Attractive Illusions chp. 2

                                            Attractive Illusions
                                             Fantasy/Romantic

The following day Damien woke early due to the morning sun hitting his face in an uncomfortable way. He rubbed his palms in his eyes and yawned. Surely he wanted at least another two hours of sleep, but since he was already up there seemed to be no reason for even trying getting back to sleep again.

He ate some dry bread for breakfast and washed himself in the Levilo River. After cleaning his ''home'' he went to the park. It was still very early and only a few people were up so he had almost the entire park to himself, a nice opportunity for him to practice on a little magic. He went to his normal place, a private place under a big oak tree near the lake.

He wasn't really sure what kind of tricks he should be doing to catch a crowd so he tried to renew some of his old tricks. Levitating things with just the moving of his hands, fireworks exploding out of his palms when he opened his hands and such things like that.

From a place above he could hear the rattling of branches but didn't think more of it as he automatically assumed it was a bird or a squirrel. Soon he could hear giggling from the tree and frowned his brows, raising his eyes to the place where the giggling came from. He could see curls of blond hair from behind some leaves and sighed. This could not be anyone else than that strange girl from last night. "Are you spying on me?" Laughter filled the air and the girl jumped down, standing in front of him now. "No." she smiled "That's my new home. You see, since you wouldn't allow me to stay at your place I had to find another place to stay, but all the good places were taken so I just found the next best thing I could come across, and I have to tell you, there's a lot of space up in that tree. I could make a house up there." He raised an eyebrow looking at her with questioning eyes. Was this girl for real? Never before had he met a more interesting and strange person.

"Ok.." "Yea. Uhm, but over to another thing. Your magic is really great! Where have you learned those tricks?" "Those are not tricks." He said calmly, collecting his stuff and lifting his bag from the ground. "Oh?" "Mhm.." He started walking away from her, not in the mood for conversations without any meaning. The girl on the other hand didn't seem to be interested in being rejected so she followed him. "But surely they have to be tricks, I mean.. They ARE tricks..?" Damien shook his head. "No, they are not. They're magic. Not tricks. Magic." "Uhm, ok?" "Yes?" He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "Are you truly this dumb or are you just pretending?" "What do you mean?" "I'm a magician, a wizard. I can do magic." "Oh, so your THAT type of magician, I get it. But then, why do you perform on the street like another street magician? Can't you just magically make money appear and live a rich and wealthy life in a castle like the wizards in the stories?" "It's not that simple." "Oh?" "How to explain in a way that makes it understandable for you. Magic is not something used for ones own personal winning, at least not the type of magic I can do." He paused, then frowned. "But really I just haven't learned how to make material things appear yet. My magic is just foundational, you know? I can make things levitate, disappear and reappear, but not make money or food, I don't know why, but actually I don't mind."

"Huh, you're a strange person Poker." Jean said, shaking hear head in disbelief. "Surely you must get frustrated from not being able to make yourself a better life when you have been blessed with such a gift." He looked at her "No, not really, just in the low-periods when I don't make enough money, but I have learned to adapt myself to this kind of living so it's ok I guess." "You really are strange" she said making a weird expression with her face. "And that's coming from you?" he replied.

She went silent, thinking for a moment, then said with a grin on her face "Touchè, Poker. You win this round, but not the next one." "The next one?" "Yupp.." "I'm not getting rid of you you mean?" "Nope.." He mumbled some words to himself before responding with "I don't like you." "Thanks, I like you too." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "So what do you do to make a living then?" "Not gonna tell you." She said smiling. "It's a secret, and if I told you I would have to kill you." "Sure." "It's true!" "Don't believe you." "Well you should, I never lie." "Now this I certainly do NOT believe in." "Suit yourself, but you'll see. I can never lie, it's a curse, I have to tell the truth all the time. I'm just kind of person. Lying is never an option." "If you say so, Moore" "I DO SAY SO!!" "Ok ok, calm down crazy lady." He raised his hands to show he surrendered and she smiled satisfied to herself, still following him. "You gonna follow me all day?" "No, not all day, but most of it, yes." He moaned in desperation and his head dropped a little. This was going to be a long day.