When Mino, Sasha, and I returned to the Summoner HQ , Grace ran up to us, a set of files clutched in her arms, her eyes all wide like a doe in headlights."Guys, you won't believe what I figured out!" She said, panting in between her words. "This..is crazy..."
Sasha and Mino's eyes lit up with interest. "What is it?" Sasha said, reaching out for the files. Grace jerked away from Sasha's grasp, but tilted her head in a way that said 'follow me' before running down the hallway in which she came. Bolting after her, we found Grace waiting for us in an empty meeting room.
"I was sorting out files earlier today, when I found these, made be Samuel himself, for only specific eyes only. I could get in big trouble for this, so you gotta promise to keep quiet about it. " Grace said in a rushed whisper. She revealed the file, and it had the "TOP SECRET " stamp across the front, and in the little tab where the file's name was, was "The Summoner Circus" .
Opening the file, papers of all different varieties spilled out onto the table. Picking one up, it was a summoner bio.
Name, F: Axell266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPyATDMm7O
Name, L: Colt266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc0ueSFxLX
Name, M: Carrie266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBqtKMx4ES
Gender: Female266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZfmBKTiBy
Age: 14266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEg16h8sY1V
DOB: June 6th266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHbpIFmq0I
Rank before Leaving : C266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg6TtoKIm2
Character Count: 2266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8pwPkuiEs
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmSuz42SBr
The information went on and on. But what was the Summoner's Circus? I shifted around the papers in search for an answer, the exact same thing everyone else was doing. When I found what I think was my answer, the text displayed as such.
The rebel organization, The Summoner's Circus, is one we know very little of. The only information that we have as of present is that a group of powerful summoners in the eastern portion of the United States National Territory cut themselves off from the Summoner Society and created their own organization, it is also accountable for several summoner deaths on the North American continent. Information gathered on them will be kept under lock and key until further notice.
"Oh my gosh. .." I said, my mouth gaping open in shock. I didn't know what to make out of this. Was this the thing Allister was talking about?266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17xMDhs6rz
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXePnQXzk5W
"What is it, Scarlet? " Mino asked, peering over to see the document I had. I read it out loud, and everyone had the same expression I had just moments earlier.
"Maybe Meichi isn't alone...did anyone find anything about that?" Grace said, glancing around to each of us.
"I did." Sasha said, showing us some of the papers she sifted out , and setting them out before us. The first paper that caught my eye was another profile-266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnpZ9C58fm
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHJQ6ve8f8
Name, F: Sarah266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXCiK3QYX0
Name, L: Hearth266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTQeBBjgMT
Name, M: Grace266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYTfGDYw2D
Gender : Female266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRhnHCv6Y8
Age: 14266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObEXWKCZ6R
DOB: ??266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2PqjLd9bY
Rank before Leaving : B266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMQBsRTRMY
Character Count : ??266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfpBkaDoC5
Additional Notes : This summoner doesn't summon any characters, but instead uses dolls that operate on their own free will.
In the corner of my eye, I saw a torn up piece of paper, but it was still in readable condition. Picking it up, it read as following -
1/23/14, Territory Richmond, Marissa Citadel, Rank A Multisummoner.
I'm here, behind the curtains of the Traveling Circus Marcí. I've learned many, many dark things. I've found the Summoner's Circus, and what has happened to these children is horrifying. They've all lost their minds, the poor innocent souls I once knew as Meichi, Axell, Vanessa, Crypt, Sarah, and Allister have turned to monsters. Don't turn your back on the dolls if you value your life. Something is wrong with them. This isn't a safe place, and if you're reading this, please head my advice-
This entry was handwritten, and not finished, but the most disturbing part was the red splotches on it, and I'm convinced that it's not paint. I passed it to everyone as I continued to read various other documents. They all were mostly incomplete Summoner records, carrying information such as-
The key ring on Meichi's belt is her Summoner's tool. I couldn't grab it, but this information I'm sure of.
BE ELEMENT RESISTANT.
My character refused to fight against Vanessa's Aurora...I'm not sure why..,
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE DOLLS.
Don't trust the marionettes.
Do. Not. Go. Near. Those. Puppets.
Report after report, the Summoners told and warned the reader (which happened to be me) about what I could assume were Sarah's marionettes, but never specified why. Every report with a mention of them, however, were unfinished and had those terrifying red splotches. That wasn't very settling whatsoever.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRlQ7x91Ng
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"I know what I need to do!" Mino said, standing up and slamming her palms on the table after about a hour of reading and discussing. We all jerked up to see what Mino was about to go off about. "I'm gonna go out, find a puppet, and bring it back here to see what is all offsy about it!"
I hoped Mino was joking, but sure enough, she wasn't. "Are you sure that's a good idea..?" I asked, looking at Mino with a concerned expression.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cfXhggjLu
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJlRY1bw3G
"Yeah, are you sure?" Sasha said. "You know what happened..."266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm9cha9oXu
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"Yeah, we don't want that to happen again!" Grace said, now looking slightly nervous, well, more nervous than usual. Grace had been jittery every time I saw her, but this was a special case. But what could they possibly be talking about? What had happened to Mino?266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYobiHhtVw
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtDEuTVLS4
Mino looked rather hurt at our comments. "I won't let anything that's happened to me get in my way! I need to figure out what exactly is with those puppets. If we figure it out, it'll be a great advantage! If this works, what happened to me won't happen to anyone else!" She said, starting to get slightly angered. I still didn't know what she meant by that, but there's nothing I, or any of the others, could do about it.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7ZVwSBrMQ
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"If you insist...just be careful!" Grace said, looking at Mino with pleading eyes.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTcD3S9ZrX
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Mino's anger seemed to have died down fairly quickly, as she was back to ordinary self. "Pfft! I'll be fine! You're talking to THE Mino Hylia!" Mino's mouth had curved into a confident smile, her eyes lighting up. She seemed to be fairly sure of herself, and that worried me. "Now, I gotta go! I'm wasting daylight!"266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GNIN7lqmF
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iPa80l0Ho
Sasha spoke up again. "Do you want me to come with you?" She asked. Mino thought it over for several moments.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGDiqG6vzF
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeK9cyz9uK
"Yeah, why not? Safety in numbers- but I think you should be the only one to come along. Contradictory, eh?" Mino said, chuckling a bit. "That said- The Traveling Circus Macri might be a little too dangerous for Grace and Scarlet - maybe for us too, but the risk is greater for them."266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOreqIKAl2
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOWzW1Edoc
Grace looked over at me, then at Sasha and Mino. "What are we to do while you're gone? I'll be worried!" She said, speaking for me as well.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhk7NzL4KAg
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhXsVEUQ7h
"You have some time in the Silver Arena today, right? Try mentoring Scarlet. Practice never hurt for anyone!" Sasha said, smiling a reassuring smile in Grace's direction. "And don't worry about us. We'll be fine!"266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuGMs9k4Ub
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLANVJBUw7j
Says the very same person that told me that nobody gets out of these sorts of places alive. Very reassuring.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8PWa2213q
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbt4HiabPES
"Well...! Good luck with that! Come on Scarlet we're wasting time training training training haaaaAAa." Grace spoke very quickly, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the meeting room toward the Silver Arena. I could barely mutter a 'Good Luck' to Sasha and Mino before I was dragged out.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1j0dnbhos
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBvuTMHNBb
When we got into the Silver Arena, Grace didn't bother changing the atmosphere, saying that it wasn't important. She just jumped right in. "Alright, it seems to me that you've got summoning the character down. it's a simple skill, I'm not surprised! Now... you need to learn syncing. Which means summoning characters based on traits of the enemies. To put it simply, choose your characters like pokemon!" Grace kept talking and demonstrating, but I was barely paying attention. The fact that Mino and Sasha had probably already left for the Circus Marci and are at a hopeless risk of death worried me to the point where it clouded my thought.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufwSUPOcjJ
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavYcbXVFGe
After about 20 minutes, Grace must've picked up on it. "Scarlet! Earth to Scarlet! Are you okay, Scarlet?" she said, calling back the two characters she had summoned. I slowly shook my head, which lead to Grace biting half of her lower lip. "It's Mino and Sasha, huh?" Still not saying a word, I nodded. "I understand, you've only known them for about a day, but you feel like you've known them for so long. I'm starting to get that feeling with you, how silly is that? I just...want you, them, everyone, to be happy and safe, but I get the feeling that it won't be that way." From what I could see, tears were welling up in the auburn's eyes, as she took off her glasses to wipe them off. "Look at me, god I'm so emotional... "266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqclygasjq6
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRXYLoKNFI
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, not knowing what exactly to say. I wasn't the best at comforting people, I just feel so distant when that sort of thing happens.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBBgej8gQU
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTKbC6rMVQ
Grace flinched when I spoke, slipping her glasses back on her face. "Yeah!! I'll be fine, don't worry!!" She said, forcing a smile, maybe to show me that she was alright. I didn't necessarily buy it, but I let it slide. The next few hours of 'training' were less training and us sitting on the floor of the Silver Arena talking about our lives, experiences, and other trivial things. It was kinda calming, knowing that the people surrounding me were actually, well, human. Not saying that they weren't in the first place, but it was nice knowing more about one person that I was going to entrust my life in. Grace told me about her characters - mostly fan characters from Pokemon and Etrian Odyssey, but hearing her get all giddy over it made me smile. e266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOFIo1XCim
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHeUBlwIK8
"All Summoners in the Silver Arena, please exit. It will be closing for maitnence shortly."266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4LEIJfST9
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRFAneI43f
"Holy crap! It's 9:00 already!?" Grace said, her eyes dialating in surprise. "We better get outta here...let's wait for Sasha and Mino outside the base, race ya!" And with that, Grace was bolting out of the Arena, me scrambling to catch up.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6TzSbotPL
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZ2cLnUtaY
Luckily enough for us, for when we walked out of the base, Mino and Sasha were running down towards us, Mino holding a marionette in the air, shouting "TAKE THAT, PUPPETS!" and laughing like a psychopath. Sasha was yelling "WE DID IT, HELLA!"266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtmr0CTZ8n
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuIXTX1KPv
"Well...sounds like that went successfully." I said, smiling slightly. The two were slightly banged up, but at least they were in one peice.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEUjeZP3VG
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUn9Huq8IzM
"it certainly did!" Mino said. "We snuck in the back in the middle of a show, so none of them figured out we were even there!" She was doing a little happy dance, the marionette hanging limp in her grasp.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJHKpvzEzr
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1jUn7DjIs
"Well, we might need to do that reverse engineering thingy...." Grace said, doing a weird gesture with her hands, I had no idea what it meant.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEubUnOCyqz
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDq9stYS8J
"Yeah, yeah, I'll do that." Mino said, running into the base.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mHrwg6TQ2
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVGHhjfFP9
"She's going to be reckless with that, we should probably follow her." Sasha said, regaining her calmness. That said, we followed Mino into the base, where Mino was running down the halls in search of a labratory, or that's what Grace said she was doing. Sure enough- Grace was right, but why were there labratories in a magical HQ!? The Summoner's Soceity never ceases to confuse me.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1C9GRRVtE
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSgonYmWxo
"I got this guys! Just wait outside!" Mino said when we peaked into the lab. She already had a set of tools set out in front of her, the puppet laying on an examination table. The doll was no eyes - just empy eye sockets, and her ribcage was showing. It creeped me out big time.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzUAO3haWx
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZNru6zAZX
So, we did just that. Waited, waited, and waited. It had been 30 minutes before we heard Mino saw "Aw shit.." but told us "I got it...just broke off a leg...I'll fix it.. could you get me a snack or something? I think there's a cafe by the Silver Arena..." so, we did just that. It was a little coffee shop, so we just bought Mino some doghnuts and a latte. While walking back, a ear splitting screech echoed through the mostly barren hallway.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquKlocsdtL
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HAWtxZoK7
"AHHHHHHHHH! HELP ! HELP! HELP-"266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zpj7FDYFK
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTkJFtBVq0
We ran into the labratory, only to find the doll missing, and Mino laying on the floor, not just dead, decapitated. A figure stood in the window, the only thing we could see was theyre weapon, a metal rope with two knives at the end. They - or she, it seemed - spoke to us.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLTDzWp4ib
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaph2g4X7J
"I hope you look on the corpse of your friend and learn a lesson...don't play with my dolls... or mess with our plans. They have some very...explicit, consequences~"266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEdn57iRBP
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The figure made a motion that looked like the snapping of fingers, and with that, she- and the body of Mino, was gone.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfg3B7Dy96
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSC84XDBd7
"Who..? How...? I can't..! No..!" Grace's speech was limited to sentence fragments, while Sasha was just muttering "Nononono..." like a broken record. Me? I was speechless. I couldn't believe what had happened, but it happened nonetheless.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiN4Ev6Jezv
266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JoIBKtNAl
So many questions swirled around my head, but only one was of any rational and not grief stricken course of thought-266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZhHUsY7VD
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What were we going to do now.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV5JOcKcrR
