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Xi'an Sang

"I might be pretty, but I'm better at magic."

0 · 40 views · located in The Sky

a character in “Ineffable”, as played by magic lilypad

Description

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❝Don't cause trouble, just smile and be good!❞
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【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||







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{β˜› β’»β“Šβ“β“ Ⓝ⒢ⓂⒺ ☚}
Xi’an Sang
{β˜› β“ƒβ’Ύβ’Έβ“€β“ƒβ’Άβ“‚β’Ίβ“ˆ ☚}
Anne | For those who have trouble with Xi’an.
Pixie | Her nickname on the stage, the Pixie daughter of the Siren.
{β˜› β’Άβ’Όβ’Ί ☚}
16

{β˜› ⒼⒺⓃⒹⒺⓇ ☚}
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{β˜› β“ˆβ’Ίβ“β“Šβ’Άβ“β’Ύβ“‰β“Ž ☚}
Xi’an has not really thought about it, but is a little intimidated by men.
{β˜› β’»β’Άβ’Έβ’Ί ⒸⓁ⒢ⒾⓂ ☚}
Gabriel || Gabriel Dropout



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❝ Don't forget to put your hat on!❞
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{β˜› ⒽⒺⒾⒼⒽⓉ ☚}
Petite and small, like a little ballerina.
{β˜› β“Œβ’Ίβ’Ύβ’Όβ’½β“‰ ☚}
Light on her feet, a graceful frame.
{β˜› Ⓗ⒢ⒾⓇ ⒸⓄⓁⓄⓇ ☚}
Golden blonde, like the shining sun’s rays.
{β˜› β’Ίβ“Žβ’Ί ⒸⓄⓁⓄⓇ ☚}
Cerulean blue, the azure gleam of the sky.
{β˜› β’·β“„β’Ήβ“Ž β“‚β’Άβ“‡β“€β’Ύβ“ƒβ’Όβ“ˆ ☚}
A birthmark inherited from her father’s side, a wolf’s fang above her navel.


{β˜› ⒼⒺⓃⒺⓇ⒢Ⓛ β’Άβ“…β“…β’Ίβ’Άβ“‡β’Άβ“ƒβ’Έβ’Ίβ˜š }

You would not be blamed for mistaking this petite swan-with-lupine-features as graceful and elegant. Really, she's anything but. At face value there's a lot of natural beauty to be admired - feminine features, clear crystalline blue eyes, hair that almost dances with the sunbeams, wings of pure white down, a yellow tail that shines with the morning light, a charming smile to woo even the coldest man's heart. But beneath the surface level beauty, there is a lot of laziness. Upon closer inspection Xi'an oten leaves her hair unbrushed, there are often baags under her eyes from staying up way too late at night, and her clothes often have wrinkles when she can escape her mother's scrutinizing gaze each morning.

Xi'an inherited much of her mother's beauty. Even among swans, some of the more visually pleasing races, Xi and He'Lian have exceptional beauty. When well groomed, Xi'an is very stunning, even when considering the smaller than average breasts she bears. Against her will she finds herself wearing beautiful gowns and stunning dresses that highlight her figure and form. When given the choice, you'll often see Xi'an lounging around, not even bothering to change out of her pajamas. As always, she wears a special ring on her finger with the symbol of stibnite. It helps her hold back the inner Chimera sealed inside, allowing her to exist civilly with others.

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β™™The world is truly beautiful.β™™
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β˜› β“β’Ύβ“€β’Ίβ“ˆβ˜š

β₯ Fish | The mild yet savory flavor of fish will always be a favorite for Xi'an.
β₯ Reading | Given the chance, Xi would spend all of her time sitting in a warm chair and reading.
β₯ Amazement | The look of wonder on people's faces as they watch magic will always be magical for her.
β₯ Flying | The scenery from the clouds is a special benefit of having wings. [/center]




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❝The darkness peopel don't see.❞
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β˜› β’Ήβ’Ύβ“ˆβ“β’Ύβ“€β’Ίβ“ˆβ˜š
⌦ Scientists | She instinctively hates scientists, but doesn't know why.
⌦ Wolves | All they do is cheat and hurt women, right?
⌦ Betrayal | Trusting someone just to have it thrown back in your face.






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β˜›β“†β“Šβ’Ύβ“‡β“€β“ˆβ˜š
Verbal Wit | Sarcasm or sardonicism, Xi'an can do it all.
Fluff | It feels good to fluff the feathers on her wings.
Tail Swish | Her wolf's tail is very expressive.


[center]❧


β˜› β“Œβ’Ίβ’Άβ“€β“ƒβ’Ίβ“ˆβ“ˆβ’Ίβ“ˆ ☚
⌦ Land | Walking or running, Xi'an is clumsy at both.
⌦ Control | When removing the ring, she can no longer control her actions.
⌦ Insomniac | Try as she might, Xi'an will be awake in the late hours of night.
⌦ Mother | Xi'an can't help but feel pity her mother and see her as weak.


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β˜› β“ˆβ“‰β“‡β’Ίβ“ƒβ’Όβ“‰β’½β“ˆβ˜š
β₯ Sleight of Hand | Like any magician, she's good with her fingers.
β₯ Combat | With the ring off, there aren't many who can beat her in a fight.
β₯ Loyalty | Xi'an is incredibly loyal to her friends.
β₯ Performing | It's easy to help make a show magnificent.


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β˜› β’»β’Ίβ’Άβ“‡β“ˆβ˜š
Love | Seeing what love did to her mother, Xi'an never wants to become like that.
Attraction | She can never trust any man that shows interest.
Pain | Xi'an is afraid of physical pain and actively avoids it.

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β™™ Now we're looking fancy.β™™
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{β˜› β“…β’Ίβ“‡β“ˆβ“„β“ƒβ’Άβ“β’Ύβ“‰β“Žβ˜š}
The valley green was so serene
In the middle ran a stream so blue
A maiden fair in despair
Once had met her true love there and she told him

Her eyes believed in mysteries
She would lay amongst the leaves of amber
Her spirit wild, heart of a child yet gentle still
And quiet and mild and he loved her

When all was done, she turned to run
Dancing to the setting sun as he watched her
And ever more he thought he saw
A glimpse of her upon the moors forever
He'd hear her say:
"Promise me, when you see
A white rose you'll think of me
I love you so, never let go
I will be your ghost of a rose"




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❝Will the audience enjoy what's up our sleeves?❞
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{β˜› ⓅⓁ⒢ⒸⒺ β“„β’» ⓄⓇⒾⒼⒾⓃ ☚}
Cirque du Dream, the Circus Airship

{β˜› β’»β’Άβ“‚β’Ύβ“β“Ž ☚}
He'Lian Sang | Mother | Alive
Calriss Auckland | Father | Alive
Menaid Auckland | Grandmother | Alive | Auckland Family Elder

{β˜› β’½β’Ύβ“ˆβ“‰β“„β“‡β“Ž ☚}
Born to a mother spurned by shame and love, Xi'An Sang was born aboard the Cirque du Dream. Her mother, cast aside from the Auckland family due to her low breeding, was stranded on the surface as the Auckland Airship flew away. Pandora found her and picked her up, bringing her aboard the Cirque du Dream and giving her a new place to start anew. As Xi'an grew and learned with the other children of the Cirque du Dream, such as Key, she was always aware of how pitiful her mother was. He'Lian was broken, when she wasn't performing her magic on the stage, she would cry alone, weeping for a love long lost and the live she could have had. Naturally, Xi'an knew all about how this came to pass, so she decided to never fall in love, and to never let anyone hurt her the same way.

One night when Xi'an was seven, there was an incident aboard the Cirque du Dream. Claw marks filled the halls and three of the performers were killed, and another lost a limb and could never stand on the stage again. Xi'an did not know what happened, only that her mother had a new scar on her leg, and that from now on, Xi'an would have to wear a ring at all times. Around the time Key joined the stage, Pandora and Fox talked He'Lian into teaching Xi'an her family tricks and to join the stage as well to help fill the gap caused by the Mysterious Claw Incident. Xi'an learned quickly, but did not enjoy being forced to act when in truth she simply wanted to sit in her room and read the mini library she had been collecting.

Unfortunately for Xi'an but fortunately for the circus, she was very popular among the clientele, as the little Pixie assistant to the Siren of Magic. She was considered very beautiful and charming as she performed, so the magic show became even more of a hit upon adding her as a regular assistant to her mother. As such, Xi'an continued to rebel, refusing to dress nicely on non-show days, not brushing her hair, even sleeping in the trees of the bridge garden or in the artificial pond instead of in bed. Of course, Xi'an loved magic and loved entertaining the crowd. What she hated was the attention of those who might hurt her the way her father hurt her mother. Still, no matter how she might pretend, you could never disguise her love for the stage.
{β˜› ⓄⓉⒽⒺⓇ ☚}






β’Έβ“„β“…β“Žβ“‡β’Ύβ’Όβ’½β“‰: ⓉⒽⒺ_β“†β“Šβ’Ίβ’Ίβ“ƒ



So begins...

Xi'an Sang's Story

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




Every morning it was always the same pattern. Sobbing behind the door. It was kind of pathetic, really. How could you let yourself ever get hurt like this? Xi'an would never know. As she fixed her wings and fluffed her cape to make sure it fluttered properly, she did the last finishing touches of her make up. "Cute? Cute! Perfect." Attractive without trying, she was considered a natural beauty. But hearing her mother's pathetic cries, the little swan could only hope she would not go the same route. A pathetic kind of flower, too weak to stand up for herself. That wasn't a future Xi'an wanted for herself. "Hey, mom." She pushed the door open, flashing her best smile. "Ready? It's already past sunrise." He'Lian was very much a wilted flower. While beautiful on stage, she became a wreck whenever the show ended.

She was barely dressed, still staring at the mirror, eyes stained with tears. Xi'an put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Alright, I'll do your makeup again. Come on, let's get to it." With deft hands the little swan did everything she could to make the big swan beautiful again. "There you go. The siren of the Cirque du Dream." Xi'an gave an energetic wink, trying to breathe life into her mother, but she was almost limp as she stood herself up. "We're going to be late." Her mother rubbed at her eyes, shaking her head. "Thank you, we should get moving before they worry where we are." Xi kept the smile up until her mother brushed past her, tall and beautiful again. The little swan sighed then, letting it fall. Leaving a few choice words unsaid, she hurried up after.

Letting her mother go and interact with the adults, Xi'an hurried her way to where her two peers were. There were quite a few young children, but Xi'an was only really close to two individuals. A horndog flirt named Felix, and her best friend since childhood, Key, an adorable little kitten. They were an inseparable trio. She found them by one of the windows, overlooking the city in the distance they would be reaching soon. "There's our diva queen." Felix shot her a playful wink, tail wagging. "Fashionably late, it's like you're trying to catch my attention!" Xi shot him a spiteful smile, giving him a smack on the cheek. "Sorry, but no matter what I wore, you'll always be watching."

"Be careful, or all the boys will think you're an easy catch!" Felix taunted, and Xi snickered. "You'll just be jealous I'll be stealing all the attention, aren't you?" There was a cough then and Pandora stopped them. "Now now, you two are making Key sad again." Naturally as she said this Felix gave Xi a flirtatious wink so Xi'an stuck her tongue out at him. She then went to Key's side, giving her a big hug. "Are you excited? This will be our biggest yet. We'd better make a good impression." A teasing smile rose on her face. "I know we practiced a lot, but last time Felix rehearsed he almost tripped on his own fire." A flush rose on the dog's face. "Did not! Key, don't listen to her lies!" It was a good morning. As long as she could get away from her mother's sobbing.

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"I'd like you three to go out together as a group when we get there tomorrow and advertise the show." Fox said as they waited for everyone to arrive. They had a dress rehearsal today, as was customary of the day before landing on a new ship. The ships were more like floating islands, vast cities made up dozens of travelers. Some settled there permanently and their airships became a permanent part of the vast structure that made up floating cities. Xi'an and her mother arrived at last, the final two to show up. "Morning Xi," Key waved, bounding over to her, her tail swishing. Xi'an looked as pretty as ever, it was clear that she had taken great care in picking out her outfit and makeup. Felix sauntered over to them, hands on his hips, ready to make trouble. "What a dog," Key pouted as the two of them taunted one another.

"Now that everyone is here," Pandora clapped her hands together. "We can begin our dress rehearsal!" Key grabbed Xi'an's arm, linking it through her own. "Let's go get changed!" She pulled her friend behind her, leading her to the dressing room so that the two of them could get changed. Of course, Xi'an's costume was a lot easier to get into than Key's. Key was already wearing her stage makeup, she sat down in front of the mirror to fix her hair and changed into her leotard. "Ready?" She asked Xi'an, as they would all sit on the benches and pretend to be the audience. Key's tail had wound its way around her leg, something it did sometimes when she was bored. Her tail seemed to have a mind of its own and no matter how she tried to reign it in, it never worked.

The acts went in order of difficulty, the easier acts would go first, then slowly, they would make their way to the harder ones. This meant that Key's act was one of the last, as the trapeze was pretty dangerous. Oscar, the ventriloquist went first. He hardly ever said a word to anyone, unless he had a puppet on his lap. With a puppet by his side, Oscar was a different person. He seemed to convey all of his emotions through his work. Next went their animal charmer, Arent Ro. Arent was a pretty girl with unique features, she had large horns situated on the top of her head and had trouble communicating with those that weren't animals. Next came their contortionist, Lucias. Key liked him, he was funny and would sometimes bring her, Felix, and Xi'an presents whenever he visited home.

Xi'an and her mother went after the contortionist. Magic was great and beautiful, but it wasn't exactly dangerous unless you did something stupid like try to escape from a tank of water with your arms cuffed together. After that went Felix, then their tightrope walker, Felt. Key came last and when it was finally her turn, she jumped from the bench, running up to the ladder. "Key, don't rush!" Fox warned, not wanting her to get hurt. "I won't!" Key promised, reaching the platform. She grabbed onto her bar, kicking off. There was nothing like being in the air. Most cats were afraid of heights, but Key almost seemed to live for it. She did flips and spins, going from one bar to the next. When she was done, she dove down into the net, giggling when she landed.

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




It was something they always did of course. Felix, for how obnoxious he was, was actually very perceptive. Not wanting Xi to feel self conscious about her and her mother always being late, he would break the ice and crack jokes and flirt to ease the air and make it smoother for them to integrate. Naturally, the polite thing to do was to flirt back and award the silly dog for his efforts. Key joined in on the fun, calling Felix a dog. "Oh, I know right? It's like he can't keep his red rocket in his pants!" Felix sighed, taking a relaxed stroll over to Key, then placed his hand over her head. "How could you say that to innocent Key? Someone as adorable like her shouldn't hear coarse language like that!"

After Felix filled them in on what they were going to do - go through the city and advertise for the show - it was time for them to get ready for the dress rehearsal. "Oh, I was getting used to this cape too." Xi'an grinned, batting her eyes at no one in particular. She was dressing in typical men's clothing just for fun, but there was a nice show dress for her to slip into that was a comfortable as silk. Her ring remained attached of course, stuck to her ring finger almost as if it were part of her. "Don't ever remove it, xi'an." Her mother told her in a rare moment of sanity. "You have to keep this on." Maybe it had something to do with that Incident a few years ago. Xi'an didn't really like to think about the Incident too much. Whatever the case, Xi'an followed Key and Felix to where they would get changed into the dress rehearsal outfits. Everyone else was preparing too. It was a big showing so they needed to put on a good presentation.

On stage Xi'an's job was rather simple. She was the assistant while her mother was the one with the magic. This would not only help the Little Swan learn the tricks of the trade to one day be a performing magician herself, it also gave her exposure to the limelight. "Oh no! I'm being sawed in half, it hurts!" She cried, wriggling in the box as she manipulated the dummy legs to writhe with her. With a confident smile Xi'an wished was genuine, her mother raised the saw. "As you can see, I sawed my lovely little assistant in half!" She did a desmirising little twirl, a hand on her hip. Only on the stage did her mother show a face beyond the sobbing, heartbroken wails of a woman scorned.

Finally was Key the kitten, the master of the tightrope. Her nimble movements were something to behold, especially after the almost tribal mood that played as Felix played with the same fire that killed his parents, mastering it in a way they weren't able to do. Pandora and Fox, the ringleaders, seemed pleased when Key finally finished her dive into the net. Comments were given out and awarded, everyone receiving a mix of praise and advice for the main show coming tonight. "Aww, aren't you adorable. You still need to perform with mommy instead of having a solo act like me and Key? Looks like we'll be taking care of you tomorrow, you baby." Xi'an rolled her eyes. "As if, you're the most childish of us. C'mon Key, we'll show him how responsible we can be."

Of course with the bold and eager grins on their faces it was clear that the two troublemakers were planning on having an exciting adventure in town. Poor key would have to be their hostage or chaperone.

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




Pandora reached a hand out to help Key off of the net. "Great job everyone," Fox clapped. They were done with dress rehearsal, Key was relieved. Another successful run through. Key practiced just about every day, her poor hands would sometimes ache when she went to sleep. "Key, that was great, but I think you should be a little bit more careful on your turns. You're getting reckless," Key crossed her arms. "I thought they looked good," she huffed. Pandora nuzzeled her nose, the way felines showed affection to one another. "I love you Kiki, I just don't want you to get hurt, okay?" Key nodded. "I love you too Mom," Pandora sauntered away, her nine tails swishing in step. They were incredibly fluffy, Key would know, she buried herself in them a multitude of times. Fox had nine tails as well, so the bed was always a mix of fluff, fur, and blankets. It was cold in the sky at night, sometimes Key missed sleeping in their bed.

"Alright, I think we're all set. Who's ready for lunch?" Fox asked, placing his hands on his hips. "I am!" Key was starving, "You're always ready for lunch," Argent said softly, "I just like food," her work took a lot out of her and sometimes that meant that she got hungry quickly. "I hope there's dessert," Key bound over to Xi'an and Felix, Felix was already bullying Xi'an. "This is a new airship, so we have to stick together guys." Key said, following behind them. She looked up at the ceiling, where their new hire was fixing one of the lights. He was a bat, so it was rare to see him up during the day. "Oh, I hope we get enough time to explore a little." They would be performing four shows in that city, during the day they would be working on things like passing out fliers while at night, they performed. Cirque Due Dreams, the Circus of Dreams.

Underneath the flourescent lights, their show seemed like a fantasy to their audience. For one night, they would perform insane feats that most would never think of. They were the only circus air ship and the only circus that Key knew of. She hoped that tonight's performance would be a success, since it would help pay for supplies for the next few months. On the last floating island, they had barely made enough for gas. This was a much larger floating ship, probably one of the biggest they had ever been to. "I'll sit here," Key took her lunch tray, sitting at the end of the table. Her tail swished back and forth as she took a bite of her meatloaf, the flavors dancing on her tongue. "Mmm, so good!"

Felix was stuffing his face, sitting across from them. "Boys," Key rolled her eyes. "Mom and Dad said we can't explore the city on our own, but they said nothing about us being together." Key smiled sneakily, "Plus, we're supposed to hand out fliers. So maybe we can find some gift shops? Do we know what this island is famous for?" Key asked, trying to form a strategy with her two partners in crime. Felix joined them a bit later on, but their bond was just as strong. He enjoyed teasing them, especially Xi'an. Felix was sort of like their big brother, only he was just a tiny bit older than them.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




With the dress rehearsal done it was time for them to relax. Xi'an went to slip back out of her ball dress back into her day outfit, white pants, an almost blouse-type top, and a dashing one-sided cape that made her look and feel rather fantastic. "Aren't those man's clothes?" Argent asked her when she bought it at the last city she was in. "Who cares?" Xi'an grinned, sticking her tongue out. "I'll rock it no matter if I'm man or woman." She said at the time and still she liked the feeling of the almost-sash cape flowing as she walked. Argent gave her a little smack on the shoulder but seemed to approve, the mysterious contortionist always one to keep her cards a secret. She was one of the newer recruits but got along well with Lucias, often commenting about the beautiful men they saw on their travels together.

Back in a more comfortable outfit, Xi'an swept her hair back over her shoulder, heading up the steps to meet up with the others when she heard sobbing. Familiar, ringing in her ears. An omen of the future, if she proved to ever fall in love. "Mother, I'm here. Do you want me to take you back to your room?" Her mother was a broken bird, her wings almost hiding her body under the plumage. The others had all cleared out and she was a wreck trying to remove her makeup. "He used to help me with makeup." She wept. "But now I have to do it alone." Xi'an wetted the remover onto a cloth and began to rub gently, tenderly. "No you won't. I'm here, okay? Just breathe, I got you." She had learned to grow up a bit faster than others. Her mother was a perfect example of what might happen if you weren't ready to take on the world with your guts and strength.

A new day. "Welcome to Athanax." The banner read in big welcoming letters as the entered the airship, the Cirque du Dream docked at the landing bay. "The largest Mobile City in the 3rd Sector." It was very big and bustling with energy. Xi'an's wings felt a little tingly with the pressure. The far smaller Cirque du Dream felt more comfortable to her for sure. "Hey, don't get your wings in know. That vacant stare is a little too hot, but it won't hand out flyers for us." Felix grinned, snickering. "I'll sell more fliers with my figure than I will with these papers." She retorted, the little swan sneering back. Lunch was rather exotic. Xi'an still was not used to the foods here in the 3rd Sector. She turned her eye towards her mother, evaluating, watching. She was talking rather gracefully with Felt but there was always insanity, a sort of weakness behind her eyes.

"Hey, my pecs are here, why aren't you staring!" Felix teased, pulling her attention back. She sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry, but why would I ever want to look at your puny things? Key's are much better than yours." Key wanted them to conspire together and come up with a plan for exploring. Both Felix and Xi'an nodded, ready to get their heads into some trouble. Athanax was big, there was bound to be adventure around every corner. "I know at night there's an amazing strip club where..." Felix trailed off, raising an eyebrow. "Sorry, but you're too babyfaced to ever get in." Xi'an turned to Key with the helpful information. "There's a large variety here from all corners of Section 3. But what Athanax is most famous for is it's high quality silk fabrics." A quality you couldn't find anywhere else.

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"Hmm, Key looks cute today too." Lucias, the contortionist said, standing in the hallway as Key waited in the hallway for breakfast to open. Oscar nodded in agreement, a snake having wrapped itself around his upper arm. It slithered underneath his shirt, disappearing somewhere there. Key was sort of like the baby of the ship, with a fiercely protective Mother and Father. "Excuse me boys," Fox said from behind them, brow twitching in annoyance. They both stiffened, knowing they had been caught watching. "Good morning Kiki," Fox wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around. "Ahh! Papa!" Key whined, knowing he was going to mess up her hair. Today she wore a cute dress with puffy arm sleeves. Her hair was up in twintails, long and neat. "What? Am I not allowed to say good morning anymore?" He asked, placing her back down on her feet.

"I worked hard to keep my hair in place," she huffed, crossing her arms. He laughed again, peeking his head into the dining room. "How is breakfast coming?" Fox asked, asking Pandora. "It's almost done! I'm making my special fox soup!" She chirped, ladeling out bowls. It was more like a rice porridge with a fried egg and meat on top. Most of their ship consisted of carnivors, but for their herbaviors, they would just not get the meat on top. "Alright, it's ready!" Pandora announced, ringing the meal bell. Key followed Fox inside, wondering where Xi'an and Felix were. "Late as always," she sighed, glancing up at the clock. They would be at Athanax soon, Key wanted them to discuss their route before they got there. Felix sauntered in ten minutes later, wearing a button down, slacks, and a vest. "What are you wearing?" Key giggled as he fixed his clip-on bowtie. "Fox said I had to look nice to pass fliers out so people get a good impression."

He looked Key up and down and nodded, giving her a thumb's up. Key's cheeks turned pink. "Felix, you dog!" Felix's tail wagged exubarently, he grinned, taking a seat across from her. "So, where's Xi?" He asked, looking around. "I don't know, she hasn't arrived yet." Key replied, stirring her bowl so that the yolk of the egg would run into the porridge. "The food's gonna get cold," she took a bite, then reached for some brown sauce to pour on top. "That's better," Key nodded. Xi'an didn't arrive until breakfast was nearly over, her Mom going to sit with the adults at the long table. "I heard we might be picking up a new recruit in Anthax," Key whispered, her tail swishing back and forth. "It's Athanax," Felix corrected, sitting back in his seat.

They were each given a stack of fliers, "I don't expect you to finish handing them out, but it would be nice." Pandora said, looking at the three of them. "And no funny business. Athanax is a very large city, so please stay with each other and don't stray too far from the ship." Key nodded, glancing at the others as Pandora walked away. She was putting her fliers in her bag when Xi'an suddenly mentioned her chest. "Hey!" Key said defensively, crossing her arms. "Don't talk about my chest," the bridge was lowered, their ship anchored to the Athanax. "Welcome everyone!" Fox announced as he opened up the doors, "Make sure to stick with your buddy and be back to the ship by five! Show time is at 8!"

Already Felix was looking to get into trouble. "Ooh, silk sounds nice. How far is the fabric district? We're not supposed to stray too far from the ship."

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




Sporting a bold smile, Xi'an knew she was ready for the day. Her hair was brushed, her nails were manicured, her feathers were satisfactorily fluffed and primped. She strutted to meet up with the others and eat lunch with them, reveling as the strangers who stared at her outfit. "It's a little strange." Pandora had said when Xi'an showed her the male outfit she bought. "But you can wear whatever you wish, honey." The cape arced nicely over her shoulder and Felix seemed almost proud of her for attracting so much attention. "People aren't used to seeing it." He said with a nod. "But Xixi, you look dashing! I'd ask you to sweep me off my feet any day!" She snickered, rolling her eyes. "Come on Felix, we both know you'd rather do the sweeping yourself."

They were given reign to roam the city now. Athanax was larger than anything the little swan had ever seen before. It felt strange, but yet, she was starting to mesh with the energy here. It was busier. It was hectic. But it felt comfortable. She enjoyed this sort of environment. "I wonder who the new recruit will be." The magician swan grinned. "Maybe we can get an actual fire-eater instead of this horndog, whose only fire is in his pants." Felix patted Key on the head as they bickered. "Well, of course my fire is in my pants! I have fireproof pockets for my matches!" They both laughed gently as Key self consciously protected her chest and then it was time to step down onto the ship. "We're just trying to help you get used to it when men start noticing you. We're building up your flirt tolerance, you'll thank us later." Felix winked, patting Key's head like she were a child. Given her height, she might as well be one.

The city was bustling and the three nearly-adults wanted to get into a little trouble. "I'm sure they won't notice. Let's get going fast!" Xi'an grinned a dangerous grin, one that was ready to do whatever she wanted without caring about the consequences. "Exactly! We're here, so we might as well see the sights!" Felix agreed, enabling Xixi's behavior as always. And poor Key would be dragged along with them as they began to look around. "I'll fly up and see what I can find." They wanted to get the high quality silk fabrics and spools to bring back after all. Once they did that, what other shenanigans could they get involved in?

Flying up and spotting the market district, the little swan returned, the stunning view taking her breath away. As she was about to return to the ground she suddenly had her cape grabbed from someone flying at her at high speeds. Black feathers, steely eyes, a crow was pulling her away. "Stop struggling." He growled as she fought and hissed. "No! You back off!" She extended her wolf claws, slashing viciously when another crow appeared, holding a flintlock. They were dragging her towards the ground, where were they taking her?

How dare they? What right did they have, she was busy! She had shit to do! "I said, back off!" Still, they were trained and she was not. "You should think again, missy. Don't you know who we are?" Was she supposed to recognize that badge? "Wait, the Magpie Mafia?" Her stomach went cold. They pulled her down into an alley, setting her down on a soft garbage bag. "The boss, and the ruler of Athanax, she don't like people flying too high. We were just making sure she didn't notice and order a hit on you." She blinked, confused. "I didn't know about that rule." Reckless as she was, the swan knew not to make the authorities angry.

She shrunk, becoming as small as she could. Xi'an needed to repair this as quickly as she could. "Yeh, normally you could be fined a wind. But since we did you a service, why don't you give us some of your cash for saving you?" But she didn't have any coins on her to pay with, Felix was carrying their wallets. "I don't..." She had to think quickly. What could she do? "You'd best let me go!" She cried, an idea sparking to mind. "I'm one of the performers of the Cirque du Dream! And Madam Magpie booked us for a show tonight, you wouldn't want to ruin her entertainment, would you?" A dangerous heart-thumping idea came to mind again.

"We'll impress her. Then I won't owe you two anything, right?" The two mafiosos exchanged a brief glance, seemingly pleased. "You'd best hope Madam Magpie will like the show tonight then girlie, or you'll owe us more than a simple fine." They flew off then, their black suits taking them to the skies. Suddenly, there was a vague feeling of boredom.

Did Xi'an... miss the danger somehow? She left the alley, brushing her outfit off, wondering how she would meet up again with Key and Felix without flying.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"Wait, XiXi! We're supposed to stay together!" Key called, watching as Xi'an flew away. "Damn, I can't believe she ditched us." Felix put his hands on his hips, "Well, I guess she'll find us somehow. It'll be easier for her to spot us from the sky than it will be for us to try and follow her." Key looked up at the sky worriedly, "Hey, don't worry too much. She'll be back," Felix grabbed her arm. "Come on,"he led her away, deeper into Athanax's flank. "This place is so big," Key looked up and around them. Steam came from a pipe above their heads. In some places, the bridges were so tight, you had to go one person at a time. "Is this it?" Key wondered, looking around. They had reached a large square, with tents set up all around them, selling different wares. "Do you still have our wallets?" Key asked, tail swishing eagerly.

"I do, but first, let's hand out some fliers." Key nodded, reaching into her bag. She pulled out some fliers, the two of them standing out of the way of foot traffick. "Circus tonight!" Key called, holding filers. "Come see the amazing Cirque Du Dreams!" They stood there for almost an hour and barely handed out five fliers. "This isn't working," Key turned towards Felix. "Yeah, we're having no luck." Key looked around, wondering what they could do. Other people were holding out their wares, calling to the people, wanting them to come into their tents. "I have an idea, do you have any matches with you?" Key asked, turning eagerly towards Felix. "Yeah, why?" She smiled, handing him her bag. "We're going to put on a little show," Felix grinned, "genius! Too bad Xixi disappeared, or else she could do some magic."

"If she doesn't find us by the time we're done, we should go and look for her." Key said, stretching. "Right," Felix nodded. He walked out into the middle of the square, trying to clear a path, standing up on top of a statue. "Come one come all!" He called, garnering a few annoyed looks. "To the mystical and magical, Cirque Du Dreams!" He grabbed a match, lighting it up and drank a few swigs, squirting it into the air and causing the match to make a stream. People were staring at him now, no doubt wondering if they should call the police. "Now that I have your attention, please make way for the marvelous Key!" He stepped aside, beckoning. Key took a running start, flipping and twirling to the center square. There were cheers and delighted shrieks. Key continued to do floor tricks, using her skill and prowess to flip and twirl.

Felix couldn't hand out fliers fast enough. He closed it by lighting the final flier on fire and tossing it into the air, the flier disappearing as though it had never existed. "We'll see you tonight!" He and Key bowed, Key sweating a bit. Still no sign of Xixi. Key internally sighed, she would have liked to shop, but they had more pressing matters on their hands. "Let's go find Xixi," Key sighed, taking her bag back. "Alright, don't forget we'll be here for a few days. We can always come back to look," Key nodded saddly. "I know," she smiled. "Now, we need to locate her before Mom and Papa hand our butts to us." Felix stiffened, his tail going straight. "Ugh, you're right. If we go back without her, we'll be dead."

"Should we split up?" Key asked nervously, her tail swishing. "No, it's best if we stay together." He rummaged through his bag for her wallet, "Here, sniff this." Key wrinkled her nose, but leaned in, taking a whiff. She closed her eyes, trying to find a trail. "This way," she pointed, following the direction of Xian's scent.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




She was a little stranded, she realized, as she looked around in confusion at her surroundings. She had been busy fighting off the thugs she did not notice where she was being dragged. The little swan shot one last glare towards the alley before walking back onto the streets, always bustling with energy back and forth. She sighed, making sure her clothes were still good. "Aww, darnit." With a heavy sigh she caught a glimpse of a tear by the seam where the cape connected to the shoulder of her blouse. "Maybe Pandora can fix it later." Handy as she may be, sewing and repairing clothing was not one of the little swan's abilities. She looked hatefully down at her hands, pulling the claws back in, tucking her tail back into her pants.

She wandered through the city, wondering what to do. Athanax truly was strange. It was mafia run for sure - most of the stores around and many houses bore marks of the Magpie Clan, showing that they were approved of by Madam Magpie. She no doubt held a lot of influence in this city. Was she as far as an actual ruler? It was hard to say, but it was interesting to know she was the client they would be pleasing tonight. "That doesn't seem so bad." Xi'an muttered to herself, wondering how to get herself out of Magpie territory and back towards the ship. If there was one thing the swan was bad at, it was directions. All these signs, how was she ever going to find her way out? Still, she strutted. No reason to look weak, but if you proudly showed off your feathers, everyone would know not to mess with you. She would figure it out eventually.

Lots of drugs being sold on this corner. Her filthy wolf nose could smell it a mile away. Not something she approved of. Was she in some black market district? This might not be the best place for a pure swan like her. Well... half-swan, unfortunately. Plenty of unsavory folk around here. The swan could not help but stare at the different characters. The dog shuffling, trying to get pain pills. Someone else with bags of what could have been colorful candy, slinking in a corner. Females setting up their spots for the nightly romp. And a strange mute snake glaring at her with vague concern in his eye. He took her by the wrist, his doll missing. "Oh, Oscar, hello. How did you find me?"

While Oscar could only speak through his puppet, those who worked with him sort of learned how to read his thoughts from his oddly blank face one way or another. "Oh, I don't smell that bad, surely." Snakes had great senses of smell, so he no doubt must have known she was missing. "Oh, you saw it? When you were looking for something for your head?" Oscar was often debilitated by awful migraines that wouldn't quit. Fox said it had something to do with bim being a cold blooded creature but the swan was never really sure. "Well, um, thanks for looking out for me."

Around the corner they ran into Key and Felix, who had been searching for them. "Hey you two! What are you doing, this part of town is dangerous!" Felix frowned, glowering at her. "Heh, and here I was thinking you were being scouted for stripper duty. Not even pretty Xixi is good enough for that." Oscar rolled his eyes with sarcastic intent, releasing his grip on Xi'an's wrist. It was red. Was he that worried? "I got a little lost, hehe." The swan gave Key a hug and stuck her tongue out at Felix. Oscar tapped his foot, pointing at his watch as the hands moved. "Crap! We're late to meet up, Pandora's gonna skin us alive!"

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"Oh look, there she is!" They spotted Xi'an across one of the bridges. Key and Felix rushed towards her, glad to see that she was okay. "Don't scare us like that!" Key grabbed Xi'an's hand, glad to see that she was alright. Oscar nudged them, pointing at his watch. Key stiffened, her Mom was going to kill her! "We've gotta get back to the ship," Felix said, taking Xi'an and Key's hands. They started rushing back in the direction they had come from, Oscar following close behind. Key was disappointed, they had spent so long looking for Xi'an that she hadn't gotten to shop. Of course, she kept these feelings to herself. Xixi's safety was more important and it was silly of her to be worried about something like this.

"There you three are! Oh, glad to see you were with Oscar," Fox smiled when he saw them, waving them onto the ship. Key breahted out a sigh of relief, glad it wasn't Pandora out there to greet them. She would have handed them their hides. "So, where are the left over fliers? Did you guys have any luck?" Fox pestered as he closed the door. "We don't have any left," Key shrugged. "Yeah, Key and I gave them all out." Felix replied, placing his hands behind his head. "I'm impressed, because no one else seemed to get any takers. I guess this place has a tough crowd," he looked at Xi'an then, a frown creasing his brow. "What about you? What happened to your cape?" Fox prodded, circling around them. Oscar gave him no hints, but then again, Oscar didn't have his puppet with him.

"Oh, there you are my little dumpling," Pandora grabbed both of Key's cheeks, peppering her with kisses. "Moooom," Key whined. "Oh hush, let me pamper you a little." She looked at the others and frowned, "Xixi, whatever happened to you? You look like you ran into a dumpster. Come here, let me clean you up," the motherly instincts in Pandora kicked in instantly her nine tails rigid, recognizing that something was wrong. "What did you guys get yourselves into?" Felt asked, sauntering into the room. "We heard an interesting rumor," Lucias agreed, nodding his head. The two still had plenty of fliers. "That a certain mafioso is expected to appear at the show tonight." Felt's ears could hear mice in a field from miles away. No doubt she had heard people speaking on the streets. "Mafia?" Fox asked, looking at them in concern. Key shrugged, "I don't know anything about it," she looked at Oscar and Xi'an.

"Well, dinner is almost ready, you can tell us what you did then." Argent said softly, emerging from the dining room in an apron. "Yes, I'd love to introduce our new recruit at dinner!" Pandora clapped her hands together. "They won't be performing in tonight's show, since they still need to learn the ropes, but I'm sure they'll fit right in!" Key's tail swished excitedly, she had almost forgotten about the new recruit! "Who do you think it is?" She whispered to her two friends, her eyes aglow with delight. After all, it had been a long time since they had added someone to the family. "Why don't we all go get cleaned up before dinner?" Fox suggested, "We have to do a final check before the show tonight after."

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




With Oscar's eyes on the back of her neck, Xi'an met up with her friends and they returned back to the ship. The little swan noticed a distinct lack of shopping bags. Did they not buy anything? What was the point of going out then? She rolled her eyes, wondering what her silly friends were thinking. Xi'an was strong, she was tough. She wasn't going to be weak like her mother. Pandora and Fox both seemed disapproving when they returned to the ship. "My bad." The magician in training winked, flashing a smile. "I went exploring, so they had to find me!" She winked at Pandora, hoping the ringleader wouldn't raise any issue with it. It was hard to get anything past the old fox, especially since Xi had a reputation for being something of a troublemaker.

Xi'an was glad that Key and Felix mostly covered her share of the fliers. She would find a way to make it up to them later if she could. She would think of something, and they'd make them happy. Fox questioned her, wondering what happened to her cape. "Hmm? Oh, it got caught, no big deal." Easy lie. She was used to it, she had to lie to her own mother all the time. Fox narrowed his eyes, wise and perceptive, but didn't seem to say anything. Pandora gave her affection to everyone, almost acting like more of a mother than her own mother did. "Okayyy, I'm sorry." Xi'an stuck her tongue out but allowed Pandora to wipe some of the extra dirt off, smoothing out the wrinkles in her sadly ruined outfit. Maybe she would buy more later. Most of what her mother tried to buy was too feminine. It was good sure, but Xi liked a little variety.

It was impossible to dodge forever sadly, and as Felt and Lucias began talking eyes continued to stare at her. Argent added extra pressure so after getting cleaned up and Xi'an changed into a white sundress, they went to the dinner table Xi'an felt the need to confess to her sins. "Uh, I may have gotten in a bit of trouble, but it'll be okay! Madam Magpie's the boss of Athanax, and as long as we please her tonight, I won't owe them anything!" Fox's eyes narrowed tersely, Oscar slapped a hand to his face, and Felix gave Xi'an a high five. "Of course you would get mixed up with the mafia! C'mon, Xi, poor Key is going to get scared if we do things too dangerous." There was something almost like nervous energy on his face. What was wrong? Xi'an knew they would be fine. When did they ever fail to impress the crowd?

As mother and daughter returned to their room to gather what they needed for the final check Xi'an took a deep breath and opened the door. Slap! Sharp pain across her hands. "You have to be more careful!" Her mother suddenly stood up, her hand whipping across Xi'an hand like a whip. "Don't get in trouble, don't risk yourself. You're all I have, so..." Her mother's eyes widened as she realized what happened. "No, oh no, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I did it again, didn't it?" Xi'an gave her mother a hug, anger boiling within. Hide it, control it. Only weak people like her mother couldn't control this anger. "Come on, mom." She said gently. "If you cry, I'll have to do your makeup again!" She helped fix it her mother's beautiful face and slipped white gloves on to hide the red, and once her mother calmed down they went to meet up for the check and the show.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




They sat together at lunch, the three of them grouped and eating sandwiches with fried meat and veggies. "Attention everyone," Fox said, standing on a chair. "As you all know, today we picked up a new addition to our troupe! A trapeze artist that came all the way from Bellbam to meet us here! Everyone, drum roll please!" Key began drumming on the table, "Please welcome, the amazing, the talented, the spectacular... Levi!" The door opened, he did a back handspring and landed neatly on his toes. Another trapeze artist? Key blanched. Did that mean... she was going to have to work with a partner? The others all clapped, welcoming him into the ranks. He looked around their age, probably the same age as felix. He had blue hair and red eyes, his ears were pointed, and he stood with stick straight posture.

He walked over to where they were sitting, a friendly smile on his face. Key was immediately on guard, she didn't like strangers. Especially ones who might be here to take her job. He sat beside Felix, Pandora bringing him a plate. "You three, play nice." She said, her smile taut. "Mom-" Pandora gave her a glance. Key looked back down at her plate. "Hello," Levi said politely to Felix, he kissed Xi'an's hand. "I'm Levi," he turned to Key then, his eyes narrowing. "Well.. aren't you the prettiest thing I've ever laid my eyes on." Her cheeks turned bright pink as he kissed her fingers. "I'm Levi, what do I have the pleasure of calling you?" He asked, batting his eyes, his eye lashes long. "Key!" She squeaked, looking down at her lap. "A rose by any other name," he released her hand and took a bite of his sandwich.

"So," he wiped his mouth, "which one of you is the other trapeze artist?" Key squirmed in her seat, "I am." Levi's eyes brightened immediately, "Marvelous! Then, once we're done eating, would you mind showing me the arena?" Felix suddenly piped up, "I can do it, since my prep time takes the least-" Key shook her head. She had to be brave, "I-I can do it." Levi clapped his hands together. "Marvelous," he clasped her hand in both of his. "I look forward to a long partnership," Key was no longer hungry. She looked angrily over to where her parents were sitting, watching them. Pandora waved, why had they simply sprung this on her? They didn't need another trapeze artist! She was fine on her own!

"Excuse me for a moment," Key stood, shoving away from the table. Levi turned to talk to Felix and Xi'an instantly. Key marched over to where her parents were sitting. "Can we talk for a minute? Outside?" They both stood, following her down the hall and to one of the decks. "What's wrong Kiki?" Fox asked, it was clear she was troubled by something. "Why did you bring him on board! We don't need another trapeze artist, I'm perfectly fine on my own! Now we're going to need an entirely new routine! How could you just spring this on me like this!" Key began to tear up. "Oh Kiki, it isn't anything against you." Pandora hugged her, Key trying to pull away. "We just thought that the bigger our family, the better."

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




Levi was the new addition, slender, good build. Someone who seemed to have good balance based on how he walked. Not only that, he was around the same age as them. Xi'an grinned, it was rare she got to get to know someone else her age, since it has been her and Key and Felix for so long. Felix was great and all, but more personality was never bad to have around. Why was Key apprehensive? Maybe she was just shy. The new face greeted Felix who grinned in return. He gave Xi'an a smooth kiss on the hand. "Ah, I'm flattered." She accepted the kiss with a nod. "I am Xi'an, but you can call me Xi if that's difficult." Last was Key and Felix and Xi'an exchanged a brief glance of knowing when Levi next spoke.

His charming words went out nearly instantly. "I told you someone would like Key's pecs." Felix snorted, elbowing Xi'an in the side. The swan smirked, crossing her arms. "Hah, we'll see how far he can get before the others stop him." They were all protective of Key, small, cute and sweet. She wasn't like Xi'an, who everyone knew could handle herself. Her voice came out in a squeak as she gave her name, definitely not used to it. Xi was fine with it. Key needed the experience in order to build up her tolerance for later as she further blossomed into a woman. A silly dalliance wouldn't hurt for sure. "Looks like you have good taste, Levi." Xi'an patted Key on the head with a smile. "You might fit in well here, isn't she such a jewel?" She pinched Key's cheeks teasingly, stepping back to the side.

Once that was finished, Xi'an knew it was time to get ready for the show. Athanax was a mafia city, which was full of black market goods and goings-on. If they got the attention of someone notorious like Madam Magpie, word of their show would spread far and wide. Of course, is also meant her debt would be cleared for breaking such a silly rule. "I'll go on ahead, I should help my mother set up." Knowing her mom she was already sobbing all over herself like an embarrassing mess. She left the dinner table, her wings fluttering with each movement. Felix was looking over at Key, was he worried? "She'll be fine, she needs the exposure." The swan reassured the dog, who frowned. "Maybe..." Still, Felix was always sensitive to the emotions of others. Maybe he saw something Xi'an didn't see.

"There we go." Black long svelte dress, exposed back to fully show as her wings protruded from her shoulder blades. The stage was being set by the support staff, everyone getting everything ready. "It's almost time, mom. Let's put on a good show." Her mother looked at her and nodded. "Well, we have to." The blooming swan agreed. "Because you got yourself in trouble, didn't you? "The little swan ignored the jab and nodded. She could hear the bustle and noise as the clock continued to tick down. They all gathered at the table for one last briefing from Pandora. "This is our biggest show yet." Pandora said, putting her palm down with a slap. "The stakes are high, my sweets. Let's show them what we have!" Was Key off her game? Xi'an grinned, a dangerous fiery grin, an eager fire in her, ready to perform. Just like at the start of every other show, she pumped her fist. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!"

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"Oh, there you are. All done speaking to Pandora and Fox?" Levi asked, he had been waiting for her. Key shifted uncomfortably, "Yes," she looked down at the floor. "The ring is this way," Key' tail was hanging between her legs as she led him, Levi walking behind her. "Is something wrong?" He asked, catching up to her. "I-I'm just mad!" Key whirled around, they were at the ring, everything set up for tonight's performance. "They didn't even ask me, they just brought you here! They didn't say anything to me, they didn't tell me that they were considering a partner for me. I just, I feel left out." She knelt to the ground, hugging her knees. Levi sat down on the floor across from her. "Well, I do feel that this is partially my fault." Levi admitted, "since I did ask to join." Her head snapped up and she looked at him.

"I used to perform all the way in Bellbam, but nothing official, I did parlor tricks for kings and leaders. Then I heard about Cirque Du Dreams and I wanted to know, so I asked Pandora and Fox if I could join." Key shook her head, they should have asked her. "They didn't say anything to me about it. Only that we were getting a new member," Key rose, her tail still not swishing. "This is the arena, or the ring. Whenever you're past the curtain, you're on stage. We make people's dreams come true," that was the point of the whole show, to put on a dreamy, wild, and fantastical show. "When do I get a costume?" Levi asked, "I brought a few of mine, but if we're working together, we're going to need to match." Key stiffened, matching costumes? She hadn't even thought of that.

"I should probably go get ready," Key loooked down at her feet. "I'll stay here for a bit, I'm gonna watch the show from the front row." Felt was on his way over, no doubt to speak to Levi. Key ran off to her dressing room, her tail between her legs. She didn't like Levi, not one bit. Why did she have to work with him? Key ran into the dressing room, nearly bumping into Argent. "Key, what's wrong?" Argent asked, taking her by the shoulders. "Nothing," Key tried to keep the tears from flowing. Argent pat her on the head, "it's okay. I know this is something new and different, but things change. It doesn't mean it's a bad thing," Key burst into tears. "I don't want things to change!" Argent guided Key to one of the chairs. "It's going to be alright, maybe you'll really like Levi?" Key only cried harder, she did not like Levi.

It took an hour for her to get changed, Key putting on her leotard and allowing Argent to fix her hair while she sobbed. The tears stopped flowing at last, Key had to pull herself together on time for the show. "Oh, don't you look just darling." Pandora admired, as Key joined her in the ticket booth. "We'll be going to the meeting in a minute. Want to finish up here for me?" Fox asked, shuffling the money. "Sure darling," he sauntered past them, his tail tickling Key's arm. "Chin up Kiki," Pandora said. "We're on stage, remember?" Key sniffled, nodding. She looked up, passing a ticket underneath the glass. They closed the ticket booth and went to the meeting a few minutes later. The show was about to begin.

Setting

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




Black dress trailing nearly to the ground, with black and white checkered gloves that reached her upper arms, and a masquerade mask on, the little swan was ready to hit the stage. Xi'an took one last glance at everyone. Argent seemed confident with her animals at her side. They did not need to be caged, as they were fully tamed by her. They usually lived in their own section of the airship that was outfitted to allow for the grass to grow, and for the wind to reach them. Lucias with his cute ursine ears, calmly stretching, getting ready as the second act. Her mother looked elegant, beautiful, wistful. A tragic beauty. There was deep sorrow in her eyes, the weeping Siren.

Xi'an walked over to give her a little tug on the sleeve, nodding in solidarity. Felix was holding two fire stacks, solemnity in his gaze. He would do the job that killed his parents, and aim higher than they could ever reach. Felt grinned, playing with her batons and hoops as she waited her turn. Oscar was calm, doing some last minute polishing for his wooden puppet, face stoic and stern. Last was Key, the final act of their show. Was that anxiety on her face? "We got this. We'll do this." Felix grinned, patting her on the back. "Levi will see just how much better you are than him." Sensitive despite his playboy attitude, the dog was always one to nurture. "Mom, if we keep doing well, maybe your ex will be jealous and want you back." Her mother did not seem amused. "You could at least call him your father." To Xi'an, father meant someone who was there. Someone who provided. What did she care for a dirty wolf that let his family toss his wife aside like garbage?

The show began of course, with music and fanfare. The audience was large, huge. The seats were packed, and at the very top was a woman dressed in black, wearing a mask of a crow's beak. Madam Magpie, of course, her sharp gaze controlling the atmosphere around her. Tension. Would she enjoy the show? Well, that was the job of the performers here, and as far as Xi'an knew, the Cirque du Dream was as good as it got. The opening act ended, as the animals did their tricks to Argent Rho's dance, as Lucias performed theatrical feats of grand proportions atop a giraffe's head, an elephant's back. Then it was time for a magic show.

"Next up is the Siren and the Siren's little pixie, ready to dazzle your hearts and minds with magic you've never seen before!" Fox announced, and the curtains rose to allow the two swans to walk onto the stage, support staff wheeling out their instruments and tools. With graceful movements, He'Lian began her show as a flock of doves flew out from her hat. They did many tricks, and the last one was one Xi'an was still afraid of. A glass tank filled with water, and her mother descended as Xi'an applied the chains and locks. "She cannot move, as you can see. The locks are all shut, the chains are binding her limbs, she will drown in the tank and no one can save her." She faced the stage, her eyes defiant and reckless, stepping forward. "Here is the key. And now, I will eat it." With a smile, turned and coughed, sliding the key into the tank, then ate a candy key made to look the exact same to fool the silly audience, her wings hiding the fact that the true key had entered the tank.

"And now, we will watch the most beautiful woman in all the land have her life end."

He'Lian struggled. She made a show of it, pretending to have difficulty. Madam Magpie's eyes were definitely curious as she observed, leaning slightly out of her chair, her plump black-plumed body straining the legs of her seat. Then her mother burst out from the top of the tank, beautiful as her elegant gown clung to her skin, her feathers spreading out as if she were an angel. Madam Magpie was surprised for a moment. "I was expecting a death." She cackled, Xi'an's wolf hearing able to pick up on the owrds, her nasally voice. "But that escape was quite a sight too, so I'll forgive the trickery."

"Thank you for watching the Siren's performance." Xi'an did a little bow after helpoing her mother down. Next was Felix, so she and He'Lian left the stage to the sound of applause and wonder.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




High stakes, high rewards. That was something that the circus lived by. They all knew the risks that each performance came with. Anything could go wrong at any time, even with all of the safety precautions they took. Key waited in the wings. She didn't just sit around of course, she was busy helping, putting things away, taking them out, organizing, fixing costumes. It was always a bit chaotic behind the scenes, but it was a chaos that Key could appreciate. Her tail swished with anticipation, after each act returned, Key's came closer. It was almost her turn. Felix came in and felt went out, his skin slightly blackened from flames, but otherwise alright. "Need some water?" Key offered. Xi'an had already rushed her Mother away somewhere no doubt, as Key had not seen her since she had returned from her performance.

Felt had the lucky feet of a rabbit, she could navigate the high wire with ease. She did flips on them, cartwheels, her balance impressive. One or two times she would pretend to fall, only to get back up and do a handstand. Key admired Felt's handiwork, kneeling close to the ground. "Nervous?" Felix asked, kneeling beside her. "Not really," Key admitted. "I know my act inside and out," she smiled, her tail swishing back and forth. "Well, break a leg." He nudged her in the side, Key rolling her eyes. "And for our final act, performing death-defying stunts! The amazing, the nimble, Key!" Key rose, the spotlight on her as soon as she was out from the curtain. This used to make her nervous, the lights were too bright, they got warm too quickly. Now, it made her heart skip a beat.

She climbed up the ladder easily, feeling all eyes on her. Key unhooked her swing and jumped, hearing a gasp. She swung to the middle, then flipped in the air, grabbing the rungs of the next bar and turning herself until she was standing. Key turned backwards, hooking her knees underneath the bar and swinging back and forth, flipping once more. This time she landed on top of the other swing, then flipped backwards. Key looked as though she was diving down, but she caught the bar by her tail and turned. She could feel the gaze of eyes glued to her. Key grinned, waving, before she shimmed up the ropes. She then dove down, down, down, grabbing the next swing and flipping herself upwards.

She did a few more turns before finishing her act, diving down into the net below. Key sat upright quickly, waving. She rolled down the net, then quickly jogged backstage. The Ring Masters, Fox and Pandora, returned and the entire cast came out to give a bow. Key was still panting, she didn't even have time to take a sip of water before having to return. Her chest was heaving, Key waved to the audience, doing a curtsey. They all took a lap around the ring, waving to their audience before returning back, behind the curtain. Key grabbed her water, chugging it down, taking a seat on one of the storage boxes. "Great job tonight everyone!" Pandora congratulated them. "You all did a fabulous job!" Fox agreed, tails swishing with delight.

Setting

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




After every performance, He'Lian would have a breakdown. She was shivering and weak from the cold water, she was struggling to hold herself together. There was a wheelchair waiting for her that Oscar had laid out, his snake eyes on them as the curtains closed. "I'll take care of her, we'll be okay." Mother and daughter went to a separate room behind the backstage where the support staff were working on things. She was traumatized of course - not because of being an escort in her past, but because of how her reputation as an escort and prostitute carried over through her life. He'Lian was truly a pitiful, broken bird. She was shaking, but was quiet. Xi'an knew her mind was going to unhealthy, dangerous places. Once they were safe, Xi'an held her mother close, toweling her down, trying to clear up the tank water.

"It'll be okay." Xi'an said, beginning to sing a silly little tune. "The beautiful bird flies to the sky, to the sun, to the stars." Her mother's breathing began to slow as music filled the panic room. "Where, oh where, could the bird be looking? Where could the bird be searching? What was the beautiful bird hoping to see?" She gave her mother a kiss on the nose, gentle and loving. "The beautiful bird was looking for love. The beautiful bird was looking for me!" Her mother began to laugh, a nervous calm coming back to her eyes. "Are you feeling better now, mom?" The little swan asked, her wings acting as a shield for her emotionally frail mother. "I am... thank you, Xixi. You're the only one left who understands me." After finishing drying her mother off, He'Lian felt able to stand again on her own two feet. "Wanna go back? It's about time for the farewell role call." Hand in hand, they made their way back.

By the time they returned, everyone was ready for the rolecall. Key finished her act, and Xi'an was very sad to have to miss it. "Sorry, sorry, I needed to pee." She winked and Felix rolled his eyes heavily. "Well well, who knew? Beautiful girls like you two ladies having to urinate? Color me shocked." Xi'an giggled, enjoying his attitude. "Don't worry, dearest." He'Lian said softly. "I'll help you find a better man than Felix." It was rare for her mother to join in on the fun, but there seemed to be a sigh of relief. Everyone knew she was unstable, of course. And they were all trying to accomodate for her as best as they could. "Hey, I'm not that bad? Right, Key? Right?" Felix nudged Key, trying to gain her support.

They had a role call then, doing a lap and greeting the audience. Madam Magpie was clapping with enjoyment, having appreciated the night of entertainment. "I would greatly love to see this again." She announced, flaunting her authority. "From now on, the Cirque du Soleil is to be seen as a friend to Athanax, and will have safe passage in and out of our borders." She was pleased. Xi'an was relieved. She wouldn't have to worry about her debt after all! Pandora and Fox congratulated them all on their work then, and it all seemed to go well. As the crowd left for the evening, Pandora had one last announcement before dinner was raedy.

"The keys to the Cirque du Soleil were stolen." Pandora explained, showing them her pockets. "It was one of the guests during the show, they must've swiped the keys somehow." Whoever had the keys controlled the entire airship. Without it, they would never be able to fly again.

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"That's okay, I figured you probably had to." Key smiled politely, knowing that Xi'an had probably gone to calm her Mom down. After their first perofrmance in a new city, there was normally a small after party with drinks and local pastries. He'Lian came over to tease Felix as Xixi tortured him. Key giggled, her smile fading when Levi came to sit with them. "That was a great performance," he complimented, taking a cookie from one of the trays on the table. "Thanks," Key looked away, her tail slowing. No longer was it a satisified flicker, more of an embarrassed one. "These are good," Levi leaned back in his seat. "You two were great, by the way. Amazing acts, I've never seen someone eat fire." He turned to Xi'an then, "and being sawed in half must've hurt." Key felt frustrated by his presence. She just wanted Levi to go away. Tomorrow she would start to practice with him.

Pandora suddenly cleared her throat, Key was expecting a toast to a successful show. Instead, she announced that the keys to the Cirque Du Dreams had been stolen. Key's eyes widened, her heart picking up speed in her chest. If they couldn't leave, then what would they do? They couldn't just stay here forever. "No need to panic everyone," Fox warned, calming them down. "Everyone did an amazing job tonight, so we're gonna get some rest. In the morning, we'll deploy a few search groups. I suspect it may have been one of our esteemed guests." The Magpie gang? Key swallowed hard, if that were the case, how hard would it be to get it back? Pandora came over to where they were sitting. "You four, no funny business tomorrow. This is a case for the adults to handle, alright? Now, off to bed. You all have practice in the morning." Key rose from her seat, tail rigid, her ears pointed upwards.

"But Mom, we can help! Xi'an can look from above and Felix and I are the fastest-" Pandora shook her head, "No means no. This could be dangerous and I don't want a hair on your head to be hurt," Pandora smoothered Key in a hug, then kissed her forehead. "Now, off to bed." She gave Key a nudge towards the door, "Goodnight Xixi, goodnight Felix... goodnight... Levi." It would be rude to leave him out, although she refused to look at him when she said it. "Goodnight," Levi waved. Felix gave him the side eye, then turned to Xi'an. "So, you already have a plan, don't you?" He whispered across the table. Key went to get ready for bed, but she waited until the halls were quiet until she sneaked out of her room. "Felix!" Key squeaked, "you scared me."

"Come on, the others should be waiting in the ring." Key nodded, following him. Her bare feet padded softly on the floor, her pink nightgown swishing around her ankles. Levi was already there, wearing green pajamas with pine trees on them. "Where is Xixi?" Key looked around, "you know she has to wait for her Mom to before she can sneak out." Key nodded, they waited, Key sitting on one of the boxes until Xi'an arrived. "Hey," Levi greeted, giving a short wave. "What are we going todo about the key?" Key asked, looking at her three friends. "We can't just leave this to Mom and Papa."

Setting

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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❝La la la, lu li la, that makes my heart stronger than steel!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#38B4FA β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #FAC91E】

|| Sleepsong || Secret Garden ||




He'Lian, with lighter eyes, seemed to be a little bit more like herself. Xi'an was glad, she loved this mother, not the one that was weak, pathetic, sobbing her eyes out for a man that did not love her. Her mother turned to go sit with OScar, legs still shaky, and Xi'an sat herself with her friends, Key and Felix. "But we really did great tonight." She leaned forward, a conspiratorial grin on her mien. "I think I'm off the hook, Madam Magpie was pleased as she left." There were celebrations going around, from the support staff to the performers, until Levi sat down, giving his compliments to them for the show. Felix snickered, tails swishing. "Don't worry, it's magic so it didn't hurt." She winked, rolling her eyes.

Of course, there was a new emergency. The keys were stolen, and they had no way to really know who might have taken it. The best guess had to be the Magpie Mafia, the family that ruled this sector of Earth. Still, there was nothing they could do just now. Xi'an winked at Key, shaking her head, not wanting the little cat to make a fuss. They would investigate, her blood was boiling, the bold swan wanted to go all out. She knew it in her blood that she wanted to go out hunting. But if they let their intentions obvious, they would be stopped somehow, even forcibly. A fiery energy was ripping through her, like a beast trying to claw out of skin. Confidence oozed from every pore. Just like she knew she would do perfectly tonight, she also knew that somehow, they would be able to track down the thief.

Once her mother began breathing more shallowly, Xi'an escaped from the sheets, already dressed in a nice dark outfit, perfect for the twilit sky. She grinned eagerly at Felix and Key, adventure flowing through her blood. They were going to be able to do this and prove to the adults that they were capable of taking care of themselves. "Sorry I'm late." She winked, pulling Felix and Key int oa group hug. "You're not sorry, you love the attention." Felix stuck his tongue out, playfully ribbing her just as always. Key wanted to know what they were going to do about the key. "We'll obviously ask a favor from Madam Magpie herself." She puffed out her chest boldly. "If we're considered friends of Athanax now, she should be happy to help us, right?" Felix slowly nodded, his tail dipping back and forth.

"How are we going to find her? Where does the Magpie Mafia operate?" Xi'an could take them to the black market district, which would no doubt be extra lively around this time. Levi snickered, nodding. "Well, you might want to follow my lead. I know my way around the city at night." Trusting him? While Xi'an was willing to accept him as a friend, Xi'an wasn't so sure about letting a stranger lead them on the adventure. "Or we could track down one of the crows and follow him to the base!" Levi chuckled at her, a little meanly. "They'll definitely notice, and they won't take kindly to being stalked, beautiful magician." Levi turned to Key with a charming smile. "I hope you trust me, partner." He smirked, as if looking forward to duo-ing with Key on stage. "I won't lead us astray."

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Character Portrait: Key Character Portrait: Xi'an Sang

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#, as written by The_Queen
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❝You don't have to be afraid, you just have to believe.❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#DE85B1 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #ECC8EC】

|| [url=SONGURL]songname || artist[/url] ||




"Honestly Xixi, I don't think we can just walk up to Magpie and ask her..." Key trailed off. "Especially if she's the one that might have taken the key in the first place." Key crossed her arms, Felix nodding his head. "Just because she liked the show, doesn't mean she won't kill us if we do anything." Felix agreed, his tail swishing thoughtfully. Levi watched them all, awfully quiet. They wanted to go to the Black Market? This late at night? "No offense Xi'an, but you're not exactly black market material and neither is Key." He pointed a thumb in her direction, Key stiffening. "I-I want to help!" Felix pat her head, "Maybe it'd be better if you stayed here so that you don't get hurt." She hissed at him, not wanting him to touch her hair.

Levi turned to her, asking if she trusted him. If she was going to work with him, then she would have to trust him unconditionally. "Fine, but not because I want to." They were heading to the door when someone blocked their path. Felt was standing in front of it with their arms crossed. "Pandora predicted you three would be up to something. I don't think she expected the newbie to get in on the trouble though." Felt shook her head, she was wearing her pajamas. "Time to turn tails and go back to bed you four. There's nothing for you to do," they were just children. Vulnerable children that could get hurt if they tried to go against a crime boss. "The adults will handle things in the morning, alright?" Felt placed a hand on Xi'an and Felix's shoulders, knowing that those two were probably the ring leaders of this little plan.

"Don't make a fuss and I won't tell Pandora and Fox about this." Felt promised, leading them back to their rooms. "We just want to help," Key crossed her arms, following behind them. "I know, but sometimes it's better to rely on the adults." Felt let go of Xi'an and Felix as they reached the bedrooms and pat Key's head. "Goodnight you four." Key went back into her room, sitting down on her bed. She felt restless, but Key had no doubt in her mind that one of the adults was sitting in the hallway, waiting for them to try again. She curled up on her side, hugging one of her plushies. When morning came, Key got dressed quickly, making sure to put shorts on under her dress. She put her hair up in pigtails and waltzed out of her room, Argent in the hallway. "Good morning Key," she said as Key strode past her. "Good morning," Key replied absently, tail swishing in determination.

"Kiki, where are you going?" Fox asked, intercepting her in the hallway. "Out," he grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "Whoa there, this isn't one of those small cities. This place is pretty big, there's plenty of time for shopping later. Besides, you haven't eaten breakfast." Fox directed her back towards the dining room. "I want to help," Key huffed. "No, I've already told you. You're just a little girl Key, getting involved will only get you and the others hurt. Alright? You four will stay on the ship, let the adults handle this one." Key didn't agree, she thought that there had to be something she could do to help. "You always treat me like a child," she pulled away from him, entering the dining room on her own.