Sunshine beckons them to a blue door on the opposite side of the hall, a long ways away from the room with the table. As they meander their way through the hallway, they hear the door from earlier loudly snap shut. Sebastian turns back for a split second, but Ikimono tugs on his hand in a panic before he can get a look back the hallway. Ikimono hopes Sebastian doesn’t think anything less of them for holding his hand like that, but desperate times call for desperate measures, especially when one has lost their voice.

When they finally reach the end of the hallway, Sunshine springs to life in all the splendor and glory of before. He picks up his cane, swishing the glimmering orb around as though he were about to cast a spell. He taps on its top, and at once the shimmering lights begin to swirl around his feet again. The others stop in their tracks, and once he is certain he has their rapt attention, he begins his call.

“In this room lies all that you need,” He grins, “And everything that your eyes can see. Take what you may, for all has a purpose, and tend to them soundly for better or worse.”

With one of his lower hands, he opens the door. The lights suddenly snap out of existence as the smell of moth balls, perfume, and cigar smoke spill out of the open door. He gestures inside, but for a moment the others hesitate.

“What’s the matter with you lot?” He growls, “Are you going in there or not?”

“One second, Sunshine,” Adderall says, “The smell’s a little much.”

Sunshine rolls his eyes. “I will count to ten, and when I end, I don’t want to see you all out here again.”

He closes his eyes and begins his count. At once, the others bolt into the room. When at last the seven pairs of steps have hit the velvet carpet, he closes the door just enough to seem like they’re locked in. When their running dies away, he slips in as silently as a serpent.

The smell isn’t so bad once they’re in the room. Would that thought keep them from getting headaches? Maybe, maybe not. But that isn’t a problem now. Now, they find themselves stuck in a maze of old wardrobes, racks, and bureaus. Clothes of all sizes and hues drape over the disjointed organization, and jewelry slips out of open drawers and broken boxes. If they take a good look at the many structures situated in the vast room, they may notice that something may have once been painted with opulent colors or intricate patterns. Time, like many things, has not been kind to any of the things in the room.

To even call it a room would be an understatement. It is perhaps more akin to the ground floor of a department store left abandoned in the corner of a mall. The red velvet carpet below them is stained from decades past, faded from the glamorous red that it perhaps used to be. The walls, which aren’t quite visible from where they stand in the center of the chaos, bear little patterns of hearts and vertical stripes of faded pink. The ceilings above are mirrors, reflecting everything within the room aside from Ikimono. From somewhere unseen, they all heard some sort of music, but all the fabric of the clothes makes it hard to make out any discernible melody or lyrics. The sound isn’t the only thing the clothes insulate; the heat of the room is like that of a jungle. Combined with the choking stench of has-been glamor, it’s practically unbearable to be locked in.

The team isn’t foolish enough to be off-put by it, though. There is a certain charm about the place, however uncanny it may be. They start off in a pack at first, carefully examining the clothes with skepticism of their quality. When someone finds something unique, they quickly huddle around the garment until at last they lose their interest and move on to something better. Slowly, they break off into smaller groups, only showing their finds to a friend or two. Then, at last, they disperse by themselves, finally looking deeper into the wardrobes and holdings to search for their costumes.

DJ is the first to break off by themselves. They’ve never been one to shy away from the chance of being alone in a foreign place, and they aren’t going to start now. When the group comes to the intersection with the marble table and vase of dead daisies, they take the path to the left where all the more flowy things are. Having loose skirts or sleeves in a fire routine seems like a rather dangerous idea, but to DJ, it just means a better chance to show off. After all, what did they have to fear? Getting burned?

DJ laughs to themselves. What will they pick this time around?

They peruse the aisles and aisles of dresses, thumbing through each tattered gown and finely embroidered skirt. They find themselves unsatisfied with almost every single one. Been there, done that. Not that what they wore would matter in the end, but it would be nice in the moment. Just something to ease the worry. Just something to distract from the body.

As they thumb through the clothes, they remember a story of a woman who jumped from the tallest building in the world to her death. But they never said about her death, how such a woman could think to end her own life. They gushed about her beauty, how daintily her eyes were closed, how her figure lay neatly atop the crushed car she had landed upon as though she was neatly laid in a bed of wildflowers. How beautiful she was, even though she was gone.

DJ wishes they had that luxury. Once, just once, do they wish they could die without being mourned as a hero. How nice that would be for them all. Just a pretty face in the wreckage. They had seen before the dragon maidens, how they mourned their beauty, so it wasn’t the snapping teeth or wretched claws that put them off. It was the godhood of a choice not theirs to make.

Just once, they think, let me lay in the shrapnel of some other old life as though I was laid in a bed of wildflowers.

They stop at last to a lovely layered linen skirt hand dyed with splotches of purple and violet. Glass beads dangle from knots dangling from its upper layers, magnifying the cloth and distorting its color. On the lower layers, bleach-painted moons and stars drip from each other to the bottom of the hem. The skirt is soft in DJ’s hands. They haven’t seen it before, and that is enough for them to pull it from the rack and lay it over their arm. It’s light, too, perfect for a dancer.

They turn around to head back to the intersection. They aren’t particularly worried about a top for their skirt, but they do want a little jewelry for their wrists. something to reflect the light of the flames, nothing more. If Mr. Crick is right, they won't need it for very long.

“I can show you what you need for all your little dancing deeds.”

DJ turns around. It’s Sunshine again. They aren’t startled in the slightest.

“Ah, Sunshine,” they begin, “How have you been, old friend?”

Sunshine looks puzzledly at DJ, then shrugs the feeling off. “As lovely as you, I do assume. You’re looking for arm cuffs, or are you sure that’s enough?”

“You’ve read my mind,” DJ grins, “Do you have them?”

“Not on me now, but I know where to find them,” he explains, “Come along, there’s a shortcut I know through the mayhem.”

DJ follows Sunshine just close enough behind to make Sunshine uncomfortable. The two meander along in no direction in particular until the music in the speakers above them grows louder from the lack of clothes to muffle them. Now, instead of racks, they find themselves encircled with bureaus and mismatched shelves on all sides, each one overflowing with shiny trinkets of all colors and sizes.

“So, DJ, take a look at what you fancy,” Sunshine says, “Your satisfaction would be rather chancy.”

“I will,” DJ says, beelining for one drawer in particular.

Sunshine looks on in shock of their intentional steps. “My my, you know where you’re going. Do you know something perhaps I’m not knowing?”

“If you mean where the arm cuffs I want are,” DJ replies, “Then yes.”

DJ sifts through the drawer until they at last come across two brass armbands bedazzled with garnets and citrus quartz. They put them on as though it were second nature. If anything they pick at this place matters, it’s these.

“So Sunshine,” they continue, “You said this place would have everything we need, right?”

“Yes. Only the best.”

“Do you have a notebook and pen? With a sigil of a constellation on the front?”

Sunshine looks on in curiosity. “Yes, I have one in this drawer. It’s almost like you’ve been here before.”

Sunshine reaches into the drawer beside him and sifts to the bottom. He pulls out a leather bound book with a finely nibbed pen tucked neatly into its side.

“You’re supposed to find these things yourself, you know,” he says, handing the book to DJ. “I let you all out to sift through the cargo.”

“Ah, but if I knew when to ask, then surely I had found it before.”

“Found it before? But you’ve been here for one day, and not one day more.”

DJ laughs. “I’ll let you solve that riddle yourself. You seem to have a knack for reading minds. Goodbye, Sunshine, have fun with your rhymes.”

DJ turns away from him and starts to walk towards the door. A slow, sinking fear trickles into his stomach like marbles plink-planking down a plastic track. He can’t quite put his finger on what he’s afraid of, but still he shivers in terror.

…

Make no mistake about it, Sunshine. If anyone’s trapped here, it’s you.

…

Meanwhile, Peony finds herself on the other side of the space, standing before a mirror ever so slightly taller than her, holding different kimonos and robes up to herself, trying to see which pattern suits her best. She’s already tossed a green jungle-patterned dress, a simple blue kimono with a crane across the back, and starry wizard robes. She wonders just how many other things she can find here, what with all the colorful fabrics as far as her eyes can see. And she doesn’t mind being a little choosy. If there were but two or three robes in the entire space, she perhaps would have chosen the less desirable clothes. But with all the color around her, she won’t settle.

Her wardrobe isn’t the only thing on her mind as she shuffles through all the clothes. She’s a little more worried about all the other doors down the hallway. They don’t all make sense to her. Sure, she’d understand a closet large enough to rival an entire mall, or maybe an old tile storeroom gone unused, but the surgery room? What kind of circus needs an operating theater?

Maybe it’s just some kind of weird joke. Sunshine seems like the kind of guy to do something like that. She laughs a little. A circus does have many stages, after all. And how many circuses back in the day had exhibits of medical oddities? Perhaps if she asked him he’d say it was the first room in the odd-itorium.

Still, something feels off about everything down here. When things are supposed to be big, they’re too small. When things are supposed to be vast, they’re too narrow. Colors find themselves vomited into eye-straining patterns, and there's always either too much noise or dead silence. Even now, the faint, droning radio overhead feels oppressively loud. How she can still think is beyond her.

She picks up a deep crimson dress. She stares at it for a moment, then closes her eyes. The sound is so much easier to listen to that way.

Seven-three, seven-zero, six-niner, seven-two, six-one, six-charlie, six-niner, six-echo, six-seven…

“Numbers station,” she mutters, “Figures.”

She opens her eyes again and resumes her examination of the dress. She supposes it must be winter-weight, but it isn’t nearly scratchy enough to be wool. Velvet, perhaps? No, it isn’t quite soft enough. Polyester? No, not nearly enough give. What sort of fabric is this?

Well, whatever it is, it sure is red. Not quite red, maybe a little bit dullish red, but certainly something that couldn’t conjure up another word at first glance. Against it, little embroidered constellations and stars in golden thread. It even has a hood for her to hide away in. Baggy sleeves, too. She wonders what sort of necromancer would hand their cape over to the circus. If not a necromancer, what vampire? It’s far too good to be in a mess of wardrobes like these.

Either way, it’s too good to pass up. She tosses the hollow dress over her shoulder and meanders off to where she found the jewelry while passing through. She kicks herself for forgetting her rings at home, but figures maybe there’ll be something more powerful here. Maybe even something that she can actually wear on her ring finger without it being too big around. And necklaces, too. From the little idols and books in the main room, surely Sunshine has some sort of crystal collection. And with a dress as nice as this lying around, he no doubt has some sort of cursed item tossed in a drawer somewhere.

With all her dreaming, she forgets to look out for DJ.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” They say, “Are you alright?”

“No, no, I’m sorry,” She replies, stumbling back away from them.

“Are you alright?” DJ asks again.

“No, I’m fine,” she says, “Didn’t hit you that hard, I don’t think.”

“What have you got there?”

Peony takes the cloth from her shoulder. “Oh, just a dress I found. I don’t know what it’s made out of, but the color is so pretty.”

“It is, isn’t it?” DJ says, “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s that thing right there?”

“That thing?”

DJ points their claw at a stain. “Yeah, that.”

Peony turns the dress towards her. In the ill light, she didn’t even notice it. Even in the brightness of the fluorescents around her, she still almost ignores it.

“Oh, that? I didn’t even notice it. Sure blends in well with the dress.”

“I’ll say.”

“I’m sure if I grabbed a shawl nobody would notice it.”

“You could, or you could put a little pin in the middle of it and draw some better eyes.”

She smiles, “You and your happy little accidents.”

“What’s so bad about it?” They grin.

“Do you know where the rings and such are, DJ?”

“Oh, of course. If you walk from where I came, you’ll find them in the drawers. Don’t hesitate to look a little deeper in. I saw a few things in there that I don’t think are costume stuff.”

“Wow, really?”

“Yeah. Also, go see if you can find a rope that’s gold like the stars on the dress and tie it around your waist. It’ll help you pull everything together. For now, I like where you’re going with this.”

Peony nods. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

DJ starts back off, and soon they’ve disappeared into the distance. Peony hurries off into the towers of boxes and discarded drawers in search of the elusive gems. When she finally settles on a stack that feels right, she dutifully sets the top drawers to the ground, then starts to dig. First, she finds a ruby set in fine gold. When she tugs on the pendant, she finds it attached to a long chain of the same soft metal. She puts it over her head, then keeps digging. She finds a brass snake ring with gemstone eyes nestled next to an earring of a pentacle. She finds the earring’s mate next to a bracelet with four rings connected by chains. In the tangle is a golden ring of eyes. Besides it, in another mess of pearls and beads, she uncovers an ebony choker with the pride of an archaeologist. Last but not least, she finds a hairpin shaped like a long lung dragon.

She puts all of them on, marveling at their sparkling wonder. The bracelet with the rings is perfect for her oozing hand. It’s almost a prosthetic of sorts, just enough of a spacer between her fingers to create some semblance of a palm. The snake on her right hand feels right at home, and with the eyes on her ring finger she feels ever less seen. When she puts the pin in her hair, a little surge of strength flows through her, as if the dragon itself is protecting her. All she needs to do is find the shawl and the rope, and she’ll be all set.

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She turns around and finds Sunshine walking towards her. Wonderful, she thinks, Just who I wanted to see.

Except, of course, he doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

Curiously, she takes off the jewelry one by one. Only once she makes it to the eye ring does he seem to notice there. When he does, he jumps back in surprise.

“Why hello, Peony, I didn’t see you there,” He grins, “I see you’re still up to your tricks in here.”

She carefully hides the eye ring from his sight. “Yes sir. Can’t be too careful in crowded spaces like these. You never know what’s hiding in plain sight.”

“What a wise thing for you to say,” He nods, “You never can know what’s in your way. And besides, it must be a good way for you to try on things and change. You’ll never be seen if you’re not in someone’s range.”

Peony feels herself burn red. A little ache turns in her stomach. “Yes, Mr. Sunshine, a rather useful tool.”

“Now, I see your dress with the gold stars embroidered, do you want a good belt to hold you over?”

“Now that you mention it, yes. A shawl too, if that’s ok.”

“A liking for accessories, what a fashionable girl! You know how to serve a look when you take over the world.”

He turns to go down a foggy, narrow passageway. Peony follows behind him at a distance. Something about his flattery is off to her. Not threatening, just off. If Sebastian were with her, she’d ask him to check him. Not that she doesn’t trust herself, of course. Well, maybe a little. Her mind speaks of reason, her heart whispers of worry, and her gut screams warnings in a tongue not even she understands. She doesn’t quite know which one to listen to.

Sunshine starts to channel down the passageway, which grows ever tighter as he walks. The darkness ebbs from deeper in the crevice, beckoning the two inwards. Peony’s steps slowly grind to a halt. It is as if there is a line drawn on the floor, a sort of barrier she cannot cross.

Perhaps “will not” is a better phrase.

“Aren’t you coming, dear Peony? I have something for you,” Sunshine calls, “You’ll look rather lovely when we’re through.”

Peony stares at Sunshine. Something has changed. Her eyes dart between the oily, black tongue caged away behind rows of knife-sharp teeth and his scythe-scepter fingers, growing ever so uncomfortably longer the longer she looks. His hair creeps down over his face like spanish moss, slowly losing its vibrance in the dim light. He hunches like a vulture to her height, waiting for an answer.

She finally looks him in the eyes. The eyes of the devil.

“I’ll stay here if you don’t mind,” She says, her trembling hands belieing her even tone, “I’d come, but I don’t have the ability to conjure light.”

Sunshine looks unconvinced.

She laughs a little. “If Sebastian were here, though, that’d be different. He’s good at that, you know. And he’d have a merry little song to go with it too.”

Sunshine’s eyes narrow. He turns away from her and reaches into a closet. He pulls out a faded gold rope and the yellow shawl.

“Take these goods and go then, I suppose,” Sunshine says, handing them to her with his lower hand. “What’s gotten into you I don’t know.”

Sunshine’s head is still buried in the closet. Quickly, Peony slips on the ring and runs. When Sunshine looks back, the clothes are gone from his hand, but Peony is nowhere to be seen.

…

This isn’t a good place to be alone.

…

Sebastian, meanwhile, finds himself with Fuego deep in the jungles of cloaks and halloween costumes. The pair walk about the racks of mismatched costume parts, trying to frankenstein together the best-worst costume they can find. So far, Fuego has vens hands on the cheap cape of a vampire, the striped shirt of a clown, half a yellowed-from-age toga, and a comically large top hat. Sebastian, on the other hand, has done a somewhat decent job at maintaining a solid theme, going for a sort of evil-scientist-turned-evil-wizard vibe with his lab coat and blue robes. The only downside: if Adderall decides his cohesiveness isn’t better than Fuego’s mess of an outfit, he’ll have his hair dyed with the spray of a mystery canister that the three of them hope isn’t glue. The upside: if it is glue, Sebastian has permission to kill Adderall, provided he does it in the least painful way possible. Sebastian hopes he doesn’t have to do that, but if he does, he will probably not uphold his end of the bargain. Probably.

Sebastian scours his side of the aisle with utmost determination. If he can find a pair of goggles to go with atop his hat, he’ll be all set. He scored it big a moment ago by finding the potion-holder corset. Sure, it isn’t safe for lab use at all, but this is for show, not for work. Besides, it’s certainly more functional than whatever fuego’s got going on. What did ve just find now? A jingling jester belt? He’s made some questionable fashion choices, sure, but who wears that for knife throwing?

“Oh Sebastian!” Fuego calls from the other side, “I found something!”

Sebastian peeks up from his row. “What now? Did you find any clown shoes yet?”

Fuego giggles and sings his taunt. “I got the goggles!”

Sebastian gasps. “Where did you find it?”

“You’re a magician and you can’t remember the rule about secrets?” ve chides.

“You’re a knife thrower, Fuego, you’re not under the rule.”

“The first rule of knife throwing is that snitches get stitches.”

“And telling me where the goggles are is snitching?”

“No, but you telling someone else where I got them would be.”

“Alright, alright. Can you give them to me at least?”

“Why should I?”

“Remember that IOU you gave me back when you got taken hostage and couldn’t pay me back your ransom?”

“Which hostage situation?”

“In the Underbed?”

“Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?”

“Well, I have one of the IOUs you gave me.”

“And you’re gonna use it now?”

Sebastian pulls a crumpled note card from his coat pocket. “Yeah. Well, one of them, at least.”

He passes the note to Fuego, who reads it in slight disbelief. “That’s my handwriting, all right.”

“Sure is. Now hand them here.”

“How many of these do you have?”

“As many as every time I’ve had to rescue you from a hostage situation. For a royal clerk, you’re rather broke.”

Fuego looks back down at the paper and shrugs. Ve hands the goggles over to Sebastian, then pockets the note.

“Alrighty, here’s your goggles. You’re still gonna lose, though.”

“Oh, trust me, I won’t.”

“I can see it now, we’ll spray your hair blue and Peony won’t even be able to look you in the eye.”

“Cut her some slack, she would never! Besides, we don’t even know what’s in that can.”

“Oh, Seb, you’re biased for her, aren’t you?”

A little flash of pink hits Sebastian on his face. “So what if I am? She’s a good friend. I’m not gonna let her get slandered by someone wearing half a toga to a knife expo.”

“Alright, alright,” Fuego grins, “I’ll stop pushing your buttons.”

Good friend? Fuego thinks to venself, Sure, Seb. Keep telling yourself that.

The two continue their meandering through the costumes without further argument. Sebastian finds a good pair of fingerless gloves in an old shoe box, and a little jar of neon green nail polish. When he finds it, he immediately goes on the hunt for another bottle. He finds a bottle of particularly glimmering purple besides a lump of discarded fabric on the floor. He stashes the two in his pockets, afraid of someone noticing despite Sunshine’s openness for them to take what they need. Soon, when he decides his outfit is complete, he races off to the broken wardrobe where Adderall sits.

When the three of them agreed on describing Adderall’s wardrobe seat as broken, there really wasn’t any other word to use. Its top has been completely broken off along with its doors, and the jagged wood casts shadows on the faded wall. The metalwork nailed along where the doors ought to be, is rusted. Fuego thinks perhaps it used to be depicting ships rocking about the sea, but the corrosion makes it hard to tell where hulls end and tides begin. Either way, it’s a rather curious sight.

When the two return, Adderall has reclined herself in a most peculiar way, with her back nestled inside the wardrobe and her feet dangling from the side. She’s folded her outfit, a matching pair of dancer’s pants and cropped shirt, haphazardly by her legs. She fidgets with some new jewelry, clicking pendants of necklaces and belt chains between her fingers. When Sebastian finally takes his place beside Fuego, she springs up from her preoccupation and turns to address the two.

“Ah, yes,” she begins, rubbing her hands together with glee, “I see you’ve brought your costumes.”

“Yes, Adderall,” Fuego says, bowing as if she were royalty, “O, judge of our quarrel, we have finished our task.”

Adderall nods. “Alright, now, what have you got?”

Fuego triumphantly holds out each piece of mismatched costume. It seems as though after the two departed, ve found an entire trunk of jewelry to wear. None of them matched each other, of course. And a pirate’s vest to wear over the clown shirt. Not that it helped the cohesiveness of the outfit.

“If I’m going to be in a circus,” Fuego beams, “I’ve gotta dress the part.”

“Wonderful, Fuego,” Adderall says, “Now, Seb?”

Sebastian sheepishly holds out his blue, starry robes and lab coat. Then the cargo pants and the corset, his hands slowly starting to shake as Adderall’s face turns to that of slight disapproval. Then the hat with the goggles perched atop it and the fingerless gloves. Then the nail polish.

“Uh, it’s not practical for doing science or magic,” He explains, almost pleading for Adderall to pass judgment over him, “But I think it’s cool.”

“You do,” Adderall says, “But I think it’ll look better after we spray your hair a little!”

Sebastian tries to play it cool. “Can we at least test it on a wig or something? We just found that laying around. Besides, I didn’t agree to that, Fuego did. Let ven try it.”

“Sorry, Seb, but rules are rules,” Adderall giggles, “Come on over, it’ll only take a minute.”

Sebastian grimaces. Oh well, at least they’re family. To him, at least. He doubts they remember. He walks over to Adderall in defeat.

“And just what sort of trouble is going on here?”

To their surprise, Sunshine stands tall over the trio. Adderall fumbles with the can for a moment, and Fuego swiftly darts over to her side. Sebastian rises from his resolution and happily addresses Sunshine.

“We decided to have a costume contest between the two of us,” he explains, “And the loser got their hair sprayed with whatever’s in this can. I lost.”

“That’s why I saw you slumping over to Adderall in fear,” Sunshine says, “So you made the judge Fuego’s sister in arms? Don’t you think that’s unfair to Sebastian at all?”

Adderall and Fuego look at each other.

“Well, uh,” Adderall begins, “He didn’t say anything-”

“And why would he, such a humble fellow, give you any trouble when he’s rather quite mellow? Sebastian, ready to put his mane on the line, and you agree on your plan while he’s standing behind.”

Sebastian looks back at Adderall and Fuego. He almost smiles.

“Give me the can, let’s make sure that it’s ok, then you two go find actual fits in your way. He did good by his search and you two schemed to yourselves, so it’s only fair now you get back to the shelves.”

“Yes, Sunshine,” Adderall squeaks, hurrying off the wardrobe.

“Sorry, Sunshine,” Fuego replies, following close.

When the two start to hurry off to the racks, Sebastian turns to Sunshine.

“I mean, thanks,” He begins, “But you didn’t have to do that for me, you know?”

“I don’t take too kindly to betrayals between friends,” Sunshine says, “Especially against the elder on whom they depend. It happened to me once, and it made me quite bitter, but in the end I decided to use it for the better.”

Sebastian rubs the wire along his neck. “Gee, thanks. Say, how did you know they were planning against me?”

“Cognitive sparks, they never do fail. It’s a clear cut, ever reliable trail.”

Sebastian looks up at Sunshine in confusion. “Oh. I thought you were gonna say sibling instinct or something.”

Sunshine laughs. “I never had brothers or sisters or kin. But I trust your experience makes it easy to pin.”

Sebastian laughs along nervously.

“Now, I saw your magical-scientist scheme, and I wanted to help you along with your theme. Take this wand, it will help you with your works. I give you my word, it has no tricks or quirks.”

Sunshine hands him a little wand carved from the branch of an old neuron. A deep purple stone rests at its head, connected to the branch with copper wire. He doesn’t know the stone, but he’s sure Peony does.

“Oh, thank you, Sunshine,” he replies, “I’ll use it well.”

Sunshine tips his hat to Sebastian. “You’re welcome, my boy, now go find your friends. It’ll be easier to navigate through all this mess.”

As Sunshine strides away, the tingling of his wires lingers in the back of his mind. What did Sunshine mean by cognitive sparks? Did Sunshine pick up on his electricity through him?

Sebastian examines the wand. Sunshine is right, no tricks on it at all. And if he really doubts himself, DJ would know.

…

Sunshine? Can you hear me? Through all of this mess, can you hear me?

…

Juniper poses on a stool before a vast, open mirror. She radiates with the pride of a silver-screen star as she examines herself in her costume. As always, she finds herself in minty green, with a fine silk scarf wrapped over her shoulders and a black dress hugging her form. Lava-stone beads dangle from bracelets around her wrists, and a little crown of opals rounds her head like an earthly halo. She doesn’t see just herself in her reflection, no, she sees a performer. A show-stopping piece of grace and elegance the likes of which this circus has never seen before. And sure, it may just be a circus, but why not? Why not be a little extra? After all, if someone saw her dancing on the silks and thought she was wonderful enough, she could leave this place and never have to go home again. The circus is merely a transition space, and soon she may leave this stage for a better one.

She picks up a pair of cuff earrings from a box by her cushion. She examines the little jade stones dangling from them, then carefully puts them on her ears. For cuff earrings, they’re rather comfortable. She thinks she’ll leave them on.

“Ah, getting comfortable, I see?”

She turns around to find Sunshine standing in the entryway to her little alcove. Her stool and mirror is surrounded on all sides by dressers, and when she first found herself in the area that she was in another room. It isn’t the strangest room she’s seen today, after all. When she was watching Sunshine skitter about the hallway like a panicked lanternfly, she saw him open a door that leaked blood onto the floor.

Sunshine doesn’t bother her standing in the door like that. If anything, his presence is a welcome sight to her. She’s been building a list of questions for him all crepuscule, and now she finally has the chance to ask. She straightens herself on her stool and invites him in.

“Ah, Sunshine,” She grins, “Just the man I wanted to see! Do you think this would be alright for a dancer?”

“I suppose it’s more about how comfortable you’ll be,” he replies, “Are you wearing shorts underneath that dress of yours? You wouldn’t want anyone looking upskirt while you perform.”

She waves her paw at him. “I already thought of that, don’t worry. This dress has a pair of shorts built into it. I saw the skirt when I was perusing the clothes here, and I thought it was gonna be some sort of dancer’s uniform. Sure enough, I was right.”

“I’m glad to know you’re satisfied with all the things around you. I’d be happy to help if there’s something you need to do.”

“Oh, I actually have some questions about the stuff down here,” Juniper says, propping herself up on her knees.

Sunshine strides over to an open stool and sits down. “Have no fear, I’m all ears.”

“Alright, so, what sorts of tea places do you have here?”

“Tea places? You think too highly of me! Though I’m sure you mean that with nothing but glee. I have stands that serve boba and milk teas alike, but I have loose leaves here if that’s more your type. Just come down and knock, and send the dolls for supplies. They’ll be in and back again in the blink of an eye.”

“Good, good. How about food?”

“I take pride in the food I offer for my guests. I work very hard to ensure it’s the best. Whether noodles or dumplings, sweet treats or ice, I’m sure everything here will be a delight. There’s a street with fried goods at every turn, with good sounds that sizzle and smells that never burn. Down another, baked treats, the ovens are always hot. There’s pastries that are little, and some cakes that are not. The candy district’s my pride and joy, though your dentist at home would be far past annoyed. The odds and ends market has all you could want. There’s this and there’s that, but I’ve no need to flaunt. Whatever’s your favorite, I’m sure I’ve got it here. If I don’t, just ask, and I’ll bring it near.”

“And what else is there to do besides watching the show? Like, games, fun houses, anything like that?”

“The daily parade is a spectacle, you see, it starts every day at thirteen past three. They start from the main midway and walk down the whole fair, and there’s everything you could want to see in there. There’s trampoline frog-fish that flip and do tricks, there’s white-faced owlbears who walk hand first on sticks. There’s rideable inchworms that are seven feet tall, and there’s thimble elephants that are so very small. But that’s just the parade, there’s much more to do, and I’m sure you’ve seen the games, haven’t you?”

“Yeah. But is there anything else in that entertainment district that we should visit?”

“There’s a haunted house right down from the odd exhibit, on the corner by the singing ducks, I’m sure you won’t miss it. It whisks up your brain and uses your fears to deliver the best scare you’ll have in years! And the odd exhibit is worth a look too, I’ve got collections of things from near and afloo. Right down the street from there is the nickelodeon stage, it always plays movies from what I can gauge. And of course I have rides, rides like you’ve never seen. Roller coasters and flat rides like there’s never been. My personal favorite is the central carousel, and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s really swell. The calliope sings with the lungs of the wind, and the music itself will raise the hairs on your skin. Not to mention the animals, there’s one of every kind. From bugs, fish, to mammals, there’s so much to find. And it’s spread on five tiers, so it’s hard to miss too. I’d be so excited now if I were you.”

“Well that’s good! And are there any amenities down here we ought to know of?”

“Well there’s the closet you’re in, and you know well of that, but these doors down here to get at. I’m trying to think off the top of my head, can you give me a minute? I’ll tell you then.”

“Well, I know whenever we have to stay in towns and such we always ask about a bath house, a library, and a garden. I know that’s a little much to ask of a circus, though.”

“Oh Juniper, sweet Juniper, you underestimate me! There’s things down here you wouldn’t believe. Of course I have a bath house, we passed it on the way. Though I haven’t had it used for a long time, I’ll say. I have a library too, down a little further from here. It’s got massive volumes and books that are weird. I have a garden too, where I grow all my herbs, and you’re welcome to stop by, just give the dolls my good word.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Sunshine, I’ll pass the word along when I see them.”

Sunshine rests his hand on Juniper’s shoulder. “I believe in you, Juniper, you seem a good show. Don’t be nervous out there, just get up and go.”

Juniper almost jumps at first. She isn’t used to that kind of attention. Or any attention, for that matter. Still though, she appreciates it, perhaps even enjoys it.

“Thank you, Sunshine. I’ll certainly do my best.”

Sunshine nods, then stands back up and walks for the door. When he leaves, she picks up a couple extra trinkets and leaves too. Hopefully, everyone’s close and she can tell them everything in one go.

…

I kinda like Sunshine. A lot better than my dad, at least.