=== Mermaid City - part 5

I entered into a whole different world. Before our eyes and in our minds was a completely amazing image that was flashing. This star filled sky has imprinted us with a never seen before memory. It was the first time not just for us, but others. Many people along with us had their jaws dropped in surprise and disbelief. I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or being awake.

This underwater theme park was slip between two giant coral reefs, with many colourful and vivid marine creatures, vibrant at life. In the middle of this brilliant ravine stretched a city build from shells and underwater lifeforms, shining brightly inside tiny lamps. Attached onto the moss wires were the benches and stands with food, shops, as well as various booths with festival-like attractions. The water was boiling, just due the sheer among of people swarming the place, although it was less busy than during the opening.

Looking around just to scope the surroundings, rubbing my eyes, flapping our feet, we realised that we could breathe underwater. Alive and with our eyes peeled for attractions, we all got reminded that we have limited time here, and though it's a whole day, there was no time to waste on idly splashing about. Just when I decided to move I noticed that we were no longer on the ground.

[I'm actually...wow this is amazing! I have never thought I would be experiencing this on my entire body! So cool! It's how all those magical girl transformations are, they take up in the sky and do all those silly poses with light. That must feel like going in an aerodynamic tunnel and floating in the air for a while, but without the wind resistance. Actually no, it's like flying but due a mystical power and...Oh my goodness! I can feel the water with my entire body!]

[Yes Corona...though I appreciate your enthusiasm, I need to add that you are not careful about your surroundings. Hence, please remind yourself that your flappers can hurt others while you are testing your abilities here as a water fairy, okay?]

[A water fairy huh? That must be related to fountains and hot springs. Underwater...or a place like this...that doesn't fit. How about a deep ocean fairy? That's totally fine in my opinion. You know how there are ancient fish genus that generate light? It's the same as a will-o-wisp— they carry those lanterns and attract other creatures for their demise. I know! Thank you Oddia, you helped me realise that I should work on my new glossy powder for my wings. I wonder though, would that be fine with diving?]

[You aren't going back to the dressing room after you got oiled up, are you? Anyway, please do consider others first and foremost. Standing out might just get you unwanted attentions from the sharks and other predators lurking here. They have very sharp teeth.]

I said while grinding my teeth a bit. Like the last time, the green wearing fairy didn't register anything that was happening, and went with the current of things. Yet, when eventually others starting to wave their hand in from of her absorbed face, which snapped her out of the trance. She begged that we would forget about her behaviour and turned quite docile for a short while.

[So girls, are you ready-steady to bring down the big house? All is...quite frankly...on the...get it? Oh wellie, aside from that upsie, I think we should start low, and do some little buddy-muddy exercise! I read all about this place, everything that was posted somewhere. There is no way we would miss everything, since there is actually only a few rides. Let's go try that one first, that bubbly looking zorb ball roller coaster! Does this sound like a barrel of fun or what? ]

[More like um...my child I know that you are excited by you mustn't forget that patience is a virtue. We have time, and we are in no need to rush. Let's all state ours plans. As for me, I wish to learn about the mermaids that live...]

[Now that you say this Noctia, it is sure strange that not many mermaids are swimming here, right? They are mostly there, just behind the corner or in a booth, selling things. I bet there are not even controlled by humans, so I wouldn't worry. Anyway I need to see if I can get some people to gather for my little performance here. I mean why wouldn't they, right? I just hope they will think that I'm a part of the park and not call the security AIs...Oh my goodness, should I ask first?]

[You are doing a right thing Corona, just that you need to believe in your subar adorbs voice! It's like a mermaid's song, caressing little kids gently and with the tranquility of the sea. So amazing I might join you...but only after you come! I'm not losing to you fishes, you are going with me as a team and we are going to try all those rides, right? Okey dokey!]

It was due her agility and friskiness that she managed to swim fast and stop us before we would slip in each direction. Maybe that was a good sign, since if each of us would follow our briefly surfaced ripples, we would sink down the ship called team. And so, taken by the current of our greasy pink commander, we all arrived in front of the tubular entrance to the ride.

It was technically a roller coaster, but it was nothing like the usual one would expect. There were no wagons or seats, you were one yourself. There was also no machinery—you would have to traverse through the track yourself. Worried a bit, I reluctantly peeked while being in the line, but as I did so, it started moving and I had no time to actually prepare.

Hina talked something about the test server, but the convenient reality for normal visitors was that they only had to wait for ride to fill up—there was no need to wait for it to finish. The attraction itself was instanced, which meant that when you entered, you were transported to a micro dungeon, with all other people. This way the line operated at much faster pace than in the other world, having multiple exits, but only one, mostly empty entrance.

[Right so what do we do here? Okay...all those instructions are making me regret I have not read them up online. Safety, proper use...how about short version? Gee, I'm almost being treated here like a baby. Remember kids, breathe in and...]

[Don't be such a silly-billy, they had people who were a little green and mean. Now the regulations and stuff are in. Yuppie, there is no need for my darlie-marlie fishes to know what actually happened, but please do follow the rules.]

[Okay Jielby, I trust that you know what you are going. We are here because of you after all, so you take responsibility.]

[Such a privilege, I can't simply resist accepting it from such a mossy-glossy grown-up fairy. Okay, get your ear-shells ready! First thing to know is that you enter a ball by simply by jumping down one of those holes. Inside you will be able to move around, but the object is to get to the exit okay? If you have played that one game, which kinda has a lot of copies, you get the basics.]

Oh yea, naturally that explanation, even though a few other people listened into it as well, did not help at all. A ball after you enter, the object of the game? I guess it would be easier after I do it myself. Without waiting, I jumped through one of the holes in this small oceanic dome. I was taken by the current and found myself falling.

As I reached the ground, I heard a loud splash and saw a huge cluster of bubbles gushing out from below my feet. Quickly I found that there was something engulfing my body, a transparent substance that was relatively squishy. It slowly inflated, surrounding my tiny shape, as I became encompassed inside of an orb, without means to escape.

This strange feeling was escalated by the fact that I could still move inside of the bubble, realising that I was able to push it. Within seconds I learned that with leaning onto one wall and moving my feet I was able to gain speed towards a desired direction. The faster, the harder was to control it. Additionally, having both hands to opposite sides gave me less acceleration but more turning ability. Now that I knew that, I tried jumping and the sphere was launched upwards, falling and bouncing off the ground. This was a blast!

[Those controls, they feel so natural I could feel like I'm actually inside of a bubble. What amazing technology! Dammit! Why I'm enjoying this so much? What was the goal again? To reach the finish line first? You are on Jielby, you are mine!]

[Oh that is so sweety-heaty of you to be challenging me to a competition. This is going to fun, right girls?]

[You bet that it's going to be so much fun beating your butt. Sorry, but no fights today okay? Just having fun.]

[Oh my goodie, you are sho bally-sally cuters when you say that Oddie! I'm not going to lose either!]

With the game heating up, the participants were dropping down to the test pit, and as they all were gathered together, it began. We got teleported to the starting line and all individually were placed on a different position. The countdown started and...It was very chaotic, with everyone smashing against each other, and bouncing back into random directions. Alas, I quickly the lead took, due to luck, and charged forward. As the stage revealed itself more and more, we travelled through railings, coral reefs, beach caverns, giant waterfalls...

It happened so quickly I couldn't really bother with looking at all the detail-filled backgrounds. I was concentrated on the track, as there were obstacles on the way you had to brave though. Like jumping on moving platforms or going through rolling cylinders...All this was just too surreal to for my mind, but I was having so much fun it didn't matter that this ride felt like a video game.

Even if you dropped onto the ground, you were teleported back to the last checkpoint. Eventually I made a mistake and took a dip. When I touched the bottom border I got teleported back on track, but with a little present. Inside of my bubble foam appeared. This mint and spumy substance reminded me of soak, but the consistency was that of a lotion. The more you blundered the more...

[My goodness, what is this? I can hardly move now! Hey, Oddie, how you are doing? I’m...I slipped!]

[Huh? I'm doing fine. Just go slower next time.]

[This is not how good children should play. I pray that you finish this ride without my assistance.]

Right, the more you were subjected to the punishment the more your bath was filled, meaning that you could get submerged entirely. That almost happened to my friends there, but I would rather not pay attention to them and concentrate on the race. Eventually, I think I reached the exit. I rolled down a hole and the bubble suddenly popped, with me falling inside of funnel-like tunnel.

[Ugh! This is how you end, sucked inside of a tube? Well at least I hope I managed to beat that pink speedster sister.]

[Who are you calling a speedster you little dolphie-molfie? You were so fast I could hardly keep up!]

[Huh? You here?]

The results were that we both landed into the finish line almost at the same time, so we couldn't tell how was faster. No times or the result screens either—we just feel down on our feet after being pulled back to the theme part. Frankly, there was already one guy there, so we at least failed to beat him. However, just before as I was thinking about...

[Eh? What's that? Uwa, my head!]

[Ishishi~ Did you played dirty-squirty? Have a nice bubble bath then! Eeeh? Me too?]

Both of our heads suddenly were met with the stuff that was inside our bubbles just a second ago. We couldn't stop laughing, and kept splashing each other. Joined eventually by Noctia and Corona, we played in the shower, all covered in sizzling bubbles. They looked so adorable I started squeaking like a little girl. Though I felt a little embarrassed, and that we had to leave eventually, this was an absolutely amazing experience.