One Big Medieval Mess [Open]

[Paradox]

No one in the Dream League could have expected what happened one Saturday in the middle of the afternoon. An enormous puff of vaporous, glittering smoke--the kind one would associate in illusionist acts--burst into existence without warning.

When the smoke cleared, there stood an old man with a blue robe, wizard's hat, and shoes. He clutched his magic staff, and his bespectacled eyes looked up the mansion's exteriors.

"All right, you two!" he enthusiastically said to his two companions. "We've reached our destination."

Merlin took a moment to look around at the pretty island's surroundings. This was an ideal place for privacy.

[Archimedes]

Atop the old man's pointed, crooked blue hat was perched one of the two that he was referring to - a small, tawny owl, craning his feathered head all around his new surroundings with wide and intense yellow eyes. After soaking in the unusual new atmosphere, the bird opened up its beak - not to squawk or hoot, but to speak, in the high-pitched voice of a crotchety old man.

"Yes, so we have..." he mused, not exactly sounding terribly excited by all of this. The highly educated owl, who went by the name of Archimedes, then turned his bright-eyed gaze down to his partner, Merlin the wizard. "Now, Merlin, I believe you owe me an explanation as to just what we're doing here?" The cranky little owl crossed his wings haughtily.

[Paradox]

Merlin couldn't see Archimedes clearly, but he knew he was there. The wizard's eyes looked upward as he gently nudged Archimedes with the end of his wooden staff.

"I suggest you get accustomed to this island, Archimedes, because we're going to be here for a long time." He looked ahead at the mansion again. "If I'm correct." He sniffed and took in the distinctive salty air of the island. The smell was quite different from medieval London, but Merlin was convinced he could adjust to different senses.

"Fate has directed me here, to Epcot City, in America, at this exact year. In my vision, I was told to bring the boy, er, Arthur with me." The wizard turned to face the boy with Excalibur. "We can go back to our time in England when we're through here, but for now we must use our powers to do the world good. Do you understand?" Both of his hands clasped on his staff's knob by now.

[Sir Pendragon]

*Arthur, dressed in his normal outfit of a reddish brown tunic, orange leggings, and brown medieval shoes, was busy gazing up at the residence...having never seen buildings like the mansion in front of them, it was pretty much of a history shock to him. He held the sheathed sword with both arms, the heavy weapon's weight nearly knocking the thin boy over. He then realized Merlin was speaking to him, and stuttering, looks over to his mentor.*

N--I mean, Y-yessir! I understand!

[Duckworth]

Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Duckworth, the Dream League’s butler, was in the monitoring room searching for a broom when he just happened to glance up at the multiple television screens that were set up nearby. They featured live surveillance feed of different areas around the island to catch unwanted guests or other situations of note.

What was this? Drawing closer to the screens for a better look, he frowned slightly at what he saw. Two strangers, an elderly human man sporting a long white beard, and a rather gangly young one carrying a sword far too big for him, were standing outside. A small brown blob that he finally recognized as a bird of some kind was perched on top of the older man’s conical hat. He recognized the clothing both wore as being medieval in design, although he couldn’t quite place the exact era (the Dark Ages perhaps?).

What were these strangers doing here? Under normal circumstances, civilians were not allowed to come on the island unless they received an invitation from the League, and getting permission was rare. Secondly, in such a case Duckworth would have been informed that they were having visitors. Was this some sort of silly joke? Of course, there was also the possibility that they were foes of the League. Though then again, wouldn’t most villains be a little more subtle about launching an attack? The dog-like humanoid didn’t pretend to know how the thought processes of villains worked, and wondered if any Leaguers were about. He decided to go see if he could find some, and left the room, the broom now forgotten.

[Dreamchild]

By chance, Dreamchild was not only inside the mansion, but she was on her way to the monitoring room. Thankfully, she did not run, so she stopped herself before she could collide into the Dream League's butler. Her wide white eyes soon became neutral, and she smiled femininely up to the taller, older dog humanoid.

"Oh! Hello, Mr. Duckworth! I was just on my way to the monitoring room. May I help you with anything?"

Dreamchild was always kind and polite to Duckworth, and today would not be an exception.

[Duckworth]

The first superhero Duckworth happened to run into was none other then fellow Brit Dreamchild, a charming young lady who probably had better manners at her young age then some of her teammates did.

"I actually wanted to call your attention to the... er, visitors outside, Miss Dreamchild. I've just seen them on the monitor."

[Dreamchild]

The stoic butler's nationality was like one of numerous reasons why Dreamchild was fond of Duckworth, let alone respected him. It's true that the little psychic from England was pleased to be in the company of a fellow Englishman often during her time in Epcot City, someone who she could relate to more than, say, a very American Duck Avenger. But even outside of nationality, Duckworth was simply a good, distinguished man, so of course Dreamchild appreciated him.

Dreamchild's lips parted as Duckworth explained the situation. "Visitors, outside? How curious! I hope they won't try to kill us." She added that last part mostly playfully, but there was still a smidgen of doubt in there. "Thank you, Mr. Duckworth! I'll go see to them!"

Without another word, Dreamchild turned and ran back upstairs, and then out the Overlook mansion's front doors. Her hair bounced with each step as she ran, although a portion of her hair still overlapped her right shoulder, even when she stepped outside to feel (and smell) the sea-breezed wind. She instantly saw the three strangers: an old, bespectacled man with a blue conical hat and robe, an owl on top of said old man's hat, and... boy with a weapon that was far too large to be handy.

"Who are you?" Dreamchild asked the trio in a polite yet serious tone. "Why are you here?"

[Archimedes]

Archimedes took a few steps back on his makeshift perch atop the wizard's hat, and fluffed up his feathers defiantly in response to Merlin prodding him with his staff, looking down at the old man indignantly. "Hmph," he huffed in response to Merlin's suggestion. The very idea of having to get used to such a strange new place displeased him greatly - already, his visit to the future was off to an unpleasant start for the owl.

Archimedes had doubt in Merlin's premonitions, as he always did... yet, as proven by his unprecedented faith in the boy, Arthur, who would become King of England of all things, they did have just as much of a chance of being correct as of being false. Regardless, the owl couldn't be sure immediately, but had no choice than to simply go along with it. "Well... I trust you know what you're doing, Merlin," he added with an uncertain sigh.

Soon enough, somebody had emerged from the elaborate, bizarre-looking building... it was a young girl, about Arthur's age, dressed up in an equally bizarre-looking costume. Were humans really to dress themselves in such ridiculous clothing in the future? Suspicious as always, Archimedes locked his intense owl eyes onto the strange girl from atop Merlin's hat, allowing his companion to do most of the talking for now.

[Duckworth]

"You're welcome!" Duckworth shouted after the young psychic as she went to meet with the strangers. He had smiled at her joke, but felt unease on the inside.

He didn't wish to seem like an overbearing parent, but he still had misgivings about someone as young as Miss Dreamchild being a superhero. He knew that her powers made her formidable and she could handle herself just as well as her older counterparts could, but he wondered if she would be able to handle the grittier aspects of the job. He read the Epcot City Beacon daily, and he certainly wouldn't allow Scrooge's young charges to visit the rough city without the appropriate supervision.

Duckworth decided to see if he could find any other heroes, in case Dreamchild required some assistance.

[Paradox]

"Oh, pah, Archimedes!" Merlin scowled indignantly. He was about to give the owl an earful, when he heard the feminine voice of a pre-teenage girl. He faced Dreamchild, and relaxed his muscles when he saw her. "Hmm? Oh."

He smiled affably and took the liberty of introducing himself and his friends to one of the Dream League. "Hello, young lady! My name is Merlin, and this is Archimedes." Without warning, he lightly poked at the owl with the end of his staff, as he introduced the feathered hothead. "And this," he gestured to the boy, "is the War--errrrm, I mean, Arthur. King."

Merlin still struggled to refer to the boy as Arthur, because for almost a full year he habitually called the boy Wart. Merlin insulted himself for giving the King a less than perfect introduction.

[Sir Pendragon]

*Arthur still struggles to hold the sword upright, standing just behind his mentor. When he sees Alice however, he blinks, dumbfounded. He'd seen girls his age before, sure, but not any dressed like the one before him. Just then he realized...sword...heavy...ack! With a loud clang, both he and the sword hit the ground.*

Whoa, what, OH!

The boy quickly picks himself back up, hiking the heavy sword up yet again. He blushes embarrassedly.*

A--Arthur, it's just Arthur, really.

*He was slowly getting used to being referred to by his first name...however it was the "king" part he was still having a slightly hard problem grasping.*

[Dreamchild]

Dreamchild was wary for the strangers, and still didn't trust them at that point. Granted, she was more rational and mannered (at least she thought) than her noble yet short-fused colleague, Duck Avenger, but it would still require more time for Dreamchild to trust the strangers.

Dreamchild exchanged glances between Merlin and Archimedes, before examining the clumsy and awkward boy from where she stood. His innocent eyes, exceptionally thin build, and his hair the color of ripe wheat, were enough to begin the removal of Dreamchild's suspicions.

The girl took pity on the awkward boy, and so she invited herself to help him. She smiled to Arthur the best way a stranger could, and she pressed her right thumb and index finger against her temple.

"Let me help you, Arthur. Let go of your sword."