Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or any of it's stories/characters, but it's fun to write spin-offs, so that's what I do! this was super fun to right, and I hope you enjoy!
The Olympic Circus
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, I welcome you to The Olympic Circus!"
The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping for him. Leo flashed everyone a wicked grin and gave a dramatic bow, grabbing a rose from the air a fan threw at him.
"To the person who threw this lovely rose, I thank you. I shall keep it forever as a token of our ever-lasting love. Unless you're a dude, then I'm sorry. But hey, if you're looking for someone open to that-"
"Valdez! Don't you dare!"
Leo grinned again. "Well, I was going to say don't even try talking to the techie the Ghost King, but I guess he is open to it!"
The crowd roared with laughter. Wherever the circus went, people remembered not only the amazing acts, but the humourous announcer as well, who called himself the Super-Sized McShizzle and dressed in ridiculous tuxes. It didn't matter that he was 5' 4", Leo was proud to say that he stood out, and hey, it brought them business!
Even if Nico would kill him for making fun of him later. Or plausibly Will.
Leo rose his finger to his lips, signaling for the crowd to quiet down as the lights slowly dimmed until the only source of light was a beam centred directly on Leo. He swept of his hat with a flourish and gestured for everyone to lean in, like he was telling them a huge secret.
"Tonight," he said, his voice full of bravado, "prepare to see a show, the likes of which have never been seen before! For our first act I give you… Lightning McLean!"
The crowd was on their feet again as Leo appeared to be consumed by flames, his spotlight cutting off. Their cheers quieted down as the floor glowed with a deep lilac light. "A Thousand Years" started playing from speakers as two sets of red aerial drapes descended from the ceiling. A beautiful girl of native decent and a boy with glowing blond hair appeared on opposite sides of the arena floor. Piper Mclean and her fiancée, Jason Grace.
Heart, beat, fast, colours and promises
As the opening lines were sung by a voice that was even more heavenly than Christiana Perri's, Piper danced toward her curtain, leaping and twirling gracefully. Reyna, their manager, had convinced her to record vocals for her and Jason's act.
She began to climb as the glow on the arena floor changed from a lovely purple to an intense dark green. Jason remained where he was, changing his stance to one of intense focus as he watched her.
How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid
To fall, but watching you stand alone
She stopped climbing and reached for him from about halfway up her drape as he mimicked her movements from the floor. Piper twisted her foot in one drape and beginning to spin around the other, going twice before winding the other drape around her leg and descending into a split.
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer. . .
Jason sprinted for his drape, climbing nimbly while she continued her breath-taking routine. They performed separately for a while, drifting ever closer in a spectacular array of stunts and nimble twists. By the end of the second verse, their performance had gone from one of fierce desperation and longing to one of slow, more cautious movements.
As the instrumental part of the song faded into the background, the voice took on a warmer tone, expressing not longing, but endless love. The dancer's leaned back before swinging their curtains around one another, leaning away so that the curtains themselves spiraled together.
When all that was left for back-up instrumental was guitar, they met in a lower section of the drapes, now coiled together tightly.
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you. . .
Jason grasped Piper's arm, their foreheads bent together as the music played softly. Their floor lights slowly shifted to a deep, deep blue.
For a thousand years.
I'll love you for a thousand more. . .
The music swelled around them, filling the arena, conveying all emotions of love and endearment that every couple felt. Piper flew back as Jason uncoiled the drapes, held aloft only by his hand as it grasped her arm. She swung horizontally around him as he slowly lowered them to the floor.
The vocals ceased, leaving only a soft violin and guitar as he pulled her back to him. Their feet touched the floor, and as the music came to a stop, the only light was a soft red glow coming from underneath them, as they formed a heart on the floor with their bodies, the shadow of which could be seen on the ceiling.
The lights completely cut off and the crowd was on their feet again, cheering and whistling, not a dry eye in the audience. A spotlight came on and hovered over the couple, who clasped their hands together and took a bow, their matching red costumes gleaming and sparkling in the light.
"Thank you, ladies and gents, give it up for Lightning McLean, also known as Jason and Piper! Pipes, beautiful as always, but Jason looked especially nice in those pants, didn't he ladies and gentlemen?"
The crowd roared in approval as Jason shook his head, unable to keep the grin off of his face.
"I wanted to also thank you both for gracing us with your presence!"
The audience groaned ad laughed as piper covered her face with her hands.
"Alright, alright, that's enough humiliation for Mr. and future- Mrs. Sparky over there. Next up, we have a flying trapeze performance from the Grey Lady herself, Mrs. Annabeth Jackson! She is joined today by special guest Dr. William Solace, top doc in the country and husband to our dear techie, the Ghost King! Sorry, boys, but he is in fact taken. It breaks my heart just as much as yours-"
"Hi all, this is Nico di Angelo speaking to you live. Leo, I swear to god if you do not move your ass-"
"And now, please welcome The Grey Lady and Will Solace!"
Spotlights, one light blue and one pale yellow, shone on Will and Annabeth. They performed a spectacular routine to the tune of the Star Wars Theme Song. What? Annabeth was a nerd. To add to the excitement, they performed without a net underneath them. Several near-death experiences had people on the edge of their seats watching in anxious awe. It was always fun to watch. After them, they had intermission.
When they got back, Percy and Frank, known as "Descendants of the Sea" roared into the arena on their bikes, racing around and doing several stunts that left people gasping and begging for more. Unfortunately, anymore and Annabeth would kill the both of them for putting themselves in too much danger.
After Percy and Frank raced out, the staff cleared the floor for Hazel, who cantered in on Arion. She went head-to-head against Clarisse La Rue, who called herself The Slayer. Hazel's alias was much nicer and less threatening, Queen of Gems. They did everything from sword to sword combat (with real swords. They both insisted) to jousting, and even hand-to-hand. Theirs was one of the lighter, more entertaining acts, modeled after the Roman tournaments in the Colosseum. There wasn't exactly a score system, but it was fun to watch.
"Thank you ladies for that tremendous display of awesome skillz, and thank you Frank and Percy for, letting us sea that marvelous thrill-seeker! Last but not least, I give you the ever-stunning Thalia Grace, who will be performing an acrobatic routine involving her killer arching. Enjoy!"
This time, Leo made his exit by grabbing a rope and pulling it, opening a trapdoor beneath him as he saluted himself out. The audience clapped politely, and the lights in the Arena once again went out. An electric blue light blazed into existence, silhouetting a girl in the centre of the floor wearing a black gymnasts dress, her raven hair falling around her shoulders, a silver circlet gleaming in her hair. On her back, a silver bow gleamed in the light.
A roar sounded around the arena, and something dark and heavy flew at Thalia from the top of the arena. Fast as lightning, she vaulted into a backflip, twisting her bow off of her back, and shot an arrow at the on-coming target, landing in a kneel as her arrow penetrated the object and it exploded into black ash that rained down around her.
That was what Thalia loved to do. She was a circus performer, but she performed by combining her already impressive gymnastics with her impeccable archery. She never knew where the objects would be launched from, so her show was based on her third favourite thing: improv. Leo was proud to say he invented the projectiles, which were really just black mass the size of baseballs that exploded into black ash on impact.
She was so out of Leo's league, he knew, but he couldn't help it. She was brave and gorgeous, and totally captivating. Her act was always last, because it was the most mysterious one of all. It was also perfect for closing.
Thalia, as always, finished her performance in a kneeling position, her bow pointed straight into the air. She rose to her feet.
"Thank you all for coming tonight, for seeing our show. For coming, blind of the knowledge that it would be your last night."
The audience sat, speechless, eyes wide. Thalia nocked her last arrow and pointed it at a spot in the back row. "Goodnight, all," she said menacingly. "And good-bye." She let her arrow fly, and the screams of thousands filled the arena as the space went black.