TDM #3

[goneawaymod]

TEST DRIVE #3

So it's your first day at your new job! Welcome to the Jorgmund Family™! It's time to settle into your new workplace on the Piper 90 rig, the coziest place of employment this side of the Livable Zone. A leader in its industry, Jorgmund is excited to have you join them in enthusiastically envisioneering team-driven paradigms.

The Piper 90 rig's mission is not only an impressive undertaking in terms of impactful customer-oriented deliverables, it's providing a vital backbone to the Livable Zone by creating a safe region for citizens to live, work, and play. Jorgmund's "outside the box" thinking means they understand the importance of wisely investing in their human capital - you! You'll soon find that you'll take pride in this vital work - and the benefits can't be beat.

Rest assured, Jorgmund's multidisciplinary approach to our world's period of recovery means we know how to keep it real when facing this opportunity for restructuring and growth. Jorgmund: Even if most of the world has gone away, we can make a world of difference!

Synergy!

USEFUL LINKS
It is recommended you check out the following links first for info on the rig, rig conditions, game mechanics, and the intro and slideshow your characters would have to endure that takes place chronologically before the Test Drive Meme:

Welcome/Arrival | Rig Weather & Hazards | Rig Setting Page | Game Mechanics

SCENARIO


It's been a bumpy and cold ride, accompanied by questionable music such as midi remixes of Mmmbop, We Built This City on a trombone, an a capella version of all of Brahm's symphonies, and a 21 kazoo chorus to cover The White Album. And, of course, every fifteen minutes the music's interrupted so an excited intern can tell you about the glorious mission and opportunities of JORGMUND, where you're all family.

Looking at the guy using up everyone's vomit bags, that's a questionably desirable family you got there.

But the mission briefing is, at least, clear. It seems that, after Disney learned that there might be a war, it built a new park far away from any possible targets: the frozen north pole. That's right, Disney pulled an eminent domain on Santa Claus to build a massive, sprawling theme park, even importing a mountain from Europe to provide a decent landmark. Disneyland Arctic is now the only active Disney park in the world, run by the tattered remnants of the once mighty mega-corporation. But, somehow, it still draws massive crowds, despite not quite being in the Livable Zone.

It seems that Disney's so far refused to allow Jorgmund to operate in their territory, for fear of ruining the 'magic'. Technically, Jorgmund's forces, the New Hires that is, aren't even allowed in the park. They're banned. Which is why it's all newer employees on this trip: Disney might not have identified them yet.

That said, all of their power is now spent on the park, a massive, city-sized complex with nearly every environment imaginable included, full of cartoonish buildings and costumed people, many of whom don't even work there yet! That's right, some people still pay to come to enjoy the warped nostalgia of Walt's empire. But many of them don't survive the trip to or from this isolated wonderland, so exports are... rare.

And this comes to their mission. Jorgmund wants Merchandise. And lots of it. A few loads of genuine memorabilia will, once it's been sold off to the right people, fund the corporation's operations for a good, long while. After all, who doesn't want to be the person who eats the very last Redd Rockett's Pizza? Or have the only surviving complete set of Star Wars action figures? Or one of the few people to be able to jam to the forgotten tunes of Halyx?

However, there's something more for the New Hires to do. Not everyone there is happy in the Happiest Land on Earth. And Jorgmund can't ignore the plight of the people if so much attention is called to it. They'll grit their teeth, but not even the upper levels of management will refuse if some people find themselves freed from the shackles of the mouse.

PROMPTS

a) IF THE SHOE FITS

The wailing and moans of agony filling the air are probably warning enough about the horrors the New Hires are about to see. Forced into a line by armored soldiers wielding pole-arms, a raggedy group of wastelanders are shivering in the cold. Kept in line with brutal shoves and harsh words, they're in no shape to put up a resistance. Some of them show signs of already having done so, and judging by the way they flinch away or glare sullenly at the oddly mincing guards, they've learned their lessons.

The chamber they're being led to is dark, lit by flames, and smells like a charnel pit. There are reasons for that. There's only one size of shoe left in the Happiest Place On Earth, and a glass slipper is being used to see if they truly fit or not. Any foot that doesn't fit within the slipper gets... trimmed.

Jorgmund would want the shoes. They'd want the glass slipper itself. They'd have no use for the Wastelanders, but with the eyes of the Livable Zone on them, they can't just abandon the people.

b) THE GREAT WHITE HUNTERS

Once upon a time, a vain queen discovered that she wasn't the most beautiful of all. In response, she ordered her greatest huntsmen to bring her the heart of the fourteen year old girl who outshone her. It's an old tale, with many echoes, even today. The park has many shadows, and within them lurk the hunters. They search for beautiful men and women, to claim their hearts for their ravenous queen, who feasts in one of the many halls on a diet of muscle marinaded in fear and adrenaline.

There are cups Jorgmund would like. Cutlery. Themed plates. A reward is what they've promised for the gathering of them. But the easiest way is probably to follow a Huntsman as he delivers his prize, clasped in an Elsa-themed cooler.

c) THE RED RIDERS

Wolves can be seen in the wilderness, but they're not the true dangers. The dangers are the little old ladies who are oddly hairy, have such great fangs, and such large ears. No one sensible would be fooled, but children desperate for love? Any sign of hearth and home? Desperation has an odd way of filtering reality, and the wolves in Grandmother's nightgown are very good at finding feasts.

Especially with no Huntsmen about to bring out the happy ending.

Some of the wolves will call out to adults. Not all of them are capable of seeing things as they are either, after all.

d) HERO OF HEROES

An enraged roar. A man with a bristling beard, shining red eyes, bulging muscles, and glistening thews hurls a pillar into a crowd, screaming his defiance of the world in ancient Greek, nearly unintelligible in his rage. Heracles brings no pride to Hera today, not lost in a berserk rage, poisoned by hatred. Around his shoulders, and over his head, is draped a lion's skin, impenetrable by claw or blade or bullet. Lost in his fury, Heracles recognizes no friend, no ally, no neutral party. And, weakened as the transition has made many of the people who enter the Gone Away World, none live who can stand against the prince of power. The tactics beloved by Athena, misdirection, wisdom, deception, will be the only way to survive an encounter with the maddened godling.

Behind him are many offerings, accepted in calmer, saner moments, when he isn't maddened by pain and loss. Action figures, posters, clothing-he's made his shrine out of a gift shop and once accepted other such offerings. Jorgmund wants them. They sell for top dollar on the Livable Zone's markets.

e) RICHES TO RAGS

It had to happen. One of Jorgmund's other New Hires, a nervous, mousy looking man is confronted by a casual looking man in red, leaning casually on a sword and eating an apple. "You know how this goes, wageslave. Drop your goods, leave your riches behind, and return to your masters. Tell them that other people are needier than this." He smiles winningly.

The mousy man sputters, drops his sack, and pulls a gun, only to drop on the spot as an arrow suddenly skewers his head. The man in red clicks his tongue and drags the sack closer to him with his sword, before glancing up and smiling. "Greetings! Oh, I hope you didn't know him. If you did, it's a pity, but you'll get the same terms from Will Scarlet. You are surrounded, my gentle people, by my oh, so fair cousin, Robin and his very merry men." He smiles, twirling his mustache, then sketches a bow. "Surrender your goods, gentle people, or have them surrendered for you."

f) AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Good workers aren't easy to come by! Especially in an area with as much stress as Disneyland! But that's fine, Disney's management figured out the solution long ago. Whenever they need more people, they simply grab someone and drag them into one of the many doors that aren't doors in the vast amusement park. Inside, there's invariably a chair and a set of monitors. The chair straps the victim down and, from there, patches are applied and a special, Very Magical helmet is dropped over their heads.

Strains of "It's a Small World" can be heard from the helmets.

They'll scream. Oh, they always scream. But only for a while. When the helmet comes off, they're no longer street trash or a lonely tourist. Now they're one of the few, the proud, the people who keep the park running! And for the special folks who have just the right looks, they become Characters. Ariel, Mulan, Gaston, Peter Pan, Luke Skywalker, they're always popular sights. They'll be worked even harder than the rest, but the Characters know better than to object! After all, it's such an honor to represent Disney!

The New Hires can either save Wastelanders waiting in line to be brainwashed, or might need saving from other New Hires themselves. If a New Hires is successfully brainwashed another can possibly save them. It takes some time for the brainwashing to "set." New Hires can save others by using one of several methods: using an emotional connection between the two characters, reminding the character of their past or usual personality, or - if they don't know them - using lots of Disney unfriendly language until the brainwashing shorts out.

g) NIGHT ON SPACE MOUNTAIN

The looming mountain shudders, and the castle on top cracks. Bulges. A dark and terrible being shatters his chains within the castle's heart flexes his black wings, baleful eyes glowing in the night. He stretches his arms out and the shadows come alive. The horrors come from those shadows. Imps. Bats. Vultures. Ghosts. Goblins. Demons. Death himself rides the night, swinging his scythe to and fro, and silent witches ride nightmares through the murky sky.

The Dark God underneath Disney's pride and joy lives. Finally, the world has become corrupt enough to allow him to live, to breathe, to bring fresh horrors to the world and ensnare the souls of mankind He pays little mind to the tiny people underneath, content to torment those directly around him, to create life from the fires of the volcano and then twist and torment them before ending them in the very flames they'd been birthed from.

It's only a matter of time before Chernabog bores of this play and turns his attention to the park, or beyond. But a hurried communication, a man calling himself K, says that he can be contained again. The stories that had trapped Chernabog before have been corrupted by corporate greed and twisted by the media mentality, but there's still a way. Somewhere in the ruins of the castle, maybe even scattered about the park itself, are clear crystals. They need new stories, ones that haven't been tainted by Disney's touch. With a new generation of fables and tales, Chernabog will be imprisoned again, at least for a while. So get to work and save the day already!

h) WILDCARD

I mean, it's Disneyland. There's always something to do. And, true to Disney's approach in the past to these kinds of of things, the park's open throughout the entire crisis and even directly afterwards.

OOC DETAILS
➤ Feel free to play around with powers. If your character has powers from canon you want to play around with, go for it. If you'd like to test out possibilities for game powers, also go for it. Feel free to change it up from thread to thread if you need to. This can be handwaved as exposure to Stuff making characters' powers shift a few times before settling.

➤ Potential players may use test drive threads as their log samples. However, at least one post in their thread must fit the requirements for apps, both in length (200 words) and in quality. If you do plan on using a thread as a sample, please make sure the writing throughout your threads is a good example of your writing skills and has some solid examples of the character's voice.

➤ Players can eventually count TDMs towards AC. They can only count towards comment-based AC proofs.

➤ Potential players can opt to keep these threads as game canon when they app in, or start over fresh, based on preference. The Stuff bringing them to the game universe can fog their memories, if players don't want their character to remember TDM threads when introing into the game.

➤ The game is invite-only. Players without invites are allowed to tdm since some of them may know someone in game to ask for one, and since some people enjoy TDMs just for fun in games they don't plan to app into. But an invite is required during the apping process.

➤ The has a cap of 30 players. Apps are rolling apps that have a wait queue if the cap has been exceeded. Currently the cap is 24 of 30 players.

Comments

Charles Palomo | Red vs Blue | Open

[wooerofevil]

Prompt A IF THE SHOE FITS

A horrible display really. Palomo lowers his eyes from the sights, covering his mouth. Oh is it disgusting to smell, so he attempts to cover his nose as well. Waiting as the pacing soldiers move along. Shoving him back into place.

Oh he does want to strike out. But he knows this fairy tale well, doesn't he? And he's so small and breakable without his armor. Why didn't they let him keep it and use it?

"Just stay calm, its only a fairy tale. And there's always a happy ending in a modern one." He lies to himself so easily.

Prompt B THE RED RIDERS

Palomo honestly is nervous in the frozen wilderness. He's a childish adult, in desperate need of attention and love. This is perchance the worst mission he can be on. Not just for the fact of the matter that his usual missions are against his fellow man.

But for the fact that Palomo has night terrors of beasts who call to you, so carefully with their words. Even when they aren't careful with their words. Palomo lulls into the promises of what they can give him.

To the end of it. It seems, Palomo adjusts his gun and swallows his worries. This is no dream now.

The tale haunts him since his childhood. Innocence stolen from war. The beast was always just a metaphor then. But here?

"Werewolves, who'd have thought I'd be dealing with that in all my years." As if he was so much older then he is.

Red Riders

[freakenstein]

"Funny, and here I was thinking werewolves were the most normal thing we'd run into so far." In a life full of the abnormal this place somehow managed to take the cake. He'd always thought Disney was evil on some level, but more along the lines of how any multi-billion dollar corporation who profits off kids, coins itself as being pure and friendly while ruthlessly crushing or absorbing all competition, and builds itself a cult like following is bound to be evil. Not...this.

He sticks close to Palomo, probably too close, and awkwardly holds his gun like he's only slightly less afraid of it than he is the things stalking them in the woods.

A

[sovtreboot]

The young man with the grey-blue skin and eerily luminous orange eyes is called Crow, and that's all that any of the other New Hires knows about him.

Crow is not enjoying the grisly display either, but he's accustomed to unsavory work for an unsavory patron. Said unsavory patron is also member of a species that considers cutting each others' arms off to be an appropriate punishment and public spectacle. This is horrible, but Crow is fine.

The one who is not fine is this other guy, and it shows.

"Breathe," Crow says out of the corner of his mouth. He doesn't turn his head, so he won't alert the guards. "They're not going to cut you. I'm going to take that glass shoe."

He might also get stabbed in the process, but Crow sounds pretty confident. Getting stabbed is not part of his plan.

A

[parannoyed]

Wash wasn't given use of his armor on this mission (again) something he's very rankled by. The last time he went without his armor on a mission, he came back to the rig with acid burns after a few close calls with fucking facehuggers, because apparently his life is now occasionally dominated by classic movies.

This place is no exception. The Happiest Place on Earth, hooray. Someone give him a Mickey Mouse hat.

The annoyance is even more fuel for the fire as he comes in like a battering ram. He doesn't stop, doesn't let himself get shoved in line, doesn't hesitate. Especially not now. Right now he remembers being at a phase of his life where he wasn't above walking up to friendlies that had done nothing to him and shooting them in the face.

That's what he does here. Not shooting random people, that is, but at least shooting someone in the face. He storms in and immediately shoots one of the guards in the head. A pole-arm? What's that going to do against an M4?

"Everybody down!" he calls out to the Wastelanders in an voice filled to the brim with authority. "I'm getting you out of here!"

They all hit the deck, which Wash needs, so he doesn't accidentally shoot anyone. He looks at Palomo, only recognizing the rig uniform. And the fact he has a gun. And the fact he isn't fighting back with that gun. He doesn't recognize the voice.

"What are you doing?" he yells. It's the drill sergeant voice. "Get in formation!"

Wash may not have a face he recognizes (he was rarely out of his armor on Chorus), and he may not recognize Palomo because of what Jorgmund has done to alter his memories. But Palomo might be able to recognize that voice, especially when its yelling.

Wash pushes forward, shooting another guard in the chest.

wolf | kipo

[boneripper]

arrival.

[ This New Hire doesn't seem to be handling the transition all that well, at the end of the day. She's tense, wide-eyed, angry, quick to turn on small sounds. The very picture of a cornered animal, but with no way, however gruesome, of chewing themselves free of the trap they're in. (And she certainly tried biting as an escape plan during processing, to no avail.) It could be the wolf-skin cloak adding a little something extra to that picture, of course.

They gave her back her clothes "for the mission," which is comparatively a very small comfort. Especially without Stalky. But any familiarity is something. And during the haul out towards this so-called mission, she takes the time to think.

No way out. Kipo's not here. No one is here. They're all trouble-finders, so Wolf likes to think that if they were around, they'd have made it pretty obvious pretty fast.

So, to that point, to the point that always comes first and most importantly: right now, survive. She won't fix anything, find anyone, or get out of this if she doesn't put that first.

Wolf almost immediately ditches her uniform boots. ]


b.

[ If not during transport, someone can easily run into her on a mission component or two. Case in point, Jorgmund wants the queen's dishes? Fine. They'll get some. Part of survival is playing by the rules you can't change.

Wolf is more or less an old hand at hunting, herself. Tracking and quiet following. Staying hidden.

She looks towards the dining hall, having followed a Huntsman there, for a long enough stretch that it might seem like she doesn't realize she's settled next to someone else's vantage point. But lo! That's not the case after all. Hence her... well, friendly is a strong word. Polite is also a strong word.

Hence: ]

Make sure you don't get in my way.


c.

[ Desperate, lonely people looking for love and safety. Wolves walking upright in clean, simple clothes, kind as you please, extending the offer of exactly that. Of family. Of a pack.

Wolves who make a show of wanting to take someone in, only to turn on them for a hunt when they don't expect it. Change them from fellow predator to prey.

Wolf has the benefit of having lived through this song and dance already. Let all the tender parts that it left behind callous over. She doesn't need anyone. Whatever they may be.

When it comes to wolves, at least, she knows better. And she knows them when she sees them. And this is, maybe, one of the biggest emotional triggers possible for her, so she's not having all that great of a time.

Wolf comes pretty much out of nowhere: snarling, straight-up using a mop she found as a staff, the better to vault herself into a wolf's side with. All the better if it breaks the spell (literal or proverbial) of the moment on an intended victim, but Wolf plans to deal with that issue later.

Right now, she has a hunt to finish. ]


h.

[ Open to discussing other prompts and options! Wolf will at the very least be part of operation "grab up those crystals to defeat Chernabog" if that appeals. ]

arrival

[credit_not_blame]

[Huh. Girl in a wolf pelt. That's not something you see every day. Not around here, at least.

They've given Stacia her clothes back too, a flowered romper and wedge heels which definitely don't make her look very tough. That might be a good thing in this case though. She scoots closer.]

You'll probably want those. At the very least, you can use them as something to throw.

York | Red vs Blue

[infailtration]

a) IF THE SHOE FITS

[ Well this is horrifying. York hangs back for a bit, trying to come up with a plan that doesn't end in him getting maimed, but in the end decides it really is the best option to allow them to shove him in line. And he won't let everyone ahead of him get maimed, either, so you may find yourself being tapped on the shoulder and asked by a fellow with a distinctly friendly, casual tone, at odds with the situation: ]

Hey, can I skip ahead of you?

[ He does have a plan, but it's not a great one. It boils down to 'lull them into a false sense of security then kick all their asses' which he may or may not be capable of. Help would be welcomed. ]

e) RICHES TO RAGS

[ When threatened by Will, York only smiles. It's not that he isn't disturbed by the person who was just killed in front of him but. Well. Look, he's seen a lot of people die and at least this was quick. Poor bastard. He won't be taken out that way, though. ]

I don't think so.

[ It seems as if he's baiting the merry man, strolling forward seeming almost relaxed. Inside he is a little nervous, not certain his new ability will work for him on cue but what is a fight if not taking risk? Will fires on him without warning and the arrow... goes straight through him.

He chuckles. ]

Guess I'm not as easy a mark as you thought?

f) AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

[ York isn't on this line. He's lurking nearby, watching, trying to figure out a plan of attack. When he realizes another New Hire is hiding with him he speaks, voice low so as not to be heard over the screaming of the person currently being brainwashed. ]

Do you think it's reversible, or do we just destroy the helmet?

[ He isn't going to kill Wastelanders that could be saved, but he isn't sure they can be. Maybe there's a way to reverse the settings? How do brains work?! He's not an engineer or a neurologist, he's going to need some help on this one. ]

g) NIGHT ON SPACE MOUNTAIN

[ Oh, fuck this noise. But the answer this time isn't as straightforward as a fight to stop the chaos. No, they have to find the crystals and recharge them, as it were. York figures he can help with that. He can talk, everyone who knows him can attest. The trick is finding the damn things, in the whirlwind of Chernabog's madness unleashed. Another set of eyes (preferably someone with two, as he only has one and no Delta right now) would be much appreciated as he searches the castle looking for any glints of light where there shouldn't be.

He should be quiet and stealthy. He is the infiltration expert, after all. But that's not really his style. He can't help but talk to his companion now and then. ]

So what stories are you going to tell? I was thinking legends of the constellations from my home planet. Do they have to be happy stories, to contain the darkness? Or does it not matter?

g

[parannoyed]

[It's a little dark in here. That's why they don't quite catch each other's faces as they meet in the hall they're in. Wash just sees a New Hire uniform and forms up. It's York's voice - very familiar because he was always a talker - that he recognizes first, causing him to take few steps forward and angle his gaze to catch a glimpse of his face.] 

[A familiar scar and clouded over eye catches his eyes first and his jaw drops open slightly.] 

[York is hardly the first dead Freelancer to show up at this point, but having more and more of them stream into this place is... well, it's definitely a good thing (at least when you discount South), because maybe there's a chance they get to walk out of this alive without breaking the timeline. (Something in Wash's locked memories niggles at him about the importance of not wrecking the timeline but he can't remember what). But it's still surprising.]

York?

[The man that says York's name is certainly recognizable but different. It's just shy of a decade since Wash has seen York alive and that decade was not kind to him in places, so his face is a little more aged than it might have been otherwise, worry lines and bags under his eyes settling in permanently. There are massive scars that weren't there before, too, one splitting his lip, another ugly one curved across a cheek, and another that bisects his brow and cheek over his eye. Thanks to the literal Spirit of Murder he almost wound up sans an eye like York. There are even a few gray hairs, though it's hard to tell with the dim light and the fact his blonde hair is particularly light.]  

[Though the memory of answering York's recovery beacon is relatively fresh because of the block on his recent memories, physically the years clearly have taken their toll.]

f

[ownperson]

[ South's got her head turned away from him, keeping an eye out in case anyone comes too close to the hiding spot she's apparently found company in. So, she doesn't immediately realise who that company is; it's been a long, long time since she heard York's voice and, well, the sound of some poor fuck screaming is pretty damn distracting itself. ]

The fuck if I know. Destroying the thing would stop them doing it to more of 'em, but I don't think they're just gonna let that happen.

[ And she does not want to get killed for this.

With a huff, she rolls her neck and turns her attention to the other source of her distraction: the AI in her head that she hasn't had implanted since she got to the rig. Merciful as it is to not have to keep him in at all times, it doesn't make getting used to actually having him in any easier. ]

Hey, Delta. You should know something about shit like this, right? Brain stuff? Is brainwashing reversible?

[ The distinctive green hologram (dimmed for hiding's sake) flickers to life between the two of them, forcing South to look back his direction, but his position leaves York's face distorted from her view. ]

It is possible to 'deprogram' a brainwashed individual, however such studies and techniques are tailored to a psychological model of brainwashing and are therefore unlikely to be of use to Agent York and yourself at this time.

Yeah, great, thanks, that's super fucking helpfu— [ A beat. ] —wait, what the fuck did you just—?

Tommy Dawkins | Big Wolf on Campus

[biggoodwolf]

G
This was just typical. Tommy got to go to the quote-unquote happiest place on earth, and what happens? Monsters. Lots and lots of monsters. And not cuddly, nice ones like the ones from Monsters Inc., either. No, these were genuine grim grinning ghosts, goblins, and other nasties coming out to terrorize.

Why was this his life? He knew why, really, but would it be too much to ask that the craziness was occasionally turned down a notch or two?

Luckily for whoever was fighting their way towards the castle with Tommy, he was a monster himself. And unlike the ones attacking him, he was pretty cuddly. At least when you were on his good side.

"I'm just glad he hasn't set any mascots after us yet. I don't think I could live with myself if I had to knock out Goofy. Although I wouldn't mind punching Gaston in the face," Tommy says as he takes down a goblin. He'd gained a new sympathy for the Beast's lot in life since he'd been bitten, even if the werewolf did acknowledge that he didn't have it quite so bad.

"Any ideas on what we're doing once we get down there? Because I gotta admit, I'm not exactly Shakespeare."

Although he had played Romeo in a particularly strawberry puree-soaked production once.

[freakenstein]

Sticking close to his friend as they picked their way closer to the castle ruins, Merton wasn’t so much fighting by Tommy’s side as he was cowering, clinging, dodging, cheering on from the sideline, and occasionally getting in a lucky hit.

"He probably isn't able to control them.” Jumping out of the way of the falling goblin after Tommy dealt with it, he made sure to give the unconscious thing a swift and completely unnecessary kick in the ribs as he passed it.

“The brainwashing they do to them is pretty focused on just being the character and following park rules. Nothing about following the malevolent instruction of a massive towering demon, should it appear...Thankfully.“ And he would know. He’d been unlucky enough to get ‘recruited’ for a while because wasn’t that also just typical of this kind of situation for them? A few hours of blithely running around werewolf infested woods in green tights, brandishing a dagger at anyone who passed for an adult pirate, was enough to give him a decent glimpse into what being that type of ‘park employee’ entailed. And man, were the benefits ever lousy.

“And personally, I’m less concerned with the idea of having to punch a mascot in the face, than I am with the fact that he has Death on his side,” emphasizing his point, he gestures to the scythe-wielding robed figure flying around on a skeletal horse in the distance, “considering we don’t exactly have the best history with the man, and he might consider this your third strike.”

After all, even after taking Merton’s song in exchange for Tommy’s soul, he’d made a point of warning them that he was still coming for the three of them. Eventually.

At the mention of Tommy not exactly being Shakespeare, he gives his friend a look and a pat on the shoulder that very clearly says, “Oh, Buddy...I know.” Not that it stops him from saying it out loud, too. “You did play a really good Romeo, though.” And he gets an arm slung around his shoulder and a genial poke to the chest.

“But thankfully you have me here with you, and I’ve got plenty of stories we can feed that thing. What do you think it would prefer? Some of my script ideas? Or maybe some of the bloodier fairy tales Disney had yet to neu- Tommy demon at your three o’clock!” In an instant, Merton’s let go of the werewolf's shoulder and stumbled back enough to get out of the way of the possible fray.

Elsaaaaa's here | open

[ahtohollaback]

[H: Wait, That's Mine]

Almost within an hour of awakening back on the rig, Elsa finds herself shoved into a jumpsuit and out into the Arctic, here to acquire merchandise from....a festival? She desperately looks around for familiar faces, someone, anyone she might know, but she doesn't spot anyone before she's through the ticket line, thumbprinted, and launched into the park.

"Okay," she says to herself. "Merchandise. It can't be that hard to find." Steeling herself, Elsa begins to inspect the open stalls, pin-trading stands, and boutiques for things Jorgmund might want.

She's been at it for about an hour when she comes across a wall of....well....very familiar dresses. Most of them are child-sized, and they're all not quite right, but they're similar enough that Elsa walks up to one, takes it off the wall, and drapes it over one arm with reverence. "This is Anna's," she murmurs, and feels her heart clench painfully as she traces the dress with her fingers. "And -- that's my nightdress," she says, with a note of surprised complaint. That's a little personal to have displayed in front of everybody! "What's it doing here? How did you get that," she demands of the poor shop attendant, firmer now in her growing indignation.

[F: In Character]

Hey. Guess who has the right looks to be a Disney princess?

A Disney queen.

Done up in makeup and sequins, Elsa glides through the park, flanked by handlers. She stands calmly while park guests, young and old, wait in line to take a picture with her. She smiles in a vacant, confused way the whole time, until a young girl in a similarly sparkly but much more accessorized blue dress arrives, holding a wand with Elsa's face on it.

"Hello," Elsa says gently to the young girl. "What's your name?"

"Allie," the girl says. But, not to be distracted, she looks up at Elsa and cries, "Sing 'Let it Go!'"

"What?" Elsa repeats, blinking a second -- for a moment, looking less vacant and more present.

"Sing 'Let it Go!'" the girl repeats, waving her glittery wand.

"I..." Elsa begins, because she knows what song the girl means, she remembers being there -- and she remembers how terribly wrong she had been.

"Let it goooo, let it gooo," Allie begins helpfully, and loudly. "Can't hold it back anymore!"

"I--" Elsa stammers, feeling more frightened by the minute. "I'd really rather not." She falters, unable to explain how that--how this is making her feel. The telltale sound of cracking ice whispers under her feet, and the temperature drops a few degrees.

"Let it go! Let it go!" Allie chants, and some of the other park guests in line take up the chant with her. "Let it Go! Let it Go!"

Elsa's eyes rove around her, darting around, looking for escape--help--anything. She doesn't want this. She really doesn't want to relive a part of her life she's still, well, embarrassed about, in front of this crowd of strangers. But she can't run. She knows she can't run. Her handlers are here to make sure she puts on a show. "Please," she begs, holding her hands out in front of her, defensively trying to force space between her and everyone else -- stay away, it says. "Please, I can't--!" Frost builds on the cobblestones beneath her feet, and though it's at a slower rate than if she'd had her full powers, there might be a terrible accident if this goes on.

F

[bringinghopewithme]

Moss suddenly grows on the cobblestones, un-slicking the ground as the children crowd closer.

Bunny slides his way in, acrobatically leaping between Elsa and the kids and dropping low, holding his paws out to keep them back.

With his memories back, his knee-jerk reaction to Elsa would be easier for him to explain now . . . if he were taking the time to care to understand it, but all that he's concerned about just now is that the children really want to see Elsa, who really does not want the children near her. That's a recipe for someone to get their feelings, and possibly more, hurt. His appearance alone isn't enough to keep the kids back until -

"The Snow Queen needs your help!" he proclaims, in a voice warm with imaginative command, and the children are immediately on board, so very ready to help Elsa the Snow Queen in whatever way she needs their assistance! "She needs space to sing her song, and that means she needs a guard! Who will volunteer to be the Snow Queen's guard, can you do it?"

"Yeah!" shouts the first child he looks in the eye, a little girl with a tangled mop of curly blonde hair, who looks from Elsa to Bunny and back, waiting on tenterhooks for what it is she can do to guard her favorite, the beautiful Snow Queen who sings her favorite song -

"Everyone, hold hands, form a circle. You - and you -"

The kids are too good already at doing this, so long as he looks them directly in the eye and gives them encouragement. The little blonde grabs the hand of the shy, dark haired boy next to her, who hesitates before grabbing the next girl's hand - "you too, you're the Snow Queen's guardian," Bunny prompts the boy, and, emboldened by purpose, he grabs the next child's hand, and so it goes until Elsa is ringed by a circle of expectant kids, chests puffed up with purpose, brave and emboldened and ready to protect their queen as all the other children in hearing range also join hands, wanting to be in on this, on protecting their Snow Queen and giving her space to sing her beautiful song.

Task achieved, Bunny pops up just close enough to whisper to Elsa, past the public-figure smile. "They're just kids, and they like you," he mutters, which is an understatement. They love her. It's not for him to question that. "You better give 'em something."

The children around her, already half-singing Let it Go, look at her expectantly, their eyes shining with anticipation.

h-ish

[espigeon]

Julien has spent much of his time in line - his satellite, human self's time in line, the rest of him freezing his tail off high above, waiting for the right moment - a few people back, chatting with neighbors (and, when they weren't feeling conversation, with no one in particular) about the three months he spent mowing lawns at The Magic Kingdom in Florida. There seems to be a general theme about the place being great, the people being great, buuuuut he's glad he left, and not just because the humidity was awful on his hair.

It's been a thing. The first several times Elsa looked back he's tried to make eye contact and smile, but he picked up that she was looking for someone else and switched to politely not noticing.

At last they're here and the stream of guests is getting to fan out and be diverted into countless opportunities to part them with their money. Julien puts his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunching, and walks around in sudden silence. His powerset is great for stealing. Like, amazing for stealing, especially things that can get wet without being ruined. If only he was at all comfortable with doing that? He has a stipend but is it going to be enough to make those Rig creeps happy?

"Do you know where you're going? I don't know where I'm going," he asks to the closet-cosplaying fellow conscript who was ahead of him, because it takes more than a moment of uncertainty to make him quiet.

F

[couldputitback]

"For the 'Happiest Place on Earth', this place is certainly...not very cheerful."

This is possibly the strangest mission that Faiza has ever been on, and she fought Dracula on the Moon. But this dark, Apocalyptic version of Disneyland is just...odd. Parts of it feel right -- not that she's been to Disneyland in Paris more than once -- but the rest of it feels so weird and off that her hand itches to settle on the hilt of Excalibur again.

But, live steel was likely a bad idea in the theme park. Too many children and, hopefully, not a lot of monsters. Not monsters she'd be comfortable taking out, at least.

The squeal of a demanding child brings Faiza out of her revere, making her blink and come back to the here and now. It only takes a moment for her to hone in on what's happening, only faintly recognizing the young woman in the costume. Which...she wasn't wearing when they'd arrived. Obviously, something's gone wrong.

"Not good," she murmurs to herself as she makes her way over, glad for sensible shoes with good grip as she imposes herself between the blonde woman and the small child before crouching down. "Hello there," she says with a smile, drawing on every bit of patience she'd ever needed on a paediatrics round. "You know what I'm sure Queen Elsa would really love?"

Probably not, but it would give the poor girl some breathing room. "How about something different?" The smile widens as she does her best to be as easily charming as her mom thought Dane was. "I'm sure that Queen Elsa always has people asking to hear her story over and over again. How about you tell HER a story?"

H

[wherenoonegoes]

Hiccup and Toothless are in the shop as well, Toothless having gotten in on the basis of being a service animal. It's not entirely untrue, given that Hiccup does have occasional mobility issues with his missing leg that Toothless does help with.

He picks up on Elsa's presence when she starts interrogating the attendant. That's not going to lead anywhere good, and the attendant really doesn't deserve it anyway.

"Hi," he says, approaching Elsa like she's a skittish dragon, while Toothless hangs back for a bit. "Look, I know you're a little freaked out right now, interdimensional travel can do that, but yelling at an employee isn't gonna help anything. She doesn't have any control over what goes on the shelves, she just works here."

Not for the first time, Hiccup's glad for his time as part of the Legion of Superheroes. Without it, he'd probably be as freaked out as Elsa. With it...it's all still pretty weird, but he at least has something approaching a good explanation.

"Look, do you maybe want to get something to drink or eat, and I can try to explain things? I can't promise helpful answers or even good ones, but I can at least promise something resembling them?"

f-adjacent

[takenalive]

<What are you doing? Get that look off of your face.>

It would take a lot of experience with thought-speech to be able to identify where Alloran's voice is coming from, but it's faint enough to have a sense of distance. It happens when Allie is still several people away from meeting her hero.

There's a wash of concern tinged with irritation and resignation. <I am expected to not be identifiable. You won't know who I am, but don't fight me.>

This... has the feeling of something that might get ugly. Unlike some other people who might respond in handwaved alternate situations, Alloran has no compunctions about upsetting children.

Agent Carolina | Red vs Blue

[onequartershark]

1. A Little Short for a Storm Trooper

[ Whether you fought hard or were easy to capture, some soldiers in white armor captured you and put a bag over your head before dragging you into one of the brainwashing facilities. When the bag is pulled off, you're in some pretty dire straights now: strapped into a chair by a pair of guards. It seems like the jig might be up.

Then, something weird happens as one of them is reaching up for the helmet rig. ]

Hold up.

[ The voice of the second guard is a woman's. That's unusual, all these goons in white have had identical, masculine voices. She sounds calm, professional, speaking like someone who does all of this all day every day. The real guard hesitates and it's all she needs.

The woman in the stolen armor quickly locks up the actual guard's arm, twisting him into her grip. He struggles, but she's fast and sure and strong. She gets a hold on the trooper's helmet and there's one firm, final wrench as she snaps his neck.

The body drops. Then, the woman in the armor is undoing the restraints, not really pausing to look at whoever it is she's just saved. She's working fast. ]

You okay? Let's get you out of here before anyone comes to check up.

2. A Merry Chase

[ The Merry Men have a camp, under the boughs of a thoroughly artificial "forest." This is, of course, where they bring back their plunder before, ah, redistributing it. It is a place for much rejoicing around a cheery fire, if you are one of them.

If you aren't, it might be an especially efficient target. At the back was a wagon laden with the Merry Men's ill-gotten gains, teamed by a pair of somewhat-worn-looking but alarmingly functional animatronic horses.

Was, because you're driving that wagon now. Carolina, the madwoman you're working with, volunteered you for the job because she's busy on top of the wagon, knife fighting three dudes in tights.

This is absolutely insane, but at least she seems like she might be winning? ]

Take a right at the fork! A RIGHT!

[ She's yelling directions at the same time. Truly a multi-tasker. Is she right about the way to go, though? This plan has kind of gone to hell since you guys talked about where to go. And if you can get even half of this cart load out of here, it's going to look really good on your next performance appraisal. ]

3. Once Upon A Time

...We have to tell it a story.

[ Carolina's wiping a smear of blood off her forehead. Ow. That still stings. That last little monster was small but those claws were sharp.

She's posted herself leaning up against the dark stones around the doorway of this little room, listening for more trouble as she talks.

You guys found a crystal, but now it's time to fill it. ]

You got any ideas?

4. Wildcard!

[ Surprise me. ]

4. HEY KOREL THIS ONE'S YOURS

[onequartershark]

[ Finding this crystals is hard work, and it's easy to end up drifting alone through the castle ruins even if you weren't alone to begin with.

You're not the only one it's happened to. This area of the castle has seemed quieter, and through a doorway ahead firelight is flickering that drives back the shadows.

A voice is speaking. ]

Once upon a time there was... a group of heroes. They weren't the bravest, or the best, or the smartest but... they had good hearts. Still, they had decided they weren't going to have any more adventures. They were tired after saving the day so many times. They wanted to relax and have fun, and not be in trouble for once.

[ Carolina is sitting by her fire with a crystal in hand, telling a story. She sounds sort of unsure of herself, having to think out what she's going to say. She's not really a story teller. This sounds super fake and dumb and not good, but it's what she has. ]

It was a good plan, but... something happened. Two of them were captured by some, um, bad people who wanted to hurt them.

The heroes had one last adventure to save their friends. It was very dangerous, and they were all very brave. As they were leaving...

[ Think, Carolina. Think. ]

A... dark... wizard... [ Okay, that's stupid but it works enough. ] A dark wizard cast a sleeping curse on their leader.

His friends were really, really upset. They decided they would do anything it took to help him, so they...

[ Carolina is trying very hard to summarize some events that are very dumb, in a way that's even dumber. Fuck. ]

Went on a quest. There wasn't anyone who could help their friend, no matter where they looked, except for an evil witch. She wanted a, uh, powerful magic crystal, and they knew she shouldn't have it. But their leader was a good man who had loved his friends, and they loved him very much. So they made a deal with the witch, and got it for her.

[ This is getting really off the rails but whatever, it doesn't matter. It's just a story, and it feels close enough. ]

The witch tricked them. She used the crystal to take over the kingdom and everyone suffered. The friends had their leader back, but they had made everything so much worse. And the witch had made them forget.

[ She winces a little to herself. ]

The heroes weren't the bravest or the smartest, but there was one that got overlooked the most. He was the only one who could remember what happened. He worked very hard to convince their leader, and the two of them helped their other friends remember. Together, they went to stop the witch.

[ This story should definitely be longer, but if she tries to figure out how she knows she'll be here forever and it will be even worse. ]

They beat the witch, and now it was time to undo her evil spell. But there was a problem: Only someone who had been touched by the witch's magic could break it. And if they did, it would take away... half of them. They would never be the same.

The only one who could make the sacrifice was their leader. And he didn't even hesitate.

They would... all miss him. But they promised they would still be his friends, no matter what happened.

And the heroes saved the day one last time.

[ She lets out a long breath. Ugh. ]

Then, they all... lived happily ever after?

[ A long beat of silence follows as she squints at the crystal. ]

...I sure hope that worked.

1.

[infailtration]

[ When he's overwhelmed by the goons, York doesn't have much hope of escape. It'll take too long before his power recharges and there are so many of them -- he keeps struggling anyway, not willing to just keel over and be brainwashed, but yes. The jig is probably up.

At least, until a familiar voice comes from the smaller guard. It's just two words, but unmistakeable. He hears that voice in his memory, in his dreams. And then the guard moves just like her, just like York remembers. She snaps the goon's neck and comes over to undo his restraints, her gaze focused down on his wrists. The helmet probably limits her vision, that's the only reason he can come up with that she wouldn't recognize him. But he's sure it's her -- she speaks again and he knows it's not false hope, it has to be her. ]

Carolina?

Stu Redman | The Stand

[east_texas]

a. if the shoe fits —

Stu is aghast at all this carnage. It reminds him of the sort of thing that people in Boulder believed was going on in Las Vegas after the world ended. When he was told the mission, originally, he was resistant to stealing, even if it was from a soulless corporation. But now? He’s ready to fight to get that slipper.

He knows who his teammate is in this venture, and when it seems like the opportune moment Stu gives his partner a little nod. It’s time to fight.

And then Stu strikes out at the first guard who’s nearby, a punch directly to the face that is calculated to at least knock the guard off balance if nothing else, but should actually knock him out, if Stu’s placement of the punch is just right.

b. the great white hunters —

Stu knows it’s too late to save the life of the person whose heart is in the cooler. He had been keeping an eye out for Huntsmen at the borders of the park, but hadn’t caught one in the act. He only spots the man once he’s approaching the center of the park with a cooler.

“Damn,” he mutters, beginning to follow. He doesn’t know if this particular mission is being attended to by another New Hire, but he does know that if any of them are around as he enters the castle, they had better make themselves known to him. He doesn’t want to fight off someone that’s meant to be on his side because of them being unknown to one another.

A.

[hallelujahjunction]

Dan would have tried to talk his way into this situation first, rather than going for straight violence, but Dan has a tendency to defer to others who take the lead. He gives Stu a nod back, fully ready to back him up.

When Stu drops the guard, Dan slips under his arm and grabs the poleaxe before the enemy even hits the ground, breaking the crossguard and the head off on his knee. The hallway into the chamber is tight enough without using a full-length spear, and that's one of the benefits here: the four remaining soldiers who had been ushering scared wastelanders in have only so much room to maneuver their weapons. Not that they seem like that'll stop them.

"Two for you, two for me?" Dan parries an axe-head coming for his shoulder with the wooden arm of the guard's weapon, which he thinks he'll be holding onto. Nothing like a wooden stick to swat people with.

Dayna Jurgens | The Stand

[bananaclip]

c. the red riders —

There’s a cabin nearby, one with spoke rising from the chimney and a strange, wolfish-looking woman in a nightgown hanging just inside the front door. She calls to someone nearby, another of the New Hires if Dayna’s remembering correctly, and the person turns to drift toward the cabin door.

“What are you doing?” Dayna calls to the other New Hire. She finds herself ignored, and lets out a sound of exasperation. Now she’s on the hook for rescuing this foolish person. Is she the only one who remembers being warned about what the park would be like?

d. hero of heroes —

Dayna almost wishes she’d drawn one of the other missions when she sees what she’s about to be up against. This man is stronger than her for sure, as much as she wouldn’t like to admit it. Especially as she hasn’t quite recovered from the transition caused by being brought to this world. She knows there must have been another New Hire that had been assigned to help her at this, however; there would just have to be. Jorgmund doesn’t seem like the type of company to risk losing all its employees one-by-one to weakness like this.

She sees someone who appears familiar, someone who she thinks was on the ride here with her, and she approaches, tilting her mouth toward the person’s ear and speaking in a confidential tone: “You ready for this?”

Jo Quesada | OC

[gale_force]

f. an attitude adjustment —

Jo wasn’t expecting a thing when she was suddenly captured, manhandled, led here, and wrestled into a chair. She struggles, of course, oh does she struggle, but eventually the conditioning begins to take and she stops writhing around against her restraints. The song—it’s a familiar one, of course, one that everyone grows up knowing—permeates her thinking and causes her to lose her will to fight against the conditioning they’re forcing upon her.

Once they’re willing to let her go after her conditioning, she begins making her way around the park, working in her new position playacting as Pocahontas. This doesn’t bother her one whit. Sooner or later she runs into someone who was on the ride here with her, and she frowns slightly for just a moment before dismissing whatever mental reminder had been trying to present itself to her of this person.

“Hello, friend!” she greets them.

g. night on space mountain —

Jo and her assigned partner stumble upon on of the crystals, almost as if by accident. This isn’t much of a sheltered place, and Jo casts her gaze to the sky, keeping an eye out for Chernabog.

“You tell it a story,” she says. “I’ll keep an eye out, fight ‘im back if I need to.”

Jo hasn’t shared anything about her powers with this partner. She’s not even sure they’ll work here in this place. With that thought, she waves an arm, testing to be sure the usual gust of wind will follow. It does, and she feels a wave of relief. It’s not as if she knows how to fight hand-to-hand.

G.

[hallelujahjunction]

Maybe others would have balked at the idea of reading stories to a bunch of crystals to stop the God of Death, but Dan's seen so much weird shit in his life hunting ghosts and monsters that he doesn't even second-guess it. He prefers this, actually. He's not near as big a fan of violence as the gun and the baseball bat suggest.

He's not going to share the gun - it's sentimental, and also a bad idea to just hand people guns when you don't know them - but he pulls his baseball bat from the strap on his back and holds it out to Jo. That's all he knows about her: her name. They got assigned together and dropped off here without even having the time to remark on the weather before Chernobyl up there decided to go joyriding.

He definitely notices the gust of wind, wonders if it's magic, Jo or Chimchirree up there or just the atmosphere, but he cups the crystals in his hands, figuring that stories take longer to tell if he's coming up with them off his head, scrambling for the order of things and the pacing, than if he's reciting a few of the many, many poems on audiobook he's memorized in the last few years. In that raspy, hoarse voice: "The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees..."

Jennifer | Rule Of Rose

[poor_unlucky_girl]

A. IF THE SHOE FITS
Jennifer has a connection to fairytales that is quite different from the average person. Her childhood was filled with many questionable ones which she ended up witnessing in first person. Tales might be somewhat tainted, but she tends to try and remember the good side of things, and for this reason she is very much astonished to see a place entirely devoted to them. She enjoys it...Until she peeks into that dark chamber.

Of all the fairytales, Cinderella might be the one she relates to the most. Bullied by the girls whom she considered her sisters, forced to clean more than anyone else and being excluded from fun or events; her own room being called 'the filth room' because that was where dirty clothes and rags were taken. Seeing the glass slipper, however, evokes a new emotion that she can't quite put her finger on what it is.

The guard notices Jennifer and gives her a stern look, silently demanding that she comes closer. She sits on a stool, seeking comfort in the vibrancy of the burning torches. She extends her leg only slightly, reluctantly, only to get pulled. The guard removes one of her shoes, leaving a black sock clad foot exposed.
Her foot is brought closer to the shoe. She doesn't think she has big feet, but over the years she has grown into a relatively tall young woman. She can only hope that the shoe fits!

[hallelujahjunction]

Finally, a mission where Dan gets to do what he wants - and what he wants is to do a goddamn rescue effort. After so many missions fetching objects or making the Jorgmund money with no opportunity to peel off from the group, he's ecstatic at the side quest possibility of hustling some civilians to safety and redirecting some of Jorgmund's ridiculous amount of wealth towards the hungry mouths and open hands. Ecstatic at the ability to do something, and saddened when he sees the horrible situation too many to bring aboard are trapped in.

He's on his own right now, split from the other hires to go do something stupid, as he does, which is a little bit of a concern because he'd prefer at least a partner for dealing with this many people. It's certainly not enough to dissuade him from making sure no one gets a limb amputated, but it means firstly, watching and observing before acting, and secondly, opening his mind to less straightforward ways.

Unlike Jennifer, he has no context for fairy tales, so he has no idea what the import of cutting off toes and heels is, but he's appropriately unsettled by the wastelanders limping and crawling away to go back to work.

The instant he split from the group, he thought ahead, and pilfered a Disney staffer's landyard. The other thing he did in preparation was pay incredibly close attention to any conversations he could overhear between Disney staff were saying to each other, continue to pay attention to it between the soldiers now. It leaves him feeling appropriately armed to come in and do that thing he does where he talks complete bullshit and sounds confident enough that people buy it.

It works about half the time. Dan likes those odds.

"Stop! Stop, oh my God," he says, coming around the corner into the chamber, holding his lanyard up as if it signals seniority as much as place of employment. "Does nobody on this attraction read the memos? We need to halt trimming people's feet because they're canceling this line and redesigning for a new size. I swear, there were at least four emails out about it."

Cammie MacCloud | gen:LOCK

[tr1xx]

f) An Attitude Adjustment

[ Cammie peers out around a wall, with a nearly clear through the door into the nearest brainwashing room. Well, that's absolutely fucking terrifying. Watching people get shoved into some brain-pod-helmet-whatsit and start screaming for their lives is a bit too much of a reminder of her first day on the job back home, with the whole 'guy gets his brain melted' thing, which, Union spy or not, was brutal to watch.

Cammie shudders at the memory and the next wave of screams, the mechanical rabbit ears on her head pinned back as if responding to her distress like an actual rabbit's, then she straightens her spine and ears in one motion, turning to the other New Hire with her.

They'd be forgiven (if not by her) for thinking Cammie looks like a child, at barely over five foot tall and geared up in Disney-friendly clothes for the sake of disguising Jorgmund's presence here, but then she opens her mouth: ]

I think if I can get in there I can re-program that thing to do the opposite of what it's currently doin'. I dinnae ken for sure, 'course, because fuck knows if I'll even recognise the code base used over in this shitehole, but if I can't, then we can just blow the thing to kingdom come or... whatever. That part's not usually my area of expertise, an' all.

Re: Cammie MacCloud | gen:LOCK

[poor_unlucky_girl]

Not only Jennifer is confused by the technical talk, she's confused in general because there were no Disney themed parks until 1955, much later than the time she lived in. She has of course heard of and appreciated Walt Disney in the 30s, but that is starting to be just a little beyond the point.

She looks at Cammie like she's speaking in a foreign language.

"Um. Hello, miss. I like your bunny ears. Can you tell me what is happening right now?"