In a flash, the dark of the night vanished, as magical explosions and swirling colors burst forth from the air above the stage. The mist continued to flow from the base, reflecting the colors overhead to form a river of rainbow clouds.

 

Finally, the show had began, not with a whimper, but with a bang.

 

The once dark form of Koo appeared in front of all onlookers, arms spread wide as the cascade of colors descended across the stage. Shimmering green and orange danced across his chest, mixed with black to compliment the towering black top hat upon his gray locks. A bright white smile etched across the pale face, accentuated by colorful tattoos.

 

From under the stage, a soft melody began. The beat began as a slow carnival tune, with a piano and bell based tune striking the notes slowly and carefully. As the sounds chimed, the soft hum of Miwu started, mixing with the musical notes into a warming, inviting sound. The hums were faint, mixing with the wind and notes to come off as haunting shrieks and howls, only adding to the ambience of the evening. As the sound drifted across the stage and into the crowd, the people seemed to ease, being lulled to silence by its hypnotic reach.

​

-----

​

“Welcome, welcome, one and all,” the raspy voice of Koo echoed over the crowd. With a snap of his hand, a cane tipped in silver flashed into his opposite hand, topped with what appeared to be a silver clown form. His arms lowered with his body, as he lowered into a bow. Then, following the tune around him, Koo began.

--

-----

​

“You’ve come to us, from far and wide,

Quite the spectacle, to be sure,

For here you stand, with us outside

And looking for the cure.

 

A cure, I hear, for blues and woes,

The struggles of the day,

So rest, my friends, while on your toes,

And hear what games we’ll play.

 

Oh please don’t fret, my lovely sweets,

Unless that’s what you want,

But I am here, to please and treat,

You all to magic and haunts.

 

For those still here, I bid adieu,

To our quaint circus show,

Run by me, your Trickster Koo

And some dear friends I know…”

​

-----

 

The raspy voice of Koo plucked along the beat, as a stacado of notes bounced in time. The showman smiled as he continued his opening. The sound paired well with the music, adding a sharp element to the pings and striking of the notes and the overlapping hum. As Koo uttered the final word to his opening, the music around him swelled, with a steady clattering of a cymbal beneath the stage. In a flash, the music continued its even and haunting melody, but added more to compliment the flow. The vibrado of strings arched the back of the tune, shaking the air as it crept upon the audience like a beast on the prowl.

 

The vocals of Koo, pausing for the flourish of the added sounds, continued.

 

“First lets meet the finned fiend,

A poor, unfortunate sight,

With scales and stitches everywhere,

A huntress of the night.

 

A huntress? Yes, I tell you all,

But none are as fierce as she,

She stalks the waves, of lost souls,

In traps, she catches and cleaves.

 

But have a trap, too skilled to crack?

My dears don’t look away,

My elven friend, escapist queen

Will surely find a way.

 

Her golden locks, and pointed ears,

Why sir is that a blush?

We’re only getting started now,

Now please loves, what’s the rush?”

​

-----

 

As Koo articulated amongst the cacophony of sounds, two forms sprang from the carriage, appearing to float on the music itself. The twin beings drifted high above the stage, balancing themselves over Koo’s upturned palms.

 

On his left, a pale gray woman swirled gracefully in the air. Around her stitch patched arms, a thin veil of green liquid flowed, glistening against the red tinted scales shielding her more feminine features. Her lower half, flowing within more of this liquid, appeared as a gray and crimson fish tail, finned with sharp edges. On her clay-shaded hair, the polished bones of a Xin glinted in the lights of the stage, as braids hypnotically flowed in place about her. As she swam in place, a long silver scabbard, hilt of golden bone, twirled around her shoulders, defying gravity as it orbited its master’s fragile neck. The mermaid looked disdainfully down at the onlookers, flashing razor sharp teeth as the crowd looked in awe. The twirling blade slithered about the feminine form, gliding on the liquid like a ship across the sea.

 

On his right, a mass of silver and gray twitched metallically. Heavy looking chains hung weightlessly in place, jangling to the best of the music. Then, as if the mass of metal was the cocoon of an unholy insect, a feminine arm pierced through the exterior. The chains moaned in protest as the emerald gloved hand twisted about, its slender fingers reaching toward a large leaf-shaped lock. With a gentle press of the lock, the chains flowed in golden light, until appearing to expand outward at a high point of the tune. As the chains, appearing to radiate the residual golden energy, descended around the stage, a feminine form twirled above Koo. Golden hair floating in place, the Elven woman pirouetted in air, her floral jewelry shining in the surrounding lantern light.

 

In the low glow of the lanterns surrounding the stage, thin glints of silver revealed the strings carefully tied to each figure. Yet, this detail was only noticed by those close to the stage, and even then none of them could see the controller of these strings, nor how such motions could be done with the open night sky above them.

 

The music trickled to its opening beat, a slow tip toe of sound across the stage. As the crowd watched, the Elven maiden blushed, red swelling across her concentrated frown, adding color to her pale complexion. With a graceful flick of her wrist, the glowing chain elevated back to her open palm, coiling around it like a serpent. Once coiled about her arm, the maiden extended the arm toward her scaled companion, as the chain slithered from her arm and across the open air. As if alive, the metal chain slid through the space above Koo, before being enveloped in the glowing liquid from the mermaid’s extended arm. As the chain spiraled around her arm, now coated in the neon green glow, a faint smell of ozone wafted from the stage, although only noticeable to those under it. In a matter of moments, in time with the end of the slow beat, the chain had dissolved, save for the solid lock which rested in the mermaid’s palm. To cap off the beat, at the stroke of the final note, the lock was brought to the mouth of the mermaid, and crushed in an instant by her magnificently glistening fangs.

 

As the music seemed to come to a crashing halt, the twin actresses descended and deeply bowed. The music danced in tiptoes in the background as the twin females straightened, looking at the expecting crowd. With a stamp of his cane against the wooden stage, the music scratched to a halt again, as the two rose back into the air. The crowds clapped as the two disappeared in a puff of orange smoke. With another stamp of the cane, the music reset itself, beginning the undulating dance of sound interlaced with haunting chimes and inviting whispers. Koo focused on the crowd, his eyes shining fiercely in the faint lantern light about him, and continued;

 

-----

​

“I’m sure you’ve guessed, there’s more in tow,

Just lurking out of sight,

Why one has lulled you to my side,

On this Fusumbre night.

 

My lovely hand, the sweet Miwu,

The healer of our kin,

For through her words come sweet relief,

And sometimes hints of sin.

 

My other hand, oh dear, where’s he?

That tricky Hampel lad,

The puppet holding all the strings,

Though some may call him mad.

 

These helpers mine, are here to aid

And keep our acts in tow.

But enough of them, return to me.

Let’s get back to our show.”

​

-----

 

As Koo spoke out the lyrics, the residual wisps of the orange smoke of the previous acts seemed to melt into the continuing fog from the stage. As the white cloud enveloped the rear of the speaking MC, a pair of pink eyes glinted in the reflected lights. The pupils of these feline eyes narrowed, focusing on Koo as he spoke. Above the unseen host of these eyes, a glowing violet orb shined through the fog like a ghostly lighthouse. Around it, the shadowed, miniature form of a jester plush doll floated, the bells of its hat jingling as its head tilted back and forth. The jingles melted into the ongoing beat of the music. In the sickly purple glow, the puppet seemed to smile wickedly at the crowd.

 

Koo, sensing the appearance of the waiting two, smirked as he finished his sentence. As the music swelled again into a din of haunting chimes and repeated melodies, Koo grabbed his cane and thrust it behind him, pointing at the two hidden forms, silver handle directed into the fog as he held the oaken ferrule. At this action, in time with the sudden peak in the melody, the twin figures burst forth from the fog, appearing to the left and right of Koo. Koo, not skipping a beat, continued;

​

-----

 

“Now watch you backs, my little lambs,

For the beast is on the prowl,

She may appear the sweetly lass,

But she’s less purr, more growl,

 

Yes wish made real, she stalks the night,

Hunting for more lost souls,

Now what she does with em, I can’t say,

For I pay no such tolls,

 

And what have we here, a glowing jar?

With sleek slime, black as ink,

Well deep within, a secret lies,

That can change within a blink!

 

My goopy one, now take a bow,

And show ‘em what you’re worth.

Let’s show them forms beyond belief,

And leave them shocked with mirth.”

​

-----

 

To Koo’s left, a slender feminine form posed innocently, tilting its head as a pair of feline ears twitched to the words of the introduction. Rose colored hair rippled in the fog-rich air, as two red eyes surveyed the crowd. With the mention of growling, the ears twitched toward Koo. With a smile, the being clapped her elegant hands together and let out a deep, rumbling growl. The air around her reverberated in magical excitement, echoing the predator’s warning into a haunting howl. Ignoring the added sound, the music and Koo continued. Moving her hands to a playful, almost feline pose, the woman glowed with a pink aura. Her eyes glowed the same color, with her pupils dilating into the eyes of a predator. In moments, the aura flashed across her body, taking the ethereal form of a massive feline monster, powerful paws gracefully pressing into the stage. From within this spiritual form, shifting orbs swirled like spirits around the body of the woman. Yet despite the rippling energy, the cat woman continued to smile, eyes glowing brightly and pupil-less, and yet still seeminging to observe the crowd hungrily.

 

To Koo’s right, still floating above the stage, the small form of a plush jester held the glowing orb in it’s fingerless nubs. With a jingle of its hat, the plush giggled in a shrill tone, and dropped the orb. Despite the rising music and vocals of his master, the voice of Hampel seemed to echo in the heads of all onlookers.

 

“Whoopsie! Clumsy me! Well, you can clean yourself up.”

 

As the orb fell to the stage, the glow within seemed to dim, save for a bright glow pulsing from the top of the container. The words of Koo, moving from the introduction of the feline performer, continued to swell with the music, as the orb accelerated closer to the ground. In a smooth motion, the clown slid over to the falling orb, extending the cane with ease upward. Still speaking his part, Koo redirected the orb’s descent with the handle of the blunt instrument, resulting in the orb sliding down the shaft and landing gently into the open palm of Koo.

 

With the utterance of “blink”, Koo squeezed the orb, revealing a violet seal across the glass surface. At the revelation of the seal, a pair of ghostly lavender eyes glistened with pain and anger from the back of the stage. The seal seemed to dissolve as the etching faded in the MCs hand, and a violet light burst forth from the orb. In the swirling fog, the light faded as a jet of liquid sprayed from the vessel. The fluid, dark violet in appearance, glistened in the festival lights, appearing like the night sky. As the liquid oozed onto the stage around Koo, it shifted and took shape, amassing to the right of the MC. As soon as it was released, it had taken the form of a female, sharp spikes of hair adorning the top of the fluid body. The flowing body appeared to contain various shades of purple, a twilit oil spill upon the being’s flesh. Or what was meant to be flesh anyway.

 

With a twirl in place, the oozing being turned to the crowd and bowed gracefully. The light purple eyes, shaped delicately across the facade of the being, passed over the crowd, as if looking for something. Appearing to have found it after a second, the being blinked once, and rippled. Orbs of black and violet rose from the form’s flesh, pulsating and glowing before descending back to their host. In a blink, the globs spread across the form of the being, taking the shape of a simple, yet elegant dress, flowing with the body. Turning back to the crowd, the eyes flashed again as a seductive grin graced the being’s face.

 

The music came to another halt, as the two performers smiled and took another bow. The pink aura of the feline shimmered in the lingering fog, descending to the stage like a waterfall of rose-tinted water. Across from her, the dark flowing form looked toward Koo, lowering her head in a deep bow. Koo, slight smirk across his face, raised the orb to her inky hair, and squeezed the glass vessel again. The seal sigil shone again on the glass surface, now in a bright green, as the black liquid of the feminine being absorbed within it. In a quick motion, once the contents of the orb returned, Koo turned back to the crowd, throwing the orb carelessly over his shoulder. As he returned his attention to his introduction, the rose colored form previously beside him leapt behind Koo, grabbing the orb before fading into the curtained back of the stage. Alone again on the stage, Koo continued his smirk to the mesmerized crowd, and spoke once more to the beat of the music, returning to its slower beat.

​

-----

 

“And so you see, my lovely babes,

This show has much in store,

From vicious fiends to tricking sweets,

Of tricks and traps and more.

 

So brace yourselves, as best you can,

For now we mustn’t rest,

And when you leave, you’ll know it true,

That Master Koo’s the best!”

​

-----

 

As the tune continued its gentle waltz, Koo stepped forward and raised his arms toward the crowd. Once he finished his penultimate stanza, he raised his arms above his head, raising his cane directly over himself. A faint glow emitted from the top of the cane, as a faint wind swirled about the showman. In the faint light about the stage, glimmers of silver wisps spun about the cane’s tip, wrapping around it like a spider catching its prey. Grasping the cane tightly, Koo rose upward into the air, his feet leaving the stage as he finished his speech. Beneath him, the continuing fog enveloped the spot left empty from Koo’s form, now coating the stage entirely.

 

With the abrupt collision of the echoing tune, a rumble shook the stage. Orbs of light flashes forth from the wooden platform, sparkling in all colors of the rainbow. The fog surrounded the orbs, refracting the light against the swirling cloud, causing the form to shimmer like a wall of color. Above the stage, Koo floated in place, his wide grin shining in the lights with a chaotic glee. Turning his attention to the crowd, Koo let out a final word, his raspy voice clear and booming;

 

“NOW LET’S GET THE SHOW GOING FOLKS!”

 

Unbeknownst to the crowd, at the utterance of these words, the silent form of Hampel flew up into the night sky. Attached to him were several dozen fireworks, each tied to another chain of explosives. Looking down at his boss, Hampel let out an excited giggle, readying himself for the incoming boom. And with the snap of Koo’s free hand, the boom came.

 

The crowd watched in awe as the night sky, previously lit by distant moons and stars, and the glow of floating lanterns, erupted into light. Reds sparked from oranges, as yellows ricocheted off of greens and blues. Purples and violets bounced noisily off of whites, as glitters of gold emphasized the chaos. The crack of each explosion screamed across the air in a mad din, drowning out the cheers and applause of the crowd below. 

 

Koo, lowered back to the stage from the thin strings that held him in place, quietly bowed, lowering himself into the rainbow cloud around his feet. Those few in the crowd who saw this aimed their applause at him, before returning to the spectacle above them. As Koo descended, the soft sound of music whispered from beneath the stage. As the opening closed behind Koo, the stage stood empty once more, save for the shining rainbow of light within the still lingering fog. The crowd no longer was calm or relaxed like they were when Koo first arrived. They were excited, and ready for more.

 

And so the circus had truly begun.