Happy Ficlet Friday. Here's another installment in the MagiKal AU. Thanks to my beta, Lynn S.M. Unfortunately, this will be the last betaed story for a while, so please sit back and enjoy. The mistakes will be back next week. Magic MovesDusk was already settling as Lois left the Beckworth State School with a sense of disappointment. Interviewing Mrs. Powell, the director, hadn't turned up any useful information about the "Smart Kids", as they called themselves. Lois still wasn't sure why she'd even volunteered for the story. Maybe because it was the only story on a super slow news day - or perhaps, a hushed voice in the back of her mind suggested, because it was the type of story Clark would enjoy writing about.
With a firm shake of her head, Lois pushed that thought aside. They'd worked well together on the story about Metro Gang and the Toasters. It didn't mean she had to cover every dog show in the hopes of running into Clark Kent. That would be ridiculous, insane even.
As Lois looked around for a cab, she suddenly spotted a figure on the other side of the street. She wasn't the only one. Pedestrians all around her looked in the same direction, changing their course as if they were moths, heading for the flame.
MagiKal was readying himself for another performance.
Lois’ heart skipped a beat, then started to race like it always did when she saw him. He looked handsome in his black costume, even though she couldn’t see much of his face under the mask.
Oddly enough, knowing that it really was Clark underneath the disguise only intensified the thrill of his presence.
Lois checked the street, preparing to cross it, when she felt something wet against her leg. As she looked down, dark brown eyes stared back at her.
“Houdini?” The dog barked a greeting and licked her hand. “Yeah, it’s nice to see you, too.” She took a moment to kneel and scratch his ear. “Where are you coming from all of a sudden?”
The setter tilted his head, looking at her as if he were chastising her for asking such a dumb question. If Clark was here then of course Houdini was, too. Her gaze drifted in the direction from which Houdini must have come. She spotted a small alley, the place she’d certainly find Clark later, once his performance was done.
“You’re right, how stupid of me,” she whispered. “I guess this still takes some getting used to. So, how does this work? Do you wait for him in that alley?”
Houdini barked and made a few steps toward the street, indicating that he intended to watch his master’s show.
Lois smiled and stood up. “Come on, big guy. I’ll take you along.”
Happily wagging his tail, Houdini followed Lois as she crossed the street and joined the group of excited spectators.
MagiKal pulled out three boxes, each of them glowing in a different color. In the twilight of the setting sun they stood out. He started to juggle them, caught them again and aligned them horizontally until the two in his hands held a third in between. He swirled the boxes around, changing their order and always catching them again, before one of the boxes could fall. It was awesome to watch, but not really something an ordinary artist couldn’t have done.
With bated breath Lois – and probably everyone else on the street around her -- waited for the moment when his trick would truly turn magical.
MagiKal caught the boxes again and pulled out two more, glowing in yet other colors. Now he stacked them vertically in what seemed to be a fragile balance. Then he dropped his hands and the boxes were hovering before the dark background of his black costume, magically changing their places in quick succession.
Lois’ mouth hung open as she watched, mesmerized how in one moment the red box was on top, wandering down, then skipping places. The different boxes seemed to blink before her like lights in a disco. They became a blur of light, their different colors no longer visible. Then the boxes slowed and whirled around, as if MagiKal was juggling them. But his hands didn’t move, hanging loosely at his side the whole time.
Lois wanted to rub her eyes, not quite believing what happened right in front of her. MagiKal seemed to enjoy the stunned silence of his audience. The smile on his lips twitched slightly as his gaze met hers. His dark eyes gleamed with mischief as if daring her to explain how he did this.
Magic was the only answer that came to mind.
Finally, one box after the other burst into a ball of flames, MagiKal did a somersault and then he was gone.
The crowd slowly dissipated.
Next to Lois, Houdini whimpered softly. He turned and already started back toward the alley.
"Wait." Lois bent down and placed a hand on his back to keep him from rushing right back to Clark. She understood Houdini too well. She felt the same impulse.
“I know you miss him, but…” She trailed off, wondering if it was really the dog who needed holding back.
The setter's huge brown eyes rested on her, silently asking her why she wouldn’t let him return to Clark. Lois gave him a helpless shrug and stood up.
"I just don't want to blow this," she whispered. "Do you think he will mind if I come with you? I know he's not entirely comfortable with me knowing. What if he thinks I'm going to lead other people to him?"
Houdini barked at her, then gave her a gentle nudge with his head.
"I guess that mean it's okay, huh?" Lois laughed.
Houdini started for the street, but patiently waited until she'd joined him and checked for oncoming traffic before crossing the street with her.
When they reached the alley, Clark was crouching behind containers and stuffing various items into a duffle bag. Lois spotted his cones and -- this time she rubbed her eyes for real -- two arms. Though she knew they were fake, from a distance they looked frighteningly real. He peeled of black gloves and added them to the collection.
She gasped. "Wait a moment, you said you didn't use illusions!"
Clark whipped around, but before he could reply, Houdini became a ball of fur that rolled over him. Turning his head to avoid sloppy dog kisses, Clark tried in vain to calm his dog down.
The two fought an unequal battle that ended with Clark lying flat on his back and Houdini standing over him, licking his face.
"I never said that," Clark finally replied.
Slowly he managed to drag himself out from under his dog and scramble back to his feet.
Lois watched him in quiet amusement, then she folded her arms in front of her chest. "So you're not going to tell me how you did that? It was absolutely amazing!"
Clark threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and winked at her. "I've got quick hands."
Lois followed him as he strolled back to the street. "No kidding."
For a while they walked in amiable silence, Houdini jumping back and forth between them. Lois watched Clark from the side, trying to gauge how he felt about her company. It felt so incredibly right to walk down the street beside him. Investigating this SmartKids story certainly would be more fun with him. He was the perfect person to bounce ideas off of. She'd really liked to hear his opinion.
Lois bit her lip. "Have you heard about the Smart Kids?"
Clark looked at her. "Yeah. Quite impressive what they did with all the TV stations."
"Indeed." She nodded. "Would you like to help me with the investigation?"
A wry smile flashed across his face. "Can't do it on your own?" he teased.
"Of course I can," she bristled.
Immediately, she regretted the outburst. This was not how she was going to get a positive answer.
"We worked so well together," she said more gently. "You and me as a team, I believe that would result in something special."
He stopped and stared at her, dumbfounded. "You really think so?"
Lois blushed a little. "I don't do this touchy-feely stuff very well. You, on the other hand…"
He shuffled his feet and studied them intently. "I'm honored that you'd want to work with me, but it's not possible."
Lois shook her head and reached out to tilt his chin slightly up to make him look at her. "It was possible during the investigation of the arsons."
"That was different," he hedged.
"How was that different?" Lois protested.
But when she saw the look in his eyes, it dawned on her that saving MagiKal had been a question of life and death, so to speak.
Whyever that was.
She laid a hand on his shoulder, feeling a spark of electricity between them that went beyond any connection she'd ever known. She didn't know what it was that drew her toward Clark. But how was she going to find out if he didn't let her within arm's reach?
"Please, Clark, let's at least give this a try." Lois pleaded.
The expression on his face was one of pure agony. He looked down at Houdini, who watched both of them curiously. As Clark's eyes met Houdini's, the dog barked his approval.
Clark's lips twitched into a smile, before he gave a resigned sigh.
"Two against one is unfair," he complained.
Lois grinned as she felt that she'd won.
Clark ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. Let's give this a try. But we need to set a few rules. First of all, when Houdini gets agitated and I run off, you don't follow me. Second, you don't climb up any icy staircases. And third --"
"Oh no, buster," Lois raised her chin. "You don't get to set up three rules. That's my thing."
