Wandering Whispering Wiggling Whisker

“And with that, the show is over! We thank you for coming to see the Wonder World Circus!” At that time, a small pig, no larger than a cat, fell from above into his hands, squealing happily as he took off his top hat and bowed to the audience who applauded and dispersed. A short while later, he sat at the bar stall.

“What say you Alexander? Good show tonight?” Asked the server.

“Good as ever; we’re the best,” he remarked, finishing his drink and glancing over his shoulder at the massive tents being dismantled. The packing was well underway, halfway into the night, when an alert yet exhausted voice called out to him.

“Alex! Come… Hurry!”

He glanced at the animal handler. “Mhh? What’s the matter?” the handler tried to catch his breath.

“Blitz… he’s gone.”

“What do you mean he’s gone? Did someone leave the pan open?” The handler shrugged.

“I don’t know Alex, come.” He dropped what he was doing and followed the animal handler to the animal cages, a few more were open and empty beside the Blitzball’s.

A few assistants stood on the side, dumbfounded. “What happened?” Alex asked, They only shrugged in response.

I glanced inside the cage; there were obvious traces of the pig being dragged out against its will. Something glittered beneath the hay, barely visible. Reaching for it, he pulled out a small pendant. As he straightened up, he turned around and said,

“Walko, we have a case of kidnapping on our hands!” His voice altered, and suddenly there was a beautiful mustache. Walko, the animal handler, squinted at him.

“Alex? This is no time to joke around.”

Alex nodded “I am not! Look what I found!” His voice remained much the same as before.

A pendant! It’s our hint as to who pignapped good Sir Blitzball and the other animals.” Walko stared intently at Alex’s mustache, which seemingly, on its own, scratched his nose and then returned to a perfect, slightly curled-up shape.

“Let me see that.” Alex handed the pendant over and Wilko opened it.

Inside was a piece of parchment with text on it.

“In the bustling stall, at the entrance to the circus, sat Mucha bored, a greeter to all. A letter he got, and no directions at all,” Wilko read the text aloud.

Alex looked out the entrance to the animal tent, observing the cages and two dumbfounded assistants. As he turned back around, the mustache disappeared and his voice returned to normal. Wilko thought he saw something moving and sneaking into Alex’s pocket, but paid it no attention.

“I guess, to the greeter we go?” Alex inquired. Wilko raised his eyebrow.

“Alex… your erhm… nice trick.”

“What trick?” asked Alex.

“your… mustache trick!” Wilko said with a grin.

“What mustache? I don’t have a mustache, never did! Now stop stalling and start thinking!” Wilko scratched his head, baffled.

“Uhuhh, yeah let’s go see the greeter.” He agreed. As they walked to the entrance of the circus, Wilko kept throwing glances at Alex, confusing him.

Upon arrival, a lone greeter stood by the assembled entrance. As they approached, Alex turned to sneeze, and when he faced forward again, the mustache reappeared. “Greetings, oh greatest of greeters!” He extended his hand. “Wilko, the pendant.”

Wilko furrowed his eyebrows – “The stache!”

“No, the pendant you fool, give it to me!” He demanded.

Wilko cautiously handed the pendant over, Alex opened it up and read the text from before, then glanced at the greeter, twirled his mustache with the other hand and grinned.

“Have you gotten any mysterious letters, friend?” The greeter nodded agreeingly.

“Only this 1…” He handed a letter over, Alex opened it up and skimmed over it.

“Blah, blah… we’ll make a pignic out of your pig and it’ll be otterly delicious unless… blah blah… demands.”

“Oh no… they got the otter,” Alex exclaimed.

“We had an otter? Since when?” inquired Wilko.

“I don’t know, he randomly appeared in a cage one day.”

Wilko shook his head. “Where’d he come from? Not one of my animals.”

Alex twirled his mustache again. “That’s an excellent question, my friend.”

He glanced at the letter again. “We’ll be awaiting the ransom at the old library.” Alex covered his mouth with his hand and, when he removed it, the mustache was gone.

“This is horrible…they demand a ransom!”

“We should take it to the director.” They departed from the greeter and headed toward the director. However, the pendant in Alex’s pocket was making clicking noises. Finally, he opened it up and read.

“Amidst the production’s chaos, the director finds no use, for the answer lies hidden in the barn’s embrace.”

“We don’t have a barn…” remarked Wilko.

“Well, of course not. Did you think the thieves would be among us at the circus? Foolish!” Alex responded in a sassy tone, giving Wilko a broad grin, with a mustache decorating his face once more.

“Alex! Stop with the mustache!”

“What mustache?” Alex asked, as he reached to check his upper lip the mustache seemingly slithered away over his hand and inside his sleeve.

“THERE! Whaa…at??” He stepped back nervously, shuddering. “It… ran up your arm.”

Alex glanced at his hands and shrugged. “Friend, you must be really tired after the show, get some rest, I’ll speak with the director.”

At this point, Wilko started questioning his own sanity, mustaches don’t run… they don’t appear or disappear suddenly.

“Y-yea, I think I will. Find Blitzball!” he nodded. Alex grinned at him with a mustache. “Find him I will, and solve this mystery I shall!”

He pulled the pendant out of his pocket and read the text again: ‘Amidst the production’s chaos, the director finds no use, for the answer lies hidden in the barn’s embrace.’

“True!” He remarked watching Wilko disappear behind the still standing tents.

The director would find no use for a few stolen animals; in a circus, it is cheaper to buy and train new ones than to pay ransom for the taken ones.

“Barn, barn…” he opened the necklace once more. ‘In the village’s heart, this riddle unfolds; follow its guidance where food is sown and gold.’ He squinted at it, pondering its meaning as he walked out of the circus and headed to the nearby village.

Later in the evening, the village was settling in for the night, with only a few taverns remaining open. He headed to the first one he could find, conveniently named “Guidance.” As he entered the tavern, silence fell. Patrons ceased their discussions, and all gazes focused on him. He removed his top hat and bowed.

“Greetings, greetings! I seek merely a few minutes of attention.” As a showman of the circus he had no issues being at the center of attention.

As he straightened out, a mustache decorated his lip once more. The sharper of patrons noticed that it wasn’t there before. He jumped on the table and glanced around.

“In the village’s heart, this riddle unfolds! Follow its guidance where food is sown in gold!” He read the text out.

At the Wonder World Circus, a theft took place! Animals vanished without a trace. Help me find them and bring them back with care; for our next show, I’ll gladly share free tickets! He held a bundle of tickets in his hands.

The patrons of the pub, now the audience of Alex, sat in silence, awestruck. A brief moment later applause started, they cheered.

A man in the back shouted “East side farmer’s village! Must be there.”

1.“I can guide you for three tickets!” Chimed in a man at the bar.

2. “Take ya there for two!” Argued a younger man who sat at the table on top of which Alex stood. He grinned.

3.“Take you for 1…” Said a man in black hood.

4.“I’ll guide and protect you for 5.” Suggested a hunter with a bow at his side.

“SOLDDD!” shouted Alex, gesturing at the shady-looking man in a black hood. “One ticket to the gentleman in the black hood! And three to the gentleman who pointed out the location!” He spoke like an auctioneer, fast and barely comprehensible. Jumping off the table, he handed out the prizes, thanked everyone for their attention, and departed with the hooded man.

The pendant clicked again; Alex opened and read it. ‘In shadows veiled, a man does roam, black hooded figure with mischief to own. His intentions concealed, his heart untold, beware of the hooded man for dangers untold!’ The hooded man glanced over his shoulder, his teeth shining in the moonlight.

“When ye departing?” he inquired. Alex looked up at the rising moon.

“Tomorrow, but our return will be in a month, tickets will still work!”

“Mmmhmmm… So these animals, why are ye trying to get them back?” The stranger asked.

“Uhm.. well, they’re good animals! Training new take a lot of effort.” The stranger nodded, his face still concealed by the hood.

“Well, come along! Did you bring the ransom?” Alex squinted at him, distrust building up. “Certainly…” he lied. They traveled the empty, dark streets, following the long winding path to the farmer’s village just beyond the field of whey.

Off near the farmer’s house, he could see a couple of barns. The house was dark, no lights emanating from within. The pendant clicked; Alex flipped it open. ‘Amidst the dark, a barn stands still. But your body shivers from the thought that it’s ill. Enter its doors, a tough choice you must make, but beware, for within lies a risk you may take.’ Alex stopped in his tracks and stared at the barn.

“What is it?”

Alex considered the possibilities.

1- To run into the whey field and try to get away from the stranger.

2- Trust the stranger and not the pendant that speaks riddles.

3- Stay alert but follow through.

4- To try and lie his way out of a stranger’s company.

He tensed up and nodded. “Nothing, just a slight cramp.” A mustache decorated his face, and his eyes were filled with resolve. He followed the hooded man.

“So, you picked me even though my pendant warned you against trusting me.”

Alex’s face twisted into a pleased grimace. “So you ARE one of the thieves. I suspected as much.” He held the pendant out. “Fancy thing this is.”

The hooded man glanced at him and then at the pendant.

“No clue how it works, or why; got it from my gramps,” he explained.

“Oh, then it would be wrong not to return a family heirloom to the rightful owner, no?”

The hooded man nodded. “You can have yer damned animals back! That pendant is worth far more than your entire circus combined.”

Alex grinned at him again. “It guides the owner to his desired location, hm?”

The hooded man nodded again.

“Yes, although in riddles, sometimes it’s not quite so easy to solve, depending on what you seek.” They arrived at the dark, abandoned barn, slowly rotting away. The hooded man knocked once, and a voice came from within.

“Stefan or Steven?”

“Stefan!” replied the hooded man as the deadbolt clanked and the door swung open.

Inside the barn, Alex could see the otter riding the pig’s back as it ran loops. Up a little walkway, then off into a pile of hay, and back again. Off to the side, a chicken clucked. A man sat next to the chicken, playing with a hamster that leapt through finger-loops he made.

“Well, at least they don’t seem bored.”

The hooded man shrugged. “Your circus animals are quite active; they just wouldn’t be quiet while locked in cages. So, we set them free.”

Alex laughed lightly.

“We should be the ones accepting ransom to take them back and free you from this chaos.” The hooded man nodded at his companion, who stepped away from the door.

“Yes, but also no.” He held his hand out.

“The pendant…” Alex’s mustache twirled up a little on its own before straightening out.

“Yes, yes, but animals first.” He stood just outside the barn, waiting.

And when all animals were led outside, they recognized Alex. The pendant was handed over, and the exchange was complete. Alex’s mustache was gone; he took his hat off and bowed to the hooded man and his companions.

“Wait…” demanded the hooded man.

“Mhh?”

“Your.. huh?”

Alex glanced at him. “Hm?”

“Your mustache… what’s with that magic trick?”

Alex rubbed just above his upper lip where there was no mustache and shrugged. “I’m no magician,” he responded.

“No tricks here, just my…” He covered his mouth with his hands and then removed them to reveal the mustache.

“Just my pet! Wandering, wiggling, whispering whisker by the name of – Caterpillerissimo!” He grinned.

“That’s a creature?” inquired the hooded man.

“It is indeed, from the lands far beyond here!” He bowed again and departed with the circus animals.

They returned to the circus; the animals were safe and sound. All except one: the mysterious otter that disappeared as mysteriously as it had one day appeared in the circus. No one knew who it was or where it came from; all they knew was that it seemed to be where it desired to be. And with this, the strange story of the Wonder World Traveling Circus comes to a close.