Day 2- three days to opening

[Relent<]

Katarina was still exhausted from the exploits of the previous evening, but had managed to get far enough ahead in her work to take her break early and grab a bath.

The caravan of horse-drawn wagons had awoken the campsite rather unceremoniously early that morning. The tympani of hooves shaking some of the tent poles from the soil, and jouncing kettles and pots from their hooks to create a cacophonous alarm that roused everyone from their well-deserved slumber.

Ironically, the horses and driving teams would be in bed now, while the performers all staked their claim to training areas around the grounds and the management began the tedious process of signing the necessary paperwork in their mobile offices and bedrooms. An official from the town had wandered into camp earlier that day, and argued with the manager for a few hours concerning proper permits, and something that hadn't arrived in the mail, etc which had resulted in the show's being postponed by a day, and a need to re-print new fliers.

Katarina was secretly thankful for the delay, as it afforded her the opportunity to take a slower pace at her work; in this case, taking an hour off this morning before lunch and ambling off to the adjacent pond for a quick dip and a change of clothes.

 

[Beiseker1]

Huh, slow day, that's exactly what Piotr liked around here. He laid back with a hat on his eyes, and a grass in his teeth enjoying the warm weather with just enough wind for the temperature not to be unpleasant. He laid just out of sight for people working in the center, but not really hiding. How it would look like if he would be?

 

[Taj]

(sorry guys and girls...internet issues, computer issues...was never ending. anyway here I am again)

Alex, upset with the loss of one of his props the night before moped about the camp. It wasn't easy catching wild animals and to find another dove...let alone any bird for that matter what with the commotion going on around the fairgrounds would likely scare away any potential capture. He watched the labours of the campsites go on around him as he organised his trunk, placing his clothes on one side and props on the other.

As he did so, he kept his eyes and ears open for the strange person who had shown up and seemed to keep to themself, ignoring the calls that went on around them during the course of the evening. However the person seemed to have dissapeared. Not that it mattered really, for it had been far too dark to get an acurate visual description of the newest arrival. His attention on the matter did not last long as his ears picked up the footfalls of a passerby.

Even though he wasn't sure if the girl had seen him or not, he bowed his head in greeting with a small, shy smile on his face. He tipped his hat slightly as if being polite but the reality was he was double checking the security of his hat pulled over his ears...

 

[Carnivore]

(it happens Taj, no big deal. It happens)

A little ways from the bustle of construction and renewal, Isis Blackside rested lazily at the edge of a small pond. Her eyes opened, taking in the bright morning sun and bustle at her periphery. Last night there was fire, and lots of entertaining people, and drink… and then things apparently got fuzzy. Apparently she had enjoyed too much of that "Silly fizz" over the course of the night.

Tossing her simple blanket aside, she rolled onto her back. "I'll never wake up at that rate" she thought. While she could see a few interesting things going on at the circus site, for the moment it just couldn't hold her interest. She lay back and stretched out, taking in the warming sun. The black exposed skin of her legs, midriff, arms and face quickly warmed with it. While she certainly didn't need a tan, the sun's energy was the perfect pick me up for a walking, talking tree. She lay back and felt the simple enjoyment of grass under her, the calm water of the pond just next to her. Isis flitted in and out of consciousness as the morning slowly went on.

 

[Relent<]

Marcy drifted aimlessly across the pond with his back against the water, his waist mostly submerged in the opacity of the water with a washcloth across his groin and his face staring upward into the slowly drifting clouds. He was always useless until noon, particularly devoid of sleep from the several days he'd been forced to weather on the road.
But he'd been relieved for the day, since he was only an understudy and because the other acrobats hadn't any rest either. He couldnt very well study under peers that were motionless. But tonite he would pay for his present lethargy when the coaches roused and panicked that an entire day had gone undisturbed by them.
Alas...but the present was much less grim, albeit a little cloudy.

 

[erraticemphatic]

Erimosi emerged from her tent only when she was good and awake, which was some time after she'd attempted to sleep through the arrival of the wagons. The sunlight was especially pleasant. She had become accustomed to operating in dimmed, sheltered spaces or by firelight once the day had finished. So, too, was the gentle, distant bustle of activity, though she certainly didn't envy the workers. The day was cool, which caught her attention as her apparel consisted mostly of very permissive rags (which she wore so not to ruin her performance attire), and generally relaxing. She wasn't so self-obsessed that she couldn't enjoy that.

She hadn't worked up the motivation to start practicing for the day, and there was no use in overworking in a subjective business, so she took the first portion of her day to stroll about and get some sense of what this circus was going to look like. Though she was thoroughly rehearsed in her presentation, this entire experience was new to her. She had done an extensive variety of things in her lifetime. She managed to impress the circus talent scouts as a 'mystic dancer,' a sort of novelty combination-act as an expressive, soulful entertainer and pseudoclairvoyant. Mostly, it was about the smoke, an exotic drumbeat, and a look in the eyes. It wasn't at all why she'd been interested in the circus, but she did take it seriously.

Erimosi watched the construction work from afar for a while, daydreaming more than observing, and eventually decided that she wanted to be more familiar with the areas surrounding the circus. After a bit of walking in solitude, which both eased and bored her, she noticed the magician from the previous night, close to where the gathering had taken place, packing his things. Following a time-perfected method of seeming oblivious and detached, she neared him in passing, mostly to get a good look at him and his belongings. After she passed, he tipped his hat to her, a gesture which softened her. She had questions, and it seemed only appropriate that he be the one she asked. In addition to his apparent friendliness, they were the least strange to one another, sharing some blood.

Unsure how exactly to go about greeting and predicting that he likely would on his own, she approached him.

(Taj, I apologize if this is not what you were going for and will alter it if so.)

 

[Carnivore]

(as I'm sure Taj will attest to, he appears as an Aygomen, carefully hiding his ears. No one else right now should know otherwise. Other than that, carry on!)

Isis stirred from her sleep by the sound of someone swimming in her pond. Well, not that it was really her pond, per se. But she had set camp here, such as it was, which made her feel just a tad territorial of it. She opened her eyes to see another of her kin, a male by the look of him, floating casually in the water. She hadn't seen another Eboniaan since arriving in Aygomenia, and the sudden appearance of one during her slumber was more than a little surprising.

Feeling a little energized after the extra sleep and sun, she rolled onto her stomach, careful to keep her skimpy colorful garments from revealing her rear. A hand dipped in the water, stirring it casually as she watched the tree drift across the pond. She eyed him curiously but intently, either by idleness or voyeurism deciding not to call out to him yet, turning her body and attention away from the bustle of the embryonic circus behind her. She rested her head on a forearm and continued to gaze.

 

[Taj]

(I am ok with interacting with any and all characters so Err your post is welcomed. As Carn stated though, my char. does his best to hide his true background. Although it wasn't fully determined about the sense of awareness of the Labrynthians. May I suggest maybe having an inclination of their shared backgrounds without being fully aware? Alex has pigmentations on his back which might be slightly visible. I never really determined what he was wearing when I posted so that could be a clue to her? Just a suggestion)

Alex was somewhat startled as the woman suddenly changed direction and approached him. Startled for he was accustomed to being ignored by most people. Out of habit he turned his trunk away from the approaching woman and closed the lid to hide his trade secrets. Even when he wasn't performing...a true magician never tells.

Unsure of what to say, he politely stood up and folded his hands in front of him, trying to prevent the habitual hand fidgeting he had picked up. He was silent for a moment, glanced quickly at the woman and attempted to make small talk. "Nice morning..." he began. His eyes took in the attractive woman before him. The first thing he noticed was her clothes. A distinct change from what she was wearing the night before. Although she was dressed very casual, she still managed to look attractive.

He took in the scenery around him, trying his best to appear casual. Finding his voice, he tried again. "Hopefully the managers are as sunny as the sky." He looked over and smiled again as he rocked back and forth on his feet, silently cursing under his breath at his absurd comment. Why was it when it came to personal casual conversation, he was a bumbling idiot, but could sometimes wow a crowd with his voice to draw out their curiousity and amazement? To hide his embarrasement he turned and drew a deck of cards from his trunk and began to shuffle them. He concentrated his stare on the deck in the hopes he could somehow deter his cheeks from becoming flushed....

 

[Relent<]

Katarina noticed Isis at the water's edge, and was about to offer a typical noisy greeting when she noticed the subject of her present distraction. It was difficult to tell with so many branches in her way, but it appeared to be some lithe little woman floating some distance out in the pond.
Katarina suddenly became very embarassed, which subsequently prompted her to be more obnoxious than usual to her friend the peeping tom.
"Backside!" she called, giving her a prompt swat on the butt before sitting beside her on the pond's edge. "Are you going introduce me to new friend?"
Her sandals had been left some distance in the brush behind her, as she splashed her large feet into the water, sending a small shockwave through its surface and alerting the intrepid bather of his company. Upon noticing the two women, he began to conceal as much of himself as he could beneath the water, though it was deeper than his height.
Katarina waved amicably to him with a smile, nudging Isis with her elbow.

 

[erraticemphatic]

(Right, I recall that being mentioned earlier now. Should have retained it. This is not at all what I meant when I posted, but, in considering the pigmentations you mentioned, I realized that I had overlooked that feature of Labrynthians when creating this character. If I were to make the decision now that she came from an Aygomenian mother and a Labrynthian father, it would account for the lack of pigmentation, her unusual size, and the 'shared some blood' comment. Even without this provision, I would maintain that the two are the least strange to each other because Aygomenians and Labrynthians are so similar. All in all, I would say that the balance of continuity has been restored.)

Oh, dear. This was uncomfortable. Her hearing was not so acute as to discern what he had said (breathed, really) to himself, but she could judge from his breathing that he was quite nervous. The tipping of the hat evidently hadn't been as indicative of charisma as she'd interpreted it to be. She gave a small smile and sigh, which was something she did entirely for the purpose of salvaging a derailing conversation. Yet again, she noted, he was embarrassing himself. Fortunately, this meant that the well-meaning magician presented no threat whatsoever to the intensely defensive charmer.

After her smile, a moment of pause went by to assure the magician that his blunder had been forgiven. "This is my first time being in the circus."

 

[Beiseker1]

After a quick nap Piotr took a walk around the terrain where the big tent will be erected. He always liked looking at things from a different perspective, like now seeing this place before it was ready. Even real fans of the circus usually never see it like that.
Suddenly he saw one of the tree folk met yesterday by the fire. Laying leisurely just as he was. He walked quietly to her and quickly dragged fingers over her side and sat next to her smiling happily.
-What a wonderful day isn't it Isis.

 

[Relent<]

(temporilly speaking, two people were there before you. just so long as youre aware)

 

[Carnivore]

(Temporally. Meaning time-wise, in case it didn't translate. Isis has a lot of people to say 'hi' to all of a sudden. I think I managed it, though.)

The swat on the butt coming from the large yet feminine hand caught Isis completely by surprise. How a woman twice her size could sneak up on her like that, she couldn't begin to fathom. Perhaps she had been sleepier than she thought. Or perhaps she had been staring at the other Eboniaan. In any case, she flinched and let out a girlish squeal quite unlike the calm collected presence she tried to put out the night before. "Yeep!"

Isis put her weight on her elbows, still laying on her stomach next to the now sitting phauxnorse. "Uh… hello Katarina. You definitely managed to startle me! And it's Blackside, not Backside." Isis said, bringing a hand to rub her rear theatrically, as if the playful swat hurt instead of just surprising her half out of her bark. "It's about the darkness of my flanks, not calling attention to, well…" Isis trailed off, not wanting to call TOO much attention to her rump, quickly glancing to make sure that it was, in fact, covered by her short yellow garments. Thankfully it was, yet her black thighs were on full display in the sunlight.

Her attention turned to the Eboniaan now almost entirely submerged beneath the surface. "As for my friend, I can't say I know anything about him. I woke up here and he was swimming around in my pond. Truth be told, that's the first Eboniaan I've seen since I've gotten to Aygomenia." Isis then directed her voice to the Eboniaan, not Katarina. "Hello there! You're welcome to let us in on the secret! Or you can stay there and let us guess about you!" She grinned at him and his apparent embarrassment.

But she was again surprised by Piotr sneaking up to her and feeling his fingers along her side! Isis flinched again, this time not just in surprise, but also out of ticklishness. "Yeeah!" she cried again, starting to get embarrassed at her inability to keep her mouth shut, wiggling in the grass and bumping softly against Katarina, an unbidden grin appearing on her face. As Piotr sat down, she realized she had precious little wiggle room between the two of them, and wondered how she managed to get stuck between the pair again. "Hmhm… Hello Piotr. You seem full of vigor and energy today. It seems my spot is pretty popular!"

Isis grinned at the growing crowd around her, making herself slightly more comfortable against Katarina, and somewhat pleased at being surrounded and greeted by people in such a friendly fashion. It didn't hurt that she felt like the center of attention, either. She glanced between the three people, pondering whether or not she should be polite and sit up or continue lying in the grass.

 

[Relent<]

(sorry, i was posting from a phone that thinks I was trying to spell "temporarily" XD In any case, I was merely calling to attention the fact that a lot of characters have suddenly converged in this one area. I only brought Katarina along as something of an icebreaker, but I can send her away if need be. As for Marcy, I'm still not sure how to introduce him; let alone in front of an audience.)

There was only one means to conveniently exit the water, and there now sat three unfamiliar faces in the way of it. His clothes were on a branch near the water's edge high enough to not be disturbed by passersby...with the exception of the phauxnorse of course. The only thing between him and the strangers' onlooking eyes were the water and his washcloth. Things were not boding well; but he managed to offer a reply to the female Eboniaan's pleasantry.
"I personally prefer a bit of mystery!" He called back, his voice faint enough to just barely be audible in the distance.
"You pilfer Miss Terry?" Katarina shouted back to him inquisitively. It was certainly an odd thing to confess at a time like this, whoever Ms. Terry was.

She looked over to Isis as if to ask a question, jumping a bit as she noticed Piotr sitting beside her. Where the devil had he come from?
"Piotr Wall-skee! Don't you know better than to peek on ladies in bath?" She meant this as a friendly slight against her Eboniaan companion, as well as an admonition to Piotr's intrusion.
Perhaps all Aygomenians were perverts. The idea certainly had its appeal.

 

[Taj]

After her smile, a moment of pause went by to assure the magician that his blunder had been forgiven. "This is my first time being in the circus." This statement surprised Alex. He had judged from the way she had handled herself that she was well accustomed to the carnival life style. She must have been a free spirit before finding a permanent position. He wished he could be so lucky. Thankfully the statement also gave him the opportunity to get out of what could have been an uncomfortable silence.

"Oh," he said with interest. "Well perhaps you could offer a few pointers for a down on his luck magician?" He added the last part with exagerated dispair. "Thus far I have been a leaf blowing down the road with a lack of direction. I am hoping this change of scenery will be lucky." He continued to shuffle the deck with one hand, occassionally practising flipping a card over without using his free hand. He would have to pick up a dropped card from time to time, but he noted the skill was improving. Stooping to pick up the latest card blunder he noticed how her blouse would blow in the breeze, reavealing an enticing mid-rif.

Having been in the Glenn for quite some time now, the town's seemingly apparant fetish had rubbed off on him and his mind immediately wondered if the flesh was as sensitive as it looked. Having no other reason to stay in his squat position, he lifted himself up and resumed his conversation. "Anything you could offer that would help entice the staff to take on one more would be appreciated." He resumed his single handed card shuffling...

 

[Beiseker1]

-If something I'm looking, not peeking. No stealthy looking from behind the tree or anything like that. -He looked at eboniaan. -Or, well sorry -he smiled.
-And as to you Isis, you had found a pretty nice spot as it comes out. Everyone wants to be here. Or maybe it's just you, who knows? Either way I don't think you came here to peek on lady in her bath, or did you? No matter, it's a beautiful day, so why shouldn't I be full of vigor and energy?
He laid down next to the tree folk girl, taken he's shoes, and socks of and sank feet into the water. Surprisingly he's feet haven't looked like usual workers here, like he didn't really walk so much in his life, and took care of them.
-Oh, I thought this water is warmer, but still nice.

 

[erraticemphatic]

(A couple of questions: (1) I was under the impression that the campsite and this pond were significantly detached. Am I an idiot for thinking so? If so, we are all right on top of each other, which is not what I intended. (2) A definition of 'the Glenn' would be lovely. I searched for some time for a meaning beyond the word 'Glenn' in the title of the game and never found one. It seems to be a township?)

"Oh. I thought you were a regular." So he was not of any help at all. In fact, he seemed relatively helpless in general, something she found a bit cute. Cuteness was normally met with her disdain, but she found it very difficult to dislike this chum. He was more than cute; he seemed inherently good, which was something very, very precious. What reason was there for her not to help him? "Well...." She gave some thought for a few moments. "I've noticed that what these people seem want is captivation of their audience. Every act I've seen is, in some way, an attempt at mesmerization--if you see what I mean--and your act is very ..." (she searched for the word she wanted) "innocent." She could see him entertaining, even inspiring children with his yet developing talents. This gave her a passing twinge of envy, but she had long since resigned herself to what she knew she was.

 

[Carnivore]

(Relent: I'm cool with both your characters hanging around, or Katarina wandering off. It's really up to you. Admittedly, Marcy is in a bit of a situation, but that's the randomness factor in the game. I'm sure he'll figure something out.

Erratic: (1) I picture the locations separated but still visible from each other. The pond would be across a field from the edge of the camp / circus construction. Were one looking, they could see the people at the pond, but maybe not identify them. It allows each area to be separate, but could join up at any time they felt like. At least, that's the ideal.

(2) Our other game started as a Victorian British/Celtic town, "Glenn" or "glen" just meaning a valley and having appropriate flavor for the setting. It's kind of just a hangover from that. I'm not entirely sure if the circus is setting up outside a different "Aygomen glenn" in our new Aygomenia, or if the concept is more amorphous now. Hopefully that answers your questions.)

Upon hearing the other Eboniaans reply, Isis made a barely noticeable shrug. "Alright then, keep your secrets!" She called out to him playfully. He had to come out sometime, although he seemed shy of the group. Perhaps he was feeling particularly modest? Isis had no idea where his clothes were. She thought about offering her blanket to the poor fellow, but for now decided he was adult enough to figure out his own solutions. After all, no reason to go out on a limb for someone who hadn't even introduced themselves to her yet!

Isis turned to Katarina, unsure of whether she merely repeated the mysterious man in black, or had confused his meaning terribly. The big girl seemed innocently likeable, but maybe a little slow. "I think it means our fellow won't be coming out of the pond for a while. At least not unless someone went after him." She grinned at the thought of one of the diverse band diving in and swimming after the flustered tree. The thought was fun, albeit a little cruel. He clearly didn't want to be chased. A pity.

"Hmm, it is a beautiful day out." She replied. "And a perfect day for a cool dip in a pond, isn't it? I'm about due for a good soak, I think! You can splash your feet if you want, but that's just not enough for me!" Isis told her companions, deciding on a whim that she'd jump in after all. It'd surprise the mystery Eboniaan, and keep her out of the middle of those two. Without a second thought, she jumped into the pond and quickly waded to a spot where she was neck deep. Isis was careful to position herself in between the other Eboniaan and her companions, and give the fellow some private room as well. She was also careful not to remove her clothing before jumping in. While she may prefer to skinny dip, she'd rather soak her clothes than appear fully nude in front of such new acquaintances.

She soaked happily in the water, splashing slightly and giving an inviting look to the pair at the shore. In the back of her mind, she regretted that her softening cream was back in her satchel. But with so many people around, it was probably not the best time. Ah well, she'd have to find some alone time later for it.

 

[Beiseker1]

-Oh I will regret this.
Piotr took most of his cloth of, leaving only boxers, and jumped to the water, swimming fast to get some heat out of muscles. But after a while water stopped seeming so cold. It was really quite nice.
-You were right it's not so bad. -He said after swimming near to Isis.

 

[Taj]

"Well...." She gave some thought for a few moments. "I've noticed that what these people seem want is captivation of their audience. Every act I've seen is, in some way, an attempt at mesmerization--if you see what I mean--and your act is very ..." (she searched for the word she wanted) "innocent."

Alex pondered her suggestion for a few moments then gave a nod of understanding. "I understand." he said coyly, "I need to add a certain...twist to my current act. But to add the mesmerization factor would need some added props. But to construct some restraining devices will take time." He thought it over as he continued playing with his cards. "I suppose I could add a sawing in half act and the divided person trick. But to construct these boxes will take money."

Dropping the deck of cards back into the trunk, he checked his pockets for his recently aquired change. "I'm afraid I don't have enough funds to purchase the needed materials." He searched the camp area and decided to try his luck in the woods beyond the camp. Afterwards he would trek back to town to see if he could purchase some tobacco with his money. He was hoping that the tobacco would inspire some workers to share their tools.

He looked at his fellow traveller again and offered an appreciative smile. "I thank you for the advice!" his voice displaying his gratitude. "How can I repay your kindness?"

 

[Relent<]

(well, since Marcy's introduction got somewhat railroaded, and I can't find any use for Katarina at the moment, I think I'll sit this one out. I'm not happy about having the scene I helped to set taken from me, but I'll get over it. I'll keep an eye on the thread and wait for another opening, but for now just assume that Katarina made an uncomfortable exit and that Marcy managed to get out of the water with his dignity in-tact)

 

[erraticemphatic]

The magician's mindset had visibly changed once success had been equated with marketing. His thoughts were now on money, and that bothered Erimosi. However, she stumbled on an idea too enticing and opportune to feel remorse. She was no longer soft.

"If you're going to be around when we open, I have an idea that I think could benefit us both."

 

[Taj]

Alex heard the tone of voice in his companion's voice change. It suddenly seemed less friendly and he couldn't help but wonder if he had said something wrong. He studied her carefully for a moment and thought it best not to pry into her sudden change. He heard her suggestion and took the opportunity to try and lighten the mood to it's previous state.

He held up his hand revealing he had crossed his fingers, signifying he had hoped to still be there. "With any luck I can only hope." His expression changed to that of excitement as he continued to try and break the now seemingly awkward silence. "I should have thought of changing my act to suit an older crowd! Why it didn't cross my mind before..." He let the sentence trail off as he gazed across to the forest. "I always find it exciting to add new tricks to my performance. To see the people's amazement at something other then a parlour trick always gets my blood pumping." He smiled over at her again, looking like a kid at Christmas.

Another thought suddenly entered his mind and he changed the subject once again. "Forgive me!" he suddenly stammered extending his hand to the slightly taller woman. "All this time and I haven't even had the sense to introduce myself. "Alex..." he continued leaving his hand extended, "Alex Willoughbee," he rolled his eyes and continued with humour in his voice, "someday to hopefully be world renouned magician extrordinaire." He chuckled a bit and waited for a response...

 

[erraticemphatic]

He was easily distracted--imaginative and, though scatterbrained, thoughtful. "Erimosi. I think I might know of a place to start, Alex Willoughby." He amused her with this grand gesture, but she shook his hand, not to spoil the lucrative atmosphere. "I know you want to do magic, but, as a matter of being noticed ... they never turn down tickling acts, and I wouldn't mind lending my assistance, if you're ticklish...." She came across as polite and selfless; she was fiercely excited. This would give her the chance to break into what she really wanted.

 

[Taj]

As Alex had been in the Glenn for some time, the topic of tickling was of the norm. People discussed it more openly then any other town or city he had been in. It was like talking about the weather. Conversations he had overheard went through his head. "He went to town on my feet and that was it. I was in hysterics fror twenty minutes...so I was giving Mary the tickling of her life last night when there was a knock on the door...they caught the thief last night at Rucker's Fruit Stand! It'll be the stocks and laughter for him!..."

It sometimes got too overwhelming for him to handle, which is why he would often seek solitude so he could rest his ears and calm his own cravings. This conversation was different though. The thought of being on the receiving end of a tickle sent a panic through him...but as was the norm around here, it was often give and take. The thought was more then appealing to him. He looked around to make sure there were no prying ears before speaking. With a sparkle dancing in his eye, he smiled over at Erimosi, "What did you have in mind?"