Avery was brushing her tail behind the big top when she heard Wendy ask, "Isn't that the lad from a'for?"
Avery glanced up at the tall dark haired man. It was indeed the man from before. She just nodded in reply to her elder sister. She gazed at him as Peter called out, "Well, the lad's a brave one." Avery giggled at Peter's comment before turning to Doll.
They began discussing things like their costumes and how if Beast saw that man again, she'd be sure to kill him.
"Oh Doll, imagine what she would say if she heard he was gonna join the circus! Joker would probably have to restrain her to keep her from killing him!" Avery said through her laughter. Doll giggled as well before adding to the little prediction.
"And ta stop her; he'd do somethin' silly! Like fireworks from his cane!" Doll howled, as Avery laughed along with her.
Then the two saw Beast tramping along the trail, with Joker pursuing her. Sis seemed real mad so, with out a doubt, Joker had offered the man a spot with them and he had accepted.
Avery and Doll shared a look before leaving for their tents. Asher was sitting on his bunk in his regular everyday clothes, consisting of a pair of long woolen pants, a cotton shirt and a thick tweed coat.
He smiled and gave her a thumbs up, his way of saying good job. Avery grinned back at him as she placed the borrowed curry comb on a crate by his bed.
"So, you know that man that Betsy bit? The one in black?" Avery asked her brother.
Her brother nodded slowly, not knowing where she was going with this.
"Well, Doll and I think Joker offered him a spot with us. And that's got Beast just down right pissed."
When Avery swore, Asher lightly slapped her arm and shook his head. Avery knew that he was basically telling her that a lady never swore.
When she snorted at the action, Asher glared at her. She just rolled her eyes and walked towards her tent.
As Avery pushed aside the tent flap, she let out a heavy sigh. She pulled the bobbypins from her hair and her black hair tumbled down to her waist, framing her doll-like face. Heading towards a chair placed beside her bed, Avery gentley removed her ballet shoes, placing them on her bed so she would be able to put them away with the rest of her costume.
Avery stepped out of her tutu, carefully folding it before laying it beside the shoes. She then peeled off her velvet bodysuit, shivering when the crisp, cold winter air tickled her sweat covered body. She folded that as well.
Avery cleaned her body with a cloth that had been sitting in a basin of water on a crate. She then walked over to her navy blue trunk and opened it to rumage throught the costumes within it before grabing a cotton, lace trimmed night gown. Pulling the white gown over her head and buttoning up the high collar up, she grabbed her tutu and bobysuit before placing it in her trunk. Pulling a box out from under her bed, Avery placed the valueble ballet shoes in it before tucking it back under the bed.
Avery scrubbed her face clean of make-up and paint that she had woren for the show. Using a hand mirror, Avery inspected her face to make sure that there was nothing left on her face. In the mirror, a black haired, porcelain skined, aqua eyed doll stared back at her with a wild look in those eyes. Avery smirked and placed the mirror on the crate. She then climbed into her large bed, blowing out the candles, and borrowing under the covers.
Avery walked out of her tent the next morning wearing a wool dress and cavanas ballet shoes. She tied her braid back, noticing a crowd of people near the entrance of the circus. She walked up, squishing her way though the second tier members before her head ramed inbetween Joker's shoulder blades.
"Oof!" Avery said as she stumbled back slightly. "Hey there Princess!" Joker said, putting his skeletal arm around her shoulders. "We were just gonna put this lad's skills to the test!"
Avery looked at the boy and man. The boy was probably around her age, maybe a centamitre or two shorter than her, with a big blue eye looking right at her. The other eye was covered by a bandage of sorts.
"Hello, I'm Finnian." the boy introduced himself.
She observed the boy carefully. He could be of some help in the second tier.
Avery gave Joker a nod of approvel.
"All righty! On ta the knife throwin'!" Joker said.
"So, watch Bast and then let's see what you got!" Joker said, handing some knives to 'Finnian'.
'Finnian' then turned to Avery, waiting to see her throw.
Avery let out a sigh before hiking up her skirt to mid thigh, grabbing the knife from where it was holstered on her stocking covered legs.
Grabbing the blade of the knife, she threw it with deadly accuracy. She turned to see 'Finnian' glaring at her as she made a gesture for him to begin.
As he threw the first knife, she heard Dagger and Joker whispering to each other, "I knew it." Finnian's first knife had started to fall short of the target."Thought he wouldn't-"
The two were cut off when his knife bounced up and hit the target, embeding itself beside Avery's knife.
'Something's off...' Avery thought, as she focused on his second throw. 'Something's hitting the hilt!'
Avery saw a pebble hitting the knife's hilt repeatily until the target was filled with all his knives.
"This good enough for you?" the boy asked Joker, whose mouth was hanging open.
"Joker, if you keep your mouth open, pigeons will nest in it." Avery said, snapping her fingers in front of his face,"Same for you Dagger." she added.
Both men jolted out of shock, looking at Finnian.
"Well, someone let me know how things turn out. I have to go strech." Avery said as she walked away from the crowd.
Ciel couldn't figure out Bast, she was just so calm and collected, she reminded him of himself. There was something about her that her found suspicious, but intriging as well. Maybe he just had to get to know her...
Longest chapter yet! Once again, I tried. I REALLY tried with this one! Please review. PLEASE!