Application for tushanshu

[backwordscompatible]

PLAYER INFORMATION

NAME:  Hina AGE: 26 CONTACT: (plurk) hina_mun ; (e-mail) keyofgdemolished@gmail.com GAME CAST:  [[new to the game!]]

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CHARACTER INFORMATION

NAME: Zatanna Zatara CANON: Young Justice (animated) CANON POINT: mid-episode 19 ("Misplaced"), immediately after she puts on the Helmet of Fate AGE: 14 REFERENCE: Young Justice wikia

SETTING 

Earth-16 (Not the "Super-Sons" Earth-16, but a different one) exists in one of the several DC parallel universes, similar to our world with one major exception: the cohabitation of humans, metahumans, and aliens.   Humans are the most familiar.  They are members of the homo sapiens species and possess no extraordinary powers beyond individual physical limitations.  Most are civilians, making up the majority of Earth's population, though there are an exceptional few who have since risen above through hard work and intensive training.  These Humans have gone on to fight alongside Metahumans and Aliens in the never-ending civil war between Good and Evil.   Metahumans divide into two main categories.  There are those born with their powers: homo magi, such as Zatanna Zatara, carry the genetically inherited ability to perform true sorcery; Atlantans, such as Kaldur'ahm, live underwater and also have some minor sorcery abilities; Amazonians are a matriarchal warrior race trained from birth and blessed with gifts from the Greek gods.  Then there are those who later received their extraordinary gifts through some sort of life-changing incident, such as Wally West, who gained the ability to move at incredibly high-speeds after a chemical accident.  Regardless of origin story, Metahumans comprise the majority of heroes and villains of Earth-16.  It is currently unknown just how many are in existence, as some of them assume secret identities, go into hiding, or simply never have their powers manifest in any telling way.   Aliens could be best equated to Metahumans who originate from planets other than Earth.  The closest neighbors would be the Martians, such as M'gann M'orzz and J'onn J'onzz.  Their abilities include shape-shifting, flight, telepathy, telekinesis, and deceptive strength.  Then, there are the Kryptonians, endangered species of a lost planet, capable of absorbing yellow Solar rays in exchange for incredible strength, flight, near-invulnerability, and more.  In fact, almost all aliens of Earth possess extraordinary gifts of some kind, whether it be the Thanagarian wings giving them flight and Nth metal technology that allows them to repel magic forces, or the Oan craftsmanship that grants any and all Green Lanterns the ability to create powerful constructs as weapons.  Most have taken to the side of hero, though not all.   It is because of this perpetual divide that Earth 16 is often home to a seemingly never-ending battle. On the side of Evil, there are two main factions that have been identified.  The first briefly called themselves the Injustice League and consisted of Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Count Vertigo, Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, and Woton.   They were all quickly captured and revealed to be scapegoats of a much larger organization known only as The Light.  Currently, not much is known about this corporation of SuperVillains.  Not even their full list of members, though names such as Lex Luthor, Klarion, Sportsmaster, Cheshire, Queen Bee, and others have been either confirmed or identified as known associates.   Interestingly enough, it is just the opposite in terms of publicity for the evil factions than those of Good.  The lesser Injustice League were the public faces, while the Light continues to hide in the shadows (because villains do so love their irony).   Leading the public battle for the side of Good are the members of the Justice League--a collective group of Superheroes formed back in the early 90s and currently comprised of members The Atom, Aquaman, Batman, Black Canary, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Giovanni Zatara.  Their faces are know throughout the world, to the point where their ground "secret base" is more like a museum for fans and paparazzi alike to visit.  While this allows them to interact directly with the people they serve, it also makes covert missions that much more difficult to enact.   However, a number of members adopted younger proteges over the years: Robin (partner to Batman), Kid Flash (partner to Flash), Aqualad (partner to Aquaman), and Speedy (partner to Green Arrow).  After Speedy quit for personal reasons, the remaining three boys proved themselves by taking on an unsanctioned mission that resulted in the rescue of the Superboy, a clone of Kryptonian Superman and Human Lex Luthor.  Miss Martian, niece of the Martian Manhunter, and Artemis, second protege of Green Arrow, would eventually join their ranks as well.  Unlike the Justice League, this Team of teens operates in secret.  Few even know of their existence, let alone their full roster.  They take on the missions the Justice League cannot.   Several months later, a series of (unfortunate) events would lead to the addition of Zatanna Zatara, 14-year-old daughter of Giovanni Zatara.     Ironically, the one person who was most adamant about her not joining the Team was the very person to introduce her: her father.  Giovanni had hoped to bring Zatanna to Mount Justice for some personal self-defense training at the hands of their hand-to-hand combat expert.  What he wasn’t expecting was for the six of them to immediately “kidnap” her (at her own suggestion) for an unsanctioned mission that would ultimately put her directly in the line of fire.  Voluntarily, of course; Aqualad had politely suggested that she stay behind, but the young sorceress wasn’t having any of that.  Zatanna proved herself, both on the field and amongst her peers, and by the time they returned so her father could ground her for life, a solid bond between them all had formed. Around Halloween, nearly a month into her presumed Life Sentence, Zatanna was allowed to attend a Halloween Party at the local High School.  She would've been attending with Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis...until something happened: Artemis found out that Superboy and Miss Martian were dating, by means of Zatanna making a casual observation regarding their behavior towards one another.  Needless to say, Artemis didn't take the news well, and almost skipped out on the whole night as a result.  Zatanna had a better idea: not wanting to see her new friend leave so upset, she instead magically changed their clothes and suggested a Girls' Night Out.  Together, the two "borrowed" a couple of motorcycles and headed into the City for a bit of vigilantism.  Their original targets were mere petty thieves...until a far more dangerous criminal calling himself Harm decided to blow up their bikes.  The resulting battles between them, for a time, had the girls nearly running for their lives.  At one point, they were even captured, having to literally blow up Harm's kitchen in order to create enough of a distraction to escape. In fact, it was only through meeting the ghost of Harm's sister that they were able to discover his weakness and ultimately defeat him.  Learning a lesson about how destructive keeping things buried inside could potentially be.  Of course, neither of them had much time to really dwell on said lesson before the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.  Because, you know, they blew up a kitchen.  Their bad.   It would be just a few short days later that Zatanna would get a second chance to fight alongside the entire team once more, against a self-proclaimed Lord of Chaos and his partners in sorcery.  Klarion and his cohorts split the world in two: one with adults, and one with children below the age of 18.  There was no Zatara around to tell her ‘no’, and no way Zatanna wouldn’t do everything she could to help.  Even if it ultimately meant her donning the Helmet of Fate, a mystic relic possessed by the spirit Nabu, one of the most powerful magic users to ever exist.     As briefly touched upon above, there is one other noticeable difference to the Earth-16 world: advanced technology in the form of wrist computers, alien weaponry, and the most convenient method of transportation since the (hijacked) motorcycle: the Zeta Tubes.  Zeta Tubes are primarily a Justice League resource and not yet available to the public.  They grant any authorized individual the ability to teleport from one Tube to the next, with distances ranging from interstate lines to satellite orbit.  Potentially even beyond.   But, of course, aside from all that, Earth-16 is essentially "our" Earth in the year 2010...give or take a few countries.

 

PERSONALITY 

Zatanna is young, fun-loving, and adventurous, with a rebellious streak and outwardly confident presence.  She often puts up an innocent front at first, only to say and do things that instantly destroy said front as casually as possible...such as (proudly) admitting to having used her magic to sneak out of the house, or not-so-subtly indicating that she couldn't tell on her new friends if they took her along on their unsanctioned mission.  Impulsive and new to the world of crime-fighting, she is prone to making the occasional wrong decision, if for the right reasons.  Usually.   There is a degree of flirtatiousness in her demeanor as well, as evident in the several exchanges she shares with Robin from their very first meeting.  No matter how obvious or lame his advances come off, she takes it all in stride and does absolutely nothing to discourage him.  Quite the opposite, in fact: when he attempts to apologize for a particular line about her "moves", she smirks right back and simply says, "I don't mind."  (This attitude/behavior resurfaces at a later time when she unabashedly refers to Red Tornado's human android alter-ego as "cute.") Interestingly enough, she also seems to share his fondness for toying with the English language; when Robin tells her he's trying to act nonchalant, she tells him to be as "chalant" as he likes.     At the same time, however, she does have her priorities in order.  When the joke is over and it's time to step up, she's ready and willing.  It was one thing go follow along when the Team interrogated a suspect.  But even when the Team Leader politely suggested she should stay behind at the first sign of battle, Zatanna cast a spell to transform herself into what would become her signature battle look, as her way of declaring there was no way they were leaving her behind.  She stood alongside the others, even collaborating with Kid Flash on an attack.   Though she gets along well with the team as a whole, the two people closest to her--by far--are Artemis and Robin.  The former was one of the first to openly declare that Zatanna would "fit in" with the others just fine, and later went with her on an impromptu Girls Night Out.  Their adventures led them to battle a villain calling himself Harm, and the (explosive) experience brought them closer together.  By episode 19, the two girls were almost like sisters.  Meanwhile, Zatanna's relationship with Robin started off with witty banter and slightly awkward flirting.  The longer they spent together, however, the more genuine the feelings became.  During the ordeal with the split worlds, she confided her uncertainties in him, and he responded by offering the words of encouragement she needed to hear.  In front of most everyone else, she puts up a mask made of smiles and sass.  But Robin?  He may be the only person on the Team who knows how much she doubts herself.     A doubt that could very well have led to her resorting to donning the Helmet, assuming the identity of host body to Doctor Fate, knowing fully well there was a chance Nabu would never let her go.   It is because of Zatanna’s unique canon point that she will initially “adjust” to life in Tu Shanshu almost suspiciously well.  Donning the Helmet was her decision, and she knew there would be consequences.  She knew there was a risk of never being freed, never seeing her family and friends again.  With that mindset, she put it on anyway...only to find herself washing up on a sandy beach, drenched in sea water and powers temporarily weakened.  Still, it could’ve been worse.  Her lifetime of studies in the Mystic Arts and subsequent encounters with the supernatural (such as meeting an actual ghost on Halloween) will also have her better mentally prepared for understanding what has happened to her.   In fact, she may find more of a shock in the several familiar and familiar-yet-somehow-not-the-same faces she encounters than the thought of being in a world between Life, Death, and Dreaming.   However, not unlike her family’s means of spell-casting, Zatanna will gradually regress backwards through the 5 Stages of Grief as the Reality of everything slowly comes crashing down on her.  Just how heavily will depend on how much her friends, both those from her world and those she meets along the way, support her.  But there will be depression.  There will be denial.  There will even be a point where she finds herself inexplicably angry.  At Klarion, for causing this mess in the first place.  At Nabu, for not letting her go.  Even at herself.  She had made her decision, yes...but in the heat of the moment, without actually talking to anyone about it or even really allowing herself to think things through.     For a time, Zatanna could possibly shut down emotionally while she sorts everything out.  Mostly in private.  But, in the long run, she will come full circle and once again accept what has happened to her and do her absolute best to make the most of things.  Which means seeking out fun, adventure, and trouble...not necessarily in that order.

 

APPEARANCE 

Zatanna is petite, with developing curves and sharp facial features.  Her skin is lightly tanned, a result of her Italian heritage, and her eyes, bright blue.  Black hair falls down past her shoulders.  In her multiple Young Justice appearances, she is seen in several outfits:  A black and white private school uniform Purple spaghetti-strap top with white pants Her signature battle outfit, consisting of a white shirt; gloves and bowtie; yellow vest; black jacket and mini shorts; grey stockings; and black boots.  Alas, no tophat in this universe White Snow jacket with fur hood, matching pants, & boots Dark Red spaghetti-strap top with denim capris

 

ABILITIES 

Zatanna is a member of the homo magi species, and thus inherited innate magical powers from both her mother and father.  She can cast most any spell within her limits by reciting incantations in 'sdrawkcab hceeps' (a style unique to her family, in part, because of her lineage being traced all the way back to the great Leonardo Da Vinci, who was known to write his notes backwards).  Some of her noted spells include creating temporary clones of herself and her teammates, converting flora into ropes (and gags) for restraining villains, encasing a large area in a giant dome of blizzard-level weather conditions, flight, getting a detainee trained in resisting telepathy to blurt out a truthful reply, changing her and Artemis' clothing, summoning objects, and otherwise manipulating the elements around her to bend to her will.   However, if her ability to speak were hindered in any way, she would be essentially left powerless.  Spells also require extreme focus and (in terms of more challenging spells) time to prepare.  Most telling is her own admission of her power coming from within, meaning any spell beyond her current capabilities would not work.  If she uses too much of her own energy, it could drain her to the point of physical exhaustion.  At worst, it would backfire on her in unpredictable ways.   Her spells are generally cast in backwards English, though she is also fluent in Italian (as her father immigrated to the States from Italy before she was born) and speaks basic High School-level French.   It is also worth noting that, while she demonstrated a surprising degree of natural skill for her first (unsanctioned) mission, Zatanna is still very much a novice.  The battle against Klarion and the split worlds was only her third time on the field, and she has only known the Team for approximately one month.  Her dad attempted to provide a sheltered lifestyle for her, and while she is both aware and knowledgeable of the crime-fighting world, she may not immediately understand certain unspoken cues or concepts (such as what the Watchtower is) that most of the Team would already be familiar with.

 

INVENTORY 

Her signature battle outfit, consisting of a white shirt; gloves and bowtie; yellow vest; black jacket and mini shorts; grey stockings; and black boots.

 

SUITE 

After reading the descriptions of each sector "personality" very carefully, I decided that wood sector would best suit Zatanna, as she is one who is constantly in motion (less her boredom get bored), non-combative unless pushed, and stubborn.   A higher floor would also most likely suit her, because of both the view and her ability to fly equating to comfortability with levels 2 or 3, rather than being stuck in the ground floor.

 

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IC SAMPLES

✧THIRD PERSON/PROSE✧   Maybe it was the shock.   All things considered, right then, Zatanna felt...okay.  Well, not okay-okay, but she definitely didn't feel not okay.  The choice had been hers to make, which was why she never said a word to any of the others.  They would've tried to stop her.  Heck, if she'd stopped to really think about what she was doing, she probably would've tried to stop herself.  Not that she hadn't expected consequences for her actions.  She just hadn't expected them to be so...   ...so...   ...and that was why she figured it was the shock.  Zatanna didn't know what she had expected.  Or what to think of her current predicament.  One minute, she and her sort-of-teammates had been going head to head with one of the most (literally) insane magic users in the known realms--though, the way the battle had been going, it was more like head to dirt.  The next, she'd summoned their Last Resort because she thought they really were That Desperate.  Ignoring all the warning cries gradually fading into the background, she'd donned the Helmet.   And now she was standing in the middle of a large city not unlike Manhattan.  Except for the fact that it existed on the back of a giant turtle.  No, really.  A turtle.  Considering how fast she'd once loved to travel during her life, the irony was not lost on her.  Was this the Universe's way of telling her to slow down?   'Bit late for that now, huh, Universe?'    The worst part of it all was the the city really did remind her of home.  A place she had spent the last several years trying to escape in every way possible.  Not out of spite or anger, but for a need for something more.  Only she could find City Life too boring.  Then again, considering what there was to offer beyond the skyscrapers and bolted doors and windows...how much of it she had already seen and gotten to experience for herself...well, not even the sky was the limit for her.  She'd wanted to reach the stars.  To rise above being Giovanni Zatara's 'little girl'.  To be a hero.  And maybe have a little fun while she was at it.   For just over a month--minus the intermittent grounding periods--she'd gotten her wish.  It had never really been made official, sure, and her father protested against the notion with every parental fiber of his being.  But she had never felt so much a part of a group as she had that first day she arrived at Mount Justice.  Introductions had been...interesting to say the least.  Subtlety was obviously not going to be a thing.  Which suited her just fine.  There had been first impressions and second impressions and surprise after surprise on both ends.  For a time, Zatanna even thought she had finally found a kindred soul in the form of a certain blonde-haired archer.  Seriously; best halloween ever.  Even taking into account the part where they got captured...and nearly blown up...and getting attacked for almost no reason.  The girls had gone looking for excitement, and they'd certainly found it.   But that was all there, and this was here.  On a turtle.  (She couldn't emphasize the "what the heck?" point of that enough.)  She wasn't dead, if the natives were to be believed, but she wasn't quite so alive anymore either.   Sure, she had put on the Helmet in hopes of saving the others.  Maybe she'd even succeeded.  but this was so far above what even her 14-year-old mind could've imagined.  Was she stuck here for the rest of eternity?  Or until Fate decided to let her go?  What were even the chances of something like that happening?  She'd heard about Wally.  And Kaldur.  Unless third time really was the charm--or maybe because Fate thought it was--she would most likely remain trapped.  On a turtle.  (Nope, still not letting that one go.)  At the risk of sounding too much like her dad, she had made her bed and was now being forced to lay in it.   Too bad she wasn't tired.   NETWORK ✧ VIDEO ✧ 001   [As the feed turns on, one may notice the camera pointed directly at an open window, where some might recognize a familiar face, and others, a slightly less familiar (and noticeably younger) face.  Sitting on a large tree branch just outside the room.  Because why not?]   [14-year-old Zatanna looks oddly at peace for the moment, back leans against the rough bark, a few pieces peppering the shoulders of her black jacket blazer.  One leg dangles off the edge, the other bent at the knee.  She has a half smile on her face, and her eyes continue to casually take in her surroundings, even as she addresses the Network.]   I'll admit...definitely not what I was expecting.   [Implying that she's somehow unsurprised by her current limbo status.  Like she knew something like this would happen, even if there was no way she could've predicted exactly what.  Knew and accepted it.  For now.]   Can't really complain, though.  I'd take a giant tree house over an eternity in empty helmet space any day.   Name's Zatanna, by the way.  Zatanna Zatara.