The ringleader only blinked at him and then laughed. The whole crowd roared into laughter, including the other circus performers. The sound of laughter only died out when Avery yelled in a monotone voice, "Shut up."

With two words, she got the whole room silent. For the first time, Carson didn't listen to their laughter. Recently, hes been learning how to stay confident and determined. He never thought that baby steps would bring him to wanting to sword fight a random man hes never met before, above a pool of deadly alligators, infront of a huge audience.

But take a step, and its either step back or keep going.

"Really, kid?" The ringleader scoffed. "No kid like you is going up here to sword fight an experienced billionare."

"Working in a tent made you a billionare?" Carson scoffed back. The crowd let out a taunting "ooh." Hes heard multiple "ooh's" in his life, he never thought people would jeer for him.

The ringleader grew angered. You could see the annoyance in his eyes, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he remained cool with the words, "Between you and me kid, I have a better chance of even finding a family."

Avery was about to stand up when Carson made her sit back down. "Yeah, if they accept you. Wouldn't think they'd like someone who gets money by running around in a red suit."

The ringleader looked down at his red clothing and then back at Carson. "Fine then. If you think you can do any better, get up here."

The crowd widened their eyes and before Carson could stand up, Avery grabbed his hand. She muttered out a 'no' while staring at him with doubtful eyes. It was a look hes never seen before.

But Carson only smiled at her. He didn't say anything but his quick wink had so much confidence.

The crowd widened their eyes at the young 10 year old who walked towards the ringleader. He kept his eyes on the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. He didn't want his mind on anyone either, this whole moment made him feel like he was back at the orphanage where every kid stared at him because of a rumor. Carson wanted his mind to focus on sword fighting- with a red guy that runs around for money.

He only looked up once he reached the stage. Carson walked up the stairs. He looked down and noticed he was standing on a white line.

Shrugging it off, he turned towards the ringleader who was still angered about what Carson said. The ringleader tossed Carson a sword and both got into position.

"En garde!" One of the performers yelled.

Carson wondered why the ringleader wasn't starting. He almost lost his balance when he realized the white line they were standing on, was actually the rope that was meant to be the only platform they were supposed to sword fight on. The rope lifted above the ground and the stage floor opened. And there, in the pool, swimming in the water, were alligators.

And then the ringleader smiled. He swinged his sword in a casual way while Carson struggled to keep his balance on the rope. He tried not to look at the alligators. "And even though their much alike, these are actually crocodiles." The ringleader continued, "Any body parts count." He smirked, "Still wanna fight?"

Carson gulped but then scoffed once he managed to balance on the rope. "If your up for it~"

All of the sudden, the ringleader striked first, throwing his sword right towards Carson's stomach. He dodged it with his sword while stepping one step away. He stood unsteadily once he stepped back.

Carson accidentally looked down at the crocodiles who's mouths were ready for biting. He gulped, but he couldn't stay nervous now.

The ringleader striked another move but Carson moved his sword to dodge again. He shot up his sword, trying to hit the ringleader's chin. But he somehow jumped backwards, landing perfectly on the rope. The audience cheered and gasped.

Carson couldn't move from the spot he was standing at. Well, he could, but that would result in him falling in the pool of crocodiles. He had no choice to stay in the same spot he was at. Which had never happened in fencing.

And so began the pattern of the dodging and the striking. But the ringleader was the one who was trying to strike, Carson couldn't think of anymore moves because of the nervous state he was in. The sound of the crocodiles trying to bite and the crowd cheering louder as the ringleader didn't look scared at all, didn't help.

He could feel Avery's doubtful look. Carson wanted to turn towards her, but he needed to focus if he didn't want his leg getting bitten by a crocodile. Moreover, he didn't wanna lose against a red man who looked down on people just doing their jobs, thinking it was all that easy to polish every single furniture and making sure everything is tidy.

Carson decided it was time to end this dance and strike too. But when he was about to strike, him moving his legs for a better position, made him wiggle on the rope. His balance wasn't the only thing keeping him from winning, it was also the concercning wonder if the rope could even hold. He couldn't scan the audience for Avery, but he could quickly turn back.

Carson couldn't see where the rope was holding onto because of all the acrobat equipment and other second floor backstage stuff. He quickly turned back and dodged his sword for the 77th time.

"Are you gonna keep dodging, kid?" The ringleader teased. Carson wanted to say something, but at this intense moment he couldn't. He turned back to see where the rope was holding onto again, only to find it wrapped around a wobbling pole.

He took a sharp breath, realizing that small poor pole wasn't enough to hold the rope. Carson just wished it wasn't the same for the other side. But when he turned towards the ringleader again, he could see the other small pole that held the rope.

Carson mentally jaw dropped. With a dissaproved look on the outside, he continued to focus on trying to strike his opponent- in the same time as dodging him.

He was lucky there was a pattern on how he striked.

The "experienced billionare" didn't at all looked like he knew what he was doing. He could stand on this rope, but the way he striked made him look like a fool. He was only trying to strike Carson right and left in the stomach, which was probably why Carson could dodge him by just turning his head to the other side.

Since they weren't random hits, Carson could feel the confidence running back up his veins. He quickly dodged his sword again while pushing the ringleader's away. He almost striked the ringleader's leg when he stepped away.

Carson still didn't move from his spot. He still stayed at the same place while trying to focus on his opponent. The ringleader charged his sword towards Carson's stomach, and either he was misinterpreting everything, or the ringleader was continuing with his pattern for the amazed looks on his audience.

With the jeers and cheers from the audience, Carson got the idea that these people were cheering for not actual fencing- but random predicatable moves. He laughed mentally at the thought of an impressed person in the crowd, actually taking in the way the ringleader sword fought.

If he was going to keep doing that, Carson might aswell find a way to strike him while he did his silly pattern.

And so before the ringleader could reach his sword to the left, Carson caught his sword with his. They were clinging each others swords until Carson broke apart and striked towards the ringleader's feet.

The ringleader moved away, making Carson cut off the rope, which was the only platform they were standing on.

The audience gasped and Carson grabbed onto the rope, dangling on. He was now closer to the pool of crocodiles. He could see the even-more hungrier looks they had on their faces.

"Kid!" The ringleader shouted in a concerned tone. He was dangling on the other side. He climbed up the rope while Carson did the same. The whole crowd remained seated, half of them panicking and half of them actually thinking this was still part of the act.

Avery knew Carson more than anyone here. She was the first person to stand up. "CARSON!" Avery yelled, catching everyone's attention. She watched as Carson anxiously climbed up the rope. You could almost see his close tears and the amount of sweat he had right now.

'Carson,' his name that Avery barely used. Even by Avery calling Carson by his first name without the cries and the panicked look, you can tell she was not okay.

Carson climbed more up the rope. The other performers were running around, trying to find a button to close the pool. The wiggly pole wasn't going to last long, so he needed to find a way out right now. He tried to move his legs so he could get out of this situation.

But then he turned towards the ringleader who was still struggling to move his feet. He couldn't move his rope to a safer place. Carson wondered why, but his wondering came to an end when he realized he really couldn't move his rope anymore.

From behind the ringleader, was his poor pole that had the rope tied around it. It was loose and if the ringleader moved his rope, it would untie and everything will go down hill. Their swords had already fallen and it fell on the pool of crocodiles. One even swooped down to get it. Carson didn't wanna wonder what would he feel if he was that sword.

Nobody else was there for the poor guy. All of the other performers were running around, the crowd was too stunned to speak, and Avery was struggling to walk towards Carson with all these people surrounding her. And he couldn't just jump back down, it was too high down.

As much as Carson hated him for looking down on servants, he couldn't just let him die like this. Carson moved his feet, moving himself backwards.

He landed on the second floor backstage, where the wiggly pole was at. Carson walked over to the pole and tightened the rope before grabbing it and jumping back on. The whole crowd gasped at the little boy swinging his rope towards the ringleader. Carson held out his hand, grabbing the ringleader, the ringleader grabbing the rope with his other hand, and the two safely but roughly landing on the other side of the second floor backstage.

The ringleader's rope untied and fell on the pool of alligators. Only then did the pool closed. Carson took a deep breath. 'Was this what acrobats did?' He found a longer rope and examined its length.

They both could still hear the gasps from the crowd. The ringleader took a deep breath and in a quick relieved tone, "You saved me, you saved me, you saved me! Oh my- your a perfect performer for my circus! I'm Marcus-"

"Good." Carson said. "Marcus, hold this." He threw part of the rope at him. Marcus stared at the rope with a bewildered look.

Withour warning, Carson jumped down from the second floor backstage while holding onto the other side of the rope. Marcus widened his eyes, quickly tightening his grasp on the other side.

It was too far to jump down. He wanted to process everything that just happened and stay there. But he stopped thinking the second the crowd started cheering. Marcus ran from there down to the stage with Carson.

He bowed down, thinking he did all this and that all credit should go to him- even though he was just dangling there like a scared loser. "Yes, thank you! Thank you!"

"Shut up." Carson shouted. He shut the ringleader up and he stared at the floor with a scared look on his face.

Carson got off from the stage and walked towards the cheering crowd. Everyone ran up to him and he struggled trying to find Avery. "Coach? Coach?" He called.

He found Avery and she ran up to him. "Kid, your okay!" She said in relief, pulling him in for a hug. 'She was calling me kid again.' Carson thought. Avery pulled away with widened eyes. "Sorry, I touched you again." She mumbled.

Carson looked up at her, smiled, and then pulled her in for a hug. Avery blinked and then shrugged, hugging back. The people were still standing up, acting like newsreporters after what had just happened.

"Come on. Let's go home." Avery smiled. She took Carson's hand and off they went, struggling to escape from the crowd while everlastingly saying "excuse me" and "please move."

~

"We're going home now?" Carson mumbled in dissapointment. He looked around and saw so many bright lights, booths, and rides. "It looks so fun here."

"Sorry, kid." Avery said. "But we have to go."

Carson looked up at her with a doubtful look. "Are you-" Avery sighed at him, wearing that face that reminded you of an adult admitting that they did needed to go home.

But then Avery laughed. "Come on, let's go get you your chips."

And with that, the rest of the night was just pure fun. Every worry Carson had in his mind just vanished and Avery's smile made everything seem more happier than it already is.

They won prizes in basketball, candy from skee-ball, more prizes from watergun fights, and they screamed from rides. Everything was just happy.