One Long, Dangerous Riddle

[Gauche]

(ooc: Can I trust you? Should you trust me, too? /shot
June 15th, after the performances for the day have been wrapped up. Open only to Gauche and Luigi Largo.)

As each day progressed, Gauche began to doubt more and more that she would be able to get anything accomplished as a worker at the circus. She'd had the benefit of working close to Droite, but even that was beginning to seem like it was losing its luster. In the recent days, Gauche had noticed a change in Droite. Her sister turned dragon had seemed increasingly violent toward herself, and once before a performance Gauche had had to keep her from trying to tear herself apart. That had resulted in a set of deep cuts on her arm, which Droite had apologized profusely for when she'd come to her senses. Gauche didn't have to be a genius to see that Droite was losing her hold on her old self. The problem was that she had no idea what to do about it.

With performances over for the day and the performers safely back in the catacombs, Gauche had taken to wandering the fairgrounds to do some thinking. Pink eyes were focused on the ground before her and her brow was creased in thought. If one looked hard enough, it would have been fairly easy to see the concern deeply engraved in her eyes. Gauche was thinking of doing something crazy. Not crazy like going on a one girl mission to break every one of the performers out, but more along the lines of trying to reason with some other worker. It was beginning to seem like she was the only sane person around (either that, or she hadn't been looking terribly hard for a person to speak with that wouldn't try biting her head off), so that was why she hesitated to try speaking to anyone. That, and truthfully she didn't trust anyone as far as she could throw them. Giving her petite figure, that wouldn't be very far.

"Yeager, I'm trying. I'm really trying to get her out of this. I just don't know what to do anymore." Gauche said. It was rare that such hopelessness featured itself in her voice, but there it was as plain as day as she spoke to her deceased adopted father. She knew he was gone, but somehow it felt like he might be listening. "I don't want her to suffer anymore, but how am I supposed to protect her? Everyone here is set on making people suffer." her voice grew softer and her walking slowed. Soon, she stopped entirely. Gauche doubted anyone would be able to hear her, but if they were... well, she wasn't about to blindly trust anyone. What could anyone do to help her and Droite, anyway?

"It'd be so much easier if someone could at least try to keep Droite safe."

[Luigi Largo]

Luigi, the new owner of the Dark Woods Circus, walked through the circus grounds surveying it looking at what needed changing and what needed up keep. He was going to replace all the tents with newer nicer looking ones, install security cameras so that there would be no chance of escape and no chance of anything going on that he didn't know about.

He didn't know much about the circus, aside that Pavi visited here (for Mina) often and that GeneCo was providing surgical equipment, parts, and sometimes new experimental projects for them to test of the acts before selling them to the public. As for the acts themselves Luigi didn't pay much attention to them nor care about them. (Save Mina Murray, and that was only because his brother was so smitten by her.)

Luigi paused for a moment as he walked. Another thing he was going to change about his circus, there would be signs and maybe a map of the circus. He was lost all the tents looked the same and he was sure he had been circling around the same way twice now. He was getting aggravated (it didn't take much to aggravate him) and he was cursing under his breath.
Then he saw a young girl up ahead, and he walked towards her, she at least looked like she knew her way around the circus.

"Hey, you!" He said. "Do you work here?"

[Gauche]

Naturally, Gauche turned her attention to the speaker that had suddenly made his presence known. Any hopelessness in her eyes seemed to be masked by distrust and caution. If the redhead had her sword with her at the moment, she probably would have drawn it out into the open. However, Gauche looked Luigi over before deciding what would be the best way to respond to the current development. He didn't look like he would hurt her, but it didn't hurt to play the caution card. At length, Gauche gave a curt nod.

"Yeah, I do. Who wants to know?" Gauche asked. She hadn't seen him around before, so she didn't know just who she was dealing with. For all she knew, it could have been someone looking to help her. ...Right. And I can fly.

[Luigi Largo]

"Luigi Largo." Luigi snapped at the red headed girl, he was much taller than her and out weighed her too. He scowled down at her.
"The new owner of the Circus. So unless you want to be kicked out of here I suggest you do what I say and show some goddamn respect."
He didn't know she was a worker, and nor did he care, he just wanted to get where he was going as fast as he could. He had business with the ring leader to put the finishing touches on the deed and contracts he had written up.
It gave him absolute control over how the circus was run, the ownership of the circus acts and experiments and, more importantly, control over the finances of the circus it'self.

[Gauche]

The new owner of the circus? As in... the new ringmaster? Realization dawned upon Gauche in that moment as she dropped the harsher part of her expression. If this was the new ringmaster, then maybe she wasn't in an entirely hopeless situation after all! Gauche knew it wouldn't be that easy, though. Trusting this man so blindly would be as unwise as throwing herself into the arms of her enemies Brave Vesperia. "Sorry. It pays to be cautious around here. It's merely a formality." Gauche said. Was it? She didn't know for certain anymore. She'd always been harsh, even Droite and Yeager had thought so, so it just felt natural to be that way. But the lie would do for then. Luigi didn't need to know her whole history.

"If you're the new ringmaster, then how come I haven't seen you around here until now?" she asked. Another good question would be what happened to the old ringmaster. Gauche had been so preoccupied with trying to help figure out some way to free Droite that she hadn't been paying much attention to the old ringmaster. If anything, she'd fallen by the wayside and Gauche had missed it. Then again, the very fact that he was new made it clear that he had either only just gotten there or had only been there for a day or so. Maybe the former. Gauche didn't know.

[Luigi Largo]

"I'm not the Ringmaster, just the owner." Luigi said crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at the girl. "The Ringmaster does what I say. As for why I've not been around here that much I've been busy. I have other things to do besides the circus, like help run the worlds richest and powerful company for starters."
He arched an eyebrow at the girls comment about not seeing the Ringmaster anywhere at all. So the circus was more or less operating without a boss, well that explained somethings, and why it was so easy to buy this place out from under the Ringleader.

"Though I am disappointed that the ringmaster hasn't been around here at all, that would explain some things though. Like discipline, just a few days ago one of the circuses acts attacked my brother, for no reason Pavi wasn't even hurting him, and broke both of his legs. That's when I knew I had to step in and take charge of this place before someone got killed."

[Gauche]

"Before someone gets killed..."

It was almost as if Luigi was reading her mind at that point. That was her biggest concern at the moment, especially for Droite, but did she dare say anything about that? Gauche hesitated to mention that fact out loud. The workers weren't supposed to be all that concerned for the welfare of the performers, or that seemed to be the notion that had been ingrained her in thoughts as she observed the others, and going against the grain was never a good idea. In most cases it was a big risk to even try it, and it usually ended badly. Brave Vesperia had gotten lucky with their converting blastia power into mana power plan working. Gauche probably wouldn't be anywhere near as lucky trying to show kindness in a world that seemed intent on torturing people.

...What have you got to lose? He's the guy running this place, and it sounds like he doesn't want anyone to get killed. Maybe Luigi can offer Droite some protection.

It was a risky venture, and Gauche knew it, but the hopeful side of her was keen to try one last time at trusting someone. However, she still hesitated to make her suggestion known. She didn't know if she could trust Luigi fully at that moment. The young redhead cleared her throat as subtly as she could, mostly for the sake of trying to make herself feel less nervous, before finally deciding to speak. What did she have to lose?

"Since we're on that subject, sir, I... kind of have a favor I've been wanting to ask of someone for a while now. I just... haven't found anyone who'd be willing to listen."