tushanshu_logs | [OPEN] Like an Unsung Melody

Entry tags:

[OPEN] Like an Unsung Melody

Characters: Zatanna Zatara | Midii Une | Aya + OPEN
Date: April
Location: Various
Situation: Various - specified in starters
Warnings/Rating: None to start; will update if necessary

I - Open Prompts

a - Zatanna
[Keelai's resident Mistress of Magic was in unusually uplifted spirits this month, something which would be noted by anybody familiar with her in the slightest. As she went about her usual Welcome Center chores, she was smiling. Like really smiling. And even occasionally humming to herself.]

[There was also the fact that she was actually doing a bunch of the cleaning by hand, rather than sitting back in a large recliner and reading a book while her magic took over the dirtiest work. That was...different.]

b - Midii
[The 16-year-old girl gave a slightly bow as she prepared to exit the woodwork shop, sending a sheepish, yet clearly grateful smile to the two kedan behind the counter]

Thank you for being so understanding. I truly appreciate it. And please...if you still need anything that important, I'm sure I could find a way to come back and help.

[With that, she pulled on her knapsack--something which she had been carrying around a lot more frequently as of late, and which looked notably heavier with additional books and notebooks contained inside relating to her latest studies--and headed back outside to the bicycle waiting for her, chained to a nearby sidewalk bench.]

c - Aya
[Aya could be most often found at Stark Industries, where her comings and goings seemed so natural to the other workers there that they hardly paid the not-quite-Arteficial Intelligence any heed. Except for the occasional smile and nod of acknowledgement.]

[However, as of late, she had also been traveling to the local college more and more, taking the sky route simply because it was more efficient. Which meant that anyone could glance upward at any time of day and potentially see a green and white figure sailing through the clouds on her way to her latest inquiries. Occasionally stopping upon a familiar or even friendly face.]

II - Closed Promps*

a - (FOR PEPPER)
[With everything that had happened in the last month, Zatanna only just realized it had been far too long since her partner in gelato-related crimes and she had sat down for a good, long chat. A problem which was easily remedied, save for one small change: instead of gelato, she came bearing a large box of cookies. One that quite obviously came from a local baker, as evident by the logo on the side of the box. At least she wasn't bother trying to hide the fact.]

[A knock at the door, and she called out to let the occupants know it was her and that she came with sugar that was mostly meant for Pepper but if they were really REALLY nice, she might consider sharing. Maybe.]

b - (FOR ODYNI)
[It was the initial talk of new Guilds that first peaked Zatanna's interest. This wasn't the first time she had been around to experience some sort of governmental shift in Keelai, and she wasn't even all that surprised. But then the talks continued, and as more and more details emerged, she came upon a bit of a conundrum.]

[Joining the Foreigners' Guild made sense. She was already halfway there with her Welcome Center duties. People were already expecting it. Except...there was the small issue of funding. Once upon a time, they'd been pretty self-sufficient, thanks to the Emperor allotting them funds. Even after the return from battling Malicant in the dream world, when things got a little dicier, they were still supported by Aroyan. Their current relationship with Odyni was certainly far from hostile, but if allying oneself with one guild potentially meant cutting themselves off from another...]

[Basically, there were too many unknowns for her to make a public declaration just yet. It was time for her to play polite diplomat. She even put on a cute button-up collared shirt and bowtie for the occasion, before heading out to the Merchant's Guild to speak with its current representative.]

* - If you would like a closed prompt with any of the girls, feel free to poke me through either PM or at

hina_mun
** - I will be leaving the country for a while starting on Friday, April 14, and hiatuses for ~2 weeks after that. However, I will do my best to get in as many tags until then, as I should be free during the week and part of the weekend.

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[The call of not only Zatanna but sugar was an easy lure to draw Pepper to the door, and she was beaming when she opened it.]

Wow, you really know how to charm a girl, [she said, stepping aside to let her friend in.] C'mon in! How's it going? Jack's back, did he move in with you again? Want some tea or would coffee be better?

[She was talking at speed, without taking a single breath.]

[She'd barely made it inside the room when suddenly ALL OF THE QUESTIONS. At such a rapid fire pace that it was hard enough to remember what was being asked of her, let alone how she should answer. So, in typical Zatanna fashion, she brushed it off with a laugh.]

How much sugar have you had already?

Not that much, I swear. Just a little in my coffee this morning, [Pepper promised. She was just excited.] This is pretty standard for me back home, actually.

[Almost two years had wrought some changes. She led Zatanna towards the kitchen, where she'd been putting away some dishes.]

So, what kind of sugar are we talking? Boxes contain many secrets. Schrodinger's muffin?

[Oh, Pepper definitely got a Look at "a little", clearly not believing her...but whatever. She followed her into the kitchen, setting the box down on the counter.]

Now, before I show you what i have, I just want you to know I could have gone the cliche route and gotten you some rabbit-shaped cookies...

[Because nobody shares her weird sense of magic humor quite like herself.]

...but, no. Most chocolate chip and sugar, but I think they tossed a few oatmeal raisin in there. Or what passes for raisins in this world. I think they might taste better, actually.

[At least Pepper has mostly stopped texting people their next conversations while they're having their present one.

She grinned broadly at the description of the box's contents. Pulling a rabbit out of a box instead of a hat would have been funny, but any cookies are good.]

Oatmeal raisin is the dark horse of cookies, so I'm glad they added some. I think this calls for milk.

[She went to a cabinet and pulled out glasses, then opened the fridge.]

Is there a special occasion I should know about, or are dessert trades an official tradition now?

Oh, you know. I was starting to feel like I was taking advantage of your kindness, so I thought I'd repay the favor once or twice.

And these just happened to be sitting around the bakery I passed by on the way here.

[So a little of both.]

Hey, you were taking all the not-quite-strawberry gelato off my hands, you've been doing me a favor, [Pepper said with a wink.] I'm always happy for an excuse to chat and eat cookies.

[She poured some milk for them both and handed a glass to Zatanna, then peeked into the box. The spoils she'd brought all looked delicious, so Pepper picked one at random.]

Seriously though, time to dish. How's it been with Jack in Keeliai again?

Good. Things are good.

[The answer didn't come too quickly to be suspicious, but there was a certain succinctness about it. Coupled with the fact that Zatanna was suddenly avoiding eye contact...although that could have easily been explained by her own attempt at choosing a cookie. She went for the chocolate chip first.]

He's back at the Welcome Center. It's just like before. Almost.

[That was a little less effusive than Pepper was expecting, and her eyebrows went up.]

Well, it'd be weird if it was 100% the same. I mean, it's been more than a year, right? Picking things back up again is probably gonna take a little time, especially on your end of things.

[She propped herself against the table, considering whether they ought to relocate to the couch.]

Is something specific different or is it just, like, relearning how to live together?

[Zatanna had always been pretty casual whenever talking about her relationship(s). Not really one for mushy sentiments. Which was why, after a moment's pause to consider Pepper's question, she shook her head.]

No, It's not that. It's just...

Never mind. It's kind of dumb, really.

[/absolutely downplaying things]

[Pepper's curiosity was, of course, immediately piqued. She was also a touch concerned.]

I can pretty much guarantee it's not dumb, because you're not dumb. C'mon, this is what girl talk is for. Pull up a chair, lay it on me.

[She didn't pull up a chair.]

[But she did lean back against the counter she was standing beside, her shoulder slumping as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. There were so many of them, and for a moment, she actually frowned. A little. A slight furrowing of her brows.]

When he was here before...even after we got together...I knew there was always a chance that he could disappear. We both saw so many people come and go. But I was convinced that I'd be ready if it ever happened. I wanted to just enjoy the moment, so that there wouldn't be any regrets.

[Here, she sighed inaudibly.]

...but then...he was gone. And it hurt. A lot. And it's not that I'm not happy he's back. I am. It's just...I can't forget about how much it hurt.

[In other words, emotions are making her actually ponder the possibilities of the future, rather than continue to live in the present.]

[Ah. If Pepper's silence and expression following that explanation was anything to go by, she had had similar thoughts about Bakura. If he went home first-- well, she knew what he was going home to, and even the idea of it hurt enough to make her breath catch. Actually experiencing it is something she hoped never to go through.

Her voice was soft when she spoke. Understanding.] I don't think anyone's ever ready for someone they care about to leave, even when they know it's coming. The possibility of going through it twice-- I mean, how can it not be distracting and painful?

[She put her glass down and the cookie on top of it, pushing off the table and resettling next to Zatanna against the counter.]

It's okay that it hurts. Just-- don't let that keep you from enjoying the time you have now, is probably the important thing. Have you talked to him about it?

[The corners of her lips twitched upward, and if she made a sound just then, it would have sounded like a half-laugh, half scoff. Not at Pepper, but at herself.]

He feels bad enough about leaving in the first place. I'm sure the feeling will go away eventually. I just have to...get over it. Or something.

[It's not that she was deliberately keeping it from him. In fact, she was pretty sure, on some level, he already knew. Given their reunion. But her frame of mind was that if she didn't dwell on it much--besides confiding in Pepper this one time, just to get it out there--then maybe it would go away. And they could get back to the fun times.]

[Pepper bumped Zatanna gently with her shoulder.]

It might help a little if you didn't fight with it. Let it hurt, then let it go? I tried not being angry with Gene when I first got here and I had to let myself be angry before I could set it aside and get back to just being his friend.

[Realistically, the fear and the hurt would still be there at a moment's recollection, but that was normal here. Anyone who formed deep relationships with people from other worlds ran the risk that Zatanna did.]

[She was fairly certain Pepper hadn't meant it as a direct parallel, but just in case--]

I'm not angry with him. It wasn't his fault he left.

[Specificity is important, Pepper.]

Oh, no, I didn't think you were. I was just using Gene as an example of something on a similar intensity level where a big time difference was a factor.

[Again, given the difference in respective relationships--not to mention the fact that Gene was from Pepper's world, whereas Jack wasn't from Zatanna's--she wasn't expecting a parallel. But she got Pepper's intentions, and allowed a small smile in gratitude for the effort.]

I'll...work on it.

It's just a little harder this time.

Yeah. I don't think these kind of things are ever easy. [It did make her angry sometimes, with the spell and the caster that had brought them here. Losing each other to the spell's whims was a cruel reward for what they were supposed to have done, and what past Foreigners did do. The anger was pointless, of course.]

Just give yourself time, yeah? Time and cookies and all the gelato I can convince Tony to make.

[Speaking of cookies...before the conversation took too deep of a turn--as if they hadn't already brushed upon some pretty intense feelings as it was--Zatanna leaned forward and picked up another cookie.]

Your powers of persuasion continue to astound me, you know.

[It was one thing to continue joking about getting Tony to make her stuff. But Pepper went the extra mile and actually did it. Every time.]

It's a gift, [Pepper declared loftily.] Being super stubborn has gotten me pretty far in life.

[She retrieved her cookie as well, dipping it into the milk carefully before taking a bite.]

It doesn't hurt that Tony has the metabolism of five people and likes ice cream even when it's way below freezing outside.

[Zatanna had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing aloud at that. All the while, her fingers just barely grazed against the bottom of the pendant hanging from her neck; a snowflake shape hanging from a blue choker-style necklace.]

That's not exactly something I would consider an issue.

[Pepper did laugh at that, though fortunately not in such a way as to get milk up her nose.]

Me neither. It's practically a survival technique, in New York. Ice cream shops stay open and do well all year round because we're all too stubborn to care. The metabolism thing is only a problem because Tony forgets to eat half the time. I swear he'd starve if we didn't remind him.

I know. I remember.

[It had been a few years, but she still considered herself a fellow New Yorker.]

Can't say we ever had that problem with teammates, though. The closest was Kid Flash, because of his speedster metabolism. He had to eat to keep up his energy to run, but he had to eat constantly. And anything. And everything. I'm amazed M'gann never banned him from the kitchen.

Yikes. Yeah, if Tony had to eat all the time and kept destroying the kitchen, we'd have a problem. He's actually able to be in the kitchen without supervision now, which is impressive.

I guess it'd be kinda hard to keep a speedster out of anywhere that's not totally locked down, though. What's M'gann like?

Well, let's see...

Do they have the movie Clueless where you come from?

Uh, yeah. It's been a few years since I watched it, though. Is she like one of the characters?

[A nod. Although it wasn't an exact parallel, considering other factors, it was easily the closest comparison her mind could make.]

The redhead. I forget her name. Especially in the beginning of the movie. That's...pretty close to the kind of cheerfulness I remember M'gann being.

[ Someone took Zatanna's information and, upon being told what she was there for, led her to the office where Odyni was presently stationed, the one that had formerly belonged to Aroyan. If Zatanna had been there before, she'd note that it was largely kept the same way, although the neat desk was currently awhirl with papers and books spread out in front of the newly minted representative.

Zatanna's escort announced her and then excused themselves, leaving Odyni and Zatanna alone in the office. Odyni looked a little harried, but she'd looked that way before Zee walked in anyway. ]

Yes?

[Zatanna gave a courteous nod of her head in greeting, doing her best to maintain a pleasant smile.]

I can see you're busy, so I'll get straight to the point. [Hopefully, that would work to her favor, given what she was about to discuss. After all, time = money was a concept even in Keelai, right?] Am I correct in guessing you've already heard about the new Guild system being established?

[ witheringly: ] Obviously I have. I've been told that I'm keeping the same liaison position for your group.

[ Yeah. She's a charmer. ]

[That's alright. Zatanna can (attempt to) be charming enough for them both.]

Then you can probably guess why I'm here.

[And then, to make sure she didn't come off as too quippy, she immediately followed it up with:]

You and the Merchant's Guild have been really good to us. The Welcome Center probably wouldn't still be around if it weren't for you. So we definitely owe you a lot, and that's why I wanted to come see you in person about this. Hear your opinions and weigh options.

[ Odyni lowered her eyes at that, sliding to the side to study the corner of the office desk. ]

I'm not the one who did anything. Aroyan was the one who proposed the funding for your Center after the Emperor's era... ended. He thought it would give you all both more reason to trust us, and to feel more a part of the city.

[Ah...]

[Knowing the subject of Aroyan was a tender one, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and choose her words even more carefully.]

You're half right. It's true that he did all that, and played a part in helping that trust to build...but you're the one who chose to continue what he started. We still have funding because you allowed it.

It's what he would have wanted. I'm not looking for gratitude about it. If you wanted someone to thank, you should have done it before.

I did.

[Not to get defensive, but so that she was aware she had been respectful to her mentor, showing him the gratitude he was due. And while this part of the conversation could have continued to drag on had she been unable to resist the urge to further argue her point...once again, time was of the essence, and this was important.]

You said you're not looking for gratitude. [And she would respect that much.] Is there anything you are looking for? If...circumstances were to change in the coming weeks?

Then that should be enough.

[ Yeah, her former mentor was definitely a sensitive topic. ]

My position is to make sure the Foreigners and the Merchants Guild have the best relationship possible. If I can't do that, I could be removed from my position.

[ Aroyan's position. ]

So whatever helps with that.

[Nodding her understanding--and more than a little relieved they were back on track with business--Zatanna risked a faint smile.]

I'm glad to hear that.

[No, really. It was promising enough for her to move to her next point.]

Because I've been considering aligning myself and the Welcome Center with the Foreigners' Guild--since, you know, it's more or less why the Center was established in the first place, way back when. But I didn't want to risk the relationship we have now if you were expecting us to join the Merchants Guild instead.

I'd like the Foreigners Guild, and the Welcome Center by extension, to have a... preferential relationship with the Merchants Guild, yes. But that doesn't mean you individually need to be a member of it.

[...hmm. That one took a little longer to consider. It wasn't the most unreasonable request to make, really, but there were a number of reasons why Zatanna couldn't just say 'yes' without further discussion.]

I'm...not sure I'm in a position to make that kind of agreement. Not yet, anyways.

I help run the Welcome Center, sure, and I'll gladly speak for it...but this Guild thing is another matter. I'd have to talk to whoever else is a part of it. [She wasn't even sure who would count as members. Heck, she hadn't even officially joined herself yet, mostly because she'd been waiting on this discussion.] But I can make the recommendation and vouch for the Merchants Guild on your behalf.

Is that okay with you?

I think that would be a very compelling start, yes. Hopefully once the Foreigners Guild is finished organizing itself, you might be in a position to give more detail?

We can keep in touch, definitely.

[That much, she was confident enough to promise. Whether the news was in their favor or not, there was literally no reason they couldn't keep talking. And besides that, Zatanna had a hard time imagining anyone from either Guild deliberately wanting to build walls between them.]

As soon as I know anything, I'll make sure to pass the information along. In the mean time...I should probably let you get back to your work.

[There seemed to be a lot of it.]

[ Odyni nodded. ]

All right. And yes, I have a lot left to study.

[With that, Zatanna turned and prepared to leave, calling out over her shoulder.]

If there's anything that I can help with, personally, don't hesitate to ask.

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[OPEN] Like an Unsung Melody

IIa

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