Monochromatic - Chaelisa (CONVERTED)

Day 4.

"So you came." Lisa spoke up without looking up at Roseanne. She was occupied feeding the lion his lunch.

"You said to." Roseanne replied softly, gulping as she stared at the lion that was only a few feet away from her.

"He senses your nerves. I'd relax if I were you." Lisa looked up. "He's not going to hurt you, he won't hurt anyone that doesn't hurt him." Lisa explained before motioning Roseanne to come closer.

Roseanne hesitantly stepped closer to Lisa and the girl guided Roseanne's hand and placed it on top of the lion's head. The lion didn't even flinch at the touch. "Pet him." Lisa whispered.

Roseanne gulped as her hand moved gently to pet the lion. His fur was soft, she'd probably enjoy hugging him. The lion purred at the touch and Rosé smiled and turned to Lisa who smiled back.

"He likes you." Lisa told her.

Roseanne smiled softly as she kept petting Luca. "How did you tame them? Without hurting them and stuff." Roseanne asked.

"If I answer that, I have to tell you my whole story." Lisa replied. "Lucky for you, I have time to tell it."

Roseanne turned to Lisa. "I'm all ears."

Lisa went on to tell Roseanne what her whole life consisted of and that was one thing: the circus. Lisa was born into the circus, raised into a hectic lifestyle of moving from place to place. She never lived in an actual home, only buses and sometimes hotel rooms. Her father, Marco, was the ringmaster before her and the animal tamer. Being that Lisa was his eldest child, he taught her everything she needed to know about the circus. He taught her that you don't tame animals, you just learn what it's like to be them. Never once did her father ever advise her to resort to violence against an animal.

"They'll listen if you understand them." He'd say. And Lisa understood them. More than she understood people. More than she understood herself sometimes.

Everything was just the way it was, normal. To her standards, at least. But then things changed. Her father suffered from a heart attack the year before.

He didn't make it.

And with no one to reclaim the title for ringmaster, Lisa was forced to take the position. She loved the circus, it was her home. But Lisa had dreams of her own that didn't revolve around the circus.

"What were you dreams?" Roseanne asked softly.

Lisa took a deep breath. "I wanted to be a veterinarian." She told the girl. "I've loved animals since I was a kid, like I told you, and I understand them. More than I can sometimes understand myself. I want to help them like they've helped me." Lisa scratched Luca's chin and the lion purred and Lisa smiled. "They know me well, more than anyone." She whispered, appearing deep in thought.

"You can still be a veterinarian if you wanted to, can't you give it to someone?" Roseanne asked.

Lisa chuckled dryly. "I wish it was that easy."

"Don't you have siblings? I'm sure one of them could take it." Roseanne suggested.

Lisa shook her head. "Usually the eldest Manoban takes it over. My father taught me everything before teaching Bambam and Minnie. But they were never into it as much. Not like me. Bambam will go off to college and then Minnie. They don't have to worry about keeping the legacy alive. They're lucky." She smiled sadly.

"So you don't have a choice?" Roseanne asked, frowning.

Lisa sighed, shaking her head. "None." She paused. "It sucks, doesn't it? Being forced into expectations and not having one say about it. It's like putting a dagger on a person's individuality, it makes them unable to be who they want to be. Do you ever get that feeling?" Lisa looked up at Roseanne expectantly.