[hider=Achille Sinagra] [u][b]Basic Information[/b][/u]

[b]Name:[/b] Achille Sinagra
[b]Nickname/Alias/Etc:[/b] Leeroy Brown (to his grandfather), 'Ringmaster' (to his coworkers), 'Caesar' (those who know him at the Columbia Theatre House)
[b]Gender:[/b] Male
[b]Age:[/b] 22
[b]Height:[/b] 6'5" or 195 cm
[b]Weight:[/b] 220 lbs or 99 kg
[b]Home District:[/b] The Northlands

[b][u]Appearance[/u][/b]

[b]Hair Color:[/b] Black
[b]Eye Color:[/b] Green
[b]Ethnicity:[/b] Caucasian. Primarily of Italian/Roman and Irish descent.
[b]Physical Appearance:[/b] 

If there was ever a word to describe Achille, it would be statuesque. For more reason than one. Towering above most people his age and dressed spick and span, Achille is both easily recognizable by those who know him and a point of interest for those who don't. Often wearing a bright smile or a wry grin, Achille exudes an air of cheerfulness and laid back enjoyment wherever he goes. His movements are often purposely exaggerated and his size combined with the length of his legs and arms often make such exaggeration all the more comedic to behold, something he is both aware of and always taking advantage of to get a smile out of people. Of all his features Achille is quite possibly the most proud of his beard. Thick, well groomed and kept to an exact length of two and a half inches, Achille insists that his showmanship and people skills are derived entirely from his facial hair. [b]"Much like that one guy in the bible who beat a bunch of people to death with a donkey or something."[/b] as he is fond of stating. Along with his beard Achille is blessed (or cursed depending on your preference) with all the features that mark him as having a strong Roman heritage. Bright green almond shaped eyes, pronounced cheekbones, a defined jawline, and a nose any Princep would gladly have carved into stone all combine to give Achille the appearance of a Statesman reborn.

Achille's beard isn't the only hair on his body of course and his Italian genes have seen fit to make sure he is never at a loss for hair across his body. With a head of thick, black hair on top of his head and more covering his legs, thighs, arms and chest it's a wonder he doesn't have difficulty swimming from all the added resistance. His eyebrows bring to mind large bushy caterpillars, albeit better groomed ones. His hair is generally left to do as it pleases and he keeps it cut in such a way that it at least stays off his forehead, ears and neck. Even without the physical demands of his work, Achille keeps himself in shape, working out on a daily basis whenever possible and taking many a weekend off to enjoy a bit of the outdoors. While he's far from having a six pack or guns worthy of the gun show, he is pleased to at least boast an above average amount of muscle with a bit of fat to balance things out. His body shape could best be defined as trapezium. Numerous accidents of varying severity with his ability have left him with a few scars, the most noticeable being a two inch scar on his left cheeckbone.

[b]Attire:[/b] 

As one might guess of someone who comes from no small amount of money and holds a career in putting on a show, Achille dresses to impress (though exactly WHO he's trying to impress is a question nobody is sure about.) Around his place of work Achille is often sporting the full ringmaster attire, top hat, high boots, black trousers and fancy long tailed coat all included. Outside of work however he restricts himself to more modern clothing choices. Oftentimes this consists of dress shoes, pants and shirts, a tie of one form or another, and a vest. Wet weather (which is not uncommon in Black Fall of course) usually calls for a dress coat and scarf, the latter of which Achille has no shortage of. Despite his access to and preference for dress clothing he also has a sizable collection of more casual wear that he changes into whenever he's doing anything that might involve getting dirty or sweaty. His favorite of these is a shirt simply reading "Mega Milk" on the front. After an incident where his sister accidentally borrowed the shirt Achille has since kept it locked away to preserve his sanity.

[b][u]Personality[/u][/b]

[b]Personality:[/b] 

To strangers Achille seems to be a very cheerful, if somewhat strange, young man who is always greeting others with a smile and a bright hello. He has a seemingly unshakeable love of people regardless of who they are and he find it difficult to think negatively about anyone. He's quick to initiate conversation with those he doesn't know, often shamelessly sharing details about himself that most people would reserve for close friends. In conversation he is both laid back and warm, clearly enjoying every moment spent in his opposites company. While he's not the smartest person around, Achille does seem to possess a natural affinity for getting on with people and shaping social situations to his liking with the ease of a skilled potter working clay. Honesty is something that comes naturally to him and he speaks in such a way that could be described as both polite, but to the point.

Actions come easier to Achille than thinking things through, something that has often led him into trouble in the past. Regardless of the sometimes negative impacts of this, Achille is adamant that he follows what his heart tells him is right. As far as he's concerned that includes avoiding violence except as a last resort for self defense, helping others when possible, and trying to make everyone's day a little bit better. He associates the most with an egalitarian worldview, seeing nearly everyone as being worthy of respect and a kind word regardless of who they were born to or what they are. As such he is an adamant fighter against ignorance and the concepts of revenge and getting even. It goes without saying that because of his hatred of violence Achille is protective of nearly anyone, which can be difficult at times as that also encompasses those who wish to do him harm on occasion. He believes in self sacrifice for the good of the many, so long as the one doing the sacrificing is himself.

All of that being said however, Achille is not all smiles and sunbeams. In the company of his family, with the exception of his grandfather Ermes and sister Eo, Achille becomes sullen and withdrawn, rarely speaking up or responding to stimuli outside of grunts and slight gestures. To his father he is nothing if not cold, either outright ignoring him or, when pressed, responding curtly and with no hint of warmth in his voice. On several occasions their arguments have exploded into shouting matches that have led Achille to seclude himself in his room for several days before recovering his signature bright eyes smile. While he is a forgiving person who tries to see the good in everyone, Achille has a specific distaste for those who believe violence and hatred can be used to achieve good things, making his disdain for their existence quite clear by the hardness in his expression and the way he speaks to them. It has been noted by his coworkers that Achille is almost terrifyingly hard on himself, demanding perfection from nobody but himself when it comes to his acts and holding himself to such a high moral standard that others have wondered if he might break should a day come that those morals put someone at risk.

Careful observers might note that Achille does not, in fact, have any close friends and almost seems to go out of his way at times to avoid obtaining any. Those who knew Achille when he was younger but have only recently gotten in touch with him again have noted that he is significantly different than he used to be. He is always quick to change the subject.

[b]Hobbies/Interests:[/b]

 Achille's main interests revolve primarily around his line of work. Juggling, fire-breathing, tightrope walking, animal taming, lady... beard... growing. You get the idea. If it pertains to the people who work with him or the business of running a circus in question, it interests Achille. Outside of his work however Achille has a sizable amount of other interests and even a few hobbies with which to pass the time.

[b][i]"No matter how much you kiss it, your body pillow will never love you back":[/i][/b] Achille, despite himself, enjoys his chinese cartoons as much as the next man. While he is (thankfully) far from being a Japan obsessed, socially stunted shut in who gets sweaty at the thought of Waifu-chan's sweet bosoms flapping in the wind, Achille secretly prides himself on his pointless knowledge on a large number of Japan's finest 2D creations. Kamen Rider is a guilty pleasure for him, though he refuses to admit it. He may or may not also be a member of a series of image boards where he argues with people about things related to this interest that would make his parents even more disappointed in him (if that were physically possible of course. Read: It isn't.)

[b][i]"Et tu, Brute?":[/i][/b] Theater! The lights, the sounds, the music, the stories! What more could one man ask for? (a few more stabbings now and then wouldn't hurt the plays Achille thinks but other than that nothing) Achille has attended more than half of the events, performances, or talent searches held at the Columbia Theatre House since the age of seven, all thanks to the patronage of his grandfather, Ermes. By far his favorite production, and the one he's always made a point of attending regardless of his situation in life, is Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar". The actors and crew who know him are aware of this and have taken to calling him 'Caesar' whenever he's about. Achille can likely recite the entire thing by heart at this point.

[b][i]"Ok but why's the black guy always gotta die first?":[/i][/b] Horror movies and horror movies accessories. If its drenched in blood, screaming its head off, or just generally causing puddles of piddle in the cinema, Achille is there in a heartbeat. Almost as devout a cinema follower as he is a theater goer, Achille doesn't much care for most of the modern films being produced these days, instead preferring to look at the 80's and early 90's to satisfy his hunger for cinematic goodness. If the effects aren't practical then it isn't worth watching.

[b][i]"Everything else":[/i][/b] Achille's remaining interests include: Fishing, diving, avoiding family, camping, writing pun laden lit-erotica to post online, sleeping the entire way through a fourth of his days off, and failing to lose the 'Single and Available' status that still hangs like a raincloud over the social media page he created back in middle school but hasn't quite gotten around to deleting yet. He generally hangs out at any spot in the city currently playing jazz music or selling fine food.

[b]Skills/Talents:[/b] Despite his interest in the work of his coworkers, Achille has little actual grasp on how to go about emulating what they do. Lions yawn at him, the tightrope throws him off, and the clown car has been totaled at least four times. He [i]has[/i] managed to attain some level of skill with throwing knives thanks to losing quite a few bets with the knife throwers, but even then the farthest distance he can boast to accurately hit is little more than 15 feet. There are however things that he can claim to be, if not good, at the very least competent at.

[b][i]"Look Ma! No hands!":[/i][/b] The tightrope may elude Achille but acrobatics are another matter. Aided in no small part by his Hexes, Achille is quite proud of his ability to find new ways to make the crowds that cluster his humble entertainment house gasp in awe with seemingly death defying feats of acrobatic grace. From clearing sizable gaps to leaping over flaming obstacles, he does it all with showmanship and grace.

[b][i]"It's not my fault I rolled a nat 18 on Charisma":[/i][/b] Achille is nothing if not an entertainer and a people person. As someone who genuinely likes people and enjoys understanding them, he takes great pleasure in making others laugh, smile, or at least frown in a humorous way. Bad puns, enthusiastic conversation, a bright smile and sweeping gestures all combine to make Achille a very charismatic, if a bit strange, person.

[b][i]"Hello. Have you heard of our Lord and Savior, Bread?":[/i][/b] Achille can't cook in the slightest. Even microwave Ramen gives the tall, bearded young man a bit of trouble. Strangely enough however, baking (or at least bread baking) is quite the opposite. From shortbread to ice cream bread, Achille has tried it all. Some have come out magnificently, some have burnt to a crisp. Others have taken on sentient existences and currently write angry blog posts about yeast oppression. Always on the lookout for new recipes, it's not uncommon to find Achille wandering the bakeries of Black Fall early in the morning.

[b][i]"All I'm saying is, if we had a horse for senator things would improve. Right?":[/i][/b] Achille may have just barely passed most of his highschool courses, but History was never on that list. Likely due in part to his love of theater and the stories behind the plays themselves, he has always had a thirst for knowledge of the past and the lessons it can teach. Unsurprisingly, knowledge surrounding the Roman empire is high on his list of subjects he can boast extensive information about.

[b][i]"OK, sure. You [u]could[/u] punch him in the face. But you could also NOT get tried for assault and battery.":[/i][/b] Violence is bad. While it may feel good and even have some short term benefits for one party, there are only rare cases in history where it has led to anything good down the line. Knowing this, and armed with both his charm and love of people, Achille is always looking for ways to settle things with words and possibly an ice cream cone. He's managed to defuse many a nasty situation on the streets and in his own circus with honeyed words, some well timed jokes, and a tone of voice that shows he cares.

[b]Prized Possession:[/b] A top hat of high quality make. Given to him by one of his coworkers, a former ringmaster himself, when he first created his circus, Achille keeps this prized hat close and safe. The coworker in question has since moved on to other things, though Achille keeps him updated on the status of the magnificent hat.
[b]Quote(s):[/b] 

[i]"People are shitters sure. Mean, rude, violent, and generally nasty. But at the end of the day I don't think that makes anyone a bad person at heart. It's the ones who are none of those things that I worry about."[/i]

[i]"If you can make it big in the Big Top you can make it anywhere."[/i]

[i]"You know, I'm an accepting guy. I don't care who you are or where you're from or even what you rub your fiddly bits with. But mimes are fucking terrifying."[/i]

[i]"I could be laying in the pouring rain with my body broken and my lifeblood flowing into the sewer grates like a red river, and I'd [b]still[/b] never call for my dad."[/i]

[i]"Nobody is perfect. The ones who are haven't lived."[/i]

[b]History/Bio:[/b] 

Achille Sinagra was born into the world during a record breaking snowstorm on December 27th, 1992 at the Red Wing Medical Center in the city of Black Fall. Born alongside Achille was his brother Dionisio, a surprise bonus as far as their father was concerned. Making his fortune via stocks and banking, their father Severiano Sinagra was one of Black Fall's most influential and wealthy figures and he made certain that his two newborn sons lived their earliest years in comfort and security. Their mother Caitlin Sinagra held the belief that her children should be left to their own devices, more focused on continuing her work as a surgeon once they were old enough to walk on their own than raising them herself. As such, Achille's earliest memories were filled with days spent alone with his brother in their expansive mansion, roaming the empty hallways and little used chambers as they pleased. As the years went by the twins grew closer, accompanying one another in pre-school, kindergarten, and all through the fifth grade. By that time their sister, Eo, had been born and the two young boys took great pride in watching after her once their mother returned once more to focusing on her work. The absence of parenting was not restricted to their mother however, as despite his love of his children Severiano was rarely at home. Instead, much of the necessary life lessons the young Sinagra children were taught came at the hands of their grandparents, Ermes and Flavia Sinagra.

Unlike their son, Ermes and Flavia had made their own fortune in the entertainment industry as a comedy and film duo, retired stars in the industry who still garnered respect from critics and remained patron of the entertainment arts. To the Sinagra children Ermes and Flavia were surrogate parents, filling in the holes left by their absent ones. Achille was encouraged early on to take up some form of acting, the wild tales and strange jokes his young mind created drawing interest from his grandparents. It was they who attended his school plays and witnessed his beaming face as the spotlight fell on him and he turned a room full of mildly bored adults into a room of smiling faces. Such unusually high charisma drew quite a lot of attention to the young boy, and Achille went through much of his early life surrounded by friends and acquaintances of all sorts. As is often the case however, this also led to him becoming a target for bullies and jealousy. Fights become commonplace to Achille and Dionisio as the two were always backing one another up against their harassers. It was during one such fight that the two young boys discovered their meta-human nature. The two were only ten years old at the time.

Twins in more ways than one, Achille and Dionisio shared the same ability to repel and exert kinetic energy, something that might have brought the two closer together. Instead, Achille and his twin began to drift apart, separated into different boarding schools by their parents who feared their sons might bring unwanted attention if they made public use of their untrained powers. For a time the two maintained contact via messages, but eventually even that stopped. Achille turned to the library and theater to fill yet another hole in his life left by an absent family member. That, and the near constant NEST checkups and evaluations, kept him busy for several years. As time went on and he was all but forgotten by his parents, the absence of any close family members changed Achille for the worse. Gone was the smiling, warm young boy who had enthusiastically stumbled headfirst through the entirety of 'McBeth', replaced instead by a colder, more cruel young man who used his charisma to mock and belittle others. The number of fights he was engaged in grew exponentially with each passing year until Achille found himself hanging out alongside youth gangs and taking part in back alley brawls. With each passing year and each new fight the young meta-human learned to better control his power, much to the dismay of those pitted against him. 

It wasn't until Achille turned 17 that he was reunited with his brother. As bad as Achille had become, Dionisio was worse. Always the more ornery and easily angered of the two, Dionisio had taken to bullying others far quicker than his brother. Unlike Achille who had kept his violent behavior a secret from their family, Dionisio had reveled in it and made certain his parents were aware. It was their decision to place the two in the same school once more, hoping that Achille might bring his brother to his senses. To a small degree it worked, as Achille kept his twin from causing trouble at their school. To his parents Achille was still the same cheery young man who enjoyed the theater and history books, though his father would have preferred he focus on his studies and work towards a career in banking. Off campus however the twins were an unholy terror, engaging in fights on a near daily basis and narrowly avoiding a run in with the law on several occasions. This trend continued until the two turned 18, culminating in a single event that ended with Dionisio being found guilty for murder and incarcerated, but not before revealing to their parents that Achille had encouraged and shared in his behavior. Placing the blame for Dionisio's actions on their remaining son, Achille's parents sent him off to his newly widowed grandfather, adamant that he return only when he had become an acceptable member of society.

Ermes, despite the loss of his wife, took on the task of changing his grandson for the better with a fiery passion. Dragging the young man to abuse shelters he forced Achille to witness the aftermath of violence and the pain it leaves behind, tasking him with sitting in on the group therapy sessions that were held so that he could hear for himself just how much actions and attitudes like his could cost people. Achille lived the next two years in a similar fashion, accompanying his grandfather to lectures on the effects of violence and hate, and tracking down the people he had hurt to ask for forgiveness. For the first year or so Achille went along with his grandfathers wishes to avoid conflict, not really taking to heart any of the lessons he was being taught. Over time however Achille was becoming more and more affected by the stories he heard and the people he met. He began to see just how deeply he had scared others and how his actions had led to others lashing out in turn, setting off a chain reaction of violence and hate that left untold people hurt. Slowly but surely, Achille was changing for the better, taking a bigger part in the group therapy sessions that he sat in on and engaging with the victims on a more personal level, unknowingly using his charisma to lift others up around him.

The final nail in the coffin of his old self came one day as his grandfather introduced him to the parents of the young woman that Dionisio had killed. Expecting and fully prepared to be berated, hated and even assaulted, Achille was shocked to find that they had forgiven not only him, but also Dionisio for what had occurred. With tears in his eyes he had thanked them, vowing to try and keep anyone else from ending up like he and his brother had become. From there life improved significantly for Achille, at least in most ways. Ermes, using his influence and contacts within the entertainment industry, was able to find Achille a job in the newly restored Black Fall Big Top, a circus troupe that had settled in the city years before but only recently reentered the spotlight as an entertainment attraction. With his restored charm and a strong new love of people, Achille was able to earn himself the place of Ringmaster alongside his role as an acrobat. Moving back in with his family, Achille also reconnected with his sister Eo who had recently discovered her own meta-human abilities and was planning on using them to assist NEST in their endeavors. 

With little experience as an acrobat, Achille has spent the past two years growing comfortable in and learning his role to the fullest, his added position as Ringmaster earning him recognition in the entertainment industry as time has passed. Still blaming him for the actions of his twin, the relationship between Achille and his parents has not improved in the slightest and quite possibly falling further into ruin with each fight that occurs between father and son over Achille's career choice. For the time being however, Achille is happy and enjoying life, doing his best to make up for his past actions all the while by making sure others feel the same.

[b]Family:[/b] 

Grandfather - Ermes Sinagra - 86 years of age
Grandmother - Flavia Sinagra - Deceased at the age of 80
Father - Severiano Sinagra - 51 years of age
Mother - Caitlin Sinagra [Formerly Caitlin O'Dell] - 53 years of age
Sister - Eo Sinagra - 17 years of age - Meta-Human - NEST Trainee
Twin Brother - Dionisio Sinagra - Meta-Human - Currently Incarcerated

[u][b]Relationships[/b][/u]

[b][u]Abilities[/u][/b]

[b]Power Class & Rating:[/b] Elemental 6
[b]Power:[/b] 

[b][u]Hex Repulsion[/u][/b] 

Achille possesses the meta-human ability to create translucent hexagonal 'plates' of kinetic force anywhere around his body (More specifically they form about two inches above the surface of his skin) that repel anything from a punch to (untested but theoretically possible) bullets. The Hexes (as he's taken to calling them) in question are never larger in size then one foot in height and two feet in width. Attackers or other physical objects that strike the Hexes are repulsed with a force equal to 3/4th of their own force while energy type projectiles are more likely to be deflected or held at bay. By stacking hexes vertically Achille can create larger barriers at the cost of leaving any part of him not covered by the 3x2 area open for attack. In addition to repelling danger, Achille has learned to make use of his Hexes in other ways.

By repelling himself away from a solid object or another person, Achille can launch himself in nearly any direction at alarming speed. This technique is useful not only for dodging but also for booking it when the going gets tough. This technique can also be used to repel Achille while in the air, allowing him to control direction and descent, however the effect is greatly reduced. The third use that he has learned offensive in nature, though given his nonviolent nature and aversion towards fighting or hostilities, Achille is still learning to master this particular technique. While his Hexes may repel outward forces at only 3/4th of their own force they seem to have no limit to the force they pack themselves outside of the limit placed by Achille's own energy.. By placing a Hex (or pooling the force of the others) in front of any blow he delivers Achille can deliver devastating, if unrefined attacks. Using this to increase the force behind thrown objects is also possible. Practice on props and dummies has allowed Achille some rough control over the amount of force expelled, though he has yet to break past the upper limit.

[b]Weaknesses/Drawbacks:[/b]

One of the largest drawbacks to Achille's ability is the limited number of Hexes he can maintain at a single moment before suffering negative affects. That limit is three. A time limit is also in place. If a single plate is maintained longer than two seconds Achille will begin to experience intense headaches, bleeding from the nose, and dizziness. Maintaining more than three Hexes at a single moment will result in a rapid decline of Achille's internal bodily functions for as long as they are maintained, starting with temporary (or permanent depending on the number of Hexes and the length of time that they are maintained) loss of sight. While Achille can throw up Hexes and take them down rapid fire If desired but this will cause the strain on the body to occur much quicker than waiting a few moments between each new Hex. Additionally ,while a 1'x2' Hex can cover quite a bit of the human body, someone of Achille's size is far less protected than most.

Achille must also keep in mind that his Hexes do not, in fact, totally negate damage. Just as they repel 3/4th of the force behind attacks away from him, the remaining 1/4th is allowed to travel through the Hexes regardless of protective clothing worn. While a normal human's punch may feel like nothing but a small sting, attacks from a meta-human with strength enhancing abilities will leave Achille feeling like he's had a rough night at a bar fight. Bullets, cars and other extremely fast traveling, high impact objects are better left untested, though it is likely that even the smallest caliber round would leave Achille crumpled on the ground gasping for breath and out of a fight. Projectile type attacks of an elemental nature appear to cause no damage through the Hexes, but they are still a high threat for reasons that will be explained shortly.

Another drawback is the limit to the amount of damage each Hex can take. Against a mid ranking, strength enhanced meta-human a single hex can take up to four blows before shattering, assuming the meta-human in question is capable of delivering that many blows in the two seconds the Hex is in place without being blown back by the returned force. Higher ranked meta-humans of the same type would break through in as little as one to two blows, leaving Achille in no small amount of pain even without touching him directly. Projectile type attacks of a non physical nature, such as those launched by pyromancers or those with control of electricity, are better left dodged than blocked. Despite the lack of damage these attacks can cause through Hexes, there is little they can do about any flames or sparks that creep around the edges of the 1'x2' barrier.

Finally, there is the matter of energy consumption and reaction time. Achille cannot innately throw up Hexes in the path of oncoming attacks unless he both knows they are coming and makes the conscious choice to do so. Even then, reaction time is everything as the two second limit to each Hex makes stopping attacks a tricky business. Of course, the more Achille is on the defensive the quicker his energy is drained, thus slowing his reaction time. This energy drain also effects nearly every other use of his ability, the weakening the defensive strength of his Hexes included. Defending against a barrage of attacks, where Achille would need to constantly create and dismiss Hexes, would likely result in him being exhausted and overwhelmed in no time at all.

As mentioned earlier, it is entirely possible for Achille to repulse himself away from a non-solid barrier such as the air. The drawback to this is the significant loss of power (nearly a 70% loss to be exact), making the use of this ability for this purpose difficult. Achille could likely avoid death from falling out of an eighth story window with this technique, but not without sustaining broken limbs or worse upon impact.

If defending himself against attacks is draining on Achille then using his Hexes for attacks of his own are doubly so. While the Hexes have no real limit to the amount of force they can pack into a blow, there is a correlation with Achille's own energy. The more powerful the attack, the higher the demand on his body and the higher chance of catastrophic injury as a result. The more drained he is, the less powerful Achille can make his blows. He could, as with all of his techniques, attempt to surpass his own energy limits to fuel these attacks but the effects would likely be messy for any parties involved.

[b][u]Other:[/u][/b] Achille is straight. He has a weakness for short women, oversized sweaters, thigh highs, and long hair.

He has never been outside of Black Fall but hopes to one day visit Rome as well as various theater houses around the world.

While he is an agnostic atheist, Achille does not view those who believe in higher powers as being less intelligent, likely because he doesn't view himself as all that intelligent to begin with.

[youtube]TC9POpjnB9g[/youtube]

[b][u]Sample Post:[/u][/b]

"May I direct you attention to the center stage!" Achille's voice boomed over the roar of the audience, the large speakers hanging from the walls filling the entirety of the Black Fall Big Top with the sound of his voice, "The next big Act is upon us my dear friends and we here at the Big Top are sure it will leave you clutching your stomachs and crying tears of laughter!" With a flourish of his hands the music that had been building up in the background rose to a crescendo, heralding the arrival of several heavily decorated elephants. Children cheered and gasped and adults laughed as several clowns suddenly appeared from beneath the enormous animals, racing three ridiculously miniature cars between their legs. The elephants for their part seemed not to notice at all, marching single file toward the center stage where they proceeded to pluck clowns out of the passing cars one by one, depositing them unceremoniously in a large basin of water to the roaring laughter of the audience. 

Achille watched with a smile as the act continued, the clowns reorganizing for a combined 'attack' on their pachydermian oppressors only to be humorously blown backwards under three blasts of water from the elephants trunks. It was another night at the Big Top and so far everything was going smoothly. Kids were laughing, adults were more focused on the act than their watches, and the lion tamers had managed to get their new act with the big cats to work flawlessly. As the largest of the elephants, a gentle giant everyone referred to simply as Bert, began to toss one of the clowns leisurely between the other two elephants Achille couldn't help but to think once more about his good fortune to be working at the Big Top. 

The Big Top itself was situated in an expansive renovated warehouse building in Arcadia Heights, the warm, richly colored and decorated interior in direct contract to the concrete and cinder block exterior. Despite the rather plain outward appearance of the Big Top it had been gaining a significant number of followers in the past four years since it's reopening under new management, becoming a well rated attraction at which to spend an afternoon. Achille was partially to blame for that rating, his enthusiasm and creativity as a Ringmaster setting the Big Top apart from the few remaining circuses that still resided inside the United States. Of course, being Ringmaster was not the only thing Achille did at the Big Top, as his audience was about to find out. With series of quick, intricate hand gestures Achille indicated to the elephant handlers that the next act was about the start. The handlers in question were all meta-humans with the ability to communicate with the animals telepathically from a distance, something that allowed the huge mammals to act much quicker and with less hesitation than simple hand gestures. With a sudden fanfare of trumpeting the elephants ceased their juggling act and made their way back where they had come, a splash accompanying their departure as the recently juggled clown found himself thrown yet again into the water basin. Achille waited until the laughter and cheering had subsided and the clowns had vacated the stage before leaping out into the spotlight once more, a broad grin adorning his face.

"Let's hear it for our talented clown wranglers ladies and gentlemen!" He waited once more for the applause to die down. "Now, as some of you may know, I have a bit of a rivalry with the acrobats. They seem to think I'm too much of a chicken to walk the tightrope! Well.... they're right. BUT I've challenged them to a bit of an obstacle course to see who can do their job better. Feast your eyes on this!" With an abrupt about face and arms help wide and high, Achille was pleased to hear a large number of gasps from the audience as several more lights flared up to reveal the intricate series of suspended platforms that had been erected silently as the previous act had been going on. In total there were twenty platforms arranged in two columns, each holding a different obstacle but all of them suspended at least forty feet off the ground. Even Achille, who had helped design and plan this act, had to admit that it was impressive. 

His 'rival' was already on the first platform, a short woman called Jessica with long black hair that ran all the way down to the back of her knees. She was one of the best acrobats the Big Top had, in no small part due to the enhanced dexterity, speed, and coordination granted to her by her innate meta-human ability. She had been one of Achille's main teachers when it came to acrobatics, his other main role in the Big Top, and he greatly respected her abilities on the job. With one hand holding his extravagant top hat in place and the other gripping his show cane as tightly as possible, Achille called upon his own meta-human power to form two 'plates' of kinetic energy beneath his feet, launching himself ten feet into the air to a lower platform. To the audience it appeared as if he had made the leap on his own, the translucent energy 'plates' that Achille referred to as Hexes disappearing a split second after he called them into being. Three more leaps brought Achille alongside his fellow acrobat, the cheering that had been building up during his ascent slowly quieting down as he raised a hand for silence.

"Good luck Ringmaster." Jessica whispered to him as she stretched, her long hair flowing around her like a black waterfall. "Remember, dinner is on the loser tonight." She grinned broadly, slapping him on the back hard enough to make him reel for a moment. His balance regained, Achille returned the grin,muting the mic on his lapel for a moment.

"I don't recall anything about that deal. Who decided on that?"

"Oh, you know. Everyone." Achille couldn't help but notice the sparkle in her eyes as she smiled. Despite being thirty two and a mother of three Jessica had a kind of youthful energy and enthusiasm that made her all the more attractive. Many a guy had been disappointed to find out that she was happily married to the Big Top's chief knife thrower, Sven.

"Ah," Achille jokingly rolled his eyes, his grin still as amicable as ever, "Guess I can't refuse then." Noticing that the crowd had finally gotten quiet Achille unmuted his microphone, throwing his hands wide. "Ladies and gentlemen! We dearly hope that you enjoy the spectacle you are about to see. Let the race begin!" With a snap of his fingers and a sudden clamor of music, the obstacle course sprang to life, hidden motors and gas lighters igniting harmless flame trails and setting various obstacles on preset paths of motion. Achille offered a single bow to his opponent, sweeping the hat off his head in an exaggerated fashion before planting it back firmly atop his head and launching himself to the next platform. Jessica was already halfway there, flying through the air with little resistance. 

Coat tails flaring out behind him, Achille dove through the first obstacle (a simple ring of fire that was more for show than anything else), coming out of his roll by launching himself across the ten foot gap to the next platform where he ducked, hopped and wiggled his way around three oscillating poles. Stealing a glance at how Jessica was doing on her end, Achille was pleased to see that she was navigating the course with her usual relaxed professionalism. For someone like her avoiding something as simple as a couple of fast moving poles came as naturally as breathing. Distracted as he was, Achille nearly failed to notice the last oncoming pole, throwing up a Hex at the last moment that sent the pole rocketing back the way it came at a slightly slower speed. By the time Achille had reached the second to last platform Achille could feel his clothes sticking to his body, sweat dripping down his neck and off his nose. He had used far too much energy showing off with midair spins and repelling any obstacle that risked hitting him. In the end however the audience was on the edge of their seats, curious as to how Achille would overcome the last obstacle that lay before him. The obstacle in question was a free standing wooden 'wall' that divided the platform in two. A foot thick and fifteen feet high, the audience couldn't see how Achille could get over or around it before Jessica had cleared her own final obstacle. Achille, however, was prepared. For a moment he stood back, admiring the barrier before him before calling to his audience below.

"I'm afraid I can't go over this one ladies and gentlemen. Looks like I lose." It gave Achille no small amount of satisfaction to hear the audience give a collective [i]'aww'[/i]. Grinning, he gave an over dramatic shrug. "Just kidding." Whipping back around, Achille lashed out at the wall with an open palm, a Hex forming in front of the extended limb right before impact. With a resounding CRACK the wall split and splintered, falling away and off the platform where the telekinetic crew members far below were already waiting to catch any pieces that strayed too far near the crowd. Laughing to himself as he bounded over the ruined barrier, Achille made the final leap to the last platform and struck a triumphant pose. All seconds after Jessica reached her final platform, not a bead of sweat on her body. With the roar of the crowd below them and the satisfaction of an act well done, Achille didn't mind paying for dinner later that night. 

Life in the Big Top was good.[/hider]