<div class="floatleft">(https://images.pond5.com/suspicious-hooded-figure-walks-dark-footage-066780074_iconl.jpeg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong>Zachary Zatara (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=308178.msg14986116#msg14986116)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Streets of Metropolis<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>Hoody, Jeans, Casual Clothes<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>No one<br/><strong>Warnings:</strong>None<br/><br/><hr/><br/>A crowd stood around a mysterious, tattooed man in a black hoodie. The hood was low over the upper half of his face, obscuring his identity but for the mischievous smirk cocked at his lips. His arms were outstretched to his left and right, fingers loose when suddenly he brought his right middle finger and thumb together.<em>Snap!</em>And a red, 10 of hearts appeared between his right index and middle fingers. The crowd murmured in mild awe. They were a little impressed, and he was only getting started. The man brought the card down to his thumb, bending it until its middle flexed outward. The card then popped free, but it hadn’t been one card that jumped from his hand but multiple decks. The cards spilled like a white ribbon onto the sidewalk. The hooded man swirled the card rope over his head and the cards dropped into a pile on the floor. The magician was gone.<br/><br/>The crowd started to gasp and reach down to curiously inspect the cards as though the man would be hiding beneath them. It had only taken thirty seconds for someone in the crowd to realize that he was standing next to her. The girl screamed, causing the crowd to part in startle around the magician before they started to applaud.<br/><br/>“An ace has always been a strong card,” the man spoke. He held up his left hand, showing his palm in a slow circle to the crowd. He then brought his two right pointer and middle fingers to it, touching his left hand’s palm before slapping it gently. A black Ace of Spades seemed to appear against his palm. Holding the card before the crowd, he turned it horizontal to the pavement and whispered, “Etativel.”<br/><br/>The magician released the card and the crowd exclaimed in shock and amazement at how it remained flat upon the air. A kid walked over and waved his hand beneath it and over it. He then grasped the card out of the air, looked at it, and then carefully attempted to return it. When the card returned to levitating, the kid raced back over to his mother spooked.<br/><br/>Executing the same illusion as before, the magician caused an Ace of Hearts to appear and he placed it next to the Ace of Spades.<em>Etativel.</em>The card stayed. He then raised a foot and stepped onto the spade, and then rose to everyone’s surprise to stand upon the heart. The audience emitted more sounds of astonishment and applauded. The magician then looked around the gathering and asked, “Who wants to try?”<br/><br/>Several hands went up and a few children were jumping eagerly. The magician noticed a cute girl trying to hide in the back and he pointed at her. The crowd seemingly parted, revealing the surprised girl. She checked behind her and then pointed at herself. “Me?”<br/><br/>The magician grinned. “Yes, you.”<br/><br/>“Oh no, no, no! I’m not good at these things,” she sheepishly replied.<br/><br/>The magician stepped down and continued to beckon, “Come on. I won’t let you fall. I promise.”<br/><br/>The crowd started to happily shout encouragement until the girl felt too embarrassed not to try. She crept over into the circle as applause surrounded her. The magician held his hand out to her to help her. “Take my hand and step onto the cards.”<br/><br/>The girl nervously and slowly placed her hand in his before she raised one Chuck Taylor and set it flat upon the card. It gave her chills. It felt like a solid surface. Carefully, she rose to step onto the second card and bent over in her poor balance. The hooded man quickly stepped forward to offer her his second hand as the girl squealed and exclaimed, “Oh my god! I’m gonna fall!”<br/><br/>“You won’t fall,” the magician reassured her. “Just slowly stand upright.”<br/><br/>Slowly the girl released his hands and with slightly wobbly legs, she stood upright. The crowd cheered and applauded ecstatically, while the magician held his hand out to her in good show. “Our brave volunteer!”<br/><br/>The girl shouted, “Okay! Now get me down before I fall!”<br/><br/>The magician walked over and allowed the girl to rest her hands upon his shoulders. His hands went to her hips to hold her as he turned and slowly set her down. The cards fell to the ground. For a moment, the two regarded each other. She could see only the hints of his intense-hazel eyes beneath his hood. He turned from the girl, leaving her standing there with rosy cheeks as he held out his arms and walked back over to his original pseudo-stage.<br/><br/>“That’s all folks. Thank you for your attendance.”<br/><br/><em>Skced ruoy ot nruter!</em><br/><br/>The cards rose off the ground and in a rapid train passed through the sleeves and beneath the magician’s hood to where they were never seen again—supposedly. They had actually returned to their boxes. He folded his arm before his abdomen and bowed as the audience once again clapped and started filling the cap he had on the ground with money. The hat was nearly overflowing by the time they were finished with coins and dollars. He was certain he made about fifty bucks or more. The magician picked up the hat, cradling it in his hands as he felt the weight of the coins. As he turned to leave with his earnings, he happened to notice an old man sitting against the wall of a shop on a cardboard mat.<br/><br/>The hooded man’s lips twisted in disgust, mainly at himself and the sympathizing feelings he felt. Why couldn’t he just be evil at least once? With an annoyed sigh, he walked over to the old man and dropped the hat in his lap as it chimed loudly with spilled coin. He briskly walked away and didn’t even wait for the "God bless you!" the beggar had shouted at his back.<br/><br/>As the mysterious man made his escape, he felt his phone vibrate in his denim hip pocket. He removed the phone and ran his thumb over the screen as it came alive. He saw a notification about an Evite from a Donna Troy. The young man stopped and scowled at the invitation before unlocking his phone to delete it. “Fuck that…” he grumbled.<br/><br/>As he was pocketing his phone, a feminine voice called to him from behind, “Hey!” It was the volunteer from his show. He curiously turned to face the girl who shyly ran her fingers through her brunette tresses. “Um…Do you want to…maybe go get a coffee or something?”<br/><br/>The magician smirked as he answered, “Sure.”