noitatnacni | 002 | Action + Voice

So does your birthday still count if you technically skipped four months?

[This is an important question being posed over your journals, Luceti. Because if it does count, Zatanna's fifteen today. Not that she's been advertising it a lot. Holidays have been kind of hard on her since Halloween, and today really isn't an exception. It's the first birthday she's spent without her father, and in the superhero business? That's saying something.

She tries not to let it get her down, though--or at least, not to show that it is. Maybe if someone catches her when she's alone, they'll see hints of it. Staring off into space with a frown at some reminder. There's bound to be plenty, since she's raiding the library for books on magic and the item shop for more stage friendly props. The training she does daily at the battle dome (with her birthday being no exception) isn't the only thing she should keep up with.

So at some point during the afternoon, she'll try to find bored people in the plaza, cards in hand. It'll be better than just the "think of your card and I'll name it" bit, promise. Sometimes she sticks to sleight of hand, while others she may employ a backwards chant. Maybe it's not all that impressive in a place where anyone can learn magic, but she doesn't want those skills to deteriorate. It's the one connection she's got to her father, the person who taught her what she knows.

Eventually, she'll head back to Community House 5 when she starts thinking about dinner.]

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Okay. That won’t be too hard to find. [It does help, since Zatanna passes by the latter every day.] I live in Community House 5 on the fourth floor, by the way.

[It only seems fair to share that detail.

She does somber a bit at what Bulla says next, though.] Yeah. It’s one of those things you wouldn’t wish on anyone, but if they do show up, you’re really glad to have them. Artemis was here for two months on her own, and it was pretty hard on her.

[Bulla makes a note of that for the future.] At least most people here are pretty helpful or at least not jerks. The only people I can think of that I'd wish this on are people I wouldn't inflict on anyone else anyway so it's kind of a moot point.

Yeah, no kidding. This place would be way worse if people weren't so nice. [Even from the start, everyone had been willing to help or answer questions. It's one of the few things to be thankful for.]

I'm going to start heading over if that's okay. It shouldn't take me too long to get there.

Sure. I'll get everything in the salon ready.

Okay. See you soon.

[And true to her word, it doesn’t take Zatanna long at all to arrive at Bulla’s house. She’s not sure exactly which way leads to the salon, so she just knocks on the front door to keep things simple.]

[Bulla answers the door about fifteen seconds later, balancing a large box of beauty supplies in one hand.]

Hey Zatanna! Come on in.

Hey Bulla. [Zatanna steps inside with a wave, taking note of the massive box.] Do you need a hand with that?

Oh, this? No, I'm fine. It's not that heavy.

[Even though it's filled with various gels, shampoos, and other things that would make it rather heavy. Bulla's physically stronger than she looks.

She points with her free hand.]

The salon is this way.

Okay. [Hey, Zatanna lived with a guy with super strength. She's not going to argue. Instead she starts walking next to Bulla, heading where she points.] So do you work with your mom, or do you just do stuff like this for fun?

Sometimes I work at the salon. We try to make sure it's open for at least a few hours a day between the two of us.

[Although that's the reason they generally prefer people to book appointments, since it all is a voluntary thing.]

I hadn't even heard about it before now. But it's nice to know we have one.

I can't think of a better way to recover after a mission than coming to a salon and getting the works done, personally. ...well, as long as the person wasn't badly injured and in need of a lot of bedrest, anyway.

Maybe after a long, hot bath. [Which is Zatanna’s pampering of choice back home. Of course, it’s not so easy to accomplish with roommates—but Connor and M’gann can usually keep each other occupied, and Red Tornado is a robot. In Luceti though, it hasn’t come up. Might be something to discuss with Artemis at some point.]

A long, hot bath would be good if you're exhausted, too. I think a salon treatment would still be my number one choice, though.

[Which makes it all the more convenient that the salon is right there.]

I'll admit, it'd probably be more tempting if it wasn't such a long walk to my bed. [Before or after.] Back home after missions I didn't have to walk far at all. And with my magic, I didn't even have to worry about bringing a change of clothes. A few words and a little sorcery, and I had a perfectly good nightgown.

[Of course she couldn't do that too often, or they'd run out of towels.]

Wow, talk about a useful power. I wish I could change my clothes that fast.

[Bulla sets down the box when they finally reach the salon and motions to one of the chairs by a sink with a little neck rest.]

Here, have a seat.

It's definitely useful. [Zatanna takes a brief look around before she drops down into the chair Bulla had pointed to. She's definitely eager to get started, and she watches the other girl set up.]

It takes a lot of practice though.

Well, it's just like anything that takes a lot of skill, right? Natural talent only goes so far without practicing and working to improve.

[She gets a towel ready, draping it over Zatanna's shoulders to keep her sholders dry before beginning to run some warm water from the sink.]

Yeah, exactly. [Glad that Bulla gets it, Zatanna smiles as she leans her head back once the towel is on her shoulders.] People think that just because it’s magic it’s easy. But even stage magic takes a lot of practice, and actual sorcery? No one is born just able to do that stuff.

[Or at least they shouldn’t be. That’s scary levels of power right there.]

[Bulla begins to wet Zatanna's hair with the warm water, eventually pouring out a small glob into the palm of her hand before working it gently along Zatanna's scalp and through her dark hair.]

Some people are born with more natural potential...but without hard work, not much is going to happen. My older brother is way stronger than me because he really worked at it and wanted to compete in the world tournaments in our world when he was younger.

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