I don't think the flow is some kind of mythical magic power or something to be honest.
Even if it does feel like it sometime.
Like I said, I do believe it's just me listening to my body, and in my body there's the magic.
But it's probably not something magical in itself.
Well, maybe it is and I just don't have enough information to figure that out.
That's why I'm going in the library today.
And that's why I'm closing the door behind me right now.
Most of my movements are slow, controlled, fine, I'm really focused on keeping the flow going. It's pretty hard to keep it going constantly, but that's why I'm doing that right now.
To get used to doing it
And I won't ever manage to make it feel like second nature if I don't practice this.
So when I'm done.
I get in the street, under the rain, like usual. My key deep in my pocket.
Ah...it's been a while since I went out.
And to be honest, I didn't really missed it, because of you know...
I look up. Searching for the usual weird glares at seeing a kid in the street, it's pretty weird to see a kid around when my grandfather is known to kidnap pretty much every kid he sees for his personal army.
Personal army that's...probably for the war now that I think about it.
Well, to be honest, it's kind of obvious. The only reason I didn't figured it out at the time is because I didn't know there was a war going on.
In any case.
Most people around those streets give me bad glances.
Because. Of course they do.
Usually they do at least.
And today, since the rain is light, there's a lot of old people around, most of the big guys are working at the walls after all, with the exception of people with businesses like shop owners.
So yeah, they give me ugly glares....
Always.
...uh.
I stop in the middle of the street to look around.
I see a grandpa looking dude, way weaker looking than my own grandpa, he's drinking something just under his slanted roof. Making sure no rain falls on him.
He looks around. Looking at some of the people walking in the street.
He looks...like the kind of old man who would glare at me and tell me to go in the academy or something.
And right now. I'm in front of him.
And he doesn't fucking give me even a glance.
Huh.
That's weird.
Really weird.
Did something happen or am I just a bad judge of character? Eh, maybe it's both.
Without caring much. I put a foot in front of the other, almost sliding on the ground, and I see a puddle in front of me.
Damn, made me remember the whole puking water stuff.
Urgh, do I really need to do that?
Maybe to be honest. It's the only thing that managed to reduce my pain, constantly, over multiple days. Now my pain is back to normal, but I definetly need to study this shit.
Eh whatever, I step on the puddle. Giving the water a small frown, but I don't think too much about how my boot didn't dig deeper in the water.
It felt solid.
The puddle is probably smaller than I thought.
Makes sense, even if this village is poor. We're still living in the rich part of said city, the ground is well taken care of.
With this thought, I decide to look up again, look at my right. At the restaurant, usually there's drinking guys in front of this restaurant.
They don't care if it rains or not.
And like everyday, there's a bunch of men drinking
Like I did last time. I keep going forward to do a detour.
This makes me walk for longer, yes, but does it really matter? I have the time to walk, and having some fresh air feels pretty good now that I can be outside and still be dry.
Hatomo the goat.
This long walk toward the library gave me the opportunity to see every old bastard glaring at me like usual.
....
Well.
Uh.
Did something really happened?
I see a grandma I know. She's always looking at me badly, but today, while I pass her in the street, she doesn't even give me a single glance.
...what?
This happens. Again and again. For once in my life, I walked in the street and nobody bad mouthed me or looked at me as if I was a piece or trash to be burned.
...feels good but weird.
Uh.
Okay.
Maybe they don't recognize me because of my new cloak?
When I turn into the weapons street. My favorite street in this world. I keep thinking.
Even if they don't recognize me because of my new cloak, I'm still child sized, the problem isn't me, it's the child part of me.
It's because there's a war going on, and every child is in the academy, being transformed into child soldiers to earn their keep. While I stay here and just...kind of live.
So...why is no one looking at me like I'm pigeon poop?
That'-! Oh. Look here! Hatomo is smoking in front of his shop again, they love smoking around here, or drinking, guess that's what an economic crash and the threat of a war do to a man.
I step forward, going faster while focusing on my flow, like always, like I always did when stepping out in the street today.
I go closer to him. And closer and...usually he would have greeted me by now.
And..uh.
I stop in the middle of the street, ten good meters away from him, and then, I lift my hand up to wave at hi-!
"Aie! Brat!" His eyes snap to me as if I was always here "Like your new cloak?"
I stay where I am. And I need to remind myself that staring at a man without moving for a dozen of seconds is REALLY bad manners, so I perk up.
"Yes! Best cloak ever, thanks you again Mr Hatomo!"
"Ahhh, brat. That's nothing I told you, it barely took any effort, what are you doing outside brat?" he waves a hand at me, again, acting like it was no big deal.
And I keep a bit of distance while talking to him. Not that I mind getting closer, but if I go too close he'll probably throw his cigarette away like usual and I'll interrupt his break.
"I'm planning on going on the library! I'm learning how to read and the lady of the library gave me free books to train with!"
"She did?" He raises an eyebrow and scratch it with his smoking hand, using his thumb "Well, that's great brat! What are you doing talking to an old man like me? Go along and go read!"
"I will, thanks you again!"
"I already told you it's nothing!"
I don't let him finish his whole bullshit about this cloak being nothing and instead keep moving forward, going further in the street.
The second I turn around, my smile dissapears.
The fuck?
...he didn't see me right?
I'm sure he didn't see me.
What the fuck?
I look around the street, I see some people that knows me, again, lots of people in weapons street knows me.
And most don't care, probably because they're grizzled, or at least are rich enough -most are shop owners- to not give a fuck if a child isn't at the academy.
None of them give me a nod today.
I keep walking, faster, faster. Until I take a turn and do a detour to a street that usually have a lot of traffic because of the clothing shops and groceries shops nearby.
I look around, see mostly women and old people. Some men too but they're rare
I walk.
Get in the middle of the street.
And wait.
....I spread my arms.
Nobody reacts.
I see a woman on my left, she passes close to my arm but almost naturally take a completly useless step to the left to avoid me.
An old man on my right makes his wallet fall in front of me. He doesn't ask forhelp, instead he just bends over to grab it, when he gets up our gazes connect, but it looks blank.
As if he was looking behind me.
He gets up and pass me on the right.
.....what the fuck is happening?