Foreign and Domestic
a Bug's Life
fanfic
by
C. "Sparky" Read
Chapter Two
VLAD FARKAS' GREATEST BUG CIRCUS IN THE
WORLD
EXCITEMENT, DEATH-DEFYING ACTS OF BRAVERY
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"Very nice," remarked Slim as he, Francis, Heimlich, and Rosie read the flyer. "They forgot: 'And we're so much better than P.T.'s silly little circus too.'"
"Come on," said Rosie. They approached the red and purple tent.
"Excuse us," Heimlich timidly addressed the hunched-over clickbeetle who was standing outside, polishing a plastic toothpick sword on a piece of grass. "May we please see our friends - "
"Rraghh!" roared the clickbeetle. Heimlich squealed in fright and hid behind Slim.
The clickbeetle chuckled amusedly, and Francis stormed up to him.
"Listen, pal," he growled. "Either you let us in there, or there's gonna be some real trouble, get it?"
"I get it," rumbled another voice. P.T.'s performers whirled around. The paper wasp standing there cracked his knuckles. "Real trouble is my favorite hobby."
The circus bugs stared at the paper wasp in surprise for a moment. He was simply the oddest-looking bug they had ever seen. Like all wasps, he had a delicate, pointed face, and a thread-thin waist; but his abmodmen, thorax, and limbs were so swollen with muscles that the overall effect was both disturbing and impressive at the same time. The wasp strode forward. "I trust Ciki here was not...bothering you...litsa?" He directed the end of his question to Rosie, with what could only be called a lustful smile playing across his pointed face. He reached for her hand, but she shied away.
"Ah, forgive my impertinance," smirked the wasp, straightening up. "I have not yet introduced myself. I am Bozme, greatest strongbug this world has ever seen, and ever will see."
Francis rolled his eyes.
"You have met my companion Ciki," the wasp went on, motioning towards the clickbeetle, who was leaning on his sword and regarding the party with barely concealed interest. "He does not speak English. But I - " he leaned back towards Rosie - "do." He winked. Rosie stepped backwards.
"We came to see Tuck and Roll," she said evenly.
"Ah!" Bozme exclaimed, straightening up again. "Our little estranged trapeze act! You must be from the flea's circus, yes?"
"Yes," confirmed Slim. "Can you direct us to - "
"Now why would you want to see them," interrupted the wasp, sidling up to Rosie, "when you could allow me to give you a tour of our fabulous circus? I could show you..." he paused, "...the scorpion - Unless, of course, your companions - " here he looked pointedly at the clowns - "are afraid...?"
"Hey!" shouted Francis. "You calling us cowards?"
"Francis, no!" warned Heimlich. "Ve came to see Tuck and Roll - "
"Yeah but this guy's a jerk," grumbled the ladybug.
Slim put a hand on Francis' shoulder. "All the better reason to ignore him," the walkingstick said firmly.
"We came to see our friends," announced Rosie, drawing herself up to her full height and looking Bozme in the eye. "Nothing else."
Bozme hesitated, clearly surprised by the spider's courage and determination. Then he relaxed and his smirk returned. "Certainly,litsa," he said warmly. "But we do not want the tent to become too crowded, yes? You will come with me, and your escorts shall remain outside."
"But - " began Heimlich.
"Outside," repeated Bozme, not turning around.
"Stay out here, you guys," sighed Rosie, who didn't want to blow their chance of anyone getting to see Tuck and Roll at all.
The clowns grumbled in reluctant agreement, and Bozme led Rosie inside the dark tent. Ciki went back to polishing his sword and grinning sinisterly at the trio, who retreated a good foot away to sit and wait.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
"Welcome to our humble little Big Top." Bozme tried to get Rosie to take his arm as they walked and she admantly refused. "It is not flashy but it has seen many a grand performance," he went on, still grinning. "Ah yes," he said, stopping in his tracks, "the very canvas has eyes."
Rosie stopped as well, and peered around the dark tent. Bozme may have been more right than he realized; Rosie felt like she was being watched. She sighed. "Where are - "
"Tookva and Roolna, yes," Bozme finished for her shortly. "Must things always come back to them? Come, let me show you the scorpion. Surely a black widow spider thrives on danger." He looked into her eyes. "And our scorpion is very dangerous."
"I'm sure." Rosie looked around. "Well, if your tour only involves the wildlife I will just have to show myself around. Good bye." And she scuttled off.
Bozme started to go after her, then paused. He watched Rosie disappear into the shadows. "Litsa," he grinned to himself, glad Rosie didn't know quite what that word implied. He lingered there in the darkness.
Rosie rounded the dusty cannon and slowed down, treading carefully. The interior of the huge tent was very dark and she didn't want to trip on anything...
Unfortunately she tripped on something anyways. "Ouch!" cried the something. "Hetva skri froko!"
"Uh - I'm sorry," apologised Rosie, climbing back to her feet. Looking around, she saw the source of the voice: an aged female lestes, lounging against the cannon.
"Sorry, hah," grumped the lestes in broken English. "Everyone, always sorry." She sat there on the ground, barely propped up. "I used to be sorry," she went on. "No more." She frowned at Rosie. "Who're you?"
"I'm...I'm Rosie," responded the black widow hesitantly. "I - I came to see Tuck and Roll. Do you know where they are?" The lestes blinked. "Uh...Tookva and Roolna?" clarified Rosie.
The lestes' eyes widened a bit. "Ah!" she said. "Yes! Our little lost boyos. Yes, they are here."
Rosie heaved a sigh of relief - perhaps someone was finally going to help her find her friends. "Can you tell me where - " she began, but the lestes cut her off.
"Yes, old Bovli has lived to see the day little Tookva and Roolna were caught. Bah," she spat in the dust. "If they could only have stayed away from the trapeze they would have lived happy. But no, the circus is in their blood. Is a shame."
Rosie frowned. "What...what do you mean?"
Bovli bobbed her wrinkled head. "I mean they run away, they get caught, end of fairy tale." The lestes coughed and settled back against the cannon. "It wasn't the first time, but I wager it's the last. Farkas won't let them go again so easily. Although they were smart this time, eh? They crossed a whole ocean. But not good enough."
Rosie was getting a dismal idea of what was going on. "They'd run away before?" But she went on before Bovli could answer. "Where are they now?"
Bovli waved a hand towards the back flap of the tent. "Out there," she responded shortly. "They are working."
Rosie nodded and headed toward the back flap, but came up short when a hand shot out of the darkness and clamped onto her arm.
"You will see the scorpion now, litsa."
