☆ video.

[hexappeal]

[The screen flickers on with a close-up of a woman's shoulder as she fiddles with the phone for a while, occasionally making a quiet, frustrated sound. Eventually, it remains in place, hovering about five feet in the air. She takes a few steps back.]

This is Zatanna. If my name means anything to you, please contact me. [And softly, if not annoyed:] I suppose it would be too much to ask for anyone from the League to be present, wouldn't it?

[She clears her throat and raises a hand to her top hat, giving the brim a tilt.] To everyone else, I can only hope that it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And that under the circumstances, I'd say some handsome gentleman should be kind enough to offer this stranded, lonely damsel a drink. [She leans in, toward the screen, like she intends to shut it off, but pauses short of it.] It's still a bit early, so just an Americano will do.

[Then she continues with her intended motion.]

Comments

[hexappeal]

No shit?

[She quickly corrects herself, loudly clearing her throat.] I meant... oh. Really? How interesting!

[eiremagic]

No need to lie about it. It's crap sometimes.

[hexappeal]

No, it is interesting. Just trying not to sound like a bro, I guess.

[eiremagic]

What the fuck is a bro.

[hexappeal]

You know -- [She loosens her bowtie and undoes the first two buttons, popping her collar. She feels so dirty. :(] -- idiots who wear their shirts like this? Say "whoa," a lot and are always high-fiving each other. Things like that.

[eiremagic]

Oh.

[No she doesn't know]

Well you don't sound like one.

[hexappeal]

That's incredibly reassuring.

[eiremagic]

Glad to help.

Listen, me boyfriend owns a vampire bar - don't ask, it's shite, but they have good beer. First drink is on the house because there's no fucking way I pay for booze. You interested?

[hexappeal]

I've heard of weirder bars. Been to a few of 'em, even.

If it's free, it's for me. [Take that as a resounding "yes," please.]

[eiremagic]

You've been to the fountain, yeah? I'll meet you there.

[hexappeal]

[She kind of steps to the side to reveal it. She's mostly just... hanging around there... hoping she can find a way back through it. Too iffy to cast spells on it. That's just asking for it to backfire. Probably.]

Guess I'll just get comfy.

[eiremagic]

[Eden comes down about ten minutes later - she's very short, only about five-zero.]

Oy, sorry about the wait.

[hexappeal]

[How charming. She doesn't think too much of it since a good two inches or so often come from her heels. She's not exactly towering, but it's always nice to be "the tall one," she thinks.]

Didn't have any other plans, exactly. I'd only be annoyed if you ditched completely.

[eiremagic]

No, Frankie's working tonight so there's no reason to ditch.

Zatanna, yeah?

[Eden starts off, leading her through the square]

Someone explain shite to you yet?

[hexappeal]

Yeah.

[She hesitates for a second, but catches up with long strides.]

Only that I'm stuck and surprise, gods in all dimensions are assholes.

[eiremagic]

That's pretty much it, really.

[hexappeal]

Guess I'd rather it be short, than long. Any other pertinent info? Anything you wish someone would've told you? [Four... years ago...]

[eiremagic]

Yeah. Vampires are mostly shite, people are mostly idiots, and don't get too close to the fucking carousel.

[hexappeal]

Why? Is this some sort of Logan's Run thing?

[eiremagic]

[Eden hasn't seen the movie....]

Well you can ride it if you really want, bu they say the thing powers the City. There's a clock underneath it.

If you don't like ticking you should get a roommate. Or a pet.

[hexappeal]

[Man, you kids these days.]

So... proceed at my own caution?

And what do you mean? What correlation is there between ticking and roommates or pets?

[eiremagic]

The ticking is worse when you're alone, is all.

And yeah. About once a year some stupid shite decides to look at it and it fucks everyone in the face.

[hexappeal]

Makes sense. Guess I've not been here long enough that I want to throw myself out a window because of it yet, huh?

[That just. Does not. Sound appealing, hahaha. She smiles, thinly.] I'll avoid it, then. I'd rather not be the one that causes that.

[eiremagic]

Right.

Yeah, it's shite. But people can be all right when they're not being idiots.

[She starts down a tunnel that's heading down, down, down]

[hexappeal]

Same as everywhere, then.

[Ugh. This feels totally ominous. She's ready to blab something backwards at a moment's notice. She's in an alternate dimension, probably going to go into the sewers, and she is going to die here. And no one will ever know except the Phantom Stranger and he obviously doesn't care since he's not here, hovering around.

Welp. Might as well die gracefully.]