The air hung stagnant in the tent, thick with the scent of sweat and
chalk. Stretched across most of the ring was a great net. Overhead, flyers
swung back and forth on the great trapeze executing gravity-defying
maneuvers before appearing in the catcher's arms.
It was sheer magic, the way time seemed to stop while they were in the air. Common sense would tell you that they were probably only in air for a fraction of a second, but memory would forever freeze them in mid-flight.
Though the flying trapeze was the most expensive act in the circus's show, it was one that couldn't be left out. Even if the patrons didn't enjoy the other acts, it was almost guaranteed that they would like the flying trapeze because it tapped into the urge to fly.
The X-Men almost forgot their mission as they watched the performers rehearse. It was like they'd been put under a spell. When they'd finished up practice, Kurt approached one of the flyers, a young lady named Elspeth Jones . "Wow, that was amazing the way you did that triple somersault," Kurt said.
"Hey thanks." she responded. "The triple somersault's always kind of scary because you can't see the catcher; you just have to trust that he's there." There was kind of a gleam in Elspeth's eyes, almost as though see was a kid trying to keep from blurting out the Secret Of the Universe. She was an impish little thing with bright copper hair.
"How long have you been performing?" asked Kurt.
" I don't know. I've been doing trapeze's long as I can remember," she muttered. To say Elspeth was curious was like saying Lizzie Borden needs to take an anger management course. These people had been snooping around for the past three days, making a mess of everything, causing Mr. Semenov to run out of swears in both English and Russian (He's working on learning French), and now all of a sudden one of those twerps is hanging around practice expressing an interest in our practice.
Elspeth smiled; it was all she could think of to do at a time like this. Over the years, she had accumulated a whole closetful of smiles that she rummaged through from time to time. This one was her "Everything's-Fine-Now- Move-Along" smile.
"So.uhh.I was wondering if I could take a spin on the trapeze?" Kurt stammered.
Elspeth's composure broke and her smile turned into her "This-Yutz- is- Kidding-Right" smile. In her career there had been a few outsiders who'd expressed an interest in her art without being patronizing but none had ever made that request. "Excuse me?"
"Sorry, forgot to explain. I used to be in the circus," Kurt responded.
"Oh really," she said. This was a very nice change of pace. She rarely ever met fellow performers while on tour. "Well in that case, warm up then go talk to Archie. Make sure he knows whatever crazy trick you're going to pull."
Kurt warmed up, concentrating on his rotator cuffs. After he'd sufficiently warmed up, he went and chatted with Archie. Archie had the typical build of a catcher: big, burly and some kind of tattoo on his bicep, in this case the name "Lulu."
Kurt climbed the ladder than waited at the board. Archie swung back and forth, getting his body into the catcher's lock. Once he was secure, Kurt took the trapeze and began swinging back and forth. When he reached his apex, the Archie shouted, "Hep!" Kurt performed a simple layout, twisting his body through the air, before appearing in the arms of the catcher. He was surprised how easily the movements came back to him. Guess it really is like riding a bicycle; you never forget. Archie returned him to his post. He climbed down the ladder and was promptly greeted by his fellow X-Men.
"Wow," Elspeth said, applauding, "you're talented."
Stepping backstage was like falling down Lewis Carroll's rabbit hole. Props of all shapes and sizes lay scattered about; there were brushes and hair ties dumped everywhere. It was nearly in maybe an hour's time it would be show time so it was fairly crowded with performers stretching and discussing tricks with their coaches.
"That's the Coach Semenov over there. He's the Russian Acrobatics coach," said Elspeth. "I wouldn't recommend talking to him; his grasp of English is tentative at best and he is not known for his good nature."
She led them over to a little alcove where Sonja and Mikhail were practicing some of their hand-to-hand tosses. "I'd try chatting with them; probably be more likely to get info from 'em than any of the other Russians."
Scott walked up to Mikhail. He was dressed for performance as was Sonja. "um.excuse me.I," Scott muttered.
"Could you hold on a sec?" Mikhail interrupted. The X-Men watched as Sonja took hold on his head and moved herself into a one-handed handstand. When she was done, she simply leapt off. The X-Men were very much impressed and applauded.
"So what did you need to talk to me 'bout?" he asked. Before the X-Men could respond, he answered, "Oh you want to ask me 'bout the same thing you've been asking Mr. Henrie?"
The X-Men nodded. Mikhail clenched his fists and advanced closer to the X- Men. "Well I know nothing," he growled.
Elspeth stepped in between the two parties. "Wow down tiger. They aren't accusing anyone yet. They were just wondering if we'd seen anything."
Mikhail relaxed. " 'Fraid not much time to talk about anything right now; why don't you come by after the show. " He scratched out something on a piece of paper. "This should get you by the bouncer."
"Thanks," Scott responded. The X-Men went and bought tickets for the evening program.
It was sheer magic, the way time seemed to stop while they were in the air. Common sense would tell you that they were probably only in air for a fraction of a second, but memory would forever freeze them in mid-flight.
Though the flying trapeze was the most expensive act in the circus's show, it was one that couldn't be left out. Even if the patrons didn't enjoy the other acts, it was almost guaranteed that they would like the flying trapeze because it tapped into the urge to fly.
The X-Men almost forgot their mission as they watched the performers rehearse. It was like they'd been put under a spell. When they'd finished up practice, Kurt approached one of the flyers, a young lady named Elspeth Jones . "Wow, that was amazing the way you did that triple somersault," Kurt said.
"Hey thanks." she responded. "The triple somersault's always kind of scary because you can't see the catcher; you just have to trust that he's there." There was kind of a gleam in Elspeth's eyes, almost as though see was a kid trying to keep from blurting out the Secret Of the Universe. She was an impish little thing with bright copper hair.
"How long have you been performing?" asked Kurt.
" I don't know. I've been doing trapeze's long as I can remember," she muttered. To say Elspeth was curious was like saying Lizzie Borden needs to take an anger management course. These people had been snooping around for the past three days, making a mess of everything, causing Mr. Semenov to run out of swears in both English and Russian (He's working on learning French), and now all of a sudden one of those twerps is hanging around practice expressing an interest in our practice.
Elspeth smiled; it was all she could think of to do at a time like this. Over the years, she had accumulated a whole closetful of smiles that she rummaged through from time to time. This one was her "Everything's-Fine-Now- Move-Along" smile.
"So.uhh.I was wondering if I could take a spin on the trapeze?" Kurt stammered.
Elspeth's composure broke and her smile turned into her "This-Yutz- is- Kidding-Right" smile. In her career there had been a few outsiders who'd expressed an interest in her art without being patronizing but none had ever made that request. "Excuse me?"
"Sorry, forgot to explain. I used to be in the circus," Kurt responded.
"Oh really," she said. This was a very nice change of pace. She rarely ever met fellow performers while on tour. "Well in that case, warm up then go talk to Archie. Make sure he knows whatever crazy trick you're going to pull."
Kurt warmed up, concentrating on his rotator cuffs. After he'd sufficiently warmed up, he went and chatted with Archie. Archie had the typical build of a catcher: big, burly and some kind of tattoo on his bicep, in this case the name "Lulu."
Kurt climbed the ladder than waited at the board. Archie swung back and forth, getting his body into the catcher's lock. Once he was secure, Kurt took the trapeze and began swinging back and forth. When he reached his apex, the Archie shouted, "Hep!" Kurt performed a simple layout, twisting his body through the air, before appearing in the arms of the catcher. He was surprised how easily the movements came back to him. Guess it really is like riding a bicycle; you never forget. Archie returned him to his post. He climbed down the ladder and was promptly greeted by his fellow X-Men.
"Wow," Elspeth said, applauding, "you're talented."
Stepping backstage was like falling down Lewis Carroll's rabbit hole. Props of all shapes and sizes lay scattered about; there were brushes and hair ties dumped everywhere. It was nearly in maybe an hour's time it would be show time so it was fairly crowded with performers stretching and discussing tricks with their coaches.
"That's the Coach Semenov over there. He's the Russian Acrobatics coach," said Elspeth. "I wouldn't recommend talking to him; his grasp of English is tentative at best and he is not known for his good nature."
She led them over to a little alcove where Sonja and Mikhail were practicing some of their hand-to-hand tosses. "I'd try chatting with them; probably be more likely to get info from 'em than any of the other Russians."
Scott walked up to Mikhail. He was dressed for performance as was Sonja. "um.excuse me.I," Scott muttered.
"Could you hold on a sec?" Mikhail interrupted. The X-Men watched as Sonja took hold on his head and moved herself into a one-handed handstand. When she was done, she simply leapt off. The X-Men were very much impressed and applauded.
"So what did you need to talk to me 'bout?" he asked. Before the X-Men could respond, he answered, "Oh you want to ask me 'bout the same thing you've been asking Mr. Henrie?"
The X-Men nodded. Mikhail clenched his fists and advanced closer to the X- Men. "Well I know nothing," he growled.
Elspeth stepped in between the two parties. "Wow down tiger. They aren't accusing anyone yet. They were just wondering if we'd seen anything."
Mikhail relaxed. " 'Fraid not much time to talk about anything right now; why don't you come by after the show. " He scratched out something on a piece of paper. "This should get you by the bouncer."
"Thanks," Scott responded. The X-Men went and bought tickets for the evening program.