As they entered into the realm, there were three flying horses and unicorns there to meet them.
"Greetings! We have been expecting you! Please join us in the main palace! We are eager for your performance!" A flying horse neighed happily, now trotting to lead the way.
As the performers began to follow, Evander pulled Adeline aside gently. "Adeline, it's time for us to do another performance. Here they love high wire and flying acts. However, to keep you safe, you must stay on the griffin at all times."
"Ok." She nodded, but then she grew curious. "But Evander, I have worked with the griffins before and I think I can use my fairy wings instead."
"No young one. Even though you are made like a fairy, you have not used wings before. It is very dangerous to try the first time." Evander warned.
"But Evander, I actually do know how! Look! I practiced as we were traveling to this realm!" she grinned, now flying a bit off the ground and then a few yards into the air. Evander raised an eyebrow but still shook his head.
"Adeline, you will be hundreds of feet in the air. It is too dangerous to try that. Perhaps in another realm, but not right now." He said, now leading her to the main griffin. "Your performance is to ride the griffin to the top of the pole and to take the torch to light the fireworks at the top."
Adeline nodded, but was still very disappointed! She wanted to show Evander her flying skills ever since she heard of this realm.
So she made a different decision. She decided to surprise him anyway!
Later that night…
"Welcome everyone to Cirque Mystique! For our opening performance, Adeline and Colossus will be lighting the fireworks!" Evander boomed proudly in the microphone.
The entire palace clapped in eagerness and then went silent as Adeline mounted the griffin and the griffin took off into the air!
"Ready?" the griffin asked.
"Ready," she smirked, now ready to put her plan into action. Once the griffin was in the air, Adeline proudly flapped her wings at everyone and made them clap even more. Smiling proudly, she then threw the torch and set off a few more of the fireworks.
"MORE!" They cheered.
"Encore!" they cheered even more.
Adeline became so confident that as the griffin began to head towards the ground, she jumped off!
"Adeline!" the griffin said in shock!
"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing!" she giggled, now flapping her wings. Evander's eyes widened in horror and Colossus quickly moved back over to him!
"What's she doing Evander?!" Colossus said in horror.
"She's doing PRECISELY what I said not to do," the young ringmaster growled lowly under his breath. Meanwhile, Adeline was flying higher and higher, getting lost in the cheers of the crowd!
"This is beautiful!" she thought. But what she didn't see was a large firework heading her way! She turned right in time to have it smack her hard against her shoulder and she began spiraling out of control!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, now slapping hard against a column in the palace and then hitting the wall hard.
"Colossus!" Evander said, now turning to his giant friend.
"On it!" Colossus replied, now allowing himself to grow to his full height and catch Adeline before she landed on the hard marble floor. Adeline was so injured that she could barely hear all of the gasps and calls around her.
"Is she injured?!" a unicorn asked.
"Get her to the herb pond," Pegasus said, now coming out and landing in front of Evander and Colossus. "We will take care of her."
"I apologize. But I will see to her personally. We can continue the show later." Evander replied.
"Not to worry. See to the young one first. We will discuss the rest of the performance later," Pegasus replied gently, now licking the young girl's face. "Let me know if you need anything."
"I will. Thank you Pegasus," Evander replied.
"You are most welcome. Now come…I will lead you to the herb pond." He said, now showing them the way briskly.
A few hours later, Adeline's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She looked around and saw that the majority of the performers were looking at her and Evander was also there and definitely looking upset.
"Adeline, are you able to sit up? Are you alright?" Evander asked, now helping her sit up.
"I think so…Evander…I…" she began.
"Adeline." He said sternly, now cutting her off. "You deliberately disobeyed me. I told you not to try to fly because you did not have enough experience. You almost got yourself killed back there."
"But I just wanted…" she tried.
"I am not finished speaking." He said, now making everyone cringe. "You put yourself and everyone else in danger with that flying stunt. For this, you are not allowed to perform for the rest of the time in this realm."
"WHAT?!" She gasped. She wanted to perform more than ever because this realm was like a dream! The entire realm was mostly white! It was covered in white trees, white bushes, and a clear and beautiful lake that flowed through it. The sky was the purest blue here and the fruits were even white with edible clear jewels on them! "You can't do this! I just made a mistake!"
"Mistake or not Adeline; in this realm, we all work together. If you cannot work appropriately with the team, then you cannot perform with the team. I'm sorry." Evander replied, still sternly. But Adeline noticed he wasn't yelling at her. He was stern, but not yelling.
"Fine!" Adeline growled, now standing up and beginning to walk into the white brush.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"None of your business!" she snapped, now angrily disappearing into the forest. A fairy was going to follow, but he stopped her.
"Give her time Melodia. Just…give her time," Evander sighed, now turning back and gathering the rest of the performers.
Meanwhile, Adeline angrily walked towards a large pond and winced as she still was feeling sore from her fall. She let a few angry tears fall into the water when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. As she turned, she saw it was Colossus.
"Want to go swimming?" he offered, now gently nudging her. "You can use a dip in this herb pool to heal up those wounds."
"No thank you," she said angrily.
"Awww come on…the perfect place is in front of us," he chuckled.
"I'm not swimming," she pouted angrily. The giant smirked and arched an eyebrow. He then took off his collar and grew to his full height. He then picked her up gently in his hands, making her let out a uncorked yelp.
"Rule number one young one. Never say 'no' to a giant," he chuckled, now walking out into the water.
"No! No put me down! Put me down!" she demanded.
"As you wish," he laughed gently, now dropping her into a shallow part of the pool. Once she surfaced, Adeline watched as the giant got down on her level and began rubbing his face against her whole body. "Now come now…loosen up."
"C-Colossus, stop it!" she pouted, now pushing on his face and trying to be upset.
"Come on…I know you made a mistake and it's true that Evander did need to punish you, but don't let that ruin your time here," he said gently.
Adeline looked away, still upset but began giggling as Colossus picked her up and placed her on his shoulder as he turned and laid down on his stomach in the water.
"Adeline, you're going to smile even if I have to take you back to the land of the giants and let all of my friends tickle you," Colossus said in a half serious and half playful tone. And with that, he rolled his shoulder and Adeline went sliding down his shoulder and onto his back like a slide!
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She laughed, now landing on his lower back. She shook her head a bit and looked back to see him winking at her.
"See? Now a smile wasn't so bad," he smiled.
"Thanks Colossus. I needed that. Sorry for being a bit rude earlier," she said sadly.
"Don't worry about it. Now HEY! Easy!" he chuckled, now feeling her bare feet walking on his back. Feeling devious, she began wiggling her feet all over the giant's back and then kneeled down and wiggled her fingers on his back.
"GAH! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH ADELINE C'MON!" He laughed, now trying to dislodge her playfully. "Come here and get off of there!"
"Nope!" she giggled, now feeling him bounce her and shake his hips from side to side to playfully get the young girl to fall in the water where he could capture her.
"You little mischief maker! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA C'MON! GET OFF OF ME!" He laughed harder.
"Why?" she teased, now tickling him more.
"B-BEAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA BECAUSE I WANT TO HUG YOU!" He laughed, now making her pause. He then looked at her over his shoulder and she was blushing.
"W-What did you say?" she asked softly. He then smirked and noticed she was near his rump. He then bounced her high into the air, making her shout in surprise. He then turned quickly and caught her in his hands gently.
"I said that I want to hug you," he said gently, now bringing her close to his face and nuzzling her. Adeline giggled as she hugged his large face and felt him continue to nuzzle her more with his nose. "Adeline…we're friends. And perhaps over time, you will confide more in me when something is bothering you. I want you to trust me," Colossus said gently, now pulling his knees up and letting her sit on them.
"I do trust you Colossus. I sometimes wish I was a giant too. That way we could always be friends," she said gently. Her statement made Colossus' eyes widen slightly.
"Do you really want that Adeline?" he asked.
"I-I'm not sure. But I do know that I want someone like you to always be my friend," she said gently.
Colossus chuckled and then tickled her neck with a finger. "Adeline, we're always going to be friends. I promise."
And with that, he then gently placed her down as he put his collar back on and shrunk back down to his human size. But Adeline blushed as he got closer to her and gently took her hands.
"Come. I can see your wounds have been healed. Let's go and have some refreshments before the next show." He said, now seeing her look sadly away. "Hey. No being sad now."
And with that, he began tickling her more. Adeline began laughing and ran out of the herb pool with the playful giant behind her. But as they got out, Adeline turned and gave him a playful push and sent him headfirst into some fluffy bushes.
"Hey! Adeline!" he said in surprise, now squirming to get free. But then he began giggling as she began tickling his bare feet too since his lower half was exposed! "HEY! NOAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! C'MON CUT IT OUT!"
But of course, she wasn't ready yet and kept tickling her good friend. What she didn't see was Evander and Pegasus watching from nearby trees.
"They seem to really get along. Giants typically stick to their own race, but Colossus seems to really enjoy her company." Pegasus said.
"Yes…he does…doesn't he," Evander smiled, now turning to Pegasus. "Giants actually prefer to stick to their own realm, but somehow she won their respect. But she still must be careful. She still hasn't met the giant queen and king."
"Will you be visiting their realm to perform? After all Colossus will be going back soon to celebrate his birthing day." Pegasus said.
"Hmmmm…well….we shall see. The circus has been booked for a few centuries now. But…" Evander smiled as she saw the giant squirm more to get free, but was still stuck as Adeline kept tickling him. He even let out a chuckle as Colossus then wrapped his legs around Adeline and made her laugh. "We just may visit…who knows. Because there appears to be more here that meets the eye."
And with that, Evander and Pegasus disappeared into the bushes to talk about the next performance.
guestsurprise: What do you all think? What will the next realm be? What do you think will happen next?