(closed)

[debtor]

Date & Time: May 3rd (Exsilium time)
Location: DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, Florida, circa 1993
Who: Arya "Leo" Stark (wolfchild), Allen "Mikey" Walker (debtor), Oz "Donnie" Vessalius (velveteened), Tyki "Raph" Mikk (phaseshifts); also starring Lenalee "They Don't Pay Me Enough For This" Lee (heavysteps) and Xerxes "Good Friend" Break (maddeninghatter)
Summary: A preteen assassin, a clown, a rabbit, an intangible serial killer, legs, and another clown are sent to Disney World to fetch a muppet. Only success ensues.
Warnings: who let this happen

[The year is 1993. The place is the Disney-MGM Studios, and the stage for the New York Street show is nearly set. It's a gorgeous summer day. The sun is shining, the humidity is oppressive, the park is alive with the wails of impatient children, and a sizable crowd gathers in anticipation for the next performance.

Also gathering for said performance are the stars of the 3-minute pre-show show. Just like they do every day, Eugene, Gaylord, Mark and Tracy meet in the changing room and slip on their heavily padded trademarked costumes. They've been through this ridiculous routine dozens, maybe hundreds of times— they could probably manage it in their sleep by now. Though it's likely anyone could, it's not terribly complicated. The life of a character performer isn't glamorous, but they enjoy their work, and they're looking forward to heading out in their trademarked turtle-van and meeting this afternoon's audience. Even if these outfits are sweltering. They do it for the kids.

But yet, in that very building, at that very same moment, four strangers on a mission materialize out of thin air. They've come a very long way with a set of very specific, and essentially meaningless, instructions. Step one:

become a teenage mutant ninja turtle.]

Comments

BREAK'S ARRIVAL (and Lenalee's!)

[maddeninghatter]

[ The first thing he does is pat himself, to make sure he's still in his own body. To his relief (and perhaps also some small disappointment) he is himself. His clothes and his parts all seem to be in place.

He's managed to give that earnest little girl the slip, thank goodness. No point bringing more people into this ill-conceived fiasco.

He's about to head off quickly, in search of this muppet, whatever this might be, when all of a sudden it hits him: how warm this place is. It's downright hot. He's been cold ever since he arrived in that dreadful, damp city. It's a chill deep in his bones, one that he's never been able to quite shake off.

But now he turns towards a light he can't see - but he can feel it warming his face. Ah. He stands there, basking in blissful sunshine, his anxieties and deep reservations forgotten, for the moment. ]

[anklets]

[When Lenalee comes through, she is tense and ill-tempered, feeling as though she is chasing coattails 'round hallways corners. It is bright here, and dry, and warm, and the peaks of her cheekbones tingle pleasantly while she pulls her bearings back in on herself.

A few dozen yards ahead, white hair catches her eye (—wrong person, a dull pang), and she calls to him without bothering to lighten her tone.]

"A nap", you said.

[maddeninghatter]

[ He startles at that, recognizing her voice at once. Stupid, stupid girl. Why did she have to follow him? Honestly, more people to keep track of, more work, he shouldn't even be here, he should have let Oz fend for himself...

Tch!

He doesn't turn around, still facing the sun. He plucks at his white jacket, taking it off. ]

Yes, indeed! Here seems a good spot~!

[ He drops where he is (in a little patch of lawn just outside the MAD TEA PARTY ride), and lies down, spread-eagled, his jacket folded up and repurposed into a pillow. ]

[anklets]

[Her eyebrows make the climb to take shelter behind her bangs. A vein twitches lightly in her jaw. Is he... mad? Surely he is, behaving this frivolously. Something like how Brother would behave, when he's trying to push everyone's suspicions off.]

Well, once you're finished, your help would be appreciated.

[maddeninghatter]

Appreciated? Are you sure? Cos most of the time, people tell me they don't appreciate what I'm doing, aaaahahhaha~!

[ It really is hot. He kicks off one oversized boot, then the other, and wiggles his (little) toes in the sun. ]

But I suppose I could help you, if you'll help me. For instance, the most helpful thing yoooooooou could do right now is get out of my light, you're casting a shadow!

[ He waves her off, the ruffles in his lavender sleeve fluttering. ]

Then sit down and be quiet. Don't touch anything, don't talk to anybody.

[anklets]

[Watching him dress himself down, Lenalee rolls a frown about her face and consideration about her head, until the warmth sticking her clothes to her back and common sense have her unzipping her rain slicker.

She very pointedly does not move from where she stands while she does so.]

I'm afraid I can't go by the advice of strangers.

[Petty, she thinks, turns with her smile fading back to pursed lips, and begins to follow the dull hum of a crowd and happy chatter.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ She'll hear his tuneless humming for a while for a while until it fades away into the sound of the crowd.

--until, a little while later, there's a tap on her shoulder. ]

I suppose if I'd told you touch everything and talk to everyone, you'd have stayed put, hmmm?

[ He's got his boots back on, though his jacket is draped over one arm. And he has an enormous lollipop, the great big kind with swirls. ]

You're one of those contrary girls.

[anklets]

[

ah.

Well. She supposes she ought not be surprised.]

Perhaps. ["I'd have had to wonder why you believe what you tell me to do has any bearing."] Are you going to help, now?

[maddeninghatter]

[ It's on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he's a one-man operation. But he's already had to use Mad Hatter more than he'd like, to navigate in this strange, hot world. It's tiring.

In fact, he'll collapse soon if he keeps it up. He can already feel a tickle in his throat.

He falls into step beside her, light and loose-limbed, occasionally bumping shoulders. He swings his cane, apparently jauntily, but he's sweeping out an arc with every step. If he's got to do this without powers... well, there's no choice, is there? ]

No no, not at aaaaaaall~! ♥

You're going to help me; there's a difference. Now muppet, muppet, muppet - that's what we're looking for right? Muppet, rhymes with puppet, but not quite - not quite. Or perhaps more than a puppet, hmmm.

Got any ideas, Mistress Contrary?

[anklets]

Lenalee. [ one word, filled with the vexation of being condescended by a man who insists on being contrary himself ]

We should ask around. There are a lot of people here, and most of them are tourists, but someone has to know about these muppet things.

[Sidesteps as she speaks, so as to evade a shoulder-bump. She has taken quiet note of the cane and the arcs it makes while he walks, is reminded vaguely of Noise Marie, only she had never seen Marie wield a cane.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Ask? That feels like cheating, somehow. On the other hand, the fact that he is even here, on this sojourn to the past, bothers him intensely. He'd like to get out as quickly as possible (despite the lovely weather). ]

Right then!

[ He whirls about and buttonholes the first set of footsteps he can identify (odd footsteps, truth be told, but he won't linger on that). ]

I saaaay, hello! Could you possibly tell us where we might find Muppets! My dear little friend here--

[ A nod to Lenalee ]

--is a tremendous Miss Piggy fan, she'll burst into tears if we don't find Miss Piggy straight away, can you help us please?

[ He reaches for the stranger's arm (he's a grabby, handsy sort of person), and is more than a little surprised to find it covered with feathers. ]

--eh?

[ He has accosted a costumed Disney World cast member, none other than Big Bird. ]