Adelaide Sucrauss's Story

It was just like any other day really in this lovely little place called New Orleans, at least it would have been had the circus not stopped by. The sun was beginning to dip its lower half under the horizon, splashing the sky with various colors of red, orange and yellow. Street lights were being turning on in the darker areas of the city whilst the many people of New Orleans slinked about into the evening light. Quite a few of them were simply going through the usual routine of the night life they were known for. On the other hands others had a different idea on how to spend their evening hours in a way that even if it took them into the late hours of the night they wouldn’t be disappointed.

Already the hours were ticking by as families, groups and individuals prepared for their night. The coming of sunset would signify the start of an amazing sight that could only be found under an immense tent in the City Park. The tent was meant to house hundreds of people but anyone could tell you that it couldn’t possibly fit the amount that wanted to see the show. Preparations had taken about a week to do, trying the patience of just about everyone in the Big Easy. All those structures that had been erected during the night and the multitude of carts that were hidden under the tents closed flaps piqued the interest of many.

From the looks of it this particular circus would make a good amount of money despite the fact that this was their last performance in the city. Soon they would have to finish their tour of the Americas and head back to Germany, their birth place, to think up new ways of striking awe into the hearts of their audiences. If one were to look at the City Park from the ground level, they probably wouldn’t be able to figure out where everything was as there wasn’t just one big tent but there were a couple of others albeit smaller tents and booths. These were set up to ensure that those who were waiting to enter or had already seen the show could have something to do while the Cirque du Eliaze was there. There were a total of four smaller tents, one for fortune telling, the second had smaller act consisting of animals, the third tent with a magic show while the fourth tent consisted of various daring acts. Scattered through the area were various booths for games while at the center of the whole thing was the picnic area that also had food stalls.

The biggest tent was where the majority of people flocked towards however due to the maximum capacity it had, quite a few were turned away and encouraged to go to the other tents or booths. In the next ten minutes the show was too begin. Once it started the lights would go incredibly dim to the point where it was all around black inside. Lights would then flash as a single figure slipped down from what could be assumed was the ceiling of the tent; their pale silhouette cutting through the inky black. They were suspended in the air by nothing but a gauzy strip of brightly colored clothe. Many in the tent gasped upon seeing this lonesome figure as they knew there was no net to catch them lest the clothe rip or they fall. Suddenly various silhouettes erupted into existence as they danced and move, both in air and on the ground. The show had finally begun.

New Orleans was probably the most tolerable place Chester had resided from what his memory had told him. If you subtracted the humidity, and the insufferable temperatures, and the immense amount of the population that genuinely believed that witches and voodoo had an imminent affect on the way their life’s fortune and misfortunes played out. But, he supposed, at least this town had character.

Plus, hanging out the slums of the city proved an invaluable asset to people not bothering him for being alone, and there were tons of abandoned lots not worth saving after the hurricane disaster a few years ago. What with the constant heat and lack of regulation on these lots, finding dry and unpopulated buildings for sleeping was not hard to come by. Which was why he found himself exiting an old two story home with considerable water damage and the remnants of a family forgotten, he liked it though, comfortable furniture and a structure just stable enough to support his weight as he tiptoed around the upper floor. As he walked across the unkempt lawn his eyes swept from side to side, watching the humans around him, the community didn’t pay much attention to kids that got a bit too curious about the abandoned buildings that had become a part of their regular lives.

Since arriving in New Orleans Chester had been living quietly, keeping his head down and hardly ever having to invoke any of his power. The break of using his power was proving to be the most helpful in improving his ragged mental state. The more he relied on the power supplied to him by the titan residing inside himself the more anger he felt and the harder it became to control himself around those masses of trash. Chester felt his hand clench into a fist, he had to control himself if he was ever going to achieve the goals set before him by his titan, Coeus.

Coeus came to him in visions while he slept, at first as enigmatic flashes and imagery that had whispers of revenge and destruction, but most recently as clear pictures and messages as to how to achieve these things. Coeus had pushed him in the direction of this city, and Chester had been hiding out in this city for nearly two month with nothing but the same repetitive visions Coeus sent him in his dreams for company.

Last night he was greeted with a new vision for the first time in those two months, a sign he couldn’t possibly ignore from Coeus. It was a giant big top tent, brightly colored and alive with humans. Something important was going to happen there and he was determined to find out what. The smile that ghosted his lips reached his eyes with a devious glint and he felt as the magnetic poles in his body realigned so his south pole focused into the palm of his right hand. He held out his hand towards the old cast iron gate that bordered the lot as it violently repelled from his hand, since developing his magnetic powers the ability to tell an objects magnetic alignment in order to get objects to obey his will had emerged, sort of like a sixth sense.

The circus that had recently made its home in the city park had been hard to miss, it was large, and gaudy and everything that your stereotypical circus was supposed to look like. Something Chester hadn’t had any interest in except perturbed annoyance that the tent had overrun his street performing territory.

This thought lingered as his hands shoved in the pockets of his dark colored jeans and Chester began his trek to the park, his heart rate increasing with each step at the thought of what ever could be there that Coeus wanted him to see. His unruly white hair bounced with each step, livelier than he had been in months.

As he walked through the park and closer to the circus the first thing he spotted was the big top’s high peak, the density of the population was also increasing, people eager to flock the circus on its closing night. He watched as families walked together, children crying from sore feet and parents gripping the hands of excited toddlers tightly as not to lose them. The dynamic of persons was remarkably diverse and despite Chester’s overall disgust for mankind he couldn’t help but be jealous that if he had been born into a different home he could have experienced his childhood on completely different terms.

As he got even closer the boy pulled at the black hood of jacket in order to cover his white locks that stood out against the masses of people that surrounded him. Even though it was extremely hot he knew that as the sun set the jacket would become more bearable to wear and it was essential for him keeping a low profile.

He paused as something small and quick caught his attention. It caused the boy to stop dead in his tracks and for an overly excited child to crash right into him. As the kid fell back he hardened his eyes and glared at her, annoyance bubbled in his sneer, which consequently prompted her to burst into tears. He left without saying a word, listening as the child’s mother came in in an attempt to console the upset child with no avail.

Chester’s eyes darted until he spotted across the field, much closer to the circus, the thing that had caught his eye in the first place. A small black cat sitting out in the open, staring into the crowd of people that passed it by, but it felt like it was staring at him. The boy weaved through the crowd until it spat him out right in front of the animal. He squatted in front of it, holding a hand out and cooing to encourage it to approach him.

The black cat’s big blue eyes sparkled as they looked up at him before it darted away without looking back. Chester sighed, dropping his hand in disappointment. He couldn’t make sense of why animals didn’t like him. He had his theories, that they could sense the unusual magnetic fields around his body, but other than science explanations he concluded that animals simply didn’t like bad people.

The boy pushed himself up, brushing away the nonexistent dirt on his jeans, it sounded as if something was happening towards the big top. It must have been starting soon. He ran towards the tent only to see the ticket man turning away people for the booked show and cursed under his breath, he had to get in.

He stood a good distance away from the entrance, watching for something he could use to his advantage. His opening came in the passing of a young couple with a metal baby carriage. All it would take was some concentration. As he focused on the carriage he watched as it slowly began to pull towards him and he felt the pull in his own body as the force of the carriage urge his body to get closer to it. He held firm though, watching until the entire carriage fell over and rolled a few feet until he scrambled the poles in his body again. The woman of the couple screamed and the person standing in front of the big top entrance rushed to assist them.

He wasn’t the only one to take advantage of the guard leaving his post, and as he slipped in he watched a few others dash in as well. The inside of the big top was dark, ominous, a single beam of light illuminating one figure in the center. Chester weaved himself into the crowd taking a seat where he could see comfortable. This was it, Coeus wanted him here for a reason, and he was about to find out why.

Wrong location, ignore.

---

"A circus."

In the crowd, a boy with an odd eyepatch pushed his way through the people, lifting it every now and then to see the path clearly. Tilting his head back to see the whole splendour of the circus, Castiel let himself take it in for a few seconds, feasting his eyes on the sight before him. "Majestic, isn't it?" Sighed the female voice in his head, her words tinged with faint longing. "The lights remind me of fireflies, back when mother was still beautiful."

[color=#1F497D"Mm."[/color] He only made a sound that he had heard her, choosing not to reply to her statement. Fireflies were something that were rare to be sighted these days, only coming out when the skies are clear. Which, considering the amount of smoke produced, rarely are.

Themis was in the mood of nostalgia this time, whether it was a positive or negative thing. It seemed that both of them were excited to see just what was happening in the tents. Castiel had been sent on a sightseeing trip as a break from his lessons in the working world, and this time he had bought tickets to a 'circus'. This was the first time he had seen one before, and he was not disappointed. It looked like something right out of a picture book, and his eyes were bright with wonder.

Ignoring the fact that Themis had showed him the vision of the tent multiple times, it was all in all not a bad idea. He usually stayed away from the things she told him to do, much to the Titaness's annoyance. Castiel didn't want to get involved in this nonsense of picking sides. That had never gone well, but he couldn't keep on running from his fate forever. A few days more, then I'll be ready to decide. But that was what he told himself every time.

Themis has been growing increasingly restless these days, her thoughts constantly in his mind. Her soft voice always asking for revenge, revenge for what they had done with Gaea, yet Castiel tried to ignore them each time. Sometimes her power will rise with her anger, causing throbbing pain to his eye once again. It was getting harder and harder to keep it pent up.

"Please excuse me..." He mumbled apologies under his breath as the dried continued to move around him. There were more people that he had expected, but it seemed that it was not often that a circus came to town. He was in luck this time, if only he had brought his parents with him. In any case, if he didn't hurry to the main tent, he might not get the chance to get in. There were already several people being turned away, and he was stubbornly determined to see what was inside the main attraction first. There were still several small tents around the large one, but they can wait.

For some reason, a baby's carriage turned over, making the mother hysterical and the guard rush over to assist her. What a perfect opportunity. Still, something was not quite right. The nagging feeling in his chest was growing stronger, as his eyes looked around to fix on a black jacket. It was another boy around his age, and he darted in the tent quickly in the moment of diversion. There was something queer about him, he could sense that just by his actions, but perhaps he was overly paranoid. Yet, his curiosity propelled him to find out more.

He reached just as the curtains were about to close, squeezing past just in time to get inside and using his small frame as an advantage to move past the crowd. His eyes were fixed on the black jacket, and as the boy sat down eventually he stopped just behind his seat. What was he going to say to him should he approach? 'Hey, I was thinking that maybe you have powers and might be part of the race that wants to annihilate all humans?' He had no proof of it yet, so it might not be his best decision to ask now. People might get offended, and if his father had ever taught him anything it was to avoid outright confrontations.

Instead, he moved next to the boy and asked in a rather nonchalant tone. "Hello, are you having fun?" He asked, giving him a small smile. "My name is Castiel, what's yours?"

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_____ Blue-green eyes looked at the mass of people around him, disgust quickly becoming evident in his face. "Remind me again why I'm accompanying you." A slender hand gripped the two tickets, keeping them safe from the crowds as his companion jumped from booth to booth. The attractions were nice and all, but Rezu honestly couldn't see why there was so much hype. He'd watched one of their shows before as a child, and to be frank, the black-haired male wasn't a fan of the entire deal.

_____ "I don't know either. Even I was surprised when you said yes; thought you hated crowds." He couldn't argue with Wren there; for some reason, he'd simply been compelled to agree. Slender shoulders shrugged. It was that inner voice again. He absently rubbed the spot directly above his heart with his free hand. She'd been growing stronger recently, as if knowing that the others were coming. The thought disturbed him, but even Rezu knew he couldn't keep ignoring those visions forever. At one point it was either going to stop, or something that would change his life forever would begin.

_____ "Hey pretty boy, looks like they're calling people in for the main show." His could only snicker at the pure distaste that Rezu flashed him before the model switched his focus to elsewhere. Sure enough, streams of people were filing into the various entrances around the main tent. They filed in with the rest, the chatter growing by the minute, inversely proportional to his good mood. Really, all Rezu wanted to do was go back to his hotel room and spend his week vacation asleep in bed. After all, they'd shoved this break on him when his mother pointed out he hadn't had a length off time for six months now. In the first place, he didn't even want one.

_____ Speaking of work, Rezu quickly tugged at the shirt of his coworker and friend. "Those two girls have been staring at me for the past five minutes." His expression remained nonchalant although the voice belied the tension he felt. If there was one thing he hated about the business, it was all the ridiculous facades one had to put up to even reach a degree of success. He could start acting like a total primadonna once he was big but right now, he was at the bottom of the food chain.

_____ "Maybe they just think you're cute." Rezu's scowl prompted a shrug from Wren. "You should be expecting people to recognize you sometimes. Yeah, you're not as big as your mother was, but you will have fans. We're about to go in anyway, we'll lose them in the crowd." Soon enough, a friendly man with the name tag Garen took the tickets from Rezu's hands and let them in. They weaved in and out of throngs and groups, eventually finding a seat with what was theoretically a decent view. They'll find out soon enough. The noise slowly died down as the ushers forced everyone to their seats, the lights dimming to signal something was about to begin.

_____ "Finally." The spotlight followed lithe figures in the air, doing their acrobatics like flying was as natural to them breathing. It was all very amazing and all, yet Rezu couldn't help but notice his eyes kept straying to the crowds, searching their faces. Searching for what exactly? He didn't know. Yet he could feel an excitement in his gut which didn't entirely belong to him. Just why was he here?

Today was the big day. Her big day that no one was going to take away from her. Adelaide had been working towards this day for two years now and she was very much pleased by the fruits of her labor. The sun was already coming down which meant she would have to start preparing for her duet with one of the other acrobat, Julius Anton. He was one of the best in their troupe and Adelaide was pretty damn happy to know that she’d be dancing with him tonight. There was just one problem. The visions had gotten worse as this day crept closer and closer. Cronos had been giving her glimpses of what was to occur tonight and she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not considering this was a day that she had been working towards for so long. He had shown her the main tent multiple times the past couple of days. Adelaide sincerely hoped it was just him riling her up for today but she knew better. They were coming whether she wanted them to or not. When they do come would she go with them? Or would she stay with her family.

Cronos told her it was either with her family or Gaia. When Adele thought about it the fact that the ability Cronos gave her was to manipulate the earth and she was still hesitant about whose side she was on was rather strange. Quickly shaking her head Adelaide pushed those thoughts aside and began to prep. Donning on her signature leotard with its penguin theme, Adele stepped up to the stage with her partner, Anton. They climbed those precarious steps to the platform just as the lights dimmed down to almost nothing. Her breath quickened in anticipation and excitement and then Anton ran forward, leaping off the platform. His pale silhouette cut through the darkness like butter.

From where she stood, watching, the young german realized just how lonely he looked, dancing by himself. All the more reason to give him some company. With a tightlipped smile Adele leapt of the platform to join him in his dance. The two weaved about one another, telling a story of a love that could not, would not, be fruitful. Anton's pale form was a stark contrast to Adelaide's ink, almost seamless one. She blended in with the dimness of the tent, making it all the more eye catching as every movement resulted in a shimmering wave-like effect on her body. It truly was a beautiful sight to behold but not because it was a graceful tragic love story but because, not once, did they cease to amaze the crowd with their skills. These skills awed certain people for these skills were the results of arduous training that allowed them the utmost control of their body movements.

All Adele could think about was how light she felt. To her, being up here, performing was the most natural thing for her to do. But alas, all good things must come to an end. After nearly an hour of breathtaking performances the curtains closed for this story and Adelaide returned to the reality that was her life. A human with two souls. One that was from millenias ago, the other very much like a newborn in comparison. Adelaide gently dropped herself to the ground level where she, along with the other performers, bowed to the audience. Despite being in the center of the stage and in the dark, something caught her eye as she rose from her bow. A pale white like she had never seen before popped out of the darkness. Heart skipping a beat, Adelaide paused for the briefest of moments. Could it be they saw me too? Regardless of whether they could even see her, Adelaide sent a beckoning smile in the direction of the white splotch.

Afterwards Adelaide went to give her thanks to Anton then to her parents. They were very proud of her for having been the center for the night. Once all the rounds had been made she went to her room to change out of her performance clothes to ones more suitable. They still retained the penguin theme and she wore her trademark scarf and hat. Slipping into a single piece, one would think she wore a bathing suit but considering her line of worm you could easily turn the other way. Adelaide could feel their presence. It was strong but she couldn't pinpoint where or how many there were. Never having been the type to search for others, Adelaide went to one of the more secluded areas of the circus, just to the right of the animal tent. Sitting down on a giant box, Adelaide crossed one leg over the other and waited with one of her better known smirks plastered on her lips.

Chester felt himself squirm in his seat. He didn’t hang in the close quarters of other humans often; Coeus had turned him off of the idea of making human connections, and the white haired boy had concluded that all he needed as company were the others that hosted the titan siblings and suddenly being thrown into a pit of tightly packed people made his stomach churn aggressively. He could feel the moment another human approached him, and could not fathom when they suddenly started to try and have a conversation with Chester in the middle of the packed audience. "Hello, are you having fun? My name is Castiel, what's yours?" As he turned to snap at the unwelcomed conversationalist the boy felt his breath catch in his throat.

Chester’s heart stuttered and his eyes widened in shock. He felt Coeus surge inside of him and the wave of emotion hit him so hard his hands shook, and the feeling that rushed through his body resembled a coffee high on an empty stomach. It blinked away in an instant and Coeus reigned himself back in and Chester felt his expression soften into that akin to childhood nostalgia. He reached forward and stopped just short of cupping the young boy’s face with his hand.

“Sister…” He could barely get his voice above a whisper despite being surrounded by a loud crowd and wondered if the boy in front of him even heard it. His breathlessness from encountering the first of his siblings was accompanied by his pounding heart and he couldn’t help but be amazed at the fact Coeus had somehow known this would happened, and that the titans that resided in him and eleven other humans on this planet were pushing them all together. Chester blinked in surprise as his mind brought him back to their circus surroundings and he retracted his hand in an abrupt jolt.

“My name is Chester Calico-" He wanted to say more but as the circus came into full swing the noise became too loud to talk over and anything he could have possibility said would have been drowned out by the fanfare and adoring crowds. He sent a curious look back at the boy sitting next to him though; one of his sisters was linked to that boy the way Coeus was to him. He studied the boy’s soft features. What had his name been? It started with a K maybe; he hadn’t been listening until he realized who the boy had been. Castor? Carlton? Castiel. The light bulb went on, both metaphorically and literally as the circus switched to a new act. The white haired boy flicked his attention towards the stage, where a single spotlight highlighted a dancer, completely intent on studying the titaness next to him when the feeling bubbled in his gut again.

It was murky and unclear; not nearly as overwhelming as seeing Castiel had been, but Chester knew another one was here, maybe even two. He wondered how it was possible for more of his siblings to be in the same location, after years of being apart to suddenly have more than two titans coincidentally in the same place was amazing. He kept his attention on the circus as a male trapeze artist swinging through the air. Chester could feel his nerves ignite and prickle over his skin, raising goose bumps in their wake as the act continued. It was beautiful; more so once the female dancer joined him, but the boy couldn’t pinpoint which one of them was his brother. He watched on in awe and even pushed down the black hood of his jacket, revealing his stark white hair in order to get an unobstructed view of them.

The two dancers moved incredibly, their costumes and the lowlighting add to the illusion and grandness of the performance and Chester felt himself clench his fists. Cronus, the strongest of all the titans, was up there, but Coeus couldn’t even distinguish which body he resided in. It was both frustrating and saddening that he was so close to his brother, yet could not even recognize him for who he was. Chester sat in his ridged position for the rest of the performances, his eyes never straying far from the two dancers. It wasn’t until the end of the circus was he able to figure it out. When the female looked at him his heart stuttered, that was his brother, it had felt like the performer had picked him out of the crowd and bore her eyes into his soul. The crushing weight of Cronus’ presence was evident and alive, and it made the boy’s stomach drop in a way that was both familiar and frightening.

Chester turned to Castiel as the humans around them began vacating their seats. He reached out and grabbed the boy’s hand desperate to make sure they wouldn’t be separated. He reached with his free hand to pull the black hood back into place as he began leading the other boy outside where there was more personal space. On his way he pushed through two people, one of which had the looks to be a model. He felt a surge, but the weight of seeing Cronus had his heart hammering in his chest like a jackhammer and the tightly packed crowd made him nauseous, so even as Coeus screamed in the back of his mind he pushed on ahead until they had made it out of the tent.

"Did you see that female dancer? Our brother, Cronus was up there on stage! Oh, but Themis, to see you is incredible as well I have been searching for my siblings for over a year.” He gave a breathily laugh, one of disbelief and lilt as he grinned at the other boy. Now that they were out of the big top it was much easier to see Castiel’s features. The most prominent being the eye patch covering his right eye, and Chester ran his eyes across the boy’s body. He was short, but he was also young, probably the same age as Chester, so still in his growing stage, and his clothes looked like he came from a pretty well off family.

Chester suddenly felt very self-conscious of his own appearance, he probably looked ratty and unkempt in comparison. He shoved his hands into the pockets on his jeans, suddenly feeling unsure in the face of one of his sisters and looked down. He could feel Cronus in the distance, a crushing presence, and felt the pull to see him itch under his skin and tug at his fingertips. "Do you want to go see him?"

---

Did I do something wrong? Fleeting thoughts rushed through Castiel’s mind as the boy turned to him. Perhaps it was bad to initiate a conversation out of nowhere. After all, some people do find it rather uncomfortable, and he wasn’t sure if that boy was one of them. Yet, he couldn’t help himself. Something hinted so strongly that he was the same, so strongly that he couldn’t help himself. Themis would probably have made him, either way.

The feeling only grew stronger as the boy’s eyes widened in shock. Could he be feeling it as well? So he wasn’t really wrong after all. Themis was getting more excited at the moment, he could feel her stirring awake, pushing against his consciousness to take control. “Wait!” He hissed under his breath at the titaness, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself by rushing into things. His situation was an odd one, and it seemed unbelievable that there were actually others like him, eleven of them according to Themis. He never actually trusted those, much to Themis’s insistence about him paying attention and following his destiny. It was comforting to know that there are others like him out there, but the last thing he wanted was to get involved in the destruction of mankind that will ensue according to her ever confident voice. And yet, he had already made contact with someone that might be like him.

As he carefully observed the emotions on the other boy’s face, Castiel relaxed his grip over his body as they turned into one of nostalgia. Perhaps that was what Themis foresaw. They were driving closer and closer to the outcome, and now that there was no doubt that the boy sitting beside him was one of the eleven, Castiel had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Part of him was tingling with wonder and relief that there were others, and the other was telling him to run as far away from this as possible if he did not want to get pulled into yet another mess. His human and Titan sides were never in this much conflict before, and though he looked rather calm on the surface, the turmoil going on inside him was getting stronger.

“Sister…” And there was the confirmation. Though the crowd was still big and noisy, he caught his quiet utterance and gave him another quick smile. "Coeus. It’s Coeus! We found Coeus!" It was all he could do to prevent Themis from flinging her arms over the other boy and giving him a hug. People were watching, and he hated the assumptions and views of others. If only they could move to somewhere more isolated… keeping a hold of Themis was getting harder and harder these days. “My name is Chester Calico-" His human side seemed to be in control now, though he was cut off by the circus as he started to speak, the noise overwhelming his words. Castiel turned back to the circus then, his eyes fixated on the stage almost in an attempt to save himself from awkwardness. It was rude to stare, and though his curiosity was killing him he didn’t observe Chester obviously. He only sneaked in quick peeks of the boy who housed Themis’s sister. They looked so different from each other, unlike siblings at all. But again, they weren’t, though Castiel expected some resemblance in the way the Titans chose their human hosts. Apparently he was wrong.

The feeling gripped him once again, washing over his body like a wave. It was so strong, stronger than he ever would have expected and left him gasping for air. His eye was throbbing behind the patch, and he clasped a hand over it in case it was glowing again. Themis snapped to attention within him, as both of their attentions were fixated to the spotlight on the stage. A man and woman flew in the air, telling a story of tragic romance, their bodies and costumes looking like a perfect blend in the little light of the tent. He could hear the audience gasp in awe of their performance, but that was not what his was focused on. As the girl seemed to shoot a smile in their direction, his heart leapt. That was another one of them, he could sense it in his body, and also in the excitement of Themis. "That’s the strongest one of us. Cronos! How are you not excited yet?" Castiel let out a soft sigh, though he was amused. It had been a long time since Themis was this active and enthusiastic, but the thrill of meeting someone you have never met in thousands of years must be a strong emotion, despite one that he can never start to fathom how it feels like.

He looked up as his hand was grabbed by Chester, not even realizing in his musings that the performance was over. Most of the audience were already heading off to the other attractions or back home. Oh yes, home. Castiel wondered briefly about whether his father will be worried before the thought was swept to the back of his mind. That was the last of his concerns now, not when the people he had met and the possibilities were enough to sweep him off his feet. He followed Chester closely as the crowd moved around him, but he could feel his discomfort. Was the crowd too big for him? In his moment of hesitation, Themis eagerly took the opportunity to take control of his body quickly.

"Did you see that female dancer? Our brother, Cronus was up there on stage! Oh, but Themis, to see you is incredible as well I have been searching for my siblings for over a year.” “Indeed! I’m glad we could meet again, Coeus. It’s been so long!” He gave the boy a quick hug, much to Castiel’s mortification.

"Do you want to go see him?" “But of course! Shall we check the back of the tent?” It does seem to be the most plausible way to seek out the performer, if she had not left yet. If they went quickly enough, they should be able to catch her.

---

Gale's brown eyes flickered open, still somewhat hazy from her prolonged nap. A small yawn escaped her thin lips as she outstretched her arms and smiled as the moon's light peeked through her window. Peace and quiet filled the room, filling Gale with a sense of solace that she treasured dearly. Though the solace only lasted so long as her eyes widened to find the moon's light, which was definitely peeking through her window. As she comprehended the time only one thought was allowed to run through her mind: she was late. Very late.

Panic hit her like a brick. Why? She wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was late. She was very late for something very important. Without a second of hesitation, Gale launched herself off of her cheap bed and toward her dresser. She reached for the dresser's rusted knob and tore out the first outfit she could find. Next she scrambled to the stuffy little bathroom her mother and her shared and changed into red and black attire along with a pair of tan combat boots. She contemplated tying them but she decided she could do that when she got there. She was already late enough. She needed to hurry. She needed to get there very quickly, or she'd run out of time. Part of her questioned where exactly she was going, and that was when she remembered the dream she'd just had about a circus. The circus... The circus! Of course! How could she not remember? And since when did she choose to sleep through it?! She pushed the question aside. Not important.

As Gale rushed out the door of her crappy house without so much as a bye to her mother, curiosity began to grow within her. Crius had been giving her small glimpses of this circus for a while now. She knew that something about this night was very important. She just wasn't sure what yet. The simple question of what was what got her curiosity stirring. Even now, the more she thought about it, the more it piqued her interest. Now, where was that circus? Gale urged herself to remember, she was already late and there was only so much precious time until the circus was over... City Park, wasn't it? Yes, yes, yes! She lived near City Park, so it'd be easier to just run there, right? The faster the better. Her legs began moving before she directed them where to go.

Excitement began to build up inside of Gale. Her stomach fluttered with positive anticipation. She couldn't wait to get to the circus. She ran up the sidewalks, bolted across the crosswalks, and knocked several people down all in a rush to get to the circus. Joy rushed throughout her veins, the intensity increasing the closer she got. The elation inside of Gale could only grow, though the closer she got the more she began to wonder if all that joy was actually hers. It was then that it became obvious why Crius wanted her at the circus. The others must've been there. Now, just the thought of actually meeting the Titan reincarnations was enough to make Gale herself giddy with excitement... As if she weren't already. She couldn't wait to meet the others. Finally, she'd have someone else to talk to other than the titan inside of her. She'd have company who understood her troubles! Who understood how--- how irritating mankind was, and more! Oh, she couldn't wait. She couldn't wait one bit.

And she would wait no longer. As Gale finally reached the Circus and slowed to a halt, her head swayed from side to side, as her eyes tried to locate one of her own. She searched through the thick of the crowd, trying to find anyone that caught her attention, but to no avail. She knew that at least one of them had to be here. The only question was how to find them.

Gale scanned the crowd a million times over and yet no one caught her eye. A spark of anger tainted her mood as she began pushing through the crowd, growing more and more irritable by the second. There was no way that they weren't here, that she knew for certain, so where the hell were they---

Her thoughts halted as she pushed by a figure that happened to catch her attention. She turned to face a rather handsome looking boy at least eight inches taller than her. With eyes that wandered between the colors blue and green and black hair that perfectly framed the boy's face, he was nothing short of attractive. She'd found one! Within seconds Gale found herself teeming with excitement once again as her sister's name came pouring out of her mouth. "Thea!"

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_____ The show had a stunning start, but the black-haired male found himself distracted for a good part of it. Well, he was unfocused until the tale of two lovers. Even then, he found himself transfixed towards the woman, and it wasn't as if he was attracted to her. No. It was all Thea. She whispered the word Cronus almost like a litany, and it wasn't difficult to guess that the performer was related to the visions. He felt his throat run dry and more than once he had to clear it in an effort to feel more comfortable. As focused as he was, if Wren ever asked him about the show, he'd be left unable to answer. All Thea was obsessed with was the fact she'd found one of her family, and that fixation was leaking onto Rezu. He closed his eyes and steeled himself; once he opened them again, the show was over and the performers all stood in the center, paying their respects to the crowd. He clapped politely, but he wasn't in it. All he could feel was the discomfort and tension coming from Thea.

_____ "That was pretty good." Wren continued to sit with him, letting most of the crowd pass before they stood up themselves. Jostling with the masses wasn't necessary considering they weren't in a rush.

_____ When two small figures pushed past him, Rezu found himself reaching for someone. "Wait - !" The children ignored him and disappeared into the crowd. Blue green eyes looked to his own hands in distress. He wasn't sure why he did that. Thea again? She'd been a lot more pro-active lately.

_____ "Friends of yours?" The questioning look his friend gave him had Rezu thinking. After another second, he shook his head. "Not sure. They were familiar... I think."

_____ "'I think'. Yeah, I'm just not gonna ask. Crowd's clearing though." And Rezu appreciated that, as he wasn't exactly sure how he was going to explain himself. 'There's a voice inside me that tells me about things.' wasn't really going to cut it for the pragmatic Wren. Hell, he himself wasn't even 100% sure he wasn't going crazy. Maybe that's what he should use his vacation for. Checking himself into a psychiatric hospital.

_____ Blue-green eyes scanned the room, seeing that the crowd had been reduced to a much more bearable amount outside the bottleneck areas. He stood up, checking his watch for the time as he did. "Yeah, I think we can - whoa!" Caught off guard, Rezu was almost sent tumbling back to his seat when he wound up carrying the weight of whoever had thrown themselves at him. The name they shouted, however, was what sent his heartbeat racing. Thea. She knows about the - Crius. Just like earlier, Thea asserted her presence into his mind, forcing him to lose his train of thought. This was Crius.

_____ "Miss, get off or I'm going to call the police." Wren was already pulling her away from him. As bad as he felt, Rezu was glad for the slight reprieve from Thea's assertions. But it probably wasn't wise to have his friend keep his assumptions, or he might really call the cops. The last thing he needed was to explain the situation at a police box. He didn't think they'd take too kindly to his former life explanation.

_____ "It's fine, Wren. I think I know her." The cameraman continued to look at him dubiously, but at least let go of Crius' shoulder.

_____ "There you go again with 'I think'. Really Rezu, if you're not sure just err to the side of caution and -"

_____ "I can think and act for myself." The young model was getting irritated, and his companion knew that Rezu was going to force his way no matter what. "I said myself. Go on ahead. Don't waste time dallying here if you don't want to be alone. You better start now if you want to find someone before midnight." The jab was enough to have Wren leave in a huff, muttering about how pretty boys just had girls throwing their bodies at them. Rezu supposed he did have a point, and he found himself smiling a bit as he watched him join the line leaving the tent.

_____ Once he was out of earshot, blue-green eyes looked towards the girl who'd jumped him just moments before. "Don't do that with people you just met, regardless of what they say." They meaning the voices he was assuming the girl also heard. While he was used to tactile affection and being close to people in general (make-up artists just make you immune to finding closeness uncomfortable), that didn't mean he liked it.

_____ With a sigh, he held out a hand to the girl. "Rezu Sonova. Sorry if my friend overreacted; my job forces me to be wary of people." He tilted his head slightly to the left, awaiting a response from her. "You have the visions too? We're not the only ones here, are we?"

“Indeed! I’m glad we could meet again, Coeus. It’s been so long!” The hug caught him off guard and despite himself Chester tensed as the boy wrapped his arms around him, even if it was only for a split second. Chester had spent the last two years by himself, and most twelve year olds wouldn’t have been capable of making it on their own, but most twelve year olds didn’t have an ancient being sharing a body with them. But being on his own meant he didn’t have a lot of intimate human interaction, no days where he would lay around and listen to another person ramble, or nights spent shoulder to shoulder watching a movie, and definitely not hugging.

When Chester took a step back he paused for a moment to let himself really look over the boy in front of him. The boy, Castiel, looked to be about the same age as him, and they were nearly the same size, Castiel maybe just a hair shorter than Chester. His hair had looked black under the low lighting of the big top, but now that they were outside there was just the slightest hint of blue as the light hit it. Chester wanted to think that it was weird, but considering his own stark white hair he wasn’t one to make comments about unusual hair colors. The eye patch was what still stood out the most, not many people ever sported those, even when they had eye injuries, most opted for glass eyes because they stood out less than an eye patch.

“But of course! Shall we check the back of the tent?” Chester blinked as his attention was brought back to Castiel, and he nodded his head, his eyes focused as he scanned the diminishing crowd around them, surely the performers couldn’t have left just yet. He closed his eyes and tried to focus, to try and feel the pull of his strongest brother. As he did it became apparent that there were more and his eyes shot open. He looked into Castiel’s one visible eye, shock made him suddenly breathless. “There are even more of us here.”

He didn’t know which direction to go, towards the clearly strong tug that was Cronus, or the slightly fainter one that was in the opposite direction. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but he could feel Cronus very clearly in a distinct direction, if he lost the other one there was no guarantee he would find them again. The thought of losing his siblings directed his attention back to Castiel again, Themis was right in front of him now. His sister was with him in the moment.

“It’s unbelievable that you’re standing here in front of me, that another one of us is here.” Saying it out loud made his heartbeat increase, as if solidifying the fact his sister was standing in front of him. All of his nerves felt on end and he couldn’t fight the grin from growing over his lips, and with that action it felt like a lot of the weight he had been carrying was lifted with the presence of Themis standing right in front of him. “It’s nice to know I’m not alone anymore.”

He cleared his throat and looked away as his smile slowly faded, embarrassed, and he grabbed the boy’s hand to lead him in the direction Cronus. His grip was tight and his pace was fast, but determined. The fainter presence was important, but it was gamble. He knew for a fact Cronus was there, it presence distinct and nearly overwhelming, but it was guaranteed. The fast pace he had set was bordering on a run, but he restrained himself. Cronus was by one of the bordering tents, not the main one. Coeus stirred inside him and Chester couldn’t discern whether it was his own heart or Coeus’s that was pounding in his chest with each step he took towards Cronus.

Chester’s grip tightened around Castiel’s hand with nervousness and his lips pressed into a firm line as he kept his eyes focused in front of him. It was unreal what was happening, and he was more than anything scared he would wake up in that house alone with only the vague feeling of Coeus lingering with him.

---

The words were uttered in shock, though there was a part of him that expected that. They really are popping out one after another. Castiel wasn't sure how to feel about that. After trying to escape those visions all his life, things were progressing a lot faster than he expected, and he wasn't sure he liked it. The two sides might clash sooner than he thought. Maybe this was a bad idea all along. He averted his gaze quickly as Chester stared into his eye, trying not to reveal the mental argument going in him at the moment. But it was tempting to look right back. He had not gotten a good look at the other boy carefully because of manners and his hoodie, but he was sure that he could see a hint of white hair. His eyes were blue as well, a lighter shade to his own.

Yet, he didn't say anything, just followed behind silently. The boy that seemed to be around his age was handling things much better than he was, and he didn't have much of a choice than to follow behind. Castiel didn't trust Chester completely in his judgement, but now wasn't the best time to ponder about it.

Still, he was quite distracted as he followed another one of his 'siblings' in a quick trot, hurrying to catch up. Chester was fast, and Castiel could feel a hint of fatigue coming over his body. Having a weak constitution gave him frequent problems, and he could feel his breath catch multiple times, having to slow down and rest. He didn't want to be a burden to the boy's obvious excitement by slowing him down, so he was pushing himself to go faster, toward the tent of the strongest Titan.

How was he going to pick sides at this rate? He wasn't ready at all, and it was really affecting his mentality. It was conflicting, to say the least, and with the pull growing stronger and stronger, he was gradually getting more and more uncomfortable. But he wasn't alone anymore. The presence of Themis hasn't been strong enough for him to sense the fainter presence, but the one next to him and the pulling toward Cronos was enough to prove that. For the first time in his life, he truly knew that someone was going through the same thing as he was. It was a comfort to know that, the fact that he wasn't unique.

As the grip on his hand tightened, he returned the gesture, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. He wasn't sure why Chester was getting nervous, but it was the least he can do to show that he was there with him.

---

Gale was more than ready to knee Thea's friend in the groin. In fact, the moment he laid his hands on her she felt it necessary. But she was halted by the thought of first impressions. "Please. You already messed that up." ...A fair argument from the voice inside of her head. However, Gale decided there was still hope for this... unique meeting of hers and Thea's. So she settled with a nasty scowl that lasted up until she watched Thea's friend shuffle away, muttering something Gale didn't bother listening to. Though Gale's mind was uninterested, her eyes were as they followed Thea's friend until he was out of sight. Her gaze lingered even after he disappeared for a few more moments before settling on Thea.

"Don't do that with people you just met, regardless of what they say." Thea stated, giving the conversation what Gale thought was a bad start. Her lip twitched. It wasn't like she'd done that on purpose. No one rams into someone on purpose... Usually, at least. Besides, was he implying that Crius's will had control over her? That remark was enough to dampen her excitement. However, it was also enough (along with Thea's ass of a friend) to allow Gale to take complete hold of the steering wheel. Gale had gotten a bit more giddy than she would've preferred, but now that she was becoming more and more irritable she found herself gaining control. Anger had always been her strongest emotion.

Gale's face remained blank as Thea introduced her... or rather, himself. "Rezu Sonova. Sorry if my friend overreacted; my job forces me to be wary of people." Gale watched as Rezu offered her his hand. Instead of accepting it, she crossed her arms and remained silent. "You have the visions too? We're not the only ones here, are we?"

"I don't think so, no..." For a moment, Gale found herself at a loss for words. A sudden pang of anxiety hit her, and her eyes locked on the ground before it showed. She found them. She found the others. Now what? They just... destroy the human race? What was she supposed to say? Years of shunning humans and their ways did not build up social skills. Just... say something, she finally decided, before looking up at Rezu with a smirk. "So what better idea than to find 'em?"

Gale wasn't going to take no for an answer. So instead of waiting for his reply, she took a deep breath and focused on her surroundings. Now that she wasn't aloof with excitement she was sure she could find the others. She could focus now. Focus on the wind. Focus on the others. Gale smiled as the wind brushed against her cheek, and a gentle current of wind picked up. A small tug in the wind caught her attention. It was almost as if something were tugging her away. That's when she sensed it; their presence. There were three of them. Their presences tugged at her, though one tug was stronger than the others. The Titan he or she embodied Gale could not pinpoint; however she did know one thing: that was who she wanted to meet. She or Crius wanted to meet? Gale pondered as she gripped Rezu's wrist. Shaking her head, she left the topic alone before she could think about it too much.

"Don't fall behind, pretty boy." Gale exclaimed, before turning to check the crowds around the entrance/exit areas. Thankfully, they were clearing up. Just as she braced herself to rush off to find the source of the strongest tug, she added, "My name's Gale, by the way. Gale Pepperman."

She set off before Rezu could say another word, his wrist still in hand.

Chester couldn’t wipe the inevitable grin off his face as he rushed towards Cronus, the rhythmic thud of his heart felt heavy in his chest and his senses were at a state akin to live power lines. Excitement was rich and electric, and he was loving it.

The pull he felt towards Cronus was directing him towards one of the bordering, smaller tents the circus was comprised of. As he tugged Castiel along the words on the banner hanging from the tent read Menagerie, swirling and welcoming in that way that appealed to all audiences. He slowed to a halt. Castiel’s hand still wrapped in his death grip, as if he believed if he let go the other titan would disappear. He glanced back at the boy, who seemed a little out of breath, and Chester found it interesting that Cas didn’t seem to be that physically fit. It also made him curious as to what Castiel’s powers consisted of. Although most of Chester’s ability consisted only of using his unusual magnetic field to move magnetic objects, his electromagnetic state put a huge burden on his body that forced him to stay fit.

“Cronus is close, we should be able to see him at any moment now.” The performer that Cronus possessed was flashy and beautiful, and Chester suspected it wouldn’t be hard to pick her out in a crowd. She looked like the type of person who would not blend in with her surroundings in the slightest. Chester tugged forward into the animal tent, and his nearly halted again. The exhibits were unlike any animals the white haired boy had ever seen. To his left a performer held out a large snake that lazily swayed its held back and forth as it took in the small audience around it. To his right a woman with a giant bird perched on her arm ushered in guests closer to take a look at the animal that looked on menacingly at the people around it. Chester watched the animal in awe, but felt his blood run cold as the bird swiveled its head and made eye contact with him, its black eye unwavering, and unblinking as it glared.

“This place is freaking me out. He mumbled quietly to Castiel as he turned his attention back to the snake. It had turned towards the two of them, its nose pointed in their direction as its tongue flickered out at them. He curled his lip up and sneered at it before moving on, trying not to draw attention as he looked for Cronus. Chester weaved his way through the crowd, making sure to keep Castiel close to him even as the crowd began to thin. “Where is he?”

Chester turned his head back and forth before closing his eyes and focusing. He would feel Themis inside of Castiel, she was comforting yet strong, and he could feel the other titans in the area, but couldn’t figure where they were. Cronus was completely different though, when Chester focused on the titan it felt like the presence would consume him if he got any closer. But he could feel him, he wasn’t even in the tent Cronus was outside next to it. Chester pulled Castiel to the right, and they squeezed between two exhibits that smelled distinctly on piss and shit before reaching the right wall of the tent.

“I’m not sure if you can feel it, but Cronus is right there.” He pointed at the fabric of the tent and then looked down. The tent seemed securely placed, but he was sure he could uproot the stake if it was iron. He pressed his palm to the tent and focused on realigning one of the poles in his hand, and nearly immediately he could feel the iron stake react to him. It strained against its secure place in the ground. It flew from the ground and released some of the tension in the tent, hitting his palm before falling to the ground with a thud when Chester scrambled his magnetic field again. Bending down he tested the gap before getting on his knees and squeezing under. “C’mon Cas.”

Chester saw Cronus the moment he stood up. The performer was sitting on a crate, her outfit just as flashy as he had thought it would have been, and it was unmistakable that she had Cronus inside her. Seeing Cronus up close had the overwhelming effect that he thought would happen. It felt like his chest seized for a moment and he froze in place, wide eyed and in awe.

“Cronus…”

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_____ Clearly, the girl had no clear plan in mind when she'd approached him. He should've expected as much; she did hug him out of the blue after all. "Lead the way then." He shrugged, blue-green eyes studying her small form as she concentrated. Did she have some magical tracking ability the same way he could control light? Sounded a lot more practical than his power at least. Rezu could do without his abilities entirely.

With great power comes great responsibility,

came to mind, and quite frankly, the young model had little to no interest in additional burdens.

_____ "Don't fall behind, pretty boy." A frown quickly formed on Rezu's lips, only deepening as his companion, who he now knew as Gale, gave him an offhanded introduction. He was forcibly tugged away from his seat, but he let her, confident that if push came to shove, he was certain he could overpower her at least physically.

_____ The outside was a lot less stuffy than the exit they just went through, people having dispersed to see the circus' other offerings. He glared at the back of the brunette's head, following her steps as they weaved through the crowd. "Everyone calls me pretty boy; can't you be more original?" Despite the fact he frowned whenever he was called that, it had become a more conditioned response than actual annoyance. Years of being called variations of it was enough to make him grow used to it. At the very least, his beauty was his greatest weapon in his profession. He couldn't say he wasn't thankful he was born with a pretty face.

_____ "Not someone I actually know then." Boy, was he going to have some explaining to do to Wren tonight. "Rezu Sonova; you suck at basic courtesy. People introduce themselves earlier than that." Leave it to Rezu to be as blunt as ever. His modelling skills may be top notch, but his tact sure wasn't. He's the kind of person who'd say "Your nose looks a little smaller; rhinoplasty?" to someone he hadn't seen in a while. Many often complained he'd go up the ladder so much faster if he only knew how to keep his mouth shut. But that wouldn't do; a lie of omission was still a lie. He didn't mind that his sense of honesty was proving detrimental to his profession. As long as it was enough to provide for him, he was pretty content.

_____ With Gale's guidance, they wound up near the animal tent. As the smell of beast grew, so did Thea's whispers. So she did know what she was doing after all. "I'm surprised, you did manage to find them." There was just that hint of disbelief coloring his voice that made the statement more irritating than he intended. They were close enough that even Rezu could feel them, and he shook his wrist free of the brunette's grasp. Red marks had formed where she'd gripped, although he wasn't too surprised. His skin had always been the type to redden easily.

_____ With his movement unrestricted, he found it easier to keep in pace with Gale. Crates of animal feed and various other materials obstructed their way as they followed the tent wall, but this was easier to deal with than an unknown girl pulling him along.

_____ When they finally arrived at the scene, he almost knocked over two small figures, one of them having said something just before he and Gale arrived. "Sorry about - Ah, it's you two." He managed to recognize at least one of them as the two boys he'd brushed against in the tent. He was just going to assume the other boy was the same person he as earlier.

_____ Focused as he was, he almost didn't notice the person seated on the crates. It was only after a soft gust of wind blew that he paid attention to her, the movement of her cape catching his eye. He leaned against one of the crates, making sure beforehand it wasn't something with a scent like animal feed. He was going to be walking home; he'd rather not smell like shit on his way there. It wouldn't do for his image.

_____ A quick study of the female figure seated on the crate confirmed his suspicions; she was the acrobat in the performance just earlier. "Well, looks like everyone's all gathered. Whoopee." His right hand made a small flailing gesture, as bitingly sarcastic as his remark. "Now what?"

Even from across the entire circus area, Adelaide could feel them. Sometime during the performance she felt a slight tug but it wasn't strong enough. Shortly after she had sat down, the tug got stronger but it wasn't like they had gotten closer. Rather it was more like two had converged to become one. Cronos was inside of her, struggling to find his siblings but Adelaide wouldn't let him. Do you not feel their power girl!? I must go to them! He seemed to rage inside her, not that she cared really. "Do you now sweetheart? Aren't you the leader or some shit? From what you've shown me, shouldn't they be the ones to be coming to you. So shut your whiny ass and actually do something useful. Try calling them with those oh so amazing titan senses or whatever the fuck it is you do." Cronos seemed utterly shocked. Never had he expected anyone to treat him in such a manner, and by a little human girl. Adelaide he could feel him seething inside and she frowned. "Will you stop your bullshit Cronos! You're going to give me indigestion." Once again he was flabbergasted but at the same time he felt admiration towards the girl. It wasn't every day that you came across such a spirited young woman. You'd do well to hold that tongue Adelaide. I doubt you'll like what happens by spitting out every foul word you know into your sentences. With a shrug of her shoulders Adelaide placed her elbows atop her knees, resting her chin in the cup of her hands.


Sure she was patient and all but the others seriously need to hurry up. There wasn't much to do in this secluded area but it gave her a nice view of the carnival part from where she sat. "You're like a cat Cronos. Not one of those stupid domestic ones but like a tiger, slinking back and forth for its next meal." And she was right to think so; Cronos was at the top of the food chain amongst his fellow titans. The idea of housing the strongest titan was both unsettling and exhilerating. Only the best can contain the best she thought to herself. At this Cronos piped up, once slate blue orbs flashed to a pink hue, a pepto bismol color much to her dismay. Ah so that is what you think. Don't think so highly of yourself just because you lucked out into housing me. Adelaide rolled her eyes and let out a huff of air. "Whatever you say you shitty old man."


Her knee began to bounce as her patience was being worn down by her boredom. "Ugh how long does it fucking take to find me!?" Suddenly standing atop the metal box Adelaide stretched. In an effort to ease her crushing boredom she tugged at her scarf until it came undone. Taking the two crystal orbs she manipulated their forms into one big ball. She stood there for a bit, waiting for the carnival sounds to match up just right and the moment it did the dancer did what she did best, dance. Even without using the abilities Cronis granted her Adelaide could easily move with the ball in her hands however it didn't remain in her hands for long. With a calm expression she slowed her movements to become more controlled, letting the ball slide and roll across her body. After doing this for a while she dipped low to the ground, the orb back in her hands and pressed it into the box. Having bent backwards, everything was upside down. That beautifully calm look on her face shattered and a scowl took its place. "I'm so fucking bored!" and flopped down to the ground.


Adelaide jumped back onto her feet, barely making a sound but a softened thud. The crystal orb was still in her hands when it split into two halves. They soon reshaped themselves into the beads that were at the ends of her scarf and she returned them to where they were originally. Spinning on the edge of her heel, Adelaide faced the carnival area again now slate blue orbs searching for faces. Scoffing at this, she realized there was no way for her to recognize the other hosts unless the tug became a pull, an irresistible pull towards them. Placing her hands on her hips, Adelaide glared at the crowd in an attempt to maybe find that person with white hair. "Just where the hell did you go." It seemed Cronos still couldn't tell the difference between an actual question and a rhetorical one. If you want to find them that badly why not go look yourself? he sneered at her. Even though she couldn't see it, she could feel it. "Oh shut up. I wasn't talking to you dumbass." Sitting back down, she laid on her back with her legs hanging on the edge of the box. It was surprisingly comfortable but not that surprising as all she did was change the metals form so that it'd contour to her body and not be so rigid.


There was so much for her to do here yet soon she'd be faced with the decision of staying. She had lived in this circus since the beginning when they first started out in Germany. They were there for a few years since they couldn't exactly leave with newborn baby. The troupe was kind and looked out for one another and they didn't want to risk the health of a mother or child. Of course Adelaide wasn't the only baby at the time. There were two others but the second died from illness a couple years ago and the other left the troupe to go to college. He still comes back and makes sure to see as many shows as possible. "I wonder if that's what my life would be like had I been born normal." It wasn't often that Adelaide contemplated these things, let alone speak them aloud in her native tongue. Her fingertips began to drum against the box as she looked up at the sky. The stars were coming out but they weren't able to shine as brightly because of the city lights even if they were in the City Park.


Suddenly she could feel the tug, it was getting stronger now. The young woman resisted the urge to sit up expectantly, it wasn't befitting of someone like her. Smirking to herself, Adelaide wondered just what kind of people these other hosts were like. From what she remembered of the person with the white hair, she knew he was a male and he looked kinda small. Eventually Adelaide did sit up, more so because Cronos made her than she herself, and noticed the movement at the back of the tent. The tent itself seemed to shiver and a gap opened up at the bottom. She eyed the occurrence, leaning forwards slightly. A full head of white suddenly popped out from within the tent, along with the scent of animals. The small kid stood up with an equally small but black-blue haired boy standing with him. The white one seemed stuck in place a look of awe plastered all over his face.


Seeing this Adelaide grinned wide and giggled. She threw her brown locks over her shoulder as if she expected this sort of reaction. “Cronus…” Her grin faltered a bit at having been called Cronos instead of her real name but then again he was the only reason they came looking for her. “Oh please, call me Adelaide, or Adele if you want. That old coot can hear you regardless.” She said rolling her eyes as if it was common knowledge. To some it would seem like Adelaide didn’t understand the importance, the significance of the god that dwelled inside her. She certainly understood but that didn’t mean she had to care. This was still her life for the most part.


Adelaide looked at them carefully, noticing just how cute the two looked. “Well aren’t you two just the cutest things.” Another strong pull kept her from continuing as two more people showed up. One of them was a girl, the other a boy and by the gods he was a fine looking boy. It would seem the taller boy knew the little ones, or at least one of them. From what she could tell he hadn’t noticed her yet which annoyed her. With a frown Adelaide adjusted her clothes, just in time for a gust of wind to catch her cape. Well, looks like everyone's all gathered. Whoopee." A snort escaped her lips and she followed suite with a small clap of her hands. "Now what?" His sarcasm was quite enjoyable but she had had enough. Adelaide jumped down from her lofty perch on the crate, landing just in front of the two kids. Suddenly she grabbed the two and hugged them tight. “My goodness you two really are cute, I could just eat you up.” Putting them down she patted both of their cheeks tenderly, like an old grandmother would.

She then turned her attention to the handsome one. "As for you sweetheart, why not drop the shitty sarcasm?” Her entire demeanor laced with attitude. “You guys have kept me waiting for so fucking long so why not apologize?” This time a sneer appeared but she was being sarcastic. Adelaide paused for a couple seconds, shushing anyone if they were about to say something. “No? That’s fine. Now that we’re all here as Mr. Sarcasm pointed out earlier, let’s introduce ourselves mm? I’m Adelaide by the way but I’ve got Cronos. ” Sweeping her arms out to welcome anyone who wanted to introduce themselves.

"Sorry about - Ah, it's you two." Chester was startled out of his awestruck when someone nearly barreled into him. Moreover for two more titans to have found their way to them left him shocked. The man that apologized to him was incredibly good looking, tall and slim and it looked like he had been dragged to them by a younger girl with long brown hair and determined eyes. His eyes widened at the realization that nearly half the titans were standing before him, right at this moment, after years of not even feeling them. Chester opened his mouth in the attempt to say something back, but his jaw closed and he ended up imitating a fish out of water. Cronus tore his attention away from the new titans.

Chester had tensed the moment he saw Cronus, but the moment his vessel started speaking it broke his awestruck and a huge grin replaced his gaping mouth. Themis was beside him and Cronus was in front of him. This was his family, the family that he had spent all of his time looking for for the last two years. Her name was Adelaide, and she seemed full of life. Even when she spoke so casually of Conus Chester felt amazed. She seemed completely at ease with the situation before her, and Chester wondered if her heart pounded in her chest the way his did when he looked at her.

“Well aren’t you two just the cutest things.” The white haired boy couldn’t keep the blush off his cheeks at the comment on their appearances. He figured that it was because they were young, both Castiel and himself were young, but Chester himself was nearly a teenager now, clearly too old to warrant being called ‘cute’.

Now what. That was the big question and even though had spent all his time fantasizing about meeting his fellow titans and destroying humanity, now that they were there, right in front of him, he felt his mind drawing a blank. How did you even go about bringing the end to an entire species. The powers that Coeus gave him wasn’t strong enough on its own to bring humanity to its knees so he hadn’t even considered wrecking havoc when he had been by himself, but with the other titans his horizons were expanding. But if the other vessels were anything like Chester they would all need to train and build up their individual power. Still, five titans together may have the ability to destroy a city.

“My goodness you two really are cute, I could just eat you up.” That was the second time the woman had called them cute, but this time she pulled both he and Castiel into a warm hug. It caught him off guard and Coeus stirred inside him. Adele did not seem like she would take him seriously because of his age, and that irritated him to an extent. Coming in contact with Cronus was a completely different experience than just feeling his aura, Chester could only describe it as soul crushing. He squirmed away from her grasp and looked at the handsome man who had spoken first.

“Well, isn’t obvious? We are all here for a reason, we should destroy this city.” He said it confidently, with cold eyes and clenched fists, and made sure to run his eyes over all his siblings so they knew he was serious. Chester had long since abandoned the idea of staying loyal to his human side. Only Coeus had been there when he was alone, and Coeus was the one who had granted him the power to escape his old home. He would do anything Coeus wanted him to do, his loyalty resided only in Coeus. He looked at all of them as Adele gave a cue for the group to become aquainted.

“My name is Chester Calico, I’m twelve, and Coeus resides inside of me.”

---

“Cronus is close, we should be able to see him at any moment now.”
“Can we sightsee?” Castiel muttered quietly under his breath as he was pulled along again with boundless excitement. Chester’s energy seem to never come to an end, much to Castiel’s envy. It must be nice, being able to run without constantly worrying about how your health might be affected later on. The place they were in, the Menagerie, was full of interesting things he had hardly ever seen in England. It was rare for the boy to go to some place like this in the first place, and he was intrigued by the many different creatures there were housed in this tent. Without letting go of Chester’s hand, he stared right at the bird, trying to look into its mind. His powers could be used to a certain extent on animals, not only restricted to humans, but Themis was really not in the mood to help him. She was constantly egging him to stop wasting time in his mind, much to his annoyance. I’m going to learn how to block you out one day. Castiel glared inwardly at the goddess inside him, before Chester spoke and snapped him out of his quiet glower at the voice inside his head.

“This place is freaking me out.” It is? Castiel turned to see Chester sneer right back at the animal, making him smile. Despite the close age of the two, Chester seemed like a genuinely interesting person. He was never allowed to run and play with the other children since he was small because of his weak health, and even as he matured the people he met were business partners of his father. This was the first time he had explored a circus with another child his age. This was… fun. They were technically searching for the vessel of an ancient titan, but he was enjoying the whole experience, going to a circus and making a new friend that could understand him. Yet, there was a small worry that nagged at the back of his mind. “Father will be worried.” The words escaped his lips in a soft, unheard sigh. His family was the only thing stopping him from giving up on the whole of humanity. They were his sole source of support, and he was worried about what his father would think if he had been in the circus grounds for too long. His parents were always rather paranoid about him ever since he was younger, especially after the incident with the robber. What if they came looking? Castiel fixed the white-haired Chester with a worried glance for a second. He might be strong, housing one of his own. Whose side was he on?

However, before he got the chance to speak, Castiel felt himself being pulled to the right once again, and for once he thought about pulling away. Cronus’s presence disturbed him. It was sheer power, and every step he took, it felt like he was going to be consumed with the pulls and tugs. Calm down, Castiel. Our brother isn’t as bad as you would expect.Castiel didn’t have time to argue with her this time, holding his breath as they passed through two exhibits. They stank of animal excrement, and as much as it was all fresh to him as well, it wasn’t too pleasant for his senses. “I’m not sure if you can feel it, but Cronus is right there.” Chester was pointing at a tent, and Castiel nodded, watching with rapt attention as he pressed his palm to the tent. To his amazement, the iron stake reacted to his touch. It lifted from the ground, opening a place in the fabric. “C’mon Cas.”

So that was his power? Castiel bent down with some apprehension, squeezing in after Chester quickly, standing next to him after he got up. The performer was right in front of them, making Chester look much like someone who has come face to face with their idol, an unmasked expression of amazement. That was when another man ran in, almost knocking right into the two of them.

"Sorry about - Ah, it's you two." He tilted his head to the side ever so slightly at the statement, taking a second to think about where he might have saw the teen before. It was… A magazine. That’s it. He was a model, wasn’t he? There were several magazines his father had given to him for the examination of what society reads for entertainment. It more or less helped him identify some of the more popular topics in society while he was still at home, but he did remember seeing the boy’s face on one of them. “Oh please, call me Adelaide, or Adele if you want. That old coot can hear you regardless.” Castiel turned back to the performer again as she spoke, Themis’s disgruntled voice in his head. Did she call big brother a old coot? The nerve. Themis grumbled at the woman’s attitude, and he could almost visualise her turning her mouth up into a pout. She can be extremely childish at times, and this time he chose to ignore her behaviour.


“My goodness you two really are cute, I could just eat you up.” And now she wants to EAT you? Run Castiel. Run for it while you have the chance. I can’t guarantee your safety since she had Cronos in her mind. He could hear Themis screaming rather frantically as he was pulled into a hug, trying to force him to pull away. It’s a metaphor, Themis. Be quiet. He hushed the goddess quickly, though it did make him break into a small smile. Those are the times he actually quite enjoyed Themis. Her quirk of taking things word for word has really spiced up his life by quite a great deal. She then patted him on the cheek affectionately, a gesture that he didn’t understand. It was the first time it was coming from a stranger, he was nearly embarrassed about being called adorable. It was a compliment, sure, but he was more mature for such an adjective to be used on describing him. Then, she did more mystifying things. The woman called out for them to apologise, yet she shushed anyone who tried to speak. Crowd control tactics? Castiel was rather puzzled by her behaviour, but he made sure to make a mental note of that to ask his father later.

“Well, isn’t obvious? We are all here for a reason, we should destroy this city.”
“We… We are?” Castiel asked with some hesitation, trying to assess if Chester was being serious. Unfortunately, the gaze that met his was a shockingly cold one. It was one that he had seen many times, enough to let him know that Chester was absolutely serious. Nothing was going to stop him, though that expression devoid of mercy was something Castiel wasn’t accustomed to seeing on a face as young as his. It chilled him to the bone, causing him to flinch involuntarily, letting go of his hand quickly.

Thankfully, the topic was changed, and as Chester introduced himself Castiel went next. “My name is Castiel Starr, and I am in possession of Themis. I’m thirteen.” He was just one year older than the boy next to him, and some annoyance made him wrinkle his nose at the concept of a person a full twelve months younger still taller than him, despite by a small portion.

---

"Everyone calls me pretty boy; can't you be more original?" One of Gale's eyebrows raised. He was a pretty boy; she was calling him what he was. What was she supposed to call him? Maybe she'd call him ugly boy, just to screw with him. Yeah, that was his new nickname. Ugly boy. Gale couldn't help but snicker at his new name.

"Not someone I actually know then. Rezu Sonova; you suck at basic courtesy. People introduce themselves earlier than that." Gale couldn't help but scoff as she maneuvered through the crowd. Thankfully it was smaller than before, so she'd have a much easier time pinpointing the others. "He is right, you know." "Well," Gale murmured in response to Crius, "Human courtesy won't matter soon enough, right?" She uttered it quietly enough so that Rezu wouldn't hear. However the next sentence she made sure was audible. "...Didn't you already tell me your name?"

Whether he responded or not, she did not hear, though taken either way it would not and did not please her. That displeasure took to building as they carried on, coddled by the silence, and boosted by Rezu's next unsatisfactory remark.

"I'm surprised, you did manage to find them." Gale's eye twitched. Rezu was surprised? Their conversation prior to the remark was already enough to irk her, but that he had the nerve to assume she was less than competent! Wow, did that piss her off! In fact, she was more than ready to snap at him. Though before she could say anything, her attention wavered, and for a few seconds she forget he was there. A blissful few seconds, it was. Instead of focusing on Rezu, her eyes focused on three new figures: two males, who couldn't have been older than Gale, and the other was a woman with honey brown curls. The other titans, Gale immediately assumed. Maybe they aren't blossoming assholes, she thought scathingly as Rezu brightened the mood with a bouquet of sarcastic remarks.

When Rezu's bouquet was soiled by the woman's sweetly uttered yet sardonic comment, Gale couldn't help but snigger. Her snigger lasted for a while, up until the white haired boy spoke about destroying the city. Immediately the chuckle faded, and was replaced by a look of strong enthusiasm mixed with fierce determination. She could feel Crius stir inside of her as everyone began introducing themselves, along with their titans. Adelaide was the first to speak, followed by Chester, followed by Castiel. Gale took it upon herself to be next. "I'm Gale... Pepperman. Gale Pepperman. I've got Crius, and..." She paused before revealing her age. It was embarrassing that she was fourteen years old and only 5'2"... though not as embarrassing as being, what, 5'0"? That Castiel kid couldn't be taller than that... She smirked. "I'm fourteen."

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_____ Rezu remained unfazed by her remarks; his mother had better comebacks than she did. If this was the best she could do, he'd have no trouble answering right back. "I don't see the need to apologize, princess." The word dripped with sarcasm. Her talent as a performer was great, but other than that he couldn't really say she was very remarkable. Pretty, but again, he'd seen better. "We aren't servants waiting on you hand and foot. Thea may be to Cronus, but I'm certainly not."

_____ Before the woman could continue, a young boy spoke to answer his previous question. He didn't care if it would paint him in a bad light; Rezu simply refused to agree to the idea just like that. "We are not destroying a city overnight." The subject moved to introductions, but he remained reeling from Chester's words. He mentioned the loss of thousands of lives as if it were the natural order of things. From what the model knew of Thea's opinions, it probably was the case. He definitely didn't agree. Coeus likely had a stronger hold of his psyche than Thea did on his own. To Rezu, it felt entirely possible his viewpoint was shaped entirely by the titan. The thought made him uncomfortable; even Thea felt restless at the implications.

_____ Next was another boy whose voice had shown hesitance in contrast with Chester's resolute stance. At least one of the kids had a bit of sanity left in their bones. Gale then introduced herself to the rest of the group, an eyebrow coming up in surprise at her young age. A quick re-study revealed that it was probably true; she'd just appeared larger than life when she forced herself into his presence.

_____ "Rezu Sonova, twenty-one. Model by profession." He sat atop the crate he'd previously leaned on. Being with these people was going to be exhausting, to say the least. Might as well prepare himself for the worst. "As I said earlier, Thea's with me."

_____ "Now that we're all acquainted by something other than Titan names, let's go back to Chester's previous statement." Pausing for effect, he met everyone's stares with a steady gaze. "Whatever everyone else's plan is, I'm not agreeing to destroying an entire city. That's just plain fucked up." If the kid could talk about the loss of human lives so casually, Rezu found no need to watch his language.

_____ "I know about why the titans want to wreak havoc and destruction and all." A non-committal shrug hat accompanied the statement. "But isn't it exactly this same kind of behavior that got them imprisoned in the first place?" He looked pointedly at Adelaide, referring to the story of Zeus and his siblings. When he read about it in the mythology books, the only thing he could say was this is really messed up, accompanied by Thea's laughter in his head. "Killing everyone as a 'prevention measure'," The air quotes only further implied his doubts on the idea. "I'm pretty sure that's not going to work out."