Open; it's my life, your life, live it once can't live it twice

[chocolatepudding]

Who: Dustin Henderson, you
Where: Wonderland stairwells, sometimes a hallway
When: Febuary 1st
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Someone gave Dustin a ping pong ball launcher. Someone else gave Dustin whipped cream cans. What's the worst that can happen?
The Story:

Wonderland should be thankful Dustin's held off for this long, honestly. It's taken all of his self-control not to go crazy in December with the stuff, but after a month he finally caves in.

Dustin is ready. He's been practicing for weeks on targets. It's time for better targets, though, it's time for people.

The curly haired preteen has planned and plotted carefully: he wakes up earlier than usual at a whooping nine o'clock in the morning and gathers his instruments. A backpack filled with ping pong balls, a few chocolate bars and even an apple because he's healthy like that. In a small dufflebag goes the ping pong launcher he'd received from Jane, as well as six cans of whipped cream. He's half tempted to tie his hair out of his face with a cool bandanna, Rambo-style like Lucas did, before settling on his usual hat. He double checks to make sure he has everything, looks at himself in the mirror, slaps his cheeks because that's what the cool people in the movies do, winces because of said cheek slap, and exits his room to begin his ascent to the top of the stairs stairs of the Wonderland mansion.


Ping Pong Gone Wild
Citizens of the Wonderland mansion, if you were planning on using the stairs for any purpose on this beautiful day, be prepared. Dustin is on the prowl, hunting and stalking his prey. That prey? You.

Or, more accurately, he's perched atop one of the highest points he can reach without actually climbing--that's too much effort--and he's crouched, ping pong ball launcher at the ready, looking down at his kingdom below. The moment someone comes and Dustin knows he has the shot, he's launching a stream of four or five ping-pong balls, aiming for their backs. He quickly ducks back along the railing, hoping not to get caught, but it's fairly easy to pinpoint his location if you listen to the laughter. Notably, his hat can be seen over the railings, no matter how low he ducks.

He tries to keep his targets to people that at least look like they can take a joke, but the urge hits him occasionally to stick it to the incredibly intimidating types.


Ping-Pong II: Headshot edition
It was only a matter of time before Dustin's aim messes up and he actually winds up hitting someone in the face. Maybe his hand slipped, or they turned at an odd angle, but either way, Dustin drops the toy and immediately starts bounding down the stairs.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god--are you okay? Please tell me you're okay, I can't be responsible for someone going blind. Holy shit--holy shit, please tell me you're okay."


Whipped Cream Fiasco
Eventually, just shooting people from above gets boring. Realistically, it's just that his legs are starting to cramp from crouching too much, so it's time to move onto phase two. He's still around the stairs, but this time it's hallways, nonchalantly leaning against a wall. There's absolutely nothing suspicious or shady about him just standing there, not at all. Not a single bit. Nope.

The moment someone passes him, though, Dustin springs into action. Two cans of whipped cream at the ready, he gives his best action-movie-hero shout and sprays.

Here's hoping Wonderland has dry cleaning.

[OOC: will match prose of brackets! If you have anything specific in mind or any questions, feel free to message me at chasekat.]

Comments

Ping Pong Gone Wild

[catchacold]

[Given his history, it's no surprise that the first reaction to being shot at is to duck and go for cover. It doesn't keep three of the balls from hitting him and when Leonard looks up he's not only rubbing the back of his head with one hand, but also holding said three balls in his other hand.

And looking the way of the giggle explains quite a lot, immediately. Leonard walks back until he's almost at the edge of the staircase, able to spot the wall behind Dustin. Then he throws, twice, in quick succession, aiming for the wall and hoping to have gotten the angle right to make the balls ricochet off it and hit Dustin.

He doesn't play billiard just to pass the time.]

It's on.

[chocolatepudding]

[ When Leonard comes up the stairs, Dustin uses every single ounce of his self control not to yell and go nuts. He has to have patience. He has to wait for it, get the right moment, and--

Woah, he's not expecting him to catch that stuff. Dustin ducks just in time, unable to stop his laughter this time. At least he'd nailed Leonard, and a small part of him thinks that this is how it always should be between them--just fun. No serious conversations, no weird dimensions, just Len acting like a cool brother.

Dustin's ducking down, trying not to be too obvious, and he's about to peek his head out when he gets hit on the shoulder with one, too-- ]

Ninja skills aren't allowed, Len!

[ He still scoops the balls up, reloading his launcher. It is on. ]

[catchacold]

I'm a crook, Dustin. I cheat!

[Not that having good aim is really cheating, but having over a thirty years of experience on him might be. He moves the ping pong balls in his hand, between his fingers, dexterity not really an issue for someone as skilled at pickpocketing as he is.]

You could just give up now...

[chocolatepudding]

Bullshit! [ It's shouted from behind cover, as he loads the last one in. ] You're not a crook, you're a hero, that's so obvious.

[ Keep him talking. Wait until he's distracted, and then assault him. That's Dustin's plan. ]

[catchacold]

Wonder if you'll still say that in ten minutes.

[What's going to happen in ten minutes? He'll just let it be a surprise. A particularly ominous surprise.

As he talks he's also moving, slowly higher up the staircase, keeping an eye on where he knows Dustin's hiding.]

[chocolatepudding]

[ Oh God. Oh, shit-- ]

What's going to happen in ten minutes?

[ Should he duck? Switch? Find a new place? He's got five minutes to decide and Len's footsteps are getting closer... ]

[catchacold]

Oh, you'll see. No spoilers.

[Just him slowly walking further up the staircase, while sounding not so vaguely threatening.]

Hope you're ready.

[chocolatepudding]

[ OH GOD that's terrifying.

Dustin counts to three. One, two--no, screw it.

As fast as he can, he darts out. His goal? Towards Len, and then maybe dive between his legs or do a quick pass. Anything to get down the stairs so he can avoid the wrath of Snart.

If he yells a lot like he is now, he'll be able to throw him off guard. Right? ]

[catchacold]

[Since Leonard neither wants his legs to get rammed by a kid nor said kid to get hurt ramming his legs, he actually sidesteps him and seemingly lets Dustin get away.

Seemingly, because he has promised something and he wouldn't want to disappoint, so he quickly reaches behind himself, catching Dustin around the middle and lifting him up over his shoulder, so his head hangs down behind his back and he can change to just holding him by his legs.]

Better hold still, Dustin, I hear landing on your head's not healthy.

[chocolatepudding]

[ Dustin won't admit it, but that incredibly girlish shriek that just came out of him is completely and utterly legit. It's more than a yelp--it's an absolutely ridiculous noise as his hat topples to the floor.

Wow, Snart's strong. And the world looks absolutely crazy upside down. ]

You're a MONSTER!

[catchacold]

[Leonard is relatively strong and Dustin really isn't all that heavy, but if this impresses him, all the better. He manages to catch Dustin's hat and places it on his own head quickly, then both hands are on Dustin's ankles again, to make sure he doesn't accidentally let him fall.]

Hey, you don't start shit you can't finish. Free life lesson, kid.

[That said he walks him to the top of the stairs where he finally lets him down again, looking down with an amused expression, Dustin's hat still perched on top of his head.]

I'm keeping that.

[chocolatepudding]

No.

[ Over Dustin's dead goddamn body. That's his hat. He jumps, trying to reach it, to somehow snatch it off of Leonard's head. ]

No you're not, it looks dumb on you.

[ Another jump. ]

[catchacold]

Think you can blame the hat for that.

[Given the height difference Leonard has on Dustin, he's not too bothered, instead he simply stays where he is and leans a hand on the banister.]

You give me that gun and hold still and then I'll give you the hat back.

[So very sinister.]