(no subject)

[fiery_ring]

Something interesting occurred after the show tonight. Carlotta was just coming back to the caravan to make sure that her precious little angels were getting ready for bed (they weren't) when she noticed a strange man going in.

And it was about to be the strange man's unlucky day when he would turn around to be face to face with an angry ex-military ringmaster with a whip. But instead, when she abruptly pulls the door open, she is faced with a place she hasn't seen for a while.

She stares for a moment, then a broad grin sets upon her face. She looks around for familiar faces, or the young man, as she heads to the bar.

"Lady Bar. I'd like you to deliver an orange for me please - you know who it's for."

Comments

[herr_bookman]

Said strange, young man is seated at the bar when she approaches. He perks up, eyeing the whip. "Oh, you're the ringmaster," he says. "I wondered who'd opened the door to the circus."

His accent is decidedly German.

[fiery_ring]

"It hasn't opened for me for a while." Carlotta says, coming over to him with a small smile.

"I should have realised when Bobbie told me there was a German man. Carlotta Brown." she offers him a hand to shake.

[herr_bookman]

He takes her hand and offers it a shake. "Most people refer to me as a boy, even now, but I am most definitely German," he says, tilting his head. "Autor Krueger."

[fiery_ring]

"Good to meet you." Carlotta says. "We don't get many Germans at home, and you are certainly a man to one of his height."

She orders a ginger beer, and two more oranges, one of which she passes to Autor.

"How long have you been coming here? I don't think you were here when I left."

[herr_bookman]

Autor blinks rapidly, and takes the orange. He adjusts his glasses. "Oh, um, thanks. I've been coming here for about five and a half years."

[fiery_ring]

"Is Teja still here?" Carlotta asks.

[herr_bookman]

"Yes, though I haven't seen him in a little while," Autor says, peeling the orange. He plucks up one of the slices and pops the whole thing into his mouth.

[fiery_ring]

"How is he?" Carlotta asks, her tone softening.

[herr_bookman]

"How is Teja ever? He's grim," Autor says, cracking a small smile as he stuffs his face with the orange. "But he seemS to be doing well. He has a foster son, Egil, who's a redhead."

[deadeye_shot]

There's a woman seated at the bar doing paperwork, whose bearing screams military, from the straight-backed posture to the uncompromising gaze to the navy blue uniform with grey trim. Hawkeye raises her pen to the newcomer. "An orange? That's a thoughtful gift."

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta smiles.

"For an old friend here, he knows what it means. But you can have one too, if you like." She orders two more, and tosses one to the woman.

[deadeye_shot]

Hawkeye blinks, and drops her pen, catching the orange in both hands. "Thank you," she says, and sets the fruit aside to take her gloves off. She folds them, and places them next to her neat pile of paperwork before offering her hand. "I'm First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. A pleasure."

[fiery_ring]

"Carlotta Brown." she shakes the hand, omitting her own military title - the less said about the war, the better. "I don't think you were here last time I was around."

[deadeye_shot]

"Yes, I've only been coming here for a month or so," Hawkeye says, peeling the fruit in one long strip. "It's June 30, 2018, by the bar's calendar."

[fiery_ring]

"It's been longer for me, then." Carlotta says, looking around. "How are you finding it?"

[deadeye_shot]

"The bar is a useful place, but strange," Hawkeye says, nibbling on some of the fruit. "I can catch up on paperwork here, but recently a wasp stung me and changed my basic nature for a week."

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta laughs.

"I suppose this place hasn't changed awfully since I was here before. There was always something like that happening."

[ostro_goth]

A bit later, Ferdinand the cat appears, trailed by a young fellow of barely five years, with very red hair, like a fox.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta looks at the cat. Is it the same cat? Hard to tell after nine years. She smiles at the little boy though.

"Hallo there."

[ostro_goth]

"Hello!" the child says. "This is Ferdinand, and I am Egill Skaðason!"

[fiery_ring]

"It's nice to meet you Egil." Carlotta smiles. "I'm Carlotta Brown, and I think I might know your daddy."

[ostro_goth]

"You are Carlotta with the orange, Carlotta who Bramble's brother Orion went with," Egil squeals, excited like somebody meeting a hero from a well-loved story.

[fiery_ring]

"I am." She grins and hands him an orange. "Could you take this to him now, please?"

[ostro_goth]

"Yes!!" Egil declares, taking the orange and racing off.

Mere moments later, Teja appears, smiling as Carlotta has never seen him yet.

"Carlotta!!"

[fiery_ring]

She runs to him and gives him the biggest hug.

"I missed you."