During the pause, Vos slowly stood. His hand strayed to the chain that looped about his waist - his weapon. The engineer slowly let his hand lower when he heard the familiar voice. Tali. "You shouldn't be here," the tall male said, frowning at the shadowy shape in the corner. Instead of telling her to leave, he moved back to the desk-like table and opened the drawer. Taking his "secret" plans, he glanced to Tali. How long had she been there? Long enough to hear what was going on?

He knew better than to ask, but it was something he couldn't get out of his mind. The silver-haired engineer shook his head. "You should ask before entering, Tali." At least she didn't pop in like Mach occasionally did.

"Oh, come on," Tali complained, still sitting where she was. What was that he was gathering? None of her business certainly, so she wouldn't pry, but it did pique her interest. "You wouldn't force me back out there, would you? In these black clothes? It's hotter than Luci's brew out there." Then she winced at her slip. When had that saying been around? 1894? Cripe, how was she supposed to keep her secret if she kept slipping up like that?

"I know, but it's just too hot out there today," she muttered, sounding for all the world like a sulky child. Okay, maybe she had changed just a tad too much. "And you know Hannah's policy on drinks. It's not like I have any money to buy them, after all. Clumsy patrons bend my cards all up, and then they're no good for juggling."

The mechanic shook his head with a frown. "Luci's brew?" The moment seemed to pass, and he shrugged the saying off as something he wasn't privy to knowing. Being antisocial, it was a huge possibility that it was something he just hadn't caught on to.
Vos carefully opened the lid to the chest at the foot of his bed. It was a few feet from the desk, and at the opposite side from the tent opening. Placing the plans on top of his most treasured items, the male sighed and closed the container with a frown. "It isn't my job to allow troupe members into my tent whenever they suffer from heat stroke." Once again he was shocked at how many words left his lips. He wasn't a big talker . . . but the talk with Aura had him going on with a strange irritation that went beyond his normal cynical attitude.

"Don't sit there and sulk." Vos pulled a few coins from his pocket (since paper money had died out a few years prior) and tossed them toward Tali. "Buy yourself something to keep cool. And keep out of my tent." It was then that he heard the familiar sound of Hannah Lethal's voice breaking through the crowd outside.

It was time to gather the players for the main event.

"Out. Now." Vos waved a hand at the girl before grabbing a few lights that he'd finished. The mechanical squirrel leaped up onto his shoulder as he headed for the tent opening. The heat struck him like a physical blow, and Reylin nearly groaned at the thought of staying in it for hours.
Heading for the big top, he glanced toward the short figure of Hannah Lethal as she gathered the remaining players to her side. They would perform together this time.
-

"To the main event!" Hannah's voice rang out over the heads of many as she caught their attention. She'd redone her makeup to hide her diseased mark, and now the ringleader looked ready for anything. Her hat was in her hand as she started toward the largest tent in the circus.

By the time everyone started to gather (there were acrobats and other players inviting people to sit in the wooden seats all throughout the room) Lethal had taker her place on the main stage.
"I welcome each and every one of you here tonight and thank you for coming." Lethal's silver and brown eyes looked over the crowd until she spotted Vos. With a barely visible nod, she smiled . . . and lights like fairy dust burst and gently floated through the room to swarm about the ringleader like a mantel of luminescence. "You will be amazed . . . and frightened. Tonight will be a night like none you have seen before. I warn you . . . things are not always as they seem."

There was another gasp as the lights died completely, leaving everyone in complete darkness. Lethal's voice came from everywhere at once. "Some of you will find everything entertaining." She began to whisper as the crowd silenced. "And others will be forever changed."

On cue the first performer appeared on the stage with a burst of flame that made the crowd jump. Lethal had moved aside to allow the typical players to go first: the freakishly athletic acrobats and jugglers . . . the kind of performance that everyone thought was normal. It wasn't until the next act that strange things would start to happen. Strange . . . and sometimes dangerously dark.

Such was the way of the Lethal Parade.

((I'm going to pause and let people catch up a bit. :3))

((Aren't you smart! :lol: I tend to just rush ahead and leave everyone behind . . . does anyone want to be the next act? :3))

((Mateo can be up first :yes: with his lion taming and such. Any good ideas for his performance?))

((OooOoo. Hmm. . . .

Ideas for the performance? Oh, goodness. Some flames . . . scary situations . . . near-death experiences . . . something that will really throw the audience for a loop. Lethal is all into the . . . ah, lethal stuff. :rofl:))

((apologies! I was moving and dragoncon and school started and augggh! DX ))

Mach carefully approached the crowd, silently appearing behind the onlookers.

"What's all the commotion about?" She said, tilting her head sideways, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Human nature was never easy to understand, and something about this particular display of seemingly chaotic behavior had tickled a question in her psyche, and if Marilyn held to one value, it was to never let a good question go unanswered. As always, Mach was ignored by the large majority, but a child closer to the back trying to get nearer answered,

"Somebody said there's a weird creature inside! I wanna take a look!" the little one said to Mach informatively, "'Course I'm much to short and much to small to see anything. Though I'm sure you know all about that." The child said, assuming Marilyn was the little one's age because of her height. Mach ignored the misjudgment in her age, instead responding,

"Well, what if I told you I could get you a prime seat?" She said with a glint in her eyes.

~~~

Lucifer sighed, and rested back in his chair. The main event had started about forty minutes prior, giving him some room to breathe at last, as the stragglers and those secretive to their motives for 'wizardry' had finished their rounds and gone to join the audience quietly. He got up from his chair, grabbing a flask filled with liquid and downing it in one mouthful from the corner. Mmm, apple cider! A bit harder to get when it wasn't apple season, but well worth the expense! He placed the flask down carefuly and began to exit his booth, pushing aside the gaudy bead hangings and fabric tent covers, peering outside skeptically before finally entering the outside world, leaving a 'Be Back in Ten" sign hanging.

By this time Mateo had made his way to the big top, dressed and ready for his performance. He was overseeing the placement of the animal cages at the back of the arena as the arcobats flew overhead in the tent. Hearing the entertained audience's oos and ahs he couldn't help but smile. If they think this is entertaining, they're in for a big suprise...

The performers cleared out of the arena as the crowd stood and cheered. Then the lights went out again as the audience took their seats. Loud tiger roars echoed through the arena as the people gasped and clung to eachother. A strobe lighting filled the big top as tigers ran down each of the stair isles of the stands causing some people to clap and smile with joy and others to jump from their skins in fear. A booming voice introduced the Great Mateo as he appeared in the center of the ring with a bright flash of smoke and fireworks, the dim lighting of the tent following. When the tigers reached the arena they circled around him as if to stalk him. He stood crouched with his arms out to appear to the audience helpless as they all jumped at him in unison as a loud gasp emerged from the audience along with a few screams. The tigers perfectly missed eachother as they flew over him and landed opposite of eachother. Mateo stood with his arms up as the audience cheered, the lions turning to face them, sitting on their butts with their front paws in the air like Mateo. With a clap of his hands the tigers lined up and exited the back of the tent one by one, as a group of five horses pranced in to circle the arena. On the backs of the horses rode one monkey, each doing something different. One a head stand, another juggling, the third hula hooping, the other doing flips and the fifth laying across the horses saddle with a book and reading glasses. The audience roared with laughter and applause. With a short whistle from Mateo, the monkeys reached into a bag hanging from the saddle of each horse and began to throw tiny balls into the air above the audience that exploaded into tiny puffs of multi colored smoke. From the smoke fell tiny cheaply constructed souvenirs attatched to mini plastic parachutes that said "Lethal Parade". The audience screamed with delight as children jumped to grab the falling prizes. With another clap the horses were lining up to exit the tent one by one as the monkeys held onto the saddles with their free arms in the air, rodeo style. A single large male lion strolled in as Mateo rolled out a large ring on a stand that he proceeded to light on fire. Another circus stool of sorts, was rolled to the arena as the beast hopped on top of it and sat. Mateo stood before him and with a small gesture, the lion opened his large mouth to bare his enormous fangs. Mateo placed one hand on the lions nose and the other on his bottom jaw as he carefully eased his head into the large mouth. Letting go of the lion, head still in his mouth, Mateo put his arms up to wave at the audience as they stood once again to cheer. Pulling his head from the lions mouth the lion hopped off of the stool and stood on his hind legs, towering over Mateo as he wrapped his front legs around Mateo in a hug. The crowed awed and clapped. Mateo place the stool a few feet in front of the ring of fire and turned around, hopping onto the back of the large beast. The lion made his way to the edge of the ring while Mateo waved to the audience, winking at the ladies. The lion turned and began to run full speed as Mateo clung to his mane. The lights dimmed as the lion used the stool to jump and propell himself and Mateo through the ring of fire as fireworks exploaded from the sides of the platform. Landing safely on the otherside as the audience went crazy Mateo hopped off the lion as he put up his paw in a high five before turning and running out of the back of the tent. Mateo rolled the ring towards the exit after the tiger where the helpers dressed as clowns would extinguish the flames in a comedy skit of sorts that would allow Mateo to break for some water. From outside the tent Mateo could hear the hysterical laughter of the audience watching the slapstick comedy of the clowns. When he returned he was followed into the ring by a grizzly bear riding a unicycle. The crowed ooed and ahed once again as the bear made a complete circle around the ring, carefully stopping and leaning forward onto his front paws to walk over to Mateo. The lights went off again as a single spot light lit Mateo and the grizzly. Tango music filled the tent as the bear stood on his hind legs. The bear draped one paw over Mateo's shoulder while Mateo wrapped his arm under the bear's to hold him around the back. Holding onto the bears other paw they performed an entire dance to the music that had the audience laughing and cheering before Mateo and the grizzly stood back to back to bow continuously. The lights returned as the bear made his way back to his unicycle and rode out of the tent, three elephants passing on their way to the ring. The three spaced themselves out evenly at the edge of the arena while a pit full of balls labeled "Lethal Parade" was rolled into the ring to Mateo. The elephants stood facing the center of the ring on their hind legs as he picked up four balls and began to juggle them, throwing them high above his head as he circled the arena. When he made his way in front of the first elephant the beast reached down with his trunk and sucked one of the balls to his nose as Mateo passed by. The elephant pointed it to the audience behind him and blew the ball into the stands as the crowed laughed and cheered. It continued this way until the third elephant took the third ball and Mateo was left standing there with a single ball and a goofy what-happened-to-the-balls? look. The elephants were all watching him, and when he turned around to give them an overly dramatic accusing look, they quickly looked away. Walking to stand in front of the first elephant Mateo put his arms up in question. The beast promptly pointed his trunk at one of the other elephants as if to place the blame elseware. The audience roared with laughter. Mateo walked back to the balls and began throwing them one by one up at the elephants who promptly caught them on their trunks and blew them into the stands until all of the souvenir balls were gone. With a clap of his hands, the elephants lined up holding onto the elephant tail in front of him as they strolled out of the tent. Mateo stood in the center of the ring bowing as the audience stood and cheered and whistled and chanted his name.

Lethal chuckled quietly as Mateo's performance went on. It was just what the crowd wanted - thrilling, but classical. The ringleader sneaked a glance at the audience before smiling. For once, everyone looked happy. Sometimes it was worth it; it was worth seeing everyone so happy. But . . . Lethal had always been one for a darker sense of entertainment.
Shaking her head, the short woman made her way out to draw everyone's attention. "Give it up for Mateo the Great and all of his performing friends!" A mad cheer rose from the gathered crowd.
After the next player was introduced, Hannah moved to the sidelines once again. Everything in the carnival looked mystical - it was as though a rusty filter had been laid over everyone's vision. It was gorgeous - and it was definitely part of the show.
-

((:XD I'm not quite sure what else to post. If anyone else wants a turn for the big show, go ahead! If not, that's alright. :lol: Hannah herself is one to show off other people's skills . . . and Vos is not a performer. ;) So I'm stuck with what to do until the show is over. Hahah))

((yeah, I'm feeling the same. Hopefully If lil' Mach's plan works out, we'll have a little to RP about while the performers perform~ I'm loving your Vincent Valentine cosplay Esseme! I'm hoping to make a irl cosplay of him for my boyfriend and a Lucrezia cosplay for me ^.^
I also realize this situation is a little odd for the timeline, I'd say this happens a little before the beginning of the show, or during with those who apted not to pay for the main show viewing the attractions. And I'm writing this with carnival music stuck in my head XD))

"Are you sure this is safe?"

"Yup! As safe as a carnival can be anyways!" Machina said cheerfully, lowering the little boy on through a small gate in the top of the attraction cage. The crowd around them gasped in fear.

"What are you doing? Don't stick that boy in there?"
"How did he even get up there? I don't think I saw him climbing the cage..."
More worried noises, along with some whispers of jealousy of such a close approach to the 'monster with the many horns' filled the air, growing to a silence as the boy slowly stumbled into the cage.

Aura had been secretly planning her return to Vos' tent while he slept when she heard the main show starting. She quickly made her way to the big top as the jugglers and acrobats finished their routines and the lights went out for Mateo's show to begin. She stood at the entrance of the tent as he preformed, watching and enjoying the show just as much as anyone seeing it for the first time. She had seen it many times now, but she was still just as amazed each time. How was Mateo able to get the animals to preform so easily without whips and prods like in other carnivals? She didn't think too much about it. She half hoped at some point they could add in a magic show of sorts with Mateo and the animals, you know, put a monkey in the box, wave a sheet over it, and BAM, a tiger. Right before the show ended Aura slipped out the front of the tent and made her way around the side and to the back where she waited for Mateo.

Mateo was smiling his cocky 'I'm awesome' smile as he exited the back of the tent, the crowd still cheering and chanting his name. There was something about knowing a whole city would be raving about him for weeks and even months, that put a little pep in his step. He looked up to see Aura leaned against one of the animal cages and his smile widened as he walked towards her. "What's up Aura?" he asked, "Come to check my show out? Or you just here to check me out?" He winked playfully at her. They had been close friends for some time now. Having joined the LP around the same time made it easy for them to connect and relate.

Aura raised an eyebrow at Mateo, "Please, you're making me sick," she said jokingly with a smile before sticking her tounge out. She elbowed him gently as if to say 'just kidding' as they began their walk together. Aura cared greatly for Mateo as he did her, but it was a very brotherly/sisterly bond. She sighed as her mind drifted to Vos' project. It seemed her curiousity was getting the best of her. Aura sent a glance towards Mateo as he was smiling and flexing for a couple of girls. Rolling her eyes when he glanced back she gave him a short wave before dissapearing into the crowd again.

((:XD You guys are great! I love your posts . . . but I apologize: I will be away from Mene for a while due to heavy life stuff and work. If I don't post/reply to anything for forever, know that it isn't because of you guys. It's just life. -_-'))

((WinglessFairy, is that cage with one of my active characters, or am I just being silly? :lol:

I apologize for my absence! Life has caught up with me, for sure!))

The show was going smoothly: far too smoothly. Vos ran a hand through his hair and sighed, watching as Madame Lethal took center stage yet again. The audience was loving the main event: Mateo's show with the animals made everyone cheer louder than the surrounding shows. It was definitely a good night.
Setting his ice-cold drink aside the mechanic glanced toward the direction of Aura's disappearance. Keep your eyes on your task, fool. Vos scowled and focused on the lighting that he was manipulating. Who cared what the dancer was doing? Aura wasn't his business anyway. Sadly, as the night wore on, he found the woman in his mind more than he cared to admit.
-

Hannah Lethal bowed as the audience began to cheer. Their show was over, and now they would be closing he carnival up. The troupe had no specific place or position at this time: they had an hour or so before lights out during which they could roam about with the crowd or head to their tents. It was the only wiggle room they really got during their busy day.

"Luke," Lethal called out to the "wizard," swiping off her top hat in the process. "Would you make sure the supply tent is secure before clocking in for the night?" Instead of an order, it was a question. Odd, but nothing extremely out of place for the ringleader to refer to the scientist as a "friend" of sorts. "And if you find Mateo, would you tell him to check the animal cages? I don't want another serpent eating sheep from the field tonight."
-

From where she stood just out of reach, Ay'ren's large brown eyes followed Mach's every move. She knew that girl - she'd been the one to give the faun berries. Despite her mental reaction (to stay put), the faun found a more feral reaction occurring: just like a dog drawn to the person who offered table scraps Ay'ren found her white ears flickering in Mach's direction.
Jerking in surprise when a small child tried to reach her fur, Ay'ren shot backward a few feet to avoid being touched again. This was all so startling: who wanted to be stuck behind bars for someone else's entertainment!

Sighing as she leaned against a tree, Tali couldn't help but feel glad she didn't have to act in front of them until tomorrow. That didn't stop her from giving a show though. Bounding to her feet, she pulled a match from her pocket, striking it on the rough side of a piece of sandpaper. The flame sizzled to life, and she carefully touched it to the long fuse, stepping back to watch it burn.

When it touched the casement, there was a shrill whistling noise, and then the object propelled itself up into the air. Even from where she was, she could hear the amazed oohs and aahs from the leaving crowd. Fireworks were amazing, after all. And that was even more so now. As she watched, the explosive neared it's zenith, exploding into a pink starburst pattern, then again into yellow as it began falling.

Another match, and another firework. While she had never actually had a license to do this, she knew the basics, and how to make gunpowder, so it should be fine. At least, she thought so until she got to the third. When the fuse touched the bottom, it failed to produce a reaction. She took a half-step forward before she remembered that was a bad idea, but that's when the thing exploded. It threw her off her feet, dazed, while pieces from the case sliced into her skin.

Coming to, she couldn't help the stagger as she stood, using the tree for support. Wow! That had hurt! Maybe Hannah would be able to patch her up. She certainly felt broken as she staggered away from the smoking area. Thankfully she had only set up three.

((Sorry. :sweat: I've had writer's block for this for the longest time.))

((Haha, that's fine! I'm glad to see you're posting still! :hug:))

Hannah gave her orders to Luke before heading in the direction of her tent. The fireworks going off were lighting the dark corners of the carnival between the yellowed lights and flickering stands. It was a beautiful feeling to know that the cooling dusk air was full of hope for tomorrow - and a new start, as always. How long can we keep living like this?

Lethal frowned to herself, reaching up to wipe the makeup from her scarred features. As soon as she did so there was a noise from the side of a stand somewhere. The dark-haired woman turned to look . . . and the first thing that caught her eye was the smoke that filled the air. Why hadn't she noticed it before?!
Stepping that way she almost stumbled into Tali. The girl looked battered and scorched, her features streaked with black and a few cuts dripped small lines of blood over her features.

"Tali!" Lethal reached for the staggering girl and pulled her close so she could support her. "This way. I have some bandages in my tent." It wasn't long before they reached their destination. Hannah's silver and brown gaze moved over Tali as she tried to catalog her injuries. "What happened?"
Though her tone was harsh, her features showed that the ring leader was truly worried. Hannah didn't care to have her carnies injured. As she listened for a reply she began wiping smears from Tali's face and using a clean bandage (which was something akin to a bandaid) to close a particularly wide gash on the girl's cheek.

Still dazed quite thoroughly, Tali sort of failed to notice when Hannah grabbed onto her and helped her walk. Her suit was ruined, but that was sort of to be expected from the proximity to the blast. In fact, it felt hot, and was smoking as if it was burning. Absently, she rubbed at her arm, wincing as it throbbed painfully. Sure she couldn't die, but that didn't mean that she didn't feel pain.

Suddenly finding herself horizontal on a soft bed, Tali looked around in confusion, her bright blue eyes focusing on Hannah's face. Her right ear didn't seem to be working properly, but her left managed to catch enough to let her answer. "Remember when I told you I didn't have enough saltpeter for a third firework? Well, I didn't, and it blew up," she said, wincing as Hannah dabbed at her wounds. Even her own words sounded funny when only one ear could hear them.

"Is anyone else hurt?" she coughed out, her lungs trying to expel what they thought were foreign materials. In reality, they were just depressed a bit by her broken ribs, which the coughing agitated, causing her to black out momentarily. Oh yeah, the next few weeks would be Hell.

Darkness had fallen and Aura was closing up her tent for the night as the last lonely male slipped out through the front. She gave him her best flirty little smile and a wink as she waved a "Come back and see me soon." The weather was cooling but it felt great to her as she gazed up to the sky, smiling as the fireworks burst overhead.

Aura was much like a child in many ways, she was playful, stubborn, didn't know when to stop, thoroughly enjoyed candies, corny jokes, fireworks, the carnival... When they finally stopped she pouted to herself as she gazed around the emptying grounds. She hated this time the most, the emptiness, the lonely nights. Aura sighed as she ducked back into her tent, kicked off her shoes and layed down among the plush pillows.

Sleep would have been the most responsible thing to do, but Aura was thinking about Vos' secret project. He was such a serious and mysterious man and that intrigued Aura to the point she found herself thinking of nothing else. It was clear that she would get no sleep until her hands were on those plans. Deciding to wait until she knew Vos would be asleep to sneak into his tent, Aura smiled to herself. It wouldn't be long now.

"Blew. . . ?" Hannah's eyes widened, and she swiftly moved to the next cut on the girl. "No one else is hurt . . . not that I could see. I didn't look very hard, though." With a frown, the ring leader glanced toward the door of her tent. "I'll go take another look when I'm finished with you."
Lethal didn't look angry, but she certainly looked shocked. It was time to get new supplies. The next place they could stop was over a week away . . . but they would be moving on soon, as they always did. The carnival would be packed up and ready to go by the following evening. "Stay here as long as you need, Tali. I don't need you causing further harm."

It wasn't long before most of Tali's cuts and scrapes were cleaned with water and clean rags, and small bandages littered her tiny face and whatever skin she had scraped up. "Where else does it hurt?" the dark-haired woman asked, watching Tali's face as she tried to readjust to the land of the living. She'd blacked out a couple times, though only for a few minutes. It was frightening, really. They didn't have a doctor, so it was difficult to watch another member of the troupe get hurt. Hopefully it wasn't anything too serious. . . .
-

Vos set aside the metal sheet with a sigh. It was late into the night now - or so said the clockwork machine nearby. It tolled gently to let him know that it was nearing midnight. Running his hands through his hair the mechanic finally chose to rest. He'd been working on projects all day . . . it was necessary to get some sleep in every once in a while. Everyone was human enough to need sleep. Sadly, he'd never gotten the healthiest amount of rest. . . .

Instead of cleaning up his materials Vos left them where they were on his desk. The bluish light from his tent slowly died as he left the work behind, and the chittering of metallic creatures began to die down. Everything settled as Vos sat on the edge of his bed, yawning quietly as he thought over the day. Aura. Once again the dancer appeared in his mind's eye. With a frown, Reylin snorted and reached forward to touch the mechanism to turn off the final light in his tent. The only way to see now was to have his eyes adjust to the faint illumination that came from a strange bit of work near the corner somewhere.
He stayed still for a long while, wondering when sleep would claim him. When his gray eyes finally closed, the night was well under way.

((DUn dun dun!! :lol:))

Breathing heavily through her mouth, Tali tried to clear the nausea that had come upon her suddenly. Did she have a concussion? She couldn't remember hitting her head, although it did hurt pretty bad. "My ribs," she breathed out, wincing. Cripe that hurt! "I think they might be broken. And I may have a concussion. I don't know. I can't remember if I hit anything significant."

Frowning in thought as Hannah continued her administrations, Tali just barely noticed a warm feeling around her waist and bum. Looking down in confusion, she registered the fact that her bladder was aching, and added two and two together. Jumping up, she began apologizing profusely, looking up at Hannah from where she'd fallen on the floor. Okay, standing probably hadn't been a good idea in her condition.

"I'm sorry, Hannah!" Tali exclaimed, afraid of being yelled at. "I didn't even feel like I had to pee! Honest!"

Hearing that the girl's ribs were also hurt Hannah nodded. When she moved to get some bandages that would work as a brace, she heard Tali leap to her feet. The sudden movement made the ringleader gasp in worry - she shouldn't be on her feet so soon!
"Tali, lay down!" It was then that she realized what was going on. The dark-haired woman tried to hide a smile as Tali sputtered her excuses. "Tali, I'll get some clothes from your tent. It's alright!" She finally laughed quietly. "Aren't you just a troublemaker tonight?" Lethal stepped forward to touch Tali's head before moving toward the tent's opening. "I'll get you come clothes and come right back. Don't move around too much. You'll be hurting yourself."

((HAHAH! That made me laugh so hard!! :lol:))

The little flame of fire danced about atop the candle that Aura carried carefully in her hand as she made her way towards Vos' tent. Her eyes darted suspiciously around the grounds making sure no one was around to see her sneaking about. She approached the tent and stood outside for a moment, leaning forward with her ear close, listening for movement inside.

A small wind picked up for a moment causing the small flame to flick around angrily. The sheer silky pieces of fabric that hung from her waist blew delicately to her side, the golden charms and beads of her top tickling her bare belly before the wind passed and all was in place again. Aura reached up and pushed a bit of her long golden hair from her face before looking once more over her shoulder, and quickly ducking inside the tent.

It was dark, and cold inside the tent, she should have known. She could hear the slow and steady breathing that escaped Vos as he slept and was thankful he was asleep, not that she would have left had he been awake, but at least now she wouldn't have to fight him for the secret. Holding the candle out slightly in front of her, Aura made her way to the workspace, a small amber yellow color lighting her way.

Setting the candle on the desk, Aura glanced towards Vos who was still asleep, before leaning over the mess of paperwork and gadgets. Her hands flipped around through the sheets of paper, small sketches, jotted notes, and bingo... Vos' secret project. Her eyes widened slightly as they scanned the papers. Hearing a noise from somewhere in the tent, she jumped slightly as the squirrel hopped up onto the desk, knocking over a small jar of pens and other useful writing materials.

The squirrel tilted its head to look at Aura and chittered. Despite the pens and fallen jar, the little noise seemed to be far louder than it should have been. With its head and tail bobbing, the critter focused its gaze on the plans in the dancer's hands . . . and leaped. There was a metallic cry of desperation as the shiny squirrel launched itself through the air and landed on Aura's arm. It clung to her desperately and began to try and make its way to her wrist where it would pull the papers from her grasp.

The sound of something dropping roused Vos from his sleep. A frown marred his features as he thought over the squirrel which almost never shut down. Perhaps it is finally malfunctioning. It was a sad thought: the squirrel had been the first of many mechanical beings he'd created. I'll have to check it in the morning. Maybe even do some repairs. . . .
A tiny scream of sorts was what made Reylin sit up. Silently moving from the bed he looked to where the noise came from. Sure enough, there was the squirrel . . . and it was attacking Aura. The dancer's candle lit up the scene, which looked far too chaotic for his waking mind. A . . . dream?

Vos reached forward and snagged the plans from Aura's hands, eying her now messy blonde hair in disdain. "This isn't for your eyes," he hissed, not even flinching when the squirrel leaped from Aura's head to his shoulder. The silver-haired male glanced down at the shadowy pictures with a frown. The sketched wings and serpentine head peered back at him as though disgusted in being revealed so soon. It was a miracle that the thin papers hadn't been torn in the struggle between mechanical beast and dancer.
"Get out of my tent," Vos whispered, eyes still lingering on the dragon's dark features. With a growl he reached up to push against Aura's arm lightly. His eyes were narrowed and his expression hardly controlled; Vos wasn't too happy with Aura's actions. Just before he started to push her toward the tent opening, he froze. "What did you see?"

Gasping when the squirrel appeared on the desk and knocked off the pens, Aura held a hand to her heart, as if to try and stop it from beating out of her chest. At least it hadn't been the candle. In the next moment the squirrel lunged, latching onto Aura's arm. Stepping back with a small yelp Aura swatted at it and squirmed as she tried to knock it away from herself, loudly whispering her own set of orders, "Get off of me! Shoo! Go away! Ow!"

She jumped again as she turned to see Vos now standing before her, as he reached to quickly snatch the papers from her. The squirrel jumped from her head to Vos' shoulder, leaving her hair in a mess as she scoweld up at the mechanical creature. Her eyes went from the little monster to Vos, as her expression changed quickly to that of a child who had been caught in a cookie jar as he told her to get out of his tent.

Smiling when Vos didn't push her from the tent she looked up at him, "Enough," she responded. "I'm not so sure how the others will take to hearing about that dragon," she said, still hinting that he needed to let her help or she would out his secret plans.

Dragon. She'd seen more than enough. "I've already built the prototype," Vos said quietly, setting the plans on the desk and letting out a growling sigh. "Lethal doesn't like the concept of something bigger than a dog." She never had . . . though Vos was always trying to find a way around that. He wanted to test his skill so badly that he wouldn't abandon this project. He couldn't.

"Aura," he sighed, her name sounding like groan. "Why can't you leave me in peace?" Now she had leverage; she knew what he was making. He couldn't just send her away . . . she would tell someone. Vos didn't truly want the girl helping him with anything, but he wasn't willing to lose the progress he'd already gained.

"What do you want, girl?" He already knew: she wanted to help. She wanted to be involved with whatever scheme was going to make the carnival more interesting. "I'm an engineer. I create things . . . alone. What could you do to help me?"
The squirrel clucked as though to agree with his assessment of the girl.