Jekhipe

The next year they met, it was pure coincidence.

Tyki, who had taken over Allen's shopping duties with their leader's order because the boy had proven himself useless with directions, had been digging in his pockets for the family wallet when he saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. The familiar color brought forth a mixed feeling of irritation and anticipation; the whole year they'd been on the road, the crimson color had haunted him. He turned, instincts driving his actions as they had for the past year, and ended up nose to nose with a pale face, flaming red hair, and an emerald eye. He was suddenly grateful for his dark skin, as it hid the blush that covered his face at the sight of the boy so close in his personal space.

"Hi!" The boy said, grinning wildly. "How are ya?" Tyki blinked at him once, confused at the warm reception. He wore his normal traveling outfit- - -a long, baggy button up shirt because he got his clothes from Sheril when the elder out grew them, so the covering cloth fell down to his thighs and worn pants, both of which had seen better days. His hair was wild and all over the place, and his face was still streaked with dirt and sweat; overall, the days of walking alongside the caravan had gotten him rather dirty, and he hadn't had a chance to go in the river by where they set up and clean himself off. The Earl had requested he pick up food for their meals, and though he hadn't particularly wanted to go into town looking the way he did, the promise of a fresh meal for the first time in several weeks had Tyki going to the market without so much as a single complaint. Still, there was no mistaking who he was, even if the people of the town didn't know them by name. Tyki was clearly one of the gypsies that had settled a few miles out of town once again.

On the other hand, this red-head boy was clearly well-off. He had a green headband around his head, going over the string of a black eye patch on his right eye that looked brand new even as it looked worn. He had a clean, fitted white shirt on, covered by a simple black coat lined with silver thread and an emerald scarf around his neck. The skin on his face was clean and completely unblemished, his face still holding some of the roundness that Tyki's face had already lost. His pale skin was red around the cheeks, and Tyki assumed the boy realized how close they were because two seconds later, he had backed away a bit.

"Anyway, you're Tyki, right?" At the question he almost missed, Tyki scowled, leaving his hand in his pocket; despite the sudden clench of his fist, as if preparing himself for a fight, he told himself it was to continue searching for the wallet. He knew better than to fight someone like the child before him, he reminded himself, and it wouldn't do to fight when he was supposed to be getting groceries.

"Who wants to know?" He asked smoothly, his gold eyes guarded as he tilted his head to the side. The boy laughed and shook his own head, his hair flying in all directions. His laughter was warm and infectious, surprising Tyki into taking an unwilling step back. It lit up his whole face, revealing a missing tooth in the side of his mouth. A smile twitched on Tyki's face, one that he forced down with a small shake of his head.

"No, no, you got me all wrong!" He held his hand out. "My name is Lavi; I'm part of the Bookman family." Tyki silently disregarded the hand, giving Lavi a distrustful look- - -he had had this happen to him once before, when a child higher up had offered his hand in friendship, only to have been punished cruelly by both the child and his family. His humiliation hadn't even ended with that; when the Millennium Earl had found out, he'd made a point to bring it forth to their caravan. The Earl had taken his suffering and turned it into a lesson and reminder to their entire group.

It wasn't an experience he was particularly willing to relive again.

"I don't recall giving you my name." Tyki said coolly. His tone made the red head draw back minutely, tilting his head to the side. Lavi's hand fell, his gaze turning inquisitive as he did. Tyki watched the gears in the boy's head turn, his eye trailing up and down the gypsy carefully. For the first time in his life, Tyki found himself self conscious of how he appeared to the other boy; he knew what he looked like, and it wasn't something children like the red head in front of him consorted with on a daily basis. It wasn't shame at his appearance coursing through him, Tyki told himself firmly, it was irritation that this boy didn't seem to know how to keep to the script society had created for them.

"It isn't Tyki?" He asked curiously, when he finally spoke again. His voice was sounding weird, like he was sure of the information he had but was requesting confirmation all the same. "That's what Allen called you last time I saw you- - -was I wrong?" Tyki stared at him wordlessly and Lavi stared back. There was a quick moment of silence, wherein Tyki's mind went blank and Lavi's face was full of questions. The crowd bustled around them until Lavi said, "Is it 'cause of my eye patch? I don't really need it. I'll take it off if it bothers you so much." He reached up slowly, hands going behind his neck as they rose to take off the black fabric.

Tyki panicked.

"No!" Tyki's arm was full of the groceries, which meant that his free hand shot out before he could stop it, wrapping around the other's wrist to stop him. His hand gripped the thin wrist tightly, the motion moving the red head's hand a whole two inches from his head. Lavi stared at him, his visible eye wide in shock; Tyki felt his flush darken, most likely becoming visible on his face, and he released Lavi's wrist with a small gasp. A small bit of the dust that had collected on his fingers left a mark on the boy's wrist and jacket, making the gypsy wince; there was no way for him to deny that he'd touched the other boy at all, not with glaring evidence right on his sleeve. His only hope was for the boy to forgive him without telling anyone what had happened. Without a second thought, and only barely through gritted teeth, Tyki bowed his head and apologized. "My apologies, truly- - -"

"Wow!" Lavi exclaimed over him, drowning out Tyki's apology. His eyes were wide with amazement, looking between Tyki and his hand in surprised happiness. "You move fast! That was amazing!" Tyki blinked again, lifting his head against his will to watch him with only slightly narrowed eyes; this boy was throwing him off, trying to completely turn his opinions of peoples other than gypsies as horrible tricksters and wicked liars. The worst part was, he was doing a fairly good job of it, with his easy attitude and how impressed he was with an instinctual reaction. Belatedly, he realized he had torn his free hand out of his pocket and the man at the stall was still waiting for him to pay for the food he had grabbed, watching the exchange impatiently and with an extremely close eye on Tyki so that the gypsy wouldn't escape without paying.

Lavi watched with interest as Tyki shoved his hand back into his pocket, digging around in it as he searched.

"Lavi!" The call made both Lavi and Tyki look up, Lavi sheepishly and Tyki with slightly wide eyes. An old man, wearing a black coat that trailed onto the floor, came into view; Tyki noted absently that the man barely came up to the boy's shoulders. He hobbled over to the boys, using his walking stick sparingly as he maneuvered the crowd. Lavi seemed to shrink down a bit, though he was still smiling happily at Tyki. "Idiot boy, don't go wandering around by yourself." He turned sharp eyes, ringed in black, onto Tyki, and his eyes narrowed. "Who's this?"

"Ah?" Unused to being addressed by someone so head on, especially by an elder with clothes as fine as his, Tyki blinked a few times before answering. He noted out of the corner of his eyes that Lavi had snapped at attention, looking expectantly at the other boy. Reminding himself that the boy had wanted his name, the gypsy responded slightly hesitantly. His fingers had located the heavy coin purse, and held tightly to it as a sort of anchor. "My name is Tyki Mikk, sir. I'm part of the Noah family, on the outskirts of town." The man- - -Bookman, he assumed, more than likely the boy's grandfather and, more importantly, the head of the Bookman house- - -studied him critically. As Tyki refused to squirm under the old man's gaze, he watched uncomfortably as the dark eyes focused on his too-long, faded gray shirt and baggy, patched up pants before raising an eyebrow at his obvious lack of shoes.

"Age?" Bookman asked, and Tyki held his shock back.

"Ten seasons as of Amalia." Tyki answered, wondering what the inquiries were for. Bookman studied him a bit longer, doing the calculations in his head; Amalia was a town that was seventy miles away, and seeing as their seasons usually lasted as long as nature's, it was too easy to guess his general age in terms of years the way the non-nomadics were used to. Tyki waited impatiently as Bookman considered him before nodding his head once, seemingly coming to a decision though he still glared at Tyki distrustfully.

"I will not find any of my possessions missing, will I?" Beside him, Lavi stiffened in surprise and horror. Tyki felt the edges of his mouth twist into a sharp grin, one that would be more teeth and threats than any genuine happiness. Indignant rage coursed through his small body, and his fists clenched. How dare this small, entitled man assume that because he was a gypsy, he would steal from them. He didn't know anything about their group, anything about- - - He fought hard and tamped it down before it could form fully, just as the red headed boy exploded.

"I can't believe you would ask such a thing, Gramps!" He yelled out, horror in his voice at the same time Tyki shook his head slowly. The Bookman watched Tyki warily for a few moments, clearly not trusting the boy in front of him.

"We make it a point not to steal." Tyki said coolly, pretending he had finally locating the missing wallet buried underneath the vast amount of objects in his pocket that he carried around with him everyday. Lavi was distracted by the pretty object, and Tyki set the groceries down briefly so that he could finally pay the man at the stall and be on his way home. The whole encounter was leaving him deeply unsettled, and he longed to get away and be back in familiar territory. "As much as I'd like to stay, I really must get home." He pulled out some money, handing it to the man at the stall; with a smile and polite bow, Tyki took the food into his arms again, ready to make a run for it now that the stall owner was no longer watching him so suspiciously. "It was nice meeting you, Lavi-san, Bookman-sama."

"No, no formalities." Lavi said earnestly. His green eye was shining eagerly, clearly excited at the idea of having a new friend. "I'll walk with ya, ok?" Tyki stared at Lavi again, eyes wide before he shook his head. There was no reason for this boy to follow him home, like a puppy that had found itself a new playmate and wasn't willing to let it alone.

"It's no problem, really. I can get home just fine on my own." Lavi ignored him, waving at Bookman before falling in step with the quickly retreating gypsy. Tyki's face twitched a bit, irritation lacing his arms and face before he shoved it away. They walked in silence, the gypsy walking a bit faster than normal in a subtle attempt to get away. The red head matched his pace easily, humming to himself as he looked around in interest. As he couldn't get the boy to leave, Tyki allowed him to walk beside him, slowing his pace a bit so that they would be able to speak easily. "How did you know my name?" Lavi grinned at him, looking happy that Tyki had instigated the conversation himself.

"Bookmen are trained to remember everything, no matter how small or insignificant." He waited a moment to let the information sink in. Tyki nodded and Lavi continued with a small shrug. "So, two years ago, when I met Allen- - -how is he, by the way? - - -I heard him call you 'Tyki'. I kind of assumed it was your name."

"Ah, I see…" Tyki trailed off, keeping his voice neutral and completely ignoring the question about Allen. Lavi didn't seem to notice, and for a while they walked in silence. The day was still young, and the sun was bright on them as they walked down the path to the caravans. There was a slight breeze, ruffling the grass and their hair as they walked amiably.

"You said you were ten seasons." Lavi started conversationally, jolting Tyki in surprise and making the other glance at him briefly. "Is that kind of like saying it in years? I'm nine years old, you know." Tyki didn't respond, deciding to watch the other out of the corner of his eye instead. The red head was staring at the sky, his hands behind his head; there had been a moment where Lavi had tried to take the groceries, and Tyki had snapped at him so harshly that he retracted the offer. As a result, he had put his hands behind his head as he walked. Lavi seemed to notice his sidelong glance, and he looked back. "Are you sure you don't want me to take off my eye patch? I don't mind it, really, and if you'd be more comfortable without it..."

"No, it's fine, Lavi." He said the name with hesitance and reluctance, not sure what to do with the other boy. It sounded weird, the name rolling off of his tongue and leaving behind a strange burst of flavor in his mouth. He worked his jaw, trying vainly to get rid of the taste. Still, it almost felt worth it; Lavi beamed at him, his eye crinkling and his teeth flashing in the light; the joy radiating off of him was almost palatable, and despite having just met the boy, Tyki could feel something flutter in his stomach, like a Tease.

He squashed the feeling violently.

"Tyki-pon!" Came the voice of his clan's leader, and he stopped accordingly, Lavi behind him. Ignoring Lavi's startled sound, Tyki turn slightly and smiled in spite of himself. He hadn't realized that they were so close to the caravans already, and the unsettling feeling that had been settled in the bottom of his stomach grew; the Earl wouldn't be especially pleased with Tyki for bringing home a stray, especially one that looked as finely dressed as Lavi did. The ornately dressed leader had caught sight of them and was waving, prompting the gypsy to mimick the movement.

Their clan leader, known only as the Millennium Earl to everyone and them, was bounding over wearing one of his usual ridiculous outfits. Today, it seemed, he decided on a pink top hat with roses covering the brim, as well as a bright pink suit with a whit shirt to change into. He used illusions when among the people of the town even out of performance times; as a result, he looked as wide as he was tall, though Tyki knew it was the outfits he wore that created such an image of him, which was never complete without an enormous smile that never seemed to leave his face. His glasses glinted humorously in every light, hiding the piercing gaze behind the clear glass and the darkness the hat provided.

"Lord Millennium." Tyki bowed respectively when he was within speaking range, mindful of the food in his arms. Lavi made an incomprehensible noise as he did so, and Tyki restrained the urge to force the boy to copy him. His hand still twitched with the aborted movement, and he tightened his hand on the groceries he was carrying. "I apologize if I took too long- - -I had trouble locating the wallet."

"Oh, it's no trouble, Tyki-pon!" The man said joyously. He wrapped his arm around Tyki, pulling the boy against his side and nearly dropping some of the fruit that had been placed at the top of the bag. "I'm just relieved to have all members of our troupe safe and sound amongst family again. Who knows what kind of trouble could be caused for us in the town, you know. It's a good thing you've made it back safely. Ah!" The Earl seemed to have just noticed Lavi, though Tyki knew that the man had been watching the red headed boy closely before they had even entered the camp. He reached over and took the boy's hand jovially, shaking his hand as he addressed the both of them. "Hello! Who is this, Tyki-pon?"

Tyki glanced unsurely at Lavi before shrugging with one shoulder.

"He claims to be part of the Bookman estate," Tyki said, feeling the Earl's gaze sharpen at his seemingly flippant answer; the Bookman estate was among the Kanda family in terms of respect, even a bit more so due to the amount of knowledge they amassed over their lifetimes. Knowing of them was easy. Knowing one of them personally was considered an honor. Tyki didn't know what it meant that its youngest member had decided upon him as a friend, considering it was well known that the Bookman clan didn't make friends. They had allies and enemies, but none closer than that to guard their secrets. The boy was quickly becoming something of a nuisance, but Tyki knew why the Earl chose to focus his sharp gaze on him rather than the red head whose hand he was releasing. He kept his gaze locked with his elder's out of respect, his eyes showing the Earl what the man wanted to know. "His name, I believe, is Lavi."

"Pleasure to meet you, Lavi." The Earl said with his normal overly-joyful tone, tilting his head in acknowledgement. The red head was looking, confused, between the two as the gypsy leader reached over and took the food from the boy in his clan. Tyki wasn't sure what the man was planning, but he knew better than to go against anything the Earl wanted; he allowed him to take the groceries from him, leaving his suddenly empty arms to dangle by his side. "Excuse me, Tyki-pon, but I believe your niece will be awake soon, seeing as she spent most of the morning sleeping away. I've no doubt in my mind that she and the rest of the little ones will want to play. Tricia is still recovering from her bout of illness, though. I suppose that traveling really doesn't suit the poor woman. Your brother is with her in the recovery tent, and Miranda is keeping a close eye on her to ensure she doesn't get any worse. Since that is the case, I expect food for all the little ones will be ready shortly, and once you have made sure they're all fed, you may do as you please until sunset."

"Thank you, Lord Millennium." Tyki bowed his head, turning to walk forward again. With a bit of hesitation, he took Lavi's sleeve by his fingers, pulling the boy to follow him as he went off to do as the Earl ordered. The movement didn't go unnoticed by the gypsy leader, whose eyes narrowed just a bit more at the action. "Come along now, Lavi."

"And, Tyki?" Tyki stopped, but didn't turn. The fact that the Earl didn't add his normal suffix was enough to tell Tyki that his leader had something of importance to say. His fingers tightened in the black cloth, but other than that he tilted his head to show he was listening. "Be careful, all right?" Tyki nodded once, hearing the warning underneath the Millennium Earl's pleasant tone, before taking off, Lavi at his heels.

XxX

"So," Lavi stood precariously on the lowest tree branch, hand pressed against the trunk. It had been several hours, and Tyki was beginning to wonder if the boy was planning on going back home at all. He had followed him around like a shadow, not saying much but clearly working on his observations skills as the gypsy interacted with various members of his clan. He was especially attentive when Allen was around, though Tyki welcomed the distraction the pale boy brought forth. It didn't last; right as Tyki walked away to enjoy the trees that led to the forest, Lavi had followed. They were on the outskirts of said first now, climbing in the trees. "You call yourself Tyki Mikk. Right?" Tyki watched, an amused look in his eye, as Lavi struggled to stay standing. The boy's balance was poor, but considering his station and the fact that it took Tyki to help pull him into the tree to begin with, the realization of that was almost expected.

"That's right." He jumped, easily grabbing onto the next branch and pulling himself up. It wobbled a bit under his weight, but Tyki was confident the branch would hold. He stood straight, hands at his sides to prove to the other boy how easy it was. "Come, now, Lavi, it isn't that hard to stay on the branch- - -it won't snap." As if to prove his point, Tyki walked confidently backwards on the branch he stood on, arms spread wide for show more than for balance. Lavi's eye followed him as he leaned against the trunk, awe filling the green orb as Tyki walked to the end of the branch, grabbed hold of it, and flipped off. He landed with a gentle grace on the branch the red head was on, one foot braced behind the other as he mockingly bowed. Lavi let out a breath of astonishment, and Tyki had to firmly remind himself that he was not showing off to impress this boy. "See? It's simple!"

"Easy for you to say!" Lavi called back teasingly, though the adoration hadn't left his voice. Tyki raised an eyebrow questioningly- - -a bad habit he supposed he picked up from Cross- - -and motioned for Lavi to elaborate. "I saw you last year, and the year before that, when you were standing on top of that pole thing." Tyki's eyebrow rose higher, but Lavi didn't notice; he had taken to peering over the edge of the branch, as if calculating how far down he would fall if he slipped. "The way you were balancing on that pole, for the opening? When you allow people in?" Tyki knew what bit he was talking about. "You look so high up, but you're so confident you're not going to fall. It's not like it's a life or death kind of fall, more like a you'd break several bones if you did kind of fall." The red head smiled, looking up from the ground to look at Tyki with open admiration. The look made him uncomfortable and he shifted, looking away. Road and Allen were playing with Lero, he could see them on the outskirts of the tent Sheril shared with Tricia. The woman was looking much better than when they'd arrived; she was sitting outside, watching her daughter and coughing every so often into a cloth. Tyki was vaguely surprised the Earl allowed her to be out and about the rest of the troupe so soon. Lavi was still talking. Tyki looked back at him just as the red head finished. "It looked so amazing, but it something I would never be able to do, no question about it."

"Because you're from the Bookman clan?" Tyki asked curiously in spite of himself. Lavi grinned at him, like he had been all day when Tyki asked him something instead of forcing the red head to provide information on his own. He glanced over one more time, but was apparently pleased with whatever conclusion he came up with in terms of the safety of walking across the branch; he stepped towards Tyki cautiously, his arms spread for balance, his eyes continually darting from Tyki's face to the branch then the ground.

"Actually, Gramps found me in the street." Lavi sat on the tree gingerly as soon as he reached where Tyki was standing, swinging his feet slightly. The movement jostled the branch a bit, making some of the leaves fall to the ground; Tyki allowed himself to go with the movement, helping him keep his balance so that he could remain standing. "A Bookman isn't really allowed to have feelings or anything. Actually, most of the time, we stay in our home. If Gramps had his way, I'm sure he'd never leave."

"So how does the Bookman line continue?" Tyki wondered aloud. Lavi grinned, pointing quite proudly at himself.

"See, that is where I come in." Lavi said. "Bookmen usually go find a young boy and train them to become the next Bookman. Until Gramps found me, I was just a kid on the side of the road. At least, that's what he's told me about it." Tyki glanced down at Lavi, feeling awkward that the boy was so far beneath his line of sight; the red head was staring at the sky with a wide-eyed look on his face, a weird sort of somber look on his face as he studied the horizon with a sort of forced casualness. "I have a lot to thank him for, really."

Tyki made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, understanding what he meant. Lavi had the prestige of being part of the Bookman estate, but it was only through sheer luck that it happened to be him. It would explain why he was so eager to make friends with Tyki, the gypsy supposed. Lavi could have easily been lumped together with him, just another homeless child on the streets of the town. There was a strange sort of circumstances that led them here, and the thought of how similar they actually were made something flip in his chest; as if to match it, that. stupid warm feeling in his stomach came back again, only this time it refused to be squashed so easily through his own will. It wasn't until he spotted something flying around out of the corner of his eye that he managed to turn his attention away from it. As he did so, his Tease came floating along the wind, the butterfly hovering around Lavi momentarily before landing on Tyki's shoulder. The red head watched with a wide green eye as Tyki reached out slowly and dragged a fingertip down one of the purple wings.

"Can I touch it?" He asked softly, as if trying not to scare the butterfly away.

"No." Tyki said firmly. Lavi recoiled a bit, and against his will, Tyki found himself softening his voice to reassure him. "This is a special butterfly Lord Millennium gave me to own and train. They're carnivorous, and as their leader, this one is especially prone to biting." Lavi drew his hand back with a slight wince.

"Really?" Despite not reaching out again, the red head stood carefully and leaned forward to inspect the butterfly better, placing his hands on Tyki's arms to keep himself steady. He was too close, like at the food stall where he'd gotten the gypsy's attention, though his focus was solely on the strange sort of butterfly on his shoulder. Tyki felt his heart pound a bit faster, a bit louder, and couldn't help the flush that came over his face. He wished for a distraction, something that would bring his own gaze away from the soft curious eye and the feeling of red hair brushing against his cheeks.

"Uncle!" The small girl of five seasons ran up to them. "Uncle Tyki!" The sudden voice startled the two enough to break them apart; Lavi scrambled backwards and flushed so darkly, his face matched his hair. The blood on his face got even darker as the quick movement knocked him off balance and he flailed, his arms windmilling as he tried to keep himself on the branch. Tyki had to grab Lavi's arm to ensure the boy didn't fall from the tree and injure himself, but he didn't look at him again; while he dealt with his niece, Tyki watched out of the corner of his eye as Lavi pulled his headband down firmly, trying to hide his embarrassment from him.

"Road?" He questioned, leaning over to see the girl. Her purple-blue hair, falling half way down her back, was pulled into a messy ponytail at her nape, and in her arms was a worn bear that she had carried around since she was a baby. She wore a long shirt, one of his own that was too small for him, and his clothes were so big on her that one shoulder was visible through the area where her head went through. There was a black belt tied firmly around her waist, though it was Lulubell's and had to be wrapped around her at least twice for it to fit properly, and her small feet were bare, free to dig in the earth as she pleased. Her face was rounded and innocent, her weight shifting from side to side continuously.

"Mother sent me." She said, crossing her arms. Lero waved at him at the movement, the bear's head flopping to rest against her arm. "She says that it's almost time to eat, and you need to prepare for the show tonight." Road's golden eyes shifted over to Lavi, and her smile widened. Lavi had pulled his headband up and was looking at her, and Road's smile was far from welcoming. Lavi gave her a strained grin back. "Hello."

"You need to get going, Uncle Tyki, Lero!" She pulled the bear up to hide her face as her tone took on a higher-pitched, scratchy quality to it. Lavi jolted in surprise, but Tyki, already used to Lero's voice giving Road's commands, simply smiled down at the girl's antics. "Road's Mother won't be pleased if you skip dinner, and Lord Millennium will be even less pleased if you don't come in time for the show!"

"He's right, you know." Road said sweetly, though her eyes narrowed with venom at Lavi. Her next words put a clear emphasis on what she was saying without saying the words, a way of talking she was learning from the Earl. "Especially since it's a family dinner. Come, Uncle Tyki, we mustn't be late."

"All right, all right, calm down." Tyki jumped carelessly off the branch, using the momentum to flip into the air- - -he was not trying to impress Lavi, he wasn't- - -and landing on his feet on the earth below. "I'll be along shortly, ok, Road?" He said fondly, pulling a lock of her hair up to his lips and pressing a kiss to it. "Tell your Mother I'll be home soon, ok?" Road nodded before pulling Lero up again.

"Just make sure you hurry, Uncle Tyki!" The 'bear' cried, and Tyki patted the bear's head fondly with a laugh.

"I will, I will." He looked up at Lavi, who was staring at him in disbelief. He hadn't moved an inch, just watching them interact with each other through a veil of shock. It made Tyki feel a bit self conscious, and he scratched the back of his head. "Are you going to stand up there gaping at me or are you going to get down anytime soon, Lavi? Once I go to dinner, you will be on your own. I would like to at least ensure that you're no longer stuck in the tree beforehand." The red head shook his awe off and began making his way back to the trunk of the tree. Road's eyes followed him, glancing between the red head and her uncle watching him carefully as he ensured Lavi didn't fall and hurt himself. She clung to her bear tighter, glaring with renewed distasted at the boy.

"Don't laugh at me." He called back, blushing furiously as he finally made it back to the trunk. "That was amazing, though." Tyki smirked, touching the brim of his imaginary hat as he fell into a bow.

"Only the best from the clan of Noah." He said proudly, ruffling his niece's hair as he did. Beside him, Road giggled.

"Lord Millennium is in search of you," She sang hauntingly as Lavi climbed down. Tyki jumped slightly, not expecting her to sing. She brushed her head against his shoulder, watching as Lavi slowed his descent to hear her. Tyki touched the top of her head again, but Road focused on her new mission: making the red headed boy uncomfortable so that he would leave. "Looking for the Heart now, have you heard the news?" Her eyes narrowed again at Lavi as the boy's feet touched the ground and he turned, meeting her gaze straight on. A shiver raced down his spine and Road saw it, her grin lengthening."Maybe you stole it from him? I'll see if it's true..."

"Road..." Tyki started almost warningly, touching the girl's head again, but she moved it off as Lero hid her face again.

"Lord Millennium is in search of you," The 'bear' sang on. "Looking for the Heart now, have you heard the news?" Tyki ran his fingers through her hair, loosening her ponytail to the point of pulling it out, placing the other hand on Lero's head, but she didn't seem to notice. "I was not the one you sought, maybe it is you..."

"Road, calm down please." Tyki tugged at her hair, trying to make her stop and listen to him. She was too young to be trying to intimidate outsiders, and yet she was doing s perfectly good job of scaring Lavi as she sang. The red head was almost entranced, though Tyki could see the slight fear the boy had. Road's 'bear' dropped slightly, making only her gold eyes visible to Lavi.

"Who is it that has my Heart? I will find you soon." She finished hauntingly. Her gaze was cold and hard, unflinching as she glared at the red head her uncle had spent the day with. Lavi blanched and backed away slowly, his emerald eye wide in surprise, his hands held out in peace. Tyki groaned slightly and placed his face in his hands. Road smiled sweetly, holding Lero up again. "Thank you for keeping Uncle Tyki entertained, sir." She said, her voice oozing false sweetness. Only her eyes, narrowed in a burning hatred too old for her to fully understand, showed the girl's true feelings towards the boy. "You should come and play again soon."

"That's enough, Road." Tyki said firmly, picking the smaller girl up and placing her on his shoulders. He didn't look at Lavi for the moment, not wanting to see his reaction to his niece's hostility. Road squealed in happiness, wrapping her free arm around Tyki's neck as she hunched over his head. "Hold tight to Lero, now. We don't want him to fall off and get hurt, now, do we?" Road did as he asked, tightening her grip on Lero so as not to drop him accidentally. Once he was sure she was secure and he had prepared himself fully, the gypsy boy moved to address Lavi. Tyki turned fully to face him, mimicking a bow as his niece was now on his shoulders. "Farewell, Lavi. Feel free to come to the show tonight as well, if you wish."

"Dinner, Lero!" The 'bear' cried from Tyki's shoulders, and he laughed.

"Calm, Lero, I'm coming." The boy waved once more at Lavi before walking back towards their camp.

XxX

Tyki relished in his position in the sky, high above anyone and everyone. Nobody had noticed him, and it gave him a brief moment to search the crowd that had gathered. There were a lot of people in the crowd, yet his golden gaze searched quickly for only one. Even as he denied it to himself, Tyki searched the milling people for the flash of red that indicated Lavi was there. He had seen him the first year. Lavi had indicated that he'd come back again last year, though Tyki hadn't paid attention enough to notice him then. He had expressly invited him this year; still, he couldn't find him anywhere and there was a ball of something forming in his stow much as it slowly dawned on him that Lavi might not have wanted to come back to watch them perform for a third year. With a shake of his head, Tyki abandoned his search. Instead, he let himself focus on his job, which allowed him to be high in the air above the common people. He focused on the sense of calm his position gave him, knowing that as he was currently, he was virtually untouchable by the people below him. His Tease fluttered around him softly, the biggest on his shoulder like it usually was. It flapped its wings slowly, brushing against his cheek; once, twice, and it was time to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen," He called, his voice booming over the crowd. Everyone looked up in surprise; nobody had noticed him. They all thought he'd appeared suddenly, and there were gasps of shock and awe as he bowed as a greeting. His eyes roved the audience once again, biting back the disappointment that threatened to rise. "Tonight, we have a special show for a special little lady." He spread his arms wide, and the curtain opened to reveal Road.

She was wearing a brand new dress that Tricia made for her, painstakingly over the past three seasons with the best material they could afford. It was pink, falling just past her knees in flowing layers. The top part had a corset-like design on the front, decorated with elaborate swirls in dark thread. Her sleeves were cinched around her upper arms, clinging tightly to her skin before flowing gracefully down in a water-like fashion. Long purple-blue hair was pulled into a tight crown braid around her head, showing off the cross tattoos she had across her forehead, and in her right arm was Lero as usual. Decorating her hair was a special shawl that Tyki himself had bought for her, a pink that matched the color of her dress. It hung on her hair, held in place by the braided crown, and had coins and beads specially sewn to it so that when she moved, it made a joyful little 'tinkle' sound. She was still barefoot, but the beauty of her dress and the way she smiled happily, waving at everyone she could see, distracted attention from that fact.

It was amusing that this was all Road really wanted for her sixth celebration.

"We'll hear a special song that the young Rhode Kamelot would sing for us." He bowed down again, this time to his niece carefully from his perch; she beamed at him and waved vibrantly. Her enthusiasm brought a round of applause and some goodnatured laughter from their audience. "I know it is not part of our normal show, but it is what Mistress Road wanted as a sixth celebration." The audience cheered again, making Road smile widely at the warm reception.

Then the small girl looked around at the enormous crowd of people, seeming to actually see how many there actually were; and nerves struck almost immediately. Taking a deep breath as if to steel herself, she snuck a glance first at Tyki, then at her mother and father watching from the sidelines, silently asking for support. All smiled encouragingly; Tyki even commanded one of his Tease to flutter down and land on her shoulder in a silent display of support. Road touched the butterfly gently, and then she stepped forward, her right arm tightening slightly on Lero. Allen, just slightly older than Road and already so talented on the violin, started playing, drawing the crowd in and beginning to enchant them with his skills. Mana and Cross joined him to shortly, their music entertaining to create a haunting but beautiful melody that perfectly fit the young child on the stage. Road spun, her dress floating out around her, and she closed her eyes as her headdress jingled.

"You're in my stars you know," She started, and once she did Road seemed to lose herself in the song. Her movements were sure and fluid, like they had been the day before when she had been practicing. "Don't need no crystal ball to tell me so. Whispering in the air, hoping that my words find you somewhere." Road spun around on stage, her hair piece making its cheerful noise and her dress flowing around her legs, her bare feet moving in a rhythm only she seemed able to hear and create. The musicians on the side of the stage, close enough to be heard clearly and yet out of sight to put all the attention on her, followed the young gypsy girl's movements as she set the pace of her performance. "Even when I close my eyes, I'll never recreate the Time that flies. The consequence is hanging there- - -The sky will fall but I don't care."

Road's body began to follow her feet's rhythm more confidently, her body flowing as naturally as a child's can. She began to move from the center stage, taking up the whole platform to enchant as many people as she could, her golden eyes shut as she danced alone.

"Meet me beneath my balcony and say, no one but you could ever fill my night." Road's eyes opened and she smiled entrancingly sweet. Tyki watched as the crowd ate up her dance, closing in on each other in order to see the girl better; he smiled indulgently, turning his gaze fond as he looked back down at his niece. "Be the sunlight in my every day; underneath my balcony I'll say no one but you could ever fill my night. Be the sunlight in my every day."

Tyki, from his safety perch on top of the world, saw a flash of red he had already began associating with Lavi Bookman Jr. It was quick and out of the corner of his eye, but it drew his attention like a moth to a flame. The color wasn't solely Lavi's, Tyki was aware, but he couldn't help his reaction when he saw the color. Relief and giddiness warmed his chest and he smiled when he saw Lavi just as entranced with his niece as everyone else was; the red head's emerald eyes, both of them as it appeared the boy liked his sight being perfect in the darkness of the night, were locked onto the flowing child of only six seasons on the stage.

"Your love is haunting me, and all I want is more to set me free." It was quite late, though. Her excitement at finally getting her wish to perform combined with her practices and just settling again was working against her body. Tyki could see the exhaustion catching up to her, though it was doubtful anyone else would be able to. Road's eyes opened again, lazily, her moves getting sluggish as she struggled all the more to stay up past her bedtime; instead of disturbing the rhythm of the song and dance, it added to it, making it more ethereal, more beautiful. "Whispering in the air, hoping that my words find you somewhere. Do you hear me call your name? I know we will never be the same." She spun in a lazy circle, her eyes drooping, a sleep-filled smile taking over her face. Tyki straightened, preparing himself to amaze everyone with a finale even Road would be proud of. "The consequence is hanging there. The sky will fall but I don't care."

Tyki jumped, landing beside his niece as she stumbled gracefully and lost her footing. He caught her before her body even decided to fall, the motion as fluid as if it had been rehearsed and planned. Picking the girl up gently, Tyki watched as her face burrowed into his chest, Lero getting squished between them as her left arm hung towards the ground. Pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead, Tyki turned to the audience.

"It appears that our beautiful little princess has worn herself out." Tyki called, bowing as best he could with his slumbering niece. The crowd applauded, albeit a bit quieter than they would have normally considering the sleeping child; somehow, Tyki managed to catch Lavi's eyes as the boy smiled uncertainly. He nodded once, and as a wide grin covered the red head's face, the gypsy addressed the crowd. "Thank you all for humoring a child." Smiling wickedly at the audience, Tyki allowed his Tease to finally take flight from his shoulder, making the others fly out of his outfit as well as he and Road vanished backstage.