Dr. Blowhole could never forget it.

What had his trainers been thinking, making him jump through fire? Surely they knew how stressful that was. Surely they knew he was, like all animals, instinctively afraid of fire?

Of course they knew. But they did it anyway. He had heard from the sea lions that the tourists were complaining about how boring the tricks he and his four podmates performed. They had wanted something daring and new!

They certainly got it.

It was during a night show. The lights had been shut off; the Ring of moto provided the only chanzo of light. The image had burned itself in his...