Reading settings
Beach Side May Not Necessarily Nurture Love
The Young Justice League's first Girls' Club concluded right after Dick and Wally returned.
The two of them were pushing a three-tiered cart, each level laden with Food. The top tier displayed numerous Sandwiches and a large bowl of Vegetable Salad. The second tier was abundant with Meat, featuring Roast Chicken, Roast Ribs, and much more. The third tier held an assortment of Desserts and Drinks.
This lavish Meal was prepared entirely by Red Tornado. He had been working on it since everyone went to play at the Seaside. He was just putting the finishing touches on it when Dick and the other arrived.
However, that wasn't all. Once everyone gathered around the cart, they noticed the two were also pulling a small cart behind them, carrying a white Box.
After the pair explained, everyone understood that this Box was a small Refrigerator, filled with Vegetables and Raw Meat for the Barbecue Party they planned for later that evening.
It turned out the two felt that since they were on an Island, it would be a shame not to have a Bonfire Party, and what Bonfire Party would be complete without Roast Meat? Therefore, they declined Red Tornado's Dinner and decided to prepare it themselves.
This Suggestion was met with unanimous approval from everyone present. It was hard to imagine anyone turning down such a fun group activity.
With anticipation for the evening's Barbecue Party, the already delicious Meal became even more appetizing, allowing the Children to temporarily forget their worries.
During this Lunch, which might have otherwise been unremarkable, an amusing incident occurred. Just as *Happy* had overheard, Dick indeed launched an Offensive towards Courtney.
Of course, Dick's Age was a factor. Although he spent time with Gotham's playboy, Bruce was still a responsible Adult. He generally avoided involving Dick in those Aspects of life.
Therefore, Dick was truly a novice when it came to pursuing Girls at this stage. His Offensive Methods were still limited to simple acts of concern.
These rudimentary pursuit tactics were far too obvious, and Courtney immediately sensed this sudden shift.
It made her somewhat awkward. Being pursued by someone else when she already had feelings for another made her, as a young Girl, unsure how to react.
After all, they were Teammates. Courtney was deeply concerned that her rejection might disrupt the Team's Unity.
The Girls who had just concluded their Girls' Club, as well as *Happy*, who had been aware of it all along, shared this concern.
Unlike the somewhat flustered Girls, *Happy* knew how to handle this situation. It was simple: he just needed to reject Courtney.
Courtney worried that her refusal would harm Team harmony, but *Happy* wasn't concerned about that. After all, his Death was imminent.
He was, after all, just a Clone Technique tasked with gathering Intelligence and collecting Gene. His Mission was essentially complete. The only remaining task was to make contact with the Illuminati.
Of course, such an Opportunity was not guaranteed. The last chance was missed, and who knew when the next would arise. If a good Opportunity for Sacrifice presented itself first, he might choose Sacrifice instead.
Sacrifice was inevitable anyway. It would be better to shift the Contradiction onto himself. When the Time came to sacrifice himself for the Greater Good, all Contradiction would vanish.
Observing Courtney's embarrassed retreat to the Toilet, *Happy* quietly activated Invisibility when no one was paying attention and stealthily followed her.
Confirming that Courtney had indeed entered the Toilet, *Happy* decided to wait outside. About a minute or two later, Courtney pushed open the Door and emerged.
Upon exiting the Toilet, Courtney didn't head straight back. Instead, she walked towards the Seaside. The Seaside near the Toilet was quite different from Pavilion Side. The latter was a golden Beach, while this area was characterized by numerous white Giant Rocks.
These Giant Rocks were clearly not natural formations. Each one had been cut and placed along the Seaside in a neat, orderly fashion.
Courtney didn't seem ready to return just yet. With light Footsteps, she hopped from one Giant Rock to another, quickly reaching the Sea Breeze.
A gentle Sea Breeze caressed her, lifting Courtney's blonde Hair.
It had to be said, Courtney was indeed a Beauty Girl. He shouldn't string her along; that was the behavior of a scoundrel.
Anxious not to startle Courtney, *Happy* deactivated Invisibility and deliberately made Footsteps. In the Seaside, where only the Sound of Waves and the Rustling of Leaves could be heard, Courtney easily picked up *Happy's* Footsteps.
Courtney turned around, surprised to see *Happy* approaching.
Hearing the Footsteps, she had considered many possibilities – Dick, who might have a slight interest in her, or perhaps Megan or someone else also heading to the Toilet. *Happy* was the last person she expected.
"Courtney, there's something I need to tell you."
…
"Huh?" Conner noticed something amiss. "Where's *Happy*?"
Conner's reminder made everyone realize that besides Courtney, who had gone to the Toilet, another person was missing from the Scene.
"Oh, don't worry about him. Maybe he went to the Toilet too," Wally mumbled through a mouthful of Food, proving that even Food couldn't keep him quiet.
But the Girls didn't think so. The simultaneous disappearance of these two felt a little too significant.
'Could it be that *Happy* saw Dick's interest in Courtney and got anxious, so he went to confess to Courtney?'
Megan's Teen Romance Drama viewing hadn't been in vain. She immediately considered this possibility, though she was only half right.
Just as Megan was about to smooth things over and buy them some Time, an unusual Sound drifted from the Seaside closest to them, and then two figures emerged from the Sea.
They were a man and a woman. The boy was handsome with black Hair, wearing a black and blue Tight Suit. The Girl was pretty with Coral-like beautiful red Hair, clad in a yellow Tight Suit with blue accents.
Everyone instantly became alert, except for one person: Aqualad Jackson.
"Garth! Tula!" Jackson bypassed the others, quickly reaching the pair and enthusiastically pulling them back towards the Young Justice League.
"Guys, these are my Friends from Atlantis I've told you about. This is Garth, and this is Tula."
Jackson introduced the man and woman to everyone. Under Aqualad's introduction, they exchanged greetings.
"Strange?"
After the Pleasantries, Troia asked, "Why hasn't Courtney returned yet?"
"Yes, it's a bit concerning," Dick frowned. He was about to speak again when Megan, convinced she understood everything, stopped him.
"Let us Girls go look for her. It's almost evening anyway. You boys can handle bringing the Grill, Fuel, and other Things to the Seaside."
Although it was clear the Girls were physically stronger, everyone agreed to the Suggestion. They decided to split into three groups: the girls would check on Courtney and *Happy*, and the boys would prepare the Bonfire Party supplies.
As for the third group…
"Jackson, you stay here and keep your Friends company," Dick said, gently restraining Jackson who was about to get up. "We can't leave our Guest alone. We three can handle the work."
Jackson nodded in agreement. He did want to chat with Garth and Tula, so he accepted Dick's Suggestion.
Once everyone else had left, Jackson immediately began showering Garth and Tula with questions and concerns. When he had notified them earlier, they were in Class, and he hadn't had a chance for a proper conversation. He had been holding back a bellyful of Words for a long Time.
Especially towards Tula, the Girl he had secretly admired for so long, Jackson displayed an unusual enthusiasm. However, Tula, the object of his affection, seemed somewhat reluctant.
"Jackson," Tula said, as if having made a Decision.
"Huh?" Jackson, noticing the serious Expression on her face, was taken aback. "Yes, Tula, I'm listening."
Tula and Garth exchanged a glance before she spoke, "After the Party ends, we have something to tell you."
Practice proves that the Seaside isn't always the best place for Love.
(End of Chapter)
The Young Justice League's first Girls' Club concluded right after Dick and Wally returned.
The two of them were pushing a three-tiered cart, each level laden with Food. The top tier displayed numerous Sandwiches and a large bowl of Vegetable Salad. The second tier was abundant with Meat, featuring Roast Chicken, Roast Ribs, and much more. The third tier held an assortment of Desserts and Drinks.
This lavish Meal was prepared entirely by Red Tornado. He had been working on it since everyone went to play at the Seaside. He was just putting the finishing touches on it when Dick and the other arrived.
However, that wasn't all. Once everyone gathered around the cart, they noticed the two were also pulling a small cart behind them, carrying a white Box.
After the pair explained, everyone understood that this Box was a small Refrigerator, filled with Vegetables and Raw Meat for the Barbecue Party they planned for later that evening.
It turned out the two felt that since they were on an Island, it would be a shame not to have a Bonfire Party, and what Bonfire Party would be complete without Roast Meat? Therefore, they declined Red Tornado's Dinner and decided to prepare it themselves.
This Suggestion was met with unanimous approval from everyone present. It was hard to imagine anyone turning down such a fun group activity.
With anticipation for the evening's Barbecue Party, the already delicious Meal became even more appetizing, allowing the Children to temporarily forget their worries.
During this Lunch, which might have otherwise been unremarkable, an amusing incident occurred. Just as *Happy* had overheard, Dick indeed launched an Offensive towards Courtney.
Of course, Dick's Age was a factor. Although he spent time with Gotham's playboy, Bruce was still a responsible Adult. He generally avoided involving Dick in those Aspects of life.
Therefore, Dick was truly a novice when it came to pursuing Girls at this stage. His Offensive Methods were still limited to simple acts of concern.
These rudimentary pursuit tactics were far too obvious, and Courtney immediately sensed this sudden shift.
It made her somewhat awkward. Being pursued by someone else when she already had feelings for another made her, as a young Girl, unsure how to react.
After all, they were Teammates. Courtney was deeply concerned that her rejection might disrupt the Team's Unity.
The Girls who had just concluded their Girls' Club, as well as *Happy*, who had been aware of it all along, shared this concern.
Unlike the somewhat flustered Girls, *Happy* knew how to handle this situation. It was simple: he just needed to reject Courtney.
Courtney worried that her refusal would harm Team harmony, but *Happy* wasn't concerned about that. After all, his Death was imminent.
He was, after all, just a Clone Technique tasked with gathering Intelligence and collecting Gene. His Mission was essentially complete. The only remaining task was to make contact with the Illuminati.
Of course, such an Opportunity was not guaranteed. The last chance was missed, and who knew when the next would arise. If a good Opportunity for Sacrifice presented itself first, he might choose Sacrifice instead.
Sacrifice was inevitable anyway. It would be better to shift the Contradiction onto himself. When the Time came to sacrifice himself for the Greater Good, all Contradiction would vanish.
Observing Courtney's embarrassed retreat to the Toilet, *Happy* quietly activated Invisibility when no one was paying attention and stealthily followed her.
Confirming that Courtney had indeed entered the Toilet, *Happy* decided to wait outside. About a minute or two later, Courtney pushed open the Door and emerged.
Upon exiting the Toilet, Courtney didn't head straight back. Instead, she walked towards the Seaside. The Seaside near the Toilet was quite different from Pavilion Side. The latter was a golden Beach, while this area was characterized by numerous white Giant Rocks.
These Giant Rocks were clearly not natural formations. Each one had been cut and placed along the Seaside in a neat, orderly fashion.
Courtney didn't seem ready to return just yet. With light Footsteps, she hopped from one Giant Rock to another, quickly reaching the Sea Breeze.
A gentle Sea Breeze caressed her, lifting Courtney's blonde Hair.
It had to be said, Courtney was indeed a Beauty Girl. He shouldn't string her along; that was the behavior of a scoundrel.
Anxious not to startle Courtney, *Happy* deactivated Invisibility and deliberately made Footsteps. In the Seaside, where only the Sound of Waves and the Rustling of Leaves could be heard, Courtney easily picked up *Happy's* Footsteps.
Courtney turned around, surprised to see *Happy* approaching.
Hearing the Footsteps, she had considered many possibilities – Dick, who might have a slight interest in her, or perhaps Megan or someone else also heading to the Toilet. *Happy* was the last person she expected.
"Courtney, there's something I need to tell you."
…
"Huh?" Conner noticed something amiss. "Where's *Happy*?"
Conner's reminder made everyone realize that besides Courtney, who had gone to the Toilet, another person was missing from the Scene.
"Oh, don't worry about him. Maybe he went to the Toilet too," Wally mumbled through a mouthful of Food, proving that even Food couldn't keep him quiet.
But the Girls didn't think so. The simultaneous disappearance of these two felt a little too significant.
'Could it be that *Happy* saw Dick's interest in Courtney and got anxious, so he went to confess to Courtney?'
Megan's Teen Romance Drama viewing hadn't been in vain. She immediately considered this possibility, though she was only half right.
Just as Megan was about to smooth things over and buy them some Time, an unusual Sound drifted from the Seaside closest to them, and then two figures emerged from the Sea.
They were a man and a woman. The boy was handsome with black Hair, wearing a black and blue Tight Suit. The Girl was pretty with Coral-like beautiful red Hair, clad in a yellow Tight Suit with blue accents.
Everyone instantly became alert, except for one person: Aqualad Jackson.
"Garth! Tula!" Jackson bypassed the others, quickly reaching the pair and enthusiastically pulling them back towards the Young Justice League.
"Guys, these are my Friends from Atlantis I've told you about. This is Garth, and this is Tula."
Jackson introduced the man and woman to everyone. Under Aqualad's introduction, they exchanged greetings.
"Strange?"
After the Pleasantries, Troia asked, "Why hasn't Courtney returned yet?"
"Yes, it's a bit concerning," Dick frowned. He was about to speak again when Megan, convinced she understood everything, stopped him.
"Let us Girls go look for her. It's almost evening anyway. You boys can handle bringing the Grill, Fuel, and other Things to the Seaside."
Although it was clear the Girls were physically stronger, everyone agreed to the Suggestion. They decided to split into three groups: the girls would check on Courtney and *Happy*, and the boys would prepare the Bonfire Party supplies.
As for the third group…
"Jackson, you stay here and keep your Friends company," Dick said, gently restraining Jackson who was about to get up. "We can't leave our Guest alone. We three can handle the work."
Jackson nodded in agreement. He did want to chat with Garth and Tula, so he accepted Dick's Suggestion.
Once everyone else had left, Jackson immediately began showering Garth and Tula with questions and concerns. When he had notified them earlier, they were in Class, and he hadn't had a chance for a proper conversation. He had been holding back a bellyful of Words for a long Time.
Especially towards Tula, the Girl he had secretly admired for so long, Jackson displayed an unusual enthusiasm. However, Tula, the object of his affection, seemed somewhat reluctant.
"Jackson," Tula said, as if having made a Decision.
"Huh?" Jackson, noticing the serious Expression on her face, was taken aback. "Yes, Tula, I'm listening."
Tula and Garth exchanged a glance before she spoke, "After the Party ends, we have something to tell you."
Practice proves that the Seaside isn't always the best place for Love.
(End of Chapter)
