Tobias had experienced a few moments in his life when time had seemed to stand still for the briefest of moments. The top few included; the first time he had performed the levitation trick without an accident occurring, the time when he had discovered his older brother shooting up back stage and the moment in which he had found his father, who had been happily married to his mother for over twenty years, banging a girl, not even half his age, in the dressing room.<br/><br/>Tobias knew what it meant now, to feel the seconds pass by like hours. It signaled that a turning point had come. In each of those moments, for better or worse, his life was had changed. And it always began when the world stood still.<br/><br/>When his eyes landed on woman that gazed at him from across the square, he knew it wasn't love at first sight.<br/><br/>Yes, she was pretty,<em>absurdly</em>pretty. And absolutely no part of him existed that could deny that he did not find her attractive.<br/><br/>But, the moment he noticed her walking towards him, he knew that her flawless beauty was not just what stole his attention. The way she moved, the purpose she put into her stride and the look in her eye that commanded him to stare, were all part of the ensemble that stole his focus and demanded that he obey.<br/><br/>It was so powerful that it almost seemed supernatural. And Tobias did not like it at all.<br/><br/>The woman screamed trouble and yet he did not feel he could just walk away.<br/><br/>He did his best to remain calm when she approached, a difficult feat when his heart was pounding faster and faster the nearer those swaying hips came.<br/><br/>He did everything he could to remain quiet and smiled when she smiled, trying as hard as possible not to show just how much that devastating smile destroyed him.<br/><br/>He ignored the faint shiver that ran the length of his body as her soft fingers brushed against his as she placed the ring his hand. He glanced down at the object and ran his thumb around it tenderly, as if judging its weight and feel.<br/><br/>"Okay," he replied as offhandedly as possible. "Whatever you want. Just try not to be too amazed."<br/><br/>It would have been a difficult request for someone who was unprepared for the situation. The trick itself was nothing big, it was a simple mix of a little slight of hand, a small pyrotechnic effect and the confidence that the audience would never consider that Tobias had not chosen the person at random.<br/><br/>Whenever he picked a target, he always made sure to check their hands for a ring that matched one of several copies of exploding rings he kept hidden from sight in his pocket. The siren had challenged him by approaching him directly, but luckily for him the mood ring was simple and very similar to the exploding forgery he had made.<br/><br/>Some magicians would not have bothered to take the time to prepare themselves for such unexpected obstacles, but that was what set Tobias apart from other magicians. The trick didn't go ahead, unless it was perfect.<br/><br/>"Do I get a name?" Tobias quietly asked as he shuffled the ring from palm to palm. "Or is giving me your jewelry the only audience participation you want to do?"