E-Ashley keeps crying. Red drags her into the building, and Lucas Baker comes out in disguise. "I'm Dr. Baker. You must be here for her," he says.
E-Ashley looks at him, recognizes him, and then hides in the corner of the room. "GO AWAY!"
Dust Bunny: He won't hurt you, Ashley... (He allows her room for the moment) Hi, Dr. Baker. She has some serious problems. She eats things she's not supposed to, changes mood spontaneously, and has some kind of fascination with pain. We can't take her to conventional physicians or psychiatrists. We saw an ad for your clinic in the paper, and seeing as how she's a so-called E-series, we thought you could help.
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... Mario wakes up in Gianni's shack. He jumps in a fright, and throws a fireball at Gianni, who evades it. The fireball reaches the floor and causes a rapidly intensifying flame. Gianni races to extinguish the fire, but not quickly enough. Mario and Gianni exit the shack. As they watch the shack burn in the crackling inferno, there is a moment of silence.
Gianni: Thanks, sir! That was the only thing I had left!
Mario: I am sorry. I was seeing the mud pigs!
Gianni: Couldn't you have seen them at a better time? All of my belongings were in there!
Mario: Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Within minutes, mud pigs line the street in front of the shack, putting out the flames by choking it with their muddy, nasal ejections .
Mud pig: Gianni, you never... (long snort)... listen! (Churning noises are heard in a number of the pigs' snouts as they prepare to unleash another volley of mud balls upon Mario in concert)...
Gianni: Stop! (Reaches his hands out) It was an accident. He freaked out.
Mud pig: Why should we stop? We have nothing to lose by getting rid of him, except a hazard.
Snore (a mud pig with a top hat.): Let him have it, fellas!
Gianni: Just leave him alone! I'll do ten more acts with no pay if you just show some decency for a change !
Mario: Acts?
Snore: (Snort) Herm... (Snort)... Well... Okay... but if he gets out of line just once, he's finished!... Let's go practice for our next show, everyone, but keep your eyes and snouts peeled!... (They and Gianni walk away)
Mario: (Goomberg's voice is heard: Your answer is here...) Wait, uh, Gianni (grabs his arm). What is this about acts? Are you in show business?
Gianni: (Freeing himself of Mario's grasp) Circus (says he succinctly).
Mario: May I come see?
Gianni: Knock yourself out. There isn't much to see though... (They head for a big top, where a troupe of performers practice...)
Even as they spoke, a few, who had been watching them since Mario came, talk amongst themselves in covert...