Origin: Circus of Human Wonders, United States

The Circus of Human Wonders, which tours through the American South, has built itself up as a home for those that others see as freaks and weirdos. When the charismatic ringmaster Cameron Redlaw inherited the business, he set it in a new direction, giving away the animals to zoos and employing only human performers, with a combination of traditional acrobatics and modern freak show stunts. When the Marked appeared, Redlaw welcomed them, training them both in their powers and the the fine art of circus performance.

Honeythunder arrived first, taken into the fold after attempting to lift Cameron’s wallet in North Carolina. D. Tox arrived when they stopped in Atlanta, tight-lipped about their origins. R. Aguilera crawled to the Big Top one night, bloodied and broken from being beaten by folks who feared their abilities could do. Dedlock was drawn to Redlaw’s when they set up near a tent revival outside of Homewood, AL. Despite the pain of their early lives, they found all found comfort in their adopted circus family. For a time, running away with the circus was the fairy tale it always seemed to be.

Then the Beacons of Purity attacked, burning the circus tents and scrawling graffiti on the wagons. Even Redlaw seemed shaken and the Marked knew they had to leave. Most found other shows to be a part of. Some came straight to Mistry Academy. Others went home first, to where Cameron had found them, before finding their way here.

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10: C. Honeythunder // Honeythunder

Age: Senior Student, Origin: Circus of Human Wonders, United States, Training Team: Tempest /

Power: Bullet Time

Back in rural North Carolina, Honeythunder always thought they were slick. They used their Marked ability—a burst of accelerated perception and movement that made the world seem to slow around them—in small, reflexive ways. Leaping between the traincars that rattled past their bedroom at night. Dodging the college kids’ cars up in Chapel Hill. Shoplifting. They picked pockets as much for the challenge as the money. They were good at it, too, thanks to their Marked ability. But not so good that Cameron Redlaw didn’t catch them in the act. Cameron taught Honeythunder how to extend their their powers for longer and longer, showing them how juggle more and more balls. After Cameron’s death, Honeythunder toured with a celebrated artistic circus as a juggler, but soon realised they would not learn what they needed to know. Instead, they came to Mistry Academy. They arrived as a angry young person with a chip on their shoulder, but, in their time at Mistry with others like themselves, Honeythunder has mellowed.

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20: D. Tox // Charmer

Age: Senior Student, Origin: Circus of Human Wonders, United States, Training Team: Blizzard /

Power: Repulse

Even as a child, D. Tox was always locked inside their own head. Already their Mark didn’t help, repulsing everyone who looked on them. Cameron Redlaw may have been the first person who looked upon them with any sort of kindness. Cameron taught them how to control the ebb and flow of their ability – which they are still not great at – and who discovered that reptiles reacted in an opposite way to mammals, being attracted rather than repulsed. Tox became the circus’s resident snake charmer, doing daring feats with their ever-growing collection of dangerous (to others) snakes. After Redlaw’s death, Tox traveled with Dedlock in a traveling tent revival, but left when they discovered they were trans. At Mistry, Tox has now settled comfortably in the gender they were always struggling to be, although they still feel more comfortable with the snakes in their dorm room than their fellow students.

Content warning: Transphobia

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30: R. Aguilera

Age: Junior Student, Origin: Circus of Human Wonders, United States, Training Team: Monsoon /

Power: Mind-reading

Growing up in Tampa, Aguilera was a weak child, taunted by their schoolmates. When their Mark emerged, they found they could hear their bullies’ thoughts: frightened and angry and nervous. Terrified of the voices, they ran away from home, but they couldn’t escape their emerging telepathy. They were constantly surrounded by the worst of people’s thoughts, and whenever people discovered Aguilera’s Mark those thoughts became harsher still, often accompanied by physical violence. Aguilera’s knowledge of the depths of people’s hatred wore away all trust and compassion they’d had for pure humans. Cameron Redlaw seemed the only one who saw them without hatred or mistrust. After the attack, though, Aguilera heard the voices of others in the circus, who blamed the Marked for the attack and wanted them gone. Perhaps, Aguilera thought, war against the pure humans was inevitable. From now on, they are determined not to be weak any more.

Content warning: Bullying

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40: S. Dedlock

Age: Junior Student, Origin: Circus of Human Wonders, United States, Training Team: Heatwave /

Power: Stone Form

S. Dedlock came from a God-fearing family, deep in the Alabama backwoods. Though middle-class, Dedlock’s parents were keenly aware of how recently the family had lived in poverty. They never let their children forget it, always watching for any backwards slide into “trash” behavior. Religion was the main method of control for the Dedlock family, and S. treasured the Bible so much, they wanted to be a priest. Nevertheless, though, there was a longing within them that they didn’t quite understand, and Cameron Redlaw saw it in them. Dedlock learned how to transform their body into living rock, performing strong-man stunts. After leaving the circus, Dedlock gave up on that life, joining a traveling tent revival with Tox as snake handlers and hiding their abilities. Tox soon left and, on their own, Dedlock felt that familiar undefined longing rise up again. Now at Mistry Academy, they feel they are called to a higher purpose, but wonder what it could be.

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