Lost Soul

Noah's Ark Circus pt.2

"I'm not here for your amusement. You're here for mine."

Celine sat on a cot in the medical tent surrounded by a group of happily chattering people. The doctor had wrapped a bandage around her bloodied knee. The leader, whose name she learned to be Joker, had gone to go look for Alexander. Dagger was giving her a play by play of what happened during the show.

"And the bloody fool just walked right past 'im and up to Betty! And he picked up her paw and Betty bit his head!" Celine gasped

"Was he alright?!"

"That's the weird thing. The bloke was perfectly fine! It's crazy!" Dagger continued to tell her about what had occurred during the show with large animated gestures and faces.

After Dagger had finished the story, the group sat in an awkward silence.

"What's being in the circus like?" She inquired, breaking the silence.

"It's so much fun, but it's a lotta hard work too. We lower tier members do all the work!" One performer chimed.

"It is not hard! Just do what you're told and it's easy." Another shouted.

"Blimey, we don't even know yer name!"

"Uh...My name....is.....Tessa? Yes! Tessa." She breathed in deeply. "My name is Tessa."

"Oh. I thought it would be something pretty."

"Peter! Apologise! Father wouldn't want us treating guests like tha." Joker had returned to the tent with Alexander in tow. "Is this yer sister? Ye both look a like, even if she is adopted." Faux relief flooded Alexander's face, and he ran over to her.

"Tessie! Are you alright? Oh my god, I was so worried!" He embraced her, and Celine stiffened. He smirked, and pulled away.

"Thank you for finding her. She doesn't like to listen, and usually gets into sticky situations. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't found her." Alexander smiled, and shook Joker's hand.

"She would have been bitten by a snake or something." A performer called out.

"Snakes?"

"Yeah, instead of guard dogs we have guard snakes."

"That's awesome! I absolutely love snakes!" Celine's eyes lit up, and she smiled brightly. Joker chuckled, and showed them out of the tent. She waited a few moments before smacking his arm.

"I don't like to listen? You should see yourself!" She swung her arm again, but Alexander had caught it, and led Celine behind a tent.

"Just because I've changed doesn't mean I won't hesitate to hurt you." He gripped her wrist harder, and twisted her arm behind her back. "And your dear butler isn't here to help you." He spoke lowly in her ear, basking in the glorious scent of her fear.

"L-Let go or I'll shoot you!" She quickly pulled pistol and put it to his chest. He gripped her wrist harder, and she gasped in pain, dropping the shiny pistol.

"Little girls shouldn't play with guns." He crooned.

"Who said I was playing?" Celine growled, and tried to pull away. "Stop this, we need to get back." Alexander reluctantly let go of her wrist and picked up her pistol, and slyly pocketed it.

They bickered all the way to Ciel's carriage. Inside of said carriage, he was sneezing and coughing while Sebastian sat smiling across from him. Celine climbed in next to Ciel, and rubbed her slowly bruising wrist.

"Did you discover anything?"

"Yes, they have snakes that guard the tent area. Other than that, they wouldn't relieve any information. They're a nice enough group of people, but I have a bad feeling about their doctor. He doesn't seem right." Ciel sneezed, and stared at Celine.

"Why are you talking like that?" She snorted.

"Mr. Downing has been teaching me how to speak like an American so I won't be recognised as easily." She explained. The group sat in silence.

"So have you thought of a cover story yet?"

"What?" Ciel stared blankly, and sneezed again.

"Gesundheit. A cover story. I've been thinking, and the only way to find out about the missing children would be to infiltrate the circus."

"No. I am NOT joining the circus."

-The next day-

Ciel and Sebastian stood at the entrance of Noah's Ark Circus. Ciel wore commoner's clothing and a medical white eyepatch while Sebastian was in his usual butler attire.

"Tch. Will she hurry up? I want to get this over with."

"Well if you'd had looked around better you would have realised I was walking up behind you." Celine sauntered up, and poked his cheek. "And I'm the blind one."

"Tch. Lets get this over with." The trio walked towards the back, where the biggest training tent was. A group of people surrounded the flame haired Joker and and the blonde haired Dagger. They pushed their way to the front to hear what he was saying. Joker glanced down at Ciel, and up to Sebastian.

"Hey there, young lad. What's yer name?" Joker smiled while Ciel stared up blankly.

"My name's Finnian."
Celine snorted into her hand, and disguised it poorly as a cough.

"Ah, Miss Tessa! Didn't think I'd see ye here today! Are ye 'seein' these two off?" Joker teased, and the four of them laughed uncomfortably.

"No, Joker. Actually, I'm trying out with them." She explained pleasantly. Joker frowned, and pulled her out of earshot of the others.

"But yer blind. How will ye be able to see what yer doin?" Celine smiled gently, and placed a hand on his arm.

"I wasn't always blind, you know. I'll be fine. Just you see." She smiled wider, and Joker did too at the use of his joke from earlier.

"Alright, but I'll be watching ye closely if ye make it."

"Thank you!" Celine shouted, and ran back over to Sebastian. "Where'd Ci-or Finnian go?"

"He is just about throw knives."

"Ciel can throw knives?" She said bluntly.

"Well, he can throw darts." Sebastian chuckled at Celine's bluntness.

"Is he good at darts? And you can tell the truth, I'm not going to tell him."

"The Young Master is good at darts, but the board he supposed to hit is over eight feet away." Sebastian pondered. "But I don't know how I'm supposed to help him."

"You could flick something at the butt of the knife to make it go farther." Celine suggested, cracking her knuckles.

"Lady Celine, I don't think I'm capable-"

"Sebastian, we both know that you're more than capable at shooting a few measly pebbles at the butt of a knife. I mean, you are one hell of a butler, aren't you?" She taunted slightly, looking up from underneath her lashes, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

After Ciel and Sebastian had passed the audition, it was now Celine's turn. She stood with her back to the group, and started her audition. She waved her arm, and a long silk ribbon with a hoop dropped from the rafters. Wrapping her tiny hands around the hoop, she started her routine. Her movements were fluid, and she was insanely flexible. Whenever she did a split, a few of the male onlookers audibly groaned. She performed a sultry routine, and ended it with a twisting flip. The group cheered, some even clapped her on the back. She scurried away, not wanting anymore handprints on her back.

"Settle down, settle down." Joker waved his hand, and walked over the trio. "Yer all in! Now ye need names." He pointed to Ciel. "But there's one more thing ye need to do for us; give us a smile." Sebastian snickered softly (try saying that five times fast 😂) while Celine snorted. Ciel paled, and gave them a large smile. Sebastian laughed quietly.

"Great! Ye will be Black." Sebastian smiled. "Ye will be Smile." Ciel sweat dropped. "And Miss Tessa, ye will be Diamond." Celine blushed softly, and waved to her fellow performers.

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