Cirque Nocturne: Messages

I've found a dress to wear to one of the many balls, now I simply need to figure out which one/s I'm attending, and who, if anyone, might accompany me. Such a busy social bee I am.

Busy, busy!

( [Group message to: Sylvie, Finnerty, Iris, and Gabe:] )

[Private to Eden]
To: 🦁

My phone won't connect to my service provider so instead of texting you like a normal human being, I'm sending you a message over the network instead! Juuuuuust wondering if you're going to any of the balls this week? Or had any other plans?

From: 👻

I'm never gonna get used to walking into my trailer at 11:30pm on one continent and opening the door at 2am to step out onto another. It's so trippy!

Even though I'm really sad that we left Thailand (but not those creepy dolls urgh), I'm so psyched to be in Vienna! I got up kinda early yesterday (before noon!) so I could get in a few hours in and around Stephansplatz and shit it was magical. Crowded as hell but so worth it! I also had the best marillenknödel too, so I was a very happy guy! So happy that I barely minded the cold...

[Private to Winny]
Hey. It's none of my business but I saw you yesterday near the midway while I was heading out and you looked kinda upset. You okay?

Hallo. Mein Luftkissenfahrzeug ist voller Aale

I'm feeling over the worst of whatever it was I had. No more fever or almost hallucinating or general feeling like I'm dying. Thank you, Rose.

I've heard there's a ball happening here. I'm tempted to go but I feel like I'd stand out even if I managed to find the right kind of dress. What do people do at a ball??

[Kit]
The flowers are beautiful, really beautiful. Thank you. And thank you for taking me to the clinic. And... like... thank you for almost everything in the last month? It's been insane and you've been amazing. I never could have expected it from someone who I've known for so short a time but I just want you to know how much I appreciate you and how grateful I am.

Is much better weather here, am very happy! And I am seeing advertisements for balls, like in the Disney movies I am watching to learn English!

Who wants to go to the balls with me? I will even put on a shirt for you! A whole suit, actually, and learn how to dance! I be perfect ball date. Come at me, Cirque, let's be having some fun.

Hello circus of the strange, I'm Emma and I've consigned myself to joining you for now. I'm nothing so resplendent as our fearless djinn Ringmaster or the vampires and werewolves that walk this place fighting each other like some sort of Underworld rip off?, but I'll do my best with what I've got.

If I come across as rude or standoffish, it might just be a bad day. Or maybe it's you. You could be the sort of person who makes other people rude and standoffish.

Look, I'm not very good at introductions so just let me impart what I've learned related to this lantern festival, which is that in 2016 it created six tonnes or rubbish that had to be cleaned out of Bangkok's waterways the next day. (I have no moral or ecological comment to add to this, it's just a thing I read.)

I'm rather enjoying the lantern festival. Sending love and positive energy to those who have passed on is right up my street. And this weather agrees with me, as does the local cuisine. Even the spirits seem less riled than usual, which is a nice change of pace.

You know, I'm not usually much for peace-and-light festivals, but I have to say that the lanterns are lovely. After the recent nightmares, it's a nice change of pace as far as feelings go.

All that said, I'm interested to see where our next move takes us. Anyone for bets on hot/cold? Bikini weather or Eskimo gear?

Hello, Cirque! I'm Winnifred, but you can call me Winny. It's five in the morning, I'm hot off a plane, and about to crash into anything resembling a bed.

But, just as a rundown, I'll be working with the horses, wowing the crowds with my trick riding. Ever seen someone do a handstand on the back of a moving horse? Yup, that'll be me. Come check it out.

I was told I should go to a tent called Flashbulb to get fitted for my costume. I really hope there's no lace, sequins, glitter, or frilly skirts involved. Just give me a black leotard and an elastic for my hair and I'll be fine, seriously.

I don't want to tax the kitchens with my dietary restrictions, so I'll be making a grocery run and cooking tomorrow night, in the local style. If anyone wants yellow curry with chickpeas, feel free to stop by my trailer. And if no one comes by, all the food waste will go in the compost bin, which I'm sure a modern circus such as this totally has!

I'm covering this once, and only once. I am not a doll whisperer. I can't read their futures. I don't know if they intend to beat you up again tonight. Please stop asking. To start, I'd suggest not hoarding them in your trailer like a pre-teen girl, and not smashing them like an angry pubescent boy. Short of that, let the witches do their work.

As for the anonymous questions left in my dropbox today;

1) You missed the train on bitcoin. I'd recommend looking at investments in VI sex dolls. It'll be a thing, and soon.
2) She's cheating on you with the Goblin. You've been a doormat. She likes someone more assertive.
3) I can't help you with the rash. That's not how this works. Get yourself to the Bandaid Station, stat.

Does anyone have any miracle fixes for bruises? Or anything to help, at all. I had 26 dolls in my trailer last night. I look like a children's fingerprinting project and I had nightmares about the farm. Feeling shaky

... The dolls whisper if they think you aren't paying attention.

So, bruises? Huh. At least the killer dolls in movies just murder you without dragging it out like this. It's seriously dampening my Thailand buzz.

[Private to Eric]
I have something to cheer you up.

I'm almost glad to hear I'm not the only one having nightmares. At least these ones aren't real and it's made by stupid evil dolls. ... what a sentence.

I'm not glad about whatever sickness I've picked up from the customers though. I feel like I'm boiling alive and it was already hot and muggy here before it. My plan is to spend every second I'm not working in bed trying not to die.

You know, usually I'm fond of small, strange, somewhat-frightening things. But I'm beginning to feel distinctly uncomfortable with our porcelain visitors.

( Private to Kennet )

I've come to realize that I missed out on dressing up for Halloween as the days go by. So because of that, I was thinking of just picking a random day and dressing up. That isn't too odd, right?

Oh, and there is this doll looking at me that I'm finding pretty creepy, but also kind of cute.

I am not liking this. I sleep, waking up so tired, so scared, but do not remember what I am scared of. Krakens? Sharks? The children-snatchers? Humans invading our home? Going back home to realize that my bloom has left or been killed? Is all blurring together.

I go to the lagoon but there are many dolls in the water. If anyone need me, I be in my tank. They not get there, not yet, and I not feel like performing today.

I don't know what everyone's so concerned about. I like him, he's shiny and seems to have life sorted. I'm calling him George.

I'll take dolls that no one wants!

What's with the Chuckies? The place looks like a REDRUM elf on a shelf nightmare.