roller coaster

[her_imperial_radiance]

Harley turns five. That means that it is time for the much-anticipated trip to the world's largest amusement park. They can stay an extra day if he doesn't see everything he wants to see the first day, but as he doesn't really go in for naps Elspeth thinks he'll probably get to try all the rides on his birthday proper. (Well, not the date of his birthday - Aurum was not synced to his universe of origin even before Jane went down again; he is really five years old now but it is, in Aurum, late April).

Right near the entrance to the amusement park is a very, very big roller coaster, with a loop that swings all its dangling passengers around at sixty miles an hour right over the entering guests. They scream. (The riders, not the entering guests. Yet.)

Elspeth is carrying Harley on her shoulders, and buys them tickets.

Comments

[her_imperial_radiance]

There is nobody in the restroom. A square has them all cleaned up in a jiffy, and she offers him some water.

[pythbox]

Yes. Water. Water is good.

After he has had some water, he hugs her.

"I love you, Elsie," he says.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"I love you too, Harley."

[pythbox]

Hugs.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Hugs. Picking up and departing the restroom. "Now we have been on all the big roller coasters," she says.

[pythbox]

"Yep," says Harley. "I wanna go on a little one. But I don't wanna throw up again."

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Well, let's give your tummy some time to settle and then we'll find a little one to try."

[pythbox]

"Okay," he says, hugging her contentedly.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Hugs. Wandering around parts of the park that are not roller coasters for a while.

[pythbox]

Hugs and wandering!

[her_imperial_radiance]

"How are you feeling now?"

[pythbox]

"Better," he decides.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Okay then." They find a relatively tame roller coaster themed around ladybugs. It is not big enough to accommodate adults; Harley gets his own ladybug and Elspeth stays behind.

[pythbox]

The ladybugs are adorable. Harley is enchanted.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"What do you want to do next?" Elspeth asks when he's emerged from the ride.

[pythbox]

"I wanna go on another cute rollercoaster!"

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth has already memorized the map. There are three more cute little-kid roller coasters, themed respectively around dragons, space, and flowers. Harley may ride them all.

[pythbox]

He loves them all! The flowers one is his favourite. He rides it five times in a row.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth waits patiently for him, laughing.

[pythbox]

He runs out of the exit after the fifth time, hugs her enthusiastically, and declares, "I'm hungry!"

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Okay, we can go find some lunch for you." She rattles off the choices from the memorized map. "And after you eat, no roller coasters for a bit, we don't want you throwing up again."

[pythbox]

"Awwww," he giggles. "Okay."

He picks a place to find lunch, mostly at random.

[her_imperial_radiance]

There they go and there they lunch. Well, he lunches. She gets an order of fries so she doesn't stand out as conspicuously not eating.

[pythbox]

Harley lunches, and then he crawls into her lap and leans on her snugglishly.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Hugs. They can hang out in the restaurant while he digests.