Moriarty followed the crowd, trying his best to keep away from all the people and kids trying to enter the circus. The magician didn't even think of going to the front doors. He walked in a circle, bypassing the circus and entering through the back doors, careful to not let anyone follow him. Thankfully, it wasn't that full this morning, but no doubt it would be overflowing with people when night approaches. That wasn't very good. No. It was terrible, but what choice did he have?
Walking past some helpers and other workers responsible for the whole environment of the circus, most of them greeted Artie, who just grunted and confirmed with his head, trying to keep his cold expression so that no one would come near and start asking questions or maybe for an autograph. That was unlikely, since those people worked there and would see Moriarty everyday, but you never know when a kid flees from its parents and starts entering in places when it shouldn't.
The young magician discreetly walked past the workers unto the seats of the audience. Luckily, some were empty, and Moriarty managed to grab one in the front line, which was a little weird. He didn't want to sit so close to where the performance would be made, but he insisted to himself that he wanted to see this illusionist up close, study their movements -- or better yet, her movements. Moriarty wasn't so surprised when he noticed the magician would be a girl, probably his age or even younger. The male teenager did have an appearance a little older to his age thanks to his eye-patch and cold expressions.
He watched carefully and kept his distance from the kids, but there weren't that many, so perhaps it wasn't a bad day after all. Especially when you have a new competitor. He smiled to himself when the girl on stage used some kind of block to protect herself against spells. Artie considered that a challenge, and she wasn't those cheap magicians with their tricks of white doves and rabbits in the hat. She had talent and that cheered him.
Finally, the "tricks" started. The first of them was the raven, which didn't surprise Moriarty much. Through the applaud of the audience, Artie merely clapped his hands slowly, observing every movement like a predator carefully observing its prey.
"I would like a volunteer to give me an object, any object, in which I will create an illusion with." the girl spoke with a smile, making Moriarty raise an eyebrow, thinking of the infinite possibilites in what the magician would probably do with the object. It would probably depend on the object? Doubtfully, she herself said that it could be anything. Smilling, Artie accepted the "challenge" and carefully opened the black jacket of his suit, removing what it seemed to be a tiny skull of a bird. The skull was very clean and white, almost not looking like a real skull, but a toy.
That skull wasn't that precious to the magician, but it still had great value to him. Why was he offering to the girl, then? Wouldn't his pessimistic mind scream that this performance is a classic way of stealing someone's possessions? Moriarty managed to ignore his mind and just smiled cheerfully, merely staying with his hand open with the skull in front of him, like an offering.
