Title:           Hope
Author:          Anonymous
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/LUkjV53X
First Edit:      Tuesday 24th of September 2013 10:31:47 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Tuesday 24th of September 2013 10:31:47 PM CDT

>Strolling down the street, a soft hand guides you through the masses of people, lightly tugging you along with a soft clack of hooves beckoning you forward.
>The clacking resembles a familiar rhythm, of your wife working diligently throughout the house.
"Come on, Daddy! This way, this way!"
>Pulled through the crowd, you excuse yourself while the force pulling you comes to a halt.
>Looking down, you see her twinkling eyes gazing up at you with a smile that could blind someone.
"Pull me up, dad! I want to see!"
>You oblige, kneeling down as she clambers onto your neck.
>Grabbing onto her soft legs, fur and a cloth skirt rub against the back of your neck as the girl looks excitedly at the show that had seemingly appeared from thin air.
>Following suit, you stare expectantly, with the announcer's voice muted by the masses' roar.
>The stout,exquisitely dressed man yells into a microphone, but it's still blanked by the cheer of the mass of people.
>After about 10 minutes, the people dissipate, and she taps you lightly on the head.
"Let's go see him and talk to him in person! I want a high five from him!"
>You shrug, stepping up the stairs to meet the portly man who's digging in a box that was behind him.
"Hi, Mr. Circus man!"
>You feel the breeze of her tail swaying soft caresses of air hitting your back as she waves.
>The rotund man stops, turning with a tip of his hat.
"Why hello there, de- Oh my heavens!"
>The ringmaster jumps back in surprise, noting her legs pressed against your cheeks.
 
>He takes a handkerchief, and swipes it across his brow while she holds out her hand.
"Come on, give me a high five!"
>His agape mouth transitions in a sly grin, giving a connecting his palm to hers, giving a weak clap upon clashing.
>She raises her arm in victory, dropping it back down to rest on your hand.
"Say, you wouldn't happen to be this little girl's father, would you?"
>You nod, he places his hand to his chin and scratches his groomed beard.
"How about I take this little one off your hands, and she works with the circus? She'll travel the world, and get a warm bed and 4 meals a day!"
>The girl's jaw drops.
"ME? I could work in the circus? That sounds awesome! Daddy, can I, can I?"
>The round man chuckles heartily.
"I don't know, hon, sounds dangerous.. what if I don't get to see you again?"
>The ringmaster waves it off.
"You'll have VIP access to all shows, and can visit us at any time if you so choose."
>The girl uses her fingers to hook into your mouth, stretching your mouth to make silly faces at the man.
>She puts on the deepest voice she can, tugging your lips open and closed.
"Why yes, i'd love to have my daughter join the circus. It sounds like a great time!"
>You shake your head, pulling her fingers out of your mouth, only to have her rub her fingers dry on your face.
"The world is your oyster, my dear! Come work with us, I guarantee you'll have the time of your life! Sir, your daughter would easily become the most talked about phenomenon this world has ever seen, the star of the freak show!"
>Your smile blanks, and your eye violently twitches.
 
"I'm sorry sir, what did you just say?"
>The ringmaster shrugs.
"What? Surely you of all people know about all the looks i'm sure your daughter gets."
>She's distracted by a butterfly gliding around her, attempting to catch it in her silk hands.
>The ringmaster splays his hands, waving them around in an eloquent manner.
"Gather round folks, woo in shock and awe as you experience the rarest mutations of mankind, from the bizarre to the occult, come, and live the experience that will ring throughout the world forever!"
>You look up, seeing her, with her hands clasped and with a smile.
>One of your hands leave her leg, drilling a finger into the rotund man's chest.
"Listen here, you can call me a lot of things, you can call my wife a lot of things, but you can't call her anything but the most beautiful little girl in the world."
"It was not meant in any way to be negative, my friend! Your daughter is one of the most unique people i've seen!"
"While that's true, i'd never leave her with someone like you who would use her until she won't get you any money, then toss them onto the street like trash once you're done with them."
>The man scoffs.
"Fine then, off with you and your freak of a child!"
>Without missing a beat, you slam your fist into his chin, knocking him to the floor.
>He stumbles up, grabbing anything he can, only to have it fall onto him because it wasn't bolted down.
>Eventually he grabs onto a support railing, and calls security to throw you and her out.
 
>After buckling her into the car, she looks at you with a quivering lip.
"Why did we get kicked out of the carnival, dad?"
"I hurt that man, dear."
"But why? He said he was gonna let me be in the circus!"
"He just wanted you to make money for him, and he called you and Mom mean things."
>Her face switches to a pondering expression, to a pout.
"He said mean things about Mom?! Where is he, let me at him! Why didn't you hit him harder?"
>A soft chuckle escapes your lips.
"Now that, i'm not sure."
>Within a few minutes of driving, you arrive back at your apartment.
>While neatly kept, it's still very barren and a few lights flicker, illuminating the house.
>Lyra turns the corner, with a weak smile on her face.
"Wow, back that fast, huh? Must not have been that exciting."
"Well, not exactly babe. I got us kicked out."
>Lyra rolls her eyes, shaking her head before plopping down on the couch.
>As you sit down beside her, the little one runs to Lyra, hopping onto her lap.
"Well, we had a run in with the ringmaster of the nearby circus and I didn't exactly appreciate the words he said to our little girl here."
>Lyra sighs, raising a brow at you.
"Anon, you should be used to this by now. People don't accept us, no matter how hard we try, or act like a normal couple, it's fruitless."
"I just want to give her the life she deserves, you know? I hate the fact that she has to live in such conditions, and that I have so little to give her."
>She looks up at you, toying with Lyra's mane.
 
"You're doing the best you can, Anon, what else could she ask for?"
"She could ask for the moon and i'd give it to her if she wanted it."
>Ever since the day she was born, you knew you truly had something to live for.
>Lyra is just as precious, but she's the diamond in the desecrated pile of coal.
>Since that day, a stark reminder was set in your head, to never give up.
>Your dreams, your pride, your family, all was at stake, and here you are, living in a waste apartment because you're too much of a worthless husk to provide them with anything better.
>Still, you'd try your damnedest to make it work, for them.
>With an exhausted Lyra and her swathed in cloth,that one second of confrontation with those glittering eyes, shackling you into protecting her in exchange for what she had given you.
>Hope.