It was mocking her.
A flower was mocking her.
She felt like an idiot, but then again, that seemed to be the running theme of the day.
Jinx put her head down on the kitchen table, cradling it in her arms, not once breaking eye contact with the bloom. In nature shows, when you get attacked by a bear or lion or something, you never let your gaze waver from their's, to show to you are dominate. She, always following the cardinal rule of never disagree with a guy who's eaten a live bird decided that the same principle applied here. (On a side note, Jinx's other cardinal rule, never turn down free lobster, had also never led her astray.)
But on second thought, maybe they always said to not look things that could murder you in the eye. Either way, it was pretty clear she was about to get mauled.
By a rose.
Her hand stretched out glibly across the table, reaching for Kid Flash's note again.
Jinx,
Had to go on patrol. Find you later.
Wally
So he would find her later. Did he suspect she would leave? Her stare returned to the flower, and she sat up straight.
In theory, saying you are not going to obsess about a robbery you saw but didn't commit should be easy. You run away from the cops, because though you did not burglarize anything, you are still a wanted fugitive. You go hide in an alley behind a dumpster, acting like you just didn't trip over a homeless man. After a predetermined amount of time, you walk back home, completely fine with the fact that you almost stole a shirt before getting felt up by a girl in a kimono. Yup. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
But then, you open the door to the apartment you've just started sharing with a hero no less, see one nice little welcoming gesture, and completely lose your shit. You froth at the mouth and make aggravated noises that sound a thousand mini chainsaws. At this point everything that happens is not your fault, because being super pissed at nothing in particular is a good enough excuse for anything, not to mention you think you just bit your lip and are starting to bleed into your mouth froth, which scares you a little.
The air conditioner is loud and blows out wind, and you don't like that, so you hex it and have it fall out the window where it was resting, making it slam through the fire escape into a thousand pieces. Your proud moment of conquering an imamate object is soon ruined though when you realize that it is hot outside; you hadn't realized it could get this hot at eight 'o' clock at night; what is this, hell? With the temperatures rising in the apartment to what must be a thousand degrees, you go about in a rage induced delirium, flailing your arms and making more wounded animal noises, mumbling incoherently about things you could never really control but would like to, like fire, or the ocean.
You shuffle to the fridge, not to eat anything, just to stick your head in, when you spy the rose again. Much like a three year old after a temper tantrum, a wall is hit and you sink into a chair, a thirst for mindless violence against common household appliances quenched.
However, then your thoughts turn back to how the point of turning good was to not think about stealing anything, and that woman with the raccoon eyes slashes through your mind, peaking your curiosity and your paranoia and your shame and you wonder how the fuck you have ever gotten through the day before without this many problems snapping at your heels.
Jinx gripped the note in her hand tightly, turning it into ash as pink energy engulfed it. Self control and limitation of her impulsive side were never her strong suits. She usually followed rule books and guidelines, whether they be the H.I.V.E.'s or the Brotherhood of Evil's, to quell the questionable ideas, but there was no protocol to be taken from when she was losing her mind while there was a distinct probability of dying from heat stroke in the air.
She couldn't just wait for Kid Flash to come back and ask him if he knew anything about an odd samurai villain. That would be much too easy! Where the only danger would be him asking how she knew of this woman, eventually leading to how Jinx almost robbed a store before the girl beat her to it, and having him get all irate and up in her grill? (Fever logic doesn't always make the most sense to those on the outside.) Pshhhh. This was Jinx we were talking about here. In all her plans, nothing could be subtle. That was key. There had to be hoops of fire-no hoops of scissors, there're more dangerous- and ticking time bombs and… and… monster trucks! (Please see above note on fever logic.) Yes, she needed a course of action that was so mind bending amazing that it would definitely make a lot more sense after she enacted on it rather than just thought about it.
She stood up from the table, kicking the chair back with purpose.
In Jinx's dehydrated brain, two things were of the utmost importance.
One: Go do something completely stupid because she had poor impulse control, and damn it, nothing was going to stand in her way from fully taking up on that fact.
Two: Find an air conditioner, and possibly some juice.
Jinx's relationship with her team had always been contradicting itself.
Sometimes, she was a den mother for the H.I.V.E. Five, breaking up arguments about game controllers and regulating what time of night Gizmo could work on his experiments to. (Yes Gizmo, inspiration does strike the best of us at three a.m., but shouting obscenities after you drop a power drill on your foot and waking up the entire house will not win you any favors.) Other times, Jinx was the older sister, perpetually irked with her boys and their idiocy, retiring to her room with a slam of her door to do "important villainy." (Really all that entailed was writing angsty teenage girl poetry, and doodling unicorns with her blue sparkle pen, though really no one needed to know that.)
Either way, she was forever pushing them to be greater, to accomplish something.
So, when Jinx heard the familiar click of the H.I.V.E. Five's security door latch opening, did she see what a cruel bitch fate was.
Damn her curiosity. And her pride. And her paranoia. And her stupid flash delirium.
She quickly gulped to hold her breath as she came upon the threshold, and a smell not unlike rotting cheese assaulted her nose. Choking back her gag reflex, Jinx tiptoed down the hallway that led to the underground lair. What was that strange blue fuzz on the wall? Did her former team take up the hobby of skinning Muppets in her absence? And was that her underwear hanging on the emergency light? Jinx scoffed as she rounded the corner into the main common area. With chairs tossed about, a wall partly smashed, and bottles scattered everywhere, it looked as though a bomb, one filled with glitter and alcohol, had exploded.
Has my mind created a thinly veiled metaphor or am I just getting a contact high? Jinx picked her way across the room, careful not to step on the multiple plates of hot wings smeared over the floor. Her boys weren't capable of this much damage in only twenty four hours… or was it just always like this? Obviously living in a place that had felt a little new invention called soap had re-sensitized her to the sight of Mammoth's boxers weaved together to make a tent.
She quietly pushed open the door to the kitchen. Focus Jinx. This was no time to question the obvious downward spiral her life had taken. She knew it was wishful thinking to hope the team hadn't noticed she had been gone but-
"So, I guess that crud muncher Kid Flash is your pimp now? After you turn your tricks, does he put on a leopard skin hat and take you to give lap dances to Titans East? "
-maybe they would be grateful she had left their pathetic lives. Or not.
Jinx whirled around, giving Gizmo her best "I know where you sleep and where the knifes are located, so put two and two together" glare.
"I don't even know what your talking about. Just because you play Grand Theft Auto doesn't give you license to assume that every person you meet makes a living by giving blow jobs on the side. And who said that Kid Flash even talked to me, or that I saw him at all? He's pretty hard to catch up with; it's not exactly like I have him on speed dial or anything." (Jinx: Countess of Puns)
Gizmo turned to stare her down, a fierce " Don't give me that, I pistol whip bitches in Grand Theft Auto" look gracing his own face.
"Well for starters snot brain, you're wearing the Flash fall collection." For the second time in a five hour period, Jinx was being questioned on her choice of wardrobe. She, once again, pointedly crossed her arms over the logo, and hoped this wasn't some kind of growing trend.
"And anyway, we found your note."
"Ohhhhh …" The Wimp Note. Why had she forgotten about the Wimp Note?
" Yeah, Miss I'm running away forever!-"
Jinx put her hands on her hips." I don't sound like that. My voiceisn't a high pitched girly squeal, though I can see how you might get that confused considering whenever you talk people wonder when you're going to tell them to follow the yellow brick road."
"Well, I wouldn't be talking now, Good Bitch of the East. Unless you decided to come crawling back after what, eighteen hours-
"I'm not crawling back and it has been twenty four hours, ok. Also, I think you mean Good Bitch of the North, not the East, that's where the green one lives, not the one with the bubbles-"
"Well I'm so glad you're on the up and up with your Wizard of Oz references." Gizmo sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you know every good villainous speech includes a mention to Dorothy and the Tin Man."
Jinx pouted and rolled her eyes at him. If anything tonight, she was not about to be baited by a three foot tall bald kid who… actually that description of him was enough of an insult in itself. "I need something from here. Information on someone I need you to get."
"No. If you want something, go and get it yourself. Maybe those dirt licking Teen Titans can help you, considering you're sleeping with one of them now."
"I don't even like him! It's just that his house isn't a den of filth-" She hissed, gesturing to the rotting milk on the counter.
" Oh yeah, because it's a den of-"
"Who has a den?" SeeMore questioned, pushing open the door. He stopped in his tracks, slowly taking in the scene before him. Gizmo, a vein popping out of his extra shiny forehead. Jinx, looking like an ass. It was times like these when he wondered what direction his life had taken; breaking up cat fights between a midget and a girl who looked like a carnival had threw up on her.
" She does. With Kid Flash, owner of a pimptastic tiger skin hat and cape combo." Gizmo smirked coolly.
"I do not!" Jinx huffed, stamping her foot. "Oh, and now he has a hat and a cape made out of tiger skin? What does he have next, a revolver made of diamonds?"
"Let's not go so far. You're pretty cheap, I don't he would be able to afford that from what you're bring in."
SeeMore squinted, and moved his head back and forth between the two. Their insults escaladed once again as they began to ignore SeeMore completely. He knew that they would both have to stop sometime, or at least run out of breath, so he-as he had done many times before- sat down to play his favorite game, What do Jinx and Gizmo Really Mean When They Call Each Other Dogface? It was one of guessing suppressed emotion, and really the only way to pass the time once Jinx went on the mandatory tangent about how life would be so much easier if she possessed pink mascara.
"How do you know what his house looks like? Have you been stalking him?" What Gizmo really meant: I don't like you hanging out with his guy.
" No, I've been gathering research!" Jinx's meaning: I'm not going to baby you anymore, and I'm trying to do my own thing. So butt out.
"Research? What type of research involves you whoring it up with a snot nosed ginger? Who's next, that hot alien chick? Because I could get into that." I'm upset you picked him over us, and I'm open to whatever sexuality you choose. See More grimaced in confusion. Wait, what was that last part?
"I'm not having this discussion with you; you are just going to do as I say, and that will be the end of it. I don't even know why you would care-"
" I don't dogface (For those of you playing at home, here's where you take a shot of vodka) it's just that that stinking Brotherhood of Evil keeps calling-"
"What?" Jinx glanced over at SeeMore. " Is this true?"
Broken out of his reprieve, SeeMore twiddled his fingers and looked at his lap. "Well… yeah they were kind of pissed that you let Kid Flash go … and then disappeared off the face of the earth …. but it's cool now because you're back right? You didn't really mean it when you said you were leaving, did you?" He looked at her hopefully and Jinx knew the exact reason why she had tried to avoid her old team in the first place.
"No… I'm not coming back SeeMore. I just need to get something. Hey- maybe my thing and your thing are connected!" Gizmo snorted. Jinx was ready to crush his little bowling ball skull in, but was mildly surprised and fairly pleased when he finally did what she had asked, and went to go boot the computer mainframe.
As ecstatic as one could be with learning that Gizmo had acquired some manners, she was soon taken down a peg when SeeMore coughed anxiously.
"Uh… Jinx… I really think you should move…"
"Move where?" She stepped closer to him and no later had she done that than a loud explosion sounded from behind her. Swigging back around, Jinx noticed that rancid milk remains now littered the area, dripping from the ceiling and spreading across the floor.
SeeMore bit his lip to keep from laughing as Gizmo ducked his head back in. " Really got some great handling of your powers there, snot breath. You're the shining example of good leaders everywhere."
With an irritated growl, Jinx finally got her hands to stop glowing fuchsia long enough to storm out of the kitchen in the direction of Gizmo and the computer, with SeeMore brusquely in tow by the collar.
"Well?" She asked, neck craning up towards the large screen.
Gizmo pounded furiously at the keyboard. After a few moments, the display flicked on, and the Brotherhood of Evil logo appeared.
"If you want dirt on someone, good or bad, this is where you would get it. Just because you were too stupid to hack their database system doesn't mean I can't get it to work, but it's not like I can keep the stinking portal open forever, so find what you need quick so you can get the hell out of here and stop smelling up the place."
"Sure, it's me who smells…" Jinx sneered, taking control of the keys.
Where to start? She didn't know a name… could they have people sorted by costume? Wait, Jinx thought, eyes scanning the monitor, Sort by Location, this looks promising. She clicked on the link and scrolled down the short list of names on the roster for Jump City. She and the H.I.V.E. Five were there, of course. Kid Flash too. There were a few other names farther on down who she hadn't even known lived around Jump, like Control Freak and Mad Mod, but still they were all people she recognized. Just as she was about to give up, she glanced one last name, eloquently marked as ?
Clicking on it, Jinx was led to samurai lady's profile.
Name: ?
Status: New Recruit
Original Location: Rural Japan
Relocation for Assignment: Jump City, USA
Apprentice/Confidante(s): Yes.
Mission: Classified business for Madame Rouge. Top Secret.
For a full five seconds, Jinx started at this information in wonder. So the weird chick with weapons didn't have a name, came from Japan, owned a slave bitch to do her bidding, and was working for Madame Rouge. Her mind was blown past capable function at the joy she felt in finding a clue.
It was like the best day ever had had a demented love child with the worst day ever, and now this horrible, half mutant baby was rampaging through all the eh days in between, tainting them with its paradox of elation/misery.
Jinx started to foam at the mouth again.
Her anger was nonsensical, though at the thought of possibly having the Brotherhood stalking her left no room for more than primary emotions. Secondary feelings like angst and pity could wait, there was rage to be had, and look, the universe was even supplying her with warm bodies to slaughter!
SeeMore watched, in slow, terrible motion, as Jinx turned away from the computer. The database link finally closed up and the screen went back, elevating the unnerving mood. Her eyes were bloodshot and with arms outstretched she descended upon Gizmo and him. Was she baring her teeth? Why did she look like a rabid bat? What the hell was happening here?
Basically, if you've ever stared death in the face and realized that that sociopath trying to kill you was your best friend, you would be getting the confusing array of responses SeeMore was now having.
"Jinx, are you ok, do you need to lie down?" SeeMore put out his hands in a gesture of peace. Gizmo rolled his eyes.
She stopped short of the pair. Instead of blowing their heads off, like SeeMore anticipated, she finally sighed, regaining composure. " I need to go home now."
"If you're really worried about no-name we could-" He wasn't actually sure of anything he could do, and was kind of glad when Jinx interrupted him.
"No, I'm fine, I can handle it." She said robotically
"Ok, well… bye?" SeeMore called out as Jinx turned to leave.
If Gizmo hadn't opened his trap at this very instant , the night would have ended on a peaceful, if slightly puzzling and awkward, moment.
Like all nights really should.
But no, then that wouldn't be as interesting. "So now you're going to fight the Brotherhood with the amazing Kid Flash, but not before you shack up with him? That's pretty low."
"What?" Jinx screeched.
Why Gizmo? We could have all went to bed feeling demoralized, and then started out fresh, albeit a little more dead inside, in the morning! Why did you have to ruin our beautiful numbness?
"You heard me. Of course, what are you going to tell him now that you're visiting with known criminals and don't even bring us cruddy flowers, or handcuffs. You know I've always wanted a pair of those." SeeMore felt like banging his head against the wall, and then poking out his own eye. Was he the only one that saw through Gizmo's misguided and frankly half assed attempt to get Jinx to stay?
"Who says Kid Flash even needs to know about this? I'm competent, damn it!" Apparently, yes, yes he was the only one.
"Yeah, the milk spewed all over the kitchen thinks you're competent too."
Jinx's face contorted into a puckered frown, which made SeeMore question his knowledge of human muscle structure. (Admittedly, he knew little of the subject, but are faces really supposed to make a circle in on themselves?) Finally she said, "If this place didn't have central air, I would be taking your air conditioner right now," which See More hoped was a tactic to confuse Gizmo with something completely random and not the first sign of the apocalypse like he secretly thought it was.
"Have you lost your mind?" Was Gizmo's reply, punctuated with the arrival of Billy Numerous and Mammoth. They were singing an impromptu song in the next hallway over about the different kinds of pie they just had stolen, and served to be an entirely inappropriate backdrop for the Mexican Standoff taking place between Jinx and Gizmo. SeeMore liked to think the score from Star Wars would have made a more suitable theme for this encounter, and it took all of his willpower to not start humming it.
"Maybe!" Jinx shouted in a way that told everyone in the immediate vicinity that the jury wasn't out on that question anymore.
All SeeMore could mumble was a weak "See you later…" as Jinx stormed outside into the night.
She felt the familiar gust of wind, but didn't look up as he slid in the seat beside her. " Not very popular around here, are you." Jinx huffed and finally moved to glare at Kid Flash, shaking her head as he eyed up the opposite side of the Jump City bus, crowded with slightly bewildered and cowering passengers.
"It's late. What are you doing here?" Annoyance colored her tone and there was a audible crack from the growing chink in the window.
"I was about to ask you the same question. Funny how you always like to travel around at night." His voice was nonchalant, though there was an underlying feeling there that she was too tired to evaluate. Maybe later…
" Villain thing …" She mumbled before catching herself and starting again. " Well… old villain thing."
Kid Flash admired the neon lights that flew by bus for a moment, lips quirking up in a smile. " Totally understand - well, not about the villain part, but, the night thing. I have a few friends who are the exact same way."
Jinx was about to question him, but he quickly changed the subject. "So… how was shopping? I really appreciate all the free advertising you're giving me but still…"He nudged her leg playfully with his and she scooted closer to the window, the bus's cool metal side giving her chills. (Yup, it was totally the bus…)
" It was … good. For some reason, I was taken by the need for hot pink bellbottoms, and it all kind of went down hill from there." She talked into her lap, unwilling to look him in the eye. Was this what remorse felt like? Wait, what was she saying? Get a grip girl. He wasn't her keeper, and it wasn't exactly like she was a hero. Why the hell did she need tell him anything about her visit to the H.I.V.E. Five, or even about how she might have just been targeted by the Brotherhood of Evil? These were just all isolated incidents, right? Nothing that she needed to go crying about to some guy she had just met what seemed like five minutes ago. (The height of hypocrisy: she was sleeping on his couch.) She wasn't some princess who needed to be saved every day by the knight in shining armor.
The bus lurched to a stop, though Jinx wasn't paying much attention at all. Gizmo was wrong. Kid Flash doesn't have to know about any of this; I can handle it myself … Suddenly, a hand grabbed at her hood, pulling up over her face, and next thing she knew, her head rested on his shoulder, arm cradling her to his side.
" What the hell are you doing speed freak," Jinx hissed, trying to break free from Kid Flash's surprisingly strong grip.
" Just pretend you're asleep," he murmured back, and rather abruptly a light was shone in both their faces. She shut her eyes tightly against the glare as Kid Flash began to speak.
" Evening, officers." Oh shit, police Jinx though frantically. Getting arrested at two a.m. makes you look like a skank to everyone else in the jail.
"You're the new hero right, the one covering for the Titans?" One of them asked gruffly, and she felt him tense under her as the light shined brighter. She buried her face in his side, and hoped to god this wasn't going to send the wrong message.
"Yeah… is something up?"
One of the policemen cleared his throat. Jinx felt his eyes boring into her, though he didn't say anything.
"There have been a few robberies in the area, and we just wanted to ask you to keep an eye out. Saw you from the street..." The raspy voice trailed off. Oh damn it, where are we? This wasn't near-
" Girlfriend?" The other man asked, and like that Jinx's thoughts had derailed, feebly trying to attempt not to hex anything into oblivion. Kid Flash, if you say something stupid, so help me I will-
" No-just a friend. She's not a superhero or anything, if that's what you're getting at. She's… just a friend." Oh. Well that could be considered an acceptable- " Of course she's completely capable of heroic deeds if she wanted to, but that's really besides the - ow!" Kid Flash jumped slightly as crackling pink sparks singed his ribcage. Jinx couldn't help but smirk.
" Well, we really must get back to out patrol … you… you… keep a lookout, alright?" Raspy Voice stammered a little too quickly, obviously freaked out by the amazing Boy with Pink Sparklers. Jinx could feel the floor vibrate as his boots clomped up the center aisle towards the door.
"Sure, will do!" Kid Flash replied with more than enough cheer necessary for this time of night.
The second cop turned to follow his partner, but stopped, swigging back around to face the pair. "Hmmm… Your friend sure looks familiar…" McNosy Cop breathed.
"She gets that a lot. Very common face structure, you know." Pushing it again Kid Flash.
There was an awkward pause. Jinx felt his fingers drum against her side, and wondered idly if he was just going to grab her and make a run for it. After what seemed like five lifetimes, McNosy finally took what she knew had to be the retina bleeding grin Kid Flash was flashing (The Countess of Puns makes a return!), and joined his partner once more outside.
The bus squealed in protest as it started to move, and she felt him sink into her weight. " That was close." Kid Flash said brightly. They sat like that for a while, to the odd stares of the other passengers, until Jinx could no longer take the question nagging at her mind.
"Well… Aren't you going to ask me?" She sighed to the yellow spandex of his shoulder.
"Ask what?" He sounded clueless, which made Jinx want to hex him through the wall yet again.
" About the robbery. You're talking to a not-villain here."
"Oh, um… did you see anything suspicious?"
"No," That was a lie. " Don't you want to know if I did the stealing? I'm still capable of mindless acts of violence and stupidity, you know."
"Nope, I'm cool." His lips popped on the P, infuriating her even more.
" So you're doubting I could inflict terrible bodily harm onto anyone anymore?" A pink glow cast eerie lights on the grimy chrome floor, and the collective on the other side of the bus shifted uneasily.
"I'm not doubting, I just know you would never do that."
"Well why the hell not?"
"Because I trust you not to."
The initial shock of that statement left her speechless. She desperately grabbed in her mind for an emotion, any emotion, to fill the gap. Oh, hello Fury. Where have you been all day?
"Wait wait wait … you… trust me not to. Really? So now the magical gift of your trust is something that's going to make unicorns fly out of the sky, dust me with golden sparkles, and carry me away to the land of good and plenty? Where I'll never hurt anything ever again? Correct me if my thinking is off."
" If you want to see it that way-"
"Oh, you better believe I'm going to see it that way."
"I'm just saying I know you. And I know when the time is right, you'll make the right choices." He looked down at her and raised his eyebrows, head nodding piously.
"… You just sounded so lame right there. Like an after school special." She snorted.
"When everyone around you is making these big epic speeches about friendship and purity every time someone eats the last bag of potato chips, it'll rub off on you eventually."
Jinx paused to ponder this." Once, Billy preached to me about how I should have saved the last bag of potato chips we had for him, instead of eating it myself, because we were such good friends."
"Did you take anything from it?"
"I took that the noise my fist makes when connected to Billy's face kind of sounds like a lion roaring, which boosted my ego then, as it still does to this day."
Kid Flash's laugh rumbled against her, and away from his sight she smiled. Just a bit.
So wrapped up in her thoughts of punching people, trust issues, and minor dehydration, (she never did find her juice) Jinx never noticed that Kid Flash was holding her close the entire bus ride home.
A/N: I don't know how my little filler chapter ended up being a ten page monstrosity in Word and actually the most important chapter thus far.
I like to think it's because I don't like cheaping you guys out. In reality, it's probably because that little filler chapter went into three seperate rewrites, where I finished the chapter and realized I hated it, so then laziness won out, and I just thought it best to skip ahead.
Quality control is the reason why it took so long, I mumble to myself at night.
...And... it also has something to do with the fact that I had a complete fangirl meltdown after I started watching Young Justice. (OMG, Kid Flash and Cheshire? I shouted to YouTube at three a.m. It was like the miracle of watching a child being born, only with less gore and more spastic jumping. )
On a more story related note, this whole thing takes place in early summer, because I want it to. Also, the sword lady's apprentice is canon, and will show up more in later chapters.
I am so very excited for when that happens.