A girl stares blankly out the front, open-barred section of her train car, allowing the faint traces of moonlight that was able to peer through the clouds that blanketed the night sky. The ring leader calls her 'Angel's Voice.' The circus owner calls her 'izverg.' The people call her 'monster.'

And they had every right to. The girl silently stared down at her hand, her nails long and claw-like. She closed her hand, looking at the pure white skin that coated her bone. That flesh was darker at one point, but she had not seen the sun in years. Against her own will, she looked up into the mirror on the opposite side of the 'room.' Her face flooded with hatrid at the creature that gazed back at her. The black, cat-like ears atop her head fell in front of the demonic, curled horns in depression and anger. The eye that had been bandaged only hours before was now exposed, the emerald glow and slit pupil of it made her shudder. Her other eye was an shade of blue, as cold as ice, and her once vibrant golden hair had dulled to a near white. She scowled at herself. She was a monster, and she knew it.

The girl raises her arm and wipes away tears that aren't there. She cried her last one weeks ago, when the only being in that hell of a place, a male lion named 'Bravery,' was killed for biting the whip that the Beastkeeper used to control him in half.

All the people in this circus abused her. Her back and arms were covered in scars from the owner's dagger-ended whiplash, which would be brought down upon her whenever she disobeyed. Her entire body was covered in burns, and her eyes were half-blind. But she still persisted to ride this accursed train wherever it may go.

It was on a normal day when my owner sold me off to the circus. I looked up at him as he shook hands with the owner-a large, ash blonde russian-before turning around and walking away. I tried to follow him, but the circus owner pulled back on the rope around my neck. He looked down at me and smiled. "Well, aren't you a pretty boy," he said with a smirk. I tilt my head slightly, but shrug it off, following him as he dragged me over to a car of the stopped circus train, where I figured I would sleep. The man threw open the barred door and shouted, "Hey, izverg!" He threw me into the small space. "You've got a roommate. After all," the russian grinned darkly, "shouldn't the monsters sleep together?" He then slammed the door and walked away.

Several hours passed before I said anything. "Your name... Izverg," I ask in my broken speech. She shook her head. "Then... What name?" It tilt my head curiously, waiting for an answer. Several moments passed before she answered.

"... Via."

"Vi...a..." I smile. "Via is... nice name..."

She said nothing, simply kept her back to me. I could see several wounds covering her milky skin. I had to ask. "Why... so hurt?" The girl cringed at my question and did not answer. I ask again, "Why so hurt?"

A long minute passed before she could answer. "I... tried to escape..."

"Escape," I ask. "Like run away?"

She shook her head. "I sing here. So I tried to cut out my tongue, so I couldn't sing anymore. But... Ivan caught me..."

"Ivan?" I crawl carefully over to her. "Who Ivan?"

"The bastard that brought you over here."

I didn't say anything after that, for a long time. Then she spoke, "What're you called?"

"Eh?"

"Your name," she repeated, "what is it?"

"My name... Gilbert..."

She nodded and sat up. The sound of metal rattling against itself told me that she was in chains. "Well, Gilbert..." She looked back at me. "Nice to meet you."

The cage door was opened, and a boy with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail stepped in. "Angel," he said, "it's time, aru."

Via nodded and sat up, holding out her hands for the shackles to be unlocked. There was a faint click as they fell to the floor. She stood and rubbed her red wrists as she followed the boy out of the car. I merely watch, as I'm not sure what to do next.

I sit there and look at the people as they passed the opening of the car. They looked and pointed and whispered. Then they left. Curious, I reached out and easily unlocked the door, leaping down to the ground. I look around and see a few people going into a large tent, and follow them. I watched,in awe as the acts unfolded. A woman fit herself into a box, another held a chair at a lion. One walked on air, and many more came out of a small car. I smiled and laughed and clapped as each one come and left. The boy with long black hair then stepped up to the center of a circle and spoke.

"Ladies and gentlemen, nánhái hé nühái, aru! We would like to thank you for coming! We have one more act for you all to enjoy! Please welcome to the stage, 'Angel's Voice'!" He stepped to the side as Via walked out into the center of the circle. I gasp.

She was stunning. Her long, pale blond hair had been pulled back into two high tails on either side of her head, appearing to be held in place by roses. Her dress was made of the night sky, a dark blue covered in shimmering specks, and it looked as though the sleeves had been cut off before the shoulder and allowed to fall, held on barely by a thread. A white corset was resting upon her torso, making her slim figure even more so, and her boots were heeled. She would've looked like a princess, except the black collar on her neck, a white chain dangling from it; the same white chains fell freely out of her sleeves.

"If not princess, then angel," I whisper to myself as she stops on a podium in the center of the tent.

The lights were turned off, all but one which shone down on the angel like a beam from heaven. The music started, and she opened her mouth.

"When the season is spinning, spinning

Please embrace the scattering ties

Strongly, strongly

So that they won't be lost"

A silent gasp escaped my lips. She really was an angel. Though she had demonic horns, and small, torn black wings, she was an angel. For no devil could create such a beautiful sound.

"Unable to move from the weight

Of the embraced words,

I fell into a warm dream

When I woke, it was after I lost you

I tie it-the appearance that I embraced

The color of orange softly scatters

It hurt so much, it's strongly engraved in my heart

Flutter, flutter, flutter"

When the song ended, I was clapping with the audience. Everyone in the ring stood, applauding the monster in the center of the structure. She raised her hand to wave, when suddenly her eyes went wide. She pulled her hand down and covered her mouth. Her legs gave out, she fell to her knees, vomit pouring out of her hand, stained red. She fell onto her side. And without warning, in the silence, a single scream echoed.

(And that's the end of chapter one! Hope y'all like this story! Man, there are a lot of uploads today. This is the third! Well, see you next time!)