Chapter 20
The Fraggle From Outer Space
Chapter 20
It was early morning in Fraggle Rock, and everyone was still asleep. Everyone that is, except for four fraggles.
Goldie, being a light sleeper, was awakened by the sounds of these four fraggles conducting a very noisy search. She got up from her remade bed and made her way to the Great Hall, where the sounds seemed to be centered.
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“Any sign of him yet?” asked Gobo as he arrived at the Great Hall.
“Not a thing, Gobo,” Red answered as she walked in.
“I couldn't find him, either,” Mokey added.
“Me neither,” whined Wembley. “And I've looked in every place I thought to look and in most places I didn't. He just isn't anywhere.”
“He's gotta be somewhere, Wembley,” said Gobo, “Fraggles don't just vanish into thin air.”
“But it just doesn't make any sense,” said Red, “Where else could he be?”
“Ung, what's going on, you guys?” she yawned as she walked in behind Wembley.
“Oh, hi, Goldie,” Wembley greeted casually while the other just sort of stared in amazement, “See, Boober's been missing since last night, and we've been trying to find him, and since--”
He stopped talking for a moment when he finally realized who he was talking to.
“GOLDIE!” he yelled, “You're back!”
There was a clamor of voices as the four of them rushed up to greet her.
“When did you get back?” asked Mokey.
“Last night,” Goldie answered, “But everyone was asleep, so I just went to my room, unpacked, and went to bed. What's this about Boober being missing?”
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It was late in the morning when five tiny fraggle heads popped up from inside the large rock, peering out to the garden.
Slowly and quietly, they tiptoed to the gap in the stone wall, careful not to alert the goofy brown gorg happily watering his vegetables.
While they were still safely hidden behind the wall, the five of them glanced around for any sign of their missing friend.
“Hey, look!” Whembley whispered as he pointed to something on top of the enormous table.
From the angle they were at, all they could see was the top of what looked like a wooden cage.
“That's probably where Boober is,” whispered Goldie.
“There's only one way to find out,” whispered Gobo, “Goldie, you think you can-- Wait! Goldie!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Goldie rushed out from behind the wall and around behind the distracted gorg, stopping only to hide behind one of the table legs.
“She's gonna need all the help she can get,” Gobo said to everyone else, “Come on.”
As the others made their way to the table, Goldie had already climbed most of the way up the table leg. All this time, the clueless Junior Gorg was busy watering the garden.
Goldie grabbed the edge of the table as she finally reached the top of the leg and heaved herself up. And there, curled up in the corner of the cage, was Boober.
“Boober!” she whispered as she ran over to the cage.
Boober sat up and looked over to Goldie as she ran up to the cage.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Goldie!” he called and met her at the bars. “Oh, no. Now I'm seeing things! It wasn't enough I was hearing your voice last night. Now I'm hallucinating!”
Goldie smiled at him as she leaned her head through the bars and kissed him. His whole body stiffened, and his tail stuck straight up.
“What's she doing?” Red asked as she and the others watched form below.
“I don't know,” said Gobo, “I can't tell from down here.”
“Guys, we've got trouble,” said Wembley as he pointed to the gorg, who had just finished his watering.
Goldie finished kissing and smiled.
“That real enough for you?”
“........You're real,” he whimpered, his face turned as red as his hair, “You're really here.”
“We can worry about that later. Right now we have to get you out of here.”
“Goldie! Look out!”
She was about to turn around when a large hairy hand surrounded her and grabbed her from the table.
“AH!”
“Oh boy! Oh boy!” said Junior as he started fumbling around with the cage, “I caught anoduh fwaggle! Dis must be my lucky day!”
He quickly opened the cage, tossed Goldie in with Boober, and shut the cage before either of them could get out.
“Heh heh heh,” Junior chuckled as he disappeared into the castle, “I'll be back to play wit' you in just a moment, liddle fwaggles.”
“Come on!” said Gobo as he started climbing the table leg, “We've gotta help!”
The others followed suit and started on their way up.
“Ow...” said Goldie as she sat up from her tossed position. “Dang, that hurt.”
“Are you alright, Goldie?” asked Boober as he helped her get back up.
“I'm fine. A little bruised, but fine.”
“Goldie, what are you doing back? Weren't you needed with your family in Outer Space?”
“I found out that I was needed here more.”
She smiled at him, and tears started to fill his eyes as he smiled back. Then he practically tackled her as he leapt into her arms, wrapping his arms around her.
“I'm so glad your back!” he sobbed.
She hugged him back and leaned her head on his.
“Me too. And this time I'm staying.”
“I hope you don't mean staying in that cage,” Red said as the others finally arrived at the cage.
“Yeah, because that'd be kind of strange,” Wembley agreed.
“Aw, but Red, isn't it beautiful?” said Mokey, “The sight of two young fraggles reunited by the winds of true love.”
“Yeah, it's really nice, isn't it?” Wembley agreed.
“Well, I think it's time for the winds to blow us all home,” said Gobo.
“Yeah, back to Fraggle Rock,” said Wembley.
“That sounds good, but how do we get out of here?” asked Goldie. “That latch is too big for any of us to be able to move.”
“Don't worry,” said Gobo, “I've got a plan. All we have to do is push the cage over so it falls down and breaks.”
“Say what?” Goldie and Boober replied in unison.
“Trust me. It'll work.”
The others followed Gobo and formed a line beside him, ready and waiting.
“Ready?”
“Not really,” said Boober.
“Go!”
They all ran at full speed and shoved the cage with all their strength, sending it teetering on the edge of the table. Goldie and Boober held onto each other and screamed as it went tipping over the side and fell with a crash on the ground below.
They both then got up and shook off the adrenaline rush.
“That...” Goldie started, “Didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would.”
“You'd be amazed at how often a plan like that will work,” Boober replied.
“Alright, we did it!” called Wembley as the four of them climbed back down.
Just as they were about to celebrate, a pink gorg in a robe-like dress stepped out of the castle and spotted them.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” she screamed and jumped up onto the nearest chair “FRAGGLES! PA! JUNIOR! COME OUT HERE AND GET RID OF THESE FRAGGLES!”
“Come on, let's get out of here!” said Gobo as they all wasted no time in running away.
“Fear not, oh queen and lovely wife!” announced the purple gorg as he jumped out from the castle wielding a sword and shield, “Your beloved husband and King of the Universe shall protect you from all who invade our kingdom! JUNIOR! Come out here and thump these fraggles!”
“Coming, Pa!” Junior said as he stepped out of the castle and then let out a gasp, “Hey, my fwaggles are gone!”
The young gorg's parents looked around to find that the fraggle were in fact gone from sight.
“He's right,” said Pa, “The enemy has fled and the kingdom is once again safe. It's safe to come down, my little radish dumplin'.”
“Ugh, those horrible little creatures disgust me,” said Ma as Pa helped her down from the chair. “Junior, the next time you insist on catching a fraggle, PLEASE don't keep it where I won't see it.”
“Yes, Ma.”
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(Many Many Days Later...)
It seemed every fraggle in the Rock was gathered at Firefly Cavern that day. The only empty space was at the very center of the cavern, where Boober and Goldie stood, hands joined and eyes unwavering. Standing beside them was a very wrinkled and bald gray fraggle with bushy white eyebrows, a stringy white mustache, and a beard that went down to his knees. No one knows what his name used to be, not even himself. He was simply known to the fraggle community as The World's Oldest Fraggle.
He stood at their side, with his walking stick in hand.
“Aheh-heh-hem,” The World's Oldest Fraggle began, “Now then. Uh, we're all gathered here today to witness these two fraggles, um uh... These two uh...”
“Goldie and Boober!” Yelled the olive green fraggle beside him.
“I was GOING to SAY that!” the old fraggle retorted and smacked the green fraggle upside the head with his stick. “Uh, Goldie and Boober, as they sing the uh... The uh...”
“The Song of the Forever Promise!” the green one yelled again.
“Stop interrupting me, Henchy!” the old one yelled and smacked again.
“Ow! Sorry, Sir!”
“Now where was I? Oh yes. The Song of the Forever Promise. You may proceed!”
(Goldie)
Life is full of sweet surprises. Every day's a gift.
The sun comes up and I can feel it lift my spirit.
(Boober)
Fills me up with laughter. Fills me up with song.
I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong.
From this day on, a promise true
That I will always be with you.
There's nowhere else, I'd rather be
Then having you, my dear, forever hear with me.
(Goldie)
I promise you, that as we live
I'll always comfort and forgive
From this day on, that's what I'll do.
Forever we will stay together me and you.
(Both)
Let us always love each other
(Goldie)
Looking to the light
(Both)
Let us hear the voice of reason
(Boober)
Singing in the night
(Goldie)
Let us run from anger
(Boober)
And never lose our way
(Both)
Forever we will be, Together we.
This is how we'll stay.
(Boober)
Let's fill our lives with playful years
(Goldie)
With noisy games and joyful tears
(Both)
I reach for you, and every day
Until forever, dear, together we will stay
I reach for you, and every day
Until forever, dear, together we will stay
The two love-struck fraggles pulled each other close and nuzzled. Then a storm of static filled the screen as the video ended.
“That's so beautiful,” Grandma sobbed, holding Grandpa's hand as they sat on the couch watching the video. “I'm so happy for her.”
“Our little Goldie's all grown up,” Grandpa agreed.
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Song Credits:
- The Song of the Forever Promise— somewhat rewritten from the song “Bless Us All” from “A Muppet Christmas Carol”
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