Blair slept soundly throughout the night with a contented smile on his face. For the first time in a long time when having dreams about his beloved daughter, they didn't end with Beverly escaping through Alice's Looking Glass. Instead, he dreamed of the beautiful young woman his daughter had become, with the inquisitive mind that he was ever so proud of. He was so content, in fact, that even though sleeping at his desk wreaked havoc on his joints, he felt nothing but bliss upon wakening... that was, until he realized Miandra was nowhere to be found.
He shot up from his desk in a panic. She was gone! Had the Dark Ones found their way into the institute and stolen Miandra in the dead of night, or was she never truly here to begin with? Had it all just been an elaborate dream?
No... Please... It can't be true!
Blair threw open his office door and made a mad dash into the hallway beyond. At the sound of the door slamming shut, Figment opened a bleary eye and lifted his head.
"Huh? Dreamfinder?"
In a flurry, Blair ran through the halls, desperately seeking his daughter. "Miandra? Oh, Miandra, where have you gone?"
After an aimless scurry in what seemed a futile hope of finding his daughter, Blair was compelled to take the escalator to the atrium above and was soon thankful he had, for when he arrived at the top, he spotted her curled up on one of the couches.
"Oh, thank heavens," he breathed.
Mia was fast asleep. Not even the sound of the Imagineers on their coffee break had awakened her. Blair knelt down in front of the couch and trailed his fingers through her hair to convince himself that she was real.
Mia began to stir. "Nnn... What time izzit?" She opened her eyes, but it was not Edward Baxter's honey-brown eyes gazing back at her, but a pair identical to her own. She blinked. "Oh! Dreamfind... uh, Blair. I mean... Hi." Looking at him closer, she noticed he appeared rather winded. "Are you okay?"
Blair pulled her into a tight embrace. It had a sort of desperateness to it, almost as though he feared she might disappear if he let her go. "Yes, Miandra. Finer than I've been in a frightfully long time."
He held her at arms' length as he gave her the sternest gaze he could muster, which admittedly wasn't very stern. In fact, the look seemed on the brink of melting away. He didn't quite have it in him to be the kind of domineering father who scolded his children.
"I wish you wouldn't sneak off," he said. "You had me so worried!"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess I just got a little... restless... last night."
"I'm just so happy that your coming home wasn't just a wonderful dream," he said, hugging her once more.
"Well, who knows? You're the Dreamfinder, right? Perhaps you dreamed I'd come home and called me forth into reality." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Boy, I hope you never have nightmares."
"Let's not ponder too hard on that notion, shall we?"
Mia found his response rather cryptic, but she readily agreed not to think about it.
"Well, now that we're both awake, I believe there's much to be done today. So much to be done. Perhaps after we tidy ourselves up a bit, I could treat you to some breakfast."
"Oh boy! Breakfast would be swell, Dreamfinder!" Never far behind, Figment had caught up with his master.
"Right you are, Figment. After all, it's the most important meal of the day."
Mia's stomach let out a hungry growl. "Yeah, breakfast sounds great. As for tidying up..." She gestured to her clothes which were wrinkled from a night's sleep and stained from being kicked to the curb by the Tremaine sisters. "I'm not exactly looking spiffy for meeting royalty, nor did I bring a suitcase of clothes with me to Dizgaia, seeing as it was a rather... impromptu trip."
"Oh dear," Blair remarked as he appraised her. "I suppose that fact had slipped my mind. Well, no matter! We can get those cleaned up while you do the same for yourself. We have a means to do that, after all."
"Yeah!" exclaimed Figment, twirling in the air. "With the power of imagination!"
"Well, I was actually talking about the institute's laundry room, but I suppose you're not entirely wrong," he said, giving Figment a knowing wink. "Just come with me, dear. We'll make you right as rain in no time."
Blair led Mia out of the atrium and back down the escalator. "On the occasions when the Imagineers decide to work overtime on their projects, we have facilities to accommodate an overnight stay," he explained.
On their way to Blair's office, they encountered many folks who bid Professor Mercurial a cheerful good morning. Everyone seemed to know and respect him. Mia noticed many people were also stopping to stare at her. In fact, some of them were gaping at her in much the same way she'd gaped at Jeffrey the penguin yesterday.
"Why is everyone staring at me?" she asked in a hushed whisper.
"Are people staring? I didn't notice, dear. I suppose it's because--"
"Professor Mercurial! Good morning, sir. Good morning!" It was the scientist who had chastised Flynn when he and Mia had first arrived at the Imagination Institute via the light cycle.
"Dr. Channing," said Blair with an amiable smile. "You seem to be in a rather chipper mood this morning. Might I ask the occasion?"
Grinning, Dr. Channing turned his gaze to Mia. "As if you didn't already know, sir. The entire campus is buzzing since word got out that the girl Flynn brought here with him is none other than your long-lost daughter!"
Ah, thought Mia. Now it all makes sense. That explained the reason everyone was staring at her.
Dr. Channing took Mia's hand in his, shaking it enthusiastically. "Miss Mercurial, we weren't properly introduced before. I'm Dr. Nigel Channing, chairman of the Imagination Institute. It's an absolute pleasure to see you again after so, so long."
"Oh, uh, thanks, Dr. Channing. It's nice to meet you, too." Somewhat flustered, Mia cast a glance at her father. "Are we famous or something? Because, I mean, it seems to be a pretty big deal that I've returned, doesn't it? Not that I don't think it's a big deal that we've reunited," she added quickly. "It's just that I didn't expect so many people to... well, react this way."
"Well," said Blair, "That's—"
"Oh, but of course!" said Dr. Channing. "Your father is one of the most well-respected people, not just here at the institute or Cerenopia, but the entire world! Everyone knows Professor Blarion Mercurial. And if they don't know that name, they definitely know The Dreamfinder."
"Wow," said Mia, beaming up at her father.
Blair smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nigel, I do think you're exaggerating slightly."
"Nonsense, sir! You're respected and admired the whole world over for everything you've done for Dizgaia. And as such..." Channing's gaze returned to Mia once more. "Everyone, especially in Cerenopia, knows what happened... that night."
"I'm just happy I was too young to remember it," said Mia with a shudder.
She wasn't alone in her discomfort. Blair very much wished he could put that fateful night behind him. But he wasn't likely to forget the night that Maleficent tried to kill his family; the night which led him to losing his wife and daughter a short while later. Now, he had his daughter back, but with that joy also came a looming threat. Perhaps a change of subject was at hand.
"So, Nigel... how are things carrying out at the Imageworks this morning?"
"Well, most of the projects are continuing on schedule. Though Szalinski, I'm afraid, has shrunk his children again, and I'm pretty sure that McCrae and V.I.N.Cent keep making jokes about me via E.S.P."
"Business as usual, then?" asked Blair with a chuckle.
With an exasperated sigh, Channing nodded. "Yes, it's business as usual. I mean, honestly... is it too much to ask for a bit of professionalism?"
Smiling, Blair placed a hand on Channing's shoulder. "Oh, but you know having fun is all a part of the wonders of discovery, Nigel. I think you could afford to have a little bit of fun, yourself."
"Yeah, Doc!" cried Figment circling Dr. Channing's head. "Slap a smile on and let your imagination flow free!"
"Ahem. Yes, quite," Channing sniffed, as though he found Figment rather exasperating. "Well, I'd best be off. Much to do, much to do." He nodded at Mia. "Miss Mercurial, again, welcome back."
"Thanks."
Nigel went on his way and they on theirs. When they returned to her father's office, Mia followed Blair to the large bookshelf at the back of the room. He pulled a book entitled, A History of Indoor Plumbing, from the shelf, triggering a mechanism which caused the entire bookshelf to slide backwards and to the side, revealing a secret bathroom with full facilities.
"Wow. It's like something out of Bram Stroker's Dracula or Mary Shelley's Frankenstein if they had a secret bathroom," said Mia amusedly. "Nice touch of humor there with the trigger book."
"Yes, I do believe it was a clever thought on my part," said Blair, chuckling. "This came about one time when all the overnight dorms were taken for a couple days straight. So I had this lovely little hideaway built in. It's terribly convenient, seeing as I'm essentially here all the time."
This confirmed what Naveen had said to her last night – that Blair practically lived at the institute. This needed to change. Mia would have to talk to her father about that later. For now, though, she would gladly shower.
"By all means, go on in and get cleaned up," said Blair, motioning her inside. "Once you've started, Figment and I will get your clothes taken care of."
"Yeah, yeah!" said Figment, always eager to lend a hand. "We'll make 'em like new! You'll see!"
"Thanks."
Blair and Figment gave Mia her privacy so she could doff her clothes and step into the shower. Luckily, it seemed showers were more or less the same anywhere you went, including alternate dimensions, so Mia was able to operate it without trouble. Once she was safely hidden behind the curtain, Figment grabbed her discarded clothes and carried them out.
"Dreamfinder, Miandra really seems to want something better to wear when we go to see Princess Cindy. Is there anything we can do to help her?"
"Hmm," said Blair, stroking his beard. "Maybe we can, Figment, maybe we can. But for now, let's focus on getting Miandra's clothes cleaned up."
"With our imaginations?"
"If you insist," said Blair with a chuckle. He collected Miandra's clothes into his arms and sang quietly. "Clothes are a mess... A laundry pile... We'll clean them up... It won't take a while..."
A swirl of magical energy lifted the clothes into the air. Blair extended his hand and twirled his index finger in small circles. The levitating clothes began to churn in a mix of colors.
"Spin in the air... with water and detergent..."
A splash of water came from out of nowhere, along with a dose of detergent, adding itself to the magical midair laundry swirl. With a flash of color, Mia's clothes were clean, and amazingly dry as well.
"A finished chore... No longer urgent!"
Mia's clothes fluttered down into his arms, folding themselves neatly.
Figment clapped. "Wow, wow, Dreamfinder! That was great!"
"I think our friend, Ms. Poppins, couldn't have done it better herself," said Blair with a grin.
Figment gathered up the clothes and slipped into the bathroom. The shower was still running, a blurry silhouette the only thing to be seen behind its curtain. Figment set Mia's clothes upon the bath mat and quietly slipped back out, closing the door behind him.
Normally a fan of long showers, nothing could keep Mia in there for long today. There was simply too much to do. The day held much promise for adventure and excitement, and Mia was eager to get on with it. When she stepped out of the shower, she found her clothes – clean, dry, and freshly pressed.
Wow, that was fast.
She exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her head like a turban. Blair and Figment were waiting for her in the office.
"Thanks," she said, gesturing to her clothes. "Though, if I'm to stay here, I'll probably have to go shopping at some point. I can't wear the same thing every day. There wouldn't happen to be a foreign currency exchange here for Earth money, would there?"
"It's nothing to worry about, Miandra. When we have some time, I could get you some new clothes. In fact, we could certainly make a day of it." Blair hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling a tad self conscious. "Sort of a father-daughter day, perhaps?"
Blair didn't know much about spending time with a teenage daughter. Was that even something teenage girls liked to do? But Mia's reaction soon assuaged his worries.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. "That would be awesome! I bet there are tons of awesome shops in Cerenopia, right?"
Mia unraveled the towel from her head and let her long auburn hair cascade down around her. Blair's heart nearly stopped. He was reminded quite painfully of Beverly, who had very similar hair to Miandra's. How often had Beverly taken her hair down from a towel after a shower for it to fall down around her in much the same manner? In those moments, he'd always marveled at how beautiful his wife was. Now, he did the same as he gazed at Miandra. He was proud to have such a beautiful daughter, but her similarities to Beverly could be unexpectedly painful at times.
Mia stood, dripping on the rug in the center of the room. She closed her eyes tightly, skewing her face in concentration.
"Uh, what're you doing, Miandra?" asked Figment.
"Trying to imagine my hair dry," Mia replied, slowly opening her eyes. "Did it work?"
She checked her hair, only to see it was still damp.
"Well, it was worth a try at any rate," she sighed. "It would seem just because I'm in a magical world doesn't mean I've developed magical powers."
"It's just as well, dear. While I admit to a bit of cheating with washing and drying your clothes, which was at Figment's insistence and in the interest of time, I believe there's something to be said about completing tasks with your bare hands, the old-fashioned way."
Blair placed his hand against the side of her head and gently trailed his fingers through her damp locks. "Our imaginations aren't there to help us skip to the end, but rather to light the way through every twist, turn, up and down along the way. And when we reach that end via our own mettle, there's a true sense of accomplishment waiting there for us."
"That's quite a profound argument for using a hair dryer," Mia teased, though she appreciated his philosophy for how it was intended. "I suppose imagination power is no excuse for being lazy."
"No, indeed. However, with a spark like yours, I have no doubt you have the gift of imagination power. After all," he said proudly. "You're a Dreamfinder's daughter."
"I don't exactly feel the magic coursing through me or anything yet. It'd be nice if it started to manifest itself sometime soon. You said you'd teach me, right?"
"Of course! The light of imagination is already inside you! I'll gladly be your guide in helping you unleash its fullest potential."
Mia's eyes sparkled with excitement. It was at this moment Blair realized he would do anything to see those eyes sparkle. He would do anything to make this girl smile, to see his only child happy. Perhaps he was the sort of parent that would dote on and spoil his daughter, but so be it. He had 18 years to catch up on. Mia was already so grown up. It wasn't as if he could go back and raise her all over again. But becoming her teacher, her mentor, and even her friend... perhaps that would be good enough.
They were interrupted by a mighty rumbling sound nearby. They glanced at the small dragon hovering by the door. Figment rubbed his belly as though trying to soothe a wild animal.
"Could we get some breakfast first? I'm really hungry!"
Blair let out a jovial chuckle. "I think we can all agree on that, Figment. Shall we?"
Mia followed her father and Figment into the corridor beyond. They were just passing Flynn's office when the door came open and the man himself stepped out. Mia stopped short as they came face to face in the hallway.
"Oh! Uh... H-Hey, Mia. Um... What's uh... What's the good word?"
His greeting was awkward at best. It was clear he hadn't forgotten the events of last night. Neither had Mia, for that matter. She returned his gaze with a cool stare of her own.
"Hi," she said tonelessly.
Flynn winced. It was clear she was still upset with him and more than content to give him the cold shoulder. Oh, it was agony having those eyes in that pretty face and that whole wonderful package of the dream girl glaring at him in such a manner. If only he could somehow go back in time and fix his mistake from last night. He wanted very much to clear the air with Mia. Only one thing was standing in his way – or one man, rather.
Blair, oblivious, greeted Flynn warmly. "Good morning, Kevin. You're up and about early."
Flynn gulped nervously as he locked eyes with Professor Mercurial, the jolly ol' Dreamfinder. If this man knew just what had happened between his daughter and him...
"Heh. Yeah, about that..." said Flynn, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was, um, doing my thing a bit late last night, man, and, uh, well, some mistakes were made. I, uh, didn't get much sleep last night. I crashed in my work room and, uh..."
Blair furrowed his brow. Flynn seemed out of sorts this morning, and uncharacteristically nervous. He glanced at Miandra, who was giving Flynn the stink-eye. This seemed rather cold treatment of the man who'd rescued her from Gaston and the Goons.
"Am I missing something?" he asked.
"Wh-Whattya mean?" Flynn asked, laughing nervously. "What could you possibly miss?"
"Well, we're going to get breakfast," said Mia before Blair could say anything else. "See you." With that terse farewell, she grabbed Blair's arm and pulled him down the hallway.
"Uh, sure," said Flynn, slumping his shoulders as he watched them go. "Wouldn't want to hold ya up." This situation was a mess. He'd have to try and find a chance to get Mia alone and clean up this misunderstanding. But with Professor Mercurial with her, now was definitely not the time.
Blair was a touch concerned as his daughter dragged him down the hallway. "Miandra, I couldn't help but notice how unusually awkward that all was. Considering that last I knew Flynn was the one who rescued you, I thought you'd be more... well, polite around him, I suppose. Is something the matter?"
Mia flushed. There was a small part of her that felt guilty for how she'd treated him. After all, Blair was right. Flynn had saved her. Nevertheless, that didn't excuse his behavior the previous night. Mia couldn't bring herself to look at her father as she answered.
"Flynn's just a jerk out looking for a good time with no consideration at all for anyone else's feelings. It's like he can't fathom that a girl might be looking for something more than just..." She trailed off and cast a furtive glance at her father. "Uh, look, just don't worry about it, all right? I'd rather not talk about it."
Blair stopped cold in his tracks as her words sunk into his mind. Flynn... jerk... good time... no consideration for feelings... girl looking for something more... Suddenly, a look came to his face, one which was quite indescribable, simply because it was a look that had never before appeared on The Dreamfinder's face.
"Uh oh," said Figment fluttering at Mia's shoulder. "That's not a good face."
Blair spun on his heel. "What has he done to my daughter?!" he roared.
Mia smacked a hand to her face. She'd said too much. She hadn't intended to. It just sort of slipped out. And now, if she didn't act quickly, her father was about to do something drastic. Mia grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Don't," she begged. "Please don't do this. Just stay out of it. Don't be that kind of father, okay? Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not a little girl. I'm an adult and can handle my own... relationship type issues. Okay?"
"Relationship?" Blair croaked.
"Besides," said Mia, ignoring him. "Nothing happened. Honest. Please, just leave it be, all right? Anyhow, I'd rather not start our father-daughter day like this."
Blair's temper dissipated. Now he looked more confused than anything. It was apparent he didn't know how to handle this situation. For a moment, he gazed helplessly at his daughter.
"I guess I wasn't entirely prepared for this sort of news this morning," he said with a sigh. "I... suppose you are an adult who can make her own decisions, but relationship issues? With Flynn?"
"Well, I suppose relationship is going a bit far," Mia admitted. "I barely know him. I mean... well, it's weird, isn't it? I know him in a manner of speaking, perhaps better than a stranger should know another stranger... you know, because of the Disney movies and stuff. But we really only just met yesterday."
"Yes, Miandra. Which is why I really don't think you and he should—"
"I went to his office last night to thank him for saving me and he introduced me to Grid Games," she explained. "We played and had a really good time. And it seemed like he, you know, really liked me."
Blair didn't know what to say. Truth be told, he'd always possessed a fondness for Kevin Flynn. Dr. Channing was always giving the young man a hard time, but Blair thought Flynn was one of the brightest Imagineers they had. That was part of the reason he gave Flynn the task of going through the Rainbow Corridor and making contacts on Earth, a task which the young man had been at for quite some time. But was he ready for the knowledge that his daughter and Flynn were...
"And if I were to be completely honest, I do rather like him myself, but, well, one thing led to another and..." Mia trailed off as she realized she was offering an explanation she didn't wish to give. "Ugh. Look, I don't want to talk about this with you of all people – no offense. I'll figure this out on my own, okay? For now, leave Flynn alone and let's go eat. I'm starving."
Mia took Blair by the arm and dragged him down the hallway, though she could only go so far before he had to take the lead, as she didn't quite know where she was going. Blair said nothing further on the matter. Perhaps it was best to leave it alone for now. After all, having a parental freak-out was no way to start their father-daughter day.
The cafeteria was huge and pristine. It was exactly what Mia would have expected of a place like the Imagination Institute, save for the strange, shimmering platform in the center of the room. This seemed to be a focal point, as all the tables in the cafeteria were arranged in concentric circles around it. Food was available at multiple buffet lines where servers gladly dished out anything one could want. There were a variety of dishes available; dishes from all around the world, in fact. But, of course, there was also the typical fare.
Blair gladly partook of some coffee, orange juice, sausage, eggs, and a muffin, while Figment carried a plate with twice his weight in food piled precariously on top. Mia followed them, procuring for herself a much less hearty breakfast than her father and dragon companion. They all took a seat at a table not far from the shimmering platform.
"What is that thing?" Mia asked as she shoveled some scrambled eggs into her mouth.
Blair took a sip of his coffee. "Oh, that? Well..."
Suddenly, the lights in the cafeteria dimmed to almost total darkness.
"Oh! Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "I do believe you're about to find out, Miandra."
The sound of slow Blues music began to play throughout the cafeteria. Then, a single spotlight came on, illuminating a woman who had arrived silently in the cover of dark. She was an attractive woman, though at the moment she was dressed in a rather homely manner. Her garb consisted of a long-sleeved blouse and a long skirt, both of which were rather bland in color. Her blond hair was done up in a bun, and she gave the impression of a 1950s housewife. The woman sat alone on a stool in the middle of the large platform. She gave an audible sigh as she addressed those dining around her.
"Oh, dear... It's time for another meal."
Whistles and shouts from the diners followed.
"Yeah!"
"Bonnie!"
"Whoo!"
Even Figment was among those cheering, sticking his fingers in his mouth and whistling loudly. Mia cocked an eyebrow, her fork hovering at her lips.
"Okay... Wasn't expecting that. What is this? Some sort of cabaret?"
Blair simply motioned towards the stage as the woman began to belt out a somber Blues tune in a surprisingly soulful voice.
"Yes, there are days when I feel downcast
And I get the mealtime blues
If I don't plan a proper meal
My menu will be bad news..."
The woman brought a hand to her brow as if she were trying to fend off a migraine as she continued.
"Oh, the mealtime blues can get you
Every time you dine
But we can all beat that rap
And end up feeling fine..."
Mia had paused in her eating to watch. The woman had a good voice; a strong, sexy alto, but she could still hit all the high notes when necessary. Gradually, the woman's expression began to change, her somber countenance melting away as a smile lit up her face.
"So, on those days when we feel downcast
I'll give you all some clues
To work magic in our kitchen
Mmm, yeah... And chase away the mealtime blues..."
More cheers and whistles filled the cafeteria as the woman hopped down from the stool and belted out one more stanza of the somber blues tune.
"Now the timing's right
The show's prepared
Let me serve it on up to yooouuu..."
Cheers and applause erupted throughout the cafeteria as the platform was once more plunged into darkness. Figment, along with a few others, chanted the woman's name.
"Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!"
Mia applauded politely. The woman was good, but Mia was still left feeling somewhat confused. She glanced at her father.
"Uh, so is this like a regular occurrence at mealtimes around here?"
Blair leaned close to speak over the sounds of the cheers. "Oh, just you wait," he said. "They're only getting started."
Mia quirked an eyebrow. "They?"
Soon, it was revealed just who they were. Lively percussion began to play, and from the darkness Bonnie called out, "Okay, Crackpots! Let's... get... cookin'!"
The platform was fully illuminated once more and Mia's eyes were treated to the sight of a full band. But it wasn't so much that it was a band that had Mia startled. It was that the band was made up of anthropomorphic fruits, vegetables, and kitchenware – and they were playing a kicking ragtime tune. Mia's jaw dropped and a bit of scrambled egg fell from her fork onto her plate.
"What the fu—"
"Yay!" Figment exclaimed happily. "This is my favorite part!"
Bonnie reappeared, dressed in a completely different outfit. She was now sporting a sparkly blue showgirl tuxedo jacket and a surprisingly formfitting skirt behind a short, frilly apron with fashionable stockings on her long, shapely legs, ending in a pair of high-heeled shoes. Her hair was no longer in a bun, but hanging freely just above the base of her neck as she sang with the musical accompaniment of the instrument-playing food and cookware. Her expression had certainly changed to a livelier one, beginning this new tune with a sassy, almost seductive smile.
"Thank you folks for coming to my kitchen
As I sing the praise of good nutrition
Eating balanced meals can keep you fit, feeling grand
A variety at your three meals
Can only improve the way you feel."
Figment had abandoned his food entirely as he hovered above the table, dancing in the air. Even the Dreamfinder was bobbing to the song with a wide smile as he watched the crazy performance occurring in front of them. The music was great, and so was Bonnie, but Mia couldn't get over her shock (or was it horror?) over the band members. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the show. For something that would appear to be routine or at least semi-routine around here, it seemed the mealtime audiences had yet to become desensitized to it. Still, to Mia, it felt like something of a mad house.
"The basic food groups make a perfect team
When balanced, they are held in high esteem
Dairy, bread, and cereals
Meat, fruit, and vegetables..."
Bonnie came forward once more, standing at the edge of the platform, which just so happened to be in direct line of sight of their table. She seemed to give Mia a wink (or was she perhaps winking at Blair?) before belting out the last part of the song.
"They'll help you chase those blues
Those lowdown mealtime blues
They'll help you chase those blues awaaaay!"
When it came to an end, everyone cheered. Blair and Figment were the most enthusiastic in their applause, Figment giving another whistle. Bonnie smiled and bowed, as did the Crackpots behind her.
"Thank you! Thank you! I hope you enjoyed that bit of kitchen cabaret. I'm Bonnie Appetite. Enjoy your meals, everyone!"
As the lights returned to full illumination, the true nature of the bizarre band behind Bonnie became clear. Now with the proper lighting returned to the cafeteria, Mia saw they were transparent. They fizzled and faded away, and finally Mia understood – they were merely holographic images.
"Ohhh," said Mia, applauding and laughing. "Okay, now I get it."
"Bravo, Bonnie! Bravo!" cried Blair.
The aptly named Bonnie Appetite spotted him. With a dazzling smile and a quick fix of her hair, she hurried to their table. Up close and personal now, Mia could see that Bonnie was, in fact, a touch older than she had initially seemed. Still, she was nonetheless a very attractive woman.
"Blair!" Bonnie greeted somewhat breathlessly.
Mia lifted an eyebrow, her gaze flicking between Bonnie and Blair. This was the first person she'd heard address her father by his first name. Interesting.
"It's been a while since you've come in time to watch a performance," said Bonnie. "It's great to see you!"
"I decided it was high time that I stopped in again," Blair replied, his smile broadening. "After all, what would a tour of the Imagination Institute be without a stop to enjoy Bonnie Appetite's Kitchen Kabaret?"
"A tour, you say?" Slowly, her gaze moved to Miandra and she gasped. "Oh yes! This must be little Miandra... but not so little anymore! Look at you! A young woman now! And such a looker, too! You must be very proud, Blair."
The Dreamfinder took hold of his lapels and held himself proudly, smiling a handsome smile to his daughter as Bonnie took her hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"Welcome back, Miandra! You probably don't remember me. The last time I saw you, you were only a year old. It's so wonderful to have you back, dear! Did you enjoy the show?"
"At first, I didn't know what to make of it, but yes, it was very entertaining. You have a beautiful voice. I can certainly say I've never seen a performance quite like that before."
Bonnie laughed and waved her off in an Oh, stop, you, sort of manner. "So flattering and articulate, too. I can see you take after your father, Miandra," she said, casting a smiling glance at Blair.
Now it was Blair's turn to get embarrassed. "Come, now..." he said with a pinkish tint in his cheeks.
"That was great, Bonnie!" said Figment. "I always love it when the holy-graphic imageries appear! It really gets good then!"
"Figment and I both think you could do so much more than sing here, Bonnie. As much as we love you here at the Institute, I think you could share your beautiful talents with a broader audience."
Figment nodded. "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Take your show on the road!"
It was Bonnie's turn to blush. "Oh, Blair... Figment... You guys are just so sweet. I appreciate the compliment, and it has occurred to me once or twice to try, but I just don't know... I suppose I find it a little intimidating. Besides," she said, tucking a stray blonde hair behind her ear, "I think I'd really miss everyone here at the Imagination Institute far too much to leave."
Bonnie gave Blair a meaningful look, one which Mia distinctly caught. She stole a glance at her father to see what he made of it. Rather quickly, Mia discovered that, for as deeply as Blair was paying attention to Bonnie, he wasn't truly seeing just what was really in front of him. He merely gave a jovial chuckle and offered the woman a warm, friendly smile.
"Well, as long as you're with us, we're all very happy to have you here," he said. "Your spark in the culinary and performing arts burns brightly. And I know I speak for all of us when I say I can't wait to see what you cook up next."
Blair's eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave Bonnie the warmest of smiles. There was no hint of exaggeration in his tone and smile. He was, as usual, nothing but truly genuine... but at the same time, he was completely oblivious.
Bonnie tried not to look disappointed, but Mia could see it, and she knew exactly where the disappointment came from. It was her father's words, We're all very happy to have you here, and speak for all of us, when it had been clear – at least to Mia – that Bonnie had been speaking specifically of him. It was yet another thing her father hadn't picked up on.
"Thank you, Blair. That's very kind," said Bonnie, her tone now a little less chipper. She cast a glance at Mia and blushed. "Well, I'm sure the two of you have plenty of catching up to do, so I'd best let you enjoy the rest of your day."
"Thank you, Bonnie," said Blair, clearly missing the subtle fluctuation in her voice. "You have a wonderful day as well!"
Figment waved emphatically with a mouthful of breakfast. "G'bye, Bwonnie!"
Mia felt bad for Bonnie. Perhaps Blair could like her. Perhaps deep down he did like her. Maybe all he needed was to be made aware of Bonnie's feelings. Mia was more than up for the task.
"That woman's got it bad for you."
Blair was just about to shovel a forkful of eggs into his mouth when Mia hit him with her observation. His fork paused, hovering at his lips. "Pardon? What are you talking about, Miandra?"
Mia sighed, shaking her head. Either the expression she'd used wasn't one Dizgaians were familiar with, or Blair was just dense. Mia was willing to bet on the latter.
"She's got the hots for you," she said. "She has a thing for you. She's crushing on you. Bonnie likes you... like likes you likes you. Do you get it?"
The Dreamfinder wore an expression that was rarely seen on his face – an expression of utter confusion, a true indication that he had no idea what Mia was talking about. Even after she laid it all out, he looked like someone who'd just gotten a snowball thrown at them in the middle of summer. He glanced in the direction Bonnie had gone, but she'd already disappeared into the kitchen.
"You think that Bonnie..." A small flush appeared on his cheeks, blending into his beard. "Miandra, don't be absurd. Bonnie couldn't possibly have those sorts of... No, that's out of the question," he said, returning to his meal.
Mia rolled her eyes. "Ugh... Men are so oblivious. I'm telling you, Blair, the woman likes you. But hey, what do I know? I'm only a woman myself."
Blair chewed thoughtfully. In his mind, the idea of anyone harboring that sort of interest in him was preposterous. Certainly, people liked and respected him. Some even looked up to him as a sort of father figure. But what Miandra was suggesting seemed a little far-fetched. Surely, if Bonnie had any sort of inclination towards him, he'd notice. After all, he was usually an expert at noticing even the subtlest of details.
His gaze trailed back towards the kitchen once more. He began to wonder... Did Miandra see something he didn't? He supposed the idea of anyone feeling that way about him wasn't a possibility he'd contemplated. Not since Beverly.
Mia decided not to push the issue as she finished her breakfast. She was more than happy to keep her father to herself for the time being. Besides, she had other things on her mind – namely, exploring and shopping.
"So," she said with her mouth full. "Where are we going today? I mean, you said you'd buy me something nice to wear to see the princesses. And I'd love to see more of the city – properly, this time."
"Well, I figured I'd take you over to Main Street, myself. It really is a beautiful city, but it's so large and busy that it can be easy to get lost when you don't know your way. Perhaps we can take the Dream..." He trailed off, his excited expression dwindling. "Oh. No, I suppose we couldn't do that. The Dream Machine hasn't run for a very long time. It's been locked up back at my old workshop ever since you and your mother left."
"The Dream Machine?" Mia asked with an inquisitive tilt of her head. "What's that? Oh! You mean that dirigible thing? I saw stucco images of it in the Imagination Pavilion where the old ride used to be. So, it's no longer functioning? That's a shame. It could've been fun." Mia frowned twirling her fork around in what remained of her breakfast. "I suppose you don't have a car or anything?"
"Not with me, no. It's back in the old garage, and I very much doubt it's working at the moment."
"Oh," said Mia, trying not to sound disappointed. "Well, that's okay. It's no big deal. We could just take the monorail. That thing's pretty fast. And this time I won't have to worry about encountering any violent skanks who might try to beat me up 'cause you'll be with me." She smiled at him with bits of toast crumbs in the corner of her mouth.
Blair smiled as he reached across the table and brushed the crumbs away from her mouth. Mia blushed. If her father back on Earth had done that, she would have chastised him with all the annoyance of an embarrassed teenage daughter. But with Blair, the father she'd only just met after their tragic separation 18 long years ago, she couldn't bear to scold him. So, she allowed it for now.
"Well," he said, "The monorail is reliable, but it's not overly scenic. Plus, it's over so quickly. I'd love to show you a real bird's eye view of Epcot and Main Street... Though it would be a matter of figuring out how we could."
Figment's big yellow eyes grew wide as he thrust his hand into the air. "Oooh! Oooh! I've got it!" he cried, muffin crumbs tumbling from his mouth. "I know what to do!"
"What did you have in mind, Figment?"
Giggling with childish delight, Figment replied, "We use our imaginations, of course!"
"Is that your answer for everything?" asked Mia with an equal amount of amusement and exasperation.
Blair, however, seemed rather taken with the suggestion. "An absolutely brilliant idea, Figment!"
Mia glanced back and forth between them. "Okay, so are either of you going to explain how we're doing this, or are you going to be vague for whimsy's sake? Because I'll admit, I have no idea what you're getting at."
Blair smiled as he gathered up their breakfast trays. "Since we're finished with our meals, let's head outside and I'll show you just what I mean."
Figment clapped his hands and flew after them. "Oh boy! Oh boy!"
"Aww, come on! Just tell me," Mia begged. "The suspense is gonna kill me!"
Blair led Mia out of the Imagination Institute and onto the front lawn of the campus where the leap-frog fountains shot streams of water from one fountain to the other. In a large, open area, Blair came to a stop.
"This is where I show you Imagination Power at its fullest," said Blair. "Step back and watch, dear." Then, turning to face his dragon, "Figment, it's been a long time, my friend. Are you up to this?"
The small dragon nodded vigorously. "With our imaginations, we can be ready for anything!"
Blair closed his eyes. Figment did the same. For the briefest of moments, Mia, daughter of the legendary Dreamfinder, saw just what said legend could do. A beautiful iridescent light shone around her father and Figment. It was bright, yet not blinding. It was warm, welcoming, stimulating, and invigorating all at once.
Mia glanced around at the people milling about campus, but they didn't seem to notice anything. It was then Mia realized that apart from Blair and Figment, she was the only one who could see this light. She felt a sort of tingling in the air, something akin to but not quite like static electricity. Mia knew this must be the feeling of magic in the air, and she could swear she heard a familiar tune carried on the breeze around them, one Edward Baxter would easily recognize.
One Little Spark.
With a bright flash of light and a swirl of purple mist, the tiny dragon was gone, and in his place stood a marvelous creature covered in shiny purple scales with large, orange wings and long, thick, curling horns. With the power of Blair and Figment's conjoined imaginations, Figment had transformed into a noble steed, formidable in size and majestic in appearance.
A gentleman walking across campus caught sight of the transformation. Gawking, he took a header into one of the fountains and came up sputtering. Blair opened his eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath. It worked. Their sparks were just as aligned as ever. Blair shook his head and staggered backwards just slightly. It took much imagination power to invoke this transformation in Figment.
Entranced, Mia drew closer to the dragon, gasping in awe at the sight of him. She reached out a hand to pet his muzzle, but hesitated, taking a nervous step backwards.
"Is it... Is it still him?" she asked warily.
The lilac dragon slowly turned his head to her and replied, "Of course it's still me! Who do you think it is?"
The voice was unmistakably Figment's, though it had a more rumbling, growling quality to it now. Furthermore, his mouth did not move when he spoke. Rather, the voice seemed to be emanating from within him, almost like telepathy.
"Whoa..." Mia murmured, taking another step forward and stroking his majestic nose. "Sorry, Figment. It's just that you look so... formidable." She looked at her father. "Am I to understand we'll be riding Figment 2.0 to Main Street???"
Blair nodded as he lowered his goggles from his top hat and pulled them down over his eyes. "That's precisely what I had in mind, Miandra. That is, if Figment is feeling up to it."
Figment nodded his large, sleek head. "Of course, Dreamfinder! I'm readier than ever! C'mon! Let's go!" He spread his large orange wings and gave them a solid flap. The sound was like the snap of a giant Teflon tent. He lowered himself to one knee so they could climb aboard.
Blair looked at his daughter with a warm smile which radiated the promise of pure, unadulterated fun. "Shall we be off?"
Mia hesitated. "Er... I mean, the idea of it is pretty exciting, but..." She chewed anxiously on her bottom lip. "Well, obviously I've never ridden a dragon before. It's a little... intimidating."
She took a nervous step towards her father who stood beside Figment with his goggles over his eyes and his hand extended to her. With an equal amount of excitement and reluctance, Mia took his hand and allowed him to help her onto Figment, using Figment's bent knee as a sort of step ladder.
Blair set Mia astride the base of Figment's thick, scaly neck. Mia wrapped her arms around it as best she could as her father took a seat behind her.
"Y-You won't let me fall off, r-right?"
"We'd never let anything happen to you, Miandra. I promise," said Blair as he reached forward and took a hold of Figment's neck. In this manner, he was able to keep Mia enclosed safely between him and his arms.
"Yeah, Miandra! I'd never let you fall. You can count on me!"
The Dreamfinder leaned forward and spoke softly. "Hold on, dear. Off we go, Figment!"
With that, Figment's wings, which were certainly no longer tiny, began to flap, lifting them off the ground.
"Hee hee! Everyone ready? Here... we... gooooo!"