This is a shift day [see above]. There will be another upload this afternoon: A Moment That Shaped You.

"You'll Find Wonder"

21. Welcome to the Great Big Show

They were gathered and taken to get ready for the show. This would be the first time they were all brought together in a close setting. They still kept Tamrin in her own corner, as they did with Anro, though they were far enough that they couldn't really interact. The Doctor still couldn't help but look at them, observe. Tamrin was being readied like a warrior heading into battle. Her face was strong, determined, like she was itching for a fight. Anro was restless in his cage, so he guessed the efforts to rile him up had worked. The Doctor was the only one there who could understand the growls for their meaning, and he knew the beast man they called Roar was just doing what he had to do in order to survive.

"Don't worry about them, Time Lord," Dex came up to him. "She won't kill him. She knows she's not allowed to take it that far." He looked down at his old friend and did something like a double take when he saw his costume. He had been dressed to look every bit like the young boy he appeared to be, maybe even younger, to further mislead the spectators when he would display his incredible strength. "Watch your words now," Dex glared before moving away.

The Doctor looked back to the rest of them. Red had been stripped of his shirt and shoes, given a loose pair of white pants accented in red. Meran had also lost his shirt, in his case not to show bright red skin but rather to show his muscles and all that which would inevitably identify him as 'not normal' to the people who came to see him. And there was Annidae, in the light gauzy dress they had seen her in the night before.

"Hold on..." he realized then, just as the woman came at him trying to get him undressed, yanking at his jacket. "Now, no, sorry..." he tried to get away.

"It's alright now, don't be scared, we're just going to get you ready for your act," she persisted like a kindly grandmother. "Now, what is your act?" she asked, as the Doctor managed to wriggle out of her grasp, straightening up his coat.

"No, it's alright, see?" he gestured to his clothes. "Already have my costume, don't I look dashing?" he nudged his bow tie. "Although... could go for a hat," he mumbled to himself. The woman just shrugged and walked away.

"Anni..." The Doctor turned to see Nicholas had arrived. The boy went to Annidae, as he would, her official attendant. But then right behind him came the girls. He made not to look invested in their presence, but then they came right up to him.

"Hello, Doctor, let me introduce you. This is Lucy, she'll look after you tonight. You're both new, usually they would put you with someone who's been here longer, but Lucy is... well, she's already a hero here, so... I'll let you get ready, you're on second after Annidae," Violet pointed her out, playing very well as though the Doctor and Quinn didn't know each other. Quinn looked to the girl, mouthing a 'thank you,' and Violet smiled as she went off.

"I see you two made up," he looked to the blonde.

"Yeah, you wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?" Quinn guessed.

"And a hero?" he went on.

"Long story," she told him, and they paused. It was the first time they could speak, could stand within talking distance all day, and they were both relieved for it. "Are you alright?" she reached to the cut on his forehead and he cringed.

"I've seen worse."

"Maybe it's time you looked for a new hobby then," she continued inspecting the damage on him. "Seriously, you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he assured her.

"Have you found out anything, about the man who brought me here?" she had to ask, though from the look on his face she guessed her own face showed how, for the time being, it wasn't her primary concern anymore. it made him smile for a moment, but for her question he toned it down.

"I'm afraid the news isn't great so far," he told her. "He has been here," he confirmed.

"He's the one who brought the aliens here," she stated.

"And word is he could still be around, so we'll keep a look out."

"But you've never seen him," she pointed out.

"No but I know what he looks like," his eyes went to Annidae as she was led toward the entrance to the ring. The sounds of the crowd, which had been going for some time now, became hushed again, and the Doctor and Quinn knew what this meant. Everyone backstage knew as well, as they began to move away from the opening in the tent and turned away from it, shutting their eyes. The Doctor took Quinn's arm and made her do as the others were. She looked to him and he signaled for her to shut her eyes.

"You never explained that one, what does she do?" Quinn whispered.

"The light comes from her eyes," he explained, as even with their eyes closed they could feel that light wash over them. "It affects people, to look at it."

"Affects them how?"

"Last night when we left, you felt some of it, didn't you," he let her remember.

"I felt... something," she slowly recalled. "Like I just wanted to get close again."

"It pulls you in, enthralls you, lowers certain restraints," you understand.

"Hypnotized," she spoke.

"In a sense, yes. And who knows what these people here will do while she's got everyone in her trance."

"All her people are like that?" she asked, but then the activity resumed and they were forced to put a pin in the conversation.

"I believe my show is about to start," he told her with a smirk, moving toward the entrance to the ring, from which Nicholas was leading Annidae.

"Wait, you're actually going to go out there?" Quinn followed him. "What are you going to do for an act?" she asked. He reached in one pocket and another, searching, thinking. Eventually he pulled his hands back, empty.

"I'll think of something."

"Be careful, alright? You're already banged up as it is," she looked him over.

"They probably won't notice, they'll still be slightly confused from the effects of the light," he shrugged. "Stay here," he stopped her there, just as he was led out to enter the ring. "Watch me go," he gave her a smirk and she laughed.

He walked out into the low light, came to stand at the center and there the lights did increase some. The crowd was as he had assumed, still a bit spaced out, though they were coming back to their senses, none the wiser.

"Hello, everyone. I'm the Doctor," he announced, holding his arms out. There was some light applause, and he frowned. If he was going to be made to perform, then he would perform. He just wished he had found the time to consider what this act might be. If he didn't come up with something quick, he would get kicked out, and any progress they had made would be lost. "Sorry, stage fright, first time," he tried to sound lighthearted. The crowd began to boo. "Now, hold on, let me just..."

He had been turning about when something caught his eye, in the back of the pack. He made as though he hadn't seen anything, but as he reached back in his pockets, looking for something, anything to keep the spectators distracted, he took another look. And when his eyes swept by again, to make absolutely sure, even though his vision had yet to fail him, even at a glance, he saw him again. It was the face, the one he had seen when Annidae had let him take a walk through her mind's eye, her memories. That was the time agent, the one who had taken Annidae, and Dex, and Meran, Red, Tamrin and Anro... and Quinn.

"What do I have, what do I have..." The further his hand disappeared into his pockets, his whole body twisting into the effort, the more the crowd turned, the boos turning into laughter... They thought he was some sort of clown. "Works for me," he muttered to himself, digging in. "Oh, that's where that went, I thought I'd lost it back with Cleo... Never mind..."

So far the man hadn't seen him, he was fine to keep stalling. But what was he going to do? If he went after him now, he would be blowing his cover, but then if he waited he could lose him. As soon as the show was over he would get tucked away in the tent with the other four and that would be that. He had to go, now, or he would miss his chance. He had pulled her into this, the infiltration into the circus, on the promise that he would get her home. He had promised her first, he had to honor that. The moment he ran though...

The time agent had just been watching, but then... Their eyes met, for just a second, and when the Doctor looked back, he was gone, the tent flap waving in the wind... He had made a break for it, and now he had no choice.

"Terribly sorry, I've gone and left it in my other coat, excuse me." And the Doctor ran.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)