The Time (started, but still you can join)

Gillian North

The first things I thought when I woke up in a pile of feces in an alleyway were not appropriate to say. I quickly picked myself up and tried to clean myself off, busying myself with cleaning my dress rather than figuring out what happened. Worlds kept repeating in my head, and they weren't my words.
"Who's there?" I yelled. My only replying was a street cat jumping out of some trash.
The words slowly stopped and said to myself, "How am I supposed to do that?"

Confused, I walked around trying to figure out where I was. I looked at the buildings and people but nothing seemed familiar. I tried to think about what was familiar to me, but couldn't. I couldn't remember how I got here or who I am or anything, just waking up and hearing a voice I'd by then decided was in my head. Might as well do what the voice said.

" Mummy, can we go to the circus? I want to see am elephant!" I heard a little girl cry.

I thought, I might as well follow them. I've got nothing else to go on here, and circus's attract strange people. Maybe I'll find a fortune teller or someone who can help me.

Jareth opened his eyes to see Althea staring at him. She pulled his hair gently, every two seconds, to wake him up. Not that he was sleeping - he was never sleeping while on his journeys, but there was no need to tell Althea everything he could see when he'd take one of the mind trips to sometime else.
"Jareth. Jareth. Jareth."
"What do you want?"
"Oh, you're awake." She was cheerful again, dressed in all new dark red dress and pushing a top hat in his hands.
"Althea. What are you doing?"
"There's circus in town!"
She was smiling the widest smile he ever saw, with hope written all over her face. He shook his head.
"Oh, no."
"Come on!"
"No. What made you think I would want to come?"
"Pretty please? I'll do anything."
His smile was a little, evil one, and he knew it very well.
"I'll hold you for that word."

The crowd surrounded a man seemingly rather young, with hair that not only looked futuristic, but changed colours. Jareth allowed himself another one of his little smiles as he watched the guy perform his, Jareth was sure, never prepared show, tricking people into believing he was a magician along the way. To tell the truth, he did incredible job at it. But again, it was never hard to make people from the past believe that anything from the future was magic.

The man screamed Quester so loud that Jareth wondered how stupid people must be not to realize anything. There were others on the scene, watching as he performed his little trick, other travelers like that man from future. Jareth could see thin auras of bluish light surrounding them, and for a moment he played with the idea of trying to guess what their quests were. He could also feel the Victorians, and tell exactly which of the people around will play the part in something important. There was a small group of nuns and children; a man with a haircut from the twenty-first century; a woman in her mid twenties who seemed a bit lost though she belonged to the time and place; a teenager with a wicked spark in his eyes; a sixty-year old looking Clock who nodded politely and than got out of Jareth's way...

Althea approached the Quester as he finished his show, and Jareth frowned. It wasn't a good moment. For a lot of Questers, their new year has just begun. They were probably still tortured by the memories of wherever they were an hour ago, still lost and maybe unaware of the Clocks' existence completely.

"I'm Althea", she said, probably answering the man's question. "I liked your show. But I don't think you're a real magician."
"No?" The man managed to smile, though he seemed nervous. "What do you think, then?"
"I think you are a scientist from the future", she stated. His skin turned paler, the crowd started paying attention to them, and Jareth decided to interrupt, when someone else caught his attention.

The girl wasn't even watching. She did nothing but carried a box from the post office, but he knew she wasn't just a girl. Slowly, before entering the carriage, she turned and met his gaze. Just for a second, then turning away.
He didn't only know she was important - he knew exactly who she was. Jut not yet.
*

Katherine Bryce
I hadn't found it. Or him. Or her. Whatever! I threw my fist into the wall and cursed as I felt the pain go through my arm. I was in an alley, but I didn't know where or when. As I stepped out of the alley, into the street I immediately noticed their dresses. The victorian dresses that I had always dreamed of wearing.

People on the street was looking on some sort of circus-guy, so I snuck into the shop of the closest seamstress. The shop was empty, so I assumed that the seamstress herself was out, and grabbed a beautiful blue dress and a matching top hat. Stealing was the thing that had gotten me into this mess to begin with, but it couldn't be helped. I couldn't walk around with a medieval dress or people would notice me.

I tried to put the thing on, but realized that this was the kind of clothes that you needed help to put on. Damn.

"You need some help with that?" I froze and then slowly turned around. An old woman, dressed in a gorgeous green dress.

I smiled awkwardly. "Yes, I do."

To my great surprise she helped me to put it on, and showed me a big mirror. The dress was wonderful. "I'll take it," I mumbled. Of course I didn't have any money to buy it with. Well, I had some roman copper coins that I had managed to hold on to, but I doubted that it would help.

"Hello, Mrs. Charlton." I turned to look at the man who entered. "I was passing by and thought I might pick up my coat." He looked at me for a while, and then smiled. "Hello, mrs..?"

"Miss. Bryce. Pleased to meet you." For a moment I intended to reach out my hand, but then I remembered where I was, when I was, and curtsied instead.

Mrs Charlton handed him his jacket, and then turned to me and told me the price of the dress. It was probably expensive, I wasn't sure. I couldn't pay for it anyway. I was trying to come up with a suitable lie, when the man suddenly offered to pay it, as a gift to a beautiful lady. I almost laughed, but fine. If he wanted to pay for my stuff, then fine.

"But what can I do to return the favor Mr..?"

He smiled. "Mr. Greendale. Well, you could start by accompanying me to the circus. I'm sure it will be fun."

Cirkus? Oh, why not. Getting myself some contacts would probably make the search easier. Not that it has helped before, i told myself. "I'd be delighted to," I said with a false smile.

We watched the whole show, and in the end, when I heard what that girl told him, I realized he was a quester. He had to be. Maybe I could find the child this time! Maybe he knew of the child. "I have to talk to him," I said loudly and walked towards them. Mr. Greendale followed me with a frown, but I didn't care. I only thought of my quest.

Radius

A feeling a dread grew bigger as a steady crowd began to form around me, people brought chairs, there were children clutching candy sticks, yelling about lions and elephants and, big surprise, I had none of those things. A sweat began to form on my brow as people started demanding a show, that I lead them to the tent. All of this over one little lie, which is why I usually prefer honesty or silence, but how else was I supposed to explain my appearance in... well... Victorian London I can suppose if just by the fashion and scenery. The start of the first golden age of magic, maybe that would work to my advantage here. My hair changed again, to blue, and the crowd gasped and applauded. I cleared my throat and smiled widly.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Circus!"

"You can't have a circus with only one person," a child called from the crowd. I winked in nodded.

"True! Why, you're a quick one, aren't you? You are correct, champ. This is more of a magic act than a real circus. Sorry, folks, no lions."

The crowd made a melody of noises, most of disappointment and disbelief.

"You dismiss me so quickly? Well, I would have thought surely from how well I was received that you knew of the great... Radinski! "

Oh God, what am I doing? What am I getting myself into. The Great Radinski? Am I insane? Oh, I must be.

"People wait around for my appearance for months, and I decide to grace you all with a show, a free one nonetheless, and this is my payment? Blasphemy. Why, even those in the New World-" I made a noise in the back of my throat, trying to hold back a smile. "My, then, I suppose I will just carry on with my travels-"

The crowd grew loud, throwing money at my feet as I walked off, asking for me to stay, some even claimed that they knew of me all along. I returned back to my position. I don't know many tricks. I didn't have any supplies. The time called for improvisation, and quickly. I still needed to get started on my quest.

"May I have a volunteer from the audience, a piece of paper, and a pencil?"

Someone gave me the supplies I needed and I quickly drew out a grid with boxes labeled green and pink. I tore out the boxes carefully and arranged them on a chair handed to me by a young man. The trick wasn't hard and it wasn't really magic, but instead science and a study of the human mind. It would do. I drew an 'X' under one of the squares.

"How much do you wager that I could read your mind?"

The girl sputtered and blushed, shaking her head.

"Oh, well then, come on, let's test it out."

Spoiler

Radius' trick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikbEBp5BeCM

The girl walked away, sputtering, face flushed, and smiling widely. The crowd awed and oohed, I took a bow.

"Come on, anyone else want to give it a go?"

It was not so bad, entertaining the townsfolk, and even though I stressed it was a free show, donations were being deposited at my feet. I needed the cover up, it was hard looking as I did in town's like these. The only place I didn't look like a complete freak was Ashely's time, and even that had been a stretch. The money was also something I needed a lot of, at least enough for some bread.

Someone stepped up to me, but something wasn't quite right about them. They didn't look like the rest of the people, I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something was off.

"Hello," I started. "And, umm, what is your name?"

"I'm Althea," she said. "I liked your show. But I don't think you're a real magician."

My heart gave a lurch and I laughed nervously.

"No? What do you think then?"

"I think you're a scientist from the future."

I could feel my face drain, and a cold sweat dampened my skin.

"H-how cute. You're adorable you know that, really funny. I suppose you also believe in fairies?" I laughed it off with the crowd and quickly pushed the girl aside, she gave me a knowing smile a went to stand by a strange man. Others like me? No, it couldn't be. "Anyone else?"

A man stepped up, his clothes far to modern for this world. He looked me in the eyes and I froze.

"You're not from here," I whispered. Realization dawned on me, and my face lit up in a smile. Others like me? Lots of others!

"I have to talk to him," someone called from the crowd. I watched a lady walk up to me, looking determined.

"Shows over, people," I announced with a smile, "thank you for coming!"

I picked up the money off the ground and put it in my pockets, it was a hefty sum. At least I would not have to steal.

The little girl and man from earlier, the man in the modern clothes, and the woman all surrounded me. I was happy, but terribly confused.

"I'm.. umm.. I'm Radius."

I had been walking for around 5 minutes, and all I could hear people talking about was “the circus,” in their funny british accents. I finally arrived, or at least I thought I did. I didn’t see a circus. What I saw was a simple town square, but it was packed full of people. Standing in the middle, on a raised platform, was a guy not much younger than me. I could tell he wasn’t from London. He didn’t sound it or appear it. The crowd must have been bored, because they were starting to leave, and in a panic the guy said, "You dismiss me so quickly? Well, I would have thought surely from how well I was received that you knew of the great... Radinski!" Oh great, here we go, I thought to myself. However, that seemed to get their attention. The crowd starting throwing money at his feet, trying to get him to stay. Getting into it, I pulled a Roman denarius out of my pocket, it was all I had. I threw it over the crowd towards him. He stepped back onto the platform.

"May I have a volunteer from the audience, a piece of paper, and a pencil?" He started to draw on the paper, boxes of different colors. I felt I had seen this before. I started to push my way through the crowd, receiving some comments that don’t need to be repeated. One lady walked off the stage, too scared to commit. Another woman walked on the stage and started talking to him, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I made it to the front row when the girl spoke.

"I liked your show. But I don't think you're a real magician." The man looked nervous, too nervous.

"No? What do you think then?" now he was just trying to defend himself.

"I think you're a scientist from the future." He froze. His face lost its color, and in that moment, I knew it was true. He was another quester, one like me. He made a comment and pushed the girl off to the side of the stage. She went over and stood by a mysterious looking man. I thought I saw his body shimmer for a moment, but then it was gone. He quickly went back to his show.

“Anyone else?” this was my chance. I quickly stepped onto the stage and looked him in the eyes. Shock overcame him, as he realized it too. “"You're not from here," he said, but not loud enough for anyone else to hear. From the crowd, I heard a lady say she had to talk to “him,” or something like that.

"Shows over, people," he said with a smile, "thank you for coming!" The crowd began to disperse, except for a few of us. It was just me, him, the girl from earlier, the strange man, and then a lady wearing a dress like the women from the crowd came up too. He looked at the four of us and tried to greet us. "I'm.. umm.. I'm Radius." We were alone now, all the civilians had left, it was time for answers.

“And where are you from, Radius? Because you certainly aren’t from London,” I was being pushy.

“Oh yes, and you’re one to talk,” he said. And then I realized he was right. Nike Air Maxes and jeans didn’t exactly fit into Victorian London. This guy was pushing me.

“This isn’t about me, is it? I asked you first. And I noticed you got quite the scare when she,” I pointed to the girl that was on stage earlier, “said you were from the future.”

“Oh yes, I am definitely from the future, I rode here on a unicorn!” He said, now he was mocking me, and I lost my temper.

“Now look here buddy,” I took a step towards him, and he retreated a step. “I didn’t come here to socialize with the townsfolk as you or her,” I pointed to the girl wearing the Victorian dress, “The only reason I came here is because I have a quest that I have to get done, just like you!” Suddenly, I felt 4 pairs of eyes staring at me. Then I realized what I’d said. Great. I’d been here an hour and I’d already blown my cover. I stepped back and just waited for someone else to make the next move.

Spoiler

Oh jeez, I think I made mine longer than yours!

Valérie

Her hands were shaking when she returned to the house, so hard that she had to put the box down if she wanted to preserve whatever was inside.
Annie, the only daughter of her caretakers, happened to be out of bed, and, holding her baby brother's hand, observed as Valérie calmed her breathing.

"Have you been to the circus?" Annie asked in low voice. She always spoke that way. Since Valérie came to their house, some more than a week ago, the girl barely spent a day on her feet - she couldn't remember, but doubted that she ever met another child with such poor health. Ms Neal, Annie's mother, often cried because of what the doctors would say whenever they'd visit, but Valérie knew that she never lets her husband see her tears. The boys, two of Annie's brothers, confined in Valérie than they didn't come to London only for their father's business, but also to find the medicine to cure their little sister, yet nothing seemed to be helping her.
"Valérie? Are you alright?"
John was the eldest of the sons, four years younger than her and another four older that his sister, but he talked as a grown man - Valérie wasn't quite fond of that, but she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut.
"I'm fine", she tried to smile. "Where are your parents?"
"Father left to discuss business," he said. "Mother is seeing the doctor." He glanced at Annie, but she didn't seem to care.
"So? Did you see the circus? Is it pretty?"
Valérie saw a man performing some sort of a trick, but didn't pay much attention to him. And there was that other one.. She slowly nodded.
"It was very pretty, Annie. They had jugglers and tigers.. And a man who made doves fly out of his hat."
John frowned at her words. He always knew when she lied, he could even tell that she wasn't quite honest with her past, but for some reason, he never told his parents anything about it.
She smiled as the remaining two children appeared in the doorway on her left.
The older boy was Charles, who just recently turned eight, and he held the youngest brother by the hand. Little Bertie was yet to turn two, and surprisingly light brown eyes dominated his face. He was the quietest of them, but also the most curious one, always popping out whenever Valérie would do something she wasn't quite sure she's supposed to be doing.
"Valérie!" Charlie let go of his hand and bumped into her, hugging her. Annie gave him a warning look as Bertie burst to tears, and Valérie sighed. She had to push the circus and the square from her mind now. She has four children to take care of. One that acts as an adult, one that wants her only for himself, one that could die if not in a proper place at the proper time, and one that is just a baby and requires attention.

It wasn't until the evening that Valérie got some time for herself. Ms Neal came home from her appointment with the doctor and took over care of Annie, and not much after, her husband returned as well, sending John and Charlie to their beds. Valérie shared the room with the youngest family member, as everyone knew he wouldn't complain, and he was sleeping on her lap as she curled on her bed. She took a deep breath before thinking of what she knew.

She heard a voice.
That was her first and only memory before the Wells' rented house near the centre of London. A voice she couldn't call a male or female, telling her of the quest she must complete if she wishes to set things right. Her sister, the voice said, died trying to do it before her. Valérie had no memories of any sister, or, for that matter, any relatives at all. She knew, deep inside and no matter how good she looked in the dresses or how well she went on with the children, that she didn't belong there. Something seemed wrong all the time, so wrong that sometimes she had to force herself to breathe.

Why did he look at me like that? She asked herself the same question a hundred times. And the mere look wasn't all she worried about, even if it came from an eccentric-looking man accompanied by a little girl whose hair looked like it's on fire. What really made Valérie feel so strange, wasn't just his presence, nor the presence of a group of other unusual characters she glanced at as she passed by.
It was that feeling, feeling of something burning and freezing inside of her, making her shiver and recall fragments of memories she couldn't reach no matter how hard she tried.

*

Jareth

He only left his mind slip for a moment - moment - and words of his reckless little Clock managed to get together all the travelers with some brains who happened to find themselves on the square. Jareth rarely experienced that amount of anger in such short period of time. Even more, they all seemed to notice him, and that was the last he wished for.
"Very well, then", he muttered to himself, focusing. He never had to put much effort or energy into this - a nice swift move, first stopping and than turning the clock backwards, no more than a couple of minutes.
Leave it.
Jareth froze as if his manipulation affected more than just his surroundings. The world was stopped again, the group of Questers and regulars who turned to their homes stood frozen in time, even Althea didn't move at all. Not even the wind. He was the only one moving, the only one for whom the time was passing - he was good at doing that. It was one of his specialities, and he never made a mistake. But for some reason, the voice of his Master now demanded him to bring time to its normal flow. He could never call them a mother or a father, nor could he ever exactly tell what gender the voice was.. But they knew very well that he's always listening.
Leave it, Jareth.
"They know each other now. If I stay, they will know who I am."
The voice seemed to be considering it for a moment.
Not if you don't tell them.
Jareth sighed. This wasn't the way he wanted it. Why couldn't he get one mission on which he can relax, observe and get involved only when it's really necessary?
"Are you sure?"
Always.
He knew that, of course. They could see even more than him, and he could see thousands of possibilities every moment someone made a choice. He wanted to, but couldn't imagine what it would feel like to know everything.
"Very well."

The time flew again. None of them, not even Althea or any other Clock in the area, will ever know a thing about what happened. For them, not a millisecond went by, and though Jareth doubted it, it was obviously for the best.
He joined the others around the one-man-circus person. Althea was already introducing herself to everyone, and he had to put in more control into not pulling her away and leaving, than he ever used for time manipulation.
"Oh, and this is Jareth. He's-"
"Her big brother", he cut through her words, carefully not meeting anyone's gaze and making sure he doesn't say too much. Or too little. "Well, that's how we feel." He hugged her with one hand and forced himself to smile, thankful for his ability to tell lies - that one must have been inherited some way - as he observed expressions of the others. They looked convinced, and mostly happy to meet others like them. He could guess that they needed comfort like that, but he still didn't like them meeting each other.
"So", the woman in blue dress, who seemed to be adapting nicely, turned to him with a smile. "You are both Questers too?"
"Mhm." Not quite a lie if you don't answer at all, he told to himself. "We just got here.. I'm guessing, you too. It's good to know we're not alone."
Althea looked at him with a forgive me look in her eyes. He'll deal with her later. He'll deal with himself later. Now, he has to answer to every question of theirs as partially as he manages, and then go home and wait for the Master to contact him. He knew they will.
As always, it was only the matter of time.
*

Gillain North

I got to the "circus" to find a man with colorful hair doing magic tricks for townspeople. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a whole gathering of strange people who might know something, but then I realized there were stange people here. I looked around and saw more than one person in clothes that didn't match the era. There was a tall ominous looking man and little girl that stood out too. I watched the magician and didn't see much magic, just trickery. Still, what he was doing was obviously not from this time period. It was confirmed when the little girl went up to the stage and said he was a scientist from the future. I slowly made my way through the crowd. By the time I got to the front, he had finished and was talking to other people. I didn't understand much, but they kept saying they were questers and that they had just got here. I mustered up my courage and broke into their circle.

"Hey, what's going on here? Are you saying you're questers? I'm not sure what that is or where I am but I just got here too, so someone tell me what's going on and why I had a voice in my head." I looked around fiercely hoping someone would answer me. For a moment no one responded. I shrunk away a little, feeling my face blushing. I thought I must have miscalculated and that these were perfectly normal people, but then someone spoke up.

Aria Sirus - One bad chick

"Good night." I said.

The chain slowly lowered him into the acid as I typed in a few commands into the controller. He began to scream his lungs off, he was slowly eaten by the acid, I used electrify to fry the remote as I began to walk away. He was another quester now dead, I used my powers to go and check on my new charge and Katherine. A portal opened, and I stepped though and times certainly change quickly, instead of the future, I found myself in the distant past. The Victorian Era in London, time to go and find my new charge and Katherine.

Walking though the streets, my clothes changed to fit the era, my body seemingly fixing itself to the era I was in all on its own. I scanned the area looking for Katherine's familiar face, I pull a letter out from my chest guard, my clothes had become a dress! I was better off with my futuristic clothes, at least with them, I was allowed free movement. But I made due, I am now in a large area, just outside of a large red tent, a group of people I began my approach to them.

"Hello all, do any of you know a lovely lady known as Katherine? Another by the name of Valérie? I must see them, it is urgent." I said.

Katherine Bryce
I couldn't believe my eyes. There was four of them. Four questers at the same time. One of them had to know where the child was. Right? I listened carefully as they spoke, in case they dropped any hints about it, but no one ever said anything about a child.

I was just about to ask when a girl rushed in. "Hey, what's going on here? Are you saying you're questers? I'm not sure what that is or where I am but I just got here too, so someone tell me what's going on and why I had a voice in my head."

I was like that at first too. No memories. Nothing. I had gotten bits and pieces back over the years, until I had finally been able to put it all together. Poor girl. Who knew how long she'd have to travel through time before she finished her quest?

Once again, I was just about to answer when another girl showed up. "Hello all, do any of you know a lovely lady known as Katherine? Another by the name of Valérie? I must see them, it is urgent."

Had she really said Katherine? "Yes, I'm Katherine. Katherine Bryce. Who are you?"

Demetheus

I'm not good with people. When I was at home I was never good at making friends, talking to teachers. I'm better at fading into the background, saying nothing to anyone.

Watching from a far, I saw the circus, the magician work his tricks and heard the little girl say more than she should know. That's when I should have talked to them and made my presence known. But I couldn't force myself to walk up to the stage, to talk to them. I would have messed it up, would have made a fool of myself.

So I watched, the anger and the people, all of the people, identities blurring together into one.

I walked away before they finished. What was the use? I couldn't bring myself to talk to them, so why would I watch them?

People were an everlasting mystery and not one that I was about to conquer. I began to wander the town, the layout I had pieced out from the last couple of days fresh in my mind. Too lost in my thoughts about how much of failure I was and self pity for my awkwardness, I ran into a person, knocked off my feet from the impact. I stood to apologize, and stopped.

A dark figure glared down at me, his yellow teeth leering. A sharp knife glinted in his hand, tinted red either from rust or blood, possibly both.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked me. I stared, muted by a mix of fear and the prospect of talking to someone.

He kneeled over me, his breath foul. "All I ask is for money. I'm not cruel, really. I just want a sum."

I squinted and looked down. I had nothing from this era, nothing he would want. Yelling at myself to look up, I forced myself to meet his eyes.

"Nothing," I croaked, my voice rasping with disuse. "I have nothing."

He shoved me to the ground, blade at my throat. I gasped for air. Leaning over, breath warm in my ear, he whispered.

"You sure about that? If I were you, I'd find my money real quick, or you might not see the sun tomorrow."

But I had nothing. He couldn't take my life if I had nothing.

Radius

This was getting out of hand. More people were coming in, more Questers, and that was great, fantastic really, but 365 was not a lot of time - I've come to realize that - and I still needed to gather some important information to at least start my search.

"This has been great and all," I interrupted, "but I have stuff to do. Um, if you need me I'm not hard to find." I shrugged and started off towards a corner bakery. First matter was always food, always.

"Good morning," I greeted to the man running the stand. He smiled at me and gestured to his array of foods.

"What can I help you with, Mr. Radinski?"

I cringed at the name and grimaced, he must have been at the "show".

"Please, just call me Radius, and can I get two loves of white bread and a half block of swiss?"

He wrapped my purchases and handed them to me, I gave him a handful of coins, not too sure on the currency here, and he gave me change back in another handful. I nodded towards him and turned around, nearly running into the girl from earlier. I reeled back and gave her a questioning look.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what's going on at all."

"You're new. Just, come with me."

I handed her the block of cheese and started down the street. I needed a place to stay but there were enough allies here to satisfy me for a while. The girl trailed along behind me, looking around, confused.

"I'm Radius."

"Gillian."

"Well, Gill, the first thing you need to know is-"

I paused as something flashed in the corner of my eye. The alley was dark, but I could see inside perfectly with my eyes - as it should be, that experement nearly killed me. Someone was getting mugged. I shoved the rest of my purchases into Gill's arms and ran to help, slipping off my gloves along the way. I grabbed the guy's arms, my nails sinking in effortlessly, blood trailed down my fingers. He screamed out and I smiled kindly down to him.

"I don't think you should be doing that, but here," I reached into my pocket and pulled out a few random coins. "Take these, and if I ever see you around again I won't be as nice." I slid my nails out of his skin, wiped the blood off on his shirt, and pushed him off the other direction.

I watched him run off, making sure he was gone, before turning to the guy on the ground. I put back on my gloves before offering to help him up. Gill jogged up behind me, looking confused.

"Are you okay," I asked him.

Demetheus

Someone pushed the mugger off of me, and I feel back on the ground, sucking in breath. Turning around, he offered his hand to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked me. I immediately recognized him as the man from the circus.

I nodded and accepted his hand. As he helped me up, I realized I should say thanks.

"I'm on the quest too," I blurted before I could stop myself, wincing at my awkward bluntness. I tried to cover myself, but it was too late.

"The quest?" he asked, and I think he was a little surprised. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," I muttered, stuffed my hands into some of the many pockets of my camouflage jacket. "Thanks."

Oh well, I thought. I guess he would have known from what I was wearing that I wasn't from this time period. Though looking at his clothes, he wasn't dressed to blend in either.

Aria

"Then I ask you to come with me, then to discuss important business." I said.

I turned away from her, and began walking away, these heels I was wearing were killing me, I needed to get out of these.

"Hey wait! What did you want to discuss?!" I heard Katherine behind me.

I kept walking, turning a corner, I knew Katherine would follow me. I kept going until finally I went into the ally that was out of the range of most people, the magic of the Time Master began to allow me to change my clothing until I was in I felt comfortable with. Soon Katherine comes around the corner, she was as cute as ever.

"Hello there Katherine, failed once more on your quest have you?" I asked.

I looked extremely different, at one point I was wearing a dress, now I was wearing clothes that were from the modern era. A comfortable pair of jeans and a white shirt with a pancho from Mexico.

"Who are you? And how do you know me?" She asked.

"Ah, I am your guide, I've been sent to point you in the direction you must go." I said.

"So your here to help, but that doesn't explain who you are." She said.

"I am Aria, one of the most powerful Clockworks under the Time Master's command. I am to slay all but two questers, and guide two questers to there goal. You Katherine, will not see my wrath, and one other shall not either." I said.

Beth

Sister Nancy's eyes always would turn colder when she'd look at Elisabeth. She was observant enough to notice that, but she never took it as an insult, knowing how much the sister cared for Benjamin and how much she tried to use the same warm tone of voice. It was in Nancy's teaching, Beth assumed, to have that stand towards her profession.. But if she was given the chance, she wouldn't have chosen to be what she was.
She wouldn't have chosen to become a nun either, but still.

"Thank you for taking Ben to the circus," she said. "I will give you the money back, as soon as-"
"It was a free performance", Nancy interrupted her. "You don't owe me a penny, but I will not take him to see street magic again. Between you and me, I liked the boy, he has talent. But I also like you, and that doesn't mean I will support your child in following your footsteps."
"Oh, my." Beth laughed. "Goodness.. No. I couldn't agree with you more, I... I hope he had fun..?"
"Your Benjamin always has fun, miss Grey. Unlike you, he tends to have a smile on his face. Elisabeth, dear.. There is something I got the duty to talk to you about."
Got the duty? Not even by free will?
"Um.. Yes?"
"Your son is soon be old enough to start attending classes. There's a school just outside London."
"I don't think that is a good idea."
"He would get educated there, Elisabeth! He would live with his peers, and after a couple of years, he would come back to-"
"I said no." Beth felt sick. "Don't take him away from me. I.. I couldn't..."
"Don't make us appear as enemies. He could grow up to be a bright boy, he could grow to have a future-"
"I will give him future!" Beth yelled. "Me. I'm his mother, and I said no. Look.. I have my savings. I only need a little more time.."
"We love Benjamin. We do, Elisabeth, but we are not a school, we are not a hotel. There are children in London who have no parents, and decent people who would give everything for the possibility you are just dismissing without the second thought. Think about it, Elisabeth. You should do what's the best for him."
"I..."
"Until the end of this year. If you don't have enough saved by then, I will be forced to separate you. This is going on too long, that's not good for a child. If you'd tell me who his father-"
"He doesn't have a father", Beth muttered, turning her back to Nancy. She couldn't stand it anymore. "His father left before Ben was born, I never saw him again. He wasn't even from here."
*

Tears ran down her face after the first sip of tea in Mrs Lottie's tavern. She was strong, everyone always told her so, but not so strong. Not strong for this. What could she possibly do now? Her savings weren't closely big enough for a rent, and if she'd stop working, how could she afford herself anything? And Ben? And what would be with all the girls she now protected?
Too many people, too many things against her, but she couldn't even start thinking of leaving Ben be taken away from her. He was all she had. The only person in the world that she now really loved, and he had no one else either.

"Elisabeth. Are you alright?"
She looked up, wiping off her tears as she saw Valérie standing next to the table. She was nice, this young girl. Beth has found her a couple of days earlier, alone and completely lost on the street. She was destined to become one more of the girls, but then Mr Wells, drinking his tea, heard her play on a deserted piano in the corner. And her destiny changed, just like that. Beth wondered what would happen if someone like him was there in her time too, she couldn't help it, but she was happy for Valérie. And the girl came by every day since. She brought the youngest of the Wells crew with her this time.
"I'm fine", Beth said. "How are the children? Hello, Bertie."
Bertie, chewing a wooden toy, gave her a long look and stayed silent.
"We are fine too. They can all finally pronounce my full name the right way." She waved the little boy's hand at Beth. "Except for him, that is. He doesn't talk much.. That's why I take him with me, after all."

Valérie laughed. And Beth wondered how would she react if she'd find out she only has a year to succeed in an impossible quest if she ever wants to see that boy and his family again.
*

Jareth

Great. Just great.
As the lost NQ appeared, wondering why she hears voice in her head, Jareth was already feeling crowded. Not as much that he hated to be surrounded by people, but he wasn't used to it, and he wanted to leave, more with every breath.
Then the Clock appeared. Out of nowhere, of course, but just as him and Althea, changed so she fitted the surroundings. It was a benefit of being a traveler of their kind, but it also made them harder to notice - to everyone but to Jareth, of course.
Althea smiled at her, yet the girl (woman, or even old lady? It was hard to tell.) didn't reply in the same way. She fixed her gaze at the one who identified herself as Katherine, and Jareth frowned. It wasn't usual for Clocks to reveal themselves so easily, especially not in front of other Questers.
The great Radinski left the group, followed by the confused New from earlier, as the Clock said something and Katherine started asking questions. Jareth stopped listening before she finished the first one, greeted the others as polite as he managed and took Althea's hand, leading her away from there.

Something about this entire task was wrong. Something about the Questers, something about the other Clock... Althea's hand was almost as cold as his, and he knew she was worried too.

*

Gillian North

I stood there awkwardly for a few moments, wondering if one of these too were going to say anything.

"Um. . . Are we just gonna stand here, because I'd kind of like to know what that one thing I needed to know was." I said awkwardly.

" So you have a quest too? the new guy asked.

"Well, I'm not really sure what a quest is, or what I'm doing here, but I heard a voice in my head then saw some weird people at the circus and I can't remember anything."

Radius turned to me, smiling sadly. "It sounds like you're a new quester, welcome to the club. That one thing you needed to know was that you have the year to finish your quest- the thing you heard in your head when you first woke up."

"Hah! I knew you had a quest!" Demetheus yelled. HE then looked around, hoping no one thought he was crazy. Radius blushed at the accusation.

" Wait, that doesn't sound hard. I looked around for the objects I was supposed to find or whatever then got confused. " um, do either of you know what's not supposed to be in this time?"

Radius laughed. "Pretty much anything electric, me, you, and honey boo boo."

"What's a honey boo boo?" I asked.

"Nothing, something I read about in a history book once." Radius said.

I only got more and more confused as I talked to these people.