noitatnacni | 003 | Action + Voice

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003 | Action + Voice

[It's pretty easy to spot the differences. The apartment Zatanna shares with Artemis suddenly goes from full to half-empty overnight. Everything, from clothing to weaponry to the tools she'd left in a pile on the table are just gone.

She's heard about it happening before. But like they say, hearing about it and going through it? Two completely different things.

Zatanna tries to find her: message over the journal, a locator spell she's been working on, just walking around and looking around the village. Things don't get any better, however. It's even worse by mid-day, when Zatanna pulls out her journal again.]

Uh, hey. [Zatanna's trying to smile--or rather, she's trying not to cry. There's a reason she's not using video for this, but all that emotion is still pretty evident in her voice.] I know some of you know Artemis and Static. They went home, but it's a good thing. They've got to help save the world and all. Teenage superheroes. The job's never done, right?

[She hesitates, wondering if she should say anything else. In the end though, there's only more silence before she closes the journal. She's going to answer the people who reply, eventually. For now, with the book set aside, Zatanna draws her knees up to her chest and just hides. She probably won't be that hard to find if people know where to look: the rooftop of Community Housing 5. But since she's alone--really alone--she lets some of those tears fall. She just can't keep it in anymore.]

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[Zatanna technically could levitate her way there, or even try to teleport—but she opts to walk instead, so it takes her a bit longer. She’s still wearing her normal clothes when she walks in, a basic top and capri pants. At least she can change quickly with the right words, but it’s kind of hard to focus on the details. She really can’t remember a lot of the walk over, if she’s being honest.

But she does know who she’s supposed to meet, and Zatanna at least tries to smile as she lifts up a hand in a wave.] Hey Bulla. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.

Alright. I’ll see you soon. [She’s glad he’s willing to wait on her. Zatanna heads out shortly after, getting to the Battle Dome in pretty decent time. She looks around the main room for Riku, although if she doesn’t see him out there, she’ll go up to the observation deck. He did say he’d keep busy, and she’s a little curious to see just how.]

[She does just that once they’re situated, just leaning against him with her eyes closed. She doesn’t start crying again; right now she’s more tired than sad, but she also feels like she has someone she can feel safe resting with. The mess they’d been through before doesn’t seem to matter anymore, and Zatanna’s glad for it. She just wants to be close to someone right now, to feel the warmth of arms around her, and the presence of another person.]

I don’t mind. [Although she’s going to walk, so it will take a bit. But then Helios comes up with something to occupy his time, and Zatanna nods.] Sure. I like tea.

[In the end it doesn’t take her too long to get there. The place kind of stands out, and Zatanna’s more than a little awed when she realizes Helios lives in a castle. It kind of makes it seem silly to knock on the door, but that’s what Zatanna does, hoping someone will be able to hear her in there.

Oh, he absolutely did. [That goes without saying, although Zatanna’s interest is definitely piqued when Jason brushes off the thought.] Maybe they do. But we’re talking about you right now, yeah? So if you don’t mind showing off skin, I guess I’ll have to come up with something more creative.

[Kushina's expression pinches, trying make sense of the question. She thinks she understands what Zatanna means but-]

If they're from my world then they're from my world. Just because I didn't know them before, doesn't mean they're any less a part of it.

[She shakes her head, knowing she hasn't explained it well.] No, I mean--a different version of your world. Like, there's a me who exists in places other than where I'm from, but apparently she's older. So people who knew "me" thought I was under a spell or something, but I'm not. I'm just not the person they know.

[Which has a flipside, and Zatanna looks down.] And they aren't the people I know.

... In my world, I had only just given birth to my son. And here, he's already a sixteen year old young man from the future.

You or my son might not be the person that we remember, but that doesn't mean we care any less about you. It's a little confusing, but you're still you. Right here.

[And she points at her own heart.]

Was your best friend from this different world?

I'm sorry, too.

[Her words are quiet, her head still hung a little low. She blinks repeatedly. There really isn't much either of them can say, is there? Not all the words in the world will bring Artemis back. They didn't bring Peeta back.

Being at the whim of others... She hates that. And yet, she seems to be stuck with that lot in life.]

Yep, sure will. But you're a pretty creative gal, right? You've gotta be. So I'm sure you won't have that much trouble.

No, not too long.

[Bulla offers Zatanna a smile and a wave in return. Although she does miss Static and Artemis herself, it's entirely different when you lose someone who's very close to you. She knows how that feels from when her mother was sent back. Even though her mom had been from an earlier time, she'd still adjusted to the idea of being a mom to a teenage girl very quickly and been supportive and warm.]

So...I was thinking we could beat up Third Party cultists for training. I can't think of better targets, personally.

Maybe. Something tells me you’re not a guy who gets flustered easily. Like the fact that I've known you for more than five minutes.

[There really isn’t. It feels like there should be. Like one of them should be able to find the right words to break through the sadness, to make them both smile and believe that life goes and even without their friend, that it’ll be okay somehow. That’s what she’s supposed to think, right?]

She’s going to be okay there. [It’s awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s all she has. It’s better than the silence.]

Yeah, I know. [And she agrees with everything Kushina’s said. But when she asks if that applies to Artemis, Zatanna shakes her head.]

No. She was the only person here from the same exact world I am. We were even brought from almost the same exact time; just a day apart.

[Which means that Artemis could understand everything in a way no one else really could.]

Then I'd say you're a pretty good judge of character, Zee. Not that I'm all that hard to figure out.

[If he was aware he'd made her worry more, he would apologize so quickly.]

That's good to hear... What about yourself? Are you going to be okay?

[Then it was the same as her and Minato -- the only person who understood how she felt. He was also her best friend, despite their occasional bickering.

Thinking of losing him makes her sad too, aches, just like Zatanna but]

She's not your only friend, is she? You shouldn't forget your other friends who are here for you, too.

We're all going through the same thing, being in this place, so everyone understands at least a little. You're not alone.

I wouldn't let you be alone.

[Zatanna swallows, closing her eyes tightly as Kushina’s words inspire a new wave of tears. She doesn’t want to start crying again, not because someone’s with her but rather because she doesn’t know if she’d be able to stop. Everyone understands at least a little, and something about that both healed and hurt in deep ways Zatanna couldn’t explain.]

Yeah. [I wouldn’t let you be alone, and god, it sounds so much like something her father would say. Then she really can’t hold it back, her shoulders shaking with the first quiet sob.]

Yeah, I will be. [Eventually. When the pain fades away to a duller ache; Zatanna already knows better than to think it’ll go away completely.] It’s just hard right now.

You kind of aren’t. [Although that isn’t a bad thing. In a lot of ways Jason is more Robin-like than Robin himself; at the very least, his humor and his attitude better matches the Robin from Zatanna’s world.

But that’s dangerous thinking for her right now, so Zatanna quickly changes course after she swallow back a small lump in her throat.]

Guess you better keep your guard up. The best magic tricks are all about timing.

Sounds good to me—although I’m not all that great on the beating up part. [Which is probably all the more reason to do it. She’s improved, but she also knows that she’s got a long way to go.]

Well, I do love a good surprise. Gimme your best shot, okay?

Is it because you can't know that she's going to be okay right away? [Or run to her when you were happy, sad... Just knowing you could speak to a friend every day. Being left behind or alone hurt.]

[The smile Kushina has put on for Zatanna's sake drops and her brows pull down at the start of tears. Then her arm settles across her shoulders, one hand petting her black hair soothingly.

She doesn't say anything, just lets Zatanna get it all out like she knows she needs to. Eventually though, when she quiets down into sniffles;]

Come on.

[She shifts to stand up again and urges Zatanna to stand up.]

If you want to sit on a high place, I know a good spot.

She is?

[Even as she asks the question, not hesitating to do so, there's still hesitance in her voice. Because she knows the things people say to make a bad situation better. She knows how they can't be trusted. That some people will say anything to make you feel better.

And she doesn't know this girl well enough to know if she's one of those people.]

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