Clown Minku Umibe/Bond Story

*Misty the clown laughs in the center of "BON☆BON Circus" despite their financial difficulties. Mischievous and cheerful, she loves everyone in her circus family. From "Your Show."*

* Chapter 1
* Chapter 2
* Bond Level 15 Talk
* Bond Level 30 Talk

Let's Go See the Circus!

 **Minku:**Circus, circus, let's-a go!

 **Kuina:**Minku! How many times do I have to tell you to sit still?

 **Kuina:**As students of Siegfeld, we must always maintain proper posture, sit up straight—

 **Yachiyo:**Whew... I made it! And just in time, too♪

 **Mei Fan:**You're late!

 **Mei Fan:**Yachiyo, I told you so many times to be here thirty minutes early!

 **Yachiyo:**Sorry, some treasurer stuff came up.

 **Mei Fan:**Whatever. Just sit down al—

**Starry Circus Member A:**Ahaha, you kids sure are bundles of energy!

 **Minku:**Ooh, the members of the Starry Circus♪

 **Mei Fan:**Hello. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules today to show us a portion of your perfor...

**Starry Circus Member B:**Haha, don't sweat it!

**Starry Circus Member A:**We're just happy to be here. If you have any questions about our acts, go right ahead and ask, okay?

 **Minku:**Me! Me me me!

 **Kuina:**M-Minku...!

 **Minku:**Are the elephants and lions and stuff on break today?

**Starry Circus Member B:**Haha, yep. We need special permission to perform with them.

 **Yachiyo:**They can't bring the animals into the gym, so they're gonna show us some other acts.

 **Minku:**Oh, that's kind of a bummer... You wanted to see 'em too, right, Kuina?

 **Kuina:**Huh? W-Well, I mean...

 **Minku:**Right? I know you're an animal lover☆

 **Kuina:**It's not like that. Just, considering my role—

**Starry Circus Member A:**Kuina-chan? You like animals?

 **Minku:**Oh yeah! She's an especially big fan of penguins, and...

 **Minku:**Mmmph!? Why're you cofering my mouf?

 **Kuina:**Because you're spouting nonsense...! And in front of everyone and their mother, too...!

 **Minku:**Pwah, hey, what gives? It's not nonsense at all!

 **Minku:**Get this. When Kuina sees a penguin, she gets even cuter than the actual penguin☆

 **Minku:**Like, her eyes open real wide, and her cheeks turn red...

 **Kuina:**Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh—!

 **Kuina:**I-I'm so sorry she derailed the conversation...! But she didn't mean anything by it, I swear! Um—

**Yachiyo & Mei Fan:**Pfft...

**Starry Circus Members:**Ahahaha!

 **Kuina:**Huh? Huh!?

 **Mei Fan:**Heh heh, you're so cute... And you've loosened everyone up, too.

 **Yachiyo:**Yeah! Nice going, you two♪

 **Minku:**Yay! I dunno what you mean, but go us☆

**Starry Circus Member B:**Ahaha, then let's get this party started and show you some circus work!

**Starry Circus Member A:**Gymnastics, acrobatics, a balancing act... Feast your eyes on our skills and see what you can learn from them!

**Minku & Yachiyo & Mei Fan:**Yes!

 **Kuina:**Huh? Huh?? What did she mean, nice going...?

A Story Just For You

 **Minku:**Wow... What a pretty, spinny dance...!

 **Kuina:**And such strong acrobatics...

 **Mei Fan:**...All right. We've finished seeing the circus members off, so how about we wrap things up with a quick meeting?

 **Yachiyo:**Sounds good. We can all give our thoughts on what we just saw♪

 **Yachiyo:**What really made an impression on me was how they juggled in time with the music! Even the way they stepped with their feet was perfect.

 **Mei Fan:**The balancing act on the ball was incredible, too. I didn't know it was possible to do a handstand on top of a sphere and hold perfectly still... It must take a strong core to do that.

 **Yachiyo:**And they also did some stuff that looked a little like Chinese performing arts, didn't they?

 **Mei Fan:**I'm impressed you noticed, Yachiyo. That's right—judging by the way they moved and bent their bodies, I'd wager—

 **Mei Fan:**Oh, excuse me... In our excitement, we sort of dominated the conversation.

 **Yachiyo:**What did you two think? I'd love to hear your opinions♪

 **Kuina:**\*sigh\*...

 **Minku:**Hwah...

 **Mei Fan:**Uh, hello?

 **Kuina:**Ah! S-Sorry, I was spacing out... I was just so overwhelmed.

 **Kuina:**I've never seen a circus before, but I loved it! I've never seen someone move so gracefully before...

 **Minku:**Hwaaah...

 **Kuina:**Right, Minku!?

 **Minku:**Hwuh!?

 **Minku:**Ah... It was like I was dreaming... It was so amazing and exciting, I never wanted to wake up...

 **Minku:**Um! It was like, all my favorite things ever were right in front of me! Like it was a circus just for me! And—

 **Yachiyo:**Mhmm, glad to hear you two got a lot out of it♪

 **Mei Fan:**Well, you won't exactly be learning to move like that overnight... But it's the thought that counts.

 **Kuina:**Exactly! I have to make sure I never forget what I felt today...

 **Minku:**Mmm, if only I could put this feeling into words. 'Cause I'm just constantly in awe over here...

 **Mei Fan:**Hmm, a simple way to explain your amazement?

 **Yachiyo:**Let's see... Have you two ever heard of P.T. Barnum?

 **Minku:**Pee tee...

 **Kuina:**Barnum?

 **Yachiyo:**Yeah. He was a famous American showman.

 **Mei Fan:**That's the man who started an enormous circus and called it the "Greatest Show on Earth," right?

 **Yachiyo:**Yeah! Basically, he came up with tons of fantastical ways to surprise his audiences... Eventually, people started calling him the "Prince of Humbugs."

 **Minku:**Awww, but he was doing such cool stuff! That's wack!

 **Yachiyo:**Ahaha, yeah...

 **Yachiyo:**But Barnum even used that to his advantage to put smiles on people's faces... And his name lives on even today.

 **Mei Fan:**Are you referring to the Barnum Effect?

 **Yachiyo:**That's the one! You're so smart, Mei-chan♪

 **Mei Fan:**S-Stop it. Not in front of the juniors...

 **Kuina:**Um, what's this Barnum Effect?

 **Yachiyo:**So yeah, it's a psychology term. It refers to how people get the wrong idea about stuff like horoscopes, thinking they're spot-on or something.

 **Yachiyo:**It sounds kind of mocking, but I actually like it. It's like magic. After all—

 **Minku:**When I felt like the circus was just for me, that was the Barnum Effect!

 **Yachiyo:**Haha! That's right, Minku-chan.

 **Yachiyo:**Whether it's yourself up on stage, or the people in the audience, wouldn't it just be the best if you could make everybody think the performance was just for them?

 **Minku:**Yeah, I get it! I totally get it!

 **Minku:**'Cause whenever I'm watching or acting in a play, that's exactly what I think, and it's the best feeling ever☆

 **Yachiyo:**Uh-huh. Now you two should try to—

 **Minku:****(Misty)**
"Come one, come all! Come and see the clown's acrobatics!"

 **Minku:****(Misty)**
"Over here, we have the trapeze, and over there, everything from an elephant rider to a flower shower..."

 **Minku:****(Misty)**
"This is a dream you see with your eyes wide open! This circus is just for you♪"

 **Kuina:**Misty!? Where did that come—

 **Minku:**I dunno, my whole body just got super excited, and I turned into Misty!

 **Kuina:**Wh-What the heck... No fair!

 **Minku:**Come on, Kuina. Let's go practice right now!

 **Yachiyo:**Ahaha, someone sounds motivated.

 **Yachiyo:**Guess we senpai are gonna have to give it the old college try, too.

 **Mei Fan:**Yes! We need to channel this passion into a performance right this very second!

 **Yachiyo:**(...To make people believe a show was just for them, the most important thing of all is for the performer to genuinely believe their story.)

 **Yachiyo:**(And Minku-chan can do that naturally.)

 **Minku:**Ohh, my goodness...

 **Minku:**I'm getting to be Misty, stand on stage with everyone... It's making me the happiest gal on earth☆

 **Minku:**Let's see, after I'm done studying, I have joint practice, then core exercises, then secret training with Ryonryon... Oof, putting on a play sure is tough...

 **Minku:**Tsuruhime-senpai and Mei Fan-senpai are totally captivating! It's tough to keep up with them, but...I sure am happy we're friends now☆

 **Minku:**And also, everyone in junior high comes up to me like, "What did you talk about with the Edels today?"

 **Minku:**So I have lots and lots of friends now☆ When I told Kuina that, she sighed at me for some reason, but I'm a happy gal!