Circus Freaks

[cosmicarus]

To the human eye alone, the world around them seemed as dead as Dale's skeletal form. However, like Dale, the world held many secrets. Through sightless vision, Dale saw all the life around him - the rivers of ants under feet, a nest of crows perched high in the braches of the dead tree which a lone lizard made it's way down. To Dale, the grim setting opened up it's inner form to him, revealing the pulse of life. There was one particular form that caught Dale's attention, though he couldn't quite make out what it was. That didn't matter, of course - without a second thought, Dale sped off in the direction of this new curiosity, leaving his sister behind.

[cosmicarus]

To the human eye alone, the world around them seemed as dead as Dale's skeletal form. However, like Dale, the world held many secrets. Through sightless vision, Dale saw all the life around him - the rivers of ants under feet, a nest of crows perched high in the braches of the dead tree which a lone lizard made it's way down. To Dale, the grim setting opened up it's inner form to him, revealing the pulse of life. There was one particular form that caught Dale's attention, though he couldn't quite make out what it was. That didn't matter, of course - without a second thought, Dale sped off in the direction of this new curiosity, leaving his sister behind.

[Barnum]

"Dale!" she hissed, still trying to whisper. "Wait!"

Darla took off after him on foot, but he was a fast little boy, and he was running with far more abandon than Darla could muster in the dark woods. Her reaction was instinctive.

"Up!" It was just a thought. The pattern was so emblazoned in her mind that she didn't even need to say the words anymore. A blast of air gushed around her, and Darla lifted off the ground. She went soaring after Dale at breakneck speed. She zoomed around a tree and quickly overtook her brother.

She slowed down and flew along beside him as he ran.

"What are you after?"

Darla knew he wouldn't answer, but she was intent on following him to wherever he was going.

[Barnum]

"Dale!" she hissed, still trying to whisper. "Wait!"

Darla took off after him on foot, but he was a fast little boy, and he was running with far more abandon than Darla could muster in the dark woods. Her reaction was instinctive.

"Up!" It was just a thought. The pattern was so emblazoned in her mind that she didn't even need to say the words anymore. A blast of air gushed around her, and Darla lifted off the ground. She went soaring after Dale at breakneck speed. She zoomed around a tree and quickly overtook her brother.

She slowed down and flew along beside him as he ran.

"What are you after?"

Darla knew he wouldn't answer, but she was intent on following him to wherever he was going.

[Barnum]

"Dale!" she hissed, still trying to whisper. "Wait!"

Darla took off after him on foot, but he was a fast little boy, and he was running with far more abandon than Darla could muster in the dark woods. Her reaction was instinctive.

"Up!" It was just a thought. The pattern was so emblazoned in her mind that she didn't even need to say the words anymore. A blast of air gushed around her, and Darla lifted off the ground. She went soaring after Dale at breakneck speed. She zoomed around a tree and quickly overtook her brother.

She slowed down and flew along beside him as he ran.

"What are you after?"

Darla knew he wouldn't answer, but she was intent on following him to wherever he was going.

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke looked up from his comic book, generously donated by a circus hand, as one of his "captors" walked over. "Hey kid, we're movin' you over ta the other side of the tent. You're almost to the big time," the man said with a smile, as if that should mean something to Daisuke.

Hopping off his wooden bench, he crossed over to the bars of his cage and put on his most pity-inspiring expression. "Please mister. Can you just let me out for a little while? I promise I won't go anywhere. Pleeeeese?" By the end, one could almost swear sparkles came out of his eyes.

The man simply rolled his eyes and started wheeling the entire cage over to the assembly area. "Yeah right. You remember the last time you said that? Frank ain't gonna be walkin' right for weeks thanks to you."

"But that wasn't my fault!" Daisuke insisted. "How was I supposed to know the towline was that delicate?"

"That towline was ton and a half test!" he shouted back. "Now shaddup. It's time ta meet your new playmate."

"Playmate?" Daisuke definitely liked the sound of that. It wouldn't be so boring with someone to talk to. The comic had ceased to be entertaining several hours back, and after his last walkabout, it wasn't likely that they would be letting him out again any time soon. "Who? Is it someone I know?" He wrinkled his nose. "It's not that bearded lady again, is it? She's mean. And she smells. And I think she's sneaking liquor from the headman. I saw her sneaking into his caravan last night. And then there was these noises, you know, like she was looking around, but she wasn't doing it very well because there was all this thumping and groaning, like she was moving something heavy, and then she kinda stumbled out a while later holding a bottle. The only thing was that the headman came out a little while later, and I didn't know there was another entrance to the caravan, did you? But he couldn't have been in there while she was looking around because-"

"Cripes, kid, shut up!" The man shouted after hearing Daisuke going on for far too long. He just shook his head in disbelief as he slid the cage into it's resting place, next to a large aquarium. Daisuke recognized the area he was in. He'd passed by it once while getting the lay of the land from the man who'd duped him into coming here in the first place. This was the Menagerie. The "Freakshow", in other words.

Daisuke's train of thought was interrupted by the man saying, "Say hello to your new playmate." Following the man's gesture, Daisuke looked into the giant tank of water and saw not fish, as he expected, but a girl. And beautiful one at that. His mouth hung open slightly in shock. She was breathing! Underwater! That was so cool! "You two have fun now, hear?"

Once the man left, Daisuke clambered over to the edge of the cage nearest to the girl, just looking at her in awe. "Wow. You're pretty." He quickly clammed up and looked embarrassed at his slip of the tongue. "I mean... I... I like your tank."

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke looked up from his comic book, generously donated by a circus hand, as one of his "captors" walked over. "Hey kid, we're movin' you over ta the other side of the tent. You're almost to the big time," the man said with a smile, as if that should mean something to Daisuke.

Hopping off his wooden bench, he crossed over to the bars of his cage and put on his most pity-inspiring expression. "Please mister. Can you just let me out for a little while? I promise I won't go anywhere. Pleeeeese?" By the end, one could almost swear sparkles came out of his eyes.

The man simply rolled his eyes and started wheeling the entire cage over to the assembly area. "Yeah right. You remember the last time you said that? Frank ain't gonna be walkin' right for weeks thanks to you."

"But that wasn't my fault!" Daisuke insisted. "How was I supposed to know the towline was that delicate?"

"That towline was ton and a half test!" he shouted back. "Now shaddup. It's time ta meet your new playmate."

"Playmate?" Daisuke definitely liked the sound of that. It wouldn't be so boring with someone to talk to. The comic had ceased to be entertaining several hours back, and after his last walkabout, it wasn't likely that they would be letting him out again any time soon. "Who? Is it someone I know?" He wrinkled his nose. "It's not that bearded lady again, is it? She's mean. And she smells. And I think she's sneaking liquor from the headman. I saw her sneaking into his caravan last night. And then there was these noises, you know, like she was looking around, but she wasn't doing it very well because there was all this thumping and groaning, like she was moving something heavy, and then she kinda stumbled out a while later holding a bottle. The only thing was that the headman came out a little while later, and I didn't know there was another entrance to the caravan, did you? But he couldn't have been in there while she was looking around because-"

"Cripes, kid, shut up!" The man shouted after hearing Daisuke going on for far too long. He just shook his head in disbelief as he slid the cage into it's resting place, next to a large aquarium. Daisuke recognized the area he was in. He'd passed by it once while getting the lay of the land from the man who'd duped him into coming here in the first place. This was the Menagerie. The "Freakshow", in other words.

Daisuke's train of thought was interrupted by the man saying, "Say hello to your new playmate." Following the man's gesture, Daisuke looked into the giant tank of water and saw not fish, as he expected, but a girl. And beautiful one at that. His mouth hung open slightly in shock. She was breathing! Underwater! That was so cool! "You two have fun now, hear?"

Once the man left, Daisuke clambered over to the edge of the cage nearest to the girl, just looking at her in awe. "Wow. You're pretty." He quickly clammed up and looked embarrassed at his slip of the tongue. "I mean... I... I like your tank."

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke looked up from his comic book, generously donated by a circus hand, as one of his "captors" walked over. "Hey kid, we're movin' you over ta the other side of the tent. You're almost to the big time," the man said with a smile, as if that should mean something to Daisuke.

Hopping off his wooden bench, he crossed over to the bars of his cage and put on his most pity-inspiring expression. "Please mister. Can you just let me out for a little while? I promise I won't go anywhere. Pleeeeese?" By the end, one could almost swear sparkles came out of his eyes.

The man simply rolled his eyes and started wheeling the entire cage over to the assembly area. "Yeah right. You remember the last time you said that? Frank ain't gonna be walkin' right for weeks thanks to you."

"But that wasn't my fault!" Daisuke insisted. "How was I supposed to know the towline was that delicate?"

"That towline was ton and a half test!" he shouted back. "Now shaddup. It's time ta meet your new playmate."

"Playmate?" Daisuke definitely liked the sound of that. It wouldn't be so boring with someone to talk to. The comic had ceased to be entertaining several hours back, and after his last walkabout, it wasn't likely that they would be letting him out again any time soon. "Who? Is it someone I know?" He wrinkled his nose. "It's not that bearded lady again, is it? She's mean. And she smells. And I think she's sneaking liquor from the headman. I saw her sneaking into his caravan last night. And then there was these noises, you know, like she was looking around, but she wasn't doing it very well because there was all this thumping and groaning, like she was moving something heavy, and then she kinda stumbled out a while later holding a bottle. The only thing was that the headman came out a little while later, and I didn't know there was another entrance to the caravan, did you? But he couldn't have been in there while she was looking around because-"

"Cripes, kid, shut up!" The man shouted after hearing Daisuke going on for far too long. He just shook his head in disbelief as he slid the cage into it's resting place, next to a large aquarium. Daisuke recognized the area he was in. He'd passed by it once while getting the lay of the land from the man who'd duped him into coming here in the first place. This was the Menagerie. The "Freakshow", in other words.

Daisuke's train of thought was interrupted by the man saying, "Say hello to your new playmate." Following the man's gesture, Daisuke looked into the giant tank of water and saw not fish, as he expected, but a girl. And beautiful one at that. His mouth hung open slightly in shock. She was breathing! Underwater! That was so cool! "You two have fun now, hear?"

Once the man left, Daisuke clambered over to the edge of the cage nearest to the girl, just looking at her in awe. "Wow. You're pretty." He quickly clammed up and looked embarrassed at his slip of the tongue. "I mean... I... I like your tank."

[cosmicarus]

Dale dodges through the foliage, not even realising that his sister is flying behind him. He brushes branches aside with his hand, his excitement accidentally corroding many on the way. The life force grows stronger as he nears it's source - and there are more, too! He's sensing dozens now - though most of them are humans. He's still driven forward, toward the first one that caught his attention. When he reaches it, he stops and stands silent before it. As if trying to 'hear' it's life force better, Dale tilts his head, letting where his ears would have been point toward the creature. It's a familiar gesture, tantamount to anyone else staring at something intently. Dale puts his hands out quickly, but then stops himself, calming down and feeling the entropic energies surrounding his hands recede. Then he reaches forward once again in a much more deliberate fashion. He can't actually smile, but something about him does so anyway - a big, cheesy grin from ear to ear as he rubs his hands through the camels fur. This is what he'd been tracking - he'd never been in the presence of a camel before, and he still didn't really know what it was, but that didn't matter - it was a new energy and Dale was enjoying examining it. The camel itself doesn't take much notice of Dale as it sits on it's stomach, chewing it's cud. It's used to having children fawn over it, having been with the circus it's entire life. Behind the camel, said circus sprawled out across the open space; it's workers doing their best to set the thing up.

[cosmicarus]

Dale dodges through the foliage, not even realising that his sister is flying behind him. He brushes branches aside with his hand, his excitement accidentally corroding many on the way. The life force grows stronger as he nears it's source - and there are more, too! He's sensing dozens now - though most of them are humans. He's still driven forward, toward the first one that caught his attention. When he reaches it, he stops and stands silent before it. As if trying to 'hear' it's life force better, Dale tilts his head, letting where his ears would have been point toward the creature. It's a familiar gesture, tantamount to anyone else staring at something intently. Dale puts his hands out quickly, but then stops himself, calming down and feeling the entropic energies surrounding his hands recede. Then he reaches forward once again in a much more deliberate fashion. He can't actually smile, but something about him does so anyway - a big, cheesy grin from ear to ear as he rubs his hands through the camels fur. This is what he'd been tracking - he'd never been in the presence of a camel before, and he still didn't really know what it was, but that didn't matter - it was a new energy and Dale was enjoying examining it. The camel itself doesn't take much notice of Dale as it sits on it's stomach, chewing it's cud. It's used to having children fawn over it, having been with the circus it's entire life. Behind the camel, said circus sprawled out across the open space; it's workers doing their best to set the thing up.

[cosmicarus]

Dale dodges through the foliage, not even realising that his sister is flying behind him. He brushes branches aside with his hand, his excitement accidentally corroding many on the way. The life force grows stronger as he nears it's source - and there are more, too! He's sensing dozens now - though most of them are humans. He's still driven forward, toward the first one that caught his attention. When he reaches it, he stops and stands silent before it. As if trying to 'hear' it's life force better, Dale tilts his head, letting where his ears would have been point toward the creature. It's a familiar gesture, tantamount to anyone else staring at something intently. Dale puts his hands out quickly, but then stops himself, calming down and feeling the entropic energies surrounding his hands recede. Then he reaches forward once again in a much more deliberate fashion. He can't actually smile, but something about him does so anyway - a big, cheesy grin from ear to ear as he rubs his hands through the camels fur. This is what he'd been tracking - he'd never been in the presence of a camel before, and he still didn't really know what it was, but that didn't matter - it was a new energy and Dale was enjoying examining it. The camel itself doesn't take much notice of Dale as it sits on it's stomach, chewing it's cud. It's used to having children fawn over it, having been with the circus it's entire life. Behind the camel, said circus sprawled out across the open space; it's workers doing their best to set the thing up.

[Barnum]

Darla touched down beside Dale. "It's a camel! Dale, be careful. It could bite."

As soon as she spoke, Darla realized they should be trying to be more quiet. The circus grounds were dark, but all across the huge field there were lights being set up so the workers could keep on working through the night. Only one tent was currently erected, but several others were going up that night.

"That must be it," she said. "Let's go, Dale." She grabbed his bony arm and pulled him away from the stinky camel. "Quietly . . . "

[Barnum]

Darla touched down beside Dale. "It's a camel! Dale, be careful. It could bite."

As soon as she spoke, Darla realized they should be trying to be more quiet. The circus grounds were dark, but all across the huge field there were lights being set up so the workers could keep on working through the night. Only one tent was currently erected, but several others were going up that night.

"That must be it," she said. "Let's go, Dale." She grabbed his bony arm and pulled him away from the stinky camel. "Quietly . . . "

[Barnum]

Darla touched down beside Dale. "It's a camel! Dale, be careful. It could bite."

As soon as she spoke, Darla realized they should be trying to be more quiet. The circus grounds were dark, but all across the huge field there were lights being set up so the workers could keep on working through the night. Only one tent was currently erected, but several others were going up that night.

"That must be it," she said. "Let's go, Dale." She grabbed his bony arm and pulled him away from the stinky camel. "Quietly . . . "

[cosmicarus]

Dale let himself be dragged away, but kept reaching for the camel long after it was out of reach. His bones tinkling as he stumbled along with his sister. After a few moments, he just went along for the ride, letting his attention fall to the various other life forms before him in the circus. He tries his best to be quiet, but he was getting more and more excited, craning his neck in every possible way to take in the world around him.

[cosmicarus]

Dale let himself be dragged away, but kept reaching for the camel long after it was out of reach. His bones tinkling as he stumbled along with his sister. After a few moments, he just went along for the ride, letting his attention fall to the various other life forms before him in the circus. He tries his best to be quiet, but he was getting more and more excited, craning his neck in every possible way to take in the world around him.

[cosmicarus]

Dale let himself be dragged away, but kept reaching for the camel long after it was out of reach. His bones tinkling as he stumbled along with his sister. After a few moments, he just went along for the ride, letting his attention fall to the various other life forms before him in the circus. He tries his best to be quiet, but he was getting more and more excited, craning his neck in every possible way to take in the world around him.

[Barnum]

"Look, there!" Darla hissed.

She pointed toward the back corner of the tent. There was an small opening between the canvas sections that hadn't been properly been tied down. The workers were all on the other side of the tent, and the way was clear.

"I'll go first," she said. "If the way is clear, I'll wave you over. Wait here until I make sure it's safe. Okay?"

Darla ran across the circus grounds until she made it to the large tent and ducked inside. After a few minutes, she waved Dale over.

[Barnum]

"Look, there!" Darla hissed.

She pointed toward the back corner of the tent. There was an small opening between the canvas sections that hadn't been properly been tied down. The workers were all on the other side of the tent, and the way was clear.

"I'll go first," she said. "If the way is clear, I'll wave you over. Wait here until I make sure it's safe. Okay?"

Darla ran across the circus grounds until she made it to the large tent and ducked inside. After a few minutes, she waved Dale over.

[Barnum]

"Look, there!" Darla hissed.

She pointed toward the back corner of the tent. There was an small opening between the canvas sections that hadn't been properly been tied down. The workers were all on the other side of the tent, and the way was clear.

"I'll go first," she said. "If the way is clear, I'll wave you over. Wait here until I make sure it's safe. Okay?"

Darla ran across the circus grounds until she made it to the large tent and ducked inside. After a few minutes, she waved Dale over.

[cosmicarus]

Dale watched his sister run away from him, towards the circus tent. Immediately after she was out of view, his mind turned to finding something to do. He sensed a bird above him, looking for a perch in the trees and he became transfixed by it's fluid flight motion. He followed it's form, which darted here and there, and was about to follow it back into the park, but he was distracted by voice behind him. He runs back to the camel and presses his back against it, hearing the footsteps of a heavy set form coming closer, dragging it's feet through the dirt. Dale can sense it's energy - it feels masculine - and he can hear it's muttering, "hrmfgh...out late and...grhmsh...too much work...rmshph...not paid enough for this..." The man get's to the camel, "c'mon you big piece of dirty fur. Let's move you back to your pen." The camel rises, revealing the space where dale was, now empty. A little ways across the yard, Dale teleports once again, coming into the tent behind Darla. His form thuds as it pops into existence, and his skeletal feet tinkle as they land on the ground. He doesn't waste any time, walking deeper into the tent.

[cosmicarus]

Dale watched his sister run away from him, towards the circus tent. Immediately after she was out of view, his mind turned to finding something to do. He sensed a bird above him, looking for a perch in the trees and he became transfixed by it's fluid flight motion. He followed it's form, which darted here and there, and was about to follow it back into the park, but he was distracted by voice behind him. He runs back to the camel and presses his back against it, hearing the footsteps of a heavy set form coming closer, dragging it's feet through the dirt. Dale can sense it's energy - it feels masculine - and he can hear it's muttering, "hrmfgh...out late and...grhmsh...too much work...rmshph...not paid enough for this..." The man get's to the camel, "c'mon you big piece of dirty fur. Let's move you back to your pen." The camel rises, revealing the space where dale was, now empty. A little ways across the yard, Dale teleports once again, coming into the tent behind Darla. His form thuds as it pops into existence, and his skeletal feet tinkle as they land on the ground. He doesn't waste any time, walking deeper into the tent.

[cosmicarus]

Dale watched his sister run away from him, towards the circus tent. Immediately after she was out of view, his mind turned to finding something to do. He sensed a bird above him, looking for a perch in the trees and he became transfixed by it's fluid flight motion. He followed it's form, which darted here and there, and was about to follow it back into the park, but he was distracted by voice behind him. He runs back to the camel and presses his back against it, hearing the footsteps of a heavy set form coming closer, dragging it's feet through the dirt. Dale can sense it's energy - it feels masculine - and he can hear it's muttering, "hrmfgh...out late and...grhmsh...too much work...rmshph...not paid enough for this..." The man get's to the camel, "c'mon you big piece of dirty fur. Let's move you back to your pen." The camel rises, revealing the space where dale was, now empty. A little ways across the yard, Dale teleports once again, coming into the tent behind Darla. His form thuds as it pops into existence, and his skeletal feet tinkle as they land on the ground. He doesn't waste any time, walking deeper into the tent.

[Lilac]

As soon as Droplet saw the new arrival, she swam over to the glass side nearest him. By the light of the construction lamp, the only light source in the whole tent, the machine boy could see her clearly. Droplet was an average sized girl of about 9 or 10. She was thin and girlish, and had a pretty round face. Droplet had long black hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a one piece black swimsuit that looked to be made more for function than for style.

Once the man left, Daisuke clambered over to the edge of the cage nearest to the girl, just looking at her in awe. "Wow. You're pretty." He quickly clammed up and looked embarrassed at his slip of the tongue. "I mean... I... I like your tank."

Droplet could also see the boy clearly in the darkness. "Yep," she thought, "He belongs in the freak show; that was for sure." Droplet watched as the boy's lips move, but she couldn't hear his voice. The tank walls and all that water blocked even the loudest of sounds. She fancied that she had become adept at reading lips during her time in the circus, but the reality was far from it. Droplet moved her lips along with his, trying to make out the words.

"Now you're sitting?" She crossed her eyes and tried harder to make out more of the boy's words. "I'm mean. Eye. Eye bike poor bank?"

"What in the world?" The answer was obvious. In addition to being a machine boy, he was also a completely crazy, gibbering idiot. So, she did the only thing there was to do. Droplet pressed her face against the glass and blew her cheeks out. From the other side of the glass her smashed up face, bulging cheeks, and pink tongue served as her formal greeting to her new "exhibit mate."

[Lilac]

As soon as Droplet saw the new arrival, she swam over to the glass side nearest him. By the light of the construction lamp, the only light source in the whole tent, the machine boy could see her clearly. Droplet was an average sized girl of about 9 or 10. She was thin and girlish, and had a pretty round face. Droplet had long black hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a one piece black swimsuit that looked to be made more for function than for style.

Once the man left, Daisuke clambered over to the edge of the cage nearest to the girl, just looking at her in awe. "Wow. You're pretty." He quickly clammed up and looked embarrassed at his slip of the tongue. "I mean... I... I like your tank."

Droplet could also see the boy clearly in the darkness. "Yep," she thought, "He belongs in the freak show; that was for sure." Droplet watched as the boy's lips move, but she couldn't hear his voice. The tank walls and all that water blocked even the loudest of sounds. She fancied that she had become adept at reading lips during her time in the circus, but the reality was far from it. Droplet moved her lips along with his, trying to make out the words.

"Now you're sitting?" She crossed her eyes and tried harder to make out more of the boy's words. "I'm mean. Eye. Eye bike poor bank?"

"What in the world?" The answer was obvious. In addition to being a machine boy, he was also a completely crazy, gibbering idiot. So, she did the only thing there was to do. Droplet pressed her face against the glass and blew her cheeks out. From the other side of the glass her smashed up face, bulging cheeks, and pink tongue served as her formal greeting to her new "exhibit mate."