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 Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 4:46 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 4:57 pm
"You're a good kid but I can't keep letting you extend the due date for your rent." Mr. Carson was a kind old man who saw potential in Silas, but he, like everyone else in Gothem, was struggling to get by. "I understand that, Mr. Carson and I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for your patience. Once I get an assistant I'll be able to do a lot more with the show and we'll be able to fill those seats... just give me another month and if nothing else I'll at least get you the rent I owe." Silas hated feeling like a freeloader. "And I'll keep fixing the place up for free. Things will look up, I promise."The old man offered him a kind smile and a pat on the shoulder before tipping his hat and going on his way. It had been a two weeks since Silas had posted the "help wanted" add for an assistant and so far, he had had no luck. And every day, for those two weeks, Silas set aside an hour to sit in the theater house and wait for a promising applicant to walk through the door for an audition. Today, he sat with his hopeful eyes trained on the door... Today is the day. Today is the day. Today is the day. He repeated over and over again in his mind as if casting a spell on the door itself.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:07 pm
  Zatanna stared in disbelief at the letter she had received via email. NOT QUALIFIED!?! She thought to herself in shock, anger, confusion, and a little self pity. Zatanna sunk to the bench behind her and set the offending email and phone down into her purse. "What am I going to do now?!?!" She whined quietly to the air. After the death of her father the year previous, and several close calls to her own life Zatanna had severed ties to her identity by faking her own death. Unable to return to her life in fame Zatanna decided to go looking for her fathers killers and hopefully the people behind the attempts on her own life so that she could reclaim it, but things hadn't been going as well as she had planned. As her new self she had no reported job experience, no money, and now, also no place to stay. After today-- she was entirely broke. Zatanna sat there staring off into space and melting into her own self pity when suddenly she realized what she was staring at. A theater. She jumped to her feet, looking hopeful. It was a little run down, and it seemed a little out of place among all of the neon signs nearby, but it also looked like someone had been working on it recently. There was fresh paint and swept sidewalks-- and a little sign... "Help Wanted" A smile broke across her face and she had to be careful not to float as she nearly ran to it. Her luck seemed to be turning around there were open interviews--now! HA! she thought to herself as she pumped both her fists into the air. THANK YOU!!! she thought to no one in particular. Opening the door she slipped inside. Unsure about where to go and suddenly feeling nervous about losing her chance she called out. "Hello?... I'm here for the interviews... Hello?" she said as she walked forward, unsure.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:22 pm
When he heard the voice in the middle of chanting in his mind, he thought maybe his mind was playing a trick on him. Letting his thoughts go silent-- he waited for it to come again. This time, a distinct "Hello?" echoed in the rafters of the drafty theater. Literally jumping out of his seat in the excitement of a prospect, Silas banged his knee on the edge of the desk and let out a loud yelp before buckling back into his hair to nurse his knee... "Come in!" He called back, hoping that the pain did not register in his voice. Wincing from the pain, he attempted to get up a second time, this time more aware of the desk's sharp edge. "Come in!" He repeated, walking around the ticket booth to greet whatever miracle was asking for an interview. On seeing her, he froze. SHE'S PERFECT THERE IS NO WAY THAT I AM ACTUALLY AWAKE RIGHT NOW Silas was tempted to pinch himself but didn't want to risk waking up. A broad smile crossed his face and he held his hand out to her. "Come in-- welcome. I'm Silas Thompson. And you are?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:44 pm
Zatanna heard a sudden bang in the silence and jumped a little before composing herself and hearing a reply back. She wandered closer to where she heard the sound coming from, and a guy popped out from behind the ticket booth. He froze for a second and for a moment she was worried that he recognized her-- her fears faded when he broke out into a smile and held his hand out to her. She chuckled a little at his eager awkwardness and took his hand. "Nice to meet you I'm-- Z" she started then amended "Zandra-- Alexandra Higgins, but you can call me Alex." She chuckled a little, nervously hoping he hadn't noticed her amendment. He stood there holding her hand for a moment and just staring at her with his smile so she cleared her throat and shook his hand again, before letting it go. "So where do you want me?" She said smiling brightly at him.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:50 pm
He was too excited to have an applicant to notice the strangeness in her broken speech. "Right this way." Silas almost forgot to let go of her hand as he began to walk back into the auditorium. He lead her to the small desk and pulled out a chair for her. "Please, have a seat." He offered, going around to the other side of the desk. "I have a list of questions I'd like to ask you for the interview but I'd like to start by getting to know you a little. Tell me about yourself." He invited, listening intently for her response.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 7:31 pm
Zatanna or "Alex" as she now had to go by, followed Silas into the office and sat down at the chair offered. "Uhm okay." She smiled, very nervous. This was the first interview she had actually had as her new self, and she wasn't sure what she should actually say. She shifted her purse slightly then started. "Well, I just moved to Gotham," her eyes subtly flicked around the room for inspiration. "I love theater-- My favorite color is purple, I don't drink coffee and I like Chinese." She shrugged her shoulders a little. She wasn't a good liar, so she defaulted to truth. "Oh, I have never had a felony, I pay my taxes, and occasionally feed the birds in the park-- even though you're not supposed to-- Aaaand...." She clasped her hands together in front of her. "That's pretty much me.." She smiled at Silas again.
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:03 am
Nodding at nearly every point in her self introduction, Silas felt himself grow anxious. He was only half listening as his hopes that she was the right one for the job clouded his thoughts. The nodding was to make her think that she had his full attention. "Wonderful." Was all he had to say when he noticed that she had stopped talking and was staring at him. "As I said earlier, I'm Silas. I am a stage magician who goes by the name of Cardstein. Because card tricks work better in smaller audiences, I've decided to expand my set to stage illusions and escapes-- which I've found to be very difficult solo. Which means I am looking for an assistant to help me with my show." He explained. After a moment of awkward staring, he took out a sheet of paper and pushed it to her. "This is a list of interview questions. Answer each of them the best you can and after that-- I'll let you ask me some questions. Okay?" Silas waited bright-eyed for her responses. 1) What is your experience with stage performance? 2) Do you have any experience with magic? 3) How do you feel about handling/being around large exotic animals? 4) Do you have a fear of heights? 5) Do you have a fear of small, enclosed spaces? 6) How long can you hold your breath? 7) How sensitive is your gag reflex? cool Are you double jointed? 9) Do you have any strange hidden talents or hobbies? 10) Do you have updated shots for tetanus? Rabies? 11) Can you lift 50lbs? 12) Are you superstitious? 13) Do you believe in mediums? 14) Why do you think you are the best fit for this job? 15) What is your availability?
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 6:36 pm
It was her turn to nod. Zatanna knew the griefs of card tricks first hand-- though she wasn't sure if she should let on to it. Of course the first interview she had would be about a magic show. She held her expression carefully as her emotions ranged from relief, fear, and confusion. Would it be ok for her to do work so similar to what she had done before? I am dead... she thought to herself as she half listened to Silas. Then it was awkwardly quiet. She worried for a moment that he had asked her a question and she hadn't been paying enough attention to answer it, but then he pushed a sheet of paper to her and asked her to fill it out.
1) I have had previous experience with assisting a band.
2) I know a few coin tricks.
3) No
4) No
5) No
6) One minute and 45 seconds? It's been a while since I've checked.
7) I don't know
8 ) No
9) Yes, I can juggle, and I am decent at painting.
10) Tetanus yes Rabies no.
11) I can lift my body weight.
12) A little bit, but not the crazy kind
13) Yes
14) Because I have a passion for life and a desire to entertain!
15) I am available immediately, full time.
She answered all the questions with relative ease, though hesitated for a second on questions 1, 2, 9, and 13. She reread her answers before passing the paper back to Silas and smiling.
"That was probably one of the weirdest applications I have ever filled out."
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 10:14 am
Silas read over her answers and smirked at her words. "Yes, well... they're all relevant, I promise." He was a little disappointed that she was uncomfortable working with exotic animals and that she wasn't up-to-date on her rabies shots. Everything else seemed promising. Helping with a magic show and helping with a band performance wasn't too much of a stretch. The fact that she believed in mediums concerned him a little... Silas was all about stage magic but when it came to mediums he was on the skeptical side. He believed in spirits and hoped that there was an afterlife, but he hadn't found any evidence that the other side was contactable. Frankly it made him sick to his stomach to know that mediums were out there tricking people into thinking they could speak to their loved ones. He looked at her skeptically for a moment and decided it wasn't a deal breaker that she believed in them. Maybe she had had some experiences he hadn't. He continued to read her answers and was pleased to see that she was readily available to start whenever. Putting the paper aside, he smiled up at her. "Alright. Do you have any questions for me?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 11:05 pm
Zatanna laughed not sure if she should be terrified by his response, but unavoidably curious and amused. He looked over her answers for few moments, then looked up at her with a strange expression, then went back to reading her answers again before finishing and then smiled up at her.
"No--I mean Yes! When will I know if I'm hired?--" "Oh! and, um... nevermind..." she pursed her lips and latched her hands together before smiling at Silas again. "Do you need my phone number?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:04 am
A dorky half-smile crossed his face as she stumbled over her questions for him. It wasn't every day he came across someone almost as equally awkward as he himself was. "No no, that won't be necessary--" He replied, pausing. "There's only one more thing I need you to do. Come with me." Getting to his feet, he walked toward the stage. Silas was pretty sure that she was the right girl for the job. Hopping up onto the stage, he waived her up on stage with him. Moving a few things, he pulled a small box out from under a pile of fabric and lifted the heavy box open. "Step into the box, please." Maybe it was a strange request that edged on frightening since he was a strange man and they were alone in a strange part of town-- but he wanted to test something.
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Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:50 am
Zatanna followed him towards the stage and watched as he jumped up. He waved her up and she followed suit and watched as he shifted some things around and then opened a heavy looking box. He looked back at her as he asked her to step into the box. Her eyes shifted from the box, to him and back.
"Okay." She said taking a deep breath then taking off her purse and stepping into the box. What's the worst thing that could happen? She thought to herself. She turned around to face him then held up her hands in a shrug, smiling brightly at him.. "Now what?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 5:05 pm
To his pleasant surprise, she was daring enough to do it. "Now watch your head..." He answered, slowly shutting the lid on the box. When the box was completely shut, he sat on the lid for a minute and looked out over the empty audience, imagining what it would be like now that he had an assistant to help him with the show. With a little bit of tidying, some more paint, some costuming, some practice-- they had everything. Everything but the audience. Looking back down to the box, he gave the top of the box a few gentle knocks. "Congratulations Alex, you're a perfect fit!" Getting off the box, he opened it and offered her a hand out of the box. "You're hired! Are you hungry?" He asked.
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Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:50 pm
Zatanna crouched down into the box so he could put the lid on it. After shutting the lid she heard him sit on the box. It's a good thing I'm not afraid of tight spaces she thought to herself as she wondered what the heck he was doing.
After a few more moments she heard him gently knock and announce. "Congratulations Alex, you're a perfect fit!" Silas then got off the box and freed her offering her a hand out. She accepted his hand and help.
"Yes!-- and yes, I am hungry." she said her fist still balled after punching it into the air. She bent down and grabbed her purse. "Where do you want to go?" she said latching her purse onto her shoulder and smiling at him.
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