tushanshu | 001 ♓ [Video]

Entry tags:

001 ♓ [Video]

[Kaldur takes in the location as calmly as he can after having the strange location explained to him. He knows that this is a city on the back of a turtle—which sounds vaguely like something out of one of the books on surface-dweller mythology he had read once—but why he had been chosen and how cut off his final memories were before arriving here was still a mystery.]

It is said that to better understand your surroundings you must look at it with many eyes. [He is formal, but genial. He does not wish to start a confrontation on his first day.] I am known as Aqualad. It is a very…unique situation in which I find myself. Where we are and how we may have come to be here has been explained to me, but I would greatly appreciate any further information that those who come before me are willing to provide. The frequency of arrivals, whether others have managed to leave before, and general disposition of the native inhabitants would be very helpful. Those I have met so far have been...amicable, I can say.

[If none respond, he will have to seek a less direct route of coming by the information. He bows his head slightly, but visibly.] Thank you for your time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think it's pretty safe to say she has no idea. She might be able to sense there's something magical about it, but I had that covered.

[It's not a lie when she claims that it could just as easily be her inside the helmet people are sensing. Just covering up the truth with a believed truth.]

Of all things, she tried to sell it. Over the open Network.

[Kaldur is more disturbed by the blatant lack of concern this person is showing. Anything could happen. He knows full well that if pushed Nabu will take any host he can, and it does not need to be one with magical compatibility.]

We cannot allow it to be left in the hands of someone who does not know its power when someone else they come across may. That is too dangerous.

Tell me something I don't know.

[A sigh, and she looks down. Genuinely upset by all this, though she rarely lets it show. Only in front of the people she trusts most.]

I don't know what to do, Aqualad. This is all my fault. Again.

You acted thinking what you were doing would be helpful. You could not have expected this outcome. No one could. [Kaldur can understand why she would feel guilty, but he is not one for assigning blame when finding a solution is more pertinent. Allowing Zatanna to dwell too much does not help anyone, least of all herself.]

Perhaps we can negotiate with this woman to get the helmet returned?

Already tried.

She wants money.

[And her tone indicates money, in this world, is not something she has an abundance of. Without her father's fortune, she was your average 14-year-old who already worked two part-time jobs just for living expenses.]

...Then we must find a way to get it. I have been told we are expected to find employment here, anyway.

[If only it were that easy. Or Lina was less greedy.]

Getting jobs isn't too difficult.

I managed to find two part-times not too long after I got here. Some days, I work in one of the local ice cream shops. Others, I found this little magic shop that was willing to hire me. It's been enough to get by. [Until now.]

I see. Then I will proceed with finding what...occupations here I am most suited towards.[Kaldur cannot allow this to remain as it is. It is too serious a situation and hopefully more people working towards raising the funds will make it go faster.]

Do you know if there is anything else she might be able to be negotiate to accept in exchange?

I tried to bluff my way into getting her to think I could help her get more money off the other stuff she stole with information. She wanted too many specifics, and basically called me on it.

That's really all it seems to come down to, with her. Making as much as she can. I don't think she really cares about anything or anyone else.

So we would need to find a way to appeal to her sense of greed enough that she would see more benefit to herself in giving it to us.

[Kaldur is not so good when it comes to monetary negotiations. Atlantis' wealth is distributed more communally--even with there still being those who have a greater wealth among them.]

Perhaps Robin may know of a way to convince her. And if she still refuses...we may have to make her accept it is not hers to keep.

Yeah, good luck with that last one.

Though if either of you have any suggestions as to how, I'm all ears.

[Her words make his brow furrow in consideration.] Is she that powerful?

I don't know. She might be.

[To be able to sneak in the Emperor's private chambers and make off with that much stuff, Zatanna just assumed she had to be.]

That's the thing that worries me most about this place. Magic is everywhere. I can sense it, but I can't tell where it's coming from. So I don't know if what I'm sensing is from her, or from someone near her, or something. It's not even worth the headaches, honestly.

That could pose a problem, but between the three of us, I would think we can come up with some options that may be open to us. We have faced worse odds before.

True.

[A pause. She visibly relaxes, and the smile that appears seems a little more genuine than before.]

Have I mentioned I'm really glad you're here?

[She might not've been an official member of the team by her current point in time, but she was pretty positive the formalities were inevitable. And Aqualad had such a commanding presence, it was hard not to feel relieved that he was around.]

[The smile he gives in return is soft and supportive. He may not want to be here, but if he had the choice of being here or going and leaving his team...he would never choose to leave.]

...Thank you, Zatanna. The circumstances are not what I would wish, but I believe this is where I am meant to be.

For now.

Until we all make it home.

[...though...after the things she's been through, and the people she's met, going home seems a little sadder than it used to.]

Yes. We all will. We just need to learn what we can to give ourselves the advantage here. I will need your assistance in acclimating myself.

Like you could stop me.

Anything you need, just name it. We're in this together, right?

Yes, I know. Our team is always stronger together as a whole rather than the sum of its parts. Thank you.

Speaking of...where did they put you?

[If she were a better, she'd put a healthy amount on Water Sector.]

[Kaldur chuckles then.] I am sure the answer is more than obvious. I'm grateful, considering the access to salt water within the buildings.

Which building?

2B. My kind and queen are in the same building.

[Now, Zatanna knows about Aquaman and the Queen from seeing them over the Network. But she's already become well aquatinted with doubles and multiverses, and didn't want to assume. Considering she didn't know either of them well to begin with.]

They're here too?

[If Kaldur hasn't noticed anything, however, maybe there was a chance....]

001 ♓ [Video]

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

Re: PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)

PRIVATE (Encryption - 100%)