The Ice Skater

“Hey Alma.”

After her show, she finds the dead dog thing for some idle chatter. She pulls her tail out of her costume so it can breathe, picking a few loose strings out of the fur.

“Where’s Jester?”

She pauses at the mention of the tail.

“This is the best part.”

She sighs in relief once she takes the wig off.

“Hey Alma.”

After her show, she finds the dead dog thing for some idle chatter. She pulls her tail out of her costume so it can breathe, picking a few loose strings out of the fur.

“Where’s Jester?”

She pauses at the mention of the tail.

“This is the best part.”

She sighs in relief once she takes the wig off.

“Hey Alma.”

After her show, she finds the dead dog thing for some idle chatter. She pulls her tail out of her costume so it can breathe, picking a few loose strings out of the fur.

“Where’s Jester?”

She pauses at the mention of the tail.

“Hey, can I borrow your hairspray? Ran out.”

She steps into his room, holding her ice skates under one armpit and an empty hairspray can in the other hand, which she then proceeds to chuck into the first trash can she spots.

“I’m on in 30 minutes.”

“Of course you’d say something like that.”

She rolls her eyes. She leans over to adjust her bangs and spray them, occasionally removing a bobby pin and putting it in a different place.

She does one more spray over her entire wig and sets the can down. She glances next to him and meets his eyes for a brief moment.

“Neither of us gain anything significant from such a thing anyway.”

She takes her mask off and makes a face like she’s going to threaten to spit on him. Then she gets a whiff of him. She gags.

“Hey, can I borrow your hairspray? Ran out.”

She steps into his room, holding her ice skates under one armpit and an empty hairspray can in the other hand, which she then proceeds to chuck into the first trash can she spots.

“I’m on in 30 minutes.”

“Of course you’d say something like that.”

She rolls her eyes. She leans over to adjust her bangs and spray them, occasionally removing a bobby pin and putting it in a different place.

She does one more spray over her entire wig and sets the can down. She glances next to him and meets his eyes for a brief moment.

“Neither of us gain anything significant from such a thing anyway.”

“Hey, can I borrow your hairspray? Ran out.”

She steps into his room, holding her ice skates under one armpit and an empty hairspray can in the other hand, which she then proceeds to chuck into the first trash can she spots.

“I’m on in 30 minutes.”

“Of course you’d say something like that.”

She rolls her eyes. She leans over to adjust her bangs and spray them, occasionally removing a bobby pin and putting it in a different place.

Her usually yearly (or every other year) routine of going around and saying hello to everyone is taking longer than expected. So many new faces and relationships.

“Hey you,”

She calls from a few feet behind.

“Been a while.”

Figaro turns and it takes a moment before it finally registers and he looks rather surprised upon seeing the figure skater.

She squints into the eye holes of his mask and crosses her arms.

“What’s eating you alive?”

She asks without thinking. It seemed like he has more on his mind than just performing.

She asked this without an overly obvious show of anger or protectiveness. She asked this like she was talking about the weather, regular volume, regular tone.

She then paused and blinked.

“Assuming it was a human, that is.”

“I have never heard of a spirit writing letters to the mortals outside of symbolic contexts.”

She states in a straightforward and still confused manner.

“Ah. Apologies. Please, continue.”

Figaro shifted on his feet. The very thought of her still made him deeply uncomfortable and he rubbed at his arm again. The conversation had no doubt started that spiral,that and all the changes.

“Hmm…”

Her usually yearly (or every other year) routine of going around and saying hello to everyone is taking longer than expected. So many new faces and relationships.

“Hey you,”

She calls from a few feet behind.

“Been a while.”

Figaro turns and it takes a moment before it finally registers and he looks rather surprised upon seeing the figure skater.

She squints into the eye holes of his mask and crosses her arms.

“What’s eating you alive?”

She asks without thinking. It seemed like he has more on his mind than just performing.

She asked this without an overly obvious show of anger or protectiveness. She asked this like she was talking about the weather, regular volume, regular tone.

She then paused and blinked.

“Assuming it was a human, that is.”

“I have never heard of a spirit writing letters to the mortals outside of symbolic contexts.”

She states in a straightforward and still confused manner.

“Ah. Apologies. Please, continue.”

Figaro shifted on his feet. The very thought of her still made him deeply uncomfortable and he rubbed at his arm again. The conversation had no doubt started that spiral,that and all the changes.

“Hmm…”

Her usually yearly (or every other year) routine of going around and saying hello to everyone is taking longer than expected. So many new faces and relationships.

“Hey you,”

She calls from a few feet behind.

“Been a while.”

Figaro turns and it takes a moment before it finally registers and he looks rather surprised upon seeing the figure skater.

She squints into the eye holes of his mask and crosses her arms.

“What’s eating you alive?”

She asks without thinking. It seemed like he has more on his mind than just performing.

She asked this without an overly obvious show of anger or protectiveness. She asked this like she was talking about the weather, regular volume, regular tone.

She then paused and blinked.

“Assuming it was a human, that is.”

“I have never heard of a spirit writing letters to the mortals outside of symbolic contexts.”

She states in a straightforward and still confused manner.

“Ah. Apologies. Please, continue.”

“Hey,”

She waved him down.

“I’m back for the fall and winter this time. How’ve you been?”

She shrugs. She gives him the usual clap on the shoulder, being the type to not show much physical affection, especially not a hug.

“I thought I’d be just a Christmas week attraction too, but here I am.”

She gestures to the entire location of the circus grounds.

She points generally eastward.

“It’s no big deal.”

Ice doesn’t mind traveling any distance or to any place for the circus. Whenever she’s needed for fall and winter, she’s there.

The mouth on her mask is always a straight line, but in her tone, there’s the tiniest hint of a congratulatory smile.

“Any problems I should know about?”

"Nothing major, not that I know of yet...outside some personal issue with...I think they're a spirit? A malevolent one at least, causing personalised havoc amongst some members which included myself and brother."

He tilted his head, bells jingling.

“Right. I’ll- I’ll keep an eye out.”

She takes a long inhale as she soaks that in. Icy initially shakes this off as a nervous breakdown he’ll get over with time.

“I’m gonna go say hi to everyone else. Thanks for the warning.”

“Hey,”

She waved him down.

“I’m back for the fall and winter this time. How’ve you been?”

She shrugs. She gives him the usual clap on the shoulder, being the type to not show much physical affection, especially not a hug.

“I thought I’d be just a Christmas week attraction too, but here I am.”

She gestures to the entire location of the circus grounds.

She points generally eastward.

“It’s no big deal.”

Ice doesn’t mind traveling any distance or to any place for the circus. Whenever she’s needed for fall and winter, she’s there.

The mouth on her mask is always a straight line, but in her tone, there’s the tiniest hint of a congratulatory smile.

“Any problems I should know about?”

"Nothing major, not that I know of yet...outside some personal issue with...I think they're a spirit? A malevolent one at least, causing personalised havoc amongst some members which included myself and brother."

He tilted his head, bells jingling.

“Right. I’ll- I’ll keep an eye out.”

She takes a long inhale as she soaks that in. Icy initially shakes this off as a nervous breakdown he’ll get over with time.

“I’m gonna go say hi to everyone else. Thanks for the warning.”

Her usually yearly (or every other year) routine of going around and saying hello to everyone is taking longer than expected. So many new faces and relationships.

“Hey you,”

She calls from a few feet behind.

“Been a while.”

Figaro turns and it takes a moment before it finally registers and he looks rather surprised upon seeing the figure skater.

She squints into the eye holes of his mask and crosses her arms.

“What’s eating you alive?”

She asks without thinking. It seemed like he has more on his mind than just performing.

She asked this without an overly obvious show of anger or protectiveness. She asked this like she was talking about the weather, regular volume, regular tone.

She then paused and blinked.

“Assuming it was a human, that is.”

She huffs as she strolls in a mindless direction across the grounds, seeing who she didn’t say hello to yet. Seeing the dragon’s tent reminded her she missed one. So, she lets herself in.

“Look at you. You got a nice spot for your tent this season.”

She hummed in approval.

“Hey Axel.”

The usual routine would be to shove people off of her, but for her long time friend, she lets it happen and has no complaints.

She pats him on the shoulder, her way of saying “I missed you too” without having to actually say the horrendously cheesy words.

“Well, well…”

She tilts her head and slowly nods, her gaze unwavering.

“Good for you, dragon.”

She admits rather plainly, as if everyone should share this exact thought too.

“But he’s not the only one I smell on you…”

She groaned in annoyance at the sound of his name alone.

She wasn’t sure if this was one of those social media trends or if he really just said that. If she were drinking hot coffee, she would have spat it out.

“A fox girl? A- what, a yokai?”

“A kitsune. Yes. Wonderful.”

She swallows.

“A reasonable pet.”

“…that is…”

She cleared throat.

She turns around to face away from him so she can remove her mask and fan her face with it. No, she’s not about to cry. Definitely not. She never cries over anything. Ever.

She puts it back on and faces him again.

She hurries out to avoid the disgusting filth that is the overwhelming nostalgia in her heart. Only humans can be that soft.

“Hairspray…damnit. Hairspray. Yes.”

“Hey,”

She waved him down.

“I’m back for the fall and winter this time. How’ve you been?”

She shrugs. She gives him the usual clap on the shoulder, being the type to not show much physical affection, especially not a hug.

“I thought I’d be just a Christmas week attraction too, but here I am.”

She gestures to the entire location of the circus grounds.

She points generally eastward.

“It’s no big deal.”

Ice doesn’t mind traveling any distance or to any place for the circus. Whenever she’s needed for fall and winter, she’s there.

The mouth on her mask is always a straight line, but in her tone, there’s the tiniest hint of a congratulatory smile.

“Any problems I should know about?”

She huffs as she strolls in a mindless direction across the grounds, seeing who she didn’t say hello to yet. Seeing the dragon’s tent reminded her she missed one. So, she lets herself in.

“Look at you. You got a nice spot for your tent this season.”

She hummed in approval.

“Hey Axel.”

The usual routine would be to shove people off of her, but for her long time friend, she lets it happen and has no complaints.

She pats him on the shoulder, her way of saying “I missed you too” without having to actually say the horrendously cheesy words.

“Well, well…”

She tilts her head and slowly nods, her gaze unwavering.

“Good for you, dragon.”

She admits rather plainly, as if everyone should share this exact thought too.

“But he’s not the only one I smell on you…”

She groaned in annoyance at the sound of his name alone.

She wasn’t sure if this was one of those social media trends or if he really just said that. If she were drinking hot coffee, she would have spat it out.

“A fox girl? A- what, a yokai?”

“A kitsune. Yes. Wonderful.”

She swallows.

“A reasonable pet.”

“…that is…”

She cleared throat.

She turns around to face away from him so she can remove her mask and fan her face with it. No, she’s not about to cry. Definitely not. She never cries over anything. Ever.

She puts it back on and faces him again.

She huffs as she strolls in a mindless direction across the grounds, seeing who she didn’t say hello to yet. Seeing the dragon’s tent reminded her she missed one. So, she lets herself in.

“Look at you. You got a nice spot for your tent this season.”

She hummed in approval.

“Hey Axel.”

The usual routine would be to shove people off of her, but for her long time friend, she lets it happen and has no complaints.

She pats him on the shoulder, her way of saying “I missed you too” without having to actually say the horrendously cheesy words.

“Well, well…”

She tilts her head and slowly nods, her gaze unwavering.

“Good for you, dragon.”

She admits rather plainly, as if everyone should share this exact thought too.

“But he’s not the only one I smell on you…”

She groaned in annoyance at the sound of his name alone.

She wasn’t sure if this was one of those social media trends or if he really just said that. If she were drinking hot coffee, she would have spat it out.

“A fox girl? A- what, a yokai?”

“A kitsune. Yes. Wonderful.”

She swallows.

“A reasonable pet.”

“…that is…”

She cleared throat.