Hey guys! This is my entry for the Circus Characters skin contest. This skin took so long, but I think it paid off. I really like how it turned out. c: If you think so too, a diamond would be greatly appreciated, and it helps me get into the finals. I saw a lot of people making "ringleader gurl" skins, so I wanted to take it in a different direction. The story took about 2.5 hours to make too, and I'm really happy with it. With that said, enjoy the story and the skin! c:

Concept Art: This was the first time I ever made this skin, so a lot of things are off because I didn't know it would change. Even the name xD UGH I CANT DRAWADFGHJKJHGFDFGHJK




The Corrupted Ringleader

In 1915, circuses in the U.S. were big. Almost as big as the top. (Get it?) The circus first originated in Europe, mainly near the European-Russian border. It was a chance for people in hard times to get away from the sadness and run away to the circus. It was a place with amazing bearded ladies and circus elephants and trapeze artists. One story, however, is not that great.

One day in England, 1945, a young boy named Bartholemew Knotley had a dream that would change the world forever. He had always admired the ringleaders in the circus. He thought the clowns were hilarious and amusing, the people on the trapeze were incredible. He could watch them forever. He came from a wealthy family, and one day he went to his mom and said, "Mom, I want to own a circus someday." His mom laughed and ruffled his hair like all mothers do when their kids tell them about their dreams. Of course, his mom thought nothing of it. She just thought it was a phase of this that he'd grow out of in a month or two. He didn't.

13 years later, at 22, he was saving up for his circus. His dream still didn't die. He worked hard at his terrible job, and he was the biggest penny pincher you've ever seen. He had his circus in the front of his mind, which motivated him everyday. He could see the acts on trapeze and in the big top, and it was so close. His dream was right there.

At 28, he had enough money to build a circus that was amazing. He hired construction workers to build a huge big top. All of his hard work had paid had paid off. Within 5 months it was done. It was so incredible, people from all around the world came to visit. It was on the news everyday, generating more money than ever. He was rich, and loved it. There was only one thing left to become for Bartholemew. To become the ringleader. He bought and incredible suit with gold shoulder pads and shimmering cuffs. Everyone who saw it was amazingly jealous of him. He had everything. Until one day.

August 24th, 1964. Corruption day. It started normally, the circus filled with young children and their families, annoying the acts. Bartholemew was right in the middle of a show, one of the biggest of the season. The room was packed with people, eating and drinking their fatty foods and enjoying the show. Bartholemew was filled with excitement. He had put on hundreds of shows, but he just felt unstoppable in this warm summer weather. It was going great. He was captivating the audience with every move he made. Suddenly, a green ooze came out of the ground, where Bartholemew was standing. The crowd was extremely confused, was this part of the show? Bartholemew had nothing planned for this. It started rising up and up, and the crowd started panicking. Suddenly, everyone's head started hurting, even Bartholemew's. He soon realized this was a toxic chemical spill. It was extremely dangerous, and everyone needed to get out of the circus immediately. Bartholemew started directing everyone out of the big top. They did not need to be told twice, everyone started rushing out. He soon realized that there was no way out of his ring, the ooze was starting to get to the top of the platform. His head was pounding. His vision was getting blurry, and his senses were dimming. He was trapped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a spark. Then a flame. His circus tent was on fire. What the hell was happening? His life was ruined. He could see smog clouds surrounding his brain. The circus was going up in flames. He couldn't take it anymore, he tried to jump to safety but tripped, landing in the ooze. His body was on fire, but he couldn't move. He felt he was dying. His eyes slowly went blind, and he passed out.

August 30th, 1964. The big circus toxic spill was all over the news. Sadly, there was no survivors. The people that flooded out of the top when they found the ooze left the tent to find more ooze that had come out earlier. The tent was on the ground, lifeless. When the contamination crew came to clean up and check the wreckage, nothing was found. One worker invested the center of the ring, where the supposed ringleader died. He felt around for any evidence. Nothing. He stepped around, and when nothing was found, he walked away. "eeUUGHH." What the hell was that? The worker turned around, and saw the tent moving. "WE GOT A PERSON OVER HERE!" The worker quickly tore a hole in the tent and pulled Bartholemew through. His body was covered with clouds and smoke. He could almost be... Corrupted. His life was over. He only had a little life left in him, and his lifelong dream of owning a circus was over. "Hey, are you okay? We need a medical team, stat!" The worker asked. Bartholemew could not respond, he was still delusional. He was quickly losing conscienceless. The worker then recognized his shiny uniform, covered in smoke. "The corrupted ringleader..." He whispered.

Bartholemew, hanging on to his life with a single thread at hours in St. Charles hospital in England, died 4 hours after the worker found him. His last word was "Dream."

The story of Bartholemew's dream was not picked up around the news until the early 2000s. Some call it a myth, but the ones who knew the truth called it "The Corrupted Circus."