Disclaimer: I don't own American Horror Story or anyone involved in it. I only own Madi. This will apply throughout the entire story and series

Warning: Trigger Warning. Rated M

CHAPTER ONE

I sat in my corner, watching the children with their parents. They always looked so happy. They'd fall and mommy would come running towards them with a soft scolding on their lips and a warm kiss that could heal any wound. I recalled something similar when I was younger.

My own mother had been a beautiful woman with long blonde hair that fell in loose curls. Whenever her mint green eyes looked down at me, I felt as if I was the only thing that mattered. She'd hold me close and rocked me to sleep. I'd dream pleasant dreams when I was with her. The prince always saved the princess and they'd live happily ever after.

It was when I woke up the next morning did the nightmares begin. Without her memories, she was like a completely different person. She was vicious and violent. She'd throw thing sat me and tied to get me to leave the house. In the morning, I was a stranger to her.

For the most part, I stayed out of her line of sight, hoping that that would keep her from going into another fit of rage. It was painful watching her stumble around, looking for things at the wrong places as if even this home was a foreign place. This home that she grew up in… I had to watch as day after day, she got worse and worse.

In the afternoon, I'd be the stray she had taken in. The cookies she baked were the best. Yummy, chocolatey, gooey… Just the way I liked it. I wanted to believe that deep inside, she knew who I was, but even then, I was walking on egg shells. Anything could trigger her.

By supper, I was her daughter again and I happily snuggled in her arms before everything repeated itself the next day. It was always the same. She'd always forget me in the morning.

Not once would she remember that by shooing me out, she'd be sending me to my death. It was painful. The light caressed my skin in false care before tearing it off my body. It'd scorch and burn. My skin would turn black and flake off and then, it'd go deeper. Layer and layer the sunlight pierced through me until I was nothing but ashes in the wind.

Sometimes, I'd be lucid enough to feel the cool air carrying me into the distance, but most of the time, I'd wake up later and find myself whole again. The only thing I'd remember was the excruciating pain.

And then, my mother would come running out to hug me, asking me where I had been all day and how careless I was to leave the house in my… condition. I had lost count of how many times she had killed me, but it was alright. It wasn't her fault. She didn't remember – she didn't know.

Soon, she knew nothing at all. The tumour in her head had finally killed her. I was young, alone, and with no means of supporting myself. The only thing I could think of that I could do was ask the ladies of the night to teach me their trade, but I was still too young for any of them to even be convinced that I was worth investing a second of their time to help. I somehow managed to survive in the house for two more years before the taxes and utilities became too much. I was chased out of my home. They took everything that I ever owned and I was left on the streets with nothing but the clothes on my back and a locket I managed to stuff into my pocket without them seeing.

It was a looping torture. Every morning, I'd die and every night, I'd come back. Sometimes, all I did was sleep until I was to die, again, because it was the only way to lessen the pain. It wasn't until another homeless man took pity on me did the cycle stop. I kept the blanket around me at all times. Nothing would steal it away from me because it was literally my life line.

Not long after, the town was used to me squatting in my usual alley. It was dark and filthy . The only people who'd care were the ones tossing their trash. One particular family always gave me their leftovers. It was the only way I was able to survive without stealing and I think that was one of the reasons why were so kind to me, but they were an obvious exception – a blessing.

It was normal for people to stop and stare. They may be used to me, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't treat me like a common animal in a zoo. Whenever they whispered, they thought I couldn't hear them. They thought I couldn't understand them. Some would even throw rocks at me to try to rile up a reaction, but I was already too numb to it all. It was only when they tried to pull my blanket away did I fight back. And then, I was really nothing better than an animal. Several times, I'd get the police checking up on all the commotion. Sometimes, I got complaints that I… attacked one of the… spectators. Short of killing me, the police couldn't do much, but I didn't know for how long. I had heard of what those law enforcers had done behind closed doors. It wasn't a very well-kept secret, after all.

"Mommy! Mommy! Who's that?"

I looked up to see a single, young girl standing in front of my alley. She was gawking at me as if she had seen a ghost. It wasn't an unreasonable assumption for young children. I knew that I was unusually pale from the lack of sun exposure, but it still wasn't alright. I was so sick and tired of this.

"Melly, don't say that!" her mother hissed, but I could see her own judging eyes on me. Her words were right, but I knew what she was thinking. Her thoughts were not unlike everyone else's. "Come on, now."

"But, mommy! She's a freak!" the girl continued on, obliviously. Her voice was loud enough to carry down the block, attracting more attention.

"Melly, we're going home, right now!" Her mother casted worried glances at me as if I was going to sprung up from my spot and eat them alive. I wondered what they'd do if I took off my blanket in broad daylight and burned in front of them. But then, I'd lose my blanket and that wouldn't have been worth it for that split second of satisfaction.

I stayed in my alley, trying my best to ignore everything and one day, no one came to the park anymore. Anyone who was out scurried along as if they were going to be shot down at any moment. Their paranoia made me paranoid. What was I missing? Was there going to be a tornado? Flash flood? Poisonous gas?! Were the Germans coming back?

For days, I wondered why everyone was so on edge. It was as if an alien had possessed them all overnight, but that wasn't it. When I first saw him, I knew exactly why they were living in such fear.

His face was whiter than mine and his mouth was covered by a mask – painting a permanent, demented smile that matched his eyes. He was dressed like a clown, but resembled a psychopath.

He stared at me from across the street and I couldn't help but keep my eyes on him for fear that he was going to run towards me with a knife. I knew I was being a hypocrite, but those red stains on his face, it looked like blood.

Eventually, I shifted my eyes away – only very briefly – but when I looked back, he was already gone. I spent the next hour fearing that he was going to peek his head around the corner, but that never happened. I was being silly, but needless to say, I slept with one eye open that day.

When night fully fell, I was on the move. The raggedy blanket swished around my legs as I hurried away. I didn't feel safe in my corner anymore. I kept feeling those eyes on me, burning almost as hot as the sun.

I walked and walked. My steps quickened and not long after, I was running as fast as I could. I ran and ran until the town was completely behind me. The fields became barren, the road uneven, but I even then, I kept going. I didn't stop until tiny dots of light met my eyes. They were stung up on poles and a scatter of tents blocked my path. The lights were dim as if they were only on to ward off unwanted visitors. Was this some kind of travelling circus? UI had never heard of them before. What if the clown came from here? Had I just walked right into the lion's den?

With that startling thought, I quickly turned around to leave when I hit a wall that hadn't been there before. My eyes stared at the bottom hem of the red blouse and moved up to see the tallest woman I had ever laid my eyes upon. Her brown hair was tied neatly behind her head in a very strict manner. She didn't exactly appear angry, but she didn't look happy either.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

I took a step back in fear. If she wanted to, I was sure that she could rip me in two with her bare hands. Would that be more painful than burning in the sun?

"Well?" Her muscles flexed threateningly before me.

"I – I…" I looked around. Maybe I was faster than her. I ducked down and tried to get around her looming form, but one long arm stretched out and snatched me up before I was able to even move a step away. My feet dangled in the air, kick around but finding no purchase.

My tiny stature had always been a problem, but I never thought I'd end up in a situation like this. "Let me go!" I shouted. It was no use.

"What is going on here?" A German drawl met my ears. I turned to see an older woman clad in a pink robe glare at me in annoyance. "Who on Earth are you?"

"Let me go!" I repeated. "I was just going to leave! I took a wrong turn and ended up here. I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to trespass… I just…" I just needed a place to go, but it was obvious this wasn't it. "I just want to go…"

She looked at me long. With a scoff, she walked up to me. "Look at you… pale as a ghost!" Her soft hand ran down my cheek. "Some kind of defect?"

I shook my head. No, but that was a direct correlation because of my… defect.

She huffed. "Let her go, but don't ever let me see you, again," she spat.

Needless to say, the moment the giantess let me go, I had scrambled away with no thoughts of ever returning. It came to no surprise to me that the clown, too, had come from this dysfunctional group.

…

"What was that?" A curly haired man stepped out of his tent, staring at the back of the form covered by an old, brown blanket. The figure was small. His first thought was that of a young female, but with the people he lived with, it could've been anyone. "Who's that?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Just another stray who thought that we give out free food and board. Not going to happen here." With that, she turned back into her trailer, leaving him with Amazon Eve who merely shrugged in return.

He turned back to stare off into the distance even when the stranger had long since disappeared into the darkness. There was just this nagging feeling that he couldn't brush away, as if someone was calling out to him. It stirred something below his belt and gripped his heart in its disembodied hands. It felt as if he had missed something that night – something important.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Firstly, I'm just going to express how surprised when some of you already found my "V" story. The title to that will most likely remain as such unless someone suggests a better title or something else comes up that seems more appropriate. That story will be released in tandem with the rest of the series and it will be the last story that ties everything together. I'm not sure if anyone else has written stories like this where the last story is being published slowly before everything is done, but I hope I haven't made a mistake in doing so!

And yes, this chapter was a bit short, but I meant it more of an introduction into Madi's new character. I've finally decided what I want from her. As I continued to watch it, it's only convinced me that I can definitely use it in the canon plot line and put my own twist on it. Currently, I just need to write some sort of brief outline and I'll be all set! Hopefully, this story will be better than the last. I really don't want to disappoint any of you.

Please, feel free to drop a review regarding this new chapter. I'll also take in suggestions and constructive criticisms!

Now, on to Freak Show… That was an emotional roller coaster and a half! What happened in the end was so perplexing…. Each character was strong enough to defend themselves and even work together… So how did it all fall apart in the end like that from ONE PERSON?!

I'm really hoping to change a couple of things using Madi without causing too much chaos and without making her Mary Sue. If that ever, ever happens, please feel free to bring out the torches and pitchforks because I really don't enjoy those stories and I don't want you guys to suffer through them, either. The only problem is that I may get carried away sometimes. Oops!

Thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter of "Vessel." I've decided to put the replies here.

Thank you PorcelainPuppetLady, ThatOneGirlwiththeM, Applejax XD, guests (Guest, AuroraSeven, anonymouscsifan, and Cosmo39)!

PorcelainPuppetLady: Thank you for sticking around! I really hope I'm not going to ruin your favourite season!

Guest: Thanks you for the suggestions! I've contemplated a few of them and have written all of them down for future uses!

AuroraSeven: I've definitely thought about that title, but ultimately I decided on Vapour because of Madi.

ThatOneGirlwiththeM: I really wanted Madi to have a physical deformity, too! But after finishing the season and slowly trying to piece where Madi would go, I decided against it. I hope it won't make her Mary Sue, but there will be a twist regarding it… At least, there will be at the time I'm writing this reply to you. The story always seem to want to write itself despite me planning everything out in the beginning.

anonymouscsifan: No problem! Thanks for the title suggestion! I hope you'll like this season as well! I was so surprised when you found "V."

Cosmo39: Ha! Now you've tempted me to write one for Hotel, too. I was really wishy washy regarding that, but I feel like it's going to be incomplete without it.

Applejax XD: I'm glad that Cordelia is the Supreme, too! I don't think anyone else would be as good for the position.