“Lera! Don’t forget!” Aunt Rayna yelled to be heard over the din.

Happy conversations, laughter, loud music, and carnival rides were an assault on the senses.

Alin’s little cousin led a shrieking pack of neighborhood kids into the depths to terrorize the unwary.

“Ma’am, uh, sir?” Steph saluted. “It’s an honor.”

“Steph, what are you talking about?” Aunt Rayna said.

“Um, being a part of what you built, ma’am, sir.”

“First of all, stop the saluting. I’m technically retired. And, secondly, I remember when you were in diapers. Don’t be weird,” she smiled. “Now, shoo,” she swept her hands toward them, “go be stupid teenagers… but not that stupid.”

She waved them off before heading in the direction of Lera and the pack.

“Your aunt, like, radiates power,” Eda whispered.

“She must be ready for trouble.”

“Oh shit!” Steph’s eyes widened. “We need to get geared up!”

“Shut up, stupid!” Victor dug a knuckle into Steph’s side.

“Ow! Why?”

“You think we’d make a difference?”

“No, but I’d feel better if I had armor and something more than this,” Steph grabbed the handle of the machete sheathed at his belt. “At least my gun,” he muttered.

“Dude, look around you.”

Steph did so and after a moment sighed.

“Okay, fine…”

Uniformed SCSDF Guardians patrolled through the crowd and stood guard at key points. They smiled freely and occasionally stopped to chat with people.

If one had binoculars or an enhanced vision Skill they’d realize that the dots in the sky weren’t birds but drake riding rangers.

“C’mon, we’re going to be late,” Lake glanced at her watch.

They met up with more of their friends at the line to try their first ride of the day.

“Why’s it called that?” Steph said.

“Cause it looks like a zipper,” Alin squinted, “I guess…”

“It totally does! Hey, Boy!” Kat punched him in the arm.

Their other friends shared raised brows and significant looks.

“What?” Kat’s eyes narrowed.

Victor cleared his throat.

“Nothing…”

“Let’s get in line!” Steph clapped.

“But, not everyone’s here yet,” Eda said.

“I got a text from Luzi. They’re going to get some waffles and ice cream first and said to meet them there when we’re done,” Sonia said.

“Who’s with her?” Eda said.

“I dunno, she didn’t say,” Sonia shrugged.

“Let’s just line up,” Gob rolled his eyes, “it’s two people in a cage anyways so it doesn’t matter. C’mon, I want to get on before the line gets longer.”

Alin found himself lingering in the back as usual.

However, with slight nudges, tugs and a shove from tiny Eda, he found himself paired up with Kat at the front of their group.

He turned to glare and was met with sly grins and thumbs-up.

“That waffle ice cream thing sounds good,” Kat said.

“Yeah, same, but it’s probably a bad idea to eat before getting on this thing.”

He couldn’t help but feel apprehension at the great grinding of metal as the small, sealed cages spun at the same time that they traveled along a much larger oblong frame that also rotated. It was like a Ferris wheel, but faster and scarier judging by the screams of the riders.

“Scared?” she bumped his shoulder with hers.

“No,” he scoffed. “Disneyland has scarier rides.”

“I know! I loved them! I wish we could ride them all year long.”

“Yeah, but my dad and aunt say that it’s not worth the resources to have it open just for fun. Costs a lot just to have the rides working and that’s not counting the opportunity cost of not having it as an encounter challenge for leveling and points.”

“Yeah, I know,” she sighed.

“Um… what else do you want to try?”

“All the rides!”

“Even the baby ones.”

“Especially those!”

“I can go with you if you want.”

“But what about the festival snacks? I remember you said that you wanted to try every fried and frozen thing they have, which sounds like everything.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

He was looking forward to the Twinkies, both fried and frozen versions.

“It’s a good thing we’re always hungry, right?”

Her smile made his stomach flip.

“I don’t know. I eat, like, every two hours. I don’t remember the last time I was hungry or full.”

“I try, but it’s hard making enough. I mean, it’s not a problem when we’re at rangers, but I’m super tired by the time I get home to make extra food.”

“The, uh, chefs at our place makes all my meals for the week. I just have to heat them up.”

“Nice! I’m jealous.”

“Yeah, uh, I had an idea about that, but I have to ask my dad first and he’s not coming home until Wednesday, so I don’t want to say anything to get your hopes up or anything like that.”

“Intriguing… can I guess?”

“Um… sure?”

“Hmm…” she tapped her chin, face screwed in deductive concentration. “It’s got something to do with why you’re the only one that doesn’t throw up on Hell Weekend?”

“How are you so good at figuring things out?”

She grinned up at him.

Black hair cut in short bob really framed her pretty face.

Dark brown eyes so deep that he could fall into them and never resurface.

The ever-present quirk of her dainty lips.

The—

He snapped out of it.

“— figuring things out,” she said.

He nodded and smiled.

“So, your chefs are probably high level. My guess is that the food they make you keeps you from puking.”

“Yeah. You got it! Please don’t tell anyone.”

“Sure, for a price,” she tip-toed to reach his ear, “I want in. I’m tired of puking every weekend.”

Her breathy whisper touched something deep inside him.

A tingle spread.

He hunched over slightly and thought of boring things that he hated.

Like regular school.

Stupid waste of time.

“Yeah for sure,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m going to ask if they can make food for everyone in J.R.R.P.”

“Damn it!” she snapped her fingers.

“What?”

“I was just thinking that the rangers want us to quit, so they definitely wouldn’t want anything to help make it easier. Your dad talks to your aunt and even if she’s ‘retired’ I doubt that she doesn’t have a say in how the rangers do things. I’d bet your dad will stop your chefs. It’s, like, an unfair advantage for you.”

“You’re… right…”

That sounded like his dad.

“Crap…”

“I know, sorry,” she smiled.

“And since I already asked my mom, there’s no way that my dad doesn’t already know,” he groaned.

“No more anti-puke food.” Her smile grew wider as she laid a comforting hand on his arm.

Hope crashed and burned into a great conflagration.

The kind that burned entire forests into charcoal.

It was a despondent Alin that climbed into the mesh-covered cage.

Kat screamed in delight as he pondered the cruel twists inherent in fate.

The cage spun as it traveled up and down the spinning oblong frame.

“… courage to accept that which can’t be change,” he murmured.

Acceptance came, which allowed him to enjoy the rest of the ride.

It was decent, but he realized that this ride like all of them were bound by earthly constraints.

For one such as he, who had known true freedom from the Earth’s clutches, ancient, man-made machines were lacking.

Still, it was great being so close to Kat.

Strawberries.

The scent of strawberries filled the rotating cage.

He wondered if it would be weird to tell her that he liked how her hair smelled?

Would he find it weird if someone had told him the same?

Yeah, probably?

They went on rides for the next hour or so.

The others tapped out one by one to go find the rest of their friends until only he and Kat remained.

He started to suspect that they knew despite the fact that he hadn’t told any of them that he liked her.

They were going to make it weird, so he wasn’t looking forward to meeting back up with them. Not even the deep-fried snacks could ease his worries.

The huge eating tent was packed with rows of long plastic tables and folding chairs.

There were several of them located strategically throughout the festival street.

This particular one was in the park that was part of the ranger compound.

“Yo!” Steph waved with a shit-eating grin. “Saved you two a seat.”

“C’mon, Kat, right here!” Chrome grabbed an arm and gave her no choice in the matter.

Alin kept cool.

Yup, didn’t blush or dart his eyes at everyone staring at him and Kat with the twinkle in the eye when one was in on the joke.

“You guys are terrible,” Kat rolled her eyes, but linked arms with him to drag him along.

He placed their tray on the table and kept perfectly cool and normal.

“I see you’re going to ruin all your hard work,” Steph said.

“What? What do you mean,” he replied a tad quickly.

“That,” Steph pointed to his pile of deep-fried goodness.

“Oh… it’ll be fine. All fuel, you know,” he shrugged.

“It looks like you got one of everything,” Chrome prodded at the deep-fried Twinkie. Her face twisted in disgust.

“What? It tastes good!”

“Yeah, no,” she scoffed. “It’s already cake. What’s the point of covering it in more batter just to fry in oil. It’s redundant and bad for you.”

“The point is it’s delicious.”

“What else did you get? I’m looking for dessert options,” Steph said.

“Everything,” he shrugged. “The Twinkie. Deep-fried Snickers, deep-fried S’mores, deep-fried brownie, deep-fried chocolate, regular churro, chocolate-stuffed churro, strawberry cream-stuffed churro, custard-stuffed churro, deep-fried apple pie,” he listed several more as his friends listened.

“It’s nine in the morning!” Chrome threw her hands into the air.

“Yeah and I didn’t eat breakfast,” he crossed his arms.

“That makes it weirder. Who eats dessert for breakfast?”

“Uh…” he looked up and down the table, “like three-quarters of us. I mean, what is that?” he pointed at Steph’s sandwich.

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“Waffles chicken sandwich. Spicy chicken fingers with something called a Nashville hot honey sauce, don’t know that that is, but it is delicious!”

“Spicy isn’t it?” Kat said

“Yeah, I mean it’s in the name.”

“We can tell,” she exchanged a look with Alin.

“What? Something on my face,” Steph frowned.

Their friend’s blond hair was cut short on the sides almost shaved off completely. The top was sculpted in a stylish wave. The hairstyle made it easy to see the dripping trails of sweat.

“Here,” Alin handed him a napkin.

“Thanks, dude, my head gets sweaty when I eat spicy stuff. Nowhere else though. Weird, right?”

“Yes, Steph, it is weird,” Chrome said flatly. “So, Boy, why didn’t you get some, I dunno, deep-fried cake?”

He blinked.

“Isn’t that just donuts?”

Chrome blinked.

Laughter erupted.

“Fair,” she nodded.

“Donuts, psh!” Victor chimed in. “It’s all about the donut ice cream sandwich,” he held one up. “Lavender ice cream!”

“Okay, now that’s definitely weird,” Chrome said.

“Yeah, I got to go with her on that one. Does it taste like soap?” Steph said.

“More like the tea,” Victor said.

“They make lavender tea?” Chrome said.

“Uh, why wouldn’t they. Tea’s just leaves. Lavender is a plant, ergo it has leaves,” Victor rolled his eyes.

The argument over what could be made into tea escalated.

Alin was content to stay out of it.

It was time to taste.

“Can I try?” Kat poked him halfway through the deep-fried Twinkie. “Just a bite.”

“You can finish it if you want,” he handed it over without hesitation.

“Too sweet,” she handed it back after a small bite.

“Ohoho.” Chrome abandoned the tea argument to shoot him and Kat significant looks.

Which, naturally, drew eyes and ears from the others.

“Good, you guys are like kids,” Kat laughed.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

Was she blushing?

“Can I try?” Steph whispered in his ear.

“Damn it! Don’t do that!” he shooed Steph like he would a buzzing fly. “Get your own mooch!” he quickly finished the deep-fried Twinkie before someone else made a grab.

Songbird had recently picked up a minor theft Skill and things had gone missing from plates recently.

Small things, a fry here, a chicken tender there.

That reminded him…

He glanced down at the tray.

A churro was missing.

He searched the table.

Songbird wasn’t there.

Had he seen her earlier?

His brow furrowed into a scowl.

“She’s long gone,” Kat whispered into his ear.

“I guess I can always get another one,” he sighed.

Everything at the festival was super cheap.

People worked the booths and rides for a variety of reasons.

It was good for their classes in the case of the culinary artists.

While others gained Universal Points as pay and additional rewards from little Quests provided by the spires and the government.

The guy running the deep-fried snack booth had mentioned that his rewards went up on a scale based on how many people he served. Hit the threshold and he had a free Skill choice waiting for him.

The day passed too quickly for their tastes.

They ate, rode rides, ate, played carnival games, ate, visited the petting zoo, ate, rode a wyvern, ate, watched Lera destroy the hammer bell strongman game thing.

“Hahahaha! I am the Solar Tyrant!” she roared in triumph as her followers cheered and whooped like the mad children they were.

The metal ball erupted, out of the vertical cylinder, shattering the steel bell at the apex.

Jagged shards rained down on the crowd until an invisible force sucked them into a sphere, which was deposited into the hands of the stunned game attendant.

“Bow before my Tyranny of the Sun!”

The adults laughed nervously until their savior arrived in the form of the First Ranger herself.

“Lera!” Aunt Rayna jabbed a castigating finger at his little cousin. “What did I tell you, young lady?”

“Uh oh, busted,” Kat whispered.

Alin kept a carefully neutral expression.

“Don’t break anything,” Lera pouted.

“And what did you just do?”

“Broke something…”

“Okay, good, at least you can recognize that. It’s timeout for you. C’mon, the drakes and wyverns need their poop shoveled. With that strength, you should be able to clear their pens quickly. After that there are two petting zoos...”

Lera, the subdued tyrant kicked the grass and flounced after a more powerful overlord.

Aunt Rayna muttered something about witches before she moved out of earshot.

“Where does she get that stuff?” Kat said.

“Her dad, my uncle, something about a video game he played with her.”

“Well, I for one have been awed by that display,” Steph shielded his eyes from the sun, squinting against the glare in a vain attempt to track the metal ball. “Hmm, yeah, I will be the first to swear an oath to serve our Solar Tyrant.”

“You shouldn’t joke about that,” he said flatly. “She’ll hold you to it.”

“Dude, no joke. Your cousin’s a rising sun and I’m going to get in on the ground floor.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yeah, okay, Icarus, just don’t come crying to me when your wings get burned.”

“Oh, wow, that’s deep. How long have you been holding on to that one? When was mythology class? Like three, four years ago?” Steph said.

“Three years on both accounts.”

They ran into a few familiar faces. Three he hadn’t seen in awhile on account of his schedule keeping him away from home for most of the week and one he hadn’t seen in months.

“Hey! It’s not so little Boy!” Jayde, pregnant, still managed to hop over. “Long time no see, bro! I swear you keep getting bigger, get those gains!” she flexed, revealing her own fairly impressive physique.

“And you’re… still pregnant,” he laughed nervously.

“You’re supposed to say I’m glowing, right, my loyal men?”

“Yeah, glowing’s the word,” Drake said.

“Mommy not glowing.” Their little boy frowned in confusion from his perch on Drake’s shoulder.. “Daddy, big bird!” he pointed at the wyvern coming in for a landing a short distance away. He tugged on Drake’s hair in an effort to steer him in that direction.

“Hey, Hayden,” he held out a hand.

“Been awhile,” she took it.

Magitech fingers felt cool to the touch at first. Slight warmth flowed when she moved them.

“Almost a year,” he agreed.

“Kept missing you whenever I visited for Quests and what not.”

They were shaking hands for what felt like a long time until Hayden grinned and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Oh no, just cause you’re bigger than me know doesn’t mean you get away with being all too cool for hugs,” she laughed.

Reluctantly, he hugged her back.

“You’re embarrassing me,” he hissed.

“That’s why we’ve been looking for you all day,” she hissed.

“Please,” he pleaded.

“No can do. That’s kinda what we’re here for as honorary older sisters,” she relinquished the hug and regarded the rest of his friends.

They didn’t recognize them by appearance, but would’ve by name and deed.

“Um… cool fingers,” Steph said.

Hayden wiggled the prosthetics.

“Slaver piece of shit bit them off. They’ve got their uses, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Pshaw, you think fingers are cool? Check this out,” Jayde flexed her hand and arm up to her elbow.

The magitech prosthetic opened up into all sorts of weapons and tools, including a small milk-filled baby bottle.

“Chilling and warming technology. The bottle stays cold until I need to warm up it for my most favoritest little man… sorry, Boy, you’re like in second place now. Maybe third depending on what spawns from my belly,” she rubbed it. “Magic and technology,” she returned focus to her arm. “Not separate, but combined.”

“Oh my god! You’re the Heartfuries! Aren’t you?” Luzi actually squealed.

“Yup, that’s us, well two out of three, Dayana’s busy or something,” Jayde preened.

“You know the Heartfuries, why did I not know this?” Kat poked him in the ribs.

“Ohoho,” Jayde’s eyes gleamed at the sight. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Boy?”

He had no choice.

Their trap had been sprung perfectly.

Introductions followed.

He tried to be cool about it.

Pouting was something babies did, like Lera and he was no Lera.

Jayde held court as his friend gathered around her, while Drake finally took their kid off to ride the wyvern.

“So, junior rangers huh? You know Swan Princess?”

Eager nods from the girls and boys.

Alin knew for a fact that most of the boys and a few girls had crushes on the Swan Princess.

Badass and beautiful, that’s what they said.

“Well, we taught her everything she knows,” Jayde nodded sagely.

He stood a little off to the side with Hayden.

“She’s cute.”

“I haven’t the faintest idea who you’re referring to.”

“That one,” she pointed. “Kat.”

“Don’t point!” he hissed, frantically pushing her hand down.

“You got protection?”

“Oh God! Why have you forsaken me?” he groaned.

“What? Don’t be immature. It’s just smart. You don’t want babies and you definitely don’t want diseases, yeah they’ve got cures for everything, but why risk it. Be smart, wrap it up.”

“Why does everyone think that I have to hear this from them. You’re like the thirtieth person.”

“Hey, maybe we just don’t want that little kid that made it through a three way fight between a weirdo religious cult, the Meat Parade and us to get brought down by the herpes. I mean, I’d be pretty lame that you were, like, twenty feet from evil golden angel, but what gets you is an STD.”

“Please, I’m begging you.”

Hayden laughed, ruffling his hair.

“So, I hear you’ve got some pretty kickass power armor and a lightsaber?”

Grabbing the lifeline he eagerly launched into an in-depth description.

The iceberg was deep beneath the ocean surface.

He was still talking about it when his friend started going their separate ways to meet up with their various families for dinner. They’d congregate again later for an activity that remained unspoken.

“Your friends ain’t too bad,” Jayde said.

“That’s cause they wanted autographs and pictures,” Hayden said.

“Exactly, good taste in their heroes. That Kat girl’s pretty cute, good taste, not so little Boy,” she put him in a head lock and knuckled his head… somewhat gently.

“You… uh… think so?”

“Have you asked her out yet?” Jayde said.

“Er… no…”

“Best get on that before someone else swoops in. Early birds and early worms or something,” she said sagely.

“I’m not sure if she likes me the same way,” he sighed.

They exchanged a significant look.

“What? Everyone’s been giving each other looks like that for weeks now. Seriously— oh…”

“I don’t know about everyone, you’ll probably have to ask them what’s up with their looks, but me and Hayden figure that you might want to ask her out.”

“There are signs,” Hayden nodded.

“Number one, she’s quite comfortable in your personal space,” Jayde held up a finger. “Two, she looked jealous when you got hugs from two attractive women in their prime,” she held up a second.

“She couldn’t keep her eyes off you. Kept glancing over every few second when we were talking,” Hayden tapped her magitech eye, “I don’t miss that sort of thing.”

“Okay, okay, that’s good.” An involuntary smile split his face. “Actually, that’s great! So, how do I do it?”

“Do what?” Jayde looked at him like he had sprouted a second face.

“Ask her out…”

“Do that.”

“But, how?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Just ask her out. Use words.”

“No flowers?”

Jayde chuckled.

“You guys are like little babies. No need for big stuff like that. Just don’t be weird about it.”

Hayden sighed.

“You can get one flower. Don’t go crazy and get a whole bunch, save that for holidays and birthdays, but only if she appreciates that sort of thing. Or since we’re at a carnival, go win something stuffed and use that.”

“Nothing weird though, unless she’s into weird stuff,” Jayde chimed in.

“You do know what she likes, right?”

“Yes, Hayden, I know what she likes. I’m not that oblivious… most of the time… some of the time… she likes Japanese stuff. She wants to become a samurai.”

“Oh… she’s a weird one,” Jayde nodded.

“Her grandpa was from there. He told her a lot of stories when she was growing up. Plus, we watch anime and stuff.”

“Nerds,” Jayde snorted.

“Don’t shit talk. That sort of stuff can lead to good classes. Like the shinobi and the shinigami Cal was talking about,” Hayden said.

“Yeah, I guess our stuff came from nerd junk too,” Jayde said.

“So, stuffed animal and a flower?”

“Whoa! Look at the Romeo we’ve got here,” Jayde laughed.

“Listen, Boy, we can’t help you with the details. We don’t know her,” Hayden said.

“Ask your mutual friends if you want, but I’d say just go for it. The worst thing that can happen is she says ‘no’,” Jayde said.

“Thanks guys, this was actually been helpful.”

“Want to grab dinner with us?” Hayden said.

“Oh, sorry, I’m supposed to meet up with my aunt, uncle and cousin. Good to see you again, Hayden. Thanks for the help! I really mean it,” he waved.

Dinner was pretty cool until their aunt had to go handle some kind of faraway emergency.

Uncle Fed bowed out after the meal to go back to his duties.

“Have fun, kids. Don’t do anything I would— wouldn’t do! You’re aunt shouldn’t be gone too long, Boy, so just keep Lera out of trouble until then.”

Lera scowled.

“Kidding!” Uncle Fed held his hands up. “I’m sure you’ll be perfectly fine the rest of the night!”

Shoveling giant flying beast poop hadn’t made for a fun afternoon.

She crossed her arms and glared at him from across the table.

“Yo, I had nothing to do with any of that or this. So, um, we’re cool, right?”

She looked away.

“Fine, I guess.”

“Awesome! So, I’m supposed to meet up with my friends in an hour. Anything you want to do until then?”

“I’m not allowed to play games,” she pouted.

“How about rides?”

“Boring.”

“Petting zoo?”

“They’re not even magical animals.”

“Okay, well, I need to win a stuffed animal or find a flower, so, uh, we can get some of those deep-fried Oreos you were talking about… I can’t believe I missed those,” he muttered.

The snacks mollified his cousin as he dragged her along on a quest that turned out to be more difficult than he had anticipated.

“They’re cheating,” he said after the tenth failure.

Five different carnival games. Two tries each.

Lera took a long sip from her massive smoothie, regarding him with undisguised disappointment. Rolling her eyes, she pointed at a different kind of game.

One in which the competition was against other people and not the game itself.

“That might work.”

It didn’t.

He failed to shoot the water into the fish’s mouth fast enough to be the first to pop the balloon at the top.

Then he tried the horse racing game where he rolled balls into holes to propel the toy horses around the track.

Another loss.

He eyed Lera.

Time wasn’t on his side.

Not enough to go searching for a place that sold flowers.

“You can win easily.”

“Uh huh,” she nodded.

“Please, just one stuffed animal.”

“Two.”

“I just need one.”

“But, I want one too.”

“That’ll be evidence that I let you play.”

“I didn’t play… you did,” she pointed out.

“Genius, let’s—”

“And you have to watch a movie with me tonight and you have to let me braid your hair and paint your nails and—”

He saw where this was going.

“Yes to all of that, but I draw the line at makeup.”

“Deal!”

A firm handshake led to two swift and overwhelming victories.

He and Lera walked away with two giant stuffed animals.

A bear for the former and a unicorn for the latter.

They were halfway to his friends’ after party in the park that was partially on the ranger compound when he realized something.

Taking a kid to it was sketchy, but the real problem were her secret watchers.

At least a handful of hidden witches that he had heard about.

The rangers that he definitely knew where around even if he couldn’t spot them.

And last, but not least, were the many groups of SCSDF guardians that were somehow always within eyesight of Lera.

“Shit…”

He was going to bust his own friends.