2013-01-20 Someone Rang The Dinner Bell

It's just past evening in Metropolis and it's time for dinner, the galley offering quite a spread tonight which quite a few members of the JLA is enjoying. Most of those eating are seated together to enjoy some socializing along with their meal but Black Canary currently sits alone, pouring over a trade magazine (one for florists, of all things) while eating a bowl of soup. A mug of something hot sits to her right, ignored.
"Dinah, anyone ever tell you you've got a smile that lights up a room?" Kyle's grin is broad and outrageous as his words, and the lanky Lantern drops into the seat across from her, holding a drink in one hand and a tray of food in the other. "Whatcha reading? Life and times of azaleas?" he asks, spearing some vegetables with his fork.
It's not often that the Amazon Princess is actually within the walls of the Hall of Justice. Not that she's trying to be antisocial in regards to her team members. Oh no. She's extended them an open invitation to the embassy in New York. It's just that being Ambassador comes with a whole set of duties and responsibilities - it makes her almost as busy as having a secret identity would. Still, she tries. So tonight, for the first time in a long time, she popped by. Chatted with some folks. And that's when she peeks into the galley. Well, it's not like she has to eat from the embassy kitchens every night. Surely some food from the galley won't hurt. Were it anyone else, one might think they were putting on airs... but with Diana, the way she walks and holds herself... there's just something that seems natural and graceful about how she moves into the room, heading for the food display.
The joking from the Lantern has Dinah smirking a bit, clearly amused. "Does it now," she asks while she puts the magazine away, the page she's on turned down so she can save her place. "Nothing nearly as entertaining," she adds while turning the closed periodical towards him. There's a huge floral arrangement on the cover, something bridal if the colors of the flowers - white and pink - is any indication. "Doing some research for what's going to be in vogue this spring." When Diana comes in Dinah's attention becomes diverted, her gaze following the Amazon with no shame. "Looks like we're being joined by royalty tonight," she muses outloud while angling her chin in Wonder Woman's direction, that amused smirk she gave Kyle now an awed little 'o'.
"No kiddin'?" Kyle glances over his shoulder and whistles soundlessly. "Wow. I can't remember the last time I saw her running around HQ. Man. You don't see her around here often," he admits, shaking his head. He takes a few reflective bites. "Good to see her, though. Hey, maybe she'll come sit with us." He sits back up, trying to catch Wonder Woman's eye- and then, beckons her an invitation to the vacant chair at their table. Superheroes need to be social, too. "So what's with the flower mag? You getting married, or taking up a career as a florist?"
Her tray is filled with fruits mostly. A bottle of water for liquid refreshment. She turns, her gaze looking over various others that are eating, before she smiles. She cuts between tables and nods towards the seat across from Dinah. "Do you mind if I join you?" If she noted how Dinah was watching her in awe, she certainly gives no sign of it.
"Already am a florist," Dinah answers Kyle while forcing herself to look away whe she sees Diana's coming closer, the pseudo-blonde not wanting to get caught staring. "Been a florist for several years now. Got a shop in Got..." And there Diana is, standing beside their table, asking if she can sit with them. "Of course, Wonder Woman. Feel free." Oh boy. This is... nervous making! Hopefully she won't make an ass out of herself.
Kyle stands politely as Wonder Woman joins them, then takes his seat. "Nice of you to drop by. How's the Embassy?" he asks, his tone politely inquiring. If he's daunted by Wonder Woman's presence, it sure doesn't show. Then again, Kyle got over the whole hero worship thing pretty quickly after Superman brought him on board. "I hear a lot of PR stuff coming out of there. You ladies are busy." He pauses. "You are all ladies there, right? I'm not being all politically incorrect?"
Wonder Woman smiles once more at Dinah in thanks and takes her seat. "Please, call me Diana." Kyle's show of politesse is something she has seen before, in Steve Trevor, so for once she isn't completely baffled by a gesture. "You're not," she assures Kyle gently, chuckling. "We're all women at the embassy. The only man that technically works with us is our liaison to the United Nations."
"No men at all? My goodness..." The idea of working somewhere with only women is mulled over as Dinah spoons a bit of soup into her mouth, her eyes holding to Diana's when she does. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so... I don't know." Blushing, she looks at Kyle and rolls her eyes, a sign that she needs rescued. Here's for hoping he doesn't wind up making it worse on her somehow.
"It's ok. You can say it. I know it's the dream of every woman to have a world where they don't need men." Kyle winks playfully at Dinah, spearing some of his pasta. "I understand, I really do," he sighs, dramatically. "I'm the last generation of necessity. Soon, women will have no need for me at all. I can retire and spend the winter of my years painting."
Wonder Woman takes a knife, using it to slice an apple thinly. She nods at the question. "No men," she says. She understands, or at least thinks she understands, what Dinah is getting at. She's been down this road before. "If you have questions, Black Canary, I don't mind you asking. I represent my people here. I wouldn't be a very good ambassador if I couldn't discuss my people or my homeland." She lifts an eyebrow at Kyle in wonder, but is soon grinning faintly. "From what I understand it's also the dream of nearly every man to stumble across a nation of only women," she points out.
"I guess it's just a matter of not missing what you never knew, right... oh, please call me Dinah." It isn't like she has a secret identity to maintain while here, after all, and Dinah vastly perfers to keep things casual when she's not on patrol or something similar. While watching Diana and Kyle while the trio eat, Dinah pauses before leveling her soup spoon at him. "You better be on your best behavior."
"You, aren't my supervisor," Kyle says, waggling his own soup spoon back at Dinah. "But, on an unrelated note, is Themyscira taking visa applications right now...?" he asks Wonder Woman, letting it trail off into a question. He can't hold it long, breaking into a boyish grin at the Amazon at his joke.
Green Arrow comes into the cafeteria with his hood back but his domino mask still on his face. He heads over to get a little something to eat and drink and ends up with a club sandwich and that old standards of cafeterias every where, Bug Juice. He gets it and spots the trio at their table. He heads over and offers a smile to them all. "Mind one more?"
Wonder Woman is, as has been mentioned, something of a rare sight around the Hall of Justice. Too much ambassador-ing, combined with the classes she teaches at the embassy. When Dinah's warning goes unheeded and Kyle jokes, Diana answers matter of factly. But she doesn't seem to be bothered. "While I'm sure we could support tourism... I'm afraid we're not. Not yet." While there's more to it than that, it is the truth as well. And Diana doesn't want to come across poorly in shooting down what is so obviously a harmless joke. Her gaze turns at the sound of another voice, and she gestures to the open chair to her side. "I don't mind."
When Green Arrow arrives Dinah blushes just a bit but his approaching coincides with Kyle's bad joke and Diana's gracious response so it can easily be dismissed as being a result of that... she hopes. "Hello. Yes, please join us." Her chair's scooted over to one side in invitation to the archer to come sit by her if he'd like. "How are you?"
"It's the Arrow!" Kyle cheers, inviting Ollie to join them. He makes an inclusive gesture with his fork. "Grab a seat. We're just on some down time. Diana won't give me a visa to Themyscrira, which I'm going to petition to be renamed 'paradise'." He crunches on some veggies. "Any good shop talk? I stopped a kid masquerading as an evil bat today," he declares cheerfully. "Also, diggin' the mask," he says, gesturing from his own face to Ollie's and back again.
Ollie sits down at the table with a smile and nod. "Thanks, guys." He looks over to Diana. "Don't think we have met face to face. Green Arrow," he says and then shrugs with a half smile. "Ollie. I guess we are all friends here." He makes a gesture towards the mask. "Guess it is sort of habit when in this get up." He scoots in and shakes his head to the Lantern. "Been kind of quiet for me as of late. Definitely need to get into a bit more trouble I'm thinking."
Wonder Woman glances back to Dinah in time to catch the blush. She says nothing, but chews a slice of apple thoughtfully. She offers Arrow a hand. "Wonder Woman. But Diana is more than fine." She smiles a warm smile. "A pleasure Ollie... and that is probably my fault. I'm afraid being ambassador for my people and a teacher as well keeps me more than a little busy, moreso when you add on the self-imposed duties that come with this job we've taken on for ourselves." Kyle's comment attracts her attention and she turns her head. "You wouldn't be the first to offer that name to our home. I won't argue that it's inaccurate. We are very blessed."
Big, fuzzy, and in search of coffee, Taz wanders his way into the cafeteria. He sniffs a few times as he walks through the room, glancing towards the gathered teammates. Once he's got that cup of coffee, the hero from down under wanders over to the team. "Hi," he greets, lifting a clawed hand. "Don't think I've ever seen this place so busy," he chuckles.
Dinah's pink cheeks fade after a little longer, the ebbing of it helped when yet another person comes by. Looking up, she waves to Taz, smiling. "Hey, Taz. How have you been?" The mug that she has had with her is sipped from, the tea within it just the right temperature. "Hmm. Nothing's been going on here with me either. Maybe the bad guys have decided to stay inside where it's warm..." Yes, she does sound a little disappointed.
"Hey, Taz," Kyle says, waving at Taz in greeting. "Good to see you again." He blinks, remembering his manners. "Oh. I'm sorry-" he gestures, his domino mask disappearing and revealing green eyes the precise shade of his ring. "Kyle Rayner. They call me Green Lantern," he says to the Amazon, introducing himself. "I guess we've never been formally introduced."
"For my money, the Pacific Northwest is still as close to Paradise as you are going to find on Earth." Ollie takes a sip of his drink and smiles. "I'm sure your island is a close second, Diana." He glances up as Taz approaches and offers a smile. "Hey there. Come join us. Little down time in the mess hall is good for all of us from time to time."
Wonder Woman smiles. "A pleasure to meet you too, Kyle." Ollie's comment results in a soft laugh from the Amazon Princess. "That's fair. To each their own, right?" She too offers a wave towards Taz, even as she nods in agreement with Dinah. "I helped stop a robbery a week ago, but everything has been quiet since. I suppose there are not sacred days for criminals in Patriarch's World are there?"
"Been doing pretty well," Taz replies with a grin. "How about you?" he pauses to sip his drink, nodding to Ollie. Carefully taking a seat, he's a bit surprised at the unmasking but doesn't seem bothered by it. "I'm Tasmanian Devil. You can call me Hugh though," he introduces himself. "I'd take off my mask but I'm not wearing one," he adds with a laugh.
Dinah takes one last sip before speaking. "I think there's almost always something to like to be found no matter where you are," she points out with a smile and a slight shrug. "Maybe not in Gotham, though. I have yet to really find anything in Gotham... it's so gloomy."
"That why I moved to Metropolis. New York's ok, but Metropolis is just... I don't know. Cleaner. I like it better. Also, the Met offered me a pretty substantial pay raise to move there, so..." he grins broadly. "I mean, a guy's gotta eat, right?"
Ollie nods in agreement. "Gotham is pretty gloomy. You get in there and just feel like the world is pressing down on your shoulders the whole time." He pauses as he takes a bite of his sandwich and chews. "As for criminals having holy days to observe?" he continues after swallowing, "I think of it more as the calm before the storm. Something is going to happen and probably won't be really pretty when it does."
"I've been to Gotham once. There was an incident on one of the bridges. I didn't get a good look in the city itself but... from what I've heard and read, it seems very gloomy." The Amazon Princess nods at Ollie's explanation. "I was hoping. I didn't think it would be true, but nevertheless I had hoped..." Diana looks down at the magazine in front of Dinah. "Did I overhear you mentioning you were a florist?" she wonders. "One of my sisters teaches botany classes at the embassy. She's very interested in floral arranging as well."
"Gotham's a lot harder on the senses," Taz remarks. "Whole place even smells gloomy," he remarks. "Don't think there are any criminal-specific holy days but there are plenty that celebrate the same days as non-criminals. Even if they're breakin' the law, they are still people after all," he shrugs. "No offense, mate, but I'm hoping your wrong about that," he adds to Ollie.
"Maybe the sun will come out there someday," Dinah quips with a light peal of laughter. The blonde's mood sombers suddenly and she sighs, Dinah pushing her bowl to the side as she is no longer hungry. "I hope he's wrong too, Hugh," she says while nodding. "But Ollie's probably right. A quiet period usually means the criminals are planning for something."
"I'm not worried about it," Kyle declares with an air of youthful bravura. "I don't think they're bright enough to really plan anything meaningful. Y'know. They're crooks. Crooks are smart, but they aren't too bright," he points out with a grin. He finishes his meal and sets his fork aside.
"Trust me. I do hope I'm wrong." Ollie finishes off his drink and leans back in his chair. He chuckles at Kyle's bravado. "You think that, but there is always someone out there that has your number. Heck, I may get blown up in an airplane tomorrow because I underestimate some bad guy." He knocks on the table next to him. "Course, I hope not," he winks.
"Has anyone looked into why Gotham is so.... gloomy?" asks the Amazon. "Surely there must be a reason." The remains of the apple slices are consumed, and Diana moves on to cutting a long melon slice into bite-sized cubes. "Things aren't just simply the way they are without some kind of reason or cause."
Taz gives a little sigh, sipping his drink. "That reminds me. Is anyone lookin' into that fella that robbed the Federal Reserve?" he asks. He doesn't want to step on anyone's toes if they're already looking into it. "I've got no idea. I figured it was just how things were in that part of the world."
"Oh. Diana. I am sorry." Dinah allows the men to discuss 'hero work' while she leans in a bit closer, allowing for her to be able to chat with the Amazon without talking over any of the others. "You mentioned one of your sisters being interested in floral design, yes? I don't know if I'm really good enough to offically teach on the subject but if you'd like to give me a call my contact information is in the League members database. Feel free." A quick look is given to Oliver and then Kyle and Taz in turn.
"I don't know, Taz," Kyle admits, shrugging at the Australian. "I heard about it on the news. I was on patrol.. uh..." His eye glaze as he focuses on something invisible, a glimmering light playing against his eyes for a moment. "120 kilometers north of town, doing aerial reconnaissance." He shrugs at the man, focusing on his face again. "Any leads?"
Wonder Woman smiles at Dinah. She leans in as well. "Don't apologize. It's not necessary," she insists. "Ah.. well. The phone at the embassy is usually quite busy," she admits. Yes. Phone. Singular. "You're welcome to come by the embassy when you're able to. I'm free from ambassadorial duties most evenings, if that helps."
Tasmanian Devil shakes his head. "I was at a job interview at the time so," he shrugs. "Only leads I can think of would be talkin' to Mend and that Stargirl about what happened," he has no idea who Emmy is or he'd suggest asking her for information too.
"That sounds great, Diana. Thank you." The fact that there is only one phone in a place that has got to be as busy as the Embassy strikes Dinah as a bit odd but it's left alone out of the desire to be polite. "I've got a few Valentine weddings to make some arrangements for but should be free after that. Could try for the first weekend...?"
Kyle wipes his hands up on a napkin, and busses up his dishes onto his tray. "Well, either way, I'll keep an ear out. I hope they find the guy," he states. The lanky artist gets to his feet, then gathers his dishes up. "I better get back home. I hate flying when it's dark out. Running into things..." he grumbles. He flicks a wrist in a wave. "Good seing you all. Diana, nice meeting you. Hopefully I'll see you around sometime."
"Valentine's Day must be a busy time for you." Diana and Dinah are leaning towards each other, across the table. The Princess turns her head and lifts a hand. "Good to meet you too, Kyle," she answers, waving as the Lantern departs.
Taz nods to Kyle. "I'll let ya know if I hear anythin' too," he offers. He blinks a moment at Kyle's comment about flying home in the dark, trying to figure out if it's a joke or not. Eventually he just shrugs it off. "See ya later, mate. Safe flyin'."
Ollie had been quiet eating while he let the others talk. As Kyle gets up to leave, he smiles and offers a wave. "See you around the water cooler, kid." He gets up to get himself another drink and then comes back to the table listening to the others.
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