With
Superman Returns coming close to being released, it's about time I added some serious twists to this tale.
Chapter Five
A lot of the Sesame Street residents gathered by Hooper’s Store later in the evening as Mac shared his discovery with everyone else, including Oscar the Grouch, who seemed to have been packing his bags at the moment for a trip he was taking to Gotham City with Count von Count. Everyone was so intrigued by Mac’s discovery of the new Kryptonian planet that they helped him in his research over the observatory notes, using every bit of knowledge that they had concerning astronomy, Krypton, and any other information that Superman provided the world with. Even Goo-Goo Gaga, a fast-talking girl with a hyperactive imagination, offered to help the group in their research.
“I’d always known that Superman wasn’t the only survivor of his home planet of Krypton; though I wouldn’t expect that Kryptonians could create their own planet like they are now.” Goo said, as she was rapidly glancing over a folder filled with notes, not really paying close attention to what she was reading. “But if Superman and his Kryptonian family has the power to create new planets, does that mean we can create planets of our own to? I mean, the world can create imaginary friends, and they’ll pop up out of nowhere like mosquitoes in a bog during the middle of the summer. But does that mean we can use the power of our imaginations to create a brand-spankin’ new world inhabited by imaginary friends?”
“Oh, will you clam it?!?!” exclaimed Oscar, who was the only one out of the group that had the grouchiness to silence the overly excited girl. “I don’t know why you all are so fixed on some stupid planet that you hardly know anything about! And you’re wastin’ your time tryin’ to find out more about it, if ya ask me, which I’m glad you didn’t, because I don’t wanna be a part of this at all!”
“Oscar, it’s important that we find out more about this planet, because it might lead us to discover where Superman could’ve gone.” Maria stated.
“Yeah, Oscar.” Big Bird said. “Don’t you want to know where Superman had gone?”
“You already know the answer to that one, turkey.” Oscar remarked, as he threw his ragged, tacky brown suitcase into the back of his beat-up car, the Sloppy Jalopy, along with some of the luggage that Count was taking with him. “Wherever the old boy scout went is none of my business or any of yours for that matter! If he’s gone, he’s gone!”
“Hey, what’s your problem anyway, Meyer?” Bloo asked, and Oscar always got even grouchier when Bloo messed up his name like that. If there was anyone on Sesame Street that annoyed him more than Big Bird, Telly, Elmo, or anyone else, it was most definitely Bloo.
“The name’s Oscar, ya walkin’ blanket!” He yelled. “And my problem is that while everyone else in Metropolis has learned to forget about the so-called Man of Steel, you guys keep talking about him like he’s still here.”
“Well, that’s because he
is still here, Oscar.” Big Bird said, and he pointed to his yellow feathery chest. “He’s right here in our hearts, just like Mr. Looper.”
“Coco. Coco. Coco. Coco.” Coco corrected Big Bird.
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” Big Bird said. “I meant Mr.
Hooper.”
“Well, there’s a big difference between the two, bird-brain!” Oscar exclaimed. “The difference being that Superman left us for no reason at all! Now, you tell me, what kind of superhero that has protected us from things like nuclear rockets and outlaws from Krypton just ditches us for no reason? He’s gone, I tell ya! And he ain’t ever comin’ back either!” The others wanted to think that Oscar was wrong in what he was saying, but it frightened them to realize that the grouch may have had a point. It was silent for a while, as the Count had arrived at the scene, carrying the last suitcase that he was bringing with him on his trip with Oscar.
“I cannot vait ‘til ve go back to Gotham City!” Count said, with a chuckle. “So many buildings vith so many floors that I vould just love to count all the day long!”
“You’re not countin’ nothin’ as long as I’m there with ya.” Oscar said. “You don’t want to stir up another mess similar to one we got involved in during our last trip, do ya?”
“Of course not.” Count said. “But if I cannot count vhile ve’re on the trip, then I’ll just pay a visit to my friend, Bruce Wayne.” When the others heard Count mention a friendship that he had with Bruce Wayne, their minds had gone off of Superman for a brief moment and focused on Count—Mr. Herriman seemed to be the one that was most interested.
“I do say, Master Count, you know Bruce Wayne? One of the most brilliant and sophisticated gentlemen in that dreadful excuse of a city known as Gotham?” Herriman asked, and Count smiled brightly.
“Yes.” Count replied. “I find his admiration of bats most intriguing of all his characteristics.”
“What I don’t get is why he never shows a bit of interest over the Batman, whenever people start talking about him.” Oscar said. “Now there’s a
real hero…the Batman! Never smiles, never asks anyone how there day is doin’, and he always keeps to himself!”
“Yeah, that sounds a lot like someone we know.” Mac said, glaring at Oscar, who just took his anger towards him as a good thing.
“And the Batman never leaves his fans wonderin’ where he’s gone.” Oscar said, and that comment from the grouch left Mac wondering if the studying that he had his friends doing for him really was all just a waste of time. The interest that he had in the new planet was beginning to cease, just the same as his hope in finding the missing hero known as Superman. “Well, Count, we better get to Gotham before sunrise.”
“Uh, don’t you mean before sun
down, Oscar?” Luis asked, while indicating the sun that was setting in the sky.
“Gotham is usually at its grouchiest at night.” Oscar told Luis. “Watching one person scream at another or people throwin’ garbage in the streets is almost as beautiful as watching fireworks in the sky.”
“Well, we hope you guys have fun in Gotham…if you can.” Gordon said.
“Fun?” Oscar said. “In Gotham, we’re gonna be havin’ a blast!” And with that, Oscar and Count hopped into the Sloppy Jalopy and drove away from the neighborhood, leaving a trail of nasty, black smoke coming out from the exhaust pipe. The others coughed as the smoke billowed their way; and when it had cleared, the Sloppy Jalopy had disappeared and the
Foster’s bus had appeared, along with a small yellow Volkswagen that was driven by Bob. Mac reacted to their arrival in surprise.
“Frankie, Bert, Ernie, and Bob are back from the
Daily Planet!” Mac exclaimed, turning to the others with a cautious look. “Now, remember…you can’t tell Bert, Ernie, and Bob about what we’ve learned today.”
“Why can’t we let them in on our discovery?” Fred asked him.
“Si.” Eduardo said. “Senorita Frankie, Senor Bert, Senor Ernie, and Senor Bob are a part of our barrio just like everybody else.”
“Because if we tell them, then they’ll have no choice but to tell all of Metropolis and the rest of the world as well, since it’s their duty as reporters to do so.” Mac said. “I don’t think any of us are ready to let the world in on our discovery. So, everybody please keep a lid on things. You got that…Bloo?” Mac looked towards Bloo with suspicious eyes, which offended Bloo a little.
“Oh, please, Mac.” He said. “Ya think I’m gonna be a clumsy ox and just blabber about the whole thing in front of them for no reason? You really think I’m
that weak?” Mac just looked at Bloo for a long moment, with his arms crossed and still looking at Bloo suspiciously. Bloo sighed, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “I won’t tell Frankie, Bert, or Bob about the new planet, okay?”
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” Mac asked.
“Oh, come onnnn!!!” Bloo exclaimed. “Like Ernie would ever accidentally tell someone a big secret like that.”
“A big secret like what?” Someone asked, and they all turned their heads to see the four characters, as they had approached them. Mac began to get a little nervous. It was always hard for him to hide something from his closest friends; but with the other Sesame Street neighbors by his side, it should’ve been that hard.
“That…uh…you guys are now reporters for the best Metropolitan newspaper in the world!” Maria exclaimed, and they all applauded Bert, Ernie, and Frankie; but they soon stopped once Bob stepped up and raised his hands up to them.
“Well, at least two of them were able to get in.” Bob said, and once they all noticed the disappointed and angered look on Frankie Foster’s face, they knew right off that she didn’t get the job.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Mac said. “Frankie knows just about everything there is about journalism, even more than I do. How could they reject her like that and take—no offense, guys—Ernie and Bert instead?”
“You wanna know why they didn’t accept my application, Mac?” Frankie said, trying desperately not to blow up in front of her friends. “Because they don’t believe someone who works at an adoption company for made-up characters wouldn’t qualify for a position at a big newspaper business, where you work with
real people.”
“What?!” Everyone yelled, offended and surprised all at the same time.
“I’m sorry, but that’s just discrimination at its worst right there!” Wilt remarked. “I mean, what do they take us for? Mutants?”
“Mr. White is very strict about the people who are either working or want to work for the
Daily Planet.” Bob said. “Bert and Ernie were lucky enough to get in for Bert’s strong, serious dedication to journalism and Ernie’s laid back attitude, which is sure to provide a much calmer work environment.”
“Looks like I’m stuck just doing fifty thousands chores at the mansion.” Frankie uttered, just as Mr. Herriman hopped up next to her and placed a paw over her shoulder for comfort.
“There, there, Miss Francis.” He said, sincerely. “You’ll only have twenty chores to do this week.” Frankie glared at Herriman, wanting so desperately to punch the imaginary rabbit right in the face but kept herself from doing so.
“Thanks, Mr. H.” She said, sarcastically, and Herriman just smiled, not realizing that he had just been insulted.
“Gosh, Frankie.” Fred said. “That’s really terrible.”
“Yeah, it’s a real bummer, Frankie.” Bloo agreed. “Too bad Mac’s keeping us from telling you guys about the new Kryptonian planet that’s forming in our solar system, otherwise you could get this all off your mind.” The eyes of everyone around Bloo had quickly focused on him, after he blurted out the big secret. While Frankie, Ernie, Bert, and Bob were looking at him in surprise, everyone else was giving him looks that were dirtier than what Oscar could give.
“New planet?” Bert said.
“Forming in our solar system?” Ernie said.
“And it’s Kryptonian?” Bob queried. “Meaning that it could possibly be a planet filled with people like Superman?” Bloo, not realizing that he broke his word about keeping the secret, began telling the four all about it.
“Mac found these really old notes in the Metropolis observatory, just a few weeks ago, before they tore it down.” Bloo said. “And these notes contain information about a planet that’s been forming in our galaxy for centuries. So, Mac looks over these notes for days, until he comes across this crystal that has all of this weird writing on it. And that’s when Velma tells us that it’s Kryptonian and the new planet could possibly be where Superman is now. Cool, huh?” The area had gotten deathly quiet, after Bloo finished explaining everything. There were people that were angry, surprised, happy, or bewildered that Bloo had revealed everything to Bob, Ernie, Bert, and Frankie.
“Man, and I thought
I talked too much.” Goo uttered, just before Frankie started snickering and then chuckling. And once that chuckling turned into uncontrollable screams of laughter, everyone just stared at her, as if she had gone completely insane.
“Uh, Frankie?” Mac said. “Are you…?”
“Mad?!” Frankie shouted, and that’s when she stopped laughing and gave Mac a furious look. “Yes, Mac. I’m totally mad! I’m mad because you hid some information from me that was so valuable to my position at the
Daily Planet that I could doing a story right now on the whereabouts of the Man of Steel!!!” No one on Sesame Street had ever seen someone go completely berserk like Frankie was that moment. It was almost unnatural for any Sesame Street resident (with the exception of Oscar the Grouch) to become that upset. “You are so unbelievable, Mac! I mean, we do everything for you! We keep your best and only imaginary friend from getting adopted, so long as you can come every day of the week with your little happy attitude and your little smart head—which doesn’t seem so smart anyone, now that you’ve cost me a job at the
Planet!! I mean…what do you want from us, kid?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?!” Mac had felt like crying, and the tears were on the verge of streaming from his eyes and down his face; but he was more angry than sad.
“I only wanted to make everyone happy,” Mac said, “But that might as well be impossible with Superman being gone and everyone moving on without him! This city has lost so much respect that we think more about ourselves than we do each other! I only kept this secret from you, Frankie, because I felt like I needed more time to study up on things, just so you could have a solid story for the
Planet.”
“Well, there’s isn’t going to be a story now, seeing as how I’m
not going to be a reporter!” Frankie snapped.
“It isn’t Mac’s fault that you didn’t get the job, Frankie.” Velma uttered. “He was only thinking about what was right for everyone.” Mac looked down at his feet and sighed; his anger was starting to decrease.
“None of this is right, Velma.” Mac said. “I should’ve never discovered this stupid planet that night at the observatory.”
“Stupid?!” Daphne exclaimed in surprise. “But, Mac, this is where Superman could probably be right now; you said that yourself. You couldn’t possibly believe this is all just a waste of time.”
“It
is a waste of time, Daphne!” Mac yelled, his anger returning. “Oscar was right! Superman ditched us for no reason at all, and he’s never going to come back!” Everyone, including Frankie (who was starting to feel bad about screaming at Mac), was shocked to hear those words come out of the child’s mouth.
“You…You don’t really mean that, cousin.” Velma said, showing somewhat of a smile.
“Yeah, Mac.” Bloo said, grabbing all of the notes and showing them to Mac. “What about the new planet? We could make a fortune with this kind of information, man!”
“Forget about it!!!” Mac shouted, slapping the notes out of Bloo’s hands and causing them to scatter all over the ground. “I don’t ever want to hear about it again! In fact, everyone just leave me alone altogether!!!” With that being said, Mac ran away from his friends, crying as he headed away from the neighborhood. It was at that moment when Frankie had
really felt disappointed with herself for hurting Mac’s feelings. She knew that it wasn’t his fault that she didn’t get the job that she had dreamt of having at the
Daily Planet, and she also knew that he was only doing what was best by keeping the big secret from her.
“Oh, man. What’ve I done?” Frankie murmured, just before she started chasing after Mac, calling out his name as she entered a section of the neighborhood that had become very dark, with the sun now gone. Due to the dark atmosphere, she accidentally bumped into a few trashcans, and she couldn’t tell if she was walking down a sidewalk or walking into a pitch-black alleyway. But, luckily, a streetlight had kicked on just in time, helping her see that she was still on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, she also saw a gagged and tied-up Mac, as he was lying down on the ground and moaning with fear. “Mac?” That was the last thing Frankie uttered, just as an ice cold hand went over her mouth; and the last thing she had seen was a trench-coated figure approaching Mac, as their kidnappers blindfolded her.
END OF CHAPTER FIVE
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