Blood Runs Hot

One of Bruce's longest running friends and closest to boot was the Great Zatanna Zatara. She could make anything happen that she willed with a few words. She had the power of the cosmos in her hands but she practiced restraint. Something about the laws of magic or order of magic or some horseshit that prevented her from solving all the world's issues with ease.

"Seen it." Regardless, Jason Todd believed in magic because he's seen it at work first hand. It was just something on the same level of metahumans being a thing.

Jason stood back and watched as she created some sort of spell to inflict upon O'Hara. Apparently his actions would have consequences on his body. It was a nice little idea but Jason had doubts. Not that he doubted that the spell would work but he doubted that it would be able to stop him. There was always the threat of death that Cadmus served as. He may stop his extracurricular activities with the subjects they kidnapped but it likely wouldn't stop the experiments.

Then again, Jason would be most interested in seeing how far the spell would go. Maybe he would let O'Hara live just so he could see how fucked up looking he became. "Interesting idea. Care to do that to the entire city?" He gestured to the window. Unfortunately, the inmates in Arkham Asylum that caused so much hell on Earth likely wouldn't even care about the consequences. Hell, Jason himself had a pretty face for sure, but his body didn't come back pristine from death. He had been mangled in an explosion which meant all the heavy grotesque scarring.

It was a good thing he didn't give a shit about things otherwise he might be too ashamed to ever get naked with anyone.

@kel

“I could.” Wanda stepped back, watching both men wonder about the limits of her spell, but that was part of the punishment, when he tried to wiggle out or around it would snap back on him. Kind? No, but if he was a good man nothing would happen.

“Do you really want that?” Wanda met his eyes squarely l; “I could rewrite your whole world, rip reality to shreds, remake it in the image I Belive is best.” Ruby lips held no humor as they flattened out. “But somehow I belive you would be one of the first to try and shatter it.” He did after all remind her quite viscerally of Logan.

Logan who couldn’t leave well enough alone; had to pull at the threads of a world where everyone had what they wanted. Where everyone was happy.

Humans abhorred perfection.

“I learned that lesson already.”

@gooser

By her own words she could do the same thing against the entire city. Could even change reality. She had that power? From Jason's understanding she would have to be on par with Zatanna then. One overpower magician after another. Creating a heaven on Earth was an unlikely thing to last. Humans we're flawed and could not maintain the peace for long. They, like Jason, thrived on drama.

"Nah, babe. I wouldn't be the first. You alter reality and I can garauntee that you'll have someone as strong, if not stronger then you, come about and slap some sense into you. She refuses to change reality herself. Some sort of order or bullshit excuse like that. he turned his attention to O'Hara. So I don't find your solution favorable but in assuming if I try to kill him right now I will have similar mishaps that I had on the roof. For some reason she was against killing assholes. How annoying.

He shrugged with a sigh before he put his gun away. He'd have to conduct business when she was out of the city or out of his hair. So where shall we done sweetheart?"

@kel

Wanda cocked her head, time, reality disliked being changed, resisted it, but Wanda’s power was not pure magic, her mutation tied her into the very fabric of existence; when she had been mad with grief the only thing that had returned the world to its prior reality was Logan shattering her self delusion that her son’s still lived.

It did make her wonder whom exactly he was speaking about, and why he didn't bother THEM for the same solution, ah but he answered that directly- ‘Order’ a unexpected chuckle burst forth- “Order and I have never exactly been on speaking terms. Chaos has always been my power.” she muttered, a small smile touching her lips, unknowing that in THIS world the Lords of Chaos were agents of evil, and by implying to be aligned with them she might have unwittingly changed the man’s impression of what and who she was.

“Well since i’m clearly new to the city…” she waved her hand for him to choose and lead the way.

@gooser

Fortunately for Wanda, Jason actually very little about Zatanna and her magic order and understood what he did know even less. It had always been one of those don't ask don't tell situations. So when she had claimed to be more akin to Chaos over Order, he didn't think anything over it really. Well you can probably guess I'm partial to chaos myself." because for Jason, raising chaos had been the only effective means to get shit done in Gotham City.

It was going to be his choice on where dinner would be. He considering her for a moment before he headed toward another window that had a fire escape. He gestured her to follow him up. He knew they couldn't just wander into a place with him dressed the way he was. He was a wanted criminal. So instead, when they were both on the roof of the building where there was a good vantage point he lifted a hand up to direct her attention down the street.

Down the street, there's a bar. Good food. Better beer. Meet me there tomorrow at ten.

@kel

A bar. She chuckled again, “You remind me of an old friend.” she murmured amused again by the comparison between him and Logan, next thing you knew he’d be chomping cigars and finding a poker game. Following him up was not accomplished by walking, Wanda floated sedately upwards, the tight fit of her skirt along with her high boots disallowing any accidental exposure from below, that and a modification of her ‘see me not’ spell kept anyone from spotting the well dressed woman causally flying.

She HAD wondered if he was going to change, even debating asking before adopting a wait and see attitude - “Have somewhere else to be tonight?” she challenged, auburn brow raised questioningly. She had already figured she was far too overdressed for this part of town, and if he was taking her to a bar in it...well it had been an age since she’d worn jeans and wasn’t looking forward to the repeat experience.

@gooser

"With you chirping about town? Not really." He had a feeling he wouldn't be getting anything done tonight because she would probably make sure he couldn't kill anyone. She'd probably follow him around. Things he had planned could be postponed until he was certain she was lurking in the shadows making sure he wasn't trying to throw people off of rooftops.

"But my outfit isn't exactly discreet. Pretty well known actually. That and I did fight my way through a building. I need a shower. Besides...at this hour the drunks at any bar in Gotham are going to be two ways pass stupid. I don't feel like the headache." That and maybe the extra time would make Red put on some hot dress for him. Not that he actually expected it but he wouldn't frown if she showed up all dolled up. Just like he wouldn't frown if she showed up in her current attire. It was just as fun to look at.

"So just find me there tomorrow night." He commented casually as though it should have been easy enough for her to do so. Of course, he was neglecting to actually letting her know what he looked like at the moment but he had a feeling that she would be able to pick him out from the crowd. He was cocky enough to believe that she would just find the most attractive male in the bar and sit next to them - which in his mind, would be himself. He had a big head like that.

@kel

After careful consideration Wanda determined she did not do jeans. Leather however…

It amused her that she walked back into Gotham feeling both that she fit the aesthetic better and that she was play acting part of the Black Court.

She also found herself a touch confused if she was going on a date or not; it wasn’t though she’d been on many, strangely most men while they found her attractive didn’t have the balls to risk her mutation and actually ask her out.

Of course this might not be a date, which would probably be better regardless for a host of reasons starting with the fact she was decades older, and ending with the whole other universe aspect.

Which rather begged the question. What exactly was she doing?

A question that gained greater urgency as she looked around the seedy dive bar, a self amused smirk twisted her lips. God it was like meeting Logan somewhere, and considering she was starting to think that Gotham was this world’s version of Tijuana…

She could cheat and figure out if her mysterious man in red was there already or if he’d ditched her; instead Wanda made her way to the pool table, it had been a few years since she’d played…

@gooser

Jason typically looked like he was dressed like a biker even when he was under the guise of the Red Hood. Roy had once teased him for having a leather fetish. He didn't exactly... but when Red had wandered into the bar he had to reevaluate whether he might actually have one or not. It wasn't a sexy short black dress but the leather pants did wonders with making her backside looking even better. Of course, he noticed her the moment she walked into the place. Just like every other male in the dive bar. He already had a drink in hand and he waited to see if she was going to find him or not.

Instead she had made her way toward the pool table. An interesting choice. He liked pool. So he picked up his beer from the counter and made his way over to the table before any of the other drunks caught up with their thoughts enough to have the same idea.

"You look like you need someone to play with." Jason stated as he came up to the table. His voice far clearer now that he wasn't speaking through a helmet and voice modulator. "And a drink. I'll get you one if you wanna rack up the balls."

@kel

Her ears pricked at the not quite familiar voice, she had enough experience with voice modulation to make a educated guess that this might be her mystery perhaps date; of course life being what it was, odds were just as good that this was someone completely unrelated.

Bending over to slide the balls into their pyramid holder Wanda didn’t look at him to respond- “I don’t drink.” A few tries with her sister but Wanda never quite saw the allure, it didn’t taste nice, and her powers never did nicely with less control vs more.

@gooser

Jason gave her a strange look when she responded that she didn't drink. Why the hell did she seem okay with the suggestion of a bar in the first place then? He shook his head and decided to chuck that one up to being 'women are confusing' argument in the back of his mind. "Well, plenty of non-alcoholic options. But if you're fine as is, I'm certainly not going to push." Meant less spending on his end; although, he never really cared about money after he was adopted by Bruce Wayne all those years ago. He remembered caring a great deal about money when he was living on the streets but those days were long over.

"Although next time, you may mention that when I suggest it." He sounded slightly amused as he put his drink down on the edge of the table. He picked up two pool sticks and held out out to her, "Jason." She couldn't go around calling him Red Hood at the moment. It was far better to just simply introduce himself. "And might I say, you certainly know how to pull off leather pants." He leaned to the side slightly as though to get a better look at her ass to emphasize his point. He gave her a crooked grin when he was done taking in the sights.

@kel

Just because she didn't drink didn’t mean she didn’t eat or care if others around her indulged, besides he’d made the offer and considering she knew nothing about the town it seemed easier to accept. Honestly her biggest problem wasn’t with the fact that it was a bar, it was with the quality of said bar.

She was decades from her days as a Traveler, but even than she’d not have stepped foot in a place like this.

‘Ah so it was him.’ ruby lips turned upwards into a satisfied smile; “I don’t care if you drink, but in general-” she leaned back on the pool table resting her elbows on the side “It doesn’t seem the smartest to lower inhibitions with my particular...skills.”

Her father's vibrant blue eyes scanned up his form boldly, “Wanda. Wanda Maximoff.” the name wouldn’t mean anything here, and it wasn’t she’d ever had secret identity. Her eyebrow rose at the blatant compliment, “Careful where your eyes wander.” she chided.

@gooser

Jason flashed her a grin, "Oh I don't know. Lowering inhibitions could be...fun too." Granted, his idea of fun with lowered inhibitions was nothing to do with her powers. In fact, he wasn't even worried. That was part of the problem people had with him. He never really considered the danger he put himself in with the rash choices he made. He was willing to accept consequences as they came. If she used her powers on him because she got drunk then he should have known better then poke the lion.

"Hmm..." He leaned against the pool stick and closer to her at her warning. "Sorry Red, can't help what my eyes like. Got a mind of their own and there's plenty of fine aspects to take in." He gestured to the pool table, "Ladies first." He offered and took a purposeful step behind her enough that she couldn't accidentally hit him with a pool stick when she drew her arm back, but he clearly made his position to be optimal to look at her as she bent over the table to break the set.

@kel

Perhaps he should be more concerned; as when she let go, reality bore the brunt of her loss of control. And it wouldn’t be simply focused on him alone. Wanda’s lips curled at the offer; even with out her powers Gamit was an old friend and infrequent Avenger, not to mention Clint, and Tony, Hell Steve was no slouch on the cue.

All of it meant that the skilll with which Wanda twirled the cue in her fingers spoke to both long hours with a staff, and more than a passing familiarity with the game- “Solids.” She called the sharp crack revealing the two and four already neatly sunk. The cocky little smirk never left her lips as she continued till just the 8 ball remained-

Wanda glanced up at him, taking the shot while looking him directly, challengingly in the eyes.

“Maybe you should go first next time.” She purred as the final ball went home.

@gooser

[post] Jason actually wouldn’t mind losing the game, nor did he really care about playing so much as he cared about watching her play. It was why he let her go first so that she could bend over the table, cue stick posed and ready, and strike the ball. She had called out her choice even before breaking the rack. He gave a low whistle to demonstrate he was impressed then proceeded to just grin and watch as she cleared the table with the rest of the solids.

The best part was the look on her face. The way her lips had turned up with a cute smirk that he appreciated the sight of. He had a feeling that she would be able to break the game. With her ability to break is mojo out in the field, he imagined she could manipulate the game however she pleased. Even if he had been winning she could have just as easily manipulated his shot (if he ever got a turn) to make him miss.

”Hmm, I like my date to finish up first.” He responded as he watched the final ball drop into the hole. He took a sip from his drink before he set his stick to the side. ”But I also know when to concede defeat. So how about a different game?” He offered. He didn’t even wait for her response before he reached out, grabbed her hand with one of his, grabbed his drink with the other, and moved her away from the pool table that she clearly would have owned every game. Instead he brought her across the bar to where a dartboard sat with six darts in it in various places – red and black.

He released her hand, set his drink down, and pulled the darts free. ”Maybe this will be a little more challenging for you.’ He offered as he deposited the three red darts into her hand. He moved back the appropriate spaces. ”Let’s make it interesting. A little truth or dare. We’ll each take a turn throwing a dart. The person with the highest score per throw gets to decide whether the other has to tell a truth or do a dare.” A little spin on the truth and dare game seeing how neither of them will get a choice on whether they would want to risk doing a dare or take the safe route with a truth.

”Since I was so kind to let the lady go first last time.” He flashed her a smirk then threw his first dart. It hit just shy of dead center on the bullseye. ”Alright, Red. Let’s see what you got. Might want to mentally prepare yourself for a long night though. I got plenty of ideas for dares.” He had vague ideas at the moment but he was mostly having his game face on at the moment.

[/post] @kel

Now here...he might just have her; Wanda was passable in quite a few weapons, simply from training with her fellow avengers for decades a woman would pick a few things up. But she was no where near the class of Clint or Natasha, heck even Jan had a better eye after her decades of using the Wasp stingers.

Dark eyebrows rose at his little twist, she would not be choosing her forfeit! “I will reserve the right to say no.” She told him bluntly.

The dart hitting so close wasn’t a surprise really, she expected him to be skilled; Wanda’s lips took on a rueful cast as she tossed her first dart-

Comparatively she remembered Clint telling her- that the Bullseye was the easiest of the high value sections to hit, the other 51-60s were about a quarter of the size of the bulls eye, leaving you trying to hit half a dime instead of a quarter.

Wanda didn’t believe in cheating with her mutation not unless the stakes were already high. So when her little red dart went flying it was all personal skill...and little actual luck that sent it into third ring below the bullseye scoring her a dramatic...9 to his 50.

@gooser

Jason snorted lightly at her conditions, "Here I was thinking you were afraid of being adventurous." He responded with a rueful smile. He waited to see how she would fair and his smile only grew a a bit wider. He tried not to look smug with the results. Tried to be a good sportsman but he couldn't help but let the smile spread across his lips before he gave her a contemplative once over as though he were considering how to make his first victory go.

"Well, for my first victory, you're going to do a dare." Of course, because Jason didn't care much about doing truths. He spent his life wagering deceptions and lies. There were very few truths that could surprise him in the world anymore. "I happen to be prepared for this." He reached into his permanent black marker and handed it to her. "I dare you to write something embarrassing on a part of your body that can be covered by your clothing in permanent black marker. Bonus points if you're creative. Don't tell me what you write. Not knowing is half the fun."

He threw his second dart, hitting dead center, Then come back and take your turn at throwing." He didn't mind not knowing what the embarrassing thing was. In short he would have no way of knowing she had done it except through pure faith and belief that she'd done it. In the back of his mind, he was already fast forwarding to later on in the evening where he'd have the opportunity to find said embarrassing thing.

Something...embarrassing.

Wanda drew a complete and utter blank. What...what was she meant to write than? Honestly for the willfully controlled woman drawing anything was mortifying. Shutting her gaping mouth Wanda shrugged her jacket down, marking a tiny smiling face on the inside of her elbow. There that was more than enough to satisfy honor.

Stepping back up to the line Wanda wiggled her nose, color brighting the high points of her cheeks, “Should I ask how old you are? Or will that only make me feel even more ancient?” she really shouldn’t be surprised at the childish games, she after all was well acquainted with how men blew off steam.

Perhaps because she wasn’t paying so much focus, but her dart flew directly into the 60 ring. Blue eyes widened with surprise- “Well now. Truth than. How long have you been a night owl.” Now if he was going to be rotten, he could take that anyway he wanted, instead of how she was politely phrasing the question to pass easy overhearing. IE. how long have you been a vigilante.

@gooser

Jason's lips curled up ever so slowly when she started to blush the slightest and pondered on whether she should ask how old he was. "I don't care how old you are. You're still beautiful." Not to mention the whole fact that he seemed to always find attraction in women older than him. Barbara was older than him. He slept with Talia Al Ghul which was awkward in several ways. At one point Bruce and he had considered the idea that Talia might be his biological mother. Add to the fact that Talia was also a lover of Bruce's and you have a really screwed up family.

He rubbed his chin when she threw her dart, "Huh, and here I thought I could just hit the center and be safe." He said more to himself than her. He didn't seem at all concerned with the fact that he lost the round. He never shied away from a dare and he doubted there was a truth that would make him feel to awkward to share. Jason was the type that over-shared.

"Think twenty years now."[/b[ She may have been trying to ask him how long he had been a vigilante, but his nightowl tendencies had started long before he was Robin. [b]"Grew up an orphan on the streets. Stole parts from cars at night while be slept. Didn't earn much but there wasn't real work to be had for a brat with a short temper."

Jason tossed his last dart. Despite her luck with the last throw, he still went for center and hit the mark rather than going for something better. He stepped away from the line and gestured her to step up to the plate. One she was in place he flashed her a grin, "I'll have you know, that if I win this round, the dare is going to be for you to drag me to the bathroom and have a heavy make out session." There was a brief pause before he slipped his hands into his pockets, "Just to help motivate your throw."

@kel

Wanda knew she was a handsome woman, she had enough empirical evidence to back up that claim and had no need of his compliments to buck up her ego. It was still nice to hear of course.

“We have something in common than.” Wanda snagged his long neck, giving the drink a quick eyeball before taking a swig. Just because it was rare didn’t mean she’d NEVER had beer, her sister had introduced her to the drink a few years before. “My brother and I grew up on the streets as well.” her lips twisted, “I suspect the Eastern Bloc curing the height of the Iron Curtain was a match for your city.” she left out the part where they had been turned out by the clan, hunted for her powers. She also left out the part that as Romani Pie and her were less then dogs even to the people that might have other wise taken in two children.

A single imperious eyebrow rose at his declared dare, wanda didn’t even look at the board - “You need to learn to savor the moment.” her dart striking snuggly next to her second one. “And not rush in.”

@gooser