The Witch Chronicles (In Bloom Book 2.5)

Stage in Playful Land Part 3

"The truth about Playful Land is that it's a traveling amusement park," Fellow explained. "For that reason, it's given us the reputation as something out of a work of fiction. But it doesn't stop us from traveling and bringing hope and laughter to those of every country. But goodness, we mustn't waste any more time talking! Let's head inside!"

Vil grabbed the back of Kalim's and Ace's jacket, preventing them from taking another step, "Hold on just a minute. No one is going anywhere. You're very good at flattery, but you haven't given us any reason to trust you."

"We need to be careful of the safety of our juniors," Lilia said. "We can't afford them or ourselves to act recklessly."

"What are you all worried about? It's just playing at an amusement park. Who said about anything dangerous? And what do you think one loser like myself could do against such capable magic users like yourselves?"

Gidel nodded in agreement.

At least that was something we could trust. The magical aura I was getting from Fellow was almost negligent while Gidel's was nonexistent. Though, I knew letting my guard down would be one of the worst mistakes I could do. It seemed the third years knew it as well, even when they accepted the admissions tickets Fellow offered them.

The fox showed us to a booth standing at the park's main entrance gates. There was a digital screen for us to scan our tickets. Above it was a wooden puppet encased in a glass box. It kept repeating, "Show ticket here."

Ace scanned his ticket first. As he gleefully strode into the park, his clothes began to shimmer. Their light became brighter, nearly blinding us. When the light finally dimmed, we saw how his clothes had completely changed. I conjured a mirror for him to get a better perspective of his makeover. He could hardly believe his eyes as he inspected his new wardrobe.

"Looking good, Ace," Grim nodded in approval.

"Do you like it?" Fellow asked. "It's a special magic in place that allows you to enjoy the park at its fullest."

Jack asked, "Did your magic do that?"

"Only in my dreams could I create such a spectacular costume. I can use a small amount of magic to create a breeze, make water droplets fly, or create sparks at my fingertips. I don't even have a fraction to be considered a magic user."

"There's no need to be so condescending," Lilia said. "How much magic you possess is nothing more than one part of your personality."

Jack asked, "What about Gidel Can he use magic?"

"Oh, Gidel cannot use magic at all. You see, it's the magic of park that allowed your clothes to change. As the manager of Playful Land, I love seeing the surprise in people's faces. We give costumes as a gift to those who pass through our gates. After all, everyone is a performer and everyone is a star! And we want the clothing to reflect the motto."

Jade and Floyd followed. Lilia and Cater went on next. Then Trey and Leona. Vil and Kalim went shortly afterwards. Each one of their costumes were magnificent, perfectly tailored to their body proportions and personal styles. Everything, from the tulle fabric of their coats to the ribbon bracelets wrapped around their wrists suited each of them individually. Like Fellow said, they were the stars.

"Ortho, you should go next!" Kalim encouraged. "I'm really curious to see what you'll get."

Ortho looked at his mechanical portions in worry, "But, my gear isn't as easily changeable as human clothing."

"You underestimate the magic of Playful Land. Anyone can enjoy it," Fellow motioned for Ortho to go forward. "Go on. It may surprise you."

Ortho scanned his ticket. We all eagerly observed as the magic in place changed Ortho's exterior. It may have been The shoulder armor looked like a cloak and the cords resembled ribbons.

"Let's see what kinds of costumes Cassie and Grim are going to get."

My familiar made a beeline for the glass case to scan his ticket. Grim had an adorable yellow vest decorated with different shaped patches. A green, red, and yellow bow decorated with stars wrapped around his neck, His green bowl hat was tied with a violet ribbon and had a small feather on the side.

I gasped, "Grim! You look so cute!"

"Cute?! No! I'm supposed to be cool like everyone else!" Grim waved. "Come on, Cassie! Your turn!"

After scanning my ticket, I allowed myself to be enveloped by the warmth of magic. A cropped white jacket covered the ruffled blouse. The black lapels were lined with pink and navy blue, matching the fabric of the high-low skirt. Pink ruffles went along the front while longer navy ones ran along the sides and back. A large bow was formed from behind the skirt and black gloves covered my hands. My silver flats were replaced with black knee high boots and a pink and white top hat sat on top of my head. The waves of my hair had been collected, braided, and decorated with tiny flower clips.

I did a little twirl for them, "Do I look okay?"

"'Okay' is even the right word for it, Cassie," Ace said. "You look amazing!"

"We've never seen you in anything like that. It's very fresh," Jack gave a nod of approval. "Looks great!"

Ortho grew excited, "We need to take lots of pictures!"

"There's a plaza just after we enter. It should be the perfect spot for photos," Fellow advised. "Also, hold on to your tickets. You'll need them to get on the rides."

Not wanting to waste another minute chatting, the guys proceeded to head into the park.

While we walked, I briefly glanced over my shoulder. The same chills ran through me when I saw Gidel and Fellow beaming at us.