Small, trembling hands reached out to the woman in front of her, tugging on the sleeve in a nervous manner. Blue eyes looked down at her in curiosity, the gentle woman's head angling to the side. "What's wrong, Etna-chan?" the beautiful woman had asked, placing a hand on the girl's head. Green orbs looked up at the ocean eyes, blinking slightly with flushed cheeks. "Mommy, do I really have to be here?" the girl known as Etna asked, her lower lip trembling.
A deep laugh came behind her and the girl with short, brown hair turned. Her eyes looked up to look right up at her older brother, Snao. "I'd think you'd like being here. Considering you lived with a bunch of circus people for a month." the black-haired male chuckled, placing both hands on his hips and leaning forward, his lips grinning. Etna's lips were slackened for a moment before becoming a glower; her brow knitting together angrily. "I wouldn't have ran away in the first place if Onii-sama just told us he was leaving for a fishing trip." she had spat, crossing her arms.
"Now, now you two," a kind and gentle voice called out. A tall man with hair as dark as Snao's and eyes as green as her's approached them. Large hands replaced her mother's when Ryuu Tanaka looked down at the small girl with a tender smile. His lips parted to speak, but a high-pitched scream emitted from the girl had interrupted him."Daddy!" Etna had cried, turning to hide behind her mother. With small hands, she pointed behind the legendary swordsman at the smiling clown that bounced their way. Both Ryuu and Snao turned to see what she was pointing at and blinked in awe. Suddenly, Snao bursted out in a fit of laughter. "You're afraid of clowns? Baka!" he laughed.
"Snao!" Ketsuki scolded, wagging a finger at the thirteen year old boy. Snao rolled his eyes, clasping his hands behind his head, whistling innocently. Etna peeked behind her mother, tears clinging to her long lashes before sticking her tongue out. Snao saw this and glowered. "Why you!" the older male grabbed at her, but was held back by the father. "Behave you two!" he had two siblings glowered at each other for a brief moment before grinning at each other. "Mommy, I need to go to the bathroom." Etna announced, once more pulling on her sleeve. Ketsuki looked down at her daughter, pushing back her tresses of brown hair. "Alright. Don't take long and don't get lost." the woman warned.
Etna nodded her head and ran off, pushing through the crowds -- Purposely avoiding the direction the clown was in. Because of such, she was thrown off course and somehow found herself outside.
Despite being warned, she was a hand to her chest, she walked around the tent to the back. From her days of working at the Circus, she knew that was exactly where she might find help. And she was right. There, hunching over a transportable sink was a young brown-haired boy, not so younger than she.
"E-Excuse me.." she called out with shaky words as she approached the boy. Her cheeks were flushed a deep red; which oftenly happened to her when shy. When the boy turned to her, a sudden image appeared in her head.
Sick smiling lips painted red giggled at her. It's face was a painted white with a big red nose. The image of the clown that attacked her on her last day at the circus appeared in her mind; causing her to cry out silently and fall back in tears."P-PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" she cried with fear; clamping a hand over her ears.
"Oii, is there something wrong with your head?" the boy muttered in a vexed tone. When Etna peeked her eyes open and looked up, she saw the boy look down at her with gray-eyes. His face was dripping with water, the right side of his face still white from the make-up he wore.
"Here, you're crying." the boy grumbled, handing her a handkerchief. Shakily, Etna reached out and took it, gulping audibly. Before her small fingers could touch the tattered cloth, she drew her hand back once more. "You're not going to eat me, are you?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes closed half way and her cheeks puffed out.
The boy leaned back in surprise, a glower on his face. He leaned forward once more, a defiant look in his pools of gray. "What do I look like to you, a monster?" he demanded, shaking his head. With a sigh, he face-palmed d himself, still holding out the handkerchief still.
"Well, you looked like a clown, so yes.." Etna mumbled defensively, taking the cloth and wiping her face with it. The boy blinked his eyes once more, lowering both of his hands at his side. "What are you, afraid of clowns?" he muttered with a teasing leaned back herself, clutching the cloth to her chest as she blushed a deep red. "S-So what if I am?" she spat back in response as she got up, dusting herself off. The brown-haired boy just grinned, turning half way with his hands clasped behind his head. "I'm Allen Walker, and you?" he asked eyes blinked in surprise.
The look of anger quickly turned to a look of happiness as the eight-year-old girl clasped her hands behind her back. Her head angled to the side, her short locks falling to the left. "I'm Etna Tanaka. It's so nice to meet you." she giggled. Allen grinned at her, holding out his right hand. "Nice to meet you, Etna." Etna looked down at the hand than up at his face. With a smile, she took it and shook slightly before returning her hand behind her back.
"Etna-chan! Etna-chan!" a chorus of voices came from behind. Slowly, the girl turned while the boy looked over her shoulders. Snao and her mother came rounding the corner, looking around. When they saw her, they rushed to her. "What did I say about getting lost?!" Ketsuki demanded, taking a firm grip on Etna's shoulders and shaking her frantically. Etna's eyes were wide, filling with tears. Her lips moved, forming words but with no sound.
"Now, now Miss. No need to be so strict. It just seemed like she was just making friends with Allen here." a man dressed as a clown exited the tent from a flap, standing behind the boy. Allen looked back with a bright expression and wide smile. "Mana!" he called out happily, giving a closed-eyed whimpered, hiding behind her brother now. Snao leaned back in surprise before bringing careful and protective hands around her. "Etna-chan, shush now." he murmured softly to his sister.
"Mana, Etna says she's afraid of clowns." Allen told his father, looking from the girl to him. "Ah, I see." the clown known as Mana said, walking around the boy. He approached Etna who was cowering closer to her brother. Snao frowned, readying his hand at his sword."So you're name's Etna, huh?" Mana said in a cheery voice. He crouched down to her level, his head angling to the side with his clown like smile mixed with his actual smile. "What a pretty name." he told her. "It's okay to be afraid of clowns. But not all clowns are scary. Do you trust me?" he went on, holding out a hand to girl known as Etna Tanaka.
Etna stared at the man, tears clinging to the corners of her eyes. Slowly and hesitantly she placed a shaky hand in his. His clothed fingers curled around hers before gently standing. He than turned, guiding her to Allen's side. "Allen. Why don't you show Miss Etna here around backstage?" he suggested, pushing the girl looked up at Mana and nodded, smiling brightly. "Come on, Etna. Let's go!" he said excitedly, holding out a hand to her. Mana chuckled, transporting her hand to threw a glance over at her mother, who seemed to be thinking it over.
Suddenly, a strong grip came on his shoulder and she looked back. Ryuu was listening the whole time and smiled encouragingly at Etna. Etna beamed as she followed Allen who guided her Allen showed her around, she compared this circus to the one she worked at. They were pretty much the same and she loved it.
Two hours later, the two kids emerged to the back entrance once more to find Mana and Etna's parents talking animatedly. Mana was dressed normal in a tux and top hat, so it took Etna a while to realize who he was.
"Etna, do you want Mana-san and Allen-kun to come over tonight for dinner?" Ketsuki asked warmly when it came time to leave. Etna looked at Allen than Mana before at her mother before nodding happily.
-----------------
"Etna-chan, are you alright?" a soft and gentle voice called out to her. Instantly, the brown-haired General snapped back to reality, turning gold-green eyes to her white-haired friend. A smile appeared on her face, her cheeks flushed. "Of course, Allen-kun. Of course." she giggled in reply.