Boston, MA

A straight jab with a kiloton of force behind it strikes Robert in the chest, knocking him off his feet and sending him rocketing backwards down the street and slamming into the side of a police car used to create a makeshift barricade, denting it.

“Whoa!” The police sergeant overseeing the scene, MacManus, bellows while peering over the hood of the car, “You okay, kid?”

He could say no, that his head’s swimming and the wind was knocked out of him, but he figured that wouldn’t inspire much confidence. As much as being a superhero was about saving lives, there was the inescapable facet of image.

“I’ll live.” Robert grumbles, getting back up to his feet. His foe must hear his declaration.

|Living is unacceptable. Death is target objective. Living is counter-productive.|

Robert rolls his eyes. He hated fighting robots, but apparently this one was special, an old school foe of the Marvels.

Billy told Robert its name was Mister Atom, though it didn’t look anything like the pictures Billy had shown him. That made sense, Robert figured, what with it being a piece of technology that was capable of being upgraded; if it still looked the same every five years he’d either be shocked or supremely disappointed. Sure enough, whoever was maintaining Mister Atom had gone and given him a new coat of paint as well as a few extra bells and whistles hidden away in a sleek, new body.

Like machine gun turrets hidden away inside the forearms.

|Kindly die.|

Robert’s quick on his feet, speeding towards Mister Atom and grabbing hold of the android’s arms before it can react. Whoever rebuilt the robot did well, but its build is nothing compared to the strength of Hercules. The arms rip from its body like a cheap action figure, Robert tossing the useless limbs aside. Mister Atom tries to strike back, lifting its leg to kick Robert, but he catches the foot before it can connect, tightens his grip, picks up and slams the android into the ground, over and over again.

He gives the android an appraising look, now nothing more than a dented husk, and he drops the limp body onto the concrete, “Clear!” He shouts to the onlooking police force.

“Yeah, I’ll say.” MacManus is the first one over the barricade, chuckling at the sight of what’s left of Mister Atom, nearly unrecognizable from a hunk of scrap metal one might find in a junkyard.

“You really did a number on him.”

“I’m just doing my job, Sergeant.” Robert flashes a smile, playing it off like a joke.

“Well then, keep up the good work.” MacManus extends a hand to Robert, one the hero readily takes.

“Thanks for the help, Captain Marvel.”

It still feels weird to be called that, Robert thinks to himself.

“Please, Sergeant, I’ve told you before… it’s just Thunder now.”

“Yeah, well,” MacManus brings his hand back to his side, “we hadn’t seen the big guy around in a little while; we figured you’d inherited the title or something…”

Robert clears his throat uncomfortably, “The other guy’s just… on vacation.”

MacManus gives Robert a look, one that says he doesn’t quite believe him, but it doesn’t seem as though he’ll press the issue, “Uh-huh… well, whatever rank you are, we’re just happy to have you here, protecting our city.”

“Glad to be of help. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” Robert begins lifting off the ground, floating away from MacManus, “I’ve got an appointment in Star City.” He turns and picks up speed, out of sight before the sergeant can even blink.

As he’s flying through the air, his earpiece begins ringing, alerting him to an incoming call. He taps the tiny earbud, “Hello?”

-Where are you off to in such a hurry?-

Billy. “Well, y’know, it’s such a nice day out today, I figured I’d go for a leisurely stroll—”

Oh, can the jokes, would you?- Robert bites his tongue. No, Billy wasn’t bitter, not at all…

“I’m headed to Star City.” Robert tells him straight up, “I’ve got to talk to Ditto.”

-Why? Y’know, you don’t owe him or his team anything. You were only a part of Young Justice for three months, if that. Besides, you’ve got larger concerns now. Mister Atom usually only comes around when there’s a new Monster Society in the wings. You should be focusing on that.-

Robert rolls his eyes. Since he’d lost the mantle of Captain Marvel, Billy had become a bit insufferable as of late. Robert figured it was him regressing, back to when he was a kid in the foster care system, before he had powers, but he was nearly at wits end with him. What Robert didn’t say was that the visit to Young Justice was also a chance to hang around some people he actually liked.

“Look, Billy, I actually consider these guys my friends, so if you don’t mind—”

-Y’know what, do whatever you want!-

The call ends there, with Billy snapping at Robert and hanging up, and Robert breathing a sigh of relief that his “conversation” with Billy was over. He felt bad for him, honestly, but that didn’t change the fact that Billy was acting like a total jerk to him. Why, though, because he was jealous? That was one theory, but Robert didn’t pay it much mind, especially not in the last few days or so. Not after an impromptu meeting with Superman. Not after Robert had been offered probationary Justice League membership.

Still, there was some part of him, some small, nagging part, which made Robert think he wasn’t ready. He hadn’t even been Captain Marvel for a year yet, but the League was already considering him for membership? Was it because of the name he carried? Was it penance for having to remove Billy after his fall from grace? Or was it that they genuinely considered Robert up to the task?

He needed a second opinion, and he knew where to get the best available, from a man who knows Superman as well as anyone.

Star City, home to Young Justice and the hero sponsored by the Man of Steel himself: Ditto.

|Flashback|

Three Weeks After the Atlantean Incident

Two weeks had passed since Magnus’ disappearance. Two weeks which Gabe had spent searching for his friend, looking for any leads he could possibly find on the wolfman’s whereabouts. He had become so absorbed in his search that he hadn’t socialised with anyone, only leaving his quarters for food and drink. He didn’t know if the others were getting worried about him, and quite frankly, he didn’t care. The only thing on his mind was his mission: find Magnus Boyle.

One would think that a protégé of Batman could find a breakthrough within two weeks; however, this was not the case. Wherever Gabe looked, Magnus was nowhere to be found. The fifteen year-old was beginning to get restless. Why couldn’t he make any progress? Why were there no clues? And why, just why, was he such a crap detective? Gabe knew not the answers to any of those questions. He walked over to his punching bag, intending to unleash his immense frustration upon it. As he let loose combo after combo, he went through every detail he knew about Magnus; his name, alias, age, powers, what little he knew about the wolfman’s past, his sponsor… Hawkman. Upon reminding himself of that detail, Gabe immediately stopped harming his sack of hitting purposes, and gave himself a good, hard slap on the cheek. Why the hell didn’t he think of that before?

With no time to waste, Gabe wrote a quick email to Jin, saying that he’ll be away for a yet undetermined amount of time because of a personal mission, and that he hopes that she’s doing well.

With that out of the way, he put on his costume before sneaking out of YJ HQ, using stealth techniques he rarely utilised. Taking flight over Star City, Gabe Harlan began tracking down the one person that would know of Magnus’ whereabouts: Carter Hall.

---

“Thanks, Hawkman. I’ll be sure to help him.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Magnus needs help in his mission. Good luck to you, Hellfire.”

With that, Gabe flew off. Hawkman hadn’t been too hard to find- just a little bit of searching and that was that. Once Gabe reached him, the older hero had been glad to share Magnus’ location with him, firmly believing that the wolfman needed help in his mission- a mission Gabe was completely unaware of until then. Magnus was going after the people that were once his captors, his torturers- the people that took him away from his family. Hawkman had said that Magnus would be somewhere in the Northern Alaskan wilderness, and that was where Hellfire was headed. The fire-wielding teenager was as determined as ever to find him.

After three days of switching between flying and public transport, Gabe was finally nearing his destination. On him he had only his costume and a wrist-communicator, capable of transmitting and receiving information through both sound and text, courtesy of Wayne Enterprises. As the country of Alaska came into sight, only one thought passed through his head.

“Oh boy… this is gonna be one cold mission.”

Emerging from the portal, Phil surveyed his surroundings, once more breathing in Star City's unique mix of ocean air and city smog. It was an old, rundown section of Star City. Phil adjusted his duffel bag’s strap before continuing onto the agreed meeting spot, a small Turkish cafe. When he entered, there was only one person in the room, his official mentor and sponsor.

“Zatanna.” Phil was cool. He had seen the magician only a handful of times in the last year.

“I’m glad you agreed to meet me, Phil. I’ve been concerned,” Zatanna said, pulling out a chair for the younger wizard. Phil glanced at the proffered chair, then looked away, rejecting it.

“You said you had information on the demon,” Phil said, redirecting the conversation.

Zatanna frowned. “Phil, this is more than just about demon hunting. I’m concerned for you.” Zatanna stood up, reaching out for Phil’s arm. He let her hand stay. “There is something going on in the world of magic. Rumors of growing darkness and chaos. Xanadu has made more than the usual doomsday prophecies. I’ve even heard that Captain Marvel has been mysteriously stripped of his powers. The world of magic is in upheaval. I want you to be safe.”

Phil brushed off Zatanna’s comforting hand. “More like you’re concerned the Helm of Nabu is safe. I’m always second to that tin hat to you.” Phil jutted out his jaw in defiance.

“You’ve been spending too much time with that Cockney curmudgeon. Jaded doesn’t suit you, Phil,” Zatanna responded calmly. A pregnant silence awkwardly hung over them. “Is that Helm safe?” Zatanna finally asked, a mix of duty and shame in her voice.

A sardonic smirk crossed Phil’s face. “Ha. That’s what this meeting is actually about. Not some Dr. Phil rerun where we all talk about our feelings and how much we missed each other. Let’s get this over with. Where’s the demon nest?”

Zatanna sat back down, and slid an envelope across the table. This was not going as she had hoped. “The info is in here. There’s one more thing, though, and it’s not about the Helm.” Zatanna cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Phil finally sat across from her, wondering what she was about to say.

“As your official Justice League sponsor, I have to tell you that with your recent actions... it makes the government, um... question your intentions. The whole reason we have this new Justice League system is to put a check on us superheroes, to keep tabs on us so no one tries to play god… again. Your time abroad… with the ‘Justice League Dark’... it doesn’t look good. You have no ties here, hell, you barely speak to your parents. And JL Dark is not the most popular team to the government. Phil, if you want to keep doing this, you have to go back to the Young Justice team, and stay there. Otherwise, your sponsorship might be called into question.”

Phil took it all in, and nodded. “I was going to stop by there anyway.” Taking the envelope, he stood up and walked towards the door. Inside, he was glad to see his old friends once again.

“One more thing, the team has been through a bit of a recruiting drive, so you might see some new faces,” Zatanna called as he left.

Great. I hate meeting new people, Phil thought.

Jin tried to smile a bit, looking up at the blonde girl who had greeted her. Part of her was happy that there was another girl on the team. Shock seemed to be in and out at random, so usually Jin was the only female. Technically female, anyway, the guys treated her like a guy anyway. She had no issue with that.

They wouldn't be doing that with this girl, though. She was pretty, and feminine, and if she was on this team, she had to be tough as well.

"Wisteria, huh? I'm Jin. Orbit, more often." She summoned a look that she hoped was welcoming. "I guess you're one of the new members my mentor told me about. Nice to have you on the team. I... I've got to go, though. If I put this off any longer, I'll be going right back out the door." She inhaled deep and breathed out, walking toward the common room. She saw Magnus and Gabe right away. At least, she thought it was him. He had the right hair, but the height and build were bigger than she remembered. Apparently she wasn't the only one who'd changed. She cleared her throat softly, which was something she'd never really done. Never before had she ever had an issue just walking in the room and speaking. Now, somehow... things were different.

Would they still mark her as a failure? As a quitter? Someone who couldn't be depended on?

Nothing for it but to find out for sure. She gathered her courage and squared her shoulders, praying her voice didn't shake.

"Gabe! It's me!"

The Shadows Have Eyes part II

Shadow Dancer disappears an is quickly at the building's entry where she summons a Mastiff and sends him smashing through the doors to land on the paving between the Lookouts outside.
Before they can react the three closest are swatted to the hard concrete groaning an screaming in pain but alive. Two try to draw their weapons and fire at the Demon Dog but her simply dives into the shadows on one side of the stoop.

Again Shadow Dancer screams just inside of the entrance before disappearing. She reappears near the building's Electrical control panel and grabs the emergency shut-off lever and jerks it down.

Plunged into near darkness the building becomes a source of future nightmares as Shadow Dancer summons as many of her retainers as she able from the realm of darkness.
These shadowy beings at the bidding of their dark queen terrorize the gang inside the building till some flee screaming in fear from the demons inside what was once their fortress.

Dancer appears from the shadows near the Gang Leader and two of his Lieutenants as they try and gather up the spoils of their enterprise.
One of the Leader's subordinates draws his Desert Eagle 50 and is pointing it at Dancer when her Bodak Body guard bursts up from the floor at his feet causing the thug to execute a failed double back flip because he hit's the ceiling. The Bodak is on the other dragging him out into the hall leaving his mistress and the gang boss alone in the room.

"Such a fuss and over what; Powder an Paper?" Says Shadow Dancer as she stands before a man who can't decide whether to run or fight.

"I am the Queen of Darkness, the Silence of the Grave.
I am here to weigh your evils and determine your fate." she says in a cold tone as her eyes lock on his.

"Weigh this you Bitch!" shouts the gang boss as he draws his 9mm and fires six times into the space she once held

Shadow Dancer appears behind him and executes an axe kick that chops down on his gun arm's elbow. She manages to hyper-extend the joint causing the man to drop to the dirty floor screaming in pain as his gun clatters into a corner.

"Did you know that even we Demoness dislike being referred to as bitches?
Bitch!" she says as she kneels beside the man then lightly punches the injured joint

Outside she begins hearing the police finally responding to the mayhem she's caused. She sweeps up about two-thirds of the cash they were trying to flee with and drops it into the shadow realm.
She waits till the last moment to recall her shadow minions not wishing to deprive them of their sport. Shadow Dancer disappears just as two officers rush into the room and watches the mop-up from the shadows.

Once things seem under control Fumiko flies through the Shadow realm and returns to the Justice hall but clings to her domain as she observes the others.

|Present Day|

There she was. Jinayah Ifriti. Standing at the doorway. Calling out to Gabe. After one whole year, Gabe was finally seeing his best friend again. In that moment where she made her presence known, he placed all his focus on her. If anyone was speaking or moving, he didn’t notice. He just took in as much of Jin as possible.

She’d definitely changed. Her figure was beginning to curve. While she was pretty before, now she was… beautiful. Though aware that this was all in his thoughts, Gabe felt himself blush. Where did that thought come from? Hoping no one noticed his gradually reddening cheeks, he began walking towards Jin, feeling an array of emotions course through him. Happiness, nervousness, joy and passion all coursed through him as he got closer to the girl he trusted the most… talked to the most… was devoted to the most. The sudden urge to place his lips onto hers came as fast as it went. Although Gabe was soft, he was no idiot. He couldn’t let a moment of ecstasy cause him to freak Jin (and his teammates) out. Opting for the next-best option, Gabe gave Jin what had to be the most affectionate hug ever seen on the face of the Earth. It took all his self-control not to crush her with enthusiasm.

“Hi,” was all he managed to say without his voice cracking from emotion. At one point during his time away, he was truly convinced that he would never see her again.

Jin exhaled, leaning into Gabe's hug. He wasn't angry with her, at least. That was a definite start. He was warm as always, but more solid than usual. There were other things, too. She honestly didn't want to pull away from him, but she felt she had to after a good while. Taking a half step back, she looked up at him. In doing that, she realized that there was more up to look in general.

"Gabe..." For a moment she didn't trust her voice. She fought it away- she wasn't going to have a girly breakdown in front of anyone. "You've gotten taller..." She smiled cheerfully. Before, he hadn't towered over her the way he was doing now. "And..." She tipped her head, her eyes studying him in an intrigued way. "Bigger." Reaching out, she gave him a playful punch on the arm. "You've been working out, or what? Your muscles have really filled out." He had definitely gotten more masculine in their time away. Jin wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. At least it was nice to look at.

...Now where had that come from?

"I missed you in Gotham, you know." It hit her suddenly that she hadn't told him about the therapy. He knew she had taken some time off, but as she phrased it, she was just 'improving her skills'. Not entirely a lie, but nothing near the truth. "I mean, there was more than enough ass-kicking to go around." Now she was lying, and for some reason it gave her a little twinge of guilt.

"How have you been?" She covered up her feelings with a smile.

A cough broke the silence before Gabe got a chance to reply. Magnus hadn't been paying enough attention to his senses while speaking to his brother, otherwise she would never have gotten so close without him realising. There was no mistaking her now though, her scent was imprinted in his memory, just like the rest of his original Pack. Jinayah Ifriti. The runt of the litter. Magnus's whole body tensed as she spoke, his muscles tensing for the pounce and his hands balling into fists.

Gabe had a different, yet still emotionally charged reaction to Jin's appearance. He instantly forgot Magnus was there, turning to feast his eyes on his old partner. Despite the pyromancers hopes to the contrary the wolfman couldn't help but notice the flush in Gabe's cheeks, nor fail to hear his friends heartbeat begin to to race like a deer in flight, or miss the unique and cloying aroma of arousal. The two Gothamnites fell into each other's embrace.

Magnus allowed the two their moment, despite his misgivings towards Jin. Gabe deserved it at the very least, because after all his brother had seen these last few months, all the horrors and hells Magnus had led him into, all the traumas Granny had subjected him too, it was about time he received some small measure of joy.

First Gabe would be allowed his moment, then Magnus would inform Jin as to how a wolf pack deals with a runt.

Shadow Dancer Appears in the Lounge

Seeing that all the other members seem busy with their own concerns Fumiko quietly appears in the lounge area. Her form flows like inky black smoke from beneath chair rising in a sinister column that resembles a tall horned female which then shrinks and solidifys into the form of Shadow Dancer.

Sighing she decides to take a seat while she considers her next move.

She has only been a member of Young Justice for a short period and still had no true contact with those around her. She understands why she should be a member of the team but doesn't know how to be one.

So used to operating on her own she's confused about how to begin. In her mundane life she is Miss Iga and everyone she meets her immediate subordinate or business adversary and she's been equipped to operate on those levels.

Heavy with thought she pulls back her hood revealing a face that many have said is kind and friendly but others have said is the face of a warlord known for taking no prisoners in the business world.

Star City Bridge, 3:26 pm...

A large grey man seems to be in a fight with local authorities on a busy bridge in the early afternoon. Buses with screaming children and wrecked cars are all around, with the police doing what they can. The metahuman known as Cinderblock was being transferred from the Slabside Island Maximum Security Prison [aka the Slab] to the new Supermax Penitentiary when he broke free of restraints and tore through his transport truck on the Star Bridge. Busy traffic is keeping authorities from getting backup on the scene, and a dozen or so police officers are trying to fight through traffic on foot to offer assistance and to evacuate the bridge.

Young Justice Underground HQ, 3:31 pm...

Ditto2 was trying to look cool while Shock continued to dominate the fighting game they were currently playing on the PS6. The original Ditto [Ditto1] was getting ready for a War Room session two levels below the main floor of the headquarters with Frostbite while waiting for Thrillseeker to gear up and arrive. Ditto was as shocked as any to see the grizzly young werewolf back at the base before going down to the training area. A more traditional gym with weights and other exercise equipment was in another room, down the hall from the War Room hallway restrooms. It also included a pool and shower areas. The minute Thrillseeker came into the hallway of the War Room entrance sliding his mask on something suddenly activated an alarm.

"Bout time you got here, was about to send a duplicate to see what was taking you so long..." Ditto1 began before the sound of the alarm rang in everyone at the HQ's ears.

Minutes later...

Canary was standing in front of the main computer screen in the monitor room. News footage on Channel 52 had live coverage of some brick skinned metahuman calling himself Cinderblock fighting his way through authorities and vehicles on the Star Bridge.

"Ditto, I know you're team leader now but with the situation I need you on crowd control helping the authorities..." Canary instructed.

"Understood." said Ditto1 reabsorbing Ditto2 as he came in a few seconds late with Shock.

"We need our heavy hitters and maybe a Ditto or two to get this big guy off the Bridge before he makes the thing collapse before we can get it evacuated. If you guys can knock him in the water," the older Black Canary began, "... perhaps a second team including Shock and anybody with tazers, utility belts, or blast powers can neutralize him once there aren't any civilians around. "

"Let's kick some BOSS!" exclaimed Ditto1 to the surprise of Frostbite and Thrillseeker.

~KL~

Beck was leaning against the wall in the entrance to the War Room. He checked his watch. Where the hell was Cal? Beck looked over to Killian.
"Maybe we should go look for h-" He didn't notice Cal coming down the hall, but he was cut off by the sounding alarm.
"Oh, shit!" He was prepared to just train in his casual clothes, so he didn't bother getting his costume earlier. He started started running down the hall, passing Cal.
"I'll meet you guys up there!"

He pressed his hand on the scanner, not even waiting for the door to open fully before he dashed through. The room was was rectangle-shaped, had a white ceiling, light-grey walls, and light-colored wooden flooring. His white bed was low to the floor, and in the back corner of the room. Across from it in the other corner, a white nylon hammock was stretched out wall-to-wall. Closer, there was a wall-mounted flatscreen, and a grey couch across from it, a dark shag rug in-between. A simple desk and chair set to the immediate left of the television. The room was mostly lit from a large window on the far wall, which gave a pleasant lakeside view. Obviously a hologram and artificial sunlight, but pleasant nonetheless.

He turned into the closet through the door in the front left corner of the room. Inside, three or four pairs of white suits and black hoodies (and vice-versa) were hung on the racks. He grabbed a pair and hastily changed into a white suit, grabbing his mask off the shelf. The bedroom door slid shut behind him as he left, and he made his way out of the personal quarters hallway and into the Monitor Room. He arrived just in time to see the footage of Cinderblock rampaging. Flipping the hoodie over his shoulder, mask in hand, he listened to Canary's advice.
"This day keeps getting better and better."

Veronica was styling all over Ditto #2. "Dude you got no game at all"She winked towards him. She could see the frustration on his face (although he was trying to play it off) and it was extremely adorable.

"Ah...but i'm clicking all the right controls..."He shook his head and gave an exasperated sigh.

"Blame it on years of losing against Gear."She smiled as the Game OVER: Player one WINS! came on. As she grinned super hard she noticed that he was staring at her intently. She blushed but this time didn't inch away. Scratching the back of her head she inquisitively asked "What's up?"

"Nothing. I just missed this...While you were gone it was just me against 1 and i-"It was as good as any time for Shock to just lean in and give him a kiss, and at the same time the alarm went off. Shock was pleasantly surprised that he didn't immediately bound off for Canary. After three or four more seconds of blaring, she broke the kiss and turned away.

"We should probably..."She trailed off, turning back around, as he nodded. Ditto #2 entered first followed by Shock, both a little late to the party.

After Canary's speech and #1's outburst, Veronica spoke. "Well, it's a good thing i'm already dressed." She smiled and waved to the new faces before grabbing her extendable pole. Veronica was psyched up for this mission especially after what had just happened.

Shadows of War

Fumiko listens to the briefing on the being known as Cinderblock. She pulls out her pad and does a quick info search on the target.
When her search comes up with results she reads how he is gifted with enhanced strength, durability and has a remarkable regeneration factor that allows him to reform after even the most brutal a destructive attacks. His main weakness is limited intelligence and his regeneration is slow. He is heavy in physical weight which on a bridge might prove useful near the edges.

"I believe a very brief plan of attack is in order as we lack team experience. I am able to fly at a top speed of 335 mph, move through shadows no matter what size, become intangible and summon various shadow creatures from the shadow realm to do my bidding.
Unfortunately I cannot communicate while in my Realm of Shadows because there is no sound in the city of night. I can observe what ever happens in the physical world from my own though.
I do hope I have not overstepped my limits as a junior member of this team says Fumiko in a strong but soft tone bowing with her finishing statement.

When she stands erect once more she pulls her hood over her head which fills immediately with impenetrable shadow and all that can be seen within are two pale yellow eyes that's pupils are a cross between feline or reptile.

Wisty returned the somewhat forced-looking smile with a sweet one, nodding and listening as the girl named Jin before her seemed to be rushing forward, towards the lounge. Must've been one of the old members, seeing as she was fairly knowledgeable of all the rooms and halls already. The blonde watched the smaller girl off with a final wave and then a heavy sigh, hoping that she didn't appear too awkward to the dark-skinned teen. After a moment of lingering in the hall she turned and walked back towards the inner maze of the cave, tracing the floor underfoot with wandering eyes as her hands dragged across the tight, smooth walls. Her eyes took note of the three in the lounge, who seemed to be playing some sort of video games, and the few in the kitchen who were preparing to practice in the training room. Wisty thought she caught another glimpse of Jin, hugging the man she could remember being called Gabe, but perhaps it was just a trick of the light. The noise of the lounge and kitchen faded behind her as she approached the living quarters.

The semi-silence of the halls was comforting, but there was a faint rustling from one of the half-open doors. Wisty glanced around for a while, taking note that her room was a bit further down the hall, and that the rest surrounded her. Most door were closes, but one seemed to be partially open, and there was obviously someone in it. Not wanting to act nosy, though, she decided to refrain from peeking in and instead leaned against the closest door-less wall, letting out a haggard sigh.

Despite the initial excitement the blonde had felt all those weeks before, now it just felt like the same routine everyday. Get up, attempt to socialize, train. Train. Night patrol, then more training. Eating and sleeping were mixed in there as well, but for most of the day Wisty found herself moving in someway, be it kicking, punching, or trying to talk. There had been no group missions, barely any tests of team work, and her caretaker still hung around so it didn't truly feel like she was dorming at college or something along those lines. Everything just felt... Painfully normal and quiet. And that was boring. Wisty lowered her head, staring at the floor with distracted eyes as her mind groped out for an idea of something exciting to do.

Then the alarm blared.

She straightened at the sound, a wide grin spreading across her face as she turned on her heels and drifted towards the monitor room. Canary stood in front of the main screen, and seeing the familiar face made Wisteria's smile widen even more. Once everyone else began enter the older woman began the mission specs, and the younger blonde leaned forward with obvious interest, smoldering eyes scanning the TV screen intensely. Cinderblock... He looked like a tough one alright. Once the meeting was adjourned she turned and ran quickly back to her room, untying her hair and kicking off her shoes as soon as she pulled through the familiar door.

Owlet laid across her bed neatly, all ready to be dawned, and without losing momentum Wisty threw on the costume and began prepping her utility belt. She had at least six of each pellets, her rope dart, and a few other familiar items. Once she felt ready, Wisty returned to the group, pulling her owl-themed cowl half-way over her head as she neatened her gloves and straightened her belt. A wide grin painted her face, yet she tried her best to appear cool and natural despite the obvious excitement that leaked from her smile. Wisty was happy, her routine had finally broke.

Apparently Jinayah’s enlightenment would have to wait, as a familiar alarm screeched aloud. Trouble, the kind that would necessitate the Pack’s intervention. He grunted, the noise voicing something between annoyance and appreciation. Without wasting another second he turned and tore through the halls towards his room. Thankfully he had already unpacked, his Fenrir costume in easy reach. The Nth metal armour had served him well this last year, but it was starting to show the wear of several battles, one conspicuous dent running across the breastplate from right shoulder blade to navel. The wolf mask helmet was the last thing he slipped onto place, before buckling his knife belt around his waist, the weight both familiar and reassuring.

He felt good.

He felt ready to hunt.

He was in the control room just behind Ditto and two pups, the whole process of gearing himself for battle taking mere seconds, a result of one of Carter Halls innumerable drills. A hero that gets ready quick, wins quick. He always used to say, while forcing Fenrir to don the heavy armour over and over again, though it apparently paid off. Black Canary was outlining a plan of attack. The Wolfman would no doubt be in the first team, the one to run Cinderblock off the bridge. That suited Fenrir just fine. He had a lot of tension to relieve, and savaging the stone-villain seemed like the perfect way to vent it.

It almost felt good to be back.

It was then that the air in the room began to stale, the stink of smoke and brimstone beginning to waft around his nostrils. It was faint, to faint for the others to catch it, but he knew it was there. The cause was easy enough to discern, but he couldn’t believe his eyes. A demon stood in the corner, or a least a demon in the guise of a girl. He could see her like everyone else, but she seemed to flicker in and out of existence, to be replaced with a horned demon. He growled softly, taking a menacing step towards her. She spoke calmly of the coming battle though, and the rest seemed to accept her readily enough. He stopped in his tracks, confused now. After all, none of them here were ‘normal’ least of all him. And after the Pack had accepted him, in the form of the Wolf no less, was he really in a position to judge her?

No, he wasn’t. He settled back uneasily. First the battle with Cinderblock, then he would have to find out more about the pups.

A cough from Magnus momentarily snapped Gabe out of his affection-induced daze, at least enough for him to answer Jin’s question.

“Yeah… I’ve been alright. I did a bit of ass-kicking myself, too.” He didn’t mention the torture. Or the large number of scars that now covered his chest and arms. He just put on what had become his signature smirk over the past year and gazed intently into Jin’s eyes.

Then an alarm started to blare, and Gabe’s smirk disappeared. Turning around, he saw that Magnus had already left the room. He faced Jin again, now looking rather disappointed, apologetic. Their reunion had been interrupted. Their reunion, which they’d both been waiting for for nearly a year.

“I guess we’ll have to catch up later… It’s really good to see you again,” Gabe said, taking one last good look at Jin before running out of the kitchen. He already had his costume on- it was just a matter of donning his mask and he’d be fully clothed, his identity concealed from the public. He rounded the corner into the control room just as Black Canary began briefing the group of young heroes. He’d be in the second team, waiting until the Star Bridge was free of civilians to take Cinderblock downtown.

Gabe stood behind Magnus, and the wolfman had started growling softly. Seeking out the source of his unrest, he saw a shadowy-looking girl. Not shady, but literally shadowy. She appeared to be made out of the shadows. She was probably a part of the team. About to rest a calming hand on Magnus’ shoulder, Gabe was glad to see him calm down on his own accord.

When Black Canary finished speaking, excitement began to bubble in the fire-wielder’s stomach. Unable to help himself, he yelled out.

“WE’RE BACK, BABY!”

Jin's smiled faltered as the alarm went off. Damn. Horrible timing, but then criminals weren't known for politeness, now were they? She bolted from the main room before Black Canary could start speaking, to the garage to retrieve and don her costume and gear from her bike. Leaving her motorcycle to warm up, she moved out for the main room again. She snapped the pink goggles over her eyes and the belt around her waist, pushing her hands into her gloves on the run. With a motion of her fingers, a pink light threaded through the electronics, and her orbs lit up in sequence. Thank goodness she was so obsessive about keeping her equipment in working order. Even in her off time, at least an hour a day was spent cleaning, calibrating and testing her weapons. She'd come up with a few new tricks during their hiatus as well- and as she heard Black Canary go over the basic plan, she exhaled slow, and smiled.

The excitement of her teammates, old and new, was catching, and she let out a whoop of her own, punching her fist in the air. Her eyes lit white-silver behind her goggles, and her orbs floated off her belt in response. "Let's go crack open this blockhead!"

Tintoretto/Brick

By this time, the giant amphibian had already chowed down on the half-eaten steak Fireman had prepared for himself. The delightful human lunch was a glorious experience for the alien. But that pleasant feeling was interrupted by a sudden and loud ringing from above. The alarm had gone off in the building, making Tintoretto tense in irritation. Though he had been surprised by the sudden ring, he knew exactly what it was.

During his short time on the team, he took the liberty to know everything about his surroundings - meaning the HQ. He took note of all the places he was allowed to enter and those he wasn't. Tintoretto learned of every different signal and calling, how to use all the buttons, and basically how to get around. Though he hasn't perfected everything yet, he does have a rather vast knowledge of it all.

Knowing that the alarm was a calling, Tintoretto joined the others in respect to Canary's cry. Tintoretto got there just in time to hear the mission briefing. The humans started to rejoice from the information, but the amphibian failed to understand their sudden burst of joy. There was a giant rock creature destroying half the city and these people were happy? That just didn't make sense to him.

Then suddenly, things continued to get even more weird. A sudden shadow appeared from the corner and spoke. It was of course in the figure of a female, but had the qualities of darkness. Most of these heroes had villainous characteristics. The shadow, the flame caster, the wolf-man, and more. Of course, Tintoretto couldn't say he himself didn't look like a villain, but he was from another planet, so it didn't count.

Anyhow, as the shadow spoke up, it seemed everyone decided to listen at that time. All she did was share with them her powers, pointless words in Tintoretto's mind. This would be the first time he would step outside of HQ, aside from the time he crash landed. Though he was anxious to go out there, he also feared what the humans would do. He was a monster to them, more monstrous than their make-belief monsters such as Dracula or Frankestein. He was a living monster, one that could harm these humans in the governments eyes. But this was his chance to show otherwise. Though a warrior in his planet, in this one he was a mere guest. And his decision was to fight for justice alongside these weird people.

"Let's kick some BOSS!"

"This day keeps getting better and better."

"Well, it's a good thing i'm already dressed."

“WE’RE BACK, BABY!”

"Let's go crack open this blockhead!"

"As your..........Ninja Turtles would say.................LET'S KICK SOME SHELL!" he urged, turning towards his already deemed rival - Cal.

| THRILLSEEKER |
Raising an eyebrow as Brick decided to adopt some of the TMNT catchphrases, Cal decided he was going to need a new nickname for the over-sized kappa. Not that it particularly mattered at the moment, what did matter was the poor display of leadership going on before him. Was Ditto seriously sending the whole team to battle one man? Even with Cinderblock's size and power that screamed overkill, it was just begging disaster to happen. Cal was not going to be responsible for the man's death due to poor judgement on some alien's part.

"Y'know," Cal started as he removed his helmet, blowing a gust of air out of his mouth to fluff up his bangs again. "I'm not feeling this right now. I think the other eleven of you can handle this. I've got crimes to track in Gateway City which are more important than tripping over the lot of you pummeling on one guy." Saluting the team with obvious sarcasm behind it, Cal paused as he walked passed Brick.

"Don't forget to yell 'Cowabunga' before you hit the bad guy. Oh and after the mission, ensure you get pizza for yourself. Maybe something with peanut butter and anchovies on it. You're well on your way to becoming a 'Hero in a Halfshell'. Turtle power dude!" Smirking Cal continued leaving as he ventured back into his dorm.

Yeah teams are great...

After leaving the cafe, Phil opened the duffle bag slung across his shoulders. It held most of the arcane hardware he had managed to collect this past year. Reaching in, Phil ignored the large metal helmet to get his cloak. It billowed out in the sea breeze of Star City, a blue so dark it was almost black. In a minute, the mantle was around Phil’s neck, hood drawn, and Phil himself was flying over the city, buildings and people raced by far below.

Phil wasn’t ready to go back to the headquarters, not yet. He still had nightmares on rare occasion about the Deathstroke incident. The fingers on his left hand flexed, going through their limited range of motion. The scars still hurt, were still fresh, both physically and mentally. John had said that wounds from that magic blade were hard to heal. Zatanna hadn’t spoken on the matter.

The clangor of battle interrupted Phil’s thoughts. A giant of stone was fighting authorities on the Star Bridge. The transportation truck was in shreds like a tin can that had gotten run over by a lawnmower. Phil reached into his bag once more, dawning gold gauntlets and a gold mask. The mask was ornate but not magical, It looked like a death mask of a long dead pharaoh, but without the false beard and headdress. The gauntlets were likewise golden, but had magic about them. Reaching the site, Phil quickly put them to use by casting a large dome-shaped shield to protect civilians from the debris that the stone giant was hurling.

I sure hope the rest of the team gets here soon, Phil thought as he strained against the onslaught.