-MANHATTAN, NEW YORK-
-TRIDENLAND-
"I can't believe we're shutting down Tridenland..." Sarah moped.
"Oh, don't be so melodramatic, dear!" Celestia said, waving a hand dismissively. "We just can't be in two places at once! It will still be open on a limited basis, just as more of a family fun stop than a full amusement park."
It was true - caught between either leaving the park for yet another summer or ignoring her friends at the King of Beasts, Celestia, ever the businesswoman, had decided to take a third option and make Tridenland into a franchise, with a new location opening in Las Vegas. Manhattan's Tridenland would remain open, but it was not as popular as it was in its' early years, perhaps due to the memories of Zoofights fading and becoming less fresh. Now it would be a smaller, more laid-back experience, with many of the biggest rides being either decommissioned or moved to the new location.
Competing for dollars in Las Vegas was risky, to be sure, but the possible payoff was massive. Celestia mused over this fact as she watched a team of WarMechs led by Skeiron, Mecha-Sarah, and Buzzsaw dismantle a roller coaster for parts while Isotope surveyed the scene and acted as a lookout. She laughed quietly to herself. A big risk for a big payout... that definitely sounded like Vegas, all right.
Celestia looked away from the demolition and took a look at her daughter. Sarah had always had a bit of a healthy, cheery glow about her when happy, but now she seemed to be like that all the time, even when outwardly she could be glum, or bored, or even asleep. And Celestia knew why.
When Alex had popped the question, Sarah's initial quiet response had, predictably, given way to her old giddy excitement, and she'd spent the entire next day vibrating with joy as she told and retold the events of the day before to her family and many of her friends. That initial rush had faded, but a storm of emotions continued to swarm through the little white mage long after the fact.
The wedding was planned for June, currently, and there was still much to be done, but Celestia had been happy to take care of much of the minutiae, and the family as a whole wasn't jonesing for a massive, extravagant affair with dozens of third parties to pay thousands to - especially since Celestia herself could do the catering. No, this would be a simple wedding to plan, if not still fancy in person.
After all, a wedding in the glitziest place on the planet between two people who really, really, REALLY enjoyed sweets wasn't exactly going to be a muted, quiet one.
-THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES-
From the outside, Widow Maker's home looked like the shack of a crazed hobo. The outer paint was in poor condition, and a number of various large objects littered the "yard", including Widow Maker's beloved plane, the Supermarine Walrus, which had a large tarp thrown over it. Many of the other things looked like random trash, though.
Inside was a different story. The house was surprisingly clean and well-organized, with an entire room devoted to video games and another acting as a "trophy room". And, of course, there was Widow Maker's bedroom. A comfy corner with blankets was her go-to spot for her evening torpor. Framed photographs were liberally scattered across the walls, predominately featuring Widow Maker's closest friends. Sarah, the RED Spy, and Zephyrus made frequent appearances, and dozens of others, from Jumpropeman to Purnima, also populated the photos.
She also kept a large terrarium here, in which her beloved pets, The Swarm, were housed. It was feeding time, and Widow Maker hummed to herself as she dropped insects into the tank. She had done it so many times that the act of being a bug feeding bugs to bugs had long become routine, but every once in a while she remembered how absurd the whole thing would seem to an outsider and would chuckle to herself.
She glanced at a calendar on the wall - a nature-themed one. Underneath a lovely photo of a mountain ringed with smoke was the current month - April. "Huh." Widow Maker mused aloud, still dropping crickets into the terrarium. "Almost May. Things are gonna get serious soon."
She turned back to the terrarium, gazing into it. Then she double-taked.
Stag Beetle was gone.
"Dammit, not again!"
-MANHATTAN, NEW YORK-
-VIOLA'S HOUSE-
"Gourgeist, guess where we are going."
Gourgeist cooed softly, smiling at Viola.
"Las Vegas, the city of lights. A place where people come alive at night, not the day. It seems almost too good to be true."
Gourgeist rolled her eyes. They had already been to Vegas - but Viola had made a return trip home, finding the city too chaotic and unfamiliar to stay in until the kobbers arrived. She would go back soon, but not yet.
"And Tenshi will be there."
Viola glanced at her wall. There was a photo of Tenshi, striking a pose. Viola sighed. Her closest friend still made her feel strange feelings she did not fully grasp. Even friendship was still a new concept for the gothic girl, let alone love, and although Viola didn't know of the term "friend zone", she knew of the concept it described, because Tenshi had quite clearly placed her in it last year. First after that drunken kiss, and again after the Star Carnival fiasco, Tenshi had made clear that Viola was a friend, which Viola much appreciated - but that was all.
It had taken time, but Viola was slowly beginning to grasp the crucial differences between friends and lovers, and she had already realized, to some dismay, that some of her feelings and actions towards Tenshi spoke more of love than of friendship - which Tenshi didn't want any part of, it seemed.
Viola had two goals to accomplish in Las Vegas. The first was to strike back at Clair, that arrogant Dragon trainer who had belittled her months ago. The second...
The second was to learn more about relationships, develop a stronger grasp of her emotions and feelings, and become a better friend to Tenshi.
-LAS VEGAS, NEVADA-
You'd think, and Blade had thought, a workout with Silence would be a grueling, bloody affair wherein one pushes themselves to their physical limits, and then goes further beyond. But that was not how Silence operated. Her methods were different.
Silence opted for a steady, regular plod. Her weights were lighter than some other peoples' - but she lifted them twice as long. After alternately working out alongside and resting and watching with Silence during one of her training sessions, a few realizations about the whole thing came into Blade's mind. Firstly, he'd realized this was how she'd acquired her seemingly near-superhuman endurance.
The second thought was an answer to a question he'd asked of her much earlier, when trying to learn more about his client and frequent companion. What did she do for fun? Did she do anything besides train? She seemed almost directionless without her job at the wrestling federation or monsters to slay alongside the kobbers. But there, as he sat with a bottle of Powerade and watched her heft up a barbell, he figured it out.
Silence couldn't read. Because of her illiteracy, books were meaningless save the pictures. Because of her illiteracy, the text in many video games rendered them alien to her. And because of her illiteracy, computers and the Internet held little to interest her. She also didn't seem to be much of an artist, she obviously couldn't write, and her muteness and looks meant social events were largely out of the question. Silence didn't have many hobbies because she was incapable of participating. The thought saddened him a bit, and the subsequent mental image of Silence training in this personal gym of hers all alone for years further dampened his mood.
It wasn't all padded mats and heavy weights, at least. At night, Silence unwinded by watching television for a few hours, and Blade, who usually joined her, had noticed she had a surprisingly diverse taste. There was, of course, an affinity for action - she watched wrestling, combat sports, and action movies frequently. But sometimes she watched nature documentaries or old cartoons, and Blade remembered one odd night in which Silence, thoroughly full of beer, had watched three straight hours of the Home Shopping Network with an iron grip on the remote before falling asleep where she sat.
There was a lot more to this unique woman than he had ever imagined, and Blade was getting the feeling that there was still more to uncover.
-THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAS VEGAS-
"Holy good gravy."
"I can feel the vibes from here, dear sister!"
"We're going to eat very, very well this summer."
"Hell yes."
"So you two came too, huh?" a voice said behind the two succubi.
Morgan and Lily turned and saw a familiar face - Josephine, alone. She smiled and waved. The succubi waved back.
"Hey there, Josephine!"
"You look good! New clothes?"
"Yep." The chemist smiled. "It's too hot here for my usual outfit, so I'm wearing something a bit lighter. Dirk hasn't seen it yet."
"I think he'll like what he sees." Morgan said, smirking.
"I sure do!" Lily added, and the three girls shared a laugh.
"So what brings you here?" Morgan asked Josephine.
"What, isn't it obvious? This is the richest city in the country. There's buckets of ducats to be made."
"Citizens of Las Vegas, watch yourselves. Your new queen has arrived."
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