The Secrets of the Circus Drafts

The Willow Tree (an Old Draft)

It was a cold night in Gold Hay City. Yesenia trudged through the thick snow, her hair all in one curly, messy heap around her shoulders and face, keeping her warm. She was heading over to The Willow Tree, wearing three layers of tight old sweaters and a pair of thin jeans and boots. You may ask, what was she doing heading over to a medicinal shop if she was healthy? For the warm soup? But she wouldn't just have it for herself and not share it with her friends.

In short, about 85% of the Ringling Circela was sick.

Terribly.

And as Yesenia went to check on how Sun was doing with a case of hay fever, she almost got her eyes seared off the moment he sneezed and hacked.

About a week ago Yong somehow discovered that Mr Lei Jie was an old Ice elemental, and that he not only had medicines and herbs that can help merely normal mortals, he also had all the other kinds of magic ones stored at the back that could help people from the magic community with magical illnesses.

Soon, Yesenia reached the entrance of the shop, and sighed with relief as the lights in the store were still open. Perhaps it was for the purpose of allowing people from the magic community to come in without any mortals seeing so.

Yesenia pushed open the door and heard the familiar ring of a small bell. A gust of warm air was splashed upon her face, relieving her from the cold of the night.

"Mr Lei?" Yesenia called, shaking her boots and contemplating if she should take off the first two layers of her sweaters to prevent her from sweating in the third. "Mr Lei Jie, my friends are sick and I need- oh." She watched as the old man came out from the secret compartment, his face and hands powdered with what seemed to be dried mushroom dust. "Why hello young lady," Mr Lei said. "I heard your friends are sick?"

"Hay fever sir, might need ten or more packets of whatever cures magical hay fever in a jiffy."

"I see. You might need the stronger ones, your friends are quite a tough bunch especially with handling magic."

"Yes sir, I almost got my eyes seared by Sun."

Mr Lei chuckled gently and went back into the secret compartment. After a few minutes, Mr Lei came out holding a basket full of herbs, all packed into one whole air tight bag. He slowly made his way to the counter and set the basket on it. Yesenia began to fumble with her wallet.

"That'll be.... About 1120 Ritions for that whole basket my dear."

Yesenia knitted her eyebrows.

Thanks to the Psychedelic Circus' appearance, business for the Ringling Circela wasn't going as great as it was before. Now Yesenia was back to square one, but she at least managed to stop stealing for a long while until now.

"Awh shoot. I only have 1000 Rits," Yesenia grumbled, slapping the Ritions onto the counter and shoving her hand around in her wallet, hopeful to find a couple more handfuls of Merits.

Mr Lei merely smiled. "It's alright dear, I see your business has had a sudden downfall because of Psychedelic Junior, hm?"

"Yeah, that bastard has been stealing my audience."

"Well, you can always pay me back when you bring enough money."
"I'll come back tomorrow sir, I won't be able to sleep tonight because of this."
"Very well. Remember that each packet can serve up to 4 people, and I gave you some extra because a little backup never hurt anyone now, did it?"

Yesenia smiled, holding back tears. "Oh, you're so sweet sir, you shouldn't have!"

"You should head back now dear, your friends aren't going to help themselves to spreading more hay fever."

And with that, Yesenia swung the basket of medicine off the counter and ran back to the hotel, her brain constantly chanting the words "pay grandpa back tomorrow pay grandpa back tomorrow pay grandpa back tomorrow".