The Worst One Yet

Millions of dollars poorer, two sisters sat in the back of a car headed to their next destination.

A few hours ago, they asked their driver- or, Frankie did, at least- a very simple question:

“What’s the easiest way to make some money around here?”

Judging she meant legally, of course, the swimmer only had one answer.

Passing by the window, the surroundings got progressively more cartoonish. Skyscrapers seemed to widen at their tops and bottoms, bridges in the distance had pointless curves and ramps, and placed overhead all of this, as if to ignore any conventional knowledge of park safety, rides were strewn about so that their riders could have the fantasy of leaping from building to building.

“If you’re looking for a winter job that’ll fund your big journey better than the table scraps they hand out at Makoasis ever could- we just need to drive you up to Kentucky. You know what park I’m talking about by now, right?”

Just as Frankie was recalling these words did they pass by the inadvisably boisterous sign looming straight over the road, intending you to drive right into the park inside your car:

VENGE CITY

POPULATION: JUSTICE

Frankie was so overwhelmed that she could hardly blink before they found themselves parked on the side of a road lined with comic shops and hundreds of people in cosplay.

“Alright, girls. This is where you want it?” Umi leaned over to the backseat.

“Y-yeah…” Frankie uttered, the crowds here larger than any park they’d been to previously. This wasn’t some town that happened to be filled to the brim with rides and guests- indeed, this was a city. And all throughout it, its guests walked to their rides just as its guests did to their entertainment.

“I believe in you. Text me if you ever need a single thing. I saved you once, Frankie- I’ll do it again if I ever have to. From now until the end of the world, I’m your lifeguard. Got that?”

“G-got it.” She affirmed.

“Okay! See ya, girls!”

“Thank you for everything Umi! See ya!” Katie celebrated as she leapt onto the open streets of the roller coaster metropolis, Frankie waving to Umi as she followed.

“This… is the worst one yet.” She scoffed. “Let’s go find us some work.”

“Then can we ride the rides?” Katie chimes in.

“Sure.” Frankie sat her hands on her hips, vision naturally drawn to the tallest building in the whole park: a caped skyscraper statue in the shape of the infamous Coaster Bozo himself.