Chapter Text
Gawddd.. Why am I so tired?! I can't keep going at this - these kids are getting horrible experiences! I cant- oh, ughh.. what to do!??
E is dressed up in her usual uniform, the only worker at the entrance, as usual. She's only been working for an hour or so now, why is she so tired??
Oh.
She forgot to sleep last night.
All the workers again were at it all night! This new girl is so insistent on making a plan - who even needs a plan? Why do they wanna leave so bad? It's all good here, even without the hypnosis! That's just a plus!
mm.. hypnosis.. E could do with a few-day refresh. Ringleader should be watching now, anyway. The shows have been on for nearly 40 minutes. But that- oh, that's a punishment! ugh...!! Why is this lady so insistent on making everything harder!?
I can't just ask, I know that. I need a hypothesis, like the good ol'days..
She won't punish me correctly if I ask, so I've gotta commit something.
Longest punishment (vacation) would be hurting a child. No, no. The after would be oh so pleasant, but.. no.
Okay, lesser, then. Littering? No. That'd just be a scolding or something. The cleaner wouldn't appreciate that, either. So, bigger, less.. effect...
She's got it!
E watches a break in the line of guests, a small time limit for her to do this (and not disturb a child's expirence) but it is time.
She turns around, off her small stand, and power walks to the confectionary stand that's behind her.
oh, god. There's nobody here. That's.. it's fine. It's fine.
E only hesitates for a split second before grabbing a glowy milk chocolate strawberry, glazed in white chocolate. She eats one in a bite, then grabs another. Wiping off her mouth intermittently. She'll pay later, she tells herself. It'd be a huge hassle (unlike the staff) for the fairy lady behind the counter if she didn't.
She physically stutters, reaching for a third, hearing the distinct clicking of a pen and boots trampling innocent grass.
"E! What in the name of - what are you DOING?!"
E responds with as much snark as she can muster while sucking on a strawberry leaf. "What're you doing?"
"Eh- EHXCUSE ME!? I AM YOUR BOSS! GE - MEET ME AT YOUR QUARTERS."
perfect, perfect, perfect!! She'd have gotten a mere half a day, at most, for leaving her stand. For stealing one strawberry... Maybe a day? For two? Two days! But now, the snark she's executed perfectly - that's a perfect two and a half!
The Ringmaster grabs onto E's hand hard enough to hurt just slightly, but light enough that the children couldn't tell. She instructs a nearby cleaning staff to change the sign to signal that E's out for a while.
The ringleader; a short, curvy woman. Just E's type. More than a head shorter than herself, but so dominant! All E wants in a lady, really. She drags E into a side entrance of the tent - one E knows all too well - yet not well enough for her liking - and through another door, unlocking it with a key from her chain first try, no fumbling about with the keys.
Oh this is E's second favorite room!! The one she was in for, by choice. Never by accident. Ringmaster doesn't need to know that, though.
This small room, a simple setup. At one half of the room is a large flatscreen tv with several smaller screens filling in the space beside it. (These are all connected to one remote, E knows.) Right in the center of the room is a cushioned chair, bindings screwed into the metal legs, later covered in silk. 'Can't have the staff performing with sores' Ringmaster says.
On the other side, where E has entered, is another chair. The entire floor here is carpeted, unlike the rest of the circus. The moody pink lighting really helps emphasize the aesthetic, too!
Ringmaster begins talking slowly and decisively at E.
"You really seem to do this on a regular schedule, huh? Look here. '
She points at a highlighted calendar, E can make out several green lines clearly separated by almost exactly 18 days. She can also see other colors she recognizes as signifying her fellow circus member's punishments. Poor little ones..
'Each of your punishments happen on a predictable schedule! Why!? I may need to figure out a better punishment than this for you.. as a repeat offender."
The Ringmaster focuses her sharp eyes onto E's face, which is lathered in fear all around. Even under her vivid makeup.
"Hah! You scared, hun? You won't get any punishments if you just behave sweetie! It'd be better for everybody involved if you just gave in like most of your co-workers! I know nobody enjoys doing this to you! It is what's best now, though."
Clearly, this pretty woman can't read people as well as she thinks she can. Huh? Pft.
E laughs to herself, refraining from actually doing anything physically.
Scared because of punishment!? Oh HELL no!
E might not fight back, but she isn't unaware. She knows damn well that this is the Ringmaster's ultimatus. There's nothing more for her to condition E with. She always uses it.. E lets it work for a few hours.. Then she sits back and laughs at her coworker's helpless obedience after the same!
E is scared at the threat of her stopping.
"E. Here, focus. Are you even listening?"
"Oh- yes, ma'am."
"Sit. Don't talk."
E does so, the chair is comfortable anyway - her coworkers just don't get it. Ringmaster clips her arms behind the chair and her legs to the legs of it.
"What program are we wantin' today, hun? The usual? Perhaps some 'repeat after me'?" E feigns fear when Master (Mistress? Ringmistress? That has a good ring to it, she notes to herself to remember that.) Mentions her favorite program. 'Repeat after me' always kind of hurts her throat, but the cough drops she gets afterwards (they're meant to keep her docile, really) taste real good, and are great for trading with coworkers! Sweetest cherry flavor you'd ever have tasted.
"Oh, gettin' happy at repeatin'? That's what you want, you pathetic little clown?"
Reverse psychology always works on her, even if E can never guess which of them is truly getting played.
Finally, what E has been waiting for. The verdict.
"You will be in this sweet ol' room you love so much for.. let's say.. 3 days? Will that get it through to you? When your vocal cords are fried so badly you'd need a translator?"
Ring-m(istress?) Clicks on the small grey remote she always keeps in her pocket and flicks the room lights off, leaving E in darkness for a few long seconds until the turquoise glow of the giant spiral whirrs on, the smaller ones following behind. Words - a mantra - begin flashing on the screen.
It's very attention grabbing in such a small room. That's one of the best parts!