It was with much hesitation and reluctance that Camille found herself leaving the apartment this evening. She didn't like the idea of leaving Nana Lola behind with Diego and Marisol, but it was at the grandmother's firm insistence. And as much as she was grudging to admit it, there was a point behind it.
Go out, get a feel for the people you're supposed to amaze.
A performer is only as good as they can connect with their audience.
Whether it was a showcase of whip skills, dancing, or even professional wrestling, it's true. And coming from a family of entertainers, Lola wasn't the first one to put that to her. But the people of México were easier - those were
her people. She understood them. Literally! Here in Japan, it's all different. And that has never been more evident to her than the moment they had stepped off the plane.
So it's true. She needs to get a sense of the people. At least watch them. Maybe try to practice linguistics - or at least even understand what they're saying. That's an uphill battle, too. So with a heavy sigh and an assurance that she's just a phonecall away, Camille ventured out into the golden rays of the setting sun.
Night had already fallen by the time she found the festival. Her phone was out, periodically scanning signs and flyers around her for her translation app to make sense of the mysterious moon etchings of the far east, and it eventually lead her here. But what a sight it turned out to be. The glowing lanterns hung by string, the people, the outfits, it was all so
magical and beautifully alien to her. She'd pause to stare with openly excited interest and admiration for the displays, she'd inspect from a (safe) distance the curious and extremely local cuisine, and found herself drifting along with the throngs of bodies.
She definitely stood out as a foreign girl. But people weren't paying her any mind. Camille had a way of vanishing into crowds; something about her minimal, edging on mousy demeanor. And finally, she found her way to the very back reaches of an audience watching a combination of exotic music and dance. Hands clasped together beneath her chin, unabashedly enthralled smile worn on her unblemished face, hazel-green eyes wide with fascination.
The girl with the long blonde hair is noticed, but it's difficult to see too much of her from this distance. She clearly stands out as foreign, too! But no doubt she's fully assimilated, given she's up there and doing the thing in this obviously important gig!
