11814/An al fresco reunion

An al fresco reunion
Date of Scene:	29 June 2022
Location:	Shadowcrest Manor - Bristol Township
Synopsis:	A long awaited reunion takes place between Phoebe Beacon and Zatanna. Curses, swords and blonde men are evoked.
Cast of Characters:	Zatanna Zatara, Phoebe Beacon

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Zatanna Zatara has posed:
An ancient oak so old that it has created a clearing around it rears its mighty head in the inter-dimensional park surrounding Shadowcrest. The park takes up no space in Gotham. Still, the sun rises and sets over the multi-century trees, and the stars shine like diamonds through their leaves at night.

It is summer at Shadowcrest, a benign summer of moderate temperatures and rainfall. Bees nose the flowers around the clearing, and birds trill melodic songs. In short, a fairy-tale setting.

Under the oak, Zatanna presides over an al fresco setting of a table for two, laden with cold drinks and sweets chosen to appeal to her guest. No stuffy stage clothes for the homo magi today - only the breezy linen of a coral sleeveless shirt and wide-legged pants. No fishnets or high heels either but flat, split-toe sandals.

With a gesture, she opens a portal in the park and sits down to await her guest, sipping a glass of cold tea.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    An invitation to Shadowcrest can't exactly be ignored. Well, it's probably a bad idea, since the mistress of the manor had gone through the trouble of tracking her down. It was a quick change of her own before Phoebe arrives, wearing well fitted jeans and a short-sleeved button-up with little ruffly accents in orange, and a pair of teva sandals that show off the paler spots on the tops of her feet. She's not wearing the athletic sleeve that usually hides the scars and burnt-in glyphs on her left arm, and looks almost timid as she steps into the park, taking a deep breath, and split between giving some sort of official bow and more casual greeting... she just... awkwardly waves to Zee.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna is aware that she can put people on their mettle. It's unintended. She has made her peace with it and knows that the ones really close to her will find their way to relaxing and enjoying themselves.

She stands at Phoebe's arrival, smiling a warm welcome to the young woman.

"Come join me. We've never been out in the park together, have we? I thought we might enjoy being outside."

Without seeming to the magician examines Phoebe's neck for the injury she had seen when they were in the cave together.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe retains the injury; it's rewrapped in gauze and hidden beneath a wide collar necklace made of leather and lace, with the lace hiding the edges of the gauze.

    She gives a nod to Zatanna, and seats herself at the table, bringing her palm up to her chin and lips and lowering it for a 'thank you'.

    She looks about at the park, and gives a small smile, folding her hands in her lap a moment.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Seeing Phoebe is still injured puts a pall on the summer day. Lightly touching her fingertips to her own throat, she swallows imagining what kind of pain she might be in. "Does it hurt to speak?"

Lips pressed into a faint frown, "It's still there isn't it? Well, come, sit. Have something to drink if it is not too painful and tell me what you can about it it. I've missed you terribly." Zee stops herself from saying more than, "We were quite worried about you."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe helps herself to a cool drink, but looks at the food with something akin to what someone might look to water if they're dying of thirst, and gives a small nod of her head. She brings two fingers to her temple, and with a wince and a low word, she 'thinks' at Zee in lieu of using sign.

    <'It does hurt to speak. And eat some foods. It's tender.'> she replies in thought, being very guarded about her thoughts, unusually so. <'I got a wrong number dialing out.'> she replies quizically, her shoulders rising up a little bit as she regards Zatana with a mixed expression, shifting her weight.

    <'Worried enough to track me down in Kansas.'>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Sapphire eyes sparkle at the shift to telepathy, she looks Phoebe in the eyes and nods with a mild smile until Phoebe mentions dialing a wrong number. <"Do you mean portaling? Phoebe, I will not try to read your thoughts. Only listen to what you tell me.">

Plates shift on the table and ramekins of rice pudding appear and chocolate mousse. Food fit for a sore throat. <'There'> she thinks with a satisfied nod.

And as quick as the breeze shimmering through the leaves overhead changes the subject.

<"Yes, /that/ worried. I regret not coming to find you sooner. I'm sorry for that.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <I messed up a summoning and made myself visible for something nasty.> is Phoebe's reply, and she breathes out, but can't help but give a small smile at the generosity of Zatanna Zatara, and helps herself sheepishly to a rice pudding. She stirs it a moment, and she looks up to Zatanna.

    <Don't be sorry. I left on purpose. You weren't meant to find me.> she frowns a moment.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<"Obviously."> Zee pauses with a spoon of chocolate mousse half-way to her mouth. <"Are you willing to tell me why?">

What she does not say is that the clues left behind helped her searchers find her, that they had come to the conclusion that a part of her wanted to be found. She also does not say for fear of overwhelming her sense of independence, how love for her, animated every step of the way. Zee savors the chocolate mousse which is light as air and intensely chocolate at the same time.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks into the stirred up rice pudding she's holding. She feels her eyes burn a moment, and she bites at the inside of her cheek.

    <Because I'm a dumb kid.> is what she replies, and her eyes stay downcast. She doesn't explain anything more, but she looks down and to the right, as if some blade of grass was particularly interesting at just that moment. The rice pudding even smelled sweet, and she takes a deep breath.

    <I was getting toxic, and I just needed to go away before anyone got hurt. Wisdom learning from other people's mistakes, and all.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Nodding to herself, <"You are many things, Phoebe, but not stupid. From what I know of the happenings in New York, you were in a toxic situation through no fault of your own. It is very easy to believe that when other people have problems that you are the cause of them. No one can deal with the demonic or with the gods without risk.>

Zatanna savors another spoonful of mousse, delighting in the edgy bitterness of the dark chocolate. <And, the wound? I would like to try to heal it with your permission.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <You won't be able to. Like you said, no one can deal with the demonic without risk.> Phoebe replies, and finally has a heaping spoonful of the rice pudding, holding it in her mouth a moment, savoring the rich sweetness of it as she closes her eyes. Even back in the cradle of Wayne Manor she hadn't let herself have too much in the way of rich foods. Self-imposed punishment.

    She stirs the rice pudding again, and she draws her dark eyes up to Zatanna.

    <It will close. I'll never sing for the Met, but it'll heal. She ripped out my vocal chords.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Overhead the tree stirs in a light breeze, dappling the table with summer light. Zatanna grins as they both indulge themselves with sweets and pours herself more iced tea. <"How well we both know it," the wryness of the statement ringing in the shared thought.">

But who sought who, Phoebe? You deserve to be whole, healer. There might be a way.">

A vivid image of the tall, blond man that was in the cave comes to mind and <"Do you know who he is?">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <Agent Tampamallama - Tampamboulus. Yes, I know who he is, and who he is.> Phoebe answers back wryly, her eyebrows rising up. <Back when I worked at the bar. He paid for my mom - Caroline Beacon> a quick correction in thought <to go to a private hospital for some burn care. He has a helicopter. It's very fancy.> she gives a small smile.

    <Met him before I got tangled up in everything else.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<"Oh, I didn't know that! Terrible name, isn't it?"> Zee's nose wrinkles in a derisive grin at it. <No idea where it comes from because his true name is not that. And, the man is rich.">

Her spoon clinks against the ramekin as she scrapes the last bit of mousse out of it. <"The blood of Zeus runs in his veins, as well as the protection of the river Styx. Achilles of Pythia heals from all wounds and is immortal.">

She gestures with the spoon and then licks it clean. <"The business about the heel is a myth, Greek spin doctoring to keep his immortality a secret. He faked his own death to escape the ignominy of Hector's death and the long war.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <Apparently it's Greek. And Agent is a terrible first name.> Pheobe replies. She's a little more vested in slowly eating the rice pudding. The nice thing about having a conversation via magical telepathy? You can talk with your mouth full and it's not rude.

    <How'd you and Angelo cross paths?> she asks, her eyebrows rising up as she watches Zee.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<"I could ask you the same!"> Her eyes sparkle with affection and a hint of laughter. Wounds and missing vocal cords will not disappear, but hover in the background, waiting for the both of them to find their former ease.

<"It is just like him to help people. Well, he was sniffing about the periphery of the Estate with some new tech from SHIELD and I trapped him. He was investigating dimensional anomalies. I thought he was very easy on the eyes and his manners and magic intrigued me.">

She shrugs one shoulder and takes a sip of tea, a small smile playing on her lips. <Then he told me his history. I looked forward to seeing him again. I think he did, too.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <... I'd joke about a thing for magical blonde guys but...> Phoebe leans her head forward, and she raises her eyebrows again, and she finishes her rice pudding. The bowl and the spoon are very clean.

    <He showed up a while ago, during the first round of Leksandra's trouble. I was 'missing after a fire' -- hiding out with Tim -- and he was helping the Gotham PD. He helped rescue me from The Silo. We crossed paths a couple times since then...>

    Phoebe pours herself more tea, and then just leans forward a little. <He suggested that I'm probably not human.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Repressing a smile that comes through her thoughts, <"It's just like him. And don't think for a moment I didn't think of other blonde men with magic, Phoebe B.C. Wayne. Ask me about the sword he brought me.">

The smile fades mentally as she returns to the subject of her mother. <"Have you seen her recently?"> The question comes out of a niggling suspicion that Phoebe's parentage is behind her recent wounds. Leksandra looms in the background.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe was drinking when Zatanna tells her to ask about the sword. And she chokes.

    There is a sputter of coughing as some of it goes down the wrong tube, iced tea coming out her nose, and she just was NOT ready to think about Angelo and Zatanna in such a manner, and she manages to actually prat-fall off her seat.

    The litany of curse words, mixed American and Britishisms that would make at least three of the people she has addressed as a parent blush errupts from her brain as she hits the ground.

    <I can't answer that question. I'm dead.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<"Well, revive yourself, girl, and come back to life. It's not what you think!"> Head shaking in wonder, she exaggerates an eye roll for Phoebe's benefit and pretends chagrin.

<"He brought me a cursed magic sword and in the course of removing the curse, we discovered that he is not only magic, but likely can wield it.">

Lifting her chin, she admits, <"I like him, too. It's mutual but we are being rather old-fashioned about it which is also likely TOO MUCH INFORMATION. And don't try to distract me. Tell me about your mother. Tell me about your wound. We have shut each other out too often these past months.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe pulls herself back up, she's there for the pretend chagrin. It was the happiest she'd felt since one of her friends exploded into bats. It was a spike in the monotony, and she gives a real smile to Zatanna, a huff of air coming from her before she lets her smile dim, just a little bit.

    <Makes sense that he'd be able to weild it, but cleaning out a cursed magic sword is a cool way to meet someone. And it's good to hear, actually, you deserve to be happy. The both of you deserve to be happy.> she admits, and she frowns a moment, and then circles the rim of her iced tea glass with a finger, thinking about Caroline.

    <Caroline Beacon thought I was going to be a temporary fixture. Short-term foster. She was a Good Catholic woman who wanted to have her own children, and... having a black, adopted mystery baby wasn't in her plans. She was afraid of me being 'hood'. She'd straighten my hair. She wanted me to be a Sunday School teacher.>

    Phoebe's dark eyes draw back up to Zee. <The man who set the fire to kill Chuck Beacon came back after Leksandra freed him from Blackgate to complete the set. Arsenal captured him, Wonder Girl got my dog and some valuables out and Impulse rescued my mom... Caroline... but she was severely burnt.>

    She purses her lips a moment.

    <I was scared she would think me as some sort of freak, so I didn't try to heal her right away. And then... I couldn't get to her in time. She was taken off the ventilator, and I thought she died. Angelo had her moved to a different hospital up in the Adirondacks. He paid for everything, purchased a new house for us, more than I could ask him for... but... things changed.> she narrows her eyes.

    <I gave up the Hope that she would accept me for who I was when I was trying to save D-- The Other One. And brought her to the bar during the End of the World because it was safe... she found out then that I could have healed her... but... didn't.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna takes a moment to digest the story, to fill in the missing pieces and emotions. <"If she doesn't understand why you didn't heal her then she as blind as she is narrow-minded and living surrounding herself with a cushion of safe cliches."

The protective emotions soften, she focuses on the young woman, "Phoebe, you can't change people like her, they must do it themselves. It is your path to lay that hope aside. It's not a loss but a gain to not wish for something in vain. That does not mean you have to cast her aside but face who she is, as I think you have done.">

<"Demons chip away at our self-esteem and amplify the distortions we have about the world. It would have put you at risk, you were not being small when you didn't heal her. And all you lived through with Not-John was tailored to make you feel badly about yourself in a hall of unending distorted mirrors. I'm so sorry for not having done more for you.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <There's more to it... When Leksandra became a threat I begged John to ward her house. She told me she never wanted to see me again, but I just couldn't... let her go like that. She was all I had left. I pulled strings and got her a Wayne Enterprises experimental run of nanoskin. She's better now. I didn't let her know it was me. Least I could do. I just...>

    Phoebe puts her elbows on the edge of the table. Her eyes close tightly, and she presses her palms against her forehead.

    <I tried to summon him. I had questions and I needed answers. And I failed. And I got hurt. And now I can't cast without everything feeling like my body is on fire.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna's eyes close, she exhales a long slow breath and then opens them, <"Now, I understand. That was an enormous risk as you well know. You could have been dragged to hell."

She sighs again, "And in a manner, you havebeen. I have only been dealing with the superficial - your wound, the loss of your voice.">

Eyes averted, she drums her fingers on the table a moment before sending, <"We will find a way for you to return to yourself, Phoebe.">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <It would have been better than facing Tim.> Phoebe replies quietly.

    <Six months, it should be healed. It's just... taking a long time. There's nothing you could have done, Zee. Things just shook out the way they did. I picked my path.>

    Phoebs goes to stand, <I'm not going to turn back just because of a couple brambles.>

    She looks over to Zee, and gives a smile, <Fill me in on what's been going on otherwise, though, this spell still gives me a stupid headache.>

    And she brings her fingers to her temple, and terminates the spell so that Zee can do some talking instead of her.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<Tim!"> Zatanna's face lights up with a brief grin. <"Tell my nephew, I miss him, as well. And...."> she gestures to the glade. <"You are welcome to have a room which you can fashion to your liking in Shadowcrest. Think about it."> She pauses then adds, <"That was a lovely thing you did for your mother. I hope you realize that.?>