Daniela woke up with a smile of her face. Her little body leaving the bed with a jump, before she flew to the bathroom with a chorus of steps. The automatic door opened with a soft hiss, the sterile gray metal hidden behind a swarm of colorful stickers. Daniela had barely been in the room for a couple of seconds, before the sink’s faucet blinked red twice and a warm stream of water hit the kid’s waiting hands. A soft tune filled the room while Daniela got ready for her day, her body dancing to the tune while her mind was miles away, wondering how much longer she would have to wait before she could see it.

With boundless energy Daniela left the bathroom with a spring to her step, the faucet closing behind her with a single beep. She rushed towards her closet, opening the ivory door with a triumphant “hah”. Her eyes fell on the clothes that hung neatly from rainbow cloth hangers. Like an engineer assessing a problem, Danielle assessed each option, murmuring to herself the pros and con of each one. So caught up was she in her own little world that a soft knock on her door made her jump like a scared cat. A second knock, was all she needed to burst into action, choosing the first set of clothes her hands could find.

It was about ten minutes later that she left her home, the heavy metal door closing behind her with a playful whoosh. One hand was firmly grasped in her dad’s big hand, they begun the long trek to the main avenue, where the day’s highlight was bound to happen. The pair walked leisurely down the streets, the worst of the morning sun blocked by a fortunate bank of clouds. The father guided them both through the labyrinth of streets and turns that was their city, while the other played with the forms and colors only she could see.

It took them about an hour to reach the wide street, quickly joining in the walls of pressed bodies at either side of the road. Daniela struggled to keep close to her dad as they navigated the seas of bodies, the sudden lack of space making her hold on to her dad’s hand with desperation. It didn’t help her confidence that loud noises assaulted the pair’s ears from all side: murmurs, shouts, curses and sales pitched all mixed together to increase Daniela’s discomfort to the point where she clung to her father’s leg for dear life. Her dad looked down at her with furrowed brows, eyes wide as platters, he gave her a gentle smile, his big hands petting her head twice, before a pair of strong arms brought her to sit on his shoulders. The sudden change in height left Daniela a bit dizzy, her body swaying a bit on her new position. But once the world had ceased spinning, an innocent “whoa” left her mouth while her father laughed softly.

The first thing she noticed was the colors. Seconds ago, when she was being crushed by the crowd, all the bodies had seemed dark and scary, threatening and monstrous. But now, as she took in the view before her, she loved the very same crowd. There were reds and blues, green and yellows, purples and pinks wherever she looked at. Sometimes in groups, sometimes in blotches and sometimes, as she made sure to point out to her dad, in large banners with bold letters. The young girl giggled, turning her head this way or that to catch the latest changes in the crowd while her dad brought them closer to the street.

Suddenly, a series of loud pops silenced the streets. Puff of red and yellow forming in the skies. Daniela’s fingers rose to follow the strange clouds, her words blurring together as she pointed them out for her dad. A set of trumpets were heard next, their proud sounds demanding the attention of the crowd. Twin ribbons of cyan blue raced across the street, rising up into the sky a couple of meters in front of Daniela. A second blast of notes came from the trumpets and moments later the ribbons started to dance around each other, curling and twisting until they formed a giant ball high in the air. With a third torrent of notes from the trumpets, the ball burst into orbs of lights, revealing one lonely figure grasping a cane while he fell gracefully to the ground.

A gasp of surprised came from Daniela when her eyes settled on the strange figure. His body was thin but elegant, covered by a set of gaudy clothes. First, there was the baggy shirt that hung from his body and flapped with the wind. Frills of a pearl white rose from the bottom, following the trails of buttoms until it parted to reveal a chest of midnight fur. Pants black as nights covered his legs, with lines of reds forming roses around his side. A ivory mask covered his head, looking almost like the round lamp Daniela kept beside her bed. The figure landed softly on the ground, with the delicate grace of a dancer. A few seconds passed without the figure moving, his body as still as a statue. Daniela clenched her dad’s hand tightly, leaning forward to get a better look. The trumpets were blown once more, bringing new life to the figure, who broke into a dance, with his cane. His body moved through the street in a way that defied all logic. He would move forward and his body quickly followed without any resistance or tension, almost like he was dancing on the air. Around and around he went, his back bending at impossible angles while a thing fluffy tail drew sixes and nines behind him.

The figure crashed his cane on the floor, red sparks coming to life from under his cane while a ribbon of yellow shot up into the sky. The deep sound of a drum replied to the ribbon with three bangs, followed shortly by a chorus of flutes. Again and again the figure hit the floor with his canes, bringing forth more sparks and ribbons, until a melody filled the air and with flames of a deep blue, the figure’s mask was burned away. A loud cheer came from the crowd as the figure’s face was revealed. A pair of triangular ears stood at the top of the humanoid’s head, covered in the same carpet of black fur as his chest. Going down from his ears, his fur extended to the rest of the head and highlighted the pair of amber eyes that examined the crowd with a mischevious glint. The one thing that surprised Daniela the most though, was the short muzzle that rested where his nose and mouth would be if he had been a human. It was rounded and compact, fitting seamlessly with the rest of his face while giving him a dashing look. A confident smile was clear on his mouth as he curtsied to both sides of the street. He hit the floor with the cane one last time, sparks of blue bursting out from either end. The strange figure opened his arms wide, letting the wind flap at the loose ends of his clothes.

“People of this fair city!” the feline said with a baritone voice, “It is with great pride and deepest pleasure that I welcome you to the Dream Festival, where the impossible is the rule of the day and common sense has no place. Prepare to challenge your expectations and your beliefs. For today, and today only, my troupe of miracles is at your disposal. And now, without further ado, it’s SHOWTIME!”

With his last word the feline, lifted his cane high into the air and with an easy going flair, swung it all the way to point at the parade that was coming their way.