Going Home

"Ugh, I'm beat!" Dave said.

Harley grinned driving flipping someone off merrily as they went. "Well you did only one intake but you also dove into Kaska, worked on three fusions for 3S and then spent time with Midna and Mid-Twi oh and also Rika, fused Mid-Twi and dove into Saki for a finish. That'd do it! So much for an easy week... easy for everyone but you!" She honked the horn as she cut across multiple lanes of traffic.

Dave had his seat reclined all the eay back as Tink massaged his head with his eyes shut. He didn't want to see the madness of Harley Quinn behind the wheel. He'd seen it all before... but he did hear a somewhat familiar sound. "Was that a koopa shell?"

Harley shrugged. "You said I could drive so I took the Gardner expressway! Short cut! And we just got a star! Oh look it's Bowsette! I'm gonna ram her and say "Hi" real quick!"

Dave sighed. "Yeah ok... don't play too long... just get us home Road Warrior." He didn't even bother commenting on the fact that the 'shortcut' took them nowhere near home generally.

Tink shook her head. "You are wiped out! Oops there goes Bowsette. Wave." Everybody waved while Bowsette shouted at them hurling dire threats on Harley's head. Dave was suddenly glad he had 3S guarding his princesses in his castle. Though he'd always liked Aunty Bowsette. She was a sweet person in her way... just she and Harley had a friendly(?) competitive relationship with each other. Avatars of chaos and destruction.

"Anyway," Tink said. "You need to relax when we get home. Are you gonna do that everyday?"

Dave smiled. "Neural dive twice? Maybe not everyday this week but I probably should... mustn't keep everyone waiting-gah!" The world spun.

Harley grinned pulling out of their spin. "Dirty pool Chucky! I like it!" They all waved to Charles as he went by. "That's okay," Harley said. "Our exit was coming up anyway." She looked out the window and then jumped the rail and off the road. "Yee haw!!!"

Dave whispered. "Do I even want to know?"

Tink sighed. "No. Plausible deniability. Thankfully the vans systems are all working top notch."

Dave smiled. "She may be old but the battle van's still got it where it counts."

"Hey can I pick-up some hitchhikers?" Harkey asked as she plowed past a farmers field.

"Sure why not?" Dave said.

The van came to an stop and Harley shouted. "Heya boys! Bucklebury Ferry, yeah? Hop in!"

Frodo, Merry and Pippin climbed in followed by Sam with angry shouting in the distance. "Farmer Maggot is upset now! You've been in his crop again!"

"I don't know why he's so upset," Merry said. "He's always over reacting!"

"You folks want some potatoes and mushrooms?" Pippin asked cheerily.

Tink smiled. "Sure! Nice of you to offer!"

Theres a nasty screaming sound coming up from behind "Nice," Dave said looking at Frodo. "Make haste?"

Frodo nodded. "Yes please!"

"Itll be alright. Pepper," Dave said. "Activate defense turret. Target the Ringwraiths."

(("I can do that, Dave! Targets locked on."))

"Fire at will," he said and then Pepper started blasting Ringwraiths with the vans mounted blaster cannon. There's the sound of screaming Ringwraiths. "That'll get them off your tail awhile, Mr Baggins. Now what was I saying? Oh yes. I should try to help them everyday even if it's hard. Our friends are counting on me. Maximum effort."

"Counting on me," Frodo said quietly listening in. "Maximum effort." Samwise muttered nodding.

"Not bad that," Merry said bitting into a broken carrot.

"Aye," Pippin agreed. "Nothing like a well deserved rest after a hard days work!"

Merry stared at him. "But you've never done a hard day's anything before, let alone work, Pip!"

Pippin shrugged. "Someday I might... Maximum Effort!"

Merry laughed. "Aye! Maximum Effort someday... for the Shire!"

The van slid to a stop. "Your stop gentlemen!" Harkey said. "Bucklebury Ferry!"

They waved goodbye and wished quartet well. The hobbits waved after them. "A wizard with a magic wagon, a fairy and a jester..." Merry said smiling.

Pippin nodded. "Makes Gandalf's cart look a bit like shite. Rich Corinthian leather. Bucket seating. Sound system. Fireworks canons!"

"I wouldn't mention that to him, if I was you," Frodo said.

"Come on this way," Sam said leading the way towards the Ferry hefting his pack. "Maximum Effort!"

"...and then I make this turn here and we're practically home! See?" Harley asked proud of herself.

Dave still had an arm over his eyes for "plausible deniability" and resting. He was pretty sure they'd broken about at least a dozen major laws. He did give her a thumbs-up though. "Good job."

Tink nodded too. "Yeeeah... what he said and that "short cut" saved us a whole... what two minutes?"

(("Two minutes and 17 seconds shorter time from this mornings route. Dustance over all however was exceeded by a significant amount. Disengaging stealth and combat programs. Systems returning to normal. Welcome home."))

"It's good to be home!" They all said. Making the turn off towards home. That's when the police lights started behind them. Harley shrugged and gave a nervous laugh. "Oopsie?"

Dave sighed and sat up. "Mondays."

Thankfully Harley had just messed up at the end making the turn and failed to signal properly. Seeing as they were literally just outside of home, officer Louis "Lou" Merkel from The Simpsons let them off with a warning... this time. "Remember," Lou said. "We'll be watching you, Quinn."

As they dealt with that they watched all the big trucks go by as the work crews were just finishing up their major installation upgrades for today. The patrol car pulled out and sped away too.

"Man... why's he gotta be like that?" Harley said as she started the van back up and pulled into home.

Dave shrugged. "He's just doing his job. Don't complain. If he'd caught you doing what you just did it'd be a more than a criminal trespass, violation of and tampering with an instance is a major offense. Who owns that lotr instance anyway and how did you find a shortcut from the Gardner Expressway into an warp tunnel that just happens to spit us out in the Shire and then back out in the Southfarthing near here?"

Harley shrugged. "Jaime showed me once that time we ran out to get pizza during the party at James place. They use the 'shortcut' all the time. The "J's" tampered with the blueprints so they could use it! I dunno who owns the instance. Seeing as it's a stable "secret way" that comes out by Farmer Maggot's I'm guessing Shire Burger does. There's a big one just down the road aways. Wanna go raid their fields sometime?! Or go get high in the South Farthing and then whoop it up at the party tree?!"

Dave sighed while Tink shook her head. "Always straight to the petty villainy with you... Dave I think it's time she started attending Villain-anon again for a bit. "

"Awwww, whaaat?! Come on!" Harley protested. "I've been so good though..."

Dave smiled and nodded. "You've been on some thin ice lately... but you're always on thin ice. Not until she really messes up. Besides Villain-anon ain't a punishment." He kissed her cheek. "Just be careful my love!"

Harley smiled. "Yes, Puddin'! I'll be careful!" She stuck her tongue out at Tink who cheerfully winked and did the same. "And I know yall are jest looking out fer me! Come on. Let's put our ill-gotten groceries away!"

Dave waved seeing Hilda in the garden. "Hi Hilda! I see you've been busy. How was your day?"

Hilda waved and stood. "Yes, hello! Only a little but it's starting to take shape and look like a real garden. Do you like it?"

Dave nodded looking around. Some of the trees had been planted in the outer courtyard a small vegetable and herb garden was by the kitchen where Harley and Tink were bringing in their Shire vegetables and a small but intricate flower garden was starting to take shape on the other side. Flowering bushes and planters were by the doors and windows. "It's wonderful! Just what this place needed." He kissed her cheek.

Hilda blushed but looked very pleased. "We moved the rest of the plants down by the back entrance past the pool. There's plenty more still to do but this courtyard is starting to look nice. I'm glad you're pleased!"

Dave nodded then blinked. "Huh... I suppose we should get some real gardening equipment and the like. Or at keast a dedicated gardening character or service?"

Hilda blinked. "Oh no! I didn't mean to imply that at all! I don't know about other equipment but Dorothy was a huge help. Melfina as well... and well... it gives me something to do with myself for now."

Dave nodded and held her hand. Hilda eas still trying to figure out her "place" and what sge wanted to do. Taking away a hobby she enjoyed thoughtlessly would be cruel. "Understood. As long as you're enjoying yourself then please continue to do so. I'll see about getting some better basic equipment and tools... or you can pick some out for yourself. Pepper, could you please assist Hilda and the others in ordering some tools? I authorize the expenses."

(("I'd be happy too! Let me know when you'd like do that, Hilda. I'm at your service!"))

Hilda smiled. "Thank you so much!" She blushed still holding his hand. "Welcome home, David," she said then gave him a proper kiss.

Dave kissed her back then smiled. "Thank you Hilda. It's so nice to be home!"

[David Stark Pepper Tinker Bell Harley Quinn Melfina VSD02C Princess Hilda R. Dorothy Wayneright

Will Return In

Prizes

Coming Soon]