Everything was quiet in and around the circus tent, the only people still awake finishing whatever they’d been doing, headed off to bed so they would be refreshed for tomorrow’s show. The fool, Pierrot, stood alone, watching everyone finish up their tasks. “Hey now, you should get to bed soon too. Big day tomorrow,” one of the trapeze artists said through a yawn, breaking Pierrot’s concentration, which was luckily hidden by the mask they wore.
“Indeed,” she managed quickly enough to avoid drawing any questions. “I just wanted to see everyone one last time, that’s all.”
“One last time, huh?” The man laughed softly, a big smile dominating his features as he turned his head to look out at the others, too. “Well, I won’t try ‘n tell ya what to do, but we’ll be here in the mornin’ sure as can be. It’s been... what, only a few months since ya joined, right?”
Pierrot nodded, though she was surprised that it had been that long. Everything since... back then was a bit of a blur, she hardly recognized the passage of time anymore. “Yes... Thank you for treating me well when I had nowhere else to go.”
The man sighed, looking at the fool once, then chuckling again. “Ain’t nothin’. We’re family now, ya hear? You can always come to anybody here under this roof for anythin’.”
If only it were that simple. To have normal, everyday problems that she could feel comfortable confiding in a friend, or... family, in this case. Yes, she’d already begun to see the members of the circus that way, despite her short time here so far. But really... this life, even her name, ‘Pierrot’, was just a persona. It was easy for her to assume the mask of another person... to BE them. Whether she’d always had that talent, or if it was something that she had developed in order to cope with the isolation and darkness that assailed her while she was hidden away after the end of the world, she didn’t know.
But if she did know one thing, it was that her name... her real name, was Arle, and eventually, she’d find a way to prove it. But for now, she was content with living the life of Pierrot, who had worked her way up from nothing. Even if Pierrot was just her creation, she had respect for that persona. Someone who built their identity as they went, unafraid of whatever hurdles might be set in front of them.
Seeing that Pierrot had fallen silent again, her friend gently pats her shoulder. “Anyway, I’m gonna hit the hay now. Goodnight.”
“Yes, goodnight... and sweet dreams.”