"Uh, does everyone know how to play tennis?" Conner asked.
"Ehh", "Erm", "Not really" I heard from the circle. I guess they didn't like tennis much, then again it wasn't really a team sport.
"How about Hockey?" Wally asked. Our circle had the same reaction
"Soccer?" Conner asked in response to they're uncertainty.
Everyone either nodded or agreed I just went along with it. I liked soccer and all, but liked watching it. I wasn't very good at it, I was just good at the running part. I was really fast and agile, and my long legs just added to that, so Im just more fast and agile than most people. Then again most people haven't been training with a superhero since they were ten and a half.
Wally ran to get a soccer ball from a building jutting out from the side of Mount justice
Then we started making teams. It ended up being uneven because we had 4-3. The field looked kind of empty with only the seven of us. The teams ended up being me, Artemis, Wally and Conner. The other team was M'gann, Nightwing and Kaldur. They weren't really sure which team to put me on, they didn't know how I played, or how athletic I was.
"And please, no superpowers." Kaldur said and the super powered half of us groaned.
"This is usually how it is, just try not to use them, to make the teams fair." Kaldur added after the groans from our super powered teammates.
"Fine" most of them muttered.
"Ok, I'll jump ball." Wally said. Conner was jumping from our team, and Kaldur was jumping for the other, and Wally was throwing it up in the air. Wally threw it up, and ran a few meters away. Kaldur got it, and passed to M'gann on accident, and she kicked it a little further getting passed Wally, but the Artemis got it from her and started dribbling up field. I jogged ahead of her in case she needed someone to pass too, once I was ahead of her I jogged. She got past M'gann and Nightwing was running after her. Kaldur was further back on defense, and was heading towards Artemis.
"I'm up field!" I told her, making sure she knew I was there. Then Nightwing caught up to her, and Kaldur was almost to her and she tried to pass but Kaldur intercepted. It was a good idea, waiting till they got really close, then passing up the field, but it was predictable. Kaldur intercepted, and I jogged back to go on defense, if he got that far. I jog alongside him, until he got across the middle line. Then I sprint a little ahead of him and did a jay tackle. I know or I at least think that a jay tackle isn't a soccer move, it was a field hockey tackle, but it wasn't against the rules... I think. I play field hockey, track, and volleyball. I played basketball last year, but am not doing in this year. Sometimes sports are hard to fit it in to my schedule, while fighting organized crime with huntress, but my coaches like me, and don't mind if I have to miss a few practices here and there.
So my mindset is field hockey, and mostly everyone else was expecting soccer tackles and strategies. So please excuse the terms I use for plays and such, they probably aren't from soccer, I wouldn't know if they were... they might be... I don't know... I don't play soccer... And I am not observant whatsoever.
I jay tackled Kaldur, and headed back the other way. Most of the team wasn't expecting my non-soccer-like approach, and since field hockey isn't very common any wear else in the U.S. but the eastern coast, they were trying to figure out what I was doing. I think Artemis figured it out, which surprised me because there weren't really any field hockey activities or teams in star city, where Green Arrow lived. Maybe she lived somewhere else. I'll have to ask. Even I had to drive a few hours to get to my field hockey camps and winter leagues, other that the school season, and preseason. My school was one of the only ones in Gotham that offered field hockey. Which I was very happy about when Helena enrolled me there. I came from further on the east coast, where field hockey was a lot more common. I used to play with my parents when I was little, it was our Family go-to activity. At first I didn't like it, but when I did it with my family, it grew on me. Then my parents went missing and it was one of the things that I had left of them. I quit for a few years when my parents died. I didn't really think of them often, my parents, it made me sad, I like to think of the positives in life. But I ended up being pretty good at the sport when I tried it again a few years after Helena officially adopted me. So I stuck with it.
Artemis, seemed to figure out what I was doing and sprinted up the field. Even though she was a ways ahead of me I ended up passing her as I was sprinting up the field. Kaldur and M'gann were on offense at the moment, because Kaldur had the ball a few seconds ago, so Nightwing had staid back on defense. Thank goodness for their team he had, because both Artemis and I were sprinting towards him, Kaldur not far behind, and M'gann a ways back. I got to about the 25 yard line, but I wasn't very good at dribbling, I almost tripped over the ball a few times, so it was a really loose dribble, I kicked the ball a little ways I front of me and ran after it. The only reason I was even staying in front of Kaldur was because I was fast. I headed straight towards Nightwing. Once I was right in front of him, the most obvious thing to do was pass right to Artemis, so he prepared for me to go right. I saw this, and made it look like I was going to go right, until the last second, when I did a left pull, which was a little difficult using my feet, and a big clunky ball. But I pulled off, and after getting around him, I passed to Artemis who was wide open, and ready to receive my pass. Kaldur was running back to goal on defense. And I had sprinted to post, just as Kaldur had gotten into the goal. Artemis got a little closer, and shot, the ball hitting the top of the goal and bouncing in with a Cling. I cheered and ran over to high five Artemis.
"Nice shot! That was great!" I said
"Yeah! You too!" She said as we high fived and jogged back to the center line. The rest of the game went mostly like this. I had to go back on defense a few times when Conner and Wally were struggling with M'gann and Nightwing. They scored a few goals, but I had a few more nice breakaways, it was especially fun because once I get past the defenders I could just run and move forward, not worrying to much about them in front of me. And I loved running. The game ended 5-4 with my team winning. We did have one more person than the other team, which was a considerable advantage. It was really fun, I enjoyed it.
Me and Artemis just kind of ended up walking next to Nightwing and Wally, so it was Artemis on one side of me, Wally on the other side, and Nightwing next to him.
"I still can't believe you made Super boy laugh, and it's still your first day!" Wally said. Before the game I was talking to super boy and said some funny comment and he busted out laughing. I'd never heard him laugh, and it was obvious he didn't do it often. I laughed at Wally's remark.
"So, uh what do we do now?" I asked.
"Walk inside." was all Wally replied.
"Ugh, you are beyond annoying." She directed at Wally.
"We're heading in to shower and you know, get ready for bed. Then we'll probably meet in the lounge for a movie." She added.
We walked inside everyone was going to shower and get pajamas on, and got ready for bed and a movie. I showered and put on maroon pajama sweatpants, in the joggers style. With that I put on a lounge around the house shirt, and little sports socks you'd wear under sneakers. I also had on my third mask, the one that was just kinda plain, thin, and was most friendly looking, and softer, just for hanging out and things like that. It was a cute outfit, and really comfy. I left my room, and walked over to the lounge area. A few people were already over there. I walked over and plopped down next to the person in the middle of the couch, good, enough room on the other side of me to fit M'gann and Artemis. I looked over to who I sat next to, and I was next to Nightwing. He had a small bowl with these large grape sized chocolate things, and he was eating them and they looked good, so I hovered my hand over the bowl he was holding, and I looked at him to make sure it was ok and he gave me a 'sure' look.
I took one and popped it into my mouth. Yum.
I gave him 'Hey, what's up with you, those chocolate things were really good!' facial expressions, I was way too lazy to actually talk right now, plus I was enjoying the chocolate ball and didn't want to open my mouth. He then looked a little surprised before he responded with
'Pretty good, I know they're great right! I still can't believe you made Conner laugh. How'd you even do that?' Facial expressions. Then he followed with facial expressions like
'Wait, why aren't we talking out loud? Is there a significant reason or just...?'. I kind of cut him off with
'I'm too lazy, and I'm still eating that amazing chocolate thing. Give me another one.' I grabbed another one from the little bowl he was holding and again plopped into my mouth. His face showed fake sorrow at me taking another, and I laughed, because he looked completely ridiculous. I hadn't noticed Conner sitting next to Nightwing until he looked annoyed.
"She can bat-talk too? Seriously, it's awkward enough when you and Batman do it, now we have another one?" He asked a little humorously, but a little serious too.
"No offense... But still..." He directed towards me.
Just when we were going to respond, M'gann walked in with Artemis a little behind her, and sat down next to me. Then Artemis sat next to her, and Wally who was just coming in looked at the occupied couch and frowned.
"Ugh, the couch is always filled up before I get in here!" He said pouting while sitting in a chair near the couch.
"What do you mean when you get here, don't you have super speed, can't you just get here first?" I asked humorously, and a little confused. If he had super speed and got here first, the couch wouldn't be occupied. Why didn't he just use it to get here first? Ok maybe I was more than a little confused. The lounge was set up with a long couch facing the big TV, and two love seats on each side of the couch aimed towards each other, but also on an angle that they could still see the TV without turning. There was a nice carpet on the ground, and a few bean bags and other lounge seats around the room. Everyone sat on one of the loves seats or the couch, with two of the love seats left unoccupied. Then once everyone was there we discussed what to do, or what movie to watch.
"Definitely a movie." I wasn't sure who said this, but everyone, including me, agreed.
"But what movie?" Wally asked.
"How about the hunger games movies. We could watch all of them?" Artemis asked.
"How about a calmer movie. Like a... Ooo, Grease!" M'gann said. I nodded at the idea but almost everyone else vetoed it and said things like 'Ehhh' or 'not really what we're thinking of' or 'ahhh, mm, sorry, no'. I looked around, they didn't like Grease? How? They must have not been in the mood for a musical, I guess. That must have been I'd. Pfftt not like Grease. Not possible.
"What about the Martian?" Aqualad asked. About half of us were liking that idea but M'gann looked a little distraught.
"Umm" she said. "Mars is not at all that inhabitable. And that guy never even got stuck there!"
"It's supposed to not have happened, it didn't really happen, that guy is an actor." Wally said.
"I know he's an actor, but, whatever it's fine." She said.
"How about Mission Impossible?" Conner asked. I hadn't seen this movie, wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. I liked action movies as much as the next girl, but I wasn't sure about it. It looked kind of cheesy and cliche on the commercials I had seen.
All of us looked alright with this one, so Wally put it in.
"I'll go make popcorn while the previews are on." I said jumping up. I really liked popcorn. Like a lot. Everyone nodded so turned around and headed towards the kitchen.
Once I got to the kitchen, I looked around for popcorn bags. I popped a few in a microwave, just enough that everyone could have a reasonable amount. And I could have a little more than a reasonable amount. I really liked popcorn. I had asked who wanted some, and who didn't. Everyone had wanted some so I set out seven bowls, and put about the same amount in each bowl till I got to the last bag and bowl. I hadn't put anything in the seventh bowl, which was mine. I had topped off the other six bowls with some from the last bag, but then stuck the rest right side up in the bowl. I was greedy when it came to butter popcorn. And goldfish. And a few other things.
I walked back into the lounge and asked
"Can someone help me carry them back?" I looked at the TV and I was surprised the previews were still on, I guess I hadn't missed the beginning. M'gann and Kaldur volunteered and walked back into the kitchen with me. We grabbed all of the bowl and handed them out, me keeping mine and sitting down once we finished giving them out. Then the previews ended and the movie came on. That was like the best timing, how cool is that? We watched the movie, and it was pretty good. The credits rolled and we started stretching and getting up.
"What now?" Artemis asked.
"Another movie?" Nightwing asked.
"Sure" me and a few others said.
"What movie do we watch now?" Kaldur asked.
We ended up deciding to watch the hunger games trilogy. All three. Some of us moved to other seats. Conner and M'gann tried to be discrete, but I already knew they were together. I knew for certain in the first two hours I met them. First when she had asked him if he wanted to come on the tour of the cave, and gave him one of those weird 'couple' looks, then she would try to talk about others during the tour, but ended up mentioning him in like every room we went to, like when she was showing me the training area she talked about Conner training there and getting frequently beat by other members of the team, in a way that as hard as she tried to hide it, hide her feelings of him very well, even if she didn't say it, her facial expressions were loud and clear so to speak. I wonder how long it took the rest of the team to find out, when they first became a couple. I don't think they told the team when they first got together, seeing how hard they were trying to hide it now. Not really sure why, I think they're cute together. Now the other couple I've suspected is Artemis and Wally. They definitely like each other, I'm not sure if they're a couple yet, there pretty awkward around each other. Maybe they're trying to hide it as well. I again have no clue why, it doesn't really affect me weather some of them are together or not, I mean I might tease them about it in a friendly way once and a while, but other than that it really has no bearing on me.
M'gann had moved to one of the love seats closer to Conner who was still on the couch, and then Artemis was next to me, and Wally sat next to her under the excuse of asking her a question and being too lazy to get up. Kaldur stayed on the love seat on the other side of M'gann, the same one he'd been on since the beginning of the first movie we watched. I of course stayed in my spot, not really needing to go any wear, and Artemis was next to me so I didn't have to move to be around someone I already considered a friend. I'd made friends with mostly everyone on the team, I just felt a little closer to the girls so far.
We were watching the movies and I kind of lost track. It was about 3/4 through the second hunger games movie I started drifting off and waking up a few minutes later. I was in one spot for so long in the dark, I got really sleepy. And looking around, I wasn't the only one who was falling asleep. We were all kind of dosing in and out. I think we'd finished the second movie and Kaldur had put in the third, and it'd been on for a little while before I really fell asleep.
This is just some fluff about Laurie's/Tempest getting to know the team a little more on her first day. Stay tuned for the next update!