Mx M or F Join me for a show. [ Dark, Novella, Circus, Supernatural, Multicharacter, Story above all else.] [Come Hunter or Beauty for Beast. Step forward.]

[Lighthouse]

Good evening Fellow Traveler,
I hope the day is on the fairer end for you.

I wish to reach out a hand, extend my fingers, and ask for just a momentary walk.
Will you join me?
It will involve questions I'm afraid, but in return offers places fresh from a pen's tip.


If you have not the time, nor the inclination for such a stroll, then I wish you well.
May letters lift your wings.


Though if you have but a few passing seconds, but a few brief breaths, let me try to sway you to dance.

All you have to do, is follow me to that Big Top tent in the distance.
All you have to do, is wander into a story that never found its roots.

All you have to do, is step across the line.
​

---

The crowd was loud, they always were at this stage of the processes. Laughter brooked excited moods, and phones a plenty flashed or glowed with their flashlights. It wasn't dark in here, or at least not yet, but for the people of today's age, it was more exciting to look at pictures then actual events. perhaps it reached the size that one shoulder simply call it a structure. Three hundred and fifty seats, lined in semi circle across bare floor, and structure of thick metal beams kept domed that roof to the world that was their big-top. Instead of red and white, black and grey patterned the skin, but that was just a note. It was always much, much more interesting inside then looking at it from afar.

A single step, a finger reached across the thresh hold, and trespass was made into the territory of the Wolf.

While ushers had painted faces, acted like fools (clowns to be more precise), the higher levels of staff had a different sort of uniform.

​

Made from what would -look- to be metal like paper, formed in geometric curves, the light grey material enveloped skull with only neatly cut lines for his vision to pass through. In a brighter temperament of light, perhaps it would be easy to make out that eye color, but here where the spotlights were trained on center stage, only the shadows pigment them. Dark blue jacket had turned even darker color in the lack of direction connection with any over head lamp, but that was the point. The man, for no doubt, of course what else would he be? moved around the edges of the tent with almost military like stride. Though the inability to see the color of the eyes, does not mean that others could not feel their weight.

More then a few patrons who were taking their assigned places turned to glance out towards his direction, into that darkness at the edge of it all, not because they noticed him.
Because deep down somewhere inside, they knew they were someplace that had been claimed.

It wasn't an actual thought, it was a feeling, one that tickled right there at the back of the neck.
Of course, myths, monsters, and things of that sort didn't exist. They couldn't in this day and age.
So, without second thought, they moved back into their laughter, joy, and excitement for the coming of the show.
Though the Wolf watched all the same, guarding his pack.

All was well.
All was going as planned.

​

There was laughter, bright, loud, renewed. It punctuated under the tent as the now the belly of the Big Top had grown mostly full, the various voices turning almost in unison towards a new point of interest. Camera's flashed, and mischievous giggling by more then a few patrons were dashed in like salt to the meal of the entertainment. A woman with that of a face of a Crow, darted through the chairs, climbed over one (including the occupant), and cut through. Down passed the gathered, moving mass, they all seemed to part out of her way knowingly. Crow was holding something high, something shiny and black with a glowing eye. Someone's cellphone had been snatched, and like a thief departed without so much as how do you do.

Right to the center the one with blond hair straining out like tail feathers ran.
The prize of the phone was placed right there, nested by multiple spotlights.
Off to the crowd she pointed, small hand matched by even smaller frame, to her victim she made her claim.

"Okay, I'm done with it! You can have it back now!"
Hands were cupped at the bill like wings to a ducks back, the gesture natural as if to amplify voice.
Though Dear Traveler how sharp can you sight be? Did you notice it? It was a small thing. A thing that most wouldn't even catch at all.
When those pale hands moved upward, they didn't pause, or strike the mask.
They moved straight to beside the elongated shape.
It was almost...natural, as if no mask at all.

Off the Crow skipped with childish glee, leaving the poor one who had been pilfered from, to come forward before all, and collect that toy from center stage.

The result was a resounding applause that took the poor fellow off guard, and was turning bright red as those ever seeing cell phones turned his way. A slight little wave he gave to the crowd, before almost shyly departing from the broad unyielding spotlights of the stage.

It was easy to pull their collective attention.
Easy to trick human eyes into following what you wanted them to.
Give them something shiny. Give them something bright. Give them someone to laugh at.
People will love you for it, trust the Crow, it was one of her many shiny baubles of knowledge.

A voice, that surely was lifted by speakers hidden somewhere in the Big Top. Certainly no man, nor woman, or even beast had the ability to almost whisper so close to you. Everyone of them no doubt felt as if it was to the individual, rather then whole. They were not wrong in that feeling. Not wrong to have that momentary pause of confusion of hearing a voice so close, obviously talking directly to them. Some, to their attempt of making it not look so, did even turn their heads slightly looking for the one who spoke. Though there was truth in the very way that the crowd seemed to hush itself, falling into a low murmur with excitement for the vents just beneath their skin like goosebumps.

"We are about to begin, please take your seats."
The clowns, or ushers if you will, made sure to rush people along. A few stray giggles or laughs mingling into that almost nervous energy that now the crowd hushed low.
Then the world changed.

CLACK

In unison, every shadow attacked the room at once, and flooded the room in darkness.
Every spotlight, lamp, or overhead glow was extinguished with that metallic circuit breaker popping sound.
Like fallen stars, beams of distant light from those flashlights that were phones.
Ushers had safety wands that were lidded, but glowed like embers that were being blown across the darkness.

There are timelines for everything, or so The Dragon believed.
There are patterns for everything, or so The Dragon believed.

The crowd gasped softly in the gloom when at first when the light dropped.
Next will come their friends, who were shocked just the same, whispering laughing insults at the loud ones.
So it was, you could hear the snickering in the dark.
Next will come the inappropriate pause, enough time for them to ask -was it really a failure in the power?
So it was, you could hear it in the way their voices grew just a tone louder, as if to test the confines of the self imposed prison people make in darkness.

The Dragon believed in many things, but knew many for certain.
Crowds were one of the known.
So, now again he spoke, that voice, it had to be some sound system alright, seemed to brush up against ears of each and every.

"In the Dark, we have no face. Our ugliness, our scars, our pains, lost to the nothingness. We are all one and the same.
So I will not welcome you, no. My friend, you've been here before. My brother and sister we are family.

Yet,
someone once said... let there be light."

CLACK

Fellow Traveler, that's what he calls you, but to me you're just Shiny.
That's right, it's the Crow, and if you want to see the entire show you're going to have to suck it and buy tickets. Deal with it.
For now? You're coming with me.
So come along shiny, I have a friend to see.

Skipping through the crowd had always been easy, moving through them while they're distracted even more so.
Bone white was that mask upon her face, and like a ballerina she could spin, bow, and fly passed people with only the brush of a passing breeze.
That may be her strengths, but her weakness?
The Crow was small.

Never feels so small then when standing near the Wolf, and that's exactly who she saddled up beside in the gloom at the edge of the Tent.
Bursts of fire from a dancer of flame, or an act involving knives, all of it kept the crowd busy, as they kept the Wolf busy.
The Crow stood there for a long moment, her blue, undeniably blue even in this low light, eyes staring up at the large man she stood beside.
The dark colored coat, and the shadows to which normally he stayed, made the Wolf's frame seem smaller then it really was, but the Crow knew better.

"Dragon's really on the ball tonight. New set up sounds great."
The Crow was in possession of a voice that suited the name, slightly high pitched, almost childish curiosity bleeding from even the most mundane of her words.

"Yes"
The Wolf answered in that voice that suited him in turn, low growl like sound almost making it seem to be mimicking words rather then wielding them.
That caught the Crow's attention, small simple words, yes, but one word? Never. What's up with Puppy tonight?

Yup, puppy.
They had done this for years and years, and what makes you think she didn't have a pet name for the man that at times could simply be a beast? The Wolf was a good pup though, never hurt anyone with a mask far as the Crow knew. Stock still the male was standing, hands at his side in almost statue of semblance of stillness. Almost ready to pounce.
Oh! He smells trouble!
Made sense now, and followed the stern gaze the best she could into the crowd?
That one? Really? Doesn't look any trouble.

"Who we looking?"
The Crow hopping from one foot to another in attempt to get just a little bit more height over the heads of the crowd.

"No one."
The growled words again, and the Wolf turned and continued his patrol.

"No one?"
Puzzled sounding voice as bill of mask tilted down, a thoughtful expression in her blues.
"Mysteriouuussss.... Detective Crow never fails to solve the case."
The small hand of hers whipped up, knew where to stop without striking her own mask, and saluted the nothingness before her.
The Wolf watched, sure, part of his nature, but he didn't watch not like that.
The guardian of the tent had grown... curious.

Yes... we must find out. Her little fingers made a little steeple that contained a metric truck full of trouble being plotted.
Yes... index fingers tapped together.

Don't be surprised My Shiny, there is a part coming up in the story.
A part that will ask for volunteers, and that one that the Wolf was looking at?
Well, they would find their hand lifted... raised... grabbed by a small grasp of a blond in a Crow mask.
Her small voice capable of going so loud...

"I got one here Mr Dragon!"