Do You Believe in Magic(SOLO)

A few hours of practice later and Kshin was walking back to where the competition would take place. The performances were going to take place on an outside stage and various chairs set up for digimon of various sizes were in front of the stage with the chairs infront intended for smaller digimon and the ones in back for larger ones. This setup was an ingenious way for everyone interested in watching to be able to see the show.

Various young digimon were near the stage getting ready and Lothar left to let the ones running the competition know Kshin was there before swiftly returning. Kshin approached the stage getting in line behind the majority of the competitors since he was still feeling a bit nervous he wouldn't be any good despite Mandrake's reasurrances.

A voice from behind Kshin caught the young Gumdramon's attention as it said "This is my competition? A bunch of wanna be magicians with no magic in them whatsoever? What a joke?" The voice was snobby and rude as if it belonged to someone with an enormous ego.

Kshin turned around seeing the voice belonged to a Dracmon that had a irritatingly cocky smirk to go with the voice. "What are you looking at? I don't sense any magic in you and you think you'll be able to beat me in this competition?" Dracmon said with a sneer.

Now this guy was beginning to get on Kshin's nerves but he calmly answered "If you have a problem with me looking at you, I can turn around. As for beating you, I don't know if I will. I guess it depends on what the judges think of the performances. I was taught some tricks by a talented magician..."

"Let me guess it was a talented fake magician." Dracmon interrupted taking on a bullying tone before laughing at Kshin.

Kshin's amber eyes began welling up with tears while a growl began coming from him. Mandrake and Lothar were nearby and were surprised to hear the noise coming from Kshin as they had never heard him growl before. Kshin's rage boiled to the surface in full force as he then roared "Mandrake is not a fake and he's a far greater magician than you!" His posture was now aggressive his tail stiff and ready to swing.

"What's wrong? Are you mad at me for speaking the truth? Where is this so called 'Mandrake' then?" Dracmon said flexing his claws not seemingly frightened by Kshin's aggressive posture.

Seeing where things were bound to go Mandrake decided that enough was enough and made his way to the two youngsters coming up behind Dracmon. Dracmon felt a magical presence behind him and when Mandrake, in a stern paternal tone, said "Alright, I think that's enough young man." 

Dracmon whirled around looking up into the angry sapphire eyes of a Wizardmon and when Kshin said "Hi, Mandrake." Seeing Dracmon's cocky smirk vanish seemed to calm Kshin and when Dracmon scurried away but still near the stage Kshin looked up at the Wizardmon and said "Thanks, Mandrake."

Though annoyed at Dracmon, Kshin decided to ignore him. Hopefully by not giving that brat response he would stop but Kshin would be ready just in case. The competition continued as one by one each youngster got up on stage to perform. Then a rattle was heard as a Tokomon, which was one of the few in training digimon in line, made it's way on stage. On the Tokomon's back was rings so it was obvious that the little one was planning on doing the linking ring trick but how it would be done seeing as Tokomon had no arms would be interesting to see.

Kshin watched as Tokomon set the rings on the stage before facing the audience with closed eyes. Tokomon then snapped its eyes open dramatically and picked up a ring in its mouth before tossing it in the air followed by the other two it brought. Then Tokomon leapt into the air using his mouth to link the rings before tossing them into the air again when it landed. Tokomon then followed up with blowing bubbles up at the linked rings until it formed into one big bubble that landed next to the tiny digimon on the stage. Then Tokomon turned to the bubble that was twice its size before backing up and charging into it causing three bubbles to separate from the main bubble which popped. Within the bubbles was the three rings which Tokomon retrieved by popping the bubbles with its teeth. After retrieving the rings Tokomon bowed before leaving the stage.

"That was an interesting variation of the linking rings trick." Lothar said with a smile.

"Indeed it was, old friend, and the little one had great technique. If Tokomon continued to practice it could be an impressive magician." Mandrake said. He had been enjoying the performances of the young ones so far it seemed since Tokomon was one of the last competitors it was likely the judges would rank Tokomon fairly high.

Next up was a Palmon that Kshin was standing politely behind. She made her way up on stage with the grace of a dancer. Waving her arms she began as she twirled gracefully flower petals twirling around on the stage before they came together before changing into a large flower that slowly bloomed open revealing the flower to be empty. Then Palmon made her way onto the flower before lifting her arm the flower closing up on her. The flower began to glow before dissolving into petals that blew away in the wind and Palmon was gone. She wasn't gone for long though as she came swinging down from a tree that was not far from the stage and landed with an elegant twirl before bowing.

As she approached Kshin he said "Wow. That disappearing trick was awesome. So was your dancing. I think you have a good chance at winning."

"Don't count yourself out. I think you have a chance too since you're up next. Just give it your best shot. 'Kay?" Palmon said causing Kshin to smile.

"Thanks. I'll try my best." Kshin said now no longer nervous as he made his way to the stage. Meanwhile Dracmon was watching with his arms crossed with a frown. The last two fake magicians were better than he thought but he was still confident he had the competition won.

Kshin then looked as if he was about to burst out laughing but managed to maintain his composure somehow despite his mischievous grin. He made a show of looking through the deck before Dracmon was growing impatient and tapping his foot before he growled "Hurry up and admit it. You don't know which card it is so quit stalling."

Kshin's grin grew wider and he said "But I do know where it is, Dracmon."

"Then show me then. Which card is it?" Dracmon said with a glare. He was getting more angry since a digimon he dubbed a fake magician was trying to mess with him.

Kshin then set the deck down on the table and, to Dracmon's confusion, approached the vampire digimon reaching over his shoulder behind him grabbing something apparently on Dracmon's back. It was a playing card and, after looking at it, Kshin said "What do you know, Dracmon, it appears you do have a heart after all." Kshin then showed the card to the crowd which was a jack of hearts. "That is if this was your card." Kshin said showing it to Dracmon causing the dark digimon's jaw to drop in sheer shock.

"What? How did you find my card?" Dracmon began to sputter in indignant rage while flexing his claws.

Seeing Dracmon's aggressive behavior, Kshin stepped back and said "I thought you were a 'real magician.' Surely you know that a magician never reveals the tricks of his trade." Kshin then made a show of looking at the back of the card he was still holding before revealing the bit from the trick prior and said "Looks like I didn't misplace my money from the last trick after all."

That seemed to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back as Dracmon hissed in sheer rage and sprung for Kshin but missed as the young Gumdramon pivoted in the nick of time to get out of the way. Fortunately Dracmon didn't get the chance to attack again as Lothar, who had sprung out of his seat when Dracmon first leapt for Kshin, now had the little vampire by the scruff of his neck and was effortlessly carrying the nasty wiggling brat off stage. Somehow Dracmon's act of violence didn't get him disqualified from the competition and as the judges quietly talked among themselves Lothar dropped Dracmon into an empty chair next to him and said "I think you are overdue for a time out young man."

"I don't have to listen to you. You're not the boss of me..." Dracmon began in a rant only to be cut of by an angry glare from the Leomon known as Lothar. Dracmon then grew quiet as a mouse and sank submissively into the seat crossing his arms while pouting like a toddler. It was no way cute or flattering but Lothar chose to ignore it since the brat was quiet and sat back down next to Mandrake. Dracmon's behavior made both Mandrake and Lothar glad their children were mostly well behaved.