[07th September 2010]
[Grand Hyatt Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan]
It was a rather nice hotel I found, bit fancy for my liking perhaps, but nice all in all. But then again it was a rather expensive one, and no doubt with Lex Luthor and the two Rhelasian (oh how hard it was not to say Koreas at times!) delegations present they were very, very, likely being extra fancy-swanky for said occasion I expect. Frilly bows on everything, furniture and tablecloths that likely cost more than a second hand car, it was all rather pretty and colourful. Big ass gold statutes too for some reason.
Still...it wasn't like I was getting to enjoy it much, wandering around in magical disguise as a member of the serving staff that I was, and giving drinks to a snotty blonde American report at this instance. Truth be told it was rather concerning that nobody had noticed the swap amongst the staff even with the whole diplomatic-security shenanigans needed to get me and Aqualad here. It was all rather...lax really. Especially considering the League of Shadows were sending Ninja, possibly magical, Assassins after the leaders of the two nations present, along with Lex Luthor.
Who, wisely in my view, had just as low an opinion of the local security and brought his own (more competent & better armed) security detail along with him. Mostly in the rather attractive shape of Mercy Graves...and her hidden laser arm weapon from all reports I'd seen. Pretty cool tech that there was - sadly didn't have much of chance to ask what with watching for evil ninjas.Even the fact Red Arrow, actually sans superhero disguise, here in a quasi-official capacity prior to our arrival was not a positive really.
Honestly tech development on this earth was, well...odd...at times. All the technology for facial recognition software were there...just evidently not developed as much. Well at least not till SHIELD had started creating it alongside the development of Drones ala my first life even if they knew nothing beyond the suggested idea. The idea to start, and now a great deal of funding in the shape of former drug-dealing cartels funds anyway.
All I could assume it was due the Shizo tech thing of pouring funds into 'teh nxt bhest' thing over 'normal' tech evolution. Otherwise Red headed Roy Harper would be far better known by that name than by 'Red Arrow'...or still mostly by Speedy. Which was a stupid name, and far better suited for Kid Flash. Something I'd told them...but would they listen to little old me? No. Of course not!
'Well at least he's in his...uniform...now I suppose. All one can hope is that spies are as lax as the journalists seem to be on checking out who people are' I mused with the briefest glance up at the head table where Mr. Harper stood behind Lex Luthor and the leaders of the two nations.
Going on about tea ceremonies as something in common between the dirty, dirty, communists who wouldn't buy our agricultural exports and the great democratic capitalists who did; while also making rather decent computers and selling them to us as well. Just because they weren't as bad as 'Best Korea' was in my old reality wasn't getting them a pass in my book.
So I was still mildly flummoxed on why Luthor was trying to make both sides give 'peace a chance' and all that bullshit when he was currently selling arms to both sides. Maybe Commie-Rhelasia was going to open up and let him buy up stuff so he could a pull a Russia Oligarch deal of sorts? I resisted sighing at that. Something that also hadn't happened here either, or at least to nowhere near the same level as best I could tell. It was str...
I paused as my eyes took in a rather pretty girl in the most ridiculous get up strolling past the barely interesting guards with a rather large metal trolley in hand. A girl who I'd seen, sans the stupid looking white face paint anyway, not too long ago after trying to kill me before I turned her into a cat. Someone whose picture the security should blood well have after she'd been arrested here a mere few hours ago. My God what was going on with this keystone security this place had?
"Ninja Kitty! Master missed you! Where ya been?" I declared suddenly stepping towards her and hoping the words would startle her as well as alert Aqualad and Red Arrow. And indirectly as do the same Luthor and his actually competent security detail as well, rather than the imbeciles in sunglasses the Taiwanese had seemingly hired for the occasion.
"Ohh...Quai..." she started, freezing in her forward march just a moment as I got in front of her and Aqualad turned around and allowed himself to become known with a 'Cheshire' stated firmly in that stoically calm tone of his. This caused a rather startled reaction of course from the press on the behind me, as well as a ceasing of discussion at the large table as well it seemed. And from the security she'd marched passed without any incident too I saw. Falling back from her and whatever she had in the metal trolley box. Secret Service these imbeciles were not...
Still it was probably for the best as Jade got over her momentary freeze as myself and Kaldur'am stood before her...even if I was some totally random Taiwanese server right now of course. I was pretty sure mentioning the cat thing had identified me to her. Then came the smirk...which was a bad sign of course even before she thumbed the button on the trolley and shoved it at us and the room full of people beyond. Dropping the illusion around myself I allowed a shield to form before me even as Aqualad unleashed his own power I could feel as well as see. Water flowed from behind and around us to flow into a half-sphere shape around us and the innocent people behind as the trolley accelerated towards us...
...only to explode in a blast of fire and smoke as an arrow zipped past me, just before Aqualad's barrier descended through that spot, and into the trolley bomb. I stepped forward hand outstretched and bracing myself as the explosion strained against the water barrier, then faintly against my own defence for but a few second before dissipating, fury spent. I was impressed at the strength of the barrier, especially with so little water immediately at hand, and my mind idly made a note to try and learn this spell from the Atlantean at some stage after this...
"It's over Cheshire!" Red announced, along with the sound of a bow string, from behind me as the smoke cleared revealed that the staggered form of a still colourfully and ridiculously dressed of one Jade Nyugen Crock. Normally she'd be on the List after that little escapade but I'd promised her mother and sister to take her alive. I pulled my staff out in readiness as she rose back up and smile rather confidently while falling into a combat stance.
"You would think so!"
I braced myself ready for the next attack. Would it be missiles? Poison Gas? Mages with extra ordinary power? That Kobra-Venom thing, Blockbuster? with its flawed superhuman creation power. Really considering this was a direct televised assault upon a peace conference of two almost warring nations one had to expect another attempt like the bomb-trolley. Save more deadly and powerful of course as the sound behind her whirled on the air and a helicopter descended from the heavens above into view...
"Hahahahaha...ahhhh...Really? You're backup is your Dad and some guys with metal sticks?" I couldn't help myself as the words tumbled out of my mouth without thinking as Sportsmaster and a dozen masked assassins without guns came into view. Maybe they were special dangerous metal sticks, but this was just retarded against two trained and empowered battle-mages with ranged support and distance to cross to get to us. I blinked as everyone around me seemed to fall silent at my pronouncement and chuckle. Jade made the cutest angry face at me. I motioned at them to come.
"Red Arrow the sprinklers please, Aqualad lets give'm a shockin' welcome!"
"Understood my friend!" came the reply as the aforementioned gun-less Dad and minions let out a roar and charged towards us. Evidently they wanted to take people alive now for some reason after the bomb attempted failed. Rather foolish really as I heard the detonation of explosive above my head...followed by the noise of the water sprinklers activating and disgorging their contents to the waiting water mage. Across from us I saw realisation cross the face of the clown clad Ninja-Kitty as she did a rather acrobatic back flip towards some of the upturned tables to the my right side. Water never even touched her, or me and my shield, as it flowed towards Aqualad at kata like movements by his muscled form...
...they surged forward in a wave towards the charging assassins. Evidently unaware ones in the majority as the simply ignored the weak surge, charging through it as it splashed over them and floor around them. Jade, Sportsmaster to my annoyance were moving as best they could towards us by jumping and flipping to avoid the water by almost bouncing off tables. For the moment though I ignored that as an arrow flew towards Sportsmaster and I drew up my magic with a brief few words...
"Lightning Bolt!" I stated and the blast of electricity flew from my hand and into the now soaking flooring before us as Aqualad released control of the water. Water that now sparked and crackled for a brief moment as the energy of my spell flew along its length and into the idiots now standing soaking wet in the path of the arcanely generated electricity. It probably wasn't enough to kill any of them as they twitched and screamed briefly as the energy flowed into their bodies from the water before most dropped to the ground unconscious.
Still twitching mostly, but not making a move to get up beyond one or two who flopped about like beached fish on the sand. Ah...battlefield control spells, how I love thee. Not that I had but a moment as bare feet and legs came into view swinging for my head along with curses in a mix of English and Vietnamese. It was a good idea to close on the mage and stop him casting of course, one Jade had adopted immediately as I used my staff to block and counterattack to gain a tiny piece of space between us...
...as Red Arrow jumped in swinging at her and shouting that 'Cheshire was his' or something like that. I wasn't complaining as the next spell was on my lips while her bare foot smashed into his face with a surprising crunch after an amazingly acrobatic (and rather revealing) flip by Jade unto her hands, legs being use as weapons. Weapons that removed my ally from the field almost as quickly as he'd appeared with the kick that sent him flying out of my field of vision to Jade's angry "Get out of my way!" comment. To my other side Aqualad was busy summon the waters again to take down Sportsmaster and surviving minions and unable to aid my fight. Still...
Too late clown girl!
"Black Tentacles!" I uttered as Ninja-Kitty came at me in a dash after sending Roy flying. Dashing right into the spot where black shadow tentacles erupted from the ground. Good plan on her part, surprising agility again despite the mistake, but too slow to get in close to me or avoid being caught in the spell now. I could hear gasps and such from behind, bit slow on the whole assassin thing this lot were, but that could wait as I triggered a Horror spell as the tentacle enfolded their struggling prey. I turned to the bulking masked form of Sportsmaster as he desperately fought to avoid the magically moving waters grabbing for him...
"Lawrence Crock! I have your daughter! Your minions are defeated! Surrender now, and I shall be merciful!"
I'd hoped the combination of Jade being restrained, the desperate struggle he was having dodging Aqualad, and my Fear spells would cause him to make an error and enable his capture. After all I severely doubted he'd surrender as he glanced towards me as I banged my staff off the floor to emphasis my words and to prepare for my next magical attack. Instead I was angered as the words 'Retreat!' were uttered by the masked reject from the Ninja Turtles cartoon to his surviving two minions and he pole-vaulted back towards the hole blown in the window by the bomb. I snarled and point my staff towards them...
"Coward! Black Tentacles!"
More shadowy darkness erupted from ground and surged towards my retreating enemies as Aqualad summon watery equivalents to aid me. Sportsmaster though was smart and ruthless, and without any shame or loyalty to his men as he kicked off one of them in mid air to send himself towards the still waiting helicopter hovering outside. A move that sent the minion flying back into my tentacles with a series of girly screams. Oh...it was a very flat-chested woman evidently, I noted idly filing it away to not be so sexist in future when assuming minions genders. It helped with the annoyance as he landed awkwardly in the helicopter and shouted for it move...
I could have cast destructive spells and brought it down, but that would leave the delegations exposed and likely endanger lives on the grounds below the hotel. So it was with deep annoyance I watched as aforementioned villain escaped my grasp once again. I hated when that happen...it gave enemies a chance to learn about you and come back stronger the next time. Still I had a Red Arrow to heal, Ninjas to arrest, Jade to free from tentacles, and...
"Oh...Hello there" I stated with a friendly wave after turning around and finding a camera and annoying snotty blonde reporter facing me. Though her face was more terror mixed with confusion as behind her the delegations, Luthor and the guests stared at myself and Aqualad with these ever so odd expressions on their faces. On the bright side Red Arrow was standing, albeit with a blood covered face...
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