Chapter 53 The Circus Fruit Farmer Clown 03 New Moon Night
The deafening applause seemed to still echo in the air, but the world behind the curtain had quickly cooled down.
The children, still excited and tired from the performance, chattered excitedly about what had just happened, as they removed their makeup and changed clothes.
The air was filled with the smell of sweat, paint, and a feeling of utterly exhausted relaxation.
However, this brief respite did not extend to Ayana and Hisoka.
As Ayana wiped away the heavy blue eyeshadow from the corner of her eye with a damp cloth, a trainer with a cold and stern expression appeared behind her, patting her shoulder lightly with his thick fingers.
"The leader wants you to come over." The trainer's voice was flat. "You, and Hisoka, go to his tent now."
What was bound to happen has finally happened.
Ayana's heart sank slightly, but she dared not show it on her face.
She nodded and replied softly, "Okay."
Ayana looked up and saw Hisoka being led by another trainer, heading in the same direction.
Hisoka still wore that nonchalant expression, and even had the leisure to spin a playing card between his fingers in a dazzling display of skill.
He seemed to sense someone watching him, and when his gaze met Ayana's, a hint of almost malicious excitement flashed in his golden eyes, as if he were about to attend an interesting banquet.
The two walked one after the other, silently "escorted" by their trainer, through the gradually quieting camp, and headed toward the main tent located in the center of the camp.
The main tent was extremely ornate, adorned with elaborate decorations, and was enormous.
The tent was brightly lit, a stark contrast to the darkness outside.
The air was filled with a strong smell of tobacco and leather, mixed with an indescribable sense of oppression.
The troupe leader did not sit in his large armchair, but stood in the center of the tent with his back to the door, gazing at a huge flag embroidered with the logo of the Dream Circus hanging on the tent wall.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around.
The loud voice and imposing presence he had forced during the performance had vanished, leaving only undisguised exhaustion and gloom on the troupe leader's face.
He changed out of his glamorous performance jacket and wore only a simple dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His exposed arms showed not only old injuries but also several fresh scratches and bruises.
Those seemed to be traces left from his underground fight with Hisoka last night.
The troupe leader's gaze was like two icy daggers. It lingered on Hisoka for a moment, with the look of scrutinizing merchandise and suppressed rage, before fixing itself on Ayana. His gaze seemed to want to peel her apart from the inside out to see how much she actually knew.
The tent was deathly silent, except for the faint crackling of the oil lamp burning.
After a long silence, the troupe leader finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "Tonight's performance was wonderful."
He spoke slowly, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "Especially the two of you."
The troupe leader strode forward, his tall figure casting a shadow that almost completely enveloped Ayana.
“Hisoka,” he stared at the red-haired boy, “your playing with the cards is so skillful, I almost thought they had actually come to life.”
Hisoka tilted his head, a completely innocent smile on his face: "Thank you for the compliment, Master. I just really like them."
With a soft "snap," the playing card between his fingers disappeared.
The troupe leader let out a cold snort, stopped looking at him, and instead poured all his pressure on Ayana.
“And you, Ayana.” He murmured her name, his voice cloying and unsettling. “Sky Elf, what a fitting name. Those ribbons are like your wings, carrying you through the sky. I was mesmerized by them.”
The troupe leader moved closer, and Ayana could smell the mixture of tobacco and sweat emanating from him, as well as a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of blood.
“Tell me,” the troupe leader lowered his voice and spoke in her ear, “from such a high place, the view must have been amazing, right? Did you see anything special? Like, a particular audience member in the audience?”
He indeed suspected they had seen the mysterious man!
Ayana's heart leaped into her throat, and her blood seemed to freeze.
She forced herself to look up, meeting the master's aggressive gaze, and tried to make her voice sound tired and naturally confused after the performance.
"Special audience?"
The girl frowned slightly, as if trying to recall: "There are many people in the audience, and the lights are very dazzling. I can't see the specific people clearly. Sir, is there an important guest that I need to pay special attention to?"
She deftly tossed the question back at her.
The troupe leader stared intently into her eyes, seemingly trying to discern the truthfulness of her words.
The air inside the tent seemed to freeze, and every second felt incredibly long.
Hisoka suddenly chuckled softly, breaking the suffocating silence.
"Hehe~" He laughed lightly, as if he found the scene before him extremely amusing. "Is the troupe leader worried that we're not focused on the performance? Don't worry, when we're on stage, all we see are the lights and applause~ Who cares about anything else...?"
His words, spoken casually, were like a feather tickling the troupe leader's most sensitive nerve.
The troupe leader's face instantly turned even uglier. He abruptly turned his head and glared at Hisoka, his eyes almost overflowing with murderous intent.
But he took a deep breath, seemingly forcibly suppressing his surging anger.
He can't make a move here, at least not now.
"Very good." The troupe leader squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, his voice icy. "You performed with great focus, very good."
He took a step back, creating distance between them, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two men before finally uttering a cold, ambiguous laugh.
The troupe leader waved his hand: "The performance is over. Go back and rest. Training will continue as usual tomorrow."
Ayana and Hisoka didn't say much, obediently turned around, and left the oppressive tent.
The moment Ayana stepped out of the tent, the cool night air filled her lungs, and she felt much more relaxed, letting out a natural breath.
Hisoka walked beside her, humming an off-key tune, his movements relaxed and carefree, as if the scene just now had no effect on him at all.
He suddenly turned his head, his golden vertical pupils gleaming eerily in the moonlight: "It seems the troupe leader has recognized us."
"But it seems he can't kill us right now... Why is that?"
He seemed to be enjoying the game immensely, adding, "This game of hide-and-seek is getting more and more fun, isn't it? My dear little cat."
Ayana did not immediately answer Sisona's teasing question.
The cool night breeze brushed against her sweaty nape, bringing a shiver and cooling her chaotic thoughts slightly.
She quickened her pace, wanting only to get back to the tent as soon as possible.
Hisoka followed her leisurely, chuckling softly as he whispered, "So eager to go back? The moonlight is lovely, why don't we take another walk?"
His golden eyes swept meaningfully toward the large tent where they were staying.
Ayana knew that he wanted to go back to that secret passage.
Hisoka's offer was fraught with dangerous temptation.
Having just experienced the standoff, the troupe leader's vigilance must be at its highest. To investigate further now would be tantamount to walking into a trap.
"Are you crazy?" Ayana finally couldn't help but whisper, her steps unwavering. "He definitely suspects we'll go back; there might already be traps or guards waiting for us there!"
"Hmm~ Scared?" Hisoka's golden eyes gleamed with a feline luster in the moonlight. "But the more dangerous the place, the more likely you are to find overlooked surprises, and besides..."
He drawled out his words, his voice laced with mockery: "That big rat must be in a real mess right now."
"If the fire attracts attention, he'll now have to deal with the police investigation, appease his esteemed guests, and figure out how to handle us two unruly goods. He might not be able to manage it all!"
Hisoka is right. The leader must be in a predicament, both internally and externally. This is indeed their opportunity, but the risk is extremely high.
The passage is inside the tent; if they don't go now, they may never have another chance.
Ayana abruptly stopped, turned around, and looked directly into Hisoka's golden eyes, which gleamed with excitement and anticipation in the darkness, before agreeing.
"good."
Hisoka's smile widened instantly, almost reaching his ears; it was a smile of pure pleasure derived from chaos and danger.
“That’s more like it~” he murmured happily, his voice filled with triumphant satisfaction.
The two exchanged a glance, silently lowered their voices, and quietly lifted the tent flap, going inside.
The inside of the tent was even darker than the outside, with only a few pale moonlight rays filtering through the gaps, barely outlining the sleeping figures curled up on their bunks.
The air was filled with the distinctive smell of children's sweat, along with their even breathing and occasional murmurs in their sleep.
Ayana and Hisoka avoided the sleeping children on the ground and moved towards the corner where the junk was piled up in the deepest part.
The two exchanged a glance, and without any hesitation, squeezed through the narrow entrance one after the other, stepping back into the passage leading to the secret.
The faint light and the children's steady breathing inside the tent were instantly shut out, replaced by a suffocating darkness and deathly silence in the passageway.
The only light in the passageway was the dim, flickering glow of the wall lamps spaced far apart, casting distorted, swaying shadows on the damp earthen walls.
They cautiously made their way deeper into the passage, their footsteps barely touching the ground, their ears alertly listening for any unusual sound.
But they hadn't walked far when they heard a "click".
It came from behind them.
Ayana and Hisoka froze in their tracks and turned around abruptly.
On their path, a heavy iron fence had silently fallen down, wedging itself in the grooves on either side of the passage, completely blocking their escape route.
We've fallen for their trap!
This was a trap that had been set up long ago.
"Hehehe..." A deep, triumphant laugh came from the darkness ahead. "The troupe leader is indeed a master strategist. He knew you would walk right into his trap."
With the sound of footsteps, two trainers slowly emerged from the shadows of the passage ahead, blocking their path.
They held short sticks and ropes in their hands, their faces bearing the savage grins of hunters who had finally caught their prey.
Caught in a pincer movement, with no way to retreat.
The two of them were completely trapped in this narrow passage.
Hisoka's golden, vertical pupils suddenly contracted into thin slits, and his usual nonchalant smile vanished, replaced not by fear.
Rather, it is the extreme joy derived from the feeling of danger.
With a flick of his finger, several playing cards appeared between his fingers as if they had come to life.
"Oh dear~" Hisoka's voice still carried that sticky tone, but it had a cold quality to it. "It seems our troupe leader isn't just a muscle-bound idiot, he also enjoys playing these little tricks~"
Hisoka's gaze swept over the approaching trainees, a thrilling pleasure lurking in his voice: "Little cat, it seems we've inadvertently walked into a hunter's trap, but~"
He paused, then added with a slight upward inflection at the end, "Isn't that more interesting?"
The trainer in front brandished the short stick in his hand and sneered, "Kid, still being stubborn even when you're about to die! Let's see where you run this time!"
Outside the iron fence behind, one could hear the footsteps of others approaching.
A desperate situation.
Ayana subconsciously touched the Joker card in her pocket, her eyes darkening.
She assumed a fighting stance, her eyes fixed on the approaching trainer.
Hisoka seemed to sense her intentions and chuckled softly.
“Then…” he licked his lips, his golden pupils burning in the darkness, “let’s see whether the hunter’s trap is harder or the trapped beast’s claws are sharper.”
Before he could finish speaking, Hisoka suddenly flicked his wrist.
Several playing cards, like black lightning, struck the vital points of the two trainers, one in front and one behind.
The battle suddenly broke out.
Hisoka shot out playing cards, forcing the two trainers to dodge and block with all their might.
Taking advantage of the opening, Hisoka dashed forward like a ghost, his target the trainer holding a short stick.
Seeing this, the trainer behind immediately swung the rope towards Ayana, trying to subdue this seemingly weaker target first.
Ayana's heart pounded, and her adrenaline surged.
Her body arched back with incredible flexibility, narrowly avoiding the lasso, but the trainer launched a series of powerful attacks, which Ayana skillfully dodged.
Although Hisoka's attacks were fierce, the narrow passage made it difficult for him to fully utilize his abilities. Furthermore, due to his young age and the fact that he was facing two experienced adult men at the same time, he was temporarily entangled and unable to win quickly.
Ayana decisively used her special ability, [Powerful Amplification].
In an instant, a scorching current seemed to surge from the depths of her bone marrow, instantly engulfing Ayana's limbs and bones.
She felt her senses were magnified infinitely, and she could clearly distinguish the flickering of the lights on the wall and the subtle trembling of her opponent's muscles.
The body, which had been somewhat heavy, became incredibly light, and power surged through it like a tidal wave.
The trainer who was fighting her clearly noticed something was wrong. The girl's eyes suddenly became sharp as knives, and her aura surged.
He was startled, and his movements slowed down by half a beat.
Right now.
Ayana accelerated with a burst of speed, teleporting into the trainer's arms. Her elbow, carrying an unusually strong force, struck him precisely in the ribs.
"Ugh!"
Caught off guard, the trainer felt a piercing pain, as if his ribs were breaking. He staggered backward uncontrollably, crashing into the earthen wall and temporarily losing his fighting ability.
This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Even Hisoka turned around and looked at her in surprise, a strange light flashing in his golden eyes.
Ayana landed a successful blow, but did not press her advantage.
She stood there, slightly out of breath, glancing at Hisoka who was still locked in battle with another trainer, then at the sturdy iron fence behind her and the indistinct figures outside.
An even bolder plan popped into her head.
Although she could force her way out, that would completely expose her true intentions, making the troupe leader and the mysterious person behind them even more vigilant.
Let's turn the tables on them.
Ayana quickly approached Hisoka, and during a brief pause in their exchange, whispered rapidly, "Hisoka, don't go all out! Pretend to be caught!"
Hisoka paused slightly, instantly understanding her intention.
His eyes gleamed with even greater interest and admiration, and a smile that bordered on ecstasy curved his lips.
"Interesting!"
Hisoka chuckled softly, and his attack visibly slowed down.
Seeing this, the trainer thought Hisoka was finally exhausted and was overjoyed, so he launched an even more ferocious attack.
Ayana, in turn, displayed signs of exhaustion, her steps faltering as she was unable to dodge.
Soon, under the combined assault of the two trainers, the two were "finally" subdued.
Hisoka's hands were tied behind his back with rope, and Ayana's arms were also firmly held, unable to break free.
"Hmph! I thought you were so capable!" The trainer who had subdued Ayana spat, a triumphant look on his face.
The iron fence slowly rose.
A series of steady footsteps came from the front of the passage.
The troupe leader slowly emerged from the shadows.
His face held an air of complete composure, as well as a hint of cat-and-mouse playfulness. His gaze swept over the two restrained individuals before finally settling on Ayana.
"Brilliant, truly brilliant." The class leader clapped his hands, his voice echoing in the corridor. "I never expected our little sprite to possess such explosive power; it's truly a pleasant surprise."
He walked up to Ayana, looking down at her: "However, in the end, you couldn't escape my grasp. Now, we can have a good talk about what you saw and what you're really trying to do."
The first step of the plan was a success.
They were successfully captured.
The next step is to turn the tables, infiltrate the tiger's den, and see what the troupe leader and that mysterious man are up to.
Hisoka suddenly let out a low, ambiguous laugh, as if everything before him was just an amusing drama.
His laughter echoed in the small space, but instead of angering the troupe leader, it deepened the mockery on the leader's face.
"Looks like our poker kid is having a good time?" The troupe leader strolled over to Hisoka, reached out and pinched his chin, forcing the boy to lift his face. "Are you excited about the new life that's about to begin?"
Hisoka met the headmaster's gaze fearlessly with his golden, vertical pupils, which shimmered with an almost frenzied light. He licked his lips, his voice still trembling with excitement: "Hmm~ Anywhere is a stage as long as it's interesting, headmaster~ More than that, I'm curious how you plan to entertain us?"
"Entertainment?" The troupe leader released his grip and sneered, "Don't worry, it will be something you'll never forget."
He emphasized the last four words, with an unspoken malice.
The troupe leader said no more, and waved his hand: "Take him away!"
The two trainers roughly shoved Ayana and Hisoka as they walked forward along the passage.
This time, instead of heading towards the stone chamber where the dark ritual had been held, they turned onto a more secluded side path.
The passageway became increasingly narrow and damp, the wall lamps were spaced further apart, and the light became increasingly dim.
The mixed smell of disinfectant and blood in the air grew stronger.
Ayana's heart sank. This was clearly not the way to the ground or to ordinary cells. The troupe leader did not immediately interrogate them, nor did he publicly punish them; instead, he led them deeper into the prison.
This confirmed her suspicion that these two special goods might have other uses.
Hisoka seemed completely oblivious to the danger, even observing with interest the occasional scratches on the passage walls, while still humming his off-key tune.
Finally, they reached the end of the passage.
A door that looked unusually heavy blocked the way.
There was no keyhole on the door, only a recessed slot, which seemed to require a specific item to be inserted to open it.
The troupe leader took out a uniquely shaped badge from his pocket and carefully placed it into the card slot.
The heavy door slowly opened inward, and a nauseating mixed odor wafted out.
The space behind the door suddenly opened up, but the sight made Ayana's pupils shrink.
This place is larger than the previous stone chamber, and it looks like an underground laboratory.
The walls were inlaid with crystals that emitted a pale white light, illuminating several transparent containers in the center that were connected to thick pipes. The containers were filled with indescribable substances.
Against the wall were various oddly shaped instruments and shackles, as well as bottles and jars containing liquids or powders of different colors.
Even more chilling was the sight of several metal cages they had seen before, neatly arranged in a corner of the laboratory.
In two of the cages, huddled figures could be vaguely seen.
They were motionless, as if they were dead.
In the very center of the laboratory stood the mysterious figure in the robe that Ayana had glimpsed in the audience.
He still wore a hood, his face hidden behind his back, and had his back to them.
Upon hearing the door open, the mysterious man slowly turned around.
The shadow under the hood obscured most of his face, leaving only a sharply defined chin visible.
"Is it them?" The mysterious man's voice was hoarse and flat, devoid of any emotion, yet carrying an invisible sense of oppression.
“Yes, sir.” When facing the mysterious man, the troupe leader’s tone became unusually respectful, even with a hint of flattery. “It was these two brats who spied on the ceremony last night and caused a commotion.”
The mysterious man focused his gaze on Ayana, muttered something to himself, then turned his gaze to Hisoka and said in a deep voice, "Put them in the specially made cages."
He pointed to the empty metal cages in the corner of the laboratory: "Give them plenty of food and water to ensure they have plenty of energy."
"What?" The troupe leader almost thought he had misheard. "Sir, they are..."
"Do as instructed." The mysterious man's voice remained calm, yet carried a chilling pressure that instantly interrupted the troupe leader's doubts. "I don't want them to suffer any mishaps before the new moon arrives."
A hint of resentment flashed across the troupe leader's face, but he dared not disobey the mysterious man in the slightest and could only lower his head: "Yes, sir."
Several trainers then roughly shoved Ayana and Hisoka into two cages.
The cage door slammed shut and was locked from the outside.
Although they were locked in cages, their treatment seemed much better than that of the cages next to them, which exuded an aura of despair.
Soon, a trainer brought fresh bread, clean water, and a few pieces of decent-looking jerky, which were slipped through the gaps in the cage.
Ayana was completely bewildered by this sudden change.
Hisoka picked up a piece of jerky, sniffed it, and his golden eyes were filled with curiosity and amusement: "Oh my~ Is this a last meal before execution? Or... does that old man want to fatten us up before slaughtering us?"
Ayana didn't touch the food; she leaned against the cold cage wall, her brow furrowed.
The mysterious person's behavior was too abnormal.
They caused so much trouble, yet instead of being dealt with immediately, they were treated well and supported.
Thinking about what she had seen before, Ayana had some bad feelings.
She looked at Hisoka in the cage opposite her, who was studying the keyhole of the cage with great interest, seemingly thinking about how to open it.
"Hey, little cat," Hisoka noticed her gaze, looked up, and wore his usual smile, "Looks like we've become precious treasures~ What do you think will happen to us on that new moon night?"
Ayana didn't answer, but silently picked up a piece of bread and began to chew it in small bites.
No matter what happens, she needs to maintain her strength.
The mysterious man seemed to whisper a few more instructions to the class leader, then ignored the two people in the cage, turned and walked towards the small door on the other side of the laboratory, his figure quickly disappearing behind the door.
The trainer glared fiercely at the cage, then left with a bellyful of complaints and the trainers.
The heavy metal door slammed shut again with a dull thud.
The laboratory was suddenly left with only Ayana and Hisoka, and those figures in the corner cage whose fates were unknown.
The pale white light of the crystal shone silently, and an eerie silence filled the air, broken only by the faint dripping sound of liquid coming from somewhere.
The moment the door closed, Hisoka immediately dropped his nonchalant demeanor.
Like a real cat, he nimbly approached the edge of the cage, his fingers carefully feeling the lock on the cage door, his golden vertical pupils gleaming with eager anticipation.
"Hmm~ It doesn't seem too complicated..." he muttered to himself, his fingers somehow picking up another playing card and trying to slip it into the keyhole. "Since no one's around now, how about we sneak out and have some fun, little cat? Like... knocking over all these bottles and jars?"
"No!" Ayana immediately whispered, her tone resolute.
She remained leaning against the cage wall, her eyes scanning the entire laboratory warily: "If you unlock it now, where can we go? There are definitely guards outside, and there might be hidden mechanisms in this laboratory that we haven't discovered."
She paused, then lowered her voice: "Besides, didn't you hear? That mysterious person said they wouldn't touch us before the new moon, which means we're safe for now. They won't easily take us down. If you run away now, they'll do everything they can to catch us, and your fate might be a hundred times worse than it is now."
Hisoka stopped moving, tilting his head to look at Ayana with a look of dissatisfaction at being deprived of his fun.
"Safe?" he repeated the word, as if he'd heard some absurd joke, his golden vertical pupils filled with confusion. "Why do we need to be safe? We can just fight our way out!"
He tapped the metal bars of the cage with his fingertips, making a crisp sound, his tone filled with a matter-of-fact excitement: "Look, I can open this right now. The guards outside, and that troupe leader, they're a bit troublesome, but they're not unbeatable, right? Didn't you just take down that big guy in one go? Wouldn't it be more interesting to turn this place upside down?"
In his view, risk and combat are part of the fun, and avoiding risk and waiting for the right opportunity is a kind of incomprehensible boredom.
Ayana met his gaze, which was purely driven by a thirst for thrills, took a deep breath, and tried to make her explanation sound more convincing.
"Fight our way out? And then what?" she retorted, her voice low but her words clear. "We might be able to take down a few guards, maybe even defeat the troupe leader, but then what? Escape this circus? Do we even need to know the truth then?"
She stared intently into Hisoka's eyes: "Is the fun you want just destruction and escape? Or don't you want to know what they want to do on the night of the new moon, treating us as precious sacrifices? What exactly is that ritual, and what's hidden behind it?"
Hisoka's displeasure was gradually replaced by a new interest. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he was thinking about something.
Ayana pressed her advantage: "Think about it, if we run away now, we'll just be two slightly special kids who got into trouble and then ran away."
“But if we wait until the night of the new moon, at the moment when they think it's least likely to go wrong and the most critical, then we'll be destroying more than just a few bottles and jars or taking down a few guards.”
"Wouldn't it be much more interesting to thwart their entire elaborate plot than to rush out and start a random fight like this?"
Hisoka listened quietly, unconsciously flipping the playing cards.
The light in his golden vertical pupils shifted constantly, as if he were contemplating something, before finally transforming into a gradually burning excitement.
Hisoka slowly grinned, revealing a hunger and anticipation as if he had discovered new prey.
"Heh...haha..." He chuckled softly, his voice somewhat eerie in the silent laboratory, "At the most crucial moment, to personally destroy what someone else values most..."
He looked up, his gaze fixed intently on Ayana: "Little cat, you're even more wicked than I thought~"
Hisoka put away the playing cards and leaned lazily against the cage wall again, but his whole demeanor had changed.
He is now like a beast that has temporarily sheathed its claws.
“Alright~” he drawled, “then I’ll reluctantly wait and see what kind of show will unfold on this new moon night.”
"I can smash this show then, it's not too late~"
Ayana secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had temporarily stabilized this most unstable factor.
She turned her gaze back to the depths of the laboratory, to the small door where the mysterious man had disappeared.
At this moment, the system's voice sounded again.
[New quest unlocked: Team up with the good boy [Hisoka] to disrupt the New Moon Night ritual.]
[Mission Reward: 500 points, new equipment x1.]
[New mission unlocked: Kill the troupe leader and free the children.]
[Mission Reward: 100 points, new equipment x1.]
Having persuaded Hisoka to remain still, Ayana's tense nerves relaxed slightly, followed by a strong sense of fatigue.
She curled up in the cold corner of the cage, trying to conserve her body heat and rest briefly.
But there was a chilling coldness in the laboratory that seemed to seep into her bones, causing Ayana to shiver involuntarily.
She hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms, trying to get some warmth in that way.
Hisoka, who was sitting opposite him, had already lay down lazily with his legs crossed, looking like he was about to fall asleep.
But then he noticed something; his golden vertical pupils turned toward the girl in the dim light and stared at her silently for a few seconds.
“Hey, little cat,” he suddenly said, his voice unusually clear in the silence.
Ayana looked up at him with a slightly puzzled expression.
Hisoka didn't look at her, but pointed to the blanket that was carelessly tossed in the corner of the cage.
The blanket looked as if it had once been draped over a wild beast, and it bore scratch marks.
He casually tossed the blanket onto Ayana's cage and said nonchalantly, "If you freeze to death, wouldn't the good show on the night of the new moon be missing a main character? How disappointing."
Ayana paused, looking at the blanket, then at Hisoka who had closed his eyes again. After a moment of silence, she finally reached out and pulled the blanket over herself. The rough fabric insulated her from some of the chill and brought real warmth.
“…Thank you,” she whispered.
Hisoka did not respond; he seemed to have fallen asleep.
But the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.
*
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of the heavy metal door opening again startled the two awake.
The trainer silently placed the same food and water as yesterday in front of the two cages.
He didn't even glance at Ayana and Hisoka before putting down his things and turning to leave.
Ayana silently picked up the food.
The bread was fairly fresh, and the water was fairly clean.
She chewed slowly, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the person opposite her.
Hisoka seemed completely unaffected; he even sniffed the jerky with a critical eye before casually starting to eat.
The daylight slowly passed in deathly silence. In the laboratory, only the pale white light constantly emitted by the crystal made it impossible to tell whether it was day or night outside.
The two remained silent most of the time, only exchanging a few words occasionally.
After an unknown amount of time, the metal door was pushed open once again.
But this time, instead of food, they brought new goods.
Several trainers roughly shoved three terrified-looking children into the room.
They were wearing tattered performance costumes, and their faces still bore traces of tears and bruises, clearly indicating that they had been forcibly brought there.
The three children were unceremoniously stuffed into the empty cage next to them, and one of the children began to sob softly out of fear.
"Shut up!" a trainer snapped impatiently, tapping the cage with a short stick that made a jarring sound.
The child was so frightened that he immediately fell silent, with only his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing that the children had quieted down, the trainers began to talk.
"...This is the last batch. We've finally gathered them all. Tomorrow night is the new moon, so let's hope nothing goes wrong."
Another trainer glanced at Ayana and Hisoka's cages: "It'll be quiet after tomorrow."
The new moon night is tomorrow!
Ayana pretended to be asleep while eavesdropping on their conversation.
The trainers locked the cage door and left again.
The laboratory was filled with suppressed sobs and fearful breathing.
Ayana and Hisoka's eyes met in mid-air.
Hisoka's lips slowly parted into a grin, his golden, vertical pupils glowing eerily in the dim light. He mouthed something to Aiana without speaking.
"Did you hear that, little kitten? The show starts tomorrow!"
Ayana clenched her fist, met Hisoka's crazed gaze, and nodded.
She wrapped herself tightly in the scratch-marked blanket, closed her eyes, and waited for tomorrow to arrive.
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