Dizgaia ~ The Dreamfinder's Daughter

Chapter 18 ~ An Illuminating Performance

Monday morning, Dr. Channing called a meeting in the main lecture hall of the Institute. Attendance was mandatory, and all employees were present, from the most brilliant of Imagineers like Professor Brainard to even the humble Miss Bonnie Appetite.

"As you know, Princess Cindy and Princess Snow have asked us all to come together and create magnificent displays to incorporate into the parade celebrating the return of Professor Mercurial's daughter," he announced. "We're really coming down to the wire here. We've got one week left to get everything finished, so I do hope you all are working diligently on your projects. That being said, off with you all! Chop chop!"

"He called a meeting just to say chop chop?" Tadashi muttered to Flynn. "What does he think we are, children?"

"I don't know, man. Sometimes I think Channing just like to hear himself talk. Speaking of which, what've you got in mind for your float, Tadashi?"

"Uh-uh," said Tadashi with a mischievous schoolboy smile. "I wouldn't want to give away the surprise. Trade secret and all."

"You're going to do something with the Baymax units."

"All right, smartass. What are you doing for Miandra's parade celebration?"

Flynn frowned and shook his head. "I honestly don't know, man."

Flynn wandered aimlessly throughout the institute that morning, trying desperately to come up with the perfect parade float for Mia. He kept coming up blank. He wanted to do something special, something that would make for a real good apology. But he'd never been any good at this sort of thing. If he was going to do something special for Mia, he was going to need some help. He knew who he needed to seek out, and it wasn't one of the Institute's brilliant Imagineers.

An hour after lunch, Flynn arrived in the Institute's cafeteria. He cut through the kitchen and into a private room beyond. This was the personal office and de facto dressing room of Bonnie Appetite. Her door sat ajar, so Flynn approached and peeked inside.

Today, Bonnie was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a white peasant blouse. Between showtimes, she'd been practicing for her part in the parade to celebrate the return of Blair's daughter. Bonnie's hair was held up in a clip with wisps and tendrils hanging down. For Bonnie, this was casual wear, unlike the choir of holographic children now standing before her, who were dressed in tuxes and cute little church dresses.

"Gemma, dear, please fix your hair. I won't ask you again," she told one of the little holographic girls. "And Rylan," she said to a little holo boy who was dancing around in a pair of boxers and making faces, "Please change back into a tuxedo."

In the blink of an eye, the little boy summoned a tuxedo onto his body.

"There," said Bonnie, pushing tendrils of hair out of her face. "That's better. From the top now." In a sing-song voice, she said, "Tomorrow's Child..." She moved her arms as though she were conducting, and the children began to sing.

"Tomorrow's child..."

"Gathering gifts from our past," sang Bonnie. "Tomorrow's child..."

"Tomorrow's child..."

"Shaping a world that will last..."

"Flynn!"

The holographic children rushed past Bonnie to intercept the man who'd just entered. They ran circles around him, shouting his name excitedly.

"Flynn! Flynn! Hi, Flynn! Hiya, Flynn!" A little holo boy leapt up and grabbed onto Flynn's arm, swinging weightlessly from his bicep.