Acclimatization ✧ 2

Five minutes, half an hour, one hour, a couple hours had passed and we were once again seated in the bus of number 75. I was on the same seat Nilsu had sat on just yesterday. How come the day seemed so far away already...?

I looked outside from the window, observing the street and the city people. I felt a lot of complicated feelings, but I had stopped attempting to categorize them. Mimi had told me that things would unfold one way or another. She was right.

“I am always right.”

“Oh, don't I know. The classes we almost failed with your unchanging correctness would also agree.”

“We graduated a year ago, safe and sound. Will you let that go already.”

Of course I would never let that go. I snickered out loud, and the sound of that made an old lady shoot me a look of confusion. It was almost a disgusted one. I covered my face with the long portion of my hair, slightly blushing.

I was used to spending time on my lonesome, so when I was out I tended to forget that people could see (and judge…) my facial expressions as I chatted with my inner best friend. Sometimes I'd even talk to ‘myself’, in the eyes of these people at least, who had no way of knowing about Mimi’s existence.

It was not much of a shocker that we were unpopular. People didn't like strange.

In an attempt to distract me from my feelings of shame, Mimi ventured to give me a pep talk.

“So, listen up Rai. You will go there—I mean I hope it'll be you at that time—and work your people skills. You will charm them and they will have to let us in.”

“What people skills? The ones that let even a new friend turn cold?”

“Urgh, again, just forget about that girl already! You know what I mean. You're way better than me when it comes to communication.”

It was true, to some extent. Even if I got nervous, somehow the spirit of confidence would possess me when I had to step into an uncomfortable situation. It would melt away in the closest chance, but at least it enabled me to start talking.

I stepped out of the bus, and patted my black shorts, ensuring they looked tidy. We had the perfect plan: I would go find the Director, ask her to drop me off to where the performers were, and get to meet a lot of cool people. My genuine interest in them would charm them, and they'd accept me in no time. Sure, we were not popular with the Regulars—but what about the Aberrants?

“Please don't mention Nilsu.”

“I… wasn't going to, but thanks for the reminder.”

Suddenly, my heart started to pound loudly in my ribcage. Nilsu… since she was given an offer, would she be here today as well? I clenched my jaw. What should I tell her? Should I apologize?

…what wrong had I done in the first place?

Mimi grumbled. “Great… I shouldn't have said that. Now you’re a whole bundle of nerves. You'll still go, right? The caravan is right there.”

I nodded. Of course, I'd still make sure our plan ran smoothly as butter, regardless of inner turmoil or not. I felt that familiar spirit of confidence take over me, and walked towards the Director’s caravan.

A deep breath, and a knock.

No response. Two knocks.

Three. Four.

“Okay, Rai, stop. She's clearly not here at the moment.”

I looked around in slight panic, my sandcastle of confidence already ruined. The other caravans… were we to knock on them? But they didn't know who I was… that'd be way too awkward…

I stood like a lost puppy, wondering what to do. There was the slight echo of music coming from the performance tent, most likely the troupe rehearsing for the evening's show.

How could I just go in there? What if I was such a nuisance interrupting the rehearsal that everyone would stop and glare at me? And hated me forever and ever and would never want someone stupid as me to join them…?

“There's no reason to catastrophize. Calm down. You can just go there and quietly take a peek. If people are busy, try waiting for someone to take a break. That easy.”

That easy, yes. Desperately trying to believe that to be true, my hesitant steps approached the tent’s entrance. As I got closer, I realized that a tall man was standing and having a cigarette break: a performer of yesterday!

“Oh, Cheeseman.”

I let out a snort again. Cheeseman.

Of course, just like the incident in the bus, this made him turn towards me. However, instead of a disgusted look, he shot me a warm smile instead.

“Young lady, were you looking for someone?”

He was speaking in Lartican, just like the Director. Since it was the largest (and arguably the most influential) country in this Section of the world, their language was used as a common tool of communication. He put out the fire of his cigarette and fully turned his attention to me. I couldn't help but wonder how his lungs looked… were they all hole-y too…

“Focus, the so-called ‘communication specialist’ between us.” Mimi interrupted my distracted thoughts.

“A-ah, right, I was actually looking for Director Emery… I looked at the caravan but…”

He nodded. “Oh, is that so. Well, she is inside the tent right now, watching over the rehearsal.”

If he (Cheeseman, for lack of a better description at the moment) was having a cigarette break, it meant his part was over. Would that mean it was the knife show’s turn? I shuddered. I didn't want to get up and close to such a practice session.

Possibly from seeing my wavering state, he quietly chuckled. “No need to feel nervous. If you know the Director’s name you must be here for a reason. Everyone will be understanding.”

I didn't really want to expose my main concern at the moment, however his words surely helped sweep away some of my other reasons of anxiety. Not wanting to go inside just yet, I tried to lengthen the conversation.

“Yeah, she asked me if I'd like to be a part of the circus. My name is Mirai, my Aberrance is that I have two people in one body.”

I was not used to revealing this information to people I had just met, so I automatically tensed up. But the blonde gentleman in front of me simply nodded with a smile, as if it were the most normal thing he'd ever heard.

“Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, Miss Mirai. Did you see yesterday's show? I take it that I wouldn't have to explain my Aberrance…?” he said with a calm smirk.

I grinned. “Yeah, think I know already. Oh… your performance really was amazing by the way, um, Mister…?”

He did a polite bow with his head, holding one arm in front of his chest. When he was wearing regular clothes, it was impossible to know the reality of his anatomy.

“My apologies for not introducing myself properly. You can call me Salvar, no need for ‘mister’ attached to it. We will be colleagues from now on, yeah?”

He smiled in a reassuring manner. Then he commented that the music coming from inside had stopped, so I could go in without any further concerns of interrupting.

After exchanging a few words more, I quietly stepped inside the tent. Unlike the performance evening, it wasn't dark at all, the lights being fully turned on with a pleasant bright aura. For this reason, I could spot everyone else inside the area right away.

Some staff I didn't recognize, the performers of the Circus, and Director Emery, too.

No Nilsu. I let out a relaxed breath. At least I didn't have to worry about that topic for now. I approached the Director, who was talking to little Adal. They didn't seem to notice me from the distance, and I listened to them to come in at an appropriate time.

Adal was trying to express something, but his Lartican was not very fluent. Director Emery shook her head and muttered “If only Roan were here…” but kept on listening to the little gentleman.

As I kept on watching them, Mimi made a most ingenious suggestion.

“What are you standing here for? Go on, help them communicate.”

She was so right it almost hurt. Didn't I know both languages? This was a chance for me to prove myself! I dashed forward.

“Director Emery, hello! It's me, Mirai. I came to visit. Let me help!”

She turned to me coolly, not giving even a hint of a smile. Despite that, she didn't give off a hostile or unwelcoming aura at all.

“Oh, you're here. Right, you know Lartican rather well. Listen to what he has to say, please.”

I turned to the young boy, who seemed a bit surprised with my sudden appearance. I smiled and waved at him.

“Hey hey, hi Adal! What did you want to tell the Director? Let me help translate.”

His eyes brightened. “Oh, thank you so much! I just wanted to thank her for letting me perform in this show. Because of my school, I can't join the performances in other cities. The time I had with everyone dancing around me made me so happy… I really wish I could extend my time with the Circus.”

What a sweet kid… he was very well articulated as well. With a bright grin, I relayed his adorable sentiment to the Director. While her stern expression didn't change in the least, I could see her eyes turn a bit warmer.

“I see. It was my pleasure to get you to perform with us, Adal. You did very, very well.”

She lightly ruffled his neatly combed hair, and this made him chuckle. I figured he understood what she meant even without my help.

“We still have more performances remaining in Balamur, I hope you can enjoy them to your heart's content. I'm sure that many more friends your age will come watch.”

Thinking maybe these would benefit from a translation, I opened my mouth. At that moment, I heard a familiar, clear voice behind me.

“What's this, we got a new translator on board…?”

I turned to see the source of the voice, and indeed, it was the knife throwing lady which I had recognized the voice of.

“Oh, the shortstack.”

“Mimi, not now…!”

This woman was quite small in size, even more so than Nilsu; this fact being emphasized when she stood next to the lanky me. She had tattoos all over her arms, and even her ears were inked. I thought she looked spectacularly cool. She looked at me with her darkly tinted eyes, questioning who I was.

Director Emery answered her question. “No, she is not hired yet. It depends on her decision. In fact, you should help her decide.”

She grinned. “Aha, I'm glad. It would be so sad if you went and hired another, when I'm right here~ Even without Roan around, I'm all you need.”

She patted my back and winked. “I'll even show her around and tell her how things work with us. Is that good with ya?”

I felt oddly excited, now that the charismatic knife thrower lady was talking to me—it finally felt like I had digested the reality of my situation. Talking to all these admirable people made me register that I had the chance to be a part of something real incredible…!

The Director had no objections to what she suggested, and naturally neither did I.

“Alright, you do that, Ivone. I have some paperwork to handle, so when you make a decision, come meet me, Miss Mirai.”