Magic Show [ Zatanna ]

[circe]

Players: The lovely Circe! . . . and that "good witch" Zatanna.
Location(s): Gotham City
Plot Summary: Circe steals a certain magician's magic show -- and let's just say the audience gets their money's worth.

It was the third time she had done a show, and she was starting to get good at it. She knew how to work the crowd, when to wow them and when to give a winning smile. Circe was enjoying this gig in spite of herself. The pay was good. The adoration was nice. The fact that she was deceiving them all was so much nicer. Despite the fact that she was having a blast, she didn't forget what she was here for. And when her plan reached its climax, things were going to get so much more interesting.

As she finished applying her makeup backstage, Circe looked in the mirror. If you hadn't seen the goddess on multiple occasions, you wouldn't be able to recognize the woman sitting in Zatanna's chair, looking in Zatanna's mirror and stealing Zatanna's spotlight. Her ruby red lips matched her eyes, her hair was a deep purple, unusual for the goddess, and she wore a red -- rather revealing -- dress. She even had a little magician's hat to complete the appearance. As she pulled up her gloves, she heard the announcer's generic voice and the noises of the crowd began to settle.

"Ladies and gentleman! Welcome to . . . "

Circe was interrupted by a tall, greasy man standing in her -- or Zatanna's, rather -- doorway. You don't just enter a lady's dressing room. How rude. Circe would be sure to punish this man. . . and her signature 'man-into- animal' routine was a grand idea. A great way to get warmed up for a show.

"Hey, Cirinea, are ya' ready? The announcer's already introducin' ya'." His eyebrows were too thick for his weasel face, and the beady eyes that sat under them were equally unattractive. His suit was plain and expensive looking, and he appeared to be a well-kept man. "So put your lipstick on and make me some money."

Oh, right. This was her agent. Ha, how easy it was to forget these mortal faces. Ah, no matter. Her plan should go into effect tonight, and she would have no more use for this man. "Alright, darling, I'm ready to entertain," Circe said, getting up from her stool. She put on her black magician hat. Yes, she was ready to entertain, but she was going to have a little fun first. Raising her gloved hands above her head, Circe's eyes grew emissive, and red-violet energy swirled at her fingertips. It happened quickly: His body contorted, a tail sprouted, he shrunk to the ground. In the crumpled mess of a black suit came a "squeak." Peeping out of the folds was a brown rodent . . . a ferret with a bandit like face staring up a Circe, horrified. "Correction. . . now I'm ready."

Circe stepped over the ferret. She walked to the exit of her dressing room and winked at the creature, sitting there . . . pathetic and terrified as it was. "Try not make a mess on the carpet," Circe cooed. She was about to leave, when she turned back around, smiling viciously. "On second thought, do whatever you want."

". . . without further delay, in place of our own Zatanna, The Fabulous Cirinea!"

When Circe walked on stage, the applause grew louder. Her little show had accumulated quite the crowd; her magic "tricks" weren't tricks at all, and that may have something to do with her success. It may have to do with the fact that Circe had "Cirinea" posters propped up all over the city. The theater was full.

"Thank you, thank you, I love you all!" Circe cried as they showered her with applause. The air . . . only a magical being could detect the thickness of sorcery, the charms that were meant to allure the audience even more.

As the audience's cheers died down, Circe smirked. "For my first trick . . . "

[Zatanna]

At first, the news that a new magician was in town only intrigued Zatanna. The art of prestidigitation was a dying one, she had to admit, and the knowledge that another person was talented enough at the trade to make their way in the world had actually excited the Mistress of Magic. Zee had been touring for years, it seemed, but with the newest incarnation of the Justice League, she had made the heart-wrenching decision to put her professional career on hold. After a multidimensional foray with Batman, Zatanna understood that she was needed more in the ranks of the JL than onstage.

The darker side of the magical community, and the villains therein, were gaining momentum and becoming more organized. The League didn't just need Zatanna as a consultant on the occasional magic anomaly, they needed her regularly. The sorceress was at peace with her decision to leave the spotlight of her act for the slightly altered one of a super hero. Until the rumors from this up-and-comer started gaining momentum. Zee found that where, at first, she had shown sincere well-wishes and intrigue at the new magic act, now she was stalking the progress of "Cirinea."

Something just... wasn't right about her. And yet, Zatanna found that every time she meant to investigate more thoroughly, or even attempt to get some tickets to attend the show, something would come up. Magical catastrophes were trending throughout the world, and small or large Zee's involvement with the Justice League meant that she was needed more often than not. Only within the last few weeks, and at the bidding of Madame Xanadu, had Zatanna taken a professional interest in Cirinea, and her so-called "magic." After just a little bit of digging, the Mistress of Magic knew that Cirinea was, in fact, Circe.

The glamours and other enchantments that Circe had placed on her act were so strong that they seeped through her posters. While Cirinea's popularity grew, so did Circe's magic to please the masses. Zatanna didn't know what, exactly, the goddess's intentions were when she came up with the persona. Obviously some kind of trap for the Princess of Prestidigitation, but was it more? Or less? Just trying to get under Zee's skin, or was Circe using the devotion of her fans to fuel some whack-job spell? Nothing was out of the goddess's reach, and no stretch of the imagination was too far for her cracked mind.

This was personal.

Zatanna's act was all genuine feats of prestidigitation. The only time she used real magic to fuel her stunts was at the finale, and even then just to give it an edge. Meanwhile, Circe - or "Cirinea" - was just working plain magic and toning it down to suit the stage. Sometimes not even that! Zee had been excited for another member of the trade at the start. Now? She felt as if someone was making a mockery of her life's work. Her calling. Not only her's, but her father's before her. So, Zatanna was going to put an end to it. Forget about how mismatched they were - Circe being the more powerful. Forget about it being a trap.

Again, this was personal.

Zee wasn't just going to attack Circe, either. The Mistress of Magic was going to show Cirinea the error of her ways. And she was going to do so in a way that wasn't short on cunning. So, Cirinea swept onto the stage in a swirl of violet and shimmering crimson sequins to address the devoted audience of a packed house. The posing magician announced her first trick, and Zatanna took that opportunity. There was a plume of silver smoke and a shower of sparks that rose beside the disguised goddess. Before the vapor could fade entirely, Zee stepped forward, in front of Cirinea, and into the center of the spotlight.

Zatanna, Mistress of Magic, was there in all her glory. From fishnet stockings to tophat - slightly bigger than Cirinea's, too. Zee twirled her black, white-tipped wand, and cast out her arm in a wide, grand gesture. "-She's summoned me!" The applause doubled at this unexpected guest sorceress. Zatanna bowed, flashing her charming smile, and then she stepped back and addressed Circe. "That's right, folks! Cirinea and I were chatting over our crystal balls earlier, and we couldn't decide who was the better magician!"

Another swell of applause while Zatanna spoke to the audience directly. She feigned woe, pressing the back of one hand to her forehead. "I know! But, we decided, there was only one way to find out." Zee's tone became ominous. The crowds leaned in to hear her answer. "A... showdown!" Zatanna threw up both hands. The lights on the stage seared white with the reveal. Sparks shot up in fountains along backstage. Deafening cheers. "You heard right! The Mistress of Magic, Princess of Prestidigitation - yours truly! Against tonight's leading lady - Cirinea!"

Zee turned away from the masses. Her eyes locked with Circe's in challenge. "You first, doll-face."