Nevada stayed down in Fraggle Rock for a few more days. He wanted to make sure Wembley was going to make a full recovery. By this time, Gobo was in charge of taking care of him, since he finally went back to their cave, and spent the rest of his recovery in his own bed, instead of Nevada's lap. This also allowed him and Red to play "Fling the Fraggle" in the pond.
Finally, Wembley was back to his old, happy-go-lucky, though often indecisive self, running around the Rock with the other Fraggles. As he was running around, he made a flying leap into the pond, but was caught in midair by Nevada.
"I see you're feelin' better," he said.
"Yeah," Wembley said. "All better now. Thanks to you and Gobo and everybody."
"You're welcome. So, think you'll be able to handle me leavin' this time? I don't want to wear out my welcome, you know."
Wembley then heaved a sigh. He still didn't want Nevada to leave, but he knew he had to go. Gobo walked over to the two, and noticed Wembley looking a little down.
"What's the matter, Wembley?" he asked.
"I know Nevada has to leave," Wembley said. "But I still don't want him to."
"I know, Wembley," Gobo said. "But Nevada can't live down here forever. Just like you can't live in Outer Space forever."
"We all have places where we belong," Nevada said. "I belong out in Outer Space, as you call it, and you belong in Fraggle Rock. I mean, I really like all of you guys, you're really fun to be around. But I have to go back. I'll miss you guys a lot, but we'll always be friends."
"We will?" Wembley asked.
"Sure we will," Nevada said. "You know how Gobo's uncle writes to him? I promise I'll write to you, Wembley. As often as I can."
"Really?"
"Really. Come on, let's have a little fun before I go, okay?"
"Okay!"
Nevada put Wembley on his shoulders, and began to walk off down one of the tunnels. Gobo watched them go, feeling a little twinge of jealousy, but he shook it off, remembering the words Nevada's grandfather had said about friends.
Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver, the other is gold.
Gobo was about to go back to his cave, when he suddenly heard Nevada calling him.
"Come on, Gobo, what are you waitin' for?" he asked.
"Yeah, you coming with us or not?" Wembley asked. "I want both of my favorite friends with me!"
"You bet, Wembley!" Gobo shouted, and he ran to catch up with Wembley and Nevada. Then he began to sing, as the trio walked around the cave tunnels.
Gobo: Every day the world begins again
Sunny skies or rain
Come and follow me
Nevada: Every sunrise shows me more and more
So much to explore
Come and follow me
Both: Every morning every day
Every evening calling me away
Wembley: While the sun goes 'round
I'll still be found
Following the sound
Something's calling me
Gobo: When the world goes drifting back to bed
Wembley: Memories in my head
Nevada: Wonders follow me
All: Every morning every day
Every evening calling me away
Every morning every day
Every evening calling me away
Once the trio returned to the Rock, it was time for Nevada to leave for good. He and Jerry had to get going.
"I've got to go where the adventure takes me," he said.
"Good luck on it," Gobo said, giving Nevada a hug. "And thanks for everything."
"Come back and see us again, okay?" Mokey asked. "We'll keep the staircase up."
"What about Large Marvin?" Nevada asked. "Won't the temptation be too great for him?"
"Aw, you don't have to worry about that," Red said. "Cotterpin let me in on a little secret."
"Yeah? What's that?" Nevada asked.
"She told me they made these Doozer sticks out of mud mustard seeds," Red said. "Not one Fraggle will touch them if that's the case!"
Nevada burst out laughing, picked up Red, threw her into the air, and swung her in several circles before giving her a big hug.
"Next to Wembley, I think I'm gonna miss you the most, Red!" he shouted. "How 'bout one more fling for the road?"
"Okay!" Red shouted, excitedly.
Nevada swung Red between his legs, and flung her directly into the pond.
"Yahoooo!" Red shouted, as she flew, and splashed down. "I love that game!"
"Nevada," Mokey said, "we all talked about this the other day, and we decided something."
"We want you to have something special to thank you for all you've done," Boober said, holding something behind his back. "If it weren't for you, we never would have found Wembley in Outer Space. Or maybe we would have, but he would be laying in a ditch, nothing but a rotting corpse, all mutilated, and dismembered, and . . . . ."
"BOOBER!" every last Fraggle in the Rock shouted in unison.
"Sorry," Boober said, sheepishly.
"Yeah, Nevada," Wembley said. "You did save my life, you know."
"Well, that's what friends are for, you know," Nevada said.
"Anyway," Gobo said, "we Fraggles have a tradition of giving neat things to friends, like when the World's Oldest Fraggle gave your grandfather that neat rollie, and then he gave it to you, and then you gave it to Wembley."
"Yeah," Wembley said, taking out Nevada's lucky marble. "And you know what I'm gonna do?"
"What?" Nevada said.
"I'm gonna give this really neat rollie to my best friend in the whole world," Wembley said. "Here, Gobo. I want you to have this."
"But, Wembley, this is the rollie Nevada gave to you!" Gobo shouted. "The one you didn't want to give up! I can't take it from you, it's special to you!"
"I know it is, Gobo," Wembley said. "But you're my best friend, and you'll always be my best friend, no matter how many new friends I make, and because Nevada's rollie is so special to me, I want you to have it, because you're special to me, too."
Wembley put the marble in Gobo's hands. Gobo looked at it, all the rainbow colors reflecting off the light, shining brightly. Several of the Fraggles hadn't seen it yet.
"It's so pretty," Tosh said.
"It's almost as pretty as a perfect blue rollie," Rumple said.
"Gosh, Wembley," Gobo said. "I don't know what to say."
"That's okay, Gobo," Wembley said. "Just as long as we're still best friends. Aren't we?"
"You bet we are!" Gobo shouted, giving the green Fraggle the biggest hug he could muster.
"See, Nevada, that's how Fraggle gifts work," Mokey said.
"Hit it, every Fraggle!" Gillis shouted.
Gobo: La, la, la, la, la
Wembley: Squeetily-dee, squeetily boing
Gobo: La, la, la-la, la, la-la
Wembley: Deedly-dee, diddly doing
Gobo: La-la, la, la, la,
Wembley: La, la, la
Both: La-la
Wembley: Uh-uh!
Both: Pass it on!
When it's nice and bright,
And it brings delight,
Let your heart choose right,
Gotta
Wembley: Uh-uh!
Both: Pass it on!
When it rolls real good,
Like a rollie should,
Then it's understood,
Gonna
Wembley: Uh-uh!
Both: Pass it on.
Red: When you're giving love away,
Love will come again to stay.
What you give is what you gain,
When you
Wembley: Uh-uh!
Red: Pass it on!
Mokey: When I give a gift to you,
I know you're gonna give it too.
That's why givin's what we do,
As we
Wembley: Uh-uh!
Mokey: Pass it on!
Wembley: Pass it on!
All: Pass it on
Wembley: Pass it on!
All: Pass it on
Wembley: Wish upon
All: Wish upon all the good things that you do.
Wembley: Pass it on!
All: Pass it on
Wembley: Pass it on!
All: Pass it on
Wembley: When it's gone,
All: When it's gone,
It will bring good luck to you.
When you're giving love away,
Love will come again to stay.
What you give is what you gain,
When you
Wembley: Uh-uh!
All: Pass it on.
When I give a gift to you,
I know you're gonna give it too.
That's why givin's what we do,
As we
Wembley: Uh-uh!
All: Pass it on.
Wembley: Uh-uh!
All: Pass it on!
"I'm not sure I understand the concept," Nevada said. "But it sure sounds like an interestin' tradition."
"It's the best Fraggle tradition we have," Red said.
"Yeah, and smoothies and rollies are the neatest things you can give to a friend," Wembley said.
"Which is why we all decided we wanted you to have this, Nevada," Boober said, revealing what he was hiding behind his back, which was a large, shiny, iridescent blue pebble.
"The perfect blue rollie," Boober went on. "The rarest pebble in the universe."
Boober put the rollie in Nevada's hand. Nevada stared at it, wide eyed and slightly slack-jawed. He had heard Boober talk about this, but he didn't know if he'd actually see it. And Boober had been right, it was more impressive than the marble his grandfather had given him.
"I've never seen anythin' like this in my entire life," he said.
"We have a legend about the perfect blue rollie," Gobo said. "It says it's the greatest give you can give. And we all want you to have it, Nevada. It's our way of saying thanks for what you've done for Wembley."
"That's really nice of you guys," Nevada said. "But I can't take it, it means a lot to all of you! It's your greatest treasure!"
"Now, Nevada," Mokey said, "we've all discussed it, and we all took a vote on it, and we all really do want you to have it."
All the other Fraggles began talking at once, urging Nevada to keep the rollie. Finally, Nevada put the rollie in his jacket pocket, and smiled.
"Thanks, you guys," he said. "You know what I'm gonna do with it?"
"What?" Boober asked.
"I think I'm gonna give it to Jerry," he said. "After all, if it weren't for him, we never would have found Wembley in the first place."
"Now you're getting the idea, Nevada!" Gobo shouted.
All of the Fraggles cheered. Finally, it was time for Nevada to head off, and he started up the stairway. Every last Fraggle followed him to the cave entrance.
"I'm still gonna miss you a lot, Nevada," Wembley said.
"I'm gonna miss you, too, Wembley," Nevada said, picking up Wembley, and giving him a hug. "And like I said, I promise I'll write to you, and I'll come visit again someday. I just want you to remember somethin' about friendship."
"What's that?"
"My grandfather used to tell me your friends are always with you, no matter where they are, and no matter where you are. You may be far away, but you're always together, no matter what. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I think I do. We'll always be together, won't we? In our hearts, right?"
"You got it, kiddo!"
Nevada put Wembley down, said goodbye to the other Fraggles, and started off. The Fraggles all called goodbye, and waved to Nevada as he walked off. Then, they began singing.
Old friends, new friends
Here where we ought to be
We'll be together someday
Old friends, new friends
Living in harmony
We'll be together someday
Some things change with passing years
Let this feeling stay
Old friends, new friends
Hoping we'll always be
Here with each other
Together again someday
The End
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The songs in this chapter are from the "Fraggle Rock" episodes "Beginnings" and "The Perfect Blue Rollie," and from "The Christmas Toy," except I changed the lyrics slightly in order to make it work. If this were an actual movie, I'd have the ending credits song be "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Gladys Knight.