Fairground Games and Blumaroo Steaks

"It's a peculiar thing to think," Blu said as he entered the creaky gate that divided the Haunted Woods from the Deserted Fairground, "that they sell Blumaroo Steak." Blu spotted the Spooky Foods shop in the distance, and shivers ran down his spine.

      "How is it 'peculiar'?" Jazz said as he tried to keep up with Blu. Jazz was the tiniest Elephante in his family. He stood at 35 centimeters tall and weighed 130 pounds. Jazz didn't look any taller walking around with Blu who was 110 centimeters tall. "Spooky Foods sell snorkle snout. Besides, you just think it's weird because you're a Blumaroo."

      Jazz was right, in this sense. Blu was a Halloween Blumaroo. He kept grabbing both sides of his cape with his hands and flapping it to highlight the fact that he was painted Halloween. Blu was convinced that if he blended in with the rest of the Haunted Woods, he wouldn't be captured, made into steaks, and put up for sale in the Spooky Food shop.

      Blu ran around aimlessly for a minute or two, and then sprinted in the direction of Bagatelle.

      "So that's why you had to be painted Halloween." Jazz laughed as he observed Blu run around flapping his cape. "You do understand that Blumaroo Steaks aren't really made of Blumaroo. Right?"

      "If not, what are they?" Blu said as he handed 250 neopoints to the old Gelert running the booth.

      "I heard that they're Huggies," Jazz said, staring at the Mootix falling down the board.

      The Mootix bounced from peg to peg making little squeaking sounds each time it hit one. Blu crossed his fingers as it headed over to the left side of the board with the stars, but let out a slight whine as a peg pushed it back to the right side of the board with the low numbers. The Mootix let out a final squeak and fell into the "1" slot.

      "We have a loser!" the Gelert yelled. "Do you want to play again?"

      "Sure." Blu sighed and handed another 250 neopoints to the Gelert.

     "Besides, doesn't it disturb you that there are neopets out there eating the Blumaroo Steak thinking that they are actually eating Blumaroo?"

      Jazz laughed. "No one thinks that Blumaroo Steaks are actually made out of Blumaroos!"

      "Yes, they do! Why would they eat the Blumaroo Steak if they didn't think it was actually made out of Blumaroo?" Blu asked as his eyes followed the Mootix across the board as it tumbled from side to side. It let out a final squeak, and landed in the "2" slot.

      "Here's 5 neopoints," the Gelert said. "It's better than nothing. Do you want to play again?"

      "Uh..." Blu was trying to decide if he wanted to risk another 250 neopoints.

      The Gelert running the booth was growing impatient with Blu as he stood there trying to make up his mind.

      "Come on now, you're holding up the line!" the Gelert shouted in frustration.

      Blu and Jazz spun around to find that the fairgrounds were just as empty as when they entered them.

      "Don't spend all of your money on Bagatelle! I want to play Coconut Shy!" Jazz demanded while throwing a bit of a tantrum. "I've been practicing since I found out that we were going to the Deserted Fairground!"

      Jazz was dependent on Blu for neopoints after spending all of his neopoints on snacks for the trip.

      Blu laughed as he started to walk away from the booth. "I mentioned the trip last week! Besides, I don't think he'll let you throw the ball with your trunk."

      "Seriously! I've been practicing for hours every day at home!" Jazz said as he pretended to throw a ball right at Blu's head.

      "I'm surprised that you actually believe you can knock down one of those coconuts of their stand," Blu said as he grabbed both sides of his cape and began flapping it in the wind again.

      "No, seriously! I'm positive that I can do it!" Jazz screamed.

      "I'm not questioning your ability," Blu insisted. "Everyone knows that those coconuts are glued still. No one has ever been able to knock one down."

      "I've seen someone knock one down before!" Jazz screamed.

      "Yeah... I doubt that," Blu said. By this point in the conversation, Jazz and Blu had stopped walking a few feet from the booth so they could focus on their argument.

      "Okay, I wasn't there," Jazz admitted, "but I was on the fairground at the time!"

      "Did the winner run up to you and scream, 'I won Coconut Shy!'?" Blu asked.

      "No," Jazz confessed, "but I saw him playing the game. Then I saw him again and he seemed really happy. No one could be that happy and have just lost a game."

      "Okay, you can try, but you get one throw," Blu said, handing Jazz 100 neopoints.

      A smile slid across Jazz's face and he ran up to the booth.

      "One coconut please!" Jazz said as he handed the strange Quiggle 100 neopoints. Jazz took a deep breath, spun around three times, closed his eyes, took another deep breath, and let go of the ball. Jazz quickly opened his eyes as the ball flew in the direction of a oval-shaped coconut on a stand.

      "Clunk!" The ball bounced off of the oval-shaped coconut, which remained still as if nothing even happened. The look of awe on Jazz' face quickly transformed into a look of despair. The ball remained airborne as it traveled in the direction of the strange Quiggle.

      "The tables seem to have turned," the Quiggle thought in the brief moment the ball traveled for his head.

      "Clunk!" The ball bounced off the Quiggle's head and continued its journey through the air. The Quiggle also remained still. The ball was now heading in an angle that would center it for a direct hit on the oval-shaped coconut which had deflected it moments ago.

      "Clunk!" The oval-shaped coconut had no choice but to give up and roll off the stand.

      Jazz laughed hysterically at the coconut on the ground. "I did it! I told you that I would be able to knock one down!" Jazz began to jump up and down in celebration, which caused the other coconuts to start wobbling on their stands.

      Blu had nothing to say. His eyes were glued to the coconut that now lay on the ground in defeat.

      "So what's my prize?" Jazz said, picking the coconut off the ground. He tossed the coconut in the air and caught it. He wasn't able to control his laughter.

      "Umm..." the strange Quiggle said as he rubbed his sore forehead, which now had a bright red, circular mark on it. "Let me grab it really quick." The Quiggle then stumbled to the back of the booth and began to toss a few things to the side. The Quiggle returned back to the front of the booth with a Babaa Lunch Box a few moments later.

      "A lunch box?" Jazz groaned in disappointment.

      "No, you're not that lucky," the Quiggle said as he opened the lunchbox and began sorting through it. A putrid scent emitted from the lunchbox, which nearly knocked Jazz and Blu over.

      "Here ya go," the Quiggle grunted as he grabbed a Blumaroo Steak out and tossed it to Jazz.

      "Please don't say you're going to eat that." Blu sighed.

The End