8. Unexpected Request
Summary: In which the carnies are visited by someone from Acrobat Calista's past. And this someone has a special request for Acrobat Calista...to come back home.
Performers: Ariela, Ringmaster Asthar, Illusionists Zesha and Zepha, Acrobat Calista, Clown Zael, and ?
A figure walked through the wasteland of a countryside, down a dirt road. His metal limbs felt like they were burning his skin, from being exposed to the scorching sun. He cursed the weather, cursed his weak health as he kept walking.
He was sure of it. He was sure that the carnival had to be close. Could he reach it in time? Could he make it there before this hunger and thirst and illness overwhelmed him?
He swore his vision was getting foggy. His head was hurting bad, really bad. It wouldn't be long before he-he-he-
No he wasn't, he wasn't going to fall, collapse, burn, let his vision go black-
His vision went black anyway.
"Ringmaster?"
"Yes, Ariela?"
"...We just found someone who got into the carnival grounds. He's infected...still alive, but also unconscious at the moment. It seems like he's been traveling a lot-his clothes are really worn and he looks like he's deprived of...food, proper sleep, water...all of the basics, really."
"Get Zepha and Zesha to bring him to the first aid tent immediately, then get Mirania and the others. We can't just leave him to die."
"Yes, sir."
"...ake up! Wake up! Come on already..."
"Zepha, stop shaking him, he's awake-"
"He is not awake, brother. Hand me the bloody bucket-"
He awakened completely to cold water drenching him about shoulders up, and he furiously rubbed water from his eyes with his non-metallic arm as he sat up quickly, coughing up whatever water had gotten into his mouth. He then recomposed himself, taking a few breaths in and out, before he looked up to see two Gurak men, the appearances between them making it obvious that they were twins.
One of them happened to be holding a now-empty bucket. That was where the water came from.
The non-bucket-holding Gurak seemed to glare slightly at the other Gurak with him. The resemblance between them obviously showed that they were twins. Both wore robes of black and white, all marbled together as if they wore the night sky, not just mere clothing. The differences between them were not too much-the one holding the bucket had a blue aura, the one not holding anything had a red aura around him.
He was silent, waiting for the Gurak twins to say something. And then the twin with the blue aura spoke.
"What is it? Too appalled by the sickly orchids on us to speak, human?" The Gurak's voice carried throughout the room rather than in his head, which was nice because he was sure he was already getting a headache. "And we thought that you would surely get along with us, you have the orchids upon your skin, do you not?"
He looked at them, feeling half-insulted and half-confused. "Where am I? And who are you?"
The red-aura Gurak answered him. "I am Zesha. This is my brother, Zepha. We are the Illusionists of the Carnevale di Felicità, and you happened to...cross paths with us." Zesha flashed a smile, and he felt himself wince at this.
"Oh God," he muttered quietly. "I have an ill-divining soul..."
He did not want to end up facing the famous (or infamous) Illusionists first. No, he wanted to see the Acrobat-
"How is he?" The three turned to see none other than Ringmaster Asthar enter the tent.
Zepha glanced at the occupant of the bed, before turning to Asthar. "He is...well. Coherent enough to move about and jabber nonsense off his tongue."
The Illusionist was greeted with a look from their unexpected guest."Thou vain elf-skinned flirt-gill...Your brain is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage."
Zepha let out a dramatic gasp while Zesha snapped back at him. "A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen as you are toss'd with, thou spleeny brazen-faced joithead!"
"No word to save thee, thou currish doghearted wagtail!"
Zepha was about to snap out another insult when General Asthar interrupted them.
"Gentlemen," Asthar's voice almost became an irritated growl, "I believe that exchanging poetic insults would do nothing right now to help the situation." He then turned to their bedridden guest. "That goes for you as well, Count Arganan."
The Illusionists stared at their guest quietly. Meanwhile, said guest looked like he was cursing at this entire situation unfolding before him.
"So," Arganan started, his voice a bit sharper. "You found me out already. I almost thought the scars I gained from the disease that has the entire Empire in rage would disfigure me enough so that no one would recognize me. I suppose not, after all."
Despite the 'sickly orchids' that were obviously marking his skin, it was obvious that most could recognize him after a third or fourth glance, or if one simply observed carefully on the first try. The robes he wore were for travelling, but they were ripped, torn, and sewn back together at several places to the point that they could soon be nothing but complete rags. He must have been travelling by foot, all by himself-most likely not to place any suspicion as of who he was, but for someone to be suffering from the illness...Asthar had to admit that it was impressive that Count Arganan had made it this far by himself.
Before Asthar could say anything, that was when Calista came in, obviously arguing with Ariela.
"It can't be Uncle of all people, he wouldn't-"
The Acrobat stopped midsentence as soon as she saw Count Arganan sitting up in the hospital bed. The two seemed to just stare at each other for a moment, before Calista turned to leave.
Arganan's eyes widened, and he was about to force himself out of bed. The Illusionists restrained him by the arms, and he resorted to yelling for his niece.
"Calista! Wait!"
Calista turned towards her uncle, a glare on her face.
"If you're going after me to put me back in that cage of a castle," She snapped, "I'm not going back! I'm never going back, uncle! This carnival is the life I choose, and the life I want for myself!" She then left, fury imprinted on her face.
Arganan struggled in vain to get the Illusionists to let go of him as he kept yelling.
"Calista! Calista!"
Zael nearly got run over by Calista as she ran into him.
"Calista!" He noticed the tears already streaming down her face, and the Clown took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping her face with it gently. "What's wrong? What happened? Was it Jirall harassing you or something...?"
Calista shook her head, blinking away the last of her tears. "That's not it, Zael..." She bit her lower lip. "It's my uncle. He found us."
Zael stared. "Wait, what!? He actually..."
Calista nodded slowly. "He did. And he's infected with the disease that's been going around...the same disease that the Gurak brothers have."
The two were silent for a moment, not saying a word as they let that sink in. Zael then broke the silence.
"He's diseased, too?"
Calista nodded. "He is. The only reason he searched for me in this condition is because he wants me to go back to Lazulis and rule Lazulis for him." She let out a scowl. "I don't want to go back, Zael. I can't go back to that cage. We made a vow, before we left Lazulis that once we left Lazulis we would never come back..."
Zael bit his lower lip. "Yeah, but..." He let out a breath. "I know we made that vow. But we can't just...let him die, can we? I know what he's done to you, that he's hurt you, but...I've always had this feeling that he had this sadness hanging over him, like he was worrying over you. He must have had a reason for being strict and not letting you out of the castle. I mean, I don't know what..."
Calista sighed. "Well, as much as I hate him, first off I can't bear to see anyone suffering from this disease, including my uncle. And second, Ringmaster Asthar would say otherwise if I wanted my Uncle to simply just die. So..." She glanced at the direction of where the First Aid tent was. "Let's go see my uncle, Zael..."
The two would come back to the First Aid tent only to see bile dribbling from Arganan's mouth, having vomited straight into a bucket Mirania was holding.
"Just breathe," They heard Mirania speaking to him, "Calm down, take deep breaths..." As she started using healing magic on him, Calista turned to Ringmaster Asthar who was watching, his face full of concern.
"Wh-what happened?"
Asthar turned to the Acrobat and the Clown. "Calista," He started, "After you left just earlier, your uncle started convulsing and vomiting like this...a symptom of the disease, no doubt. Mirania is tending to him now, as you can see..."
"I'm fine now," They heard Arganan muttering to Mirania. "I'm fine, thank you..." There was coughing afterwards, and then Calista's uncle cleared his throat before speaking, aimed towards the Acrobat. "Calista?"
Calista noticed that her uncle's voice sounded weak, and his breaths were shallow. She hesitated, before turning to her uncle and speaking.
"Uncle," She started quietly, forcing herself to stay calm, "If this is about Lazulis..."
"It partially is about Lazulis, and partially about myself. The part about Lazulis...well, you probably already figured that out." Arganan coughed a bit, his one blue eye making eye-contact with Calista's own eyes. "As for myself...then again, you probably already figured that out, though I'll add more information." He bit his lower lip, before finishing. "I need to find a cure for this disease, and I heard rumours that the Gurak twins had the same disease as myself and many others from all over the Empire."
Calista raised an eyebrow. "How did you know...?"
"It's called 'I listened and observed,' Calista." He let out another cough before he could say anything else.
"And so you just followed us because you thought we had a cure to the disease?"
Her uncle chuckled grimly at this. "I thought, knowing that the Carnevale di Felicita traveled a lot, that you might have stumbled onto something...I suppose I was wrong. None of the doctors back at Lazulis can do anything to slow down this disease. They say I'll die in a couple of months, give or take a few..." He glanced at Zesha and Zepha, who were standing nearby. "You Gurak brothers...you're lucky to have survived the disease, that it won't be the thing that leads to your deaths..."
Calista had to think. If she wasn't going to go rule Lazulis, that meant that her Uncle would still have to rule Lazulis and try to find a suitable ruler. Finding a cure to the disease would help him to live long enough to do that. So...
Calista let out a breath, before turning to Ringmaster Asthar. "Ringmaster?"
The Ringmaster turned towards her. "Yes?"
Calista wasn't sure if she was going to regret this. "...Is it alright if we let my uncle come along with us? Until we can find out a way to cure this disease?"
Asthar seemed to look at Calista carefully, before glancing at her uncle, before a smile broke out on his face. "I believe it will be completely fine, Calista. The more, the merrier, after all."
"W-what!?" Both Gurak brothers stuttered, about to protest, but Asthar had already started talking to Arganan.
"Count Arganan, what abilities do you have? Any magic?"
Arganan blinked in surprise that he was already accepted into their group, but he spoke up quickly in response. "I used to be quite adept in both magic and physical offense, but it was years ago. Ever since I lost my eye and left limbs-" He gestured to his metal limbs and eyepatch-covered left eye with his right hand, "I haven't done any fighting since."
"I see...hm..." Asthar observed Arganan carefully. "Perhaps your skills can work behind the scenes. It would be best for you to avoid the public eye as much as possible, so no one can recognize you..."
Zael gently tapped Calista on the shoulder, and the Acrobat turned to see the Clown's concerned expression.
"Calista?" The Clown shifted a bit where he stood, unsure. "Do you think this arrangement is going to work out?"
Calista let out a sigh, glancing at her uncle once more. "It better work. Otherwise I'll be stuck in that cage again."