Young Justice (IC)

[The Jeffinator]

(If you want to join, please check out the OOC)

WASHINGTON, D.C.
February 23 19:51 EST

Dick could feel a chill in the early night air as he rode his bike down the streets of DC. He was fully geared up in his Nightwing suit, even though he was just going to a party. He didn't want to take any chances. He had actually arrived in DC earlier that day using the Hypergate Network, and was patrolling the area before the party started.

“Well, it's almost eight,” he said as he looked at the time on the Heads-Up Display on the visor of his helmet. “Guess I'd better get to the Hall.” He took off in the direction of the Hall of Justice, seeing many cars in the parking lot outside once he arrived – this party was open to the public and the media, and the Museum of Heroes within the Hall had been a tourist attraction for years. The most popular part of the museum was Memorial Garden, a large indoor area with glass ceilings, bushes, trees, flowers, and statues of fallen heroes. There was also a gift shop, the sales from which helped fund the upkeep of the Hall, though Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries were the primary sponsors.

“And here we have yet another attempt for the Justice League to suck up to us with this grand celebration,” said an annoying voice as Dick walked towards the front doors of the Hall. He turned and saw Gordon Godfrey in front of a camera, talking trash about the League as usual. He thought about saying something, but decided it wasn't worth it and continued into the Hall.

“Anything suspicious?” asked Batman as he saw Dick come in and walked over. He shook his head and looked around. There were hundreds of people packed into the Hall, with many tables and chairs set up, a dance floor, a DJ playing music, and bars with drinks and snacks. A huge banner along one wall read “Happy 10th Anniversary!” A few minutes later, the caterers showed up with hot food.

After filling up a plate with various dishes, Dick walked over to a table in the corner and sat with his back to the wall. He sipped on a glass of punch and ate quietly, keeping his eyes on the crowd. Many of the party-goers were either fans of the League or media personnel, but a lot of the heroes themselves showed up, all in costume, of course. Even heroes that weren't members of the League came. Dick didn't come for the food or the fun, however – he was merely there for backup in case something happened. This was the biggest League-sponsored party ever, so he had a feeling someone might cause problems, and most of the Council of Founders agreed with him.

NOTE: The Hypergate Network is a lot like the gates in Stargate SG-1. There are hundreds of gates hidden around the world, as well as in the Batcave, Mount Justice, Hall of Justice, and Watchtower. The gates on the ground are closed off to Earth only, but the gates on the Watchtower are open to allied planets, such as Oa, Mars, and Rann.

 

[Shukaku]

In the Case of Terra

Like hell she was going to wear a dress.

Terra looked at her reflection in the dirty floor mirror and frowned slightly. It had been a little over a year since she'd heard from her uncle, so to suddenly receive a request from him had been a little irking. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about the brief message he had scribbled on the paper.

Justice League celebration in Washington. Immerse yourself and wait for further instruction. - Slade

His letter had only arrived a day before the mentioned celebration, so she'd very little time to prepare for the trip - hence the run-down hotel she was currently residing it. 'How like my uncle,' she mused, a grimace on her face. It had been a miracle that she was able to book a flight from Jersey to Washington in time.

Her bright blue eyes observed her reflection once more before she turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her swiftly. She pulled out her key to lock the door only to find there was something stuck in the keyhole. Shrugging her shoulders, she put the useless key back in her pocket.

It wasn't like she had anything valuable in there anyway.

The minute the cool night air hit her face she took paused, taking in a deep breath. She always felt more at peace outside, the muscles in her shoulders immediately loosening. Terra looked around to make sure no one was in the area and then dashed behind the hotel, merging with the shadows.

She took another deep breath and concentrated on the ground beneath her feet. She could feel the earth respond to her call, a large chunk of it rising, lifting her into the air. A small grin appeared on her face - it always made her blood rush when she was airborne.

Imagining in her mind where she wanted to go, the collection of earth began heading in that direction, taking her with it.

It wasn't long before she found herself outside of the Hall of Justice. She flicked her hand downwards and the earth seemed to listen, beginning a slow descent until Terra's feet touched sidewalk.

She had landed on the side of the building, not wanting to draw attention to herself. With a flick of her wrist, the earth chunk was sent flying harmlessly to the side. She flipped some loose strands of her hair behind her shoulder and walked up to the building.

The parking lot was full of cars and the smell of divine cuisine wafted strongly in the air. Her stomach growled in protest and Terra grumbled in response. She walked along the side of the building, trying to get a glimpse of the party within through the window.

 

[Wyldfire]

New kid in town.

The tenth anniversary of the Justice league. Just the sort of thing to bring out all the crazies, including him. Rose looked again at the ticket to the gala. It hadn't been that hard to get, show a little leg, let the guy cop a feel or two (He'd pay later for that though, oh yes he would.), and bang mister rich and famous gets her through the door. She smiled into the vanity as she finished her eye make-up. Shades of pale blue tonight. Cold as winter, accenting her one pale blue grey eye. She knew this look would cause reactions; perks of her genetic mix. The lips were next, blue grey lipstick with darker blue liner. With her pale skin and platinum hair she looked like some sort of viking's fantasy girl. The white satin eye patch might have turned some away, but with the make-up and the rest of the wardrobe she knew it would cause some, the fun some, to be drawn to her. Something exotic.

Make-up finished she stood up in just the white satin thong and walked to the closet, pulling out the tight form fitting dress. Again pure white, with the halter top leaving her back visible, arms bare, and the skirt just long enough for decency (with the fit, she knew, if it came to it she could still fight in it. She'd just show a bit more than she usually would. Could prove a good distraction at just the right time.). The knee high, low heeled slouch boots were next. The hidden batons could be useful, like the garrot in the hem of the halter, if things got messy. This outfit was one of the few things she had ever really liked that he had bought for her. In the clutch purse between the leather and the lining was the white stretchfit mask that was identical to her usual. Matching the outfit, she'd look like stripper death if he did show. But the mask would make hell of the work she'd had done putting her hair into ringlets. Diamonds in the ears and around her neck completed the look.

The limo rich boy had arranged arrived right on time and she was away. The ride was uneventful except that the traffic was worse than usual with the event and all. Before long Rose stepped out of the limo and entered the party.

 

[BishopJayden]

Enter The Guardian

Having spend the day making sure the armor was up to speed, he decided to relax until the party, sitting in front of the TV and playing a few online games with some buddies from home on his new gaming system. Unfortunately for him, he became too engrossed in what was happening that he lost track of time and it was almost eight before he knew it. Luckily, it was a known fact that Men took way longer than women to get ready. All he needed was seven minutes.

Saying bye to his friends, he got ready, hopping in the shower quickly and taking a deep bath in only a few short minutes, then brushed his teeth and walked out to his clothes that he had laid out on the bed prior to updating the armor, which he had found suitable containment under his shirt and jacket, the helmet to which was found inside his back pack for easy access. Thanks to his Uncle, if there was any sort of detector besides Superman's X-Ray vision, or J'on Jonzz's thing, he'd get past with it easily.

Dressed in a Blazer and Sweater with street pants on, he was ready to go and out of the apartment in six, a record time, and started trekking to the Hall of Justice, thinking it's easier to walk than ride and found himself in a line to get into the party in merely a few minutes of power walking.

 

[The Jeffinator]

As Dick watched the room, he noticed Gordon Godfrey had finally entered the Hall, followed closely by his camera crew and assistant Cat Grant. He was the face of ENN (Earth News Network), the main anchorman on the nightly news, and also the host of Need to Know with Gordon Godfrey. He soon found Senator Harvey Dent by the juice bar and wasted no time in initiating an interview.

“Senator Dent, what do you think about this display of power the Justice League is putting on?” asked Godfrey. Dent looked confused.

“Excuse me?” he replied.

“Surely you know what I mean, Senator,” said Godfrey with a raised eyebrow. “The League puts on a party, many important people show up, and it shows just how much control they really have. How can you, as a United States Senator, stand for this? It is my understanding you were a District Attorney before being elected to the Senate, correct?”

“Well yes, but--” Godfrey cut Dent off.

“Then you know the law. And you know how preposterous it is to allow an army of vigilantes to hold so much power. They allow super-powered individuals to patrol the streets and the skies, they have already permitted numerous aliens access to our world, without even consulting the country they claim to serve! How do you sleep at night, Mr. Dent, when this is happening right under our noses?”

Dent sighed and just looked at Godfrey for a moment, then raised his glass. “Have a good night, Gordon,” and then he walked off.

“You see?!” cried Godfrey into the camera with a laugh. “He refuses to comment!”

Dick shook his head and drowned out the rest of Godfrey's rant. He noticed other people in the crowd, such as Lex Luthor and Morgan Edge, who of course would always show up to high-profile events like this. Superman could be seen across the room, following Luthor's every move.

A few tables over, a young Hispanic man sat watching the various heroes with wide eyes. His name was Jaime Reyes, and he was a huge fan of the Justice League. While he had no powers, he had been practicing a variety of martial arts in the hopes of someday becoming a costumed hero like the ones he had admired since he was a child. He lived in El Paso, Texas, and had saved every penny he could to afford to fly out to D.C. for the weekend. He was still in high school, so he had worked various odd jobs in the mornings, evenings, and weekends to earn money.

On the other side of the room, a waiter took notice of Terra entering the Hall. Once she sat down, the man approached her. He had dark eyes and even darker hair, short and spiked. He was fairly tall and tan and sported a thin mustache and goatee. “Good evening, Miss,” he said to her in a British accent, extending a hand. He stealthily slipped her a note. “I hope you are enjoying yourself. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to seek me out.” Then he vanished back into the crowd. The note contained Slade's handwriting:

Keep your eyes on the waiter at all times. When he motions, follow him without question. Do not hesitate, do not speak. Just follow him and obey his orders. And remember your lessons about mental blocks. There are telepaths in the crowd.​

 

[Sean Renaud]

Ben took a deep breath and shook his head as he stepped into room. It was something of a first for the young hero, he wasn't the single biggest hero in room and some of the people present had actually saved the universe more often than he had. Still none of them had started when they were ten. . .well if the rumors about Nightwing being Robin perhaps some had started. . .oh what the hell. Benjamin Tennyson was simply the greatest hero in the history of ever.

Benjamin Tennyzon shuddered slightly trying to loosen his tie. Formal wear was something Ben left for funerals, weddings and other assorted uncomfortable gatherings. He normally didn't even bothers usual he was in uniform, a green shirt with a black stripe down the right side with the number 10 emblazoned over his chest.

Ben fought to keep a smile from creeping across his face as he mused.

What should I do?
Should I pretend to be humble and honored to be here?
Should I defer to the greats who came before?
Should I tell people I'm not a roll model?
Should I play the villain?​

"Oh fuck it." Ben muttered winding up the Ultimatrix in a blind spin before slapping it and turning into. . .Grey Matter!

 

[BishopJayden]

Moving about the crowds, Ma kept an eye out for his Uncle, Steel, just in case. Since his suit was lightweight, it was easy for him to move around in and left him free to mingle, working the crowds and the buffet. He joined conversations and talked to people that talked to him, but other than that, he was remotely quite, picking off the small plate of food he had in his hands. There were more superheroes in here than he thought and he began to worry about his armor and being found out about it, but there was no sign of J'on Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter, and Superman was otherwise occupied. He relaxed, slightly.

Moving away from the crowds after a few minutes of mingling and a conversation that was really starting to creep him out, he moved to the monuments of the fallen heroes. He scanned each and everyone, reading the little plaques that sat in front of the Marble Statues. He read all about them before moving to the next, not exactly getting ideas, but not exactly thinking he wouldn't use them either. He stood in front of two the longest, one of a hero he'd never seen before, and the Former Guardian. He wanted to reach out and touch it, but the impregnable glass wouldn't allow him to even get close. The sight was much more majestic than he thought as well, like each statue was carved by a god of some sort.

The stone was worked beautifully, weaved to be perfect and probably smooth to the touch. Whoever made them, took great care and pride in their work. And he could see that just by looking at them. Made him wonder where his Uncle was.

 

[Shukaku]

Terra walked over the refreshments table and her stomach grumbled again. Grabbing a plate, she began picking up various delicious-looking morsels. Most of it looked more expensive that anything she had ever eaten in her life, but as long as it was good she couldn't care less what it was.

Feeling like she had grabbed enough, Terra scanned the room and found a chair off to the side. It seemed like a good spot to be alone and eat so she moved swiftly over to claim it before someone else did. As soon as she sat down and reached for what looked like some type of sushi on her plate, she noticed someone approaching her from out of the corner of her eye.

He smiled and greeted her, rather charming really. He reached for her hand and discretely slipped her a piece of paper, it was then that Terra knew this man must have been sent by her uncle. She watched him depart and pretended to yawn, holding her hand up to her mouth and opening the note secretly.

Her suspicions were proven to be valid when she noticed her uncle's crude handwriting: Keep your eyes on the waiter at all times. When he motions, follow him without question. Do not hesitate, do not speak. Just follow him and obey his orders. And remember your lessons about mental blocks. There are telepaths in the crowd.

'Ah,' she thought, slipping the paper into her pants pocket. 'Always so vague, uncle. Just once I wish he would just tell me clearly what I am supposed to do.' Terra grabbed one of the rolls on her plate and began nibbling on it. Of course the bread tasted as good as it looked and she silently relished the taste, pondering if maybe she could sneak some out when she left.

She finished the roll and reached for the next piece of food, nibbling on it as well. Her blue eyes observed everyone in the room while she ate. She knew most of the superheroes at first glance, but there seemed to be quite a few she didn't recognize - most notably a young man with a black mask on his face.

'I have to keep my eyes on the waiter. Waiter, Terra, not dashing dark-haired boys with masks on,' she chided herself, grabbing for a piece of fruit off of her plate this time.

 

[The Jeffinator]

As Dick finished his plate, he noticed a beautiful blonde girl looking at him from across the room. Business as usual, Dick, he thought to himself, brushing off the idea of going over and talking to her. But then after a few minutes, thought, screw it. He made his way over and sat down next to the girl.

"Hello, how are you tonight?" he said to her with a smile. "Quite the crowd here, isn't there?"

 

[BishopJayden]

Was getting late and Mal was starting to get bored. Although he enjoyed his alone time in the Garden, he had to get back to the party sometime, but he couldn't really stop the feeling that crawled up his spine, as if sensing that shit as going to go down soon. It'd be better to be in a crowd than alone if it came down to that. Pulling his pack up higher, he meandered into the buffet hall and to the table to pick some food out to eat more. He had forgot to eat at home, most of his time had been spent upgrading the armor. A quirk he needed to fix.

Scanning the room, at all the high profile faces and the beautiful women, he still couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen, another feeling told him that some of the people here dressed all casually were able to handle themselves. There was one, particular woman, dressed in pure white with white hair and white eye-patch over her left eye. It was like looking at a sexy snowman in a blizzard on top of a paper plate. 'Interesting...' he thought, his eyes staring at the modern day Viking Snow Bunny. He decided to keep his distance for now, reminded suddenly of the woman with the eye patch from Kill Bill, but strangely not intimidated, though fairly sure that if it ever came down to it, she could probably kick his ass.

Parts of him were strictly okay with that.

 

[Wyldfire]

This was the first time she'd been to this calibre of party, but no one would have noticed it. Rose moved through the party with grace, smiling and exchanging plesantries as she went. The food looked good. Not that she was underfed, but fine dining was not her thing. A bag of burgers was more her speed, but she nibbled at h'orderves as she went.

Rose took stock of the names present. Big guns were here alright, making this just what he'd want to stick his nose into. She had a momentary moment of doubt, what was she thinking being here? Was she really this petty? Or was it something she wasn't willing to admit. Was she really doing this so she could hurt him or was it something else? "Straighten up girl," she thought to herself, "here for a reason and it's not to be weak. You're here to make him pay for what he did to you."

The short hairs at the base of her neck rose, then she felt it. Someone was watching her. She discretely glanced about and saw him, tall, well put together, had a kind look about him. She gave him a slight rise of her chin and a smile. She was here to mingle so she ought to mingle riight?

She walked towards the young man, moving with fluid grace. As she got close enough she said "This is such a nice party isn't it?" She offered her hand to Mal, "I'm Adeline Winter, and you are?"

 

[BishopJayden]

This was the first time she'd been to this calibre of party, but no one would have noticed it. Rose moved through the party with grace, smiling and exchanging plesantries as she went. The food looked good. Not that she was underfed, but fine dining was not her thing. A bag of burgers was more her speed, but she nibbled at h'orderves as she went.

Rose took stock of the names present. Big guns were here alright, making this just what he'd want to stick his nose into. She had a momentary moment of doubt, what was she thinking being here? Was she really this petty? Or was it something she wasn't willing to admit. Was she really doing this so she could hurt him or was it something else? "Straighten up girl," she thought to herself, "here for a reason and it's not to be weak. You're here to make him pay for what he did to you."

The short hairs at the base of her neck rose, then she felt it. Someone was watching her. She discretely glanced about and saw him, tall, well put together, had a kind look about him. She gave him a slight rise of her chin and a smile. She was here to mingle so she ought to mingle riight?

She walked towards the young man, moving with fluid grace. As she got close enough she said "This is such a nice party isn't it?" She offered her hand to Mal, "I'm Adeline Winter, and you are?"

He was shocked. His Snow Bunny had walked right up to him in such a fashion that screamed... Well, maybe not screamed, but he sure as hell took notice More than that, he didn't realize he was staring at her this entire time. Maybe he liked white girls, maybe he like white girls with an eye patch. Or maybe he liked white girls with killer bodies and an eye patch. Either way, he missed his queue but it slowly began to come up again as he extended his hand and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss against her knuckles, greeting in a fashion someone like her was probably accustomed to. Steel had taught him to be a gentleman and his manners proved that the lesson stuck hard.

"Mal... Malcom Duncan-Irons." he said with a bit of pride, taking his parents and his Uncle's last name. "Would it be too much of a clique to ask if you come to these kind of things often?" he asked with a slight grin, his eyes never leaving hers. Though very tempted.

 

[Sean Renaud]

Five entire inches of of bad ass. This was to say the least sub optimal. It was a bit of a battle to keep from screaming out in frustration but Ben managed to get by just keeping from being stepped on by the other guests.

One noticable advantage to being under a foot tall though was that the ladies were suddenly very easy to check out from. . .well below the waist line. There were quite possibly worse things than being Grey Matter though even with his increased intellect Ben was having a hard time figuring out what those situations might be.

"Stupid new watch does what it wants." Ben grumbled as he jumped onto a table and grabbed a bunch of grapes to munch on as he continued wandering around.

 

[The Jeffinator]

After the charming British waiter walked away from Terra's table, he made his rounds to everyone in the room, offering them drinks or asking if they were having fun and needed anything. Then he came to a stop when he saw her -- Rose. Suddenly she turned and stared right in his direction, and started moving towards him. His heart began racing.

"Good evening, Miss," he said as she approached, and sighed in relief as she walked right past him. He turned and saw she was headed for a tall African-American man instead. That was a close call. Too close. It was fortunate she did not recognize me. But still, what the hell is that girl doing here? he thought to himself, then went about his business.

Meanwhile, Jaime Reyes had left his table and went for a walk in the Memorial Garden, stopping to look at all the different heroes that had fallen over the years. The statue of Blue Beetle caught his eye. His secret identity had been revealed as Ted Kord when he died a few years back, a hero who first surfaced during World War II and stayed active until his death, despite his old age. It was never revealed to the public exactly how Kord attained his Beetle armor, but many thought he had constructed it himself, being that he was the founder and chief scientist of Cadmus Labs. After Kord's death, a dozen major corporations made a grab for Cadmus, ultimately going to Luthor Industries.

After gazing at the statues for a while, Jaime made his way to the Trophy Room, where costumes and gear of retired or fallen heroes and defeated villains lined the walls, behind sheets of impenetrable glass. He marveled at the size and beauty of the entire Hall of Justice. It was a rather large building, with a sizable entry way, enormous central chamber with high ceilings, and two wings branching off the main chamber. The east wing was the Museum of Heroes, and included the Memorial Garden, Trophy Room, and the Heroes & More Gift Shop. The west wing was closed to League members only, and in the main chamber a huge metal door could be seen with the words "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY." When Batman had vanished through the door for a few minutes earlier, Jaime could see there was a long hallway inside that led to a second metal door.

After stopping to take a look at the gift shop, he made his way back to the central chamber, where the party was being held. Normally, this room was used as a library, and sometimes the League would invite schools to come and they would teach the children about what it means to do the right thing. For the celebration, however, they had pushed the bookcases against the north wall and set up extra tables.

 

[Shukaku]

Terra plucked a piece of honeydew from her plate, plopping it into her mouth and closing her eyes to savor the taste. It was a perfect piece, juicy and sweet, her tastes buds were all but squealing in approval.

"Hello, how are you tonight?"

She opened her eyes when she heard the drawl of an unfamiliar, yet pleasant masculine voice near her.

"Quite the crowd here, isn't there?"

Right beside her sat the very guest she had been eyeballing earlier, which made her almost choke on her piece of honeydew. Swallowing quickly she cleared her throat and put on one of her best smiles. "It's pretty amazing," she began, her voice sounding strange to her own ears. It wasn't often that she got to casually converse with people. "I mean seeing all of the famous super heroes here... it's like something out of a storybook!" Terra gave him a lop-sided grin. "Speaking of which... you wouldn't happen to be one of the famed, celebrated and well-known superheroes would you?"

 

[Wyldfire]

He was shocked. His Snow Bunny had walked right up to him in such a fashion that screamed... Well, maybe not screamed, but he sure as hell took notice More than that, he didn't realize he was staring at her this entire time. Maybe he liked white girls, maybe he like white girls with an eye patch. Or maybe he liked white girls with killer bodies and an eye patch. Either way, he missed his queue but it slowly began to come up again as he extended his hand and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss against her knuckles, greeting in a fashion someone like her was probably accustomed to. Steel had taught him to be a gentleman and his manners proved that the lesson stuck hard.

"Mal... Malcom Duncan-Irons." he said with a bit of pride, taking his parents and his Uncle's last name. "Would it be too much of a clique to ask if you come to these kind of things often?" he asked with a slight grin, his eyes never leaving hers. Though very tempted.

Rose gave a light giggle. "Oh no, this is definately a first for me. These kinds of parties are definately out of my usual circles," she smiled, a hint of a devilish gleem in her eye. If this guy only knew what her kind of party was he'd run for his life.

Taking a sip of her mineral water she continued, "If my father knew I was here he'd blow a gasket." Please, please let him blow a gasket she thought to herself. "May I call you Mal? Or is that a little too relaxed?"

There was something nagging at her. Something familiar here, but it was just out of her reach....... "Focus... " she thought to herself. What the hell was it that had her on edge?

 

[The Jeffinator]

Dick smiled at Terra. "Well, I'm not very well-known in my current outfit, but up until last year, I was Robin, student of Batman. I became Nightwing once I felt I had outgrown the whole sidekick thing. I went off on my own, and Batman has a new Robin, and a Batgirl, as well. So, what's your name?"

He thought this girl was very beautiful, but something felt off. He had a nagging feeling that she was hiding something. Her eye movements, her body language, all hinted at the fact that she felt a bit uncomfortable there. Maybe it was him, maybe it was the party, or maybe it was the fact that she knew he was a master detective the moment he mentioned he used to be Robin. He noticed she kept looking towards the crowd, possibly trying to keep and eye on someone. Her movements told him that she was trying to act natural, and he could tell she had received some training in body language. To an untrained eye, she would appear perfectly normal. But he knew better. Something was up with this girl. She seemed entirely too nervous and was trying very hard to hide it.

 

[BishopJayden]

Rose gave a light giggle. "Oh no, this is definately a first for me. These kinds of parties are definately out of my usual circles," she smiled, a hint of a devilish gleem in her eye. If this guy only knew what her kind of party was he'd run for his life.

Taking a sip of her mineral water she continued, "If my father knew I was here he'd blow a gasket." Please, please let him blow a gasket she thought to herself. "May I call you Mal? Or is that a little too relaxed?"

There was something nagging at her. Something familiar here, but it was just out of her reach....... "Focus... " she thought to herself. What the hell was it that had her on edge?

Her giggle made him feel warm in certain places and he gave a little chuckle as he listened to her talk. He definitely caught an accent in there somewhere, but as he continued to listen to her, his smile dropped a bit. "Are you okay?" he asked curiously, gripping her hand tighter slightly, not even noticing that he kept her in his, honestly worried. "Uhm, sure, that's fine. Too early for cute nicknames."

The more he kept her in his line of sight, the more she seemed to take her surroundings, her form started to get hardened as if she was preparing for a fight, or expecting one at least. "Want to dance?" The words left faster than he imagined, but, it was the only thing he could think of that would give them both a full range of sight while keeping the flirt on, or at least him putting th flirt on her .

 

[Shukaku]

"Wait, you were the boy wonder?" Terra asked, raising an eyebrow. "The kid in the tights, vest and cape? Haha, I can see why you'd want to change your name, Nightwing," she teased, letting the name roll off her tongue slowly as if testing how it sounded to her own ears. She smiled, imagining how nice it must have been to be a part of a team. She'd never really had friends or even associates really, so the whole 'team' thing was a luxury she'd never had. The only person Terra could really say she had anything with was her uncle and even then he only seemed to call when he had something for her to do.

"So, what's your name?"

Such a simple question, yet hearing it brought so many unwanted memories rushing through her brain. A name was supposed to be a title of self, a proud tag to wear about, a way to be acknowledged. For Terra, her name was like a fungus, a curse, a small reminder that no matter what she did or how how hard she tried, she was better off being alone.

Alone, she didn't have to worry about being hurt.

Or hurting others.

"My name is Terra," she replied after a moment's pause. Unconsciously, she pushed some of her hair behind her shoulder. Terra found herself wanting to fidget, which only served to annoy her. She was sure that Nightwing could probably sense her uneasiness, so she laughed lightly. "I'm sure you can already tell but... I'm not really used to these types of gatherings. I feel a little out of place, I suppose you could say?" Her hand swept out the bring notice to the various people in the room. "I am in a hall of heroes after all. Who wouldn't be a little in awe?"

Clearing her throat, Terra decided to change the subject. "So tell me, what was it like? Being a part of a team? And with the infamous Batman no less!"

 

[The Jeffinator]

"Wait, you were the boy wonder?" Terra asked, raising an eyebrow. "The kid in the tights, vest and cape? Haha, I can see why you'd want to change your name, Nightwing,"

Dick rolled his eyes a little. "Never did like that name. The Boy Wonder. We can thank the media for coming up with that," he said with a chuckle. "Never much liked the tights either. After my first few years as Robin I dropped the tights and adopted a better suit. By that time they were calling me the 'Teen Wonder.' I totally dug the fangirls though."

Meanwhile, across the room, the British waiter kept his eyes on Terra, hoping Nightwing would not distract her when the time came.

"So tell me, what was it like? Being a part of a team? And with the infamous Batman no less!"

"It was alright," Dick replied. "I tend to work better alone, though. I do --" he was interrupted by a beeping sound, and he brought up a holographic screen from a microcomputer in his glove. Around the room, many other heroes also had their screens up. On all of them was the face of Captain Atom.

This is Captain Atom. I am broadcasting to all heroes with whom the League has relations. We have a situation. It appears a group of at least a dozen metahumans have launched an attack on Belle Reve. I believe Joker and Bane are among them, and that their intent is to release the prisoners. I am requesting backup. I can --

Dick's eyes widened as the screen went blank. He looked up and saw Superman vanish in a blur. He sent Terra an apologetic look and took off for the door, but out of nowhere, Batman stepped out in front of him.

"Stay here," he commanded.

"But they need my help, I can -- "

"Stay here," he repeated, cutting Dick off. Several other heroes took off, and he saw the Flash speed out the door. "This could be a decoy. A play to get us to race off and leave the Hall -- and the party guests -- unattended. Some of us need to remain behind, just in case."

"You're right," Dick sighed.

Meanwhile, a van on the other side of town drove towards the Hall. The windows were tinted, but nearby drivers heard a man laughing manically inside the van.

 

[Creotia]

It wasn't entirely fair to call Ivy's outfit a dress, she was more accurately in a state of undress. The dress she was wearing didn't quite come down beneath her ample rump and it certainly did more to accentuate her chest than to cover it. Those flaws might have been ignored if she wasn't slinking her way across the floor tossing a saucy glance to all the men and several of the ladies.

Poison Ivy made certain that she made a show of taking a seat and crossing her legs. Her lips slowly curled into a grin while she locked eyes with one Nightwing. The two of them had a bit of a past and not one she expected to be forgiven for for but damned if he didn't look delicious.

 

[Wyldfire]

Her giggle made him feel warm in certain places and he gave a little chuckle as he listened to her talk. He definitely caught an accent in there somewhere, but as he continued to listen to her, his smile dropped a bit. "Are you okay?" he asked curiously, gripping her hand tighter slightly, not even noticing that he kept her in his, honestly worried. "Uhm, sure, that's fine. Too early for cute nicknames."

The more he kept her in his line of sight, the more she seemed to take her surroundings, her form started to get hardened as if she was preparing for a fight, or expecting one at least. "Want to dance?" The words left faster than he imagined, but, it was the only thing he could think of that would give them both a full range of sight while keeping the flirt on, or at least him putting th flirt on her .

"I'm fine Mal, it's just that my father and I aren't what you could call close," she rose from her seat, "I would be glad to dance. Shall we?" She let herself relax again, no need to stress whatever it was that had her on edge. Being on edge is a bad thing, you make mistakes.

She allowed Mal to escort her onto the dance floor and she also was a very good girl and allowed the man to lead, again a flaw of hers. Allowing other to lead was difficult for her, it was giving them control. Last time she was controlled she'd lost an eye.

As the two danced it wasn't lost on her when two of the people she was keeping subtle tabs on disappeared. Superman and Flash gone, uh-oh. Then the big bomb that really surprised her. Okay, surprised is too weak a term, scared the shit out of her. The bat had actually made another appearance talking to one of the new guys. That was the biggest negative to her idea. The Bat knew freaking everything so she had no doubt he knew about her, her daddy's little secret.

She smiled up at Mal as the Bat left, "Looks like something is up somewhere. Our hosts seem to be leaving the party."

 

[NiteCrowe]

Ch'al allowed himself to smile as he gazed upwards at the moon floating in the sky. He had come to the party with his father and Shayera, but after hearing Gordon-Bloody-Godfrey grumble for five minutes straight about Thanagarians on earth, he had decided that it would be better for everyone (even Godfrey) if he stayed away for a bit.

Which is how he ended up here. On the roof. Alone. Happy.

~#Bzzt!#~

He looked down at his gauntlet as the face of Captain Atom came into view.

"This is Captain Atom. I am broadcasting to all heroes with whom the League has relations. We have a situation. It appears a group of at least a dozen metahumans have launched an attack on Belle Reve. I believe Joker and Bane are among them, and that their intent is to release the prisoners. I am requesting backup. I can --"

Instantly Ch'al was stood his wings unfurling as his hand moved to his mace.

~#Bzzt!#~

This time he ignored the sound, as he stretched and prepared for flight. He knew what was coming.

~#Bzzt!#~

"Ch'al... Charlie! I am your father now listen to me!"

"What!"

"Stay here. This seems a bit coincidental to me, and there should be enough of us to deal with it."

He felt the anger grow in him. I'm not a child any more!

"I'm not a baby-sitter father."

"No. You are Thanagarian. And Human. I know you. Yes you desire battle, but your honour means more to you and if anything happened to these people you would never let yourself forget it. It's what Paran would do."

"Fine."

The screen went dead, and for a moment Ch'al felt simply like screaming. No. Like hitting something. Hard. He hated it when his father used Paran like that, but he had to admit, Some times it is the only way to get me to listen.

He took a deep breath and, mace still clutched in his hand, gently flew down into the hall, noticing Godfrey as he did. Seeing a hero he recognised he gently landed next to Nightwing, grunting slightly unceremoniously at some bystanders and Godfrey who were looking at him in shock.

"Tell me. Do you think this is a coincidence?" He asked the former boy wonder, while his eyes slowly moved around the room taking in every small detail.

 

[BishopJayden]

"I'm fine Mal, it's just that my father and I aren't what you could call close," she rose from her seat, "I would be glad to dance. Shall we?" She let herself relax again, no need to stress whatever it was that had her on edge. Being on edge is a bad thing, you make mistakes.

She allowed Mal to escort her onto the dance floor and she also was a very good girl and allowed the man to lead, again a flaw of hers. Allowing other to lead was difficult for her, it was giving them control. Last time she was controlled she'd lost an eye.

As the two danced it wasn't lost on her when two of the people she was keeping subtle tabs on disappeared. Superman and Flash gone, uh-oh. Then the big bomb that really surprised her. Okay, surprised is too weak a term, scared the shit out of her. The bat had actually made another appearance talking to one of the new guys. That was the biggest negative to her idea. The Bat knew freaking everything so she had no doubt he knew about her, her daddy's little secret.

She smiled up at Mal as the Bat left, "Looks like something is up somewhere. Our hosts seem to be leaving the party."

Mal held her tight as he leaded her slowly in a dance that would've passed well for high-school prom, minutes the two foot rule. There were no words he had to say to her, he let the dance talk for them, in fact, as he swayed and rotated in a small circle with her in his arms. Her supple breast pushed up against his corded chest, making him hard, the length of heavy muscle sliding down his jeans and against her thigh. The hand gently pressed at the dip in her back was itching, his mouth suddenly dry as his eyes stared down at those full lips, sending things through his mind. He had to clenched and unclenched his hand at the top of her perfectly firmed buttocks, which his hand itched to grab and pull her tighter, fingers sliding against the dress that kept his Snow Bunny hidden under a thin sheet of fabric, so close to just lifting her and slamming her down on a near-by table to begin a savage fucking.

Then he snapped out of his day dream, feeling the way she was unraveling in his arms and looked around too, seeing that lost of the major players had left and only the sidekicks remained. "Weird..." he whispered under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear. At least now he knew why he wasn't seeing his Uncle, or why he knew now that he wasn't going to show up. He shrugged it off, looking back down to her with a smile. "Join me in the Gardens?"

 

[Remec]

Gar Logan

The limo had arrived at the hotel, just as Steve had said it would. Gar had had an uneventful flight into Dulles from Kennedy--the taxi ride into New York to speak with his adopted father had been more involved than taking one of Dayton Industries charter planes. From the airport, he'd been chauffeured to one of the companies suites that Steve had set aside for him. Why he was in town he wasn't exactly sure.

That wasn't exactly true.

Steve had shown him the invitation. It had been impressive enough, if such things impressed a person, but Steve Dayton had not even opened it, just handed it to Gar with minimal fuss and a quiet, "This is more for you than me."

He had opened it and found an invite to the special anniversary party for the Justice League. Included had been a personal letter to Steve asking him to please consider attending on behalf of the late Doom Patrol and to bring Beast Boy along if he knew how to reach him. If? Gar shook his head lightly and let out a small laugh. Of course Mento would know how to reach me, we're family, aren't we? Not that anyone would really be aware of that. Well, besides J'onn and Batman...maybe some of the other detectives.

So here he was, pulling up and exiting from an expensive limo in front of the Hall of Justice. Gar thought it funny how easily he'd dropped out of the heroic community, such as it was, and how readily he had agreed to come without Steve since some of the last things Mento had been responsible for had not quite measured up to anyone's definition of good, let alone heroic.

Gar paused to regard his reflection in the tinted sheen of the limo before turning to enter the building. He brushed a hand through his hair, more out of habit than anything since it was as nicely in place as usual, and adjusted his tie and the collar of his dress shirt. Being a clothes horse was not his usual style, but Rita had always instilled in him the importance of looking the part people expected of you when out in the public eye. Thus his usual casual look was, instead, a well-fitted Italian suit and shirt...although, he wore it with a pair of new cross-trainers instead of loafers or some fancy leather footwear.

Plus, just out of a combination of past experience and wishful thinking, he had the whole ensemble treated with one of the Chief's inventions. Should it be necessary, a subtle exercise of mental energy would trigger the whole thing to become the skintight, stronger-than-Kevlar, uniform he'd worn while helping out the Doom Patrol. He smiled at his driver, Carl, and told him not to wait. Gar would catch a cab back, or give a call if it wasn't too late.

"Never too late, Mr. Logan," Carl said. "Mr. Dayton said to be available whenever."

"Yeah, Steve would say that. He's become a little bound by money and image. Okay, I will call you if I need a lift. Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky."

Carl smiled back. "Then definitely call. A limo ride around DC can be a game winner."

Gar rolled his eyes and laughed. Carl was right, though, he would have to make a mental note to ask for him when he had reason to use the limo services in the future. He waved goodbye and passed through the party's security with ease. Guess my credentials are still in the League's database, after all. he mused to himself.

What am I thinking? Of course they are. How many green skinned shape-changers could they have around here anyway?

He laughed as he knew of several right off hand; although, as he stood in the doorway of the party's main room and looked about, he didn't seem to see the Martian Manhunter about. Or any of the main roster of the League, for that matter.

Hmm, either I am more than fashionably late or something is going down somewhere.