A Friend with Some Bad Ink [Open]

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Dinah had been contacted by an old friend from high school, but it wasn't to just catch up, no... she needed the Black Canary. So there Dinah was, in her vigilante guise in South Gotham, the same neighborhood she lived in. She knocked on the door and was welcomed in. The friend was Michelle Carter, now Michelle Richards. The last Dinah had heard of her was that she had gotten married to a marine in the military, Mark Richards and they had two children, seemed like a good life.

"Hi, Dinah! Have a seat..." Michelle said. She was a beautiful girl, bi-racial with a white father and black mother. She and Dinah were good friends until Dinah's father was killed and she and her mother relocated to Metropolis for short time and lost contact. Dinah then smiled. "Thanks, so... what's this all about?" Michelle then quickly locked the door and sat across from Dinah at the kitchen table. She nervously looked to Dinah. "Want something to drink...?" Dinah now concerned on the woman's behavior. "Michelle... what's wrong?" Michelle then looked down at the table. "It's... it's Mark, my husband... he... he scares me." Dinah then leaned forward and grabbed Michelle's hand. She then noticed the bruises and marks on her friend's arms. "Did he hurt you? That bastard, he did! Didn't he..." Michelle began to cry. "He didn't hit me... he just shook me up a little... Dinah! He's been acting strange since her came back from his tour in Modora, he's in the military... he changed, he came back with these strange tattoos and has been aggressive... more than usual..." Dinah then wiped the girl's face. "Where is he now?" Michelle then shook her head. "I dunno, but he's changed... he killed a man in the alley next to our building... I saw him... he did it with no remorse... he..." She then paused, she had heard a noise. "He killed him with... you're going to think I'm crazy, but... he killed him with one of his tattoos..." Dinah then had a curious and strange look on her face. "One of his tattoos? What do you mean?" The woman then looked at Dinah straight on. "The tattoo came... I dunno... to life and killed him..."

What the hell? What is this? Dinah was confused and scared for her friend as ever. This is strange, even for Dinah who has seen a lot of strange in her lifetime. All of a sudden a small child entered the room from the hallway to the left of the kitchen. "Mommy... who is that?" Michelle then got up and crouched down near her child. "She's mommy's friend, Laurel! You need to go back to bed sweetie, it's past your bedtime..." Dinah then stood up. "You named her... Laurel? That's... my middle name..." Michelle then looked to Dinah. "I know, I always loved it... when I suggested the name for our baby, Mark loved it too..." Dinah then smiled besides the situation. "I'm going to help you Michelle, I will get you out of this and take care of him..." All of a sudden a woman appeared behind Michelle and her daughter. "Umm, who are you?" Michelle then turned around and was horrified. "Altera!" She then grabbed her daughter and began to back away. "I seen her with Mark, he calls her Altera... she's... she's... one of his tattoos..." Canary and the woman were having a stare down now. She had black curly hair and was very pale with red eyes and wearing nothing but a black bra and panties.

"Where is he?" Dinah asked in a serious and angry tone. The woman then just smiled and licked her lip. Then a man busted through the door and attacked Canary from behind. Canary then rolled into a dodging position and began to fight the man, it was Mark Richards, but he preferred to be called the Tattooed Man. The two went into hand to hand combat, smashing into the counters and cabinets and throwing things while Altera watched and Michelle held her child sheltering in the corner. Canary then go the upper hand and went for a Canary, but the man's tattoo woman then attacked. She kicked Canary in the throat and Canary was vulnerable. Mark then using one of his tattoos that was a chain wrapped it around Canary's neck and began to choke her. Michelle began to scream. "Stop it! Stop! Leave her alone! Get out of here!" The woman scream and begged crying on the ground holding her daughter. Mark then looked to his wife and child. "Fine! I'll leave, but she's coming with me..." He then dragged Canary and threw her through a window that looked out onto the sidewalk of the building. There was glass everywhere and Canary was on the ground cover in cuts and bruises, bleed from her head. She then began crawling to the road to try to get away and stay alive. She could barely move. 

"Get up Dinah..." She said to herself but,  Mark then followed to continue his fight before looking to his wife. "I think we should get a divorce, I can't trust you..." He then exited to Canary with his tattoo woman Altera following. Michelle was now screaming and her face covered in tears holding her daughter close.

*Notes: Tattooed Man Info - www.comicvine.com/tattooed-man-richards/4005-77989/ *

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Old habits die hard. Even though they had a nasty break up, and Dinah refused to acknowledge certain facts, he just couldnt let her face this town alone. He had spent his time back on the island to clear his head for 6 months, until he had what alcoholics refer to as a "moment of clarity" suddenly he understand Dinah, and all their problems together, and honestly, he wanted no part of her anymore.. Romantically that is. Even still, he felt the need to keep tabs on her. Which is why he hacked her computer and cell phone. And then it popped up. And old friend wanted Dinah to come visit with her. Oliver took particular notice to the womans name... A friend she hadn't seen in a number of years. What really called attention to this whole thing, she wanted Dinah to come to her house. Any time she ever met with a friend, it was at a restaurant coffee shop, or even the florist shop. He had convinced himself that he wasnt simply reading into this whole thing too much, but he was her guardian angel

He followed her to her friends home. He stayed in the shadows, and snuck up on the roof of the house. He sat there twiddling his thumbs. He had convinced himself that he did take this too far, until a sudden noise broke the silence. It sounded like dishes being broken. Maybe something dropped or fell over. Then she came crashing out through the window. Covered in blood and cuts. For that minute he felt like someone was torquing a wrench on his heart. He lost his breath and stopped in shock as he looked at his former lover being beaten.

Then the culprit showed himself. A man walked out. The first thing Oliver noticed was his tattoos. There was definitely more to this than just a built man.

Oliver took out an explosive arrow, and angled it to the side of the man where it just blew him across the street. He ran and jumped off the house, landing on the side walk next to Canary. He took out another arrow and aimed it at the man.

"Put your hands up!! God help me I will put this arrow through your skull!!"

He walked in front of Canary, bow raised and arrow drawn. The man standing across from him simply smiled before what appeared to be a woman came out of his tattoo and began to sprint towards him. Did I just see that? He thought to himself. This city is full of so many weird things. Oliver released the arrow, sending it into the creatures throat. It made the woman stop. She started to grip the arrow and pull it from her throat. The demonic being looked at him with a look of sorrow, then turned into a black mist that flowed back into the mans tattoo. A smile crept across his face as the tattoo freak ran at him. Oliver shot an arrow, which he caught then paused in place. Oliver raised up a small detonator, then winked. He hit the button with his thumb, which caused electrical currents to flow from the arrow, through the mans body.

"Ride the lightning..." Oliver said under his breath.

The man fell over, smoke coming off his body.

Oliver turned to Dinah and looked at her. She looked so helpless, just like the first time he saw her.