Cirque de la Lune

[omggirlonthenet]

Cirque de la Lune is famous across the multiverse for its spectacular cast, each exquisite to behold as they perform feats of daring and wonder before enthralled audiences. Any privileged to attend a performance will never forget, for each show is filled with magic and splendor.

Literally.

For the secret of the Cirque de la Lune is that each performer is kidnapped, modified, and enslaved by the one who runs it, a mysterious figure known only as The Ringmaster. He draws the most promising, the most beautiful, and the most talented from any dimension to which he has access, then with a combination of magic and medicine transforms each into their fullest potential, a shining jewel to play their parts like marionettes on strings of his manufacture.

Will you be a part of the circus? Or are you one of the lucky few who's managed to procure a ticket? Step right up, then, and see what it has to offer....


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The kidnappings come without warning or a chance at escape: those summoned by The Ringmaster suddenly find themselves in the circus, so wound about by bindings both physical and magical they can hardly move, much less think of escape. Most are unconscious for the process of alterations, which could be considered a mercy considering how long and painful it is. The Ringmaster works with the careful precision of a master sculptor, and each of his creations bears a symbol of his craftsmanship that also serves to keep them under his unfaltering control.

As the symbol can only be removed by another person at the cost of their life, almost no one has ever even tried to escape the circus, and even if they did there would be the small issue of getting away from where it exists, suspended between dimensions. Most don't even realize they're being controlled, however, for the compulsions holding their imposed personae in place are subtle in their strength.

The best of The Ringmaster's creations, those who perhaps already possessed innate talent or beauty, or who simply adapted to the changes better than most, are fortunate enough to take their places in the First Circle. These are the most privileged and pampered, and each wears a tiny jewel in their ear to mark their rank.

1) Beast Tamer
Merciless and deadly, the Beast Tamer can subdue the most unruly animal with will and whip. They seek to dominate and control, no matter how meek or cowardly they might have once been.

2) Tightrope Walker
The Tightrope Walkers are the most exquisite jewels of the circus, delicate and graceful of form and movement and often breathtakingly lovely of face, able to dance butterfly-light on the finest of wires. They are also, however, often the most passive, the most controlled, like puppets crafted of fragile china.

3) Acrobats
Whether they are skilled as trapeze artists, hoop dancers, or tumblers, the Acrobats are all agile and quick of body-- and mind. Something about the changes made to allow their feats of skill also tends to make them more sly and cunning, more apt to lie or cheat to get ahead of the rest.

4) Strong (Wo)Man
These performers were enhanced for strength-- some were given added bulk and others simple toning, but all are significantly stronger than any unaltered human. Alas, they often lose some of their mental acuity in exchange for the physical enhancements, but none will ask a performer balancing an anvil to perform calculus.

Those without special skills or who did not adapt quite so well are still given places in the circus ranks, however, being placed in the Second Circle. Members of this group bear an unobtrusive bracelet around one wrist as a sign of their rank.

5) Clowns
Many a flaw can be hidden with makeup, and those who did not quite meet The Ringmaster's exacting standards of beauty must hide behind makeup and costume. Many are failed Acrobats, and as they are quite aware that only a small mischance prevented their admission to the First Circle, they spent much of their time plotting the downfall of those more privileged.

6) Sideshow Performers
These can include jugglers, fire-breathers, or knife-throwers, daredevils or magicians, those with clever hands and nimble tongues who can amuse the guests before the main show. Some failed Tightrope Walkers are veiled and costumed and put to work in a side tent as exotic dancers, while former Strong Men discourage the guests from getting too close (though rumor says they can be bribed, at times).

7) Beasts
The Beast Tamers must have creatures with which to perform, after all. Those who already wore the forms of beasts are enhanced, whether to look more beautiful or more deadly (or perhaps both), while some others are transformed entirely into lions or tigers or other fierce beasts to share in the main performance. Some of these unfortunates manage to retain their intelligence after the change, but others find themselves slipping away and becoming as mindless as the creatures whose forms they wear.

8) Sideshow Exhibit
The displays in the sideshow tent include those whose alterations fail, those who become trapped halfway between humanoid and beast form, or those who began in such an inhuman shape that they could never fit into the First Circle even with all The Ringmaster can do. Their existence is barely better than those of the animals, for they almost always remain caged, subject to the stares and giggles of the crowd. These again are guarded by former Strong Men, but they cannot be everywhere, and occasionally the mocking and stares of the guests devolve into worse.

The worst off of the circus denizens are those who inhabit the Third Circle. These unfortunates wear a plain leather collar as a sign of their rank, though none are likely to mistake them for a member of one of the other Circles.

9) Menials
Someone has to do the work of running the circus, after all. This group is unique in that not all of them were brought here involuntarily: some became lost and elected to remain, some sought employment, and some came seeking their missing friends and loved ones and chose to linger nearby in the vain hope that their memories might return. Most, however, are simply those too ordinary or unskilled to fit anywhere else, and they can be found just about anywhere in the circus, doing chores or maintenance, tending the animals, or selling concessions to the guests. They go everywhere, they see everything, but they do little of consequence, even if they aren't kept under as much control as the rest of the circus folk.

10) Slaves
These are the fallen, the failed, the grotesque, those who are too deformed to exhibit, too ugly or ungainly to be allowed to perform, or those who tried to escape and are now in disgrace. They remain hidden from the view of guests, serving as laborers in whatever manner The Ringmaster or the members of the First Circle might desire. (Rumors say the former prima Tightrope Walker attempted to run away from the circus, and now bent and disfigured from her punishment, cleans the quarters of the current prima.)

And what would a circus be without an audience?

11) Guests
It is difficult indeed to obtain a ticket to the circus, for most do not even known of its existence. Only the rich, the powerful, those who are well versed in dimensional travel, or somehow privileged to be given a ticket by The Ringmaster himself in return for some service are ever allowed into the circus grounds. Some say that anyone who can provide The Ringmaster with a particularly good candidate will earn a lifetime's pass in return...

(originally by enthymeme)

Comments

[headspacedad]

[If Shiro was aware of Hunk's thoughts, he'd be both deeply effected and touched - and horrified at the thought of anyone else having to share his nightmares. As is, he's hardly even aware anyone else is there anymore, the pain rippling and ripping through his body all consuming and his Galra hand digs fingers deep into the soil as if he can somehow claw his way free of what his body is doing to him. His body continues to fold and shrink into itself, becoming more human in all nightmare ways, claws and bent fingers folded half into paws, legs bent at the wrong knees, and jaws far too big for his face with long glistening fangs when he opens his human mouth and screams again, raw and human.

It ends though. It has to end eventually and the fur is the last part of him to fade from beast back into human, sinking into him as if its still a waiting part of what he is, leaving behind growing patches of pale, sweat soaked skin and revealing scars. So many violent and ugly scars, some of them still the new pink of fresh marks but most the dull dark purple or white of old ones. Shiro's body lays like something that's been tossed aside and discarded, utterly loose jointed - but he breathes. He breathes, chest heaving with it and after a short amount of time his eyes crack open, slit with pain -

and they're the cloudy sky grey of completely human eyes.]

[lionroll]

[It feels like it takes hours for the transformation to finish, even though in reality it's mere minutes. Hunk watches though teary eyes, wishing he could do something, anything to help his friend through this. When Shiro screams again it pulls a quiet sob from Hunk's chest. All of it is awful, and his heart is breaking all the while. Out of all them, for it to be Shiro subjected to such horror, such pain... Hunk wishes it could have been him instead.

Because the man, now human once more, in front of him deserves so much better.

Once Shiro is back in his natural form, Hunk rushes in to his side. His eyes catch onto some of the new scars, anger rising from his gut. At least the one responsible for those was now gone, forever. With a shaky hand, he gently brushed back white bangs from Shiro's face.]

Shiro? Hey... Can you hear me?

[headspacedad]

[His body aches.

oh God damn his body aches... and even with his eyes open it takes a very long time for Shiro to see anything out of them. His mind is a jumbled mess, tainted with flavors and smells and sounds that can't translate to human intelligence, feelings and emotions rolling around inside his chest like leaves caught in a dervish. but -

Hunk.

He recognizes that voice. That's Hunk and he sounds - automatically Shiro clears his throat, tries to push himself off the torn up ground he's lying on. It - doesn't work and he exhales. Blinks eyes that feel all out of focus and place in his face and does his best to look at Hunk. What - ?

What is he doing laying outside in a field?

Was there a crash? His voice comes out a croak.]

You - all right?

[lionroll]

[When Shiro attempts to move himself, Hunk uses gentle pressure to help keep him down. Slowly, he rubs his uninjured hand along the other Paladin's broad back.]

I'm good, just relax for a bit okay? You've been through a lot and your body needs to rest for now. You're safe though, and I'm not leaving your side.

[Pulling the pouch off his belt, he pulls out the last little gadget Pidge had helped him put together. Squeezing it in his fist, he then chucks it up into the night air. There's a sudden bright flash of light that illuminates the area around them. A signal for their teammates to come collect the wounded pair.

Returning his attention to Shiro, the vibrant light brings the damage to his leader's body into focus. Also, the fact that the other is, well, naked. There's no way he'll be able to get Shiro back into his Paladin armor, or even the flight suit, before Red and Blue reach them. So, Hunk tugs his heavy tunic over his head, leaving himself in the thin undershirt.]

I'm gonna sit you up to slip this shirt on you, okay? If anything hurts let me know. Lance and Keith will be here any minute.

[Carefully, Hunk lifts up Shiro as if he was handling a porcelain doll. He's afraid to cause the other any pain, after everything Shiro has gone through, Hunk doesn't want hurt him again so soon.]

[headspacedad]

[The sudden bright light has Shiro flinching, squinting his eyes against it and hissing, a sound that comes out of a human throat and teeth but isn't human. He doesn't notice that though, trying to force his mind to focus. Everything jumbled though. Again. And if he wasn't so aching and exhausted, he'd be frustrated. Why does his mind keep slipping tracks like this? Hunk's talking though and its so much easier to pay attention to that than exhausting himself even more with trying to corral his memories and when Hunk sits him up, he tries to help. It's pathetically disjointed and not at all helpful.

He feels like he's just been stretched like bubble gum, no strength left in his muscles or joints.

What the hell happened to him?

He inhales when the shirt goes over him, tries to clear his throat again, manages, somehow, to get his arms through the sleeves and its only then that he realizes

he's cold.

and he's apparently naked.

and what the hell really happened to him?!]

Hunk - ?

[It comes out of a raw throat but he tries. Words feel strange, as if his tongue isn't quite sure how to form them. He's not about to stop though, eyes narrowed, trying to focus. God damn, he is so exhausted.]

What - ?

[lionroll]

[Well, the hissing is definitely a new thing.

It brings a frown to Hunk's face, because he has no idea just what to expect after everything that's happened. Who knows what that creepy asshole did to Shiro, or how he managed to actually do it in the first place. There's so many questions, such as... how did Shiro get captured? How long was he held for? If time flowed differently in the Ringmaster's special dimension, there's no telling how long their leader had been a lion. What kind of magic did the Ringmaster use? Did the spell break because they destroyed the circus? Or was it because the Ringmaster himself was defeated? Based on the other's questioning tone, Hunk worries that Shiro doesn't remember anything. A thought that brings a fresh wave of pain to Hunk's chest.

The Black Paladin's memory was already scrambled thanks to his time with the Galra. Now, to have it messed with once again, and in an equally cruel, if not more, manner? Hunk silently curses that demonic creature, and hopes he suffers for all the pain, and damage he's caused. Not just to Shiro, but too all those poor souls who had been trapped alongside his friend.]

I'll explain things to you after you've gotten some time in a healing pod, and have been able to rest a bit. Just... hang in there a little longer.

[Underneath them the ground begins to tremble from the pounding force of the two robotic Lions. There's a sense of relief that comes with their presence as they skid to a halt.]

I'm gonna pick you up, okay? Unless you think you can move, but considering the trouble we had getting the shirt on you, I'm gonna go with no walking for you just yet.

[headspacedad]

[There's a slight face at the mention of the healing pods. Shiro hates them, deeply and desperately and he's too tired and worn out in the moment to hide it. But - he knows he needs it. Whatever's happened to his body and his mind only keeps providing him with flashes of sights from odd angles and a tight longing to run and odd urges that he couldn't do even if he had the energy with a human body - whatever it was, he knows he needs time in a pod, like it or not.

The ground shaking has him looking up and a weak smile spreads across his face. It's not Black but - oh God... is it ever good to see the lions. And Red and Blue means both Lance and Keith and that's -

he'd been looking for them. That memory is strong. He'd gone... somewhere... looking for them... because -

Hunk had his attention again and - that was right. The wormhole. The corrupted worm hole. Everyone had gotten pulled through to different places. And then -

and then...]

Help me stand instead. [He feels like stretched taffy and he knows that he should just let Hunk carry him but like hell is he going to show that much vulnerability in front of his paladins. This is his team and he's supposed to be strong for them. He makes the effort and gets an arm over Hunk's shoulders.] I'll walk.

[Upright. And that feels... wrong but he pushes that aside, determined. Whatever happened he's still the team leader and that means he stays strong. With help...

His voice is a little stronger at least as he works to push himself to his feet, gets them under him and manages to straighten his legs and -

and the world looks so wrong from this height.]

Where's Pidge? Allura and Coran? Is everyone safe?

[lionroll]

[Hunk does as he's requested, doing his best in helping Shiro to stand. While so much of him wishes the other Paladin wouldn't push himself this hard, deep down he understands why he's doing so. Pride is a powerful force. One that Hunk isn't going to take away from his leader.

Once they're both standing, the Yellow Paladin can feel the awkardness in Shiro's stance. As if being on two legs isn't something he's used to. Again, Hunk worries about how long Shiro had been trapped as a lion. Helping the other walk, he gives a nod of his head at the question.]

Yeah, the others are all back in the castle. You were the last one to be found. They're all gonna be so happy to see you again, man. Hope you're ready for a shower of hugs, cause everyone is gonna want to give you one once we've gotten you patched up.

[There's the familiar voices of their friends, both Keith and Lance shouting out to them as they're exiting their Lions. While Hunk knows they'll have just as many questions as he does, there is still the plan in place. Once Shiro was rescued, they'd get him into Red, the fastest of the team, to get him back to the Castle of Lions as quickly as possible. With Hunks signal having gone off Coran and Allura would be ready and waiting in the med bay to help with any injuries. Pidge on standby in case of any weird technological hiccups. Finally, Lance would be there for emotional support. Something Hunk was going to need a huge dose of with everything he just witnessed, and played a part in.]