Open The Brave Young Hare

[Aubrae]

ONE DAY WHEN MY LIGHT IS GLOWING
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i ’ l l b e i n m y c a s t l e g o l d e n `

12th Day of Winter, 513 AV

Although the Bizarre was never in the same location as the last time one had seen it, Aubrae knew the general pattern of the building's movement. There was a pattern of sorts and natives like herself were more apt to pick up on it after years of living in the city of illusion. She following the sloping wall of water on her right towards a rainbow-colored path that she knew would lead her to the Bizarre. The young acrobat stretched her right arm over her head as she walked, then her left, having already limbered up for her performance but she still needed to keep her muscles loose lest her nerves tighten them up again. One wrong move with a tight muscle could end up with her out of commission for months and she definitely couldn't afford that. If there was one thing she always adhered to before a performance, it was a ritual of stretches that kept her from hurting herself and made each performance run smoothly.

She practically skipped into the seemingly small Bizarre, smiling wide as the interior opened up to reveal the large emporium, a mecca of trade and bartering. The bustling crowds swept her up towards the center of the marketplace and she only had time for a few greetings to the familiar faces of the regular merchants that lined the aisles. Eventually, she made her way to the center of the Bizarre, a stone circle arrayed by the various aisles of stalls where a lone minstrel strummed a few cords on his gea'tar as background to the noisy marketplace.

Aubrae strode forward with a mischievous grin, coming up behind the minstrel and covering his eyes with her hands. "Guess who?" she lilted, grinning wider as he stopped playing the gea'tar and laughed. "Hmm...the most beautiful acrobat in all of Mizahar?" he responded, receiving a light smack to the back of his head for his compliment. "Hey, it's true my dear Aubrae," he chuckled, taking her hand and planting a wet kiss on it before she was able to jerk it away with a laugh. "Now Dryan, don't go giving me a big head," she joked, coming around from behind him to wag an accusing finger in his face, her expression stern but her eyes twinkling with mirth.

"I wouldn't dare!" he declared, throwing his hands up as if to defend himself.The teasing and joking was normal for the pair as they had performed together for quite some time now. "Are you ready to dazzle this crowd?" Dryan asked, strumming the gea'tar once. Aubrae smiled wide and twirled once in response, her colorful clothing catching a sunbeam that arced through the Bizarre. "Of course Dryan, lead on!" she said with a mocking bow, smiling her mischievous smile as he shook his head with his own grin.

He began to play the gea'tar gently, the first cords designed to entice the listener and gain attention from the crowd around them. There was plenty of space in the center for Aubrae to perform and she readied herself, placing her body in her starting position of one foot pointed behind, her head tilted downward and her arms loose at her side.

Dryan began to sing, his warm baritone drawing the attention of nearby shoppers. "Once there was a brave young hare," he started and Aubrae lifted herself easily into a handstand, wiggling her feet as if they were the hare's ears.

"Who leaped about from here to there..." Aubrae landed back on her feet and then did a one-handed cartwheel and then a no-handed cartwheel to the awe of the few who were watching. The cartwheels were supposed to mimic the movement of a leaping hare and her wiggling feet added the affect of his ears moving once more.

"O searching for a maiden fair..." The gea'tar moved into a short interlude as the verse ended and Aubrae stood on her feet gracefully, blinking her eyes flirtingly at the crowd which awarded her a few titters of laughter.

"Anon he spied a sweet young miss," the song continued and Aubrae moved to her tiptoes, putting her right hand up to her brow as if searching for something. She then leaped to the other side of Dryan for the next line of the song.

"Who raised her hand and blew him a kiss..." With that, Aubrae blew an imaginary kiss at the crowd, receiving another giggle from a few more of the bystanders who had stopped to watch.

"Not once did he think something was amiss..." The gea'tar went into another interlude as Aubrae sank to the ground and raised her leg backward over her head and made a hideous face at the audience, symbolizing that the young 'miss' was not what she seemed. The interlude moved into a more upbeat pace of the chorus and Aubrae's movements kept in time with the music as she performed a few more cartwheels and dance moves to dazzle the eyes of the audience.

"O Brave, Brave, Brave young hare,
Don't get caught in Rhysol's snare,
For while you look for a maiden fair,
Rhysol he wants a Brave Young Hare..."

"He bounded forth across a ridge..." Aubrae stood up from a split in once graceful movement and did a front handspring, landing to the applause of those who were watching. The crowd had begun to grow as the music and acrobatics enticed shoppers to pause and watch.

"Until he came to a long bridge..." She bent backwards slowly until her hands touched the ground and supported her body in the shape of a bridge.

"When something bothered his nose just a smidge..." The interlude came again at the end of this verse and moved into the chorus as Aubrae wrinkeld her nose and stood up from her backbend.

"He paused as the scent of sulphur surrounded..." Aubrae looked around her nervously, as if searching for the source of the scent.

"A voice deep and threatening sounded..." She cupped her hands over her ears and tucked into a ball, rolling in a short somersault across the floor.

"Fear and trepidation in his small heart abounded..." Aubrae popped up from her somersault and clutched her heart, falling into the arms of a nearby onlooker, raising a few chuckles despite the slightly macabre nature of the ballad. The song moved into the chorus once again.

"O Brave, Brave, Brave young hare,
Don't get caught in Rhysol's snare,
For while you look for a maiden fair,
Rhysol he wants a Brand New Hare..."

Aubrae's moves were similar to the last chorus, although she threw in a few more tumbles for affect and it was slightly faster as the tone of the song became more urgent.

"'At last! A brave young hare!' the voice of Rhysol boomed..." Aubrae stood back up in a handstand, wiggling her feet again and then splitting her legs out to the sides and lowering herself to the ground with her legs still split to either side.

"'I've been looking for one and now you're doomed...'" She folded herself forward to touch the ground with her stomach with her legs still splayed out, showing her flexibility.

"The hare looked at Rhysol and hope within him bloomed..." Aubrae swept her legs behind her and curled them up over her head making almost a flower shape with her arms above her head. The interlude started up again.

"The hare, he noticed that Rhysol was bald..." Aubrae grabbed her feet and rolled forward until she was standing upright and grasped her head as if she, too, was bald.

"'Hey Rhysol, I have another solution,' he called..." Aubrae cupped her hands over her mouth and made as if she were shouting.

"'A way for both our problems to be solved!'" She performed a quick cartwheel, smiling cleverly.

"O Brave, Brave, Brave young hare,
Don't get caught in Rhysol's snare,
For while you would rescue a maiden fair,
Rhysol he wants some Brand New Hair..."

Aubrae's acrobatics were more triumphant as if she had figured out just how to trick Rhysol.

"The hare said, 'Here's what I propose, sir,'" Aubrae handspringed once and pointed to a man in the crowd, mimicking what the hare was saying.

"And from his tail he pulled a tuft of fur..." She mimicked pulling out hair from her butt and winced as if it actually hurt her. The crowd was eating up the performance, every word and movement.

"He offered to Rhysol who snatched it in a blur..." Aubrae clawed forward and rolled, putting the imaginary hair on her own head.

"O Brave, Brave, Brave young hare,
You didn't get caught in Rhysol's snare,
And while you have the maiden fair,
For Rhysol he has Brand New Hair..."

The audience burst into laughter at the new change in the chorus and Aubrae performed a few more cartwheels following by a back handspring, celebrating the clever hare's success. She finished with a single flip and landed on one knee in front of Dryan, facing the crowd and flourishing with her hands as he finished the final cords of the song. She hid the fact that her landing had been less than perfect, smiling wide instead of wincing in pain at the discomfort in her knee. She hadn't done any permanent damage but would need to stretch more than usual over the next couple of days.

BUT UNTIL THE GATES ARE OPEN
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[Kuvarakh]

It was a clear day, if somewhat brisk. Perfect for a walk to the Bizarre. It turned out to be even better than expected since Ionu had chosen to place it much closer to Kuvarakh's workplace than normal. There were exotic trees, the kind he'd seen in paintings depicting tropical lands from far off corners of Mizahar. They were leaning and swirling, even though there was no breeze to speak of. He was tasked to purchase several stock items to treat with alchemy for keeping in reserve. They would be imbued with properties that were in consistent demand, so that property would be on hand for some time to come. It was standard practice at Alchemmia Alchae. He saw the rainbow colored path that often came in from the southern end of town on his right, in defiance of the map, as he came in from the east side. He knew this was not always the case, but he'd noticed that Ionu had seemed to lean that way most of the time. If you lived in Alvadas long enough, you picked up on tendencies like that. He chuckled to himself, 'Ahhh, pity the poor newcomer.' Kuvarakh strolled among the stalls, picking up numerous samples of only a few things. It was mostly with concern for what materials were most likely desired by customers. Matching the material as closely as possible made the alchemical process quicker and more long-lasting. He'd picked up a bounty of cloth, several squares of leather, both worked and raw, small bottles of various colored liquids, some wire and a number of beads and semi-precious stones. Metal samples were next on the list. Kuvarakh stopped when he heard what sounded like a minstrel serenade. He made his way through the crowd to witness a delightful song and dance performance. The rest of the crowd was equally enchanted and gave applause at every opportunity, quickly quieting again to hear it as it resumed. There was boy with a lute that caught Kuvarakh's attention. He was being encouraged by a woman Kuvarakh assumed to be his mother to join in the musical accompaniment. He was clearly too self-conscious to indulge. Kuvarakh stepped behind him and took a breath, and then held it against his own effort to exhale. This was his method to generate his bubble of djed, the inner pressure forming djed in this way. He directed it to enclose the boy's head and overlayed a thought to give him confidence. 'I can DO this, it will be easy. There's no reason to be embarrassed.' The boy's expression grew determined and he started to play along. Nearby people graced him with smiles of encouragement and he grew bolder with his chords and arpeggios. Kuvarakh doubted the original performers could hear him. But it made him feel good to support artistic efforts.

[Renate Winterflame]

Renate had not planned to go to the Bizarre that day; she had been looking for a quiet but well-travelled street where she could set up and busk. She was not the most talented dancer in the city, but she knew how to draw a crowd and she was on a roll after yesterday's profit. Unfortunately for her purse, the paths which Alvadas laid before her were as fickle as they were profitable. Before she found her good spot, she happened upon the stark, familiar entrance. And she did need a new pair of shoes... She had not found those shoes by the time her wandering feet brought her to Aubrae's performance, but she had managed to spend her meager money on a little cream-colored beverage that looked vaguely like vomit and tasted quite like strawberries. She sipped it as she caught the latter half of the duet, the singing boy and the happy acrobat. It was not uncommon for Ren to stop and watch where ever she saw a fellow busker. Though jealousy and calculated comparisons did not escape her, she truly did enjoy the sight of a good dance. She laughed with the crowd at her little imitations, clapped at her more impressive moves, even mumbled along to the catchy chorus when it rounded. She thought she had been impressed by the prolonged handstand, the careful strength in the performer's curling body and winging legs, but then she saw the series of flips at the end. Renate gasped between them, spilling some of her drink in the excitement of it all. "Marvelous!" She cooed alongside the rest, waiting her turn to drop a little donation into the hat. It was not much at all, but it was what she could afford and she knew first hand how any amount would be appreciated. Instead of moving on with the rest, she waited a minute or so for the crowd to clear and the performer to catch her breath. Then she stepped forward, leading with a dancer's toe. "Hi! I' m Renate. That was marvelous," she said again, at a loss for words. She stuttered a little before she came up with something. "I- I dance too, but not as well as you. Where did you learn to jump like that?"

[Rowland]

By random chance, Rowland had been in the Bizarre that day shopping for canvas, and he paused on the way to making his purchase when he heard man strumming the gea'tar. Normally he would not have stopped, as bards and musicians were quickly becoming a dime a dozen in Alvadas, especially this season, but then he noticed the antics of the acrobatic woman. Now that was new and different!

Excited to see something so unusual, Rowland stood and watched the complete performance from beginning to end. He had no idea who Rhysol was-- apparently a hunter of some sort with a lecherous appetite-- but the song was catchy and the woman who danced did so in an eye-catching and lively way. She was someone who would go places.

Rowland could not contain his enthusiasm. He did his best to lead everyone in applause, and he added: "That was great! I loved the bit at the end with pantomiming snatching the hair from your tail and I also loved the cartwheels! Praise Ionu for gifting us all this day with a chance to have come across such a wonderful show!"

As was his habit, he stood and watched the crowd carefully, looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary. It was especially in moments like this when everyone was swept along in the enchantment of a performance that pick-pockets did their best work and so Rowland kept his eyes peeled, looking at each person in turn. He spotted a few people he knew, such as Kuvarakh, and quite a few that he did not.

As was his custom, he gave a few coins to all the performers, and even a few copper cms to the boy with the lute. It was certainly better than he could do at that age. Or now.

When he tossed his silvers coins into the hat, he sang a little ditty, a variation on the Ionu song he recited whenever he saw an exceptional performance:
"Today we may be neighbors/
tomorrow we may live a'far/
But there is one Alvadas constant/
one should always tip the gea'tar!"

He looked around at the crowd, and spoke in a deep stentorian baritone. "Man on a gea'tar, a woman dancing: this truly livened up the Bizarre today, and it's worth repaying such a gift."

Then Rowland glanced over at a garishly-dressed older man who was still humming the Rhysol tune with a smile on his face. Rowland closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, going through the mental rhythms that he had learned in the Womiyu caverns. A Svefra had taught him that he could use the same suggestions normally used to have people forget all about him in more altruistic ways, and so his figment image was that of a fishing net which scooped up his thought and floated it towards the garish man. "I suggest we all show a bit of charity for this entertaining performance. By Ionu, it's the best I've seen in the Bizarre all season." He opened his own coin purse and threw in a few more silver Miza, figuring that if his mental and verbal skills failed to sway the crowd, they might simply ape his actions.

He might have left at that point, but Renate's question to the acrobatic woman roused his curiosity, and he decided to stick around and hear the answer.

[Aubrae]

ONE DAY WHEN MY LIGHT IS GLOWING
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i ’ l l b e i n m y c a s t l e g o l d e n `

Aubrae definitely didn't mind the boy joining in and smiled at him in encouragement briefly as the song drew to a close. She appreciated talent of all types and the more performers, the more people watched generally. She might not give him a large share of any money they made from the performance, but a few copper cms certainly wouldn't be out of the question.

As the final cords faded into the air, she stood up without showing any sign of being in pain and clapped the boy with the lute on the back amiably. "You did well, keep practicing and you could be in the big time," she said with a wide smile as she caught her breath, always happy to encourage a fellow performer. She turned her attention to the crowd who were proceeding to drop what little they could into a hat by Dryan's feet. She smiled graciously and thanked each person for their donation, her easy demeanor and friendly attitude the last thing that each person would hopefully remember about her. The crowd should always leave with a good last impression, feeling good about the performance and their generosity.

As the crowd dwindled away, a dancer stepped forward. Aubrae didn't even need to hear the girl say that she danced to know; she recognized the fluid movement and poise of a fellow dancer. Her friendly smile was open and welcoming as she replied to the girl who introduced herself. "Hello Renate, thank you for your kind words. I could tell you were a dancer the moment I saw you," she said with a short laugh. "My name is Aubrae and the wonderful gea'tar player behind me is Dryan." She motioned to her partner who gave a short wave and his own warm smile. "My mother was an acrobat in one of the most prestigious performing groups in Alvadas years ago, she taught me everything I know." While she said this last bit with a smile on her face, there was a slight sadness in her eyes that she was fighting to hide as she spoke of her mother.

Her bright-eyed gaze turned to the man nearby who was ecstatically praising the performance. "Thank you, I work hard to make every moment tell a story," she said to him with a gentle smile, tipping her head humbly. His short song brought a laugh of appreciation from her lips and Dryan tipped his hat in the man's direction. Aubrae was certainly grateful to the man for encouraging others to be generous and wold have to thank him again personally when the crowd cleared some more.

"The two of you are very generous and I think I see a bit of talent as well. Would you like to join Dryan and myself for drinks and good food from this fine Bizarre?" she offered, always looking to make more friends and talk to interesting people. Besides, they were talented and she was always on the lookout for talent.

BUT UNTIL THE GATES ARE OPEN
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i j u s t w a n n a f e e l t h i s m o m e n t `


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[Kuvarakh]

Kuvarakh turned with some surprise. 'So they had heard the boy after all.' He smiled at the thought, and at their reaction. A lot of strolling musicians would not appreciate a kid joining in uninvited. Usually, they were already competing with other musicians in town. There were quite a few these days. But the visual art provided by the young lady's dancing set this pair apart. The reaction of the listeners was positive as well. He was glad to see the man, Rowland, tip the boy for his effort. Kuvarakh did likewise and then stepped forward and to the side, allowing the grinning boy to be collected by his parents, who thanked everyone for their indulgence and offered apologies for any intrusion. Kuvarakh laughed, "Nonsense! It was a delight. BOTH performances were charming! So excuse me...Aubrae?...and, you said Dryan?...I do not recall seeing you here before. Are you new to Alvadas?" Several others were also asking questions of the two entertainers, including Rowland, the flamboyant customer that had been in his shop the other day. Kuvarakh looked around The Bizarre. As usual, there were several empty stalls. Some still had tables or kiosks within them. He thought it was a waste that the space was unused. If the stalls had been adjoined and cleared of empty tables and shelves, it could have been set up as an impromptu stage. He wondered how much each vendor had to pay for a stall. He turned back to the two performers. "Forgive me if this comes off sounding condescending. I assure you I mean no such insult, but have you ever looked into renting space here at The Bizarre? I have no experience, but I would think an established location here would be more...consistent?... Less 'hit-and-miss' than the traveling street performer gig. I would think the city would like to see some of these unused stalls be put together for such a purpose. Something to draw customers over and above just vendors and knick-knacks. Maybe arrange for a stage...some curtains...even a tent!" He realized he was probably touching on goals they'd already considered. He worried that he might have struck a financial nerve. Street performers were usually broke. He hoped he hadn't only served to drive that point home with them. He didn't even know who it was that you asked about such things. Is there a city department that runs the financial dealings of The Bizarre? Some 'Trade Committee' or something?' In any case, he still had a few things to get. But he didn't want to seem like he was ditching them as soon as the subject of money came up. Especially when HE'D been the one to broach it. "Well, it was a lovely show. I'd stay for more, but I have obligations. Listen, seriously, if you find some way to make yourself more in the public eye and need any assistance, come and see me at Alchemmia Alchae. Rowland here knows where it is...As much as anyone knows where to find anything in this town!" He chuckled, slapped the eccentric singer on the back and walked off whistling the catchy tune.

[Renate Winterflame]

A silent moment was had between the two performers as the answer to Renate's question drew out sad memories in them both. It seemed too common that parents were taken from their children, or vice versa, in this cruel world. But it was Ren's intention, and surely Aubrae's as well, to let them live on through dance and the joy that they had sewn in long lost years. Neither girl was weighed by frowns for long, lifted again by common courtesy and the clamor of noise around them. Rowland’s song echoed in her ears to the harmony of pattering, clanging coin as compliments washed over Aubrae and the exiting Dryan. Renate gave the boy a congratulatory wave.

When her attention returned to the small group that remained, she made a point to meet Rowland's eye. She smiled an unspoken greeting at the man she had met only days earlier. Clearly he was a keen benefactor of Alvad performance art, and at this rate seemed quite capable of turning the whole city toward generous patronage. The Vantha swallowed a small pang of selfish disappointment as she realized how similar to her own performance Rowland’s response had been, but she was quickly distracted quickly from it. Aubrae was certainly better than she; Ren was ultimately flattered that Rowland considered them to be on the same level and found herself wishing she could learn a thing or two from the friendly acrobat.

"I know a great place," Ren piped in, gesturing with the drink in her hand. She made as if to look for the old stall, but she never seemed to be able to find it twice. An older man's words drew her back, proposals of the practical variety filling her ears like sparks to the kindling of ideas.

"What a splendid idea," she managed to mention, before the mysterious purveyor of wisdom was lost to the shuffling crowd. Perhaps it was strange that he would dispense such a lofty idea and be off so quickly afterward, but any notion of peculiarity was soon lost on Renate, who had lived in Alvadas for nearly a year and was no longer prone to dwelling on such things. "Good day!" She waved to his departing back, briefly entertaining the idea that it was Ionu zirself who had spoken to them.

Her eyebrows bobbed excitedly as she addressed the others, eager to discuss the art with those who appreciated it best. The scope of a business venture was yet beyond her, but a pleasant afternoon with pleasant people was not. "Come with me," she said, leading them to a stall that sold colorful drinks and pastries. It was no meal, but the novelty of the food seemed appropriate to the novelty of the day. To Aubrae, she began, "How do you keep your balance on your hands like that? I can’t seem to go five ticks without falling over."

[Aubrae]

ONE DAY WHEN MY LIGHT IS GLOWING
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Aubrae turned her attention to Kuvarakh, her expression showing that she was engaged and actively listening. She smiled and thanked him demurely for the compliment before responding to his question. "Oh no, I grew up in Alvadas. My mother was in the First Quarter for years until the performance group dispersed," she said with a shake of her head.

She following his gaze to the empty stalls and listened to his suggestion, the wheels turning in her mind as she considered it. "That is a wonderful idea, although I'm afraid I have no coin for such a project at the moment. I will keep your suggestion in mind, of course, if I ever come into some money that could help me start up such an idea," she said graciously, her tone very sincere and not once sounding offended or the least bit riled by the suggestion.

She was rather taken aback by his sudden departure and the friendly slap on the back that accompanied it, but she kept her smile and kind demeanor all the same. "It was a pleasure to meet you and I'm sure I will stop by and say hello," she said as he walked away.

She would love to start a group like the First Quarter that could perform regularly and draw in revenue, but she knew that such a project would need financial backing she didn't currently have. An investor of sorts would be needed before such an idea could come to fruition.

Aubrae followed the eager Renate without a moment's hesitation, waving briefly at Dryan who was heading off with his gea'tar through the crowd. He waved back and then was swallowed up by the shoppers of the marketplace, leaving Aubrae with Renate and Rowland. The stall Renate led them to had an assortment of colorful drinks and pastries at a reasonable price and Aubrae certainly had enough coin from the performance to at least get a frothy purple drink that bubbled and popped intermittently.

"It's all in the core," she said, gesturing to her midsection with one hand while she held the drink in the other. "You do need some strength in your arms but most of the balance comes from strengthening your core muscles. That and a lot of practice. You would not believe the number of times I fell over before I finally was able to maintain my balance on my hands." She took a sip of her drink and smiled in delight. "This is certainly something!" she said with a short laugh.

BUT UNTIL THE GATES ARE OPEN
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i j u s t w a n n a f e e l t h i s m o m e n t `


this template was made by RAWRBUNSIE! so please don't steal! : )

[Shai]

However hopeless the situation appears to be There yet always exists the possibility of putting up a stubborn resistance Kuvarakh : Hypnosis 1 Socialization 1 Hypnosis: A Little Boost of Courage Street Musicians in the Bizarre Check : It seems as though everyone else in this thread has gone inactive. Aubrae, Rowland, Renate, if any of you return to Miza please PM me and I will add in a grade for you after your ledgers are up to date.