Pleasure for Pain [Coachman, Open]

[Puppet Master]

It was a fine night to be indoors, because it was piercingly frigid outside on the night when Stromboli, better known to the Dream League and ECPD as Puppet Master, was summoned to a rendezvous point to meet with a lone Coachman. The place of meeting was in a shady bar that was sparsely attended on a night like this (it was still early in the week, after all).

Of course, Stromboli was a marked man, so he couldn't go out in just his conspicuous gypsy clothing, so he covered the majority of his preferred clothing with a very large, hooded jacket. He wore the hood up which obscured most of his face from any would-be lawmen in the area. Thankfully, this meeting was in the shadier section of Epcot City, so the mind-controlling showman blended right in as he gripped the bar's door handle and pulled open the door to step in.

The Red Lobster, a dive where Popov was not the cheapest vodka. Yes, a good place to hatch ominous plots.

The hooded Puppet Master stepped into The Red Lobster, and was relieved to see the establishment sparsely attended. The patrons there were either too intoxicated to sit upright, or drank in silence and refused to talk to anyone else other than their bottles. Perfect.

The Coachman was easy to spot, because no one else in The Red Lobster looked like a Dickensian character: rotund build (probably just as much as the similarly corpulent Stromboli), deeply green eyes, large red coat... the hat was also a clear signal.

Stromboli chose to not remove his hood, but he did invite himself to sit adjacent to the Coachman.

"Sorry to'a keep you," the Italian apologized lowly, almost like a mutter. "You want'a Puppet Master? That's'a me." It only then crossed Stromboli's mind that maybe he shouldn't have said that. Even if he was entirely positive the man who sat adjacent to and addressed was the Coachman, what if he wasn't?

The Puppet Master placed his large hands on the table, the brown eyes behind his hood, his pink lips, and his trailing black beard entirely visible to the Coachman.

[Coachman]

The enigmatic, and not-so arguably fiendish, man known merely as 'The Coachman' was already seated at a table when the nefarious Puppet Master entered the shady bar. He was an overweight individual, his girth on par with the Puppet Master himself, and was a decidedly tall and imposing individual. He was wearing a long, red coat. Upon his head was a gray-colored coachman hat with a muddy brown band with an orange and red feather sticking out of the left side, tufts of his white hair poking out on either side of the hat.

He looked at the Puppet Master through his piercing, green gaze without much enthusiasm, and certainly with a lack of respect. He made no effort to rise from his seat, shake hands, or perform any other act of courtesy as his 'fellow' wrongdoer joined him at the table. "You're late." He responded in a cold, harsh tone. "Go'on then and have yourself a seat." He spoke in a Cockney accent which suggested he was a long way from his homeland.

Wherever said homeland was (although an educated guess would place him as being of English descent, given his manner of speech and accent) he had strayed far from it. And while he had come to be known as 'The Coachman' his actions included far more activities than simply driving a coach. As anyone half aware of his shady past could attest to, a fair amount of his other activities were criminal and malicious in nature. But the fact of it was was that no one really was aware of his actions outside of rumors. He never left any evidence of wrongdoing, unlike most of Epcot City's other criminals; he covered his tracks remarkably well.

[Puppet Master]

The Puppet Master, seated adjacent to the Coachman, didn't bother apologizing again for his tardiness. He cut to the chase: he slipped his large, fat right hand into the pocket of his leather jacket and halfway pulled out the 'invitation' that was sent to the Puppet Master, the message that got the puppeteer to arrive at this rendezvous point in the first place. But he didn't completely retrieve the paper from his jacket; just enough for the Coachman to see that this was, indeed, the man he summoned.

The Puppet Master slipped the note back into his jacket and, still hooded, rested his palms on the table and stared squarely into the Coachman's remarkably green eyes. "What is it you want?" Although Stromboli was Italian through and through and spoke with a thick accent, he tried to lessen it enough to be more decipherable.

[Coachman]

As the Puppet Master situated himself and displayed the invitation for the rendezvous the Coachman removed a brown tobacco pipe from his coat and loaded it up with some high quality tobacco before lighting it. He stoked the flame by pressing his left thumb, which was clad in a muddy brown glove, into the barrel as he inhaled. It was worth noting that the Coachman only had four fingers per hand, a rather unusual trait for a human.

After the Puppet Master had finished asking what he wanted of him the Coachman exhaled a breath of gray smoke from his lungs. He smiled a crooked smirk and furrowed his eyebrows as he leaned forward, resting an elbow on the tabletop. "I hear you've had a bit of trouble lately with these vigilantes. More specifically, a ninja and wild woman in the woods. Probably cuttin' in on your profits having to waste time with the likes of them and the ECPD." He said to the Italian criminal. How he knew of such an encounter was for the Coachman, and only the Coachman, to know. "But a man of your creed, why I bet you're a bloke who can appeal to children. Ruffian children. Besides puttin' on your puppet shows, a man like you is liable to be able to persuade roughneck kids into havin' a good time."

He reached into his jacket with his free hand, producing a stack of money which he placed on the table. If the top bill was any indication of the others than the entire stack consisted of $100 bills, and the girth of the stack suggested that a rather good amount of money had just been placed on the table.

"How'd you like to recover your losses and make some real money? And the job should be worth your while, if you can deliver the goods. Interested in hearin' more?"

[Puppet Master]

The Puppet Master sat back on his chair and continued to rest his palms on the table as he listened (and watched) the pudgy Coachman intently. At first the Italian fugitive was straining to be respectful and keep up his undivided attention; he didn't risk being out in the open where he could be caught and arrest just to watch a man take his time lighting and smoking a pipe. But his annoyance gradually faded as the Coachman mentioned Puppet Master's modus operandi and his talent for 'influencing' children.

But what really hooked the Puppet Master was the Coachman placed an astounding amount of dollars on the table. It was easily a ridiculous amount of money, more money than many people in Epcot City, let alone the Puppet Master, could make in a month!

The greedy, black-bearded man stared lustily at the money as though he were entranced. He licked his pink lips, and looked up to the Coachman. A jovial yet devious smile slowly worked his face.

"Yes, yes, I'm'a interested in'a hearing more. How can I'a help you, sir?" He tried to stifle his greed and excitement, which he mostly succeeded, but it was blatant that the man was hooked by the Coachman, and would probably even sell his front teeth for that money.

[Coachman]

The Coachman's smirk widened as he witnessed the Italian man's reaction to the stack of money on the table. Truth be told, the Coachman had quite a bit of net worth when it came to finances and assets. In fact, he hardly needed to perform criminal deeds at all; he could live quite comfortably, but for reasons known only to himself he delved into a life of crime with continued enthusiasm. And while it may have seemed foolish to flash around such wads of cash in as shady an establishment as The Red Lobster, the Coachman wasn't particularly concerned, as he could take care of himself should trouble arise. Thankfully, however, no one was paying them any mind at all. They may as well have been invisible.

"It's real simple. Easiest money you'll ever make, if you play your cards right." The Coachman responded before raising his pipe to his mouth and taking in a few puffs of nicotine. After this act he leaned forward even more than he previously had so that he was close to the Puppet Master's ear. Even though no one was paying them any attention, he still wanted to be careful that no one overheard the details of his scheme. Raising a gloved hand to cup his mouth he began to whisper instructions to the Puppet Master. While to most outsiders it would sound like muffled gibberish, a few key words such as 'brats,' 'convince,' and 'Pleasure Island II' could be heard here and there.

When he was finished explaining the details of what he expected of the other criminal he leaned back into a more formal sitting position, lowering his hand from his mouth before continuing in a normal speaking voice. "The run-aways, the punks and scoundrels. They're dumb as bricks, more often'n not, so it shouldn't take ya much coaxin' to persuade them. Once you hook 'em, escort them to the rendezvous point I specified and I'll reel 'em in and give you your just deserts. Each head will net you a handsome price."

[Puppet Master]

The Puppet Master still grinned. The Coachman could have said anything he wanted, and the greedy puppeteer would still be grinning from ear to ear because of his promised reward for his assistance. When the large man in red leaned in to whisper, the Puppet Master turned his head and pulled back his hood to expose his ear so that the Coachman may whisper to him clearly. The Puppet Master's earring, which was required for him to control minds, was on his other ear so the Coachman couldn't have seen it up close. He raised his eyebrows and looked upward as the Coachman whispered in his ear, explaining the plan. The Puppet Master closed his eyes thoughtfully and tightened his mouth on occasion as he absorbed the Coachman's words.

After the explanation, the Puppet Master turned his head to look at the Coachman, now seated back, and flashed a more-than-eager grin, his teeth surrounded by a thick black beard and mustache. He laughed in his throat lowly, and then nodded and exclaimed, but not loud enough to draw suspicion or attention.

"It's a deal! I'm in!" He rubbed his palms together and took one more look at the money on the table. He could practically feel the delicious paper in his fingers right now.

[Coachman]

The Coachman grinned before scooping up the bundle of money from the tabletop and placing it securely back into his inner jacket pocket. Without a word he was making it quite clear that the Puppet Master wouldn't see so much as the paper band holding the stack together again if he didn't deliver on his end of the bargain.

"All right, then. You know what to do, and you know where to guide 'em once you're done. And no double-crossin', or you'll find my generosity can be quite polarizing for those who displease me." He warned the thick Italian, his smile turning into a hard, emotionless, statuesque expression. The gig was great; he had no doubts that the Puppet Master could deliver, and even if things went south, the greedy puppeteer would make the perfect fall-man, a scape goat through and through.

***

The Coachman's hunch had been a good one, as the Puppet Master, despite being a greasy, ill-mannered barbarian sort, had managed to collect a good number of specimens, to his credit. Once the man had been paid (and handsomely at that, though he imagined his temporary cohort would spend it foolishly) the two parted ways and the little brats were loaded onto a retro-looking coach. The Coachman had an eye for the classics, even in modern times. Within minutes they were on their way, the coach being pulled by six very unhappy-looking donkeys rather than conventional horses. The Coachman smiled with twisted pleasure each and every time he cracked his whip, startling and stinging the burros with sharp pain.

The kids themselves were obnoxious, loud, and moving around entirely too much. A perfect collection of jackasses, if he did say so himself. He noted that one of the children even had a plastic claw over his hand, perhaps emulating some villain he idolized. Yet another was talking like a salesperson, and he would be thrilled once that voice was turned into something less grating than a walking commercial.

***

The boat ride upon his private ferry had been equally rowdy, and a couple of windows had been broken, along with graffiti sprayed throughout without care. But these were business expenses he was used to, and all of that would be repaired and dealt with in the morning. After they had traveled well into the night the ferry had at last arrived upon his private island, which was shrouded in fog. Only once they reached the dock could the children see well enough to observe the bright, glittering lights and the peaks of towering rides; those they could actually see over the formidable, fort-like wall which surrounded the interior, that is. But the kids were too excited and too stupid to question why an amusement park would be enclosed in such a manner, and they merely hooted and yelled in eagerness as they exited the boat, running across the dock and to a suspended bridge which lead to very a very tall, thick, double-sided, wooden door.

"All right, you lads. Are you ready to have some real fun? Welcome... to Pleasure Island II!" The Coachman yelled to the children as he motioned with a gloved hand toward the large pair of double doors which opened inward at his gesture, seemingly perfect in timing, with loud creaks and groans.

He looked around him as the kids ran in like lambs to the slaughter, hooting and yelling in excitement as they made their way to the various attractions of the amusement park. The park had attractions which were bog standard, such as roller coasters and carousels, but it also had unusual, and sometimes adult-themed, attractions such as cigarette dispensers and a pool hall. An odd attraction was a large, lavish mansion where the object was to cause as much destruction to it as possible. There were no staff members, no one at all tending to the rides or concession stands, and the children were free to do and take what they wanted. Beer, tobacco, and all manner of carnival foods were all made readily available to the children, and all seemingly free, though the children would wind up paying a dearer price than they could have ever imagined.

Once all of the children had run off, the Coachman was left standing by himself in front of the large double doors which were the only known method of entering or exiting the amusement park (though there were secret exits which only the Coachman knew of). "Lock it up tight." He said in a stern, commanding tone, and at first it seemed he was speaking to no one. But then, from out of the shadows, came a series of shadowy silhouettes, ape-like in appearance. The only detail of them which was prominent in their pure-black state were their eerie, illuminated, white eyes. Without a word they responded to his command, pushing the great double doors shut, two henchmen per side, before placing a large, sturdy wooden slab through it and then padlocking it.

Between the man-made wall and the perilous, jagged mountain acting as a natural barricade, there was no easy escape for any child within the now prison walls. And they were all oblivious; all ignorant to what awaited them. The Coachman, with his hands behind his back, wandered off to make the proper preparations.

[Gyro Gearloose]

***

Gyro Gearloose was, at the time, the Dream League's only hired inventor, mechanic, and, to a much lesser extent, handyman of the Overlook. The tall, white, anthropomorphic chicken was easily recognized by his strapped yellow hat, pink shirt, black unbuttoned vest, jeans, and brown shoes. And, of course, his small eyeglasses on top his beak.

Gyro was an invaluable behind-the-scenes worker for the Dream League, much like the unflappable Duckworth. Not just because of his genius and usefulness (even if most of his inventions are flawed), but because he was a close ally of both Duck Avenger and the Masked Mallard, in the days when both heroes worked alone, before the Dream League.

Gyro, the Gadgetman (although he's not fond of that nickname), was given a special order, and probably his most important contribution to the Dream League: the construction of a specialized aircraft for the team of vigilantes, codenamed "Star Wisher." Actually, the official name is a more complicated and lengthy series of letters and numbers, but "Star Wisher" was as good a nickname as any.

Gyro finished the final touch of the Star Wisher. After one last spark from welding, he opened his welding helmet, and smiled at his brainchild. His face was smeared with perspiration and soot, but behind smudges of work glowed the face of a proud father. Finally, after weeks, his invention was finished!

"At last! The STR-W1SH-RXS-ORBIT-3000 is complete!" Mr. Gearloose removed his black welding helmet and plopped it on a workbench as he made his way for the invention/construction laboratory's brick wall, the wall with a series of buttons, each connected to various parts on the island. Gyro's workshop was a separate building from the mansion, complete with a boat dock and a roof that opens to launch various inventions and instruments, most notably the Star Wisher.

Gyro pressed his right index finger against a red button with such passion that, if his finger were flesh-toned, it would go white from lack of blood. He was eager to share his invention, even if he was paid and ordered to make it. (Of course, most of the Dream League was hoping for a Star Wisher, because Merlin's magic was disorienting, and the old wizard wasn't always in the Overlook.) After the *BZZZT* sound, Gyro spoke into the microphone and enthusiastically announced the christening of the Star Wisher.

"Whoever's in the Overlook, come to my workshop, quick! The Star Wisher is done!"

He looked back at the beautiful yet stylish aircraft behind him, like a father to his graduating daughter. The Star Wisher wasn't spacious enough to transport all members of the Dream League at once, but several members could fly, so that wasn't a huge issue. Besides, not every Dream Leaguer goes on missions together.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine was the first to respond to Gyro's enthusiastic message. The beautiful princess of Eyvindria entered the inventor's workshop within a minute after said inventor's call. But shortly after, Duck Avenger followed and entered the workshop. He immediately asked if the Star Wisher was (finally) done, but he didn't finish; the sight of the majestically beautiful spaceship was truly awe-inspiring. Gyro was quick to introduce the two Leaguers to the STR-W1SH-RXS-ORBIT-3000.

Sunshine was equally impressed, even though she, herself, could fly. She smiled sweetly at the proud Gyro and placed a hand on his shoulder as she referred to the ship. "It's beautiful, Mr. Gearloose. Would you mind if I called it the Star Wisher?"

The Star Wisher was now the Dream League's very own spacecraft. Actually, it wasn't just a spacecraft; it could travel through space, air, and even underwater, all capabilities fully operational and efficient. The Star Wisher was mostly purple, but with stylistic yellow lines on the wings and top. The cockpit windows were blue and reflective; the inside couldn't be seen, unless a specific button was pressed to allow visibility from the outside. The Star Wisher had two large silver jets on the back, and had two wings and a large nose. The engine was in the belly of the ship, and there were several guns outfitted in numerous places, such as the belly and under the wings. (Gyro wanted to omit the guns, but Duck Avenger insisted, because he didn't wish to be a 'sitting duck.')

Sunshine, very happy with Gyro's creation, flashed a warm smile to Duck Avenger, fully expecting him to agree. "What do you think, Duck Avenger?"

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger grinned from ear to ear after Sunshine asked him for his opinion. At least, he would have grinned from ear to ear if he had ears. Seeing as he only had ear holes, he just grinned. He gave a thumbs up to Gyro and winked, answering Sunshine's question. "I love it! You took your time, but it paid off. Good job, Gyro! This thing's a real looker. But can she fly?" He lowered his hand and looked at the Star Wisher again. He casually stepped to it and leaned in close. Shiny! He could see his face on the purple surface.

[Gyro Gearloose]

Gyro exchanged glances between the Leaguers, depending on who spoke. He smiled modestly at Sunshine's strikingly beautiful face (even if it was masked). In the time Sunshine had been a member of the Dream League, she always treated him very sweetly, so he liked her. "Thank you, Ms. Sunshine. And, no, I don't mind!"

Then Duck Avenger asked a question. The bespectacled inventor looked down at the shorter waterfowl and nodded. "Not only can it fly, but it can fly through outer space and travel through water, but on and under! With this STR--uh, Star Wisher, you can get anywhere in Epcot City quickly. You could even leave Calisota much faster than by car."

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger turned and leaned his back on the surface of the Star Wisher's purple nose. He gestured behind him with a thumb and smiled confidently. "I'm gonna test her out. Wanna come along, Sunshine?"

Even though Sunshine could fly, Duck Avenger invited her to join for a flight on the Star Wisher. He didn't want to go alone, and whom better to ask to accompany him than a very pretty, young woman?

[Sunshine]

Sunshine removed her hand from Gyro's shoulder and admired the beauty of the completed jet. Her eyes trailed along the mostly purple aircraft/spacecraft/submarine. It was so many things in the form of one; Gyro really outdid himself this time! No wonder it took him weeks--he was working on the thing since before Sunshine joined the Dream League!

Sunshine's gaze skipped from the Star Wisher to the grinning duck. She smiled like a big sister to the duck (even though he was older than her). "Of course I'll come with you." She rested the back of her hands on her slim waist. "Someone has to help you if you crash."

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger nodded in agreement, not realizing what Sunshine was implying. "That's right!" Then it clicked. He stood upright and threw his hands up in the air in annoyance. "Hey, whaddya mean crash?! Are you sayin' I'm a bad driver?! I'd like to see you drive, Ms. Princess-From-Another-Kingdom-Who-Never-Drove-A-Car-Before!" (Sunshine had told the Dream League where she came from, so they knew she was really a foreign princess, and that her real name was not Briar Rose, the pseudonym she used when walking among Epcot City's public. This defeated the purpose of Sunshine wearing a mask while in the Overlook, but that wasn't ever brought up.) Duck Avenger gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at Sunshine.

Sunshine couldn't help herself; she covered her mouth, closed her eyes and tried her best to stifle a giggle. Gyro chuckled at the two Leaguers' interaction.

[Bongo]

As the trio conversed, another Dream League member, not making his presence known thanks to being mute, had made his way into Gyro's laboratory to see what all the ruckus was about. Wide-eyed and amazed, Bongo wandered all around the huge, radiant, brightly-colored machine, his eyes scanning all over it. He'd never seen anything like it! Of course, he had no idea what it was... but he was eager to find out!

As he examined the jet, Bongo stopped to notice just how shiny the aircraft was. Staring into his clear-as-crystal reflection on the ship's side, Bongo smiled in bemusement as he adjusted his strap-on cap.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine opened her eyes and immediately noticed an unexpected (and unheard) presence: Bongo the superbear. Bongo was irresistibly cute to Sunshine, and, though he was a small bear, she treated him like she would a little brother: respectful yet playful.

Sunshine smiled as she watched the bear adjust his strap-on cap (the bear was obviously using the reflective Star Wisher as a mirror). She invited herself to approach the bear. With her hands locked behind her back, she leaned her face closer to his (for she was much taller than him), and she peered into the Star Wisher's surface to see both her face and his. She smiled at him through the reflection.

"Bongo?" Her tone was happy. "Would you like to fly with us, in this Star Wisher?"

Sunshine trusted Gyro and was confident that the Star Wisher wouldn't (God forbid) explode. And even if there was a malfunction, Sunshine was certain that she could rescue both Duck Avenger and Bongo easily. And even if she was fearful, she would have done her best to hide such fear from her companions.

[Bongo]

Bongo whipped his head up to glance over at Sunshine, surprise in his wide eyes. This thing could fly? And they could ride in it? A surge of excitement swelled through the little bear's body, as he made a little hop out of sheer vigor and nodded exuberantly towards the blonde beauty, a wide open grin on his muzzle.

With new-found knowledge of this metal bird, Bongo continued to run all around it and examine all the details and varied parts of the machine, excitedly wondering just what they could do.

[Powermouse]

Hovering beneath the dock, a pair of large, bright, long-lashed eyes set in a soft-featured face intently observed the crowd of excited boys charge inside the opened gates like lemmings. The eyes belonged to a tiny white form in a violet suit with silvery sections adorning it. The silent watcher was ready to dart beneath the dock once more at a moment's notice.

This was Powermouse. Recently catapulted to the position of top agent for the Rescue Aid Society for her exploits as well the formidable abilities granted to her by the Powersuit she wore. When she had heard about the most recent case that the chairman had discussed at the gathering of delegates at the United Nations in New York City, she just knew that she had to take it. There had been a rise in the number of missing children, but there were very few if any clues as to what had happened to them. She had been fortunate to pick up this lead to this privately owned island. Sometimes rodents just performed better at sniffing out information then the police were. The RAS wasn't able to give her much on the that shadowy character in the red coat, save that he was just known as the Coachman.

The mouse wondered what horrid sort of things that old man in red was going to do those poor boys in there. Granted, from what she had heard and witnessed as they had milled around on the dock, she dared say that some of them seemed like they could do with a proper spanking, but no child deserved to be kidnapped! Powermouse clenched her gauntlet-covered fists at the very idea before returning her attentions to the mission. Now, what would be the best way of getting inside without being noticed?

[Sunshine]

***

Even though Sunshine could fly, there wasn't a need for her because there was enough space inside the Star Wisher. She was seated in the passenger seat beside Duck Avenger. Even though she was seated with a safety belt and inside a fantastic device, she nevertheless was upright and straight. Even in the most confining of spaces, Sunshine sat with her back straight, in a dignified poise. As she sat with her hands rested on her lap, with one on top the other, she looked beyond the Star Wisher's windshield, out to the blue horizon. Saltwater and waves reached out as far as the eye could see, as though it were endless. After a long moment of silence (save for Duck Avengers satisfied muttering as he piloted the vessel), she broke the silence. She turned to the duck and asked him.

"Have you heard about the missing boys?" Concern etched her face, and she felt guilty for not bringing the subject up before. "I looked for them earlier, but I couldn't find anything."

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger was on top of the world, being the first-ever to truly take the Star Wisher out for a test run. It was handling beautifully, and he was thankful that Gyro really gave it his all when creating it, which was atypical for the inventor most of the time--often, Gyro would get so excited about a new concept while working on an invention, that his current invention suffers as a result. Thankfully, that wasn't the case with the Star Wisher. The Avenger grinned, his teeth grit, his eyes burning with intense fun, as he cruised in the air above the ocean. It was an amazing feeling.

But, way to ruin the mood, Sunshine! Duck Avenger winced when he was reminded of the serious news. "Yeah," he answered. "I heard. But I couldn't find any leads on the boys. Where could they have gone? And how could all of them vanish without a trace?" He shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to get back to having fun, but that was impossible now because of the grim topic. Ah, ignorance; it truly was bliss.

[Bongo]

Bongo, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying his first trip in the Star Wisher, almost as much as Duck Avenger. Seated behind the pilot and shotgun seats, he gazed out of the window he was closest to, paws pressed against it and in absolute awe at the sight below - an almost endless body of water hundreds of feet below them. What a view! The only vehicle the bear had ever ridden in before this was the circus train that had confined him for so long, and while that had often offered lovely views of the outside itself, it never had anything of this caliber. Bongo only regretted that he had to stay within the confines of a seatbelt, as Sunshine insisted. Had he had things his way, he'd be checking out the entirety of the ship's interior and gazing out of every single window one by one.

Still, he seemed to never get tired at all of staring out of that one single window, as the view changed, twisting and turning as the ship itself did. This went on for a while, until Sunshine eventually spoke up, and not simply to strike conversation. Missing children? Bongo perked and shifted his attention from the waters below to the two Dream Leaguers in front of him. This was the first he had heard about this, as he didn't really watch a lot of television... nor could he read. The more they spoke about it, however, the more intrigued - and worried - Bongo became. As a natural performer, Bongo had a fondness for children, with the possible exception of those few brats that would prod and tease him from behind his circus cage bars. To hear of so many vanishing without a trace was rather upsetting, though.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine pressed the back of her gold-tressed head against the top of her seat. She frowned and looked out the window, sighing in concern. "Those poor boys! Where could--oh?"

The Ray of Hope was obviously distracted by something unusual. She leaned her face just barely against the glass and peered out into the horizon. Thankfully, her glasses (as Briar Rose) was for reading. Reading wasn't required to notice a very rocky island into the horizon.

"Duck Avenger, I see an island over there!" she tapped a slender index finger on the glass, her tip covering the island (from her perspective, that is). Her eyes closed to slits as she attempted to see more of it.

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger looked to where Sunshine pointed. "Huh?" His large, expressive eyes peered to the horizon, but he soon noticed a rocky island far in the distance. Thankfully, the Star Wisher could take them there in no time!

"Let's go check it out. Hold on! Full speed ahead!" Duck Avenger kicked into full throttle, and the Star Wisher zoomed off toward the island.

***

Duck Avenger had docked the Star Wisher at a foot of the mountainous, rocky island. By then, both Duck Avenger and Sunshine considered themselves lucky for finding the island when they could, because now the area was shrouded by fog. It would have been dangerous to have the Star Wisher continue. Thankfully, Sunshine volunteered to carry Duck Avenger and then Bongo up to the mountain's top (if it was indeed a mountain). Why did they have a reason to examine the place? Because they found various cigars bobbing around the island. Tarantula was known to be a chain cigar smoker, so maybe he was hiding out here? He was a wanted man, after all.

"So you'll carry me first, Sunshine? Okay? Are you sure you can carry me?" Duck Avenger adjusted his belted and prepared to be carried. Although he had watched Sunshine fly numerous times, he was never carried by her. Until now. He looked up the mountain. It was a looooong way to the top...

[Sunshine]

Sunshine nodded, but that wasn't all; her smile was sincere with reassurance. "I'll be fine, Avenger. Please trust me!" She wasted a few seconds to reassure Bongo just the same. "I'll come back for you in just a minute, Bongo." Whenever she spoke to the adorably small bear, she took on a friendlier, perhaps even loving, tone. Then her eyes met Duck Avenger's once more. "Are you ready?" The Avenger nodded.

Sunshine immediately carried the duck, like a groom would carry his bride across the threshold. Sunshine's grip was tight, which comforted Duck Avenger--if he were to fall several hundred feet and land on jagged rocks, that would be pretty awful! But Sunshine was, in fact, trustworthy, and she took off into flight. She flew in the air, higher and higher, holding an obviously excited Duck Avenger close. Sunshine reached the top, and a quick glance convinced the two that they, once all at the top together, could comfortably descend the rocky climb. And so Sunshine set Duck Avenger on his webbed feet, and descended down, back to Bongo, her hands in the air, her feet ready to grip the floor. If an unsavory man were to look up Sunshine's skirt from Bongo's position, they would find not undergarments, but the same kind of blue leotard-like costuming that covered her torso. This was proof that the skirt was actually part of the costume, and not its own separate garment.

Back on the earth with Bongo, Sunshine smiled down to him and, with her arms, beckoned the bear to hold onto her. "Are you ready, Bongo?"

[Bongo]

Bongo stood with his two partners on the hard, rocky coast of the imposing, fog-shrouded isle; he gazed up at the jagged stone wall that seemed to bar any direct access into its interior. His paw held above his eyes, he looked up and up and up... he almost fell over onto his back, the wall went up so high! It sure was a good thing they had somebody around who could fly and carry them; Bongo was good enough at climbing, being a bear, but he didn't think he could handle something like this...

---

Once Sunshine had returned from dropping off Duck Avenger, Bongo smiled and nodded to affirm his readiness. Without any warning, he hopped right up into the girl's slender but powerful arms, grabbing on in case she didn't take the initiative to catch him. Once safely settled, Bongo spread determination onto his fuzzy face and pointed a finger dramatically up towards the top of the craggy cliff-face, ready to go.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine grunted softly as Bongo hopped onto her arms and grabbed onto her. She smiled affectionately down onto the bear, and looked up when he dramatically pointed in that direction. She giggled and softly told Bongo to prepare himself.

"Hold on tight, Bongo. Here we go!"

It was same song, second verse: Sunshine, holding onto Bongo, looked up and wasted no time taking flight. She gracefully ascended the air at a steady, good speed. Within seconds, Sunshine and her adorable cargo reached the top of the mountain. Sunshine pursed her lips when she immediately saw Duck Avenger taking his time ascending the natural stairway. He definitely wanted to explore the island.

"All right, Bongo! Let's follow Duck Avenger." She rested Bongo onto his feet, on the rocky surface. Following that, Sunshine landed on the ground, and started following Duck Avenger, down, down, down the mountain.

"Duck Avenger, b--be careful!" she called as she descended. Descending required patience and concentration, and required movements as easy as taking a step to movements that required a little more skill, such as sliding down a rock carefully. She would have flown, but fog impaired her vision so much that flight would have been a dubious option. "Take your time! Don't rush!" She back to Bongo, over her shoulder. "And you, too, Bongo."

[Bongo]

Bongo was gazing down at the lengthy, steep hillside below as Sunshine addressed him. He seemed just a bit unsure about having to climb down the precipitous, rocky surface... bears were not the most graceful of creatures, and Bongo was particularly clumsy. As Sunshine urged him to follow her and Duck Avenger down, however, he immediately sucked up his anxiety and gave a firm nod to Sunshine. If his teammates could make their way down, so could he!

... Well, here goes. Bongo took one careful step, his hind paw tapping a rock big enough to hold it without becoming dislodged. So far, so good! Bongo took another step, and then another, slowly becoming more confident. This wasn't so bad, he thought... until he reached one boulder that was a bit less sturdy than the rest. Bongo lost his footing, his feet flailing about as if he were a river-dancer atop the large rock, and ended up tumbling off of the boulder, which then rolled its way down to the sea below. Thankfully, the bear caught his footing on a sturdier rock just in time. After watching the boulder vanish from sight, he made a sigh of relief and wiped his brow (despite the fact that bears couldn't sweat...).

That was too close... For the rest of his journey downwards, Bongo made sure to be as careful as Sunshine, keeping an eye on just which rocks he stepped upon.

[Duck Avenger]

Duck Avenger was the first to reach the bottom of the mountain. He waited for Sunshine and Bongo to reach the bottom. Satisfied when his companions joined him, he turned and looked ahead. All he could see was a dense fog, but at least they could walk safely. Duck Avenger looked behind him, beckoned his two companions to join him, and led them forward, through the fog.

***

Duck Avenger stopped in his tracks when he saw what looked like a large Ferris wheel in the distance. He pointed ahead, and he jogged forward to get a better look at the shape. Not only was it absolutely a Ferris wheel, but other amusement park attractions came into view, from carousels to buildings with large mascots, including a Rough House. What was really eerie about this place, though, is that it was completely derelict. The amusement park was abandoned, yet the litter scattered on the ground, from cotton candy sticks to popped balloons to even cigars, appeared to have been thrown on the ground recently.

Duck Avenger looked back to Sunshine and Bongo, and pointed at the abandoned amusement park they were in, confusing in his eyes. "What is this place?"

[Sunshine]

Sunshine remained close to Bongo at all times. Because her long, slender legs often gained the human teenager more distance with each step than either Bongo and Duck Avenger, she walked slower than the two males to remain in close proximity. Once the trio found themselves in an abandoned amusement park, Sunshine hugged herself and looked around with some fear in her eyes. Was she actually a little scared?

"I don't know, but..." After a pause, and after looking at the creepy mascot of the Rough House, she continued. "I don't know if I like this place." She felt a crunch under her right boot. At first she feared she stepped on a poor lightning bug or something, but she looked under her footwear and saw a fresh cigar. She sighed in relief, and continued walking and examining. There was that Ferris wheel Duck Avenger pointed at. But was there anyone here? This place looked like it was meant for a dense population, and the area was barren: so far, only the Dream League was the population!

"Hello?" Sunshine decided to call out. "Is there anyone here?" She looked down to Bongo when she didn't receive an answer.