Act I, Chapter II

Mingle guides Lilly and Rey to through the Leisure Fields, to Tranquility Town and the Ballerina Queen's Palace, where they meet several inhabitants of Serenity, including the Ballerina Queen herself.

Act I “Peace and happiness awaits you.”

Chapter II

 

              Mingle guided Lilly and Rey along a road pathed with orange, colored sand as they travel south through the Leisure Fields. Lilly and Rey took in the scenery. Gently, rolling fields spanned towards the horizon in all directions, except to the north, where the fields met the hedge maze. Lilly made the comparison to lime sherbert decorated with sprinkles of various colors. Lone trees also occupied the fields, like oaks, ashes, elms and maples. Small ponds occupied the fields, more often than the trees, but not dominating the fields. The sunlight reflected off of the light blue surface of the ponds, fractured by the ripples created by the moderate drafts of wind that swept over all of Leisure Fields.

 

              Lilly’s enthusiasm had turned into a burst of cheerful energy. She skipped across the orange road, like a cartoon princess who just won the lottery. Rey crossed his arms in front of his chest and calmly followed behind Mingle, as Lilly got ahead of them. Lilly eventually made an about face, spinning on one foot, before skipping towards Mingle and Rey. She approached Rey and offers him her arm.

 

              “Come on, Rey” Lilly insisted.

              “I,” Rey said, and then hesitated. “-don’t think so.”

              “You’re no fun. What about you, mister Mingle?”

              “Sure, I’ll join you.” Mingle smiled at the offer. “I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t love a good frolic.”

 

              Mingle locked his arm with Lilly’s arm. The two began skipping down the road and Lilly began humming a happy tune. Rey got uncomfortable with the situation, who groaned under his breath in response to how silly Lilly and Mingle were acting. “Keep up, Rey,” Lilly said, as Rey fell behind the peppy duo. Rey wondered how much longer he would have to put up with the implied excitement that seemed to fester off of Lilly and Mingle, and wondered about what else he may have to suffer through in this strange, happy world.

 

              Lilly, Mingle and Rey spotted a gondola in the distance. The gondola stood above a small slope, near a large pond. Lilly admired the sky blue and hot pink color pattern painted onto the wood of the gondola. A young couple stood in the gondola, who held each other closely and slowly danced in place as they occasionally kissed each other. Lilly waved at the couple from a distance, and they waved back. Lilly and Mingle approached the young couple and their gondola. The romantic couple introduced themselves as August and April, just as Rey caught up to the group. August and April told the story of how they found Serenity.

“Our relationship was not approved of, back where we used to live,” August explained. “We ran away together and eventually came across this place.”

“We never understood how we happened by Serenity to begin with, and we still don’t,” April added. “It doesn’t really matter now, because we never looked back. The one thing that we have left to contend with, was nothing other than our own love.”

 

Lilly sighed in awe at August and April’s story, with doughy eyes and her hands clasped together in front of one side of her face. Rey, on the other hand, had rolled his eyes in disgust, with his mouth perked to one side. Mingle, Lilly and Rey left August and April at their gondola. The two lovers waved a polite goodbye to the three children, as they continued on their journey to the Ballerina Queen’s Palace. Lilly gave the lovers an energetic wave good-bye, as she and the two boys made their way south. August and April smiled charmingly at Lilly’s cheerful farewell.

 

              Mingle, Lilly and Rey continued down the orange path through the Leisure Fields, until they got to the city limits of Tranquility Town. The buildings in Tranquility Town typically supported two colors: one for the main structure and another for the rooftop. The entire town displayed these simple and solid colors, like a series of play blocks piled in stacks. The town was overall a simple place, with small shops and houses, with the occasional factory or mall. The most notable feature in the town was the Ballerina Queen’s Palace, the large pink, Victorian-style estate standing in the center of the town and towering over every other building.

 

              Tranquility Town was fairly populated with people, who all sported colored, blush circles on their faces. Lilly couldn’t help but greet several bystanders who are preforming their daily rounds. Rey of course had to question Lilly why she must greet nearly everyone she meets, for which she replied “Why not?” Mingle brought Lilly and Rey to the Plaza Café, a popular, hangout joint at Tranquility Town’s North Plaza.

 

              “Let’s take a break before we continue to the Palace, shall we,” Mingle requested.

              “Can we explore the area and meet some of the townspeople,” Lilly asked eagerly.

              “I don’t suppose you will have time…but I see no harm in it. Just stay in the North District and don’t linger for too long. I would like to get to the Palace before sundown.”

              “Thank you, thank you, thank you! Come on, Rey!”

              Lilly grabs Rey by the arm and sprints out of the Plaza Café, for which Rey responds with “Hey, take it easy!”

 

              Lilly and Rey’s first stop in the local district was Wacky Wanda’s Bakery. The lobby area is full of tables for customers to enjoy their orders and in the back of the lobby a display of cakes, pies, donuts, cupcakes, brownies, and pastries behind a glass casing. Behind that are shelves full of ingredients, toppings and colorings. Wacky Wanda emerged from behind the confines of where attendants usually stand, in between the glass casing and the shelves. She approached Lilly and Rey and greeted them, welcoming them to her Bakery.

 

              Wacky Wanda was a hefty lady, but she stood tall with pride and perkiness. She has lime green, wiry hair, which sticks out of the sides of her orange, boutique hat. As her name suggests Wacky Wanda, had a strange personality, but it was a happy and energetic personality, which had a great appeal to the other citizens of Tranquility Town. This helped her market her Bakery and the products she has both created and patented for purchase in her Bakery. Wacky Wanda gives to Lilly and Rey a free brownie and a free cinnamon roll respectfully, as welcoming gifts to Serenity and to her Bakery.

 

              Lilly and Rey continued to make rounds to different stores, meeting various proprietors. They met the meek and lanky Weaving Taylor of Taylor’s Tailors. They met the hefty, jovial and bearded McGregor of McGregor’s Hamburgers. They met the warm and elegant Charisma Kara of Kara’s Grocery. They met the chatty and creative Tulip of Tulip’s Arts and Crafts. Among the various proprietors, Lilly and Rey met various bystanders on the sidewalks and in the stores.

 

Rey had a hard time meeting everyone, feeling uncomfortable around the variety of happy and extroverted dispositions, whom of which had a hard time believing was genuine. McGregor went as far as stating “Turn that frown upside-down, son.” This, of-course, annoyed Rey, who promptly told off McGregor “If I feel like smiling, than I will smile, thank you very much.” It would be safe to come to the conclusion that Rey didn’t fit in very well in Tranquility Town.

 

Lilly and Rey returned to the Plaza Café to rejoin with Mingle. Mingle was having a discussion with a broad and stocky man. The man wore a white sailor suit and hat, which were both designed with navy blue lines. His blush circles were navy blue, to reflect his role as a sea captain. Lilly and Rey approached the two and Mingle introduces the two to his guest, Sorley the Sailor Boy. Sorley proudly proclaims to the newcomers to Serenity that he is the one and only Captain of Pleasant Bay. He leads a crew of sailors on the Joyous Molly, a frigate-class ship that he helms to patrol the Bay.

 

Sorley seemed like a robust and hardy individual, but Rey could not buy into it, who was too distracted by the fact that Sorley appeared just as colorful and whimsical as everyone else in Serenity. Rey looked into Sorley’s face with an expression of indifference. Sorley only wondered why Rey- who to him was just a sour, little boy- was looking at him with such an expression. Sorley simply chuckled heartily, and gave Rey a firm pat on the back, which only annoyed Rey.

 

“Cheer up, laddie,” Sorley announced. “If you stay like this, someone may have to do something to brighten your spirits!”

“I’d like to see someone try.”

“He is right, you know,” Mingle added. “You don’t have to be so guarded.”

 

Mingle, Lilly and Rey left the Plaza Café, with Rey being the only one who didn’t wave Sorley good-bye. The three continue on their path, going south and approach the Ballerina Queen’s Palace. They enter the City Park. The City Park is located just outside of the Palace grounds, creating a perimeter between the Palace and the rest of the city.

 

The three children approach the Palace Gate, guarded by two tall, and stiff guards, uniformed much like American minutemen, French dragoons or British guards. Mingle introduced them as members of the Queen’s Guard, a faction not unlike its British counterpart. Unlike their British counterparts, the guards of the Ballerina Queen wore uniforms of brighter colors, like their hot pink hats or golden yellow jackets and varyingly, colored cheeks. The two guards standing at the Gate promptly opened the Gate and let Mingle, Lilly and Rey pass.

 

Mingle and his guests enter through the tall, red doors of the large, pink Palace and into the large and extravagant lobby of red, pink and gold. Mirrors and paintings with silver and golden rims decorate the walls of the lobby. The rest of the Palace is no different than the lobby, sporting the same appearance. Domed lights with golden trims hang from the ceilings of the lobby, hallways and many rooms.

 

Mingle guides Lilly and Rey through a hallway passing by several, friendly servants. The three children arrive in the Palace’s audience chamber, where the Ballerina Queen and her advisor await. The Ballerina Queen stands from her pink and golden throne chair with smiles radiating from her red lips, pink blush and blue eyes, hidden behind black eyeliner. Lilly sighed and grinned at awe of the Ballerina Queen’s yellow and pink, silk ballerina dress, her ribbon-weaved sash fused into the dress and her pink, satin ballerina shoes. Her curly, red hair is contained by a shiny, gold tiara and a firmly, kept bun.

 

Rey briefly raised an eyebrow, in an expression of estrangement at the Ballerina Queen and her advisor. Notably at her advisor, a tall gentleman in a black, formal suit, black, leather shoes and a bluish gray tie. His curvy mustache nearly covers the grey circles on his cheeks. His brown eyes stand out in contrast to his short, clean-cut, raven-black hair and eyebrows.

“Welcome, Mingle,” the advisor announces. “We have been expecting you.”

The Ballerina Queen approaches Mingle, Lilly and Rey and extends her hand to Lilly. “We have heard of your arrival from the Administrator’s pigeon. Lilly, is it?”

“Yes, mam,” Lilly responds, her eyes brighten from the Queen’s greeting.

“We have no need for formalities here, young lady,” the Queen insists. “No ‘mams’, ‘your majesties’ or ‘your highnesses’ here. You can call me Ullani.” The Queen smiles.

“You have such a pretty name. I’m so excited to meet you!”

Rey rolls his eyes and perks the side of his mouth.

“-and you must be Reynard.”

“Yeah,” Rey asks. “What of it?”

“Can I offer you my assurance that you don’t have to be reserved around us here? Serenity welcomes you, child.”

Rey gives Ullani annoyed look. “Great. Dually noted.”

Ullani kneels in to hug Rey, bewildering Rey and annoying him even more than he already is. Rey would have tried to pull Ullani off of him, but his arms and torso were pinned by Ullani’s embrace. Lilly was amused by the fact that Rey being somewhat tortured by Ullani’s affectionate welcome.

“Oh, yes,” Ullani added, after releasing Rey from her hug. “The man you see with me is Zorion. He is known as the Advisor and is my closest assistant, here to help me with any and all decisions, regarding Serenity.”

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you,” Zorion responds. “I must inform you of the guest rooms our maids have prepared for your arrival.”

“Mingle could you show Lilly and Rey to the Guest Wing, please?”

“Gladly,” Mingle answers. “Let’s go, shall we?”

 

Mingle guides Lilly and Rey into the second floor of the Guest Wing. He presents to Lilly and Rey Guest Rooms 209 and 211, before leaving their company in the hallway and saying his polite “goodnight”. Rey sighs a deep sigh the moment Mingle turns from the closest corner of the hallways.

“If I had to be around that kid for another minute, I would have probably knocked him square in the jaw,” Rey states.

“Oh lighten up,” Lilly responds. “You know, this place will do some good for you.”

 “Yes, of course. We’ll linger here another day, before I will allow you to define ‘good’ to me.”