lucetilogs | House of M - The Beginning

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House of M - The Beginning

Who: Billy Kaplan + Anyone who wants to be involved in the House of M Plot + Related CR + Anyone Really
What: Um. The House of M Plot.
When: October 1st-7th
Where: Literally anywhere in Luceti, yo
Summary: Billy returns from a kidnapping feeling a bit, er, different. A white light envelops the village for just a moment, and when it fades... well. All kinds of things are different, actually.
Rating: Varies, anything above R take it elsewhere!

Still accepting last minute sign-ups, if anyone is interested.

It starts off so innocently, early on the morning of October 1st. A burst of light, a warm rush of energy that consumes everything it touches, and it's gentle enough to feel like stepping out into sunlight from the shade. It's so brief that some people might not even notice it happened. But there are certainly... differences. Some subtle, some not. And those changed won't even understand the problem.

After all, why would perfection be a problem?

The truth is, there are no problems. There can't be. It's perfect, Billy thinks. Believes it. His belief is his reality, and now, it's their reality. It all has to be perfect; they deserve it, all of them, for one reason or another. And he'll do whatever he has to protect that perfection from being tainted, ruined, taken away from them.

Teddy died so this could happen, after all.

So what is your new reality?

((first two threads reserved for the intro thread and billy's status; after that consider this log a free-for-all.))

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[It's not just the mask he's abandoned. There's no show actively going on, so Dick isn't bothering with costuming at all. He's wearing only a skintight leotard and sweatpants to practice, neither of which hides his physique the way his armored Robin ensemble does. He doesn't stop rehearsing when Zatanna calls out to him though, flipping and twisting from the bottom of a double-trapeze to the top and back again.]

Zatanna! Hey! How's everything going today?

[After he greets her, he drops down to the lower trapeze and holds on with just one arm, still swinging to hold momentum.]

[Wow. Okay, so until Robin drops down lower, Zatanna can't really see just how tight that leotard is. But then he moves closer, and Zatanna really can't help but stare for a second or two. She knows just how hard he trains, which means he's conditioned.

But...damn.

There are more important things than ogling her sort-of boyfriend, however. The sense of magic everywhere is constant, reminding her just why she got his attention in the first place.]

I'm trying to figure that out. How are you doing? [He seems like he's having the time of his life, honestly. Even though he's practicing, there's so much joy in his movements; it reminds Zatanna of when they'd both been possessed to watch him swinging around that way.]

I'm good! [Better than good. Everything's as good as it could possibly be. It's perfect.]

Are you coming to the show tonight? Mom keeps talking about how much she wants to meet you.

[Thank goodness for small favors. Whatever the ultimate goal of the magic, Robin doesn't seem to be worse off for it right now. Of course, Zatanna knows better than to think that will last. It's not the easiest thing to bring up, however, when Robin talks about her plans for that night--and mentions someone very specific.]

Mom? [Suddenly that small reassurance turns to utter dread.] You mean, your mom?

f course I mean my mom. She thinks it sounds like we're getting serious. I guess she wants to check you out, make sure you're real, all that stuff.

You don't mind, do you?

[Funny that he would put it that way. Except that none of this is funny at all, even though Zatanna shakes her head. There's not much she can do except go along with it for now.]

No, uh. I don't mind. I didn't realize your mom was in Luceti though.

It just happened.

[He dismounted then, giving a triple somersault before landing on one of the side pedestals. He slides down easily, snatching a towel from the base and wiping the moisture from his skin.]

What's wrong? You look like there's something on your mind.

You mean today. [Probably around the same time Zatanna first sensed the magic in the village. Once Robin is on the ground she walks over, but unfortunately he's picked up on her concern. Zatanna doesn't answer right away; she's trying to decide if she should tell him.]

Well, it's just--I can sense a lot of magic being used. Powerful magic. [It's not all of what's got her concerned, but maybe it'll be enough to get his interest. Though he can be obsessive in the worst ways, there's a chance getting him to investigate might help.]

[He meets her at ground level, draping his towel around his neck and taking her shoulders in his hands.]

Do you think it's something malicious? You should probably talk to Jason about it if you're worried.

[Yeah, that doesn't do anything to ease her fears. Instead it confirms them, although Zatanna does try to push a little more.]

Shouldn't I be talking to you too? You are still part of the team.

[He grimaces]

...Yeah. About that...

I'm thinking maybe it's time to give that up.

What do you mean, give that up?

[This went way beyond not wearing his mask. Zatanna stares at him wide-eyed, hardly able to believe what she just heard despite knowing he's under some sort of spell.]

Well... Think of it this way. Jason's from a time where he's my successor, right? So. ...Maybe it's time for me to just let him have it, you know?

I'm tired of it, Zatanna.

[This isn't right. This absolutely isn't right, and Zatanna can't hold back anymore. She reaches up to grab Robin's arms, holding him as she tries to talk some sense into him.]

Robin, you don't mean that. You're being influenced by the magic.

[It makes him frown.]

Didn't you want me to stop chasing conclusions that don't matter? To stop putting so much effort into things that aren't working?

I don't need a magic spell to tell me you were right all along.

[That isn't fair. Zatanna hesitates, lost for a moment as he uses some of her own arguments against her.]

I didn't want you to give up completely. I still don't. Even if you were going overboard, that doesn't mean you have to stop being a hero.

I don't have to stop. I want to. That's the difference.

Except you don't. Not really. It's whatever this magic is.

[The spell that's so very strong, and Zatanna already knows she's fighting a losing battle. Sorcery like this can't be defeated with well-meant speeches; it takes sorcery to fight against it, and she just doesn't have that kind of power.]

[He still smiles at her, but his eyes betray something sadder.]

Zatanna. It's magic that brought back my parents.

[There isn’t much he could’ve said that would completely throw her—but he’s managed to find one of them. Instead of pushing more or trying to still convince him, her eyes open wide as he goes beyond confirming her suspicions. Even when he smiles, she can still see the sorrow; this spell has done more than just created fictions.

So much more. So much worse.]

Oh, Robin. [Her stomach twists, because how can she argue with him now? But at the same time, how can she not, when she knows none of this is real?]

Maybe you’re right. [Only about one thing, and Zatanna knows what she has to do.] I should probably talk to Jason.

[He draws her into a hug even if she doesn't want one, pressing his lips against her forehead.]

It's okay. Jason can be Robin. Nobody's losing anything. Please don't worry.

Can I still count on you at dinnertime?

[In a small way, that gesture makes her even sadder. Sure, they're affectionate with each other ~~when they aren't bickering~~, but it's so easy this time. He's just Dick, without all the burden Robin carries around. Zatanna slides her arms around him too, closing her eyes at the warm kiss.]

Of course you can. We're still a team. [Even if it means she has to try and do something absolutely devastating to him.]

[He's blissfully just Dick. He has no desire to pick up his baggage anytime soon.]

Thanks. I'm glad you'll support me even though I'm giving everything up. Mom's going to love you.

Yeah? [God, this sucks. He’s so happy, and Zatanna just wants to be happy for him. But she already knows that when she meets Dick’s mom, there won’t be a person there. Just a construct of a spell, someone who isn’t real.] I’m glad to hear it. Should I bring anything?

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House of M - The Beginning

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