<table width="100%"><tr><td style="vertical-align: top; width:50%; padding-right:10px;"><span style="color: #E6E9FD"><span style="font-family: Nyala;"><span style="font-size: 120%; line-height: 116%;">Through the blankness that is sleep, light penetrated within in a large sheet of red dots and clouds. Eyes gingerly flutter open, light peering through the pin hole sized openings until the floodgates were opened, and the red turned to white. A weary moan vibrated inside a slim throat as the eyes squint in the sunlight seeping through the window. A mop of black hair tangled in itself stood up on it's ends as the head lifted up from the pillow case. Youthful hands rubbed it's eyes in a fatigued manner, it's arm shielding itself from the light once done. The young boy grimaced at the irritated sensation the brightness had caused him, but he starred out the window until it became a blue sky instead of a blinding white haze. The sick child sniffled, lowering his arm down to look out the window of his two story home. Down on the street, he watched blandly at the figures that passed by. <br/><br/>As he did so, water sloshed around in heavy, metal buckets, dropping down the metal sides and splashing onto the cobbled street. The excess water soaked into white, dirt covered cloth and landing on top of leather, bedraggled sandals. Sore shoulders carried a long pole which balanced the buckets neatly, even as they swung from side to side. The grimace on the woman's face was apparent as she grunted down the street. Her feet almost dragged under the weight and her aging muscles wanted to give out, but they padded on down the street, unaware of the young eyes that watched them. <br/><br/>Her feet added to the muffled noise of the city that surrounded sly hands.  Like the descent of the water droplets, the hands of the mischievous man waved about in the air, creating reflective spouts of water and heated orbs of fire that danced around those that gathered around. His feet were solid against the ground and his body stable, but he leaned in various directions as the people around him did, engaging those who laughed along. <br/><br/></span></span></span></td><td style="vertical-align: top; width:50%; padding-left:10px;"><span style="color: #E6E9FD"><span style="font-family: Nyala;"><span style="font-size: 120%; line-height: 116%;">Despite these three individuals living very different lives from on another, they all held many similarities. All three roamed and were ruled by a simple culture. For a city that was far too large for it's own good, it was surprisingly controlled and unified by this phenomenon. The more people the city gained, the more the citizens seemed alike. Many kept out of the way, worked hard for a living, and lived among family and friends. Although colours were present on the buildings and among the people, they weren't expressively used, for they needed no expression. Most of the population felt the same about their city of Merriwick. They felt safe. Secure. There was no need to reach outside the lines, to protest against their king who had safely guarded their home for decades. It was a large city with a small town heart, and most of everyone who lived there thought very similar to one another. Again, it was a simple culture in a simple city. <br/><br/>That particular day was rather dreary, which was unlike Merriwick's usual sun filled self. While most week days, there would be no clouds to break the blue that is the sky, today there were many, significantly dulling the sunlight that made it's way through and around the clouds. The clouds were just as white as snow, however, so the citizens were convinced there would be no rain that day, but the streets did seem dim. Pieces of metal on statues, clothing, or signs didn't shine as significantly as before, and the colours that were present in the city and it's people seemed pale and drawn out. This was considered bad weather in Merriwick, since rain and storms were very few. But considering there was no drizzle, people walked about as if the sun was beaming on their face, and the man in one of the two squares continued to wow the kids and amaze the adults. <br/><br/>With magic, it wasn't entirely hard to do, since only a portion of the population had the ability to do such, but there were enough out there in which you had to come up with new tricks to remain relevant. Tricks such as fire dances and water horses, which of course were among the crowd's favourites. So he continued on with a smile, pleasing the crowd any which way they wished him to go. </span></span></span></td></tr></table>