Summer Festival
Ven grips the walnut, winds up, and throws…
And hits! The slow-moving donut screen was an easy target. The algal fuel cell bubbles, the panel spins, and food tickets are claimed.
Aja, Rem, and Venetus thank the man for their prizes, and head to an ice cream stand, where they acquire desserts topped with a variety of candies, confections, and fruits.
They eat as they walk along the perimeter of the festival, past the gardens, and all feels right with the world.
All is well, that is, until Ven stumbles over a stone in the walkway. Their konpeito-topped ice cream flies from their hand, little rainbow candies scattering in slow motion as the cup continues on its tragic trajectory.
It falls, down, down, down, and then, splat. Ruined.
“Noooo!” Ven gasps.
Aja clutches her own pretzel-topped ice cream close, as if to prevent another such mishap, while Ven continues to stare at the splattered dessert, lips curling downward into an exaggerated pout.
"Oh, don't be like that," Rem says. "I got the same topping. You can have some of mine."
"No, that's ok," Ven sighs dejectedly.
"Konpeito is Ven's favorite," Aja says as she crunches on a pretzel.
"Even more reason, come on. I haven't even started eating it yet."
"Well, OK." Venetus accepts Rem's offered cone. "Thank you for sharing."
"I'm very pro-sharing," Rem says, grabbing a pretzel from the top of Aja's cup.
"Not fair!!" Aja swats at Rem, and they regard her wide-eyed, pretzel poking innocently out of their mouth.
Ven laughs, as the three continue their walk through the gardens, long into the sugar-sweet afternoon.