A Fishy Business

[adeckfullofcards]

Running away to a circus just wasn't really an option any more. Cirque De Soliel and all those Vegas-style shows certainly weren't made for amateurs. However, there were other, less glamorous options.

Le’Rogue Revue was one of them.

It was fashioned after the old shows of vaudeville, with a kicker: it was mostly about burlesque. Attractive men, women, and well, just about whatever else there was in this big old world was welcome to display themselves and their talents to the world. Any act would do, so long as it kept with the overall theme: sensual entertainment.

That didn't mean, of course, one had to do anything off the wall. Bianca didn’t like a gaudy display, and since she was the owner, she called the shots. Really it was more about fun than anything else. The performers were happy people, a collection of outcasts and people who preferred to be strangers in strange lands (or counties, at least).

The set up was usually a small, dive sort of place, decorated to the nines once the group made its way in there, replacing any curtain their own sumptuous red velvet. They always brought a little bit of class to a place, even if it wasn't the classiest place (which is never was).

Currently there were a handful of performers, including: one woman who did a tantalizing strip tease while swinging from rope to silken rope, a wall of man who could flex and cause a crowd of women to swoon, and a rather petite (more than petite) a child-like woman who could sing and dance and tell a joke from here to hell.

At the moment, the three mentioned were getting ready back stage, three other acts had already gone on. Only last week they'd lost their mermaid, well, she'd considered herself a mermaid anyway, Andrea, who decided she wanted to stop traveling and get married. The show lost not only a show stopping act, but also a crew chief that had been working with them for years. The crew chief was easier to replace than a mermaid, who had also left behind a 5,000 gallon tank that traveled with them, but that no one else could use. Andrea's departure had left a hole in the group, but there had been rumors that Bianca had hired some unusual fare to replace Andrea.

“Do you think it’s another mermaid?” Paul, the strong man said, as he admired his well oiled physique.

“Maybe, I mean, who else is gonna use that thing? She’s gotta hire someone to use it. That or she’ll sell it and try to make up the difference in some new act.” Tina, the rope dancer shrugged as she finished applying her lipstick.

A brassy voice sounded from behind a lacy black privacy screen. “It was silly to spend all that money on that thing anyway, if you ask me. Could have gotten her a kiddie pool for cheaper and let her flip her tail around in that, least then we wouldn’t be stuck with the thing.” The other two gave a slight laugh and finished getting ready. Tina was the next act up and so she was out the door with a wave her costume, a mix of colored silk scarves, flowing behind her as she left leaving the dressing room to the last two.

Comments

[bprd_fishman]

The journey to find himself had, thus far, been more difficult than Abe had expected. For all that the BPRD had kept him in a gilded cage they had also sheltered him from the hardships of the world. He had his food, shelter, and entertainment provided for him free of charge, and even his companionship was government funded. Abe had thought his appearance would be the greatest barrier to participating in human society but even obtaining a boiled egg had required a great deal of pleading. At least Liz understood how to get a job.

He'd considered selling his psychometric services, perhaps as a detective, but that was what the BPRD had done. They'd used him for his abilities and ignored the rest of him. He was not yet that desperate. There had to be some niche that would provide for his sort of person.

And as luck would have it, one appeared.

Hello--no, please, it's all right. I'm sorry if my appearance frightens you. I'm looking for a job and I heard you had an opening. I'm not much for burlesque yet, but I'm sure I can learn.

...

Yes, those are indeed gills. I could recite poetry...but no, that doesn't seem your crowd's sort of entertainment. Not that I am insulting your group! You seem very elegant, I just want to match up to your standards. Um. Physical talents. Well, I can do this with my limbs.

...

Um. Are you all right?

So they'd given him the job. Mermaid and contortionist, playing up his otherwordly nature. At his request they'd allowed him a skintight outfit and a full-face mask that hid the majority of his unusual body, letting the audience assume that his webbed hands were simply ornate gloves. There was some irony to the fact that he was a icytho sapien playing the part of a human who was playing the part of a sea monster.

He donned his costume in private. The outfit wasn't ready yet, what with the performance occurring tonight, but she'd let him borrow a serpentine mask left over from an older act. He stepped out into the back stage area, fingers twitching with nervousness.

[adeckfullofcards]

Tina had flitted past the unusually clad new hire as she went on stage to do her performance. She was a bit taken aback by the mask, but there were stranger costumes in this place. Like the one coming off stage, Serpentia who at the moment was using her rather large albino boa constrictor, Bobo, and very little else as her only means of clothing. She didn't seem all that disturbed, merely curious as she bowed past the stranger and gave him a once over as she bustled off to her the dressing room.

Mary, the brassy voice from behind the dressing screen was coming out as the other woman came in and had to slip between legs, which was quite easy considering she was a tiny little thing.

"Watch it, tiny, or you're gonna be Bobo's snack." Serpentia, or Amy as she was known behind the scenes, hissed teasingly.

"Tiny? That's the best you can do?" Mary hawed and continued walking. Paul had taken the stage now and was doing his flexing and lifting of large objects. Mary would be next. She was dressed in a comically baggy sailor suit, obviously not meant to arouse anyone. She noted the new figure backstage, however, and couldn't help but have a look.

"So you're the newbie, huh?" She had a very good view of those twitching, much-too-realistic-to-be-fake fingers, considering they were in her line of vision. "I'm Mary." She extended a hand, itching to know if her eyes were merely deceiving her or if this man in fact had scaly hands.

[bprd_fishman]

"Abe. It's a pleasure to meet you." He gave her a slight bow, reluctant to touch her hand. The illusion would hold up under stage lights, but against bare skin she'd feel the reality.

At least she was wearing adequate clothing. He found it hard to know where to look with so much bare flesh around him, and having Mary to focus on made him less flustered. Behind the mask blood was rising to his cheeks. Of course Hellboy had little in the way of body shame and Liz was frequently unclothed in areas of their living quarters that Abe later visited but they were practically brother and sister to him. That was different.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary was a little perturbed that he wouldn't shake, obviously her hunch was right. It could also be that he just didn't want to touch a midget, which she got a lot of in certain cities. She withdrew her well-manicured little hand and shrugged.

"So, you get to go on tonight? Must be nervous, I had at least a week to practice, but then we were on the road..." And dancing in a trailer was not the easiest thing. Singing, yes. Dancing, no.

"Guess you go on after me, don't worry, I'll soften 'em up."

[bprd_fishman]

"It's my first time performing, I admit I'm a bit anxious." He glances out towards the stage. What if he messes it up and gets fired? He doubts there are many openings for fishy contortionists. "Good luck to you, and wish me the same?"

[adeckfullofcards]

"Well, of course, we gotta stick to together in this business." Mary said, her red lips curling into a smile as she looked up at him.

"You won't need luck, just go out there and do your thing. At least you get to wear a mask so the nerves don't show." She laughed. "Besides, from this angle it doesn't look like you'll need much luck." She gave him a playful tap to the abdomen.

[bprd_fishman]

Abe flinched, hands curling into his chest. "Um," he said, and wasn't sure what to make of the entire situation. "Thank you." The warmth in his face worsened as he stepped back.

Nobody ever touched him. He was alien, slick and wet and cold like a frog. Even when the scientists put their hands on him it was with a latex barrier between him and their warm skin. Seeing all this casual contact, all this naked flesh on display, this warmth when humanity was usually so cold to him...it was frightening in its intensity.

He stayed cowering by himself until Mary went onstage.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary raised an eyebrow and then shrugged. Maybe he was just shy, that would probably clear up quickly. This business didn't really cater to shyness.

"You're welcome, hey, after we finish this show, most of them go off and drink. I'm not much of a drinker though, but if you don't wanna go party with them you're more than welcome to come with me. I'll probably just cook a late dinner or something. And that way we can talk and I can let you in on all the gossip." Paul finished his act and was off stage, the MC getting the crowd ready for the next act, which was Mary. "Opp, my turn! Meet me in the dressing room if you decide to stay." She gave him a small wave, straightened her little sailor hat and proceeded onto the stage.

It was quite a silly act, singing a song called "My Honeybun" in her floppy sailor suit to what looked like a broad shouldered workman in a grass skirt and coconut bra. It disarmed the crowd a bit, made them laugh and sort of erased some of the sexual tension that built up. It was a breather, so the crowd wouldn't get too aroused. Which wasn't to say Mary's act couldn't be provocative sometimes, Abe had just caught her on one of those days she wasn't feeling particularly arousing.

This was the first stop in a week and she hadn't realized how hungry she was getting.

[bprd_fishman]

Their laughter made Abe feel a little encouraged. Even if he humiliated himself they might assume it was another part of the comedy and give him some leeway. Right? Ugh, he was tying himself in knots and he hadn't even gone onstage yet.

The tank was wheeled up and Abe obligingly slipped into it. The top was covered with a cloth, to be whipped away by the MC as she presented "The Human Eel" to the crowd. (They were still working on the name.)

Abe began the act curled into a ball in the corner of the tank. The MC tapped on the glass as if to get his attention and he slowly uncurled, turning his masked face towards the crowd. A few bubbles came from his lips and exited through the narrow mouth of the mask. Eerie music played in the background, full of airy woodwinds and chimes, as he went through a series of elegant bodily contortions that twisted his joints in ways impossible for the average human. The set ended with him bent fully backwards, belly raised and his head between his feet as his arms stretched out behind him.

A whistle from the crowd nearly distracted him, and a quick check with his senses indicated it was a woman. She was grinning and red-faced. Was she aroused by the act? Impossible, he was far too inhuman, nothing like the oiled man with muscles and perfect skin. It must be a taunt.

But laughter was better than nothing. He held the pose for a few more moments and then came forward onto his knees, fists crossed across his chest as he bowed his head to the audience. The cloth fell over him again and he felt relief at the removal of the audience's gaze.

As he was rolled away, he could hear the sound of their applause. Not as much as they'd given the more risque acts, of course, but it was...pleasant. He'd never gotten applause before, little more than a grunt of approval from Manny and that for far larger accomplishments than a bit of twisting about in a fishtank.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary had watched the beginning of the act. She was happy he was using the tank, at least it would get some use. For all his nervousness, he seemed to do well. He had a very pleasing way of moving, such a way that made it hard not to watch him. She finally had to scamper away to get dressed.

"Taken in the new guy, Mary?" Tina was already in the dressing room, back in her street clothes, a crop top and tight fitting skirt. "What's he like?"

"Nervous." Mary commented, going over to the dressing screen to slip into something more comfortable. "but he seemed to be doing just fine."

"He seemed kind of weird, like he was all covered up? Do you think he's ugly or something?" Tina asked, finishing up her lipstick, a bright baby pink.

"Maybe, does it really matter?" Mary said, walking out from behind the screen, throwing a red tank on as she did.

"Well, you were the one inviting him to dinner." Tina smirked. Mary gave her a piercing look.

"I was just being friendly." Mary hmphed, moving to her dressing table that she shared with Serpentia, who had already dressed and gone along with Paul.

"Uhuh." Tina giggled, standing up and picking up her bag. "If he gets fresh, you just call us." Tina winked knowingly and waved as she left. "Good luck."

"I..." Mary said, but sighed, why bother. They were all going to think whatever they wanted to think, but she knew better. She was just being nice to a newbie, one who didn't seem to get many lucky breaks, she could understand that.

[bprd_fishman]

A good show, said the manager. Good for a first-timer. We'll see about spicing up the act later down the line. Abe was amazed that he'd even made it through the set.

The courage imbued upon him by the manager's praise is what led him to take Mary up on her offer. He dried off his outfit but couldn't bring himself to remove the mask that hid his even more bizarre face. When he showed up at her door he was still in his full costume.

[adeckfullofcards]

Bianca didn't usually say that unless she thought it was true. Abe had at least gotten a rise out of the crowd and that was the point.

Mary was just about to give up when he showed up at the door.

"Oh, hey. You did great. First time it always the most nerve wrecking, believe me, it gets easier." She smiled. "I'll wait while you change and then we can go upstairs. They used to have apartments up there, now I guess we get to rent them for the next week or two. It's nice to have an oven. I can actually cook properly."

[bprd_fishman]

"Change..." Abe looked down at himself. Well, yes, he would have to remove the mask to eat, but as to the rest of it...

"I'm sorry, this is actually all I have to wear." He had a borrowed shirt and set of pants to wear over the suit in a vain attempt to look more normal, but it didn't help very much.

He reached up and pressed his fingers to the sides of the mask, still wary of revealing himself.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary blinked up at him a moment, cocking her head to the side.

"Wow, so you just came like that? Outta the box?" Poor thing, he must be pretty down on his luck. That, or he was running from something.

"Well, guess we know what you'll want to do for your first pay, huh?" Mary picked up her bag. "Maybe someone has some clothes you can borrow till then. Unless you like walking around like the human eel all the time." Serpentia liked walking around being a Serpent woman all the time. Mary just preferred to be comfortable most of the time.

"Guess you're ready for dinner then." If he was going to leave the mask on too she figured he'd have a hard time eating. "You know, you don't have to be shy...if there's anything wrong. I mean, look at me, I'm the most beautiful woman here and no one can see it cause they can't be bothered to look down." She joked.

[bprd_fishman]

Come on, Blue. Just take the damn thing off.

It was amusing how the throw-care-to-the-winds voice in his head sounded exactly like Hellboy. Abe pulled the mask off and lowered it, watching her nervously and bracing for her reaction. Shock, usually, though in a place like this they might be more understanding.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary stared at him a moment. "Was starting to think you were a weirdo with a mask fetish." Mary laughed. "The hands were pretty much a dead give away. Then again, I guess most people don't have the same angle on the situation that I do." She moved to start out of the dressing room, closing the door behind him and heading up a side stairwell. "Glad to finally meet you face to face, Abe."

[bprd_fishman]

Well, that was pleasingly anticlimactic. Perhaps he'd found a kindred spirit after all. Abe followed her up the stairs, smiling in a way that couldn't reach his face.

"The same to you, Mary. I appreciate your hospitality, it's been...a very long week and I'm still very unsure of my place in it."

[adeckfullofcards]

"I bet." Mary said, she'd chosen a room at the end of the hall. "What with all the press and what not. I'm surprised you didn't have the big red guy with you." Yup, she'd watched the news, it was most likely one of the reasons Bianca had hired him, and then of course he'd gone and wore the mask.

"Is he a ham? He seems like he would need to show off. I never really got why guys like that needed to show off. Guess it can't be easy to mix into the crowd though. Guess it's better to give them what they want in the end." Not that most people were nice about it.

"Did Bianca give you a room yet or will you be hanging out in the tank mostly?" Mary unlocked her door and invited him in. The apartment was small and sparsely furnished with only a coffee table, a small kitchen, and a back bedroom. Mary had chosen to put some brightly colored pillows on the floor for sitting, but other than that the place was devoid of much color or personality. The smell, however, coming from the crock pot in the kitchen, was amazing. The air was filled with the smell of pot roast that had been cooking for hours.

[bprd_fishman]

"Hellboy and I have parted ways--not in an argument, we're just spending some time in different places." He needed to cope with matters, and Hellboy needed to arrange for his children. They did stay in touch via cell phone and matters seemed to be going well so far...though Abe did admit to some concern over the mixing of the bloodlines and the effect on the childrens' health. "He's not so much a show-off as completely uninterested in what others think of him. One might call it confidence or rudeness, I find it to be somewhat in between."

Abe wasn't a big fan of meat but the smell of the pot roast made him salivate. His hand automatically pressed to the wall of the apartment, seeking out its past and the past of its owner. "The tank, I believe. I'm more comfortable there."

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary nodded. "Must be hard, dealing with the human world all of a sudden like that, I mean, I assume since no one had caught you guys before that you didn't live in the suburbs." Mary pulled a step stool out so she could be level with the counter as she checked on her pot roast and threw in some extra spices and threw in some potatoes.

"Go ahead and have a seat anywhere. This will be ready soon." Mary stepped off toe stool and moved to the fridge to figure out what she had to drink. "I'm not one to judge. He saved all those people, despite them not being appreciative, but then, people rarely are." The apartment had changed over many hands in all the years it was in use, the longest resident was a pair of women who had died here within days of each other, not able to cope with the world without each other.

"I totally forgot to ask if you were ok with meat. I know some people aren't. I could always throw something else together. This will keep." She wondered if he was a vegan or something, would a fish man eat fish? It was a conundrum that almost made her laugh.

[bprd_fishman]

"I'm omnivorous, though I usually default vegetarian. Pot roast is perfectly fine." He attempted to look excited about the meal, fingers wiggling slightly as he sat. "I appreciate your hospitality. It's been difficult for me these past few days, I'm not used to functioning in...well, in regular society."

[adeckfullofcards]

"Well, I'll keep that in mind for next time. God, think if I'd had fish on the menu." Mary laughed nervously, she sat the last of the veggies to stew in the pot and then moved to sit with him.

"But then fish eat fish in the ocean anyway, so I guess it wouldn't have been that bad." Mary shrugged. "I understand. I was very sheltered too, for a long time." Her size could be enough of an explanation for that.

[bprd_fishman]

Yes, I know. I can read you. I know your name, your parents' names, I know what you have been through and I judge you for none of it...

But he couldn't say that out loud. Humans got scared when they couldn't keep their secrets locked away behind their skin. As in many things, Abe had long learned to keep his mouth shut.

"It's amazing, what unexpected difficulties you find once you're out in the world," he said, folding his hands into his lap. "Choice is a gift but it's also quite a burden, even on small things on what you're going to have for your next meal." And how you'll get it in the first place.

[adeckfullofcards]

Parents names would contain only one name and a vague imagining of what a father would have, could have, been. It was obvious Mary was a very secretive person.

Mary nodded solemnly. "I understand that. I was sort of kept inside a lot when I was younger. My mom didn't think the world was a very safe place." It wasn't, but that was really no excuse to keep her away from people.

"When I first left home it was really hard. It does get easier though. You're lucky to have come here. The people are nice and understanding. I bet you anything if you didn't wear your mask in front of them they wouldn't care." And if they did? They'd have to get used to it. He was part of the family now.

[bprd_fishman]

"I know. It's just that I've spent so much of my life being told that I could not be accepted as I am, and I think some of it's still with me. It does help to have someone who already knows the path."

He wished he could smile. It would make communication so much easier.

[adeckfullofcards]

Mary could definitely relate to that feeling. She smiled enough for both of them at the moment and nodded.

"People always say that, especially when they want to keep you from other people." Her mother had said it was for her own good, but Mary had a feeling her mother simply didn't like being upstaged.

"But you're out here now. Eventually people will have to accept you." Whether they like it or not. There was no way around it.

[bprd_fishman]

"Will they?" He didn't sound sure about it. Abe's hands flopped over each other, unsure where to move. He was only saved by the finalization of the stew on the stove next to him.

"I believe we're ready to eat?"

[adeckfullofcards]

"Will they, won't they," Mary shrugged. "Either way you're here now. People can either get used to you or get out. But that's just my way of thinking. You live in this world too and people have to accept that." She sniffed the air and nodded. The tiny woman moved back into the kitchen to fill bowls with the soup, giving Abe more vegetables than meat.

"I'm always ready to eat. When I have an oven I bake all the time."