Zatanna Zatara

you're no hero to this story, you're just another wretched pawn

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@a_lone_dancer [a glance at your face, some lingering protection over her first love. what she sees satisfies her] I'm glad everything went smoothly. [raises a perfect eyebrow at the wards in the room] This is the most magically defended wedding I've ever been to, and that's saying something.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@a_lone_dancer [a tastefully yet strikingly dressed woman catches you between guests and approaches, smiling warmly] Congratulations. Your dress is stunning.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@a_lone_dancer [looks across the room at John, entertaining a small crowd with magic tricks. his jacket and tie are nowhere to be scene. Zatanna smiles, fond] I don't think anything could stop John Constantine from getting what he wants.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@a_lone_dancer [pretends she didn't notice] I'm Zatanna. [holds out her hand] Diana has told me so much about you. [particularly that you wouldn't resent her presence here if she was appropriately flattering] And John- [a more wry smile] I haven't seen him look that happy in- Well, ever.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [a genuine wobbly smile] Guess I'm lucky you found me.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [after a moment, she nods, eyes getting watery again] I don't want to hurt anyone else.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [after a moment she looks up again] ...So you think you can help me control it?

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [dips her head, glaring at the ground in silence]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [blinks. she hadn't thought about it like that, and now she seems more troubled than before] ...It feels evil.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [sinks lower in her folded arms, gripping her sleeves tight] He thought I was evil. Fucked up. I could see it in his eyes, right before he left. [an unspoken question in your direction. is she?]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [pulls her knees up, locks her arms around them] Not mine. The only thing my dad could do was drink beer and watch football.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [blank look] Your parents had powers too?

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn Did they know about...? [gestures at you levitating]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn Nobody could prove it was me, but... We had to move after. Then a little after that my dad left us, and my mum... [so far her emotions have been muted, compartmentalized, but when her parents are mentioned there are stirrings of real anger] I ran away.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [vague sexual assault mention] [exhales, staring at the wall] It's only happened once before. A kid who didn't know what "no" meant.

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [a faint lingering residue of the energy you felt before, nothing more. she sits on her sleeping bag, cross-legged] You want a snack? [offers you a bag of chips]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [shoulders hunched, looking around for nosy neighbors] Yeah. [moves some plywood boards away from the doorframe, the light hits a little makeshift camp: a sleeping bag, lantern, some snacks]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn Marie. [tucks hair behind her ear, looking embarrassed] Uh, yeah. This one. [walks towards one of the unfinished houses]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [keeps walking, now that the initial defensiveness is gone she seems almost shy] ...What's your name? [the end of the street has several unfinished houses that seem to have been given up on several years ago]

[Zatanna Zatara @fluk3s]

@quothrvn [she looks impressed, and looks at you with a little more camaraderie this time] That seems a lot more useful than mine.