Wavescale
noun.
The scale that measures one's ability to influence and lead others.
"And how is she faring, Arthur?"
"Tula is…" The King of Atlantis frowned in thought. "Temperamental. She's passionate, and I'm afraid to admit that her emotions may get the better of her from time to time."
"So, that's a no?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, not yet." Arthur shook his head. "Eventually though, she will be ready. Her ability is too great for her emotions to forever remain a roadblock."
"Noted," the Bat's hands typed nimbly on his keyboard, and a holographic note accompanying the revolving image of Aquagirl flashed red. TBD.
"What do her teammates say of her?" Diana asked curiously. She'd heard of the girl's strong abilities, but it wasn't often a natural Atlantian moved to the surface after having lived their whole life in the ocean, much less thrived.
"She's still adjusting," Arthur admitted. "But there has been nothing but good things said about her ability to mesh well with the team, both in terms of her personality and her cohesive combat skills.
"How many other candidates are we considering?" Barry asked curiously. He scratched at the back of his neck rather impatiently, and Diana could do nothing but exhale amusedly. The man's twitchiness and oftentimes restless attitude had been a grate on her nerves at first, but years of being around the man had forced her to get used to the difference in their experiences with the passage of time.
"Not many more." Bruce said. He swiped at the holographic screen and a short list of names appeared in the Atlantean's place. Many of the names already had symbols next to them, indicating if they would move on to the next stage of induction or if they would be excluded from this point on. Only two so far had symbols stating they would move on, and those two happened to be proteges of Plastic Man (surprisingly) and Green Arrow. "I expect we'll have more next quarter when many of the Young Justice members become of age, but unless we have any less minute suggestions, this is all we have."
None of the other core members had anything to say to that, and the only person that Diana could even think to suggest was Donna. The idea gave her a silent laugh and had Dinah looking at her oddly, but the image of her kid sister - for all intents and purposes - getting inducted to the Justice League at this point in her life was too hysterical not to giggle at.
"On to the next, then." Bruce said, swiping once more at the image and producing the next candidate. A boy stood proudly before her, and while the table discussed whether this person was to be considered for the Justice League, Diana tuned out the conversation in favor of sinking deep into her own thoughts.
The past few months had been a breeze. Too easy, if you ask her, but perhaps the villains residing around the world had heard that Wonder Woman had gone domestic and were giving her a much needed break. That was a nice thought.
Not that she was a housewife now. She was anything but, still having to juggle her responsibilities at the museum and in the Justice League. It was simply that now she had a roommate to go with all of it.
Perseus was an… interesting person to live with. Yes, let's go with that.
He hadn't fully moved in, of course, even if Diana had insisted on him doing so on more than one occasion. He still had some reservations and liked the city he'd previously landed in, and she understood the sentiment. Still, it didn't mean she liked being without her other half for a few odd days of the week.
And was it too soon to call him her other half?
No. It wasn't.
Diana had heard stories of relationships becoming entirely different after couples took the leap to live with one another, but so far, it hadn't been the case with them. He was still entirely too kind for his own good. Still slightly emotionally battered. Still dorky and sarcastic and able to randomly say something so outrageously funny her cheeks wound up hurting from the laughter.
He wasn't the perfect roommate, obviously ("Not your roommate!", she could imagine him yelling), but she hadn't expected him to be. Some things were slightly annoying, but it was also sort of fun to find out different little tidbits about her now-boyfriend.
One sock (and only one sock) seemed to be lost every week, and it seemed like it was always one sock per pair instead of a whole one. Diana found herself going shopping entirely too often for the sole purpose of buying him some new ones. She'd one time purchased a set of socks that had each pair donning a different color of the rainbow just to test their theory. After five days he ended up with one sock for every color in the rainbow.
After a bout of laughter, Percy'd vehemently argued that he'd been cursed by some spiteful god that had wanted to get into her pants and that it'd never happened before he'd moved half of his closet into her home, and at this point she was inclined to believe him.
He was an awesome dishwasher. Seriously, their dishes were cleaned in 30 seconds flat due to some giant ball of water and soap he conjured in the middle of their kitchen every time. The first time he'd done it she'd loudly admonished him, yelling that a plate would go flying into her forehead and give her a concussion. And then once he'd set the clean dishes on the counter she'd inspected each cup and every plate for even a speck of leftover gunk and had been pleasantly surprised that his method was rather thorough.
He was a cuddler. And a late riser, which made for an interesting combination. Many times, she'd woken up to a clingy Percy, trying with all her might to unlatch him from her person despite his mumbled protests. It was honestly a coin flip whether she'd be able to actually get up and ready for the day or just give in and stay in bed with him for "five more minutes" (it was almost always much more than that).
He honestly wasn't the worst cook in the world. In fact, she'd go as far to say that he was pretty decent. He didn't have much experience with different dishes, but he was a fast learner and picked up everything Diana taught him within the first one or two tries.
Despite his tendency to be forgetful and leave random objects and clothes lying about, he was unfailingly respectful of her boundaries and mindful of her moods.
Her memory went to one week of work and solo patrols that'd been more stressful than most. She'd called and told him he probably shouldn't stay one night in fear of snapping at him and she'd entered her kitchen to find a batch of blue chocolate chip cookies (odd, but endearing) and a bottle of her favorite wine. On her tv, her favorite show was even paused at the beginning of an episode, ready to be watched.
Percy was… Percy.
There wasn't another word that would effectively and summarily describe him. Living with him didn't change that. And she had a feeling nothing else would either.
"Next up, Perseus Jackson."
Diana blinked and perked up. Speak of the devil.
She looked to the center of the table and saw the holographic image of Percy staring forward. He was smirking that familiar lopsided grin in the uniform that Bruce had made for him and Hera if it didn't fit him nicely. A large black canteen rested on his belt at his hip, and Diana smiled at the memory of Percy whooping with excitement and I-told-you-so's at the fact that he'd have a pouch of water with him just like he'd asked. She truly wondered at times just how old he was.
"His hand to hand combat has improved at a rapid pace." Dinah remarked from next to her. "He's not exactly an expert at any one style, but he utilizes his body weight and momentum well and he's quick to figure out his opponent's style. I don't think he'll ever be a master at a single martial art, but his instincts and reactions have pretty much been honed down to a tee."
"Agreed." Oliver Queen added. Diana snorted, and the Green Arrow shot her a glare from across the table. She smirked at him, sure that both of them were remembering when Percy had recently put the man in a rear naked choke in 30 seconds flat.
"Diana?" Bruce turned to her. "How has he been on patrols with you?"
"Much better," she said truthfully. "He's gotten used to the idea of minimizing collateral damage and he's better at keeping citizens out of his skirmishes. Not that there's been many all out street-fights with the capability of his powers."
"I can't recall if you've encountered any metas?"
"A few," she nodded. "Not any big hitters besides Cheetah, but his ability to think on the fly and adapt is quite remarkable. As you know, my big concern isn't - and never has been - his ability on the day-to-day job."
"Then what is your concern, as his mentor?" Clark asked. The Man of Steel had been relatively quiet for the meeting, but he was sitting straight up for this. She'd have to ask him about that later.
"I don't really have any, if I'm being honest." She shrugged. "I think he checks all the boxes. If he had a weakness, it was his limited fighting styles and sometimes tunnel-vision line of thinking which would've hurt him against the more enhanced individuals we come up against. His work with Dinah and Barry has come a long way."
"I've heard about this." Clark said. He looked towards Barry, who'd sat up at the mention of his name. "What exactly has he been doing with you, Barry?"
"Just improving his knowledge of his powers and pushing them to their limits," he shrugged. "My team and I have been helping him understand how his powers work. Hydrokinesis to his level isn't exactly common and he can do more things even outside of that, so we've been testing just how much he can do."
"And?" Bruce asked. Barry shrugged again.
"Haven't hit a limit yet," the man grinned. "The capabilities of his manipulation of liquid is insanely flexible. Seriously, his imagination is his ceiling when it comes to his powers, and trust me when I say the kid's not limited in that department."
Diana smirked at that. He wasn't wrong.
Bruce typed a couple of notes before he looked at Diana.
"So do you think he's ready?"
She inhaled and tilted her head for a moment. She hadn't even been the one to nominate Percy's name. It'd been Dinah. It gave her a little to think about, if her "protege" was ready for the Justice League or not. It wasn't a question if he was physically ready. He'd proved to her and everyone else that he'd have no trouble going toe to toe with even the toughest of villains.
"No."
Bruce blinked, which was as close to surprise as she was going to get out of him.
"No?" Clark frowned. "Are you sure?"
"He's not ready yet," she said confidently. "The throes of his past life are still there, even if they're faint. It won't take long to fully shake them, but when he does, he'll be ready."
The table shifted at her words.
She wasn't lying, not about any of it. He wasn't ready yet, even he had told her so. And if the nightmares he still got every now and then we're any indication, she would be resigned to agree with him.
But he was close. He was oh so close.
And when the switch flipped, and she was to become his partner instead of his mentor, he would become something great.
She had no doubt in her mind that he was among the best of them. His awe-inspiring power was on par with the strongest of them (yes, she even believed his potential to be that of Superman), but it was his other traits which gave her confidence.
His courage in the face of fire. His steady, humble heartbeat in the light of adoring praise. His loyalty and kindness in the thick of fear and terror.
He was good in a heart of evil. He gave her strength, as he would for everyone else.
"I give you my word that within the year, he'll be ready." She said to the table.
"And when he is, he'll be a force to be reckoned with."
"Dinner still on for this weekend?"
"Of course, Dinah." Diana replied. "I'll text you the details later."
"Sure, sure," Dinah waved a hand and politely greeted another member. "I gotta go train the kids, but I'll see you then?"
"Have fun." Diana bid her goodbye and then turned to find a rather large Kryptonian falling into step with her. She smiled. "Clark."
"Diana," he smiled back. "How's life been treating you?"
"Good." Diana answered. "Great, actually. I don't actually know if I've ever been better."
"That's great to hear." Clark replied honestly.
"How about you?" She smirked. "Lois still wreaking havoc, I hope?"
"Always." He grinned back. "Probably no more than your partner, though. I've heard he's a bit of a whirlwind."
"You could say that." Diana couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. Thinking of Percy tended to do that to her. "At least I've gotten him to stop jumping into random crime scenes without my knowledge."
"Yeah, we're still working on that." Clark coughed and reddened. "Though, I have a feeling she's never going to stop."
"I think you might just be right." Diana responded cheekily. "Now, what is it you want?"
"Straightforward, are we?"
"You're being rather obvious, so yes."
"Can I not catch up with a friend?"
"Not when you're being obvious," she grinned.
"I don't recall you being this obnoxious," he grumbled. "I think your boyfriend's rubbing off on you"
"In more ways than one, trust me." Diana's grin widened at Clark's spluttering. "Is it about him?"
"Yes." Clark said and attempted to adjust himself to a reasonable level of composure. "I want to meet him."
"Get in line." She sighed. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. It seriously was getting to be quite a headache having to be something akin to Percy's personal agent. "May I ask why?"
"I'm curious." The Kryptonian shrugged. "I've heard a lot about him, but at the same time, I've know nothing. I don't even know if he's alien or not."
"He's not," she said with a frown. "I don't exactly gossip."
"Exactly." He bobbed his head in a nod. "You say he's going to be an important member soon enough. Why not get a head start on getting to know his future colleagues?"
Her frown deepened and she peered at him with leering eyes. She'd heard this a few times before. Other people in the League and even at her work had given similar speeches trying to persuade her to arrange a meeting or whatnot with Percy. She hadn't given in yet, but this was Clark. If she could trust anyone (besides Percy and her fellow Amazons (and Donna)), it was Clark.
"I'll ask him if he'd like to." Diana said. "But no promises."
"Thank you." Clark said sincerely.
"You are very welcome, sir." Diana smiled. "And who knows, maybe we can get Lois and have a fun double date?"
"That'd be nice."
"Maybe not as nice as you'd think," she tilted her head in thought, just imagining the potential havoc the pair of Percy Jackson and Lois Lane might cause. It almost caused a shiver to run down her spine, and not in a good way. "And yes, Arther, I'll ask him if he wants to meet you too."
The figure lurking towards the edge of their conversation smiled sheepishly and thanked her before speeding up in the direction of the Watchtower's cafeteria. Diana could only roll her eyes at Aquaman's uncharacteristic nervousness.
"Well, either way, I look forward to meeting Percy." Clark shrugged. "Now enough business. It feels like we haven't talked in forever and I seriously want to know what you've been up to these past few months."
"Less than you. I saw the Daily Planet publish something about you potentially having an affair with another alien?"
Diana returned to her home in the dead of night with a breath of relief, greatly tired from the day and praying there was something in the fridge she could quickly pop into the microwave to eat. She was feeling much too exhausted to cook or even order delivery from a nearby restaurant.
"You home?" She called out, lazily flipping off her flats and locking the door behind her without a glance.
"Over here." Percy called back to her. She turned the corner and found Percy at the dining table, one hand resting on the handle of a mug and the other fingering the page of a decently sized book.
Diana set her purse down on the table and plopped down into the seat right next to him. She leaned against him and rested her head against his shoulder, a content sigh releasing from her at the oddly comfortable position this always seemed to be.
"Long day?" He asked, pressing a light kiss to her cheek and wrapping a supportive arm around her shoulders.
"A little," she admitted. She snuggled closer into his person. "You?"
"Wasn't too bad," he replied. "Work was slow, at least. And nothing too out of the ordinary happened while you were gone."
"Any organized crime?"
"Nothing other than the usual," Percy reassured. "Although some teenager tried to rob a couple cakes from that bakery you love."
"The one across the street from the museum?"
"Mhm."
"Nothing happened to any of the employees, right?"
"Nah," he shook his head. "He was a kid. I just made him go back and apologize for scaring the old lady."
"Good." Diana nodded in satisfaction. "I'd hate for Carla to get hurt. Her fruit tarts are otherworldly."
"Good enough for that to be your ambrosia flavor?" Percy asked absentmindedly, his eyes still trained on his book.
"Not quite," she smiled. "You haven't lived until you've had the wonton soup from Golden Goose."
"Why haven't we gone there yet?"
"It's in Metropolis." Diana shrugged. She peered over at Percy's book and pursed her lips in curiosity. "What are you reading, anyways?"
"Just a little something about some of the heroes of old." He said and flipped a page. "Annabeth always got on me for not knowing my stuff because one day it might save my life."
"I thought none of that could apply any more now that, you know…"
"Now that I haven't seen a monster in practically a year?" Percy smiled and chuckled. "Well, that might change, and I thought it'd be nice to learn this even if it doesn't. Some of it's even kind of interesting."
"I haven't read any of it since I was a kid." Diana admitted. She peered down at the book and scanned a few lines of their mother tongue. "I must be really tired or really hungry, because I don't remember us having access to any Ancient Greek texts."
"Maybe you don't know the right places to look." He smirked and raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Do you want me to make something or do you wanna go to bed?"
"You know it's not good to sleep without having eaten dinner," she chastised. "Do we not have any leftovers in the fridge?"
"We have some Big Belly Burger from yesterday." Percy said. "Or if you want I can whip up something fast."
Diana scrunched her nose up in doubt. "No you can't."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked incredulously.
"I'll be starved and in pain by the time you're done."
"Pfft." He scoffed. "No you won't."
"Percy." Diana said seriously. "You're cooking's great and all, but do you know something to cook that'll take less than 15 minutes?"
"You really can't wait half an hour?"
"If I don't have something within the next 20 minutes I think I might pass out."
"Then I suppose I'll have to heat up your burger."
"Thanks." Diana grinned at Percy's silent laughter. He gently extricated her from his shoulder and marked his place in his book before standing up to get her food. Having a boyfriend really was great sometimes.
"So, any exciting prospects?" Percy asked, sounds of him rummaging around the kitchen behind her leaking through her extremely brief moment of peace.
"A few," she said. "Not too many, though. A lot of the prospects were deemed either not yet ready or simply not a fit."
"That's too bad."
"It happens." Diana shrugged, even though he wasn't looking at her. "I'm not concerned about it. There'll be more heroes next time."
"True, I guess." She heard the telltale sound of the microwave beginning to whir and her stomach growled in anticipation. She could already taste the greasy goodness of Big Belly Burger's signature menu item. It was glorious, even if it was all in her head. "Anything else interesting happen?"
"Mmmm…" She scrunched her brow in thought. "Clark wants to meet you. As does Arthur."
"Superman and Aquaman?" Percy asked, his voice an octave higher than previously. Diana snorted.
"Nervous, much?"
Percy cleared his throat, "No." His voice was now decidedly deeper than usual. Diana giggled. She blamed the hysterical nature that came with the knowledge of one's crushing starvation soon being ended. "Do they really want to meet me?"
"Of course. Why would I lie?"
"I don't know." The microwave ended with a loud beep. She shifted in her chair in anticipation. "I just don't know why they'd want to meet me."
"I might have an idea," she said mysteriously, the speech she'd given at the round table coming to mind. "I think it might be good. If you'd like, we can both go over to that restaurant I mentioned in Metropolis and have a double dinner-date with them."
"With the famed wonton soup?"
"The one and the same."
"Then how could I refuse?" Percy said dramatically. Diana laughed just as he set a plate of steaming fast food in front of her. A burger stacked with toppings and a side of those trademark fries stared back at her in their flavorful, bowel-locking glory.
"I guess it would be nice meeting them. Especially Aquaman." Percy said, plopping back down into his seat and taking a sip of his mug filled with tea. "You said he rules over Atlantis?"
"That's what he says."
"Pfft. Yeah right. It's more likely Tyson's ruling over Atlantis than him." Percy looked mortally offended on behalf of his father, which Diana understood.
"Well, all I know for sure is that he's royalty and the Justice League has had to aid him and his kingdom on multiple occasions." Diana explained through bites of her food. By the gods it should be illegal for something this unhealthy to be this good. Percy frowned at her words and stayed silent for a moment while she ate.
"Maybe he rules over a sect that broke off from Atlantis a long time ago." Percy offered. "Kinda like the Amazons."
"And he and everyone else just calls it Atlantis?" Diana raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe they think the old Atlantis was destroyed long ago." He shrugged. "It's possible. My dad's been through so many wars and remodels that I don't find it to be so unbelievable. It makes more sense than any other option, at least."
"Perhaps," she settled on. It made sense to her, when she thought about it. But she didn't want to think about it. In fact, all she wanted to think about was the burger between her hands and the fries she hadn't finished off yet. Percy smiled, a certain smile she had grown to realize was one that accompanied a blossoming idea which was either genius or absolutely, undeniably stupid.
"Maybe I should go down there with him." He suggested innocently, although his mischievous smirk betrayed all pretense of ignorance. "Maybe I'll show them my power and claim to be a descendant of Poseidon, hellbent on revenge and destruction for the insult on Atlantis' true king."
Diana deadpanned. "You are a descendant of Poseidon."
"Yeah, but I won't be hellbent on revenge and all that. Too much work." He said and shrugged. "I'll just mess around with them. Maybe call some sharks to scare them."
"That sounds like a recipe to get skewered."
"Or worshipped."
"Do you really want either?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow. He blinked.
"Maybe I'll just go down and have a look around." Percy said with a smile.
"That sounds splendid." Diana smiled back. "Now let's get ready for bed. If my memory serves me right, it's my turn to be the little spoon tonight."
"Dammit. I thought you might forget."