Knuckle Joe had rushed into the scene, by now, he was rushing to the ring. He smiled as best as he could as he waved around excitedly. In came Rose, accompanied by Charge, and she stood a few mere feet away from the strongman. Her olive eyes gave the performer a quick scan before they directed themselves towards the crowd. She gave a nervous laugh and brought the mic to her lips.
"Ladies and Gents, say hello to the circus' strongman!" She said, smiling as she gestured to Joe. Joe smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck as the spotlight hit him. Everyone cheered as Rose disappeared and Joe began with his performance.
The band began to play a heavy violin track while Joe ran around the track, high-fiving every fan near. When he finished, he ran back to he middle again and jumped, stretching out his hand to catch a chair some hidden Waddle Dees threw at him. The cymbals clashed as his fingers wrapped around the chair's leg and he held it up. The people clapped, but they weren't that impressed. So they kicked it up a notch. The Waddle Dees threw a bowling ball for Joe to catch. When he did, the cymbals clashed again and the crowd clapped a bit more, this time somewhat amused. But they needed to be fed further.
A drumroll greeted a group of Waddle Dees as they ran in Joe's direction, hauling a canon. There was a ghostly silence, only the sound of the squeaky wheels of the canon were heard, echoing through the empty tent. There was a moment of tension. Rose stood in the shadows of the tent, her nails digging into her crossed arms.
Something just didn't feel right.
She felt someone watching her. She felt that someone's eyes wander from her head to her torso, to her legs, then to race back up at her head, specifically her eyes. She shut them in a frenzy and rapidly opened them up, scolding herself mentally for having strayed from the matter at hand, Joe's performance. But the feeling was so strong!
"Something wrong, Rose?"
The ringleader jumped, giving a small shriek as she turned to meet her friend Athelas, next to Stranger, looking at her worriedly. She clutched her chest and recomposed herself immediately.
"What are you, CRAZY?" she yelled at the female Wanderer, her eyes going back to Joe on the ring. She crossed her arms again, and let out a scoff, calming herself.
Athelas rolled her eyes and did as Rose, turning to look at the performance.
But, even though Rose knew her Wandering friends were there beside her, she still felt someone watching her. However, she dismissed the feeling and concentrated wholly on the task at hand.
The Waddle Dees all picked up the canon, laying it on their small, fragile shoulders. In an instant, of course accompanied by the cheery melody of the circus, they threw the canon in Joe's direction. The strongman, having both the chair and the bowling ball at hand, threw them both in the air, caught the canon and began juggling all three heavy objects as the crowd cheered on. Rose smiled in relief and kept on observing.
The orchestra began to play the typical circus theme as many Waddle Dees ran to the ring, threw a heavy object at Joe's juggling pile, and ran back to the shadows.
And so on, and so on, that at least ten minutes passed and Joe had a chair, a bowling ball, a canon, a table, a crystal ball, a suitcase, one of the bleachers from the circus and even a Waddle Dee! The crowd was as usual, screaming like crazy. Their hands reached for applause as the performance went to an end.
Rose and Athelas exchanged a glance, and they both stepped out to conclude the act while Stranger helped the Waddle Dees clean up.
...
Rose rushed back to her trailer. She needed to redo her makeup, drink water and straighten up all in under three minutes. She swiftly ran across the sea of Waddle Dees running around as well and threw herself to her trailer's door. She dashed to the bathroom at the end of the trailer and ducked in the drawer for her makeup. She snatched the lipstick, the mascara, the blush, everything and began to fix herself. When she finished, she poofed up a bottle of water and ran back to the main tent.
She burst into the shadows, slapping away a stray flap in the process, grabbed Athelas by the arm and yanked her into the middle of the ring.
When they got to the center, they both took a moment to breathe in and simultaneously they raised the microphones to their lips.
"Ladies and Gentlemen… That concludes out performance. We wish you a good night, and tremendous farewell!"
At that, the hidden orchestra sprang from the shadows, all forming a line to march around the ring. Each and every performer came to the ring, and began to dance and bounce around to the music. Even Marx and Torch the Wolfwrath. Stranger came in, riding his blue pinto, and handed Athelas her white mare. The Wanderers smiled at each other and Athelas mounted her horse. Rose looked at the audience and waved for her fans, as Charge came running in. Rose extended her arm and Charge jumped on it, perching himself like a hawk and waving as well.
Everyone was so merry and gleeful. The people in the bleachers stood up and screamed out for them. In a sudden flurry, a sea of camera flashes bathed Rose and Athelas in the middle of the ring. People chanted out their names, they ran down the stairs to shake hands with the ringleaders. What DIDN'T they do?
Needless to say, it was a joyful moment.
The end of their five-star premier performance.
Back at her trailer, Rose sat on her bed, thinking back on her last conversation with Athelas. Yes, they were going to Rock Star. And yes, they were definitely going to track down the shinobi. But for now… She looked down at Charge. The puff was unmasked, showing a pair of pearly white eyes and a grey-flushed face as his gaze met his mistress'. He was on her lap, yawning and sleepy. She reached out to stroke his head, smiling as her hands felt the smooth, plastic-like skin of the little creature. Charge smiled too and sighed, melting at her touch.
Rose was dressed in a nightgown and some stockings for the night. Now that the show was over, they all needed some rest. Athelas said goodbye and retreated to her trailer, hand-in-hand with Stranger. Rose didn't mind, she was just as happy to be with her little knight.
"Rose?"
Her eyes looked down again to meet Charge's half-closed ones.
"Hmm?"
"I'm sleepy…"
"I get ya, big guy…" she said, smiling sweetly. She lay down on her bed, threw the sheets over them and giggled as Charge placed himself as he usually did, on the empty space of Rose's pillow.
They needed the sleep, for their next performance would be one with… fewer audiences…
Uasdfjsdlkjal short chapter, sweet ending.
THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL
A VERY ACTION-PACKED ONE AT THAT. TO MAKE UP FOR THIS SHET ;A;