He put her on the floor before going downstairs to put Crow to bed.
Suddenly, the front door opened. "I'm back!" Joel called.
Mike ran over to see Joel. Joel's clothes were covered in oil, grime, and soot.
"Guess what, Mike," Joel asked, his face beaming.
"Uh...you got a promotion?" Mike inquired.
"Did I ever!" Joel smiled. "I'm now a full-time mechanic at Guardia Castle. That means I get to live in a house outside the castle for free!"
"That's awesome!" Mike shouted.
"I just have one question," Joel said. "Will you be my roommate?"
Mike beamed. "Of course I will! I was hoping you'd ask that! What about the `bots?"
"They'll live with us, too," Joel replied.
"That's wonderful!" Mike cried. "I'd hug you, but you're dirty."
Joel laughed. "No problem. There's plenty of time for that later. All you have to do is move your stuff in. It's pre-furnished."
"Sweet!" Mike said as he clasped his hands.
"I'm taking a shower, then going to bed," Joel stated. "Let's go to the last night of the Millennial Fair together."
***
Joel and Mike spent the morning moving their stuff into Joel's new house. They stood in the den talking.
"Well, you have a new house, a new roommate, and a new life," Joel told Mike. "You have everything you want."
"Not everything," Mike said as he walked over to Joel and placed his arms around him. Joel returned the gesture and wrapped his arms around Mike. They both gazed longingly into one another's eyes before their lips met.
The kiss consummated everything they had felt since the day they met. They were lost in a fleeting bliss, almost nirvana, until they had to break the kiss to breathe.
There were several moments of complete silence until Joel finally asked, "How are we gonna tell the `bots?"
"We'll worry about that as soon as we all move in," Mike replied. "We'll sit down and talk to them, and answer any questions they may have. Once we explained what happened, I think they'll take it pretty well."
Joel nodded. "You're right. Let's go back and take them to the fair."
***
The machines that Joel had worked on were spinning around shooting out fireworks. Lucca, Taban, and Lara were sitting on a bench, drinking lemonade and watching the fireworks. Several rythymic dancers were dancing on each side of the square, their elaborate costumes swaying in maelstroms of color.
"Hey, check out the tits on her!" Crow yelled as he pointed at one of the dancers.
"Hot damn!" Servo yelled in agreement.
Gypsy and Cambot shook their heads, then went back to watching the fireworks.
Joel and Mike sat down on a bench in a quieter area. The fireworks were visible above them.
"I'm keeping my pendant, no matter what," Mike stated. "I want to hold onto my family for as long as I can."
Joel nodded in understanding. "I bought you something today." He handed Mike a ring box.
Mike smiled. "That reminds me; I bought you something too." Mike reached into his pocket and took out the ring box. He gave it to Joel.
Joel and Mike opened their ring boxes and looked at one another's ring. They had both bought the same silver band.
Joel smiled. "This is perfect."
"I agree," Mike said as he put the ring on.
Joel put his new ring on and held it against Mike's. Their hands, and their rings, looked so perfect together.
"We have a new life ahead of us," said Joel. "Let's face it together."
"Yeah, together," Mike said before gently kissing Joel.
THE END