It was a much-anticipated evening in the town square. The local cinema was packed to the rafters, filled with excited people awaiting the premiere of a new adventure film. The marquee lights twinkled cheerfully, and a long queue of moviegoers waited patiently for their turn at the entrance.
Splashkin, a very clever Magikito, was among them. With his pointed hat adorned with jingling bells, he watched the crowd with curiosity. He loved seeing so many people together, especially when they were happy.
Suddenly, Ronald appeared—a lonely, impatient rich man accustomed to always being above everyone else. He cut in front of the entire queue, pushing past children and elderly folk who had been waiting with excitement. Splashkin frowned; he didn’t like it when people acted selfishly. So he decided the best thing would be to teach this person a lesson in manners.
He slipped stealthily through the crowd and reached the selfish gentleman, where with skill and flair he whipped up a sauce from perfectly ripe tomatoes. He added a magical thickener and, amidst mischievous giggles, thoroughly soaked the ticket Ronald intended to use for cinema entry.
The paper, now wet and covered in red stains, became almost illegible. But he, unaware of what had happened, strode confidently toward the entrance. And when he handed over his ticket, the attendant raised one eyebrow, then the other.
— I’m sorry, sir — he said firmly — but I can’t accept your ticket in this condition. It’s completely covered in… tomato sauce? —
Ronald looked at his ticket in surprise, his eyes widening like saucers. He tried to clean it with his hands, but thanks to the magical thickener, he only managed to stain his fingers even more, to the point where nothing could be seen.
— But I just bought it a moment ago! — he protested, trying to explain — I don’t know how it got dirty… perhaps from the pizza I ate before coming here —
— It doesn’t matter how it happened, sir. Without a valid ticket, you can’t enter — replied the attendant —
— Well then, give me another one and let me in, I’ve got money to spare —
He pulled out a wallet stuffed with bills from his pocket and showed it to the usher.
— I’m afraid all tickets are sold out. Please step out of the queue and let the others through, thank you —
Ronald stood there, jaw dropped and bewildered, while the rest of the queue moved forward with satisfied smiles. Splashkin, hidden behind a decorative plant, let out a little laugh and snapped his fingers again. A gentle magical breeze wafted through the cinema, and everyone present could smell a delicious aroma of tomato with fresh basil. The magic was done.
While the selfish rich man stormed off in a huff, the rest of the attendees continued entering the cinema joyfully. They were absolutely thrilled and eager to finally see the long-awaited film.
Splashkin watched from his hiding spot, smiling with satisfaction. He knew that sometimes, a little mischief could teach big lessons. With one more giggle, he prepared for his next adventure, pleased to have brought a bit of justice that evening and, of course, a tasty touch of tomato sauce.
