Joker led you to the back of the tent, where you went before. "Now I'll give you a quick backstage tour. Follow me please!" Said Joker, hiding your way backstage.

He took to the tent area, "First of all, the tents you'll be sleeping in." Joker referred to the tents that you had seen before. He walked up to one and opened it to show you the inside. Nothing special, just a small chest and a bunk-bed.

"This is where the Second-Stringers, Live-Stage-Hands and newcomers and such. They sleep here, paired with one another." He said. He closed the tent and looked at the other tents. He told you everything from the sleeping tents to the infirmary where Sebastian and you were the other night.

Lastly, he showed you the blue, individual tents, "And these are the private tents for the main casts. The first one is Snake's, so you better keep your distance. He lets poisonous snakes run loose. One bite and you could be dead." Joker continued, he then led you guys back to the main tent.

>>>

Now that was done, Joker ordered you to practice your acts, "Everything starts with the basics!" Said Joker. He left you a few props before he left to the others. "Okay, so we need a plan, which I hope already have," you pat your hands together, cleaning the dust. Ciel glanced at you as he requested Sebastian to help him stretch. "Not quite,"

You crossed your arms, throwing your head back, "Seriously? Fine, here's what I think. Joker is the second leader, I'm sure he got something linked with this case. We just need to get past those private tents, but it's a big problem, the poisonous snakes." You explained, pacing around in a small circle.

"I suppose we'll have to rise to the first string to access the private area," Ciel suggested. You pursed your lips, thinking further to the plan. "No. It will take time. Maybe Sebastian can sneak in, find something about the case." You started to stretch out since you were getting eyes from around the tent. You needed to go somewhere to discuss this and in the middle of practice wasn't one way.

Ciel raised his brows at you, somehow impressed on the plan you came up with, "Alright. Sebastian will do then. Now we need to know where the children are." Ciel continued and went back to his stretching.

"They're not here," said Sebastian, glancing to the back of the tent. "I didn't sense them in the circus tents at all." You tilted your head at that, "Huh? Then what are we—"

"Hey, now! Quit chatting! Start stretching!" Dagger suddenly came across your conversation. You immediately went back on stretching as he walked over to your group.

He clasped his hands together, eyes landing on each one of you. "Come on! I'll coach you through your first day. First, your acts. Any requests?" He inquired. Ciel requested not to walk on the tightropes anymore, of course.  You let out a sigh, leaning on a wooden crate.

Dagger chuckled lightly,  "Aha... Okay. How about you, Wonder?" He asked, facing towards you. You snapped your head up, humming in reply.

"Hm? Oh, well... I am... Quick... And I can deal with knives and such." You replied casually, pushing yourself up. Dagger put a hand under his chin, "Hmm.. that could work. Can you do knife-catching?"

"Well-"

Before you could even say another word, Sebastian beat you to it, "Oh, I remember once when she caught a bullet with her two fingers and threw it back like how a gun would shoot. So I guess knife-catching will be easy for her. Oh, and she also—" you moved beside him, clasping your hands to his mouth so he couldn't spill some more. You turned your head to Dagger, giving him a nervous chuckle, "Don't listen to him! He's bragging."

"Right! it's settled then! You can do knife-catching! This will be perfect. Smile can work with you then." Dagger snickered. Oh well, things were getting worse and worse for you. Dagger asked what Sebastian wanted for his first act, which you could care less about.

"I have no particular perseverance," Sebastian said. "Yeah, you're a real athlete!" Dagger nodded at his words. You rolled your eyes sideways, "Oh, please."

"Try whatever you think you could manage. I'll watch it!" Dagger exclaimed, gesturing his hand to all the props behind him. You chuckled at his words, stepping up to him.  "You might want to rethink that. He might go... over the roof. No, I mean that, literally." You blocked Sebastian out of Dagger's view.

"I'll try not to." Sebastian shut you off and went straight to do... probably all the acts that were visible here. Starting from Trapeze, juggling, pole climbing, rings of fire, and so on. Everyone was amazed by him, but of course, not yo and Ciel were just down, waiting with tired looks. You threw your head back at his actions, releasing a breath and sitting on a stool. Sebastian was about to swallow a sword but Dagger had seen enough and stop him.

"Tsk... show off," you whispered to yourself. The other members praised him for being such an amazing athlete but the truth was he was nonhuman. You stomped your way to him, stopping by his side. "You're getting carried away! We're supposed to be newbies." You whispered at him as he looked back at you over his shoulder, a smirk plastered on his feature.

"Are you jealous?" He teased.

"No— you know that's not what I mean, you damn creature!" You pushed him away.

"Well, I'll be darned. Another brand new star? I'd better keep sharp!" Dagger said which made you questioned. "Wait?... another?" You asked, tilting your head to the side. Dagger nodded at you, "One more lad is joining us. Look, over there!" He pointed upward which makes all of you turn to where he referred.

You looked up to the tightrope only to see a man who you knew. "Is that... William?" You whispered to Sebastian.

"A reaper indeed," Sebastian said.

"Come down, Suit!"

Suit? They could've gone better than that. But you didn't care anyway, what you wanted to know was why he was here.

William looked down back to you with his death scythe in his hand. He extended his scythe, reaching down beside Sebastian. You jumped slightly at the hook of it dug to the floor.

"I didn't think we'd meet again. What prey are you hunting for this time?" Said William as he jumped down and landed in front of Sebastian. He dragged his scythe towards him, inches away from his face.

"You vile demon?" William scrunched his nose at the words. Your eyes went to him and Sebastian back to back.

Dagger narrowed his eyes at his words, "Demon? What does he mean?" As the others gasped and started to murmur with one another.

"As if it wouldn't bad enough that reaper is in such short supply. Demons have to pop up everywhere, too?" Said William, stepping forward. You wished you could do something before he blew your cover, and so you took a step forward, taking his scythe down and pushed it back towards him.

"Hey, this is a nice one. Did you bring this yourself?" You faked a laugh, bringing his scythe to him. He looked at you in question as you whispered in his ear, "William, I swear. Not now!" As you clench your teeth. You released a forced chuckle, going back to the group.

Dagger clapped his hands a couple of times, "You say your gags with such a straight face. Haha... he'd been cracking jokes since he's here. Going on occult stuff." He laughed it off, patting William's shoulder. You stared at him, giving him a look. Thank God for your friendship he would listen to you.

"Come on! You're our rising stars, play nice, okay?" Dagger pat both of Sebastian's and William's shoulder. William moved away, seemed not interested in any of this. "I flatly refused." He said before walking away, though Dagger tried to talk him up and bring him back.

"What's a reaper doing here?" Ciel whispered silently to you and Sebastian.

"It's rare for a reaper to go undercover." Sebastian continued.

"If there's a reaper in here, then something is going on in this circus for sure. Not to mention that they send him." You finished their words, looking at William as he glanced at you.

Dagger broke your conversation once more, "Oh well, I guess we'll practise without him. Come on, Wonder! Let me see if you can catch my knives." He exclaimed. He grabbed a few knives from a table and told you to get in your position.

You playfully shrugged, doing as he told so and stood a few meters away from him. "Ready?"

You held your hands up in your stance, "Always!"

Dagger threw a knife at you and you caught it easily. You challenged him more and this time, he grabbed three knives instead of one on both of his hands. He threw them all at you and again, you caught it all in one swift motion.

"Heh.. guess you're right eh, Black? This is easy for her." Dagger laughed, putting a hand to his hip. You chuckled lightly, putting up a smirk. "Come on! That's just the beginning." You thought to yourself, you need them impressed if you need to be one of the main stars. And so you grabbed a nearby cloth, wrapping it around your head, covering your eyes.

"Try me." You challenged.

You hate to brag but you mastered the ability. How do you think you survived in the streets for years?

Dagger seemed uneasy with your actions, "Er.. you sure about this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Yet he was excited, "Alright!"

You sensed a movement coming at you in speed to your right. Twisting your foot, you caught it easily. The action repeated a few times until you heard Dagger dismissed you.

Pulling off the fabric over your eyes, you were surprised to see how many people were standing around you, clapping their hands. "Guess you have fans now, Wonder." Dagger put his thumbs up. You laughed along with him, waving off his words.

"Please. I was just... practising." You put your hands up, trying to make them stop. This was just a first step. You didn't know how long were you gonna be stuck in this case.