Author's Note: I'm back with a new chapter. Hope everyone enjoys this one!

The Winter Circus

It was gently snowing in the small town of Bruhl, usually at this time the residents would stay home to keep warm throughout the winter, but today was an exception and not just because it wasn't as cold as usual.

A traveling winter circus and carnival was stopping by on the outskirts of the town and everyone from young couples to families were going there to enjoy a good time.

Welkin and Alicia were also going, hoping to cheer up their daughter Isara a little bit more following the death of the family pet Hans. The young girl seemed to be looking forward to enjoying herself at the place.

"Are there gonna be clowns there daddy?" Isara asked her father as they walked near the entrance.

"Yes. I think a group of them are going to be performing here actually." Welkin replied.

"Really? Can we see them perform? Please mommy?" Isara begged innocently.

"Of course we can." Alicia replied gently.

Isara could only squeal in joy. She had heard about a group of performing clowns called the Dancing Bears in school and that they were going to perform here. Not only that but Isara really wanted to see a clown in person.

After paying for the admission tickets, the family then entered the carnival.

—

Welkin and Alicia could only look on warmly as their daughter looked with wide eyed excitement as she observed her surroundings.

There were a variety of unique games, snack stands selling all kinds of candy, a corn maze covered in snow, and of course, a large red and white tent.

"Well Isara, What would you like to do first?" Welkin asked his daughter gently.

Isara put her finger on her chin thinking about what she wanted to do first. But before she could even come up with an answer she saw someone familiar.

"Marina!" Isara squealed in joy as she ran towards her.

"Isara! Don't run so fast!" Alicia said running after her daughter.

"I-Isara!?" Marina replied in surprise as she got a surprise hug from Isara.

"Hey Marina." Welkin said greeting Marina. They hadn't seen each other since Isara's 5th birthday party.

"Hi Welkin. It's been a while, hasn't it? " Marina said warmly. This seemed to shock both Welkin and Alicia a little bit, he didn't remember Marina being this friendly at all. She was even smiling!

"What are you doing at the carnival?" Alicia asked Marina with a little curiosity.

"Well…" Marina tried to explain as she blushed a little.

"Hey Marina! I'm back with the ice cream! Don't worry about it melting though! They don't call this place the winter circus for nothing!" a young man said as walked towards Marina.

"Oh! Thanks!" Marina said as she received a cone with vanilla favored ice cream.

"Hey! You're blushing a little." he then said as he observed Marina a little closer.

Marina could fluster a little in embarrassment.

Welkin could only look surprised.

"Ted!" He said recognizing one of his former scouts from Squad 7, Ted Ustinov.

"Welkin! Is that you!? Long time no see!" Ted exclaimed.

"How've you been? It's been a while." Welkin asked.

"Fantastic. I'm now a clown with a performance troupe I founded with some of my close pals!" Ted explained with sincere upbeat enthusiasm.

"That's so cool! Are you performing here?" Alicia then asked.

"Yep! Not only that…" Ted said as he held Marina's hand.

"…I have the cutest girlfriend ever!" Ted then exclaimed.

Marina cheeks blushed a deep red within seconds upon Ted saying that.

"Wait? You two are dating!? How did that even happen!?" Alicia exclaimed. Back in the day she had recalled Ted always trying to make Marina laugh in various ways but she seemed to just ignore it.

Marina then regained her composure from blushing.

"After Isara's birthday party, I traveled around Gallia for a little bit thinking it would open my mind more to the world around me. One day I stopped by a circus much like this and saw Ted performing with his friends." Marina explained warmly.

"Yep! You actually laughed at some of the jokes!" Ted exclaimed taking pride.

"We didn't even recognize each other until the show was over. You were so shocked that I was there let alone laughing at your jokes." Marina then said.

"That's not entirely true! I was proud and happy!" Ted said a little embarrassed now.

"Well, regardless, we started seeing each other a little bit after that. Now I'm traveling with him as he performs at various places." Marina said warmly and gently, her voice completely free of the distantness she usually had.

"Along with your pet fox as well! Let me tell ya something, I've never seen an animal like that so well behaved!" Ted exclaimed.

"He has a name Ted." Marina said giggling a little.

"Either way, I'm glad for you Marina. You seem happier." Welkin said.

"I really am. It actually feels good not being alone." Marina admitted.

"What's going on? Do you all know each other?" Isara said with confusion.

Ted proceeded to bend down so he was at Isara's height.

"Hello there! You must be Welkin and Alicia's daughter, Isara." Ted said gently.

"Yep! That's me! Do you know my mommy and daddy?" Isara said giggling a little.

"Yeah! We were friends back in the day." Ted replied.

"Really? That's so cool! Do you know if there are going to be any clowns here?" Isara then asked.

"Actually I am a clown! Not only that I'm a member of, no, the founding member of the Dancing Bears!" Ted exclaimed.

Isara just beamed with surprise and excitement at this point. More so than usual.

"Really!? All the kids at my school are talking about you guys! They think you're really funny!" Isara said gleaming with joy.

"Is that so? Do you like clowns Isara?" Ted then asked.

"Yep! I've always wanted to see a clown in person!" Isara exclaimed with joy.

"Well, I hope you can come see me and my friends perform in an half hour! I can reserve front row seats for you and your parents right now if you want!" Ted then said.

"I'd love to!" Isara said with excitement.

"That'll be great! Thanks so much!" Welkin exclaimed accepting the offer.

"You're welcome!" Ted said.

—

After parting ways with Marina and Ted for the time being, Welkin, Alicia and Isara were now looking around trying to decide on what to do in the meantime before the show.

"What do you want to do Isara?" Welkin asked.

Isara then noticed something. It was game booth of some sort where you had to knock over a stack of cans by throwing a ball to win a prize.

"Can I play it please?" Isara asked her mother.

"Sure. I don't see why not." Alicia said gently.

The man running the game booth explained that you had three chances to knock over the cans as he set up the game. If you knock over all of them you win a prize of your choice.

Isara was handed a white ball and soon eyed the stack. She threw the ball as hard she could at it but she missed.

She was then handed another ball, she threw it at the stack of cans, but again it missed the stack of cans.

"This is hard…" Isara said slightly annoyed.

"Don't worry, Isara. It's just a game." Welkin said trying to comfort his daughter.

"I know daddy…" Isara replied.

Isara was handed one more ball, she held it for a few seconds tightly before finally throwing it.

She knocked over all the cans with one hit from the ball this time around.

"Congrats little girl! You're a winner! What prize would you like?" The man exclaimed.

Isara immediately pointed to a stuffed dark brown teddy bear that looked twice as big as the one she owned.

"I want that one please!" Isara exclaimed.

The man then reached and gave Isara the prize.

As the family walked away from the game, Isara then handed Alicia the stuffed teddy bear she had won.

"For me?" Alicia said a little confused.

"No, it's for the baby, mommy. I hope he or she likes it." Isara explained.

Alicia nearly got teary-eyed when her daughter said that. Isara was really looking forward to becoming an older sister and wanted to give her younger sibling a gift before it was even born. She proceeded to give Isara a soft hug.

"I'm sure he'll love it Isara." Alicia replied gently.

—

Soon afterwards, the time for the show to begin was starting to get closer and closer. Welkin, Alicia and Isara soon approached the red and white tent where the Ted's comedy troupe would be performing. Marina was there waiting for them to arrive.

"You're just in time! He's about to start in 5 minutes!" Marina said as she greeted the Gunthers in front of the tent.

Isara had a wide gleaming smile as she and her family was escorted to three front row seats that had been reserved just for them.

"You sure look really excited." Welkin said observing his little girl.

"Of course I am daddy!" Isara said bluntly but with a very happy look on her face.

Welkin could only smile gently at his daughter.

After a few minutes, the show started, Ted and his friends appeared on the stage in basic clown costume attire and makeup as well as classic round red noses. They even wore polar bear ear headbands.

Isara looked on with pure joy and delight as they appeared on stage.

They soon began to interact and tell a series of cheesy but adorable jokes. A lot of the kids in the audience were already laughing and giggling, Isara included.

—

The show was now almost over. Isara was completely enjoying herself and the show that Ted and his friends were putting on for the audience.

Towards the very end of the show Ted pulled out a beautiful thorn-free red rose from one of the pockets on his clown outfit. The kids in the audience gasped with amazement as he did.

He then proceeded to approach the front row and handed little Isara the rose.

Isara just seemed to glow with pure joy and happiness on her face as this happened.

—

The audience stood up and applauded as the show concluded.

Soon after much of the audience cleared the tent, Ted, now wearing his casual attire, appeared to greet Isara and her family along with Marina.

"Hey there, did you enjoy the show?" Ted said to Isara.

"I enjoyed it very much! Thank you for the rose!" Isara said cheerfully.

"You're welcome! Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Ted then asked Welkin and Alicia.

"We'd love to. But it's starting to get late." Welkin explained.

Isara then approached and hugged Marina.

"I hope you come to my 6th birthday party!" Isara said as she said goodbye to Marina.

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten Isara. I intend to keep my promise." Marina responded gently.

—

After saying their goodbyes to Ted and Marina, the Gunthers began to walk back home, Isara was starting to drift off to sleep as Welkin carried her on his back. Alicia was holding on to the teddy bear that Isara had won as a prize.

"I thought it was so sweet that Isara got this for him." Alicia said gently to Welkin.

"Yeah, she's really looking forward to being a big sister isn't she?" Welkin replied.

"She really is. I can see it in her eyes Welkin." Alicia said gently.

It had been a wonderful day out in spite of the cold weather, They had reunited with Marina, Isara enjoyed a fun time at the circus and also managed to get a gift for her soon to be younger sibling.