((Lol. I love the last sentence of Maya's part. It's like 'Ohmaigawsh I just happened to have this cloth with me!' XD I lurve joo Max.))

Nylat shifted slightly in place, sorta unnerved by the idea of another shape-shifter. Kanec was enough of a bother. She stood, keeping her head level with the cat.
"Could we see what all you could shift into?"
She flicked her tail in the natural manner of a curious cat, and the way her head was tilted made her seem even more feline at heart. But, of course, she looked like a dog, so it appeared quite odd.

~~

Fallow glanced up, registering Raphael's face as he introduced himself. She was good with faces. She glanced down again. She was about to say 'I'm not staying.' But Gale's voice at the back of her head stopped her.
Good place to be.
"I'm Fallow....And.."
She was about to introduce Gale, but then she remembered that no one else saw her spirit guide. She had learned that the hard way. She felt Gale's influence again, this time making her look up a bit more. Of course, Gale was only a spirit, she had little influence. Fallow was more than shy about her odd eyes. They weren't just oddly colored, after all. She glanced up at the shifter who she had met earlier as he introduced himself as well.

~~

"And I'm Kanec."
He glanced at Fallow quickly before turning to Raphael, whispering to him.
"That one, Fallow, didn't seem all to keen to join us, but...there's something else. Something urging her on. You can see it in her eyes. She doesn't really want to be here. And you can tell she's often distracted. But...I watched her earlier, she's shunned more than I was...I think we should talk to her alone later. After all, if she doesn't want to stay, we shouldn't force her...Right?"
He glanced back at Fallow, then over at the girl who'd introduced herself at Kioko. He flared his wing away from the Ringmaster, flicking his ears slightly.
"Nice to meet you, Kioko. And you too, Fallow."

Ariskye's whiskers twitched at how odd the feline movement made Nylat look. Getting up, she lashed out her twin tails as she thought about Nylat's question. "Of course," she mewed. Closing her crimson eyes slightly, she felt herself grow insize as she shifted into something close to a Dire Wolf. She took two steps back from Nylat as she opened her still crimson eyes. Below the crimson orbs were three markings that looked similar to claw marks. Ariskye still had her twin tails. But they still looked more cat-like with rugged black fur covering the skin. The tails also ended in a point. Her tails swished across the ground as they curled around her feet as Ariskye sat back down.

Spider put his hands behind his back and nodded slowly at Maya, and stared very openly and rudely at Dravius as he stepped out of the van and walked toward them. That's just the thing he had been thinking about... when you can't feel pain you slam your head into windows and get all kinds of owchies. But Maya would take care of him, so he wrenched his eyes from the scene and looked at the others who had popped up during his mild distraction.

There was Mister Raphael again, and Nylat, Fallow, Kanec and... the little one there that just changed, that he didn't know the name of. He waved silently at the group and looked at Kioko. "That's better. Very pretty." Her looks reminded him of Em, though Kioko didn't look as old or as dangerous. "No point in hiding under a hood." He commented, and looked back at May and Dravius.

Dravius cracked a small smile as the window slowly left his face. "Thanks, May." He said, rubbing above his good eye, picking out the last shard."Hey, when someone gets shot with a hunting gun, windows become second priority. He noticed Spider staring at him with his black and red eyes, then raised his undamaged eyebrow and said, "What is it, Spider?" The boy, to be honest reminded him greatly of his namesake, and seemed frightened that someone was going to pick something up and throw it at him. "Dude, Spider, no one's gonna hit you. Why do you look like someone's going to run you over with one of the circus vans?"

"Hello, Fallow. I'm Dravius, Co-owner of the Circus, and I also function as a walking h-hospital." Dravius stammered at bit at the last word, shaking his head slightly. His eyes seemed to flicker inbetween lifeless and nervous, as he blinked rapidly. "I need to sleeeeeeep." He moaned, lying down on the stands. "I haven't slept in dayyyyyyys."

Kioko blushed at Spiders compliment and began playing nervously with a strand of her hair.  No one had ever called her pretty before.  Freak, demon, witch, and albino were the words people usually used when describing her looks.  "T-Thank you, Spider," she managed to reply.  Kioko plucked at the hem of her hood.  "I only wear this because people don't like the way I look.  It makes them uneasy, especially my eyes.  Mother and Father used to say that I was a demon, that's why I was so different.  They got this cloak for me so no one would have to look at me.  It seemed to make them happy, so I wore it."  Feeling like she had said too much, Kioko looked around for something else to talk about.  These people probably didn't want to hear her ramble about herself.

Kioko looked around for the strange black and red cat she had been petting earlier, wondering where it had gone.  Where it had been sitting near the dog creature, there was now a wolf like creature with the same black and red coloring and set of twin tails.  "You changed?"  Kioko asked the creature in surprise.

((Oh yeah. Maya's great with producing things from thin air. xD And Ilu too Nylat. xD))

Raphael was still smiling as the new faces introduced themselves, before glancing at the black cat with his eyebrows slightly raised. She was, as far as he knew, the only one now who hadn't revealed her name, not that he minded, they'd probably find out later.

When Kanec spoke, the tall, blonde haired Ring Master allowed his head to tilt slightly, keeping his gray eyes on the nervous looking Fallow. "Ah..." He frowned in thought for a moment. "Alright, Kanec. We can talk to her a little later, once she feels a little more comfortable around us. You know we never force anyone to stay... There are, afterall, a few of our kind who are accepted... Despite how rare it is it does happen. Even if she's being mistreated, I won't lock her in here against her wishes. As for the issue of her being distracted... We could always ask later, it may be some sort of ability we're unaware of," He chuckled.

The Ring Master allowed his elbow to drop from the male Shifters shoulder, then glanced sideways at Dravius as the Co-Master addressed Spider, before looking over his shoulder at the self proclaimed "bug". He turned back just in time to watch the new Shifter change her form, before chuckling quietly to himself. "It's nice to meet you all," He said, before glancing at Kioko with a warm hearted smile. "And I'd have to agree with our new friend over there. You should feel no need to hide such a face~"

Maya, who by now had deftly disposed of the small shards of glas.s, smiled at Spider as she stood and brushed herself off. "I'm probably the only one here who completely understands that," She said as, almost as though to emphasise her point, a small, fluttering white butterfly landed on her shoulder. She smiled at it briefly,  then shrugged. "It's not pleasant, seeing such innocent creatures harmed for the sake of it, particularly if we're somewhat related to them. But then again... I suppose that's very much like us,"

A small frown made its way onto her face as she watched the little white winged bug flutter back towards the fiolage, before sighing and sitting back down, her face thoughtful. She glanced sideways however to watch Dravius complain about his lack of sleep.

"You probably should... I'm pretty sure even walking hospitals need their rest," Raphael said to him with a mocking smile. "Which reminds me... Maya?... You wouldn't mind taking care of Alto's injured friend for awhile, would you?"

"Of course not," She replied.

"Excellent," He laughed, clapping his hands together, looking around at all the new faces. "So. New folk, how about we finally take a look around the main performance pavilion?" He glanced for a moment at Fallow, pausing, before smiling to himself. "I'd like you all to know that this isn't set in stone by the way. I'm not forcing you to join, nor does following me mean you are joining, if that is not what you want," He added with a smile. "No-one will be held here against there own will... So, what do you say?~"

Nylat nodded at the shifter's display of her ability. She glanced up at Raphael, flicking an ear. She padded up beside him, and looked at the other possible members. She glanced back over at the wolf.
"She says her name is Ariskye. I'll see if she has any way to speak to you directly. I bore of being a translator. It will, however, be easier now, if she can't. I understand the languages of wolves better than that of cats."
Without pausing, she turned back to the wolf, sitting in front of it again. She curled her tail over her feet, and licked a paw, swiping over her ear quickly before tilting her head curiously again.
"Do you any form that speaks human? To make it easier on all of us."

~~~

Fallow shrugged. She was already here, why not at least take the tour? Sighing, she looked up, nodding.
"Well, there's no harm in touring, right?"
She heard Gale's satisfactory smirk in the back of her head and almost turned to glare at Gale, who was sitting calmly on her shoulder, unlike any live bat, which would hang upside-down somewhere.

With a flick of her ears, she caught Kioko's voice and the question it carried. Turning her head towards the other girl, Ariskye noticed that Kioko had dropped her hood. Cocking her head slightly, she decided Kioko looked better without the hood covering her features. Then, Ariskye dipped her head as a 'yes' as she remembered the girl's question. She flicked her ears again, she heard the dog-creature give her name to somebody. Turning her head in Nylat's general direction, she realized it was the Ring Master. But, at the current moment, she could not remember his name.

Realizing that the dog-creature had spoken to her again, Ariskye glanced back at her before moving her tails so they were somewhere behind her and not curled around her feet. "Yes. My human form," Ariskye replied.

"People don't like the way you look?" Spider asked, in wonder. What were they, all... goblins or something? "I can understand doing something for parents. I never had any, though, so excuse me if I don't quite understand what it's like. If we're going to wear hoods because we look a little different I should be wearing a bag over my head." After all, he figured he look more like a demon than Kioko. That was probably why his cousins kept him in the basement so much.

 He nodded at Maya, silently. It was not as if he was completely guilt free either, he often caught a beetle or two with the full intention of eating them. But it was different with spiders, and he decided, it was the same way a human views other life. Everything else was expendable, but human life was far too precious. It was a subject that made him upset, so he turned to Raphael in peek interest at the promise of a tour.

Chi glanced at Spider curiously as he explained how he felt about people killing arachnids. Well, Chi certainly didn't mind spiders. They could be nice, after all. They don't tease or hate you the older-personality part of her thought to her younger side. [yes, this happens quite often xD She talks and thinks to herself as if she's two people. :3] Chi cocked her head slightly and listened as Maya sympathized with Spider. Chi supposed she could feel for him too. He's nice she thought. 

She watched as the girl who hid her face put down her hood. Chi's eyes sparkled. It was white. Lots of people had white hair around here. It was the first time she noticed that. She felt happier, because sometimes people looked at her strangely because of the white bits of hair that framed the left side of her face. Then she heard Raphael speak.

"So. New folk, how about we finally take a look around the main performance pavilion?" He paused. "I'd like you all to know that this isn't set in stone by the way. I'm not forcing you to join, nor does following me mean you are joining, if that is not what you want. No-one will be held here against there own will... So, what do you say?~"

Chi thought for a second.

Everyone here's "different".

...But they're.. Weird...She thought, arguing with herself.

I am weird too

They might hate you

They sound nice

They'll tease you because of your ribbons

No they won't. 

She finally came to a solid decision. It sounded like fun to Chi,and the Ring Master seemed very welcoming. She walked up to him. "I'll join," she said. She was obviously a bit on the nervous side. She had never been in a place like this, where everyone was different, and it felt weird. She didn't even know what she was getting herself into. She tugged on a silk black ribbon that was tied around her arm; it was a nervous habit. 

Nylat flicked a fly from her ear, wondering why the shifter wasn't human at the moment. She shivered slightly and the fur along herspine rose slightly.
"If you have a human form, why not shift into it?"
She blinked her eyes sleepily. She'd had a rough time sleeping the night before, and the performance had been a new one, combined, she was exhausted.

((Fail post.))

Ariskye cocked her head as her ears flicked forward. "I like my animal shifts, though I cannot use humanspeak," she said. Noticing the sleepy bl
ink in Nylat's eyes, she leaned forward and gently nuzzled the top of the creature's head with her nose before pulling back. Once Ariskye was in her original position, she closed her eyes slightly before shifting human.

Crouching, she had her elbows propped up on her knees. Her hair was behind both pointed ears and showed the jagged scar on the left side of her face. "Did you get enough sleep last night?" she asked once she was fully human.

Raphael smiled at Chi, then gestured at the others with a hand. He chose not to wait for the others to agree, seeing as he had already made his point about their free will, and if they didn't wish to follow it was fine with him. Before he turned, however, he looked over at the exhausted Co-Master, his smile still evident.

He chuckled, then looked over his shoulder at the main tent before facing the newcomers. "Shall we?~" He added with a florid bow.

Without waiting for an answer, the tall blonde male made his way towards said tent, stopping at an open flap in the side of a smaller tent that resided just behind the much larger performance one. "This, my dear friends, is the backstage area. Many of our members tend to practice in here before their own performances, as well as being able to watch the actual show itself while they wait," He laughed, ducking into the tent and stopping just inside the entrance.

The backstage tent was a huge space, any number of colourful apparatus spread around the place and a few straggling Circus members milling about, seemingly without much to do. Over to the right of the backstage area, was what seemed to be a small corridor of tent which lead into the main pavilion and onto the stage.

"I apologise for the lack of activity in here, but we were planning our move tonight," He paused, his eyes thoughtful. "Though I suppose... We could always put that off a day, and open tonight for a final performance, though I think it might be best if we don't... Anyway, it's usually far busier than this" he laughed.

~~~

Maya had watched Raphael leave with pas.sing interest, before glancing at Dravius, then over towards where Nylat stood. She smiled slightly, then stood, flaring her wings and causing them to catch the rays of sunlight that filtered through the sparse number of trees scattered around the vans.

Walking over to the Hybrid, she sat herself on the gras.s, folding her arms around her knees and looking at the fox with a curious ex
pression. "What was it you wanted, Nylat?" She asked, glancing towards the tree branches over her head, watching as the waving leaves seemed to almost play with the sunlight; The shadows below shifting as though living.

Hanging toward the back of the group with the shapeshifting girl, Kioko fidgeted nervously before speaking.  "Um, about before," She said, addressing the tall girl who she had previously as.sumed was someones' pet.  "I'm sorry if I offended you, thinking you were a pet and asking if you had an owner.  I've never met someone who could turn into an animal before, I as.sumed you were strange looking cat kept by the circus." Kioko winced inwardly.  Her apology wasn't going so smoothly.  "Not that I mean to call you strange or anything, I'm the last person who should comment on anyone else's looks.  Sorry for that," she finished quietly.

She shifted her attention to the Ring Master, who had just finished explaining about the backstage area of the main tent.  "Mr. Raphael, sir?" she asked timidly.  "I would like to join your circus, but I don't know how much use I would be.  Aside from my looks, there's only the one thing I can do, and it's not very special." 

Ariskye glanced at Kioko and waved off the apology. "Ah, it's fine," she said. "I get called 'strange' whenever I do shift into my other forms." Standing up, she walked up to the younger girl and lightly patted Kioko on the head. A small smile curved her lips as she did so. And her crimson eyes glimmered with slighty amusement.

Shaking her black hair loose from behind her ears, she let the strands cover her face and her scar. She was also listening to what the Ring Leader was saying. But for some reason she still couldn't remember his name. Well... That is until Kioko said it. Raphael. Ariskye cocked her head as she suddenely remembered the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Weird, yes. But now she could remember the guy's name atleast.

Nylat flicked her tail at Ariskye as she shifted. It barely phased her, she'd been around Kanec too much for that. She tilted her head slightly.
"Can you shift into just animals? I mean, its enough we have Kanec. Not that I'd mind having another shifter around here."
Stifling a yawn, she answered her question.
"Probably not, but I rarely do get the sleep I need, and my performance last night was sort of a test run. Anyways, when we leave, I'll have plenty of down time to sleep."
She glanced up at Mayanna. Smiling slightly in that devious way she had, she turned.
"Walk with me. I need to get stretching before I stiffen up again. I'll talk with you as we walk."

~~~

Kanec followeed, and upon hearing Raphael's thought, he himself thought hard about that. Another performance. He could tell by Nylat's voice that she was tired. He doubted she was alone in that thought. Then again, Nylat often sat out of performances. What was one more? Sometimes, she wasn't even present--she was on her runs. But they were getting less and less frequent. He laid his ears back as he often did when he was deep in thought.

~~~

Fallow followed silently, taking in every word, paying more attention than she seemed. She was having a bit of difficulty listening to both Raphael and Gale.
They have shelter.....
"...is the backstage area...."
You fit in...
"...many of our members tend to practice in here...."
Are you even listening? I mean....
"...usually far busier than this...."
Fallow, pay attention!
I'm trying. There're two people to listen to!
Fine. Listen to him. But I'm trying to tell you the reasons to stay.
I'm not staying...
Give it a chance?
No.
I'll leave.
I would praise the Lord.
Hey!
You know I'm kidding....Mostly. You know, I've been alot more stressed since you came.
Still. You should stay.
No.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
No....
Stay, please?
"Fine, I'll stay."
She growled it in the back of her throat, barely audible except to those nearby. But she managed to catch sight of Kanec's ears as he raised them, giving her a curious look. She swore to herself in her head--he was quite a ways away.

((Fallow  Headshot, at least.))

Hearing Nylat's voice, she turned back towards the canine-like creature. "Yea, I can only shape-shift into animals. Human-shifts are on a plane I can't even begin to wrap my mind around," she said as she rubbed her temples with the pads of her fingers. Lowing her hands, she sighed softly as she glanced at Raphael through the open folds of the tent.

[[ ... Can't think... ]]

Spider dutifully followed, quickly scooping up his belongings. He peered around at everything as they walked, and stumbled only a few times on the way to the main tent. 'Dear friends' he thought, wondering. He'd never had a friend before. Well, except Barbie, but Barbie didn't count. Friends. Hmm, that was something to think about.

Upon entering the backstage tent, he felt a little more comfortable. Though a trifle stuffy, the sun wasn't beaming down on him anymore. He looked around at the milling performers curiously, trying to decide what it was they performed. "Much busier..." he repeated, yes, he could imagine that. Spider didn't think he wanted to be in here when it was busier, though. 

"Does anyone need help? Moving stuff, I mean? It wouldn't be prudent to just up and join without helping." So he's been told that there wasn't anything special he needed to do, but he felt it was almost rude to not at least ask. Maybe someone would. And Spider would like to help.