It was only the king and few others who seemed to be considered royalty among the crowd. This superior group of citizens sported velvet and silk garments with a larger assortment of colors and patterns.
Robin lost her frame of thought as she realized it was time to stop staring and start moving. The guards motioned Robin and Roami forward and led them around the group of citizens. They had not walked more than a handful of steps when a man raced towards them as if he were late. When the guards stopped in front of him; the man struggled to catch his breath. Robin and Roami guessed he must be Thister; their new host.
Thister; the Disposer, turned out to be the shortest person among the group; standing at about four and half feet tall. He had a kind face, pudgy cheeks and a ready smile to offer them. He too was dressed in dark green velvet clothes; a large tunic and pants with green sandals. He however, did not wear any jewelry at all.
“Sky-Ones, sorry I am late. I tried to get here as soon as I heard the news of your arrival! I am honored to have you stay with me. I believe the king has given me the privilege to watch over you due to my important status here in the city of Fitz. I am the local refuse disposer, or as many call me; The Disposer. This is a very important position here, you see, as we like to keep our land as clean as possible. You will stay at my home, and I hope you are not displeased with my humble abode. Come! Follow me, I am afraid my occupation forces me to have such a tall home, but I assure you, the luxurious accommodations make up for the somewhat unpleasant height.” He spoke nonstop as he ushered them down a small red stoned street which would apparently lead them towards his home. Robin noticed that he had pointed towards what appeared to be the only sky-scraper in the entire city.
While most of the houses were two or three stories high; the king’s large palace had been only one story but very expansive in width. The Disposer’s home however was nearly thirty-two stories high!
Roami looked up at it in amazement. He had never come across a structure so large in his own village or during his explorations throughout Source One. Robin, having come from New York City was not shocked by the size at all. She quickly glanced at it, then looked around for the next new piece of excitement.
All the homes, no matter how tall or short, were made of the same gray colored, hard porous material. There were not many windows in each home but the few they did have were tinted green or covered in decorative glass art in odd geometric designs.
The actual structures were not identical. Some looked similar to the standard ranch style house Robin remembered from earth. Others were connected to one another like short apartment buildings or the brownstones Robin remembered from Harlem and Brooklyn. Some, she noticed, stood alone and looked like roughly put together shanty town shacks.
The overall look was breathtaking as each home was painted in nearly every color one could imagine. In front of each stood a bright orange bush. Robin thought this a bit peculiar and so could not keep her eyes off of the odd looking plant.
When Roami discovered what had caught her attention he whispered, “That looks like it may be a Yaru bush. It is not found in Source One, but I have heard stories about its existence in a few other worlds.” Roami glanced toward Thister and asked, “Am I right? Is that a yaru bush? “
“Yes, sure is! It’s the official flower of the city of Fitz. They grow like weeds out here in the city but despite the quantity they are still valued above all other foliage. Like to know why? You see the yaru bush-” Before Thister could explain, Roami cut in. He did not mean to be rude but was so used to explaining everything to Robin it had become second nature to him.
Roami looked at Robin as he spoke, “It produces a flower called the PomPu flower. This flower bears a single fruit within its bulb before it blooms, dies and withers away; all in the same day. Inside the PomPu fruit is held whatever the planter wished for most strongly during the planting process. Sometimes one may find a wonderful surprise in one of these. However, if you are not careful what you wish for and think of something negative it too will also appear within this fruit once the flower has bloomed.” Robin continued to stare at the yaru bush in awe. She vehemently hoped to one day plant one of her own.
Thister harrumphed at having been cut off. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. Noticing this, Roami turned from Robin and faced Thister with a guilty expression. “Sorry about that. I just got a bit excited about showing off a bit of my knowledge. We are ever so grateful to have you as our host and guide, Thister.” Roami saw from the slight greenish blush covering Thister’s face that he had been appeased by this apology.
“Yes, well. No worries. No worries at all! Let us get moving towards my home and get you two nice and settled in then.” Thister turned and continued walking while Robin and Roami oohed and aahed over all they saw around them. Robin quickly got over the idea that she should be seeing fish floating about her or crabs scurrying at her feet. This was unlike any ocean she had ever known.
Everywhere they went they were stared at and Robin quickly went from feeling uncomfortable by the scrutiny to feeling like a celebrity. These were not stares of fear, or stares signaling that she was not wanted or out of place. They were clearly stares of reverence. Without a doubt she had never, in all her life, experienced such a rush.
They passed the city center with beautifully landscaped trees, red cemented paths and quaint coral stores with vibrantly painted facades; meshed one beside the other. Each store front window was covered in the same tinted green glass they were getting used to seeing everywhere they looked.
Children flew by them on what looked to Robin to be electronic sea horses made of silver metal but decorated with green jewels. As they puttered by Robin wanted nothing more than to get closer and ask for a quick ride but Roami’s strict look made her second guess that particular idea.
Before they knew it, they were nearing the end of the commercial district and were only a few feet away from the gigantic skyscraper Thister called home.
“Look Roami! His place almost touches the waters’ surface!” Robin whispered excitedly to Roami as they finally stood before Thister’s home. It too was made of the coral-like material and was painted a bright shade of golden yellow.
Robin and Roami surmised Thister must be a very important person. Why else would he be the only person with a large home among a city of short huts? Oddly enough, even the king of the land squatted in a tiny domicile while Thister’s home apparently towered over everything and everybody.
Thister had been rambling on about the city and historic sites the entire walk towards his home and continued speaking hurriedly, “I can assure you, you will have rooms on the very first floor so there is nothing to fear sky-ones.” He promised.
“Fear?” Robin and Roami said at the same time.
“Yes, of course…” Thister said without inflection. He ushered them into the huge metallic front door of the building he called home. The door was silver like so many others they had seen during their walk. It sported a small crescent window at the top made of green glass. Tiny stars of jade jewels were embedded across most of the door. Robin ran her hand along the jewels as they passed the threshold. She could barely hold in the excitement she felt at being in yet another new world she had never thought could possibly exist.
While Robin and Roami stood in the entry way looking around them in wonder, Thister continued speaking rapidly. Robin got the feeling he wanted to get them situated quickly and return to some important business he had left off. “You may have the room to my left, brown Sky-One.” He said to Robin.
“And you blue Sky-One; you may have the one just beside hers. I will have food brought to your rooms and will allow you this day of rest. Tomorrow I will show you about our city and answer any questions you two have.” Outside a loud bell rang and it appeared to have come from somewhere near the city center. Thister looked slightly startled by the sound. He became even more rushed in his words and actions in an effort to get away to some important business.
“Ri
ght now I have work to attend to and garbage to dispose of. I-um… Just ring the bells in your room if you need assistance and you will be seen to by my numerous servants. Do not worry, they only show themselves when they are needed.” Smiling at them briefly he turned back towards the front door, rushed out and left them to marvel at their surroundings.
The floors were made of green marble while the walls were constructed from the same yellow coral as the exterior of the building. The entry way was littered with all sorts of decorative items, exotic flowers in vases, an emerald chandelier hung from the ceiling above the entryway and colorful glass art covered nearly every window.
Right in front of them was a large elevator framed in jade with dark green painted doors. It appeared all the doors were painted in the same shade. Robin was the first to speak after carefully perusing their surroundings.
“This place is freaking amazing! I’ve never lived in any home this… I don’t even know how to describe it. I think I’m speechless.” Robin twirled around in a tight circle while taking everything in.
Roami chuckled while looking at her, “You speechless? Yes, I believe that would be a first.”
Robin glared at him playfully then rolled her eyes before stifling an unexpected yawn. “Dag, I didn’t realize how tired I was.” Robin said with yet another long, hearty yawn.
“Yes, I too am a bit exhausted but we must inspect our rooms to make sure we are truly in no danger here.” Roami said with an identical yawn.
“Okay, sounds like a plan.” Robin said with a sleepy smile.
They moved into her room first. Roami looked over the furnishings, checked beneath the large golden framed bed with downy purple comforters, and tossed around elaborately embroidered pillows.
The room was quite expansive and Robin noted it would take her some time to fully investigate her new quarters. Everything she saw was so colorful it nearly hurt her eyes. There were at least five sofas, ten chairs, a few tables and even a device which looked similar to the radios found on earth.
Green apple colored walls and a matching rug lent a cozy feeling to the room. The soft carpeting made Robin feel as if she were floating on clouds. Looking down she realized that the idea was not so farfetched. The rug and apparently the purple window curtains were all covered in white cloud and star patterns that moved perpetually; drifting and then disappearing only to return again. Robin knelt down to touch the soft fabric beneath her feet to see how it felt and ensure she was not seeing things.
“You’re really seeing that effect. You must prepare yourself to see the unexpected. We are in a new world after all Robin.” Roami said while stifling yet another yawn.
Robin had never been more excited in all her life. To think that she; plain old Robin, was sitting in such a luxurious setting and it was all there just for her to enjoy!
She had never been so pampered in her life, not even close in fact. Robin could not help but recall the last place she called her “bedroom”. It had been a tiny five by six foot attic room with slanted walls in a small house in Brooklyn, New York. She had not initially been relegated to the attic as the child care agency would never have accepted such unsafe conditions. Initially she had slept in a room with her foster sister in the Reynolds’ home.
The Reynolds had been one of the best care-givers she had ever had, which was of course not saying much given her seedy background. She could not have asked for more. They did not hit her, curse at her or worse. She had finally felt as if she had found the perfect home for her. While it had taken about thirteen or so years, she knew happiness was always better late than never.
Things were fine until her fragile looking light-skinned foster sister with the long kinky breaded pigtails and beautiful dresses, decided she was not going to share her parents love and affection. The moment she saw them treat Robin as part of their small family, Jasmine had declared a silent war on Robin.
She destroyed items and blamed it on Robin. She started fights and said Robin had attacked her. Jasmine did just about anything she could to discredit the unwanted newcomer. She enacted her plan with gusto until Robin’s foster parents began to question their decision to bring her into their home.
The first step away from their love had been the attic after Jasmine had claimed Robin assaulted her in her sleep. Robin had spent three long weeks in the chilly and drafty quarters before she met with her Social Worker. During that critical meeting Robin had found that just after her next birthday, in just a months’ time, she would be taken from the Reynolds’ home.
They had decided not to adopt her and being of an age; Robin could no longer be placed in additional foster homes. She would be forced into a place called a ‘diagnostic’. There Robin would live a life similar to a prisoner until finally making her way into a group home filled with all manner of disturbed, traumatized and problematic youngsters like herself. This was akin to hell on earth for Robin and was the sole reason she had decided to run away that fateful day in Central Park. The night that had changed her life forever.
Just thinking about how much that one decision had changed everything so drastically, nearly took her breath away. To think one moment she had been sleeping on a park bench worrying about her next meal; then in the next moment, found herself standing in a doll filled house in another world. Talk about anything being possible. And she was proof of that; she thought as she looked around her at the beautiful quarters which were indeed fit for a princess.
Robin decided to shake off her melancholy thoughts of the past and found it much easier than it had ever been. She noticed the sights, colors and sounds of her most recent flashback seemed more faded and muffled than her usual memories. Perhaps the Sad Susan flower had truly had an effect on her past grief. She smiled hopefully.
Robin decided to cease daydreaming and help Roami with his safety check. She moved towards a dark green door and pushed it open thinking it was yet another walk-in closet.
To her amazement, Robin saw with a turn of an odd looking circular light-switch that it was in fact a very large and very exotic looking bathroom. The floor was covered in smooth red pebbles similar to that which was outside and there was a beautiful rainbow colored coral tiled shower. A large copper colored bathtub sat in the room’s center. It was filled with water and blue flowers drifting on the surface.
Robin moved closer to the tub and noticed something peculiar. The water shimmered in a rainbow of colors that, like the effect on the carpet and curtains, seemed to ebb and flow in a perpetual pattern. “This is so rockin’…” Robin had no adequate words for all she saw.
The sound of soft lilting harps and violins played continuously in the bathroom. No matter how much she searched, she could not determine its source. Finally, giving up her mission to determine how everything ‘worked’, she walked back into the main bedroom to find Roami still searching for danger in every crevice of the room. At the moment he was checking an ornate jewelry box made of jade.
“Find any murderous toy ballerinas in there?” Robin asked with a smirk. Roami merely glanced in her direction and continued his search on the other side of the room.
The extraordinary comfort of the quarters along with her lack of sleep was a dangerous combination. Robin tended to get very silly when she was tired. In order to stir up some trouble and shake up Roami’s perpetually serious demeanor she slipped into one of the large walk-in closets while Roami moved about the room seemingly deep in thought.
When Roami came to investigate the closet she hid in, Robin jumped out growling and shaking her arms in the air wildly.
“Ah!” Roami screamed and jumped back fending her off with his arms lashing out in response.
Robin laughed hysterically then jumped onto her large, amazingly soft bed. When Roami realized he had been fooled he scowled and marched over towards the bed. Picking up the nearest and biggest pillow he could find, he threw it at her while she laughed for what seemed like the first time in way too many years.
“You’ve lost it, you know th
at? Anyway, it’s all clear in here. I’m going to check out my room now.” He stalked out of the room glaring back at her but with a telltale smirk on his face. If truth be known, Roami was happy to finally see Robin with something other than a frown on her face.
He found his room looked nearly identical to hers. After he had made sure that everything was as it should be Roami decided to freshen up as he assumed that was what Robin was doing as well. He took a quick shower in his luxurious blue coral covered shower stall. When he was refreshed he realized his clothes were a mess from their journey but was unsure how to go about cleaning them.
With a sigh, he resigned himself to wear the interesting looking outfit laid out on his bed by some unseen servant. Roami picked it up and let the clothes dangle in his hand as he looked them over quizzically.
The silky blue and green colored pajama pants suit, soft green velvet undershirt and matching silk green and blue robe were of the highest quality. He was amazed at how beautifully the garments had been made. Realizing he wanted to catch up with Robin before she had a chance to leave her quarters and get into any mischief, he threw on the clothes. Once dressed he slipped on the simple green velvet slippers lying at the foot of his guest bed.
When he was fully clothed Roami returned to Robin’s room and tapped lightly at the door.
“Yeah, come in.” She said distractedly.
He walked in and found she had already changed into the long green and purple colored pajama dress and robe that had been left for her as well. She smelled sweet and fresh. He noticed her skin looked brighter and her braids; still wet from her bath, curled against her face.
Robin loved the feel of the soft silky material which cinched at her tiny waist with a wide green velvet, gem studded belt. The supple cushioned green velvet sandals felt like heaven on her feet. She thought the colors were astounding. She had never felt at all like a princess, but she had to admit that is exactly what she felt like at the moment.
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