Justice League of Amazons: Fire & Blood
Chapter 12
…
After washing themselves and eating a quick breakfast, Aegon and Karen headed to the Watchtower. Heading for the conference room, the pair found the rest of the Justice League already waiting for them.
"Ah, good, glad you both made it," Shayera said from her seat. "So, let's recap what happened yesterday, shall we?" she asked briskly as Karen and Aegon took a seat.
"Yesterday morning, a bank was attacked by a small crew of Intergang mercs in a plan that was designed to draw Aegon out. And they brought some back-up in the form of Metallo who was clearly there to take on Power Girl," Shayera recounted the events as she brought them up on the holo-projector. "But thankfully, the Intergang mercs and Metallo were taken down by Aegon and Power Girl, so good work to them both," she then said. Everyone else nodded and murmured their assent. Aegon smiled and nodded at the show of appreciation at his efforts in yesterday's battle.
"During the clean-up, some federal agents showed up and took Metallo away," Shayera then said. "Where they took him to, we don't know at this point in time."
"We all know that Luthor is currently in government custody when it was discovered he was still alive after the virus hit," Diana stated.
Shayera nodded in confirmation and said, "Luthor is currently being held in a closed off estate under heavy guard." Images and video footage were shown of Lex Luthor currently reclining in a chair with some female guards carrying high grade weapons and adorned in body armour at various spots in the estate.
"Still don't like the idea of that bald creep being alive," Supergirl muttered bitterly. "How is he even alive at all?" she asked out loud.
"STAR Labs is trying to find the answer to that," Shayera replied. "They've offered a number of theories, but until they've finished running their tests, they don't know and neither do we," she said.
Kara grumbled, clearly unhappy with that answer. Shayera then pressed on. "Crime rates are spiking in certain cities and countries all over the globe, particularly in rural, remote & third-world countries," she then stated as she showed some graphs and video footage of cities and countries. "In those regions, we're seeing criminal organisations swiftly taking control and becoming the ruling force with the governments and law enforcement agencies becoming little more than puppets or powerless to stop it."
"Is there anything we can do to stop them?" Kimiyo Hoshi/Dr Light asked.
"We're doing what we can, even with some law enforcement agencies helping us but we're spread thin as is," Shayera replied.
"Who would it be controlling all these criminal organisations?" Dinah asked and everyone murmured an assent, all wanting to know who it was behind the criminal organisations.
"Batgirl did some digging and led to one strong possibility," Shayera said, and she looked over at Barbara who nodded and pressed some buttons on the console in front of her. An image of a tan-skinned woman with dark brown hair done in a stylish bun held by two metal chopsticks, fashionable looking glasses perched on her nose and wearing an expensive looking red dress cut to show off her enviable figure and on parts of her body was the tattoo of a dragon.
"Veronica Sinclair AKA Roulette. A crime lord who runs illegal casinos and fight pits known as Meta-Brawl," Barbara began. "Meta-Brawl was supervillains, metahumans or those who had been chemically or surgically enhanced that would then fight in cage matches while spectators would bet out on the outcome," she said.
"Sounds similar to the fight pits back in Essos," Aegon remarked.
"They had fight pits in your world?" Mari asked a look of disgust on her face.
"They do, mostly in Essos," Aegon replied. "In Westeros, there are tourneys and melees, but those are often without the risk of death, whereas the fighting pits in places like Mereen, it's life or death in a literal sense," he said. "I imagine it's much the same with this 'Meta-Brawl'," he added.
"Well, Meta-Brawl didn't have any real deaths, at least not intentionally," Barbara said after she shook off what she heard Aegon say about fighting pits. "Roulette has dipped her hand in smuggling, human trafficking, contraband and numerous other illegal activities," she added.
"I've encountered Roulette before," Dinah stated. "She mostly operates out of Bludhaven in a place known to its clientele as the House," she said.
"And where is this… House?" Beatriz/Fire asked.
"It changes locations on a routinely basis," Dinah said with an annoyed shake of her head. "Could be multiple buildings owned by shell and dummy companies under false names and such," she added.
"Could we perhaps find someone to squeeze for information?" Aegon suggested. "There has to be someone who knows where the House is," he added.
"We'll look into it," Shayera said to him. "We also have one other piece of business that needs to be addressed," she added.
"And that is?" Zatanna asked.
"The United Nations have made a request for a military-government liaison between us and them," Shayera said with a small note of distaste in her eyes.
"Figures," Helena muttered darkly. "Some pencil pushing bureaucrat getting underfoot, just what we needed," she said.
"How is it a bad thing? I don't quite understand," Aegon said.
"Well, a pencil pushing bureaucrat will just get in the way of things and limit what we can do in the field by drowning us in paper and legal work," Helena explained. "They'll stop us from doing what is needed by making us hang back and play at politics when disasters are going on around the world," she said.
"I see," Aegon said nodding his head in understanding. "Is there any way we can refuse the request?" he asked Shayera.
"I've tried. Believe me I tried," the Thanagarian replied. "But the UN was quite insistent, thanks to a certain someone," she said with some bitterness in her voice.
"Don't tell us: Amanda Waller?" Diana asked and Shayera nodded.
"Waller pulled some strings and the UN insisted we have a government liaison," she said. "So like it or not, we have to have a liaison around us," she added.
"When can we expect her?" Mari enquired.
"Tomorrow morning," Shayera answered. "She'll be coming to the Watchtower at 9:00am, so we better be on our best behaviour," she said.
"When are we not?" Zatanna joked and some light-hearted chuckles filled the room.
"Unless anyone else has anything to share, then shall adjourn this session?" Shayera looked around and the room and everyone shook their heads in response. "Meeting adjourned," the Thanagarian said and the meeting was called to a close.
Everyone shuffled off to take care of other things on the Watchtower, Aegon headed to his room. Karen on the other hand was stopped by Zatanna.
"Something wrong, Zee?" the Kryptonian asked the magician who then said, "How was he?"
"How was who?" Karen blinked.
"Don't play dumb blonde, Kare-Bear. Some of us already know you slept with Aegon," Zatanna said flatly. "And I wanna know the dirt. So, how was Aegon in bed? How did it happen?" she asked looking eager for details.
Karen laughed and replied, "I don't kiss and tell, Zee."
"Oh, c'mon! I need to know all the dirt!" Zatanna whined like a child denied her favourite toy. "If you're not gonna tell me, I'll just read your mind," she warned.
"It's not really my place to tell you how Aegon was in bed, Zee," Karen replied casually. "I'm sure you'll find out how good he is yourself," she said.
"Maybe I will," Zatanna grinned teasingly. "I'm sure I could show Aegon some magic in the bedroom," she said.
Karen tried not to sigh in exasperation; some small part of her wanted to tell Zatanna to back off and say that Aegon was hers. But, she remembered what she had said to Aegon about being willing to share with the other members of the League, yet it still rankled her a little.
"I'm sure you could show Aegon a few tricks in bed," the busty blonde Kryptonian said dryly. "But I still got to be the one to pop his cherry," she added slyly.
"And you've done it more than once with Aegon, haven't you?" Zatanna questioned.
"I don't kiss and tell, Zee," Karen replied primly.
"Yeah, you did do it more than once, I can tell," Zatanna giggled as a faint blush appeared on Karen's cheeks. "Heh, knew it," the magician gloated. "Now I've got something to look forward to!" A gleam was in Zatanna's cyan blue eyes.
"Yeah, well, just don't get obsessive over Aegon," Karen advised. "He's the only guy left in the world, and I imagine others will want to have some time with him," she said.
"I'll try to keep that in mind, Kare-Bear," Zatanna said with a nod of her head. "Anyway, I've got some things that need taking care. I'll talk to you later," she added before she disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. Karen waved away the smoke and coughed a little before shrugging and walking off to attend her own matters.
…
The next day, everyone in the League stood in the hangar bay awaiting the arrival of their government liaison. Aegon was dressed in his armour with his sword hanging from his hip.
"So, what do we know about the liaison?" Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl asked.
"I read a dossier on her," Batgirl replied. "Name is Angeline Trevor O'Day, a captain in the US Airforce. 27 years old and born in Oklahoma and raised in family with a proud military history. Excelled very well in school and was given a scholarship to Ivy University and after getting a few degrees under her belt, she joined the military and rose to the rank of Captain and was trained extensively in espionage and was married to Dr Teddy O'Day," she recited as she brought up the information on her wrist computer. "Trained in Marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat and she even beat three Olympic-level fencing masters in sparring sessions just to see if she could," she added in mild surprise, sounding almost impressed.
"Impressive," Aegon remarked and he wondered if this Angeline woman would be willing to spar with him as he would like to compare his skill to hers and hopefully keep up his own skills.
"Yeah, if she was trained in espionage, she'll try to get as much info on us and relay it back to her bosses," Helena said.
"True, but shouldn't we give her the benefit of the doubt?" Kara asked.
"heads up everyone, they're arriving," Shayera said, and everyone went quiet as the hangar doors to the Watchtower opened and floating in was a special spacecraft. The hangar bay door closed behind the ship as it set down its landing struts and the atmosphere was repressurised. The door opened and stepping out was a young woman with golden-blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a female Airforce dress uniform consisting of a dark blue skirt and jacket with a light blue almost white button-up shirt underneath and a hat on her head that had a small metal badge of an eagle flowers in each claw. On the shoulders of the jacket were two silver bars connected to each other. There was a light amount of makeup on the woman's face, just enough to enhance her already attractive features and a smile was on her full lips.
Shayera was the first to make a move. "Captain, good to see you made it here on time," she said formally.
Captain O'Day smiled and offered a crisp salute. "A pleasure to be here, Hawkgirl. Shall we begin the introductions?" she asked.
"Proceed then, Captain O'Day," Shayera replied.
Captain O'Day smiled before looking at the Justice League and began her introduction. "Hello to you all. My name is Angeline Trevor-O'Day, but my friends call me Angel. I'm a Captain in the US Airforce and I was appointed as government liaison for the Justice League to the UN. I look forward to working with you all," she said with a bright smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain O'Day," Diana replied formally. A brief flash of anger was in Captain O'Day's eyes, but it was quickly washed away as a mask of professionalism was on her face as she replied to Diana.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, Wonder Woman. I've briefed on most of you, but I hope to get to know you all on a more personal and less professional level."
"Doesn't seem too bad, so far," Dinah whispered to Helena who shrugged noncommittally obviously not being too impressed with Captain O'Day's introduction.
"And no doubt you already know who Aegon is," Shayera said to Captain O'Day who smiled and replied.
"I have been briefed on Mr Targaryen, Hawkgirl, and I would hope I would get to know him on more personal level."
Aegon then stepped forward and spoke, "A pleasure to meet you, my lady," he said formally. Captain O'Day stuck out a hand and Aegon took it and brought to his lips and pressed a small kiss to the knuckles.
"Oh!" A blush was evident on Captain O'Day's face at the gallant gesture. A few of the League didn't seem so happy with it and Shayera gave Aegon a deadpan look. Aegon had a guilty and embarrassed look on his face, now wondering if what he did was the right thing to do.
"A… pleasure to meet you, Mr Targaryen," Captain O'Day then said with a slightly pink cheeks. "I never expected you to be so… gallant," she added.
"Apologies, I sometimes forget the customs of this world," Aegon said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck an embarrassed smile on his face.
"No, no! It's fine! I think this world could use a gallant young knight like you," Captain O'Day replied.
"I was trained for knighthood, but I had to earn my spurs before I found myself on this world," Aegon said modestly.
"Of course," Captain O'Day said. "And please, call me Angel. All my friends do," she added.
"Of course, my lady," Aegon said formally.
"Shall we get the rest of this finished?" Shayera asked in a slightly frosty voice and Captain O'Day nodded as she was led by Hawkgirl to the upper floors of the Watchtower.
Zatanna looked at Aegon and asked him, "What was that?"
"What was what?" Aegon looked confused.
"What made you kiss her on the hand like that?" Zatanna clarified.
"I was… trying to be gallant," Aegon said in a small voice. "I wanted to make a good impression," he added meekly.
"Well, you made an impression, alright," Zatanna said dryly. "Just remember that this isn't your world, things are a little different here," she advised him.
Aegon glared at the magician and replied, "Why, Lady Zatanna, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."
Zatanna's mouth went wide and a deep blush spread across her cheeks. "I… uh… um… I-I-I don't know what you're talking about!" she stuttered out as steam came off her face as her blush deepened.
"Perhaps you imagined it was you in Captain O'Day's face place with me kissing your hand?" Aegon suggested slyly.
An embarrassed look came over Zatanna's face as she tried to come up with something smart or witty to say. "Yo-Yo-You wish!" she blurted out as she hid her face behind her top hat.
Aegon then grabbed Zatanna's right and brought it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the knuckles. Zatanna almost fainted on the spot as Aegon released her hand and walked off to re-join the others. Zatanna stared at the hand Aegon had kissed and brought it to her cheek and sighed dreamily, lost in a daydream of her and Aegon in a more intimate fantasy.
"Hey, Zee! You coming or what?" Supergirl called out to her and Zatanna quickly snapped herself out of her fantasy and hurried after the others.
…
Ivy University.
In the library of Ivy University, a middle-aged woman walked over to a desk, carrying a package in her arms.
"Finally! After all these years of work! I've tracked it down!" the woman said as she set the package down on the desk and began to unwrap. "I just hope those fools didn't damage it too much delivering it here," she muttered as she slowly and carefully unwrapped the wrapping to reveal an ornately carved wooden lockbox that was wrapped in criss-crossing chains.
Smiling to herself in barely contained glee, the woman pulled out a pair of small handheld chain cutters and prepared to cut the chains. Outside the library, the sky began to dark and thunder rumbled overhead followed by a flash of lightning streaking across the sky and rain began to pour down.
The woman grunted as she strained to cut through the iron chains with her tool, but soon enough she cut through the first chain that was complimented by a clap of thunder and crash of lightning. The woman panted in excitement as she prepared to cut the other chain and did so that was followed by another thunderclap and flash of lightning. Removing the chains, the woman slowly opened the lockbox, a small puff of centuries old dust bursting out as she opened the lid. And inside the box was an ancient looking tome that had a faded symbol of a crown and flower on it.
The woman exhaled in excitement as she lifted the tome out of the box. "It really does exist! The Book of Fables!" she cried in exhilaration.
Putting on a pair of white gloves, the woman then carefully opened the book and read the first page. "The Tale of Snow White? Of course, start with the classics," the woman chuckled before beginning to recite the first words on the page.
"Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a beautiful queen. Although beautiful, her heart was cruel and she was vain. In her possession, she had a magical all-seeing mirror that when asked a question, would give an honest answer…"
As the woman recited the prose, the book began to glow and pale purple smoke began to seep into the room and the storm outside grew in tempo. Then in a flash of purple light, a bolt of lightning broke through the window and hit the book causing an explosion, knocking the woman back. The woman groaned as she blinked her eyes rapidly and saw standing before her was a woman dressed in regal looking robes with a golden crown nestled in her dark hair. A cold regal smile was on the woman's face as she said, "Free, at last!" Looking over at the woman who could only stare in shock, the regal looking woman snorted before waving a hand and tendrils of purple smoke shot out and wrapped themselves around the shocked scientist, enveloping her and soon dissipated and revealed a blue-furred monkey with large, feathered wings sprouting from its shoulders.
The regal looking woman laughed as the winged monkey screeched and hopped up and down on the spot. "Now, to take my revenge on Snow White!" the Evil Queen said as she strode out of the library with the winged monkey following her.
TO BE CONTINUED…
…
A/N: There! The twelfth chapter of this is done and dusted, and we just introduced the Queen of Fables into this story! I've got a couple of ideas of how to use her and what she'll do to the Justice League, particularly, Aegon and Wonder Woman herself. What those ideas, I'll keep to myself for the time being, so you'll have to wait and see.
In other news, I published my third Marvel/DC Comics crossover, No Man's Land, and I just set up a voting poll for it, so feel free to cast your vote.
And I've also finally posted the first chapter of my Elder Scrolls/Injustice rewrite, The Elder Scrolls: Injustice For All, so feel free to have a read of that if you'd like. First chapter is only about 1,000 words long, but I feel it does set things up nicely.
Anyways, haven't got much more to say, so I'll leave this here and see you all in the next one.
Be kind to one another,
Angry lil' elf.