Author's Note:
Oh yeah, the start of the Culture Festival! It's gonna be three whole days of randomness! As you might have known, Venice is a center of Arts and Creativity, so expect the unexpected with what some of the classes is doing, as well as what's going to happen!
Chapter 16: The Cultural Fiesta
Ah, yes, the Culture Festival. I remember walking through the front gates only to be greeted by a multitude of colors and sounds, as well as people young and old. Our school's festival is open to the public, so during the event, people from all over will come in to see what wonders our students can offer. The stone path is ridden with taps as dances break out every few minutes. As I walked towards the area designated for my class, one can't help but feel drawn in to the laughs, cheers and smiles. Highly and widely known of our culture in Venice is our Arts, particularly Performing Arts, so people naturally expect to see quality showcases here in Venice High. Different dance groups, each from their own clubs, are here today to showcase their creativity and style. Our school is one of the few to have three different bands, and throughout the campus, snippets can be heard here and there. Globalisation has also hit Venice High from a while back, so we even have things like a Haunted House, a Cafe and even Game Stalls!
That is, until I saw the Dunk Tank I'm supposed to be in. I think my soul died a little.
It was huge! No, not just huge, it had all these small attachments to it. It made everything else there looked like they came out of the stone age! There were slides, bunkers, troughs, caves, all attached to the seat of the guy who was gonna be dunked. The whole tank looked to be about three stories high, with the attachments and gadgets taking one story in height, and the water tank taking the other two. How the heck did the class afford something like this? And I'm supposed to be sitting on top of it? I'm supposed to fall into that?
"Gulp.." Yes, the sight of it, as it towers over me, was enough to force out a response. At that time, I had the strangest idea. Well, it was less of an idea, and more of a thought screaming in my head. What if I just run? I know it's stupid to be thinking about this now, but, I felt my body doing the opposite of what I was thinking. Just as I turned and was about to take my first step to freedom, however, I hear someone shout out at me.
"Amato!" It was familiar. It was probably the only voice that could've stopped me in my tracks. I could hear footsteps tapping before someone grabbed my hand with hers. "I'm so glad you came!" I turn to see Gina's smiling face, which would have been a blissful thing should things not have happened this way. "Uh, yeah, hi, Gina..." I called out to greet her, trying to pull a happy look on my face. Unfortunately, my body started moving towards her as she pulled me back towards the tank.
Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. The thoughts bounced around my head as I met up with the rest of the class, their stalls beside the tank, led on by Gina. I know, I'm weak.
"We had so much trouble finding your replacement should you have fallen sick! The other guys suddenly felt unwell, it's so strange." Gina wondered, putting a finger to her chin. It's not strange, it's basic survival instinct! No one in their right mind would volunteer for something like this! I can almost imagine the image of their faces when they saw the tank being set-up, how they grew pale at the height of this hulking monstrosity. Some even puked from the fear. All right, maybe I exaggerated that part.
"Hm, you weren't trying to run away, were you?" Sergio asks me as he walked towards us from his store. "Uh, no..." I replied, glaring at Sergio. Well, Gina was still there, so I couldn't decline. Did, did he set me up? "Don't worry, I'm a hundred-percent clear that you can do this!" Sergio exclaimed, his look came bundled with its own cheesy smile and a thumbs up. I could feel my hands tensing up from my anger, as I struggled to keep that smile on my face.
So, after a few moments of preparation, I got up to the seat of the Dunk Tank. The festival was still going on strong. I sat in the seat, wearing my usual attire. Well, winter is coming, so I can't actually put on nothing but boxers, right? It's a good thing too, as I still had Fenris with me. You can never be too careful.
Well, as the day went by, I find myself bored with nothing to do, as well as not being able to actually get off my seat. It seems like my stall is quite the challenge after all. There is quite a distance between the target and the area you're supposed to throw your ammo. The challenger will be able to choose from three different types of projectile. A rubber ball, the type that's light and bounces alot. A baseball, and a Shot. Yes, the same shot you use in Shot Put. Though I would question the mental stability of anyone who uses that for this challenge. Not to mention, the target's not that big. As the music, laughs and cheers carried on, I find myself slumped in my chair. Sure, challengers come and go, but after a number of failures, they became less frequent. I guess I should be happy that I won't be falling into the freezing water anytime soon.
I think it was around noon, I was looking at a kid trying out the challenge. He seemed really pumped, so I expected a good hit on the target, even if he didn't knock me into a dunk. His parents cheered with smiles beside him, and that sight made me a little sad. Unfortunately, the ball never even got close to the target before falling flat on the ground. It was pretty disappointing. "Sorry, kid." I said so with a smile. Hearing my words, the family left turned their frown upside down before leaving.
"Look at him go!" I hear a voice from the crowds. "He so cute!" A pair of girls cried out. "Amazing for his age!" Another comment exploded from the students. I couldn't actually see what was happening, but a crowd has formed around our 'Test of Marksmanship' stall. Though the challenge is for you to strike a target at a distance, I saw, in a flash, three targets dropped simultaneously. "Hey! That was easy!" a child-like voice came out from the crowds. I wanted to see who is the shooting, but I just couldn't see past the sea of students.
"Hey! Let me try it again, with five targets!" The voice yells out once again, the quick and calm tone never fading. "Wow, he sounds confident." I muttered, still seating at my seat above the tank.
Again, in an instant, I saw five target brought down at the same time. Still can't quite catch who it was, though.
"Wow!" A few voices say out from the sea of people. "I love that cute little toy rifle he has with him!" A comment came from another group of girls. Hmm, seems like he's quite the sharpshooter, I thought, as I begin to ignore the voices and went back to a whole lot of boring.
Just as my attention moved away from that particular stall, a stranger with dark-blue hair walked through the crowd and stopped beside the prodigy. That was when the prodigy shooter jumped up on the table, and revealed himself to be a baby. His hair, blond and wild, complete a bandanna. His attire, green all over, similar to those combat uniforms the soldiers use in Guerilla combat, with thick, black, combat boots. And he also had a Blue pacifier around his neck. "How about a match? Arcobaleno?" The blue-haired stranger gave out his challenge, shifting his fedora hat. "Uh, kid, your prize?" one of the guys handling the stall muttered out, cutting into the conversation. "Hey! now's not the time!" The baby replied.
"Hey! You're on!" The baby gave out the signal.
I didn't actually catch any of that, because a particular person came upon my stall. "Zanna! Dunk Tank! Awesome!" His voice, forever written into my mind, was instantly recognized. It drew my attention as I saw the guy in person. Johann stands in front of the tank with big, wide eyes that sparkle with excitement. He looks like a kid who's laying his eyes on a new toy. "Yeah, yeah. Good luck." I called out to Johann, trying to ignore him by looking away. That was when I saw something interesting at the front gates. Blond hair, maid outfit, Kiera? I can see her walking in with a few others. That is Kiera! I was so distracted I did not see what was happening. Johann had grabbed a baseball, and in a swift motion, pushed his leg high, doing a classic stance used for pitching, and tossed the ball with all his strength. It burned through the air like a comet.
"Bam!" The sound can be heard loudly as the target was hit. That was when the mechanisms started and I fell into a cave, rolled my way down tubes in a zig-zag fashion, and tumbled down some ridges, before falling into the tank.
The last feeling I had was when my body was bombarded by the freezing cold water.
All right, the first chapter for the 'Culture Festival' Arc! What do you guys think? Did you catch the little stuff I snucked in there? Please, voice out the flaws of my writing if possible! As usual, Praise, Comment and Criticize in your reviews!