# 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐒! zoro

𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

"helping others out led to my own dismay."

⚓︎

okay, i'll admit it, things didn't go as planned.

i got caught by a group of clownish pirates, led by a pennywise lookalike. right now, i'm hanging over the circus arena like some kind of makeshift spider-man. (i know they don't exist in this era i just wanna make the narrating fun 😭)

you could say i made an unnecessary dumb move, but honestly,

i was just trying to be nice.

30 mins ago ──

i was on the lookout for a secluded island to gather fruits and take a break. that's when i spotted a pirate ship anchored off the coast of one such island. three individuals were being escorted ashore, or rather, dragged ashore. although i couldn't get a clear view of the situation, it appeared as though they were unconscious.

had they been kidnapped?

i paddled my boat to the shore and discreetly stashed it among the bushes. swiftly, i retrieved my bow and arrows before cautiously advancing towards the... circus?

"even the town's busted, what happened here exactly?"

just as i was about to step inside the tent, a hand suddenly clamped around my ankle and hoisted me into the air.

"ow shit!" my forehead made a painful connection with one of the rough wooden planks above. as i winced in pain, i gingerly touched the spot, feeling a small bump already forming.

i blinked my eyes open, disoriented from the impact. my gaze met the unsettling sight of a clown, grotesquely painted face and all, looming over me. one of his hands seemed to be missing.

wait what?

"who the hell are you? how dare you attempt to enter MY circus without MY permission?" the walmart pennywise lowered his gaze to my weapon. "oh, wait. are you interested in joining our entertainment crew? your bow and arrows would be a splendid addition to our performance!"

"talk about duality." i snickered under my breath.

"join our crew," he continued, his grin widening to an unsettling degree, "and you'll experience a delightful world of chaos and mayhem."

his offer was absurd, and my mind raced to find a way out of this circus nightmare.

"look, i appreciate the offer," i replied cautiously, trying to buy some time. "but i think i'll pass on the whole... 'entertainment crew' thing."

yup. big mistake.

the clown's expression shifted, his painted smile curving downwards. "pity," he muttered, his tone darkening. "you would've made quite the showpiece."

the hand grasping my ankle hosted me inside the tent, making me drop my weapon. the people seating in the audience looked at the sight in fear, three kidnapped people were already brought in. of course they would be scared. in their midst were the three individuals i had spotted earlier, each displaying a distinct reaction. the boy with the straw hat gazed up with a familiar smile, the orange-haired girl wore a worried expression, while the green-haired one appeared... neutral,

as if this type of shit happens to him every day.

chains rattled as the audience members shifted uncomfortably in their seats, their ankles shackled together. their captivity was undeniable, and it added to the mounting sense of unease in the dimly lit circus tent.

i continued to survey the scene, my gaze shifting between the warped faces of the other performers and the helpless audience members. the performers, adorned in grotesque costumes, exuded an eerie aura, and their presence seemed to be more than just a role in a circus act.

the realization hit me like a sledgehammer - this was no ordinary circus. it was a nightmarish spectacle, a twisted carnival of horrors where the line between entertainment and captivity blurred into a chilling and surreal nightmare.

i sigh.

"this is going to be a long day."