Fourteen: Welcome to Red Planet

I woke up at the sudden mind outburst and catch my breath in a deep sequence of inhale and exhale. I remembered that I was confined in an egg-shaped tracking capsule to trace the whereabouts of the Bunnyterrian King Codemus in this recent moment. And I fell into a deep sleep the moment I entered. It must have been because of the tranquilizer gas that I breathed in.

Dr. Chan told me that I'll be having sweet dreams if I doze off on this tracking capsule. But instead this gave me a mirage of nightmares. And currently, I am thinking about it. Because, I am not certain if it was just a dream or a part of my childhood memory. But, I have a strong gut feeling that these visual glitches have already happened some-when between the timeline.

I was trying to regain my complete consciousness and physical stability as I looked around my surroundings. The last time I closed my eyes is that the capsule is all-transparent and the outside premises are almost visible inside. However, here I could see not even a single thing but a plain white spherical walls and I'm feeling the comfiness of the cradle.

So, having the desire to break free or at least just to have an actual picture of what is happening outside just like lately, I tried to survey the walls and touched everywhere hoping there might be a control tab or exit button that was hidden within these walls. Thus, I searched and searched when all of a sudden the walls slowly turned visible.

The white tint gradually cleared off like an ashen gas that evaporated around me. I was impressed at this thought and gave out an amused expression to express my genuine compliments. Then, I gazed my eyes to the other corner when unpredictably, a man in MJ iconic suit suddenly appeared beside me and he was looking straight in the eye.

"(Gasps) Gosh, I thought you were some black widow mourning over a dinosaur egg funeral." I gasped in surprise.

Noirren was staring directly at me from the outside as he leaned his forehead against the capsule's wall. I just uttered an insult but apparently he was too calm and unaffected about this. There was just this seriousness and deep thought written all over his face. And he wasn't even reacting at all.

Well, that's a sudden twist of character. I didn't know that an over-reacting Catnimph Mr. North can also try to be serious at times too. He was very quiet the entire period and his eyes were dead lock unto me. I tried to distract him by waving a hand right at his face but he just ignored it. Seeing this as not effective, I crossed my arms and began to think.

'IS HE BLIND OR SOMETHING? HE SEEMS TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEEP THOUGHT. HM, I WONDER WHAT HE'S THINKING.'

"Hello..?" I tried to gain his attention again but failed.

'UM, IS HE DELIBERATELY IGNORING ME LIKE A GHOST? OR HE SIMPLY JUST COULDN'T SEE NOR HEAR ME? WELL, GIVEN THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN RESPONDED TO MY RUDE ACTIONS. THEN, THAT'S PROBABLY IT.'

I silently thought with a perplexed appearance marked all over my face. But even this, this did not bother Noirren to react once or even a bit. He was still silent and still on his post. Hence, this I conclude that I am the only one who could see him. However, he could not see me nor hear me given that he was outside from the capsule's wall. So, having this conclusion I thought of a hilarious idea.

I began to cross my eyes and make a funny monkey face to mock the hell out of him while taking this benefit to score against his disadvantage. Then I made another insulting humorous expression to continue the mock trial. Yet still no reaction at all. I had a relief at this certainty and so I followed more annoying make faces and halted with a bleh.

I stuck out my tongue when, suddenly, Noirren's index finger began to press hard on the wall's surface that pointed right at my weird face with a hint of anger. I started to doubt that maybe all along he could see me and he was just pretending all this time. But presently, Noirren just continued to whatever he is doing. And his focus shifted to his finger and I did the same.

Slowly, he encrypts an unclear character on the wall's surface as he glides his finger, makes spaces and finished it with a smooth curve and strikes it through. I believe it must have been a message but unfortunately I didn't get any of it. Then after which, he seems to encircle the note that is perhaps to emphasize the word. Yet still, this doesn't make any sense to me.

"Can you read it?" He suddenly asked out of the blue.

"What..? What...!? You can see me?" I lately realized and now I'm busted.

"Why not..? It's all transparent dummy. You front stabbing clown." Noirren cussed at me as he leaned backwards and moved to the different direction.

"(Scoffs) what a great pretender… but you know what, 'honesty is the best policy'. So, you better be thankful I was being honest in front of your face and not stabbing you in the back." I come up with an alibi.

'SH*T, HE GOT ME! OH, I NEVER SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO MAKE FUN OF HIM. THIS SUCKS! NOW, I'M BUSTED! OH I HATE BEING HONEST. THIS IS THE WORST POLICY THERE IS. IT'S EMBARRASSING!!! F*CK THIS SH*T I'M OUT!!!'

"So… why are you here anyway?" I tried to change the topic.

"I just checked on something." He replied.

"Ok… so… what are you checking?" the conversation started to get awkward.

"Your similarity to certain someone I know." He bluntly answered.

"Similarity to certain someone..? Me? Pff, you're kidding right? That's ridiculous. I don't have a twin. Well, unless she might be a doppel ganger. Then I'll certainly have goose bumps." I ridiculed him.

Noirren hearing this paused a bit and stares at me again. His gaze sunk in deeper into me and I began to feel strange about this. Unsatisfied, he went even closer and now we're face-to-face. My heart starts to pound and I began to short in breathing. And right now, I desperately needed to step away from him. But I can't, I'm stuck in the dinosaur egg.

"Um… why are you getting too close to me?" I told him so I could get him away from me.

"You must have probably got her face, but not her greatness." Noirren cut in a serious comment.

"Yeah, great, I don't have greatness, so what?!" I was deeply offended.

"Your words contradict your emotions. And I can read through your lies. Then why admit something you can never accept? I don't understand you humans. You made your world a stage." Noirren countered.

"And men n' women are merely players… Hey, you read Shakespeare?" I was led to remember a line in a famous poem.

"Who's that?" he directly asked having an obvious ignorance about the renowned renaissance writer.

"Nevermind, he's a history." I ended the topic to prevent further narration.

"Is he a philosopher perhaps?" he continued.

"Hmm… I don't know… you should ask Google." I replied directing him to ask the AI search engine of Google.

"Google..? Well, that's an unusual name. Who's he?" Noirren was interested to know.

"Actually… he is an 'IT'… and 'IT' is very knowledgeable." I briefly explained.

"Interesting, maybe I could meet him some other time." Noirren replied.

After a while, a loud series of footsteps disrupted our twiddle twaddle chit chat. And the both of us went silent as it slowly approached downstairs. Before long, a young female scientist appeared in front of us. And it was Dr. Holly. She was filled with lots of vigor on her face and she was humming happily. But the moment she spotted us, her jaw dropped.

"Mr. North..?! Since when did you get in here? I thought you were sitting upstairs?" Dr. Holly asked in confused.

"I was actually on my way to leave Doctor. See you again, Dwaine." Noirren responded as he bid his farewell and went back upstairs leaving me and Dr. Holly downstairs.

"Is it just me or is he being weird?" I asked myself.

"And Ms. Kingsleigh, you're alive?!" Dr. Holly was so shocked to see me like she had seen a zombie that woke up from the dead.

"Correction, Dr. Holly, I just slept not… (Sighs) nevermind" I tried to explain.

"So, how was your hibernation baby Dino?" She asked while referring me to a baby dinosaur.

"Baby Dino..? Really..?" I was upset.

"Pff, just kidding," Dr. Holly repressed a laugh.

"So, am I getting out now?" I asked wanting to break free.

"Yup, you're gonna hatch Ms. Kingsleigh." Dr. Holly jokingly replied as she walked across the corner and typed something on a holographic keyboard.

"Oh great, I can't wait to break free." I rejoiced.

It took her for a moment to disengage the egg capsule and not long enough then the egg splits in half. It opened and I was finally let loose in the open. I straightened my body and stretched my limbs to refresh myself from a short nap. I stepped away from the capsule and it automatically closes itself.

"So, where have we landed? Did we catch the Bunnyterrian?" I curiously raised the question.

"We're nearing actually Ms. Kingsleigh. And Dr. Chan told me to get you out. So, may we?" Dr. Holly answered my inquiry as she invited me to go back upstairs.

I returned the affirmative gesture and followed Dr. Holly departing back upstairs to join the others. We slowly ascended the stairs and by the time we got there, everybody was sitting tightly to their respective seats. Not long then the space jet finally halted its pace and hovered in an empty space. Everyone looked at the skylight and we unexpectedly found ourselves sightseeing over a Red Planet.

"Where are we?" I uttered.

"No, this is not happening. We're in Mars…" Dr. Chan replied in disbelief.

"Mars…" I reiterated in awe.

"Doc! What do you think are we supposed to do?" Matt called to Dr. Chan who was sitting on the captain's seat.

"Matt, are you sure you connected the auto-pilot to the mainstream of the capsule?" Dr. Chan doubted about the result.

"Definitely Doc, I know you're somewhat opposed to this but… here we are… the Bunnyterrian has led us to your sweet home Alabama. Hello Mars." Matt replied.

"Want to check, Doc?" Hamada asked if Dr. Chan wants to criticize the capsule's findings.

"No, thank you. (Gulps) Hell no, this is no backing out. I should've have listened to Coco's warning. Oh why of all places Buddha..?" Dr. Chan swears to himself.

"Um… why is everybody so tensed about this?" I was intrigued to know seeing everybody so concerned about this.

"You'll know when we get there Ms. Kingsleigh. I'm sorry but I cannot disclose any personal matters concerning my comrades. Especially that Dr. Chan is here with us…" Dr. Holly carefully whispered beside me.

"So, are we going in or out?" Matt asked again.

"Matt, Hamada, pilot the ship to Mars." Dr. Chan ordered.

"Yes Sir!" Matt replied.

"Aye-aye Captain!" Hamada seconded.

"Everybody buckle up. Dr. Holly, Dwaine, the both of you should better take your seats." Dr. Chan reminded.

Immediately we responded and proceeded directly to our individual places. While Matt and Hamada readies to steer the wheel right into the planet Mars. Everyone suddenly got serious and each fastened to their seats to secure their safety. I was so caught up with the atmosphere that I also began to get stiff as well. Dr. Holly who was beside me uttered the word 'buckle up' and right away her suit fastened into the chair.

Observing this, I tried to copy her but unfortunately, I forgot I don't have a suit. I tried to look around the chair but there's not a single seat belt that can help me. Eventually, the space jet emitted a robust fire power as Matt and Hamada prepares to blast off.

"We're blasting off everyone! In Three… Two..." Matt started to countdown preparing to press the launch button.

"Wait, I don't have a suit!" I shouted.

"One… blast off." Matt ended and right away, the ship blasted off and dashed right into the planet Mars.

"AAAHHHHH..!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I flung across the captain's seat.

"Hup, gotcha..!" Dr. Chan flexibly grabs me as the ship continued to fly away.

I was floating like a kite while Dr. Chan holds me tightly in the arms. I was desperately screaming as the space jet embarked to cross the threshold of the planet's exosphere. We passed through a several kilometers away and now we have reached the altitude of the lithosphere. Yet still I was shouting at the top of my voice. Because my body was still floating upwards that was probably caused by the speed.

Not long and the surface was now only an altitude away. And instantaneously, the vessel went into a halt. The gravity started to pull and I fell straight into the floor with a loud thud. My face smacked into the ground and my body couldn't almost move by the sting that it caused. I was grunting in pain and trying myself to get up.

"Kid, are you ok?" Dr. Chan concernedly asked as he right away gets out from his chair to help me out.

"Oh shoot, you forget your modified suit baby Dino," Dr. Holly lends a hand.

"(Grunts) I-I think… I broke a rib…" I painfully exclaimed.

"You should have uttered the word 'seat belt' kid. Now, look at you. You look like a stiff lettuce." Dr. Chan comforted me.

"(Coughs) how would I know about that Dr. Chan..?" I talked back.

I was grunting in pain as Dr. Chan and Dr. Holly assisted me into my chair. They uttered the word 'seat belt' and I was fastened into the seat. Right now, I couldn't move my body and it's aching like hell. Dr. Chan went back to his seat likewise Dr. Holly. Everyone look at my misfortune and I was so embarrassed to say a word.

'OH I WANT TO HIDE MY FACE IN THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH. THIS IS DOUBLE TRAGEDY! OH, I HATE MY LIFE!'

"Pfft"

I heard someone tried to hold a snort as I looked around and saw Noirren looking on the other side of the room. He was covering half of his face with his hands, and his shoulders were shaking as an expression of amusement. I realized what he's doing and glared at him.

'STUPID CAT! I HOPE YOU DIE PAINFULLY!!!!'

"I'm sorry kid! I didn't hear what you said," Matt tried to apologized.

"You should try taking a deep breath Dwaine. It could help a bit to ease the pain." Hamada tried to help.

"(Grunts) No, it's fine, I'm fine everyone, just… carry on with the mission." I tried to act fine.

"Come on, let's go to the surface. So we can heal her then." Dr. Chan commanded.

Matt and Hamada accelerated the ship and drove down into the surface. Shortly, we arrived and landed on a meadow of red sand and hill. And the moment the ship settled, without more ado they applied a first aid procedure unto me to remedy my injury. Dr. Chan took a device from his funny pack and compressed it to my chest. Surprisingly it glowed and eased the pain in my torso.

"Phew! I thought I was gonna die from that blast." I muttered.

"You'll fully recover soon Ms. Kingsleigh. Oh, I hope you weren't serious about breaking a rib." Dr. Holly was concerned as she pats my back.

"So, what are we going to do next Dr. Chan?" John for the first time asked.

"(Exhales sharply) we are happily going to our way to death. Everyone, welcome to Red Planet! Welcome to Mars!