One-Eyed Monster

”He just left like that!” Igor looked at Stanley in shock as he left, then widened his eyes at Kadi.

”That’s really what happened, he just left like that!” Kadi was also helpless, he’d never encountered anyone like this before.

”So what do we do now!” Igor was at a loss. To be honest, he had barely absorbed any of Captain Stanley’s pep talks earlier, mostly because as soon as he started listening to one, the next bullet would come, and just when he was ready to remember it properly, another bullet would hit again, directly scattering his previous memories.

”He mentioned earlier that we’re new and should follow that Clown, Mr. Brava.” Kadi’s memory in this aspect was noticeably better than Igor’s, and he still remembered quite a bit of what Stanley had said.

”Should we go to him directly!” Igor looked at the fat man there who was putting on makeup, feeling something bad in his heart.

Igor didn’t mind transforming into a clown, but what about Kadi, wasn’t Kadi wearing a mask!

”We’re part of the Circus now, we have to follow the captain’s arrangements!” Kadi was consistently in his role.

”Alright, let’s go look for him then...”

Soon, the two approached Brava, the fat man who was currently mixing makeup colors, unconcerned with anything around him.

”Um, hello!” Kadi tried to greet Brava.

”Whoa!” Brava suddenly threw away the container of colors he was holding and curled up in a tent.

Igor and Kadi were dumbfounded, wondering what was up with the clown, why he suddenly got scared!

”Uh, sorry!” Kadi quickly apologized.

”Are you Brava?”

”No, there’s nothing like Brava here, only the Clown!” A trembling voice came from within the tent, seemingly very fearful of interacting with others.

”Um, yes, Mr. Clown, we’re newcomers, the captain sent us here!” Igor quickly said, hoping this would relieve the tension of the clown inside the tent. Letting him know they’re on the same side should make him lower his guard, it’s only natural.

As Igor expected, the guy inside the tent sighed, and then his previously trembling voice became somewhat less tense: ”You were sent by the captain.”

”Wasn’t it said that all newcomers should follow Mr. Clown and start by being clowns?” Igor scratched his head, that’s the news he got from Kadi just now.

There was a rustling sound in the tent, then a gap appeared in the tent opening, and a head slowly emerged.

Igor stared at this face, despite the thick smile makeup painted over the mouth, it couldn’t hide a fearful emotion, as if this clown had a fear of them.

”You guys, come in, if you’re really sent by the captain.”

Igor let out an ”oh” and walked into the tent, Kadi followed right behind.

The tent owned by this clown named Brava was much brighter than the captain’s; it was obvious his lighting was good, and even so, this clown still had a lamp lit inside the tent.

”My name is Igor, he’s Kadi, pleased to learn from you.” Igor bowed to the clown, demonstrating the courtesy a newcomer should have.

”From now on... uh... we’re all clowns here, no names!” The clown Brava softly said, he still curled up his body, hiding in a corner of the tent.

This situation left Igor and Kadi a bit bewildered as to what to say or not say, utterly directionless.

”Just follow what I do, try not to speak... I’m a bit scared...” This clown tremblingly said.

Igor and Kadi could only nod, fearing speaking might scare this clown Brava again.

”Next, let’s do makeup, clowns should have the look of clowns, our previous appearances must be discarded.” Brava finally slowly straightened up.

Igor and Kadi found it very strange: how can someone be afraid to talk with others? It’s simply an inexplicable thing!

More so, in their impression, clowns are usually very lively, yet this one was quite the opposite!

Is it possible that all clowns in this Star Circus are like this?

The clown named Brava scurried stealthily like a mouse outside the tent, picked up the container of colors he’d thrown earlier, and began mixing colors to do his makeup again.

At this moment, Igor and Kadi dared not make a single sound beside him, afraid of disturbing the clown’s movements and scaring him again.

The makeup of the clown named Brava was quick, soon his entire face was covered in grease paint.

Then a scene that shook Igor and Kadi happened, Brava, who now had a fully painted face, seemed like a different person; the previously curled up sneaky posture disappeared instantly, becoming more confident and more lively...

”Newcomers, huh!” The clown whose face was fully painted now wore a broad smile, ”no matter what your names were before, you must forget them here, now you are clowns, messengers of spreading joy; whether your face is painted with a smile or a sad face, your goal is to get people to laugh!”

Igor and Kadi nodded, still unsure if speaking would scare the clown, hence they dared not speak lightly.

”Now, you do your makeup as well, if you don’t know how, I can help you, but remember one thing, you must make people laugh.”

Igor glanced at Kadi, this fellow was wearing a mask on his face, how could he do makeup now?

Kadi shrugged, feeling that whether or not he did makeup made no difference in his current state anyway, as no one knew what he looked like.

”Let’s get moving, let’s get moving, we’re the entire Circus’s promotional pamphlet, the performance is about to begin, we’re the vanguard, we have to bring laughter outside the performance tent and attract everyone over!” The clown urged Igor and Kadi, handing the container of colors into Igor’s hands.

Does everyone in this Circus have a dual nature? Igor thought involuntarily when he looked at the color container.

”What are you dawdling for, hurry up!”

Igor quickly picked up the container of colors to start makeup; he didn’t mind much himself, but what about Kadi!

Never mind for now, let’s paint first, Igor picked up a mirror and started applying grease paint, he painted two black circles under his eyes, and turned his whole face white, then used red paint to draw a big smile, looking at the grease-painted face in the mirror, Igor was still satisfied, after all, this was his first time doing makeup like this!