10:00 PM
Gotham City
Wayne Manor
"And then what happened," Ororo asked, laughing as she smiled from ear to ear. For the past few hours, she and Jade had begun to tell each other the most odd and hilarious stories from their past.
"What do you think happened," replied Jade. "I left his sorry ass outside!" Ororo burst out into laughter, clutching her side as she rocked back and forth in the passenger seat.
"You're killing me here," she laughed, wiping tears from her eyes."I know it's supposed to be my turn next, but you gotta tell me another."
"Maybe later," Jade answered with a smile, "Once we get inside."
"We're here already," Ororo asked. She was so immersed in the story that she hadn't even noticed that Jade had driven through downtown Gotham and was now pulling into a long, winding driveway. Ororo leaned forward an awe as they approached Wayne Manor. It was enormous-far larger than the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Wow," she said. "Just wow. This place is freaking huge!"
Jade shrugged as she drove the car up the driveway. "Yeah. It gets underwhelming after a while though." After a few more moments of driving, Jade parked the car in front of the mansion's front entrance. She and an awe-struck Ororo got out of the car. "Follow me," Jade said, motioning Ororo in her direction as she began to walk ahead.
Ororo began to run after her friend, her mouth still gaping open as she took in the enormous estate. Then she remembered. "Oh wait," she interjected. "But what about our bags?"
"Don't worry about those," Jade replied as she walked. "I'll have Alfred put them in our rooms."
"Alfred? Who's Alfred?" A confused Ororo asked as she followed her friend.
"He's the butler," Jade answered.
Ororo's eyes widened even more. "You have a butler?"
Sure enough, as the two approached the front door, an old man wearing a suit and carrying a tray of tea came out of the house. Ororo figured that he was well into his 70's.
"Mistress Jade," said Alfred. He bowed slightly as Jade reached the entrance. "Good to see that you have returned home safely. I trust your trip back went well."
"I missed you too Alfred," Jade replied with a smirk. She reached out and took a cup of tea. "Alfred," she began as she sipped. "This is Ororo. Ororo, this is Alfred. She'll be staying here with us until school starts."
Alfred bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you miss."
"Please," said a blushing Ororo. "You don't have to bow. The pleasure is all mine."
"Now that the two of you are acquainted," Jade said. "Alfred, would you be so kind as to get our bags and put them in our rooms. Put Ororo's in the room next to mine."
"As you wish," said Alfred with a bow. The butler stepped into the house, set the tray and tea down, and set out down the driveway.
"Come on," Jade said to Ororo. "Follow me."
Jade and Ororo entered the mansion's foyer, turned right and came to an enormous den with a fireplace and a gigantic bookshelf.
"Wait," said Ororo, with a look of disbelief on her face. "Are we going-"
"Yep," Jade smiled back as she approached the bookshelf. "To the Bat-Cave." Jade removed a book entitled "Webster's guide to the English Language" and clicked a panel on the bookshelf. As she stepped back, the bookshelf moved to revel an elevator. "After you," said Jade, motioning to her guest.
10:20 P.M
Gotham City
Bat-Cave
"This is so AMAZING!" Ororo could hardly believe her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator and into the Bat-Cave. "All around her were artifacts and items from villains that Batman had put away. "I've heard rumors but I could never have imagined it to be so magnificent!" She turned to Jade with excitement and wonder in her voice. "You got to live with all of this in your basement?!"
"Yeah," replied Jade unenthusiastically as she made her way to the enormous computer system in the center of the cave. "Lucky me." Jade powered on the computer system an began to type vigorously.
"Hey," began a curious Ororo as she stared into a glass container that contained an odd, blue device. Her eyes were wide with curiosity and admiration. "Isn't this that thing that the Mr. Cold guy used to try and freeze the city over that one time? It was all over the news."
"Yeah," replied Jade without looking back. "What about it?"
Hearing the obvious lack of interest in her new friend's voice, Ororo tried to tone her excitement down. "Nothing," she said. "It's just you have so much cool stuff in here! I can't believe you've never said anything about it."
Jade continued typing. Her eyes were practically glued to the screen. "I don't mean to be rude," she started. But when you've seen some of the hellish things that go one down here, this cave becomes more of a house of horrors with wifi."
"Wow. He really rubbed off on you didn't he?" Ororo jumped in surprise. Jade's ears twitched. That wasn't Ororo's voice coming from the dark cave ceiling. "You're starting to sound just like him."
Despite the mysterious voice, Jade kept focused on her work as a figure in a skin-tight, black leather suit dropped from the ceiling and landed behind her. "I was hoping that you would've just kept your mouth shut and let me work," Jade griped.
Behind Jade stood Selena Kyle, better known to Gotham City as Catwoman.
"Now now," pouted Catwoman. "Is that really the way a young lady should speak to her mother?"
As Selena spoke the word "mother," Jade's fingers stopped typing.
Ororo had never seen Jade move so quickly. It was as though in a single motion, Jade stood before Catwoman holding a Robin-rang to the woman's throat. Her eyes looked as though they would slit it just as quickly.
Jade pressed the sharp metal into Selena's soft, pale skin. She watched as a small stream of blood began to trickle down from the cut. Jade looked up into Catwoman's eyes. She didn't have her goggles on. That was good. Jade wanted her to see the burning hate in her eyes without any obstructions.
"You are not my mother," Jade said. Then, just as quickly as she had approached Catwoman, Jade turned and was headed toward the computer. She stopped half way, turned, and threw the Robin-rang. It whizzed passed Selena, leaving another cut on her neck. With that, Jade returned to typing. "Now get out, or the next one won't miss."
"I doubt that," replied Catwoman calmly. Just as she wiped the blood on her neck away with her thumb, another Robin-ran sped toward her, lightly cutting her flesh again.
"Drop dead," Robin said, still typing.
"Um , Excuse me?" A confused Ororo spoke, her voice cracking slightly. "But what just happened?"
With a sly grin, Catwoman turned her attention toward the unfamiliar girl cowering behind her.
"Nothing," stated Jade, not taking her eyes off of the screen. "Just ignore her and hopefully she'll go away. Just keep any valuables in plain sight."
Ororo began to breathe heavily as the strange woman in black leather slinked toward her with a smile.
"Well well, " Catwoman started. She began to circle Ororo as she spoke as if she was examining her. "Who do we have here? Pretty face, nice rack, and a figure that would make a hourglass jealous."
Ororo wrapped her arms around her body in fear. "Um-I-"
"And such a sweet, innocent voice," Catwoman interjected with excitement. "Where'd you find her Jade," Selena asked, still smiling at Ororo. "I might want one for later."
Jade did not glance away from the computer for a second. But given the seriousness of her voice, she didn't have to."Touch so much as a hair on her head," Jade said. "And I will beat you unconscious with my bear hands, lay you on my coffee table, and cut you open. Then, I will proceed to jack you up on drugs so that you are forced to stay awake and watch me slowly gut you like a fish. Afterwards, I will leave you to die of suffocation from the stench of your own, rotting, flesh. Are we clear Ms. Kyle?"
"You know," Catwoman pouted as she walked up behind Jade and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'm getting the feeling that you don't want your old lady around." Jade, still busy on the computer, did not flinch. "Such a shame too," Catwoman continued. "I always wanted to be a cool mom."
"What are you doing here anyway Selena," Jade asked as Catwoman began to lovingly run her fingers through Jade's hair.
"Same as you baby girl," Selena whispered. "I'm trying to find him."
"Funny," Jade said. "I thought that with him gone, you'd enjoy your little crime spree."
"Oh I am," Catwoman retorted. "But I miss him too. I'm worried about him. I care about him. "
"Wow," Jade said, rolling her eyes. "Worrying and caring about someone who isn't yourself? How out of character for you." Jade stopped typing for a moment and turned her head to the woman who still stood behind her, hugging her. "Well, have you found anything useful?"
"No," Catwoman replied. "After he was officially missing, I started coming here and searching through the computer for leads, but no turnouts. Then a few days ago I heard Alfred on the phone with you about living arrangements. So, I figured that you must've had something and that maybe I could-"
"No!" Jade cut the woman off promptly. She flung her arm back, pushing Selena off of her.
"Please," Catwoman pleaded. "Let me help you find him."
"No," Jade said sternly. "It's not happening."
"I'm helping you and you can't tell me otherwi-"
SMACK!
This time, Catwoman was interrupted not by words, but by a slap to the face.
"Look," Jade started. "I don't trust you anymore. I don't see how Bruce can stand the sight of you-let along get off inside of such a slutty bitch! But the only reason that you're not lying in a pool of your own blood right now is because he cares about you." Jade thrust her arm and pointed in the direction of a silent, confused Ororo. "I brought a friend with me to help with this and the last thing that I need is for you to do to her what you did to me."
"But Jade I-"Selena began again only to be cut short.
"Get out," Jade said. "Now."
Catwoman was silent for a moment. She rubbed her leather fingers against the red blotch on her face. "Okay, I'm-I'm sorry." she said. With that, Selena Kyle turned and walked silently toward the back of the cave. The sound of her footsteps echoed one after another.
After a few minutes, the clacking of Catwoman's feet faded away.
"So," began Ororo with a sigh of relief. "What was that all about?" She approached her new friend only to be stopped as Jade's extended her open hand from behind her.
"I don't want to talk about it," Jade said. "You should go upstairs. . . . Your room should be ready by now."