Emerging from the portal, Phil surveyed his surroundings, once more breathing in Star City's unique mix of ocean air and city smog. It was an old, rundown section of Star City. Phil adjusted his duffel bag’s strap before continuing onto the agreed meeting spot, a small Turkish cafe. When he entered, there was only one person in the room, his official mentor and sponsor.

“Zatanna.” Phil was cool. He had seen the magician only a handful of times in the last year.

“I’m glad you agreed to meet me, Phil. I’ve been concerned,” Zatanna said, pulling out a chair for the younger wizard. Phil glanced at the proffered chair, then looked away, rejecting it.

“You said you had information on the demon,” Phil said, redirecting the conversation.

Zatanna frowned. “Phil, this is more than just about demon hunting. I’m concerned for you.” Zatanna stood up, reaching out for Phil’s arm. He let her hand stay. “There is something going on in the world of magic. Rumors of growing darkness and chaos. Xanadu has made more than the usual doomsday prophecies. I’ve even heard that Captain Marvel has been mysteriously stripped of his powers. The world of magic is in upheaval. I want you to be safe.”

Phil brushed off Zatanna’s comforting hand. “More like you’re concerned the Helm of Nabu is safe. I’m always second to that tin hat to you.” Phil jutted out his jaw in defiance. 

“You’ve been spending too much time with that Cockney curmudgeon. Jaded doesn’t suit you, Phil,” Zatanna responded calmly. A pregnant silence awkwardly hung over them. “Is that Helm safe?” Zatanna finally asked, a mix of duty and shame in her voice.

A sardonic smirk crossed Phil’s face. “Ha. That’s what this meeting is actually about. Not some Dr. Phil rerun where we all talk about our feelings and how much we missed each other. Let’s get this over with. Where’s the demon nest?”

Zatanna sat back down, and slid an envelope across the table. This was not going as she had hoped. “The info is in here. There’s one more thing, though, and it’s not about the Helm.” Zatanna cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Phil finally sat across from her, wondering what she was about to say.

“As your official Justice League sponsor, I have to tell you that with your recent actions... it makes the government, um... question your intentions. The whole reason we have this new Justice League system is to put a check on us superheroes, to keep tabs on us so no one tries to play god… again. Your time abroad… with the ‘Justice League Dark’... it doesn’t look good. You have no ties here, hell, you barely speak to your parents. And JL Dark is not the most popular team to the government. Phil, if you want to keep doing this, you have to go back to the Young Justice team, and stay there. Otherwise, your sponsorship might be called into question.”

Phil took it all in, and nodded. “I was going to stop by there anyway.” Taking the envelope, he stood up and walked towards the door. Inside, he was glad to see his old friends once again.

“One more thing, the team has been through a bit of a recruiting drive, so you might see some new faces,” Zatanna called as he left.

[i]Great. I hate meeting new people,[/i] Phil thought.