Arthur's Opening

by **TheDeceiverGod** 11/10/2013, 7:36 pm

7:49 PM Thursday November 5th Gotham City

It was a dark and stormy night in downtown Gotham, but it’s not like that was that unusual, and of course, the show must go on.

This particular show was drawing all the right people to the Gotham City Grande Theater, Bruce Wayne, Maxwell Lord, Oswald Cobblepot, Carmine Falcone, Rupert Thorn, even Mayor Hamilton Hill had managed to score tickets. It was a first class affair to be sure.

Which might explain why it had trouble filling the Grande Theater in downtown Gotham; there were only so many first class people in Gotham to fill it with.

Still appearances had to be maintained and so the manager had come up with an ingenious idea; he gave the extra seats to his employees, they still had to work, but they could sell or give them to their relatives. It was scheduled to be a full house.

The Gotham City Royalty were walked in the Grande doors; the rest of the attendees were just sort of let in through one of the other entrances. The drinks were overpriced enough that anyone with some sense just went with the slightly-less overpriced water.

Of course if your mother was the bartender-

Mrs. Fox wrote:
Mrs. Fox was never the most stunning of women; oh sure enough she had been attractive in her hay day, but the life of a military wife, the loss of her husband and the rearing of a young son with a habit of going out too late at night and coming home with scrapes bruises and on one particular evening a deceased girlfriend, had weathered her a bit.

Still, she cleaned up nicely and even if she was living in Gotham, she wasn’t living in Hub; and that was probably one of the few places that were harder to live in than Gotham City. That much had certainly taken a few wrinkles off her face.

“Here you are Mr. Wayne, two bottles of Champaign, three glasses and, an apple-tini…” Mrs. Fox tried to smile, but the women hanging off Bruce Wayne were making it hard… They certainly didn’t look like the sort of women who belonged in the Grande Theater.

“Thanks doll, here’s some money. Keep the change.” Mr. Wayne handed her a few hundred dollars; and then just sort of walked away, arm in arm with a pair of… well, the polite term would probably have been bimbos.

Mrs. Fox looked down to the money she had been handed and quickly counted it out. “Well, at least he’s a good tipper.” Over twice the cost of the drinks in the first place. “Though I guess if you can afford to be.” She shrugged again, muttering to herself as she tucked the cash down into the register; before someone caught her eye.

“Arthur!”

by **Vandal** 11/11/2013, 12:03 am

Stopping in his tracks, Arthur turned to the all too familiar voice. A smile spread across his face, as he warmly responded to his mother.

"Mum! There you are, you look lovely tonight. Was that Bruce Wayne?"

The inquiry on her last customer was more of an ice breaker than an actual interest in the the socialite. He was of course, more interested in the main event at hand, even though he was sure he wouldn't be impressed, earthly magic usually never was, but maybe it was the fact that his magic was real that made shows like this more interesting. Trying to figure out how man would pull off an illusion on stage, in front of a group of witnesses is an impressive feat.

Arthur walked over to her and leaned over the bar to embrace his mother, his mind wandering off here and there, wondering if he should have kept his tie on in retrospective, after watching a dapper looking billionaire walk off, albeit with babes and booze.

"Thank you for the entrance, much appreciated."

Another sudden afterthought, since he rarely ever saw his mother at work, he nearly asked for a scotch and soda, neat, but decided against it. It only felt strange to him to order a drink from someone who had taken care of him nearly all his life.

by **TheDeceiverGod** 11/16/2013, 4:37 am

7:49 PM Thursday November 5th Gotham City

Mrs. Fox wrote:

“It certainly was.” Mrs. Fox said with a broad smile; stepping around the bar to give her son a hug. “Promise me that no matter what happens, how much money you make, you won’t end up like that man?” She teased just lightly, before giving Arthur a pleasant pat on the back.

“I would offer to fix you something, but everything here is-” She paused for a moment before leaning in. “overpriced.” It wasn’t exactly a secret. “And don’t worry about the tickets; confidentially the seats aren’t very good.” The tickets the theater handed out to its employees weren’t very good; they were the ones they couldn’t sell after all.

“But hey, can’t complain about a free show?” She offered him a warm smile. “I just hope you won’t be too bored.”

by **Vandal** 11/17/2013, 12:01 pm

Arthur scoffed at the idea of women draping over his shoulders, he still wore a lady bug button in his lapel as a commemoration to Azalea. He shook his head, "You don't have to worry," pulling back slightly just to show a little more reassurance, "I'm not ever going to turn into that."

He was aware that the drinks were overpriced, it wasn't that he couldn't afford one, he just wasn't ready to spend $27 for a drink. Arthur simply nodded at his mother at the mention of the beverage. It would still be very strange in his minds eye to see her serve him alcohol.

Arthur knew his mother had sacrificed a lot for him, the thought she was still thinking of him meant a lot.

"I thought this was a magic show, I don't think I'll get as bored as I would a political debate; and as long as a pillar isn't blocking my view, I doubt any other seat could be bad. Say, is it starting soon, or did I get here too early?"

by **TheDeceiverGod** 12/1/2013, 2:41 am

Mrs. Fox wrote:
“Oh not just any magic show.” Mrs. Fox began a broad smile slowly spreading across her face. “This is Zatanna Zatara; the greatest magician in the world!” She announced with a little bit of show biz flare, and a pair of jazz hands. A few of the customers looked their way but none of them seemed to mind much; that was the title of the show, and she was a theater employee after all.

A chime sounded and a few ushers started herding the crowd into the theater proper. “Oh, speaking of.” Mrs. Fox smirked rather, maternally, to Arthur, tilting her head to one side and looking at him like he was fifteen again. “Have fun Arthur, lemme know what you think of it after okay?”

Bruce Wayne wrote:
“Alright brace yourselves ladies! I hear this is the greatest magic show on earth, and that Zatanna doesn’t wear pants for any of it! Haha!”

Bruce’s Blonde Floozy wrote:
“Heehe! Oh Brucy you’re so bad~”

Arthur’s seat wasn’t terrible. There wasn’t a pillar blocking his view at least; of course there wasn’t much of a view to be blocked. He was maybe in twenty or twenty-fifth row back from the stage, on the far left. It was a little hard to see center stage, and it was a little bit impossible to see right stage. He was also nowhere near any of the speakers.

It took a fair while for all the patrons to file into the theater and then find their seats. It was going to be a pack house, rich folk all the way from Star City had come to see this show; though they seemed to subscribe to the Bruce Wayne school of being obscenely rich.

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
The lights dimmed, the crowd quieted, the orchestra started up a subtle murmur.

Then the curtain raised and a complete bare, down to the boards, stage was displayed to the theater patrons.

The sound of heels clicking across the bare wooden boards of the stage were picked up by the button mic and broadcast out to the audience; she made certain to gage her steps so there was something of a rhythm to them, the orchestra matched them, it was something she had practiced.

The lone figure of Zatanna Zatara stepped out onto the stage and struck a pose, her back facing the audience. “Well, when I told my stage dresser I wanted things sparse this is not what I meant.” She spoke with a humorous timbre, setting her hands on her hips and popping them to side as she scoffed.

by **Vandal** 12/2/2013, 11:47 pm

A wave of a slight chuckle circled the auditorium, Arthur laughed to himself as he leaned back into his chair, not sure if the laugh was only prompted by everyone else or if it was genuinely funny. Still, he was determined to see what slight of hand Zatanna could pull off, and see if he could diagnose it for himself.

by **TheDeceiverGod** 12/8/2013, 12:41 am

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
“Not a problem though.” Zatanna announced, spinning on one heel; literally, she was in high high heels. She slipped a long black wand from up her coat sleeve; which would have appeared to have, well, appeared in her hand if those watching hadn’t have been watching carefully.

“It’s nothing a little magic can’t fix.” The magician used her newly acquired wand to push her hat back on her head, and those in the front row could watch her crinkle her nose in a very; bewitching, way. “Tes eht egats!” She announced with a wave of her wand; which left a trail of sparks and sparkles behind it as she waved it in a cute little design.

The arcane sparks doubled themselves, and then doubled themselves again, falling to the floor before doubling themselves a third time. They moved back in a wave; catching Zatanna’s coattails with them and fluttering the little flaps hanging back from her hips as they flew over the bare boards of the stage, and helped it to stop looking so bare.

The curtain in the back of the stage changed its color from maroon to a startlingly vibrant scarlet at the bottom nearest the stage, fading to an almost midnight blue up behind the rafters. While to either side of the stage stood tall, man-sized boxes of dubious purpose flanked the stage and to top it all off large white letters hung in an arc on the curtain spelling out:

Z A T A N N A ~ Z A T A R A
The Mistress of Magic

Zatanna turned her back toward the audience, setting her fists on her hips; and perking up her rear just a little. “Now that’s much better.”

by **Vandal** 12/9/2013, 3:44 pm

No. There was no way.

No.

Yet, Arthur knew it in his heart. That was undoubtably backwards magic. He had heard of Zatanna, he didn't know she knew backwards magic, or that she used backwards magic publicly in her acts, nor was he aware if he was the only one in the entire audience who knew what she was doing. While the rest of the auditorium cheered in amusement, Arthur sat back into his seat. His mom had to know this, he wasn't sure if she did, but this was amazing.

He began imagining having a conversation with her; picturing what she was like behind the curtain. Arthur tended to get ahead of himself way too often, all of a sudden, Zatanna was his magic friend, and they'd have tea and chips in his mind's eye. Though she would probably have to deal with Earl Gray despite the fact she's a coffee person. What did he know? He was just picturing it.

The spells she was casting though, they were so controlled, so advanced. It was like she could say damn near anything and the magic would pretty much work for her! It was incredible.

He had to meet her after the show.

by **TheDeceiverGod** 12/27/2013, 8:08 am

10:03 PM Thursday November 5th

Zatanna’s show went on for several hours, during which she performed every trick in the book, and a few from a different book. She sawed a, male, assistant in half, and then had him wiggle his toes; but the truly impressive part was when she had the lower-box wander around the stage, despite her ‘best’ efforts to contain and capture it, alongside of course some considerable lamentations from the assistant’s top-half. It was more amusing for the front rows that could see his expressions, but their laughter conveyed them almost as well.

Of course nearly every activity was accompanied by a flurry of sparkles and glitter, occasionally streamers even sprayed out over the audience; again those in the front row were the only ones these flourishes landed on. Some guests seemed more amused than other, particularly in the case of the glitter… some got on both Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen… Bruce also caught a streamer however.

The amount of real magic taking place in the majority of the show was small and well hidden. Zatanna used both her misdirection and prestidigitation to dazzle and mislead the eye, showing it only what she wanted her audience to see, and so often murmuring a spell beneath her breath while her assistant; handsome man that he was, prepared some new artifact of lore or, more likely, charlatan’s prop. Zatanna certainly acted like it was an artifact of lore, but it probably wasn’t.

It totally could have been though.

It wasn’t, and like the rest of the mundane magic item the magician had conjured to decorate her stage it was carted of stage by her assistant, and a few stage hands.

Zatanna Zatara wrote:

“And now, for my final trick.” Zatanna smirked out to the crowd, tipping her off her head, spinning it around her fingers for a moment before holding it out inverted. “I’d like to pull a rabbit out of my hat.” The magician smirked, pausing for the wave of confusion to work its way through the crowd; these high profile places always wondered why ‘The World’s Greatest Magician’ would do such a unimaginative trick for her grand finale. “Trust me, it’s hard than it looks.” She assured the audience with a wink.

And then she pulled out her wand and circled it around the brim of her hat. “warD a elttil nam morf eht ecneidua.” The magician chanted as she circled her pointer around the brim of her hat, little sparkles trailing off it… “Alright bunny…” She tucked the wand up behind her back and it disappeared, before she reached her hand down into her hat. “Come on out…” She spoke, projecting a bit as she dipped her entire arm down into her hat, far more depth than the relatively small top hat should have contained. She was up in it down to her shoulder and the hat was only half that tall.

Then her fingers showed themselves, or at least someone’s fingers showed themselves, reaching down from the rafters resembling the hand of god, huge and massive, and definitely Zatanna’s. The hand came down, spreading its fingers as it reached into the audience; and wrapped its large lithe digits up around a member of the audience.

A member who sat nearer the back than the front, a member who was a; relatively handsome, young man, who had come there by himself, and whose mother worked as the bartender in the lobby; Zatanna using real magic, reached down from the dark of the ceiling, to pluck Arthur out of the crowd.

Zatanna drew her hand back out of her hat, and with it the large hand plucking the young man from his seat and drawing him from her hat at less than a quarter of his previous height. Zatanna smirked. “Well, you’re not bugs; but you’re just as cute.” She teased, leaning in and scrunching her nose up before dipping down in a low bow to set the miniaturized Arthur on the floor; drawing her wand from the null space behind her back as part of the dip.

“nruteR mi hot reporp ezis.” She recited with a flick of her wrist and a fair amount of undue sparkles; returning Arthur to his proper size on the stage beside her, before taking a bow as her audience erupted into cheering.

by **Vandal** 12/31/2013, 5:39 pm

Whoa. She's hot.

Mere feet away, he could actually smell her. He wondered if it was creepy, until he rationalized that anyone who could sit in the palm of her hand would catch her scent. She was probably not more than a few years older that him, but then again, she could be older than a century old and he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Up close and personal, Zatanna was taller than he perceived her to be on stage, probably an inch shorter than himself if you take away her heels, but still rather tall for an average woman. At least taller than the women that usually surrounded himself. Her legs were up to her neck, her ebony hair fell playfully down her shoulders, and despite the hours of being under harsh light and sparks, she didn't break a sweat.

In the event she could read minds, Arthur tried to focus on standing properly in front of the hundreds of audience before him. Yet, he couldn't get his eyes off her. She was mesmerizing, literally: something else. Her toothy grin drew him in, and he couldn't resist smiling himself, and clapping along with the roaring crowd.

"That's the best backwards magic I've ever seen."

Did he say that out loud? He wasn't sure. It didn't look like she heard him. Better back off carefully.

by **TheDeceiverGod** 1/4/2014, 10:58 am

10:04 PM Thursday November 5th

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
“Thank you! Thank you!” Zatanna bowed and bent, sweeping her arms out as she soaked up the adulation of her fans. “And let’s hear it for this young man!” She offered taking a step back from Arthur as she and her assistant let him take center stage. Zatanna even applauded a little herself. “So cooperative, and polite!” She joked, clapping her hands and beaming to the young boy at her side.

“Go ahead and take a bow!” She encouraged, taking another bow synchronized with her assistant, then one more before it became apparent that Arthur wasn’t going to take a bow himself. “Or not, that’s okay too!” She laughed.

The only time the magician broke her composure was the moment Arthur spoke; and even then it was only for a half second. “Ha-haha.” Zatanna laughed it off. “Flattery will get you everywhere son.” She projected so that; with the help of her button mic, the audience could hear her say it. A light wave of laughter rolled through the still applauding crowd.

Zatanna turned back toward her audience. “Well ladies and gentleman that’s the show! You’re free to stick around but I hear Batman has a thing against vagrancy!” The crowd laughed; Bruce Wayne smiled, and the curtain started to close.

Zatanna kept bowing until the curtains were juuust about closed, and then—

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
—She grabbed Arthur by his sleeve. “Okay kid; start talking before I turn you into a toad.” She had a wand pointed at his nose.

Her assistant had a knife.

Zatanna Zatara:

by **Vandal** 1/6/2014, 12:02 pm

What was once a bright red shade of embarrassment, turned into darker red, the sort of blush that was triggered by fear as swear rolled down his neck and stained his collar. Arthur panicked, he needed for them to stop in their tracks. He needed to think for a second. Tempted to cast a freezing spell to give him a moment, he didn't want to test Zatanna's powers. Maybe she could counter him, he wasn't sure. The only other person he ever met who had any connection to magic was a drunk old detective years ago, and he never tried anything with him. His first choice was to lie, maybe 'I don't know what you're talking about' might work. Yet, it never did.

Overthinking everything, he could only muster up the first thing on his mind. His hands poised flat in the air, he spoke clearly, yet genuinely confused. He positive this was in reference to backwards magic, but he was more concerned why it was a knife pointing, toad casting matter.

"What?"

by **TheDeceiverGod** 1/17/2014, 12:04 pm

10:04 PM Thursday November 5th

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
“Don’t play dumb kid, it doesn’t suit you.” Zatanna remarked, edging in a little closer. “You mention Backward Magic; now there are maybe a dozen people who know I’m more than just a stage magician, and probably half of them want to kill me.” Those numbers were terribly toned down, and that’s just counting the Justice League.

“Now, given that I don’t recognize you, you have precisely ten seconds to convince me you’re not from the half that wants to kill me.” She closed in a little further, pressing Arthur a little further toward her knife-wielding assistant.

by **Vandal** 1/17/2014, 12:24 pm

This wasn't how Arthur imagined his first conversation with her in his head, her stern features made Arthur's knees buckle and his feet constantly back up. He just had to blurt something out.

"I use to practice backwards magic too, I recognized it on stage, I didn't think much of it, backwards magic, not your performance--excellent by the way--I was just excited to see I'm not the only one who does it, I didn't think it had many other applications other than the occasional fireworks, I don't want to turn into a toad-"

Arthur stopped to catch his breath, was his ten seconds up? He probably jumbled words together, he felt scatterbrained and he thought for a second about what he said.

"Can you really turn me into a toad?" He asked, not wanting to see a demonstration.

by **TheDeceiverGod** 2/14/2014, 10:01 am

10:04 PM Thursday November 5th

Zatanna Zatara wrote:
“Yes, I really can turn you into a toad.” Zatanna replied, just a little cross. She looked the kid up and down once more, before lowering her wand; and then almost immediately after she had lowered it to her side Zatanna raised it back up again and pressed the flat head square against Arthur’s forehead. “kaeps eht hturt!” She announced in her most authoritative voice, before lowering the wand once more.

“Do you really practice backward magic?” Zatanna began, fiddling with her wand between her fingers. “What is your name? Where did you come from? What are you doing here? How much do you know about me?” She fired off the questions one after another, pausing only for a moment before adding in. “What do you have against toads?” Simply because she had him under the truth spell anyway

He assistant did lower his knife though.

Roll a will save to resist the spell Touch of Truthtelling (Arcane variant)

by **Vandal** 2/18/2014, 1:28 am

A strange sensation overwhelmed Arthur as his mouth opened without his consent. "I use to, not anymore. Arthur James Fox. My mother works here and got me a ticket. I only know you from this show. They taste funny."

So that's how it feels like. He's done something similar to that himself, but at least he was conscious of his actions. He only wondered what Zatanna was planning to do with him, why it was important. She wasn't going to kill him, was she? The assistant with the knife seemed to suggest it, despite him lowering it.

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