Aletea Applegate's Story

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With each bite of the apple the blonde began to realize just how muggy Florida was. She remembered vacationing in the state with her family when she was smaller. There was two things you couldn't forget about Florida - the humidity and the ocean. A dreamy look crossed Thalassa's normally stoic facial features as she reminisced on the serene, crystal blue water that beckoned on-lookers to come nearer as if the waves themselves coaxed them closer. There was just something about water that appealed to the blonde, the divine sound of waves crashing on the shore, the lure of the sunlight as it reflected off the surface, and the enticing warmth of the salty water as it lapped over your feet-

The dreamy look disappeared as realized that in her daydream-like state she had startled the tall maiden. Thalassa's eyes quickly flickered away from the girl as she waved, avoiding all eye contact once Charlotte began to make her way over. Thalassa knew almost everyone's name, she was good at putting names to faces and Elsa had advised her to know the names of all the cabinet. She awkwardly looked toward the sky, as if checking the weather, squinting as the right side of her face scrunched up - reacting to the bright sun as her lips parted revealing her sharp canines. Her attention was back on the girl as she spoke, particularly the cut that adorned the forehead as the tall girl bent over in an attempt to attain the same eye level. "How did you get that?" Thalassa asked, ignoring how rude she came across as she seemed to have disregarded what the girl had said before Charlotte held her hand out: it took T a moment as her attention flickered to the hand presented in front of her. She barely heard what the girl asked, let alone said - catching her comment on the weather, Thalassa bit back a sardonic joke about "How's the weather up there?" - luckily she already knew the girl's name. She shook her confusion away as she apprehensively shook Lottie's hand. "Thalassa." She muttered, almost mechanically now - she had gotten so use to having to give her name. She understood why they were called the Cabinet of Curiosities. "Do you need some help with that cut?" She asked before really thinking it through, she had no idea how she could help. Suppose I could get water and help her clean it..she thought to herself as she peered up at Lottie for a moment before looking back to the apple in her hand and taking another bite.

As she waited for an answer from Lottie her eyes flickered from one person to another. Matthaus had already set up his tent which took him no-time, clearly he was a pro at setting tents - A pro that Paul seemed to had recruited to help set up his own tent. The sight of the two going to set up a tent reminded the blonde that she needed to ask Elsa where she was to set up her own tent. Elsa made it clear she wanted Thalassa away from any of the valuable acts' tents - didn't want things to end up..missing. Her gaze flickered to a the doll-like girl who had made camp near Paul. Her name was unique, one that Thalassa couldn't quite remember - she knew it started with an A or T. Her gaze studied the deep blue color of the right side of the girl's head, it reminded her of the deepest depths of the oceans as the girl disappeared into the main tent where all the acts performed. Her thought process then took a left turn as she scanned the area looking for Iaera. She was the first person Elsa introduced her to, and T developed a sort of apprentice/mentor relationship with the beige goddess who ate fire - something she would never understand as a water lover.

Thalassa's attention was back on Lottie, hoping she hadn't zoned out again. She really needed to learn how to make better first impressions. She remembered Iaera telling her that she needed to learn to smile, make guests feel more comfortable around her. So, she decided to experiment as she gave a rather lopsided grin to Lottie - more so a smirk as the right side of her mouth curved more than the left. She sighed at her failed attempt at being "friendly."

Paul had tapped Matthaus' shoulder, expecting him to say yes. He almost always asked him for help, and he always said yes. Matt had been a life saver to Paul. Sure, some people helped him occasionally, but Matt was reliable and never seemed annoyed to aid him. What he didn't quite expect was for his shoulder to move under the skin he had tapped. After his little routine ended, he greeted him with his head on his own shoulder. "Well, you were always one to turn heads." Paul let out a fake laugh, "hahaha," hitting his chest as he couldn't hit his knees, they were too far away. He smiled and softly chuckled at it after. "I shoulda been a clown." He was partly kidding. It would of been neat, but he felt it would of been limiting. Might as well be funny with his regular act, instead of having one solely on being a fool. It was more respectable this way. "Though, then I'd end up like that guy." Talking about the stranger of course. "I don't like em. Not one bit. Shouldn't be trusted. He's not with us, is he?" He smiled and paused briefly. "Hope Elsa rips him a new one." Everyone knew how... "aggressive" Elsa could get, and Paul found it amusing that it might be aimed at someone else for a change. He probably should of taken note of how Matt spoke to him, but Paul saw it as harmless. He already dresses like a girl..

Like always, Matt agreed. "Alright. But I believe you'd have to be a Kangaroo because your other option doesn't actually move." Did he mean his arms? Paul feigned a frown, but soon smiled. "You mean these?" He flapped his shortened arms around. He got close and hit Matt's arms with his fingers playfully. "Where are you pitching it?" Paul pointed with his shortened arms. "See that gap where all the other tents are?" He started walking back to his spot, his battered trunk waiting for him.

When they came back he saw Aletea at his tent, or where it will be soon enough. Did she want to help him? Now he felt bad. He didn't hear her ask him if he needed help. She was so small and quiet, she didn't really pull attention to herself. She would for someone who'd never seen her before, a little bit of shock and curiousity bringing them in. She still could help him if she wanted to. Well, knowing that Matthaus liked to, might have to fight him for it. "Aw, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there dear." Paul called most girls 'dear'. It was just something nice to call them. He called Aletea it more often, because of her age but mostly her size, only coming up to his chest. He called Elsa it a few times, irritating her as he thought it would. He was going to ruffle her hair, but he saw she probably took a long time to get it that way.

"Okay, lets start... wait.. here?" Paul walked around, thinking of how to go about this. "If I want the front here.." He didn't want the entrance to be going out to the tent next to his. He wanted it to look like the rest. "Okay, so lets put a stake there then.." The two started working on it, and after a short time they were finished. Others had fancy tents with vibrant colors and little frills and borders to accent it. Paul wasn't to picky about his tent. Especially since it was such a pain to put up. He had a simple tent, with ivory white and sky blue repeating. There was still some time left before the show however. "Well Matt, what you wanna do now?"

Having pulled the black, stretchy ring from his emaciated wrist, his other hand grasping his hair at its base at a high point on his head, he quickly tied and double tied his now long and golden tail. Florida had always been hot, which was something Matthaus never liked. Don't get it wrong, he liked it much better than the cold, because the cold made it harder on him when he stretched than the heat did, but he didn't have to enjoy the heat itself just because he hated the cold. Everyone got all sweaty in the heat, and although that doesn't bother him directly, the reaction it got is what did. Everyone always moaned and groaned all day and complained about the smell. Maybe not the circus itself, but there is always, and he meant always, is at the very least thirty different customers who complain.

Those who have been around in the Cabinet even half as long as Matthaus has had long gotten used to the stick of the perspiration and the stench of raised arms, for they all sweat even in the cold at times. It just got to the contortionist when those who watched had the gull to bitch about it. Those salty sardines who always packed every show (except maybe a few recent acts) never have seen a hard days work in their lives. And better yet, they pay good money to walk around in the sun all day, which one should get used too anyway since it's good for you, and they sit shoulder to shoulder to watch even warmer performers doing outrageously hot acts, sometimes with fire, and yet they still blame it on global warming and nature's revenge. If they can't even stand to sit in a tent for a few hours without melting, then why would they come in the first place? Things like that boil his water.

As well as strangers on the grounds.

Matthaus knew he had a crown too small for his head. Everyone did, or so he hoped. It helped keep his ego inflated after all. What good is one if it's not huge? As useful as an infected lab rat. But ego didn't mean his lens was any different. Paul thought the clown was strange too. Good. He wasn't the only one this time.

"Making us laugh
And banish that frown,
The simple duties
Of a clown." Matthaus glared over his shoulder, not too much unlike his reaction to Paul. He turned to Paul as if this was the first time he's stated the fact. "I don't like clowns."

But the day is still at hand and Paul didn't seem to get his joke. Good thing he didn't like clowns.

"No Paully, not your arms." Matthaus grinned, erasing any hint of a joke from his tone. But knowing Matthaus, he always quickly drew it back,"I was talking about your crap." He laughed, flinching comically at the nudge. The blonde's hand raised and placed over the tingling skin, his lower lip perching out in a bulbous fashion. "Ow. Some thanks." The lost stray look hardly worked on the eyes who has seen is more than it bargained for, but maybe that's what made it funny. And it was the humor in the sarcastic glance that made him laugh yet again, gently shoving the tall glass of nails back.

But back to the task at hand. The faster they all can get practicing the more money they'll make. And the more fun it will be. So Julian followed behind Paul with his head high, his discoloured eyes falling on the manikin girl along the way. The porcelain frame was admirable among any sane mind, it didn't matter what gender you were. If animals were intelligent, then it wouldn't even matter what species either. But since animals didn't have half a brain to admire beauty even if they bit into it, Matthaus had the sight all to himself and to enjoy it. Or so he always thought. She was, in technicality, Elsa's property, but the poor doll was no property at all. She was a magnificent display of personality and life, and he tried desperately to make the most of every moment he had with the walking perfection he could.

She was always quite though. The poor dear wasn't even heard by any pair of ears besides his, and that was only because he was listening. It also helped that he had learned to read lips over the decade plus he's been in this mystery box. Paul apologized for not having noticed her offer, but Matthaus tried to assure the poor figurine by waving with his fingers. They briefly reached his lips in which he blew the light kiss off with a soft breath, and it floated to the air in her direction. She then went off to do good somewhere else. The little do gooder.

"Looks good, Paully." Matthaus smiled at the open space. As Matthaus prepared to get the tent up, his ears tuned in on his instructions, not that he particularly needed it. It was just polite, he guessed. "Alright, let's get this bad boy up then." He lugged the hammer on his shoulder, setting up the first stake. He then started pitching the tent with the seal, hammering the stakes in and getting the tent ready to get the main post up.

In hardly any time at all, the tent was put up and ready for Paul's sleepy eyes. But now that it was, it had to wait until nightfall, because both their eyes were awake in the sun. Set up was usually the time of practice and casual conversation, usually while one practiced. There normally wasn't a whole lot of time between set up and the show, and never nearly enough time as Matthaus would like. But if Paul wanted to do something then he supposed he could spare a few moments. His cornblue eyes flickered around.

The first thing he came across was their gentle and clumsy giant, in which he responded with a smile and downwards chromatic scaled whistle. Next he saw Hecate with the clown he told off, and with the poor Aletea rushing away. "I don't like clowns. " He repeated. "Come, just for a second Paul." He waved a finger as he himself walked nimbly on over to the walking doll.

"Miss Applegate." He called, placing his hand on the furthest shoulder from him. He spoke in his signature, corrective manner that sounded more like satirical sarcasm than anything. "What have I told you about dangerous crowds?" The irony is that he never recalled calling clowns a dangerous crowd at all. He's stated he never liked them, but the general terms of crowds never seemed to come up. But speaking of things he's never spoken of as if he speaks of yesterday was yet another abnormality about him. Which was, indeed, normal.

"Beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return.
Beneath what seems a benevolent disguise
Perhaps is concealed a menacing surprise."

He loved it when two poems can come together like that. He's always loved Charles Bukowski, but his poems go so well with others to make a point. But Matthaus gestured to the blood stained rose as he spoke, however, not touching it for the sake that it might, heaven forbid, mean something to her.

Gifts from clowns are hardly gifts at all, but a slapstick waiting to happen.