The Adventures of Negropolis and Madman Mason (with Flippers too!) - Episode 10: THE ARRIVAL

 

The Adventures of Negropolis and Madman Mason (with Flippers too!) - Episode 10: THE ARRIVAL

Scene opens on the barren, frostbitten plains leading to the North Pole. A biting wind howls through the icy tundra, snow swirling in blinding gusts. A ragtag group of adventurers trudges forward on dog sleds: the ever-complaining Negropolis, the perpetually chipper Madman Mason (cradling Flippers, who wears an adorably tiny scarf), and the hearty Scotsman Ace MacDougal, who keeps an eye on their supplies.

Negropolis: (shivering and pulling his scarf tighter)
“Two days by biplane, then an icebreaker, and now dogsleds! Dogsleds, Mason! Is this what you call adventure? Because I call it frostbite waiting to happen! My bones are practically rattling in the wind.”

Mason: (patting Flippers, who chirps happily)
“Oh, come on, Neg! This is incredible—dog sledding to the North Pole! The wind in your face, the majestic snowy expanse... can’t you just feel the magic?”

Negropolis: (glaring at him)
“The only magic I feel is the magic of losing the feeling in my toes.”

Ace MacDougal: (laughing heartily from his sled)
“Ach, quit yer whining, Negropolis! A wee bit o’ cold never killed anyone! Think of it as a character-building exercise.”

Negropolis: (grumbling)
“My character’s already built, thank you very much. Next time, I’m staying home and watching a nice documentary about snow from a heated sofa.”

The sleds come to a halt at the towering gates of the North Pole, shimmering faintly with a magical aura. As the group disembarks, they’re greeted by a bubbly, red-cheeked elf with an oversized green hat and a candy-cane-striped jacket. The elf beams at them as they approach.

Pippy the Elf: (cheerfully)
“Welcome to the North Pole, travelers! My name’s Pippy. What brings you all the way up here?”

Mason: (bounding forward excitedly)
“We’re on a mission from Count Vlad! He sent us to meet with Scrooge—something about a ‘special project.’”

(Pippy stares at them with wide eyes, her smile faltering slightly as her gaze drifts to Flippers, who is pecking at Mason’s coat.)

Pippy the Elf:
“Is that... a penguin? Strange to see one this far north. Aren’t you from, um, the other pole, little guy?”

Mason: (grinning)
“This is Flippers! Emotional support penguin and adventurer extraordinaire!”

Negropolis: (rolling his eyes)
“Support? The only thing he supports is chaos. I’m the one who needs emotional support after this trip.”

Pippy the Elf: (giggling and shaking her head)
“Well, you’re a curious bunch, that’s for sure. Anyway, you’ll want to see Commissioner Cratchit—his office is in the arena, where they’re prepping for tonight’s Polar Power show.”

Mason: (eyes lighting up)
“A wrestling show? Maybe we’ll get to make an appearance!”

Negropolis: (dryly)
“Ah yes, because after surviving blizzards, polar bears, and Ace’s idea of flying, wrestling is exactly what I want to do.”

(As they head toward the arena, they pass massive, glowing gates through which a steady stream of cheerful people arrives. Mason stops and waves enthusiastically.)

Mason:
“Doesn’t that look like fun, Neg? Magic gates! Maybe we can try those next time.”

Negropolis: (narrowing his eyes)
“Fun? I’ll call it fun when my legs thaw out.”

The group finally reaches the Commissioner’s office, where Fenwick Grimbough stops them..

Fenwick Grimbough:
“You’ll need to wait. The Commissioner and Mr. Scrooge are busy monitoring the opening of the Polar Power episode.”

(Negropolis flops into a nearby chair, grumbling about the endless waiting, while Mason tries to teach Flippers how to high-five. After a few moments, Grimbough waves them in. The office is richly decorated, with frosted windows and a large mahogany desk. Commissioner Cratchit stands near the desk, his expression solemn, while Ebeneezer Scrooge sits with a piercing gaze.)

Scrooge: (sternly)
“And who do we have here?”

Negropolis: (stepping forward, bowing slightly)
“We’re Negropolis and Madman Mason—”

Mason: (cutting in)
“—and Flippers too!”

Negropolis: (shooting him a glare)
“—sent by Count Vlad on his behalf.”

Scrooge: (leaning back in his chair, smirking)
“Well, you were supposed to be here weeks ago!”

(Negropolis launches into an animated retelling of their journey: the biplane mishaps, the icebreaker adventure, and the grueling sled ride. Scrooge listens, chuckling at their misfortune.)

Scrooge: (laughing)
“Why didn’t you just use the magic snow globe and travel through the gates?”

Negropolis: (blinking in confusion)
“The what now?”

Mason: (pulling a small box from his coat pocket)
“Oh, you mean this? Yeti gave it to me for the trip!”

(He opens the box to reveal a small snow globe. Negropolis stares at it, his eye twitching.)

Negropolis: (incredulously)
“Magic snow globe?!”

Scrooge: (sighing and waving them off)
“Anyway, here’s your lodging info. Get cleaned up, and we’ll contact you later this week.”

Mason: (brightly)
“Oh, can we be on tonight’s show?”

Negropolis: (still fixated on Mason)
“Magic snow globe?”

Scrooge: (sighing deeply)
“Tonight is an all-female episode.”

Mason: (grinning)
“So, we need to wear dresses?”

Negropolis: (groaning, pointing at Mason)
“How are you allowed to own a magic snow globe?!”

Ace MacDougal: (patting Negropolis on the shoulder)
“Easy, Neggie. Let’s not lose our heads—what’s done is done.”

Grimbough: (ushering them out, glowering)
“The snow globe makes travel much more efficient.”

(Negropolis is on the verge of tears. As they leave the office, he rounds on Mason, gesturing wildly.)

Negropolis:
“A MAGIC SNOW GLOBE?! You bloody nincompoop!”

(He begins whacking Mason on the head with his scarf. Mason ducks, laughing nervously.)

Ace MacDougal: (stepping between them)
“Now, now, lads—it’s all water under the bridge. Let’s focus on settling in.”

Mason: (grinning apologetically)
“Sorry, Neggie. But, hey—it was a fun adventure, wasn’t it?”

(As they head toward their lodgings, Negropolis continues muttering under his breath, his voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.)

Negropolis:
“A magic snow globe... unbelievable. Un-bloody-believable!”