Chapter 6
Friendly Streets and the Mystery Mansion
The evening was already off to a great start! The four of them had received their two rooms, 1216 and 1217 (quite fitting!), and after their luggage was carried up, the four of them sat down at the Bottle Bistro for dinner. The restaurant was built into the hotel and featured a lovely view of Nuka Town USA, with Fizztop Mountain visible in the near distance. The four of them sat down at a booth near the window and ordered their food, as Lori pulled out a map of the park. Lucy, of course, snuggled up to her brother and held his hand.
"Alright, so here's a map of the park!" Lori said. "There are six parks and three days, so let's plan accordingly."
"I guess if we do two parks every day, then, it shouldn't be too hard." Bobby added, playing with the straw in his drink.
"We're already in Nuka Town." Lincoln said, looking at the list of attractions in each park. "So I guess we should start with that first, then meet up at the Fizztop Grille for lunch. I have GOT to try that Nuka Blast burger, I heard it's a bomb on a bun!"
"Exactly what I was thinking!" Lori added. "Though it says it's super spicy, are you sure you can handle that?"
"Yeah, sweetie, last time you tried something that spicy you spent the next hour holding ice packs on your tongue and squirming wildly~" Lucy said with a gentle giggle, prompting an annoyed look from her lover.
"Don't worry, I've GOT this~" Lincoln said proudly. "Besides, Lynn's been training me to better handle spicy food! Or at least she was, no idea what's gotten into her."
"We'll worry about that when we get back." Lori interjected. "After lunch I suppose we'll visit Dry Rock Gulch next. Not really into cowboys, but we do need to experience everything!"
"And over the next three days we'll work our way down to the back of the park!" Lincoln added.
Something on the map then caught Lucy's eye.
"Grandchester Mystery Mansion, that sounds promising~" Lucy said with a smile, prompting a look of horror from Lincoln. Still, he took a deep breath and relaxed after the moment of shock. He survived the Royal Woods House of Terrors, he could do this, especially with his beacon to guide the way. Nonetheless it still made him a bit nervous.
"Y-Yeah...~" Lincoln said.
"Alright, so that sounds like a plan! Boo Boo Bear, what do you think? ...Boo Boo Bear?"
The view panned over to Bobby, who was holding a crayon and scratching his head, trying to figure out the place mat fun maze, prompting an unamused glare from his girlfriend.
"Man, how is Lisa so good at these?!" He said with confusion.
After a fun dinner and some time playing games in Lori and Bobby's room, the two lovebirds opened up the door to theirs. It was a nice room, Cola patterning on the walls and two big, fluffy beds with red bedcovers and a flat screen TV. Though they knew they'd only be needing one~ There was also a cozy bathroom with a shower, bathtub, and bottlecap-shaped sink. Looks like they were going all-in on the theming! They dug into their luggage and changed into their cozy pajamas. Lincoln laid down on the bed next to the window, with Lucy happily landing in bed next to him, pulling him into a warm embrace.
"We made it, we made it~!" Lucy whispered with joy, nuzzling her lover's cheek. It was likely the happiest she had ever felt. "This feels so good~!"
"For me too, Luce, for me too~" Lincoln kissed her and held her close, clicking on the TV with the nearby remote. "and I promise you, someday, we'll get to do this as long as we want~"
Lucy made a cute sound and giggled, resting her head on Lincoln's chest as the two watched TV together. "I look forward to that every day of my life~ Tomorrow, we can kiss, hold hands, do whatever we want, and nobody will judge us~ Nobody will know our dark secret~"
"Nobody will know! Just two lovers spending a fun day at the park together~ What more could I ask for~?" Lincoln said sweetly, stroking Lucy's soft raven hair.
The two snuggled together more as they watched some shows, wrapping themselves in one of the fuzzy blankets that came with the room. Soon some energetic toy commercials came on and gave Lucy a mischievous idea. The moment he let his guard down, Lucy began to vigorously tickle his tummy!
"H-HEY, LUCE!" He yelped, laughing and squirming as the cute goth's fingers danced around his stomach and chest. "T-TWO can play at that game!" He said in playful retaliation as his fingers shot up and tickled her tummy, making her squirm and squeal. Lucy was especially ticklish but didn't roughhouse much so never really got the chance to show it. The two traded tickles back and forth for about an hour until they were out of breath, peacefully falling asleep in each other's warm embrace~!
The next morning, after a cozy breakfast at the hotel, the gang got together at the entrance to the hotel and looked around. Several shops, fountains, and small attractions dotted the streets, while visitors gathered happily at the water feature in front of Fizztop Mountain on this glorious sunny day. The concession stands, manned by a mix of human and robot staff, sold all sorts of park goodies, including several Nuka Cola flavors not available on the mass market.
"Alright, gang, we've got a fun day ahead of us!" Lori said cheerfully. You two can go off and do whatever you want, just meet us at the Fizztop Grille at 12:30 like we planned~!" Lori said cheerfully, followed by a thumbs up from Lincoln.
"Sounds good! You two have fun!" Lincoln said in response. Lucy was already tugging at his sleeve, having spotted a stand selling Nuka Cola Grape.
"We got it~ Come on, sweetie, let's go~" Lucy grabbed his hand and quickly moved towards the stand, Lincoln nearly tripping in the process! Lori simply giggled and waved gently.
"Oh those two, what a cute couple they are~" Lori said to herself sweetly, folding her map and placing it gently in her bag. "Okay, Boo Boo Bear, let's go, the Nuka Town Market is waiting for us... Boo Boo Bear?" She turned and looked behind her, only to spot Bobby talking to an older woman decked out in Nuka Cola attire. She looked like quite a fanatic, right down to the bizarre bottlecap glasses she was wearing. Before she knew it, Bobby was running back to her with a pair of his own, looking rather excited. Lori sported the biggest 'oh BROTHER' expression.
"Babe! You won't believe this, but they're running a contest!" Bobby said with elation.
"Wh-What do you mean? Why do you have those tacky glasses?" Lori asked.
"They're giving out a year's supply of Nuka Cola to anyone who can complete the Cappy Challenge!" Bobby said, adjusting the glasses.
"And about those glasses...?" Lori said, slightly annoyed.
"That's the catch! There are several Cappy images scattered throughout the park, find and photograph them all and you win! But they're only visible if you wear these shades!" Bobby said proudly.
"I don't know'..." Lori rubbed her shoulder, fearful that all of their plans were about to be scrambled.
"Don't worry babe~" Bobby gently took his girlfriend's hand. "They're all over, we can still do what we were gonna do~ We just need to keep our eyes peeled!" He said confidently, walking towards the market. "Come on, Babe, we've got some shopping to do!"
Lori blushed brightly and happily followed her boyfriend, giggling to herself. She appreciated Bobby's playful, if often childish, demeanor, it always made her smile! Well, almost always!
Meanwhile, Lincoln and Lucy had just stopped by the soda stand. After being served up two delicious colas by a Mr. Frothy robot, the two started walking around, looking for their first attraction to visit. Lucy picked Nuka Grape as expected, while Lincoln picked the other newest flavor: a very fitting Nuka Orange.
"What can I say, I like orange!" Lincoln said to the reader before peering down at the leaflet.
"I suppose we could stop by the water feature first~" Lucy said.
"Maybe, but that's right by the restaurant, we should save that for last." Lincoln said, raising an eyebrow.
"True..." Lucy said, looking down at the scheduled events. Something quickly caught her eye. "Today at the Amphitheater: Romeo and Juliet - See this stunning adaptation of a theater classic, as the CAPulets and the Bottlegues bicker over which new Nuka Cola flavor is the best, and the two lovers who love both~!" Lucy said in her deadpan tone, with raising excitement towards the end.
"But Luce, this sounds more like an advertisement..." Lincoln said a bit skeptically. Lucy giggled and kissed her lover's cheek, gently taking his hand.
"Relax~ It's still gonna be romantic, we can cuddle to the tone of the play~ Pretty please~?" Lucy said, briefly showing Lincoln her adorable eyes. Lincoln was absolutely flustered, and gave in.
"A-Alright~ L-Let's follow the map, the amphitheater doesn't seem to be far from here." Lincoln said, slightly embarrassed.
"Goodie goodie goodie~" Lucy said, kissing Lincoln as the two began walking towards their destination.
"...I heard you're looking for the Amphitheater! Do you need assistance or directions?" Said an artificial-sounding voice. The two lovebirds looked behind them to see a cartoony-looking robotic cola bottle standing before them.
"Um, n-no! I think we're doing fine." Lincoln said, sounding a bit uneasy.
"I'm N.I.R.A, the Nuka World Informational Robotic Assistant!" It said, doing a little spin. "I have every bit of information you'll need! Be sure to grab tokens from every attraction, and return them to me for fun prizes! Now, to get to the Amphitheater, you..." It said in a cheerful voice, before being promptly interrupted by Lucy.
"No, it's fine, we know where to go~" She said in her deadpan tone, before turning around again to walk with Lincoln.
"ERROR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION...Well FINE, you ugly little witch! I didn't REALLY want to help you anyway!" It said in a deeper voice, suddenly shifting to a very condescending tone that shocked both of them. Lucy pulled out her parasol and was about to smack the robot silly Lincoln grabbed her and held her back.
"Luce, calm down, it's just a machine!" Lincoln said, holding on tight, the embrace of her lover gently calming her down. "L-Let's go~" He said, gently taking hsi lover's hand as they walked towards the amphitheater.
"Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the show!" The robot said, suddenly snapping back to its cheerful demeanor and waving.
After a ten-minute walk the two arrived at their destination. Taking a seat near the front row, the sun shades went up as the show began. Several actors danced their way on stage to soda pop music, with the CAPulets dressed in orange while the Bottlegues were donning purple attire. Soon Romeo and Juliet came onto stage, each with outfits mixing both colors in a dazzling display.
"Very... interesting, but I still think they're just trying to sell us soda..." Lincoln whispered to Lucy. They had both seen better performances of the play, and even with the texting element added, the rendition Luan had performed in was much more sincere.
"I know, I know...~" Lucy responded. "But it's still gonna be romantic and heart-catching, I can feel it~"
Lincoln put an arm around Lucy's shoulder as the play continued, her resting her head on his shoulder in response. The two felt wonderful, not having to hide their feelings. They cutely sipped their sodas, or "nectar from God" as Lucy liked to call hers. She finished hers early of course, gently placing her straw in Lincoln's bottle, which he didn't mind at all.
After another hour of campy dialogue, the scene of the big kiss came around. Lucy was sporting a big grin, which had Lincoln curious. She waited for just the right moment.
"A cola by any other name would taste just as sweet~" The actor playing Juliet said with passion, leaning in to her lover's arms.
The actors' lips met, as everyone got up and cheered/applauded, while whistling and the sounds of a camera could be heard. Lincoln suddenly felt Lucy's hands on his cheeks.
"L-Lucy?! Wh-what.." Lincoln said, suddenly interrupted as Lucy's lips pressed against his. The meeting of orange and grape, two lovers it was perfect for them. After a few moments she broke the kiss and looked into his eyes.
"Wh-why did?" Lincoln looked flustered.
"Shhhh~ Our next step, we don't have to be afraid here~" She cooed, before the two embraced in another sweet kiss.
Another half hour later and the play had let out. Lincoln stretched his legs as Lucy cutely clinged to his arm. They got some cute looks from passerbys who were completely unaware of their little secret. Lincoln pulled out the leaflet again, scanning the list of attractions for their next destination.
"We have a little over an hour, Luce~ What do you want to do next?" Lincoln asked, looking down at his adorable raven-haired beauty.
"Hmmm..." She thought to herself. "Maybe we could do a little shopping at the market?"
"We could, but that's right near the hotel, we could always do some before dinner." Lincoln responded, as Lucy continued to scan the list.
"How about the Nuka-cade, sweetie~?" Lucy said with a smile, nuzzling his cheek.
"The arcade? Lucy, I thought you weren't into arcades. I've rarely ever seen you at Gus'..." Lincoln said, looking puzzled.
"I know, but we did something I wanted, now it'd be fair to do something you want next~" Lucy said sweetly. "Because I love you more than anyone in the world~"
Lincoln blushed, always enjoying Lucy's sweet talking! "Works for me~! I love you too, Luce~" Lincoln said, kissing her on the cheek as they walked together towards the Nuka-cade.
"Have a TERRIBLE time, blockhead! Enjoy the grossest, noisiest arcade this side of the damn state!" Boomed NIRA from the background. The two lovebirds gave her dirty looks and simply went on their way.
The Nuka-cade wasn't a far walk from the amphitheater, and soon enough the two were in the arcade's reception area. Energetic music played throughout, interspersed by periodic Nuka Cola ads, and rocket imagery throughout. Highlighting all of this was the heavy use of red and blue lights. It really put Gus' to shame! Lincoln stood in the center and looked around, enamored by the sheer size, while Lucy headed to the reception desk. She smiled at the receptionist and showed her contest winner card she had received at the hotel.
"Me and my Boyfriend won the Golden Cappy Contest~ We'd like some tokens, please~" Lucy said, giggling cutely.
"Of course!" She said with a smile, handing her a pair of magnetic cards. "Lucky you! You get 500 free tokens! Have a good time you two!" She said cheerfully. Though it was pretty loud, it was a cheerful and energetic atmosphere to work in.
"Oh! Thank you, we will, don't worry~!" She said, gently taking the cards, walking over to Lincoln and taking his hand. These magnetic cards are used as a lot of modern arcades in place of physical tokens.
"Alright, sweetie, what should we play first~?" Lucy said, handing him his card.
"Hmmmmm, this place is more focused on physical games, but I'm still in! I've gotten plenty of practice down at the boardwalk with the gang! I'll show you the ropes!" Lincoln said proudly as they moved past the receptionist area and through the prize area to reach the games. Lucy'e eyes became fixated on one particular prize that was sitting on the shelf. Lincoln stopped the moment he noticed and looked up with her.
"What is it, Luce? Got your eye on something?" Lincoln looked at her curiously. He was more used to playing for score than for prizes, but he knew how it felt.
"Th-That... i-is so cute~" She cooed, blushes forming on her cheeks. Lincoln looked and noticed now what she wa fixated on: A cute bat plush that looked a lot like Fangs, with the round body in the shape of a bottlecap and cute wings, all sporting a red and white color scheme. Lucy always had a soft spot for cute things and bats, so this was the perfect prize for her. All for 5,000 tickets!
"You want to win that, huh Luce~?" Lincoln said with a smile.
"I-I do, I really do~" She looked up with that adorable glow in her expression. Lincoln kissed her cheek and smiled cheerfully.
"Well then..." Lincoln made a determined pose. "Let's work together to win it! We've got plenty of tokens, we can do this!"
Lucy quickly mimicked him. The two, even before their relationship, worked together exceptionally well! "Let's do this!...Sweetheart~". She took his hand as the two made their way towards the games.
Their first stop was at the traditional Hoop Shot. A boardwalk classic, the two of them could easily start building up tickets here.
"Let's start with this one, Luce! You're familiar with basketball, you DID make that All Star Team after all!" Lincoln said with excitement, trying to keep the energy up. "This should be easy for you!".
Lucy looked down and gently frowned, not saying anything. Lincoln looked to her with concern.
"L-Luce?"
"L-Lincoln?" Lucy looked up, then down nervously. "I-I didn't make the team. I was decent at it, but I only said what I said to impress Mom and Dad. They would've kept me there otherwise..."
"Luce...~" Lincoln put a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter, you can do this~ You're a very talented girl, just watch me and it'll all come back to you!"
Lucy flashed him a gentle smile as Lincoln inserted his card into the machine. The game started, and though he wasn't great at sports, his time spent with Lynn, along with his buddies at the boardwalk, was really paying off. Watching her lover tackle it with a smile on his face was the light she needed to gain her confidence. Inserting her metal card, she began a game of her own.
"There you go, Luce, that's it~!" Lincoln began cheering her on. Lucy performed surprisingly well, easily keeping up with Lincoln's score. Soon the two had already gathered 1,000 tickets from the machines, maxing them out for the time being.
"Full speed ahead, Luce, there's more games waiting for us!" Lincoln said, taking her hand as they made their way towards the Atomic Rollers.
A montage commenced, of the two racking up tickets together to upbeat and uplifting music!
- Lincoln making a bullseye at Atomic Rollers
- Lucy hitting a high score on Whack-A-Squirrel
- The two of them blasting down targets at Bandit Roundup
- The two of them knocking bottles down at Nuka Zapper Race
- Lucy grabbing first place in an arcade racing game.
- Lincoln scoring a full combo in a drum-based rhythm game. Looks like those lessons from Luna came in handy!
Soon the two of them had their 5,000 tickets with tokens to spare. Lucy was beaming with joys as they walked together to the prize area!
"Lincoln, I-I couldn't have done it without you~! You're my hero and I love you~" She giggled and hugged Lincoln, the white-haired boy gently stroking her hair in return.
"Awww, thank you~ But don't sell yourself short, Luce! You were absolutely killing it on some of these games! We'll have to come back later if we have time!" Lincoln said, patting her on the shoulder.
"Yes, let's...~!" Lucy said enthusiastically as she marched over to the ticket table. She turned in the massive wad they had accumulated. The prize manager smiled and picked the bat off of the shelf, handing it to her gently. She held it cutely in her arms as she met back up with her lover.
"Awwwwww~ Let's head to lunch!" Lincoln said, taking his lover's hand as the happy couple made their way towards Fizztop Mountain.
Lori and Bobby were already waiting outside the entrance as the two lovebirds approached them. The hotel was close to the Nuka-Cade, so Lucy decided to drop her bat off in their room on the way there. The two pairs waved at each other as Lincoln and Lucy got close.
"So, how was your morning" Lori asked with a smile as the group entered Fizztop Mountain.
"It was a blast~" Lucy said sweetly. "We saw the Romeo and Juliet performance, and had fun at the arcade~"
The group got seated at their table, looking out at the great fountain in front of them, along with the entirety of Nuka Town in full view. Nuka Town was the initial park in Nuka World, and its' success allowed for the rapid expansion that led to the other five. It's so well designed, its' clearly no surprise!
"How about you two?" Lincoln asked. "Bobby, what are those bizarre glasses for?"
Lori giggled and sighed.
"These here are for the Cappy Challenge! A year's supply of Nuka Cola is on the line and I'm gonna win it for us!" he tapped his new spectacles proudly. "I found the first one by the bathrooms! One down, gotta find two in Dry Rock Gulch next!"
"SWEET!" Lincoln said, feeling elated. "We'll let you know if we spot any, that sounds like an incredible prize!"
Lucy giggled, quite pleased herself. A year's supply of Nuka Grape sounded like heaven on earth!
After some more chatting and retelling of the morning's events, the gang's food arrived. Lincoln proudly picked up the Nuka Blast burger sitting in front of him.
"Prepare to be amazed!" Lincoln said, taking a big bite out of the juicy burger, chewing on it almost like a connoisseur. The rest of the table watched him curiously, anticipating an imminent meltdown.
"So, Linc, h-how is it?" Lori inquired.
Lincoln continued chewing on it, admiring the flavor. "Pretty zesty, but I'm not sure where the 'BOOM' comes in..." He said, before his face suddenly turned red. He suddenly dropped the burger back onto his plate.
"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!" He yelled, grabbing his soda and downing it quickly. The others giggled as he took deep breaths, a waiter coming over with a piece of bread for his tongue.
"Here you go, sir! There's no shame, this happens to most people!" The waiter said sheepishly. Lincoln nodded and put the bread on his tongue to soothe it.
"I-I guess I'll send this back and have something else instead..." He said, still a little embarrassed. "No idea how Lynn does it..."
"Unlike her, you actually take care of your bowels, rather than harming them with copious amounts of spice...~" Lucy added, resulting in a grossed out look from Lori.
"Lucy, not here, we'll lose our appetites!" Lori said. Lucy simply grinned and hugged her lover warmly as he caught his breath.
After a more pleasant meal and a walk through the gates to Nuka Town, the gang entered the park's main strip, the one they drove down as they entered. It was a portal to the rest of the park, and their destination for the afternoon was right across the strip. Crowds of people periodically marched across, and big red cola-themed buses could be seen shuttling visitors to the parks down the street. Above the grey walls ahead stood several red rock mountains, a tall drop-tower ride, and even the roof of the mystery mansion itself. At the gate, two protectrons in booths were taking tickets, each sporting stylish cowboy hats to go along with the theme. Bobby happily presented them their passes and the group walked inside.
"Alright, team!" Lori said with a smile. "Same as this morning, we'll met back here in a few hours then head back to Nuka Town for dinner!"
"Sounds good, Lori, you two have fun! ...WOAH!" Lincoln gave her a thumbs up as he felt Lucy grab his arm.
"Come on, sweetie, we gotta get in line~ The Mansion awaits~!" Lucy said, eagerly dragging him towards the attraction with haste, as a lump formed in Lincoln's throat. Lori and Bobby couldn't help but chuckle.
"They really are cute together! Godspeed my man!" Bobby said with a laugh, watching Lucy cling to Lincoln as they waited in line together.
"It's true, this is the happiest I've ever seen Lucy! Things are finally lighting up in her little world~" Lori said sweetly, thinking back on the last couple of months.
Suddenly, another hat-donning protectron approached them, speaking unbearably slowly.
"GREETINGS SIR AND MADAM. I AM SHERIFF HAWK. DO YOU NEED GUIDANCE? IF NEED BE, I'D RECOMMEND THE SHERIFF'S TOUR."
"Literally the worst... Do they think we're children?" Lori said, impatient with the machine already.
"Sheriff Tour? Sounds fun, but I don't think we..." Bobby said to the robot, a little more patient with it.
"I DETECT A PAIR OF CAPPY GLASSES IN YOUR POSSESSION. IF YOU COMPLETE THIS CHALLENGE YOU GAIN A TICKET TO MAD MULLIGAN'S MINE, WHERE A HIDDEN CAPPY IS LOCATED." Sheriff Hawk said. Bobby's eyes immediately widened.
"A hidden Cappy you say~..." Bobby said smoothly.
"Bobby..." Lori facepalmed.
"TALK TO ALL THREE OTHER SHERIFFS AND COMPLETE THEIR CHALLENGES. YOU WILL THEN BE AWARDED A TICKET TO MAD MULLIGAN'S MINE." It said, still speaking slow as ever.
"You got it! Babe, come on, we've got this!" Bobby said excitedly, before running off to the nearby corral, where another Sheriff Protectron was waiting.
Meanwhile back at the Mansion, the two lovebirds had just arrived at the ticket taker. Lucy showed them their passes and the protectron approved them. It too began speaking slowly, giving them and nearby patrons a quick overview of the attraction.
"COME EXPERIENCE THE WONDER AND HORRORS OF THE GRANDCHESTER MYSTERY MANSION, NOW CAREFULLY RELOCATED WITH GREAT SKILL INTO THE GROUNDS OF THE PARK. WHY DID LITTLE LUCY GRUESOMELY KILL HER PARENTS? IT'S A MYSTERY! SEE WHERE SHE COMMITTED THE BLOODY DEED. MARVEL AT THE ANIMATRONIC MODELS. SEE THE ACTUAL KITCHEN WHERE HER MOTHER LOVING PREPARED HER MEALS. SEE THE BLOODSTAINS THAT CAN'T BE WASHED OUT. NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5." The ticket taker said. Lincoln's blood immediately ran cold. It was a truth that if one is going to date Lucy, one must get used to the darkness, at least a little bit. But having the killer be a little girl who shared his lover's name? That is bone chilling!
"Ohoho~ Thank you, mister! Come on, sweetie, let's go~" Lucy said in her usual tone with a smirk, holding Lincoln's hand as the pair entered the front door.
They made their way into the parlor room where several doors could be seen wide open, and a stairway to nowhere lay right beside them. Lincoln walked up to the plaque at the top and read it carefully.
Morticia Grandchester ordered this stairway to nowhere built in an effort to confuse the evil spirits possessing her daughter Lucy.
"E-Evil spirits?" Lincoln began to shudder, hearing suspicious giggling coming from the ceiling.
"AUUUUUUGHHHH!" he screamed.
"Lincoln~" Lucy popped up next to him, startling him one more.
"AAUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHH!" He began to breathe deeply before looking down at Lucy.
"Hehehe, you're adorable when you're scared~ It was just a spirit~ Come on, there's so much more to see~" She cooed, taking his arm once again as they made their way into the child's reading room.
"In this very room her mother read her stories of Shelley, and Poe, and the histories of the Borgias..."
"Edgar Allen Poe, very nice~ She has good taste~" Lucy said, giggling.
"She had no friends to speak of, so she captured small animals to play with..."
What the Narrarator said next only made Lincoln shiver more as they proceeded further into the attraction
Meanwhile, at the corral, Bobby was running around with a bottle of Nuka Cola in his hands as Lori watched from the sidelines. He was attempting to corral several Giddyup Buttercups, expensive robotic horses meant for small children to ride. Several of them were running away from Bobby, leaving him frustrated.
"THEY LIKE THE COLD, SWEET, REFRESHING TASTE OF NUKA COLA" The protection nearby, aptly named "The Giddyup Kid', informed Bobby.
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Bobby said with a tone of frustration as he chased one of them into the pseudo graveyard nearby, which was propped up next to the Mystery Mansion. Bobby tripped and fell on his face in the middle of it. Adjusting his Cappy glasses, he looked up at the tombstone in front of him, who's back had a dancing hidden Cappy in full view.
"WOOHOO! My luck's starting to turn!" He said joyfully, snapping a photo of it.
Back at the Mansion, the pair had just entered another room after the corridor of fireplaces. A chandelier was bolted to the ground, and a dining table with chairs hung from the ceiling.
"Rooms such as these were built to confuse the spirits, making it more difficult for them to find Lucy..."
Said line nearly made Lincoln want to bolt his own furniture like that, though a quick memory of Luan doing the same as an April Fools prank wiped that idea away. Even if Lincoln was better with haunted houses, it was the story that was really bothering him. Added the creep factor in ways most haunted houses didn't.
"One morning Hannibal came in and found a doll that looked suspiciously like him...hanging from a noose..."
This was followed by more loud giggling, coming from what Lucy said was a spirit.
"EEEEEP!" Lincoln yelped, dragging Lucy into the next room.
Next up for Bobby's activities was a good old fashioned Western High Noon duel! Another protectron, aptly named 'One-Eyed Ike', had handed Bobby an imitation Pistol, and the two got into position.
"WHEN I SAY DRAW, YOU FIRE. ARE YOU READY?" The robot said.
"Bring it on~!" Bobby said with confidence, posing with his pistol.
"THREE"
"TWO"
"ONE"
"...DRAW"
Bobby turned around and fired with surprising accuracy, hitting the chest target the robot was carrying. It staggered for a moment and then congratulated Bobby, carefully taking the pistol back.
"EXCELLENT SHOOTING THERE, PARTNER. ONE MORE CHALLENGE AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE TASK OF CLEARING MAD MULLIGAN'S MINE. HE WON'T KNOW WHAT HIT HIM."
Bobby cheered as Lori looked on with hearts in her eyes, one that would've no doubt stewed steaming jealousy in Clyde if he were present.
"That's my Boo Boo Bear, he's so heroic~!" Lori said, completely flustered.
Lincoln and Lucy had just entered another room, with two chairs and a small round table set up. The table donned a bright red cloth (with aesthetic tattering) and a crystal ball rested on top. Not unlike what Lucy herself used for her fortune telling.
"Madam Scarlotta conducted seances in this room for Morticia in an attempt to drive the evil sprits from her daughter..."
"S-Seances? I-I guess that's not so bad, eheheh..." Lincoln said, still sweating. He was sorta used to them at this point, even the pets participated.
"That's right, sweetie~ Seeeances~" She leaned in, whispering in his ear. Though the tone only came off as more creepy, which made Lincoln shudder. Lucy giggled and leaned in close. "It's what I do, sweetheart~ Don't worry, I don't let any evil spirits hurt our family, especially you~" She said, gently squeezing Lincoln's hand in an affectionate manor. Lincoln quietly nodded as the nearby speaker played another clip.
"Madam Scarlotta once accused the litle girl of trying to push her down the stairs..."
Lincoln was practically shivering as they made their way into the next room, hand in hand.
Bobby's final task was to deliver some Nuka Cola flavors to patrons throughout the Dry Rock Saloon. Though it was pretty obvious that this was to cut down on labor costs a bit. Nonetheless, the bartender there, who appeared to be a bit overworked from a party the previous night, was grateful for Bobby's help. And Bobby, of course, had experience as a waiter from one of his many part-time jobs, so it came naturally to him!
"A Nuka Wild over here, a Quantum over there, this is a breeze!" Bobby said cheerfully, delivering each patron their sodas. Doc Phosphate, the protectron behind the counter, was lighting up with approval of Bobby's performance. Even Lori pitched in to help, delivering Nuka Orange to some patrons on the upper level, thought dropping a few in the process. The bartender wasn't pleased, but this didn't effect Doc Phosphate's approval.
"S-Sorry about that, eheheh...~" Lori said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
"IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. YOU TWO RAN THE SALOON WITH INCREDIBLE SKILL AND WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND." Doc said pulling out a pair of tickets for them. "HERE YOU GO, GO SHOW MAD MULLIGAN WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF."
"All right, we did it!" Bobby said, high-fiving his girlfriend
"Normally I don't do roller coasters, but what the heck? We've earned it!" Lori responded cheerfully, before looking over at the ride's entrance. It wasn't 'around the block' levels but still "pretty ding dang long", as Lynn Sr. Would probaby say. "Still, Boo Boo Bear, we've got a bit of a wait...?"
Bobby appeared next to her again, with two bottles of Nuka Cola in his arms, along with a big cone of cotton candy and several snack cakes. Lori sighed, hoping it wouldn't be a repeat of the Rib Fiasco. "And that's why I brought us some in-line fuel! Come on, let's go!" he said, grabbing Lori's arm. Lori quickly caught a couple of snack cakes that fell out of his arms in the process.
Lucy and Lincoln meanwhile had made it to one of the final rooms in the attraction, but what was also the most gruesome. It appeared to be the master bedroom of the little Lucy Grandcester herself, which would be the site of her father's murder. At this point Lincoln had just about reached a fear breaking point.
"After impaling his foot with a rusty spike that was mysteriously driven into his shoe, Hannibal came to Lucy's room to punish her for the prank. We'll never know for sure how it happened, but he was found with a pair of scissors driven into his eye, and through his BRAIN..."
That last bit made Lincoln extremely queasy. He couldn't handle it any longer, getting down on his knees and holding his own stomach. Lucy was startled and quickly knelt next to him, worried sick.
"L-Lincoln, sweetie, are you okay? A-Are you hurt?" Lucy said, with great concern for her lover in distress.
"N-No, not at all! I'M NOT okay!" He began to tear up a bit. "I'm supposed to be your brave protector, your boyfriend, who is dependable and strong. But here I am, can't even handle a little theme park attraction!" He sniffled a bit. "Clyde was right, we'll always be Royal Woods' biggest scaredy cats!" He put his hands in his face and began to quietly sob. Thankfully the next group hadn't come in yet.
While Lucy certainly added to the creepy vibe with the way she talked throughout the attraction, she knew now that this was no laughing matter. Her brother, her LOVER, was genuinely terrified and sick, she needed to calm him down and reassure him.
"Shhh, shhhhhhhh~" She whispered in her soothing tone, which always helped Lincoln feel calm and collected when he panicked. "Sweetheart, calm down, it's okay~ You're still my brave protector, and you always will be~" She nuzzled his cheek cutely, making him move his hands from his face. His eyes were red but the tears had stopped.
"A-Are you sure? Y-You're so calm, and here I am, acting like a child..." Lincoln looked down at the rug he knelt down on, feeling ashamed of himself, and still very much scared.
"It's only natural~ Not everyone can handle attractions like this, and to be fair, sigh, I shouldn't have dragged you in here in the first place. I can easily handle the macabre but I didn't think it would be this gruesome..." She said, gently pulling Lincoln into a lover's embrace. "But I know you're strong, even now I feel safe and happy when I'm with you. So let's get through the rest of this together~ Your dear sister, your lover, knows the spirits and darkness well, and will make sure you're protected too~ Because I love you and always want you to be happy~" Lucy said, cutely nuzzling him and holding him close.
This tender, reassuring gesture was enough to help Lincoln finally calm down. Wiping his eyes, he kissed Lucy's cheek and gently smiled. "Th-Thanks, Luce, I-I really don't know what I'd do without you..."
"And I don't know what I'd do without you either, Lincoln...~ Besides, you're my big, strong, sweet, ghost hunting lover~ I know that, deep down, you can handle it just fine~ Remember what you've learned~" She cooed, as the two stood back up and smiled at each other. Lucy wrapped her arms around Lincoln's and proceeded through the last few rooms with him. Lincoln would start to feel a little frightened, but whenever he would he would look down at his beautiful little Lucy, a good and sweet-natured little Lucy, and remember that everything was going to be okay. The way she gazed at him was always so precious, and he could feel the light inside of her once again.
Once the attraction was over, the two walked past the gift shop. The items on sale were all rather distasteful and dark, even by Lucy standards, so they opted to pass it over.
By this time, Lori and Bobby had finally reached the front of the line, and Bobby, not having learned his lesson, consumed every single snack while waiting, and was now proudly looking at his phone.
"Bobby, put that thing away, they're telling us to buckle in." Something Lori herself felt odd about saying, given her obsession with phones. Bobby complied and placed it in his pocket, taking the seat next to Lori. Still with a rather proud expression on his face.
"That's two parks complete in one day, we have this Cappy Challenge in the bag!" Bobby said with confidence as the ride started moving. "Oh, hold on tight, babe!"
"Wait, we're already..." Lori said as the roller coaster suddenly shot forward. "MOVIIIIIIIINGGGGG?!" Given the structure of an authentic mine shaft, they had to make up for the lack of elevation with rocket bursts.
After the initial shock had passed, Lori opened her eyes and swayed with the turns and changes in the track. After not too long her expression changed from one of terror to one of elation.
"H-Hey, this isn't so bad!" She grinned as they passed a turnaround, weaving around a huge pile of golden cola bottles. It was hilariously tacky! Lori felt herself growing more comfortable by the second. "Boo Boo Bear, you were right, this is FUN!" She looked over beside her and raised an eyebrow. "Boo Boo Bear?... oh don't tell me..." Bobby was looking a little queasy and holding his stomach.
"I-I'm fine babe, don't worry! ugh..." He said, giving a weak thumbs up. Just moments ago he had hurled out of the side of the car, right onto the statue of Mad Mulligan himself. I guess that's one way to deal with an outlaw! Thankfully nobody noticed, either. Still, as much as it bothered Lori, it was all a part of the Bobby experience, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
After the ride, the two stepped outside (or in Bobby's case, stumbled), the sunset being in full view, and Lori's tummy rumbled. Taking Bobby's hand, she walked towards the entrance, keeping an eye out for her lovebird little siblings.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEY, LOOOOOOOORI!"
Lori looked up and saw the two of them waving at her from the top of Old Sugartop, a water tower-turned-drop ride, right before it performed big drop. Lori waved back and aimed her camera carefully for a cute photograph. Lincoln in particular was having a great time, and it made for a great palette cleanser after the Mystery Mansion. With a smile, she snapped a photo that would be a surefire hit in the family scrapbook. It didn't show any romance, so they could get away from that!
After the ride the group soon reunited, and made their way back to Nuka Town to decide on a place to eat. Bobby wasn't feeling too well at the moment so he didn't have much input there. Which was a shame, because they ended up at a delicious Mexican restaurant, which was surprisingly authentic for an amusement park. Bottomless tortilla chips dominated the center table, and each dish that they ordered, despite the over the top Cappy theming, received compliments from a steadily-recovering Bobby. And from someone who's been eating Grandma Rosa's top quality homemade cuisine for the past several months, that's no small honor! With the exception of Lori's Chili Rellenos, of course, Bobby liked them cooked a particular way and wanted them perfect for his dear Lori! More jokes and good conversation followed, and this time Bobby actually got to COMPLETE the fun maze!
A few hours later and the gang decided to settle down for the night. There weren't any special evening shows, and they were already exhausted from the preceding events anyway. Quite a packed first day! Lori was sorting through some things she bought at the Nuka Town Market, while Lincoln and Bobby were chilling and playing games. Everything seemed normal...except for the absence of Lucy, who was back out on the Nuka World Strip unbeknownst of her family. Most people were getting on buses to go home or were being shuttled to outside hotels. Lucy made her way to a tree that was planted next to the walls of Dry Rock Gulch and climbed up. She slowly waited for an opening, and watched as a group of protectrons closed the gate.
There were little to no patrols going inside the closed park, allowing Lucy to sneak in covertly. Sliding down the stone wall, she hid in the side bushes and carefully made her way over to the Grandchester Mystery Mansion. A protectron nearly detected her along the way but just missed her by a hair. Soon enough she was hiding by the side of the building, and noticed the ticket taker still standing watch.
"...sigh, there has to be another way in..." Lucy said, looking around for any vulnerabilities. She scanned for any crawlspaces or loose sideboards, things she typically used to hang out in or sneak around at home when she needed privacy. Soon, though, she caught sight of a fire escape, a more conventional method than she was used to. She shrugged and quietly made her way over. "It's worth a try...~"
Her small feet thankfully made little noise on the metal steps, and once she reached the top, she noticed that the door had an alarm warning. Hesitant, she slowly moved her hand to the door's surface, it was still warm from the day's sunlight. Slowly, she pushed the metal bar and... it opened right up without a sound. Looks like someone forgot to lock it, it didn't use a magnetic lock like the rest of the park's facilities do. With a grin, she gleefully stepped inside.
She found herself in the main parlor, setting up her ceremonial candles in a circle in the center. Each one was lit slowly, illuminating long shadows throughout the dreary hall. Small creaking in the floorboards could be heard, but otherwise it was dead silent. Eerie, and exactly what Lucy was looking for. Clearing her throat, she began her seance.
"Ohhh, Lucy Grandchester, this mansion's lost and tortured soul, hear my call and make yourself present..." She said, hands on her knees as she sat cross-legged. She waited, and so far just the creaking continued. Even the familiar giggle from before failed to make itself heard. She closed her eyes and tried again.
"Heed me, young girl, who shares a name with me, I come here in peace. I wish to know your side of the story, the real you, without being muddied by fear..." She said. She continued to wait, and still, no answer.
"Hmmm, maybe the spiritual energy will be higher in another room..." She said, slowly snuffing out the candles. She picked each one up and placed it in her bag, and as she dropped the first one in the sound of footsteps could be heard, and a bright light was visible. She froze in place, hands on her chest, as she looked onward with awe. "L-Lucy?" She said, waiting patiently, assuming what was before her was a spirit, and she was eager to ask her for her story. The light slowly dimmed down, and...
"ATTENTION. THE GRANDCHESTER MYSTERY MANSION IS NOW CLOSED. ANY AND ALL TOURISTS FOUND IN THE FACILITIES AFTER HOURS ARE TO BE ESCORTED OFF THE PREMISES."
Cue the protectron picking Lucy up and comedically carrying her towards the entrance of the park.
"...sigh..."
A slow fifteen minutes later Lucy arrived back at the lobby, and was face to face with a very unhappy Lori, along with a concerned Lincoln and Bobby. All she could do was nervously look down.
"Where WERE you?!" Lori said sternly.
"I-I was just..." Lucy stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
"Sneaking into the park after dark, it could've gotten us into some serious trouble! We could've literally had our passes revoked and our trip would be over just like that..." Lori said, with tenseness in her voice, along with great concern.
"I-I know, but I wanted to, wanted to..." Lucy normally didn't cry, but was starting to feel how much her reckless impulse could jeopardized everything. She began to sniffle, prompting Lincoln to hold her close to his heart, helping her calm down.
"It doesn't matter, you weren't there for a good reason, and most importantly, you could've been HURT and there'd be nobody there to help you. Or some stranger could've come and dragged you away. Amusement parks can be dangerous, and you don't just wander off on your own!" Lori's tone lessened in anger and grew in concern as she spoke. She joined her brother in his hug.
"And I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you..." Lincoln added, looking into Lucy's eyes. "It would've been the end of my world..." He leaned in and gave Lucy a kiss on the forehead, making her blush tomato red.
"I-I was reckless, and I-I'm...sorry...~ I don't know what I'd do without you either, sweetheart...~" Lucy said, hugging her lover more tightly than ever. Lincoln smiled and hugged tightly as well.
"It's okay, Lucy. Just don't give us a scare like that again. You're a strong girl, but this is still a dangerous place, so please, be careful...~" Lori said, giving her a gentle smile. She then looked at her watch. "Mnnn, looks like we should hit the hay, it's about 11:00 already..."
"And we've got another big day tomorrow, so let's get some rest, team!" Bobby happily added.
The gang made their way back to their respective rooms, changing into their sleepwear and turning out the lights. Lincoln and Lucy were snuggled up together, alongside the bat plush, as they looked at the soft moonlight that poured in from the window.
"Lincoln..." Lucy whispered softly. "Again, I'm so sorry. I really wanted to hear that little ghost's story, and I was reckless. I could've ended all of this. We've been looking forward to this for the past couple of weeks, and I'd hate myself forever if I ruined it...".
"It's okay, Luce~" Lincoln said softly with a smile. "Like we said, it's fine~ We just want you to be safe..."
"Y-You're not upset with me?" Lucy asked softly.
"Of course not~" Lincoln cooed. "How could I ever be upset with my adorable little goth~?"
Lucy giggled and blushed red, nuzzling Lincoln sweetly. "Oh you~ I love you, Lincoln~"
"Oh Luce~ I love you too~" Lincoln said as the two leaned in for a warm kiss.
Today was full of adventures, and there were many more awaiting them the next day!
My longest chapter yet, there was a lot to cover! I know I took a few small creative liberties with the park's layout (Swapping Dry Rock Gulch and Galactic Zone's placements, along with moving the Mystery Mansion inside the park). Keeping the mansion outside of the park would've been difficult and would've taken Lincoln and Lucy too far from the action, so I stuck it where I thought it made the most sense. And it worked out well!
I wanna give a big thanks to ComicsFan7314 for his input on this chapter! He gave me a lot of fun ideas and suggestions, and it made this chapter an absolute blast to write! We make a great team! Go ahead and check out his Lucycoln fanfiction Caught in the Act, it's a great read and was a big inspiration for me!