Poison Princess

Chapter Two: Training Days

Chapter Two: Training Days

The next few days were a whirlwind of touring, introductions, and training. So much was happening so quickly, it was hard to keep up. I felt like I had been airdropped onto an entirely different planet. Everything was so new to me, and I had so much to tackle, it was hard to think about the reality of my situation. My parents were not coming back to take me home. This was my life now, and I had no choice but to accept it.

"We have one month left before this year's show season starts and live performances begin," Mr. Fleur told me. "That may sound like a long time, but it will go by very fast. Don't bother crying for Mommy and Daddy anymore, you won't be seeing them again. The sooner you understand your place here, the easier your life will be. We'll be focusing all of our energy into your training before the carnival opens. You're expected to become proficient with all of the circus equipment, and you will follow the orders of your fellow performers without question."

In the following days, I had been doing exactly that. I met an odd-looking, effeminate fellow with pale skin, ruby-red eyes, and long whitish-pink hair tied back in a ponytail. An array of ornaments and pins studded his hair, and his pale face was caked with makeup, dark eyeliner and black lipstick. Not enough to make him look like a clown, but more than any normal person would ever use. He wore a billowy ebony gown decorated with a trim of false roses. But his choice of outfit wasn't the strangest part about him- it was the pointed devil-like tail swishing from his backside, and the spiraled horn jutting from his skull. It resembled the horn of a unicorn. Oddly enough, he also carried a sword attached to a belt around his slim waist. He spoke with a haughty, high-pitched voice. "Welcome to the Rouge Fleur Circus, sweetheart! My name is Amdusias, the 67th Goetial demon and the master of the orchestra! They call me the Malice Maestro, but Amdusias will suffice. I also design all of the costumes for our performers, so come along to the dressing room so I can take your measurements, darling."

Sure enough, I found myself standing as still as a statue with my arms spread in the dressing room, as the effeminate male creature analyzed me with the tape and jotted down my measurements. "Espers your age grow up fast," Amdusias remarked. "We'll probably have to do your measurements at least once a year."

"Ummm...are you really a demon?" I asked.

Amdusias chuckled. "Now what kind of silly question is that? Of course I'm a demon. I'm not the only one here either. I'm sure you'll be meeting my partner Andre soon enough. We've been together for...hmmm, I don't know, at least the past 500 years, probably longer, it's hard to keep track of time when you get to be my age."

"I don't think I'm ever going to be your age," I retorted. "Do you eat people's souls? Did you come from Hell?"

Amdusias looked taken aback. "Oh goodness, no! Don't tell me you believe such a place as Hell really exists, you really are still a child, aren't you? Silly humans and their religion. But demons are indeed real, we came from a planet called Arcadia. There used to be a lot of us, but a lot of bad things happened, and well...let's just say I'm a rather exotic specimen. Just another addition to Mr. Fleur's menagerie of oddities. And we don't eat souls either, flesh and blood is much more filling. The more raw and bloody the meat is, the better it tastes, I say..."

I gulped. "S-should I be worried?"

"Of course not, there's no reason to be frightened," Amdusias assured me, a beaming smile on his pale white face. "We don't eat humans...or at least I don't, can't say the same for Andre. Besides, I've been told you're a poison Esper, so you're inedible anyway. Just one taste'll send me straight to Heaven...not that such a place exists either."

After that awkward conversation, Amdusias gave me a personal tour of the Rouge Fleur Circus, including the stage, the equipment rooms, the dorms, and the training areas. It turned out that the circus was a permanent installment- it was part of a large carnival that ran from the first day of March to the last day of October. The park was located on the outskirts of Tobari City, my hometown, so it wasn't too far from civilzation, but not crammed in the middle of the city either. It was complete with all kinds of rides, such as carousels, a Ferris wheel, and even a small roller coaster. Stands for carnival games, snacks, a gift shop, a restaurant, even a petting zoo- it was the ultimate dream for any child. That is, if it hadn't become my waking nightmare. The bright lights, vivid colors, cheerful sounds, and scrumptious smells painted a sheen of wonder and fun onto a place that carried dark secrets lying just beneath the surface.