Kaldur, Raquel, KF, and Artemis have been filled in on CORE's Origin story, this takes place two months later. Introducing another OC. Get over it, my story not yours. Constructive criticism appreciated.
Core smiled as he ran and glided over the rooftops of Gotham. There was just something about the wind lifting you up that he never lost enjoyment of. He heard Robin ahead of him pursuing the girl they were chasing. Apparently she had stolen from 12 museums in the state alone, only leaving a calling card, a nightingale card. Robin had set a trap for her with the help of the team. The others they had left behind long ago, speed was needed and Wally could only follow them on the ground.
He saw Robin fighting the girl, her long red-amber hair pulled out behind a full mask connected to a full black bodysuit. She was holding her own against Robin, so she was skilled. Core landed gracefully, rolling across the roof and right into engagement as she knocked Robin away. Her movements were strong and rigid, while Core moved like water around a rock, only blocking, not attacking.
"Who are you?" he asked in admiration, cracking a smile. She replied with a strike that connected squarely with Core's armor, knocking him back a step, "No-one of consequence."
His smile widened, "Nice to meet you no-one of consequence," he grabs the fist flung at him, using the momentum to spin his combatant past him, lightly tapping her head as she passes, "I'm annoying."
She turns back to him, a flurry of aerial kicks, spins, and blurs. He smiles as he blocks and weaves through the mess of fist and foot.
"I really like the style you're using, wushu and krav maga with a hint of wutang, impressive." He clasps both of her fists and locks his forelef behind hers, trapping her standing, "could you teach me?"
She glares at him as his grin intensifies, "Are you flirting with me hero-boy?" "Depends…" he unlocks her and sweeps her legs, causing her to fall. She stares at him from the ground, "…on if it's working."
They pause and she chuckles, he saw the smile in her eyes, "You know how to show a girl an interesting time." She flipped to the edge of the roof, "But I'll have to decline the offer of a date at the police office." She fell backwards and Core rushed to catch her, only to see her land lightly on her feet, then disappear into the night, but only after blowing a kiss at him.
He smiled as he watched her go, only interrupted by Kid Flash arriving from the stairwell and rushing over to Robin, followed shortly by Core. "You OK Rob?" KF asked his friend. "Yeah, who was she?" Robin asked. "Not anyone I've gone up against."
Core smiled at them, "Then I call dibbs." They both stared at him like he had tulips growing from his ears.
Core looked over at Connor, watching his movement so he could see the coming attack. They were practicing one-on-one in the ring, a practice that had become ritualistic for them. After Connor opened up about his origins to Core, the two had almost become brothers.
Core started talking as Connor charged him, ducking under a wild punch, "I've been meaning to ask you," his fist connected below Connor's ribcage, "how did you ask M'gann out on you guys' first date?" Connor smiled a little as he backed away from Core, "Why?" he asked as he inched closer to Core, preparing a more cautious attack, "No reason really, just wondering." He dodged Connor's jab to his face, only to be rewarded to a hick to the sternum.
"Just wondering?" Connor asked smiling as Core stumbled backwards, fine because of his power, but still hurting. That was one of the advantages of their fights, they couldn't really harm one another.
"Now that you mention it, I was thinking of asking someone I know out." "A girl right?" Connor teased. Core gasped and fell to one knee, starting to hyperventilate. Connor moved towards him, concerned that he had injured his friend, but fell hard on his back as Core uppercut him.
He looked up to see Core hovering over him, "Yeah, a girl." He helped Connor get back up, "Only advise I have; don't lie and dumb luck." Core smiled, "I think I can do that."
It was three weeks until Core saw Nightingale again, he was solo this time. She was just leaving Lexcorp with an unsightly amount of cash crammed in a duffel bag. He followed her across the rooftops, bending reality around him to become invisible and silent, gliding behind her.
She eventually entered an abandoned complex in the Gotham slums. He watched her, perched on the window she entered from. She took off her mask and tossed the duffel bag to the side, he smiled and removed his camouflage, "Nice place you got here."
She jumped in surprise, then glared at him, "Do you always watch girls in their rooms?"
"I could've waited until you undressed." He pointed out. Her expression soured as she realized he was right.
"Why the hell are you here? Were you going to preach about how I should turn from my ways and stand for all that's good and pure? Justice, freedom, apple pie…all that jazz?"
He smiled at her exaggeration. "No, but if you have any apple pie, I'm kinda hungry." She laughed at his reply as he entered the room from the window, then stopped as she noticed he was looking at her, "What?"
"You have a beautiful laugh." She blushed, and turned slightly away, "Why are you here again?"
"I've been thinking about that kiss you blew me when we met."
"It wasn't a kiss."
"Looked like one. Anyway, I was going to ask you out."
"Oh." An awkward silence fell over them until she spoke, "So…pizza right?"
He smiled, "Yeah, I could do pizza."