Meanwhile, in another hub of the park, there flashed a red neon sign, with the words 'Villains Pub, Baddies Welcomed!' The place looking what a seven year old might think a seedy bar might look like. Swinging wooden doors, low lights, and music playing about how 'It's Good to be Bad!' But otherwise was pretty much the same as the other mascot hubs.
Inside were the various antagonistic characters, laughing and drinking (soft) cider before their shift started.
The black hat villain of the wild west section, Robin Banks, the well-dressed Count of the Halloween section, Queen Slitherina of the nagas of the jungle section, Burningstein the Red Dragon (who had to use the extra-large tunnels underneath the park).
There was also the goblin attack squad captain, made with detachable parts, even a beheading didn't slow him down as he just had to reached out and put it back on when the show was done. Most of the other goblins in the attack squad were mindless empty mascots without any spiritual essence (which to the mascots were especially creepy). The donors of the goblins who had life of their own had all been juvenile delinquents, now their spiritual essence transfused offspring could be the 'bad kids' all they wanted.
Mona the little witch and the monster Tim The Terrible downed ginger ale (not to be confused with ginger beer, shame on you!),
The villain mascots knew there was nothing actually keeping them from hanging out with the others, Mona had hung up with Heartfelt Heather several times at the anime style mascot lounge (the newest addition to the park), but it was fun to hang out with those who did the same work as you in the park. Then there was the Black Knight, who would sometimes fight the other knights, and other times help them, the park was obviously building up a mystery with him, but he was keeping his trap shut on what that was! This made guests all the more eager to come back.
There were naturally as many more as needed for each section of the park.
A towering minotaur sat behind the counter (with a heart shaped frame of Matilda), only wearing a barkeep's apron. He looked at the clock and raised a glass.
"Who provides conflict?!"
"WE DO!" The other villains shouted.
"Without who would the heroes have nothing to do?!"
"US!"
"Who makes sure to keep things interesting around here?!"
"US!" Jingle the cat raised a glass.
"Who loses so the heroes win?!"
"US!" Mona shouted.
"We're Bad Guys, but that doesn't mean we're all that bad!"
"We're the baddies and that's good for us!"
The various villains gave each other a pat on the back and told each other good luck.
-
The morning of town patrol was blissfully nice for them most part. You would walk about town, saluting to the security big cats. You didn't get asked to stop for photos as most of the mascots, but you didn't mind. You also bumped into a six foot tall doll with blond pigtails and red bows.
"Excuse me madam!" You bowed, and the cute giant doll bowed back and the two of you went your separate ways without missing a beat.
You were also stopped by a red cat woman who only covering was her own fur and a jester's hat. While that might have given the impression of a court jester, you did know she wasn't from the Fantasy Kingdom.
"Hmmmm... Ah dangit. Looks like Zoey didn't get you! Too bad! Oh well, there's plenty of fun to have with the others."
"Excuse me madam, what does thou mean?"
"Nothing. Name's Jingles the cat. You could call me a prankster who likes to discuss philosophy and enjoy the occasional conspiracy theory. You confident 'sure of their place in the world' types aren't much fun for me, but seeing them squirm forever would be even more boring, so I guess I like to see them find their own two feet instead of fearing if they're themselves or not. See ya around brave knight!" Jingles hopped up a building like she had springs in her feet.
There was also a would be pick pocket who ceased his misdeed halfway when he realized you were looking at him. You informed the security cat Chelly of, and the would be thief was shadowed until he left the park.
Then toon time came, and your knightly duty brought you to your homeland. Entering Fantasy Kingdom was something else. It was hard to truly believe it was the same park! It truly was like setting foot in another world. Even the sky and forest somehow gave the impression of a professionally done backdrop painting, except you could step into it!
It was most definitely the most white-washed, cheerful, clean, idealistically, sugar coated depiction of a fantasy filled middle-ages you'd ever seen, and you couldn't be happy. You sense of belonging in the rest of the park was nothing compared to here! You were MORE complete here than you could remember being! And the humble mongoose bard playing his lute that fit perfectly in the background.
In spite of being as naked or mostly naked as the rest of the animal mascots, the managed to fit into their themes and roles perfectly. Though there were more human-type mascots here than you'd seen anywhere else, with animal type mascots actually being in the minority! Mascot called pies for sale, and other treats made that morning along with modern snakes like burgers and fries.
Your designs had obviously gone to a lot of sweat and tears to make sure none of you crossed into the uncanny valley, being simplistic and exaggerated enough to be endearing, while not being human like enough to be off-putting. You felt a sense of pride at this.
There was also the magnificently made wizard's tower with a giant glowing blue crystal on top. With an advertisement from Azure the Wizard (another human type) offering to turn child and adult guests alike a chance to become mascots for one afternoon. There was quiet the waiting list.
"Come back here Masked Mongoose!" Shouted Dame Scarlet, "I don't have time for your nonsense today!"
A mongoose wearing a black mask and a green cloth outfit skipped along carrying a sack of gold coin. "Just helping the market along! We all have our roles to play!"
Dame Scarlet threw her chakram, that split open the sack, and returned to her without trouble. The Masked Mongoose was forced to abandon his spoilers.
You wonder where that mongoose bard went, oh well. (Could they be one and the same? How absurd was that? The Masked Mongoose wore a mask, the mongoose minstrel did not, how could they possibly be the same?).
Dame Scarlet sighed with a tired smile. Sometimes she wished she had the job of the other princesses, having tea parties with little girls and judging contests, (and the occasional kidnapping by dragon)... but being cooped up like that would be too much for her! Didn't mean she disliked the other princesses, they were a delight to hang out with, grass greener on the other side and all that.