Zatanna: Mistress of Magic Issue 2
Written by Bodhi Ouellette
New York City; SoHo:
The performance was over, yet after every show, Zatanna loved to participate in meeting up with the audience. This apparently became a well known fact with show after show, cause this lead to audience members sending her dozens of flowers after every performance. Such a case was this, when Zatanna approached another audience member, an older couple, with flowers.
Older Woman: That was a splendid show, young lady.
Zatanna: Thank you.
Older Man: We brought you some flowers. We've seen you a bunch of times, and you always seem to outdo yourself with every new show.
Older Woman: And it's a bit of a birthday gift from us as well, too.
Zatanna: Aw, thanks so much. I really appreciate it.
Older Woman: Trust us, you deserve it. Here. We brought you some flowers.
Zatanna: Oh, thanks. I'm astounded about how much more flowers I keep getting after every new show.
Older Man: Keep it up. You really deserve it. Now, we won't hold you up any longer, good night.
Zatanna: Good night.
Zatanna was now backstage, in her wardrobe room. There was a clothes rack, and a bunch of props scattered around her room. Zatanna walks over to a cage, where a small rabbit is kept inside. Zatanna holds out a small bag of carrot bite, which gets the attention of the rabbit.
Zatanna: Hey, Felix. How you doing? I brought you some carrot bites. Hope you enjoy them.
She pours the bag into a small bowl, then opens the cage up and puts the carrot bites inside. Felix hops his way over towards the bowl and begins eating the carrot bites.
Zatanna: (long beat) Have I ever told you how adorable you are?
Felix looks up to Zatanna, and moves his whiskers around.
Zatanna: (Cont.) I knew you would do that.
She sits down, staring right in front of an orb, which displayed that nights performances. Andy, her assistant throughout her performances, entered into the room.
Zatanna: Y'know, you really need to knock, before you barge into my room. Remember the last time you went in without knocking?
Andy: You're never gonna let me forget about that, are you?
Zatanna: (smirks) Not until you start knocking.
Andy: Well, anyways, I came in here to give you your birthday gift.
Andy hands Zatanna a white letter. She rips the letter open, and pulls out a homemade Happy Birthday card, sparkled with purple and gold glitter. She opens it up to see a check of 50 bucks, and under it, a message and designed in colorful pastels. The message reads "Happy birthday, Daddy's pretty co-worker!- Danice"
Zatanna: Aw. Your daughter made this for me?
Andy: You know Danice. She insanely in love with what you do. She keeps saying to me "Dad, I'm gonna be a magician, just like Zatanna!"
Zatanna: Well, she has some awfully good taste for a future career if she wants to.
Andy: Yeah. Also, we gave you 50 bucks. I gotta get going back home. I'll see you soon, Z. Night.
Zatanna: Night, Andy.
Andy leaves, closing the door behind her. After a long while of silence and loneliness, the door opens up again.
?: You don't suppose the same rule applies for me, does it?
Zatanna turns back around to see John Constantine, slipping into the room. Flowers are in his hands.
Zatanna: John! (She gets up to hug John, he hugs back) How've you been? I thought you went back to Europe?
John: I was. I came back. I'd figured that I'd give you your birthday presents in person.
Zatanna: Presents?
John: What? You thought I'd just get you flowers for your birthday? Hold these (Zatanna grabs the flowers) While I was in Paris, fighting a bunch of vampires with mullets, I grabbed a necklace from them. Don't worry, I checked, there isn't any sort of magic that's behind it.
John hands Zatanna the necklace. It is engraved in platinum, with the design of it looking like a sparkling star. Zatanna then turns towards her mirror to put the necklace on
Zatanna: After all these years, you still manage to get things for free.
John: Well, I mean, the flowers, that's a completely different story, and let me tell you, these weren't free.
Zatanna: What kind of story is that?
John: Let's just say... a lot of onions and bananas were involved. Don't ask. Like the necklace?
Zatanna: Oh, John. This necklace is beautiful.
John: I figured you liked it.
Zatanna: You know me well, then, John.
John: And I can say the same thing for you too.
Zatanna turns back around to face John. They both embrace in a kiss.
John: There's one more thing that I found out while I was in Paris.
Zatanna: And what's that?
John: I met someone. Jason Blood. Has his own little house in London, where he does his business. I told him about my life and stuff, what I did, who my friends were... my relationship between us. He said he knew about your parents, Z.
Zatanna's eyes widen.
Zatanna: He did?
John: Yeah. I asked him more about it, but he said that he'd rather have you be present while he talked about it. So, I kinda came back here to bring you along.
Zatanna turns back around and walks away from John, thinking towards herself.
John: I know you miss your parents a lot, Z.
Zatanna: It's not just that, though. I mean, I miss them so much, John. I don't even fully remember who exactly they are. All I know was they were both magicians, who traveled the world, staging magic shows and fighting evil wizards and demons.
John: It's not knowing who your true heritage is.
Zatanna: Exactly. Mom always kept talking about them fully to the minimum. And I want to know why. So, let's go find out.
John: You mean, we're going now?
Zatanna: Why not? It's as easy as snapping my fingers.
John: Well, I wasn't expecting to do anything else tonight, other than sleep, but I suppose I can come along. Are you gonna change your costume before you go?
Zatanna: Nah, it'll be a short trip, won't it?
John: Yeah, and the next thing you know, we end up having a whole adventure together.
Zatanna: I'll be fine. Besides, I can just wish another costume, anyways.
John: That's true. Well, ready when you are.
Zatanna: Alright. (They both stand next to each other) Ekat su ot Nodnol!
A large purple cloud engulfs the two. They cloud descends away, and we see Zatanna and John are gone.
London, England:
The purple cloud miraculously appears, from the ground and travels up, and the cloud fades, revealing Zatanna and John Constantine.
John: Ah, good old England.
Zatanna: You know where Jason's house is, exactly?
John: Yeah. Follow me.
After a long walk up a street, John and Zatanna finally approach a large house, located right at the end of the dead end street. The old and rotting gates holds up a sign that says "KEEP OUT".
Zatanna: Hm. Keep out. Any normal person would've walked away from this.
John: But…
Zatanna: We're not particularly normal, now, are we?
John: Z… you should know this by now. I always break the rules.
John moves the broken gates out of the way, with Zatanna following behind him. The two approached the door of the house. John knocks on the door. After another moment, the door opens, revealing a man dressed in a clean suit.
Man: John? You're back?
John: And with a special someone.
He gestured his hand over to Zatanna, standing next to him.
Man: Is… is that Zatanna?
Zatanna: The one and only.
Man: I'm Jason Blood. Nice to meet you, Zatanna.
The two shake hands.
Jason: Come inside, you too. We've got tales to talk about.
Inside the house, John and Zatanna are resting in the living room of Jason Blood. Jason pours both of them a glass of tea. He puts the pot down and sits back down on his couch.
Jason: Y'know, John. I wasn't at all expecting you to come back an hour with who I asked to discuss some personal information with.
John: Well, I am a persistent bastard.
Jason: That you are. Oh, Zatanna. You… look so much like your…
Zatanna: (beat) Like who?
John: Your mother.
Zatanna: (beat) What were my parents like?
Jason: It's a long story. Because they helped save me from becoming the monster that I am…
Zatara: Hurry up, Sindella! Jason isn't going to last much longer!
Sindella opens up the doors to an empty room. Zatara rushes into the room helping Jason Blood into the room. But Jason was not the human he now is. His skin was yellow, his teeth sharp, his eyes red, a large figure, and pointed ears, dressed in red armor, and wore a torn purple cape, and held a belt buckle, with a fanged sword holding it by his hips. Jason was the demon known as Etrigan.
Zatara: Clear off the table. We must rid of this monster that torments Jason, once and for all.
Etrigan: Help me! I can't… keep him under control!
Zatara then straps Etrigan down into the table. Etrigan tries to struggle to get out.
Zatara: Ecrof mih nwod!
An invisible force keeps Etrigan down on the table, at least for as long as he hopes he can keep him down. Zatara looks back towards Sindella.
Zatara: Are you ready?
Sindella: Ready, my love.
The two lift their arms up, and both looked up into the ceiling.
Zatara & Sindella: (In unison) Vivamus a daemone Dimittite eum!
A bright light blasts down onto Etrigan's chest. Etrigan begins to struggle even more now. But the magic is too strong for him. Slowly, Etrigan's demon like body begins reverting back, into that of it's host; Jason Blood.
Sindella: It is gone. What's left of Etrigan has died within Jason.
Zatara: For our sakes, I hope we are right.
Jason: …You're parents saved me from unleashing the demon that had been hiding within me for centuries now. I've finally managed to live an actual life. A life I haven't had for ages.
Zatanna: Do you know what happened to my parents?
Jason: What do you mean? You weren't raised by your parents?
John: Her parents were barely even in her life, Jason.
Jason: Oh, dear. I'm so sorry about that.
Zatanna: I had hoped that you'd have the answers to what happened to my parents.
Jason: I'm sorry, my dear. You're guess is as good as mine.
Zatanna: (disappointed) It's alright.
Jason noticed an unusual shadow cropping up behind Zatanna. The shadow makes an aggressive pose, as it was about to lunge itself towards Zatanna.
Jason: Lookout!
Jason lunges towards Zatanna and moved her out of the way, when the shadow becomes a fully 3D figure, and slams back Jason into the couch again. Multiple other shadows begin to come out from the wall and begin attacking Zatanna and John…
To be continued in Zatanna: Mistress of Magic Issue 3!