Memories Can Weigh You Down (Open)

[The Balloonist]

Inside the two-story, multicolored house--a home that was older than anyone in Epcot City could imagine--was an old man seated in front of a likewise old television set. The house's interiors were dimly illuminated because all the windows were covered by curtains. The old man stared at his TV, mostly because it was the only thing that brought him some justification to waste time.

Ever since the death of his wife, Ellie, his days amounted to nothing above being wasteful.

The television reflected off of the old man's thick-rimmed glasses. He slumped in his chair, his eyes cold and indifferent, as he watched the TV.

"Remember that picture of the horse I was showing you earlier?" asked the man in the infomercial the old man watched. "Well, here it is blown up." The picture the man held up was actually a moth. "This is a big horse. Order now! You get the camera, you get the printer--4x optical zoom. Schneider lens! Photo printer! SD card! Look at that horse! The bushy tail, the big teeth, the hooves... Okay, my producer just told me it's not a horse, it's a butterfly. Hehe, actually, it may in fact be a moth. But look at what the zoom did, I mean, you can see details in the antennae--"

The old man held up his remote control and changed the channel. The channel switched to a news program.

"Good afternoon, Epcot County! Ever since the Dream League first appeared in Epcot City, crime has plummeted to an all-time low. But who are behind the masks, and is what they're doing right? Epcot City Police Department Chief Seamus O'Hara thinks so."

Chief O'Hara appeared on television via a recorded interview. "The Dream League is th' best thing to happen in this dang'rous city! I'll support them, as long as they continue to apprehend criminals!"

The focus went back to the news reporter. "However, the Dream League has not escaped criticism. Judge Claude Frollo continues his outspoken opposition of the vigilantes."

Frollo's face filled the old man's television, and the judge's eyes burned with contempt. If sneers could kill... "The Dream League will pay for their insolence! Mark my words!"

The news reporter narrated videos of Dream League recordings, most prominently Dreamchild, Bongo, the Masked Mallard, and Sunshine. "While the Dream League may be surrounded by controversy, they continue to act. Just last night, four members of the team--identified as Dreamchild, Bongo, the Masked Mallard, and Sunshine--caught a shoplifter, and delivered him to the police's doorstep... literally."

When the old man saw the team of masked vigilantes, his face softened. He sat upright in his chair and watched more intently.

"But what many residents of Epcot City don't seem to realize is that there used to be another superhero in the county. Nearly fifty years ago, the Balloonist and his wife, the Aviator, were the most well-known heroes of the day, even surpassing the legendary Charles Muntz, who vanished roughly two decades before the super couple hit the scene."

The old man was saddened to see his younger self, and his then-living wife, featured prominently on television. This sadness turned into hostile anger when he saw a recording of his current self shoving a news camera away.

"The Balloonist, since identified as local resident Carl Fredricksen, has refused any public interview since the death of his wife, Ellie Fredricksen, two years ago."

The old man, whose real name was Carl Fredricksen, pressed the power button on his remote control hard, like it would make the TV suffer. He threw the remote control to the floor and scowled. He sat on his chair, lost in his thoughts, until he heard a knock on his door. Who could it be?

Her grabbed his cane (complete with tennis balls on the bottom of the legs), approached the door, and opened it with a swift tug. He found himself looking at two of the Dream League he had just seen on TV: Dreamchild and Bongo.

[Dreamchild]

Ever since Alice Liddell moved to Epcot City, she studied the district's history. In her research, she learned about the stupendous married couple, the Balloonist and the Aviator. Alice was pleased to read about the couple's many heroic deeds; the Balloonist, the Aviator, and an ostrich were practically the Dream League before the Dream League! The Aviator was spirited and energetic. The Balloonist was described as quieter and tame, but nevertheless loyal and noble. Put simply, Alice wanted to meet the retired legend, to meet him as Dreamchild.

The Dream Come True was unaware that the Balloonist had become notoriously private and grouchy ever since his wife died, so when she knocked on Carl Fredricksen's door, she was ready for a conversation. After her last knock, she flashed an excited smile to her closest friend of the team, Bongo the bear. "Are you ready to meet a former hero?"

The door opened swiftly, revealing the man of the house: an old man in his late seventies, with a full head of white hair and glasses. He looked somewhat like Merlin/Paradox, except shorter, clean-shaven, and with piercing blue eyes, almost as piercing as Alice's. From the newspaper articles she read, and from the vintage photographs, there was no mistaking it: this was the Balloonist.

Dreamchild made sure to keep the conversation from being awkward. She was the first to speak, politely yet happily. "Hello, sir! I hope this isn't an inconvenient time for you."

[Bongo]

The Dream League member that had accompanied Dreamchild for this visit was her ever-faithful companion, Bongo, who often enjoyed tagging along with Dreamchild no matter what she was doing. He was particularly excited about today, however, for they were about to meet a real veteran among heroes. Although Bongo, being a humble circus bear, had never heard of the Balloonist, he was enthusiastic about meeting someone who had helped protect Epcot City years and years before the Dream League even existed.

Bongo grinned up to Dreamchild and nodded vigorously as she asked him if he was ready to meet the veteran hero. As the door opened, however, Bongo was surprised to see a hunched over, balding, wrinkly old man. He didn't look much like a hero, upon a first glance... but, then again, Paradox was pretty old and wrinkly, too. No need to judge by appearances, right? A hero is a hero!

As a friendly gesture, Bongo smiled widely up to the old man and tipped his cap to him, looking as charming as ever. There was no telling if he could charm the Balloonist or not, however...

[The Balloonist]

If Dreamchild and Bongo expected a warm, friendly greeting, they wouldn't get it. What they got was very different: Carl Fredricksen's face expressed realization when he recognized the duo, but as Dreamchild spoke, his face and eyes grew colder. He was aloof, to put it simply. After an awkward moment of raw silence, the old man spoke with his gravelly, aged voice. The voice was deeper than Paradox's.

"What do you want?" he asked tersely. He pointed to the twosome as he addressed their (almost correct) names. "You're that Dreamgirl and Bonger Bear, but what are you doing here?"

He rested his liver spot-ridden hands on his cane, and waited for an answer. He didn't seem particularly interested that two vigilantes were on his doorstep.

[Dreamchild]

Dreamchild didn't know precisely what to expect from the old man, but even so his very impersonal and blunt attitude was surprising and a little off-putting. The masked girl lost her smile when the old man erroneously referred to her as Dreamgirl, and messing up Bongo's name even worse. Dreamchild remained calm; after all, she and Bongo did show up uninvited, so it's probably justifiable that the old superhero would be curt for the first meeting.

"Um, Dreamchild, sir. And his name is Bongo." She gestured to the bear. "But thank you for recognizing us, Mr. Fredricksen. We wished to meet you and ask you some questions. If you don't mind." She smiled again, hopeful of a positive response.

[The Balloonist]

Carl rolled his eyes and was just about to flatly turn the uninvited guests away. "Look, I--" As he started his refusal, he looked up and over the couple's heads, to the street beyond his well-maintained property. The old man's blue eyes stared worriedly at a man walking by his white picket fence, a man with a camera. He didn't know if the man was a reporter or whatever, but the old man didn't like it. He had avoided any and all interviews, especially with the press. And if anyone took a photo of him with active vigilantes, it could give him undesirable attention.

Carl only thinly disguised a happy tone when he held his door open wide enough for Dreamchild and Bongo to enter. "Won't you two come in? We can talk inside. Hurry up!"

[Dreamchild]

Dreamchild was puzzled by the hastiness of the offer, but she didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. She took Bongo's paw and led him inside the house. "Come on, Bongo." Once inside, Dreamchild examined the lobby of the modest two-story home. It appeared fitting for two people, with pictures on the wall, a framed photograph of a younger Balloonist and a pretty woman on a drawer, memorabilia on display everywhere... The only thing missing in this house, Dreamchild felt, was another person. Something seemed off in here. It seemed lacking, like it was only half alive.

Dreamchild looked back to the old man when she heard him close the door. "You are Mr. Carl Fredricksen?"

[Bongo]

... "Bonger Bear"? Bongo's furry face blatantly expressed surprise at his name being mispronounced... outright jumbled up, rather. He didn't seem too offended by the old man's mistake, and he wasn't - but this was probably the first time he'd ever been called "Bonger Bear". It was a little strange, to say the least. Bongo scratched his head in confusion... his name was Bongo, right?

As he focused on the dilemma of his name, Dreamchild and the old man continued to converse, and he eventually invited them inside. He perked up attentively and smiled up at Dreamchild as she took his paw in her hand, and compliantly followed her into the home. The falseness of the man's charitable attitude was completely lost on Bongo - as was the empty feeling of the house's interior. Bears tended to not really think much of the concept of a home, so, to him, it was just a house... a mighty interesting house, though. He craned his head all around him as he and Dreamchild entered, glancing at all the pictures and photographs and miscellaneous objects placed here and there. Bongo wondered... was this what the house of a real hero generally looked like?

[The Balloonist]

Carl waited until the girl and the bear entered his house, before he closed the door behind them with one swift movement. He was losing his patience, but he couldn't be rid of the girl and her flea-bitten mutt until the coast was clear.

He dropped his feigned politeness, and his face constricted into the face of a very grumpy old man. "Yes. I'm Carl Fredricksen. What do you want? Hurry up and ask me your questions, so you two can get out."

He stepped into the living room and peaked out the window, and saw that the man with the camera was idly standing on the sidewalk beyond Carl's fence, talking to a middle-aged woman. "Yeesh!" He grit his false teeth and shook his head. Why wouldn't the man with the camera just bug off?!

[Dreamchild]

Dreamchild frowned in disappointment. It appeared the old man wasn't so friendly after all. Why was he so harsh and anti-social? The Dream Come True didn't mean to instigate him--she hardly said anything. It wasn't like she went out of her way to insult him, and the girl started to feel upset.

She followed the old man into the living room and spoke to him, as he peaked out the window. She knew he was hiding from someone, but she didn't care; she only cared about getting her answers. "So, you are the Balloonist? That's why we're here."

[The Balloonist]

Carl heard Dreamchild follow him. Upon listening to her question, he slipped his fingers under his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He was growing tired of people bringing up the past. He just wanted to be left alone, for crying out loud! Truly out of patience, the old man faced Dreamchild with a sour expression. The two were similar in height, with him just a few inches taller than her. He was a short man, short in height, and short in temper.

"I was the Balloonist, but not anymore. I'm done with that! My name is Carl, so get it right." His grip on his cane tightened, and his piercing blue eyes narrowed. "And take off that mask! Who do you think you are?"

[Dreamchild]

This was an unpleasant surprise. She and Bongo came here to have a brief, friendly talk with a former hero, and he treated them practically like bank robbers. Well, the English heroine had enough. She cut to the chase, and she was one more rude comment away from acting with more hostility. Her politeness was stretched thin by now.

"I'm Dreamchild, sir. I'm sorry if you don't read the newspaper, but I'm a hero. I'm a member of the Dream League, as well as Bongo, and we came here to ask a few questions about your memories of being a hero. That's all! We didn't come here to annoy you, and we're sorry if we did. But I read about your years as the Balloonist with your wife, the Aviator, and I just wanted to meet you. We wanted to meet you." As she said that last part, she gestured to Bongo.

[The Balloonist]

Carl's expression didn't change, even as Dreamchild explained herself and the bear, stating that they didn't mean any harm. Unfortunately, even if they didn't mean to unleash Carl's inherent surliness, they did. Just by showing up in costume and bringing up the past.

The old man's face softened when the Aviator was brought up. She was definitely a sore spot, but he quickly hardened his face again and steered the conversation.

"I am not the Balloonist anymore, all right? I'm sorry, but... just go. Take Bonger and just leave." He peered out his window again, and saw that the man with the camera was gone. This was the perfect opportunity to force his uninvited guests out of his home. With his cane, he walked to his front door, forcibly pushing the heroic duo along the way. "I don't want to talk about it, so find some other old person to reminisce with. 'Cause you won't get it from me."

He opened the door and propped it open, then got behind Dreamchild and Bongo and started to push them for the exit.

[Dreamchild]

Dreamchild saw the change of expression on Carl's face when his wife, the Aviator, was said by name. The difference between the expressions were like night and day; the wife was definitely why he was grouchy, antisocial, and a recluse. Dreamchild was only a little familiar with psychology, but she realized that the septuagenarian was grouchy and rude because it was his defense mechanism. By avoiding all contact with society, he can avoid talking about the past.

Just as she was pushed to the door, she looked back to Carl with a somber expression. "She's dead, isn't she? Your wife, I mean. I'm sorry, Mr. Fredricksen. I didn't know. She's the reason why you act this way, isn't it?" She pointed to a framed picture of a very happy married couple: Carl and Ellie. "The Balloonist I read about was strong and friendly. I can imagine that losing someone you love so much can change you. I know the feeling. I lost someone close to me, too. But--"

[The Balloonist]

Dreamchild reacted with a surprising tone of seriousness. He expected the girl to protest angrily, or call him names. Instead, she started talking about the last subject he ever wanted to talk about, especially with a stranger. She brought up his dearly beloved, and dearly departed wife, Ellie Fredricksen. Carl loved Ellie so much, and lived with her for nearly three quarters of his life. He loved her for every moment, of every day, of every month, of every year. The Balloonist and the Aviator were an unstoppable heroic duo, but in their private lives, they were a married couple who loved each other intensely.

Carl trembled with emotion when he was flooded with memories. So many wonderful memories. But then he thought about Ellie dying in his arms, in the hospital room, and he...

He slammed his cane on the floor and snarled at Dreamchild. "What do you know? How do you know what it feels like? You think you know what it feels like to lose someone who meant everything to you, someone you loved for fifty years?! No, of course you don't! You're just a little girl in a Halloween costume. You think you're a hero? Just give up." He glared at Bongo as much as he did to Dreamchild. "Both of you. Epcot City is hopeless, and there's nothing you can do about it! Stop playing cops and robbers, and just GROW UP! Now, get outta my house!!" His nostrils flared, his teeth gritted, and his eyes practically stabbed the girl and the bear.

With the door propped open, and in a final burst of displaced aggression, he used all of his might to push Dreamchild out the door. Startled by this action, the girl tripped over her feet and collapsed on the deck. This action was simply inexcusable and unreasonable, and Carl seemed to realize it, but only too late. After the physical attack, he panted heavily and stared helplessly at the girl. He looked to Bongo and gestured to the exit. "Well, what're you waiting for? Just... go."

[Bongo]

Bongo's face expressed more and more discomfort as the conversation between Dreamchild and the Balloonist went on - his nervous glance repeatedly shifted back and forth between the two, as he silently listened from the sidelines. For one of the greatest heroes Epcot City has ever known... the Balloonist sure wasn't very nice. Yet, when Dreamchild mentioned the man's dead wife, he clearly saw his dour, grouchy face shift in tone... he looked hurt, terribly so. Bongo wondered, as he stared into the man's blue eyes... could losing someone you loved really turn you such a cold-hearted person...?

Bongo's thoughts were cut short as the Balloonist suddenly lashed out at the two of them, raising his voice and glaring at them with a piercing gaze. Bongo jumped and took a few hasty steps back from the Balloonist, looking a little more frightened now than just concerned. The old man harshly ridiculed the both of them for daring to protect Epcot City, ordered them to leave his home immediately, and then, to Bongo's shock and horror, roughly shoved Dreamchild out of the door. Bongo scampered towards his friend, eyes filled with worry and ears drooped, but was relieved to see that she was unharmed - physically, anyhow. This did little to lift Bongo's spirits, though.

He turned back to face the Balloonist, with a sad and regretful gaze. To think this man was once a great hero... Bongo, honestly, had trouble believing that, after what he had just witnessed. How could he treat Dreamchild like that...? The bear's woeful expression shifted into one of firm disapproval, his eyebrows lowered. In Bongo's eyes, this man was anything but a hero. Bongo did no more than adjust his cap as he glared harshly at the man, and then huffily made his way out the front door, returning to Dreamchild's side.

[Dreamchild]

Her words had an immediately effect on Carl Fredricksen. When Dreamchild talked about the widower's late wife, said widower's face expressed tenderness and vulnerability. Alas, his mood swung completely, and the old man excoriated both Dreamchild and Bongo. The girl hated being shouted at, but she felt even worse because Bongo was verbally abused, as well.

"B-but--no, wait!--"

With one final, surprising push, Dreamchild was shoved out the door. She tripped over her feet as a result, and she cried out when she fell back and ungraciously landed on her rump. She wasn't really physically harmed, but her feelings were awfully hurt. From the deck, she stared up at the man, her mood shifting from sadness to anger. Her thin, black eyebrows creased her face, and she used her powers to quickly rise up to her feet. She did feel terrible for Carl and his loss, but this was no way to act, no matter what.

"Come on, Bongo," she said coolly, though it was obvious her anger was directed to Carl, and not at all to the bear. "Let's leave Mr. Fredricksen. He used to be a hero, but now he's not. I'm sure his wife is very proud of him, wherever she is." She brushed some dust and dirt off her spandex, and gently took Bongo by the paw, holding it like she was his big sister.

She gave her close friend a very apologetic look. <<I'm really sorry, Bongo. I didn't know he would act this way.>>

With one last look of disappointment to the old man, she turned and started walking away. "I don't believe this. 'Respect your elders,' indeed! Hmpf!"