Inside the park, the atmosphere was entirely different. Lush greenery spread across the walkways, the air crisp and untouched by the industrial smog outside. Trees swayed in the breeze, and for once, a sliver of the sky was visible between the towering structures.
The smell of freshly grilled food and caramel popcorn drifted through the pathways, mixing with the distant sounds of cheering riders and mechanical hums. A busker strummed a synthetic guitar, his voice barely carrying over the noise.
Kids ran around, playing and screaming, while parents with tired eyes watched over them. Chet gazed up, taking in the rare sight of parts of the Great Nexus, a place for the rich and powerful far above the smoke and tension of the city. If you looked close enough, you could see sprinkles of the towers they built far above the clouds.
Ahead, a massive holographic display spiraled up a building, promising:
"The Ride of Your Life Awaits!"
Nox adjusted his scarf, taking in the neon wonderland before them.
"Alright, let's see if this place is really worth the creds."
The night was just beginning.
Zee wrinkled her brow, looking at the coaster towering above them. A bunch of loopings, a photo station, as well as a water splash part mixed with some twists, and you've got the perfect scream machine.
"Are you sure you want to start with the heftiest coaster of them all right at the start? Last time we took a ride that level, you..."
Nox smirked, adjusting his hat as he followed Zee's gaze up the towering metal beast.
"Oh come on, Zee, don't bring up the past like that. Last time was... a fluke. A momentary lapse in judgment."
He cleared his throat, flicking his tail behind him as if brushing off an old memory.
"Besides, what better way to start the night than with the biggest, baddest ride in the park? It's like ripping off a bandage. Just gotta dive in."
He shot a glance at Chet, nudging his side with his elbow.
"You backing me up here, big guy? Or do I have to carry this whole operation myself?"
Chet gulped as he looked up at the ride, scratching the back of his head. Just as he looked up, a cart came rushing by that had just finished a loop.
The people were screaming their lungs out. His eyes were wide open; the only thing wider was his mouth.
"O-ohm oh man I dunno. I mean, for someone my weight class, this might be, uh, a bit too dangerous. Don't you think so?"
Nox snorted, barely holding back a laugh as he watched Chet's expression shift from forced confidence to full-blown regret.
"Aw, come on, big guy. You're not gonna let a few loopings and a tiny little death drop scare you off, are you?"
He leaned in closer, voice dripping with mock encouragement.
"Think about it. The Chet Coaster, remember? Crush your fears, conquer the heights. Maybe they'll even rename it after you when we're done."
He gave Chet a playful nudge before turning to Zee with a smug grin.
"Alright, what do you say? Are we dragging him on, or are we giving him a dignified exit before he faints right here on the pavement?"
Zee laughed a little after patting Chet on the back.
"I say let him decide. There's no shame in staying on the ground."
Chet exhaled, rubbing his face with both hands as he eyed the coaster again.
"Y-you know what? Maybe I should—"
Just then, another cart came flying by overhead, riders screaming at the top of their lungs. The sound alone made Chet visibly stiffen, his ears pinned back.
"...sit this one out."
Nox threw his hands up dramatically.
"Ahh, tragic. The legend of The Chet Coaster ends before it even begins. What a loss to theme park history."
He smirked, then gave Chet a knowing glance.
"But hey, no shame in it, big guy. We'll take this one for you. Make sure to get our victory photo at the splashdown, yeah?"
He turned back to Zee, bouncing on his heels slightly, his excitement barely contained.
"Alright, partner in crime. You ready to defy gravity, scream our lungs out, and possibly regret every life decision leading up to this moment?"
She grabbed him by the sleeve as she dragged Nox toward the line while adjusting her glasses with the other hand.
"Okay, little boy, let's go now before the line grows larger than your ego. Though that might be hard, on second thought. Oh!"
She turned around and gave Chet one last wink as she smiled.
"See you on the other side, Chet. I'll make sure to take care of him."
Nox let out a dramatic gasp, stumbling forward as Zee yanked him along.
"Excuse me, ragdoll? Is this how you treat your favorite fox? Unbelievable."
He caught his balance, quickly straightening his hat with a huff.
"Though I gotta admit, that ego comment? Rude. Completely unwarranted. I have a very reasonable amount of self-confidence, thank you very much."
Chet chuckled from behind, shaking his head as he leaned against a railing.
"Just don't throw up, Nox. I know you love the dramatics, but I'd rather not be in the splash zone when you come back."
Nox placed a hand over his chest, looking deeply offended.
"Wow. Zero faith in me. Horns, you ditch the ride and now you insult my iron stomach? Unreal."
As the two neared the front of the line, Nox turned his head slightly to Zee, a sly grin creeping onto his face.
"Alright, Zee. Since you're so confident, front row seats or are we playing it safe?"
"I dare you,"
she commented with an unsure smile on her face, depicting a small glimpse of uncertainty.
Nox's ears perked up at the challenge, his grin widening like a kid who just found free credits on the ground.
"Let's do it."
The coaster rattled violently as another cart shot past them, riders screaming at the top of their lungs. A gust of wind followed, ruffling Nox's coat as he barely blinked.
He tapped the bar in front of them, nodding toward the front-most seats as he tossed his hat aside.
"Alright then, front row it is. You ready to really see the world spin?"
He gave her a smug, knowing look.
The coaster jerked forward, rolling out of the station as the automated voice chimed in over the speakers.
"Welcome to the Titan Spiral! Hold on tight and keep your hands inside the ride at all times. We take no responsibility for misplaced stomachs or frayed nerves. Enjoy the ride!"
They stepped into the front row, the very front, the spot that dared you to not look away.
The coaster cart was divided by size, small, medium, and large harness frames for the different animal sizes.
Without a word, they both slid into the middle-sized seats, the ones shaped for average builds.
Just as they had found themselves in a comfortable position, a staff member approached, a Zebra, as she leaned in with a bored expression.
"Glasses off, please. Ride policy."
Zee hesitated, her fingers touching the frames instinctively.
"Seriously?"
Her voice was flat but tight.
The attendant shrugged. "Only if you want to keep them."
With a resigned breath, Zee pulled them off and handed them over.
The world blurred instantly.
The track tilted upward. The slow clank-clank-clank of the chain pulling them up echoed through the air.
Zee's smirk had completely vanished. She had her hands locked onto the safety bar, fingers tense, her whole body stiff as the ascent dragged on.
"Okay. Okay, I'm regretting this,"
She muttered under her uneven breath.
Her gaze flicked around in uncertainty. Without her glasses, the world is a smear of colors and vague shapes.
Zee shot him a glare, but it lacked her usual fire. Her tail had puffed up slightly, and her ears were pinned back. Nox had seen her confident, cocky, annoyed, but never this tense.
"Nox i- I cant see. Im not feeling so well"
Nox sighed dramatically, then grinned.
"Well, that's a first, Zee admitting something's a mistake."
She slapped his arm.
"Not the time!"
The coaster jerked slightly, making her grip the bar tighter.
"AHH--Okay, seriously, how high is this thing? Are we near the top yet?"
Nox could see it. The peak of the track loomed ahead, just a few more clicks and they'd reach the drop. Zee's ears twitched nervously.
He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head with a small smile.
"Hey."
She tensed at his voice, but then her eyes widened as she felt something.
His Hand.
Nox had casually slid his paw over hers on the safety bar, giving it a firm squeeze.
"You're not dying,"
He said, his tone softer than usual.
"You are, however, probably gonna scream your lungs out, and I will most certainly make fun of you for it later."
Zee blinked, caught completely off guard. For a moment, her grip relaxed slightly. She huffed.
"You're holding my hand for emotional support, aren't you?"
Nox smirked.
"Nah, I'm holding your hand so you don't jump out of the cart in a panic."
Zee narrowed her eyes at him, but she didn't pull away.
"Alright, fine. But if I scream, you better scream too, Nox."
"Deal."
The final clank echoed as the coaster reached the peak.
Silence. For just a second, the world seemed to pause.
Then the coaster plunged. The rush of wind slammed against them as the cart dropped, twisting into the first loop.
Zee shrieked.
Not a yell. Not a dramatic scream. A full-on, no-holding-back, genuine shriek.
Nox lost it.
He started laughing, except his laugh immediately turned into a yell when they whipped into the next turn, sending them into a sideways corkscrew as he screamed.
"OH, OKAY, THAT'S FAST!"
The force slammed them into their seats as the track twisted, launching them through a sharp, gut-wrenching dip before another stomach-churning ascent.
"WHY DID WE DO THIS?!"
Nox shouted, gripping the bar for dear life.
"I BLAME YOU!"
Zee practically wailed over the wind, screaming in laughter.
"WHY DO YOU BLAME MEEE!?"
The ride didn't slow down, it only got wilder.
"BECAUSE YOU DARED IT!" Nox screamed back as his scarf tangled his face up.
Loop. Spiral. Another drop.
Water sprayed across them as the coaster shot through a mist tunnel, adding an extra chill to the chaos.
Zee had her eyes clamped shut, one hand still locked onto the bar, the other still gripping Nox's paw.
Nox, on the other hand, had completely stopped thinking. He was just laughing.
Not his usual, sarcastic chuckle. A real, full-bodied, exhilarated laugh as the ride yanked them through more gravity-defying turns.
Suddenly the flash of a camera went off. Zee's eyes snapped open in realization.
"Wait. Was that!"
Before she could finish, the ride flung them into the final stretch, a breakneck speed turn that hurled them toward the finish.
One last dip, one final scream.
Finally the ride slowed. The carts pulled into the station, hissing as the brakes engaged.
Zee sat completely frozen. Her hair was a mess, her jacket was slightly damp from the water splash, and her grip was still locked in place.
Nox was gasping between laughter.
"That - was - AMAZING!"
Zee exhaled shakily.
"I - I hate you."
Nox turned to her, grinning like an idiot.
"Admit it. You loved it."
She gave him a look of pure betrayal.
"Never again."
The safety bars released. As soon as they did, Zee immediately went to the personal and snatched the employee off her glasses, putting them on with shaky paws.
Nox stretched, cracking his neck while repositioning his scarf and picking up his hat.
"Oh yeah, that's gonna be in my bones later."
Zee slowly turned toward him, her eyes narrowing.
"Nox."
"Yes?"
Zee covered her mouth with her paws, not to burst out in laughter.
"Krrr- That camera took our picture Haha."
Nox's ears perked.
"...Oh gosh."
Zee's smirk returned with determination.
"Oh, I need to see this."
And Nox's smirk had rivaled hers.
"Oh, no, not if I'm first."
But it was too late. Zee already bolted toward the photo booth.
"NOX SCREAMING LIKE A PUPPY, I HAVE TO SEE THAT."
Nox groaned, running after her.
"ZEE, I SWEAR I'LL CUT ONE OF YOUR 9 LIVES SHORT."
Behind them, the next riders were already boarding, but Nox and Zee had had their moment of action,
seeing just how ridiculous they looked on camera.
The picture was nothing short of a masterpiece, a frozen moment of pure chaos.
Nox was mid-scream, mouth wide open, his lungs likely giving out at that very second. His paw was clamped tightly around Zee's, his scarf half-untangled and whipping across his face, making him look like a windswept disaster. Zee, on the other hand? A statue.
Her eyes were locked forward in pure, unblinking horror, her face frozen in an expression that suggested she had just stared death in the eye and lost. The water splash framed them both like a perfectly timed explosion, droplets suspended midair.
As they both stared at the picture, it was over.
Laughter exploded out of them at the exact same time, echoing through the park like a pair of malfunctioning sirens. Nox doubled over, gripping his stomach, his tail flicking wildly behind him as he wheezed between gasps.
"Oh-oh my stars-Zee, you look like-" He took a deep exhausted breath. "like you just saw the end of the world!"
Zee was no better. She clutched her sides, her face turning red as she wheezed through uncontrollable giggles.
"And you Hahah-"
She barely choked out between laughs, pointing at his scarf-covered disaster of a face.
"You look like... like a haunted bedsheet screaming for its life!"
They completely lost it. People walking by gave them odd glances, some chuckling at the sheer scene they were making, but neither of them cared.
The absolute absurdity of the moment had them in shambles. Even through the chaos of the ride, this was worth it.