[03rd April 2011]
[SHIELD Portal Security, Security Zone, Gotham, New Jersey, United States of America, Earth-16]
{An ya could take me with ya know} my familiar complained to me over our bond as I sat preparing my gear for the upcoming mission {luik, I'd be controllin' minds, and burnin' bad guys an' all that}
[Oh don't start] I replied opening up the Heckler & Koch USP and check the enchantments, and ensure everything was in working order. It was hardly my most powerful weapon, that was what the Magic Murder Bag with its heavy ordnance was for, but it was my regular 'street crime' level go-to so I'd customised and enchanted it pretty extensively [Your Da ain't letting you over to other Earth, and I'd really avoid using those things as selling points for letting your use on the world]
{Sure their letting crazy ninja murder girl go, and sending her because she's not-a-terrorist-anymore murder-ninja innit? I'm roit now, aren't I?}
[Maybe] I admitted cataloguing the various ammunition types I suspected I'd need, deciding to create a few more of the special rounds for dealing with the undead. Silver dust and blessed ashes weren't exactly easily mixed with gunpowder, and I had to rely somewhat on magic, with associated cost in time and energy, to mimic the explosive effect needed [But you're not Cheshire, so no, spend family time with your Father]
I could feel the irritation over the bond {But I don'wanna spend time with me Da!}
[Understandable, but I've organised classes for you too; so try look forward to those, and for you to a have guardian as much as possible so you've some degree of freedom. More Lord of Dance than Lord of Order]
"Roit, finneeeee" she huffed back at me, and I rolled my eyes. I was surrounded by children...evil, magical, destructive, children "...I'll be good, Oi, Zats is comin' over now"
"Hmmm? Oh..." I responded glancing in the direction that Maria pulsed into my mind as she slouched back into the chair beside the work bench "...hi Zee, you and Gemma having any luck?"
Zatanna grinned as she came over to sit on the edge of the workbench where my weapons and ammo were laid out beside some stands "Yes! Okay, only a little...but I'm getting the enchantment to last longer, but it's different to yours, but I've set the spell to trigger with conditions...so, close enough?"
I gave her a *look* at that "Okay, only if it passes inspection later! Specialised equipment has its role as well, so good job I'll say for now!"
Zatanna was good at what she did, once she got the idea anyway, so I trusted she and Gemma weren't just saying they'd done what she'd said, and instead would stand over it. I'm sure her Father would be a bit more judgemental of it, but that's what family could be like at times, and Zatanna was eager to do things like this, rather than seeing it as a boring lesson. She certainly seemed to be confident in the work today, while also eager to distract me from mine, while looking at the 'uniform' arranged on the body stand to her right. I sighed after a few seconds, looking up from table as I finished putting the pistol back together again.
"What?"
She pouted, Maria grinned at her, as she pointed at the 'suit' there "You're going to another Earth! Filled with other superheroes and your...dressing like your office worker, or one of those boring FBI agents that turn up to crime scenes, all looking the exact same! God it's like it's even more boring somehow"
I gave a chuckle of amusement "Would you rather I wore the skull mask?"
"Yes...No...wear something that says 'I'm a superhero! Bad guys beware!' not...office worker guy!" she retorted, though it was friendly teasing, and it seemed she wanted something else I suspected. So I shrugged, resting back in the chair as I waved off Maria's agreement, amused and irritating agreement, with the tuxedo clad sorceress.
"Eh, I'm supposed to hiding that whole being there part. I'm going to be spending several hours after this reading..." I glanced at my notes "...The PRT Handbook, and another world's set of operating procedures...because the piles of rules I've already had to read weren't enough apparently. So, I'm going to enchant the clothes so they don't automatically go to my armour, breaking my illusion, should I get punched, or shot, or whatever else gets thrown at me"
Mister Blood had a cane sword after all, but I preferred my modern weaponry like the pistol, taser, shock-baton, and the freeze ray for dealing with lower level dangers. Or, well, the obvious ones that'd I'd 'carry' on my person while on the other side. Amanda Waller, and my handlers across the ocean, would also rather we didn't go around showing off abilities, or weapons, where it could be avoided, so that made it the current 'boring' option as Zatanna put it. Not that she bought that, rolling her eyes and folding her arms across here chest.
"Sure! Sure! Now, I'll be dragging you away after all that boring stuff, like reading manuals...blarg...and having a nice meal with me and Arty...and Robin"
I frowned at her "Is this...a double date. I don't remember agreeing to this"
She rocked her head from side to side "Well, it's more ordering take-out and eating here on the base because someone...we won't name names...is super-boring and works all the time. Artemis has already agreed for you, as did I! Think of it as 'come back soon' dinner!"
I sighed, rubbing at eyes. I'd have tolerated M'gann and Connor, not the eternal drama that was Robin and Zatanna in their 'we're happy, really' mode. Oh Boss above, fun times...
--
[04th April 2011]
[SHIELD Portal Security, Security Zone, Gotham, New Jersey, United States of America, Earth-16]
"Enjoy your meal last night Sis, Magic Girl, and the Boy Wonder hmmmm?"
I glared back at Jade, who stood in her disguise of business suited Asian woman, with a close enough resemblance to her actual appearance that she was comfortable, but different enough to avoid identification "Don't start, I'm not in the mood"
"Heh heh heh, that fun eh?"
I groaned softly "That fun, yeah"
In truth it hadn't been that bad, but Zatanna and Robin had alternated between being well 'I wuv you, no I wuv you' and arguing over silly thing, to pretending absolutely nothing was going on when Zatanna's Father appeared and glared at me. Artemis thought it was hilarious of course, especially the after he left part where the lovely couple went and rowed about 'telling daddy' and 'keeping it quiet' while I sat there awkwardly. Gods, when talking about missions was the 'fun' part, or feeling relief when the OTHER part of Robin's little love triangle turned up to calm both of the others involved down.
"No matter..." I continued as I motioned her forward at the wave from the two guards ahead of us to head through the sealed metal doors "...time to get to work, so no talking about such things please"
"Hmph!" she huffed back at me, which I ignored, as we strode into the main portal room from the opening side passage to see Jason Blood waiting along with a number of armed guards and a Mr. Crane. Our 'handler' and 'diplomat' for this, hopefully brief, excursion to 'Earth-Bet' as it was called. This whole situation still didn't feel right to me, vampires or not, problems they blamed us for or not, this level of 'cooperation' still seemed too...forced really. Perhaps answers would reveal themselves, and I reminded myself to be wary for any dangers on the other side that might threaten me and mine.
"Ah, Enchanter, Cheshire, welcome" Mr. Crane greeted us politely "or is it Timothy McMahon and Jasmine Tran?"
I nodded "Well, those are the names that we've been assigned, unlike Mr. Blood, and you Mr. Crane, we're not broadcasting our identities for various reasons. You can call me Tim"
"Of course, of course" the, very likely CIA, man replied politely as Jason Blood nodded to me as myself and Jade came to stand a short distance away from the portal as I assumed communications went back and forth through that thick solidly built Gate. All of which meant we got to stand in awkward silence for quite some time as we waited for whatever it was to be agreed while armed soldiers looked on...till the warning lights and brief blare of an alarm indicated the Gate was opening. One last time I ran through the various protective spells on myself and Jade, with a brief flare or energy indicating Mr. Blood was doing similar, and I was content as I could be as the locks clicked apart and the Gate opened...
--
[04th April 2011]
[Protectorate ENE Headquarters, The Bay, Brockton Bay, United State of America, Earth-Bet]
Emily Piggot glared at the screens, at the people across the city stepping through the Portal into her city from their side. Bringing more of their problems, their unwanted presence...that was been made accept from the other Directors and President because some people had lost their goddamned minds and decided to use this as some...negotiating tactic. They'd these...vampires...running around her city, when everyone was watching everyone as the PRT and Protectorate were suddenly the strongest power in the city...
'And they decide to throw this grenade into the powder-keg!' she mental griped forcing herself calm, merely sitting and watching as the terms and conditions were laid out. Fucking orders or no orders, these people broke any of the rules she was going to punt them back through that Portal at the first chance. Brockton Bay had a chance at getting fixed right now, and this whole disastrous idea of letting loose outsiders to solve their problem could blow up everything into an all out gang-war...when time and patience would all her to deal with the ABB, Empire, and Merchants.
Now, not only had she some Master-Stranger combo that read too much vampire fiction running around the city, but she got the spies allowed back in to spy on them. She honestly could not see what the others wanted, or whoever was pressing them to do so, and for once found herself in agreement with Tagge on attempting to stymie this idiocy. Sadly that had failed, and in walked the Stranger parahuman with the other dangerous abilities trying to act and look an ordinary, decent, normal, human being instead of what they were. At least her capes had the decency to let everyone know just what they were!
"This will cause so many headaches with patrols" Barry Rennick muttered beside her, and Emily nodded, allowing it to take her mind off the simmering anger for a few moments.
"Yes, but we have to make it work. Ideally this...vampire..." God these people seemed to put all powers in religious terms she'd found "...problem is non-existent, and just Thinkers having problems because of this 'Interference' they talk about. Then we can send them back home, lock the doors behind them, and never speak of this again"
Barry let out a weary sigh "If only Director"
--