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DCU: Zatanna Volume 1 Issue 1, "Cigam Wohs"
The year was 2005. A man by the name of Jason Blood sat down in a large grouping of tables and chairs, a stage in front of all of them. A magic show was soon to be performed, by none other than Zatanna Zatara, daughter of Giovanni Zatara. While Jason studies actual, mystical forms of magic, he is fascinated by traditional stage magic, and occasionally likes to see it live. Chatter sparked in bits and pieces throughout the room, though Jason ignored it, and remained silent. He did come here by himself, after all. Later, all spotlights previously facing downward sparked, and faced the stage, causing all chatter to suddenly vanish. One voice is heard, however, which announced the show on an intercom of sorts…
Intercom: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we are proud to unveil to you tonight’s performance, starring one of the greatest magicians who ever lived..! Put your hands together for the one, the only… Zatanna!!!
The red curtain was unveiled, revealing Zatanna, who twirled and frolicked wearing her signature dapper attire, while Jason and the rest of the crowd applauded. Loud music was playing. The music eventually came to an abrupt stop, causing Zatanna to pull off her hat, and bow to the audience.
Zatanna: Thank you, thank you all..!
She then placed her top hat back on her head, concluding her bow…
Zatanna: Now, for my first trick…
She put her hands behind her back for a second, before pulling out a long, black wand with small white tips on each end from behind herself, seemingly from thin air.
Zatanna: …I’ll need the assistance of my magic wand!
In the moment her hand was still behind her back, Jason had noticed something in her eyes. It was faint, but he could see that she was wearing contact lenses, and behind those fake shields of seemingly normal pupils was a flash of white glowing light. Jason assumed it must’ve been in his head, so he ignored it and kept enjoying the show, even though, as a magic user, he knew that a lot of spell-casting came with a flash of white glow in the spell-caster’s eyes.
Zatanna: I will also need the help of an audience member for this trick… Anyone?
A man close to the front raised his hand, a large and tight grin on his wrinkled face.
Man: I’d be happy to.
Zatanna: Wonderful!
She hopped down from the stage, managing not to slip even though she was in heels, while the spotlight still followed her. She faced the end of the wand towards the man, who was still smiling.
Zatanna: Now, I’d like you to take this wand, and snap it in half.
The man took the wand. He looked confused, though still slightly smirking, his head facing downwards, his eyes still locked on Zatanna’s.
Man: Are you sure about this?
Zatanna: Of course!
His at first shaking hands snapped the wand clean down the middle, which caused his hands to stop shaking. Jason brought his finger to his chin, watching the performance, curious to how the trick was going to play out.
Zatanna: Now, snap the two halves again, same as you did the first time.
He did as she instructed. She reached her hand out towards the man, palm facing upward. The man placed all four wand fragments in her hand… She placed them in her other hand behind her back, before revealing both hands with her palms upward. Both were empty. She then turned to a dark haired woman who was sitting beside the smiling man…
Zatanna: Check your purse.
She seemed slightly startled at first, but after a second or two she unzipped the leather purse beside her, revealing a perfectly intact wand.
Woman: My goodness..!
Zatanna: Tah-dah!
The crowd then applauded once more… Now that everyone’s eyes were on Zatanna, she put her hand behind her back again, before revealing she was now holding the wand. A majority of the crowd looked back at the purse, only to see the wand was no longer there. The applause became louder because of this. Jason was confused by how she did it, she was too far from the purse to have taken the wand without anyone noticing… Were strings involved? The possibilities flew through Jason’s mind, every time he convinced himself one wasn’t possible, he considered several more. He was so distracted by that trick, he failed to notice Zatanna now standing over him.
Zatanna: Would someone new like to help me with my next trick?
Jason was stunned, it felt like he blacked out for several minutes. The longer he thought, he realized how long it had been, now realizing she’d done several other tricks he was practically unconscious during. He then, for whatever reason, raised his hand.
Jason: I could assist you.
Zatanna: Alrighty..!
Suddenly, a deck of cards was in her hand. Now up close, Jason was certain he saw the quick flash of light in her eyes. She began shuffling the deck…
Zatanna: Now, say “stop” when ready.
Jason: Hm… Stop.
She stopped flipping through the cards. She pulled the card she stopped at out of the deck, and faced it at Jason and the rest of the audience, not looking at it herself. It was a 5 of clubs.
Zatanna: You’ve seen the card?
Jason: Mhm.
Zatanna: Brilliant…
She placed it back in the deck, still not looking at it. She began shuffling the deck again…
Zatanna: Say stop, same as last time.
Jason: Okay… Stop.
She pulled out the card, a 2 of spades, facing it to Jason.
Zatanna: Is this your card?
Jason: No, no it’s not.
Zatanna looked at it, confused…
Zatanna: Really? Oh, wait, I see the problem…
She shook the card, and turned it back to Jason, suddenly, it was the 5 of clubs. Jason saw the flash of light in her eyes again, along with a slight murmur of something from behind him… It sounded like a voice saying what to most would be considered gibberish, but Jason recognized as a spell. Either it was somehow all in Jason’s head, or the more likely explanation was that Zatanna was cheating in her magic trick, using real spells to make her traditional magic easier. She likely used this spell to teleport the first card to somewhere unknown, and teleport the 5 of clubs into her hand, to make the trick seem more impressive. Jason went along with it.
Zatanna: How about now?
Jason: …Wow. Yes, it is.
Zatanna held the card up to the audience, as the sound of applause returned to the room. Zatanna hopped back onto the stage…
Zatanna: Now, I hope you all enjoyed the show, but I think…
Zatanna rolled up her sleeve slightly, before she looked down at a watch.
Zatanna: …Yes, it’s now 9:30, which means our show is over. Exit the same way you came in, and have a good night!
“It’s already 9:30?” Jason then thought to himself. Everyone in the crowd was shuffling to the exit. Jason noticed Zatanna leaving through the door as well, and decided to follow her, and planned on asking her about the possible magic use. Then outside of the building, Jason saw how dark it had become. The bright, yellow moon looked down at him from above, ominously…
~Madam Web
DCU: Zatanna Volume 1 Issue 1, "Cigam Wohs"
The year was 2005. A man by the name of Jason Blood sat down in a large grouping of tables and chairs, a stage in front of all of them. A magic show was soon to be performed, by none other than Zatanna Zatara, daughter of Giovanni Zatara. While Jason studies actual, mystical forms of magic, he is fascinated by traditional stage magic, and occasionally likes to see it live. Chatter sparked in bits and pieces throughout the room, though Jason ignored it, and remained silent. He did come here by himself, after all. Later, all spotlights previously facing downward sparked, and faced the stage, causing all chatter to suddenly vanish. One voice is heard, however, which announced the show on an intercom of sorts…
Intercom: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we are proud to unveil to you tonight’s performance, starring one of the greatest magicians who ever lived..! Put your hands together for the one, the only… Zatanna!!!
The red curtain was unveiled, revealing Zatanna, who twirled and frolicked wearing her signature dapper attire, while Jason and the rest of the crowd applauded. Loud music was playing. The music eventually came to an abrupt stop, causing Zatanna to pull off her hat, and bow to the audience.
Zatanna: Thank you, thank you all..!
She then placed her top hat back on her head, concluding her bow…
Zatanna: Now, for my first trick…
She put her hands behind her back for a second, before pulling out a long, black wand with small white tips on each end from behind herself, seemingly from thin air.
Zatanna: …I’ll need the assistance of my magic wand!
In the moment her hand was still behind her back, Jason had noticed something in her eyes. It was faint, but he could see that she was wearing contact lenses, and behind those fake shields of seemingly normal pupils was a flash of white glowing light. Jason assumed it must’ve been in his head, so he ignored it and kept enjoying the show, even though, as a magic user, he knew that a lot of spell-casting came with a flash of white glow in the spell-caster’s eyes.
Zatanna: I will also need the help of an audience member for this trick… Anyone?
A man close to the front raised his hand, a large and tight grin on his wrinkled face.
Man: I’d be happy to.
Zatanna: Wonderful!
She hopped down from the stage, managing not to slip even though she was in heels, while the spotlight still followed her. She faced the end of the wand towards the man, who was still smiling.
Zatanna: Now, I’d like you to take this wand, and snap it in half.
The man took the wand. He looked confused, though still slightly smirking, his head facing downwards, his eyes still locked on Zatanna’s.
Man: Are you sure about this?
Zatanna: Of course!
His at first shaking hands snapped the wand clean down the middle, which caused his hands to stop shaking. Jason brought his finger to his chin, watching the performance, curious to how the trick was going to play out.
Zatanna: Now, snap the two halves again, same as you did the first time.
He did as she instructed. She reached her hand out towards the man, palm facing upward. The man placed all four wand fragments in her hand… She placed them in her other hand behind her back, before revealing both hands with her palms upward. Both were empty. She then turned to a dark haired woman who was sitting beside the smiling man…
Zatanna: Check your purse.
She seemed slightly startled at first, but after a second or two she unzipped the leather purse beside her, revealing a perfectly intact wand.
Woman: My goodness..!
Zatanna: Tah-dah!
The crowd then applauded once more… Now that everyone’s eyes were on Zatanna, she put her hand behind her back again, before revealing she was now holding the wand. A majority of the crowd looked back at the purse, only to see the wand was no longer there. The applause became louder because of this. Jason was confused by how she did it, she was too far from the purse to have taken the wand without anyone noticing… Were strings involved? The possibilities flew through Jason’s mind, every time he convinced himself one wasn’t possible, he considered several more. He was so distracted by that trick, he failed to notice Zatanna now standing over him.
Zatanna: Would someone new like to help me with my next trick?
Jason was stunned, it felt like he blacked out for several minutes. The longer he thought, he realized how long it had been, now realizing she’d done several other tricks he was practically unconscious during. He then, for whatever reason, raised his hand.
Jason: I could assist you.
Zatanna: Alrighty..!
Suddenly, a deck of cards was in her hand. Now up close, Jason was certain he saw the quick flash of light in her eyes. She began shuffling the deck…
Zatanna: Now, say “stop” when ready.
Jason: Hm… Stop.
She stopped flipping through the cards. She pulled the card she stopped at out of the deck, and faced it at Jason and the rest of the audience, not looking at it herself. It was a 5 of clubs.
Zatanna: You’ve seen the card?
Jason: Mhm.
Zatanna: Brilliant…
She placed it back in the deck, still not looking at it. She began shuffling the deck again…
Zatanna: Say stop, same as last time.
Jason: Okay… Stop.
She pulled out the card, a 2 of spades, facing it to Jason.
Zatanna: Is this your card?
Jason: No, no it’s not.
Zatanna looked at it, confused…
Zatanna: Really? Oh, wait, I see the problem…
She shook the card, and turned it back to Jason, suddenly, it was the 5 of clubs. Jason saw the flash of light in her eyes again, along with a slight murmur of something from behind him… It sounded like a voice saying what to most would be considered gibberish, but Jason recognized as a spell. Either it was somehow all in Jason’s head, or the more likely explanation was that Zatanna was cheating in her magic trick, using real spells to make her traditional magic easier. She likely used this spell to teleport the first card to somewhere unknown, and teleport the 5 of clubs into her hand, to make the trick seem more impressive. Jason went along with it.
Zatanna: How about now?
Jason: …Wow. Yes, it is.
Zatanna held the card up to the audience, as the sound of applause returned to the room. Zatanna hopped back onto the stage…
Zatanna: Now, I hope you all enjoyed the show, but I think…
Zatanna rolled up her sleeve slightly, before she looked down at a watch.
Zatanna: …Yes, it’s now 9:30, which means our show is over. Exit the same way you came in, and have a good night!
“It’s already 9:30?” Jason then thought to himself. Everyone in the crowd was shuffling to the exit. Jason noticed Zatanna leaving through the door as well, and decided to follow her, and planned on asking her about the possible magic use. Then outside of the building, Jason saw how dark it had become. The bright, yellow moon looked down at him from above, ominously…
~Madam Web