264/Closing Time is Playing Somewhere

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Closing Time is Playing Somewhere
Date of Scene: 04 March 2020
Location: Shadowcrest Manor - Bristol Township
Synopsis: Zee asks for John's help with a possible magical sighting. There's tension. Teasing. And a hug.
Cast of Characters: Zatanna Zatara, John Constantine




Zatanna Zatara has posed:
It was a mistake.

Zatanna still isn't sure why she did it. Maybe it was just an automatic response. Maybe it was reliance. Maybe it was...

But for whatever reason, Zatanna pressed the 'STOP CALLING HIM' contact on her phone, and when it went to voice mail, she said in a quiet voice, "Johnnie? It's Zee. Look. Can you come over? I had a weird dream."

And she immediately regretted the decision to call him as she set down her phone. Was it too late to call him back and say nevermind? She debated that as she padded down stairs to make herself a drink. Putting a kettle on the boil, the magician shook her head. "He probably deleted, Zee. Don't fret it."

John Constantine has posed:
     John's very old phone, a Motorola RAZR that's seen better days, rang with the specific ring, that familiar Scouse accent telling the other end of the line to leave a message.

  No telling what John had been doing at the time. But soon enough, he turned a corner in New Orleans, and found himself in New Jersey, Gotham City, Shadowcrest Manor to be specific.

  The end of his cigarette glowed brighter as he drew in fresh smoke, and exhaled. He rode the wave to be right here, where he needed to be, when he needed to be. "Bollocks." He commented, not towards Shadowcrest, or the occupant inside, he was cursing his own fated magic, fate willed him to be here, right now.

  The Laughing Magician stepped up to the stoop, and rapped on the door. The blonde haired man took a swig from his flask, steeling himself for what was surely to be an eventful evening.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The knock on the door startles Zatanna, just as she was about to take the water off the burner. "Dammit." the mage mused to herself, and then she raises her hand to point to the door. "Aera gnittis eht ot mih trocse dna rood eht nepo." comes the quick order.

The front door comes open, and standing before John is one of Zatanna's 'infamous' support staff. He doesn't speak. Who knows if he actually can, or if he is just one of the numerous spirits trapped in the manor that leads the Cockney mage to the sitting area before gesturing to a couch and walks away.

In the kitchen, Zatanna checks her appearance. She doesn't know why, she just assumes she looks a mess, and then moves to appear to breeze into the living area, before she pauses, with the tray in her hands. Teapot. Two cups. Sugar bowl and cream. Drawing in her breath, she ventures the barest of smiles. "You didn't have to come, John." she manages.

She wasn't expecting him. Cotton - not silk - robe worn over her nightgown. Hair up in a messy ponytail. And fuzzy slippers. Though her blue eyes lie the gratitude and fear that brought her to make the call. "Were you doing anything important?"

John Constantine has posed:
     John looked to the servant. "Spare a moment to talk about our lord Jesus? No? Candygram?" He says in that harshly sarcastic tone of his. He knew this man wouldn't talk. But he still follows as he is shown into the sitting room.

  "I didn't. But you didn't have to call me." He adds in, extinguishing his cigarette. "Nothing of import, Luv. The wave certainly said I needed to be here, so, here I am."

  "Dreams, bad ones. An omen? What have you been delving into, Zee? The dark was never your favourite."

  John's loose tie and wrinkled shirt was always the same, and of course, Nick's trenchcoat, he took it off and laid it upon the couch, next to him.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Setting down the tray, Zatanna considers. "I don't have dreams and nightmares. I get glimpes." she knows he knows this, but she just wants to reaffrim that as she sits down to doctor her tea. "It's Earl Grey. Don't hate." comes the gentle chide. And she glances into the cup.

"I was in the park earlier, near that new school. And I felt a presence. Magic. Old magic. Really old magic." Stirring the spoon with in the cup. "At first I thought it was a fae. But she was very young and inexperienced. I'm not even sure if she even knows she's a fae." comes the quiet admission.

Then she takes a sip from her mug. "They I saw another young woman - she grabbed a railing and recoiled from it. It was an iron railing, John."

John Constantine has posed:
     He always preferred a Builder's brew, strong, maybe a drop of milk. "Earl Grey, didn't realize we were entertaining the Queen." He comments idly.

  John took a cup for himself, if anything, just to not look overtly rude. The words 'old magic' spoke volumes to the two of them. Old magic for mages was measured in centuries and millennia, not decades. "A fae...nasty buggers." He adds in, holding his cup.

  John's eyes immediately peered at Zee when she mentions the iron railing. "Well that seals it. She is a fae. But what flavour?" He asks, looking at Zee now with added intrigue. "Do you think she means to threaten the school?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"It wasn't the fae that touched the railing, John, pay more attention to my words and not mocking my choice of tea." Zatanna snaps in irritation. "I don't think the fae goes to the schol. Her name's Megan. She stands out. Wings, pink hair, ears, the whole thing. It was the other girl. If the fae had touched the railing and reacted, I'd not called you."

She blows out her breath and take a moment to recouperate. "The other girl introduced herself as Morgan. I don't know if she sensed the Medulla Jewel and wanted to let me know that she knew... or if she has no real idea that she's mage-touched." She lifts her gaze to John. "I've felt some powerful magic. But nothing like this."

John Constantine has posed:
     "Then /that/ girl is a fae. Honestly, Zee..." He trails off, his eyes looking above her. "You said her name was Morgan?"

  The Laughing Magician stands, looking around the sitting area. John was a repository of magical lore and knowledge, and this was no exception. "I need your books on the Middle Ages." He wasn't sure, but was homing in on the correct area. "Anything on Merlin and Arthur's Court."

  He didn't give off a feeling of fear, this is the man that stared down Lucifer himself and asked him to light his cigarette, but this was a mystery, no mere coincidence in his eyes.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"John, I don't feel like being mocked right now. I didn't even bother to put on fishnets." Zatanna responds as she lifts her eyes, forcing John to look at her again. And then when he makes his request, she frowns. "You seriously think she may be that Morgan?" comes the question. She had considered it, yes, but at the same time, she had dismissed the idea. Now that John reached the same conclusion - she's taking it more seriously.

"Tolemac fo ega eht elbissecca ekam dna skoob ruoy tros yrarbil."

The books start to rearrange and move to guide John to easily find access to what he may want to research. In the meantime, she rises to her feet. "I may want your help with something else." she starts, glancing into her cup. "I considered going to Strange, but there's so much... formality there." Her face screws up in frustration. "I want to go to Genosha, find one of the Sentinels that attacked and try to scry where it came from. Who programmed it."

John Constantine has posed:
     "Zee, I am many things in this life. But I would not mock you right now."

  "There are many conflicting accounts for the fate of Morgan le Fay, daughter of Uther, half-sister of Arthur Pendragon, and once student of /the/ Merlin. You said yourself that you felt the old magic, that's one. She grasped the iron rail and reeled back, that's two. And is it mere coincidence that those two traits lie in a girl named Morgan?" John starts moving and searching through the books. "I think not. And if that lass is somehow, somehow, /that/ Morgan..." He trails off, not needing to say exactly what could happen.

  "Genosha? Eh, the Good Doctor was there himself not long after. I'm shocked the old sod didn't attempt the very same thing." John says as he flips through pages in an old tome. "But, who would I be to say no to a good afternoon of skullduggery and absconding with one of the deadliest machines in recent history?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"He was? And he didn't share the information?" And then a moment later, a pillow is flung half-heartedly at John. "/You/ didn't share the information with me?" Zatanna didn't even consider that she wasn't talking to him, he should have told her! "Well, fine. He's totally off the invite list." There's a huff in her voice as she pushes herself off the couch and pads silently over to the books, standing close enough to John to smell the cigarette and bad choices off of him.

"I admit. I'm more curious about the girl that was with her." Zatanna admits. "An actual fae. Not the steal your soul type. She seemed to not even know. I honestly think she believes herself a mutant. Should I talk to her? Maybe try to see if she is?" she asks. "Because I know we're on Morgan at the moment, but we all know that story - water tarts, two-timing Queens and all that tobbyrot."

John Constantine has posed:
     The pillow is taken in stride, poffing off of the man like...a half tossed pillow. "A power as..." He sighs. "Immense as his, you don't feel it when it moves?" Constantine asks, a bit shocked. "The whole situation barely garnered his attention if you ask me. But I felt him move, suddenly. Then right there, on the tele, news reports sayin' how Genosha was wiped off the face of the earth. Yet, all done by machines. Not a trace of mystic energy around. Or else, wouldn't the wave had sent me there as well? For me, it was just onto the next pub. And lets be honest. Even if they were active, those twats at the Hall of Justice would rather have the...what was it? On the poster? Princess of Prestidigitation? working with them than John Constantine."

  John moved to a nearby table, letting the tome down. "Yeah, we've all seen Monty Python. The other girl? Could be worth a look-see. But if Morgan is le Fay, it would make sense she would inexplicably be drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. Fae recognize their own kind, even if on a subconscious level, Luv."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"That was two weeks ago, John. He may have been more in rescue than research mode. I'd think." comes Zatanna's response as she picks up the throw pillow to toss back to the couch, it's purpose spent." Though she frowns. "The Justice League hasn't done much since ... his death." She was hurt in that fight, not that it was a factor in anything. But the way that monster walked through magic, so easily.. that still haunts her.

"It'd be the Avengers and I'd bet you my stockings that Tony Stark would love to announce to the world that his team found out who attacked Genosha for his Presidential campaign. And that's not what it should be about. It should to be about finding the truth." she says quietly.

"And they're arses if they don't recognize your skills John Constantine." she offers. Praise? Maybe. Maybe just recognition of his skill.

"I don't think Megan goes to the school. I don't know why Morgan's there. It may be coincidence. But we need to find out. Maybe I should get you to talk to her. Confirm my thoughts?"

John Constantine has posed:
     "Aye, most likely. Plus it's not like the giant metal monsters are moving any time soon. The whole island is...like Hiroshima, frozen in time."

  "Ever since everyone's favorite man hopped the twig? Yeah...I assumed as much."

  John returns back to the couch, relaxing, in that slightly charming devil may care way he always does. "Oh, to that I agree, Luv. Arses, the whole lot of them, present company excluded."

  "I don't suppose you know how to reach said Megan? Won't do much good to look for her at a school she doesn't attend."

  John starts to reach into his pocket, pulling out the familiar white box with purple crest, extracting out a cigarette and flicking open his zippo, the distinct ping ringing out. "Meanwhile, it would be a good idea to find out as much as possible about la Fay, as much as we can find, considering everyone and their mother's got differing stories about her fate."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
For once, Zatanna doesn't chide about smoking in the house. It was a favor he was doing for her, and she can respect that. "I can try to find her again. And I'll do that in the morning. But for now, it's late, and I should consider bed." Picking up her tray to take it to the kitchen, she pauses for a moment and studies him. Then she sets down the tray, coming over to give him a brief embrace and she pulls back just as quick. "Thank you." she manages, the grateful smile that touches her eyes.

"Now you don't have to go home..." she starts to say, then adds in a sing song-voice.

"...but you can't stay here." She's clearly teasing. "There's plenty of guest rooms if you want one. Or the couch." Taking up the tray again, she heads into the kitchen. "And John...?"

"Thank you."

John Constantine has posed:
     John strikes the flint and ignites the tobacco. "Very well then." He mentions, before she gives him an unexpected embrace. He even manages to put his arm around her back, after a brief moment of disbelief. "A chance to stay at famed Shadowcrest? Who could resist such a chance?" John politely accepts. "I will do more searching on Morgan as well.

  Her thanks again strikes him, and he can't help but give his smile, it wasn't a wide grin, like most people's, it was just that little tweak of his lips, reminding him of times past.

  "You're welcome, luv."