AN: First off, I'm very sorry about the delay on this. I can't really fault any one thing either. My mother board on my old PC died (was fried) so I tried to get the data on all my stories and such from the old hard drive. Six months later and I was told that they had 'forgotten' that they had my hard drive. (They had misplaced and almost thrown it out without even looking at it. I know because they also threw away the info that I gave them to access said HDD.) So, I got my hard drive and my money back, spent about 20 bucks on a simple HDD to USB connector cord and was able to pull the data off my old HDD myself. THEN I had to go about converting it to be readable/writable on my new PC... thank you Windows 10 :-[ (Yes, that is sarcasm) HOWEVER, now I'm pretty much back on track. No more year long silences.
Vermiculus lapides eo usque semita: The Wyvern Arrives Part XXXI
As always all characters are fictional. Wyvern, Deus, and Reaver are my characters. All other characters/locations are copyright of DC Comics and their respective creators. Gundam is a copyright of Sunrise and Bandai. Pocky is a registered trademark of Glicko.
Kara was the first to actually approach CJ after his outburst. At the touch of her hand on his arm the sword he'd taken from Pallas dropped to the floor. His breathing was labored as his eyes sought out first, his love, then the faces of his parents. All their faces held shock from how quickly and savagely he'd dispatched his opponent. As CJ's gaze fell to the body of Ares he noticed something odd, the remains seemed to shimmer and the blood did not soak into the carpet in the opulent dining room.
"While that is not how we imagined this scenario proceeding, I am glad to know that your skills in combat have not faltered Eklektos." Pallas spoke as she retrieved the fallen sword and the specter of Ares faded into nothingness. "Batman, you may put away the lethal projectile you were planning to use also."
Diana turned to see Bruce slide the explosive Batarang back into the hidden sheath on his forearm, she caught sight of a pale blue gel like substance in the center that she didn't know.
"Astrapes gel, something our son came up with. It should have helped to slow him down at any rate." Bruce responded without any tone of apology.
"And it would have served to rupture mine and Kara's eardrums dad, thank tons for that." CJ groused.
"What was that?" Kara whispered. She was more than a little surprised, she knew CJ had harbored thoughts of killing Reaver, he'd confessed to her that much. She didn't know he may be able to take on a god.
"How dare you." CJ's voice was barely a whisper, "What the FUCK makes you think this is anything close to acceptable?!" CJ whirled as he yelled, ending facing just over Kara's left shoulder.
"Boo Bear, what's going on?" Kara thought that he'd be raging at Hera. (Though that didn't seem like a very smart proposition.)
A woman in dark armor similar in style to Wyvern's with a helm crested with coiled serpents appeared out of the air and took off her helm. Her light brown hair fell to the middle of her back and her skin was olive toned and flawless. Sky blue eyes shined as she looked first at CJ, then at Bruce.
"You have gifted me with a fine descendant my son." the woman spoke as she gently cupped CJ's cheek. "And he's chosen a very worthy wife. I'm pleased."
"Nemesis, did you know of this happening?" Hera seemed less than pleased at the smile that adorned her face.
"My mother is dead." Bruce growled as he moved to stand beside his son.
"Oh, you may have started out being born from the noble mortal named Martha Wayne, however, the moment you donned your true face… you became my child." Nemesis spoke as she moved in front of Bruce, then she surprised everyone there by placing a gentle kiss upon his brow. "You ARE my son Batman, that fate you cannot escape. Much like those you hunt in my name."
"Don't you think this is bit too much info to be dropping on Big Daddy Bats?" Aphrodite spoke up as she stood by her fellow goddesses of Themyscira.
"Your affection for my grandson is rather touching Aphrodite." Nemesis smiled.
"The dating antics through High school… not so much." CJ quipped, drawing a real laugh from the goddess of vengeance.
"Hey, that wasn't my fault. Kara put me up to it!" Aphrodite pouted.
"Wait, what?" Kara squeaked.
"Previous Earth love." CJ whispered as he gently rubbed her shoulders.
"For the record, I hate that." Kara pouted, then noticed CJ tense.
"As for you, daughter of Themyscira." Nemesis' words were cut short as CJ appeared in front of her, directly between the goddess of vengeance and his mother.
"You should know that I would never harm a member of our family my dearest little dragon." Nemesis smiled as she moved away from CJ. "I merely wanted to express my joy in having my family made that much stronger." The grin that accompanies the words spoken were less that comforting to CJ. He was already struggling with the dark desire to truly end the threat Reaver posed to this world.
"Be careful Nemesis, young Christian is under the protection of all of Olympus. Should you try anything that may cause strife, rest assured that we will stop you." Hera's voice held a dire warning.
"Oh, no need for threats my queen." Nemesis bowed as she spoke, "Should anyone move against Wyvern, I assure you that I will stand alongside you in my grandson's defense." These words appeared to shock the patron goddesses of Diana and CJ's homeland.
"If you try to betray my family, then rest assured of this Nemesis." Diana spoke up in a firm voice. "I will hunt you down, and destroy you." The chuckle that came from the goddess of vengeance was genuinely proud.
"I would expect no less, Diana of Themyscira."
The departure of the 'uninvited guests' (Bruce's description!) didn't seem to lighten the mood in the Manor, despite the wonderful meal that Alfred had painstakingly prepared. Bruce was trying to reconcile the fact that he was now an inextricable part of Diana's world. He'd felt something happen when he couldn't move away from Nemesis as she kissed his brow. Now there was something else he needed to plan for in regards to possible contingencies, especially if Nemesis descended into the madness that many of the legends and myths associated with her.
Diana was warring with two different sets of emotions, though she knew both stemmed from her new-found maternal inclinations. She was honestly scared for her son and her (she REALLY hoped this part was true) future husband. She knew that Nemesis was a truly unknown factor in any possible future plans and she needed to prepare accordingly… 'Really Diana, Bruce has this much influence on the things I do now? Hera, I'll never hear the end of this if he finds out…' On the opposite end of the spectrum, she was overjoyed that Kara was here to help be the balm to her son's damaged heart. She knew there was only so much that she could do in the form of comfort and was glad for the extra help. Now she just needed a few ideas for their time in Japan…
Kara seemed to be trying to simultaneously reboot her mind from the knowledge that CJ was capable of very precise violence of action when it came to defending her and his parents from deadly threats. She was also internally squeeing over the fact that Aphrodite had confirmed that she DID have a future with CJ. (Though scaring the living hell out of her with talk of pregnancy was really mean.) She knew that this was what she wanted, as unbelievable as it sounded, even in her mind. She did think that, even though they wouldn't be starting a family now… five years wasn't all that long to wait.
The movements had been instinctual, he barely had any conscious recollection of getting to the sword, then using it to shish kebab then uncork the Ares shade. Normally that would have happened a half heartbeat slower with his armor, but it honestly shocked him that he didn't think to summon it. The spell in the bracer had had ample time to recharge, and the situation would most definitely have called for it. As he thought about it though, he had to admit, he would have allowed the magic to make his armor weight next to nothing to give him a tactical advantage. It was one of the many subtle bells and whistles that Hephaestus had added to the armor before he 'stole' it. His mind automatically carried him back to that fateful day…
Earth 23: A lifetime ago…
The rhythmic sound of hammer blows falling upon the purest of metals sounded in air tinged with the scents of great magic and the forge. Hephaestus was busy putting the finishing touches on the commission job he'd been given by Ares. The armor would be a masterpiece of both offensive and defensive power. Once the full potential was unlocked the wearer of the armor would be a nearly unstoppable juggernaut in battle. The only thing he hadn't told Ares was the weakness he'd included. Once the armor was unlocked, if it was used for evil deeds, the fate of the wearer would be sealed. The hammer was raised to make some last minute adjustments when he heard the voice that had frequented his forge of late.
"Hey Heph, how's it hangin?" CJ chirped as he ducked a high flying backhanded chop from the hammer.
"DON'T DO THAT! Zeus save me, you are trying to give me a heart attack or gray hairs. I can't decide which will happen first." Hephaestus grunted as he went back to his task.
"Ouch, getting a bit short with the hair issues aren't we?" CJ quipped, earning a stern look from the Forger.
"Where's your mother at? She better get here quick before I end up taking you off at the knees boy." despite the threat he really was fond of the young man his wife doted upon, loving the beatific smile she wore when talking about her beloved 'little brother'.
"So, you're almost done with the Deceiver's order. You know I don't have a good feeling about this job, right?" CJ hated that the rest of Olympus didn't take action after Ares' last ploy was foiled by both he and his mother. Even Aphrodite had called for stern punishment, but none came. It was shortly thereafter that he'd approached Hephaestus with this commission. Despite CJ's helpful suggestion of shoving his forge bellows up Ares' disposition, the job had been accepted.
"Oh my, you expect the one you call the Deceiver to not be honest and try to, what… stab me in the back? We both know that would be his own death sentence. Hades would be racing Zeus to see who got to kill him first." the smith pointed out.
"My coin is on Hera. As far as rage goes, the other two don't have a leg to stand on in that department." CJ's rapier jest got the desired response as Hephaestus roared with laughter. The banter between the two seemed like they were trying to verbally eviscerate each other, but those that knew the two also knew that there was no animosity in their words. Both made biting comments and self depreciating quips.
"As far as the armor goes, I don't even know if he'll be able to use it to it's full potential. An extraordinarily strong will is required to use this armor effectively. I've already expressed your concerns to Zeus, but unless the armor goes missing, I have to give it to Ares once it's done." as he spoke his hammer sang out lightly as he put the finishing touches on the helm and placed it with the rest of the now completed armor.
"So, when does he come to claim it?" CJ asked through clenched teeth. The entire time he was eyeing Hephaestus' discarded hammer.
"I'll send word most likely tomorrow. I need to rest up a bit from the finishing of the task. I gotta hand it to Zeus though, his idea for the fla-" his words were cut off as his hammer blindsided him. As Hephaestus ricocheted off the wall and onto the floor his attacker noticed that he was already unconscious.
"I hope you can forgive me for this in time Hephaestus, but I can't allow Ares to take this armor. If it's any consolation to you, not even mitera knows about this plan… I'm truly sorry for this my friend." CJ spoke up, he'd already donned the bracers that helped to bond the armor to the wearer. He grimaced as he felt the magic searing into his soul even as the metal fused to his skin. After that, it was a simple task to read and recite the runes to claim the armor and instantly summon in onto his person. What he didn't expect was the armor to speak.
'You are not the one that I was created for, but I have watched you throughout our creation. You are by far the more worthy bearer of my gifts. Together we will be powerful. Once you unlock my secrets there will be no one capable of besting us in the arena of combat.' the voice in the armor hadn't spoken since that day and Hephaestus had been, understandably, closed lipped about the flaw and how to unlock the armors full potential. Despite that, CJ hoped he'd managed to live up to the expectations he's set upon himself in using the armor to serve the cause of Justice. He still recalled the final exchange he'd had after his settling on the name he'd take after passing on the Robin mantle.
'We have been joined by the strongest of magic and are nearly complete. The only thing missing is our title, what name have you decided for us?' For CJ the process had been fairly short and he'd felt that he'd found the identity that he'd been born to wear.
"I am… The Wyvern."
The memory was one that was not exactly comfortable for CJ. He knew that the 'theft' of the armor was necessary, but he still hated having to perform what he felt as a betrayal of Hephaestus. After he found out that his commission had been stolen, Ares had called for vengeance on the thief. CJ had confidently arrived on Olympus with the evidence of Ares pending betrayal. The most damning thing was when Aphrodite had been a witness and revealed that she had been working with CJ the entire time. (She didn't think the murder of her husband and the decimation of Olympus by Ares would be a good thing… go figure.) While Ares had managed to avoid any severe penalties, he still bore a lasting grudge against CJ for his part in ruining his rise to the top of Olympus, CJ response had been suitable scathing. (Though anatomically improbable.) Now he had to focus on the pending trip to Japan and try to put the events of this night behind him. One thing was certain in his mind… if this didn't go well he'd be loading up on Pocky. (Though he probably would do that anyway… that shit is addictive!)
-A Few Days Later-
This was not what he was expecting, CJ had managed to get all his needed clothing into one suitcase. He managed a nice mix of business casual and jeans and jerseys for off time, anything he bought in Japan he'd have shipped back to Gotham. He'd even managed to help Kara with her packing, including his jokingly hiding all of her nightclothes and trying to sneak her luggage out. This… this isn't what he expected…
"Wow, and here I thought your dad would have the stuff he needed in an already ready already property in Tokyo or someplace like that." Kara quipped as two rather large piles of luggage were placed by the loading conveyor of the large private aircraft that would take them to Japan. (Though CJ didn't tell them that Deus would be bringing a cloaked Moon Dragon along with them.)
"Yes and no, dad owns the hotel we'll be staying at." CJ's delivery was completely deadpan showing Kara that he was serious, so she decided to have a bit if fun.
"Hey Alfred, where were they planning to put all this?" she saw the subtle grin Alfred wore and knew he'd be playing along.
"I'm quite certain we have appropriate 'additional' storage space. Though my mastery of the language is a bit rusty, how do you say Batcave in Japanese Young Master?" Alfred queried.
"Komori no horaana" CJ answered without thinking. Kara giggled, but it turned into an aborted shriek as CJ covertly pinched her.
"Daijōbu aijin?" CJ smirked as Kara blushed, she'd just had to wear a skirt to tease him...
"Young Master Christian, you promised you would be on your best behavior." Alfred admonished.
"I said I'd be on my best behavior in Japan... we're still in Gotham City, so this is fair game." he smirked as Kara's blush deepened and Alfred looked like he'd do a rather spot on impersonation of a tea kettle.
"Thisavros, knock it off and help your father with the bags." Diana spoke up as she and Kara moved to board the plane.
"This is going to be a very long trip... Isn't it?" CJ really hoped there was no one around looking for pictures, he wasn't planning to do this like a normal human would and he was very loathe of the possibility that there may be paparazzi about.
"That remains to be seen, though I'm pretty sure you can take mom's mind off things quite easily. Deus, are there any other life-form readings outside of the normal parameters?"He hoped that Gossip Gerdy's new protege wasn't around. For the life of him he couldn't remember the idiot's name, but both he and Kara harbored a strong (MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT!) dislike of the individual.
"Got nothing out of the ordinary showing bro. Looks like the decoy tip you left for douche bag worked," Deus responded over their encrypted comms web.
"Thanks Deus, though I can't take credit for that, it was mostly Kara's idea." his smirk was rather scary as he finished his sentence.
"Do I even want to know what Kara did?" Bruce sighed as he massaged the bridge of his nose, he just knew his son would give him a headache before this flight was done. (He'd given up on stretching the timetable to include the actual time in Japan. His son's smart-ass streak had roared to life with a vengeance.
"Hey, you just remember that you asked for this Bruce." Diana spoke up as she stood beside him and watched their son use his Meta-human abilities to very quickly load all their luggage on the private plane.
"I would like to, again, voice my displeasure. I'd REALLY like to fly the plane." CJ seemed to almost despise the idea of not piloting a craft he was in.
"No thisavros, I don't trust you not to pull a loopdeloop while you're 'putting the plane through it's paces.' I fell for that once... Not again." Diana would never admit to fondly smiling as her son made her partner squeal like a schoolgirl with his piloting maneuvers.
""Mitera, it wasn't my fault that maintenance didn't restock barf bags. You should've told me that Nemesis gets airsick." CJ defended.
"Okay, as much as I'm ashamed to admit it, I have to hear this story." Bruce smirked as he followed Diana and CJ on-board the waiting jet.
"You will get nothing out of me Bruce Wayne." Diana scowled, she could almost smack CJ for blabbing about that incident. (She just knew that Bruce would worm out of her that there was video evidence on her smart phone... complete with her poorly silenced giggles.)
"Is this your way of saying I should make your job easy and take a nap?" Bruce remarked dryly.
"It'd be nice if you caught up on your sleep. I know things have been a bit hectic and we both could probably use the down time." Diana hoped that he would heed her advice.
"Yet, if we were to do that, who would look after our son and make sure that he stays out of trouble?" Bruce asked, and Diana could almost swear that he was teasing her.
"Hi, I'm still here you know." Kara dryly remarked.
"Preferably someone that our son is not slowly corrupting." Bruce fired back without missing a beat. That earned him a playful swat on the shoulder from Diana and a rather childish raspberry from Kara.
"If you must know I get the feeling that Boo Bear will be too busy with his Anime to cause trouble. Something about making sure the Gundam universe is as he remembers it. Personally I never could get into the giant robots." Kara shrugged.
"Hey, don't knock it Kara, there's plenty of room in the cockpit and we'd have all the privacy we'd desire." CJ smirked as he watched Kara blush all the way to the tips of her ears.
"Thisavros! Will you PLEASE stop it with the innuendos!" Diana half shouted in exasperation.
"Ummm, I'm referring to the operating center for any aircraft of mechanized transport. If anyone's mind is in the gutter it's yours mitera, you and dad napping together? Lucky for me I already know about the birds and the bees, I'd hate to walk in on something and have an impromptu educational opportunity." he smirked as he watched his mother stutter before the pilot's voice came over the speakers informing them that they would shortly be taking off.
"It's actually quite nice when someone else is the recipient of my son's sarcastic nature." Bruce smiled as Diana glared daggers at him.
"Hey! It's not like I'm always and unrepentant smart-ass! Cut me a little slack." CJ groused.
"You did kinda bring that one on yourself Boo Bear. You may have gone just a smidgen overboard with the quips." Kara chimed in.
"Attention passengers, we are about to taxi onto the runway for take-off. Please remain seated until the fasten seat-belts light is turned off. At that point you will be able to freely move about the cabin." the pilots voice cut off any response from CJ.
"Well, on the bright side, I guess the vacation officially starts now." Diana smiled.
"Yeah, and besides, it's not like those two can get into that much trouble in Japan." Kara pointed over to Bruce and CJ. The former merely raised an eyebrow towards the younger man.
"Hey, what are you all looking at me for? I don't get into trouble all that often!" CJ complained.
"Circe." Diana countered.
"Corrupting Kara and the incidents when you were out on patrol." Bruce chimed in.
"Setting up our escape in the club just to get on Kal's nerves for spying on us." Kara grumbled, still trying to get rid of her blush.
"Man, this plane can't get to Japan fast enough. I really need some Pocky." CJ grumbled, it wasn't like he tried to be a troublemaker... it was just a latent talent.
.