My glorious readers I have returned and I bring with me a new chapter for your hungry eyes! Enjoy. I have a lot of people asking me to do a babymagic one. So even though I personally don't ship it, I wrote this for you guys who DO like it. :)
Zatanna liked everyone on the team. She just didn't have it in her heart to hate or be annoyed with them, even when they really did deserve it. (Yes, Wally, that's you she's thinking of.) However just because she was very laidback when it came to her friends, it didn't mean she liked to mess up majorly in front of them. Since her father became Doctor Fate, she has no one to help her work on advancing her magical arts.
Sure, she could preform some spells, the ones her father helped her learn. Sometimes she can even teach herself new ones. After all, Zatanna's told Robin before that the words are only part of it. If she concentrates hard enough she can start to understand a new one in a few days. Thinking so quick on missions is straining and makes her stumble with the right words, fumbling to construct a spell. But by the time she has it properly lined and chanted, the others have taken care of the villain, and Zatanna is left bushing thinking about how little she's helped her friends.
Now they've been given a new team mate who can use the mystic arts, Klarion. Zatanna knows it's not something that should worry her, but the Witch Boy is very talented. She's seen his spells and fought him first hand. The Lord of Chaos doesn't even use words to conjure magic, therefore making his quicker than her. (She doubts he'd be able to beat her without his powers, though. He's so thin she swears he's never done physical labor in his life. After life? What do you call an immortal? She's getting off track.)
Zatanna doesn't like to admit it out loud but she's very much pondered the idea of going to far as to ask Klarion to teach her. Soon after she shakes her head and brushed off the idea, because she can't look desperate, even though she knows her friends would never see it that way. Her pride just wont let her. That doesn't mean she doesn't take advantage of what's thrown her way though. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, she thinks. Zatanna knows when opportunities arise.
Every chance she gets, she observes Klarion when he conjures his magic for whatever reason he sees fit. The most rewarding times are when the team is training and he summons red liquid fire fames to his hands when he goes on both offense and defense. She's noted he seems so have a thing for fire and flames. (She'll ask him later. Or not, she can go with not knowing. No she can't.) Teekl sits next to her and watches her master closely, her back rigid and eyes focused. Zatanna wonders if the creature actually cares for her owner. Every few moments the cat makes a sound or twitches, and as a result Klarion either growls, glares, or shouts at the small ball of fur.
"Shut up, you stupid cat!", he demands as his clawed hand raises to deflect one of Artemis's arrows with a red shield. Absently Zatanna wonders why Klarion's magic is red, and why he bothers to argue with his familiar when he's otherwise occupied. She decides Teekl does care. (For the Witch Boy, she will never understand.)
Klarion leans backward when one arrow gets too close and almost reaches its mark. Artemis freezes for a moment, no one would notice if they weren't looking closely, and then moves fluidly again when it's clear Klarion isn't injured. (What?) Klarion's spine snaps forward as he throws orbs of magic at the archer and Zatanna watches with interest. She may not be so keen to actually confront the other witch, but she can certainly learn a lot from just observing his sorcery. Even if he rarely speaks the words to his spells.
One spell he preforms she will never understand. He opens his mouth and she thinks maybe he's actually using words for the next attack. But, no. Klarion spews a tongue of fire at Artemis. (Surprise.) Momentarily blined and panic as the flames rush her the archer is at a disadvantage, and before she knows it is on the mat. Fail: Artemis. Trainings over and everyone dissipates to do their own business.
It's been two weeks since the team training session and in that time a mission has passed. Zatanna couldn't get the words out, she choked up, and now Wally's in the mountain infirmary. Yes, Zatanna's prideful, but when one of her friends is hurt because she can't get a grip on her magic. Well, that's a line she will not cross. As much as she doesn't want to, she knows it's time to talk to Klarion. A feat that turns out to be much harder than she originally would have guessed.
The Witch Boy is exceedingly hard to locate, and once Zatanna does find him, he's not exactly approachable. She found him in the library. Pretty normal. Except he's hovering in a sitting position in the air, legs crossed and an array of spell books floating around him as he mumbles to himself, occasionally sending a glare at the cat that rests on a book shelf close to him. Teekl seems oddly amused. She doesn't want to know.
Stepping closer to the hovering witch but still a safe distance away and steels her nerves and decides to get it over with.
"Klarion?", she asks. Her voice not shaking but still with a note of uncertainty. She hated that he intimidated her, mad her nervous. Klarion's head turned towards her and met her eyes.
And, okay. She wasn't really prepared for the weight his gaze put on her. His onyx eyes seemed to be able to look right into her being. Her heart gave a strange flutter, like butterflies lost their way to her stomach and ended up in her chest.
"What do you want, Baby Magic?", Klarion sneered. How dare she interrupt him, now of all times? Could she not see he was busy?
Zatanna's heart lost it's butterflies because, hello. They never should have fluttered and Klarion is also the jerk that doesn't call her by her name. She'd sort of like to really punch him in the face. But she needs his help. Priorities.
"Well, I was- sort of- wondering if you could maybe-possibly- help me with my magic?", she spits out in a rush. Talking to Klarion is harder than she thought. Why though she doesn't under-
"Now?", he asks.
Zatanna blinks. She didn't expect him to agree so easily, even if he hadn't out right agreed, and assumed she'd have to offer him something at the least. Was it possible the Lord of Chaos had a generous side? She doubted it, but still.
"Um, well, I mean if it's not too much trouble. I'd be really grateful.", she replied.
Klarion seemed to ponder her words, as if he was actually considering her question. Teekl meowed and his eyes narrowed at the cat before turning back to her. He sighed, "I suppose, if it means I can get back to my own studies faster."
"You study magic still?", she asked.
He raised one eyebrow. An incredulous look on his face. "Of course I do. Magic isn't something you ever fully know, girl. It's a continuously evolving art."
Zatanna swallowed, she never gave thought to it that Klarion might actually have good advice. Let alone have a smart and calm side under all his childish behavior. Stepping from the air the Witch Boy stood on solid ground and walked towards her, the butterflies sputtered to life again. Klarion was tall. What he appeared to lack in muscle mass he make up for in height and frame. The suit he wore fitting to his thin form and gliding over his shoulder blades and arms. And why was she gawking mentally at him? (She didn't know. She did. Thinks she does.) Teekl meows again. Klarion flashed a scowl, "I know, stupid cat."
Zatanna scrunches her face up in confusion. Wondering what they could possibly be discussing. She doesn't notice that Klarion has moved, because suddenly he's behind her and his arms are wrapped around her small shoulders and his pale hands grasp her wrists.
"The trick? Don't think so much. Just imagine being someone else's version of better, and you should be fine." He drops her and walks away. Deeper into the library halls. Zatanna's cheeks are red and she thinks maybe the butterflies have red wings, too.
It's a week. It's been another mission. And this time, she didn't fumble.