FreckersFrog

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

"Of course, mein flamme, it is always a pleasure when we cross paths." As they reached the front gate, Geralt slowed his pace to let Akane finish speaking, then stopped to say his goodbyes and take his leave of the grounds for the evening. "Thank you for the gift, it is one of the most thoughtful I have received in some time. I will see you on the morrow." He took a small bow, flashing a wide smile, before he turned and exited through the large inviting sign.

In fact, Geralt did have plans this evening, all revolving around a certain winged Ringleader.

After he'd rejected him, The Magician had decided to take matters into his own hands. There was no need for him to wonder what Lucien did on the nights that he was away from the Circus, it was just a matter of finding out. Of his many talents, one of Geralt's most potent and practiced was the ability to get anywhere and remain unseen. He had even learned to hold his breath for an extended period of time so that the noise would not alert whomever he had decided to watch. Lucien was definitely one of the most observant that he had decided to tale, but he had faith in his abilities. As long as he was careful, the Nephilim would never know the difference.

After Geralt had walked a significant distance away from the grounds, he immediately turned himself invisible and displaced to a previously chosen location that had the most perfect view of Lucien's front door. His conversation with Akane had caused him to miss the man returning home, but he had not missed him leaving for the night, luckily. He watched the Ringleader's shadow move behind the curtains for several moments until the trailer went dark and Lucien exited. He was carrying a large bag, but nothing else. He left in a hurry, but Geralt noticed him glancing around to make sure no one was watching.

Satisfied, The Magician left his spot and tailed Lucien at a distance, keeping himself at flying height so as not to leave tracks or other disturbances. Lucien got into a vehicle, one of the trucks that they used for hauling some of the smaller supplies, and drove himself into town. From there, he proceeded into the center of town and parked behind a small house. Geralt watched from the street as Lucien entered it, met by an elderly couple at the door. This intrigued him, seeing these people up so late at night and so willing to open their doors to a stranger. Although it was possible that Lucien knew them, though he had not mentioned to anyone in the troupe that he had family or friends in town. However, if these folk were going to let any stranger inside of their home, it would be Lucien with his charm and his calming presence.

For a while after this, Geralt simply waited. About half an hour passed before the door opened again. Geralt was surprised to see a woman exit with the elderly couple, no Lucien in sight. The Magician furrowed his brow as the man closed the door and locked it behind him before the trio made their way to a small car parked out front. The woman stood by the back seat, waiting...and that was when it dawned on him. It was Lucien, disguised. Geralt floated a little closer, keeping his eyes on the woman, and though "she" was hooded, wearing a shawl, he caught sight of her eyes when she turned to look over her shoulder...right at him. It was Lucien, alright, there was no mistaking that shade of gold.

Further intrigued, Geralt followed the car at a safe distance in the air, watching as it made some twists and turns through the dark city streets. Eventually, they came to park at the back of a church. But why would Lucien need to be disguised to go there?

The parasite inside Geralt became very agitated here, so he was unable to stay long after Lucien exited the car with the couple and made their way in through a side entrance. Geralt did catch a glimpse of someone entering after them through the front doors, a sickly and pale looking young man who wheezed when he breathed.

So, it was not a midnight meeting with a shady character or a secret rendezvous with a beau...Lucien was healing. He was doing "God's" work when he sneaked away, passing it off to the rest of the troupe as a night at the movies or a late walk. Interesting...if he was doing a service, why the lie?

He displaced himself back to his trailer so he would not be seen, comfortable with the amount of information he had gathered this night. He wondered vaguely if he and Lucien were the only ones who knew about this...and hoped it was the case. It would not be so bad to share a secret with the object of his affections, even if it wasn't as dirty as he had been hoping...

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan could see the unease in his lover's eyes at the mention of entering the house without permission. Lucien was cautious and careful, and if the matter wasn't life and death, he wasn't exactly willing to break the law. The Irishman did not want to make him uncomfortable by pushing the matter, but he remained firm in his stance. Getting inside was the best way to get information, hands down. Lucien could go door to door, but from the sound of what the first woman had said, he doubted any others would offer more details.

He was glad when Lucien agreed despite his misgivings. Faolan would never suggest anything that would put them in danger, and the Nephilim knew that. At Lucien's words, he simply nodded and waited outside while he went to retrieve the girl. He scanned the front of the home from afar, but couldn't make much out. He didn't smell anyone snooping around, but Lucien would have to be his eyes, he could barely see across the street.

Now that Illyana felt more present in the moment, as Ginger had snapped her out of her near-trance, she caught the muffled voices of Faolan and Lucien outside. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, but knew they had to be discussing her. Maybe they wouldn't want her anymore either...maybe they would leave her here to figure her next move out on her own. It wouldn't surprise her, given that her own parents had left her high and dry...actually worse than that. They seemed like good people, the two men who had picked her up, along with Aurel, but she knew she was a burden and she didn't want to impose on them either.

She heard the door open and immediately jumped to her feet, almost out of sheer nervousness, her body moved on its own. She fixed her eyes, which were no longer leaking tears but were red and swollen, on Lucien as he entered. Her heart pounded in her chest as he spoke, and she raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes. "Yes!" she almost yelled, barely waiting for the last word to leave the man's mouth before she answered.

Maybe there was something inside that could lead them to Isabella. Maybe her sister had left a clue somewhere? They had recently been playing mystery games, where Isy would leave clues for Illy to follow. It was like Hide and Seek with some extra flair. Illyana always found her twin and had tried hard not to rely on her abilities to do so, though it was hard for her to turn them off. There was some hope, at least, that she would be pointed in the right direction.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt smiled and leaned away at Akane's response. Seeing her satisfied with this answer and not upset by it was a better result than he had been expecting. Before he had...come upon his abilities, he had always thought that it was a cheesy trade gimmick to deny information about how tricks were performed. After he gained fame and notoriety, however, he realized just how important secrecy in his profession was. Magician's without his particular skill set would even sell their tricks or send spies to shows to gather information and then sell that to the highest bidder. It was a technique that even he had used in the past to disarm his paltry competition. It hadn't been difficult for him, and luckily no one could or would ever find the source of his magic. If they tried hard enough and looked in the right places, they were sure to find a finger pointing them through to the truth, but in a stroke of fortune for him, his competition had frankly been idiots. The world of magic was more cut-throat than he had ever imagined, but he had found himself very suited to all of it, even the less-than-desirable bits.

He raised his eyebrows at her request, listening to all of it intently. He placed his chin between his thumb and forefinger, thinking momentarily about her request and the logistics of it. It was interesting to know that the girl was this comfortable with him and still willing to learn despite her skill level. He respected that, as others with egos as large as his were not desirable to him in the least. She had even worded her plea in a way that would not infringe on his "gimmick", and she was right that he wouldn't have to reveal anything to her if he showed her some things.

Unfortunately, the fire tricks were not entirely his own as they were owned by the parasite who shared his body. Part of his "hide in plain sight" plan had been not to differentiate between which powers were his own and which were...otherwise. All he would have to do was be sure that the source of this power was never mentioned to pull this off. It would be easy, he had done this many times in the past.

He smiled down at her after he consulted himself on her request, then nodded. "I don't see why not. I would be happy to show you some things, at another time of course." He paused a moment and turned toward the opening of the Big Top, signalling that it was time for him to leave, and Akane followed suit. As they walked together, he added, "A good rule of thumb, to start with, is to treat the fire like an extension of your hand, or foot." He flashed a toothy grin at the joke. "Don't look at where the fire comes from, look at where its going to be."

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan knew that he was being harsh with Lucien and that this was the wrong time, but this had suddenly become personal for him and he wasn't easily able to hide his anger. Of all people, Lucien would understand and forgive, though that did not give him a right to lash out at the Frenchman. He would have to apologize when they were all feeling a little better.

With a nod, he accepted Lucien's plan and made his way back to the bus. He did not go inside, knowing that Illyana was crying and that Aurel was doing his best to put on a brave face for her. He didn't want to leave the young man alone, but he didn't want to let Lucien out of his sight either, just in case. Aurel would be okay, if a little uncomfortable. He leaned against the bus and took up his prior position, arms crossed, as he scanned the neighborhood for signs of life.

He waited patiently for Lucien to return, listening in on his conversation with the neighbor from afar. Though he couldn't hear everything perfectly, it was enough to confirm his suspicions.

Faolan shrugged at Lucien's suggestions, then let out another sigh. This was hard for him, deciding what to do. With Aurel it had been easier. The boy had wanted to be with them and needed hardly any convincing. Even if he had wanted to leave, he had no home to return to. The girl had a home, a family somewhere out there in the world...she had options, and they would have to do what was best for her while still honoring her wishes.

"For now, yes, we need to know exactly what happened. Anything she can tell us could help us get a look at the whole picture." He paused as he looked back at the house, "But I still think looking inside is worth a shot. What if they left some mail behind, a bill, a title? It could have their new address on it. If they left in a hurry, its more likely that they forgot something they thought was insignificant." Although he was confident that his argument was sound, he wanted Lucien's blessing before taking any action. He had never undermined his beloved and he wasn't about to start now.

Illyana felt like time was simply dragging on and on. There was nothing before her but confusion and nothing behind her but pain now...what was she supposed to do? Where was she supposed to go? Would she ever seen Isabella again? Was she scared and lonely, just like her twin?

The touch of the serpent broke her from her thoughts, which was good because they weren't making her feel any better. Though she did not react to the contact outwardly, she did not pull away either. It was somewhat comforting knowing that the animal could feel that she was in pain. Even without words, they were more intuitive than any person the girl had ever met.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt chuckled as she took the card, matching her smile with his own. "Oh, don't you worry, Mein Flamme, you couldn't loose it if you tried." It was honestly about time that The Magician bestow one of his cards on the girl. Now all he had left were Illyana and Aurel...

At Akane's next question, he smiled a little more mischievously and shook a finger at her, "Now, now, you know that a Magician never reveals his secrets..." he let his voice trail off mysteriously, then glanced around as if there might be someone listening. Satisfied that they were entirely alone, he lowered his voice slightly and added, "I can tell you that the way we choose our gifts is similar. It wouldn't be as fun if they weren't personal, nein?" He said, then winked to show that this statement was playful.

He did choose each and every card carefully. Lucien had been the easiest to place, and Ivory, despite how quickly she had received her card, had been most difficult for him. The others were just a matter of laziness, really.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan made his way over to Lucien with his hands in his pockets. He could see the hurt in his beloved's eyes, and he wanted to comfort him, but knew that now was not the time or place. It was Illyana that needed comforting now, anyway.

The Irishman allowed a bit of his anger to show through in his expression now that he and Lucien were out of view of the children. In answer he glanced at the house and took a deep breath, but came back with the same result as before. "No more than a week, no less than three days." he said matter-of-factly.

His eyes hardened a bit when he glanced at Lucien again, not in anger at the man but in frustration at their predicament. "I think it's pretty clear what happened here, Lucien. The same thing that happened to Aurel in Germany...they left her." After this, he pressed his teeth together, the muscles in his jaw working as he looked at the house once more.

There were still questions that needed to be answered from Illyana herself, now more than ever. It was clear that there was never a camping trip like the one she had described, although he could tell that she had been lying when she told them this. So, how had she ended up so far from home in the first place? This was a delicate situation, but one that they needed to get to the bottom of as soon as possible.

"Whatever you need to do. Let me know if you want me to get inside. I doubt there is anything in there, but maybe they left something that can point us in the right direction." While stealth in urban settings was not necessarily a strength of Faolan's, he was a hunter and a tracker and this was a good time to put those skills to use.

While this conversation was happening outside, Illyana had entered the bus and was now sitting on the bench where she and Aurel had their travelling conversations. She leaned forward, gripping the frame with her hands so tightly that her knuckles were stark white. She stared at the floor, the shoes that Faolan had brought her swinging gently with her breaths. She watched her tears as they detached from her cheeks and splashed onto the floor, a steady stream of droplets. She did not cry like children usually did.

At Aurel's words, she simply nodded, but did not otherwise react. She was overwhelmed by all of the emotions, the questions swirling around in her head. She barely had enough energy to handle that, let alone carry on a conversation. Though, she had to say that his presence was at least a little comforting. Though she was lost, she knew that she wasn't entirely alone.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

"Aaah...Origami, what a lovely word," he said, turning the little thing around on his palm so he could look at it from all sides. He listened to her speech as he inspected it, and was not surprised that there were no signs of mis-folding, unused creases, or repeats. She had done this all on the first try. He dissected it in his mind, imagining the way it was folded and was even more impressed the more he looked at it. Despite Akane's somewhat airheaded attitude, she really did have talent for more than just dancing.

He listened intently to everything the girl described, satisfied with her explanation. It was clear that she had put a lot of thought into this gift, and probably had for everyone else's as well. Though it had taken her only one try, it was clear that she had made each and every fold with care. She was meticulous and thoughtful in her mission to turn something so ordinary into something beautiful...This served to warm The Magician's usually cold heart.

"Well, Miss Akane, I continue to be impressed by you at each and every turn. Thank you for the explanation, and for the gift. It is perfect, and I am very grateful that you would share your talent with me." Maybe he was becoming a part of the family after all...

I should have known all it would take for you to turn your cowardly hide was a little piece of paper...the tower destroyed by a feather...

Somehow, The Magician manged to keep his smile through this berating, though his patience was growing thinner by the second.

After a moment's pause, Geralt leaned back, opening his eyes wide. "Well, I can't let you walk away without giving you something in return, can I?" he said, and with a flourish he waved his hand and produced a card between his fingers. He stretched out his arm toward Akane, the matte black back of the card facing towards her.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Illyana heard everything that Lucien was saying, but it was as if her head was still underwater. She wanted to scream, to cry, to fling herself on the floor like a normal child of her age and have a tantrum...but she knew that she couldn't do that. She was too logical, too intelligent, had seen and felt too much to let this defeat her. She looked up at her house, glanced out around the lawn aimlessly, like she was in a fugue state and couldn't remember her name.

She heard Lucien's words, every bit of them, and that was when she saw the sign on her front yard. She couldn't see the front of it, but she knew what kind of omen it was.

Slowly, the girl nodded her consent to Lucien's suggestion. He was right, if her neighbors called the police and she was taken away from Lucien and Faolan, they might find out about her deformity. They might put the men in jail and take Aurel to an orphanage and after everything they had done to help her she did not want that to happen. This was best...

She looked up at Lucien as her eyes filled with tears, seemingly unaware that it was happening. "Okay," She said quietly, her tone even but subdued. She turned from the man and slowly began trudging back to the bus, her eyes on the ground the whole way.

Faolan shrugged at Aurel's question, listening at the same time to the speech that Lucien was giving the girl. "Dunno..." he said under his breath, then added, "But it looks that way." Though his tone was flat, there was anger and sadness swirling inside of him. He had to remain calm for everyone's sake.

At Aurel's last question, he looked up at the boy and shook his head, "I'm not sure. Don't worry too much though, Lucien and I will handle this. You try and just be there for her...if she'll let you." he said, turning away when he noticed the girl was heading back toward him. She kept her eyes on her feet as she walked slowly back down the drive and stepped up onto the bus. She didn't even glance at Faolan or Aurel as he poked his head out of the window. Before she entered fully though, she paused and looked back at the house as a tear from each eye rolled down her cheeks and splashed onto the stairs. It was like it was the last time she would see it. Having been there before himself, Faolan felt her hurt deeply. He watched her as she turned her back and went inside, then sighed again and made his way toward Lucien.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt stopped in time with Akane and turned to face her. This was interesting...he could see her hands were also behind her back, but not in the manner of resting. She was hiding something...a gift? It had been a long time since anyone had offered him anything in the way of a gift...he felt a little vindicated by this already, before the thing was even revealed.

He was so interested to see what it was that he barely heard anything that Akane was saying, but he smiled and leaned in just the same. As she revealed the tiny present nestled in her palms, he raised his eyebrows. It was not what he was expecting...but it was quite charming either way.

After her explanation, his smile widened as his eyes moved from the cat to her face. He held up a hand, but paused before plucking it from her palms, "May I?" he asked, and only took it after she'd given her consent. He held the tiny thing up to his face to get a good look at it. He had heard of this art before, Japanese paper folding, but had never actually seen any in person. At first glance it looked very simple, a small piece of paper folded into the shape of an animal, but this was actually quite intricate. The folds were tight and precise, and the paper itself had weight to it, and the color was very dark. It was good quality work made of good quality materials.

Baubles and trinkets...pathetic, waste of time.

Geralt held back a cringe as the voice mocked in only his mind, but managed to keep his composure as he redirected his attention to Akane. "This is absolutely...stunning. I can't believe how perfect the folds are. And it looks just like a little cat!" he said, wonder sparkling in his eyes as he smiled down at the tiny creature in his palm. He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at it, "This art...it has a name, if I recall? And, if you don't mind me prying, why a cat for me? I assume everyone's animals are different." He could hardly imagine Illyana or Aurel receiving a black cat trinket from Akane, but he had been wrong before.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan shook his head at Lucien's response and watched as he made his way toward the girl. It was better that he do this, he had always been the best at breaking bad news to people. Faolan was too blunt, and that could be seen as hurtful, and the last thing he wanted to do was kick this girl when she was already so down.

Illyana had stepped back, glancing as she made her way down the steps and onto the walkway again. She looked up at the house, longing and confusion and sadness in her eyes and plastered all over her little pale face. Where was she? Where was Isabella...and where were her parents? If they weren't home then...

She searched the front of the house with her eyes, peering into the windows that had curtains open, but saw no movement inside. They were gone...all three of them, vanished. Is this what they had intended when they'd left her with those men? They knew she would find her way back to them...they knew because they were afraid of her power. Had they found about Isy? Was she safe? She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, trying to sense the energy of her twin, but nothing came back. Although Illyana's abilities were more geared for receiving rather than transmitting, she would know any time her sister was near. No...she was just...gone.

Lucien's voice startled her a little and she remembered suddenly that she had not come here alone. She looked up at him as her eyes filled with mist, devastation writ plainly on her face. "This is..." she began in answer but paused to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, "This is...the right place. I live here..." she looked up and down the street, her head moving slowly as if she were underwater. She felt so lost now, more than she had when she was on the road, more than when she'd woken up on the bus...more than ever, and she was standing in her own front yard.

Faolan watched Lucien approach and lower himself to speak with Illyana, keeping his ears open to movement around them. If the neighbors came out and saw this spectacle, they would have a hard time explaining why two adult men were accompanying the young daughter of the people who lived here. He couldn't exactly rush Illyana or Lucien though, so a watch for now would have to serve.

He tilted his head slightly towards Aurel as he heard his voice coming from the window nearby. He probably felt safer inside, and the Irishman didn't blame him. He shrugged then shook his head slowly in response. "Parents are gone, sister too I think. I don't smell anyone inside, just residual scents...it's been a few days since anyone was here." He said simply, a detective giving his report. Though it hurt him to see this, he knew there was nothing that his sadness could do to improve Illyana's mood. He had always been a strong pillar for Lucien and now Aurel...maybe he had a chance to be that for this little lost girl as well.