The House of the Hearth, as chaotic and lively as ever, was on a rare outing to an amusement park. With Mother Goose at the helm, determined to keep some level of order, and Father Hearth as ever the watchful guardian, they ventured into the colorful madness. The children scattered, thrilled by the rides, the laughter, and the smell of fried sweets in the air.
Mother Goose sighed. "I just know something ridiculous is going to happen."
Father Hearth, stoic as ever, simply replied, "That is inevitable."
As they moved through the park, a pair of twins, Felix and Finn, caught sight of something unusual—a lively circus tent filled with acrobats, trained beasts, and dazzling lights. But what truly caught their attention were two performers: a trapeze artist, Celeste Skye, soaring through the air with elegant ease, and an animal tamer, Dorian Voss, commanding a regal lion named Leonardo von Braveheart.
Celeste, a woman with bright, joyful energy, flipped mid-air and landed with grace, waving to the crowd. "And that's how you fly!" she laughed.
Meanwhile, Dorian, her partner, had a far more intense approach. Dressed in commanding attire, they held a firm stance as they led a series of wild beasts through hoops, directing them with just their gaze.
The twins looked at each other.
"I want to fly," Felix said.
"I want to tame beasts," Finn responded.
And thus, they had chosen their future parents.
While this heartwarming moment was unfolding, elsewhere in the park, a situation was brewing.
Nathan Voidwalker, a mischievous friend of Father Hearth and Mother Goose, had 'kidnapped' one of the House of the Hearth's children—Milo. The child, giggling uncontrollably, was held aloft as Nathan, dressed in his usual eccentric attire, announced dramatically, "And now, young one, you shall leap through a flaming hoop! The trial of the great circus shall determine your destiny!"
Milo cheered. "Yay! I wanna do it!"
Mother Goose, who had been sipping a cup of tea at a nearby stand, choked.
She shot to her feet, storming toward them. "Nathan Voidwalker, put that child down this instant!"
Nathan, unfazed, grinned. "Come now, Mother Goose! A little danger is good for growth!"
"It is not!" she snapped.
Father Hearth merely watched, completely unbothered.
Nathan laughed. "Alright, alright, I'm just playing!" He set Milo down, who immediately ran back to the rides, still excited about almost being flung through fire.
Mother Goose pinched the bridge of her nose. "One of these days, Nathan, I swear…"
Meanwhile, back at the circus, Celeste had taken Felix under her wing. "Alright, kid, show me what you got!"
Without hesitation, Felix climbed to the highest point of the ropes, took a deep breath, and leapt.
Gasps echoed through the tent, but the child flipped effortlessly, catching the next bar with the precision of a seasoned performer.
Celeste's jaw dropped before breaking into a wide grin. "Oh, you're definitely mine!"
Meanwhile, Finn had approached Leonardo von Braveheart, the most majestic lion in the entire circus. Instead of fear, Finn walked up and petted the lion's mane. Leonardo blinked. Dorian, watching in horror, whispered, "Oh no." Finn did something that no sane person would do—they put their head inside the lion's mouth. Gasps filled the tent. Dorian went pale.
Gasps filled the air.
Dorian paled. "What are you doing?!"
Finn, absolutely fearless, grinned. "Taming the beast!"
Mother Goose, walking by at that exact moment, shrieked. "Get your head out of that lion's mouth right now!"
Dorian, still in shock, finally managed to yank the child back. The lion, miraculously, had not bitten down, merely blinking in confusion.
Finn looked up innocently. "Did I pass the test?"
Dorian groaned. "I don't even know what test this was supposed to be!"
At the end of the day, after much chaos and panic, Celeste and Dorian stood before Father Hearth.
Celeste held Felix proudly. "We're taking them, right?"
Dorian, looking exhausted, nodded at Finn. "I don't even have a choice in this, do I?"
Father Hearth, in his usual calm manner, simply nodded. "You may take them."
Celeste cheered, lifting her new child into the air. "Welcome to the family, kiddo!"
Dorian sighed, looking at Finn, who was already trying to sneak back into the lion's cage.
"...I'm doomed," they muttered.