The Sanguine Circus

7pm

It was a particularly hard winter night in LA, what with the outbreak, then the fires, then the resulting rise in crime and homelessness. It was enough to drive many to despair. But there were people who weren’t going to stand by and do nothing – there were those who were going to step up and help, even if it meant just having a hot meal for a day.

A sign hung on the chain link fence surrounding the empty lot. “Neighborhood food program- if you need to need to eat please come in.”

Two young women in winter attire, one an Asian and one Latina, plus a big great Dane laying down on the pavement had set up a food tent in an empty lot between a couple of abandoned apartments. Most of the people here were tenants of those very apartments, evicted and unable to do anything about it with their jobs having been lost as well.

The ladies were serving portions of food from a buffet table, to make sure everybody had enough to eat. Each person got some corn bread, some fried chicken, some fish sticks, some hot pumpkin soup, some mixed vegetables. They also had a small bag of groceries to take home… or take to their car.

A mother accompanying her child received her food and groceries extended her sincerest gratitude. “Thank you, thank you so much. You’re our heroes.”

The young Latina lady, Alejandra, nodded and replied curtly. “It’s no big deal ma’am, we have to help each other out in these hard times.”

The mother replied in Spanish, and moved on. The day was uneventful otherwise, save for a strange clown no one had noticed and stood at the entrance, holding up a sign, written in rather poor penmanship and runny red paint. “Need food come inside.”

Grovoton's world shook. Pain seared it's way through his bones, through his soul, a hot iron melting through butter, he slipped into nothingness. Or did he? He could feel it. Like he was touching the edge of a nasty grime of a bog then pure ice cold water of the mountains. His stomach heaved as he came back into existence. One foot over another his youthful foot tripped, and he found himself face first on the cold cement.

His mind felt like jelly. What was he doing here? Wasn't he just... where was he? Pain pushed it's self through him like a wave, his form actually shuttered, and he realized he was the size and build of an 18 year old, but wasn't he always? He felt his head in his hands, knees pressing against small pebbles that littered the ground where he knelt. He sat there for a moment collecting his thoughts, waiting for the pain to pass. Would it ever?

After an eternity he began to look around. The alleyway was light by a high sun, the cool air made his breath into small clouds as he breathed. Trash cans and filth sat around him, mice dancing about, a homeless man sat against one of the walls, huddled blowing into his hands for warmth. Not paying him any mind. Grovoton's clothes were also dirty and too large for his body, a white robe, slippers, all with gold trimmings on the hem.

"Hey.." Grovoton spoke, for some reason he was surprised at the sound of his voice, like he was expecting something completely different. "Hey!" He spoke up, the first one seemingly fell on def ears. The homeless man jumped back in shock, as if he didn't notice him.
"What.. where did you come from?" He asked.
"Uh..."
"You've gotta be cold."
"I am. Where am I?" Grovoton held his head in his hand, trying to think. Where had he been?
After a long silent moment the man spoke, "Your in Los Angeles... are you... on somethin?"
"No... I don't think so." His body did feel ok, other than the pain in his head.
"Here." The man took off his jacket and handed it to Grovoton. Taking it without thinking once, of course he should give him his jacket.

After finding himself warm in the new attire Grovoton started to walk. Down the alley, to the right, onto a main street. Then towards a sign, offering free food. This world was all about catering to him, he felt a hint of satisfaction as he walked into the tent with the clown out-front.

As Grovo and a few other homeless people came into the parking lot, Alejandra was the welcome committee, handing people cups, tissues and utensils as they formed a line for the food.

"Ola, mi amigas. Welcome, please come in! find a seat and grab some food. We cooked enough for everyone."

Then Alejandra noticed Grovo, who seemed more out of sorts than the usual crowd they got. "You don't look so good, amigo. Are you okay? What's your name? I'm Alejandra by the way."

With the help of a couple of other quick moving kitchen crew, also in winter wear, Diana put together a few trays of food for the new arrivals, waving at them. "Just take one tray per person, but you can come back for seconds." She offered to the new arrivals, including Grovo.

Brutus meanwhile stirred from his nap on the pavement and approached the crowd of new arrivals. His presence caused some people to be afraid, but his warm and calm demeanor put them at ease. A few reached out to pat him on the head and scratch him behind the ears, to which he responded with a happy whine. He sniffed at Grovo's hands, and went back to his spot near the buffet table. He surveyed the rather large crowd now rather than go back to sleep, then slowly made his way to the end of the lot... where something that wasn't there before, suddenly appeared.

The clown at the entrance had quietly disappeared as soon as most people turned their backs on him. But instead, a trio of dudes with tools were starting to put together a wooden stage; no one noticed it suddenly appearing in the empty side of the lot, or even being assembled but people only started to take note when it was almost ready. The only one who noticed was Brutus, who eyed the stage workers suspiciously.

"Hey! Brutus! heel! Come here!" Not aware of the sudden presence of the stage, and assuming that they'd always had a show coming up, Alejandra quickly came over and had to take Brutus by his vest's harness grip. "ayaaa, it's just the show, Brutus. Relax" She assured him, despite some protestive whining. Alejandra looked at the stage and felt the slighest dejavu, like something wasn't quite right.

Grovoton grasp at the tray the women gave to him and started to eat right away. He enjoyed it, for as long as it lasted anyway. After going up for seconds he looked back at the woman who he had first seen. Watching he pull at her dog in one way or another and then glanced at the stage that was across the parking lot. Instantly his thoughts went to, "oh the shows here" and didn't question anything about it.

"Alejandra... was it?" he asked. "Do you know when it's going to start?" He said shoveling more food into his mouth. It felt like he hasn't eaten in centuries he was so hungry, or like he hasn't eaten ever. Whatever the feeling he was happy now that something sat there nice and warm.

The dog was an interesting looking creature for sure. Only eyeing it over spoon fulls his mind quickly went to how it worked or what it was made of. "That is an interesting.... breed." He said with his mouth full. "Where did you get him?" After asking he would glance back at the staging area and feel a mysterious... something, like he had dreamed this before, though couldn't remember the ending.

Alejandra gave a smile to Brutus when Grovo asked about him, giving the old dog chin rubs, to which he responded with a satisfied whinge. “Brutus and I go way back. His original owner was a close friend of mine… But he passed away, and I’m all he has left.”

The loud screech of microphone static preceded the clown introducing himself. A few people clutched their ear in discomfort, as the clown began talking into the poor audio equipment they brought. He fixed up his garishly colored suit, the coat too small but his pants too big, and his shoes just tremendous but smeared with some black ichor. “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I’m Fatso the clown. I’m from Jersey. Heh.” Pause, and paced about the stage. The crowd was silent. People stopped eating. “Today I’m here to entertain… to uh... seeing all your lovely, warm, hopeful faces just… made me want to come out here and put on a show!” he said, though in a tone more annoyed than enthusiastic.

Circus music begins to play a bit too loudly and too roughly over the gutted sound system. Three clowns, presumably the stage hands who put together the stage, emerged from a giant jack-in-the-box on stage. They now were wearing clown masks and started performing… poorly.

The first clown tried to juggle some colored balls, but only ended up throwing them into the air, catching some and dropping the rest. Another tried to tumble but fell flat on his back. A third tried knife throwing at a target on stage, but threw his implements wildly, most missing, others not even digging into the target. The at-ease mood of the feeding program turned uncomfortable, tense and annoyed. The assistants shrugged apologetically, like it was no big deal.

Fatso though, just laughed at his assistants’ antics. “Hehe oops. Looks like some clowns could use some practice!”

“YOU SUCK!” The performers’ ineptitude drew a few boo’s and jeers, but overall the crowd in the empty mostly grew uneasy. And Fatso the clown only smiled more as they did. Alejandra only looked at them with worry, as Brutus became more agitated, barking at the stage. "BARK! BARK! GRRRR! BARK BARK!"

Watching the show Grovo stood back and as the crowd began to berate the clowns on stage. It was almost as if they never practiced a day in their lives. If he wasn’t so hungry he might have even laughed a little, so much hatred over such a poor performance. He wanted to yell at the clowns to get up and try again, to try and please their master, but the crowd seemed to urge them to do the same, and with a sly remark from the lead clown they began to pick themselves up.

He half expected it to be more entertained himself. Even the animal next to him was barking and growling at the clowns. Suddenly the thought hit Grovoton once more, the feeling of an evil taint rubbing at the back of his mine, but he couldn’t place it just yet, it hung in the air like a fog, obscuring something. He rubbed the feeling off and started to laugh as he swallowed the food.  

“They are something huh?” He asked Alejandra. “Where do you think they are from?” He referred to the clowns themselves. “Now that I think about it. I was kinda expecting to see them… But I can’t be sure why.” He said. Had he seen a flyer at all? He has been kind of dazed for the last few hours. Maybe that was the reason. He must have seen something on the way out of the alley or maybe even learned of it last week, his mind kept on making an excuse for their existence. He had noticed the pain in his head subsiding a little, and his brain wasn’t so foggy, though the memory loss stood there like a brick wall. If he could just think harder.

He sat down his plate on a table next to him and shoved his hands into his pockets to keep warm. “That tent does seem mighty cozy though.” He noted small plumes of smoke rising from behind it, he couldn’t be sure of the source, but liked to think it was a grill of some kind. Hot dogs, burgers, nice grilled corn on the cob, he had to shake his head. He had just eaten a ton of food, there was no way he was hungry for more… was there?

The white robes he had on didn’t seem as white as they were before, almost like they began to dim the moment he became conscious of where he was. Dirt now marked the bottom of his hem, which remained too large for his form. Why he was dressed in such a way continued to bug him, but it was all a small thing now, the cacophony of clowns and crowd weighed it down. Anger started to well up in him in an instant and he wanted to shout with the group. He continued to try and hold it in, but it was as if he was under some kind of compulsion do let it all out at once.

Grimacing he got closer to Alejandra, holding his hands over his ears and closing his eyes, he might have even bumped into the lady.

“Okay, okay, I know that wasn’t so good. But I got something special for ya. Now for a volunteer.” He announced, then pointed his fat clown finger at a child in the playground closest to the stage. The girl looked up, surprised, pointing to herself, looking at the homeless crowd then back to the clown. "M...me?"

It was then the three assistants jumped from the stage and down to the ground, surrounded the child and threw a large blanket over her. Much to everyone's surprise, the blanket landed on the ground, as if the child disappeared under it.

The crowd gasped, a few applauded at the trick. Maybe the opening was a farce to subvert expectations, and the clowns did have some tricks after all. but as seconds pass the child’s mother moved up to the stage and scolded Fatso. “Okay, okay, nice trick but enough with the clowning around. Where is my daughter?”

“Not in this empty square of hunger and desperation. But she is in this cube... in my possession!” From the inside of his coat he brought out a cube 6 inches to a side. Each side he showed was a simple colored box… until the last façade, which showed a glass surface like a window… and the girl banging on it, shouting in a muffled voice.

“Mama! Mama! Help me! I can’t get out!” the crowd gasps in fear and confusion. The mother breaks out in anger, shaking her fist at Fatso. “Baby! Angelica! Let her go! LET HER GO!” she pleaded, but her terror and pain served only to fill the clown with glee. Nourishing him.

It was then that Alejandra and her sensei Diana knew these clowns were no good. Diana simply gestured with her head to her pair of kitchen assistants, Filipino dudes, and they immediately went to the company van. They opened the passenger door and pulled out a bag of sticks and staves. Diana and her students, now armed with quarterstaff and eskrima sticks, fanned out to surround the stage.

Fatso let out a laugh. A deep, maniacal laugh, as he opened the giant jack in the box and let loose a dozen masked clowns, clowns that seemed to be just normally clothed children from around the neighborhood, now wearing twisted clown masks and carrying things from baseball bats to crowbars to chains to fireaxes. The sight of them made many of the adults hesitate, and as they swung their weapons at the grown-ups, they retreated rather than lay a hand on them.

The sight made Alejandra freeze in place, as her arm instinctively held onto Brutus, for fear of him maiming children. “Stay! Brutus stay!” she commanded, and felt Brutus obey, not resisting her grip, but she held on still. She defended herself with her free hand, the clownlings keeping her and the dog at bay with their weapons. Brutus barked at the kids, but even this massive animal could not scare them.

The crowd erupted in panic as the little clownlings began their attack, now cruelling targeting the children in the playground. Several parents instinctively retrieve their kids, but a couple are tackled to the ground, and not offering much resistance, are forced to wear a clown mask.

Diana’s students interpose themselves between the crowd and the clownlings, using their sticks to fend them off. “Ey! Be a good girl and put down the shovel! I doesn’t wanna hurt you with my stick!” The guys tried, but being surrounded by giggling kids with sharp weapons, could only just stall them.

The child who was screaming and crying in terror only moments ago then stand up, giggling. The insane clown posse give him a weapon, and they join in with the fun… and there were still more children, and more masks to be had.

Grovo, being distracted, was also prime target for a couple of the clownlings. One had a garden rake to distract him, while another had a sinister clown mask. They intended to spread this virulent sickness to everyone they could...

Fatso’s laughter reached a manic high as he drank in the chaos. “ARE WE HAVING FUN NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!?!”

Ugh. with all of the commotion about the child. Grovoton let his anger lose on the surrounding clowns as they attacked. One ran for his side, he let his fist smash into the man's face, with a crack he fell to the ground motionless. The next one attacked from behind, wrapping his arms around Grovoton, he flaied and shifted, kicked another as he came at his front, mask first with his arms outstretched. Luckily this body was thin like a bundle of wires, twisting Grovo was able to get free.

His lack of skill was apparent. He wasn't doing anything any other kid wouldn't, though it seemed he could hit a little harder than most. The last person still wasn't back on his feet and the mast had cracked down the middle in a sinus line. The people around them scattered as the attackers came in, some running, others standing to fight. Most of the homeless had tried to run to only be blocked with clowns that emerged from seeming nowhere behind the finely trimmed brush that lined the curve.

Once he was free, Grovoton dashed to get back beside the lady. She didn't seem too afraid of what was happening and by the looks, her coworkers knew how to defend themselves.

Diana studied one of the children coming at her, seeing them move with a stiff gait, and a force speed. Their chi- their energy, was completely off, the masks the obvious culprits. She goes inside and out manipulates their grip on their poleweapon, then takes off the mask. The child ceases his attack and passes out from exhaustion. "ALEI! ELIAS! TOPH! MASKS!" She shouted, and her pupils nodded.

Grovoton's actions produced similar results, though since all the masked clowns were small children, they tended to get tossed in a direction.

"BRUTUS! WEAPON!" Alejandra commanded, and the cyberdog switched from trying to bite someone's face off to simply biting at their improvised weapons. Then she go in, grab them by the collar could rip off their masks. This was slow but the way she did it.

Diana put a very quick end to the brainwashed masked children attacking her, seeing their attacks coming, simultaneously parrying with a stick and taking their masks. While making her way onstage.

Fatso the clown gave Diana mock applause, as she was first to come before

"Kid. Alive. UNharmed. Now. Or else." Diana warned Fatso, pointing her stick.
The clown responded by throwing three serrated knives at her.

Diana didn't event flinch at the knives coming her way, expertly parrying two and catching one. with two fingers no less, like snatching it out of thin air.

"I don't like you, girl." Fatso said, losing his Jersey accent. "You've no fear nor doubt since I sensed you. You even feel you can win." His voice range deep and unholy. demonic.

Once the brainwashed children were dealt with, Alejandra covered the other side of the stage. Brutus growled and barked. "Don't even think of running, pendejo." She warned.

Diana approached Fatso, two hands on her big stick. Fatso lashed out with a surprise third insectile arm that shot out of his back in an instant, a move Alejandra didn't even see, but one Diana did... unfortunately she underestimated the attack, and rather than fully parry it, was grazed in the shoulder. Diana took a swing at Fatso's jaw, causing it to gruesomely dislocate, but this only invconvenienced him.

"Inhuman monster." Diana murmured, feeling her scratched shoulder start to go numb, and it spread very quickly. She realized what had just happened. She looked at Alei. "Al..." then she collapsed.

"An apt description. You might want to get that looked at though." Fatso the demonic spider clown shoot a web from... some place... and evacuated the scene. Brutus leapt at Fatso, but failed to bite at him.

The exchange happened too fast, "Sensei? Diana? Diana! Dios Mio!" Alejandra rushed to diana's side as she suddenly collapsed.

Grovoton ran over to the body after the kids had fled.

"Is.. Is she going to be ok?" He asked Alejandra. He wished there was something he could do, he could have learned so much from this woman. Moving his hand to the lady he touched her shoulder. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, he could feel her. Hairs quickly grew on his hands without Grovoton specifically trying to, they attempted to penetrate her fill her with adrenaline, but he pulled back and stood back up. He looked down as the hair like protrusions retracted.

Whatever was happening to him, it had to be through this scenario. He could use this to grow, he could feel the need to, something here will let him fill in the missing pieces of his memory.

"Let me help you." He closed his hand in a fist. "I can learn quickly. Please, train me to fight this... this clown." It seemed like the only way he could achieve what he needed.

Alejandra looked at Grovo. He had fought bravely but lacked ability beyond unusual strength. Perhaps he was metahuman. He expressed his desire to fight the clowns, and save the children.
“…Okay. You’re in this now. That clown… and his circus… we have to stop them. Save the kids. We’ll have to keep a lookout when they’ll show up next.”

Alejandra and the crew carry Diana to their van to get her home, Brutus hopping into the back with them all. Diana was conscious but kept her eyes closed, sweating profusely. She seemed to exert immense effort to slow her breathing.

Alejandra had to remove Diana’s outer clothes to examine the wound. Her veins around where the Clown stung her were blackened, but the spread had slowed to a virtual halt.

“Diana’s using her Chi powers to stop the poison from spreading…” Alejandra whipped out the vial on her necklace, and let her drink the contents. Steam visibly emanated from Diana.

SAMURAI SUSHI

The Samurai Sushi crew returned to their home and brought their big boss to her room upstairs. Alejandra quickly rejoins Grovo in the restaurant proper, which was now closed for obvious reasons. The boys close the roll up door and keep watch from the windows.

As uneasy minutes pass, Brutus sat with Grovo, keeping a constant six foot distance and watch on him. The cyberdog alone didn’t quite warm up to him beyond a pragmatic tolerance. Any move seemed to elicit Brutus’s ears raising. If an animal could be suspicious, it glinted in his one cybernetic eye.

Alejandra returned from the upstairs. “Diana should be able to shake it off by tomorrow. Well, we’re here now, it’s time to make a decision. Come with me to the basement.”

SAMURAI SUSHI BASEMENT

Alejandra led Grovo to the restaurant’s basement, the lights coming on in a few stuttering blinks. There the walls were lined with wooden studs, and attached to them were row upon row of sword stands and sheathed swords, organized neatly according to origin and size. From the smallest daggers, gladius and arming swords, to the fearsome Nodachis, Zweihanders, and the largest in the collection, a full-sized executioner sword.

“The clown we fought was definitely inhuman, and dangerous up close, so it might be prudent to carry a sword… well, take your pick and we’ll start training.”

It was an awkward moment, sitting on the couch, waiting for Alejandra to return as the dog watched him. It didn't seem to like him for some reason, he was surprised it didn't bark every time he moved his arm. It was tolerant, that was for sure. When the lady returned he stood up with an eagerness he was sure the cyber-dog could sense.

Walking down the creaking stairs gave way to a large room decorated with weapons from all types of places. "With all of this... surely you don't need my help." He thought, but dared not say. "I think I will take this one." He pointed to the executioners sword. Taking hold of the hilt he pulled. The weapon didn't budge. Trying again he his body instantly reacted, muscles from one arm shifted to the other as he lifted it single handedly. The other arm was now feeble, sickly, almost skeletal, Grovoton hadn't noticed.

"This is beautiful." He said with a twisted smile.

"We don't have enough arms to hold all these weapons." Alejandra said frankly, their armaments outstripping their number of users.

Alejandra watched as their newest friend pick up the executioner sword. Well, if he had the strength to use it beyond as a training tool... "We actually use the Ex-sword for training strength, stamina, balance and..." She then notices his arm freakishly changing, letting him carry the sword one handed. "Dios mio! Senor, your arm... is that your power?" She pointed at the shriveled arm.

The beauty of the weapon excited him. He could have spent all day looking at it, the workmanship was subpar, but the dents and bumps off the blade added a character to the sword he didn't anticipate, it a monster. He felt a connection to the ruff edges and nature of the weapon. Deep down he could sense there was something off about his body, that he wasn't normal, but his memory wouldn't let him reach that far back.

With the ladies words Grovoton snapped back to reality. Looking to the side and noticing his arm, an instinct took over, the blade dropped to the ground and his arm was normal again. The muscles jerked his body as they reformed and he jumped back in surprise. "What...?" He questioned. "I don't know what that was." He said looking at the lady dumbfounded. "Power?"

Was this kind of thing normal here, should he have known this? "Can you do that too?" He asked. He could make her show him how to use this new found ability. He started to wonder if the moment earlier, with the other lady, was his body instantly trying to help, or maybe he was trying to do something completely different. What were his limitations?