Harvey was not pleased and started a tirade of words that Pudgy had never heard of. Doomcock reached over and pushed a button on the tablet, which converted the obscenities to beeping sounds. The tablet went dark, and Harvey disappeared. Doomcock nodded, “ahh good, because if you did free him, I would be very cross with you.” Pudgy frowned, ears folded, starting to whimper, “Pudgy sowwyy….” Doomcock nodded, “apology accepted. Now, please promise me to not do that again.” Pudgy nodded and sniffed, “Pudgy pwomise.” It was hard to be cross at the hedgehog, and Doomcock nodded while he uncovered a tray of assorted goodies. Many were Pudgy sized. Pudgy began to nibble on a piece of cheese. The lord worked the remote controls and turned on Nerdrotics to watch one of his videos. Pudgy, “Aw man, not Nerdrotic, turn Doomcock on! Oh wait.” Pudgy and the lord laughed heartily. Doomcock fell asleep while watching silly YouTube shows. Pudgy located a bigger blanket, and with many tries, was able to cover him. Pudgy figured out how to turn the shows off, then got back into his chair and wrapped up. Pudgy started to drift off to sleep mumbling, “night …. night … every…”
Meanwhile far above and later that day, Cobalt pondered that he had not seen or heard from Pudgy for a long time now. It was a bit of a shock that at the same time he pondered, receiving a twitter direct message out of the blue from Doomcock. The ruler advised Pudgy had made it safely to Xanadoom. Pudgy’s crystal had been broken, but he could synchronize another to the one in Pudgy. The ruler would be in touch with instructions on surface preparations that would need to be done to coordinate the return trip. Cobalt messaged back that he was glad he got there. He hoped the Lord had hedgehog proofed his home and would stop over at the cabin later since he was at work.
Almost around the same time, Pudgy had been very busy exploring the large theater room after he woke up earlier. Doomcock had left before he woke, so he decided to ride the train again. He found the train above the bar in a glass case. So Pudgy decided to go into the tunnel. Both entrances had little barrels, and tape saying tunnels under construction. Inside was a model train wall, with stone painted on it. He pressed and it did not move. Pudgy rubbed chin, then looked at all the big bottles on the glass shelves behind the bar. It was all the icky stuff Cobalt said never drink. So Pudgy bounced off the bar and got back into his chair with the 14 remotes laid out before him. So, he started pressing buttons. The speakers loudly said: this movie is rated R. Pudgy settled in and hoped this was a good movie. The title of Blade Runner appeared on the screen.
Pudgy was all alone, but he was fine. Doomcock’s theater had everything. After the runner movie had ended, he continued to play with the remotes. The controls even had on demand: AEW PPV for $59.99 in UHD. A large password box popped up. Pudgy wondered what the password was? As he was about to cancel, Harvey’ tablet lit up, “do it …. order PPV!” Pudgy had just wisely decided to cancel, much to the chagrin of Harvey, and turned on Star Trek 2 Wrath of Khan. The theater doors opened, and in walked lord Doomcock. He went straight to the bar, and poured a drink grumbling about YouTube. Pudgy learned some new words too, and unlike Harvey, the lord did not have a beep button. Or if he did, he couldn’t push it to reach it as the lord was quite tall. Pudgy decided to stay out of sight, and let him vent and recover from whatever had made him upset. In time, the lord left, and Pudgy got back in his chair to fall asleep.
With all the insanity of yesterday, Doomcock forgot he had a visiting hedgehog, and had left certain doors ajar. His first clue of his minor mistake was when he woke up and found a little note on his bed table to look down first. On the floor was a tray of waffles and coffee. He couldn’t help but smile, and happily partook of the offered breakfast. He also messaged his human friend Cobalt who had advised he was at work. They stayed in semi-regular contact throughout the day regarding surface matters. Cobalt had found the crystal in Pudgy’s cabin and had rigged a series of lantern batteries to it, which boosted its output. The lord, using his laboratory equipment, was able to re-establish contact with the crystal located at Pudgy’s little cabin. The green dot that represented the main crystal reappeared on the map in his lair.
While Cobalt was at work, he was not able to be there during testing. A couple test teleportation were in order, and the results were promising as Diktor documented his findings in a tablet nearby. Doomcock made mental note that he was in his laboratory several levels down, and behind security doors. There was no chance of Pudgy getting down there. He locked things up, and then left to go on an important meeting. While Doomcock was off on business far away, Pudgy returned to the theater room in Xanadoom. He turned on the Masked Singer. Plus, Mountain Monsters was coming on later. Harvey’s tablet lit up, so he was watching too. Harvey was done being mad at him, so he was talkative. Another pleasant night passed, and a quiet sleep in the fortress’s movie room.
Though it was now that Pudgy missed Cobalt. He was getting homesick. Xanadoom was wonderful, Doomcock was awesome, and Harvey was ok. But he missed running around, trees, skies, and going places with Cobalt. It was time for Pudgy to go home, the hedgehog decided. Pudgy decided to try to find the laboratory, as that may have things useful for going home. He scampered around, until he found the elevator. The call button was high, but he was able to climb a metal trim piece to push it. As the elevator doors opened, Pudgy bounced in, and started to climb to the floor panel.
Pudgy found the lab buttons 1,2,3. So he pushed lab 1, and the doors closed. The elevator went up a couple of floors, then the doors opened. The hedgehog scampered out into a long hallway. It was cold grey stone, and LED work lights. Down the hall, there was a sizable bank of computers and diagnostic equipment. Climbing up, he began to search for anything that could get him home. After some time had passed searching, Pudgy found a promising lead: a tablet of notes. The handwriting was bad, but not Cobalt level bad, so he could read it, “Crystal detected western Pennsylvania, Power amplification 80%, Pad modification complete, Test 1-4 failure, Test 5 successful, Pudgy go home?”
Pudgy bounced, Doomcock had figured out how to send him home. He looked around, and the pad was on a table beside the station. Harvey appeared on a monitor, “Pudgy, what are you doing?” Pudgy looked at the monitor, “hi Harvey. Pudgy wanna go home. Miss Cobalt…” Harvey blinked, “I can understand that. Maybe you should wait for Diktor to return?” Pudgy strapped on a little cloth vest with a crystal sewn into it, then pushed the keyboard buttons to set the power to 5, and set the coordinates to n 29, w 94. He jumped on the pad. The teleporter fired up and boom Pudgy disappeared. Harvey blinked and spoke quietly, “uh oh.” Unbeknownst to Pudgy, Harvey inside his containment field had a communicator, and sent Doomcock a message, “Pudgy found the teleporter.” The future ruler was off on business, so he did not respond.
Meanwhile, Pudgy appeared in a kitchen with dark chocolate brown cabinets. Pudgy rubbed head, “oh Pudgy head hurts …. but … not Cobalt house?” He looked around, and saw a pretty lady sitting at a table sipping coffee from a large porcelain cup. The woman looked up, and was a bit startled, as the fuzzy brown hedgehog was now sitting on her kitchen countertop. “And who might you be?” Pudgy waved, “hi pretty lady, my name is Pudgy. Is this Pennsylvania?” She shook her head no, “no, I’m outside of Galveston …. Texas.” Pudgy frowned, Pudgy must set the computer wrong.” The crystal started to glow green on his vest, and Harvey’s voice called out, “Pudgy, you are off. Tap the crystal to return.” The woman looked and recognized the voice. “Is that Harvey Cthulu?” Harvey: “Yes, it is Harvey Cthulu mortal! And who might you be?” She smiled, “Samantha. “Pudgy waved, “bye Samantha, it was nice to meet you.” Pudgy tapped the crystal and teleported back to Xanadoom. Samantha smiled, but was confused.
Pudgy rematerialized on the pad In Xanadoom. He rubbed his head; it was just like wrinkle in time. Though he didn’t see Oprah. Harvey blinked, “I really think you should wait for Doomcock.“ The computer said recharge in progress: 12%. He watched as the numbers started to climb, and his head began to clear. It was not very long before Pudgy noticed the computer screen reading out 100% recharge. Power 80% Pudgy worked the dials and set the coordinates to 51 North, 75 West. He jumped on the pad: and called out, “home!” Whoosh he teleported again, and this time materialized on a brown leather couch. He grabbed his head, “ow ow ow.. …Pudgy head hurts!” He looked up as the light dimmed, and a woman with brown hair started to sit down and scoot back. Before he could say anything, he got squished.
The woman was home from work. And was checking twitter, when she saw a strange message from Samantha. “You are not going to believe this, a little hedgehog appeared in my kitchen earlier today. He was talking to Harvey, and then disappeared in a green poof.” The dark-haired woman laughed and commented “perhaps she should cut back on the coffee.” It was about the time she pressed send when she also felt movement behind her. Reaching back, she found a soft pillow, so she pulled it out and brought it into view. The woman shrieked when she saw Pudgy, tossed him away onto the floor in front of her. The hedgehog scampered quickly away and peeked at her from beneath the tv stand. Pudgy gave her a look, “you sat on Pudgy!” The woman blinked and adjusted her glasses. Pudgy recognized her, “umm, are you Starry Eyed Gir11 on twitter?” She nodded, “ah …. yes?”
Pudgy stomped his little foot: dang it, pudgy went too far. Overshot Pennsylvania. Is Pudgy in England?” The woman nodded, and the hedgehog waved at her, “sowwy to bother you, Pudgy trying to go home to Cobalt.” Pudgy tapped the crystal, and in a green poof he returned to Xanadoom. The woman was left in disbelief, then commented back to Samantha, “I believe you now.” Pudgy materialized not in Xanadoom, but on top of a white Hotpoint washing machine. It was making thumping noises. Pudgy knew that meant it was off balance, and something was wrong with the teleportation crystal. Cobalt’s machine did that when he tried to wash 6 pair of blue jeans. Pudgy grabbed the lid and put his right paw up, “yee haw!” An exasperated woman in a purple sweatshirt ran in, “dang it! Stupid machine … is ….off ….balance ….again.” She blinked as Pudgy was riding her washing machine like a bucking bronco. She reached over and hit pause, which after a couple more thumps.
“Aww… Pudgy wanna ride again!” The woman gently picked him up and sat the fuzzy hedgehog on top of her dryer. Then she started to rebalance the washing machine. She blinked and started it up again, hoping when she turned there would be no talking hedgehog beside her. She turned and saw him looking at her. He bounced happily and started looking around the laundry room. Pudgy pointed, “what was in the washer?” The woman blinked, “it was a bed spread. Um, who are you?” Pudgy pointed at himself, “my name Pudgy.” The woman smiled and giggled, “oh! You’re with Cobalt right? I’m Purple Lady on twitter. I’m glad to finally meet you. “ Pudgy waved and bounced happily, “Pudgy glad to meet you too!” She walked beside him and took out her cell phone. She took a selfie with Pudgy and posted it on twitter. Almost immediately Starry Eyed Gir11 and Samantha commented about Pudgy visiting them too.
Doomcock’s voice boomed out of the crystal, “PUDGY!!!!!!!” Pudgy immediately vanished in a poof of green smoke. Purple Lady commented she just heard Doomcock, “Pudgy might be in trouble.” As soon as He materialized on the teleportation pad the expletive tirade began. An hour passed, and Doomcock was still yelling at Pudgy. The helmet was starting to buckle, and even Harvey was looking scared. The lord had returned to find the teleportation grid active, and a missing hedgehog. He turned Pudgy over and spanked him. Pudgy was whimpering as the ruler put Pudgy on a table behind him and pointed and yelled to stay there. Turning the grid off, Doomcock reviewed the computer logs. Many dead quiet minutes passed. The hedgehog felt terrible, he should have listened to Harvey. The only noises were a creaking chair, and keyboard noises.
Doomcock breathed hard and started to calm down. He turned around and looked at the whimpering Hedgehog. Ears folded down and crying, the ruler spoke haltingly at first, “I did not want you to try this yet. Especially all alone. What would happen if God forbid you teleported inside of a person or object? People would get hurt. There is only one Pudgy. What would Cobalt say if I had to tell him that you passed away?” Pudgy was wailing and kept saying, “Pudgy sowwy.” The future ruler rolled his chair over, and picked up Pudgy, then carefully hugged him. Many minutes passed with no talking, until Doomcock spoke, “promise me you will not do this again.” Pudgy looked up, “Pudgy pwomise to not use teleporter again.” Doomcock put Pudgy next to the computer and rolled back to the keyboard. “Ok, let’s see where you went. Hmm Samantha, Starry Eyed Gir11 , and Purple Lady . Oh boy, Harvey will be quite mad you visited the darlings…” He stood up, and motioned for Pudgy to stay put, then walked away leaving the hedge alone and feeling terrible.
Time passed, and Doomcock slept in after a fun night of get together and YouTube live streams. After a small breakfast, he returned to the laboratory to find Pudgy still sitting next to the computer. The hedgehog was still asleep, but the lord couldn’t help but smile under his mask, because he told him to not move and he didn’t. Pudgy stirred awake and looked up at him. He patted his head: “ok get on the teleporter pad. We’re going to try again to send you home. ” Pudgy still had not taken off the vest with the crystal sewn in, so he scampered over. Doomcock set the power level, coordinates, and pressed execute. Pudgy went poof in a green smoke cloud. Pudgy materialized in a bedroom that again was not Cobalt’s house. The hedgehog found a large white bedspread, with a padded gray fabric headboard. Pudgy held his head, as the room was spinning. Pudgy heard footsteps, and suddenly without warning a bed spread flung up and covered him. A woman with long dark hair was making the bed and noticed a little bump. She bent down to straighten it out, but the bump moved. She giggled and called back, “ok boys, who put a toy on my bed?”
It was when the bump started moving quickly underneath the covers, that she stopped giggling, and gently tapped at the bump. Pudgy grunted, “ow!” The woman jumped back with a small shriek and watched as a brown furry hedgehog emerged from under her bed spread. Pudgy waved, “Pudgy glad you didn’t hit hard.” The woman blinked, “Did you say Pudgy?” The hedgehog bounced happily. The crystal lit up, and Doomcock’s voice rang out, “Pudgy, do you read me?” Pudgy nodded, “Pudgy made it safely to a nice lady house, but she tapped me while making bed.” Doomcock, “nice lady house? Hmm, coordinates must be off still. I am sorry for Interrupting your day Ma’am, I am trying to send my hedgehog friend home to Pennsylvania.” She smiled ear to ear, and gently picked up Pudgy. Speaking to the crystal, “Hail Doomcock, it’s Bionic Belly Button.” Doomcock laughed heartily, “hail Bionic Belly Button, how are you today?
A pleasant conversation was had between the Lord, the lady, and the hedgehog. The delay was also due to the teleportation system having to recharge. Luckily it was quick, because Pudgy was 1 cubic foot. When Doomcock was transported, he was 25 cubic feet. “Bionic, can you please place Pudgy back onto the bed?” Bionic hugged Pudgy, gently before placing him back on the bed. The hedgehog waved as he bounced happily, as he went poof in a green smoke cloud, back to Xanadoom. Bionic excitedly started to send twitter messages, which were liked by several individuals who had recent hedgehog visits also. Pudgy appeared back on the transporter pad, as Doomcock was texting someone on his tablet. Pudgy fell over, “room spinning.” Doomcock rubbed Pudgy gently on his belly, “I believe the reason I can’t lock on to your home crystal is that there is not enough power. I messaged Cobalt to increase the power. He says he knows what to do, but he is still at work.”
The hedgehog wiggled while he was on his back, “Pudgy understand, need Brioschi.” Pudgy rolled over and ducked to the edge of the table over the trash can. He was sick and vomited into the trash can below. Doomcock patted his back, causing a loud belch to erupt from the little critter. Meanwhile far above, Cobalt had left work a little early and stopped at a battery place to pick up a deep cycle boat battery. Travelling quickly home, He ran over with the battery and his toolbox. The man rewired the crystal at Pudgy’s cabin to the battery. Far away in Xanadoom, Pudgy’s cabin appeared on the map with a yellow dot. Doomcock saw on his terminal: Power 440%. The lord smiled, “Pudgy, time to go home.” The hedgehog jumped off the pad and into his lap and started hugging him. “Pudgy, very glad to have met you. Can Pudgy come back?”
The lord smiled and nodded, “yes you may return, though it Will be at my discretion. The teleportation crystal only works if I summon you. Do you understand?” Pudgy nodded and hugged again, before scampering to the teleportation pad. Doomcock set the coordinates and poof Pudgy disappeared. The hedgehog reappeared in front of his cabin. This time he was not sick and turned to see Cobalt waving. Pudgy ran up and started hugging him. Cobalt hugged back; it was good for his hedgehog friend to be finally home.
Pudgy left Cobalt’s house when he left for work. He scampered over to his cabin and unlocked it. First order of business was to get the wood stove going, as it was a heavy freeze morning. Pudgy had to get his home back in order, winter was coming. The little hedgehog had made quick work of getting his cabin back in order. The water wheel was working again, and the alternator was charging the new deep cycle battery that Cobalt had hooked up. He swept his porch, and stacked wood pellets. He had time to reflect, though he couldn’t help but feel a bit sad.
His adventure was over, and Doomcock said he could not go back unless he allowed it. Harvey Cthulu had been silent too. Mister Dinosaur was missing from his cave. Pudgy sighed, until a knock came upon his door. He opened it and found a smiling dragon. Pudgy ran up to Xylenia and hugged her leg and looked up at her. The dragon grinned, “I am glad you made it safely back.” Pudgy bounced happily and started telling her all about his adventure after he had left her in the cave. After an exciting day of stories, the dragon hugged her friend, and headed back underground.
Several days passed, with Pudgy returning to a sense of normalcy. He spent the days getting his cabin ready for winter, visiting Cobalt at his house, and playing with his Dragon and Dinosaur friends when they stopped by. But the hedgehog could not help wondering what Doomcock and Harvey were up to? Cobalt had given him a tablet, so he could watch the YouTube channel, so he could listen to them when he wanted. But Xanadoom was more exciting, and he had only spent a short time exploring there. He wondered what else was down there. So, it was a complete surprise when Pudgy came back in from gathering firewood, he found a little letter on his table. Sitting down at a chair, he saw the envelope said TO PUDGY. He opened the letter and bounced happily as he read it. It was from Doomcock.
“Hail Pudgy, it is I Doomcock, the future ruler of the world. I am glad you came to visit Harvey and I here in Xanadoom. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and glad you made it home safely. Although, I must admit that Xanadoom seems a little lonely now. So, as of today I have issued the following decree, that you may return to Xanadoom whenever you wish to do so. I have programmed the robot guards to recognize you, and enclosed is your official legionnaire identification card. I humbly request though that you should use the crystal to communicate first. I need to make certain preparations prior to your arrival. Looking forward to your next, Diktor Von Doomcock.”
Pudgy found a wax seal stamped with his signet ring. He also found a plastic security ID card with his name and picture on it. The hedgehog bounced happily and placed the letter in a frame. Hanging the prized possession upon his wall, he stepped back to examine it. Pudgy still had the vest on that held the crystal, though upon further inspection, he found a pocket to store the card in, and tucked the ID card in its pocket. Pudgy couldn’t wait to tell Cobalt all about the letter and card.
Hours passed, and as Cobalt got out of his Jeep, Pudgy flew out of a bush and started hugging him. The man laughed and hugged his friend. While listening to the excited hedgehog, he inspected the legionnaire ID card. Handing the card back to Pudgy he spoke, “Well, this is certainly interesting timing Pudgy, because recently I signed up on Patreon to support Lord Doomcock.” Pudgy bounced happily and spent the evening at Cobalt’s home. As they watched television, Pudgy looked out the window. The trees had lost their leaves, so he could see the moon peeking out of the trees. It was then Pudgy wondered, does Doomcock have a moon base? The hedgehog got a glimmer in his eyes, and he pondered what the future held in store for Cobalt and him? He was sure that another adventure was looming, however the question was: when?
Pudgy's Adventures 