ELEMENT: Molecular Manipulation

Activity Log 9: Tricks

1st POV
Korra disconnects the EXO suit from my body so I wouldn't make a huge fuss down there. I look to the edge of the roof and see a ladder. I look even further down and thankfully found no one in the dark alley. I kicked the ladder to unfold it. It broke...

Next time you kick a ladder, remember, you're enhanced and strong, got it? I sighed, "Got it." There must be another way to get down without being noticed. Well, fuck it. I jumped off the edge of the roof and tried to grab the wall next to the building. My claws digged in the bricks and once I was 7 feet off the ground, I pulled back my hands and landed quietly.

Well... that's one way to solve the problem. I proceed to get out of the alley and enter the warehouse. It was full of life! I see people buying clothes, others were waiting in lines for food and couples dance to the music in the background. "This seems more like a bazzar instead of a mall. Just look at this place!" I told Korra.

Stay focus, Eli. I highlighted her on the contact lenses I gave you with the earpiece. It seems like she's heading up to the stairs. Put on the hood. And put on I did. I avoided every contact from the dancing couples and the chefs offering a discount on his food.

But at the center of the market lies a stage that caught everyone's attention, so was mine. A man with a top hat and a cane started tapping on the microphone.

"Hello and good evening, everybody!" The man shouted. The crowd cheered on as he greeted them. "How's everybody's night? Good? Good! Tonight is another performance by yours truly, Mr. Manifique! And I'll be doing a new magic trick that every one of you will love, but I'll be needing a partner from the crowd here! Let's see...you there!"

Shit! He picked me, what do I do, Korra? Just go with it, everyone's looking at you, even the target. If you don't it'll seem suspicious. Fine. "Come on up, fella!" The man said. I had no choice. I came up to the stage and everyone started clapping. After I was on the stage, he put his arm over my shoulders and the other holding up the mic.

"Well, don't you look suspicious there, friend! I'm just kidding! Haha don't we all live to laugh?!" I fake chuckled. "So! For this trick, I'm going to need you to go topless!" What. "Come on, don't be shy! It's for the trick, not the ladies! Or is it?"

Jeez I wanna punch him in his perfect teeth. I took of my vest and hoodie. And the girls started to squeal and swoon while the guys started to death glare on me.

"Ooh! You're a jackpot, now, aren't you?! I might start to feel both jealous and take you out to a dinner." The crowd laughed. "So, tell me your name, mister." "You're asking that now?" I asked and the crowd laughed again. "Haha! You're a funny fox now, aren't you? Well, Jerry? Oil 'em up!"
Oil? What does oil have to do wi-HOLY SHIT! A masculine jaguar just poured lube all over me! Don't move your feet! Don't move your feet! "Now you might be wondering, 'WHAT THE HELL?'. Well, pick a card, any card." I picked the card from the far right. It was an Ace of spades.

"Now show it to the people. Put it back inside the deck, and now im going to shuffle it. Now I'm going to-Whoops!" He shot all the cards and all of them stuck on me. It's so uncomfortable. The crowd even laughed.

"Oh no! All the cards are on you-oh! But wait! There's one left here on the ground! Now, before I pick it up, can you tell me what your card was?" "The Ace of spades." I answered. He picked up the card. "Oh! Well would you look at that!" He shows it to the crowd. "The Ace! The Ace of spades!"

Everyone wowed and gave an applause to the so called magician. Eli, I scanned the so called oil and I found magnesium properties in it as well as the cards. When you touched the card, it neutralizes the magnetic charge, thus, causing it to unstick on the oil. Well that explains it. "Thank you. Thank you, everybody! And give it a round of applause to Eli!" They clapped for me? Huh...

Jerry then took me backstage to get cleaned up. "Here you go, bud." Jerry handed me a towel. It actually neutralizes all the cards' magnetic charge and fall off. "Now, I know what you're thinking. It's actually not magic. Just some science stuff behind it. That's what the boss said." Jerry told the truth.

"Actually, I already knew that. There's no such thing as magic." I added. "Well, sure. There may not be magic, but there is hope. The kids out there, they don't know that, but they believe even the smallest hope there is to feel young and alive and make their life worth a lot more than they know it." Jerry explained.

Mr. Magnifique then came to the backstage and joined the conversation and handed me back the vest and hoodie. "It's true. When I was a young boy, I nearly gave up on life. My father was a scientist and made a lot of inventions back then. I believed in him."

"However, he died after proving what most of the people believe in isn't true. I realised that what he did was both wise and foolish. It was wise to prove something, but foolish to make a doomsday device like trick. I swore on my life that I won't make the same mistake like he did. Instead, I looked forward to keep children's hopes up to give them a childhood worth living for." He added.

"That's some speech you got there." We look back to see my target, Nikki Olsen walking towards us. "Thanks, Nikki! It's about time you appreciate my hard work." So, she really didn't work alone.

TO BE CONTINUED