EVENT LOG PT. 1: Dueling Festivals

[progressmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: EPCOT's Dream Festival and Plankton's Plankton Festival.
Where: EPCOT!
When: May 18th to May 25th.
Warnings: Plankton.

DREAM FESTIVAL

DI.

(Imageworks.)

The Dream Festival is held at EPCOT's Imagination Pavilion, largely held upstairs. The downstairs area is is dedicated to the ride itself - a ten-minute look at the wonder and joy of Imagineering, while the theater next door is some sort of documentary about a figure named Captain EO. But the real excitement upstairs, is in the newly revamped Imageworks Pavillion - The Junior Imagination Station.

Billed as an escape to worlds that were, that could be, and those of fantasy and reality, the Imageworks is designed to get people interested in Imagineering, and as such, is filled with exhibits designed to boggle the mind. This includes the Rainbow Corridor, a tunnel featuring colored lights that assigns each guest a color that follows them as they move through it, among other things. A giant wall-mounted coloring book that gets filled in with electric "paintbrush guns", a series of floor panels that can be stepped on and make sounds, a giant pin screen, you name it.

DII.

(Dreamscape Room.)

One of the more ambitious new add-ons to the pavilion is the Dreamscape Room, a room that is set up to configure to one specific person's desire. Whoever's in control of the Dreamscape Room at the moment (each visitor has a time of five minutes within the Dreamscape Room before it's passed on to the next person) is able to shape and form a new world within the room, one that will disappear as soon as they leave. This is displayed in photorealistic light and sound, allowing for you to bring anything from your imagination right in front of you.

How will you use your time? Bringing to life a new creation, or perhaps showcasing your home world to others? Living out an old fantasy - a memory? You have a small amount of time here, and you should make the best of it.

DIII.

(With apologies to Cosmographia.)

Just outside of the Imagination Pavillion is a garden - series of colorful flowers and a Figment topiary. It's not explicitly advertised as being part of the exhibit, but there are a rainbow of flowers here, and they seem to be just as much a part of the festival as anything else. For, you see, picking a flower will make you feel a certain emotion for up to an hour, or until another flower is picked. This will depend on the color of the flower chosen. Below is a list of all the different ones!

✿	✿	✿
✿	✿	✿
✿	✿	✿
✿	✿	✿
✿	✿	✿
✿	✿	✿

PLANKTON FESTIVAL

PI.

(Trashfire.)

Meanwhile, directly across from the Imageworks Pavillion, this shit is happening I guess?

The primary attraction of the Plankton Festival is a statue of Plankton made out of what appears to be popsicle sticks. Surrounding this is a foodcart selling lukewarm chum on a stick, terrible yellow balloons that feature a cartoon eye (+the above horrifying balloon animals, a stall selling Chum Bucket Bucket Helmets, and a throne set up for Plankton himself. Much like Santa Claus, you can get a picture of him sitting in a throne with you either standing incredibly far away from him or being directly on top of him.

There's also literally a garbage can that's on fire. This is considered the highlight of the festival by many.

PII.

(Ballpit.)

At some point, it is decided that the festival needs a new attraction. So, they bring it in:

Comments

[whatarenext]

PI

[Mike is here for some reason, mostly to get out of doing any work. It’s a complete garbage fest but that’s what Mike pretty much expected.

He’s currently sitting by the trashfire, chomping down on chum on a stick. He has a bucket helmet with the most bored expression on his face. Yep.]

Oh my god, this is so disgusting I can’t stop eating it….

[Said as he starts on his second stick.]

PII

[LATER...the chum must have gotten to him because now there’s a full grown man taking a nap in the ball pit. With a chum bucket helmet on his head. Nobody wake him. Or do. It’s a prompt, not the police.]

DI

[Much later than that, Mike gets the brilliant idea of heading to the other—no, he just stumbled there by accident after getting nauseated from all the chum sticks he had.

He stumbles even further past that to find the theater.]

Captain Eo? Oh great...even when I’m in another dimension I can’t escape George Lucas.

[Stares at his George Lucas wrist band.]

Why god...why have you forsaken me? Again?

[Later but not later than the later in the earlier later, Mike passes down the Rainbow Corridor. When he passes through it, the most magical color comes by his side...brown.

Like the brownest brown you could imagine. Mike looks at it, and gives a defeated sigh.]

Oh.

DIII

[After his escapade with Captain Eo, Mike falls over into the garden. Oh great. Nature. Don’t get enough of that everywhere. Getting a foothold after falling like a buffoon, Mike accidentally plucks a sympathy flower.

Then things get weird...Mike suddenly feels...care? About things? Non movie or Star Trek things??? Mike looks around, beleaguered and confused.]

Oh jeezus I think I’m gonna hurl. Make it stooooooop.

[Mike begins trotting off in an attempt to run off this disgusting weird emotion. If he runs into you, he’ll mostly yell and topple over...again.]

[flowersonthewall]

[So. Beaker's spending an unfortunate amount of time at the Plankton festival today- being an unwilling henchman to the mayor means he doesn't have much of a choice. You might find him hawking Plankton themed goods, selling the disgusting chum, or... set up in the dunk tank Plankton made just for Beaker.

The balls for the dunking booth are all made to look like eyeballs with antennae on them. The "water" is actually more chum. Should you approach and begin to pick up one of the balls, Beaker will silently beg for mercy. Please don't dunk him.

Later, Beaker is tired, depressed, and covered in chum. And he hears the tail end of a conversation with the rare, scattered patrons about the Dream Festival.

... So he's ditching the hell out of his post.

Later, after a change of clothes and probably a shower, Beaker can be found checking out literally everything at the Dream Festival. You'll have to physically pry him away from this place.

He's running around the Rainbow Corridor with his new friend, Electric Blue Color, hopping around on the floor panels, trying out all of the paint guns... You can join him if you like.

He leaves looking happier than he has in weeks, maybe even years. Next, Beaker checks out the garden, plucking one of the dark green flowers. Beaker frowns a little, curious. He feels like that was supposed to do something to him. Fortunately, no matter the situation, Beaker is literally always terrified, so a frightened flower does very little to him. If you find him, maybe you can convince him to pick a different flower, or show off the effects of your own.

He leaves the Dreamscape Room for last. He won't stop anyone from peeking into his creation, though for now, there's not much there. It looks like an old theater...

Beaker sits on the stage, alone. He looks... nostalgic.]

[dothebackslide]

DII

[Dan was absolutely here to sabotage nonsense, no bones about it. If things got too impressive and fun, things might work smoothly. And if things worked smoothly, that would mean he might have to actually show up to work. Its better to let Plankton overwhelm everyone with his dumb chaos so the ol' Backslide man could sit back and watch the world burn.

That said, he's genuinely startled to see what awaits him in the Dreamscape room. There's a big theater, with a red carpet, with lights and camera and a big poster with his name on it. "A Dan Backslide production" is in big letters on the front. Bugs Bunny is there, shaking his hand proudly, handing him a bag labelled "Cool Hollywood Drugs" and reporters are all asking for his attention. A sentient pile of Dora's father's money smooches his cheek.

He doesn't really know how to respond to this.] ...WOW! PRETTY SURE I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO CARE THIS MUCH.

DIII

[Dan Backslide can later be found staring at nothing by the garden, puzzling out everything around him, with several flowers spewing out of his makeshift joint, which is on the tip of slipping out of his hand. If he spots you, he's just gonna wave you down.]

Hello, my good sir and or madam or whatever you may call yourself. I believe you may refer to meas Dan Backslide. I think. [So respectful, in very official terms.] It appears I am in a state of befuddlement and confusion. I know not where I am or what I was doing. Should I be murdering someone? Should I be apologizing to someone? It is very alarming.

[Its possible mixing various flowers has not gone well.]

PII

[Once he's back to his old self? You know he's gonna be picking up the lovely dovey flowers by the boatload and dumping it into the ballpit. People are gonna go wild over this shit.]

COME ONE, COME ALL, FOR THE MOST AMAZING HI- RIDE OF YOUR LIFE! BALLPITS APLENTY! BALLPITS GALORE!

DIII

[marryapanther]

Good lord- watch where you're going!

[Bagheera bristles in irritation, shrinking away from Mike. He's still not a fan of most humans, much less a human who yells and trips over him. But after a moment, he realizes Mike may be a little. Out of it.]

... Are you quite alright?

[allknowledgegoodknowledge]

DIII-A

[Eclipsa didn't realize until she picked this green flower how much she hate all these garbage people. Look at them. Sneering. Laughing at her behind her back. Judging her. She was a Queen once. A queen! And what did that get? Hundreds of years of imprisonment and suffering. Well, no more Miss Nice Queenie. She's shoving over everything she comes across, popping balloons, spitting on passerby. Screw these clowns. Screw 'em to hell.]

DII

[Eclipsa does not have a fun time in the Dreamscape room.]

DIII-B

[Okay, so she didn't like feeling like that. That's a feeling you push down and hide. None of that, not one bit. And if anyone would admit that the purple flirtatious flowers and dark red maternal flowers should make little difference in her behavior, its absolutely Eclipsa. Those two extremes are kind of her natural state of being. Nonetheless, there's something intoxicating about those particular flowers and she can be found alternating holding the two throughout day. Look, sometimes its fun to expand certain positive feelings towards everyone. She wants to have a fun time and by jove she's gonna have a fun time.

So if you encounter her after that initial fiasco, she's absolutely winking at various strangers or offering kind, caring advice. She likes liking people. Its much happier.]

PI

[At the end of the day though, Eclipsa's just gonna kick back with some marshmallows and make smores by the literal trash fire. She's got crackers and tea and chocolate to spare. Come join her!]

Dunk Tank

[allknowledgegoodknowledge]

Well, isn't this cute! [Just cooing over the balls.] A little bouncy friend, hm? I'm sure you're having buckets of fun with this.

[flowersonthewall]

[Beaker can't tell if she's talking to the eyeballs or himself, and either way he's terrified, because if she's interested in the balls then she's interested in this game and if she's interested in this game-]

Mimimuhmeepmi mi-minmimumi meep!!! Mi-muhhmuhna meep mi!!

[He's shaking his head "no", his hands up in a placating gesture. Please, he only started his shift two minutes ago.]

[allknowledgegoodknowledge]

Oh, do you want the ball too? They are quite charming aren't they?

[whatarenext]

[Oh boy, the mayor again. Furrying it up.]

I'm afraid not, Mayor Starfish.

I have this thing where I suddenly feel things? For people's feelings? Like I suddenly care what's going to happen to them?

Has that ever happened to you?

DIII-B

[kindaruledatit]

[Huh, kind of curious, but Wendy doesn't see anything too wrong with being nice to strangers. If this woman's related to Star in any way, that might just be their thing.]

Hey! [She waves a little.] Boy, you're kinda the life of the party, huh.

[ilovepuppies]

DI

[It's safe to say Star greatly prefers the Dream Festival. She can be found running up and down the rainbow corridor being chased by an obnoxious shade of pink, or shooting 'paint' at the walls, or jumping up and down on the sound panels.

She sits through the Captain EO documentary at least five times.

DII

[Of course Star takes the Dreamscape Room for a spin, and even leaves the door ajar in her haste to try it out. If anyone peeks inside, though, they'll find her sitting in a blank, white expanse. Nothing else around as far as the eye can see. She's just. Sitting in the middle of the room, staring up at the ceiling.

DIII

[FLOWERS. Unsurprisingly, Star is immediately drawn to the pink flowers.

Which in turn makes her immediately drawn to the nearest food stands.]

I need.

I need dole whip.

PI

[After much deliberation, she creeps over to the other festival and finds that it's... even worse than she could have imagined. She sniffs the chumsticks and recoils.]

Okay, do I really want to know what that stuff's made of?

PII

[BUT AT LEAST THERE'S A BALLPIT.

Star takes much more than her allocated hour in the ballpit. What? YOU tell her to leave.]

[allknowledgegoodknowledge]

Oh, you're too kind, dear, too kind. I'm just a silly old bean, myself. [She's got a maternal flower in her ear and loving it.]

I certainly hope you're enjoying yourself. Getting enough water and food?

PI

[whatarenext]

[Currently on his third chumstick.]

Hell if I know.

[The chum bucket fits his noggin nicely.]

Dodo?

PI

[whatarenext]

[He is trashfire man, lives in a garbage can--no, he's just sitting by this trashfire with his chum bucket helmet, looking incredibly zoned out.]

So...this is what the Mayor does with his time.

[tadaishi]

DI

[Tadashi's just here for the tunnel, and testing its limits. A dark green splotch follows him as he walks from one end of the tunnel, disappearing and reappearing when he moves out and back in to see if the color changes. That's pretty cool.]

DII

[The Dreamscape Room is where he can be found the most often. The turns are only five minutes long, so he's taking multiple turns--going once, then letting a few more people go, then taking another turn. It's technically following the rules, and everyone is getting a turn.

The dreamscapes are of one of three things. The first is a bedroom of some sort, slightly dusty everywhere except for the connected bathroom and the bed, which is disheveled like it's been used recently. Strewn across the bed are several strips of cloth and near those a fat calico cat is curled up. The sound of running water is coming from the bathroom, but the door is partly closed, obscuring whoever is in there, so the only person that can be identified in the room is Tadashi, who's sitting on the floor in a corner opposite the door.

The second is the interior of a cafe, with a view of two city streets outside the illusory windows. It doesn't match any of the Joffrey's locations in the park, but you're welcome to ask Tadashi what it is.

The third puts you in an episode of some sort of mecha anime, right smack in the middle of a battle scene. Enjoy that.]

PI

[These balloons are creepy. Come help Tadashi toss them into the garbage fire, where they belong. Popping optional.]

[marryapanther]

What? I'm not Plankton- has he been going around disguised as me, again? I swear... My name is Bagheera, and I'm not the mayor. Unfortunately, the bastard with the eyepatch is. ... That's... normal? That's a good thing. You're supposed to have sympathy for others, generally speaking.

[flowersonthewall]

[nope Beaker sees how this is going and he does not like it-]

MEE! MIMUH-MEEP MIMI!

PII

[flowersonthewall]

[Unfortunately, one of Beaker's many jobs at Plankton's festival is to monitor the ballpit. It's all the more mortifying when he recognizes Star, and knows she'll probably recognize him back. He tries to hide his face at first as he approaches, before realizing that his meeping will give him away instantly.]

Mii-muhmini muh meep...

P1

[flowersonthewall]

[Listen. Beaker may be forced to work here but he's sure as fuck ready for some cathartic balloon destruction and he already has a pin ready for this purpose. Beaker's like, really into destroying these mini-Planktons and its a little scary.]

Mee-mi muh meep mi, muhmi-meep mi MEEP, mineemuh-meepmi mimeemim mi-muhmuhmin muhmeep mi MEEP MIMEE...

[whatarenext]

Ohhh so you're a REAL cat and not...a furry? Going around as a cat?

Isn't that identity theft? You could sue him.

[Sighs.]

I was afraid of that. Normally I wouldn't give a shit but now I feel guilty for all the horrible horrible grifting I put several countless unnamed people through.

Only a little guilty though.

[flowersonthewall]

Muh-meep?

[Uh. Hm. Beaker's not really the best at giving advice like this, even if most people could understand him.]

Mee... muhmimuhmeep mi muh-mi. Meepmi minimee muh muhmee meepmeep mi muh mee...

[Well... for one, don't kill anyone. And you don't need to apologize if you haven't done anything wrong...]

Re: P1

[tadaishi]

[He doesn't speak meep, but he's pretty good at discerning Angry Noises, and he's guessing that's what some of those meeps are.

You get those inflatable Planktons, Beaker.]

Good to know I'm not the only one who doesn't like them.

[flowersonthewall]

[Beaker punches one of the balloons in the face.]

Mee-muh meep mi!! Meep mi!!!

[Once he calms down from his frenzy enough to realize Tadashi said something, Beaker rather sheepishly throws the last balloon in his hand into the fire.]

Muhmi-meep mee, minimuh meep mini.

[He hates the balloons, and the person they represent.]

[marryapanther]

I don't know what a furry is. Or what a "sue" is. ...Or what "grifting" is. [He's a wild animal, and he's only been given a crash course on some human concepts, not all. Have fun trying to explain any of this to him, and try not to make any pop culture references. :)]

[whatarenext]

[Oh god is this what his life is coming to? Explaining furries?]

Well let's just say when Mayor Octopus pretends to be you, that's being a furry.

[Ordinarily Mike would just fall over and forget, but this sympathy thing is giving him the energy of a half awake squirrel.]

Sue is when you hire a guy to take some other guy's money. Grifting is that but illegal and you're the guy. Thanks for coming to my Talk.

[...falls over again.]