12178/Beached

Beached
Date of Scene:	27 July 2022
Location:	Amusement Mile
Synopsis:	Idu is given the scritches he deserves while Phoebe and Zatanna make a plan on the beach.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Zatanna Zatara

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe had been at the beach most of the day, beneath a colorful umbrella that had one of those tilt-tops, providing her shade in the summer heat and a relaxing place to spread out a blanket. She was wearing shorts and a tank top, her orange sunglasses pushed up to her cropped hair, and had one of her sketchbooks with her. Idu, the red-and-white sight hound, was lounging next to her, a little closer than normal due to an interloper earlier in the day. There was a dog bowl set up on the blanket with cool water for the pooch.

    The sun was sinking behind the city, now casting the beach in dim twilight; the lights and sounds of the amusement parks reach through the ocean's roaring.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Perhaps it is a touch of vanity. As a rule, Zatanna avoids sunbathing, well aware of the tolls of sun damage. It is the perfect time of day for her then while on the trail of a young sorcerer. She is not above a little scrying and has enlisted the aid of a certain mirror that returned with her from the Queen of Fable's land.

The sun setting behind them plays hide and seek with the waves, making the shallows look like fathomless depths and painting the foam breaking on the beach a frothy pink. She sees Idu first and then a toe sticking out from behind the umbrella.

Two steps into the sand, and the magician squints at her shoes which promptly disappear. The loose linen pants and sleeveless white blouse will do for the perilous sands that she has to cross to reach Phoebe.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Idu's easy to spot. He picked up on Zatanna's entrance, and his ears both come up, his curled-over tail giving a wag as he gives a little yodel, and then hops to his feet to run to Zatanna in greeting -- no use crossing the perilous sands alone, is there?

    Phoebe pushes the umbrella up a bit, and her eyebrows draw up, spying Zatanna. She's not hiding her scarred up left arm at the moment, and she gives a wave in greeting to the older magician as she makes her approach.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Smiling broadly, the magician stoops with her hands outspread to greet the dog gamboling toward her. "Oh, you! I'm very glad to see you, too, Idu, my friend," she addresses the dog much like she would a child she was happy to see. When they meet, she kneels in the sand and gives his ears and neck a thorough scratch.

"Come on, take me to Phoebe!" She can see the young woman very well as she approaches the umbrella.

"How is the fishing? I'm glad I caught you. I love the beach at sunset and walking along the water at night." Her grin still lingers as she reaches Phoebe's blanket. "Room for more?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Idu was equally pleased to see Zee, hopping around her a little bit and leaning against her bodily as he accepts the ears and neck scritches, and then he gives another little yodel of a call, and bounds back to Phoebe.

    <Fishing must be awful. Everyone was complaining.> Phoebe 'thinks' to Zatanna, and she sheepishly hides her feet further in the sand, wriggling them up to her ankles. She reaches up and ruffles on Idu gently, motioning for Zatanna to join her on the beach blanket.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Stooping, careful to not bring sand along with her, Zatanna settles next to Phoebe and looks out into the water which has taken on a mirrored sheen in the lingering light.

<You haven't been to breakfast for too long.> Phoebe will hear that there is no reproach in the observation. <I like having you at Shadowcrest. You are welcome to pop in at anytime.> She turns to look at Phoebe on her last words, taking in her scarred arm, the still short hair, and, of course, the absent voice.

<How've you been?> There, Phoebe might catch a faint hint of concern.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe was always scared of the ocean. She crossed it for the sake of people she loved. People that don't exist anymore.

    <I like being at Shadowcrest, but having all the servants gives me the heebie-jeebies. I don't know if Bruce appreciates me practicing magic at Wayne Manor. Alfred packed sandwiches, though.> she explains, motioning mutely to the picnic basket.

    She kicks a little at the sand.

    <... you want to know exactly why it's not healing, don't you?>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna's lips purse in thought as she considers those words. She has done some magical research of her own, looking for spells in grimoires that had not been opened in centuries. But, it is not for her to inundate Phoebe with conjectures.

<Of course. I've been concerned. If I can help, I will. You said something to me about what is blocking healing the last time you came to breakfast.> Twisting on the blanket, she arranges herself to sit cross-legged, facing her.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe shifts her weight. She closes her eyes a moment.

    <So. The demon that dragged my cousin to Hell was looking for opportunity ti impress themselves upon me.> she states, and she pulls her feet out of the sand, dusting them off. The pale splotches of vitiligo showing on her feet.

    <Jon had said he was too close to the subject to help me process the emotions and trauma from what happened. Chas and I had a fight, because I was stupid and was going to try something stupid in order to do something even more stupid.> she states with a dryness to her expression, and she taps her fingers a moment.

    <I disabled Tim's trackers. He's still miffed at me for it. I went to a place where a lot of people were killed very suddenly, and tried to place a collect call to The Other One. Well. Leksandra's demon answered. And stopped me from being able to cast anything in Latin by ripping my larynx out... because I was scared everyone else thought the same about me. That I was just... weak. Not worth the time, you know?> she questions, setting her chin on her hand.

    <It's not healing fast because of the binding.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Head bowed while she listens, Zatanna looks up at Phoebe at the last, shaking her head in denial at what the young woman had taken to heart. To her mind, the words from the two she mentioned were heedless and were, if not meant to wound, recklessly spoken to someone as impressionable as Phoebe. Rather than decry the ones who wounded her, Zatanna will speak to the future and to Phoebe's well being.

<It is a lot to carry alone, Phoebe. It's a relief to hear what happened. Pah. Demons. No finesse.> Thumping the blanket at each word, she says intensely, <You. are. not. weak.>

Raising her chin, <Truth. You are rash sometimes. Hasty but always well-meaning. Tell me of a young sorcerer who has not stumbled like that and I will tell you of someone who does not love her magic.>

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The sand gives a little bit beneath every strike of Zatanna's hands. Phoebe looks up at the adamant words, and Idu as well -- not part of the conversation going on, his head tilting as he gives a curious 'mrrr?' sound, and then goes to sprawl himself on both Zatanna and Phoebe's laps, with his head at Zatanna's. Longer fingernails.

    <If I had been stronger I could have bound her. Maybe if I had been taught more I could have caught her in Iaru-Wheyt.>

    Phoebe ruffles gently on Idu.

    <Learning from books is slower going.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna's mouth twitches in a near smile, <Well, yes. Or with another magician.> And she shrugs before grabbing a roll of puppy neck and massaging it.

<You were taken unawares. And if you hadn't been perhaps that would have worked. But what is done is done. Now. We,> she nods deeply at the pronoun. <We will remove the spell. What can be done, can be undone.> She pronounces, stroking her own throat without releasing Idu from the thrall of scritches.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Idu adores the pettings, and wriggles happily against Zatanna and Phoebe, and could not be happier with his current situation unless there were cookies.

    <'Taken Unawares'. What was I expecting? That I could just say 'find me' and he would? That I could threaten Geraldine and Chas wouldn't turn on me? She's his biological. Of course he'd get pissed off.> she reaches into her b ag thoughtlessly, and pulls out an oblong box, somwhat smooshed, with a popular red-and-white styling on the box.

    Well. At least they're not Silks.

    <I screwed it all up, Zee. I wish I'd never gotten magic.>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<It's what I was saying. Young magic can be rash.> Sapphire eyes fix Phoebe pointedly. <And tempers. But he has no excuse in my mind.>

Sinking her finger into Idu's neck, she shakes him gently and looks him in the eyes,<Who doesn't make mistakes, Idu? Who doesn't screw the pooch royally, at least once? Burned once, we all take it a little more cautiously, right?>

Releasing his neck, she rests a hand on his shoulder, before raising her gaze to Phoebe. Gently, she sends, <But you do. And I know you will learn to wield it even better than you already do. Come to Shadowcrest when you are ready to remove the spell, will you?>

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <... that is an interesting question to ask a dog.> Phoebe remarks, though she tucks her cigarettes back in her bag. Idu's sky-blue eyes meet Zatanna's, and he opsn his mouth, his tongue lolling out as he happily blurrrbles.

    <I want to remove it so it can heal. I feel so... useless not being able to cast." she replies, and then turns to Zatanna, her dark eyes settling on the master magician. <... do I still have a room at Shadowcrest?>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<Yes, you do. For as long as you want,> comes the prompt answer, warmed by a smile. Raising her chin, the magician avows, <I ask interesting questions. Part of the stock in trade.>

The last of the light has gone, leaving the waves to murmur in the dark. <You could come home with me now.>

Zatanna gets to her feet and looks up and down the beach. <The wards are already set to let you and Idu enter.>

Almost despite herself, she adds, <Don't stay too late. There are gangs in the park at night.>

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <I could, but Alfred packed me lunch, and I at least need to return the picnic basket. The umbrella and the blanket too.> Phoebe thinks, and she hops back to her feet. She looks awkwardly around, and then rubs the back of her neck.

    <This... might be super awkward to ask, Zee... but... can I ... get a hug?>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Emotions flood the link between them, warmth, concern, surprise and a little chagrin for how little control Zee manifests. Zatanna takes a step, arms open and gently gathers Phoebe into her embrace. <You are always welcome, Phoebe. My home is yours.>

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe allows herself to be gathered up in the hug. Her own emotions - confusion andhurt, lingering pain, doubt, all ebbing out like the tide. Replaced with warmth. Affection. Just that little bit of safety that everyone craves after being away so long.

    Phoebe leans her head against Zee's shoulder, taking a deep breath, her body giving a little shudder, and quietly, under the sound of the ocean, Phoebe cries into that hug.