Chapter 10: The Games We Play (Part 1)
"Shh." Jon silenced throughout the dark room. The mumbling of the others stopped.
The metal door slid open and two figures blocking the hallway light stood in the doorway.
"Did the quarter's lose power or something?" one voice asked the other.
"Not as far as I know" A feminine voice replied.
Suddenly the light's turned on and an overwhelming cheer of "Surprise!" rung through their ears. The cheer ended with disappointed groan.
Don and Lian stood there in shock and confusion, wondering why there was a group of people, some in normal clothes and others in their costumes. And why were they all so disappointed in them?
"False alarm my friends," Kaldur sighed.
"Lian, Donald," Jon motioned them over to him, "Come here and be quiet, they'll be here any moment."
Lian rolled her eyes, "Who's going to be here?" she asked.
"Mar'i and Zach now hurry," Dawn quickly replied.
Don sped over to his sister and Lian casually strolled over and stood beside Damian and Sophie. She looked to her left to see Damian dressed in a well fit suit and then looked to her right to see Sophie dressed in a cute purple dress which ended just above her knees. Lian however was dressed in her Red Hood costume.
"Why did nobody tell me there was a party?" She whispered, pulling her mask from her eyes and moving it into one of the pouches on her belt.
"We did," Sophie replied in a hush tone, "Check your Holophone."
Lian pulled her sleeve from covering her left wrist and pushed the button on the black bracelet and opened her palm. A holographic panel appeared about an inch from her hand showing today's date, time and a picture that Lian had set as the 'background'. It was a picture of her, Dawn and Sophie dressed up for Jon's last birthday party. Underneath the date and time were multiple messages from each team member apart from Don, informing her of the party that was currently happening. Lian sighed and pushed the button on her wrist to close the holophone. "Still, surely you were planning this for a while," She whispered again.
Damian tilted his head back and sighed, "Jon planned it." he informed.
The archer placed her hand on her forehead and ran it down her face, "That explains it."
Jon was the notorious party planner. Each time there was a birthday, a holiday or any other reason to celebrate Jon would plan a party for it, the only downside of it being was that they were mostly 'Surprise Parties'. Not only for the people the party was for but for the guests as well.
"I'm going to have to go to my locker and get my spare clothes," Lian said to herself. She then looked over to Don see if he had the same problem but he was no longer in his purple suit. He had changed clothes with his super speed. Lian was the only person of the younger team in their costume. The archer then felt a nudge against her right arm, "I've brought a dress you can wear, don't worry," Sophie whispered.
"Shh this might be them," Jon hushed with excitement, this was always his favorite part.
A frown appeared on Damian's face, he was extremely confused. After all these years why had this never crossed his mind before? Damian turned his head towards the two girls beside him and asked, "He has X-Ray vision, why does he not use it?"
Sophie and Lian turned to him and shrugged. "He like's the anticipation?" Sophie guessed.
"Yeah, Okay, uh-huh. Sure. Yup. Right, okay.-"
"-Steph... Steph... Stephanie. I'm going to be even later to the party if you keep me on the phone." Tim advised, smile on his face.
"-Yes, I love you too." Tim grinned. The video call ended and Tim closed his Holophone, then making his way down into the living room to grab the two gifts that him and Stephanie had purchased for Mar'i and Zach. Tim was supposed to be at the party right now but the two forgot the presents so Tim volunteered to head back home and pick them up.
Tim jogged down the stairs and swung his way into the living room but there wasn't two objects sat waiting for him. There was three.
"Hey sexy." The silhouette purred.
Tim hit the light-switch beside him and prepared himself.
Sat on the couch was a white-haired girl dressed in blue and orange combat armor, her legs hanging over the arm's of the single chair, the girl had a flirtatious grin on her face while she fiddled with a throwing knife in her hands.
"This sure is a lovely house." Rose smiled. Her face then grimaced, "I doubt Stephanie paid a dime into this place."
Tim lowered his guard, as of right now Rose didn't seem like she was here to fight but rather to be civil. Well, as civil as she could be.
"What do you want Rose?" He growled.
The knife stopped dead in the palm of her left hand. She raised her right hand and placed her index finger to the side of her mouth, pondering his question.
"Hmm now that I think about it. A night with you would be pretty hot." She flirted.
Tim chuckled in disbelief, "Sorry, I'm spoken for."
Rose raised an eyebrow and then moved her feet towards the ground, "Oh no, he has another! Woe it's me, my heart hurts ever so." She pouted as she stood up.
"I'm sure you'll find someone as crazy and deranged as you. But then again, Harley is a bit too old for all that," Tim joked.
Rose placed her knife into the holder on her belt and slowly began to walk towards Tim, unzipping the front of her armor, "What if crazy isn't what I need?" she purred.
Tim stepped backwards, "It's certainly not what I need." He retaliated as his back hit the wall. Rose stood before Tim and smiled, "Oh I do love these games we play."
Rose pressed herself against Tim and locked her lips with his.
"Surprise!"
"Yay! Surprise party!" Mar'i beamed, clapping her hands and hovering a few inches from the ground.
Zach jumped out of his skin in fear, "Holy shi-"
Don and Dawn sped beside the two and blew onto their party whistles as they placed a cone hat onto the other two.
"Welcome to the team!" The younger heroes cheered. The group merged around Mar'i and Zachary while the adults hung back and clapped. Dawn quickly zipped over to the music player and started her 'Party Playlist'.
"I didn't expect a party," Zach mumbled to his teammates. Don slapped his back, "At least you're already dressed for one," he joked as he pointed towards the magicians tail-coat. Mar'i laughed at the joke the most and then noticed that Lian was in her costume.
"I take it you didn't expect a party either?" Mar'i giggled.
Lian shook her head and sighed, "Nope."
The archer then turned to Jon, "A little warning for the guests would probably be a good idea."
"But then it wouldn't be a super surprise party," Jon replied.
Dawn and Damian had to cover their mouths to hide their laughter. "A 'Super surprise party'? Really?" Sophie smirked.
"Ladies and gentlemen. The party...", "...Has arrived!" Two cocky voices announced. "Miss Dawn, if you would kindly hit us with a classic." Another voice added.
Dawn again quickly zipped over the music player and changed the song for a grand entrance. "Thrift Shop? This should do." Dawn said to herself.
As the beat began to kick in three people stepped through the doorway strutting like they were rock-stars, all three wearing sunglasses for whatever reason. Wally to the left, dressed in a yellow t-shirt and jeans. Gar in the middle, dressed in a black shirt with a larger than normal collar and a gold chain hanging around his neck. Lastly was Dick to the left, wearing a tight fitting blue shirt.
"Oh no..." Damian cringed.
"Not this again," Sophie covered her eyes.
Don looked to his sister, "Dawn if there is ever a time where I hit that crisis point in my life, Please kill me."
Dawn turned to her brother, "You have my word."
Mar'i and Zach were utterly confused.
The three men began circling the team snapping their fingers and nodding their heads to the beat. Cassie, Zatanna and M'gann could do nothing but cry of laughter near the back of the room.
"Evacuation protocol Alpha-X," Damian ordered.
The team grew serious and focused.
An opening between the three dancers appeared, "Execute plan." Damian finalized.
Everyone apart from Mar'i and Zach darted from the group and away from the three older heroes, leaving the younger two for dead.
"Wait! What's Evacuation protocol Alpha-X?!" Zach called out as the dancing embarrassments continued to encircle him.
Mar'i's black hair lit up purple and she hovered from the ground, "Everyone for themselves!" she shouted, flying out from the circle.
"Save me Mar'i!" Zach begged as two more people moved into the circle, Jaime and Cassie had now joined in.
"Sorry cutie you're on your own!" The girl replied from the air.
The music died out and the group of terrible dancers cheered as they picked up Zach and began to throw him in the air over and over again.
"Welcome to the team Zatara!" they cheered.
"What has my mother forced on me?" Zach asked himself, surrendering to his fate.
Rose reached for the top button of Tim's shirt and began to unbutton him as she pressed her lips against his neck repeatedly.
"Stop it." Tim said.
Rose chuckled at his 'demand' and continued.
And then she felt cold steel pressed against her neck.
"I said stop it." Tim frowned.
Rose raised her hands in the air and backed off, "Killjoy."
Tim flipped Rose's knife around in his hand and forcefully embedded the knife into the cabinet next to him.
"Is Stephanie not going to be mad about that?" Rose taunted.
Tim grimaced, "What part of our deal gave you the idea that you can come into my house and attempt to get into bed with me?"
Rose laughed at his seriousness. She eventually managed to contain her laughter and then teased Tim one more time, "Into bed? Nah, I'm not that kind of girl. I was thinking kitchen counter or coffee table. Something that Stephanie would Eat-"
"Shut your mouth Rose." Tim warned. "Just stop with all the Stephanie stuff, Please." he asked. Rose bit her lip and nodded, she then reached towards the zip at the front of her armor and raised an eyebrow "Last chance bird-boy," she teased. Tim didn't seem amused. The assassin pouted as the zip ran up to the top of her armor, securing her torso.
"Are you done playing around?" Tim asked, fed up with the girl before him.
"Pretty much." Rose replied.
Tim moved from the wall and walked past Rose and sat down in his armchair that she had previously stole. "So what have you got for me?" Tim asked.
Rose moved the presents into the center of the couch so that she wouldn't damage them and then she took a seat. "They've sent me to come and capture you," Rose sighed, "Dead or alive, thank god." she added.
Tim ran his right hand slowly across his mouth and thought for a moment, "Did they say why?" he then asked.
"Nope. Just that they need me to capture you," Rose informed.
"Of course they did." Tim pointlessly added. Rose raised an eyebrow again, for once she was seeing Tim without a plan.
Rose leaned against the arm of the couch beside her and crossed one leg over the other, "So what do you have for me?" She asked. Tim sat up and clasped his palms together, "They are transferring Joey, Rose."
Rose's laid back demeanor disappeared as she quickly stood up and pulled her mask over her head, "Where? When?" she questioned.
Tim shook his head, "That I don't know. I do, however, know who does."
"And he won't be so keen to help you."
A/N: So yeah the song was "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore, an oldie but goldie. Enjoy the cringe of a superhero midlife crisis! All I can imagine is Dick, Wally and Gar trying to convince themselves that they are still "With it"... Especially Dick.
Also, the second part of this chapter should be up within a day or two. I thought I'd split it up so you guys wouldn't have to wait as long for something.
Much love ~FarmingPirate