Chapter Two
As applause rang out from the last trick, Kurt walked Tobias out on the stage on a leash. "Everyone," he said, grinning at the audience. "I'd like to introduce you to Tobias. He's the baby of our family." The audience awwed and clapped for the young tiger.
"This is Tobi's first official night on stage." The tiger hid his eyes behind his paws. "I think he's a little nervous."
"We love you, Tobi!" someone shouted out in a French accent, and the rest of the audience cheered their approval.
Tobi slid his leash free from Kurt's hand and started strutting the stage with his head in the air. "Okay Tobi, this is a magic show, not a fashion show." The audience laughed. "Although considering what you did to my boots this morning, I have a feeling you aren't known for your fashion sense." The audience giggled again.
Kurt pulled a deck of cards out of his shirt pocket. "Tobi's going to be helping me with a little card trick, but first, I need a volunteer." Several hands went up in the audience. Kurt grinned. "Tobi, who do you think we should pick?" he asked the tiger.
Tobi paced the edge of the stage a couple more times, before laying down facing a teenage girl in the front row.
"Excellent, Tobi!" Kurt said, smiling. "Give her a round of applause as she comes on up here!"
The girl looked nervous, but also excited as Tobi brushed her side with his head.
"Tu parles Anglais?" Kurt asked first, wanting to make sure he'd be able to communicate properly with the girl.
"Oui," she replied.
Kurt smiled. "Awesome. What is your name?"
"Marie," she giggled as she spoke.
"Salut, Marie. It's a pleasure to meet you," Kurt responded. "You don't happen to have fish on you, do you?" he asked, nodding to Tobi.
She laughed and shook her head.
"He must really like you then." Kurt smiled at her. "Marie, I have here an ordinary deck of cards. And as you'll see over there, our assistants have set up three large cushions. Tobi has a habit of making a mess of things, but hopefully, this will be a good mess." He took the cards out of the box and shuffled them a few times before fanning them out. "Now Marie, you can pick a card, any card you'd like."
She drew one from the left side of the fanned out deck.
"Look at it, memorize it, show it to the audience. You can even show it to me if you'd like. But, this is very important, do not show it to Tobi."
She nodded and looked at the card, and showed it to the rest of the audience, and Kurt. It was the Queen of Diamonds.
Kurt pulled a sharpie out of his pocket. "As an added indicator, why don't you go ahead and sign your name across the card."
The teen took the pen, and carefully signed her name on it.
"Beautifully done, Marie. I think you have a future in calligraphy." Kurt laughed. "Go ahead and place the card face up on the top of the deck." Kurt held out the deck, which he'd squared up again.
She did as instructed, blushing in pride at the compliment.
"Okay, now watch closely. Audience you watch closely too. You can look at the monitors which will give you a close up, and the shot will not cut away. But this is going to happen very fast." He waved his hand over the deck. "Ready? One, two, three!" On the third wave of his hand the card had vanished, revealing the back of the top of the deck. Kurt flipped the top card over to prove Marie's card had indeed vanished from the top, revealing the nine of spades.
The audience murmured in speculation as they waited to see what would happen next.
Kurt held up the deck and fanned it face forward so Marie could get a good look at them all. "Marie, if you would just confirm that your card has disappeared from the deck completely." She studied the fanned cards.
"It's gone."
"Thank you, and good night!" Kurt said with an over pronounced bow. "Just kidding. Actually Marie, if you'll come with me right over here." He led her to the cushions and Tobi followed. "This is Tobi's favorite part of the trick."
The feline began nosing at the cushions, scattering them, before pouncing on one, and picking it up in his mouth, shaking his head violently. The sound of fabric ripping echoed in the suddenly silent theater. Tobi clutched the cushion in his claws and used his teeth to tear it open even more. Batting began to fly everywhere, along with something else.
"Okay boy, I think you've killed it," Kurt laughed. "Marie, do you see that object sitting on the stage that just flew out of the cushion?"
"Oui, yes."
"Would you go over there and pick it up and just reveal to the audience what it is? I don't want to touch it."
She moved over and leaned down to pick up the small cardboard rectangle, looking at it in surprise before holding it up for the audience. It was the Queen of Diamonds, complete with her signature scrawled across it.
"If you could just verify for the audience one more time, is that your card? And your signature?"
"Yes."
"It is! Ladies and gentlemen, big round of applause for Marie and for Tobi!" The audience applauded in appreciation. Quinn handed Marie a gift bag as she returned to her seat. "And now, a treat for you all! Blaine and I are thrilled to have these next two performers along on the tour with us. They are incredibly talented. So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please put your hands together for the winners of season four of The Illusionist US, Mason and Madison McCarthy!"
The audience cheered as the twins took the stage. Once the audience settled down, Madison spoke. "Being twins, Mason and I experience the world in ways very few people understand. When people talk about twin bonds, they aren't making it up. My brother and I always know what the other is thinking."
Mason nodded. "The psychic connection between us is very strong. Tonight, we'd like to give two members of the audience who aren't twins, the opportunity to experience what it is like to be connected to someone so strongly.
Madison shut her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples. "It's coming to me. I'm seeing a young woman, in her twenties, with long blonde hair and she's wearing a red dress." She opened her eyes again. "Do we have a young woman like that in the audience?"
A woman near the back stood. She matched Madison's description perfectly.
"Perfect, ma'am if you would please join us on stage," Mason said, grinning. The woman made her way up to the stage. "What is your name?" Mason asked her.
"Noelle," she replied, her French accent strong, but she was smiling.
"Welcome Noelle," Mason replied. He turned back to his sister, only to frown as Madison was clutching her head. "Maddy?" Mason said in concern.
"I cannot see anything. It hurts," Madison replied.
Mason frowned again as Madison dropped to her knees. "Guess it's up to me to find the other volunteer." He glanced up at the balcony. "Anyone willing to jump?"
There were a few nervous giggles from the upper rows, but no one volunteered.
"I'm just kidding," Mason said. "Actually I'm sure you've all brought along bags or purses or things like that. So I'm going to do this by using what might be in your bags. The first person who can produce a stamp from their things will be our second volunteer."
An older man near the middle of the far right section stood up holding the requested item. He looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties.
"Great sir, if you will join us here on stage!" Mason smiled as the man made his way out to the aisle to join them. "And what is your name?"
"Jean Pierre," the man replied.
"Let's give a hand for Noelle and Jean Pierre!" Mason said. The audience applauded the volunteers. "How are you feeling now, Maddy?"
Madison stood back up, a wane smile on her still pale face. "Better. I think I may have just overwhelmed my senses."
Mason looked relieved. "Good, because I need your special talent for this next part. Noelle, Jean Pierre, in a moment, Madison is going to connect the two of you on a psychic level. Are you ready?"
The two of them both nodded, looking curious and maybe just a slight bit nervous.
"Okay, I want you both to take a deep breath, and close your eyes," Mason instructed. Both volunteers did as he said, drawing a breath and shutting their eyes. "Very good. Keep your eyes closed, and continue to breathe deeply. You will feel Madison placing her hands on you."
Madison moved between the two volunteers, first placing a hand on each of their shoulders. After a moment, the three of them seemed to be breathing in synchronization. Madison then touched the hand that had been on Noelle's shoulder to Jean Pierre's forehead, and vice versa. She then withdrew and moved to the side, looking even more pale.
Mason addressed the audience. "Noelle and Jean Pierre are now linked. Noelle, would you please stand here?" He indicated a spot to the left of a partition that Sam and Trent had brought out on stage. "And Jean Pierre, please stand on that side, yes, just there. Now, I want you both to close your eyes again. I want you each to think of a color, it can be any color you want. Do not say the color out loud, just think it. Have you each thought of a color?"
Noelle nodded her head after a moment.
"Oui," Jean Pierre said, nodding his head as well.
"Perfect. In a moment, one of the assistants is going to bring out an assortment of colored pens. I want each of you to select two pens, but I do not want either of you to look at them. Keep your eyes closed. And do not let the audience see what colors you have chosen either. I want you to keep the pens clutched in your hands for the moment, understand?"
Both of them nodded their heads, preparing for whatever it was that was coming. Elliott came out on stage, carrying two fists full of colored pens, showing them to the audience so they could see there were different colors to choose from. He stopped in front of Noelle first, offering her the pens in his left hand, carefully blocking the audience's view until she had the markers hidden in her hands. He then did the same for Jean Pierre, before exiting the stage, only to return a moment later carrying two easels, placing one in front of each of the volunteers.
"Thank you, Elliott," Mason said. "Now, Noelle, Jean Pierre, you may open your eyes. In front of each of you is a drawing pad. You may set your markers in the tray for the moment, still without revealing the colors to anyone but yourselves."
Noelle and Jean Pierre both blinked their eyes open. It took them a moment to readjust, especially with the bright lights of the stage, but once they had, they both set their markers in the tray and waited for further instructions.
"Now, you will notice there is a third marker already in the tray, a black one. I want you to pick that one up first. Got that? Good. Now I want each of you to think of an animal, and write it down." He paused and waited for them to finish writing. "Good now, I want you to write down a type of vegetable."
Both volunteers seemed to think for a moment before they wrote down the name of a type of vegetable on their pads.
"Ready? Okay, now I want each of you to write down an article of clothing."
They seemed to both be quicker to think on that one, even though there were all kinds of choices for clothes too.
"Now, you each picked a color earlier. Without telling us what the color was, look at the two colored markers you chose and tell me if one of them is the color you were thinking of earlier."
"Yes," Noelle said after a moment of looking down at her markers.
"Oui," Jean Pierre said at almost the same time.
"Perfect. I am going to ask you to use both of the colored markers to draw me a picture. I would love if you could each draw some kind of flower for me on the bottom of your page."
The volunteers each picked up their markers and started to draw. Noelle seemed to be moving quickly, while Jean Pierre appeared to be drawing with careful precision.
"Are you both finished?" Mason asked after a few moments more. They both nodded their heads. "Good. Now, Madison also has a drawing pad, sitting by her chair. Maddy, dear sister, would you bring the pad here and show the audience what you have on it?" She did as instructed. On the first line was the word Flamingo. On the second line was Haricot vert, and on the last line was the word sweater. Below that was drawn a red rose with a green stem.
"Noelle, Jean Pierre, would each of you please turn your easels around and show the audience?"
Both of the volunteers turned their easels around to face the audience. Each of them had written the words Flamingo, Haricot vert, and sweater, and each of them had drawn a virtually identical red rose with a green stem.
The audience burst into applause and cheered the twins, standing for them.
"Now, Noelle, can you tell me what color you were thinking of in the beginning?" Mason asked.
"Verte," she said.
Mason nodded. "And Jean Pierre, your color was?"
"Rouge."
"And for those of us who don't speak French," Madison added, "those are green and red, oui?"
"Oui," Noelle and Jean Pierre both confirmed.
The audience cheered again, and the twins took a bow, as Elliott escorted the volunteers from the stage, giving each of them a gift bag.
…
"Great job tonight, you two," Kurt said to the twins as he played fetch with Raja and Tobias after the first show. "How did it feel taking the stage on an international tour for the first time?"
"That was exhilarating!" Mason said. "Madison and I can't thank you guys enough for inviting us to join Blaine's biggest tour yet."
"You two really blew us away during your time on The Illusionist," Blaine said, joining them. "It's an honor to have you joining us. You bring a new dimension to our act."
Kurt smiled at both of them, scratching Raja behind the ears. "Mental magic is such a fascinating take in the field and I don't think it's as widespread. So, this will give you guys some amazing recognition around the world."
Madison smiled. "Mentalism is an ancient practice that went out of favor for a long time, but it is making a comeback. I'm glad we can introduce it to a new generation of fans."
"Just out of curiosity," Blaine said, inclining his head to one side. "Do you guys practice other skills or just fine tune mentalism?"
"Do you mean do we practice other forms of magic?" Madison asked for clarification.
"Yeah," Blaine nodded.
"Mason is better at illusions than I am, but we do perform some standard tricks. You saw our Shadow Box performance at the finale. We also have a version of your Levitating Butterfly, but with mermaids instead."
Mason put an arm around his sister. "Maddy is being modest. She's a skilled illusionist as well, but she prefers the mentalist act more."
Blaine chuckled, sliding an arm around Kurt's waist and pulling the taller man closer. "Well, it's great you have variety. I've actually been trying to figure out how you can do an adult content mentalism act, in case you ever decide to join in the adults only show."
Madison shifted slightly from foot to foot. "We're not particularly interested in that kind of mentalism," she replied. Mason glanced at her, a slight frown on his face. He'd actually considered coming up with an act for the adult show, but without Madison, it would be difficult.
Kurt sensed the tension between the two, and changed the subject. "Any chance you guys could teach Blaine and I how some of your tricks are accomplished?"
Mason smiled at him. "You know a magician never reveals their secrets! The same applies to mentalists!"
"Well, it couldn't hurt to ask," Kurt said, laughing lightly.
"I've actually been working on learning the muscle reading technique," Blaine said.
"That's a good way to start in mentalism," Madison said. "I could recommend some old journals if you really want to learn more."
"That would be amazing, actually! Thank you so much," Blaine said.
Kurt frowned at something over Blaine's shoulder. "It doesn't take a mentalist to see that Tobi is about to make a mess backstage. I'm going to take the three of them out to do their business. If you'll excuse me?"
"Of course," Mason said.
Blaine kissed Kurt on the cheek. "Take a jacket. It's windy out there, love."
Kurt nodded, and grabbed the jacket and the three leashes.
Madison watched him walk the tigers out and turned back to Blaine. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone quite as happy as the two of you, and that includes our parents, who have always been kind of nauseating."
Blaine laughed, although he wasn't exactly sure if that meant she thought he and Kurt were too over the top with their affection.
Meanwhile, outside, Kurt pulled his jacket tighter around himself. It was May in Paris, but the nights were still quite chilly. Tobi had quickly found a spot to relieve himself, although Ginger was a bit more hesitant.
Raja seemed distracted, and Kurt tried to see what had caught his attention. The older male was making a low rumbling sound, not exactly a growl, but definitely a warning. Kurt moved closer to see what had gotten the cat upset. He could just make out a shadow in the distance, the outline of a man. He couldn't see any details, but it seemed like the person was watching them intently. And then he was briefly blinded by the flash of a camera, and the person took off running.
…
daisylovesblaine: Awe! BabyTobi looked so shy on stage tonight! But he seemed to have fun once he got comfortable!
KurtHummelRockstheMagic: Looking hot on stage, Kurt! Blaine is one lucky guy!
ihli: The twins are awesome. I rooted for them last season on the Illusionist! And I love that Blaine invited them on tour with him!
RainbowsandRibbons: I got tickets for the St. Louis shows! I know it's still months away, but I am so HAPPY! And I can't wait to see TwinMagic live! I'd love to be one of their volunteers!
kirigiri_diosa: I love Tobi! He's so cute! I wish I could have a tiger, but I know they take a lot of work and it would be really expensive to care for one properly! So I'll just keep collecting stuffed tigers instead!
sugarandfeyst: I have to wait six months for them to come back to Columbus! My Grandma already bought me the tickets for my birthday!
TwinMagic: Thank you to everyone who has made us feel so welcome on this tour! And thank you BBlackwell and GlaszandPorcelain for believing in us!
backslashdelta: I'm so happy to see Blaine and Kurt looking so in love on stage! And I love the new Assistants already! I hope everyone is making them feel comfortable! And hi TwinMagic! You guys are so awesome!
Taplove2015: Sigh...Still not coming to Nashville this year, but I did get tickets for one of the Memphis shows!
LucyQFabray: Welcome, TwinMagic! Glad to have you aboard! You really are two of the sweetest people I've ever met!
BBlackwell: Great job tonight, TwinMagic! You are both so incredibly talented!
BabyTobi: Hrung, Hrung, Ngu, ng ng (translation; They like me! They really like me!)
…
If there was one thing the French were passionate about, it was love and it seemed that Santana had decided to offer standing room tickets just so more people could enjoy the adults only show. Blaine wasn't entirely sure that Wes would have done that, but he wasn't complaining. It was going very well so far.
The curly haired man shook himself out, before the beat of a passionate melody struck up and he danced out onto the stage. The scene was set like a bedroom, a large comfy looking canopy bed in the center. Blaine was dressed in only yoga pants, his chest, arms, and feet bare.
He danced around the room, making movements like turning the bed down and turning on the bedside lamp.
After a few moments, Kurt danced onto the scene. He was wearing pajama shorts and a see-through tank top. He stopped in front of the bed and pirouetted before Blaine seemed to notice him and caught him in his arms.
The two of them danced around the room, the passion in the music flowing into their bodies as they stared into each other's eyes. Kurt's hand slid across Blaine's cheek, and Blaine caught his wrist, pressing a sweet kiss to his palm. Kurt smiled and leaned in close, before pulling away just as Blaine thought he was about to kiss him.
The pale man danced across the stage on his own for a moment before Blaine came up behind him, wrapping his arms around Kurt's middle and sliding one hand down his front, almost grabbing him through the shorts. Kurt hissed and bit his lip, spinning in his arms and grabbing Blaine's chin in a tight but gentle grip. He spun away again, this time, towards the bed.
Blaine caught up, once more wrapping an arm around his middle and Kurt placed both hands on his shoulders and did a back bend from the waist up, before he allowed Blaine to help him lie down on the bed.
It wasn't until this moment that the audience became aware the bed wasn't precisely completely normal. Blaine climbed on top of Kurt, straddling him and raising one wrist at a time to lock into handcuffs, each attached to one of the bedposts. The curly haired man leaned in close, daring to slide his teeth across the taller man's bottom lip, before he tied a scarf that had been lying on the pillow around Kurt's eyes.
Shifting so that he slowly turned around on Kurt's lap, purposely grinding his ass down into his groin, Blaine then locked Kurt's ankles in leg shackles, before he slid off the man and to the floor.
Kurt was biting his lip and tugging on his wrists. Blaine danced away from the side of the bed, pulling the rope attached to the canopy, only to reveal a bed of spikes hovering over the bed. The audience all gasped and Blaine smirked, he pulled a second rope and curtains fell hiding Kurt from the audience's view.
Blaine then picked up a candle that had been sitting on the dresser and with a wave of his hand, it ignited. He placed it beneath the rope attached to the spikes and snapped his fingers. A large clock illuminated hanging from the ceiling and began counting down the seconds as Blaine continued to dance around the stage.
It was then the audience noted that the music had changed, from passionate, to dangerous and their eyes remained on the clock as Blaine continued to dance.
People were starting to grip the arms of their seats as the timer counted down into the red zone. Ten seconds left. Five seconds left. Three...two...one.
The spikes fell as the flame burned through the rope. The audience let out a gasp.
It was silent for several beats as the music had stopped abruptly. And then the curtain was pulled back to reveal Kurt standing at the foot of the bed. The passionate beat picked up again as Blaine took him in his arms and the lights fell on them in close embrace.
The audience roared in approval, leaping to their feet, whistling and cheering.
Kurt couldn't help pulling Blaine into a kiss after the lights fell off them. "You did that deliberately, you little minx," he murmured.
Blaine gave him an innocent look for all of one second. "Well, it will help with you just tearing all my clothes off later, won't it?"
Kurt smirked, and casually gave Blaine's ass a squeeze before sauntering off stage.