2014.02.06 - Warm Reception

The Hall of Justice. Some days it's a ghost town, other days a media storm. The large, monumental archetecture of the building houses numerous conference rooms and areas for special events, and serves as an effective and centralized location for The Justice League to interface with the public. While not the true headquarters of the team, it's served the team numerous times as an impromptu meeting hall. Today isn't busy, nor is it empty. The morning had a press conference where Princess Diana had to quell some of the ongoing questions and rumors about the League. Most of the gathered press people had long left, with just a few lingering photographers packing up in the front lobby.
Tucked into a small computer terminal not too far away from the entrance, a bloodshot-eyed Black Canary sits hunched over, awkwardly, in her chair, scrolling through endless pages of data from the JLA computer networks. She has literally stayed up all night on the computer researching whatever she can about mutant history in preparation for her upcoming trip to Genosha. Behind her is remains of numerous take-out meals and gathered printed pages of information. One thing was for sure--what Dinah lacked in technological savvy she made up for in diligence.
Dinah's text tone goes off.
<Tony> - Hey, are you busy at the moment?
<Dinah> - HURRY EMERGENCY AT HALL OF JUSTICE
Superboy is doing the whole public thing this day, assisting with fires, saving small kittens from trees, he even helped re-adjust a billboard some other flying sort unbalanced. No doubt Damage Control would get to it eventually but Kon's just doing what he does or figures he can do. So, as such he is costumed in red and blacks and currently standing just outside the room Dinah is in hopping on one leg as he peels a wad of chewed gum off of a red boot. "Ick, seriously what is this stuff made out of? The Trapster strikes again!" Not talking to anyone in specific.
Hearing some rustling nearby, Dinah leans back in her chair and gazes over. Superboy, being just out of her view, instigates her to stand up and look. As she does, her leg joints crack, and she realizes she's been in the same position for over a half hour, literally. 'Okay Dinah... maybe enough is enough,' she thinks, stretching her arms outwardly as she moves around the corner.
As she sees Superboy, she brushes her hair to the side and gives him a little wave, "Hey there." Dinah has never actually met Conner, only heard about him from Superman's team bulletin. She takes a long two seconds to look him over, somewhat baffled by his uncanny resemblance albeit younger. "I've heard about you. Glad to finally meet." She steps a bit closer and offers her hand to shake. "Black Canary. Founding member of the team. Did you need help with anything?"
Victory! Superboy defeats the gum just in time to catch a full view of Dinah standing there, "Well... hey there yourself pretty lady." Fixing his posture as he comes to a fully upright stance. He could almost be an identical clone of Kal-El if you know... oh wait he is. The haircut, clothing style and swagger are obviously different though where Clark likes him some blue Conner is all blacks and reds. "Superboy reporting for duty?" He manages a lopsided grin at that, "I just got my secret decoder ring in the mail, I figured I should come by like Superman told me to." Probably several times. Also no actual ring. He obviously thinks hes got jokes.
Dinah smiles, forcing herself to humor Superboy's...humor. "Things've changed a lot since the team first started. For one thing, we're considered legitimate... originally we were thought of like "outlaw brats" of the Justice Society. Can I ask you something..." Dinah looks apprehensive, she tried to ask gently, but wasn't sure how to say it. "How long... have you been... around? I mean... awake." Realizing that might sound somehow unintentionally condescending, she adds, "I just didn't get the word on if Superman actually briefed you on the full JLA policies for membership."
"Uhm, Superman tends to leave me information or access to it I just don't always get around to it." Kon tips his head back in a manner he thinks is charming, "I been awake long enough to know a thing or two. If you catch my drift." Wink wink. "Nah, seriously though, I have a general idea of the JLA." He's intentionally avoiding the question of his short life. Virtual to real it's a complex story he doesn't just spit out at everyone. "We're the good guys and everyone knows it. That is what matters, right?" 
Tony lands outside the HOJ. Rising from his three point landing, he looks around.
Nothing.
"Um, JARVIS - confirm something for me. She DID say that there was an emergency here, right?" Tony says, looking around with his HUD, scanning things and checking proximity sensors. "Yes, sir, although Miss Canary didn't elaborate to the nature of the emergency."
Tony sighs. Mama told him there'd be days like this.
"Okay, well, I hope I don't get busted for trespassing.." he says as he makes his way to the entrance, and goes into the Hall of Justice. He goes on a couple of comm frequencies, and calls out "Canary, everything okay? Is this a hostage sitch, because I'm not seeing an outright assault anywhere."
Dinah pivots her body and raises her arm in a presentational-position towards the main hall, just beyond the lobby. She asks Superboy, "We've been getting lots of new recruits lately--it's a pretty exciting time. It used to be just me, Batman, Superman, Princess Diana, Fate, J'onn, and G.L...." and then she hears Tony's voice over the RF frequency of the HOJ intercom system. Everyone in the building hears him. Dinah laughs at this, wondering if maaaaybe her pranky-text was truly bad form, and takes a few steps back, grabbing up some box containers, and returning to Superboy. "That's just Iron Man," she says calmly.
"LOUD NOISES!" Kon exclaims at Tony Stark's very announcing entrance, "Yeesh, yeah, sounds like fun times, huh?" Grinning Superboy shoves a fingertip in to his ear and wriggles it back and forth, "-Just- Iron Man." Dudes a celebrity amongst celebrities. It's like meeting Spartacus almost.
Seeing Tony enter the Hall, Dinah darts over to him in a silly little job. "Tony! Tony! Emergency!" She says, her volume loud but her tone of voice calm. "I ordered way too much Chinese food... and I wanted you to have some." She smiles impishly, and lifts up an unopened box of Chicken Lo Mein, still slightly steaming. "Let's have some lunch."
A tiny shadow that forms a blck blip over the sun quickly gets bigger and resolves into the form of a large red dragon. Said dragon comes to a landing on the far side of the reflecting pool, dropping the last five feet or so so that there's a solid *THUMP* when he touches down. After looking around for a moment its neck snakes forward and he dips his muzzle in the reflecting pool proper, taking in big gulps of water...
Iron Man's faceplate retracts, revealing Tony's face. He sighs in a partially exasperated, partly relieved way. "You and I need to have a conversation as to what an 'emergency' constitutes. I thought..well. Nevermind what I thought. I could use some lunch, though.
Then Tony hears the ruckus of the Dragon landing outside and he peers through windows. He turns back to Dinah, and now sees Superboy behind him. Smiling over Dinah's shoulder he throws up a hand, "Hey Superman, nice wardrobe change." he says absently before looking to Canary, "You uh, maybe wanna deal with Smaug out there before we take a lunch?"
"Hey, Iron Man, nice uhm... wax job. Very reflective and classy." Superboy quips back with a smile before it falls away and he stares past Stark towards the Dragon. "That is usual, yeah? Or do we get to punch it?"
"Smaug?" Dinah asks, eyebrow up. She takes a few wide strides forward and gazes out the thick glass doors to the building, gasping at the large, red dragon in the courtyard's reflecting pool. "Holy damn. Let's check this out," she says, gesturing the two to follow as she runs towards the doorway.
Iron Man gets a better look at Superboy now and cants his head, "wait..you look like..but.." he sighs and shakes his head, "I'm not quite on fire today, am I?" he remarks to no one in particular. Hearing Dinah say that the dragon merits investigation, the faceplate shifts back over Tony's face and the eyes glow the same faint blue as the arc reactor. "Alright, let's go to work." he says, following her out and bringing weapons online.
The dragon hears the commotion coming from the Hall istelf and lifts its head from the pool, water dripping thickly from its bottom jaw. His neck takes on a snake like 'S' as he rears his head back and a bit to the side to look around the jagged stone sculpture in the middle of the reflecting pool at the heroes coming out of the building. Tilting his head a bit to one sized in a questioning sort of way he lets out a little puff of smoke from both nostrils... No fire thought.
Superboy's face is still stretched back in to a grin as he looks sidelong at Iron Man, "Big fan of your work and no, I'm not Superman. I'm the younger, sleeker, sexier model, Superboy." Those words leaving his mouth and the Kryptonian clone becomes a black and red blur of motion visible once again hovering in the air just near Gabriel. His eyes glowing brilliantly, it's a decent intimidation tactic not that it's ever been tested on Dragons before. "Hey, you! this is not a public drinking fountain!"
Black Canary runs out past the doors of the Hall of Justice and unto the steps just beyond the door, stopping for a moment to take a closer look at this creature that's decided to make an appearance at the landmark site. "Tony, you wanna check this out? You have the armor," she says, adding: "You're fire-resistant." She hoped that dispelled the impression that she was casually tossing him out into the fray ahead of herself.
Iron Man was about to respond to Superboy, but before he can blink the cloned Kryptonian is hovering near the dragon. He nods to Dinah and goes airborne and hovers in line in front of the dragon and Black Canary, saying as he does so, "Right. Operation Human Shield is on."
Red Dragon sits back on its haunches, which pulls it away from from the suddenly a-bit-to-close Superboy. Then he moves his head forward slightly to get a better look at the floating Kryptonian, wings flapping ever so slightly so help him keep his balance. After examining him for a quick moment then glancing at the approaching Iron Man and Canary he lets out a big sigh, which has the coincidental(?) effect of blowing out a large cloud of smoke which envelops Superboy.
An instant later the dragon is melting and turning into one big blob of golden ectoplasm that looks remarkably like a giant amoeba. The amoeba shrinks quickly and in the mater of 5 or 6 seconds the dragon has been replaced by a young Hispanic man, sitting cross-legged on the ground, dressed in a green sweater, jeans, and a long leather coat, "Ok... Do we /have/ to do the traditional fight-due-to-a-misunderstanding scene? Or can I just introduce myself first?" he says around a large, friendly smile.
Smoke. Smoke everywhere and Superboy is caught up in it so much so he doesn't see the transformation and within several heartbeats is floating out of the plume holding his throat letting out a string of coughing chokes and gags. "Am I on fire!? Oh man this smells almost as bad as Limbo demon feet!!!" Yeah hes been there. More hacking (obviously exaggerated) escapes Kon-El as the new guys words begin to settle in. "I understand the term dragon breath now."
Dinah watches the weird melting, unsure if she should be relieved or worried. Taking cautious steps forward, she locks her gaze onto the young man that remains. She didn't exactly hear what he said at this range, so she calls out to him while edging herself closer. "Who are you?!" she shouts.
Gabriel rummages through his coat pockets for a moment then brings out a long white envelop. Out of that envelop he pulls out a letter that, when he holds it up, is clearly printed on JLA letterhead, "Name's Gabriel. Gabriel Togashi. Newest... Well, I /think/ I'm the newest member of the JLA. Don't know if someone has been inducted since I got this letter a couple of days ago." Once again he gives people another big smile and to Kon-El he says, "Sorry about that. The chemicals that make up the dragon's flame sometimes leak out and create smoke since there's not enough oxygen available when his jaw is shut to fully trigger the ignition."
Iron Man turns to Canary, his own voice amplified by the suit. He lowers himself to the ground, "I think he's one of the good guys." he tells Canary, dropping to a graceful landing.
"As long as my hair doesn't fall out, we cool, man." Superboy replies while dusting himself off and waving at the air. Still hovering above the ground nearby. "It looks like it's your day to play welcoming committee to the League." Kon tosses at Dinah playfully.
Dinah smirks at what Gabriel said, wanting to believe him but staying a tad suspicious. She gently plucks the letter from his hand and begins perusing it.
"You were the newest," she says, a hint of sarcasm dripping from her voice, "Until we brought in Mr. Tony Stark." In actuality, Tony had never been officially invited, of course. In fact, this was his first visit to the Hall of Justice, and Dinah had never said a word of this to him. She just thought of it, and grinned over to Tony with a goofy smile. Looking back to the letter, she passes it back to Gabriel saying, "Looks like Superman didn't give us the heads up yet. I'm Black Canary," she says, offering a handshake.
Iron Man 's face plate abruptly retracts and Tony's wearing an anime face - "Who what where?" he asks, looking at Canary with a confused tone.
Gabriel gets to his feet, dusts his hand and the back of his jeans off then shakes Black Canary's hand before nodding at Iron Man and Superboy since they're a little high up for a handshake now that Gabriel isn't a 15 foot dragon anymore.
Chucking at Tony's reaction he says, "Surprise!" before turning to Superboy and being really obvious, "And you're Superboy, right?"
"Yep, the Metropolis Kid, Hero of Hawaii, Hunk of uh... well that is all I got for now..." Drifting back towards the Earth Superboy's feet touchdown to the ground and he folds his arms over his chest in that akimbo like fashion so popular to good guy sorts. "Nice to meet you...insertnamehere."
Dinah takes a step over to Tony, her face all smiley, and shoves the box of lo mein noodles at him. Fork attached. "C'mon, Tony. We're way more organized than The Avengers," she says playfully, pressing the idea. Turning to the group, she said: "I can order some grub for the rest of you. Let's have some lunch." Stepping back towards the entrance way, Dinah took a moment to look back over the courtyard of The Hall of Justice, realizing that all the new members of late represent a new phase for the organization. Rather than just *looking* established and institutional, perhaps, they really were becoming such. Accounting for all members, they were quite a force.
Inside, through the next hour, Dinah accounted several stories of her time with the league. She admitted that she'd always been considered 'the weakest member' of the original crew, and that forced her to train twice as hard as anyone. She liked these new faces--fun, honest, thoughtful, and powerful.
Superboy of course follows along. "You had me at food."
Gabriel nods in respose to SuperBoy's comment, "I agree. I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!" and follows along as well.
The powered armor that Tony's wearing splits, and the front begins retracting into the back, leaving the CEO free to step out of the armor. He's wearing a Clash T-shirt over a thermal long sleeve shirt under it along with some faded jeans and boots. Running a hand through his hair, he looks around at everyone and heads into the Hall Of Justice with the rest, "Great, now I'm a member of a Superhero Boy Band AND the Superhero Arcade Fire."
Category:Log