After the food in their stomachs had settled enough that they were reasonably confident, the two young women set off to hit a few rides before leaving the carnival.
First, they rode the rollercoaster. A rickety metal monstrosity that shuddered on each sharp turn the train made. Luz was worried the shakiness might be too much for her girlfriend, but when she looked amity had a huge grin on her face and was laughing the whole way.
Next they rode the free fall ride, aptly named 'Blastoff!'. The square central tower rose straight upward with a single cart that circled it on each side, allowing twelve riders at a time. Amity was full of bravado and confidence all the way up to sitting in the seat. As soon as the shoulder restraint came down, she felt her stomach knot. Her grip on Luz's hand tightened to the point she had to peer around her own restraint to check on her girlfriend.
"Are you alright sweet potato?" Luz asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Never better." Amity said shakily. "I'm definitely not wondering whether or not this ride was checked by the correct safety regulators before being allowed to operate. Absolutely not panicking over the idea of my restraint coming up at the apex and flinging me into oblivion." She laughed unconvincingly.
"Don't worry, I'm certain they were, hon." Luz felt bad about lying, knowing full well the traveling carnival rides were shady at best with their safety, but she didn't want to tip Amity over the edge into a panic attack. Just then an idea popped into her mind. "One sec."
Luz awkwardly shimmied her arm into her pocket around the restraint. Her hand came back with a flip book and a pen, which she hurriedly drew a glyph combo onto before tearing out the page and passing it to Amity. She repeated the process for herself, knowing she couldn't be too careful, and returned the implements to her pocket.
"What's this?" Amity asked as she studied the glyphs on the paper. "It looks familiar."
"Safety fall combo. If the worst case scenario happens and we are flung off the ride we can activate these and slowly float to the ground." She gave Amity's hand a gentle squeeze. "But, if you're not comfortable on the ride we can get off. They're still doing final checks."
Amity smiled lovingly at her girlfriend. "Thanks Luz, I think I'll be fine now. Just... don't let go of my hand." She pleaded.
"Never." Luz responded and clasped their hands tighter together.
Moments later, the operator spoke through the ride's intercom. "Are you all ready?"
An eruption of cheers and a lone whimper of approval rang out. Without any warning, the operator launched the ride straight into the air. Screams of fear and delight followed the ride to its peak. As Amity hovered, momentarily weightless, before beginning the descent, she took in the carnival below. Blinking lights, facades of the many rides below, the sound of laughter and merriment. She glanced over at Luz who had a broad grin on her face as the blinking lights reflected in her big brown eyes. She found a moment of peace at the top of the ride. However, it was quickly replaced by gut dropping fear as her shoulders connected roughly with the shoulder restraint. The riders plummeted back to earth before bouncing several times and finally coming to a stop.
Amity heard cries of 'that was awesome!' and 'let's get back in line!', as she got shakily to her feet. Luz wrapped a stabilizing arm around her waist as she took wobbly steps down the ramp leading off the ride. Once they were down on solid ground, Luz lead Amity to a bench.
"How are you doing, sweetheart?" She asked.
Amity held up her pointer finger. And caught her breath. "Luz, I love you, but if you ever ask me to ride one of those rides again, I'm leaving."
Luz laughed at her measured response. "I think I can manage that. Am I forbidden to ride one?"
"No, but it will have to be a journey you take alone." Amity looked up and smirked, showing her love that she wasn't as serious as she sounded.
"Deal. What should we ride next?" She asked.
"Something slow and easy, please." Amity responded.
"I think I have just the ride." Luz helped Amity off the bench and guided her to the next ride.
Luz held Amity's hand as she guided her toward 'Bizbo's Haunted Big Top'. The facade featured a clown with a sinister smile and sharp face paint. Wild orange hair stuck out on either side of his head. They waited in line, theorizing what scary creatures would be inside.
"I bet there will be at least one vampire and a Frankenstein." Luz said.
"A werewolf is almost guaranteed. We can't forget our smiley host." She gestured to the clown on the facade. "I'm sure he'll pop up a few times throughout the ride."
They were correct in their assumptions about the ride, which made for an enjoyable mostly stress free experience. There were of course some parts that still caused them to nearly jump out of their skin, but regardless of that, the ride still helped Amity's nerves settle. Other than the giant spider that swung down over their cart. That caused both of them to shriek loudly.
"Don't you feel calmer now?" Luz asked with a laugh.
"Weirdly, yes." Amity laughed. "The ride weirdly reminded me of the Boiling Isles. It brought a small bit of normality back to myself."
"Thats what I was hoping you'd say." Luz said. "Should we hit one more ride before we leave?"
"I'd love that." Amity smiled.
"Which one is catching your eye?" She asked. "I chose the last one, so you get to choose this one.
Amity scanned the available rides, she considered a spinning ride, but ruled it out, worried the food hadn't settled as much as she'd thought. She continued her perusal of the different attractions before landing on one.
"That one!" Amity said excitedly. "Let's go, Luz."
Luz laughed at Amity's excitement and allowed herself to be dragged along behind her. Her eyes found the ride they were heading toward and she stumbled. The large heart shaped tunnel of love stood garishly before them in various shades of pink. The swan and heart shaped boats alternating in order as couples leaned against each other and laughed or smiled dreamily at each other.
The line wasn't very long and they were quickly seated in a swan boat. The gentle tunes of human world love songs came through the speakers hidden around the ride. The animatronics throughout the ride were far less creepy than expected.
"I never thought you'd want to get on another tunnel of love ride after the last impromptu one we were forced on." Luz chuckled.
"What do you mean? It's not like you almost accidentally crushed my dreams of being with you because that bird-worm sprung it on you." Amity said, suppressing her anger at the memory.
Luz kissed her softly to bring her back to the present. "Hooty meant well, I just wish he would have consulted me first." She chuckled.
"He did do a good job of making a romantic ride for us. I'll give him that." Amity said as she snuggled closer to Luz. "I really was enjoying myself until you started destroying everything." She poked Luz's sides.
"The regrettable actions of a younger more impulsive Luz." Luz said, a tinge of regret in her voice. "Sorry about that. I was still coming to terms with my feelings for you, and it was all so sudden. I kinda flipped out. If I had known you were having fun I never would have-"
Her words were cut short with a gentle kiss and a giggle from her girlfriend. "It's okay Luz. Everything worked out in the end. Now we're making a new memory with the tunnel of love."
"You're right." Luz said and settled back into the seat with her arm around Amity. "Let's just enjoy the ride."
Enjoy it they did. They shared loving glances and stolen kisses while their boat bobbed gently along the water of the track. Before they knew it they were back in the real world with its sounds and blinking lights. The attendant helped them out of the swan and wished them a good night.
"Where to next?" Amity asked.
"Thats a surprise." Luz smiled. "First we have to swing by my mom's house to drop off the car."
The two made the shaky ride back to the Noceda household in a fair amount of time. Once there, they approached the front porch to see a note taped to the door.
"Had to run some errands. Ghost and Stringbean are inside. I love you both!"
"Aww, I was hoping to see Camila before we went back." Amity said.
"Me too, but we'll see her soon. We did promise to visit more." Luz said.
"Thats true." Amity agreed before opening the door to call for their palisman. "Now are you going to give me any sort of hint as to where we're going?"
"Not yet." Luz teased, "but I will need you to put this on." She produced a bandana from her back pocket.
"Luz!" Amity blushed. "How forward of you."
It took Luz longer than she cared to admit to realize what Amity was implying. "Wait, no! It's not like that! It's just so you don't see where we're going!"
Amity laughed. "Got ya."
"You brat." Luz laughed along with her as she tickled her sides. "May I?"
Amity nodded and her world was engulfed in darkness. She felt Luz's gentle hands guide her arms around her waist. "Hold on tight, Sweet Potato."
Amity obliged, pressing herself against Luz's back with a broad smile. Stringbean in her staff form lifted off the ground by a few inches and began moving forward. It was disorienting to fly blind, but she trusted Luz implicitly. Soon she felt the strange swirling effect of passing through the portal door and had an idea of where they were going. Her grip tightened around her love's waist and her smile grew wider.
Several minutes later their feet met terra firma. Amity's heart was beating faster as she felt Luz's nimble fingers working at the knot of the bandana. When the cloth fell from her eyes she had to blink several times to clear her vision. Once it was, her vision quickly became blurred once more.
They were at their tree. The one they'd created together in order to defeat Grometheus. The foliage was full and pink, the surrounding plant life looking much the same. So many flowers bloomed around them as she spun to look around. The entire area was done up in fairy lights strung from the trunk to smaller trees with floating balls of light from light glyphs scattered tastefully around the space. Amity was taking in the sights when her eyes landed on their friends and family standing in front of their tree.
Camila was standing front and center, flanked by Vee and Masha on her right while Eda, Raine, King, Lilith and Hooty stood on the left. Behind and to the right stood her father, Edric, Emira and Viney. Gus, Willow, Hunter, even Boscha and Skara stood behind and next to the Clawthorns. All were in various stages of shedding tears.
Amity turned back to Luz. "Luz, what-" she fell silent when she saw the streaks from tears running down her cheeks.
She sniffed. "I promised I wouldn't cry until after I asked." She took a cleansing breath, wiped the tears away and gently took Amity's hands in her own. "Amity, my life has never been the same since I met you. From the first day you tried to dissect me in front of the principal, I knew nothing would be the same."
Amity choked out a laugh through her own tears. "I still regret that."
"We've been through so much together. Things no couple has or should have to go through, but every challenge made us stronger as a couple and solidified that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You have made me feel so loved and accepted and I promise to make you feel the same way. Every day with you has been an adventure. Every adventure has lead to this moment where I finally have the courage to ask..." she got down on one knee and reached into her pocket. "Amity Blight, wi-"
"Yes! Si! Weh! Every way there is to say it, Yes!" Amity knelt and wrapped her arms around Luz's neck, planting a kiss onto her lips.
The suddenness caused Luz to lose her balance and they crashed to the soft grass, laughing and smiling. "Will you marry me?" She asked.
Amity nodded, still smiling broadly, before standing and pulling Luz to her feet where she finished pulling the box from her pocket. Luz opened the lid to reveal a ring with a pink gem at the top being held aloft one either side by a cat and a snake. The animal's heads were facing outward, the gem seemingly balanced between their heads. Luz slid the ring onto Amity's left hand and kissed her again. Cheers erupted from behind them as their friends and family popped confetti poppers and hugged in celebration.
"How long have you known?" Luz asked quietly with a chuckle.
"Since Camila almost called me your fiancée at her house." She responded.
"Thank you for playing along." Luz said, beaming from ear to ear.
King scampered up to them and hugged them around their waists. He'd grown so much, the tips of his horns now reaching their chests.
"I'm going to have another sister!" He cheered, then looked up at Amity. "You'd better treat her like a queen! Your Titan commands it!"
Amity laughed. "I wouldn't dream of treating her any other way. You don't have to worry."
"Good, I wouldn't want to have to destroy you. I've come to like you a lot." He said.
"Congratulations kiddo." Eda the Owl Lady said while ruffling Luz's hair. "Who would have thought we'd be here after everything?"
"Thank you, Eda." Luz said as she pulled the wily older woman into a hug.
"Felicidades mi dulce niña!" Camila hugged her daughter tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Estoy tan feliz por ti. ¡No puedo creer que mi hija se vaya a casar con una mujer tan maravillosa! ¡Los amo mucho a ambos!"
"Gracias mamá. Yo tampoco lo puedo creer." Luz said, her own eyes leaking freely. "Yo también te vivo."
Amity was being congratulated just as warmly by her family.
"Mittens, I'm so excited for you!" Edric said, hugging his sister tightly. "You couldn't have picked a better person."
"Luz could do better, but I'm glad she chose you." Emira teased.
Viney elbowed her playfully. "Hey, be nice to your sister."
"Congratulations Amity." Alador smiled at his youngest. "I couldn't ask for a better wife for my daughter."
"Luz! Amity! I'm so happy for you! You deserve all the happiness in the world!" A brown blur coiled itself around them, squeezing tightly. Hooty wept openly and loud , making quite a scene.
"Hootsifer you need to let them go, they're turning purple." Lilith laughed, extricating the two women from the house demon's embrace. "You don't want to cut their engagement short be killing them with love do you?"
"Thanks, Lilith." Luz said before embracing her aunt and Hooty. "You too Hooty."
Vee and Masha hugged and congratulated the two women. "If you need help with anything. We've got your back." Vee said.
"Don't forget us. You can't hog all the help." Willow said as she approached her two friends.
"Thanks for getting all these flowers to bloom." Luz said as she embraced her.
"No problem." Willow responded. "I can't believe it finally happened!"
"It's about time. I would have thought you two would have eloped the first chance you got years ago." Hunter joked.
"Speaking of which, you owe me twenty snails." Gus said. "I told you they'd go for a wedding."
The newly engaged couple laughed at their friends as they haggled over whether or not there would be a wedding. Hunter arguing that they could still elope even though they did the big engagement. Luz and Amity looked lovingly into each other's eyes before pressing their foreheads together. Both imagining the day they could call each other their wife.
