The Return of Celia Synoptics: Part Five

     The red Alien Aisha checked her space/time watch. "We have 37 minutes. Space Station shuttles are usually right on time, bad for the tourist industry otherwise." She smirked and turned to face DeSoni. "That's less than an hour total before I see the last of you forever, Sonix!"

     A yellow paw suddenly reached from the shadows behind her and grabbed her right arm. Before Celia could realize what was going on, another paw grabbed her left arm.

     "Pleased to see you again, Miss Synoptics. I'd comment on the lovely weather, but unfortunately there isn't any in space." Head Engineer Sonix grinned as he yanked her arms back in a professional military grip.

     Ambassador Sonix came out of the shadows next to her husband and whipped Celia's illegal blaster from its holster. "Shame, shame, my dear. Your father wouldn't be pleased."

     Celia's shocked countenance quickly recovered. "Don't you dare let that traitor go!" she shouted at an equally stunned Green.

     DeSoni's earstalks stood straight up. "Mom! Dad!" Green, following orders, hefted the tiny yellow Alien Aisha (minus two earstalks) up with a massive arm.

     "Drop him," said a cold voice. Rocky stepped out from the shadows behind a box of supplies.

     The Ruki's presence nearly drove Celia hysterical. "Y-y-you! YOU!!" she said, stumbling over the word. "I gave you a level 5!! YOU CANNOT BE HERE!!!" she screamed, trying to jerk from Mr. Sonix's grip.

     "Quite an opponent," said Green with a smile. "But I have a job to do." He leaned his monstrous size over and gently put DeSoni against the wall behind him.

     This time it was Rocky who took the running charge toward Green. The Ruki actually bashed the giant to the ground, so great was his anger coupled with his super-strength. The two set to trying to bash the other into unconsciousness, but it soon became obvious Green's heart wasn't in it. Unfortunately for him, Rocky's was.

     "Smash him, Green!" shouted Celia, struggling even harder in Mr. Sonix's grip. Mrs. Sonix warily leveled the blaster her way.

     "Just try it!" dared Rocky, who'd gotten a grip on the giant Alien Aisha's right arm. In a huge show of strength, the Ruki hefted him into the air and slammed him back down.

     This whole time, DeSoni was trying to free some part of himself. He managed to loosen the ropes around his feet a little, just enough to stand up. He finally got to his back paws, then looked over towards the two fighters.

     "Rocky! Stop!" he shouted, just before his best friend delivered the knockout punch to a downed Green.

     The red Ruki and the green Alien Aisha both halted and looked towards the tiny Aisha, still in a now rather mussed blazer and dusty trousers, ropes around his arms and waist and loosely around his feet.

     "Green's not a bad guy," explained DeSoni in the sudden silence. All eyes were staring his way. "He was only doing what Celia told him too. He didn't even want to have anything to do with this mess."

     Rocky let go of Green and stepped back, claws still in fists. "But he was going to let her-"

     Green sat up and shook his head. "No. I decided a while back to let little Yellow there go."

     DeSoni looked up at the vent above them. "I was assuming Celia would naturally climb first into the shuttle, and I was guessing Green would shove the latch closed behind her. He's a lot smarter then Celia thinks. If he did, Celia would probably scream, which would draw the-"

     "NO!!!" screamed Celia, lashing out in demented rage. She kicked viciously backward before Mr. Sonix even realized she wasn't going to quit, getting right below his knees. In the second his paws loosened their grip, she shook loose and charged her enemy. Her hated rival. The one responsible for everything that'd ever happened to her: Derek Sonix.

     "You and your fancy words!!" she shouted, moving so fast Mrs. Sonix couldn't fire the weapon without hitting someone else. She leaped at the still tied DeSoni and slammed him, again, into the ground. "I hate you!!!"

     Rocky was about to charge forward, but was stopped by a giant green paw.

     Green quickly and professionally whipped a phaser from a hidden shoulder holster, flicked the safety catch off, set the charge up to three, and efficiently shot Celia exactly between her shoulder blades before she could land a single punch. It was all accomplished in little less than a couple seconds.

     "Incredible! I couldn't make that shot!" said Mrs. Sonix, lowering the blaster she'd been trying to aim at the wicked brat.

     Green shrugged. "Been doing it for years." He stooped over and swung Celia over a shoulder.

     "Well done," congratulated Mr. Sonix.

     Rocky had come up next to DeSoni and torn the ropes off.

     The three Sonixes faced each other for a second, then Mrs. Sonix wiped a tear and gasped, "Oh, my little Derek!" She rushed toward him and squeezed him in a hug.

     Mr. Sonix waited a minute, then walked over. "I'm… I'm so sorry, Derek. All that stuff I…I never meant-"

     "It's okay, dad," said DeSoni, gently, turning to face his father. Suddenly his dad scooped him up in a bear hug. Mrs. Sonix joined in.

     "I'm so, so proud of you," whispered Mr. Sonix. It was the one thing little Derek Sonix had always yearned to hear from his father, and never gotten. Until now.

     Suddenly the shuttle latch above them swung open and the Space Faerie gracefully jumped down. Her striking red eyes, contrasting beautifully with her deep blue hair, wings, and outfit, took in the situation. Even finding she'd so obviously been disobeyed, she held her poise and took it all in. The smiling giant green Alien Aisha, holding the unconscious Celia Synoptics, the hugging Sonix family, and a very tired, very happy looking Rocky leaning against a wall just to the side.

     She allowed herself a small smile that things had turned out so well, then took charge. "Okay, people, time to clear out. We've got a shuttle coming through here in twenty minutes."

     ******

The Next Day, outside Launch Bay

     "So you run your own shop and come up here every now and then as a lecturer. Good job! Very respectable," said DeSoni's dad approvingly.

     "We're so very, very proud of you," said his mom, giving him another hug.

     "And that Buzz incident, well done. Perfectly handled," added Mr. Sonix proudly.

     "Even this Ruki incident," laughed Mrs. Sonix, gesturing at Rocky. "All this potion nonsense, but it sure came in handy!"

     "Speaking of which," said Mr. Sonix, pulling out a small red vial and motioning the Ruki to come closer. Rocky, now back to his normal shy self, timidly stepped forward.

     DeSoni eagerly took the vial from his father and examined it. A huge smile of delight appeared as he realized what it was. "A blocker-dad! You did it!"

     Rocky blinked his giant eyes, not getting it. His buddy quickly explained. "You take this, Rocky, and we don't have to worry about anyone tracing the potion's signature! You'll be able to use those new abilities without any Alien Aishas popping up around us."

     Mrs. Sonix chuckled. "I don't think you have to worry too much about that, dear. The Madam Commander dropped all charges against you after that last run-in you had with her."

     DeSoni's smile grew even bigger.

     "But don't drop your security!" warned Mr. Sonix. "Several commanders, researchers, and whatnot still bear grudges against you. And I do fear Alien Aishas as a whole will never conquer their ridiculous prejudice against Neopians, which means in their eyes you're still branded a traitor."

     An announcement rattled through the loudspeaker. The Alien Aisha Ambassadorial Starship would be leaving in five minutes.

     "We have to go," said Mrs. Sonix sadly. The three did one last group hug, then the Space Faerie motioned DeSoni over. Mr. and Mrs. Sonix took the chance to speak to Rocky privately.

     "You're a good friend to our son," said Mrs. Sonix. "Don't forget to take that blocker with your next meal."

     "Yes, ma'am," said Rocky with a happy smile.

     Mrs. Sonix glanced towards her son to make sure he was out of immediate earshot. "Please, Rocky. Watch over him. Swear, on your honor, to guard him for us."

     "Please," said Mr. Sonix. "It's all we ask in return for the blocker."

     Rocky nodded. "Yes, I so swear it. But," he shook his head, "not for the blocker. Because DeSoni-I'm sorry, Derek's my best friend."

     Mrs. Sonix turned to look thoughtfully at her son. "No, you're right. He's no longer Derek-he's DeSoni through and through. The Derek that left us to work for the Madam Commander would never have gotten through all he has."

     "A true Neopian!" proclaimed Mr. Sonix, rather smugly. "Intelligent, respectful, brave, humble-"

     "That's enough dear; you'll have our government after your hide." She turned back to Rocky with a sweet smile. "Thank you so much, Rocky. And do go easy on your back until you can visit a water faerie or grab a good healing potion."

     Rocky smiled indulgently. "Yes, Mrs. Sonix."

     DeSoni rejoined the group with a spring in his step and a sparkle in his eyes. "Fyora has granted royal permission for you guys to visit me!"

     "That's wonderful!" said Mrs. Sonix.

     "It most certainly is," added Mr. Sonix.

     DeSoni frowned suddenly. "But I'm absolutely forbidden to express neomail you. And visiting the Alien Aisha home world is apparently completely out of the question." Then his face brightened again. "Still, I can't wait to introduce Kay and Khargana to you! You're gonna love them!"

     The announcer gave a last minute call.

     "Bye, love!" "Bye, son!" shouted the Sonixes, dashing off to board their ship before it took off.

     "You've got great parents," said Rocky, fingering the blocker vial.

     "Yeah," smiled DeSoni. "I knew coming here was a great idea."

     ******

     "I'm so glad I accepted this assignment," said Mrs. Sonix, leaning back in her luxury starship lounge chair. "We've accomplished so much. And that Rocky is such a good friend to Derek. Whoops! I mean, DeSoni."

     "You know," said Mr. Sonix thoughtfully, "we came to find our son. But I think we found, not one, but two. That Ruki's as good as family."

     Mrs. Sonix chuckled and took her husband's paw firmly in her own. "We've taken the first step to inter-world peace, found our son, met young Rocky, helped catch a psychotic runaway and turned a mercenary to the side of honor-what's left to do?"

     Mr. Sonix laughed. "Plan our trip to meet DeSoni's adoptive family, for one!"

The End

  Author's Note: And that's it! Hope I didn't get too sappy on the ending, but I have a real problem with sad endings. If you want a follow up story, you gotta let me know. I probably won't bother with this angle again unless you really liked it. Thanks for reading my series, and please neomail me to tell me what you thought.