A Golden Ticket to the Sky
Our first outing, and there it was: a massive helicopter. Recognizing it instantly from various media, Rain marched straight inside without a second thought. The roaring engine, already fully prepped for takeoff, seemed to be urging Shine and me to hurry up and climb aboard.
Perhaps it was the intimidating, unfamiliar machinery or the deafening racket, but Shine shrank back, gripping my hand tightly and hiding behind my back. I wanted to climb in just like Rain, but like Shine, the sheer size of the helicopter had me rooted to the spot in fear.
Watching us in silence, Amy reached out, scooped both Shine and me up under her arms, and carried us right into the helicopter. Before we could even think of flailing our arms and legs, we found ourselves inside the dark, ink-colored cabin.
The door slid shut behind us, sealing us inside. One by one, Amy settled us into the plush, comfortable seats. As I looked around with a dazed expression, Rain reached her hand out to me.
"Is this your first time riding a helicopter?"
I stared blankly at her hand. As if sensing my anxiety, Rain gently stroked the back of my hand with her warm palm.
"Yeah."
The anxiety of an unfamiliar space, the stress of the overwhelming noise—it was a lot. But looking at Rain, Shine, and Amy beside me, I slowly managed to steady my breathing.
I quietly gazed out the window. Though the closed door muffled the roaring of the propellers, it couldn't block it out entirely. Just as I was getting used to the rhythmic, heavy thrum-thrum-thrum of the blades, the helicopter began to lift off.
The rooftop outside sank lower and lower, giving way to a vast, brilliant blue sky. The cloudless, endless expanse of blue instantly captivated me.
"Whoa..."
Before I knew it, Shine had half-risen from her seat to peer outside. Though the seatbelt Amy had fastened kept her from moving too far, she seemed just as spellbound by the sky as I was. The sky, stretching out like a vast ocean, washed away my lingering tension.
Only then was I able to take in my immediate surroundings. Both of my hands were gently held. Shine was holding my right hand, and Rain was holding my left. When I gave my fingers a tiny wiggle, both of their gazes snapped toward me.
"How are you feeling, Jeff?"
Amy, sitting across from us, asked while looking out the window. I turned my eyes back to the azure sky, just as she was doing.
"Um..."
An indescribable emotion—a ticklish, fluttering sensation deep in my chest—made me gently slip my hands out of Shine's and Rain's grasps.
"It's really beautiful."
As I stared blankly out the window, I suddenly noticed other helicopters entering my field of vision. They were flanking us on the left and right, as well as trailing ahead and behind. Seeing that their designs were almost identical to the one we were riding, I turned to Amy.
Sensing my gaze, she looked away from the window, reached over, and gently patted my head.
"They're our escort."
"An escort...?"
"Yes. They are here to protect you and Shine."
My jaw dropped at Amy's casual explanation. It was hard to process the fact that more than five helicopters—not just one—were flying alongside us just to keep us safe.
Glancing at Amy to gauge her reaction, I unbuckled my seatbelt. With a soft click, the strap binding me to the seat released. Since she didn't say anything to stop me, I figured it was fine to take it off now.
I immediately pressed myself flat against the window. The cold glass chilled my fingertips as I leaned in, resting my forehead against the pane to look down at the world below.
The massive walls dividing the districts, the towering spires standing guard near them, the sprawling city stretching out endlessly, and the mysterious fog drifting around the outskirts... I swallowed hard at the sight, which stood in stark, gloomy contrast to the beautiful blue sky above.
People were completely invisible from this height. The cars had shrunk to tiny, faint specks of light. These little clusters of light sped along the roads, intersecting and vanishing across the labyrinthine highway network.
The helicopter cruised swiftly over the city. Though I had watched with great interest at first, I soon grew bored of the scenery and slid back into my seat.
"Done watching?"
"Yes."
After flying at high speed for a while, the helicopter suddenly transitioned into a hover. When I looked at Amy, she smoothed down my hair and smiled.
"Looks like we've arrived."
At her words, I sprang up and peered out the window again. When did we get here? My jaw dropped at the sight of a massive, sprawling theme park below. Giant, star-shaped decorations illuminated the area, twinkling brilliantly.
The helicopter began its slow descent. As we got closer to the ground, the structures that had looked so tiny rapidly grew in size, which was incredibly fascinating to watch.
Our helicopter touched down on a wide, open landing pad. The escort helicopters landed right alongside us. As the spinning of the blades slowly ground to a halt, the doors of the other helicopters burst open simultaneously. Out stepped a small army of burly men in black suits.
These fierce-looking men lined up in a protective perimeter around our helicopter. Staring at the long wall of bodyguards, I turned to Amy and Rain with a bewildered expression. But the two of them didn't pay them any mind, acting as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
"Shall we head out?"
Amy unbuckled Shine's seatbelt and stood up. As the sealed door slid open, a gust of cool wind brushed against my cheeks. Amy stepped out first, then reached back in to help Shine, Rain, and me down safely.
Stepping onto the solid ground, I looked around. A vast stretch of asphalt, a faint, metallic scent in the air, and large roadside trees neatly framing the scenery—it was clearly a parking lot, though there wasn't a single regular car in sight.
Leaving the parking lot behind, we headed toward the grand entrance of the theme park. The way it scattered bright starlight even from a distance reminded me of Lucy's magic, which she used to guide lost travelers.
"This is weird..."
"What's wrong, Jeff?"
I muttered, looking around restlessly.
"There's no one here."
It was true. The place was completely deserted. The photos I'd seen online were packed with crowds of people, so where had they all gone? Was the theme park closed today?
"I rented it out for the day."
"Pardon?"
Having overheard my conversation with Shine, Amy answered.
"I rented the entire place. Literally."
Amy spoke so casually that I couldn't quite grasp her meaning at first. A completely empty theme park. Amy saying she rented it. So... she rented this entire theme park? The whole place? Just for us to use?
"Gasp...!"
Only then did the weight of her words sink in, and my mouth fell wide open. Chuckling at my reaction, Amy pointed toward the entrance of the theme park.
"Look over there, Jeff."
I followed her finger. A hazy space enveloped in a massive pillar of starlight came into view. Standing amidst the shimmering, fluttering afterimages of starlight was a person dressed in a witch costume very similar to Lucy's. Catching my eye, they smiled warmly and waved.
"I guess that's the witch guarding the entrance."
I recalled the information I had read online. This theme park wasn't a place just anyone could enter. I remembered reading a warning that if you tried to sneak in without permission, you would be severely punished by the witch guarding the gates. Of course, it was just a staff member and not a real witch, but it showed how dedicated the park was to maintaining its fantasy concept.
I immediately unzipped my backpack and rummaged through it. My fingertips brushed past my sketchbook and crayons before finally finding what I was looking for. Reaching deep into the bag, I pulled out the golden ticket. As it gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, I stared at it in awe before waving it in the air.
Shine, Rain, and I immediately dashed toward the witch. Clutching our racing hearts, filled with anticipation and bright smiles, we came to a halt right in front of her.
"Hello there~"
The witch looked down at the three of us with a bright, welcoming smile.
"Are you here to visit Lucy's Starlight World?"
"Yes!"
"Then, could you show me your admission tickets?"
The witch pointed to the ticket in my hand. It was a gleaming, golden ticket. I knew I was supposed to hand it over, but for some reason, it felt like my precious treasure was being taken away, making me hesitate to let it go.
As I twitched and hesitated, the witch let out a soft chuckle and added:
"I'm just going to check it. You can keep the ticket as a souvenir, so don't worry."
"Okay!"
Answering the moment she finished speaking, I promptly held out the ticket. After verifying it, the witch spread her arms wide.
"Welcome! I hope you have a magical time in Lucy's Starlight World!"
The moment she spoke, dazzling starlight projections burst forth from all directions, scattering brilliantly. The effect was so spectacular that it was hard to believe it was made by mere lighting. As I stood there, jaw slack at the shower of crumbling starlight, the witch stepped aside. The entrance, previously blocked by a curtain of starlight, began to move!
The massive wall began to rotate, swirling like a miniature vortex. At the same time, the starry illustrations painted on the wall scrambled into a dizzying blur. It looked so much like real magic that a gasp of admiration escaped my lips. I quickly dug into my bag to pull out Lucy's hat and her long wand. I pressed the hat firmly onto my head and waited for the gates to open.
When the swirling starlight reached its peak, the path to the magical world finally opened before us.
"Whoa!"
Her eyes sparkling, Rain bolted forward the second the path cleared. Her golden hair whipped through the cool air as she ran. Spurred on by her movement, I immediately dashed after her.
The moment we stepped through the grand entrance, a starry sky covering the walls and ceiling stole my breath away. The roaring sound of the wind filled the space, accompanied by spectacular visual effects that made me feel as if I were actually flying through the sky. Rain, who had run ahead, spun around in circles, laughing with pure joy.
"How is it, Jeff?"
Amy, who had caught up to us, asked. I felt like I was floating in the sky. With my mouth half-open, I tapped my foot against the screen on the floor. The gently drifting clouds reacted in real-time to the pressure of my steps, shifting their shapes perfectly. It was absolutely flawless.
"I love it."
"Do you?"
"Yes... It's really the best."
My cheeks flushed red. Cupping my face with both hands, I lowered my head, unable to stop a massive grin from spreading across my face. We were only at the entrance, and according to my online research, this was just a minor introductory event—yet my heart was pounding as if it were about to burst.
"Are you sick, Jeff?"
"N-No, I'm fine."
Shine, standing right beside me, asked with concern. As her hand gently cupped my cheek, I nuzzled against her palm before softly shaking my head.
"Hyaaaah!"
Rain, who had run ahead, began sprinting across the cloud bridge stretching out beneath her feet. It was like watching a cute little chick dash forward. The path of clouds rippled gently along the trail she left behind.