A/N: This just popped in my head while reading Cirque du freak. I don't own anything but Ash.
Darren blinked as he watched a few of the Cirque's performers practice their routines. Hans hands was racing Truska and winning. The twisting twins were practicing the part of their routine where they pretended to be one person. Alexander Ribs was playing one of his more favorite songs. The performer that drew Darren's attention the most was the fire dancer, Ashleigh Nox. She was playfully dancing to Alexander's song and giggling whenever he purposefully hit a wrong note to make her loose rhythm. Her hair was an unusual gray-black color clashing charmingly with her bright blue eyes.
"Hey Darren!" Evra appeared next to the zoned out half-vampire making him jump.
"What is it, Evra?" Darren recovered quickly.
"What are ya doin'?" Evra smiled.
"Nothing much." Darren smiled back sheepishly glancing back over at the performers. Evra looked at him then at the practicing group.
"You can go over and watch you know." Evra laughed at Darren embarrassed face.
"I don't want to bother them."
"You wouldn't be bothering them at all." Evra grabbed Darren's arm, pulling him toward the group. "Ash! Darren hasn't seen you do your new routine yet!"
"Huh?" The mentioned girl looked over, surprised. "Hey Evra! Who's your friend?"
"This is Darren. He just joined a couple of days ago." Evra motioned to Darren who blushed lightly and nodded.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ash." the gray haired girl smiled politely.
"Show us your newest routine." Evra demanded. After he got a look at the face she was making and added a quiet 'please'.
"Fine. Sit there." Ash pointed to the seats a few feet away. They obeyed her order readily. "Mr. Ribs, if you would."
"Alright." Alexander changed the song. It became a deeper more melodramatic tune. Ash paused for a moment before she began.
The dance looked almost like a martial arts showing. She moved in swift and sudden motions. Although the dance was sudden it flowed smoothly from one position to another seamlessly. Darren heard someone yelp in surprise behind him and turned to see the fire leaning toward them as if it was being pulled. People gasped when the flames pulled out of the pit and toward the still dancing girl. She seemed to catch the fire like she'd sensed its approach. Ash began to flick her wrist almost like she was swinging a lasso.
"Woah." Darren breathed when the flames lifted off of her hand and began to circle her. Ash still danced normally, still flicking her wrist and moving. Suddenly she stopped and shoved her hands upward towards the sky. The ball of fire followed her hands direction, flinging itself into the sky. She then moved her arms sharply to her sides. The ball of fire exploded like a firework, sparks fell like rain to the ground. Before the landing sparks could burn anything Ash pointed her hand to the fire pit. The sparks gathered, as if they were being pulled by a magnet, in the pit. The fire restarted, burning normally like it hadn't moved at all.
"Awesome!" Evra shouted, clapping excitedly. Everyone started clapping and Ash bowed low. "What did you think, Darren?"
"That was fantastic." Darren clapped as well.
"I'm glad you liked it." Ash walked over to them, sitting heavily beside Darren. She pulled a package from her pants pocket. It looked almost like a cigarette case but, when she opened it, the things inside looked nothing like regular cigarettes. They were long, straight wooden sticks, some were dark brown, others were light brown and reddish brown. She pulled out a dark brown one and leaned over, sticking it in the fire for a moment before pulling it out and placing it in her mouth.
"You smoke?" Darren asked more than a little shocked. Ash stared at him for a moment before laughing.
"Not in the conventional human sense." Ash said, smoke coming out of her mouth as she spoke. She sighed when Darren's face turned from shocked to confused.
"Conventional human sense? What do you mean?" Ash took a puff from her lit stick before explaining.
"You can't assume you are the only non-human here." She smiled at him when his expression turned sheepish.
"Ash is an elf." Evra said.
"How rude. I'm no elf." Ash huffed. "I'm an Ignis."
"Fire being." Evra translated for Darren.
"Anyways, I smoke these," Ash raised her stick, "to feed my inner fire."
"Inner fire?"
"I don't look like what you'd expect a being of fire to look like do I."
"Not really. If I had to imagine something like that there would be a lot more red."
"The legends of my people say that our eyes are blue to represent the fire that burns in our souls and that our hair is gray to symbolize smoke." Ash fingered her hair thoughtfully.
"Interesting." Darren nodded. After a few moments he spoke again. "Have you ever thought about having a dancing partner. You could incorporate a waltz or something into your routine."
"I haven't. Why?" Ash turned to look at him.
"No reason. Just curious." Darren shrugged.
"Lets try it!" Ash jumped up excitedly.
"Huh?" Darren and Evra blinked at her blankly.
"Let try a waltz." Ash grabbed Darren's arm.
"B-but I don't know how to dance!" Darren blushed.
"Then I'll teach you!" Ash tugged him over. She placed his hand on her hip, her own hand gripped his shoulder lightly, and snatched his hand in hers. "Alexander! A waltz please." Alexander began to play and Evra laughed at the horrified look on Darren's face.
"Calm down, it isn't that bad." Ash caught the beat of the music easily and began to lead. "1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3." They continued like this for the rest of the day. Darren only messed up a few times and Ash just continued chanting, even when he stepped heavily on her toe. The fire reacted only at certain part of the dance. They ended the dance once the sun hit the horizon.
"I don't think I can do a duet dance." Ash frowned sadly.
"Then why did we dance all day?" Darren asked.
"Because you desperately needed lessons." Ash teased. "You know I think we'll be good friends."
"What makes you say that?" Darren glanced over at her.
"You danced with me all day and didn't complain once."