Chapter 1: Welcome to the New World

"Doing good," Chris said, while James loaded up a fresh batch of apples into the big bucket of water. "Care to try your luck?" Amy asked. "Grab an apple, you'll get a raffle for the big prize drawing later."

Stella looked at the bucket, then bit her lip. "...uhm..." she looked up at Amy, then Chris.
"...okay."

"Great, that'll be one ticket please," Amy said, hand out. James groaned and said "It's not worth it, no one's ever manage to get an app--ow!" He yelped as Amy elbowed him in the side, her competitive side taking hold.

Stella handed over the ticket, then leaned over to Chris.
"Remove my glasses for luck?" She smiled shyly.

"Can't remove your own glasses?" Chris asked with a roll of her eyes. Still, she reached over and gently plucked the glasses off Stella's face, folding them gently and waiting.

Stella giggled. "Well...I could. But then I couldn't get good luck."
She closed her eyes and dunked into the water. She moved a bit harshly, getting the water stirred...and after a few seconds she came up, apple in mouth.

"Son of a bi--uh, brownie, son of a brownie," James quickly corrected as a group of passing eight year olds passed by. They sneered at him and said "We know how to curse grandpa." They stalked off, leaving James scowling and Amy fisting the air triumphantly. "Yes! Take that Cynthia!" James chuckled a bit, then looked to the line that had formed. "Hey sorry, I'm new at this and they picked a lazy bum to man the booth--" James said, only to be interrupted by Chris who shouted "The King of Lazy actually!" He ignored her and continued "--so, just costs one ticket."

Removing the apple, Stella held out her hand for her glasses.
"Cynthia?"

While James was busy with the line, Amy said "Yeah, Cynthia.....my nemesis." She stared past Stella and over her shoulder, past two booths to the one opposite her own, where a redhead by the name of Cynthia Morgan stared back at her with narrowed eyes. Chris sighed, handing Stella her glasses back.

Stella put them on.
"What booth is that?"

"The one that seethes with darkness and despair," Amy said as she folded her arms. "Cynthia's manning gold fish booth--get a ping pong ball in a goldfish tank, win a fish plus a raffle."

"...I cant tell. How loose is her shirt?" Stella asked, almost...nonchalantly.

"That's the thing," Amy muttered. "It isn't. She's a.....bit of a conservative with the dress code."

Stella facepalms. "Dammit. Okay then." She looks around. "...wonder what else I should do..."

"Well we've got rides," Chris said. "Some more games. There's the prize drawing at eight. Got food."

Stella nodded, then looked at Amy. "So why do you wanna beat her, Specialist Traynor?"

Snorting, Amy said "She doesn't like the fact that I'm gay. She's that kind of conservative, raised by her over-religious parents and says I'm living an immoral lifestyle. So we made a deal: whoever gets the most tickets, wins. If I win, she shuts her mouth and leaves me alone for the semester. If I lose....well, I have to come to school for a week wearing a shirt that says 'I'm an immoral abomination."

Stella frowned. "You should made your wager better. Anyways." She takes one of Amy's hands in her own. "You're my friend. So what can I do to help?"

Amy closed her eyes in relief and said "Thanks. Right now, I need people to come to our booth and not hers, but still play fair to get the tickets."

"What entitles fair?" She asked, mind whirrin at lightspeed. "Also, they give out fish. What can we give out?"

"Well, we hand out caramel apples," Amy said. "Freshly made too.......Chris how's the caramel coming?" she asked, to which Chris went to check the stove they had set up, the giant pair of pots they had set up boiling with one filled with melted caramel, the other with chocolate fudge. Trays of nuts and m&m's were next to them on a table. "Doing good. Ready for dipping."

Stella sighed. "Short of boobs, I'm drawing a blank. What's that bitch's secret..."

"Cool.. how much does one ticket cost?" Marcus asked with a laugh before going for his pocket, he realised he never got a wallet and just kept things in his cargo pants.

"You were supposed to buy the tickets at the booth up front," James said, a bit surprised. "You give me a ticket, then I give you a raffle-ticket if you get an apple."

"I don't know," Amy admitted. "Maybe she's using some black magic, or it could be that she's got decent showmanship."

--Over at Cynthia's Table--

"Step right up and win yourself a fish! The only guarantee to not winning is to not play at all!"

--Back at the Apple Booth--

"I'm leaning towards witchcraft...." Amy muttered.

"Oh.. seems I'm a little out of my time." Marcus said with a small laugh. "I will be back apples I an't done with yea." And with that Marcus left the line and went around a corner with a dead end before sinking into the ground and coming back up close to the front booth. Walking towards said booth he got his money out and brought some tickets.

Zeru was meandering around after leaving urthus to his musing when he saw shadow buying tickets."take it your going to take part in the fun too then?"he asked

"Aye, I didn't know you needed tickets too." Marcus said to him before paying the man. "Well I'm gonna be off to bob a apple so bye and look after Bell ok." He said to him with a smile before heading off

Stella then smiled slyly. "Should had Chris do a kissing booth. You'd be so far ahead." She stuck her tongue out, then slipped her laptop out of her bag.
"Alright. Let's do some showmanship." She rummaged for a pair of small devices. "So, it is fair game to advertise, correct?" She began typing with one hand like a maniac.

Zeru had already gotten some tickets so he decided to find bella and see what all she was up to.

"Yeah..." Amy said, watching Stella carefully. "Why, what are you planning? Because it can't be too......grandiose."

Marcus rolled back at the line for the apple bobbing. He hoped the kid manning it didn't notice him go around a corner only to appear back in line a minute or two later.

Bella on the other hand was enjoying her time. She didn't have many new friends but the ones she had were cool, except for they smelled like something horrible.

"...holographic signs..." she admitted.

"Yeah no, can't be anything the other booths wouldn't be able to have access to," Amy said.

James saw as the kid came back, and went to meet them. "Okay, got your tickets this time?"

Stella looked up. "Uhm, these are actually at RadioShack. Mine are more expensive, but basic ones are at RadioShack."

"Oh.....well, doesn't have to be that flashy," Amy said.

Marcus gave off a small laugh before showing him the ticket. "So just head over and bob?" Marcus said with a grin

"Give me the ticket first," James said. "Then you can bob, and each attempt costs one ticket."

The holograms came on , showing caramel apples and a lot of candy, with simple scrolling words infor.ING people about the booth.
"Too bad Chris can't be in swimwear, we'd be racking it in."

"Not even in this weather," Chris said from where she was dipping apples. But the holograms did their job, getting some much needed attention, and it made Amy clap her hands in joy. "Yeah, it's on now."

Marcus handed him the ticket and headed over to the apple and bob. As soon as he reached it he looked at the apples and saw one alone. Leaning in, head in water and hands to keep him from going under he went under the water and then came back with apple in mouth.

Their you happy. You got the stupid apple.

"Congrats," James said. "Got yourself two apples. Chris, we've got a winner here!" She nodded, and looked over to Marcus. "What'll it be? Caramel or chocolate?"

"Chris." Marcus said almost as soon as he heard it but then shook his head and turned to the kid who was starting to.. smell. "Oh I will take chocolate please." Marcus said to him with a smile.

"Coming up," Chris said, taking a freshly dipped apple coated in chocolate and handing it, and a paper towel, to the winner. "There you go, enjoy the rest of the carnival. And here's your raffle ticket for the prize drawing later at eight."

"oh ar thanks." Marcus said politely while accepting both the apple and ticket before turning to If he was correct. "Tell me young man, have you seen a black snake that may have swore at this young lady?" He asked with a smile to see if he was guessing right.

It wasn't his first time telling a lie, and what with being Revenant and all the crazy stuff that made him lie abut, James got really good at it. So he had a perplexed look on his face as he said "What? What are you talking about?"

"Yep I guessed right." Marcus said with a small laugh. Before turning away to look for more things to do but not before stopping and turning his head to James. "Be careful and see you around James." Marcus said with a slight laugh before taking a bite out of his apple and walking away.

"Uh.....do I know you?" James asked, a bit worried and playing the part well.

Marcus stopped again and turned with a slight grin on his face. "To be honest, yes we've met a few times and can quite remember you almost killing me in one." Marcus laughed at the memorys before taking another bite of his apple.

"Yeah I'm really drawing a blank here," James said. He had a good poker face for a reason, considering how often he had to hide stuff from Kat.

"I'll let you in on a secret." Marcus said as he moved a step closer. "A girl who can shapeshift helped you with a few mutants. You would have seen her as a large cat. I first met you in a club where people were holding woman hostage and a friend of yours seeing as you ran out the door with her." Marcus said quite plainly. He had a good suspension that this kid was Rev. His memory and all the events were yelling at him and he had dark's slight memory of his face but as dark explained, he was more shiny.