Pièce of the Singing Garden of Delusions Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

Mitile: The Lying Pierrot…that’s what Miss Iris called Mister Owen, when she mistook his clothes for another performer.

Ponytailed Person: The Lying Pierrot was a wizard who used to be a performer here. All he did was lie, so that’s why he was called that.

He’d call blue things red, read the newspaper out wrong, drink cold alcohol like it was hot!

Red Haired Person: Just how much was a lie, whether he was merely teasing or not, always threw people for a loop thinking about it.

Shino: Sounds like Owen. Though when it comes to him he’s just being mean. 

Red Haired Person: Is this Owen fella your friend?

Lennox: Yes. He’s just a little unhonest, is all.

Mitile: A little, hmph. What’s really honest is that Mister Owen can be a big bully.

He always says mean things straight to your face, breaks things in fights, and doesn’t ever take his missions seriously. He is super strong though…

Shino: And it’s annoying that because he’s strong he gets a free pass. I wanna be able to do that.

Ponytailed Person: Ahaha, sounds like he’s a tough nut to handle. But a guy like that might be suited for this bizarre freak show.

The Lying Pierrot was a strange fellow, but he was our main attraction.

Red Haired Person: Iris admired him too, enough to become an actor. It’s just too bad he went and croaked…

Shino, Mitile, & Lennox: Huh…?

Red Haired Person: Ah, didn’t know didja? He died ten years ago. 

Ponytailed Person: During his performance, a chandelier fell on him. Us two weren’t here back then, so this is from what we’ve heard at least….

Mitile: That’s…a terrible accident…

Shino: If it was during a performance, then that means there was an audience watching. Did people panic?

Red Haired Person: They sure did. Right before their eyes someone got reduced to pieces. Crowd was as loud as a raging storm.

Ponytailed Person: That Iris too, she was in a deep depression for awhile, but…after that, she took on performing his play. 

That “Let Us Meet On Walpurgis Night” song she sings was his specialty. 

Lennox: …That’s why she doesn’t want to stop performing it.

It was a song that someone important to her sang. 

Red Haired Person: Iris says this too, that she thinks if she keeps on singing, she might meet him again.

Like he’d just show up on the side of the stage to join her in performing…

If you don’t got some sorta delusion like that to cling onto, you won’t survive here long.

Lennox: …It’s not easy to continue something for someone else's sake.

Especially if that someone is never coming home. If there’s a single thread of hope to hang onto, no amount of recklessness will feel enough. 

Shino: …

Mitile: Mr. Leno…

Lennox: Her desires to continue on believing and singing his song have survived to this day, and are kept here in this theatre.

…We’d best solve this anomaly, for her to keep on singing with her hopes and wishes intact. 

Chloe: Oh…so the Lying Pierrot that Iris loved is…already gone.

Owen: I was wondering why I wasn't seeing him. So he died.

Kid with Braids: Mmhmm. Sometimes Iris talks about him.

He was a pierrot good at acting and singing, and someone she admired a lot, so she was very sad. 

Rustica: He must have been a master of expressions. I wish I could have met him.

Akira: Yeah…a stage performance with those two would’ve been amazing I bet…

While mending costumes, we were talking to some of the troupe children. 

There were a lot more members to the troupe than we thought, and in the crammed backstage area with props and noises everywhere, people took their time getting around.

Rustica: Mm…I’ve finished.

The hole has been mended. Now that I look at it, this outfit is rather unique.

Chloe: Rustica you, that sleeve is stitched on backwards! Now we can see the lining…

Hand it to me. This is how you do it…

Kerchiefed Kid: Wooow, it’s just like magic! Your needlework is good, mister.

Chloe: Yours too! I love the frills on this, they’re so pretty!

Kerchiefed Kid: Aw, you think so…? I’m always getting yelled at for being slow…

Kid with Braids: And you get hit for it, and don’t get your meals…

Chloe: …Do you guys like living here?

Kerchiefed Kid: I dunno. I never lived anywhere else to know.

Kid with Braids: I like the songs and plays though! I get to become someone other than myself. Uhm, but I’m still no good yet…

Chloe: …I see. Even though your home is small and dark, you still found something you like. You’re just like me.

Kid with Braids: You like singing too?

Chloe: I actually like making clothes! Back when I was still trapped in a small small world, my love for making clothes was the only thing that kept me going, and what let me dream.

The moment I stepped outside though, my world expanded like crazy. I’d need a million hands to count the things I’ve experienced and people I’ve met…and my love for making clothes became a larger dream. 

My dearest friends I’ve met outside. I have people who are good at laughing and good at making others laugh by my side, and they help me blast through the bad times!

He takes some puppets left upon a wooden box, and flaps their mouths open.

Chloe: “Hey, feeling down? Wanna see some fireworks?”

“Murr, do you intend on blowing a hole through the ceiling?”

“A splendid idea. We could teatime under the stars then.”

Kid with Braids: Ahaha!

Kerchiefed Kid: Those guys’re weird!

Rustica: Hehe, splendid acting. You know us so well, Chloe.

The kids raised their voices with laughter as they watched Chloe’s imitation puppet play, who changed voices per character well.

Eventually, we had to say goodbye as the kids finished their repairs, and we watched their backs as they ran off. It was then I heard someone call out from behind me.

Iris: Hey guys…

Chloe: Iris!

Akira: Welcome back! Uhm, are you okay…?

Iris: Yep. Sorry to make you guys work.

Are we mending clothes? Let me help.

Rustica: Your arm…it’s swelling up terribly. That was where he hit you, wasn’t it.

Let me make it better with some healing magic. Amorest Viesse.

Iris: Wow, awesome…the swellings gone, and it doesn’t hurt as much anymore! I didn’t know magic could do this!

Rustica: …Does that man do this to you often?

Iris: Yes…back when the real manager was still active, he was much more strict. So he’s actually better now. 

Akira: I was wondering why we still hadn’t met them yet, but is the manager sickly or something?

Iris: It seems that way. I’ve not seen their face for years now.

I’m the type of person who complains right away when there’s a problem, so I got punished way more in the past.

Apart from the spot that just got hit, I could see many other cuts and bruises on her arm.

No, not just her arm…there’s probably plenty more in spots we can’t see…

Iris: Hey, don’t make that face now, Master Sage. I know it’s not easy living here, but…

This is the place where I met him. Not any other stage, this one.

Rustica: It was a fateful meeting. His song lightened up your path to who you are now.

Iris: Yes, exactly! Even offstage he was an enigma. If it wasn’t moments before showtime, you’d never be able to find him anywhere.

The most I’ve talked with him was at the side of the stage…but I still treasure those moments like a mysterious dream. 

Whenever his performances ended, I’d go and see Liebe right away.

Chloe: Who’s Liebe? Are they another actor?

Iris: No, he was a playwright. He’d stick in the storage room all day, writing his scripts.

Owen: I’ve met him before.

Chloe: Woah, Owen…?! Right, you disappeared at some point.

Owen: Like I’d ever listen to the orders of some human.

Anyways, that playwright is that sickly pale boy who was always hunched over his desk, right? I bullied him too.

I remember taking a script while he was still writing it, and burning it to ashes in front of his eyes.

Iris: You, how horrible…

Akira: I’m so sorry, he’s always like this! By the way Owen, where did you go?

Owen: I went and made fun of randoms here and there. I also grabbed their candies.

Akira: So you threatened them too…Ahh, no littering here!

Iris: …I thought you were like the Lying Pierrot at first, but you might actually be more like Liebe.

Your bangs are long, and though I didn’t see his face much it was pretty like yours.

Owen: Haha, that’s unexpected…but don’t lump me in with a moper like that.

Iris: Oh he wasn’t just a moper. Liebe sometimes joined me in my practices, and the songs he sang were so good.

The reason I’ve gotten to where I am now is thanks to his scripts and the time I spent with him…

And of course the Pierrot too. I’ve gotta be thankful to be born under the same stars as him. 

Owen: Hearing you talk about stars just soured my mood. It’s all just fake glitter anyway.

Iris: You saying my song is a sham?

Owen: Who knows. If that’s what you think though maybe it is?

Iris: You really are cold hearted…

Owen: Haha, why thank you.

He stuffed chocolates into his cheeks as he mischievously smiled.

When it seemed like he was about to stab into Iris again with more criticisms, I quickly waved a glove.

Akira: I-Iris! I can’t find the pair for this glove.

Iris: Oh geez…there might be extras in the storage room.

Here, I’ll take you there.

Nero: You wanna talk to the manager?

Faust: Yeah. You saw what their assistant did to Iris.

The power harassment here may be the root of the curse.

Nero: I getcha. Then it’s faster to just contact the manager and investigate from there.

Alrighty, let’s go find our big guy.

Tall Person: Somebody! I need to put this poster up, so press down the other end please!

Nero: This good?

Tall Person: Oh, just right. Thank you bud. I don’t think I’ve seen you before.

Nero: Just got here. I actually haven’t said my greetings to the manager yet, so would you happen to know where I can find them?

Tall Person: Ah, their room should be in the back. It’s the pretty and small one…but I’d give up if I were you.

You don’t needa give ‘em any greetings. They don’t meet people like us.

Blue Haired Person: It’s been about a year since I’ve come here, but I’ve still not seen their face. Never meeting them is better in my opinion!

If you’re that insistent, you could try and talk to the assistant manager…but that guy is also…

Faust: From what I gathered, the manager hasn’t shown their face in years…are there really people like that?

Nero: Heck if I know…something definitely smells fishy though.

Assistant Manager: What’re you doing sitting on your asses?

Nero: Urk.

Assistant Manager: You got some nerve to be loafing around. If you have that much time on your hands I’ll give you more work to do.

Snobby four-eyes, you clean the stables. And you won’t be receiving a broom to do it. You’re gonna be getting on all fours and cleaning with your hands.

Faust: What?

Nero: Heeey, heeey.

Assistant Manager: And you chucklehead. What do you wanna do? Shine my shoes? 

Nero: Hah?

Faust: Heeey you, too.

Nero: Ugh…I mean, we’re just newbies. Super sorry we didn’t greet you before.

Assistant Manager: …Ah. You were with Iris.

Nero: We wanna give our greetings to the manager too. Can we see ‘em?

Assistant Manager: Don’t be stupid. Runts like you can’t just meet the manager.

They’re a terrifying, violent wizard. Get on their wrong side and you’ll be really sorry. 

You mess up badly, and you could be left half-dead. 

Faust: (The manager is a wizard…?)

Nero: (Seriously…? That’s way too suspicious…)

Assistant Manager: Anyway, if you want to survive here, do whatever the higher-ups say. 

The longest one was here for thirty years. He’s long since dead though.

Nero: Huuh. An impressive worker he must have been. What was he like?

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