The Dark Circus [IC]

[Esper]

Terrance Blackhorn sat in his office going over some last minute paperwork. The show began in ten minutes and then the unholy spectacle his family called a circus would begin. For centuries they had been housing the paranomal under the nose of humans and not one had ever been discovered with their organization. A knock came to the door as Terrance stood and donned his Ringmaster's formal coat. He grabbed his top hat and strode out of the room, an air of confidence surrounding the man that was apparent to anyone that came upon him. He cleared his throat and looked at the crowd.

It was packed tonight. The benches of red and black were filled to brim. Men and women eagerly awaited the performance. Due to the graphic nature of the show they didn't allow any children into the show, which was mostly fine because the show began at 10pm. He took a breath in and stroked his mustashe. "Ladies, gentlemen", he began with a low tone. "For centuries my family has travelled the globe searching for the rare and the odd, for the best of the best. That is how the Dark Circus was born and today, we are better than ever and at the peak of our game. Those with faint hearts divert your eyes, because here are our performers." His voice started soft, but ended with a shout. Cheers and whistles emerged from the crowd as the performers circled the arena in a line.

"My fairest Ladies, my bravest Gents, since you are still here Prepare to feast your eyes upon the spectacle that is the Dark Circus." He raised his diamond tipped cane and on cue flames emerged from the the gem and danced around the roar, then dispursed in a cloud of smoke. He took a bow and walked out of the performing area. The music began to play, a medley of styles mixed by a Siren musician they had recruited a century or so ago. The audience would leave filled with awe and wonder as they always did. He smirked knowing that his performers had already pulled the greatest trick of them all, one envied by thieves and magicians alike, hiding in plain sight.

A slender woman waited for Terrance ouside the tent as he made his way back to the office. There was always paperwork to do and streaming of the performance on their website (for a fee naturally). "Mr. Blackhorn, if I might have a minute of your time please." Her brunette air danced in the wind and her scent drifted into his nostrils. She was an enchantress, a powerful one at that. "I might like a job, you see I don't fit in around this small, hick town and wanted to", she said before being cut off.

"Run away with the Circus. I know your kind, an enchantress. Lucky for you I need one for the side show. Come along and fill out an application in our guest tent. I will meet you there shortly. Just follow the signs and it will lead you there." He tipped the top hat at the woman and gestured with his cane in the general direction she'd want to head. As he saw her walk away he eyed her long, toned legs and firm looking rear. Her form was Aphrodite incarnate and he wanted her, perhaps more than anything else in his entire life. Soon he would claim her as his own.

[thenameofchange]

Medeiros watched as Terrance Blackhorn exited the stage. As the lights suddenly vanished, casting the arena into blackness, the encantado breathed deeply and quickly ran out to the center. Her poi, ready and waiting to be lit, rested limply in her hands. Mede took another lung-filling breath, dug a lighter from the folds of her dress, and, with the flick of a wrist, lit both poi. In a dazzle of light, both wicks caught fire. They blazed brightly, the fire hungrily lapping at the twine. Mede smiled at the crowd, taking in the awed expressions caught in the flickering light.

She began to dance, guiding the poi into a butterfly followed by a pac man twist before dissolving the twist with a wrist twirl into an albatross. The flames flared as they flowed around her, illuminating her hair and dress. Quick step, then the albatross unfolded into a perfect five beat atomic inversion. Mede twisted in a circle, morphing the atomic inversion into an anti-spin hybrid weave. This routine was second-nature by now; she knew it by heart, and practiced rigorously, so she knew not to be afraid of the flame's licking tongues as she leapt into the air and flipped, twirling the poi around her body. The temptation was there, to go back to the snake and slide into the dark water where it would be cool and the heat of the fire would be washed away, but Medeiros shook the thought away as she landed gracefully on her feet, poi dancing around her in intricate patterns, leading the fire along. As much as she loved the water, fire called to her in a brazen way, perhaps because of its finicky nature. Whatever the reason, the encantado loved fire dancing. It was reason enough to endure human form far more often than normal for her kind.

The fire, as if realizing she had become distracted, suddenly caught on the back of her dress. It gobbled the fine fabric, and she could feel the heat burning her spine. Mede hissed under her breath, glad that the flames were on her back and not the front. This way, the audience may never realize she had let the flames out from under her thumb, and perhaps they would believe she just had a very short act. With a flare, she began whipping the poi about in intricate patterns and variations, all the while backing up. Feeling the fire growing, Mede began to run backwards, glad when she realized she was by the exit. With a flourished bow, she backed out of the audience's line of sight and began to strip.

Medeiros threw her poi into the water buckets awaiting this purpose, and, heedless of whoever may be watching, ripped her dress off. She grabbed the dress and shoved it into a bucket with her poi. She frowned when she pulled out the dress. "Damn it, I just had this one delivered! Now I'll have to have a new one made. Aaargh!"

[C hell C]

Melody was shoving her face full of popcorn all lady like when she noticed the music for Medeiros act got cut short and her own came on. “Shit!” she mumbled through the mouthful; throwing the rest of her popcorn on the ground she rushed through the opening, passing a half-naked Medeiros, doing two back hand springs she landed on her mark near her ladder. As the burning bright spotlight stopped on her she curtseyed to the crowd pulling on the edges of her tutu. The killer wardrobe was one of her favorite parts of the job. As she got announced she smiled wickedly and started up the ladder, her destination was a thirty foot up; twelve foot long; half inch rope. They never bothered with a safety net; but that’s how Melody liked it. As the music kept a light music box melody she slowly walked with a skip in her step to the center of her own personal stage. As she stood on one foot and extended he other into a perfect arabesque she leaned forward until her foot was pointing straight in the air, her arms (and wings) out steadying herself. Standing back on her feet she gently took a few steps forward on the tip of her toes, she gracefully leaned back into a handstand; her feet high in the air. These moves were comfortable to her; her mind was elsewhere; back at her sad abandoned bag of popcorn.
Her body tensed and the music dropped silent; then soared with a harsh, fast beating tempo. Taking her que she scissor kicked her legs, pushing herself into the air with her arms she let herself fall until she caught the wire under her knee. Using the momentum she swung herself back up onto her feet, spreading her arms wide and flicking with her wrist up, she did a few fast kicking sprints and then twirled continuelessly down the rope her feet masterfully finding the wire as she spun. She ended it with kicking her leg high in the air holding it parallel from the ground. Nearing the end of the act she started jumping on her single leg, causing the rope to thrum and bounce, she again jumped high into the air spreading her legs gracefully she fell; this time only catching the rope with the tips of her fingers. She swung herself up and over the wire a few times before letting go and bouncing back onto the wire in a perfect split stance, arms held high into the air. She again grinned at the crowd pinching the end of her tutu she mock curtsied. As they killed the light she jumped from the wire, gliding softly down. She skipped back to the other side of the curtain, picking up her discarded bag of popcorn she sat cross-legged and started munching.

[Aesthetic]

The lights dimmed down, and Calliope was mesmerized by both performances that were up before them. Timpani moved up next to her, standing straight, fingering a blade in its sheath. Her gills were peeking out of her hair, but they were slowly folding up into her skin, a blue-violet merging with a blatant peachy tone. The crowd would hardly notice this while their eyes were adjusting from the dark.

“You remember our routine, yes?” Calliope asked her younger counterpart. Calliope checked over her costume, hoping that she wouldn’t have a wardrobe malfunction like Medeiros, or poor timing similar to Melody’s.

“As if I could forget it,” Timpani replied, graciously sliding 7 swords into her gullet. She tilted her head up, taking care to walk upright. The tent was once again emmersed in darkness, save for a spotlight pointed towards the little girl. The crowds’ previous cheers died down to mere whispers, though they were excited to see such a young performer.

Timpani looked smitten as she started to sing, her voice enchanting the audience. As she sang, her sister was highlighted by yet another spotlight, twisting about in her aerial silks. The crowd was silent, totally encompassed by the act; namely the girl singing with swords down her throat, her voice haunting.

Calliope twirled in the fabric. She tugged on the silk, wrapping her arms, suspending herself in mid-air. She added in a quick split. Calliope allowed some of the rope to slip from her grip, feigning a fall. The crowd allowed themselves a gasp. Calliope twisted her leg in the silk, hanging suspensefully by only a leg and arm.

And then Timpani pulled out one of the swords, which was coated in saliva which dribbled down her chin. She took only seconds to aim before throwing the sword at the silk drapes that Calliope was anchored onto. It ripped through the silk that Calliope had wrapped her hand in, leaving her dangling by a leg. Calliope flung her body upwards, latching onto the aerial silk with both hands. She looked scared and confused, although Timpani knew better.

The lights turned off for a moment, and when they turned back on, Timpani was at the foot of the silk pillar, the 6 swords in her mouth replaced by 6 daggers sheathed on her hip. She grinned, starting to spin the steady silk that her older sister was holding onto for dear life. Calliope graciously let go of the silk, bending backwards as she whirled around. Her original aerial silks act had turned into a Spanish web act. Timpani slowed down the silk’s rotation, allowing Calliope enough time to switch her position, which was getting a bit uncomfortable. Their strange ability of reading eachother’s minds did come in handy very often.

Calliope then slid down the silks, her hair a bit unruly and wind-swept from the spinning. She smiled crookedly before she cartwheeled out of the arena. Timpani looked smitten as she chucked her knives into the audience, howling wildly as they all ducked out of the way, the blades missing them by mere inches. She curtsied and then ran out of the ring.

Out of the audience’s sight, Timpani and Calliope knuckle touched, and Calliope ruffled Timpani’s hair, which made it appear as disheveled as her own. The two took seat across from eachother, Timpani brandishing a deck of Tarot cards.

[UserFriendlyFun]

"And here we go," Uther mumbled as he felt his skin begin to become fleshy, tender, and human. He gathered up his props that consisted of a bottle of water, a small torch, and a rod about half his height that detached in the middle to create two rods. The bottle and torch were merely for show, he had no intention of scaring too badly...

He began walking quickly towards the stage, throwing his sunglasses on. The audience would assume this was merely part of protection for the act, or something along those lines, because he was never questioned about it. He pushed aside the curtain and stepped forward into the lime light, a bright smile lighting his face.

He placed his props on the floor, deciding to begin with some basics. He opened one palm of his hand, and a small flame emerged, he then placed both his hands together, pulling them apart slowly, it appeared his palms were the source of the flame. Clapping, the flame was extinguished, giving Uther time to pull apart the rod. He lit each side on fire and held them high above his head, he titled his head upwards and placed one in his mouth, extinguishing the fire quickly. Hearing the familiar gasp from the audience, Uther then placed the other in his mouth, breathing out a small puff of smoke. He then put one of the ends in his mouth once more and the flame was restored. He did this back and forth twice, proceeding to lay the rods on the ground.

Uther took a long swig from the bottle of "fuel," swallowing the water instantly. Tilting his head back once more, he held the torch a foot away from his face, and produced a small ball of flame. He turned his back on the audience and held the torch up again, breathing a serpent-like shape, moving his head back and forth to make it appear to be a snake made out of fire. He spun around again, bowing as the audience clapped. Then, without the torch, he flung his head up and let out a gigantic bellow of fire, lasting for a few seconds. He nodded his head and he walked offstage, waving and smiling. "That will never get old!" Uther laughed as he walked behind the curtains, still smiling.

[Architect]

"Bollocks."

Shuck murmured grumbily as he shuffled his hand from within the confines of his jacket pocket, strewn over a fold-out chair placed within the Performer's Tent, placed adjoiningly with the main performance area and shut off by a black curtain.

"Dat was me las' fag," he grunted as he pulled the cigarette stub from between his lips, throwing it to the floor and crushing it bellow his booted heel.
He looked down at his attire and huffed. He was dressed in a sleeveless full-body black leotard with red trimmings, with a pair of black-and-red athletic lace-up boots.

He hated the uniform.

It always rode-up in the wrong places, chaffed his thighs and ass-crack, and let off an incredibly exotic and foreign odour. But, Blackthorn said the Troupe needed costumes and personas, and Shuck was just happy it wasn't given the original decal of pink and green.

Leaving the dress/make-up area, Shuck waltzed over to where the others had placed themselves at the curtain, which was parted in order for everyone to view the acts before themselves. Peeking out around the others, arms crossed, he scanned the crowd.

"Aye, it's down-righ' black tonigh', eh? Plenty a' birds, too," he mumbled while he glanced at the clustered array of young women seated throughout the crowd.*

As Meideros receeded back from her shortened act and Melody hurried herself into her performance, Shuck glanced at her naked body and, staring back at the centre stage blankly, cleared his throat.

"Aren't you an article, Meideros," he teased, rubbing his chin. "I t'ink yer should dress like t'at more often, don't ya t'ink?"

Thankfully, Shuck's thick Gaelic accent tended to mask a majority of his glum or insulting comments, and morphed them into a comedic (albeit sarcastic) opinion.

As the others were finishing their acts, Shuck strode over to the far back of the tent, past the make-up and dressing stalls, to the props area, where the "Helpers", swift gremlins who'd taken the form of gangly pigmys, began grabbing and setting up his equipment.

"Aye, aye," he stopped one of the small 'men', who was holding a heavy steel chain. "Yous almust ready?"

"Well," it replied in an unnaturally squeaky, nasally voice. "Jackal and Bobo forgot to feed him this morning, so.. Bobo's missing an arm and Jackal's been wetting himself in the corner ever since."

"Eh? You're tellin' meh dat yous forgot to feed da damn t'ing? Me act's up in minute, and I'm goin' into da arena wit' dat t'ing, and ya did it up arseways!"

"Yeah, yeah," the Helper waved Shuck off, investigating the chain in his grasp and walking off. "You'll be fine."

"Oi! Oi, yer little git! Get back here before I belt yer 'til yer banjaxed! Oi!"

*

"Bless ye Mary," Shuck softly prayed as he waltzed into the darkened centre stage. "Fook, I'mma di'."

As he walked into the centre, a spotlight shot on and blinded him momentarily. Shuck could smell the excitement before he could hear the ecstatic clapping. He took a steady bow and listened as he heard the faint patter of the gremlins, always invisible to the crowd in the shadows, exit the stage.

As he straightened up, a dual spotlight appeared, revealing a large, cubed objrct draped with a lovely grey satin curtain.

The shape shuddered, and there erupted a powerful roar from behind the sheet.

"Feck me."

Moving over to the sheet, he grasped it with both large, strong hands. The material felt soft in his hands, gentle and smooth.
Shuck tore it away, revealing a large steel cage adorned with thick bars and iron bolts. Within the cage strode a 600-pound, brown Grizzly bear, pacing up and down, a gutteral growl forming in its throat.

"Evenin', Paddy."

Paddy roared and blew out a musky breath. It smelt of dirt, dew and gremlin flesh.

"Easy der', laddy."

Suddenly, the spotlight disappeared, causing much of the audience to murmur loudly. The original spotlight shone on Shuck and followed him as he walked back to the centre. Although inaudible to the audience, Shuck's senses heard the quietly jangling of locks as the gremlins did their further work.
By the time he'd reached the centre and turned back to face the cage, the lights erupted on and flooded the room in bright clarity. A woman screamed. Followed by another. And another.

The cage had opened. And Paddy was out.

The Grizzly was hesitant at first, sniffing at the air *and padding absently at the floor, its innocent eyes searching the faces on the crowd. Then, as soon as he saw Shuck, and took a whif of his unique scent, he went into a rage. Paddy roared and growled and standing upright in order to he intimidating.
Shuck looked up at the monster apathetically and sighed.

"Paddy, don't be a hairy twat, aye? We'll be havin' an agro, but der's no point in ya stirring shite up, eh."

Paddy roared and suddenly charged forward, powering with such force it incited the idea that the two had a past.

"Oh, you fookin' fuzzy cun-!"

Paddy collided with Shuck, his heavy body pushing against Shuck's muscular frame with incredible strength. Strength that could crush a man like a twig and rend wood as if t wear paper. But Shuck was stronger.

Getting a firm grip, Shuck twined both powerful arms around the animals large neck, heaving with all his might and adding pressure.

"Move, you fookin' fat fook!"

With a loud grunt, Shuck found his footing and planted himself firmly on the ground, throwing his pressure to the left and throwing Paddy several feet. The bear skidded across the ground heavily, whimpering gently, but then immediately standing back up again.

"Finn, ya fookin' gremlin, why da fool didn't ya feed da damn bear?"

Paddy charged forward again, reaching Shuck within seconds. He swung a heavy claw straight down towards the Irishman (dog), which was swiftly caught by the aforementioned in a powerful grip and parried. Paddy, taken aback, reared up on his hind legs and took another powerful swipe. Shuck caught the paw and twisted his body, applying a large amount of pressure downwards as he heaved the bear over his shoulder. The animal landed with a heavy thud, a thin film of dust jerking up into the air from the impact.
Paddy, winded, huffed heavily and groaned quietly. His furry belly rose and fell deeply, and Shuck dropped down low.

"Ah, I'm sorry," he reached down and patted the bear's belly. "I know, yer just a hungry bugger'."

Shuck stood and turned, preparing to face the stunned crowd and reassure them that everything was alright. That was when Paddy suddenly found his opening.

The beat rose up quickly, roaring, and fell on its hind legs. Shuck turned to slowly and grumbled quietly.

"Oh, balls-"

Paddy lunged forward, body outstretched, and the crowd gasped as his entire weight fell onto the Irishman, a loud thud muffling the sounds of the crowd momentarily as the actual severity of the situation sank in.
The entire audience rose up, looking on at the sight of the unmoving, tired Grizzly, and began to shriek and yell.

There was a sudden movement. A twitch.

Then an audible grunt filed the room.

The besr suddenly flew up, off the ground a full 6-feet-and-over, and Lachlan Shuck was beneath it, standing upright and holding the powerful creature above his head in one hand.

For a moment, the audience stood quietly, shocked and stunned. Then the stage erupted in applause, clapping and whistling. Shuck let the bear sag over his shoulder, too tired to move, and lugged it off the stage back into the curtain.

"Aye, Paddy, I'm sorry," he gently placed the bear on the ground, where the gremlins, as if appearing from nowhere, swarmed it. They prepared to gather the chains, but Shuck stopped them.

"No point. Jus' lock 'im up, eh? And bloody feed him, you pygmy twats. Don't do an arseways job."

[C hell C]

Vivian didn't let it show but she was quite impressed with Shucks act. Not that she'd be caught dead saying so. Caught dead...She stared coolly at her surroundings, sometimes she just cracked herself up...
As she started stretching for her act that was only seconds away she began reminiscing. Oh the tragic life of a living dead girl~ She rolled her eyes at herself.
As the haunting melody started she walked out into the center of the dark stage. Clad as she was in a sheer black lace corset, black silk underneath covering the essentials, and a black ruffled skirt that was open in the front and fell mid thigh. Her strappy black high heels didn't make her act any easier; but her outfit just wasn't complete without it.
The tinted blue spotlight fell on her and she lifted her arms to silence the crowd. She lifted her leg off the ground and without the help of her arms she held it out at a 90 degree angle then slowly brought it up so it was vertical to the ground. Grabbing her ankle she bent it back behind her head, still standing strong on one leg. She lowered herself to the ground and grabbed her other foot twisting it she bent it backwards until her foot was tucked up under her rib cage, her heel prodding her insides painfully; well that would be if she could feel any pain. She stayed in her twisted up form for a few moments then released her limbs.
Gracefully rolling over onto her belly facing the crowd as an angle she bent her spine, her feet landing on either side of her head. She smiled coily at the viewers; then bracing herself she twisted her legs so that they ran around her body. her spine twisting every which way as they made their way around and round. She propped her chin up and yawned into her open palm for show.
Her feet stopped back on either side of her head,she curled her toes and rested her feet on the ground on their knuckles taking a deep breath she leaned forward so her butt was resting on her head. Grabbing her ankles she shifted most her weight back onto her feet she rocked forward and stood. She felt several vertebrae pop and she had to slightly dematerialize to keep her frail spine from breaking. She lowered herself so her head was on the ground behind her she was bent at the knee slightly but she kept her legs standing ever so slowly she spread them out so she was doing the splits; she got a nice view up her own skirt in this position but that was why she was glad she worked alone. Staying in that position she strained curling her spine even more so her crotch almost rested against her face; her skirt flipping forward she tried to blow it out of her eyes. She hurried and pushed herself up wit her arms and slowly uncurled her spine rotating to stand on her feet as she did. Deciding that the did enough she winked and bowed at the crowd the promptly turned and left the stage leaving it open for Monsieur Blackhorn to wrap things up.

[Esper]

The night went on as planned. Aside from a few mishaps during the acts things were perfect. Terrance Blackhorn strode back out in the same manner as when the show began. "Ladies, gentlemen, we at the Dark Circus hope you have enjoyed the shock and wonder of our acts. We strive to bring you the finest in entertainment. Please give the performers a round of applause if you enjoyed their unique and sometimes dangerous feats they do in your name, because without you the audience we are nothing." He bowed humbly crossing the arm that bore the diamond tipped cane in hand. "Merchandise and videos are available as well as magic kits for little ones at home. Just enter the tent adjacent to our exit and have a wonderful night."

With the speech he had made more than a dozen times this month over he strode out of the tent and over to where he had left the enchantress filling out her forms. She was absent from the tent, probably had taken to a walk around the grounds while she waited. For a few minutes he asked around while the acts met with adoring fans. Deciding to wait for the enchantress to resurface he went back to his private car. He found the woman from earlier in the eve within. She looked different this time however, strings portruded from her pale skin and her eyes had a distinctly hollow, white glow to them.

"Terrance Blackhorn the Sixth as is your human name. we know who you are and what you do", the ruby red lips spoke with a harsh growling tone to them. The seductive female from earlier was gone from her body, now stripped to nothing more than a hull mentally. "We want you to stop this Circus. Humans are a lesser species and yet you seek to entertain them, to mock our traditions, and to dishonor the world beyond what the lesser lifeforms see." The left arm rose and the fingers formed a fist, saved for the pointer finger that was stuck in his direction. "We, who shall not be named, command you to stop or we will make you atone for your sins. Trust those words." Suddenly the strings disintegrated into nothing and the shell of a body fell to the floor.

Terrance had been a talented healer in his days before taking over the business, his senses keener than most humans and most natural animals. He heard the woman's heartbeat began to slow, then stop without warning. "To ash", he mumbled as he waved his hand in her direction. "Return to the earth and give her your boon as she has given you." The body turned to ash and then vanished. All that was left as proof a person was once there was the alluring scent and a pile of clothing.

He peeked outside the car and spoke to a guard. "Get me Ivory. I am in need of her talents this moment." The guard posted outside, a dragon that took human form, nodded and silently trudged off to find the woman that Terrance had requested. The other dragon, a twin of the former guard remained at his post. His father had taken the pair in after finding them as eggs. They were scarcely more than younglings where dragons were concerned, but in human form they would forever retain a youthful and muscular form.