Chapter 23

  Metropolis City, USA,

  The sun beat down hot against Barbara’s bare skin, she was lying stretched out on a beach chair, relaxing by a pool wearing a red bikini with an uppercase yellow R printed on the fabric over her left breast, Kori was half asleep on a chair a couple feet from hers, her golden brown skin glowed bright against her deep purple swimsuit, it had only been few months since the Titans had formed but the week off had been well earned, and chief Perez had assured them that the police could handle complete protection of the city, Dick and Barbara had decide to start the break off with a day by the pool.

  Dick was in the pool wearing a pair of dark blue Batgirl themed swim trunks, he tossed a frisbee to Garfield, who was wearing black and pink trunks, Kara intercepted the green plastic disc between them, she was wearing a white and blue checkered bikini top and solid red bikini bottoms with a red sheer swim skirt,

  “Rachel catch” She called, flinging the frisbee in Rachel’s direction, Rachel was wadding around the 3 foot section of the pool, she wore a light blue bikini top, and black swim trunks, the frisbee splashed in the water a couple feet away,

  “Why don’t you come to the 5 foot area at least?” Garfield called, she glanced over her shoulder as she walked over to where the frisbee was bobbing at the surface of the water,

  “I’m 4’10” She yelled back, her pale skin was growing a little red with embarrassment,

  “You’ll be ok, that’s only 2 inches, Garfield said with a big grin,

  “From the top of my head, I don’t tend to breath from there” Now it was Garfield's turn to blush, though it was harder to tell because of his naturally red skin tone, before he could respond Kara cut in,

  “I’ll help you till you get the hang of swimming” Kara said, gliding through the water toward her, Rachel blushed a little harder, she tried to hide her smile but the ends of her mouth still curled up into a flustered smile,

  “Ok” She agreed.

  “Looks like you’re all having fun” A young woman with long, silky black hair said as she approached the pool, her skin was well tanned, she was thin and muscular in a way that made it obvious 1 was a direct result of the other, she wore a pair of loose, faded jean shorts, little white stars made to look like they were painted on dotted the left side exclusively, the legs had been cut so short that they didn't even make it a quarter of the way down her thighs, which like the rest of her were tanned and in excellent shape, a black belt bejeweled with little silver spikes was strung loosely around her waist, she was wearing a red tank top that had been cropped halfway through a thick, white, horizontal line, a white knot of scar tissue where a bullet had struck her was visible on her midriff, she had a fairly new tattoo on her left shoulder and bicep that depicted a bald eagle clutching a golden lasso, as usual Donna Troy effortlessly looked cooler than everybody else.

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  “Donna, how’ve you been?” Dick asked, as he pulled himself to the side of the pool,

  “Donna” Barbara squealed as she stood and ran over to pull her into a hug,

  “I’m good, it’s been awhile” Donna answered, reciprocating the embrace,

  “Do you want to join us?” Barbara asked, enthusiastically,

  “I actually need to talk to you 2 about something” Dick had hauled himself out of the pool an strung a towel over his shoulders,

  “Everything ok?” He asked, as he approached,

  “Yeah, but is there any chance we could talk somewhere a little more private?” Donna asked, pointing her thumb toward the gate to the pool area,

  “Yeah, of course,” Barbara nodded, before calling back to the teenagers in the pool, “We’ll be right back, nobody drown Rachel.”

  “Are you allowed to get tattoos now?” Barbara asked, admiring the picture on Donna’s arm as they stepped through the gate, Donna gave her a proud smile,

  “I made it through my 3 years of body purity on Themyscira, so yes, kind of, the questions not really if I’m allowed to get tattoos, they’re actually part of several ceremonies on Themyscira, so I actually have 2 now, the real hot debate is whether I’m allowed to get non-ceremonial tattoos” She explained,

  “I’m assuming that ones not a ceremonial tattoo” Barbara chuckled, Donna offered her a guilty smile,

  “Nah it’s not, that one’s on my hip” She said, jutting her right hip out a little, she slid her thumb into the waistband of her shorts, “Technically, I’m not allowed to show you it unless we’re bathing or swimming, and I’m not allowed to show him unless we’re rolling in the hay, but, wanna see it anyway?” She asked with a playful smile,

  “Is it really a good idea to break the rules like that?” Barbara asked, Donna bit the inside of her cheek and shrugged in an exagerated gesture,

  “I dunno, come on, Diana’s not here, and it’s just you 2” Barbara crossed her arms and made a face like she was about to scold her, before breaking into a smile,

  “Ok, let’s see” She said, Donna glanced around before using her left hand to pop the button and pull the fly down on her shorts, she then used it to hold the left side of her shorts up while she lowered the right side a few inches to expose a tattoo on the front of her hip, it was an intricate colored drawing of some pink exotic rainforest flower with thorns,

  “That is really cool” Barbara said, Dick made a sceptical face,

  “I don’t know, I think I would have chosen something more lame, like a dandelion, it fits you better” He joked, Donna glanced around again before lifting her shorts back into place and rebuttoning them.

  “So, if you’re not here for the sun or company, what brings you to Metropolis?” Dick asked,

  “I am now officially in line to be considered as a potential new member of the Justice League, but their application process recommends I get references, it’s stupid, but I gotta jump through a couple hoops” Donna said, a little spite in her voice,

  “Congratulations, we’d be happy to do what we can, but, if you don’t mind my asking, why not Diana? you trained under her” Dick asked, Donna looked away and tightened her jaw,

  “She would be better, yeah, but she won’t, she says she has to stay impartial, so I can get in on my own marit instead of her sway, which is dumb, I’ve literally fought alongside more than half of them” Dick and Barbara shared a glance,

  “Sorry, I think it’s fair to say that you have proven yourself already, you know I’ll gladly put in a word for you” Dick said, before continuing in a more lighthearted ton, “Can’t promise it’ll be a good word though, who knows, I might accidentally let some of the old stories slip, the Justice League might find it interesting that you like streaking on beaches at night” Donna closed her eyes, she bit the inside of her bottom lip, a smile spread across her face, it was filled partially with embarrassment, but mostly pride,

  “It was 1 time, and I still stand by my reasoning, you’re not a real American until you’ve either gone streaking or skinny dipping, and I’ve done both so I’m at least double the American you are, and you have to have a witness, no pussy shit were nobody can verify it” She said, a smile in her voice the whole time,

  “Ok, gladly you doing anything butt ass naked doesn’t need to come up in our recommendations, does it?” Barbara said, her hands were planted on her hips and her tone implied that she was the only adult involved in a conversation with 2 immature children but she was still clearly amused by the whole thing, the fun atmosphere was shattered by an explosion somewhere distant in the city.