The Manchester Early Summer Carnival
A “How I Spent My Summer Vacation: I became a Girl” Gaiden
By
Rebecca Coleman

-3-
Emily tries to use the move “Flirt”... Is it Super Effective!?

The Manchester Summer Carnival was located in a four acre plot of land that had once in the distant past housed the once thriving Manchester Auto Company, but a few years ago the Manchester Auto Company had filed for bankruptcy. The buildings belonging to the old auto company had sat for some years abounded and falling into disrepair. Until the city had brought it, once the city had brought it, they quickly demolished the buildings and carted off the remaining debris. Leaving a flat, smooth surface. Anyway it had been this location that the Chamber of Commerce of Manchester had selected to host the carnival.

Now, I've been volunteered by my aunt to take the twelve to one shift. That twelve in the afternoon until one in the afternoon. Anyway the gates opened at ten o'clock in the morning. The normal admission of twelve dollars had been waived for me since I'd volunteered to staff the dunking. Which was a good deal for me, because from what I could see the carnival was not really worth paying twelve dollars to get in.

Anyway, my outfit for that day was a simple Pokemon graphic teeshirt that featured the Franchise mascots, Pikachu and a pair of denim daisy duke shorts and blue and white trainers. Strapped across my shoulder was a pink canvas messenger bag that was decorated with a number of buttons and pins. I'd decided to wear my swimsuit under the shirt and shorts. Anyway, once I was through the front gates, I started to roam around. After all, I had two solid hours to burn away before it was my turn to sit in the dunking booth.

I kind of allowed my feet to be my guide, if that makes sense. And quickly I found myself being swept off my feet. I'll do my best to put what I was feeling into words. You see I'd spent the last year and a half of my life living my life through the eyes of my character. Like I've mentioned before I'd favored spending most of my free time lurking and posting on Harvest Moon Roleplaying Forums.

And well the mainstay of those roleplaying forums were community based events that board moderators would put together. It was those community events allowed all of the players of the board regardless of their skill level or level of character development to freely mingle with other players and focus on developing their characters. I cherished those events because they allowed me to respit from the daily, sometimes hourly hell I was going through.

And then all of a sudden I stopped dead in my tracks, and rising up in front of me was the King of the Carnival, the fabled and mystic Ferris Wheel. And well my heart jumped from my chest right into my throat. I felt my sunburned cheeks starting to flush an even dark hue of red. I felt my breath being stole away.

“I need this to happen, today!” I said taking a deep breath, “It would be a picture perfect Disney movie ending!”

Now, allow me to explain something to you for a moment. Trust me it won't take long. If you've been reading these stories you will know that I'm really big into anime and that I love reading Shoujo manga. And well three things always seem to happen in any long running shoujo manga. One the main girl always seems to end up wearing a classic, risque version of a French Maid uniform. Number two, the main girl always end up wearing a bunny suit, and number three before any of those take place, the main girl and the boy she has a huge crush on but is to shy to confess her feelings too he and her end up stuck on a farris wheel together.

They just end up riding together in one of those carriages or are they called capsules. Anyway they always end up sharing the carriage or capsule together and sometimes they share a kis. Sometimes it is a deep, romantic kiss, the kind of kiss that makes hands wander. And sometimes it just a light, playful peck on the cheeks.

“What would be perfect?” A voice called out from behind me.

Upon hearing the voice I quickly spun around it was then I noticed that standing behind me was my geeky boy crush. And well he was half-naked. Okay, standing behind me was my soon to be boyfriend Andrew Jackson, and he was dressed in nothing but a pair of form fitting swim trucks, his inward curving chest was hairless and I could see the start of a budding six pack in the middle of his chest. His hair was starting to grow out a little, it now reached down to his shoulders, and his fashion had started to change from Gothic Topic Model social model reject to more casual country boy who sometimes dabbled in Gothic Fashion.

I felt my face, including my ears, flush red with color.

“Andy!” I said blushing as I turned my face to hide my blush. “What happened to your shirt! I mean you're just casually strolling around the fairground in just a cheap, dollar store brand of plastic sandals and your blood swim trunks!”

“..You sound like my mom.” Andy said blushing he then turned his head. “Anyway, if you must know, my mom volunteered me for the dunking booth. I'm heading there now.” He was really blushing,

“Oh!” I said a wicked little grin forming on my face.

“Anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you would be in your room. Playing Harvest Moon, or Star Valley, or maybe roleplaying on the internet or on Discord.” He said, grinning a smile that made me flush. “You look cute though, I'd never figured you out as a Pokemon trainer type girl. Sorry I can't see you running through tall grass, climbing over mountain tops, crawling through graveyards, and picking your way through marshes and swamps to find and enslave cute little creatures that just say their name over and over again. And have powers to frighten God himself.”

“...”

Andy just smiled.

I then reached up and pinched his ear between my two fingers. I then pulled him down and yelled at the top of my lungs.

“BAKA!” Not my proudest moment but then again what a transgender anime fan is supposed to do?
Of course I released him after a few seconds. I mean people were starting to look, and whisper behind the back of their hands. I mean Andy and I often drew attention to ourselves whenever we were about. Oftentimes it was the good kind of attention.

“Okay! Okay!” Andy whined. “I'm sorry! I'm sorry!”

I smiled and peered at him.

“It's fine, forgive me. But as punishment you gotta buy me an extra large ice cream cone, chocolate swirl with chopped nuts and chocolate sauce!” I said smiling. “After your shift of course!”

Any rolled his eyes.

“Anyway when does your shift start?” I asked.

“It was supposed to start three minutes ago.” He said blushing as he started to edge away fro me. “I'm working the ten to eleven shift!” He called out.

“I'm working the twelve to one shift!” I called out as he started to quicken his pace. “Maybe before my shift we could get lunch together! I'll buy it!” Now, I know what you're thinking. Emily, your boyfriend is supposed to buy you lunch, you're not supposed to buy him lunch. And well that might be true. But let me tell you something, any good Southern Belle knows if you want your boyfriend to treat you like a princess you damn well better treat him like a prince. You buy him lunch, he takes you out for ice cream afterwards. He buys the movie tickets, you buy the snacks. He buys you that manga you want. You buy him that manga he wants.

“Sure! I'll buy ice cream too!” He called out as he almost vanished from view. “And maybe after our shifts we can hook up and explore the fair!”

And so another chapter comes to an end.