Almost six months of void, well almost void with nothing to qualify as an Omega Level Alert, but she didn't mind, the last time they had one of those she almost lost him because he thought he had to kill Luthor to save the world. Her only concern then was saving her world... saving him.

Flash makes head lines with him being credited with the defeat of Brainiac-Luthor. He gets head lines a second time for foiling his own murder as some of his Rogues team up to try to kill him.

If Brainiac-Luthor couldn't do it... what made them think they could?

Things went forward aside from the Congressional hearings less than a month after the narrowly averted war between the League and Cadmus. Both sides got probation of a kind, but Waller for her part is made a League liaison along side King Faraday of the Justice Department as both have experience with working along side the League. Eiling went along quietly until several weeks ago after using some formula that made him a meta except his rampage only turn the civilians on him after the brute beat Shining Knight within an inch of his life.


The madness with Cadmus had driven Question to do things she wanted to prevent him trying to do, but she is only one woman just as he is only one man. If she had not done what she felt was right as well, she still fears it would have cost her in ways she would never be ready to accept, but then she also felt a hormonal compulsion to do those things too. Love makes people do strange things, she had known that ever since she found herself falling in love with him, but somehow 'it' holds 'its' priceless worth in her eyes.

The man she loves is more than just the look she cannot wait to wrap her arms around when she is alone with him. His mind is more imaginative than obsessive in her thinking because she found that he is teaching her without teaching and without telling, meaning she is picking up on his methods without fully realizing it. His face even after the brutality he met during his Cadmus captivity did not affect the way she did react to finally seeing his face or more precisely his eyes in the light. Her reaction quite the opposite actually, she felt a flush and a rush within her, she loves him, no doubt there.

He did remind her of what she said about his face before she tried to elicit his help to find Mandragora. It took less than a month for her to change her mind about his face, but having gone through hell to get him back made seeing Vic Sage's face that much more meaningful.


Movie watching had become a recurring trend when he spent days or nights at her apartment. She grown to cherish them though in particular the time they watched Sabrina. It had helped her forget for awhile all that they went through as a couple during that one week alone. Any time she heard the song La Vie En Rose, it made her feel weak in the knees, but more so when she heard it in French or especially in Italian. She found herself sorting through more things that belong to her mother including records. It took some doing, but she manages to convert them to CD's yet for the novelty she also sought to buy a record player despite the cost.

He had done a lot of the footwork during the last few times they were together so she thought it possible to surprise him or at least make the atmosphere harder for him to get away from.

His latest gift to her was a book that he personally put his own favored quotations in and most were definitely him yet some made her laugh out right like the ones by Oscar Wilde or Mignon McLaughlin. The ones from Wilde cause to her to chuckle though the one about blocking retreats actually made sense to her now. As for the ones by McLaughlin, she wonders where does he find these, especially the one about how women feel bothered about men looking hungrily or not at them. She recalls how his stares at first did bother her yet when he starts to do it or not do it, it actually made her confront him about the change. In his own far more subtle way he had been flirting with her from the start even though he did seem very unaware and she had almost no idea either.


His sudden agreeableness to help her nab Mandragora did strike her as odd yet she had known back then and more so now that she made the right decision going to him for help because otherwise things could have gone much differently. On top of that she might not have fallen in love with him as that love made her risk her own life for his, which as an act is very new to her yet at as an idea she realizes now that it felt like it had been growing within her ever since their first kiss. He had such shyness in admitting it and for that she would always smile at the memory of his admission of his liking her. As time went on she found that he too is perhaps falling in love with her though it had become direct with how intimate they are when alone together, just the two of them and that is the clearest way to 'talk'.


She felt like going on the town and so she suits up ever so elegantly. Some wonder does one wear the costume over or under regular clothes yet her solution is a trade secret she tell herself before remembering how others including Vic had made use of the same phrase or logic. She packs her new dress into the storage compartment of her bike and is eager to test out her bike's new tracking system.

Question had told her about anomalies cropping up in League physicals particularly among the female members. She finds it curious too aside from the fact that Question is taking interest in it, but he also said the anomalies begin to appear not long after the comlink upgrades though none of the males are showing the same symptoms. She represses the urge to tell him that maybe he is looking a little too deeply into something as mundane as medical anomalies. He sent her a list of all the ones with anomalous readings, but the infirmary staff thought nothing of it because missions were always taxing on bodies yet he ties it more to the fact they all show signs of sleep deprivation.

The deprivation indications while not extreme yet, could still get that way if the cause is not found out, but maybe they were losing sleep for different reasons like say the men in their lives. She could sympathize with that, but it didn't mean she thought that losing sleep over him is entirely a bad thing, with his life in danger definitely yet otherwise it felt ridiculous except she was not any of them.

The list had several names on it including Black Canary, which makes even more puzzling.

What could be the cause? Could it have something to do with Arrow?

If it actually had anything to do with Arrow is yet to be determined too. She combs Canary's usual haunts and typical sweep areas though it takes some footwork to really track her down. Huntress drops down into an alleyway near large crates where Canary is attempting to pin a rather ordinary looking male. She looks to be struggling with the guy, which seems so unlike her.

"You need a hand Canary?" asks Huntress.

She knows she is leaning rather aloof against the crate, but she let Canary make her own call. The man is getting the upper hand with Canary under him, he must like being on top, and being able to knock down someone like Canary is probably going straight to somewhere other than his head.

"Not from you!"

The man slugs her, looks like it hurt, and now he is looking forward to getting away.

"Suit yourself."

He looks a bit confused by Huntress not going after him, but then Huntress had picked up that trick from Batman years ago.

"I have never seen you look so sloppy," comments Huntress.

She puts up her arm as Canary tries to resume the chase by getting around her. Huntress flips a trash can lid then flicks like it could have been one of Batman's batarangs. It hits the fleeing criminal in the neck knocking him to the ground in the adjacent alleyway.

"I don't need your help Huntress."

"Right you were doing a fabulous job of getting your butt handed to you."

Together they head towards the knocked out criminal.

"What he did do?"

Canary pulls a wallet out of the male's jeans.

"Stole a wallet," answers Canary.

Huntress tries to suppress the urge to make fun of Canary.

"Shut up, you got creamed by a pickpocket," snorts Huntress.

Canary looks ready to drop dead from exhaustion clearly. It appears Question had it right as usual, but then she thought he is usually right about almost everything except when he is infrequently wrong.

"You sure you are okay?"

"Worried?"

"Curious."

"Right."

Canary before putting on her helmet after getting on her bike makes one last look in Huntress' direction.

"I didn't think you cared about anyone."

Less than a year ago you would have been right Dinah, but I am a different woman now. A woman in love, a woman with a thawed out heart, which isn't a bad thing, you made it work with Oliver while I am finding my own way with Vic.

Huntress fires a tracking beacon onto the seat of Canary's motorcycle just as she revs up the bike, which would cover all the sounds the beacon would make while activating then it goes silent yet continues emitting a signal where it goes of course. She returns to where she hid her own bike and follows Canary home. However she kept her distance yet even Canary should getting that prickling sensation that someone is following her except nothing happens other than her haphazardly making all sorts of turns to keep up with the rather poor bike maneuvering on Canary's part.


Huntress parks the bike in an alley across the street from Canary's apartment complex and then grapple ascends to the roof. She positions herself with a line of sight to Canary's apartment, which faces the street with a clear view of the bedroom. No lights went on, no blinds were shut, Canary didn't even undress, not Huntress would want to see that anyway, but it adds to the odd list. At the same time, Huntress relays her observations to Vic over the cell phone in one hand and the binoculars are in the other. She learned long ago how to make full use of both hands while doing two separate things like she is doing now.

"I'm telling you Q, Canary is totally off her game. Maybe she is moonlighting, maybe she is stepping out on Green Arrow," suggests Huntress.

"The deeper mystery is why do you even care? Isn't this the same woman who beat the snot out of you a couple months back?" probes Question.

"She got a lucky shot in!" retorts Huntress.

She knows it was more than one.

"Okay, five or six lucky shots," resigns Huntress.

She wonders where he is now, but before she can remind him of why she is even on this 'case' in the first place, he interrupts her again. She is used to him doing that from time to time, every so often she likes it when he takes charge or initiative.

"Ah ha, just as I suspected… thirty-two flavors," comments Question.

"There is something wrong here Q, I can feel it," remarks Huntress.

"I am the conspiracy theorist and ever I don't see it," responds Question.

She shifts position to lean against the wall behind her on the rooftop.

"So what are you wearing?" asks Huntress seductively.

She gently swings the binoculars back and forth waiting for his reply.

"Blue overcoat, fedora…"

She smirks a little at the description, it is so like him yet so plain for a man who could speak so eloquently and romantic at times, apparently right now isn't one of those times.

"You really stink at this," jests Huntress.

"Orange socks?" says Question.

The sound of a motorcycle revving interrupts their chat.

"She's on the move, got to go babydoll."

"You are starting to remind me of me except it is not me."

"You are rubbing off on me a little too much."

"It doesn't seem to bother you."

"It makes me feel passionate about things… and about you."

"Likewise il mio amore come una rosa."

She did hate to end the call after he said that, except the trail on Canary is getting colder by the second. They hang up at the same time knowing they could always pick this up later after their mutual investigative tendency gets filled enough. It is a rapid yet gracefully handled descent to the alley using her cape to regulate the drop then she fires up the bike to follow Canary. The instinct reaction to put the tracker on her motorcycle really did make sense, but it seem strange as Canary had looked completely blacked out on her bed when she was talking to Question except not anymore. As she follows, it is clear that something is up more than ever and then an inward sigh comes as Huntress works out the general direction that Canary is heading towards.

Canary is heading for somewhere in Bludhaven, Nightwing's town, and so if something is going on there then why is he not looking into it she wonders for a moment.

She returns her focus to weaving through traffic after Canary. Huntress casts a sidelong glance after entering Bludhaven a few minutes later. She remembers the gargoyle statues that are quite popular here except the number she remembers being on a particular rooftop don't match with the shadow outlines she mentally counts briefly. Nightwing is watching obviously, but he figures there is no need to follow either her or Canary. This is only a guess and at least one familiar costume on the prowl does not always raise any red flags.


The trail ends at a parking garage, which is almost entirely by itself in the midst of a quieter side of Bludhaven. Huntress however hides her bike out of sight before stealthily getting into the garage in a less visible manner though the place probably has some security measures at least. She slips in and hides behind a parked car. Canary heads towards an elevator door and pulls out a security card then another woman is joining her. It is Fire, another from the medical anomaly list, so whatever is going all of them are coming here, wherever here is, but that would mean following them downstairs somehow.

She trips the security alarm on purpose by trying to pick the card slot and a handful of gun carrying tuxedos are there to greet her when the doors open. The whole sunglasses at night is so out of date, but to her it is part of that whole bad guy's security personnel stereotype in spy movies. She steps inside between all five of them. All are looking at her with suspicion not sure if she is part of the downstairs party so they only keep their weapons up yet none make any move to pull triggers. This is their last mistake as she elbows the two behind her first then knees one of the ones near the elevator switchboard and swings a closed fist backwards as she keeps her eyes on the only one left in front of her.

The one behind her went right into her fist and stumbles back dropping his weapon as he falls to the floor. The last tries to shoot yet she grips his wrist then slightly twists it. He yelps in pain as the gun clatters to the floor then she head butts him causing him to crumple to the floor. It went quicker than she thought, but just as well. Two out of five were way out of shape, the one that just made a try to shoot her is a rook, the one next to him relies too much on fear of guns, and the one that thought to jump her has bad reflexes.

The doors open to reveal the hidden underground.

An underground casino perhaps, but why is Canary, Fire, or any of the others coming down here?

She slides off her mask then slips off into the ladies' room to change costumes to better blend in with the crowd. The situation is an excuse to wear her new red dress and black sandals as well as different lipstick.

I will have to remember to try this one on you later baby. Your kissing inexperience had given me plenty of motivation to try them all on you and lots of new ones too. You made kissing fun again somehow, but that is not the only thing about it. You felt so awkward and unsure at first yet in time you had come up with your own way and how much I miss that when I look like this.

She forces her mind back to the task at hand and heads out with her pocket over her arm. She had found out long ago how to make her costume fit into pocketbooks and shoulder bags instead of always trying to wear them under her clothes like she thought plenty of others had done. The only one to occasionally envy is Stewart, he slips in and out with a thought because of the ring.

However that steals the fun putting it on, taking it off, or someone else taking it… Helena focus girl.

She daintily walks across the room, takes a champagne glass, and heads into the auditorium where the crowd is filling into the seats. She finds a seat then notices the input display arm rest console that is blinking 'Place Your Bets.' The speakers boom and then she hears the voice of the last person she thought she hear from again considering how a certain Pretty Bird and her Archer shut her down almost a year ago.

"Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. Welcome to another exclusive evening of Metabrawl Glamor Slam. My name is Roulette and I make the rules."

The crowd cheers and some sort of barrier starts to descend from the high point of the ring shaped platform below all the aisles.

"Prepare to see the biggest, baddest super powered struggle domination that has ever been my pleasure to present…"

Two angular sections of the platform descend into the floor.

"A no holds bar fight between two legendary ladies of the League."

The crowd cheers grow by the second.

"Fire! The blistering babe from Brazil!"

Fire looks quite ready for a fight if her demeanor means anything, so are all the ones with anomalies showing signs of exhaustion and worse because they have been fighting in this Glamor Slam?

"The undefeated Queen of Glamor Slam… Black Canary!"

She looks as pumped for a fight as Fire yet the demeanor is virtually identical to Fire's. This is more than an anomaly, it is a trend, and a rather troublesome coincidence if all of them look like this when they are fighting in that thing.

The two stand there as if posturing only, as if waiting for something to start the fight instead of them starting it themselves.

This is wrong… really wrong… can't doing anything from here though… except watch in the same room unlike what happen on the Watchtower months ago during the Founders versus Brainthor fight. She inwardly gulps at the other comparison her mind makes... the closet... again with that one.

"Place your bets ladies and gentlemen!"

You are all pathetic, how many times have these women risked their necks, their lives, their hearts, everything they have just so you can have the luxury to sit here and bet which one of them will beat the rest?


The fight kicks off with an upper thrust kick from Canary, which sends Fire down on her back while landing hips first, which in Helena's experience hurts quite a bit if there is enough force in the kick that sends one flying even a short distance. Fire regains the edge as she ignites into her flaming form then gets back to her feet to unleash unbroken flame trails after Canary who back flips repeatedly to dodge them. Fire shifts to firing a constant burn straight behind Canary except Canary goes up the closest pole as the burn follows her up. Canary next vaults over Fire and slows her descent by dragging her leather boots across the ring's fancy red carpeting.

Fire takes off into a run straight at Canary except the latter does a headstand to sidestep the headlong rush so Fire follows up with another burn forcing Canary to remain in a constant tumble. However Canary folds into a kneeling position as the burn draws too close to her head so she narrowly saves that flowing yet wavy blond hair that Oliver Queen can't get enough of. Her hair is not his only favored physical quality when it comes to Canary. He is still known for staring at her legs as someone said jokingly to her before Huntress was fired from the League.

Fire takes flight and swings around to come flaming down on Canary. She lets off more burn trails forcing Canary to run and from what Helena saw with the pickpocket earlier it did not look like Canary would make it, well almost. Fire saw through the run to pole then vault trick so spins around just as Canary makes a second vault and a fireball strikes Canary sending her sprawling to the ground. Fire decides to go all attack with no burns this time except Canary is quick to regain her footing. Helena remembers the last time she saw Canary stand like that. It was just before she used the subsonic cry against Mandragora.

It didn't work on him, but it just might kill Fire, what the heck are you doing down there?

Fire is thrown backwards into the barrier and she reverts back to her usual look then falls to the floor. The crowd cheers, well the ones that bet Canary would win anyway, but still it is sickening to Helena. It is one thing for a costume to be injured in a fight against a criminal or a villain, but not like this, pitting her against another heroine for money, that is just plain wrong. Fire looks up briefly before passing out from her newest injuries, undoubtedly this is not the first time they took injuries in that thing, but it would have to be among the last before tonight is over.

"I am the winner!" calls Canary.

This is not you, you wouldn't act like that, sure you might not like me, but Fire is still in the League, you wouldn't harm another at least I hope not, but this ends tonight, one way or another.


Helena slips back to her Huntress guise before going back to the garage to confront Canary.

"What's wrong with you? You almost killed Fire back there," snaps Huntress.

Canary remains unmoved, which is strange yet tonight has already had more than its fill in her mind.

"Are you undercover? Is Roulette blackmailing you?" quips Huntress.

No response yet Canary is posturing for something.

"Talk to me!"

Huntress weathers a full blown roundhouse kick a split second later.

"You got worst than that coming!"

Huntress for a change actually felt afraid again, but not enough to back down. Canary tries to land another kick yet Huntress handstands her way out of it then slides back on her heeled boots. Canary follows up with a punch that hits Huntress right in the face. Huntress is able to deflect the next two then tries for a kick of her own except Canary dodges under it. She tries with the other leg and Canary tosses just like she did in their last fight except getting thrown against a car hurt surprisingly less than getting thrown against asphalt in a parking garage.

She pushes away the pain and Canary closes in again. Canary blocks all the punches by using her forearms only yet there are bruise marks visible on those same forearms.

How many fights would it take to do that damage? I can't think of that now anyway.

Canary shifts back to kicking except she is landing kicks on Huntress' chest.

You didn't see me aiming for yours, ugh, I wonder if Batman was right to wear Kevlar? Does it stand up to more than bullets?

Huntress goes back on the offensive except Canary sees so starts sauntering backwards, which is something Huntress had not seen her do on her before. It must be from Arrow she figures as she keeps attacking and missing though at least maybe this time it won't leave her too open, but Canary didn't apparently remember she is backing into a concrete pillar. The effect of slightly hitting her head stuns her enough for Huntress to move in closer. However Canary is about to try the subsonic trick on her, which end this badly for Huntress.

I'm sorry about this, but I'm not getting blown out like Fire. Stupid mental joke, but I am not done yet.

Huntress elbows Canary in the throat and then pulls out her earpiece comlink except even without the subsonic Canary knocks it from her hand. Two successive and quick punches send Huntress stumbling and in the process caused her to crush the comlink with her heeled boot.

Oh perfect now I am stuck with a woman who can just kick the snot out of me again. I know we don't get along, but I'm trying to help Dinah.

"Terrific," grumbles Huntress.

Canary appears to be out of it now as she looks a little lost. However no taking chances even if she is really coming out of something. A quick punch to the face sends Canary down to the ground, which did look too easy, she is back to acting like she is almost on a burnout like earlier tonight. Huntress notices it just got darker in here, but they are only shadows… shadows of security personnel and a costumed villain.

"Thanks for saving us the trouble," says the man.

He glares at her.

"We really appreciate it," continues the man.

He fires his weapon, but it only feels like an overly powerful stunning discharge and then she falls down next to Canary.


She awakens later in a cramped cell.

"How was I supposed to know you snapped out of it?" sighs Huntress apologetically.

Canary merely glares at her and says nothing.

"I couldn't be sure."

She looks at Canary who looks like she is caught up in too much to work out with what is going on here.

"They have had you up every night working the arena. No wonder you have been fighting like a girl."

The glare and the smirk remain on Canary's face at least for a bit longer.

"Well you know what I mean."

Roulette and a physician approach the cell opposite theirs. Fire is in that one.

"You don't remember that do you?" asks Huntress.

Canary still stares at her in disbelief about all this.

"You did that to her," continues Huntress.

Canary's throat is still raw from Huntress elbowing it yet seeing Fire like that shocks her. Canary touches the burn marks on her arms.

"How did you think you got that burn?" quips Huntress.

Huntress considers quickly all the notes she had mentally taken since watching the fight in the arena and concludes that this is mind control. After all these women would not ordinarily fight each other, they might for fun, but this is not fun, this is barbaric.

"Must be some kind of mind control technology."

Canary starts pointing to her hair. At first Huntress misunderstands the gesture then it occurs to her that Question also made a passing mention about software irregularities in the new comlink upgrades, which would have made it possible for someone to manipulate the users via technological coercion. The users however would have apparently no memory of what they did during that time so they would likely attribute it to sleep or other gaps in memory like being drunk for instance.

"If she dies, Roulette, I'm taking you down hard. I promise you that."

Roulette already aware that they are both awake turns her gaze to their cell.

"Now why would I allow such a valuable commodity die? On the other hand, you two aren't under my control, which means I am going to have to eliminate you, in the ring of course, why just snuff you out when I sell tickets and lay odds?" remarks Roulette confidently.

"Scum," hisses Huntress.

"No, no, my dear. I am an entrepreneur," retorts Roulette.

She essentially gives away the method and confirms what both of them already suspect to be the case. Roulette also believes that they will both lose in the ring, so certain, so believing, but if they are going to survive, then Roulette will have to be dead wrong.

Your mistake is my… no… our advantage.

Huntress and Black Canary nod as if agreeing that they alone will have to free the other ladies from Roulette's control because without comlinks there is no way to radio for help and if they had comlinks they would be in the ring brawling without remorse.


Roulette topside announces an extra match for tonight, which gains everyone's attention. The cuffs unlock then fall to the floor as she continues to talk about the match.

"They won't be fighting each other."

Canary and Huntress share a mutual look of surprise just before the floors open up again. At first the crowd boos yet settles down as the two others rise up.

"Huntress and Black Canary versus two new contenders! Vixen, the beauty with the beast powers, and the Thanagar thrasher... Hawkgirl!"

This just keeps getting better the two of us against the two that are romantically sparring over John Stewart.

"Looks like we're in this together."

"If you call me "girlfriend", I'm gonna dropkick you into the next county."

"Now don't go all sentimental on me."

Vixen makes the first move by lunging at Huntress except by ducking Vixen only knocks down Canary. The two tussle on the floor while Shayera with a charged mace goes after Huntress. The only way to stay ahead of someone with a mace is to keep one's distance.

Acrobatics really come in handy right about now, got to find a way to get that comlink out of her ear or I'm dust.

Canary and Vixen shift away from the floor after Canary's subsonic cry does nothing to the latter. Shayera comes back mace in hand for a whack except Huntress dodges by going under then throwing Shayera the other way by using her heeled boots as a fulcrum.

Canary gets the comlink out of Vixen's ear, but still no change.

It must stop transmitting, not just taken out of the user's ear, so how do I get that close to Shayera with that mace of hers?

Vixen lands on her own comlink crushing it just like Huntress had incidentally done just before she knocked out Canary and got caught by Roulette's partner. Vixen goes after Shayera by jumping on her back.

"I don't want hurt you Shayera."

"But I want to hurt you!"

"Just when we were starting to get along…"

Vixen got caught off guard when Shayera leaps backwards slamming Vixen into the barrier. Shayera goes after Huntress again except she dodges like before then passes her off to Canary. Canary goes to work yet no go on the comlink. Vixen comes back in latching onto Shayera while using one her beast powers to bind Shayera, which allows Canary to pull out the comlink then crush it between her fingers.

"I don't think I wanna know!" exclaims Shayera.

"We're all in a cage match fighting to the death!" quips Vixen.

"Yeah! See?" sighs Shayera.

Huntress taunts Roulette.

Maybe I shouldn't have done that… going up against those two was one thing… but this is…

"I saved the very best for last!"

The crowd really goes nuts now.

"Yes that's really Wonder Woman! Ladies and gentlemen, it is on! Can even these four beautiful bruisers stand up to the Amazon powerhouse herself?"

The four of them back up towards the opposite wall.

"Anyone got a plan?" asks Vixen.

"Yeah, try to stay alive," retorts Shayera.

"Anybody got a good plan?" rebukes Huntress.

Thought going up against Mari and Shayera was bad, but right now I wouldn't want to imagine what could amplify Diana's aggression especially if it involves Bruce Wayne, which it probably does… have to keep moving!

All four split up just before Diana smashes the floor where they were all standing seconds ago. Shayera's attempt to sneak up on Diana fails as she gets instantly flipped over hard onto the broken floor. Huntress tries next, no hits either, and then Canary goes after her, same results. Vixen tries only Diana shoots up ahead Vixen's move though Vixen gets out of the way as Diana heads back down to flatten her. Next Vixen channels some other animal to kick Diana towards the barrier pole, which knocks her down for less than a second so both Canary and Huntress go to pin her. Vixen lands next with Shayera not far behind, but this is Diana.

Somebody pull it out and smash it already… can't keep this up long at all!

Diana rises fast then flings all four back to the other side of the ring. Diana heads after Vixen and Huntress. Shayera's mace is doing little to the barrier so Canary goes subsonic on it as Shayera covers her ears. The crowd starts throwing their trash at the ring. Shayera takes both Huntress and Canary to the stands then she darts back to help Vixen.

At the top of the stairs, the five that Helena fought in the elevator are back and charging out to meet them. Determination is a powerful motivator and right about now there is no shortage of that in them. Canary divides and conquers while Huntress just sacks them all.


Diana is wasting Vixen and the audience flees when she gets flung into the stands. No tricks or traps work on Diana. Shayera almost hits Vixen with the mace instead then Diana trips her up. The brawl is spilling over into the casino and the property damage is a given.


Canary boosts Huntress into the air and she comes down ready to punch the next round of security blockheads. Time is however of the essence with the other two barely holding out against Diana. Huntress takes Canary by the waist then fires off a grappler to get them to the control booth hopefully.

Together they smash through the window to find Roulette and the male from earlier up there with her.

"I should have taken you down last time! My mistake," snips Canary.

Roulette steps to side as Canary goes subsonic and the male from before fires a weapon that emits a similar effect to the subsonic cry. Canary's cry however shatters the weapon then Roulette turns to run only to be met by a loaded arrow crossbow. Roulette backs up as Huntress advances still aiming except Roulette kicks the crossbow from her grip.

Surprise indeed, but I'll adapt to that too.

Huntress dodges though not quite fast enough at first. After a few minutes Roulette finally makes the confident mistake and Huntress twists both hands behind Roulette's back then taunts her for a parting reminder.

"Who's better?"

"You…"

Roulette hesitates to concede so Huntress twists harder.

"You!"

"Got that right."

Canary is getting wasted by the male who uses sonic and sonar technology, which of course means he is one of Luthor's new buddies, Sonar. Huntress hurls Roulette at him causing him to drop the remote that controls what he put on Canary's head in order to fry her brains as he put it. She steps on it then together they walk over to him. Canary gives him a nice hard punch then Huntress aims the crossbow at him.

"Now do I kill the signal or you?" snaps Huntress.

He looks terrified, afraid, and then he gives in by confessing how it works then it gets shut down.

A little longer and Diana could have killed them. She like the rest have no memory of what went on down here, but at least it is over. Roulette and Sonar are taken into custody by Bludhaven PD.


Diana is the least hurt of any who was under Sonar's sonic mind control software, she owes that to her powers, and as for the others it'll take longer. Fire is going back to the Watchtower using Diana's comlink though they also pass along the message to have all comlinks cleaned of the new software then start work on countermeasures to prevent this from happening again.

It was no conspiracy, it was greed, it was demeaning, it was so many things, and the only way I got out of this alive was using my head instead of my fists as well as counting on others once free of the mind control to help me put an end to this.

The other ladies are already on their way out leaving Huntress alone down here with Canary.

"You know, if you want, I can talk to the League, and get you back in," offers Canary.

"Nah, I do fine on my own," declines Huntress.

Thanks for the offer, but I'll settle for personal friendships… not professional 'teamwork'.

"Thank you, Helena. If you hadn't…"

"You would have done the same…"

A couple months ago I would have doubted myself for saying that, but after tonight, I know better.

Huntress starts to walk off while commenting about how she had owned Canary in their garage fight earlier. Canary follows while contradicting that she must be dreaming. Huntress counters by talking about not wasting dreams on her. They talk a bit about what happen tonight and stereotypes until both get this mischievous look in their eyes.

"Two falls out of three?" suggests Canary.

"You are on," chuckles Huntress.

Huntress unhooks and drops her utility belt once in the other corner. Canary pulls off her leather jacket, which took some damage in the fight though some sewing could fix that anyway. The two charge head long at each other then vault into the air with their heeled boots aiming towards the other. The challenge would end with at least three probable outcomes… win-lose, lose-win, or a tie.

The results did not matter to Huntress because at least she made one friend tonight and that is enough for her aside from breaking the hold that Sonar had over them in order to keep Roulette out of debt.


A/N 1: Set during Grudge Match, mentions of prior episodes. This time I tried to really put myself back into a Huntress/Helena frame of mind. Hopefully it shows and shows how much respect I hold for her character... aside from inner thoughts about attire, lipstick kissing, etc.

A/N 2: I again watched the episode in order to depict the fights accurately as well as to sort of fill in the thoughts of Helena or Huntress. Technically I realize they are the same person on some levels, but both are more like spectators until Huntress is thrust into the ring with the other ladies.

A/N 3: Relationship 'issues' nod with some of Huntress' inner thoughts. This one was longer than usual so consider this Part I of a Grudge Match duology. Also the chapter title is meant to refer to hormones positively, not negatively.