[Fillydelphia] Welcome to The Circus! (OPEN)

[Sunshine]

((first time starting an RP hopefully the circus will be a pretty open area for anyone, pony or otherwise, to join in! ))

'I am NOT riding a unicycle!'

Sunshine was a freelance clown, and usually wasn't seen performing in Circuses. The bits that were being offered to her, however, were too high to resist. When the Circus showed up to Fillydelphia, she accepted the offer both for the bits, and to advertise her talents in front of everypony.

For the better half of an hour Sunshine had been fighting with a chubby stallion. In about twenty minutes, the Circus performance was going to announce her to perform her act. Originally, it was planned that Sunshine was going to juggle while making balloon animals, and singing a song. About an hour before the show began, she was informed that she would also be riding a unicycle. This did not sit well with her.

It wasn't so much that she didn't know HOW to ride a unicycle, it was more that she didn't want to. No amount of money was worth demeaning herself…not that much at least.

'You will do what you were paid to do!' yelled the stallion. His eyebrows were furrowed, which made his long curly mustache look more mischievous than silly.

'I was PAID to sing, juggle, and make balloon animals. I was not PAID to ride on a unicycle!' shouted Sunshine. Her angered expression was hard to take seriously, as her hair had been done up to look poofy, and she was wearing a red clown-nose.

The stallion inhaled to let out a flurry of unflattering words, when he heard the music queuing him to go out and play host to the audience. His head turned and looked to the exit of the dressing room then turned back. He gave one last deadly glance at Sunshine before leaving. It was like he was threatening her with his eyes.

Sunshine gave him the same stare back. She knew her limits. The orange mare HATED being a clown, but as much as she despised it, she hated riding unicycles even more. It was never comfortable, and the constant feeling of losing her balance made her tense the whole time. Not to mention how awkward she looked while doing it.

'And now, for our next act!' sang the host 'we have a beautiful native of Fillydelphia performing for us. Tonight, you folks will see one of Fillydelphia's most talented, most sophisticated, most amazing-!'

There was a sudden pause. Sunshine was standing at the exit to the stage, ready to go out in front of all those ponies and perform her act. The host pressed his hoof against his ear, talking into an earpiece he didn't have.

'I'm sorry folks, I've just been informed this mare couldn't make it tonight. Instead, please welcome, Sunshine! Performing a juggling, balloon animal-making, song-singing, unicycle-riding act that will leave you at the edge of your seats. Put your hooves together, fillies and gentle colts! Welcome her onto the stage!' The host once again paused, looking over his shoulder at Sunshine, who had been giving him a scowl the whole time. He smirked deviously. Oh no, what was he going to do? What humiliating insult was he going to say next? '…and remember folks, don't mention ANYTHING about her eyes!'

Sunshine winced, the stallion's words hurt her a little bit and part of her wanted to run out there and attack him, but she took a deep breath and calmed herself. No, she wouldn't give him the luxury. Instead, she just brushed past him as they switched places, silently cursing him. The sounds of hooves clopping against wood filled the circus tent as Sunshine trotted up to the stage. Her stomach was tight, but she covered that feeling by putting on her best smile.

The performance began, and as reluctant as Sunshine was, she decided she would use the unicycle. The last thing she wanted was a disappointed audience.

[BaconofChaos]

Lyra had loved the circus when she was just a foal. It had been so long since she'd last seen one, back when she was living in Canterlot. It had been the most amazing show. There had been a zebra trapeeze artist, who flew through the air more gracefully than most pegasi! And an earth pony manticore tamer who had per her whole head in the beast's mouth and came out without a scratch! And a pony who fired himself out of a cannon! And there had been elephants! Lyra had never seen such creatures before! And there were... the clowns.

Lyra shuddered at the thought even as her skin crawled. The clowns had been entertaining, sure. One balanced on one hoof on top of a big ball. That was cool. Another had juggled no less than twenty objects at once, each a different size and shape. And then there was a silly act where the clowns piled out of a tiny carriage, and did a slapstick routine with pies and ladders. It had all been very amusing. Then it came to the balloon animals. Lyra had sat at the front and one of the clowns had come right up to her and made her a balloon animal, an elephant, just like the ones she'd seen earlier. Oh she laughed and clapped her hooves, but when the clown went to give her the balloon she looked into his eyes. Those eyes. Cold, dead, completely in contrast to the board grin, which on closer inspection, was forced and fake. The whole appearance was eerie. Terrifying even! Suddenly clowns weren't funny, they were creepy, horrible creatures that looked like ponies but with terrible, painted faces that didn't seem real! They were- OOF!

Lyra had been brought out of her reverie by a pony next to her elbowing her sharply in the ribs. "SHHH!" said the pony, gesturing to the stage. Lyra looked down and realised that she was sweating, and that half the bag of popcorn she'd bought at the entrace was now on the floor. She'd shaken so much that it had gone everywhere. "Um... Sorry!" she said quietly, with an embarrassed grin. Shifting her weight on the uncomfortable benches, she listened to the ringmaster announcing the next act.

"...please welcome, Sunshine! Performing a juggling, balloon animal-making, song-singing, unicycle-riding act that will leave you at the edge of your seats..."

Juggling? Balloon animal-making!? Unicycle-riding!? Oh no... thought Lyra. I didn't think it would happen this early. Maybe it will be a short act. Lyra attempted to sink back into her seat, beads of sweat once again forming on her brow.