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Chapter 21
What We've All Been Waiting For!
Games, music, laughter—the festival had begun and Foxx, Frost, and Free were right in the middle of it. The crowd wasn’t dense, but there were enough people that the trio had to keep close. Foxx particularly so, staying low to the ground and keeping his scarf and tail tucked.
“What are we doing first?” Free flipped through a festival pamphlet. “We could go on a game blitz—maybe we should see if the food’s good and cheap? Wait, better idea, what if we plan around the show times and wrap up the night with the fireworks—”
“We should discuss this outside of the crowd, where we can sit,” Frost said.
“You’re already tired?” Free replied, annoyed. “Come on, the crowd’s part of the—” He noticed Foxx’s ears were pointed back, “Actually, yeah, good idea. Keeping up with the crowd makes it hard to think.”
“Mm-hmm.”
The trio moved out of the crowd and over to benches near the Old Lilipass memorial, where only a few guests were around, and their temperaments were much more relaxed. When the trio sat down, Free handed Frost the pamphlet, who then showed it to Foxx.
“I’m down for anything, what about you two?” Free asked.
“It would be fun to play the games,” Foxx suggested.
“You sure? The crowd looks pretty dense around those,” Free said.
“We can start at the back end of the festival, where the crowd is thinnest," Frost said. “By the time we are done and have eaten lunch, those at the front will have flowed to the back.”
“Leaving the front thin?” Free said.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Sounds like a plan. Start with some games, then go get something to eat over at the food trucks and figure it out from there.”
Frost shook their head, “We are eating at the Camper, the last of our funds are for fuel.”
“Dang… Sucks, but you’re right. That means we won't be going to any shows either?”
“We could ask Melli or Sal for free admission, they have already provided us with free entry.”
“Naw, that doesn’t feel right.”
“It would not hurt to ask. They understand our situation, and I think they want us to see the fruits of their hard labor.”
“Maybe—but let’s worry about that later, there’re games to be conquered!”
“Agreed.”
Foxx nodded his head.
The trio’s conquest started with a game next to the art center called “Howl-A-Hoop.” A game where they had to throw hoops onto the tails of Wharfwolves—small mechanical fake ones, which ran around on tracks. The volunteer attending the stand was a tall, older Gilieot lady with a long thin tail. Since they were the only ones there, the trio played simultaneously next to each other.
Right when the game started—Free grabbed six hoops at once, “Hey, watch this!”
Frost watched as Free wound up his arm and narrowed his stance before throwing the hoops all at once, missing the tails of each Wharfwolf… but landing two hoops on the game attendant's tail.
Free scratched the back of his head, “My bad…”
The staffer slowly took the hoops of her tail and placed them to the side, then side-eyed him with a threatening but poised glare, “Do not do that again.”
“Got it,” Free quickly turned his gaze back to the Wharfwolves.
After Howl-A-Hoop, the next game up was “Crack-A-Clam.” A test of strength against a large wooden clam where the player is provided with a rubber rock to crack it open.
If successful, the winner was given its grand prize—an oversized and big-eyed Wharfwolf plushie, something that the other two noticed had enraptured Foxx. He kept looking back at it as the attendant explained the rules.
“Can I go first?” Foxx asked.
“Really?” Free said.
“Should I not?”
“No, go ahead. I just didn't take this as your kind of game,” Free moved back as Foxx walked up to the attendant, a short Gilieot with sunglasses on.
“Now remember,” the attendant took out a rubber rock from a pile of them. “No moving the clam and keep both of your hands—er, or whatever magic you’re using—on the rock.”
“Ok,” Foxx took the rock.
Free looked on with skepticism, "This is one of those games where you’re meant to lose, huh?”
“The rules seem fair,” Frost said.
“I’m not talking about the rules. It's the fact you have to use a toy rock, there’s no way to win—”
Foxx cracked the clam in two by slamming it with his tail.
“...with It.”
“Hey, hold on,” the attendant wagged his finger. “You can’t do that, you have to use the rock.”
“Ok,” Foxx said, ready to try again without the use of his tail.
Free walked up, “Well, technically, that’s not right.”
The attendant looked at Free with tired eyes.
“Foxx didn’t move the thing, and he kept a hold on the rock—nothing said he can’t use his tail.”
“That’s—” The attendant stopped himself then sighed, pinching the bridge of his muzzle, “It's always something with you tourists—fine, fair enough.” The attendant got the plushie out of a box next to him and gave it to Foxx, “Here’s your prize."
Foxx gave the rock back to the attendant, “Thank you.”
As the trio left, the attendant took out a paint marker and wrote “USE THE ROCK” on the rules board.
***
After the trio finished playing games at the back end of the festival grounds, they decided it was time to go back to the Camper for lunch and wait for the crowd to die down. It was around midday now, and the sky was getting cloudy.
The spot where the camper was parked had a few other vehicles around it now, most belonging to volunteers and a few to visitors that came in from the dock. One vehicle—besides the Camper—blatantly stood out among them, a disc-shaped spaceship.
Foxx wondered who it could have belonged to—until he spotted someone familiar talking to Melli next to it. A towering figure with cold silver skin, long slender arms, and a featureless spherical head—it was Formosa! He could overhear her conversation with Melli.
“I was worried this place was long gone, good to see y'all still kicking,” Formosa lightheartedly said.
Melli laughed, “Not yet, we still got plenty of vigor, at least enough for today. Say, how’s the diner fairing?”
“Getting busy.”
“Now how's that?”
“Can’t say I know. Maybe word of mouth or more people moving around—but I’m wondering if we can keep up with all the traffic. ‘May need to expand the parking lot again. While I love Ebb-Burrows, getting a contractor is a nightmare around here.”
“Lots of business is better than no business,” Melli chuckled.
“Ain't that the truth.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate you visiting—It's been what, ten, twenty years?”
Formosa cackled, “It's been only six, Mel. Don’t make me feel any older.”
Melli smiled, “How time passes… But what I was saying was—Are you sure you have the time to spend here?”
“Oh, Juniper will be fine if I’m out for a day—”
“What is the delay, Foxx?” Frost asked.
Foxx turned his ears to Frost and Free, “Can we say hello to Formosa?”
“That lady from the diner is here? That explains the saucer,” Free said, half-way through the Camper’s door. “Do we really need to?”
“It would be polite to update her,” Frost replied. “In addition, there is a chance she has heard something about Foxx’s guardian.”
"Fine, guess so.” Free hopped down, “Canned beans can wait.”
The trio walked over—Free lagging a bit behind—and Fromosa saw them and waved, “Didn’t think I’d see y'all again so soon!”
Melli waved at them too, “Ahoy!” then turned to Formosa, “You know those three too?”
“They stopped by the diner a few days ago, looking for where the little one came from. Figured they’d wind up on Terarin, but what are the chances they landed here?” Formosa said.
“Small world.”
“Small galaxy.”
“Pleased to see you again, Formosa. Same as well to you, Melli,” Frost said.
“Yo,” Free said as Foxx bowed.
“Likewise,” Formosa replied. “How y’all been? I see Foxx is looking much better!”
“We have been doing well, although unfortunately, no sign of Foxx’s guardian yet nor new information,” Frost said.
“That’s a shame,” Formosa frowned. “I’ve asked around too and gotten nothing either. 'Cept for a few mentioning they saw your signal on their receivers.”
“Hey, at least that means it worked,” Free added. “...But that also means the likelihood of Foxx’s guardian being anywhere near here is—” he stopped himself, “You know, maybe they're just taking a bit to get here—cosmic winds out of their favor.”
“Hmm,” Frost crossed their arms.
Foxx’s ears went flat.
Formosa flipped her frown into a smile, “Either way, now’s not the time to get all mopey.”
“Formosa’s right—say, why don’t you three go grab something to eat and see a show?” Melli said. “Most of the acts were in the morning, but there’s a magic show starting in a few minutes.”
“Love to—but we’re strapped for cash, need to spend it on fuel,” Free said.
“It’s alright, I’ll—”
Formosa took out a small bundle of coins and paper notes and presented it to Frost, “Here, this should cover.”
“Are you sure?” Frost asked.
“Very sure. I was planning on donating it all anyway. Just, spend it well, you hear? If you have to bring Foxx with you to Hornnhealm, you better be prepared.”
Frost took the bundle and Free looked at it wide-eyed and said, “I guess we’ll be doing a lot of shopping tomorrow before we go, thanks!”
“Thank you,” Frost said. “However, please expand what you mean by ‘prepared.’ Is Hornnhealm that treacherous?”
Formosa paused for a moment and her smile disappeared, “I’ve only been there once, and for only a month at that.” She looked directly into Frost’s eyes, “But what I saw was horrible—broken families, knives around every corner, folks with the shakes, drafted youngins’ who were barely old enough to wield a sword. Even if whatever war that was going on is ‘finished’—there’s no chance it's over. If you get my meaning.”
Frost clenched their fist, “I understand, and duly noted.”
Free did his best not to look nervous, making himself look smaller, and Foxx didn’t seem to react.
BANG sizzle—
Suddenly, a firework went off in the sky. It exploded into a green and red pattern that looked like a flowering lily pad.
Melli looked up with worry, “Well that’s not good.”
“Hmm?” Formosa looked at Melli.
“None of them should be firing off this early.” Melli took out a walkie talkie then turned to the trio, “That show I mentioned earlier is about to start soon, if you go now, you should be able to get some food and still catch it.”
“Mel’s right, no need to spend any more time with us two. There’s a festival to enjoy!” Formosa said.
“Can’t say I can argue with that,” Free said. “Peace.”
“Farewell,” Frost said as Foxx bowed goodbye.
“Have fun you three!” Formosa waved.
“Good tides!” Melli did as well.
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