Circus of the Soulless

[Trinais]

"I think it's an opportunity not worth passing up."

The possibility that he could die the minute he was freed from the circus was in Naias' mind, but more importantly to him was the mention from the Master of learning new tricks. Being an acrobat would only get him so far. He might have just enough time before the Solstice to learn something new, something to give him and his partner an edge...

"I'm going to take a walk before bed," he said. Naias stood, dusted himself off, and started off into the dense tent city that was the Circus. The lair of the Master was never readily accesible. Many an early prisoner of the Circus had sharpened a knife and gone hunting for their jailer at all hours of day and night. They were always forced to give up the hunt, to abandon the thought of finding the elusive creature.

Those who truly and honestly meant the Master no harm though... They would in their own time and at their own pace, come upon a gilded purple tent whose flap entrance was always closed to the elements. Occasionally one would see lights of different colors shine through the fabric- reds and greens and oranges. Naias once heard the sounds of harpstrings being plucked on the wind. The strangest oddity was the fact that no matter how many times a person entered the tent they could never clearly recall what was inside. Oh, they remembered the words spoken. Sitting someplace comfortable. A drink of this and a nibble of that. But the place, the interior, even the face and form of the Master was all a dreamy blur.

And this was the case too for Naias when he came upon the tent, found the entrance open... and stepped outside an hour later, smiling. It would be dawn soon and the circus would arrive at its next destination by then. Best he go sleep on what he was just taught.

[Trinais]

'Stop, please.' The childish voice said nothing else, as that was all it took. Orren's eyes went from angry and wild back to their normal gentle gaze. His hand loosened and let the woman go. However, he was a bit too late. Darla hit the floor like a limp ragdoll. She had black out, her face just on the verge of turning blue. She wasn't dead, but a few more seconds could have easily changed that. Orren's eyes widened as he looked down at her with fear and shock. He pressed further into the wall behind him, then slowly slid down it. Tears welled up in his eyes and his body began to tremble. He was too panicked to see that she was still alive. He was afraid that he had killed her.

"Oh me, oh my, what have we hear, dear Orren?" The Master tisked behind Orren's back, laying a hand on his shoulder as she peered down at Darla's body, like a child glancing at ants through a magnifying glass.

"It seems this one strayed from the path. She always has a lean and hungry look about her. A sad, sad shame. The Circus is none too kind to her free-loving lifestyle. I picked her precisely because she loved fun times of one kind or another. Trust me when I say she is much improved from her life in Las Vegas. I hate to see such progress wasted. Still, she should know better than to aim so high as you. She really should." The Master side-stepped Orren, picking Darla up like a sack of potatoes and hoisting her over one shoulder. But turning to the side, the Master gives a narrowed glare at Orren.

"I shall have words with her, and see to it Darla does not make advances toward you again. But you should know by now that these things are mine, and what is mine cannot be broken. More, I remember those who foolishly try. Performers like Darla can be mended, annoying as it is, and I will see to it the show goes on. But our guests... if you should do such harm to one of our guests, you will find yourself in a time and place that is not as pleasant as this- where, your hearing restored, you will never see and hear anything but the most terrible sights and noises man can behold- for years and years on end. Perhaps forever, if I forget to bring you back. Knowing I have built this circus and given you all your gifts, do not doubt that such a place exists and that I may send you there with a whispered word." The scowling face of the Master becomes a gleeful smile. "I think you need more practice at your art, Orren dearest. Clowns do not murder people, but only their woes. Be a happy clown and you will make me happy. You want to make me happy, don't you? I think you all should like to considering all I have done." Darla groans and shifts on the Master's shoulder, silently stirring as if in a dream. "The Circus arrives at Istanbul in the morning. Go. Sleep. Wake up. And do not cross me again. Now I am done talking. You may close your ears again, dear Orren."

The Master leaves, carrying Darla to parts of the Circus unknown to all.

In the morning Darla will be at breakfast. Healthy. Whole. And she will perform spectacles of wonder and delight for many days to come. She may return to her old ways with others even. But thereafter, she would never be able to share the same room, the same space, with Orren. Any acts of theirs which overlapped would see her show mysteriously postponed until he had left the scene. It would not be many days until she was given her own separate tent by the Master in which to perform.

Whether this fear sprang from Orren's actions or the Master's "treatment" was the subject of much rumor amongst the performers.

Only Darla and the Master knew the answer to that question.

[AkiBlue]

Ace bid Naias a goodbye deciding to worry about finding a partner later. It was her turn to kill the fire as the last of the guests had began leaving. Ace went up to the fire and sighed. She hated doing such, it was always such a pretty fire. She reached out and felt the heat of the dying flame. Instead of extinguishing it, she got someone else to do it. Ace couldn't "bear to do such extremities."

It was getting late, and Istanbul was not too far away. "Istanbul was once Constantinople." Ace said to no one in particular. Her feet led her past the animal cages...but of course she had to stop and observe the animals. She stayed quiet, not wanting to cause a ruckus...like last time. She rubbed the scar on her arm from a previous encounter with a certain tiger and her lighter.

When she got bored of watching the animals, most of them resting, Ace wandered around the tent. She moseyed along to the communal tent, and to her section of the tent. Everything was singed, if not burned completely. Even her overly large shirt that she 'borrowed' from one of the males was singed at the edges. Thankfully she had gotten better with her fire tricks or everything would have been burned down. Ace had already gotten enough complaints from the circus members that playing with fire inside was bad.

There weren't many people to talk to, so she got comfortable and awaited the arrival of Istanbul. All of their trips were fairly quick anyway. She awoke and like magic, there they were.

"Breakfast time!" Her voice echoed through the quiet tent.

[Metronome]

Orren nearly jumped out of his skin when the circus master appeared by his side. He looked up at the mysterious figure, his eyes clouded with tears. His lanky body trembled where he sat as he listened to words for the first time in years. He wanted to apologize, and tell his boss that he hadn't meant to do it. It was the old clown, it was all his fault! But the timid clown was too scared to speak. As they left, Orren caught a glimpse of the already forming bruises on the woman's neck. He let out a soft whimper once he was alone again.

After sitting in the dark for a minute or two, Orren pulled himself to his feet. He didn't want to go to bed, or even go near his trailer. He was afraid that his friends would somehow know what he had done and be afraid of him. He instead wandered off to the horse pens, where the circus's white horses were kept. There, he curled up in the hay and laid awake until the tangled thoughts in his head calmed down enough for him to sleep until morning.

[HiddenBeauty13]

The next morning, Aoi awaked with a soft yawn. Rolling over, she made contact with her sketchbook, which had somehow ended up beneath her during the night. Opening her eyes, she sat up and stretched a bit before climbing out of bed. She had a whole day ahead of her, and yet, she had no idea what she would do with it. Oh wel. She'd worry about it after breakfast. Wiht another yawn, she scratched a spot on her shoulder before heading to her built in bathroom..

Thirty minutes later, the girl was walking throught the trees towards the bonfire, her red hair blowing slightly in the wind. It was a fairly nice morning and she would have smiled if that was even apart of her vocabulary now. As she approached the area, she realized that she was one of the first ones there, so it wouldn't take her long to get her plate. After standing in line for only a few minutes, she filled her plate with various foods before going over to her usual spot. Sitting down, she sighed a bit on content and dug into her plate eagerly...

[Lyri Bladedance]

Naudia left the main tent. It's been a while since she had performed or even hung out with anyone else. Her long brown hair flowed and danced in the air as she walked. Her sea green eyes sparkled in the morning light. She wore a pure while gown that flowed around her like water, hugging her limbs then spinning around and outward with each step.
She spotted the bonfire and stared, approaching it slowly. She tore away her glaze and gathered her breakfast before settling down. She nodded at the other girl. "Morning," She said, softly. Not good morning, just morning. Naudia learned long ago that in this captivity it's never really a 'good' morning.

[Trinais]

Did you hear? There is a circus outside the city!

Akram has not heard of this circus. Being the son of a cafe owner in the heart of Istanbul, he is not a well traveled young man. He lives with his mother and father, working for them after school ends and spending his days serving government bureaucrats and American tourists. His days are filled with Turkish coffee and sandwiches, his nights with mops and garbage disposal. Homework is an escape for him, and that says something disdainful about his life. So when his best friend and neighbor sends him the message about the circus, he is at first saddened that he will miss the shows to serve coffee and sandwiches.

He politely informs his friend that he must work today.

Akrom, the circus opens at NIGHT!

Sundown is around seven. Which is when the store closes. But if this circus is not a stage performance like he has seen on television and a true circus, with tents and outdoor performers, then he will be able to escape this evening.

Akrom sweeps and mops like the devil is on his heels, he counts the money in the register and records it in the ledger for his father. Then he counts his tip money and thinks it will be enough. His mother and father make brief inquiries as to where he is going. He only says "Out."

Halfway to the circus, his friend says he will not be meeting Akrom at the circus. Discouraged, Akrom knows he cannot turn the bus around with a word. He resolves to see the circus in person.

The line outside the gates stretches for what seems miles. And the tension in the air is palpable- much like when he stood in line for a football game two years ago. Everyone is buzzing about what is on the other side of the gates.

What will await the crowds on the other side of the wrought iron fences...?

[AkiBlue]

Night had come. The stars seemed to shine a little brighter than the day prior. Ace smiles and stood on a tree stump. It was her time to light the firepit. Finally!

Ace whistled out toward the sleeping circus. That one whistle seemed to echo throughout the entire place. "Wakey Wakey people. The people are arriving."
She spoke in a soft tone, more talking to herself. There were around five minutes before the Circus would open.

For some reason, it seemed like forever since they had performed. Though in actuality, they were on a short break. In need to revive.

Ace flipped her lighter open and with her "magic tricks" blew a flame into the pit, starting the flame. And with that one flame, everything seemed to come to life. All at once. "Always epic."

With that push of life, she was now skipping to her tent.



(Wake up damnit!)

[HiddenBeauty13]

Somehow, Ace's whistle made it to Aoi's tent and her eyes popped open moments later. That's right. The circus was going to be open today and she needed to make sure that everything was in place fo her audiences today. Yawning, she sat up in bed and stretched before dragging her feet over to her bathroom. In there, she took a quick, ten minute shower and dried off, then headed to her wardrobe. Hm...What shall I wear today? she wondered to herself before reaching in to grab something.

Aoi ended up choosing a black leotard that would go under the dark blue and green dress that she would be wearing. Once in her dress, she grabbed her blue top hat and baton, since her sword wasn't needed for this particular show. Before she headed out to get things set up, she put on a little green eyeshadow and blue lipstick and then observed herself in the mirror. This will be the last time that I dress up in bright colors...