Street Performer

[Kalim]

Somewhere in the city square, a small crowd was gathering around a single young man. Standing next to a fountain, he was in the process of juggling half a dozen or so apples. He had a deal going with the man who had a cart set up not more than ten feet away- he could have as many free apples as he wanted if, in return, he showed off and drew people's attention right on over to this location. The more people who looked at his produce, the more potential customers he had. He was happy, Kalim was happy, everyone wins!

One by one, the apples burst into fire. Though the fire he generated rarely burned him, he wore gloves just in case. This part usually got a lot of “ooh”s and “ahhh”s from regular people watching, and Kalim was not disappointed with their reactions. One by one he tossed the apples into the fountain. When the last one had been thrown in, the entire surface of the fountain suddenly burst into flames, getting Kalim a few gasps of astonishment from the crowd. As quickly as it had flared up, the flames winked out of existence once more.

Kalim took a bow as the people watching applauded. Several of them decided that, while they were here, they might as well stop by the vendor to see what he was selling. Everything worked out in the end.

[Tiy A. Memnon-Lockheart]

Tiy had been down to the market place hundreds of times, but today it seemed extra busy. People of all races and creeds were here, busy-bodied and ready to shop. She was up-lifted by the enthusiasium of the people and shopped around as well, making sure each vendor was doing well today and buy things at those that weren't doing so well. She was more than happy to spend some gold if it meant helping those around her, and in return, she could get ingredients for potions or food for the house. She smiled brightly as she went along her way, humming a light tune.

As she thanked and left a vendor, she heard a slight ruckus and a crowd around a particular vendor. Curiosity came about and she followed it over to the vendor and saw a man with purple hair performing juggling with apples that were aflame. She smiled and watched eagerly just as the people around her were doing. As the apples fell into the fountain, she waited to see what would happen and the fountain burst into flames. She smiled and giggled in excitement and then it slowly slipped away and the crowd began to applaud him. She joined in and as soon as the crowd dispersed and they went on their way, she walked up to the young man and smiled brightly. "What a wonderful performance! I was very entertained!" She smiled again and then adjusted the basket in her arm. "I'm Tiy, by the way!" she greeted enthusiastically.

[Escke]

A disapproving stare followed the antics of the boy mage. How insensitive. And to top it off, these idiots were encouraging it? That was just... distasteful. Sure, Escke knew that magic could be, and often was, used for good such as healing, but on the other hand it had caused literally all of the strife Avaren had been through in recent times. It obviously wasn't something to be toyed with, yet here it was, being used to sell apples. She was a fan of apples, of course, but not magical apples.

So, not wanting to linger anymore and be accidentally caught on fire or something, Escke slowly walked past the two conversing.

"Witches," She spat at them, and continued on her way at a steady pace.

[Kalim]

"Yay." Kalim said excitedly, smiling at the compliments he received and taking another small bow. "I'm glad you liked it, Tiy. I've been practicing this sort of thing for years, so it is great to hear that it has paid off. My name is Kalim"

"Excuse me." He said to Tiy as the other guy passed by and made a rude comment. Sure, mages had been at war with Avaren some time recently, but that only meant they should try harder to work together. Still, rude people should not go unpunished. Kalim reached into a pocked and pulled out an apple. Taking aim as the person continued off, he chucked it at Escke's head.

[Tiy A. Memnon-Lockheart]

He smiled and gave another light bow. He explained that he had been practicing for some time now and was glad that it all paid off. She nodded. "Well Kalim, I'm glad to see you're using your gift to entertain and not destroy. For some reason, people do not like our powers around here..." She stood corrected as a passer-byer spat out 'witches' at them.

"Yes! Excuse you! What a demeaning term." Tiy growled, and at the moment she turned back to Kalim, she saw his arm swing back as he threw something at the man. Her eyes went wide and she stared at Kalim for a moment. "That wasn't a great idea..." she whispered to him. And they waited to see what the person would do.

(ooc: ugh! so short! so sorry! =()

[Escke]

Thunk!

Something hit her square in the back of her head.

She paused, blinking slowly, stars in front of her eyes, until she finally turned around. She looked down at the ground to find that it had been an apple. What was with apples these days, anyway? They always seemed to signify some significant encounter. First Orca, now this pair of witches. Why her?

She looked up, turning her gaze towards the offending pair, and spoke. The anger was very apparent in her voice, thinly disguised behind her polite words.

"Please do not waste food."

She leaned down, picked up the apple. She dusted it off, dropped it in a pocket, and turned around once more to continue walking. It was best to just ignore them, wasn't it? They would get what was coming to them. He would make sure of that, of course.

[Kalim]

"Wasn't a great idea?" Kalim said with a mischievous smile. "Well, then this will be an even worse one."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out another apple- he had more than enough of a supply of them. "Here, waste this!" It was a lame comeback, that was for certain. Still, better to have a comeback of some sort than to let this person have the satisfaction of getting the last word.

Aiming once again, he chucked the second apple.

[Escke]

Thunk.

She stopped, once more, and turned around once more.

Yet another apple.

She didn't even grace him with a stare, or even speak to him.

She simply picked up the apple, turned around once more, and started walking.

He wasn't worth her time.

[Tiy A. Memnon-Lockheart]

As the girl walked away, Tiy knew that she was a brave, yet stubborn soul. As for the street performer... she was not so impressed with him anymore. She looked at him and stepped to his side, as to block him from throwing apples at her again. "Look..." she began quietly. "You know just as well as I do, that we're ridiculed because of our powers. As a member of the Ruling Council, I'm trying to mend what happened years ago and get us a good name among the people. And throwing apples at their heads... is not how I imagined getting them to like us."

[Kalim]

"Hmph," Kalim responded. Fact of the matter was that he wasn't ridiculed all that much. His powers were almost always seen in a positive light. People loved to see him perform and often asked for encores or new, more spectacular routines.

"People should just get over it." He said simply, crossing his arms and glaring at her stubbornly. "Or they should have apples thrown at them."

[Escke]

(ooc: Noooo don't die thread I was enjoying reading this one!)

[Kalim]

(I know... Tiy doesn't wanna post though :/ )

[Tiy A. Memnon-Lockheart]

(ooc: way to make me feel like a bad person XP It's not that i didn't want to post, I didn't know how to respond..)

Tiy looked at the young man before her and she let out a light sigh. How childish of him. So much for impressing her. She looked at him. "Look. I understand that we're tired of being ridiculed for out talents, but throwing apples at them is not going to change their mind on how they feel about magic."

[Kalim]

Kalim was vaguely irritated that this woman insisted on lecturing him, while letting the one who started it casually stroll away. Did she really want to address antagonism between mages and mage-haters, or did she just want to make martyrs out of mages?

"And what do you suggest we do to change their minds then? I'd be willing to bet that nothing will be changing their minds anytime soon. Throwing apples at bigots may not be winning their hearts, but it sure makes me feel better about it." He said with a grin.

[Tiy A. Memnon-Lockheart]

She looked at him, unsure of how to deal with him. She calmed herself and looked down at the ground, sighing lightly. "I've been trying to figure that one out myself... Do you have any other ideas besides the apples?" she asked him, looking at him hopefully.

(ooc: yikes! so short! i'm sorry! =()