9083/Don't Shoot The Messenger

Don't Shoot The Messenger
Date of Scene:	05 September 2019
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	No clue what happened in this scene.
Cast of Characters:	87, Zachary Zatara

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Vorpal (87) has posed:
It is, overall, a quiet evening. There is something about Wednesday nights sometimes... it's as if crime also suffered from the Hump-day blues.

Hence, why Vorpal is currently perched on a tree branch in Central Park, munching on a PB&J sandwich. He has been everywhere that he thought could be trouble, and things are eerily calm- so the Cheshire cat has decided to surrender to the flow of the night and is having an early late dinner.

He perks his ears up as he hears someone running. Perhaps someone is running for their lives? In need of assistance, chased by a-

Nope. Jogger.

He deflates and takes another bite out of his sandwiches.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
MEANWHILE IN THE SHADOWCREST

A woman with black silky hair and a throat adorned with heavy necklaces holds crystal balls in her outstretched hands. The younger man before her is dressed down, considerably so compared to his 'work' clothes, in his jammies. He holds a wand and uses it to scroll through the images projected by the magical orbs.

It's late, and scrying can be a horribly dull affair especially when you've literally know nothing about the people you're looking for. A bright-eyed heroine, scroll, a young man green head to toe, scroll, a cowled vigilante, scroll, a raven-haired young woman, oh interesting but above his pay grade, SCROLL, an...anthropomorphic feline. That's...useful. And it just so happens he is at the scene of the crime.

"Bunny, it's showtime."

BACK AT CENTRAL PARK

An unnatural mist gathers around the tree across the one Vorpal's parked on, crackling as it molds into two figures. One steps forward first, after the other clears his throat. It's the same feminine figure from before. "You have the honor of being in the presence of the Great Zatara, Prince of Predestination and Master of Magic."

"Try not to go overboard on the introductions, Bunny," The boy steps forward, dressed in too formal attire considering he's in a park. Black slacks that flow uninterrupted into shiny black shoes. An impeccable tuxedo. He's even got the white gloves. "Besides, pretty sure he already knows who I am."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal raises an eyebrow and smirks, leaning fully against the tree in order to stretch his shape in full along the branch as only felines can. "I don't know. You meet one dashing betuxed prestidigitator, you've met all of them. It's..." he snaps his fingers, as if trying to recall a name, "Copperfield, right?"

He gives Zachary one of his high-wattage grins. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this razzle dazzle visit?"

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Close but not quite," Zachary Zatara steps out of the shadow of the taller tree. Indeed, his tux is dashing and pristine, but that face of his has seen better days. A cut runs along his left cheekbone, red and recent, and he looks so so tired despite his best efforts. "I have an important missive."

"You //are// a Titan, right?" Surprise surprise, Zach doesn't keep up with heroes much, unless their surname is Zatara. "I think I met another from your creed," He lifts a gloved hand about half a feet over his head. "Yeay tall, orange, beautiful complexion? Potentially an alcoholic?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal raises an eyebrow, "Geez, I need to fire my agent. I guess I should be grateful you didn't call me Snagglepuss..."

He tilts his head and narrows his eyes. "Tall, orange, potential alcoholic... are you sure you're not thinking about Tigra? She's with the Avengers, not us, I think. I don't think we have anyone who is orange in our roster, unless you're thinking of Stardust when she tried that phony spray-on tan..."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Who? No, she was not another cat," Zachary narrows his eyes perplexed. Why did Starfire say go to the Titans if they did not know who she was? "She never gave me a name, but she was a princess. Most likely, an alien."

"Bunny, pull up the frames," The woman behind him vanishes, turning into a white rabbit and hoppity-hopping away. Zach lets out a sigh. "Anyway, you are telling me you have no tangerine princesses amongst your ranks? None at all?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal ponders for a moment, until 'alien' and 'princess' are brought up. He snaps his fingers- which is more of a 'fwump' than a 'snap', because of fur. "Oh! You mean Koriand'r, you mean? Huh. Didn't know she was borderline alcoholic. Truth be told I hardly know anything about her, except that she likes mustard far too much for anyone who didn't grow up in Dijon."

The Cheshire cat shrugs and slides, hanging upside-down from the tree, arms crossed and eyes fixed on Zachary. "So, you said you had an important missile from her? I never thought her as someone who invested in armament, what with her ability to pew-pew out of her hands."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
Dark brows furrow, but Zachary will take it. "She apparently isn't all that great with the 'pew-pew' thing, but I said missive, not a missile."

He steps forward and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, so she was abducted? Or captured? Arrested? Honestly, I'm no expert on intergalactic law, but it seemed like a kidnapping from where I was standing. Which was like over there." Central Park is frigging huge, but Zach points vaguely over to where the capture took place. "She told me to contact the Titanssssssh." Zach says, slurring his words. "Did you hear the drunk? That's how she sounded like."

"You guys are, like, a spunky group of young superheroes, yeah?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"We're more of a band of spunky young superheroes surrounding a neurotic prepubescent Batling, but yes, more or less." The cheshire cat hmms and looks in the direction that Zachary points in, "Okay, so the princess has gotten herself in a bind. And you saw the kidnapping. Think you could describe who, or what, kidnapped her? Just so we know what exactly we are dealing with."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Another alien. He snatched her and took her up there." Finger to the sky.

"Rude guy. He called me a buttface and then proceeded to ruin my face," Zachary lifts a hand and brushes the graze on his cheek. With a bit of magic, it might not leave too bad of a scar. "He was tall. taller than princess. White but not Caucasian white obviously. Like white as chalk. Red eyes and - wait wait wait. I can literally just show you."

"Wohs mih ym eof!" A puff of smoke rises from Zach's feet to his head, and in the blink of an eye, he's Lobo...more or less. "Space bounty hunter."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
With a long, critical gaze and a steady eye, Vorpal looks the apparition up and down... or, in this case, down and up. After a long, thougthful pause, he pronounces a portentuous judgement:

"He looks like a colossal douchebag."

Snapping his fingers, the Cheshire cat summons his own magic and the epiteth he just called Lobo appears floating over Lobo/Zach's head. "Looks like one of those losers who can't get a date on Saturday night and hits the weight room because crying in the shower means he would actually need to take a bath."

Swinging, he lets go of the tree and lands in a three-point landing. "I don't suppose your magic can give us a direction or location name to start with?"

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Right."

Zachary dismisses the illusion and tries to dismiss Vorpal's too, because a douchebag around his head, real or illusive, is not appealing.

"Like a //certifiable// douchebag. This guy fucking called himself 'The Main Man'...like multiple times. Who does that?" Zachary apparently did not like being thrown around like a ragdoll. "That's why I need to be around when you guys take him down."

He continues, "He explained that he needed to take her back to her homeworld. Unharmed. So they're no longer on this planet."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Hm, we may have to pass this on to the League. They have space-faring tech that we don't." The Cheshire cat walks over to Zachary and frowns, looking at his face, "And it looks like he did a number on you."

He pauses for a few seconds, examining the magician. "We can go and talk to Diana, she can tell the rest of the big leaguers and a plan may form."

He leans forward and reaches out to look Zachary's face, frowning a bit, "We've got a med bay in the Tower, in case you want to have that shiner looked at..."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Diana? As in, the Wonder Woman. Ughhh," Zachary groans and brushes his hair back with a hand. If he WANTED to get the League involved, he would've just asked Zatanna. This, however, was an issue he hoped to resolve without her specific assistance, though. "Okay okay, phone the League. Koriand'r or whatever specifically mentioned the Titans, so." He shrugs, suddenly looking younger even in that tuxedo.

"I've faced worse," A lie. He doesn't resist being touched, even leaning in so the cat can get a good look. "I'm working on a healing spell currently, but it's still in the beginning stages." Meaning Bunny's safety is threatened. "It'd be cool to check out the Tower, though. Can I bring her with me?" He points down to the white bunny between them, nuzzling against Zach's leg.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal raises an eyebrow and looks down at Bunny. "You know, the last time anyone followed a white rabbit, they got in way over their heads." He chuckles and raises Zachary's chin with a finger, to look at the injury. "Sure, I'll give you two the grand tour and get you a guest visit at the infirmary. While they're patching you up I will page Robin and let them know about this, and I'll send a message to the Embassy."

He shakes his head, "Our only ship is sub-light, Koriand'r should've known that. Or maybe she did and wanted us to know so we could contact the League and get the right people involved. Are you and your...er... bunny ready to come?"

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"She's harmless, I assure you," Zachary drops down to gather Bunny in his arms and lays her gently into a top hat (where the hell did that come from?) before putting the hat on his head.

"Ready as ever," He says, expectant. 'Cause this cat creature of chaos must have another trick up his sleeve. Zach could use a teleportation spell himself, but it's always interesting to see what other mystics are capable of...gods know he doesn't get much exposure to this side of himself outside of his immediate family.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Alright, then." The Cheshire cat gives Zachary an enigmatic smile. "Hold on to your hats!"

Why would he say that? Well, because a Rabbit Hole opens up under their feet, with one single destination: Titan's Tower. As Vorpal vanishes down the trans-dimensional hole, he says only one thing:

"Curioser and curioser!"