[ WP ] The hero and villain meet in non-conflict circumstances .

`` Hello everyone,'' Goliath said into the microphone after having flown in the window. The crowd applauded, all he needed to do was show up, but he was supposed to speak, so that was what he was going to do. `` Everyone knows why I'm here, tonight we celebrate the forces that keep this city safe,'' he chuckled, `` that are n't me.'' 
 
 The crowd chuckled as well, `` As you know there are hundreds of police officers, firefighters, ambulance drivers, servants without powers that make sure this city is safe. They take on challenges that nobody should have to, just to make sure that people can live their normal lives.'' 
 
 He paused for effect, letting the room know he was somber. 
 
 `` When I get called up, I know that I have my powers behind me. I'm always going to have super strength, laser vision, flight,'' he pointed to the chief of police to his right, `` but these men have none of that, and they still stand up to the villains this city needs to face every day. They are powerful together, and tonight we are saying thank you to them.'' 
 
 He turned and smiled at the commissioner, `` So thanks.'' He shook his hand, making sure to be soft as to not break the normal humans hand. He turned back to the microphone, `` We will have people talking later tonight to present awards, but I do n't want to prattle on too long so the silent auction is to your right, and the champagne is coming around. Have fun, everyone!'' 
 
 He took a few minutes to make polite conversation with the commissioner, fulfilling his social obligation before turning out to the crowd and making his way into it, he did n't want to fly, but he could have sworn he saw someone who should n't be here. 
 
 Ashley gratefully accepted a glass of champagne from one of the waiters, downing it quickly before taking a second. She turned back to the other ladies that she was with, `` Sorry ladies, but I'm going to need a LOT of those if I'm going to make it through the entire night.'' 
 
 `` Why do we come to these charity things again?'' One of the ladies asked the husband of one of the richer men in the town. 
 
 `` We have to look pretty for everyone, what's a business lady if she does n't also have looks?'' Ashley said into her glass, taking a sip and looking around for someone interesting to pull into their conversation. 
 
 `` Looking for a date?'' One of the other ladies cut in, a brunette who had put on a little too much lipstick. 
 
 `` Hardly going to find one here,'' the first one chimed in, `` everyone here is divorced or married, some both.'' 
 
 `` Those are the fun ones.'' Lipstick cut in. 
 
 `` Hey ladies,'' Goliath pushed into the group, putting a hand on Ashley's shoulder as he did, `` mind if I steal her for a few minutes.'' 
 
 Ashley put her hand to her chest in a mock impression of someone from Pride and Prejudice, `` My goodness, little ole' me?'' She turned to Goliath, `` Absolutely,'' and then back to the ladies, `` I'll be back soon girls.'' 
 
 The pair walked into a space closer to the back of the room, by one of the snack tables that far too few people were picking at. Ashley leaned against the black tablecloth and placed her champagne glass on it without a coast, revealing her identity as a super villain. 
 
 “ What are you doing here Ashes? ” 
 
 “ Celebrating the police force, you? ” 
 
 Goliath sighed, “ Ashes, ” 
 
 “ Ashley here. ” 
 
 “ Ashley, ” 
 
 “ Thanks. ” 
 
 “ What are you doing, we are at a truce for tonight to give the force time to be here. ” 
 
 “ Yeah, so I ’ m off to. ” 
 
 “ So you ’ re here to make fun of me? ” 
 
 “ David, ” she said Goliath ’ s first name and picked up her glass, pulling it halfway to her lips, “ you ’ re taking this way too seriously, ” she took the sip and then offered him the glass, he accepted and finished it off, “ we have the night off, take it off. ” 
 
 “ With a villain here? ” 
 
 “ With Ashley here, I ’ m actually a donator to the program you know, have to keep you guys funded or I ’ m going to go crazy. ” 
 
 “ You already are crazy, ” 
 
 “ Fair enough, ” she waved over a waiter. 
 
 “ So you ’ re just going to hang out here? ” 
 
 “ Yeah, don ’ t trust me? ” 
 
 “ Last time I saw you, you locked me in a bank vault. ” 
 
 “ You ’ re alive, though, so I ’ m assuming it all went pretty well after that. ” 
 
 The waiter made his way over and offered her a glass, she took one and pulled five dollars out of her purse, “ Can you be a dear and bring something stronger for Goliath and I to share? ” 
 
 “ Absolutely, ” he scurried off to the kitchen. 
 
 “ Yes I lived, but the commissioner is going to have a fit if he sees you here. ” 
 
 “ He would have a fit if he saw Ashes here, not Ashely, he ’ s fine with her. ” 
 
 “ You ’ re kidding right? ” 
 
 “ What? ” 
 
 “ You think he doesn ’ t know? ” 
 
 “ If he knew I would have been arrested the second I walked in here without a weapon, ” she smiled at Goliath, “ but a nice bluff. ” She was right, “ Could you do me a favour and enjoy the night instead of just trying to get rid of me, ” she put her hand on his shoulder, “ at least pretend that I ’ m just Ashely, wouldn ’ t hurt either of our reputations to be seen together. ” 
 
 “ You ’ re insane, ” the Waiter was coming back with a pair of shot glasses. 
 
 “ Certifiably so, they could write textbooks about me, ” she grabbed one of the shots and held it up, “ but let ’ s try to have a good night, okay? Just pretend I ’ m Ashley, and that you ’ re David. ” 
 
 “ And if I ’ m Goliath and you ’ re Ashes? ” 
 
 “ Then you try to punch me across the room, but that breaks the truce and all hell breaks loose across a under-policed city, ” she shook the shot glass she was holding up, spilling a fair amount of tequila over the side, “ now grab yours before the poor waiters arm gets tired. ” 
 
 Goliath rolled his eyes and took the glass, holding it to Ashes, then they took it together. He justified it as a scenario where he needed to drink in order to keep a violent bomb from going off in the party, he wasn ’ t too far off.
