[REWRITTEN] Wanted for Protagonizin' [a West of Loathing fanfiction]

Chapter 6

But wait, how come do our heroes happen to be in a circus at the very beginning of a- oh, as if it doesn't matter anyway. We don't have time to go into the details.
Anyway. Coraline and Pete were now in a circus. They scrolled their eyes around the area. Actually, I guess we can say that this was a carnival rather than a circus, but let's not split hairs. It was deserted, though – there weren't more than a dozen other patrons besides them both. There were a bunch of clowns around, working at the booths and so on – more clowns than actual customers. Which was a little unsettling, but at least the lines wouldn't be very long.

''Welcome to Barnaby Bob's Perfectly Normal Traveling Circus Sideshow, ma'am and sir !'' the ticket booth clown shouted aloud to them.

''Thank you !'' she greeted him off before scrolling her eyes over the settling. ''Now then, there might be games where we would be able to win something...?''

''This place's pretty empty,'' Pete stated. ''We might'a be able to do somethin' in 'ere !''

''I never went to a circus before... it's so wide and colorful ! Well... it normally is,'' Coraline scrolled her eyes around the place. She glanced sideways, before finding the object of her requirement.
''Look over here, Pete ! A stand ! It must be funny to try out... let's go see it !'' she approached the stand's owner. ''Howdy ! What is there to do here ?''

''Good afternoon, ma'am ! Here is a game that might be able to test out your strength. The aim is simple : you have to make the pick reach the bell up there by using this hammer !''

''Sounds pretty easy ! When should I start ?''

''How about now ? Since there's literally anyone else in the stand.''

''H-Haha, you're right !''

And on that, Coraline grabbed the hammer in hands and approached the giant button. She cracked her wrists, then squatted once or twice. She stretched herself a last time. Then, she grabbed the hammer and rose it up. She closed her eyes, breathing in. She focused all her energy on the single strength of her knuckles, holding firmly on the object. Then, with one mighty pulse of energy, she lowered the hammer down on the button, slamming on it with her full strength. She watched as the marker went up, and up, and up...! Till it reached midway and went back down, with a miserable bunk sound. Coraline watched it climbing down, in an anti-climatic fashion.

''Well, at least I have tried,'' she chuckled nervously.

''Indeed, you did. But it's too bad. You lost. Care to give it another try...?''

''Hm, I think I will skip for now. Come on, Pete. Let's go,'' she greeted off the stand owner a last time before walking away from it. ''Man, I do hope there are some prizes to win... it would be too bad to leave this place without anything in our arms...''

''Cory, check this out !'' he pointed to another one just in front of him.

''Test your aim. Oh ! I've always been good with playing darts ! This one must be my chance...!''

She approached the game. It consisted in shooting one of the red balloons, with three attempts. She gave it a try. She breathed in then turned around. With one single gesture of her wrist, she managed to use only one arrow to shoot a red balloon. Her face lit up when she turned around.

''Pete !! Check this out, I won it !'' she rejoiced loudly.

''Yeehaw ! You made it, pardner !'' he danced along her to celebrate their victory.

''Congratulations, ma'am ! You made it on first try ! Here... have this prize as a reward !'' she pumped her fists intro the air, until she finally saw what awaited her : a kitten looking like plush. She lowered her arms as she took it in hands. ''You can try another shot, if you want ! But since you already won, you won't be able to win the same thing twice.''