18730/Jon Phones Home

Jon Phones Home
Date of Scene:	03 August 2024
Location:	House of Mystery
Synopsis:	Jon phones home and finally has the peace of knowing his parents are aware that he's alive and loved but maybe he should have hung up sooner? Magic always has a price - only time will tell if it'll be bigger than a boy seeing too much at one time.
Cast of Characters:	John Constantine, Jon Kent, Diana Prince, Monet St. Croix, Jay Nakamura

---

John Constantine has posed:
It was a mere few days ago that John Constantine decided to put on his Big Boy pants and start playing at being a 'hero' again. Not that he would ever refer to himself as such. It's certain that he'd make up some excuse that sound much more selfish than that if questioned. But heroes help, so when Diana put out word that someone needed help, he answered the call. When they showed up, he answered the door - with a scotch in one hand an a Silk Cut dangling from his lips.

There isn't any fanfare, no chitchat, no catching up, no lingering 'hey how a doings'. It's just, "I have some stuff set up in the study, but I have questions to ask and warnings to offer before we get started." The words are directed at everyone, his eyes are focused on Jon. With nothing else to say, he leads them through the winding maze that he calls home.


The study in the House of Mystery is dimly lit, but so is every other room in the ever changing landscape of the ancient abode. The scents of incense fills the room while the flickering glow of candlelight casts dancing shadows on the walls. A full-length mirror, silver frame tarnished with age, stands against one wall. On either side of the mirror are two small tables - make shift alters. The tables are adorned with various offerings - a small vial of honey, a silver coin, a feather and a cup of strong tea. Surrounding both the tables and the mirror, a half circle runs from wall to, it's sigils and strange lettering leans toward it being Greek in nature.

From somewhere in the bowels of the house something groans mournfully. Perhaps it's just the settling of old pipes and floor joints?

Jon Kent has posed:
Superboy is in full Kryptonian garb, his modernized version of his father's Superman uniform. He's even wearing a small 'JL' Justice League pin on the mantle of his cape on the left side, above his heart. Along with Superboy is another young man who, although, a bit flamboyantly dressed, is definitely in what one might describe as fashion-forward civilian garb, complete with bright pink hair. Superboy is holding this young man's hand, so one might surmise they know each other.

Among the most physically powerful and invulnerable people on the planet, Superboy would not be one you would expect to appear nervous. But he does. He might even be squeezing Jay's hand just the very tiniest bit too tight.

"Mr. Constantine," Jon says respectfully to the man. "Diana said you would be expecting me? This is...this is my new friend, Jay Nakamura. He...knows about me, about who I am."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana was dressed casually in a white denim jacket, a pair of black slacks, and a red blouse beneath the jacket. With her dark hair tied back, and a pair of sunglasses pushed up to her hairline, she had a light amount of makeup on, and gave John a smile when he opened the door, whether he wanted one or not. A glance was given to the others, before the Princess of Themyscira strode on inside the humbly magical abode.

It was impossible not to cast one's eyes around a mysterious house like this one, the enigmatic secrets around every corner always making one's imagination run while, even a woman as aged as Diana Prince. She always had a childlike fascination around magical places, and magical people, even if she was on-guard around most of them... due to a lot of negative interactions throughout her time as a practicing super heroic figure.

Everything that Diana and Jon had been discussing, she had shared with John over text and phone calls, thus there were no curve balls to come from the Princess. She was here for support.

"I am just eager to see if this works," She eventually stated, after seeing what Constantine had laid out, and a soft smirk touched her lips. She smiled toward Jon and Jay, also. "I am confident we are on at least the right path." She states, a calm confidence to her tone.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
She's here in case a telepath is needed for assistance. And to indulge her own curiousity. And.. To see what other sorts of things other realities have. Her own experiences have almost always been of future pains. Perhaps here will be one somewhat more at peace. For Monet, this is to get to see another world where existence does not risk eternally tumbling over the side of a cliff. She knows Constantine little more than by fearsome reputation which exceeds even Cable's.. So why he was selected for this over someone like Doctor Strange or Zatanna confuses her.

But, Monet remains quiet, simply waiting with her arms crossed. Being ready if need be to act as a mental bridge and to share information. She's gotten used to magic - wary as it used to make her. She's never learned how to deal with it, just accept it exists. She's standing behind Diana, before glancing to the others..

"Is this sort of thing simple or difficult?" A soft query to someone that's not mostly focused on the coming ritual.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay shows up with Jon, looking entirely out of his depth. But with a supportive smile! He's adjusted, more or less, to having *Superman* around him, outfit and all. He lifts his free hand to wave a bit to John (this is going to get confusing really fast) and Diana, then follows cautiously into the weird house. "Yes, hi. Lovely to meet you. I hear you're highly recommended, by, uh, exemplary references, apparently? Congrats on *that* little tidbit for your resume."
    As he enters the house he looks around with a highly studious attentiveness. "So this is where those pop-up seasonal Halloween stores get their supply," he mutters. "Or... maybe they're all just doors to this place? That would be a more ~magical~ explanation."
    He eyes the ritual fixin's with a skeptical eye but, wisely, touches nothing. All this wizard shit is way beyond his expertise. And his phone doesn't get a signal out here, either.
    The urge to ask if there's wifi is overwhelming. Jay breathes in, and out, and just turns the device off for now, with a touch of something like physical pain. Now firmly offline he focuses his attention on the task at hand. If he can figure out exactly what that is.

John Constantine has posed:
Ugh, John grinds his back teeth a little when he's addressed as 'Mr. Constantine'. "It's just John, mate. Or Constantine." Mr. Constantine was his old man and that guy was a complete douche - as if this one can't be the same sometimes? The cigarette still bobbing up and down between his lips gets plucked from them now and held between two fingers as he points the ember end in Jon's direction. "First question? Are you doing this for you or someone else, mate? Because if you're doing this for you, then whatever it is you're looking for? It's not worth it."

That in of itself probably answers Monet's question, but John answers it directly anyway. "Difficult might be an understatement, luv. Have any idea just how many 'others' are out there? And we're trying to pin down just the one? But I'm just here to open the door, then it's the lad's job to get where he wants to be - with a little help from a friend." Hopefully.

"Shhhh," John insists in Jay's direction. "Don't bloody piss her off, not right when we're about to do what we're about to do." He can't be talking about the house can he? Oh yes he can.

Finally, last but assuredly not least, "Diana, always a pleasure, luv."

Jon Kent has posed:
Jon nods his head in response to John's admonishment about the name. "Constantine, then," he concedes. "Might be less confusing?" He peers in turn to Diana, Monet, and then Jay before returning his gaze to Constantine. "When I was sixteen, I was pulled into the Phantom Zone. I survived there on my own for over two years before I managed to escape. In /this/ universe. Where it was a few years before I was even born. So I believe that time must flow differently in the various universes and in the Phantom Zone. My birth parents -- Clark Kent and Lois Lane, who are married where I'm from -- have no idea where I am. Maybe I've been gone for five minutes or maybe I've been gone for a thousand years and my human mother is long dead. But I want to try my best to give them some peace, sir. To let them know that I am safe, and that I love, and that I am loved."

He peers to Diana. "Diana suggested you might be able to assist." He rubs damp, sweaty palms down the legs of his Superboy uniform. Then he looks to Monet St. Croix. "Ms. St. Croix has long been an ally of the House of El." Then to Jay. "And Jay has become...surprisingly important to me these past weeks. I asked him to be here for support and he was bold and brave enough to agree."

He returns his gaze to Constantine and stands up straight. In that moment one can catch a glimpse of what makes the House of El great: the stature, the confidence, the aura of heroism. "So to answer your question, sir, I do this for everyone /except/ me. If I can put some minds at ease then I owe it to them to do so."

His final look goes to Diana. She knows that under that practiced House of El veneer, there lies a boy still unsure if what he does is right. And she has this way of giving him strength.

Diana Prince has posed:
The various creaks and groans that came from the 'settling' home did draw Diana's attention, in so far as to say she began to look around at the house itself. Having advanced hearing, far beyond the regular Human range, she was able to better hear the noises, and thusly get a greater sense of curiosity toward their origins. But... Diana knew magical endeavors, and those who danced within them. From dealings with Stephen Strange, to a close friendship with Zatanna Zatara, and many others mixed in between, Diana knew that a place like this was generally just as mysterious as the one who called it home.

"John." Diana said, in this case, offering a warm smile toward him. "It has been too long... I am glad to see you face to face." She states, in a fashion that John might even see the sincerity behind, in a way that is very unique to Wonder Woman. She spoke with heart, and her heart was earnest, honest, and compassionate toward those she confided elements of her life in.

Such as helping Jon here. She and Clark may not talk a lot these days, with Clark being so busy with his own affairs, but that does not mean their bond is any less strong.

"We are hoping for the best," Diana stated, glancing toward Jon and Jay. She looked toward Monet, and showed a small grin. "She is here to make sure we all don't fall too far in to a dangerous place."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
"Multiple universe theory states that there are a possible infinite number of universes, where each decision in turn creates a near infininte number of duplicate ones." Monet would muse to herself. "However, that would imply that the exponential majority of them are simply where one subatomic particle took a slightly different spin on an arc. I presume that most are slightly more divergent than simply if one used their left hand or their right hand to load a dishwasher." The Mutant Telepath would speak in a tone of light distraction while she was focused on circumstances.

"However, my understanding is only in layman's terms." Quantum mechanics was something she barely could grasp the mathematical proofs behind, much less the theory. Combine it with magic, well.. Just finding one specific reality to gaze upon was likely too difficult for something else. She would nod as Constantine would elaborate quickly. Further questions for now are staved off.

She listens as Jon talks about where he's from, and the Phantom Zone.. And goes to give him a formal curtsy. "All within my power." SHe would promise him. THe House of El had done much for her, this was but a small repayment on the great debt she owed. As Diana speaks, she would take a breath. "I will be maintaining a telepathic link amongst all of us as a backup. I will only share information along it that you are comfortable with along the link. It is there in case of an emergency. If you do not wish to be included in it, state so."

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay squints at Constantine, but insists, "It was a compliment. I really enjoy those shops..."
    He sounds sincere. Considering he's often wearing what might charitably be called 'Halloween orange' it might even be true.
    He lets the others chat about the plan, mostly just listening and trying to determine what the plan *is* and how he's supposed to help. Monet's explanation makes him squint warily. "This isn't like that 'quantum' stuff, is it? I think I'm allergic to that. I was around one of those things before and I had a /really/ bad reaction." Because what could possibly go wrong attempting cross-dimensional meddling with a multiphasic mutant in the mix? Who knows, maybe it'll help.
    Being introduced by Jon like that has Jay blushing a little. "Well, I mean, he saved me from an explosion, so, it was the least I could do, right?" Supportive, smiling, he reaches up to give Jon's shoulder a squeeze. Not too firm, lest he fracture a finger in the effort.
    The proposal of a mind-link is met with a slight nod, seasoned with a touch of anxiety.

John Constantine has posed:
Through his story right up until the moment Jon stated that he was doing this for everyone else but himself, John watched the boy. It's not that he's being rude, not really - okay so maybe a little. But a lot of Monet's science talk just goes unheard. His attention is just too focused on Jon. His brow creases a little before he turns his back to go stub that cigarette out in an already overflowing ashtray. "No one is that altruistic, lad. It's that it's not /just/ for you that matters, now innit?" He turns back in time to see Jay all blushing and gushing. He can barely manage to keep from barking out a laugh - as it stands, it just sounds like he's stifling a cough. Smoker's lungs and all that.

"We'll have to do tea sometime, luv," he suggests to Diana. He even sounds sincere, even if he is replacing tea with scotch in his head.

Suddenly he snappoints at Monet. "You, you could be useful in case the lad here loses his nerve at the wrong moment."

He claps his hands and rubs them together. "A'right then, let's get this party started, shall we? From a table on the far side of the room, he retrieves a small, unassuming knife. And points it at Jay, "Jus' don't be takin' any candy out of any bowl around here, aye? Wouldn't want you trippin' balls for the next ten years - miss out on all that young love shite what's happening right in front of all our eyes?"

He turns and offers the blade to Jon, handle first. "Step inside the circle, stand between the two alters, drag this along your palm to draw blood and place your palm over your reflection's heart."

Jon Kent has posed:
There is a confused tinge to Jon's expression as he takes the knife from Constantine. He peers oddly at Monet, who might know his abilities better than anyone else here. "Does he...does he know that..." But of course he must. Jon shrugs and steps into circle between the altars. He does as bidden: dragging the blade across his hand. His eyes open wide. Pain. It's...new for him. His hand is open! His blood is flowing! This is beyond new for him. He looks at Diana imploringly. Surely she will keep him from falling into the dangers that magic offers his kind.

Jon holds up his bleeding hand. He tips his head to one side then the other as he watches the red liquid. He looks up at the mirror and presses his bleeding hand to where his reflection's heart it and pushes. He's not sure how strong the magical stuff in his this house, so he doesn't press too hard. Even a mild push from Superboy can bend steel.

Diana Prince has posed:
The mention of tea has Diana showing John another soft smile, along with a nod, though she's never seen him drink anything that couldn't put a person on the floor after only a handful of glasses. Still though, surely he drank other substances too, right?

Monet's technical approach garners a small grin from Diana, before she averts her eyes toward Jon and Jay again. At Constantine's direction, Diana looks toward the knife, able to feel the magic radiating off of it even from feet away, though she may just be projecting her own beliefs upon the item, or feeling a magical edge to the air within this home itself.

Diana steps around the room, to garner a better viewing vantage point, her hands coming together in front of her lap, with her fingers lacing together. When Jon looks her way, she affords him a gentle nod, hoping to reassure him. When he begins, and she sees the reaction to the pain, she sympathizes for the young man, but remains quiet. Being an Amazon, she has felt much pain in her own endeavors to achieve her goals, and she knows Jon is strong. He can 'take it', so to speak.

All the same, she stands simply confident, and off to the side, a diligent observer in this interesting affair.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
It's just that little shift in Jon's features that has Monet's attention for just a moment. Pain is a new thing for him. The expression on his face shows that. That surprises her; not that her body language would show it. A minor thing, peculiar at most perhaps. Then she turns her attention over to the ritual, attempting to chart the logic of it. Not that logic and magic necessarily went together.. But a ritual required specific steps to perform. So there was an order and a purpose to it. So she tried her best to follow the steps as they would happen - if only to try and parse what the mechanics were.

The cutting seemed to be grounding. John had mentioned finding a specific reality was extremely difficult.. So this was probably part of that. She takes a step away from the circle and those gathered within it so as to not interrupt, watching intently.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay holds his hands up defensively at Constantine's warning. "I know better than to touch anything in the Revered Queen of All Halloween Stores," he assures. Constantine's *further* remarks at him go unanswered as Jay turns more comprehensively pink, almost enough to match his hair.
    But then stuff is happening! He eyes the knife uncertainly. "Are you sure that's gonna-- I mean, he's-- you know." He finger-guns, and mimes bullets bouncing off himself. But he shrugs and leans over to watch carefully.
    Jay is nearly as surprised as Jon to see the knife actually cuts him. The sight is enough to draw a wince.
    "Don't suppose you keep a lot of bandages close by?" he asks Constantine. "With all these fancy knives around, you probably want a first-aid kit around every corner." Meanwhile he pats at his pockets for a substitute, finding a length of thin black fabric stuffed in a pocket of his hoodie.
    His other hand flexes at his side, either in sympathy for Jon's experience, or for some ineffable tingle he's suddenly feeling in the air.

John Constantine has posed:
With a silent push of his will toward the sentience of the house that he loves so much despite their constant 'bickering', a smokey haze begins to swirl languidly in the mirror. There's a reason John chose this place. What better place to find something through space and time than in a structure that lives outside both. Opening a way, however, is only part of the job.

"Okay, brain mainline over there," he says, addressing Monet. "I need you to make sure he doesn't turn yellow and run for the hills. Maybe if the lot of you can somehow form a mental safety harness? Might be a good idea." Link the two here that lend him strength so all three can comfort the boy's mind.

John'll let them all sort that. He stands to the side of the circle and lights a single candle on the table near him with that trusty gold zippo of his. His hands raise, palms up. For anyone that understands Ancient Greet, his words go something like this: "Hermes, swift-footed messenger of the gods, I call upon you. Guide us through the veils of reality and help us find those lost in the folds of time and space."

And louder still, "Hermes, swift-footed messenger of the gods, I call upon you. Guide us through the veils of reality and help us find those lost in the folds of time and space."

And finally, louder still and more intense, "Hermes, we offer these gifts in your honor. Accept them and lend us your guidance. Help us communicate with Jon?s parents, wherever they may be!"

Slowly, a thin tendril of what seems to be Jon's blood can be seen advancing through the smoke dancing in the mirror, stretching outward even as Jon's own consciousness follows along.

Jon Kent has posed:
Magic is, well, way, way outside of Jon's wheelhouse. The House of El generally doesn't mess with magic. It's one of the few weaknesses Superboy has. So he watches with a certain helplessness as a tendril of his blood -- which, by the way, is something he is seeing for the first time -- floats toward the mirror.

Trying to siphon off some of his nervousness, Jon glances over his shoulder at Jay and says, "Well never say I don't show you a good time?" But behind the attempt at humor, Jon swallows heavily.

Diana Prince has posed:
It was all rather far from any form of a wheelhouse for Diana, either. Just observing a magical ritual like this was very foreign to her. She has certainly seen her fair use of magical spells, incantations, rituals, and ceremonial presentations, or even just a stage show, but every time the methods seem to be unique to the caster themselves.

Diana's chin lowers down, just slightly, her brows rising up just a bit, as her eyes watch the mirror, and the effect from the spiraling blood tendril that reaches toward it.

She purses her lips, her eyes flicking over to Jon, before she regards Constantine, his methods certainly unique to her, and her curiosity certainly intrigued.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Constantine's tone comes off as belittling of Jon, intended to or not. What more could a child want than to talk to their parents to let them know that they're safe and all right? One brave enough to dart along the dimensional aether to do so? Monet keeps her mental silence, readying the rapport in case it is needed. Diana can get a shift of her posture and body language as a result of this. Perhaps there is something of the ritual that she is not aware of that requires it? But still.. She readies it in case it is needed, but attempts to restrain it as she can understand if one would not want intrusion of an intensely personal moment.

She has fought alongside the Kryptonians before. They are among the bravest, most self sacrificing, and honest beings she has ever met. Even without knowing Superboy at all, she has faith that he will not need it. Her posture relaxes, turning supportive in a shift of her normally completely restrained body language.

Her knowledge of Greek comes from her eidetic memory rather than having learned it, and Themysciran is not quite the exact language. So she can grasp parts of it. She tries to rack as best seh can..

She falls into keeping a mental link up amongst those present to be available - Diana, Jay, herself if Jon needs them.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay stares at the unfolding... event. If anyone's running for the hills it's likely to be him, judging from that look on his face. He at least manages to shut up for the moment while the spell (or whatever they call it) kicks off.
    Even outside the circle he's convinced he can still feel a strange gravity tugging across universes; making him itch as it scrapes across the edges of his own hidden power. Not as bad as that crazy dimension-hopping machine, thankfully. Still palpable and unpleasant.
    "Huh?" he mumbles at Jon. "Oh, hah, yeah. This is... actually not the strangest first-date I've been on," he replies as he nervously runs a hand through his hair. "And at least there's not so much butter to clean up."
    Jay flashes a quick smile before he concentrates again on the task at hand: withholding his own ability from reacting to the weird multi-dimensional magic going on; or at least sharing that focus and control mentally with Jon, without giving away more than that.

John Constantine has posed:
There was a reason that John warned the boy that it wasn't worth it if it was all for himself. Even Hermes swift-footed messenger of the Gods doesn't have a direct route from one Universe to another.

Jon will find his consciousness pulled from his body and speeding through the space between time, the time between space. The path isn't direct, but the boy sees all in between. He sees a world where there's nothing but his parents' graves. He sees another where they're happy - Jon's grown and they're all gathered around the dinner table laughing. He sees a world where a cold winter has long swallowed up hope, the bodies of his parents laying frozen in their beds, he sees a world where he's just a toddler running into his mother's arms, he sees a world where the hunger, violence, crime and filth makes Gotham look like a vacation hot spot and so many more. He sees it all and feels it all - the emotions of each Jon in each world.

Maybe he'll hold on, perhaps he won't panic at the wrong moment and miss his chance - or worse, be stuck in one of those fleeting, passing worlds forever? Maybe his friends will help him hang on.

Maybe he'll hold on long enough to finally find his own.

But it's all up to Jon and those here to bolster him and support him. Constantine can do nothing but watch and wait now, his job is done until the timer runs out on the spell. Nothing to do but watch and wait - and smoke another Silk Cut. %

Jon Kent has posed:
Superboy gives a playful frown to Jay. "Me flying you from Metropolis to Kansas for dinner with my grams wasn't a first da..." Then Jon stops in mid-sentence. His eyes open wide. He sees it all now. He sees it all now /simultaneously/. It's one thing to mathematically contemplate the various types of infinities in the classroom: countable infinity, uncountable infinity, infinite cardinalities. But to FEEL it? No mind, not even a Kryptonian mind, is prepared for that.

Jon was trained by one of the bravest heroes to ever draw breath and tread upon the Earth: Superman. It is in his DNA to suffer any woe. But even Jon takes just one small, tiny step backwards, as if for one moment he is going to leave the circle. It's not that he's scared. Everyone in Monet's mental connection can feel that. It's that he is overwhelmed by it all.

"Diana," Superboy whispers, eyes open, peering forward seemingly at nothing...at /everything/. "It's so big. You can't imagine how big it is."

His head tips one way for a moment as he blinks. "You're the president. You ended poverty and they elected you president."

It's not enough. There isn't enough blood to make the connection! Jon grabs the knife again and plunges it savagely into his other hand. More Kryptonian blood flows into the air toward the mirror to narrow down the connection. Jon grimaces with pain but the pain means nothing to him now. There is only Truth, and he learned Truth from the very best of us.

"M-mom," Jon finally says out to midair. Via Monet's link everyone can see Lois. She sits at a desk typing on a laptop. She appears about ten years older than she does here in this universe. Her head snaps up and she stands rapidly. "Jon? Jon is that you, baby?"

Diana Prince has posed:
As the situation develops, and Monet provides a window in to the infinite windows, Diana lets her eyes close, as she stands with a patient calmness. She watches the scene continue to develop, her breathing kept controlled, and her eyes taking in the sights of the other worlds. She hears Jon, and she opens her eyes to look toward him. She shows a very faint expression of satisfaction, or amusement, when he mentions a world where she is the President, and the situation there-in seems to have a positive result... but she also cannot help but feel immense sorrow for the worlds that are shown to be in less than ideal places. Those worlds... Diana feels a powerful compulsion toward trying to help, even though she knows there likely is no way to even achieve that, or at least achieve it with efficiency, and safety. But still. her heart aches.

It is Lois' voice that brings Diana back to the focus of what is being shown, and with the voice, she looks once more toward Jon.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
And as Jon goes through a series of glimpses of other realms, speaks of Diana.. And then even as she picks up that faint bit of emotion from Jon that is indicative of finding what he wants, of a strong longing.. Monet goes to gently remove herself from active participation in it unless needed. This is family. This is personal. This is something that she does not wish to intrude on, trusted or not. She is welcomed here by Jon's faith in his friends. But this is still a secret that could have power upon this Earth. And it is not her's to know.

So she ever so subtly removes herself from active information as soon as she feels that Jon has made that jump forwards to recognizing his mother. She keeps the connection going if the support is needed or the tether. But this is for his family.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    When Jay sees Superboy wobbling he reflexively starts forward to help, only forcing himself to stop at the edge of the circle. First, with concern that being close to the strange mirror would cause more harm than good, but also what it might do to him in response. He peers past Jon at the mirror, seeing the shared visions projected there.
    There are only about a hundred thousand things he'd like to ask Lois Lane, but for once the young reporter keeps his mouth shut.

Jon Kent has posed:
Jon peers over at Monet as he senses her withdraw from active participation in the link. His expression says everything: you are valued and trusted here. He is part his father, yes, but too he is part Lois and Ma Kent. His strength and honor -- total as they are -- are tempered by love and compassion. He is today's hero for today's world.

But Kryptonians are healers. Already those wounds are closing, which is weakening the link to the other universe. And Jon can sense it.

"Mama, please, you have to know I tried everything to reach you and dad!" he says, voice desperate with emotion. He can feel the link severing and the image in the mirror is getting narrower.

"I know you did, baby," Lois says, tears free streaming down her face. "I never doubted it for a moment, my love. You look..." She shakes her head, face filled with pride. "...so handsome and tall. You've grown into a man!"

The image narrows still.

"Mama, I want you to meet someone!" Jon blurts out. He reaches out and tugs Jay closer to him, into the circle. This, of course, gets Jon's blood from his hand wounds on Jay's clothes. "This is Jay, mama! This is Jay Nakamura." He peers at Jay. Jon, too, is crying freely now. "He's kinda...well, we sort of have been spending time...we..." He looks at the mirror. "Mama, he's my boyfriend!"

Lois smiles that smile that all mothers feel when they finally and at long last know their their children love and are loved. What else matters?

"Hi, Jay. I'm Lois, Jon's mother. It's so wonderful to meet you."

Diana Prince has posed:
The Princess spared a glance toward Monet, who slipped out of the view of the mirror. She looked toward John next, who seemed to be really enjoying his cigarette, and lastly looked back to Jon, and Jay, as the two introduced themselves to Lois. She could hear the emotion in the woman's voice, even through the strange magical connection they had acquired to reach her.

When appropriate, Diana stepped in to view behind Jon's left shoulder, able to see Lois from her vantage point. She raised her chin, and let her hands unlace to hang at her sides. "Lois," Diana spoke. "I am Diana, Prince. I do not know my status in your world, but here I am known as Wonder Woman, and I simply wish to let you know that your son is loved, and being taken care of. We will not let harm come to him, and we will find a way to reunite you as soon as we are able to. He is safe, and he is doing a miraculous job to make our world a better place for the people within it. I am proud of him, as I know you would be too..."

She trails her words off there, sparing a glance toward Jon, before she smiles faintly, and steps back again, her senses focused on the space around them, the mysterious home they reside within, and the connection to another reality in a sea of endless other realities. Just another day for Wonder Woman, right? But one she hopes helps Jon feel better.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay was content-- possibly determined-- not to get too close to the transdimensional shenanigans. He's startled to be yanked into the circle, tensing for an instant with a sudden surge of panic. But this magic stuff doesn't seem to collide with his power quite the same way and soon he's pulled up close to Jon. Blushing, but smiling.
    With an arm around the tall hero's waist he leans in and waves to the mirror. "Hi, Miss Lane! Huge fan. Hope we can talk more soon! We'll take good care of him in the meantime."
    He's not worried about his clothes. He's already trying to think up ways for them to talk again.
    Maybe that quantum bullshit would be worth the risk, regardless of his professed 'allergy' to it.

Jon Kent has posed:
As each person takes their turn to talk to this otherworldly Lois, Jon waits patiently. But those wounds on his hands are now almost completely healed, which means the connection is almost completely severed. With his arm draped affectionately around Jay's neck, Jon asks, "What about dad? Is he there? I want to talk to him!"

That's when the expression on Lois' face falls for the first time. "Oh, Jon, oh baby, your father. It was three years..." The connection begins to weaken as the wounds on Jon's palms are barely scratches now. Lois says some things but they are unintelligible, like some internet connection gone bad. "...we all thought that if tried hard enough to..." More static, more unintelligible garble. "...but it didn't work and he..."

That's when the Lois vanishes from the mirror. There is still some sort of magical connection, but the link to Lois is completely gone.

"NO! MOTHER!" Jon screams, perhaps a bit too loud. He sinks to his knees and grabs the knife and tries to cut himself again. But the magic from this spell has been consumed. It's no use. He stabs at himself over and over and over again, trying desperately to pierce that Kryptonian skin as tears gush down his face. "Mama, no! No! Come back! Please!"

But all it manages to do is horribly mangle and bend the dagger. With the enchantment used up, it stands no more chance against Superboy's invulnerability than a Walmart butter knife.

John Constantine has posed:
John is, indeed, enjoying his cigarette. What's another nail in the coffin of a damned man, right? But if Diana paid close enough attention she also would have noticed the strained crease in his brow, the slight clench in his jaw and the thin sheen of sweat dotting his forehead.

There's a timer ticking on this spell because it's John's magic the spell is pulling upon. He'll only be able to hold it so long - and he's pushing his limits already. The mirror, that's all the house. The connection, that was all John's to keep open once the contact was made.

"C'mon, mate, givin' us a migraine here," he grumbles in a barely there whisper as the tether grows thinner - making it more difficult for him to hold on to it.

There aren't many that know the truth of John Constantine. Most think he's a self serving asshole that will do anything to survive - that's only half true.

He certainly won't let a kid be stranded somewhere between time and space, especially one that's already kinda been there and done that. He'd have an aneurysm first.

"Finally," he grunts out in a huff when Jon is so obviously back where he belongs. He tucks his cigarette between his lips and starts to say, "I hope..." - you got what you needed, mate. But his words are cut short.

From the mirror a giant eyeball, one that takes up the entirety of the thing, an enormous thing with a green iris and blood red pupil, stares out into the room at all present. It shifts this way and that, scanning.

Right up until John picks up a book from a table - thing's a tome really, must weight in at about a stone and a half - and wings it at the mirror. The glass shatters outward, spraying any close.

"Well, bullocks, that wasn't supposed to happen," he breathes out once the mirror's busted and there's no sign of the watching eye in any of the shards.

He doesn't seem overly concerned though. He broke the mirror, right? There's nothing more to worry about.

Yet.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Things go quickly as time runs out. As the mirror starts to fade, and Jon gets desperate to continue the conversation, Monet goes to dart towards him, ready to stop him as he looks to start using the blade on himself as it had cut him earlier.. But then pauses as she sees it does nothing more to him, whatever pwoer it had having since passed as the blade blunts and crumples.

Then Constantine goes to move, and Monet rapidly whirls about, first seeing that /eye/ in the mirror, broken throught he looking glass itself gazing at them. Then that book hurled over towards the mirror. Thoughts of going for Jon are interrupted as Monet goes to immediately get ready to back Diana up. As the book craters the mirror, and the thing within it vanishes, seemingly.

She looks to Diana for some level of explanation, if there is any here.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana had crossed her arms over her stomach, rumpling the denim of her white jacket, as she'd listened to Lois' broken words. A crease formed between Diana's eyebrows, as a sneaking suspicion of what Lois was insinuating coalesced within her mind. Something terrible had happened, when Jon had gotten expelled to their reality, something terrible for the reality that this Lois was within, and where Jon was from. But it was so far from her ability to help it, just as it was the others they had gotten mere glimpses of.

Diana watched Jon fall, and saw what he was doing from behind his left shoulder. She stepped toward him, but stopped, when the Eye appeared in the mirror. Her arms uncrossed from her stomach, and her hands hung at her sides, with her right hand's fingertips gently stroking the edges of the lasso of truth, that hung beneath her white denim jacket, its end just barely poking out from beneath its hem at her left hip...

The mirror was smashed, and a look was given to John, before Diana looked toward the shards.

"Something ... did not like us meddling between realities." Diana verbally assumed, her smoky voice laced with a grim undertone.

Jay Nakamura has posed:
    Jay looks on with escalating sadness as he listens to the fading, broken message from the other side of the mirror. He's trying to come up with something, anything, to keep the connection open.
    But it's too late. And the next thing he knows Jon is trying to stab himself?!
    "Hey, don't do that!" he yelps, making the panicked and profoundly stupid decision to start wrestling over a knife. With Superman.
    It's a hopeless cause for someone without super-strength. Really it's a miracle he doesn't get severely injured himself.
    At last, desperately, he presses in close as he grabs at the handle of the knife, enveloping it in his intangibility for a fraction of a second: just enough to steal it from Jon's grasp and toss it aside so he can smother the taller boy in a clumsy hug.
    The mirror explodes behind Jay but he somehow remains unscathed. Even his clothes aren't nicked in the slightest. Several of the broken bits lie at Jon's feet.

Jon Kent has posed:
Jon did not notice Jay use his powers. It's was all too much stimulus all at once. Jon does finally rise silently to his feet, lifting Jay with him. He draws in a breath. His own Superboy uniform is covered in blood. Jay's clothing is covered in blood. The floor is covered with blood. Shards of glass litter the floor. The barriers between universes do not like to be meddled with.

And they exact a heavy price...