I realize that sitting in front of an entrance is not the best use of my time. I could be doing a multitude of things that would better progress the story than just handing wristbands out to random video game characters. I could be helping Sonic look for Palutena, for example. Or organizing who I was going to take back to Termina for one final fight with the Happy Mask Salesman. Or begging a Smasher for a weapon since I couldn't summon my own anymore. Or figuring out how many Smashers already left to Termina to battle the HMS. Productive stuff like that.
But I decided, Nah. I'll have someone else find Palutena. I can drag her and Sonic back with me as my army. Have Palutena grant me a weapon or something. All that I can do during my favorite time of the day: Later. After all, I was still tired from all that traveling.
As for what Smashers were left at the mansion? Well, a lot, actually. While helping Rayman put on his wristband, I looked up and noticed Lucas, Ash, the Ice Climbers, and all the Koopa Kids except Larry playing Twister on a balcony on the third floor. I could hear them arguing on how they could incorporate Uno into the game until Bowser and Crazy Hand finally poked their heads through a window and yelled at the kids to shut up. I guessed nobody really cared about helping out in Termina or doing laundry. I don't blame them, to be honest.
...How do I know about all that laundry stuff, you ask? After all, you have not read about anyone in the story telling me specifically about those things. Well, to write myself out of this corner let's just say that Toon Link and I are Facebook friends.
Anyway, after letting in one more video game character I didn't have an opinion on into the mansion -"Out of my way, human." Seaman told me, wristband being held in his mouth, as he floundered into the mansion in hopes of crushing the competition- I checked my phone. I look down for one moment to check one text (Master Hand: if you ever come back to the mansion bring milk), and next thing I knew a clown cart runs into me.
"Mother trucker!" I screamed as the thing collided with me. I heard two kids scream in horror as my body was about to crash into the cement ground. But luckily, right it could, Mallo walked up and I ended up colliding with his squishy body instead.
"You're from Pushmo, right? Man are you cuuuute," was the first thing I said after the I was able to stand up and hug the pushy guy. "Thank you for saving my life," I added while handing him a wristband.
Pushmo smiled at me as he took the wristband. He then tried to put it on, but couldn't because of his mittens. "Oh, dear! Here, I can help you with that..." I took the wristband back and began placing it on his arm. While doing so, I began scowling the owners of the clown cart without looking over at them. "What is wrong it you people? Just because you own a clown cart doesn't mean you can drive like clowns-"
"Sis?"
I finally looked over. My little sister stood inside of the clown cart, donning a top hat. Next to the clown cart, Larry the Koopa Kid was lying on the ground, clearly disoriented from the crash. "I'm- I'm sorry-" Ranch began to say.
I dropped the wristband and ran over to the clown cart. I grabbed my little sis and held her tight, stopping her apology from being finished. "Dude, I've missed you so much." I muffled into her shoulder. I pulled away and looked her over. "What are you doing here? And where are your shoes?!"
"Hey, Ants?" Larry suddenly said, giving me a wave while still lying on the ground.
"Not now, Larry. I want my sister to have some dialogue," I cut the child off.
"Oh, alriiiight," he mumbled while Pushmo walked over and helped him up.
"Uh, home became really boring after you left," Ranch began explaining. "You took the 3DS and all the Calvin and Hobbes books. Mom and Dad were really annoying about you being gone, but couldn't do anything because you clearly left on your own terms. And a while ago I saw you became Facebook friends with Toon Link and that's how I was able to figure out where you were. So, I became FB friends with Larry and he was able to bring me here, to you." Ranch gave me a huge smile. "-Like heck I was going to let you have all the fun!"
I smiled back at my sister as I picked up her top hat. "You haven't changed a bit, kiddo," I said while ruffling up her hair.
"Oh, and shoes are overrated, by the way. Larry taught me that on the way here."
"Well, now I can't wait for it to rain."
After that little reunion, we all noticed two guys running up to the mansion. One had the structure of a bobblehead toy and was carrying a toaster while he ran like his life depended on it, and the guy running behind him looked like a middle-aged suburban dad that was on a mission.
"Wait a minute," said Larry after opening the door for Pushmo to run on in. "Is that- HEY! THAT'S MY TOASTER!" Larry cheered as he ran over to Ranch, took her by the arm, and went up to the bobblehead dude. "Ranch, look! This dude found my toaster!"
"Oh," Ranch shrugged as she shook Larry's grip off her elbow. "That's cool, I guess. But, um, we don't- I mean, I don't need that anymore. We already found my sis."
"Oh, right! Well, in that case!" Larry grabbed the toaster out of the guy's hands and jumped into his clown cart. He kicked a few buttons, and suddenly he flew up to the balcony where all his siblings were still arguing with their peers. "Hey! Who still wants a cotton candy machine!?"
"We do!" I heard all Larry's siblings scream.
"Then let's gooooo!" was the last thing we all heard from the kid before a giant flash made everyone on the balcony disappear.
As the two guys that ran up just stood there, staring at the balcony in disbelief, I walked up to Ranch and asked her the only question that could make sense: "That toaster was a teleporter, wasn't it?"
"Actually, it was a dimension hopper. Apparently, there's a difference," she answered. "Please don't ask me what's the difference."
"Can I ask why a toaster?"
"Nope,"
"Okay,"
Satisfied I was able to close that story arc, for the time being, I looked over at the new one. I knew who those two guys were. I have a blog about them, for goodness sakes. Of course, I would be able to recognize them anywhere. As I began walking over to them, I could hear them bickering.
"So, breaking into my house isn't enough, huh? You also have to give my stuff to strangers!" the Neighbor pointed an accusing finger at the Player while he began to walk home.
"That toaster wasn't yours! I saw you kicked the owner of it out and had to return it! I knew you wouldn't! You can't use that argument anymore, man!" the Player exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"That doesn't change the fact you took it out of my house!" Neighbs yelled back as he began to cross the street. Before he could, I grabbed him by the shoulders, pointed him towards the mansion, and began walking him to it.
"Listen, we all know that argument was going nowhere, so let's stop yelling about it, okay?" I said, now holding both the Neighbor and the Player by the arms and leading them to the entrance. "And you know what else? I'm going to let you fellas be in the story for a little while longer! Isn't that great?"
"What?" asked the Neighbor.
"Why?" the Player added.
"Honestly? I don't know. I'll figure it out as I go," I kicked open the doors and before walking into the mansion I turned to Ranch and said, "You're taking care of the wristbands now, okay? Just give them to any video game character that wants to audition."
"What?!" Ranch exclaimed, holding up all the wristbands. "I ain't giving these out! That's work I don't need to do! Like heck am I going to let you write me out of the story with a mediocre job- Is that Big Smoke?"
We all looked over to the driveway, where Big Smoke was walking up with Spongebob and King K. Rool behind him. "Oh, without a douth," I answered back while pushing the two neighbors inside.
"I'll take the job!" Ranch exclaimed before running up to Big Smoke to ask him what he would like to order.
"Great!" I declared before closing the door behind me.
I seriously don't know what I'm going to do with the Neighbor and the Player. I could have easily written them out of the story just now by having them just go home, but that's too anticlimactic. So, instead, I'm going to see what I can do with them going forward. I might do something crazy and give them a happy ending. You'll just have to wait and see.