Please pull up the song 'Paint the Town Green' by The Script. Please do not play it unitk the que in the story, thanks and... NO SPOILERS FOR YOU!
So, since Robin is off fighting Kobra in the episode "Targets"-
Shark #1: According to YJ Wikia.
Me: I'm skipping that episode.
Shark #2: Because it makes sense that Whisp would be with Robin.
Me: Quit interrupting me!
Sharks #1&2: Sorry.
Me: Thanks. And, because I didn't want to skip two episodes, I'm doing a filler,
Bear: In the form of three gingers, an ebony and a brunette at a boring gala.
Me: Seriously?! What is it with you guys and interrupting me?!
Monkey: Who knows?
Me: Whatever. Let's get on with it!
Kitty: And Paint the Town Green!
Me: Shut up!
Disclaimer: Consider it disclaimed.
~Line~
Wayne Manor, Gotham City
September 17th, 11:25 AM
"Mistress Adelaide I am well aware of the fact that you do not wish to participate in Master Bruce's gala, but I'm afraid you must." Alfred says, just outside my door, and I groan on despair, looking into the mirror once more. My hair is in a braid, wrapping around my head in a crown and I'm wearing a leaf-green dress with a light outer layer and a simple, slightly darker inner layer.
I tuck a small strand of hair behind my ear, and walk out the door, nearly bumping into Dick, who's long slave shirt is the same leaf-grren as my dress.
"Woah, hey Adela" Dick says, putting his hands up so I don't run into him. "I see Alfred finally coerced you into wearing a dress" he says, wit a hint of a smirk.
"Shut up, my only other choice was no hero-ing AND no cookies! How was supposed to refuse?" I ask him as we walk to the ballroom where the Wayne/Queen charity gala is being held. Bruce, Ollie, Roy, Barry and Wally are already in the ballroom; scratch that, Wally is attacking the kitchen. "Why are Barry and Wally here again?" I ask no one in particular when Dick and I reach the small cluster of hosts and guests.
"Ollie invited us" Barry tells me before speeding off to the kitchen, where an echoing "Masters Wallace and Bartholomew!" And the smack of a wooden spoon could be heard.
Within minutes, the ballroom was full of rich, snobby socialites drinking cheap champagne and gossiping. Then there was Selina, Bruce, Barry, Ollie and Jim and Barbra Gordon, who were being decent people. This left Barbara Wally, Dick, Roy and I quite uncomfortable. Especially Dick and I, since most of the gossip revolved around "Wayne's charity case children". We were standing in the corner near the punch when one of the 40 year old rich women with too much makeup and jewelry came over to us.
"And who might you be, miss-" she asks me with false politeness.
"Jag är ledsen, men jag har ingen önskan att tala med irriterande, falska kvinnor såsom dig själv." (I'm sorry, but I have no wish to speak with annoying, false women such as yourself.) I tell her, cocking my head to seem as if I don't understand her; I look to Dick and Wally, both who are trying not to laugh, Roy and Barbara seeming as confused as the woman.
"I'm sorry for my sister, her English is limited and she can't understand it very well" Dick says, choking back laughter.
"Oh, I see" she says, turning around, muttering something about "retarded foreign children". Wally, Dick and I burst into laughter once she's lost in the crowd.
"What did you say?" Roy asks, turning to us.
"She- she said 'I'm sorry, but I have no wish to speak with annoying, false women such as yourself'." Wally says between laughter, Barbara smiles and Roy allows himself to smirk.
After tricking the guests with thirteen different languages including Dutch Irish, Gaelic, Arab, Mandarin, Russian, and German, the five of us began to bore.
"Hey Dickie, I just remembered, today's a very special day, how long will it take you to set up the speakers in the back room?" I ask him, a glint in my eyes.
"Oh, five, ten minutes, not long, why?"
"It's been fifteen years since my parents first met and my Mamma and I have- had a very special tradition for this day. Please?" I beg him.
"Sure" he says and we start walking to the back room where the speaker system for the ballroom is kept.
"Will this get us in trouble with Bruce?" Wally asks nervously.
"No, he knows about this tradition, hell, he's been there when I did it with Mamma, back when..." I trail off, a lump in my throat.
"Wait, didn't your mom die four years ago?" Roy asks, and I nod "so how does Bruce know?"
"He's my godfather, he knew my Mamma and he helped her... Adjust after a mishap. I've known him most of my life, he helped Mamma get back on her feet and was like a second father to me" I say, choosing my words carefully.
"What about Charles?" Barbara asks "Wasn't he your stepfather?"
"Yeah, but he was never there for me, hell, he was barely there for his own kids. Oh look, we're here" I say, changing the subject "you three stay here" I tell Wally, Barbara and Roy as Dick and I slip inside.
(Ten minutes later . . .)
Dick and I emerge from the back room, satisfied with our work, and the four of us head to the half of the ballroom where Bruce is almost done with a speech. When he's done, Dick and I stand atop the table, where everyone can see us.
"If you value formality or don't care about a daughter's memoir to her deceased mother and unknown father, leave now" Dick announces, and everyone but Ollie, Barry, Bruce, Commissioner Gordon.
"Good, West, Harper" I say, and a screen falls down, and a projector warms up. "Hit it, Babs." (Now is the time to play the song. Also, I need you to imagine a mom and her daughter painting the wall green, a concert bathed in green light, a mother and a daughter sitting in a field, smiling and a woman dancing while her husband's head is turned to her, watching as she dances, obscuring his face from the view of the camera. Sorry, I couldn't show you the pictures live I could for those on Wattpad.)
"Was that your mom?" Barbara asks, smiling as the music plays.
"Yeah, and that last one was of my parents at their wedding" I say, smiling as well.
"Then why-" Wally asks, but I cut her off.
"My father had to leave her, his parents forced him to" I say softly, remembering how my mom talked so fondly about her year of marriage with my father.
"Hey, better memories here!" Dick says as he plays the song again and everyone steps out onto the dance floor, even Bruce. Dick danced with Selina, Barbara danced with her father, Barry, Ollie and Wally danced (horribly) by themselves. Roy watched everyone with a smile on his face and I got to dance with Bruce, like the past time we did this with Mamma. And no, it was not a 'formal' type of dance, it was a very odd and happy dance.
~Line~
So this was fun to write.
Monkey: Fun Fact: Adelaide's heritage is based off of Wise_Girl's.
Me: Yep! Only hers is more defined... Kind of.
Shark #2: Ooh! Ooh! Can I give away the heritage spoilers? Please?
Me: Sure, why not?
Shark #2: Yay! Adelaide's mother was born and raised in Sweden, and her father was half Irish and half Navajo. He was raised in Dublin, Ireland with his mother while his father was still in America.
Shark #1: That will come in later in the story, for now, wait.
Shark #2: Adelaide's mom moved to Dublin, Ireland when she was 20, after her parents were killed.
Me: Her parents met in Dublin - as the song alludes to - and there were fireworks, until they were torn apart.
Bear: Perhaps by his parents or perhaps for another reason, maybe it wasn't just her father, but also her mother that tore Adelaide's parents apart.
Me: After Adelaide was born, bother her mother and her father moved to America, her mother to start anew, and her father to explore his Navajo roots.
Kitty: They never met again! Now, before you get any ideas, Wise_Girl's heritage is much more messed up.
Me: Oh yeah, mostly Swedish, but there is some Native American - either Sioux or from somewhere in Philadelphia - then, we can only trace my dead grandfather's side of the family back to Virginia, after that, we're lost. But we do know they were Irish.
Side note: this song makes me feel happy about my Irish roots and really, it can relate to anyone's roots, despite the setting it portrays. And that's what this chapter is really about, family and your family's roots.
What are your roots?
