Chapter 25 All's Fair in Love
It didn't take long to get to Generica, but boy golly gee whiz did it feel like a long time to Ludwig. The whole trip was spent in silence due to the fact that Ludwig didn't really know what to say to Aria. He wasn't even entirely sure that this whole thing wasn't a dream that his Aria obsessed subconscious cooked up in order to escape the pain of their friendship being completely and utterly ruined. So, because of those two factors, he stayed completely silent. He didn't even look Aria in the eye very often, worried that she might be an illusion that would fade under the slightest bit of scrutiny.
When they got to the fair grounds, Ludwig looked out at everything they had to offer. He saw a ferris wheel, first off; stretching up to the sky and creating quite the picturesque image. Roller coasters looped around and upside down, and the people who rode on them screamed like they had just encountered a serial killer. The scent of fried dough carried throughout the scene, which did make Ludwig's mouth water despite his aversion to sweet things. Right near the entrance to the fair, there were animal pens, with buzzy beetles and moo moos and goonies and fuzzies. Ludwig looked at all of these sights, letting all of them sink in, before turning back to Aria. She grinned at him.
"Pretty cool, right?" She chuckled. "I imagine you don't get to go to fairs pretty often."
"Uh… no, as a matter of fact, I don't." He snorted. "Which is shocking considering that Lemmy loves these sorts of things to death."
Aria laughed. "Really? Huh. Almost makes me wonder why we didn't invite him." She stepped down onto the fairgrounds, carrying herself in a way that conveyed joy. "Well, come on! There's so much we have to do!"
Ludwig hesitated for a little bit, looking back out at the roller coasters. He stared down at Aria, as gorgeous as ever, all the while still trying to convince himself that this was really happening. Sure, it seemed too dreamlike to be real, too unbelievable. But then again, Ludwig had swapped bodies with Lemmy, traveled into the very heart of the internet, hopped from TV show to TV show, and had been turned into a cat. If all of those incidents had been proven to be true, then a small date with Aria shouldn't be too out of the question. Even still, Ludwig didn't know how to feel about this, about any of this.
After a little bit, Ludwig followed Aria. The first stop they made was the animal pens. The place stunk to high heavens, but Ludwig didn't mind. He stared down a goonie in a cage, chuckling at how it titled his head at him like it was the most confused bird in the whole world.
However, that bird was not what drew Ludwig's interest the most. That honor belonged to a specific animal, standing in a cage near the back of the pens. When Ludwig saw it, his jaw dropped and he let out a gasp.
"No way!" He grinned. "It's a llama!" He zipped over to the white and brown creature, his heart beating so fast. "I can't believe they would have one here!" His heart rate sped up as he gazed upon the llama, which in his opinion was one of the cutest animals to ever live. And… yes, as ashamed as he was to admit this, he had said out loud that llamas were his spirit animal in the past. He didn't know why; he just always seemed to have this special attachment to them.
Aria giggled as she made her way over to Ludwig, staring into the llama's deep brown eyes and no longer showcasing any of the telltale signs of disbelief. "You like llamas, huh?"
"Of course!" Ludwig reached out and pet the creature, not even caring about the germs and bacteria that were living on its fur. "They're awesome! Everything about them is just…" he squeed and wrapped his arms around the llama's neck, feeling as if everything was right with the world. "They're my favorite animal."
Aria smiled as she stepped closer. "Well." She looked up into the llama's face. "I guess that's something we have in common."
Ludwig blinked before gasping. "Llamas are your favorite animal too?"
"Yep!" She reached into her hammerspace and pulled out her phone. Ludwig had never noticed it before, but now he saw that her pop tab had a picture of a cartoon llama on the front. The sight of this made the Koopaling's heart melt.
"Oh man." He grinned at her. "You've got good taste."
"Thanks." Aria curled a strand of her hair back out of her face. "Thanks a lot."
The second that Aria finished saying that, an awkwardness settled on the scene. Ludwig thought about everything that had happened between them for the gazillionth time, and as a consequence ended up cringing a little. By all means, this should not be happening. He shouldn't be out with Aria after having revealed everything to her. It just… it just didn't seem logical. After all, how could Aria even bring herself to even think about him? How could she stand in his presence without exhibiting any signs of anger or betrayal? It didn't make sense. Nothing about this "date" made sense.
Ludwig let go of the llama, walking over to Aria with a questioning look on his face. "Hey, Aria, I was wondering why…"
"Step right up!" A carnie standing at a booth about five yards away called out. "Step right up and win the biggest llama plushie this side of Sarasaland!"
Ludwig's heart skipped a beat. Wait, a llama plushie? A llama plushie that he could win? A llama plushie that was big on top of that? Oh, he had to have it! He had to have it in his possession, and he didn't care what he had to do to get it!
Aria noticed his sudden interest, and in turn let out a laugh. "You want to get that plushie, don't you?"
"Well yeah, wouldn't you!" He jumped up and down, displaying an enthusiasm that only really had ever been felt by Lemmy. "I have to win it, Aria! Imagine how awesome it would be!"
Aria snickered. "Well… if that's what you want, then why don't we make our way over to the game?"
Ludwig grinned. Taking a deep breath, he rose into the air, figuring that flying would be much faster than going by foot. When he got to the booth, which just so happened to be the ring toss booth, he scanned it for any sign of the llama plushie. He gasped when he saw it; it was at least three feet tall! It had rainbow colors scattered throughout the fur in this pastel-like splotches, which only made the plushie more desirable to the eldest Koopaling. He could already see it standing beside his bed, and he could already imagine the comments and excitement Lemmy would make and feel if he saw such a cute animal as that in their room. He would probably think it was better than his sock monkeys, but of course Ludwig wouldn't let him lay a finger on it! That llama plushie would be his and his alone, and he would be the only one who could handle it.
He chuckled just as Aria came up to the booth. "Oh, you'd better watch out, Aria. I'm gonna take this game by storm and win that llama plushie." His chuckles grew more impish and wicked as he stepped up and gave the carnie the money. He was handed three rings, and was told that he if he managed to make just one of them land on the neck of one of the bottles, he could win the llama.
"But be warned; it's not as easy as it looks!" The carnie laughed, the sound laced with a cocky attitude. "You should consider yourself lucky if you manage to do it."
"HA!" Ludwig guffawed. "Luck's got nothing to do with it!" He chuckled again. "I'm going to do this through pure skill!"
With that, he tossed his first ring. To his astonishment, it bounced along the tops of the bottles, kind of like a frog hopping through a pond. Ludwig watched, stunned, as the stupid thing fell on the floor between two of them.
The carnie snorted. "What was that you were saying about pure skill?"
Ludwig grit his teeth. "I can do this." He squinted at the bottle before throwing the next ring. He did it with an extra bout of force, which in turn made the ring bounce off one of the bottle tops and sail through the air. It hit the roof of the booth and landed right on the carnie's head.
Said carnie didn't seem at all phased by this. "Well, if the game was to get the ring around me, then you guys would be victorious!" He smirked as he picked up the ring. "Too bad it's not, which means that you aren't."
Ludwig shook his head. He smelled smoke emanating off of his fingers, meaning that he needed to step back and take a breath. He turned around, shaking his head as Aria stood by his side.
"I can't believe this," he said. "This should be easy!" He looked right at Aria. "It's just a stupid ring toss; why does it have to be so complicated?"
Aria shrugged. "Beats me."
Ludwig sighed. "And now I'm down to my last ring." He looked down at said ring with a dejected stare. "Oh, I want that llama plushie so bad!"
Aria frowned as she stepped back and took the time to think about this. "Hmm…" she tapped her foot as she considered the options. "Why don't you use your telekinesis? I bet that could help you."
Ludwig thought about this. "That could work…" he shook his head. "Oh, but the carnie will see the blue light and know that I'm cheating! He'll be furious if I do that!"
Aria snickered. "I don't think he would be furious so much as he would be like 'HOLY CRAP, THAT KOOPA CAN MOVE THINGS WITH HIS MIND!'" She chuckled. "But I see your point." She looked down at the ring. "Maybe give me a chance to toss it? I'm sure I'll be able to win the plushie."
Ludwig looked between Aria and the ring before deciding that it was worth a shot. "Alright." He handed the ring to Aria, who stepped up to the booth with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
The carnie snickered, looking at both of them with a condescending expression. "Oh, so you're gonna have your girlfriend do it now?" He chuckled, his entire form shaking as he did. "Well, I'll admit, I am interested to see how this fair lady fairs against this game." He looked back at Aria. "Even though I know for a fact that you aren't gonna fair well."
Aria smirked. "That's where you're wrong!" She looked at the bottles with the utmost confidence.
Even still, Ludwig couldn't help but sweat. He wanted that plushie. He didn't care about anything else at the moment; he just wanted to have that plushie in his possession. He hoped that Aria could get it, that she could emerge victorious in this game that was obviously rigged to hell and back.
Aria took a deep breath before throwing the ring. It bounced along the tops of the opened bottles, just like it had done for Ludwig. The Koopaling held his breath, unwilling to even move lest he ruined everything. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the utter disappointment that would come with not getting the plushie.
Fortunately for him, he heard Aria let out a cheer. "Yes! I did it!"
Ludwig opened his eyes, blinking as he did. He looked at the bottles, noticing a ring situated around one of the necks. His spirits rose back up.
"Yes! You did it, Aria!" He gave the carnie the smuggest of looks. "And you said she wasn't going to fair well!"
The carnie sighed. "Well, we all have to be wrong at some point." He turned around, grabbed the plushie, and gave it to them. "Well… enjoy your prize."
Ludwig's spirits soared as he looked at the plushie. It was big, it was beautiful, and most importantly, it was his. He gave it a squeeze, relishing in how soft and fluffy the coat was. Sure, on some level, it didn't really compare with the real llama he had been hugging just a little while ago. Even still, he felt like the happiest Koopa alive.
He grinned as he and Aria walked away from the booth. "Oh man, I can't believe you managed to do it, Aria. I mean, that was so rigged that it was almost illegal!"
Aria chortled. "I know. I think that's the unfortunate state of carnival games." She put her hand on his shoulder. "I am glad that you have it, though. I can tell it makes you very happy."
"Oh, it does!" Ludwig gave the plushie yet another squeeze before turning back to Aria. "Thank you so much."
"Of course!"
Ludwig beamed. Man. He felt so very fortunate and lucky, and it wasn't just because of Aria winning the plushie. To think that he was acquainted with such an amazing woman, such an amazing person who viewed him as a good friend. Sure, it still didn't make a lick of sense to him. In fact, as he thought about this, the confusion he felt from before returned. He thought about Aria, about everything that happened between them. Sure, this topic had been thought about by him to death. But… but could anyone really blame him? It was just too bizarre. Nothing about being here made any sort of sense to Ludwig. He thought about asking her again. He thought about asking her every question plaguing his heart, every single doubt he had about her being here and actually calling him a friend.
Before he could, however, Aria spoke up. "Ooh, look! We're right next to the fried dough station!" She beamed at Ludwig, looking hungry but also looking excited. "I know you aren't a fan of sweet things, but would you mind if we got some?"
"Uh…" Ludwig almost wanted to completely ignore that question in favor of asking Aria about her motives. There had to be an ulterior motive, there had to be a deeper reason behind why she was here with him of all people. He wouldn't feel satisfied until he got that answer, until he was one hundred percent certain that Aria wasn't stringing him along for some sort of sick twisted desire (as unlikely as her doing that was).
However, he ultimately decided against it. "Sure."
Aria's smile got bigger, which only served to make her more beautiful. Ludwig looked at her with a forlorn feeling as she went up and ordered the fried dough. Once she had two plates full of the stuff, she guided Ludwig to a table right beside the stand. They both took their seats, with Ludwig placing the llama plushie on the table because he wasn't a fan of it standing on the dirty ground.
"Have you ever had fried dough before?" Aria asked as she handed him his plate.
Ludwig nodded. "A couple times. It is much more palatable to me than other sweet things." He chuckled. "I think it's just because my brain heard the word 'fried' and thought 'Yes! Yes, yes, a million times yes!" He laughed some more. "My brain works in very… simple ways."
Aria shook her head. "I don't know if I would say that specifically. I mean, you are really smart."
Ludwig felt a warm feeling surge through his chest. "Thanks." He ripped off a piece of the dough and put it in his mouth. "You're pretty intelligent yourself."
Aria's face turned pink. "Thank you."
With that, they ate their dough. Ludwig actually really liked this particular version of the dish; he had a feeling that it was his favorite variation on fried dough that he had ever tasted. The lemon juice that had been squeezed on it, as well as the powdered sugar, created a nice sour-sweet flavor that wasn't too overwhelming. Ludwig gladly ate it, and based on the way Aria ate it, he reasoned that she felt the same way about it. His theory was proven right when she spoke up.
"I used to go to fairs with my Dad," she said in between bites. "And we would always get fried dough. So, it's pretty nostalgic for me." She chuckled. "Almost as much as Freddie's hot chocolate."
"Oh!" Ludwig put his plate down on the table. "That reminds me; are you enjoying those cocoa packets I got you?"
Aria's eyes glittered. "Is that even a question? I love them! They taste exactly how I expected them to. And they only get better when I added marshmallows to them." She took another bite. "Those packets somehow did the impossible task of capturing the flavor of home in a cup, and I absolutely love them for that." She looked straight at Ludwig. "Thank you for getting them for me."
"You're welcome." A smile grew on Ludwig's face. "While I'm at it, I should thank you for getting me the xylophone."
Aria laughed. "I thought you getting me the packets was you thanking me for the xylophone!"
"Oh, it was; it was." Ludwig cleared his throat. "However, it couldn't hurt to thank you some more." He looked right into her eyes, shimmering with a shade of violet that was more beautiful than the color her eyes usually had. "That xylophone was such a delight to get. It really made my day. I really don't think I can thank you enough for it. So, thank you."
Aria nodded. "You're welcome."
With that, the two of them continued eating their fried dough. Ludwig stole glances of both Aria and his llama plushie as he ate, and he felt really thankful for both of them (especially the former). Once they finished the dough, Ludwig was just about ready to ask Aria the much needed questions. He figured there was no use in trying to avoid them.
However, just as he was opening his mouth, Aria spoke up. "So, what do you want to do next? I'm thinking a roller coaster. What do you think?"
Ludwig blinked. "Uh… I wouldn't be opposed to that…" he looked back at his llama. "But what about my plushie?"
"What about it?" Aria asked with a shrug. "We can just leave it on the ground beside the carnie while we ride."
"And risk people seeing and stealing it?" Ludwig shook his head. "Oh no, I don't think so. This plushie is too precious to leave it totally unsupervised."
"Good point…" Aria thought about this a little bit. "Well then, how about this. We both take turns on the roller coaster, leaving the person who isn't riding it to supervise the plush."
Ludwig smiled. "That sounds perfect." He looked back at the plushie before looking at the fair's skyline. "And afterwards, we go on the ferris wheel."
"You've got yourself a deal."
With that, they both got up and made their way to the nearest roller coaster. As they did, Ludwig wondered if he would be able to ask her about everything. He knew he needed to… but would he actually be able to do it?
