Summary: Takes place right after the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own DC
From the rooftop across from the hotel, Sindella used magic to gaze upon her daughter, so peaceful in her sleep. When I last saw you, in person, that is, you were a toddler. My lord, you have grown into such a beautiful woman. That Grayson boy doesn't deserve you. Sindella frowned as she watched Zee toss and turn a bit in her sleep. She wanted so badly to go in and talk to her, as a mother should, but she knew the punishments that came with such an act. Klarion would hurt her, or worse, he would go after Zee. What would I even say? I was ripped away from you before you even got to know me. Just then, the Witch-Boy sent her a mystical message to return to his dark dimension, and she sighed before teleporting back.
It was the first time since she gave birth that Sindella had gone out of the house. Normally, Giovanni would handle a grocery store run, but Sindella insisted that he take the chance to spend time with his newborn since he had been handling these trivial tasks for almost a month now. However, as she turned a corner, a stray truck came out of nowhere, slamming into her car. People gasped as shards of glass flew out of the truck, and the body of Sindella went flying into the nearby river.
Later that day, Giovanni got the fateful call. He had been using his magic to create small fireworks for Zee, which greatly appeased her. He could barely stand once he heard the policeman say those words. His daughter, almost as if she could understand the call herself, started breaking down and crying with her father.
Klarion glared at the woman as she teleported in. "You're late. Fortunately, I'm in a forgiving mood, so hurry up and follow me." Sindella did as she was told, walking after him.
"What is our plan of action? You have the children here, just as you planned. Now what?"
"Do you know what this talisman can do, Sindella?" She looked at the artifact and nodded.
"I wouldn't be a prominent sorceress if I didn't. That tablet enhances any spell the user casts, adding a chaotic twist to it and augmenting the spell in a chaotic, unpredictable way. It was made by a fellow Lord of Chaos."
"Indeed. Mordru was one smart cookie. The talisman can do just about whatever I want it to. Used it on old bird brain a few months ago. Think I put him into a coma, sucks that he woke up." Sindella felt no remorse for the Boy Wonder. That should teach him a lesson. Touch my Zatanna, you will feel pain beyond your wildest dreams. "Savage wants me to stir up some lunacy, shift humanity into a new phase of evolution, blah, blah, blah. All I see is a chance to make some chaos, and that seems right up my alley!"
"What do you need from me?"
"Well, a spell this big is too much for even me to do myself, and it's far too much for you. But your daughter's got quite the affinity for the mystic arts. I've seen it with my own eyes. With her power, I should be able to properly cast the spell. So I need you to fetch your little girl for me." Sindella's eyes widened.
"YOU SAID SHE WOULDN'T BE HARMED!" She charged up her magic, but Klarion dramatically sighed before zapping her with red lightning, sending her reeling.
"Watch your tone, we don't wanna wake up Teekl. And your precious Zatanna won't be harmed, the spell is harmless. I just need her added magic to help boost my powers." Sindella slowly got up before Klarion continued. "If you don't do it, I'll do it myself, though not as gently, I'd imagine." Sindella gritted her teeth before nodding and walking out slowly. Klarion flashed his sinister smile as she teleported away.
Sindella woke up in a strange new place, a dark realm she did not recognize. However, she did recognize the devilish being and his red-eyed cat as they came up to her. She gritted her teeth. "Witch-Boy."
"You must be Sindella. Nice to meet you, I've been watching you for some time." Sindella prepared a magic blast, but Klarion simply shocked her with his own dark magic. "Now, now, now, where are your manners? I mean, I DID just save you from a pretty painful death, you're welcome." Sindella stood up, visibly hurt from the blast.
"Wh-what do you want from me."
"I saved your life, and now you owe me. I need a slave, one who knows their way around magic. Recently, it's been rather taxing for me to do all this myself. I require assistance, and I need someone to handle my...sensitive affairs while I'm not here. You are amongst the most formidable of you pathetic mortal mystics, and so you will do. And if you have any objections..." Klarion cast a scrying spell to show Giovanni playing with baby Zatanna, and Sindella gasped. She looked at him, evil present in his eyes and a wicked smirk on his face. She didn't have a choice.
"...O-okay. You win. Just please, don't hurt her. I would do anything for my daughter." Klarion smiled.
"That's the spirit! Now, come with me, slave. We have work to do."
The team had boarded the cruise ship, and Dick had to say, he was loving it. This was one of the few luxuries he hadn't experienced in his time under Bruce Wayne, and it was a load of fun. The team were on watch for Mallen, but Dick had already run the facial recognition software and would be alerted when the ship's cameras got a hit. For now, he and the others were in their swimwear, enjoying themselves at the pool. Zee leaned into Dick, their bodies attracting one another as if they were magnets. His arms wrapped around her waist as hers ran all over his bare chest. "Who'da thought a mission could be this fun?" Dick smirked before returning the kiss, paying 0 attention to the angry fangirls or whistling boys passing them by. They broke off after a few seconds.
"We should probably focus on the mission." Zatanna snorted before leaning back in.
"You're monitoring the cameras, we've got it covered. Besides, this is Vegas. I wanna have fun here, too." Dick smirked before their lips met once more.
Once everyone dried off, Zee smirked to Dick, who blushed as she kissed his cheek and sultrily walked off with Arty to look for Mallen. Wally grinned at his reaction, elbowing him gently. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, eh?" Dick turned beet red once he realized what Wally was notioning to, and he elbowed Wally in the ribs rather hard.
"Not everyone acts on their hormones as much as you and Arty do, you idiot!" Wally snickered before he and Dick went off to look for the crime lord themselves. Dick's facial recognition got a lock on Mallen, and Rocky and M'gann were the closest to him. They ran after him, the others meeting up, but Mallen turned a stray corner. The team followed him to see nothing but red smoke. What?! Where did he go?! The team grumbled and continued searching for him, splitting up to cover more ground. No way he could've gotten far. Dick followed Zatanna this time, but he was distracted by someone who looked like Mallen. He followed the man only to find it wasn't him, and he went back to Zee. Once Dick reached Zatanna, he saw the blonde woman from earlier talking with her. What is SHE doing here? Who even is she? Zatanna stepped back a bit upon hearing something, and Dick ran up to her once he saw she was tearing up. He placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring the glares sent from the woman, and she turned around, burying her face in his shoulder as she started to cry. Dick wrapped his arms around her, soothing her gently. "What's wrong?"
"Sh-she...she s-said she's m-my..." Your what?
"Sh-she said she's my m-mother!" Dick's eyes went wide as he hugged Zee tighter, looking over at the blonde woman with shock and slight anger written on his face. I thought Bruce told me she died...oh man, Zee...I'm so sorry...Sindella sheepishly started to walk away, teleporting in a puff of smoke as she left Dick behind to comfort a devastated Zatanna.
The team made their way back to the hotel, and Dick stayed with Zee in the girls' room while the others were out for food. "A-are you sure?" Zee was still letting out sobs here and there, and Dick held her close, wiping her tears and kissing her head as she was curled up into a ball.
"Sh-she used the s-same backwards magic as m-me. D-dad said very few people know it b-besides my family. A-and she looked exactly like the old family photos D-dad showed m-me." Dick hugged her tighter as she continued. "Wh-why did sh-she leave? Dad t-told me she died in a c-car accident, so wh-why is she back now? D-did she leave because o-of me?" Dick turned her to face him, kissing her straight on the lips with passion before breaking off.
"Don't even think that, Zee. You're perfect. There's no way in hell she left cuz you weren't enough for her, trust me. I don't know why she might've disappeared from your life, but it sure as hell wasn't cuz of you, I promise." Zee hugged him tighter as she sobbed into his chest.
"Wh-where has she been a-all this time? I th-thought I was a-alone with D-dad, and she w-was here all along!"
"I don't know, babe. But I'll help you through it, promise. You're not alone here, Zee." They stayed like this for a while before Dick spoke. "M-maybe this is a good thing. I-I mean, you thought your parents were both gone. Maybe this is...a chance to get one of them back. I know she has her faults, clearly, b-but she's still your mom. You deserve a chance to get to know her." Zee felt unsure, and Dick could tell. "Th-that's just my thoughts. It's your call, all the way. I'll back you no matter what. I'm just saying...maybe this could have some benefits." Zee slowly nodded.
"C-can you come with m-me? I...I don't wanna be a-alone with her." Dick nodded.
"Of course. Where did she ask to meet you?"
"Th-this cafe, across the street. T-tomorrow morning" Dick smiled before kissing her and wiping stray tears from her eyes.
"Alright. I'll go with you. I'm not leaving your side." Zatanna was grateful for that. She didn't want to see her mother without someone she trusted by her side, and there was nobody she trusted more than Dick. From outside their window, Sindella watched. She felt horrible for what she had put Zee through, and she knew it wasn't right, no matter what excuse she could give. She also felt a pang of anger towards Dick, how dare he take her rightful place by Zee's side?!
After nearly 14 years, Sindella was faring no better than the day she arrived. She longed more than anything to see her baby girl, but alas, she simply couldn't. The Witch-Boy wouldn't allow it. The sorceress watched through her scrying spell as Zatanna climbed on top of the Boy Wonder, engaging with him in a heated makeout session. She gritted her teeth, seething with anger. That brat was making a home for himself in her heart, a home that she had been robbed of. Sindella had seen Giovanni's sacrifice, and like Zee, she was devastated by it. She longed to be there to help her daughter through it, not watch as an OUTSIDER she didn't even know helped her get past the pain. In any case, she was grateful that the fool had somehow gotten her girl to smile again, but God forbid she fall in love with him. Sindella couldn't bear to watch a stranger STEAL her daughter's heart, not while she was forbidden from even speaking to her.
"Enjoying the show?" Sindella gritted her teeth as the Witch-Boy arrived.
"That little brat...he has no right to speak to my daughter, much less touch her." Klarion snickered.
"Ooh, the baby's in love with a birdy and Mommy doesn't like it. Ha! If it's any consolation, she's not really your daughter."
"Excuse me?!"
"You're not a mother to her. I mean, she doesn't even know who you are! You've been gone for 13 years, no wonder she turned into such a charity case." Sindella clenched her fist before responding.
"Only because you wouldn't let me! Give me five minutes with the brat in a room, and I'll make sure he never speaks to my baby again!" Klarion sighed.
"As much as I would love to see that, no can do. Vandie doesn't want bird-brain off the table just yet. Says any death in the group at this point would lead to unnecessary trauma, set his plans back. But you'll get your chance. I'd love to see that annoying brat get his wings clipped." Sindella let a small smile appear at the thought of ending the Boy Wonder, and she looked back to Dick, who was exchanging suggestive touches with Zee as they deepened their kiss, and she thought to herself.
"One day soon, 'Boy Wonder', you will die. And I will be there to see it."
Sorry if it felt rushed. There's a lot in this storyline I had to cover, so I might've crammed it a little too much. I kinda wanted to make Sindella hate Dick for a later plot point in this story but that's coming probably in pt 4. I think I'll make this a 5 part story since there's so much I want to put in here, and 4 chapters just isn't enough to flesh all that out. Feel free to leave comments or suggestions for chapters you wanna see. Next chapter up soon.