Sugar Rush (open)

Micah loved this time of night and this time of year. The weather was great... warm but breezy and not too hot and stuffy. Running the carnival kept him so busy, even with the clones he generated, because there were so many things to oversee, but now and then he liked to take a break and just watch the patrons enjoying themselves. Even the kids who were there with their parents... although at times it made him feel a little sick with jealousy to watch a happy family, it also pleased him to see that there were actually children out there who had parents who were as good to them as Tom and Abigail had been to him.

He stood right in the center of the carnival with his hands in his pockets and watched the ferris wheel for a good twenty minutes. Honestly, he thought it was a particularly boring ride and didn't know why girls always seemed to be so fond of it. Well, he did know... it was the whole idea of the ride being stopped at the top so that you had time to make out and... well, whatever else. He just figured you didn't need to be in a ferris wheel for that. Still, standing on the outside, he found the lights on the thing a bit hypnotizing, and was lost a bit in his thoughts when a little girl bumped right into him, nearly knocking him over.

"Sorry, Mister!"

Micah's eyes went wide as he looked around to see her. She had clearly been running but she looked happy, and he gave her a small smile before glancing around to see a young boy looking around as though searching for something. "That your boyfriend?" he asked, knowing full well that it wasn't. The family resemblance was too obvious to ignore.

"Eww no!" came the little girl's reply, and her nose wrinkled up cutely as she giggled.

He smiled when she laughed, and reached behind him to pull up the table skirt in front of one of the game booths. "Under here," he instructed, and the little blonde quickly scurried under to hide. Micah dropped the fabric and then turned to wave at the boy, putting on his concerned face and pointing to his left. "She went that way!"

The boy thanked him and took off in the direction indicated, after which Micah bent down and lifted the table skirt, giving her a little wink. "Don't keep him looking too long, okay? And if you get lost, come find me." He knew that she would have absolutely no trouble locating him... it was one of the benefits of being able to be everywhere. She nodded and ran out from under the table, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging him. Micah gently patted her hair and smiled, and when she ran off he turned and started heading toward the front end, his attention caught as he overheard a conversation going on between a young blonde woman and the guy at the concession stand.


"Now don't you let him talk you out of the cotton candy," he grinned as he came up alongside her. "We've got the best in the world." Looking up at the guy behind the counter, he held up two fingers, after which he was promptly given two cotton candies. "On the house," he said, turning to the blonde, motioning for her to put her money away and handing her one of the treats. "You're enjoying yourself, I hope?"

Micah nodded, grabbing a small handful of napkins from the dispenser on the counter, beckoning her to follow him over to a small outdoor table. He pulled out one of the chairs and gestured for her to sit before sitting down in the seat across from her. "Well, the good news is that there is plenty to do and see here. In fact, I don't really know if you're gonna be able to fit it all into one trip," he grinned. "I'm Micah, by the way. Micah Brennan."

Micah watched the blonde a little while now and then glancing around at the crowd. He wondered what her story was. She looked fairly young, at least somewhat close to his age, and she seemed to be alone but that didn't mean that she was without family.  And he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything about her that was 'special'... the way he and many of his carnival family were special.  Micah was always scouting for new talent.

"I recommend seeing some of our shows while you're here, by the way.  The show tents are toward the back of the carnival.  They handed you a map when you arrived, right?"