[Scene] [Flashback] Just Another Rehearsal (PG-13 violence)
Bat: Guess what!!
Regina: WHAT WHAT :d
* Bat reaches over, puts his hand on Regina's face and pulls it back, pushing his thumb between his middle and index fingers
Bat: I HAVE YOUR NOSE NOW!!!
Regina: NOT FAIR
Regina: OH NO HOW AM I STILL BREATHING?? .___.
Regina: *it's a bright Sunday morning, and a 15-year-old Regina Berry is in the cafeteria. There's a bright mischeviousness in her eyes as she leans over a blue scrap of fabric near the counter. Breakfast has just ended, and the Circus performers have split up to rest before their daily practice begins*
Regina: *she lowers the pepper shaker and uses her fingers to move the grains about a bit more. She then lifts the bandanna to her nose carefully and inhales*
Regina: *her eyes fly open* A-choo!!
Regina: *Regina is sent off into a series of sneezes, and she has to grab the counter and plug her nose to get them to stop. She begins to giggle after a moment, reaching for a tissue- how perfect!*
Regina: *she wraps up the bandanna and clutches it in her small hand, skipping out of the cafeteria to look for one Sean Dingling*
Bat: *As Regina exits the cafeteria, Bat is goofing around nearby. After a hearty breakfast, nothing gets his day started like one-handed hand-stands on a stray fence post! He waves with his free hand and calls over to the girl* Hiii Regina! Took you long enough to finish breakfast today! Slow eater!
Regina: Uh huh, thaaaaat. *blinks and blushes cutely, holding her hands behind her back. She leans forward, tilting her head at a ninety-degree angle to try to look at Bat head-on*
Bat: *A wide grin crosses his face as he switches hands; balancing now on the one he was just waving with* So whatcha dooooin' now?
Regina: I'm, um. I have a present for you~! *Regina coos, trying not to giggle too much, but she's not very good at hiding things* But you have to come down first.
Bat: *Bat gets both hands down on the post, getting ready for an intricate dismount when suddenly he sneezes. He loses his grip and stumbles, knocking his head against the post as he falls backwards and onto the ground*
Bat: *A little dazed, he rubs the back of his head where he bumped himself* Ouch... Good thing I only hit my head! *he sniffles and wipes his nose with the side of his hand, his little head-trauma reminding him of the cold he's still trying to get over*
Regina: Are you okay! *Regina looks surprised, but can't help but smile at his sneeze* Don't hurt your head too badly, Bat. You need to practice todaaaayy~
Bat: Aw it's just my head! I don't need that for much! *he gets up to his feet and brushes himself off a little. He leans over towards Regina with a fond smile* So, whatcha got for me??
Regina: *turns her head shyly* A present...
Bat: I love presents!
Regina: Promise me you'll wear it? *looks up cutely, batting her eyelashes*
Bat: *nods enthusiastically* Of course! All the time! What is it?
Regina: Here... *Regina brings the bandanna out from behind her back and holds it up to Bat, her eyes widening eagerly* It's a bandanna. I think you'll look handsome in it.
Bat: *His eyes light up as he takes the bandanna from Regina* Oh wow! This is great, Regina! I'll wear it all the time, I promise! *instead of tying the bandanna around his neck, he holds it at the crotch of his pants, looking confused* Now... How does it stay on?
Regina: You, um... You... *looks absolutely confused, staring at Bat* It's like a scarf thing? Did I buy the wrong thing? I bought underwear by accident? *she seems to be asking herself* Oh, no, I should go back and get a different one...
Regina: *frustratedly* But it needs to be by your mouth. Nose. I mean NECK.
Bat: *starts to laugh, slapping his thigh a little* I pulled one over on you there, didn't I? *he wipes his nose again with the side of his hand before tying the bandanna around his neck* I know it goes around my neck, I was just teasin' you! You sure are cute when you're confused though.
Regina: *puffs out her cheeks* And you got me all worried!!! Hey- *and then she notices that he's put it on and leans in excitedly, just waiting for him to go into sneezes*
Bat: *Unfortunately (for Regina), Bat's cold prevents him from sniffing in the pepper and making him sneeze. He leans in to look Regina right in the face with a smile* Hey, you know what? I bet I can stick my head in a lion's mouth better than you can!
Regina: ... *she stares at him disappointedly for a few seconds, sad that her trick doesn't seem to be working. Bat always one-ups her in these things. She resolves to get him later*
Regina: *she considers his words* You think so? But would you look as cute as I do when I do it~?
Bat: *he reaches over and pokes Regina in the nose* Nope, I'd look cuter!
Regina: No! *her eyes widen as though she really doesn't believe it*
Bat: Yup! I bet you I will!
Regina: Then I wanna see it! *puts her hands on her hips* Try it with Léon!
Bat: Alright, I will! But... *he waggles his finger at Regina with a grin* If I look cuter than you, I get to go out on a date with you... But If I'm not cuter, then I guess you get to go on a date with me, okay?
Regina: ...*thinks over the terms of this bet for a few moments carefully* Hmm. Ummmm...
Regina: *blinks, pressing her fist to her palm* Okay! That sounds fair.
Bat: *proudly putting his hands on his hips, Bat grins* You're on!
Regina: Okay. *nods* Today at practice!! You and Léon!
Bat: *gives the girl a thumbs up* Got it! You might as well back out now though, cos you know I'm gonna do it better!
Regina: As if!! *reaches out to give him a playful shove, but winds up grabbing his arm with both of hers instead. Giggling, she pulls him off towards the Big Top*
Russell: *Russell Berry feels much the master of his own domain in the big top. He's walking through the rings, clipboard in his hand as he beams under his mustache at his crowd of kids, none of whom have made even the slightest error today. Although...* Acro, keep your knees together on that jump next time! *he calls* Your landing was a little off.
Regina: *Regina is tending to Léon. The lion is old but still capable, and beyond obedient. Practices usually run very smoothly with the two of them. Regina pets the top of his head, smiling and talking to him before finally looking up and around for Bat*
Regina: Bat, where'd you go?
Bat: I'm right here! *Bat dismounts off the trapeze he's been swinging on and jogs over to where Regina is, grinning wide* You and Léon ready for me?
Regina: Uh huh! C'mon! *Regina pats Léon's side invitingly* Here, you can do it just like I do. Need me to demonstrate first?
Bat: Okay, but just once... So I can make sure I'll look better doing it! *he gives a nod*
Regina: Okay!! *beaming, Regina faces Léon, placing her hands on both sides of his huge maw. With a small command, Léon obligingly opens his mouth wide. Regina leans forward and manages to get her head inside of the moist opening, hair and all. She speaks from inside* See! Aren't I cute! *she holds up her hands in a peace sign*
Acro: *Acro climbs down from the high trapeze pedestals, getting himself a drink of water from a bottle he left out earlier. Regina practicing her act isn't anything new, so he only gives her a glance.* I'll be more careful, Mr. Berry.
Russell: Good. Wouldn't want you to get into bad habits, get yourself hurt. *ruffles Acro's topknot with a smile*
Acro: *Acro grins, ducking away from Russell's teasing.* I know, I know.
Bat: *Bat rubs his hands together as Regina pulls her head back out of the lion's mouth* Okay! My tun now! Watch closely now!
Bat: *Bat quickly looks over to where Acro is and calls out to his brother* Hey! Hey Acro! Acrooo!! Watch this!
Acro: *Acro turns, and when he sees Regina and Bat hovering over the big cat, he takes a few steps closer to investigate* Bat, you'd better not be teasing that poor old lion!
Bat: I'm not! I'm gonna put my head in his mouth like Regina does!
Russell: *sends an unconcerned glance towards the kids, only half paying attention, and walks over to Moe* Any new jokes for the next performance, my friend?
Moe: *Moe, off on the far side of the ring, seems to be lost in though, mumbling something to himself - though from the barely repressed laughter on his face, it's clearly a joke - and when the ringmaster approaches, he turns with an eager smile on his face* Do I ever! *after a pause and a chuckle, he goes on* Say, Russell, do you know why there are so many Smiths in the phone book?
Russell: *shakes his head, his mustache bouncing from side to side* Nope. How come?
Moe: *he tries to repress a snicker* Because they all have telephones! *at that, the snicker becomes a roaring guffaw of laughter, and he doubles over* Aha! Aha! Aha!
Russell: *smiles and gives a polite laugh, then there's a pause, and he gives Moe a resounding thump on the back with a louder laugh* Ohhh, Moe.
Moe: *the laughter slowly winds down, and the clown wipes tears from his eyes* I think that one'll have them on the floor!
Russell: Mmm hmm. *an indulgent smile, then he turns back to the kids to keep an eye on them. He's not worried at all about the stunt, but he still feels protective enough to watch*
Bat: *Bat looks over to Regina with a grin* Okay, tell him to open his mouth! I'm all set! *he rubs his hands eagerly together once again*
Regina: Okaaaayyy. *excitedly, Regina turns back to the lion. She gives the command for him to open his mouth, touching his jaw as he does. Leon obliges, opening wide*
Bat: *Bat moves in closer to the lion and leans forward, carefully putting his head into the lion's mouth. His scarf brushes near the lion's nose -- close enough for the animal to get a good wiff of it.*
Bat: *it all happens in an instant. A growl comes from Leon and before Bat can react, the animal's jaw clamps down firmly on the boy's head as the large animal sneezes. Powerful teeth crush into his skull and a steam of blood starts to flow down from the large would the beast caused. The pain is absolutely unbearable; Bat can't even scream as he loses all consciousness*
Regina: *watches Bat eagerly, excited to see if he can actually do it-*
Regina: *-and in the next second, blood has splattered down her front*
Regina: *she stands there for a few seconds uncomprehendingly, staring- Bat is caught in Leon's mouth- and then she screams*
Regina: N... NO! *she bursts into tears, jumping forward*
Acro: *Before Regina can get to them Acro is already in motion - without thinking he leaps at the pair, and grabs first for Leon's jaws in a desperate attempt to pull them apart. His voice is sharp with panic as he forgets if there's a proper command.* Let go! Leon, let go!
Leon *Confused and panicky, Leon shakes his head quickly -- shaking around Bat's body a bit before he's finally able to let go of Bat. He lets out a roar and lunges at Acro; the animal is too blinded by fear of Acro's sudden attack and noise all around him*
Acro: *Acro enjoys only a brief moment of relief when Bat is released, as almost immediately afterwards he feels claws drag down his right thigh. With his hands still on Leon's mouth he manages to push just enough that the lion's knife-like teeth sink into his other leg instead of stomach, and with a cry crumbles to the ground*
Regina: *Regina watches in horror as, in a matter of seconds, Acro joins the injured as well- finally, her mind starts working and she swings her wand, shouting at the lion* STAY! *mortified and hardly able to see through her tears, she stumbles towards him*
Russell: *He doesn't realize anything's wrong until he hears Regina's screaming, and even before he's fully understood the situation, he turns to Moe, snapping out orders* Get her out of there and call 911! *he pushes Moe by the shoulder and rushes off towards the scene, eyes wild*
Moe: *the clown stands frozen for a split second before snapping into motion at Russell's order* Right! *for someone his age, he's surprisingly quick getting over to Regina, though he does seem winded form the run* Regina! You... come with me, please! Just follow Uncle Moe!
Regina: LEON! *Regina shrieks as the lion finally drops Acro's bloodied body, rearing back with a terrifying roar- Circus performers scatter everywhere* STOP! *her strained voice seems to connect, and the lion backs off, shimmering with fear and anger*
Moe: *Moe reaches out to grab Regina's arm, literally pulling her away, trying to tear his eyes away from the scene himself* Regina! Please, just come with me...!
Regina: B-but! Acro! *Regina wails, not understanding except that there's blood* Bat!
Russell: *leaps into action, moving much faster than a man his size has any right to move. The other circus professionals are around, the strongman kneels by Bat, gently holding the boy's wounds closed so that he doesn't bleed out. He turns to Regina and takes her by the shoulder* It'll be all right, Regina, go with Moe. *his voice is intense but earnest, his eyes reassuring*
Regina: O... okay. *her eyes wide and terrified, Regina clings to Moe desperately*
Russell: *drops to his knees next to Acro, tearing the sleeves from his dress shirt and wrapping them around the gaping wounds* Ken- *his voice chokes off, not that he could think of what to say, anyway. After a pause* Talk to me.
Acro: *Acro is breathing rapidly, half in shock, but he's still conscious. He tries sit up but to his added surprise he doesn't have the strength to.* Where's Bat? Is he all right? *He tries to squirm enough to see, but the sight of the blood everywhere almost makes him nauseous.*
Russell: He's being taken care of. *knots off what is essentially a tourniquet on Acro's leg with a grim expression* You're going to be all right.
Acro: *Acro stops squirming, just trying to catch his breath for a moment. He feels like he's shivering* I...I don't think it's that bad. It doesn't even hurt that much... Is anyone else hurt?
Russell: No, it's fine. It's fine. *pats Acro's thigh reassuringly* The ambulance will be here in no time, fix you right up. *he turns his head towards the tent opening, telling himself he's looking for the ambulance, but truthfully trying to hide his tearing eyes from the young man he considers a son*
Moe: *Moe half-stumbles out of the big tent with Regina in tow, not even pausing to catch his breath* It'll be okay, Regina! Don't you worry about it! We just... I'll call someone to help!
Regina: *tears are streaming down her cheeks, and she looks at Moe openly* That was bad, right? But it's going to be okay? Everything is going to be all right? Leon would never do something like that- it's just a mistake. Will the phone call make things better?
Moe: *for a second, he looks at her, completely silent. Of course it's not all right, but... Russell would never forgive him for breaking her heart like that. So, after a second's hesitation, he does what a clown should - he laughs. Even if it is forced and hollow* A-Aha! Right! It'll all be... it'll be fine! Don't worry about a thing! Everything will be all right after the phone call!
Moe: *he continues hurrying, far faster than he should be capable of, to the nearest phone, with the young tamer in tow*
Regina: *faintly* Really...? *and that's all it really takes- the disturbance in her bright blue eyes clears slightly, and the clouds part a little to let the regular sunshine come back through. She rubs at her eyes and chases along after her Uncle Moe, reassured with just that one simple lie of protection*
Acro: *Acro tries not to move too much, but as the smell of blood fills his nostrils he becomes increasingly anxious, and he tries to squirm enough to see his brother.* Where's Bat? Is he... *He squeezes his eyes shut momentarily to try and block out the image of his brother in the lion's mouth.*
Russell: He'll be fine. *Russell repeats, like saying it might make it true* Just worry about yourself right now. How do you feel, do you feel dizzy? Keep talking to me.
Acro: I feel... *Acro's brow furrows - he's sweating and his sight is starting to swim, but his fear for his brother is worse. He tries to force himself to think rationally.* ...I feel cold.
Russell: *he's had only the most basic of first aid training, but he knows that's not a good sign* Get me something to cover him with, will you? *the horseback rider brings a blanket that smells familiarly of clean hay and with a nervous glance at the blood still seeping out of the gashes on Acro's legs, Russell covers him with it* Don't go into shock, all right? We'll get through this.
Acro: *Russell's reassurances aren't calming him as much as he wants them too - he continues to squirm, trying to work into a position where he can see Bat.* Is he awake? Is he breathing all right?
Russell: *his eyes are tired and red as he looks down at Acro* Don't move, Ken. Just settle down and wait for the ambulance to come. I don't know how Sean is doing, but you need to worry about yourself. Does it hurt at all? *his voice is increasingly hoarse*
Acro: *Acro reaches down, wincing as his fingers encounter the lacerations near the tops of his thighs, but below that... His breath hitches with the realization.* Not as much as it should...
Russell: *his mustache droops* Wh-what are you saying, kiddo?
Acro: *Acro quickly squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.* I'll be all right. It doesn't hurt too much. *Finally he falls still, except for his shivering* The ambulance will be here soon, right?
Acro: *Acro falls silent, drifting on the edge of consciousness until the paramedics arrive. By then he's mostly gone numb, thankfully, and remains calm as they have to gather more help to get him onto a stretcher. Once he's lifted, he takes the chance to look around for his brother*
Russell: *he watches the boys get loaded into the ambulance with a pained look on his face, his heart aching that with the two of them in there, there's no room for him as well* My boys... *he turns to the other circus performers* Take the day off. We'll clean this up tomorrow. *he walks off into his dressing room, trying to remember the last time he cried*
*the next day, with red-rimmed eyes, Russell leaves the tent for the animal cages, carrying a shotgun in his right hand. He stops in front of Leon's cage, and readies the gun to his shoulder. For a moment, he just stares into the old lion's eyes, and then Leon turns away like he knows what's coming. Russell steps a bit closer to the cage and sets up the shot, his expression souring under his mustache. There's got to be an explanation for this, but he's far too tired to even think about looking for it*
*he closes his eyes and squeezes, and the shot sends birds flying in terror from the trees as it cracks through the cool morning air. He walks slowly back to the living quarters, a limp in his step*
Regina: WHAT WHAT :d
* Bat reaches over, puts his hand on Regina's face and pulls it back, pushing his thumb between his middle and index fingers
Bat: I HAVE YOUR NOSE NOW!!!
Regina: NOT FAIR
Regina: OH NO HOW AM I STILL BREATHING?? .___.
Regina: *it's a bright Sunday morning, and a 15-year-old Regina Berry is in the cafeteria. There's a bright mischeviousness in her eyes as she leans over a blue scrap of fabric near the counter. Breakfast has just ended, and the Circus performers have split up to rest before their daily practice begins*
Regina: *she lowers the pepper shaker and uses her fingers to move the grains about a bit more. She then lifts the bandanna to her nose carefully and inhales*
Regina: *her eyes fly open* A-choo!!
Regina: *Regina is sent off into a series of sneezes, and she has to grab the counter and plug her nose to get them to stop. She begins to giggle after a moment, reaching for a tissue- how perfect!*
Regina: *she wraps up the bandanna and clutches it in her small hand, skipping out of the cafeteria to look for one Sean Dingling*
Bat: *As Regina exits the cafeteria, Bat is goofing around nearby. After a hearty breakfast, nothing gets his day started like one-handed hand-stands on a stray fence post! He waves with his free hand and calls over to the girl* Hiii Regina! Took you long enough to finish breakfast today! Slow eater!
Regina: Uh huh, thaaaaat. *blinks and blushes cutely, holding her hands behind her back. She leans forward, tilting her head at a ninety-degree angle to try to look at Bat head-on*
Bat: *A wide grin crosses his face as he switches hands; balancing now on the one he was just waving with* So whatcha dooooin' now?
Regina: I'm, um. I have a present for you~! *Regina coos, trying not to giggle too much, but she's not very good at hiding things* But you have to come down first.
Bat: *Bat gets both hands down on the post, getting ready for an intricate dismount when suddenly he sneezes. He loses his grip and stumbles, knocking his head against the post as he falls backwards and onto the ground*
Bat: *A little dazed, he rubs the back of his head where he bumped himself* Ouch... Good thing I only hit my head! *he sniffles and wipes his nose with the side of his hand, his little head-trauma reminding him of the cold he's still trying to get over*
Regina: Are you okay! *Regina looks surprised, but can't help but smile at his sneeze* Don't hurt your head too badly, Bat. You need to practice todaaaayy~
Bat: Aw it's just my head! I don't need that for much! *he gets up to his feet and brushes himself off a little. He leans over towards Regina with a fond smile* So, whatcha got for me??
Regina: *turns her head shyly* A present...
Bat: I love presents!
Regina: Promise me you'll wear it? *looks up cutely, batting her eyelashes*
Bat: *nods enthusiastically* Of course! All the time! What is it?
Regina: Here... *Regina brings the bandanna out from behind her back and holds it up to Bat, her eyes widening eagerly* It's a bandanna. I think you'll look handsome in it.
Bat: *His eyes light up as he takes the bandanna from Regina* Oh wow! This is great, Regina! I'll wear it all the time, I promise! *instead of tying the bandanna around his neck, he holds it at the crotch of his pants, looking confused* Now... How does it stay on?
Regina: You, um... You... *looks absolutely confused, staring at Bat* It's like a scarf thing? Did I buy the wrong thing? I bought underwear by accident? *she seems to be asking herself* Oh, no, I should go back and get a different one...
Regina: *frustratedly* But it needs to be by your mouth. Nose. I mean NECK.
Bat: *starts to laugh, slapping his thigh a little* I pulled one over on you there, didn't I? *he wipes his nose again with the side of his hand before tying the bandanna around his neck* I know it goes around my neck, I was just teasin' you! You sure are cute when you're confused though.
Regina: *puffs out her cheeks* And you got me all worried!!! Hey- *and then she notices that he's put it on and leans in excitedly, just waiting for him to go into sneezes*
Bat: *Unfortunately (for Regina), Bat's cold prevents him from sniffing in the pepper and making him sneeze. He leans in to look Regina right in the face with a smile* Hey, you know what? I bet I can stick my head in a lion's mouth better than you can!
Regina: ... *she stares at him disappointedly for a few seconds, sad that her trick doesn't seem to be working. Bat always one-ups her in these things. She resolves to get him later*
Regina: *she considers his words* You think so? But would you look as cute as I do when I do it~?
Bat: *he reaches over and pokes Regina in the nose* Nope, I'd look cuter!
Regina: No! *her eyes widen as though she really doesn't believe it*
Bat: Yup! I bet you I will!
Regina: Then I wanna see it! *puts her hands on her hips* Try it with Léon!
Bat: Alright, I will! But... *he waggles his finger at Regina with a grin* If I look cuter than you, I get to go out on a date with you... But If I'm not cuter, then I guess you get to go on a date with me, okay?
Regina: ...*thinks over the terms of this bet for a few moments carefully* Hmm. Ummmm...
Regina: *blinks, pressing her fist to her palm* Okay! That sounds fair.
Bat: *proudly putting his hands on his hips, Bat grins* You're on!
Regina: Okay. *nods* Today at practice!! You and Léon!
Bat: *gives the girl a thumbs up* Got it! You might as well back out now though, cos you know I'm gonna do it better!
Regina: As if!! *reaches out to give him a playful shove, but winds up grabbing his arm with both of hers instead. Giggling, she pulls him off towards the Big Top*
Russell: *Russell Berry feels much the master of his own domain in the big top. He's walking through the rings, clipboard in his hand as he beams under his mustache at his crowd of kids, none of whom have made even the slightest error today. Although...* Acro, keep your knees together on that jump next time! *he calls* Your landing was a little off.
Regina: *Regina is tending to Léon. The lion is old but still capable, and beyond obedient. Practices usually run very smoothly with the two of them. Regina pets the top of his head, smiling and talking to him before finally looking up and around for Bat*
Regina: Bat, where'd you go?
Bat: I'm right here! *Bat dismounts off the trapeze he's been swinging on and jogs over to where Regina is, grinning wide* You and Léon ready for me?
Regina: Uh huh! C'mon! *Regina pats Léon's side invitingly* Here, you can do it just like I do. Need me to demonstrate first?
Bat: Okay, but just once... So I can make sure I'll look better doing it! *he gives a nod*
Regina: Okay!! *beaming, Regina faces Léon, placing her hands on both sides of his huge maw. With a small command, Léon obligingly opens his mouth wide. Regina leans forward and manages to get her head inside of the moist opening, hair and all. She speaks from inside* See! Aren't I cute! *she holds up her hands in a peace sign*
Acro: *Acro climbs down from the high trapeze pedestals, getting himself a drink of water from a bottle he left out earlier. Regina practicing her act isn't anything new, so he only gives her a glance.* I'll be more careful, Mr. Berry.
Russell: Good. Wouldn't want you to get into bad habits, get yourself hurt. *ruffles Acro's topknot with a smile*
Acro: *Acro grins, ducking away from Russell's teasing.* I know, I know.
Bat: *Bat rubs his hands together as Regina pulls her head back out of the lion's mouth* Okay! My tun now! Watch closely now!
Bat: *Bat quickly looks over to where Acro is and calls out to his brother* Hey! Hey Acro! Acrooo!! Watch this!
Acro: *Acro turns, and when he sees Regina and Bat hovering over the big cat, he takes a few steps closer to investigate* Bat, you'd better not be teasing that poor old lion!
Bat: I'm not! I'm gonna put my head in his mouth like Regina does!
Russell: *sends an unconcerned glance towards the kids, only half paying attention, and walks over to Moe* Any new jokes for the next performance, my friend?
Moe: *Moe, off on the far side of the ring, seems to be lost in though, mumbling something to himself - though from the barely repressed laughter on his face, it's clearly a joke - and when the ringmaster approaches, he turns with an eager smile on his face* Do I ever! *after a pause and a chuckle, he goes on* Say, Russell, do you know why there are so many Smiths in the phone book?
Russell: *shakes his head, his mustache bouncing from side to side* Nope. How come?
Moe: *he tries to repress a snicker* Because they all have telephones! *at that, the snicker becomes a roaring guffaw of laughter, and he doubles over* Aha! Aha! Aha!
Russell: *smiles and gives a polite laugh, then there's a pause, and he gives Moe a resounding thump on the back with a louder laugh* Ohhh, Moe.
Moe: *the laughter slowly winds down, and the clown wipes tears from his eyes* I think that one'll have them on the floor!
Russell: Mmm hmm. *an indulgent smile, then he turns back to the kids to keep an eye on them. He's not worried at all about the stunt, but he still feels protective enough to watch*
Bat: *Bat looks over to Regina with a grin* Okay, tell him to open his mouth! I'm all set! *he rubs his hands eagerly together once again*
Regina: Okaaaayyy. *excitedly, Regina turns back to the lion. She gives the command for him to open his mouth, touching his jaw as he does. Leon obliges, opening wide*
Bat: *Bat moves in closer to the lion and leans forward, carefully putting his head into the lion's mouth. His scarf brushes near the lion's nose -- close enough for the animal to get a good wiff of it.*
Bat: *it all happens in an instant. A growl comes from Leon and before Bat can react, the animal's jaw clamps down firmly on the boy's head as the large animal sneezes. Powerful teeth crush into his skull and a steam of blood starts to flow down from the large would the beast caused. The pain is absolutely unbearable; Bat can't even scream as he loses all consciousness*
Regina: *watches Bat eagerly, excited to see if he can actually do it-*
Regina: *-and in the next second, blood has splattered down her front*
Regina: *she stands there for a few seconds uncomprehendingly, staring- Bat is caught in Leon's mouth- and then she screams*
Regina: N... NO! *she bursts into tears, jumping forward*
Acro: *Before Regina can get to them Acro is already in motion - without thinking he leaps at the pair, and grabs first for Leon's jaws in a desperate attempt to pull them apart. His voice is sharp with panic as he forgets if there's a proper command.* Let go! Leon, let go!
Leon *Confused and panicky, Leon shakes his head quickly -- shaking around Bat's body a bit before he's finally able to let go of Bat. He lets out a roar and lunges at Acro; the animal is too blinded by fear of Acro's sudden attack and noise all around him*
Acro: *Acro enjoys only a brief moment of relief when Bat is released, as almost immediately afterwards he feels claws drag down his right thigh. With his hands still on Leon's mouth he manages to push just enough that the lion's knife-like teeth sink into his other leg instead of stomach, and with a cry crumbles to the ground*
Regina: *Regina watches in horror as, in a matter of seconds, Acro joins the injured as well- finally, her mind starts working and she swings her wand, shouting at the lion* STAY! *mortified and hardly able to see through her tears, she stumbles towards him*
Russell: *He doesn't realize anything's wrong until he hears Regina's screaming, and even before he's fully understood the situation, he turns to Moe, snapping out orders* Get her out of there and call 911! *he pushes Moe by the shoulder and rushes off towards the scene, eyes wild*
Moe: *the clown stands frozen for a split second before snapping into motion at Russell's order* Right! *for someone his age, he's surprisingly quick getting over to Regina, though he does seem winded form the run* Regina! You... come with me, please! Just follow Uncle Moe!
Regina: LEON! *Regina shrieks as the lion finally drops Acro's bloodied body, rearing back with a terrifying roar- Circus performers scatter everywhere* STOP! *her strained voice seems to connect, and the lion backs off, shimmering with fear and anger*
Moe: *Moe reaches out to grab Regina's arm, literally pulling her away, trying to tear his eyes away from the scene himself* Regina! Please, just come with me...!
Regina: B-but! Acro! *Regina wails, not understanding except that there's blood* Bat!
Russell: *leaps into action, moving much faster than a man his size has any right to move. The other circus professionals are around, the strongman kneels by Bat, gently holding the boy's wounds closed so that he doesn't bleed out. He turns to Regina and takes her by the shoulder* It'll be all right, Regina, go with Moe. *his voice is intense but earnest, his eyes reassuring*
Regina: O... okay. *her eyes wide and terrified, Regina clings to Moe desperately*
Russell: *drops to his knees next to Acro, tearing the sleeves from his dress shirt and wrapping them around the gaping wounds* Ken- *his voice chokes off, not that he could think of what to say, anyway. After a pause* Talk to me.
Acro: *Acro is breathing rapidly, half in shock, but he's still conscious. He tries sit up but to his added surprise he doesn't have the strength to.* Where's Bat? Is he all right? *He tries to squirm enough to see, but the sight of the blood everywhere almost makes him nauseous.*
Russell: He's being taken care of. *knots off what is essentially a tourniquet on Acro's leg with a grim expression* You're going to be all right.
Acro: *Acro stops squirming, just trying to catch his breath for a moment. He feels like he's shivering* I...I don't think it's that bad. It doesn't even hurt that much... Is anyone else hurt?
Russell: No, it's fine. It's fine. *pats Acro's thigh reassuringly* The ambulance will be here in no time, fix you right up. *he turns his head towards the tent opening, telling himself he's looking for the ambulance, but truthfully trying to hide his tearing eyes from the young man he considers a son*
Moe: *Moe half-stumbles out of the big tent with Regina in tow, not even pausing to catch his breath* It'll be okay, Regina! Don't you worry about it! We just... I'll call someone to help!
Regina: *tears are streaming down her cheeks, and she looks at Moe openly* That was bad, right? But it's going to be okay? Everything is going to be all right? Leon would never do something like that- it's just a mistake. Will the phone call make things better?
Moe: *for a second, he looks at her, completely silent. Of course it's not all right, but... Russell would never forgive him for breaking her heart like that. So, after a second's hesitation, he does what a clown should - he laughs. Even if it is forced and hollow* A-Aha! Right! It'll all be... it'll be fine! Don't worry about a thing! Everything will be all right after the phone call!
Moe: *he continues hurrying, far faster than he should be capable of, to the nearest phone, with the young tamer in tow*
Regina: *faintly* Really...? *and that's all it really takes- the disturbance in her bright blue eyes clears slightly, and the clouds part a little to let the regular sunshine come back through. She rubs at her eyes and chases along after her Uncle Moe, reassured with just that one simple lie of protection*
Acro: *Acro tries not to move too much, but as the smell of blood fills his nostrils he becomes increasingly anxious, and he tries to squirm enough to see his brother.* Where's Bat? Is he... *He squeezes his eyes shut momentarily to try and block out the image of his brother in the lion's mouth.*
Russell: He'll be fine. *Russell repeats, like saying it might make it true* Just worry about yourself right now. How do you feel, do you feel dizzy? Keep talking to me.
Acro: I feel... *Acro's brow furrows - he's sweating and his sight is starting to swim, but his fear for his brother is worse. He tries to force himself to think rationally.* ...I feel cold.
Russell: *he's had only the most basic of first aid training, but he knows that's not a good sign* Get me something to cover him with, will you? *the horseback rider brings a blanket that smells familiarly of clean hay and with a nervous glance at the blood still seeping out of the gashes on Acro's legs, Russell covers him with it* Don't go into shock, all right? We'll get through this.
Acro: *Russell's reassurances aren't calming him as much as he wants them too - he continues to squirm, trying to work into a position where he can see Bat.* Is he awake? Is he breathing all right?
Russell: *his eyes are tired and red as he looks down at Acro* Don't move, Ken. Just settle down and wait for the ambulance to come. I don't know how Sean is doing, but you need to worry about yourself. Does it hurt at all? *his voice is increasingly hoarse*
Acro: *Acro reaches down, wincing as his fingers encounter the lacerations near the tops of his thighs, but below that... His breath hitches with the realization.* Not as much as it should...
Russell: *his mustache droops* Wh-what are you saying, kiddo?
Acro: *Acro quickly squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.* I'll be all right. It doesn't hurt too much. *Finally he falls still, except for his shivering* The ambulance will be here soon, right?
Acro: *Acro falls silent, drifting on the edge of consciousness until the paramedics arrive. By then he's mostly gone numb, thankfully, and remains calm as they have to gather more help to get him onto a stretcher. Once he's lifted, he takes the chance to look around for his brother*
Russell: *he watches the boys get loaded into the ambulance with a pained look on his face, his heart aching that with the two of them in there, there's no room for him as well* My boys... *he turns to the other circus performers* Take the day off. We'll clean this up tomorrow. *he walks off into his dressing room, trying to remember the last time he cried*
*the next day, with red-rimmed eyes, Russell leaves the tent for the animal cages, carrying a shotgun in his right hand. He stops in front of Leon's cage, and readies the gun to his shoulder. For a moment, he just stares into the old lion's eyes, and then Leon turns away like he knows what's coming. Russell steps a bit closer to the cage and sets up the shot, his expression souring under his mustache. There's got to be an explanation for this, but he's far too tired to even think about looking for it*
*he closes his eyes and squeezes, and the shot sends birds flying in terror from the trees as it cracks through the cool morning air. He walks slowly back to the living quarters, a limp in his step*