Join the Troupe

Facility Event: Dream Big Under the Big Top

Episode 2

Join the Troupe

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Toxic Pizzazz

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Practice in the Poison Swamp

Summary

Annelie and friends had been planning to make an appearance as a circus festival, but due to a rival troupe poaching all their people, they're suffering a shortage. Learning this, the party joins the troupe as its newest members and resolves to help them out.

Dialogue

Nice digs you got here. I can hardly believe we'll be able to put on our show in such a FANCY location! I love you, Euden! Uh...you just kissed my cheek. Ma'am! We've talked about this! You can't just go around kissing people whenever you damn well please! Oh, don't be such a wet blanket, Fritz. It was just a thank-you peck on the cheek. Call it a peck or a smooch or whatever you like—he's STILL turning red! *sigh* We seriously need to do something about your excessive friendliness. N-no, it's fine! I'm glad you're so...happy. Anyway, I think we got the tent up, so what do you say we show it to everyone? It's time to put on a show and give people a day to remember!

...And with that, today's performance is at an end! Thank you one and all for being such a wonderful audience! Great work on the show, Annelie! It feels as if though the whole atmosphere of the castle has changed. You guys should stay here FOREVER! I could spend the rest of my life inside this big sparkly tent! Heh. Then perhaps we'll leave one here. That way we could come back and perform at any time. Actually, I'd love that. And we'd be delighted to have a second place to call home! That said, a small tent like this limits the number of acts we can perform. We'd be able to do a lot more if we had something bigger. But if we win the circus festival, we can DEFINITELY upsize the tent. Well, maybe we can help with that. I know people here would really enjoy being able to see lots of different acts. So what do you need from us? We're up for anything! ...ANYTHING? Uh, Fritz? Y-you're scaring me...

...So let's all welcome our new recruits, Euden and friends! Welcome, newbies! Hey, hold up a tick! What's with all this "new recruit" business?! The prince said you were willing to help out, did he not? Which is good, because there's no way we'll win that festival with the manpower we have now. Hell, never mind winning—we wouldn't even be able to PARTICIPATE. I don't understand. Fritz! This is not something for us to be discussing with our guests! But ma'am, if we don't make some changes, we'll be kicked out of the festival. Didn't you want to win it and get our troupe back to the way it was? Urgh... I mean... Maybe you can start by explaining the situation in a little more detail. The long and short of it is this: We don't have enough people for our troupe to compete in the festival. We had more a while back, but... Well, when I took over this circus from my father, a rival troupe swooped in and poached a bunch of our talent. All we have left are the performers you see before you. So as we've been touring, we've also been searching for new blood that might be interested in joining up. That said, we can't force people to join— ahem, FRITZ!—so I'm sorry to have burdened you all with our problems. We've no right to call ourselves entertainers if we end a show by revealing all of our dirty laundry to our honored guests. ...Although I may have lost the right to call myself a ringmaster when I couldn't keep our people from leaving. So if we were to join you, would you be able to perform at the festival? Well, yes, but we couldn't... Then we're in. We'll join your circus. It can't be a permanent arrangement or anything, but I think we can spare some time until the festival, at least. How does that sound? How very you, Euden. This is the least we can do for all of the excitement you spread around the castle. We'll put all of our energy into seeing your show is a success! Oh, thank you all so much! Guess it's time to figure out the acts, then. We'll get to it first thing tomorrow.

...This tightrope walking activity seems to be rather good practice for cultivating one's balance. Say, you're a natural at this! And it don't hurt that you cut a real pretty picture up there. Are you LEERING at me, sir?! I'll not stand for—AAAAAUGH! I'M FAAAALLIIIIING! Whoops! Good thing we got that net. ...Right then! Ranzal. Juggling, is it? Hah! Hoh! Har! ...Sure am, pal! And boy, I am NAILIN' it! That's some impressive stuff, Ranzal. Are you sure you've never done this? Oh, this is nothin'. Time to up the speed! ...Hah! Ho! Har! Haa—OW! Dangit! Stupid club hit me in the head! Look at meeee! I'm a birdieeee! I'm flying with no tricks or wires or anything wheeeeeeeee! It's not much of a trick for a faerie to take flight, Notte. At any rate, this trampoline certainly feels rather curiou—WHOA! You're flying even higher than me! Wheee, right? Wheeeeee! Well, looks like all you cats have the spirits of true entertainers. I've got high hopes for you newbies! And what act are you interested in trying, Euden? I'm not sure. They all have their charms, so I'm having a little trouble deciding. In that case, why not think it over while practicing the fundamentals? What would that entail? Hee hee! You'll see when we get there. Come on everyone—we're relocating!

GRAAAARGH! HIIYAH! Annelie! How exactly is slaying fiends "fundamental" practice for the circus?! Our role is to provide an enchanting performance, yes? Thus, it's critical for you to be aware how even the slightest movement holds the power to enchant an audience! Observe. ...HAH! GRAAAARGH! I've never seen a fiend dispatched with such...elegance before. That must be what she means when she speaks of understanding how we might enchant a potential audience. However, I still fail to realize why must we practice that by slaying fiends. Slaying fiends is sorta what you folks do day in and day out, right? You all just started learning your circus acts, so there's no way they'll be anything but ham-fisted—and no way to make them elegant through practice. So instead, we'll teach you to be elegant by having you perform actions that are already familiar. Plus, the thrill of slaying fiends is pretty similar to the thrill of the circus. Well? Easy-peasy, no? That's crazy! Yer a crazy person! GRAAAGH! O-okay, everyone! For now let's try to act like Annelie!