Mysteries of the Deserted Fairground

Kat: (grunts) Heya.

Shad: So, are you ready to go on a great adventure into the Deserted Fairground?

Kat: No.

Shad: What, are you really scared of a few Chia Clowns?

Kat: No, I’m not scared. I just dislike my little brother dragging me on an interviewing tour in the middle of the night!

Shad: Aw come on, the Deserted Fairground isn’t much fun in daytime and once you’re already here, you might as well help me a little, huh?

Kat: Fine, just make it fast.

Shad: Good. So here we are, entering the Fairground and right next to the entrance is the Scratchcard Kiosk with its keeper Sidney. Hello Sidney.

Sidney: Hello. Wanna buy a ssscratchcard?

Shad: Why not? Here’s the NP.

Kat: Where did you get that?

Shad: That’s my pocket money. For a good cause, I think. (scratches the card) Well, did I win anything, huh, huh?

Sidney: No... ripping the card into piecesss doesssn’t count.

Shad: I need to start cutting my claws. Oh well. Tell us one thing. People say that all games in the Fairground are rigged. Is it true?

Sidney: Sssorry, they are all my neighborsss and I can’t sssay anything about their busssinesss if I want to keep my kiosssk here.

Kat: He’s got a point, you know.

Shad: Right… Well, could you at least tell us why you opened that kiosk here in the first place?

Sidney: Well, I wasss born here and my dad wasss keeping the kiosssk when I wasss little and when I grew up, I took over the busssinesss. Sssimple. That’sss how thingsss go everywhere, right?

Shad: Yes, but once I heard a rumor about your father mysteriously disapp…

Kat: (drags Shad away from the kiosk very quickly) Thank you for the interview, have a nice day… and we’ve reached the Cork Gun Gallery. Hello.

Gallery Aisha: Hello, stranger. Care to try your luck?

Kat: Actually we just wanted to ask a few questions. Your game kiosk is practically the newest one in the Fairground; why did you come here with your business?

Aisha: I travel a lot. People get tired of the same old game eventually and then they won’t come to play any more. So I pack my things and go elsewhere. The Deserted Fairground just happened to be the next spot on the map.

Kat: Hitting those targets is extremely hard. Can you tell us why?

Aisha: It’s all in practicing and good eyes. My game is most definitely not rigged if that’s what you meant. Everyone can be a winner. People simply like to blame their bad results on the poor little Aisha who runs the game. (sobs quietly)

Shad: (has grabbed the cork gun and shot at can of Achyfi) So how come the cork flew to the other side of the kiosk?

Aisha: You must have a bad eye. That’ll be 100 Neopoints. Hey, weren’t you the Lupe who once tried loading the gun with three corks while I wasn’t looking?

Shad: No. (seems nervous) Okay, thanks for the interview, see you around, bye-bye. (hurries off)

Kat: (follows Shad) Now what was that about?

Shad: So many booths to go, so little time, the Bagatelle kiosk is right over here, hello.

Lupe: Hello. 250 NP a go, care to give it a try?

Kat: 250 is quite a lot for one try, don’t you think?

Lupe: Hey, it’s a Mootix ball. Have you any idea what a Mootix costs? It wants to eat as well. And I need to clean up after it.

Shad: Why not use a pebble or something?

Lupe: The Mootix is bouncier.

Shad: Well, I suppose I can give it a try…

Lupe: Alright. (tosses the Mootix into the air; it bounces down the nails and lands on the number 2) Five Neopoints, here you go.

Shad: That’s kinda unfair.

Lupe: The result was kinda pathetic as well. Try again?

Shad: No thanks. (sniffs the leg of the table) Any specific reason why you have two books under here?

Lupe: That leg is shorter than the others. The books balance it.

Shad: So how come the board seems so crooked?

Lupe: Do you know that I can sue you for moral damage?

Shad: Do you know that wooden boards burn well?

Kat: Thank you, I’m sure we’ll come to play again. Come on, Shad! Now, should we go to the Wheel of Misfortune too?

Shad: Naw. I’m hungry. The only food-like thing you get from that wheel is a pile of sludge. Or perhaps a plushie.

Kat: Okay, let’s take a lunch break then. Do you like spooky food?

Shad: Do I have a choice here?

Kat: Too true. (stops by the Spooky Food kiosk and looks at the goods.) Ahh, Toffee Classic. My thing exactly. I’ll take one.

Shad: What’s it made of?

Kat: Who cares? It’s tasty. Want anything?

Shad: A Deviled Steak perhaps.

Kat: Fine. (pays the shopkeeper.) Knock yourself out.

Shad: Cool! (Deviled Steak flies away and Shad gallops after it)

Kat: Meet you at the Test Your Strength machine then. Hello, Arnold, how are you today?

Arnold: Could do better. The business isn’t going so well. People are claiming that my machine is too hard.

Kat: Is it?

Arnold: Is it my fault that people are weaklings?

Kat: I’ll give it a try. (grabs the mallet and slams the button)

Arnold: Let’s see… not bad, you win a Clawmatoe.

Shad: (trots closer) Hey, a Clawmatoe! Can I have it?

Kat: There’s a wing sticking out of your mouth.

Shad: (gulps the wing down) Are we done here?

Kat: Don’t you mean “are you done here”? Yeah, only the Coconut Shy to go.

Arnold: Hey, you forgot to pay!

Shad: Here you go. So, to the Coconut game.

Kat: The game that is played with nuts, for nuts and will eventually drive you nuts.

Shad: Exactly. Hello there!

Quiggle: Hey. Wanna try your luck?

Shad: What for? I’ve never knocked a coconut down before.

Quiggle: Today may be the first time.

Shad: Okay, but only because I’m writing an article about the fairground. Let’s see… (throws the ball at a coconut)

Quiggle: See? That wasn’t so bad. You win 300 Neopoints.

Kat: I think I saw a nail attached to that coco…

Shad: Hush now! (throws again)

Quiggle: Nice throw. 50 Neopoints. Try again?

Shad: Sorry, I don’t have more Neopoints on me.

Quiggle: But you just won…

Shad: My first rule with gambling: never play with winnings. By the way, I’ve heard that this game here is rigged, is it true?

Quiggle: Of course not! How dare you? Coconuts are heavy and they’re standing on top of hollow poles. It’s not easy to hit them down. I wouldn’t be able to run the shy if it was too easy.

Kat: And the nail I saw?

Quiggle: It was just some piece of string. (goes to the coconut and comes back with a piece of string) See?

Shad: You just pulled it out of your shirt…!

Kat: Oookay, I think it’s about time for breakfast already. Come on, Shad. Thank you for your time and patience, Mr. Quiggle. (trots off)

Quiggle: Yeah, come again.

Kat: So, the conclusion. What do you think, Mr. Ultimate Journalist? Are the games rigged?

Shad: Naw, don’t think so.

Kat: (blinks) And what about all the accusations?

Shad: Like the Cork Gun Gallery Aisha said, people blame their bad results on the booth keeper. Anyone can win here, it just takes practicing.

Kat: And a lot of Neopoints.

Shad: You’re such a material girl.

Kat: And you’re just afraid to make enemies in the Fairground because you’ve had enough trouble here with using rotten Neggs in the Coconut Shy game and so on.

Shad: That’s a lie!

Kat: (yawns) Who cares. Can we go back now?

Shad: Yeah, sure thing. (runs off with Kat)