Okay, here's the next chapter. Part One of the Infamous Date! Kid Flash and Jinx talk, enjoy and learn.
Johnny Clegg and his music belongs to him and Teen Titans belong to their owners!
Entr'Acte
Jinx had hit rock bottom. Her cash supply was running low, her reputation was shot and she had agreed to a date with the person who was responsible for both of those events. She should check herself into a psych ward again, before she lost her mind and started liking Disney movies.
Still, it was a free meal and she had learned to never turn down anything free. She was actually starting to have to cut back on her favorite foods, so forcing her enemy to buy them for her would be almost like stealing, right?
So Jinx had placed a blond wig over her hair and in case of discovery, told her fellow crime mates via email that she was doing some under-cover work. She figured they wouldn't understand the concept of a date and especially the person she would be seeing. Actually, she often wondered if they understood anything about her and what her goals were. The Hive Five had a habit of acting the mental age of five.
As she looked at herself in metal siding, she had to admit she was smoking hot. She supposed the jeans and peasant blouse looked fairly good on her, she had been working out and she had to admit, she was frankly gorgeous.
Now, why was she waiting for some boy scout? She could have any man she wanted. Of course, the odds were good but the goods were odd. Villains she knew…from Monsieur Mallah to Johnny Rancid, they were all disappointing in the looks department. And it wasn't like she could date a normal human, they bored her too much.
So Kid Flash was currently the best pick of the runty litter. She had to admit, this guy should be hauling her butt off to prison, not bringing her flowers. And perhaps she could slowly gain his trust, gain his secrets, destroy the Titan network from within…
"Hello, my lady. You are waiting for your prince?" a voice asked, as her ticket to villainy, glory and coolness arrived in full costume. "And yes, it's me. The one and only K. F." She would recognize that snooty voice anywhere.
"What's going on?" Jinx asked, putting the rose into her hair to confirm that it was her. She was really wondering how painful this night would be. How could he stay in costume? Didn't he even know how to disguise himself? The Hive Academy would have eaten him alive.
"I have tickets to a concert. Then I can cook you dinner. I make great lasagna," Kid Flash said, with a wink. "And I remained in costume for obvious reason. Safe to say you'd still like the Brotherhood of Evil to use me as a lab rat? I'd rather not risk it."
"Very safe. I'd help them," Jinx muttered. Okay, maybe she wouldn't want him dissected, but imprisoned wouldn't be too bad. A nice dungeon with heavy chains to wipe that grin off his face.
"I'm touched. Really, I am. So, want to go on our date?" Kid Flash asked, giving her that lazy smirk.
"Fine. Just don't make it too boring," Jinx growled, patting her hair. She had to admit, it was kinda romantic, but she wasn't about to let him see that. "What kind of music? The Goblin Kings? The Grudge?" she asked. If this was a classical one, she'd take him apart, piece by piece.
Kid Flash gave a grin. "We're going to be seeing Johnny Clegg. He's a South African singer who protested against Apartheid. My mentor and he are good friends and he's really talented, I thought you might enjoy a taste of culture."
"I'm cultured," Jinx snapped, sounding quite annoyed. "I read when I have time. Sun Tzu, Machiavelli's the Prince, the Hive Academy wasn't just for combat training, you know." She had always tried to know as much as possible, it helped her to know the value of the things she stole.
"I'm quite sure the Anarchist's Cookbook is a fine bedtime read," Kid Flash said, winking. "But I really think you'll enjoy this."
The two walked silently together, arriving to the theatre. Weirdly enough, no one stared at the costumed superhero. Jinx wasn't sure if they were just a weird enough crowd that people cosplaying wouldn't be an issue, or Kid Flash attended a lot of concerts in costume. "We got good seats. I have connections."
"Connections? To what? More goody-two shoes?" Jinx took her seat, trying to avoid showing how she was feeling. She didn't like big crowds much, they made her nervous. And none of the people were wearing fancy jewelry for her to steal. All they wore were these weird tribal beads that wouldn't even get the price of a candy bar at a pawn shop.
Before long, the concert had started. A skinny white guy and a bunch of darker skinned guys were dancing around to some incredible tribal beats. It was a beautiful song, really sad.
Oh the sea is cold and the sky is grey
Look across
the Island into the Bay
We are all islands till comes the day
We
cross the burning water
"What's it about?" Jinx whispered. "People are crying!" She was actually quite moved by the music too, it seemed beautifully sad.
"It's about injustice and the fight to end racial segregation. It's incredible. Mr. Clegg is Jewish, and his partner was African, but together they found common ground to write beautiful songs. They chose to fight against evil and oppression." If that was his idea of a subtle hint, Jinx really pitied him. He was about as understated as a canon blast.
"I know what segregation is. The government was doing it to their own people, right?" Jinx said, smirking. Oh, this was going to be a good verbal drubbing.
"Yes?" Kid Flash asked pleasantly, swaying to the music. He seemed on the verge of dancing, which would sink him to lows of geekiness that would ruin the date.
"So, in order to do the right thing, he had to break the law. But since you're a big hero, you'd have to have arrested him, right?" Jinx asked, springing the trap. "So you'd admiring a criminal."
Kid Flash's eyes narrowed. 'The laws he broke were unfair," he protested, clearly not prepared for this conversation. Obviously, being a hero didn't require a lot of soul-searching.
Jinx was enjoying herself now. Needling him was a lot of fun. "And who gets to decide which laws are fair and which ones aren't? So…by your logic, only some laws need to be obeyed." She was winning this and she knew it.
"Laws are good when they protect the people. That's the whole point of the social contract. If they don't protect the people, then the law must be changed," Kid Flash explained, sounding interested. "But you're right. Sometimes the government doesn't work. Like in South Africa. And people banded together to achieve social change."
Jinx smiled. "So, really, those who fight against the government and break the laws can be assumed to be freedom fighters?" she asked. "That might make your job a lot different."
"Yeah, but you aren't exactly risking your freedom for others, are you? Not that you aren't worth fighting for," Kid Flash said, finding a verbal leg to stand on. Gosh, he thought quickly. She was actually impressed. "And you're right about this. People need protection, from government as well as your friends. And I think you'd be a great person to do it. You seem to really identify with those in need. You'd make an amazing public advocate."
"Flattering me isn't going to work," Jinx said, forcing herself to sound sour. She actually was pleased to be complimented. "I'm not cut out for legal work."
"Hey, I wouldn't want to go up against you in a court of law. You wouldn't even need to hex your opponent, you could destroy him with just your mind." Kid Flash's smile was so genuine. He really thought she was smart.
She didn't know what to say. Oh, she had been told she was ruthless, cunning and was the Hive's number one graduate. But no one had ever told her that she could argue well. It made her feel confused, since it was a compliment. She had no way of mocking it. So she said nothing.
As Jinx turned around to look around the stage, she noticed that a light swinging above their heads was beginning to get dangerously loose. "Kid," she hissed, realizing she was about to get crushed at any minute if she didn't move. "I'll blast it." She wouldn't mind showing off some of her skills.
Kid Flashed followed her eyes and shook his head. "You might hurt the others," he hissed, disappearing within the blink of an eye and racing up the walls, gasps sounding from everyone around her. With a quick chop from his hand, he cut the loose lamp and held it in his hands.
"Watch out, everyone," he said, whirling around to form a tornado to cradle the falling lamp. "I'm coming down." Jinx watched with awe as Kid Flash gently pulled the light down, whirling around effortlessly, that happy smile on his face making him look like…an angel.
As he landed on the ground, the lamp falling harmlessly beside him, a round of applause exploded through the audience. "Our hero," "The Flash, the Flash," people said, snapping pictures and applauding. What an attention whore. He must just crave all this attention.
"Thank you, really, it was nothing. I was just doing
what heroes do," Kid Flash said, bowing slightly. "No need to
thank me." Jinx was sure if his head got any more swelled, he'd
topple over.
"Mr. Kid Flash, please
come up and sing with us. It is such an honor to have you with us,"
the singer said, waving Kid Flash up onto the stage. "Allow us to
reward you for saving our lives."
"I'll serenade you," the
red-haired superdweeb said, kissing Jinx's hand. "It's all for
you." Jinx was too angry to speak or even kick.
'I'd like to welcome someone very special to the stage. As we can
see from immediate example, Mr. Kid Flash fights for justice and
equality. He defends the weak against the cruel. He stands for what
we all can achieve. We are honored to have him perform with us
tonight. Would you choose a song for us to perform?" the
singer asked.
Kid Flash was soaking up the attention like some dweeby sea sponge, nauseating Jinx. He most likely loved every minute of all that fawning attention. It made him feel so big and important.
"Thanks, Johnny. I'd like us to sing Dela in honor of a beautiful girl out there. She knows who she is," Kid Flash announced into the microphone, winking. Jinx was trying to avoid blushing or hiding under her seat. Was that dweeb determined to humiliate himself and her at the same time? "And I know how positive she can be." He was gloating! She had half a mind to blast him.
"I think you just broke the hearts of a million
girls," the singer said, as Jinx ducked under her seat, her cheeks
burning. How could he humiliate her like that? She couldn't believe
what an attention nut he was. And those million girls could have him
if they wanted him.
"One day I looked up and
there you were like a simple question looking for an answer," the
song began, to some weird tribal beat that was actually rather catchy
and nice. "Now I am a whale listening to some inner call, swimming
blindly to throw myself upon your shores." Kid Flash was blindly
throwing himself on her. And she was beginning to like it.
-------------------------------
Wally loved
Johnny Clegg's music and all that it stood for, racial equality,
political change and freedom. But it had always scared him how much
the lyrics touched and resonated in the life of a wealthy mid-Western
white boy from Nebraska. This song felt like it had been written for
him and his Jinx.
"But what if I don't find you when I have landed, would you leave me here to die on your shores stranded?" Johnny sang as Wally danced happily along, in his best imitation of the funky chicken. It was a question that he often pondered. He sometimes wondered if the few bad points Jinx had would destroy all the good that he could see inside, leaving him stranded and possibly compromised. He knew exactly what would happen to him if he fell into enemy hands. Oh, he knew that very well. He had the scars to prove it.
"I think I know why the dog howls at the moon. I think I know why the dog howls at the moon." Oh, Wally knew why the dog howled at the moon. The females were the problem!
"I say: "Dela! Dela! Ngiyadela! When I am with you!" Johnny sang, always bringing the answer to the question. That was Swahili for "I am content" and it was true. Wally was content with Jinx and that was all that mattered. He was content with a girl who drove him crazy but made him happy because he knew that deep down inside her…was a girl worth fighting for.
Johnny passed the microphone to Wally, who gladly took it. His aunt had always said he loved the spotlight. "Dela! Sondela Mama Sondela! I burn for you!" he sang, praying his voice didn't crack. He was telling her to be closer, closer, to come closer. And he meant every word.
As he looked out, he finally caught Jinx's eye and blew her a kiss. He was doing this for her. He cared about her. He knew what potential she had. All she had to do was believe him.
And if he was wrong, he would burn for her. Literally.
AN-More to come!
