Galaxy found Mr. Columbus's harsh, disciplinarian nature to be at complete odds with the bombastic, overly-dramatic Doctor Discovery she had known in her universe. Then again, this was an alternate universe, so maybe something in this universe's past had caused this Doctor Discovery to develop a completely different personality than the one she knew.
Another thing Galaxy discovered before they left the school was that she had a backpack of her own, which had been pushed underneath the seat of her desk. It was slightly smaller than Space's, and contained the usual school supplies: Note pads, pencils, textbooks, and so on. One thing she did find unusual about it was a strange silvery disc of unknown origin, which Space claimed that he had never seen before. Galaxy decided that she would worry about it later, after they found Sparky.
When Galaxy and Space exited Annulus High School, Galaxy learned that the school was located in a major city that Space called Annulus City. According to him, it was located in the state of Annulus, the 51st state in the United States of America (which puzzled Galaxy greatly, because most history books in her universe stated the actual 51st state in the US—Puerto Rico—did not join the Union until 2050), though she didn't ask where the state was located in relation to the other states, mostly because it was irrelevant information to her at the moment.
Instead, as she and Space walked down the steps of the school, Galaxy said, “First, we need to find the address of Sparky's house. That means we need to find a computer we can use that has Internet access that we can use to search it. Is there a public library near here we can use?”
“A couple of blocks down the street,” said Space as they passed by a tree growing out of the ground around the school. He adjusted the straps on his backpack. “But I really need to get home. Mom is going to be pissed when she finds out what I did.”
“What, you mean you want to go home and have her yell at you for getting in trouble at school?” said Galaxy, looking at her friend as they reached the bottom step and stopped.
Space paused, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. “You know what? You're absolutely right. I'll just stick with you for now. I can make up some excuse for why I didn't come home right away. She'll be angry at me either way, so what do I have to lose?”
“Good, because I'm going to need your help if I am going to find my way around this city,” said Galaxy.
“Wait,” said Space, before Galaxy could step off the pavement to cross the road. “What about your parents? Aren't they going to be angry if you don't show up?”
Galaxy looked at Space with a questioning gaze. “Space, I know I don't look like it, but I am a full-grown woman who doesn't need her parents' permission to do what she wants. Let them get angry. I really don't care.”
“But—” said Space, before loud, obnoxious laughter interrupted him.
Galaxy looked down the street and saw almost a dozen teenage boys tossing what appeared to be a beanie cap between them. A short robot, about the size of an elementary student, was running around trying to catch the hat, but he was too short to do anything other than make the teenagers laugh every time he jumped to try and catch the hat.
Although the short robot looked a little different, Galaxy had no trouble recognizing Sparky. Still, just to be sure, she said, “Is that Sparky?”
Space looked in the direction of the teenagers and nodded. “Yep, that's him. Looks like those bullies stole his beanie.”
“Then let's get it back for him,” said Galaxy. She walked down the street toward the gang of teenagers, while Space followed behind her closely.
“Galaxy, I'm not sure I'd do that,” said Space as he followed her. He sounded frightened. “Those guys look really tough and mean. They might not be afraid to hit a girl if she pissed them off.”
“If they're picking on a kid, then they can't be that tough,” said Galaxy. “Anyway, Sparky is our friend. Why would I let my friend be pushed around by a bunch of stupid bullies?”
“Yeah, well, you never considered Sparky much of a friend before this,” said Space. “And technically, he's not really my friend, either. I just sort of let him hang out with me sometimes because he's a good kid, which is why I'm not sure I'd stand up to those bullies for him.”
Galaxy looked over her shoulder at Space incredulously. “Are you serious? Sparky is your friend, too. Maybe not in this universe, but where I come from, he is best friends with both of us. Who cares if those bullies are mean? Friends stick up for friends no matter what.”
Space fell silent after Galaxy said that. Even so, Galaxy could tell he would rather be doing anything else than confronting those bullies. Shaking her head, Galaxy looked back at the teenaged bullies, who had yet to notice her or Space's approach.
“Hey!” Galaxy shouted, when she and Space were within shouting distance of the bullies. “What do you idiots think you're doing to Sparky? Give the beanie back to Sparky or else.”
The bullies stopped tossing the hat among themselves and instead turned to look at Galaxy, confused looks on their faces like they didn't know who she was. A couple of them had annoyed expressions, as if they didn't appreciate Galaxy intruding on their fun.
Sparky also stopped and looked at Galaxy and Space. He was similar in appearance to how he looked back in Galaxy's universe, although he was a lot smaller and cuter, with larger and rounder optics, like that of a young child. When he spotted Space, he smiled and waved at him, saying, “Hello, Mr. Space! How are you today?”
Space smiled back somewhat reluctantly and said, “I'm okay. You?”
“Great!” Sparky said, rather cheerful despite the sullen and serious bullies surrounding him. He pointed at them. “Except these bullies stole my beanie. Are you guys going to get it back for me?”
“That's the plan,” said Galaxy, giving him the thumbs up. “We don't like bullies. Especially bullies who bully our friends.”
“You mean you guys consider me your friend?” said Sparky with a gasp. “Yay! I am friends with the cool kids!”
“Friends with a robot?” said a familiar, albeit somewhat screechy, voice from the back of the group of teenaged bullies. “How nerdy of you. I guess I shouldn't have expected better from Jason Space and Helena Galaxy, though.”
A teenage boy—larger and bulkier than the others—pushed his way to the front of the group. He held the beanie in his hand, but that wasn't what caught Galaxy's attention. Instead, she was focused on his head. Really, though, it was his overall appearance that made her step back in shock, as she initially wasn't exactly sure what she was looking at.
The boy had the normal body of a human, built like a quarterback, but his head resembled that of the squid-like Delkarians. The sheer contrast between his head and his body was so bizarre that Galaxy almost believed it was an actual Delkarian head grafted onto a human body until she noticed his human eyes peering through the eye holes. That told her that it was a mask, albeit a very realistic-looking one, which had almost made her question her own sanity. There was something very familiar about the mask, but for the life of her, Galaxy could not place it at the moment.
“How do you know our names?” said Galaxy. “I don't remember ever meeting you before.”
The large teenager growled under his mask. “Don't play stupid with me, Helena. I've known you two since first grade. Don't act like you don't know me.”
Galaxy looked at Space. “You recognize him?”
Space shook his head. “Nope. Never seen him before.”
“Perhaps my name will jog your memory,” said the boy. He thrust his thumb at his chest. “My name is Takerious Ninda Omanx. Remember now?”
“Tiberius Nina Omar?” said Space, scratching his chin.
“No, you idiot,” Omanx said, almost shouting. “Takerious Ninda Omanx. Like the country Oman, but with an 'x' at the end.”
“That name doesn't ring a bell, sorry,” said Galaxy with a shrug.
Omanx stomped his foot on the pavement. “Stop mocking me! How could you forget my name? We're arche
nemies. Don't you remember the second grade science fair? You guys got first place with your stupid model of the solar system, while my amazingly-detailed and awesome space warship got second place.”
“I remember the science fair, but I don't remember a lot of details because I got sick about halfway through and ended up throwing up everywhere,” said Space. “Then I had to go home and didn't have to go to school for a month because it turned out I caught some really bad virus that had a really expensive and difficult-to-get cure. Bad times all around.”
“What about the time in fourth grade, when you two beat me in a game of dodge ball?” said Omanx. He gestured at his face, or at the mask on his face rather. “You broke my nose!”
“I don't remember that, either,” said Space. “Sorry.”
“Why are you wearing a mask?” Galaxy asked, before Omanx could recount yet another memory that neither she nor Space remembered. “It looks weird.”
“It's not weird,” said Omanx. He made a lame growling sound. “It's cool and threatening. You just don't understand because you're so lame. It's based off the Delkarians from Attack of the Squid People, a really awesome sci-fi movie that is way better than any movie you dweebs like.”
“Uh huh,” said Galaxy. “Well, moving on: We just want Sparky's beanie back. As long as you give it back to him peacefully, we won't bother you or your friends ever again.”
“Why should I?” said Omanx. He held up the beanie well outside of Sparky's reach. “I don't have to listen to you two if I don't want to. Why don't you nerds stay out of fights that have nothing to do with you? It's none of your business anyway.”
“You know, Galaxy, I think that Omar here may have a point,” said Space, rubbing the back of his head and looking over his shoulder like he was making sure the street was clear for him to run back home if he had to. “While I of course am against bullying of all kinds, I also believe in choosing your own battles and if you ask me—”
“This is exactly the sort of battle we should choose,” said Galaxy, cutting off Space before he could finish. “Sparky is our friend. I'm not gong to let him get bullied by an idiot wearing a stupid mask, not when I can do something about it.”
“Idiot wearing a stupid mask?” said Omanx. He growled again. “My mask is not stupid! You're stupid.”
“Even if I am, that doesn't change the fact that you and your stupid friends have taken something from Sparky that doesn't belong to you,” said Galaxy. She held out a hand. “Now either give me Sparky's beanie so I can give it back to him or give it back to him directly. No one has to get hurt.”
“Why should we be afraid of you?” said Omanx with a sneer. “You're a pretty skinny girl, and Space is even skinnier than you. I bet I could pick you two up like sticks and break you just as easily.”
Galaxy did not lower her hand. “Because I happen to have a very low tolerance for bullies, especially bullies who mistreat my friends.”
“Then I'll beat you on my own,” said Omanx. He tossed the beanie to one of his friends and said to his gang, “You guys stand back. I can beat these two all on my own. It'll be as easy as stealing a beanie from a robot.”
“Miss Galaxy, can I help?” said Sparky, putting his hands together in supplication. “It's my beanie, after all, so I think I should help retrieve it.”
“No,” said Galaxy, shaking her head. “Stay where you are. This will all be over in a minute.”
“Yeah, it will be,” said Omanx. He punched his fist into his other hand. “One solid punch to the jaw and you'll be out like a light.”
Galaxy handed her backpack to Space, who took it without question. Space looked like he wanted to run, but he stayed where he was as Galaxy marched up to the halfway point on the sidewalk. Omanx met her there, striding toward her with an arrogance that Galaxy had seen in plenty of bullies during her teenage years. His gang was snickering and even appeared to be betting among each other about how quickly Omanx would defeat her, while Sparky stood there looking worried, probably worried that she might not win.
Omanx didn't even wait for her to stop, however, before he launched his fist directly at her face. Galaxy immediately ducked and then punched him in the gut. His stomach was thicker than it looked, but she knew how to punch someone in just the right way to knock the breath out of them no matter how big they were.
And indeed, the blow made Omanx gasp. He staggered backwards, but Galaxy swept his legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall flat on his back. Before Omanx could react, she pinned him to the street with one foot and glared at him so hard that he immediately gave up what little resistance he had shown toward her.
“Now, then,” said Galaxy, folding her arms across her chest. “Are you going to give Sparky back his beanie and stop bullying him from now on or are you going to keep fighting me? Because I can do this all day, you know.”
Omanx's eyes narrowed through the eye slits of his ridiculous mask, but then he grumbled, “Okay, fine. I give. You win.”
Smiling, Galaxy took her foot off his chest and stepped back. “All right. Now—”
But before she could finish her sentence, Omanx reached for a clod of dirt from the ground and hurled it at her face. Galaxy barely managed to dodge the dirt clod, but that split second gave Omanx enough time to scramble back to his feet and lunge at her with maliciousness in his eyes.
“Got you, you little—” Omanx snarled, but he was interrupted when Galaxy kicked him straight in the jaw with her right foot.
The blow sent Omanx staggering again. And, like before, he fell flat on his back, but with his eyes closed and his body still, he clearly was not going to be getting up again anytime soon.
Lowering her foot, Galaxy glared at Omanx's thugs, who now stared at her like she was a vicious dragon. “Anyone else want some of that?”
Apparently, no one else did, because the bullies turned and fled like a flock of frightened sheep. The one that had been given Sparky's beanie by Omanx dropped the hat, but Sparky caught it before it touched the pavement and he then put it on his head. A smile appeared on Sparky's robotic lips as soon as he did so, like all was now well with the world.
Galaxy then gestured for Space to give her back her backpack. Space—who was now looking at her with the kind of respect normally reserved for adults—quickly handed her backpack to her again, which she slung over her shoulders with ease.
“Do you … do we do that all the time as space explorers?” asked Space, awe in his voice, staring at the unconscious Omanx on the street before them. “Knock down our enemies like that?”
Galaxy shrugged. “Most of our enemies are a lot worse than a teenaged bully wearing a dumb mask. But yeah, when you're a space explorer, you learn how to defend yourself, otherwise you're liable to get killed in messy and sometimes sticky ways.”
“Am I that badass as an adult space explorer, too?” said Space, rubbing his hands together.
“You're more badass than you are now, but you tend to rely more on your weapons than your hands and feet,” said Galaxy.
“Aw, man,” said Space, snapping his fingers. “I don't get any awesome outer space karate fighting moves?”
Galaxy was about to ask what Space meant by 'outer space karate' before Sparky practically shrieked, “You guys are awesome!” and ran into Galaxy's legs. He almost knocked her legs out from underneath her, but she managed to retain her balance.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Sparky, hugging her legs as tightly as that wad of gum that Space had been trying to remove earlier had clung to the underside of that desk. “It was awesome how you beat Omar. One kick and … boom! He was down for the count.”
“Yeah, that's nice, Sparky, but could you let go of my legs?” said Galaxy, gently pushing him away, although he still clung to her fiercely. “Because I am starting to lose feeling in them right now.”
Thankfully, Sparky listened. He let go of her and looked up at her and Space with awe in his eyes. “You guys are awesome. I can't wait to tell my frie
nds. They'll be so jealous.”
Galaxy tilted her head to the side and frowned. “Why are you wearing a beanie? You don't normally wear one.”
“What are you talking about?” said Sparky. He clutched his beanie like it was his only friend in the world. “I've always worn this beanie. I've had it for as long as I can remember.”
“And you act so much more childish and outgoing than you usually do,” Galaxy said. “I know that it is theorized that people from alternate universes do not always behave exactly the same as their counterparts from our universe do, but you are almost the complete opposite from the Sparky I know.”
“The Sparky you know?” said Sparky. “What are you talking about? I'm the only Sparky in the whole wide world. It's not like I have an evil twin or something, otherwise I'd know.”
“Galaxy thinks she's from some alternate universe where we're adults and you're our robot friend who travels with us on awesome adventures through the universe,” Space said. “Now I don't know if any of that is true—”
“Awesome adventures through the universe?” said Sparky. He gasped. “You mean like … in a space ship?”
“The technical term is 'starship,'” said Galaxy. “But yes, we do use a vessel that can fly through space.”
Sparky's mouth dropped open. He looked like he could hardly believe what he was hearing, but he managed to say, “Where is your space ship? I mean, starship, excuse me.”
“No idea,” said Galaxy, shaking her head. “I just woke up in class a while ago. I have no idea how I got here or where my counterpart from this universe—the Galaxy you guys know—may be.”
“Maybe you and your counterpart from this universe switched places,” Sparky said. “She might be where you're from right now trying to find out how to get back here.”
“You seem to believe me awfully quick,” Galaxy said, “even though I haven't offered any proof about my story and can't really prove it.”
“Because I love studying alternate universes!” said Sparky. “It's my favorite subject. Besides, it's the only rational explanation for your behavior. I don't know of any other teenage girl who can use space karate to defeat a big bully like Omar so quickly like that.”
The Spacetastic Adventures of Mr. Space and Captain Galaxy: Season Two Page 19
