I don't own any of this stuff. Though I will try to stay as close to the original characters aired on the show, I should note that any other characters taken from DC comics will be used freely and not necessarily like their characters in the comics, especially personality wise, but powers, abilities, and sometimes appearance and back story may be used. Enjoy!
Star City 1984
A stocky young man in a blue mask stood silently in the shadows of a nearby apartment building. His eyes stayed glued to the doors and windows of the shop across from him. He had begun the hunt.
Suddenly, someone jumped down from behind, landing gracefully on her feet. Though startled, he didn't dare take his eyes off his target.
"Well hello, Manhunter." The woman almost purred then ended on a playfully sarcastic tone. "Did I startle you?"
"Like that would ever happen. By the way, you're early, Tigress." He snorted.
The young woman, not too much younger than him and probably no older than nineteen, stepped up next to him. Her long black hair covered her shoulders, draping onto her tiger striped costume. Her Eastern eyes stared at him from just under her yellow cat mask.
"I know. What did you think? That you could take all the fun for yourself?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Why couldn't you have waited to come with the rest of the team?" He sighed.
"Well fine. I didn't want to be stuck with you either." She responded, and so the banter began.
"That doesn't even make any sense. Then why would you-" He took his eyes off the target for one second to look at his teammate standing beside him but was quickly brought back to attention by the sound of breaking glass. Both young heroes turned to the sound. They watched the burglar dash down the opposite alleyway.
"I think that was your guy." Tigress pointed out.
"You think!" Manhunter grunted and took off in a sprint after him. Tigress lit up with excitement and adrenaline, dashing after them. With quick reflexes, Manhunter clipped off the walkie talkie at his waste and brought it to his mouth.
"Manhunter to Young All-Stars. Tigress and I've got the target on the run toward the intersection of Bailey and State. Over." There was a moment of static before a young woman's voice came through the speaker.
"Tsunami to Manhunter. We are all ready on our way. We will be there to surround him. Over."
The thief knocked over trash bins and debris into their path, himself vaulting expertly over any obstacles. But Manhunter and Tigress were no amateurs. Both athletic and expertly trained, they easily maneuvered their way to him. They turned the corner into a dead end alleyway. Finally they had their target trapped. At the end of the road stood the young villain in black. His back was to them only exposing his shaggy blond hair. Realizing his entrapment, he slowly turned around to reveal his face, covered in a gray hockey mask.
"Sportsmaster. Give up the weapon, you're trapped!" Tigress shouted as she came to a stop beside Manhunter.
"Sorry dear, but life isn't that easy." Sportsmaster responded, standing high. He then whipped out four tennis balls from inside his jacket flinging them at his opponents.
"Watch out their probably loaded with explosives!" Manhunter called out and was proved right as one exploded on a nearby wall.
Tigress didn't seem to mind. She jumped with powerful legs, flipping effortlessly over the two bombs flying her way. She then landed gracefully as they exploded behind her. Both handled the situation expertly but it was only a distraction. Armed men jumped from the shadows. They tackled Manhunter and a couple ran towards Tigress, each carrying an array of guns and swords. She delivered a high spin kick to the first's jaw and ducked a sword swipe from the second before tripping him off his feet and slamming down a fist, breaking his nose. She turned to help her teammate but was stopped in her tracks by his shout.
"I'll be fine, don't let him get away!" He grunted and flipped a man over his shoulder. Tigress couldn't object as she turned to see Sportsmaster pole vaulting onto the roof towards an easy get away.
"I'll get him!" Tigress shouted and bared her claws. Long, talon-like nails on the ends of her fingers gripped the grooves in the wall. She climbed her way up, leaping over the edge onto the roof. Sportsmaster just stood there waiting for her. Tigress could see a fight coming on.
"I always do enjoy a good fight." She threw herself toward him with her claws extended.
He grabbed her wrist calmly but she gave him a roundhouse kick to the stomach. As he doubled over, he released her hand only to use both free hands to pull out a bat hidden in the back of his jacket. He swung, just barely missing her legs as she dodged the hit.
"You're pretty light on your feet there." He bantered as she tried to deliver a jab to his face.
"You're not so bad yourself." She responded playfully.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. The game has just begun." He flung the bat in her direction, throwing her off just long enough for him to trip her up, pinning her to the ground. She grunted as his hands clasped around her throat. "I hear you haven't been doing so well on the field lately -too many slip ups. I'm surprised they haven't kicked you off the team yet, especially after what you did to that man in Casnia. Has something happened? Getting tired of the heroic prison you've been held in?"
Tigress raised her arms and formed a fist that she brought down on his skull. He grunted and let go of her for a moment. It was just enough time for her to knee him in the chest and roll away. Heavily padded and prepared, Sportsmaster recovered quickly.
"I'm fine. But I imagine that you're not feeling the same right now." She coughed out, clearing her throat and continuing the banter as if the previous comment had not been said.
"I feel the same as you." He stood up taking a deep breath and cracking his neck. A chuckle erupted from beneath the mask. "Thrilled. Alive with adrenalin running though my blood like a steroid, sending a jolt of energy and excitement. Don't you like this -the thrill of the chase? But it's only better when you get something out of it." He reached into his coat to pull out his next weapon.
Tigress jumped towards him to try and stop him. If he pulled out the weapon he had just stolen, the liveliness would certainly end. She soon found that move to be a mistake. Sportsmaster did not reveal the stolen weapon, instead he pulled out his best fencing sword that extended till the tip grazed her neck.
"I want to ask you an honest question, Tigress. Why aren't you back doing what's natural -plotting, stealing... Killing? I hate to see such potential as yours be kicked out of bounds only because a bunch of heroes have you on a leash. You were such a beautiful thief." He kept her still with the tip of his blade.
"I'm on nobody's leash." Tigress answered defiantly. Her Vietnamese accent came out strong in the seriousness of her voice. She was getting tired of his toying.
"Hmm... Really? You didn't really answer my question did you? Is it because of that Manhunter? I hear you have quite an obsession of him." He pressed the blade closer, drawing a little blood as his voice became serious. "Do you really think he cares? He needed you for these missions and that was all. You were an asset, nothing more, and after this week's mishap, do you honestly think that will change? People don't change, Paula Brooks. If you really want someone to take care of you..." He lowered his weapon. "Find one like you."
Sportsmaster turned, leaving her there breathing heavily and confused. He walked toward the edge of the building and looked back. She stared at him, a new passion and fire in her eyes. She decided to let him go.
"Tigress!" Manhunter's voice cut through their gaze as he reached the roof. She looked at him then turned back to Sportsmaster, but he was already gone.
"Why did you let him get away? C'mon, we have to catch up with him! Maybe we can still direct him to the trap." He rambled on and started to run in that direction until she stopped him.
"Wait."
"We don't have time to wait."
"After all this is over, what will happen to me?"
"What?" He turned to her, almost shocked. He knew she was referring to her recent mistake and that the consequences would be harsh no doubt, but instead he just said, "This really isn't the time."
"I don't care if this isn't the time! I want to know..." She shouted angrily.
"It's up to the All-Star Squadron. I don't choose the consequences." He sighed.
"...Then what will you do about it? ...Or am I just the same to you as that lonely criminal the Squadron recruited a couple years ago to help do the dirty work?"
They stared at each other for a long moment. Her searching gaze never faltered, but Manhunter said nothing.
"That's what I thought. People really don't change." Tigress turned away from him for the last time. She jumped from the roof to the street below, landing on her feet and heading out on her own.
