The End Time Theory

[Batman]

Justice League #10: The End Time Theory


Story By: Batman
Heroes: Aquaman, Batman, Black Canary, Flash, Green Lantern, Looker, Vixen, Wonder Woman
Villains: (Unknown), (Unknown), (Unknown)

Plot: Everyone is in a life that doesn't fit who they once were. There are no superheroes and the world is about to go to War in the name of peace. The Justice League must pull themselves out of this crisis and unveil the mastermind behind this disaster and attempt to puzzle together how to fix the world.


(Dinah)
Gotham City’s sunrise was unlike another. Where a usual clarity and bleach blue sky caused a glossing of everything the light would touch, Gotham held an exception. The density of city pollution caused a soft gray haze that blurred out the suns strength, but this was normal for anyone who lived in Gotham. Dinah “Laurel” Lance was a flower shop helper all her life working for her mother and father. Today felt different though, she could remember going to school with the girls who made fun of her and the boys played pranks on her. She remembers Batman…no. No, that’s not correct. Batman is such a silly name it was Bruce -- Bruce Wayne, the infamous billionaire in Gotham. People thought he would go places and he did! His parents made sure he went to Harvard after graduating Gotham University. He took trips to Europe and all over the world.

It’s such a silly thing to imagine they had gone to the same school years ago and she could remember it like yesterday. There were others, Hal the Pilot, Barry the Police Officer, Diana the Politician, Mari the Model, Arthur Olympic swimmer. They had met one time, the thing out in Mexico…What happened out there? She wouldn’t remember how but, she would know that they did meet for some reason and for some reason they all just hit it off so well! Where did the time go? Dinah had some odd habits, for example she would go to the back of the shop thinking there was a secret compartment, a motorcycle perhaps?

No, she would be too afraid to ride a motorcycle! People get killed by such things. A leather outfit she kept locked up, a Halloween costume that a friend got her…Helena? It was something too attractive for Dinah to wear. But for some reason today seemed really off, something wasn’t right.


(Barry)
Barry Allen found himself working in the lab at the police station late, he was always late. There was never enough time in the day to do all the work he had to do. If there was only a way he could speed up. Four red bull cans sat next to his mountain of paper work from the lab. A thought about moving faster suddenly frightened Barry, what if he moved so fast he never got to speak with anyone? He’s far too impatient and impulsive to wait for others! What if he ran and over shot his home by 4 miles? He would run through a city and barely recognize anyone’s face! The idea would terrify Barry, how would his friends take it? If Barry stopped being there for them? Well he already was missing, whenever something was going on, he was always late. How could he help?

“It’s ok Barry, you’re busy.” “Don’t sweat it Barry, I’ll call someone else next time.” Were the words of Emily and Hal. When they wanted to go on a trip to Mexico, how could Barry refuse? It was the one time in his life where he was actually on time! So thrilled by this Barry must’ve completely forgot what happened. But he knew that he met Diana, Dinah, Bruce, Mari, and Arthur there. They were nice new friends. Barry would feel fatigue creeping on him as the night’s veil was removed and a meridian sun began to herald the beginning of a new day. Barry would feel that something was wrong with today. His finger had a ring with a lightning bolt on it; it was a friendship ring, his buddy Hal had one that was similar except it was green. Silly childhood things that both clung to.

(Diana)
She was the best at what she did, no one would question that. Rapidly the world was beginning to follow her foot steps and lead towards peace -- no that wasn’t right. War was necessary, the only way to achieve peace was through dominion and everyone knew this Diana Wonder was on a fast track to being the world’s first President. It was common knowledge that anyone who opposed the “Allies” would fall to this new structure of the world. Anyone who would oppose are surely seeking chaos, never in the history of the world had things been as close to world peace as they are now. An opposition of only Russia and China stop this world peace from happening. The two major powers opposing world unity.

What were they, anarchists? Diana was on the brink of making world history and these two countries were standing in the way. The only logical solution was an all out war; eliminate the enemy and there would be no opposition therefore Peace was achieved. Diana Wonder would find that today was off, in her DC penthouse her body guard and lover prepares her breakfast unaware of the changes. Steve Trevor would come to her in bed holding bacon and eggs on a tray with a smile upon his lips. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?” Placing her tray next to her bed he smiled at her. His teeth reminding her of a man she had met in Mexico, a cocky pilot that didn’t know the definition of fear, perhaps literally if not metaphorically. What happened in Mexico? Why did she feel that today was different?

(Hal)
His head ringing, Hal woke up in bed with two women lying next to him with badass skin color, one green and the other red. He may not have known their name, but for some reason their skin color seemed perfectly normal. An alarm on his phone began ringing signaling that he had to get to work. A childhood ring sat next to his phone, green and shaped like a lantern. He once believed it had special powers and that he had protected Earth from the destruction of terrible monsters in space --such were dreams of children. He and Barry had many adventures like this, but that was years ago and this is adult life, no more dreaming like kids. Hal was known by his friends for his fearless nature, which made him special amongst their friends.

Today felt different, he felt like he could actually talk to his ring though if he did it wouldn’t respond, of course. It was nothing like the technology Bruce had access to, perhaps he would have some answers, check and see if the ring was super powered…and if it wasn’t maybe Bruce could make it super powered with his technology, that’s if he wasn’t partying all night…Hal would remember being invited to one of Bruce’s parties though he could not remember what he and Bruce did, if anything at all. He would remember there were plenty of girls; Vicki, Helena, Barbara, and Selina were just the tip of the iceberg of chicks. Hal might’ve reminded himself that he has to go to another one of those parties when he gets the free time.

(Emily)
Central City’s sunrise would fall upon the city highlighting its beauty. The morning would arrive and Emily would awaken to a welcoming sunbeam, its energy rejuvenating her skin. The urge to stroke her skin as though she were bathing herself in the light radiation and it was somehow cleaning her of impurity. The doors would knock and her producer would speak. “Emily, are you awake? Your next photo shoot is in one hour, also you have that breakfast with Barry an hour after that.” Emily could glance upon the walls and see her awards, photos of her accomplishments as a model, even a rolling stones magazine declaring her as one of the sexiest models in the World.

(Arthur)
The boat idled in the morning sunrise of Amnesty Bay, the sun’s beam rippled through the calmness of the water creating a yellow path across the water to the boat. Arthur was resting alone in a lounging chair, his boat anchored in by the dock indicated that he hadn’t planned on taking the boat out. The ocean had always called to him so in a world of humans what else could he do? He joined the Navy Seals and had killed many men, primarily pirates who preyed upon travelers of the ocean. He saw himself as a warrior cleansing the world of evil, but all things do come to an end as the Navy tried to push Arthur forward, he refused to sit behind a desk and was forced to retire. Did that stop him? No, he proceeded into a career as an Olympic swimmer and had won many medals and even broken records. The man was world famous, but internally he attributed his success to whatever happened in Mexico where he met those strange people who he now calls friends.

Footsteps fell upon the dock and a man clad in a green swimmers outfit observed the boat, looking around at Arthur as he slept. He kneeled down lowering himself to the steep nature of the boat’s open section. “Arthur Curry.” The man’s voice would be familiar, Arthur’s eyes would fall upon a man who was Leron, a military partner of his in the navy. “How are you doing old buddy? Heard you’ve ended up pretty good, didn’t believe it until I came out here myself.”


(Bruce)
Scholar, tech genius, and billionaire playboy known as Bruce Wayne, graduate of Gotham and Harvard University. Son and heir to the Wayne legacy, his Father and mother were considered the King and Queen of Gotham, ushering it in a world of liberty and freedom. Their combine power had created a tolerable world where their son Bruce could grow up and not fear the troubles of the world. They had sent him on a trip out to Mexico where he would meet new friends, Hal Jordan; a cocky pilot who shared Bruce’s taste for women. Barry Allen, a police officer who was notorious for his fear of speed, fear of moving ahead too fast. Dinah, a sheltered girl from Gotham, he wasn’t sure why she was special or significant, but there was a certain sex appeal behind her shyness. Diana Wonder, the famous politician herself no doubt she was impressed by Bruce’s scholastics and intelligence, but disliked his detach from reality, she found him too trusting of others for her tastes.

Arthur, an Olympic swimmer that didn’t seem to fit in very well, but for some reason they all considered each other friends. And Mari, the daughter of a politician and ally to Diana Wonder in her quest for world peace. Bruce woke up in a queen sized bed with men and women passed out on the floor and furniture around the room. Bruce went to sit up when he felt the clinging of his girlfriend, Selina Kyle’s arm wrapped around him. He smiled and though he wanted to push her away, she was too strong for him to simply do that. His slim frame held barely enough muscle to change the tire on a car. A smile seemed to linger on his face at all times. Thomas and Martha Wayne would open the door to his room.

“Bruce, are you awake yet? Oh my…” Martha giggled seeing the many people in his bed room. Bruce chuckled before feeling Selina slowly awaking on his arm. Thomas smiled at the couple in bed and spoke “Party a little much last night? Better wake your friends up, you have a whole day of sunlight you don’t want to waste.” Bruce nodded once more “Yeah, I was gonna show Selina the car I built with Alfred.”



(Mari)
Mari McCabe was a known model and she was able to bask in its glory soon as the sunlight peered over the Central City skyline. Within her room a she could hear the event planner knocking on Emily's room next door. Soon a knock came to Mari's. "Mari, your shoot is in an hour." Were the words she heard, but a state of paralysis might've struck the woman as a feeling of someone was watching her. The glass windows would contain a transparent man in a blue business suit simply watching her, but this man wouldn't stand out nor would it seem odd that he was just standing there inside the glass. The sky would remind her of a time spent in Mexico, a blue sky with a cocky pilot and a brave Navy soldier. She wouldn't remember what exactly happened, but the sky was nice in its warm sensation of today and that day.


(Raven)
She woke up on soft grass, the sensation of coldness brushed over her skin as she could feel she was almost nude covered only by a tan cloak wrapped completely around her body, sleeves carved for her arms to slide through. Around her was the strangest thing; white bird feathers in a circle around her. She remembers a white light and a hand pointing at her, nothing was spoke, but a voice into her head simply growled "Disappointed." She was now mortal, with no capabilities of the supernatural, she knew of only two names; Bruce Wayne and Diana Wonder. How she knew of them, was a mystery, but she knew of them. She also knew of Batman -- whoever that was. She was in Gotham City, it was polluted and didn't seem so bad of a place during the day. She found herself consciously aware that by night fall she did not want to be on the streets and that shelter was a priority sometime today.

[Batman]

Black Canary: Dinah woke up and looked out the window of the flower shop apartment that she had lived in her whole life. She smiled as she looked at the glossy morning sunlight shining through the smog that settled about the city. Even though her parents had retired and moved off to Star City, it was nice that they had such confidence in her to run the shop. She remembered how the girls used to make fun of her in high school, making fun of her working in her flower shop. How just any one could peddle flowers. About the bandages on her hands from trimming roses. They boys who pulled pranks, liking stuffing her locker full of dandylions. She remembered coming home in tears. She sniffled, just thinking of it. She shook her head as if trying to clear such thoughts. (c)

Black Canary: It never did anyone any good to linger over things. She got dressed, wearing her usual baggy jeans, the polo shirt with the flower shop's logo on it, and her favorite cardigan. She had never been seen, outside of gym class, without her cardigan. Not everyone was bad. There were her good friends. She smiled again thinking of them. Sure, they weren't really friends back then. It wasn't until that time they met out in Mexico... Why had they met out there? Spring break? no.. it was.. No, it was important. But she couldn't remember it. She thought foundly of her friend. They were all such important people and she wasn't. It was still kind of silly to think that Batman, no... there was that silly name again. Bruce, Bruce Wayne. (c)

Black Canary: It was kind of silly to think of Bruce the millionare went to a public school with all of them, but then again his parents supported the city in such amazing ways! She still remembered Bruce and all of the girls were always following him, and still were. She finshed getting ready and went down into the flower shop and went up to light on the back wall. Why was she grabbing it. It felt like she did it every morning, but why would there be a back room with such a secret entrance? On a whim she turned it and gasped. There was a secret compartment. There was no motorcycle, thank god! she shivered, those things were dangerous! She had always been a bit of a scaredy cat. A memory of not being able to climb the rope in gym class and getting made fun of her fear of heights didn't help either. (c)

Black Canary: she frowned and tried to forget such things by looking about this strange little room. It lots of... radio equipment? and then she saw the costume. She blushed. It was so racey! It was basically a corset with fishnets. She could never show off that much skin. She would look like some kind of lady of the night or something. She couldn't beleive that her friend helena had talked her into that thing for... what was it for? Halloween right? Something seemed really off today. She felt so nervous and just off. She hustled into the shop closing the back room and started to get things open. Although she felt like she was forgetting something. (d)

As Dinah turned off the light she would catch a glimpse of the shadows moving, someone was inside the room but, if she turned the light back on there would be nothing there, no possible way anyone could get past her and there was no place a person could hide. It was then the phone rang, it would be her father checking up on her, he always did that. Subtle within the glass of every window there was a reflection of a man. It wouldn’t seem odd though, it was natural for this kind of thing to happen. She remembers last night, her, Helena, Barbara, and Zinda watched that terrible movie with an alien with a second mouth inside its mouth. She just shaking from that experience.

Black Canary: She gasped as she thought she saw something move in the dark of the strange back room and turned the light back on quickly. Her hands were shaking. Ther was nothing in there! How could something be? Oh god, she hoped it wasn't rats or something. she bit her lip. She was going to have to get some traps or something. She did a double take of the large glass windows that framed her shop, there was a man's reflection, but no, everything was normal. She felt so jump today! She blamed Helena! she was always getting her to do such things! She frowned and shivered as she thought about that awful monster alien movie thing she had them watch. Girls night was supposed to be fun and light. She suspected Helena just loved to watch her jump and hide her face behind a sofa pillow. (c)

Black Canary: She jumped as the phone rang, shaking a bit and answered it. "H-hello? Um, Gotham Floral, this is Dinah." she shook the fear out of her voice, sounding more professional and bubbly.

“Dinah, how are you? Your mother wants to know when will you be visiting us? Hopefully for Christmas or something. How is everything? Everything is normal right? Or do you have more stories about monsters from apocalypse and brainiac cyborg-thingies? Heh.” He seemed almost mocking of her, she might’ve remember stories she had told him, they were dreams that came up from no where, such a strange thing to dream about, dreams were supposed to be about something you desired, something you could never have and yet, she dreamt of alien invasions and cyborgs?

Black Canary: She smiled as she heard the voice of her dad. He always worried about her so. Probably because she was always worrying. "Hi daddy!" she nodded as they talked "Yes, I plan on coming for christmas. I got a ticket for the bus." she could have taken the plane, but those were scary too! she blushed as he talked about monsters and cyborg thingies. She should have never told him about her dreams. "You don't have to make fun of me daddy..." she whined a little. she had no idea where she got these kinds of dreams from, she didn't watch those kinds of movies. Dreams should be about happy things, like kissing Bruce Wayne or something. Things you wanted. She blushed at that thought. Why would she dream about alien invasions. But it was true she had those strange dreams of invaders all the time. (c)

Black Canary: "But no... no stories today. But..." she paused a moment. "Did mom have a purple motorcycle?"

“Well your mother wants you to bring someone special, we’re going to watch Diana Wonder’s World Address and we want it to be a special moment…And no, sweetheart she drives a minivan. She sold the motorcycle years ago, before you were born. Boy did she look great on it, you wouldn’t look as good as her but, you’re still my pumpkin! Don’t you forget that. Hehe!” His words teasing at her and though it was her father, he loved her and she loved him, but today was different and so were the hidden meanings to what he was saying.

Black Canary: As he mentioned Diana and Wonder something seemed to click. Wonder something... it was like on the tip of her tongue or brain or something. Diana was such an amazing hero... no, politcian. She frowned as she heard about the motorcycle. How could that be? How could she remember a motorcycle that was supposed to be in the backroom if her mom sold it? Maybe it was a photo or something... she couldn't shake off the werid feeling. She pouted as her daddy said she wouldn't look good on a motorcycle. He was right, she had always been kind of plain. Why did daddy tease her so much? there had to be more... everything was so differnt today. "Yes, daddy. I will get someone to come along. Maybe my friend bruce or barry or someone." her mom was always saying she settle down with a nice boy (c)

Black Canary: and have a family. she blushed and bit her lip thinking about that. (d)

“Alright sweetheart, enjoy your day and if anything weird happens, you tell me. I know you always do, but it’s just a reminder. You can count on me for anything. We love you pumpkin.” The day would reach noon and Dinah would find herself crowded by the voices of Barbara, Zinda, and Helena walking through the door to the flower shop carrying bags. “Hey Dinah” the girls called out before taking a seat at a counter where they began to unpack their lunch. Helena was apparently telling the story. “I don’t need my parents thinking you’re some kind of Night Wing creeper. Just get over yourself Dick and meet my parents, they’re not so bad.” Helena spoke while stuffing her mouth with French fries, this seemed like a normal day for all of them, but her friends didn’t seem right.

Black Canary: She agreed with her dad, thinking it was strange her dad was so concerned about weird things, but even that seemd like a weird thing. she told her daddy she loved him too and hung up. shrugging she opened up her shop. She was making a bouqet of flowers, she used an awful lot of dark colors in it. and smiled as her friends came in. She couldn't help look at Helena strange as she scarffed down the fries. "Dick? Nightwing?" why did that sound so familiar. "You're talking of your folks? You never mentioin your parents..." and she looked at them and their shopping bags. "And since when did you all shop together and gossip like valley high girls?" she then stared at Barbara. "And.. where's your wheel chair?" she hugged Barbara suddenly, glad she was walking about, tears of joy in her eyes.

Zinda quirked an eyebrow at Dinah. “Something wrong Dinah?” Helena waved a dismissive hand. “No, she’s trying to feel special.” Barbara smiled softly at Dinah. “I…I was released from the wheelchair a week ago. Don’t you remember last night? We talked about it.” Barbara hugged Dinah tightly appreciating what appeared to be concern from Dinah. Helena rolled her eyes and said. “And Dinah, I have parents, just because I don’t share details about my life doesn’t mean they don’t exist…” A certain bitterness in her words shot towards Dinah. “I like to live in this place called ‘reality’ Dinah, and in reality we don’t ask out Millionaires like Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne out for a date. I know a guy just for you Dinah, his name’s Victor…He’s a conspiracy nut. Totally your type.”

Black Canary: Dinah felt tears well up as they all looked at her funny. "I dunno... just everything seems wrong... I..." she shot a dirty look at Helena as she spoke dissmively about her. At least some things didn't change. Dinah's eyes widened as she heard about Barbara talk about the release from the wheel chair, did they talk about that last night? "But... I thought you would never walk again..." but she smiled as she was hugged back. She looked at Helena again. Detecting that bitterness. "reality..." she was so confused. "Ollie? Bruce?" But they asked me... she frowned as Helena told her that those men, men she knew were off limits for her. She was a nothing, why would they want to go out with her? She was just a little shop girl. But for some reason that all stung, it hurt, it made her angry. (c)

Black Canary: And then that crack that she should be with a conspiracy nut! she felt something boiling inside her and gave helena a strong shove. "We don't do we? Bruce Wayne is my friend! and..." she grabbed the phone and dialed a number. "And if I want to ask him out. I will!" she said angrily, dialing the number she swore she dialed a dozen times before.

The phone rang and Alfred spoke. “Wayne Manor.” He spoke calmly, a certain joy was not present in him as his eyes fell upon the back patio of Wayne Manor where Bruce was wearing his swimming trunks massaging Selina Kyle’s bare back with lotion. Nearby Thomas and Martha Wayne relaxed in robes holding their beverages watching Bruce and Selina. Helena would growl. “I know Bruce Wayne too, dumbass. Just because you attend his parties doesn’t mean you’re dating friends!”

Black Canary: She smiled as she heard Alfred's voice, but it sounded off, her smile faded. "I would like to talk with Bruce Wayne please." She made a face at Helena and covered the receiver "I know that." she spat back, it feeling good to talk back to Helena, which seemed wrong and right at the same time. "But you said we don't ask out millionares, like I don't know my place! And I do." she felt her hand shiver a bit and clenched the phone tighter. Having no idea what was going on the other end of the phone.

“May I ask who is making this request?” Once given the response Alfred approached Bruce. “Master Bruce, a Ms. Dinah on the phone for you.” Bruce smiled at Selina before switching gaze curiously with Alfred. “Who?” “She calls herself Dinah.” Bruce would smile and nod. “Ohhh, Dinah!” He took the phone and spoke with a cheerful tone. “Hello Dinah.” Subtly a soft purr of his throat seemingly familiar, the image of a tall man disguised as a bat would send a shiver through her. The chilling sensation would fade as a soft laugh that was genuine escaped Bruce’s lips as he felt the slender fingers and nails of Selina wrap around his bare chest. His physical features weren’t impressive. He wasn’t muscular at all, rather thin in physical structure.

Black Canary: Dinah overheard the question of 'who' on the phone and frowned a bit. But she smiled as she heard that soft purr in his voice. That was batman, erm bruce... she could just picture him. Then she heard that soft laugh. it sounded out of place and an image of a thin pretty rich boy who never saw a fight came to her mind. He probably never even had a scar... why did that not seem as attractive? she also felt a sinking feeling as she heard that laugh, knowing it was from something or someone on the other end, her hand shook again. "Well, I was wondering if you were free and would like to go with me to Star City. We could see the sights, go out for dinner. And even stop by to check on my folks." she looked at her friends, a little fear in her eyes. This was wrong, why was it all so wrong?

“To dinner with your folks? I…” Selina’s arms tugged him to come closer towards her; her nails were like claws clinging him to be closer. He felt the strange feeling of bliss and happiness, but when talking to Dinah something seemed to stir inside of him. His chest began to feel pain, his mind was going black, and nothing in his life was black outside of his own hair. Gotham’s darkness no longer fit him, he wore European fashion. What was this darkness opening within him. “Di-…Dinah I, I have to go.” He hung up the phone and sighed before feeling Selina’s lips pressing to his caused a smile to grow upon him once more.

Black Canary: Dinah made a face, "No, Dinner with me... I..." she could hear motion on the other end of the phone, could she hear someone else over there? She heard him stammer and that he had to go. A soft sigh of pleasure and then the phone hung up. Was there another woman? For some reason she thought of cat. She hung up the phone feeling tears rise up in her eyes. Maybe Helena was right, she was a nobody to a millionaire. She said softly. "He's busy..." she couldn't bare to look at Helena; To see her gloat.

[Batman]

Diana Prince: Diana awoke to a start, her heart jumping in her throat as she heard a man's voice calling to her. She looked over, seeing Major Trevor walk through the door. "Morning," she said with a soft smile, looking over her lover with a coy gaze. There was something different though... it felt... strange. Like there was something off about the idea of her and Steve being together, and about his reason for being in her life. Did she really require a body guard? Something in the back of her head was telling her something didn't feel right. "Any news from the Soviets or Chinese?" she asked, shuffling to the side to allow Trevor to sit on the edge of the bed as she took a piece of toast, taking a bite of it before putting it down, grabbing her cell phone from the night stand to go through any reports that came in while they were sleeping. "Looks like India and Iran are putting pressure on their former ally..." she said, reaching for his coffee.

Steve smiled at her as he handed her the coffee, taking the opportunity to speak while she was busy consuming the beverage. “They’re still sitting on their hands, Iran isn’t making things easy for them, thank god. But it will only be a matter of time. The most beautiful woman on Earth will be its leader.” He leaned into her and kissed her forehead. “Besides, do they seriously think they can win against everyone in the World against them? By the way King McCabi, that African man…Yeah his people changed their stance last night while you were in the shower. We were expecting the smaller nations to start hopping on board, but a little bit of bargaining got them with us.

Steve’s blue eyes looked over her for a moment with a smile as she ate. The energy of conflict seemed to surge through her, it was a competition of who would bring an end to world conflict and Diana Wonder knew it was close, but something didn’t feel right about this or perhaps about this day. Something deep down didn’t feel right.

Diana Prince: "I'm sure his daughter can help our cause," Diana spoke confidently, as if she were born to be some sort of emissary, as if part of her life's work was interacting with people, not simply organising them. "Any news on Korea? Did reunification go well? The North was supposed to ceed to the south last night, were they not?" she took another bite of toast as she scrolled through messages, not just the ones she had received but the ones she had sent recently, something not adding up entirely. While she knew they were her, she didn't quite remember sending them. Shaking those type of thoughts from her mind Diana set her phone back down and turned to him. "Is there any word from the Queen?" Of course, she would be referring to Hippolyta, her Queen, and Mother, leader of the Amazons of Themyscira.

“Oh yea, that one was in the bag, we knew that too. Of course China is pushing back but, only makes our movement stronger. Korea is allowing us to move our missiles into their space for our tactical strike on Russia and China.” Steve stood up and adjusted his neck tie, his blue dress suit that she had usually seen him wear made him look more like a politician than a body guard with a fountain pen and United Earth flag on his lapel. “The Queen? Uhh…Of McCabi’s tribe or Queen of England? Or am I missing what Queen we’re talking about?” The Penthouse windows would contain a transparent man who stood watching her and despite their status 24 stories above the ground the man’s image seemed perfectly normal within the glass. She would think about Green Lantern -- No, Hal…Green Lantern sounds like an infomercial product on TV. And she would think about Black Canary -- Dinah, that shy girl who always wore modest clothing that hid her underlying beauty.

Diana Prince: "My Mother," she said, incurdiously, farrowing her brow as she quirked her head to the side. "Hippolyta; Queen of the Amazons?" she asked, suddenly thinking of Hal Jordan, having an odd sense of connection with. And then the florist from Gotham, a shy woman who seemed to have the heart of a warrior. There was a link between them too, Diana and Dinah; as if they were sisters, a second generation of friends, but for the life of her she was having trouble thinking why a quiet florist would know an Amazon Queen. "I... are we being watched? I have the strangest feeling we're being watched." The woman would stand from the bed, grabbing a silk robe and covering herself, looking through the window but seeing nothing definitively.

“Queen of the Amazons? Angel are you feeling alright?” He placed his hand onto hers and offered her a gentle grip. When she moved to stand up, he came behind her and looked over her shoulder. He tapped his ear and spoke “Branden, Juan, you guys got anything?” “Negative sir.” “No sir. Everything alright?” Steve rubbed Diana’s bicep. “Do a quick sweep, make sure there isn’t anyone checking out the place.” “Got it.” both men spoke in unison. Steve kissed Diana’s cheek. “They’ll let us know if they find anything. If you want, we can go into the panic room, wait until the coast is clear. That’s if you’re really worried.” His last words were teasing as he tugged her closer. “You know, I remember when you would be afraid to get yourself locked in a room with only me.”

Diana Prince: "Panic room?" she looked at him, tying the belt around her waist. Something was telling her that she shouldn't need a panic room, that there was, in fact, very little that could hurt her. "And yes, I feel fine, but... well, I do have a headache," she said, shrugging. "But then, has there been any word from my Mother?" she asked, starting to feel the need to make contact with the proud matriarch, feeling if anyone knew what was going on she would. She bent her face to his kiss and smiled as he toyed with her, teasing about a memory she only have remembered, like a fuzzy dream. The idea of being alone, locked in a room, with Steve was warm, comforting, but the idea that she was afraid... that was deeply discomforting.

“You sure you’re feeling alright?” Steve wrapped his hands around her waist and held her closely in a bear hug. “Maybe we should take the next few days off, stop pushing this. The Russians and Chinese aren’t going anywhere. We could go to your days place in the mountains. I wouldn’t mind seeing that crazy old General and his gallery of weapons. I hope you remember he’s proud of you.” Her memories would go to that of a General who was more than just an old man with intelligence but, he was also an experienced Marksman and fighter. His strategic mind inspired her on this quest, to place the first and last military mark of Mankind, world unity only by military strength. A thought of her father, Ares being proud of her achievements and what she was on the brink of creating, the sense of significance and importance of this man came to her as though everything she was created by the hands of this man.

Diana Prince: She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, Dark hair falling about as she did so. "Yes, perhaps you are right," she said, forcing a smile that had no heart behind it to her lips. "He's fond of you." She spoke, but a minor up inflection on her words made it sound more like a question than a statement. All her life there had been theories about her parentage, but diana's gut told her that it had been her father who was up for debate. "Some time in nature might make things better indeed." She smiled genuinely at him and kissed his lips. They had a warm, familiar taste to them, but still some how felt ... wrong.

[Batman]

Arthur Curry: He awoke instantly the moment the man had said his name, a hand quivering as he repressed the urge to shoot out and strangle the person. No. Calm yourself. You're not a SEAL anymore. He pulled his hand back as he smiled up at the fellow SEAL, sea-blue eyes twinkling brightly as he rose himself up out of the chair and stretched with a yawn, speaking in a slurred, sleepy voice as he did so. "Leron! What in Posei-" Poseidon? The hell did that come from? "The hell are you doing here? Didn't expect to see you until the yearly reunion two weeks from now! But hey, welcome aboard anyway. I'll put some shrimp on the grill if you want. You know me. I've always loved seafood." He chuckled. And it was true, he was a great chef when it came to seafood. A great fisherman too. It was almost as if....he knew where the fish would be at. Always. As if the ocean....spoke to him. "I was just about to get up anyway. There's this party with Bruce Wayne that I've been invited to. You know Wayne? Course you -

Arthur Curry: do. His name's on every toaster, every smartphone, every sports car you see nowadays! Heard there was some talk about going into military tech too, but I don't believe it. Bruce can't even bring himself to use a fly swatter. But tell you what, he throw's great parties." He laughed warmly, but there was something itching in the back of his mind. Like what he said wasn't true. But he dismissed it as nothing more than a lingering piece of the nightmares he always experienced in his sleep. -e-

Erzebeth: Emily pressed her hand to her forehead with a sigh. "I'm sorry what?" The red-head sat up to rub her eyes. What was going on here? Hadn't she just passed out on a sofa last night? "You must have the wrong room..." She had just woken up from one of the best slumbers that she could actually remember. Perhaps she had heard the producer wrong, but he had even mentioned Barry. "Barry..." Emily whispered to herself. She couldn't exactly recall this lunch date, but there was no way she was going to miss out on that chance. "Wait a minute..." Her head turned to glance at the ceiling. Where was she? "Fuck...I really have to stop drinking so late..." Whatever happened last night was starting to take a toll on her memory.

Green Lantern: Stirring in bed, Hal felt...was it legs? No no that was an arm. Now the question was what was jabbing him in the side. Reaching down, he felt along it and then decided that it was an ankel. He gave his head a shake and felt a few things fall from his chest as he sat up and rubbed his face for a few moments before looking around. *Well now... I'm going to say that it's a good idea that I stayed over.* Jordan worked himself free and then glanced over at the ring on the bedside table, a trinket that he had kept with him since childhood. He and Barry, friends since then and somehow managing to keep their friendship alive even though they lived near the entire country apart, had done a lot together. Hal couldn't help but be thankful that he'd had him around. He, while wearing his ring, had always played games with Barry where it had giving him superpowers and they'd fought bankrobbers, crime lords, and invading aliens together side by side with no thought to how it may have looked. -c

Green Lantern: He pulled free of the women and walked around the room, finding his clothes and putting them on before grabbing his ring from the table. For a moment, as he looked down at it and flipped it between his fingers.. *I wonder if..This might I mean.. * His eyes shifted towards the bed, *Something about this isn't.. I mean they're damn beautiful but...I don't. Ah shrug it Highball. Probably overthinking it.* He slipped his ring on his finger, grabbed his jacket and headed downstairs. Bruce's mansion was always a place that made his apartment seem small and it seemed like, for once, Bruce's overcompensating on beds worked to his advantage.

Mari McCabe: An hour? Mari looked at her reflection in the window, there, the image of a man stared back, familiarity. Mari looked away, how long had she been staring at him? At this refracted reflection? The statuesque and notably exotic model turned back to the mirror and caught the befuddled expression on her own face. She schooled it back to the cool detachment that she'd worn since…Since when? Has she always been so aloof and emotionless? Not in Mexico. Not with the warm sun soaking into her brown skin. Laughing and empathetic. But it was easier to be detached. It was easier to smile politely and cool the lava that coursed through her veins. Being a model was nice, no one questioned her standoffish personality. In fact, coupled with her -exotic- features, her distant mannerisms made her seem cool and unapproachable. But still, she remembered the laughter of friends. Of people who'd gotten close enough. Close enough to make her roar with laughter. The echo of the roar was distant and-

Mari McCabe: distorted, as though it was a memory belonging to someone else. That was something her father would say. Enigmatic, that man. A quick glance to her clock showed that it would be 3pm. He'd be in the middle of his work day. Mama would be elbow deep in the elephant dung. Her eyes glanced over to the trinket they'd given her when she landed her first modeling gig. A carved wooden fox head that they'd strung with gorgeous Afrikan clay. Strong and sturdy just like their Vixen. Who? No, like their Mari. She'd call them later. Mari leaned forward and used her slick black brush to draw a gold line perfectly over her lid. An hour. So much could happen. Her eyes glanced over to the window, half wondering if that man was still there, still trapped in that pane of glass, his suit as blue as the sky in Mexico. What was she doing there, anyway, she could hardly recall.-F-

Raven: The grass beneath her calfs and feet was something Rachel Roth was frowning at slightly. Her eyes slowly opened at the sun and she sat up, looking around. The only thing that was there was the views of Gotham City and the views of the white feathers. A frowning and sleepy expression crossed her face. She wondered where on Earth she had been last night. Looking down at the cloth that was tan, she sighed a bit. "The hell..." Looking over at the feathers, then over at Gotham City, she frowned slightly. Was something wrong? She wasn't sure, but part of her did mention it. Throwing the thought away, she stared at Gotham City. "..." The only ones that she could be reminded of were two famous people: Bruce Wayne and Diana Wonder. What was she doing out here though? She seemed naked, other than for this tan cloak around her body. It made her blush slightly. What was she doing here? She didn't remember anything, but that vivid dream...and that voice... Shaking her head again, she stood up -c-

Raven: gave a sigh. It was something that she didn't seem to want o talk about at the moment. "I need coffee...." She mumbled to herself, nobody else in particular. However, looking around, she could feel the breeze moving her cloak slightly. Gripping it closer together, she looked down at her bare feet and gave a small frown. "...If this is a prank, whoever it is, better be in another country by now." Her words were harsh and her tone was something that wasn't lacking confidence. -d-


Leron smirked and stepped onto the boat. “I don’t have a lot of time to stay, unfortunately. I was in the neighborhood. Heard you got a sweet gig going on out here in amnesty bay. Life seems to be treating you real well. As if you don’t have a care in the world and no one comes to pester you. And I can’t imagine you and a rich kid like Wayne ever getting along. Are you two apart of some Humanitarian front? Saving the whales.” It would cause Arthur to wonder just how did he meet Bruce Wayne? A small question that rippled through his mind like a pebble dropped in a pool of water. On the dock there was shuffling of early birds preparing their boats for an early morning sail. Amongst them was a stranger of no relevance and she didn’t stand out. Clad in a dark scarlet shade holding a small skull shaped box in hand. Arthur wouldn’t actually see her if he looked at her.

Emily would feel the warmth of the sun, but as her gaze shifted around the room she would spot dust particles caught in rays of light streaming through the window. Mystically floating up and down, its movement reminded her of smoke, as if the sunlight was burning something -- of course Emily wasn’t dumb or she didn’t think so…The sun was a giant ball of gas burning to produce powerful beams of radiation that were destructive with too much exposure. She would hear the call of the man speaking to Mari just next door to her room, Mari knew Barry too which made her practically a friend. Within the glass images of a transparent man would fade - not that Emily would have noticed him being there at all.

Hal would be greeted as he walked down stairs by Alfred. “Good morning sir. Master Bruce and the other guests are settled outside on the patio sir.” Hal would pass through the living room where three young boys played on the floor one with a blue shirt, another with a red shirt, and white streak through his dark hair. And the youngest with a black shirt, each held birds matching the colors of their shirts as they peacefully played each other and a lineup of clowns armed with guns. Once outside Hal would immediately notice a powerful yellow beam striking him - almost as if focusing solely on him and would take only a moment to adjust to the lighting to see Bruce giving Selina a back massage by the outdoor pool.

The image would no longer exist within the glass, muffles within the wall as the man who woke Mari up was continuing to wake others. It was actually 9am on Mari’s clock indicating that the day was just starting, but the sense of something different about today struck her. She remembered who she is, but today she didn’t feel like herself. Crazy imagination of fighting poachers in Africa, ideas of being on board a space station looking down on Earth! Vixen -- no, not Vixen, Mari hated flying and only did so on a necessary basis.

Rachel could hear children playing on the street when, suddenly a man approached her wearing a two tone shade of orange and black. White hair that was short to his scalp and an eye patch on his right eye.”Do you mind? You’re on my lawn getting bird feathers everywhere.” His chin stiffened and his blue left eye narrowed at her with an unpleasant expression. It wouldn’t seem strange but, the man had a bandolier with grenades around his chest and a sword on his back. His outfit seemed to be made of armor and his name was -- Deathstroke, no, Slade. He was enemies to -- friends with Dick.

Arthur Curry: The question did bring something to mind. Now that he thought about it, what exactly did he have in common with Bruce? Hell, Bruce didn't even like to swim in anything deeper than his own personal pool, and the last time he went fishing, he got the hook caught in his nose, adding on to all those other mysterious scars that nobody really knew where they came from, assuming it was just....a skin condition. He bit into his shrimp in thought, even then thinking that the shrimp tasted....strange. Overcooked. Lost of it's flavoring. That was weird, he usually cooked his food rare though. Very rare. Sometimes....raw. Maybe he was just feeling hungover. He set his plate down and nodded at Leron. "Right. Humanitarian front. Hey, I gotta get going. Bruce probably already threw the party without me, and I'm sure as hell not going to miss out on his oysters." He chuckled, but he wasn't smiling as he rose up and walked into his private cabin, passing a rusted, old, antique trident hanging up on the

Arthur Curry: wall. It was weird. Everytime he passed it, he couldn't help but shudder. Like it was possessed or something. Or calling out. Wait..no. That's just....stupid. He threw on a muscle-shirt and some shorts on as he walked out, but not before he slowly turned and grabbed a necklace off of a night table. One with golden scales and a stylized symbol shaped like the Greek Alpha, a good-luck charm he always wore as he waved off Leron and stepped off the boat, a slight shudder of dizziness going through his body as he stepped onto dry land. Unlike most people, Arthur never got sea sick. He got land sick. He always hated being away from the water for too long but...well, it'd be rude to miss out on the party as he pulled out a cellphone and phoned Wayne, preparing to ask for a lift to his place because while he could pilot a boat out of a typhoon, he couldn't drive a car worth crap. -e-

Erzebeth: Her eyes scanned over the dust particles. "Guess it's time to get dressed I guess...Who's got my clothes? Someone get me a hair-dryer! I do not want to look like a mess when I go to see Barry! Come on people I need to be out of here ASAP! Let's get cracking!" Emily hurried into the shower angrily rubbing her neck. She couldn't put her finger on it but something seemed different today. "Where the Hell are my vitamins!?" This job was pure routine for her. Any little mistake on her body or her clothes could potentially destroy her career. The red-head was a goddess among the wretched beings she dealt with...minus Barry of course. Barry was her savior. The only man she could ever trust herself to keep for a while. "No no..." She whispered softly. What was she thinking? Emily couldn't keep Barry forever and vice versa. Neither of them were ready for that. What was going on in her head? Something was clearly wrong with her mental state, but what? "And someone get me a freaking bagel!"

Green Lantern: "Alfred," Hal said with a smirk, giving the man a nod as he switched the hand that held his jacket to the other and let it hand over the back of his shoulder, "and appreciate it." The old butler had been around for as long as Hal could remember. A steady guy. Stepping ouside, Hal was greeted, at first, to a bright yellow light that caused him to pause, tilting his head and holding a hand up to shield his sight from it's light. *Good god that's bright* As the light began to fade, Hal heard the sounds of young voices fussing. "No, Jason! Leave him alone and give him his book back." ... "No. I don't care. Stop being mean to Tim and give him his book back or I'll take it from you.... Good." Clear sight returned and Jordan saw the three boys, Bruce's sons, and smirked. It seemed like they were always having a bit of a scuffle between themselves with Dick, the one in blue, always trying to maintain some sort of balance and calm between them all. "Morning," "Good morning, Mr. Jordan."

Green Lantern: *Ahhh kids...* he smirked and shook his head.

Mari McCabe: What was it about being in the air? The openness that reminded her of her heart without its protective shell. Wide open, a breath of freedom and risk, the kind you don't find on the ground with gravity pulling you down to safety. Mari stood, pulled her eyes away from the window. That man wasn't there anymore. Not that it mattered, not that he mattered. Her elegant hands smoothed over her gold mini dress. In heels, she skimmed six feet with every step. A bit of her thrilled at the thought of a photo shoot. Something wonderful came out of those pictures, something raw and animalistic, something she didn't let people see on a day to day basis. A reflection of the beast in her. And the crowd ate it up. Next door, she could hear Emily Briggs, sexy fiery redhead, just rolling out of bed. Mari'd been up with the sun, because every sunrise reminded her of Zambesi. Of waking up in the village. Wait. No. She wasn't born in a village. She was born in the capital. She could remember the-

Mari McCabe: sound of bones cracking under her hands, but certainly, it was just her mind playing tricks. Mari gave herself a final cursory look, touched her pixie hair, and walked with a restrained physicality out the door, following the steps as though they would lead her somewhere she'd never been before.-F-

Raven: Children. That was something Rachel disliked with a passion. She slowly looked up at the man and then around, frowning slightly. A blush would have arrived on her cheeks if it was someone else, but at the moment it wasn't. She stared at the other, then frowned a bit. "Bird feathers...?" With that, she looked down at them and picked one up. Looking over at Slade, she felt as if a need to attack him with something...but Rachel couldn't think about what. Instead, she stared at Slade for a while. He was friends with someone she knew...someone she trusted...Dick. "Slade...right?" She dared, questioning. However, knowing that somewhere they were enemies...no...friends. No, this day wasn't right! She felt her head slightly hurt and gripped it and moved out of the lawn. "My deepest apologies." Rachel's eyes then looked elsewhere, almost as if wanting to know where she lived. Gotham City...why was it different now? Shaking her head slightly, she started at Slade, he was her only way of -c-

Raven: communication to Dick, right? No. She couldn't rely on him...that would have been rude...that wouldn't have been right. Instead, she grabbed her cloak and wrapped it around herself, leaving the scene. Inspecting the feather, however, she saw that it was from a white raven. A smile slowly came onto her features, but then she stopped. Was there such things as white ravens? Where had she been last night? Heading home, that would have been the best course of action. She thought to herself, ignoring the views from other people. Way to get her hands on the one who pulled the prank! She would give them hell!

Arthur would be able to pilot his boat and without much delay Arthur would find himself almost instantly behind Wayne Manor’s cliff side. Arthur remembered the whole journey like he had memorized the entire ocean or at least its border with the land, the journey surely took longer than 30 seconds. From the docks a staircase leading up to the backyard where the outdoor pool met the gardens. Arthur would find himself in presence of Gothamites and some guests from out of town, they seemed quite cheerful or hung over.

Emily was suddenly in a dressing room with other models, Mari sat next to her also being groomed, their workers rushed around them fixing their clothing, their skin color. A server brought Emily a bagel only ten seconds after she requested it. A news station continued in the background. “King McCabe from Zambesi has agreed to join in Diana Wonder’s campaign to unite the world in peace. Zambesi was a former Russian allied nation, but now has joined the Allies against the Axis.” The images of Diana Wonder standing before a podium and a U.N flag behind her would be displayed on the screen.

Bruce looked to Hal and smiled. “Hey there Lant-…Hal wasn’t it? Hows it going?” He would briefly remember meeting Hal, or was it Barry? Arthur? Someone back when they were in Mexico for something or another. He was a busy man, but for some reason his attention shifted to pay attention to Hal and soon Arthur as he arrived. “I hope everything is well for you guys.” A reflection within the water settled the image of a man in a blue business suit, transparent but if anyone were to look directly at him they would not even notice anything wrong or strange about the sight. The sensation of their conversation becoming open to everyone around them would softly make them aware of the many different people present. Some not so strange people; a man with stretchable limbs, a woman colored with cheetah fur for skin, another man with his arms tucked behind his back, rock chunky skin, and red fiery eyes staring over the patio towards the pool like a silent observer.<c>

These things seemed normal and a part of not just Bruce’s life but, Arthur and Hal’s life too.

Slade would watch her leave and then shake his head. “Damn teenagers, they wreck the neighborhood like they’re titans or something.” It was then a man riding in a car slowed and waved to Raven, she wouldn’t know him and despite his rough five o’clock shadow he seemed alright dressed in a business suit. “Hey there, need a lift somewhere? Names Joe, hop in I’ll give you a lift.” He said reassuringly to Rachel.

Erzebeth: "It's about damn time!" The red-head had always been demanding when it came to her work. In front of the lense, which was the only time she didn't talk, she was considered to be an angel. "Mari, darling...You're looking...thin." Her comments were snide, but Mari was admirable so long as she didn't get in the way of Emily's lime-light. "How's the camera treating you?" Her teeth sank into her bagel. That set off a sort of de ja vous for the world-class model. What was it about her bite that sent shivers up her spine? Maybe it was the fact that there were pieces of onion in her bagel. "Who's in charge of this catastrophe!? How am I supposed to go on set smelling like fucking onions?" Without thinking she through the bagel against the wall. What was wrong with her today? Had she always been this testy? "I have to eat with Barry in a couple of hours! Now either one of you gets your shit together or I quit!"


Mari McCabe: The day started strangely, but not unusual. Mari tried to find the peculiarities of the day, but when she tried to put her finger on it, it slipped from her grasp like a wisp of smoke. "Hm? Oh, thank you, Emily, you too. You look like a lily." How strange. In Zambesi, looking thin was a concern. Underfed, impoverished. Here, she was considered beautiful. The feeling lingered in the back of her mind as a makeup artist painted her face, hovering and efficient. Gold her, gold there. She wasn't paying attention. She was listening to the news. She didn't turn her head but she could see the face of the man they spoke of. They called him King but she'd never used such a title with him. It was always Papa. And as regal as he was on camera, he was always warm with her. She clung to his image fiercely, as if there existed a time when she didn't have him. Perish the thought! And Diana, how noble she was, fighting for the cause. Mari cringed, this caused her makeup artist to slip a mascara brush-

Mari McCabe: into her eye. Anger boiled in her, reminding her of the way a wild dog barks in pain. She clamped down on that reaction and he continued on, most likely glad that he was working on Mari instead of Emily. Mari did glance over at Em and felt a distinct envious surge. Not at her beauty, which was clearly worth envying, but at the way she expressed herself. There was a wall in Mari, or better yet, a cage. Within this cage, she paced like a wild animal.-F-

Raven: Rachel wasn't able to heard what the other had said, but something about the feather was drawing. She kept staring at it, wondering if there was a black raven nearby that she could stare at the feathers. It was something that she liked, that she loved, but when a vehicle pulled over to the side, Rachel stopped. "I do need a lift..." Her voice trailed off, wondering if this was part of the prank, but something was saying something else. She gave a small nod, then looked over at Slade. "...Thank you, Joe." With that, she got in the vehicle without hesitation. "...My name is Rachel." She held out her hand, wanting to introduce herself. -d-

The makeup man spoke to Mari softly, a soothing tone that would seem to please her. “Miss, perhaps the zoo would soothe your day? Calm the animal within. Or perhaps a helping of food with help today transition better for you.” With Emily her every word was met with a response within almost 10 seconds every time, Emily wouldn’t notice anything wrong with this. Mari could notice a strangeness to Emily but, currently couldn’t place her finger on it due to so many inconsistencies being thrown at her so rapidly.

As Raven got into the car, the man drove. “Where do you wanna go, Rachel?” Joe spoke with a welcoming cheerfulness to him. It might’ve felt strange meeting the man but, he had some significance. His hair fell to his shoulders in a somewhat hippy fashion with matted pieces tangled together, brown faded and tainted with sweat. How long was he driving? He reached for the radio and turned the dial. “Diana Wonder’s speech today has been postponed, speculation from an inside source suggest there’s an assassination attempt on Public servant…Some speculate the death of Diana Wonder would result in the Allied response of engaging war with the Axis powers.”


Erzebeth: After a few moments to herself Emily quieted. The cameras would be ready soon and then she would be the little angel that everyone wanted. "Sorry you had to see that Mari, darling...You know how the crew can be on a busy day...Especially when they don't get a bite to eat..." The red-head sat next to Mari once more, but with a distant look on her face. "I'm going out to lunch today with the better half...you know how nervous a gal can get on the first few dates~" Why did she feel so distant from Mari? They were good friends weren't they? And since when did Emily refer to Barry as her better half? This wasn't right at all. Emily felt forced to say the things she was saying now. Who was she trying to be?

Mari McCabe: Yes, because the best thing to sooth her caged soul was to look upon other caged souls. Her tongue was ready to articulate the sharp words in her head but the bars held her at bay. She smiled though it hardly made it to her eyes. Mari remembered a time when she'd smiled and a lover had called her -incandescent.- Now that sort of light only happened when she was in front of a camera. "No, I'm not hungry," once she said it, she knew it sounded weird. Wasn't she always hungry? Always eating something. Her metabolism was extraordinarily high wasn't it? She had to feed herself constantly, fuel the beast. And yet…"Yes, a trip to the zoo sounds nice. After the shoot? When is the shoot? I feel like I've been waiting for hours." Her head turned toward screen. She spotted Wonder Wom- No. -Diana- and a sense of pride welled up in her. I should be with her, not sitting here. But no. Of course she should be sitting here beside Emily. Her father was the political figure, not her. Not always.-

Mari McCabe: Emily's voice broke into her revery and Mari felt a sense of relief. There was something familiar in hearing Emily talk about Barry. She knew them both quite well. "You have nothing to worry about, Emily. He's into you. Who wouldn't be, you're a wonderful person." Mari turned to look at Emily then, as if seeing her through different eyes. Eyes that saw her wild and crazy and throwing back shots of tequila. It was only for a second. Her wild imagination. But in this imagined world, she was also someone else, someone better. Nonsense. Mari looked back at her reflection in the mirror as her stylist rubbed oil into her hair to give it an exaggerated glossy sheen. "You're a wonderful person," she said and felt herself mean it. She thought back to Mexico and smiled. There were wonderful people in this world. She could see their faces in her mind, but what made them so wonderful? She couldn't place her finger on it.-F-

Raven: "Home, if you don't mind." She responded, then looked at the other. She remained quiet, listening to the other's words as she recognized one name. Diana Wonder. She gave a small smile. She was a great woman for a long time and a lovely friend. Rachel stopped herself from hearing the conversation and looked outside. Pulling the tan cloak closer, she spotted the small apartment that she lived in. However, noticing that it was a slight bad neighborhood until now, she stayed quiet. "...How much do I owe you?" She turned her attention back to Joe, giving a small smile. "Thanks...really,"

“Nothing, just passing through, might stop by Wayne Manor…Best wishes to you and don’t let the craziness of this town get to you. It can be a real Looney bin! Nice to meet you Rachel.”


Erzebeth: Emily turned to look at Mari. She had said 'wonderful' hadn't she? That didn't sound right at all. Where were they? For some reason the red-head felt all too tame in this situation. The model felt the need to leave, but couldn't. There was clearly something wrong with this whole instance. "Mari..." Emily attempted to say the name to herself to recall something about their relationship previously. Was there anything? "What time is it?" Maybe she could walk away from all of this after the photo-shoot. She thought about having a drink, but it seemed much to early for that. Instead she bugged one of the crew members for a glass of milk.

Mari McCabe: The time. Mari looked down at her wrist as if it the smooth bare skin there could tell her what she wanted to know. As though she usually wore something there that might tell her the answer to Emily's question. "I don't know. It's time for work. Better get started, don't want you to miss your hot date." And there it was, that simple teasing lilt to her voice. Familiarity. They were friends. Rivals but friends. And then the affection simmered down. She kept Emily at arm's length. Too risky to empathize. There was a whole world of emotions she didn't tap into because it felt too overwhelming. Mari gently waved off the makeup artist with that soft soothing voice. He spoke to her as though she were a wounded and vicious animal, ready to strike. She wouldn't though. Not when there was work to be done. Mari stood up from her seat, tall and slender with shiny cinnamon legs for days, proudly exposed beneath the nothing of her gold mini dress.-F-


Raven: "Actually, Mr. Joe...there is one place I want to visit." She started, then looked up at the other. "I would like to go to Wayne Manor, but I need to get dressed first." She looked down at the sight of her clothes--well, it wasn't even clothes now. It was just a cloak. "If you don't mind, that is." However, she didn't wait for the other to explain or to give a response. Instead, she ran out of the car and went into her home, getting dressed as fast as possible. Slipping on a purple bra and panties, she reached out and stared at the clothes in her closet. What did playboy bunnies like or what was elegant? Instead, she grabbed black pants and a dark blue shirt. That would work. Grabbing a few things from her room, she stopped slightly and looked over at the nightstand. There, was a black raven feather. It was her prize posession at the moment. Leaving her room, she jumped into the car and smiled at Joe, looking down. "Sorry about that...I just...something is calling me there, it seems."

Erzebeth: She had been disappointed by Mari's reaction for some reason. Work? Had Emily always been so concerned with her day job? "Right..." Annoyed in a pair of four-inch wedges the red-headed model walked along hoping that the photographer could capture something besides her dull personality. Emily was truly lacking something. It had broken her routine which was the only reason why she felt so out of place. The crew member had been talking to Emily while she had been stuck in her own little world. "Ms. Briggs, your milk." Ms. Briggs? Was that her other name? No it couldn't be. They called her something else didn't they? "Look here, I'm busy..." Look...at what? Something about that word sounded right. "Wait...my name...Mari!" Emily looked over to her dolled-up friend. She had to feel it too. There was no way that she was the only one feeling this way. "Mari! We've only got a few seconds and we have to make it worth it...Please...Please tell me what my name is..." As Emily finished her sentence the producer began calling her over to the set. Why was he being so pushy all of a sudden?

“Hehehe, I know what you mean.” Raven would seemingly spend no time in her home, but she would remember what felt like an eternity getting dressed before suddenly arriving at Wayne Manor. Arriving at the door Joe and Raven would be greeted by Alfred who simply smiled at them both. “Come in, the party is on the back patio. Joe patted Raven on the back. “Lets knock ‘em dead kiddo.”

Mari McCabe: She'd always been able to empathize with others, with anything alive, anything sentient. It was like a wall of red strings, she could reach out and feel the hot burning connection to the Red. To the what? No. Emily needed her. It was time sensitive and though Emily's name was just at the tip of her tongue, ready to take the plunge, Mari couldn't say it. Her eyes went to the producer and then back to her rival. "Don't be silly, Em, you know what your name is. It's on every magazine from here to Tokyo." Her eyes cut to the producer and when he looked away, Mari continued in a gentle and casual manner. She could never ignore a call for help. "But I guess a -looker- like you could afford her moments of silliness." Mari held Emily's gaze for only a second too long before she smiled and the feeling was gone. Why had she said that? It was for the best that she just do her job. No need to keep asking questions she clearly didn't have the answer to. No worries here. Being a model was nice.-

Mari McCabe: She found herself thinking this phrase again and again until she thought that it was the only thing she knew. Except it couldn't be. Because she'd made great friends in Mexico. And there was a desperate need to call her dad to hear his voice and know that he was okay.-F-

Erzebeth: "Looker...Fucking Looker! And Mari..." She knew this one too. There had to be a trigger for it but what was it? Something to do with Christmas right? "You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and...and..." Oh gods how she was going to regret this. It was like forgetting one of the Beatles. "Dammit!" The producer now was having the crew members go get the estranged red-head. " What had Barry called her the second night they spend together? She knew this name by heart. "Wait a minute!" The crew was already dragging her towards the camera. It was now or never she had to think to the best of her abilities. "...Vixen!" Was that it? Had she gotten at least one thing right today?

Raven: Wayne Manor. It was something that made Rachel's eyes widen with shock. She had no idea how she had comed to this beautiful manor or what not. However, looking over at Joe, she gave a small smile, but wanted to seperate from him. Instead of being smiling and going to have fun, she gave a small frown at the word "kiddo." in his vocabulary. Slowly starting to walk, she went over to the punch table and started to drink some. "..." She of course, had her eyes on someone. It was none other than Bruce Wayne. He was also known as Ba--...no. He was just known as Bruce Wayne. Playboy billionare, of course. What was Rachel thinking? She shook her head slightly and watched as he gave a massage to Selina, wondering how she was the most luckiest woman in Gotham. She gave a small sigh, wondering about something, but then stopped. Her head...Dick...she wondered if he was here, but something was saying something else. Something was drawing to Bruce Wayne. He was the one that she wanted to discuss -c-

Raven: problems with, but something was calling her. Something else. Someone by the name Dick Grayson. She excused herself from Joe and started to look around the mansion. Why did she need to see him so badly anyways? -d-

[Batman]

Bruce looked at Hal. “Can I help you with something Hal? Where’s your friend Harry?” Bruce spoke naively, unaware of much about either men. It was strange that he knew Barry and Hal but, didn’t seem to know them. He wondered how much they knew about him, how much did Bruce know about himself? Hal had a certain light to him though, and Bruce could definitely accept people with that kind of aura of positive energy. Meanwhile Steve Trevor and Diana Wonder were inside a limousine on their way to a dinner party. Once arriving Steve stepped out of the car and was greeted by flashes of Cameras and news reporters, waving his hands he announced. “Please stand back.” More guards arrived protecting Diana, but she could hear them chattering at her.<c>

“Diana Wonder, what is your response to China’s relationship with Korea?” “Diana Wonder, how much sleep do you get in a day?” Diana Wonder, what is your reaction to rumors of an assassination attempt?” “Is it true you’re considering running for political office?” Mari would find herself attending the dinner party, after she spoke to her father on the phone; he invited her to come with him and her mother. Time seemed to fly fast as she was at the dinner table her father would place his hand onto Mari’s. “Have you been getting enough sleep? You seem tired my dear.” In Gotham Dinah would still be having launch with her friends, Helena was telling her stories about her boy friend Dick. Emily would find herself sitting at a table for breakfast with no sign of Barry anywhere around, sitting alone she would begin to wonder if maybe he was late? Maybe he forgot. Maybe…he didn’t like her?

Black Canary: Dinah looked at the sandwich her friends had picked for her. Cucumber, sprouts, cream cheese, and turkey. Did she usually eat this? She looked at the paper Helena had given her. The phone number for Victor. She called him a nut, and was perfect for her... was that an insult? still... she wanted to meet a nice guy. Maybe he could be the one! She looked up at the TV she had running on in the floral shop. Most shops don't have it on. She always had it turned on for the news with the close captioning on. Why did she do that? so she could do and be ready, ready for what she didn't know. And then she saw it the news talking about an assasination attempt on Diana Wonder! she gasped loudly and dropped her sandwich on the counter. "Diana is in trouble! we.. we gotta help her!" she started to grab her purse and rushed over to turn her shop sign to 'closed'.

Erzebeth: Emiliy tapped her fingers nervously against the table. Where was Barry? She had been waiting for a while now and that was certainly not okay with her. How could he just leave her there like that? The red-head had never been stood up before. It was strange to think that this would happen out of the blue. "Gosh darn it, Barry."

Mari McCabe: She'd been with Emily just a moment ago. But it was hard to keep track of the time. It flew through her fingers and when she felt as though she'd finally gripped it, she was really holding onto her father and looking into his eyes. "Yes, I've been sleeping," she said even though she hadn't recalled hearing his question. She squeezed his hands and brought them up to her cheek. Precious, her mind thought. They were dead, her parents. They were gone. No. That's ridiculous. Mari smiled brightly, as brightly as she could but didn't reach the same incandescence she once possessed. "How about you? Have you and Mama been well? You look wonderful. So sharp, Papa!" She smoothed her hands over his shoulders. He wore a European style military uniform with a sash of Afrikan colors, golds and oranges. Mari touched the sash, hyper focusing on the texture of it. Crisp. "How was your meeting with Diana Wonder?"-F-


Wonder Woman: "I really wish we could have stayed with the General longer," Diana said, feeling uncomfortable as they entered the party, surrounded by reporters and cameras. Her eyes crossed to Steve and she took a deep breath as she stepped out of the limo. Her chin rose and as the lights turned on to her, she shined. Any insecurity she had expressed to Steve disappeared as she was put in front of the cameras; she was almost like a different person. "China and Korea have much in common; I am confident that the formerly socialist Korea will help open China's eyes to the possibilities that opening up their economy can bring," she spoke with a bravado which seemed natural, entirely at ease. " She paused, "I would consider it, but I don't think the other world leaders would like it," she chuckled shaking her head. "Rumours of an assassination attempt have been highly exaggerated; I'm well as always. -c-

Wonder Woman: I simply went to visit my family, and speak with King McCabe, whose pledged the ANC's support for our cause of world peace." She barely stopped walking, long, powerful strides, leaving her security and Trevor behind. Her fearlessness leant credibility to her discrediting of the attempt on her life. A reporter attempted to question her further but the woman pushed past him, putting her hand up. "If you'd like to speak further, you can schedule an appointment for an interview with my attache Mister Trevor or speak with my press secretary Miss Lane."-e-

Helena would stare at Dinah. “Really. We’re eating if you can’t see. And she’s a politician, they’re better off dead than alive.” Zinda shrugged in agreement with Helena. Barbara would stand to approach Dinah. “If she’s in trouble maybe you should let someone in the Government handle it…Zinda don’t you know people in the Black Hawks.” As Emily patiently waited a man in a blue suit approached her, his brown hair was soft and combed. “Excuse me? Mind if I join you? I’m John or Johnny if you like.” He took a seat and smiled at her, she would feel comfortable around him, but she definitely didn’t know him…or did she? “I’m wondering Emily, tell me about the man you’re waiting for.” At Wayne Manor Raven would be surprised as Bruce Wayne caught sight of her. He waved his hand at Hal. “Hold that thought.” <c>

Bruce moved around Hal and approached Raven. “Hello, I don’t think we’ve met…Could I get you a drink?” His hand gestured to a bar right next to him. Mari’s father smiled feeling her skin and then his attention turned as Diana Wonder approached their table. “Ms. Wonder is sitting at our table, Mari. Have you two met before?” Mari’s mother would speak “Of course they have, they met during that trip to Mexico.” “Yes, right!” Steve Trevor would pass by a man standing in a blue dress suit with a blue cape as a blue hat settled upon his head; he was a *strange* fellow with white gloves and a sorrowful expression as he watched. He didn’t seem to standout to anyone even if he was stared at directly.

Black Canary: Dinah huffed in frustration at Helena, and felt her tears welling up again. "No, she is a good woman! she shouldn't die!" she shivered nervously. She smiled at Barbara, she was always there with advice, she always was. "black hawks!" she turned to Zinda. "That's right you were a black hawk! you are one of the best pilots! you could take me to see her. and if it isn't true... then I will come back and let it go... it's just you don't leave a friend behind when she is in trouble." she looked at all three of them lingering on Helena. "right? right?!" she bit her lip. then she realized something, she would have to fly in a ton of metal! How did she get into these things!?

Erzebeth: "What do you know about the man I'm waiting for? You seem to already know more than I do..." Her arms folded over her chest while she glanced over the man. "My mother always told me to never talk to strangers..." Johnny? Who was this man? How did he know she was waiting for someone? Maybe it was that desperate look in her eye saying "help me I'm nearing thirty and I could use a lay". The red-head held her head with on hand. This dirty language was coming back to her. It wasn't like her at all, was it?

Mari McCabe: "Yes, I'm friendly with Diana," she replied. Of course she was, they were friends. Friends like how she and Emily were friends. Mari pulled her mother into a tight hug as though she hadn't seen the slender woman in ages. Time was a difficult concept for her lately it seemed. She missed her parents. Really missed them. That emotion was unusual. She's seen them just last week for lunch. Mexico had been on her mind for a while, nagging her, a stray thought disconnected. "We have so much catching up to do," she said to her parents, an unusual thing to say. "Let's sit and have a glass of champagne. I'm not sure when supper will start," she said but her voice felt far away. Her eyes were at the door, waiting for something, someone, for Diana Wonder? -F-

Raven: It was something surprising indeed. Rachel Roth was just an average school girl that went to high school, but never expected to be greeted by the famous Bruce Wayne! Of course she knew who he was, but to be greeted by him? That was something else. Something that her family wouldn’t believe! Rachel gave a small smile and extended her hand. For once, she was grateful to meet someone as famous as Bruce Wayne. She basically admired him from afar. Everything he had done was something to be grateful for and even though Bruce Wayne himself didn’t know it, he had helped Rachel in ways that he wouldn’t expect. “I’m Rachel. Rachel Roth.” She smiled, for once. She couldn’t help herself or contain it back as it was there. It was something strange and foreign to her, to smile at another person, but right now she didn’t care. “I’d like a drink, thank you. A soda is fine, if you don’t mind.” Of course she was still under the proper age and didn’t want to get in trouble. A soda wouldn’t hurt, -c-

Raven: though. “Thanks again.” She smiled, happy about this party, about this meeting, about everything! She tried thinking of a simple, but interesting question to ask. She was slightly panicking as she didn’t know which one would be appropriate for the evening and just stuck with the simple question of: “How are you?” -d-

Wonder Woman: She took her seat, nodding to the King and his wife, as well as Mari, greeting her with a warm smile. Something felt off about this whole thing. She felt as if she knew these people, but not in their certain roles. She took an offered glass of champagne, moving her shoulder to allow Steve to pass by her and speak to the king. "Uh, how is... what is it you do again? Actress?" she asked. In Gotham, Zinda raised her eyebrow. "Pilot? Are you feeling alright Dinah? Maybe you should start taking the antidepressants again?" she suggested, taking a sip of her coffee, she never drank but ... something didn't seem right about that? Zinda felt almost at odds with her nature as she watched the other girls sip mamosas as she drank black coffee.


Helena rolled her eyes and then stood up. “If Zinda can fly a plane then I can shoot a bow…and not miss horribly.” Barbara placed a hand on Dinah’s shoulder blade. “Look, if Dinah believes in this, then we should at least trust her. She’s our friend.” Helena growled “Yeah so we should report her to Arkham…let Warden Crane take care of her! He’s an expert on facing your fears from what I’ve seen on TV.” Johnny would chuckle politely at Emily. “Oh my, you know that you are very beautiful, quite the *looker.* Can you tell me more about who you once were?” Bruce turned and prepped Rachel a drink, easily he mixed a grape soda with ice and handed her the glass. <c>

“I’m doing well…What brings you here?” Bruce picked up a bottle of vodka and poured himself a glass that he would take to sipping. He found her attractive, a certain mystery around her. A light aura much like Hal and Selina. Within the pool of Raven’s glass a dark image would swirl before six amber diamond shaped slits glared at her like…eyes? After a moment Rachel would realize the sun was reflecting off the ground and the ice within the glass were somehow magnifying the color to *appear* like eyes. The King would smile at Diana. “Yes things are well. How are you handling the assassination rumors?”


Black Canary: Dinah looked at Zinda, she swore she was a pilot... "I think I'm fine... I don't want... I don't need to take those again..." she said softly. She frowned at Helena as she talked so about them, she almost said that Helena was great with a bow, but kept quiet, not wanting to get mocked again. The story of her life, quiet little Dinah, always sticks out so, if she speaks she will jsut be made fun of again. She smiled at Barbara as she supported her. She backed away from Helena as she mentioned Crane. "No, not him... he is scary..." she said shivering. She hid behind Barbara. "Well I guess I will need to get a plane ticket... would you come with me barbara? or any of you?" she didn't want to fly, but if it was for diana... she would.

Erzebeth: "Who I...Who are you?" Emily was suddenly uncomfortable with this man. Again she had thought aboutt he word 'looker' and wondered. "I swear if you're another fanboy I will call the cops!" She removed a cellphone from her dress-pocket. Where was Barry when she needed help? This Johnny could not have been who he said he was. He knew something about her...something dark. But what?

Mari McCabe: "I'm a…Supermodel." She felt like she was omitting something to Diana. The politician looked extraordinary and Mari was a little embarrassed to say that she envied the woman's political power. Diana could make a difference, Mari was just a model. Parading around in pretty clothes never saved the world. Mari smoothed the cream colored lace of her scoop-backed designer dress, her hand fidgeting in her lap. But no, being a model never stopped her from doing anything before. In fact, it opened doors for her that were not afforded many women like her. For a moment, something bubbled in her, something inborn and her voice poured smoothly from her lips. "I'm excited about our alliance with your cause," Mari smiled and then whispered low, "I hope my father didn't try to tell you the story of how he chased a hippopotamus out of Zambesi." She laughed but paused and blinked. It was a private memory and she felt nearly sick by uttering it aloud--and to her father's new ally to boot!-

Mari McCabe: But her embarrassment was fleeting because bubbly champagne was at her lips and she choked, spilling some of it on herself. Had she heard Diana speaking Greek? Had Diana worn bracers? Mari blinked and grabbed a napkin, dapping at her dress. "Excuse me," she said, setting her glass down. "Are you feeling all right, Diana? Do you need me to get your friend?"-F-

Raven: “A guy who gave me a ride and curiosity. I wanted to meet the famous Bruce Wayne.” She blushed suddenly at the answer, knowing that it was a rather ridiculous one. However, once the amber eyes looked back at her, she nearly dropped the glass. Rachel’s eyes widened as her grip was loosened. It was something that she hadn’t laid her eyes on, but for some reason…they looked familiar. A few moments after it, she shook her head slightly as the ice was the cause. ‘No. It couldn’t have been something supernatural, could it have been?’ Rachel thought as she stared down at the glass. It was something that was going to bother her for a while now. The glass…the eyes…she saw it! She knew it! ‘Rachel…you’re going to go crazy with thoughts like this. Here is billionaire, Bruce Wayne, talking to you! Get a grip! Right now isn’t a time for this.’ With that, she would turn her attention away from the glass and over at Bruce once again. She could worry about the eyes later… It was something that was -c-

Raven: going to bug her for the rest of the day, however. “How’s your company?” She asked, trying to keep the conversation going. ‘Focus, Rachel.’ She mentioned to herself, knowing that supernatural things was something she strongly believed in, just like her family. Was it really a sign? -d-

Wonder Woman: "I am here, am I not?" she said with a wry smirk, her eyes challenging the King as he watched her. Diana looked over her shoulder for Steve who was moving within the crowd, soundlessly, his keen eyes alert for any possible dangers. For this she was greatful, but she was starting to feel like it was unnecessary. "I feel... I feel as if I could stop bullets, your Grace," she said with a gregarious grin, lifting her glass to toast her victory, even before it happened. On her wrist were silver gauntlets; she hadn't worn them before, but they seemed old. They were about six inches long, going most of the way up her forearms. "To peace!" she suggested, except the words sounded strange. As opposed to English, Diana had wished peace in ancient greek. "Argh!" she groaned, dropping her glass and putting a hand to her head, feeling like her head was being hit by an axe. -c-

Wonder Woman: - "Yes, I am well..." she said, recovering from the head ache. Back in Gotham: Zinda shrugged, sipping her coffee. "A plane? You really want to get on a plane? I guess I can't be letting my cousin go on without me," she said with a laugh. Of course they weren't related, simply raised together. Their mothers were close... Wait, no, that wasn't right. Zinda was close to Dinah Senior... but... she was the same age as Zinda? She got a splitting headache, dropping her cup of coffee, spilling the contents all over her lap. She yelped, "Son of a..." she paused, standing up and letting the cup clatter to the ground, surprised as much by the pain and the fact that she was swearing. She was normally so sweet worded. -e-

Arthur Curry: Arthur stretched his arms out in a yawn, resting on a yard chair in the "backyard" of Wayne Manor. Really, it was more like farmland, the way it stretched and stretched, but what could be expected from the richest man in Gotham? Occasionally, he would glance over at Ms. Diana Prince, the passionate politician princess who could damn well melt the heart of even the coldest iceman. Too bad she was a bit of an ice queen herself, but he respected that, the way she never put up for any crap from the sleazeballs, even from one like Bruce. He settled back in his chair and sipped from his martini, "tanning" under the sun even though truthfully, he found that his skin never really did tan. Or hell, even burn. His thumb brushed over his necklace, staring into it and rememorizing every intricate detail. For a moment, he almost thought he could hear the waves of the ocean... -e-

Barbara smiled and nodded to Dinah. “Lets go. I believe in you Dinah.” Barbara was always a bit of a dreamer, but she was no where as bad as Dinah. Barbara dreamt of computers and advanced technology, and…science. Odd but, understandable. Dinah dreamt of Cyborg-aliens, a man with a red cape and blue pajama’s. That her voice was beautiful when she tried to…sing? It was full of fairytales and delusions. Across from Emily Johnny would place a ruby onto the table. “This, Emily.” Within the ruby she would feel a hunger unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It would appear as if blood was inside it, flowing like a river through…veins. The sensation of wanting to lick her lips in preparation for its taste. Her teeth would pulse with pain; something was inside her gums and began poking her teeth from behind creating a pain within her gums as she needed that blood. <c>

Johnny tapped the ruby. There is more than one way to get what I want to know, Emily…If you think you are strong, If you think you have power, you will find that I am in control. And that the Justice League will fall.” The pain within Emily would cease by a tingling sensation still lingered in a resonating manner reminding her of the pain. Johnny smiled at her and sat back in his seat. “Now. About Barry…” Steve came to Diana and placed his hand on her shoulder as he whispered. “Are you alright?” Diana Wonder was not in Gotham, she was in Washington DC. Arthur would be lounging with Bruce Wayne and some girl talking just inside the hallway of the houses back. <c>

Bruce’s hand gripped her bicep as Rachel seemed to lose her balance, his body type was barely comparable to a man rather that of a teenage boy with its slim appearance. “Whoa careful. Do you want to sit down and maybe rest?”

Black Canary: she smiled and nearly bounced as Zinda said she would go. she jumped back as the mug dropped, farther back than should be possible, it was almost a flip. she scurried as zinda nearly cursed and tried to clean up the mess. She scooped up a towel by a work sink and gave it to zinda to clean up. she looked at her and how she favored her head. "ARe you okay?" she asked full of concern. She smiled aboth barbara and zinda. she glad that she wasn't the only dreamer in ther group and list Barabara's made sense. More sci-fi she guessed. she thought about that guy in the blue pajamas again, and a cape it was so ridiculous, her daddy used to laugh when she told of him. but he seemed like the most honorable and heroic guy. even if he was a dream. and dreaming that she had a voice that could make people stop and just stare, so beautiful... she blushed thinking of that. she was awful at singing, her daddy saved her so much embarassment when he wouldn't let her join choir. (c)

Black Canary: she smiled and loked at her friends, giving helena a look for a moment. "I guess it is settled. I'll arange our flight." she went to her computer and got a bit confused, she always struggled with computers,she sheepishly had barbara help her. she bit her lip, could she really handle such a frightening flight? she shook it off, with her friends she could do anything. she almost felt brave. (d)

Mari McCabe: At least she the champagne was of a similar neutral color to her dress. She was here to support her parents, to encourage their union and to show the world that the McCabes were a strong, beautiful, and powerful family. Why that seemed important to her, she didn't even know. Inside of her somewhere was a urge to strut like a peacock, to growl like a lioness, to stomp like a chained beast. But she wasn't chained, it was all in her head. It must be. Or perhaps it was the champagne. She eyed the glass on the table, only partially full because most of it was on her lap. Her eyes turned to Diana's bodyguard, "she stumbled a bit." The fact that Ms Wonder spoke a different language wasn't even all that unusual. After all, she was Ms. Wonder. There was no limits to what she could do, being multilingual was nothing strange. Was it?-F-

Raven: “I…I’m fine.” Rachel reassured him, unsure and unaware that she tipped over. A blush came upon her cheeks, however, when Bruce grabbed her shoulder. “Thank you.” She mentioned, then slowly sat down and put the glass in front of her. Instead of staring at it for a while, she looked over at him. “Did you see that?” She asked, hoping that the other saw, but knowing that the chances of that were nearly impossible. “Wait…nevermind.” She shook her head slightly. She was going to look like a crazy teenage girl in front of him and didn’t want that. Reaching over, she took the glass and took a small sip from it. Her eyes slowly followed Bruce and she stared at him for a while. Putting the glass down again after her sip, she smiled slightly. “I like this soda.” It was getting harder and harder to act as if she was having a normal conversation. It was hard enough in high school, but here? It was even harder. Instead, she followed her intuition and started to talk business. “You didn’t answer -c-

Raven: my question about your company.” She reminded him. “How is it?” -d-

Wonder Woman: "Yes," she said looking to Mari, then to Steve with a broader smile, liking the feeling of his touch, though it still felt slightly strange... Welcomed, but not entirely known. She smiled and pushed herself up from the table, leaning on Steve. "I think I need some air," she said, nodding to the King, Queen and Mari by way of excusing herself before heading to the french doors to the balcony, leaning on her lover/body guard as she went. Zinda smiled as Dinah helped her get cleaned up. "You can handle that, little bird?' she teased Dinah, using her mother's nickname for the woman.

Arthur Curry: Arthur continued staring at the pendant slowly, his eyes mesmerized by it, before he gripped it with his fist and looked away, staring over at Bruce and then spotting a stain on one of the refrigators of the kitchen through the window more than a few dozen feet away. He shook his head and groaned in pain, rubbing his head as if inflicted with a sudden headache, before blinking his eyes open, his sight back to normal. Wow. This alcohol was pretty damn strong. Although his headache still didn't go away. It was a constant pounding, pounding, pounding, a pattern of sirens going off in his head as he let out another groan before staggering up to his feet. "Bruce...tell me you got a closet full of painkillers, because my head is killing me right now! What the hell are we drinking, anyway?"

Steve looked to Mari and her parents to offer a polite smiled. “Excuse us please.” He offered Diana his hand and arm in order to support her; treating her almost like royalty. If she stood up he would escort her outside. “Geez, I don’t know what we’re doing. There’s so much pressure on this…I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll even succeed, Angel.” At the table, Mari’s father shook his head once Diana left. “She’s just like all the other politicians.” His voice wasn’t capable of being picked up by Diana, her hearing wasn’t special after all.<c>

Back in Gotham Dinah would find herself with her the Birds of…a feather, flying a plane with Zinda behind the wheel and Barbara in the co-pilot seat as Helena sat cross armed next to Dinah. “Who’s great idea was this to let Zinda fly this plane again?” there was a surreal feeling that the plane was falling, a teetering sensation that any moment their seats would give out and they would slip through the floor as the vehicle bounced and bumped on its flight to DC. Barbara would speak “There’s an air strip right next to the place where Diana Wonder is eating dinner. Helena would growl. “See? What is wrong with these people, an airstrip right next to a restaurant…that’s it, I’m texting Dick. Tell me when we get there!” She huffed as she tapped away at her cellphone.

Black Canary: Dinah was white knuckling the arms of her chair. It ws so strange and surreal, this felt right. To be flying with her birds, flying to the rescue! Flying oh dear god she was flying! This felt all wrong! she started to hypervenlate. "I.. I can't breathe..." she undid her carnigan, it felt like it was strangling her! she revealed a good portion of cleavage, something that would normally make her blush. "the plane is gonna fall out of the sky... it's a death trap..." she would look up at Barbara, she always supported her. And she always seemed to know something that no body else did. She smiled. And there was Zinda, she was the best pilot she knew! Even if it she couldn't remember a time of her doing so before... she should feel safe. Then there was helena, grumbling and... making fun of Zinda. (c)

Black Canary: She frowned, her nervousness returning again. she was right, an airstrip next to the restraunt seemed off... too convenient, but she wasn't complainging. She shivered, the plain felt like it was falling apart, teetering... she closed her eyes. "Please let me know when this thing touches ground... Zinda I could sure use your flask right now..." she whimpered. (d)

Green Lantern: Sitting in the cockpit of the fighter, Hal's fingers gripped both the throttle and control stick , closing his eyes for a moment before smiling. *Up into the air again, Dad.* Hal knew that he would be chewed later for being so late, but there were more important things to the brass at the moment and that was testing this new fighter. It bared the look of an F-15 but appearences were decieving and those that new what it was truly capable of. The drive from Gotham to Mcguire Air Force Base had been quick, only due to luck that there were not any police in his path or along the way to pull him over as he went well above the speed limit. "Hot Rod 1 you are clear for take off... and try not to crash this one Highball.." "Yessir," Hal answered with a smirk before pushing the throttle forward, the engines emitting a large torch of flame as the fighter surged forward. The engines roarded as the throttle increased with the front tilted up into the air at the pull on the stick. In a total

Green Lantern: time of eight seconds, the fighter was off the ground and in the air, flying high through the air. The flight plan had Hal heading back over Gotham city while he headed out to sea.

Mari McCabe: Mari felt a wild shock of concern for the Amaz-- ~Politician.~ Well, certainly she would feel concern for anyone in distress, that was a natural human reaction. The model didn't lack empathy. But her worry for Diana went beyond that. When Steve arrived to escort her away, presumably to a more breathable atmosphere, Mari turned her attention back to her father. Politician. Yes. That was what Diana was. "What do you mean, Papa? Aren't you a politician too?" Mari asked with a gentle tease to her voice, attempting to push away the nagging feeling that she should be doing something, anything else. Mari reached for her glass of champagne, it had been refilled to the brim. She brought it to her lips and set it down once more without drinking it. Instinctively, she wanted to keep a clear head. She was rubbing elbows with the big ~leagues.~ And on top of that, she didn't want to embarrass her father. -F-

Barbara took out a bag and offered it to Dinah. “If you gonna puke…” Helena kicked the back of Barbara’s chair. “Told you this was a bad idea!” Barbara would yelp, but not from the kick as she read the radar. “Guys, I think someone is approaching us!” Zinda’s piloting came natural as her attention was focused on flying and enjoying the view. She peered out the window and smirked. “It’s just a fighter crossing our path. He’s heading out towards the ocean.” <C>

Hal would spot the plane with a red circle and black bird printed on the side of the cockpit, he would find himself asking what would happen if the aircraft were to collide? What would happen to Carol if she found out he was dead? If he wasn’t there for her? A surge of fear might begin to move throughout Hal, when his co-pilot kicked in -- he had a co-pilot? Sinestro: “Looks like a typical passenger plane...Maybe buzz past them and give them a good spook, *scare* them out of their minds.”<c>

Mari’s father shook his head. “Nevermind, Mari. You mustn’t worry about things like Diana Wonder…She’s not like us. She is an American propagandist seeking a throne and power that comes with it. No matter though, I will keep you all safe and hopefully she will protect our people…” Mari’s mother frowned towards her husband before hanging her head.

Black Canary: Dinah took the bag with a shakey hand she looked positivly green. "Thank's Barb." she rolled her eyes at Helena. and the motion of the kicking of the chair, just made the plane seem more rickety. Then she heard Barbara. "A-annother plane?" she tightened her seatebelt again. she trusted zinda, it would all be fine... She hoped that diana was okay after all this... "The fighter isn't coming for us is he?" she was breathing heavy. she felt like she could scream. (d)

Green Lantern: *If we met... huh... we'd turn into a big ball of fire and ripped apart metal and circutry and wires. If I ejected... I might be able to make it out, but I'd loose my wings for sure. I'd strip families of what got stripped from me... like with my Dad... And Carol she'd... Wait. Carol'd make it through. She's too damn strong and why... why am I think like this?* His hand gripped the control stick tighter as he face hardened. "Negative, Tyrant. Give 'em a show though." With that, Hal jinked hard to the left comming well in front of the passenger plane before doing a quick couple of spins as he traveled back along the side for the passengers to gawk at and then flying on with a smile.


Mari McCabe: Her perfectly groomed brows were furrowed as her father spoke. SHe couldn't believe it. Diana wasn't power hungry, she was a ~wonderful~ person, compassionate to the plight of others. But then again, she'd only just been acquainted with her, so how would she even know. Aside from the cloudy but positive feeling of Mexico, Mari found that she had no basis, no foundation she could fall back on to recall these assumptions about Diana Wonder. Mari smiled. She wasn't a politician, she was a model. "You're upsetting, Mama," Mari scolded and placed her hand on her mother's bared cinnamon shoulder to comfort her. "I have faith that our people will thrive in this alliance," she offered up numbly. Clearly, she didn't believe her words, but they were words that seemed to appease both of her parents. "Tell me more about your plans? You don't have to reveal any secrets, I'm just interested in your work," she said, her eyes drifting distractedly toward the direction Diana and Steve had gone off -

Mari McCabe: to, and then systematically noting all the entrances.-F-

Wonder Woman: "Thank you," she whispered to Steve, leaning her head against his shoulder as he led her outside. "It's worth the risks, I know it is, Steve," she said. She spoke with conviction, even if her voice sounded oddly tired. Diana shook it off, and while she had this strange sensation that something was being said behind her, she was unable to actually hear the words. Instead, she shrugged it off. She didn't care what some tribal king thought of her plan, as long as he followed through with his support, and the support of the ANC, with her plan for world peace... She wanted -peace-... She let out a sigh. "World peace is an admirable goal... but, do you ever think we might be going about it in the wrong way?" she said, raising a dark eyebrow, her eyes alight with the shimmer of cosmetics, though Diana oddly could never remember having applied them before today, something had felt off about putting on the coloured glosses, lacquers and powders. As if, she didn't need or want them, but of course she did, didn't she?

Wonder Woman: Zinda sat in the cock pit, the ears on and the stick in her hand, feeling oddly at home in the craft. After a rocky start, the plane lurched down the run way. "Maybe you're on to something, little bird," she said over her shoulder to Dinah. "I might have some of the flying in me after all... Though I still think the guys in the garage are thinkin' we're gonna crash!" There it was again... Normally so well spoken, so soft spoken and proper. And did she just speak with her Nebraska accent...? SHe hadn't done that since she was a teenager. "Naw, Ah don't even know if he's seen us. Well, I mean, he sees us, but he isn't lookin fer us." She navigated away from the fight's trajectory and opened her radio on all waves. "Black Hawk One calling unknown fighter," she said, her voice bright, but somewhat... robotic. -e-

It would happen as Hal’s plane flew just past Zinda’s plane, an explosion would erupt from the plane’s wing and Zinda would begin losing control of the plane. The engine of the plane was smoking at on fire. Helena began screaming “WE’RE GONNA DIE!!” Immediately Helena jumped out of her seat and ran out of the cockpit Barbara sighed and rubbed her head. “I don’t know why I didn’t see something like this coming…” The plane would begin craning to the left as its left wing began to sink and veer to the side towards the restaurant below. Sinestro’s mouth hung open watching the scene from behind Hal. “That Plane just exploded. We gotta get help!” Sinestro immediately began attempting to contact help, though Hal knew there was nothing anyone could do, a field of energy would surround his plane with a green glow; though it wasn’t even a Green Lantern construct.<c>

That fearless nature seemed to spark the color green about him. In his mind the idea of ejecting crept, but another feeling of indestructibility of his own aircraft seemed apparent. Zinda’s plane was only diverting away from the runway, slowly. The possibility of evacuating the plane was a possibility, but why didn’t the people on board already try? <c>

A father’s nod to Mari as he acknowledged her statement before taking both his daughter and wife’s hands into his own. “As long as we have each other, we should be *happy* and no matter what happens, I love both of you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise…” As Mari continued to question her father waved a dismissive hand. “We’re hoping that Diana Wonder can solve our animal problem…” Mari’s mother nodded. “The beasts have been relentlessly attacking our villages. We’re hoping she will bring in poachers to save our people…” <c>

Steve smirked at Diana and commented. “Optimistic as always…You see something in people that no one else does. Potential for us to be better than what we really are.” His words might’ve held an underlying purpose, the thought of her and Steve together seemed out of place. Steve kissed her forehead and then shook his head. “No, Diana…We’re Americans it’s what *we* do. Your father approves of this…General Ares, the mastermind of war. Undefeated, some speculate he would put Alexander, Patton, and Achilles to shame. If he approves of what you’re doing, you should take it as a sign. You’re doing this right and there’s no other way.”


Black Canary: Dinah grinned at Zinda as she called her little bird. That accent that blossomed seemed comforting. As the other blonde mentioned crashing, she clenched her armrests again. Then she saw the fighter doing tricks, showing off. watching it spin. It looked like fun! and then it set in again. The guy was a maniac! he could give them all a firey death! As the fighter slowed down he would see a very shaken Dinah looking out a passenger window, wide eyed at him. Her carnigan was open leaving quite the view through the glass. Then Dinah noticed who it was! Hal?! It was her friend Hal?! is he a nut?! And then the wing exploded! The plane veered hard to one side. Dinah couldn't breathe! her heart was in her throat! Helena's hysterics weren't helping the poor bird. She had her knees clutched to her chest, mumbling to herself, hyperventalting "I... I shouldn't have done this... I knew this plane wouldn't work... they are death traps..." she mumbled to herself. (c)


Black Canary: It was all her fault! She got her friends into this crazy scheme! and now they were all gonna die!" some part of her, deep inside of her was screaming. This wasn't right! They could get out of this. She could help them! But... she couldn't even help herself. she started to moan and wail in terror, sobbing big tears. She should have stayed home. The glass in the plane started shiver as her crying got louder, she couldn't hold back the tears... crying like a little girl. (d)

Green Lantern: *That was... that was Dinah in there....* Hal had no idea what could have caused the engine to explode like that, but he knew one thing: if he didn't do something someone was going to get hurt or worse. *Think Hal. Goddamnit think! You've got to do something. You've-.* "Tyrant! Hang on. We're gonna guide them in!" Reaching to his consol, Hal used it to patch into the passenger plane's radio frequency, "Attention civilian aircraft! This is United States Air Force pilot, Captain Hal Jordan. Maintain your course prepare for landing. I'm going to act as your wing." Closing his eyes for another moment, Highball took a breath and then throttled back, lowering his fighter down enough to pass under the burning wing and then back a bit more before he flipped his aircraft over and sped back up quickly. Then, using the underside of his fighter, he carefully gained altitude until it met the underside of the wing and began to push upwards until it was level once more.

Mari McCabe: Mari nearly allowed herself to verbalize her disbelief. The beasts were the Gods of the land, that was the purpose of all fables told to children. Aside from listening to your parents, reverence for animals was an important lesson for any Zambesi child. Silly. Those were just stories, nothing of note. The word -poacher- from her father's mouth seemed like a expletive, a base word, an evil word. "Oh my, that's terrible," she managed, forcing herself to feel the horror she knew the villagers faced. Just then, Mari could remember what it was like to be crushed beneath the awesome weight of a lion as he squeezed the breath from her lungs. The hot African plains beneath her, the sun blinding her. And suddenly, instead of being the crushed victim, Mari was the crusher. Power rippled through her muscles. Mari stood abruptly, her chair clattering back. Sometimes the Gods were distressed. Mari gulped, her tapered fingers clutching her long bare throat as she gasped in the breath -

Mari McCabe: her mind deprived her of. "S-sorry. I just…" I just touched the Red. No, an errant thought. "A spider," she said finally, "crawling up my leg…" It was a weak excuse, but her mind was racing as fast as a cheetah. -F-
Wonder Woman: As he spoke his tender words she leaned into him, but then stood up straight as he continued on. Something just didn't seem right. About Steve, and about what was going on... Amer... No, Diana was ready to protest, that she wasn't American, that she was in fact of Greek decent, wasn't she? She shook her head. "We must be better; we owe it to the world, to those who came before and those will come after us," she said, she was almost insufferable in her optimism and her sense of duty.

Wonder Woman: "Naw, I got this," she said, confident as she kept the plane from going down too harshly. It was experience that kept the plane from going entirely off course and careening towards the earth, but Zinda wasn't an experienced pilot, was she? Something just felt natural, though. "But someone needs to get Dinah off her knees; get her strapped in. Little Bird, it's gonna be okay!" she shouted. "May Day! May Day!" she called into the microphone on her head set. "We've lost our number two engine; we're going down. Repeat: we are going down." She looked back. "Someone get her strapped in before she hurts herself; and while y'all are at it, strap in yourselves. This might hurt," she muttered. She heard the USAF pilot and crossed herself, "Oh thank God," she said with sigh.

Barbara began to wonder, quickly she pulled out pen and paper to begin writing down a math equation; somehow she working under these conditions; an extremely stressful condition, pressure was high and she was writing a large math based formula of physics. She smiled only a moment later. “The Captain’s plan should work!” Sinestro began looking around outside the cockpit glass, attempting to spot any gaps that Hal might’ve missed. “Keep it coming back…Almost there.” Above Hal and Sinestro they could see people walking on the streets of DC, below Steve Trevor and Diana Wonder could see the airplanes above flying towards them in the distance. It was then a skeleton’s face appeared in Hal’s cockpit window reflection. <c>

“Fearless until the end. You won’t succeed. You will only kill yourself and everyone you’re trying to save. Think of exactly how powerless you really are; you’re just a pilot, you’ve never achieved anything great. You’ve never saved lives before.” <c>

Richard Jiwi’s eyes opened quite a bit as Mari seemed to freak out. “Is--…” she answered his question, his eyes shifted to look for a spider but, she was apparently successful in removing it. “Perhaps we should request help from the waiter. Where is Mr. Trevor, he choose this venue for this occasion. I find it insulting that he would choose such an establishment.” It was now people were beginning to rush towards the windows, their attention upon two airplanes flying overhead.

Steve wrapped his arms around Diana to hold her close, his lips coming to her ear when his gaze would catch sight of the planes, Diana’s ear capable of hearing the engines rattling in the sky. Steve adjusted his body to help Diana turn and see the display, his arm around her waist as his chin tightened and his eyes narrowed. “Oh no…”

Black Canary: Dinah just kept her knees huddled to her chest, almost in a fetal position in her chair, crying and wailing, the glass in her window cracked, the plane was falling apart! it was a shoddy thing and was just going to fall apart more. she couldn't stop crying. it was like years of pent up emotion all coming out at once. she sniffled hearing Zinda. Her words were reassuring... she calmed down enough to check her straps and tighten them, clutching them. then she felt the fighter bump into their plane helping guide it down and the fear clutched at her again. She heard Barbara figure things out. oh she hoped she was right, she never let her down... she braced herself for a crash, tears on her cheeks. she knew helena and her daddy were right. this wasn't the life she should lead. when this was done she was going to marry a nice man and just care for their children. it was better than this. so much better. (d)

Green Lantern: *Focus Hal. Maintain control. This is already risky enough. Just ease them down.... * The sudden appearence of the skull caught him off guard and he quickly jolted back in his seat, his eyes wide as he looked at it. Each word it spoke cut deep... He was just a pilot... Sure he could put a smile on people's faces when they watched him do stunts in a fighter, but the guys on the ground.. the infantry... they lumped him up with some of the assholes that were pilots and thought they were god's gift to existence. A sigh touched his lips as he felt the grip on the stick loosen... all sound drowned out around him. The images of the fight with his mom popped into his head. How both of his brothers stood beside her. He started to remember all the times he stood with his dad at Ferris Aircraft.... the times that they would sit and eat picnics while the planes took off and landed... all the good times that they had shared before that day... when the aircraft that the was test flying

Green Lantern: went up. His dad could've abandoned the fighter... bailed out and saved himself but then it was in all possibility that Hal wouldn't be alive right now. His fighter began to fall away from the aircraft it was supporting, but Hal Jordan could only smell the smoke filling his nostrils... see the flames that were reflected from his brown eyes that were wet with tears while watched the twisted heap of metal that held his father's body captive to burn with it. His father... *Dad... dad you died trying to save me.. trying to...even though you couldn't have known if... Dad... And that was it wasn't it. You showed me what it was to be a man. You gave your life doing everything you could to protect me, Carol, and her father.* Hal's gloved hand gripped the control stick tightly and he angled himself back up, the underside of the fighter pressing back against the underside of the wing, "Alright, Pilot. We've got two birds to land. Let's bring them home."-e-

Mari McCabe: "Papa, it was only a spider." It occurred to Mari that she wasn't at all afraid of spiders. In fact, she had the distinct feeling that spiders were more afraid of humans and for good reason. Humans were large awkward creatures, with dreams that were infinitely more enormous and cumbersome. Like a plane whistling in the air…She could hear the murmurs and exclamations of the people. The were pointing and entranced by the technological carnage. Mari, though her heart told her not to, left her parent's side and made her way to join the spectators. Slowly at first, then with more urgency. If only she could do something, if only she could reach them. But even though her arms felt as light as wings, Mari couldn't possibly fly. Her hands clutched the rail hard as if to ground her, to keep her from climbing over the ledge like a crazy woman. Helpless, that's what she felt. She gripped the rail harder in her frustration.-F-

Wonder Woman: Diana turned to watch the planes come together, hearing the whine of the engines as clear as if they were right next to her. She was filled with the sudden urge to -do something- but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. What was there to do? It looked like the pilot had the situation under control, or at least enough that the planes weren't going to be crashing into the banquet hall. "We need to do something," she said, as if there was something that Diana was capable of doing, finding her body held tight to Steve as she tried to move. "We have to do something," she said, pushing his hands away from her, as if his hands were holding her back.

Wonder Woman: Zinda kept her calm wits about her as she was guided and instructed on how to set it down by the pilot. "He sounds kind of cute," she said with a smirk, looking back over her shoulder where the other three women were settled into their seats. -e-

The Skull head would laugh as Hal seemed to pull himself together. “You will see…” The skull faded away and suddenly Dinah, Mari, and Diana felt a surge of confidence; not within themselves rather faith towards a man they knew, a pilot; Hal Jordan that somehow Diana and Mari knew was flying the plane. Hal’s aircraft began to error out as both planes flew closer towards the runway. Sinestro would comment. “Maverick, I think they can handle it from here…Any closer and--…” Hal would find himself at a junction point…If he pulled away he would no doubt survive with an unknown fate of the passenger plane, most likely survival and he had given them a damn good fighting chance of successfully landing with no danger. However, if he remained a surge of green and white light began to glow in his face blinding him, his vehicle would crash and explode.<c>

Steve was pushed away by Diana and he looked around before rushing towards two police officers. “Prepare the fire squad; if those planes explode we’ll need someone to take out those flames!” Diana wouldn’t be able to fly and neither could Mari, but the urge within Mari would feel like a gorilla trapped in a cage while taunted and prodded by metal sticks.

Black Canary: Dinah whimpered and cried as she felt the plane rock as the fighter left it and then thudded into it again. She knew hal and zinda were good, but even good pilots couldn't prevent a wreck of a flying trash heap.... and then she felt the plane coming down hard, she winced and whimpred crying out loudly, glass in the control panel vibrated and cracked. she was muttereing to herself, "don'tletus die, don't letusdie, don't let usdie." she felt confidence that hal would see htem through, and she hoped it was right. (d)

[Batman]

Green Lantern: "Shut up! I need to concentrate!" *Come on.... Come on... Taking you home.* His fingers tightened around the control stick and throttle, maintaining control. He would abandon these people... Dinah... If it killed him he would see them home. Fear had left him. Whatever that skull thing was, maybe a sign that he had some issues to work out in his head if and when he got the chance to head to the doc for it, couldn't affect him now. His breathing was steady, the grip on the stick no longer white knuckled, but firm. All sound seemed to slip away save for his breathing. The runway was close... They were going to make.-- "AH!!* The sudden bright light burned at his eyes, immediately blinding him and everything, all control that he had, was gone. The last thing that Hal Jordan heard was the sounds of an explosion, but the last thing on his mind was the vision of a woman that he couldn't remember ever meeting... but that he sure that he knew.

Wonder Woman: Diana shook free of Steve's grip, twisting her arms and waist away from him. "We have to do something!" she called, waving over one of the serving staff. "The run way, it's far away yes? Get the guests clear of the park, clear as many of the tents you can as fast as you can," she ordered, her voice and mannerisms distinctly military. She was making demands, not requests. "If they can't make the air strip, we need to give them somewhere safe to set down, and the lawn is just about the right size, wouldn't you say?" "But the dama-" She cut him off. "I'll cover it. Don't worry about the costs. Just do what I tell you. It's just money, there are people in those planes." She went back to Steve. "Get the Gen ---" She put her arms up, leaning into Steve and covering his eyes as well as the green and white light seemed to envelop the air crafts. -c-

Wonder Woman: Zinda: "Well, I'm gonna be mighty thankful f'r the helping hand," Zinda was almost back to her native accent as she spoke to the unknown pilot helping them land. "But I'm not entirely sure your prescription's up to date. We're sinking fast, and that runway is a long... Hold on, there. Is that enough space?" she said, even though in her head she could tell that the space, quickly being cleared as guests and staff alike headed the orders of Diana Wonder, a diplomat to some, a war monger to others. was big enough. "You doing alright back there ladies?" she called over her shoulder. -e-

Hal would awaken in a desert laying in the sand, a destroyed city barren before him as yellow sand surrounded him. The sun was no longer existent as smog covered the atmosphere. Hal was wearing his Green Lantern uniform, his ring glowing and he had all the powers he could remember. The planet wasn’t the same, complete Armageddon had been rained down on Earth as its entire surface had been destroyed leaving nothing more than a vast wasteland barren of life, next to him laid the unconscious body of the Flash. They did not seem harmed rather just sleeping and unconscious. He would remember things that didn’t make sense: he knew the names of the Justice League members; he saw into their personal lives or something like that…<c>

The plane landed, but a bumpy ride for Zinda’s plane as it rattled and Hal Jordan’s plane would be lost. Arthur, Bruce, Diana, Dinah, and Rachel would feel a stabbing sensation within their hearts as Hal Jordan died. They could see a figure of a man in black and green uniform with a lantern upon his chest -- suddenly the image was torn asunder and vanished from their memories. Hal Jordan died attempting to save the lives of a crashing plane. He would succeed in his goal but, the pain to his allies would demoralize them with a significant amount of pain. <c>

Bruce smiled at Rachel and shrugged. “I don’t know…my Dad runs the company. I have a trust fund, I shouldn’t have to work for a single day in my life…Everything is great. Everything is perfect. It’s like a dream come true.” It was then a voice spoke to her. ‘Save him…’ a dark growl that would send a shiver throughout her. It was then Bruce and Rachel would feel the sting within their chests causing Bruce to collapse against a nearby table, bracing it for support. He clutched his chest and growled in agony. “Aaah!!” Selina would rush towards Bruce and hiss at Rachel. “What did you do to him you witch?!” <c>

The Runway was right next to the Restaurant; Diana was a mere 60 feet away from reaching the airstrip and arriving right on the scene. The wreckage of green flames left no bodies to be discovered except…a Green Ring with the shape of a lantern on it. Steve came to Diana and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss…but we need to be prepared, this could’ve been an assassination attempt on you.”

Black Canary: Dinah felt awful... she couldn't breathe! She could only cry her breathing coming in ragged gasps. It didn't matter how good of a pilot Zinda was. It didn't matter that her friend Hal, the ace fighter pilot was helping... she had taken a risk! One of the few risks she had in life... was that right? it couldn't be right.. but it had to be... she endagered her friends! she could have hurt someone! She... and then the plane made a rough landing, she screamed. she screamed so loud! Sobbing and screaming. Glass on the plane broke, was it from the crash? She got a flash of Hal? was that Hal? black and green uniform... strange symbol... one of those crazy dreams again! And then the plane ground to a stop. The other plane was a demolished wreck! He died! He saved her and he died! it was all her fault! she cried and sobbed wailing, she couldn't hear anyone. it didn't matter. nothing mattered. she didn't care where she was or who was around. she didn't care about Diana Wonder. (c)

Black Canary: If she did anything, she would hurt her too! She was dimly aware of hands helping carrying her as she sobbed out of the plane, curled up in the fetal position. She just wanted to go home... just have someone care for her... just settle down and do what her parents said. (d)

Green Lantern: Hal returned to consciousness with the taste of dirt in his mouth. Groaning he lifted his head up slowly and gave it a light shake before spitting and forcing himself to rise up to his knees. "What... happened...?" he mumbled softly, looking around. His eyes first settled on the Flash as he lay on the ground nearby. "Barry...?" he whispered softly, moving over to the side of his friend. A hand reached out and gave him a shake, but something inside of him already told Hal that there would be no response. "Barry... Barry!" the Lantern shouted, sitting up on a knee before his head started to flick around. "Arthur...Bruce....Kent?.... Dinah!?" His head shot back and forth, heart beating hard in his chest, "Diana!?" Hal forced himself to stand, "Diana?!" his heart was racing faster now, worrying setting in like a a great weighted blanket enveloping him. *What happened here? What the hell's going on?!*

Raven: It was something that Rachel expected out of him. Of course he was set for life! It was all over the news at one point and Rachel thought of all the money he had. He was a great person, it seemed. He didn’t let the money go to his head and that was something to admire. She gave a small smile, but something stopped that smile from forming. It was a demonic growl. Her eyes slightly widened, but she couldn’t register it enough. She shut her eyes tightly as the sting on her chest. It didn’t make her move or collapse, but she opened her eyes again. Her eyes widened at the sight that was in front of her. Bruce Wayne was against the counter! “Mr. Wayne!” She yelled, but then looked over at a woman rushing over. Her eyes were wide once again. She was in deep trouble it seemed. “I didn’t do anything!” She held up her hands, backing away from the scene. Gulping slightly, she tried to think of something, but ended up running away from the scene. She couldn’t help herself. She didn't -d-

Wonder Woman: Diana reacted quickly, putting her hand on Steve's shoulder. "Stop grilling them, they are not enemy combatants, they are barely adults," she whispered sharply to him, her tone rather caustic, as if she were speaking to an ex-boyfriend as opposed to her current love. She softened and tilted her head to the side. "I didn't get hurt, and neither did any of the other VIPs," she kissed Steve's cheek before looking at the women in front of her, a confused look on her face as she saw the familiar face of the blonde, but was unable to put a name to it. "D... " there was a name just on the tip of her tongue, just out of reach. "Hal? Who's Hal?" she asked, her eyes going wide as she stepped forward, away from Steve and between Barb and Helena, taking Dinah tenderly, trying to pry her away from the blonde who was peeling a bottle of Johnny Walker Gold with her teeth. Classy, she thought to herself. Dinah seemed to know what Hal was, and it was the name Diana had screamed out. -c-

Wonder Woman: Zinda held Dinah close to her, but the manner with which she consoled the woman was much more like a mother, much less like a same aged friend. "I won't," she said, putting an arm around the woman's shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me," she whispered. "Jus' don't tell her Ah'm drinkin, kay?" They got off the plane only to see Barb and Helena face to face to Diana Wonder and her pit bull body guard. "Let's just hang... or not," she followed as Dinah pulled her forward and towards the group. As Dinah began spilling her guts, Zinda took the time to open her bottle, but with one hand holding the bottle, and the other holding Dinah, she had to resort to using her teeth. Oh if Mum could see me now, she thought. -e-

Phantom Stranger’s mysterious gaze lifted to look up at him. “Green Lantern. A relevant question, one that I may answer however strange the answer may seem. You are within a level of sub consciousness. Your physical form is sleeping at home.” Hal’s powers would not be able to awaken him if he were to try, the rules of this plane seemed to stop him from using some of his powers, much like the last life he was in prevented him from remembering anything of his life as a Green Lantern. <c>

Rachel would hear the voice “Who I am is not important…Your father here is a divine being who seeks to Unite the world and destroy ALL chaos…In order to disrupt this plan only you can do it, Rachel. First, Bruce Wayne’s parents must die. This will start a chain reaction within him. The man you rode here with, should provide the perfect catalyst for this…” <c>

Steve backed away on Diana’s command, Helena waved over Diana’s figure while looking at Dinah. “Happy? She’s alright. We almost died just to save someone who we endangered anyway AND got someone killed. Also I totally got yelled at by a Government official and you guys sat back and did nothing. Just wanted to make sure you guys took note.”

Green Lantern: "So..." he started to say, looking at the man in front of him, "Somehow someway someone jacked into my head while I've been asleep and mental trapping me in some mind game?" His words and tone were sarcastic in a way, but one couldn't entirely blame him for speaking in such a manner in an attempt to cope with the whole situation. He was worried. People he cared about where probably trapped in this same state and, even though he seemed to gain some hold on himself, this thing just kept dragging on. How layered was it?

Raven: It was something Rachel didn’t expect. She froze slightly and gulped a bit. “No…” She shook her head slightly, but then stopped. “…” She was quiet for a long time, thinking about the options and everything. That man…that man she came with… “Do I have to kill?” She whispered to herself for the people around her couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to hear. She gulped slightly. Having that on her hands…or sending someone to do the job for them…she wasn’t sure if she could handle it. She shook her head once again, listening to the voice. She looked around slightly, hoping not to be followed and then stopped herself. Paranoia was already setting in. This wasn’t good at all, but she stopped and breathed. She gave a small sigh and nodded slightly. This voice seemed to be good…even though it did sound demonic. Something inside of her was telling her to trust it and it was something she was going to do. “…Tell me what to do and how to begin.” She knew that her dark side was coming out and -c-
Raven: once it was out, there was no stopping it. -d-

Wonder Woman: "Jordan?" she questioned, her eyebrows narrowing as she continued to protect Dinah. She was starting to remember things, but they didn't feel like real memories. She dated Hal in high school? No, she was seeing him now? No, that simply couldn't be true; she was desperately in love with Steve, wasn't she? "No, you didn't mess up. Something is messed up, but it's way too big to be your fault, Dinah..." Wait a minute? How did she know Dinah's name? "Hardly the first time you've been yelled at by a handsome man in uniform," Zinda teased Helena. "Maybe try turning on that famous charm you're always talking about? The one that gets you out of all those speeding tickets..."

“Your humor persists even in a sub conscious state. I fear that if the Justice League does not breakthrough this spell, the consequences on Earth will be irreversible. Neither I nor our mutually inclined allies may step in until the damage is already done. Billions of lives will be killed and vengeance will fall upon the mastermind of this genocide.“ The voice explained to Rachel “No…you do not have to kill them. *Someone* has to kill to them. *They* have to die. “ There was darkness surrounding her and she could feel her emotions mixing. A clear bright sky in Gotham began to grow darker, storm clouds approached over the horizon on route towards the space above Wayne Manor.

Black Canary: Dinah nodded giving a weak smile. "Yes Hal Jordan!" she looked at Diana, she looked just as confused as she was. She wasn't suprised Diana remembered her, they had such a good time in mexico, that one time. She was surprised that Dinah cared about her so.But she should be, she was her friend. she shook her head, everything confused her. "I'm sorry i'm such a dumb blonde... I shouldn't take risks... planes are death traps. I shouldn't have gone... it is my actions that brough us here and killed him.... but... you're right something is really wrong here... this isn't how it is supposed to go..." she hugged Diana again. (d)

[Batman]

(Washington DC) Lady Blackhawk’s plane had successfully landed, but not without sacrifice as Hal Jordan’s aircraft crashed and went out in a blaze of green glory. The pain of his death had struck the remaining heroes in the heart; somehow they knew he was on that plane. It was at this time, something else happened, Barry had been shot. Clark too had been killed in a car accident. Pain shot through the remaining heroes. As Mari felt herself suffering the pain, the sounds of footsteps inside the room grew louder as a team of six men rushed in and began firing machine guns. If Mari were to look behind her she would glimpse at the sight of her parents being shot multiple times in the chest before tumbling backwards onto the dinner table. Shattering of glass and plaster walls rippled through the building as their magazines seemed endless. <C>

“This is the end of your One World Government! This is the end of everything!” The primal instincts within Mari rages, she can hear the thumping of her own heart louder than ever. Outside on the runaway Dinah Lance and Diana Wonder held each other in a grieving embrace as they both mourn the loss of their comrades. Screeching of car tires sound behind the wreckage as two black cars screech to a halt and eight men jump out, Diana Wonder would be able to glance at the leading car’s driver, the notable piece that was familiar was an optic red eye. Dead Shot lifted his wrist gun and fired at both women while Steve Trevor quickly raised his gun, firing three shots killing one of the attacking men before Trevor was shot and killed. <c>

(Gotham City,) Within the small corridor Rachel would see a man adjusting his collar while holding a gun in hand. It didn’t seem out of place that he had a gun, but the man seemed troubled as he shivered sitting in a wooden chair that creaked with his smallest of movement. Selina had taken Bruce to the living room where his parents sat across from him as she rubbed his shoulders to comfort him from the pain he had felt within his chest.

Mari McCabe: The crash of Hal's plane made her heart throb in awful ways. People were jostling her which didn't help and what she thought was the sound of her heart pounding was really gun fire in quick succession. She turned, wished she hadn't, and saw her mother fall. Her intelligent beautiful mother, a look of surprise on her face, ribbons of blood flying from her pristine gown. And then her heart really was louder, aching. She felt real pain and stumbled, only her anger and despair allowed her to push through the crowd toward her fallen kin. "Move!" She shouted in a commanding voice she recognized as her own. Familiar with the tone, comforted by it, she shouted it again to get the ocean of panicked bodies to part for her. -F-

Raven: Rachel stared at the man in front of her. It was something that she did not want to do, but it had to be done by her, right? The voice in her head was encouraging this act and there was nothing that she could do to stop it. At least, she didn’t want to. Part of her wanted bloodshed and there would be. Slowly walking over to the man, she leaned over and whispered in his ear. “You may want to use gloves.” It was something that she never would have thought of saying, but it was happening. Tonight the parents of Bruce Wayne would die and there was no going back. “I’ll cut the phone lines.” With that said, she walked away, her eyes feeling slightly different. Her body felt different. Her state of mind felt different! It was something that she was going to have to get used to. Her adrenalin was running through her veins and everything was racing. There was only once chance to do it and this man in front of her could not screw it up. Batman had to be made, right? That’s what the voice in -c-

Raven: her head said and she trusted it for some reason. Her brain was telling her no, but for once, her heart was saying yes! Reaching the outside and ignoring the few security that was there, she snuck past them. Reaching over, she grabbed a knife out of her pocket and started cutting the lines. Carefully after that was done, she wiped it clean, waiting for the sound of the gun to go off. -d-

Wonder Woman: "Sh," she whispered to the stranger, as if she actually knew who she was, feeling some sort of connection with the smaller blonde woman. The gunshots echoed in the back, and Diana reacted quickly and entirely on instinct. The General, her father, had prepared her for this kind of attack from a young age; she was never left unprepared. "Run," she told Dinah. "Behind the plane, stay behind cover as much as you can, but run," her voice was eerily calm, as if she was prepared for this. The brunette handed the sobbing one off to the more stoic woman, and the two blondes disappeared down the runway. Diana turned, drawing herself up to her full height, though seeming to take up more space, seem entirely more regal. Her mouth drew into a thin line as she surveyed the attackers. There was a moment of dead silence before she darted to the left, where Steve's body had fallen. -c-

Wonder Woman: Her shoulder hit the ground as she rolled and she picked up his gun, and kept her momentum, darting behind the cover of the nose of the downed airplane. Her skirt had ripped, and the halter of her dress had come loose. She reached up and pulled the body off with her left hand, not letting the gun go from her right. Adrenaline was pumping through her body, but she wasn't sure she was completely capable of doing this. Her chest heaved against the black bustier, and she could feel the gravel and debris beneath her backside where the briefs she had reduced herself to did not cover, and yet, exposed as her flesh was, she felt... comfortable? As if this were natural for her. -e-

(Gotham) The man stood up and looked around cautiously before running down the hallway, Rachel had somehow turned off the power to the house; a time of daylight suddenly plunged into pure darkness. Selina and Martha looked around with slight worry. Thomas and Bruce stood up to look around as Bruce went to step, Thomas waved for Bruce to stay. “Stay with the boys, I will…” It was suddenly Joe Chill walked into the room aiming a gun at Thomas. “Die.” Bruce felt his heart jump into his throat, he wondered what to do…if only he was a stronger man he would…he would…do what? Stop the gun from firing? A gunshot rang throughout the room and Thomas dropped onto the floor. The screaming of Selina and Martha ran throughout his ears before another shot struck Martha. <c>

(Washington) As Mari jumped across the room to hold her parents, her mother was lifeless, but her father reached out to Mari, his hand holding a talisman. “N-n………” He dropped dead before speaking. Mari found herself at a crossroad, flee and attempt escape or attempt grabbing the Talisman, if she reached for the talisman she would be shot multiple times as bullets flew about her and she recklessly lounged into them in her moment of anger. <c>

As Diana took cover the material she was behind began to scream and become holed by piercing bullets. She would find herself in a crossroad as the men circled around her location, back up seemed hours away from doing anything helpful to her situation. If she ran, she could potentially escape. If she fought, she would most likely die as there were 7 guns, one of them she knew, for some reason, was an expert marksmen that she stood no chance against…If only she was faster, stronger, durable….she could actually help. Perhaps then…maybe Steve wouldn’t have died. Maybe *she* could’ve saved Hal from dying as well. Her mother would be in tears to see how Diana failed to save those who did not deserve to die.<c>

(Limbo) Phantom Stranger stood before a white sphere that Green Lantern could watch almost like a crystal ball. Within it a visual screen and play through of events, the emotional conflict that Diana, Mari, and Bruce were facing. It was a dream and yet to them it felt so real, a life time of experience thrown into this masterminds idea of torture, forcing heroes to be helpless! Phantom Stranger only stared with an expression of sorrow and disappointment as there was nothing that could be done.


Green Lantern: Hal narrowed his eyes as the sphere appeared before him. His hands clenched together as he watched his allies, his friends, and those he cared deeply for fight a battle that he couldn't help him. "Send me back...let me help them," he demanded, heart beating in his chest. The fingers of his hands were clenched so tight that, were it not for his uniform, his nails would have been digging into the palms of his hands deep enough to draw blood. "They don't derseve to fight alone..." This... why did this have to happen? All of this felt wrong. His eyes found their way back to Barry's unconscious body, laying inert and seemingly barely alive. How did this happen...? Who could have done this? Then something clicked in Hal's mind and he turned back to the orb to watch as Diana fought alone.. Slowly lifting a hand up to the orb, the pads of his fingers touched it, "Hold on.." before he spoke to the Stranger, "I've got a good idea that you can't or won't do much. But give me a hint... a

Green Lantern: an idea... point me in the right direction of who did this and where they are."

Mari McCabe: Something was happening, something tore in her at the sight of her parents being shot and a strange sense of deja vu washed over her, seeing them lying in a halo of glass. This has never happened before but the loss was familiar and poignant. She knelt in the glass and felt nothing. Her father pulled out something from beneath his handsome satin sash, shaking hands bequeathing. It occurred to her that she would never receive another gift from this dying man. But she'd been spotted and could feel the cold barrel of the gun gazing at her head. "Papa," she managed to whisper in earnest before his hand fell away and he grew lifeless. This was senseless cruelty and a chant for justice echoed in her ears, so insistent was the call that she thought it was the sound of her heart pounding again. Her eyes caught sight of one of the gunmen and her vision went red with a rage she didn't know how to reign in. It made her feel invincible, as if her skin were armored.-

Mari McCabe: It made her feet feel light, fast, and strong. And without preamble, she lunged with the grace of a lioness, her teeth eager to sink into his jugular. Her hand reached out to grab the talisman, incapable of letting it go. -F-


Raven: One……….two. That was the signal for her to get out of there. Rachel stared as the guards were running toward the noise, but paid no attention. She ran off, then started walking casually on the street. Part of her hoped that the other guy didn’t get caught since it would give her out. “Hey…” Rachel started talking, wondering if the voice in her head would give her further orders. As the ordeal was starting to pass and the shock started to settle, it was becoming more and more clear that she wasn’t crazy; at least, not to her. Even though there was a small doubt there. Moving on, she kept walking, ignoring the police cars that were passing by. She kept calm, keeping her face normal. Holding the restraint, she didn’t care look back. Paranoia and suspicion was there after all. “Calm down, Rachel…” She sighed a bit, feeling the nerves creep up on her. Part of her mind was yelling at her to turn herself in, but she didn’t give in or listen. Instead, once she got home, she shut the doors -c-

Raven: and locked them. “Alright! I did what you wanted! Now tell me what to do!” She gripped her head, starting to turn mad with what happened. However, she stopped. “Calm down…” Rachel said. She frowned a bit. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t her! Looking around, she stared at the tea that her mother gave her. She would have never touched that even if her life depended on it, but now, it seemed like a good idea. While the water started to boil, she sat down and sighed, closing her eyes. “Concentrate…” She whispered to herself, starting to meditate. It was starting to calm her mind. Once the tea was done, she grabbed a cup and took a small sip. That worked even better. Reaching the living room, she stared at the news and about the murders. “…” A smile came onto her face, but she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she was going mad after all. Maybe there was serial killer blood in her. If only she knew it wasn’t serial killer’s blood…but a demons. -d-



Wonder Woman: She remembered something... Honourable Death. To die an honourable death... Her breathing slowed as she remembered her mother's soft words, though in truth she couldn't ever remembering her mother saying anything like that. Her head hurt and she let out a groan, pressing her palm of her left hand into her temple. No, no headaches, not now. Seven fighters, she thought to herself, and, she checked the clip, 8 bullets. Not a whole lot of room for error, she thought to herself. She took another deep breath and came out from behind her cover, darting to one of the armoured limos that sat on the tarmack, her own included. Letting out two shots she took down two gunmen, one took the bullet to the throat and the other to the head. Pressing her back to the smooth, cold surface of the limo's door she counted five left, but that sharp shooter was there too, and they were closing in. -c-

Wonder Woman: There was a thunk as she let her dark haired head fall against the door. No more running, she thought, taking another breath before standing up, braced against the limousine, she fired twice more, four bullets left, and two more gunmen hitting the deck. -e-

(Limbo) Phantom Stranger would trade his gaze towards Green Lantern, almost confused by his request. “There is nothing I can do except allow you to watch your friends…but--” His attention and words were interrupted as Vixen was suddenly thrown from the sky and her rag doll body tossed into the sand lifelessly. But somehow she was in the same condition as the others, faintly breathing and unconscious. Phantom Stranger would lift his gaze towards the stars. “She is dying due to an elevated heart rate…” Phantom Strangers gaze went to Hal’s ring. “If you don’t stabilize her here, she may die in the real world…” Hal’s ring would have the power to revive Vixen, and if it were done Vixen would be awoken with a cold sweat and the emotions of her parents deaths just moments prior. <c>

(Gotham) Bruce’s mind spun on edge as the questions kept going, Bruce’s fists tightened as his jaw did. “Why? Why did you do it?! What have they done to deserve this?! Tell me!” Bruce lunged at the killer, with a flash of lightning Bruce saw the man’s face twist into horror as the image of a monster flashed over Bruce’s skin making him into a demon of darkness clad in black armor and a demonic mask. A symbol upon his chest made of Black and yellow, out of fear the man shot and Bruce’s body fell to the floor, his hand grasping his chest as he bled out. The voice in Raven’s head chuckled with a sort of chilling sense of happiness. <c>

“You did well. The others are on their way as well to Bruce Wayne’s fate. You must now search for Green Lantern…Find him, look beyond the stars, beyond this world, beyond space and time…Search for him, Rachel. Do you see him? Concentrate and imagine being with him.” If Rachel did just that, she would struggle at first until finally she appeared next to Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger. She would arrive in time to see Batman’s unconscious body crash into the ground. Phantom Stranger would softly speak. “Batman has arrived unarmed.”<c>

(Washington) From the building Diana would see six men approaching armed with machine guns, her attention and memory would somehow know they had killed Mari. Their weapons began firing at her attempting to strike her with as many bullets they could muster, Deadshot began to close in closer to her holding his fire until he had line of sight of her to fire. If he had the opportunity, he would shoot and kill Diana, immediately placing her in Limbo, but unlike the other heroes, she would be awoken immediately in the sand, a mere 10 paces away from everyone else.

Green Lantern: Hal turned his attention to Vixen when her body immediately jolted about. His eyes went wide before he shot over to her and caught her with a chair construct, straps wrapping around her body to hold her in place as he hovered the construct above the ground. He remembered the first time they'd met. That same day he had started her recruitment into the Justice League and saw her way through it. "Dammit!" he cursed, looking around at the unconscious body of his allies and then back to Vixen. Holding his ring up towards her body, he sent out a beam of energy that covered her body, stablilizing it as best as he could with his limited medical knowledge. He felt so helpless.. useless.. stuck here in this god forsaken place while his friends were fighting. "Damn you you bastard! What good are you if you just stand there?! Not even offering a riddle that I can't answer to help them!"

Mari McCabe: "Son of a bitch…" She murmured. She'd meant it for the bastard she was lunging for. Her hand reached up to her chest, there was some pain there, entirely emotional, an ache she felt as clear as day. Mama and Papa were dead. They've been dead for years but someone reached into her and slashed her open right above that same raw scar. There was a green light around her that felt intensely familiar and comforting. Her hazel eyes fell onto Green Lantern immediately. He was upset, shouting, but alive. He was alive and so was she. Or she was in a terrible version of Heaven where shit sucked too and the pain of losing ones parents violently never went away. "You're alive," she managed with a deep rasp. Let's concentrate on the positives because the negatives were too much to bear a second time. -F-

Raven: The words he was saying didn’t make any sense to her, but she kept calm. Turning off the television, Raven finished her tea and put the cup in the sink. She made room in her living room to meditate and sat down. Getting into position, she closed her eyes and tried. The first try, of course, as unsuccessful. “I see him…” She answered the voice after a couple of tries. Doing what the voice said, she imagined herself next to him and opened her eyes. She wasn’t sitting in her living room anymore. Instead, she was standing in front of what seemed to be Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger. Her head started to hurt with all the new knowledge. Her adrenalin was running, but she stayed calm. Her eyes shifted from one to the other. She wasn’t sure which one was good, but noticing that Batman’s body crashed into the ground, it made her flinch. She looked in slight horror. Looking at Phantom Stranger slightly speak, she shook her head slightly. “What is going on?” It wasn’t the question for the -c-

Raven: Phantom Stranger, but the voice inside her head. She didn’t trust anyone. Why would she? Nobody could be trusted except the voice, right? However, knowing the stupidity of the question, she shook her head a bit. “Nevermind. What do I do exactly?” There was no time for a filler, right? Not with the unconscious body that was laying in front of her! -d-

Wonder Woman: It was instinct that caused Diana to bring her hands up, as if the decorative silver bangles on her wrists could deflect the bullets whizzing towards her head. It was nonsense, but her body responded with that action anyways. The shot travelled through the thin layer of sterling silver, through her wrist, exiting the other side and hitting her directly in the forehead. She didn't even have time to feel it. Diana was dead before her body hit the ground, falling backwards away from the limo. In limbo she woke up, her eyes wide as she looked around, ten feet away from her comrades, who seemed to be alive, not dead at all? "Mari! Hal!" She called them, her voice seeming to echo endlessly in the open space. -e-

(Limbo) Phantom Stranger lowered his head. “You were needed here, Hal Jordan…But now with you all here, you may be strong enough to face the Mastermind of this.” Pointing over yonder there were two doors without walls around them, no building, rather just two doors sitting in the middle of a desert with sand on each side. “Raven, does not seem as influenced by the sleeping agent as the rest of you. Raven’s origin has had a strange reaction. Perhaps a saving grace for such circumstances.” Raven would have her memories restored and she reminded who’s voice it was that guided her through the dream, she would now realize it was all just a dream, a powerful dream added to that. <C>

Phantom Stranger’s gaze fell upon Raven once more. “Search far and wide, Raven…You know who is behind this…” The Phantom’s eyes went to the Justice League members. “You all have a part to play in this final conflict...” It was then a man clothed in tattered robes with a skeletal face appeared before them all. Batman woke up and sat upon the ground to observe. “I’m so glad you are all here…You failed to stop me in the lightest part of your minds. Your failure is but the first step in your deaths. While the rest of the world suffers such terrible fate, slowly dying in their sleep. You all deserve a much *slower* fate. Your destiny is in my hands, as I am in your minds…I know your pain, your joy, I know your aspirations and fears. Come stop me, I will enjoy prolonging your pain before your inevitable death.” <c>

With those last words Doctor Destiny vanished, and Batman stood up to take charge. “We should split up in three groups. “Stranger and Raven, Lantern and Vixen, Wonder Woman and I.”

Green Lantern: Hal looked to Mari asher eyes opened, smiling softly as he lowerd her to the ground and released her from the construct, "Hey there. " His voice was immediately more calm than it had been, but his eyes, were they visible from behind the white eyes of his domino mask, would have told how frustrated he was. Then, however, he heard it. Her voice.. he heard it and immediately he turned around to see her and for the moment her forgot everything but the woman in front of him. Flying over to her immediately, Hal pulled her into a tight embrace. They'd been careful, not wanting to let any and everyone know about them, but right now after having watched her forced to struggle without her powers in a world that none of them knew... after having been forced to helplessly watched them all endure while he knew.. coudl've made some sort of difference... he didn't care. Pulling back from her for after a moment, Hal reached up and gently placed a hand on her cheek before giving her a smoft-c-

Green Lantern: smile but the moment would last only so long. Phantom strangers words brought the gravity of the situation back and he moved to stand beside Wonder Woman. "Alright, but... how ar-..." The robed man quickly drew his focus while his Ring began to glow brightly. "I'm gonna find that bastard and feed his teeth..."

Mari McCabe: They were dropping like flies from the other world into this one. She was familiar with some forms of magic but hated the weird barrier between the living and dead. Death was a heavy sticky sort of thing that would cling to her, she knew, wherever she went. When Hal released her, and thank goodness for that because he knew how she hated to be confined, Vixen felt her hackles raised. Limbo was unfamiliar and she reacted the same as any animal in an unfamiliar situation. "Diana!" And Raven and Batman. It was awful to see them here, they were strong, they belonged with the living, saving and protecting. She took a step forward to be closer to her friends and paused as the skeletal figure appeared. If her hackles were raised before, now she was positively flying. Him. He killed her parents. Her first instinct was to gnaw his bones and drink his marrow. Her second instinct was to calm herself. She wasn't an animal, she was human and humans thought things through. -

Mari McCabe: But to think of the violation made her all the more furious and when Batman paired her with Hal, Vixen exclaimed affirmation so intensely she thought she'd crack a tooth. -F_

Raven: A dream. That was something. However, once she regained her memories back, her whole demeanor changed. Her purple eyes slowly lowered as her face relaxed, giving that calm look. Her emotions were in check. She wasn’t driving on them anymore. Instead, logic seemed to have been the one that was taking control. As she stared at Phantom Stranger, she took his words into consideration. “…” Instead of saying the person who was on her mind, she decided against it. It would be better to get all the facts first. Instead, she turned her gaze to the other Justice League members. She listened to the words he was saying carefully, but didn’t ask anything or interrupt him. Then, something else happened. Listening to the words that were spoken, she gave a small nod at the order of teams. Looking over at Phantom Stranger, she said in her sarcastic voice. “I guess we’re together.” Looking around, though, she took in the scenery. It seemed very familiar. It was something that her dark books -c-

Raven: mentioned. She wasn’t here before, but in her books she noticed the description fit all too well. Limbo. -d-

Wonder Woman: When he scooped her into a tight embrace, typical of her, she was happy to find her friends appeared to be okay, not even concerned about having "taken" a bullet to her forehead and wrist. She let her forehead touch Hal's, her eyes watching his intently for a moment. It would seem like everyone else was miles away, behind walls, before Phantom Stranger stole her focus. She would drift backwards a little, creating a gap between her and Hal, but laying a hand on his trying to quell the rage she could feel coming from within him, especially given the question she was going to ask. "What about everyone else? About Mari's parents, and Steve?" she couldn't help but ask. Yes, Hal was part of her present, but Steve would always be part of her past, and even if they weren't together, she would always be concerned with his well being and safety. He had been her partner romantically, but also with ARGUS. -c-

Wonder Woman: As Batman paired them off her eyes flicked back to Hal before accepting the assignment, letting the gap grow further as she moved to Bruce's side. -e-


Phantom Stranger shifted his gaze between Batman and Wonder Woman to speak. “I cannot help any of you other than offer my presence. You are all still dreaming, your powers are almost fully operational, except those that would give Lantern the ability to break this spell. Doctor Destiny has but one flaw he had not anticipated…” Phantom Stranger’s gaze went to Raven and then to Wonder Woman. “I’m afraid ALL of those you have dreamt were created by your imaginations. A world created by ‘what if’ things were not as they truly were.” Batman lowered his head torn between shame and depression. Stranger waved his hand at the unconscious state of Flash and Superman; I will remain here and look after them. If anything changes, I will notify you. With Batman’s plan, you will be fighting Dee on 4 fronts. Black Canary needs you all to do your part.” <c>

Batman lifted his head and pointed at Raven. “Find Doctor Destiny, and force him to stop…Do *whatever* is necessary.” Without anymore delay Batman moved across the sand towards the left door out of the two doors located in the distance.


Green Lantern: Hal felt Diana's hand on his and looked to her for a moment, taking in a breath and then slowly letting it out. *Calm down... * he told himself and let his body relax from the stress and frustration leave his body somewhat. This wasnt' going to get him anywhere... yet. He wasn't affected by Diana asking about Steve. Trevor ws just that.. in the past and that was something he didn't dwell on although some might say that was a problem he needed to fix. "If Stranger is staying here then um... Raven right? Go with the two of them," he pointed with his head towards Wonder Woman and Batman, "we'll be alright by ourselves." Before he said anything else, Hal turned to meet Diana's gaze and he gave her a smile, "Be careful.." and then he hovered over to Mari, dropping down in front of her, "Well, time to get going."

Mari McCabe: She didn't talk about her parents. Maybe it was some weird Orphan's Code. Luckily for her, she didn't have to talk about it at all because Phantom Stranger explained it. His explanation agitated her through no fault of his own but she did fix him with a hard glare. She was upset at herself. Even in her fantasies, her parents died at the hands of rebels and Vixen gritted her teeth. No, it was Doctor Destiny, he sank his wretched fingers into her mind and scooped up all her hurt only to throw it back at her face. Her fingers twitched reflexively as she imagined throttling him to death. These dark thoughts she knew she'd never share with anyone, not even members of her team, of whom she loved like family. When Hal hovered over, she spared him and Diana a glance and managed a twitch of her mouth to indicate a smile. No need to talk about it, cat's out of the bag.-

Mari McCabe: There were other things to deal with now. "Yeah, let's get the hell outta here. Death gives me the heebees." She shook her shoulder for emphasis and eyed the doors curiously. "After you, though." -F-

Raven: As she was appointed by Batman, she stayed quiet at his orders. She stared at him, but didn’t cringe at the words that she did not want to hear. It was something that she was getting used to and sadly, the dark deeds were left for her. They always were, right? Even though she didn’t want to, part of her knew that she had to do it for all of them to escape this. Staring at him, she turned her gaze away when Hal appointed her. She was rather confused on who to take orders from, but nonetheless, looked over at Phantom Stranger. “Batman—“ She stopped herself. He wouldn’t be listening to her. He was already busy with talking with other ones. However, looking around the place, she wondered where to start. Perhaps she would be more of use with the other two. “Are you alright staying by yourself?” She asked Phantom Stranger, knowing that she could be of use to both teams. “Would you like me to stay here and help while I’m searching with my mind?” -d-

(Limbo) Stranger watched the heroes depart, with a posture and stance of neutrality and helplessness he maintained a sense of dignity. His attention went to Raven, leaving her to decipher a clue that he told her, apparently Batman was the only one to understand what Phantom Stranger had suggested. “Rachel Roth, you are the only one capable of leaving this place and returning to the conscious plane of existence. Doctor Destiny has only captured you through mere luck.“ <c>

(Left door) After walking through it, Batman and Wonder Woman found themselves in an ancient circle, it appeared before a gathering settlement that was all too familiar to Wonder Woman; they were on Themyscira, silence rang out from around them as the night sky eclipsed them in darkness. Flames roared around them, the heat was intense, enough to persuade them to believe it was summer. Batman adjusted his mask to adapt to the conditions. “I’m unfamiliar with this place.” His gaze shifted to Wonder Woman, a hard stare knowing that she knew it whether distant or close to her memories. <c>

(Right Door) Green Lantern and Vixen would find themselves walking down a black and white staircase, but as they walked they would see blackness on either side of them as they descended downwards. As they continued they would see stairs on either side of them, above them, stairs leading everywhere; they were in room of paradox (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UKD6iwMrQmQ/TGPhF6pJQlI/AAAAAAAACKE/_5m6FxOh9k0/s1600/escher-relativity-woodcut-small.jpg ) floors and walls connected strangely, as they would feel like there was no purpose to their travel, they would hear a cackle ahead, as a door would shut with a loud thump. “Can you imagine the horror? I wonder if killing you would be more rewarding then letting you see your parents dying again, Vixen…Perhaps reliving the helplessness you felt watching your friends be murdered over and over, Green Lantern. HeEhEEheEHee!!!”

Green Lantern: Hal hovered just above the ground instead of walking, ready to react at a moment's notice to anything that might take a chance and attack them without warning or care. When they found themselves in the area without any rhyme or reason, Hal shook his head, "How in the hell did we end up in the lite version of Fate's Tower?" Sighing, he continued forward, trying to make some sort of sense to this place. The laughter caught him off guard and he quickly paused, lifting his ring up and pointing it around, "Can you imagine what I'm can do to you when I find you?" His face hardened as he glanced over to Mari, thinking to himself *Hold strong. Don't let him get to you.*

Mari McCabe: "We've wandered into the Troll King's castle," Vixen said as her eyes scanned the stair cases that lead up and then turned down. Vixen should have known better. She wished she could apologize to her partner. Hal had taught her better than to rush headlong into things. But she recognized the feral quality of her powers and knew that her instincts have both kept her alive and put her through hell before. Doctor Destiny touched a very sore and swollen part of her heart. She rushed toward that grating voice, graceful as a gazelle. "Say it to my face you worm buffet!" Her face was hot with the fire of her wrath and her hand outstretched, slammed into the closed door with the impact of a hippopotamus. -F-

Raven: Phantom Stranger was right. Limbo. That was one of the places she could come in and out of. Looking around, she stared at the scenery once again. Looking at the Phantom Stranger, she gave a small nod, knowing what to do. Walking away from him, she looked around once again. Sitting down on the ground, she grossed her legs and closed her eyes. Thinking about Earth, she thought of a certain place. A certain tower that was known as Titan’s Tower. “…” Quietness. That was blissful from Limbo and that’s what she liked about the place. She would make a mental note to visit here more often after she was done with this mission. Feeling her power come back, though, she kept her eyes shut. No. There would be a better way of using her power. “Azerath metrion zinthos…” She whispered to herself. She could feel the dark energy covering her body as she could feel it slowly conceal Limbo. She started looking with her mind and magic throughout it, looking for this Doctor Destiny. It didn’t stop at -c-

Raven: Limbo, though. Her mind was now searching the Earth, the universe, and even other dimensions that she knew. He wouldn’t be able to hide from her. She would just have to concentrate enough. “Azerath…” She gasped a bit, feeling the use of power being slightly overwhelming, but she kept it in control. “Metrion…” She repeated the second word of her mantra again, keeping it. “Zinthos…” It was almost as if she was rusty due to that dream, but she kept it. -d-

Wonder Woman: "This is my home," she said simply, looking around. It felt so real. She could smell the salt of the Agean sea, feel the warmth of the rocks and sand coming up after the sun had set. In the sky, the Moon, for whom she was named after, shone down on them. While she was happy to be home, but at the same time, men were not permitted on Themyscira, and Batman was most decidedly a man. "Unfortunate for us, you are not welcome here," she said, her eyes, ears and nose alert to the danger that could be lurking in the corner. No doubt if they were truly on Themyscira the Royal Guard would soon find them, and while Diana would be wished welcome, brought to the Palace and greeted as the sister she was, her comrade... Well, she remembered what happened the last time a man wandered onto Themyscira... -e-



(Meanwhile…) The blankets beneath her were soft, warm as the rooms temperature was slightly below that of her covers. The cold air outside seemed to have made the room chilly. She dreamt that she was a coward, that she was not who she really was, but now she was back home and in the warmth protection .The sound of a door opening behind her would perhaps alert Dinah to an approaching stranger. The footsteps approached her still body and with gentle fingers the covers were removed and soft lips pressed to her bare shoulder. <c>

Dark hair and blue eyes looked down upon her; she may have realized that she was in his mansion, in his master bedroom wearing her casual nightwear, the outfit she had gone to bed in before waking up in some sort of nightmare. He sat down next to her and spoke. “I think I got a lead on that case. Anarky is behind it, not a demonic cult. I got some stuff for us to dig into, whenever you’re ready.” He leaned into her and gave her forehead a kiss before brushing her hair with his left hand; a ring was around his third finger.

Black Canary: Dinah woke up slowly. What a weird dream! Plane crashes, bullets, being afraid... so afraid... That's it! No more pizza and beer with Helena before bedtime! A coward... she had been a coward... the thought was interesting and strangely frightening. To not have such a big part of one's self... to not do the things she loved to do... She shuddred and wrapped the blankets about her more tightly. Whether it was her own fears or how chilly the room was, she didn't know. She was going to have to ride her bike and shake some of the dream's cobwebs out of her head. It felt so much nicer in these warm soft blankets, maybe she would sleep in for once! The thought made her smirk. (c)

Then she heard footsteps, her muscles tightened. Who... who could be in her house? Helena maybe? then gentle fingers pulled the covers down and she felt that warm sweet kiss lingering on her bare shoulder. She smiled and looked up into familiar blue eyes, seeing that dark hair. She murred softly. She realized where she was now. With Bruce in his Mansion, in his bed. She had trouble remembering going to bed with Bruce. She didn't go to the Mansion that often... Was something off again? She quickly dismissed as he started talking about a case. She could really care less about the nagging questions, she was here with bruce talking about a case he wanted them to do together! Although... she did find herself wishing she could remember more about the night before...

she bit her lip with a little naughty smirk at the thought. She smiled more listening to the case, Anarky causing trouble? Nothing they couldn't handle, although they were kind of hard to track down at times. No fun if there wasn't some challenge to it. "Now that sounds like my start to a good morning. Sure, let me get dressed." She smiled lovingly as he kissed her forehead. Ooh, he was being sweet this morning! She gave him a tight hug, loving how they felt together. She felt him brush her hair back, it had been covering her eyes a bit, she grinned. And then she saw it. She had been a detective too long to not notice a detail like that. He was wearing a wedding ring!

Her eyes opened wide. When... when did that happen? Maybe... maybe he was wearing his father's ring or something... She slowly exhaled to calm herself down and played along for a moment. "Hehe, you keep this up and I will never want to leave bed." she teased as she slid out of bed. She glanced down at her nightwear, what she usually wore at home, not when she was with Bruce. Tank top with a pair of little sweatshorts. Did she bring an over night bag or something? She glanced about and didn't see a bag, or her clothes on a chair. Maybe Alfred hung them up in the closet for her... she went over to one of the large closet doors and opened it, looking at her hand, just checking to make sure she didn't have a ring on too. She nearly laughed at her own sillyness.

Batman: She would find a ring upon her left hand and the large walk-in closet set up with her clothing lining an entire wall of it. Bruce was holding a cup of tea that he held out towards her back. “Alfred made you some tea if you wanted it for the morning…er…well, afternoon.” He smirked at the silliness of his words before walking up behind her in the closet. She would’ve found her boots and leather jacket neatly hung up and perfectly placed for her to access if she needed to. In the closet she would see a hidden elevator that went down. “Well, if you wanted to stay in, maybe tonight we can have dinner. Tim is away, Cass is with Barb…We could go out to dinner, maybe some dancing, and then come back here…” <c>

His words alluded to more as he smiled at her, still holding the cup in case she wanted to take it. Bruce would seem brighter in his usually dark aura and presence. His look at her was a smile that signaled to her that she was the most important person in the world. Though he was compassionate for her, the bold and fearlessness in his eyes hadn’t left him, but that intimidating glare had been exchanged with one of happiness.

Black Canary: Her eyes widnend again and stood there a moment froze as she looked at her ring. She had to try to calm her own heart down, it felt like it about to race out of chest! Could they be... could they really be? She... she would remember that. Slowly some memories or were they just hopes, of a wedding, their wedding, flitted in her mind. She looked slowly at her outfit waiting for her in her closet, the closet. All her clothes were here! and was that passage, what she thought it was? She smiled and turned around to see him right behind her. She laughed as he joked about the time of day. Bruce seemed... different. She had never seen him so happy. It was infectious! She couldn't stop smiling herself. This was too good to be true. She took just stared at him for a long moment, holding her cup of tea. His darkness was gone, but he still had the bold and fearless air in his eyes. She loved that. (c)

But that intimdating glare, that broodyness he had sometimes, it was gone. Just happiness and his compassion for her. Did she bring that out in him? She felt so special. She grinned as he talked about the night. "Ooh you know me too well." she smiled putting her arms about his shoulders, looking up at him. "That sounds like a great night, If we don't get caught up in this case too much." she teased him. "I would rather dance with you than a bunch of thugs anyhow." she grinned and kissed him. She slowly slid back and took the cup of tea, taking a small sip, looking up at him over the rim. (d)

Batman: “I’m sure you would enjoy dancing over fighting crime, but I think both in one night is just as fantastic.” He hugged her, holding her close allowing them to exchange each other’s scents, before their lips touched. As she pulled away and took a sip of her cup, his hand reached to her waist to give it a gentle rub. “I’ll see you downstairs; when you’re ready…I can have Alfred make you some breakfast, too...I also have something else to tell you when you come downstairs.” He slipped away from her and made his way out of the room. The silence about the room, it was soothing and quiet. Bruce sat in the living room reading through the computer files while waiting for her.-

Black Canary: She grinned at him. Fighting crime and a romantic evening? That would be fantatsic. she smiled lingering in the closeness of the hug, enjoying his scent, lingering on the kiss. Smiling as he gently caressed her waist and nodded, she would be down in a moment. She quickly dressed in some jeans and tank top, something a bit flirty and purple. She fussed in front of the mirror a bit, putting on a little make up and tying her blonde hair back into a pony tail. She looked non discript enough she could investigate, but still looking cute. (c)

She smiled at her reflection and went downstairs. The mansion was so quiet, especially compared to her busy little store. It was nice, so nice here. She joined him in the living room, curious as to what he wanted to tell her. She leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Anything interesting?" she asked looking over his shoulder. (d)

Batman: His eyes catch gaze of her entering the living room and he smirks. “Hey. No, but I think Anarky’s next hit will be City Hall, tonight…You look cute, by the way.” Bruce commented, his arm reaching around to wrap around her waist and pull her into his lap, if she had done so he would wrap both of his arms around her and smile up at her. “So I’m thinking we can go stop by the hotel, have dinner, do some dancing maybe? And then we can head back to the penthouse to suit up and head to city hall, stop Anarky, and then go back to the penthouse for the night…maybe weekend, if you want.”

Black Canary: She gave a happy laugh as he pulled her into his lap, feeling both arms wrap about her, letting him do so. For once she didn't feel her automatic instincts to fight or be defensive kick in, it was nice. "That does sound like a good plan. A quiet evening, followed by stopping Anarky, and then a not so quiet evening..." she smirked teasing. Sounds like a good evening to me!" she smiled thinking of his lingering offer. "mm, all weekend? We will just have to see won't we Mr Wayne?" she said in a slightly low warm tone, taking out all doubt of her question.

Batman: Bruce grinned at her response and gave her a gentle squeeze in his arms as he chuckled softly. “Indeed, Mrs. Wayne.” Bruce patted her hip and thigh as he looked down and bit his lower lip. “So…I’ve been thinking about your question from the other day…And Dinah I…” He looked up at her, looking into her eyes, their blue eyes exchanging stares. “I love you, more than anyone or anything I’ve ever met. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you…And if you want to have a baby, I do too because I love you.” Bruce smirked at her, his stare never leaving her.


Black Canary: She smirked at his grin, feeling him pat her hip and thigh. Her expresion changed to a little concern as he bit his lip. She found her self hanging on his words as he worked through what he wanted to say, staring back in to his blue eyes, with her own. As he mentioned a question, she thought for a moment puzzled, she didn't ask him anything... but the thought vanished as he said he loved her. "I love you too Bruce.." she started to reply, but he kept going and as he said he wanted to be with her more than anyone, she could feel some tears in her eyes. She pushed them back, how she had longed to hear that from someone, and from Bruce... she shivered. (c)

and then he said baby... "Wh-what?!" She would have fallen out of his lap if he hadn't been holding her so close. The emotions from that awful dream must have carried over, she felt all kinds of things at once. Excitment, concern, love, overjoyed, scared, confused. Until that dream, she had never thought very hard about having children, except for a few talks with her mother, and her mother's choice... But, that dream had given her pause, and here was Bruce, saying he would want a baby too. It was too perfect to good. She looked up at him and let out a ragged breath. "Do... do you really mean it? If you want to.... I would love to carry our baby. I love you so much Bruce..." she said finally admitting it, holding him tight, gazing back at him.

Batman: Bruce held her close, lowering his head to her shoulder while his arms cradled her close to him. “You know…I never thought I would be able to be this open with someone. But it’s just…Dinah you have this affect on me…I don’t know how you did it but, you broke through my shell. I usually push away, but you were with me, you stayed with me throughout everything. You never gave up and believed in me…I wish I knew how we got here, but I’m glad that this has happened for us both.” Within the computer monitor screen the ghastly appearance of a skeletal face grinned at Bruce and Dinah before vanishing.

Black Canary: She snugeld into him, curled up with him, cheek against cheek, as he cradled her close, loving the moment. It was just like she had thought, she did have an affect on him. The similarty was almost too close. He was right, she was always there for him, through eveything. As he mentioned not knowing how they got there she nodded. She... she didn't know how they got here either. "I... I wish I knew that too Bruce... I'm so happy..." she kissed him passionatly. this was all she wanted, and she didn't even know she had wanted it. It was too good to be true, but she sure hoped it was. She hoped so much as she kissed him. (d)

Batman: Bruce’s hand reached to her cheek and cupped her with the kiss. His digits caressed her skin as their lips moved it was then the room changed and Dinah was standing in a graveyard. Doctor Destiny approached her from a distance. “A shame…None of them know how you feel?” His footsteps tapped against a stone path, as twisted and gnarled bushes made the path more like a corridor. Dinah stood in an open area where tombstones resided on either side of her as she was in the pathway. Doctor Destiny placed his hand upon his chest. “I am Doctor Destiny. I have created these dreams for you and the Justice League.” <c>

“I wanted to tell you that your mind was most fascinating to experience. These pent-up emotions for your comrade are strong within you and yet they’re hidden even from yourself! Heehee. In case you are wondering, that dream you were experiencing a moment ago…was the REAL Batman…His memories, his dreams, thrown into the situation that you too were a part of. Hee hee, his own thoughts and desires about you. Suppressed and never shown, though he couldn’t participate with us here, his mind seems *divided* into a Bruce Wayne persona…”

Black Canary: She felt his hand caress her cheek as they kissed. And then it was gone. It was all gone. The mansion's living room, Bruce... all of it. She gasped and a small whimper escaped her. She looked about confused. She was alone in an unkept cemetary. A dream... another damn dream! Her hands balled up into fists, she wanted to punch something. She felt all her emotions roiling inside her and... for once she couldn't stop them. She didn't want to. She felt that scared helpless dinah who just wanted to care for others so much and never got what she wanted. She felt the passionate side of her, the one she had denied so much so that she could help Gotham and beyond; to help the helpless.

Black Canary: And she felt the loss, the loss of that last dream... she had everything, more than she had ever wanted. she could save others, be close to the man she lo... cared for... and then she heard someone walking to her; the sound shaking her out of her conflicted thoughts. A skeletal man in a graveyard. Thoughts of death and many questions came to her, until he spoke. She actually blushed as he commented on her feelings. She touched her cheek, feeling it's warmth. She never blushed so openly. She listened to him and felt a few things click into place. He was in charge here... making these dreams... he had made her so weak... so scared... and then so happy... it was so hard to focus with all these thoughts and emotions churning in her... so confused...

Black Canary: She blushed harder as he talked about her mind, she felt so naked, so exposed. He knew everything, he had unlocked... or was it coaxed... these emotions out of her. And part of her felt... shamed. Shamed that if he was right about these feelings, these feelings she hid from even herself... that it took him, a stranger to show them to her... She felt her heart beat faster in response to Doctor Destiny saying that the dream had the real Batman in it... or at least parts of him. Did Bruce really feel that way for her?... would he really?... No, no he lived to protect, he made sacrifices, just like she did.

Black Canary: But together... together they could do both... do it all... with no sacrifices... She nodded as he talked about Batman being divided, compartmentalized. She wished he was here, so she could really figure out what was going on. To talk about that dream... did he really share it with her? She struggled to focus. Focus on the man doing all this, come on canary you have to keep it together! "How... how can I trust you? You made us all weak... scared... divided..." was she talking about the team? or herself? she wasn't sure anymore. "That couldn't be Bruce... he wouldn't give up so much, for just his own happiness. He has too much work to do... too much to fight for..."

Black Canary: she felt her heart aching, it hurt to say these things now... before all this, she would have said the same about herself. But now she wasn't sure... she didn't want to be selfish... to put herself above the people, the people that needed black canary. But to do it all... she understood her mom's decision a lot more after feeling that moment with Bruce... but it was a dream. Just a dream! She shook her head. "But it's just a dream... illusions... it can't be real..." she said sadly, feeling that loss again. Surprising herself with how frank she was with this stranger, how she showed him everything she felt, even now.

“Feeling sad? Exposed? Vulnerable? You’re worried about the others. I will show you them in a moment…I was once an expert psychologist. I found dreams to be very fascinating and with the power of dreams I hold, it is a blessing I can give to you. At first I planned on killing all of you and the Justice League, and the entire world…But my time is running out. The Justice League is breaking down the world I created for them. Black Canary, I will make only you this offer. I can cast a spell that will protect you in a dream state of your choosing. You will live the most beautiful life, the ability to travel or live whatever day of your choosing. To have…” the images would begin to surround Black Canary in the form of small spheres floating around her with images inside their reflections.<c>

She would see herself holding a baby with Bruce Wayne next to her. In another image she would be sitting at a dinner table with Oliver Queen. Another image of her in a wedding dress and Superman standing next to her in a tuxedo, followed by another image of Green Lantern, and another of Aquaman. Doctor Destiny approached her slowly. “None of the others were given this opportunity, to live a life of perfect happiness. Shaped by your mind and the minds of others creatively flowing. You won’t notice the difference…Right now you don’t know that you are sleeping. So what’s the difference?” <c>

Doctor Destiny approached her, stopping only five feet away from her. “You can dream. Live and experience over a thousand lifetimes, filled with joy, happiness, sorrow, pain…You won’t have to wonder about how things would be if they were different. All of your friends and allies sleep, their dreams pour into this world; their consciousness will eventually give you experiences of them, their personality that is no fiction, to them it will only be a dream. If you choose to decline, the Justice League will soon rip this place apart and you will wake up.”


Black Canary: She blushed and looked up at him, he was obviously reading her emotions and thoughts, but she didn't care, it was true. "I... I am worried about them, I don't want them suffering... like they were..." she admitted. She listened to him curiously, a psycologist found of dreams who aquired a power to manipulate them... He wanted to kill them all... and the whole world... But her friends, they stopped him. She gave him a bit of a proud smile, glad they saved the day. And though he was being beaten... he was offering her something... a deal. She wondered if it would keep him going, or what his intentions were. (c)

But then she saw the images, the spheres of dreams. Things she had never seen or thought of. She opened her mouth to respond and found her voice catching in her throat. For once she had no quick response or witty come back. She felt that ache... that memory of being so happy... but it was an illusion... but it did feel so real... "You are right... I don't..." as he talked about thousands of life times she remembered a poem her mother used to read to her about an offer of lifetimes so perfect you would be happy forever with each one, but forever wasn't over yet... No more needing to wonder about anything... knowing the truth, living things they couldn't right now... (c)

she could build such things with all of them in all their dreams, sharing them together... they didn't really need her, they have proved that right now... she could still do good here too... She watched the dinner date with Ollie, a wedding with Clark... a family with bruce. She ached inside. So many parts of her longed for so much right now, her emotions roiling within her. She felt like she could laugh and cry at the same time. She was so confused about things now... but she knew how she felt.. she bit her trembling lip and nodded. "I... I'll take your offer..." she reached out for the offered dreams. (d)


(Group 1) “Do you plan on killing me? I assure you, I can do far worse to you now in this condition than you ever could…Heh!” The apparent delusions of Doctor Dee might’ve began to show. His voice silenced as the door opened and Vixen was able to see Hal both in front of her and behind her, as the door lead her into another ‘part’ of the paradox room she was in. If she walked through the door would be repaired. “You two are much less known…You should see what *they* dream about you both… Hee Hee…” It was now Lantern would have a sense behind him and a created figure of the Spectre charged at Hal armed with a sword aiming to stab Hal in the chest, his pale face cringed in anger, as his teeth would bear at Hal. If struck, or attempted to defend Lantern would be thrown backwards, but not harmed to the extent the real Spectre could. <c>

(Group 2) Batman looked at Wonder Woman as she spoke, he understood it and though he thoughts were on the fact it was beautiful, not just from its appearance and architecture, but as a scholar Bruce Wayne could appreciate the detail and care of such designs. It was now a voice spoke echoing from a stair case nearby. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time…” Footsteps echoed as Deathstroke approached both Batman and Wonder Woman, his hand reaching to his back to pull off a staff that he gently bobbed as he walked. “You two should pray that you will die with honor.” Batman stood shoulder to shoulder with Wonder Woman and growled. “Slade…”

(Raven) She would be returned to the Titan Tower where there was but a quietness. The world outside the tower completely silent, no birds chirping, dogs barking, cars driving, pure silent save the water rippling and the wind howling. Her mind would wonder searching for Doctor Destiny, the alias kept bringing her back to dream worlds and dimensions, none of ‘him’ was in the ‘real world’ that she could find. A voice would speak to her, within the Titan Tower the shade of the skeletal man’s face appeared over her shoulder. “Come now, Raven…You don’t believe you can find me, do you? Why don’t you turn to that father of yours…Or are you afraid you will get someone else’s parents killed? Perhaps this time the damage he does is worse than before…HEe hEE heE…”


Green Lantern: The hairs on the back ofh is neck perked up and he quickly rounded, ready to attack but the speed at which the vision moved gave him just enough time to pull off a small, thin, energy shield before it hit and shoved him backwards. "Arhg!' he shouted, lowering down to the ground and driving the tips of his toes down into the ground. "No.." he whispered, clenching his fists together as the construct changed into a large brick wall which he used to try and shove the thing that was attacking him backwards. His Power Ring glowed brightly as the wall disappeared and he hovered up into the air, bringing back his right fist and then punching forward creating a large, boxing glove construct that surged forward with a afternburner effect left in its wake. If it struck or at least cause the thing to pause, Green Lantern would aim his ring at the thing's head and fire a large blast of energy. He wouldn't fall here.. wouldn't let some psycho kill him in his own head.

Raven: It was starting to get more and more frustrated as she could not find the world that was needed or the dimension, but she kept calm. There was no need to rush the process. Of course not. Why would it be easy, right? Besides, it was something that she could get better at with practice. However, a voice broke her out of her thoughts. Her eyes wanted to open, but Raven kept concentrating on searching. “I do believe I can find you.” She stated, letting part of her mind look for him while the other was right here, talking with the voice. “I will find you. I am not going to my father for help, not this time.” She didn’t want to say anything else on the matter, knowing that her emotions would get in the way of finding him. “Why don’t you come out of hiding? Why don’t you face me like a man?” Her voice was monotone, calm, and collected. Slowly opening one eye, she looked around the Titan’s Tower, but found nothing. This was her home and he was invading it. It was something that she didn’t -c-

Raven: like. “Or is this you showing yourself? Do you want my father to come out? Are you this pathetic that you planned all of this to face him like those idiots and creeps that have been before you?” Those were a lot of questions and Raven knew that she wasn’t going to get an answer to all of them. Instead, she closed her eye again and kept trying to find him with her mind. “I will find you.” That’s all that she was going to say, if he wanted to answer and discuss with her something else, then she would be there to listen. -d-

Wonder Woman: This was not Themyscira, Diana felt that the presence of another man on the island, especially one as aggressive and threatening as Deathstroke, would not be tolerated by the Royal Guards. "This is not Themyscira," she said, her jaw setting as she watched Slade's movements. She had interacted with him once before, and while she was not the detective Batman was, Black Canary had been giving her a few lessons, and her memory was close to identikit, allowing her to pick up on ticks and tells quickly, even without the lasso. "Be careful, Batman," she spoke, positioning herself to Slade's right side, blue eyes flicking over the form. "Something does not feel right. I would venture to say we are still in a series of illusions."

Mari McCabe: As much as she hated his voice, it was important for her to hear it. It gave her something to rage against, something outside of her own mind. Vixen clenched the frame of the door until the wood splintered beneath her firm grip. Hal was behind her and there he was again in front of her. She entered through the door anyway. If it was a trap, she wanted to be ensnared. At least that way, she could be closer to her enemy, and the closer she was, the better chance she could have of making him pay. "Why don't you tell me all about it?" Her own voice was thick and rasping, gritty with vehemence. Keep talking, she thought, I'll find you and eat your heart for supper. It was the Eagle in her speaking, she knew, but Mari McCabe shared its sentiments. Green light made her eyes turn toward Hal. It was instinctual, green means go. He was fighting off Spectre, pushing back. It was times like this that she wished she could be in two places at once. -F-



(Group 1) The avatar Hal fought was pushed back by the wall, causing it to smash against another wall. His attack blew the avatar’s head off, but as though it were the real Spectre, it had suddenly arrived next to Hal with speed faster than Hal could compute with short notice. The avatar stabbed at the Emerald Knight attempting to stab him again, this time however; the strike would be more powerful, it was growing stronger the more difficult he felt it was; the more threatening his conscience made the avatar, the more threatening it became. Vixen would then see an avatar of Death; a grim reaper carrying a black dagger. It slashed at her stomach, and if she were struck she would feel the same negative emotions of watching her parents die again.

(Group 2) “We agree on something, for a change.” Batman spoke firmly. “We’re still dreaming, but this time we know what we’re capable of…and we know what *he* is capable of.” Deathstroke stood ten feet away from the heroes and tilted his head. “Are you both going to talk me to death or die like warriors?” Deathstroke rolled a grenade towards the heroes, its cackling upon the surface before exploding between them to release a black cloud of smoke that blanketed the area. The nature of this being a dream, Wonder Woman’s hearing was unable to pick up Deathstroke or Batman’s heart beats, but she could hear Deathstroke’s footsteps for 2 steps and suddenly they vanished. Batman’s vision activated to see Deathstroke leaping overhead of Wonder Woman, attempting to bash her across the head with his staff. <c>

(Raven) Raven would lock onto a location, Maine, in the middle of the country; John Dee sat at a Bus stop sleeping softly. His voice spoke to her in response. “Do I want your father awoken? Maybe…That would be interesting to see my powers influence him…But to plead and beg just to watch the world burn, would be just as satisfying. The ultimate question is…What do you get out of this, Raven? They reject you. No one trusts you. Do you think the Justice League even cares that you’re apart of this *attempt* to save the world? Remember my words…Your actions here will go unnoticed. I tell you this because you should help me.”

Green Lantern: The attack came again and Hal was sent reeling backwards, clenching his teeth and grunting in pain. His back collided with a flight of stairs, cracking them, before he bounced forward and started rolling forward. Barely missing cracking his forehead against the front of one, his feet happened to plant on another and he used it to push off a bit and fly into the air, turning to confront this thing. *Can't give up... can't stop... This is just a dream. Just in my head... Just a...* His eyes narrowed, "This is just a dream... It's all in our heads." His heart and willpower began to harden as any doubt within him began to seep away, "It doesn't matter what kind of power you have! It only matters what kind of power we give it! You may be able to get at the others... but I don't do fear. I don't do intimidation. I don't bow to either either!" Hal's aura began to glow brighter, the outside of it starting to lick the air like flames, "I've had people better than you try to break me!

Green Lantern: ! Try to beat me down and break my will so no way is some punk like you that won't fight in the real world going to succeed!" His aura began to grow in intensity, "This may be your world... but your world is in MY head! My head has MY will! My Power! And it won't break to the likes of you!" His Power Ring began to glow even brighter, his aura starting to push outwards from him, forming into a slow moving energy wave.

Mari McCabe: She had been too distracted with Hal to notice that the figure was Death. Intellectually, she knew, but her mouth was already opening, "Not real, Hal!" Well, it was real enough. When the dagger swiped at her, she managed to tuck her belly and turn to avoid being disemboweled. She did feel the chill of steel over a good three inches of her firm belly and grimaced in pain. And then it hit her. Again and again, the sight of her mother falling. Of her father reaching out to her, handing over the totem. To her horror, her eyes stung with bitter desperate tears, she blinked rapidly but her eyes welled up to quickly for that trick to work. "You think you can hurt me by reminding me what I've lost?" She lifted up her right foot and stomped down hard without he strength of a bull elephant, creating an indent under her magical strength. "You think my emotions make me weak?" Tears spilled from her eyes and dripped hotly down her cheeks.-

Mari McCabe: She stomped her foot again with the force of a blue whale to shake up this world. Who's illusion was this? Who's mind could she wreck with brute strength? The Red touched her and offered up the thick strength of an Argentinosaurus and again, Vixen lifted up her foot, narrowing her eyes darkly at Death. She was crying and ashamed but she was not weak. Never weak. Never. The mantra sang over and over in her ears. "Not real," she reminded herself. -F-

Raven: Raven’s lips slowly twitched. It was a smile that lasted less than a second. The answers he gave her was something that she predicted and knew he would give. However, the questions, that was something different. She stared at the windows in front of her once her purple eyes were open. “…” Jump City. She looked at her reflection, knowing that he had hit a core. It was something that she didn’t want to discuss nor think about, but she couldn’t help herself. A flashback with a friend of hers that was close reminded her of these questions. She thought that he was facing all his demons at once, but in reality, they weren’t even close to her /own/ demons. It was something that she had come to realization with. That no human would know her pain, her sorrow, her emotions, or how her mind functioned. “…I get nothing out of this, but stopping you.” She started, staring at the buildings of Jump City. “…I get to help the Justice League.” She knew she was lying to herself with these answers. -c-

Raven: “They don’t reject me. They do trust me with this job. Batman does. Wonder Woman does. Green Lantern. Black Canary. And…” Her voice trailed off, she could feel herself getting too emotional. “…Someone I used to call a close friend.” She knew she was giving him too much information, but she needed to say it out loud! “Look,” She started, knowing that the speech was to herself more than the person that was trying to manipulate her brain. “They can do what they want, but I have one mission. As long as I’m accomplishing that mission, it doesn’t matter what they do with me. They can distrust me, disown me, or use me, but one thing is for sure, it’s better than being the gem.” Looking upward, she stared at her mirror self and looked at the four red eyes that were staring at her. “I’m tired of being the gem. I’m tired of it.” She repeated. “Now, I have a job, to save them and that’s what I’m going to do!” Knowing that he was in Maine, she stood up and went to her room. She ignored him if -c-

Raven: he came close to her to talk. She looked through her spell books, trying to find a spell that would teleport her there. “You shouldn’t mess with demons; with sins. They come back to haunt you.” She wasn’t sure why, but part of her voice had a demonic growl with it. It was her emotions probably acting up, but she would get them under control by the time she was in Maine. -d-


(Group 1) The room crumbled as Vixen and Green Lantern’s might echoed, their shouting only rivaled by each other’s strength. The avatars would shatter and Doctor Destiny appeared before them. “No! Stop! I can give you ANYTHING you want…Your parents back…BOTH of you. S-stop! This is MY Kingdom!” the Paradox room would break apart and Lantern and Vixen found themselves back in Limbo, Black and White fragments of glass scattered about the floor as the room they were just in painted the sand. Doctor Destiny looked at the heroes, as did Phantom Stranger. “Please…All I wanted was a place to rule…Do you know what it’s like out in the real world? Others calling you names? Hating you for being different, for being smarter…I will grant you both any life of your choice…” Portals would open to either side of Green Lantern and Vixen. “Walk through and you will be given the life you always wanted…You will have children, a happy family…the world at peace. Please, I beg you…”

(Raven) She would see his sleeping body when she arrived, there would be nothing to stop her from casting a spell that would wake him up, his frame was fragile and weak in appearance, with Raven’s limited prowess she would be able to subdue him. But with John Dee before her she also had an immediate connection to everyone in the Justice League through his mind. If she wanted to she could speak to the JL members. If she peered into John Dee’s head, she could see where all the members were within the dream realm and severe John Dee’s connection to each member allowing them to awaken.

Green Lantern: Once more back in the desert, Hal was left standing with Mari in front of the man who had trapped them here in their own minds within his world. When the portals opened and the offer was made, it immediately incensed Hal on his most basic of nature. A construct hand immediately shot out and yanked Destiny over to him, the Lantern's right fist rearing back to strike him right across the jaw but right as his clenched hand came close to hitting the man it stopped. "I do know what it's like," Hal began in a voice that was unfitting for the state that he had, just a moment ago, appeared to be in, "I live in it every day. And every day I look at myself in the mirror and happy for where my life's at because I, myself and no one else, got me to where I'm at. We play the hands we're dealt. It's called growing up and not expecting world to give you anything. I've had my moments. I'm human. I'm flawed. But I want the life I have and you can't give that to me." The construct hand that,

Green Lantern: if it had grabbed Destiny, would then alter into a pair of leg chains that were conntect to a pair of handcuffs by way of another chain that went back behind the man, effectively hogtying him, "I know you're not really in these chains right now... so you have until I get out of here to find some place to hide, because when I do I'm going to come after you and bring you in."

Mari McCabe: She hated being transported. Something unsound about her body moving without her say so. Vixen braced herself and eyed Hal, " You okay?" she asked. She knew she looked dumb. Her eyes were red rimmed and tired and her voice was raspy but they'd finally ended up back where they were when they died. And there he was, the bastard she could just throttle. She took a threatening step forward and felt the territorial grizzly bear rise up in her. She knew there was nothing he could offer her that she would want. Even a life with her parents back was not enough to bait her, although the hope of it made her chest tighten. It was this hope that made her peer into the portal Doctor Destiny opened beside her while Hal was busy working through his frustration. She was curious but she didn't change her mind. She didn't feel sorry for Doctor Destiny either. He was a scumbag with a god complex. In her line of work, he was a dime a dozen. -F-

Raven: Raven’s eyes stared at the man in front of him. She had all the power in the world right now. “…This is how it feels like when you have power over everybody.” Staring at his body, she reached over slightly. One spell. That’s all it could take to save all of the Justice League heroes or crush them. “…” Raven stayed quiet, frowning a bit. It seemed that her emotions weren’t in check, or was this her father talking to her? Shaking her head slightly, she closed her eyes and chanted a few words that weren’t from planet Earth. She could feel all the connections and ties that John Dee had with each of the following members of the Justice League. She couldn’t help, but hear the voice in her head. ‘They’re the ones that stand in your way.’ Raven stopped and opened her eyes slightly. Looking down at the man, she thought about his questions. Corruption. That was something that they were both doing to her. “No.” With that, she closed her eyes and concentrated again, getting into John Dee’s -c-

Raven: mind. This time, however, she reached the ties and broke them with a normal amount of magic. “This game ends here.” She spoke in her mind, knowing that the Justice League members would be able to hear her. -d-

Doctor Destiny’s skeletal face frowned to the best of its ability, no longer that strong and intimidating creature fearless and taking pleasure in their torment…rather a fragile man who was broken in spirit and energy, they didn’t understand him. How could they? They were self righteous, arrogant, and pathetic excuses of--…John Dee remained sleeping as his connection to the Justice League and every person on Earth was severed. Each member of the Justice League would hear Batman’s voice. “Justice League council meeting, now or as soon as possible.” Batman would not attempt to retrieve Doctor Destiny, as that was something easily taken care of by the other members, instead he took up a seat in the Watchtower conference room, where Superman and Flash had already been waiting.

(Meanwhile in Dinah's dream) Doctor Destiny’s grin didn’t seem to change, why would it? The skeletal features stared at her. Waving his hand he spoke at her sprinkling sand. “Very well, sweet dreams…………..” Dinah would wake up in her home, nothing seemed different, her memories of what had happened. The scent of breakfast downstairs. Her radio would flicker on and the sound of a news report spoke of the Justice League thwarting an induced state of sleep imposed on the world, Doctor Destiny; John Dee was taken into custody for the attack.