"Well, here we go." Chip muttered as he slipped his hand on to the door handle. Twisting, to his surprise, there was no resistance as he gently pushed through. Compared to the dim lighting, the bright shining lights bursting through burned their eyes. Using his free hand to shield his face, the brown monkey was followed by Quentin into the other side. They were... it was the hotel lobby? They were back in the hotel lobby. Something looked different though. The walls and floors were charred. The furniture was nearly nonexistent, and Claws was nowhere to be found. "Wait, isn't this the California?"
"I don't think so. It looks like this place was in a fire." Quentin walked over to the remains of the front desk and ran his finger along the blackened wood. "It does look the same though. It's like a really good recreation. I don't think my crew could do a better job. Who am I kidding, they couldn't do anything at all. Idiots all got kidnapped." The windows were the only source of light inside of the building. The pair of Toons were drawn in by the first natural thing they had seen in hours.
Chip had dropped to his knees and started crawling towards the door. "I'm starving. I just want to lay down here and sleep, but I need to eat. Plus we don't even know who is outside. For all we know those pumpkin-headed weirdos could just be waiting for us silently. Luring us into a trap. What do you think we should do?"
"Ah, I'm glad you're finally recognizing my brilliance. I think we would be smart to get a better view of our surroundings. Maybe we can head up to the second floor and check out the windows. That way we can get a good look from every angle. Plan out what we want to do. Plus maybe there will be some food somewhere. We can split up and each take a side." Quentin, for all of his arrogance was quite intelligent, and clearly understood how to lead.
"Yeah. That's a good idea. Plus maybe we can find some sort of better weapons to defend ourselves. Certainly can't be worse off than a flashlight. C'mon." Chip hopped up and leaned against the wall as he slowly walked up the stairs. Neither Toon felt too comfortable ascending. Many of the steps had crumbled into half-burnt nothingness, and the railing had melted into the rest of the metal.
Quentin slid his hand on the corroded metal and crossed his eyes. "This place is a mess. I wonder why they haven't bothered tearing this place down yet. This must have burnt down months, if not years ago. They've just been letting this place sit like this. Must not have had insurance."
Finally it hit Chip. "Hey, Quentin hold on a second!"
The black cat stopped mid-step and turned to face Chip. "Can't walk and talk at the same time?" The monkey continued his incoherent rambling.
"Quentin, when I was in the lobby this morning, I found a newspaper! It had a front page story about the California burning down! Look where we are! This is the California! It has to be! But it's also been torched!" Chip waved slid his hand into his pocket and looked around for the paper he had found earlier. "Crap, I forgot Claws ripped it up... Oh and Claws! Claws was in there! Except he was injured in the fire! The paper was like fifty years before! But the hotel wasn't burned before and now it is! It's like..."
"Hold on there. Geez, calm down a second. I can't keep up. Can you say that again but, you know, make sense?" adjusting his glasses, Quentin waited for Chip to calm down.
Regrouping, the fellow Toon clasped his hands together. "Earlier today I was waiting for Claws in the lobby. To pass time I started reading a newspaper and the headline story was about the California burning down. Twenty-seven Toons were killed, and only one survived. An orange cat named Claws Henley. The bellboy for the California. The newspaper was dated fifty years ago. There were portraits of the aftermath and it was devastating. When I showed Claws he freaked out on me and told me to leave. Then we go through this huge tunnel underneath the hotel and end up in the hotel... but it is burned down. Could it be a coincidence?"
"Well an hour ago I probably would have called you an idiot, but I guess I can't deny the strangeness going on here. But I guess none of that really matters does it? I think we'll be best if we just keep going and not think about things. We're just going to stress and worry and it is going to slow us down. Come on, let's go." Quentin continued up the stairs, followed by the still inquisitive chimp. Neither spoke as they slowly made their way to the top. Neither wanted to take any chances of putting too much stress on the wreckage and bringing down the entire staircase. Once they had reached the top, it was once again quite similar to the hotel they had been in previously. "I'll take the right side and you take the left. Let's go through the rooms and see if we can find anything. Get a good look out of the windows. Yell if something happens."
"Will do." Chip quietly replied. Gaining a start ahead of his partner, he skipped past the first few rooms. Room twenty-seven was on his side, and he was drawn to it. Nearly breaking into a job, he counted the numbers on the doors. Unlike the other hotel, the doors were chronologically ordered, and much easier to keep track of. Finally reaching the end, he stared at the dark red door. "Twenty-seven." Inhaling, he put his hand on the frame and pushed open. There was little resistance as the door fell down, unhinged by damage inflicted by the flames which had consumed the hotel. Inside of the room was a disaster in its own right. Most of the furniture had been hit, including the bed. "Nothing too interesting yet!" Chip yelled out. Quentin didn't respond, he probably wouldn't hear him anyways. As his own curiosity got the better of him, he wandered through and into the bathroom. Much to Chip's surprise, the bathroom seemed completely untouched. In pristine condition, the marble flooring and brightly painted walls stood in contrast to the dreary atmosphere, and sense of death that plagued the rest of the hotel. Standing in front of the mirror, he placed his hand on the glass and stared into his reflection. The figure in front of him matched what he figured. A desperate, hungry, and scared monkey. Turning on the sink, a small stream of water trickled out. Shoving his face awkwardly underneath the faucet, he licked like a dog until he struggled to breathe. Ripping his head out, he sucked in air and went in for a second go. It wasn't food, but his stomach appreciated the feeling of having something in it. Once he had gotten his fill, he pulled out one last time and wiped his mouth. Stepping out, he gazed back into the bedroom. The window had been shattered. Hanging outside of the window was a line of blankets and sheets which had been singed but survived. Walking over, he tugged and realized it was tied to the leg of the bed frame. Standing up, he leaned out through the window. The end of the rope fluttered about halfway down the building. It was about an eight foot drop to the ground. Not deadly, but probably wouldn't feel good either. An unsettling feeling churned into his stomach. Unsure if it was due to hunger or fear, Chip was startled by a yell from another room.
"Hey, get in here!" Quentin yelled out.
Running out of his room, Chip looked around. Finally settling his eyes on the one with an open door, he sprinted into room twenty-two. Quentin was across the room ducked down near the window. "Stay down! Don't let them see you!" Chip slunk down and duck-walked over to be by the window. "Be careful, but look out there. There's a Toon outside." Slowly lifting his head, Chip peeked out the window. Sure enough there was a single, elderly Toon out strolling in the sun. Seemingly unaware of anything around them as they whistled and stopped to pluck a dandelion that was growing from a crack. "He doesn't have a pumpkin on his head."
"I noticed that. Maybe it is a trap?" Chip added, keeping their eyes locked on the Toon before they soon disappeared as they entered a building down the street. "What if he's like one of the other missing Toons and just came here ignorantly? He could be in danger!"
"I don't know. But if he is one of those crazies, maybe he has access to a car and we can get the hell out of here and go get someone." Quentin stood up and walked over to the bed. "Plus look what I found!" picking up a fire poker he slapped it into his palm. "There was a fireplace in one of the other rooms. I didn't see any other ones though so, I guess you still have the flashlight?"
Chip made a sarcastic laugh and the pair left the room. Quickly sprinting down the stairs to once again breaking them, they walked over to the front door. Unlocked and slightly ajar, they peeked out. Not a single other soul. Stepping out into the bright sun, they gazed up and down the street. Unlike earlier, cars now lined the street. Everything else was exactly as Chip had remembered earlier. Most of the buildings were a bit bland, and unspectacular. It was pretty sunny for how late in the day it was, but it was the desert, so maybe it wasn't that unusual. "Wait, did you see where they went into?"
"Oh yeah. It looked like he went into that place over there. With the giant sign. What does that say, "Denny's?"" Quentin took off his glasses and trained his eyes. "Whatever it is, looks like that's where he went. Shall we go?"
"That's an "A" that's Danny's. I was actually there earlier. Ugh, I went there earlier and it was nothing but pumpkins. What is with this place and pumpkins? Oh, and if that wasn't bad enough, the customer service was terrible. They kicked me out. You might have to go in alone." as the pair walked the short distance to the diner, they peeked into the car windows, hoping in vein somebody had forgotten their keys in the ignition. It kept the pair's mind off of the ridiculousness of their situation, and soon enough they were already across the street from their destination. "Okay, do you want to go inside and see if you can lure him out?"
Snorting, Quentin shook his head. "I'm not going in there alone. Plus do you think you're any better out here by yourself armed with a flashlight? We'd both be in trouble. If anything happens at least we'll both be together. Plus I don't know what to ask. I'm a director, not a detective. That's your specialty, amigo."
"Fine, but can you at least go in first and check if they're pumpkins? At least you can whack them off... Okay that sounded bad. You can bash them a bit and we can get away." Chip's stomach screamed out for food, which pushed him into accepting his fate. "Actually, do you mind maybe grabbing us something to eat? Maybe you can find off the waitress and see if there's food in the back while I take care of that senior citizen."
"That would sound really bad in almost any other context, Chip. I'm loving it. If we get out of here alive I have to turn this into a movie!" stroking his chin, Quentin daydreamed his masterpiece.
Smacking Quentin on the back of the head, Chip bit his lip. "Could you please take this seriously? Come on, let's go inside." checking the street for oncoming cars, they jogged across and looked up at the sign. "See, Danny's. Told you."
"Shut up. I have glasses." Quentin reached out and grabbed the flat handle, pulling the door open and sticking his head inside. The diner was blasting a poppy, retro song. The inside looked exactly as it had earlier, which was a relief to Chip. The white checkered floors, the florescent lighting, the bright colored booths. It was all quite eye-popping, and somewhere he would have liked to eat if they weren't running for their lives. From behind the counter a yellow deer in a pink waitress uniform swung out, smiling at the black cat she grabbed held out her arm and with a perky tone spoke in a southern drawl.
"Morning, fellas! You're up early! Hope you're hungry! Go ahead and take a seat anywhere, I'll be by with some coffee in a minute!" the deer skipped back behind the counter and grabbed a plate that had been pushed out from the kitchen. Chip had stepped inside and gazed in wonder. Was this the same Toon who earlier had chased him out? She must have had her morning coffee. Quentin stuck the long weapon behind his back as he slouched into the first booth. The deer walked over and dropped the plate over near the older Toon, a purple rabbit. "Here you go, Mike. Just like you like it." On the plate was eggs and toast. Chip was no food expert, but he had never seen eggs made of pumpkin. Although possibly the bread. The brown chimp slunk inside the booth across from Quentin. Conveniently the pair were only one booth away from their target. The rabbit made no unusual events, picking up a slice of toast and crunching into it. Sipping coffee. Nothing unusual. Eventually the waitress came back with a pair of menus, giant smile plastered on her face. "Hey there guys. My name is The Banana! Here's a couple a menus! I'll give you a minute ta look over it! Can I get you fellas something to drink? Coffee, juice, water?"
Chip was flabbergasted. It was like a completely different Toon then the one he had encountered before. Was she now under the same spell as everyone else? "Um, what juice options besides pumpkin?"
Bursting into laughter, The Banana tilted her head and made a silly face. "Pumpkin juice, ain't that a silly idea. No pumpkin, but we got apple, orange, and lemonade?"
"Um, could I please get some apple juice please?" sliding the menu over, Chip whispered as he eyed over his options. Not a single pumpkin option. Salivating over the food, he fought his basest instincts. After all, what if Quentin was right. What if this was all a trap? "Could we have a few minutes, please?"
"Sure, hun! What about you?" the yellow deer faced Quentin with her notepad.
Looking at the deer's uniform, the black cat scanned for anything unusual. However it all looked normal. "Um. I'll just take coffee Banana."
"THE Banana. Gentleman always remember a lady's name! Anyways, I'll be back with yer drinks fellas. Take as much time as ya need!" stepping away, the waitress stopped to check in on the rabbit who was finishing up his meal. "How's the food, Mike?"
"Perfect as always sweetheart! Anyways, do you think I could get my check now? I'm actually in a bit of a hurry. Apparently some hooligans were out exploring the desert and say they found a town a few hours outside of here. I guess I'm in charge of going and checking it out. It's probably a prank knowing kids these days, but work is work." pausing, he pulled out his wallet. "Do you think I could actually get a slice of that sweet apple pie? I'm going to need some motivation to get me through this drive."
Both Chip and Quentin dropped leaned over the table and stared at each other. "Did you hear what he said? Do you think he means Toontown?" Chip whispered.
"Do you know any other towns around here? Just keep listening" the black cat awkwardly whispered back. Nobody had apparently taught Quentin how to speak in a hushed tone. Chip slunk backwards and pretended to look over his menu. Both Toons had to fight themselves to not give in to their basest instincts, and instead focus on the conversation.
"Mike, you know you ain't allowed ta pay here! Yer family, and family don't charge family! Now if you want to leave a nice tip..." the two chuckled and continued their conversation. The Banana grabbed the empty plates and sputtered off to the kitchen.
Quentin shrugged and looked at Chip with a look of hesitancy. "They seem pretty normal, Chip. If anything I'd say they're nice... Maybe too nice. I don't know about all of this. Maybe they're safe."
"I guess. But what if he's like some undercover agent. What if he is sent to Toontown to infect everybody else there. We can't just let him leave without talking to him though!" Chip spoke from behind his menu, peeking over to make sure The Banana had not returned.
"Yeah and how are we going to do that? It sounds like there's a way out of here. We know where he is going. We really need to eat something." Quentin put down his menu and came face to face with the purple rabbit who had turned to face the pair of Toons.
Narrowing his eyes, he looked over to the kitchen where The Banana was speaking with the chef. "You two aren't very inconspicuous. Don't think I couldn't hear you from over here? If you wanted to talk, you could've just asked." The rabbit spoke in a hushed tone. "Scoot over, I'll come over there." standing up, the older Toon called over to the kitchen. "Hey sweetheart. Could you actually bring me that pie now? Looks like we have a few visitors who need some directions and I'm gonna help them out!" Standing up, he slid out of his booth and pushed Chip over.
"How did you know we aren't from around here?" Chip inquired.
Shaking his head and leaning forward, Mike spoke seriously. "I've lived in this town a long time. Ain't never seen you two. Visitors don't just show up here without a reason." the rabbit had a look of worry and sadness. "Tell me how you got here." As he finished his sentence, the yellow deer walked over and plopped down a plate of pie, a glass of juice, and a steaming cup of coffee.
"Mike, yer always helpin' out. You sure you don't want me to take care of them? I gotta map somewhere in the back! Don't want ya to be late fer yer thing!" The deer's enthusiasm was infectious.
"It's alright dear. It shouldn't take very long. Could you get our friends here something to eat? They look hungry. How about two house specials on me? How's that sound fellas?" Mike glared at the pair expectantly.
Both Toons nodded quickly. "Yeah! House special sounds great, thanks!" Quentin stuttered. The Banana grinned and grabbed their menus. Skipping back off to the kitchen she called out to the back for two more orders. "Hey gramps, tell us what's going on here. What's with the pumpkin heads!"
Mike reached across the table and grabbed Quentin by the ear. "Watch who yer callin' gramps you hooligan." leaning forward he spoke aggressively. "Don't talk about them pumpkins here. It ain't safe. We're going to eat, and we're going to take a walk. Somewhere safe. Now you two act natural fer a few minutes and tell me how you got here first."