[IC] Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana was a little surprised when she saw Ivory approaching them instead of Lucien. Honestly, she had expected Geralt's stunt with her silks to have her storming over there in a rage, but Illyana was impressed by the neutral expression on her face. Maybe she'd known about it in advance? Perhaps working with the man had numbed her to his ostentatiousness...or maybe this was all an act and inside she was seething. Illy hoped for the latter. Anyone letting down their guard around the Magician, even Ivory, would be bad for everyone until Illyana could find a way to pin him down.

She watched and listened the exchange between Aurel and the dhampir, and noticed a ripple in the woman's aura as the silks were mentioned. So, it was bothering her and she was managing to maintain a cool demeanor. Illyana raised her eyebrows slightly, impressed by Ivory's ability to hold back. She wondered if it had been Lucien's doing, taming her feisty side. It was sure to bother Geralt if she seemed unaffected by it.

"The most interesting thing about the act was the hypnotism, I think," she said, looking directly at Ivory. She had decided not to bring up the silks, the less it was mentioned, the easier it would be for Ivory to remain stoic. "Had he mentioned that to you before?" she lowered her voice a little with this question, glancing around to make sure the Magician was not nearby. She didn't sense anyone watching or listening, but with his abilities it wouldn't be hard to sneak past Illyana. Aurel and Ivory, on the other hand, had much better physical senses, and Illy felt safe discussing this in public as long as they were alert.

--------------------------------

Geralt held back a sneer at the Ringleader's suggestion, but did furrow his eyebrows slightly. It seemed that everyone in this troupe was more interested in keeping props intact than making money. Even Lucien, the most charismatic among them, was Heaven-bent on holding the Magician, and all of his performers back. It was clear that while they were successful, none of them had an ounce of showmanship. He understood why he couldn't be trusted, but really, to scold him over something so small...it was asinine.

Of course, he must hold his tongue. There would be no wooing Lucien if he was too quick to insult him and his entire troupe.

Instead of speaking his mind, he forced a smile and bowed slightly to show his subservience. "I am but a servant of the stage, patron. As long as the audience is entertained, I consider my job done."

This divine maggot mocks your power. He will know the truth of what he has done in time, when he feels the heat of the Lord's flames nipping at his wing...

Geralt felt anger boiling within him as the creature that shared his body spoke. In this moment, he wanted nothing more than to show Lucien and the rest of them exactly what he was capable of, unfettered...but he knew he must hold back.

Akane's arrival distracted him from his rage, and he made sure to lighten his expression as he saw her approach. "Oh, miss Akane, there you are." She had come from the direction of the audience seating but Geralt did not recall seeing her in the crowd. He would have too, as it was part of his act to study the faces of those who watched his performances. Curious indeed...maybe the two of them shared more abilities than he had thought initially. "Thank you for the applause, even I can't deny that I'd been missing it in retirement," he said this with a nostalgic sigh and a light smile, as if remembering the old days.

[xivyxx]

Ivory shook her head at Illy's question. "No, he doesn't share more than he has to." She said, though she did find the fact he could do it interesting, if it was real, at least.

"If it's real, we should try to stay aware.. just in case..." She added. Knowing that he could possibly be capable of doing something like that was a bit concerning, considering what someone could actually do with that kind of power. Still she knew asking would get them nowhere, since she was sure he'd never admit to it being real or fake, so the only choice they had was to wait and see for a better sign of how real it might actually be.

"We might as well join up with the others, we have a busy night ahead." She said, giving Illyana a glance for a moment. She didn't mind going over there again if the fortune teller was up for it. She was just as curious about finding more information about Geralt as she was.

-

Lucien could see that Geralt was not entirely pleased by the scolding he had received, but there was no helping it. While he appreciated the man's creativity, he felt like doing things like that would only increase tension among other troupe mates, even if it wasn't the intention, which he did hope that wasn't the case. He just wanted to make sure that he kept that in mind.

Akane's smile widened at Geralt's response. "It's certainly well deserved, it was very fun to watch!" She said, before then looking at Cora. "I hope you liked seeing the dance in action!" She added, referring to her own act and the dance the mermaid had helped her practice. She had been looking forward to Cora being able to see it mixed in with the other elements of her act.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana had been expecting this answer, but made her disapproval plain on her face anyway. It was unfortunate, but all they could do for now was watch and wait for him to make a mistake or to purposefully reveal something about his abilities. Even the sharpest knives could sometimes dull, if they were patience and perceptive, they would catch something.

With renewed resolve, Illyana nodded to Ivory's suggestion and the trio began making their way across the tent toward the rest of the troupe. The dhampir was right, there was time to worry about this later, they did have a long night of prep work ahead before the breakdown at dawn.

Geralt merely tilted his head in response to Akane's words, noticing that she had shifted her attention to Cora.

The mermaid's eyes brightened even more as her friend made herself known to the three of them. "It was just stunning, Akane, really! Seeing it on stage was even better than watching you practice." Although she had been excited to see Geralt's show, and enamored the entire performance, she had also been looking forward to watching Akane's segment. She was a brilliant dancer, and the way she utilized the different tools throughout the performance was mesmerizing. Cora had been a long time admirer of not only Ivory's, but Akane's physical talents as well. Both women were exceptionally strong and gifted with choreography and execution, and Cora's only regret was that she did not understand the physicality of dance, and could only make suggestions based one what she was seeing.

Both she and Geralt's attention was taken when they noticed that Ivory and the rest were approaching. The Siren looked up at the Magician and dhampir's faces as she drew nearer, and could sense tension in the air even though both of their expressions were calm.

As the Vampiress closed the gap between their two groups, Geralt took the initiative and stepped forward. "I believe I owe you an apology, miss Ivory. I ensure you that your silks were not in fact, harmed, and will be returned to you posthaste. My weakness for theatrics may have...clouded my judgement." He laid a hand on his chest to show how heartfelt his statement was, and made sure that his eyes were as big as they could be as he entreated her. Really, this display was paltry and base for a man of his station, but while Lucien was around he had to maintain the air of humble gentleman. He would have preferred not to have to speak with Ivory until the following day, but it seemed that the woman could not give him but two moments of peace.

[xivyxx]

"I'm happy to hear that!" Akane said with a bright smile. Honestly she was always excited to put what she had practiced into play, it was nice to hear that Cora enjoyed the final result of it. She'd make sure to put more thought into her next dance, it was one of her favorite things to do, and having the mermaid around definitely gave her a lot of inspiration.

Akane lifted her gaze as the other three troupe members approached, and for a moment had forgotten about the silks incident.

Ivory raised a slight eyebrow at Geralt's.. 'humble' apology. Obviously, she believed none of it was genuine, but she knew what his intent was here, considering Lucien was right there, and she had time to calm in regards to her irritation to the situation. If her silks had in fact not been burned, then there was nothing for her to really be mad about.

"It's fine." Her initial response was short, but it was the best they could expect. She had managed to avoid her initial response of anger, which was a success in her book, considering she was sure Geralt would have just loved to see her get all furious just to end up telling her her silks were fine. She was not about to make a fool of herself.

"That's good to hear, however I don't need you to return them to me, just put them back where they belong, which I'm sure is an easy feat for you." She told him. He could at least do that much.

Lucien raised a slight eyebrow at this exchange. Honestly he was a bit surprised to hear Geralt give her such a.. seemingly heartfelt apology, but now it made him feel a little guilty for his earlier scolding of him, though the magician could have just said that to begin with. He'd be sure to apologize to him for the misunderstanding. What surprised him more was Ivory's reaction to the whole thing. She had taken it.. rather calmly. He was honestly impressed with how well she was managing to keep her cool around the magician. Considering how well the show had gone and how good their transition had been, he was glad he had decided to partner them up. He just hope this relative.... peace between them would last.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt simply nodded and took a step back. "Your wish is my command, fräulein," he said this under his breath. Really, this placating himself was getting out of hand. If he was forced to make another apology over the next twenty-four hours, he may reconsider his acceptance of Lucien's offer.

He made his intentions clear by turning his body toward the exit, "We are travelling tomorrow, ja? If I'm no longer needed here, I'd like to have things in my trailer prepared for the journey," he looked to Lucien, waiting to be dismissed. Normally, he would have preferred to celebrate with a night out on the town with his cohorts, but he doubted this batch of wet blankets would cause him anything but more grief. No, he would spend tonight in the company of those that appreciated his presence. Maybe that would fill him with a new sense of purpose in the morning.

Their disrespect is eating you alive, Geralt. Something must be done before they think you a weak and sniveling worm that burrows beneath their heel...

He attempted thoroughly to resist the gruff voice that echoed through the chambers of his mind, but he could not deny the truth in the creature's words. These small pats on the back were not worth so much as a smile from him. He was Geralt the Great, after all, this collection of misfits had no idea who they were dealing with. Perhaps the time would come to show them sooner than he had originally anticipated.

As he turned to leave, his eyes caught Lucien's face, and he felt the fire in his soul diminish slightly as his eyes traced the man's lips. His hair...the shape of his eyes...it was all the same. It reminded him why he was here at all...and something in him felt a twisted sort of longing to fulfill his designs. Even if this...mediocrity was what he had to endure, perhaps it was worth it.

Cora watched Geralt as he turned to leave. Though he was looking to Lucien for guidance, Cora found herself speaking up before the Ringleader had a chance. "Oh, Geralt, we all usually help out cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow. It goes much faster in the morning if we all pitch in," she said, smiling over at him.

He paused and his dark eyes flicked to the pale face of the Siren. "Hm..." he said, fighting the urge to sigh and roll his eyes, "Well, if I can be of service, point me to where I am needed most," he said, smiling halfheartedly in Lucien's direction.

[xivyxx]

While the man was quite good at hiding his expression, Ivory had a feeling that he was most likely irritated. She wondered if Lucien had said something in regards to the silks, knowing him he probably had. Well, at least that was a little satisfying.

Lucien hadn't spoken up immediately as Geralt had turned to leave, and was a little surprised that Cora had decided to instead. The magician was clearly not in the greatest mood. He hesitated for a moment, after all it wasn't like this was mandatory, and honestly he knew that not everyone put in equal effort effort. Akane and Cora genuinely liked to help everyone out. Ivory usually got all of her own tools together and packed before she made her way back to her trailer unless explicitly asked to assist, though this was more common during the day, and Aurel did what he could but his endurance only took him so far.

"Well.. for the most part performers just pick up after themselves at the very least, but considering all you have on your person in regards to your act is your briefcase, you can do as you like, unless anyone here needs your help?" He turned to the troupe, at least to double check, but no one said otherwise.

"Then you may all go, good job tonight, everyone." He said with a smile. As everyone began to take their leave, Lucien noticed that Geralt wasted no time in wanting to do so, so he quickly moved to catch up with him. He didn't like to leave the situation unaddressed for too long.

"Geralt, wait just a moment." He called out to him, slowing his pace once he reached his side.

"I hope you can accept my apology, for jumping to conclusions. It all looked very real, of course, as expected of a man of your talents, but I should not have been so quick to reprimand you." He told him, being quite genuine in his apology. He did feel bad for not at least trying to ask why he chose to do it that way but.. he had been a little short on time, considering he had to take the stage soon after.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt found himself relieved to be rid of his new coworkers. It seemed that he had found the upper limits of the pleasure of their company, and so was happy to see himself out once no one claimed him. He found himself craving the fire of whiskey on his tongue and the steam of hot breath in his ear, the smell of cinnamon on a woman's neck...yes, that was just what he needed after a performance to shake off the feelings of mediocrity that threatened to overtake this evening.

Cora and Illyana shared a look at Geralt's sudden lack of interest in not only Lucien, but the entire troupe. This was the most disgruntled either woman had seen him, though he did a good job at hiding it. Cora could sense the hard edge that had surrounded him, while Illyana observed just the slightest tilt in the energy of the space. It mattered more to Cora than the clairvoyant, but the mermaid was not confident enough to broach the subject, and Illyana found herself satisfied by his apparent off-kilter mood.

He quickly left the tent, not bothering to flash his trademark honey-sweet smile around to anyone before doing so. It would be a waste tonight, both of his energy and of the crew's time, apparently.

He exited swiftly and began stepping briskly toward his trailer. Nights like this, after a performance, he preferred the silence and chill of the night air, so he'd decided to walk. He was not but thirty feet from the tent when he heard the sound of Lucien's voice carrying toward him. He felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, satisfaction flooding him when he heard his name on Lucien's mouth, but this time he managed to hold it at bay. While he was very in control of his facial expressions and the words he chose to share aloud with others, he was aware that some of his foul mood may have...emanated a little too openly from him. He decided this was just fine, if it got Lucien to chase him down. His parasitic colleague apparently agreed as a darkly gruff chuckle radiated through his mind.

He crawls back to you...

Slowly, he turned and made eye contact with the Ringleader, his face expressionless for the first time since he had been in the Frenchman's presence. He said nothing until the man was finished speaking, then let out a breath which steamed on the cold night air. "Ah...well, normally I would tell you that there is no need to apologize, you were only looking out for your property and the props, but I'm not sure you would accept that." He laid a hand on his chest as he spoke, his expression lightening slightly, "It was prideful of me to presume that burning Ivory's silks on stage would not raise a few questions. In my defense, I only hoped to save some of the surprise for those waiting backstage as well as the patrons sitting in the stands." He paused gently here, then nodded and finished with, "In the interest of ending the matter, please consider your apology accepted."

He let his eyes trail over Lucien's shoulder wistfully for a moment as he looked back toward the tent to see some of the others exiting. "I wouldn't presume to guess your plans for the evening," he said, his eyes snapping back to the Ringleader's as his carefree grin slowly returned, "But I could use a walk into town and some firewater on my lips. You are free to join me, if your desires point you in my direction." He leaned forward slightly, waiting for Lucien's response as his eyes twinkled under the starlight.

[xivyxx]

Lucien understood why Geralt would be upset in regards to the situation, so he didn't blame him for it. On the contrary, he did feel bad for jumping the gun on it, and in the end much preferred having been wrong than the alternative.

"If I am to be honest, I was a bit more concerned about Ivory's reaction. I thought it might.. cause some tension, but it seems I was wrong on more than one account. It seems today is not my day." He said, though he was sure the act had probably bothered the dhampir more than she was showing. He was at least glad she seemed to have taken his words to heart. He could see that she was really trying.

"Thank you." He said with a smile. "I much preferred to clear the air. The last thing I want is for you to feel like you are restricted in what you can do. Artistic freedom is very important here." He told him. That wasn't something he wanted for any of them, even Geralt. It was still.. really early in the game, and he had only just joined them. He didn't want him to feel like he couldn't do his show as he wanted.

The Ringleader showed hesitation at the invitation he was given. The man was being much less forward than he had seen from him so far. Normally, considering the circumstances and the fact it was their last night, he wouldn't have minded saying yes but.. he couldn't really get out of the town visit he already had planned.

"I'm afraid I've made other plans for tonight I can't get out of, so I must unfortunately decline, but I'll gladly take a rain check." He said with a small bow.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt nodded his understanding at Lucien's explanation. Of course, he'd known that his little stunt would upset Ivory and he cared not a flap about that. Currently, he wasn't quite sure if he could do anything that did not somehow raise that woman's ire. It would be nice not to have to be in close quarters with her while they traveled. Some much needed alone time would be caught up with on the road...er, well as alone as he could get, anyway.

He preferred to let the Ringleader think that his little apology had placated him, for the time being at least. He didn't want the man worrying over him only three days after they'd met. Though it was early on, The Magician could sense that he had broken through some wall, just a shark could smell blood in the water from miles away. Geralt had no doubt that the time would come for he and the Frenchman to explore their relationship with more...depth. In response to Lucien's explanation, he simply said, "Of course. I am sure you are nothing but a friend of the arts, with great respect for their integrity. I appreciate the freedom you have bestowed upon me and the others."

He was not surprised when the man turned him down, and his initial reaction was to ask if he could join the Ringleader for his plans, but he held himself back from doing so. Now was not the time for the two of them, and he found himself craving more attention than the man was willing to give, he would have to make due with what he could find in town. Still, curiosity at these "plans" tugged at him. Maybe he would do a bit of reconnaissance, if he was going to be in town anyway.

He did not show any signs of disappointment at Lucien's rejection of his offer, and in fact the Magician could tell that he was even a bit disappointed himself. He merely smiled, nodded, and said, "Alas, patron, but they do say 'c'est la vie' for a reason. I will be waiting to cash that check." Winking, he turned on his heel and walked off, whistling a tune from days long past.

[xivyxx]

Lucien let out a small chuckle at his response. "I'm sure you will." He responded. For a moment he watched the man go, before he then headed back to his own trailer to get some of his things together. He wanted to be able to make the most out of the time he had tonight. He changed out of his ringleader outfit and into more casual clothing, and pulled out a black duffel bag from under his bed, where he kept everything he needed for tonight, before he put on his coat and quietly left his trailer. No one ever really questioned his leave, as most had taken it as the Ringleader wanting time for himself after their closing nights, so he was quite glad no one really prodded him for information. Really the only people he wanted to really avoid finding out about this were Illy and Aurel, because he knew they wouldn't like it.

Lucien drove to town, parking in front of a small home. It was a home he recognized.. from years ago, back from their travelling days. He had healed a middle aged man who was slowly growing blind. He had been the only provider in his family, so him losing his sight would have cost them their livelihood. The man had always said he would be forever indebted to him for his aid. Knowing connections in towns would be needed for future visits, he had decided to make his family his contact for when he was going to stop by. He knew he had to spread the word somehow, and had discovered this was the best way. That was why he had the carnie sent a letter ahead, so they would know to do so.

He gave the door a soft knock, and an old man answered the door, immediately smiling upon seeing him.

"Ah.. Lucien.. it's good to see you return so soon, come in, come in." He said, motioning for him to come inside. As they walked into the living room, he spotted the man's wife, who he gave a smile to.

"Yes.. It is good to see you both again Martin, Linda. Due to some circumstances we made another stop in this town, I figured some would be able to make use of that." He said.

"Well we're glad to see you are well, feel free to use the room in the back and the bath, I know you like to get straight to work." His wife spoke up.

He nodded, giving them a thank you before he headed down the hall. Out of everything this.. was probably what he could admit he did not enjoy the most. Obviously as a Ringleader of a circus, his face could be easily recognizable if he wasn't careful. He wasn't just.. a traveler anymore, going from place to place. He took the spotlight sometimes, and that made it a lot more likely for people to be able to find and identify him as the one who went around providing healing to people.

The only thing he could think of to.. work his way around that was to change his appearance completely and well.. dressing as a woman ended up being the best thing he could think of. His neutral features allowed for fluidity when it came to things like this, so aside from his height, it wasn't particularly hard to do so. If people identified him as a woman, there would be no way they would look at the Ringleader and think he was the one behind this, that at least.. was what he told himself. He had to admit it was a bit embarrassing.. With a sigh, Lucien made use of their bath, something he was glad to be able to enjoy every now and then, before he began to get ready, slipping into a long black dress and a dark cloak, finishing it off with a black wig of long black hair. All the dark colors made it easier to blend in during the night. He liked to stand out the least amount that he could. Taking a glance into the mirror when he was finished, he let out a sigh. It was unfortunate how easy it was for him to pull this off. The only thing he really had that betrayed him was the fact he was much taller than the average woman, but well, when you spent a lot of time sitting down and providing healing, people didn't really pay much attention to that.

With that, Lucien took his leave to the designated area, which coincidentally enough ended up being an incredibly small church, run by the close friend of the old man he had saved. Upon going inside he could see a fair share of people who were already there waiting.

"I'm sorry for the wait.. but I'll get started right away.. please line up here." He spoke in a soft, fluid American accent, with absolutely no traces of French. People were eager, and did as he asked. Lucien spent the next hours looking after each person, trying to identify their illness or disability, and then healing them of them. One of the things he was glad he had decided to study and read were the fair share of medicine books he had gotten a hold of, the knowledge had helped immensely in these kinds of situations. Lucien hadn't just.. wanted to heal people without knowing what it was that was afflicting them. Having the knowledge actually helped, because sometimes people didn't actually need his abilty, just proper treatment.

Unlike in their previous visit, Lucien was actually able to get through everyone this time around, which he was glad for. It had however left him a bit tired, but no so much that he wouldn't be okay after getting some sleep. By then, it was around three thirty, and Lucien finally took his leave, heading back to Martin's home to change back into his normal clothing. He hadn't made a ridiculous amount, but it would definitely be a bonus to what tonight's show would bring them. He had decided he would use this money as emergency funds, just in case things didn't quite go as he hoped.

"Bless your kind heart, Lucien. We're thankful for what you do. Please.. feel free to visit us again any time, even if it isn't for business." Linda told him gently.

"Thank you for your kind offer, and thank you for allowing me to come here to do this.. and for keeping my secret."

"Of course, lad. I owe you our lives for what you did for me and my family. I hope others realize how blessed they are. Good luck on your next stop." He told him, giving Lucien's hand a firm shake.

With that, the Ringleader took his leave, and headed back to the circus just before four. The carnies knew what to do.. so he'd probably be able to catch a few hours of sleep at the very least.. he'd make the most of it. He was quiet and swift as he headed across the grounds and back to his trailer, to which he quietly closed the door. Kicking his duffel bag under his bed, he tossed the bag of coin on his desk and collapsed onto his bed, letting out a sigh. Sometimes it was easy to forget how tiring this could be but.. it was worth it.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt spent the evening in the company he had been craving, it wasn't hard for a man like him to find the attention he was looking for. Once he had stepped out of the circus grounds, he'd displaced himself right onto the main thoroughfare in Graston, walking along it until he found the most posh bar in town that he had not yet visited. It was not easy, given his track record, but it happened eventually. He noted its location, then displaced himself back to the main road, the one which he knew Lucien would be coming from. He found a dark place, secluded, but with a good view of the street, and posted there waiting for the Ringleader to arrive. Once he saw the truck approaching, he had his "friend" conceal his presence, then followed the truck by teleporting behind it just before he lost sight. The Magician tracked Lucien to a residence in Graston, but there was nothing suspicious about it at all. A elderly man answered the door, and just beyond Geralt could hear the voice of a woman, presumably his wife.

With this out of the way, Geralt decided he could truly enjoy his evening. He displaced himself for the penultimate time, to the doorway of the bar he had chosen earlier, and spent the rest of the evening there.

Cora, Illyana and the others went about their duties before going to sleep. They had to make sure that everything was in order for the next day as they began to pack up, but go to bed with enough time to feel rested and ready to tackle the next day. Moving wasn't hard, by any means, now that the carnies and troupe alike had found a system that made breakdown and setup as quick and easy as it needed to be, but it was still physically demanding. If they wanted to be on the road on time, they needed to be sure that all of their ducks were in a row before they even thought about moving along.

With everything seen too, the troupe drifted off to their individual chambers and dozed for the rest of the evening.

----------------------------------------------

Illyana was the first to awake. She rose with the sun on breakdown days and was up even before Lucien. She knew he liked to have one last night out to himself before taking his leave of town, and he deserved it after the last few days of hard work. She was happy to pick up the slack if it meant he was getting a little extra rest. By now, she really only had to oversee everything. Everyone knew their places and the timing of everything, so really she was just there to move from place to place to be sure that no one needed help and that no unforeseen issues arose. She was usually an expert about keeping the latter on track, for the most part.

Cora usually stayed in on moving days. It was difficult for her, knowing that all of the buzz was going on outside while she slept the day away, but she knew it was for the best. No one needed her around to be in the way, and all of the activity sometimes made her head spin anyway. Akane and Illyana would come check to make sure she was alright and give her updates on the timing, and Akane usually rode with her when they were travelling. She was content to wait until they got to the lake, it would be worth it.

[xivyxx]

The next day had come to life very early, as everyone had gotten up to do their respective duties. Akane ran around helping in what she could as usual, and Ivory had reluctantly dragged herself out of bed to 'help' even if there wasn't all that much for her to do at this point. Knowing that they would be going to the lake, she wanted to save the majority of her energy for that, considering filling the tank was usually quite the task.

Aurel had tried to help out for a while, but had eventually tired and sat to take a break in the mess area, blanket wrapped partially around him. He wasn't really.. as active as he used to be. This time around he did have a snake with him, Bengal, who had wanted to tag along. He figured among all his snakes he had the best self control if he happened to run into Geralt.

"Headed to lake next yess? We will be able to hunt.."

"Yes.. I'm sure you will all be able to find plenty of prey.." He said, eyes trailing in the direction of Lucien's trailer. It wasn't normal for the Ringleader to sleep in, but on the last night of the circus it was a somewhat common occurrence. It was the day he took to himself, whether it was to go watch a movie or simply enjoy a night out. He was glad that Lucien was still willing to do this sort of thing. Everyone needed a break now and then, especially him.

"Worried?"

"A little.. the full moon's coming up soon.." He said with a sigh.

---

It was a bit hard for Lucien to get out of bed the next morning, but he forced himself to do so. He still had a job to do, after all. Considering his outing last night, he still needed to count the earnings for the final night, and then divine the money earned to pay everyone. A small yawn escaped him as he got ready for the day, and took a seat at his desk to begin the count. He could hear the carnies out and about already, already taking down tents and beginning to load things up. Lucien knew that he had slept in quite a bit. Even then he still felt tired, but it wasn't incredibly obvious. He hid it well, and he wasn't about to let it get in the way of his job.

He spent the next hour counting and dividing the money, each into a respective pouch of coin. When he was done, he wrote down the numbers, his way of being able to tell how impactful Geralt's joining of the circus would be to their profit. So far.. they had made much more than they had during their first stop. With what was leftover there would be enough to make it so they could stock up on gas and more supplies as well. When Lucien was finished with a pouch, he'd roll up the bills nicely, before tying them together with a rubber band and putting them at the top of the pouch before closing it. As usual, he stored Cora's money in the safe, and put the general circus' earnings, along with his own, in there as well. The rest he put into his drawer, since he would be giving them out during their meeting before they went on the road again. Now having finished all of that, Lucien finally left his trailer.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt had returned to the circus right around noon. He'd been driven in most of the way by his escort, and dropped off just beyond sight of the circus grounds around a bend. He said goodbye to his one-time lover, she blew him a kiss, and as soon as she was out of sight around the bend, he displaced himself back to his trailer.

He hadn't slept, but grogginess had evaded him. He'd spent the evening just how he had intended, in the company of the raucous and uncouth and had even managed to feel a little drunk for an hour or so. Once that had worn off, he'd gone home with two women and enjoyed the rest of the evening. The other left in the morning, and his ride had insisted on driving him. Not wanting to reveal anything to her, he accepted. Besides, his head was feeling a little heavy after the evenings events and the cool morning air did him some good.

Once back inside the trailer, he looked himself over in the mirror. He looked as tired as he should feel after being up all night, but his mind was spinning. He knew that he would not be able to sleep today at least, so why waste it. He straightened himself up, pushing his hair off of his forehead, and adding a change of clothes to the mix. It was marginally better, but the bags under his eyes betrayed his body's fatigue. It was no matter, he doubted anyone would ask at all. They had learned rather quickly that he was not one to answer any question straight.

He left his trailer and walked over to the mess area to retrieve a cup of coffee, hoping it may add some small modicum of spring to his step. Aurel was sitting there, back to him, and he could hear the lad's accented voice drifting towards him on the air. Was he talking to himself, or one of his serpentine companions?

Just for a bit of fun, he walked silently towards the young man and didn't speak until he was right behind him. "Is it the brightness that bothers you, or the perfect circular shape?" he asked, leaning forward and tracing a circle through the air.

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Illyana had finished overseeing most of the major breakdown by this time. There had been a couple of hiccups, but nothing major. She hadn't needed to wake Lucien, at least, though it was getting on to noon and he still hadn't emerged. She was just thinking of checking in on him to be sure he had made it back last night, and had turned to begin making her way across the grounds from the site of the big top. As she did so, she noticed Geralt and Aurel at the mess table, talking, and her brows furrowed instinctively. She couldn't hear them from here, and that caused her some uneasiness, but she did not want to insert herself and cause suspicion. Instead, she watched them from the corner of her eye as she made her way toward Lucien's quarters.

As she reached the door, it opened, and the Ringleader stepped out. She stopped abruptly and laid a hand on her chest, "Oh! Lucien, you startled me. I thought you were still asleep."

[xivyxx]

Aurel jumped as he heard Geralt's voice behind him turning around to look at him. How long had he been standing there? Bengal had hissed, but hadn't made any movement toward him. It was the first time he had seen the man for himself. He slithered into a better position around his shoulders to get a better look at him, but made no aggressive movement otherwise, which Aurel was thankful for.

"Bother me?" He questioned. "Ah.. no it doesn't bother me at all. It's quite the pretty sight.." He responded, relaxing a little. He would have to be careful of the things he decided to say out loud, considering how easy it seemed for the man to sneak up on people. Looking the man over, he could see the bags under his eyes. Had he not slept well?

"You seem tired.." He commented, though was unsure if he should actually ask him why. "I hope you are.. adjusting well to this place." It was his attempt to be nice, since he didn't really want to make the man feel unwelcome, he knew Lucien wouldn't like that.

--

Lucien raised his eyebrows slightly, not having expected to run into Illyana, though he supposed he had taken quite a bit of time. It was no surprise she had decided to come check on him.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, before shaking his head. "No, I woke up a while ago, but I was counting our earnings and getting the pay ready. The totals were better than I expected.. more than the last time, actually. We will have enough to cover all of our expenses for the next town." He informed her.

"I apologize for not leaving my trailer sooner, how long until we're good to go?" He asked, glancing at his pocket watch.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt leaned back as Aurel turned around, clearly startled. He maintained his smile until the young man's first question. To this, he shrugged and said, "Hm, is that so? I don't mean to pry, but you sounded a bit...concerned." The Magician then made his way over to the coffee pot. It was no longer hot, as he liked it, so he lit the fire underneath with a snap of his fingers and took a seat near it while he waited.

Interesting...was Aurel trying to cover something up or was his confusion genuine? Geralt knew that the lad's face would betray his lie, so he discounted that. His eyes flashed to the snake wrapped around Aurel's shoulders under a blanket briefly, before falling back onto the young man's face. So, he was speaking with the creature, this was even more interesting than phantom voices. Geralt, at least, was too used to those for it to be shocking any more.

At Aurel's question, the Magician simply shook his head. "Ah, I'll rest once, and if, I'm dead, junger mann." There was a bit of a pause as Geralt's eyes narrowed as he looked directly into those across from him. When he spoke, he switched to German. "How would you say I'm...adjusting?" He tilted his head slightly, a lightly sinister glint catching his dark eyes.

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Illyana shook her head, a small smile touching her lips briefly before it disappeared, "No need for apologies, Lucien, I know you had a late night." She noted that his aura was a bit dimmer and smaller than normal, though it was still radiant. He must have tired himself out in town somehow. Or maybe it was the stress of adding their new member and dealing with all of them at the same time, in addition to their money troubles. He wore it well, but Illy was one of the few people he couldn't hide his exhaustion from. Today was a good day for rest, lots of driving, and a relaxing party later. It would do them all a bit of good to relax.

This news about their money situation made all of it even better. Illyana felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders...but only for a moment before she remembered Geralt's presence. This meant that his inclusion in their lineup had worked, and that he now had a stronger case for sticking around.

Now was not the time for this discussion, obviously, but Illyana kept it in the back of her mind all the same. "That's amazing news." she said, giving Lucien another smile before letting her expression fade into neutrality once more. She turned to look over her shoulder and scan the area. Almost everything had been broken down and packed up. They only had the mess area left, and a supply run.

"Hm...about an hour or so? We made good time," she said, turning back to the Ringleader. "Since we've done so well, should we add anything to the supply list for the party? I told Alex we'd be leaving at the same time and he can meet us with the truck at the lake when he's through." Though this request was not like Illyana, she was never one for spending more on frivolous things than they needed to, she knew that Lucien and the rest of the troupe needed an excuse to relax. They had been stressed about money for so long...there was little harm in making the most of their good fortune, especially if it raised everyone's spirits. And, with the full moon coming, they needed all of the positive energy they could get.

[xivyxx]

Aurel didn't respond right away, mostly because he knew he had to be careful with how he responded to Geralt's question. He was a smart man, and he knew he wasn't the best liar.

"It's.. not that big of a deal.. It's just harder to sleep.. The snakes are more active." He told him. That at least was not a lie. The full moon affected people and animals in different ways, at least that's Illy had told him from the books she had read. He had noticed that his snakes tended to be more active on those nights, coming in and out of the trailer. Sometimes he gave up on sleep and spent the night with Lucien, since the man stayed up during those nights as well.. but there were other times that he was tired enough that he'd be able to sleep. It really just depended.

"Well.. as long as you aren't overworking yourself.." He responded in German.

He wasn't really prepared to answer his next question, after all the man had only been with them a few days.

"I think.. well? Not that many people are used to life on the road like this.. and I hear you were a famous magician before this? I assume living conditions might have been different.." He said.

--

It was unfortunate that Illyanna was really one of the few people he could not fool, no matter how hard he tried, but at least Lucien had been doing a good job at keeping what his late night task actually consisted of. He knew he wouldn't hear the end of it if she found out, so he knew he couldn't overdo it.

He nodded in agreement as she spoke, scanning the area of the grounds as Illyana explained their progress. At her question he became pensive. He had actually been meaning to bring this up to Illy, even though he knew the woman wasn't fond of the magician.

"I preemptively asked Sanford to buy some things already." He said, pausing for a moment. "However.. I feel we should take this chance to make Geralt feel a bit more welcome. I know things are still tense, but everyone did receive at least some sort proper welcome once they had settled in. We can take advantage of the chance we're filling Cora's tank to do so. A celebration of our good fortune, our new member, and our bright future." He told her.

[FreckersFrog]

"Hm..." Geralt nodded in response to Aurel comment. It made sense, considering what the Full Moon did to animals and people. He'd seen some lunacy first hand in his long life. Still, something did seem a bit off about the explanation. Geralt would have to stay sharp and eventually this trail of breadcrumbs would lead him to why eventually.

At the young man's next statement, Geralt tilted his head back and laughed aloud. "Well, I assure you lad, there are worse ways to 'overwork' one's self." Although he could tell that Aurel was by no means inexperienced in life, he could smell the boy's virginity from a mile away. In fact, it seemed Lucien had surrounded himself with a cadre of them. Though he knew the man himself was no stranger to sex, and he wasn't quite sure about Cora or Ivory yet either, he was certain that Aurel, Illyana, and Akane had never known a sexual touch. They were too...innocent. Normally, he would press this issue. Unfortunately, he did find the sex lives of others to be quite interesting, even when he wasn't directly involved in them. This time, however, he decided to let it lie. There was time yet to broach the subject when there were less pressing matters to attend.

He felt the coffee was ready, so he got up to pour himself a cup as Aurel asked his next question. With his back to the lad, he answered, still in German, "For a time, they were very different," he paused as he poured, letting nostalgia get the better of him for a moment. He knew the genuineness of his statement was detectable in his voice, but wasn't sure if Aurel was the one to catch it.

He finished pouring, then turned around and took his seat once more, sitting sideways on the bench so he could look directly at Aurel. "I have seen the road, she and I are old acquaintances. Famous or not, travel always beckons." he said, taking a sip of his coffee, which was still a little on the cool side, but steaming nonetheless. "How about you, Aurel? How long have you been with Cirque D'étoiles? You must have been quite young when you joined, to show Lucien such devotion." He was mostly pontificating about the devotion, but he sensed a bond between the two of them. It was familial, and deep, but Geralt had not quite placed it. It was too early to tell without asking, so, given his current mood, he decided to just go for it.

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Illyana could not help but let her face fall at Lucien's continued explanation. Though she had sensed this coming, especially given the fact that they already had a small celebration planned, she was still disappointed. It wasn't out of spite that she did not want to make this gathering about the magician...or, not solely anyway. It was more about the act of it, of welcoming him, making him a part of them without really knowing what was going on with him. Though Lucien had been right about their pasts, Ivory's in particular when they'd had that discussion a day or so ago, she could say that she had never felt this uneasy with another one of their members. She didn't want to accept him, and she wouldn't, party or no, as one of them. Not until she could pinpoint his motives.

But again, now was not the time for such a discussion. Besides, the faster they moved on from here, the quicker they would be headed West and to who she was searching for. She simply nodded in response and said, "That sounds fine," her voice and expression flat.

There was a brief pause before she spoke again. "Should I gather everyone for the meeting before we go? Almost everyone has been up and about already." She glanced quickly over her shoulder to see that Geralt and Aurel were still sitting in the mess area, conversing. She needed to get over there when she could to see what they were talking about, or at least divine what he had said from Aurel when they were finished.

[xivyxx]

Aurel was relieved that Geralt had accepted his response, he wasn't sure how much he could have explained if he had continued to pry. It was a valid excuse.. in his opinion. It was a bit surprising to hear Geralt laugh. He hadn't thought his statement was so funny.

"I'm sure there is." He simply agreed, seeing no need to push the topic further.

Two pairs of snake like eyes followed Geralt as he moved to pour himself a cup of coffee. He decided to stick with German while talking to Geralt, since there was no one else around, and he had told him he'd speak German with him while the chance arose. No one else was around either.. so it wasn't rude. He was curious of the man's response, part of him wanted to ask how, but he wasn't sure how much he'd get from that.

"Travelling is nice.." He said. Aurel had lived the majority of his life on the road, or generally travelling around, ever since he was a child. While his previous circus days were nothing compared to now, it had made it so it was easy for him to adjust to change. The life he lived now was definitely more comfortable, though he could not deny that he sometimes missed the old days... A fact he often kept to himself. He took note that the man sat a bit of a distance away, was it because of Bengal? He was glad for it regardless, mostly because he didn't want the snake to feel more unsettled.

Aurel showed a bit of hesitation at Geralt's next question.

"Be careful of what you tell thiss man.." Bengal warned.

He didn't have to be told twice. Giving too much information about himself would also give the man more information about Lucien, but he didn't want to make it seem like he was hiding something. Geralt seemed like the type of person to dig for things.

"I met Lucien when I was twelve.. before the circus was actually founded.." He responded. This was something he could probably figure out from the carnies that had been here with them during those days, so he didn't see the need to hide it. That would only make the man more curious.

--

Lucien noted the change in Illyana's expression at his suggestion, but he had expected as much. He hoped that this wouldn't be an issue later. He honestly did want everyone to just get along.. but right now that was too much to ask for, there was still a lot of mystery surrounding the magician, and he knew it would be difficult for some people to accept that. Illyana and Ivory especially.

He followed Illyana's gaze to the mess area. He could almost feel her anxiousness to want to go. At first glance it just seemed like they were having a conversation, and Geralt was keeping a decent distance, at least, but still he spoke up.

"If you would, thank you. You can start with Geralt and Aurel." He said, motioning over in their direction.

"If you have the chance, please spread the word among the carnies too, their pay is also ready. We might as well have the meeting in the mess area, since it's still up."

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt had been correct, the boy knew nothing of what his previous comment has insinuated. Oh well, it was no matter, plenty of time to explore that avenue when the time came.

At his response, Geralt raised his eyebrows as he took another sip from his coffee mug. He let out a sigh of satisfaction, then nodded as he slowly brought his eyes from the liquid in his mug to Aurel's face once more. "Ah...that explains the drawing I saw in Lucien's quarters. That must have been you."

Geralt had his suspicions from the moment he laid eyes on the crudely drawn family portrait that Lucien kept in his chamber, but the signature in the corner had confirmed it. Aurel didn't know, however, that Geralt had been close enough to see that it was signed. He was simply using this as a tactic to gather information, and the drawing was a god way to ask about the past.

"Lucien and yourself were easy to recognize, of course. But...I noticed a redheaded pair in that picture, a larger man and a small girl. I was surprised to find out that Illyana is the little ginger. But, the man...I haven't seen anyone who even remotely looks like him around here. Is he simply hiding or...is he no longer with us?" Geralt tried to keep his expression even when he asked, but a little bit of his wicked smile poked through. The night had left him more tired than he thought, and he was not as on edge without the others around. This, coupled with Lucien's answer about the man from their previous conversation about the picture made him thirst for the knowledge and almost show it. He knew that Aurel was simply not perceptive enough to see his true intention. On the outside, this seemed a friendly and candid chat about the young man's past and nothing more.

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Illyana nodded to Lucien's suggestion before scurrying off towards the mess area. There was no more time for idle chit-chat, she had to see what was going on over there.

[xivyxx]

Aurel tensed as Geralt mentioned the drawing, embarrassment clouding his features. He sometimes forgot that Lucien still had that hung up in his room... It had really shown the difference in his skill when it came to drawing landscape and people.. He had told Lucien he didn't need to keep it, after all it had been so long, but of course the man kept it, stating he quite liked the drawing. It was just like him.

"Er.. yeah.." He responded awkwardly.

He couldn't help but avert his gaze at his question. It was likely that Lucien had told him it was Illy, since he wasn't sure if the magician could come to that conclusion on his own, considering the appearance she now held. Had he asked Lucien about Faolan? If so, how had he answered? If he was asking him now.. then it meant he hadn't told him. He didn't want to share more than he had to in regards to that.

"He's not here.." He said.

--

Lucien watched Illyana go at a quickened pace, watchful for a moment before he headed back to his trailer. He hoped that Geralt wasn't making Aurel uncomfortable.. but from what he could see it didn't seem like that was the case. He was sure Aurel would say something to him if he was bothering him.

Upon entering his trailer, he gathered the pouches of money and placed them in a larger bag, before heading out toward the mess area. Seeing Oswald nearby, he called out to him, and told him to send word out to the carnies, to shorten Illy's task.