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Chapter 120: Whoever Starts a War, Is Guilty!
🕑 Added 2025-01-10 16:16:51 +0000 UTCPodrick Farm.
Peter sat on the couch, frowning as he looked at Star-Lord, who stood before him with an uneasy expression.
Standing beside him was Zatanna, who was utterly bewildered.
No matter how hard she tried, Zatanna couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Star-Lord was the child of the mysterious man who had saved her the night before.
Moreover, their appearances and demeanors were worlds apart. Could it be that the two of them weren't biologically related? Zatanna fell into a spiral of wild conjectures.
"You're telling me you subdued a thug with… a dance-off? Star-Lord?" Peter asked with a furrowed brow.
"No, Dad. Actually, it was Zatanna who subdued him. I just danced to distract him," Star-Lord replied, trying to sound earnest. "I didn't expose my abilities."
Peter fell silent.
He knew that in his past life, Star-Lord from the Guardians of the Galaxy had danced Ronan to death.
But he didn't expect that in this world, Star-Lord could still "dance-kill" someone—though this time, it was a gunman instead of a significant villain.
Back then, using the dance against Ronan—a major character—seemed justified. But now? Using a finishing move on a mere grunt was a colossal waste.
At the very least, he thought, in this world, such a trump card should be reserved for a boss on Ronan's level.
Shaking his head to dispel these thoughts, Peter turned back to Star-Lord. "That was too risky, Star-Lord. What if he hadn't been fooled and shot you instead?"
"I know, Dad. I won't do it again," Star-Lord said quickly, stealing a glance at Peter to make sure he wasn't truly angry.
He sighed in relief when he confirmed that Peter's frown hadn't deepened. That was a clear sign his father wasn't too upset.
"Alright, just be more cautious next time," Peter said vaguely.
He felt it wouldn't be wise to completely discourage the kid. Who knows? Maybe one day, Star-Lord's dancing might even "dance-kill" someone like Darkseid.
Clearing his throat, Peter turned his attention to Zatanna.
"So, Zatanna, do you know why the gunman attacked you?"
"I-I don't know," Zatanna stammered, her thoughts in chaos.
From the tentacle incident yesterday to today's supermarket gunman attack, she felt as though some sinister force had set its sights on her.
"Maybe… they were after the key," she said hesitantly, her frustration apparent. "It's the key to my father's workshop. I've always kept it safe, but I lost it during the fight at the supermarket."
The thought of her father's workshop being destroyed if the key fell into the wrong hands filled her with dread.
"I have to go home," she said, looking up at Peter. "Thank you, Mr. Podrick, but I need to leave. If those people find the key—"
"Are you talking about this key?"
Before she could finish, Peter produced a golden key from his pocket.
Zatanna froze, her eyes widening as she saw the key in his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Podrick. That's the key!"
Noticing her confusion, Peter explained, "John found it at the supermarket."
He handed the key to her. "Since it's something your father left behind, I imagine it's very important to you."
Zatanna took the key from him, her fingers trembling. Holding the recovered key felt almost surreal.
"Thank you, sir," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Your father is Giovanni John Zatara, correct?" Peter asked. "A renowned magician."
"Yes, sir," Zatanna replied, her defenses gradually lowering as she spoke.
"My father went missing, and I've been searching for him ever since. That's why I travel as a stage magician. But…"
Her voice faltered, and a trace of sadness appeared in her eyes. "My talents have never been as strong as his. No matter how hard I try, I always feel like I'm far behind him."
Listening to her, Peter realized this was a girl on a quest to find her father, driven by determination and longing.
It also seemed she hadn't yet unlocked the full potential of her magical abilities.
"You'll catch up to him one day," Peter reassured her. "But right now, it's dangerous out there. Whoever is after you won't give up easily. For your safety, I suggest you stay here for a while."
Star-Lord's eyes lit up at the suggestion. If Zatanna stayed, he'd have the chance to learn magic every day!
After a moment's hesitation, Zatanna nodded. "Thank you, sir. I hope I won't be a burden."
—
Later that evening, after dinner, Zatanna stopped Peter as he was heading upstairs.
"Mr. Podrick… are you an alien?" she asked nervously.
"An alien?" Peter paused, turning to look at her. "Why do you think that?"
"Well… only an alien could have such incredible abilities," Zatanna reasoned. "If you are an alien, could you help me find my father?"
"Sorry, Zatanna. As an alien, my skills are limited to abducting Earthlings and maybe a bit of fighting. Mind-reading isn't part of the package," Peter replied, a teasing smile on his face.
Realizing he was joking, Zatanna smiled faintly. "Alright then, Mr. Podrick. Are you planning to abduct me?"
"I won't rule out the possibility," Peter said with a shrug. "A girl who knows magic is always fascinating."
Glancing at the clock, he added, "It's late. You should get some rest. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Zatanna replied, watching his retreating figure.
Though he carried an air of mystery, Peter didn't make her feel unsafe.
—
Later, in her room, Zatanna held her rabbit plushie close. "Well, Berkz, today was full of surprises," she murmured, stroking its ears.
The room had a pleasant scent of wood and grass, likely from the surrounding plants. On the desk sat a crystal ball identical to the one she'd seen in the supermarket.
Taking a deep breath, she picked up the crystal ball. "I need to practice my spells. Next time, I must be able to protect myself," she whispered.
Holding the ball, she closed her eyes and focused on the snowy castle within.
"Ekans yb," she incanted in reverse.
The ball glowed warmly, and moments later, snowflakes began to drift down from the ceiling.
"I did it! I made snow!" she exclaimed, touching the delicate flakes with wonder.
For the first time, she had conjured magic without her father's guidance.
—
Meanwhile, Peter felt a chill in his room. He walked to the window and saw snowflakes floating down.
"Snow? In summer?"
Following the direction of the snow, he realized it came from Zatanna's room.
"Well, looks like I've got a built-in cooling system now," he muttered, amused.
