The entirety of Wonder City was in a state of trepidation as soon as word got out that their strongest defender known as Greenbolt had finally fallen in battle against the Arcadians…..Some were getting ready for the upcoming invasion, getting whatever they could for the next inevitable attack on the toy shop. While others decided that they should find a place to hide. But regardless, Doughboy Jack and his soldier crew were more than capable of keeping the peace….but for how long?
Meanwhile, Handyman Hank and Dolly Dorothy were both beginning to stock up on items they might need for their trek toward the founder. Handy Hank was still new to this place, so he would have to look to Dolly Dorothy as his guide.
“Do you think you can tell me who this ‘Founder’ Guy is?” Handy Hank asked as he loaded up various supplies into a pencil bag.
Dolly Dorothy slowed down in sharpening a colored blue pencil into a fine point with her makeshift blade to answer his question.
“He’s the wisest and oldest being in the entire mall. He was here long before any of us and he’s gonna be here long after we’re all gone…..you could say he’s immortal in a sense…”
Handy Hank stopped packing for a moment to marvel at the idea of this being….”Woah….where is he?” He inquired with piqued interest.
“In the Mall’s center, sitting in the great pooooool of infinite treasure…..” Dolly Dorothy answered with a dramatic flare….
“.......Huh?” Handy Hank was genuinely confused.
“.........The Fountain….he’s in the fountain……” she said with a deadpan expression. But then she realized she and Hank were going to need something important.
She quickly channeled Wonder into her feet and super jumped into the air, Handy Hank running across the floors to follow her toward the toy store’s bargain bin. She stood at the top of the bin’s edge and shouted down at Handy Hank “Get ready to catch what I throw down to you!”
She took a deep breath and swan dived down into the bargain bin with perfect form and execution…..and after a few moments of rumble and tossing noises. Out came a light blue box with a pin sticking out of the side. It landed right near Handy Hank.
“By the way, we’re gonna be needing that too!” She shouted from the top of the bargain bin.
Handy Hank looked over at the box and his left hand hovered over the pin. On the box, it said ‘Wet N’ Wild instant Floaty!’ Handy Hank was curious about what would happen if he pulled the pin.
Dolly Dorothy smacked his hand away from the pin and explained “Hand’s off! That’s the only one I could find. We lose it there’s no meeting the Founder until next summer…..in eight months…..”
Handy Hank understood and loaded up the supplies in a small, electric kart racer. One that was assembled by Mr. Wonder himself so the kids under 7 could play with it and probably beg their parents to get it for them.
“Ol’ Betsy will get us there no problem….let’s just hope Mr. Wonder remembered to charge her….” Dolly Dorothy said as she plugged in the power cord and flipped the switch to the battery.
A few moments passed as Handy Hank tried to listen for the engine….but he didn’t hear a thing.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“No. It’s just funny you’re trying to listen for an engine when this Kart is electric. You work the pedals and I steer. Got it?”
He looks down and sees only a break and gas pedal….
“Got it…” He goes down to the bottom and starts lightly pushing on the gas pedal. The Kart began to move forward. When they made it to the front of the store Doughboy Jack ordered his soldiers to open the shutters. With great teamwork and Power of Wonder between all of them, they did so with ease. Doughboy Jack walked up to the side of the Kart to speak to Dolly Dorothy.
“Not to worry you two. My men and I will fight to keep Wonder City secure and every last toy safe. We will keep on fighting until our joints lock up and all our weapons break! Do Greenbolt’s last request proud….”
Dolly Dorothy took a saddened sigh and looked onward. “We will. We won’t let his sacrifice be in vain……” She signaled Hank to push on the gas pedal again as they sped out of the store…they were both outside of the store and into the Mall beyond.
Handy Hank pulled out his wrench and clamped down the gas pedal so he could see the mall at large……a massive three-story high mall with various stores spanning from clothes, household items, sports paraphernalia, and of course the occasional food stand. The Mall’s ambiance plays many public-domain songs with the occasional recorded announcement. But on every corner and every pillar of the mall were TV monitors that were advertising the newest gaming console….and its countdown to its day of release. The X-Station Unlimited.
“That’s gonna be the newest threat to all of us….. The newest gaming console that’s gonna sap away even more power of Imagination from the children. Greenbolt and many others are worried that when the console goes up for sale by the end of the week, there won’t be enough Wonder left for us to keep going as a society….we’ll just…stop…” Dolly Dorothy said, a hint of fear in her voice.
Handy Hank looks at the countdown and sees how much time is left.
6 Days
2 Hours
55 Minutes
8 seconds.
“What’s gonna happen if we….stop?” He asked with worry.
“I don’t know….Not even Greenbolt knew….”
Then as they passed the Display of the X-Station Unlimited. They hear the approaching sound of running water. They were getting close. Handy Hank unclamped his wrench from the brake pedal.
They were near the main Hub area of the entire mall. With halls and escalators leading to every other and many different stores to boot.
But in the center of the entire hub area, was a massive fountain that was shut off for the night. The lights that illuminated the water were still on, allowing the light to reflect off all the various coins inside the water….and for some reason, an actual dollar was submerged in the water. But in the Center of the fountain was a bronze statue of a man dressed in a 1930s suit and fedora and small circular glasses. He was sitting on a bronze stool with a thinking expression on his face.
“There he is…..he’s asleep again. So we gotta get up close to wake him up.” Dolly Dorothy said as she pulled out the instant floatie from the Kart. She pulls the pin and throws it in the fountain. They both watch and wait a few seconds as tiny bubbles start to pop out of the instant floatie as it sinks to the bottom….but then a mere split second later, the floatie explodes out of the water.
“Hop on and don’t touch the water. I highly doubt you’re waterproof and I don’t want any water damage on me!”
“Sure it’ll wash off your color marks….” Handy Hank said under his breath.”
“What was that!?” She asked, wondering if she heard what she thought she heard. Ready to pull out her precision blade again.
“Let’s not rush! We gotta make our mark!” Handy Hank said at his normal volume with a nervous grin following.
“Hmph, Thought so.” Dolly Dorothy said as she took her hand off her blade.
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She jumps on and stands on one end of the floatie while Handy Hank stands on the other end creating a sense of buoyancy. They slowly drifted towards the founder and as they drifted closer he couldn’t help but notice that the Founder was a lot bigger than he anticipated, three times bigger than any normal person and fifteen times bigger than he was. Whoever the founder was, he must have been an important man to have a statue in his honor…..upon closer inspection….he was sleeping.
When they got closer to the founder. Handy Hank had to ask.
“How are we gonna wake him up?”
“Simple.” She replied. Dolly Dorothy. She reaches behind her and pulls out a red sharpened colored pencil and without charging it with the power of wonder first….she throws it right at the sleeping statue’s face. The colored pencil left a small mark on the forehead of the founder’s head….other than that it made zero damage to the statue.
The statue suddenly let out a loud snore as he snapped awake.
“WHOZIT! WHAZIT!? WHEREZIT!? I’M UP!” Shouted the founder as he began to rapidly began looking around rapidly.
Once he realizes there was nobody around. He lets out a hardy yawn as he stretches his arms….he’d stretch his legs too but…they were bolted to the fountain.
“Is it time for opening already?” The Founder asked as he looked around….but looked down and saw two toys in a floatie looking up at him.
“Oh! As I sit and breathe….is that you Dolly Deedee?” the founder asked as he adjusted his glasses.
“No, it’s Dolly Dorothy….and I came here to-”
The Founder then shifts his focus towards Handyman Hank.
“Well….look at you. I have never seen a toy like you! What’s your name?” The founder asked with curiosity almost befitting a statue way younger than he was.
“Uh…..Handy Hank…your wiseness…” He said trying to put up a brave front…..but failing badly.
“Handyman Hank….Quite the name you have there….” He said as he resumed his thinking statue pose.
Dolly Dorothy loudly let out a throat-clearing noise to get his attention.
“Oh! Dolly Deedee! I didn’t see ya there! Where’s that fella toy Greenbolt?” He asked as he looked around. Normally Greenbolt was in his copter form just flying around while Dolly Dorothy was holding onto him.
“He’s not here….He’s…….” Dolly Dorothy choked up at the mere remembrance of what happened to him a mere few hours ago…..
The Founder looked at Dolly Dorothy’s Expression and saw how distraught she was…..He understood.
“I Understand….I’m so sorry…..Greenbolt was a true ally to many across the Mall….Not just toys you know.”
Handy Hank slowly perked up at hearing this. “Wait….so Toys and Arcadians aren’t the only things alive?” He asked.
“Why of course. Wonder is a very strong force, as long as children believe it to be alive. Then with the power of Wonder, it can be alive. From the Tallest of statues-” The founder raised his arms to the mightiest of stances. “-to the smallest of prize ball toys.” He then points to one of the prize ball machines near the vending machines. Zooming in there’s a ton of tiny toys in each capsule begging to get out.
Getting back on topic. The Founder then asked Dolly Dorothy.
“You aren’t just here to tell me of Greenbolt’s end….why else did you come here?” The founder asked as he leaned downward.
“He…..He told us to come to you….he said you’ll know what to tell us…”
The Founder then looked very serious…..has it come to that already?
“I know what he was speaking of….it is time to assemble the Seven Sparks of Wonder…..”
Handy Hank thought back….When he met Greenbolt a few hours ago he remembered Greenbolt saying that as an exclamatory turn of Phrase.
“Wait….The Seven Sparks of Wonder….They’re real?!” Said Dolly Dorothy as she remembered being told about the legend when she was first unpackaged. This whole time she thought it was an old folktale….
“Yes, they are. I saw them with my own copper eyes….”
“......Okay, I’ll ask….What are the Seven Sparks of Wonder?” asked Handy Hank.
The Founder then grabbed them both hoisted them up and placed them both on top of his shoulders.
“Go ahead and take a seat….This story will take a while….” Said the Founder as he went back into his thinking position. Both Hank and Dorothy sat comfily on his shoulders as he began to tell the tale.
………………………………………………………………………………………
Long Ago, I wasn’t always a statue in a fountain….I was a statue in a Town Center. A Town where everybody knew your name and everybody got along and stood up for one another. A Time that I still believe can exist even in this new era……Every Day in the Town Square, Seven children would come out to play their day away, using their imaginations to the fullest.
The Artist: A very creative girl who could make drawings so real with just her box of crayons.
The Storyteller: A boy who read the stories from his storybook so wonderfully that he kept his listeners from beginning to end.
The Puzzlemaster: A boy who loved to solve any kind of Puzzle, But his crowning achievement was solving the hardest puzzle of all, the Chromasphere.
The Builder: A girl who could build whole cities with just about anything in her own two hands. But she got most creative with the very building blocks of her person.
The Sculptor: A boy who could make anything with his jars of clay, so real they were barely distinguishable from the same thing.
The Gambler: A kid who always could win in any board game that was given, but when they lost they were never a sore loser.
The Watcher: He was always there in his world, but he became focused when Television was involved….
I had watched these seven children grow from young and imaginative children to grown and hopeful adults….even in adulthood these children gathered together…they all became successful in their own lives and decided to use their success to build the very mall we all stand in right now….and as the mall was being constructed. They hid the Seven Sparks of Wonder inside the mall, vowing that they would all come back one day to have one last day of childhood.
…………………………………………………
“Those Seven Sparks of Wonder are all jam-packed with enough Imaginative Power to shape the minds of an entire generation, you control the youth of today…You control the future of the entire world in itself……The three in charge of the Arcade Overlords know this…they know one of the Seven Sparks is located somewhere in Mr. Wonder’s Toyshop.”
“.....That’s why they attack us every week…..To get us out of the way to look for it….” Said Dolly Dorothy as she came to the realization.
“Did Greenbolt know about this?” Handy Hank asked the Founder.
“Yes….He and his fellow Herobots gave their lives to making sure not only the fellow toys of Wonder City were protected, but making sure that the Spark of Wonder inside the very store was kept safe from their polygonal hands. I only told Greenbolt where one of the Seven Sparks was, it was too dangerous for him to know the location of the others. So here’s my Plan….You prove to me you are worthy of gathering the others by bringing me proof you found the Spark in Wonder City….and I will tell you where the next one is….Understand?”
Handyman Hank and Dolly Dorothy looked at one another and both nodded towards each other.
“We understand…we’ll find the first Spark and show you we can get the rest! For Greenbolt and everyone else, the Arcadians took away from us!”
The Founder gave a smile…Knowing he wouldn’t be disappointed. He grabs them both from his shoulders and slowly puts them both back on the floatie. “Bring Balance to the Wonder…and bring balance to the minds of children of the world at large….” He gently pushes the floaty back towards the edge of the fountain and gets back into his original position.
As they drove off in the kart again…..The founder had to wonder to himself….
“Is he really?....No it can’t be…..can it?.... Only time will tell…” He said to himself.
……………………………………………..
Dolly Dorothy was zooming fast down the halls of the mall on the kart as Handy Hank was holding on for dear life!
“One of the Sparks of Wonder was inside the Toyshop this whole time! How could I not see that?! I know that whole place and Wonder City Like the back of myself and I never saw it ONCE!” She said as she turned her head around a full three hundred and sixty degrees just to prove her point. This action startled Handyman Hank for a second. But he quickly replied.
“Maybe it’s either in plain sight or a place off limits! “He exclaimed as she turned the corner around and almost turned the kart over.
“That can’t be right! No place in the whole store is off limits to us except…….The BACKROOM!” She exclaimed as she realized what she meant.
Before Handy Hank could ask follow-up questions about what and where the Backroom was, he noticed something in the corner of his eye…..Something big was coming down the hall….something big enough for a normal person to ride on top of!
Dolly Dorthy stopped the Kart right in front of Mr. Wonder’s Toyshop. She waited for Doughboy Jack’s men to raise the shudders again…..But there was no answer. Hank and Dorothy both climbed out of the Kart and knocked hard on the shutter door.
“.....Jack! What gives! We're back and we need to get into the Backroom!” She yelled as she continued to pound on the shudder
One of Doughboy Jack’s private soldiers answered the call through one of the small holes in the shudders.
“So Sorry Miss Dorothy…You know the rules! We can’t move an inch while the janitors are out sweeping the halls!”
“What the hell do you mean!? The Mall Opens in two hours and all the Janitors did their clean sweep yesterday!” Then she and Handy Hank were both suddenly feeling the faint warmth of….headlights! Before she could even react. She was immediately pulled away By Hank from the upcoming machine barreling down the hall! A mere split second later she would have been flattened by her hit and runner!
But her shock was suddenly replaced by outrage as she saw who was on top of that machine……It was the Criptyd Critter Trio on top of one of the Janitor’s floor buffer! Driving it around like they owned it!
“IT'S TIME FOR PAYBACK BUILDER BOY!” All three of them shouted.