They arrived at the fair and Giselle is hypnotized by the atmosphere of fun. Gloria and Timothy placed their hands on Giselle’s shoulders, “Don’t get carried away,” they told her.

“We have to get tickets, so we can do the fun stuff,” Timothy continued.

On line Giselle was rambling on the things she wants to do, “I want to go on the really tall thing, pet the pig, get a powder plate and go in the colorful house!”

“I see you’re excited,” Gloria commented, as Giselle rocked her arm in excitement.

“Yeah!”

“Tim, don’t forget we have to go to Duke’s set at 4.”

“Duke’s set?” Timothy questioned.

“Yes, I told you he’s doing a middle earth exhibit.”

“When?”

“At the diner.”

“What? Why the…” his eyes dropped down to Giselle, who was staring up at him. He covered her ears, “Why the fuck would I agree to help that sweaty bastard’s production? He removed his hands off the girl.

“Because the teacher is giving extra credit for helping.”

“Extra credit? I don’t need extra credit, mt project is an A.”

“The one you did?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait, I did a project!” Giselle interrupted.

“Big people are talking right now,” Timothy hushed her.

Gloria broke even more news to him, “The extra credit is going to the report.”

“Report?”

“Yeah, for English.”

“I did it already.”

“You sure it’s an A?”

Timothy sighed, “I’ll go to the stupid production…”

“What’s a production?” Giselle inquired.

“A play.”

Giselle’s eyes lit up, “Ooh a game!”

“No, it’s where people go on stage and act out a scene.

“Wow, like T.V. in person,” her eyes glowed

They got to the booth and Timothy, got them several tickets. “Alright, we’re ready Giselle, would you like to see the animals?

“Yeah!” she answered.

“Okay, let’s go.”

They arrived at the animal pens; in the pens there are goats, sheep and pigs. Giselle broke from Glorias hold and ran up to the fence. A sheep comes up to her expecting food, noticing she was empty handed, it left. “Aw, it left!” she cried out.

“You need food, come here,” Timothy told her by the pellet dispenser. She hurried over. “Put your hands here,” he instructed pointing at the hole. Her hands went under the hole, he put a quarter in the slot and turned the knob. Pellets came out and she sprinted back to the sheep pen. The same sheep returned, “Put your hands by its face,” Timothy told her. She follows the directions and the goat started to lick the food out her hands, she giggled.

Gloria got a text, “Tim, I hate to cut this short, but Duke needs help with his set.

“Timothy sighed, “For real?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, Giselle, Gloria has something to tell you.”

Gloria rolled her eyes, “We have to go to the production.”

“Aw, already. Is it 4?”

“You tell me,” Gloria showed her the face of the watch.

“Why don’t you show the phone,” Timothy interjected.

“Hush.”

Giselle stared at the face of the watch, “I can’t tell.”

“Well it’s almost time we have to go. Don’t worry we can do rides after the show,” Gloria told Giselle.

“Okay!”

Timothy sucked his teeth.

They got to set for Duke’s production, it looked like a medieval scene on a cardboard background, a gray castle, wooden drawbridge and a moat. “Where’s the sweaty hippo?” commented Timothy. Duke appeared and true to Timothy’s words, a sweaty, pale, overweight male, with greasy hair dangling over the right side of his face.

“Is that a hippo?” Giselle asked, “He looks like a people.”

“He’s half,” Timothy joked.

“Oh.”

Duke approached the trio, “Thanks for coming out Gloria… Timothy.”

“Hey, he didn’t say my name!” Giselle exclaimed.

Gloria looked down at Giselle and introduced her, “This is Giselle.”

Duke and Giselle greeted each other simultaneously. “I’m going to get some food, I’m starving,” Duke continued.

Thinking she was asking an intelligent question Giselle inquired, “What do hippos eat?”

Timothy started bursting at the seams, arching over. Gloria looked over to the little girl, “Giselle that’s a random question.”

Timothy’s voice covered over the girl’s discussion, “What are you having, Duke?” Timothy asked laughing wiping tears from his face.

“A hippo is an animal,” Gloria continued.

“Oh you can have the food by the farm animals,” Giselle suggested.

Timothy’s laugh turned into a long airless, soundless gasp. Duke side eyed Timothy, “I’ll be back,” he said leaving.

“She doesn’t mean it!” Gloria informed. She turns to Timothy, “Tim, what the hell?”

“What?” I didn’t tell her anything.”

“Giselle, he’s not a hippo, okay.”

“Okay,” Giselle said in agreement.

When Duke got back, he showed them around the set. “Did you draw this? Giselle asked.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Wow cool. Can I do some art?”

Duke did not reply. “Be nice and let her do something,” Timothy said.

The star of the production thought quick and gave Giselle a meaningless task. “Yeah, you can outline some stuff for me with this ‘special’ pen.”

“What’s special about it?” Giselle asked.

“The ink is invisible,” Duke handed her the pen out his pocket.

“Whoa,” she stared at the pen mesmerized, she snapped out of the trance feeling powerful.

“Have fun.”

“Yeah!” Giselle sprinted off and Timothy trailed behind her.

Duke watched the two leave and turned to Gloria, “Gloria, shall we finish up for the production.”

Giselle was tracing over the set, the lines would look perfect, if the ink was visible. “I need help getting to the top of that picture,” she told Timothy.

“Skip it.”

“Skip it! I can’t skip it, that’s not good art, lift me up, lift me up, lift me up!”

“Fine,” Timothy picked her up and she traced the remainder of the picture on the set.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Giselle spotted a white smug in the paint job, “They didn’t do a good job painting this in,” she shook her head. She rubbed the pen on the dried yellow paint and crosses it over to the white spot, until it disappeared.

Timothy watched her manipulate the paint remembered her painting at the diner and tried to snatch the pen from her, “I think it’s time to stop.”

“What are you doing? Why?”

“Because you helped enough, don’t tire yourself out. Do you want a juice?”

“Yes!”

“Okay, lets get you one.”

As they walk to the stand Giselle rubbed her hands on the set. Duke came out, “Hi Hippo! Did you see my work on the set.”

“Yeah…”

“How can you silly? The ink is invisible.”

“I have a magic light.”

“Can I see it?”

“Sure.”

Duke pulled out a blacklight and shined it on the set, the invisible lines are exposed and so are tiny fingerprint smudges. “I see you got some of the ink on your hands.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, see.” He said putting the light on her hands.

“Wow,” a bright-eyed Giselle said amazed.

“Oh geez, let’s go wash your hands and get you a juice,” Timothy commented

It’s time for the production, they were on a wooden stage and the viewers sat on wooden benches. Duke was the king and Gloria his queen. The knights bowed to him, “Your majesty,” they greeted.

“She’s a queen?” Giselle asked Timothy.

“Yeah.”

“Really!”

“Shh, watch the show.”

“You should be up there with her.”

“Hush.”

“Okay…”

Trumpets blared as the lights cut on and the curtain drew open. A line of knights faced the audience with the trumpeters at the ends. One soldier broke the line and pulled a scroll from his armor. “Tales of heroics, magic and love, will lead to a passionate event. Can King Teragon (Duke) slay the chargoyle and the lady or will he fall trying to get love.”

Giselle turned to Timothy, “Is the King her husband?”

“No.”

The curtains closed.

The curtain reopened; Duke was riding in on a stick horse. “Whoa there, Stang easy.” From behind a bush crawled out a peasant.

“Excuse me good sir, can you help me?”

“What happened?”

“A witch named Cessprin sent a chargoyle to attack my village. I tried to fight it off with the other knights, but they all perished in the flames.”

“Which way is this creature?”

“In the village of Spectrum.”

“I’ll head out there right now!”

“You can’t kill it alone!”

“I have the magic sword Azkelibur.”

“Don’t do it alone!” Duke rides off to the town. “You’re going to die…” The curtains closed.

Duke arrived in the village to see it razed and gray. He wandered around the area and nothing besides gray and black structures everywhere. King Teragon placed his sword in the ground ,“Let all the souls that perished here rest in peace…” From behind the set a character in all gray with horns, a red tail and wings popped up behind the King hissing. Teragon turned to the source of the sound drawing his blade out of the ground, “You must be the creature that did all of this!” The chargoyle continued to hiss at him. King Teragon took a swing at the beast with his sword, the attack was evaded. The monster then retaliated with his claws and Teragon repelled with the broadside of his blade dulling the tips. “There is no hell born denizen that can break the magic of Azkelibur.” With a swing of the mighty blade, he connected with the creatures wing when it tried to retreat. He casted a golden net and captured the beast.

Giselle turned to Timothy and kicked his shin, “I have to go pee pee.”

“Can you hold it?”

“No, I really have to go! I have to pee pee!”

“Okay, damn, let’s go to the bathroom,” he took her hand and left the production. He got a text from Gloria asking where he is going. He replied back with that he is taking Giselle to the bathroom and he will be back.

The two got to the restroom portion of the fair, “Wait!” Giselle cried out.

“What?”

“I can’t go into the boys room, I’m a girl!”

“Can you stop yelling, I thought I talked to you about that. Yes, you can go in the boys room you’re young enough where it isn’t wrong.”

“I sit on the potty, boys don’t do that.”

“You can sit in the boys room too.” Giselle was not budging. “Do you want to pee on yourself?”

“No.”

“Then come in the bathroom with me.”

“I can’t go in the boys room.”

Lucille comes by overhearing the issue Timothy was having with Giselle, “Is everything okay? I see that you’re having some bathroom trouble with her, she can come in with me if you want?”

“Do I have to join the Loving Hands Friendship House, if I do take your help?”

“No, I’m doing this for the girl.”

“Okay, in and out, I have to get back somewhere.”

“Don’t worry she’ll come back in one piece, let’s go sweetie. “What’s your name?”

“Giselle.”

“Aw, that’s a pretty name,” Lucille took her into the bathroom.

Timothy thought to himself, “Lucille isn’t so bad, when she’s not preaching about that damn friendship house.” The girls came back, “She’s all done, she was being a big girl and did it all on her own,” Lucille complimented.

“Thank you,” Timothy took Giselle’s hand, “Let’s get back to the play before Gloria gets upset.”

“Bye nice lady!” Giselle waved with her free hand.

Timothy returned with Giselle to see King Teragon reach the lair of the witch Cessprin, “You evil woman show your face!”

“You looking for me? What brings you to my lair, do you want to die?”

“You attacked the town and I’m here to avenge all of those who fallen to your treachery!”

“My treachery? That town broke our contract, rules are rules when I do my part and they don’t do theirs, there will be ramifications.”

“Who would make a deal with a devil like you?”

“The town, that hellhole wasn’t producing any food and people were dying I gave them life, a second chance and then they turned their back on me. Death is what they deserve.”

“You fiend, death is what you deserve!” King Teragon unsheathed Azkelibur.

Cessprin raised her hands and smoke was produced from the edge of the stage. Giselle swallowed a mouthful of smoke and started choking, which caused Timothy to take her away for some fresh air. She gasped as Timothy tried to give her water. “Drink this, it will help you.” Her coughing turned into wheezing, then a long gasp, when he finally cleared her airway. She took the water from him and chugged it down. “Slow down before you have to pee again,” Timothy advised her. “We will wait for the fight to be over, so you don’t have to breathe in anymore smoke.”

“Okay.” She handed him back the water bottle; “Where did that smoke come from?”

“It came from the stage.”

“Is the stage a chargoyle?”

“No, it is a special effect,” Timothy laughed; “Let’s go see if the smoke is gone.”

Giselle is getting irritated at the production, “I’m bored.” Timothy ignored her. She jabbed him with the pen Duke gave her, “I’m booooored.”

“You want to go on the rides?”

“Yay!” she started getting up.

Gloria saw it and eyed Timothy.

“Sorry kid, after the show.”

“Aw. You know what would make this fun, some action.”

“Action?”

“Yeah, action. Inkivus Livikus!” The whole set she traced over with invisible ink became real. The cardboard castle became stone, boulders dropped at the feet of those in front, water splashed them from the drawing becoming real. “Fun, fun, fun!” Giselle clapped.

“What happened?” Gloria asked, breaking character.

“You my queen are going to my castle,” Duke said snatching her off the throne going into the castle.

A knight improvised a line, “We are going into intermission. The king and queen will produce an heir.” Another knight picked up Giselle and retreated into the castle.

“What the hell!” Timothy sprinted across the moat towards the castle entrance, knocking the last knight in the line on the ground taking their sword and shield. “The production is over!” he exclaimed. “Beat it dweeb,” he told the knight.

“It’s just an act…”

Inside the castle he was in a stone hallway lit with torches, “What the hell, this looks legit. Gloria! Giselle!” His words scan the hallway for the girls.

“Tim!” Gloria hollered.

“Where are you? What’s going on?”

“He dragging me through the castle!”

“Shut up!” Duke commanded. “Knights go get the outsider. Knights!”

“The play is over, dweeb,” they said dropping their swords.

The sound of metal hitting stone indicates to Duke that the men did not follow his orders. “I’ll do it myself, he shouted barging into the hallway to see Timothy with a sword, he retreated.

“Come out Duke!” Timothy barked.

Duke returned with a sword. When Giselle saw Duke get the sword she opened the front of the castle to the seats. To the surprise of both combatants the audience did not leave.

In the room Gloria and Giselle are in, Gloria was tied to a seat and was trying to get Giselle to untie her. Giselle’s tiny hands are tugging at the rope, but was tightening the grip. Gloria cried out, “Giselle, stop you’re hurting me… It’s like untying your shoes.”

“I don’t know how to untie shoes,” Giselle points to her shoes, which are straps.

Gloria lets out a sigh.

Timothy and Duke are battled it out, captivating the crowd. Steel clanged, eyes widened, grunts thrown. Duke went for Timothy’s head, he evaded. Coming back up, Timothy retaliated with a head sweeping blow of his own. Duke ducked but his crown is knocked off. “You almost killed me!” he shouted.

The battle raged on, the boys clashed their slabs of steel against the other’s in various angles hoping to best the other. Duke put his weight into Timothy, the latter managed to hold the opposition off due to his athleticism but gravity assisted the podgy foe. Timothy rolled away to avoid impact. “Why are you running away?” Duke taunted.

Timothy tugged on his cape and swept his feet propelling himself up. Once back on his feet he dug his toe into Duke’s chest before planting his foot and laying his sword on his neck, “Stop this shit!”

“Release the chargoyle!”

The fire creature that Duke tamed earlier in the production came out the darkness of the castle in front of Timothy. “Yeah, now you’re done,” Duke gloated.

“If this thing kills me it kills you, do you want to burn alive?”

“Then lets die, as long as you don’t win.”

“You’re sick…” Timothy looked back at the chargoyle, as it approached near he backed off Duke and started evading the monster.

“Hahaha, well look at you being a coward now,” Duke grabbed his sword and in an attempt to corner him with the beast.

Timothy repelled the blade to be nudged into the chargoyle. Once contact is made he turned around quickly to avoid being caught by stabbing the creature in the belly. “That was close…” He watched the creature whimper and shrivel into a ball. With his back to the opposition, Duke took a swing at him. Timothy jumped to the side and watched Duke cut his creature down the wing. With the turn of his body came his blade to be block by Azkelibur. The chargoyle roared for retaliation. Timothy side stepped around Duke to the point that Duke is in between the creature and himself. Fire in the mouth of the monster started to flare up in between its teeth. “I think your pet is looking for revenge,” taunted Timothy; “Don’t worry about me, you cut that thing twice already, I’m sure it hates it you.”

Duke turned back to see that what he was told was true. “Oh boy,” Duke slashed at the neck of the creature and the flames left its mouth scorching the interior of the castle. He turned around to see that Timothy was gone. The fire traveled through the castle and set the flammable materials ablaze.

Timothy ran through the castle against the knights, calling out the girls names. He tracked the girl’s voices behind a door. Kicking the door open, he saw Giselle struggling to get the rope off Gloria. Timothy swept passed Giselle to untie Gloria. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” they both answer.

“Yay another fight!” Giselle cried out.”

Timothy turned about, “Crap! Why didn’t you leave the set?”

“I’m here to save the princess.”

“You put her in this situation, you can’t save anyone!” Timothy charged him with his blade. Azkelibur bounces off the unnamed edge turning to find its way to the owner. Giselle is mesmerized by the swinging of the steel, she watched as Gloria carried her out the castle. “Guys c’mon, we got to get out of here! Giselle can you stop this?” The three ignore her and the clash raged on.

The girls got to the audience and watched the fire swallow the castle. “Giselle stop this!”

“It’s fun.”

“It’s dangerous!” From the audience viewpoint they can watch the two boys fight to the end. The heat started to tire the combatants out. Gloria finally got to Giselle when the two took a break from fighting. “Giselle, sweetie, can you undo this.”

“Aw, they stopped fighting…”

“Yes, because it’s dangerous.”

The boys continue to fight again. The chargoyle still alive makes its return to the fray. “It’s back again!” Timothy exclaimed. Duke looked back, and at that time Timothy disarmed Duke, he backed up slipping on his cape. Timothy placed his foot on his chest, rest the tip of the blade on his throat, “It’s over you fat slob.” The fire consumed them as the chargoyle added to the mayhem.

“Giselle!” Gloria yelled.

“Inkvus Delivikus.”

The set was restored back to normal. “That’s the play!” Duke declared. The curtain closed, the audience applauded and Timothy whooped his ass behind the scenes.