August 19 2014

Chapter 24: The little people

The man selling tickets looked a bit scared as he handed me a ticket for that Daring Doofus' air show. Not because of my appearance but because I had loudly grinded my teeth together as I paid him. The idea that I was practically giving my money to that show-off made me sneer. If I hadn't remembered in the middle of the night that this was again a story in one of the episodes I would have stayed at work, but since I did know what that sleazeball was up to I had no other choice than to swallow my pride and tag along with Baloo and Kit to see the Oh-so-great show. And since that ferret had given Kit only two tickets I was the only one who had to pay to get in. Needless to say that made me like the guy even less than before.

The air show was actually a decent one. But then again I had never seen an air show before so it might have sucked, but Kit seemed to like it, for my and Baloo's displeasure. Every time Kit asked us "Did you see that" or "Wasn't that cool" the two of us muttered something in response, Baloo munched some more popcorn and I took another sip from my bottle of soda.

"Ladies and gentleman" the announcer's voice came from the loudspeakers, "the man you've all been waiting to see-".

"Not me!" I said out loud but Kit hushed at me and the announcer continued:

"-The really great, terrific; Daaaaring Dan!" And the guy himself flew over us with his plane, releasing some red smoke and confetti right over Baloo and me, making the two of us cough and spit pieces of paper.

"*cough* I'm really starting to hate that guy".

"That makes two of us" Baloo said and brushed some confetti off his hot dog before taking a bite. "So anyway, what made ya change yer mind about coming with us?"

"I just got a bad feeling, that's all."

Baloo looked like he was about to ask me more, but he was interrupted when Kit jumped up and yelled: "He's gonna crash!"

We looked up and the white plane was indeed going down fast. But I knew it was just part of the show so instead of keeping my eyes on the plane I used the act for my advance and grabbed a handful of Baloo's pop corn he had left unguarded. I had paid for half of it after all.

"Woo-hoo, you see that, Baloo"Kit asked after the Daring Doofus had straightened his plane few meters before hitting the ground.

"Oh, that's nothin'. Hey, remember when we lost both engines over Pango-Pango and went into the dive?" Baloo tried to remind Kit about the real dangers they had been in, but the young bear was too excited to listen. I just sighed at the two of them and leaned back till the show was over.

...

When we were ready to leave I told Baloo that they could go ahead and I'd catch up with them. I stayed behind to collect the empty pop corn bags and soda cartons Baloo had left behind him. I might have been in a different world, but even then my inner environmentalist wouldn't allow me to leave trash behind me.

After dumping the bags and cartons into a trash bin I hurried after Baloo and Kit. I found them in one of the corridors leading outside of the dome the show had been held in. Unfortunately Dan was with them, or rather, with Kit. I knew what he was up to; to fill Kit's head with promises about big bucks he'd be getting if he joined his flying circus. I reached them just in time to hear Dan whisper to Kit those words; "Kit, don't let the little people hold you down" the ferret glanced at Baloo, "No matter how big they are."

"Don't you worry about that." I said making Dan, who hadn't realize I was behind him, jump up. If looks could kill I would have died right there. I seemed to have that effect on bad guys in this world.

It was Baloo's turn to take advance of the situation. He stepped between Kit and Dan, told Kit it was time to go and walked him out.

"See you soon, ace." Dan called out to Kit.

"Real soon" Kit called out back before Baloo dragged him away. I followed them feeling the ferrets eyes on our backs.

...

That evening Kit didn't talk about anything else than the air show. During the dinner I had to leave the kitchen to get away from hearing the details for the umphteenth time and finish my smashed potatoes in my room. It kinda hurt me to listen Kit being so excited when the fact was that he'd come to regret ever meeting that Doofus in few days. "You know" a voice said in my head, "you could try and tell Kit what a phony Dan is".

"Oh yeah, he'd surely listen to me without any proof" I silenced the voice. And the realization of the fact I had an actual voice in my head and that I had out loud told it to shut up freaked me out.

"Okay, it's the time I go to sleep and keep my sanity". "And I'm talking to myself" I shook my head "It's the first sign of madness..." I muttered and started to change clothes.

Author's note

Oh my goodness. Finally updated this story. This's been under work for a loooong time.

And now for some information: this story will be on hiatus for a month or two. I have other stories I'm working on which are more original than this, I have a writer block with this story plus I've got actual studies I should be focusing on soooooooo, yeah. But I will finish what I've started. Eventually. But not for a while.

Also thanks for all of you who have stuck with me since the first few chapters. I appreciate it, really.