Kelilla loved the Darkmoon Faire. Since Operation:Gnomeregan, however, her involvement with S.A.F.E. had kept her so busy that she had not had free time to go to the Faire for over a year. When she went into Ironforge during Pilgrim’s Bounty to purchase general supplies and bring back materials for the holiday feast to the S.A.F.E. headquarters in New Tinkertown, she heard the same question buzzing on everyone’s lips:
Are you going to New Darkmoon Faire?
Intrigued, she asked some questions of her own. When she got back to New Tinkertown, she begged Nevin for some time off when the Faire came again. She was surprised and delighted when he proclaimed the next Darkmoon Faire a holiday week for everyone who’d been with S.A.F.E. longer than six months.
“All work and no play does make a dull Gnome!” he said, and together they set up a schedule to allow everyone in S.A.F.E. to be able to take time off for the Faire (or other diversions of their choice) at least once every season.
When at last the Darkmoon Faire arrived again, Kelilla could hardly contain her excitement! She found a fun new top to wear in the perfect colors for the Faire. Even though the best other things to wear with it were her same old S.A.F.E. pants and boots, the new top made them feel fresh again, too. She got her hair dyed pink, and when she released it from her usual tightly wound braids, it fluffed up into great cotton candy poufs.
Eagerly, she took the portal in Elwynn Forest, anxious to see the mysterious new Darkmoon Island. She wasn’t disappointed by the dark, slightly spooky forest path. When she came around a curve and suddenly saw over the edge of the cliff the Faire lying spread out before her like the dazzling control panel of a truly elegant piece of tinkering, it was a magical moment indeed!
She hurried down the remainder of the path, then stopped at the gate to gaze over the fairway before plunging into the crowds.
There was so much more to see and do than there had ever been at the Faire before! Kelilla ran around looking at everything. She helped make new banners to place around the fairgrouds, collected Darkflowers, cooked some Crunchy Frogs, and treated injured carnival workers. Her S.A.F.E. training came in good stead for that task. She tried all the carnival games, saving her old favorite, the Blastenheimer 5000, for last.
The view of the Faire from the air was even more amazing than the view from the cliff, but it went by so fast!
It only took her a few tries to remember how to use the wings just right.
She couldn’t resist trying out a Pool Pony, but the water was a little too cold, and the wind a little too bitingly chilly on her wet clothes, for her to stay out swimming for very long.
Although she was as physically tired at the end of the day as she was after any day of S.A.F.E. work, mentally, she felt refreshed and relaxed. She couldn’t believe she’d waited so long to ask for a vacation, and looked forward to returning to Darkmoon Island again and again.
Great images and descriptions! I look forward to heading down to the faire, as I’ve not yet had the chance