HAWKS PALACE

[doublefried]

The process of entering the palace is... smooth. Painless.


You are falling, but it's not scary at the speed you're going. You drop through the pre-dawn sky like a feather, light and easy on a breeze, descending towards a bright and multicolored island in a sea of dark trees.

When you land, you are somewhere new.

Comments

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"It's me...?"

He picks up a plush version of himself and goes :O about it.

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Yeah. You want it? Our friend did his fucking best, just for you. And for his massive elephant ego. But for you, little man.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

His eyes sparkle. He is clearly having some sort of Emotional Moment.

"It's me..."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

[ pats him on the shoulder and turns to the carnival game runner ]

Hey. Can you watch the elephant a minute? Let him exult in his glory and don't remind him he's over the height limit for rides.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

The game runner is like _@ but with a customer service smile. They are suffering the hell of the front-facing position.

"O-of course."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Awesome. Thanks, king.

[ Crouches back down to talk to the kid ]

You're real excited about the you-doll, huh? You've wanted to be noticed for a while?

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"I wanted... to help people. To be a hero who helps others."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Well, this is Hero Park. I've heard this is a hero park. You must have done something right.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"I think... I wanted something like this, where everyone was happy."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Everyone, huh? Everyone's a hard one. Were you having a great time, before the corn dog? Before the elephant?

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"Well..."

He fidgets.

"Did you like it?"

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Sure, king. There was a brief and horrific Utah-esque sliders sequence, but that aside? You did good. It's great.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"Right? It's good, so it can stay just like this, right?"

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Nah. Parks gotta close for the night. Rides need maintenance. Elephants need time to unwind without petting and to trumpet over their prize winnings. Sometimes, you need a break. Or shit breaks.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"But what if someone needs it at night?"

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Once or twice it's fine. But too many times? And things go boom. Things go very big boom.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"Well... right now it can't close, I guess. Um... there's a version of me who has all the keys to all the gates..."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Oh yeah? I bet he can't beat an elephant. It's elephant time. It's 3 on one and his one isn't an elephant.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"He doesn't want to fight an elephant!! He ran away."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Let's, you and me, track him down. Us and our fighting elephant.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"I think... he's where visitors aren't supposed to go?"

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Backstage, huh? Okay. Anything to do with these? [ takes his map from his pocket to show him the stains on it ]

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

He nods and points at them.

"They're different ways to get to the same place."

Re: RIDES

[unfinishedsymphony]

Cool. That's our next stop then. Onwards and forwards.

[ stands up and replaces the map in his hand with a snowball from his inventory to give the game runner. ]

Your tip. Elephant, you're coming with me.

Re: RIDES

[doublefried]

"O-okay!"

The game runner sort of stares bewildered at the snowball.