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Nikola observed the delivery van unloading the pieces of the calliope organ into the wax museum approvingly. They had recovered it very quickly and nonviolently from the organist’s home, for which Nikola was glad. She wanted to allow the organist’s granddaughter to fill his empty role, but she couldn’t do that if the woman had gotten in the way. Although, Nikola was still perfectly happy to use Leanne’s skin instead of her skills if it came to it. She would just rather it not come to it.
She dislodged herself from her thoughts as the organ was finally assembled and the delivery men hefted the last item from their truck: the steamer truck. She hummed to herself as she flipped open the lid, lifting the clown doll from its resting place on top of the other dolls. As she took in its face, however, she noticed something was wrong. Instead of the wide red grin that should’ve been there, there was instead a flat crimson slash. Nikola frowned. She had heard the organist’s granddaughter playing at least twice, what could be upsetting the doll so?
“Where is your smile?” she cooed.
The doll couldn’t open its mouth on its own, so Nikola obligingly reached over and held it down so it could answer.
“Leanne Denikin has poor choice in partners. It saddens me.” Its wooden voice creaked with apparent pain as it said this, demonstrating the sadness more than the lack of smile could alone.
“Oh no!” Nikola cried, “What did this one do?”
“He started dating someone behind her back,” it proclaimed, and Nikola dropped its mouth, as she had no more questions that truly needed answers.
“Well, now, that just won’t do at all! But I know how to fix this! She played the organ in front of him, and that means you know where he is! Be a dear and take care of him for us, will you?”
The doll’s head nodded despite its lack of marionette strings, and its face held a smile once more. Nikola smiled in return, for soon the circus would have another dancer.
---
Nikola decided to find Leanne Denikin and give her the job offer as soon as she could, as the doll informed her that she had given a statement to the Archivist. Ugh, the Eye was much too nosy, sticking itself where it didn’t belong and had no right to be.
She found Leanne at the organist’s house, moving boxes. Although Leanne froze as soon as she heard her front door open, Nikola wasn’t as pleased by her fear as she otherwise would be. It wouldn’t do to have a frightened organist. They couldn’t focus on the notes if they were afraid.
“Hello, Leanne!” Nikola called, in what she had spent hours practicing as her “reassuring” voice. Jane Doe had assured her that it really was quite good, although Leanne didn’t seem to agree, as her face went pale.
“Wh- What-?” She stammered out.
“I’ve come to take you to the circus!” Nikola replied, letting a little more of her usual joy slip into her voice, as the rehearsed reassurance didn’t seem to be working.
“The cir- the circus? What circus?” Leanne seemed to be more baffled than afraid now, which wasn’t great- had the organist really neglected to tell her about the circus? – but it really was much better than the fear, so Nikola would take what she could get.
“Your grandfather’s circus, silly! Ever since he left, we’ve been missing an organist, and since he taught you how to play, we figured you would be perfect!”
“Oh, well, I’m not as good as he is-” Leanne choked a little there- “was, I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else.”
“Nonsense!” Nikola exclaimed. “You’ll have plenty of time to practice, and you’re the only one who knows how to play our signature tune! I’m really glad he taught you that, even if he didn’t teach you everything.”
“You’re not going to let me say no.” This wasn’t really a question on Leanne’s part, but Nikola answered it anyways.
“Well, you’re coming to the circus either way, but I suppose if you don’t want to play the organ you could always give us your skin instead.”
Leanne’s eyes widened at this, and oh, there was that fear again, goshdangit, but she nodded and said, a little breathlessly, “Okay. I’ll play for you.”
Nikola clapped her hands together excitedly, letting out hollow, plasticky sounds, and exclaimed “Excellent! Now, let’s get going! You have so many people to meet!”
Leanne followed her out of the house, down the street, and through the twists and turns of late-night England until, the next day, they reached the wax museum. And then Leanne sat down, and began to play her grandfather's tune.