Laughter is Born From Madness

Chapter 35

"Now I'll give ye a quick tour." Joker said, holding his arm out. "Come with me."

Leading the trio down an area where tents are lined up together, side by side.

"First, these are the tents ye'll be sleeping in. This is where the so-called 'second-string members' -the stagehands, newcomers, and the like- live." He said as he pulled back a curtain, showing the inside of a vacant tent. "There's usually two or three to a tent."

Walking away from the spot, the four walked over to a nearby line of tents.

"And that there's the dining tent and the tent that serves as our larder. It's up to ye new folk to cook up the meals too, so give it your best! The tent all the way back is the first-aid tent."

Walking a little way back from the first-aid tent, the four arrived at a barbed-wire fence. Beyond it were large purple tents.

"From 'ere on back are the private tents of the main cast."

"Private tents?" Ciel asked as his butler eyed the place in suspicion.

"Well...once ye hit it big, ye get a place to yourself. Oh, 'n' one more thing..." pointing over to the first tent near the fence, Joker said, "That's Snake's tent, so ye should stay away for your own good. There are a great many poisonous snakes roaming free, so one bite, and off ye go to the other side. Snake and his slithery friends are still very shy, so newcomers especially should stay sharp 'round these parts...Right then! Moving on."

The four left the area, Red looking back at the tent one last time, before making their way down another row of tents.

"By the way...what's become of your right eye, Smile?"

"Eh!?" Ciel said, alarmed by the question. "Ah...this...there was an accident..."

Placing his skeletal hand under Ciel's chin, Joker lifted his face to meet his eyes.

"How sad...for someone so little to have had such misfortune befall him." He gave the boy a smile as he patted his head, Sebastian's face showing no emotion. "Well, everyone 'ere's got their own issues, so ye'll get along just fine!"

"Y-Yes..."

"Like us, did everyone here join the troupe while the circus was making the rounds?" Sebastian asked.

"For the most part, yes. But all the first-string members come from the same town. Guess ye could say we're all childhood friends."

"Childhood friends?" Red wondered.

"Yeah. But Snake's still a rookie. He's a genius with his snakes, he is... and we were without a snake charmer at the time, so he became a member right quick. If ye join the first string, ye don't have to help with prep, and ye don't have to worry about fighting for your meals. And ye can get your own tent. That's why everyone does their best to get to the top..."