The Protagonist System

255 If You Build It

With a full size working tractor, it was surprisingly easy for me to case out the basement and dig down into the ground. A full basement was kind of rare in these parts, mostly because no one put in more effort for that than making a fruit cellar to store the vegetables they kept for their own use in a cool dark place.

Since I wasn't cheaping out, my basement was huge, as would the house be. It was the best way to explain the extra concrete I needed and the extra supports. I quick notice-me-not charm covered one particular part that would become the start of a tunnel that would lead underneath my farm to my factory.

I was tempted to go all the way to the road with it, just for the cool factor of driving through it, and the above driveway would be just for show and for visitors. It made me laugh thinking about copying Batman's setup for my own and decided a long tunnel was exactly what I needed.

I could have used magic and transfiguration for it, except that after meeting Doctor Fate, I knew what I did was making magical beacons for others to track down and investigate. That made me think of hiding everything and not just the extra construction. Even my expansion charms were kind of out in the open, since I hadn't felt the need to conceal them before.

Once I had the main hole dug for the basement, I started building the framework to fill in with concrete. When I had to start copying materials to keep working, I realized I may have gone a little overboard with the sheer size of the thing. It was too late to change it and hide it now, since both my mother and sister had just shown up to visit and watch me work.

“What the hell, Clark?” Martha asked and waved at the huge hole and wooden frame that took up a significant portion of the back of the land.

Emma giggled at her cussing and Martha hushed her.

“I may have read the distance wrong on the plans I made.” I lied and she gave me that look, the one all mothers used when they knew you were lying. “All right.” I said with a sigh. “I didn't realize how big it was going to be when I planned it and now it's built and I can't change it.”

Martha sighed as well. “Your father's going to freak out that you're wasting time and resources.”

“But, I'm not.” I said and smiled at her, remembering a certain artifact I needws to reclaim from under the family's barn. “I can use the extra space to store my... stuff.” I said, suggestively.

Martha's eyes widened slightly when she understood and she nodded, not wanting to say anything about it around Emma.

“It won't take me long to set the rebar into place and to mix up the cement. I'll have the thing filled up before you know it and I'll let it cure for a couple of days.” I said, a little proudly. I was quite good at building things, even without the use of magic, which reminded me that I needed to work on creating the ward changes to hide the magic I used here.

I finished building the last section just before lunch and brought Martha and Emma to the trailer and served them some food. “How has the slow cooker been working for you?”

“IT'S GREAT!” Emma yelled and started enthusiastically eating her chicken nuggets.

Martha softly laughed. “Someone highly prefers the slow roasted chicken that just falls off the bone to make it easier to eat.”

“Those wrap things you make are AWESOME!” Emma shouted.

“They really are.” Martha said and smiled at me, since I was the one that gave her the recipes. “How did you come up with them? They are so easy to make and you can have a healthy meal in the palm of your hand.”

“I have lots of ideas like that.” I told her. “Maybe I'll sell a few to a fast food chain like Big Belly Burger.”

“You'll be making money hand over fist if you only license it.” Martha responded.

I shook my head. “As soon as I approach them with an idea, they can rework it and steal it, so it's better to outright sell it to them and they can be the ones that have to worry about other restaurants stealing the idea.”

Martha let out a little laugh. “I guess that explains why they have big-priced lawyers on retainer.”

I nodded and we talked about my trip and how much I learned. Emma ignored us as she ate, as kids were prone to do when adults around them talked about something they weren't interested in. I told my mom about how Lisa reacted and she nodded several times, as if she expected that reaction.

“I think your own expectations about what might happen and how you acted after she rejected you, also influenced her choice to not accept your help.” Martha said when I was done explaining. “You missed the fact that she only meant for that one time and not for the rest of the trip.”

“Mom, I didn't want to push her.” I said in my defense.

“I know, Clark. That doesn't meant she didn't want you to push.” Mom countered.

I sighed, because I didn't want to be that guy. I wanted to share my time with someone, not have to badger them into accepting me into their lives and them grudgingly letting me be with them. That was not the kind of relationship I wanted to have.

“I'm sure you'll find someone you can click with someday.” Martha said.

I did not tell her I had banged the Sorcerer Supreme or a Princess of the Moon People, because I didn't want her to declare me crazy and try to have me committed. No normal person was going to accept me saying something like that without calling me insane, even if it was completely true.

“I'm sure I will, too.” I said and she smiled. “Are you sticking around to watch me mix cement?”

“NO!” Emma yelled and finished off her french fries.

“I think someone might object to being bored for the next few hours.” Martha said and helped Emma over to the sink and washed their hands.

I washed my own, showing my little sister that even big boys kept themselves clean. I walked them out to the truck and waved to them as Martha drove away. Once they were out of sight, I locked up the trailer and went back over to the worksite. I had a lot of cement to mix and pour, using my endless water flask instead of carrying buckets of water or digging a well.

Once I had some of it made, it was easy to duplicate and I doubled it inside the mould. I would have done more, only I needed to use up a lot of the things I bought to show that I wasn't wasting anything. It was also proof of where I was spending my money, too.

With stacks and stacks of supplies like wood, bags of concrete mix, metal rebar, and a few other things, it let anyone looking at the worksite to see where the money was going. I was still going to use cheats and tricks once I had the walls up and the wards fixed, though. I wasn't stupid. I needed things built fast and the only people available to do it was me, myself, and I.

*

A nearly 16 year old Bruce Wayne looked upon his too sexy for words mother and tried to fight down the erotic thoughts he was having. It just wasn't fair that his mother was more beautiful than any of the girls at his high school. He was sure that if he asked some of the girls for their opinion, they would agree with him. His mother being so sexy was not fair at all.

“You know I can see you, Bruce.” Martha said with amusement as she paused her yoga stretches to lift her head from the floor and she smiled knowingly at him.

“It... it's just not fair.” Bruce said before he could get this unfair thoughts under control. Plus, he was getting a very nice view of his mother's cleavage that had distracted him. I shouldn't be looking at her like this!

“Believe me, I know.” Thomas Wayne said from behind him.

Bruce tried to not flinch and turned to look at his father, only to see the same knowing smile on his face that was on his mother's. “Father, I... I was...”

“...admiring your beautiful mother.” Thomas interrupted him and Bruce's face went red from embarrassment about being caught, only for his father to pat his shoulder. “I said I know, son.”

“But...” Bruce said and wanted to defend himself.

“You'll find your Martha some day, Bruce. I guarantee it.” Thomas said. “You are a Wayne, after all.”

Bruce realized then that defending his actions wasn't necessary, since both of his parents understood his problem. “How am I supposed to...” He stopped talking and motioned to his mother, whom had moved from her 'downward dog' position into 'upward dog'.

“The easiest way is to accept the apprentice position under Lucius that he generously offered. It will get you out of the house in the evenings and on the weekends and you'll appreciate spending time with your friends more.” Thomas informed him.

“Why would I...” Bruce's voice trailed off as he thought about it. “I'll only see them at school and I'll be too busy for anything more than casual meetings.”

“You'll treasure them more and they'll know that, assuming you don't close yourself off and share your experiences with them.” Martha told him.

Bruce thought about that. “Jennifer did ask me about what new things Wayne Enterprises was going to come out with next year.”

Thomas smiled and walked by him and into the room, then assumed the same pose as his wife. “Let Alfred know if you want to start going to work. He'll handle the arrangements for you.”

“I won't be going into work with you?” Bruce asked, a little surprised.

Thomas gave him a huge smile. “Do you really want to be seen as a daddy's boy on your first day of work?”

“Good god, no!” Bruce exclaimed.

Martha lost her pose as she laughed and couldn't hold herself up anymore.

“Then run off and tell him you're ready to start taking on some of the family business.” Thomas said and his words were both heavy and full of double meanings.

Bruce nodded and turned around, then turned back. “Thanks, dad.” He said and gave his mother a look and then smiled. “Thanks, mom.”

Both parents gave him warm smiles and watched him walk off with a determined gait that would lead him into a future full of tech gadgets and learning under one of the best British spies to ever retire outside of Britain.

*@@novelbin@@

John Constantine stood in the living room of the Shadowcrest Manor and gave the teenager wearing fishnet stockings a leering look, because she actually had the legs to pull the look off. “You can't be serious, sweet cheeks.”

Zatanna Zatara glared at him. “I am and I'm also offering...”

“I don't care if you were handing over the secrets of El Dorado itself. There's no way I'm volunteering to go into hell for you.” John said.

“I already told you it's not for me!” Zatanna almost shouted.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's to save someone.” John said and made air quotes with his fingers, then he pulled the half-smoked cigarette out of his mouth and flicked the end to toss the ashes onto the expensive carpet.

“Taochcnert otno hsinab.” Zatanna spat instantly and the ashes zoomed from near the floor and splattered across the hem of John's coat.

“Hey! Easy there, Gams. This coat means more to me than you do.” John said and wiped at the ash with his hand, only to spread it out, and he sighed. He muttered a spell in old Latin and the ash and the coat glowed, then the ash floated off, even the smear on his fingers, and formed into a ball.

“Don't. You. Dare.” Zatanna spat and glared at him.

John gave her a blank look and flicked his hand towards the large fireplace. “There, happy?”

Zatanna couldn't stop the frustration from showing on her face. “I need your help and you're supposed to be the expert.”

“Yes, I am. I am also not an idiot.” John said. “No one in their right minds wants to travel into the hell dimension to correct their mistake.”

“My mistake sent my innocent father into Lleh.” Zatanna reminded him.

“Yeah, about that.” John said and took a long drag off of his cigarette. “You know innocent souls would be automatically shunted into Purgatory to wait to be judged, right?”

Zatanna opened her mouth to argue, then sighed.

“Yeah, your pop's not as innocent as you always thought he was.” John said and flicked his ashes through the air and they landed inside the fireplace. “Any idea why?”

Zatanna didn't want to answer, only she knew if she didn't, he would find out anyway. He was a supernatural detective and that was why she wanted to hire him in the first place. If anyone was going to help her find her father, it was John Constantine.

“Follow me.” Zatanna said and gave his cigarette a pointed look and then the fireplace.

“Fine.” John said and took one last puff and flicked the remainder of his cigarette into the fireplace.

Zatanna nodded and led him through the mansion to the library.

The Egyptian mummy on guard duty gave her a dry look.

“He's only allowed entry for today.” Zatanna told the mummy and it closed its eyes.

“That's not unnerving at all.” John commented as he passed the mummy.

“Hassan's devotion to his job of protecting the library is what he was created for. I wouldn't test him on that, if I were you.” Zatanna warned him.

“I wouldn't dream of it.” John said, fully believing her. His minor detection spell revealed the mummy was animated by her magic and he knew it would be a difficult fight against something that wasn't truly alive.

Zatanna smiled at him for a moment and then they reached a bare space of wall.

“Damn, girl. Did you have to be so obvious about where the secret vault was?” John asked.

Zatanna looked surprised. “What do you mean? How did you know it was a secret vault? I haven't even opened it yet.”

John pointed to the other small walls where there weren't bookshelves and there were smatterings of paintings and things hung on the wall, like candelabras and sconces. “Out of the entire library, this one stretch of wall is completely bare.”

Zatanna blinked her eyes at him and looked back at the wall and saw what he meant. “How did I never notice that before? It's so obvious!”

John chuckled. “Because sometimes you need a different perspective to understand what you're looking at.”

Zatanna knew he was implying something else and chose to ignore it. She spoke the password and used her magic to activate the magical mechanism, then the wall split and folded away to reveal a pedestal with a thick book resting on it.

“The Darkhold!” John gasped and took a step back, crossing himself with his hand and whispering a prayer of protection. “Jesus Christ in Heaven! What the bloody hell are you doing with the biggest source of evil magic inside your magical home?”

“I'm protecting it from ever being abused.” Zatanna said and John glared at her. “It's been the responsibility of my family to reclaim and keep safe various magical artifacts over the centuries. My father found this...”

“You don't just find things like that, you ignorant girl.” John said. “It finds its way to those it knows will use it, even if they know how stupid it is to do so.”

Zatanna blushed and looked away from him.

John let out several curse words that should never be spoken in front of a lady. “You used it.”

“I've been trying for years to get my father back and this is the best way for me to find him, with your help.” Zatanna said.

John glared at her and then at the book. “All right, you've convinced me you're too insane to let this go.”

Zatanna tried to not let the insult get to her.

“I'll help you as long as you let me deal with that book.” John said.

“You can't have it. My father promised to...” Zatanna started to say.

“I'm not keeping the thing, you idiot. I'm going to dispose of it.” John said and the cover opened slightly and the whisper of a laugh was carried through the air to his ears. “Somehow. Someway.”

Zatanna looked from the book to his face, and nodded. “Help me get my father back, and you can have your chance to try, just like so many others.”

John nodded and Zatanna picked up the book. He did not miss how she tucked it under her arm, as if she had done it many times before. He hid his fear about that and it's corrupting influence the more it was used and he wondered how much his attempt to destroy the thing would be mitigated or interfered with because of her own magic protecting the thing.

When they passed out through the library's doors to start discussing plans, the mummy's eyes opened and watched the book and not John to see if he had stolen anything, which he had, just because he had been warned not to. He hated it when people told him he couldn't do something and he loved proving them wrong.