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What makes a hero? Will. ((ThomasRHellsing x Applepoisoneer))

Raven had really wished then that her gloves had fingers. She sighed, knowing it couldn't be helped, and concentrated on what the and Thomas had come for. The corner of her mouth twitched a little. "I...don't know how to gamble." She admitted, only loudenough for him to hear. It was never something that had come up. She supposed she could watch people and figure it out, but that would take both time and trial and error, and she wasn't sure how quickly she might get into the High Roller's circle without his help. She couldn't believe her own thoughts, but it could be in her best interest to play dumb. Perhaps if she threw around enough 100 dollar chips and looked like an idiot, they might invite her upstairs under the impression that they could take advantage of her in more ways than one.
 
Thomas blinked a bit, that was a bit surprising. He lead her over towards the rotary device saying, "Huh, that's a bit odd. Well, as best I can describe it, most human sports are made as a stand in for battle, with a chance to end up hurt. Gambling is sort of the same, but rather then risk your body, you risk your money. The less money you have, the more you want, since money is used to buy things. Most smart gamblers set a limit that after they lose that much they walk away.

The Roulette wheel had numbers and colors on it. Smiling a bit he said, "Each game is a bit different. Most involve numbers, odds statistics. However, none of that is guaranteed. In places like Vegas it's widely assumed that the house will always win, because they'll comp you rooms and such until you lose."

Thomas asked the woman in the uniform, "What's the maximum?"

The woman smiled and said, "One Thousand a spin sir, would you like to make a bet?"

Thomas nodded and reaching into Raven's bucket put ten one hundred dollar coins on black saying, "In this game, Black or Red is one of the most obvious bets, half the numbers are black, half the numbers are red. The actual numbers pay out more, but if you don't land on what you say you lose. I always like getting a measure of a room by starting out with this."

A few more people bet, as Thomas admitted, "It also matters how much you care about your money. I tend to do a standing bet with myself, I take a few thousand, and if I lose I act like that's the only money I have access too. Means I end up sleeping on park benches for a night or two. It makes it more fun when I win. Money is a standard of living, a safe place to sleep, good food to eat. Most people here have never gone without so they don't mind throwing it away. Money might not buy happyness, but it's alot easier to be happy with a full belly and a safe warm and dry place to sleep. Without getting in the right mind frame, it's hard to enjoy gambling. A poor man might make more on a few hands of cards then he would a week of working a 9 to 5 job. Since money doesn't much matter to you, I'm not sure how much fun it will be."

The last part was whispered in her ear. He knew the Titans had most of their expenses and even a certain amount of discretionary funds paid by Batman. The ball quit spinning and landed on a black six. Some in the crowd cheered, some looked down cast. The woman gave Raven her 10 coins, plus another 10 as Thomas smirked.
 
Raven had never really thought much about money beyond managing the little allowance she got from the fund. Their groceries were paid for, but if they ate out or ordered in, it came out of the allowance. That, plus all the books and spell implements that she needed were honestly the most of her monetary woes. It hadn't occurred to her that while living on her own, she had never paid an electric bill or rent or anything of that nature,and wondered how long that would last.

Somehow, the train ofthought made her feel less human as she watched the ball bounce along the wheel. She'd slid ten more coins onto black and put the rest back in the bucket; a totally meaningless ritual for her, but for someone who bet their entire work wages...

She snapped herself out of it when the dealer called "Ten Black" and passed her more tokens. She wasn't here for fun or feeling human. They had a mission and it required her to keep a keen ear and eye on what was going on. But it also required her to blend in. So,to the best of her ability, she smiled at the woman passing her winnings. It was an almost timid, mona lisa-esque smile that wasn't quite all there, but it was enough to pass.

"It's a dumb ritual." She whispered, taking Thomas's arm in hers and leaning close. "But I can feel the desperation and addiction in the room,and I understand it a little better now."
 
Thomas replied easily in her ear, "Weren't we just talking a bit ago how humans are sort of dumb? Also, to be totally fair, everyone here is under 25, meaning odds are they are sort of like me. Using their parents or grand parent's money. They are used to having everything they want and just pissing the money away. One of my class mates once bought a solid gold Helicopter. He wanted a cool lawn ornament, so he bought a Helicopter and had it dipped in gold."

The green lantern continued betting the maximum for awhile. Then a man in a red suit approached them and said, "Sir, Madam, won't you join another game? The House will be happy to pay for your first round."

Thomas looked at the the man, "Oh look Rachel, it's the rare Gorilla ins a suitus, I told you a casino could be like a zoo. Honestly my dear baboon, I believe me and my compatriot will be leaving. I came here with a million dollars to blow, and a pathetic thousand dollars a table cap is boring. Surely you could help my good man? How much is required to get into the REAL casino. Where men play."

One of the man growled, red flashing in his eyes before the man in the suit said, "Ah my mistake. I understand, you seek to belong to the Elite Player's club. Here, give me your hand, and I'll give you and your partner a stamp, it will allow you to enter the V.I.P. area up the stairs. I hope you enjoy your time."

Thomas spoke, "Just mine I'm afraid, my partner here has extremely sensitive skin. I like it because it shows hickeys for weaks, but inks and such make her break out rather badly."

The man nodded and stamped the back of Thomas's hand. As they headed to the stair case he pulled her into a slightly shadowy alcove and said, "My ring is picking up energy from the stamp, you know what it is?"

The symbols would form a minor rune scheme, making anyone stamped with it far more open to manipulation. Also far more quick to trust people around them. It was basic, but effective, and if you had to get a stamp every day to enter the V.I.P. area the effect would be cumulative.
 
Raven couldn't help but chuckle. It was just too funny watching someone with a green lantern's power be so childishly rude. When the large man offered to stamp it, she withdrew her hand and allowed Thomas to make her excuses.

In the Alcove, she watched as he explained the properties of the dye, and nodded. "I've got an idea. Hold out your hand." Once he did, she passed hers over his and uttered a low chant, then passed her hand over her free one. A replica of the stamp appeared there. "It's only an illusion. If you checked it with your ring, it wouldn't pick up anything there, and I can make it disappear at will. If that man doesn't check back in with us, I can convince the Elite Club that I'm under it's influence." She paused and let the illusion fade. "Unless you already had a plan?"
 
Thomas shook his head, "It's a good idea. I wasn't sure what the ink or rune would do to you. Honestly we should talk about that some time. I know you're half human, but I also know demons are effected by holy icons, blessed metal, blessed water etc. While I doubt any of these bastards have holy water, it's possible any blessing could effect you right? Even other gods, goddesses, or possibly demons? Although I guess demonic blessings would taint water right?"

It was obvious the young man wasn't totally sure what he was talking about. But his point about racial weaknesses was a good one. Most of the Titans knew things like allergies and weaknesses, sometimes even personal ones like Cyborg and chili, the effect of living in close quarters with each other. Also likewise Robin and Beast boy had none that they knew of. The cape and cowl crowd tended to end up in so many random situations common allergies prevented people from joining. No one had ever asked her if she was effected by things differently then a human however. Starfire tended to find out her issues after eating things. Wood Stain gave Tameranians headaches if it was orally swallowed.

Thomas shook his head, "Anyway, you know what the symbols do? I wouldn't worry too much there are so many people here if it comes up you can just claim someone else just grabbed your hand and stamped it before we could explain. Most of the staff are in a hurry."
 
Raven nodded wordlessly. She'd never thought of herself as an actor, but supposed she'd been acting all along. She didn't really belong with this crowd. But here she was. It wasn't for any socio-economic reason, well, not entirely. It was more to do with her being a transplant to this world. Someone who didn't grow up here or experience the same milestones of childhood. Starting from a blank slate made it hard to springboard into acting. But she had smoothed thewrinkles out of her routine, and was able to convince a lot of people who didn't know her. She started moving toward the steps leading to the Elite club, careful not to lose step with Thomas, keeping her arm linked around his.
 
Thomas held her close, honestly Raven did seem a bit cold, a bit aloof, but most people with money were. The world was full of leeches who would at best hang on, and at worse steal everything you had. There were only a few ways to deal with that, break under the pressure and go dumb skank like Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan. Or put up some degree of walls, become less empathic so to speak. The issue arose when those walls became permanent. There was a reason the rich could whip a man to death for what to the rich man was a few more dollars. Empathy was a learned survival trait after all, and no person was as good without a village.

The Lantern shook his head to clear his thoughts, soon a potent but sweet alchol was being served. Combine that with the drugs on the coins and stamps. As well as servers who in essence wore "Uniforms" that would make swim suits seem like full body suits and the man was feeling a bit uncomfortable in his pants. However, it was a woman wearing latex mid thigh boots, she was wearing a red one piece latex suit that squeezed a very impressive bust. Likewise she had black latex gloves that went about four inches below her shoulders. Black hair on her head was in a bowl cut, but her eyes were cold. Next to her, a woman in, well a bondage Nun outfit stood. Thomas bit his lip to avoid swearing, Madam Rouge and Mother Mayham. This was not good.
 
Raven wished in that instant that she had done more to camouflage herself than a nice dress and unfamiliar shoes. Though she and Madame Rouge had not personally fought very often, she was sure that the former Soviet would recognize her. And although she had to review her thoughts, she knew she recognized the other woman as well. She had been working alongside Brother Blood, which more than likely meant that he was involved in this somehow as well. It made sense; Blood's M.O was chalked full of similar instances of collecting people and bending them to his will. What's a showman without an audience, she supposed.

She turned her body in to face Thomas completely, hoping that it looked like she was fawning and not hiding. An illusion might work, but others who had seen the woman on the rich Lantern's arm might grow suspicious. "Perhaps Brother Blood is involved somehow." She muttered, appearing to brush her lips to his neck. "I don't know why Madame Rouge is working with his team."
 
Thomas nodded a bit, "Isn't she a mercenary? Enough cash and she'd work for the devil himself, literally in this case, and a scheme like this will be making cash hand over fist. However."

The Lantern cut off as a voice spoke, it belonged to a seemingly elderly man, but his eyes were sharp, and while his body language was loving grand father, Thomas had no doubt the man could be a snapping snake in a second. The man spoke into a mico-phone, "Hello My Children, it's so nice to see you again. And for those new to the club, let me introduce myself, I am Brother Blood, your new Master."

Thomas hissed as he felt a powerful psychic wave lashing out from Blood. Thomas focused hard and a bubble of emerald energy surrounded by them. The blond still winced, it felt like someone had put him in a head lock. He looked at Raven, "C-Can you port us out of here?"

Another wave of intense psychic pressure rolled over them. Thomas felt as if his face was being burned off. His bones bending in weird ways. But he knew it was just psychic energy. It was a conflict between his mind, his ring and his will. The orb began to crack.
 
Raven nodding, her face a pained expression of struggle. She tugged the young lantern off to the alcove where they had been talking before and conjured a portal. As she glanced over her shoulder, she notice that they had attracted a flicker of attention. The woman in the strangely religious looking straps had noticed them, narrowing her eyes to watch them pass. She signaled to Madame Rouge, who stretched herself across the room in one step. But the half-demon had pulled the two of them through the weft before she could reach them.

"That was far too close, and we were spotted." She rested a pale, gloved hand on her forehead. "That psychic interference gave me a massive migraine. We'll have to be more prepared for that the next time. I can't imagine how much worse it would have been if I'd been wearing the chemical ink."
 
Thomas winced, "Pretty bad, I still hear his voice, whispering "Trust us", "Obey Blood", "All Hail Brother Blood". It's like brain washing junkies. First you dose them, then you get them doing an activity to get blood flowing. Then once the drugs are at maximum power program them. Most never even realize they are being conditioned until it's done, then you have your own loyal money bags."

The ring gave a shrill warning, and Thomas reached out, grabbing Raven and yanking her away from the wall, willing a shield around them as the wall was smashing through. Concrete and plaster going everywhere. The impact did force him and Raven to the ground. His hand moving around Raven trying to shield her. His outfit was heavy armor after all. Soon he was wincing, on one hand he was ontop of Raven, on the other his mind was the only thing stopping a pair of hench girls from smashing both of them.

He whispered breath hot in Raven's ear, "On three, one, two."

The focused his will and pushed hard, "THREE!"

The cocoon of green energy suddenly grew various sized spikes. Both women howled, Mayhem taking two in her foot as she stomped it, Rouge taking one between the knuckles as she rained down blows. Instantly he brought down the shield and rolled over, willing a boxing glove and a Ram's Head to shoot from his ring, The boxing glove caught Rouge in the face right below her eye making her stumble. The Rams head his mayhem in the torso and mad her slide back. The Ring Wielder willed a shriled into place as Brother Blood slowly moved towards them. Red energy blasta raining down.

Thomas thrust out his ring and a hand formed, before like a root system, it seemed to sprout more hands and arms. The first hand caught Rouge in the throat before the dozens of others grabbed her limbs and torso. Forcing her into a position that had she not been mostly rubber would have probably crippled her. Then a fairly thick green orb followed. A quick motion had the orb move towards him and Raven even as he kept shielding them from blood's energy assault, and Mayhem's projectiles. He pulled the trapped rubbed woman into the dome shield. Then with visible focus, the bottom of the shield elongated and thickened, soon they were on the back of a giant horned beatle, which moved to the wall and went through it. He had the beatle take off towards Titans tower, blood dripping from his nose as he groaned out, "You ok Raven?"
 
"I'm fine, since you did all the work." She smiled a little and shook her head. "You're really getting to be unstoppable with that thing. I don't know what you needed me for...except this." She raised a hand, made a sign and quietly chanted. The cartilage in Thomas's nose straightened out, and the bleeding slowed. "That'll stop in a few seconds."

Raven turned from the young man and peered through the translucent green of the Will Beetle. "Despite the madness, the city seems...so peaceful from up here."
 
Thomas smiled and gently put his hand around Raven's waist, as he said, "Maybe, but I've got to say the most beautiful thing is up here."

He'd winced a bit as his nose healed, but he wasn't too worried. Shrugging a bit he said, "We were jumped, and your powers aren't exactly great for a crowded room. But my powers are limited to my imagination and my will. Believing in yourself, there's a fine line between belief and arrogance."
 
Thomas shrugged, "It doesn't much matter. In my experience most hero based things tend to devolve into punching them before they can punch you anyway. Now we know whose responsible, and we can send in the team to kick them around." He enjoyed Raven't warmth. He was a bit sore after impacting the wall. Once they were fairly far away he had the dom become an orb and the beetle fade away. Looking at her he said, "You want to come over to my place?"
 
She couldn't surpress the red that flooded into her cheeks. "I- uh, I hadn't thought about it. Sure." The edge of her lips turned up into a tiny smile. She had never been to Thomas's place before, and it was much quieter and more private than the tower. Though she supposed she hadn't asked him to be "private".
 
He flew the two of them to his apartment. It was the top floor of one of the most expensive apartments in Jump. He spoke easily, "I use the ring to go invisible, and have a stealth generator so no one sees. It's not perfect but it works."

The area they'd landed was on a deck red oak wood painstakingly polished and stained rested around an Olympic sized swimming pool. The deck itself had glass guard rails and large planters filled with mystical plants, Hemlocke, Basil, etc. He smiled at her, "Feel free to leave your shoes out here."

His apartment was twice the size of the living area of the tower, a quarter taken up by a very modern kitchen. White shag carpeting that felt heavenly on bare feet. A large leather couch infront of a massive T.V. a fireplace on the side of the room burning. Thomas moved over and lit some vanilla incense, and threw a bit of salt and some other herbs into the fire, a purification ritual as he said, "Habit. Never hurts to remember the basics.”

He took a few deep breathes. The apartment was visibly divided, one fourth the kitchen area, two fourths a relaxing area couches, the fire place, a book shelf visibly straining. The T.V. Across from it. On the book case sat The Lantern's Lantern, glowing with an inner power. Older then the modern or space cops lantern. This one seemed forged out of crystal. The other fourth of the open area was a medical area, closed off with glass doors. Sharp eyes would notice it was tornado glass. He moved towards it saying, “You want me to cook, or you want to order something?”

The only sign that a young man lived in the apartment was a trio of nude marble statues, but sharp eyes and mystical senses would know the statues of Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite were not mere statues. Their were also various pictures of women in less then clothed states but most were artistic. Their were also four visible doors open. One lead to a library, one to a bathroom, one to a bedroom, and the final one a guest room.

Thomas hissed and deactivated his suit, wincing as he noticed a sliver of metal buried four inches into his side. Scraping his rib. He'd been using his ring to block the pain, but it had to come out.
 
The half-demon kicked off her shoes, grateful to every deity she could think of to be rid of them, even for a short while. The soft, furriness of the carpet hugged her feet like a slipper, and she sighed, feeling more comfortable already.

Raven couldn't tell what she was more stunned with; the physical grandeur of an apartment in Jump City, or the fact that this young man knew how to cook. She had genuinely smiled when he'd thrown the purifying powder into the fire, a very Old World, and still very effective guard against bad energy. But her reverie was broken when she'd heard him his. Her eyes flew to the sliver of metal.

"Let me get it, uh, I guess over here in this little medical space you've got going on." Her smile curled up sardonically. "We wouldn't want to get blood on the shag, would we?"
 
Thomas moved to the area as he said, "I've got it, it just needs to be removed. I blocked the worst of the psychic energy but well the rings react based on our will and our imagination. A sign of my lack of training I couldn't focus on both types of energy, kinetic, psychic, and shield myself at one hundred percent at the same time. Luckily pain is a hell of a teacher."

The blond moved into the medical area as he said, "It's going to suck, but can you yank it out? It's deep."

Without his suit the Billionaire's body would be revealed. Thin but wirey, with corded muscles. He was a bit bulkier then say Robin, but he also had a build meant for power as opposed to Robin's built on pure speed and flexibility. A physical build made wielding a power ring easier since most still felt kinetic force and some degree of feed back. He had a weird symbol burned into his chest between his pecks.
 
"I'll make it as quick as I-AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" The sliver of metal flew out of the wound and plinked against the thick glass surrounding the area. Raven watched it connect and leave a little rosette of blood, looking rather satisfied. She turned her head back to Thomas. "I find that's the most effective, and entertaining way to remove splinters and shrapnel. "
 
Thomas winced and chuckled a bit as he said, "I'll remember that beautiful. Be glad I can't take you over my knee right now."

The Green Lantern moved over to a drawer, and opened it, pulling out a spray bottle. It looked like the kind to hold foam or soap as opposed to hair spray. Pressing it again the open and bleeding would he pressed the tip and hissed as the gel/foam filled the cavity. He winced a bit as he pulled it out. Smiling a bit he said, "Nano-molecular foam, it fills a wound, and inspires cellular regeneration. I'll probably be fixed up my morning. It also numbs the wound as it gets to work."

The blond winced a bit before turning around. He smiled at her, "You got any wounds you need treated up?"
 
Thomas nodded as he said, "You have your communicator right? I'm a bit surprised you didn't message them at least something already."

The Green Lantern headed for the kitchen as he said, "You decide what you want?"
 
(OOC: I'm sorry for the short posts. My keyboard is still broken, so I've been pecking away on my phone.)

"I'll eat just about anything. " Raven consented, tapping the communicator to dial up the tower. She relayed what had happened, disclosed where she and Thomas were, and said they would lay low there for a while. Robin advised returning to the Tower as soon as they were able, and she replied that she understood.

She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she'd hung up. Her stomach called out for food, drawing Raven into the kitchen. "Can I help with anything? " She asked cautiously.
 
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