A Blast To The Past

A Fanfic By Kid Zatanna

This fanfic uses charicters owned by DC Comics and other companys and therefore is ONLY for entertainment, not sale. The persons and events depicted here are fictional, not real. (Darn it)

As you may have noticed, this fan-fic contains mild language and violence.

I know that Zatanna's tophat and tails are the most popular costume she wears, but I have her in her Perez suit for a very good reason as you shall see in this chapter.

Once again, please pretend that the identity of Zee's new friend is a surprise. Those of you who have read some of my posts on the internet probably know who she is already.

NOTE: I had erred on the date in the first chapter. According to my research, the Detective was working on a case on the 15th of October, 1933. I have changed the first chapter to match this, from now on, Zatanna's adventures in 1933 begin on Oct 23.

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A shimmering rectangle appeared out of nowhere and an oddly-dressed young lady fell out of it backwards, hitting her head on the ground as the portal closed. For a few seconds she didn't move and her breath wheezed harshly as the woman struggled to fill her lungs with precious air. The young woman placed her hand on her chest to feel her pounding heart and waited for it to slow to normal. With one more slow, deep breath, Zatanna turned her head left, then right to take in her surroundings. She found herself in someone's backyard in what seemed to be the middle of the day, there were the typical trappings that included a clothesline and a low wooden fence separating the property from the other yards. The whole place had the old-fashioned look she had expected for the era. Zee turned her eyes to the sky and shook her pretty head.

"Crap."

Sitting up, Zatanna considered her situation; apparently, a stray blast of magic had activated the teleportation feature of the Oracle Mirror and sent her back into the past. She doubted that Felix Faust had planned that move, but he would certainly take advantage of her absence to loot her home of all it's magical items and perhaps take a few of the antiques and jewelry in her collection.

"I wouldn't put it past him to write Satanic verses on my under-wear, that son of a..."

Zee cut herself off and smiled. Going into the past was to her advantage, she realized; technically, Felix had not yet broken into her house! Time was now on HER side! All the magician had to do was return to her proper place in time and resume the fight. But this time, FELIX would be the one taken by surprise, she grinned. Brushing off her white, blue and black body suit and thigh boots, Zatanna stood and stretched out her arms with eyes closed.

"Annataz nruter ot eht erutuf!" She felt a certain warm feeling flow through her as always happened when she used her magic and a second later, opened her eyes.

Nothing had changed.

She frowned and tried again.

"Ekat em ot ym emoh owt sdnoces retfa I tfel!"

Again, the warmth enveloped her. Again NOTHING HAPPENED!

Zatanna looked at her hands. She had felt the magic flow, but something was preventing her spell from doing its job! She pointed at a near-by object.

"Kcirb esir, nrut dna dneced!"

The brick rose from a small pile, turned slowly 180 degrees and returned to its place gently. She tried something else and spoke the command "Kcirb emoceb ssalg," the masonry then became transparent. With the words "Nruter ot lamron" it became a brick again.

"All right, there's nothing wrong with my powers," she said with relief. "So it must be something else."

Felix Faust hadn't done anything to hinder her powers when he was in her home (At least, she didn't THINK so) and she had never had any problems with working magic during her other trips through time, so what was it?

The mirror!

Zee had made three other trips trough the Oracle Mirror as part of her experiments, but on two occasions she had used the crystal pendant to return through the glass. For the third trip, Zatanna had used her own magic for the return home to make sure there would be no problems if she had lost the crystal that had been attuned to the mirror. Since she had only intended to OBSERVE this time, the pendant had been left in the Safe Room hidden in a Japanese puzzle box. But those other journeys had all been done in the present, traveling through time must be different! The magician realized that she had to find another way back. One thought cheered her: the mirror must be here in its past form, it COULD provide a link to its future counter-part!

"But first, I have to find it," Zatanna told herself, looking around. "But that may take years and I need food, a place to live and magic items to aid my search and for that I'll need money. And clothes," she added, running a hand over her costume.

Ordinarily that would not be a problem, she would simply teleport a suitable outfit from her closet at home, but of course, THAT was out of the question. She COULD transform her costume into a suit --the experiment with the brick proved that she could-- but Zatanna had little idea what was fashionable in this era. She knew that women wore mostly skirts and dresses, but her theater training insisted that she do things right. Where did the hem-line go, for instance? At the knees? Below the knees? How far below? Were stiletto heels fashionable? This may have seemed unimportant to the average person, but Zee did not want to draw any attention to herself and have to answer a lot of nosy questions.

Her eyes fell on the clothesline and she smiled. Zee's karma was working for her today! Hanging from the cotton rope were a couple of coats and dresses. It seemed odd that they would be hung to dry in the chilly October air, but as she approached, the answer came to Zatanna with the scent of mothballs. Obviously the owner had taken them out of storage and was airing them out. Zatanna almost laughed as she remembered Captain Kirk's words when he and Commander Spock were in this very same situation: "Well, we'll rob from the rich and give back to the poor... later."

Of course, Zatanna had no desire to deprive her unseen benefactor of her dresses, the sorceress only wanted to examine them so that she could have a pattern to base her magically-altered clothing on. Fingering the wool, she took one down and held it up to herself. The owner was perhaps a half foot shorter than herself, but her experience with costumers in her line of work made it easy to estimate how the dress would fit if it were in her size. The ruffles and bows were rather strange to her late-twentieth century eyes, but she would manage. After all, she had worn fancier costumes both on and OFF stage! Turning to replace the dress and take down the other, Zatanna stopped in her tracks. She stood eye-to-eye with a COP!

Suddenly her karma didn't look too good.

"Well isn't this a fine thing," he observed. "Here I come home to check on my poor sick wife and I find a fancy-dressed BUM stealing her clothes. Oh, I suppose you're going to say that you were just going BORROW them, am I right?"

Zatanna blushed, as a matter of fact; she WAS only going to borrow them just long enough to get an idea of the current fashions. This was an awkward situation, sure Zatanna could zap him to make him forget about her long enough to make a get-away, but she didn't like messing with other people's minds and would do so only if she or others were in peril. Besides, this man was perfectly within his rights, both as an officer of the law and a home owner, he was right to protect his family's property.

The officer pointed at the clothesline and Zee pinned the dress on it. He then continued his speech.

"All right, I know that times are tough and all that, but that doesn't give anyone the right to steal from others. Did it ever occur to you that people have to WORK to get these things? If you robbed a bank, you're just taking the bank's money, right? WRONG! The money belongs to the DEPOSITERS who had to WORK for it. That's a nice brooch," he told her, pointing with his stick. "My wife doesn't have one so nice, but that doesn't mean it would be right for me to... "

Noticing that Zatanna had observed something behind him and had turned her head to look, the cop turned towards the back of his house to see a young woman leaning in the doorway. Wearing a French beret and a Carmel-colored polo coat, she held a small wicker basket over her arm and watched them with an amused smile. Seeing that she had been observed, the blond walked over to the two and greeted the man.

"Hello, Officer Masters. I came to check on your wife and brought a few things from the grocer."

"Oh thank you Miss Nancy, you're a good woman. It's too bad that Dorothy is at school, she's always wanted to meet you."

"Perhaps I will have a chat with her some day," Nancy said. "And I'll get her that book you said she asked for; my publisher said it should come out next week."

The woman looked Zatanna over as she passed behind the magician (Zee remembered that many cultures considered it rude to walk between two people) and Zee returned the gaze with equal interest. (Have you ever met someone for the first time and it seems like you know them already?)

The girl (Woman, actually) looked younger than she was, both her manner and Zatanna's perception told her that. She was five feet, eight inches tall, JUST taller than herself and her hair was a nice honey-blond. The face was "pretty" but not overly so and the one and a half inch scar over her left eye did nothing to detract from her looks (Not to mention her penciled-in eyebrows). The sky-blue eyes paused briefly at Zatanna's throat and seemed to twinkle when she looked at Zee with a smile. It was a nice smile, much like Zatanna's own and the sorceress returned it.

"Won't you introduce me to your friend?" Nancy said to Officer Masters.

"She's no friend of mine; I caught her stealing Kelly's clothes!"

"Oh my goodness!" She said with mock horror, hand to her breast. "How horrible! Well, you should just lock her up and throw away the key!" She stated, starting to leave. "Unless..."

"Yes? Unless what, Miss Nancy?"

"No, it's a silly idea," she murmured, turning over the cloth in her basket as if expecting to find something. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, let's hear it."

Nancy began slowly, as if unsure that the idea was any good. "Well... If you arrest her, you'll have to take her downtown, write a report, appear at the hearing, maybe at a trial too and Kelly's dresses will have to be taken in as evidence. If she's convicted, she'll be put in jail to be fed and clothed and taken care of at the expense of the taxpayer, so it's just one big bother all around." she sighed.

Zatanna noted a smirk form on the cop's face and knew that the two were playing some kind of game with her.

"Do you have a better idea?" He inquired, to which Nancy shrugged.

"Oh... I don't know. I was just thinking... well, you COULD release her into my custody. I could find honest work for her or... something," she concluded, fooling with the basket again.

"Well then, if you want to be saddled with a vagrant, that's YOUR affair, we have enough in the jails as it is," he then turned to Zatanna. "You're very lucky that Miss Nancy came along when she did. I'm putting you in her care and I DON'T want to hear one word about any more trouble from you, understand?"

"Yes sir," the sorceress said, going to the smiling woman.

Nancy took her hand and they walked to the front of the house where a car stood. Zatanna didn't know a whole lot about cars, but could tell that this one was something special. It was the two-door "roadster" type painted green with black fenders and running boards. Two spare tires were fitted behind the front fenders with mirrors on them and the canvas top was up. Also of note was the "Twin 6" logo on the hubcaps and the "Packard" brand name. As Zee admired the car, Nancy tossed the basket inside and took off her coat.

"Here, it's a bit chilly and while your costume is pretty, it really isn't appropriate for wandering about town."

"Thank you, but no. You've helped me when I was in trouble, but I can't impose on your good nature. Thank you, goodbye."

Zee started to walk away, but felt a tug on her cape as soon as she took two steps. Turning, she saw the girl smile as she dropped the cloth.

"But it's no imposition at all!" She insisted. "Besides, didn't you hear Officer Masters when he put you in my charge? I certainly can't neglect my duty! Besides, I'm rather curious as to why you're wearing that rather attractive costume and why you have to steal a dress when you have such expensive-looking jewelry."

Zatanna's hand went to her throat. For some reason the blond was interested in her brooch! Zatanna entered the open door and sat on the black leather seat, her companion taking the seat behind the wheel. The powerful, twelve-cylinder engine roared into life and they were off.

"You know my name, but what's yours?" Nancy asked.

"Zatanna."

"Is that your first or your last name?"

"Zatanna Zatara," the black-haired woman said with a smile. "My friends call me 'Zee'."

"I should have known from your ear ornaments, I hope I can call you 'Zatanna'. Oh I'm sorry," She added quickly. "I didn't mean it that way! I just think that 'Zatanna' is a pretty name."

"It's all right Nancy, you can call me 'Zatanna'," that worthy said kindly. "Excuse me for staring, but have we met before? I have this odd feeling that I should know you."

"Some of my chums say that I look like the movie actress, Toby Wing," Nancy smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "Perhaps that's why you think you've seen me before."

"Of course, that must be it," Zee replied. That must have been the answer; she must have seen Wing in an old movie. Or perhaps she had even seen Nancy herself in a history book or in a documentary about the Thirties. It was then Nancy's turn to ask a question.

"That's obviously a costume of some sort. Are you a dancer?"

"No, I'm a magician. How do you make ends meet?"

"Oh, I help my father with his law practice; delivering documents, research, interviewing witnesses, that sort of thing. I also do some things on my own, sort of a side line."

"And what does your mother do?"

"Not a whole... a whole lot, she's dead," she replied, stumbling over a joke.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, it happened when I was ten. I'm over it now."

Nancy stared ahead with flushed cheeks and Zee knew she was lying.

"My parents are both dead, Nancy," she said sympathetically. "But life goes on. We cherish their memory and celebrate their lives and the life they gave us."

Nancy thought about this for a moment and a small smile crossed her face.

"Here we are." she told her passenger. "Welcome to my home."

They turned into the driveway of a two-story brick house that had a second, curved drive in front. Zatanna volunteered to open the doors of the detached garage to let Nancy drive in. They entered through the back door and in the kitchen; Zatanna got another dose of deja-vu.

"Hannah I-- Oh, I forgot; I had given our housekeeper a few days off to visit her sister. She said she would make a luncheon before leaving," she reported, lifting the lid off a pot. "(Sniff) Ahhh, I hope you like vegetable stew?"

"I'm not really--" Zee's stomach growled and the girls laughed. "I mean I LOVE vegetable stew!"

"Good. Come upstairs, I'll show you where to wash up. Then I'll lend you some clothes to wear."

"I can't--"

"Yes you can, it'll just be for today. Tomorrow we'll go shopping and you can pay me back once you're settled."

"But I can't ask you to spend your money on me," Zatanna protested as she was led by the hand towards the staircase.

"I do this sort of thing all the time. Are you going to be a bad guest and argue with your hostess? Good! And don't worry, you WILL pay me back; you can start by telling me what sort of trouble you're in."

"I'm not in any trouble."

Nancy opened the front of the coat Zee wore to reveal her costume and smiled in a sly, fox-like manner. "Of course not dear," She said. "That's why you didn't take the time to change." There was no use in denying it, so the magician shut up.

Actually, Zatanna felt better after washing up and the dress given her fit well enough and was charming in an old-fashioned way. Nancy came back into her bedroom with a dress box and suggested that Zee freshen her make-up while she packed the super heroine's costume away. This gave Nancy a chance to snoop a bit and she read the clothing labels. The boots were from a custom shoe-maker in Gotham City and the bodysuit was made by "G. Perez. Theatrical Costume Designs. NYC". That confirmed her claim of being in show business.

Zatanna was doing a little snooping herself and picked up a picture of Nancy and two dark-haired girls in swimsuits, (Deja-vu AGAIN!) backs to the camera, eagles drawn (No, suntanned) on their backs along with the words: "NRA We Do Our Part". So, Nancy was a member of the National Rifle Association? Zee looked into the mirror's reflection and found her hostess staring at her with the oddest expression, Zatanna's brooch in her hands. Zee turned to face her and Nancy blushed.

"Oh, I... I was just... this is a very beautiful piece, where did you get it?"

"It was my mother's," Zatanna told her, taking the jewelry and pinning it back on her suit's collar.

"My mother left me some jewelry," Nancy said, opening her hope chest and reaching into a small box. "Oh, but that can wait. You're hungry and our soup is waiting."

Zatanna's practiced eye saw that Nancy had "palmed" something, but she said nothing as they went back to the kitchen and prepared to eat. The two were mostly silent during the meal, only making polite remarks about the food as it went. Then, at one point Nancy decided that it was time to break the ice.

"What's it like in the future?"

Zatanna started coughing as she inhaled a piece of potato. Nancy was at her side in a flash, patting her back and pressing a water glass into her hand.

"Fu-- (cough) FUTURE? What makes-- makes you say that?"

"Because you're from the future," Nancy smiled, eyes twinkling. "Would you like to know how I found out?" she asked, turning around, lifting her skirt to her knees. "Notice anything?"

Zatanna looked at the young woman's legs, shoes and stockings. Other than the fact that the latter looked like silk, she couldn't see anything special. There WAS one thing:

"You're wearing seamed nylons, is that it?"

Nancy threw a smile over her shoulder. She had Zee right where she wanted her.

"Exactly. Your tights are so finely made that they have no seam that I could detect. And you just used a word that I have never heard before: 'nylons'."

Zee could have bitten her tongue as Nancy continued.

"There are a couple of other things, but they are unimportant. The REAL clue was this," she announced, holding out a piece of jewelry.

"My brooch!" Zatanna cried, jumping up and grabbing it.

To her surprise, a silver chain swung from one side.

"My PENDANT," Nancy told her. "Of course, I noticed it the moment I saw you. It seemed odd that we would have the same style of jewelry, just one of those funny coincidences that people discover and laugh about later. But then I had a chance to examine it closely as I folded your clothing and I read what was on the back. The inscriptions are the same which is quite odd because I had commissioned the inscription myself to honor the girl who had given it to me. She had saved the lives of my friend and me, you see, and I never wanted to forget that."

Zatanna knew that her brooch had been converted from a pendant, but never dreamed that she would meet the former owner! She turned the item over and read the name. Zatanna had seen it before on her own brooch, half-hidden by the pin. If she had ever given it any thought, she had passed it off as the designer's name or the design. Now it meant something more to her...

"Laura Pendleton..." She whispered. "I know that name from somewhere..." Suddenly she became defensive. "Just who do you think you are anyway, Nancy Drew?"

"At your service."

Zatanna's mouth fell open as she stepped back. All the clues had fallen into place: it was like she had been staring at one of those 3D pictures for the longest time and the hidden picture had just snapped into sharp focus. With a cry of "Oh, oh!" she ran out of the room, Nancy following.

"Zatanna? Zatanna, I'm sorry if I said something wrong!"

The debutant detective found the mystery woman in the living room, staring at fireplace mantle.

"The Crowley clock?" She asked, pointing.

"Yes?" Nancy said uncertainly.

"And the funeral urn was from the Turnbull sisters?"

"That's right."

"I read your stories when I was little," Zatanna laughed. "I thought you were fiction!"

"You ARE from the future," Nancy said with a 'gotcha' smile.

"What else have you deduced, Nancy?" Zee asked, this time feeling comfortable about it.

"Well let's see, I know that you came here against your will, either by accident or because you were forced to. I'm favoring the 'accident' theory."

"How did you decide that?"

"Your clothes, for one thing. I would assume that anyone who deliberately travels through time would secure the proper clothing. But let's say that you planned this trip and just didn't care enough to change your clothes. Why would you be here in the first place? It can't be for research because you don't have so much as a pad and pencil to record your findings. The same goes for an attempt to gain wealth and power; if I were to do something like that, I would bring history books and technical manuals. You however, have nothing but the clothes on your back."

"History books and technical manuals, hmmm?" The sorceress said with a smirk.

"Yes, I read A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court and have thought about taking over some past era," Nancy admitted.

"I can see that I can keep little from you, Nancy," Zatanna chuckled, shaking her head. "Fate must have sent me to you, for you may prove valuable in helping me get home."

"I'll help in any way I can, Zatanna. You only need ask."

"Thank you. Good Heavens, there are so many things I've wanted to know about you!"

"Such as?"

"Tell me about your mother."

Nancy smiled and began her tale. Zee was amazed that "Carolyn Austin" had led such a full life and that Nancy and her parents had been on the Titanic, too! In return, Zatanna told her about her work with the JLA and a few things about the future, (glad that Nancy didn't press for details about things that would come in her lifetime) revealing also that she could work REAL magic. Hours later, Carson Drew found his daughter seated on the couch, laughing with a black-haired woman as if they had been friends forever.

END OF CHAPTER TWO.