Nikki: Choco Time/Memory

## Chapter 1: Sweet Amusement Park

Narration
In the sky, fluffy clouds are dyed in warm evening hues. The night breeze ushers in the first stars.
I gaze up, lost in thought, until the wind carries some dirt onto my face, the rough texture bringing me back to my senses.
I hurry to stand up, but some sand still enters my mouth.
Nikki
\*Coughing\*
Narration
I reflexively try to spit the grains out, but they somehow seem to melt on the tip of my tongue, taste surprisingly sweet.
Player Selection
▸ Gravel is sweet?
Player
Why would the sand be sweet?
Narration
I can't believe it either, but turns out the sand is made of sugar.
I study my surroundings. Merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, castle, slide... They all seem very familiar to me.
This seems to be some sort of theme park.
Bright lights on the colorful rides make the scene seem loud and fun... but something doesn't seem right.
It's too quiet. No children on the merry-go-round. No lovers queuing for the Ferris wheel. No mascots wandering around.
The whole place is deserted. I'm the only one here.
I arrive at a wishing well and see my own reflection on the water's surface.
Shoulder-length hair, girly overalls that were trendy once upon a time. Like I were a little girl again.
I reach the Ferris wheel to see that its poles are chocolate pocky sticks, the carriages fruit candy, adorned with strawberries.
The whole park seems to be decorated with candy floss and glass jars holding sweets. The air smells sweet all around me.
Player Selection
▸ Do you like chocolate?
Player
Do you like chocolate, Nikki?
Narration
Of course! I used to receive a lot on my birthdays.
Some wine-flavored, some animal-shaped, some with a messy HAPPY BIRTHDAY scrawled upon them.
So I give my classmates chocolates on their birthdays too.
Player Selection
▸ Do kids like chocolate?
Player
Back when you were kids? Did they like the chocolates?
Narration
I guess? Birthdays are special, so their parents would allow them to eat more sweets.
▸ The chocolate is missing that creative spark
Player
Doesn't seem like a very creative gift.
Narration
Well, I didn't know what my classmates liked, so I thought I couldn't go wrong with chocolates.
But in my case, I'm always happy to receive chocolates. I love chocolates, so...
Player Selection
▸ Where is the place?
Player
Anyway, what's this place?
Narration
Yeah, I'm pretty confused... but the atmosphere keeps distracting me.
▸ But does an amusement park like that exist?
Player
Anyway, is this a real theme park?
Narration
You think it's strange too, right? All I know is that this must be the world's most amazing theme park!
[*End transcript*]

## Chapter 2: Glowing Papers

Narration
I walk around aimlessly, studying the candy-coated rides curiously.
The carousel is made of sponge cake, very much like the kind my parents bought me for my birthday last year.
Wow, this cream piping is really exquisite. Whoever designed and built this park must be super talented.
Strwaberry carts soar past on pink roller coaster tracks. It'd have been more exciting if there were screaming tourists on them.
After a while, I find myself in the center of the theme park, where a castle stands.
The castle walls are decorated with colorful lights, but the building still seems a bit quieter compared to the rides.
Nikki
I wonder what it's like inside? Will there be more candy and desserts?
Narration
I tentatively push on the castle door, and it opens with a creak.
[*Scene fades to black, background transitions to castle interior*]

Narration
As soon as I walk in, everything goes dark, as if someone flipped a switch.
I whip around—the lights have gone out in the grounds behind me. The music has stopped. All rides are frozen in place.
Nikki
What's going on?
Narration
I peek into the castle hall. It's empty, not full of sweets like I imagined, though there are glowing snowflakes on the ceiling.
The marble floors are shiny, as if no one's ever set foot in here before. I walk inside, footsteps echoing off the walls.
Nikki
It's a bit cold in here...
Narration
The glowing snowflakes are reflected on the ground, adding to the chilling effect. My heartbeats sound disproportionately loud.
I crouch down, hugging myself with my arms, counting the snowflakes. Time seems to have blurred inside this castle.
It wouldn't be bad to remain here alone forever, I tell myself. Then I notice a stack of colored paper on the ground.
I wonder who left them there, and when. There's an origami bunny and even an... origami Momo?
Player Selection
▸ Did you make those?
Player
Did you make those?
Narration
They do look like the ones I made a while ago. What are they doing here?
Come to think of it, I often drew or made origami animals or clothes when my parents and Yoyo weren't home.
Player Selection
▸ So you had to entertain yourself?
Player
So you had to entertain yourself?
Narration
Uh huh.
Player
Did you feel lonely?
Narration
Not really. I made up stories for the paper animals, and time jsut flew by.
I gave and received birthday gifts, but I didn't really have someone to hang out with. Does this still count as having friends?
I'm still pondering when I hear the sound of paper being flipped. The origami bunny and Momo are hopping towards me!
Bunny
Nikki! Nikki, you've come!
Momo
Nikki! Didn't you promise to make a paper goldfish for us today?
Narration
Though they're made of paper, their eyes seem to sparkle eagerly.
The excitement is contagious. I can't help brightening up a bit more.
Sure. I'll make a paper goldfish to be your new friend.
I pick up a piece of red paper and fold it into a paper goldfish in seconds. As soon I let it go, it flops and swims upward.
Its red form glides slowly in the air, adding a layer of warmth to the castle of snowflakes.
Bunny
It's flying!
Momo
I wanna fly too!
Narration
Watching the colorful speck of light roaming the dark interior, I can't help but grin.
The castle was the only dark place in the busy theme park, but now it's the only place with light in the dark theme park.
[*End transcript*]

## Chapter 3: Light the Dreams Up

Narration
I continue making paper animals of different colors. I'm very proficient when I focus.
\*Knock knock\*
Someone's knocking on the door, but I'm too focused on the paper to care. My ears just block the noise out.
?
Nikki! It's time to go!
Nikki
Huh? That sounds like... Momo?
Narration
The pounding on the door continues, but it's not urgent, more like a friendly invitation. I put down the paper in my hands.
Nikki
Time to go? Where to?
?
We're waiting for you, Nikki!
Yeah! Hurry and come on out, lazybones!
Narration
More voices, more excited laughter, coming through the heavy door into my ears.
Nikki
Whose voice is it now? Marina? And Vivian? And...
Narration
I rush to the door, trying to figure out the owner of each voice.
[*Scene fades to white, background transitions to train station*]

Narration
And with a loud creak, I open the castle gate once more.
Instantly, the paper animals I made hop out of the door. The bunny and Momo, too, come out riding on the goldfish.
Nikki
Hey, where are you guys going?
Narration
Everywhere the magical paper animal parade passes by, the lights snap back on, and the rides come back to life.
The strawberry roller coaster continues on its way. The soda fountain, the candy Ferris wheel, the colorful illuminations...
Everything is back to its original dazzling state. Under the stunning lights, I see several smiling faces.
Momo, Marina, Vivian...
Momo
How could you, Nikki? You have so much chocolate and you didn't tell me?
Marina
The strawberry roller coaster is so cute! Come on, let's go have a ride!
Vivian
Come along, Nikki! The party's begun!
Narration
They extend their hands towards me, ushering me to join the mouth-watering party.
Hand in hand, we run towards the bright, glorious world, the evening breeze in my face, warm and comforting.
As we jog past the carousel, I notice that it's the only one that's not moving.
Nikki
Is it broken?
Narration
Frowning, I make a round around the carousel, trying to find a way to get it to start.
That's when someone appears next to me and pulls a box of chocolates out of thin air, stashing it into my hands.
Nikki
For me? Thank you! I love chocolates!
Narration
The person nods and points at the carousel's coin slot.
Nikki
You mean I need to put the chocolates into the slot?
Narration
I do so, and the neon bulbs on the carousel immediately light up in the golden sunset. Lively music begins to play.
Now the whole theme park has been lit up once more in a dreamy glow.
[*Scene fades to black*]

Narration
Rrrrring! Rrrrring!
[*Scene fades to black, background transitions to Nikki's bedroom*]

Narration
Surprised by the sudden noise, I squeeze my eyes shut. When I open them again, I find myself back in my room.
Sunshine spills in through white curtains. On my bedside table are my alarm clock, a paper goldfish, and a box of chocolates.
Player Selection
▸ So it was just a dream.
Player
So it was all a dream.
Narration
It was!
In the dream, there was a theme park built with countless chocolates and sweets. A joyful sight...
But I couldn't find anyone in the vast park area to share my joy with.
So I hid in the castle, in the fairy tale world I created myself out of paper.
Player Selection
▸ But then you got out of the castle.
Player
But you came out of the castle again.
Narration
Yeah, thanks to my friends who were waiting outside!
▸ But the animals all want to get out.
Player
But the paper animals wanted to go out.
Narration
Perhaps... I was the one who wanted to go out?
Player Selection
▸ You seemed to want to say something at the end of the dream?
Player
You seemed to want to say something at the end of the dream?
Narration
Yeah. I think I was gonna say... I love this place!
Or... should I say... I love being there with my friends!
It'ls like how I like chocolate not just for its taste and looks, but because it represents the well-wishes of my friends.
Player Selection
▸ Who was the last person to give you chocolate?
Player
Who was the person who gave you chocolates in the dream?
Narration
You really want to know?
The person who led me out of the castle of loneliness, the one who was always by my side...
It's you!
[*End transcript*]