All righty, here's chapter three, a little longer than the first two chapters. Please continue giving me feedback, I should've put a disclaimer that it's been a few years since I've seen most of the episodes of Fraggle Rock considering I am a pretty big fan. So, I'm doing as well as I can! I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Chapter Three:
Red couldn’t sleep that night. Mokey came back really late and was humming softly. Red turned over to face her.
“I’m sorry Red, did I wake you?” asked Mokey.
“No, I was awake. I can’t sleep,” said Red.
“That’s too bad. Why can’t you sleep?” asked Mokey.
“I’ve got a lot of stuff on my mind,” said Red not really in the mood to talk.
“Well, if you need to talk, I’m here,” said Mokey.
“Yeah right,” muttered Red.
“What was that?” asked Mokey.
“Um, good night,” said Red and turned over to end the conversation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next day Red gathered her friends together in the Great Hall along with several other Fraggles around their age who were also beginning to act peculiar.
She wasn’t surprised when she noticed Mokey sitting right next to Boober and Wembley sitting over by Lou. But, this was the very thing she wanted to address, especially when she saw other male and female Fraggles pairing up in similar fashion around the large table.
The only Fraggle sitting alone was Gobo. He caught her eye and smiled, but Red just scowled at him.
“All right Red, why don’t you tell us why you wanted us all here,” Gobo said finally.
“Fine, I will. It has come to my attention that many Fraggles have been gallivanting off to the Cavern of the Sparkling Lilies!” said Red giving special emphasis to the last part. To her disappointment, no one said anything in reply.
“Come on you guys! There’s only one reason Fraggles ever go there!” exclaimed Red.
“Yes, young Fraggle you are correct,” came the voice of Uncle Matt from behind her.
“Oh man, Gobo’s Uncle Traveling Matt. Could my day get any worse?” muttered Red.
“I’m here to try and help you understand what is happening with your friends,” said Uncle Matt.
At this point, most of the Fraggles gathered began to disperse when they realized Red was just off on one of her tangents. They didn’t need for this to be explained to them. Mokey, Boober, Wembley and Gobo stayed behind though. Red was still their friend and appeared to need them.
“I told all of you this many years ago when you were still quite young, but I will tell you again because it is upon you,” said Uncle Matt.
“Humph,” said Red.
“Red! Listen to what Gobo’s Uncle has to say,” said Mokey. She really hoped this would help her friend feel better and see what she was missing.
“As young Fraggles come of age, something inside of them begins to change. The water on Fraggle Pond glistens in a new light to them. They see flowers and dewdrops wherever they go,” started Matt.
Mokey sighed as she knew exactly what he was talking about.
“They also begin to notice other Fraggles in a new way. Before they realize it, they find a connection, a spark with another Fraggle. Then, they travel to the Cavern of the Sparkling Lilies, a special and magical place where they declare love for one another and begin a journey of discovery,” continued Uncle Matt.
“I knew it! I knew that’s why people went to that Cavern!” exclaimed Red.
“Then why did you call us all together for a meeting if you knew?” asked Boober.
“Because it’s foolish! We’re too young for this! Because after the journey of discovery….” Red began to say.
“Comes the commitment of marriage and the beginning of a new Fraggle family,” finished Gobo wistfully.
“Right! We’re not ready for this! Guys, this is crazy! Everything is going to change! I like it the way it is!” exclaimed Red.
“But you’re wrong young Fraggle. You are all at the age where this should be happening. It’s a natural part of life. Part of your journey as a Fraggle,” said Uncle Matt.
“Well, I refuse! I won’t go on this journey! I can’t believe you would choose Boober anyway Mokey,” yelled Red.
“What? I can’t believe you would say such a thing!” responded Mokey angrily. It took a lot to make her mad. Boober just glared at Red.
“Come on Red, you know the reason you’re doing this is because you don’t want to admit you have a thing for Gobo, you’re embarrassed!” said Wembley.
“Excuse me? I wouldn’t touch Gobo with a ten foot pole! That is a ridiculous idea! I can’t stand him,” yelled Red. She was beginning to lose control.
“Well, I guess I know where I stand, excuse me guys,” said Gobo quietly and walked away from his group toward his room.
“That wasn’t very nice Red,” said Mokey.
“Yeah, you’d better go apologize,” said Boober.
“No! I guess if you all want to ruin everything and change your lives than that’s fine. But I’m not going to be joining you. Goodbye!” screamed Red and ran back to her room.
“Don’t lose heart young Fraggles. She’ll come around with time,” said Uncle Matt and then turned to find Gobo and make sure he was all right.
Wembley said he wanted to make sure Lou was ok. Mokey gave Boober a hug and then decided she’d be the best person to talk to Red and told him she’d see him later.
When Mokey approached their room she saw Red huddled up on her bed crying.
“Red, this isn’t the end of the world. We’re moving forward in a good way,” said Mokey.
“No, things will never be the same. We’ll never have fun anymore. There have already been so many changes. I don’t like it,” sniffled Red.
“Red, changes are part of life! You have to deal with that,” said Mokey slowly approaching her bed. Red didn’t answer her.
“Red? Come on Red, talk to me,” said Mokey. She waited a few more minutes and then turned and said, “If you want to talk I’ll be over at Boober’s. I’ll be back later.”
But, Red couldn’t talk to her. Instead she jumped down and took a walk. She went down to the Fraggle Pond to see if maybe she was wrong and tried to see things the way Uncle Matt described them.
“Maybe something is wrong with me,” Red began to question. But, when she walked by Boober’s room and saw him and Mokey together she started feeling angry again. Then she walked by Gobo’s where she saw him with his guitar.
“Am I supposed to feel something for him?” she thought.
Gobo saw her watching him. He came over to her.
“Did you come to tell me more about how repulsive you think I am?” he asked her angrily.
“No, I came because…I’m not sure why I came,” said Red tentatively.
“Well, I think you should go. I don’t want to talk to someone who wouldn’t touch me with a ten foot pole,” Gobo spat at her.
“Gobo let me explain,” pleaded Red. She wasn’t sure why she was standing her trying to talk to him.
“No Red, you said enough. Now please leave, I don’t want to see you right now. I don’t want to see you ever again. You really hurt my feelings,” said Gobo and turned his back to her.
“Gobo…I….never mind,” said Red weakly and ran away. What had she done?
She ran back to her room and climbed in her bed so she could fall asleep before Mokey got back. She didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. Eventually Mokey crept back into the room and quietly got into bed. But Red couldn’t sleep.
“I’ve messed everything up and everything is changing. I can’t stay here anymore,” thought Red. She jumped out of bed and packed a small bag. She flung it over her shoulder and walked out of the room.
As she walked through the tunnels and caverns of Fraggle Rock she thought about where she’d go. To the Gorgs? No, they may be friends now, but that would be a lot to ask. To the Trash Heap? No, eventually they’d find her there. She walked and walked until she found herself at the opening to Doc’s old workshop. If she took a right she could go down to Doc’s new workshop through the Magic Tunnel. Instead, she thought long and hard, and decided what she would do. She quickly scribbled a note on some paper and tacked it to the wall by the opening just in case they looked for her. Then, without looking back she stepped through the hole into Doc’s old workshop which still sat vacant into a portal that would take her to a very different place, Outer Space.