??? ???
…you enjoy today’s show?
??? ???
Laugh to your heart’s content at the end of a weary life, and maybe you could have a good eternity’s sleep!
??? ???
You never know, regular viewers of ours might get the chance to come on our stage in person!
??? ???
It would be so delightful to join me on this stage, wouldn’t it?!
??? ???
We’ll be back at the same time tomorrow to bring you even more laughter.
??? ???
Nail your heads, everyone, and have a bloomy splodey night~!
Location: Deep in a Mountain Trail
Corporate Drone Noah
Sigh…
Corporate Drone Emma
Still bothered by what your boss said?
Corporate Drone Noah
How could I not be? I’m sick of nitpicks like that already…
Corporate Drone Emma
Can’t help it. We did make an error…
Corporate Drone Noah
Think about it, though. Of all the screens, it had to be the one in the farthest corner… And it happened in the darkest nook-cranny at the edge!
Corporate Drone Noah
We can’t possibly check them all with just a measly pair of eyes…
Corporate Drone Emma
And that’s why you asked me to go for a walk all the way out here?
Corporate Drone Noah
Well, I needed to clear my thoughts. And you’re the only other smoker in our department.
Corporate Drone Emma
Aaaand, we’re lost in the woods now?
Corporate Drone Noah
…You didn’t have to point that out.
Corporate Drone Emma
You can beat around the bush all you want, but you can’t hide anything from a friend of five years, no?
Corporate Drone Emma
Let’s peep at this in a positive light. We’ll find a way if we keep walking. Besides, it’s been a while since we were in a nice, open area like this.
Corporate Drone Noah
We’re surrounded by trees, though…
Corporate Drone Emma
Now remind me again whose fault is it that we got lost?
Corporate Drone Noah
…Yeah, sorry.
Corporate Drone Noah
What the hell? I swear I was following the footpath right… And I don’t see anything like a trail anymore.
Corporate Drone Emma
It’s nighttime. Maybe you got in the wrong direction ‘cause of the dark.
Corporate Drone Noah
Oh, whatever! Regular maintenance is ending in an hour… We’re not gonna be back in time at this rate.
Corporate Drone Emma
What’s the worst that could happen, getting fired?
Corporate Drone Noah
Don’t say vicious stuff like that even as a joke! You won’t have to worry about money even if you catch the pink slip, Emma, but I’m not you.
Corporate Drone Noah
You know what, nevermind… You saw how furious the chief got, yeah?
Corporate Drone Noah
If they were that mad, then they might be preparing documents to fire me already. Or worse, my post could be long gone by the time I get back there…
Corporate Drone Emma
You can always ask me for help, remember? I told you I can help you reach your dreams.
Corporate Drone Emma
There are things you’re much better at than staring at boring screens all day. Something you have the talent for!
Corporate Drone Noah
Yeah, yeah~ You’re moving me to tears, buddy o’ pal o’ mine, but I’m not interested in being a doll for the rich to play with~
Corporate Drone Noah
And I scrapped my dreams ages ag— …Hey! What’s up, stopping like a car before a deer… That’s dangerous, man.
Corporate Drone Emma
Hey Noah, doesn’t that thing over there… look like a tent?
Corporate Drone Noah
What? …Huh, it really does. Did someone set up a camp or something?
Corporate Drone Emma
There might be someone living in there. Let’s check it out.
Corporate Drone Noah
I’m nervous… You sure you wanna go there?
Corporate Drone Emma
Who knows? They might be kind enough to tell us a way outta here.
Location: Entrance to a Big Top
Corporate Drone Emma
…Whoa, this place is huge. It’s a bit dilapidated, but… It’s much more fascinating close up?
Corporate Drone Noah
I think I saw something like this in a book… What did they call it… A circ—
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh my, could you be our new guests? The show just ended, though.
Corporate Drone Noah
…GAH!! What the… Who the hell are you!
Corporate Drone Emma
Oh, are you the owner of this place? We apologize… We dropped by to see if there’d be someone here to give us directions.
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh, that sure sounds like a troubly-trouble… There’s no need to be sorry, no.
Ringmaster Oswald
This is the 8 o’Clock Circus, giving smiles to the smelly City dwellers!
Ringmaster Oswald
Let’s skip introductions. My name doesn’t matter too much, does it?
Ringmaster Oswald
We’re long past the archaic era of introducing each other with names and everything~
Ringmaster Oswald
Shall we sniff each other’s wrists instead?
Corporate Drone Noah
No thanks…
Corporate Drone Noah
Emma, this place is weirding me out. Let’s just skidaddle now…
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh dearie me! Was I too scary for you!?
Ringmaster Oswald
Hold your worries! I’m but a clown who wishes to rub lemons on everyone’s tongue!
Ringmaster Oswald
And that one over there… seems curious about our circus!
Corporate Drone Emma
Wow… Check this out, Noah. It’s dark, but I see lots of neat things here.
Corporate Drone Emma
Giant balls, different kinds of instruments… There’s a lion and an elephant, too! And also…
Corporate Drone Noah
…It’s real. I’ve never seen an actual circus before.
Corporate Drone Noah
The book said circuses like this passed into history long ago…
Ringmaster Oswald
Care to learn more about us? If you want, I can give you a nice special! A once-in-a-lifetime field trip.
Ringmaster Oswald
I’ve been feeling so stale, too!
Corporate Drone Noah
…He keeps talking nonsense.
Corporate Drone Emma
Noah… It’s too dark to find a path, so we might as well…
Corporate Drone Noah
Sigh… Whatever. I’m doomed to get fired anyway, so you take care of my future.
Corporate Drone Emma
Haha, you’re such a joker.
Ringmaster Oswald
What a lovely friendship to behold! Come on in, then.
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh, and watch your feet now~ Hungry flowers might bite you!
Corporate Drone Noah
Flowers can bite…?
Location: Inside the Circus Tent
Ringmaster Oswald
This fella is Mr. Lion. He’s the strongest pal here!
Ringmaster Oswald
He may seem cold and sharp, but on the inside, he’s actually soft and warm like a fur coat. He’s not a bad lion!
Ringmaster Oswald
People have left a good amount of 5-star reviews about Mr. Lion’s belly, you see~?
Corporate Drone Noah
Hmm… This lion’s teeth are oddly round and blunt.
Corporate Drone Emma
What are you on about, Noah? They’re so sharp, it could hurt you if you touched it… Are you too tired right now?
Corporate Drone Noah
…Maybe I mistook them for something else in the dark. I don’t really… wanna get into its belly, though…
Ringmaster Oswald
And this is Mr. Elephant! He makes the loudest noise in the circus.
Ringmaster Oswald
For realsies… He loves to sing so much all the time, we had to give him a candy to keep him quiet!
Ringmaster Oswald
I don’t want anyone reporting us for noise pollution!
Corporate Drone Noah
This is in the middle of nowhere, I don’t think there’s anyone who—
Ringmaster Oswald
Don’t be a silly moose! Mrs. Ant would be sad to hear that. We have a massive ant nest beneath us.
Ringmaster Oswald
And we also have Ms. Mermaid, Ms. Hexagonal Cone Hat, Mr. Knife, and many, many others!
Ringmaster Oswald
Ms. Mermaid joined us because she was sooo scared of the sea. She’s very glad to be on land now!
Corporate Drone Noah
That’s strange, I thought mermaids are usually supposed to live in the oceans or underwater…
Ringmaster Oswald
Harumph, this is why I don’t deal with people who have cold rice for brains!
Ringmaster Oswald
We’re talking about basic knowledge here. The uppitymost very basics. Don’t you know that living in the sea makes you fish food?
Corporate Drone Noah
I mean, mermaids are fish too…
Ringmaster Oswald
Bonkers!!!
Ringmaster Oswald
Fish eat fish all the time!!!
Ringmaster Oswald
…Phew, getting so worked up is out of character for me! Where was I?
Corporate Drone Emma
Wow, Mister Lemon Clown, these are the coolest circus crew I’ve ever seen!
Corporate Drone Emma
They’re… special. I feel like something about them speaks to my heart.
Corporate Drone Noah
Don’t tell me you actually like this screwy tent. I’m not taking that crap.
Corporate Drone Emma
Don’t be so sour, Noah. It’s such a wonderful place, can’t you see?
Corporate Drone Emma
And they can make people smile through tough times like this. A circus… I wanna see it, too.
Corporate Drone Noah
Forget it. This is just insane… You can stay here if you want, I’m leaving.
Corporate Drone Emma
But this is a rare chance…
Ringmaster Oswald
Ah, you want to join us?
Corporate Drone Emma
Pardon? Um… No, actually… I just wanted to watch your show.
Ringmaster Oswald
Aw, that’s a big shame… Everyone couldn’t understand my words and actions and left me, one by one.
Ringmaster Oswald
My secret pals were the only ones who stayed with me ‘til the end!
Ringmaster Oswald
The mermaid who snacks on jelly beans inside seashells… The hamster who’s so tall, he can drink clouds off the sky…
Corporate Drone Emma
Oh dear…
Ringmaster Oswald
My earnest efforts to bring merry smiles to people were adored by Ms. Sun, who then whispered to me that she will make my wish come true.
Ringmaster Oswald
It was the outrageous, head-blowing wish to frolic with my secret pals!
Ringmaster Oswald
So I am now living the dream of my life, joyfully performing at the circus with my friends every night.
Corporate Drone Noah
Joy… Dreams…
Ringmaster Oswald
It’s rather obvious that you’d be attracted to us! I do understand your feeling, oh I do.
Corporate Drone Noah
Can I really be happy… if I joined your circus?
Ringmaster Oswald
You don’t say! Every moment of your life will be filled to the brim with the thrilling taste of pepper!
Corporate Drone Noah
I’m gonna be fired from J Corp. for my mistake anyway… I don’t wanna go back to the Backstreets, either…
Corporate Drone Noah
Even if I got to keep my job, I don’t want to set foot in that living hell again.
Corporate Drone Noah
I… I just wanted to watch the world and the skies from a higher place.
Corporate Drone Noah
I know that my dream was an empty one… I knew there was no way I could achieve it as long as I was at the bottom.
Corporate Drone Noah
And when I finally scratched and clawed my way up… I just stare at boring screens until I get fired.
Corporate Drone Emma
Noah… If there’s anything I can help you with…
Corporate Drone Noah
What? Hahaha… You’re still making a mockery of me…
Corporate Drone Noah
It’s always money, money, money. You say you can solve my problems with money; do you think everything will work out by simply throwing money?
Corporate Drone Noah
Why did you even follow me into that shitty department in the first place? You could live fine without it.
Corporate Drone Noah
No, you know what, just… Just forget it all.
Corporate Drone Noah
Hey, the clown over there. I wanna be a part of your crew.
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh, yikes and a half… The mood doesn’t seem so bright here!
Ringmaster Oswald
You can’t join us if you’re hanging out with those meanie tears, y’know?
Ringmaster Oswald
Aha! I’ll help you say goodbye to those mean friends flowing down your cheek. We’ll be friends with each other when you open your eyes!
Ringmaster Oswald
Now then, let’s…
Ringmaster Oswald
…Ah, so you’re finally awake! You were asleep for so long, I was almost starting to worry if I’d have to place a well-cooked drumstick on your nose!
Circus Trouper Noah
The world’s… My eyes… There’s too many worlds. What the hell. It’s making my head spin…
Ringmaster Oswald
No worries. You’ll get used to it soon enough!
Ringmaster Oswald
A present for an observant and curious friend, who wanted to witness the variety of the world from a higher place!
Ringmaster Oswald
I gave you eyes that can glance at everything, from ants on the floor to spiders on the ceiling. Consider this a welcoming gift from us!
Circus Trouper Noah
Wha… What does that even… Emma… Where’s Emma!
Circus Trouper Emma
It’s okay, Noah. Although I can’t see where you are, I’ve been next to you the whole time.
Circus Trouper Emma
I could finally help you as who I am, not in the form of material wealth!
Circus Trouper Emma
You were right. I lived a sheltered life, so I don’t know much.
Circus Trouper Emma
The scenery I saw would simply pass by.
Circus Trouper Emma
I’ll lift you up. You’ll be able to see more things from the new heights.
Ringmaster Oswald
I’m glad that you seem to like our gifts!
Ringmaster Oswald
I have one favor to ask of you two, however.
Circus Trouper Noah
What’s that?
Ringmaster Oswald
Actually… Bad guys came into our circus tent some time ago and swallowed my friends whole!
Ringmaster Oswald
Poor Ms. Hippo and Mr. Ball… I was so saddened that day, my frown was as long as three sausages…
Ringmaster Oswald
And my big and magnificent palace was ruined thanks to them.
Circus Trouper Emma
That’s awful. Who were the culprits?
Ringmaster Oswald
It doesn’t matter who they were. All I know… is that they later went to a place called the Library!
Ringmaster Oswald
Our splendid circus had never failed once, but for some reason, we couldn’t move their hearts…
Ringmaster Oswald
I want to know! WHHHHY!!!
Ringmaster Oswald
…Oh no no no, whew! I’m wondering how they didn’t pop their flowers despite my cute tricks and acts.
Ringmaster Oswald
If we can read their books… Then I could hold a circus that’s so entertaining, even people like them will shake their salts, don’t you think?
Circus Trouper Noah
…It feels uncertain, but if the way is written in their books, we’ll be able to hold an even grander circus.
Circus Trouper Emma
Is it really okay to enter that place, though…
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh, how compassionate of you! I knew I could count on you two. Sniffle, sniffle…
Ringmaster Oswald
If you manage to return, we should throw a party to celebrate it!
Ringmaster Oswald
We’ll feast on otherworldly delicacies like the sea cocktail garnished with a piece of a cloud, and lion’s mane chili fries!
Circus Trouper Noah
Sounds promising. What do you say, Emma… Shall we go?
Circus Trouper Emma
If that’s what you want.
Ringmaster Oswald
Phew, now I have a lot to prepare!
Ringmaster Oswald
First off, for the duo… I should prepare a hefty feast that’ll make their teeth groan!
Ringmaster Oswald
I need to recruit more members for my circus… Practice with Ms. Mermaid’s scale mane, and then…
Ringmaster Oswald
Oh my! Who is this rude intruder!?
Ex-Dawn Fixer Philip
…Where am I…?
Ex-Dawn Fixer Philip
I was… fighting inside the Library…
Ringmaster Oswald
…Hahaha! Are you perhaps a new clown? Or are you simply here to watch our show?
Ex-Dawn Fixer Philip
No, I…
Ringmaster Oswald
It’s good either way! Holding a teensy little performance for our jesting visitor should be as easy as chewing cold pie-flavored gum.
Ringmaster Oswald
This is… the 8 o’Clock Circus!
Ringmaster Oswald
We bring the bestest of the smells to City people who have lost their flower stalks.
Ex-Dawn Fixer Philip
What…? The 8 o’Clock… Circus?
Location: Inside the Library
Servant Roland
Hunh, I was wondering where Philip got sent with Oscar’s device… And he had to be dropped there of all places…
Servant Roland
I’m curious about what that nutjob of a clown is up to next. The Invitation cuts things off at odd timings, it could’ve shown us just a bit more…
Library Director Angela
He’s not today’s guest, so it doesn’t matter much, does it? And the Invitation simply shows us what we need to see, so don’t complain about it.
Servant Roland
…Fair enough.
Servant Roland
Putting that aside, a tall guy and a guy with four eyes, literally… Both look fancy, but neither seems normal.
Library Director Angela
One who needs help from another person to stand high… I’m not sure I understand.
Servant Roland
Well, you don’t have much choice unless you’re born to a rich family, you know?
Servant Roland
Being a gifted child won’t matter if you don’t have the money to support that gift.
Library Director Angela
Are you trying to say that hard work alone cannot earn recognition?
Servant Roland
That’s usually the case for people who aren’t blessed with pure fortune.
Library Director Angela
If what you said is correct, having more money would lead to happiness. But the man we saw was angry about the idea, rather than being happy. Why is that?
Servant Roland
It differs from person to person. Could be his last bit of pride, could be the fear of earning the reputation of a greedy man who only makes friends for their wealth… On top of that, it kind of hurts, too.
Servant Roland
As delightful as it is to have someone who can gladly give you money to help… It can make you feel upset and slighted at the same time.
Library Director Angela
Upset about what?
Servant Roland
About how you had to give up everything you dreamed for because you weren’t wealthy enough, and your friend is readily able to give away the money you needed like it’s chump change to them.
Servant Roland
And you’re basically dragging that rich friend into your messy life by getting financial help from them, wouldn’t that be morally distressing?
Library Director Angela
Maybe the friend simply wanted to help, but didn’t know the best way to go about it.
Servant Roland
Whatever the case. It’s about how the receiver takes it, regardless of the intention.
Library Director Angela
…I see.
Servant Roland
Going back to our guests who willingly joined the freak show… I guess they were that desperate to achieve their dreams, huh?
Servant Roland
This world surely is big enough to fit in all kinds of weird freaks… I can understand wanting to have a refuge from reality somewhat.
Servant Roland
Even then, thinking about what kind of hideous body might be hiding under that beautiful clothing… Geh, it’s making me retch.
Library Director Angela
Curb your unnecessary curiosity. You should focus on the reception for now.
Location: Outside the Library
Circus Trouper Emma
Am I on the right track? Are we still far from the Library…
Circus Trouper Noah
No, it’s right ahead of us. Take slow steps just in case.
Circus Trouper Noah
For a place that’s supposedly full of monsters… It’s actually rather quiet and clean.
Circus Trouper Emma
I think this place is big and fancy… though not as much as our circus. My head isn’t bumping on any ceilings.
Library Director Angela
Greetings, dear guests.
Library Director Angela
I am Angela, the director and librarian of my role’s namesake.
Circus Trouper Emma
Hello!!! Can you hear my voice~!!!
Library Director Angela
…Yes, I can hear you loud and clear. There is no need to shout at the top of your lungs.
Circus Trouper Noah
She’s right below us, buddy o’ pal. And think of me who has to hear your voice up close.
Circus Trouper Emma
Heh heh, sorry. I thought people down under wouldn’t hear me well since I’m so tall.
Circus Trouper Emma
Angela! If we manage to get all the books we need… I’ll invite you to our next performance!
Circus Trouper Noah
I’m sure those books contain the secret to making more people happy…
Circus Trouper Noah
With that, we’ll be able to turn your cold stare into a hearty smile.
Circus Trouper Emma
We promise to bring you happiness, so please!! Look forward to it.
Library Director Angela
…Yes. I appreciate your sentiment.
Library Director Angela
May you… find your book in this place.
