"But… Doesn't it bother you?" The little girl continued to walk across the beam of light. The curtain was pulled back enough to allow one streak of light into the otherwise dark room.

"Does what bother me?" the woman in black sweetly asked her sister.

"You know- that everyone gets it wrong." She stretched out her arms and walked like a poised tightrope walker, careful to never put one foot out of place. "I'm going to be a famous circus performer." She never turned to face the older girl.

A faint smile crossed Death's lips as she watched the bouncing head of multicolored hair bob around before her.

"You will have to be specific."

The girl turned to face her sister. "What?"

"There are a lot of things that could 'bother me' and I don't know which one you're talking about."

"Oh."

Delirium crossed her makeshift balance beam and sat cross legged at her sister's feet. Death was seated in a high back backed chair that faced the window so she could watch the performance that had been ended abruptly.

"You're not a skeleton," Delirium said.

Death pursed her lips. "No, I'm not."

"I mean, you're as pale and as thin as a bone but you're not a skeleton in a cloak. Well maybe not as pale as Dream… but wait- What was I saying?" She began to trace a pattern on her skirt. "Oh yeah! You have hair. Skeletons don't have hair."

Death leaned back. "So you're asking if it bothers me that people think the incarnation of Death is a giant skeleton who carts around farming equipment to reap souls like ears of corn?"

"Yes. I mean that would be messy."

Death couldn't hide the smile that crossed her lips. "I don't mind. Who knows, maybe that was the form of my prior incarnation."

Delirium cocked her head. "Maybe. You might be right. Maybe that Death was around for so long that the humans can't get the thought out of their minds."

"Besides, it's better for me in the end."

What do you mean?" Delirium tugged a piece of her hair.

"Well, this way I can walk among people and talk pleasantly with them. They don't see anything strange. Now imagine a giant skeleton walking down the street."

Delirium began to laugh. "That would cause panic."

"Indeed."

"We don't need that."

"No, we don't."

"We need… Oh!" Delirium jumped up. "I need to finish my routine for you."

She ran back across the room and began to twirl. "I love ballet. I want to be dancer, you know."