Reverie

A Showman

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."― Lao Tzu

Back in Galivo, Mirasal and Robert are among the spectators to a group of Neeyotyto street performers doing an assortment of tricks involving fire and balancing acts wearing elaborate costumes.

Surrounded by the crowd, a dancer weaves a long colorful ribbon around her lithe form, spinning, twirling as the design blurs together in a spiral encompassing her body. The large crowd begins to clap in thunderous unison.

"That's what clowns do," Robert points at the juggler. "Those kind of tricks."

"The clown?" The image of the doll he'd shown her enters her thoughts, with the cracks rooted along its yellowed glass face.

He nods. "Things like that."

The juggler takes notice of Robert's interest and makes her way over to him, doing a small jig. Beaming, she does a quick spin before she holds out the three golden balls she'd been using in a silent bid to get him to try.

Robert takes them with a huge grin on his face and starts tossing them in the air, passing between his large palms with ease, the gold shimmering in the little bit of sunlight that has broken through the clouds.

Mirasal and the juggler gawk wide-eyed at him as he increases his speed and sends a smile at Mirasal. She laughs and claps as he passes them back to the juggler, who gives him her own round of applause, egging on the crowd to join her. There are a few hoots and hollers from the rowdy onlookers, encouraging him to do more.

Robert delivers. Removing his red scarf from his pocket, he curls it into a ball, his large hand covering it completely, when he uncurls his long fingers, its vanished. There's a medley of gasps as he then reaches up to start pulling the red fabric from his mouth. Holding it up, he bows to an eruption of laughter and even more clapping.

He lets the scarf fall to the ground. As he bends to pick it up, it scurries out of reach. Almost as if some tiny creature were hiding underneath directing its movements. Scrambling along the pathway, it circles the feet of the spectators.

"Hey, come back!" Robert yells as he runs to claim it, the Thycenian children in the crowd breaking out in giggling. One of them manages to step on the tail end of the crimson escapee as it dashes by.

"Here!" The boy beams at Robert, who bends over to claim it, offering his gratitude to the child with a pat on his head and a piece of candy, which appears in his palm in a burst of pink dust. The boy's large brown eyes roam over it, amazed, before popping it in his mouth.

Robert then proceeds to stuff the scarf back in its place, only to have it fight, trying to wiggle free.

"Get in there!" Robert says, struggling to shove it in the pocket.

More guffawing from the crowd as he wins the wrestling match. Without warning he does a drop and somersault, jumping to his feet in front of Mirasal.

"Now, the lovely lady will present to me her hat!"

She hands it over, giggling as he takes it out her hand. He gives her right shoulder a small squeeze along with a gentle smile and nod. She touches his hand before he slides it off her. He steps to the center of the crowd. She crosses her arms in front of her as she observes him.

He must have been a performer at some point. He certainly has a talent for it. The way he interacted with the crowd and how they responded was something not many could do.

Squatting down, holding her hat in his right fingers, he passes his left ones over it and removes a fairly large crystal, which he carefully sits on the ground, as well as a small red and white bird. The species not anything Mirasal recognized. It flies off as the crowd let loose deep gasps, watching as it disappears over the sea of rooftops.