Time: Two months from end of last chapter...
"So, are you ready?" I queried Kara. She nodded. The dress picked out for her for the wedding, did her justice. Long and flowing, the dress showed off her figure, just a bit less than Diana's and Shayera's did theirs. Hair twisted into a tail, she had bound the end back up along, and into itself, giving the illusion it had no end. I on the other hand, was wearing deep blue jeans, and a full formal armor arrangement, including back and breast plates, the latter attached to the former with what appeared to be dragon claws attached to holes in the front. There was a raised dragon on the back of the armor, the neck terminating at mine. The helmet I carried under one arm completed the neck, and left the illusion that the dragon's head was resting on mine. She twirled in the air and I grinned. "Just perfect. What do you think? Wear the sword?" I asked, indicating a long silver formal sword. She nodded.
"I think it makes you look gallant, like a knight riding to my rescue." She smiled. I couldn't help but laugh.
"The day you need a knight, is the day I retire." I grinned, and slipped an arm around her shoulders, as I hefted my sword in the other hand. She held Mr. Freckles in the other. We rose into the air, heading for the church, and I commmented. "I still can't believe you're bringing the cat."
"After what he did last time?" She asked with a grin. We'd come home to find it looking like a thunderhead had coming through the middle of the house. He'd managed to even get into the refrigerator. Now she never left him in the house, unless the door was closed, and bolted to the room he was in. He had found he could shapeshift on his own, up to the size of a jaguar. He couldn't reach full tiger without outside assistance. Namely mine. I found it odd, that we were heading to Shayera and Diana's wedding, to John and Bruce, rather than just one or the other. In truth, John and Shayera hadn't intended on getting married just yet, but circumstances had conspired to force the issue. Namely, she was pregnant. Diana didn't seem to have acheived that particular condition, but as she put it, it wasn't for lack of trying. Lois was having the same problem as Shayera, though no one was quite sure how she'd managed it. Scientifically that is. Most of the guys, and all the women had heard the story. I didn't believe he was that flexible but... In any case, she couldn't decide on a date, and Clark refused to push. I knew that her parents would force the issue if she hadn't decided by the end of month eight. I knew since they'd told me. I left about the point they started talking with his parents about kidnapping the happy couple.
The church in which the double wedding was situated, was terribly imposing, and as we landed, finding a space to do so wasn't hard. A blast of heat vision cleared the ground rapidly enough. Clark glared at her as we landed, but Freckles convinced him to step off. I have yet to figure out how, or why, but the cat seems to be able to do damage to anything he wants to, irregardless if it's invincible or not. I slipped my sword belt on, and only rattled slightly as we walked into the church.
Flash and Dancer, which caused quite a bit of snickering among some of the members of the league, had decided to take it slow. This also caused quite a bit of snickering, though most where they couldn't hear it. He was actively making the attempt to romance her, though he continually flubbed. Ah well, we can't all be suave and debonair. Like me. Where would all the fun be then?
J'onn saving his family, was a turn of events, no one on earth had expected, and it was something none of us begrudged him. Booster had offered to do the same for the rest of us, but no one to my knowledge took him up on the offer. His wife and son were, without a doubt the most interesting people I'd met in a very long time. His daughter, was... entertaining to say the least. Most of the news media, including Perry White, Clark and Lois boss, James Olsen, and Lana Lang, one of Clarks old flames, were in attendance. Why she was here, I wasn't sure, but decided it wasn't my business.
Green Arrow and Black Canary, had worked through some rather entertaining differences. Some nights, the most interesting thing to do, was grab a bowl of popcorn, and watch them battle back and forth through the watch tower. It only occasionally erupted into a fist fight, though she always came out on top, figuratively, as well as literally. I couldn't help but tease Arrow about it. He responded with one comment. "That's not the only time she comes out on top." He told me with a grin. It was something else I had decided against pursuing.
Dr. Light and Fire stood in the back of the room leaning against the wall and each other. They had discovered somethings they had in common, that had little to do with crimefighting, and everything to do with fighting emotions. Ice, the third member of their group, appeared with drinks. Not every member of the league was entirely comfortable with the relationship the three had, but some of us stood up for them. In honesty, they could do so for themselves, but if they weren't around, then some one always stepped in.
John and Bruce stood near the altar, conversing lightly with J'onn, and Steel, who had forgone his armor, but retained his helmet. Not far away, stood three arrivals to the party, that shocked most of the people there, including Kara. Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, and Poison Ivy smiled and waved as we approached. Right now, most people would have tightened their grip on Kara. I knew that would only result in pain for me, so I loosened my grip instead. She remained calm though.
"Hello Lex. Mr. Savage, Mrs. Ivy." She greeted politely.
"Ah, but it will soon be Mrs. Savage." Vandal replied, touching his lips to Ivy's forehead. I concealed the smile I felt when I saw Lex silently mock gag. Savage seemed to know it, and stomped on his foot. He bit off a yelp. I smiled. At that moment, a gong ringing deep inside the church, tolled the hour, and signaled it was time for the start of the ceremony. Kara took up her postion, and I moved to mine. I was just behind, and to the right of the preacher, head bowed. Everyone knew I would be, what I didn't mention, was that it was because I would be humming a funeral dirge, very quietly. Beyond that, I did in fact have something to contribute to the ceremony. The two brides approached the altar in exact unison, even holding the bouquet's identically. The wedding proceeded normally, up to the vows. They had been specifically written for these four.
"I swear to love, honor, protect, and defend with even my life. To rise to any challenge, and follow you through the very gates of hell, if need be." The girls repeated the vows. Now it was my turn. They'd both agreed to it long before hand, and knew what to do. They each raised a hand. The girls the left, the guys the right. I pulled from my armor, to long slender blades. I lay one between each pair of palms, and then wrapped a piece of blue cord around them.
"In shared pain, and intermingling of blood comes knowledge, and understanding, thus it is said, thus it is." I reached down and pulled the blades free. There was a collective yelp of pain and blood hit the floor. I lifted my hands again, and the two blades shattered. I reached, and took each pair of hands in one of mine, and spoke. "Courage into healing. Knowledge into healing. Life into healing. My powers to healing." Every person there, could see the energy dancing around me, as it flowed down my arms, to seal the wounds, and dispersed the cords. I let go, and stepped away to the side. Four hands lifted into the air and four scars glowed faintly, then they turned back to the minister.
"Then, by the powers invested in me, by the city of Gotham, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. And husband and wife. You my kiss the brides." And they did. Boy did they. A number of bets started up involving when they'd finish. I won, my premonition powers coming through finally. After they had finished, the reception began, and we passed out the drinks. One of my favorite things, about this place, Gotham, is that the minimum age for liqour, is eighteen. It was a good thing I got fairly drunk, fairly quickly. Diana's mother showed, shortly after the wedding.
"Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?" She snarled. Diana fixed her with a gaze, that would have killed most men, and a fair number of women. He mother stared right back, unflinching. No one was sure how she managed it, they were all flinching, and most of them were behind her.
"I was banished, remember?" She pointed out, deadly calm. "Returning on pain of death, remember? I couldn't tell you."
"You know the way around that." He mother replied, waving her hand. "Just a nice little fight, and all is forgiven."
"I won't fight my sisters." Diana proclaimed. "And I won't let anyone do it for me."
"You need to take your nobility, and put it on a shelf dear lady." Adam commented, as he walked up, wobbling side to side a bit. Kara followed him, though it was hard to tell if it was help him, or keep him upright. "Any number of people here, would gladly do it for you." He swept his glass around to indicate the rest of the league, and various others. The sudden movement almost sent him to the ground, but Kara caught him. "Thank you my sweet."
"You're welcome." Came the reply.
"Is he drunk?" Diana's mother asked quietly.
"As a skunk." Adam replied happily, taking another swig.
"Are you willing to let him take the challenge on your behalf?" She asked. Diana sighed.
"Will anyone else take up the challenge instead?" She asked. The resounding silence answered her. So did Adam.
"I shall!" He sputtered, and raised his arm in the air. He almost fell again.
"Then he may." Diana replied. "Should we wait until he's sober?" She asked. Kara answered this time.
"Probably not a good idea." She grinned. "Otherwise he might forget he accepted the challenge."
"Never!" He replied. "You'll never stop me, you cheese-eating monkey farts!" He yelled the last at the top of his lungs. Diana's mother leaned over.
"I don't like taking advantage of him like this." Diana opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off.
"But I like it when beautiful women take advantage of me." He replied, and toppled to the ground. "But, all I can see at the moment, are pink elephants." Kara laughed.
"Don't worry, I have absolute faith in him." She grinned, hefting him on her shoulder. A comment drifted in from the audience.
"Sure, what more sobering sight is there, than a raging Amazon trying to kill you?" The voice asked. Another voice replied.
"Two raging Amazon's trying to kill you?" Laughter broke out.
An hour later, still drunk, I found myself standing in the corner of a ring, with the biggest woman I had ever seen, facing me from the opposing corner. She smiled. I smiled back nervously, and turned to Kara, floating beside me.
"What am I supposed to do?" I asked curiously.
"Stay alive for ten minutes. Or put her to the mat three times. Win, and Diana can return home." She informed me politely.
"Ah, no challenge. I'll tell her a story." I turned back, and saw the flag drop. She charged me. I didn't really have a plan, so I charged her. At the last moment, I leapt, and rolled between her legs, delivering a powerful kick right where it counted. Naturally, this worked better with a man, but she stumbled, and then came back at me. The round house kick she delivered was unexpected, and I found myself face down in the mud. Instinct told me move, or become pulp, so I rolled away. A moment later, she slammed into the ground where I was. There was enough force to pulp me. I twisted, and kicked out, slamming both feet into her back. There was a sharp crack of bone, and I realized it was my leg, when I couldn't get up. The alcohol was still deadening the pain. Luckily, I could still fly, I levitated up into the the air, and swept side to side away from her blows. She lunged into the air, and swung her arms out to wrap me up, and crush me. I dropped under, and kicked up, catching her in the stomach. She flipped over and slammed into the ground. She was about to rise up, and rip my heart out, when a whistle sounded.
"The challenge is complete." Diana intoned.
"Welcome then back into the fold." Her mother replied. They hugged. The woman that was trying to kill me just a moment earlier, helped me stand until Kara could. The drinking began again, though I started eating everything I could lay hands on. Healing bone took a lot of energy.