Chapter One
"Maaaeeeveee!"
The shout of anger vibrated through the core of the circus and the people who inhabited it.
"Really Dagger, I honestly don't believe that Maeve could do something so bad to make you scream like that. Seriously you could have woken up the-pfft"
The one responsible for the snicker was a busty woman with dark, curly hair and haunting red eyes, which, at the moment didn't seem to haunting with the position she was currently in. Standing at the entrance of the tent the women's face was a mixture of shock, amusement, and pain. Pain most likely because of how she was try to hold in her laugh, and she wasn't doing a very good job at that anyways, her giggles sneaking beneath her hand every second or so.
This woman, losing herself in the situation in front of her, is Beast.
Beast is currently the animal tamer for the Noah's Ark Circus. The star of the show many would say. In her leather apparel she steals the breath away from every person in the audience with her wild cats.
The younger boy in front of her was standing in front of a mirror his face full of need.
"Sis! Don't stand there an' laugh can't you see I'm in the need of some help. She dyed my hair pink, PINK, and right before a show."
This quickly changes Beast's mood, "Your right Dagger." Her eyes darkened. "If that girl ruins the show ohhh will she have a price to pay."
The tent entrance flapped open a second time as a red haired man entered. "What was that lady like shriek that came out of you-pfft."
Beast whipped around to stare at the red faced man, "Don't you dare start Joker! Look what Maeve did and before a show!"
Joker composed himself and looked at Dagger saying, "Well ye can just use your hat to cover up ye hair for tonight. I bet it will wash out of ye hair in no time at all. Jus' hurry shows 'bout to start.
With that Joker disappeared with a flash of his deep purple cloak.
As he maneuvered through the tents Joker glanced this way and that way searching for the young woman called Maeve. He noticed two childlike figures siting on one of the many crated and made his way to them. "Peter, Wendy 'ave ye seen Maeve? It seemed she had played one of her many tricks on Dagger."
The girl with golden spun locks smile, "That was 'im. I thought it musta' been Beast it bein' a high screech."
The boy, Peter, smiled at his sister. "Ye is right Sis I me 'self thought that." He turned to look at Joker. "No Sir we 'aven't seen Maeve 'round 'ere."
Joker sighed his thanks and told the two to head for the Big Top as he continued his search for Maeve. As he turned the corner he saw a flash of black disappearing behind one of the many tents. Following he came to a halt. When he saw Maeve her caramel skin was covered with sheen of sweat as she carried pales of water to the caged animals; chatting with them as if they could respond. She flicked her bosom length hair behind her shoulders still not noticing the man.
Joker crossed his arms and watched as Maeve fumbled with her hair, pulling up with a ribbon. Being Maeve's best friend only Joker knew that Maeve's black straight strands that everyone saw was a rouse. Her hair was actually wisps of untamable dark curly hair that Joker preferred, but alas Maeve swore him to secrecy about it.
Maeve looked over her shoulder her green eyes now unobstructed observed the relaxed man due to her hair being up. She then smiled, which caused the tattooed ancient text under her right eye to also curve up as if smiling tauntingly.
"Hi there Joker how are ya? I just thought I would give some water to Betty here before the show." she grinned showing her slightly pointed teeth.
Joker looked away as mad but couldn't help to grin back," Aww ye know I can't resist that beauty of a smile you got there m'deary, but that doesn't mean ye won't get a punishment for playin' that on Dagger." He pointed to a cheek. "Now I think ye need to come here and give me a big peck right here."
Maeve rolled her eyes and grinned before tackling Joker and giving him a big sloppy kiss on the exposed cheek.
Joker chuckled at her antics. "There ye go Maeve, now let's get to the Top for the show. Wouldn't wanna miss it now would ye." He took Maeve's arm with his own skeleton one and they made their way to the big top. "Ya know Maeve I still don't understand why ye don't perform. Ye could steal the show!" He twirled the woman as they stood before the entrance of the tent. "But I understand if all ye wants ta do is stand and look adorable!"
For the second time in minutes Maeve rolled her eyes before pushing the eccentric man into the large tent following after. Blinking her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness Maeve made her way to her usually place to listen to the crowed murmur in excitement as Joker made his way to the center to announce the beginning of the performance. He smiled a wide smile, raised his arms high and bellowed in a voice that only great ringleaders can do.
"Ladieeees and Gentlemeeeen! Booooys and Girrrrrls!"
Bringing out his colorful balls and professionally juggled them Joker announced the acts. "On this fine day we welcome ye to the Noah's Ark Circus." He through the balls high into the air, "If ye jus' take a gander o'er he- D'ow!" When the balls hit him in the head the audience roared with laughter Joker smiled at them then made a grand gesture with his arms toward the other cast members behind him. "Now with a blast from our fire eater LET THE SHOW OF THE CENTURY BEGIN!"
From behind Joker came Jumbo producing a large ball of fire from his mouth earning many gasps from the audience as it grew close to them.
"Next we have the flying trapeze act with a duo in perfect sync!"
Peter and Wendy flew above the audience on the trapeze in there act flipping and twisting in midair without a flaw whatsoever. When they finished out came Dagger, none of his pink hair showing from underneath his hat. He threw his knifes never being close to grazing the young woman attached to the spinning wheel.
"For the next act the princess of our circus undertakes a death defying tightrope walk!"
The audience watched in pleasure and fright as the white clad girl made her way across the treacherous rope. Woman screeched when Doll purposely leaned towards the side her umbrella balanced on the tip of her finger.
"Next we have a magnificent dance by an extremely rare creature, half-snake half-man!"
The audience was captivated by the man's dance with his deadly snakes.
There was a drumroll as Joker announced the final act. "And last but not least the star of our circus makes her entrance! Feast your eyes upon our animal trainer!"
The spotlight zoned in on Joker and Beast, "Now this act will need a volunteer from the audience though no children so Ladies and Gentlemen can I see a share of hands?"
There was rustling and murmuring throughout the crowd but no volunteers.
"Come on! Who wants to be part of the circus for a day? Ahhh there!"
Jumping on his toes Joker pointed to the tall handsome man in black standing amongst the people. Maeve took this as her cue and began walking toward the man she looked into his crimson eyes, smiled at him, and motioned for him to follow her down to the stage.
"Now if you would please lay he-" Maeve stopped her instructions as the man rushed past her and suddenly grabbed ahold of the tigers face.
"Oh my...what such round eyes you have..." The man purred to the great beast, "Vivid striped of the likes of which I have never seen...and such soft ears..." Joker, Maeve, and Beast were all shocked at what was happening right before their eyes, but the man continued. "You take my breath away. Oh, it seems your claws have gotten a touch long. You must not let your grooming go amiss now. Ah your paw pads are plump and most enchanting."
The crowd erupted into screams as the tiger suddenly enclosed the man's head with her mouth.
Beast being the tamer quickly acted readying her whip to save the man, "BETTY! LET GO OF HIM!"
Joker and Maeve were even more shocked when the said man stopped the whip in midair, "She is not to blame; in the face of such loveliness I simply could not stop myself from being thoughtlessly rude."
Maeve made a noise of disbelief as she looked the man over. There wasn't a scratch on him.
The man continued, "Furthermore one cannot train animals...by just blindly swinging ones whip."
Beast's horrified expression turned into one of hatred. She would have retorted if Betty had not once again chomped on the man's head. "BETTY! SPIT HIM OUT RIGHT NOW!"
"My, my what a little tomboy you are." Was the only response the volunteer had.
The audience screamed and scrambled around looking for and exits so they wouldn't become the tigers next chew toy. Soon the only people there were Maeve, Joker, Beast and her tiger. The man had disappeared.
Maeve turned to Joker, "Jokes do you think we should find him? Betty did attack him and he might make a complaint to the coppers."
Joker looked at Maeve before nodding. "Yeah ye 'ave a good point. There are people in this here circus who don't wanna be found. We'll go." He looked at Beast." Ye take care of Betty, we'll be back."
The two rushed out of the tent in search for the man. They looked at every man clad in black until they were ready to give up. Just as Joker was about to slide onto the ground he saw something.
"There! There he is! Ye there Sir" The man didn't seem to know that it was he that Joker was yelling to and continued to speak to the elegantly dressed boy standing before him.
Maeve let her eyes roam the mains appearance before she spotted something uniquely his," Hey you! Man in the tailcoat!"
As the boy walked away the man looked up and watched as the two carnies ran up to him panting.
Joker looked at the man apologetically as he rested his hands on his knees. "We are… so sorry about what… 'appened back… there"
The man just shook his head and bowed slightly. "Not at all. Please forgive my untoward behavior."
Joker shook his hands in front of his face, "No, no, no don't be sorry, shocked me clean out of my skin, ye suddenly getting' all close to the tiger like that."
Maeve who stood silently watching the encounter interjected. "Are you sure your all right, I mean you just got bit by a tiger. Twice at that! I think we should take you to our troupe doctor. Would that be all right with you?" She cocked her head and lifted a brow.
Joker looked at the young woman beside him shocked; Maeve's hate for the doctor was notorious to everyone who resided in the circus. He gently bumped her with his shoulder only to be ignored.
The man smiled back at Maeve, his unnatural red eyes glowing, "Well if you put it that way I would be much obliged."
Joker smiled though it was forced, "Alrighty then, right this way." He grabbed Maeve arm and dragged her in the direction of the medic tent whispering in her ear the whole way. He looked back at the following man with another apologetic look on his face," So sorry for the mess. So watch your step." He looked forward and met the eyes of a slightly scaly man. "Oh Snake is the Doc in the medic tent."
The only reply was a snake tail pointing in another direction.
"Ohhh dear seems he's out on business." Joker stated the obvious with his hand behind his head. He then again began to drag Maeve away from Snake, whom she had been conversing with. The woman sighed and waved goodbye to the silent man and in response got a flick of a snake's tail.
"Oh isn't that the lad who was bitten by the tiger?"
The threesome stopped and turned around to come face to face with twins; Peter and Wendy.
"Your right!" giggled the small blonde boy, "What a lob of a Lad."
Wendy and Peter broke into loud giggles as Joker led Maeve and the man to where Snake pointed the Doctor would be. He pulled open the tent flap and announced their entrance. "Here he is."
A man with dark curly hair and glasses looked up from his patient, Dagger, and towards Joker. "Heya Joker! Your arm giving you trouble again?"
Joker shook his head, "Nope Im not 'ere for me today..."
The Doctor looked slightly confused until he spotted Maeve, "Ohh Maeve, is it you who needs to see me today?" He wheeled closer.
Maeve narrowed her eyes shaking marginally and backed up running into the chest of the man behind her, "No."
The man in black lightly pressed his hand to the small of her back as if reassuring Maeve. He smiled when she looked back at him.
Dagger who wasn't paying any attention looked at the man scratching his chin," If I think back, yer the feller who got 'is 'ead bit by Betty?"
The Doctor basically jumped out of his chair, "BETTY BIT YOU! That's awful we must get you to the medical tent immediately!" Not waiting for a reply he quickly wheeled to his tent.
When the group reached the medic tent the Doctor carefully examined he man. "...Were you really bitten by a tiger...There's nary a scratch on you!"
The man just smiled as stars twinkled around him as he said lovingly, "It was but a play bite."
The other three in the scrunched their faces all of them probably remembering how the man's whole head disappeared into Betty's mouth.
Sighing the Doctor clapped his hands together, "Well there seems to be nothing I can do here."
Maeve smiled and smacked the man on the shoulder, "Well that's great. Its good thing an audience member wasn't hurt."
Joker came up behind her, "Yea if ye were hurt the ringleader would 'ave our 'eads."
The man looked at Joker suspiciously, "You're not the ringleader?"
Dagger stepped forward as Joker said, "Im more like a ringmaster-for-hire...The leader is someone else entirely...and quite scary to boot."
Dagger looked at Joker with a forced smile, "Don'tcha come cryin' to me when ye get chewed out for sayin that ol'timer."
Maeve looked at both of them, "Well then..." She then looked at the tent flap when she heard gravel crunching. The flap lifted and Beast appeared her red eyes only for the doctor as she asked, "Doc I was hoping you would take a look at my leg...?"
Dagger, whose mood instantly changes, ran toward Beast got down on one knee face full of love called, "Siiis!"
As a response Beast totally ignored him and looked at the nameless man in the chair. "You-!"
She marched forward not caring about Daggers speech.
"Im 'aving problems with my leg too, jus' like Sis. Gooooooosh, this's gotta be more proof that we're tied by the red string of f-huh?"
Beast marched pasted Dagger not even noticing he was there. Then jabbed her finger right at the man, "You're the eccentric gentleman from before! What are you doing here! Thanks to you the act was completely rui-"
"BEAST!" Doc rolled up to her, "How could you talk that way to a member of the audience! You have only your carelessness in being able to control Betty to blame!"
Beast recoiled in shock. "B-but Doc he approved Betty on his ow-"
Doc interrupted, "No 'buts'! You're a professional, right?"
Joker and Dagger rushed in front of Doc, Maeve not wanting to be that close to the Doctor stayed behind the chair the man was sitting in, the boys however had big grins on their faces, "Now, now Doctor ye mustn't raise ye voice in front of a spectator!" Dagger added in. "Yeah, yeah, please examine my dear sis's leg first!"
Doc sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned back onto his wheelchair looking worn out. "Alright, but Beast must restrain Betty again after this."
Beast grumbled, "...Yeah..."
Doc clapped his hands together. "Good now let's see the prosthesis."
The man looked up in shock, "Prosthesis?"
Maeve looked down at him, "Yeah the whole beginning chapter of this circus."
The man looked at her as he rose from his seat, Joker put in from behind her, "One way or another we're a collection of folks with problems."
They all watched as Beast seated herself and pulled down her stocking so that the doctor could begin his work.
Joker raised his skeleton hand, "I was missing an arm myself, but thanks to the Doctor look at me now." He gestured to Maeve , "This lady 'ere has the most missing limbs so far. Her left arm is missing from the elbow and her left leg in missing from the knee." Maeve pulled up of her glove and wiggled her fake fingers for the man. The handsome man gently pulled the imitation hand into his own and analyzed it. The false arm was amazingly detailed down to the very fingernails he looked up at the Doctor.
"Do you make artificial limbs for all the troupe members?"
The Doctor nodded, "Yes I do and let me tell you it's not an easy job. I do everything from carving to fixing them up" He looked at Maeve who glared at him, "I even made Maeve to match her skin tone."
The man looked over the Doctors shoulder as he worked on Beasts leg, "Carving? Are they made out of wood then?
"Nope, ceramic."
"Ceramic?
The man brushed his fingers against Beasts leg, much like he did to Maeve's hand, as the Doctor continued to explain his work.
"I say ceramics but I use special materials to make it light and durable.
The man nodded, "Yes, I see it also feels nice to the touch."
The Doctor smiled, "Right, to ensure smoothness in movement I use ball-shaped parts in the joints."
"This is indeed delicate workmanship. Oh?" The man raised Beasts leg high his head close to the upper part of her thigh." What is this Hallmark...?"
Maeve groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose as she knew what would happen next.
Beast blushed a crimson color and roared, "WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT YOU LEECH!" She swung her leg at the man but he neatly dodged it.
He stood back with a small smirk on his face. "Ahh excuse me. You did not strike me as one so chaste, as to be bashful at something of this sort, so..."
Maeve had to look away to keep from laughing. Beast wasn't as amused.
"WHY YOU!" She cracked her whip at the man who like before smoothly evades it.
The Doctor looked panicked by what was happening around him, "Hey! Beast, stop that! He's a spectator!" He looked at Joker and Dagger, "You two stop her qui-"
As Beast was about to lunge at the man Dagger wailed at the top of his lungs," YOU BARMY BASTARD, HOW DARE YE LAY A HAND ON ME SIS'S PALE SILKIN SKIN! HOW DARE YE! HOW DARE YE!" He grabbed his daggers from his pocket and flung them with perfect aim at the man with tears in his eyes. "AND WHEN I 'AVEN'T EVEN LAID A HAND ON IT YET!"
The three daggers failed to hit the man for her expertly flipped over them," Though I did not touch her skin directly..." he landed perfectly on a clothes line, "...I do seem to have touched off your anger."
As she tapped her foot Maeve had an annoyed look on her face.
The Doctor wheeled to Dagger as fast as he could, "Dagger please stop the tent will-"
"Forget the tent!" Dagger interrupted, "Sis's chastity is more import-"
He was cut off when Maeve grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him close, her face serious. "Oi Dagger! Why don't you take this advice and shut your trap while putting your knives away, yeah?" She let him go and smiled sweetly while her eyes closed. "Thanks!"
The room grew silent as everyone watched the happenstance. Most where staring because they had never seen this side of Maeve before, she was normally such a sweet girl.
Dagger watched Maeve stunned before scoffing and looking away. He was a man and no girl could boss him around thinking to scare him. Twirling one of his many knives he glanced at Maeve's to see if she was watching him. When he saw that she wasn't he grinned and quickly threw his weapons.
Maeve stood watching Beast repeatedly attack the man who dodged neatly while standing on the thin wire. She sighed, there was nothing she could do about the tightly wound woman. Besides if she did interfere she would most likely get lashed across the face and Maeve wasn't exactly feeling that. Turning her body to face Joker Maeve was aiming to question him when she heard the accustomed ring of daggers flying through the air. Spinning she glared at Dagger then whipped her head to face the man to see if he was injured only to see him scrutinizing the eight daggers between him long gloved fingers. "Oh."
Seeing that didn't stop Beast,"Tch! don't push your luck!" As the whip made its way towards the man it was again stopped but this time by Jokers cane. He sent her a warning glare then suddenly smiled as flowers exploded from the end.
"Here!" He looked at the others," All right, all right, that will do for today. "
Dagger looked upset and a little scared as he kept an eye on Maeve while the Doctor looked very relieved.
Joker went up behind Beast and caressed her prosthetic leg, "Ye have such lovely legs after all. I could understand why he would want to have a touch."
The man jumped off the line and landed next to Maeve they locked eyes has he handed Dagger his knifes. She grinned and inclined her head to him before turning to Joker as he stopped beside her and put his arm around her. The silent man in black watched the arm as if it was one of Snakes poisonous friends.
Joker smiled at the man not even noticing the heated glare he was given, "Leaving all that aside ye 'ave some terrific reflexes, Sir!"
Maeve laughed getting both Jokers and the man's attention; she cocked her head and grinned at Joker. "Always on the job aren't you Jokes. " She looked at the man her grin wider, "What he means is, 'Would you like to join our circus'."
Chapter one, done. Alright for all of those who have read "The Exposed Hybrid" well I hope you enjoy, and for all of you who are new...Welcome.