"S-Sorry," Tali muttered, flicking her hair back while blushing brightly. "It's not my fault I got something blown up three feet from me." She knew that Hannnah meant well though, so she didn't put any bite into her words, instead just hoisting herself up to the bed while trying to keep her legs from giving out. Cripe! How much punishment had her body taken?

The nausea and dizziness in combination with her growing headache indicated a concussion, while her lack of control when it came to urination hinted at damage to her bladder. Her ribs were likely broken, and she was probably deaf in her right ear. Of course, her deal with Death meant that she wouldn't die, and everything would heal eventually, but still. Death really had given her one of the most frail bodies he could, the prick.

The bladder issue would need attention first. Her appearance would be somewhat dampened by her constantly peeing herself. And plastic didn't exist now, so that meant no diapers. Unless she could find something to replace the cover. She probably had just the thing, but it would take a bit to get it. It was a small plant that was plasticky when ground down and melted. It would work, but it wasn't exactly the most common. Grumbling to herself, she looked heavenward. "Screw you, Death!" she shouted, wincing at the sudden explosion of pain in her temple. Not the best idea to shout with headache.

Still muttering under her breath, she laid back down, waiting for Hannah to come back.

Smiling brightly when Vos began to tell her about the project, Aura reached up and began to comb through her hair with her fingers to fix the mess the squirrel had left. She wouldn't have told anyone about the project, maybe Mateo, he was her best friend, someone she could trust and confide in. But Aura wasn't the type to really go gossiping, and if she told people, Vos definitely wouldn't let her help. And she didn't want to leave Vos in peace, he was fun to play with, besides, she had a lot of boring downtime. Dancing didn't take preparation, or after care, and it wasn't a part of the main show, for the time being.

In response to his last question she stopped combing through her hair and thought for a moment. He was right. Aura was no engineer, she'd never gone to school a day in her life. But she still wanted to be a part of the project. "Maybe you need help getting tools, or a second pair of hands sometimes, I mean, where are you even going to hide that thing? There's no way you can do all of this without some type of help. Plus, I may not seem like much, but I'm a quick learner, I really can help you out Vos, if you let me." She was looking up at him with big doe eyes, and she was being honest too. Aura would gladly help him do anything he needed her too, be it fetching tools, food, organizing that mess of a workstation he used, or just plain keeping him company, which she wasn't sure he really wanted.

Aura was leaning closer and closer to Vos as she anxiously waited for his response. If he turned her down now, she would surely throw a childish fit and pout like it was going out of style.

Hannah moved as quickly as she could. The more she went over Tali's status in her head the more terrible it seemed. She'd sustained a lot of injuries . . . and it looked like she was close to the explosion. Realistically, she might be dying. It was that thought that spurred Lethal toward Tali's tent faster than she thought possible.
Darting inside she swiftly located the dresser or trunk, whichever it was, that held the girl's clothes. After finally sorting through both costume and day clothes the ringleader found something worth letting the girl wear. It was just a simple pair of pants, underclothing, and a shirt that wouldn't be too tight on her battered form.

By the time Hannah returned she was looking a bit breathless. "Let me help you change." She quickly set the clothing on a bedside table while offering her hand to Tali. She would help - and she wouldn't take no for an answer. "This might hurt, but we need to get you changed." Once again she was analyzing: this girl couldn't possibly be doing as well as she was. Tali had to be in pain . . . and she must be weakened beyond all belief.
-

Vos watched Aura unblinkingly as she spoke. He slowly shook his head. "It's already hidden." Before she could get all excited about what he'd just said, the male cleared his throat. "Perhaps I could use a second pair of hands, as you so eloquently put it." With an irritated sigh, he moved away from the girl. "Back off, Aura." She'd been leaning closer to him, and that just about set his nerves on edge. It was a strange feeling, honestly. He hadn't been one for social interaction, and having this dancer so close was like . . . like a nightmare.
"Get that expression off of your face," he whispered, sending her a frown as he turned away. Perhaps this won't be so terrible after all. The thought came unbidden, and Vos snorted sceptically before raking a hand through his pale hair. He was still for many moments before taking a deep breath and moving to the other end of the tent. "You can help me tomorrow, Aura. I need something from the supply crates that Lethal doesn't want me to have."

Reaching up to what looked like one of the tent's support poles Reylin gave a small string a tug. That little tug opened up a strangely hidden compartment in the top edge (almost the ceiling) of the tent. Vos carefully pulled something down. Upon further inspection, it gleamed like molten silver. It was a piece of the dragon's wing. "Lethal has a small box of wire that I need. It's one she keeps with the supply tent, but it's hidden behind the animal supplies." The tall male frowned, looking down at the first half of wing in his hands. "She really doesn't like the idea of me using it."

Already he was sending her on dangerous missions. . . .

Tali had drifted off, sleeping rather uneasily. Nightmares of Death plagued her, as well as the constant feeling of pain. He had definitely heard her earlier. By some odd twist of chance, Tali sat bolt upright, screaming in terror before it cut off in a strangled note, at about the same time that Hannah reentered the tent. She was still breathing hard with eyes as wide as saucers when she noticed Hannah's hand. She nodded slowly, her dreams gradually fading away.

Shakily, and using Hannah as a support, Tali stood, her knees quivering with effort. Oh yeah, she was really bad off. Though her legs were probably just weak and not broken. Maybe a little bruised, but they didn't hurt too bad. "I, uh, don't think I can help you much," Tali muttered, noting her weakness and dependence on a crutch sourly. "Sorry. But thanks for grabbing loose clothing; I hate tight clothes. Hopefully I'll be able to handle this much by tomorrow. And I should be fine by the end of the week, if not the middle of next. Depends on how bad I blew myself up."

Stepping back, very slightly, as Vos told her to back off Aura smiled in excitement. He was going to let her help! She was grinning uncontrollably as she watched him pull the metal piece from the edge of his tent. Her eyes widened, it was so shiny, Aura loved shiny. Listening to Vos, Aura's smiled faded as she began to wonder how she would actually be able to get ahold of the wire. Would she need to ask Hannah and tell her it was for something else, or would this be a secret? Surely it would be a secret, and Aura could handle that, easy.

It was very late now, and Aura's mission was accomplished. She stiffled a yawn as she made her way towards the exit of Vos' tent. When she reached the door, she paused, turning to face Vos again. She stood straight and gave him a silly salute, "I'll see you bright and early boss," she said as she lowered her hand and giggled. Turning to leave she paused again curiously. "Vos?" she faced him once more. "Where is the dragon?" she asked quietly, hoping he would tell her so that she might be able to sneak a peak.

"The end of the week, Tali?" Hannah's brows raised and she finished helping the girl into her new clothing. The process was slowed by the occasional dabbing of bandages and cloths - and Lethal carefully helped bind Tali's ribs for better support. "We'll see. I don't want to see you doing anything even close to strenuous, do you hear me?" The ringleader's tone was strict . . . and a bit motherly. "I don't need you getting hurt beyond fixing."
Her pale hands moved over Tali's face and arms once again as she put ointment on the gashes, following up with new bandages that the carnival had recently purchased from the town they were visiting. It was unfortunate to use them so soon.

((:XD I don't really know what to do with these two at the moment. :sweat:))
-

"Get out." As blunt as ever, Vos sent Aura a look that made his mechanical squirrel shudder and start chirruping on his shoulder. The tall male stiffened and slid the wing back into its hiding place. Vos' blue eyes were cold as he turned toward the woman and shook his head. "I'm not showing you now. I'm not ready to trust you." So I will be someday? What lovely implications. Cringing at his own wording the engineer waved the dancer off.
"Go to sleep. Don't bother me before eight." With that Vos moved toward the tent opening and pushed Aura lightly outside. The night air was almost hot and humid in comparison to the man's crisp and frigid tent. With a frown, he closed the gap and muttered something about not getting enough sleep in the first place. It was now roughly four in the morning. . . .

Sighing heavily, Aura didn't argue. She was sluggishly tired now and only nodded to Vos before slipping out of the tent, only popping her head back in for a moment to give him a slight smile before saying, "Night Vos, see you in the morning," and with a wink, she was gone. She had left her candle inside Vos' tent, but she didn't really need it, she knew her way, and the moon was putting off a sufficient amount of light. It was humid tonight, but it felt better out there than it had in Vos' arctic tent. As she strolled towards her tent she considered all of the possibilities of where the dragon could be hidden.

She was dragging her feet as she pushed into her own small tent, kicking off her dancing shoes and making her way to the back, pushing through a thick curtain that separated her dancing area from her small bed. She flopped down onto the bed without so much as changing out of her outfit, brushing her hair, or even pulling back the sheet. Before she had the chance to process another thought, her eyes were closed and she was in a deep sleep.

((Time-skip? :D))

Wincing as Hannah played doctor, Tali wondered why things that were meant to help hurt so much. The rebinding of her ribs had hurt the worst, but the ointments certainly stung more. As much as she wanted to, there was no way for her to keep the sigh of relief from escaping her lips once Hannah was finished. Laying herself onto the small bed, Tali felt her eyes start getting heavy.

"Thanks, Hannah," Tali said, yawning. "Like I said, I'll be as good as new by the end of the week. I'm immortal after all. Death won't renege on his deal." And then her eyes closed while her breathing deepened.

"I'm sure he won't." Hannah's tone was dead-pan and serious, and her gaze was dull as she said as much. Death cheated - even if you'd cheated him. Instead of worrying herself further over the matter the ringleader moved to clean up the mess that had been left behind. Blood and wet cloths were resting in a pile near the tent's opening, and Hannah wasn't about to let them sit there overnight.
With a quiet sigh, she watched Tali drift off. When the girl was finally asleep Lethal moved to clean up. By morning everything was normal once again.

-

Dawn came early for the troupe, as it always did. Performers warmed up their voices and their machines, their animals and their attitudes. Somehow, despite the little sleep she'd had, Lethal was making her rounds to ensure that everything ran smoothly. That day was moving day: the big show was over, and they were packing up and moving on to the next town. Perhaps the next desolate area would have better money and more supplies. Everything was rare nowadays. . . .

Lethal tapped on the post outside of Luke's door, knowing that the scientist wanted to be awake for some brew he'd started the previous evening. He didn't want it to be cold for over six hours, and so far it had been five and three quarters. Luke had fifteen minutes to get back to his science experiment . . . or "magic," as many ignorant folk called it.
Hannah took a deep breath and started talking. "Luke, get up. It's almost five thirty." She swiftly moved on to the animal cages, passing Mateo on the way past.
"Are all the animals ready for the move?" the ringleader asked, her top hat being replaced on her head. Lethal's duel-colored eyes locked on the boy until he responded.
-

Vos slowly rolled onto his back and stared up at the metal beam of his tent. Today the entire carnival would start traveling again. The mechanic hated it when they traveled. Closing his gray eyes and letting out a soft groan, the male rubbed his hand over his face. A quiet chirrup reminded him of the squirrel that had kept diligent watch on the door after Aura's departure the previous evening. Now that it was nearly five thirty, select parts of the carnival were waking early and finishing their packing. Vos didn't need extra time - everything was collapsible and easily carried (except for the many projects with rested on his desk on on various carts). Everything could be closed down and wheeled out to the caravan wagon. They would be under way by noon.
Aura. Vos sighed, closing his eyes and glaring at the backs of his eyelids. The dancer was persistent - and it had gotten her into the job. Now, he would see if she was ready to actually help out. Reylin chose to wait until Aura showed up before making his decision if he liked her working with him or not. It was still a foreign concept: the only one who'd ever worked with him was Mach.
I don't need a frivolous girl running about. Yet . . . she could get into places where Vos himself could not. Perhaps she would be useful after all. . . .

Having been up extra early this morning, Mateo was finished making sure the animals were ready for travel. Reaching in to give the bear a pat on the head, he smiled. There was nothing he loved more than caring for these animals, who he considered his family. Stepping back, he glanced around as he did a mental review of his checklist, yep all ready to go.

Mateo was headed towards Aura's tent to help her pack up, as he always did before travel when he ran into Lethal. With a slight bow and a smile, Mateo responded, "Good morning Madame, the animals are as ready as they will ever be. Is there anything else I can help with this morning?" he asked, glacing around the grounds as people scurried to pack.



By this time Aura had already drug herself out of bed too, which was unusual. Typically she slept in late unless they were open, or on traveling days until Mateo came and forced her out of bed to pack. But she was excited about helping Vos today, and she needed to hurry if she wanted to be there on time. She had watched Mateo as he pat the bear on the head, ducking behind a cage when he turned to leave, to slip behind the animals to the supply tent when Mateo was out of sight.

Once inside the tent she remembered Vos saying the wire was in a crate, behind the animal supplies. She sighed. All these crates looked exactly the same, just in different sizes. Some of the boxes were clearly marked, enough so that Aura was able to figure out where the animal supplies began and ended, and narrow down the crates possibly containing the wire. Pushing open the lid to a large crate, Aura was dissapointed to find rope and what seemed like patching materials for the tents. She closed the box and moved onto the next that happened to be above her line of vision. Sliding the top off of the smaller crate Aura reached her hand up to freel around on the things inside. Her fingers brushed over something soft, a paint brush perhaps, then what felt like a jar, and bingo... wire.

Quickly grabbing the wire from the box and stuffing it into the large sleeve of the cloak like cover she wore on chilly mornings, Aura headed towards Vos.

Mateo's response made Lethal smile a bit. He was always enthusiastic in the morning - in a polite way, of course. The ringleader nodded and pointed to a few acrobats gathering props. "You could help the others clean up the loose ends all over the grounds. I'm sure they would appreciate your help." She watched the youth move off to do as she asked with her lips pulled into a smile.
Luke must not be in. Perhaps the scientist was busy elsewhere.
-

As he finally lifted the last of his projects into the caravan wagon, Vos heard someone approaching. Turning, he expected to see Aura. It wasn't the dancer - it was Lethal. "Is there something you need?" He wasn't kind, but he wasn't disrespectful. He merely made his dislike of Hannah blatantly obvious.

Hannah narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "I was just making sure you would be ready on time."

"Have you ever worried about that before?" Vos turned his back to the woman and lifted a smaller box to slide into the wagon. "I'm fine. Thanks for the concern."

Lethal watched the silver-haired male for many moments before sighing and turning her attention elsewhere. She'd thought she'd seen something in his face - disappointment, perhaps. He was waiting for someone? That was odd, really. He needed to be watched more closely. . . .

Rolling out of bed, Tali hit the ground with a thud, the pain shooting up her leg causing her to gasp awake. It was too bad chiropractors didn't really exist nowadays. That would've fixed her hip issue up right quick. But no, she had to settle for leaning against the cot backwards, sliding to the ground to allow her spine to crack. Then she had to twist sharply to get her hip to go, bringing immediate relief. Sighing, she limped out of the tent, making her way to her own so she could pack up. It wouldn't take her long, but she had slept in so she would have to hustle a bit. Frowning at how the day was looking so far, she continued limping, waving to some of the others every so often.

Mateo smiled when Madame Lethal pointed him in the direction of the acrobats, he loved acrobats. "Sure thing Madame," he said as he turned and headed in their direction. As soon as they were all set and ready to go, he would help Aura pack up. By that time the whole parade would be just about ready for travel.

Mateo was anxious for the travel ahead. New cities meant new people and new sights, and more importantly, new ladies. He reached down and grabbed the handle of a large trunk before one of the petite acrobats could get her fingers around it, smiling down at her when she blushed up at him, flexing his muscle slightly. He really was a ham.



Unsure of the time, Aura hurried through the grounds as people scampered to pack their things. She'd almost forgotten they were traveling today. She passed by the acrobat's tent, catching a glimpse of Mateo helping some of the girls out and couldn't help but giggle. He was probably flexing his muscles right about now.

Up ahead was her destination. Without thinking twice about who might be standing nearby or inside Vos' tent, Aura rushed in, exactly on time. "Good morning Vos!" she said cheerily, "Did you miss me?" she asked as she made her way towards him.

Lethal saw Tali limping toward her own belongings, and felt a twinge of pity. She caught up with the girl and frowned a bit. "Shouldn't you be resting while the others take care of your things, Tali?" The ringleader noticed how stiff the poor girl was, and her limp just exaggerated her pain. It was rather sad, honestly.
-

Hearing Aura's voice made Vos drop something. With a muttered curse, the mechanic cast a glance over his shoulder. "No." Blunt as ever, it seemed. Reylin lifted a chest and headed toward the caravan wagon again. "Did you do as I asked?" Once the chest was in the right place, Vos turned back to Aura. The dancer was flushed slightly, highlighting her cheeks with a bit of color that set off her eyes perfectly in the morning light. He was surprised to find himself thinking of that fact instead of why she was there.
Stepping over to the next box of his tools, Vos frowned darkly. "Please say you did." Somehow he managed to keep a reasonable distance between them even as he stepped past her.

"Mmhmm," Aura responded as she pulled the wire from her large sleeve with a big smile. "It's right here," she said, as she held it out from her body as if to offer it to Vos. Of course, nothing with Aura was that simple. She was feeling just as playful as always, and certainly planned on jerking the wire away at the last moment, as Vos reached for it. Her smile remained as she thought of the fun of the chase.

"So what next?" she asked, arm still outstretched, making no indication that she planned on moving towards him to hand him the wire herself. Aura shivered slightly, thinking to herself that it had to be colder in Vos' tent than it was outside. She was suprised she couldn't see her own breath in here.

Turning to look at Lethal, Tali blew a few strands of hair from her face before shaking her head. "No, I'm fine. Nothing's broken at least," she answered, frowning at the strange look in Hannah's eyes. "Is something the matter, Hannah? If you're worried about me, don't be. If you've ever been hit by a ca- You know what? Nevermind. That's something from a long time ago." Shrugging, Tali went back into her tent before carrying out another box, her face red with exertion. So it probably wasn't a good idea to be working hard with an injury. Big whoop. She was immortal after all, so what did she have to lose?

((*giggle* Ah, Aura! I love her spark. :lol:))

Vos frowned, looking a bit bothered with the fact that Aura had what he'd asked for. He also frowned as he realized she wasn't going to step close and offer it to him, but instead stayed a good foot away and held the wire out on display. "If Lethal sees that," he growled, "no one will ever find your body." Reaching out to grasp it, he was surprised when it was pulled out of reach. "Let me see it." Obviously he never played as a child. . . .
The mechanic's angry gaze filled with more irritation (as if it could fill with even more) and he regarded the dancer for a few moments in silence. Reaching for the wire again, he heard the metallic clicking of tiny claws grasping the item from Aura's hands. Mechanical squirrels came in handy for some things, at least.

The critter leaped away from Aura, hanging onto the end of the wire like it was a lifeline. Scampering away, it tried to pull the material away from the girl.
-

Hannah still watched Tali as she lifted her belongings. "Yes, I am worried." The ringleader stared at the girl as she hefted a second box toward the others. "You were caught in an explosion yesterday night. You shouldn't be walking, let alone carrying heavy objects." Her multi-colored eyes narrowed. "Make Mateo do it. Or Vos." There was no lack of young men who could carry things around in the carnival.
Suddenly she seemed to actually hear something that Tali had mentioned. Looking her over for a dozenth time, she shook her head. "Are you sure nothing's broken?"

"My stuff's not all that heavy," Tali retorted, sitting on one of her boxes to take a small break. Her breathing was noticeably heavier than before, though she hoped Hannah wouldn't see that. "If you want someone else to do it, then you should ask them. You know that they won't listen to me." Frowning, an action that gave Tali the appearance of a sulky child, she rubbed her back to try and loosen some of the muscles.

"No, nothing's broken. If it was, then I wouldn't be moving around much," she pointed out, shrugging. Her clothes weren't her usual, but it was a break day, so wearing a loose white t-shirt and baggy black shorts wasn't that big of a deal. She had gotten several looks from her fellow troupe members though. That was probably just for the change in her mood, or so she hoped anyway.

Grinning up at Hannah, she stood and entered her tent again, pulling out another box, grunting with effort as she did so. Curse Death for giving her this tiny, weak, useless body! He had really screwed her with that move, the jerk. Eventually, she had managed to drag the chest out to the cart, though she was unable to lift it up and onto the bed. Instead, she plopped down against the wheel, breathing even heavier than before.

Laughing as Vos tried to grab the wire unsuccessfully, Aura was suprised when the squirrel appeared and grabbed hold of it. Immediately she stopped laughing and stared down at it. It was cute, and creepy at the same time. Smiling again, she let go of the wire, allowing the squirrel to fall away, weird little thing.

Aura reached up to push the hood of her cloak off of her head, deciding against it as she reminded herself where she was. Being in Vos' tent was like standing on a polar icecap, she was sure of it. Leaning back against some of the things behind her, she repeated, "Well, what's next then?" She probably should be packing up her own tent right now, but Vos amused her much more.

((Sorry for the delay. Sometimes life is just nutty.))

((:sweat: Speaking of being sorry for delays. . . .))

"That's true," Lethal moved to help Tali with the closest of the boxes. "No one seems to listen to you. I find that strange, since you happen to be a voice of interesting input more often than any of the bigger louts." The ringleader smiled a bit when she heard the girl wasn't hurt much - though she noticed how the youth favored certain points of pain.
When Tali managed to drag a chest out beside the wagon, Hannah really noticed her heavy breathing. She was laboring far more than usual. "I'll get someone to help, Tali. Don't strain yourself, please." Shifting her hat on her head, Lethal reached out to place a gloved hand on the girl's shoulder. "Mateo! Lend a hand over here." He took just a split second too long to respond. "Now."

The slender woman moved away from Tali suddenly, looking worried. "Let me know if you need any new bandages. I have them packed with my belongings." With that, she smiled and nodded once, wishing she knew how to help the girl. Instead, she moved on toward the animal cages once again. It was time to check on the cargo and ensure that they were secure.
-

Ay'ren's large brown eyes were even bigger than usual. She huddled herself against the corner of her cage, eying the workers as they dumped some food into a bowl and set it inside the wagon for her. The faun refused to touch it. Instead, she wiped a smear of dirt from her bare arm. Shivering, the pale woman watched Mateo move through the cages and calm down some of the animals. He worked well with them, it seemed. Only . . . Ay'ren knew she wasn't an animal. She was mostly human . . . but not human enough, apparently.
"No," she mumbled as someone prodded her through the bars. Starting to her feet with a scramble, the hooved creature's eyes were wider than ever. "What do you want?"

Hannah looked up at the white-haired girl with a strange expression. "I want you to eat your food. I can't have you getting sick or starving in my care."

"That would certainly mess with your show, wouldn't it?" Ay'ren's hands were like little birds as they fluttered to and fro nervously. She still had the gall to prod at the ringleader . . . as long as there were bars between them.

"Yes. It would." For once Hannah's cruel nature began to show. Many of the troupe members saw her as just that: a ruler that made her way through the day with an iron fist. "Don't make yourself useless. I will dispose of you, creature." With that the short woman moved away from the cage, looking disgusted as she did so.

Ay'ren's gaze moved back to Mateo as he attended to Tali's belongings. "Why can't everyone be as friendly as you, boy?" she muttered under her breath. Her pale ears flattened against her antlers, and she chose to sit down in the corner once again. The trip was going to be long and ruthless, it seemed.
-

Aura's laughter at his failure made Vos' eyes narrow. "This isn't the time for this!" he hissed, taking the wire when the squirrel leaped up onto his shoulder. Tucking it into the bundle of supplies that he'd just stashed on the caravan wagon, the male growled a few things under his breath. "Next?" he spat, glaring at the mechanical critter that jumped from his shoulder. "Nothing, now." He turned his silver eyes to the dancer . . . and paused. Her face was glowing with exertion, as though she'd been excited or rushed. Strangely, Vos felt himself responding to her light flush.
Swallowing thickly, the mechanic blinked and forced his gaze back to the wagon behind him. He had nothing to do once he'd turned, so he eyed the crates and chests for a while before speaking. "I would like you to travel with me," the male said quietly. It was many moments before he turned to regard Aura, but when he did his expression was as cold as ever. "Lethal will question it if she sees you. I want you to pack up your things and start the journey in that wagon. Once we're under way, come to mine."

As though in response to his words, Hannah's voice rose over the activity all about them. It was time to start the wagons. Horses were attached to the caravan, everything was almost packed, and things were going to move. They would be traveling for a while, so they needed to get moving.

((Hmmm. Did it die? :sweat:))

((:ninja: Methinks it did. Hahaha!! I liked the concept of this one, though. :yes:))

((I think if you started it over and we got new players that it would pick up again! :yes: I'd join again, too. :yes:))

((*purrs* A good idea! I just wish I felt like starting it over right now. :drool: Heck, I'll just quote and post in a new thread or something. . . . ))

((That's what I would do! :yes:))