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((I hope Platty doesn't mind if I take a quick jab here... ^_^))
As the group approaches the circus tent, it is possible to find posters sloppily attached to the trees surrounding the area. Some are attached near the bottom of the trees, as if they had been posted up by a midget. Others are posted far too high, as if by a giant. The slow, haunting melody of a calliope drifts outwards from the tent. There is, strangely enough, no sound hinting at the myriad creatures that feel contained within the tent. ((pretend like the posters say the right name... I drew it in Spain when I had no idea what was going to happen ^_^')) |
((Steffox: That is flipping awesome!! I thought it was an actual poster until I read that you drew it!! Lovely work!!!))
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[[woah, neat-o! I've never drawn that much on a paper, I'd go insane o.e;; *claps* ]]
As Yuki walked, he stepped on something that crunched under his foot. He bent over to pick it up and immediately ran to his mother. "Um... mama.Look..." He handed her the poster, which looked like it had never been hung up. Whoever was responsible seemed to have given up on the task and just moved on. As Shan took the poster, her eyes widened, at least her visible eye did. There were many horrible things depicted on the poster. But was that Phineas? The posters may have been of the best quality around, but good quality was still hard to find. She was contemplating going in right there and then when an odd sort of music started playing. "Let's take a look, then," she said, knowing that she would be walking into something unpleasant, and possibly very foolish. But any small chance. Anything at all... [[gah... I was going to change this to stage 4 but I'll wait until they're inside or something.... and ..uh.. when it's not morning for me 8D *brainfart* ]] |
Ani was even more so silent in the past months. She could feel Shans angst.
She had hoped that she could trail whoever took Phineas by the earth, and the scent they left behind, only to discover the people that took him were skilled in more than stealing, but dark magic. They used it to wipe their very existence, scent...trace from the earths surface. Looking up at the circus tent, she tilted her head to the side. Ani bent, her hand resting on the earth. She could feel movement, but nothing else. Emotions were gone, there was so much magic that it was soaking into the earth, Ani pulled her hand away as if she had been burnt. "Be on your guard, this placed is guarded and working with so much black magic that its suffocating..." She said from behind the group. If there was a wizard among them she would of felt sorry for them, for they would be suffering the most, especially a white wizard. To encounter such a realm of dark magic would shred them if they weren't properly prepared. Micheal sat back at the table he was seated in. After inspecting the red wine, he drank it in one gulp. He watched lazily the center of the ring, before his eyes inspected everything else. There were lights strung around the large tent, but there seemed to be nothing holding the tent up. He knew that magic stained this place, and would certainly leave its mark on the earth after it was gone. There were posters of different kind, featuring different sideshow attractions, some were eloquently drawn, others shrewdly that it would frighten some. His main reason for stopping by the circus was because he had to talk to someone, someone that was very hard to find. He was on a side mission for one of his war lords who were looking for the Dream Catcher. He had taken off his large brimmed hat and placed it on the table in front of him, but everything else remained in tact on him. A very bright, glimmering and shiny dressed girl walked up to him, her smile fake and unappealing, "May I take you coat Sir?" She asked getting closer to him. Micheal turned an eye up, his voice low and dark, "No, you may not." He said to her, his eyes leaving her and back to the empty ring, he was waiting for the show to start, "Your in my way, leave." He added. The girl looked at him for a moment the smile disappearing to something of an ugly frown before retreating. |
((*_* wow that's a fricking nice drawing))
In the passing months Kira had gotten a bit more silent and became more prone to hiding her emotions. She knew how deeply affected everyone was from Phineas's disappearance. How she wished that she had some sort of tracking power. All she could do is lift up stuff she's already touched. Shan had been hit the hardest and when the leader gets hit, the whole group is hit. She raised an eyebrow though at the sloppily pasted poster. Circus of Dreams? She had to admit that the poster itself was a work of art, but the things depicted on it creeped her out a bit. And as they arrived at the circus she felt a foreboding sort of presence. |
As he kept on walking, Yuki found it more and more difficult to keep himself steady. When he decided to tug on the sleeve of his mother's clothing, he found that he'd already been lifted into her arms. "Ani is right," he said, as he clung to his mother's neck. "There is a lot of Black Magic here." He paused to catch his breath, then continued. "There's a narrow path that's safer than the rest of the land. We're standing close to it, but not on it. It's better to stay on it until we're inside."
With the strange sensation that her ears were buzzing, Shan held Yuki close. How strangely human the sensation in her ears felt. She stroked her son's head gently. "Go to sleep, alright? I promise to wake you if anything happens." Once assured that Yuki would be alright, Shan looked at the ground steadily until she found the path. "There," she said, pointing to the groups left. They were only a few feet off, which was rather lucky. She set off again, with her boy in her arms, and another boy's possessions on her back. And still, her ears kept buzzing. "Let's all be ready, just in case." |
Ani followed Shan onto the path, she hoped that Yuki would be alright.
She was more concentrating on staying on the pathway, but her ears picked up Shans last statement and unconsciously her fingers trailed over the two daggers strapped to her legs, her pouch, her fingers lightly touched the book on her back, before her right hand rested on the hilt of her sword. "Ready." She said softly. She didnt know what was waiting for them behind the colorful fabric, but she felt odd just walking into the place. It was inviting to her human side, colorful attractions, the thought of seeing something that wast human, but she none of that was a surprise to her since she was a little girl...and that was a long time ago. Micheal waited for his drink to be refilled. He was not only waiting for that, but for the show to begin, to see where the puppeteer would be sitting in his high chair pulling the strings for his dark circus show. He noticed that the seats around him, the bleachers behind him as well were filling up. He didnt hear a sound, more magic, but every time he surveyed the area, more people had appeared and were excitedly chattering. |
[[Yeah, pretty wicked drawing!!!]]
Ari looked at the poster long and hard as he followed the others silently into the tent. A dragon... Phineas. He thought he had caught a faint glimmer of hope in Shan's eyes, but once again, he has also learned to keep more words to himself and instead began to look around the tent. Indeed, it was a very strange place. He, unlike some of the others, did not have a very strong sense in detecting magic though what little powers he did have told him that there was something foul in the air. Black magic, he thought carefully to himself. "Are we going to watch the show, I guess?" He remarked as the music began, looking around cautiously. |
Shan entered the tent and looked around. She wished the buzzing would stop. It was so strong now it sounded almost like her ears were ringing. "I see your friend is here," she said to Ani, spotting Micheal. "I wonder what could have possibly brought him here, if not the odd energies circling this place." as she went a bit deeper she was stopped by a woman who reminded her a bit too much of Layla. She would have punched her right through her stupid smile had she not been holding Yuki.
"Hello there!" said the plastic-looking woman. "You all look like you came from far away, so I'll give you some really good seats! After you pay, of course." She looked at them all and once she received her money kept her word. The seats were near the front and slightly elevated. Shan looked over at Micheal for a few moments before taking a stead. She had paid to give Yuki a seat too, so she sat him down next to her and placed his head on her lap. "You're all so lucky! The show is just about to start. Please remain seated for your own safety. Some of the uh.... cast members... can wander sometimes." She bowed quickly, as if she had said something wrong, and left them all sitting there. Inside the tent, it began to get dark, and the silhouette of a man could be seen standing right in the middle of the stage. A woman had stopped by Micheal to hastily fill his glass, and now all helpers were sitting or at a designated post, waiting for the show to start. At last, the spotlight shone on the Dream Catcher, and the man spoke. "Ladies, Gentlemen, Children, and whatever else may be present in this tent tonight: I welcome you to the Circus of Dreams. But beware! For the name of this Circus is deceiving. Here you may find all manner of creatures that turn up in dreams, and also nightmares. I ask of the parents that they please be careful about what they let their children see, for there are many spooks and haunts here. Demons that feed on flesh. Walking dead. Many more things, too! Each of these creatures is unique, and I myself have looked in many places to gather them all in one place just for you! Said creatures will come out from this curtain you see here." As he said this, he motioned to a very large curtain behind him, with ornate gold thread and even glistening jewels. "You may have heard this from one of our hostesses already, but please, for your own good, remain seated. Some of these creatures do not comprehend the situation in which they find themselves, and so see fit to try and 'defend' themselves. And now, without further to do, let the show begin!" His voice boomed throughout the tent, not at all in an unpleasant manner. Shan kept hearing it. The ringing. There was something on that man's chest that bothered her. Did he have something hidden in an inner-pocket of sorts? She turned from the man to the curtain. The first creature coming from there sounded rather creaky. She soon saw why. It was a tree. A walking tree. It's leaves seemed frozen in time, although a few of them occasionally fell to the ground, these disappeared and more leaves grew back, but all the same, dark orange or brown. And right in the middle of the tree, there seemed to be a deep, and rather even-looking cut. She was sure it was moving. |
Ani took a seat as well, as Shan stated it she too noticed Micheal sitting, quite content in his private area, looking on with such a still face one would think that he was dead. She looked away as the lights dimmed and all eyes focused on the man, the ring master, the DreamCatcher in the center. She listened to his announcement and watched as he released his first act of amusement.
As she watched she felt something tighten around her heart, hard and painful, she breath in deeply, but felt that hurt even more. Resorting to short even breaths, she knew why. There in the center of the ring was a tree, old and beautiful and magical. The spirit within her body was angry and thrashing inside her. She struggled to contain herself, to keep her wits about her. "What is that, that is making the spirit fill itself with anguish?" Ani asked Shan in a whisper, she wasnt sure she could speak from the pain in her chest, so it came out in a rather odd fashion. Micheal cocked his feet up on the table, disinterested in the performance. He had seen Ani and her traveling companions, enter and be seated, but they didnt hold his attention long as he was more focused on the DreamCatcher, who was speaking and had made himself known. His steel eyes followed the man, and never left him. |
Shan looked at Ani before turning back to the Catcher. "It must me that man's doing. He's not just the center of the circus. He seems to the the center of all the black magic. And he's keeping so many different things trapped in here that they've all caused deep internal disturbances within each other. This particular tree seems to have endured a lot." As she said this, the tree engaged in a slow dance that moved it's leaves in a rather beautiful way. At first it looked like the wind was blowing gently on it, but soon the pattern became too unnatural for that. Many watched in wonder. Shan continued speaking after some moments. "Ever since I got here, my ears have been ringing, and I know it has to do with something that man holds on his person. Probably a very small object, but powerful."
The DreamCatcher, who was for the most part only interested in his audience's money, took notice of two things. The first was Micheal, who would not stop looking at him. The second was Shan, along with the rest of the group. She too was looking at him, and she had a child on her lap. Someone was actually sleeping during his show? No matter. The seat had been paid for anyway. Still, it was rather strange to bring someone here to sleep. He made a mental note to speak Micheal and to the traveling group after the show, they were rather interesting-looking people. |
((Hope you don't mind... I must do something! ^_^))
Hidden by the curtains behind the Dreamcatcher, a pair of bloodshot eyes peered through the folds, focused on the hands and gestures of the man. Turtle waited for his next command. The hellhound was silent, not only because of the silencing charm applied by the Catcher, but also because his mouth was sewn shut with thick metal stitches. He sat briefly to scratch at his ribcage, tilting his head with relief at the feeling of claw upon the white bones. The maggots that lived within him made him itch interminably, but they served their purpose, so he learned to live... as it were... with them. A purposeful twitch of the Catcher's finger caught his well-trained eye. Instantly he stopped scratching and turned to herd the next act into position for its appearance. Sometimes the performers gave him trouble, but most had been beaten into submission and were past the stage of wanting to rebel. So it had been with him, once, but aquiescence, he found, was much easier than rebellion and the subsequent punishment. The next act shuffled forward obediently. Turtle eyed the other acts, his eyes lingering briefly on a beaten cage in the back of the tent. He hoped that--for once--things would go as planned all the way through the performance. |
[[Of course not >w< ]]
Shan watched as the tree took its bow and then disappeared through the curtain from which it had come. As it left, Shan noticed the way the Catcher glanced at the curtain. It wasn't a menacing look, but she knew the meaning. Do what you're told or else. The crowd was clapping quite loudly, as the tree had made a surprisingly good dancer. Awakened by the loud clapping, Yuki sat up and leaned against his mother's arms. His mother tried to get him to go back to sleep, but he replied he couldn't, and so he stayed as he was. Was that a tree entering that large curtain? He realized warily that it was, and that he was sitting in the tent he had been looking at before he fell asleep. He rubbed his eyes and then watched as the next act exited the curtain. The flap was left open for a moment, and Yuki saw many pairs of eyes (along with some odd number of eyes) peering out, alert. He saw what looked like a dog, but he wasn't too sure. Whatever was behind those curtains was making his heart ache. The people in the Circus looked very happy, the acts did not. |
As the tree disappeared, so did the pain in her heart, as the spirit was still in turmoil but had stopped taking it out on her body, most likely she was extending her spiritual fingers underground to the tree behind the curtains. She saw that Yuki had awaken and would of preferred if the child slept, such things were not entertaining if you felt their pain, saw the hurt in their smiles and eyes. She sighed as she sat back in her chair, watching as the next creature came on stage.
Micheal watched his every movement. He studied his prey this way to know what their weakness was, to understand their movement helped to understand the way they would move in combat. The man was very graceful. His gesture for the next coming act was almost dance like, feminine. Micheal glanced to the clapping crowd and shook his head before his attention returned to the DreamCatcher. He was sure that there was something of most importance on his person...he thought he was sly, but his left hand was always slightly touching something in his many pockets. The audience was eager for the next act, he could feel their anticipation and he once again shook their head. Mortals, they are such materialistic creatures. They want but they dont understand how it is that they get. He drank his second glass of wine more slowly. |
These people don't understand what they're clapping for, Shan thought. She watched the next act, nervous for the creature more than anything. For its sake, Shan hoped that everything would run smoothly. The Catcher looked menacing, even with that smile on his face. Shan didn't like him at all. She looked down at her son, surprised that his calm demeanor had disappeared.
Yuki's age allowed him to be pure of heart, but even compared to children younger than him his heart was pure. Watching something like this hurt him deeply, not just because he was weakened by the black magic. It was clear that the Dream Catcher cared only about getting his money and making good appearances. The child could not suppress a small hint of disgust. So far so good, the Catcher thought to himself. Even with those two strange ones in the audience, the show had started without a hitch, and seemed to be going pretty well. The audience was really into the show, despite the fact that it had just begun. Every smile was money in his pocket. Even a frown was money in his pocket. The Catcher had noticed Yuki's displeasure, but didn't associate it with himself. He looks weak. Perhaps he's sick? the man thought with a grin still on his face. Ah well. It didn't much matter to him. But the boy began to make him feel uncomfortable to. There was something about that child. |
The next act was a fairly large herd of undead ghouls. They shambled around the ring, drooling. A large muscular man held them all in check with two hands full of leashes. He would jerk them back on their collars when they were about to get too close to the audience. Even so, he let them get really close, thrilling some of the more thick-skinned circusgoers into screeches of delighted fear.
After so introducing the ghouls, he initiated a choreographed act with them, using bits of rotting meat to reward them for properly building human pyramids, successfully juggling heads, and more or less behaving like putrid-smelling clowns. Somehow, the incredible feats of contortionism weren't quite as incredible when one could hear the entertainers' spines cracking. |
Yuki winced at the sound of something cracking. It sounded incredibly painful. His only consolation was that the owners of the drooling faces and cracking bones didn't look at all like they felt anything. But he couldn't know for sure. The act had been pretty tame up to the point where he heard the sound, even with the ghouls juggling heads, it had almost seemed like good fun.
The Catcher was happy. This act usually went off with a bit more incidents than this time around. He wouldn't have to take care of so many little details this time. How grand. Once this act was over, he signaled for the next. And still that man had that mean look about him. The one that had scared off one of his plastic girl. And then there was that violet-haired girl. What an odd color of hair. And why did such a tiny-looking girl have an eye patch? It only made her other eye look more intense, and he didn't like that at all. |
Kira took a seat, watching the show in silence. She could see people entertained by the tree's erratic movements, but she had still felt a bad feeling. Obviously this tree wasn't moving on its own most likely by that Dream Catcher. She saw other audience members clapping, feeling tempted to shake her head. They were better off not knowing anyway. She watched the next act, cringing at the sound of cracking. Christ that must have been painful. She broke her bones quite a few times in her life. At least it didn't seem like it hurt. She wondered what the next act would be and if it would induce another cringe.
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Ani wasnt paying much attention to the next act and thankfully she didn't hear the crackling bones. Her eyes had wandered to Micheal sitting there. He was staring so intently on one thing, the DreamCatcher. She looked from both of the two men, surly the DreamCatcher felt the intense stare from deep across the other side of his cushioned seat. She glanced once more at Micheal, yes, he was good at that whole demeaning, dreadful, scary look. She had gotten it a couple times in the past. The next act was coming on stage and although her mind was working through thoughts and ideas, she couldnt help her eyes from staring at what was happening.
Micheal was aware of everything around him. Though his eyes were kept on the DreamCatcher, he noted the ghouls. Poor souls, he thought. They should be resting in peace, yet here they were walking restlessly and angry. To tame a ghoul was a feat in itself. Ghouls were terrifying creatures, not afraid of anything and they dont die. To train a whole group of ghouls...he let his thought trail off as he nodded at Ani, who undoubtedly trying to make the connection with himself and the DreamCatcher. He wondered for a moment how her body reacted at the sight of the abused tree. Micheal called over a waitress, the lady hesitantly came near him her fake smile in place, before she could ask he said, "Just bring the bottle." He ment the red wine. He was pretty immune to alcohol and its charm, but the taste was always sweet. |
Shan looked from the Catcher, to Ani, to Micheal. There was something she wanted to ask him, but he was too far for her to do it without magic. She closed her fist on her lap and began to form a small magic note. This type of note could only go to another angel, but it was simple enough to create if one was an angel. It would appear in the next thing Micheal received, which was rather useful as she had just seen him talking with a maid.
The maid carried the bottle to Micheal, not at all noticing the note attached to the bottle. "Here you go," she said flatly and placed the bottle on the table. Then she left hurriedly. The note simply read: "Are your ears ringing?" |
Ari had tried to watch the act and relax and enjoy, but all of the others surrounding him were obviously rather tense. The tension hovering over them was almost palpable. He was seated next to Ani, and he could see her eyes darting constantly between the ring master and someone else. It's like a very... dark circus. He thought to himself, wasn't sure what to think of the acts. He clapped hesitantly with the rest of the crowd, but wasn't sure if there was anything to cheer for. Clearly all of the creatures they've been shown are enslaved things... and none of them performed out of the joy of it. Their misery seemed to taint his own mood, and he tried to keep such things displaying from his face.
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Micheal took the bottle without a thank you from the plastic looking waitress. There was a note attached to the bottle. Without paying much attention he took the paper away from the bottle and opened it with one hand with the other uncorked the red wine. He looked at the only person that it could be from, Shan. As soon as he read, more like glanced at the message, the message disintegrated in his hand. He dusted it off near the chair. Ears ringing...nope not his. But he thought on the simple question. Obviously something in the circus was affecting the angel. Micheals attention went back to the DreamCatcher, his thumb rubbed across his lips in thought, and he caught it. The slight, sly touch of the outline of something in the pocket of the DreamCatcher. He wrote his own message, unlike Shans, this appeared out of the thin air in front of her and fell into her lap. The message:
No. If your looking for the answer, then its the DreamCatcher. He has something that is singling you out, because you are an Angel. Have you ever heard of something called an... Angels Whistle? I wouldnt be surprised if someway he had obtained one. Ani wasnt watching the show anymore, she had closed her eyes and her head was down, she was feeling more weary than she should of felt. So, instead of watching she was trying to rejuvenate herself and the the spirit within her. |
Shan read the note quickly. An angel's whistle? She'd heard of one, but had never been near one because they were said to be incredibly rare. And as she had spent most of her years in heaven, things like the that had been kept away from her. Things that could cause harm only to an angel. From what she had heard, it was best that she not be close when the whistle was blown. No one had told her what happened, but some people knew enough to tell her that it was painful. She turned towards Micheal and bowed her head in thanks. Then she looked at Ari. "This is tiring, isn't it?" She said, rhetorically. "But if Micheal's here, then there is definitely a good reason to be here."
As the show continued to run smoothly, the Dream Catcher began to asses his surroundings more carefully than he'd had to before. The two people that had been looking at him intensely were definitely not normal. And then he noticed it. The man with the coldest face he'd ever seen had taken a note from the bottle in a way that almost no one would notice. Seconds later the violet-haired girl had been reading from something that he couldn't remember her having before. Had she pulled it from a hidden pocket? Her sleeve? The words "violet hair" echoed in his mind for a few moments. And then he remembered. Days after he had taken the legless boy he had received a note from that crazy woman everyone called Layla. It told him to "beware of the small violet-haired one. She's something firece. She's something special. And their whole little group. They're all something special. You can tell just by looking at them. If they ever find you, watch your back. The boy I sold you came from their little group. They're all abnormal in their own way." The Catcher had dismissed this note at first. Not only was it sloppy, it sounded absolutely crazy. No one that was looking for him could ever catch him. Ever. And yet there was a violet-haired girl right here in the first row. Her boy looked tired, and so did a girl sitting close to her. Was this the group he had been warned about? Layla had so failed to be specific that he couldn't tell if it was mere coincidence. At first he was afraid, but then his mind sparked with opportunity. If this really was the group, then maybe he could capture them all. After all, Layla did know a few things about special items. They looked like they would take some work though. They all looked ready to disobey his every command. It was odd, though, that they also looked a bit tired. Were they really sensing the magic in here? That would be wonderful. He tapped the small whistle in his pocket, causing it to vibrate slightly. And then he saw it. The girl with the boy next to her had winced. She could hear it. He immediately took his gaze from her and focused at a random point in the audience. But Shan knew. She'd been spotted for she was. Yuki had noticed it too. "Mama, what is it?" he asked, noting her obvious worry. With her eyes still focused on the Catcher, Shan replied: "The man has something small whistle in his pocket that could do me in if he so wishes to use it. That thing he keeps touching on his chest, right over his heart, is an Angel Whistle. " |
Micheal noted her nod, but paid no attention, he noticed that the man has figured out that he had an Angel in his midst. This could be more trouble than he had come in for. He just wanted to retrieve something for his war lord, a rare phoenix bird. The DreamCatcher had taken it as a favor to the warlord, only to betray him. The warlord wanted it back since the DreamCatcher did not keep his end of his bargain up. Micheal would retrieve it by any means necessary. He was hoping for something more conversational, bargaining if you will with the DreamCatcher than a fight.
Ani was meditating, she was aware of where she was, but she was deep in her own world reserving her energy and mind for when it would all be over. |
[[I wrote 2 paragraphs and then accidentally closed the window DX;;
I don't know if I can remember what I wrote 8D. At least they were short...]] The Catcher remained facing forward, but watched Shan from the corner of his eye. He tapped the whistle harder this time, masterfully masking his moves as some sort of interaction with the audience. Even as he was moving around, he felt the light vibrations coming from the whistle. He didn't know what angels would feel when he did this, but he knew it was more than just vibrations. The effect was much stronger this time around. Shan had hoped that the man wouldn't keep experimenting, but she knew better. The moment he had tapped that whistle, all her muscles had become tense. Her body was completely rigid. Her back was straight, her fists were clenched, and her face was set as hard as stone. She was sure she had heard something like far away screaming. The Dream Catcher came to a decision on the spot. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, once the current act came to a stop." Once all the regular acts are over, I have a very, very special surprise for you. The key to this surprise lies here in my pocket. It is rather small, but quite powerful." He waited for some whispering to die down before continuing. "I ask that you remained seated once the final act is over, as I have never done this before. You will all be the first to witness this special surprise." Shan felt her heart sink like a rock. Her muscles were still very stiff, and they were beginning to hurt. What could happen to her under the full power of that tiny whistle? Who had made the whistle in the first place? |
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