♕ 002 // Action for Goldenrod (Circus)

[lackingbeauty]

-ere.

[Beast, for anyone who remembers her first broadcast some time ago, seems to have gotten the hang of the PokéGear, holding it so that it better shows her from the shoulder up, outside Eve's Garden Circus in Goldenrod.]

Reckon that's workin' now. Ye can 'ear me an' such.

[She looks. Irritated? Stern? Strained? Maybe it's just her face.]

Been 'ere longer 'n I care t'be, but apparently that isn' about to change, so I'll introduce myself proper.

Name's Beast. Animal tamer by trade. [She snorts a bit derisively before muttering under her breath-] Though looks like everyone 'n their brother is claimin' t'be the same in this place.

Any 'ow, I figured to thank the people who tried to talk t'me when I first arrived. Ye'll forgive I weren' exactly the 'appiest woman at the time, seein' as I think takin' that sort a arrival calmly might mean yer off in the 'ead.

Didn' get most a yer names, but I appreciate what ye done.

[Which is the closest she'll come to apologizing for how she treated some of you. Take it or leave it.]

That said, 'll be takin' up at the circus time bein'. 'd like t' 'ave a few words with anyone who considers themself a part a that. In person, preferably. This gear'll do if yer away.

Good day t'ye.

[Look at that- so polite.]

Comments

[lackingbeauty]

An' what does that 'ave t'do with anythin'?

[Besides, you know. A lot.]

[silentscales]

Family. Besides here you're... [Snake turns his head away. Beast doesn't know yet what happened. He thought that sore spot of betrayal had passed. He didn't expect to still be feeling so strongly about what happened back home. He's content to stay here forever. He holds his temper, but there is fury in his eyes.]

You should ask Joker about what happened back home, says Quincey.

[lackingbeauty]

'ere I'm wh-

[The look of anger in Snake's eyes actually stopped Beast in her tracks. She's never seen him look like that before. Dangerous, sure, when he was on patrol, but. He'd never looked this angry even when that bastard had him in a cage.

She actually forgets to talk for a second.]

... What d'ye mean?

[silentscales]

Ciel Phantomhive. He killed Joker. He killed you. He lied and said he was looking for you to straighten out a misunderstanding, and so I started to work for him as a footman, says Gaskell.

[lackingbeauty]

[Beast just stared.

For a long time, she just stared. It was so direct, so sudden, that she actually couldn't process it for a moment. Even when she spoke, her voice sounded... off.]

If ye thought fer even a second a joke like that'd be in good jest-

[silentscales]

[Snake just shakes his head 'no'. His people skills could definitely use some work, but there is no way he would joke about something like this.]

[lackingbeauty]

[What did she do?

What did anyone do with that kind of information? She'd remember if she was dead, wouldn't she? She'd definitely remember, but...

Joker said he'd been here over a year.

And all that time she'd never noticed him gone, so he had to be-

What?

Dead?

She couldn't think of a thing to say at all.]

[silentscales]

[Snake gently puts his hand on her shoulder. What else could he do? He didn't want to cross boundaries by hugging her, so he just stands there hoping that his hand could help her somehow.]

[lackingbeauty]

[She just stared at his hand, moved haltingly to put her hand on his hand.

When had been the last time she'd touched Snake? Or talked to Doll? Or played cards with Peter and Dagger? Or listened to Jumbo's harmonica?

If she was dead would that be the last time-]

I don' believe it.

[She didn't want to.]

[silentscales]

You're alive here, says Ruskin.

[lackingbeauty]

I'm alive anywhere! I'd remember if I died, Snake!

[It didn't make sense. She would remember, wouldn't she?

She needed to sit down.]

[silentscales]

[Quincey settles himself so that Beast can use his tail as a seat, and Snake helps her sit.]

Should I get Joker? asks Gaskell.

[lackingbeauty]

[Beast doesn't seem to notice, but she does just. Sit right down. It's too crazy, too sudden, and she can't wrap her head around it, but she does know one thing that shouldn't happen-]

No-

[It comes out quite forceful, and she balks at her own volume, repeating softer.]

No.

[silentscales]

[Snake sits next to her and his pokèmon curl around them defensively. Snake can't find any more words as he silently kicks himself for just dropping the news on her. He briefly wonders if he should just stick to talking to his snakes.]