I've wanted to do something like this for a looooooong time. And Asura was begging to be abused again!

I scared myself writing this, that's an accomplishment!

Asura (c) Soul Eater
Dark Woods Circus (c) Vocaloid

He sat there alone. He wasn't even that sure where he was, the ruins of some old house it looked like. It was too dark to tell.

And not that Asura really cared at the moment. It didn't matter where he was, as long as he was safe! Safe from the DWMA, the Witches, that cat that looked at him funny on the street the other day. The whole world was out to get him (witch was true, in a sense). He was afraid of what the world would do to him, and was pretty sure no one had a worse fate then his own wretched past.

"Oooh~ You're wrong about that..."

Asura's head snapped up, his scarves shooting forward to destroy the intruder. They broke a beam and part of the ceiling came crashing down around him. The kishin waited for the dust to settle. Had he killed them?

"Now now, that was uncalled for."

Evidently, he had not.

The intruder was revealed to be nothing more then a mere child. A small girl with very short brown hair wearing a red dress. She had a small crown of flowers upon her head, and the face of an angel.

And yet, Asura's senses were screaming 'danger'. This was no ordinary child, Asura could sense a power within her. Not quite madness, but something. It at least explained why his own madness hadn't affected her yet.

But those eyes, those endless brown depths, they held a mysterious air. They drew him in.

"Was it?" Asura said evenly. "I'm not much of a people person, I prefer to be left alone."

The child giggled. "Oh, I knew that. But when you give off such a strong aura like that, its hard for someone like me to stay away. Especially when you're so naive."

"Naive am I?" Asura cried indignantly. "What would a child know about it!"

To this, the girl extended a small hand, smiling all the while. "Why don't you come with me? I can show you fates worse then your own."

Asura hesitated. His natural paranoia told him he shouldn't go, that he should stay here. But he was curious... Who could possibly have a fate worse then his? He had been attacked by the Lord of Death himself, had his skin ripped off, and was bound in it for centuries!

"Please come with me, it'll be fun..."

He took her hand.

Tonight, we'll be showing the sad fate that some of this world carry.

Into the dark forest they walked. Asura looked around, the trees towering above them. His hand was still joined with the girls, as they walked around an old forgotten path.

"Where are you taking me...?"

His only answer was that small giggle. And it was really beginning to irritate him. Where was this girl leading him? What could possibly be this far back in the dark woods?

Finally, he could see it. Outlined by the strings of lights criss-crossing the tree branches, was a large tent. Smaller tents were grouped around it, along with cages, stalls, and carts.

It was a circus.

"Why are we here...?" Asura asked his companion. "What could be at this circus?"

The girl lead him into the main tent. The ring was empty at the moment, as were the bleachers surrounding it. They climbed up to the top of the bleachers and sat down just as the lights dimmed.

"The show's about to begin~"

Children that God has abandoned, restlessly creeping out.

All the lights grew dark as the spotlight was directed to the center. A girl stepped into the circle of light, long pink dress dragging behind her. Her green hair fell behind her like a veil, and her eyes had been covered. Asura's eyes widened as he saw the girl was part goat, now how had that happened?

The girl approached a microphone placed in the middle of the ring, and began to sing. It was a sad tune, but the girl had a beautiful voice. Somehow, that made her song seem sadder.

"Aaah, the Deformed Diva." his red clad companion said. "Her tale is probably the saddest of the bunch..."

"How so?"

"She always loved to sing. With a voice like hers who could blame her. But you see, there was always something off about her. A screw loose, so to say. They took her to the man in the white coat to see if she could be fixed."

The song came to a close as the diva bowed. The little girl next to Asura smiled. "They fixed her head, and took her legs as the price. Now she preforms every night."

"And the blindfold?"

"Do you want to see a diva cry?"

Children who can't even carry the trembling limbs they were born with.

The lights in the tent got brighter as the next show was prepared. A figure came dancing out into the ring, throwing confetti and showered by balloons. They were twins, a boy and girl each. Both had bright yellow hair, the girl had a white ribbon in hers while the boy had his tied back. Asura tilted his head to the side slightly, why on earth were they in the same shirt? Surly it would be easier for them if they wore their own clothes.

And that's when he realized they shared a body.

The god of madness turned to his companion, confused. She smiled back at him, kicking her legs back and forth. "Yes~?"

"What is their fate?"

"They weren't always like that. They once had bodies to call their own. But they too went to the man in the white coat. They were afraid you see, afraid of being separated from each other forever. So the man said he could fix that..."

Asura looked back at the twins now announcing the next act. Even from here, he could see the line of stitches around their faces and shoulders.

"Now, they will be together forever. Even death cannot part them."

Their shaking tongues even accidentally cry out.

The girl stood up now. "We're going to see Pochi next."

"Pochi?" Asura asked, standing up as well. The girl took his hand once again, and lead him out of the tent. They walked along the striped fabric, past the carts and stalls, and into one of the smaller tents.

"Pochi. Our dog." The girl said, pointing to the opposite end of the tent. "He's also called the Blue Beast."

Sitting at a table was a boy. He had short blue hair that covered most of his face. His arms were bound to the chair behind him, and he sat there, slumped over. On the table was an empty dish, and bones and red splotches littered the floor around him.

"Poor Pochi~" the girl said in a sing song voice. "He's hungry, but its not dinner time yet."

Pochi lifted his head slightly, drool dripping off his chin.

"See, he was with the man in the white coat longer the the others. They left him alone in the white room for a long long time. They treated him like a dog, fed him like a dog...and after a while...he became a dog."

Asura gestured towards the restraints. "What are those for then?"

"Don't you know? Dogs love raw meat."

The crowns of their heads caress the dark clouds.

Asura left the tent. He had seen enough. The wretched fates of these children, they were almost as bad as his. Almost.

While he admitted they were bad, he still didn't think they were worse then his. These children at least had a choice! They didn't have to go see this 'man in the white coat'. They could have found another solution, or died.

He, on the other hand, he had no choice! So he broke a rule or two, he was scared damn it! Power was the only thing that could ensure his safety! And Lord Death didn't have to rip his skin off! Or bind him in it!

The insane god paused. Where should he go now?

A shadow was cast over him and he looked up. Standing above him, towering over everyone, was two girls. One was dressed in all silver, and had silver hair tied back in a black ribbon. Her companion was dressed in all gold and had golden hair tied up to one side. They stared down at Asura, who stared back up.

"Did you want something...?" Asura asked, slightly irritated. The two gave no response, but pointed back the way he came. The girl in red was standing there, head tilted to one side.

"You aren't leaving, are you?"

He nodded. "I've seen all there is here."

To this, the girl shook her head. "Oh no! You haven't! There is one more thing you must see."

Asura blinked. What could this thing be?

They smile as they dream of their mother's embrace.

The kishin found himself following the girl again. She lead him back into the big top, and into a room in the back. Inside, someone was waiting for them. Her back was too him, but the little girl in red ran up, a smile on her face.

"Look! Look! I brought him! The God of Madness is here!"

The person turned around, revealing themselves to be a young woman. She looked almost identical to the little girl. Her hair was slightly longer, and her red dress was far grander, but she held the same eyes as the girl. Those endless brown depths, that Asura swore, in the right light, they looked red like fresh blood.

"Oh my~ The Kishin here? At my humble circus? This is truly and honor." The woman said, curtsying. She was clearly the ringmaster of this circus.

The little one was ecstatic. "I brought him here! I showed him everything!"

"Did you now?" The ringmaster said, surprised at the actions of her subordinate. "I do hope you didn't bother him."

Asura shook his head. "No. It was interesting, this circus of yours."

That smile, it was hard to tell weather it was sincere or if he should be on guard. "I am glad you enjoyed yourself. This place is one of a kind, much like you."

"I can see that." Asura said. "However, what the little girl said is what really brought me here."

"Hm?"

"She said the fates of the children here were far worse then my own. And while they are truly horrid, I'm afraid my fate is still worse."

Oh, the deformity!

"Aaaah~ So that's what brought you here." the red woman said, smiling all the while. "Well, my dear Kishin, you only heard part of their fate..."

"Pardon?"

"Tell me, what was the one thing in common with all of their tragic tales?"

Asura blinked. All the stories had something in common? He paused to think about it, recalling each tale. Oooh, now he saw it. It was so simple!

"The 'Man in the white coat'."

The red woman nodded. "Yes, the ones in the white coats. When people wear white coats, you can assume they're a doctor, yes?"

"That is usually the case."

"Those children were all ill, but not in the physical realm." the ringmaster said, chuckling slightly. "No, no. They were ill up here."

She tapped her temple, still grinning. "I guess if we look back on it now, we could classify it as Madness. But either way, those children came to me to be cured..."

"You?" Asura repeated. "Wait, are you saying...? You were the one in the white coat!"

"Well, yes and no. I never actually laid my hands on the children, but I did own the asylum their parents shipped them too. I also approved all of the... treatments."

Deformity!

"I see..." Asura said, also smiling now. "Those truly are wretched fates. To be abandoned by loved ones, locked away and experimented on, deformed in truly sinister ways, now destined to preform for all eternity. Now that truly is a fate worse then death. And all while in the grip of Madness."

"I'm glad you think so." The woman said, turning back to her work. "Now the question is, what do we do with you..."

The red girl came up to him now, taking his hand again. "He can stay here, can't he? He would fit right in!"

The woman chuckled. "While I would love nothing better, its rude to assume. You must ask him, my dear child."

Asura looked down at the girl hanging from his hand. She looked up at him, eyes full on wonder and hope. And now he could see it. That hint of madness sleeping within her...

"Will you stay with us, Kishin Asura? It will be fun..."

...Oh, you're here, you're here!

The forest was dark as ever as he walked back through it. He was alone this time however, no one holding his hand. No one leading him through the trees.

Asura paused, turning back to look at the circus. The lights were beginning to shut down now. Another evening at the circus was over, its inhabitants preparing to sleep with their misery for another day, until the call to preform awoke them once more.

He could hear the tortured cries of "I want to die!" and "I want to leave!"

Drop by and see them, drop by and see them.

Asura looked at the paper the little girl in red had given him before he left. He smiled slightly at its message before folding it up and putting it in his pocket.

Maybe someday, he would heed its words.

Drop by the Dark Woods Circus

...

Its fun.

Remember kids! Don't take candy from strangers!