Chapter 26: Utter Silliness

"I'm tired of red and black costumes."

Amanda had her back to one of the thick poles that supported the main tent. She stuck her head out to peek around one side and then the other. She couldn't see Kurt anywhere. That was bad. She slowly backed away from the pole, keeping a wary eye as she peered into the stands.

The attack came from above and Amanda barely had time to push her mask down on to her face and parry Kurt's blade. He had been clinging to the pole above her, watching her the whole time.

"That's totally cheating!" She shouted. She lunged and Kurt hopped out of the way.

"Why do you always say I'm cheating when I'm winning?" Kurt asked. He circled around her and Amanda followed his movements, staying just out of his range. He thought about how different real fighting was from the choreographed fencing in movies. There was a lot of blade clanging in movies, but when you were actually trying to fence someone, there was more circling and staring than clanging. Except when fencing with Wolfgang; then it was a lot of having your rapier knocked out of your hand and running to retrieve it before he caught you.

They were pretty evenly matched. Whenever Amanda attacked Kurt parried and whenever he attacked. It appeared to Kurt that his best defense was offense and he looked for a way to hide for another ambush.

"Are you going to keep chasing me until you get tired?" Kurt asked. They had only been back from Father Dietrich's for two weeks.

"No, I'm going to keep chasing you until you get tired." She said. She'd backed him up against the stands, but Kurt imagined he was just toying with her, waiting for his chance. Amanda jumped forward. "Ah ha!" She cried, "Prepare to meet your doom. Whoa!"

Christian suddenly appeared out of nowhere and scooped her up on his bicycle as he rode by. Amanda grabbed on to Christian with one hand and braced one of her feet against the front foot peg, balanced on his hip. He had one arm around her and pedaled lazily around the ring. She took off her mask and let it fall to the ground.

"What are you going to do now Amanda?" Christian taunted.

Kurt tried to jump in front of him. "Vile cur! Unhand my sister." He shouted and then jumped out of the way before Christian ran over him.

"She's your foster sister." Christian said.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Unhand that foster sister then." He shouted with renewed enthusiasm.

"But she was winning. I saved your ass." Christian said, still circling the ring.

"Dude, that is so whacked. I can save my own ass." Kurt said briefly switching to English and parrying Amanda's blade as they rode by.

Christian cracked up and almost lost control of the bike. "That was awesome Kurt, you even had the inflection right and everything."

"Thank you." Kurt said with a bow.

"Except, what does 'vhacked' mean?" Christian said with a grin. He slowed down to let Amanda off.

Kurt took off his mask. "I don't know. It's your made up language."

"It's not made up." Christian said indignantly, "most of California talks like that."

"Are you guys still screwing around in here?" Wolfgang asked, walking into the tent.

"Excellent." Said Kurt. "Two against one?"

Wolfgang shook his head. "Nah, one against one. I'll fence in your place while you get measured for your costume." He said.

"Okay, but I'm claiming this as a victory." Kurt said, "Here." He tossed his rapier and his gloves to Wolfgang. Wolfgang held up Kurt's gloves laughing.

"What do you want me to do with these?" He asked.

"Oops. I forgot. Those won't really work for you." Kurt said and took them back. He laughed. "At least I didn't try to lend you my pants."

"I don't know; it would be a lot easier to go to the bathroom." Christian said.

"Eww. That's disgusting," said Amanda.

"That's horrible. I'm never ever lending you any of my clothes." Kurt added, pointing at Christian as he walked outside.

Kurt ducked underneath the low hangings over Lysette's tent door. It was one of the larger ones and served as her living quarters and workspace. Inside it was dark and cool, with a thin carpet covering the power cords that ran her sewing machines. She looked up from her sketchbook when he walked in.

"Ah, how is my favorite body to drape?" She asked in French.

Kurt grinned. He had known Lysette ever since he was a baby. "I'm very well." He said. "How is my favorite body to be draped by?"

"Look at you." Lysette said, standing back and to admire the handsome teenager who had, once a upon time, fit neatly in the crook of her arm. You're all grown up." She pulled him close and kissed him on both cheeks. Kurt backed up and kissed her on the hand like he'd seen in movies.

Lysette giggled. "So romantic! You don't want to run away from the circus with me do you?"

Kurt opened his eyes wide. "You're old enough to be my mother!" he said.

She shrugged. "A woman can dream can't she?" She picked up a tape measure. "So, what are we dressing you as?"

Kurt held his arms up so she could measure around his waist. "As long as it's not red or black I don't care." He said. "I'm tired of red and black costumes."

"But you look so devilishly handsome in red and black."

"That's why I'm tired of it." Kurt said.

Lysette finished writing down Kurt's measurements. "Here, I'll show you want I'm planning." She lead Kurt over to the table where she had been sketching and laid out a few finished drawings.

"Everybody will wear the same base colors; unitards for some, looser garments for others. Shades of grey for the gypsies, shades of brown and green for you." She said, she held up some fabric samples that had subtle variations of darks and lights randomly fading into one another. "I found this fabric. I think it will add more texture than just a flat color."

"It's nice." Kurt agreed.

"Then while they're gypsies they'll accessorize with colored scarves and vests and things. When they have to switch to creatures, they'll go with the base and little props to show what kind of animal they are." Lysette pulled out a sketch showing a wolf with a basic grey unitard wearing a wolf head and fur running down the back.

Kurt nodded approvingly. "What about me?" He asked.

"I'm thinking of something like this for you." She held out a drawing of Kurt wearing a fitted tunic and tight leggings in the promised shades of brown and green.

He smiled. "I like it," he said.

"I'm glad. By the way, do you need any new clothes?" Lysette asked.

"Oh, I do. Everything is too short. I look ridiculous." Kurt gestured to his pants that were a few inches above his ankles.

Lysette gestured at a wooden chest against the side of the tent. "I've got extra fabric in there. If you pick out some you like, I'll make you a few things."

Kurt opened the box and knelt down beside it, picking through its contents. Lysette had been making him clothes for as long as he could remember. She made all of his pants and a few other things as well. Unfortunately her stock of fabrics was more suited to costumes than clothes so Kurt always tried to pick out the most tasteful colors and patterns. Still, nothing he owned ever matched and he had gotten so used to dressing like a circus performer both on and off stage that he hardly noticed anymore.

He handed a few pieces of folded fabrics out to Lysette.

"It's not Paris couture, but it will do right?" She said.

Kurt smiled. "Fashion trends change. I'm sure that in a year or two I'll be all the rage." He said. "Do you want me to send anyone else in?"

Lysette nodded. "Lars or Gretchen. I already measured Petra this morning."

"Okay. And thanks for the pants." Kurt said starting to push through her door hanging.

"It's always a pleasure. And remember my offer if you ever get tired of being an acrobat." She said smiling.

Kurt laughed. "I don't think I ever will, but if I do you'll be the first to know." He ducked through the flap and out into the bright sunshine.

Author's Note: From the moment I saw Nightcrawler's costume in X2 I knew exactly what was happening, because I do the same thing myself. As a costume builder I always have several boxes of scrap fabrics. Most of my clothes are made from the leftovers. (Hence I have pretty eclectic wardrobe. I even have a pair of stripy paints.)