[closed]

[wroughtiron]

Characters: An NPC (wroughtiron), Annabeth Chase (sophos), Hellboy (histruename), the Doctor (iwaspromisedtea) and Zatanna Zatara (backwordscompatible)
Date: November 25/28th.
Location: The Mainland.
Situation: These characters are tracked down by an NPC and given some information, as well as asked a few things in return. Individual scenarios are in the main body of the post itself.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't stray much above pg-13, but if it does I'll let you know.

Comments

[wroughtiron]

I'm not even certain it's mind control. Could be that she just damaged their minds when she pulled 'em through. I'm sure there's a science to it.

But if it is possible... Eshai'd be the one to do it.

[There's. A grudging trace of respect to her tone. She doesn't like the woman, sure enough, but there's no denying that she's the head bitch in charge around here.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna wasn't sure what was worse. A loss of free will, or an outright damaged mind. At least the former, horrible a fate as it was, could be reversed.]

Is there anything we can do?

[wroughtiron]

[Eva's look is... not terribly optimistic, and she sighs.]

How many of you are there? ... Better question, how many could you speak for?

[backwordscompatible]

If you mean from my world, specifically...there's two. And I trust them both. Aside from that, maybe a half dozen others.

I couldn't even guess how many of us there are total. [Since she was still so new. And, not being a Bat, hadn't yet made it a point to find that out.]

[wroughtiron]

Feh. That ain't anywhere near enough to do anything more than... sit pretty and hope the Emperor doesn't toss you off the turtle. The last resistance, when I was a child, was seventy thousand strong. Two and maybe a half dozen others, that won't make a dent.

[Back to sounding a little morose.]

[backwordscompatible]

[If it wasn't so completely true, Zatanna might've seemed offended by the notion. She slumped back.]

I'm guessing, even with my magic, we wouldn't stand a chance.

[wroughtiron]

I'd say that depends on what your magic's like, but a wee little thing like you can't have been into it long. I've been practicing all my life, but I can only save up power when Tu Vishan docks and use it sparingly when it's gone.

[which is irritating, let me tell you.]

[backwordscompatible]

Actually, I've been practicing my whole life too. Fourteen years.

Though you're right. I'm probably still nowhere near as strong as we would need.

[She couldn't even take on a single Chaos Lord. She couldn't even make a dent. It'd taken a mystic artifact and a soul-sacrificing decision to gain a hope of winning that battle.]

[wroughtiron]

[Eva's expression turns a touch sympathetic, and she reaches out to pat Zatanna's arm, gently, if she'll allow it.]

No slur against your skills, girl, I promise. Eshai has the entire turtle to draw from, she isn't about to go down easy.

[backwordscompatible]

...draw from?

[Elaborate. Please. This could be important.]

[wroughtiron]

Well, the turtle's an energy source. It can be used for mys-- look, here, it's probably just easier to show you.

[She digs through her pack, comes up with a little cube, no bigger than the tip of a finger. It looks as if it's made out of clay - and frankly it's a little misshapen. She frowns at it - she hates wasting them - and then gestures for Zatanna to hold out her hands.]

[backwordscompatible]

[And Zatanna does, without question.]

[She's that eager to find out.]

[wroughtiron]

[So Eva tips her hand and drops the little clay cube into the girl's palms.

It should feel faintly warm, in an unnatural way. More than just the desert heat and being carried about in a pack, and that warmth radiates from inside.

Eva leans over, touches it and murmurs something in another language. Addas, not that Zatanna would be familiar with it. The word means one thing - awaken.

There's a sharp flare of heat - it'll be almost painful - and then the cube dissolves into sand. But Zatanna might notice something different about her magic casting abilities-- namely that she has any at all.]

[backwordscompatible]

[She visibly winces at the flare, nearly dropping the cube in the process. But Zatanna suffers through it, and is soon rewarded by...well, she could only describe it as a suddenly renewal of energy.]

What did you just do to me?

[wroughtiron]

Cast a spell, love.

[She's beaming! Ugh this is exciting she is excited. Magic users! Yay!]

[backwordscompatible]

But I can't--

[...oh.]

[Oh.]

[Zatanna thinks for a moment, before closing her eyes and muttering a few words under her breath. The familiar sensation of smoke swirling around her takes over, and when she opens her eyes...she's changed into her battle uniform once more.]

[wroughtiron]

See? That's what I mean by drawing power. It doesn't hurt the turtle any. Not even a mosquito sting. It doesn't last, of course. But it should carry you for twenty-four hours or so. I'm not sure how compatible it'll be with your particular type of magic, and it's hardly a precise art.

[Which she knows all too well.]

[backwordscompatible]

[The pieces start to fall into place]

So...it's not that being on the mainland takes away our powers. It's the turtle gives us power.

[Her smile falters, however, as she thinks of something.]

But...my dad always told me that our magic came from within. Or does the turtle just restore what we lost by coming here?

[wroughtiron]

That sounds about the size of it. I'd guess it's probably one of the effects of the summoning. But I can't know for sure without seeing the spell she's using to bring people in. It's delicate work, obviously.

[And hard to duplicate. Eva's only ever managed inanimate objects.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna goes into focus mode. Trying hard to think back to her studies.]

There are any number of things it could be. Even where I'm from, magic came in all different forms. Different way to cast spells, different power sources.

[wroughtiron]

[She listens, rapt. She's never really had anyone to talk about this with, so it's a nice change of pace.]

Any theories?

[backwordscompatible]

[Her lips press tightly together. Brows, furrowed. Eyes nearly glazed over as she tries to think back. Make a connection of any kind. But the problem wasn't that she couldn't think of anything; the problem was that she could think of too many.]

...I'm sorry.

Magic could be different here. And even if it's not, I couldn't even begin to guess without seeing the ritual she uses for myself.

[wroughtiron]

[Her sigh is only a little disappointed.]

That's fair, I suppose.

[backwordscompatible]

[It was enough for her to feel a little guilty]

Sorry.

I'm pretty useless right now, aren't I?

[wroughtiron]

I didn't say that.

[She frowns a little at the self-deprecation.]

I'm pretty sure no one's asking you to go up against the most powerful person on Konryu all by your onesies, girl.