X-Warriors: Mutant Evolution

The Greatest Showman

-Inspired by {Mutant Crush} & {The Greatest Showman}-

"Excuse us, coming through..." Hank repeated as he and Logan went through the carnival.

"This place sucks." Logan muttered. "Remind me where are we again?"

"H. Barnum's Musical Circus." Hank read from the small stack of pamphlets under his arm. "Seems like the type of show you'll host when you settle down, Logan."

"Don't be ridiculous. I can't sing for the life of me." Logan groaned as they sat down. "Why are we here again?"

"According to the Professor, there's something going on behind the scenes." Marcus replied, handing a drink towards Hank as he slipped between them. "Diet coke doctor, as you asked."

"What's the something?"

"Few days ago, Cerebro detected the manifestation of a mutant. Problem was that it seems like there were several mutant individuals, it couldn't pinpoint which one, something which Charles has made a point to inform Forge to fix." Hank explained. "The only thing in common between the sightings was that Mr. Carlyle had set his circus to perform nearby." He made a further gesture with the pamphlets. "Hence why we're here."

"This is every brochure of every one of their members. Some of them do look unique." Marcus took a handful and read out loud. "The Unmovable Blob, the Centaur Runt, the Mammomax Jumbo - maybe that last one is some weird elephant."

Before Logan could respond, the lights suddenly went out while trumpets blasted the air.

"What's happening?" He asked, bewildered. As if a response, a lone spotlight lit up at the middle.

"They're starting!" Hank said excitedly, while the music also picked up.

Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for
Been searching in the dark, our blood's soaking through the floor
And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind,
And all that was real is left behind!

The smoke dissipated as a grey trunk wrapped itself around the ringmaster as three elephants marched forward, all wearing golden armor while jewelry hung from their tusks. The one who had took the ringmaster, Marcus noted, seemed to resemble more like a mammoth: it was larger than the other two, its tusks were longer and curved, and it had odd front legs that almost resembled a closed clubbed fist.

It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open!
It's a preacher in the pulpit where you'll find devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall, it's holding
All that you know-
So tell me do you wanna go?

The rest of the ensemble came out, including a immensely overweight young man and a man who had a smaller pair of legs protruding from his hips and was tattooed everywhere; the sight of the oddities made Marcus feel uneasy.

"These performers, they're not like us...are they?"

"Maybe they are, maybe not." Logan said, somewhat calmer. "The mysteries of the body are what drive scientists to crack the genome...or keep them for other's amusement for a buck or two."

Where it's covered in all the colored lights;
Where the runaways are running the night!
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you;
Oh, this is the greatest show!

"Hey, think we have our target." Hank pointed up, where Logan and Marcus both saw a sword welding acrobat swinging from the rafters. What made him stand out than the other, however, was his appearance.