Chapter 7

Cosmic Magic

The clock struck 9AM and signaled the beginning of another magical day at the park! After some quick prep for the day, the gang was back at the Bottle Bistro for a cozy breakfast and a little planning before kicking off their day. Both Lincoln and Lucy were faced with a stack of Nuka-themed bottlecap pancakes, which they happily began to gobble down. Lucy's also had some whipped cream on top with sprinkles. How cute~!

Lori looked out the window and noticed an overcast sky, showing an expression of concern. "Ohhh, that sky's not looking great, I hope we don't get rained out of our day..."

"Hmmm.." Lucy said, pulling out her phone after wiping some syrup from her cheek. Lincoln gently plucked a sprinkle from her other cheek, which made her blush. "It's not likely to rain, thankfully. Normally I love rain, but not today..."

"Phew, that's good to hear!" Lori said, brushing her forehead and taking a sip of her orange juice.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Lincoln asked between bites of his pancakes. "Which parks are we doing next?"

"Let's see, hmmm, Galactic Zone, and then Kiddie Kingdom..." Lori said, looking a bit confused when she said those last words.

"That sounds kinda fun!" Bobby chimed in.

"Bobby, this is no time to be childish..." Lori said with a sigh as Bobby happily pointed to the map, and kiddie Kingdom's list of activities.

"There's plenty of stuff that adults can do, too!" Bobby said, as the rest of the group looked towards the activity list. "They have a fun house, magic shows, loads of different candies, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDDDDDD a romantic Ferris Wheel~" Bobby said smoothly, giving Lori a romantic look as he uttered those last few words, prompting a similar response from Lori. Lucy herself was flustered at the thought of her and Lincoln holding hands as the Ferris Wheel lifted them up high.

"Ohhh, Boo Boo Bear~" Lori said in a sweet voice, nuzzling Bobby's cheek. "So it's settled then! We'll spend the first half of the day in Galactic Zone, stop by the Starlight Market for lunch, then head to Kiddie Kingdom for the afternoon! How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me! I can't WAIT to see that magic show!" Lincoln said with great enthusiasm.

"Me too~ and that Ferris Wheel...ooooooh~" Lucy said, still flustered.

"Alright then, let's head out!" Bobby said, "... but fiiiiiiiiirist...~" Bobby pulled out the fun maze and figured out the last couple of turns, finally completing the tumultuous labyrinthine trial. The other simply rolled their eyes and laughed.

Galactic Zone was a little further of a walk than the parks of the previous day, but was more than manageable. Loads of buses pulled in and dropped off big groups of families, getting ready for adventures of their own. Lucy had a Nuka Grape in her hand, her other hand holding Lincoln's as the two gazed over at Galactic Zone. Large, red and blue metal structures loomed over the walls, and big rockets and planetoids dominated the park's skyline. The sense of wonder only continued as they passed through the gate. Futuristic metal paths of many levels spanned throughout the park, and Nuka robots were everywhere, offering guidance and selling goods. This was definitely the park to show Clyde on a return trip, and the fake alien animatronics that were littered throughout would've made Zach wet his pants. An otherworldly thrill indeed!

"So, you two decided on what you're going to do~?" Lori said.

"You bet! We're going to the Robot Battlezone first, I have GOT to see those cool new robot models!" Lincoln said, making a pose of excitement.

"Good pick!" Bobby added. "We may stop by as well at some point! Gotta comb every inch for those next two Cappies~!" Bobby promptly made a detective's pose as he wandered off, heading up one of the metal walkways. Lori shrugged before turning back to Lincoln and Lucy.

"Eh, I'd better follow him... Oh, looks like he tried to go into a restricted area again..." Lori said, as sounds could be heard of a Mr. Frothy spraying cola, with Bobby whining shortly after. "Have fun you two!"

"Same to you, Lori!" Lincoln responded.

"It's gonna be cosmic~" Lucy added.

With that, Lori ran off to retrieve her boyfriend, as the two lovebirds made their way towards the Battlezone.

Lincoln was always quite interested in Sci-Fi and space stuff, so he was practically enamored the entire way there. But who could blame him? The futuristic presentation was incredible and lifelike, with robots of all sorts handling many of the parks functions, moving around with the droves of guests, all powered by the cutting edge Star Control in the center of the park. Lucy, while not quite as interested, still enjoyed the cosmic visuals. She was holding hands with her lover and walking around together as boyfriend and girlfriend. That was all she needed to put a smile on her face! Soon, the two arrived at the Battlezone's entrance, which housed several decomissioned robots that now served as statues, observing the crowd below from their marble perches. The two ran inside and took their seats, waiting patiently for the event to begin.

"Do you think these will stack up to the stuff Lisa makes?" Lucy asked.

"Of course it will~!" Lincoln said proudly. "These robots are made by professionals! Plus they're rare prototypes, which means they'll be even MORE cutting edge~!"

"If you say so, I dare you to text that to Lisa~" Lucy said with a giggle, kissing her lover's cheek.

"Oh, I will~ You cutie~" Lincoln said playfully in response, as the lights began to dim.

"LAAAAAAAAAAAAADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Welcome, to the Robot Battlezone!" An announcer said over the surround sound system. "Today you will witness fearsome robot gladiators, all powerful and never-before-seen prototypes, test their mettle against one another in combat! Which ones will reign supreme? Which ones will END UP AS SCRAP? Stay in your seat to find out!"

"THIS IS SO COOL~!" Lincoln said to himself, almost squeeing as Lucy giggled. Lincoln looked so cute to her whenever he was geeking out!

"For our opening act, these cola-themed protectrons will duke it our in a BATTLE ROYALE!"

An airhorn blew as the protectrons entered the arena. Lincoln took several pictures of the robots marching out, sending them to Lisa back at home. Almost immediately she replied in detail.

"So, what did she say~?" Lucy leaned in, giggling and grinning.

"She says... 'I have done a detailed morphological analysis and determined that these are merely standard models with some fancy decorations...' wait WHAT?!" Lincoln said, reading the text with near horror in his eyes. Looking at the robots, one could quickly tell that they were standard protectron models, painted to look like various kinda of Nuka Cola bottles. "Geez, that's a letdown!"

"That's our Lisa for you~ ...don't look so glum, sweetheart, enjoy the show~ Robots are still robots~" Lucy said in her soothing tone.

"Yeah, you're right, this IS still exciting...~!" Lincoln responded, putting an arm around Lucy's shoulder.

The matches continued on! Among them were standard battles to showcase the various types like Assaultrons and Eyebots, with even a few Securitrons mixed in. Then came the more interesting fights! One pitted an eyebot against waves of protectrons in a bid for survival, while another had several Mr. Frothies fighting each other with nothing but cola sprays! And flamethrowers. There was even a match with two securitrons, representing the thematic Orange vs. Grape promotion going on in the park. The robots, though, malfunctioned, and walked out of the arena together. Lincoln and Lucy found it adorable and kissed cutely as the unexpected turn of events happened.

After about an hour of non-stop robot action, it was time for the final act.

"How was THAT, ladies and gentlemen?! Are you ready for the grand finale?!" The announcer called, to roaring applause from the audience, Lincoln and Lucy included.

Soon three assaultron robots began to enter the stage. One was decorated in orange with all sorts of tools, bullets, and other battle-hardened garb, the second wearing a dark, hood and robe, with a gunmetal grey paint job. The final robot was decorated in animal patterns and bones, with crazy technicolor paint all over.

"Introducing the contestants! In this corner, we have Assaultron Series R-001! Codename: OPERATOR!"

The audience went nuts, Lincoln included. "GO OPERATORRRRR!" he cheered.

"In the next corner, we have Assaultron Series R-002! Codename: DISCIPLE!"

"Hehehe, that hood is so ornate, I love it~" Lucy said, playfully nudging Lincoln as the two initiated a temporary play rivalry for the battle.

"and finally, the regning champion! Let's her it for Assaultron Series R-003: Codename: PACK HUNTERRRRRR!"

The audience roared with cheering once again.

"Let the battle... BEGINNNNNNNN!"

An airhorn blew as the battle commenced, the three decorated assaultrons trading blows back and forth and showing off their state of the art weaponry. It was a close match, and everyone was kept on their toes. Lincoln and Lucy playfully messed around with each other during the match, trading silly jabs as Operator and Disciple traded blows. After about five minutes, the three robots were at a stalemate, unable to overcome one another.

"They're still going folks! Who will finally break through and reign supreme?! Wait, what is THAT?!"

A rumbling could be heard coming from behind a metal door. In a surprise twist, a fourth party burst through the door, much like the Kool-Aid Man, striking fear in the three assaultrons. The robot was a large Sentry Bot, painted navy blue with stars and sporting a colonial hat.

"IT'S SENTRY SERIES P-001! CODENAME: MINUTEMAN! HE'S COMING TO END THE SCUFFLE!"

The audience cheered as the sentry bot unloaded several rockets into the air, homing in on the terrified assaultrons (or as close as they could get to fear) and destroying them in massive blasts, exploding into a brilliant and patriotic display of fireworks! The loud bangs made Lucy jump, landing her right in her lover's arms. The two blushed brightly and kissed as confetti rained down into the arena.

"HOW'S THAT FOR A FINALE, FOLKS?! Thanks for coming, and have a wonderful rest of your day!"

The two lovebirds exited the Battlezone, hand in hand. Lincoln had purchased a few small models of the robots to put in his room, and kept the gift shop bag in his other hand as the two commenced a montage, checking out other attractions in the park.

- Lincoln oooing and aaahhhing at the various space travel equipment on display in Starport Nuka.
- The two of them taking a quick tour through Star Control, with a worker in the background accidentally dropping his coffee.
- The two holding each other close as they spun around on the Handy Whirl
- The two looking in disappointment at the huge line coming from ArcJet G-Force
- The entrance to the Nuka-Galaxy coaster, covered in signs stating that it was closed for repairs, with Lincoln sporting an exaggerated expression of anguish, with Lucy giggling in the background.
- The two holding hands and cuddling as they walked through the starlight tunnel in Beyond the Stars.

Eventually their little tour took them to a large statue of sorts, made of sand red marble and sporting a plaque in front, with a modest crowd gathering around. The statue depicted a ride that was no longer present, a large UFO-looking thing with neon edges. The two stepped closer and got a good look at the plaque. Lucy began to read it aloud.

"In memory of the victims of the Neon Saucer incident, who lost their lives when the ride malfunctioned in a power surge. The ride has since been decommissioned and this statue rests in its' place as a reminder to us all, to make safety a priority so that such a tragedy may never happen again..." She said, looking down afterwards. Underneath the statement listed the names of the victims, likely initialed out of respect for the mourning families' privacy.

The initials were listed as followed:

D. H.
R. H.
P. R.
R. S.
M. T.
T. S.

"Come to think of it, I remember Rusty mentioning something like this, he never told any of us that it happened here..." Lincoln said, thinking to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked.

"Rusty told us he witnessed an accident just like this, and it left him afraid of amusement parks for almost a year. He missed two group trips to Dairyland because of it. The ride is even said to be sitting in a nearby junkyard." Lincoln explained.

"That must've been a painful incident to witness. I don't blame him for feeling that way..." Lucy said, gently sighing.

"Me neither, I just hope he opens up a little more about this..." Lincoln said, giving Lucy a gentle hug, as they moved away from the monument.

"If we knew their names, I could give them little obituaries." Lucy added in, as the two moved towards the nearby Starlight Interstellar Theater, the last attraction they needed to visit before heading over to lunch.

After a quick walk, the two lovebirds entered the Insterstellar Theater, and so far it looked pretty normal. Lincoln went up to the ticket counter and presented the winner's pass in order to get some free tickets.

"Here are our passes! Which movie is currently scheduled next?" Lincoln asked cheerfully.

The receptionist chuckled, pushing aside some used cups. They were a bit lazy with their cleaning evidently. "The one and only 'Harvester 2: The Reaping'! I don't know how they're gonna top this!"

Lincoln's entire face drooped as Lucy happily accepted two tickets with a grin, grabbing his hand cutely and eagerly bringing him towards the theater door.

"Come on, sweetie, this way~" She said soothingly, as Lincoln looked into her eyes.

"Lucy! Wait, can we talk about this for a moment? I saw the original, this gave me nightmares for over a week straight!" Lincoln said, starting to panic again. Lucy wanted to avoid a repeat of what had happened yesterday and went to diffuse the situation.

"Wait, sweetie, calm down, it's going to..." Lucy said, only to be interrupted. They had a positive experience at the end of the mystery mansion, but this particular movie brought back some rather traumatic memories.

"And I was so paranoid that I stayed locked in my ROOM and...AND!" He continued on, only for a finger to press against his lips.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~" Lucy said in her most soothing tone, calming tone. She wrapped her arms around him and gently brushed in circles on his back. "It's going to be okay~ Remember what I said yesterday? I won't let anything hurt you~ I am your guiding light, look to me to help you keep calm~"

Lincoln took a deep breath and nodded, wiping some sweat from his forehead. "I-I'm s-sorry Luce, I didn't mean to let you down again..."

"You didn't let me down~ I forgot about that incident in the moment. But nothing is as bad the second time through~!" Lucy said calmly and encouragingly.

"Y-You're right..." Lincoln said gently.

"Do you want to show me again how strong you are~?" Lucy said, gripping his hand sweetly, interlocking their fingers.

Lincoln nodded and took another deep breath, giving Lucy a gentle kiss. "I-I do, I do~"

"That's the spirit, sweetheart~" Lucy said, as the pair walked into the theater together.

Lincoln was awestruck immediately. The lighting effects, mixed with the hanging planet models, made for an incredible display up above. It looked so real, like he could leap right into it! Lucy had to snap him out of it, pulling him towards the bar in the back. The pair ordered a Nuka Grape and Orange, then mixed them together using one of the nearby mixing stations. Holding a big bottle, they placed two straws in it and made their way over to the seating.

The theater didn't have normal theater seats like most. Instead all of the seats were inside large rocket rides, that would bend and sway during certain productions to add to the interactivity. The two took a seat in one of the rockets near the front, casually sipping on the soda as the lights dimmed, making the stars above more vibrant.

Lincoln ended up being a lot calmer than he thought he would. While the Harvester had plenty of new tricks up his sleeve, it was familiar territory this time around, so Lincoln was able to keep a cool head. Whenever part of the film WOULD startle him, he'd lean down and nuzzle his little beacon of hope, who happily returned the affection. In fact, during one part, they got so absorbed in their little nuzzle fest that they missed one of the most gruesome harvests yet. Lincoln wasn't gonna complain, though! Everything was going smoothly, and he was proud of himself!

After an hour and a half, the movie let out and the two made their way to the main plaza. Lori and a still soda-soaked Bobby were waiting for them, looking at their phones. The movie ran a little late and Lori wasn't too pleased about being a bit behind schedule.

"Where were you two? We've been waiting here for half an hour!" Lori said sternly. Bobby was too preoccupied squeezing cola out of his jacket to add anything.

"We're sorry..." Lincoln said.

"Yeah, our movie let out a bit late...but it was fun~" Lucy added, clinging cutely to Lincoln's arm. Lori simply sighed.

"Well, as long as you had fun, but don't go overboard next time, we only have three days here after all." Lori said a little more calmly. "Let's go get something to eat."

She gently took Bobby's hand and walked into the Star Market.

"I have to use the bathroom real quick, I'll meet you inside!" Lincoln said, gently waving to the rest of the gang.

"Don't keep us waiting too long, sweetie~" Lucy said, giving his a warm kiss and cutely waving.

Lincoln smiled and shuffled his way towards the nearby bathrooms, where there thankfully wasn't a long line. He stepped into line when a man approached him, sporting spiky black hair pointed back and a bright red Nuka Cola T-Shirt. A bit odd but nothing too out of the ordinary.

"Young love is a beautiful thing, isn't it?" The man said.

Lincoln turned around, a little surprised. "You mean me?"

"Yes! My friends and I were at the Interstellar Theater, seeing the same movie. We won the cola contest, too. You two were really going at it!" He chuckled, realizing he had made an innuendo.

"I-I guess, eheheh...~ We rarely get to show affection in public, so we're doing as much as we can now..." Lincoln rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's a shame, I can tell she likes you a lot..." He added.

"More than you can imagine. She's incredible~" Lincoln said, blushing happily.

"Eheheh! That's sweet! But yeah, I just came to give you this one piece of advice." He looked into Lincoln's eyes. "Every relationship has a big hurdle, a trial if you will, to go through, which will test how powerful yours and her resolve is."

Lincoln was quite stunned, but nodded. "I don't know what that will be for us, but I think I have an idea."

"Then you'll do just fine! I can tell you're a smart kid. My girlfriend and I faced a lot of ridicule when we got together, and I hope you're prepared for the same." He said, before being interrupted.

"NICK! Come on, we've got to go!" One voice said excitedly.

"Yeah, we don't wanna miss Beary the Bear's show, pal!" Another one said, sounding comically worried.

"Well, I guess I'd better go, good luck with everything!" The man said, waving as he briskly walked back to his friends.

"D-Did he notice that we're?...no way..." Lincoln thought to himself. Still, he took the man's words to heart. He knew what his and Lucy's biggest trial was going to be, and it wasn't going to be easy. Nonetheless, he shook his head and walked into the bathrooms, now that the line had disappeared. This was a time to appreciate what he and Lucy had now, rather than worry about the future. Nonetheless his reminder would remain in the back of his mind for the rest of the trip.

After taking care of business, he walked back into the Star Market with his family and sat next to Lucy, who hugged him warmly once again. Unlike yesterday, Lincoln decided to play it safe with his lunch, and had worked up a big appetite from all of the walking around. Lincoln would periodically feed Lucy french fries in a cutesy couple sort of way, which made Lori and Bobby chuckle. Once their meal was done, Lincoln noticed a peculiar ride nearby.

"Sweetie, what is it?" Lucy asked, gently tilting her head. Lincoln continued walking and looked up at the sign.

"Nuka Time-Machine? What is this?" Lincoln asked.

The nearby operator chimed in. "Only the coolest way to cross the street! This ride connects to Kiddie Kingdom and covers the perimeters of both it and Galactic Zone! Pretty epic, isn't it!"

And it's true! The two parks originally had separate rides, both similar in design, that were titled "Nuka Cars". Seeing the potential in a new park/marketing gimmick, taking advantage of the topography of the park, and to reduce some of the ever increasing bus and foot traffic in the strip, the two rides became interconnected. The contrasting themes of Medieval Fantasy and Sci-Fi Futuristic made for a natural connection, and resulted in an effective way to tie the two parks together.

"We're going there next, so why not?" Lincoln said happily, then turning to Lori and Bobby, who had followed them there not long after Lucy did. "Do you wanna join us?"

"It's okay, we can walk! Bobby's still kinda soaked so we wouldn't be allowed on anyway..." Lori said.

"No worries!" Lincoln replied cheerfully. He and Lucy stepped into one of the cars and buckled up. "Ready, Luce~?"

"You bet, handsome~" Lucy said with a giggle.

At that moment, the car started to speed up, taking them through a tunnel full of crazy lighting effects, and emerging them in the wondrous Kiddie Kingdom. The ride gave them an overview of the park, and the two plotted a route that would take them right to King Cola's castle.

The two emerged from the Kiddie Kingdom side of the ride and got a good look of what surrounded them. Houses and other kinds of buildings all around them took on a gingerbread theme, decorated in all sorts of colorful kinds of candy. The two began walking towards the castle, and this time shared the feeling of wonder in their surroundings. All of the robots were painted different colors, while the employees sported all kinds of medieval garb. Leni would surely have a field day with it. The two also did not hesitate to grab some frosted gingerbread for dessert, along with their respective favorite Nuka Cola flavors! At one point Lincoln had a little frosting on his face, which Lucy cutely removed with a kiss on the cheek!

Soon the two lovebirds walked up the steps and into the walls of King Cola's Castle. Park attendants were all wearing fake armor, painted red, in order to look like palace guards, complete with lollipop staves. The inner walls were all loaded with more candy stands, and families enjoying some pre or post-show treats.

"For a kids attraction, this place sure is incredible...!" Lincoln said with a hint of awe in his voice.

"You said it, it's kinda like the setting in one of my Princess Pony books. The grand palace of the great King Hector." Lucy added.

"Lola would LOVE this place, that's for sure...! You saw what she did at the mall last time we were there!" Lincoln said, chucking to himself towards the end.

"She'd go nuts for all of that candy~" Lucy said, showing their passes to the ticket takers.

"More than that, she'd try to take over the park!" Lincoln said, starting to laugh. "And she'd likely fail, these robots wouldn't put up with her for even a second!" he said, looking towards a comically-timed incident occurring nearby of a brunette girl in a sparkly blue dress being carried out by a protectron after trying to demand food from the concession stand. The two laughed together at the little incident as they entered the great hall, quietly taking their seats.

Meanwhile, in another part of the park, Bobby had squeezed the last bit of Cola out of his jacket. He and Lori weaved past crowds of kids and adults, around merry go rounds and all sorts of other rides, and arrived at the destination Bobby had his eye on: THE FUN HOUSE.

"Boo Boo Bear, do we really have to?" Lori asked, gently sighing.

"You're welcome to wait out here if you want! Fun houses aren't that long, they're a family attraction! aaaaaaaaaaaaand I hear there's a hidden Cappy in there~" Bobby said confidentially, marching inside. "I'll be back in a few~!"

Lori sighed and took a seat on a nearby bench, pulling out her phone.

Bobby, of course, was about to get more than what he bargained for. He presented his winner's pass and marched confidently through the Lobby, only to shudder in the first room. It was a maze of mirrors and windows, which he began to slowly navigate with great pain (in contrast to all of the kids around him, who moved through it with wonder and effort). Glass panes were one of his irrational weaknesses, given how often he's accidentally locked himself in the drink case at the Bodega. Looks like Lori's gonna be waiting for awhile!

Back at the castle, the lights began to dim, as a lightshow spectacle shined down from the rafters. Smoke effects came up from the stage as an announcer's voice boomed from some nearby speakers.

"Attention, King Cola's loyal subjects! Welcome to a spectacle of magic and mysticism!"

A drumroll began to play nearby to build up the hype and suspense.

"I'm proud to present, the incredible, indispensable, OSWALD THE OUTRAGEOUS!"

With that, Oswald rose from the smoke and waved to the crowds, his tuxedo and signature top hat reflecting the incredible light display. The crowd cheered wildly, Lincoln especially!

"Thank you, thank you! and welcome to King Cola's Court! Are you ready for a death-defying display of the arcane?!" Oswald said to the crowd, resulting in another thunderous applause. "I will start with one of my most famous tricks: TELEPORTATION!"

Lincoln was absolutely absorbed. It was one of his favorite kinds of tricks and he hoped to pick up a thing or two to help him with his own performances.

Several platforms were lowered down from the ceiling in a diamond formation. With that, Oswald tossed down a smoke bomb, and popped up on the top platform a few moments later. The crowd was going wild as Oswald seemingly teleported between the different platforms, with Lincoln himself taking a video for inspection later on!

Once Bobby had finally finished up the panel maze, and stumbled past some moving floors, his next trial was to perform a couple of small platforming challenges on spinning padded platforms, rotating around big cola bottles, above a pit of orange water (it's safe, don't worry!). Bobby got into position to make the simple jumps. But he, still rattled from the maze, slipped and fell right into the water.

"WOAH?!" He yelled, making a big splash as he landed in the pool on his back.

Other kids who failed the jump climbed out and took a staircase in order to give it another go. Bobby, meanwhile, was swimming around in the pool still, soaked once again, checking every nook and cranny.

"You foolish fool! What on earth are you doing?!" A rather impatient woman yelled from above.

"I GOTTA FIND THE CAPPY!" Bobby responded, without even looking at her.

Oswald's show continued on! Several tricks followed his incredible teleportation, and he was about to make another magical miracle happen.

"How was THAT?!" Oswald announced to the crowd. "For my next trick, another Oswald classic!" He said, as what appeared to be a man in a leg cast and crutches hobbled onto the stage next to him. An X-ray aimed at the man's leg projected upward onto a screen, giving off the impression of a truly broken leg. "HEALING MAGIC!"

"That is gruesome, how is he going to fix this?" Lucy asked, resting her head on Lincoln's shoulder.

"Magicians always have a way, let's see what he does!" Lincoln said with confidence.

Oswald stood back and flashed and tossed another ball of smoke, as the man's head poked above the cloud of red. When the smoke cleared, the man smiled and tossed off his cast and crutches, and he and Oswald began to tap dance. The crowd went absolutely wild!

"Th-That was incredible~" Lucy said in absolute awe.

Back at the fun house, it was time for the Hypno Halls! Another maze full of tube-shaped hallways and walls, projecting green, swirling imagery. Dazed from the last two ordeals, Bobby stumbled around the halls almost cluelessly, tripping several times, resulting in random adults helping him to his feet. Bobby stumbled again and crawled over to a random kid who was fixated on one of the green swirls.

"Y-You didn't see a Cappy in here, did you?"

His jacket was a bit disheveled and his Cappy glasses nearly slipping off. The kid simply looked at him uncomfortably and backed away.

It was time for Oswald to break another human barrier! In his hands he held two decks of playing cards.

"Now for an old trick I picked up from a friend in Los Angeles! Long have humans wished to soar in the skies! Sure, you can do it in a plane, but I can do it myself! Hohoho!" Oswald said as he leaped into the air and began to soar around the court, tossing playing cards to the audience. As a card thrower himself, Lincoln was definitely pleased.

"SO COOL!" He cried, leaping to try and grab a card, two of them landing in his grasp.

Lucy looked up at the cards he was holding, which, at the moment, Lincoln was too excited to notice. "Hey, Lincoln, sweetie~"

"Wh-What is it Luce?" Lincoln asked, leaning in close.

"Look at the cards, it's like a sign from the heavens~" Lucy cooed, as Lincoln looked at the two cards he had caught.

An Ace of Spades and the Eight of Spades. The two cards that perfectly matched Lincoln and Lucy's Ace Savvy alter egos. It was like destiny!

Bobby was about to pass through his final trial in the Fun House, and still no sign of the hidden Cappy anywhere. The final area was a messy-pespective house, with stairs on the walls, doors on the floor, and much more. It seemed tame compared to the previous challenges.

"Oh, hey, th-this isn't so bad!" Bobby said, beginning to smile. Though this newfound bit of confidence would soon fade as he opened the door to the final room: A circular room with a spinning floor and several doors, only one of which was the exit. The others led to miniature rooms, which kids were combing through, while others were running around on the spinning floor. Over the loudspeakers a carousel song from a very famous platforming game began to play on loop. The whole thing was unsettling and Bobby was horrified.

"N-No, NOOOOOOOO!" He cried as the same woman from before pushed him into the room out of annoyance. The young adult began to stumbled around and frantically check each and every door for the exit.

Each one contained miniaturized rooms, from a kitchen, to a living room, and so much more. Eventually, Bobby opened up one last door and there it was. Cappy sitting on the tile wall of a miniature bathroom.

"F-F-FINALLYYYYYY~!" Bobby cried, streaming tears of joy. Quickly he snapped several shots of the Cappy with his phone and then burst through one of the other doors and past the gift shop, getting out of the Fun House as fast as he could.

Now it was time for the finale of Oswald's show! The lighting dimmed more as Oswald prepared for something extra special.

"Alright, are you ready for the GRAND FINALE?!" Oswald said as the crowd went wild in response. "Time for a little AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION! I need one lovely lady to help me out with this last trick!"

Every girl in the audience raised her hand as they jumped eagerly to get Oswald's attention. But he had something else in mind. Combing through the audience, he pointed towards a particular girl. You all know where this is going!

"How about YOU? The pale girl with the black hair!" Oswald said enthusiastically.

"M-Me?!" Lucy said, flustered, wondering what was going on.

Lincoln kissed her cheek and urged her to go up to the stage. "Yes, you~! This is so cool, Luce! Go ahead and give it a try, magic shows are fun! You'll do fine~"

"I-If you say so..." Lucy said, nervously getting out of her seat and moving towards the stage. Oswald extended his hand and helped her up.

"I call it, the ANGEL'S ARRIVAL!" He turned to Lucy. "Young Lady, stay right there!"

Lucy silently obliged as Oswald stepped back. he expertly tossed six balls of smoke around her, and once the smoke cleared, she was gone.

"L-Lucy?" Lincoln said, watching closely. He knew magicians always had a plan, but he was still nervous nonetheless.

"Where DID she go, folks? Keep your eyes peeled!" Oswald announced as the lights all went out. Several bright spotlights then flashed on down to the center stage, as Oswald pointed to the sky. A bright, beautiful light could be seen from the rafters as mystical music began to play. Slowly, a beautiful girl in a bright pale sequin gown and sparkly white scarf slowly descended from the rafters, holding a small ball of light, almost like a beacon. Lincoln looked closely at the figure who was descending and blushed in awe as he saw her face.

It was Lucy

He was absolutely awestruck as his beautiful beacon of hope and happiness shined brightly for all to see. The light that shines the brightest in the depths of darkness. His eyes widened as her hair gently fluttered, the sequins twinkled. It was so beautiful, absolutely incredible. It'd be a sight he vowed to never forget.

When Lucy's feet touched the stage she smiled at the audience, and at Lincoln, who she could see was completely enamored. She and Oswald bowed in unison as the crowd went wild!

"Thank you, thank you! Have a wonderful afternoon, everyone! Let the memories you've made last forever!" Oswald said to the crowd enthusiastically, as Lucy jumped down to reunite with Lincoln. Lovingly, she hugged him tight and nuzzled his cheek, not wanting to let go. And neither did Lincoln. She was so precious, and he loved her more than anyone in the world.

Not long after, the two began to discuss the show and laugh together as they existed back into the castle courtyard. Lori and Bobby waved to them, by chance having entered the courtyard to check it out (and of course, because Bobby wanted candy). Speaking of which, he was looking much calmer now. After Bobby's little excursion the two had taken a ride on the Ferris Wheel, which had done a lot to calm his spirits. Lincoln and Lucy ran over to them, arm in arm, with bright smiles on their faces.

"Hey you two~! did you enjoy the show?" Lori said cheerfully as the gang reunited.

"It was INCREDIBLE~!" Lincoln said excitedly, raising his arms in the air. "The tricks were so real, and he could make miracles! Lucy even got to participate in the finale!"

"Aww, that's literally adorable!" Lori said, holding her hands to her heart.

"Aaaaannd, she looked like a glowing angel~" Lincoln cooed, turning his attention to his lover, who was looking absolutely flustered.

"Ahhh! S-Sweetie, sweetie~" Lucy said, unable to finish her sentence.

Lincoln hugged her warmly and then turned his attention back to Lori. "So, what did you and Bobby do?"

"Well, we went to the Fun House... and I spent nearly an hour waiting for him, and he got soaked again..." Lori said, looking over at a rather sheepish Bobby.

"But hey, at least it had another Cappy!" Bobby said, proudly presenting his phone.

"Lori, anyway, afterward we went to the Ferris Wheel, the view was so romantic and it was just the thing my Boo Boo Bear needed to calm down~" Lori said cheerfully, looking into Bobby's eyes as she uttered those last few words.

"Maybe we should try this before dinner, Luce~!" Lincoln said with a smile as Lucy clung to his arm.

"We should and we are~" She said with a grin, running off towards the Ferris wheel with Lincoln in tow. Lori and Bobby waved and laughed to themselves as they watched the two lovebirds run off.

"Well, I guess we have some time to kill before dinner ourselves, why don't we see the show, too? ...or do we have more hunting to do...?" Lori asked, leading to Bobby patting her on the back kindly.

"No worries, Babe, I got both of the ones in this park found and photographed! We can do whateeeeeever we want~" Bobby said confidently, taking Lori's hand and leading her towards the castle.

After a 20-minute trek the two made their way to an almost old-timey red Ferris Wheel on the other side of the park. It was late in the day so thankfully there was very little wait. Red and white lights decorated the spokes, making for quite a beautiful display. Lincoln and Lucy quietly stepped onto one of the baskets and got cozy. Lucy didn't hesitate to embrace Lincoln and nuzzle his cheek. The wheel continued to ascend, giving them a birds-eye view of the whole park. They eyed Fizztop Mountain, the Mystery Mansion, their hotel, and much more as they admired the beautiful view before them. Then a big spectacle caught their eye. A gap in the clouds on the horizon, revealing the setting sun. A beautiful array of oranges and purples reflecting off of the clouds, a beacon on the horizon. Lucy couldn't resist and huddled up closer, taking a seat on Lincoln's lap.

"L-Luce?" Lincoln said, a bit stunned.

"Isn't it beautiful, sweetie~? Lori was right, this place is incredible~" Lucy cooed quietly, getting closer to Lincoln's face. "And just think about it, we're all alone up here~"

"W-We are! ...Though, I wanted to ask you something..." Lincoln said, looking downward at the cushioned seat.

"What is it, dear?" Lucy quietly tilted her head.

"Well, before lunch earlier, I was talking to someone, who told me our relationship would face a great trial at some point and... I just want to make sure we're ready. We'll have to tell mom and dad at some point, not to mention the twins and Lisa, and..." Lincoln stammered, but Lucy smiled and promptly interrupted him with a kiss on the lips. After a few moments of tender affection she broke the kiss and looked into his eyes.

"Sweetheart, there's no point in worrying about that right now~ We'll cross that bridge when we come to it!" Lucy said with a smile, rubbing Lincoln's cheek softly.

"I-I know, it's just been in the back of my mind all day..." Lincoln said with a bit of worry in his voice, rubbing the back of his head.

"I understand, and it is important, but it's not something to focus on right now. We still have time here at the park~ Appreciate and enjoy what we have right now, rather than worrying about what comes next~" She said, nuzzling noses with him.

"I-I suppose you're right...thanks Luce, I don't know what I'd do without you to calm me down..." Lincoln said, looking into her eyes.

"And I don't know what I'd do without you either, Lincoln~ I love you so much~" Lucy cooed, pressing her lips against Lincoln's before he could even respond. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a lover's embrace, as they began to make out for what felt like forever. The view was incredible, and only the soft, muffled music and occasional camera could be heard. It was so peaceful and soothing, and without that bug at the back of his head bothering him (at least for now), Lincoln could take it all in and enjoy the ride with the one he loved most, showing her great passion and affection along the sunset backdrop.

After the slow and cozy ride, courtesy of the cute goth's soft lips, the two stepped off as Lincoln checked his phone. There was a message from Lori that read:

"Sitting together at the Nuka-Knight's Diner and Ice Cream Bar! Come join us when your ride is done!"

"Well, now we know where dinner's happening! Come on, Luce, let's go~" Lincoln said with a smile, arm in arm with his lover.

"Ice cream bar... yummy feelings~" Lucy said quietly and cutely as the two walked to the restaurant nearby.

The diner was a brightly-colored bizarre thematic mix of a 50's diner, candy, and a medieval tavern. The two lovebirds joined Lori and Bobby in a booth by the window and dinner commenced as the group ordered their food. Though it wasn't the food that was the star of the show here, it was the ice cream! Despite being an amusement park, the sundaes were surprisingly cheap, and were packed nice and high with different flavors and toppings! Lincoln and Lucy shared a massive cookies & cream sundae, topped with chocolate sauce (and lots of it! the Loud sisters all LOVE chocolate!) cute gummy bats, and rainbow sprinkles! Lori got a chocolate sundae herself, she wanted to let loose a little bit! And then there was Bobby, Oh Bobby... having still not learned his lesson, he entered an ice cream-eating contest to impress Lori, only to end up passed out with a stomachache later on in the evening.

When Lincoln and Lucy looked upon their sundae, memories flooded back to them.

"Hey Luce, remember our days at the kiddie table?" Lincoln asked with a smile.

"I'll never forget our little club~ Hehe, these are just like the sundaes dad used to make us for dessert~" Lucy responded with a giggle, reminiscing over days gone by.

"Even if it usually resulted in a sugar high for Lola, I always looked forward to them at the end of every dinner!...about as much as I looked forward to spending time with you~ Broccoli and all!" Lincoln said happily as Lucy nuzzled his cheek.

"Awwwww, sweetie~ Now, what are we waiting for? Let's eat~" Lucy cooed, picking up her spoon.

"You said it!" Lincoln said enthusiastically.

The two began to dig into their delectable sundae, capping off another exciting and romantic day at the park!

Another fun day at Nuka-World comes to a close! Once again I wanna give a big thanks to ComicsFan7314 for collaborating with me on this chapter, we came up with loads of great ideas together! Be sure to check out his stuff!

The final day at the park is approaching! What pleasures and perils will Lincoln and Lucy face next?