Hopeful Idiot
Chapter 20: Aeslin Primer & The Party part 1
The mice cheered.
Hope had quickly figuring out that cheering and the waving of their little flags was practically a default response with the Aeslin. The mice had decided (entirely without consulting the humans) that the main colony would stay with Martha on Kent Farm and a small splinter colony of 16 mice would go with Clark and Hope to their apartment in Metropolis.
(Both Clark and Hope had argued against this last decision. It had originally been a splinter colony of 77 mice. After an intense argument among the mice and utter bafflement of the humanoids, the mice agreed to decrease the number to 16; 8 each dedicated to Clark & Hope respectively. However, with this concession, they were solemnly sworn to switch out the splinter mice every so often for the 'New Knowledge and Religious Revelations' to be recited to the main branch of the colony.)
It was ALSO decided – again without any human discussion – that there would be at least one mouse with each member of the Kent family at all times. Aeslin never forgot anything and part of what the mice considered their life's purpose was to record the lives of the Kents.
(Hope at this point raised her hand and confusedly asked why she was considered a Kent, as she wasn't even married into the family. The mice had turned as one to look at her with their oil-drop black eyes and blinked several times in unison. Then they had turned back to each other and a large debate had begun. Hope had caught the words 'commencement', 'mystery', and 'towels'. She didn't ask again.)
Yet another discovery was that mice names were not only unpronounceable by humans, but also included tail wagging and ear twitching. Fortunately, the Aeslin understood this easily and were not offended in the slightest when addressed as simply 'mouse'.
More discoveries: Aeslin mice were omnivores. They ate just about everything. Fruit, cheese, and meat were their main dietary requirements. They even hunted to get their protein. They hunted rats, smaller rodents, squirrels, and even dogs and cats if the Aeslin hunting party was large enough. They were smart and persistent.
When Hope had heard that they also went after snakes and other such reptiles, she decided that she'd be buying more meat and just letting the mice have it raw to do with as they pleased. The thought of blood and things under her floorboards or in the couch made her shiver unpleasantly.
The mice also, really, really, REALLY, liked Martha's pies. To an insane degree. Apparently, they had been sneaking down at night to steal pie for years and it had always been blamed on either Johnathan or Clark. Since both men ate so much pie, and the mice stole so little, they had never been discovered.
Hope got Martha's recipe down to a 't'.
The mice cheered.
And all of that was before they even left Martha's house!
Now, three days later, things were settling down.
Hope told them that they could do what they wanted with the extra cardboard boxes laying around and the next morning she found a cardboard mouse castle about three feet high covering the entire floor of the (mostly) unused hall closet. At which Hope moved all the hanging human stuff out of said closet and let the mice have the rest of the space.
The day after that, Hope woke to find a strategically cut, cartoonishly perfect, round hole in the floorboards of Every. Single. Room.
The next ten minutes had been a very one-sided argument. Hope was outraged, annoyed, and starting to get a bit scared of how fast the little critters were working. The mice stared up at her guilelessly and calmly recited her early words back to her that They Could Have the Rest of the Space.
"I meant the rest of the closet space, not the run of the entire apartment!" Hope gestured emphatically. "This is a rented apartment! What are the owners going to think when they come in and see mouse holes everywhere?! You can't just take over the entire place. The closet is yours. You stay in your closet. You Can't Destroy Other People's Property!" The last sentence had been so emphatic and loud that you could hear the capitals.
Which was interesting in that the mice spoke in capitals all the time. So when Hope suddenly, seemingly spontaneously, did the same thing, they all perked up. "So Shall It Be," the lead mouse quivered in ecstatic joy, "the First Rule of the Shouting Priestess." (They kept trying new titles for her. This was the latest version.)
Hope didn't know whether to facepalm, growl, or collapse in annoyance on the couch. She went to get herself a bowl of chocolate ice cream instead.
+++HOPEFUL+IDIOT+++
Hope looked in the mirror and gauged her visage.
She wore a black sequined sheath dress that came to just above her knees. Short enough she could move easily. The neckline was a tasteful square with straps to frame. A strapless black lace bra and skin-slick black panties, along with 3-inch black pumps and a black sequined handbag (shoes and bag provided by the boutique) completed the outfit.
Carefully applied makeup and hairdo (helped by Lois) and she was done.
She didn't feel done. She felt very self-conscious and practically naked.
"You look stunning," Clark breathed as he walked up behind her. He held her shoulders and squeezed gently for comfort and encouragement. She knew her returned smile was anything but soothed.
She and Clark had argued for a good three hours about her going to this party, but eventually she'd won. Compromise and communication was the soul of any relationship. They finally settled with her going, but she would be taking not only Winston but also a small gun that was even now strapped to her inner thigh. It only held four bullets, but if she had to fire it, the night was already shot to hell. (Pun completely intended.)
"Is everyone ready?" she asked nervously.
Winston wagged his tail enthusiastically as the mice cheered.
The two boutique owners had been alerted she was bringing a dog and while getting Hope's dress took only an hour, the pair had spent the last two weeks working on making Winston his own formal wear: a crystal-embellished black sequined harness that perfectly matched Hope's attire. There were also two small bags attached to the harness, one on either side, with black embroidery.
Inside Winston's bags were four mice (two in each bag), one emergency button that would immediately alert Clark, and one container of medicine.
"I'll be patrolling the city, so if you need me—" Clark began.
"—I'll hit the panic button and you'll fly in to save the day." Hope finished with a happy exasperated huff. They'd gone over the just-in-case's several times. "We all know the drill." She knew he'd be spending his evening worrying over her until she came back, but she knew it was because he cared for her. She leaned and kissed his cheek gently (not wanting to smear her makeup). "We'll be fine. It'll all be fine." And if it wasn't fine, he'd come in faster than she could hit the panic button, as she had no doubt he would be tuning in those amazing ears of his to listen the entire time.
"This isn't going to be like California," she tried to reassure him. He didn't look soothed.
She kissed him again, because she had to, pulled on her overcoat, and left.
+++HOPEFUL+IDIOT+++
The cab pulled up a beautiful drive, revealing Wayne Manor. Several stories, made of stone and brick, gorgeous architecture. Even though she had researched and knew what the place looked like, she was still impressed by the sheer size and aura of the place.
A footman opened her door just as she was pulling on her mask. To his credit, he didn't bat an eye at the sight of a dog. The cabbie certainly had! "Lovely to have you with us this evening, Ms Smith."
"Thank you," she said instead of the expletive that wanted to erupt.
The guy had been alerted that she'd be bringing a dog and as Hope knew she was probably the only one to have a dog, he knew who she was. Made sense. She didn't like it. It was unnerving.
She saw people ahead of her handing a doorman a card, then the door guy would turn and semi-yell their names to the inside. "Bruce Wayne has a herald?" she muttered. Winston gave a small woof of amusement. "Though I suppose they would be called announcers or something else more modern." He gave another amused woof.
Hope waited her turn patiently. Lots of people and lots of names she didn't know. When it was her turn, the announcer held out his hand for a card as he had done for all the others, but then Winston gave a soft bark. The man looked down, saw the dog, saw the embroidery on the dog's harness, and gracefully turned to the party. "Miss Hope Smith and Winston!"
Winston gave a doggy smile and another soft woof, thanking the man. While the doorman's posture and demeanor didn't change, a small quirk of his lips made it to his face before he smoothed it out and turned to receive the next guests.
A woman in a blood red gown, long white gloves, and a white feathered half-mask, turned to greet her. She spotted Winston. "Don't you think that's giving it away, dear?"
Of course, it was a masquerade.
The herald was announcing who was present, but not who was who. However, as she was the only one with a dog, it wouldn't be a mystery as to her identity…but since this entire masquerade thing was pretty much only for Bruce to meet her in person without fear of him getting enough for a facial recognition scan, it didn't really matter that much.
Hope smiled tightly and shrugged.
Her goal for the evening was to get in, mingle just enough to be polite and not draw attention to herself, meet Wayne, then get out without making a fool of herself.
The woman waited for her to speak, but when she didn't, developed an intrigued expression. "Do you have a distinct voice perhaps?" A finger tapped her chin. "Maryann Harper?"
Of course, it was a masquerade! The whole point was to figure out who was around you.
Hope mentally groaned and shook her head. She'd have to talk. Pretend you're Martha! Clark's Earth mother had impeccable manners. "I am sorry, but no. Excuse me." Hope skedaddled and made her way to a far wall by a long buffet table. Full of things she couldn't even identify. "If you don't know what it is, don't eat it," she muttered to herself.
"Sound advice," a male voice came from her left.
Hope jumped, automatically saying "Warn a girl!"
This man's version of a mask was to not wear one. (Many of the party goers had gone this route and dressed as other people. She had seen Elsa and Ana from Frozen, many Game of Thrones characters, as well as Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and the Pope.) Instead, he was dressed as some stylized Eastern outfit. Chinese? Maybe Japanese? Korean? Something along those lines. Probably a historical figure she didn't know. "I do apologize. I did not mean to frighten you," he smiled.
"People popping up where you don't expect them is unnerving," she replied dryly.
"It was unintentional, I assure you."
"Fine. Apology accepted." He looked at her for long moments. Long enough that she was unnerved even more. "What?" she demanded. "Trying to figure out who I am?"
He smirked. "Indeed. That is the goal of a masque, after all."
Hope sighed and nodded. "True. Sorry. I'm a bit on edge."
"Hmm," he nodded and looked out at the other party goers. "You have never attended a party such as this before."
"Figured that out all by yourself, did ya?"
His lips quirked as he nodded again thoughtfully. Another long minute passed in silence. Then, "What do you think of Batman?"
Bit random, but another quick glance at him confirmed he wasn't Bruce Wayne. So maybe the guy was just making small talk? "He's a dumbass." Though he's getting better, she mentally acknowledged.
A raised eyebrow. "Oh? And why do you say that? Most think he is either a saint or a demon."
"Because he can do more for bettering the city than punching criminals."
There went the other eyebrow. "Do tell."
Hope rolled her eyes to the ceiling and let out a huff. "Do you really want to hear from a nobody like me? I mean, I've never been to one of these things before. That should tell you that I'm nobody special all by itself."
He gestured to her figure and Winston. "You are wearing an original Dina DeMille gown and you brought your pet, who matches your attire perfectly in his bespoke harness. While you may have never been to something like this event, you are hardly no one special." He pulled two champagne flutes from a passing server and handed her one. "Please, enlighten me."
"Touché," she acknowledged his logic. It's so hard to find someone with an actual brain! So, she began to outline the same things she had mentioned to Bruce in her original email. Though she did leave out that she knew who it was. But as she had told Wayne, it wasn't exactly hard to figure out.
The more she spoke, the more the man smiled. What started as a small grin turned into a large ear-to-ear showing-teeth smile by the time she stopped. "I thought it was you, but that confirms it." He held out his hand. "Wonderful to meet you again, Ms Kramer."
Hope blinked, shaking his hand automatically.
Hope blinked again. Winston gave a soft bark and pushed against her side. She absently pet him as she stared. Trying to figure out how she knew him. Her eyes scraped over his attire again. His general build. His wording. His faint accent. "Ra's?" she asked.
A small smile and a nod. His smile gradually vanished until he was frowning slightly. "I thought I told you to stay out of Gotham?"
"This is the first time I've been in Gotham in almost five years…and you sent that email months ago." Hope looked around at all the people and her mind raced with all she knew of this man. She looked back at him and asked warily, "Why are you here, Ra's?"
He acknowledged her nervousness with another small nod. "Originally, or now?"
"Your goal changed." It was a statement.
"Quite. My original purpose was quite different. However…Gotham has changed significantly in recent months and I wanted to know why." The way he said 'Gotham' indicated that he meant something different. Probably Batman…
"So, you came to the source."
"Indeed." He eyed her again. "And I think I know why the Thomas and Martha Wayne Foundation was created… Don't I?" He looked out at the others again. "Indeed, I know why this birthday party became a masquerade at the last minute." A pause. "Bruce Wayne has found the same treasure I once discovered." Another pause. "Has he managed to obtain it?" was asked more softly.
Hope shook her head. "He doesn't want me romantically…just my brains. I did the same thing with him that I did with you, sorta. I do that a lot." She shrugged uncomfortably. "You and he are just some of the very few who listened."
Ra's al Ghul eyed her. "I think you underestimate yourself and Wayne's intentions." He reached out and pulled a tray of something supposedly edible off the table and offered it to her. "Just as you do myself."
Her eyes flicked up to his in shock in mid-reach. "What?"
His smile was rueful. "Indeed. You are such an intriguing woman." He reached out as if to brush her hair back where it had fallen, but stopped himself. "Gotham has a far brighter future than it did only months ago. You succeeded where I and my associates failed. Though…"
Hope swallowed harshly around the lump in her throat. "What are you going to do?" she whispered. "Please, Ra's, not innocents."
His eyes hardened and he almost growled, "I never harm the innocent—"
"Unless there's no other option," she interrupted and nodded. "I know that. I do know that. It's just…"
"We differ on our definition of 'innocent'. I'm aware."
She took a large swallow of her champagne. It had been the largest contention between them for as long as they had known each other. If it hadn't been for his absolute black-and-white view of the world, she'd have gone to work for him years ago. But she still couldn't see a thief, who was only stealing bread to feed his family, as a criminal who deserved death. "There are criminals that are created by necessity, and those created by the darkest paths of the human psyche. The two are not equal. You can't compare Jean Valjean to H.H. Holmes!"
Ra's eyes glittered as they usually did when they began to seriously debate. He took a breath, gearing to fire a volley, but then froze. His eyes were on something over her head as he pulled back. "It seems I have worn out my welcome." Hope heard rapid footfalls even as Ra's bent and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. "I will contact you at a later date. Enjoy your evening."
As he was walking away, Hope called out, "Ra's?"
He turned and raised an eyebrow.
"Please, Ra's, nothing that will…" she couldn't bring herself to say it. Her mind didn't want to categorize such things. The levels of horrible that human could commit were many and varied.
He gave a small bow. "I swear to you. Nothing I, or my associates, do tonight will harm anyone even you would consider innocent." He began to walk away again.
She watched him, but after a second, she took a chance. "Ra's?" He turned and looked at her again, this time with impatience. "Lex Luthor." Hope met his eyes, not looking away. Conveying with her eyes what she couldn't say in a room full of people.
As a new man took Ra's place by her side, Ra's himself inclined his head and disappeared into the crowd.
+++++HOPEFUL+IDIOT+++++
Finished: 06.25.2021
The Aeslin mice come courtesy of the "InCryptid" series, from the mind of the singular Seanan McGuire.
Please tell me what you think, but constructive criticism please. I know it's not perfect. No beta, all mistakes are mine.