"Deceiver, dissembler, Your trousers are alight, From what pole or gallows, Shall they dangle in the night?" Robin whirled around hearing something whispered in his ear. "Dude, you alright?" "Yea," Robin nodded to his redheaded friend continuing down the alley. He had the feeling that they were being watched looking up to see a solitary crow staring down at them. "Deceiver, diss.." the voice drifted till there was nothing but a light whisper carried away by the wind.
-Disclaimer- I do not own Young Justice although I would very much love to. Sigh. Depression.
This fic will contain the following- Original character(s), Other characters of the DC world(some more known than others), Cursing, Themes many may not agree with including but not limited to: alcohol and drug usage, mentions of abuse (physical and emotional), innuendos (of the sexual nature) a.k.a jokes, blood/gore, and possible death, possible romance…not sure on that one.
"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken."
Jane Austen,Emma
Enjoy. XD
Bat Cave, Gotham City
March 7th 2012
1:15a.m.
Of all the stupid, idiotic, daft, ideas that came from the man faster than a speeding bullet, this by far had to be the most senseless thing the Dark Knight ever heard came from his mouth. After having divulged the information from which he garnered from his talks with Jason and Madam Zanadu, along with his own research to the seven founding members, it had been agreed upon that they would handle everything regarding the matter of Mellori, her demons, and Klarion.
That was until they had gotten the news about mentioned Witch Boy from Red Tornado. Everything had gone downhill from there.
Rubbing his temples Bruce sat slightly hunched over his keyboard staring up at the monitor, recent news scrolling down the screen.
He had his suspicions earlier that what Klarion was after was in fact Millori's coffin, not having had enough time himself to further investigate. With the Young Justice reporting to the League that Klarion had made off with a coffin, there was no doubt in the Bat's mind now. Mellori was in that coffin which Klarion had possession of. What exactly he was planning to do with it and who was he working for was still a big mystery.
Either way that still didn't stop him from cursing out the Man of Steel. Had they handled the mission, as planned, then the coffin would have not been in the wrong possession and they would be one step closer to figure out what Klarion was up to.
Superman's head was practically full of it. This is why he worked mostly solo to begin with, making decisions for and by himself. Things like this never happened.
He wasn't as upset with the team.
Should they have been better prepared, especially after the last mission? Yes. Should they have found a way to stop the Witch Boy from taking off with the coffin as well as stopping the volcano? Yes. Did they do a good job regardless of failing the mission? Yes. Was the Bat mad anyway? Of course he was.
As much as he would like to, and did, believe in the team, they were still the Young Justice, emphasis on Young. Regardless of their enemy being a witch Boy, the kid was by far much older than he appeared as many magical people tended to be. Not all, but most. Meaning he had more experience than even those of the Justice League. Matters such as these were not to be taken lightly.
"Master Bruce," Alfred spoke up walking down the stairs, a cup of steaming tea in his hand. Walking over to the solitary male, the butler placed the tea down next to the surprisingly empty cup from over an hour ago. "Master Richard has informed me he will be staying at the Mountain tonight. The team is bonding."
Ignoring the fact that Robin had not asked him but told Alfred what he was doing, Bruce let it slide. The kid needed his breathing space sometimes. He just better not make this a habit.
Besides. With the week they were having he needed the rest. That and it at least allowed the older dark haired male the privilege of finding more information without having to worry too much about his ward. Black Canary was den mother. He had no doubt in mind that she wouldn't be able to handle all of the rowdy teens at once.
"Thanks Alfred."
"Anytime sir." Looking at the younger male's body language Alfred internally sighed wondering why he even bothered sometimes. "I'll leave this upstairs for later then, I presume sir."
Pulling his cowl over his head Batman made his way to his sleek vehicle once again headed out on the town. This needed to end and the sooner the better. "There's something I need to check out," was the Dark Knights answer before he disappeared into his car speeding off to only he knew.
"Indeed sir, indeed," Alfred said speaking to the empty space. With a sigh he made his way back up the steps, not before grabbing both cups. It was going to be a long few weeks, he could feel it.
-xoOox-
Star City
March 8th
7:45p.m.
Two girls, age seven and five, were running around a well-spaced living room, the oldest in the front as they giggled madly in a game of tag. Sitting with his legs folded underneath him, Avery watched as both girls ran around the sofa, then the coffee table, making their way back behind him towards the dining room and back.
Having gotten off of work earlier than normal, Avery had picked up the girls from their elderly neighbor, thankful that she had fed them. Not so much that she had given them chocolate cake for desert. Hence their flurry of energy. He for one was wiped out after an hour or so of playing with the two girls.
Chalking it up to him getting old, Avery sat back a bit further in the sofa trying to relax till he heard-
Ding dong!
Sighing Avery stood up heading towards the door. Peeking through the peep hole he was a bit surprised to see Roy and Courtney standing just outside. Wracking his brain for reasons on why they would have come by, he vaguely remembered Jordan mention they had to work on a project for a class. Stepping back Avery opened the door plastering a smile on his face. "I know I made an offer two days ago, but I wasn't expecting an answer so soon."
"He had to ask his boyfriend if it was okay," Courtney said giggling at the death glare Roy had sent her before mumbling something along the lines of 'shut it,' underneath his breath.
"Wouldn't peg you for the-"
"Liar liar pants on fire, hanging from the telephone wire!"
"I'm not a liar!"
"Make yourself at home, Courtney I know you will. I'll be right back," the male said making his way quickly into the living room. Courtney and Roy shared a look as they could hear the two voices going back and forth. Walking into the apartment Courtney made sure to lock the door before continuing into the living room taking up residence on the sofa.
Kids, Roy thought as the two little girls continued to argue oblivious to their uncle's presence.
"Liar."
"Are not."
"Are to."
"Are NOT."
ARE TO!"
"ARE!-"
"Faye Alexandria, Lillian Patrice."
Both females stopped shouting as their uncle crossed his arms over his chest, a slight frown on his face.
Once he knew he had the full attention of his nieces Avery spoke up again. "Faye," Avery said ushering the young female away from her little sister who looked seconds from crying. Avery's voice, although not harsh was stern as he turned to Faye. "What did I tell you about calling your younger sister that?"
Casting her eyes downwards she shuffled her feet not saying a word.
Sighing, Avery stooped down to be at eye level with the honey haired little girl, Avery rested his head on his open palms. "That wasn't very nice was it Faye?"
"…No."
"And you wouldn't like her to call you that would you?"
"…No."
"So what do you say?"
Casting her eyes to her little sister, Faye spoke softly seeming to regret her words, as much as a person her age could. "I'm sorry Lil." Giving her little sister a hug, the younger female miraculously stopped tearing up, a smile breaking through her frown.
"Forgiven," Lillian said pulling on her sisters hand.
"Alright now the both of you go play, nicely."
"Yes Uncle Avery," the two girls called out gripping the tan male in a hug around the neck before darting off to their room.
Meanwhile
Listening to the children fight for all of five seconds Roy tuned it out instead taking to sweep around the room. It was modest to say the least for a college student with kids, and a…whatever else it was Avery did in his spare time. Children's pictures hung up on the walls framed along with a few paintings.
A bookshelf to one wall with little figurines one in particular or a glass rose with a picture of a woman hugging two girls sitting before it. No doubt it was the girl's mother.
The last thing to catch the redhead's eye was a book sitting on the coffee table next to a few sports illustrated magazines.
The book held the same symbol that was on the ring Robin wore around his ring finger. Not one to voice it out loud, Roy was beginning to get curious of the blue book. Picking it up he ignored Courtney's small protests that he was being rude, thumbing through it finding it to be filled with poems. Returning to the first page Roy's eyes scanned over the poem, eyes narrowing as the words registered in his brain.
Deceiver, dissembler
Your trousers are alight
From what pole or gallows
Shall they dangle in the night?
When I asked of your career
Why did you have to kick my rear
With that stinking lie of thine
Proclaiming that you owned a mine?
When you asked to borrow my stallion
To visit a nearby-moored galleon
How could I ever know that you-
"Didn't think you'd be interested in poetry."
Fighting the urge to throw down the book, Roy kept it open on his lap before turning to see Avery walking back into the room.
"Don't worry I'm not going to jump you," Avery said sitting, thankfully for Roy, across from him.
"Nice book," Roy answered placing it on the table ignoring his last comment along with Courtney's snicker. "Any more like it?"
"A few actually," Avery answered as smoothly as before motioning to the bookshelf Roy had been studying earlier. "If you want, you can borrow that one. I only have it out because Jordan said you all were doing a project on The Raven."
"Yea."
"So, not that much into Poetry," Avery said on noting Roy's less than enthused answer.
"Not really."
"And talking," the male joked.
"Don't worry Avery," Courtney supplied, rolling her eyes before elbowing the male. "He's always like this."
"Yea, I live with one."
"I am curious though, about this symbol." Pointing to the cover of the book Roy carefully studied the older male's facial expression, noting that his eyes had narrowed for a split second, his smile twitching ever so slightly into a frown before it was back.
"Oh," Avery said, curiosity lining his features. "What would you like to know?"
Courtney sat watching and listening as the males talked back and forth, something unnatural about the way they spoke to one another. While Roy wasn't one to hold a conversation with people, normally, he was talking to Avery as he would do someone he questioned on the streets for information. He was leaning back into the sofa, arms crossed, his head tilted slightly to the side. If that wasn't his interrogation pose then the blonde didn't know what was.
Personally she had no clue what had gotten into Roy and his whole suspicious routine. Thinking it had something, or everything to do with the book she would ask him later. Right now she was just going to keep listening. Hopefully either one of them would give her a clue on what the problem was.
"I got it from my-"
The doorbell rang again arousing Avery once again from the sofa. Opening the door this time without even looking to see who it was he was a bit putt off to see Jordan out of breath, an array of bags at his feet.
"You," Avery said drawing out the single syllabled word, "Could have called ahead to let me know." Ignoring the scalding glare from his cousin, Avery took a hold of a few bags helping his cousin before shooing him into the other room to get started on his project.
"Sorry I'm late," Jordan apologized to his classmates as he plopped down onto the sofa across from them dropping his book bag at his feet "Car problems."
Been there, Roy thought before letting his eyes travel to the ring on the other male's finger. He didn't want to stir any more problems than he may have in talking with Avery by asking him about it, but something was going on and he was going to get to find out what.
"The sooner we get through this, the sooner we don't have to think about or see another raven again." Courtney said in an exasperated tone.
Roy couldn't agree fast enough.
-xoOox-
?,?
March 8th 2012
11:23p.m.
"WHAT?!" Demons cowered close to the stone walls of a fire lit room as their master let out his frustrations, embedding a knife into the thick slabs.
Corva stood patiently by the window as she delivered the news of Mellori's awakening to her son. Her face was devoid of any emotions as she reported her findings of the past day to her eldest, the male as he should, taking it none too gently.
Benneti, unlike his sister, was a dark grey almost black in complexion with short white hair and sharp blood red eyes. He wore black slacks and shoes, a deep red vest over a simple green button up shirt, and deep red gloves to match.
"That damn Witch Boy," Benneti seethed, eyes narrowed dangerously spooking his demons further. "I should have dealt with him when I had the chance." Looking back over to his mother Benneti sighed before motioning her to sit only doing so after she did. "Who told the child?"
"You and I both know who would have done it," Corva spoke in a clipped tone. If Hades weren't a god she would have deal with him sooner. No. Neron, however, was just an annoying thorn in her side. One she would have to get rid of if everything was to go right within the next few weeks.
"Either Neron or Hades. Those conniving backwards-"
"Now is not the time to dwell on that son," Corva spoke silencing the younger male from his tirade. "Your sister is on the verge of re-awakening-"
"It has already happened." Benneti placed his hand to his chest. "I can feel it. Why she hasn't come here yet is beyond me." Looking out the window into the perpetually dark sky, Benneti tore away from the view to look at his demons. Beckoning over the youngest one, he picked it up stroking its bald head. "She was always hard to read. Even as kids."
Silence filled the room again as Benneti was lost in his thoughts. Too much was going on right now to think about one single course of action. Damage control would have to be done, before things got out of hand, sure that his sister had not talked to her ex-subordinates just yet. They could not afford to lose their Portals.
"How is little Mackenzie doing with her ward?"
Returning her attention back to her son, the older demon spoke. "Better than I expected, although the boy is very much like his father." Bitterness lined her tone then. "It will be hard."
"As expected.." Benneti twirled another knife in his hands deep in thought. "Mackenzie is the best for the job. She will do just fine. Just fine indeed."
"I am however, worried about Avery. His loyalties are slacking." Remembering their last conversation, which had not gone well at all, Corva knew he would be a major problem. Benneti wouldn't hear of getting rid of the male in place for someone more loyal. She had brought that conversation up before. Obviously it had not happened. "And now with Mellori awake-"
"He's still upset over Melanie?" Benneti asked as if it were a shock to him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was in love with the human."
"It has happened."
"No matter," Benneti said resuming his administrations to the relaxing demon. "I will deal with him. You just keep an eye on Mackenzie and the Grayson child."
There was one more thing she needed to pose to her son. "With Mellori awake, it is very possible she will sway Mackenzie and her Portal to her side. If that happens then I believe it best to get rid of the child. It could be best for-"
"No," Benneti spoke, cutting his mother off. "We will not. We can't afford waiting another who knows how long for this. He is to be kept alive for as long as possible."
He does not see what is at stake here. "The boy-"
"Is rather valuable. Rather valuable indeed." Turning back towards the window Benneti let the young demon down to go back with the others. "More so alive and in our custody than anywhere near that self-apposed King of Lies. Even if Mellori is to get her hands on him."
"As you wish son. As you wish."
"As for Mellori. She will no doubt try and contact her old subordinates. Talk, to Mackenzie," Benneti reiterated. "She is still rather young and eager to please. I would rather not lose her over anyone else. Salina and Baker we do not have to worry about much…I will talk with Avery."
Watching his mother walk away Benneti turned back to the window his mind heavy of the things to come. "Nevermore, O 'tis a lovely thing for youth, To early walk in wisdom's way; To fear a lie, to speak the truth, That we may trust to all they say."
End Chapter
The poem in the description/Story is "The Liar," by William Blake. The one in which Benneti recites is from Isaac Watts, "Against Lying."