Link : https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/highest-bidder-dc-si.938379/reader/
WC : 48k+
Plot : Kinda OPMC. Jumpchain MC.
Chapter 1
She couldn't help the scowl on her face as she walked, her footsteps echoing off in the dark, overlapped by the falling rain. Raindrops that fell everywhere around her, though never reaching her body thanks to the rudimentary arcane spell covering her.
She let out another scoff of irritation as she shook her head, her mind still unable to believe her father's audacity!
Even after all of these years spent proving herself, he still refused to take her up as his public side-kick. She'd been his apprentice since she was nine, and considering some of the more known heroes and their protege's, you'd think that was enough but noo, evidently she still wasn't ready! Whether in the hero field, or the magical entertainment one! Her dad refused to let her come into her own! All of it no doubt meant to limit her independence from him!
Worse, he had the nerve to tell her to her face that she wasn't ready yet! At fifteen! Despite the fact, he'd started younger than her. Hell, she was pretty sure half the Justice League side-kicks were all younger than her. But that clearly didn't stop them!
Ugh, it was all so unfair!
It was another argument, following her father's performance that had led her to leave the show early, unwilling to sit and stew as she watched fan after fan walk up to her father for his signature.
Turning the corner, her home practically at the end of the road, Zatanna held in the urge to react as she watched someone come in direct view, her body almost spinning as she made to avoid crashing into the stranger- Her annoyance showing itself as she watched the other continue walking ahead, not paying her the slightest bit of attention.
Briefly considering demanding an apology of sorts from the other, the teen instead chose to scoff as she shook her head and set her mind to keep on walking-
She wasn't entirely sure what changed her mind as she suddenly found herself turning her gaze back. Maybe it was the lack of respect from her father? Maybe it was because the stranger clearly didn't believe in basic human manners, but whatever it was, it had promptly caused her to turn around, an accusing finger stretched outwards. "Hey-" whatever had been about to leave her mouth disappeared, as her eyes narrowed at the sight before her, her feet briefly taking a step backwards.
The stranger had stopped walking, his body still facing away from her, as his shoulders seemed to lean from side to side, her own gaze briefly going upwards as she took in the fact the falling rain didn't seem to hit him either.
Mechanically the stranger slowly turned around as her own body took another step backwards, her knees bent into a stance, her hands going upwards to the side-
"Ma...gic?" The stranger echoed out, her own gaze fixated on his almost ethereal looking face, the effect no doubt magical- Briefly preparing a spell of sorts, particularly due to the fact the stranger had taken a step towards her, a single hand outstretched in her direction. His zombie-like movement, for a moment almost scaring her into action- "You... Will... Do..."
Her eyes widened as a magical incantation started leaving her mouth, the stranger having taken more steps towards- Only for the words to disappear as the stranger echoed out, "Help... Me..."
The ball of fire she'd started calling for never came as her incantation suddenly ended, her eyes widening the slightest as she watched the stranger's form buckle towards her, his outstretched hand landing on nothing as she took another step backwards to avoid it, her gaze watching as his body dropped face-first onto the floor.
She couldn't help but simply stare at the form, her feet taking another step backwards, as she watched the stranger force his head up to look at her. Her mind only now noting how young it really looked-
"Can't... Be... Seen..." Despite the ambiguity of the words, she felt herself stiffen as she found herself understanding.
Her hand, for a moment, wavered as she couldn't help but decide whether to reach out to help, or to immediately call an ambulance-
When the ethereal effect on the stranger's face seemed to disappear, replaced by the other's face. A face that was visibly twitching moments before his eyes closed. His mild thrashing turning quiet as the sound of rain once again took over her surroundings, this time hitting the stranger as well.
She couldn't help but simply continue to stare, her mind wavering on the right course of action.
Begrudgingly, after a moment of thought, she rapidly started dialling her father- Only to curse the moment the dial went to voicemail, the flip phone closing with a thud.
Briefly looking around, she idly looked over her to family's home in the distance, before palming the side of her forehead in annoyance-
Letting out a sigh, she made to cast off an incantation to levitate the body before her, her choice of action clear- Yet the moment the incantation was finished, her magic washing over the stranger, she quickly covered her face as she watched the energy bounce back, harshly in her direction, a startled squeal echoing out of her as her vision twisted in a kaleidoscope of colours.
When she lowered her arms again, her eyes blinking open rapidly, she stiffened as she found herself in a completely blank space, the only other thing beside her been the stranger on the ground, albeit now standing up and facing away from her.
Before she could react, she watched as the stranger fluidly turned around, a passive expression on his face, before he tilted it in bemusement, his eyes blinking a few times.
"...Uh... Hello?" The stranger stated. "...Pardon the surroundings, I haven't had time to decorate?" The stranger seemed to question as he scratched the side of his head, before a look of understanding filtered through his eyes as he pointed a finger towards her. "Ahh! Shit! I am probably waking up!" He stated again. Before both of his hands clapped together before his chest. "Really sorry about this, but I am gonna need you to get me somewhere out of sight- Anywhere will do, even an abandoned warehouse!"
Her head tilted to the side in confusion, at frankly everything that was going on.
"I should be good in a few days- My mind and bodies kind of, um, just uh? Recalibrating? Yeah, let's go with that, there's gonna be a bit of a light show with it, and you know, probably best no one sees that-"
"What the hell is going on?" She couldn't help but interrupt, her gaze rapidly looking around as the panic finally seemed to set in.
The stranger didn't bat an eyelid at her question.
"I am what you might call a self-defence measure- Don't really have all the memories yet, but that should come in soon- I uhh, kind of blew myself up? Or my soul up? I blew something up trying to deal with-" The stranger blinked a few times, his index finger going to his mouth as his other hand crossed around his stomach, a quizzical look taking over his face. "I think it was an alien invasion? Against my village? Filled with ninjas?" He blinked a few more times. "That doesn't make any sense..."
Before she could say anything, she watched as the stranger shrugged.
"Eh, whatever happened, I am going to need you to do me a favour and just put me somewhere out of sight until I am functional again! I am not sure the public would react well to the possible clones, haphazardly flying energy strings and/or possible appearance of a shinigami all too well." He stated with a straight face. "Not to mention all the manic laughter..." He added on under his breath.
At the lack of reaction, barring the sheer bemusement colouring her face, the stranger frowned.
"Please? I really don't want to wake up in a facility..." When that failed to earn a reaction, the stranger's frown deepened. "Seriously, you can even just throw me in a river or something- I'll even owe you one!" He blinked again, his eyes squinting the slightest as his head tilted to the side. "As soon I remember who you are-"
"...If I say no?" She questioned, worried, she could practically feel the way her magic seemed to be locked off here... Wherever she'd ended up- Not to mention she'd already tried levitating his body, and that had clearly worked out so well.
The stranger blinked once, twice and shrugged.
"Then I am clearly just wasting my energy here. Just don't interfere and uh... Leave me wherever the hell you found me then... Long as I don't end up under a microscope, I think everyone else should be fine..." He remarked, resigned before his eyes blinked once and narrowed the slightest. "Don't sell my organs, I really wouldn't appreciate that." He added on with a deadpan, and before she could say anything in response, the stranger clicked his fingers and the world around her twisted again.
Gasping once, she reopened her eyes and found herself back on the street, the stranger's crumpled form before her, her hands on her knees as she rapidly took in breath after breath, her eyes widened.
As she watched the body before her resuming its twitching, her own body practically feeling the energy radiating out of it, she felt tempted to run.
She wasn't sure what convinced her to pick up his hand and sling it over her shoulder, her brain idly noting the fact he seemed to be light as a literal feather, as she stared pacing on towards her home. Her phone beeping as a call from her father went through.
With her free hand, she returned the call, wondering how she was going to explain this.
Chapter 2
With her right hand holding the stranger's arm over her right shoulder, Zatanna angled her left hand in an attempt to place the phone in her left ear, accidentally slapping the stranger's face in the process, an amused apology echoing out of her mouth as she walked on. Though in hindsight she should've picked the phone up with her other arm and simply balanced the person with an arm around his upper back- He wasn't exactly heavy, making the act possible.
"Hey dad-" She started off, sheepishly, her earlier annoyance towards the man gone as she tried and failed to think up of a good way to bring up her stray encounter-
"Zatanna!?" Her father's panicked voice immediately stilled her mood, her footsteps speeding up almost subconsciously. "Where are you- Are you home!?" He questioned rapidly, causing her to blink in bemusement.
This wasn't exactly the first time she'd left his show early, and he'd never been worried about it before.
"On the way," She answered warily, idly positioning herself better as she loosened up the crink in her neck. "There was, uh, a bit of a-"
"You can tell me later! Just hurry up home, now!"
Her eyes blinked a few times at the tone "...It involves inviting a stranger to our home?" She questioned carefully, her worry and panic rising with every beat of a second that her father took in responding. "Dad?-"
The stranger, of course, chose that moment to wake up, his groggy expression visible to her as she momentarily stopped in her tracks.
"Fine! Just make sure neither of you are-" Whatever her father had been about to say cut off, though the words already said had already set her stomach in knots. Any other time and she was sure that he'd either start grilling her with one hundred and one questions, outright refuse, or show up himself to chastise her in person.
That was the first time he'd ever agreed without a question on the matter.
After the slight pause, her gaze turned towards the stranger still latched around her shoulder, the two of them having stopped walking as her mind's focus switched between her completely out of character father, and what the protocol was for the particular situation she'd thrown herself into, given the stranger seemed set on staring ahead, uncaring. When he made no move to remove himself, Zatanna took a step further and found herself surprised as the stranger complied, following along, uncaringly. His gaze not budging the slightest from their direction up ahead. Turning her attention back to the phone, she immediately asked her father what was going on, and if he was feeling alright.
Briefly looking up in the said direction, she found the gates to her family's manor coming up, the long grassy path before it that connected to the end of the street, calm and unbothered by the rising winds.
"I'll explain later! Something's come up-" She frowned for a moment, before to her surprise the phone promptly closed with an audible click.
With the hairs on her shoulder metaphorically rising, she promptly sped up towards the manor.
It wasn't until she'd reached the gate itself, that the stranger beside her promptly stopped walking, his body practically turning into a steel wall as he refused to budge, his arm locking her in place. Her worry and panic around her father, briefly turning back towards herself-
Only for the stranger to simply raise his arm, giving her her freedom back, his gaze briefly turning from the manor, towards her own eyes. The expression practically dead to the world as she let out an audible gulp, before taking a single step closer to her home, her back to the manor's gate.
"Are you-" she made to speak up before briefly startling as she watched the stranger's face wince in pain, his right hand going up to the side of his head, as one eye closed. A curse echoing out of his mouth.
Instinctively, she made to reach out, before she watched the stranger take a step back, a snarled order coming out.
"Don't. I am fine- This is procedure." He stated, hoarsely. And from what she could see, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know what was happening, or if she should call an ambulance. The stranger blinked once, lowered his hands, and let out a sigh. "Go. Inside." He grit his teeth. "You've done enough, thank you." He forced out in between breaths.
Her eyes narrowed in response. "You need help-"
"No." He shook his head. "You need to listen to your father." He remarked, briefly causing her eyes to widen, his expression once again wincing as his right eye closed rapidly, blood pooling at the edge of his mouth as he snapped his teeth shut together. Before she could say, or do anything, she watched as the gates to her manor were suddenly swept open by a powerful gust. Her gaze, rapidly turning between the metal doors and stranger, as she'd been certain she hadn't used any magic to open it. And brute force alone wouldn't have managed it. Before she could comment on it, she watched as the stranger turned around, showing her his back. "Inside. Now."
She didn't budge, the air around the two of them practically sparkling as she felt herself shift, on instinct into a defensive stance, her gaze locked ahead.
"You... Your defense measure..? Said you needed to rest..?" She found herself saying lamely, her brow furrowing at the complete change in personality. He'd been perfectly fine with been escorted up until they'd reach the gates. "My dad said we need to be inside..."
"You need to be inside." The stranger remarked, briefly turning his gaze to look towards her- his eye for a moment catching her attention as her breath was promptly taken as she took in the swirling, shifting colors in it. The effect disappearing as quickly as it came, her head shaking the slightest as the stranger turned his gaze back ahead. "Beside's," The stranger snorted humourlessly, his body for a moment spazzing erratically as he seemingly held in the urge to grunt in pain, his head twisting the slightest as an audible crink was dealt with. "There's no rest for the wicked." He finished, and before she could comment on it, she suddenly found her feet sweeping off the ground as another gust of wind pushed her back behind her manors gates, the steel doors rapidly closing shut as she landed behind their protection-
Just in time to, as a huge, white worm-like head promptly exploded out of the ground just before the stranger, a screeching, metallic-like sound grating on her ears as she immediately covered both them with her hands, her knees buckling as she found herself kneeling, her body practically turtling as she winced- Though her gaze never left the scene before her, her mind idly noting the lack of eyes on the creature's face.
The stranger who, on the sight of the creature and within earshot of its scream, as well as outside the protection afforded to her by her manor, was completely relaxed, as he slowly bent his knees, and pulled one fist back- The giant, near thirty-foot otherworldly worm-like creature, twisting in the air in a one-eighty akin to a whale out of water, promptly opened up its giant maw of a mouth and swallowed him, and the ground beneath him whole to her horror, half of its head underground while the other half of it's slithering, snake like-texture, hung outside, slowly flailing in the air. The ground beneath her rumbling, as the magic surrounding her manor, seemed to let loose static bursts of magic in the creature's presence.
She stood transfixed, frozen by the horrifying sight as her eyes shifted minutely, her breath and the words in her mouth lost as her jaw hung open- Her emotions warring with themselves as, to her complete confusion, tears, despite having just met the other, pooled at the corner of her eyes. When the creature's flailing half of the body, started losing mass or rather started concentrating its's mass downwards as it visible shrunk from the top, and expanded down the middle akin to a water balloon been squeezed on one end. What looked like giant hands started forming before stretching out towards the ground itself, the creature straining to pull its head out as it turned from a worm-like creature in size and appearance, towards a more slug-like one with arms.
Not wasting a beat, her body haphazardly buckling backwards as she made to raise herself and run- she suddenly found herself frozen as words suddenly started echoing out from the creature.
"This is gonna hurt me, a lot more than it's gonna hurt you..." The creature, for a moment, seemed to freeze its movement as soon as its head had come out of the ground, its massive head slowly shifting from side to side-
"Rokugan."
And just like that, a massive shockwave echoed out from the creature, scattering all of its essences in every direction as it painted the street white in its organs and skin- Her manor's protections, thankfully preventing it from reaching in, and in the middle of it, all stood, the utterly bored stranger, completely drenched in white mucus of sorts, a single hand idly scratching the side of his head.
"I... probably shouldn't have wasted that much energy..." The stranger sighed, dramatically as his face lowered towards the ground. "This recovery's gonna suck-"
And with those words, she promptly watched as the stranger let out another curse as his knees dropped to the ground, his hands rapidly closing around his stomach as his expression twisted in pain before his eyes promptly rolled to the back of his head as his body went limp and fell into a crumpled heap.
Her legs moved before she could even finish processing everything as the gates to her manor rapidly reopened.
...