The Alchemist
Justice League Watch Tower
It's a quiet night in the Justice League Watch Tower; Batman was in Gotham chasing down the Joker, who was once again causing trouble, but it was Friday night and most of the Justice League members had plans for the night.
Hal Jordan was not one of those people.
In the meeting room, he sat on the round table looking out the window at the stars. Being a Green Lantern, he was always with the stars, but being alone in the Watch Tower, on a quiet night, he came to appreciate them more.
He hoped soon, someone would need his help and he could come to the rescue; something to do.
The door opened and he heard footsteps coming into the meeting room. He knew it wasn't an intruder, but maybe someone who could keep him company.
He looked up to see who it was; Zatanna. He barely knew Zatanna, all he knew was that she was close to Black Canary and she was a member of the Dark league.
He'd seen Zatanna walking through the Watch Tower sometimes, he thought she was pretty, but all they'd say to each other was 'Hello'.
"Hello." She said. "Hello." Hal replied, giving her a little wave. "What are you doing here? Doesn't someone like you usually have plans for a Friday night?" He asked, as soon as he said it, he realised he might have worded it wrong.
She turned around and looked at him, "And what plans would someone like me have on a Friday night?" She asked, Hal shrugged, "I don't know, you're a magician, aren't you?" He asked. "In a way." She said.
"So, what are you doing her on a Friday night?" Zatanna asked.
He stared at her, "I'm a Green Lantern, it's my job to protect the Galaxy." He said, Zatanna smiled, "But the Galaxy doesn't need protecting tonight, by the looks of things." She mocked.
She was quick, and Hal liked it.
"Are you waiting for someone to need your help?" She asked. "It's a quiet night." He said.
"Why don't go out with Ollie, or Barry?" She asked. "They're busy." He said. "What about the others?" She asked. "What's with all the questions?" He asked.
"I was just wondering." Zatanna began, "John's in Hell and Dinah's busy with Ollie. Do you want to go for a drink?" She asked.
His eyes looked at anything that wasn't Zatanna, "Sure." He said, nervously.
"There's a bar in England, I'm quite fond of it." She said. "England?" Hal asked.
"Why are you questioning it like it's a long way?" She asked, "Earth is literally just there." She said, pointing out the window at the planet outside the window.
He nodded, "I just wondered why England?" He asked. "You've never been there before?" She asked. "Not actually visited it, no." He said.
"I can teleport us there." She said. "I can fly." He added. "Only wearing a ring." She said. "Not gonna argue with that." He said, climbing out of the chair.
"Let's go." He said.
"Tropelet."
Suddenly, Hal and Zatanna were standing in a dark alleyway, Hal looked around, that was the first time he'd ever teleported. "Um…where is this bar?" He asked, looking around the alley.
"Behind me." She said, "Did you think I was going to teleport into a street full of people?" She laughed.
"Kaeps htiw hsilgnE tnecca."
"We'll sound normal to each other, but to anyone else we found English." She said.
"That's amazing." Hal said. Hal took off his Green Lantern ring, he was now just wearing a green t-shirt and blue sweat pants, he looked at Zatanna who was wearing fishnet tights, a white dress shirt, a top hat and tailcoat.
"Engahc sehtolc."
Zatanna's clothes changed, she was now wearing a black mesh top, black skinny jeans and heels. Hal looked at his clothes, he was now wearing dark blue jeans and a blue shirt. "That's better." She smiled.
"Let's go." Zatanna said, Hal followed her out of the alley to the street, and he saw the bar; The Alchemist.
The bar had a gothic appearance, Hal looked up at the rusty sign, swinging above the door; The Alchemist.
Zatanna pushed the door open and they stepped into the bar. "I can see why you like this place." Hal said. The bar was dark inside, and mysterious, almost like the hold of an old ship.
"It's quiet tonight." Zatanna said, as they walked up to the counter where the bar man stood, looking bored. "Yea, a new club opened up over the road." He said.
"It didn't sound like there was a club. Hal said. "It's underground." The bar man said, "But you know, it still got my regulars; Joe still comes in every night for his beer, an' those two girls still come in for their 'Sex on the Beach'." He said, admiring the two drunk girls, giggling in the corner.
"This is my favourite place, I'll never leave." Zatanna said, the barman smiled at her, "What can I get you?" He asked.
Zatanna and John looked over the cocktail menu, "I'll have a Mad Hatter." She smiled, Hal raised an eye brow, "Ok, then I'll have a 'Light Bulb Momnet'." He said, the barman nodded and began making their drinks.
Then they sat in the corner on a leather couch. Zatanna stared at her cocktail, she chuckled to herself. "What's so funny?" Hal asked. "My cocktail," She began, "I helped Batman put the Mad Hatter back in Arkham last week." She said, taking a sip of her cocktail, which was very sour.
"I didn't know you knew Bats." Hal said. "Bruce and I have been friends for years." She said. "My father and I travelled around the world together, studying the mystical arts from different cultures. We met Bruce just as he was starting out as…Batman." She said, whispering the last part.
"My father taught him a few mind tricks and Bruce taught me hand-to-hand combat, but it didn't take. Magic is my strong suit." She said.
"But Bruce and I are just friends though, I don't get involved in relationships with friends or 'colleagues', if that's what you members of the Justice League call each other." She said.
"Why?" He asked, "If you don't mind me asking."
"John Constantine and I dated once, we're close friends but we also work with each other, and I didn't work out. We ended up arguing with each other, and it caused problems in the Dark league." She said.
Hal wondered why she was telling him this, maybe she was trying to make conversation, but he wondered if it was something else.
Zatanna cleared her throat; "Can I ask a weird question?" She asked. "Sure, go ahead." He said, sipping his cocktail. "Did you have a three-some with Helena Bertinelli and Zinda Blake?" She asked, Hal cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." She said. "No, it's ok." He said, "The truth is, I don't know." He said, Zatanna looked at him, "What do you mean?" She asked.
"I went out with Ollie, Dinah, Dick, Barbara, Helena and Zinda, we were doing shots and then Helena made up a drinking game, and I can't remember anything that happened after that." He said. "But I woke up in my bed, naked." He cleared his throat, "When I saw Ollie, he said I left the bar with Helena and Zinda. Helena told me that we did, but Zinda said nothing happened." Hal said.
Zatanna laughed, "If nothing happened then how did you end up naked?" She asked. Smiling, Hal shook his head.
"Why did you want to know anyway?" He asked, Zatanna shrugged. "I don't know, just curious, I guess." She said.
"Would you consider this a date?" She asked.
"Why?" He asked.
She didn't say anything, she stared at her drink, stirring it slowly. "Would you consider this a date?" He asked. "Maybe." She said, with a shy smile.
"I admit, when I see you walking around the Watch Tower, I thin you're pretty." He said, she smiled.
Zatanna quickly took a sip of her cocktail, and Hal took a sip of his; 'He is cute' she thought.
He put his glass on the wooden table, he smiled at Zatanna. She started feeling hot, 'maybe it's the alcohol' she thought.
"Are you ok?" He asked, "You haven't drunk that much." He joked. "I'm fine." She said, her cheeks red.
He slowly started leaning in closer to her, she watched him, feeling herself lean towards him. His lips only brushed hers, before she quickly pulled away.
"I'm sorry." He said. "Maybe we should finish our drinks and go." She said, he nodded.
They left the bar and Zatanna teleported herself and Hal to the door of Hal's apartment. "You've got to teach me how to do that." He exclaimed, she smiled. "Thanks for coming out with me," She said, "I had a good time."
"Me too," He began, "I'm sorry about the ki-" Before he could finish his sentence, Zatanna pressed her lips firmly to his.
His eyes widened, she cupped his face with her hands, and slowly he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and melting into the kiss.
Her lips moved softly and slowly against his, her breath was warm, and he could take the cocktail she'd been drinking.
Slowly, she pulled away. "Thanks for coming out with me." She said, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Torpelet." She was gone.
Hal stood outside his apartment, his heart pounding, 'Did that just happen?' he thought.
His heart still racing as he stepped into his apartment and collapsed onto his bed.
He realised he had something in his hand; a piece of paper – 'ZATANNA ZATARA' written on it in her neat handwriting and her phone number underneath it.
THE END