Waves crashed on the murky docks, orange lanterns illuminated the streets as the sun arose from the clouds. Kirishima laid there on his bed, the white creased sheets slung over his body. His head buried in his left pillow, saliva patches covering the other pillow. The wind howled and barrelled through the cracked and broken window, sending the thin curtains flapping frantically. His floor covered with bottles of rum and ale, whistled as wind skipped on the neck of the bottle.
A foghorn had blasted through the harbour, knocking over bottles; Kirishima leapt up out of his bed. His mind ringing and his senses rattling around like a broken toy. Falling out of his bed he slowly shuffled his way to his bathroom and clicked on the light.
Using the sink he hoisted himself onto his legs he took a thorough look at his groggy appearance. His white shirt he was wearing was drenched in grease, oil and vomit. His eyes were black rimmed and a five o'clock was ever present. "What the hell happened last night?" he whispered as the overhead light flickered on and off. "Well at least I have today off" he smiled with a hint of regret from the previous night.
With a change of clothing, he sat down on the chair; it creaking with his weight. He sat there as his clock chimed to the eighth hour of the morning, his teeth biting into the stale bread that was his breakfast with a hard crunch. He unravelled the newspaper and started to read the headlines. They ranged from a masked vigilant hanging people in the streets from the streetlamps, the latest football scores or even advertisements for a travelling circus.
His morning routine was interrupted by a knock on his apartment door. "Come in, the lock is already broken anyway" Kirishima yelled. The door slowly creaked open and a sluggish, rough looking man came walking inside. He had a black waistcoat and a white shirt on, with dark navy trousers and mucky Oxfords.
"So, you got home all right then?" TetsuTetsu exclaimed
"Of course, I did, I've been through worse" he chomped down on the last bit of his morning meal. "So, what brings you to my humble abode" he gestured his hands stretching out around his apartment.
"Well it's your free day you up to anything?" he asked pulling the other chair out and slipping into it.
"You assumed I would be?" he chuckled, folding his paper up and slapping it on the table.
"Well I was thinking of going to the Circus later on?" he asked taking out a pocket knife and orange from his trouser pocket and started to peel it.
Kirishima sat there for a moment and rubbed his beard "It does seem to pique my interest, but I think I'll need another thing…."
"They'll have beer there!" TetsuTetsu squelched eating his orange slices.
"Okay I'm sold, when is the event taking place?" Kirishima grinned
"The Circus will be in town at seven at night and then the main event will be starting at ten." TetsuTetsu lifted himself out of his chair. "So, you'll have some time to kill my friend," he said throwing Kirishima another orange out of his pocket. "I'll meet you outside of the Circus's entrance, don't be late" he yelled walking toward Kirishima's apartment door.
"See you there buddy!" he cheered back.
Time passed throughout the day, and the night was finally upon Kirishima; nine o'clock. He walked down the cobbled street in brown oxfords, almost as similar as TetsuTetsu. With that, he wore maroon tartan trousers with a white shirt accompanied with a red tie.
The centre of the street was buzzing with stores selling unique and exotic foods. Whale burger, frog legs, toffee apples, all the vendors were yelling for their time in the spotlight.
The echo's of flutes, trumpets and drums came from the glowing orange brilliance of the Circus.
Kirishima got closer to the entrance of the venue and stood there in awe. Acrobats spun sparkling rings interchanging between their arms to their legs, to their heads to their hips. Muscular me stood on a podium flexing their muscles with pride, as flamboyant dances handed out alcohol and food to all the patrons in the venue.
"Well, well I thought I was going to be the one that was late!" TetsuTetsu yelled
"Thought I would surprise you" he laughed back, hugging his best friend.
"Now we have an hour to spare what do you want to do?" TetsuTetsu said pulling in his friend closer, moving closer into the mouth of the circus.
"How about a drink? Some food?" Kirishima asked pushing him away "Do you think we have time for both?" he smiled
"Maybe…" TetsuTetsu grinned. Half an hour had passed, and they were separated. Kirishima was lost in a crowd of colours and entertainers. His head was a little dazed from the drinks he had beforehand.
"You look lost mister, you need some help?" a female voice whispered in his ear. A scent of strawberries wafted passed him as the women spun around him, in an elegant and seductive dance. The woman had a veil covering her hair and her mouth. She was wearing dancers dress, ribbons were attached to her wrists and her waist; they seemed to move in unison with her dancing.
"Yeah I was looking for where the event is?" his eyes fixated on this woman.
"If you just keep walking straight, you'll find the tent honey…" she stopped talking and dancing all together. "Oh, you like what you see mister?" she grabbed his tie and pulled him in closer to her "Say you don't look too shabby yourself" Kirishima blushed almost redder than his hair. "Well you know where I will be…" she whispered
"Wait what's your name?" he stuttered as she gently pushed him away.
"My name is the "Pink Succubus, I'll see you at the show" she giggled blowing a pink cloud of smoke onto Kirishima's face. He wafted away the smoke from his face, and she was gone.
"What a weird woman" he whispered under his breath walking toward the tent.
He clambered his way to the tent, people were funnelled in through the two spinning gates as workers handed out tickets. "Hey, Kirishima!" TetsuTetsu yelled, one hand in the air and the other a stein of beer; it's head overflowing, spilling onto the ground.
"Ah, thank god…" he exhaled meeting up with his friend in the line, his cut in was met with drunken heckling and disgruntled looks. "I thought I would get lost here," he said supporting his weight on his shoulder.
"Hey buddy you don't look too great, booze not going down too well?" TetsuTetsu
"No TetsuTetsu, a woman with gorgeous pink skin and she smelled like strawberries and she was dressed like this dancer." Kirishima stopped with TetsuTetsu putting his hand over his mouth.
"It's the booze" he groaned.
They finally entered the red and white striped tent; the tension was rising as well as the excitement. Four rows of red leather chairs wrapped around the stadium. The arena's ground was covered in sand and a red podium sat there illuminated in a spotlight, another span of light came from where the entertainers would enter the stage from. The two men sat down in their seats, trying to get comfy.
The light in the middle had dimmed and a voice boomed over the speakers attached to the support beams. "Ladies and Gentlemen, what you're 'bout to see will fill your mind with spectacle and wonder!" the man boomed; smoke filling the arena's centre. "Prepare to feast your eyes on air defying acrobatics, wondrous creatures and daring devils! I welcome you!" a flash of light filled the centre blinding the audience as the smoke shot up into the air forming into a dragon-like shape.
The dragon hung from the roof of the tent, it's talons gripping into the support beams, the wood cracking, splinters falling from it. An ear-piercing roar, its eyes and the open mouth glowed a malice red., shook the tent to its core. The dragon released its grip and crashed down into the floor a cascading wave of wind and dissipated away.
There stood a muscular man in a red jacket, under that was a cream waistcoat and white shirt. Black trousers and a black top hat also accompanied the outfit. He had jet black hair with a rugged face with a scraggly beard. He wore a devious smile which looked like an alligator' and a black eyepatch covered his right eye.
"To your night of Hell!" he cackled fire erupting from the entrance. Dancers ran out onto the performance grounds and started to get into position. A marching band followed soon after playing an intense tune, firing up the crowd. Kirishima was fired up, he had never felt like this for years; a burning passion was awoken.
The performance had finished a couple of minutes, it felt like a flash and bang of pure ecstasy. Trapeze artists followed next, then fire breathers and then it happened. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you have a wonderful time, I know I have" he chuckled, his grin still sharp as a knife.
"Here is a lil' demon I found a while back that was just a paper on the streets." Smoke started to slowly crawl its way towards the stage. "A sublime, delicious, supple young thang; that'll leave you begging for more" a black silhouette emerged from the smoke. Kirishima's eyes opened, and the woman waltzed out.
Her face was still covered by a black and red kabuki mask. Two horns extended from the mask and it had a devious grin; it is bearing its teeth. She wore a full black dress; red dancing shoes and red arm high gloves finished the dress. "I introduce to you, The Pink Succubus!" the ring leader yelled.
Her feet were dragging along the sand, her thighs moving side-to-side. Her body was like a well-oiled machine as she found her rhythm. She was a natural, like a bird taking flight she glided through the stage, kicking up sand with her toes; exaggerating her movements even more.
The smoke started to form into a stringy wisp like creature and started to weave in and around her body adding to the performance. She came closer and closer to Kirishima's side, still dumbfounded by her beauty.
Her tracks were halted by his flamboyant red hair. She paused for a moment, everything seemed to slow down. Her body now shrouded in smoke, she studied him; staring at her. She slightly removed her mask, her amber iris pierced him. Kirishima started to sweat, his gaze fixated on her visible eye.
His reaction making her chuckle, placing the mask back on her face the smoke enveloped her entirely. Smoke moved back into the middle and started to fill the room again. Kirishima frantically scanned the area for the woman, she couldn't be seen.
The music started to pick-up and rise in intensity. Suddenly out of the smoke two big, beady, orange eyes with black slits for pupils; stared back at the crowd. A thunderous roar blew the smoke away, stood in the middle of the stage was a wonderous creature. A head of a lion, the wings of a bat and the tail of a scorpion. The pink girl sat on top of the creature stroking its mane.
"Hiya!" she yelled cracking the reigns on the creature, its wing spanned and flapped majestically; sending clouds of sand scattering everywhere around the stage. Kirishima covered his eyes as he watched the beast fly up into the air. They reached the top of the tent at their top of a loop. The girl let go of the rains and blew a kiss with both of her hands. Suddenly with a snap of her fingers they dissipated into pink rose petals.
The crowd cheered and applauded, some even tried to grab the petals. Kirishima was still stunned, he looked at his trousers petals covered them as well as the floor. Brushing the petals off, he noticed a piece of purple card on his leg. He turned it over and read it. "Come and find me" signed off with a heart. Kirishima looked to his right and saw his friend snoozing in his chair.
"Man, even with all that noise he didn't wake up, he must really like sleeping" Kirishima joked to himself. And with that he got up his seat and went for the backstage area.
The night was coming to a close and the echo's of the crowds leaving the tent drew further away Kirishima had finally made it to the performer's tents. Crouching behind two creates scouting the entrance. The quarters were made up of many medium tents all around in a circle; with a slightly larger tent at the peak of the circle.
A big scaly man stood at the foot of the entrance, he wore a set of black shoes and a black cotton trousers. A white vest presented his masculine build with stoicism. He smoked a cigar, the embers flaking of it. As he looked around the entrance an iron gate circled the area, enclosing the public to the area with signs warning trespassers.
Kirishima stood up form the boxes and walked towards the muscular creature. His mind went blank for a second, as he stared in to his yellow reptilian eyes. "What do you want?" his voice sounded like gravel as he grumbled, folding his arms.
"Uh… yeah I want to see "The Pink Succubus" is she here?" Kirishima gulped stumbling on his words.
"She's isn't here" he grunted taking the cigar out of his mouth.
"Well it's quite important…" Kirishima was cut off by the man shushing him with his finger. He placed the cigar back in his mouth and inhaled. The cigar's flames engulfed it to it's end, he flicked away the ash from his fingers; unflinching from the heat. Smoke bellowed out of his mouth and blew into Kirishima's face.
"Look, I know you're a big fan and everything however the Lady likes her privacy so if you would leave that would be fantastic". His big toothed grin showed from ear to ear, as he laid a hand on Kirishima's shoulder. Kirishima felt like he was trying to be polite as possible, however he could sense a hidden aggression.
"I don't know if this would help?" Kirishima reached into his pocket and retrieved the note given to him by the woman. The bouncer grabbed the card and inspected it closely. Flipping the card from each side, squinting his eyes.
The man chuckled, "Well looks like it is important my boy" he released his grip from Kirishima and brushed Kirishima down. "Sorry my friend, I'll let you see her; she's in the pink and blue tent." He chuckled leaning on the entrance post. Kirishima went to walk through to the quarters he was stopped once more. "You try anything, and I'll hunt you down" he growled lighting his cigar.
Walking past the reptilian he stepped into the center. A roaring fire was placed in the middle with tree logs with pillows on them. A quick glance around there were members that he had not seen before carrying large chests and creates of equipment towards a couple of carts.
Many of the actors were either around the fire or in their personal tents. He carried on until he found the coloured tent he was looking for. The tent's inside was blocked, except for a small opening showing an orange glow coming from the inside. Playfully humming to herself, her body passed the spacing in the tent.
"Um… excuse me!?" Kirishima pipped up, the humming silenced as he parted the tent open. "You said you wanted to see me" he fully opened it out and there sleeping was the creature seen in the woman's performance. It raised it's head and started to growl, it's tail snaking upward in defense.
"Rashja, Cidp Dasl" she waved her hand and the beast's grumbles calmed down, his head sinking into the large red pillow. She stood there with a purple headband around her head, her hair showing on the top. Her white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and her purple baggy trousers were rolled up to her kneecaps. She wore a pair of brown sandals as well, with a tribal neckless around her neck.
Her tent was quite spacious, there was a rug spanning out across the grass serving as a makeshift floor. There was a single bed with an animal pelt thrown over it. Right next to the bed was the beast sleeping on the giant red pillow. There was a dressing table and stool at the far end on the left, with dressers next to it.
"Well-well, looks like Wonderboy shows his face" she giggled sitting down on to her dressing stool.
"Wonderboy?" he murmured walking further into the tent. "Why did you want me anyway?" he asked
"Well I saw something in your eyes" she stood up walking closer to him, "Like all the life was sucked out of ya'" she placed hard hands on his shoulders. "But when you saw me in that performance all of the excitement and wonder flooded you didn't it?" she beamed "That's why I called you Wonderboy!" she exclaimed waking up Rashja.
Kirishima was blank, it was like she took the words out of his mouth, "So why did you call me here?" he asked curiously.
"Well turns out that Mister Tahmos our boss, is looking for another person to join our family of sorts" she said looking up and down at his body. "And I would say based on this structure and manly physique you would fit the bill" she whispered running her hands across his chest and arms. "I was just about to go and see him, if you could follow me please" she said strutting out of her tent and walking toward larger tent. "Excuse me Father Tahm, I've brought an applicant for that position" she said politely pulling aside the fabric.
"Ah yes Mina, come in" a deep western accent uttered, gentle however mysterious in nature. Kirishima walked in and looked around. This tent was significantly bigger than the others, empty bird cages hung from the support beams; as they gently clinked and clanked against one another. Most of the items were a lot bigger to the woman's tent, the wardrobe was slightly larger, and the bed was king sized.
The difference to it all was a large desk placed in the middle of the room where the man sat. It had a lot of different pieces of paper and poches of gold scattered next to a typewriter.
The man was dressed in smart attire that had seen better days. He wore a brown top hat, which complimented his waist coat and trousers. He wore a clean white shirt with a pair of muddied boots, with the slightest indication of broguing.
He looked quite late into his adult years, as his hair was black blended together with pieces of grey. His beard seamed to be the cleanest thing about him. His left eye was a sharp orange whilst his other was purely white, with a scar sliced down the middle of it.
"Now who is your friend here my child?" he asked undoing his top button and slumping into his chair.
"My name is Kirishima, Eijirou Kirishima" he said extending his hand before the woman could speak.
"Well don't we have an eager lad? Well it's nice to meet you son, my name is Tahmos Stern" he lifted himself out of the chair and met Kirishima's hand with his own. "Now I take it you enjoyed our performance?" he grinned sitting back down in his chair.
"I was blown away" he smiled "to say the least".
"Well that's what I like to hear my boy, I assume you know why you're here?" he said opening a drawer and retrieving a bottle of bourbon.
"Yes, Mister Stern, and to say I am interested and am looking to get to work straight away" Kirishima projected standing straight as a board.
"And I trust your judgment Mina, he is right for the job?" he asked the woman pouring two shots of bourbon.
"I trust him, he reminds of my first time seeing the circus" she smiled.
"Well then that settles it then!" he yelled in joy "From now on my boy you're apart of this family!" he laughed with a booming attitude, he handed him a shot of bourbon.
"Thank you, sir," he smiled taking the glass from his hands.
"From now on I am to be referred to as Father Tahm or Mister Tahm, after all we're a team of brothers and sisters, now time to get you settled. To the future Eijirou!" he clinked the small glass with Kirishima's.
"And to you, Mister Tahm" the two both drank their shots and walked outside.
"Time to get you acquainted with your 10 brothers and sisters and party the night away" he cheered.
