The Hall of Justice was a great mount of metal hewn in to the ground where it met unrelenting gravel, an architectural monster of lustrous arcs and luminous letters declaring its purpose: the Justice League of America's headquarters (well, one of them). In the sub-layers of this formidable structure -the basement's basements- was a network of corridors and rooms with all manner of purpose- laboratories, garages, holding cells...
Twiddling his thumbs, lying down on a single bed, Aleil rested behind bars. The Light Councilman had told of his name, yesterday, during the interrogation. It wasn't uncommon for Light magical beings to choose names starting with the letter 'A', vowels in general were a favourite of theirs. An odd conception, truly, but the truth nonetheless. The wisdom lay within the lightness of the sound- anything to separate themselves from the Dark lot. Then again, that could simply be the propaganda of the Dark weighing that theory.
A day having passed, the Hall of Justice (from its most subterranean floor to its highest) was almost entirely deserted. Cyborg lingered about, drifting around the building as elegantly as a half-machine could, performing maintenance checks. That left one person besides the Councilman Aleil- Adyn.
He observed the pure individual reclining within his cell, white locks falling in to his pillow as golden eyes wandered about in boredom. The demon didn't share that feeling. Often, Adyn found himself entirely without company or occupation -he had done so this morning, leaving Raven (hastily throwing on her school blazer) to suggest he keep the 'damned prisoner company or SO HELP HER AZAR!'. Evidently, she didn't literally mean it, but being stuck in Wayne Manor with no friends (the Cat-lady, madwoman and Tim were in the Manor; Koriand'r had gone food shopping due to another strange need for unrelated foods to be mashed together) was not ideal, not when there was a threat of being left alone with his mind.
And so here Adyn found himself, staring at the seemingly angelic man who didn't say anything. Not simply Light, but angelic, for his features seemed to glow beyond what the white lights provided. Adyn held no love for the angel-kind. Manipulative and far too holy. But there was a darkness at this man's heart. A very beautifully made soul wherein light and dark splashed over a canvas and never made grey. It was so tempting to a creature of sin, those souls. Souls that were willing to tip in either direction, neither dark or light in majority. A little coaxing, a little whispering, a little fun, and they were decided.
And what would fun be for this man? Adyn scrutinised his relaxed form. Sloth? No. Gluttony? No. Greed? Perhaps. Pride? Possibly. Envy? Maybe. Wrath? Certainly could be. Lust...that would be a fun one...Adyn was good with lust, better as Wrath, but good with lust. The magician had already shown that he was susceptible to Raven's taunts, he would prove easy in Adyn's hands. Unless he didn't, in which case Adyn would have a challenge.
Demons love a challenge.
"What are you planning?", the demon hadn't anticipated the man -Aleil- speaking, that wonderfully crisp voice rolling through the air.
Adyn responded, "Why do you assume I plan something?"
Aleil stopped fidgeting with his fingers and sat up, eyes meeting Adyn's, "You analysed me, then smiled. It was a scheming smile."
"What do you think it means?"
"I don't know."
Adyn took a step closer to the coy Councilman, teeth sinking in to his bottom lip, "I'll leave you to figure that out. Enjoy solitude."
Willing his heart not to race with adrenaline, the demon all but ran out of the door, curls bouncing as he came to a stop halfway down the corridor. The bluish-grey of the walls shone but have no response to his despaired looks. There was no comfort in the unsprung pristine floors either. The building lacked character, and character was what his nerves needed.
***
***Jonathan's P.O.V***
Alrighty now, just breathe. It's like Damian says, A calm mind is a calm....I'll remember the rest later. So, walk Jon, if isn't that hard, just walk on over and sit with her. Easy...? C'mon dude! She's your friend!- kinda. And you work together- kinda. And she's super nice! Right, okay, let's do this, no fear.
Across the canteen, between a network of heads and bodies -all decked in this smarty pants uniform- I spot D and Raven. How do they always look like that, sheesh! So cold and scary...but also pretty cool. Like, damn, kinda badass (mum wouldn't like me using swear words, but she'll start letting up sooner or later). In that typical, annoying, cocky way, Dami raises an eyebrow, like he's asking 'Tt. What are you waiting for!'.
I don't know how he does it, raising his eyebrow like that. I've tried in the mirror in my room- it never works! Once dad caught me and said I looked like a constipated rabbit. I asked Damian what it meant and he just laughed at me!- having a super smart friend is no fun, hmph!
Hey, c'mon, focus Jon. Remember what dad always says To Fly Straight, Know Where You're Headed. But if I look straight, she'll be there and I don't wanna look stupid or anything. So of course, me being me, I end up looking straight up in front of me- and surprisingly, there's no one blocking my way in this crowded canteen. I would've thought that was a good thing.
But...what...? I don't get it. Why...? What are they doing...I...but Donna I...I thought she...
And I know by now that Damian and Raven have seen it, and Jaime's probably there too, they're pulling me away, and I don't put up a fight. Damian's probably glared all those boys away, but I don't do anything about it. Raven's arm is support and I cling on to that because I don't think I can trust myself to walk away on my own.
I don't get it. Donna's an Amazon. She's kind and caring and lovely and pretty and...oh no, good golly no...she's pretty, but so, so pretty. Too pretty. And they saw that too. And she's been trying so hard to fit in and- it ain't fair!
"Jon sweetie,", Raven's voice is nice, like mum's, and her eyebrows are forwards like she's concerned about ms, "you froze. Are you okay?"
"Yeah hermano, you cool?"
The hustle and bustle of the corridor is nothing but white noise, I can't really hear it. I'm probably being dramatic and it's probably nothing and I probably need to calm down and breathe and keep breathing and control my breath and calm down but I don't know what's happening and my head is a little fuzzy but Damian slaps me out of it.
"J, snap out of it.", his voice is sharp, like nails. "It's secondary school, expect things like this to happen.", Dami's eyes are super green, and his hand steadied me in my shoulder (when did he get good at the reassuring thing?). "Donna hasn't been shy about herself, naturally she'll have a lot of male attention."
"It isn't that bad ese, they're just sitting around her y'know.", more comfort from Jaime.
But that isn't the issue. Duh, there's gonna be guys who like her, but it's her reaction. That was not the Amazon, powerful Donna. That's someone I don't know, all giggly and acting way to old for her age. But Damian, Raven and Jaime tell me to get a grip and finish the last two lessons after lunch, so I'll do that. They usually know what to do to make things better, in a weird way, Dami can always cheer me up. And Raven so calm and reassuring. And Jaime just gets it.
Think, what would mum and dad say to you?
To look at the situation from all sides, like a reporter, and make a calm and justified conclusion. That definitely sounds like mum, okay good. Do what your heart thinks is right. That sounds like dad.
It's fine Jon, don't make a big deal. Get up and get on.
***End P.O.V***
Jonathan's sour mood weighed down on his fellow Titans on the journey back to the Manor, even within its aged walls, that sulkiness persisted. When Clark came over to take his son out for the evening, his attitude was unaltered, until Jonathan was able to take his mind off of things by spending quality father-son time.
Damian almost envied their relationship. Not almost, he did envy their relationship. It was all 'buddy' and 'chum' and 'dad' and 'love you sport' -so, maybe Damian didn't envy those terms- nothing like the tension when he spoke to Bruce. Things had been a little different before the Titans. They'd grown closer, Damian started to trust and confide. At this stage, Damian no longer blamed his father for seemingly shipping him off to the Titans, that now made rational sense. It was more so that Bruce didn't seem to trust Damian. Again, that was understandable considering the truths he'd kept for so long.
No matter. Damian would sort it out. And he knew how. And he had told Raven how, and mentioned it in passing to a few others. Batman depended upon not only instinct, but straight facts and statistics. A logical thinker, he was. The reason behind his doubt in his son was due to the lack of information (facts and statistics) on the preternatural world that his son was a part of. Now, Bruce was well respected by those of the community that knew of him -or at least, of the Batman- take Zatanna, Constantine and their associates for instance, by the could never be a part of that world. That didn't mean he couldn't understand it; just as he understood much of the extraterrestrial community and was comfortable there, even though he could not belong to it.
It was with this design in mind, that Damian (having previously conspired with his friend-with-a-lot-of-benefits, Raven) approached his father, somewhere between the sky surrendering to darkness and complete and absolute navy-blue. Batman was about to leave for patrol (despite it being covered by Dick and Tim that night -none save the demonic trio knew of Jason's whereabouts still-) when, in the Batcave, under the quirked brow of Alfred Pennyworth the Badass, Damian entered.
"Father.", came his introduction.
As the teen walked past, Alfred nodded, "Ah, Master Damian."
Having been asked what he wanted, by the cowled man himself, Damian gave the reply of, "That's an ambiguous question. What I want. Action and purpose- intention- are desperate concepts, but I take your meaning.", the butler's eyebrows raised higher at this as Bruce stopped fussing over his utility belt and stood without distraction. "I...understand this division is one feeding off various factors-"
"That's diplomatically put,", Bruce chuckled, "are you interested inn entering the political world?"
Uncharacteristically well-spirited, Damian continued as if there had been no interruption, "but a primary one is the lack of understanding you have in the preternatural world. A world I belong to."
No two things had even been closer to the heavens than Pennyworth's eyebrows whilst his hands stopped in the process of polishing a set of glinting batarangs with a silk handkerchief. Bruce's brows were also inclined, but Alfred's were...better...always better...
"In an attempt to solve this issue I would like your...", near-pacing about the cave, Damian worked on speaking truthfully, "help. It isn't overly difficult; it would achieve much for two separate issues."
"What is it?", Bruce asked.
"I've heard word that one of the Council's double agents is frequenting a site I know well. This being possesses the ability to wield different faces at any given moment - not their own face, but other ones they've seen and studied over time. All these other faces are known to myself and my associates."
Bruce's eyes narrowed as he considered the information, storing it where it would be most save and relevant, "So what's the problem and how do I fit in to this?"
Keen emerald eyes found his father's crystal blue, "This person is now going by their true face. Their aura can't be detected as it is as commonplace as any unobtrusive being, so their physical identity is key. We already know of their name." his eyes shone, "You've encountered them before, in their original face: Alexander Fletcher Sumpter."
Batman found the right mental file, pulling out the case from a few months ago, recognition setting alight as he put name to face.
"I know him."
A.N:
Hello my darlings!
How are you all? Good? Bad? Fine? Acceptable? Barely tolerating life? If the last one applies to you, then same boo same. Anywho, that's life.
Quick life updated, life is going well, the tea is still streaming at school (because there's a lot of hoes about at this time of year, let me tell you that) and I'm enjoying listening to that. Also, got some more debates stuff going on, that's fun. I walked out of a science lesson the other day, that was great (I'm being sarcastic, duh) and apparently the teacher had a right old bitch about me to half the science department before she walked out herself. I fücking hate her.
And that's my life summed up! You didn't need to read it, but if you did, thanks for somewhat caring.
In other news, I'm QUAKING at how bloody far this story has come. We're at over 50K reads, great in rankings, fabulous in comments and votes, and I'm just a little happy at that- yay!
thanks!!!
-Bats ;)