#lee!yatta

Astro wasn't usually a fan of being on stage, but tonight? Tonight he was gonna make an exception. And what better place to do it than at one of the happiest places on earth...The circus.

The scent of cotton candy and fried dough filled the air as Astro made his way through the carnival grounds that were draped in the veil of sunset. While it was all rather noisy for his taste, he smiled at the sight of the other Toons having fun.

Shelly riding on the carousel, the craft siblings enjoying some delicious cotton candy shaped like themselves, Poppy trying to encourage (or some might say, force) Boxten to ride the drop tower with her.

All of this was a comforting sight for Astro, it meant all was well. Unlike the way Dandy's dream began, this dream was as sweet as candied apples. Still, that wasn't gonna stop him from adding his own personal touch.

Astro was soon face to face with his objective, the circus tent. It was decorated with red and yellow stripes, with banners in Yatta's signature yellow, pink, and blue patterns, and a little yellow flag at the top. Bingo

Astro made his way inside the tent, a bunch of people had already lined themselves up on the benches. However, instead of doing the same, he crept his way to the backstage area, where his three targets were making the final preparations before the show started. One of them, as Astro could infer, looked a bit nervous.

"Well...that's a lot of people!" It was Looey. As the sun set and the moon rose, more and Toons began to pile into the tent.

"I KNOW right?! This is gonna be the BIGGEST and BESTEST show EVER!!!!" Said Yatta, excitable as ever!

Looey gave a little gulp at the prospect of being watched by so many eyes. Not of the idea itself, but the idea that...maybe, just maybe, people were getting tired of their usual acts.

".esnet…rehtar mees uoY ?yeooL ,thgirla uoy erA" ("Are you alright, Looey? You seem rather…tense.") said Blot, who had seemed to notice Looey's uneasiness.

"Oh me? I'm just excited, that's all! I'm sure everything will go swimmingly!"

Astro, who was eavesdropping on the conversation gave a mischievous snicker as he slipped into the changing room. A snicker that didn't go completely noticed.

"?…taht raeh uoy diD" ("Did you hear that…?")

"Huh?! Hear what?" Asked Yatta.

".su dniheb gnirekcins…enoemos draeh I thguoht I" ("I thought I heard someone…snickering behind us.")

Yatta and Looey looked at each other for a moment, before turning back to Blot and giving a little shrug.

"…noitanigami ym tsuj saw ti sseuG" ("Guess it was just my imagination…")

With the crescent moon high in the sky, it was time for the for the main event! The members were introduced one by one as they did their acts.

Looey was the first, of course, starting off with his juggling act before amping it up by riding on a unicycle.

Next up was Yatta, who began her act with a stroll on the tightrope, before joining up with Looey to preform an impressive feat of trapeze artistry.

Then lastly was Blot, who did what he always did best; Pantomiming. Quite literally roping Yatta and Looey into it with an invisible rope with segued into a game of tug of pretend tug-of-war. Yatta and Looey tumbled to the ground as Blot won the match, the crowd laughing in unison at this humorous display.

The three of them gave a bow as the crowd gave their applause. Little did anyone know...

The show was not quite over yet. On the contrary, it was only just beginning.

Suddenly, the spotlights changed from white to blue, and they moved behind the troupe, shining on the curtains.

Everyone was silent, looking onward in confusion. Last time they checked, the circus did not have a fourth member.

The curtains then quickly parted.

"Good evening, everyone."

"ASTRO?! ("!?ORTSA")" gasped the circus troupe, in unison with the audience.

Astro was wearing a magicians outfit, a fancy suit and hat underneath a cape that still allowed him to hide is arms.

"What are YOU doing HERE?!" exclaimed Yatta, not out of anger, but of surprise. This was certainly not like him, he was usually afraid to be on stage.

"I thought it'd be nice to add a little...magic to this performance." said Astro. He then turned towards the audience "Wouldn't you agree?"

The crowd gave a little cheer in agreement, no doubt their curiosity was peaked. And by the looks of things, the same could be said for the circus trio.

"Well...If the audience agrees, then show us what you've got!" said Looey as he gave a slightly uneasy thumbs up.

"Very well then!" Astro responded.

"First, let's start with a classic..." he said as he used his powers to bring out a trolley with something on it. It was a big rectangular box, big enough to fit a single Toon inside it, it was blue with cornflower accents, and it had crescent moon emblazoned on it's side.

"I'm sure you're all familiar with this one..." Astro then beckoned the trio with a hand composed of blue stars "Would any of you care to volunteer?

"OH OH! ME! ME! I WANNA DO IT!" Yatta exclaimed, quickly making her way towards Astro's little stage.

Astro opened the box as Yatta approached. Without hesitation, he crawled inside it and wriggled her head and feet though it's holes.

"Okay! I'M READY!!!"

"Good." said Astro as he then brought out a saw with his magic. Everyone gasped at this, but especially Looey and Blot, while they were aware of how the trick ended, just the idea of Yatta getting sawed in half still raised some concerns for their pinata pal.

"Now, just hold still..."

Astro inserted the saw inside the box's middle slot and began to cut, slowly and gently. Back and forth, back and forth. Normally the one getting sawed in half would be either panicking or completely silent, but not Yatta.

Instead Yatta was...laughing?

"AHAHAHAHAHA THAHAT THIHIHIHCKLES!"

A slight wave of relief came across Blot and Looey upon knowing Yatta was feeling the oppose of the pain or panic that came with being sawed in half. Nothing but joy and hyena-like laughter.

"I thought I told you to hold still, Yatta..." teased Astro as he continued sawing.

"COME OHOHOHON AHAHASTRO! YOU KNOHOHO I CAHAHN'T DO THAHAHAT!"

Thankfully, it seemed she wouldn't have to attempt holding still for long, as there was a metal *CLUNK* after Astro made his last sawing motion. The moon magician moved the box halves apart, revealing Yatta's two halves, yet no sign of injury, or any spilled candy.

"Tada!~"

The crowd gave their applause at their results. But Astro wasn't quite done with Yatta yet. As he placed a hand onto her feet and began to scribble away, so as to prove there wasn't just some duplicate in the other box.

"AAHAHAHAHSTRO NOHOHOHOHO QUIT IHIHIHIHIT! I THOHOHOUGHT WEHE WEREHE DOHOHONE!"

"Oh we will be, just one more step..." Astro responded. Taking his hand off Yatta, he then put the box halves back together as a drumroll played. He then opened the lid...

And out popped Yatta! Whole and in one piece! If the crowd wasn't applauding then, they sure were now. Even Blot and Looey were impressed! Yatta climbed out of the box and strolled over back to the group, as Astro gave a couple bows.

"And now, for my next trick..." Astro said as he brought out a large frame with belts on it, once again, big enough for a single Toon to lay themselves upon. As well as a curtain suspended on a ring that was dangling from the ceiling.

Astro placed himself onto the frame and strapped himself in. After which he beckoned Looey once again like the did before "Looey, if you'd please. Come near me and close the curtain."

Looey slowly approached the frame before closing the curtain. Only a couple of seconds passed before the curtain suddenly sprung back open. Revealing Looey, restrained on the frame where Astro once was.

Once again, another standing (or rather, sitting) ovation from the crowd. But this was only the beginning of the act. As Astro could sense Looey's nervous smile as he was out on display.

"Hmmm, Looey, you do look a little tense. How about we give the audience something to laugh about, hm?" he suggested

"Haha...wait, Astro, what do you mean by-" But before Looey could say a word, he felt feathers, blue ones made of starlight, making their moves on his sides and tummy.

"THATHAHAHAT!" Looey exclaimed in laughter as he tried to worm his way from his restraints, all of it was in vain though, as all he could manage was turning his head side to side.

"AHAHAAHSTRO! THIHIS ISHIHIHNT NEHEHEHEHESSECAHAHAHARY!"

The audience didn't seem to agree, as they themselves were laughing along side them, as if Astro was working his magic on them as well.

"But listen to the audience, they love it! They're laughing right alongside you." Astro cooed, causing Looey to become as red as a tomato and turn his head to his fellow circus members.

"GUHUHUHUYS! HEHEHEELP MEHEHEHE!-EEK!"

Blot and Yatta shook their heads, both of them clearly amused at the sight of their balloon buddy getting the air tickled out of him.

"Hehehe NO can do! The show MUST GO ON!" Yatta said after a few clicks from her tongue.

"COHOHOHOME OHOHOHOHN! PLEAHEHEHEHESE LET MEHEHEHE GOHOHOHOHO!"

"Well...since you asked so nicely." Astro responded, then the feathers disappeared in a puff of sparkles. The laughter that roared throughout the tent subsided as Looey took a moment to catch his breath and return to his fully inflated form.

"And for my last trick..." said Astro as he gave a glance towards Blot. Blot's pupil shrunk a bit as he had noticed a pattern. If Yatta got tickled during the first act, and Looey was tickled in the second...

Then that meant he was next. The last volunteer for the final act. Blot gulped as he was wondering what could be in store for him.

Astro took off his top hat and presented it to Blot. "Blot, if you would do the honors..."

Blot hesitated for a moment, before looking at the crowd and his fellow circus troupe, all of them were looking at him with baited breath, silently egging him on.

Blot then placed his hand into the hat's bottom nervously, until he felt something...soft. He grabbed it and pulled it out, revealing...a cornflower handkerchief, tied to a blue one, then a cornflower one, and so on.

He sighed with relief, it was the classic "handkerchiefs from the hat" trick.

Blot continued to pull on the handkerchiefs, one after another after another as the rest piled up around him on the floor. It seemed like it would never end when...

*POP!*

Blot pulled out the last handkerchief, a cornflower one with a white feather attached to it. The crowd applauded at this little trick.

""?rehtaef A" ("A feather?")

But before he could say anything else. He felt a sudden grip around his body, the handkerchiefs had begun to wrap themselves around him like a boa constrictor. It wasn't long before Blot found himself on the ground.

And there Astro was, standing right beside him, moving blue hands above him around like he was controlling the rope like a puppet, not unlike Blot's usual mime tricks.

All the while Blot was brought into hysterics as the feather began to sway along his ribs.

"!SHIHIHIHT TCEHEHEHEPXE TNIHIHID I !DOGOHOHOHO OHOHOHON" ("NOHOHOHO OHOHOHOGOD! I DIHIHINT EXPEHEHEHECT THIHIHIHS!")

"Number one rule of magic: Expect the unexpected." Astro teased as he crowd roared into laughter once again at Blot's little predicament.

"!PLEHEHEH !ATAHAHAHAHAY !YEOHOHOHOL" ("LOHOHOHOEY! YAHAHAHAHATA! HEHEHELP!") Blot pleaded as he flailed his legs and head helplessly as Astro guided the feather to tickle the ink blob's neck.

Just like with Looey, the other two circus members merely looked on with amusement at the sight of their favorite mime, tied up like a present, being tickled senseless by the magician's little handkerchiefs.

"Oh I don't know...you didn't help me when I was getting tickled so..." Looey teased as the feather made its way to Blot's side.

"He's got a point you know, you deserve a little punishment for just standing by like that~" Astro teased once again as the feather made it's way to Blot's tummy.

"!REHTEHEHEIE GNIHIHIHIHTYNA OHOD T'NIHIHID ATAHAHAHAY !RIAHAHAHIAF TOHOHOHON" ("NOHOHOHOT FAIHAHAHAIR! YAHAHAHATA DIHIHIN'T DOHO ANYTHIHIHIHING EIEHEHETHER!")

"Tell you what. I'll let you go if you say please, just like Looey did." Astro told the ink blob as the latter continued to flail around.

"!TLEHEHEM-EM ANOHOHOHO-G MHI-I-I !EHEM ERAHAHAHAAPS !ESAEHEHEHELP" ("PLEHEHEHEASE! SPAAHAHAHARE MEHE! I-I-IHM G-OHOHOHONA ME-MEHEHELT!") The mime pleaded as he felt himself quite literally melting into a puddle of ink and laughter.

"There we go~" Astro said as he commanded the handkerchiefs to let go of the poor, giggling ink blob. Astro was kind enough to help Blot up after the latter, and the audience recollected themselves.

"Well, that's all for tonight. I hope you all had a good time" The moon announced, capping off the performance with a bow, which the circus troupe did as well.

"Well...we certainly did." said Looey.

"OF COURSE we did! That was SO! MUCH! FUN!" added Yatta.

"!ti dekil I tub…enituor lausu ruo morf ecap fo egnahc a ylniatrec saw tI" ("It was certainly a change of pace from our usual routine...but I liked it!")

"Until next time, I wish you all a good night, and sweet dreams!" Astro said before disappearing in a puff of blue stars and mist.

"WOAH! WHERE DID HE GO?!" Yatta exclaimed in surprise.

"Who knows, a magician never gives out his secrets..." replied Looey.

But perhaps Blot knew, as from the corner of his eye he spotted Astro within the crowd that was leaving the tent, all dressed up back in his usual garb.

No doubt on his way to another dream...