Circus Freaks

[Lilac]

Droplet dug around in the magical girl's closet until she found something suitable to wear: a pair of jeans and a sweater. Droplet was still pretty wet, so pulling them on was a struggle, and twice she nearly fell over in the closet. Finally, when she was dressed, Droplet announced, "I'm hungry. We should get some food." She turned to Darla and grinned. "Whacha got to eat?"

[Veiled Malice]

Conspicuously avoiding looking at the mermaid girl as she dressed, Daisuke puzzled over what the magic girl had just said. It sounded like she was related to the skeleton, which was impossible... wasn't it?

He didn't get the chance to question her on it however.

"Darlaaaaaaaa!" Whoever the large, male voice belongs to, they're angry.

"Um... who is that?" he asked the magical girl nervously. "Your dad?"

[Veiled Malice]

Conspicuously avoiding looking at the mermaid girl as she dressed, Daisuke puzzled over what the magic girl had just said. It sounded like she was related to the skeleton, which was impossible... wasn't it?

He didn't get the chance to question her on it however.

"Darlaaaaaaaa!" Whoever the large, male voice belongs to, they're angry.

"Um... who is that?" he asked the magical girl nervously. "Your dad?"

[Barnum]

Droplet was still pretty wet, so pulling them on was a struggle, and twice she nearly fell over in the closet.

"Uh . . . uh . . . nevermind." Darla just shook her head. "I am so never wearing those again."

"Whacha got to eat?"

Darla started to speak, to remind the girl to keep her voice down when . . .

"Darlaaaaaaaa!"

"Uh oh. This is bad."

"Um... who is that?" he asked the magical girl nervously. "Your dad?"

"Yep. All of you hide. ANYWHERE!" Darla was trying to whisper furiously, but it all came out as a very loud hiss. Without waiting for the kids to start moving, Darla ran to the door. "Yeah, dad?"

She tried to sound innocent and uninformed. It didn't work.

[Barnum]

Droplet was still pretty wet, so pulling them on was a struggle, and twice she nearly fell over in the closet.

"Uh . . . uh . . . nevermind." Darla just shook her head. "I am so never wearing those again."

"Whacha got to eat?"

Darla started to speak, to remind the girl to keep her voice down when . . .

"Darlaaaaaaaa!"

"Uh oh. This is bad."

"Um... who is that?" he asked the magical girl nervously. "Your dad?"

"Yep. All of you hide. ANYWHERE!" Darla was trying to whisper furiously, but it all came out as a very loud hiss. Without waiting for the kids to start moving, Darla ran to the door. "Yeah, dad?"

She tried to sound innocent and uninformed. It didn't work.

[Barnum]

Dad didn't answer. There was the sound of a commotion in the bedroom and then . . .

WHAM!

. . . the door to Darla's bedroom burst open. Darla's dad staggered in looking hungover, frightened, and angry. He looked around the room for a minute and then looked back down the hall toward his bedroom.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

[Barnum]

Dad didn't answer. There was the sound of a commotion in the bedroom and then . . .

WHAM!

. . . the door to Darla's bedroom burst open. Darla's dad staggered in looking hungover, frightened, and angry. He looked around the room for a minute and then looked back down the hall toward his bedroom.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

[Lilac]

As soon as Droplet heard the little girl yell "Hide," she ducked back into the closet and closed the door. She closed her eyes to get some relief from the stifling darkness of a strange place, but stuck her ear to the door to listen. It was an unnecessary step. The man was yelling loudly enough to be heard from across the street.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Droplet clinched her fists and could feel moisture from the air collecting on her skin. If there was on thing in this world she couldn't stand it was a bully. This guy needed to cool it, and Droplet was just the girl to hose him down.

[Lilac]

As soon as Droplet heard the little girl yell "Hide," she ducked back into the closet and closed the door. She closed her eyes to get some relief from the stifling darkness of a strange place, but stuck her ear to the door to listen. It was an unnecessary step. The man was yelling loudly enough to be heard from across the street.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Droplet clinched her fists and could feel moisture from the air collecting on her skin. If there was on thing in this world she couldn't stand it was a bully. This guy needed to cool it, and Droplet was just the girl to hose him down.

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke started off badly in his attempts to hide. He went towards the closet at first, but the mermaid girl got there before him, and he wasn't too sure she'd be amenable to sharing her spot. Underneath the bed would be a better place, but he wasn't sure about the clearance. What if he got stuck?

The feet pounding steadily closer to the door and the magical girl's increasingly desperate expression got him moving again. Under the bed would have to do. His mad scramble and sliding dash caused the entire thing to lurch upwards and thump back down, but other than that, he was fairly well hidden under the sheets that hung over the sides.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Daisuke involuntarily shivered in his hiding place. The man sounded far too much like his own father... and all the pain that went with that fact.

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke started off badly in his attempts to hide. He went towards the closet at first, but the mermaid girl got there before him, and he wasn't too sure she'd be amenable to sharing her spot. Underneath the bed would be a better place, but he wasn't sure about the clearance. What if he got stuck?

The feet pounding steadily closer to the door and the magical girl's increasingly desperate expression got him moving again. Under the bed would have to do. His mad scramble and sliding dash caused the entire thing to lurch upwards and thump back down, but other than that, he was fairly well hidden under the sheets that hung over the sides.

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Daisuke involuntarily shivered in his hiding place. The man sounded far too much like his own father... and all the pain that went with that fact.

[cosmicarus]

Despite his father's order, Dale had followed him to the room - though it didn't look as though the man was aware of the fact. Dale hung back, peeking from behind the man's legs at Darla. He seemed to be asking her why his father, whom he hadn't seen in some time, wasn't happy to see him. It seems Dale can't take the hint in this respect. Or perhaps he just didn't want to understand. In either case, he looked longingly at his sister.

[cosmicarus]

Despite his father's order, Dale had followed him to the room - though it didn't look as though the man was aware of the fact. Dale hung back, peeking from behind the man's legs at Darla. He seemed to be asking her why his father, whom he hadn't seen in some time, wasn't happy to see him. It seems Dale can't take the hint in this respect. Or perhaps he just didn't want to understand. In either case, he looked longingly at his sister.

[Barnum]

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Darla tried to smile at her dad, but she was too scared. She didn't dare look behind her to see if anyone was actually hiding. Best to just try to talk her way out of this and hope for the best.

"Um . . . nothing dad. Dale just came over. I was . . . uh . . . going to take him home. That's why I got dressed."

Dale grabbed Dale's hand and pulled him from between their dad's legs.

[Barnum]

"Dale! You stay in there. Don't you come near me!" He turned back to Darla. "What the @#$% is going on!"

Darla tried to smile at her dad, but she was too scared. She didn't dare look behind her to see if anyone was actually hiding. Best to just try to talk her way out of this and hope for the best.

"Um . . . nothing dad. Dale just came over. I was . . . uh . . . going to take him home. That's why I got dressed."

Dale grabbed Dale's hand and pulled him from between their dad's legs.

[Barnum]

Everyone was hiding, well enough, at least, and all of the man's attention was focused on his daughter. As soon as she started speaking, he raised his hand to smack her, but before he could, she pulled Dale in front of him. He recoiled back and took a step away.

"He goes! You stay!" he shouted. "Now!"

The man turned his head away, so he wouldn't have to look at his son.

"NOW!"

[Barnum]

Everyone was hiding, well enough, at least, and all of the man's attention was focused on his daughter. As soon as she started speaking, he raised his hand to smack her, but before he could, she pulled Dale in front of him. He recoiled back and took a step away.

"He goes! You stay!" he shouted. "Now!"

The man turned his head away, so he wouldn't have to look at his son.

"NOW!"

[Lilac]

Droplet stayed her hand and kept hiding. It took all of her self-control to manage it. Droplet wanted nothing more than to hammer that jerk, but this was family business. Best to stay out of that if you can. The thought of family made Droplet sad. She was reminded of just how much she missed her mom and dad. But for the first time in what seemed like forever, Droplet was hopeful. All she had to do was get past this current obstacle, and she could start looking for her family. It wouldn't be long now.

[Lilac]

Droplet stayed her hand and kept hiding. It took all of her self-control to manage it. Droplet wanted nothing more than to hammer that jerk, but this was family business. Best to stay out of that if you can. The thought of family made Droplet sad. She was reminded of just how much she missed her mom and dad. But for the first time in what seemed like forever, Droplet was hopeful. All she had to do was get past this current obstacle, and she could start looking for her family. It wouldn't be long now.

[cosmicarus]

Every time was the same. Dale wondered now why he ever thought it was going to be different. He stood solemnly next to his sister, and stared up at their shared father. All he wanted... all he ever wanted was this man - his father - to... not even much, just... just look at him, but he couldn't even... he wouldn't ever...

After a few moments, Dale turned away. He took one last look as his sister before melting through space and disappearing from the room.

[cosmicarus]

Every time was the same. Dale wondered now why he ever thought it was going to be different. He stood solemnly next to his sister, and stared up at their shared father. All he wanted... all he ever wanted was this man - his father - to... not even much, just... just look at him, but he couldn't even... he wouldn't ever...

After a few moments, Dale turned away. He took one last look as his sister before melting through space and disappearing from the room.

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke frowned from underneath his hiding place. The man was obviously just a big bully, pushing people smaller than him around. He didn't like it, but what could he do? He wasn't big... or... strong? Wait a minute...

A light suddenly switched on above Daisuke's head as what should have occurred to him long ago finally did. He might not be big, but he was strong! If the guy got rough, he could make him stop, no problem!

With that thought settling warmly in the forefront of his mind, Daisuke began hoping the guy would start something, just so he could stop him. Surely the magical girl would be impressed by that!

[Barnum]

Mr. Edwards didn't even bother to look to see if Dale was gone. He turned his back on Darla and mumbled, "Shut up and get in the bed," as he staggered back to his room.

Darla flinched a little as he slammed the door. She sat down on her bed, obviously deeply hurt by the rejection of her brother.

"You all can come out now. He won't get back up unless you guys are loud again."

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke slowly pulled up the sheet that had covered his hiding place, peering out between the two legs hanging over the edge. Once he'd assertained that the magical girl's father had, in fact, gone, he scooted himself out from under the bed and looked around anxiously before saying, "Sorry about that... with your father and everything..."

"I... I know what it's like, you know," he continued, poking his forefingers together and looking sheepish. "My parents didn't like me either," he added quietly.

[Barnum]

Darla looked back at the machine boy. She could see by the look on his face that he knew from experience just what rejection felt like . . . and she felt sorry for him.

"Yeah . . ."

The girl watched as the used-to-be-mermaid came out of the closet. Darla couldn't remember if she'd properly introduced herself to either so she started over.

"My name is Darla Edwards. This is my house, and that was my dad." She said it with a mixture of sadness and embarrassment. "The little boy was Dale. He's my brother. We had an accident that made us like this. It's been kinda hard on my family."