The end of summer was drawing near and after various missions that have recently been fatiguing us out the most, Robin and Wally suggested we go to Happy Harbor's local Carnival at the mention of it coming into town. M'gann was instantly in on the idea, Superboy had figured 'why not' when practically everyone else had agreed, but Artemis was nowhere to be found on the suggestion for our Team's outing and Aqualad was off doing- stuff. So it was Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash, M'gann and I, M'gann immediately pulled me aside to her room to figure out her outfit for tomorrow, complete elation for her first carnival had taken her over and there was no backing out now.
"What about- this?" M'gann let her previous clothes change into a small blue skirt that was mostly covered by a white, flannel blouse with puffy sleeves and an intricate woven design etched into the collar area. I perked up at the outfit, sitting up from my slouched position on her bed, "It's nice but-," M'gann looked to me with a hopeful face, lip puckered out, I sighed. "I think a pink skirt would suit you better, and lose the really detailed design there," I smiled as she fixed the organic matter to my suggestion, "simplicity's your thing M'gann, it looks good on you." she blushed at my compliment, and twirled around in her picked outfit then before returning to her regular outfit.
She brightened up all of a sudden, "I should help you with your outfit! Since you helped me with mine!" I screamed internally at that and swore a million sailors' words.
August 28th. I was absolutely shy on the outfit M'gann had forced me to wear, a pair of tight black jean shorts with a small sky-blue tank top, managing to grab a short-sleeved hoodie before she pulled me out of my bedroom. I felt all too exposed and hid behind her as Robin and Kid Flash rendezvoused with us outside the Cave in their civvies, Superboy just in his regular get-up with his brown jacket and his shirt inside-out.
We had promptly left for the brightly-lit area of Happy Harbor, the sun was setting just as we pulled into a secluded parking space a ways off from the Carnival, it was a promising sight that invited a thrilling night for us. Kid Flash had grabbed M'gann off the bat to show her all the 'cool rides', leaving me, Superboy and Robin in the dust.
I looked up to the flashing lights of a Ferris Wheel, just feeling dizzy at the blurring glare of neon bulbs attached to the wheel. Robin laughed suddenly, I turned to him to find his sunglass-covered eyes in my direction, his laugh was hardly heard over the roaring pop music that emanated from the Carnival. He coughed and smiled, "I just realized Superboy here has never been to one of these places, " Robin stated, explaining his mirthful laughter, I smiled and looked to Superboy, who hid an embarrassed expression by looking away, M'gann no longer around to stop Robin's teasing.
I tapped my red-sneaker clad foot against the ground, the beat of the loud music had a good beat and I wanted to remember it for a later date. "Well, let's not postpone this activity no longer you two," I laughed suddenly, the two raven-haired boys stared at me with small smiles.
"Ooh, 'Cliffhanger'," Robin exclaimed, pointing at the machine. Superboy looked up with slight interest, hands pushed into his pockets. "Three-seated too. We should totally do that one," Robin grinned widely, cheeks threatening to burst with his apparent excitement.
I pulled at my paper wristband the Ticketmaster gave to me, it was supposed to let us on all the rides for free (though the wristbands were eight dollars, so I wouldn't really call that free) the games you still had to pay for though. Luckily I stashed thirty-five bucks in my pocket before I left the Cave, only twenty-right remained now.
I was actually tempted earlier to rip the band off when Superboy wanted to ride this machine called the 'Mega-drop', Robin and him went, but I stayed at the bottom of the platform after a girl puked nearby after leaving the ride, the latter disgusting me. I kept the paper bracelet on just in case though, I had paid eight and wasn't going to let it go to waste.
We went through the line rather quickly and were pretty much pushed into our seats by the ride's assistant, who strapped us into our flat seats that resembled gliders, face-down. It was very uncomfortable, but I smiled through it, laughing as Robin tried to get Superboy to raise his arms out with him and yelping as the ride began to pick up speed, launching us into the air.
Robin and I screamed excitedly when it swooped down, Superboy only manages a surprised shout as it made us veer back up, wind caressing our faces as the speed went higher and we were spun around in a frenzy. I giggled madly as Superboy joined in with me and Robin, arms stretched out, he was smiling softly as we were reaching for air and letting it tickle our fingers as we sped in a blur.
I wondered briefly if this was how Kid Flash's power was like. Then the similarities were dropped, he wasn't fully protected when running so that finished my mental debate.
As the ride began to slow down, Robin let out a melodramatic, disappointed 'aww' and Superboy chuckled lightly, raising his hand with the wristband on it, to which Robin smirked at. We probably rode that ride two more times before I could feel the hunger clawing at my stomach.
When the third rerun was over, we began heading to the food stands for a light carny snack, I got chili fries, scarfing the delicious treat down just as Robin flicked his camera out to take a picture with a mad smirk. Saving the memory for later. Superboy just got water and a hotdog, Robin ordered cotton candy for each of us which we ate at happily (Superboy was confused on his first bite when the treat dissolved instantly, and became maybe a bit flustered when Robin explained that's how it was made).
After that we headed over to this confusing ride called 'Avalanche', where you were fastened into a row of seats that rotated as the larger column that connected the various rows would rotate and spin as well, a dizzy spell destined for disaster, or aster in Robin's opinion as he pulled us over to it. He had his eyes set on the unsteady ride, we were standing in line when two familiar redheads waved us down, "Hey!" Wally called out over the deafening music with a high tempo.
We jogged over to them, much to the people's distressed groans behind them as we joined our missing friends from before in line. Wally grinned and M'gann instantly stood beside Superboy, "You having fun?" She inquired, the kryptonian smiled straight away, "yeah."
"So what rides have you three been on? Me and M'gann have been on nearly half the rides here already!" Wally told with zest, me and Robin shared a sheepish smile. "We went on the Megadrop once without Vera, then the Cliffhanger three times before Vera got hungry, so we stopped for food," Robin admitted, laughing, Wally looked unimpressed, "You're gonna have to try harder if you're gonna beat me in a ride-all-the-rides contest, Rob."
Robin scoffed, about ready to counter, I rolled my eyes at their childish banter just as the ride handler looked to us, "Ya'll ridin' or not?" The man with a five o'clock shadow asked with a slight southern drawl, we all perked up and instantly hopped onto the brightly lit ride. The five of us filled a whole row (left to right; Myself, M'gann, Robin, Kid Flash and Superboy) and buckled ourselves in quickly as other rows were filling up with antsy teens and a few young adults looking to prove themselves. Robin cackled and looked about ready to flip out the seat the second the ride started up.
After about half a minute, the ride was full of various people, all hoisted in and ready for the ride to begin, which it did just as Wally was about to start another playful argument with Robin.
"Whoa!" He cried out as it quickly sped outward and around, I laughed uproariously as the scenery became upside down, and Robin whooped so loud that I thought my eardrums would burst. M'gann already looked ready to puke, but instantly turned to a calm demeanor as I held her hand and raised our arms high, smiling widely and screaming as the wind whipped our red and brunette hair into a mesh of tangles. She too began yelling in exhilaration as our breath was drawn out by the pure thrill of the ride, Superboy, Kid Flash and Robin began a brief scream-off with us, M'gann and I winning by default when Robin stopped to catch his breath when the ride began to slow down.
We left the ride, only me and the human-looking martian becoming dizzy and collapsing to the ground in a fit of giggles. Robin and Kid Flash helped us up with smug smirks while Superboy looked around to find another ride for us to bring our troupe to.
"What about that Ferris Wheel?" I said a bit dizzily, words not forming correctly as I pointed to the biggest and by far the brightest ride at the carnival. "Why not," Robin agreed, patting my shoulder and taking off in the direction of it, laughing. Superboy, Kid Flash, M'gann and I quickly recovered and sped after him. I stopped momentarily to look at a stage being set up in a large, open area as I followed after my teammates, I wondered what it was being set up for automatically, then shook my head and rushed to catch up with the others.
"About time," the 'Wall-man' scoffed from beside Robin, who gave the redhead a hard glare through his shades. I wheezed and blew a raspberry at the two while M'gann and Superboy jogged up behind me, not having broke a sweat while I had.
"I *gasp* just wanna *wheeze* ride the friggin ride, man," I said between breaths while Wally grinned, then a certifiable insane grin as he looked from Robin who had turned the other way and to me. "O-kay then, off you go then," he pushed me and the unsuspecting raven-haired teen into one of the Ferris Wheel's cars just as the ride assistant called next.
"Agh! What the-," Robin started as he made harsh contact into the cars' opposite-sided window, his glasses made the noise of falling off. I immediately covered my eyes, my body half-strewn out against the cars' seat while he was all the more on the floor, remembering that his identity was a high priority was important to not know. "Wally," I simply stated, partly hissing out his name as there was a loud grunt that came from a third person who was rudely shoved into the car a lot like me and Robin were.
I could hear as Robin and our new guest stood, and peeked out from under my hand to see Robin with his glasses returned to his face and dusting his clothes off, a ticked expression on his lower face shown clearly. Superboy was our new guest, looking around confusedly and possibly angry too, "Wally." They both said, I glared out the window, ready to bash the annoying redhead's face in.
I sighed as the ride began to move, the car slowly jerking to the side, I sat up against the window and fixed my gaze on the moving setting outside. The warm sunset from before was gone, replaced by the darkened purple and blue sky, letting the dazzling Carnival light up the area around with vibrant colors that glowed brightly against the night environment.
"Ferris Wheels usually take between ten to fifteen minutes," Robin said matter-of-factly from his spot in the corner, next to the car door with his arms crossed. I gave him my full attention, wondering where this was going, Superboy looked irritated and sighed, sharing a similar look like mine. "And this is going where?" Superboy grunted, crossing his arms opposite of Robin's position beside the door and in the reverse corner of my seat.
"Ten to fifteen minutes to think of a way to get him back," Robin said with a smirk, I grinned like the chesire cat in return. "I like the way you think," I all-but laughed in response, Superboy smirked and nodded. "I'm in."
I looked back to the window, seeing how far we were up as Robin and Superboy began to think up plans to get back at the speedster with. As much as I wanted to get back at the infuriating green-eyed teen, I wasn't one to come up with plans. I looked to my black and silver watch, about eight to thirteen minutes left, sighing I returned my wandering gaze back to the see-through plastic.
Two little girls below stalked a couple from behind a bush, the blaring lights didn't find their faces, hiding the two easily in the shadow of the pretty much dead flora. The couple, a dirty blonde in a dark band tee who draped his arm over his short date, a dyed redhead with a vivid pink shirt that had black flowers on it. The two were smiling, laughing and kissed one another a few times before heading to a game stall, balloons that you were supposed to pop with small darts, pop enough and win a prize. The boy managed to get two, earning his girlfriend a cheap brown teddybear with a red bow around its neck. The two girls hiding behind the bush were conversing, then got up and left, scowls on their faces. I shook my head and rolled my eyes in response to those two's behavior, before smiling softly at the happy couple.
It felt uncanny, being a hero-in-training while also a teen that had needs, a need for something normal, but could serve my emotional years without me burning the stub that resembled my life. Would I last switching between two different worlds, one that promised hardship, and the other vowed to be a roller coaster of emotional moments.
I kept my eyes on the couple as they leaned into each other and walked around the Carnival, the girl clutching her gift with a wide smile and kissing her boyfriend over and over. The blonde boy responded with a cheeky smile and hugging her tightly around the waist.
I felt my stomach flutter, something in me wishing for the same something that the two had pinned to each other. The welcoming feeling of protection by another person while also possessing that protectiveness for the other person. What was love exactly? Yet had I ever gotten the indication that I loved somebody, or that somebody loved me back, would somebody love me back?
I felt my usual wall of defense crumble as I thought on about the weird sensation that people had dubbed forever ago 'Love'. As far as I had known, it was something that felt like- security, something powerful that surged through you when you spoke to your love, and the sensation that people loved to think what felt like laying on a cloud, though most deemed that scientifically possible, it was the thought that counted.
I took my concentrated look away from the couple that was now cuddling on a bench, not knowing of my focused attention on them for the past five or so minutes. I looked to my watch again, three to eight minutes left. Preferably the former, I couldn't last much longer on this slow contraption.
Ignoring the most obvious reason (out of character!) why this wasn't in Stone Hard, I had written this before I had made any certain weaknesses and personality towards Veronica. Plus, I was leaning more towards the romance genre when writing this, I left that part out, however, because this was also before I picked a more fitting age for her too.
Funny fact; I wrote this after (literally, after) I got back from this Carnival that was five blocks down my street. The rides that everyone was on was based off of the rides I saw there (lol I didn't ride them, I'm a wuss). That happening, inspired me to write this. I think I had already known this wasn't going to fit into the timeline as well, but I still did my research pretty well, aside from everyone being out of character, because I wrote this on a separate document as well as checking the YJ calendar to make sure what characters would be present and the perfect timing for such an event to happen.
Reviews are welcome!~
