Who: Jean and Finn What: Becoming friends When: Saturday September 5th Where: Backstage of the show tents and then the mess hall tent Rating: Low Status: Complete
Another successful day show was completed, the crowds had left Zion and the gates locked as the last group of people left, there was always someone who wanted to get in while the carnival was closed for a peak but that was what security was for and they did a great job.
Finn had given his tank one last look over before he changed out of his performance clothing and into his normal ones. As he left the tent he was rubbing at his wrists that were usually a bit sore due to the cuffs that he wore during his water escape show, he was also feeling a bit drained but that was normal, he'd feel better after a few hours.
He was walking past the big cat tent in a bit of a daze when he almost ran into someone. "Oh… sorry."
Today had been a bit of a crazy one, King wasn’t feeling well and barely made it through the last show. She spent the last hour kneeling down next to him and trying to soothe him. Finally Kerr made it to the cage and told Jean she’d take care of him from there so she reluctantly left, still donned in her sparkly costume. She wasn’t watching where she was going, distracted and tired when she found herself nearly toppling over someone.
“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry.” She replied to him before she took a good look at his face. “You’re Finn ain’t you? I’m a friend of Riley’s.” Jean was trying her best to get to know more people here since she’d be spending the foreseeable future with them.
Finn's hands had gone out to stabilise both of them but thankfully neither of them ended up toppling over, call it a small miracle. He had been in Zion so long that he recognised most faces of other people and had an idea of what they did, but names, those he was still hopeless with.
"I am indeed Finn." He replied, it didn't surprise him that the brunette was a friend of Riley's, at least half of Zion were probably friends with his fiance. "So you're the lion tamer that he's talked about, I admit I'm hopeless with remembering names."
She smiled and stuck out her hand to shake his. Her daddy told her how to do a handshake right and so she grasped his hand firmly and gave it a few shakes before resuming their conversation. “Jean, Jean Ramsey. Cat show.” She said, pointing to the stage behind her and then gesturing to the outfit she was currently wearing.
“What’re you up to? I could use some company if you’re not busy.” Kerr was her usual go to but she’d be at the pens a lot longer tonight. It hurt Jeans heart to watch King suffer and she hoped whatever was going on would pass soon. She didn’t know what she’d do if she lost him. He was her brethren.
And Jean's handshake was indeed a good one, not like the weak, wet fish ones that he had found so many people had. "Finn Thompson. Water Escape show." A thumb went over his shoulder, indicating his tent was back that way, it also explained why his hair was still wet.
He was originally going to go back to his wagon and read a book to wind down, but some company and conversation didn't sound like a bad way to spend some time. "I was just going to read a book, but Jules Verne can wait." Not like he hadn't read Journey to the Center of the Earth before. "Where did you feel like going?"
“My stomachs been growing at me for a while, want to grab some grub with me?” She didn’t have a lot of time between shows to grab food and with King’s behavior today she didn’t want to leave his side.
She couldn’t help but be worried for him and having someone to talk about that with a good meal seemed like just the thing she needed. “I’m buying.” She teased.
"Sounds like a great idea." Finn didn't usually eat for hours before his own show, just a small meal was enough to keep him going, getting shut in a tank filled with water and a full stomach was not a good idea, he learned that when he was still a child.
Straighten his shirt a bit he put out an arm, as if to say 'lead the way' even though he knew where the mess tent was and hopefully someone was there, they usually were after the day shows where most people were working through regular lunch hours. "How could I refuse such an offer?" Even though meals were free.
She chuckled at his response and walked with him in the direction of the mess hall. Riley and her had met when she was feeling down and had the night of their lives on the town. She owed him a lot and if Finn was anything like him, she knew they’d be good friends. “So how long you been here? Feels like I’m still the newest one here.” That wasn’t true. She’d been there over half the year but she still felt like the odd one out.
When they finally made it to the mess hall she grabbed a plate and watched as the food was served upon. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until now.
Riley seemed to have that effect on people, to make them smile and forget about their own problems, he had done it for Finn, bringing him out of the melancholy that had hung over his head like a cloud for so long.
With plates filled with food, he waited until they were seated before he answered her question. "I've been with Zion… must be sixteen years by now. Been here so long I'm almost part of the decor." He joked before eating a mouthful of food.
“Sixteen years? Wow, I was still making my living by picking pockets of oblivious men back then.” Not that she didn’t still, but most of her income came from the carnival itself.
“Do you mind if I talk your ear off for a bit? I’m awfully worried and I think talking about it will help me feel better.” She hoped Finn was enough like Riley that he’d listen to a complete stranger go on and on about her sick lion.
Finn was born into the life, he knew nothing else but moving from city to city, town to town and performing, although the move with Zion was so much easier than travelling for hours or days in train wagons to get from place to place.
He had another mouthful of food in his mouth when Jean asked if she could talk his ear off, he nodded but when he swallowed the food he added, "Just as long as it's not about relationships, I'm too rusty on those." Even though he had been with Riley now for years it was still a secret from most people and he didn't know what the other man had said already.
She chuckled and began eating her food. She chewed and swallowed before she spoke. “Well it’s only about my relationship with my lion.” She smiled but didn’t quite feel like laughing. “I’ve always had a special connection to felines, my whole life we’ve had a kinship.” She wasn’t sure if he needed her whole life story but it painted a picture.
“So when King isn’t feeling well it just makes me feel the same.” She said with a sigh. “Is that crazy?” She asked him, caused it sure seemed that way to her.
Finn nodded, taking the moment while Jean was talking to eat another forkful, he understood the kinship and connection that she was talking about, he felt a similar way towards water and those creatures that lived in it.
"Not at all." He said, offering her a small smile. "I'm a water elemental, I feel like that when we're doing shows out in the desert and the rivers have dried up. Just something in me feels strange, disconnected and I am definitely not myself." Thankfully it wasn't often that they were in that situation, but Riley had seen what kind of mood he could get in when kept away from his element.
She sighed and then took another bite of her food while he talked about himself. “I’m a shifter, big cats mostly but I can do small domestics too.” She had only done it once recently, she knew she’d done it so much in her past that it was starting to take its toll. Better keep herself alive as long as possible.
“I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him.” She added, her eyes softening as she thought about it. By the next day King would be back to normal and Jean would be relieved to find out from Kerr in the morning but until then it weighed on her mind.
Zion was filled with people who had a lot of different abilities, so when Jean told him she was a shifter it didn't even raise an eyebrow, he had seen them since he was a boy and had just grown used to these strange people.
"I'm sure he's fine." Finn said, trying to find reassuring. "We all have bad days, am I right? Then it stands to reason that even our animal friends - big or small - would have them too. Maybe he's got a bellyache or is just feeling tired but there's no way for him to tell you." Except by acting out, that was usually a sign something wasn't right.
He couldn’t tell Jean but he could tell Kerr and the truth was that Kerr always took care of them better than she did. “You’re right. I handle them but Kerr really takes care of them. I’m sure they’ll be just fine.” She offered him a smile, feeling a bit of a weight off of her. She hadn’t realized that all she needed was just to talk about it.
“Sometimes I wish I could just get into their heads and figure out what they’re thinking or feeling.” It was a silly idea, it made sense that she might since she could turn into them but that wasn’t how that worked. She giggled at the idea, feeling foolish for even suggesting it.
"Well I'm sure if there's anything wrong, Kerr will let you know." Though he hadn't had a lot of contact with the young guy that looked after the animals Finn did know that Kerr really cared for the animals and after seeing animals abused in previous carnivals and circuses in his youth it was great to see them treated as well as the humans.
Finn took a sip from the mug of water that he had also grabbed with the food. "It would make your job a lot easier. Sometimes I wish I could communicate with the aquatic animals, let them know I'm not a threat, just there to swim." He chuckled as well, they both had silly ideas but sometimes dreaming was good for the soul.
If only she had more time on this earth, she could spend it learning about all the magical things in this world, but she didn’t. Jean had 20 years tops before her inevitable death. Same thing happened to her father and she knew she’d already wasted most of her life. “Animals really are amazing. I don’t know why so many people treat them lesser. Their senses are so much more astute and they’re so pure.”
Animals didn’t have deceitful thoughts, just instincts and she admired that.
Finn knew just how fickle life could be, how people could die unexpectedly and knew just how close he had come to that fate when he was drinking heavily after Miriam's death. Now he was living life to the fullest and every day made sure he told Riley that he loved him.
"I agree, they're not malicious and will only attack or hurt you if they see you as a threat. Humans attack each other for all sorts of crazy reasons." Finn said before eating a bit more, the cooks here always made the most wholesome meals.
Finishing off her food she reached across the table and put a hand over his. “We’re going to be good friends Finn, I know it.” She offered him a smile. This place really was growing on her.