She looked up from her menu and smiled nervously. “It was…fine,” she answered hesitantly. Her eyes darted back to her menu. “I must admit, I have no idea what most of these things are,” she said with a slight laugh.

    Jay picked his menu back up and flipped it open. “Well, what are you in the mood for? Pasta, seafood, a salad?”

    Zdenka looked up from her menu. “I am thinking a steak, yes?”

    “Nothing wrong with steak,” Jay agreed. “How do you like it?”

    “Medium,” she replied. “It’s a nice change of pace from uncooked.”

    “I see,” said Jay. He took her menu from her and placed both on the end of the table, signifying to the waitress that they were ready to order. She came by a minute later with the drinks they had already ordered.

    “You are not having an alcoholic drink with your dinner?” asked Zdenka.

    He looked across at the auburn haired goddess. “I don’t drink. I’m not very keen on finding out what happens when alcohol interacts with Serious Matter.”

    “I do not care for it either,” Zdenka admitted. “I do not like my senses to be dulled.”

    “Nope, wouldn’t want that,” agreed Jay.

    The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both unsure what to say next.

    “So, uh, what do you think of Parodiopolis so far?” asked Jay.

    “It is, okay. I have not really seen much of the city thus far.” She took a sip of her water.

    Jay reached up to habitually adjust his cap, forgetting he wasn’t wearing one. “We’ll have to see what we can do to change that,” he smiled. He raised his glass to his lips to drink some of his iced tea. He grimaced as he tasted it and set it back down. “Ugh, I forgot. Iced tea is different in Canada then it is here.” He set the glass down and pushed it away.

    “Tell me of Canada,” Zdenka requested.

    “Well, it’s big. Lots of fields and forest. We have mountains on one side of the country and some of the world’s largest freshwater lakes on the other. Most of our population is concentrated along the border with the United States. Umm, we like hockey? Sorry, it’s kind of hard to describe an entire country without getting into specifics of different regions.”

    “It sounds lovely. We shall have to go someday,” she asserted. Then she blushed. “That is, if you would like to show me your homeland.”

    “No, definitely, I’d love to take you there. I think you’d love the wilderness in the north.”

    The two continued to make small talk until their meals arrived. Zdenka accepted her steak from the waitress while Jay started on his pasta. They ate in silence for awhile until Jay broke the quiet.

    “So, uh, how’s your steak?” he asked.

    “Is good,” she replied. “And your meal?”

    “Good. It’s good,” he nodded. They took a few more bites before he spoke up again. “Why is this weird?”

    “What do you mean?”

    “Us. I feel like I’m on a blind date with a stranger, but I’m not. Or is it just me?” he asked.

    “No, it is not just you,” she admitted. “After our adventures together, perhaps this is dull by comparison?”

    “Maybe. Not that I find you dull!” Jay jumped to rectify his comment.

    “I know that is not what you mean.” She took another mouthful of her meal.

    Jay set his cutlery down and stood up. “You want to get out of here?”

    She pushed herself away from the table. “Yes, let’s.”

    Jay left some bills on the table, easily enough to cover the cost of their meal, and guided Zdenka out. They stood outside the restaurant. “Should we be hailing a cab?” she asked.

    “I’ve got a better idea,” he smiled. Reaching into his Hatility Belt, which he’d concealed beneath his clothes, he pulled out his Toronto Blue Jays cap. “Fly with me?”

    She smiled a dazzling smile. “I would like nothing better.”

    Hatman scooped Zvesti Zdrugo into his arms as blue wings sprouted from his back. “Here we go then.” He launched into the air as the restaurant patrons with the window seats realized who had been eating in the same building as them.

    It was a clear night, and the lights of Parodiopolis shone proud and bright as they lit the night sky. Zdenka snuggled into his arms, feeling safe and content for the first time since arriving in the city. It felt right.

    As they soared through the city, Hatman allowed himself a sigh of contentment. All the soul-searching he had gone through after leaving Candia, all the heartache and self-doubt, all of it was washed away with her in his arms. He never wanted to come down, never wanted to land.

    But land he did, atop the Twin Parody Tower. He alighted on the roof and gently set Rabid Wolf down. He leaned on the safety rail and directed her gaze over the city. “I did not realize how beautiful it is,” she gasped.

    “It has its problems, but on a night like this, it sure is a sight,” he agreed. He pulled her in close and wrapped an arm and a wing around her. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that being a goddess of a northern country like Candia meant she did not get cold easily.

    “Why do you not remove that hat now that we have landed?” she asked.

    “Promise not to tell anyone?” She nodded her agreement. “I have a problem with heights. If I’ve got a hat on my head that lets me fly, then no worries. If I don’t though, I get uneasy.”

    “I would not let anything happen to you.” She meant it.

    “I know.” He paused to consider what he had just said. “I know,” he said again with more conviction.

    They stood there for a long time, but unlike in the restaurant where they had tried to be normal people out on a normal date and failed, they stood in the most comfortable silence either of them had known for a long time. Finally Zdenka shook herself from his embrace.

    “I wish to see more of this city, but your arms must grow tired sometime. Fly with me, Jay Boaz,” she grinned as she transformed into a majestic eagle.

    “It would be my pleasure, Zdenka Zarazoza,” he replied as he pulled his Philadelphia Eagles cap from his belt. He let the transformation manifest completely this time, and soon two eagles were floating on the wind above the city, winging their way under a full moon without a care in the world.

    Eventually they found themselves at Hatman’s door at the Lair Mansion. Neither of them said a word as they entered and shut the door. They sat on the edge of the bed, and their lips met in a soft kiss. The kiss quickly rose in intensity, and was only broken momentarily when Jay got up to turn out the light.

To be continued