Chapter 4: A Different Childhood
Here's chapter four! Susan finally shows up, yay! Hope you enjoy!
Eighteen years just seemed to fly by at the Monster Facility, at least for the monsters. Megamind had turned from a little alien boy to an alien man, but his personality stayed pretty much the same. He was still fun loving and creative, often creating two or three inventions a month.
At twenty five, Megamind was only five foot six, only a couple inches shorter than Dr. Cockroach and almost a foot shorter than Link. He was thin and lanky, and always looked disportionate thanks to his giant blue head, which seemed to grow just as much as he did. While he stayed bald, he did grow facial hair, which he shaved into looking like a goatee. His outfit was the same everyday: The standard black jumpsuit, with just a few blue highlights like the collar and the pockets.
Minion's suit had changed over the years as well. He went through many different designs after both he and Minion got tired of the tiny robot body. They tried a more human looking body, a tiger body, a dog body, and even a body that was just a fish tank with arms. Eventually, they settled on a body that looked more like a robotic gorilla (though they had to endure a week of Bob asking over and over again if Link and Minion were long lost cousins).
Megamind kept up with his studies diligently, he even finished up the prison's entire selection before the age of sixteen. The boy was definitely intelligent, and nothing had made Dr. Cockroach prouder. The two of them were still close, and often helped each other with inventions or had small contests to see who could invent the best thing, but they often ended in a draw since Monger usually took away both of their toy box privilages before they could finish.
Megamind and Minion enjoyed their time with the monsters, but like the monsters, after a while they fell into a routine. Invent, eat breakfast, read, eat lunch, play cards, read, invent, have supper, go to bed. They couldn't help but get a little stir crazy. He wanted something or someone to break up the boring old routine they were in.
"Dr. Cook-a-roach," asked Megamind one afternoon.
"Yes Tesla?" Dr. Cockroach replied, looking up at the blue alien.
"How many years was it between when Insectosaurus came and when Minion and I came?" he asked.
"Hmm, I believe that Insectosaurus was brought here in 1969, and you both landed here in 1984, so about fifteen years. Hoping we'll get another cellmate soon?"
"Maybe," replied Megamind. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he shot up from the couch. He ran to his cell while Dr. Cockroach just smiled. He knew the alien was running to write down his latest invention plan. Somethings never change, thought the doctor.
"Minion!" Megamind shouted as soon as he entered the cell. Minion, who was reading a cookbook he had found in the back of the bookshelf, looked up.
"What! What is it?" Minion asked, a little surprised by his master's sudden outburst.
"I've just got another brilliant idea!" shouted Megamind, smiling like a mad genius and running to his desk to grab a pencil and paper.
"This plan won't involve explosives, will it Megamind?"
Megamind looked up, and saw General Monger, eighty years old and still sharp as a tack, glaring at him through the clear glass.
"Oh of course not General," said Megamind, giving him an innocent smile, "although, if you're thinking of the peanut butter incident, those weren't explosives, they were just a technical difficulty."
"I don't care what you call it," said Monger, "I don't want it to happen again."
Megamind raised his right hand. "I give you my word, General." The alien then flashed his bright green, innocent looking eyes for affect.
"I'll be watching you," said Monger, his gaze still hard and strict, "so no funny stuff." And with that, the general pressed a button on his jetpack, and flew away. As soon as he was gone, Megamind rolled his eyes and turned back to his faithful fishy sidekick.
"Okay Minion, you start getting supplies, I'll start designing the blueprints," ordered Megamind as he sat down at his metal desk, already cluttered with paper.
"Yes Sir," said Minion, walking towards the door, "Um, Sir. One question though: What exactly is your 'brilliant idea'?"
Megamind looked at Minion and smiled. "A Monster Locator!"
For the next week and a half, Megamind worked nonstop, only taking breaks to go to the restroom and eat a few M&M's to keep his strength up. He probably would've worked through the night if Minion and Dr. Cockroach hadn't made him go to bed. Minion had helped get all the scrap metal and noneatible garbage around the facility, and Megamind was more than thankful.
"Whatever that invention is, it must be pretty important," Link had commented, looking over at the closed cell door.
"Maybe he's making a breakfast machine, like the ones on tv," said Bob.
"Bob, we already have a breakfast machine," said Dr. Cockroach, referring to the tubes that always brought them food from who knows where.
"We do? Awesome!" said Bob with a big smile. The other two monsters just rolled their eyes.
When the invention was finally complete, Megamind asked for a DNA sample from every monster. He took fur samples from Insectosaurus, a blood sample from Dr. Cockroach, blood and scale samples from Link, and a piece of Bob. A few hours later, Megamind was ready to present his invention.
"Fellow monsters," said Megamind, "while we know that some monsters are created with nuclear energy, like our friend Insectosaurus..." Insectosaurus gave a small roar, "...or simply created like Bob, most monsters are created by a mutation in the DNA. That would explain why I had to collect DNA samples from all of you. Now, for the invention. Minion?"
Minion gave a nod, and took the blanket off the invention. It looked like a metal cube attatched to a computer and a sonar. "This is my Monster Locator. Usually, when monsters first appear, they are in hiding until someone spots them and calls the government. Now, we can find them, and bring them here." And perhaps break up the boredom, thought Megamind. That, and he would definitely like to meet some new monsters. "If there is anyone in the country who has DNA similar to yours or is mutated like yours, he or she will turn up on the scree. I even inserted my own DNA just in case..., just in case there are other aliens on this planet."
Megamind looked up at the monsters for their opinion. Dr. Cockroach and Link looked at each other. While they didn't really like the idea of other monsters getting captured like they were, they couldn't really blame the alien. He had lived in the facility his whole life, so he didn't really long for freedom the way the other monsters did. That, and it would be nice to meet a couple new monsters.
"It's Incredible, Tesla," said Dr. Cockroach. Megamind's face glowed with pride. "Now, why don't you fire it up and see how it works."
He didn't need to tell him twice. Megamind pressed a button, and the sonar and computer turned on. He typed in a few words on the computer, and waited. As Megamind and the other monsters watched in anticipation, the machine started to beep. It beeped for about half a minute, and instead of locating a new monster like Megamind had hoped, it started smoking and sparking.
"No!" shouted Megamind, as he started to use the blanket to blow away the smoke, "Nononononono!" Minion rubbed out a few of the flames, while Bob took care of the smoke by simply absorbing it. Once the fire and smoke had finally stopped, the once shiny cube looked old and dull. Megamind looked down at it in disappointment.
"Well, it was a brilliant invention, Sir," said Minion, "it just has a few bugs that need fixing."
"Perhaps, we can try and fix it tomorrow," suggested Dr. Cockroach. Megamind didn't respond, and that worried the doctor. Normally, Megamind didn't give up when an invention failed. But he had worked so hard on this one, and...well, maybe this would be the invention he would give up on.
Megamind walked over to the table, and picked up the cube. "Minion," he said.
"Yes Sir?" replied Minion.
"You may have to search for some spare wires and metal," the blue alien said with a small smile, "we may have quite a few repairs to make tomorrow."
"Yes Sir!" said Minion, smiling along with the other monsters. The fish began to walk along his master, and once they were both in their cell, Link turned to Dr. Cockroach.
"Kid just doesn't give up, does he?" said Link.
"No, no he doesn't," replied Dr. Cockroach with a smile.
Later that night, Megamind was looking at his blueprints at his desk, seeing what could've went wrong. Minion was sleeping in his tank, and there was a small metal creature in Megamind's lap. It had a shell on it's back, a dome filled with energy and electricity, and it was armed with big, sharp, metal teeth. He called it, a brainbot. Megamind had to keep it hidden from Monger most of the time, but at least they could spend some time together at night.
While Megamind was stroaking it's dome, it looked up with it's one metal eyes. "Bow bow."
"What is it?" Megamind whispered. The brainbot got up, and hovered towards Megamind's second homemade computer, though this one was more for looking at things in space. The screen was glowing brightly, and a soft beeping could be heard.
Megamind looked at the screen, and saw that something was heading right towards Earth. "What is that?" Megamind asked himself. Whatever it was, it's energy was at a high level, and it was huge. Definitely not an ordinary space rock.
The blue alien typed in a few commands, and the screen zoomed in. Whatever it was, it was going to land pretty close to where the monster facility was, in fact, only one state away.
It was going to land in California. Modesto, California to be specific.
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Susan Murphy was laying peacefully in her bed. She had stayed up later than she had hoped last night, and was paying for it now. But at least she could relax. At least, that's what she thought.
Her door opened with a soft creeking sound. As they got closer, Susan could hear heavy breathing and the sound of...sipping? What on Earth was making that noise? Only half awake, the young brunette reached over and turned on her lamp. She looked up, and screamed.
The three women in front of her screamed as well, a more happy scream than Susan's. They were all wearing the yellow bridesmaids dresses Susan had picked out for them.
"What are you guys doing here?" asked Susan. She glanced at her digital clock. "It's five in the morning."
"Hurry!" squealed Candy, "Turn on the tv, turn it on now!" Another one of her bridesmaids turned on the tv, filling the room with more light.
The tv currently was on a local channel, with weatherman Derek Deitl reporting.
"Today in Modesto," he said, trying to sound official, "some early morning fog will give way to sunny skies. It's a perfect day to stop by the fairgrounds and visit the arts and crafts show, or a perfect day, to marry Susan Murphy."
Susan smiled at her fiancee. How sweet was he?
"I love you, baby," said Derek, smiling and making his hands into the shape of a heart.
"I love you too," said Susan, while a chorus of "aww"s came from behind her.
"And good morning Modesto!" said Derek with his famous on-camera sign on.
Susan looked up, and smiled for a pre-wedding picture. "Okay, we've got a lot to do!" sang Candy, once the picture was taken, "we have breakfast at LeBlance's, then we need to get you dressed, and then of course the wedding! Come on, let's go!"
"Okay, okay," said Susan, smiling and laughing, "let me get dressed first." She escorted her bridesmaids out of her room and then closed the door. As she walked to her closet, Susan couldn't help but smile. Today was her wedding day, and today was going to be perfect.
Several hours later, Susan and all the guests were at the church. There was only five minutes left until the wedding, so Susan decided to go get some fresh air. She found a nice little pavilion that wasn't to far away from the church, and so she simply stepped onto it, and enjoyed the cool spring breeze.
"You look beautiful."
Susan turn around and saw Derek in his tux, smiling at her. "Thanks, you too," she replied, "I mean, handsome!" She sighed. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a little frazzled. I think I've spent way too much time with our parents today."
Derek walked over to her and put his arm around her. "Just think," she said happily, "Just think: Soon we'll be in Paris. Feeding each other chocolate crepes, seeing all the famous sights..."
"Um, yeah, about that," said Derek sheepishly, "There's been a slight change in plans. We're not actually going to Paris."
"What?" said Susan. They had been planning this trip for months, why were they suddenly not going? "Why not?"
"Because we're going somewhere better!" said Derek, smiling.
"Better than Paris?" asked Susan, a little skeptical, "Is it Tahiti?"
"Nope. Fresno!"
"Fresno!" Susan repeated, then she just looked at him. "Fresno. In what universe is Fresno better than Paris, Derek?"
Derek smiled proudly. "In the 'I've got an audition to become Channel 23's new evening anchor' universe. I got a call from the station's general mamager, and he wants me to come in immediately. Isn't that great?"
"Derek, that's..." Susan was about to respond, but then she stopped herself. Marriage is all about compromises, she told herself as she forced a smile on her face. "Amazing! It's amazing! Fresno's like a top fifty market, right?"
"Actually it's 54, but we're on our way, babe," said Derek, before kissing her hand. He then put on a pouty face. "Now look about Paris..."
"Oh hey, hey, it's fine!" said Susan, trying to act excited, "Really. As long as we're together, Fresno is the most romantic city in the whole world. I'm so proud of you."
"Of us," Derek corrected, "Not just of me, I mean of course, but we're a team now. You're so proud of us."
"Okay," said Susan, as she smiled at him, and then playfully hit him. "Now get out of here! It's bad luck to see me in my dress."
"Oh come oo, you know I don't believe in that stuff," said Derek as he started to leave, "I'll be waiting for you at the altar, the handsome news anchor in the tux." As he left, he shouted, "I love you! There, I said it!"
Susan chuckled. "I love you too," she said quietly. After a few more moments of silence, she thought it was probably time for her to start heading into the church. But just as she was about to leave, she heard what sounded like a sonic boom.
What was that, she thought as she looked up at the sky. There, in the middle of the sky, was a meteor, glowing a bright green. And was heading, straight for her! "Oh no," she said as she turned to run. Unfortunately, because of her gown and heels, she couldn't run very fast.
A force knocked her to the ground, hard. As she laid there, practically unconsious, she felt a warm fuzzy feeling come over her.
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Sorry this one wasn't as long as the last one, hopefully the quality didn't decrease with the size. Thanks again for reading, please review :) See you all later