| Summer Crossover Series 2003: Shadow Gypsies By Kuzibah |
| A Buffy/Cirque du Freak (book series) Crossover Disclaimer: Oz and other characters and situations particular to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and other individuals and corporate bodies. Darren Shan, �Cirque du Freak� and other associated materials are the property of Darren Shan. No copyright infringement is intended or implied. Introduction to " Shadow Gypsies": When Oz was last seen, he was headed out of Sunnydale to learn to control his inner werewolf. When last seen in my fanfic, he was traveling in Europe with the Circus Internationale and romancing a tumbler named Bema. Read the Stories here: Boy on a String, In Days Beyond Recall, Strength. Darren Shan is the lead character and narrator of a series of book for young teens called �Cirque du Freak� by� Darren Shan. Through a series of misadventures, Darren becomes a half-vampire, and the assistant to Mr. Crepsley (a full vampire) in a small traveling circus consisting of actual supernatural beings. The books are surprisingly dark, considering their market, and Darren Shan (the author) captures the youthful voice of the narrator very well. Rating: PG Archive- Please email request. Feedback- Absolutely. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Oz lay still, listening to Bema's soft breathing beside him. It was not yet dawn, and only the barest hint of silvery light was peeking through the opening between the curtains, but with his heightened werewolf senses, he could see the room around him very well. It was the first time he'd spent time away from the circus during the performing season since joining over three years before, but Bema's family, the Papadoukases, were on a hiatus until Bema's father got over the shock of his son Niklos's announcement that he was in love with Eligio Bellini, eldest son of the Flying Bellinis, and intended to marry him as soon as the circus opened in Belgium. In truth, the news had come as a shock to no one except the elder Papadoukas, and most suspected it was his embarrassment over that knowledge, more than the announcement itself, that had led him to take his wife away to Cypress to recover. In the wake of the cancellation of performances until further notice, much of the rest of the Papadoukas family had dispersed for a few days, agreeing it was probably best to get some distance and let Dad cool down. It was his usual reaction to family drama: he�d done the same thing when his sister had eloped with a saxophone player and his elder daughter, Evanthe, had become pregnant out of wedlock. He�d spend a week or two staring out at the ocean and sighing deeply, then come back and announce that they were family, the only family they had, and they would support each other no matter what. Oz decided to take the opportunity to have a romantic getaway with Bema, and they crossed the channel to England and trained north to Liverpool to see the �Beatle Landmarks.� They�d found a charming inn, The Storybook Cottage, with rooms themed on various fairy tales. Bema had suggested they take the Red Riding Hood room, with its �big bad wolf,� but it had an exposure that got very little sun, so Oz had taken the Snow White room, instead. Now, in the pre-dawn light, he noted the carved wooden apples at the top of each post on the bed, the child-sized cups and plates displayed on shelves, and the seven dwarf figurines in a line along one wall. Although, technically, they were probably gnomes. A small framed painting hung on the wall facing the bed, and though it conveyed an important part of the story, it was so morbid it seemed out of place. It portrayed a woman�s slim, white hands holding a carved, wooden box lined with velvet. And there, nestled in the box as gently as an egg, was a heart. Not a cartoon, Valentine-like heart, either, but an almost photo-realistic portrayal of an actual organ, glistening with fresh blood. Oddly, it was this grisly touch that Oz found appealing. Clearly, their hostess was not one to gloss over the unpleasant aspects of the tales, but respected the symbolism and deeper meaning. It was reassuring, in its way. Beside him, Bema turned onto her back and made a soft moan. Oz turned to watch her as her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him and smiled. Oz felt his heart squeeze a little. It never failed to humble him that a woman could look on him with such love. �Good morning,� she said. �Good morning to you,� Oz replied. �How did you sleep?� She laughed softly and rubbed her hand across her eyes. �Like a stone,� she said. �I�m sure I woke you with my snoring.� �Not at all,� he said, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips lightly. �Shall we go exploring today, then?� she said. �Soon,� he said. �No need to get up just yet.� She rolled towards him and stroked the side of his face. �And what did you have in mind?� *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* They spent a leisurely morning at the inn, then went out to visit some dubious �historical sites� where various members of the Fab Four had supposedly lived, gone to school, met, or performed. They took lunch at a fish and chips van and watched the boats for a bit, then wandered around the shops. Oz bought Bema a silver ring with an iridescent stone. Late in the afternoon, as they were discussing which of the restaurants they�d passed would be fun for dinner, when a man approached them on the sidewalk. He was tall, and wore a top hat and a frock coat, and as he came near, Oz could sense something� off about him. Nothing he could quite put his finger on; the man looked, sounded, and smelled human if he analyzed each separately, but the combination was just wrong, somehow. The man passed them a handbill without a word, then continued walking. They looked it over. It said: CIRQUE DU FREAK FOR ONE WEEK ONLY � CIRQUE DU FREAK SEE: SIVE AND SEERSA � THE TWISTING TWINS THE SNAKE BOY! THE WOLF MAN! GERTHA TEETH! LARTEN CREPSLEY AND HIS PERFORMING SPIDER- MADAME OCTA! ALEXANDER RIBS! THE BEARDED LADY! HANS HANDS! RHAMUS TWOBELLIES � THE WORLD�S FATTEST MAN Performing at the Old Cooperstone Brewery � 10 P.M. Tickets available at the door NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED! SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY! �It�s a circus,� Bema said. �I thought I knew them all in Europe.� �No,� Oz said. �It�s a Freak Show. Like our sideshow.� �Look, they�ve a wolf man,� Bema pointed on the page. �Do you think it�s another werewolf, like you?� �Maybe,� Oz said. �We should go,� Bema said. Oz nodded slowly. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* They arrived at the Brewery, now closed and abandoned-looking, just after dusk. The tall man who'd given them the handbill was there, selling tickets. He gave them a smile that didn't touch his eyes as he directed them inside. The air inside was much cooler than the air outside, and Bema shivered against Oz. Ahead of them they saw a stage that had been erected in the large, empty space where the brewing vats had once stood. It was lit with red and green lights, and was encircled by folding chairs on risers. Oz and Bema exchanged looks; they had expected a walk-through sideshow like the one he performed with, but this looked more like a miniature circus ring. Perhaps it was an actual circus, after all. They took their seats in the middle of the second row, and Oz noticed the audience was quite diverse. There were all ages, and judging by the clothes, various economic levels, as well. Scantily-clad female hucksters worked the crowd, selling postcards, candies and drinks, and novelty toys. After a few minutes, he lights dimmed, and the tall man took the stage. He introduced himself as Mr. Tall, unsurprisingly, and explained a bit of the history of the "Cirque," as he called it. He claimed it had been in existence for over five hundred years, and exhibited remarkable human beings. Then the show was underway. Two female assistants wheeled out a large cage covered with a heavy tarp onto the stage, and Oz was instantly alert. There was a werewolf inside! The women threw back the tarp, and there were screams from some of the audience as the "Wolf Man" was revealed. He had not appeared to be completely transformed, remaining more upright than a full werewolf was, and his face remained more flat and human-looking. But he was covered with spiky reddish-brown fur, and he howled and barked as he threw himself around his prison. �My assistants will now attempt to hypnotize the wolf man,� Mr. Tall said. �I implore all of you to remain quietly in your seats, as any sudden noise or movements may break the trance, and we cannot predict his behavior.� The audience murmured nervously as one of the women stood in front of the cage, pointing to her eyes with the first two fingers of her left hand, attempting to draw the wolf man�s gaze, but the creature was having none of it. He paced furiously back and forth, never looking away from the middle of the second row: Oz�s seat. Oz felt the hair on his back raise as he and the caged man regarded each other. He kept his outward demeanor calm through long practice, but inside he could sense his wolf-self very close to the surface. This being was threatened, furious, and his scent and body language spoke clearly to Oz: I will kill you as soon as I am free. Beside him, Bema could sense the tension, too, like tightly drawn wires between their seats and the cage. After what seemed like hours, Mr. Tall stepped to the front of the stage, placing himself between the two werewolves. �Ladies and Gentlemen,� he said, �our wolf man is restive tonight, and cannot be placed into the protective trance. I will ask my lovely assistants to remove him so that we may go on with the rest of the show.� The women picked up the tarp, then, and placed it over the stage as the wolf man howled with frustration and reached for them through the bars. They could still hear his angry snarls as he was wheeled from sight. Mr. Tall stepped forward to introduce the next act, and Oz dropped his arm over Bema�s shoulders. �I�ve seen enough,� he said. �Let�s go.� They retreated to the door they�d entered by, only to be met by two boys, one dressed rather like a pirate, and the other entirely covered with green scales. �Who are you?� the pirate-boy demanded. �What did you do to the wolf man?� Oz�s look grew hard. �Get out of my way, vampire,� he said, his voice low. The boy�s face opened in surprise, then grew determined. �Half-vampire,� he shot back. �And answer the question.� �Is there a problem, gentlemen,� said a voice behind Oz, and Mr. Tall stepped over to them. Oz and the pirate-boy glared at each other silently, until the ringleader said, �Darren,� sharply, causing the boy to look up. �He did something,� the boy, Darren, said. �He made the wolf man go crazy.� �Why don�t you tell me what you did to him,� Oz said. �What are you�� Darren began, but Mr. Tall raised a hand to quiet him. �He did it to himself,� Mr. Tall said gently. Oz�s eyes narrowed. �Go on,� he said. �Searching for a �cure� to his lycanthropy,� Mr. Tall explained, �he tried to integrate the human and wolf sides of his being. The creature you saw on stage is the unfortunate result.� �So you keep him caged, to exhibit,� Bema accused. �Instead of trying to help him, you treat him like an animal.� �I did try to help him,� Mr. Tall said, with an edge of sadness to his voice. �He was my best friend growing up in the Cirque, and my business partner for the first eleven years I ran it. I keep him here to protect him, and show him in the hope that one of our many customers may know of a cure. Does that answer your concern, young lady?� Bema dropped her eyes, ashamed. �I apologize,� she said. �I didn�t know�� �It is no matter,� Mr. Tall said quietly. �But perhaps� you do know of a cure?� The two boys� eyes widened, and they looked back and forth between Bema and Oz, clearly wondering what Mr. Tall knew. �Nothing that would help you,� Oz said. �It requires a certain� discipline of thought.� Mr. Tall squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and shook his head. �Ah, well,� he said softly, then fixed his gaze on the boys. �Darren, Evra,� he said, �return backstage. There�s a show going on.� Reluctantly, the two boys slunk away, and Mr. Tall turned back to Bema and Oz. �Good day to you both,� he said. �And from one circus man to another, I give you my regards.� Now it was Oz�s turn to be surprised. �How did you..?� �I know many things about you, Daniel Osbourne,� Mr. Tall said. �And you as well, Bema Papadoukas. In fact, your father is already at terms with your family�s issues. You may want to contemplate returning to your own circus in France.� Then, with a slight bow, he turned on his heel and was gone. Bema took Oz�s hand, and shivered. Main Menu ~ Return to Crossover Menu |