The fourth in a series of tales from Fun Planet
[TFs: Turning into liquid, Fairies]

Afternoon

The female in the cart turns to her companion ignoring the fat, angry animatronic king entering the scene wielding an ax. "Man, did we score a great day or what?"

"Yeah, you said it. There's no one here, and we are just walking straight on to all the rides." He turns toward her and away from the queen losing her head. "What do you want to do next? Go on this one again? They'd probably let us stay in these seats."

"I'm not sure, Sam. We've been on this one five times straight. Plus it's almost time for the closing the park parade. Maybe after this Queens of England ride, we could try something in History World, like Atlantis?"

"That works. I hear the drop straight down into the water makes your heart skip a beat and feels like diving into the ocean." Queen Elizabeth on a balcony to their right waves to the masses of people to their left, themselves included. Then they go through an arch and their cart locks onto a track as they return to where they got on. No one is standing in line. They stand and step out. "Ready to go, Steph?"

Before she can answer, an employee like the one that admitted them into the park but female greets them, "I'm sorry. That won't be possible. If you'll come with me, please."

Stephanie looks to her boyfriend frightened, "Did we do something wrong?"

Without turning to face them, he leads them down the exit path, "No."

Sam waits a moment for the woman to say something more. When she doesn't, he asks, "Then what's going on?"

"Once I get you away from the public, I'll explain everything. Okay?"

"Okay, but we haven't seen anyone all day," Stephanie says.

Their guide zigzags into an "Employee Only" area and then turns to look at them. "There's more people here than you know, and some of the season pass holders arrive just for the end of the night parade."

"Yeah, I hear it's really something to see."

"We were going to go see it later," Sam agrees.

"Well, you will get to see it later, but maybe from a different angle than you might think."

Stephanie turns Sam bouncing on her toes and grabs his hands, "Oh? We'll get balcony seats along the parade route? This is so exciting, Sam."

"What did we do to score that," asks Sam.

"What you may not know, is that Fun Planet has a secret achievement. Normally, it is really busy here, so if someone can manage to ride our rides one hundred times in a day, it is a real accomplishment. We like to reward that achievement with a special privilege. You get to be a part of the end of the night parade."

She pauses to let that sink into their brains. The dating couple turns to face each other with excitement building. Looking back at her she sees that they are ready for the next part, "So, if you'll follow me we'll get you changed."

Their guide leads them to an elevator that takes them underground. There, they find a tram that takes them to another part of the park in moments. Once they arrive on the surface again, she leads them into a building, down a hall, and ushers Stephanie into a door.

"Stand here and close your eyes for a moment. We can't let you see the Fun Planet magic now can we?" Steph closes her eyes as the park employee closes the door.

The worker and Sam step forward to the door right next to his girlfriend's. She repeats the instructions to Sam.

He steps in and closes his eyes. Then the door closes and everything goes wonky.

For one, it feels like half his body is touching the floor. How is that even possible? Well, that's not really true. He also feels something else. It feels like two little spots are touching something else, somewhere else. No wait. Now it's six. No, four. What's going on?

Sam opens his eyes, then closes them. In that momentary glance, he sees the whole room that he's in and other confusing images. "How could I see all the walls and ceiling and floor all at once?"

His voice sounds different, deeper. This, also, is confusing. Not only that but it sounds like there is an echo, too. So, what do I do? Just sit here? He considers this for a moment. They never said I had to stand or whatever I'm doing in one place.

Sam tries to take a step or move or something in a direction and feels a slope. Not to be deterred, he presses on. The further he goes, the harder it is to go.

He looks again. The whole room, floor included, looks more clear, more detailed.

And then something humanoid and translucent crosses his vision. "What?"

Surprised, Sam stops trying to move and gravity pulls him back together. Was my voice deeper than before? The room around him shifts yet doesn't move.

His brain engages. If I can see all around me and follow gravity to the lowest place ... then I'm in some form of liquid? After a moment of reflection, he wiggles a finger in agreement if he had one. Yeah, that would explain the distortion, too.

A hand then arm enters his field of vision as well as the unmoving room. Sam closes his eyes again. That would not explain the body part hallucinations I'm getting. I think something is wrong. "Hello," he calls out in a higher pitched ripple, "Could someone help me?"

The door opens and their guide from before looks in right at him. "Oh, you're almost done. I'd better get on the other side, quick." Then the door closes.

Almost done? Then this is supposed to happen? Sam reflects a little longer. Then the things I'm seeing other than this room are supposed to be happening? Then a thought jams itself in his head. Other side?!?

Sam opens his eyes again. This time instead of fearing the images of body parts, he focuses on them. The room around him fades a bit.

Turning his head to the right, he sees a dozen or so fairy-like things looking around, too. Twisting to the left, he spots another dozen.

Returning to center, a different color fairy catches his eye. She is waving at him. He walks over to her getting bumped left and right by other fairies around him walking forward into him. Sam waves back. The one next to him bonks him in the head with his wave.

She smiles then kisses the clear wall she is near that separates them. That must be her. A chorus of voices ask, "Steph?" She nods.

She points at him, then her head. From there, the gesture is all the fingers of her hand leaving her hair and pointing away from her. Returning both hands to her head, she spreads her fingers and then points her hands away from herself.

Confused, Sam copies her movements in slow motion. "Just tell me." Steph shakes her head as she points to her ears. She points to her lips then makes binoculars. Okay, read her lips.

"Red your mine to brothers?" No wait, she pointed to her head at 'mine'. She probably means 'mind'. He mumbles to himself, "Mind to your brothers ... Mind to your brothers." He gets it. "Oh! How?"

Steph rolls her eyes. He can image how much teasing he's going to get from her for not getting it. Sam watches how she almost pinches her hair and takes the thumb finger gesture away from her head. She repeats the gesture with her other hand.

Sam closes his eyes and tries to figure out what she's telling him to do. Pinching head? Mind to Brothers?

He thinks as hard as he can and something happens. In his mind he sees cracks form and pieces fall off. He does the same pinch move and his fingers grab the piece and pull it away. Something is different. He can sense the new mind, but it doesn't follow everything he's doing. In fact, it's looking around as he concentrates.

Sam pulls off more pieces and distributes them to the other minds. Each takes on its own personality of sorts. They are all him, but more of a caricature of him. The one in the corner thinking is his analytical him. And the one telling jokes and pulling pranks is his sense of humor.

Looking over at Stephanie, he can now spot her sense of humor, too. He points at hers and she turns to look. Then she points to his.

He nods at her while nods at him. They understand each other.

As each fairy clone of himself enters, he gives them a piece and goes back to trying to communicate with Steph.

That is until the giant face shows up. All of the Sams back up away from the giant person. He even tries to flee to the rest of himself, but the room he was in is gone. All of him must have gone through the mold into here.

"Hi." The female giant's voice vibrates into the container.

When she doesn't attack them, Sam looks more closely. It's their guide from before. But how did she get so big? He ponders a moment and remembers the small feet touching this container before. No, we got smaller.

Sam waves a little frightened.

"I'm here to take you to your spot in the parade. You guys are going to be in one of the Fantasy Land floats. At certain points along the parade route, your container will open up and let some of you out. You should fly out and swirl around the crowd and the float. At the end of the parade, we'll change you back, so group back up on the float at the end. Understand?"

All the pixies from both containers nod.

"Good. Here we go." She takes Steph's box first and Sam watches her go. Then Sam watches as he is placed under the vehicle near his girlfriend. Above him is a funnel and a valve. At least he hopes it's a valve.

Darkness surrounds him again. That's when he notices the glow. All of his selves illuminate the  area surrounding them. Pressing his face against the clear side, he sees another glow, this one a light green to his light purple. It's hidden by something.

Knowing she's  with him, Sam relaxes. He turns and notices one of his selves shivering and curled up into a ball. He reaches out with his mind to touch the other. Fear. Of course he'd be afraid.

"C'mon, let's go," He says tugging on the arm.

"No. It's too scary."

"It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? We might die up there. Have you tested these wings? Do you know how they work? For how long? Maybe we'll fly up in the sky and our wings give out."

"That's not going to happen."

"How do you know?"

Sam thinks of the times he and Steph hung out and feels his love for her growing. He pinches a bit off and gives a little to Fear Sam. For good measure, he gives him a little of the joy the thoughts gave him, too. Fear Sam looks up at him with a slight smile.

He holds out his hand to Fear Sam, "Ready to go out now?" He is answered with a nod. "Good." They stand under the hole. When the music around them hits a point in the song, the two of them get sucked out. Sam does what he was told and flies out over the crowd.

A green streak zips past his face. The crowd below oooo's and ah's. A Steph fairie!  He follows as she loops and spirals not being as exuberant as she is.

The song loops over and over releasing more versions of themselves. Danger Steph, as he's started to call her, leads him all over the place. They pass a suggestive Steph tickling a drooling Sam's chin and then leading him away while swaying her hips.

As they pass over the float again, he senses Fear Sam, not quite so afraid, stationary holding hands with a shivering Stephanie. Off to his side he hears another pair giggling. His mischief, of course.

He wonders what he is planning but Danger Steph is out over the crowd again twirling while doing a loop de loop. The people below appreciate it. His attention is drawn to a lone Steph looking around.

He swoops over to her, "Steph?"

She turns and smiles, "Sam!" Looking back at the onlookers, she asks, "Do you think I should land on one? Do you think they would like it? Would I like it? Oh look! There's something cool in their hand. I should go check it out!"

He grabs Curious Steph's hand and swings her back toward the float, "I don't think you should go over there. Remember what the helping lady said?"

She mumbles as she slumps forward, "Fly over the crowd, then back to the float. Spoilsport."

He chuckles, "That's during the parade. She didn't anything about after."

Her whole frame perks up, "Thanks!"

Sam feels a tap on the shoulder, "May I cut in?" He turns and sees another fairy Stephanie. Nodding, she comes closer while Curious Steph starts her pattern.

Not trusting himself he asks, "Are you, you?"

She nods. "Isn't this amazing?"

"Yeah, who knew that when we came here we'd get to experience this?"

"This is a one in a lifetime moment. I don't think I'll ever forget this," she gushes.

"Well, then, let me make it even more memorable." He takes her hand and drops to one knee, "Stephanie, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"

She gasps and covers her mouth. Tears streaming from her eyes, she leans forward and pecks him on the lips. "Yes," she whispers and then shouts.

Unbeknownst to them the rest of the versions of themselves huddle around the two of them into a green and purple circle. As excitement shoots through them all, they all blast off into the night sky. "Yesssssss!"

One onlooker turns to their neighbor, "I've been watching dis parade every night fer years. Sometimes dey have dem pixies, but I never seen 'um do dis."

Spiraling down in a lazy loop, they create another magnificent display. The crowd vocalizes their amazement in sounds of appreciation.

The parade ends. Behind the walls, their guide from before approaches them, "So guys, what did you think?"

The group of greens respond as one, "I don't think I'll ever forget this day."

"Me too," the purples agree.

"Great! Then let's get you guys fixed up, so you can enjoy the last bit of time before the park closes. Follow me."

On their way back, laughing draws his attention from his fiancé. Humor Sam and Stephanie are telling jokes to the rest of the fairies. The laughter is infectious. More laugh with each joke. Even, their guide gets in on it.

Wiping tears from her eyes, she gestures to the open door, "Sam, in here." A flood of light purple fly in. As their guide closes the door, she reminds them, "Close your eyes. We wouldn't want you to see the Fun Planet magic."

That's when they see her. A light green fairy just to the side of the closed door. The Sams are about to call out, when she shushes them. Finger to her lips, she hisses, "Shhhhhh, it's all part of the plan." She swoops down and joins the sea of Sams.

Fear Sam speaks up, sorta, "What's going to happen to us?" The other Sams pat him on the head or back, at least the ones that can reach him.

"It'll be okay."

Steph speaks up, "Yeah, Mischief Sam is with Steph. It'll balance out."

"So, that's what you guys were giggling about."

"Yeah," she agrees, "It's the perfect plan."

"Now, remember. Close your eyes," a familiar female voice reminds them from outside.

With no other option, the special fairy joins with the others. All of them close their eyes.

A breeze picks up and swirls around them. The force pushes them closer together. Intensity increases, crushing them. And just as quick as it began, the wind stops.

Sam staggers to the side as the pressure disappears. Odd, he didn't bump into anyone. Weren't they all clustered together?  He opens his eyes to find that he is alone in the room. And he's bigger. Looking at the door he sees he is about the same height he was before.

That's when the tickling starts, the tickling in his brain. A movie plays in his mind's eye. He watches himself sneak up on Sam. Wait. What? Sam's back is to him. He reaches his manicured pointer fingers to Sam's  sides just below the ribs. The he jabs both fingers at once with a very feminine "Bzzzzt!" sound. Sam jumps and turns to face him.

That's when he realizes. He remembers getting zapped and spinning around to find Steph there. He's seeing her memories, probably from that little part of her that's part of him. He smiles at the pair of memories.

Then he hears Stephanie giggling on the other side of the door. Between laughs she calls in to him, "Are you dressed? What's taking so long?"

Realizing he is naked, he fumbles through the locker near him and throws on his clothes. Exiting, he sees the one he loves.

"You know what? I think we should buy rings here at Fun Planet before they close."

"I think so, too," Steph agrees as they exit the building hand in hand.