Okay, this may be a little tricky to describe XD But I'll do my best.
So this is an adaptation of an old movie directed in 1935 by Frank Capra, who's the same guy who directed It's a Wonderful Life (maybe some of ya have heard of it? XD). It's called Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and it's . . . uh . . . maybe I should let the story explain. Heh. XD *insert embarrassed face here* I hope you enjoy it!
1. Gordon Heir Search
Headlines flashed across New Ninjago City newspapers from the Morning Mail to the New Ninjago Tribune in the year 1935: Cliff W. Gordon: Financier, Dies in Italy! Civic Leader Killed in Auto Accident! Disclosure of Banker's Will Awaited! Gordon Heir as Yet Unknown!
Newspapermen desperate to get the scoop on the lost heir were calling everyone connected to Cliff Gordon, but their efforts were of no use, as the young editor of the New Ninjago Tribune Cole Brookstone soon discovered. . .
"Hey, listen, Corny, who do you think you're talking to?" Cole demanded, frustrated. "If the Gordon attorneys don't know who the heir is, who does?" An annoyed response on the other end provoked: "Oh, come on, Corny. I've done you a lot of favors! What do you say? Who's getting the Gordon dough?"
"You're asking the wrong guy, Cole; I'm only a press agent," the young man on the other end snapped. Kai "Corny" Cobb was a feisty, fast-talking, sharp-tongued twenty-six-year-old whose wit was as jagged as his spiky brown hair. An ex-newspaperman, he was customarily cross, impatient, and even a little nervous: an aftereffect of the tempo of New Ninjago.
A black-haired man in his late thirties-early fourties entered the room. Dressed in a slick pinstripe suit, Mr. John Clouse was the picture of a sharp and cunning-minded lawyer, which, as a matter of fact, he was. "Newspaperman?" he inquired.
"Wants to know who the heir is," Kai replied, covering the mouthpiece of the phone.
"Hang up," Clouse responded, sitting down at the desk and taking out a folder.
"Sorry, Cole, I can't-" Kai sighed. "Yeah, Cole, sure, but I ain't the attorney-"
"Hang up," Clouse repeated, rifling through the papers in the folder.
"-Mr. Clouse is, and I haven't seen him in two days," Kai finished. With that, he slammed the phone back on its stand. "Listen, Clouse, we gotta do something about the newspapers!"
"I'm not interested in newspapers," Clouse retorted, barely glancing up.
"But it's a great story!" Kai protested. "Somewhere in this country, a guy's walking into 20 million bucks!"
"Yes, I know," Clouse said impatiently. "My first concern is to locate the lucky man. When I do, it's your job to keep the newspapers away from him."
Kai rolled his eyes. "It's okay with me, as long as that weekly stipend keeps coming in," he said with an air of casual resignation.
Just then, a man named Mr. Anderson burst into the room, calling, "We located him, Mr. Clouse! We found out where he is! Here's the report!" Handing the lawyer a card, he rattled off, "James Walker, single, 25, lives in Birchwood Falls, Vermont!"
"Thank heaven!" Clouse exclaimed. "You're going with me, Anderson, and you, too, Cobb!" Hitting a button on his intercom, he said into it, "Make three reservations on the first train out to Birchwood Falls, Vermont!"
"Where?"
"Birchwood Falls! B-I-R. . ."
~*time skip: Birchwood Falls train station*~
A pleasantly rural scene, sparsely populated at the moment, greets the three New Ninjagonians as they stand in front of the platform at the train station. At one end of the platform, mail, newspapers, and a few pieces of freight are being unloaded. In this rustic atmosphere, the newcomers are clearly out of their element-obviously city slickers.
"'Welcome to Birchwood Falls,
Where the scenery enthralls,
Where no hardship e'er befalls,
Welcome to Birchwood Falls.'"
Kai couldn't resist a little scoff as he finished reading the welcoming signpost. Turning to his companions, he said, "That's pretty." His tone dripped with sarcasm.
Clouse bent down to pick up his briefcase. "Are you sure this is the town he lives in?" he asked Anderson, a little skeptically.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Clouse, this is the town, all right," Anderson assured him.
"Well, I dropped everything at the office," Clouse replied, frowning. "I hope it's not a wild goose chase."
"No, sir, we checked it thoroughly," Anderson said. "He lives here, all right."
Kai glanced across the tracks at the small, one-story building at their face. It was the combined ticket and freight office, and as they stood there, the elderly rail agent was taking packages into the office. "I spy a native," he said, pointing to the agent. "Let's ask him." The three gentlemen headed up the ramp onto the platform and approached the agent.
"Good morning," Clouse greeted him.
"Morning, neighbors, morning," the agent said cheerfully. Taking another box in his arms, he hurried off, not giving the lawyer a chance to begin a second sentence.
"That's an excellent start," Kai said dryly. "At least we've broken the ice."
As the agent came back and took up a second box, Clouse tried, "I say, my friend, do you know a fellow by the name of James Walker?"
"Yes sir, yes indeedy," the agent said affably. "Everyone knows Walker." With that, he headed back to the office.
"Yes, but-"
Kai sighed. "Must be a game he's playing."
When the agent returned, Clouse said, "We'd like to get in touch with him. It's very important."
"Who's that?"
"Walker!" Clouse exclaimed, exasperated. "Who do you think I'm talking about?"
"Oh, yes, Walker!" The agent nodded emphatically. "Fine fellow. Very democratic." A third time, he walked away before Clouse could try to start his next sentence.
Sighing, Clouse said, "I guess we better try somebody else."
Before he could turn to walk back down the ramp, Kai quickly held up a hand to stop him. "No, we won't," he said firmly. "The next time that jumping jack comes out, I'll straddle him while you ask him your questions."
The agent came back with a pleasant, "Morning, neighbors."
Kai caught the agent's arm before he could dart off again. "Remember us?" he asked. "We're the fellows who were here a minute ago?"
"Oh, yeah, yes, indeedy," the agent said. "I never forget a face."
He turned to walk away, but Kai kept a firm grip on his shoulder. "Listen, pop, we've come all the way from New Ninjago to look up a fellow by the name of Walker. It's important. Very important."
The agent brushed Kai's hand off his shoulder. "You don't have to get rough, neighbor," he said. "All you got to do is ask."
"Then please pretend," Kai said, trying to keep his voice level, "for just one fleeting moment, that I'm asking. Where does he reside?"
"Who?"
Kai could not believe this. I give up, he thought, stifling his frustration and disgust as he took a step back. His glance to Clouse clearly said, Can you believe this guy?
Mr. Anderson stepped forward. "James Walker," he said to the agent. "Where does he live?"
The agent's eyes lit up with recognition. "Ohhh, that's what you want!" he exclaimed. "Well, why didn't you say so instead of beating around the bush? Those other fellows-" he gestured to Clouse and a thoroughly disgruntled Kai "-don't know what they're talking about! Come on, I'll take you there in my car!"