In any amusement park, especially one with a bit of fame, there are three main attractions.
The first is a rollercoaster, the second is a carousel.
And the third, a high-end attraction that requires the most amount of money because of the special effects and animatronic puppets is…
‘Dark ride.’
An indoor ride that introduces you to the elaborate and huge themes of a theme park itself.
In Korea, things like The Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor,’ and ‘It’s a Small World’ were famous.
And in this ‘Cheerful theme park’ ghost story, it’s this attraction.
“Fantasy Train!”
The researcher spat.
“This is where they all died! I’m not getting on! I’m not riding this!”
Testimony #4 (Survivor: Park Yae-in)
– All four people who boarded the ‘Fantasy Train’ went missing.
Later found a plush toy made from the clothes and bones of the four in a souvenir shop. (Presumed dead)
At least, that’s what it said.
And from what I’ve read in the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, the attraction was responsible for many casualties …
However, that’s not all there is.
‘Many casualties also means that the appearance of this attraction is high!’
Just like a board game with randomized elements, the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ ghost story’s zones and mascots’ combinations changed each time one entered.
However, this ‘Fantasy Train’ attraction must’ve been a recurring attraction.
Because…the theme is obvious.
“Read the introduction under the sign.”
I pointed to the area below the <Fantasy Train> sign.
– Meet the inhabitants of each zone in Fantasy Land and hear their stories! A wonderful train ride!
“It looks like an attraction that introduces the theme park.”
It also was an important part of escaping this ghost story.
‘How are the zones and colors distributed in this place?.’
Let’s not forget. This was originally a board game.
What does it mean to pick a side in this game?
It means picking my own color and side.
‘And the reason why there’s division by color means that each color will have its pros and cons.’
So, in here, it was important to figure that out more than anything…
What zone does your team color entrail, as well as,
What the quirks of each color are.
-------------------------------
Cheerful Theme Park Guidebook (Applicable to Exploration Record #64 and earlier)
4. Each zone in the theme park is given a color according to a theme! The place you first wake up is your team’s zone!
Respect the zones. The zones are very important. Look at the colors. Don’t annoy the mascots. The mascots are everything in the zone.
-------------------------------
However, I need another form of logic to convince people who are currently unaware of this.
‘Work, brain. Work.’
The first target…of course, it’ll be the superior.
“Hm. Everyone who boarded it died?”
The butterfly masked Deputy Jin of Team A.
In order to persuade this elite full of elitism… right.
Time to shower some flattery.
“Weren’t they all civilians?”
“Hm?”
I said using a deliberate dubious tone in my voice.
“They’re people who approached without any suspicion, only thinking they were riding some amusement park ride. There's a very low possibility that they’ve reacted to a supernatural situation very well.”
“And?”
“To compare them to a professional Field Exploration Team, who clears Darknesses with purpose is a bit… hm.”
I scrunched my face slightly.
“It seems a bit harsh and unfair towards the civilians.”
“...Hah.”
The superior snorted.
“You’re quite blunt…well, you’re not wrong though.”
“N-No, he’s wrong, we can’t…!”
“Hey.”
Team A’s deputy clutched the researcher’s head tightly.
“...!”
Sharp nails dug into his temples.
“You think you have a say in this?”
“...”
“Do you want to die here and become some trash that can’t even make it as a souvenir, or get on that ride?”
The researcher went silent. Indeed, a bully…
“Let’s get going.”
“...”
The researcher dragged his feet along and began to walk in the direction of the Fantasy Train.
‘Two birds with one stone…’
It was a success.
Now, there was only one more left.
Team Y’s newcomer, Jang Heo-un.
As I was following the path with the ‘Fantasy Train’ sign, I slipped back a little and kept pace with the newcomer, and whispered.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“Pardon…?”
“That was to persuade the deputy… Actually, I wanted us to go because I’ve got a trick up my sleeve.”
“A… trick?”
“You can say it’s an insider know-how.”
I gave a slight smile.
“I used to be a part-timer at this theme park.”
“Oh!”
I’m sorry. It’s a lie.
But hey, in an extreme and unkind situation to cowards, it doesn’t matter how we survive, right?
Even you will say ‘Wow! Thank you so much for lying!’, yeah?
“I-Is that so? Then…”
“Yeah. It will be relatively safe.”
Just take my word for it.
Anyway, we soon found ourselves at the entrance to the’ Fantasy Train’ after following the sign.
It was a model station with a fancy sign, decorated with all sorts of elaborate and realistic steam train parts and brickwork, but…
“There’s no one here.”
“...”
The inside was abandoned and eerily empty.
There was no one.
– Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride…
The feeling was strange, juxtaposed with the upbeat amusement park music.
[Note: Juxtapose = Quite contrary to something.]
All one could see was the train beyond the queue lines.
And the rabbit mascot right in front of the train dressed up as a train conductor.
“Another rabbit mascot.”
“Is that the employee of this attraction?”
That was correct.
As we quickly made our way through the empty queue, the hollow-eyed train conductor mascot reached out a gloved hand and stamped our wristbands.
[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Boarding Ticket ■□□]
So this makes one.
We were then escorted to board a small train that looked like a colorful fairytale steam train.
Then, the mascot itself went back to its place and began to wave both its hands.
Something along the lines of ‘Enjoy your ride!’.
Up to this point, nothing unusual had happened, so the researcher and the rookie from Team Y seemed unknowingly relieved.
Unfortunately, I was about to do something unusual.
‘There’s only a few places it could be…hm. Is that the only place?’
I checked our surroundings and kept my eyes on the mascot.
And then I spoke up.
“Deputy Jin.”
“What?”
“Do you see the podium where the mascot is standing?”
I pointed to what looked like some sort of model ticket booth table, just in front of where the conductor rabbit was standing.
“Is it possible for you to use your custom equipment to turn the podium slightly this way? Without damaging it, quietly.
“Why?”
“There’s something behind it.”
The A team’s Deputy looked at me strangely but quickly pulled out her index fingernail.
Quickly and quietly.
Tick.
Screech…
The fake nail was tossed at the retro turquoise podium, stuck to the corner, and shifted the podium with a quiet screeching noise.
Halfway through, we noticed that instead of the normal woodwork finish on the back,
An intricate map of circuits and buttons could be seen.
The emergency control panel for the attraction.
“...!”
Found it.
The control panel!
‘I read about it in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.’
This theme park ride was also described as having realistic control panels!
-------------------------------
Immediately after boarding a basket-shaped attraction called the ‘Tomato Express’, a label attached to the basket that read, <Get ready to get smashed!>, was seen.
An immediate search for the emergency stop button.
Location Identified at the attraction’s starting point. All attempts to press the button failed.
(Executor: Supervisor Jiwon Lee, Attempts: 6)
All participants died.
-------------------------------
Although, they failed.
‘We can do it.’
I immediately flipped a coin and brought out my semi-translucent glove, then I tossed the 500-won coin and gestured it to become one with my hand.
‘All I need is five seconds.’
My hand, floating in midair, appeared at the back of the half-exposed podium.
Aiming for… the lever.
MIN MAX
∥-----------------∥
▲
“W-Wait a second, Sol-eum. What is that? That label…”
“Hold on tight.”
“Huh? What, to what…?”
“The seat handles on the train,”
My hand pulled the level all the way.
MIN MAX
∥-----------------∥
▲
In an instant.
The train shot off at an insane speed.
Screeeeeech!!
– The Fantasy Train is off!
“Ugh!”
“Wh-What the?!”
I spoke while I held on to the seat handles for dear life.
“I pulled the speed lever! To max!”
“Why the hell would you do that, you crazy bastard?!”
Because I had a plan.
“If the train’s insanely fast, they won’t have the chance to mess with us!”
“...!”
It was skipping the events completely.
‘Dark rides are designed to go slow to experience the decorated indoors.’
But what if it goes crazy fast?
‘Everything can be skipped!’
No indoor decorations, no effects.
‘No risk of death!’
There was a record in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> that it was used to slow down a roller coaster, but the important thing was the presence of a speed control panel!
I realized there’s a high chance that it would work here too.
‘Nice!’
Success!
Except… the next step.
I glanced outside.
Screech!
I could feel the wind pressure.
A speed close to that of a rollercoaster.
The max speed was probably only meant for limit testing.
…Meaning that it wasn’t designed for actual operation.
‘...If I get scared and faint, I’ll just get thrown away, right?’
It was a guaranteed death.
A side effect of the train running like a runaway, out-of-control locomotive.
A great disadvantage to a scaredy cat like me, although…
‘There’s a way to nullify that!’
I feel like fainting?
Then I just have to look away!
[All passengers, you’ve come to the beautiful Fantasyland!]
When the narration started, I shouted.
“I’m closing my eyes!”
“What?!”
I pretended to be crazy and closed my eyes.
“That narration seems pretty important, I’ll focus on it!”
“...!”
“If you think you’re about to die, tell me!”
“Is this guy fucking crazy?! Haha, alright!”
Just as Team A’s Deputy’s laugh died out,
the narration whipped past my ears.
[How did this Fantasyland come to be?]
[A long time ago, 403930291928494 hours ago, a yellow flower, a blue dragon, and a red rabbit lived on the same land.]
[This very, wonderful land!]
“A-A weird flower, a flower is calling…”
“DUCK!”
[But they were so different!]
[‘You’re too loud!’]
[‘You’re too dirty!’]
[‘You’re too boring!’]
[They ended up fighting because they couldn’t accept each other’s differences. This is my land!]
“Aghhh! S-Snake monsters, monsters are crawling all over the floor! Eek! They’re trying to… trying to get on the train, but they’re too slow…”
“Urgh.”
[The yellow flower spoke.]
[‘I hate you! Get out of here!’]
The attraction passed by in an instant.
The train whizzed by, and the ride time doubled..
[The blue dragon spoke.]
[‘And I hate you! You get out of here!’]
‘Looks like it’s nearing the end of the fight…’
This was the last part.
‘This was also described a few times.’
The mascots wanted to live how they each wished.
So, they divided the fantasyland into colored zones and peacefully lived…
[The red rabbit spoke.]
[Die.]
…
Well.
[The red rabbit decided to get rid of its friends by any means necessary. No, they’re not friends anymore. Enemies! Enemies! Enemies!]
[One by one, one by one, one at a time! Push them into pits, drown them in water, shove them off the cliffs!]
[Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!]
The narration cut off.
And then it suddenly resumed.
An unnaturally cheerful voice.
[The Red Rabbit won!]
The voice crackled.
[The ruler of this land is the Red Rabbit, only Magic Bunny.]
[Magic Bunny is the only dream, fantasy, law, and only its ideology is worth enjoying.]
Silence.
The passengers, who seemed to have seen every possible horrifying or terrifying sight, were now gasping.
Ragged breaths of fear.
And then—
…The train was slowing down.
I gulped hard.
"…The end of the line."
No matter how fast a ride is, it always slows down when it comes to a stop.
[Welcome to Magic Bunny’s Fantasy Land.]
The back of my neck was damp with sweat.
An eerie intuition crept over me.
Finally, I lifted my head.
[Behold the great Magic Bunny!]
A giant rabbit mascot’s head appeared directly in front of us.
Its blood-red eyes spun wildly, its grotesque mouth opening to reveal rows of sharp teeth that jutted forward as if to pierce.
[Become one with the great Magic Bunny!]
It was a sight I’d never seen before.
[Die.]
The air was filled with an overwhelming, dizzying noise.
The windows of the train were suddenly covered with red rabbits, pressing their oversized mascot heads against the glass, their faces twisted in unrelenting glares directed straight at us.
[Die.]
I nearly fainted.
“Gasp! Huff… huff…!”
“D-d-d-die…”
The narration, now a deranged cackle, spiraled out of control.
Red lights flickered on and off, casting the train in a haze.
Panic-stricken murmurs filled the air, their intensity blurring my mind.
A voice cut through it all.
“Oh. I think I get it now.”
“...What?”
“It’s some kind of initiation ritual, isn’t it? Like, kill the person next to you—classic stuff.”
‘What is this person even talking about?’
“You saw it too, right? The rabbits were killing each other left and right. Oh, wait, you had your eyes closed. But you must’ve gotten the gist from the narration, right?”
The Team A’s deputy spoke in a calm, almost casual voice.
When I turned my head, I saw her—wearing a butterfly mask, looking at the rabbits stuck to the windows like it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“So, who should we kill?”
“Wh-what are you…?”
“Shh.”
The eyes behind the butterfly mask darkened, scanning us with a calculating gaze.
“Hmm.”
Team Y.
Researcher.
Me.
Team Y.
Researcher.
Team Y.
Researcher.
Researcher.
Team Y…
“You.”
He pointed directly at one.
The new hire from Team Y, pale and trembling, froze as if his blood had turned to ice.
The butterfly mask’s finger shifted.
“Grab that lab coat guy.”
The researcher.
“…!”
It was a death sentence.
“Wh-what… wait, wait, hold on—”
“Gag him. Oh, and you, shut up too.”
“Mmmpf!”
“Oh… do we each have to kill one directly? Hey, top recruit.”
Reflexively, I looked at her.
“You kill this one. I want to observe.”
“Mmmpf! Mmm! Mmmm!”
“Don’t use any special equipment. Just… oh, right. Earlier, that rabbit threw a dragon off the cliff, didn’t it? Try tossing him out of the train. Let’s see if that counts.”
She wants me to what??
“Go on.”
I turned my head toward the window, but quickly snapped it back.
‘The mascot’s crying tears of blood!’
And look at the rabbits stuck to the windows—they’re terrifying!
There was no way I could open the train window. I’d collapse into a screaming mess the moment I tried.
Besides… how could anyone kill someone so casually, like slurping instant noodles?
No, no, putting that aside—
This was a death flag!
As another irregularity escalated the horrifying chaos, I finally realized something with certainty.
We couldn’t afford to play along with this mascot’s whims!
If we went down this path, we’d all die!
But how could I convince her?
That deputy… if I tried something like, “I’ve seen over 70 recorded explorations from the future,” she’d cut my head off without hesitation.
Think, think…
To hell with it!
“Wait a second!”
“What?”
“This is a trap.”
Time to bet everything on a lie.
I began to spin a tale without missing a beat!
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