Chapter Twenty Five
The show Tuesday night in San Francisco was a fun one, they had several great audience volunteers who had even Blaine laughing at their antics. They moved on to Sacramento for two shows after that, and again the audience participation was great. They performed the Winter in the City illusion, where Blaine turns into a kid, and the audience enjoyed it immensely, mostly because Sacramento was in the middle of a heat wave, and the magic snow felt good.
They were in the home stretch of the tour now. They only had the three shows in Vegas and a show in Columbus left. As the bus dropped Kurt and Blaine off at their home, along with Raja Friday morning, Kurt was bouncing like a kid. In just over an hour, Ginger and Tobias would be arriving, and Kurt couldn't wait to show them their new home.
Blaine flopped down on his couch and stared up at the ceiling. "It's so good to be home. I know we'll have to leave again for a few days, but I missed our house."
Kurt dropped next to him, pecking his temple. "I missed making love to you in our bed."
Blaine grinned. "Is that an invitation?"
"Always, love," Kurt said, leaning in to kiss him sweetly. "You know what, I think I'm going to have to get in touch with my landlord, officially move out. I don't need my apartment anymore now that everyone knows about us."
"Well, not everybody, but after tomorrow night, they will. Are you certain you're ready for that?"
"Blaine, nothing would make me happier than to be able to just kiss you senseless whenever I want. Do you know how much better our adult show routines will be knowing we don't have to hide anything?" He winked at him.
"I'm not sure we should let everything hang out, Kurt. We could get busted for lewd acts on stage," he teased.
"Oh my God!" Kurt cried, smacking him playfully in the side of the head. "You know that's not what I meant."
Blaine laughed, the memory of Finn sticking his foot in his mouth back in Phoenix flashing through his head. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you."
Kurt shook his head and settled down on the couch next to him, picking up one of Blaine's hands and playing with his fingers. "I just...want to be able to kiss you onstage whenever I'm overcome with the desire to. That's all."
Blaine gave the other man's hand a squeeze. "I know. Just one and a half more days." He let out a sigh. "And as much as I would love to drag you to our bed and have my wicked way with you, I know you'll probably want to take a shower and get Raja settled before the others get here." As he spoke, his phone chirped an incoming text. "And you might want to hurry. Mom and Dad are on their way."
Kurt cursed under his breath, gave Blaine a quick kiss, and leapt off the couch, heading for the bathroom. Raja jumped up into Kurt's vacated spot and put his head in Blaine's lap.
Blaine smiled down at him, and scratched behind his ears. "Can I tell you a secret, Raja?" He leaned down and whispered in the feline's ear. "I'm going to marry him."
Raja turned his head and tilted it to stare at Blaine curiously for a moment before surging forward and nuzzling his nose into the magician's face.
Blaine laughed and kissed him between the eyes. "I take it, you approve?" The cat made a chuffing noise, the tiger version of a purr.
That's the position they were in when Kurt emerged from the bathroom about twenty minutes later. "Blaine?" he questioned, looking down at the two of them.
Blaine opened his eyes, having dozed off a little while imagining chasing a child that had his dark hair and Kurt's glasz eyes around the tiger enclosure. He smiled at Kurt as he took in the paler man's outfit. "You know you don't have to dress up every time my parents come to visit."
"Every moment is an opportunity for fashion, Blaine," Kurt replied, scratching Raja on the top of the head.
"True, but you can still do casual fashion around my parents. You have nothing to prove to them." He stood up and they led Raja out to the backyard, which was huge, and fully enclosed to protect the bengal tiger from anyone who may want to harm him, as well as to keep him from wandering off. He immediately rushed out into his favorite spot, the pond, and began splashing around happily.
Kurt slid his hand into Blaine's and dropped his head on his shoulder. "I feel like this is the first truly peaceful moment we've had in weeks."
Blaine put his arm around Kurt's waist and held him close. "It is peaceful, isn't it?" He let out a sigh of content. "We should get some food ready for Ginger, and a bottle for Tobias, so they can eat as soon as they get here."
They left Raja to play in the sunshine as they moved into the outdoor kitchen where Kurt kept the food and supplies for Raja. Blaine turned on the radio as Kurt began chopping up two rabbits and a large roast. He added green vegetables and mixed berries to two rather large feed bowls, and as an added treat, put a large joint bone in each dish for the tigers to gnaw on for healthy teeth. He also added some additional vitamin and nutrient powders to one of the bowls for Ginger.
Blaine was singing along to You Make Me Feel So Young, when the doorbell rang, and Pam and Robert Anderson let themselves in. Blaine didn't stop singing, just swept his mother up into a dance around the patio that had her laughing, and his dad smiling.
Kurt couldn't stop grinning from where he was now preparing a bottle for Tobias. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson," he said to Blaine's parents.
Robert rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Bob?"
Kurt just grinned at the man. "Sorry, Bob. Old habits die hard, I guess. It's great to see you though. We've missed you out on the tour."
"Yes, I've been following all the news stories and social media posts. I have to say, I was tempted to join Burt in tracking down the bastards who were causing all the trouble. I don't have a flamethrower, though. I must ask him where to get one the next time I see him."
There were probably a number of ways Blaine could have responded to that. Instead, he went with probably the last thing he could have said. "Really, dad? You know how to troll social media?"
Robert swatted at him playfully as he passed, still dancing around with Pam. "I'm not a geriatric old fart, young man!"
Pam was laughing at her men, even as Blaine dipped her when the song came to an end. "So, when are the newest members of the family going to arrive?"
Raja had wandered over and nudged her hand to be petted.
"They're on their way," Blaine said. "So they should be here soon. Mom, can I talk to you inside for a moment?"
"Of course, Darling."
"We'll be back shortly," Blaine said to his dad and Kurt, leaning over to kiss Kurt's cheek as he led his mom into the house. "I'll make this short and direct. You know I want everyone to be there tomorrow night, so I have to ask, were you able to convince Cooper to come?"
She patted his shoulder. "He'll be here. I told him if he didn't show up I would track him down and kick his butt all the way to Schenectady. So, can I see the ring?"
Blaine smiled at her and went to where he'd left his duffle bag in the living room, reaching into the side pocket for the royal blue velvet ring box. "Thanks so much for the recommendation mom. It was better than I could have asked for." He held out the box so she could open it herself and take a look.
"Oh my goodness, Blaine! It's gorgeous! And the dome makes it look mystical, like a crystal ball or something! It's pure magic!"
"That's exactly what I was going for. Because Kurt is pure magic. His love in my life is my real magic and the best magic I've ever been a part of."
She hugged him, kissing his cheek. "I'm so happy for you, Blaine. I love you, and I love Kurt for making you this happy."
Blaine wiped tears from her cheek as the doorbell rang again. He quickly stashed the ring before Kurt came rushing in.
"They're here!" the auburn haired man exclaimed excitedly.
Blaine was grateful for his quick reflexes because Kurt had come dashing through unannounced and he'd managed to get the ring out of sight before he did. "Honey, you have a piece of lettuce on your shoulder," he chuckled.
Kurt glanced down and frowned, pulling the green leaf from his vest. "Raja got a little carried away and tripped me as I was placing his food dish down." He opened the door and greeted the carrier. They'd given Ginger a mild sedative and placed her and her cub in a steel cage for the move. He, Blaine and Robert helped the delivery driver carry the cage and tigers into the backyard. Ginger was only just beginning to stir from her sedation when they placed the cage near the center of the enclosure, and opened the door.
The female tiger blinked her eyes a few times, trying to wake up fully and yawned as she rolled over. Her eyes rested on the pond, and she tentatively stood, taking a couple of steps out of the cage, but then immediately looked around for her cub.
Tobias hadn't been sedated, as he was still too young and underweight to handle the drugs. He'd been presented with a stuffed duck toy to cuddle during the journey. He watched his mom as she studied their new surroundings, waiting for her cue to tell if it was safe.
Ginger looked back at her cub again before she took a few more steps in the direction of the pond. Once she reached the pond, she cautiously crouched down and took a drink. Once her thirst was sated, she looked around the rest of the open space. She'd never had so much room to maneuver before, and wasn't certain where to explore first.
Meanwhile, Tobias had tumbled out of the cage, dragging the stuffed toy with him, and had begun wrestling with it. Raja, who had been too preoccupied gnawing on his joint bone to notice the newcomers at first, glanced over when the tiny cub had let out a small, playful growl.
Raja turned to look at Kurt, a curious expression on his face, before he glanced back at the baby tiger, and then spotted Ginger over by the pond. He stood up and cautiously approached the female tiger.
She crouched low as he approached, watching warily to see what he would do. She didn't show any signs of aggression or fear, just caution.
The male feline stopped a few feet away, deciding it was probably a smarter move for her to close the distance between them. Even though he had only been a baby when he'd experienced the same kinds of things Ginger and her cub must have, he still remembered that feeling of being wary of those around him. He was, after all, a very smart tiger. He sat on his haunches and just waited patiently for the female to make up her mind what to make of him.
Kurt, Blaine, and the Andersons all held their breaths, waiting as well. The two grown cats just watched each other for what seemed like hours, but was only a matter of minutes. And then something tumbled into Raja's foot, startling him. It was Tobias. The three week old cub had managed to sneak up on the larger tiger and pounced on his tail.
Kurt clapped a hand to his mouth to keep from laughing aloud at the baby tiger's determination to pounce on Raja.
Raja turned his head and looked down at the cub, watching him for a moment before gently nudging the baby back a bit with his nose. Ginger sat up, ready to defend her cub if necessary, but Raja had been very gentle with the tiny being. The older tiger rolled onto his side, head next to the tiny cub, and let out a chuffing sound. Raja's naturally playful nature made Ginger relax some, and she cautiously moved closer, stopping a few feet away, with Tobias between them.
Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt as they watched the tigers start to interact a little bit.
Ginger seemed to have decided that maybe Raja was okay if her cub had been brave enough to approach him. Kurt moved to the patio and got the second dish of food and the bottle he'd prepared a little while ago, and cautiously approached the trio. Ginger sat up, looking less cautious around him than the other tiger, more used to human companionship.
Kurt set the bowl of food in front of her, and waited for her to examine it before he approached the cub. He was shocked at how light the cub was. Raja had only been a week older when Kurt's mother had helped rescue him, but there had to be a ten pound difference in their weight. Kurt offered Tobi the bottle, and after a moment of struggling to get back down and play, the cub let out a sigh and began to feed.
Blaine watched Kurt feed the cub and couldn't help imagining Kurt doing the same thing with a little baby of their own. It made him feel kind of gooey inside.
"Aww," Pam said, most likely thinking the same thing her son was at the moment. As he held the bottle and the cub so tenderly, Kurt looked up and over to the others, a smile of content on his face.
"Would either of you like to feed him? It's the best feeling in the world."
Pam glanced at her husband and son first, and then approached Kurt. "Can I?" she asked.
Kurt just smiled at her and held the cub out towards her. "He's just like a baby," he said.
She took the tiny creature in her arms, and held the bottle for him, cooing softly. Raja had sat up and watched as Kurt had picked up the tiger kitten, making sure the baby was being well taken care of. Ginger was chewing her food daintily, for once feeling like she had enough to eat. Raja approached her slowly as she finished the last piece of meat, and licked her ear.
"Well," Blaine said softly, a blissful smile on his face. "I would say the introductions went really well. After Tobi is finished with his bottle, I suggest we leave the three of them to explore. Raja isn't needed at the theater tonight, so the rest of us can head out as soon as we're ready."
…
As they were setting up for the show that night, Blaine was introduced to the two acts that had made it to the finals of The Illusionist. The first was one of the few female contestants from this season, Harmony Chastain, and the other was a brother and sister duo, Mason and Madison McCarthy. He was also introduced to the other two judges, and had to refrain from fangirling when he shook hands with Mat Franco. The other judge, Jane Hayward, had won the previous season. She just exchanged a knowing look with Blaine. She'd had almost the same response to meeting one of the best sleight of hand Magicians of the modern era.
Cameras followed them around as they explored the set, and Blaine interviewed each of the finalists. As the afternoon progressed, and it got closer to the time for Blaine to begin getting ready for his own show, he and the other two judges drew the finalists into a conference room in the hotel.
"I just wanted to wish you all the best of luck tonight. This competition launched my career, and I know it can do the same for each of you. Remember, each of you will be performing three illusions; a close up illusion, your interpretation of the Shadow Box, and your signature illusion. Every little move you make should add to the illusion. You never want to give any detail away. And most important of all, let the magic guide you!"
The three contestants smiled and shook his hand. They would have V.I.P. seating in the front row for his show, and then it would be their turn to take the stage.
…
This was probably one of Tina's least favorite illusions, but the crowd always seemed to love it. She admitted to herself that if it weren't so gruelling, she might actually enjoy it. It only lasted ninety seconds, but required every ounce of stamina she had to pull it off.
"Audience," Blaine said, "I need you all to keep count. Let's see how many times Tina can change outfits before the timer runs out!"
The assistant began the illusion in a black prom style dress with what seemed like miles of ruffles. The music began, and Blaine counted down to the start of the timer. "Go!" Blaine shouted, and pulled a hooped curtain up surrounding her. He shook it a few times before lowering it. Now she stood there in a pink and black gogo dancer outfit.
The audience started counting, oohing and ahhing. "One!"
Blaine raised the curtain again, and dropped it two seconds later. This time it was a similar outfit to the previous one, but this one was yellow, orange and pink.
"Two!"
The next outfit was capri pants and a cropped top.
"Three!"
By the tenth outfit, she could feel her arms starting to tire as she switched from outfit to outfit. This one was one of the hardest, too. When Blaine lowered the curtained hoop, she wore a goth waistcoat in a deep burgundy color.
"Ten!"
Outfit fifteen was much easier. It was a red, white and blue swimsuit. One minute had passed by this point, and there were still thirty seconds on the clock.
"Fifteen!"
She was on outfit twenty with thirteen seconds left. This was a pale yellow chiffon nightgown.
"Twenty!"
The final outfit was her favorite. It was a shimmery pink gown with a princess waist.
"Twenty-four!" the audience shouted as the timer buzzed. They all applauded and cheered very hard for Tina, giving her a standing ovation because that couldn't have been easy.
Once offstage, Tina chugged an entire bottle of water, and Mike handed her a towel. "That was amazing. I still don't know how you pull that off. And each and every outfit was prettier than the one before!"
Tina shook her head at him, still working to catch her breath. "I might be the only assistant who can manage that one. Even Kurt won't try. He said that would require simplicity, which when it comes to fashion, is not in his vocabulary."
Mike laughed. "I think it's more that his clothes are so tight there is no way he'd be able to change them that fast."
Kurt, who had been standing nearby, preparing for the next illusion, smirked at them. "You're both wrong. I just don't like to sweat like that."
…
klainedreams34: Incredible show so far, and The Illusionist finale is just about to start! Oh, and my BF just proposed!
BlaineKurtElliott: Great show! Can't wait for the Finale! And congrats klainedreams34
ItsANewDay (Formerly IShipBlina): OMG! I can't believe I got to see BBlackwell Live on stage! And AsianMagic and MChangChoreography looked beautiful together! I'm so happy right now! Gratz klainedreams34!
KurtHummelRockstheMagic: I'm so excited, but I'm also sad! There are only three shows left after this!
backslashdelta: I just wish I could be there for tomorrow night's performances! I heard that they will be Raja's last tour performances, and from now on they will only use him in their home shows!
yadivagirl: That's what I heard, too! I know Raja will miss going on tour with Kurt, but I'm so excited for his two new tigers! I wonder if they will use one of them on tour?
lucy8675309: The show was great, and now The Illusionist finale is about to start. For those watching at home, I hope you are having as much fun as I am!
grlnxtdr29: Gotta go to bed as soon as the finale is over so I can be at the airport to catch my flight! Thanks, klainedreams34 for letting me stay the night in your hotel suite! Hope your BF/fiance wasn't too inconvenienced!
RajasRagina: Lord Tubbington keeps blocking the TV!
IheartBlaine: The finale is starting!
…
The finale was going very well in Blaine's opinion. Both Harmony and the McCarthys had performed well in each of their first two illusions. Harmony had seemed to have a bit of an edge in the close up magic, but the McCarthy twins' interpretation of the Shadow box illusion had been stunning.
It was now time for Blaine to introduce the final round, signature illusions.
"Every illusionist must find that one illusion that defines them in the world of Magic. For David Copperfield, that signature illusion is making large scale objects disappear into thin air. For Criss Angel, it's levitation. And of course, Houdini had his escapes. Tonight, before we bring out the finalists to perform their signature illusions, I'm going to perform mine."
The curtain rose behind him, and just right of center stage was a large projection screen. As the song, Let it Go, from Frozen began to play, large animated snowflakes appeared, drifting across the screen. Blaine blew on the side of the screen, and suddenly flakes of real snow began to blow out from the screen, onto the audience.
The audience let out a sound of ah, fascinated by the little crystal snowflakes fluttering through the theater.
After a moment, Blaine gave the screen a spin, causing it to twirl around, the snowflakes flying out harder. Faster and Faster the screen spun, until it became a blur. And then the screen vanished all together, and in its place, an ice sculpture stood. The sculpture was of a young woman, posed with one arm raised defensively in front of her face, the other above her head as if to stop something.
Blaine raised his arms, and a curtain rose up around the ice sculpture. The music reached its dramatic crescendo, and suddenly there was the sound of shattering ice. When the curtain fell a fraction of a second later, the ice lay scattered on the ground, and in its place, stood Quinn, in the exact same pose as the sculpture. As the line The Cold Never Bothered me Anyway rang out over the audience, Quinn slowly raised her head and lowered her arms.
The audience all applauded and cheered.
Blaine helped Quinn down from the pedestal and over the broken ice, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before they turned to take their bows.
The crowd leaped up and applauded with a standing ovation.
As the cheers wound down, Blaine looked into the camera once more. "Now ready to perform her signature illusion, Harmony Chastain."
The audience oohed at Harmony's Chinese inspired fan illusion, using dozens of delicate paper fans that changed color, changed patterns, appeared, disappeared, and even levitated.
After her performance, Quinn introduced the McCarthy twins.
Mason led his twin out on stage. The young woman was already blindfolded, and he guided her to a stool center stage. He then turned to address the audience, giving them his shy, sexy smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we are going to need a few volunteers. Madison is going to pick our volunteers, but first, I need some personal belongings from a few people. Preferably not a piece of jewelry, but something that does have some significant value to you. If you have an item you'd like to donate for a few moments, I will come around and collect them in this bag."
The young man moved out into the audience, collecting a few items from people. As he moved back towards the stage, past the judges' table, Blaine smiled and offered up what looked like a large coin. Mason smiled graciously at him, and returned to his sister's side.
"Madison has been blindfolded this entire time, so has no idea who may have donated any of these items. In a moment, she will reach into the bag and select an item, and using only her mental powers, will describe the person the item belongs to. When you are certain the item belongs to you, please join us on stage." He turned to the young woman beside him. "Are you ready, sis?"
Madison nodded, and held up her right hand. Mason guided her hand to the bag, and she reached in. After a moment, she pulled out the first item, a photograph. It was very old, most likely from the early nineteen hundreds. She held it loosely in her hand, caressing it gently with her thumb.
"This item is old. At least a hundred years?" she began. "It feels heavy, like there is so much emotion bound to it. I'm sensing there is a female presence attached to it. Is this a mortuary photograph, perhaps? The woman in the picture and the woman who brought this photograph here tonight are connected. Grandchild, perhaps? No, great niece, I think. They share a name. Wilhelmina."
"Is there a Wilhemina in the audience?" Mason asked. A woman in the third row stood up. He smiled at her. "Is this your photograph?"
"Yes," the woman said.
"Won't you join us on stage please?" He waited until the woman had joined them, and gave her back the photograph. "Do you go by Wilhemina, or?"
"Most people call me Wila."
"Okay, Wila, just stand over here for a few moments while we find our next couple of volunteers."
He again held the bag for his sister to choose an object. She pulled out a ball point pen. Madison ran her fingers over the object, feeling the smooth casing of the writing tool. "This pen feels like it's tied to a very significant moment in the owner's life," she said. "Signing a contract, maybe? No, no, a deed. A housing deed. The owner of the pen used it to sign off on his first home. A young man in his late, no mid-twenties. Stephen, I think is his name."
Mason took the pen from her. "Is there a Stephen here tonight who used this pen to sign a deed?" A man stood and moved towards the stage. "Congratulations on your new home, Stephen," Mason said, handing him back the pen. "Will you please just step over there beside Wila? Thank you. Now, one more volunteer and we should be all set."
Again Madison retrieved an item from the bag. She held the object pressed between her two palms. "I feel this item symbolizes a great accomplishment in this person's life. An award, perhaps." She concentrated for a moment, and then laughed. "I see this person has a very playful personality, but they are hiding a secret they are anxious to reveal. I believe this item belongs to Blaine."
Blaine laughed, and joined them on the stage. Mason handed him back the medal he'd received when he won season one of The Illusionist. "Well, Blaine, thank you for joining us up here on stage as well. Now, we have three volunteers who have no connection to each other whatsoever, other than a strong emotional connection to the items they carry with them."
He stood next to Wila. "Wila, who is pictured in your photograph?"
"My great aunt. This picture was taken after she died. She was murdered for being a lesbian."
The audience gasped and a few people yelled about how wrong that was. Blaine was frowning. He caught Kurt's eye momentarily and they shared a silent conversation, before the magician turned back to what was going on. "I'm sorry your family had to go through that," he said to Wila.
She smiled. "I keep the photograph with me, to remind me that no matter how bad things are, they will get better. I just married the love of my life. Just ten years ago that wouldn't have been allowed." She blew a kiss to a woman in the audience.
Mason smiled at her. "Thank you for sharing that, and I wish you all the happiness in your life." He moved on to Stephen. "Why is owning a home so significant to you?"
Stephen shrugged. "I grew up in foster homes, never went to the same school more than two years in a row, never knew how long I would be in one place before being moved to another. Owning my own home means stability, and knowing I will always have a place where I belong."
The audience all applauded him. That couldn't have been easy at all, but moving forward and trying to look ahead like he was showed he had great strength.
Mason moved on to Blaine. "Blaine, what is so special about that medal?"
"This is the medal I won when I won the first season of The Illusionist. It's like a symbol of the start of my career, of knowing that I could finally make it as a magician. And it reminds me of the day I saw real magic come into my life, someone who I didn't know at the time, but who would become very important to me."
Mason smiled. "I like that. Now, each of you is attached to your object for a different emotional reason, but emotions are what connect each and every one of us, and tonight, I am going to tap into that connection. Go ahead and put your objects away, and face the audience please." He positioned each of them at least three feet apart. "Now, I need all three of you to close your eyes tightly. We're working on the honor system, so please refrain from peeking."
The three volunteers did as instructed. Mason walked in front of each of them, checking to make sure they had their eyes closed, before moving around behind them. He tapped Wila on the left shoulder, then moved down the line, pausing behind Stephen without touching him, before moving on to Blaine, whom he tapped on the right shoulder. "If you felt me touch your shoulder, please raise the arm I touched."
Wila raised her left arm, and Blaine his right, but Stephen raised both arms.
The audience all gasped and applauded. The other two judges applauded as well, smiling up at Mason.
"You can put your arms down now, but please keep your eyes closed." He waited a moment until they had complied, before moving down the line again, pausing behind each of them, but only touching Stephen on the right arm. "Again, if you felt me touch your arm, raise the arm I touched in the air." All three raised their right arms.
The crowd applauded again and let out a few cheers. Some were whispering to each other about how it was possible.
"Thank you, you can lower your arms again, still keeping your eyes closed." He moved behind them again, pausing behind each, only this time he didn't touch any of them. Instead he moved to where his sister sat, and placed his hand on her left shoulder. "And finally, if you feel my hand on your shoulder right now, raise the arm I am touching in the air." Again, all three raised their left arms.
Another burst of applause from the audience and more cheers. Some people began standing from their seats.
Mason smiled at the audience, his hand still on Madison's shoulder. "Wila, Stephen, Blaine, please open your eyes." The three of them opened their eyes, and looked around, confused until they spotted Mason standing beside his twin. "As I said, emotions connect all of us. If we tap into those emotions, we can feel empathy for our fellow man. Thank you all!"
A standing ovation from the seats as the audience cheered and applauded. It was definitely a very different take on magic and they were all loving it. Mason shook hands with each of the volunteers as he showed them offstage. Blaine smiled at him. "That was very impressive, and an awesome message."
The three judges conferred for several moments, comparing each performance.
"I think Harmony's illusion was more complex," Jane said, "but I didn't feel a connection with it the way I did with Mason and Madison."
Mat nodded his head. "I agree. Harmony had no interaction with the audience, which surprised me after her close up performance earlier where she really engaged them. It was almost as if she forgot the audience was there."
"Harmony's performance required great skill, precision, and focus, but finding a signature illusion is also about connecting with your audience. Mason and Madison exhibited that very well, and they found a more unique way of doing it," Blaine said.
They talked about the first two performances, comparing each one. They all agreed that Harmony's close up had been much more entertaining, while the McCarthy twins seemed to have faltered a little, but the twins' interpretation of the Shadow Box had even Blaine questioning how they had done it. And there was no doubt in their minds which of the signature illusions had been better.
"So, do we have a winner?" Mat asked. Blaine and Jane exchanged looks, and nodded.
The three winning magicians stood center stage, and addressed the audience and the cameras. Mat smiled. "All three of us have been in the finalists' shoes, so we know how much this part of the show sucks." The audience laughed.
Jane smirked. "Both of these acts did amazing tonight, and we know we can expect great things from each of them in the future."
A stagehand wheeled a large metal frame out onto the stage. Blaine moved to one side of it, while Jane moved to the other. "And now to reveal the winners of The Illusionist season four!" Blaine said, and he and Jane picked up a curtain from in front of the metal frame. "Audience, are you ready?" There were cheers and applause, and some audience members called out the name of their hoped for winner. "Okay, on the count of three! One...Two...Three!" He and Jane threw the curtain up in the air in front of the frame. When it fell to the floor, Mason and Madison were revealed.
The audience erupted into cheers, standing on their feet and applauding like their lives depended on it. From the front row, Blaine's assistants were all beaming at the stage, as they too knew what it felt like to be named the winner.
The twins hugged each other, and each of the judges, as Blaine placed medals around their necks, and Jane gave them each a bouquet of red and white roses. Harmony came out on stage and congratulated them graciously.
Blaine looked into the camera once more. "There you have it, folks, the next generation of Magicians. Stay tuned for a sneak peek at next season, where all of our contestants will be under the age of sixteen! That's right, ten kid magicians will be wowing us with their skills. Thank you all for believing in magic!"