Everfair

Even a rabid skeptic could’ve been convinced that they’d somehow teleported to some alternative reality, at least for a moment.

 When they got off the metro and ran up the stairs to their destination, the traveling sisters were immediately set upon by the image of knights clad in full armor, what almost looked to be real, physical dragons of a variety of colors patrolling the skies, not to mention the crowds of guests, almost all of them in fitting garb for the “time period” they’d entered, as well as the impressive castle in the distance that made the one in Kidney’s Ice Kingdom look borderline half-assed. The authenticity on display truly did rival his own, to the point were they wished they had one of these parks in the states, wondering why that wasn’t the case.

“A lot more immersive than Fairytown, huh?” Katie beamed, overtaken by the sights and smells of the embellished medieval town.

“You can say that again…”

“So… I guess we should go to the castle, then?”

Frankie nodded, just wanting to look around. They already had many questions as soon as they started stepping through the place, starting with the town markets.

“Spare me a coin!” A beggar on the street called to a knight walking past him. After both girls flinched from hearing the word “coin” after everything that happened last month, they watched as an entire scene played out, the knight offering his riches if the beggar could best him in a duel. They really fought there, right in the street, using real-looking swords the sisters hoped were fake but couldn’t convince themselves were. Either way, Katie was more than transfixed at the inspiring battle.

Some people seemed so in-character it was almost scary. They couldn’t tell if either of those duelists were employees or just guests, because it appeared as if that was the standard for this place. Even families you’d know for a fact were only tourists seemed to be taking in lore-accurate dialect, giving performances that the audience of a drama would consider impressive all for fun. It didn’t even end with the humans. Aside from the literal functioning monsters flying above them, many more patrolled the streets, most seemingly people in suits- though looking at the motions of the orcs, goblins, and all sorts of other creatures around them, neither sister could really say for sure. For all they knew, maybe they really had stepped into another world.

Frankie took off her hat. The traveling tourists felt almost naked in their inaccurate, immersion-breaking clothes, hoping no one would notice. When they finally did, though, it was the exact opposite reaction of what they were expecting.

“Travelers from the outer realms! Greetings!” A peasant cheered, instantly adding them to the mythos without breaking a sweat. They never found out if that person was a hired staff member or a creative guest. To them, at least subconsciously, they well and truly were just a peasant who happened to offer a few kind words as they entered the kingdom of Everfair.

For a long while, the girls couldn’t speak. They were hypnotized, just listening in to all the interesting conversations around them as they made their way to the castle a bit slower than they really needed to.

“Will you be braving the dungeons today?”

“Not I, lass. Won’t you go instead?”

“I’ve better things to do, you cowardly sheep. And you call yourself a knight?”

“Don’t tell anyone who said this… but I’ve got reason to believe the kingdom’s at stake. I’ve seen scouts from a foreign empire all over the place…”

“Those men in suits?”

“One of the dragons was gone yesterday… seems back now.”

“Perhaps the king’s doctors were inspecting it.”

“For the last time, I’m just not interested in Percy.”

Wait, Percy?

Frankie bolted to attention, eyes shooting like a cannon towards a group of four just incessantly chatting about whatever. The girl who’d just spoken was talking to a boy in robes and a wizard’s hat.

“He’s a pretty nice guy, you know.”

Frankie shook her pitiful head in embarrassment. No, of course they weren’t talking about the obscure young adult book series from decades and decades ago she was hyperfixated on. Just a real life boy, more likely than not. Why would she think anything else? She harshly cursed herself.

“What’s the matter?” Asked Katie, a little worried as to why Frankie’s excitement had dropped so fast. The younger sibling was quick to remind herself that she was still in an amazing place, even if she would always be alone in her enjoyment of Percy Phytoplankton.

“Oh, n-nothing.” She laughed, scratching her big blue head. “Aren’t we getting close to the castle? Let’s pick up the pace.”

“Oh! Yeah.”

Frankie and Katie ran towards the fortress, finding themselves at its gates before they knew it…