Circus Freaks

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke blinked. And then blinked again. "No way..." he uttered, halfway between surprise and horror. He was covered in the... water... that used to be the mermaid girl. She was... everywhere.

He'd killed someone while trying to save them.

"" Daisuke slipped back into his native language as he scooped handfulls of water up and tried to put them together to form a cohesive whole. Pointless and hopeless, obviously, but he seemed like a boy possessed; like a man trying to empty an ocean with a strainer. ""

[Veiled Malice]

Daisuke blinked. And then blinked again. "No way..." he uttered, halfway between surprise and horror. He was covered in the... water... that used to be the mermaid girl. She was... everywhere.

He'd killed someone while trying to save them.

"" Daisuke slipped back into his native language as he scooped handfulls of water up and tried to put them together to form a cohesive whole. Pointless and hopeless, obviously, but he seemed like a boy possessed; like a man trying to empty an ocean with a strainer. ""

[cosmicarus]

Dale looked at the suit and the water, then at his grieving collegues, then back to the suit and water. What were they worried about? The mermaid girl was right there! Dale walked cautiosly over to the swim suit, eyeing Daisuke and Darla, wondering if they were playing a trick on him. When he reached it and nothing happened, he realised that they seriously thought that the girl was gone. He became puzzled, and tilted his head to one side while he studied his sister and the metal boy. He shook his head and went about his work - trying to scoop as much water as possible onto the swim suit. It was a feat made incredibly hard by his skeletal hands...

[cosmicarus]

Dale looked at the suit and the water, then at his grieving collegues, then back to the suit and water. What were they worried about? The mermaid girl was right there! Dale walked cautiosly over to the swim suit, eyeing Daisuke and Darla, wondering if they were playing a trick on him. When he reached it and nothing happened, he realised that they seriously thought that the girl was gone. He became puzzled, and tilted his head to one side while he studied his sister and the metal boy. He shook his head and went about his work - trying to scoop as much water as possible onto the swim suit. It was a feat made incredibly hard by his skeletal hands...

[Barnum]

Darla watched Dale's body language carefully. She didn't get to spend as much time with her brother as she wanted, but she knew him well. And she figured out almost immediately what he was up to.

"Hang on to that, Dale," she said, indicating the swimsuit. "I'm going to try again."

There was less pressure now; no mutant elephant threatening to crush them to death, but this spell would require a lot more precision. For several minutes Darla concentrated trying to bring all of the proper symbols to mind. As she focused her mind, the water began to run, contrary to gravity, in small streams onto the hood of the car. The water continued to collect into a floating ball, and when the last drop was floating, all four children vanished again . . .

. . . and reappeared in Darla's room.

Immediately, Darla jumped up and pushed the floating ball of water out the door and across the hall into the bathroom. Dale and the machine boy heard a loud splash as the ball of water dissolved into the bathtub.

[Barnum]

Darla watched Dale's body language carefully. She didn't get to spend as much time with her brother as she wanted, but she knew him well. And she figured out almost immediately what he was up to.

"Hang on to that, Dale," she said, indicating the swimsuit. "I'm going to try again."

There was less pressure now; no mutant elephant threatening to crush them to death, but this spell would require a lot more precision. For several minutes Darla concentrated trying to bring all of the proper symbols to mind. As she focused her mind, the water began to run, contrary to gravity, in small streams onto the hood of the car. The water continued to collect into a floating ball, and when the last drop was floating, all four children vanished again . . .

. . . and reappeared in Darla's room.

Immediately, Darla jumped up and pushed the floating ball of water out the door and across the hall into the bathroom. Dale and the machine boy heard a loud splash as the ball of water dissolved into the bathtub.

[Lilac]

Droplet sputtered and choked as her body pulled itself back together in the tub. She sat up quickly and looked around.

"Hey, it's you again. Who are you people? What did you do to me? And where are my clothes."

Droplet stood up defiantly. She didn't seem the least bit rattled by the whole experience, and she didn't appear to have any modesty (shame?) at all about being naked. Droplet pushed past Entropy, dripping water everywhere. She strode into the bedroom and stopped right in front of Deadboy. With her hands on her hips, she cocked her head to one side flinging water when she did.

"So, can I have my swimsuit back? Or were you going to try it on?"

[Lilac]

Droplet sputtered and choked as her body pulled itself back together in the tub. She sat up quickly and looked around.

"Hey, it's you again. Who are you people? What did you do to me? And where are my clothes."

Droplet stood up defiantly. She didn't seem the least bit rattled by the whole experience, and she didn't appear to have any modesty (shame?) at all about being naked. Droplet pushed past Entropy, dripping water everywhere. She strode into the bedroom and stopped right in front of Deadboy. With her hands on her hips, she cocked her head to one side flinging water when she did.

"So, can I have my swimsuit back? Or were you going to try it on?"

[Veiled Malice]

A lot of things happened all at once. First, there was the part where the mermaid girl started piecing herself back together, which immediately cheered Daisuke up. At least he hadn't killed her; the girl was obviously like that Terminator from the second movie. He watched with a smile on his face that turned to one of confusion as the water droplets left the ground and collected in midair. That didn't happen in the movie, he thought

And then they were someplace else again. After all of these teleportations, Daisuke was starting to feel vaguely unsettled. He'd have to talk to that magical girl about warning him before doing that again. "Hey, where are-"

He left off suddenly as the mermaid girl came in and stopped in front of the skeleton, freezing up at the sight of her nakedness. In fact, he couldn't do much more than closely examine the same section of wall where she had crossed his vision. After a couple seconds, though, a goofy smile spread over his face.

[Veiled Malice]

A lot of things happened all at once. First, there was the part where the mermaid girl started piecing herself back together, which immediately cheered Daisuke up. At least he hadn't killed her; the girl was obviously like that Terminator from the second movie. He watched with a smile on his face that turned to one of confusion as the water droplets left the ground and collected in midair. That didn't happen in the movie, he thought

And then they were someplace else again. After all of these teleportations, Daisuke was starting to feel vaguely unsettled. He'd have to talk to that magical girl about warning him before doing that again. "Hey, where are-"

He left off suddenly as the mermaid girl came in and stopped in front of the skeleton, freezing up at the sight of her nakedness. In fact, he couldn't do much more than closely examine the same section of wall where she had crossed his vision. After a couple seconds, though, a goofy smile spread over his face.

[cosmicarus]

Dale looked up, surprised to see the young woman striding into the room. He paused for a moment before looking down at the swim suit and then back up to the woman. He stood up and dragged the suit over to her, doing his best to lift the very wet suit.

[cosmicarus]

Dale looked up, surprised to see the young woman striding into the room. He paused for a moment before looking down at the swim suit and then back up to the woman. He stood up and dragged the suit over to her, doing his best to lift the very wet suit.

[Barnum]

Darla felt like she was about to faint. This was far more magic than she was used to, and it was starting to take its toll. As tired as she felt, she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the mermaid girl streaking into her room. Darla walked in to the bedroom behind her, twirling her finger around her ear, the universal sign for "this kid is crazy."

"You better give it to her, Dale. She's gonna stand there in the buff until you do." Darla made a dramatic gesture with her hands to block out the site of Droplet's rear end . . . like she was being blinded by the sun.

[Barnum]

Darla felt like she was about to faint. This was far more magic than she was used to, and it was starting to take its toll. As tired as she felt, she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the mermaid girl streaking into her room. Darla walked in to the bedroom behind her, twirling her finger around her ear, the universal sign for "this kid is crazy."

"You better give it to her, Dale. She's gonna stand there in the buff until you do." Darla made a dramatic gesture with her hands to block out the site of Droplet's rear end . . . like she was being blinded by the sun.

[Lilac]

Droplet snatched the suit out of Dale's hand, slinging water everywhere. "Thank you," she said smartly. Droplet looked the wet suit over but then thought better of putting it on. Turning to Darla, she asked, "Is that your closet? Can I get some dry clothes?"

Apparently, it wasn't really a question, because Droplet walked into the closet and began rummaging through the clothes.

[Lilac]

Droplet snatched the suit out of Dale's hand, slinging water everywhere. "Thank you," she said smartly. Droplet looked the wet suit over but then thought better of putting it on. Turning to Darla, she asked, "Is that your closet? Can I get some dry clothes?"

Apparently, it wasn't really a question, because Droplet walked into the closet and began rummaging through the clothes.

[cosmicarus]

Dale kept his eyes on the wet stranger and walked over to his sister. He was used to seeing strange things, but this girl was more than usually unusual. He stood firmly next to Darla, hoping that she could bring sense to what was going on.

[cosmicarus]

Dale kept his eyes on the wet stranger and walked over to his sister. He was used to seeing strange things, but this girl was more than usually unusual. He stood firmly next to Darla, hoping that she could bring sense to what was going on.

[Veiled Malice]

With a start, Daisuke finally snapped out of his stupor and seemed to take in his surroundings for the first time. He was in a house, and a nice one from the look of it. Although he wasn't quite sure what was going on, he was indebted to the magical girl for getting him out of that circus.

"Hey, uh... magic girl?" he said tentitively. "Thank you for taking me out there. It was getting really boring, just sitting around all the time. So anyway... thanks." He glanced over at her minion. "So... does your skeleton come with you everywhere...?"

[Veiled Malice]

With a start, Daisuke finally snapped out of his stupor and seemed to take in his surroundings for the first time. He was in a house, and a nice one from the look of it. Although he wasn't quite sure what was going on, he was indebted to the magical girl for getting him out of that circus.

"Hey, uh... magic girl?" he said tentitively. "Thank you for taking me out there. It was getting really boring, just sitting around all the time. So anyway... thanks." He glanced over at her minion. "So... does your skeleton come with you everywhere...?"

[Barnum]

Darla put her arm around Dale as they watched the strange mermaid girl rummaging though Darla's closet. Darla's mood was somewhere between irritated and mildly amused. It was a strange site indeed, even for Darla.

"Hey, uh... magic girl?" he said tentatively. "Thank you for taking me out there. It was getting really boring, just sitting around all the time. So anyway... thanks." He glanced over at her minion. "So... does your skeleton come with you everywhere...?"

"You're welcome," she replied. "And no, Dale doesn't come with me everywhere. We live in separate houses after our parents split."

"Parents! Oh, crap!"

Darla just remembered her dad. He was in the house (duh!) asleep. Darla's voice dropped to a whisper. "You guys have to keep it down. You can't wake up my dad!"

[Barnum]

Darla put her arm around Dale as they watched the strange mermaid girl rummaging though Darla's closet. Darla's mood was somewhere between irritated and mildly amused. It was a strange site indeed, even for Darla.

"Hey, uh... magic girl?" he said tentatively. "Thank you for taking me out there. It was getting really boring, just sitting around all the time. So anyway... thanks." He glanced over at her minion. "So... does your skeleton come with you everywhere...?"

"You're welcome," she replied. "And no, Dale doesn't come with me everywhere. We live in separate houses after our parents split."

"Parents! Oh, crap!"

Darla just remembered her dad. He was in the house (duh!) asleep. Darla's voice dropped to a whisper. "You guys have to keep it down. You can't wake up my dad!"

[cosmicarus]

At the mention of Dad, Dale suddenly became very excited. He jumped up and down for a few moments before reality melted around him, and then he was gone.

For a half a minute, there is nothing but silence. That state is abruptly shattered, however, when a loud, drawn out and possibly slurred single word erupts from an as yet unseen source, "Darlaaaaaaaa!" Whoever the large, male voice belongs to, they're angry.

[cosmicarus]

At the mention of Dad, Dale suddenly became very excited. He jumped up and down for a few moments before reality melted around him, and then he was gone.

For a half a minute, there is nothing but silence. That state is abruptly shattered, however, when a loud, drawn out and possibly slurred single word erupts from an as yet unseen source, "Darlaaaaaaaa!" Whoever the large, male voice belongs to, they're angry.

[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?"