Whole New World

Carnival
Sea coast boardwalk
Half way across the world (From England)

Juliet's eyes grew wide as she stared out at the sun sparkling at off the sea, another sunset, just as the sun had risen from where they were from. Magic still blew her mind sometimes.

The way the colours dipped below the water, oozing a soft orange glow on the world, lighting her up while also hiding her in shadows seemed to make it all the more intrancing than it did back home. The water was just...

The girl was honestly more mesmerised by this sight, than the bright and lively carnival running just beyond the board walk that she was walking upon.

Part of her just wanted to go running into the water. But that wasn't what she was there for, and it wasn't long before she managed to tear her gaze away from the dying light and towards the bright lights of rides and games that was the fair.

A grin spread across her face, as her eyes latched on the rides, lingering on one spinning, before shaking her head and turning to her companion.

"Where to first?"

Zander was breathing.

The sea air was something he'd never experienced before, having spent his life resolutely landlocked. It hadn't smelled as... fresh in Italy, if that made any sense. He loved Italy with everything in him, but nothing smelled the same through prison bars, he supposed.

Leaning back slightly as he walked to look up at the massive illuminated beauty that was the ferris wheel, he shoved his hands in his pocket and just... looked. He barely believed he was here, birthday or not.

He looked over at her, a grin tugging at his lips before her question hit him. He stopped walking, frowning at the pier with sudden anxiety.

"I- I don't know." He said, brown eyes wide and worried as he looked back at her. "I've never been to one of these before."

Juliet tilted her head, a slight frown maring her face as she took in his own features. A frown that only deepened at his words.

"You've never..." she trailed off shaking her head, willing herself not to over react, memories of only the night before peaking at her mind.

"Well then, we have to do everything!" Grabbing his hand before he could say anything, she dragged him off into the heart of the carnival, looking around at all the options.

Frowning slightly, deciding on the best action, she dragged him over to a food stand, pointing to the bag of bright pink cotton candy, before sliding over money.

"Hold this, eat some, just don't get sticky in my hair," she frowned pretending to be serious, before laughign and dragging them off once more, eyeing each and every ride, before recalling the boys former glance.

Smiling, decision made, she dragged them both firmly into the line for the ferris wheel.

"If you're going to do anything," she said, helping herself to the bag of candy, sticking the fluffy sugar into her mouth, smiling as it melted in her mouth, "You have to rid the ferris wheel at least once."

Peeking up at her from where his gaze had settled along the boards. "No I-" then he was yanked forward, and was walking again. He blinked at the things they passed, eyes filling with wonder as they lit on each thing before he was suddenly holding the bag of... what the hell was that? Looking back up at her he opened his mouth to say something before he was pulled forward again, his hand still in hers.

Moving again, he looked back at the pink substance, tucking the bag in one arm to pick a small bit of it out with his free hand, frowning when it felt like... well... what he imagined cotton would feel like, if he had ever touched cotton. Slowly, he placed it into his mouth, skidding to a stop when he tasted it. Lucky for her, she had already stopped. He shoved another bit into his mouth, this chunk much bigger, barely stopping to wait for the sweetness to dissolve before eating more.

"What is this?" He asked excitedly, taking another chunk of it before coming to the startling revelation that the stuff was sticking to his fingers. Sticking the offending digits into his mouth, he looked from Julie to the line they were in, following it to the massive ride they were waiting for.

"Can we go on that?" He asked, eyes wide in awe, much like a kid in a candy store. His fingers, still in his mouth, only slightly interfered with his speech. "Can we?"

Juliet couldn't help but giggle as she watched him eating the candy. She could hardly remember the first time she did these things. She had been so young, roamin the fair with Zach by her side, Abby and Simon somewhere slightly more ahead. She hardly remember any of these reactions, the wander.

But it was all there on Zander's face.

"Its called cotton candy," she said with a laugh, sticking more in her mouth, frowning slightly at the way her fingers were already sticking, "I've heard some people call it Candy floss. Its sticky as hell but... so good. When I was a kid I'd get it all in my hair. It was hell to get out."

She laughed and dragged tugged him forward as the line moved, "Thats what were in line for silly; when all these people get on the ride, then its our turn."

"Ohhh." He said nodding and finishing off the bag by stuffing the rest of it in his mouth. He bounced on the balls of his feet as the line got shorter, using his superior height to count just how many groups it would take for them to get on the ride. Frowning down at the empty plastic bag where the candy used to reside, Dawson's eyes caught on Julie's fingers, which he instantly stuck in his mouth also, licking the sweetness off before returning it to her.

"Now we're out of it. What do we do?" He asked her, looking over as they became the next in line. "Julz! Julz! We're next!"

"Are you sure you got it all," she laughed taking her hand back, wiping it against the back of her shorts as the blush from the fact that he'd just stuck her fingers in his mouth wore off.

She rolled her eyes, taking the bag from him and scrunching it into her poked, "I suppose we might be able to get more - but there's so many other things to try."

She laughed as he bounced excitedly; she couldn't remember the last time she had been that excited for a carnival ride - the feeling was getting infectious.

As the ride slowed to a stop once more, the last group filed off, and the gate opened. She slide the required tickets over to the man standing gaurd, and then dragged Zander behind her her onto the ride. Her foot began to tap with nervous excitment as she showed Zander how to do up the buckles and the man who had let them on came to check that they were in right.

Zander took a seat across from her blinking down at the buckles before sitting next to her instead, bracing his feet against the edge and frowning at the buckles again. What the hell was he supposed to do with these things? He imitated Juliet, pulling the things over his lap and tightening them to keep him in. As the man came by and lowered the safety bar, Zander seemed to understand just where this ride would be taking them.

"W-wait a second..." But then the ride was in motion, and they were swinging upward. He closed his eyes and hid his face in Julz's shoulder, before opening one eye and peeking out at the world.

At the sunset.

"Oh! Look!" He pointed eagerly, leaning forward and shaking the seat before leaning back and freezing. He wouldn't be doing that again. "It's our sunset. We didn't miss it."

"Its not that bad," she whispered softly, grinning a rueful little grin as he hid away his face as the ride started. She had never understood peoples nerves about heights. As long as she was safe enough - which from here she was - she just didn't see the problem. "Would I take you on something that wasn't safe?"

She relaxed into her seat, enjoying the view.

"Yes," she giggled watching him lean forward, completely unconcerned as the seat rocked. It was nothing new to her. "Just sit back and it won't do that." She instructed as if he hadn't already figured that out.

"I think it looks even better from up here."

"I sure hope not." He grinned an adoring smile at her before looking back over at the sunset. It really was beautiful, the hues reflecting on the water and giving the illusion of a dripping canvas, almost. Glancing briefly down at the ground, Zander's hold on the railing - and Juli's hand - tightened.

"Yeah." He jerked as the ride pulled to a stop, leaving them the farthest from the ground the ride could take them. Leaning into here again, Zander frowned around them, noting the way the board walk seemed to be...

"Julz. The shops are all... glow-y." He blinked around as the flashing lights started to flicker to life as the light of the sun faded. It amazed him that somewhere else in the world, the sun was rising, but that was something he could focus on later. For right now, darkness was creeping across from the east, following on the coat tails of the sunset.

He couldn't help but flinch as the ride moved again, taking them toward the ground.

Juliet gave a sigh and a giggle, and squeeze his hand back, even if he was getting close to cutting off her curculation, "I promise on all that means something to me, you'll be fine."

She followed his gaze, and shook her head again, the laughter coming with ease as she watched his face light up just like the stores.

"Its called elecrticity - they still want us to come buy stuff, even if its dark. Gotta see them some how."

She gave a content sigh, and looked over everything, as the ride slowly brought them back around to the ground. Before long they were back on solid ground. She turned to the boy with a grin.

"See, that wasn't so bad was it?"

Zander blinked around them as the cart pulled to a stop, finding the things that had kept him in place easier to remove than to put on. "So you promise on Mars, then?" Standing, he grinned around at the flashing lights, tugging Juli after him and wandering down the boards as his eyes looked from one shop to another.

"I know it's electricity, Julz. I'm not three years- What is THAT?!" The game was flashing, his eyes drawn to a purple hat the size and shape of a squid. "Can we play that?" He tugged her over to it, eyeing the basketball net sitting high above them. "I want the squid!"

"You have to play for it. Make nine baskets, and it's yours. Ten dollars." Zander deflated.

"I don't have any money..."

"Then get walking."

"I don't- I mean I-" Juliet stuttered her face flashing scarlett as the boy pulled her along. Her voice died as he seemed to not be listening anyways.

The girl snorted slightly, "You sure about that one, Zander?" She shook her head, and couldn't help but laughing as she was dragged towards one of the games.

Her gaze flicked between the two people, as one responded and the other deflated. She couldn't help but glare slightly at the worker as Zander deflated.

"I have money," she stated, sticking her hand in her pocket, rumaging around for it, "Don't worry about it."

Before Zander could protest - as she was sure he would - she had already handed it over to the man, "There, he's playing, and You don't have to be so rude about it - kindness won't kill you, you know."

"Jul-" He frowned at her, narrowing his eyes as the money was pressed into the man's pocket.

"You've got ten shots. You need nine to get that." The man pointed to the squid hat, and grinned evilly. "If you make all ten, you'll even get a stuffed one for your girlfriend." Slowly, Zander let go of Juli's hand, taking the familiar weight of the ball in his hand as the man who worked the flicked a switch, and the net started moving back and forth.

Watching it's movement for a moment, Zander flipped the ball upward, rising to his tip toes slightly as he moved his arm in a familiar motion.

Swish.

Repeating it nine more times, and nailing each one with practiced ease. Grinning happily at the the net, he turned toward Julz, practically glowing with pride. "Which stuffed animal do you want?" He asked, taking the squid hat from the flabbergasted looking attendant. He stuck it proudly on his head, ignoring the fact that he looked completely ridiculous.

"Oh I'm not- We're not-" Juliet stuttered, flailing her hand between the two of them, as the attended merely raised a bemused eye, and Zander proceeded to focus on what he was doing.

Eyes widening with each basket made, Juliet followed the ball, expecting to to bounce of the rim everytime, and her excitment growing each time it didn't.

"That was-" her words were lost in a giggle as she looked at him, "I can't take you seriously in that thing."

Eyes dancing, she looked away from him and frowned at the selections, all of them admittedly cute, but none of them quite...

And then her eyes fell on it. Her face lit up again, as she pointed to a average sized penguin, eyes wide, and face adorable. Her finger stuck up at it, "That one! I want that one."

"What? Don't I look nice in this thing?" Zander grinned teasingly, thinking he himself looked pretty good in it, from what he could tell of the warped reflection he could see in the warped mirror across the way. He plucked the panda from the man, holding it up and examining it, narrowing his eyes in search of imperfections - none of which he found - before he handed it to her.

"What's next?" He bounced hyperly, taking her hand as he started walking away, simply not to lose her. His eyes had already caught on a house of mirrors, then the half destroyed house beyond that, from which he could hear screams and sounds of similar distress. "Look!" His face fell into something that looked slightly concerned, and he paused in front of it, looking up. "Are they alright in there?" He asked, frowning up at the half torn sign that declared 'House of Horrors' in what looked a lot like blood. He frowned at the people wandering in, and the people running out, looking back at Juliet with a frown. Unknown to him, his hold on her hand had tightened slightly as he continued to gaze up at her.

"Is this a ride, then?" He asked, watching as an excited duo of preteens ran from the exit and back into the entrance. "Can we try it?"

Placing her newly aquired prize firmly under her arm, she followed him, letting her gaze wander to where he was looking. Her eyes darkened slightly as a knot grew in her stomach.

"They're fine," she said softly in answer to his first question, his second cutting in before she could explain, "Its- Er, well yes its like a ride I suppose. People... in costumes, jump out at you, and try to scare you."

She worried her lip slightly, looking between the boy and the house. She had never really understood the need for thrill seeking fear even before... events took place. But now...

Juliet understood what it was really like to be afriad, and she hadn't found that any fun at all.

Still... if Zander wanted to go.

"Yeah sure," she attempted to smile, put on a brave face, "Lets go."

For once, Zander was too enthralled by his own emotions to notice Juliet's reluctance, and so tugged her forward the moment she said yes. Pausing in the line, he waited patiently before rrunning into the place, only slowing to maintain the hold he had on his friend's hand.

It was dark, the light only there to illuminate the fog that came to their ankles. It was decked out like a ghost ship, and they were in the very bottom. Examining a fades map carefully, it appeared that they would have to navigate through the ship, up to the deck, into the captains quarters, and back down through the mess hall. It seemed easy enough, if this were to be an obsticle course, but alas, it wasn't. This was a thrill ride, and Zander was already feeling the intoxicating pull of fear. It wasn't like the fear he was used to, this was a new fear, a thrumming of adrenaline through his veins.

And he loved it.

"Are you ready Julz?" He asked, pulling the girl closer. He intertwined their fingers, looking down at her for the first time since they had entered the ride. He blinked down at her, confusion evident before his arm wound around her waist. "It is alright." He promised softly, his voice pitched to carry only to her below the creepy sound effects of the creaking ship. The attendants had already closed the 'No Exit' door, and so the only way out was through. "I will not let anything harm you."

The girl tensed as they went forward into the house - no ship - the darkness surrounding her like a blanket, and the fog seemed to settle into her bones, creating a chill.

The arm that had been holding onto the panda, clutched the poor stuffed creature closer to her chest, and her grip on Zander's hand tightened. Though she was making a conscious effort not to hold on too tightly.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to push back the pull of adrenaline that was telling her to run, and relax.

Having fun, thats what this was supposed to be about, right?

"I'll be fine," she murmured back, ducking her head for a moment, before turning back up with a brave - albeit wobbly - smile. "Let's do this."