"You look like you want to help," Raven whispered as the two of us walked across the campus and I gave a subtle nod as I watched the Green Lantern Jon Steward flying above us with a large pile of rubble in a glowing net.
"I do, but I was told to rest so that's what I'll do. Actually, what's with the outfit?"
"What's wrong with how I dress?"
"Oh, nothing at all. Just didn't expect you to dress like that," I said, looking at the white string top with black vertical stripes, flowing dark purple skirt and the dark purple jacket she kept open.
"Let me guess, you were expecting something more gothic than just this?"
"Kind of," I answered with a sheepish smile, to which she rolled her eyes before taking a sip from her milkshake.
"Just because I like the darkness doesn't mean that I don't know how to dress like a normal girl."
"I dunno~ I've seen your 'normal girl' style when we were at the Mountain and it always involved a lot more black."
"That's because black hides coffee stains and judgement," she answered, brushing a strand of hair from her face before we reached the shade of a nearby tree.
"Really? Sitting down?"
"What? I get tired."
"That's a lie," she answered bluntly even as she sat down with her legs together and to the side, an amused look in her eyes as I narrowed my eyes at her sitting position.
"Is that not uncomfortable?"
"Only if you're not used to it."
"Uh-huh, good to know," I murmured, watching as students walked past us and a calm silence entered the air.
"So, why did you actually come looking for me? Last I remember, you usually didn't come looking for me when we were in the mountain," That was before Raven asked a question and I raised an eyebrow at it.
"Well, true, but that's because I was far too busy managing the team and making sure the base kept functioning until the next day. Now with the freedom of no longer having a team, I get to do what I want and like I said, I was bored so I wanted someone to hang out with."
"And you chose me? Not the girls that have been fawning over you?"
"You mean M'gann and Artemis? I mean, I do have some attraction to them, but…well, how to put this? You're easier to talk to."
"Easier?", She asked, tilting her head slightly as I nodded.
"Yeah. You don't sugarcoat things, you're honest even if it stings and it's something I like."
"So, you came to me for brutal honesty? How flattering," She answered with a flat tone, but I chuckled as I saw her lips curving just enough to make the faintest smile.
"Hey, I'm just saying. You're not the type to fake a smile or laugh at my stupid jokes just because you want to make me feel good. It's a blunt level of sassiness that's…refreshing."
"Most people wouldn't call me refreshing."
"Most people don't know you."
"Careful. Knowing me isn't always good for people."
"I've been told that I'm not exactly great for people either so we've got that going for us at least," I answered with a crooked grin, to which she leaned back against the tree before taking another sip of her milkshake.
"Guess we're both bad ideas, then."
"Guess so. Also…you gonna finish that?"
"I stand corrected. You're a worse idea than I am."
"Considering you haven't moved, I wouldn't say I'm that bad."
"Considering that there are a few imbeciles lurking about and you're the only one that doesn't want to ask for my number, I'm stuck with you."
"Oh, if that's the case, I can do that to liven up your mood."
"You do that and I'm throwing you into space. I know you'll survive, too," She spoke with narrowed eyes and I chuckled at her gaze as I raised my hands in mock-surrender.
"Just saying. I can get a whole lot worse than I am right now."
"Of course. In any case, this…is quite nice."
"Is that your way of saying thank you for the quick coffee/ milkshake date?", I asked, smirking as she rolled her eyes even as she continued drinking her milkshake.
"I'm simply saying that this is nice."
"And you are welcome for it."
"Do not get used to it. Nice things don't last, not for people like us at least."
"Well, isn't that uplifting?"
"Brutal honesty, remember? I've come to learn that one should enjoy the quiet while it's here. The world never waits long before breaking it."
"Ah, that reminds me. What are you?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, I'm a kryptonian/ human hybrid and I know that you're definitely not human considering your heartbeat sounds different from that of regular humans. Hence the question, what are you?", I asked and she stared at me with an unreadable look, the straw caught between her lips before she answered.
"…Complicated."
"That's the only answer I'm getting?"
"Yes. Let's just say I'm not from around here," She answered and I nodded as I saw her gaze flickering back to the city.
"Another planet?"
"Something like that, yes, and before you ask, I'm not here to conquer anything."
"Oh, I wasn't worried about that. You'd have to fight Martian Manhunter and the Green Lanterns if that were to be the case."
"Oh, I was just going to aim for you directly and make you the first hit."
"And here I thought buying you an extra-large milkshake would be enough to keep me out of the firing range," I answered, Raven smirking ever-so-slightly at my words.
"Oh, it did, but do not believe that it exempts you from me should I decide to conquer the planet. Milkshakes can only do so much."
"Hahahaha~ Noted. So, what do you do when you're not planning to make me the first casualty of your world domination?", I asked, relaxing against the tree as she did the same.
"I observe and I learn, making sure I understand people before I involve myself too much."
"That sounds like something you would do," I answered with a smirk, earning a faint twitch of the corners of her lips that almost could be classified as a smile.
"Well, most people don't handle my quiet, calculative side that well."
"Luckily for you, I'm used to quiet, calculative people."
"Some of us aren't as forgiving as you think. Careful you don't get hurt while trying to talk to me," Raven spoke softly with a sharp look and I matched it with my own grin before shrugging.
"Good. I like a challenge," For a moment, we just continued to look at each other before she shook her head and I smiled, the two of us leaning back against the tree while watching as the world passed us by.
For the first time, ever since I woke up, I finally felt calm and at peace.
"Hey, you got anything to do for the rest of the day?"
"No, but why do I feel like I should have said yes?", She asked with a frown, to which I smirked as I hopped to my feet and dusted off my pants.
"There's this new Aliens movie showing in the theatre nearby. You want to come with?"
"No."
"Not even if I pay for everything?"
"…Can we go to a restaurant first?"
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"It was…not as idiotic as I was expecting," Raven muttered as we left the theatre with the moon hanging high and I rolled my eyes with a smirk.
"That's praise coming from you."
"I didn't say I liked it. It was…merely tolerable, though I do wonder why humans are always obsessed with screaming aliens with acid blood and explosions."
"It's just how we are," I answered and smirked when she raised an eyebrow with an amused look in her eyes.
"I thought you were more Kryptonian than human?"
"I'm still half-human, aren't I?"
"Which means you love to see other aliens with acid blood and explosions?"
"Yeah, it tickles that weird yet good part of my brain. Also, humans love danger from a safe distance and movies like that are just pure adrenaline without the actual risk."
"Hmm, I do see the appeal, being exposed to danger and adrenaline in a controlled environment."
"Controlled is the key word there and that's why I like it. You get all of the excitement without the existential dread of a Lord of Chaos or a supervillain trying to throw you through a building."
"Used to those, huh?"
"Oh, you have no idea. The amount of times I've been-"
"We're being followed."
"-thrown through buildings is far too many," I finished my sentence with my smirk still on despite her telepathic message, already stretching out my senses to feel a little under fifty people slowly surrounding us.
"We're in public view."
"To the left. Alley,"
"Well, then I suppose it's a good thing you're as tolerable as you are or else I would have done the same long ago," She answered, the two of us turning into the alleyway as she fell into stride beside me.
"Keep going. They're testing our reaction time."
"Got it. You want to go ahead or should I?"
"No, I fear they may be here with kryptonite weaponry if they are tailing us."
"Then, fly away?"
"Fly away. Head to the Justice League," She answered and I nodded, swiftly spinning on my heel and wrapping my arms around her as she hid her face in my chest.
The next moment, I shot upwards, flying out of the alleyway and out of Metropolis while I let go as she flew beside me.
"So, I guess we're going to have to move, huh?"
"Unfortunately. It appears they were not ordinary thugs, after all," She answered, closing her jacket before a black-and-white aura surrounded both of us as a bullet ricocheted off of it.
Narrowing my eyes at the green tip on the sniper bullet, the two of us flew higher and out of range of most guns, but I frowned and clapped my hands to unleash a shockwave that repelled another one.
'Someone that can shoot us at this range and still hit close to our vital points. There's only one guy I know that's like that,' I thought with a frown as I narrowed my eyes, listening in for the numerous heartbeats before smirking as I caught sight of him.
Dressed in a burgundy and black bodysuit that was decked out with a utility belt with several pouches, two holstered handguns at his side and a black trenchcoat over his outfit, I narrowed my eyes at the silver mask that concealed his face.
Deadshot, arguably the best marksman in the world and someone that was lethal with every type of long-range weapon that he could get his hands on.
"That's Deadshot, one of the best assassins in the world."
"Well, that's lovely. Do we retaliate?", She asked and I smiled as I felt a familiar heartbeat slicing through the air at a rapid pace.
"No need. Our help is right here," The air popped as a red-and-blue blur stopped beside us, Superman nodding at us before narrowing his eyes to the figure of Deadshot running away.
"I wouldn't go after him," I spoke as I saw him wanting to move, Supes raising an eyebrow before he grimaced when Raven floated the kryptonite bullet she had ricochet in front of us.
"We'll have to inform the League about this. Deadshot is not the average assassin that can be hired by anyone."
"Got it. I guess our little theatre time is now done, huh?", I asked, looking at Raven only to frown as I saw the distant look in her eyes.
"You okay?"
"…Yes."
"That doesn't sound okay?"
"I am. I'm just…wondering why they'd risk attacking us in open view."
"It could be a warning shot at me since I brought them out of the shadows and into the light…no pun intended," I murmured, Supes chuckling at my words as he floated away and the two of us followed after.
"True, but I feel that there might be something more to this."
"Sure, but we'll figure it out at the Watchtower. Something tells me that this is just the start of something chaotic."
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"An espionage mission?", I asked with a raised eyebrow, Raven looking just as confused as Batman nodded from where he was sitting in front of the Watchtower's computers.
"Yes. With most of the Silent Hour's matters now left to the Justice League, we move on to one of the most pressing matters," He began, and I narrowed my eyes as I saw four figures appearing on the screen in front of us as well as footage of each being taken down.
'Mr. Freeze, Icicle Jr, Kller Frost and Captain Cold? Oh, is this that prison episode that M'gann and I did in the canon timeline? Damn, everything has been so chaotic that I completely forgot about the other events that still have to happen.'
"On the 4th of July, four ice villains staged simultaneous attacks on Gotham, Star City, Pearl Harbour and Central City. So far, I've not been able to figure out as to why they staged the four attacks nor what their objectives were other than causing mayhem.
All four were sent to Belle Reve Penitentiary, but Mr. Freeze and Icicle Jr. were able to escape yet again. A few hours ago, Superman and Martian Manhunter caught both along with the Terror Twins Tommy and Tuppence Terror.
They are being readied for transportation to Belle Reve, but the two Terror Twins will be switched out with you two, He finished, a hum escaping my lips as Raven raised an eyebrow.
"So, you want us to pretend to be homicidal twins whose idea of fun is tearing people in half? I'll admit that I am not quite used to acting that way."
"It's not about theatrics. Belle Reve has a reputation. The names of the Terror Twins opens doors there and we need you two to walk through and get access to the right people."
"And what if said doors lead to people who actually know the mannerisms of the real Twins?", I asked, not surprised when Batman turned his gaze to me and spoke bluntly.
"You improvise."
"Ah, because improvising inside a maximum-security supervillain prison never goes wrong."
"And may I ask the reason we're being volunteered instead of trained agents or other members of the Justice League that isn't us? More specifically, me."
"Because the mannerisms of most of the Justice League is already known by Belle Reve's warden so we need to send in someone unpredictable."
'Right, Amanda Waller. The female Nick Fury if Nick Fury cared for no one but themselves and their reputation to be the biggest dickhead amongst dickheads.'
"We believe that Amanda Waller is more than just aware of recent coordinated attacks, but we need proof."
"Hmm, fine, but do I have to do the accent?"
"Yes."
"Can I get one of your capes? Or at least a grappling gun?", I asked, snickering when Batman narrowed his eyes at me before bringing up schematics of the Penitentiary.
"Focus. Now, listen. Your primary objectives are to locate the source of encrypted communications leaving the prison, identify Waller's allies and get out alive. Your secondary objective is to stop any prison riots or escapes that may occur when you arrive."
"…Is that last part because you're fairly sure a riot or an escape will happen?", I asked, sighing as Batman didn't answer before turning my head to Raven.
"You up to be a southern gal?"
"That depends. Are you ready to act like a southern…boy? Is that the correct term?"
"Darlin', where I'm from, that jus' means talkin' a little slower, smilin' a little easier and makin' sure folks underestimate ya 'fore you hit 'em with the real punch."
"…That was awful."
"Down home we call that bein' charmingly disarming, sugar~", I even added in the wink, laughing as Raven slowly turned to Batman who showed a bit of emotion for once as he sighed.
"You cannot quit the mission now."
"Oh, that regret train's already left the station."
"You know what the worst part is? It's so bad that it might actually just work."
"Oh, bless your heart for doubtin' me."
"And now I want to punch you."
"Batman?"
"No."
"Oh, Batman, what about the thing with Deadshot?", I asked, shifting out of my weird persona.
"That is not something you must worry about now. Once you finish the mission, you will receive the necessary information."
'In other words, we'll tell you when you're ready.'
"Sure thing. Well, Tuppence, you ready for the mission?", I asked, smirking as she narrowed her eyes at me before rolling her eyes.
"Sure, let's get this over with."
A/N: And we kick off with the Bell Reve mission. A bit of the League of Shadows and Deadshot being revealed in this chapter and the next one, chaos in a prison.
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