by Prax Venter
The mysterious man walked around the corner with a few long strides, and then he was gone.
Ahnix's tail hopped a few times before she spoke.
“You don't feel anything from him, do you?”
“No,” Mark said, facing her.
Vale put a hand to her forehead. “Anyone else feel the vertigo of being in a fictional game within another fictional game? I'm still trying to get used to the space station one, now we have this bizarre place?”
Mark’s eyes went wide at the implications of Vale's words. Not only did he totally forget that he was now a few layers deep, but that a virtual character from a different game put it together first.
“Yeah...” he said. Mark wanted to say more, but he couldn't find the words.
Ahnix looked over at the coin on the street, her tail limp. “He's similar to us. Just a slightly less complex machine... playing a character.”
Roo hugged herself, trying to understand the complexity of the situation. Mark looked around at his girls, all lost within themselves, trying to find their true place in the universe.
“The people in the cargo bay- they're like that guy too,” Mark said, grabbing their attention. “Vale, you're right. It is bizarre to be inside nested virtual worlds like this. That you all can understand the larger picture and aren't trying to give me quests should be all the proof you need that you three are beyond mere virtual characters.”
Mark could feel a slight relief reverberate along their interconnected bond but got a hint of annoyance from Ahnix. She turned to look down the empty street and sighed.
“Forced to play games at every turn.”
Roo sprinted over and startled Ahnix with an attack hug. The cat-girl's eyes went wide as the affectionate assault almost knocked them both to the ground.
“As long as we're together,” Roo said, her arms around Ahnix's neck, “I don't care what game we play.”
Mark caught Vale's eye and they both silently agreed that they needed to join Roo's war on Ahnix.
They all held each other in the center of the dark, chalk-drawn city, and Mark just listened to this cat-girl purr for a few minutes before they headed towards the docks.
- 7 -
Black waves extended out in every direction under a rusty red sky, and Mark had to remind himself that they were inside a space station. Long wooden piers jutted out into the water along the cement edge of the dockyard, but Mark had yet to see a single boat. Rows of brick warehouses and garages combined with randomly stacked wooden crates made the place feel like a maze. There were a million dark places to hide, and Mark tried to keep his eye on every one of them as they moved through the dockyard.
Along the way, they had encountered small clusters of those inside-out people, but they were relatively dumb and slow moving- easy to wipe out. Between Vale's Judge 559 and Roo's Metal Rain, the groups of bloody creatures didn't cause too much of a problem. They were mostly unsettling as they silently lurched directly at the nearest warm body. He wondered what they would do if they ever got close enough. Whatever they were, they sure didn't fit the rest of the city.
“Please tell us more about your home, Mark,” Vale said, interrupting his thoughts. “What's the real world like?”
Mark turned away from the choppy water and saw all of his Enthralled raptly awaiting his answer.
“Um, of all the places we've been, it's most like where we are now. The buildings aren't chalkboard and there is a lot more traffic, but it's close. People work to earn wages. Some go to school to learn how to earn more. Like I said, it's boring.”
“No combat? No monsters?” Ahnix asked.
“No- well, humans fight each other for resources and territory, and mostly with remotely operated killing machines, but yeah- no monsters. No ability Paths, no essence points. Everything has to be learned, and it takes years...” Mark’s thoughts were derailed when he remembered the whole reason he bought the ChronoMind neural machine in the first place and started laughing.
“I originally purchased the machine that links my real brain to your world to speed up the learning process.” He gestured to Ahnix, getting more excited as he talked. “I was going to spend virtual years learning computer programming, and thanks to video-game logic, my beautiful cat-girl ended up with my computer programming degree instead!”
“Do I need to call the paddy wagon for your friend, ladies?”
The deep, rough voice was that of the mysterious man from earlier, and Mark spun to see him leaning up against one of the crates nearby, chewing on a toothpick. Ahnix's surprise at him sneaking up this close without detection reverberated through their bond.
The man in the fedora continued. “All that braying's going to draw attention. And you don't want to draw attention, do you?”
“Right, no,” said Mark, looking around at their vacant, chalk-drawn surroundings. “You said you needed help with a case or something?”
“Hold your water, kid. Before I tell you all my secrets, I need to be sure you aren't walking on the wrong side of the street.”
Confusion radiated out of Vale and Roo, but Ahnix was just frustrated.
The short cat-girl crossed her furry arms. “Get to it. Who do you want killed?”
The mysterious man tipped up his hat for the first time, getting a better look at Ahnix. He had gray in his temples, haunted but focused eyes, and a chin that could chop firewood.
After he gave Ahnix a once over, the stranger crossed his own arms to match her stance.
“This kitten's sharp as a tack and right as rain.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder, indicating something behind him. “Eddy the Eye runs a crew of cretins out of the amusement park at the end of the pier. The basket case is Brass Tony's nephew. There's no way a payrolled-goon would pluck out ol' Eddy's eye. Come back with Eddy's crystal ball necklace as proof. Then I'll know you mean business.”
“This Eddy- he's a criminal?” Vale asked, her eyes squinting.
“You betch'a, little lady. He uses the park as a front for his drug racket, testing new batches on little kids, turning them into addicts. A few little ones have just up and vanished. Cops are afraid to touch 'em on account of what Tony'll do.”
“And what'll Tony do to us?” Mark asked.
The mysterious man pulled his hat down over his eyes again, sliding his thumb and forefinger along the brim.
“Now if you're worried about that, we ain't got much more to say to each other. Bring me Eddy the Eye's necklace- then we'll talk.”
The stranger rolled his back off the crate and disappeared into the shadows.
“Did he say, amusement park?” Roo asked.
Mark nodded. “Yeah. Rides, games, expensive food.”
They made their way down the pier, and the glowing, orange, chalk-circle sun dipped below the perpetual blanket of dirty, gray clouds only to slowly sink below the black, rippling ocean.
As they walked, Mark answered many questions about amusement parks. Rides were hard to explain at first, but when he said it was like a permanent fair that charged entry, they seemed to have a better grasp.
Mark smiled when he felt their reaction to the real thing as they walked through stacks of shipping creates and approached the entrance to 'MOLLY'S MAGIC KINGDOM'.
Standing out in contrast to the chalkboard background, the towering wooden letters had dimly lit edges, like all the bulbs were all about to burn out soon.
Gently-glowing, blue and purple lights were strung along all the paths they could see from the front gates, and many of the rides were alight with bars of soft, beautifully contrasting oranges, and yellows and greens. An enormous, lazily spinning Ferris wheel near the back of the sprawling park drew the eye upwards with a rainbow's worth of flashing colors.
“This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen,” Roo said, her jet-black eyes welling up with tears as she stood in awe before her first amusement park.
“It looks empty,” Ahnix said, the tip of her tail flicking the air.
Vale slid f
orward past the entrance and said, “We know it's not.”
As they moved past the empty ticket booth and some of the food stalls, it became clear that the park was fully functional yet completely abandoned. They didn’t get too far in before Mark stopped by a cotton candy stall and handed one of the paper-cone handles to Roo.
He ripped off a part of the clump she was holding and put the patch of pink, fluffed sugar in his mouth where it promptly melted.
“Mmm, candied Roo guts,” he said playfully.
They all had to try some after that. Ahnix stuffed a pink clump in her small mouth but didn't seem to appreciate the sweetness. Roo claimed cotton candy was like flavored air and happily munched on hers while Vale ended up wrapping her enormous tongue around her own blue colored clump.
They passed a large wooden roller coaster and a few other rides that Mark had to explain. They were still having a hard time understanding their function, but Mark didn't really want to get too distracted with rides; they were here to kill someone.
They made their way through the twisting paths to the looming Ferris wheel near the back of the park and stopped when Vale pointed her finger at a classic 'Test Your Strength' game.
“What's this?” the muscular, giant naga asked.
Mark walked over to the wooden tower and looked up at the bell near the top. He saw red, glowing bulbs running up the sides of the slender plank of wood and the metal cylinder near the base. He hefted the nearby wooden mallet over his shoulder and spun to face Vale.
“Step right up, little lady! Impress your mates with a display of might! Ring the bell and win a prize!”
Vale scooted forward and inspected the see-saw contraption at the base that sent the chunk of metal up into the bell above.
She crossed her arms under her huge chest. “You first,” she said with a challenging smile.
Mark returned her smile, leaned the mallet handle against his knee and stretched out his shoulders. After taking a few deep breaths, he hoisted the splintered wooden mallet over his head and brought it down on the strike point.
The shuttle of metal slid up the channel, lighting green bulbs as it went but ended up a foot short of ringing the bell.
“Ooh, so close!” Roo said with a little hop.
Mark raised his eyebrows and held out the mallet to Vale. She uncrossed her arms and licked her lips as she looked up at the unrung bell. She took the mallet in one hand, testing its weight, then the giant naga took her position in front of the carnival game.
In what must have been more an exercise in restraint than in pure power, she slammed the mallet down with a loud thunk and sent the rounded chunk of metal straight up into the bell.
The sound was jarring in the relative silence of the vacant park, and all four of them crouched into defensive positions, ready for the inevitable onslaught of attackers.
After a few breaths, it became clear to Mark that no one was coming.
“Maybe Eddy the Eye went home for the night...” Roo suggested.
Ahnix slowly turned her head, trying to pick up anything but straightened and sighed when she didn't. She pointed one furry finger up to the top of the Ferris wheel.
“I want to teleport up there and get a better vantage on this place.”
Mark nodded. “Take me with you. I know what an amusement park should look like and anything odd will stick out.” He turned to Vale and Roo. “You guys okay waiting here and keeping watch?”
“Of course, Mark,” Vale said, tossing the mallet onto the ground and slithering along the black asphalt path toward the base of the ride.
“Wait,” Mark said, stopping her. He walked past the test-your-strength game to a peg board with green stuffed dragons fixed to it. He pulled one down and tossed it to Vale who snatched the toy out of the air and held it in front of her chiseled, elfish face with a smile.
Mark felt Roo deflate a little, silently pining for her own prize, and glanced over at the velvet girl who was locked on Vale's stuffed dragon. He could see the smallest pout encroaching on her perfect, puffy lips. That was when he saw the balloon and dart game behind her, across the path.
“Tell you what,” Mark began. “Instead of just waiting here for us to scout- Roo, why don't you try your skill on that game over there.”
Mark watched Roo spin and absorb the colorful booth he indicated. Hundreds of balloons hung off a wooden wall, and massive stuffed animals crowded every inch of remaining space.
“Vale,” Mark said. “You're in charge of this game. She gets three tosses with the darts, and if Roo can pop three red balloons, she can pick any prize she wants.”
Roo spun back around to face Mark, her fists pressed together under her chin and her pure-black eyes twinkling like every star in the sky.
Mark couldn't help but smile at the pure glee leaking out of the lithe velvet-girl in front of him.
“You two be careful, we'll be right back,” Ahnix said, locking eyes with Vale. The giant naga returned the serious look and nodded once.
Ahnix then walked up to Mark, took his hand, and cast her gaze up to the top of the stationary Ferris wheel. A whoosh of the universe and they were both sitting in the top-most car of the giant ride as it rocked back and forth slightly, its rusty hinges creaking.
Sudden vertigo gripped Mark as he looked out over the black waters to their right and then out over the sprawling, chalk-drawn city to their left.
Ahnix's furry fingers squeezed his, and she mentally sent him the idea that she would never let him fall. He turned to face his exotic cat-girl and found her usually frowning mouth pulled into a small, crooked smile. The gentle wind tousled her short, black hair, and Mark was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful. He reached his hand up behind her sleek furred neck and pulled her in for a deep, passionate kiss, flooding her mind with his undying desire, need and appreciation for her.
They were lost in each other’s souls for a few moments, sitting at the top of the tallest ride within Molly's Magic Kingdom when they heard what sounded like a quick succession of gunfire.
Ahnix stood and leaned over Mark, causing the cabin to swing again. When they looked down to the origin of the noise they saw Roo pumping her fists into the air and dancing in front of the balloon game.
“Looks like she hit all three with one attack,” Ahnix said, sitting back down.
“Yeah, I wouldn't expect any less from her.”
Ahnix put a hand to her head and sighed. “She's down there, playing a balloon game, while we are within a game dome, while we are playing a space station game... Mark, what is it with your world and games?”
Mark touched her hand again and considered her question.
“Like I’ve said, our world is kinda boring. We are always looking for ways to escape.”
Ahnix turned to him, her black-patterned eyes focusing tightly.
“You sought our world to escape yours and now, after meeting you, I seek to escape mine. Where do we belong?”
“It doesn't matter which world we find ourselves in... I'm never leaving your side.”
“I know,” she said, squeezing his hand and sending images of the two of them intertwined, naked in bed, just holding each other with no outside rush pressing on them to get up.
Another series of pops drew their attention. It looked as if Vale was trying her luck at the balloon game now.
Ahnix pressed her tight stomach over Mark's lap and leaned over his side of the cabin, her black tail held high and waving, slowly.
“Let's scout the area,” she said. “Before they pop every balloon down there.”
Mark took one hand out from under her and put it on her warm, furry back as they scanned the park for any movement or anything unusual.
From this windy height, they could see everything. The blue and purple strings of lights wrapped around the whole park and everything seemed to be empty, but normal. He was about to suggest they pop back down with no new information when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
&nbs
p; On the far-right side of the park, there was a building that was not lit up like all the others. It was just a void along the dark edge- nothing too strange, but taking in the park as a whole, the empty spot stood out like a missing tooth.
“I see it, too,” Ahnix said, picking up on his thoughts.
Mark rubbed the small of her back and said, “Let's check it out. If we don't find anything, we should maybe wait for daylight.”
Ahnix nodded and bent her head towards his, putting her lips right on his mouth. A fluttering breeze ruffled his clothes, and they were standing in front of the brightly-lit balloon game with Roo and Vale.
As their lips parted, the black-armored giant naga turned to face them.
“What did you find?”
“A specific patch of nothing,” Mark answered.
Roo tossed the dart she was holding and popped a final balloon before skipping over to join them with a brown stuffed bear under her arm.
“There has been a part of me that I didn't even know was missing until we came here. I've got a lot of work to do back home...” The velvet girl got a far-off look in her eyes, and Mark was instantly intrigued by what additions to their private dimension would begin to appear.
“Let's move,” Ahnix said, turning away. “We saw a suspiciously dark place this way.”
After a few hot dog, lemonade, and funnel cake stands later, they came upon the only moving ride Mark had seen in the whole park. Quietly spinning at a steady speed was a brightly-lit merry-go-round. The painted horses and dragons rose and fell as they revolved. It took a moment for Mark to realize what was missing, but what made this classic children's ride feel off was the lack of sound.
It was spinning silently with not even a creak. Every carousel Mark had ever been near always played some type of obnoxious circus music. He looked over at Ahnix who was scanning the surrounding area with intense focus in her large eyes. After a few moments of nothing, the tension slowly drained away, and Mark could feel all of them relax.
“What, you guys never saw a merry-go-round before?” he asked, a half smile on his face.