Foreign and Domestic
a Bug's Life
fanfic
by
C. "Sparky" Read
Chapter Four
"You want me to do what? So you all can do what??"
"He's not taking it vell," Heimlich whispered to Slim, who covered his face with his hands.
P.T., purple in the face, stood outside his office surrounded by his performers. "How can you all come to me, tell me you want to cancel our show - and not only that, but you want to cancel it so you can go to - " He swallowed. "The other circus in town?"
"P.T.," pleaded Gypsy, "Tuck and Roll are like...well, family members. That kind of makes Farkas' circus...er, relations." She tried to ignore the looks of disgust most of the others displayed at that comment.
The flea stood in silence a minute, the others watching him cautiously. Finally, he waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, all right," he says. "I guess it's just as well. I do have a project I could work on."
Francis frowned in confusion. "You? A project? What kind?" The ladybug stepped back at the glower P.T. threw at him.
"The kind meant to improve this circus, Spots." P.T. folded his arms. "Okay, all of you, go on. And don't buy any concessions there!" he shouted after them as they turned to leave. "No need to give them your monetary business - those passes were free, you know. ...Never thought I'd live to see the day," muttered the flea as he retreated back inside his office.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Slim looked around. "P.T. would have a conniption if he saw this," he pointed out.
"Ja. Ve neffer get an audience like this." Heimlich watched as the stands got fuller by the second. "Efferyone in town is here!"
"It's only because our show was cancelled," said Gypsy firmly. "At least half of these bugs would be across town with us if it hadn't."
Manny nodded. "Too true, my dear."
"Sh, it's starting," mumbled Francis around a piece of popcorn he had bought despite P.T.'s warning.
Farkas stepped out into the center ring, and the show began. First up was Ciki, who awed the audience with his swordswallowing act. He finished up by lighting a match and spewing fire out over the stands. ("He must be warming up the crowd," Slim commented, and got punched in the arm by Francis.)
Then Bozme strode out into the ring and bench-pressed an entire pot of mustard. Gypsy was seen to swoon a little - thankfully not by Manny.
"I'll admit this circus is more...exciting than ours," whispered Rosie to Dim as Bozme swaggered off.
"But ours is fun," responded Dim morosely.
Next up was Izo and Szara. The tarantula, whip flashing, drove the scorpion around the ring several times, then up onto a spool, where she stood, snapping her pincers impressively. The audience squealed and cringed, and Dim sniffled sadly. Rosie patted him sypathetically. A few more tricks, and the act was over.
"And now," boomed Farkas through a megaphone as Izo and Szara made their exit, "the lovely and agile Bovli will traverse the highwire without a net."
The crowd looked up to spot the lestes, her wings bound behind her back, step onto the highwire. At her advanced age, she looked neither lovely nor agile. Farkas must have been using the same introduction for decades.
"My goodness," whispered Gypsy, eying the fragile-looking Bovli, "isn't that dangerous?"
"That's the point, Gypsy," Slim told her, irritated. "That Farkas is a madman."
"But the audience is enjoying it," Heimlich pointed out.
"That's not enjoyment, that's a cold sweat," grunted Francis.
Bovli reached the other end of the highwire and the audience erupted into relieved applause.
"But that is not all, ladies and gentlemen," announced Farkas immediately. "Vlad Farkas' Greatest Big Circus in the World is proud to announce the return of two of its most famous performers, the twin pillbugs, Tookva and Roolna!"
"There they are!" hissed Rosie as the pillbugs rolled into the ring and popped open.
"Ooh, I'm afraid to vatch!" whimpered Heimlich, covering his eyes with his hands. "I know it's going to be a dangerous act!"
"Our daring pillbugs will defy death as they hurtle through the Rings of Fire and over the Wall of Needles!"
Slim frowned. "Say, this sounds rather familiar."
Heimlich just trembled. "Tell me ven it's over," he whined.
Ciki reemerged into the ring, and breathed some fire at a pair of hoops Bovli had lowered from the top of the tent. They blazed up, soliciting an "oooh!" from the audience.
"Yeah well, what about this Wall of Needles thing?" Francis demanded.
Bozme appeared, toting a large piece of cardboard with about a hundred needles sticking through it. He stood it up just a few inches from one of the flaming hoops.
"There is no possible way they could avoid hitting that!" protested Manny, turning greener than usual.
Gypsy wrung her hands. "They're going to get killed!"
"Ve should stop ze act!" announced Heimlich, not uncovering his eyes.
Tuck and Roll loaded themselves into the cannon, which Ciki aimed at the row of hoops. Bozme, his mustard pot held over his head, stepped up beside the cannon's bulb.
"No! No! Cancel the act!" cried Slim, waving his arms frantically.
But it was too late. Bozme dropped the mustard pot onto the bulb, and the pillbugs shot out. They zoomed through the Rings of Fire...
"Oh no!" screamed Rosie, cringing.
...and at the last second uncurled themselves, just missing the Wall of Needles and landing deftly on their feet on the other side.
There was silence under the Big Top for several seconds, then the audience burst into wild cheering. P.T.'s performers slumped in their seats with a groan.
"Now I'm really glad P.T. can't see this," grunted Slim.
"Is it over?" sniffled Heimlich behind his hands.
