WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS// An Empires S2 AU

INTERVIEW ONE: PIXL RIFFS

-ACCESSING FILE 2-

The following is an audio transcript of an interview of PIXL RIFFS by ██████ ███ on █/█/20 ██.

-.-.-.-

INTERVIEWER: Welcome to ████ News. Please take a seat.

PIXL RIFFS: Uh- okay- [nervous laugh]. What was this for again?

INTERVIEWER: ████ News is in the process of writing up an article about the incidents of ███████ Circus. We're interviewing performers who were part of the circus at the time of the incident.

PIXL RIFFS: Oh.

INTERVIEWER: [confused laugh] Did you not read the, um- the email? It was very clear.

PIXL RIFFS: Oh, no, I did! Just- forgot. That's all.

INTERVIEWER: [pause] Okay then. Are you ready to start?

PIXL RIFFS: I guess? What did you want to ask about again? Just like... the whole thing, or?

INTERVIEWER: Well, I'll get round to interviewing you about separate incidents, but for now I just want to know about the first accident.

PIXL RIFFS: Ohhh. That one. That was. Hm. [annoyed laughter] Accident. That's- yeah.

INTERVIEWER: What was your stage name again?

PIXL RIFFS: Riffs.

INTERVIEWER: Your... last name? Could you not come up with something else?

PIXL RIFFS: [defensive] Hey, I wasn't the only one with a last name as a stage name! I was- there was- [unintelligible] I wasn't the only one, okay? I mean- some had- shut up.

INTERVIEWER: Hey, I wasn't judging you! Just a comment.

INTERVIEWER: Now. Can you recount to me what happened before the [pause] first incident. Your first incident.

PIXL RIFFS: [long pause] Oh, just- just getting right into it, huh? [nervous laugh] Um, okay. Okay, okay. Uh- like, the whole day? Or just the- just-

INTERVIEWER: Just right before.

PIXL RIFFS: [sigh] Right. Right, okay. Well, um- it was, a, uh- [unintelligible mumble] pretty regular day, to be honest, for most of it. Woke up. Talked to the other performers. Uh- had to convince- convince one of the other, um- [nervous laugh] performers not to pet the lions.

INTERVIWER: One of the other performers? Surely there weren't so many you can't remember their name.

PIXL RIFFS: [dismissive] Hm. [forced cheerfulness] Uh, so, anyway! Yeah, pretty regular day. I did notice that, um- I think I noticed my flute was a bit- bent out of shape?

INTERVIEWER: [disbelieving pause] You used a flute? To tame lions?

PIXL RIFFS: [defensive] Magic flute. But uh- yeah. Magic flute. Bent out of shape. Not good. But the show had to go on? I guess. I didn't really have a choice.

INTERVIEWER: Why couldn't you just skip one show?

PIXL RIFFS: [uncomfortable laughter] Oh, um, I- didn't want to get in any more trouble than I was already in.

INTERVIEWER: You were in trouble?

PIXL RIFFS: [uneasy] Uh. Yeah. Circus owner- guy. Had an argument because he wanted me to try a stunt that would hurt the lions. I said no. He was fuming. He was- he was not... happy. He, um- that- hm.

INTERVIEWER: Ah. I see. Do continue.

INTERVIEWER: Pixl?

INTERVIEWER: Do you need a moment?

INTERVIEWER: Do you want me to get you some tissue?

INTERVIEWER: Are you okay?

PIXL RIFFS: [long pause] Can we leave it here for today, actually?

INTERVIEWER: [pause] Uh, yes. Of course. Yeah, sure we can. It was nice having you, Pixl. I'll see you in the next one.

PIXL RIFFS: Right.

-.-.-

-CLOSING FILE 2-