The next morning when Setsuna took Konoka down to the re-built Colosseum where the opening show would be held for the circus she was nervous. She was so nervous that she rambled on to Konoka about how the Colosseum was used for the holding shows for the circus component of the palace that was held every month after the opening show along with the rest of the normal functions of the palace. She didn't know what Konoka would think of her as after she read the story. She'd killed her best friend. Setsuna could still remember seeing the body fall from the ledge, lifeless like the strings cut from a puppet. As they walked down the corridor of the Colosseum that led towards the main area Setsuna snuck a side glance to Konoka. She had been strangely quiet on the way here, distracted almost.
"So…how much have you read of the story?" Setsuna asked her, watching carefully for her reaction.
"Hmmm," Konoka looked down thoughtfully. "Well not much. I got distracted because I heard some weird noises coming from Haruna's room."
"Really…?" Setsuna said, confused.
"Yep it sounded like crazed laughter," Konoka said. She looked at Setsuna seriously, "Does Haruna have problems?"
"Um not that we know of…" Setsuna said.
At that moment they heard someone shout gleefully, "It's alive!"
Haruna was standing at the end of the corridor, hands on her hips with a sketchpad and a quill in both hands. As Setsuna slapped her forehead with her hand Konoka stifled a grin.
"So what else did you read?" Setsuna asked her, glaring at Haruna. There was a pause.
"The part after the Queen asked for the gypsy's help. The part where the prince was imprisoned for treason while his warriors searched for the captain's body," Konoka said softly.
Setsuna stiffened. She felt Konoka's eyes on her, piercing as if they were peering right into her soul. She was watching Setsuna, her face unreadable. A rectangular shadow was splayed across her face.
Setsuna could still remember sitting in the hollow cave in the mountains her wings and wrists bound, with her father guarding her. He hadn't even looked at her once not even when they'd put the blind-fold on for the execution.
"What else?" Setsuna asked, swallowing. Her voice sounded like gravel.
Konoka didn't take her eyes off her and Setsuna thought there was something sympathetic in her eyes.
"Just the part when they found the captain's body in the river," Konoka said in the same soft voice.
Setsuna felt her throat constrict. She remembered that too. It'd been a little over 20 years but she could still see it in her mind. Fingers grasped hers-Konoka's. She gestured to the wall where a rune was etched into it, one that looked like a sleek inverted v with a line across it.
"What's this?"
"That's what we use to open the show. You just have to touch it," Setsuna said.
"I've never heard of runes doing that before," Konoka said.
"It's Yue and Al's work," Setsuna said. "Yue was researching energy and heat. She wanted to see if you could extract energy from people and harness it to use it as power sources."
"How do you do that?" Konoka looked at her, confused.
"A needle," Setsuna replied, her hand going to her arm sub-consciously. Catching Konoka looking at her questioningly Setsuna said hastily, "Not that I had anything to do with it."
Konoka's eyes crinkled at the corners, a slight smile curving the corners of her lips, "So this rune controls the lights?"
"Yes. It responds to heat and energy which in turn connects to thoughts in the brain," Setsuna said. "All you need is one person to stand here and use it. It's usually Yuuna's job."
Setsuna took Konoka's hand, tugging her gently down to the end of the corridor beside Haruna.
"Hey guys," Haruna said when they approached.
"Morning Haruna," Konoka said. She looked out across the arena. The cages were gone and in their place, was a tight-rope set up connected to two platforms. Konoka said, "What happened to the Colosseum? Where're the robots and the cages and the platforms?"
"Look up there," Setsuna gazed up to the ceiling. Konoka followed suit-and her eyes grew big, her mouth opening in surprise.
There, hanging from the ceiling was a net of shimmering, golden light that was riddled with runic letters. Each robot was sitting or lying on the net as if they were made out of air. Some were playing Go Fish or poker with one another. Others were louging around. Some were talking animatedly to one another.
"..They weren't like that before," Konoka said slowly, astounded.
"Yeah well," Haruna tapped her chin, watching them thoughtfully. "It's the magic in the air. The only other time it's happened is when the Colosseum was burnt down. We re-built it just like how we did now and it was…stronger than this."
"The robots went wild. We had an uprising on our hands," Setsuna said.
"Did you make that?" Konoka asked Setsuna, "The net?"
"That would be Al's work," Setsuna said. She paused, looking around and asked Haruna, "Where is he anyway?"
"Teleported out when he did this," Haruna said, shrugging.
"Haruna!" Ayaka called. "Get the sky up!"
"Sky?" Konoka echoed.
"Yep," Haruna winked at her. She ripped out a page, etching a line in with a flourish and clicked her fingers.
A canvas of white stars spilled forth from the page, shooting across the air in miniature blurs. They spread out across the ceiling, settling in haphazard spots and suddenly, velvet and black colours seeped across the air like ink, blotting out the net and robots until the ceiling became a canvas of night-time sprinkled with shining white orbs.
"Y'know…" Haruna said coyly, "We don't usually do this at rehearsals. I just make the platforms and create all the props and stuff not the ceiling but Setsuna here wanted you to see-mppppf!"
Setsuna clapped her hand over Haruna's mouth, plastering a strained smile over her face, "I just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Konoka was giggling behind her hands, the corners of her eyes crinkled upwards in a heart-stopping smile. It was enough for Setsuna to loosen her hold.
Taking Setsuna's hand away from her Haruna said with an even bigger grin, "That's what she wants you to thin-"
Setsuna shoved Haruna away, glowering at her just as Ayaka shouted Haruna's name. Ayaka was storming towards them, a vein popping in her head. She had what looked like autumn leaves in her hair and was sopping wet for some reason.
"Hey boss!" Haruna said, beaming at her as she reached them. "You look like you could use a drink. Here why don't you have some of-"
"Enough!" Ayaka cut her off, composing herself and closing her eyes.
With her eyes still closed, Ayaka raised a finger pointing at the ceiling. The robots' feet were still visible, poking through the kaleidoscope of lights and stars.
"Oh you're worried about that?" Haruna said dismissively, waving her hand. "Easy fix! I'll just get some ink from my room. Be back in a few!"
Whistling, she strode past them down the corridor. Turning to them, Ayaka muttered something about loose cannons and psychopathic, delusional people. She had a furrow in her brow, a troubled look on her face. Of course she looked as immaculate and refined, elegant as ever even if she was wearing a coconut bra and hulu skirt with a broad-shouldered red coat tapered at the waists. She had her hair tied up in braids, bangs pulled back making her look like an exotic princess.
"I thought you didn't want to wear that," Setsuna said, looking at her in surprise. "This is just rehearsal."
Ayaka's expression darkened, her lips forming a slight scowl.
"Al sped up the date of the show. We're opening tomorrow we have to rehearse now," Ayaka said.
"Why would he do that?" Setsuna frowned. "That makes no sense. Konoka might not be able to perform well if she's not prepared."
Ayaka glanced at Konoka, "I assume he's testing her. What is it that you can do?"
"I'm really flexible," Konoka beamed.
"You can be with Makie then for the opening and hold the mirror," Ayaka said. She gestured for them to follow and walked down to a girl who was twirling a ribbon in the air gracefully, making large loops and hoops with effortless grace, "Follow me."
As they got closer the girl started to go faster and began to make animal shapes-a lion, a zebra, a bear in rapid fire succession. The shapes hung there, then the lion roared and the zebra galloped away. The bear didn't move. Makie snapped her wrist and the lion and bear were suddenly fighting one another. Setsuna waited until Makie drew to a swift halt, the lion and bear melding together and the ribbons dropping to the floor in a smooth arc.
Noticing Konoka and Setsuna the girl waved at them, "Hi!"
Nudging Konoka forwards (she looked kind of apprehensive), Setsuna said, "Makie. This is Konoka she's going to be helping you and Yuuna."
Konoka looked around, "But I don't see any-"
"Boo!" Someone tackled Konoka from behind, making her stagger.
A girl with tied up rough light brown hair and twinkling blue eyes was hugging Konoka from behind in a bear hug. It was Yuuna, another girl that helped at the show.
"Um c-can y-you p-please g-get off me?" Konoka stammered.
Yuuna let go, laughing, "Sorry I thought I'd have some fun with you."
"This is Yuuna she's a show-girl. She helps with the opening act with Makie," Setsuna said. She added as Yuuna winked at her, "She's friendly, just very playful."
"Yep," Yuuna said. "Makie's the gymnast in the act but I've got some other tricks."
"What kind of tricks?" Konoka asked nervously, standing close to Setsuna.
"Imitation," Yuuna said with a slow grin that stretched from ear to ear.
Right in front of their eyes she started to change, her hair growing longer, straightening and darkening a shade into chocolate brown. Her eyes changed to the same colour, deep, rich and warm. She shortened a few inches, her clothes sagging as her body thinned, becoming visibly curvier at the hips and waist. Within seconds an exact replica of Konoka was standing in Yuuna's place.
"I'm a shape-shifter," Yuuna said in Konoka's voice, grinning. "I can change into anyone I've seen down the last detail and copy everything including their voice."
"That is…" Konoka said, staring at her.
"It's freaky I know but-"
"That is so cool!" Konoka gushed, her eyes shining. "You look exactly like me. I've never met anyone here who could shape-shift before."
"Here?" Ayaka looked at her. "What do you mean here?"
"Oh! I meant on my travels," Konoka said with a small laugh. "You know I've been travelling across the country but I've never met any human shapeshifters before. I rarely see any."
Something nagged at Setsuna's mind. That didn't make sense. Human shapeshifters were common. It was one of the most common abilities to have for people who had magical powers. Then again people who had magical powers weren't that common either. It was one of the main attractions for people who came to this place to watch their shows.
"Well let's start by sorting out your clothes," Ayaka said though she was still looking at Konoka slightly suspiciously.
She opened the box and pulled out a long, red royal-looking coat that was tapered at the middle so the bottom spanned out with gold trims, buttoned cuffs with large sleeves and tasselled gold shoulder-pads, a wide-rimmed, glittering red bowler hat with a fluffy pink feather threaded into the side, a loose, fitting white dress shirt and a pair of tight-fitting red shorts that were extremely, extremely short.
"I have to wear that?" Konoka said.
"Yes," Ayaka said. "It's showy but not too much and reveals the right amount of skin. You'll be wearing knee-high boots as well on the day so really, you're covered. You can go get changed in my dressing room."
Konoka took the clothes and paused, seeming to have seen something in the line of the stitching, "There's a name here…Sayo Aisaka. Who is she?"
Suddenly looking uncomfortable Ayaka said, "She lived at the palace a long time ago."
"She's a ghost!" Twin voices chorused from behind Setsuna.
Jumping Setsuna almost shot ten feet into the air. She whirled around, annoyed. Two small girls with pink hair were standing behind her, their hands behind their backs. They had identical impish grins plastered on their faces with large innocent blue eyes.
"Don't ever do that again," Setsuna said.
"Is that her?" The twin with the ponytail asked excitedly, inching her head around Setsuna.
"Yes," Setsuna said. "And I would ask you not to stare at her like a zoo animal."
"Oh it's alright Secchan," Konoka said. In a quieter voice she asked, "Ghost?"
"She lived here a long time ago. Her ghost is still here" Setsuna said. As the colour faded from Konoka's face she added quickly, "She's harmless really."
"I'm Fumika!" The twin with the ponytail chirped.
"And I'm Fuuka," The twin with her hair done in a bun added.
"What are you two doing here?" Ayaka sighed. "Didn't I ask you two to look after the garden at the back of the palace?"
"Yeah but Fumika wanted to see the new girl!" Fuuka said.
"They're part of the circus show as well," Setsuna said to Konoka as her expression turned more and more confused.
"We're ribbon twirlers and acrobats!" They sang.
Fuuka demonstrated by taking Makie's twirling ribbon from her and swung it downwards, flicking her wrist. As she did her twin did a hand-stand, hopping over the ribbon as Fuuka spun it so it lashed out. The ribbon swirled around in a mini hurricane, whipping through the air and got caught around Setsuna in a cacoon of pink.
"Girls…" Setsuna said dangerously. Sheepishly, Fuuka dropped the ribbon twirler.
"Why don't you two go over there?" Ayaka suggested as Setsuna's fingers twitched.
"Ok come on Fumika," Fuuka said nervously, tugging her sister back.
As they hurried over to the seats their forms started to change. They seemed to grow taller all of a sudden older then just as quickly shrank even lower than their original size then grew taller again.
"What are they…?" Konoka asked.
"We don't think they're shape-shifters because they can't change into anyone else," Setsuna mumbled as Makie carefully unwound the ribbon from Setsuna. "But we don't really know what they are. We found them hiding in the Colosseum one night from the rain starving. They had scratches all over them and they were bleeding."
"They haven't really changed though I mean they still look the same," Yuuna said. "It's really weird. We think they had a spell cast on them when they were babies or something."
"How old are they?"
"We don't really know," Setsuna said.
"I've got a bet with Haruna that they're immortal and had a spell cast on them ages ago when they were babies but they just don't know it," Yuuna chuckled.
"That's a pretty wild guess," Konoka said blinking.
"I've known them for eight years now and they look exactly the same as they did when I first saw them. It's a good bet," Yuuna said.
"Well in any case go get dressed," Ayaka said, giving her the clothes. "You can get changed in one of the dressing rooms out in the back of the entrance."
Konoka hesitated,shifting slightly and said, "It's kind of dangerous out there. Can Secchan come with me?"
Three pairs of eyes snapped to Setsuna. Yuuna was smirking. Ayaka was giving her a look that was reminiscent of a disapproving mother and Makie's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets.
"Secchan huh?" Yuuna's grin was as wide as a hyena's. She wriggled her eye-brows suggestively, "You guys have already gotten to know each other huh?"
Shooting daggers at her Setsuna took Konoka's hand, walking past them with her towards the back wings. She could hear Yuuna laughing. Beside her Konoka was trying not to smile.
"Don't call me that," Setsuna told her when they got to the corridor that led to back-stage.
"You sounded like you liked it yesterday," Konoka said sweetly. "You even laughed."
She was fluttering her eyelids at her.
"Um well I…that wasn't…" Setsuna spun on her heel, looking up at the ceiling of the corridor and pointed with her hand, "Just go get changed."
Konoka giggled, walking past her just as Haruna rushed back into the Colosseum, sketch-pad in hand and a white, black-tipped quill dripping with black ink. She flipped open the sketch-book to a page that had an inked night sky coloured on it. Konoka thought it was finished but apparently not because Haruna scribbled in white spaces, making other parts darker. She flourished her hand. The picture disappeared and the sky above them thickened covering the robot's feet and the net of golden light.
"You can back out now you know," Setsuna told her, peering at her over the rim of the glass. "You don't have to do this."
"Aw are you worried about me?" Konoka grinned at her, teasing.
Setsuna choked on the water, spending the next few minutes ungracefully coughing and spluttering.
"N-No I just don't want any trouble," She said.
Konoka just continued to grin, her eyes twinkling with glee.
"Just…just be careful," Setsuna said salvaging whatever dignity she had left.
"Oh I will," Konoka said sweetly.
Setsuna's stomach felt funny again. She opened her mouth to say something then found the words died on her tongue so she just bowed awkwardly to Konoka and spun around on her heel, walking back to the seats.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Setsuna muttered to herself under her breath.
She sat down in the nearest seat putting her hands over her face.
"Thinking too much again Setsuna?" A voice asked innocently.
Setsuna didn't need to look to know it was Al. She just nodded.
"If it's any consolation I've been doing some thinking too," Al said thoughtfully.
Setsuna flinched. She raised her head looking at him warily. If there was one thing she'd learnt about Al it was that whenever he said he had been thinking about stuff like that it was never good. He had a way of making people uneasy. He made Setsuna feel that way sometimes like now.
"Don't look at me like that," Al chided.
"The last time you said that the robots ended up going on a rampage," Setsuna said in a deadpan voice. "I have a reason to feel this way."
"Ah well, we managed to get them under control," Al said.
"After they'd destroyed half the rooms, burnt down the dorms and traumatized half the girls for half a year. Honestly did you know they had that type of programming in them before they started hiding in the showers?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow at him.
"It must have slipped my mind. Magic and technology aren't absolutes after all. It was probably because I transferred some unwanted knowledge into their systems while I was uploading fighting skills," Al said cheerfully stroking his chin. "Anyway, I suggest you pay close attention to your new friend."
Setsuna glanced back over at the centre where Ayaka was instructing Konoka on what to do. Thanks to her enhanced demonic hearing she could hear every word, as if the pair were right next to her.
"Wait until I've finished introducing the show then you should hear fireworks shooting from the air canon and then the sound of me cracking my whip," Ayaka was saying.
"Then you come out with me on the tight-rope!" Makie said brightly.
"Just don't come too close or you could get hurt by the air cannon," Ayaka warned.
"And watch out for the fire," Makie shuddered. "Sometimes it can get really big and you could get burnt."
Then Ayaka started to explain to her what she was going to do. Konoka nodded, listening with rapt attention. Sometimes she laughed when one of them said something she found funny. Setsuna couldn't take her eyes off Konoka. When she laughed it sounded like gentle summer rain pattering on a beach and her eyes were so warm, so alive like the sunset that spread across the morning skies in panoramas of hot oranges, yellows and reds. Those shorts and the coat didn't help either. She could see the outline of Konoka's waist even underneath the coat because it fitted Konoka to a tee. And she had full view of her legs which were curvy and slender.
"She is quite a beauty isn't she?" Al remarked.
Setsuna looked across at him sullenly. He was watching Konoka beside her with a contemplative expression on his face.
"You're the reason I can't even go near her," Setsuna mumbled.
Al patted Setsuna on the shoulder, "And the reason why you're still alive which is why you need to be careful with her. There's no reason why you can't be friends."
Setsuna grew silent, mulling over his words. Al had saved her from death when she was about to be executed by her own tribe but the price had been too great. Sometimes Setsuna wished Al had just let her die.
"I am being careful," Setsuna said.
Al surveyed her. He could probably tell she was lying but he let it go and returned his attention back to the ring.
"I care about you Setsuna like a father. I'm only looking out in your best interests," Al said.
"That sounds like you expect her to fail," Setsuna snorted.
"No…not exactly," Al said. "I just would you to exercise some caution. She's far from the person she says she is."
"What do you think she is then?" Setsuna asked.
"Not quite sure yet," Al replied. "Jack and I have our suspicions but we think she may have some demon blood in her. I've never seen any gypsy, born or trained, be able to break a tap by sheer strength alone unless they were extremely powerful. Not even Nekane can do that without needing some magic to augment her abilities."
"Maybe she's special," Setsuna said.
Al looked at Setsuna, half-smiling and said, "Are you sure you're being careful Setsuna?"
Setsuna flushed. She looked down at her lap mumbling, "You said you've never seen a gypsy be able to do that. Perhaps she's an anomaly."
"Perhaps," Al said, sounding amused. "I don't claim to know every single gypsy in existence."
Setsuna lapsed into silence, thinking about what Al had said. Konoka put the masquerade mask on, looking around. Ayaka put the hat with the pink feather on her head and after a critical scan nodded appreciatively and passed her a small round mirror with the gold rims and smooth curved edges she took out of the box. Ayaka was explaining to her what to do with it. The mirror was enchanted by both Al and Nekane, layered with silvers of rippling rune magic that protected it from harm and made it almost impossible to break by mortal or natural means. Setsuna could feel it emanating from the mirror like a search-light. Setsuna had put protective runes on the mirror as well when she had been learning rune magic from Al and Nekane. As a result the mirror was indestructible. It'd been trampled on, thrown from the roof-top and caught in a firestorm, not to mention used as a table or prop to rest on by Haruna in her experiments, been a casualty in the twins' pranks by getting hit, smashed or dropped onto hard surfaces and it didn't even have a scratch on it. The twins were seated at the front, watching eagerly. They'd seemed to have grown a few inches. Yuuna slipped away into the wings and pressed the rune that would dim the lights.
"Don't you trust her?" Setsuna asked.
"No," Al said with a genial smile. "Don't you think you're placing too much trust in a person who you've only known for a few days?"
Setsuna tapped the arm-rest of the chair with a finger, a thought gnawing at her insides. He had a point.
"Anyway Nekane and I have some urgent business with some investors tomorrow. We'll be away from the palace and we won't be coming back until later that night," Al said.
"The ones who are interested in Haruna's creations?" Setsuna asked.
"Indeed."
Setsuna relaxed. Usually when Al and Nekane went to meet investors it meant that they were concerned about funding the palace. If it was just about Haruna's creations that was different. As the area was thrown into darkness twin giggles drifted through the air. Fumika and Fuuka. A sound of a match being struck against something hard sizzled. A flame appeared in the darkness, glowing from a paper lantern with a black dragon on it, held by the twins in one hand each and illuminating their faces. One of them was holding a pea-shooter. Setsuna shot them both a look of warning. They both looked innocently back at her. A figure appeared in the darkness near the walkway on the left. It was Konoka in her costume that glowed a warm red. She was holding a round, gold-rimmed mirror in both hands. Up above beneath the robots lights of bright green and blue flared to life, spiralling down towards the mirror. When they hit the mirror, a panorama of neon lights-reds, blues, greens, orange, yellows, all the colours of the rainbow burst back like laser lights at a rapid pace, criss-crossing, flying and skipping over one another. It was lightshow. One by one, images created by the lights flashed across the air above them beneath the ceiling in an arc. The first, a bear riding a tricycle, the second, a hawk soaring through the air which transformed into a lithe panther that when landing, morphed into a dolphin. The dolphin somer-sulted in the air, landing in a make-shift fountain that splashed water. The streams of water dispersed, converging together into a whirlwind and spiralled downwards and changed into a rotating ring of blue fire that spun on its axis slowly.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Prepare to be amazed!" Ayaka's voice rang through the air, cutting through the darkness like a spear. Setsuna could make out her outline-she was standing on a suspended platform in the middle.
That was another thing about Ayaka. Her voice could be strangely soothing even in the worst of times. Setsuna caught a shadow moving swiftly near the side-Makie. A sound of a match striking concrete scythed the air followed by the roar of flames. A flame burst to life at the left side of the ring and right side, shooting across the ground in a straight line. The flames got larger and larger until the flames reached up to five metres, illuminating the walls, audience and Ayaka in an orange-yellow glow for just a second until the flames crashed into one another exploding in a mushroom cloud of fire. Setsuna shielded her eyes, looking away as she felt the heat from the blast engulf her in an inferno. Bright light suddenly flooded the area. The heat faded. It revealed Ayaka standing on top of an old antique carriage made of oak and cedar with a rattle-snake whip in her hand. The carriage was tilted at the side, half of it stuck into the ground. At any other time the carriage was buried six feet under. It was only when they opened the show that Ayaka, using her earth mage powers, used it by raising it from underground.
"I invite you all to the extraordinary spectacle! To witness things you've never seen before, heard before! Into a place of mystery, wonder and thrills! I welcome you all to the White Palace!" Ayaka's whip snapped through the air with an ear-splitting crack, sending chills down Setsuna's spine.
She would never get used to that. The fire-works exploded from nearby set off by Yuuna, smoke billowing and dispersing just as quickly. Darkness hit the area, drowning it in black for a moment before the spark of a match being struck against concrete was heard along with the crack of a whip-Ayaka. That meant that Konoka should come out with Makie in a couple of seconds. Neon lights washed over the area, blue spotlights trained in the centre where Ayaka was standing and the stretching across the rim into the audience seats. Makie was there but where was Konoka? Setsuna started to stand, looking for Konoka who had disappeared, swallowed by the darkness. Makie started to walk towards the platform, the spotlight following her and shifting to warm orange.
"She's on the tight-rope," Al said beside her.
Another spotlight appeared lighting up the tight-rope platform. Her hat was discarded revealing her long hair, tumbling down her back. She started to walk across the rope with ease, her feet moving like a dancer's in smooth, graceful steps towards Makie who was smiling and waving but she kept on glancing at Konoka. Setsuna hadn't realized she'd gotten to her feet until Al pulled her back down gently.
"Ayaka why's she up there?!" Setsuna shouted. "That wasn't part of the agreement!"
"She insisted!" Ayaka called back.
"Yes but…" Setsuna was interrupted by Konoka who called down, "I'm ok!"
Setsuna gaped up at her. Konoka was doing pirouettes on the rope, delicate laughter coming from her. Konoka was moving like air in graceful twirls, her arms over her head. Her feet were like quicksilver, barely touching the rope before moving forwards in elegant hops, spinning, weaving on the rope a carefree dance. Her dress twirled with her, her hair fanning out in chocolate streams.
"Well now," Al murmured. "That's interesting."
The way Konoka was moving was inhuman, unnatural even by gypsy standards. She moved like water, fluid with no wasted steps or movements no matter how tiny. And Setsuna couldn't keep her eyes off her.
Neither could anyone else apparently because Setsuna realized that Ayaka wasn't firing any fire-works. Which meant that the four fire-works that were supposed to spiral through the air and criss-cross to spell out the greeting words for the show were clogged up in the cannon.
"Ayaka, the fire-!" Setsuna didn't get to finish as the fire-works exploded from the cannon, plumes of red and green smoke drifting into the air.
Konoka, in mid-leap, landed awkwardly on the rope and slipped. Her hand shot out grabbing the rope but Setsuna was already halfway into the air.
Konoka called out to Setsuna swinging her legs upwards to wrap around the rope, "Secchan I'm ok!"
Boom! A stray firework zipped towards Setsuna. She veered to the right.
"Setsuna get down you're going to get hit!" Ayaka yelled from down below. "I can't control this!"
Setsuna hesitated, hovering. Konoka was getting back up. The cannon exploded, rupturing from the inside and metal pieces flew everywhere. Suddenly screams filled the air. The twins rushed from the left wings almost tripping over one another. Something burst through the glass, shrieking. It was a tawny-feathered griffon.
"Holy-" Haruna stared.
"T-T-That shouldn't exist!" Ayaka spluttered.
The twins rushed to Al, cowering behind him. The griffon faltered. Al looked at it pleasantly. Setsuna took one moment to register that Al could tame griffons. A scream filled the air.
"Konoka!" Makie cried out.
Setsuna snapped towards it. One of the metal pieces had shredded the tight-rope. Konoka plummeted towards the ground. Setsuna swooped up catching Konoka. Slowing down and coming to a halt Setsuna gazed down at her. She had her eyes shut, huddled close to Setsuna. Setsuna hovered in the air for a moment before gliding down towards the carriage.
"You can open your eyes now," Setsuna told her, landing on top of the carriage.
Slowly Konoka did. Relief washed over her face. Setsuna set her down gently.
"Thanks Se-"
"Setsuna the griffon!"
Setsuna spun around. The griffon tackled her with the force of a battering ram at full speed, knocking the breath out of her. Setsuna flew backwards and hit the wall of the ring. The griffon squawked, pouncing and opened its beak. She gathered fire in her hand, ready to shoot.
"No wait don't!" Konoka shouted.
"Are you crazy that thing's going to…bite…why is it doing that?" Yuuna's voice pettered off.
Setsuna had to ask the same question. Instead of tearing her face off the griffon was nuzzling her with its beak like a dog.
"Wow…" Haruna said in awe.
Bewildered Setsuna slowly got up, squashing the fire in her hand and awkwardly bowed to the creature. It was the first rule of befriending griffons, to always make eye contact and bow to show that you mean no harm. The griffon accepted her peace offering. It inclined its head, ruffling its feathers and made a cawing noise then sauntered back towards Konoka who hugged its neck, stroking its feathers and whispering in its ear.
"That is so cool!" The twins whooped. They rushed to a visibly shell-shocked Ayaka, "Can we have a pet griffon?!"
Gathering her composure Ayaka patiently explained that griffons are naturally wild and keeping one would be the equivalent of taking care of a rabid bear. The twins' enthusiasm visibly dropped faster than a sack of potatoes.
"I told you she was special," Setsuna said to Al.
All gypsies had the power to communicate with animals including the ones that were taught the magic. It was one of the basic skills along with rune-writing, sensing other people's life-force from their heart-beats, knowing how to do spells, creating magic energy and conjuring and controlling that fire. Those animals didn't include griffons because they were wild by nature, untamed. No one had ever tamed a griffon before.
"How…how can you do that?" Ayaka finally said. "Griffons are untamable."
"Not this one. He's my friend," Konoka said brightly.
"Your friend…?" Setsuna stared at her.
"Yep! He's totally harmless!"
The griffon flicked its tail which resembled a lion's and clucked its beak together, nudging Konoka affectionately.
"This is Icarus," Konoka said. "Ike, say hi to everyone."
The griffon swivelled its feathered head, its fierce golden eyes flicking from one to the other and ever so slowly, bent its front leg and bowed its head. There was a short silence before the braver girls swarmed it en masse.
"Now however did she manage to tame a wild griffon?" Al said. He was watching with one open eye underneath the cowl of the hood, intrigue and curiosity lining his features. "Do you still think she's a mere gypsy?"
Setsuna had no answer. As the girls fawned and touched the griffon her eyes caught Konoka's. For some reason Setsuna felt caught, trapped by them. She couldn't break her gaze away. Konoka's eyes shone warmly and she just smiled at her.
"No Al," Setsuna said.
A.N: Argh. This chapter was...difficult. I had some problems here but it all worked out in the end. Stay tuned for more surprises guys. We haven't even begun yet ;] Blue out-
KeeperAki: More than you realize ;]