[img]http://i.imgur.com/2uDBgEK.png[/img]

[b][u]Phillis Circus: Outside the Big Top[/u][/b]

“…I’m going to stay near the back,” Estelle decided, speaking up after Moira and Syed confirmed they would take some of the seats nearer the front of the performance ring. The swordswoman wanted to stay as far back and as close to the exits as possible, in order to help make sure that the path was clear for audience members to flee through. It wasn’t an easy decision. The proactive part of her personality wanted to [i]stop[/i] the strange baseball capped pervert they had encountered before he did something as grossly dangerous as what he had planned, but she couldn’t think of any way to easily do so, short of finding a member of the circus and reporting to them what Crispin had said. But she also felt that that was… just as equally dangerous. As much as she hated Crispin’s plan, the alternative he left meant having their investigation come to a screeching halt. What on Ddaear were they to do?

“I’ll help make sure people are able to get out without stampeding over themselves, if it has to come to that,” Estelle gritted her teeth and sigh, shaking her head. She then turned to Aria, and nodded at her suggestion on making use of Lute’s abilities. “I think that’s a good idea. Lute… we’re going to have to count on you a lot.”

“This is still… ridiculous…” Xandra brought a hand to her forehead and gently stroked it. “Someone’s going to set fire to the circus? And we’re allowing it? Leader, is this… is this really wise?”

“We didn’t find anything else out, though…” Lucien shrugged. “Did yo-”

[b][center]“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE SHOW IS ABOOOOOUT TO BEGIN!!”[/center][/b]

“Crap!” Estelle exclaimed. “No more time! Come on!”

With that, the red haired swordswoman dashed into the giant tent as quickly as she did, scoping for the nearest empty seat available to her. On the right, sandwiched inbetween a group of guests were a pair of free seats. Uttering a number of ‘excuse me’ and ‘I’m sorry’, she managed to seat herself down in one of the seats, and lean forward to look down at the circus ring below with great trepidation. The curtains to the Big Top’s exits fell shut in order to block any of the sunlight from outside to creep in, the circus performers preferring to control all of the spotlights within, as the show, to a conflagration of trumpets and drums, drew ever closer to the Big Top’s main show!

[b][center]“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CHILDREN AND ELDERLY, ONE AND ALL…”[/center][/b]

An infectiously energetic voice rang out throughout the number of speakers positioned about the tent. Spotlights placed along the ceiling of the tent all turned, first from illuminating the audience of the tent to focus on the circular performance ring below, and a small platform where the emcee would stand. Brandishing and twirling a microphone with deft skill in one hand, she raised it up to her lips as her other hand shot to a point in the sky, as the show’s introductory music reached its full, climatic ending. It was the circus’ own gatekeeper, Sammie.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/q3reFbn.png[/img]

[b][center]“THE PHILLIS CIRCUS PROUDLY WELCOMES YOU ALL TO OUR GRAND PERFORMANCE!”[/center][/b]

At that, a loud trumpeting burst was accompanied by a loud explosion from a cannon resting behind Sammie, its turret pointed into the sky. From it was shot a figure that began spinning and flipping in somersaults through the air, cresting nearly the very top of the tent’s ceiling, before gradually arcing downwards. The figure landed both safely and dramatically in front of Sammie with his hands held high, cocky grin plastered on his face, as confetti burst in to shower them from the sides of the ring. A rapturous applause deafened immediately from the assembled audience. 

[img]http://i.imgur.com/rWmq5WT.png[/img]

Max Powers, the circus’ human cannonball, was their Grand Performance’s opening act. 

What was to follow would be a memorable show that was impossible to forget.