Muddled Mediterranean Madness, Part 2
Day Two, Daily Life
7:30 AM
Mike woke up the next day with his head resting on the black pillow in his bedroom. The microphone stand that he could easily slip in and out of was leaning on the side of his headboard. It was a blessing, being able to walk around on a wheeled microphone stand, as opposed to dangling from the ceiling or being mounted on the walls.
While he was a being that required a lot of electricity and a recharge, he could treat himself to the occasional scrub and occasional dip in some hot, steamy water. But he'd have to be careful about that. The thought hardly occurred to him that he was surrounded by the simulated salt water of the Monosea and as such was vulnerable when he grabbed the small kit of toiletries on the nightstand. He put himself onto the microphone stand and made his way out his bedroom.
According to the map, every floor was more or less laid out the same, a pair of washrooms for men and women across from the elevators. He passed by Chyna, Stanley, and Will's door. A part of him almost envied the knight and the chicken for appearing to have longer rooms. But the rational part of him knew it wasn't much to worry about, especially when he was used to smaller storage rooms.
The washroom opened with a tap of Mike's handbook. The washroom was larger than the one available at the House of Mouse. Many of the features in the washroom were standard, a line of four sinks, a cluster of eight stalls, and several dispensers for face towels and hand towels. Where the washroom differed was a washer and dryer pair for those who used clothes.
Mike took off the black filter he wore for the day prior. He blinked as he grabbed a small cotton swab to get into the electronics within. It was a small habit he did every day to make sure he could keep running at the best he could do. He put back his black filter after running a small, wetted towel over the black filter. He gingerly put the mask back over his face and blinked into the mirror. He cleared his throat and smiled. He looked presentable.
The microphone shook out his stand and walked out the restroom once he was sure that all of his effects were properly disposed of. He pressed the down button on one of the elevator panels. "Oh Hello Mike," a light, airy voice called out.
"Rapunzel," Mike turned around. "Up for some breakfast?"
"Yes I am, but I'm thinking about finding a good book to go along with it," Rapunzel said as they entered the elevator. Mike stood at the border of the elevator and the floor in order to let all of Rapunzel's hair in. "I'm still getting used to all of… well this…"
"How so?" Mike asked. Rapunzel winced as Mike took a step back into the elevator. "Sorry."
Rapunzel hit the button for the first floor. "I've never met anyone as loud or as mechanical as you. I hope you don't take any offense to that. And this is still a lot more land than I am used to walking."
The elevator door opened. Both stepped out onto the marble. "I admit the same as well," Mike empathized. "My workplace is my home and I have a lot of similarly mechanical minds surrounding me. I also have more animated compatriots of mine."
Both stopped in front of the windows overlooking the gondola station and the venetian courtyard. "Really is a nice view all things considered," Rapunzel droned. "I believe the library is to our left."
"That I agree with," Mike nodded his head.
The two took the left into the library. "This must be as tall as the hotel is!" Rapunzel squealed. Books were piled as high as she could crane her neck on shelves made from the brownest and shiniest of wood. Through the library desks and maps were strewn about. Many had the image of Monomouse on the front cover or one of the pages.
"Hi Max!" Rapunzel greeted politely.
"Hey!" Max waved before clearing his throat. "I mean… hey. I'm just looking for something small to keep my mind off of things."
"And what does a guy like you want to read?" Mike enquired.
"I wanted some half decent comics but the ones that I could find had that mouse over it…" Max sighed. "But I found some simple comics about daily life and toys. I wanted something more mature though."
"We have all the time to look for them, how about you show me one of your comics that you wanted to read?" Rapunzel asked.
"Oh there's this funny, simple but kind of immature comic about a cat and their owner. He's really fat," Max smiled..
"Fascinating, but I am feeling peckish, do you want to go for breakfast? I anticipate the others will be trickling in soon," Mike offered.
The preteen nodded as he picked up some more books. The trio walked out as both Rapunzel and Max heard a beep coming from their handbooks. Rapunzel opened her handbook as a new image appeared on her screen. "Ah, the book you recommended to me is here. Looks like it's indefinite."
"Indefinite?" Max stumbled on the word.
"Means you can hold onto it for as long as you need," Mike explained. He opened the door to the cafeteria as Max closed his handbook.
7:50 AM
Mike, Max, and Rapunzel were not the first ones to enter the cafeteria. When the trio who visited the library walked in they saw Goliath and Basil at the same table hunched over two cups of warm drink. "Is it just you two right now?" Rapunzel asked as she backed away ever so slightly.
"No," Basil spoke up. "Susan is in the kitchen taking a look at the plates and cooking an omelet for herself."
"There's some coffee and other easy pastries from the buffet," Goliath clarified in his deep, gruff voice. "You're more than welcome to join Susan."
"Sure," Max walked past the tables and through the door to the kitchen.
Rapunzel and Mike made their way to the breakfast station where a mixture of different cuisines were available. Each grabbed a plate to fill. Rapunzel took a seat next to Goliath and offered a small crumb of a fluffy white bread to Basil.
The others slowly trickled in.
Chyna and Ivy seemed to be coming in tighter than the other groups based on how they sat next to each other with identically piled high plates. Stanley, Sally, and Tanner were less unified but they already looked like they were out in the main complex for the day. Justin, Evie, Wendy, and Will came not long after with Thalia and Tara joining them shortly after. Adam walked in in the same clothes as the day prior with his hair similarly messy.
Max and Susan joined the growing groups from the kitchen, Max with a big omelet and Susan with a smaller portion of eggs for herself. Jessica and Kevin brushed past each other as they walked in. Every step Jessica made was almost like a runway model down the cafeteria and some of the boys, Justin and Will, almost dropped their breakfasts. The Ghost host floated in and brought with him a relative chill even as he grabbed some of the warmer food. Lizzie McGuire carried her little familiar into the room on her shoulder as they decided to grab two plates full of fruit and sweets. Camilla was the last of the girls to arrive and she turned her nose up at those eating eggs. The last one of their awkward two dozen, Aladdin, walked through the door and sniped an apple from the breakfast bar.
"Were you waiting for me?" Aladdin asked once he took a seat on the fringes of the group.
"Buh-bawk," Camilla pecked at her uncooked rice.
"Do we all need to be here at once?" Chyna inquired.
"It would help," Kevin explained. "There's only so much space for all of us to explore. Now that we're all here I'm going to ask, did anyone find anything interesting in their rooms?"
"I found a board," Tanner raised his hand. "I like, can take us all out for a surf if we have boards in our room."
"Hmm, no," Evie shook her head. "I don't have a board and I'm not the most keen on surfing. In my room I found a small chemistry table. Some of the elements I'm not familiar with…"
"Sounds like we have things related to our talents," Jessica put her finger to her chin. "I found a microphone."
"Me too!" Chyna eagerly raised her hand. "And I found some of my smaller electronic instruments."
"I found a lot of my fabric," Ivy said. "I made a small shirt for Chyna over there. I could go around and make some for others."
"Wait," Wendy interrupted. "That means Kevin has something to look at technology right?"
"That's what I wanted to confirm," Kevin took over. "But no, I don't have much in the way of my technology. A lot of blank notebooks and wires but nothing else."
"Buh-bawk. Bawk Baw, Cawk, Buh Bawk Cuh Cawk," Camilla pecked at her water.
"Nothing," Thalia shrugged. "At least nothing worth sharing or telling." She held up her wrist. A small bracelet shone in the light. "I did find this with my clothes."
"Same here," Justin shook his head. "None of my clothes seem familiar to me. I have a glass ball in my room and that's the only thing that stuck out."
"And is that all you wanted to ask us about Mister Flynn?" Lizzie looked at the software engineer earnestly.
"Or can we actually do stuff that'll be worth our time?" Little Lizzie jumped up.
"Rude," Big Lizzie and Basil said at the same time.
"I suppose we can," Kevin said. "You don't need to be apologetic. I suppose we are just lacking information, and that's it."
"And that's something we're sorely lacking as of now," Adam mused. "I wish I had objects that could be of help. Maybe we just need to find more monocoins to access the store."
Breakfast continued at a slow pace for most of the attendees. Most of the dialogue regarding what was in the room gave way to idle chatter about personal information and other small talk. Slowly they began to trickle out in groups and pairs and solo. Eventually Kevin and Susan were the only ones left. "Thanks for trying to come up with a plan," Susan smiled as she sipped from a cup of tea.
Kevin mixed in some sugar to how own cup of tea. He put a used teaspoon onto another plate as Susan scooped it up. "I have a son, Susan," Kevin explained. "I wish to see him again and escaping is the first step to do so."
"Me too," Susan sighed. "Here, I'll wash the dishes. It reminds me of home."
"If you insist. I'll be exploring like the others shall today. I hope you do not spend all of your time here," Kevin finished his cup of tea.
"I don't plan to," Susan said as she stacked the piles up. "Just most of the day."
9:15 AM
Aladdin stuck his hand in his pocket to count the Monocoins. They jingled between his fingers and clinked against each other as Aladdin registered that he had all fifteen of them. Ever since the monocoin announcement he decided to take the opportunity to hunt for some of the currency. He strode out the conference room with a confident step towards the store.
It was a simple store, not like the market in Agrabah, and if it weren't for the situation Aladdin would very much prefer it. The counter was a hard glass where behind some of the more expensive items like a guitar, some kind of disc, and even unfamiliar toolsets lined the protected shelf. Above the counter was a smooth, flexible glass where there were lines of products, most of which Aladdin wasn't familiar with. He pulled out a monocoin and put it through a designated slot.
"What?" Monomouse suddenly popped up. "A single coin?"
"Just testing the waters," Aladdin shrugged. "I haven't heard anyone else say anything about doing this."
"How brave of you, the sacrifice to see if I won't give you anything that'd blow up in your face," Monomouse snickered. It pulled out a piece of paper and slid it through the same slot Aladdin put his coin through.
Aladdin looked at the piece of paper. "Toilet paper, bag of chips, spool of blue thread– what are these?"
"Usually they're geared for a talent but what do you give a street rat? Street Rat poison?"
"I'd rather not think about that," Aladdin bristled. "Get me this bag of chips. And here's a monocoin for edible sunflower seeds."
"Bah! Should have given me both at the beginning," Monomouse pulled up the two goods. "Take them and go. Oh and for the first ever customer take this novelty saltshaker!"
Aladdin looked at the three goods in the bag he was given. The bag of sunflower seeds seemed to be the size of two of his fists, same with the bag of chips, and the saltshaker was about the size of one of his fingers. Aladdin backed away from the counter and took a closer look at the store set up. The store counter spanned about twenty feet after starting some ten feet away from one of the conference room walls. Then it shared a border with a storage room that, according to Sally the day prior, only contained cleaning supplies.
Aladdin turned into the conference hall with his bag. He put the saltshaker into his pocket and slung the small bag over his shoulder. He walked through the still open wall of the conference room to the plaza with the globe. He noticed Rapunzel and Wendy both looking at the globe but he paid them no mind as he turned into the tunnel that would take him closest to his destination.
He walked down the path aimlessly. Here he didn't need to rush or hop along or weave in and out of these buildings. It was almost relaxing, and from what he could tell no one was ready to kill, so he could saunter. Yeah, it was an easier life as strange as it was.
On his left he saw the ghost host talking with Monomouse about a building that Aladdin didn't get to explore. "Hey, what's going on?" Aladdin jogged up.
"Ah, the street rat," the Ghost Host smiled. "Nothing serious, just inquiring about the state of the building."
"Inquiring?" Monomouse shouted. "No you were snooping. This isn't your mansion and you can't have access to all these places until we go through all the procedures. WHy I ought–"
Aladdin's handbook blinked. He put his trinkets into the bag and looked at the handbook.
Regulation Update:
Trying to enter restricted areas will be punishable by public execution
"Harsh," Aladdin winced once he read the rule.
"It's fair though," Monomouse shouted. "Because the only way to access this building is to kill, and then I'll open it up so you can look around a lot more!"
"So there is a place we can access beyond this building. I figured because of the tracks going underwater and then bridging closer to the other side," the Ghost Host pointed out.
Aladdin looked for Monomouse expecting for it to make a reply but the mechanical creature was already gone. "I take it you tried to explore already?" Aladdin started to walk with the Ghost Host towards the fort.
"Yes, in fact," The Ghost Host replied. "There is a small theater and museum building. But it's… nothing of note."
"Want to go to the fortress with me?" aladdin offered. "I was thinking about eating my snacks there without littering."
"These days will pass by and I will need to kill time, so yes, I will join you," the Ghost host agreed.
The two turned into the entrance to the fortress. In front of them was an old, open wooden door that seemed to lead into a foyer with a glass display. "Ever been in something like this?" Aladdin asked his spectral companion.
"No I–" the Ghost host suddenly recoiled when Aladdin suddenly crunched. "Are those potato chips?"
"If this is what they're called, then yes," Aladdin moved forward into the room. He hopped on a design on the floor in the shape of their captor. "Do you want one?"
"No thank you," The Ghost Host politely declined. "I am averse to salt. The human equivalent would be allergic. Salt is used to put souls like me to the rest. And I cannot truly enjoy the crunch of a potato chip."
"Oh," Aladdin opened his bag and put the chips in there. "My apologies then. I don't want to put anyone to rest so soon."
"Sooner or later it happens to everyone, though I don't agree with Monomouse accelerating our natural or unnatural processes," The Ghost Host mused.
"I agree with that, I think," Aladdin raised an eyebrow. "These buildings aren't anything like home. I prefer it being more open."
"Hmm, well it is my recollection that the path you're facing will lead to a courtyard that overlooks the monosea. Let's go over there. I can't be out there too long because of the salt water."
The Ghost Host drifted over the monomouse design and joined Aladdin on the other side. A gold glint caught the Ghost Host's eye and the specter grabbed the monocoin. "How many monocoins are you up to now?" Aladdin asked.
"Four," The Ghost Host said. "I mean to say Four in addition to the three provided yesterday. I know a lot of my lodgers would very much be interested in this type of currency."
"Is that why they call you a host?"
"I allow nine hundred and ninety nine happy haunts in my own abode," The Ghost Host explained. "There's always room for more."
"What a way to put it," Aladdin chuckled, hoping his hint of nervousness wasn't that visible. "You know I thought you'd meet me in the courtyard. But here you are, following me. Why can't you walk through the wall?"
"I have tried, Aladdin," The Ghost Host explained. "But there might be salt in the borders where we're allowed to go. I expect Goliath to have some of the same difficulties."
"The big guy? Can't he just fly over this?"
"That I do not know," The Ghost host said as they finally entered the courtyard. A fake cannon was set up pointed towards several other locales that they could enter if the expansion could hold well. Aladdin caught sight of what looked like a giant boat next to a giant tower. The Ghost Host also had his suspicions confirmed when he looked at the railroad amble towards the as of yet inaccessible locations. "It is a view that I don't have back home."
"Kind of beautiful," Aladdin said as he opened his pack of sunflower seeds. "Would you care for one?"
"Sure," The Ghost Host accepted. The two started eating their sunflower seeds as they stood, silent next to each other.
10:45 P.M.
"This isn't much of a museum," Stanley stood in front of one of the glass displays, the image of Evie and Justin reflected through the semi transparent medium. "I feel like I'm missing something…"
"We all are," Evie sniped. "I wish Thalia joined us, maybe she could find something that made more sense to her."
"I really appreciate you and Stanley trying to help me out," Justin said as he pored over a map of an American city. "If my numbers are right then I'm somewhere in the United States."
"Most of us are," Stanley said. "Don't be offended but you don't strike me as a Texan. What about you Evie? Does Justin seem like he'd be from your home?"
"No," Evie replied. "I'd remember someone like Justin. No one's really allowed to move into where I'm from."
"What, like a prison?" Stanley raised an eyebrow.
"I know you're joking but yeah, that's the sad thing," Evie mused over another glass display. "My mother was considered a heinous villain. After some crime she committed, my entire family was forced to move to the island."
"Did you ever get off?" Justin asked.
"Before? Yeah, I was an exchange student for this program with others. Made a lot of friends. But… I hope they remember me," Evie seemed to hesitate.
She stopped in front of a strange reflective surface behind another glass display. She brushed her hair out of her face as she seemed to look at the casing's nuts and bolts. As she touched it a small bolt arced and traveled into her finger. "Ow!"
Stanley and Justin rushed to her side as she held her hand. "What happened?" Stanley asked.
"SHe tried breaking the rules so she triggered one of the curses!" Monomouse shouted from above the display case. "The nerve of you punks, I swear one of the motives is going to be some kind of tether so that you can be with a responsible adult!"
"We can be responsible," Justin fired back.
"You? What do you remember?" Monomouse danced obnoxiously atop the display case. "And that little girl over there might as well be bad as her momma! And let's not remember that Stanley has been in a camp for troubled teens! So if you ask me you're here because your crime is blowing up a park with a soda bottle!"
Stunned, the three looked at Monomouse with different levels of anger, and Stanley reached out towards the robot before it disappeared. "This stupid museum," Stanley started to kick the display before Justin tackled him out of the way. "That's a tough tackle."
"I didn't mean to push you away that hard," Justin apologized. He suddenly became pensieve. "What if I am a criminal?"
"If you're a criminal we'll make sure you aren't punished like one of those older criminals," Evie declared with her jaw set. "Camp for troubled tweens?" she laughed. "Sorry, the thought seems funny to me for some reason. Why'd you even get in one?"
"My family always said," Stanley started. "It all started with my no good dirty rotten pig stealing great great grandfather. I came into possession of shoes that belonged to a celebrity. Then I'm shipped off to the middle of Texas digging holes."
"A lot of that…" Justin started. "A lot of that seems really far fetched."
"It's just my life," Stanley sighed. "You know how in stories if you don't treat people right you get treated wrong? My great great grandfather stole a pig because he wanted to get with a girl, but then that girl wasn't good, and he had advice from this woman. It's a long story but it didn't work out with that girl nor that woman and here I am."
"I guess we're both here because our families are well, cursed," Evie said as she held her hand. "I think it's best if we leave this small museum room."
"We still haven't gone through that door," Justin pointed. There was a sign above that indicated that it was a large theater. "What kind of theater do you think it is?"
"There's multiple theaters?" Stanley inquired.
"Movie and arts theater," Evie clarified. "Might as well."
Stanley held open the door for Evie and Justin. Justin went in first, followed by Evie, and they were greeted with a giant screen, almost as large as the floor of the conference room at the Hotel Monocosta. Justin led Evie and Stanley to a row of seats that were similar in shape to plush movie theater seats but made of some kind of netting befit for a cot. A minute timer appeared on the screen with a red warning to buckle in. "Buckle in?"Justin asked.
Evie pulled a yellow cable from one end of her seat and crossed it over her legs, finding the buckle for the cable and putting it into the designated spot. "Like this. Here, I can help Justin."
"Already have it," Justin politely waved off.
Stanley clicked in at fifteen seconds and the three of them waited for the time to go down. At zero another timer for thirty seconds showed up, this time with a yellow warning to deposit one monocoin. Evie handed a monocoin each to Justin and to Stanley. They placed them in a slot that appeared on their arm rests. "I'll pay you back next time," Stanley offered.
"These things aren't exactly rare," said Evie.
Once the timer ticked down again the trio's chairs were suddenly raised high. Evie let out a scream as she clutched on STanley and Justin's shoulders. The screen seemed to be showing a giant map of the area they were allowed to go on with the current time of 11:15 A.M. in the corner surrounded by a wave design. The three watched as two dozen dots populated the screen, each labeled with their names, in the area they currently were. The chairs seemed to tilt back and forth as a fan started blowing in their faces.
"Thank you for watching the bird's eye view of the Monoterranean Promenade, Enjoy the rest of your day, now get out!" The voice of Monomouse announced once the camera view ended.
"So that burned five minutes of our time…" Justin looked at his handbook. The three walked out of the theater into the museum portion. "And we can get an archive of our trip on our handbooks for a monocoin."
"Might as well," Stanley walked over to a new monitor at the front of the museum. The interface on the monitor was simple and he could touch the screens rather easily. After selecting some settings the archive came to him in the form of a small drive that was barely longer than his thumb. "I guess we can plug this into our handbooks and watch it."
"You can keep that," Justin said. "I don't know if we'll need it. I'm going back to the library."
"I'll see if I can do something about my hand."
"And, I guess I'll be walking around," Stanley said as the three of them split up.
12:30 PM
Will walked out of the cafeteria with an enclosed shaker. He tossed it from one hand to the other as he crossed the threshold of the conference center. He stopped in front of a window that overlooked the Monosea and idly watched as a gondola carrying Tanner, Ivy, and Chyna crested through the barely disturbed waters.
He opened his handbook as out of the corner of his eye he saw a familiar gold glint in the corner of the window. He picked it up after putting down his shaker and the count of monocoins on his handbook increased by one. Again, he stared out the window as the gondola crested close to the fortress.
Across the walkway he caught sight of Basil's diminutive figure with a little blue notebook and some binoculars. The binoculars angled high above the ocean and pointed towards a high gliding Goliath. His wings flapped in the air once to adjust his balance before he suddenly faltered, grabbing his shoulder. Basil wrote notes in the book eagerly as Goliath dropped to the water, bobbing up and down as Tanner extended an oar.
As much as he wanted to spend the time looking at the Monosea, the natural features, the fortress, and the gondolas, he had a routine to get to. He stopped looking through the window and walked across the conference room, through the doors on the other side, past the store, and hanging a left to head into the gym.
It wasn't his football team's gym, that was for sure. When he entered he looked to his right to see a row of four adjustable benches facing a mirror. In front of that mirror were a line of dumbbells that went up to a hundred and fifty pounds each. Further to the back right corner he saw a rack of plates in different thicknesses with four barbells for adjusting. Two giant power racks were on the wall furthest away from him. He looked to his left where Wendy Wu was just finishing a routine on a mat. "Hey… Wendy right?" Will asked.
"Yep," Wendy brushed the air out of her head. "And you're not Justin… you're William."
"Just Will," Well shook his head. "Are the mats good for your routine of… kicking and punching?"
"Better than nothing," Wendy shrugged. "I had more fun with the staffs and fake swords–"
"Fake swords?"
Wendy pointed to the wall Will was closest to. A line of six swords each with different lengths dangled from a rack each labeled with different weights. Three of them seemed to have a more European style, one was from an Asian style that Will didn't recognize, another was an African style, and another was a curved blade that seemed to indicate an Arabian background. Next to the blades were two giant staffs, one only about three inches in diameter and another five inches. In another shelf were pads, helmets, and medicine balls. "You don't really look like a knight if I'm being honest."
"This talent's entirely new to me," Will scratched his neck. "If you asked me a year ago I thought I'd be the Enchanted Quarterback."
"That I can see," Wendy smiled. "I hope you're not offended. I'm going in the pool."
"Where is that in this building?"
"Not technically in this building, it's outside. I'd rather swim there than in the saltwater. It doesn't work with my hair," Wendy agreed. "See ya!"
Wendy strode out of the room as Will claimed one of the adjustable benches. To his surprising pleasure he noticed a water cooler to the right of the hanging sword with a pile of towels on a small table nearby. He walked over to grab a towel and pushed past a training dummy that Wendy left behind on one of the mats. He looked at the dummy, it was a simple design, not really any identifying features.
He reared back on one of the mats before charging full force at the dummy. It bounced on the ground and rebounded up to its full height. "It'll have to do…"
He looked at the clock on his handbook. It now read 1:05 PM. Just a little after he would normally start his workout back home in Annapolis. Home was miles away now, maybe even a thousand or two, but he needed to get to work.
A push exercise, then a pull exercise, then a push, then a pull. Work his way from top to bottom. That's how he'd prefer to do it, but in the middle of his second push exercise the door to the gym opened up. Will quickly racked the weights on the rack as he greeted the two who walked in. "Good Afternoon Sir Will," Basil tipped his diminutive hat.
"Likewise," Will smiled. "And how is it going Goliath?"
Goliath grunted. "Falling into the water all those times takes a toll, and I need to do some exercise to move past the bruises."
"I'm not familiar with gargoyles," Will explained. "I thought you were made of stone."
"Only partially," Goliath explained. "At home I'd normally be made of stone during the day. Here though, I am not."
"Which has to mean that we are possibly in an artificial environment," Basil quickly deduced. "Or Monomouse placed a spell on Goliath to equalize him."
"It's a blessing in disguise, or a curse in disguise," Goliath explained. "If I am not stone then I can walk around much like you humans, mice, and chickens."
"But I think Stone would be sturdy," Will put together.
The conversation slowed to an awkward pace as Basil climbed down from Goliath's shoulder and started looking at the wall of fake weapons. He pulled out his tiny notepad and started taking notes. Goliath and Will could only watch as Basil swiftly scuttled across to the weights. "I'm counting at least two metric tons of weights available in the forms of rubber, metal, and fabric throughout this gym."
"Sounds like a lot of weight to work up to," Goliath said. "Have you been using this gym Will?"
"Just before you and Basil showed up. What work does a grotesque do to have a body like that?"
"Combat," Goliath explained. "Nothing as refined as the martial arts I presume Wendy does."
"Ah," Will crossed his arms almost defensively. "I could use some tips to put on mass. I think I'm good with my cardio but I'm always open to new workout routines."
"If it's cardio you want to look for then I recommend going with Tanner. Or Wendy. I'd also be willing to help you with the weights but I don't wish to start now. I'd rather go in for a quick workout. I want to get the salt out of my system," Goliath explained.
"Totally fair," Will agreed. "If I need a spot could I ask you for a hand?"
"Sure," Goliath replied neutrally. "I'll ask the same if I lift heavy."
"And I'm here too!" Basil earnestly shouted. "I'll keep track of my notes if you so desire."
Will and Goliath smiled at the little mouse as Basil held up a declarative pencil. Will went back to his bench for his second push workout, something to get his triceps in shape, as Goliath investigated the bars. Hesitantly, the animated architectural feature grabbed one of the bars. He could lift it, and he wasn't burning. Then he piled on the plates and started to do his leg workout.
Another thirty minutes had passed when Will finished up his workout. He picked up one of the weighted swords and started to stretch out his limbs. They weren't that heavy, but he could use the technique. He stared at himself in the mirror, in a stance much like the knight he had to be in order to protect royalty.
He made a couple of swings like he was trained to do but it wasn't the same. His forearms were sufficiently pumped through and through. He finished off his smoothie as he stood to the side of Goliath at the power tower. His eyes followed the massive weight Goliath was overhead pressing before Goliath reracked his weights.
"That was impressive. How much was that? A hundred and forty?"
"Just about," Goliath stretched backwards. "Mass moves mass as they say. I've met bulky acquaintances who would lift weights that it took me months to work up to."
"I hear that," Will mentioned. "I'm done with my workout but I intend to be here about the same time tomorrow for another workout. But I can change to join you to learn technique if that doesn't work."
"I was keeping track, and it looks like you are rather strong," Basil complimented as he scurried up Will's shoulder.
"I'll be here at seven tomorrow at least to help you out," Goliath agreed. "I don't think this place is open past the night time hours."
"Sounds good," Will smiled. "Basil do you need to go anywhere?"
"How astute of you to figure that out," Basil complimented. "I just need ot head to the library."
"I need to get washed. So might as well," Will agreed. The two bid farewell to Goliath as they exited the gym.
"Did you manage to get a workout?" Will asked Basil on his shoulder.
"Mentally yes, and physically also yes. I need to get my cardio up. I could tell you're more familiar with weights than you are with the swords," Basil noted.
"I guess that is, but I'm the knight," Will set his jaw. "I have to get more familiar with the swordplay."
"Whatever keeps you occupied," smiled Basil.
The two crossed the threshold into the conference room, waving a quick hello to Chyna as she sat on one of the fancy chair. Will continued his trek to the library as he opened the door. "See anyone here yet?" Will asked.
"No, but I do my best thinking alone. I'll see you later Sir Will."
"I hope to earn that title one of these days," Will let Basil down from his shoulder.
"And earn it you shall," Basil saluted.
2:00 PM
Tara looked into the office from the outside. She brushed her hair away from her face as she stepped inside. She took a deep breath as she noticed that she wasn't alone. "Oh, I didn't expect to see you here," she thought aloud.
"Nothing," Kevin Flynn slammed the side of a PC. "Nothing here, that's what you were going to ask, right?"
"Something like that," Tara hesitated. "I just wanted to see if there was a music program on here. I think creating music would help, and I bought this small keyboard from the store."
She held up a small instrument with twenty five keys on it, alternating black and white. "How much did that cost you?"
"Five coins. I spent one of mine on a gondola ride this morning so now I have two. I'm sure that I can easily bring up more. If I wanna start trying again."
"Have you talked to Chyna? I'm sure she'd love to make music with you," Kevin offered.
"SHe's with Ivy and I don't want to interrupt the two of them. At least I don't feel right doing so."
"We have an infinite amount of days in this…. prison…. " Kevin hesitated. "I'm sure the other teens would want to be your friend."
"Yeah…" Tara droned off as she took a seat on one of the desks in the office. There were six rows of desks and four desks in each row. She opened one of the computers but was only greeted with Monomouse's face. She tried clicking around but found nothing important. She turned off the machine and grabbed her keyboard. She hit a key on her keyboard as she tucked it under her hands, so there was a low tone following her.
Her walk took her through the conference room and out the door into the globe plaza. She took a seat in front of the globe and was met with a surprising splash of water. She took a closer look at the globe and realized it was a small fountain, with a little water feature at the base of the globe. Her hands idly hit some buttons on the keyboard as she began to think.
"Not bad," she heard the sultry voice of Jessica Rabbit.
"T-thanks," Tara said. Jessica took a seat next to her. "Oh you can sit there."
"I know I should have asked but I was just getting so bored being cooped up in my room. I can't imagine being cooped up in a little room for the rest of my life. Though I do miss Toontown, warts and all."
"I guess that makes sense, sometimes I think Seattle is too small for me. Especially high school, but I'd love to go back to those days." Tara leaned back against the railing surrounding the globe with something of a wistful sigh.
Jessica reclined back next to Tara. "So you're the Seattle dot,."
"Yes I am," Tara agreed. The two sat in comfortable silence when a shadow suddenly appeared in front of them. "Oh, are we in your way?"
"It's a globe," Thalia said bluntly. "It rotates, and I'll be on the other side so you two can keep talking about what it is you want to talk about."
"Well now I want to talk to you," Jessica stood up. "I want to see if I can get my brain activated by someone else."
The older woman helped Tara to her feet. The three of them turned to face the globe. "Tara, what's your job as a disc jockey actually entail?" Thalia asked.
"There's this song out there," Tara started. "Raging against the machine. That's what my podcast is about. Then I interlace it with some music. Then more ranting against well, some of the adults."
"Hmm, sounds like something that I would relate with," Thalia put a finger on her chin. "At least you know what you do."
"The name Thalia, could that be a meaning?" Jessica thought.
"I don't really have the drive to look it over… but if you think it's a hint…"
"Have you narrowed down where you could be from?" Tara pointed out. "There's only one star on the globe for Seattle and that's me. Jessica is one of the stars from the Southern California area according to her."
"Sounds like information. I haven't really had the drive to look for anyone or get info from them," Thalia mentioned. "Sorry, I know I sound rude but this… this thing seems like something where information is powerful. Too powerful and I don't want to force it out of anyone."
"I'm sure if you just ask then they'd be willing to tell you," Tara continued.
"But we can't blame others for not being willing to tell you," Jessica said. "It's okay darling it's only two days in. We have a large library and all these buildings to explore."
"Thank you Jessica," Thalia said as she stared at the globe. "I… I kind of want to be alone right now staring at the globe."
"Oh," Tara stammered. "Well, I'll be looking at the Monosea looking for someone to talk to if you want to join me."
"And I'll be in the cafeteria investigating all the food sources. I hate to be cooped up in my room," Jessica explained.
"It was nice talking to you," Tara earnestly thanked Thalia.
"Likewise."
Thalia stood at the globe, staring, as Tara and Jessica decided to take one of the tunnels out. "You don't have to escort me Jessica," Tara said.
"It makes me feel useful. I can put my brain to use but what good is it if I don't have someone to talk to?"
"I just listen to people. I do talk a lot but most of the time I'm just… angry," Tara said. "It's a healthy outlet. At least that's what my family says."
Tara turned onto an island that didn't jut out that far from the main path. It was close to the gondola entrance and was in a half moon shape. It wasn't anything spectacular but it was terraced with different planters in a beautiful design. Tara estimated that all twenty four of them could be on the island comfortably. "There are plugs on the floor," Jessica pointed to their feet.
"Hey," Tara suddenly lit up. "I know this is a strange thing to ask but maybe we all could somehow build trust with each other. We could hold a Morp. Or a Prom."
"I'm not sure what they are, but they sound like dances," Jessica mentioned. "But sure, sounds like good old fashioned fun."
The conversation slowed to a lull just as Jessica pulled out her handbook. Tara did the same as she swiped to the map screen. "I haven't done this much walking in Los Angeles. I usually take a trolley. I'd love for something liek that."
"Or for a gondola to take us from one end of this ocean to another?" Tara opined.
"The gondolas seem like they are on tracks. That likely means the sea isn't as deep as we thought," Jessica observed.
"I thought I saw Goliath falling from a high height into the sea."
"Maybe a gargoyle like him knows how to fall from such a height," jessica thought.
Again the conversation slowed to a stop. Tara looked over the Monosea as a gondola floated out. "Oh, it's empty."
The black gondola reflected in the almost too blue water. No one was in there. Jessica looked at her watch. From the time the gondola passed by their little island, to going into the middle of the sea, to going back to the island took a total of twelve minutes. "About a fifteen minute trip if you ask me," Jessica said.
"I thought only twelve minutes passed," Tara pondered.
"But the gondola doesn't start at our island, it starts at another start point. At least that's what Rapunzel said. She said she didn't want to risk going on the gondolas with her hair anymore."
"Ah," Tara said. She continued to look over the ocean. Maybe she could organize this party. Maybe she could organize it. It wouldn't be in secret, she'd only hold secrets if there was a reason to.
And Thalia was right. The more information there was the more power would be out there. Maybe if everyone enjoyed the party then everyone would know more about each other and then everyone could–
That was a lot to think about. She realized that boredom was definitely the most prevalent emotion she felt throughout these past two days. She needed to keep her mind active. Her eyes dropped downward as she caught sight of a monocoin sticking out of a plug. If she could find more then she could have party decorations.
That'd be fun.
24/24 Alive