[10th April 2011]
[Wizard's Sanctum, Off the Quays, Dublin City, Republic of Ireland]
Artemis Nyugen was exhausted, and flopping down to lie beside her boyfriend was one of the more welcome things to do after a day's training and then night patrol in distant Gotham. The shower at least had got the filth off her, even if Jade being her usual bitchy self following in behind Artemis and resting against the doorframe smirking at her. John merely rolled unto his back, allowing Artemis to use his arm as a pillow, as she let out a tired groan "Ugh, thank god...soooo tired"
"Yeah, don't I know it, first day free of that quarantine centre and actually home and a chance to rest..." Skulls muttered back with a sigh, then giving her a nice, long, well deserved kiss "...and back with you my again beautiful"
Artemis hummed happily relaxing back and closing her eyes "Heh, missed you too what with you running off and fighting vampire monsters on parallel earths! You'll make me and the Team feel abandoned fighting things without us!"
Skulls chuckled, chest rumbling against her cheek as he moved faintly "Sorry, sorry, official business. Just me and the smug Ninja-Kitty over there are acceptable losses, along with the Demon Knight and CIA guy!"
"Oh, yeah, Jade...where's Mom?" Artemis asked opening her eyes and ignoring the gloomy light on the late-night television nonsense playing on the screen "I didn't see her?"
"It's almost three in the morning lil'sis, she's gone to bed..." Jade replied as she elbowed off the doorway and sauntered over them "...and look at you, crawling in so late"
"Ughhhh...it's called being a hero Jade. You wouldn't understand"
"Well I was off killing vampires and scaring do-gooders with your boy-toy here, so plenty heroic!" her older sister retorted sitting at the foot of the bed and smacking Artemis's feet "Unlike some I might add! What'd you manage, beat up some muggers?"
Artemis rolled her eyes, kicking back at Jade's thigh "In Gotham right now? Its only crazies and monsters out there now, just goes to show how little you know!"
Jade grabbed at her kick with her right foot, making a cutting swat at her leg; Artemis kicked with her other foot as the irritation caught hold and they started to exchange mock blows...
"Would you two feckin' stop would'ya?" Skulls groaned out opening his eyes and shoving Artemis off his arm to prop himself up on his elbows, blinking at them "Like, hells, it's been a long day...an' week, if we been honest"
'You're doing this deliberately!' she glared silently at Jade, and getting that smirking 'Yes...I know, it's hilarious isn't it!' smirk back in return just like when she'd pull crap like this back when they were kids playing with Barbie dolls. Rolling to stand up Artemis pulled up the blankets and got into the bed, giving Jade a rude gesture with her finger, and then curled up under them as John moved over and made room with a huff. Not that he complained as she wrapped her arm around him and got comfortable, Jade flopping back on the foot of the bed "Boring!"
"I'll turn you into a cat for the night if you don't behave Jade"
Artemis pressed up against Skulls, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth and nearness while tiredly muttering to him "Please do, she don't stop till she's got her way otherwise"
Jade, predictably, gave that Cheshire grin, sitting up and deliberately at both her and Skulls to annoy them "Go on, this'll be the training you promised"
"Give her a collar with a fucking bell and pink ribbons too Skulls"
"Oh, don't start love..." John hummed back as Jade gave him the 'come at me sis!' gesture and he gave her a glare back "...Jade..."
"Meow!"
"Well fuck you too then!" he muttered back, hand moving, fingers flicking as he muttered something under his breath and Jade's weight vanished "I'm going to sleep now, change ya back in morning. Talk about adventures then"
--
[10th April 2011]
[Wizard's Sanctum, Off the Quays, Dublin City, Republic of Ireland]
I woke up to a cat starting at me intently as she poked at my chin with her paw, and without much thought I brought my free hand, the left still asleep under a softly snorting Artemis, I brought it up and started to rub Cheshire behind the ears. She seemed confused for a moment, swatting at my hand with her paws, but seemingly started to enjoy it as her head pressed in against my fingers before resting on her side like a proper cat after a minute or two. Artemis woke up a little while later, stretching out against me, then blinking against the Sunday morning gloom and looking up.
"Is she...purring?"
"Yup"
"Really?"
"Yup" I replied again as Jade seemed to be off in her happy place, murder-heaven or whatever ninjas like her liked, as I rubbed her cat-belly as Artemis let out a little, maybe mean-spirited, laugh "Funny that, a happy ninja-kitty"
"God, you, should have recorded this..." she giggled into my neck "...so, stories, eh, so what is the other earth like? Since it took you away for an eternity?"
"Like a weird mirror version of ours, lots to learn off their PRT and Protectorate though, rules and procedures an' stuff like that" I hummed back resting back, enjoying the rare Sunday morning off, ignoring the gentle knee to leg and huff beside me "Fine, Fine. Big fight with super crazy evil vampire that escaped through from our side...scary fight to be honest, he could shrug off most attacks, and then if you did hit him you got hurt back in exchange. Like Jinx's abilities, cept' worse. I'll show you the video later, I've seen it like a dozen times while answering questions...that's been the past two days along with all the tests and scans"
"Yeah, I'll want see that video, see you and Jade in action. Should have been me you know"
"No, Justice League would crack up if we suggested that, and then the Team want to go through..." I replied with a yawn "...so, it's a SHIELD op, which means your mom or happy-kitty here. Jade got the coin flip. Oh, they've got KF's, well KF's early days, thing as well of not believing in magic"
"Oh God, let me tell Zee!" Artemis chuckled back "I know everyone's talking about them..."
I sighed, looking at the news playing on the muted television, the time apparently nine twenty-three "Same as they for us apparently, but they've gone quiet again after completing the debriefing. You've no idea how much background yapping...talks, I mean talks, go with sending me there with the others, or reassuring each other we're not going to start fighting. Which is good, cuz I don't want to start fighting them"
"Ugh, sure..." she agreed "...enough problems as it is here, so are you back in that place again?"
"Hmmm...back and forth, I was supposed to be on leave after all. So I'm back in Saint Columba's tomorrow, and much of the week along with the Mountain, but I'm on call still if something happens. Meaning we should, in theory, have time together. Plan at the moment is linking up high speed net connections between our two worlds, but if more vampires show up..."
"Yeah, yeah, then off to save the day...come'ere you" she huffed back in irritation leaning in to give me a kiss...
--
[11th April 2011]
[Saint Columba's College, Ballyvourney, County Cork, Republic of Ireland]
I came through the Teleportation Gate with a yawn, the sun not even rising for the dawn yet as a cold, heavy, rain fell on the grounds outside, my shadow for the day, Paula, at my side. Early mornings weren't really my thing, in most lives, and still not in this, but a good strong coffee and a warm breakfast should chase the tiredness away. Sadly it was necessary, as there was a busy day ahead and I had plenty to do beyond my regular assignments;- like spending a few hours working on my gear for one, and replacing now spent ammunition and scrolls for another.
"Do try be quiet in the halls, students are still asleep" I was told at the doors as I entered, and I nodded politely in agreement as myself and Paula were allowed in after scanning our credentials and passing the blood wards in place. It was a good combination of technology and magic, and security was vital with some of the children being magicians children, or simply children who'd come into magic or a talent that others might want to exploit. In all honesty the outer barriers were designed on the worst case scenario of an enraged Deity or similar Power, or something absurd like...a Yellow Lantern Ring empowered crazy Superman.
Not that they'd last long, but they would allowed dimensional translocation or evacuation of the students hopefully. Moving silently we soon entered the largely empty canteen/restaurant, which thankfully had muffling wards as I saw Georgina Snow, Mr. Zatara with a half-asleep looking Zatanna in tow, our resident Amazon teacher Alexa, and a business woman, and minor magician and pre-cog, by the name of Cassandra Craft. An odd group to discuss dimensional mechanics with, but apparently Miss Craft had concerns, as did my suddenly dream-visiting patron, so here we were.
"Good morning everyone..." I greeted taking a seat, and breakfast menu into hand "...I hope I haven't kept you waiting"
"Ughh...coffeeeee" the zombie called Zatanna moaned at me, but her father merely chuckled "No, your early as well young man, the time difference caused us to arrive a little earlier than planned, and Miss Alexa was already in the library at this hour"
Georgina Snow merely sipped at her morning tea "Early to bed, early to rise I find is the best approach"
"Hmm, maybe, each to their own as they say" I replied looking down and scanning the short menu "So, dimensions and the dangers therein?"
"Yes, well the Gods granted a vision..." Alexa started to say excitedly, then trailed off rubbing the back of her neck "...sorry, I..."
I shrugged ordering off the electronic menu tab some pancakes with fruit and a bowl of porridge "You'll not be the only one, my dear Patron has dream-vision'd me concerns as well. I know, which is odd as other Earth seems to have no Gods or Mages running around, at least in public..."
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