A Fantasy Attraction
, a short story by E. G. Castle. It starts with a simple question, "Could you look after my niece?" Upon accepting that request, elderly Mr. Smith is swept into a long and wild day, that starts soon after he meets Alice, a young girl with the uncanny ability to attract magical beings. First a genie pops up, then a hoggoblin and horde of goblins drop by. Spinxes, fairys, kobolds, gnomes, gargoyles, manticores, trolls, ogres, dragons, harpys, wyverns, hippogriffs, salamanders... It's a lucky thing Mr. Smith has his spork on hand, or otherwise he'd be in real trouble!
A Fantasy Attraction contains examples of:
- All Trolls Are Different: A female one appears, although apparently the only way to tell is that she’s wearing a shapeless tunic rather than just a loincloth. Is driven off by Mr. Smith armed with an all herbal shampoo bottle, as trolls are allergic to flowers.
- Animorphism: Mr. Smith with his magic spork, which he uses accidentally on Alice (Turns into a baby bunny.), Trisha (Kitten), and Somer (Puppy). Oh, yeah, and a hippogriff too (Baby raven).
- Breath Weapon: Aleksandra uses flamethrower breath against a tribe of ogres.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Aleksandra. She comes, enters, and you completely forget about her. Later, she reappears just in time to incinerate a group of ogres.
- Dragon Hoard: Aleksandra is collecting for hers.
- Fiery Salamander: One is tossed around by a murder of wyverns, and dropped onto the grass when they flee. Is then convinced to leave by Somer.
- Getting the Boot: Archibald the kobold is literally tossed out the window by Mr. Smith. Also, a manticore and hippogriff are teleported away.
- Harping on About Harpies: Herbert, a scholar wearing magical glasses. Appears at the house after being downed from an attack by a peregrine falcon.
- Invisibility: Hobgoblins can become invisible at will. Somer complains that seeing someone invisible gives him an eye-ache.
- Magic Wand: The spork. Turns people into baby animals.
- Our Dragons Are Different: Aleksandra, a fire-breathing, shape-changing dragon. As well as a murder of wyverns.
- Our Fairies Are Different: An unnamed one appears, and a pixie causing trouble is also mentioned.
- Our Gargoyles Rock: One pops up as an insurance salesman. An additional reason to hide behind the couch when you hear a knock at the door.
- Our Genies Are Different / Benevolent Genie: Somer, a genie who looks like a cross between at cat and a dog with glowing white eyes. Is also, according to him, a guardian genie, which is why he sticks around the whole day to help protect Alice.
- Our Gnomes Are Weirder: A gnome named Stanley appears, selling a lava creating device, a tornado maker, and a storm-caller.
- Our Goblins Are Different: A horde of goblins barge in, chasing after a hobgoblin, Burg. The goblins are pretty typical, brutish, short, stupid, but the hobgoblin is only half their size, and quite civilized. Hobgoblins also have the ability to become invisible, apparently.
- Our Gryphons Are Different: Bob and Sally are two griffins who get lost on their honeymoon, and eventually end up dropping by three times in all. A hippogriff also appears, one with the body of a horse and the head of a lion. It’s murderous, but thankfully, Mr. Smith had his Chekhov's Gun at the ready.
- Our Ogres Are Different: A tribe’s worth attacks the house, only to be driven away by Aleksandra.
- The Phoenix: One passes by overhead at the end.
- Riddling Sphinx: Trisha. She constantly peppers everyone with riddles, including the original Riddle of the Sphinx.
- These Questions Three... : Trisha pulls this on Mr. Smith, only for him to get the last one right (Apparently he only needed to answer one). Annoyed, she increased the number of riddles to three hundred..Mr. Smith: The interest on your riddles seems rather high.
- Traveling Salesman: A gargoyle tries to sell insurance to Mr. Smith, which would have been really handy if he had arrived at the beginning of the story.
- Voluntary Shape Shifting: Aleksandra, although she has only been seen to change her size.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Trolls are allergic to flowers.
- Weirdness Magnet: Alice, who has the literal ability to attract magical beings.
