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[From the moment the feed began, Zatanna's surroundings were a little more visible than usual. The Welcome Center, with her leaning slightly back. Clearly prepared to get comfortable if necessary. As if she planned on sitting there for a while.]

Hey, everyone.

[And to start, she waved at the camera. Master of showmanship, this one.]

Okay, so, most of you probably at least recognize my face by now. Because if not, I'm so not doing my job properly.

I'm Zatanna. I run the Welcome Center, and...well, let's just say there's a reason for that. I've kind of been here a while. Like, a really long while. Including that year we all spent in the Dreaming Realm...probably more than five years by now. Man, time sure does fly when you adjust to your kidnapping, huh?

[Jokes aside...]

A lot's happened in that time. I mean, we're talking everything from zombies to ghost possessions to baby turtles dream-hopping to people's powers getting all messed up. We used to have Emperors, you know. Like an actual monarchy. Oh, and that whole thing with the shell starting to glow? Yeah, that's definitely not new, though I haven't seen it since Ast--I mean, the Great Turtle was busy not being in a coma.

So, yeah, I guess if anybody has any questions on that sort of thing, I'm here to answer them as best as I can. I mean, I figured, share the wealth, you know? Since you all deserve to know what kind of place you were brought to, and how this whole thing all started in the first place.

((ooc: As I mentioned here, I did recently put together a basic list of plot-relevant events of the past for newcomers to check out. But here's a chance for your characters to get in on the story IC. Not ALL of it, of course, and these stories will be told from Zatanna's IC perspective, which can sometimes be a bit misleading or even missing information...but fellow Turtle Veterans are also welcome to join in on conversations. Mix and mingle and possibly threadjack at will!))

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Sooo...that's a yes, then.

[He was almost making this too easy.]

[He's sloooooooowly slinking out of view. ]

Beepbeepbeepbeep.

Yep. I think that's my fire alarm. I should go deal with that.

Bye. Bye.

Alright. If you insist.

But just so you know, whenever I don't get a straight answer about something, my imagination tends to start to wander...fill in the blanks...

Yeah. Sure. You have fun with that little mental dot-to-dot. Knock yourself out.

[Boo. You're no fun.]

I will, thanks.

[And then, because she knew she could only get so far with only teasing...]

Little word of advice from someone who's been there? If you really think she likes you back...then I say go for it.

Worked for us.

[Grooooooan, Zatanna you are the worst. Still, he's realising she's not going away, so might as well make this as painless as possible.]

You say that like I haven't. She doesn't take it seriously. And the one time I actually tried to tell her properly I got shot with a hate arrow and honestly don't remember anything that happened for most of the day but apparently I was a jerk to her. So...probably not a good idea.

Edited 2016-07-28 22:13 (UTC)

[Only most of the time.]

[Right then, for instance, she dropped any remaining pretense of humor and instead sent him a look of sympathy.]

So, what, you think she hates you now because of that? You couldn't explain?

I don't think she hates me, no. It was the first time I was mind-controlled against her, but it wasn't the last, either. I think she just rolls with it. It's just- weird.

She's really strict on us not knowing our civilian identities, too. Keep things professional, you know? So...casual flirting and exasperated put downs is how it's gonna be.

[She sighed a little too heavily at that, a hand rising to her head at the memory.]

Oh, yeah. I remember those days.

...would you believe his dad had to finally tell me who he was? That's how bad things were with the whole Secret Identity thing.

Guess I'm not the only one who's sailed on this cruddy ship. Yay.

Wow, that's pretty bad. I'm not sure if anyone back home knows who she really is. A girl back home blogs Ladybug's every move and even she hasn't worked it out.

Who said anything about sailing?

We were together...basically until he disappeared on me. Went back home again. [Where they will...proceed to continue flirting even after they hook up and subsequently break up (amicably). Because that's life.] It just came down to whether I dated him or his civilian identity.

[So...still complicated, but she got a great boyfriend out of the deal for a while.]

...Oh.

[Well. That's depressing.

He would have thought having someone who understood what this felt like would give him a little comfort in this mess he's in. Turns out, it just gives him new things to worry about. What if he ever did pluck up the courage to tell Ladybug that he loved her? What then? What if she still wanted to keep her identity a secret? Nothing he's done so far has convinced her to let go of it- and he's respected her enough to keep to her wishes. If she felt the same about him at all (which he's still not convinced she does) what then?

Would it be a separate thing? Would he continue to only be part of half of her life? Would she even let him tell her who he really is? Because he wants to- so much. He wants to give her both sides of his life, even if he knows the same might not be applicable when it came to her.]

...That must have been hard.

[It might not have offered much comfort...but what she could offer was a glimpse at what could be. One possibility out of so many.]

Kind of, yeah.

But you know what? Looking back...it was almost worth it, because we still got to be together. I mean, his superhero identity had to take a bit of an ego blow, but I could still walk the streets in the daytime by his side and not have to worry about anyone seeing us.

[The question is now, could he be happy with that? So much of his life has revolved around being pushed aside, always in second place for everyone. A stupid, foolish part of him thought that maybe, maybe for once he could be important to someone. That he could be important to her.

But maybe that is wanting too much. He knows Ladybug will always, always put the job first, and he understands that. It's one of the things he loves her for. Perhaps, conversely, that means he'd have to learn to settle with whatever he got. Same old story. ]

But it's still only half a person's life. That's how this superhero gig works, right? Everything is suddenly split in two.

[It IS comforting to talk to someone about this. Someone who understands how it all works. ]

...Though I guess you learn to live with whatever you can get. When you care about them.

Mmm...more like you're leading two separate lives altogether, I'd say. If you go the Secret Identity route. Which, in case you haven't guessed, I never bothered with.

[Ironically, that was what made her have to chose in the end. If she'd had two personalities as well...one could have been with Robin, and the other with Dick. But everybody only knew her as Zatanna. Both in Keelai and back in their world. If he were to maintain his duel lives, they he couldn't very well be seen dating her as both personalities. Then everybody's egos would have suffered.]

It seems to be a normal thing here on the turtle. Forgoing the secret identity thing. But I get it, thanks.

[It's not easy, juggling it all. He'd thought it would be simple, if it would happen at all, but now he realises...well. It's more of a complicated web than he thought. Superheroing is hard. ]

Weren't you ever worried it would put people you knew as a civilian in danger? Not having keeping your quote-unquote 'real' life a secret?

[There's nothing judgemental in his tone. It's genuine curiosity. ]

Not really.

[She got why people did worry. Really. It was just...a lifetime of experience told her that the fears weren't always warranted.]

I mean, growing up, dad always had more trouble keeping the papparazzi away than any bad guys. I think they were too busy coming up with new evil schemes than holding personal grudges. I mean, there are a lot of us.

The paparazzi can be a real pain sometimes.

[He almost says more, but catches himself in time. Too close to who he really is, that. ]

I guess there really is safety in numbers. I don't really have the luxury. The guy causing trouble for me and Ladybug will stop at pretty much nothing to get what he wants from us. And there's only the two of us.

[She didn't think much of it, really. Except a note in the back of her mind that the media was a presence among heroes in other worlds, too. Typical.]

Really? Just the two?

Are you sure about that?

There's supposed to be other Miraculous holders- but the only one I've ever heard of outside me and Ladybug is Papillon, he has the butterfly one. But he;s also the guy trying to bring Paris to its knees ever other day- so not going to be helping us on the hero front ever.

...There's a fox too, but I've never seen them. Probably a couple others, as well. But I've never come across them in the flesh.

[Volpina absolutely did not count, she was an illusion- which was ironic when he really thought about it.]

Huh. So...Ladybugs...Cats...Butterflies...Foxes...

Kind of an obvious theme. Cute, but obvious.

I know, right? Whoever made them...assuming they were made at all had a real thing for the animal kingdom.

I do wonder if the others will ever show up, though. Not that we need the help or anything, but I can't help but be curious. It's in my nature and all.

You make it sound like you're really part cat.

[A pause. A long...contemplative pause.]

...you're not...are you?

Kiiiind of but also not?

[Look it's really complicated. ]

My Kwami is a cat, he's the sprite that...I guess becomes a part of me when I turn into my beautiful self. So I may be a tiny bit part cat. Currently.

[...o...kay.]

[Then again, one of her teammates was literally a martian, and the other was a clone of a Kryptonian, so...couldn't really say too much.]

Huh.

We have a villain...well sort of a villain...long story...like that back home. Only I'm pretty sure she wasn't actually part cat. She just...acted like one. I think.

So I've heard.