Magical Girl Melody
Chapter 02 Dreamweaver
By David Foxfire
(CC) [BY-NC-ND] This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
“I gotta tell you two blokes, that was pathetic . . . assinine . . . shameful.”
Pippkin Ducane stood in front of the two overall-clad muscular idiots who thought kicking down Jim Goodlow’s front door was a good idea. Of course, they were prepared to hold down Scarlet Foxfire to shove a USB drive into the port at the back of her neck.
They weren't prepared for the English Lop Bunny defending his girl with a cricket bat.
The two thugs are now unconscious in a corner of the room, slumped in front of a very cross Pippkin. He tapped his large fluffy foot and hold the USB drive in one of his crossed hands.
Scarlet hung from his shoulder and kissed his fussy cheek. “Ah couldn’t even think of what would’ve happened if that got crammed in mah neck, Pippkie,” Scarlet said. “You’re sho are a sight for sore eyes.”
Pippkin paused to give Scarlet a kiss, and then turned back to the victims. “I’m going to find out what’s in this memory stick, but I can guess now that neither o’ us will appreciate what yer trying to cram inta us.”
There was an awkward pause.
“Lord,” Scarlet said, “That always sounded right in our heads.”
“Scarlet, luv,” Pippkin replied, “We’re living character costumes. There’s gonna be a lot of things that go pear-shaped when it comes outta our mouths.”
“Yeah, ah know . . . I take it ya got yoah host, right?”
“I sure do, my pet.” Pippkin turned to the doorway to the kitchen. “An’ I got me a daughter in the deal.”
Melody was hugging the corner, looking very worried at the two unconscious thugs.
“Oi!” Pippkin said, getting the girl’s attention. “These are the two chasing you around?”
Melody nodded, as did Penny deep in the rabbit’s psyche.
“In that case,” Scarlet said as she cracked her knuckles, “we’ll make sho that they won’t harm you or anyone again! The usual treatment, Pippkin?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Pippkin reached over and dug into the thug’s pocket’s pulling out a wallet from each. “Let’s see what other cockamamie scheme they had in mind.”
“As expected, you go for the wallets,” Scarlet muttered as she stripped off their overalls. “What would yer ‘daughter’ think?”
Pippkin didn’t skip a beat. “In that case, I might need to speed up to my ‘Gentleman Thief for Dummies,’ spiel. Bloddy Hell, they paid you this much money in advance. In Twenties? They aren’t even sequential or marked to boot. Who does that these days?” He turned to Melody as he pulled out the bills. “You might think I’m being naughty if I, say, take this obscene wad of money and just stuff it into me jacket. But if you consider who I’m taking it from . . . ”
He poked his thumb to the two who are now in their wife beaters and boxer shorts.
“ . . . Good god . . . No taste at all . . . ”
And slipped the dollars in his jacket pocket as Melody’s eyes were distracted. He waited til she turned back to him.
“ . . . you might consider it karmatic justice. That’s the kind of thief I am. I only steal from other criminals. Those who are even worse than what some might consider me to be.” Melody wanted to say something, but Pippkin cut her off. “You’ll also notice that I’m not taking the bank and credit cards. Those can be traceable, and that would not be a good thing. And the Driver’s License and ID cards?” He made a face. “I draw the line on Identity Thieft. That’s just isn’t kosher.” He tosses the wallets to the overalls Scarlet piled on the sofa. “You can add Identity Thieves to my list of targets, such as purse snatchers, drug dealers, gang bangers, and the occasional pedophile. You were saying?”
Melody pipped up. “You’re kinda like Robin Hood, in a way.”
Pippkin nodded. “Of course. I even give to the poor. But I might find a better use with this take. I’ll explain later.”
The two feebs began to stir as Scarlet tied their arms and ankles. She then turned to the large duffel bag they brought with them.
Pippkin looked over to Scarlet. “What’d you find, love?”
“Look at this,” Scarlet said as she pulled out some of the contents. The first two pieces looked like something Melody saw just once during a net search on Character Costumes.
“A pair of Kigurumi style skin suits,” Scarlet said as she pulled out a pair of beige-toned sacks that she unfolded to reveal the arms and legs.
Melody cringed a bit. “Man, and I thought they looked weird when they’re being worn.”
“If ya think that’s weird, look at the other one.” She unfolded it to show Melody.
That body stocking was a perfect size for Melody to wear.
“They’re going to stuff me in that?”
Scarlet had to pause for a second. “Only after stripping you bare first.”
“EW!”
"Yeah, the perverts." Scarlet revealed the inside of the skinsuit. “I recognize this lining. This came from the lab, and is meant to bond to yer skin, just like Pippkin and myself.”
Melody gasped. “They’re going to turn me into one of those mindless–”
Scarlet looked at a Playboy Bunny Suit, more her size, all velvet and bold red and sensual. “Honey, Ah don’t wanna know what they’re planning foah ya.”
Pippkin went closer to Scarlet to pick up something that caught his eye. “I say we keep em. Maybe we could put them to good use.”
Scarlet nodded. “Good idea. What are those?”
Pippkin pulled out a couple of metallic headbands, with a blinking light that he switched on. “Something I think I saw back in the lab.”
He swung over to the thugs, who have woken up and started to struggle and curse.
“We’ll have none of that,” Pippkin said as he slipped the headbands in place, “there are children present.”
The instant the two bands settled on their foreheads, their eyes started to get glazed over, and they felt dizzy, dizzier, and all the more dizzier. It became very hard to think, and then almost impossible, and then they sat there looking very stoned to Melody.
“What are those, Mister Pippkin? Some sort of mind control device? Is that what they erase someone’s mind with?”
Pippkin looked over to the two enthralled feebs and scratched his chin. “No. That device is much bigger. These devices are a short-term brainwave device used to cloud a person’s mind. Make them suspectable to suggestions, such as the one on the left . . . yes . . . you feel like putting on that bigger skinsuit, don’t you? Oh, yeah, I can tell you want to. You just want to feel that suit against your body, and have it turn you into a perfect being, right. And once I release you, you’ll think of nothing to going to the kitchen with that suit and put it all the way on, I know you will . . . ”
As Pippkin said that over and over, saying that the entranced victim wants to, would love to, just desires to, wouldn't want to be without putting on that kigiurumi skin suit and becoming the girl it'll turn him into, Melody could see the glassy eyes turn twoard the suit aired out and laid in front of him, filling with desire and need. Once Scarlet cut his bonds, he crawled over to pick up the suit, cradling it in his arms, a goofy smile on his face.
Melody stood as if in a trance herself, in awe over what is happening.
“That’s right, my friend.” Pippkin said as he stroked the man on his shoulder. You’re going to go into that kitchen, and put on that suit, slip the waiting mask over your face, and transform yourself into that woman.” He went closer. “And after that, you’ll have a lot of things to do. Hurry.”
Pippkin sent him off, heading to the kitchen after picking up a helmet-shaped headpiece with a girlish face and long blonde hair.
“And do please close the door.”
And closed the door behind him.
Pippkin turned to Melody and lifted up her hanging jaw. “What can I say, my dear? I have a silver tounge. Helped me out of a jam or two.”
“Check this out, Melody.” Scarlet said pulling out something out of the bag that seemed to pop out to her eyes.
It was an Alice costume from Alice in Wonderland, complete with all the accessories. Even had bloomers and stockings.
She first wanted to reach out of it, but then paused. She looked at the device on the other feeb’s forehead.
“Scarlet, love,” Pippkin asked, “is there anything electronic on that costume.”
Scarlet checked it all over. “None,” she replied, “Looks like it’s a normal costume. Looks like it’ll fit Melody too, if you want it, hon.”
It took her a while. Her mind raced back to those wonderful days in Disneyland, where she was practically a character herself in the park after school. She finally nodded.
Pippkin took the costume, and kneeling before Melody, handed her the costume. “Try it on. I know you’ll like it.”
Melody smiled a sheepish grin as she took the blue dress. “Thank you, Mister Pippkin.”
“There’s a side bedroom by the hall. You can change there.”
The room was mote storage area than bedroom. Everything Jim Goodlow wasn't using, but just couldn’t bring himself to pitch, ended up in this room, piled against one wall from floor to ceiling. There was an open closet, an empty dresser, and a simple bed that was just good enough to crash on.
Scarlet apologized to Melody when she gave her this room. It wasn't much, but she did promised to make it up for her later on.
Melody didn't mind one bit. Bunking with a living furry character was enough of a dream for her. She thought back to those lovely years back in California as she ran her hand across the silky blue skirt of the Alice dress, imagine herself having overnights with some of the characters. She had to settle with backstage chats with castmembers telling tales of whatever goes on “on stage,” but she could dream of having the real Minnie Mouse or Snow White come in for a sleepover.
But now she’s living with Auntie Scarlet, and her mother has become Mister Pippkin for a while. They’re just like characters from an amusement park, or so they say, and just as soft and cuddly as ever. It was a dream come true for her, as simplistic as it was.
She took a good long close look at her new costume. The dress was a deep blue with puffy shoulders, a wide skirt, and a white apron that fluffed over the shoulders, around her waist, and down in front of the skirt.
She set the dress aside, and stripped down. She decided a change of panties and sports bras would be a good idea. At her age she hadn’t filled out yet, but she caught the habit of wearing support early.
Once she switched knickers–“I think Mister Pippkin’s british slang’s getting to me. Already”–she slipped on the smooth white pantyhose covering her up to her waist. She followed it with the white bloomers discretely concealed her private parts, showing nothing but white legs which she slipped in the black Mary Jane shoes.
She then turned the dress around. It was well made with sturdy cloth, not like those half-plastic costumes she used to have. It must’ve been worth a fortune. And it was all hers.
The zipper was well hidden by a flap partway down the back, which she undone as she pulled the dress over her body, slipping her arms through the puffy shoulder collars and letting it settle in place. The skirt hung perfectly off the ground as she tightened the apron sash, showing just her ankles and shoes. It fit her perfectly.
As she reached back to zip the dress up, she noticed something in the room she didn’t see before; a full length mirror. She smiled at the Alice in her reflection, but something wasn’t quite right . . . of course, the hair. Melody took the bands off her twin tails and let her light brown hair float down across her back. Too bad she wasn’t a blonde, but it can’t be helped. She found the black hairband with a small bow and slipped it over her head, and returned to the mirror, happy and contented in her transformation.
She giggled, the first giggle she felt since she left California. She was back in her little Wonderland. It was smaller, and the characters weren’t well known, but they took her in as one of their own with such open arms. Their world became her's, and she was their Alice now.
And Alice thought back to her lovely White Rabbit, with the floppy lop ears. She could see him now, wearing that tuxedo that made him look oh so dapper. His large feet free and bare under the pressed slacks, the white shirt and velvet vest clean and neat bound inside a red band, and the jacket with a pair of tails framing his fluffy white tail.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she imagined Mister Pippkin kneeling down to hold her in her soft hands and smiling with his bright pink hued eyes, as she touched his twitching nose with hers and cooed how much he loved her. Melody knew what her mother would have seen in him. Mister Pippkin would be a fine husband for Mother. Mister Pippkin would make a great father.
And Mister Pippkin would love to see his Alice.
Melody twirled in place, gave her reflection a curtsy, and bounded back to the living room.
The room was clear of the thugs and their effects, and Scarlet was long gone. Pippkin was looking out the mirror with a cup of tea in his paw. She heard him sigh, grumble a bit. Maybe he needed cheering up. Melody crept up to the rabbit and took his white paw.
She saw him smile, felt his hand stroke her hair.
"My sweet Alice." She heard his melodious voice. If she thought of her mother inside the cotton-like fur, deep british accent, and charming personality, she didn’t care. She was in another world. A world of this wonderful Mister Pippkin. A world he began to talk about.
“I have something for you to ponder, my child: Do you think a company who markets in dreams owns those dreams, or are merely a caretaker of them?”
Melody tilted her head, giving the rabbit a quizzical look.
“It’s a big thought to put in your head, I understand. You probably didn’t ponder it before. I know you enjoy being in Disneyland all those years, with all the characters and tales and magic that’s in them. Have you ever figured who should be owning them? Or if they can be owned at all?”
“Last time I checked, I think Walt Disney made them.”
“That’s right, my dear. All of those were his, at least while he was alive. But now that he’s gone, where do his dreams go? Did he leave them to his descendants, to those who worked for him . . . or the many people who taken in all that Uncle Walt shared with them and made it there own? Much like what you’re doing, my dear.”
Melody paused a moment. “I’ve never thought of it that way.”
“I always thought they belong to the people, in my opinion.” Pippkin pulled on his lapels. “If the ‘oh so esteemed’ Walt Disney Company has any say about it, they’re merely making sure that Walt’s fantasies, dreams, and wonders remain with the public to this day and beyond. They might have the legal rights to use them in their founder’s name, but they shouldn’t claim that all of Uncle Walt's Magic should be their’s and their’s alone.”
Pippkin leaned back. “If you see me railing off against corporations, that’s the reason, some of them hold on too tight and hard on what they’re entrusted with, the dreams, the ideas, the ‘intellectual property’ according to some, the stuff that you can’t put into a box and sell it. Some companies even hunt down and hurt anyone who would use 'their' property without their say so.”
Melody nodded. “I think I heard of some record companies who’re like that.”
“That’s the problem I have, the problem everyone has where I come from. I come from a kingdom more magical than what anyone have ever seen. A land where you can be more than just a guest, you can make it your home and add your own magic to our land, and make it a bigger and better whole. But it is oppressed by a corporation that makes Michael Eisner look like a boy scout.”
Melody blinked. “That bad?”
“We’re talking about a company that transforms people into the characters, not just without their free will, but also without their memory of who they were.” Pippkin nodded. "Aye, my child, that bad. Scarlet and me, we know that’s wrong, so we escaped our so-called Happy Fun Land and gathered hosts for ourself. Hosts with hearts and minds that combine with our own that will help us. Scarlet’s is an unemployed police officer who knows a major case when . . .”
He almost caught himself.
“ . . . they show up, and you know who my host is by now. The two of us want to fight this corporation and liberate our kingdom from their influence; if not just for us characters, the many toons and princesses and heros and even villains; but for the castmembers and innocents dragged into the company’s clutches and corrupted by their technological evil spells.”
Melody took all this in and nodded. A magical world, under siege by an evil force. Only with a business sense that she didn’t fully understand, yet, and right in front of her face, which she did. They almost caught her and her mother; and Mother needed to hide inside one of the rebellious characters. No, the best of the rebel characters. The rabbit that swept Mother to safety and herself off her feet.
Pippkin could see Melody’s eyes flash, Penny smiled from inside his mind.
“I want to help you, Mister Pippkin.”
He gave her a warm smile. “I know you will, my dear. You are now one of us, a character in our Happy Fun Land. Our Happy Fun Land, a free world for all to share. You will be a Magical Princess. With your very own skills, talents, and yes, you will have magic. And you will fight this evil by our side and help us free our world. Your world.”
“Yes!” Melody said, smiling, her eyes almost stars. It was almost too real! No, it was real. She’ll become one of them, a magical heroine, just like in the animes. She might even have her own fans, or even a team. “I want to be a magical girl. A Princess of your world. And I’ll help you free it!”
Pippkin embraced Melody with both his arms and kissed her. “You’ll enjoy becoming that woman, my sweet Alice.”
Melody snuggled deep into Pippkin, feeling his warmth and love for her, and she felt that she was finally home, a home she lost so long ago.
A home that now embraced her with warm soft hands and touched a twitching rabbit nose with hers. She sighed, filled with love. She couldn't think of anywhere else to be.
The next morning, Melody woke up with a smile on her face, and her now favorite Alice dress waiting for her, washed and pressed. She got herself ready and dressed up and was greeted by her Mister Pippkin in the living room, waiting for her, enjoying his morning cup of tea and having a maid make one for her.
Wait, a maid?
Whatever Ami and Beth Maiden was was long gone, their identities shredded and their bank accounts emptied. They were stuffed into an kigurumi skinsuit each which has already bonded to their skin, transforming their gender and molding their full figure bodies. By now their suits are pretty much like their own skin, only smoother and silky soft, and very feminine. Their heads were locked inside their headpieces of cute girly faces and long locks of hair tied into a bun. And their new bodies were adorned in identical Black felt maid costumes with their thigh-length stocking clad legs in full view and choker collars with a crest around their neck. Their lips were painted red, and stretched in a constant smile. They could move and even open, but they couldn't make a sound. Not even a gasp, or a giggle, or even a grunt; they were as silent as mimes, incapable of making any sounds. Their eyes were just steady blue glowing pools under fluttering long lashes. There was no sign of who would be inside the face and dress, as if it wasn't of any importance.
And their minds had no resistance to the characters Pippkin put in there, their role as housemaker and hand servants to their oh-so-lovely Master Pippkin is burned deep into their brains, thanks to the electronics in their headpieces, and all they can ever think of is silent adoration and obedience to their Master Pippkin. They would not question him if they could, and they do not wish to do so. Are the people they were aware of who they were or what they’re doing now? Perhaps, perhaps. But Master Pippkin did told them that they would be sent back to that evil lab if they displease him, and they would end up doing worse things than whatever Master Pippkin told them.
Ami Maiden gave Melody a cute curtsey in her short skirt while she did the same. And then she helped her sit into her chair while Beth Maiden served her a cup of tea and a crumpet.
“Let me guess:” Melody told Pippkin. “Those are the two who attacked us?”
Pippkin merely smiled and handed her a note written in a very girlish handwriting: “My drear Princess Melody, we are both very sorry for attacking you and your mother, and we will both make it up to you. We will transform your bedroom to a place fit for the princess you are and then find a place for you to become a Magical Girl and a proud member of Master Pippkin’s glorious Happy Fun Land. Please accept our most sincere apologies and we will do anything to be forgiven. Do with us as you will, and we will serve you for the rest of our days. Your most humble servants, Ami and Beth Maiden.”
“And in case you’re wondering, they’re doing it out of their own free will,” Pippkin said. “I could have just sent them back to where they come from, where they’d certainly have that part of their minds removed.”
Pippkin shot a look at the two silent maids, who shuddered and shook their heads.
“But they’re better use to me as willing grunts than mindless puppets. They’re here mostly to help you settle in, and will provide for a lot of Princessy fun at their expense.”
“We're going to give them a hard time.”
Pippkin scratched his head, “If we do, they'll enjoy it. They are mere lowly servants after all, and whatever we make them do, it's what they're here for. But first. Ami, my Princess’s purse.”
Ami gave Pippkin a very servient bow and left the room for a second, only to come back with a bright blue purse with a crest on it, which she showed with open hands as she knelt in front of Amy, offering it to her.
Melody saw the crest, which had a bunny head next to a note on opposite corners of a badge. “That is your insignia as a Princess in my world, Melody. The rabbit is my symbol, and will denote you as a member of my family.”
Melody giggled, looked a bit at Pippkin and took the purse. “Thank you, Maid Ami. Now go watch my dishes.” Ami got up to take the plate and cup. “Does this mean you’re my father, Mister Pippkin.”
Pippkin got up and humped. “Well, my host is your mother, and I can’t be a mother, so that should be self-explanatory isn’t it. You can call me your Father, if you wish.”
“Okay then . . . Papa.”
“Awwww.” The two maids mimed the sentient from Pippkin’s voice. He then shot them a look that made them stand up straight with their faces bowed, always servient, always obedient.
“Shall we go shopping?” Pippkin asked, offering his paw. “My princess has a lot of needful things to buy.”
And she did. Not only did they needed to get all the necessities for a little girl’s hygiene and bedroom, which the two maids dutifully shuttle back home in bags back and fourth, but she also had to get a complete Disney Princess costume line from the Mall’s Disney Store. She skipped past the Hanna Montana collection which made Pippkin nod in approval, but she even snagged some of the more classic character costumes, and even tossed in a Tiana costume. She paused for a moment if she could dress up the maids as Minnie Mouse and Tinker Bell, and Pippkin said he'll consider it.
The other shoppers looked and gawked at the sight of the Alice girl and the White Rabbit, but merely giggled and smiled at them. Some even went up and got an autograph and picture from Pippkin Ducaine and his little girl Melody.
“Good thing my mother taught me how to be a Character Handler from her park experience,” Melody told Pippkin at noon.
“From what I saw, you had some experience,” Pippkin said.
Melody nodded. “Sure do! Back in Disneyland, some Castmembers let me play their roles for a while. That was fun!”
“I say, that would be one dream Iger would never thought of in his Million Dreams promotion.”
“Bob Iger didn’t. The CM’s did.”
“CM’s. Heh, I might need to brush me self up on your lingo.”
“I can help you with that, Papa.”
Pippkin laughed from his belly. Even though he knew quite enough of Castmember Talk from Penny’s memories. “I appreciate it, my lovely. Now, while we’re getting lunch.”
Pippkin placed a finger against the side of his head and closed his eyes, after a few moments, he nodded.
“I just told the maids to go and do your room. I’ve earlier got the adjadent apartment so they can shuttle all the boxes out of the way, then they make it suitable for you.”
“You could do that? I thought they couldn’t talk.”
“Ha-ha,” Pippkin pointed to his head. “We HFL characters have a built in communicator where we can talk to each other over a cel phone line. Me and Scarlet talk to each other constantly through it. I can easily get for you one of those Bluetooth earclips so you can talk to us there.”
“I might need it, since you need to keep track of me. What else can you do, with your suit, that is.”
“Well, it's a good thing we're about to sit down, my child.”
During the lunch, Pippkin talked about his near photogenic memory, where he can never forget a name or face, which all HFL characters have. He also talked at length about how he enjoys combining his own memories with that of the host wearing him; that he felt a lot more complete as a person. He was about to tell him about his USB connection, but he had to shelve that when he saw an the woman in her early/mid twenties, with elbow length black hair, brown eyes, and medium skin tone, wearing a two pocket snap front shirt, ten pocket khaki pants, and black vinyl sneakers.
"Ah, hello, Roberta Anderson," Pippkin said. "We've been expecting you."
NOTE: What Scarlet did to the two thugs, and how they were turned into Maids Ami and Beth, will be part of the storyline in the Scarlet PI comic book.