Mage in the mist

"It's a wonderful afternoon, isn't it, little Dreamer?" A man's gentle voice spoke out into the quiet spring air.

Lumière stood facing a man with thick curly brown hair and a vague sense of eyes like a calm subsiding storm. He had a well-sculpted face and pale but fair skin that lacked any marks or blemishes. Although, the more that Lumière tried to ascertain the details of the man's appearance, his face seemed to warp and grow blurry and unrecognisable to his eyes.

He had a half-top hat coloured black with a bright white stripe along the top of its rim. He also wore a dark three-piece suit that matched the colour of his hat, with a white handkerchief tucked in his breast pocket. Above all, past the blurry features of his face, he had a warm smile that seemed to bathe comfort over Lumière.

It was the magician who had performed on the street corner just moments prior. Although the crowd had nearly dispersed completely to move on to the other events of the festival, Lumière had stayed behind to inquire into matters of the magician's craft.

"Little dreamer?" Lumière repeated out loud with a sense of stupor.

"Anyone with eyes that can see the world with a fresh perspective can dream of many impossible things, and strive to make them a reality. Above all, you are quite free to do as much as you want, for as long as you want." The Magician smiled softly. "So, you are a 'little dreamer' because you can do absolutely anything that you can think to dream of."

The Magician leaned down towards Lumière, having been standing up above on the midnight-coloured platform made of milk crates.

"Did you enjoy the show, little Dreamer?"

"I did enjoy it. Will you do many more shows, Mr..."

Lumière was at a loss, for he had never actually heard the magician's name. So, he felt a little embarrassed as he blankly stared at the man.

"My name is Demeter." The magician smiled softly. "As for my events... this may just be the last one I ever do."

"Why is that?"

"Soon, my purpose will be fulfilled. There's no longer a need for me to perform."

"That's quite sad," Lumière said dejectedly.

"I don't think so. I think it's very beautiful, for the end of it all to be so peaceful and fulfilled."

Lumière squinted as he tried desperately to think of why he would wish for something he enjoyed to end, but he couldn't seem to empathise with the magician in the slightest. So, he posed another question.

"Why are you a magician, above all other things?"

Demeter then answered with another question.

"Have you ever seen a friend cry, little Dreamer?"

"Many times."

"When someone is sad, or feeling awful feelings, sometimes the best thing you can do is give them a distraction from their own heart." The blurred Magician spoke brightly- as if it was a matter of fact.

"Can your magic do all that?" Lumière asked with a curious expression crossing his face.

"I think that all things that are grand and performative can do that. It isn't really about the magic itself, but the enthralling loftiness that can capture someone's heart. As long as you are lost in that breathless euphoria, it's almost impossible not to smile."

"That almost seems like magic in itself." Lumière laughed softly, unable to feel anything but warm and bright in the magician's presence. "Then, is the purpose of magic to bring smiles?"

"I'm sure that magic's purpose is what you make it, little dreamer. To bring smiles... it's surely mine."

"Then I think I too would like to be a magician."

"If that's what you'd like to do, then you could start learning even now."

"How?" Lumière asked.

"Is there someone you want to make smile the most?"

Lumière thought for a moment, but slowly, an assured expression began to cross his face.

"So, how should I make her smile?"

The Magician's lips crept up gently as if it was an answer he wanted to hear most. He began to reach out his hand like he was going to ruffle the hair on Lumière's head, but he forcefully stopped himself, his nerves tense and shaky as he retracted his hand. Instead, he reached into his suit's inner pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief almost identical to the one tucked into his breast pocket.

He then unravelled it, revealing a brightly gleaming iron-wrought flower tucked into the velvet cloth.

"I wouldn't go as far to say that women are much more sentimental than men, but I think that things like this can become the centrepiece of a most treasured memory for them," Demeter spoke with a gentle smile. "Although, like every 'performance', the way you present it matters. You're trying to create a warm environment that makes people smile, and in this instance, you should try to make it a rememberable, genuine memory."

"How can I do all that?"

"You seem like a kindhearted person, little dreamer. So just be yourself, and give her this pin, and tell her that it carries the most heartfelt feelings of your heart."

Lumière's face reddened slightly, but he didn't let his embarrassment be voiced and nodded slightly.

Demeter stood up from where he had knelt on the wooden platform, standing high above Lumière with a faint, unrecognisable smile. He seemed to be looking down at Lumière with a tentative, longing gaze.

"I'll be going now," Demeter spoke simply.

"Will I see you again?" Lumière asked with widened, almost saddened eyes.

He couldn't pin down the exact origin, but looking at the man who seemed quite far away, even though he stood so close, Lumière felt his heart begin to tear itself apart.

"Always."

Demeter parted his lips once more, but quickly and shakily bit at his tongue, as if he had resigned himself to say no more.

"Allow me to present you with one, singular grand finale, little dreamer," Demeter spoke gently, extending his palm outwards as if to gesture towards the stage behind him.

In the corner street of the entertainment district which seemed to quietly cloak itself in mist, only the young dreamer and the magician stood opposed, meeting each other's gaze even though both seemed distant and unrecognisable, as if a glass curtain had been raised between the two.

"With all my regards, I wish you the best of life," Demeter spoke aloud.

He had the wildest and warmest grin spread across his face as he raised his arms outwards as if embracing the warmth of the sun above him. Slowly, the mist that had enveloped the street began to wrap itself in a cloak around him, and in an instant, his form withered into the nothingness of the air.

"Goodbye, my little dreamer."

Unconsciously, Lumière felt his hand reach up as if to grab at the magician, but at that point, there was nothing left atop the black-painted wooden stage. In the street filled with mist, only Lumière remained.

On top of the wooden platform, where Demeter had once stood, was a black half-top hat with a bright white stripe along the top of the rim. Without looking around him, Lumière climbed up onto the stage and picked up the felt hat in his small hands.

"Well, until you return, Mr. Demeter, I will care well for your belongings." Lumière smiled softly.

Soon after, carrying the top hat underneath his arm, he met up with the group that had temporarily moved on to the other events of the festival. However by that point, a thick mist had gathered in the streets, and rain began to pour in droves onto the street.

"Lumi!" Letis exclaimed happily, running up to the boy before wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Did you have a good talk with that magician?"

"If you learned any magic, surely you could conjure some fantastical sights." Artier grinned.

Lumière just shook his head in turn.

"No, I didn't learn any magic from him, at least not as you're imagining..."

He took the half-top hat that had been tucked under his arm and slipped it onto his head. Despite him being much shorter and smaller than Demeter, the hat seemed to fit his head perfectly. So, Lumière allowed his lips to curl upwards, a warm and gentle smile plastered onto his expression as he stepped towards Elise, who stood silently at the wayside with a curious expression.

He reached into his pocket, fishing around until he found the cold iron that rested within. Then he pulled it out, revealing a small glimmering flower pin in his warm hands, pinning it against the collar of Elise's shirt with a smile.

"This is for you, Elise."

She looked down at her collar, before looking up towards him once more.

Although, quite different from what Lumière had been expecting, instead of a smile crossing Elise's face, she began to cry outwardly. Instead of covering her expression, however, Elise rushed forth and caught Lumière with the full of her weight, wrapping her arms around his small body.

"Lumi... thank you..." She cried out.

The other boys around the two let their gazes wander away- as if they hadn't noticed their interaction at all, caught up in the swirling of the grey storm clouds above.

"I just want you to be happy, so don't cry too much..." Lumière spoke gently as he put a hand on top of her head comfortingly.

Elise simply nodded in response as she looked back up towards him with a tear-strewn expression.

"Alright." She said as she smiled.