Down in space it's always 1982

[caycep]

((The return of Cayce and Quixote! Wide open RP. If you haven't already, catch up with the adventures of Quixote, Setsuna, Cayce, and Adam here.))

At some point after Pirate Day, an announcement came on over the park PA system.

"Hi everyone. This is Cayce Pollard. I'd like everyone to come to a meeting tonight to discuss a new discovery that's been made about the park. The meeting's in the Honey I Shrunk the Audience auditorium, at sundown. This is pretty important, so please be there if you can."

That evening ...

When Cayce felt a critical mass of audience had been achieved, she stood up, cleared her throat, and began.

"Hi everyone, and thanks for coming. For those of you who don't know him, this is Don Quixote de la Mancha, a ... a true knight and the person we have to thank for this latest discovery. In a moment, I'll let the Don tell his tale in his own words if he wishes, but for now I'll get straight to the point, since I'm sure that's what you're all dying to hear.

"Point is this: Don Quixote and Setsuna Mudou have discovered a complex of passages beneath the park, leading to a door. The door's heavily barred and all our attempts to open it—including asking politely—have met with absolutely no success whatsoever. Any contact with the door—knocking, hitting it, trying to pry off a bar, leaning on it—gets met with the 'please keep your arms and hands inside the ride' announcement that some of you may be familiar with from when people try to walk out the gates, or when ... things happen."

Cayce waited for the reactions to settle down a bit before continuing. "I've called everyone here first to tell about the discovery, and second to find volunteers to look at the door. We really need scientists and magicians." Yep, it still felt weird, saying that. "Whatever's got that door barred probably won't open to anything but sufficiently advanced science. Or magic. Insofar as there's a difference, anyway." Anyone get the Clarke's Law reference?

"So, um, there you have it. Floor's open for questions or discussion. Oh! Before that—Don Quixote, is there anything else that you would like to add?"

***

After the various discussions had settled out somewhat, Cayce finally cleared her throat.

"Okay, so here's the plan. Tomorrow at midday, anyone who wants to join the underground expedition should meet at the statue. It sounds like the time dilation or whatever it is makes time pass more slowly belowground than up here, so I think Adam and Setsuna will be fine. We should take the time to get ready with whatever we'll need to bring with us." Plus, of course, it was Adam. Of course they'd be fine. "Then, once we're at the door and ready to proceed, the—the Master will send a signal to the Doctor, who'll lead the distruption. Anyone has any other questions, find me. Thanks, everybody."

((And there will be a fresh post for the expedition when my life is a little more normal.))

Comments

[caycep]

Cayce had to admit, Orihime's brand of logic, special though it was, had some genuine insights. At minimum it was a truly unique sort of lateral thinking.

"No, we didn't," she said. "Suppose it can't hurt, although we did try asking politely if it'd let us out, or through."

[lunch-princess.livejournal.com]

"Well, if it doesn't like politeness, we can always tell it the ride is making us sick and if it doesn't want is to throw up in the seat, it should let us off," Orihime added, pleasantly. Despite her smiles, she really wanted out.

"And what was that other thing? We cause a distraction? What things here get the ride notice? Maybe we should do all of them at once! Over load the system. Some people can mess with the door, and the rest of us can do the other things."

[caycep]

"Yeah, that—that's pretty much the idea," Cayce said. "I think the Doctor had some good ideas. Blow stuff up, have people walk out the front or fly out if they can." She was not about to suggest that anyone try and kill anyone else, but: "And apparently if you jump off a high place, you get 'caught' and floated down. If someone's really feeling brave, I guess they can try that." Cayce was joking; she really didn't expect anyone to go for that.

[lunch-princess.livejournal.com]

Orihime wasn't much use for flying, but Cayce's last suggestion caught her attention.

But, of course, while Cayce might be joking, Orihime thought the idea sounded marvelous, and she was entranced by the idea of getting to float. It would be like flying!

"I'll do it!" she said right away, wasting no time. "Just tell me where the highest part of the park is and I'll be your designated jumper! It sounds like fun."

[caycep]

"Uh." Cayce blinked. "Really? Are—are you sure?"

She found herself looking for Rukia, who might be able to talk some sense into Orihime. Or something.

[kuchiki.livejournal.com]

Rukia appeared suddenly, as if on cue. Maybe she'd developed an Orihime About To Do Something Dumb radar. "There you are," she told her friend. "I've been looking for you."

She smiled to Cayce as well. "Hello!"

[lunch-princess.livejournal.com]

Orihime, on the other hand, didn't see anything dumb about it. It was an All Important Job.

"Kuchiki-san! Cayce-san just told me about how you can float down buildings! We should help their cause by jumping off something," Orihime greeted her, happily, of course.

[caycep]

Cayce waved to Rukia in greeting and then let Orihime fill her in on the rest. "We've been talking about how to distract the park security," Cayce explained. "And since they seem to notice the most when people are doing something dangerous or st—well, anyway, I mentioned the thing Setsuna said about people being 'caught' when they fall, and..." She trailed off.

[kuchiki.livejournal.com]

Rukia nodded slightly. "Right," she agreed. But there was something perturbed in her voice. Cayce was probably right. Still... You could never be too safe.

"I suppose Inoue and I could try to distract them somehow, if that's what you're suggesting," Rukia offered. She was a bit reluctant to do so, but she supposed it was for the best that she be involved in this capacity rather than going on the actual expedition. "And I can make sure that Inoue doesn't, um... well, just in case."

[caycep]

"Anything you can do would be great. And, y'know, keep an eye on things." Specifically: thank you, Rukia, and please keep an eye on Orihime.

[kuchiki.livejournal.com]

Rukia nodded. She understood the subtle code at work here, of course. "Certainly," she said. Now there was only the matter of thinking of some way to distract the guards without letting Orihime get too crazy...