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

[FreckersFrog]

Cora had donned something especially modest for this evenings meeting with their newest member. She hadn't been sure why, but when Illyana had helped her lay out her clothes earlier today, she had insisted on the warmer garments: a dark blue long-sleeved blouse with a high-neck and a long black skit to cover her legs. For the purposes of this, she had also made sure to dry her body a bit more than usual so as not to wet the clothes. Ivory had helped her bundle her wet hair into a high bun, which would keep her moist enough for the rest of the evening. Akane had brought a small cup full of water just in case she needed a little extra dousing.

She smiled up at her friend, "I wish I could have seen it! Did you do the kick thing that you showed me? That was my favorite part." She had experienced the pleasure of watching Akane's dance in the past, but it had been a while since she was afforded enough downtime to do so. Her "act", if one could call it that, ran pretty consecutively throughout the night and she always had at least four or five people there to see her. She never really dealt with matters of money, it really wasn't her concern, but she thought she had an okay night.

She was very excited to meet their new addition, however, the nervous energy and look on Illyana's face made her extra curious.

Illyana had had a relatively easy night, which was to be expected from the turnout. There had been no large revelations to her patrons, nor had anyone left angry. All things considered, it had been quite tame. While each reading did drain her energy slightly, it was mostly the long nights of studying and researching that had cultivated the dark circles under her eyes. Ivory had told her that they made her look older and more mysterious, which was perfect for her act, so she had done nothing to change this.

Currently, she was standing rather close to Aurel at the far end of the stage, well away from the center. She had already met Geralt, and although she wasn't exactly worried about this, it was his presence in general that made her anxious. She was standing with her hands clasped together behind her, watching the entrance for Geralt's return.

She did chime in with Ivory when Lucien mentioned scheduling, "I know this doesn't really apply to me, but after hearing everyone's experience it did seem to flow rather well." It would take more than Geralt the Great to disrupt Cirque D'étoiles' performers.

[xivyxx]

Akane had eagerly nodded. "Yes! People seemed to really like it!" She told her. Since her hands were relatively busy during her act with the tools she used, she put a lot of effort into her footwork to make it all stand out, specially when she traced her path in flames. It seemed children found that really cool as well. Hopefully she'd be able to ask Lucien to maybe let Cora see one of her acts one of these days. She was sure that he wouldn't say no, but perhaps it was best to wait until their situation had.. improved? Either way, she looked forward to it.

"It did, luckily you and Cora were unaffected by it, but it just goes to show how well you all know each other and how well you work together as a result." He said with a smile.

"Where is the cause of our schedule shift, anyway? I hope he didn't get lost on the way here." Ivory commented, referring to Geralt. She had already changed out of her performance outfit and removed all her makeup. She found it to be a bit of a hassle to keep it on. Ivory most preferred to be comfortable, so she was already in her nightwear, which consisted of a loose, silky dark blue blouse and a black skirt that went past her knees.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon." Lucien responded. He wasn't particularly late, and honestly he didn't think he would be, considering how much Lucien had emphasized punctuality. There was that, and also the fact he'd probably be curious about meeting the remaining members of the troupe.

"Did any of you already get to meet him? I thought he was quite nice." Akane commented.

"Only Cora and Aurel were unable to meet him, though we did catch a part of Aurel's show before he had to go prepare for his second performance." Lucien responded, having caught Ivory making a face out of the corner of his eyes. She definitely was not a huge fan.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora smiled up at Akane throughout the conversation, happy to hear that she had had a pleasant experience with the Magician. Although she trusted Illyana and Ivory, she knew that they could sometimes be a little bit weary. She understood this, and tried to practice it as well, but her curiosity often got in the way. She pulled a little at her collar, feeling restricted by the cloth. She hoped that he would arrive soon so she could get back into her tank.

"He was quite polite." Illyana said, her voice flat. She didn't think it necessary to add anything else when the man could be walking in at any second.

And, as if on cue, Geralt turned the corner of the big top and entered. He raised his eyebrows and approached the troupe at a slightly quickened pace, bowing his head to Lucien at he did so. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." He stopped next to the Frenchman and let his eyes roll over all present before continuing, "I stopped to have a conversation with one of your men outside, I hope this won't become another mark on my record, patron."

This was true. Geralt had seen the man as he had exited his tent and stopped him to ask a few poignant questions. He had little to say, and interest in him waned by the second as the answers had dribbled out of his mouth. Geralt was glad to be rid of him and now among more pleasurable company.

Speaking of...his eyes lingered on the woman at the end of the line, next to Akane. This had to be their Siren, she was the only one he hadn't seen before. She was stunningly beautiful, almost hypnotically so. In fact, she was the most beautiful among them all, Lucien included. He found himself immediately drawn to her and his body language showed it as he let his eyes stop on her for a moment before he tore them away to look once again at Lucien. He noted the wheelchair, and while he was curious, he did not think it detracted from her allure whatsoever, in fact, it only increased his yearning for the story behind her presence, not to mention her abilities. He would be sure to spend extra time getting to know her...

[xivyxx]

It was clear that Cora had immediately caught Geralt's attention, this was what Lucien had been afraid of. He'd definitely have to keep an eye on Geralt around the mermaid. He wasn't the only one who shared this sentiment either. Ivory was eyeing him suspiciously as he approached her, but said nothing.

Lucien cleared his throat. "Geralt, this is La Sirène, Cora, out of water, of course. Cora, this is Geralt." He introduced them, hoping it would be brief but, he knew that this would probably not be the case.

"She's the one who inspired a lot of my last dance!" Akane exclaimed as she smiled brightly down at Cora and then looked back at Geralt.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt let his eyes fix back onto the mermaid and stay there as Lucien began their introduction, a slow grin creeping across his face. The girl, Cora, smiled up at him brightly as he approached her and reached out a hand to take hers. She accepted without having to be asked, and he knelt to kiss her smooth porcelain skin.

Delicious innocence...ripe for the picking...

"And I can see why," Geralt said, glancing briefly at Akane, "Aren't you a dish, Cora..." He said, maintaining eye contact with her the entire time.

Cora was excited when Geralt offered his hand, maybe more so than she should have been. She let him take her fingers and covered her mouth with her other hand as he bent down and kissed it. No one had ever greeted her in this way before, and she couldn't help but let out an enthusiastic giggle as her cheeks warmed to a bright pink within seconds. Akane and Illy were right, Geralt was nice and polite, and almost as handsome as Lucien, and Cora didn't see what all the worry was about.

"Oh, Akane always says that, but I don't do very much..." She said, breaking eye contact with Geralt out of nervousness. He was so close that she could smell his cologne. It was light and pleasant, almost smokey.

"I'm sure that can't be true. Just looking at your face is inspiring, and those eyes...they are a gorgeous blue, like the ocean at sunset." He did not let go of her hand and she did not pull it away. Yes, he was right, it would be best to start here.

Cora gasped quietly and giggled again, then shook her head, almost overwhelmed by Geralt's kind words and proximity. She couldn't even summon a response to this, and knowing that everyone was watching as making her more embarrassed. She had never been exposed to this, as she was normally kept away from visitors, and Aurel and Lucien had never been flirtatious.

Illyana watched this interaction from afar, but after Geralt did not let go of Cora's hand or back away, her eyes flicked between Lucien and the pair as she bit her lip. Cora, among them all, had the least experience with men, and although her original...encounter with humans had been extremely unfortunate to say the least, she did not have a good gauge of how they acted. A man like Geralt could be extremely dangerous to her, if he had the wrong intentions. Although Illyana was sure that Lucien would step in, he could not watch everyone all the time, and she had to be as helpful with this as possible.

[xivyxx]

As Geralt approached Cora further, Ivory immediately squinted her eyes at him. She didn't like it one bit. Her distrust of him only worsened, and she knew now for a fact she would have to keep an eye on him around Cora, and it was clear Lucien shared this sentiment.

The ringleader looked on with a slightly furrowed brow, and had caught the look Illyana had given him. Ivory's expression only grew more irritated the longer Gerlalt lingered around Cora, and when she opened her mouth to speak, Lucien had decided to quickly interject.

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Cora." He said. "Do give her some air, Geralt, you don't want to overwhelm her." He said, before trying to redirect his attention to Aurel.

"This is our charmeur de serpent, Aurel, whose performance you were able to see a piece of earlier." He added.

Aurel tensed ever so slightly at being acknowledged, but didn't make any motion to move toward the magician. He too had taken note of the.. close proximity the man had to Cora, and he hoped remaining at a distance would bring him a little away from her.

"Nice to meet you.." He spoke up.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt did not react to Lucien's first statement at all, and kept his eyes locked on Cora's. She did nothing to break their contact, aside from glancing away from him in embarrassment, so he did not feel any need to do so. He let his eyes rove over her body for just an instant, a little sad that she had dressed so conservatively. He could tell that she was extremely slender, but shapely nonetheless.

He could tell that Lucien was eager to move on from this display, and he guessed that Ivory might be as well, even without looking at her. Was there nothing he could do that would not draw her ire?

However, he did slowly start to move away and allowed Cora's hand its freedom. She took it back gracefully, blushing all the same. Her contact with Geralt had not been unpleasant at all, in fact, quite the opposite. Although she had been embarrassed by his attention, it had given her quite the thrill. She hoped that one day soon she could watch his show and that he could see her contribution to the troupe.

It was Aurel's accent that truly drew Geralt's full attention away from Cora. "Ah, Aurel, eh?" He said and approached the lad, holding out his hand to shake, "Ist das ein deutscher akzent den ich höre?" He asked in his native tongue, then looked over his shoulder at Lucien, "You didn't tell me you already had a German in your troupe, there goes my novelty."

[xivyxx]

Lucien was glad he did not have to insist further to draw his attention away from Cora. While he felt a little bad for using Aurel for it, he was sure the man had noticed the display.

Aurel seemed a little surprised to hear Geralt speak in German. While he could hear the man's accent in his voice, he hadn't really placed it as German. He wasn't nearly as good at picking up this sort of thing as Lucien was.

"Es ist" His response was short, but enough to show the man that he did indeed know German. Honestly it had been a long time since he had used it, but he still remembered it quite well. Lucien would occasionally speak to him in it, and it had been the ringleader who had taught him a less broken English, but as a result, his German accent was still quite thick.

"Well, I can't spoil all the surprises can I?" Lucien responded. He hadn't really seen a need to do so.

Aurel glanced down at Geralt's hand for a moment. He didn't really want to be rude, so he decided to take it. Or at least, he would have. The moment he raised his hand, Liquorice hissed loudly at him, baring his fangs at him. Jade, who had been wrapped around his wrist again, had stuck her head out from under his sleeve to do the same. Aurel was surprised by this reaction, and quickly took a couple steps back, mostly concerned that the snakes might attack him.

"I don't like thiss one." Liquorice hissed.

"He's dangerouss." Jade followed.

"Es tut mir Leid.. they aren't usually like this." He was quick to apologize, bowing his head slightly. There had been people in his life that the snakes had been wary around at first, but Geralt had been the first that they had reacted so aggressively too. It put him on edge, to be honest, but he tried not to show it. He was unsure of how uncomfortable this might have made Geralt, so he decided to keep his distance.

Lucien was a little caught off guard by this display as well. For them to reject Geralt so harshly.. perhaps there was something they sensed in him that escaped the others. Regardless, he was glad Aurel had the snakes around him. He'd have to keep this in mind for the future.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt immediately withdrew his hand as the snake hissed and lunged, and a look of rage passed over his face briefly as he looked down at the creature. For a brief second, he imagined the creature's head under his wingtips as he slowly pressed down and crushed it's skull. He did not enjoy being startled.

Being among pleasant company, however, he composed himself quickly and in the blink of an eye, he was back to his graceful self. His smile was now a little strained, however, as his eyes lingered on the serpent a moment before he looked back up at Aurel. "Kein problem, I seem to be having trouble with handshakes today..." He chuckled coyly and glanced over to where Ivory, Akane, and Illyana for a half second before looking back at the snake charmer.

Cora had gasped and covered her mouth when Licorice made the move to attack Geralt. She had been around Aurel's friends since she joined the troupe and had never seen one of them react this way, even to a Carnie. She could even communicate with them as Aurel could and heard their judgement of Geralt. She just didn't understand...he was so nice! She glanced between the two of them, and saw that Geralt was unhurt and relaxed a little. She made a note to ask Aurel about this later...

Now that he was closer, Geralt could see the source of the shimmering on Aurel's skin from before. They were scales, only discernible when he turned a certain way. In addition to this, his eyes were golden with slit pupils, just like the serpents he seemed to have such a deep bond with.

Another half-breed...scum...kill his beasts to break his spirit

Geralt blinked rapidly for just a second and tilted his head as if clearing a fog, then his eyes sharpened to meet Aurel's once more. He clasped his hands behind his back as he leaned in to speak to the lad, who was clearly shy. "It is so nice to hear the tongue of my homeland on a native! Your accent is clearly southern German, whereabouts are you from, Aurel? I am originally from Berlin, of course." He laid a hand on his chest in a gesture of pride. He was clearly interested in this conversation, but wanted to make sure the rest of the troupe could understand what they were saying. There was no doubt in his mind that they were suspicious after seeing the snake nearly bite him, he had to keep up appearances until he was alone...

Illyana watched the entire scene unfold without changing her expression whatsoever. She had no doubt that Geralt could take care of himself, such a great magician should have no problem with a tiny snake. She did notice a look of disgust wash over his features and furrowed her brows in concentration as she watched his body language. The event had clearly upset him, but not enough for him to make it known to the rest gathered there. His composure returned just as quickly as it had faded, but she was glad to see him rattled, if only for a second. His poise was clearly practiced, and institution in his outward appearance, but there was something dark beneath that he had well-hidden. The fact that animals reacted poorly to him was a major sign, she would have to add this fact to her research tonight.

[xivyxx]

Ivory's expression hadn't changed at the reaction the snakes had to Geralt. Clearly, there was something wrong with him. The snakes hadn't been extremely fond of her either when she had first met them, but they had never tried to actually attack her. It made her curious, but also wary. She knew there was a reason she didn't like him. When Akane had joined them it had been a similar circumstance, they didn't like her very much, but that was more of a.. predatory thing, considering the woman was a fox. What exactly were their animal instincts reacting to?

Aurel's expression was still apologetic after Geralt's response. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.." He glanced down at Liquorice as he spoke, causing the snake to slither back around Aurel's shoulder, though his gaze remained on Geralt. It was strange for his snakes to be like this, and he was now concerned that the others might react similarly to him. He'd have to be sure to speak with them ahead of time, he didn't really want his snakes attacking other people to become the norm. Jade had withdrew slightly back into Aurel's sleeve, but peeked out just enough to still be able to look at Geralt.

At his question, the man grew nervous, and his eyes quickly darted to Lucien to ask for his assistance. His life back in Germany was something Aurel tried to put behind him, if not forget completely. Unfortunately that wasn't easy for him, even more so when he had physical reminders of them. When he had first met Lucien, the man had tried to decipher where he was from, as even he didn't know exactly from where. What they had was merely a close guess, and Aurel hadn't bothered to retain that information.

"He's from Freiburg." Lucien spoke up, answering the question for him, having noted Aurel's silent plea for help. To this day he still wasn't sure if that was really the case, but it was the ringleader's best guess as to the location based on the descriptions Aurel had given him. It didn't seem like the boy had cared to know at the time, so they hadn't pursued the topic any further.

Aurel simply nodded in agreement with Lucien, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve.

"I don't mind speaking it with you. Lucien is the only one I use it with so.." He trailed off. Despite his dislike for his time in Germany, it seemed Geralt was happy about being able to have this chance. He supposed it might be a little lonely to be unable to speak your native language to other people.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt could send his fellow's discomfort at his question, and raised an eyebrow as the young man struggled to answer. It was clear that this member of Cirque D'étoiles was much less forthcoming than the others he had met, excluding Madame Illyana. Although, she had not seemed at all nervous of Geralt, only weary. He would have to tread much more carefully around Aurel than the rest.

"Ah, I see!" He said at Lucien's answer, not bothering to comment on the fact that Aurel had not spoken up himself. "I've never been as far south as Freiburg, though I hear it is lovely in the spring." He paused a moment, then nodded and added, "Das würde mir sehr gefallen, Aurel, dankeschön. Although, I have to say," he lowered his voice and held a hand to his mouth as if sharing a secret, "sein akzent ist nicht annähernd so angenehm für das ohr wie wie deins." It may be tough to crack this one, but at least the two of them had something in common. He would have to see just how far his German could take them.

[xivyxx]

Aurel didn't know enough about Freiburg to be able to agree with him, but.. he did remember spring being very nice in the place he had been 'raised,' in.. maybe he really was from there. Regardless it didn't matter to him now. At his comment, he could see that Lucien had heard him, as a slightly amused expression crossed his face. Maybe being able to speak to a native German meant more to Geralt than he had realized? While he couldn't really comprehend things like that, he could at least understand the sentiment behind it.

"Danke." He responded as the man extended the compliment to him.

It was at this time that Lucien found it a good time to speak up again. "Well, that's everyone. It is getting really late, so I don't want to keep you all up too long. You'll all have plenty more time to converse tomorrow. I thought today's schedule went relatively well, though I'd like to ask Akane and Aurel to switch their times. Aurel, you can have your show overlap a little with Ivory's instead." The ringleader said. Having taken the target audience into consideration, he thought it the best way to go about it.

"Sure thing!" Akane exclaimed, while Aurel nodded in Lucien's direction.

"With that, I think it's about time I show you to your trailer, Geralt." He said, figuring it was a good time to wrap things up.

"Well, see you all tomorrow guys! Have a goodnight!" Akane exclaimed, before jumping off the edge of the stage and going to Cora. "I'll take you back!" She said, before reaching for Cora's hand and beginning to leave the tent with her once goodbyes and goodnights had been exchanged. Sometimes she liked to walk with her friend like this, instead of pushing her chair from behind. She found it a lot more enjoyable.

Lucien then walked up to Geralt and motioned over to the exit at the tent, and walked out with him. Akane's pace had been a little quick, so the two women were already quite ahead of them. She was always excitable that one, even at this time of day.

"I do apologize for cutting the meeting short, but I do like to make sure everyone gets a good amount of rest before the next set of shows, I'm sure you understand." He spoke to the man as they walked across the grounds to the area where their homes awaited.

-

Ivory had gotten off the stage, but instead of leaving she walked up to Aurel and Illy after Lucien and Geralt had gone. Mostly she was curious as to what Illyana had thought of Geralt, now that she had met the man for herself.

"So.. what did you think?" She asked the two of them, also curious as to what Aurel's snakes had to say about him.

"The snakes.. they don't like him. Jade says he's.. dangerous.." Aurel muttered. He didn't really have an opinion of the man besides that. He seemed friendly enough to speak to, but the reaction he had received from his snakes was what made him the most weary. Their instinct usually did not fail, so part of him wanted to trust in them. At the same time he did not want to be rude to the man who clearly wanted to engage in conversation with him. It was.. difficult.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt leaned away at Aurel's response, displeased but keeping it hidden. The way this boy cowered...it was almost pathetic. Very un-German of him. While he had been quite impressed upon seeing his dance, that feeling was waning with every second in his presence.

Cull the weak ones...

It was no matter, however, once the two of them got more acquainted, he was sure the nervousness would fade. Geralt would be sure to keep an eye out for the opportune moment to get more information, and he was fairly sure he knew where to start.

"Oh, of course, look at the time!" He said when Lucien broke the silence. "I know not all of us are night-owls," he said and then looked to each member as he spoke, "It was lovely meeting all of you, I look forward to our...achievements together." He smiled graciously and bowed slightly, watching at Akane and Cora left.

Cora nodded vigorously at Lucien's statements, smiling brightly. She was just glad to see that no one was hurt earlier when the snake overreacted. She took Akane's hand happily, but looked over her shoulder as the Kitsune lead her outside. She and Geralt made eye contact, and she made sure to smile and wave at him as they left. His mouth twitched into a suave smile, and he winked at her in response. She felt her cheeks grow warm and she turned away. Then, just before the two were out of earshot, she turned to Akane and said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I'm not sure what all the fuss was about, he doesn't seem so bad to me!"

Geralt, upon hearing this, let his eyes slide over to Lucien but said nothing. Now was not the time.

The two men made their way out of the tent shortly after and across the grounds, Geralt swinging his briefcase next to him as they walked. Although, it had not been there moments before, he preferred to use it as a prop to keep his hands busy. "Oh," he said in response to Lucien's comment, "No need to apologize at all. It is a lovely group of performers you have here, and so...eclectic! Far superior to any I have seen in the past. I am humbled to be among them." He lied straight through his teeth on this last part. Not a single one of them held a candle to him, but he wasn't about to say that.

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

Illyana had simply nodded at Geralt's statements to them, her mouth set into a hard line across her face. She did not look distressed or upset, simply neutral, so as to give nothing away of her mood. She had no doubt that while she was trying to gain more information about the man, he was trying to do the same to each and every one of them.

She had just begun to walk off when Ivory approached her and Aurel, so she stopped. She quickly peered around the taller woman's shoulder to make sure Lucien and the magician had left before she responded. "There is obviously something off about him...but I still can't pinpoint it." So far, all of Geralt's behavior in the short time that they had spent together were rapid firing through her mind's eye. "He seems polite enough, but I think it's an act. Did you see his face when Licorice tried to strike him?" She looked to Aurel, then at Ivory, unsure if either of them had gotten a good look at his expression.

[xivyxx]

At Cora's comment, Lucien's expression had remained completely neutral. Inwarldy he wanted to slap his hand against his forehead, but he remained completely composed. Of course Cora would not think twice about saying something like that, but no one else had reacted, and he hadn't been able to hear Akane's response to that as the two women had left. The kitsune had agreed with her.

"I'm happy to hear that. They've worked hard to get to this point. I see them improve with almost every performance." He responded, though he wasn't sure how 'humbled' someone like Geralt could really be. Still, he simply accepted the compliment. With that, he decided to change the subject as they approached the area of their trailers.

"Everyone can customize and decorate their trailer as they please with their own personal taste. So do with it as you wish. I do hope it's.. satisfactory to you." He said as he stopped near the trailer that would now be Geralt's. This trailer had once belonged to the acrobats that were in their troupe. Since it was meant for two people, it was largest after his own and well.. Faolan's, but that one had been completely covered up. He wasn't sure if Geralt was one to make a fuss about such things, but he certainly hoped he wasn't. He had the carnies completely clean it out, ready to accept it's new owner.

--

Ivory shook her head at Illyana's response, but she was glad she wasn't the only one who felt this way. "I wasn't at an angle in which I could see it, but I wish I had. Personally I think everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie." She said dryly. That was just the kind of vibe she got from him. He was filled with sweet words meant to win people over, and it was vexing to her.

"I didn't get to see it either.. I was more focused on making sure Liquorice didn't bite him.." Aurel muttered. "Did.. it upset him? I'm not sure if it will be a good idea to have my snakes around him for a while.. I'll have to speak with them.." He said, letting out a sigh.

"He was. He hates us as much as we hate him." Liquorice hissed.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yes, it does seem as though you have cultivated a very well-oiled machine here. There teamwork must be astounding. My presence will be nothing more than a momentary hiccup in the works, I'm sure." And he was. Some of the members seemed hell-bent on making it so. Ivory for one, Geralt was sure, would not allow his presence to affect her performance in any way. Her claim was staked, and would remain so come Hell or high water. The others, however, seemed more apt to follow direction than give it themselves. They would not be effected through sheer force of will on Lucien, Ivory, and Illyana's part. The trio seemed to be the strongest of will, and therefore would naturally guide the others. It was not at all that Geralt wished to upset the balance, he just couldn't help but be attracted to chaos.

As they approached his trailer, he forced his grin to widen. Large, yes, but dingy, he was sure. Luckily for him, it would take hardly any effort to clean it up and make it his. He looked it over and glanced to Lucien, still smiling, "It's wonderful, Lucien, I cannot thank you enough for finding a place for me here..." There was a brief pause, then Geralt glanced around. "Oh, but I do wonder, where can I find you in case of...emergencies or...other needs?" He cocked an eyebrow at the Ringleader, sure he would grasp his meaning.

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

Illyana nodded at Ivory's assessment, crossing her arms over her chest and looking down at the trio's feet. Although it was clear that Ivory had a sort of personal bias against the man, Illyana knew there was truth to what she was saying. Though she could be quick to judge, Ivory's instincts were usually spot-on, as were Aurel's snakes'. She was glad to have them here, as, aside from Lucien, they would be the one's to guard the other two against Geralt's advances and sweet-talking. Cora and Akane were intelligent and kind, but their judgments of people were not as sharp. It was clear that Cora had been won over instantly, though she had always expressed a nervousness around men, it had melted just as soon as Geralt had kissed her hand. It was most likely his politeness that had done this, as Cora was used to men acting well...much rougher towards her. She had warmed a similar way to Lucien and Aurel, though they had taken their time instead of rushing right in, as Geralt had.

At Aurel's comment, Illyana shook her head and reached out a hand to rub his arm and comfort him. "It wasn't anything you or Licorice did." She said, her supportive instincts taking over for a moment. She dropped her hand but kept her eyes on his face. "It did upset him...but there was more than fear. He was angry...almost furious. It passed quickly, though. I would let your snakes know to stay away from him, that's a good idea." She said, then looked to Ivory, "Then there was this...thing that happened with his shadow." She looked to the ground again, trying to summon the image in her mind, "It twitched and sort of...shifted. It didn't look like it belonged to him. Similar to Akane's," she said, looking back up at the damphir, "but different somehow."

[xivyxx]

Lucien nodded, smiling slightly at Geralt's words. "Fine observation. They do have quite the good teamwork. I'm sure it will be quite alright, they adapt quickly." He said, at least in terms of performances. In terms of personal connection, he wasn't sure how they'd all handle Geralt individually, but he knew that when it came to the shows, everyone could be professional about it, even Ivory. She would never allow her distaste for him to ruin a show.

"Bien sûr, I did say I always try to make make sure my performers are taken care of." He said. At his question, he gestured over to his own trailer a bit off to the left. Lucien had been a little.. tactical in the placement of Geralt's trailer. He had wanted it far away from Cora's as possible, but he had also wanted him close enough to keep an eye on him in case anything happened. Because both Cora and Illyana used their trailers doing their acts, they were off further to the side than the other trailers. Akane's was the first in line after that, considering how frequently the kitsune went to go get Cora in the mornings or hung out with her in general. It was followed by his own, and so he decided to place Geralt's trailer between his and Aurel's, who had Ivory on his other side. The man hadn't minded when he had been asked, understanding the ringleader's reasoning behind it.

"You'll actually be able to find me quite easily. We're.. practically neighbors. I'm a bit of an early riser, so if I'm not going about the grounds checking up on things, you will usually find me there." He said. Typically he was up very early, specially on show days. He'd sometimes want to have a talk with the carnies that handled the advertising before they left to town for it, to tell them what news to spread. Now that Geralt was here, they had to make sure to spread the word.

---

Aurel glanced at Illyana as she provided him with comfort. It did help him feel a little better, but he really had to make sure he paid further attention to his snakes' body language. It had been so long since they had been wary toward anyone he had almost forgotten to look out for it. Their latest member had been Cora, and all of his snakes had instantly warmed up to her, because of her attitude and the fact she could understand him. Liquorice had been unphased by the consequences of his actions, because he was not feeling particularly apologetic for what he had done.

"She'ss right. It was all that man'ss fault." He said, causing the man to almost let out a sigh. He shifted his attention back to Illy as she spoke, furrowing his brow. If it was the snakes he had grown angry toward for lashing out at him then.. he definitely wanted to keep them away from him, at least until he got to know him a little better and could provide them with more reassurance. Everyone here knew to leave his snakes alone if they were seen out and about on the grounds. Aurel always left his window open so they could come and go as they pleased, whether it be to hunt, bask under the sun on top or around his trailer, or something else. He always had at least one on his person for the company but.. perhaps he'd leave them behind until he got a little more used to Geralt. Considering he seemed interested in.. conversing with him, it was probably for the best.

"His shadow?" Aurel questioned.

"Hmm.." Ivory wasn't quite sure what to make of this. She had learned after coming here that there were plenty of different creatures out there in the world, but there was still quite a bit of knowledge she lacked, considering even she had to learn as she went along when it came to herself. Akane was a very bright and kind girl. She had always found the shadow thing to be strange, but she knew that was something that was hard for her to control when she got to excited or flustered. She wasn't sure what the case was with Geralt, and she hadn't noticed it before, but she'd be sure to pay attention to it now.

"Did you mention this to Lucien? He might know more about it. My knowledge on that sort of stuff is a little limited.. I'm not sure if Akane would know considering her shadow is the same, but she seems to lack suspicion of him." She wasn't quite sure whether asking her would get them anywhere.

"Did the shadow have some sort of shape..? Or did it simply shift around?" Aurel asked curiously. With someone like Akane it varied. Sometimes they'd see the shape of her two tailed fox-form, and sometimes they'd just see her humanoid form with her ears and tail, it usually varied. He was curious to know what kind of shape the man's would turn into, as it was really the only thing they had as a clue at the moment.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt glanced over to Lucien's trailer as he indicated and his wicked smile spread further across his lips. He was sure this was done strategically, its exactly what he would have done if the shoe had been on the other foot. He'd want to keep an eye on himself too.

He nodded and then looked back to Lucien, "Ah, how fortuitous...I'm sure we will make quite compatible neighbors. I'm not much for sleep, so while I am late to bed, I can be quick to...rise, if the occasion calls for it." He tiled his head, and there was a pause as he searched the Frenchman's face for a reaction.

After a beat, he brought his hand out from behind his back, which was now clutching the neck of a wine bottle. "I believe you assented to sharing a glass tonight, nein?" He shook the bottle gently so they could both hear the liquid sloshing inside.

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

Illyana shook her head at Ivory's question, her face tight with concern. "No, I haven't had the chance yet. I will tomorrow morning, provided he's alone. I don't want 'Geralt the Great' to know we're on to him just yet, we have to be careful. I get the feeling that as soon as he senses us looking into him, he'll be even more secretive."

At Aurel's question, her mouth pulled up on one corner and she bit her lip as she tried to visualize what she had seen. "It's hard to say...it looked...I don't know, like it was too big for him, and too dark. It looked like it might have had...eyes?" She said, straining her memory. She was trying to slow that moment down in her head and get a better look at it, but it was difficult for her, especially given her slight exhaustion. "I could just tell," she said after a pause, "It wasn't his."

[xivyxx]

Lucien knew there was a.. double meaning to his words. Still, he did not react to it, and simply quirked a brow.

"Oh? Well that is good to know. As long as you get your.. required amount of rest, I suppose that's fine." He said simply. For a moment, he had almost forgotten about the offer he had made earlier that day. He couldn't really take it back now, so he gave him a smile. This was fine, there were a few things he wanted to cover with the man anyway, now that he would be living here, it would be for the best.

"I did indeed." He paused for a moment, before motioning over in the direction of his own trailer, since Geralt hadn't quite settled into his yet. "Sollen wir?" He asked, before guiding the man toward it. Upon entering, he walked toward his desk.

"Welcome to my home, please, have a seat." He signaled over to the chair on the opposing end as he spoke before taking a seat on the other side. Luckily, he always kept his room tidy, and had already put away all documents in regards to their finances back in their respective place.

----

Ivory couldn't help but let out a small scoff. "What, he can get more secretive than this?" Despite the slight sarcasm behind her words, she knew that Illy was right. Despite his flashy words, he seemed like a very guarded man. "He already knows I don't like him, so he will most likely approach the others first.. either Cora or Akane I'd assume.. Though, considering you have German in common, I assume he'll also want to speak with you." She said to Aurel, remaining quiet as Illyana explained what she had seen. She couldn't say it wasn't at least a little concerning to hear. There was definitely something up with that man.

Aurel couldn't deny he was a little put off by her response, but he didn't show it. He'd just have to pay more attention and see if he could notice anything different from it, without being obvious about it. Perhaps he could have his snakes keep an eye on it instead. It would be.. less obvious. Once he made sure there would be no problems between them, at the very least. He glanced at Ivory at her comment. Honestly, despite his general wariness of strangers, he was fine if the magician approached him if it meant he could keep him away from Cora and Akane.

"We'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.. but in the meantime, you should get some rest, Illy.. you look tired." Aurel told her, knowing how tiring it could get to repeatedly have visions for their patrons. He was sure Lucien would have told her the same had he gotten a chance to.

[FreckersFrog]

"Oh, trust me, it takes a lot to tire me out." He said, with a wink, and then nodded as Lucien lead the way into his own trailer. "Ah...schön." He said as the two entered.

He paused a moment to close the door behind them and then took a moment to scan the room. His eyes didn't linger long on any of the standard furniture, this was of no interest to him. It seemed the room tripled as a meeting space, office, and bedroom. Unfortunately, the curtain that divided the bed from the rest of the room was drawn...that had been one thing the magician had been interested in seeing. He quickly noted the empty wine rack on one side of the meeting area, a small shelf of books near the desk, a violin on a stand in the corner next to a record player, and a small bulletin board hanging on the wall that was decorated with several photos and pieces of paper. It was difficult for Geralt to make out at this distance, especially because Lucien was in the way. Overall, it was very clean and tidy, not a speck of dust and everything seemed to be in its place. This, also, was not surprising in the slightest.

Geralt moved to a chair and took Lucien's invitation, pulling it up around the side of the table so it wouldn't divide the two men as they sat to drink. He gracefully folded his legs, and in the same motion raised his arm to reveal the wine bottle and two glasses, everything clutched in his dexterous fingers. He set everything down, sliding a glass toward Lucien, then produced from that same hand a corkscrew with a small wave of his fingers. All of this manifested as if from nowhere, but to Geralt it was the same as breathing.

He pierced the cork and began to twist to remove it, and while he did so he looked up at Lucien. "I hope that, along with decoration rights, there is no standard of cleanliness we must uphold in our living spaces? This place is immaculate, and for once I admit I do not think I'm up to the task." He said lightly as that smile he always wore widened just a bit.

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

Illyana blinked hard several times as her eyes began to water. She was thinking too hard. She only heard part of Ivory and Aurel's next statements. Maybe those all-nighters and the readings earlier had tired her out more than she thought...

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, then nodded toward Aurel. No matter how much she wanted to stay up discussing and figuring everything out, it would do her no good to be exhausted tomorrow. "You're right..." she said, almost sadly. "We do have another show tomorrow..." She looked to Ivory, "The trick for now is just to be careful...as soon as I find anything out, I'll let you know." At this, she turned from them and made her way out of the tent and towards her own trailer. She had hoped to get a chance to do a little more research before sleeping, but she was too tired. She'd have to wait until the next day.

[xivyxx]

"I'm glad you think so." Lucien said, watching as Geralt gracefully slid a glass in his direction. His eyes were slightly curious as to how far his skills extended. Surely he couldn't just.. make whatever he wanted appear? Or maybe he could, there was no way for him to be sure. Every movement the man made was effortless, with no unncesessary motion. It was impressive, really.

"And here I thought I was the host." He said a little amusingly, before letting out a small chuckle at his question.

"No, not at all. Do with your trailer what you will. I sometimes hold meetings in here, so I like to keep things tidy." Lucien wasn't one to judge, and honestly he didn't feel the need to make anyone clean their trailers as long as it didn't become some sort of safety hazard. Cora for one, did not abide by his standards of cleanliness, and sometimes neither did Aurel, though that was more the snakes' fault than his own.

--

Both Ivory and Aurel nodded as Illyana spoke. "Okay.. have a goodnight." Aurel waved at Illyana as she left the tent, and soon the remaining two members headed off toward their trailers as well.

"Aurel, your trailer was placed next to his right? I assume your snakes.. will probably be able to keep an eye on him?" Ivory asked curiously as they walked.

Aurel nodded. "Yes.. I'm most likely not going to take any with me in the morning, but they can hang around the outside of my trailer and keep an eye on him, that was something I planned to ask of them anyway." It would be a good way to do it without being too.. obvious.

"That's good, it will certainly be useful." She responded before letting out a sigh. "How unfortunate, I won't be able to sleep in anymore." Now that she had to help keep an eye out, she certainly couldn't be a complete hermit spend a lot of the day in her trailer, training or otherwise.

"Well, even if we won't be playing in your trailer, I'd certainly be willing for another round of cards. I need a better pokerface now more than ever don't I?" Aurel asked a little amusingly, causing Ivory to chuckle.

"That you do, we will most certainly work on it." At this, she began to split off from Aurel, giving the man a small wave as she headed for her trailer. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Aurel responded. As he headed to his own, he gave Geralt's trailer a glance. There were no lights in the room, it seemed. Was Lucien with him? At this, he let out a sigh. He knew Lucien of all people could take care of himself, but he couldn't help but worry. The ringleader was sometimes just too polite for his own good. He shook his head before stepping into his trailer. He set Liquorice and Jade down before taking a seat on his bed, and turning toward his other snakes.

"I have to talk to all of you." As he spoke, it didn't take too long for the snakes to gather nearby. "You all remember there was talk about a new member? Well.." Before he could finish, Liquorice spoke up.

"We hate him. He'ss dangerous." He hissed irritatingly.

"I wanted to sswipe at him before he sswiped at us." Jade piqued in.

Aurel let out another sigh. "Yes well.. I assume you all might have similar reactions to him but.. You can't be hissing and baring your fangs each time he comes close. We're all being.. very watchful of him, but he's really perceptive. You all doing that will just bring more suspicion from him. I need you all to help me.. keep an eye on him. Cora and Lucien have caught his attention and I'm worried about her.. so can you please look out for them? We can't watch him all the time, but his trailer is next to ours so.. could you do this for me?" He hoped it wasn't a lot to ask of them but.. it would certainly be helpful to have more eyes around.