Chapter Text
The rain had been falling since late afternoon, thin and relentless, turning the narrow streets of that small English town into glowing corridors beneath the yellow light of old street lamps. Storefronts still remained lit despite the late hour, cafés released warm steam through half-open doors, while street musicians tried to earn a few coins from the handful of pedestrians still wandering around beneath heavy coats and dark umbrellas.
Above the old buildings, strings of flags stretched across some of the streets, leftovers from one of the countless local festivals that seemed to happen year-round in that town. The entire place carried that strange feeling of permanent tradition, as if time itself had decided to slow down there decades ago.
But even among the glowing pubs, distant conversations, and the sound of cars cutting through wet pavement, there was one place in town capable of drawing more attention than anything else.
The Ferris wheel.
Tall enough to rise above the rooftops and the thin mist beginning to spread through the streets, it turned slowly while dozens of colored lights reflected against the rain. Beneath it, spread across a massive area surrounded by ornamental fences and aging neon signs, the amusement park overflowed with life. Music echoed between the attractions, children ran around clutching sweets, and employees called out games to small crowds moving through the glowing pathways while the smell of caramel, smoke, and fried food mixed with the damp night air.
And at the center of it all, an absurd line had formed in front of the park’s largest tent.
LAST SHOW OF THE NIGHT! THE GREAT BALTHAZAR!
The illuminated sign flickered above the entrance while staff members struggled to organize the impatient crowd before the seats filled completely.
Inside, applause exploded.
Then came the screams.
Seconds later, smoke spilled through the entrance curtains alongside a collective wave of shock from the audience as dozens of people tried to understand how that man performed tricks that seemed to completely defy logic itself.
While the crowd reacted to the spectacle inside, a girl casually walked through the backstage area like someone entirely used to it.
Maxine spun a coin between her fingers as she crossed the improvised backstage corridors, slipping past hurried performers, equipment crates, and employees carrying costumes still damp from the rain. Her school uniform remained partially visible beneath her dark coat, though the loosened tie and carefree expression made it obvious she had abandoned any attempt to look like a proper student hours ago.
As she passed, some employees waved at her while organizing equipment or carrying metal cases and dismantled pieces of scenery through the backstage chaos. Others simply raised a hand the moment they recognized her among the constant movement.
"Hey, Max!"
"Did your classes end, or did you just give up halfway there?"
"If you learned math, teach old Joe before payday comes around!"
She ignored most of the comments while continuing between heavy curtains and wooden structures assembled behind the main stage, casually spinning the coin between her fingers with the ease of someone who no longer even noticed she was doing it.
The muffled sound of applause still echoed from the other side of the tent.
Another trick completed.
Another crowd losing their minds trying to figure out how Baltazar did it.
Maxine let out a small amused sigh when she heard someone inside shouting something about “real magic.”
People always said that.
Just as she was about to leave the tent and head toward the trailers outside, a rough voice suddenly called out behind her.
"Hold it right there, young lady!"
She recognized the voice immediately.
Maxine partially turned her head while the coin vanished between her fingers in one quick, automatic motion.
The man walked toward her while adjusting his dark top hat, still dressed in the extravagant clothes from the performance. Despite his firm posture and still intimidating build, the gray hair and short beard betrayed the weight of age and too many long nights spent working in that place.
His dark overcoat was partially soaked from the rain he had likely crossed moments earlier before returning inside the tent.
But that was not what caught Maxine’s attention.
It was his eyes.
He did not simply look physically tired. There was a quiet exhaustion there, the kind someone tried to hide behind a professional posture and a smile far too accustomed to dealing with crowds.
She noticed it the moment she fully turned toward him.
Baltazar approached slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on her like someone trying to confirm a suspicion he was already almost certain about. The muffled noise of the audience still echoed on the other side of the tent while some employees began dismantling part of the equipment near the main stage.
"Would you happen to have something to show me?" he asked calmly.
Maxine simply raised an eyebrow, keeping the coin spinning between her fingers for a few more seconds before answering.
"And do you?"
The old magician let out a faint smirk.
"That depends... though I doubt it’s as interesting as whatever you picked up today."
She glanced away for a moment.
"How do you know I took something?"
"I just know." he replied while adjusting his dark gloves. "Besides, that satisfied look on your face practically announced it to half the park."
She tried to hide a small smile, but failed miserably.
"So?" he continued. "Did you improve the trick?"
Maxine spun the coin one last time before slowly raising her hand.
In one swift movement, a leather wallet appeared between her fingers as if it had materialized out of thin air.
Baltazar let out a brief sound of approval as she handed it over.
"This one was easy." she commented.
"Everything becomes easy when nobody’s paying attention." he replied while opening the wallet.
He quickly examined the documents inside before letting out a small amused sigh.
"Looks like Mr. Gardner is going to be very upset tonight." he commented while looking at the ID photo. "What happened? Did you trip beside him?"
"No." she answered immediately. "I just bumped into him. He was too busy staring at his girlfriend."
"I see..." Baltazar murmured, partially closing the wallet. "In that case, where’s the money?"
Maxine maintained an innocent expression for approximately two seconds.
"What money?"
Baltazar stared at her in silence before letting out a quiet laugh through his nose.
"Maxine... a man spending the night at an amusement park with his girlfriend would carry at least ten pounds in his wallet. And if you were truly inspired, you probably took whatever was left in his pockets too."
She held his gaze for a few seconds before finally releasing a defeated sigh.
Caught again.
Maxine pulled a few crumpled bills from her coat pocket and dropped them into his hand.
Baltazar looked at the pounds for a moment before simply placing them back inside the wallet.
Then he handed everything back to her.
"So I have to return it this time?" she asked with obvious disappointment.
"If the man’s with someone, it’s better not to ruin the couple’s night." he replied while placing the wallet back into her hands. "Besides, it’s already too late to start causing trouble near the exit."
She let out a small irritated grumble while stuffing the wallet back into her coat.
Baltazar simply smiled before picking up his top hat and casually placing it on her head.
"Hey." she complained immediately.
But before she could continue, he simply pulled her closer and lifted her into his arms the same way he had since she was little, completely ignoring the annoyed expression she tried to maintain.
Outside, the rain continued falling over the park lights.
The main show was over, but the glow of that place was still far from fading.