#and the ringmaster is pleased to introduce...

[willwood-lyrics]

They call me Doctor Sunshine, I'll make you feel just fine.

[accidental-will-wood-reference]

accidental will wood reference

Woke up today (between the hours of 7 and 10) and it feels like my bones were removed while I was asleep, only to be hastily shoved back in.

I've gotta do stuff before the depression paralysis sets in too deep *sighs in homeschooler

Currently songwriting on my bedroom floor

[hearts4pearlescentmoon]

Found a new fav brush

alt ver under cut

[yukasyukasyukasyukas]

William Woodiam albums and songs from my favorite to my least favorite

Live versions, singles and ft.s not included as well as songs from albums that aren't on Spotify and prince ali because I'm lazy, besides for the song "...And if I did it, you deserved it" because I love that song🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁🪱🐁

In case I make it

Cicada days

Tomcat disposables

Half-decade hangover

Euthanasia

Against the kitchen floor

That's enough let's get you home

It's kind of a lot

Willard!

White noise

Becoming last names

You liked this (okay, computer)

Vampire reference in minor key

Big fat bitchie's blueberry pie idk what comes after

The main Character

The new normal/ the normal album

Blue velvet/ Suburbia overture

Karen, thanksdfghkjkl for the casserole whatever comes next/ Marsha, thankk you for the dialects but now I need you to leave

The moral implications of a deterministic universe feat. The Onceler/ Laplace's angel/ (and 2018 live at studio demos)

...well, better than the alternative

I lied about the apple thing/ outliars and Hippocrates

Ideas only spread because people like them, the "free market of ideas" is not a meritocracy, it's set of unhealthy coping skills and a corporate oligarchy, wake up, man! Don't let the lies dim you light! Anyways, this one is black box warrior/ BlacBoxWarrior- OKULTRA

A knee-slapping joke referring to how ending tracks on Will Wood albums are always kind of like that/ memento mori/ (and 2018 studio demos)

I/ me/ myself

Second Sight Seer/ 2econd 2ight 2eer

...And if I did it, you deserved it

And the ringmaster is pleased to introduce...

He'll use me for his needle show

We killed Amanda Palmer, Mystery solved

Bleüctipie

Doctors & dealers

Ecsta est fabula, Aplaudite!

Drugs ain't cheap in Poughkeepsie

Recurring Nightmare #432

Nüburbåtizé

Sing the Singer/songwriter song

If we're not careful, we'll turn into alcoholics. I mean... Catholics

Self-ish

Cottard's solution

Mr. Capgras encounters a secondhand vanity

The song with five names a.k.a Soapbox Tao a.k.a. Checkmate Atheists a.k.a. Neospace Government (A.K.A. you can never know)

2012

Hand me my shovel, I'm going in!

-ish

Dr. Sunshine is dead

Self-

Camp here and there (omg, it's CJ and CHB colors)

Your body, my temple

When somebody needs you

The rhumba of death

Venetian blind man

Under a technicolor sky

Evening announcements

Under a monochromatic sky

Afternoon announcements

Yes, to err is human, so don't be one

Good morning, campers!

Morning announcements

Welcome to camp here and there

Everything is a lot

Skeleton appreciation day in vestal, NY

Front steet

¡Aikido!

Cover this song

White knuckle jerk

6up 5oh cop-out

Chemical overreaction/ compound fracture

Jimmy's mushroom's last drink

Thermodynamics lawyer

The first step

Everything is a lot

Red moon

[crossnamara]

my daily 5 albums. in order.if they are not in order i die

[swampthing07]

D

octers and the Dealers?

[elysiumcircusif]

18+, content warnings for horror, fear and death.

Come One! Come All!

When the lady of summer graces the town of Dusklight, she brings a plethora of fun with her in the form of a circus known as "Elysium".

The residents of Dusklight can be seen spending their leisurely summer days in this dome of fun.

There are all the rides one can dream of! Rollercoasters, carousels, ferris wheel, hall of mirrors, fun house, house of horrors, teacups, you name it, Elysium's got it!

But of course, our circus won't be complete without its marvelous cast!

Let me introduce you to them:

First up, we have, drumroll please!

THE RINGMASTER! The runner of the show and the captain of our vessel. The ringmaster will ensure your safety but also guarantee your fun at Elysium. Keeping you entertained is their first and foremost duty. For I exist only for your pleasure, I will make sure you walk out thoroughly entertained.

Next, please give it up for, drumroll again please!

THE CONTORTIONIST! Watch in awe as his body defies the laws of gravity. He moves like he doesn't have a single bone in his body. Though some find him a bit strange and unnerving it's all hearsay. He will have your mind swirling with his moves. Watch me, watch me, are you getting confused? Are you getting sleepy?

Moving on, we have, keep the drums coming!

THE DANCERS! Please have a look at our enchanting triplets. Their dances are mesmerising stories of tragedies. As they dance in unison, the stories become more captivating to watch. They will immerse you in their performance. You won't regret buying a ticket to a show of our trio. Hold on dear brother, we might just make it out of here. Hold on dear sister we will see the sunlight soon.

And of course what circus is complete without- come on guys, I need the drum roll:

THE CLOWNS! There's two of them in Elysium. One of our clowns has his face painted to resemble a smile and the other has a permanent painted frown. Watch their skits to feel your belly twist with laughter! or perhaps it is nervousness that you feel in the pit of your stomach?

Let's keep the introductions going! More drumroll! Let's go and meet:

THE MIME A.K.A THE DOLL! Her face is made of porcelain. She'll entertain you silently with her gestures. Wrapped in a blue silk frock, her eyes the color of the sky at dawn, she is a beauty to gaze at. When she is not performing, she can be seen trying to get out of an invisible cage. Just another one of her gimmicks, I am sure.

And how can we forget the- drumroll!

THE FORTUNE TELLER! Hey there beautiful maiden, want to get your fortune told? Look no further! Elysium has a fortune teller at hand. Our old man is covered in a veil but his eyes are clearly visible. His eyes seem, sad and hollow somehow. He does not beat around the bush. Tell me oh wise man, what makes you so sad?

We are almost done with our cast, another drumroll, for-

THE TRAPEZE ARTISTS! Watch the young couple express their love to one another as they fly in the air. Stories of their love, romance and hardships all bottled into a trapeze performance are sure to catch your attention! Will we ever meet again my darling? Will I ever hear your sweet voice again?

And last but certainly not the least, ending drumroll please! Elysium couldn't function without:

THE RIDE OPERATORS AND THE FOOD STALL MANAGERS! They are the heart and soul of Elysium. Without them, we might as well close the circus! Though they don't speak much, they ensure that every craving you have is satisfied. Surely they don't believe that we don't know anything?

And that folks, completes the Elysium cast introduction! Thank you for your time and we hope to see you in Elysium this summer.

DEMO: SOON || PORTRAITS: TBA || KOFI || THE OTHER CAST♡♡♡(ROs) || ELYSIUM CIRCUS PLAYLIST

[stickylizardcave]

'nother rough Admin AU comic idea that popped into my head, based on the fact that in Canon, Caine did come up with his own name. But also, something something validation of being alive/real by having a name something something the joy of finding a name that fits etc etc

EDIT: fixed a typo lmaoo whoops "pleased to me you"

Transcript under the cut

1) RINGMASTER.AI: Kinger! Might I trouble you for a moment? KINGER: Ah, hello Ringmaster. What do you need? RINGMASTER.AI: W-well, there has been something I have been thinking about for a bit...

2) RINGMASTER.AI: Now, I understand that my designation is very important as it shows what my role in this game is, but- You all... The players would have their own names to be referred to, of course. And I do not mind just being called 'Ringmaster'...

3) RINGMASTER.AI: But, I think...I think I would like to have a name too...

4) KINGER: Of course you can have a name. Did you have one in mind, or do you need help to come up with one?

5) RINGMASTER.AI: Ah! There is one I have thought of for myself already! KINGER: Haha, let's hear it then!

6) RINGMASTER.AI: I would like to be called CREATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORKING ENTITY!!

7) KINGER: Ah, th-that's a bit of a mouth to say every time... Cou-could we maybe shorten it a little?

8) KINGER: Let's see... If we make it an acronym for that whole thing... then it'd be... "CAINE."

9) CAINE: ...Caine. My name is Caine.

10) CAINE: That is perfect, my dear!! From now on, I will introduce myself as Caine! Pleased to meet you, Kinger!! KINGER: Haha! It's nice to meet you too, Caine!

[metalhealth-willdriveyoumad]

Hottest Drummer Tournament Round 1

Joey Jordison

Band(s): Slipknot // Murderdolls // Scar the Martyr // Roadrunner United // Vimic // Sinsaenum // The Rejects // The Have Nots // Modifidious

Albums/EPs as drummer:

Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (Slipknot) Slipknot Demo (Slipknot) Slipknot (Slipknot) Iowa (Slipknot) Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (Slipknot) All Hope Is Gone (Slipknot)

Right to Remain Violent (Murderdolls) Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls (Murderdolls) Women and Children Last (Murderdolls)

Revolver EP (Scar the Martyr) Metal Hammer EP (Scar the Martyr) Scar the Martyr (Scar the Martyr)

Roadrunner United: The Concert (Roadrunner United) - drums on all tracks but 7-11 and 16-22

Sinsaenum (Sinsaenum) Echoes of the Tortured (Sinsaenum) A Taste of Sin (Sinsaenum) Ashes (Sinsaenum) Repulsion for Humanity (Sinsaenum)

Drown (Modifidious) Submitting to Detriment (Modifidious) Visceral (Modifidious) Mud Fuchia (Modifidious) Sprawl (Modifidious)

Mario Conte

Band(s): Will Wood and the Tapeworms // ENOX // Crystal Plains // A Verbal Equinox

Albums/EPs as drummer:

The Real Will Wood (Will Wood and the Tapeworms) The Normal Album (Will Wood) “In case I make it” (Will Wood)

Euphoria (ENOX) Paradise (ENOX)

And The Ringmaster Is Pleased To Introduce… (A Verbal Equinox)

Propaganda:

not only is he a really good drummer but he’s NICE!! vote for mario 🙏🙏

[herrenxenoberg]

Fandorm Showcase #3 - Dumbo

Inspired by The Ringmaster from Dumbo, up next we have...

Cirqostrare!

Cirqostrare's name derives from Cirque (which is a term for circus) and rare. This dorm centers around the wonders of circus performance, showing off talent and skills for everyone to see.

"A dorm founded on the wondrous ringmaster's spirit of charisma. Students in this dorm are professional performers who runs a circus show to spread awe and inspiration to people."

Requirement and traits:

Possesses an extraordinary skill or feat for artistic performances

Have a positive attitude and confidence

Willing to do whatever it takes to please the audience

Unsatisfied with your current dorm placement (Willing to give up your negative emotions)

Now onto the dorm uniform designs:

The color palette for the dorm uniforms are taken from the pink elephants in the movie, because even though they aren't the main villains of the movie, the colors fit the whole circus vibe I am going for this one. The fur boa for the standardized look of the uniform can vary in color depending on the person's preference. The housewarden usually wears the fur coat whenever he's hosting the shows, and would take off the coat for the theatrics.

And now for the character roster!

Introducing the charismatic ringmaster of the shows in Cirqostrare...

Vidone Camozzi! (Twisted off The Ringmaster)

Being the youngest person ever to run a circus troupe, Vidone is a dramatic and exuberant late senior (19-years-old thanks to a skipped semester) housewarden of Cirqostrare with a heart for the happiness of people who watches his shows in action. Every dorm member under his leadership are treated like family, always ensuring they can express themselves in their own ways, since most of his members consists of ex-students who transferred from their respective dorms or is not satisfied with the placements in the dorm. But...is he really as optimistic as he seems? There seems to be a deeper side to Vidone's past than it seems.

Notable Members:

Ditso ??? (Vice Housewarden, Junior) - A mysterious yet comedic clown who helps Vidone run the shows and recruit any new faces to the troupe with a smile on his face. (Twisted from the clowns)

Phori Pachyd (Junior) - The eldest sibling of the Pachyd quadruplets and the one who sets the amazing atmosphere with his vibrant bubbles of various colors. (Twisted from the Elephant Matriach and the pink elephants)

Euphos Pachyd (Sophomore) - The second eldest of the Pachyd quadruplets, the more chill brother yet with amazing reflexes in trapeze art. (Twisted from Catty)

Rian Pachyd (Sophomore) - The third eldest of the Pachyd quadruplets, a bit of a thrill-seeker for dangerous circus acts and loves the adrenaline rush. (Twisted from Prissy)

Dopps Pachyd (Freshman) - The youngest brother of the Pachyd quadruplets and a new face to Vidone's circus act, he is still trying to find out what he can do for the troupe and is willing to do his best. (Twisted from Giddy)

Synopsis:

It is almost close to winter break before they return to their semester next month after the stressful days of the finals, and everyone is getting into the holiday mood. It wasn't until news about a circus being in town has caught everyone's interests, even our main protagonists are curious about this circus. Rumors spread that the circus is run by one of Night Raven College's late juniors who skipped a semester to pursue their early career of ringmaster, which is Vidone Camozzi.

All seems fine and normal, but behind the scenes of this illustrious circus, hides a dark and depressing secret to ensure the performances go off without mistakes.

(Occurs between after Book 3 and before Book 4)

That is all for Cirqostrare, this is one of my favorites in my opinion.

Next Up: The Emperor's New Groove

[guillotinesandroses]

Washed Ashore; Chapter 10 - Circus Freaks

Platonic Sonic Boom x Ex-Villain!Reader.

Washed Ashore Masterlist

Amy and Knuckles argue as they up to a robot crashing in through a mountain. Eggman has made yet another pointless attack, introducing a new pal of his, Octopusbot. Sonic runs around and confuses it, Amy bashes a tentacle off of it and Sticks jumps on top of the machine, making it stab itself in the head. 

"Sorry, I can't hear you!" Sonic responds to one of Eggman's complaints with a grin. "Too busy running circles around your Squidbot!" 

"It's not a squid, it's an octopus! Can't you tell by the size of the tentacles in relation to the head?" 

Sonic turns to you, and you shrug. "Don't look at me, I'm not a marine biologist." 

Tails sends forth a message to inform he is going to use his new invention. Sonic tries to ask if Tails has even tested it yet, but too late. It fires but the laser misses, bounces around and causes a landslide. Chaos ensues as you suddenly need to turn your attention from the villain to slicing the boulders rushing your way, one sword knocked out of your grasp. Sticks barely evades the downfall with her acrobatic skills while Amy and Knuckles are forced to focus on crushing the boulders as well. 

Sonic is the only one fast enough to bypass the dirt and rip some wires off. The robot shuts down, leaking oil like a squid would ink. Sticks and Amy, standing right next to it, grimace and you groan in despair. Lifting your blade up, you try to wipe the oil off before it leaves a stupid stain. Tails marches up with an apologetic frown. 

"Guys, I don't know what happened!" 

"I'll tell you what happened; your lazer almost turned us into robo-fish food!" Amy exclaims. 

"Yeah, and not the delicious flaky kind!" Knuckles crosses his arms. 

You lift your gaze from your oil-soaked blade. "Guys, it's not that big of a-" 

"I'm sorry, it malfunctioned!" 

"Maybe it didn't malfunction! Maybe this isn't even Tails! What if he's one of those sleeper agents, a mole pretending to be a fox- a fox mole!" Sticks jumps up to grab at his face, presumably to pull off his supposed mask. 

"Ow! Quit it!" 

"It just needs a bit of tuning, no need to be so harsh," you comment, deciding to ignore Sticks' paranoid accusations. 

"Hey, leave him alone!" 

"No, Sonic, they're right." Tails frowns. 

"Are they?" You raise an eyebrow. 

"Well, except for Sticks and that whole fox-mole thing. I put all of you in danger. I need to go." Tails rushes off on his airplane and does not answer Sonic's calls. 

"Hey, guys, go easy on Tails. So he made a mistake, I mean, haven't you ever-" The hedgehog gets cut off by the screeching of tires.

All attention turns to the long, purple vehicle and the guy stepping out of it. "Ooh, sorry if I scared you folks! Please, accept my most humble apologies!" 

"You almost made us roadkill, pal!" 

"A thousand pardons! Allow me to introduce myself; T.W Barker, entrepreneur, owner and ringmaster of T.W Barker's circus of wonders!" 

"Why does that sound familiar..?" Your eyes narrow. 

He chuckles. "Well, I am quite famous!" 

"A circus, huh? Like, with clowns?" Knuckles asks. 

"And elephants?" Amy exhales in wonder. 

"And art made from cornhusks?" Sticks grins before you turn to her and she deflates. "I have no idea what a circus is." 

"Alas, I have none of those. You see, my performers ate some bad sushi in the last town and have fallen gravely ill. All I have is my stunt bears." 

"So, how will you put on a show?" 

"I won't be able to! The children will be ever so disappointed." 

"Not the children!" Amy gasps. 

"Yes, the children. If only I could find some kindhearted souls to help me keep the magic of the circus alive!" 

"Mr. Barker, you're in luck, we'd be proud to volunteer in your circus!" Amy declares. Knuckles and Sticks nod in agreement, surprisingly enough. 

"Mhm, I'm so glad we're a hivemind," you mumble, "don't think I've forgotten about those trapeze stunts you made me do, Amy." 

"Yeah, speak for yourself, Amy! What makes you think I want to perform like some kind of trained animal?" Sonic crosses his arms, then turns to the roller-skating bears. "No offense." 

"Yes, yes, I understand. The training is quite rigorous, it's okay if you're not capable." 

"That'll do it," you mutter. 

"Capable is my middle name." Sonic dashes around the director. "Look, I just hope your circus can keep up with me. I'm in!" 

The others turn to you expectantly. You sigh and suppose one time would not be so bad. "Alright... on the condition I don't have to touch a single trapeze again." 

"Wonderful!" Having gained the approval of the last recruit, he raises the circus tent up. "I'm delighted to have all of you!" 

Sonic calls Tails but gets no answer, so you move on to getting your roles assigned. Sonic gets a running cage and Knuckles is the guy getting launched from a cannon. 

"You are skilled in swordsmanship, yes?" The director turns to you. 

"Obviously." 

"Wonderful! I trust that you will amaze the audience with tricks never seen before." 

"Naturally." 

Amy lists out all of the cool things she could be. The director, however, places a pathetic hat over her head. "You'll be a sad clown." 

"...Unreasonably." 

"A sad clown?! I see what's going on here. You're giving me the lame job because I'm a girl!" 

"I'm ready for my trapeze act, boss!" Sticks flies in. Amy groans in disappointment. 

As everyone gets ready for the show, Amy finds herself away from the stage. She can barely bring herself to focus on learning the art of juggling, trying to keep her mind on how happy her performance will make the children. You approach her in her solitude, sitting down nearby and striking up a conversation. 

"My talents are going unappreciated again." She sighs. "I offer my help and ask for nothing in return, and this is the thanks I get?" 

"He probably gave you that role because you're the only one who'd agree to it," you point out. 

"But it's so unfair! Why do I get punished for being kind and understanding?" 

You fall silent for a moment, then shift your gaze elsewhere, voice quiet. "...That's how the world works, I'm afraid." 

"It really shouldn't." She crosses her arms, leaning against the railing. You hum in agreement. A minute passes with no words, until an idea strikes you. An idea you usually would never even entertain. 

"...Yeah, but hey, what if wore the clown make-up with you?" 

"Huh? Really?" She blinks, snapping out of her sulking. 

"We could match!" You offer in a sing-song voice, giving a lazy grin. 

Amy jumps at you, crushing you in a hug. "That would be amazing! Gosh, I've been trying to convince you into matching with me for so long, this is-" 

She continues to ramble on until showtime, spirits lifted. Yeah, you are not the biggest fan of silly things like this, but it would be unfair if Amy was the only one having a bad time at the circus. So, you gave in and allowed her to dress you up. This show is a one time thing anyway, so you may as well be a little goofy going about it. 

The show begins soon enough and everyone performs their roles perfectly. Sonic's speed amazes the audience, they laugh at Amy's juggling and Knuckles' cannonball number entertains them. Gasps echo from the watchers and Sticks swings through the air without fear. All eyes lock onto you as they stare with bated breath as you skillfully manage and swing several blades, each movement carefully coordinated. By the time the performances end, the audience is left awestruck as they depart. 

"Great job, everybody!" Amy grins. 

"That was a blast! We should do it again sometime!" Sonic exclaims. 

"Yes, you should... and you will." 

You tense up at the shift in tone but not fast enough. Ropes shoot out from one of the cannon and trap you. Sonic gets locked up in his sphere right after. "Hey, what's the big idea?!" 

"Well, you see, my performers aren't exactly sick, they escaped. When I heard about your crew, I set up this brilliant trap, and you marks walked right into it!" 

"That's where you were familiar from." You scowl, rolling your eyes in embarrassment. "Should've paid more attention to the catalog of low-ranked villains." 

He ignores your taunt and focuses on the others. You squirm and try to summon your swords but to no avail. He thought this through, the material being a magic suppressing kind. The rest of your friends are caught one by one as well. Like any reasonable villain, he explains his plan and reveals where he got Sonic's cage from. 

"Of course," you mutter. Naturally, Eggman would figure out a way to annoy your friends without even being present at all. 

A league of Eggman's robots roll in. They are of no concern to you, you are only frustrated that you slipped up this badly. As you try to figure a way out of your bindings, Tails flies in. His perfected laser fires, melting all of your problems. No longer bound by magic suppressors, you call forward your blades. 

The director notices the situation, calling forth the robots. You slash them while Amy swings her hammer. Knuckles punches them to bits and Sticks flips her way around them, Sonic running through the metal. Tails shoots the laser at them and informs Sonic of the director's whereabouts. In the end, Sonic catches up and traps the wolf in the sphere that was meant to be his prison originally. 

"Let me out of this infernal cage! I'm an entrepreneur!" 

"No one cares!" You shout back to him. 

"That was some sweet flying, buddy!" Sonic grins as Tails lands. 

"Yeah, you did good!" Knuckles pats him on the back, almost knocking him over. 

"Knew you could do it." You unsummon your swords. 

"Sorry for saying you were a double agent. I didn't realize you were a... triple agent!" 

"Yeah, thanks, Tails!" Amy smiles. 

"I'm just happy I could help. Now, let's get out of here!" And so all of you walk home, leaving the horrible director screaming for help. 

[thatsmzbitchtoyou]

Pretty Pointy Smile Chapter 2

Summary:  Bucky was born different, and has been judged for it ever since.  His father has had enough and sells him to the circus.  The acceptance and love of his newfound family, and the beautifully fierce ringmaster, help him realize he’s not the monster everyone else made him out to be.

vampire!bucky barnes x curvy!reader This is set in more of like the 1950-60s/ish time period. Warnings: eventual smut, physical assault, a gun, a lion attack

Previous chapter Next chapter

It had taken a little over two months to configure the vampire act and get it practiced and rehearsed down to perfection.  They had been able to create a large cage for which the “vampire” would be housed, the metal bars supposedly lined with silver to ward him off from trying to escape.  Y/N would introduce him, pull off a large curtain covering the cage, Bucky would act like a feral animal, then Y/N would sacrifice herself as the source of his bloodlust.  They came up with a story about how he could only feed from her because he was in love with her, so he wouldn’t want to hurt her.  They would have a little sausage casing baggy filled with pigs blood from the butcher shop pinned up into Y/N’s hair, so that when he “fed” from her, he would just have to pull it from her hair and burst it with his teeth, making it look like she was bleeding.  One issue they were running into was getting Bucky to come out of his shell.

“Come on, Buck, you gotta really let me hear it,” Y/N coached him as they blocked out the scene.  “You’re hungry, haven’t been fed in days, desperate, you wanna get out so bad it hurts.  I wanna hear you growling, screaming, open your mouth wide and just let it out.”

“I was told my whole life to keep my mouth shut, literally.  You’ll have to forgive me for not knowing how to do the opposite,” Bucky griped, rubbing his face with his hands.  

Y/N sighed, but nodded in understanding.  “I know Bucky, I know,” she stepped toward him.  She took his hands and held them as she looked up at him.  “How about this?  I’m your father.” Bucky blinked at her, his eyebrows furrowing at the mention of his father.  “I told you to keep your mouth shut.  I told you your teeth were disgusting.  That you are the stuff of nightmares.  I told you not to smile.  I hid you away from the world because I was ashamed of you.”  Bucky dropped her hands and started walking away from her as she spoke, not wanting to hear it.  “I said you wouldn’t amount to anything.  I said you weren’t worth the effort!  That you were a burden!”  Bucky’s face scrunched in agony.

“Y/N stop, please,” he begged, but she got in his face as he cowered before her.

“I said you had a deformity!  I sold you to the literal circus!  I couldn’t handle you, and didn’t love you enough to try.  I GAVE YOU UP!”

“ENOUGH!” 

Bucky’s voice reverberated through the tent and he shoved her away, stunning Y/N into silence.  His breathing was heavy as he realized what he’d just done.  He fell to his knees in the middle of the ring and cried, hanging his head into his hands, with heavy sobs wracking his body as he fully came to terms with what his father had done.  Y/N watched him fall into himself, shocked that the quiet man had been able to make such a loud sound.  She slowly approached him, sitting down in front of him and letting him cry it out.  She gingerly reached out a hand and touched his knee, squeezing it softly.  He peaked up at her, his eyes rimmed red and sniffling.  

“Good job, Bucky.  Just let it out.  How do you feel?” 

“Tired,” he answered quietly, wiping his tears away and sniffing harder.  “But good.”

“That’s good.  You did so good.  Did you hear yourself?  You echoed through the whole ring without a microphone.  You can do this.  You can let go of what your father said, what he wanted, and embrace this here and now.  You are wanted here.  We all want you here,” she paused, scooting closer to him.  “I want you here,” she said, searching his eyes to make sure he was listening and understood.  “We are your family now.  Use that anger, that frustration with him, with the people that have hurt you, to fuel this act.  You get to use your voice.  Just open your mouth and do it.”

Bucky nodded, placing his hand over hers that still sat on his knee.  “Thank you, Y/N.  I really appreciate it.”

Y/N smiled brightly at him.  “Now come on, give me a big toothy smile.”  Bucky huffed a laugh and tried smiling.  “Oh come on, you can do better than that.  Show me those teeth.”  Bucky widened his smile, his cheeks hurting from the effort since he hadn’t fully smiled for a long time.  “There you go, what a handsome face you’ve got hiding under all that sadness,” she complimented him.  Bucky blushed and looked away.  “Okay, now let’s hear a scream,” Y/N stood, backing away and giving him the space to feel out how he wanted to do it.

Bucky stood and planted his feet.  He looked up and let the anger bubble inside of him, the frustration and betrayal and fury rile him up.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  The sound that erupted from his mouth was unlike anything he had done before, surprising and scaring himself.

Y/N even backed up a bit at the sound, looking impressed.  “That’s it Buck!  See I knew you could do it.  Now hold on to that.  Growl at them, sneer back at them, and give them that pretty pointy smile.”

It wasn’t too difficult for Bucky to act like he was in love with Y/N, seeing as how he was quickly falling in love with her for real.  The act was a bit sensual in nature, with him holding her close and being right in the crook of her neck.  She was also just too beautiful for words.  The hair and the makeup and the ringmaster outfits, and those tattoos, it all screamed danger which she offset with a fun and fiercely protective personality.

Y/N had been nothing but kind and loving towards him from that first day.  She showed no fear or trepidation of him or his menacing looking smile.  She had welcomed him easily, introduced him to everyone, not just the acts but each crew member, knowing each of them by name and knowing about what was going on in their lives.  It really was like a big family. 

The hardest part of working in the circus, apart from the manual labor it took to set up and take down all the time, was the public.  People would come in droves to get scared watching the acts, play the games and eat the food, but many times the crowds would become very hostile to the performers of the more strange or scary acts.  With the rise of evangelism in many areas of the country that they were traveling through, they had to deal with Bible thumpers walking through and disturbing the peace, screaming during certain acts about saving the performers souls, and at times destroying property or trying to pick fights.  Y/N had worked hard to make good relationships with the police of each city they visited, making sure all permits were in place and security was stationed around the park to remove troublemakers, but it almost always ended up happening.

The first night they would be doing the vampire act finally came.  They had been marketing it along the road, putting it in the local papers and spreading the word as they traveled.  Y/N felt like it was going to be a hit, and she was usually right.  The ticket sales for the night were much higher than normal.  Bucky was nervous, but he trusted her judgment and was willing to do his best to make it successful.  As the show started and each act went on and off Bucky got dressed, putting in the red contact lenses and applying some powder to make him look paler as he listened intently, waiting for his cue to get into the covered cage.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a new act!” Y/N’s voice rang out.  Bucky quickly climbed in, crew members shutting the door behind him and making sure the big red curtain was covering everything.  “I came across him on my travels through Transylvania,” she announced, the audience ooh-ing and ah-ing.  “He almost got the best of me, but my charms were too much for him,” Y/N joked, making the audience laugh.  The large cage was on wheels, making it so the crew could get it out quickly.  They placed it in the middle of the ring.  Once it stopped moving Bucky did as they had practiced.  He let out a loud growl, then pushed against the bars on one side roughly.  The audience suddenly hushed, a tangible fear spreading.  “I present to you, for your fearful delights, the angel of death, the vampire, Azrael!”  Y/N yelled as she whipped off the curtain.  Bucky was momentarily stunned by the bright lights and played into it, as if he was afraid to be burned.  The crowd was silent, until he moved his hands away from his face, then roared with his mouth wide open, fangs bared, his red eyes staring at different people in the crowd.  Screams and gasps were heard around the ring as he twisted around like a caged beast.  He would bang on one side of the cage then quickly retreat as if the metal hurt him, then would roar again.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, do not fear!  The cage is fortified with silver laden metal bars.  You know how vampires are about their silver…” Y/N taunted Bucky through the bars.  He tried to lunge for her, but she stepped just beyond his grasp.  “And besides, he won’t hurt me.  For you see, he’s in love with me,” she gave him a lovesick look.  There were some ah-ing noises through the crowd.  Bucky put on his best tortured face, his eyebrows lifted and a frown on his lips.  “Unfortunately, that also means I am the only one that can help him…” Y/N paused for dramatic effect.  There was a rumble from the crowd.  “I am the only one that can help him feed.”  Shouts of protest were suddenly ringing through the tent.

“Fear not, my lovelies, for it is a sacrifice I am willing to make.  For the sake of all others.  Behold,” Y/N stepped in front of the door, taking out a key and unlocking it.  Bucky stood back, looking at her like she was his prey.  More shouts of protest rang out.  Y/N pulled out a rosary from her pocket and held it up in front of her as she opened the door and stepped in.  Bucky recoiled from the cross on the rosary, getting as far away from it as possible without touching the bars.  “He will not hurt me.  He will not kill me.  For even godforsaken creatures such as these, love can conquer all.”  She bunched up the rosary and threw it through the bars to a carny who caught it and held it up in warning.  Other carnies came out with their own rosaries, encircling the cage and waiting.  “Azrael,” Y/N called to Bucky, a beckoning hand drawn forward.  Bucky eyed her, like he was sizing her up, then slowly stalked towards her.  People were screaming at Y/N to get out, but she stood still.  He circled around Y/N, and after drawing out a dramatic moment of staring at her, quickly reached out and grabbed her, pinning her back to his front, causing more screams.  Bucky pulled her hair away from her neck, sneakily pulling the blood bag from her hair so no one would see while his other hand wound around her front to hold her by the neck against him.  He took one more suspicious look around at the crowd and the carnies surrounding the cage, and with a low, creepy laugh sunk his teeth into the blood bag that he placed at the last second against her skin.

Y/N let out a choked gasp, her hands flying up to his wrist at her neck dramatically as the blood poured down her neck to her chest, staining her shirt.  The audience erupted into screams.  Some people fainted.  Others were running down the risers trying to leave the tent or get to the cage to stop it from happening, other carnies having to stop them and reassure them it was going to be okay.  Bucky pretended to suck from her, his hands gripping her tightly to him.  After a few minutes the carnies started to reach their rosaries through the bars, flashing the crosses at Bucky.  He quickly dropped Y/N, who staggered forward, holding her neck as she stumbled to the cage door.  He recoiled away from the crosses but tried to reach Y/N as she shut the door behind her, locking it quickly.  For added effect Bucky reached through the bars and grabbed her by the neck again, bringing her face close to his.  “Azrael!” Y/N yelled, reaching her hands out to hold his face.  Bucky froze, eyes wide, blood dripping from his face, his grip softening on her throat.  “Until next time, my love,” Y/N said forlornly, then flashed her hidden rosary back in his face.  Bucky recoiled again, yelping then gnashing his teeth together, showing the audience his wide bloody smile and laughing maniacally as he hit against the bars again.  The carnies quickly wheeled out the cage, and as they crossed the threshold to the backstage area Bucky let out one more loud roar.

“Ladies and gentlemen!  Calm yourselves, I am unhurt,” Y/N called out.  “I will not become undead, for he did not suck me dry.  We are all safe!  At least…for now,” she warned, a mischievous smile on her face.  “Now I must change,” she glanced down at her blood-stained shirt, making some of the audience laugh.  “Do you think you can handle some more frights?” she teased.  “Send out the clowns!!”

Y/N disappeared in the sea of clowns pouring out from the different entrances.  She quickly rounded the corner to a changing area that was set up.  She walked in and found Bucky in there already getting cleaned up.

“Bucky!!  We did it!  That was amazing, you did so well!” she ran up to him, cupping his face and shaking his head lightly.  Bucky smiled back at her.  “Did you hear the screams?  It was like music to my ears.  Oh that was great.  I can’t wait to do it again.  You are such a good actor!” she rambled on as a crew member came over and started cleaning off the blood and helping her change into a different outfit.  Bucky looked away as her clothes were falling off, his smile not leaving his face.  As much as he had been hated, mocked, belittled and feared his whole life for his fangs, he now loved how it scared people.  Something about the fear was palpable and powerful, and he liked being able to have that kind of hold over people.  He’d never been able to do much more than fight his way out of those bullying situations before.  Now he could strike fear in them.

“Alright, I’m off.  Bucky,” Y/N turned back to him as she adjusted her new outfit.  He turned back to her, giving her a once over and appreciating the way it hugged her figure and showed off the tattoos.  She reached her hand around to the back of his neck, pulling him in so his nose was touching her nose.  “You were perfect.  Now keep yourself hidden back here, relax, and enjoy the rest of the show, okay?” He nodded as he gave her a warm smile.  She scrunched her nose as she nuzzled his nose, then straightened up and waltzed back towards one of the entrances.  

**pic from Pinterest, it's an AI image, unknown "creator" or "artist"**

[hearts4pearlescentmoon]

I often forget that will wood and wil sunshine are technically the same person.

for a second I was like, “oh my god does Will wood knows about a verbal equinox that’s so co- oh wait”

[dreamzghostz]

Introducing Himiko Yumeno!! A silly but also kinda scary ringmaster who's the leader of the circus!

She's wacky and fun, and has a little assistant bird! Ask questions about her if you wanna! :)

(Please fill my inbox about her and the others/j)

[askthe-r-m-au]

Ok this is currently being written the morning after chapter 4 because I'm in a good mood

Now let's bet on how long I'm gonna take to actually publish this!! (20 bucks says I will forget about this for another month)

[Ring-Misstress Chapter 5 : Firsts]

Everyone stood around the stage with the new players. The ringmaster still sat their dumbfounded.

☆This audience is a bit... taller and... more edgy than I'm used to.☆

Zari: ... The #@/! Is that supposed to mean-

The ringmaster and his tiny assistant simultaneously gasped

☆Now now, I've come to expect mild language from my permanent performers, but from our guests!? How disrespectful!☆

Osa: Sorry, your... what-?

♧E-excuse us for a second, folks!♧

The Ring-Misstress stepped in and pulled Caine aside, out of ear range. They still exchanged words through whispers, just to be safe.

♧This isn't going anywhere, What are we supposed to do??♧

☆I don't know!?!?☆

♧What do you mean you don't know!??!♧

☆I- I haven't run an adventure for an audience other than you guys for years! Besides, I spent half the time making the circus look pristine...☆

Caine trailed off with his words. Pomni put a palm to her face. She took a breath, contemplating a solution.

♧You say this... "Audience" is ...different than usual?♧

☆Yes, they appear younger than us, but mature at the same time...☆

It didn't take long for things to click.

♧Mm. ... wait a minute... You said they're more... mature?♧

☆Yeah... At least I think so? I'm not sure if we can work with this... last time I tried to make an adventure more mature for someone it went...☆

Pomni recalled the adventure he mentioned. The thought of it still made her shudder. But Caine was referring to something else... She remembered not too long after that adventure she had a conversation with Zooble about what they did while- hold on...

♧A-hah! I think I have something!♧

The pair returned to the audience, now with a plan actually in mind.

♧Sorry for the wait, everyone. Your adventure today is...♧

The Ring-Misstress snapped several times until letters finally appeared overhead.

♧The... SkatePark!! Objective? None today, just- skate? And... if not- hang out, I guess? Uhm... right!!♧

With another snap, the circus crew (Plus Voz) AND the new players were given helmets and knee and elbow pads. Pomni made her way to the main cast.

♧Now, YOU guys have the most Important job! What IS said job? Supervising our new friends, of course!! You could participate in the adventure if you wish, or you can just sit and watch at the sidelines. No pressure! As long as we have each and everyone of you-♧

She paused as she realized someone was missing. Zooble was already making their way to their room. Pomni quickly met their side.

♧Zooble! I- I understand if you don't wanna go, but please, can ya hear me out?♧

Zooble stayed quiet for a moment.

◇Look, Pomni, I appreciate you trying, but I just... It's not your fault.◇

Pomni met them at eye level.

♧You don't have to say yes at all, but... just know we'd like to have you out there. Mostly to talk some sense into Jax, Heh. Besides, I think these kids might like you.♧

Zooble said nothing.

♧All I ask is this one time..?♧

◇... Between you and me, this is only so I can bash Jax's head in with a skateboard.◇

Zooble walked over to the rest of the crew, and Pomni followed suit. She rejoined at her position with Caine.

♧Wonderful!! Now that everyone is ready, your all free to go! The Portal should reopen In a couple hours! Have fun!!♧

The portal opened, and everyone stepped in, leaving Caine and Pomni. She beamed with an odd sense of pride, despite how childish she felt.

♧Our first official adventure!! How exciting! Right Cai-♧

Pomni looked down to see she had been clenching his hand all this time. The Ring-Misstress flushed red as she was brought back to reality.

♧Oh god, I- I'm really sorry. How long had I done that for??♧

She quickly pulled away. The ringmaster was silent for a moment.

☆...From when you introduced the adventure and when you sent then off☆

♧...Again, I'm sorry I was just so busy explaining the- ...why didn't you say anything?♧

Caine froze once again, even longer that before.

☆Well, I-! ...Diiidn't want to interrupt you! The exposition you gave was quite a mouthful (no pun intended), surely you would have lost track of your thought!☆

As if I already hadn't... She tried to keep the conversation going and forget about that.

♧Oh, right... the whole speech thing... too much??♧

☆Not at all! It was well thought out. And you put it together on a whim, which is pretty impressive!☆

The Ring-Misstress forced a smile.

♧Well I uh, I learned from the best, ahaha!...♧

She continued trying to change the subject.

♧So... What do you normally do while we're out on adventures??♧

☆...Nothing much, really. Usually prep the next adventure. That or I'd have to be with-☆

The Ringmaster paused completely.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The SkatePark was outdoors. It's ramps and bumps were made from realistic-looking concrete, but some of the greenery in the distance still looked cartoony. The Circus Crew sat at a few Nearby picnic benches.

This was Voz's first time outside of the tent. He made his way to a small patch of grass within the map, shaded by one of the trees. He sat there, picking at it until Ragatha and Kinger Hunched over to him.

□Hey there, little buddy! Whatcha doing?□

[Playin' in the grass.]

+Don't you wanna go play with the others?+

Cut to the players shouting "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Watching Zooble and Jax hitting each other with their skateboards.

[They seem busy.]

□I... see. Well, are you liking the adventure?□

[... I like the grass]

Kinger joined him on the grass.

+Yaknow, I'm starting to like it too! They really put their attention to detail in this, huh kid?+

[We spent most of the work on the concrete.]

□Oh, you helped them make this?□

Voz tilted his head, curiously.

[No, why?]

□...er, nevermind.□

Just then, a tiny red and black spotted creature flew by and landed on a blade of grass in front of them.

+Oh, look! A ladybug! All the spots on its back kind of look like eyes!+

What Voz hadn't told them yet was that the players weren't very nice. They ridiculed him for his strange eyes. Being the youngest and an AI made him feel small. But looking at that ladybug and being in the grass made him feel less small. It had strange eyes, too.

[He looks like me.]

Kinger flinched at Voz's sudden words.

+GAH! Oh, hello Voz!+

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Ringmaster and his co-host viewed the cast from one of his all-seeing eyes.

☆Well, my dear, it looks like everyone's having a good time!☆

♧Really? ...huh.♧

☆You know how DID you get Zooble to join the adventure?? This "SkatePark" thing must be very mature!☆

♧No, Caine, it's not that. This is what I meant by mundane. There's no stakes, no objective, they can just relax.♧

☆Well, my red and blue friend, This "Mundane" formula for adventures was a great idea! I knew I picked the right partner!!☆

♧Uhh... thanks.♧

Pomni thought about the day she became Caine's assistant. It was a big step in her relationship towards him- ...her escape plan. Yeah.

But that didn't come without sacrifice.

♧Uh, Caine? I- I'm sorry about... Bubble.♧

Did he even feel empathy for that thing? Can he even feel empathy in general?

☆Oh, that's all in the past, dear! Why feel the need to apologize..?☆

♧I... I don't know. It's just... eversince we had to... yaknow... you've been acting kinda... different?♧

The ringmaster stammered through his words.

☆M-me?? Different?? Now, why would I be different, especially after Bubble's disappearance?? It'sdefinitelynotlikeIthadaneffectonmeoranythingAHAHAHA-☆

Caine's WackyWatchTM alarm went off

☆Oh, would you look at the time! The adventure is over! Time to retrieve our crew!!☆

He quickly snapped and teleported them back to the stage, just as the Portal reopened.

♧Uh, Welcome back!! Seems like everyone enjoyed the adventure?♧

Plauge: Never thought I'd say this, but yeah, actually.

Aki: You're just saying that because their was violence and bloodshed...

Plauge: And?

♧...Well, thank you for your feedback!♧

Pomni brought her attention to the circus crew once again.

♧And thank YOU all for helping! All of you. You guys are free to go!♧

She flashed a thumbs up at Zooble as they walked away.

♧Well, thanks again for being here. Come again! I guess we'll, uhh... seeya!♧

The players walked out the tents front curtains, which led to the grounds. She quietly followed and peered behind it. She was there for a while until Caine eventually found her.

☆Oh, there you are! What're you-☆

A few feet in front of the tent was a big red door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WELL WHADDA YA KNOW? ITS BEEN- uh... almost 2 months... yay...

Yeah I don't know what's with Me and writing fics at night when I can't sleep.

I feel pretty proud of this chapter.

But honestly I'm not entirely sure how the next one is gonna go but I feel that way for all my works-

I know I said I had a comic planned, but I have been helping the family with Thanksgiving stuff (we celebrated a day late yippee) buuut now I might have more time!

Anywayyy uh feel free to leave asks if ya want and uhm byeee

I'm so tired-

[ave-daily]

welcome to the blog!

i will be posting a word from A Verbal Equinox's album And The Ringmaster is Pleased to Introduce... twice daily!

i was inspired to do this by @chnt-campfiresongs-daily @eial-daily and all the other daily lyric blogs out there!

tags: #ave daily - lyric post

#not ave - anything else

information about the mod:

hiya! you can call me mod rook. please be normal i am a minor. and also neurodivergent... use any pronouns for me !

current song: We Killed Amanda Palmer, Mystery Solved

words: 343

heres the fucking beast thats the mascot for this blog i guess.