A younger man about 29 and 5’ 11” and with a slightly tubby build but wearing a well made suit jumped to his feet and stepped into the aisle of the pavilion.
“Madame Illusia” he called “I have a request” The older lady gestured him forward and the younger man walked down the aisle and stood at the edge of the small plainly decorated stage.
“Madame” he began respectfully “I believe I may have a partial answer to your financial problems, but it would require you to undo something you have just done, is that possible?” The lady tilts her head at him and speaks lightly, almost amused
“Of course the power runs in my veins. What would you have me do?” The young man licked his lips before replying.
“Could you call the Minotaur back first please?” The lady laughed lightly and gestured at her son. Stephan walked outside the pavilion and returned quickly, the 9’ tall Minotaur walking docile behind him.
The young man looked the dirty, stupid beast up and down, his eyes lingering just slightly too long on the huge swinging genitals. He looked into the blank eyes then turned back to the seated lady. For a second he made full eye contact with Madame Illusia and almost lost his nerve, he could see the power, intelligence and amusement in those deep, black eyes.
“You wanted to speak, and I have brought back Bull as you request, now how can I help you?”
“Well, I work on the stock market, I know how it works and have had some success, I would be willing to help you make a fortune to send home for your relatives, but I would need something to ensure success”
“And what would that be?” the lady asked in a sweet tone. The young man gestured towards Minotaur.
“I need a partner to help me spot the right companies in which to invest, someone to help me get in and out in time, someone to watch my back with the lawyers, that sort of thing”
“And why do you need Bull?”
“I don’t want Bull” there was a gasp from the audience, what was he playing at? Madame Illusia sat forward onto the edge of her chair; Stephan stepped away from the young man, convinced he was going to transform violently.
“Pardon?” Madame Illusia said quietly
“I don’t want Bull” the young man said again, then quickly added “I want a partner as I said. I want a sharp, intelligent Minotaur with a good head for figures. I know the man this creature was, I know what he was capable of, what he will be capable of. Yet I don’t what to deny him his strength and dream- so I ask you to restore the Minotaur to his former glory, and brains, heck boost his intelligence- give him the strength and body he wanted and let us both make you rich”
“But if I restore him, why do I need you? Surely he would be intelligent enough to gain me the money on his own?”
“No, Madame. He has the brains, but he does not have my experience. And there is another thing”
“Which is?” Madame Illusia said sitting back in her velvet chair.
“You can’t have your Stock Market Bull without your Bear- I would like to be the Bear. An intelligent, strong, huge, hung, humanoid male Bear” A slight smile appeared on Madame Illusia olive face
“And you are willing to work off the debt to me?”
“I would agree to work with you until we make you five million. At that point the fund would be self sustaining and you would no longer need us to keep it growing” Madame Illusia looked the young man up and down
“Us?” she said
“Us Madame Illusia, I would negotiate for the two of us, after all we would be a pair”
“He would be also bound to any agreement here today” Stephan said.
“I would make sure he knew the terms. Five million for you and we can leave your employ with no strings or hidden effects, no last second curses, and no changing back”
Madame Illusia brought her fingers up into a pyramid shape.
“Hum…..” she contemplated “if you can’t make that five million, you would be in our employ for ever”
“That is the risk, but what is life without a little risk?” he said confidently.
“True” Madame Illusia said. There was a slight pause.
“I agree for both of you to be in my service until you earn me five million, at which point you can leave my employ with no recriminations. You will be paid a salary, and provided with lodging, food, entertainment, and the tools of your trade. Do you agree?” the young mans face lit up like a Christmas tree
“I certainly do” he said. Madame Illusia leaned forward and offered her hand, which was shaken, shook and then kissed respectfully.
“Thank you Madame” the young man said. He got a wide smile in return.
“Now Bull, onto the stage” Madame Illusia commanded. The Minotaur stepped onto the stage and stood there as docile as a cattle animal, his tail lifeless behind him, his reek reaching the back rows. Bull seemed oblivious to it all.
“Watch now as I prove that magic can be changed and manipulated as I wish” With that she stood up and began to circle around Bull weaving her hands and chanting in a strange tongue. A light mist began to spring up round Bull becoming a skin tight suit of light around his form. Madame Illusia cried out a few more words and the light vanished.
The Minotaur black coat was shiny and sleek, his posture upright, his chest puffed out, and his stance became more assertive- his ears twitching as he absorbed the sounds round him. The Minotaur seemed taller and stronger, his muscles pumped and full. The tail was swishing away as he looked out across the audience. Madame Illusia then changed the chant turning it into an operatic masterpiece. A leather mask appeared around the Minotaur’s head, enveloping him completely, slowly the leather seemed to merge into the Minotaur’s skin and intelligence seemed to flow back into the Minotaur’s eyes, he blinked a few times and then seemed to recognise his surroundings and who stood in front of him.
“Will, no. What have you done” he rumbled in a deep, heavy voice. The young Stockbroker turned towards him
“It’s a done deal now, James. Don’t worry we came out evens.” Will smiled but James was unconvinced.
“Please step off the stage” Madame Illusia said James whirled round to say something then thought better of it and stepped off the stage, his hooves making deep indents in the pavilions mud floor.
“If you would step on stage” Madame Illusia said to the young man. With a deep breath the Stockbroker stepped onto the stage and turned to face the captivated audience.
“Will….please” Jim the Minotaur said pleading
“It is too late now, the deal is done” Madame Illusia said with a wide gesture. Stephan pulled James back from the stage.
Madame Illusia walked clockwise around Will the young man standing confident and around on the stage. He re-examined his deal in his head; apart from the amount of earnings he could not find a hole in his plan. As she began to chant in what sounded like Russian his confidence slid slightly