This was a good enough spot. It was large, open, not directly in front of any store. Sly was damn well sick of being chased away from storefronts by angry owners who complained he was 'obstructing customer traffic' with the crowds he gathered. No one could complain here. The sidewalk was open with only a park behind him. A few more minutes and he'd be just about ready. The young warlock paused to glance into the box he'd rested upon the nearest bench. His fingers brushed over several of the objects within. Two hats, a pair of handcuffs, a wooden box, a pair of scissors, a sword and a blanket. He hadn't forgotten anything. He had everything he needed to make that show entertaining. Hopefully that crowd found it entertaining enough to earn him rent money. God his feet ached. He'd been on them for hours already and yet this was the last show of the day. He just had to make it through one more. The young man's features frowned ever so slightly as he contemplated several of those objects. It would depend on how the crowd reacted to each illusion before he began the next one. The handcuffs had worked well on the West side, so had the swords. This East side crowd was a bit more upmarket though. Maybe he needed something a little more....upscale. One hand lifted to run through the dirty blonde of his hair. Sly, despite his often near aloof demeanor, was surely anything but. The young man was simply prone to thinking- perhaps too much. He had always had a quick mind, a shar one and yet, as his grandmother had eternally said- one prone to overthinking. Maybe he should just stick to what he knew best for today. Those fire illusions.

It was debatable, he supposed, as to whether such a thing was 'magic'. Those flaming creatures required no slight of hand, no misdirection and were no real 'trick' like the conventional magic and yet they seemed to impress the audience just as much. A small simper of sorts found the young man's lips at the notion of a warlock practicing street magic. He had met only a handful of his own kind over the years and yet very few of them ever seemed to take well to his show. As if was letting down an entire race by resorting to what they deemed a gimmick. Maybe when one of them learned how to magic money into existence he'd let the showmanship slide. Sly reached to grab his magicians hat from the box then before stepping back from the bench to rest the hat upside down on the sidewalk. Several people had already paused, curious to see if the blonde man intended to do something to convince them to part with their spare change.

Sly stepped back from the hat once more before his arms lifted over his head in a notable stretch. His shoulders rolled, working out those kinks as he stood on the balls of his feet, testing his weight. Right, he could do this. His arms fell back to his sides just as that faint flicker of power rose easily to his summons, that heat beginning to build within his hands as the first few sparks danced at his fingertips. How easy it was to reach for a different personality, one designed to draw the attention of those passersby and encourage them to stop.

"Ladies and gentleman, if I could have your attention please....."

Several more people stopped, their shopping bags dangling from their fingertips. Children, clutching their parents hands, paused to glance expectantly in turn. Sly's hands rose, his wrists flicked. His flames jumped to obey, that fire flaring in the palm of each hand before it readily began to take shape. Each flame twisted and curled, becoming the smooth, slender bodies of two flaming snakes- one slithering and coiling up each of the warlock's arms. That, he knew, had their attention. One of those snakes turned its head to eye the audience, the other curled itself smoothly around Sly's neck before brushing agianst his ear as if whispering seom secret. An exchange between master and pet that Sly alone could hear.

"Ah, that's right, we have a story to tell, don't we. Perhaps you can help me."

Sly's arm flung smoothly upwards, that snake rapidly rapidly disappeared in a flare of fire only to twist into a dove, the flaming bird taking off and into the sky, much to the amazement of the crowd. The other snake slithered eagerly to the floor, the creature transforming rapidly into a large, flaming canine. The creature was far more wolf than dog as it began to prowl a circle around the warlock, one that saw that crowd step back and linger close all at once. It's flaming eyes searched that crowd, as if seeking someone amongst them. It's heavy paws seemed to leave scorch marks in its wake as it moved.

"Ladies and gentlemen has anyone here ever heard of Cainele Diavolului? No? He is a terrible creature. A demon dog, one made of hell fire. Legends say he prowls the streets of any place in which evil exists. He looks for those who have sins in their souls. Those who have brought harm to others, committed a crime, perhaps even told a lie."

Sly's gaze shifted towards one young boy who stood at the front of the crowd, one eye lifted teasingly as the young boys only widened in fear of such a creature coming after him for whatever childish lie he had surely told his mother or sister. The child pressed back closer to his parents as a teasing simper found Sly's lips, the warlock chuckling softly as that large, flaming dog moved another circle. It's ears rotated atop its head, it's nose lifted as if scenting the wind.

"Sometimes Diavolului cannot find anyone evil to prey on and he begins to hunt anyone who is out roaming the streets after dark. He is not really that picky."

That dog's head suddenly turned, snapping towards one young woman who gasped in surprise, stumbling back and into her boyfriend. Her boyfriend chuckled, teasing at her for being afraid of that illusion before she playfully shoved his shoulder. Sly continued to steer the dog around the circle.

"There is a way to ward Diavolului away though, do you want to hear it?"

That crowd was quick to shout 'yes', those children most loudly of all. The flaming dog's hackles raised, bristling as if it disdained the sound of the crowd. Sly's hands lifted, gesturing for that quiet.

"I will need you all to think of your favourite animal, something brave enough to scare off this devil dog. A fierce lion perhaps, a noble stallion, a wild bear- a very fierce housecat. Believe me, those things can turn."

That laughter erupted. This was going well. This was a good crowd. Sly moved toward that veritable finale then. The warlock's hands raised as he strode around that circle, encouraging those gathered there to picture their favourite animal before he pivoted in place to face that demon dog, the animal whirling to face him in turn. Those flames encircled his wrists, if only to add to the very effect of his magic. The warlock raised a single hand, his eyes meeting several in the crowd before he snapped his fingers.

"Ignite."

That 'magic' word was hardly necessary by any means and yet it added to the very illusion as flaming creatures of all sorts began to leap out from that crowd. Dogs, cats, foxes, several birds, a horse, deer- anything Sly himself could think of. Those creatures charged to collide with the 'demon' dog that growled and jumped and slashed, each collision resulted in an explosion of flames that seemed to wow that audience all over again.Excellent. They were loving it. He just needed one final bang to tie it together. Damn this was going to be a good pay day.

"I need a volunteer from the audience, someone with a strong imagination, you, there, with the red hair, come over here, hurry-- your the last chance to save humanity!"

Well, save humanity might have been a bit rich but hey, anything for a show right? Sly gestured towards the young Were girl again as the rest of the crowd began to urge her to hurry towards him. She was...rather attractive. Hmm, he had chosen well this time.

sly.