The Renfaire

The renfaire was bustling with activity as many people talked and walked around the site, buying things or taking enjoyment out of those who worked as the entertainers.

Ali strolled around in her normal street clothes, seeing this as an interesting attraction to visit. Of course, she kept to herself, she didn't know anyone there after all; Besides, there were so many talented costumes that made her intimidated. Despite the feeling, she couldn't help but find the entire experience somewhat magical, like she stepped into a fairy tale.

Eventually, she came across a large crowd gathered around something she couldn't see. Compared to everything else, it almost felt like half the faire was there watching. Her curiosity piqued, she decided to maneuver her way through the wall of people to see what was going on, the crowd’s voices blended together in a wide tone of awe from whatever they were all watching.

As she got closer, laughter and sounds of slight struggle became clearer, alongside the scent and warmth of fire and burning wood, something nostalgic. It reminded her of going to the circus with her grandparents as a child, something fun and freeing. In the middle of it all, there was what appeared to be a jester. They were dressed in bright, patchwork clothes, and of course the standard hat with bells on the end.

Ali thought they looked cute from first appearances alone, the focus on their face was obvious and endearing. They were balancing on a large inflated ball with only one hand, slowly moving their palm to keep themselves up. Meanwhile, their other hand held a torch which they used to breathe fire into the air, drawing excited reactions from the crowd.

Ali felt the heat of the flames as they licked her face, causing her to flinch momentarily. She took a step back immediately after with a nervous chuckle, deciding to keep a small distance to stay safe.

Ali had to admit, it was extremely impressive to watch, there was nothing but pure skill with how the jester handled themselves. Their infectious laugh filled the air and caused a few others to laugh as well, Ali included. The tension she felt earlier was slowly melting away as the performance filled her with a type of joy she couldn't quite describe.

The crowd's energy was palpable, the applause and encouraging words rippled through the mass like waves, with all the costumes and faces adding to the boisterous moment. "Oho! Glad to see I've built up quite the audience!" The jester chimed, taking another breath before releasing a burst of flames. "I hope you all enjoyed the heart-pounding performance!" They mused with a laugh, peeking around at the crowd who watched intently, all sorts of people all coming together to watch them and their theatrics.

With that, they pushed themselves off the ball, launching themselves into the air and giving a few flips before landing on the ground. Their arms were spread wide, with the goofiest grin that Ali had ever seen so far. Their eyes sparkled with excitement and joy as they listened to the applause.

Ali couldn't simply stand there, so she whistled and applauded alongside the rest of the crowd as the jester gave a dramatic bow. She found herself feeling much better about coming to the renfaire in the first place, seeing just how whimsical and fun these people can put with their performances alone. She wanted to go out to greet the performer, but hesitated; Despite the excitement, she didn't want to put herself in the spotlight, so instead settled on the same applause held by many others.