Question told Huntress about the anomalies on purpose plus he is aware that Roulette had been having money troubles until recently, but then after that she disappears from sight except there had been increasingly amount of excessively wealthy people going to Bludhaven. He would draw too much attention if he went investigating plus he dislikes having his face seen in such a public way even though there a few that had seen it by now. Besides she would blend better at Roulette's new digs better than him and he did believe she could use a case of her own. He also felt maybe she make some friends in the process since she had gotten off on the wrong 'boot' with Canary months ago.
He also prefers to be pursuing a less life threatening tangent for a change too. He could think of none as silly in appearance as breaking into a Baskin Robbins factory to find the mythic flavor he felt certain does it exist yet during a search of the factory's cold storage freezers his cell phone goes off. He almost felt a worry creeping up on him yet her calling did alleviate it. He had confidence in her, in her abilities, but he did not like the unknowns that Roulette's new game brought to the table. However he inwardly reassures himself that Huntress can handle whatever happens with her investigation without him getting involved, at least not directly.
He had given her the clues such as the medical anomalies and software oddities, which should add up to what certain ladies of the League are doing with their off-hours. She would work out the rest somewhere along the pathways.
"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.
He took a beating from Arrow that night, but Canary was cleaning Huntress' clock to turn a phrase.
"Okay, five or six lucky shots," resigns Huntress.
"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.
He is not lying because he is not seeing or thinking whatever she suspects to be the situation. All he knows is that Roulette had been in dire straits financially she had to seek out someone with some wealth to spare in order for her to afford whatever might be allowing her to manipulate female Leaguers. This is all he could find aside from noted anomalies so he left the rest in Huntress' capable hands.
"So what are you wearing?" asks Huntress seductively.
"Blue overcoat, fedora…"
"You really stink at this," jests Huntress.
"Orange socks?" says Question.
He can hear a motorcycle revving and it is clearly not Huntress' that much is clear.
"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."
He knows her new favorite song is La Vie En Rose as he heard the French version when they were watching his film suggestion the night after the news conference following the face off between the Founders and Brainthor. He remembers getting visits from all the Founders except J'onn, but he understood why the Martian felt uncomfortable around him. Question's thought process often made it impossible for even the most perceptible to decipher his behavior or thoughts yet he prefers it that way. Many pay no mind to it at all.
Batman got over their scuffle in the Batcave in time though he knows he probably put Huntress on the trail on how to track him after his disappearance following the failed attempt to kill Luthor. Bruce however also understood well enough that a woman in love is not a woman to be taken lightly so he sent her on her way and as for the rest he could only surmise that she caught up with Superman somehow, probably using Olsen's special watch. Vic's only hope is that events would not test her in such a way again, but reality is not that kind. He wouldn't try to assign a supernatural or preternatural force to inanimate objects or personal circumstances because it is people that cause chaos.
Chaos is not necessarily a bad element, but like many human qualities, there are times where it becomes excessive like it had during recent months between the League and Cadmus.
Tonight he would be the distraction or rather the ice cream flavor would be a better one especially with certain guests converging on Wayne Manor thinking that Bruce had sent the invites, but even Vic in the guise of Question had mischievous moments including this one. He had actually been the sender, but he had done this with the motivation that they might actually have fun without the ladies tonight. However he knows the guys won't just kick back and relax once he shows them what he suspects Roulette is up to yet knows ways to keep them at the manor if only to provide sufficient time for her to handle the situation with Roulette.
Question packs the flavor into a compact cold storage unit and keeps it up front in the Pontiac with him as he leaves the area of the Baskin Robbins place. He had his suspicions about why Baskin Robbins isn't marketing the flavor yet, but even a tidbit sampling shows him why people shouldn't consume large quantities of ice cream in general. However this flavor appears to take those side effects further and adds a few others. It almost felt wrong testing it on them, but some of them like Bruce could probably benefit from tasting it. At the same time, he had a theory that this flavor affects inhibitions, but so far no proof of it unless he could find some in the other guys tasting the flavor.
He parks the Pontiac outside the main garage and goes the rest of the way on foot then rings the bell unlike on his last visit where he had come in then gone to the cave to confront Batman about the deception that he perceived on Batman's part. Alfred Pennyworth answers and looks at him suspiciously yet obviously notes the ice cream carton in hand too.
"Ah, I trust you aren't of the mind to drug anybody tonight Master Sage," quips Alfred.
"Worry not Alfred, I come bearing gifts… ice cream," sighs Vic.
"What brand if I might inquire?" asks Alfred.
"Baskin Robbins… I doubt few have ever tasted this flavor."
"By all means come in then, it appears you aren't the only house guest tonight Masters Queen, Stewart, and West are also here."
"Seems Bruce is being quite the host tonight."
"He claims he didn't invite them, but they all said he did… usually he doesn't make that mistake unless his work fouls his sense of time yet that too is quite rare."
"If not too much trouble, some spoons, maybe bowls… or better do you have a milkshake maker?"
"I wouldn't be much a dessert connoisseur if I didn't have one of those in my kitchen now would I?"
Vic hands off the ice cream to Alfred and asks for him to make as any shakes as possible then bring them to the room with the big screen. The butler with a slight spring in his step is happy to oblige and notes that Pennyworth is already sampling it. Vic would not have had the nerve to do this without sampling himself too, which meant it does appear to curb inhibitions.
Wally zips over to Vic after spotting him as he is moving through the foyer.
"Hey man, I wouldn't have expected to see you here though Bats says you are a frequent cave visitor."
"That would be correct West, so how is Central City these days?"
"Good, I mean sure there was an upset when Boomerang, Cold, and Mirror Master made a trio appearance at the Flash Museum, but Orion, Bats, and I took care of them. Plus I tell ya I think I am growing on Bats finally."
"It was a very heroic stand you took again Brainthor. I do it poor justice in words, but you get my meaning I think."
"Yeah, it was the most intense fight of my life. I really hope I never have to go that fast again 'cause if I do, it could be bad, really bad, but what matters is we stopped the two headed show boaters."
Question chuckles just a little at the last part.
"Is that a chuckle I hear?"
"Yeah, things got a little too serious even for me, but I am going to let you in on a secret of mine."
"What's that?"
Wally grins a little and confides he'll keep it to himself. Together they join the others who are busy sipping at shakes that Alfred had just brought them.
"Looks like you are back on your feet… heard I missed you at the conference well sort of."
"No worries Queen."
"Do you really have to refer to everyone by last name if they have one?"
"Reflex… but if you prefer… I'll say Oliver… now don't you go saying I want some more."
Oliver is almost done with his and almost did perhaps say that yet Wally hands him another just before it could have been said then takes one for himself.
"What flavor is this Vic?" probes Bruce.
"His name is Vic?" snorts John.
"Yes though I think some might confuse you with J'onn… the names sound alike for starters."
John keeps sipping his and realizes that Vic is purposely making jabs at them yet is unsure as to why.
"Again what flavor?"
"Baskin Robbins no. 32."
"There must be a name."
"They kept it hidden."
"Surely you must know."
"Don't think they picked a name for it yet."
Oliver plops down in one of the two recliners so Wally takes the other leaving Bruce and John with the enormous couch in the middle. Vic goes rapid channel surfing, too quick except maybe for Bruce, but he had the kind of ability too.
"I thought I was fast… hand is quicker than eye eh?" chuckles Wally.
"Something like that West," remarks Vic.
"You gonna keep referring to us by last names all night?" queries John.
"Bruce and I are on the first name basis, but its more a mutual spar jabbing joke right?" cracks Vic.
"Right Vic, remind all of us how you found out my identity out of costume."
"It doesn't take a genius to work it out if you sort through all the evidence, but then I am one of those kinds of people who can sift through anything for days, well almost anything, and eventually reach a conclusion…"
Wally covers a yawn, John looks a bit spaced, and Oliver is still sipping his shake.
"If I'm boring you at all don't hesitate to say so okay?" suggests Vic.
"I'd prefer the discovery details as opposed to your evidence sorting," quips Oliver.
"I'm sure you would Ollie," snorts Vic.
"Ollie? Who calls him Ollie?" asks Wally.
"I'd give you one guess and she's sparring with one of the girls you dated a few months ago."
Somehow Vic got 'lucky' and found the channel that Roulette had got to broadcast whatever she is up to below street level in Bludhaven.
"Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. Welcome to another exclusive evening of Metabrawl Glamor Slam. My name is Roulette and I make the rules."
There's recognition of voice by Oliver no doubt and as for Wally, he looks confused mostly.
"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."
First up is the one that makes Wally's eyes widen with surprise.
"Fire! The blistering babe from Brazil!"
Next to rise is the one that makes Oliver ready to bolt for the door.
"The undefeated Queen of Glamor Slam… Black Canary!"
Bruce grabs Oliver and John yanks Wally then both are taken back as this Glamour Slam continues on the screen.
"What the heck is Roulette up to this time?" retorts Oliver.
"Who is Roulette?" probes Wally.
"She is a high stakes casino type except she often employs all sorts for fighting matches though last I saw of her was when Black Canary and I shut her down over a year ago."
"Seems like she's been a busy lady, but why would Canary or Fire be down there?"
"Undercover maybe… blackmail possibly…."
Vic settles himself into a spot between Bruce and John. Bruce took one of the recliners after Oliver tried to make a dash for the door whereas John simply had given Wally another shake, which kept him in place for now. Bruce and John take little interest in it, but that could change easily muses Vic to himself.
The fight kicks off with an upper thrust kick from Canary, which sends Fire down on her back while landing hips first. Fire regains the edge then 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.
"C'mon Dinah… you can wipe the floor with her."
"They don't call her Fire for nothing… Beatriz will show her the heat."
"You sure about that Wally?"
"I'm sure…"
"Sure enough for a wager?"
"You two are ridiculous… these are women you work with!"
"He's right and you both know it."
And so it begins...
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.
"There's the proof of why Huntress could never win in a fight against Dinah."
"Now there's a match I might have liked to have seen."
"I already did, but it wasn't for sporting sake… it was because of Mandragora."
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 her flowing yet wavy blond hair.
"Ooh, looks like she almost singed on that one."
"She still has the footwork advantage as Fire relies too much on her powers."
"Right… well we'll see won't we?"
Fire takes flight and swings around to come flaming down on Canary. She lets off more burn trails forcing Canary to run and possibly repeat the move from earlier.
"No trick works twice… well usually."
"Right… Dinah will finish this soon enough."
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 standing.
"Aw, Beatriz, you saw it, but Dinah's back on her feet."
"I don't like where that's heading…"
"What do you mean now?"
Canary emits a subsonic cry which sends Fire backwards into the barrier and she reverts back to her other look then falls to the floor. The crowd cheers for Canary, and Fire looks up briefly before passing out.
"She looks really hurt. I should get down there," pips Wally.
"Dinah would not do such a thing especially not like that," insists Oliver.
"Fire can take of herself Wally," remarks John.
"Besides I doubt they want us charging to their rescue and making them look helpless," comments Bruce.
Oliver shrugs and Wally tries to get up again except John uses the ring against his best friend.
"Cut it out GL… I'll say that nickname of yours again!"
"What nickname is that Stewart?"
"Do tell, I believe curiosity is getting the better of us."
"You swore last time you would never use it again!"
"Well quit using that ring on me when it doesn't have anything to do with saving the world!"
John shrugs and apologizes, which Wally accepts yet he gets a craving for more shakes so he goes to make more as if he had forgotten about Fire for the moment. As for Oliver, he goes to find Wally who within moments is on his way back with more shakes except now the program has gone to commercial break.
The no. 32 flavor is halfway gone by the time the program resumes, but at first even Vic did not expect it to be back on this soon unless something happen to Helena except he is not about to bolt out of here just because he is feeling a glimmer of suspicion. The center platform rises up with Huntress and Black Canary on it except upon closer examination they are briefly in full cuffs that then drop to the floor.
"They won't be fighting each other."
Vic and Oliver trade looks, which indicate a temporary relief until Roulette speaks again.
"Huntress and Black Canary versus two new contenders! Vixen, the beauty with the beast powers, and the Thanagar thrasher... Hawkgirl!"
John's jaw drops as he sees both rising up from opposite corners. He is about to use the ring to switch into costume except Wally grips his wrist breaking his concentration.
"You told me to stay put, only fair that you do the same… though I understand you freaking out as both of them are crazy about you though they don't look too happy about Helena or Dinah right now."
Oliver is about to try to leave again except suddenly the manor is in lock down mode.
"Best way to keep you all from bolting unnecessarily is to seal the manor," quips Bruce.
"You are out of your mind Wayne!" retorts Oliver.
"What the heck is the flavor supposed to do anyway?" demands John.
"Lessen inhibitions, aggressive behavior possibly, irrational actions potentially, and other things, but again these were all rumors regarding the flavor… might have been why they kept it hidden though," admits Vic.
"You also forgot to mention addicting… we have consumed more than half of it in less than four hours."
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.
Their attention reverts to the screen to see the four brawling and Vic notes the visual aspect of the flavor's addiction. Some part of their minds scream put a stop to what they are seeing yet another part is like just watch… it'll turn out okay. However this is only theory though he makes a point of pocketing the security system remote from Bruce who in the midst of downing another shake so Bruce completely misses Vic doing this.
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.
Helena finally made the connection since Dinah looks far from a mindless ring fighter. This is psychologically worse than Wildcat just giving himself over to the addiction of fighting Roulette's previous incarnation of Metabrawl. They'll have to be quick to remove the hijacked units, maybe even destroy the comlinks especially if Roulette's got any surprises left for them, maybe even… that one would definitely flip Bruce out.
Vixen lands on something then stops attacking Canary. Vixen instead now goes after Shayera except Shayera leaps back slamming the former into the barrier surrounding the ring.
"Ouch, that one really did look like it hurt. I thought that it was a 2-on-2 match now."
"Apparently not… something else is going on and Vic knows something… we'll have to get him…"
"Wait a sec, where did he go? Also where's the security remote?"
Shayera goes after Huntress again except she dodges again then passes her off to Canary goes to work yet no blows land. Vixen comes back in latching and using one her beast powers to bind Shayera, which allows Canary to pull something off Shayera. Canary then crushes it between her fingers.
"Looks like they are not fighting each other anymore, but something else is going on…"
"No way… uh-oh… guys… I think we might have to…"
"Don't even think about it…"
Bruce makes a run for the grandfather clock. Wally zips after him except when he gets to the clock, Bruce trips him up, and Wally slides face down onto the carpet. Bruce rapidly enters the code on reflex except he forgot that the new security system prevents anyone from entering or leaving by any means without a deactivation code that can only be sent by the remote. He slams his forehead against his palms. John helps Wally to his feet and Oliver just stands there holding the ice cream bucket.
"Where the heck did he go?" asks John.
"Probably in the Batcave… well maybe," suggests Wally.
Bruce turns around to rush back to the other room after less than a few minutes.
"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?"
All four split off 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. Mari tries only Diana shoots up ahead of 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.
"No way that will hold long," snorts Bruce.
"Hey, just because she's an Amazon, doesn't mean anything much," quips Oliver.
"Sure, keep telling your self that Queen," jests Bruce.
"Right, at least I don't let what I do in costume get in the way of having a love life."
"You are gonna regret that in less than five seconds."
"Bring it on Wayne!"
Bruce decks Oliver though he only stumbles before striking back with a punch of his own. John tries to get between them before it gets out of hand except their next attempts to punch barely miss him as Wally pulls him out of the way.
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 steps up and goes subsonic on it as Shayera covers her ears. The crowd starts throwing their cups, cartons, and other disposable garbage at the ring. Shayera takes both Huntress and Canary to the stands then she darts back to help Vixen.
"Seriously be glad they can't see us acting like this… I mean they got it together down there."
"Y'know, he's right… rare for him… but he really has a point… it has to be the ice cream."
"In that case… I say we make Vic suffer some for this…"
"I almost think he got us into this on purpose… meaning I didn't invite any of you here tonight."
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.
"Bats, you really ought to come clean with Diana," suggests Wally.
"You don't see me telling you what to do with women do you?" snaps Bruce.
"I thought we agreed to quit bickering," reminds John.
"I am gonna go dump the ice cream now," calls Oliver from the kitchen.
Bruce, John, and more so Wally race to the kitchen only to find Oliver eating it instead of dumping it.
"You can't seem to tell the truth Oliver at least not right now."
The four tussle over the carton until it rips in half and sends the ice cream flying. Wally races off after it except it flies out of his hands because he went so fast after it. John catches it using a ring construct in the form of a sizable scooper.
One last round of shakes is made and they return to watch whatever is left of the match unless they somehow settled it while the four of them were in the kitchen.
Diana stops short of smashing the skulls of Shayera and Vixen together.
"Close call there GL, almost thought they were goners," sighs Wally.
"We better get down there, they look pretty beat up," insists John.
Vic back in the guise of Question deactivates the security system figuring he had given Huntress enough time to handle Roulette and release the others from the mind control because unlike the others he spent the time working out how Roulette did this aside from Luthor funneling her cash. She is no technological wizard so someone else had to design the software, the program, and that's just for starters as he narrows down possible individuals who among Luthor's new 'cohorts' had the know how for this feat. The most likely is a man that answers to the name Sonar, which made sense since the comlinks have a range of auditory capabilities so manipulating them on a nanotech level is the most direct option.
The affected users would likely retain no memory of what happen, but undoubtedly Huntress and Canary would tell them if they had not already. As for how they would react when the guys show up even Question could not truly predict how that would play out especially for Bruce.
Bruce quickly suits up into the Batsuit then lunges over to the new Batwing and Oliver joins him once back in the Green Arrow guise. The Batwing shoots into the shaft then presumably exits the shaft from beneath the promontory, a nice way to hide an entrance/exit, but hardest to spot is the one for the Batboat, which can also functional as a submersible unless the Plexiglas hood ruptures underwater.
Wally pops his costume out of a ring holder as usual. John uses the ring to change into the Lantern guise. Flash races off and Lantern takes flight shortly thereafter. As for Question, he reappears by the Batcomputer anticipating one of the four to radio him soon enough.
"Hey Question… where we are going anyway?" asks Flash.
"Just follow the flying Bat-signal… ahem… follow the Batwing," replies Vic.
"That means Bludhaven doesn't it Vic?" asserts Batman.
"Where else… Roulette when wealthy likes to live dangerously and Bludhaven is preferable over Gotham because if she were in Gotham… you might have handled this by now," comments Vic.
"Just what are you insinuating Question?" demands Arrow.
"I thought they took care of things well enough on their own… whatever happen to letting the ladies handle it… I'm sure they'll be happy to see you, but the four of you showing up together well…"
"He has a point yet again," snorts Lantern.
"It doesn't matter we'll all be there in less than five anyway," retorts Batman.
The comlink chat ends abruptly, but Vic doesn't mind that, he snickers imagining how the ladies might react though eventually they laugh at the guys despite finding it cute. He doubts Diana would be laughing much. She would just smirk or grin at Batman as if this is further proof that he does have serious feelings for her.
He recalls when Zatanna told him about the time he had come asking for her help after Circe turned Diana into a pig and the idea of Batman being tender to a pig is hard not to laugh at right now.
There is also the story about when he, Diana, Stewart, and Superman were turned into kids by Morgaine Le Fay in order to take down her own son when he took the Amulet of First Magic for himself, which he overheard Superman and Stewart talking about last year.
He really didn't envy Batman tonight, but that is why he did not let his work get in the way of his feelings for Huntress.
I wouldn't say he is missing out, but he thinks by keeping her out, he keeps her from being hurt at least by him. The error in that is she hurts because he keeps her away from him. There is no way to avoid hurting others in this life, but there are ways to make it hurt less from time to time.
He nimbly and quietly navigates his way to the library far inside Wayne Manor. This library, he is told, was kept by Martha Wayne and to some extent by Dr. Thomas Wayne, well the medical section of it.
There is one thing that used to make him envy Bruce, but it felt strange to envy someone because of their parents. There is never any doubt that they are giving and loving from any aspect of this manor especially with all the family portraits. He kept his past hidden because when they had come to America they took up the name Sage and so he would keep in some strange way to honor them.
He rarely spoke of them because for all he was told, most of it was not entirely true, but that was long before he could tell between true and deceit. In retrospect, he could see why his mother would lie to some degree about her past. Nobody talks of her kind of profession with dignity anymore because too much of it get clutters by the garbage of places like Vegas and other like cities. The ways things used to be as she always put it to him were so unlike the way it is seen now and she would say his father was a very different man when she met him. He had become more curious about the man she called his father and she often said he had his father's eyes.
He remembers being shown a picture of the man next to a plane with an aviary logo on the side of it. It is not until many years later did he found what unit that man belonged to because all files pertaining to his outfit were heavily classified after the war. His father had been a part of an aviator squadron compromised of pilots from countries occupied by the Axis during the Second World War. He was part of the Blackhawk Squadron and more astonishingly it appears that he had been their leader.
A man known only as Blackhawk except there is plenty speculation surrounding his actual name though none is ever found out.
His mother tells him that his name was Wiktor Szasz. She tells him that his middle name is the American equivalent of Wiktor. He remembers smiling at that and so did she at least he believes she did though she did clearly miss him.
Vic's envy of Bruce was brief as it felt disrespectful to the Waynes' memory as well as his own parents' memory even though he had very little of his own father.
He arrives at the 20th Century section of the manor library.
The book he searches for is a poetry anthology similar to one that his mother had kept except hers was written in her native language, which is one he had not forgotten yet he had not been as much a lingual polyglot as Bruce. He had done his best however to learn a few here and there all the same. However she had to leave her home country for America after the war in order to not fall victim to the terrible things happening in Russia after the war.
The happiest he ever saw her was when she would talk of his father or to be dancing like she had done in the Moscow Ballet as she had told him long ago as a child. She had the ankles of a dancer and the grace of one too, but she also said eventually she could no longer afford to dance for the sake of dancing as money got tighter after the war so that is what led to her other less likable profession. She did not stay in it long yet nothing is ever short enough at times to prevent one from having distaste in one's mouth forever.
Her poetic favorite in the anthology was the one she recites to him from time to time when she would talk about his father or occasionally she would say it could also be about him, about her little clever yet mischievous Charles Victor Szasz. It is called Whence Cometh Such Tender Rapture? by Marina Tsvetaeva.
Whence cometh such tender rapture?
Those curls--they are not the first ones
I've smoothened, and I've already
Known lips--that were darker than yours.
The stars have risen and faded,
--Whence cometh such tender rapture?--
And eyes have risen and faded
In face of these eyes of mine
He reads it quietly to himself unaware that he had listeners.
Helena, Dinah, Shayera, and Diana had somehow come into the room while he had been lost in reminiscence and reading poetry of all things.
"I don't think I have heard this one before," comments Diana.
"Neither have I," murmurs Dinah.
"I usually don't even read such things," remarks Shayera.
"You'd be surprise what you find, Mama kept quite a collection," sighs Helena.
Batman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern arrive at the library as Flash had gone off probably with Beatriz. Question closes the book before Helena can pull him along by the tie again.
Shayera winks at Lantern and he smiles just a little though Mari lays a kiss on him knowing that Shayera is watching them for a moment before heading back out. This triangle could keep for a long time. Vic did not want to know how it would turn out because love is one of those tangents that just goes on without a lasting answer except when Helena kisses him.
Dinah jumps on Arrow's back and he carries like her that to one of the manor's bedrooms. Mari takes a cue from that except she is taking Lantern out of the manor.
Batman and Diana disappear from sight, but nobody could expect anything less with them. He hears them bickering the whole way out of the manor yet Helena comments that she knows how to break into the manor's guest house.
"You knew what was going on with Roulette just like you knew what was going on when I came to you the first time… didn't you?" teases Helena.
"You could say that, but I thought you could use a night on the town without me along. It appears to have paid off if you sitting together with those three is any indication."
"Dinah assuredly, but I wouldn't go so far with the others though."
"Quality over quantity then."
She undoes his tie and then pulls out his belt.
"Were you ever a ballet dancer?"
She eyes him funnily for a moment.
"What made you ask that?"
"My mother was one."
"I took lessons a long time ago… you want to see if I remember?"
"Someday…"
He undoes her utility belt then unhooks the straps between her heeled boots and body suit. The cape goes next as does his trench coat before she unbuttons his golden yellow shirt. Their masks come off next and she looks into his eyes in a way similar to how she did the first time she saw his face in the light.
"You are staring at my eyes again aren't you?" chuckles Vic.
"I love you and I get lost in your eyes… it feels good to me," responds Helena coyly.
Her body suit is taken off and his pants follow thereafter. It would be a long night to say the least and she is definitely in the mood for such a night.
A/N 1: Happens parallel to the actual events of Grudge Match except this part is made up from what I thought Question might do with the mystery ice cream flavor as well as what the side effects of eating it do to the 'testers'.
A/N 2: Each guy plays off the other guys' love lives (or lack thereof in Bruce's case) and jokes made about names.
A/N 3: Vic Sage is also known as Charles Victor Szasz in the comics. His past has been modified by me as JLU never reveals much about him aside from what is known either by Batman or Huntress.
A/N 4: His unnamed mother implies that he is the son of famed Blackhawk Squadron lead pilot Blackhawk. In Blackhawk only appears in The Savage Time, he refers to himself as Blackhawk from Poland and Szasz sounds Polish.
A/N 5: His unnamed mother is Russian hence why she met his (presumed) father Blackhawk during the war. I also crafted a back story for her, which portrays her as a dancer yet this is not the whole story... there are always things that people keep to themselves.
