#and what I got from the other actors was a whistle on a lanyard that would call Flapjack back over

[alighted-willow]

Today on things that I never thought would wake me up: hauling two full grown men and sliding their weightless forms through a giant cardboard coin slot before moving back to the main set, telling the other actors "[something something] I found it on their corpses” only for the director to remind me of the PG rating. We tried to redo the scene, me saying something like "I found it on their limp limbs… while they were knocked out” but couldn’t stop laughing. I finally managed a good take, but burst out laughing when the actor I was saying it to was trying to swallow back their hilarity.

And then my giggling woke me up.

My cat was looming over me, trying to figure out what the heck his unconscious mamma was going on about.

[creativeskullcreations]

Okay, look, I know I’m not supposed to start a whole other fic while I’m working on one already, but this idea is just calling to me, okay. I don’t know when exactly this one will be posted, so have an unedited preview.

"Lydia!" Mary called out. "Here's Stacy, ready and able to work." The false cheer she was exuding was almost painful to hear, though Lydia didn't seem to mind. "I'll see you and your brother after work. Do what Lydia says. And," She looked Stacy in the eye. "I do not want to hear about any incidents. UNderstood?" Stacy nodded mutely, and Mary turned on her heel and left.

"Alright!" She said. She pulled a lanyard out of her pocket and handed it to Stacy. "Here ya go kid. Great to have you on the team!" Oh, she was going to be one of those people. Stacy looked at the ID, then frowned.

"Uh, how does this already have my picture on it?" She asked.

"Oh, your mom brought one in so it'd be ready for you.. The young woman smiled. "Now, put that on and I'll give you the grand tour!"

"She's not my mom." Stacy replied automatically. She still put on the iID and followed Lydia through the doors and onto the Set.

It was the most hectic place she'd ever been. And that included middle school.

People were rushing everwhere, a group of five yeaolds, Danny included, were in the middle of a game of tag while another assistant tried to corral them.

"Oh good lord." Stacy muttered faintly. Lydia just inhaled and gave a large smile.

'Looks like it's going to be a great day today!" She said. Stacy just gave her a worried look. "COme on! I'll introduce you to Riley first. She's probably the one you'll be helping out the most."

They made their way through the set, occasionally having to dodge prop people. As they got closer to the Lab Set, Stacy could hear voices.

"No! No no no! That is not right!" And there was Riley Ruckus, puppeteer already behind the counter. "I gave you the instruction, in plain black and white! These beakers go here, the scales go there! And the chalk board should hang in the air!" THe puppet through her hands up, obviously exasperated. A golden retriever barked beside her, and she sighed. "Not now, Rosco!"

"Hellooo Doc~" Lydia leaned onto the counter. "Sounds like the minions are treating you rough."

"Ah, Lydia. Finally someone most excellent!" She clapped her hands together, turning away from the two assistants, who quickly scurried away. "And it looks as though you've brought the new assistant."

"Yep!" She clapped Stacy on the shoulder and brought her in closer. "This here is Stacy, Mary's oldest."

"Not my mom..." The girl growled out, pushing the woman's arm off of her. SHe drew back when Riley suddenly stuck a hand in her face.

"It is a pleasure to meet you STacy. I'm sure our time together will be just peachy!"

Stacy glanced between the offered hand and Lydia, unsure what to do. She was saved from making a choice by Rosco jumping up between them, paws on the girl's chest. Stacy yelled in response, jumping back and letting the animal fall to the floor.

"Rosco no! Down boy!" Riley scolded as Stacy quickly backed away. She ducked behind Lydia as the puppet ordered her pet to heel, bringing him back behind the counter.

"My apologies, he can get quite excited when seeing someone new." Riley explained once she'd gotten him to sit. "I assure you he meant only to greet and not harm you."

"Yeah." Stacy gasped out, taking a deep breath. "No... no problem."

She was sure she'd never be able to figure out how, but somehow the actor made Riley actually look a bit worried about her. Before it could go anywhere, however, Lydia grabbed her around the shoulders and started to walk away.

"I'd better go introduce her to the others. I'll see ya later Doc!" She said with a wave, which the puppet returned. Stacy gave her own, small wave, though it didn't last long.

"Okay, so we've still got to introduce you to Nicky, and then Daisy, and then get everything set up for the "dress rehearsal"." Lydia told her as they walked. "You'll love them, don't worry."

"Mmm..." Stacy wasn't so sure. It was one thing to see the Puppets on TV, but another, scarier thing to see them in real live. WHat she'd though was just tricks to make them move so realistically didn't like what was really happening. 'Would it be worse or better if they were animatronics?'

They approached the Art Studio set, and to Stacy's "luck" saw both Nick and Daisy behind the table.

Daisy was "leaning" back against the table in what was almost a pose, while Nick was behind an easel, checking around it everynow and then as he aboviously painted her.

"Well this will make things a bit easier." Lydia said as she approached, making both puppets look at her. She gestured to Stacy. "THis is Stacy. She'll be working with us for the Summer."

"Delighted to meet you." Nick Nack said in his clipped accent before turning back to his work.

"It's a pleasure, honey." Daisy said, not dropping out of her pose. "Danny's told all of us so much about you."

"I'm not surprised." Stacy said in return, uncomfortable. "I've told him before he needs to talk about something other than me to people."

"Oh, he's told us nothing but good things, sweetie." Daisy assured as she turned her head back.

"That's not the point..." The girl muttered, but she was ignored as Lydia went around the table and whistled at the painting.

"Lookin' good NIcky!" She said, slapping him on the back. He just barely avoided smearing paint all over it as he was jolted forward.

"LYdia, please don't do that again." He told her with the tone of someone who had said that several times before. "And the name is Nick."

The woman just laughed. "Sure thing Nicky. Good luck on the painting." She started walking away, pausing just long enough to motion Stacy to follow her. "COme on kid! It's time we start getting everything set up!"

As it turned out, being an assistant mostly meant helping set up props, getting the kids to sit still, and fetching stuff for the actors that they refused to go get themselves. Stacy especially resented that last one, espeically when Nick Nack kept sending her to go get different paint sets, insisting each time that what she'd gotten him wasn't "right".

'His legs aren't broken! Just put the puppet down and get yourself if I keep doing it wrong!' But she bit her tongue, knowing that any mouthing off would be reported to Mary, and she really didn't want a worse punishment than this.