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Magic Misfits 2
Neil Patrick Harris
1. Leila grew up in Mary Margaret’s orphanage. There were a group of girls that would pick on her and lock her in Mary Margaret’s closet in her office. When Leila heard there was a magic show coming to the orphanage, she was really excited to see it. This annoyed the mean girls and they kicked her in the closet just before the show started. Leila spent most of the show with a bobby-pin and paperclip trying to unlock the door. She made it out just in time to see Mr. Vernon’s final act. He was chained up by his two assistance and covered up. There was a minute count down before the assistants rushed out to free him. They uncovered him to reveal he had disappeared. One of the assistants took off his mask to reveal it was Mr. Vernon. Leila went up to him after the show and told him she would love to learn how to escape like that. He tells her it takes years of practice and asks if she is willing to do that. She says she is and he says he will come back to visit her. A week later, Mr. Vernon came back with his husband to adopt Leila.
2. A few weeks after the events of B. B. Bosso’s carnival, Leila finds herself lying in bed and unable to sleep. Thoughts of her life in the orphanage creep in and she has trouble stopping them. She goes to her shelf and pulls down a tin box. She opens it to reveal her key collection. She pulls out the one that was left with her on the doorstep of the orphanage. It warms in her hand and calms down her mind. Suddenly, there is a commotion and a yelp.
3. Leila goes out to the hall and is attacked by Carter and his deck of cards. She tells him it is her and he stops. They find the noise is coming from Mr. Vernon’s office. When they get to the door, it is lock. Leila uses her lucky lock picks to unlock the door and opens it. They find Mr. Vernon inside. He tells them to close the door and Leila does. He says a creature came in the window and tried to steal his notebook. He grabs a rope and tells Leila to pull the chair out t from under his desk. When she does, the creature runs for the shadows. She shines a light on it and reveals a monkey. Carter recognizes it as Bosso’s and starts pulling out cookies to feed it and it takes the bait. Leila is beside it and Mr. Vernon is about to put the rope around it when the Other Mr. Vernon opens the door. The monkey runs out the door, into Leila’s room, and out her open window. Mr. Vernon calls the police to report the loose monkey and they let him know Bosso and his gang (except the frown clowns) are still locked up far away. The other Mr. Vernon heats up milk on the stove for them. They decide they will have to sleep with the windows closed for a while.
4. The magic misfits are meeting in the small secret room. Ridley has given them homework to help them learn Morse code and they each read a piece of the fortune they were given at Bosso’s circus. Mr. Vernon says he needs to go find his disappearing ink and asks Leila and Carter to watch over the shop. He whispers something to their parrot, Presto, before going up stairs. A couple comes in and looks around for a bit and Presto says a few weird lines a few times. After the couple leaves, the Magic Misfits continue their meeting. Ridley is leading the meeting and Carter takes notes for her in her notebook. Someone else walks in the door.
5. Leila greets the woman and asks if she can help her find anything. When she says she is looking for Dante Vernon, Carter says he is his cousin and is about to tell her that Leila is his daughter when Ridley stops to ask who she is. Mr. Vernon appears in the balcony and recognizes her as Sandra Santos, another member of his childhood magic group, the Emerald Ring. He hesitantly embraces her before introducing the children. He invites her to talk over iced tea and has the boys go get the table from the basement while he goes to the apartment for the tea and shortbread cookies.
6. Leila and Ridley tell Sandra about their adventure stopping Bosso from stealing the Heart of Africa diamond. When Mr. Vernon comes down with the tea and cookies, he sets them on the table. Sandra explains that her mom died a few years ago and left her the house in Mineral Wells. She has been traveling too much to tend to it. Carter asks what she does and she says she is the stage psychic, Madame Esmeralda. Ridley asks her what kind of psychic she is and explains to the others there a lot of different kinds. Sandra explains how her clairvoyance works. They discuss whether or not psychics are real. Mr. Vernon offers to have his partner set her up in the hotel since they no longer have a spare room. He invites thm back for dinner as well. Olly and Izzy have to attend their own family dinner and won’t be able to make it. Mr. Vernon makes the arrangements for the rest of them.
7. Leila and Carter practice their magic tricks in the gazebo across from the magic shop. Leila wishes she were psychic so she could know more about Mr. Vernon. Carter wants to know what happened to his parents. They decide to help each other answer their questions without psychic abilities. As they are leaving, they hear a squeak from under the gazebo and find the monkey underneath. They try to catch it, but it runs away. Leila suggests they go after it, but Carter thinks it will be back. They go home and tell Mr. Vernon about the monkey. He says he will call animal control while they go get the house cleaned up and decorated for dinner.
8. The kids use items from the magic shop to make a magic themed centerpiece in the middle of the table. The Other Mr. Vernon comes home and brings Sandra with him. They enjoy their dinner and then a pie for desert. They play a game where they each tell a secret and the others have to decide if it is true or not. Sandra mentions finding drawings of hers that her mother had saved. Mr. Vernon tells them a story about how his dad was the original owner of the magic shop and had insisted Dante learn the tricks for himself because that is how the best magicians are made. Sandra reads each child mentioning pieces of their past. Then the kids show off their own abilities. Leila asks Mr. Vernon to help her set up for her escape trick. Sandra excuses herself to the bathroom. He tells her it is in the same place it was when they were kids.
9. Just as Mr. Vernon gets all the locks in place on Leila’s straight jacket, they hear a crash from the shop below. They rush downstairs to find Sandra has knocked over a stack of things. Leila is out of the jacket by the time they reach the first floor. Sandra tells them she came to use the bathroom in the shop because the one in the apartment was out of toilet paper. She was near the window when a monkey jumped at her from the other side and scared her and she tripped over the things. Carter checks for the monkey, but cannot see it. Sandra is embarrassed and decides it is time to leave. Mr. Vernon walks her to her car. When he comes back, he seems troubled that he would have forgotten to check the toilet paper in the bathroom with a guest coming over. Leila asks if Sandra could be lying, but he avoids answering. Before heading to bed, Leila checks the bathroom ands sees it is out of toilet paper.
10. Leila, Carter, Theo, and Ridley make their way to the Grand Oak Resort for their Magic Misfits meeting with Izzy and Olly. The twins show off their new pet mice. They start the meeting and fill the twins in on what they missed at the dinners. They start debating if psychics and ghosts are real. Ridley points out how Houdini was part of a group that tried to out fake psychics. Olly calls the old bellhop, Dean, over to them and he tells them about how the closed down wing has had some strange noises that are scaring the maids away. He tells them how the cursed wing had been burnt down (rumors were that Mr. Vernon and his friends had done it) and had so many problems after it was rebuilt that it was closed off and only used for storage. Someone mentions they should have Sandra ask the ghosts to leave. Ridley likes the idea of making a show of it.
11. Leila calls up to Sandra’s room and asks her to come down to help them with something. She comes down and they explain about getting rid of any ghosts that might be in the closed off wing. She agrees. Before they go, Leila pulls Sandra aside and asks her about the fire. Sandra says she doesn’t know anything about, but she is sure Dante didn’t start it. They get to the wing and news if the seance has already spread. Dean the bellhop unlocks the door and Sandra brings the Misfits in with her. The windows rattle and Sandra says a few words and shakes. She announces the spirits have moved on as she suggested and everyone claps.
12. The hotel manager asks Sandra to perform at the Grand Oak Resort and she agrees. She thanks the children for helping get her the gig. When they are alone again, they try to figure out how Sandra was able to make the seance look real. The kids go to see the other Mr. Vernon in the kitchen for some lemonade, but when he learns about Izzy and Olly’s mice, he kicks them all out. In the lobby, they see Sandra talking to herself and wonder what has her upset. I hen Leila asks if she is alright, Sandra’s demeanor changes and she says everything is fine. That night, Leila asks if the Emerald Ring ever met at the Geand Oak Resort. Mr. Vernon says they met in the back wing often. He points out the rumors about the wing being haunted started right around the time Sandra showed up and some tricks have a long set up. He hints there is a place in Mineral Wells where their questions could be answered. Leila and Carter knock on their walls in Morse code before going to bed.
13. X
14. The next morning after breakfast, Sandra stops by the shop and asks Leila to be her opening act for the show the next night. Leila agrees and she and Carter start working on her act. When Mr. Vernon comes into the shop, he brings Theo and Ridley with them. Leila tells them her big news. Mr. Vernon is proud of her but says he won’t be able to attend the show because he has a very important meeting at the shop at the exact same time. Leila is disappointed, and he promises to make it up to her.
15. After working in Leila’s act most of the day, she and Carter go up to the Grand Oak Resort to meet their friends. They find the back wing is still unlocked and head inside. Carter and Theo stand watch on either end of the hall while the twins check the rooms on one side and Leila and Ridley check the rooms on the other side. While searching, Ridley asks Leila if she is okay. Leila says she is, but Ridley tells her she and the others misfits are there for her if she ever wants to talk. Leila presses forward to keep from telling Ridley everything. They find a room that has posters of magicians and carved symbols in the walls. When they find a poster with a message on the back, they call to the others. They think the message might be a clue of what they are looking for and decide to go to the scary basement.
16. Ridley and Izzy stay upstairs while Carter leads the other into the basement using his flashlight. When they get down the stairs, a skeleton dances towards them before dropping to the floor. They decide it was a trap to try to scar people away from the Emerald Ring’s secret. Carter starts to look in the corner where the skeleton came from, but Leila points out they would try to misdirect them. They start looking in the opposite corner while Izzy and Olly help Ridley down the stairs in her wheelchair. Leila points out the chalk on the brinks looks like the suite of the tarot deck Sandra showed her. Ridley tells them how the suits correspond to those of the regular deck. They decide they need to find the stone where “action meets thought” to find the reward as the riddle stated. Leila finds a stone with a wand and sword crossed.
17. Leila finds a box inside with initials in it. It looks exactly like the one Carter has from his dad. They aren’t able to open it, so she gives it to Carter to put into his satchel. The other treasure they find in the compartment is a map. They figure out the initials of locations are in a ciphered code that they can figure out using the coin Mr. Vernon gave them at the magic shop. They are able to figure out where the Grand Oak Resort and the Magic Shop are on the map, but the roads don’t seem to make sense. The figure out they must be bootlegger tunnels from the prohibition era. They find a door that they think must lead to the tunnels. The keyhole seems to match Leila’s key and she pulls it out to try it. It doesn’t work, so she moves into her lock picks, but they don’t work either. They decide there isn’t anything else they can do that day and go upstairs so Leila can get ready for the show.
18. After another run through with her friends backstage, Sandra comes to wish Leila luck on her first performance and notices she is antsy. Leila is still upset Mr. Vernon won’t be there. Sandra tries to call him to convince him to come, but he tells her no and ends up hanging up on her. Sandra leaves them to finish getting ready. Leila apologizes to her friends for not being her usual happy and optimistic self. They tell her they love all parts of her and have a group hug before the stage manager comes to tell them it is time for the show.
19. Leila and her friends get ready for the show to start. The stage manager encourages her to go out and introduce herself on stage. She is nervous at first, but seeing her poppa and the other cooks in the front of the packed auditorium gave her the confidence she needed. She starts by having her friends help her join ropes into one long piece of rope. Next, they tie her to a chair and she escapes. For her finale, she is put into her straight jacket and locked in a trunk. She asks the audience to count down from thirty. She pops out of the box completely free before they get to eight. The whole place erupts into applause and Leila is filled with warmth and happiness.
20. After the show, Leila and her friends are shown to the seat in the front that have been reserved for them. Some kids ask Leila for her autograph and she says only if her friends sign as well. Sandra’s show starts and it is a large production. She goes down into the audience and tells people things about themselves. She pulls seven people up onto the stage. The last two appear to be a couple and they look familiar to Lelia.
21. Madame Esmeralda starts describing the spirits they see and each one is claimed by a person on stage. She passes along a message and they return to their seats. When only the couple is left. Sandra goes to the side of the stage and mumbles that she won’t do it. She takes off the turban and addresses the couple. She asks if they are looking for their daughter. They confirm they gave up a daughter they couldn’t afford to keep. Sandra asks them her name and they confirm it is Leila. Sandra points out Leila and tells them she is with them right now.
22. Sandra tells the audience her show is over to give the newly reunited family some privacy while Carter and Theo help Leila to the stage where her birth parents are. The Other Mr. Vernon joins them and tells Keila she doesn’t have to talk to them if she doesn’t want to, but he will support whatever decision she makes. Her birth mother asks her about her birthday and freckles on her ankle to confirm she is the child they are looking for. Lelia is overwhelmed by the situation. Her poppa takes her home where she is finally able to cry with her dads. They get a call from her birth parents’ attorney asking them to meet with them in the morning. Mr. Vernon says they don’t have much of a choice and agrees to it. That night Leila can’t get to sleep. Carter taps a message to her in Morse code to let her know he is there for her. She smiles and says she is thee for him too.
23. When they get to the lawyers office in the morning, they are lead to Sammy Falsk, Esquire. He goes in about how long he has been practicing family law. Leila and Carter are both put off by the humming of a man at another desk. Mr. Vernon asks Sammy Falsk to get to the business at hand and the Veralika’s say they want to start spending time with Leila so she can come home. The Other Mr. Vernon tells Leila it is her decision in what she wants to do. Carter squeezes her hand in Morse code and tells her the humming man is a frown clown from Bosso’s circus. She taps “frown clown” to Mr. Vernon and he declares it is time for them to leave. The two men and the Veralika’s block the exit and pull out Billy clubs.
24. Carter fills everyone one in on his discovery that they are frown clowns. He asks if Bosso is out of jail. They tell him Bosso was never actually their boss and there is someone much higher up than him. Mr. Vernon tries to use a smoke screen to give them a chance to get away, but one of the clowns grab Leila. The two Mr. Vernons and Carter give up. They are thrown into the basement and the door is nailed shut. Carter has his flashlight and Mr. Vernon moves a bookcase to reveal a door. Lelia tries the key, it it doesnmt work in this lock either. Mr. Vernon mentions that things aren’t always as they seem. Leila notices the handle end of the key is shaped like a club. She puts that end into the lock and it turns. They are able to open the door.
25. The Vernon’s and Carter walk through the tunnels hoping to safely find their way out. Leila asks how the Emerald Ring got the key in the first place. He isn’t proud of it, but they stole it from Sandra’s father, Mr. Santos. He was the town locksmith and had been hired to make the doors and locks that would keep people out of the tunnels to avoid any accidents. He ended up dying in the tunnel due a cave-in and Sandra was very distraught. Mr. Vernon suggests they keep quiet in case the frown clowns figure out where they have gone. They cautiously follow the Emerald Ring’s map to another door. Leila’s key works in this one as well and it squeaks open.
26. When they get back to the magic shop, it is in shambles and Sandra is there. She tells them Kalagan is the one who sent them after Mr. Vernon’s ledger. She tells them he has powers of manipulation and it is near impossible to resist him. The frown clowns show up. The frown clowns show up to get the ledger. When they see everyone is there, they grab Carter.
27. Ridley, Theo, and the twins arrive. They are able to fend off the frown clowns and eventually Leila finds the handcuffs and is able to immobilize them. They hear sirens coming towards the shop.
28. The next day. Mr. Vernon takes Leila to the jail house to talk to Sandra alone. She asks Sandra if she is her birth mother and Sandra confirms. Sandra says she wanted to keep her, but didn’t have any money and was convinced giving her up would be what was best for Leila. Leila isn’t sure what she can believe from Sandra. She asks if Kalagan is in Mineral Wells, but Sandra cannot seem to answer. Leila asks if Sandra’s dad made the jail cells and Sandra confirms he did. Leila gives her the key and tells her to do whatever she thinks is right before leaving.
29. As they start walking home, Mr. Vernon tells Lelia that her enthusiasm is what drew him to her. The sparkle in her eyes reminded him of an old friend. But he and the others Mr. Vernon fell in love with her spirit. He admits he had no idea that Sandra had given birth to a baby girl and given her up. They stop for a sweet treat on the way home. When they get back to the magic shop, they find Carter on the sidewalk out front with the monkey in a harness. He was able to distract him with cookies long enough to get it on him. Mr. Vernon agrees to a trial run with the monkey if the other Mr. Vernon agrees. Carter asks how it went for Leila and she says she will tell him inside.
30. A week later, the Magic Misfits meet at the Magic shop. Carter has been trying to train the monkey, Change-o. Sandra has escaped from the local jail. Leila isn’t ready to tell all her friends about Sandra being her birth mother and Carter agrees to keep her secret. Mr. Vernon shows them the ledger that was hidden in plain sight. He shows them the pages and the names of the modern magicians are written in code. He pulls out the page and tears it up saying there is also a club of Bad magicians lead by Kalagan. They want to get the list to try to convert the magicians to their ways. When Mr. Vernon puts rhetoric paper back on the table, it is whole again. The Magic Misfits make their way to the back room. Theo says he has an idea for their next show he wants to show them.