The straps certainly seemed ready to go. Zatanna gave a nod as she tugged at the straps on her straitjacket, gripping them in both hands and pulling hard. They would certainly hold and the trick would prove difficult to pull off. But, if she had her way, this would be her best escape act yet.
Still prepping for the show, Zatanna Zatara turned to her full length mirror to check on her appearance. Looking over her long black hair and staring into her own bright blue eyes, she nodded once and turned her attention to her attire. The outfit was certainly complete. The white, collared blouse with the white bow tie; the black tailcoat, unbuttoned, and the black bodysuit underneath it all. It was sleeveless and legless, showing off her strong, elegant legs. The bottom half of the undergarment was clearly visible and matched her tailcoat perfectly.
Pulling on her white gloves, Zatanna put one hand on her hip and stood tall on her black high heels, looking her legs up and down and the fishnet stockings that covered them. It was a classic look for her but, for this daring escape trick, she needed to give the world every last bit of the authentic Zatanna Zatara.
With a smirk, Zatanna pulled her top hat from thin air, tossing it in the air and allowing it to land perfectly on top of her head. Smiling at her little trick, Zatanna cast a glance at the chest that held her straitjacket and various rope, tape, and cloths. Thinking about it, she thought it was possible that she wouldn’t escape at all. After all, there were no quick releases on the straitjacket and there certainly wouldn’t be any on the rope or tape. She had even planned to be gagged for the trick, meaning she couldn’t use any of her words. It would be pure escapology on display. Of course, if she couldn’t escape, there were always fail-safes. One of the stagehands would be nearby and, with her subtle signal, they would start pulling straps loose while hidden behind the backdrop. Whatever it took, they would preserve the illusion if Zatanna’s escapology failed her.
She admitted to herself that she was a bit nervous but also just a tad excited at the challenge the trick presented. If she could pull it off, there wouldn’t be anyone to question her greatness as the world’s premier stage magician.
Coming back from her thoughts, Zatanna looked up into her mirror and was startled to see all of her stagehands standing behind her with blank stares.
“What the-!?”
All at once, they began to sing.
“Sitting still is what we do! No more help from us, we’re through! Zatanna’s on her own! This is already known! Vacant stares, with no cares, Zatanna’s on her own!”
She took a step back and assessed the insanity of what was happening. “What in the name of-”
“Greetings, my lovely! How marvellous to see you, Zatanna!”
The man’s voice was... familiar. She had to have met him before. The theatrical, dramatic way he spoke was just so similar to-
“The Music Meister!” he belted out, singing his tune and enthralling the stagehands as she split the small crowd and finally showed himself to Zatanna.
“I knew it,” Zatanna said.
The Music Meister was always an odd man but almost everyone agreed that he was endlessly charming. Mostly because he held them in thrall with his voice and his odd ability to control minds with the power of his music but, at any rate, he wasn’t your run of the mill villain.
His purple suit was eccentric, to say the least, with the green buttons adorning it shaped like two strung together eighth notes. The same symbol, coloured purple, was also embroidered onto the white cuffs of his long, purple suit jacket. The ends of his long, green bow tie hung loosely around his neck, With a wide smile on his face, The Music Meister wore a pair of glasses, trimmed with green. The white lenses showed, once again, the same two eighth notes strung together, covering where his pupils would be. A wide, black fedora rested atop his head where a green band held a white feather tucked neatly into place on the left side.
The man with the long, red hair grinned ear to ear when he looked Zatanna in the eye.
“Oh, did you know it was me?” he sang, music from some invisible source beginning to play. “Oh, how that brings me such glee! To know that my name is of such renown, go ahead now and just give me a crown! The greatest magician in the world, yes she knows! Oh, my grand heart, just watch how it glows!”
Zatanna let out a long breath. “Listen here, you malady of song!” Zatanna tried to speak but now she, too, was singing. She may have been caught up in his silly song but at least she still had control of her mind. Her own magic prevented it with her anti-hypnosis spell. “You will not get away with this for long! And you think to control my mind, heh! Now listen to my words: on sisonpyh!”
The Music Meister furrowed his brow but continued on, undeterred.
“So you think your magic is enough to defeat mine? You really should know better for my power is divine! For it is not just minds that I conquer with my will! Listen to my music as these objects I turn.... against you with my skill!”
All at once, with the power of the music all around. Zatanna’s chest then began to lift itself up off the ground! It opened up, spilling forth the contents there within. And now for her, against her plan, her escape trick would begin!
First her arms were wrapped inside the straitjacket and tight. The straps pulled taut, no slack to give, providing quite a sight. Two pulled between Zatanna’s legs, holding it in place. Another wrapped over her arms, giving them no space. Two more pinned her biceps tightly to her side. Her arms folded in front of her chest, with no real room to slide. Another strap bound her wrists, together fused as one. And the closed in sleeves strapped to her back, and it was finally done.
But the straitjacket was far from the end of her restraint. The ropes, tape, and cloth jumped up, in spite of her complaint. First of all the tape began, her legs now in the trap. It wrapped around her ankles first, closing up the gap.
Zatanna fought and fought, now trapped in her own devices. “No no,” said Meister. “Do not stop until all of it suffices!”
Ignoring that he was now rhyming with her thoughts, Zatanna was helpless to stop the tape and the rope’s iron knots.
The tape continued, finishing its wrap around her thighs. Moving up to her mouth with a cloth, Zatanna sighs.
“You will not succeed, I will see to it that you fail! Meister, it’s the end for -mmph!” Her words to no avail.
The cloth jumped into her mouth, waiting open wide. The tape then wrapped around her head, sealing it inside. Now only muffled, garbled words escaped behind the gag. But still her restraints were not done, not ropes nor the rag.
The rope came next, reinforcing her ankles with the tape. And as another wrapped her knees, it was finally taking shape.
Rope and tape binding her at the ankles and the knees. The straitjacket held her arms and torso with ease. One final touch was needed, for the magician in distress. A heavy cloth around her mouth and nose, no more could she express.
“Mmmph!” Zatanna cried, writhing against her bindings. Music Meister laughed and then responded with his findings.
“Now this is what I call a trick!” he sang. “Against the clock, tick tick tick! For you know not my plan, you see. The bidding to be done for me!”
The Music Meister turned to the curtains, listening to the crowd. Murmurs and whispers, thousands in number, were actually quite loud.
“MMMPPHH!” Zatanna squealed, struggling in place. Standing there, she fought hard, sweat beading on her face.
“I think you see it now, my dear, the plan I have foretold. My minions will now multiply by a thousandfold! This audience is perfect. All waiting for the show. Now to get her checked... in the chest you will go!”
With a muffled squeal Zatanna flew into her supplies chest. The lid slammed down and now she was inside, tightly pressed. Bound and gagged, no escape in sight, all was not well. If Meister won then all the world would be turned to living hell!
“Mmmph!” she called, thrashing about, unable to escape. Quickly she would have think, before the Meister’s plan took shape...
...
Stepping out onto the stage, The Music Meister listens to the crowd’s excited murmuring turn to confused whispers. He wasn’t slated to appear on stage but a few thought he was, perhaps, part of the show.
“My dear people,” he said. “Lend me your ears! In fact... no need.” The music began once again, playing from some unseen source, and The Music Meister took in a deep breath.
“I can have your attention if you give it or not. Hear my voice, you’re all enraptured! Now here you shall remain, affixed to the spot! Not a care that Zatanna’s captured!”
No one could help but give in to the song. Ears and eyes are wide as he booms his mighty voice. Yes, indeed, it didn’t take very long! And now it appears even we have got no choice!
“Friends, minions, here is my plan for you. A rocket -powered station to orbit ‘round the moon. You will build this for me and do it quickly too. And there shall be no resistance for in your minds, I am hewn!”
Meanwhile, still entrapped, the magician struggles on! Zatanna fights and fights but there is nothing to be drawn! Her restraints might be too much even for her brawn! But soon every last person will be Meister’s pawn! There must be some way out for the magician somewhere yon!
“Mmmphh! Hlmmp!” Her desperation called out. But behind the gag, no one can hear the great magician’s voice. And with them all enraptured, there was naught but doubt. At last, though, a strap gave way and within her mind: rejoice!
“Mmmph!” her excited voice within the chest exclaimed. Perhaps it was not as hard as the Meister had proclaimed! There was a thought, within her mind, that she had not escaped yet. But as a great escape artist, she wouldn’t lose this bet!
Still, in the chest, was no room to move. And get the leverage to remove the straps binding her and holding her in place. So not much strength did remain within her body it began to drain. Yet still Zatanna did not quit within that cramped space.
Soon enough, the straps came loose. Her restraints then did reduce. And Zatanna fought back within that large box. Before the Meister could finish his plan, the magician right then began to shake off the jacket now elegant as a fox.
“Mmmph!” she called, her arms now free. Her legs were next in line to be the ones she would get out of the tape and rope. It took her some time then but it was much easier when she didn’t have to fight the jacket without any hope.
Free of the last of her bonds, it was about time that Zatanna responds. The gag came off and she opened the lid, climbing from the chest. Running out onto the stage, the magician went at him with all her rage, proving now that she was the best.
Ignoring the music was proving... difficult. But her thoughts were no longer rhyming and singing so that was a positive sign that she was regaining control of her show.
The Music Meister was distracted, singing to her audience about the satellite he wished to launch around the moon that would broadcast his voice to the entire world to hold every last citizen of Earth in his musical thrall. Zatanna would not give him the chance.
Clearing her throat, rushing on stage, Zatanna shouted her spell above the music and Meister’s powerful voice. “potS eht cisum!”
The music coming from nowhere came to a halt and the crowd, singing back to the Music Meister, all stopped dead and began murmuring again, confused as to what had just been happening.
“What!? No! Listen to my voice and hear-”
“kconK tuo eht cisuM retsieM!” Zatanna said, interrupting his singing. The Music Meister fell unconscious on the stage and Zatanna nodded backstage where two security guards dragged him away, ready to hand him over to the police.
Zatanna flicked her long, black hair and stared out at the crowd. “My sincerest apologies for the delay,” she said, shifting gears and putting on her best performance face. “But, after that minor situation...”
Zatanna paused for a moment. She realized then that she had succeeded in her trick but no one was there to witness it. Her muscles were tired, her body was sore from being cramped into that chest but... she had a show to perform.
Although she couldn’t remember how she had escaped that straitjacket. It was mostly adrenaline and desperation to stop Meister’s plan. Thinking of doing it again, on stage with an audience and hanging upside down was... unpleasant. But Zatanna was, above all, a performer. And she would perform for her audience no matter what.
“The show will now commence!” Zatanna stepped to one side as the stagehands hastily organized her restraints and brought them out on stage in the chest she had been trapped in. One of them, a young man, had been standing nearby when Zatanna escaped from the chest.
“Hey... how did you get out of there, anyway?” he asked at a whisper.
Still in performance mode, Zatanna smiled coyly. And, playing on the current theme of the night, even sang it to him, softly, in rhyme. “The answer here is what you seek, but you should not fret. For anyone knows that a true magician never reveals her secret!”