*The following day*
I walked around Key Square trying to enjoy the festivities Mr. Tick wanted us to see. So his big surprise was a fair? It was pretty nice, nonetheless. Some of the hilights were: a ferris wheel modeled after a clock, food modeled after robots and machines, and probably the thing I liked the most was bumping hover cars that look like gears. The entire event was set up like a fair (did I already mention that?) with tents, and booths, and robots galore. Multicolored lights beamed, illuminating the square and fireworks boomed overhead.
I walked by a booth that required you to fill a Fishborg (a robot that needs water and a living fish to function) water container with only a watergun when I heard, "Step right up to this here booth! Anyone can win, big or small. How about you lady in the black leather jacket named Kite?"
I turned towards the person behind the booth. Leaning on a wood cane, dressed in a red striped shirt and a tilted black fedora was none other than, Magus. Magus is my best friend. I've known him since that day in grade school when I got the name "Kite"
*Kite's Flashback"
I am 9 years old and I probably just made the greatest thing ever! My Kit.e (Kit dot e) robot is complete. It's really just a robotic dragonfly, but nevertheless. My teacher, Mrs. Verges was examining mine with a smile on her face.
"You know, your first successful robot stays with you in one way or another," she smiled.
She was right. My previous robots had failed, this was my first successful one. I smiled to myself before seeing a kid shy away from the teacher. He had scared green eyes and his body had turned a new shade of pale. I think his name is Mark, but everyone called him "That one shy stuttering kid". He was curled up against the waterfountain's base. I walked up to him.
"Hey!" I said. He looked up at me, thin tears running down his face. "W-w-w-what are you doing here?" he asked me. "I should be asking you that." He gave a weak smile before I offered my hand and he stood up. "What robot is yours?" I asked. He dug in his shorts pocket and brought out a thin bird-like robot
"It's called the M-m-magus. It's a f-flying robot. I'm too s-s-scared to present it." he said sadly. "Nobody kn-kn-knows me... so it really doesn't matter a-a-anyways. Nobody calls me M-Mark anyways." I sighed "Nobody knows you because you aren't confident. Do something to make people remember you."
"W-w-what's confidence, I've n-n-never experienced that before. And it doesn't matter, here it's like I don't have a name anymore."
I took a deeps breath and said "This is confidence." And with that I walked over to a desk where I stood up on it. I got complaints to come down, but it didn't matter. I was gonna help Mark, even if I get a phone call home afterwards for standing on the desk.
"Attention Room 16!" I yelled. "My friend over here, Magus, hasn't shown his robot because nobody treats him with respect! He want's to make a name for himself. His name is no longer Mark Zechter, his new name is Magus Zechter. Can we welcome Magus into our class?!" Everyone stared at me, wide eyed, shouting at me and calling me names. I stood my ground and ultimately brought Mark er, Magus up on the desk.
"Show them what your robot can do," I said. He sighed and threw the robot in the air where it caught flight and flew around the room. The class was awestruck at the fact that it worked by itself. Everyone else's needed a remote.
As his demonstration ended and everyone went back to their own robots, I said to Magus, "Everyone's first successful robot stays with them, in one way or another."
"Perhaps. Say, If you called me Magus because of the robot, I'll call you Kit dot e of yours." he decided. I frowned. "Nahh Kit dot e is a mouthful." "Ok how about... Kite." I smiled at him and said, "Hmmm... I like it!"
And for the first time, I saw Magus smile a real smile.
*end of flashback*
Magus helped my confidence and outgoingness grow. I don't know what I'd do without him.
Magus tapped the booth's counter. "Ah, having one of your 'Kite moments' I see," he laughed. I playfully punched his arm. "Shut up!" "You were thinking about the time we first met, weren't ya?" he tapped the end of the cane he was leaning on on my chest. "Psychic much, Mage?"
"Hey I call em when I see em !" he said. That earned him another punch.
"I'll tell you what, I'll give you three tries instead of one to fill the Fishborg, some people just missed the funnel, here, entirely! But, call it a... best friend gift to celebrate the past 8 years of our friendship. It's the least I could do after all you've done for me."
"Gee thanks, Mage, what's the most you could do?" I rolled my eyes. "Continue our friendship." "Good point." I giggled. I picked up the water gun and aimed for the funnel which filled the Fishborg. I pulled the trigger as water started to flow into the robot through the funnel.
"Come on Mage, you act like you haven't helped me." "Oh yeah, name three ways I've helped you in the past 8 years..." he scoffed. "Ok, you helped me get over my fear of flying - ironic with my name being Kite and all. You also helped me in junior high when I got picked on, and above all,you helped me find my voice when we met." I answered.
Magus put up his hands in defeat, his cane slid down his arm an rested in the crook of his elbow. "Ok you've helped me by, helping me get over my stutter........." he trailed off while I zoned out and continued on filling the Fishborg. "Yes! All done!" I began, but I was cut off by Magus saying "You know, it's hard to believe we met when we were nine, and now we're seventeen and still best friends."
"I know Mage. It's amazing. But you wanna know what's more amazing? A full Fishborg!!!" I exclaimed. Magus sighed and pulled down a stuffed animal for me from the top of the booth with the curly end of his cane. It was a stuffed Kit.e. I smiled at his choice.
"How did I put up with you all these years?" he asked. I smirked, "You know you love me." "Sadly." I laughed and waved goodbye as I turned and left.
