(Damn it. I keep disappearing, I miss high school.)
Following the meeting where Viktor finally got his League Status agreed on, after he left the Watch Tower, he went to his home in Central City, where he instantly sat on his large couch while his armor burst into shadows and light and slinked down into his shadow.
Lorna did the same with her magnetism to turn her armor into metal dust before she placed it on the rack by the wall, which her armor formed over. She then let herself fall onto Viktor's lap as she crossed her arms.
"So, tell me the truth, what are the chances Bruce lets this pass?"
Viktor shook his head.
"He doesn't even trust his closest friends; he will be getting contingencies and plans for both of us by the end of the day. He is so paranoid he wouldn't trust his own shadow."
Lorna smirked as she pointed at the shadows.
"After you? Neither would I."
Yami's shadow-based armor split off him as the God Slaying Dog sat down by the couch chair.
Viktor squinted his eyes.
"True, he doesn't use magic; he refuses to use magic, but getting his League friends to enchant items or collecting them to protect his shadows from me, totally in his purview. I bet that is what he is doing now, of all things."
----
He was not wrong, as after the vote of the League, Batman was currently under Wayne Manor in the Batcave with his cowl taken off, and he was typing out a few observations for his contingencies.
Alfred walked closer before he placed a hot cup of tea down.
"Master Bruce, you appear tense."
Bruce squinted his eyes as he looked up at the plans and images he took of both
"Knight or Balerion" and his apprentice "Polaris" and the Dog.
"I don't trust him, Balerion. Magic users are already some of the most dangerous beings to face for me, and yet he has operated in Central City without any sightings when he doesn't want to show himself.
He became a terror of the night; he brutalized men and criminals in a form similar to myself, only even further. Broken backs, ruptured organs, no one actually died from his attacks, but several have died from their injuries days, even weeks later."
Alfred glanced up at the image that Bruce took from his cowl of Balerion sitting there, in full enchanted plate armor, sword on the table, dog in full armor on his lap, and the green-haired woman behind him, both fully covered head to toe in armor.
"And from talking to him, what did you discover, Master Bruce?"
Bruce waved his hand, and the Bat Computer began to do a deep analysis of every detail of the images.
"First, take Knight, or Balerion, in full plate armor; he is at least 7 feet tall, and the sword he carries is massive, longer than he is tall. He gave Barry an enchanted suit which Doctor Fate and Zatana struggled ot read. From what Barry said, he can react and dodge Barry.
I compiled the reports given by the criminals, and he jumps out of the shadows, sometimes with dozens of shadow clones of his dog or himself. He isn't just a shadow user, but a master in pyromantic magics. His flames burn hot enough to ignite concrete and steel, and he is borderline, proud, secretive, and takes a kick of humiliating me."
Alfred nodded.
"Dangerous as a foe, and invaluable as an ally. Good thing he wants to join the League."
Bruce scowled.
"Does he? Or is he infiltrating?"
Alfred raised an eyebrow.
"You'll keep an eye out regardless. Now, what about the apprentice?"
Bruce zoomed in on her.
"She is a Meta Human, said so herself, and her scans did beep as a high-class Meta Human. Magnatism, for weeks, she has run with Balerion, and she appears to be able to manipulate metals through electromagnetism. She is utterly loyal to Balerion, but clearly not a servant. She is pretty chummy with him, hugging him from behind, playing with his helmet, and she is a magic user on top of her meta ability.
In a city, she is cataclysm."
Alfred had some things to say.
"Electromagnetism, when everything in the world makes use of steel and other magnetic metals. Even your suit and gadgets, sir."
Bruce nodded as he noted it down, but a bunch of question marks appeared as he tried to analyse "Hound".
"The Dog? It is one of two things on his person that gives me the creeps. Diana herself said getting stared at by it made part of her tingle. Like something in that thing made her blood itself jumpy."
Alfred raised a hand to his chin.
"Which part?"
Bruce paused.
"The God Part. Whatever that dog or not-dog is, it's not an animal, but it's not an item either. It's something, and it's what gave me the biggest sense of wrongness. That and the cross around his neck, it's this silver, gold, and purple cross that glimmers and vents heat. Artifacts, magic, a familiar, a meta that can use magic, and Balerion himself."
Batman was already drafting up countermeasures in case Balerion and Polari went rogue. But unlike the League, he made as a precaution these countermeasures he felt he might need."
Alfred, on the other hand, looked at the images he took, and he wondered who Balerion and Polaris were under the helmets.
---
Regardless, back in Central City, Viktor was leaning back, dozing just slightly as Lorna remained curled up on his lap. He suddenly opened his eyes, and he glanced down at her.
"Hey, Lorna, wake up."
She opened her bright green eyes, a little tired.
"Yeah? What's up?"
He helped her up.
"Want to take a little trip?"
She got up and stretched out like a cat.
"Where?"
He smirked as he began to use magic to even out his hair and his clothes.
"Gotham. We go to the richer districts, see the sights, and go to a restaurant, while my shadow and light hounds run around, running reconnaissance over Gotham. We can see where all the big gangs run, and then we can go in at night and start hitting them one by one."
She smirked.
"So, a date? First one?"
He nodded.
"Call it what you want, dear."
She glanced down at her outfit before she smirked.
"Well, first let's go to the mall. I got to get something nice, not gaudy or flashy, but as you put it, I was broke. Now I got cash, and I want to use it."
Viktor smiled as he and Yami began to walk out, as they were already dressed. He had jeans, black boots, and a tight black t-shirt. Lorna was, on the other hand, wearing running shoes, yoga pants, and another t-shirt, and a green hoodie so they would not stand out badly in any high-end restaurant."
Even Viktor was not that blind.
"Fair point, to the mall."
Before they walked out, Viktor waved his hand, and around Yami, a service dog vest formed."
"There we go, now Yami can go with us."
With that, they both stepped out of the house before locking it magically behind them. As they were walking to the nearby Mall, he reached down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Yami walked at their side, looking like a normal dog, with bright red eyes and a crimson gem in his forehead, so they were quite inconspicuous. Not. Even Guardenia, who appeared above them, floated around, arms crossed under her chest, 12 wings behind her.
"Walking around like this, you two almost look domestic, if not for Yami."
Yami whined as Guardenia just smiled at him. She reached up and pulled up one half of her blindfold, showing off a bright golden eye.
"Anyway, so now we're going on dates? Sounds fun, when do I get mine?"
Lorna rolled her eyes.
"Guardenia, later. Now go back to your cross before someone sees you."
Just then, someone crossed the street right next to Viktor, and Guardenia waved her hand at the guy's face.
"HEY! RIGHT HERE, LOOSER! YOU SUCK!"
He didn't react as Guardenia glanced back at Lorna.
"See? No one can see me. Anyone without the magical sight is unable to see me since I am technically a spirit or soul now. My real body got lost when God stuck me in that cross. But, because you're going to be so adorable about it, sure."
Guardenia floated close to Viktor before she winked at him, pulled her blindfold closed before and hid back inside Incinerate Anthem across his neck. He patted the cross once before they kept walking, before they got to the Mall, which was not too far, all things considered.
When they walked inside, the first thing she did was pull them toward one of the big-name stores nearby because of her dad's financial troubles; she hadn't had a good outfit like some of her friends.
As such, when they walked inside, Viktor saw that it was a store for women, and already Lorna was looking around while he and Yami glanced around. Lorna suddenly grabbed a nice band t-shirt and even a blouse in the same grab.
"Hey Viktor, which one?"
The t-shirt was black with a cool design, and the blouse was white.
"Well, I like black, so I'll say the t-shirt."
She glanced at it and she tossed it over her shoulder.
"Got it, black, green, red, and blue. As for me, I like blue, always did."
She also reached out, and she even picked up a pair of skinny jeans. She smiled as she looked at the jeans that had a few cuts.
"Think I can pull it off?"
He chuckled.
"You do have the legs for it."
She raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
Yami glanced at Viktor, who said it plainly.
"You also got the ass for it. There, I said it."
She snickered.
"Glad you noticed, being a meta helps with that. Now, we're gonna be here all day. Let's get you some new outfits, too."
Viktor was honestly glad to see her so chipper. So despite himself, he went along to every store letting her try out new outfits, new blouses, jeans, skirts, shoes, and anything she wanted. As for him, he got some new pants, a new leather jacket.
By the end of it, both he, Yami and Lorna walked out of the mall carrying a bunch of bags. Yami had a few in his mouth, hanging off his sides, and one off his snout, and he was clearly not pleased.
Viktor had spent a dozen hundred-dollar bills, but for him, with all the cash he had stolen, that was chump change. But seeing how freaking happy Lorna was to see all the clothes, shoes, blouses, jackets, and other things she got, he felt it was worth it.
"Lorna, you like having money?"
She spun around, her arms heavy with bags.
"Yes, and now when we go to spy on old Bruce Wayne's city, I'll look great while doing it. Besides, I am going to get dolled up for you, Master. You should he thrilled. We're going on a date, and we get to get ready to tear up Gotham's criminal groups while Bruce complains."
Yami is carrying a bunch of bags, perked up, tail wagging at the idea of finally getting to go into Gotham. There was so much crime to take care of, so many evil people to disappear and hide in his shadow.
Yup, the League thought Viktor didn't kill; he most certainly did, just that the corpses stayed inside Yami's shadow dimension, and Viktor made it discreet. That is why it was only a theory that he killed, but Batman had the right idea.
But when they got back to their house, and they stepped inside, Lorna waved her hands, and every bag that belonged to her began to levitate.
"Be right back, might be a few hours, then we can go to Gotham and see what we find."
She floated upstairs and closed the door to her beddroom. Yami growled at Viktor, which he understood. He basically said, "Women," and Viktor shook his head.
"Don't start. Anyway, let her have her moment, as for me, I have to go shower and get changed into something good. Can't look like a slob after all."
With that, the bags he bought for himself levitated, and he pulled them into his beddroom to get ready for his date in Gotham.