nysm / tvd } { if you will, please move in closer

[onebehind]

In another lifetime, Dylan Rhodes never existed. In another lifetime, he didn't need to, because Lionel Shrike never drown in the Hudson River, Dylan Rhodes stayed Jacob Shrike, and his life went in a very different direction.

At age fifteen, his father started teaching him the tricks of the trade: sleight of hand, how to build a rig, how to do a little bit of actual magic, despite the fact that probably wasn't something he should be sharing, just yet. Shortly after that, Jacob met a young Alma Dray, tagging along with her grandfather, a friend of his father's, stopping by to check up on him. They grew up together, life continued on, and Jacob eventually went to college for Theatre Design and Stagecraft. At twenty-two, just after graduation, Jacob was chosen to join the Eye, his test to help the LVPD clear the name of another magician, despite all the evidence in the world making him seem guilty as sin. There, Jacob met Michael Fuller, his partner a lifetime away, and the two became friends as they managed, despite all odds, to pull off what had been asked of Jacob by the Eye. He continued on into a career as a stage magician in the Eye, eventually married Alma, and continued to occasionally work with Fuller as a consultant, when time allowed.

Over the course of the next few decades, Jacob and Alma tried to have children and failed, and eventually adopted one Jack Wilder, age 10. Using Eye resources, he helped Merritt McKinney get a good lawyer and clear his name after his brother screwed him over. He followed the rising stars that were J. Daniel Atlas and Henley Reeves, and when they decided to call it quits, pulled the both of them back together, forcing Daniel to give Henley a more active role in the show. And eventually, yes, he called the four of them together, not for revenge but something similar, to get them into the Eye. And somewhere along the way, Jacob and Alma tried for children again, and this time managed, giving Jack a brother, Lio, Lionel, named after his grandfather.

Basically, this is the best possible timeline.

And now, it's just after dinner, Jacob off to his nightly rehearsal at 5Pointz, that his space, now, like his father before him. He takes a detour tonight, though, to grab a cup of coffee, beforehand, a little bit of magic pulled around him, to make himself not completely invisible, but at least a little less noticeable. Normally, he doesn't mind showing off or signing autographs, when a fan approaches, and fans do often approach, his notoriety somewhere up there with Penn and Teller, Seigfried and Roy, but -- not tonight. He's not feeling it tonight, a little tired for whatever reason, hence the coffee, so magic it is. And now he's sitting at a table, idly people-watching as he leans into his cup. Have at him, if you can still see him (or, maybe, in certain party's cases, sense him) despite his best efforts.

Comments

[onebehind]

"There's just something about being on stage," Dylan admits, a little sheepishly. It's less that he's that much of a narcissist or whatever, though, and more, "There's just something about the look on people's faces, when you pull off a trick."

That wonder. That's where the high is.

[polydeukes]

She grins. "Yeah, I get it. Sometimes showing off is fun." But that's only sometimes for her. Her ride with magic has always been a complicated one, and she's never really loved being the center of attention. "Not what I would do, but I feel like if someone actually trained my sister in stage magic, she would have been all over it."

[onebehind]

"Well, if she ever wants to learn ... " He really wouldn't mind teaching stage magic to someone -- or, worse comes to worst, and it's too much for his already busy schedule, finding someone he trusts to teach the art. Max comes to mind, for all that he claims to be retired, or Miranda, if they'd rather another woman. Either way, the point still stands.

[polydeukes]

"I think she would absolutely love that." Josie grins. "I'll see what she thinks when we talk tonight."

Because right now, she's super curious about wherever Dylan is taking her and what she's about to learn.

[onebehind]

"Sounds good," Dylan declares.

And then, as luck would have it, he comes to a stop at their destination -- the foot of what appears to be an abandoned factory, every inch of visible brickwork covered in graffiti. Dylan glances up at it, briefly, before returning his attentions to Josie.

"And I'm kinda late for a rehearsal," he tells her, almost sheepishly. He's not trying to get rid of her, just explaining why they're here, this his space as it was his father's before him. "If you wanna come up ... "

[polydeukes]

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be in the way."

Which essentially means, just point to where she will be out of it and there she will stay. Then she lightens up, just to make sure he knows that she's not trying to get gone either.

"I wouldn't want you to be worried about me stealing all your secrets."

[onebehind]

"For all you know, I got a way of making you forget, when you leave," he shoots back, along with a look meant to make her wonder, before heading into the building. There's an old but still functional elevator inside, beyond what's labeled in street art as an office and beside some stairs, and Dylan heads for it, expecting her to follow.

He'll find somewhere for her to be once they're upstairs.

[polydeukes]

She considers for a moment, then shrugs as she follows him, heading towards the elevator.

"Fair enough. I wouldn't want to accidentally spoil the big reveal."

[onebehind]

"You'll be fine," Dylan promises, pulling the elevator gate down behind them. He pushes the button for the top floor, then leans into the wall, to wait out the ride. After a beat and more seriously, he adds, "And I'm not really gonna flashy thing you."

You know, like the Men In Black. He probably could make her forget, if he really wanted, but -- no. That feels a little sleazy.

[polydeukes]

"I appreciate it. And if it makes you feel any better, I spent my whole life keeping secrets. I'm sure I could keep a few more."

She was mostly kidding at letting the how slip. And she's very, very excited to see the inside of it all, even if she's trying not to show it. How often do you get invited to peak behind the curtain?

[onebehind]

"I figured," he answers. He really didn't expect her to go spilling his secrets everywhere, and even if she did, he's got a hundred tricks he'd like to try on stage. He could always just swap one thing out for another. He's not bothered.

Shrugging, that in mind, he pushes away from the wall again, as the elevator reaches the top, and pulls the grating open before leading the way out onto the roof. Power cables mark a path to where there's a set up of lights and effects, several feet off, and Dylan glances down at them before he calls back to Josie, "Watch your step."

[polydeukes]

Her eyes dart back and forth from the ground as she picks her way through, over the taped down cords, and trying to take in as much of the space as she can.

"How long have you been working out of this space?"

[onebehind]

"Since Dad retired?" Dylan answers after a moment's thought. "This used to be the space he used, and it kinda got ... " Well, not willed to him, since his father is still alive and all, but left to him all the same. Either way, he makes a vague gesture to try and indicate that -- or at least the fact that he can't quite figure out how he wants to put it.

[polydeukes]

"Oh that's cool." She smiles as she looks around again. "It's like a father-son space. Are your sons into magic too?" She's from Mystic Falls. She was bound to have a thing for tradition. Also, she means performative magic, not witchy magic.

[onebehind]

Dylan can't help but smirk at the question.

"You know who Jack Wilder is?" Never mind the fact that he's Jack Shrike, on paper -- he uses his birthmother's maiden name as his stage name, still. And he's still gaining traction, fame on stage. The Horsemen's acts may not have been as blatantly illegal here, as they were a lifetime away, but they were still meant to send a message. They still exist as a team.

[polydeukes]

She nods, because of course she knows who Jack Wilder is. Lizzie's only been obsessed with him for forever, and even Josie can admit he's charming. There's something different about how he performs that's incredibly engaging and ...

"Wait. Jack Wilder is your son?"

She can put two and two together.

[onebehind]

Dylan exhales a breath of a laugh, and offers her a smile that's proud on two fronts. He's glad she put it together; his son has grown up to be a good magician, a good man, and he's glad for that, too.

"Yeah." He's not going to get into the fact that Jack is adopted. That's never mattered. Jack is his son. "My oldest."

[polydeukes]

"Oh wow. My sister is a huge fan." That's probably the better term to use than "obsessed." "And he's definitely got style. I've seen a couple of his shows."

[onebehind]

"If she decides she wants a lesson or whatever -- " In stage magic, like they talked about briefly, earlier. " -- I'll drag Jack along, so she can meet him."

Josie is welcome to come, too, in either case and regardless of whether or not she's quite as enthused as her sister. Either way, he doesn't mind interacting with the fans, and neither does Jack. It wouldn't really be 'dragging.'

[polydeukes]

"She would literally die. I'm going to text her right now while you go do your thing."

Is she going to tell her about Jack Wilder just to see the look on her face when Lizzie sees him? Maybe maybe not. She'll decide while she's texting.

[onebehind]

"Send her a picture," Dylan suggests, though he's mostly teasing. If she thinks it'd help sell where she is, she's welcome to, but otherwise, he's not that much of an egomaniac. His father taught him to stay humble.

Either way, "But, uh, yeah ... "

Either way, he jerks a thumb over his shoulder to where his crew is waiting on him. He really should go do his thing. He'll come back over, when they take their break, so she doesn't think he's forgotten about her.

[polydeukes]

She's been eagerly texting her sister who does not believe that she's made friends with who she's said she's friends with so naturally she has to come up and see for herself.

Josie does look up when Dylan comes back.

"My sister might come up for spring break. Is that too crazy for you guys?"

[onebehind]

"Shouldn't be," Dylan decides after a moment of thought. After another, he pops one shoulder in a shrug. "And even if something comes up, I'm sure we'll have at least one free night, while she's here." Or day. Or whatever. The point is, though, that he'll make time.

[polydeukes]

"Awesome." This will be such a fun thing for her twin. She's excited. But once that's settled, she glances over at the stage. "Is everything set up?"

[onebehind]

Throwing a glance of his own back at the stage, he studies it for a moment, then as he turns back to her, nods. "Should be." More than, considering everyone seems to be waiting on him, now. Oops? "I should, uh -- "

Go and do that.

"Just find somewhere about fifteen feet off, where you can see the stage." As if she were in the front row at a theatre.