8778/Rare Gems

Rare Gems
Date of Scene:	22 November 2021
Location:	Bristol Township
Synopsis:	Charlie Gage bounces into Zatanna's life to study magic.
Cast of Characters:	Zatanna Zatara, Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe

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Zatanna Zatara has posed:
For a house as large and old as it is, the rooms are spotless. Servants keep it clean, a relic of older times. In keeping with the times, Zatanna has a magical pact with the housekeepers equivalent to 40-hour weeks, month-long vacations, sick leave, and pensions if ever needed. It's a happy arrangement for them all.

Zatanna has a rare visitor today. It is rare because not many people are admitted to the multi-dimensional house and rarer still for who it is. Another homo magi - there are less than ten in the known world though suspicion is that more exist hidden.

Seated at a desk older than the house, a relic of her ancestor, Leonardo da Vinci, Zatanna awaits her visitor to be led in by a servant. It will be an interesting day, come what may. Of late, she has put aside wearing the iconic costume of a stage magician, preferring Japanese designers. Instead, she wears a roomy tailored jacket with matching stovepipe pants over a white shirt with French cuffs and lace-up brogans.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie arrives right on the doorstep, pretty much out of thin air too, just a slash of pink and purple smoke. She proceeded of course to knock lightly to be let in. She didn't try to bounce into the house proper, figuring front step is much more polite right.

    Still there is a mystical >bang< of chaos when she does arrive on the porch, much more so than any knock knock could have been. Chaos magic is so rare. Rarer than Homo-Magi even really. Where did this kid come from.

    Once let in she totally follows any guidance to the office by the servant. "Thanks!" is noted chipperly and then she looks over the room curious, the desk, the various things, and of course Zatanna "Hi Zatanna." she greets with a nervous but not quite shy smile.

    She looks like a pretty typical teenager, jeans, sneakers, a wonder woman hoodie, and a smart watch all visible. She did not wear her crime fighting gear. "Thanks for .. uhm offering to help sort out my whole magic thing.."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
As soon as the servant closes the door behind her, Zatanna rises, a warm smile for the girl despite the rush of chaos magic that just landed on her doorstep. "Come in...let's sit over here." She points to a comfy couch covered in light green shatung silk and ample cushions with a Chinese bowlegged coffee table in front of it.

"What can I get you to drink? I'd like tea but we have soft drinks, juices, green juice,...whatever you'd like that is legal," she adds with a small mischievous smile meant to set her at ease.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Oh uh..." she walks over to the couch without needing more urging really and plops down on one end of it. A tuck of her leg under herself so she can pivot and face Zee when she joins her, back to the arm of the couch.

    She does pause and pet the silk. Fancy. "Nice couch."

    "Soda or juice is great, not picky really. Also alchohol is sort of.. meh... I'm not one to try to sneak it."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
If that fact surprises her, Zatanna keeps it to herself. "I wouldn't...in some countries some people start young." She leans forward to pick up a small bell from a tray on the coffee table which she rings.

A servant answers immediately, "Madam?"

"Passion fruit juice for my guest and darjeeling tea for me and milk, please."

Zatanna settles back into a nest of cushions and observes Charlie with pleasant expectation.

"Barbara told me that you are looking for a teacher to help with channeling your magic. Is that right?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Yeah I hear it is all sorts of different in Europe... but I'm from Metropolis and now Gotham. It might have been the cheap booze kids in school got in Metro tho..." she trails off when the bell is rung and someone comes in to take the order.

    "Yeah, I mean.. honestly I think they are all just worried I was going to learn magic from John." pauses "Which to be fair should and could worry anyone sensible. He isn't exactly the most stable sort of teacher..." this is all dissected thoughtfully.

"But uh .. anyhow. I mean. People say my bouncing is magic and .. that I'm magic.. but I have no idea how any of it works... not like really..."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Nodding as Charlie analyzes who would have been an apt teacher, an amused smile lighting her blue eyes, "I'm inclined to agree," she replies matter-of-factly. "He has the most amazing ability to find trouble. Not everyone would be so clear headed about it which is a compliment."

Her eyes widen slightly as she asks, "Bouncing? And you are certainly magic. It's in your blood. Not many in the world can claim that."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie realizes that following that train of logic about teachers and all was a compliement. She smiles though. "He ..definitely finds trouble. I mean so do I though so ... probably not best to put the two of us in the same class room as it were."

    She ohs "The teleporting... I call it bouncing..." she is a tiny bit self conscious about that but not too much. She is pretty proud of her naming conventions. "In my blood... how does that work?" her head tilts a touch. "I mean.. my mom and sib didn't seem to have any tricks like mine."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Homo magi can teleport though it's not always the first skill they pick up."

A knock stops Zatanna from continuing. A liveried servant arrives carrying a tray set with a pitcher filled with an orange juice tinkling with ice and a pot of tea, cup and strainer.

"Will that be all, madam?" He asks stepping back.

"In fact, Ahmed, I would like some tea sandwiches - the usual, if cook has it on hand. I didn't realize I was hungry till just now. What would you like Charlie?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Is that like.." then well the knock interrupts her thought and she stays quiet while the drinks are delivered. She leans to pick up the glass of juice.

    "Oh.. well um.. I could definitely try the tea sandwhiches." she genuinely has no idea what those are but she is curious.

    When Ahmed is gone she asks "So.. Ahmed doesn't know about the magic I take it? Also ... homo magi.. like homosapiens but magicians ... right?" she blinks "But ... I guess it could have been my dad. He died in a car wreck when I was a kid and I never knew him..."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Oh, he knows!" The magician chuckles softly, "His family has worked for mine for centuries. I don't now what I would do without him to be truthful."

Nodding gravely to the question, "Yes, homo magi are a branch of homo sapiens, there were more of us once. But the disaster of Atlantis and time has made us rare. My mother's people came from the mountains of Turkey where others hide from the world. Did you know your father, Charlie?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie looks at the door. "Oh... I just figured we stopped talking about magic because he shouldn't know. That is good to know because I don't want to slip up by accident."

    "I don't know my dad no... died early on in my childhood in a car wreck." she shrugs a little "My mom raised me and my half brother.. well he was a baby." she sips her juice. "They died in a fire two years ago."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"No I stopped talking because we are talking about you and it is your business alone," Zatanna says kindly. "I had heard about you losing your mother and brother. I am so sorry for your loss. How did you meet Barbara then?" She picks up her cup and waits to take a sip while she answer.

She adds, then takes a sip, "I have some ideas about where your father may have been from, it might explain some things."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Oh.... well." she considers juice sipping. "It is a little embarrassing... but I kind of made my own batgirl costume and started fighting crime in Gotham.... Batgirl was like my hero." she chews her lower lip.

    "I wanted to fight crime like ... all of you heroes really and I figured with my ability to teleport I could help all the people who can't help themselves. Like my mom and little brother couldn't. I was able to escape the fire.. but then the slum lord got off on all charges in court and a fine. Stopping bad guys I could at least make sure some people got justice."

    She didn't forget the last part. "Where?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Well, chaos magic and all, your instincts are wonderful!" Zatanna replies with a click of her teacup in its saucer. "Believe me, there are a lot of magic users who would have gone straight off the deep end into crime. Barbara, who I adore, was right to help you." She smiles as she mentions Barbara's name.

"Have you heard of Gemworld?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "She and Orphan and Spoiler... new Batgirl.. very eager to help me. The boys.. warmed up much slower to the idea." she shakes her head though. "I mean.. yeah I could totally rob anything... uh anywhere I guess.. but I don't want to rob people."

    Her nose wrinkles a little "Which... if people could explain the demon thing and how I wasn't the one robbing all those magicians.. that would be very helpful..."

    The thing about when Zee brings up Gemworld, there is an almost vibration to the magical senses. Something just happened. "Oh.. uhm.. no never heard of it?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Ahmed knocks softly at the door and lets himself into the room to pose a multi-tiered tray filled with cut sandwiches. Sourdough bread, seeded pumpernickel, whole wheat and even Turkish flat bread filled with cucumber, different types of cheese, cuts of beef, confit and pate. The upper tier has tiny iced cakes, Turkish crescent cookies with powdered sugar and baklava. The cook knows Zatanna's Mediterranean tastes.

The air in the old library sizzles with magic for a moment at Zatanna's words. "Your magic doesn't strike me as being...demonic but from another world. I would even hazard another guess. Though my first was based on instinct. Instinct that I've come to rely on when it comes to these things though I don't pretend to be infallible."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie twists around and sort of meercats a bit peering at the tray being brought in with little sandwiches then settles once more as it is set down. "Okay... I have never seen something with such fancy little sandwhiches before.. this is totally something..." she stops not saying the name. She isn't sure how much Zee knows. "I know someone who would totally make these... I think I've had some.. but not like.. all atg once on a stack of trays like this."

    Her attention span is pretty chaotic. The ADHD may be a sympton of her magical ties.

    "Demons are totally the worst..." she reaches out to take one that looks like it is sourdough, taking a testing bite now. "It sounds fancy.. Gemworld... my mom never mentioned anything like that though. Is it hard to get to.. is it dangerous... are there unicorns?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The mischievousness bubbles to the surface again in her smile. Zatanna can play the Grande Dame in her mansion with veracity but she also was close to the likes of the chain-smoking Constantine and can swear like a trooper if the mood is on her. "Oh, you mean Alfred? Isn't he a dear? Yes, he would love to steal my cook if he knew of her existence."

With an amused shake of her head, "No unicorns that I'm aware of but chaos magic is certainly not unknown there from what I know. I've only been once and it is a complex and dangerous place. Her eyes narrow, "We will deal with any demons lurking in wait for you, Charlie."

"Eat and drink. I've made my decision. I would like you as a student. Now, it is up to you to decide if you want a Zatara teacher."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Ah.. wasn't sure so best to be very safe right. Secrets." she grins and sprawls back a bit nibbling the sandwich down bite by bite.

    "I'm sad no unicorns... I do look forward to kicking some demon butt again if we run into any. They are on my list. Never ran into a good one that didn't need some dark vengeance."

    "I definitely want to visit far off realms and learn about magic... which.. for the record.. I know nothing about. I mean my bouncing is just... like.. I want to be somewhere and think about it and.. I am there... it isn't like I use an incantantion?" which is, really quite odd. The whole cost structure of magic shouldn't be working like that really.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I take that as a yes, then. It is a solemn agreement between mages, you know," she chivvies kindly.

"You might not always like what I have to say and you'll be obliged to listen. I'll try not to lecture or be too pedantic." She plucks off a dark bread sandwich filled with foie gras and eats it with a contented expression while she waits.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Oh... I mean yes definitely." she nods. "I promise to do my best to not animate your mop and accidently flood your mansion trying to mickey mouse it up." she smiles though.

    A second sandwhich is reached for and taken, randomly. She takes a tentative nibble trying to figure it out. "Is this cucumber?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Cucumber and a type of cream cheese. A little nod to English afternoon tea sandwiches," she observes.

"Then I'm very pleased. Oh, and there is little mischief you can get into here, I'm afraid. It won't be so amusing as all that. The wards would stop you from hurting things."

"Speaking of which. I will give you permission to enter even when I'm not here on one condition." She focuses intently on the girl to show her the seriousness of her words, "This is important. Do not take anything from the house and if something is under lock and key, then it should remain so. There will always be good reasons for something to be locked away. I need you to solemnly bind yourself to that promise if you make it. Do you?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "I think I like english afternoon tea sandwhiches... going to need to ask Alfred about this." she studies the one in her hand and takes another testing bite. "Sort of refreshing.. never would have thought of cucumber in a sandwich." she muses.

    "Good... I don't really want to wreck your nice house or anything." about the wards. The next bit does get her attention. "mmm what if you later order me to get the ..whatever and take it from the house to you or somewhere... do we need to reswear?" she is ... probably the universes best gopher for delivering stuff fast after all.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"If I ask you to bring me something the condition doesn't apply. Good magical thinking to think in terms of exceptions. I can portal, too, you know," she observes with a faint smile.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Then I promise to not take anything from the house and if something is under lock and key it should rmeain so. Unless you ask me to bring you something or to deliver something somewhere." she smiles and gives an easy shrug.

    "Good magical thinking or maybe everyone is like hey Charlie fetch us takeout from that place in vegas... I think I understand how speedsters feel." she does snag a third sandwhich though. "So deal."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I take your solemn promise then. Or as you say: deal! Check with me as soon as you can. I have some things in hand at the moment but you can leave a message at the house and it will be forwarded to me. Phone me. I'll give you my number and I want yours...or" Zatanna scrutinizes her. "How is your telepathy?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "I have no idea how my telepathy is... which is to say no one has ever tried it.. heck I've never tried it.... that may be a good lesson honestly."

    She looks sheepish though. "I do have a good phone, Oracle handles it all for me..."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Good. We will work on that among other things," she replies with a smile. She rubs her fingers together and produces a card with her name and number on it. "Here. I have a phone, too."

With a glance at the tray of sandwiches, "Take as many as you want. You might like some of the others, too."