18678/And now for my next trick

And now for my next trick
Date of Scene:	26 July 2024
Location:	Hat and Hare
Synopsis:	The Great Zatara is back in Gotham doing stage magic. Noa, alien about town, finds her way into a magic show. No-one gets impaled by swords.
Cast of Characters:	Zachary Zatara, Noa

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Zachary Zatara has posed:
You might think that, fresh from a big international tour, The Great Zachary Zatara would be relaxing. And you'd be right and wrong!

Because when your family is filled with famous stage magicians you really have to hone your act a lot to keep on top. Plus he rather likes his job. Even if it requires a lot of travel, blood, sweat and tears.

Okay mostly the last three are just for when the cameras are rolling.

The audience loves a little drama.

For this evenings performance he's back to his favourite Gotham haunt. The Hat & Hare. Fitting because he loves a good top hat and his assistant used to be a rabbit. Plus they let him put on shows and work on new tricks pretty much on a whim.

It's a little bit of a rowdy crowd too. Some sort of stag party, a few late night drinkers, and some regulars. But that's fine. An enthusiastic audience simply means it's more rewarding when you win them over.

Dressed in top hat, tails and a tux. Well he looks every bit the stage magician. Assuming you've been on Earth long enough to know what a stage magician looks like anyway...

Noa has posed:
Noa is in orbit around Earth, so she's spending a lot of time down ON Earth. What better way to get familiar with things. So she's intentionally going to different places. Tonight, Gotham City.

Dressed in her zero suit with armored space suit features layered on top, she comes on in. Since it's Gotham, they're not being sticklers about carding people, so she gets on through. And findes a seat beside the pary, looking in on the show.

"Magic. So is this one of Earth's elite with powers?" she says to nobody in particular.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
The Hat & Hare is the sort of venue where you have to either be really clued up to find it. Or really really lost. From the looks of things Noa falls into the second group. She's not from around these parts that's for sure. Still it's the kind of city where people are all a bit... eccentric. So no-one minds too much when a petite young woman wearing a superhero cosplay outfit (or so it seems) slips in.

They might not serve her alcohol at the bar. But thanks to the live entertainment the door policy is welcoming!

The Great Zatara meanwhile, also technically too young to drink juuuust yet, is lightly bending the rules by sipping a cocktail between tricks. A series of interlocking metal rings which, in a twist on the usual format, don't just join together despite seeming to be solid. The trick ends with him putting them away by pouring them into a flask.

Solid seeming metal joining like it's thin air. Then flowing away like a liquid. One could be a mere parlour trick while the other certainly has the hint of the exotic about it.

The crowd don't seem to be very helpful when it comes to Noa's enquiry. But her asking questions of those around her does draw the attention of Zachary! Who happens to be in need of a volunteer from the audience.

"For my next trick I'll need a volunteer," he says with a grin. Motioning around the room. "The little lady dressed like Captain Marvel. Come up on stage!" He doesn't quite point at Noa specifically but the entire room turns and stares at her. An expectant look as they wait for her to get up on stage.

A few people nearby even whisper 'Go on' and 'He's talking to you!' if she seems reluctant.

Noa has posed:
Noa looks, points at herself. "Me?" She gets up before getting a chance to get any food. "I don't know who Captain Marvel is, but I'm not current on the whole massive Imperial Fleet. Maybe more like Captain K'rk." Yes, they named a Shi'ar Captain Kirk. It's actually canon.

"I don't know anything about magic though, so I'm not sure I can help."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
Bunny, long suffering assistant to the Great Zatara, has wheeled out a large box.

The box is a little on the tall side for someone Noa's size, but after a little wand waving and the words "eziseR rof ruo ecneidua .rebmem" it magically adjusts to her height. "Yes indeed," he replies with a tip of his hat. "And your name is?"

He blinks a few times at the Captain K'rk line. Maybe it's cosplayer humour!

"Oh you don't need to do anything except stand inside this box. While I put a few of these deadly sharp swords through the sides." Ahh the old swords through the box trick. Real swords. No tricks there. He shows off just how sharp they are by cutting a wedge of lime for his drink. Then while Bunny lets the audience check them over carefully he turns back to Noa.

"Just confirm this is a perfectly normal box. Have a look round. Make sure there are no tricks and trap doors. And then we'll seal you up inside and let the magic happen!"

Noa has posed:
Noa nods "Noa!" and then looking at the box, she rests her hands on her hips. "Alright, so step in the box. Wait, sword?" She looks at the demonstration, skeptically. "So what... is the magic? Trying to stab me?"

Zachary Zatara has posed:
The box clearly has marked spots for the swords. And they most assuredly will be going right through Noa. Fatally so unless her suit is really armoured!

Unless of course Zachary can really do magic.

"Give Noa a round of applause everyone," he calls out as he ushers her into the box. Sealing it up behind her. There's a little panel which Noa can see out. Letting her look at the audience. "Now you're perfectly fine inside the box, right?"

He begins collecting all the swords back. Dramatically showing them off. Building up the tension. Clashing them together making clanging noises and even a few sparks.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he calls out. "Cover your eyes if you're of a sensitive disposition!" And with great fanfare he plunges a sword through the box. It should, by all accounts, impale her through the chest.

Thankfully, he really can do magic.

Otherwise there would be a lot of mess and questions to answer with Gotham PD. Sword after sword goes through the box. Each time he checks Noa is okay. And not once will she feel even the slightest hint of a blade! Magic.

Noa has posed:
Noa isn't so sure. Once inside the box, she squirms, looks around, and hits a button. The shields on her suit are activated. Not much in a real fight, but useful against this, probably. Fortunately the audience can't see.

The whole time, she seems startled at what he's doing.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
With each sword ever more perilously placed by all rights Noa /should/ be a pincushion. But when the trick finally ends and the box opens? Well unless her shield has some sort of ill effect she'll be totally unharmed. Much to the delight of the crowds. Zach and Bunny, who has mostly just been handing swords over for this portion of the act, each take one of Noa's hands and bow.

Encouraging the strangely dressed girl to bow alongside them.

The crowd clap and cheer. Probably with more enthusiasm than is strictly necessary in the case of that stag do.

And with that the act closes for the night. The bar serves a final round of drinks. And then people head off into the night. It doesn't matter where they go.

Just as long as they don't stay here!