After saying goodbye to Arthur, Zatanna returned to her apartment, exhausted, and was about to get ready for bed after a relaxing shower. Sitting on the bed, she picked up her phone and began browsing aimlessly, until suddenly she came across a photo of herself and Arthur, taken just moments earlier.
In the picture, she and Arthur were smiling brightly at the camera, capturing a genuine moment of happiness.
"Dinglingling~" The sound of the phone ringing startled her, breaking the trance she had fallen into. When she saw the call was from Arthur, she couldn't help but smile in surprise, and for a moment, she felt a warm flutter in her chest.
I really didn't expect this. I thought it would take magic to get something like this...
"Hi, what can I do for you?" she answered, trying to hide the slight surprise in her voice.
"Zatanna, it's me. Arthur. I need a favor. A small one, but urgent. And... if it can involve magic, even better."
Zatanna didn't hesitate for a second. "I'm on my way! Wait for me!" she said with determination, smiling to herself. At least this way, she could see him again.
She hung up and stood with a smile on her lips, carefully picking out clothes with the kind of attention someone might give to preparing for a date. The anticipation, even if a little confusing, made her more aware of every detail.
---
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Gotham, Arthur stared at his phone in disbelief at how quickly Zatanna had agreed to help.
Although she didn't know the exact location, he was confident that with her magic, tracking down Grundy would be easy.
"Your friend's really loyal, huh? Took her less than ten seconds to say yes," Robin said with a laugh, though his tone carried a hint of critique.
Arthur gave him a sharp look. "Shut up, Robin. At least I have someone who can help us."
"Hehehe, okay, thank you very much," Robin chuckled, amused by Arthur's expression, though he couldn't help but smile, noticing how his friend seemed oddly flustered.
But when Zatanna arrived, Robin's expression changed. He nudged Arthur and, with a mischievous smile, patted his shoulder. "Your backup is a knockout like that? Dude, is this some kind of joke? Do you even know what's going on?"
Arthur rolled his eyes. He knew Robin wasn't one to hold back when there was an opportunity to tease. But he was beginning to understand Robin's point—especially when it came to Solomon Grundy.
No wonder he's thinking that way. If it really is Solomon Grundy, it'd be a miracle if a regular girl didn't freak out… and he still wants her to help?
But Robin was wrong. Zatanna wasn't just a "regular girl." If needed, she could easily take on ten Robins in the blink of an eye.
"Don't worry. Trust my judgment," Arthur said with confidence.
"I'm not worried about that. I'm just saying, the way she looks at you isn't normal," Robin insisted, his tone casual but observant.
Arthur sighed, annoyed, but there was a lightness in his voice. "It's not like that. I met her today… well, a few hours ago."
Robin paused, trying to process that. "…That's even worse. Are you playing with Batgirl's feelings, man? Because if you are, I'm gonna punch you."
Arthur looked him straight in the eye, his serious expression leaving no room for jokes. "I'd make a point of taking that punch," he said intensely.
"Wait a second... Now that I look more closely, isn't she that illusionist—Zatanna?" Robin asked suddenly.
"In the flesh," Arthur replied.
"You actually believe in magic?" Robin asked, eyeing Arthur strangely.
"Not only do I believe in it—it's real."
And with that, he walked away, heading straight toward Zatanna.
To make sure she recognized him, Arthur and Robin stayed hidden in a discreet spot, and Arthur took off his mask, shaking his head lightly as if trying to shake off his own frustration.
When Zatanna arrived, wearing an elegant black dress, Arthur was briefly stunned. She had light makeup on, giving her a mysterious, captivating look. He stared for a moment before speaking, trying to mask his discomfort.
"Zatanna, I don't remember saying this was a date. Why are you so dressed up?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.
Zatanna smiled and shrugged, her confidence shining through. "I know it's not a date, but I'm treating it like one—so I dressed up for you."
Her response caught Arthur off guard, leaving him slightly unsettled.
(What's going on? Am I really this charming? First Selina, then Barbara… and now her too?) he thought, trying to process it all.
"Ahem! Let's talk business," Arthur muttered, trying to pull himself back together.
And so, the two discussed the details of the incident. After they'd gone over everything, Arthur put his mask back on, and they entered the mansion, with Zatanna following behind, her footsteps light and silent.
Inside, Zatanna sat cross-legged on the floor, focusing her energy. Her eyes glowed bright white, indicating she was using magic to track down Solomon Grundy.
The process would take some time, as she needed to filter out irrelevant results and avoid tracking anyone with a similar name. But Zatanna was confident that her magic was precise enough to find the right one.
(System, log in for today.) Arthur thought.
[Login successful]
[The host has obtained: Multiversal Travel Pass (Pending)]
[Multiversal Travel Pass: Allows the host to cross barriers between worlds. Currently available universes: MARVEL; DC; ??; ??]
[Current status: Loading]
[Time remaining until activation: 6 hours and 42 minutes]
[Note: The pass can only be used after the waiting period. Once activated, the host may freely travel between the listed universes, as long as dimensional conditions remain stable. Proper preparation is recommended prior to activation.]
Arthur remained silent for a few seconds, reading the messages in front of him.
Then, he smiled.
"Who would've thought I'd get something like this in a situation like this?" he murmured with a soft grin.
He closed the system window with a simple gesture and looked at Zatanna.
"I should take care of this before thinking about going home."
As he thought that, Robin approached and whispered, "Man, it's not right to juggle two girls at once."
Arthur just glanced at him with an indifferent look. "And you? Are you dating anyone right now?"
(I'm not juggling two girls. It's four.) Arthur thought.
Robin sighed. "Let's just say my last relationship didn't end so well. Now I've been focusing on fighting crime with Batman—no time for anything else."
"That's sad," Arthur said bluntly.
"I know… And does she know about your thing with Batgirl?" Robin asked, curious.
"As far as I know, no. I'll tell her later," Arthur replied with a slightly nervous smile.
"Oh, great… You really are an enviable guy, you know that?" Robin joked, unable to hold back a laugh.
Suddenly, Zatanna exclaimed, cutting the conversation short: "I found him!"
Arthur's heart skipped a beat, his senses immediately going on high alert.
"Get down!" Arthur and Zatanna shouted at the same time.
BOOM!!
---
(End of Chapter)
A/N: I will probably edit this chapter in the future, changing this reward to a modified version of the second magic.
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."