Second Floor Common Room, Wednesday Afternoon

[puppy_fair]

Now that Zack was officially done with classes for the summer, it was time for a little getting out and about and being social. It was also, Zack decided, the perfect time to get the gerbil that Deadpool had given him out for some exercise.

And that was why, armed with a hamster ball and a bunch of notebooks, Zack was hard at work constructing the most epic gerbil floor-maze the second floor common room had ever seen!

Poor, poor Mr. Winkles.

[Open, as common rooms tend to be!]

Comments

[puppy_fair]

"I bet we could probably order something like that over the internet," Zack mused.

This was why they weren't allowed to have nice things, wasn't it?

[momslilassassin]

"And if not, how hard can it be to make?" Ben asked, frowning thoughtfully. "Heavy plastic, something to make airholes, a door. It's not exactly rocket science."

[puppy_fair]

"I bet we could do it with a bunch of plastic wrap and some really big hoops," Zack mused. "I mean, the plastic would have to be see-through, right? So you'd need something clear like that. But it'd probably take a lot of layers, too."

[momslilassassin]

"A lot, if it's going to not smash together if we bounce down some stairs," Ben mused.

[puppy_fair]

"Hmm. Good point. Maybe we could use some clear tarp and some duct tape, instead? That's a little more sturdy!"

They were doomed.

[momslilassassin]

So doomed. "That could work," Ben said, nodding. "Or maybe, like, cheap glass."

Ben. NO.

[puppy_fair]

"Cheap glass?"

Oh, that could only end in tears.

"Maybe that would be more for rolling around a flat surface than it might be for crashing down the stairs. Though it would be more sturdy for outside. Oh, unless we could find a way to shape plexiglass! That's kinda the same idea, right?"

[momslilassassin]

"Totally!" Ben agreed. "Think they have some at the junkyard?"

[puppy_fair]

"If they'd have it anywhere, they'd have it there!"

Because nothing screamed 'human hamster ball' like plexiglass that had been festering in the junkyard for Shiva knows how long.

[momslilassassin]

It'll smell great inside. Truly. "We should go look," he decided. "And surprise Leto and Arthur with them!"

[puppy_fair]

"I'm all for it!"

You would be, Zack.

[momslilassassin]

"And then we could set up a really big obstacle course," Ben said gleefully.

[puppy_fair]

"Okay, now you know we have to do this. With barrels and logs and stuff!"

[momslilassassin]

"And things that explode!"

Fifteen year old boy. Sorry.

[puppy_fair]

Pfft. Like it bothered Zack? He was still a month shy of sixteen, himself. Explosions were awesome.

"Lots of things that explode!"

See?

[momslilassassin]

"I'm sure no one will really mind," Ben said. "I mean, people'll only set off the explosions if they veer off course or something right?"

[puppy_fair]

"Oooh, that's right! If we set up maybe a minefield on either side, that'll be sort of a real-life incentive to stay on the track!"

Because cling-wrap or plexiglass were awesome at protecting people in a minefield. Sure.

[momslilassassin]

Little advertised fact about plexiglass, maybe?

"Maybe we should try the obstacle course out on a gerbil-size scale first before we try to get so many explosives," Ben said wisely.

[puppy_fair]

"That might be a good idea. If Mr. Winkles can do it, any of us can!"

Said Zack about the gerbil that he'd gotten from Deadpool. That critter probably knew how to disarm nuclear weapons or something.

[momslilassassin]

It might be the only thing to save that poor, poor creature.

"Exactly," Ben said, nodding. "I'm sure that will reassure Arthur."

[puppy_fair]

"Tried and true," Zack agreed, bouncing a little. Mr. Winkles was decidedly less bouncy about the whole ordeal. "I bet he'll probably have the same attitude he usually has about things, but it would be good for teaching people..."

... Uh...

"Balance! And precision!"

And how to run around in a giant ball!

[momslilassassin]

"And how to run around in a giant ball!" Ben added. "Which might be important at some point."

[puppy_fair]

"I bet it totally has defensive and offensive qualities to it," Zack decided. "I mean, you're pretty save in a giant ball! But I wouldn't want to be run over by one."

...

"We should totally have people try to dodge the people in the ball, too!"

It would be so very meta for Indiana Jones.

[momslilassassin]

"Like a sporting event!" Ben said, laughing.

[puppy_fair]

"The first Fandom Reserves human bowling team! I like it!"

Oh, those poor, poor reserves kids.