Chapter 119: Chapter 112: "Saturday Thrills and Screams"

The sun shone brightly over the amusement park entrance as the group gathered, buzzing with excitement. Amber was practically bouncing on her heels, Ayaka stood gracefully beside Albedo, who was analyzing the park map, and Aether stretched his arms behind his head with a carefree grin. Lumine adjusted her ponytail while Scaramouche leaned casually against a railing, hands shoved in his pockets, wearing his signature unimpressed expression.

And then there was Venti… clutching a water bottle, visibly uneasy as he eyed the towering rides beyond the gates.

“This… this was a mistake,” Venti muttered under his breath.

“Oh, come on!” Amber said, nudging him. “It’s gonna be fun!”

“For you, maybe,” Venti retorted. “For me, this place looks like a torture chamber disguised as a ‘fun family experience.’”

“Too late to back out now,” Aether said, slapping Venti on the back.

With that, they handed over their tickets and stepped into the park.

---

The Roller Coaster – First Stop

The group stopped in front of “The Sky Serpent”—a massive roller coaster with loops, drops, and a climb so steep it practically scraped the clouds.

“Alright! First ride!” Amber cheered.

Venti froze. “W-Wait… this is… this is where we start?”

“Yes!” Amber said brightly, already dragging Ayaka toward the line.

Albedo adjusted his glasses. “It looks structurally sound, although the gravitational forces during those loops might—”

“Don’t start, Albedo,” Venti whimpered.

Despite his protests, Venti found himself sandwiched between Aether and Scaramouche on the roller coaster. Lumine was seated behind them with Amber, while Ayaka and Albedo were in the front row.

As the ride started its slow climb, Venti’s grip on the safety bar tightened. “This is it. This is how I go.”

“Relax,” Aether said, smirking. “It’s just a ride.”

Scaramouche, arms crossed over his chest, smirked. “Try not to scream too loud, windbag.”

The coaster reached the peak and paused for one agonizing moment. Then—it dropped.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Venti’s scream practically pierced the heavens.

Amber was laughing hysterically. Ayaka had her eyes squeezed shut. Albedo remained remarkably calm. Lumine’s hair whipped around her face as she screamed in excitement.

When the ride finally screeched to a stop, Venti stumbled out, his knees wobbling as he clung to Aether’s arm.

“Is… Is it over?” Venti croaked.

“For now,” Aether said, grinning.

Scaramouche walked past him, smirking. “Pathetic.”

---

The Tower Drop – Second Stop

Next was the “Oblivion Tower”—a vertical drop ride where participants were raised to terrifying heights and then dropped without warning.

“Okay, no. No way. Absolutely not.” Venti stepped back, shaking his head.

But peer pressure is a powerful force, and soon enough, Venti was strapped into a seat, gripping the handles so tightly his knuckles turned white.

As they ascended higher and higher, Venti let out a trembling whimper. “I can see my house from here…”

Scaramouche, sitting calmly next to him, smirked. “If you pass out, I’m not helping you.”

The drop came suddenly.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

When they reached the ground, Venti sat frozen in his seat, his soul seemingly having left his body.

Amber poked his shoulder. “Venti? You good?”

“…I’ve seen things…”

---

The Pirate Ship – Chaos on Deck

The massive pirate ship swung back and forth in increasing arcs, nearly vertical at its peak.

Venti had been dragged onto this ride by Amber and Aether, despite his best efforts to flee.

As the ship swung higher, Venti clung to the safety bar, his voice cracking mid-scream.

“WHY IS THIS LEGAL?!”

Scaramouche, sitting across from him, let out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t decide if his screaming is hilarious or pathetic.”

Aether burst out laughing as Venti flopped face-first onto the bench when the ride finally ended.

“I am never trusting any of you again,” Venti said weakly.

---

The Ferris Wheel – Supposed to Be Calm… Supposed To

After much convincing (and several water bottles), Venti agreed to go on the Ferris Wheel, claiming, “It’s safe. It’s slow. What could go wrong?”

Amber, Ayaka, and Albedo went into one cabin. Lumine and Aether shared another, leaving Scaramouche and Venti in the last one.

As the wheel slowly rotated upward, Venti visibly relaxed. “See? This isn’t so bad.”

Scaramouche smirked, leaning back with his arms crossed. “You really are a coward, aren’t you?”

“I call it self-preservation, thank you very much.”

But when the wheel stopped at the top, leaving them suspended high above the park, Venti’s confidence evaporated.

“W-Wait, why did it stop?!”

“Routine stop, genius,” Scaramouche said dryly.

When the ride resumed, Venti clung to the rail again.

---

End of the Day

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the group sat on a picnic blanket that Ayaka had spread out earlier. They shared snacks while watching the colorful lights illuminate the park.

Venti was wrapped in a blanket, sipping a juice box with a dead look in his eyes. “Never again…”

Amber grinned. “But you survived!”

“Barely,” Venti muttered.

Lumine giggled, leaning back on her hands. “It was fun, though. Right, Scaramouche?”

Scaramouche, who had been quietly watching the park lights, looked at her and shrugged. “It wasn’t terrible.”

Aether smirked. “Wow, high praise from him.”

The group laughed together as the night sky twinkled above them, marking the end of an eventful day.

Venti, however, would probably need therapy.