Zen and The Magic Kingdom

Doesn't Unzipped make the most awesome outfits? 

   I was playing Pazaak with Zen, learning the rules of the game which is like Texas Hold'em poker. I have never played poker, so it took some teaching, but it is not a difficult game  and soon I even won one!
   He saw me rubbing my shoulder with a pained expression and asked of course if I was alright.
   "Oh! Yes, yes not to worry, it looks quite colorful, but it has healed much since two nights back."
   "I sense,,, something about this injury, Wendy..."  He is impossible to conceal things from, just a word to those of you trying to hide things from Jedi.
   "Oh, It is nothing; Two nights ago I walked in the woods of Newcastle under bright full moon light, and something chased me, a wolf I think. It pinned me from behind, I ,, I recall its eyes... but,   am having trouble remembering the rest,,, surely things are fine though, thank you for worrying."
   After he regaled me for an hour about the dangers of animal bites, and legendary tales of mystical men that can transform into wolves on the full moon, I was no longer in a fond mood, pouting and sullen, and yes, worried. I have never worried about vampires, I have many friends that are such! They do not prefer my high-pressure refined hydraulic oil, nor the steam that powers the vapour lines, so we exist in harmony. But werewolves? Curses? Could a curse affect a clockwork person?
   His eyes were affectionate and his words uplifting; "I know what you need,, a road trip!"
   When someone says that to you,, do you immediately imagine the new shoes or hat you might need, with intense glee? Is it just the cause-and-affect of my creation, that I feel this? I was instantly ecstatic!
   "An adventure?  where? How will we travel? Will I need a new hat?" I was bubbly and had not even  heard where! I rubbed my shoulder as he spoke.
   "A Magic Kingdom."
   What could I say? I stared in awe, the little room's quiet void of sound broken only by my soft gasp and the ticking I guess, you know.
   "M,, Magic,,,   Kingdom,,,, Like, with castles, and Magic Princesses and twinkling lights and scary monsters and explosions and music and ,, and ,,,, and everything?"
   He laughed, I seem to have a comical stammer, which pleases me that it makes others smile! 
   "Grab some comfy shoes, modern clothing,, and I will by you a new hat!"
   Standing on the platform of the Caledon Air Transport Blimp Service, We did look a bit odd for Victorian folk, but very quickly we found ourselves wearing...

Sarah's Magic Kingdom inherited many of the wonders from the old Mouseworld sims, but with more!

MOUSE EARS!

   It is soooo cute! I have a mouse ear hat! Many others had one too, or pointed and smiled at mine.
   The music of the place was loud and happy, adventurous and fun! We stood and took in the scenery of the enormous park, all the people, then started walking in dazed circles at it all.

Every attraction has notes on the original in 1st Life, the Mousworld version, very detailed

   We stood and marveled at the enormous manor home on the hill, much like some I have seen in Caledon Moors, or Glengarry. Zenmondo pointed with a playful look, overly dramatic and infectious.
   "Beware,, do not go there,, for they say it is,,, HAUNTED!"
My key stopped, for just a second, goosebumps rising on every inch of my skin! Then I clued in to his wry smile, and smacked him with my purse.
   "You! I nearly,,, I was,,, " needy fingers gripped his expensive shirt and hugged him, I laughed.
   "We must discover if these rumours are true!" I used his same melodramatic tone, snickering as we walked up to the giant building, but I still clung to his left arm, leaving his right arm free for his light sabre, just in case.

Every turn was lovingly and faithfully created

Wait, she was not a cat a moment ago..

A spooky man's voice warned us at our approach into the small room, and then ,, the room fell! He told us of some of the ghosts of the mansion as the elevator room dropped us to an expansive hall with moving tea-cup style booths. We snuggled closely as the chair took us from room to room, and the ghostly voice explained to us, the living, (does that include me, technically?) of those who dwell in the Haunted Mansion.

in mouselook you spin right into that face...

Everything moves! The manor is haunted!!

Seemingly authentic audio track, with SL sounds enhancing, AMAZING

Zen never mentioned the fingernail punctures  from my gripping his arm as certain things happened, but  even he had to admit;

It is all fun and games till a ghost joins you in your booth!
 The booth stopped, and um,  I was OK, mostly...

Well, after a moment of composure.

And then,, we ran outside, laughing and babbling like children! HOW FUN!

We were so fortunate! Just outside the mansion, a small gift shop had sprung up! Can you believe that the ghosts were selling haunted portraits and T- shirts? Who would pass up that opportunity?

Authentic down to the bird comic act while waiting in line, Bravo!

Zen managed to stop my mouth long enough to point me at two others, talking even more than I was! Birds!
  A room of talking birds, that sing, and dance? with magic fountains, moving colorful lights and choreography? That is quite clearly impossible, is it not?

The show is the authentic 26 minute long production!

  Quite Possible.

I had to get the T-shirt, who would not?

We sung and whistled as we walked out of the Tiki Lounge, looking for something greasy and breaded to eat.
"Wendy, shall we try the Terror Tower next?"  His smile was full of challenge. Mine was a simple doll smile.
  This is where I should explain, a smile is a natural reaction to nearly any stimulus, for those of us created to make others happy.   Very handy that; as it gives a perception that is sometimes not at all what our brains are deducing, and helps prevent a blurted answer that does not break the Doll Laws.

   "You should wait, the Electric Light Parade begins any moment, and the brand new fireworks show starts tonight!"
   A terribly precious young girl stared up at us, and I confess I felt like the child, and she the adult.   We stood next to the child, seeing as nobody was there for her safety, and asked her questions about the amazing park. Her name was

 Sarah Nikitin-Sandalwood. Her mother is Meg Fieri, she said, who owns the nearby sim of authentic Ireland communities, O ' Hare's Gap. I had met her mom and we talked about how awesome her villages are, while Zen acquired our HUDs. Like the other attractions, we had to get the free HUD and wear it. It caches the sound files so they are in sync with the animations, streaming high def sound files! No sooner did I get the HUD on then trumpets heralded the LONG  parade with original electro-music!

It was real!

We applauded  and pointed, truly amazing!

If your name is Wendy, you appreciate this float.

No sooner than could our hands stop clapping and applauding the spectacular parade, the entire park's lights lowered, track lights on the  castle began dancing in a choreography which surely took weeks to create.
   "Listen!"  Zen popped the last coconut shrimp in my mouth, successfully stopping my blathering to dear Sarah as a voice began speaking about Wishes; wishes of a Genie, wishes of a peasant girl who would be a Princess, wishes a heart makes,, not just any wise guru or philosopher, but none other than The Jiminy Cricket!

Then the fireworks mesmerized us...

Lasting forever, but far too short.

The finale was soooo worth it!

We all stood in silent appreciation, and I told Zen that we needed to straightway find the creator and owners and relay our heartfelt appreciation. Tip jars garnered some of our Lindens but it simply was not enough, we HAD to personally convey our appreciative congratulations!  Some would find a polite way to back out of such a quest. Some would. But not some. Some fight against their own frailties to make your life better. Some give you scares and  Polynesian drums, some give you fireworks, and dreams. Some are Jedis, knights in shining armor, sterling as silver. Zen  immediately looked around for the signs directing us to the Main Office, and those who tirelessly sacrifice no small amount if time, effort and expense to bring this very real joy to people around the world, every day.
   But we did not have to look far.

Sarah, our new friend, is the namesake of Sarah's Magic Kingdom! With a tear in her eye she accepted our gushes of praise, of course giving credit to others  as well, as a proper young lady would. And we, as proper adults of Victorian society, knew otherwise. She then suggested before we left, to visit the museum, dedicated to the original MouseWorld sim, where much of the displays had originated. We waved goodbye to Sarah and wandered the expansive museum.

Every display had a rich story

Mouseworld is gone but Keph's magic lives on

Read the story about the crying mouse, you will join him

Note Mouseworld's Security chief's name

Zen noted me yawning, and try as I might I simply could not stay awake another minute. I had one of the best times anyone in any world, First or Second Life, can have! So many other exhibits, so many more rides and attractions, and Sarah said more were coming! We are SOO glad that our second lives have Sarah and her Magic Kingdom in them! The flight back to Cape Wrath was quick, and we terrorized the other riders as I told them all about our day, running up and down the aisle of the dirigible, acting out the birds, the ghosts, and such.  My mouse eared hat now sits on my nightstand, and I will remember this wonderful, magical day forever.

((LINDEN LABS- PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW SIMS LIKE THIS TO COLLAPSE INTO THE COLD VOID OF LOSS, CAUSED WHEN GREED TRUMPS ARTISTIC WORTH. LEARN FROM THE TRAGIC LOSS OF MOUSEWORLD, OR THE METAVERSE SHAKESPEARE GLOBE THEATER'S DEMISE, AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE CLEARLY SUPPORTING YOU. THIS SIM IS TRULY, TRULY MAGICAL.))

(THIS time, I did not forget the SLurl!   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Toyah/205/161/52  )