2nd Show [Action]

[sitalion]

[Well, if Stefano can't get back to his circus in Europe, he'd just have to bring a circus to Luceti. The first step is a little exposure, and a little practice. So first, he's picked out a nice, visible spot by the fountain and has set up his own little act. He has a big box full of toys beside him, mostly with balls of all sizes, and random instruments.]

Gather around, everybody, gather around! And prepare to be blown away!

[He takes three bowling pins into his flippers and begins to juggle them. It lasts for about ten seconds before he misses a catch, and the pins go flying everywhere. Stefano grins sheepishly and scrambles to pick them up.]

I'm still-a practicing with that one. Pretty good, no?

Now, look at this!

[He puts the pins back into his box. If that doesn't get any attention, he's got one toy that will – a blowhorn stand. Stefano squeezes the blowhorns, producing squeaking and farting sounds.]

[Poor sea lion...he just might be trying too hard.]

Comments

[dealsinshipping]

[The animal with the funny accent catches Varrick's attention and he does indeed 'gather round' to watch with a thoughtful expression on his face. He narrowly avoids getting hit in the face with a juggling pin, but that's not enough to scare him off. He continues to watch the blowhorn stand performance and once that's over, he just has to speak up.]

Not bad, not bad. I know good comedy relief when I see it! Just one question. ...Just what sort animal are you? [Definitely not a turtle seal or a tiger seal. Maybe just a seal seal, like how Luceti also has bear bears, fox foxes and the like.]

[sitalion]

[Oh boy, an audience! Stefano pauses to take a bow.]

Grazie, grazie! I'mma here all week!

[Or forever, even. However long he's going to be stuck here.]

I am a sea lion!

[dealsinshipping]

Seal lion? That can't be right. Where's your mane?

[Yeah, he totally misheard that. Not that sea lions are a thing that exist in his world either.]

[sitalion]

Mane? Sea lions don't-a have manes!

[Where did he even get that from?]

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue's crossing through the square when she sees Stefano by the fountain. Never having seen a sea lion before, she's entranced by the fact he can talk and juggle. Mostly juggle. It's a good effort. She stays through the blowhorns, giggling as she approaches.]

That was fun!

[sitalion]

[Yay, she likes his show! Now he's got to keep it going before she gets bored!]

Isn't it fun? Now look at this!

[He pulls out a beach ball from the box and begins to balance it on his nose.]

I can balance a ball on-a my nose! How about-a that!?

[rutagraveolens]

That's very good!

[Rue claps lightly as she watches him.]

So what are you? I've never seen anything like you before.

[sitalion]

I am a sea lion!

[He catches the ball in his flippers, setting it down for a moment to take a break and have a chat.]

And what is your name?

[dealsinshipping]

Of course they do! That's why they're seal lions!

[This is just common sense to Varrick, really.]

[sitalion]

We are not lions! We are sea lions! They are two different-a species!

[dealsinshipping]

[Oh, wait, huh. He frowns again.]

Sea...lions? Lions that live in the sea? ...Still sounds like you'd need a mane.

[sitalion]

Well, I don't-a need a mane. Then I would look-a like Alice.

[And now that they've got that settled...]

So, would you like-a to see more?

[dealsinshipping]

[Oh, so it's a rebel, is it? One brave sea lion thing standing up against the norms of society. ...Or maybe the sea lions in this animal's world really don't have manes. Maybe. Either way, Varrick's giving it the benefit of the doubt.]

Sure, sure! Why not?

[sitalion]

Fantastic! Now let's see...

[He digs through his toy box and fishes out a hula hoop.]

Ah ha! A hula hoop!

[Positioning it around his waist and then rocking his hips to let the hoop swing around.]

[dealsinshipping]

[Varrick's less impressed by this trick. Not only is it not very interesting, it's not very funny either. He watches for a moment, then decides to throw in a suggestion.]

Can you juggle while hooping?

[sitalion]

[His hips stop rocking, and the hula hoop swings down to the ground.]

Eh...I've-a never tried that...

[But he's too eager to please, so he's going to try it now. He picks up the bowling pins again, and positions the hoop around his waist. Then he'll start swinging the hoop first, and then begin the juggling. That move only lasts for about two seconds before he misses the catch on the pins, and they go bouncing in every direction once again. The hula hoop swings to the ground again as well. Stefano drops his arms to his sides in defeat. He can already feel the jeers coming on.]

[rutagraveolens]

Oh, I've never seen a sea lion before. Can all of them do tricks like you?

[Rue move over to sit down on the fountain.]

I'm Rue!

[dealsinshipping]

[Nope, no jeers will come from Varrick. Only loud laughter. See, this is what he was hoping to see. He starts clapping enthusiastically.]

Bravo! Very good!

[sitalion]

[Stefano perks up with a bright smile, as if a switch had been flipped.]

Really??

[sitalion]

Fantastic! My name is-a Stefano!

[He almost forgot to add his own name there.]

Oh no! See, in-a the circus, we animals are unique. Talented. They do tricks that they wouldn't do in-a the wild. Have you ever seen a tiger jumpa through hoops?

[dealsinshipping]

Really! Every good show needs comedy to make people laugh! It's what keeps things lighthearted in the middle of the really intense performances.

[He means this as a compliment. Really, he does.]

[sitalion]

[Gasp!]

Ab-a-solutely! Every circus needs its clowns to make-a people laugh!

[rutagraveolens]

It's nice to meet you Stefano!

[Rue shook her head. She'd never seen a tiger before, much less a circus.]

Never. Are there a lot of animals in a... circus?

[sitalion]

Oh yes! There are elephants, horses, and dogs in our circus. My best-a friends are Vitaly the tiger, and-a Gia the jaguar.

[rutagraveolens]

What are elephants? And jaguar? [Horses and dogs she knows, and she's seen pictures of tigers in her books.]