Celeste was having a pretty good day - she had gotten off work early, was able to get home and change, and even managed to have the rest of the evening to herself. It wasn't a day she was going to study. She was just going to relax, even if that meant doing some stuff. She ultimately decided on taking a walk through her neighborhood - it was a fairly nice day, not too warm but not too cold. It was in that pretty comfortable switch from summer to autumn. She had decided to wear a light blue button up shirt with a black sweater and blue jeans. A nearly perfect in between outfit. 

She was enjoying the view - the many, many skyscrapers that dotted the skyline. The people passing by on the street. Celeste was having one of those moments - how every person is just trying to get by in their own lives, working, taking care of their families, and moving on. She always had the tendency to look at someones face create a fake world that they lived in, from some awful or great upbringing, to their current mission or destination. It was a fun thing to do and it kept Celeste's mind busy during these more relaxing moments.

After she crossed a street, she saw a little crowd gathered in front of a man. In New York City, that could mean a whole bunch of different things - could be some guy just died, he's bleeding out, a fight just happened, God knows what. Her curiosity got the best of her and she headed over to the commotion. Was that... Magic tricks? Or maybe illusion tricks? Was there even a difference? She saw a man doing... Something, but she was really trying to see past this tall guy that kept getting right in front of her. Ugh.

(OOC: Daniel Tyler)

Today Dan was wearing a black t-shirt with white details, paired with a red, long and thin fashion scarf. His hair was spiked upwards as usual and he had his make up, leather bracelet and various wrist bands on.

He had already drawn a crowed in and had warmed them up with a couple of card tricks. He was now artfully manipulating a coin, holding it up between two fingers and then wrapping his other hand around it, to then open his palm and show the coin had disappeared. Of course he then 'magically' pulled it out of another location.
A few more people started to gather as he repeated the trick in a couple of different ways. He skillfully rolled the coin back and forth over the back of his fingers on one hand, before turned that hand over and closed his fingers around the coin again. This time making it disappear for good.

He pulled a lighter from his pocket and started to manipulate the flames. Gently running a finger and his thumb through it, making the flame go out and then re-lighting it with a 'magic' move of his hand. He then held the lighter and in one flowing action he wrapped his hand around the flame as if grabbing it in his fist and then opened his fist, holding the fire in his hand for a couple of seconds before closing his hand to extinguish the flames.
Most of the audience seemed impressed, and he impressed them farther when he held the lighter and clapped both hands together making it vanish.

Smiling he looked at the audience, he needed a volunteer for his next trick. He saw the pretty blond girl he had noticed join the crowed a couple of minutes ago, and the fact that she was struggling to see past the tall man in front of her didn't escape him. "Now I'm gonna do a teleportation trick and I'll need some help."
He looking to the young blonde with a friendly smile and waved her towards him. He thought the young lady might get a thrill from the trick, if not he figured it would at least get her to the front of the crowd so that the taller people would not be in her way. "How about you, luv?" He asked, his cockney  accent audible on every word he spoke. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna teleport you." He assured her with a grin, coaxing her over.

Tag: Celestina De Ward

Celeste still had those moments of quasi-culture shock - how did she actually manage to end up in NYC, the cultural hub of the United States? It was the place of movies, good and bad. When she walked the streets, surrounded by skyscrapers, the feeling seemed to never go away. Maybe it was because her hometown didn't really have skyscrapers - they had taller ones, but nothing like New York Cities skyscrapers. Celeste really wanted to go see the Empire State Building, but she just didn't have the time. Work, volunteering, preparing for college, finishing high school, it was a lot of junk to juggle all at once for the teen, especially when she was also trying to cultivate friendships & lasting relationships in the big ole' city.

Celeste was trying to see over the guy, whether by standing on her tippy toes or leaning around but this guy was impossible. Every time she tried to get a better view, he got in the way. Luckily, she saw some of the tricks that were going on - something with a lighter, and wait, was that fire in his hands? She really needed to get a better view now because that was intense and crazy. Was this a trick or did this guy have some type of fire mutation? Then again, she did hear he did something with a coin and that had nothing to do with fire. 

>>"Now I'm gonna do a teleportation trick and I'll need some help. How about you, luv? Don't worry, I'm not gonna teleport you." 

At first, Celeste didn't realize he was referring to her. She was so busy just trying to see that she didn't even process his words until everyone turned and looked at her. She gave a sheepish grin when it dawned on her. Teleporting? Well, Celeste wasn't one to back down from anything, so she moved forward with some slight 'excuse me, please' to the people in her way. 

She got up next to the guy and unsure of what to really do, "Uh, I'm Celestina. Can call me Celeste, though." She pulled some of her hair behind her ear. 

"Celeste. Ok, nice." He looked at the audience with a smile and motioned to her with a jerk of his thumb, "This ones on the ball, I didn't even have to ask." He jested before he looked back to Celeste,  "We're off to a good start."  He gently took her wrist and moved her a step or two to square her up to himself a little more, "It's nice to meet you, Celeste. I'm Dan, and I'll be your friendly street illusionist today." He joked charismatically.

He pulled a paper-clip out of his pocket and held it up between his finger and thumb, showing Celeste and the crowed that it was just a normal paper-clip. "Hold out your hand for me, darlin'" He asked, then put the paper-clip in the center of her palm, "Good. Now make a fist around it, turn your hand over and keep holding it tightly." He instructed. "As you can see my hands are empty."  He held up both hands and turned them back and forth to show her both sides. "And there is nothing up my sleeves...As you can see I don't have sleeves." He joked again, running a hand up each forearm feeling for imaginary sleeves and gaining a few smiles from the crowd.

He took a couple of steps away from Celeste and held out a fist too, mirroring her. "Ok, I'm gonna teleport that paper-clip from your hand to mine." He said, looking her in the eye. "You can feel it in your hand. Just hold onto it tightly, look into my eyes and focus on it." He said to her. "Focus." He strengthening his stance and looked at her with a sense of concentration of his own. "That's it. Just focus on the paper-clip. Concentrate." He continued like her focus was the fuel for the teleiportation.
He kept his fist in place and put a couple of fingers from his other hand to his temple, as if he was trying to move the paper-clip with his mind, amping up the build up of the trick.

After a few moments Dan relaxed his stance again and lowered his fingers from his temple "Turn your hand back over and open your fist." He told her, knowing the paper-clip would no longer be in her hand. Once she had opened her hand he turned his own fist over and opened it, revealing the paper-clip in his palm. Teleported.

The audience applauded and Dan smiled at Celeste.

"Does anybody want one more trick, or have you all had enough?" He asked, looking to the crowd and Celeste.

Tag: Celestina De Ward .

Celeste was, to be frank, a bit nervous about the situation she found herself in - a magician or trickster or whatever they're called magic trick. She had never even seen magic tricks before, let alone been apart of one. The guy seemed friendly, though, so so long as he wasn't putting her in a box and cutting it in half, she was relatively happy about being part of the show. 

>> "It's nice to meet you, Celeste. I'm Dan, and I'll be your friendly street illusionist today."

She smiled and nodded as she moved forward with his guidance, "It's a pleasure." So a street illusionist, that's what he was doing. Illusions. That made sense - probably more so than magic. She was glad she heard that before she called him a magician, honestly. What if there was bad blood between the two groups? Potential awkward situation. He also didn't seem to be homeless, or at least he didn't smell like he was homeless. 

She held her hand out for him so he could drop the paper clip in her palm. She followed his instructions to the T. She made a tight fist and flipped her hand around. She nodded and let out a laugh with the crowd as he moved his hand up each forearm. That was a pretty funny joke too. Maybe a street illusionist comedy guy should be his official title? 

She stared at his eyes and did her best to focus on the paper clip in her hand. She wasn't exactly sure how she was suppose to concentrate on a paper clip, but she was gripping it harder than usual. 

>> "Turn your hand back over and open your fist."

Celeste nodded and slowly turned her hand over and opened her fist - it was gone. And it was in his hand. Celeste let out a small gasp. She shouldn't have been too surprised - he probably did tricks like this all the time, but it was still amazing to do whatever he just did. She gave him a little clap.

She grinned and nodded, "One more couldn't hurt." The crowd was dropping some money for him and practically begging for another trick. 

Dan loved to see the looks on peoples faces and he loved to watch their reactions as he performed.
He knew he wasn't doing anything as important as finding a cure for cancer, but he took great pleasure in giving people a sense of wonder and amazement through his tricks. He couldn't change all the bad stuff that was happening in the world, but he could make people forget about it for just a little while. He could entertain people and take their minds off their problems for a short while and give them a break from it all. He could give them a sense of hope by showing them the impossible IS possible and that had to count for something, right?... Not to mention receiving an applause at the end of it was rather nice too.

He couldn't help but smile when Celeste gasped and he quickly got ready with his next trick.
He took a black handkerchief out of his messenger bag of props that he had on the floor, then pulled his phone out his back pocket. He held his phone up in his fingers and smoothly dragged the handkerchief over the phone in one quick movement, transforming it into an iphone. Quickly dropping the handkerchief he made the iphone float between his hands for a moment before holding it again.

He held the iphone horizontally and held his other hand out flat underneath it. Then with a flick of his thumb he swiped the screen left and simultaneously moved his other hand to the left of the phone, pulling the apps off the screen and catching them in his hand!

He smiled as the crowed responded with mixed reactions varying from raised eyebrows to verbal exclamations of astonishment. He put his iphone back in his pocket and took a half bow as everyone clapped, "Thank you. You've been a great audience." He motioned lightly towards Celeste with an open hand, "And how about a hand for my wonderful volunteer?" He said, gaining her a round of applause of her own.

"You've been great, luv." He said to Celeste, touching her on the shoulder indicating that she could go.
He waited for her to walk a few feet away before he called out to her, "Before you go can I have my watch back, darlin'?" He pointed at her wrist with a smirk, then held up his forearm. Showing her she was wearing his watch and he was wearing her watch.

Tag: Celestina De Ward.

Celeste appreciated the work some of these performers did. It was something Celeste never could do. They made people believe in something more than just the day-in-day-out life. It was something that made people want to actually live a little. Everyone was so use to a routine - wake up, work, bed, it was nice for her and others to get that little dose of mystery. 

Celeste couldn't really believe her eyes as he performed a couple more tricks. How in the world did he do that? Honestly, if she wasn't a woman of some reasonable science, she'd actually believe he was magical. It wasn't something that Celeste had ever really even seen until now - her home town didn't really have that much of street illusionists. 

>> "Thank you. You've been a great audience. And how about a hand for my wonderful volunteer?" 

The crowd clapped and let out small cheers, heck even Celeste clapped. It was remarkable to see those kind of illusion tricks. She'd wager most of the people watching had never seen anything like it before, either. And Celeste was even a part of it. That was a memory all in itself. 

Celeste nodded as he tapped her shoulder. Her role was done, it was time to leave. The rest of the crowd began to disperse and head their own ways. Some looked clearly depressed about going back to their usual way of life. 

>>"Before you go can I have my watch back, darlin'?"

Celeste stopped on her heels and perked a brow. She looked towards him then pulled her wrist of her chest, before taking a look at his watch. She grinned wide and kept her brow arched, "Only if you tell me how you did that without me knowing." Ha! Blackmail! Blackmail that wouldn't work but for a single threat. She actually needed her watch to keep track of the time for her medication every 6 hours. But hey, he didn't know that. 

Dan smiled, it wasn't the first time someone had tried to blackmail him into telling them how a trick was done and it wouldn't be the last. Though he knew she wasn't being deadly serious and he took it in good fun, "That would be a sure way to get myself thrown out of the magic circle." He jested.

He took her watch off as he stepped over to her holding her watch out to her and he extending his other hand for his own watch. After all this was New York and past experience here had taught him to either get his watch first or trade at the same time. Though Celeste didn't strike him as the type to grab and run, in fact he thought she looked rather sweet and he had enjoyed seeing her expressions and reactions with each trick.
Looking at her he guessed she was around 20. Old enough to start discovering the world, to go to school and start asking the big questions about life but young enough to have a sense of wonder and a head full of idealist dreams. Well that was what he saw in the pretty girl's face, whether it was true or not he didn't know...so swap at the same time, just to be safe.

"As they say 'a good magician never reveals his tricks'." He added. "Besides, if I told you how I did it that would just take the wonder out of it. And the fun is in the not knowing." He finished with a wry smile.

Truth was he had swapped the watches when he took her by the wrist and squared her up to himself the moment she first came to the front as a volunteer. It was simple to do while he distracted everyone with his charismatic introduction as Dan, the friendly street illusionist.
A truth that would be obvious if he pointed it out and one that would suck all the wonder out of the trick, and he wasn't going to do that. No always leave them guessing.

Tag: Celestina De Ward

She watched as he took her watch off and she began to take her watch off. She didn't realize he was going to make them switch at the same time, but it made sense. This was New York City with full of criminals. Always better to be on the safe side. She dropped watch in his hand as he dropped hers in her hand. She put her watch back on her wrist and grinned, trying to think of a time that he could have actually gotten it off. 

>> "As they say 'a good magician never reveals his tricks'. Besides, if I told you how I did it that would just take the wonder out of it. And the fun is in the not knowing." 

Good point - that was the best part of these type of tricks, not knowing how in the world it happened. That was part of the wonder. Not to mention, Celeste was pretty interested in the illusionist himself now. "Thanks for the show, it was amazing. It looks like everyone else agreed, too. And including me in it. It's actually the first time I've ever seen this kinda show, let alone be apart of it." She motioned to his tip jar, which ha tons of 20's in it now. That included a 20 that Celeste decided to give to him. 

She wondered if he'd been in New York City long, with his accent, "Are you from New York City or elsewhere?" If he had some time, why not strike up some conversation? 

Dan just looked at her with a smile when she began thanking him for the show. Honestly it was his pleasure, doing tricks was what he loved to do and being able to earn money off it was a dream come true.

His eyebrow raised slightly when she said she had never seen an act like his before, "Really? Well I'm glad you liked it."  He replied, giving her a flattered smile.

He was glad to have introduced her to the world of magic tricks, though he personally liked to call them illusions and himself an illusionist. A different name for the same thing yes, but magic tricks and magician implied there was real magic involved, when it was really all just slight of hand or smoke and mirrors and Dan didn't pretend it was anything more than that. Not that he had a problem if other people called them magic tricks or referred to him as a magician, after all that was the most common terms.

He chuckled when asked if he was from New York. "No, luv. I'm from London. But I live around 'ere now." He answered. "Got myself my own apartment 'ere a few years ago." He said, subconsciously motioning in the vague direction his apartment was in.

"Wot about you, you live around 'ere? Or you just visitin'?" He asked.
He could be wrong but with her accent he doubted that she was a native New Yorker by birth. But he was no expert when it came to accents and couldn't place where he thought she was original from.

Tag: Celestina De Ward .

(Ooc: I'm gonna attempt to write a cockney accent for a bit lol. Not confident it's gonna go well, but it should be good for a laugh if nothing else haha.)

She smiled and gave him a nod. She did really enjoy his performance. It was a great introduction to illusion and while Celeste would always be amazed by tricks like that, it was a great performance. While her threat to keep his watch was clearly met with no chance of happening, Celeste was content with that. He was right - it is better to enjoy a mystery.

A lightbulb kind of went off in Celeste's head when he said he was from London. That made sense. She nodded, "It's a good city to live in, crazy expensive, but a good city, eh." She stepped closer to the buildings next to her as a couple businessmen and one woman came strutting down the street - very clearly on a mission and no time for excuse mes. 

She nodded, "Yeah, I moved here earlier this year. I'm finishing up high school and I'm going to New York University in January." She still couldn't believe she was accepted - and that she was actually going to be a college student. Some big changes were coming! "I'm originally from Regina, Canada. It's above North Dakota." She emphasized the physical location because nearly all Americans didn't know where Regina was. She realized after the fact that he might not even know where North Dakota was since he was from London. Oh well.

(OOC: No worries, I'm not even sure what it sounds like I wouldn't know the difference. XD) 

"Yeah. Well it's very expensive now at least. But I'm from the East part of London myself, it's a little less expensive there." He told her. Though a little less desirable, hence why his accent was less like the Queen's and more like Del Boy's from the show Only Fools and Horses. Thankfully that worked in his favor this side of the pond. Most Americans seemed to love it for some reason and he used it to his advantage on his road to fame.

"Aw nice, congrats. Wot ya gonna study?" He asked cheerfully when she talked about school.

"Ah, the land of beer and bacon, nice." Or was it the land of maple syrup maybe?
"Wot made you decide to move 'ere then?" He asked casually. "You come 'ere to study?" He shot her a playful, cheeky grin, "Or did you come 'ere to try and get famous?"

Ok, he was playing with her a little. But hundreds, if not thousands, of young, star-eyed women came to New York every year with a head full of dreams and a bucket of enthusiasm, so it wasn't too much of a stretch. Unfortunately he knew most of those girls' dreams ended with them waiting on tables...or a lot worse if they weren't careful. But hopefully nothing like that would happen to this girl, he liked this girl.

Tag:Celestina De Ward.

(Ooc: Sorry it's short, I need to get to bed. Oh and cockney accents sound something like this if you are interested )

She nodded. She wasn't sure about the West versus East part of London, but Celeste still didn't really know about the divides in New York City yet. Was there rivalries between the different boroughs? Was London like that, too? Eh, questions for another time.

She shrugged and turned a little red. Everyone always asked her that after she mentioned she was going to NYU. It was something she was proud of, but she wasn't sure what she was going to do. There was a lot of options - political science, maybe. Or she could be a doctor. Or a teacher. Who knew. She sighed, "I don't know yet. I think I'll figure it out when I'm there."

She perked a brow but nodded. There was Canadian bacon, but maple syrup tended to be the most well known consumable from Canada. We did have some pretty darn good maple syrup, after all. She wasn't sure about the beer part, but she was sure they were all about beer. She wasn't able to be out and about like most other kids her age were, so she wasn't entirely sure. 

She smiled, unsure of how to answer his question. It wasn't always safe to be open about a mutation and her desire to finish school at Xavier's. Luckily, he hadn't asked her about her high school or else she would've been up sh*t creek there. He was a illusionist on the street though, so he probably wasn't a bigot. But what if he was? She chuckled and decided to keep it simple, "Just for studying. No desire to be famous here. What about you, though? Fancy becoming a famous illusionist?" 

(No problem, short isn't a problem so long as there is something to reply too. Thanks! That was helpful. XD)

Dan could relate when Celeste said she hadn't decided what she was going to do at school and that she was going to figure it out there, "I left that til the last minnit too." (I left that until the last minute too) He replied. "My parents start'id sweatin bullets, I left it so late." He smiled warmly at the amusing memory. "But it all worked out." He finished with a shrug. Assuring her she didn't have to have it all figured out right now.

He nodded as he listened to her say she was only here to study. And he smirked when she asked him if he had the desire to be a famous illusionist. "Already 'alf way there, luv." (Already half way there) He replied with a charismatic wink. "If you 'aven't seen any kind of act like this until today then ya won't of 'eard of me, but I'm already a known Illusionist." He told her.
"The Escapist." He announced, lifting his hands with half-hearted dramatic flair as he did so. Well, he hadn't let his stardom go to his head yet and couldn't take himself too seriously now, could he? "Not everyone's  'eard of me yet. But I do get reconized. On me way to becomin' an ouseold name."
(Not every one has heard of me yet. But I do get recognizes. On my way to becoming a household name)

He wasn't bragging, he was just telling her how it was. But he did enjoy being able to say he'd made a name for himself and it showed on his face...Ok maybe he was bragging a tiny bit, after all what performer wasn't even just a little bit narcissistic? And he had worked hard enough the get where he was so he had earned a few bragging rights. "I've been on the telly a couple of times. Had a few acts live streamed on the internet. Now I've got a couple of things in the works, if it pans out I've got it made. Dreams really do come true." He said casually, as if it was no big thing. And with that he bent down and picked up his things.

"So, Wot way you 'eadin?" (What way you heading) He asked.
He figured he could walk with her if she was going his direction, if not he would bid her adieu and they could go their separate ways.

Tag: Celestina De Ward

She gave him a grin and nodded, "How did they react to you being an illusionist? I always imagine parents reacting badly to those kind of career goals, but it seems like they either love it or are terrified." Marisol, her best friend, was in the performing arts. Her mother supported her 110%. She even helped her get all the way to NYC from California to go to her Mari's high school of choice. Pretty different from illusiony stuff, but still she had a desire to sing, act, ballet, etc. It was something Celeste loved about her - she had passion for the arts.

Of course, Celeste herself could only sing. No one would ever see her dance or try magic tricks. She barely has any coordination, let alone magic or illusionist abilities. 

She laughed at his last comment. That was true, she hadn't heard of him, "Well, it might be because I just haven't been around here for a long time. I'm just now scouting this area of town out, I live kinda nearby. Just checking the sites." 

The Escapist. Huh. Did he escape from traps and such too? She hadn't seen him do a trick like that, "So, do you escape from like handcuffs and stuff, too? I mean, I'm presuming. Sorry if that's a little judgy." She wasn't sure what was offensive to illusionists or not. Yikes. "Um. That's pretty cool. Do you only do it on the street or do you have like a theater you perform at too? I'd love to come watch one of those shows!" Well, so long as no one was being sawed in half, anyways. She never liked that trick.

She gave him a big grin, "you'll be viral in no time. Everyone will know who you are soon!" She chuckled and then shrugged at his last question, "I was thinking I might stop at this cute little coffee place down the street. I saw it had good reviews on Google, but uh, I've never actually been there. I was ultimately just out for a stroll."