The trailers belonging to the circus folks stood outside of the city in a big circle. The jugglers in rainbow clothes rehearsed their performance while their animals ran around them; the funniest one was a dogpig. Their bodies were round like pigs' ones, but their heads and limbs were like dogs. They remained playful puppies even in adulthood, but they hated getting dirty and avoided mud puddles like the plague. When angered, they could knock down three times heavier opponents.

Dromedaurs nibbled small patches of grass around the city. They resembled ancient camels, but a trio of humps rose from their backs, and their noses were long and flexible as an elephant trunk. They were most famous for their thick pelt, allowing it to absorb heat or cold and emit it for a few hours.

Kairo stopped to check on a small firawa balancing on a big ball on its hind legs. Flames flickered from its big, rectangular ears and wagging tail. The firawa reminded him of a fennec-like creature anybody could stuff into their bag. However, its bark could shatter glass and drive zombies back to their graves, and its sneeze often sprayed the ground with wet ash.

Arubi scanned the other side, finding the fruit a clown juggled worth stealing. The oranges sparkled, and the kiwi's fluffy peel would make perfect material for a pouch.

But of course, not as fluffy as him.

Kairo observed his surroundings until his leg stepped into something soft. His body froze, and his eyes traced down to the immediate area of his right sole. Arubi peeked too, and his body shivered with a chuckle. Rumbling, Kairo rubbed his straw sandal against a patch of grass when he jerked his head back.

What the? Ignoring the weight on his head, he shifted to one side. Is somebody after me? It wasn't impossible. He had a lot of enemies and unpaid bills around the continent. Could somebody send an assassin after me?

Kairo's eyes narrowed as his brain ran a mental check. The boy never remembered his enemies' faces or names for more than a moment. He shrugged. No need to make a molehill out of a mountain. He pivoted around, and a thud sounded from behind him.

Arubi looked up, his teeth chattering; the sudden movement caught him off guard. His fuzzy tail cushioned the fall, but dust and sand found its way to his fur. Years of trained moves freed Arubi's coat of the sand's terror. Once done, he climbed up, noticing his partner holding his chin and staring at the ground. Only a tinkle of coins could wake him from this trance. However, the rabbit would roll his head if he knew it was because his partner messed up an idiom.

Kairo soon threw the nagging feeling into his mind's trash bin and hurried to the Dark Elf. At the edge of his peripheral vision, the young bounty hunter spotted a sharp movement. So, somebody is after me. Let's see if they'll move first.

"Please, wait here, I shall inform the Great Master of your arrival." The elf bowed, set the raon down, and entered the most colorful trailer in the circle's head.

The boy nodded and searched for the potential attacker, but he only saw the small lion hiding behind the big wheel out of pawreach of his partner. Arubi wasn't interested, as he helped to detect this strange enemy.

However, even his long ears couldn't pick up any strange noise. There was only a silent melody, kids playing around the fireplace, dromedaurs feasting on the scarce patches of grass, and the regular sounds of wind releasing process.

So Arubi tried using his sense of smell, but it proved to be fruitless as well. He only reminded himself they hadn't had a decent meal since the morning. A delicious aroma lured him to dive into a big pot of meatless stew. An old woman in ragged clothes and bony hands winked at him, inviting him into her oven. Arubi turned away.

Kairo stared at the red-roofed trailers with various patches. The blue walls appeared better, but the posters advertising their group covered the peeling plaster. The big brown wheels were in good shape as they carried the whole troupe forward.

Kairo's eyes narrowed as he focused on a yellow ball with a crescent moon over it. The picture was on every wagon between small windows set in an orange frame. Above bright green doors hung a sign, telling who it belonged to. A sign labeling "Big Boss" hung above a bright green door, but others had only a picture.

The young bounty hunter yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth. He only wiped the tears pushed from his eyes. His mind turned so sluggish, he didn't try to imagine who lived in the trailer with a ball of wool.

Arubi's ears twitched as the door leading to "Big Boss" opened, and the Dark Elf emerged first, followed by a round man with a round face. Kairo tightened his jaw to not drop it. If this man started to roll, it would be hard to stop him.

The Principal's face was hidden behind a massive, white mustache with the tips pointing upward. They either defied gravity, or he used a lot of wax every morning. Arubi squinted, trying to find the man's eyes, but they were so small he couldn't tell if he was sleeping or awake.

With each step his body bounced, creating colorful explosions. His dress would put a rainbow to shame, and it masked any stains with a full range of patterns. The murder of a fashion aesthetician happened at the moment one's eyes fell on the big, sweet pink ribbon around the Principal's belt tied upfront.

The boy swallowed the bitter laugh that tried to escape. Arubi's ears flopped, and he puffed his kiseru to mask his dropped jaw. Well, in his case, it would be cute.

The Principal moved his big hands behind his back and spoke, "Hmm... hum... Ehm hmmm... ohmahn eh... eh." The big mustache wiggled with each sound.

Arubi's ears perked, but no matter how much he tried, he didn't understand a word the Principal muttered.

Kairo shot his eyes toward the elf, who cleared his throat. "Allow me to translate... 'I, Principal Ehm, am honored by your presence.'"

"Hum, huam... hiah em on an." His arms spread above his head, and the man stood on his toes for a moment.

"Your arrival is a sign from the Heavens." The elf did the same gesture.

The duo nodded, unable to add anything else.

"Tahů Toh, a um." Principal Ehm cupped his hands, turned around and bowed toward the north. This gesture exposed his bottom panorama to the bounty hunters. Their eyes locked on the big patch with a teddy bear occupying the whole back part of his trousers.

"Be blessed, Great Toh, a um." The Dark Elf was unfazed by Kairo's twitching in the left part of his face, as he assumed the same pose.

The round man pivoted back, continuing, "Him oh oh uf uóf tohah ehn óuf." A tear flowed from his little eye. His shivering hands grasped the psychedelic pattern on his chest.

"Please, hear out my plea." The elf mimicked the gesture like it helped him to translate. He even bit his lip to force a tear slip over his cheek.

"Guh jik hum ham omh ohho oh." The Great Master hid his face in his palms.

"An evil bandit has stolen my greatest treasure." A quiet whimper escaped through the elf's fingers.

"Ahůůů ach oh ohům!" The Great Master pivoted like a ballerina before he stopped with spread legs, placing his clenched fists akimbo with a broad smile plastered across his face.

"Retrieve it, and a great reward shall be bestowed upon you!"

Kairo's eyes sparkled, his fingers twitching, for he loved to earn extra money, no matter what way it came. Time to get filthy rich. "So, what does the treasure look like? Can you tell me what's inside too?"

"Houm to a ehuh mohut. Horuh das not engli áuh gfthgks. Gettero fuj achjo this oh uch tůj." The Principal tapped on his face.

"It's hidden in a wooden box with my seal. And countless generations collected this treasure. Gold can't measure its value."

"What seal--?" Kairo paused his question as his eyes fell on the absurd mustache. His head tilted until he spotted the cunning resemblance to the symbol on the trailer walls. Kairo's red eyes narrowed, and his face darkened. "Okay, no prob," he said, dragging out the first word. As the Principal's body shook, the bounty hunter bit his tongue. "I mean I was-"

"Ughaah!" Principal Ehm jolted forward and enveloped the boy in a bear hug. The stream of tears from his small eyes would put the greatest waterfall at shame.

Poor Arubi slid down, hanging on the sando-gasa as the Great Master was jerking with Kairo left and right. The boy gasped, unable to breathe without excessive effort. Once the Great Master let go, Kairo's face turned green, and his ribs screamed for personal space. The air never tasted so good, even if it smelled after an old man's odor.

Arubi climbed back to the top of the boy's head. Kairo snatched his hat sando-gasa by the string and massaged his neck then he rested his hands on his knees. He took a few deep breaths, as his heart swallowed the fresh blood and pumped it into his limbs on the double. After a few minutes, he had the confidence to stand up.

Arubi's ears twitched, and the rodent spotted the unitaur dancer moving closer with his partner. The dancer's royal blue eyes sparkled with concern and doubt.

"Can we ask a child to go on such a dangerous quest?" His melodic voice could smooth the hardest rock.

Arubi spread over the white hair, turning into a pancake. That voice calmed his nerves.

Kairo massaged his arms, glancing at the musician with his hands crossed. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he exchanged a look with the young bounty hunter.

Kairo snorted. "I'm more than enough to handle one bandit."

"You heard him," Arubi ensured them. "He's better than he looks."

"Gee, thanks," the boy mumbled. What a way to give him credibility. He moved his hand forward, and the Principal accepted it. Kairo turned around half-way. "Well, we'll be on our wa—!"

Something wrapped around his chest as it dashed away, pushing the air from his lungs. The boy's eyes shot open. There was nothing he could do once his legs stopped feeling the ground. Only dust remained where they stood. A shiver ran upon Kairo's back as a purplish blur dragged his body and Arubi whacking his face wasn't helping this situation.

Let's see how you like this! Kairo lifted his arm against the whistling wind, intending to bury his elbow into the attacker's skull.

They stopped, and the kinetic energy threw them forward. Kairo's body rolled a few paces, losing his partner. The boy dug his fingers into the sand, leaving marks. He scanned the surroundings with his right hand on the handle of his umbrella.

The shadows of tall cactus forest towered above them. The figure in front of him stood covered by the lifted sand. A stray ray from the sun fell into Kairo's eyes, and he narrowed them. The figure moved forward, leaving the dust.

"You are—!" Kairo gasped.

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