CLOSED: Andy's toys, Day 4

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz sat by the windowsill in Andy's room, looking outside and trying to take in all the things he'd been told. About the deaths of two characters, the Darkness and its plans, and the rumors that he'd heard about Minnie Mouse and the Princesses being captured by the Darkness. He didn't know if he believed all that, but it was difficult to get it out of his mind.

[Slinky Dog]

Slinky; who happened to be watching TV nearby, soon noticed Buzz. Having never seen him like this before, Slinky curiously walked up to him. "Hey, you okay, Buzz?" he asked.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz turned his head and said, "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine, Slink. Just uh... thinking, is all."

[Hamm]

Hamm; who was also watching TV, called out to Slinky, "Hey, Slink, you're missin' the best part here."

[Slinky Dog]

Slinky glanced at the TV, then back at Buzz. Then he looked back at the TV, shrugged, and muttered "Aw, he'll be fine." as he turned his attention back to the show.

[Jessie]

Jessie, having distinctly overheard the conversation and realizing that she'd hardly seen Buzz all day, climbed up to the shelf. "Hey, what'cha doin' up here, Buzz?" she asked.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz hesitated, then replied, "Nothing. Just thinking."

[Jessie]

"Oh? What about?" Jessie asked.

[Buzz Lightyear]

With a short sigh, Buzz got up and took a quick look around the bedroom to make sure nobody was watching or listening. "I'd rather not talk about it." he muttered to Jessie, "At least, not in front of the others." He looked around again and said, "Let's go to Andy's dresser. There doesn't seem to be anyone around there."

[Jessie]

Jessie nodded and said, "Alrighty." Then she picked up a racecar and tossed it onto the racetrack; which was conviently set up on that very shelf. "Last one there's a rotten egg!" she called out, as she jumped onto the car and rode it down the track, yodeling along the way. Upon reaching the end of the track, Jessie somersaulted towards the dresser, and landed on her feet just a few inches away.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz stared back, still amazed at how easily Jessie had perfected his move. 'Wow,' he thought, 'she's really something else.' He grabbed another racecar and followed Jessie down the track.

[Slinky Dog]

Having just barely overheard Buzz and Jessie talking nearby and noticing them both go down the racetrack, Slinky turned to Hamm and asked, "Whattaya suppose that was all about?"

[Hamm]

"Your guess is as good as mine." Hamm replied.

[Jessie]

Jessie waited, while Buzz jumped off the end of the track and landed in front of her. "What kept ya, slowpoke?" she joked.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz smirked in response and cleared his throat. "I'd hate to admit this," he said, "but I'm worried about the... the D-A-R-K...-"

[Jessie]

"The Darkness?" Jessie carelessly blurted out.

[Buzz Lightyear]

"SHH!" Buzz hissed, covering her mouth, "Yes."

[Woody]

Woody, who had been listening carefully from a bit away scoffed and walked over toward Buzz and Jessie. He had been warned about the Darkness, but had shrugged it off as something trivial and stupid. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Buzz. It's really nothing."

[Buzz Lightyear]

"Woody, haven't you been paying attention lately?" Buzz responded, "Ever since that whole thing started, two characters have already been killed along with a character host." Buzz looked down in sorrow and added, "A real good one too."

[Jessie]

"He's right, you know." said Jessie, "I hear that poor gal was pretty broken-hearted when she found out her partner was a goner. And nobody's seen Minne, or Ariel, or Belle in days. If the Darkness didn't get 'em, then where could they be?"

[Woody]

Woody shrugged. "You really believe in this Darkness, Jess? I mean, I'll admit it's weird that the girls have gone missing, and three beings have been killed so far, but even you guys have to admit, dying isn't an uncommon event in the world of Disney..."

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz looked back up and said, "Well, I didn't want to believe any of it at first either. In fact, I wish it were all just one big nightmare that I could wake up from and forget all about." Buzz turned to face the rest of the toys; who were all minding their own business and still unaware of the secret meeting going on, then he sighed and shook his head. "But I just can't get it out of my head." he muttered, "If there really is an evil force causing all this, its work has only just begun. It could strike again at any time and any place. Disneyland, EPCOT, Agrabah, the Pridelands, maybe even here in Andy's room!"

[Woody]

Woody rolled his eyes. "You really believe that, Buzz? You really believe that the darkness will show up here in Andy's room? He's after the princesses, and if you haven't noticed, we aren't housing any princesses."

[Jessie]

"I'd hate to turn against ya, Buzz," Jessie said, "but Woody's got a point. And... come to think of it, we are just toys. So attacking us would be kinda pointless, don'tcha think?"

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz couldn't help feeling a bit foolish, realizing the points that they'd both made. "Points taken." he said, "Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. I gotta take my mind off this whole thing somehow." He glanced up at the TV, where Hamm and Slinky were watching it and laughing together. "Hmm... perhaps a good laugh will help. Think I'll go watch TV with them." And with that, Buzz walked away.

[Jessie]

Jessie watched Buzz leave, then turned to Woody. "Well, whatever's goin' on, I just hope it all blows over real soon. I don't know where those girls are, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to be in their boots right now."

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz stopped in his tracks, as he suddenly felt a strange tingling sensation. He soon started to feel dizzy and light-headed. Then he groaned and fell over backwards onto the floor, gaining the attention of all the toys in the room.

[Woody]

Woody quickly jumped to Buzz's side and put an arm around his best friend. "Buzz!" he cried out in surprise. "Buzz, are you okay?!"

[Buzz Lightyear]

Almost instantly, Buzz shoved Woody off him and sprang back up and shouted, "Yeah, I'm fine! Shut up! Nothing happened!" Then he immediately turned around and started walking away.

[Slinky Dog]

Slinky's eyes went wide and he muttered to Hamm, "Did he just say... what I think he said?"

[Hamm]

Hamm replied, "Well, if you think he said 'Yeah, I'm fine! Shut up! Nothing happened!', then yes."

[Woody]

Woody stared after his friend in confusion. "Well, that was strange..." he replied half-heartedly.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Buzz continued on his way, paying little heed to his surroundings. Even going so far as to walk right through and knock over a dominoes display that Robot was setting up, and ignoring the toy robot's angry protests. Then Buzz went even further, by barging through a game of checkers being played by Rex and Mr. Potatohead, kicking several checkers away in the process.

[Mr. Potatohead]

"Hey!" cried a shocked and annoyed Mr. Potatohead, "What's the big idea, Buzz?! We were having a real good game here, until you waltzed through and messed it all up!"

[Jessie]

For a moment, Jessie just watched all this in shock, not knowing what to say. For as long as she'd known him, Buzz had never been this rude and inconsiderate before. Determined to get to the bottom of it, she jumped in front of him with her hands on her hips. "Now just a cotton-pickin' minute, Buzz!" she shouted, "What has gotten into you?"

[Buzz Lightyear]

"Out of my way!" Buzz replied, shoving her away, "I've got things to do at Disneyland."

[Jessie]

Jessie quickly moved back in front of him and said, "Like what? You finished your sets there two hours ago!"

[Buzz Lightyear]

"None of your business! Now get out of my way!"

[Jessie]

Jessie refused to budge. "I'm not movin', until you tell me-..."

[Buzz Lightyear]

Before Jessie could finish, Buzz shoved her hard onto the floor and shouted, "I SAID, OUT OF MY WAY!"

[Woody]

Angry, and appalled, Woody jumped toward Jessie and pulled her to her feet. "What's the big idea, Buzz?! What the hell is the matter with you!?"

[Slinky Dog]

For Slinky, it was the last straw. With a deep growl, he jumped down to the floor and ran up to Buzz; who had ignored Woody and continued towards the ajar bedroom door. Before Buzz could react, Slinky ran his front end around him until he was tightly wrapped up in Slinky's spring mid-section.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Struggle as he might, Buzz couldn't escape. "Untie me, you stupid mutt!" he shouted, "UNTIE ME!"

[Slinky Dog]

"Uh-uh, no way!" Slinky replied, "You ain't goin' nowhere!"

[Woody]

Woody glared at Buzz, grabbed a flashlight off Andy's bedside table, and flipped it on, shining it in Buzz's face. "You WILL tell us what's going on, Lightyear," he demanded.

[Jessie]

As Buzz continued struggling and tried to avert his face from the light, Jessie walked up to him and slapped him across the face. "Start talkin', NOW!"

[Buzz Lightyear]

Suddenly, Buzz stopped struggling. He then let out a moan and slowly started to open his eyes. Then he looked down and blinked in surprise. "Huh? What the...?" he cried, dumbfounded, "What's going on here?"

[Mr. Potatohead]

"Great, now he's playin' dumb!" remarked Mr. Potatohead.

[Hamm]

"Either that, or Jessie hit him harder than she thought." added Hamm.

[Woody]

Cautiously, Woody flipped the light off of the flashlight and walked over to Buzz. Mickey had warned him about this, but at the time, he just brushed it off. "Buzz, you okay?"