Tiara and Top Hat

Participants: Diana Prince & Zatanna Zatara
Open/Closed: Closed
Location(s): Buenos Aires, Argentina
Time of Day: Mid-evening, local
Weather: Overcast
Summary: Responsibility interrupts what was supposed to be a pleasant dinner together, forcing a request be made under greatly different circumstances than intended...

Efforts had been taken and safeguards put in place to defend her evening agenda. The Justice League was fully stocked with hands on deck and even more waiting for potential summons at need. Diana thought the dinner date she'd arranged was very important for a myriad of reasons. Foremost and above all, though, was to catch up with her companion. Few heroines could connect to Diana in the way that Zatanna Zatara could.

Not only did they each have the weight of their name and reputation, but they carried on the legacy of their ancestors and... Had made decisions that threw them into ill favor with their comrades. The world at large, in Diana's case. And both women still worked daily to atone, even if neither felt they'd had an alternative at the time of their trespass.

And, in all honesty, Diana's precautions worked splendidly. No, it was Zatanna's field of defending Earth's magical community that interrupted them only a breath after they'd embraced and found their seats at the restaurant in Washington, DC. Diana had insisted on accompanying Zatanna on her venture and so, there they stood, both arrayed in their work attire before the Obelisco de Buenos Aires, in the shadow of the twilit spire itself.

Ringed in on all side be foul, eldritch creatures. Diana rolled her shoulders, loosening the muscles there. "I'll follow your lead," she said gently, just loud enough for the magician at her side to hear.

Sometimes Zatanna's falling out with The League seemed a distant memory. Other times it felt as though the wounds were still fresh and raw. Zee still felt distrustful eyes on her some days but she held no ill will towards anyone for it. She had mind and reality altering powers that were abused in the past so it was only natural others might be wary of her.

Zatanna however no longer carried guilt or remorse. She had long since forgiven herself for any transgressions. Having powers as she did came with a lot of difficult choices. All she could do is try to make the best decisions she could with the information she had at the time and learn from her mistakes. Truly that was all any living being could do as they fumbled their way through this mortal coil. She just had to be a little more careful given that the power levels of her abilities had no metaphorical ceiling.

She carried herself now with confidence and belief in herself. Never again would she be put in a situation where she used her abilities for anything that wasn't completely her own choice whatever the consequences. Zatanna felt in control of her powers and her life. It was liberating.

Tonight however, Zatanna simply felt the scars of her past errors in judgment as a scar. No longer painful but always there. She couldn't imagine what Wonder Woman could want with her. She and Diana had never been best friends or anything but Zatanna always looked up to her as a mentor and comrade. She felt they shared a bond that was thankfully rare in the Justice League ranks. Zee would always be thankful for the sanctuary of Paradise Island and Diana's advice.

Before she could find out the purpose of the meeting, duty called. It was hard to believe that there was no one on this side of the world that could have handled this situation but hopefully this would just be a routine call and they could be on their way.

Unfortunately nothing could ever be simple.

Zatanna's eyes flicked between the small skittering creatures. "These are goblins, or at least some variation of them." She told Diana as she moved so that she stood with her back to her companion. "They're fast with pretty sharp teeth so try not to let them bite you."

The advice seemed glaringly obvious but if you've never been bitten by something with razor sharp teeth one couldn't really know that it was something to fervently avoid happening again. Being careful not to let any of them out of her sight she added, "They're not very smart so I'm not sure how there are so many of them here. Or how they got here at all really."

One of the creatures leapt at Zatanna and she threw out a hand, "Kcab!" The creature flew back hitting the giant white pillar yards away. It shook its head, dazed. "We need to subdue them. If we can get hold of one I might be able to read its mind and figure out how they got here."

Zatanna sighed as her stomach growled. Diana had invited her to dinner but it looked like food was going to have to wait.

Tag: Diana Prince

Diana had been quite serious when she said she'd follow Zatanna's lead. This was totally and entirely the magician's area of expertise. At this point in her life, it was actually refreshing to be able to defer to someone else in matters. Usually Diana was the one who eyes turned to in any situation. Doing exactly as she'd said, Diana shifted along with Zee so that their backs were toward one another.

Her gray eyes took in the smallish, vaguely humanoid creatures that were ringing them in. The light of Buenos Aires's night glinted off of the barbed teeth that Zatanna mentioned. Diana held that in mind, as well as the other descriptors that were offered her: quick, sharp-toothed, prone to biting, unintelligent, behaving in peculiar consort.

"I believe we are well equipped to get to the bottom of this oddity," Diana said with a faint smile. Between Zee's magic-borne telepathy and the lariat that shone soft and steady on the Amazon's hip, the truth was inevitable. She heard Zatanna's stomach protest and empathy struck a stiff note along her ribs. Perhaps they could make quick work of this and return to their original plans?

One of the goblins tried to pounce on her, just then. Diana twisted her body so that the teeth aiming for her thigh passed beside her, instead. She grabbed the ankle of the creature midair and tossed it back into its kin. The act was an experimental one. Diana didn't want to cause irreparable or unjust harm to these goblins, even if Zatanna hadn't called to subdue them.

Zatanna Zatara

It was almost like there was some unspoken command or cue that it was time to strike. With both Zatanna and Diana’s deflection of the initial stray attacks the others began to make angry sounds and one by one they began to launch themselves forward. On their own goblins and their kin weren’t generally much of a threat but like most small creatures, when they attacked en masse, there was always a danger of becoming quickly overwhelmed.

Zatanna launched spell after spell transforming some into forest-type creatures, putting others to sleep, and otherwise repelling the rest. Slowly but surely the group started to thin out. “Okay,” she said glancing over toward a handful of unconscious goblin-kin, “Now we just have to- Ouch!” Zatanna cried out and looked down to see one of the creatures had caught hold of her leg with its sharp talons and was looking to do more than just rip her fishnets.

“Pots!” She recited quickly and the creature froze in place. Though its body was frozen, its eyes darted around in a sudden panic. “I guess you’ll do.” She observed, kneeling down to place her hands on the sides of the creature’s head.

A noise off to her left made Zatanna pause. Some of the goblin-kin were stirring and… Odd. It seemed like there was somehow more of them than there were before. “Wonder Woman, can you keep them off me long enough so I can focus and read this creature’s mind?”

Tag: Diana Prince

Diana was a peacemaker first and a warrior second. Yet, the moment that the drums of battle began to play, she fell into a rhythm that was as known to her as her own heartbeat. Automatically, Diana adopted a defensive position. Zatanna was perhaps the most powerful woman on the face of Gaea, but needed breathing room to be the most effective. Diana, meanwhile, was at home in close range.

Any time a goblin launched toward Zee, she intercepted. They bounced off of her gauntlets or were snatched like dolls from the air and cast back into their fellows. Diana didn't even prioritize incapacitation of the goblin, knowing that Zatanna's spells would do more delicate work of that than her careful, concussing blows. Soon, the lot were dispatched, and Diana pursed her lips at the one that managed to strike Zee when their guards were lowered.

"Consider it done," Diana said with a firm smile to Zatanna's following request. More goblins had rallied, from where, she had no clue. The magician at her side was likely finding out those answer. In the meantime, Diana retrieved the lariat from her waste and it came alive in her hands. Soon it was lashing and sparking through the air, guided by the subtlest movements of Diana.

Goblins who tried to come close were struck away by the end, or snatched by it and thrown aside, or into others who were trying to close in. The air hummed with hallowed power and Diana devoted herself totally to creating an impenetrable defense around Zatanna.

Zatanna Zatara