diamondiskitty

[diamondiskitty]

Selina pulled herself to her feet, giving herself a moment to take her breath back. When she fought alone, which was often, she never had a chance to recollect herself, the fight out be a blur, but when she was with one of the boys... she felt safer.

She was annoyed about having fallen so quickly, but realized in a moment that Jason was giving the perfect distraction. With quick, soft movement, she slinked around the corner out of view, and found a door with a complicated electronic lock. She pulled a pin from out of his hair, sliding it along the side of the contraption until she felt the ping of a panel. It opened up, revealing a complicated series of red, blue, and green wires.

Selina slashed them all. The door clicked open.

A single guard turned sharply at the sound of an open door, spinning in a chair with a shocked look on his face. Selina leaned against the wall and smiled. “I think I’m lost,” she said with a pout.

The guard rushed for his weapon and Selina pounced. She slammed his head down on the console in front of him, then with a quick motion punched his fist into his spine. He arched against the blow, which gave her the position to kick him, hard, into the center of his stomach. He fell to the ground and Selina knocked him unconscious with another swift motion.

She glanced around the room, and whistled. The room was full of screens, which had faded black. Whatever was on them, whatever Essex had been doing, the power was cut off the moment she’d cut the security door. “Hood, dear,” Selina called out. She walked briskly to a remote CPU. “You may want to bring this to the big guy. Whatever Essex is up to, it doesn’t seem good.”

She knelt down, looking under the monitors for any other information, a stray usb, a document, but the area was wiped clean. Too clean. She knew enough to know this kind of organization was supicious. “I normally don’t interfere when someone’s targeting the rich and famous, but when billionaires fight billionaires, it’s the little people who get hurt.”

diamondiskitty‌:

“You’ve got scrappy in your veins,” Selina said, looking back from the staircase for a moment to give Jadon a bright smile, “you know what it’s like to struggle and fight your way through survival, same as me.” Maybe their experiences weren’t parallel, having been born in different years and in different areas of Gotham, but Selina still felt a deep affection for Jason and a strange connection in their story.

After their talk, when they were two floors ahead of where they started, Selina slammed open the door to the hallway. She put her hand on her whip, that she pulled out of her purse, as she walked through the corridor. A sense, deep in her mind, said danger was close, as she walked past a few rooms. With a carefree voice, despite her nervousness, she said, “Maybe a destuct-inator? A super freeze ray? A giant riddle machine? A mega drill? Mind-control? Honestly… after everything I’ve seen I wouldn’t be-“

Selina was cut off as she walked past a door and it opened, hidding her in the shoulder. She was knocked backward, stunned, as a huge, nearly-seven foot, body-builder framed guard surged out of the room. Selina was thrown backward, gasping for breath as the man, with distorted, Essex-like features (perhaps a distant cousin?) growled and walked into the center of the hallway. His gaze fell onto Jason.

Selina snapped her whip, wrapping around the man’s ankle and knocking him off balance temporarily. But the rest of the fight was up to Jason.

There was some memories not pleasant, just himself and the dog he took in as just a CHILD newly homeless. “I remember being eight years old sitting in the subway station begging for money, but all those business types didn’t give a shit about me. They stepped right over me like I didn’t actually exist. I learned quick that I couldn’t count on anyone but myself if I wanted to eat — and just survive.” He stops talking, voice going quiet hearing some distant noise. The two of them aren’t likely to be alone up here.

His hand slips into one of the pockets of his suit jacket, a red domino mask just by chance it was needed. He doesn’t trust these type of events for a reason. Wearing a pair of combat boots instead of dress shoes was a smart choice if they’d be doing some fighting. Jason was six foot, but wasn’t afraid of this man built taller than even him. He wasn’t afraid of ANYONE, especially someone that looks creepily like Essex.

He was ANGRY seeing Selina thrown backward like that. He stops to make sure that she was okay before stepping forward. Jason cracks his knuckles before he’s ducking out of the way of a fist thrown his way. “You aren’t too smart are you?” His leg lifting so his foot can push the man down to the ground when he’s knocked off balance. He doesn’t have a gun with him, but he doesn’t need his M1911 to cause some damage.

He pulls his shirt up with one hand so the guard is off the ground for a moment, using his other hand to punch his face ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES before letting go. He tries to stand up, spitting blood on the face. “Come on big guy, you think you can touch me?”

[diamondiskitty]

“You’ve got scrappy in your veins,” Selina said, looking back from the staircase for a moment to give Jadon a bright smile, “you know what it’s like to struggle and fight your way through survival, same as me.” Maybe their experiences weren’t parallel, having been born in different years and in different areas of Gotham, but Selina still felt a deep affection for Jason and a strange connection in their story.

After their talk, when they were two floors ahead of where they started, Selina slammed open the door to the hallway. She put her hand on her whip, that she pulled out of her purse, as she walked through the corridor. A sense, deep in her mind, said danger was close, as she walked past a few rooms. With a carefree voice, despite her nervousness, she said, “Maybe a destuct-inator? A super freeze ray? A giant riddle machine? A mega drill? Mind-control? Honestly... after everything I’ve seen I wouldn’t be-“

Selina was cut off as she walked past a door and it opened, hidding her in the shoulder. She was knocked backward, stunned, as a huge, nearly-seven foot, body-builder framed guard surged out of the room. Selina was thrown backward, gasping for breath as the man, with distorted, Essex-like features (perhaps a distant cousin?) growled and walked into the center of the hallway. His gaze fell onto Jason.

Selina snapped her whip, wrapping around the man’s ankle and knocking him off balance temporarily. But the rest of the fight was up to Jason.

diamondiskitty‌:

The older woman heard the phone ring, and she takes it out of her purse with audible confusion. “Who’s phone-“ she yelled, calling everyone’s attention to herself, before she sees the phone background is a young woman and her own husband. “GREG!” She howled, “NOT AGAIN!” And every single person, staff included, turned to watch a sixty-year old man in Armani kneel down and grovel.

Selina smiled with satisfaction, and then slipped away. She didn’t bother checking if Jason was following her, she trusted him. “You can’t grow up in a mansion and not be affected,” Selina said, “I mean, of all you bat boys, you’re the only one who stayed grounded. I hear Damian has a pet cow he keeps in the cave. And sheesh, he grows roses as a hobby. I never thought I’d ever like a man who gardens.”

Elegance to her was always its own costume. Beautiful items, dresses, and objects were hers, only because she scrapped and adventured to make them so. Selina only took one look back before leading them through a door, one that lead straight to a servants spiral staircase. She began decending upward, officially trespassing. She smiled. “What do you think Essex is hiding up here?”

Jason was amused watching the whole situation unravel. He was proud that they pulled it off, but who would have been surprised? They were good at what they do, making quite the team. His eyes linger for only a moment before he turns away not caring to see him begging for forgiveness any longer. His feet following after the woman — not wanting the fun with Selina to end since this was the first interesting part about this whole night.

It didn’t take long to catch up, casually moving through the crowd so he doesn’t look suspicious. “You think so? I’m the only one that really knows what it feels like to live in the streets, and having to rely on your instincts to survive. I can’t just shut that out because a rich man adopted me. I’m always that scrappy kid.” He grins almost proud of how set in his ways he was. “I took advantage of opportunities, but never forgot where I came from.”

Jason walks through the door, looking up at the staircase. “How about we find out?” Each step he takes a quiet one.

[diamondiskitty]

“You’re so confident,” Selina explained, “and who on earth would stay sober at one of these things? It’s too boring. You have to have something exciting planned.”

Selina played the part of a bored ingénu, parting his lips and opening her eyes wide with eager attention. “I’m a gymnast,” she said, and she reached into her purse, fumbling on purpose, before pulling out a lipstick tube, “and this is a taser,” she lied, “that’s how I got it passed security, it’s one of those disguised self-defence things.”

“C’mon,” Selina said with a smile, “give me a chance. I might surprise you.”

diamondiskitty‌:

Selina nodded sagely. “Of course, dear, though it really won’t be the same. The point of the Bast is to waste all the most expensive liquors and drown it out with cheap cola and cream,” she explained in a whisper. “It’s a bastardization of elegance.”

Selina grinned at one group of people who had recently closely gossiped close to the bar. “The men are discussing who’s mistress has larger assests, meanwhile their wives are comparing Superman and Thor. I might be more familiar with Superman, but the man’s a bore, I think the answer is far too easy.”

“Anyway,” Selina said, finishing a sweet cream soda for the other woman and passing it over the bar, “I don’t actually work here.” She smiled. “Stick a napkin in the collar of a black cocktail dress, and you can get away with anything,” she whispered.

Kate watched the drinking making processes, mesmerized. She laughed at the gossiping men and chuckled at the Thor/Superman debate. “Thors nice. All m’lady and sire and fancy Shakespearean. And Superman, I have heard a bit about him.” She told the bartender.

Kate took a sip of the drink. It was sweet and delicious. But she forgot about the drink when the bartender admitted she wasn’t actually a bartender. It made her nervous. If this women could get in so could anyone. The whole staff could be super villains or criminals. “If you don’t work her, then who are you? Why did you come?”

[diamondiskitty]

The older woman heard the phone ring, and she takes it out of her purse with audible confusion. “Who’s phone-“ she yelled, calling everyone’s attention to herself, before she sees the phone background is a young woman and her own husband. “GREG!” She howled, “NOT AGAIN!” And every single person, staff included, turned to watch a sixty-year old man in Armani kneel down and grovel.

Selina smiled with satisfaction, and then slipped away. She didn’t bother checking if Jason was following her, she trusted him. “You can’t grow up in a mansion and not be affected,” Selina said, “I mean, of all you bat boys, you’re the only one who stayed grounded. I hear Damian has a pet cow he keeps in the cave. And sheesh, he grows roses as a hobby. I never thought I’d ever like a man who gardens.”

Elegance to her was always its own costume. Beautiful items, dresses, and objects were hers, only because she scrapped and adventured to make them so. Selina only took one look back before leading them through a door, one that lead straight to a servants spiral staircase. She began decending upward, officially trespassing. She smiled. “What do you think Essex is hiding up here?”

diamondiskitty‌:

Selina slipped the napkin into her collar, bypassed the heartbroken girl on the way to the breakroom, and slipped her hand into a knock-off Coach bag to get her hands on the phone. She was making her way back when she saw one of those look-alike waiters following a chef down the hall, and the chef had a panicked look on his face. That would be worth looking into.

She was back in the main forum quickly, siding up next to Jason. “Put this back in the purse, and then I’ll cal her with the other,” Selina said. She tapped the mistress’s phone just to memorize the number, and then crossed her arms, hiding the phone under her wrist.

“You think I could play this sort of game with Dick? Or Tim?” Selina said with a smile. “It’s good to have a bit of the wild side in you, Jason. When I first saw you tagging along Bats side, I could tell you were a street kid like me.” She rested her cheek against Jason’s shoulder.

Jason makes quick work of sliding in the other phone to the woman’s purse. He kept his face down so the people around her wouldn’t notice him. They were all too busy laughing at some horrible joke to realize he was right behind them. He comes back to Selina’s side in just a few moments, a smile to his face. “It’s done.”

The man was a street rat, having been homeless for many years as a kid before Bruce took him in. He knew the streets of Gotham better than anyone else. He was always proud of it, but that made him more reckless than other members of his family.

“I don’t think so, they’re too GOOD. I’m more realistic about what needs to be done — I love them though even if they have golden hearts. I’ll always be a street kid — can’t take that out of me.” Jason says as he looks over at the woman as she leans against him.

[diamondiskitty]

Batman: I became Batman because of my childhood fear of bats

Catwoman:

[diamondiskitty]

“I wouldn’t count on Superman to have any fun, but this Thor fellow seems game,” Selina said.

She noticed the woman’s suspicion and sudden change of attitude. The way her posture shifted, and her eyes suddenly focused. She was dangerous, clearly.

Selina smiled at her. “I was a billionaire’s plus one, and he’s off being boring,” she explained. If anything, she was an expert liar. “Until drama happens, these parties are nothing more than big bank dicks flopping around, and, as I am all alone I decided to have some fun.” She pointed, subtly with her pinky, to one of the doppelgängers. “They’re clearly not paying attention, or they’d have noticed me. There’s something suspicious going on. And you’re a superhero, right?”

Selina was struck with a brilliant idea. “Oh!” She clicked her fingers against the glass and smiled brightly. “Let me be your sidekick tonight! We can investigate together, I promise I won’t get in your way. Scout’s honor.”

diamondiskitty‌:

Selina nodded sagely. “Of course, dear, though it really won’t be the same. The point of the Bast is to waste all the most expensive liquors and drown it out with cheap cola and cream,” she explained in a whisper. “It’s a bastardization of elegance.”

Selina grinned at one group of people who had recently closely gossiped close to the bar. “The men are discussing who’s mistress has larger assests, meanwhile their wives are comparing Superman and Thor. I might be more familiar with Superman, but the man’s a bore, I think the answer is far too easy.”

“Anyway,” Selina said, finishing a sweet cream soda for the other woman and passing it over the bar, “I don’t actually work here.” She smiled. “Stick a napkin in the collar of a black cocktail dress, and you can get away with anything,” she whispered.

Kate watched the drinking making processes, mesmerized. She laughed at the gossiping men and chuckled at the Thor/Superman debate. “Thors nice. All m’lady and sire and fancy Shakespearean. And Superman, I have heard a bit about him.” She told the bartender.

Kate took a sip of the drink. It was sweet and delicious. But she forgot about the drink when the bartender admitted she wasn’t actually a bartender. It made her nervous. If this women could get in so could anyone. The whole staff could be super villains or criminals. “If you don’t work her, then who are you? Why did you come?”

[diamondiskitty]

Selina slipped the napkin into her collar, bypassed the heartbroken girl on the way to the breakroom, and slipped her hand into a knock-off Coach bag to get her hands on the phone. She was making her way back when she saw one of those look-alike waiters following a chef down the hall, and the chef had a panicked look on his face. That would be worth looking into.

She was back in the main forum quickly, siding up next to Jason. “Put this back in the purse, and then I’ll cal her with the other,” Selina said. She tapped the mistress’s phone just to memorize the number, and then crossed her arms, hiding the phone under her wrist.

“You think I could play this sort of game with Dick? Or Tim?” Selina said with a smile. “It’s good to have a bit of the wild side in you, Jason. When I first saw you tagging along Bats side, I could tell you were a street kid like me.” She rested her cheek against Jason’s shoulder.

diamondiskitty‌:

“You are the fun one,” Selina said fondly.

“Here’s the mission, I’m going to slip into something more comfortable, head down to the caterer’s breakroom, and take the distraught young girl’s phone, meanwhile you get the poor faithful woman’s phone. I leave the details to you. We meet back here, switch the phones, and I guarantee they’ll be a distraction loud enough to let us sneak into a room we aren’t supposed to be in,” Selina said mischieviously.

A waiter passed by with raspberry jam tarts, and Selina took one, dabbing her pinky finger in the jam before setting it down. She grinned at Jason. “It’s a race,” she said with excitement.

Casually, but with a grace to her movements that had her dancing around the crowded room with ease, Selina walked by the portrait of their host, rubbed red jam on the man’s upper lip, and then made her way quickly to the servant enterance. She only paused long enough to give Jason a friendly wink.

Jason smirks back over at Selina as he was just happy to hear that for once. “I appreciate you thinking that.” He doesn’t plan on disappointing her going forward from here.

The man is taking some mental notes on what’s expected out of him pursuing this little mission of theirs. It would be worth it in the end to cause some chaos. “It sounds easy.” He can easily pickpocket the faithful woman, she looks distracted by hanging off of her husband at the moment. He likes a challenge, but this would be better than hanging off against the wall of this party.

“You’re on.” Jason says moving through the crowd, flashing a smile to Selina from his side of the room. He turns back to the other guests as he moves around them. He casually ends up making some small talk with a few so he doesn’t look too suspicious before he gets the opportunity — and he slides the phone right out of her open purse.

No one noticed a thing, PERFECT.

[diamondiskitty]

Selina nodded sagely. “Of course, dear, though it really won’t be the same. The point of the Bast is to waste all the most expensive liquors and drown it out with cheap cola and cream,” she explained in a whisper. “It’s a bastardization of elegance.”

Selina grinned at one group of people who had recently closely gossiped close to the bar. “The men are discussing who’s mistress has larger assests, meanwhile their wives are comparing Superman and Thor. I might be more familiar with Superman, but the man’s a bore, I think the answer is far too easy.”

“Anyway,” Selina said, finishing a sweet cream soda for the other woman and passing it over the bar, “I don’t actually work here.” She smiled. “Stick a napkin in the collar of a black cocktail dress, and you can get away with anything,” she whispered.

diamondiskitty‌:

“You strike me as a woman who isn’t comfortable with this fakery,” Selina mused, “but there are ways to make this a game.” She began making a cocktail, grabbing the most expensive ingredients she could find (ones that had been designated for the exclusive, high-roller clients).

“Take the silent auction, for example. If you keep your eyes open long enough, you see the same people bidding on the fertility statue are the same bidding on the time-share in Denmark’s red district,” Selina gossiped, leaning forward with a smile. “And the same men gathered,” she smirked, “very seriously around a Monet, discussing fine art, were doing the exact same around a worthless student art piece only a moment ago.”

Selina finished the cocktail and took a sip. “Want one? It’s a specialty. The Golden Bast. I only make it for people who I think might actually enjoy it.”

Kate’s eyes followed the bar tenders fingers to the group of people at the silent auction and snorted. “And if you listen to the woman talk. They all sound friendly enough, but as soon as one leaves she is the victim of their gossip.” She started laughing once again and she lay her head down on the bar to silence her laughs. “They all act so above it all.” She settled down and smiled at the bar keeper when she offered her a drink. She wanted to be on the top of her game in case a fight broke out. Or a villain appeared. Not being able to shoot straight would definitely end an issue. “Could you make it a virgin, I want to stay on my toes” Kate explained. “Wait are you allowed to drink while working?”

[diamondiskitty]

“You are the fun one,” Selina said fondly.

“Here’s the mission, I’m going to slip into something more comfortable, head down to the caterer’s breakroom, and take the distraught young girl’s phone, meanwhile you get the poor faithful woman’s phone. I leave the details to you. We meet back here, switch the phones, and I guarantee they’ll be a distraction loud enough to let us sneak into a room we aren’t supposed to be in,” Selina said mischieviously.

A waiter passed by with raspberry jam tarts, and Selina took one, dabbing her pinky finger in the jam before setting it down. She grinned at Jason. “It’s a race,” she said with excitement.

Casually, but with a grace to her movements that had her dancing around the crowded room with ease, Selina walked by the portrait of their host, rubbed red jam on the man’s upper lip, and then made her way quickly to the servant enterance. She only paused long enough to give Jason a friendly wink.

diamondiskitty‌:

“There’s plenty of fun to be had at these events, hood, if you just don’t follow the rules,” Selina advised. She had never understood why the bats felt the need to play such boring, ordinary lives, they were made for the exceptional. “In fact, I wasn’t planning on ending my fun tonight for awhile.”

Selina leaned closer to Jason. “See that man over there,” she pointed to a man in a pale suit and maroon bowtie, “I overheard his mistress is one of our waitresses. She’s very upset. Maybe the truth should come to light. And,” she gestured blindly toward a large painting, “is that meant to be an abstract of our illustrious host? It could do with a subtle improvement. Also,” she nodded to the similar-looking waitstaff, “clearly something is going on tonight. We could investigate. Maybe jumpstart the chaos.”

Selina leaned back, observing the party around her. “We could play. Or talk. I have plenty of stories from my three months abroad.”

She pointedly didn’t answer how she was doing. Her mind was still in a whirl from her conversation with Jean, and she knew the last thing Jason wanted to hear was her latest squabble with his father.

Everything has to be thought out — always careful with his civilian identity since that could get traced back to his entire family. While he has his personal issues with his father that shouldn’t have to extend to his siblings too. He was interested in causing some chaos, even if it was subtle. These people are much too distracted to really be paying any attention to those moving through the crowd. The man really just knows how to work it, and maybe that’s why he like to hang out with Selina because they do make a good team when they do put their heads together.

His gaze shifts to look at the man in question, memorizing the details about him. There was something OFF about the whole night, and he would prefer to find out sooner rather than later. “I would love to investigate, spill some gossip about this so called mistress too. It would spice up this whole thing.” He says with a vague hand gesture before settling it back against his hip. The other set of fingers putting another one of the snacks into his mouth.

There was nothing wrong with A LITTLE PLAY, and they can continue to catch up along the way. He needed answers so he pulls back from the food trey. “Let’s go start some trouble”

[diamondiskitty]

“Yes, I suppose I can see the logic, but at some point the mask becomes more of you than who you really are,” Selina said with a roll of her eyes. Selina gently nudged Jean’s shoulder with her own. “Superhero business is my business, if that counts,” she said cryptically. “And that you. I’m sick of the Batman, almost as sick as I am of Bruce.”

She brushed the tip of her pinky finger against Jean’s ring finger, just enough to jostle the ring from a stationary position into one of more movement. “That’s a fair shock, but I’m so used to superheroes and villains everywhere, the arrival of more was hardly a bump in my worldview. I guess there’s just more now.”

Selina turned around, stopping them for a moment and taking Jean’s hands in her own. “More’s a good thing, you know,” she said seriously, “before this, the Justice League, the Avengers, and your mutants, you all were saving the world alone. Now there’s twice as many of you.” Selina slipped the ring expertly off Jean’s hand, and placed her hands on Jean’s shoulder. “Listen,” she said softly, “you’re very young to have such a heavy burden on your shoulders. You’re no longer Atlas. You can take care of yourself and others now.”

Selina brought her arm back to Jean’s hand, and placed the upgraded ring around Jean’s finger, tightening the grip slightly so the metal was felt only slightly as a way to reassure the other woman. She was happy with herself. She could tell this woman was torn with an undue amount of duty and guilt, and even if Selina could do little to help, at least she could be sure Jean wore a ring that matched her spectacular personality.

SELINA KYLE‌:

“I could talk your ear off about heroes and secrets,” Selina said with vitriol. She shook it off, and walked around her post at the bar to take Jean’s arm in her own. “I mean, what is the point of secret identities when you’re the hero anyway? Take the credit. Reap the reward, that Booster Gold fellow has got the right idea.”

She walked them in the opposite direction of her goal pearl cat statue, knowing a wandering path around the grounds would meander them back to it. “Thank you,” Selina said, picking a small bite of shrimp wonton from a platter. “Of course, when I told him that, he about kicked me off a roof. Literally. And… I’ve been on a three month break from this, on-again, off-again business, it’s hard enough knowing I can’t compete with the bat business, but he pied me off for the business-business, I mean…” Selina realized she was rambling and stopped herself. “I’m sorry. He’s the last thing I want to talk about. Honestly.” She gave Jean a sincere smile.

A very tipsy woman they passed was waving her arms about, gesturing wildly, and Selina couldn’t help but notice that the ornate, clearly vintage ring on her finger put the… lackluster one on Jane’s to shame. “If I,” Selina sightly fumbled her step to gently bump into the woman’s shoulder, pocketing the ring as she did, “sorry, cocktails.” She grinned at Jean.

Jean truly did seem a lovely girl. Selina owed Dick a long, very angry talking to for abandoning such a gentle soul. “What’s the weirdest part about this alternate-planet future? The television? The different superheroes? The memes?”

Selina gave a chuckle out loud at a thought and said, “Oh, no, don’t tell me, it has to be the president, isn’t it?”

“So could I,” she admitted. Herself, Nightwing, even what was left of her X-men. “I think its to protect the people he loves,” she began, thinking about how Dick had freaked out when he realized she’d taken his mask off. That had been a long talk. Turned out neither of them had been as normal as they seemed. An identity for an identity she decided. She knew he was Nightwing, it was only right to tell him Jean Dayspring was Jean Grey, the Phoenix. And then the research she had- well, she figured it made sense to him now. Didn’t need mindreading to know that. “The mask protects the people they’re close to. The ones who can’t protect themselves.” 

Okay, this was even more confusing. She thought Bruce and Batman had… a thing. There couldn’t…. no. There was absolutely no way Bruce Wayne was Batman. That was just- no. It didn’t make sense. Did it? “So you’re in the superhero business too?” it somehow made more sense than Bruce being Batman. “Don’t worry, I won’t keep pushing- you don’t need to talk about Bruce or the Bat if you don’t want to- although it sounds like two timing them must have been a feat in itself.”

She didn’t pay much mind to the woman Cat ran into, letting her pull her along through the party. “Oh-” she felt her cheeks heat up, “it’s definitely the superheroes. The X-men don’t exist in Richard’s reality- or this one- apparently.” she paused, trying to formulate words in a way that wouldn’t blow her cover as a normal doctor. “In my world, there were no Avengers or Justice League or Teen Titans,” she told her, “just the X-men. The mutants. They were the ones who always saved the world.” her face fell. “Until we couldn’t…”

[diamondiskitty]

“I could talk your ear off about heroes and secrets,” Selina said with vitriol. She shook it off, and walked around her post at the bar to take Jean’s arm in her own. “I mean, what is the point of secret identities when you’re the hero anyway? Take the credit. Reap the reward, that Booster Gold fellow has got the right idea.”

She walked them in the opposite direction of her goal pearl cat statue, knowing a wandering path around the grounds would meander them back to it. “Thank you,” Selina said, picking a small bite of shrimp wonton from a platter. “Of course, when I told him that, he about kicked me off a roof. Literally. And... I’ve been on a three month break from this, on-again, off-again business, it’s hard enough knowing I can’t compete with the bat business, but he pied me off for the business-business, I mean...” Selina realized she was rambling and stopped herself. “I’m sorry. He’s the last thing I want to talk about. Honestly.” She gave Jean a sincere smile.

A very tipsy woman they passed was waving her arms about, gesturing wildly, and Selina couldn’t help but notice that the ornate, clearly vintage ring on her finger put the... lackluster one on Jane’s to shame. “If I,” Selina sightly fumbled her step to gently bump into the woman’s shoulder, pocketing the ring as she did, “sorry, cocktails.” She grinned at Jean.

Jean truly did seem a lovely girl. Selina owed Dick a long, very angry talking to for abandoning such a gentle soul. “What’s the weirdest part about this alternate-planet future? The television? The different superheroes? The memes?”

Selina gave a chuckle out loud at a thought and said, “Oh, no, don’t tell me, it has to be the president, isn’t it?”

SELINA KYLE‌:

“Details are a precious commodity in this day and age. I’m sure the fun details would be a pleasure to report, but I consider secrets a tit-for-tat,” Selina said, though the urge to share a funny anecdote from Dick’s childhood was incredibly strong. Still, it wouldn’t do to make fun of one of the few people who could out her as a thief at the party.

“Oh, him, of course,” Selina said the barest hint of emotion. “I’m taking a break from… him at the moment, boy troubles as I said. It’s a tale as old as time, being from a different planet… that’s a story worth telling.”

Selina tugged on her collar, pulling off the little white server tag and shimmied up her dress, then she twisted and pulled down the top of her dress over her shoulders. It was a quick transformation into a more than passable cocktail dress. “Looks like it’s my break,” she said, glancing at the ever-dwindling array of people at her target. “You feel like taking a walk around? Just don’t tell anyone I don’t actually have an invite.” She flashed Jean a charming smile. “Maybe I can be convinced to gossip.”

“You heroes and your secrets,” she mused. Though she supposed she wasn’t much better, keeping her true identity secret so no one could connect her to the Phoenix. Or the Phoenix of this world. She’d rather not be hated for something another version of her had done by accident. The world wasn’t ready for another Jean Grey.

Her head was begining to spin- just a little- and the edges of her vision were fuzzy- which meant she was definitly getting tipsy. Time to not drink anymore of that. “Him? You mean Bruce?” She was so confused now. “I’m twenty-six years into the future, and remember a time when candy bars weren’t five bucks. They were much cheaper,” she admitted, “so no- my being from another planet as you say- its not worth telling.”

Jean stared at Cat, her jaw dropping for a moment as she watched her mess with her dress. “You-” Okay, part of her wanted to immediately go find Dick and tell him someone who didn’t belong in the party was here, but what had she even done? She didn’t feel anything…. bad towards her radiating from Cat- and though she probably should use her telepathy, she’d been keeping the powers she could hide to herself. All she needed was to feel her good intenions. “Uh- sure. Maybe for a little bit. I can walk around. Its not like I had any plans.”

[diamondiskitty]

“You strike me as a woman who isn’t comfortable with this fakery,” Selina mused, “but there are ways to make this a game.” She began making a cocktail, grabbing the most expensive ingredients she could find (ones that had been designated for the exclusive, high-roller clients).

“Take the silent auction, for example. If you keep your eyes open long enough, you see the same people bidding on the fertility statue are the same bidding on the time-share in Denmark’s red district,” Selina gossiped, leaning forward with a smile. “And the same men gathered,” she smirked, “very seriously around a Monet, discussing fine art, were doing the exact same around a worthless student art piece only a moment ago.”

Selina finished the cocktail and took a sip. “Want one? It’s a specialty. The Golden Bast. I only make it for people who I think might actually enjoy it.”

diamondiskitty‌:

“Quite a safe bet,” Selena replied to the unknown woman beside her, “you’ve either never been to one of these things or you’ve been to far too many.”

Selena tugged on the collar of her uniform, which indicated she was dressed as a member of the staff. Normally, she wore these types of disguises to keep from drawing attention to herself, but the guests were still mingling too close to her target and she was bored. Besides, there was something about this woman that she could sense… was fun.

She put her hands behind her back, a gesture that made it seem like she was doing a job even though she wasn’t, and leaned closer to the woman in a conspiratory fashion. “I prefer when these things… get livelier,” Selena whispered, “reminds you these fat cats are no better than the strays.”

Kate chuckled. “Definitely far to many of these, although really, one is more than enough.” Kate smiled at the women behind the counter and leaned in closer when she did. Kate actually burst into a fit of laughter at “fat cats are no better than the strays”. She glanced around and noticed the glares sent in her direction. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “They all pretend they are house trained, like it’s some big secret, but when they want something the claws will come out. Every single one of them are the exact same, and it’s so stupid. Which is why I always keep my claws out”

[diamondiskitty]

“There’s plenty of fun to be had at these events, hood, if you just don’t follow the rules,” Selina advised. She had never understood why the bats felt the need to play such boring, ordinary lives, they were made for the exceptional. “In fact, I wasn’t planning on ending my fun tonight for awhile.”

Selina leaned closer to Jason. “See that man over there,” she pointed to a man in a pale suit and maroon bowtie, “I overheard his mistress is one of our waitresses. She’s very upset. Maybe the truth should come to light. And,” she gestured blindly toward a large painting, “is that meant to be an abstract of our illustrious host? It could do with a subtle improvement. Also,” she nodded to the similar-looking waitstaff, “clearly something is going on tonight. We could investigate. Maybe jumpstart the chaos.”

Selina leaned back, observing the party around her. “We could play. Or talk. I have plenty of stories from my three months abroad.”

She pointedly didn’t answer how she was doing. Her mind was still in a whirl from her conversation with Jean, and she knew the last thing Jason wanted to hear was her latest squabble with his father.

diamondiskitty‌:

Selina adjusted the stolen artifact in her purse, pleased with herself, and was about to duck out through the kitchen when she found herself noticing a familiar face that seemed particularily miserable. The evening didn’t have to be over, she told herself, and made her way over, grabbing a platter along the way.

“Is that any way to greet me, after all we’ve been through?” Selina teased, “I’ve only been absent a few months, hardly long enough to be forgotten, hood.”

Selina slinked up beside Jason Todd, not bothering to hide a fond smile on her face. “I might have spotted you, and since I’ve already had my treat for the night,” she gestured to an ornate display case that now contained a dollar-store Hello Kitty knockoff, “I thought you should too.”

She held the platter of bite-sized snacks up to him. “It’s not your favorite, but as close as I could manage. How are you?”

It feels STRANGE to be here. His eyes searching the crowd to make sure Bruce wasn’t about to sneak up on him for another one of his TALKS. Jason is rolling his eyes at the thought as he takes a sip of the beverage in his hand. He would much prefer a standard beer, but he will deal with what he got for now.

Eyes growing wide at the sight of Selina — someone that he has grown to care about over the years. “How could I ever forget you?” The smile forming across his face obvious as he places down the champaign.  

His eyes looking over at the case she was gesturing to — and while anyone else would have tried to talk her into putting back what was taken the man wasn’t about to do that. He lives in a bit of grey area. Sometimes he was a criminal, not one to think twice before killing someone that deserves it. Other times he TRIES to do the right thing by working a case with his family which makes him lean more toward his hero side.

“At least one of us is having fun. You brought me THIS? How thoughtful it instantly makes this night better.” Jason pops one of the bite-sized snacks into his mouth. “I’m alright all things considered. What about you, Selina?”

[diamondiskitty]

Selina adjusted the stolen artifact in her purse, pleased with herself, and was about to duck out through the kitchen when she found herself noticing a familiar face that seemed particularily miserable. The evening didn’t have to be over, she told herself, and made her way over, grabbing a platter along the way.

“Is that any way to greet me, after all we’ve been through?” Selina teased, “I’ve only been absent a few months, hardly long enough to be forgotten, hood.”

Selina slinked up beside Jason Todd, not bothering to hide a fond smile on her face. “I might have spotted you, and since I’ve already had my treat for the night,” she gestured to an ornate display case that now contained a dollar-store Hello Kitty knockoff, “I thought you should too.”

She held the platter of bite-sized snacks up to him. “It’s not your favorite, but as close as I could manage. How are you?”

Attending these charity events was NEVER Jason’s favorite thing to do. He would rather be on patrol running over rooftops, but being adopted by BRUCE WAYNE meant coming to these boring events. He doesn’t quite know why he showed up, since he was still at odds with his father, but Jason hasn’t seen him YET. 

The man reaches for a drink, holding it in his right hand as someone approaches him. “I’ve been here for five minutes. Do you think I can leave now?” It was probably wishful thinking on his part.

[diamondiskitty]

“Details are a precious commodity in this day and age. I’m sure the fun details would be a pleasure to report, but I consider secrets a tit-for-tat,” Selina said, though the urge to share a funny anecdote from Dick’s childhood was incredibly strong. Still, it wouldn’t do to make fun of one of the few people who could out her as a thief at the party.

“Oh, him, of course,” Selina said the barest hint of emotion. “I’m taking a break from... him at the moment, boy troubles as I said. It’s a tale as old as time, being from a different planet... that’s a story worth telling.”

Selina tugged on her collar, pulling off the little white server tag and shimmied up her dress, then she twisted and pulled down the top of her dress over her shoulders. It was a quick transformation into a more than passable cocktail dress. “Looks like it’s my break,” she said, glancing at the ever-dwindling array of people at her target. “You feel like taking a walk around? Just don’t tell anyone I don’t actually have an invite.” She flashed Jean a charming smile. “Maybe I can be convinced to gossip.”

SELINA KYLE‌:

“He was always a wild child,” Selina mused. The idea of Dick being hurt disturbed her… the bats were always so much trouble. She’d spent her life as a loner, caring only for lost women or cats who lost her path, and then those annoying boys had wormed their way in too.

The use of the word ‘patrol’ was interesting. And doubtless, if Dick was injured in the course of his cop duties, he’d just go to a hospital. The only reason to patch himsef up at home was if the injuries were Nighwing related. “Yes,” she said, taking a long drink with a smile, “I’ve known the bird.”

Some people in the party were starting to move, she saw from the corner of her eye. Her chance to steal her prize was coming up.

Selena raised an eyebrow. “I’ve known him long enough to know he’s not normally short on funds,” she said with curiosity, “did… he- cut him off? That’s not like him.” Maybe that was the reason Selina had been left out of the loop. Bruce did attract a ridiculous amount of drama.

She didn’t believe Jean’s denial of her relationship with Dick. Why on earth would Dick put an ad for a random roommate when he had a secret identity? One this woman obviously knew. She was probably covering for something.

Selina couldn’t help her curiousity.

“Grayson? Wild? As a kid? Do give the details.” She needed something to tease him about that wasn’t the red, green, and yellow leotard and pixie boots getup. Or the disco suit. She needed more matieral. Though she did feel like a hypocrite in the fashion department, considering her first suit was a short green dress and a yellow mask that wasn’t very functional. Yeah.

Bird. She frowned at that. Did she know about the Nightwing thing? The Robin thing? But the next question confirmed what she thought. Cat knew about the Nightwing thing and the Robin thing and working for Batman. God, having two dads who were very different must have been intense.

“Which one?” she asked. “Bruce or the Bat?” Jean took another sip of her drink. “I don’t know much about the Bat guy, but Dick said something about wanting to find who he was outside of Bruce and the Bat. Said he used to work in Bludhaven, but it didn’t exactly cross over yet.” She got it. Even she needed to get away from Charles when she was old enough.

“He’s a good friend.” she continued. “I’d probably still be in that mansion- with familiar yet unfamiliar people. I don’t-” she sighed, wisps of gold crawling over her hand for a split second before vanishing. She had to stop drinking so her powers wouldn’t get out of hand, “I’m not really from this reality. This Earth.” frowning, she realized she hadn’t given a name. “Jean. Jean Dayspring.” she added. Didn’t want to be connected to the Jean Grey from this Earth. Not yet.

[diamondiskitty]

“He was always a wild child,” Selina mused. The idea of Dick being hurt disturbed her... the bats were always so much trouble. She’d spent her life as a loner, caring only for lost women or cats who lost her path, and then those annoying boys had wormed their way in too.

The use of the word ‘patrol’ was interesting. And doubtless, if Dick was injured in the course of his cop duties, he’d just go to a hospital. The only reason to patch himsef up at home was if the injuries were Nighwing related. “Yes,” she said, taking a long drink with a smile, “I’ve known the bird.”

Some people in the party were starting to move, she saw from the corner of her eye. Her chance to steal her prize was coming up.

Selena raised an eyebrow. “I’ve known him long enough to know he’s not normally short on funds,” she said with curiosity, “did... he- cut him off? That’s not like him.” Maybe that was the reason Selina had been left out of the loop. Bruce did attract a ridiculous amount of drama.

She didn’t believe Jean’s denial of her relationship with Dick. Why on earth would Dick put an ad for a random roommate when he had a secret identity? One this woman obviously knew. She was probably covering for something.

Selina couldn’t help her curiousity.

SELINA KYLE‌:

Selena ‘tsk’ed her teeth when Jean brought up the cop thing. She had never approved of that career choice, even if she could admit Dick was ‘one of the good ones’. Then again, professions were always a touchy subject in their circle. “Yes,” she said, taking a sip of the drink, “what a…”

A sparkling piece of jewelry caught her eye, as it always did. Her attention snapped instantly to a ring glistening on the finger of the red-head in front of her. “Oh,” Selena said, finding herself in the unfamiliar position of being lost for words.

“Well, what a,” Selena leaned forward, “lovely ring.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts, a thousand questions running in her head. Her little bird… was engaged? And she was what? The last to know? Just because she’d been traversing the world on fake passports and stolen identities didn’t mean the family couldn’t have told her. And how old was Dick anyway? How had Bruce let him make that decision? And with a ring like that- certainly Bruce would’ve sent a little cash his son’s way for an engagement- and Dick had left her crying? On her own?! At a party?

The confusion turned to a righteous anger, and Selena found herself clenching the glass tightly. “Ah, yes, Grayson,” she managed, though difficult, to keep a pleasant smile, “what a… sprightly… young man. A bit too headstrong for his own good and…” She tapped her finger on the table. “Anyway, I’m game for revenge, if you need it. I always stick up for other women. The name’s Cat.”

She extended her hand out to Jean.

Jean glanced down at her ring again, “I- thank you.” Scott had told her it was his mother’s- whether the same rang true for the Scott from this world, she wasn’t sure. She never spoke to him. “That was- a long time ago.” And she still missed him. She wondered if it ever went away. The regret. The denial. Wishing it had been her and not him. But she had no one to ask. Not anymore. 

“…. and has a death wish,” she grumbled, taking a sip of her drink. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I’ve had to patch him up after a patrol.” Thank god he had a job that made his injuries believable. And thank god his suit was made out of something that could take most hits. “I take it you’ve known him for some time?” she asked. 

Oh. Oh. She thought- god. Jean thought she’d felt a shift in the woman’s emotions through her empathy. This was just as bad as Hope. Although, in Hope’s defense, she had been patching up a shirtless Dick Grayson. On their couch. It definitely looked like there was something between them. She took the woman- Cat’s- hand and cracked a smile. “I appreciate the offer, Cat, but there’s nothing between me and Ri- Dick.” she explained. “I’m a doctor- and new around Gotham. I needed an apartment and he had an ad in the paper about neding a roommate.” Apparently putting ads in a paper was old fashioned now- but being from the 90s, Jean wouldn’t know.

[diamondiskitty]

Selena ‘tsk’ed her teeth when Jean brought up the cop thing. She had never approved of that career choice, even if she could admit Dick was ‘one of the good ones’. Then again, professions were always a touchy subject in their circle. “Yes,” she said, taking a sip of the drink, “what a...”

A sparkling piece of jewelry caught her eye, as it always did. Her attention snapped instantly to a ring glistening on the finger of the red-head in front of her. “Oh,” Selena said, finding herself in the unfamiliar position of being lost for words.

“Well, what a,” Selena leaned forward, “lovely ring.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts, a thousand questions running in her head. Her little bird... was engaged? And she was what? The last to know? Just because she’d been traversing the world on fake passports and stolen identities didn’t mean the family couldn’t have told her. And how old was Dick anyway? How had Bruce let him make that decision? And with a ring like that- certainly Bruce would’ve sent a little cash his son’s way for an engagement- and Dick had left her crying? On her own?! At a party?

The confusion turned to a righteous anger, and Selena found herself clenching the glass tightly. “Ah, yes, Grayson,” she managed, though difficult, to keep a pleasant smile, “what a... sprightly... young man. A bit too headstrong for his own good and...” She tapped her finger on the table. “Anyway, I’m game for revenge, if you need it. I always stick up for other women. The name’s Cat.”

She extended her hand out to Jean.

SELINA KYLE‌:

Selena made it her job to know powerful women, especially if one of them got close to the bat she was well aquainted with. And there was certainly no way to get closer to the bat then to shack up with Nightwing. Jean Grey, obviously, one of those mutants. Strange though, Dick was always a sweet boy, she wondered what he’d done (and whether or not they needed a talk).

She sat up from the back of the bar, nodding aside one of the other staff members. Selena hadn’t tricked her way into the staff of this party to console a sad woman, but until the party got a little more lively she had to put a hold on the pearl, cartier Sphynx sculpture she’d come here to ‘repossess’.

“I’m sure your roommate can handle himself,” Selena soothed. She leaned down, opening a safe with the most expensive of liquors, and gathered ingredients. “And doubtless you need it more.”

Her hands moved swiftly along, crafting the drink with expert and theatrical precision. Selena gave the red-haired woman a sympathetic pout as she stirred the bitters. “I can tell things about a person,” she said softly. She poured the mixture into two glasses, and garnished the top of the cocktails with a sweet, carmelized sliver of orange. “Sadly, I’m running from boy troubles too, sweetheart. It gets the best of us. A tragedy.”

“Now,” she said, passing one glass to Jean and taking a sip of the other herself, “let’s talk dick.”

Jean let out a light laugh. “Yeah, I suppose he can. Explains the whole cop thing,” Or superhero thing, but she knew better than to mention that to someone she didn’t know. She definitely did need it- she could use a day to drink her sorrows away. But the day she did that would be the day the floodgates on her emotions opened and she’d give Dick an earful about her reality- that he probably wouldn’t understand much of anyhow. But he did keep trying to get her to open up about her problems like a big brother she never asked for.

“Oh-” Jean reached for the drink, cringing as lights played off her engagement ring. Another memory of Scott Summers she was too sentimental about to get rid of. At least it kept most creeps away from her in bars- not that she went to many- just when she missed Scott too much and had a night off from patients. “I wouldn’t say it’s boy troubles- not- not really.”

More like grief.

She took a sip of her drink- only to end up almost spitting it out as the woman spoke, causing her to cough for a minute instead. She cleared her throat, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand- and it took her a long moment to realize this woman must have known Dick, and did not mean she wanted to talk about…. that. “You mean Richard Grayson?” she managed. “What’s there to talk about?”