The next chapter! I hope you like it, please let me know! Thanks to everyone who already wrote a review and asked me to continue this, you're awesome! I think I'll really give this story a try.

The song to this chapter is 'The Greatest Show' by the cast of the Greatest Showman.

I don't own the characters or places!

Tony

"No, no, no! It won't work like this, you can't just run on the stage like some crazy man who's lost all his senses!" I complained loudly and crossed my arms. "What will the audience think?"

"That it's funny?" Rhodey asked and raised his eyebrows.

"He's got a point there." Steve added shyly.

I sighed. "Why did I agree when you asked if you could work for me?" I ran a hand through my hair and looked around thoughtfully. The ground was still dirty from out last practice and we needed to clean that up before we continued.

"We're your best friends." Now Steve found his confidence again and smiled widely.

"What a horrible taste I have." I muttered and shrugged in the end. "We'll have to think of that again. But not now, first we need to clean up."

"You mean that we have to clean up for you." Another voice behind my back said, but I didn't turn around. I knew that it was Bucky just from the sound of his voice.

"I'm paying you for that." I reminded him and smiled slightly when our eyes met.

"Stop constantly reminding us of that." Bucky sighed theatrically.

"He can't." Rhodey threw in. "Too self-obsessed for that."

"You can be lucky that you're my best friends." I groaned. "Otherwise, I might fire you for talking like this."

"You won't fire us." Rhodey said lightly when we walked to the big curtain that separated the stage from the rest of our building. "We're essential for the show."

"Like many more others." I pointed out. "I bet I could replace you within hours."

"Don't let Phillip hear that." Steve threw in. "It might give him ideas. He's been planning to get new artists for some time now."

"He's always doing that." I shrugged. "Though it's true that it's getting worse ever since our actions attract more attention."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Steve sounded thoughtful now. "A big show that's known everywhere."

"Of course. The people need good entertainment. There's been much too little of that in this city."

"Or every other city in the country." Rhodey joked, but I just nodded seriously. It was true. All the shows in New York and other cities were just one thing. Boring. The magic tricks were a joke and not even clever. I still couldn't understand how people would visit those shows. I did that once and never again. I didn't even remember much from that show anymore. Well, maybe because I fell asleep halfway through... Anyway, our show was really good and finally, the people started to accept that.

"Don't say those things, or it will make his pride even bigger." Someone above us said loudly and we stopped in our movements. Loki was leaning on the railing of the upper level of our small theatre, looking down at us with a smile on his lips.

"Be careful what you say, Tom, or he might threaten to fire you as well." Rhodey called.

He rolled his eyes. "How often should I tell you that I want to be called Loki from now on?"

"Just because that's your stage name, you don't have to use it all the time." Rhodey argued and crossed his arms.

"I like that name." Loki shrugged, slowly making his way towards the stairs. "We're also calling you and Bucky by nicknames. So why shouldn't that work for me as well?"

"I like Loki." I threw in and grinned. "It suits you. God of mischief."

Loki laughed. "Finally someone who understands!" Then he got serious again. "Mr. Carlyle was here some time ago. He wants to speak to you, saying that it's important."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Did Phillip say what he wants?" I asked curiously. Phillip Carlyle was the son of a very influential family in New York. He'd grown up among rich people and got everything he wanted without asking for it. He'd earned his money by writing stage plays, but everyone who'd seen him could notice that it didn't make him happy. Instead, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. When I first met him, he'd been the snob everyone thought he was. Self-obsessed, thinking that his reputation was the most important thing in this world and against everything that was new and exciting. However, I'd managed to get him to open up after a while and what I saw then surprised me.

Behind the mask, Phillip was a caring man who craved excitement and new things in his life. He was also lonely and needed friends and a real family. All things I could give him with the idea of my new show. He'd agreed to be my partner reluctantly, but now he was happy. I even dared to say that we were quite a good team. He was taking care of the logistics of our work, as well as the public opinions, and wasn't part of the show itself. Not yet, anyway. We were still working on his own act. I'd seen him talking to Anne Wheeler and Peter Parker lately, who were doing gymnastics on the trapeze. I wondered what Phillip was planning.

"He said something about a new article in a paper he got from a friend." Loki shrugged. "Apparently, he arrived from Philadelphia this morning."

"Sounds interesting." I said and turned around. "I'll go to talk to him. Is he in the office?"

Loki nodded. "He's waiting there for you."

"Excellent!" I grinned. "You keep working on your act, it really needs to be much better for the show." At this, Rhodey and Steve sighed, but I ignored them and walked towards the stairs.

Phillip was indeed waiting in our office. He was leaning on the table carelessly, the newspaper still in his hands. When he heard me coming, he placed the paper on the table and smiled widely. I took the time to look at him more closely. Black trousers, white shirt, grey vest and a black jacket. Hair styled perfectly. Piercing blue eyes shining in excitement.

"Whatever makes you grin like this should better be good." I narrowed my eyes. "Or should I rather be worried?"

Phillip handed me the newspaper silently and I scanned the page he'd opened for me. When I read the headline, I raised my eyebrows. "What is that?"

"Apparently, a well-known critic for magic shows has reached the east coast." Phillip explained. "Her name is Virginia Potts. She's made it her job to destroy every show she visits just with the force of her words."

I looked at him sceptically. "No one can have that much power."

Phillip smiled and shook his head. "Most of the time, they're just frustrated by her critics and give up after that. You have to know how to use such an opportunity."

"And I assume you know how to do that?"

"Don't pretend to be clueless, I can already see your mind racing, Tony." Phillip crossed his arms, a smile on his lips. "You've also got a few ideas."

I nodded thoughtfully. "She has a way with words." I admitted when I read the article. "Mr. Smith hasn't just caught the audience with his charm, but also with a simple trick. Making a bird vanish and let it reappear somewhere else. If not for the obvious fact that true magic wasn't involved, it could have been quite impressing. The audience cheered, his volunteer nearly faded right on stage and the bird was unharmed – in contrast to the cage, which was destroyed during the trick. Nothing that couldn't be easily repaired, of course, since it had just been broken for show. I'm sure the poor bird found himself in the exact same cage that nearly cost him his life once more right after it left the stage." I turned to Phillip again. "What do we know about her?"

"Not much." My assistant admitted, not looking happy about it.

"Come on, Phillip. You know every important person in this city. Someone must have heard something about her." I insisted.

He sighed. "The people I know aren't that interested in magic shows, Tony. They think such things are a waste of time."

"Surprises me since we see more and more of them in our shows every night." I threw in with a slight smile.

"It's not that easy and you know it. Remember how hard it was for you to convince me?"

I grimaced. "Don't remind me of that."

He looked at me meaningfully. "They have heard rumours about her, but not much. She appeared out of nowhere a few months ago and no one knows why she's criticizing the shows so much. Apparently, she's a journalist." He shrugged. "If you're so interested in her, you should just talk to her yourself when she arrives here."

"She's coming to New York?" That caught my attention. "You're sure about that?"

"Not completely, but since word of our show has spread in the south, she must have heard it. The chance that she comes is high."

I glanced at the article once more. "A critic of magic shows who seems to believe in true magic, if I understand what she wrote correctly..." Slowly, a smile spread on my lips. "What an interesting person. Especially since everyone knows that magic is nonsense. The only magic in this world is bringing a smile to people's lips when they see our show."

"Maybe you shouldn't say that to her." Phillip threw in hesitantly. "Her article could ruin our show and destroy the work of the past months."

"It won't." I wasn't sure why I knew this. "We'll just have to make a good impression on her.

"So you shouldn't talk to her."

I quirked an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing." Phillip muttered quickly and took his hat when he stood up. "If you'll excuse me now? I'll have to leave."

"Where are you going?"

"You wanted more important people in your shows." He pointed out. "I'm doing my best to get these people to come."

"Very good." I grinned at him and Phillip smiled back at me. "So see you this evening for the show?"

He nodded. "And don't forget that we're invited to a party this weekend. You still have to get your new suit from the tailor. I wasn't allowed to see it yet, but he assured me that it will be brilliant."

I held back a sigh and nodded. "Alright, I'll fetch it this afternoon."

"Don't even think of sending Happy." Phil warned me before he left the office.

Once he was gone, I glanced at the newspaper once more. Then I read the article again, wondering why a woman would become a critic of magic shows.