Fic: Winds of Change
Posting this early because tomorrow is New Year's Eve (no, really? Wow, where would we be without you, Captain Katzobvious!) annnnnd I might or might not be around and anybody else might or might not be around, soooo we jump the gun a little :-P
Sooooo, if I wind up not here tomorrow, happy new year, everybody ^__^
Title: Winds of Change
Author: Katzedecimal
Rating: G
Characters: Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Kid Flash (mention of Trickster, don't worry, he'll be along soon)
Summary: Piper's gotten into a situation and he needs help getting out.
It was a crisp and clear night. The sky was a black velvet blanket sequinned with stars. A figure wove through the crowded streets; despite being garbed in thigh high boots, a long cloak and a polka-dotted tunic, he was completely ignored. The Pied Piper played his flute, lost in troubled thought.
Happy new year, Hartley Rathaway, he thought, sighing. This area of town had long since gone to seed and was known as a place where even the thugs tread carefully. But the man he was looking for was more dangerous than any thug, for all he didn't look it. None of the Rogues did.
He pushed open the door of the bar and immediately sidestepped, avoiding the mug that shattered next to him. He spotted his target near the back, nursing what looked to be several Fosters already - knowing him, though, this hadn't even dented his sobriety. The man watched him approach, with steady eyes.
"Wot d'yew want?"
"Good evening, Digger, happy new year," Piper said as he slid onto the bench opposite, "I have a question for you."
"If it's am I free t'night, fer yew, th'answer's No."
Piper smiled mirthlessly, "Funny. What's Belle Reve like?"
"Wot kinda question is that?"
"Seen the news?"
"Wot, about Bugatti's brat? Show me 'oo hasn't! Wot a dust-up that is, wot a beaut! Wot's that got t'do with Belle Reve? An' wot're you wearin' that stupid get-up for?" said Digger, a man who habitually wore a hat that made Piper think he should be asking 'do you want fries with that?' "You pullin' a job on New Year's Eve?"
"I... have been approached with a commission," Piper replied carefully, "Our dear chief of police has asked me to arrange for people to forget about all of this."
"Or he sends you to Belle Reve."
"I knew you'd understand."
"Oh, bloody hell," Digger sighed, "Well it's a stinkin' hole but Bugatti's nuts if he thinks you can put a lid on this now. Sounds t'me like he's lookin' fer a scapegoat."
"That's what I was thinking."
"'Oo'd you piss orf?"
"Who haven't I pissed off?"
"Aye, that's true enough, you've been rufflin' a lot o' feathers wi' yer little Robin Hood schtick lately." Digger took a deep swig of his beer, "'Ow're you gonner get outta this one?"
"That's why I was asking about Belle Reve."
"Ah." Digger sipped again in thoughtful silence then glanced up, "Oh, they're playin' that clip again, 'ave you seen it? This is magic, this is."
"Oh god yes! This is hilarious," Piper turned so he could see the TV. The newscasters had been playing it repeatedly, ever since it first aired. It had started as live coverage of a bank robbery gone wrong, as the perps - Captain Cold and Heat Wave - had started squabbling over who had set up whom to take the fall. They were duking it out, having dropped the take, when a blue and yellow streak came running out of the sky, swooped down, snatched up the bag and ran off with it. The two Rogues literally did a double-take, looked at each other, then took off after him.
"Never gets old!" Piper laughed, having to raise his voice to be heard over the howling laughter that shook the bar.
"That Trickster, wot a bloke."
"Kid Flash got into trouble for losing him, after that. He was laughing too hard to see which way he went."
"Carn't blame 'im. Only launched me beer across the room, didn't I."
"So did I," Piper said, then listened intently, "I'd better go. Thanks for the information, Digger."
"Yeah, good luck. One thing about th'Reve, though, you won't lack for BFFs!" Digger guffawed. Piper's eyes narrowed and he put his flute to his lips. As he left the bar, Digger raced for the back rooms, retching.
"Figured it must be you; Flash wouldn't have waited," Piper said presently, "I seem to be running into you a lot lately. Or are you developing a crush on me?"
Kid Flash laughed then said, "Actually I've been looking all over for you then I saw Captain Boomerang's car and figured I should at least make sure he wasn't up to anything."
"Up to five, last I saw. Up-chucking now, I'd imagine," Piper chuckled, "So, what can I do for you?"
"It's about Chief Bugatti..."
"Yes," Piper sighed, "I imagine you won't be seeing me for a while. Bugatti wants me to hypnotise everyone into sweeping this under the rug, or he'll ship me to Belle Reve so I'm thinking I'll have to disappear for a bit."
"When did he say this?!" Kid Flash said urgently.
"I just came from there, so... about ninety minutes ago."
"Oh, brilliant! That means his kid did something even more stupid! Piper, he's trying to say that you hypnotised them into doing it."
Piper looked revolted and dismayed, "Oh great... Wally, you know I wouldn't do that."
"I know you didn't! And I have proof! 'Cause the time period that Bugatti's kid is trying to claim you were hypnotising them, you were with us at Titans Tower and we've got you on the cams! That's why I needed to find you, I wanted to give you a heads-up, I'm going to release the footage at the press conference. Can I tell them about blackmailing you as well?"
Piper chuckled, "For all the good it'll do... Extorting a known extortionist? - usually looked upon as poetic justice."
Wally shook his head, "It'll expose more of his lies."
"The chief of the Keystone Cops, a liar? Protecting officers and family who break the law? Sweeping things under the carpet and debasing the victims? My goodness gracious, what an absurd thing to say, however could you even think such a ridiculous thing? Everyone knows all cops are completely honest or else they wouldn't be cops."
"That's what Uncle Barry said," Wally said, exasperated, "Those kids recognised Chief Bugatti's son in the video. Obviously they couldn't give it to the cops, so they gave it to the Flash, but Uncle Barry wouldn't believe it. Noooo, he's the son of the police chief, he knows right from wrong, he knows the laws, it couldn't possibly be what it very definitely looks like!"
"That does happen rather frequently," Piper conceded.
"I know. So I took it to Robin and we started digging. And we uncovered a lot!"
"I hate silence," Piper murmured, "Even if I could make everyone forget about this, I wouldn't do it."
"You couldn't anyways, it's too big. We sent it to the big networks."
"You did this? Oh, bravo!"
Wally nodded, "Yeah. We asked a couple of mentors for advice - not Uncle Barry - and they agreed, so we sent the videos to the FBI and then sent copies to the media so they'd have to do something about it."
Piper leaned against the roof of his car, thoughtful. "Seems Kid Flash isn't going to be a Kid for much longer," he said finally, "You're really thinking now, aren't you. Got your own little brain going on in there. You keep this up, you might become an even better cape than your uncle."
Wally grinned and scratched his head, "Thanks. That... actually kinda means something, coming from you."
Piper grinned, "As a cape, he's very effective. As a person, it's a miracle he can run at all with that stick jammed up his ass."
Wally sighed and nodded, "I love him and I really admire him but sometimes..." He shrugged, "Uncle Barry'll come around once he sees that it's all true, and then he'll keep on it until the whole mess is cleaned up."
"Dogmatic tenacity does have its place," Piper smirked, then softened into a genuine smile, "Thanks for getting my ass out of the sling, Wally."
"Hey no problem, that's what friends are for." Piper arched an eyebrow but Wally was looking at his watch, "Fifteen minutes to midnight, I guess I'd better run. Aunt Iris is ringing in the new year with Dick Clark - again. Bring on the bubble machine!"
"That's Lawrence Welk."
"Same diff, they're both boring old fossils," Wally laughed, "What about you, Piper? You spending it with your family? Girlfriend?"
"Ha! - No. Actually, I just got dumped a few days ago."
"Oh shit!! That really sucks. And you're spending New Year's alone? Shit and I can't even invite you back to our place 'cause of Uncle Barry."
"Don't worry about me," Piper chuckled, "I've got my rats and my music, I'll be fine. You go ahead. But thanks for the thought."
"Well... if you're sure... I mean, I could always phone them..."
"And have him thinking you're getting ideas from hanging out with a Rogue?" Piper grinned, "I'm okay. You run on."
"Okay then. I'll let you know when the press conference is."
"Do that. Thanks." The air shimmered and Piper was alone. He drove back to his apartment in quiet thought. He stopped by his flat to get a glass and a mickey of his favorite champagne, then went up to the roof to watch the fireworks. It was a beautiful clear night, with stars winking like sequins on black velvet. His cloak flapped and his hair whipped around his face. He pulled a few errant strands out of his wine and took a sip. Happy new year, Hartley Rathaway, he thought.
The wind was changing.
Sooooo, if I wind up not here tomorrow, happy new year, everybody ^__^
Title: Winds of Change
Author: Katzedecimal
Rating: G
Characters: Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Kid Flash (mention of Trickster, don't worry, he'll be along soon)
Summary: Piper's gotten into a situation and he needs help getting out.
It was a crisp and clear night. The sky was a black velvet blanket sequinned with stars. A figure wove through the crowded streets; despite being garbed in thigh high boots, a long cloak and a polka-dotted tunic, he was completely ignored. The Pied Piper played his flute, lost in troubled thought.
Happy new year, Hartley Rathaway, he thought, sighing. This area of town had long since gone to seed and was known as a place where even the thugs tread carefully. But the man he was looking for was more dangerous than any thug, for all he didn't look it. None of the Rogues did.
He pushed open the door of the bar and immediately sidestepped, avoiding the mug that shattered next to him. He spotted his target near the back, nursing what looked to be several Fosters already - knowing him, though, this hadn't even dented his sobriety. The man watched him approach, with steady eyes.
"Wot d'yew want?"
"Good evening, Digger, happy new year," Piper said as he slid onto the bench opposite, "I have a question for you."
"If it's am I free t'night, fer yew, th'answer's No."
Piper smiled mirthlessly, "Funny. What's Belle Reve like?"
"Wot kinda question is that?"
"Seen the news?"
"Wot, about Bugatti's brat? Show me 'oo hasn't! Wot a dust-up that is, wot a beaut! Wot's that got t'do with Belle Reve? An' wot're you wearin' that stupid get-up for?" said Digger, a man who habitually wore a hat that made Piper think he should be asking 'do you want fries with that?' "You pullin' a job on New Year's Eve?"
"I... have been approached with a commission," Piper replied carefully, "Our dear chief of police has asked me to arrange for people to forget about all of this."
"Or he sends you to Belle Reve."
"I knew you'd understand."
"Oh, bloody hell," Digger sighed, "Well it's a stinkin' hole but Bugatti's nuts if he thinks you can put a lid on this now. Sounds t'me like he's lookin' fer a scapegoat."
"That's what I was thinking."
"'Oo'd you piss orf?"
"Who haven't I pissed off?"
"Aye, that's true enough, you've been rufflin' a lot o' feathers wi' yer little Robin Hood schtick lately." Digger took a deep swig of his beer, "'Ow're you gonner get outta this one?"
"That's why I was asking about Belle Reve."
"Ah." Digger sipped again in thoughtful silence then glanced up, "Oh, they're playin' that clip again, 'ave you seen it? This is magic, this is."
"Oh god yes! This is hilarious," Piper turned so he could see the TV. The newscasters had been playing it repeatedly, ever since it first aired. It had started as live coverage of a bank robbery gone wrong, as the perps - Captain Cold and Heat Wave - had started squabbling over who had set up whom to take the fall. They were duking it out, having dropped the take, when a blue and yellow streak came running out of the sky, swooped down, snatched up the bag and ran off with it. The two Rogues literally did a double-take, looked at each other, then took off after him.
"Never gets old!" Piper laughed, having to raise his voice to be heard over the howling laughter that shook the bar.
"That Trickster, wot a bloke."
"Kid Flash got into trouble for losing him, after that. He was laughing too hard to see which way he went."
"Carn't blame 'im. Only launched me beer across the room, didn't I."
"So did I," Piper said, then listened intently, "I'd better go. Thanks for the information, Digger."
"Yeah, good luck. One thing about th'Reve, though, you won't lack for BFFs!" Digger guffawed. Piper's eyes narrowed and he put his flute to his lips. As he left the bar, Digger raced for the back rooms, retching.
"Figured it must be you; Flash wouldn't have waited," Piper said presently, "I seem to be running into you a lot lately. Or are you developing a crush on me?"
Kid Flash laughed then said, "Actually I've been looking all over for you then I saw Captain Boomerang's car and figured I should at least make sure he wasn't up to anything."
"Up to five, last I saw. Up-chucking now, I'd imagine," Piper chuckled, "So, what can I do for you?"
"It's about Chief Bugatti..."
"Yes," Piper sighed, "I imagine you won't be seeing me for a while. Bugatti wants me to hypnotise everyone into sweeping this under the rug, or he'll ship me to Belle Reve so I'm thinking I'll have to disappear for a bit."
"When did he say this?!" Kid Flash said urgently.
"I just came from there, so... about ninety minutes ago."
"Oh, brilliant! That means his kid did something even more stupid! Piper, he's trying to say that you hypnotised them into doing it."
Piper looked revolted and dismayed, "Oh great... Wally, you know I wouldn't do that."
"I know you didn't! And I have proof! 'Cause the time period that Bugatti's kid is trying to claim you were hypnotising them, you were with us at Titans Tower and we've got you on the cams! That's why I needed to find you, I wanted to give you a heads-up, I'm going to release the footage at the press conference. Can I tell them about blackmailing you as well?"
Piper chuckled, "For all the good it'll do... Extorting a known extortionist? - usually looked upon as poetic justice."
Wally shook his head, "It'll expose more of his lies."
"The chief of the Keystone Cops, a liar? Protecting officers and family who break the law? Sweeping things under the carpet and debasing the victims? My goodness gracious, what an absurd thing to say, however could you even think such a ridiculous thing? Everyone knows all cops are completely honest or else they wouldn't be cops."
"That's what Uncle Barry said," Wally said, exasperated, "Those kids recognised Chief Bugatti's son in the video. Obviously they couldn't give it to the cops, so they gave it to the Flash, but Uncle Barry wouldn't believe it. Noooo, he's the son of the police chief, he knows right from wrong, he knows the laws, it couldn't possibly be what it very definitely looks like!"
"That does happen rather frequently," Piper conceded.
"I know. So I took it to Robin and we started digging. And we uncovered a lot!"
"I hate silence," Piper murmured, "Even if I could make everyone forget about this, I wouldn't do it."
"You couldn't anyways, it's too big. We sent it to the big networks."
"You did this? Oh, bravo!"
Wally nodded, "Yeah. We asked a couple of mentors for advice - not Uncle Barry - and they agreed, so we sent the videos to the FBI and then sent copies to the media so they'd have to do something about it."
Piper leaned against the roof of his car, thoughtful. "Seems Kid Flash isn't going to be a Kid for much longer," he said finally, "You're really thinking now, aren't you. Got your own little brain going on in there. You keep this up, you might become an even better cape than your uncle."
Wally grinned and scratched his head, "Thanks. That... actually kinda means something, coming from you."
Piper grinned, "As a cape, he's very effective. As a person, it's a miracle he can run at all with that stick jammed up his ass."
Wally sighed and nodded, "I love him and I really admire him but sometimes..." He shrugged, "Uncle Barry'll come around once he sees that it's all true, and then he'll keep on it until the whole mess is cleaned up."
"Dogmatic tenacity does have its place," Piper smirked, then softened into a genuine smile, "Thanks for getting my ass out of the sling, Wally."
"Hey no problem, that's what friends are for." Piper arched an eyebrow but Wally was looking at his watch, "Fifteen minutes to midnight, I guess I'd better run. Aunt Iris is ringing in the new year with Dick Clark - again. Bring on the bubble machine!"
"That's Lawrence Welk."
"Same diff, they're both boring old fossils," Wally laughed, "What about you, Piper? You spending it with your family? Girlfriend?"
"Ha! - No. Actually, I just got dumped a few days ago."
"Oh shit!! That really sucks. And you're spending New Year's alone? Shit and I can't even invite you back to our place 'cause of Uncle Barry."
"Don't worry about me," Piper chuckled, "I've got my rats and my music, I'll be fine. You go ahead. But thanks for the thought."
"Well... if you're sure... I mean, I could always phone them..."
"And have him thinking you're getting ideas from hanging out with a Rogue?" Piper grinned, "I'm okay. You run on."
"Okay then. I'll let you know when the press conference is."
"Do that. Thanks." The air shimmered and Piper was alone. He drove back to his apartment in quiet thought. He stopped by his flat to get a glass and a mickey of his favorite champagne, then went up to the roof to watch the fireworks. It was a beautiful clear night, with stars winking like sequins on black velvet. His cloak flapped and his hair whipped around his face. He pulled a few errant strands out of his wine and took a sip. Happy new year, Hartley Rathaway, he thought.
The wind was changing.