[Fair '24] Alowyn - Mischievous Mimicry

A new day started, the sun just peeked over the horizon as the light spilled over slowly brightening the colourful streamers around the fairgrounds. Alowyn was here early, earlier than any other day she attended the fair. She wandered around enjoying the quiet and the cold air. 

“Do you want to be the first of the day to try this?” A reosean called over to Alowyn. 

Alowyn looked over to spy the pale green runner. She thought for a moment, considered how she wanted to spend her day before she nodded and walked over. She smiled at the runner and introduced herself. The runner replied in kind, Zest was her name. 

“What do I have to do?” Alowyn asked. 

She approached a table decorated with streamers and flags. On the table was a large range of items, some looked old and worn while others looked brand new. Zest watched the small tyrian examine the table for a few minutes before she answered the question. 

“The object of this game,” Zest started to explain, “Is to find the fake. We have an imp disguised as one of the objects and you have to find it.”

“Alright,” Alowyn said, tapping the table, “I’ll give it a shot.”

Zest stepped back from the table and let Alowyn look around. Alowyn walked around the table, first taking in everything on the table. She was trying to see if anything stuck out at first glance. There were different goblets, a few necklaces, an old teapot, and a cracked tea cup. Alowyn hummed to herself as she thought. 

“You can pick stuff up,” Zest suggested. 

“Really?” Alowyn asked, thinking touching the objects would give it away. 

“Yeah, go for it. The imp is completely changed, you don’t feel skin or fur,” Zest explained. 

Alowyn contemplated the new information and slowly reached for one of the rusted goblets. It seemed to weigh what Alowyn would expect. She twisted it around in her hands, lifting it up and down quickly, almost as if she were trying to shake the imp out. She did the same thing with the other goblets on the table before she decided they were all the same. 

“Can you give me a clue?” Alowyn asked, looking at Zest. 

Zest shook her head, “No can do. It’s not meant to be easy.”

Alowyn huffed but turned to the necklaces on the table and picked one up. She moved the necklace around in the light to see if any surface wasn’t reflecting or had a strange reflection. It was hard to say if what she was seeing was a flaw or simply wear and tear. Alowyn made a noise of frustration causing Zest to chuckle. However, when Alowyn shot the runner a glare Zest quieted. Alowyn repeated the light test on all the necklaces and similar jewelry on the table but decided they were all normal. 

“This feels impossible,” Alowyn complained. 

“Reoseans have done it,” Zest said with a shrug.

“How?” Alowyn squinted at the items she hadn’t picked up yet.

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them,” Zest replied with a little sass. 

Alowyn turned to the teapot and teacup. She started with the teapot, picking it up by its handle. She examined the paintwork and the overall shape. She filled it over in her hands, she was suspicious of the teapot but all the imperfections in the shape and paint could be because it was handmade. Before she asked, she picked up the tea cup and found the same imperfections. 

“Are these handmade?” Alowyn asked. 

Zest shrugged, “I think if I answered that it might give you a clue.”

Alowyn sighed but looked back at the table. The necklace, teapot, and teacup were all suspicious to her. She scratched her head before she stepped back. 

“Have you made a choice,” Zest asked. 

Alowyn nodded, “Yes, I pick the necklace.”

Alowyn lifted the necklace of her choice and passed it to Zest. Zest smiled and then shook her head. 

“This isn’t the imp,” Zest confessed as she put the necklace back on the table. 

“Do I get to know what the imp was?” Alowyn glared at the table. 

“Sure,” Zest tapped one of the goblets and the pair watched as the goblet unraveled into a little black imp. 

Alowyn exclaimed about how impossible the game was and anyone who guessed correctly must have been lucky. Zest, used to the extreme reactions, just laughed and waited for the empyrian to calm down. When Alowyn was finished with her tirade, she thanked Zest and left. 

[759]