I've been feeling tired and lethargic lately *sigh* and royally pissed off.

I wrote an AWESOME chapter for 'DWC' and was about to save when my computer chrashed. What's even worse is how the auto recovery file setting on my laptop was set to 10 min and my precious chapter was not saved. So I have to write it all over... again...

GARH! Anyway, I've decided to continue on with vocaloid stories, and have already started on my new project.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Bye!

Chapter 14 –

Marita looks around the circus, walking though some of the open tents and talking to people as they pass by her. The circus, though it seemed empty, was surprisingly full of people, all busy with something to do. There were those who tended to the plants strewn throughout the circus, others who tended to the livestock and garden, and those who mended worn out clothes and shoes, even some who baked bread and pastries.

The circus was a small town within itself.

Marita was so absorbed in the sights that she didn't notice a cart rolling towards her, the man having an argument with his friend sitting next to him.

Suddenly, she was pulled aside, the arms of her saviour wrapped around her as the cart continued to roll on by.

She looks up at the person who saved her and smiles when seeing the familiar face of Slate. "Thanks." She says as she steps out of his embrace. He looks at her as she smiles at him. "I lost myself in the circus. It's so full of new and exciting things. It seems like a lively place."

"It is." He replies. "It's never quiet for long, even late at night it's busy with people going to and from tents."

"Like you, right?" She asks. He looks down at her, a little puzzled by her question, as she explains. "Since you're the doctor here, if you're needed somewhere, even late at night, you need to go straight away, right?" He nods his head. "Well, you're one of those busy people going from tent to tent late at night, aren't you?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess I am." He replies, a little embarrassed by her words.

"You know," she says. "I could see if my brother could help out with your work as well. He did study to be a doctor, after all. He just never, never…" Marita looks down sadly. "He never really took any positions for work, because of me. He not only didn't take any positions in hospitals, but he also continued on with his studies in medical research. He completed his years and still refused any positions that came his way, just for me. He was studying for a doctor's degree in Scientific Medical Research before he left and stole me away from the hospital that was my prison. He gave up his education, his life, just for me."

She clutches her chest, a sharp pain causing tears to flow from her eyes. Aaron had given up everything for her, and what did she do in return?

Slate hugs her, the action feeling awkward as he whispers into her ear. "He did it out of love, Marita." He says. "If he didn't love you, would you be here right now? Would be you free? How would you feel if he was just like you parents?"

Marita remains quiet for a while longer before pulling away from the embrace. "I would hate it." She replies honestly. "But what I hate even more is the fact that I can't do anything to help him."

"I think you may have done more than what you think." Slate replies, a light blush creeping upon his cheeks as he looks away.

Noticing this, Marita smiles wickedly as she kisses Slate's cheek, causing him to jump at the sudden action, his face turning bright red. She laughs as he stumbles for words. "Now I didn't expect that kind of reaction!" Marita says though laughter. "You act like this is the first time it's happened to you!"

"Well…"

Marita stops laughing as she faces him again, noticing how he now looks even more embarrassed than before. "You've… never had anyone kiss you on the cheek before?" Marita asks.

He shakes his head.

"Not even your mother? Father?"

"I'm an orphan."

"Oh." Suddenly, she felt a deep sense of regret for her action as she hangs her head. Bringing up bad memories was something she seemed to do often. It first happened when she asked her mother about Aaron and his real father who had died long before she was born. The next was when she asked her neighbour to teach her to play the piano, not knowing that she had given up the instrument after her son, who played the piano, died. "I'm sorry for your loss." She says.

"It's alright." He replies. "You didn't know. Anyway, where are you going?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "No where really. I just wanted to look around a bit."

"You shouldn't walk around alone." Slate says. He notices how Marita looks at him oddly as he looks away. "I mean, walking around with someone else is far more enjoyable."

"Well, I could use the company." She muses. "Would you show me around?"

He looks stunned at this, pointing a finger at himself in a silent question. She smiles and nods her head.

He shakes his head. "I can't. I'm on my way to Mr. Peak's tent right now. Sorry." He slips through the crowd of people and around a tent before disappearing from Marita's sight altogether. She frowns at his figure as she continues to walk around on her own.

Aaron finishes preparing dinner when Marita stumbles into the tent. She sits on a chair, exhausted, as she sighs. Aaron looks over his shoulder and smiles to himself before returning to the food he is preparing. "You seem tired." He says. "Been a busy day for you?"

"Very." She replies. "I met so many new people today. Did you know that there's a knife thrower? He's also the butcher here too. And a few of the acrobats are actually bakers. I got to taste a few of their pastries today."

"Were they good?"

"More than good; they were delicious!" She declares with a wide grin on her face. He laughs before placing a bowl in front of her. She looks down at the food before looking back up at him. He notices her glance and raises a brow.

"What?" He asks.

"I just never thought of you as the kind of guy who was good at cooking." She answers honestly.

"I'm not." He replies. "I met a girl here and asked if she could help me prepare dinner tonight. She helped, to the point where I could do it on my own, before slipping out of the tent without me noticing." He chuckles to himself. "She's a strange one, that's for sure."

"Maybe you're just scary." Marita pipes in.

He glares at her, half heartedly, as he asks "Oh really now? Then I suppose you're not hungry."

"No!" Marita exclaims as she pulls the bowl closer to herself. "My food!" She says childishly, frowning at him. They continue to look at each other for a little while longer before bursting out into laughter.

Along the side of the tent, sitting out in the freezing cold while listening at the tent flap, was Lucinda Bell; the girl looking nervous and a little worried. A tap on her shoulder startles her as she turns to face Slate. "Is everything alright?" He whispers to her.

She nods her head. "They've just sat down for dinner." She replies.

He nods his head. "That's good. Keep an eye on them until I find a way of getting them out of here."

"So we're really doing this," she says. "We're really going to leave the circus?"

He nods his head. "I'm tired of hurting people, Lucinda. I just want to leave this god damn place behind and more on with my life. I want to help people, to make them better, not turn them into…" His voice trails off as his face grows dark and empty.

Lucinda looks away as she continues to listen to the conversation. "That girl," she says. "Marita, was it? Mr. Peak seems to be fascinated with her for some reason. Why is that?"

"She's an adapter." Slate answers. Lucinda gasps, before covers her mouth as the noise echoes in the silent night. She had heard of adapters, how they we're able to withstand physical and mental change without harm to the mind or body. She had never seen one, though. They were fabled people, the last one to come to the circus dying long before she was born. It was after this adapter died, though, that the circus stopped performing to the general public, stopped performing at all.

Their main attraction was gone, how were they going to continue on as a circus? Or so many thought.

"He's not… planning anything, is he?" Lucida asks shakily.

Slate looks away, before returning his gaze to her. "Yes, and he wants me to be the one to proceed with the experimentation." He answers honestly. "I mean, after Senz, Mr. Peak has a new found hope in the circus." At the mention of the unfortunate girl's name, Lucinda looks down.

"Then, there's no hope for these two, is there?" She asks.

"At the moment, no." Slate answers. "But in time, I'm sure there will be hope. I'll make sure that Aaron escapes, with or without the other two. He needs to be able to come back and save everyone."

"You have that much faith in him, huh?" She muses more to herself than to anyone else.

Slate nods his head. "After all, her parents did lead them to this circus."