Chapter 79: Rollercoasters And Ridiculous Plushies

The Crimson Cyclone stretched almost three hundred feet into the air, its red tracks twisted into impossible loops and corkscrews that defied gravity.

The mechanical roar of cars climbing the initial ascent mixed with the distant screams of riders plummeting down the first drop.

A park attendant in a bright red uniform gestured them past the snaking line of waiting guests, scanning their VIP passes with practiced efficiency.

"Right this way, gentlemen. The front row is all yours."

Kane practically bounced on his feet as they approached the gleaming cars. The safety harnesses looked substantial enough to restrain a small aircraft, which did nothing to ease the tension radiating from Cyrus’s shoulders.

Kane slipped into the front seat, grinning as Cyrus hesitated beside the car. He pulled the harness down over his chest, the metal clicking into place.

"Come on—don’t tell me the great and mighty dragon is afraid of a little height?

Cyrus’s jaw tightened as he lowered himself into the adjacent seat. "I am not afraid."

"No? Then why are your knuckles white?"

Cyrus loosened his grip on the safety bar, though his posture remained rigid. "Heights are not the issue."

"What is it, then?"

The attendant walked over to inspect their restraints, drowning Cyrus’s response in the mechanical whir of the ride’s final safety checks.

The car climbed the initial hill slowly, click-click-clicking up the steep incline.

Kane’s excitement was infectious—he whooped as they crested the peak, throwing his arms skyward as the world spread out below them.

"This is incredible!"

The first drop hit like a hammer blow.

Kane’s laughter echoed across the park as they plummeted, his silver hair whipping in the wind.

Loop after loop, twist after turn, he rode the chaos with pure joy, his amber eyes bright with adrenaline.

Cyrus remained silent through the entire ride.

His hands stayed locked on the safety bar, his expression carved from stone.

Even as the car whipped through the final corkscrew and glided into the station, he didn’t make a sound.

Kane bounced out of his seat the moment the restraints released, still grinning.

"That was amazing! Did you see—"

He stopped mid-sentence, staring at Cyrus’s hands. The safety bar bore perfect finger-shaped dents in the metal.

"Holy shit, Cyrus. Was it that scary?"

Cyrus released the bar and stood, brushing imaginary dust from his jacket. "The ride is over."

"Come on, let’s go again!"

"I think we should try something else."

Kane’s grin widened. "Something less death-defying for the almighty dragon?"

"I’m not avoiding anything. I am simply stating that there are other rides to experience.

Kane’s eyes lit up.

"Now you’re talking! Let’s hit the Drop Tower next."

The afternoon blurred into a series of increasingly ridiculous attractions.

Kane dragged Cyrus from ride to ride with unstoppable enthusiasm, interpreting every stoic nod as encouragement.

The Drop Tower shot them three hundred feet into the air before releasing them into freefall.

Kane screamed with delight while Cyrus sat motionless, his face a mask of controlled terror.

The Pirate Ship swung them in massive arcs, Kane’s laughter mixing with the mechanical groans of the ride.

Cyrus gripped the seat so tightly that small cracks appeared in the plastic.

By the time they staggered off the Spinning Teacups—Kane’s idea of "something gentle"—the sun hung low in the afternoon sky.

Kane bounced on his feet, cheeks flushed with excitement.

"That was incredible! You’re way braver than I thought you’d be."

Cyrus straightened his jacket with careful precision.

"I told you heights weren’t the issue."

"Then what—" Kane stopped, studying Cyrus’s carefully neutral expression. "Oh. Oh, you hate this."

"I don’t hate anything."

"But you’re not having fun."

Cyrus paused. "Fun is subjective."

They wandered into the midway section, where barkers called out to passersby and colorful plush toys hung from game stalls.

Kane stopped abruptly, his amber eyes widening as he spotted an enormous plush dragon hanging from the top row of a ring toss game.

The black dragon had cartoonishly large red eyes and a silly grin sewn onto its face.

"Oh my god. Look at that! It’s perfect for you."

Cyrus followed Kane’s gesture, his expression flattening when he saw the plush toy.

"I don’t see the resemblance."

"Are you kidding? It’s got your winning smile and everything." Kane nudged Cyrus with his elbow.

"Come on, I’m getting it for you. Your penthouse needs some personality."

While Kane approached the booth operator, fishing for his wallet, Cyrus’s attention drifted to an adjacent stall.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"If you’re getting that monstrosity," Cyrus said, pointing to a plush silver fox with oversized glasses and a goofy, tongue-out expression, "then I’m getting that one for you."

Kane’s ears flattened against his head.

"What? No way. I look nothing like that ridiculous thing."

"The resemblance is uncanny." Cyrus’s voice carried the barest hint of amusement.

Kane stepped up to the ring toss booth with supreme confidence, rolling his shoulders back like he was approaching a shooting range.

"How hard can it be? I’ve got excellent hand-eye coordination."

The booth operator, a grizzled man with tattooed arms, smirked as he handed Kane a stack of plastic rings.

"Five dollars for six rings, young man. Land all six, and you can claim any prize you want."

Kane’s first throw sailed wide, clattering against the backdrop. His second bounced off a bottleneck.

The third missed entirely.

"Beginner’s luck," Kane muttered, fishing out another five-dollar bill.

After losing ten rounds and spending fifty dollars, Kane was filled with pure frustration. The booth operator’s smirk had grown into a full grin.

"These rings are rigged!" Kane declared, slapping another bill on the counter. "One more. I’ve almost got it."

The first ring sailed through the air in a perfect arc, settling cleanly over a bottleneck.

The second followed, then the third, fourth, and fifth—each one landing with precision.

Kane’s confidence soared as he gripped the final ring, the plush dragon prize seeming within reach.

He drew back his arm and released.

The ring spun through the air, and its trajectory appeared perfect until a sudden gust of wind caught it mid-flight.