1/6 Instance: Shadowplay

[Starfish]

Timeline: Start of the semester.

Jack: Jack shifted his bag on his shoulder and walked past the people. He still liked going through a busy city at night, makes him feel more at home. He even had the urge to start up something, get some people staring at him as he did some tricks, but he didnt bring anything along. Well, except for money and coins, but that's more fun in a bar than on the streets.

Cassie: Three spheres of inky blackness held the wide-eyed gazes of the small crowd captive, swirly tendrils blurring around the edges as they arced through the air, before landing in the girl's swift hands again, only to be tossed up once more. Her eyes towards the sky, soft music accompanied her graceful steps as she walked the circle of onlookers.

Cassie: Clad in a black, tailed coat, matching thights, and knee-high laced boots, what stood out most about her appearance was the tall top hat, sitting on her head and barely managing to contain the thick mane of black hair and spilled down her back and shoulders. An ornate white dress shirt and red bow tie rounded out the catchy outfit.

Jack: Jack's ear's perked up and his head followed. His nose twitched in the cold and he squinted towards the other side of the street. Something was happening there. He had to find out what!

Cassie: Applause echoed through the night when the three dark balls turned into five, then into seven, drawing more people from the busy street and adding to the growing circle, where they puzzled over the conundrum of where these spheres must be coming from.

Jack: Jack ended up standing at the edge of the throng of people surrounding someone who was performing something. He made a noise of annoynce and noticed weird black balls appearing above the crowd where the performer was. Jack Cleared his throat behind two people and said, " 'scuse me." THe second when they saw him, they excused him quite well, and shifted further away than necessary. "Huh," he said to himself when he finally saw what was going on.

Cassie: The gathered crowd laughed and gasped in amazement when the girl in the black coat took the time to tip her hat and rearrange it on top of her head, the dark globes continuing to spin even without her touch. One by one, she caught them all, before tossing them back high into the air all at once.

Cassie: And instead of falling to the ground, they turned into shadowy forms of black birds, soaring over the heads of the audience and dispersing into nothingness, while their entertaining took a deep bow.

Jack: Even Jack had to clap and whistle at that illusion. "Encore!" he called, a couple more people repeating him for more. He didn't notice the people around him had started to shift a little away from him, making a tiny bit more space between them and the giant gray rabbit.

Cassie: The bow turned into a graceful curtsey as the girl raised her head and revealed an ethereal smile to her audience. Before she could comply with their wishes, however, and only for a brief moment, her gaze shifted towards the human sized rabbit that had appeared in the crowd and lingered.

Cassie: Then the music from the small, portable player shifted towards something more energetic, as the show went right on. Taking off her hat, the black-haired girl revealed its empty interior to the assembled crowd, before reaching inside with the entire length of her arm. When her hand reappeared, she held a long, black staff.

Jack: Jack was shaking his head in amazement. He really had to figure out how the hell she did those tricks. Most probably a collapsable staff, but he had trouble seeing the slits between the segments.

Cassie: Instead of going back onto her head, the hat got passed on to the nearest member of the audience - which just happened to be the strange rabbit-man, who might or might not have been a guy wearing the most impressive costume she had ever seen. The staff resting over her shoulder, the girl gave him a fleeting wink along with the hat, which now contained a few dollar bills.

Jack: Jack smirked, eyed the inside of the hat, then put his hand in his pocket, pulling out a couple of his own bills. He flipped through the notes, letting her see how much money it was, but the way he was holding it, it took him a while of flipping, thereby making twenty dollars look like a wad of several hundred dollars. He placed it in the hat, not showing anyone how much it really was.

Cassie: Bowing her head in appreciation, the girl tapped the hat with the end of the staff, which looked a lot like the dark spheres she had been using before, and motioned the rabbit to pass it on to the other onlookers. Then she was already twirling around, holding out the black staff as she slowly turned in a grand gesture.

Cassie: Holding it firm in both hands, she raised it above her head, parallel to the ground. A dramatic pause and moment of concentration later, then she pulled herself up, the bar of blackness seemingly suspended in mid air.

Jack: Jack was busy handing the hat over to the next guy, and he just froze when he saw her next trick. That was impossible for any person to do that just on the street, unless they had prepped the area beforehand, but even so, the placement of the... something clicked in Jack's head and the magic drained away.

Jack: His whole body sagged when he realised that there's only one other way she could be doing this. She's probably a mutant. And what's worse is that if he's here, and people think he's a mutant, they might make the same connection. He had to try and slink away without being noticed too much.

Cassie: The crowd was venting its astonishment, cheering, gasping, and applauding as the limber artist spread her legs to perform a split and stretched out one arm, steadying herself only with the other. The thick mane of black hair hung from her head as she watched the upside-down rabbit disappear between the other people.

Cassie: She somersaulted to the ground, twirled the staff upon bowing again, before it turned into a bouquet of black flowers, disappearing as she tossed them into the air. "Thank you very much," the girl said. "You have been a wonderful audience."

Jack: Slowly but surely Jack was shifting from behind one person then the other until he was out of most of the crowd, taking a step backwards and then turned and started walking away from her and the audience. He was still a little nervious as he walked, then quickly ducked into an alley, peering around the corner to watch what he could from a safe distance.

Cassie: "I sincerely hope I left you wanting for more," the girl announced, waiting for her hat to make the rounds, before she performed another curtsey and placed it back on her head. "And don't despair if I did, because now you will know where to find me." She produced a hand-full of dark red cards from her sleeve and flipped them into the audience.

Cassie: "This has merely been a taste of what Cirque Bizarre has in store for you." As the onlookers reached for the advertisement cards, the girl packed the her small radio and other belonging into her bag. "Now I must take my leave, but I hope to see you all again - those who dare, anyway."

Cassie: "Farewell!" She tipped her head and showed the audience a grin. Then there was a strange whizzing and whoosing sound, waves of blackness engulfing the girl from head to toe - until is dispersed and there simply was no sign of her at all.

Jack: Jack squinted, I made out some smoke and.... the people were dispersing. He couldn't see the girl anywhere. "Huh, vanishing trick as street magic. Man I hope you're really human." he told himself as he leaned back against the wall. He reached into his backpack and opened up a plastic bag inside, taking out an orange stick and eating it.

Cassie: "Ah, there you are, Mr. Rabbit Man," the girl's voice come from a nearby shadow, before her head followed suit. "You vanished so quickly. I didn't scare you off, did I?"

Jack: Jack chocked on the carrot stick and then spat it out, gasping for air. "Geeze, woman, you going to give me a heartattack." he said between coughs. He pushed himself back up to compose himself. "Nice tricks." he finally said.

Cassie: "Thank you," she said and stepped out of the shadows, backpack slung over her shoulder. "And that wasn't my intention. Or maybe it was." She smiled cryptically, giving a shrug as she walked around the large rabbit at a slow pace. "Nice ears."

Jack: "Thanks, they came with the cottontail." He replied, "So, what's a nice girl like you doing in an alley like this?" Jack asked, his head turning as she kept moving.

Cassie:"Who says I'm a nice girl," she asked him right back. "Maybe I've a fondness for dark, forbidden places." Her head cocked to the side as she gave the boy in front of her a scrutinizing look. "As for what led me here - curiosity, perhaps? I noticed you've been quite generous with your tips."

Cassie: She took off her hat, peeking inside, before glancing up again. "Or were you?"

Jack: Jack's one ear went up along with an eyebrow as he leaned forward to peer into her hat as well, "Oh my, is there less than what should be in there?" he asked.

Cassie: "Tricky, nimble fingers - I know what they look like," the girl stated and reached up, tapping the cheek right underneath her eye with the tip of a finger. "I see them at work every day, after all."

Jack: Jack gave a shocked expression, "Are you insinuating that I may have picked a few notes?"

Cassie: She shook the hat up and down, and from one moment to the next, the money collecting inside of it had vanished. Then she flipped it right back onto her head. "Now why would you do that," she asked in return. "You don't look like the kind desperate enough to swindle a poor girl out of a few hard earned dollars, and even wait around for her to find you."

Cassie: Spinning around, she took a couple strides down the dark allay, as if balancing on an unseen line. "Unless that's what you had in mind from the beginning."

Jack: "Actually I was running a little short on money, buuut seeing that you're very eager to get it back, I think we could come up with a trade of some sorts."

Cassie: "Ooh, shady deals in dark alleys - those I find exciting!" Having turned back around, she approached the dumpster next to the fluffy-eared boy, holding on to the cold metal to cartwheel on top of it. "Well, you've got my attention, Mr. Rabbit-Man. Now keep it." She sat down on the edge, legs dangling down the side, and watched the boy with a titled head and curious smile.

Jack: "I'll give you your money, if you tell me the truth, oh shaggy haired one." Jack said, "Are you a mutant, or are you an incredibly talented performer?"

Cassie: "Aren't you the curious one?" The girl grinned, leaning forward as she propped up her arms on her knees, resting her chin between the palms of her hands. "Why does it have to be one or the other, though? Can't I be both? And mutant sounds so boring. Perhaps I'm just a ghost."

Jack: "Mutants are boring? Am I boring?" J ack asked, "I don't want to be boring. How's this, I will concede that you're a ghost, if you admit that I'm just your imagination."

Cassie: "I said it sounds boring, that that they are," she corrected him and held up a finger. "It's just such a clinical explanation for something so amazing. In fact, I'm pretty sure that a lot of us can be quite entertaining."

Cassie: "That's a tempting explanation, though... and it wouldn't be the first time my imagination tried to fool me." Biting her lip, she put on a thoughtful expression and glanced sideways into the distance. "But wouldn't that be horribly tragic? Just think about it, the ghost of a strange girl and an imaginary magical rabbit, meeting in a lonely alley and forever unable to touch each other."

Jack: "Oh please, if I'm an imaginary magical rabbit, then the ghost girl can just imagine me to touch her." Jack said, grinning and stepping closer to her, and holding his hand up for her. "Just watch out, you'll imagine the fur tickles."

Cassie: "Now that's a fair point. Let's see if it works." She sat up, slowly reaching out with her hand until it slid into his. "You were right," she said, a faint smile curling the corner of her lips as her gaze met the rabbit's. "I always knew I had a vivid imagination." The tips of her fingers traced gentle lines through the soft fur of his palm.

Jack: "For a ghost, you feel very real and solid," Jack said giving a friendly smile. "Now that we established that we can touch eachother, what's next?" the rabbit asked.

Cassie: "Such endless possibilities," she replied and sucked on her lower lip for the brief moment during which she gave the boy a coy look. "Almost makes one forget that you still have something that I'd really like to have back, no?"

Jack: Jack lifted his hands, "If you can find it, you can get it back" he just said.

Cassie: "Ooh, a game. I like those, too." The girl's smile was replaced by an impish grin. "Just a word of warning, however: Sometimes I like to play rough, and never fair." The next moment she had already jumped down from the dumpster. "Let me guess... you've hid it well, didn't you?"

Jack: "Hee, I will give you a hint. I hid it between the soles of my feet and the tips of my ears." He spread his arms out wider, "Oh, by the way, I'm not very ticklish myself so you can feel as much as you want."

Cassie: "How fortunate I brought skilled hands then," she remarked, taking a swift step that took her behind the grey-furred boy, slender hands trailing lines over his arms. "And where ten nimble fingers might not be enough..." Her chin on his shoulder, black tendrils crawled outwards from her hands, sliding and twining into his pockets.

Jack: "Oh dear.. oh my... frisky little fingers aren't they?" Jack said, flinchign from time to time as the weird black tendrils slid under his clothing and feeling the insides of his shirt and jacket... and pants. "Ooh, okay I'm a little bit ticklish there."

Cassie: "Too bad, I'm afraid that will only make them even more eager." The mischievous grin remained as her practiced fingers quickly searched the boy's pockets. A light laugh came across her lips when one of the fluffy, long ears tickled her cheek. "And I see you know how to hide the things you value," she said, her search turning up fruitless. "Just like I learned to."

Jack: "I take it you give up, Little Ghost?" Jack asked, hands coming up to wipe his ears and his face.

Cassie: "I am no thief, Mr. Rabbit - not tonight, anyway," she replied in response to his question, as the dark tendrils vanished into the night. "I'm not to force your money from you - that's not my trade. Your entertainment is, however." She held on to his shoulder as she paced around to his front again.

Cassie: Letting go, she leaned back against the metallic frame of the dumpster. "I seek to amaze, bewilder, and excite, and if I did right, your offering will become a token of appreciation for having been thoroughly entertained." She slightly bowed her head and held out her hand. "If I failed to do that, you ought not feel obligated in turn."

Jack: "...you have an absolutely marvelous stage performance, wonderful pronunciation." Jack said, "Well then, if you wish to entertain me, then try, and if I am entertained, not only will I give you back what my fingers picked from your hat, I'll add some of my own as a tip."

Cassie: "Why thank you for the compliment, it's much appreciated." The ethereal smile returned to her face, and the girl bowed her head as she placed a hand on her chest. "However, there are many forms of entertainment, and not all involve legerdemain."

Cassie: " As you have seen my stage performance already, I suppose your tastes lie somewhere else," she added, raising her arms above her head as she leisurely stretched, gazing towards the night sky. Her eyes fell back on the rabbit's face, her smile getting a wry edge to it. "Let me guess... something with audience participation, perhaps?"

Jack: "Oh that does sound tempting. Really tempting." Jack said, taking a step closer to her, and leaning a little forward. "Now this audience participation performance... how would such a show be done?"

Cassie: "Ah, you see, that's what makes them so exciting," she said, smiling at the rabbit, as she raised a hand to gently place a finger across his lips. "One never knows what to expect when called onto the stage. Those who dare might find themselves rewarded by an unforgettable experience, however."

Cassie: "Like any great show, it's a mysterious journey." Her voice dropped almost to a hush and she closed her eyes, leaning close to his large, fluffy ears. "Let your desires be your guide, and worry not where they may take you- After all, the most fun part about it anything is allowing yourself to get lost."

Jack: This time Jack whispered to her, "Now I really want that show. Is there any specific place we need be?" he asked.

Cassie: She halfway opened her eyes again. "Need to be? No." With an inscrutable smile on her lips, she gave a light shrug and glanced sideways. "Want to be? Now that I'll leave to you."

Jack: "Well, if this show is anything like any other kind of show with audience participation I know of, I'm pretty sure things will be heavily unforgettable if it's done here... maybe not in a good way either. Mind if we go somewhere more... comfortable and less odorous. Plus I think there's something living in that box over there." his head nodded to the side.

Cassie: "Seeing how unforgettable is what we're aiming for, why not start off this journey in a such a way," the girl asked, holding out her hand. "If you dare, that is."

Jack: "To hold hands while we walk?" Jack asked suspiciously, but still putting his hand in hers.

Cassie: "Oh, believe me, we're not walking anywhere," she replied, her smile growing more intense. "I would suggest you keep holding my hand, however. I can promise a breathtaking trip." And with that, thick waves of impenetrable shadow welled up around the two, spiraling up around them, until the world seemed to haven been swallowed by darkness.

Jack: It was definitely unforgettable. Jack's whole body went stiff as his muscles tensed, he felt like he was about to drown in the darkness that stretched out everywhere.

Cassie: It was hard to tell how long they remained in that endless ocean of blackness, as time and space seemed to lose all meaning. Another strange, swirling sound signaled the end of the journey, the dark cloak that surrounded them pulling away to reveal the sparkling starts in the night sky first, followed by the rest of the world.

Cassie: The scenery could not have been more starkly different - taken from the dark alley of a busy city street, they now stood on the outskirts of wondrous fairground, greeted by colourful lights, laughter and music, and the scents of exotic food. Still holding his hand, the girl took off her hat and made a sweeping gesture. "Welcome to the circus!"

Jack: "That...was amazing." Jack said, then reached into his jacket, and pulled out a couple of dollar notes. "That alone is worth giving you your money back." he held it up to her.

Cassie: "Much appreciated, even though you've barely seen anything yet," she replied, the money nevertheless disappearing inside her coat faster than most people could look. "Do you want me to show you around?"

Jack: "ooh, personal tour, yes please!" Jack said now more exited for different reasons. "Do you guys have a sideshow? Pleeease tell me you guys have a sideshow."

Cassie: "Of course we do," she replied, leading him down the grassy path towards the large clearing where the circus had pitched its tents. "You won't find animals at Cirque Bizarre, but as our name suggests, some of the most unique individuals you could or could not imagine. So our program is varied and offers something for anyone."

Cassie: She gave him another appraising look, a tiny smile curling the edge of her mouth. "It's rare to see someone that excited for what most people these days consider to be quaint and outdated."

Jack: "Meh," Jack waved the comment off, "My aim in life was to become a stage magician. How's that for quaint and outdated?"

Cassie: That conjured a grin to her face. "Really? Then I'll be dying to see some your tricks. You must show me!" She arched her eyebrows. "Why 'was', however? It's such a wonderful goal to have. Don't tell me you've given up on it."

Jack: "Eeeeh, " Jack pulled a face as he tried to explain, "Let me put it this way, it's harder to break into magic business in Vegas than it is to break into the acting business in Hollywood. I did do the whole street magic for money though."

Cassie: "Ah, that sounds like a familiar tale to me," she replied with a nod. "Before the chance to run off with the circus even presented itself to me, the street was my only stage, as well. As you've seen, I did not leave it behind entirely. I don't need to tell you it's a struggle to survive on our art alone. This goes for each one of us, as this place as a whole."

Cassie: "Enough with the lamentation, however," she added, her expression lighting up again as she took a step into the open place among the tents and trailers, turning around in a wide gesture. "What would you like to see first? The big top? The fortune teller?" She paused, smirking. "Or perhaps you'd like to start with my trailer."

Jack: "Uhhh, the big top does sound tempting, and I haven't had my fortune told in ages... but let's start with your trailer jsut to spice things up." Jack said with a bucktoothed grin.

Cassie: "Very well then," she replied and took off to lead the way, turning her head to show him a wry grin over her shoulder. "However, keep in mind I won't guarantee that once you enter, you'll want to leave again."

[Ferguson]

*bounces* I'm just so excited for Cassie, I love the theatrics of her.

[Chaos]

Oh, this was just the best read ever.

MOAR.

[Starfish]

Well, I'm sure word will spread that the circus is staying in town, so feel free to stop by to ake in all the attractions they have to offer, and maybe even catch her for a chat between shows.