Some Things Just Can't Be Understood

Pheobie nodded absently. She wandered back into the kitchen and started cooking where she left off, clearly less cheerful than when she started.

"Sorry about that" She called softly. "He isn't the nicest person... But he's the only person that lets me rent an apartment. The power of the dollar" She gave a feeble laugh.

"What? What do you mean he's the only one that'll take you in?" Maple interrogated, his voice rising. "What, are people so worried about the color of their door trim being changed temporarily that they won't take a lovely young pup like yourself? And I'm willing to bet that the other fine young people they take in instead drink until they puke or smoke interesting leaves in their rooms. Because that will do nothing at all to the inquisite state of these pack-rat houses, no, nothing at all whatsover!"

He realized he was shouting, and decided to shut up before her made the other residents, possible drinkers and smokers themselves, any less friendly then they might already be. He did not need to get his gentle hostess thrown out of the only place willing to let her live there.

"...Anyway, just let me know when breakfast is ready. No hurry," he added in a cheerful tone, wearing an almost-perfect smile that he knew she couldn't see anyway. He flopped back down onto the couch.

Pheobie finished cooking the bacon and started making eggs. She put some bread in the toaster. Her chipper morning attitude having been spoiled by the landlord.

"Would you like some juice?" She asked softly "Or would you prefer milk again?"

"Milk will be fine," he called back.

Maple's attitude was also sulky. He knew he couldn't change things. He had tried that kind of thing before, and usually it had less than favorable consequences. Taking her with him was out of the question. She didn't need the physical and mental scars that came with his job.

"Perhaps you could put that all into a sandwich so I take it to go?" he added as an afterthought. He didn't feel like being cooped up here any longer, and the walk to the ship might help both of their moods.

"Alright. How would you like your eggs?" Pheobie asked.

She retrieved the toast and put some bacon on it.

"And would you like some cheese on it?"

"Sure, why not?" replied Maple, as he gathered up his notes and packed them in his worn traveling bag. He never did get around to reviewing them properly, but that could be done later. He wondered if he should bother to make himself look more presentable.

Pheobie slowly assembled Maple's sandwich. She wanted to make it perfect for him.

She wrapped it in a napkin and made one for herself before walking back out to the living room. "Here. Are you ready?" She asked softly.

"Yep," said Maple, recieving the sandwich and taking a a bite out of it. "Mmm-mm! If I had a wholesome meal like this every day I would be a healthy man! Now onward!"

(OOC: Next stop, the ship, unless you have something else in mind)

Pheobie's mood hadn't lightened at all on the trip to the ship. As a matter of fact, it seemed to make her more depressed to see the repaired ship. She didn't want Maple to go. She liked having a person around that actually enjoyed her company.

Maple noticed how Pheobie still lacked her usual cheeriness, and wasn't sure what to do about it. He always assumed the happy people always got friends because they were happy, even if they had some little quirk like funny-colored eyes or a weird little laugh. He'd always envied those people. But maybe he was wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

He walked over to the ship and noticed the note stuck on the door. Expecting the usual charge bill, he found himself looking at just that...or so he thought.

Dear Mr. Maple, you owe me 35,000 for the ship repairs, Mr.Crawford's note read in surprisingly articulate handwriting. Or you can take Pheobie girl with you and not worry about the charge. I'm sure there's someplace better for her out there than here.

Maple gawked, re-reading the note several times to make sure he had read it right. It read just the same each time. Now he couldn't help but wonder...should he do it? For one, he doubted he had 35,000 to spend. But it would still be dangerous...

"I guess you'll be going now..." Pheobie mumbled dully. "Can I hug you goodbye?" She asked without looking up at him. He was her first human friend and she was going to really miss him. If her luck held out, today would just keep spiralling her deeper into a depression.

Maple skipped answering the question and just hugged her, while the cogs in his mind still spun in waters of uncertainty. Then he noticed the cat on the ground behind them, glaring at Maple like the decision should be obvious.

"Uh..ah..." Maple rambled, alternating between looking at her and looking away. "Would you...like to come?"

Pheobie looked up at him in surprise, revealing the tearful eyes she had been trying to hide by looking at her feet. "Can I?" She whispered, as if it would all vanish if she said it any louder.

He smiled slightly as he rustled her hair.

"Sure thing, pup," Maple said. "You can even bring hairball if you want. Just remember it won't be all roses and posies, got it?"

----

Crawford watched it all from a distance. Copies of the ship were coiled in his grasp. The amount he forfeited for repairing the ship would be nothing compared to the fortune he was about to make. He would revolutionize this sleepy place. He would be famous, even legendary.

Besides, Pheobie got a chance to go somewhere else. It wasn't all motivated by greed and fame. Just mostly. If nothing else, he was honest.

Pheobie threw her arms around him with a gleeful squeal as she buried her face in his middle. "Thank you!" She cried. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!"

She let go and looked up at him a big grin on her face. "Do I need to bring anything else? I can run back to my apartment and we can bring anything you think we would need. I'm obviously not coming back~"

"Ah, well, I've pretty much got everything I need already on the ship," explained Maple, feeling oddly embarassed. "Lots of things got banged up when I crashed, but not the storage or food compartments. So all that matters is anything that matters to you back at the apartment. Otherwise we're ready to go."

Pheobie looked thoughtful. "Can you wait for a little bit? There is something I want from there" She mumbled shyly. "Its something my parents gave me before they died... And a picture of them too. And I should get some clothes..." She blushed slightly.

"No problem! I'll need to check everything to make sure it's all fixed anyway," Maple answered. "Oh, and bring back whatever food you've got. The more food on hand, the better."

Pheobie nodded, her face splitting into another grin. She turned and dashed off, wanting to be back as quickly as possible.

~~

Pheobie came back with two bags, a backpack and a duffle bag. "I got everything I wanted and all the food" She chirped to Maple. "I even took the rest of my money and went to the store to get food for Mr Kitty and extra food for us"

The ship was running now, hovering slightly. It gave off a faint glow of silver, with pulses of white energy skimming just under the metal surface.

"Swell!" Maple called from the open door of the ship. "The ship hasn't imploded yet, so I say we're good to go!"

Pheobie hesitantly stepped inside.

The cat followed her then raced ahead to find Maple.

Confident now that it was safe, Pheobie walked farther inside the ship to see what Maple wanted her to do with her stuff and the food.

The cat trotted over to Maple and clawed at his coat.

"What do you want, furball?" asked Maple, before noticing Pheobie. "Ah, is that everything? The food safe is in the kitchen to your right. I only have the kitchen because it came with the ship."

The cat mrowed loudly.

"And yes that is a regular thing where I come from," Maple added, as if the cat was contesting the kitchen statement. "Anything non-edible can go into the storage room in the left. We'll figure out where to put it later. You hang onto furball."

Pheobie divided everything up and put it where she was instructed. She picked up the cat when she was done and stood a few feet away from Maple, watching him as he worked. She waited to be useful.

Maple's thin fingers scrambled across the flashing keyboard effortlessly, the motion practiced many times. The door closed shut, hissing a bit. The craft continued to rise. Maple was disappointed that there was no one outside to stare at his otherwordly vehicle, but perhaps that was just as well.

"Well pup, we'll be off!" he announced proudly. "Once the GS system kicks in we'll jump into the non-dimension between dimensions and this little world will be far away as ysterday's breakfast. Shouldn't be much of a jolt, but you might want to sit down."

The GS systems outside the ship glowed as it continued to gain altitude. They began firing golden particles around the ship, a protective bubble against the upcoming corrosive non-dimension. Then there was a slight tingling as the ship and everything in it became marginally intangible so it could pass through the upcoming dimension boundary.

To anyone watching, it would appear that the ship turned golden and then suddenly dissolved away, as if it was made of golden paper. In truth the ship had left the world behind without even giving someone a chance to sneeze.

Pheobie carefully sat with the cat in her lap. Her grin could only widen at Maple's words. "Is it really that easy?" She asked, excitement growing in her stomach. She could barely sit still.