[ABANDONED] Another Series of Oneshots

The New Arrival (Circus Performers)

Songbird was resting in her bare train car after the show, eyeing the chair in front of her when Sera the naga busted open the door. She held a struggling human by the wrists, and was almost struggling to hold onto him. She slithered into the car and pushed him into the chair. Sjoln followed soon after, his many legs clicking on the wooden floor, as well as a cane Songbird hadn't seen before, and together they tied the new human to the chair.

"You'll pay for this!" the human roared, straining against the restraints around his wrists and chest. "They'll find me, and then you will be destroyed!"

"I highly doubt it," Sjoln said dismissively, then addressed Sera, "Can you guard the human? I don't want our little Songbird to get any ideas."

Sera nodded, "Got it. Can you check on Tiny, too?"

"After we get moving."

Sjoln left the three of them alone. Sera crossed her arms and glared at Songbird. Songbird showed her empty hands, hoping that she understood what she meant. Sera didn't, but decided that Songbird could be trusted anyway, and turned her attention to the still struggling human.

"You're not going to break those," she said as the train lurched beneath them. Its many feet moved slowly at first, then faster, steadily pounding beneath them. Songbird nearly fell over, but Sera stood straight. The human glanced at Songbird, who shrugged, and then glared at the naga.

Songbird stared at him, taking in his face before Sjoln came back. She first saw his large, and somewhat crooked nose, like it had to be realigned multiple times, and then his eyes, such a dark brown they almost seemed to be black. Then she noticed the gold chain around his neck holding some kind of locket and his long hair tied back into a ponytail.

The human sighed and looked down, so Songbird couldn't really see him too well. She looked at the door as Sjoln entered through it, carrying his paints. From what she saw, none of the colors were the same as her's.

"Any news?" Sera asked, uncrossing her arms, as Sjoln approached them.

"I'm afraid not," he said. "We may have to give Tiny up for loss."

Sera sighed, "Shame, they were really good, too."

Sjoln nodded, and turned his attention to the new human, who had been looking everywhere but at the demons. "Can you look up here?" Sjoln asked as he tilted the human's chin up. The human had no choice but to comply. He glared at Sjoln. "Oh, don't give me that look!"

The human's face relaxed, and Sjoln took a moment to decide what decorations to paint. He painted slowly this time, and Songbird could see the human's grip on the armrests tightening with each stroke of the brush. Sjoln must have seen it too. He told the human to relax, and while he tried to fight the demon's influence, he couldn't help but relax his grip.

Eventually, Sjoln finished. He took a step back and admired his work, almost as proud of it as he was with Songbird's. The human had managed to resume glaring. Sjoln laughed at this.

"Oh, human, why don't you smile?" he said. "Your old life was must have been boring if you came to us. This will be an improvement upon whatever you may be studying, and I assure you, you will be worth more here than in a dusty study.

"Hmm? What's this?" Sjoln picked up the locket around the human's neck. He opened it and frowned. "Odd. This seems like a worthless compass, but I suppose I'll take it anyway."

He started to turn around, but stopped and looked at Songbird. Her heart started to race. He stepped closer and tilted her head until her eyes met his.

"You're not rubbing at the paint again, are you?" he asked quietly.

"No... no," Songbird lied. They stared at each other for a moment too long. She had the feeling Sjoln didn't believe her, but he had no real way to prove it. Unless...