---

Aleen'a felt super happy. Her team had shown their approval for her work and it made her feel like she just grew closer to them. They even smiled and did that gesture where they stuck their thumb up, she assumed it meant she did a good job. If so, Aleen'a was so happy that she could literally fly but she had to restrain herself when she remembered Green Arrow's rules. Things would have been so easier if she could fly but she guessed it was to make things fair. They could be judging her based on her abilities and how she faired well with working with other people.

At least they weren't as brutal as the Warlords. All of them took their training seriously so every day was just as brutal and taxing as the previous one. Unlike before, her kin was determined not to be invaded and enslaved again by the Citadel or by any other race so she very much admired everyone's determination and hard work. Still, just remembering her time spent there made her whole body sore.

Nevertheless, the Tamaranean happily skipped along with the group to the next obstacle. This time, it was a huge gap with these bars on top of it. There was no other way to cross it and her suspicions about the bar were correct when her teammates used it to cross to the other side. Some of them were fast while some took some time. Still, she really admired their determination and hard work as well. "Wow! You are all incredit-ball! Go team!" Aleen'a happily cheered for her teammates.

The two boys who went before them kept calling Zachary a 'speech devil', making Aleen'a imagine a red-skinned being with horns and a forked tail giving speeches. She also thought this might be some sort of, as they would call it, a figure of their speech. It must be like back home in Tamaran but would the terms they're saying can also be considered a figure of the speech? How could one even tell the shape of a speech anyway?

She got so lost in thought that she didn't realize she was the only one left as the others had already crossed the bars. It was a good thing the others went before her so she could know what to do. She grabbed on one bar and unto the next one, going slow at first until she could get the hang of it. "Oh! So it is just like that!" Aleen'a said like she had a eureka moment. She managed to swing across the bars while laughing happily like an excited little child until she crossed the gap and happily skipped again to join her group.

"That is so much fun! Let us do it agai- Oh?" She just noticed the other team lead by Black Canary on the other side of the obstacle course and going over the obstacles like Aleen'a's group. I am confused? Why are they also doing that? I thought they were doing something else? Should we help them or...?" Aleen'a asked.

---

Kila watched each of them as they followed, noting each of their particular ways of getting across. Which, they worked through it more regularly than he did, granted he was rushing to account for lost time. That was when he heard ‘Ja’ come from Felix’s mouth and Kila’s eyes narrowed. More recently he had been hearing his Amai’s nickname for him continue to spill from the mouth of more people. It irked him that someone else decided to start calling him that and somehow it started to catch on.

However, his reservations about the name could wait for another time. Instead, he turned his head to Kassandra as she complimented his agility. The boy shrugged, unsure as to how to respond at first. He hadn’t received many compliments on his skill before. ”It comes from much practice...but...thank you.” He responded quietly with a pause, eyeing Zach as he got across.

Unamused by the nickname about as much as he was by everything else the magician had displayed so far, Kila almost replied. However, Aleen’a’s phrase caught his attention. Turning around to actually look in the direction of the remaining obstacles, the Meta’s eyes narrowed.

As it seemed, because of the wait time that was required of the princess’ wall breaking feat, they decided they were taking too long. So instead of waiting and chastising them afterwards, they’d humiliate their efforts by not even allowing them to finish. However, given the Canary’s reputation, he felt he shouldn’t be surprised even if she had a friendship with his Amai.

”No, we should not, Princess.”

Focusing his efforts on what Zach had asked him, Kila pointed back to the monkey bars behind him. “You have magical power over objects...? Tell those bars to become an extension ladder and I’ll take care of this pit.”

---

---

When Viktor clapped at her and held out his hand, telling her to stop, Alisa rooted herself in place. She was a bit confused. Did he have a better idea? She had thought flipping the tires was pretty good, but if he had something faster…

Oh! Alisa smiled big and gave a thumbs-up to Viktor as he rolled the tire towards her. This was much better. And faster. As the tire rolled towards her, she stopped it with her hands, hefted it onto her shoulder, and put it on the pole with the other tire. They repeated the process of Viktor rolling the tire over to her and then Alisa hefting it onto the pole four more times until all the tires were on the pole.

Alisa stood back to admire their work for a moment. It hadn’t taken very long- a perk of having super strength was, well, super strength. Viktor and she were strong, although she wasn't sure who was stronger. Maybe they'd have an arm-wrestling match later! Although given Viktor's stoic personality, she wasn't sure he'd agree. With the tires finished, Alisa waved Talon, Casper, and Daphne over and began to jog towards the hole. Now how are we going to cross that? While Alisa and Viktor were strong, none of them could actually fly. Maybe they could throw the rest across? The monkey bars didn’t look like they’d be an issue since the other team was in the process of crossing them and they’d probably meet up in between the two obstacles. Well. Since she couldn’t speak, it was Daphne’s choice. She looked expectantly at the other girl as they got to the gap, waiting for instructions.

---

Daphne watched Cybergirl and Rain working together in what started out as imperfect unison. They got the first obstacle cleared in no time. She felt kind of useless and hoped there would be a part of the obstacle course where she could also contribute. Telling people what to do wasn´t her usual sensibility. Sure at times she did boss around her brother and dad a bit. It was a necessary evil, seeing as she was the only girl in the household. At least there were three other girls with her in this family. She was amazed at the display of strength both of them showed. Rain lifted up the tires with ease, it looked like they didn´t weigh anything, the way he was moving them around. Cybergirl flipped one of the tires all on her own, with the same ease. The rolling and catching part was also really impressive. It was a comforting thought to have someone with super strength on her side.

She felt a hand sit on her shoulder and looked to her side to see Hex. His little squeeze in her shoulder was reassuring and she appreciated the gesture. Daphne touched his hand in recognition. The smooth surface of her glabrous fingertips brushed past his clawed tips. She was getting used to the eerie yet comforting sensation of being close to Hex. Daphne followed Cybergirl´s excited waves to the next obstacle. Her heart sank when she saw the huge gap in the ground. Daphne let out an audible sigh, looking worried. The unseen depths of the gap made her anxious. Even if they did find a way across, what if something went wrong and one of them fell? She wanted to know the depth first, before even attempting to cross it. Just like the tires the teen girl went up closer to inspect their obstacle, again forgetting she was the only one who could talk.

She knelt down at the edge of the gap and peered down into the dark depths of the earth. Daphne couldn't see the bottom so she picked up a stone and dropped it in, focusing on the sound. With furrowed brows she listened carefully. The sound was very faint and she wasn't even sure she heard it right. On the other side of the gap the other half of the team was also approaching and they were loud. She hesitated, not sure what to do. Daphne cupped her face in her hands, staring out into the distance, getting lost in thought for a minute or two.
Maybe......she had an idea.
She wasn't sure it would work. It was worth a try and she could practice using this part of her power too. Daphne approached the trees on the left of the gap, looking at them trying to perceive something that wasn't really discernible. Which tree was most likely to talk to her. They didn't look very different, so she passed by each of them, touching their bark, trying to connect. Two trees and still not a sound. Maybe she should give it some more time, but with her own team waiting on instructions and the other team fast approaching she felt rushed. It wasn't the right mindset to talk to something as slow and steady as a tree.

Daphne looked back at her team and called out.
"I think I have an idea, I'm...not sure it will work, but I need a minute"

She returned her attention to the tree in front of her and placed her right hand against the bark, holding her left over her heart. Breathing in her mind went quiet. She didn't talk with actual words, it was more a string of concentrated thoughts she tried to convey to the tree, using less words and saying them slowly. She found that worked best with trees. The tree reached deep into the ground and would be able to tell her the depth of the gap. So far though it wasn't say.....
"As deep as it is wide"

Her heart skipped a beat with excitement. It worked! It actually worked. This was useful information. Feeling proud she skipped back to her group. She also had an idea how to cross it safely and it again depended on the strength of Cybergirl and Rain. They had to this in the exact order she thought of, to make it as safe as possible for each of them. It also depended on knowing whether or not Rain could jump this distance by himself, as he would be the last one to cross. Hopefully he was able to make it, otherwise she was going to think of a different way, it was either of all them or no one. She looked at the group with a little more confidence.
"The gap is about 10 meters deep, We can cross if you and Cybergirl can throw us over."' Her eyes were on Rain as he was an important part of this plan.
"But we need to go in a specific order for it be safe, Hex can go first since he can teleport and land safely, I'll go next and Talon after me, so I can break his fall if he lands poorly."
Even if someone like Talon would crash into her Daphne's physiology would help her recover, she could bend, but breaking would take a lot more.

"Cybergirl would go after that and Rain..."
She turned to the stoic teen, still feeling a hint of nerves when talking to him directly.
"You can jump over it if you're able"

She gave everyone a minute to give the plan some thought. She looked at their facial expressions to try and see what they were thinking. Daphne was completely unaware Talon had held onto his grappling hook, which would make for a much easier crossing.

---

The absence of life, Casper’s magic had strangled the breath of nature from every straw of grass. What remained was little more than remnants of the past, particles floating upon an incoming breeze. It was different from scorched earth, different from a withered plant. Rather, as Talon’s fingers traced the aftermath of Hex’s magic, his digits found themselves shrouded in dust, a cold and deathly echo lingering within the dirt, as if the very air had been replaced by emptiness. A poetic individual might have asked themselves if this was how Casper felt on the daily, if the infinite void left by his magic was a reflection of the boy himself. Would vegetation ever return to the spot he had defiled, the small area now negating nature's beauty? A resounding no. However, of this, Casper was aware. Perhaps with enough care and a shovel, one could amputate the dead earth, giving way for new life. Yes, it was an option.

However, the Wraithborn’s attention could not linger on what had been. On his mistake. Rather, attention had shifted towards Daphne, Alisa, Talon, and Viktor. They had moved on, and so would Hex, and there was indeed pride involved in this development. Daphne, their leader, was performing admirably. It was quite clear that the young woman had been struggling, her instructions appearing somewhat unsure, and her actions confessing to insecurity. She did not let this deter her. No, like a blooming flower she persisted, pushing through adversity with the help of her team, brawn taking center stage.

It was a display Casper would never be able to echo, a feat of strength he admired. The scrawny creature left much to be desired, his altered biology robbing the boy of what a young man like himself would otherwise possess. It was akin to someone combating an illness, a constant barrier between himself and physical prowess. Lowering his gaze to those tires, memories of earlier shone bright. Kila’s eyes drilling into the Wraith at his question, Victor’s inevitable disappointment in what Casper had to offer, and Talon’s physical mastery demanding a somewhat daunting prospect. How ironic, then, that something so physically inept possessed such deadly power. Even so, no matter Casper’s Necromantic aptitude, he found himself useless in this particular sequence. Again, irony struck. A boy, a creature, an entity with the power of death coursing through him wasn’t able to move a tire. The thought caused an inner chuckle, a mellow smile crossing Casper’s lips as he watched Alisa and Victor. The more he witnessed interaction with the world around them using strength and limbs, the more Casper was reminded that he wasn’t of this realm, that his strength didn’t come in the shape of muscles.

Flapping feathery wings, Coal flew to the other side of the pit, beady eyes peering into the hole. The darkness within, it looked almost comfortable, especially as Casper had spent an entire morning in the sun. It was difficult to explain exactly how he registered darkness, those spectral eyes allowing full sight in even magical blackness. It was different, and yet the same. It was like seeing during daylight, if the sun was the moon. An odd explanation, to say the least.

However, speaking of oddities. Who had dug this pit, and when? Let it never be said that Black Canary and her compatriot weren’t effective. Green Arrow may have come off as a whimsical relief, but tales of his exploits stretched far and wide. Additionally, the man was an original member of the Justice League, something speaking volumes in itself.

Turning back to Daphne, Hex nodded his head. Being thrown wasn’t the most appealing idea, nor a glamorous sight, but it was effective. Luckily, Casper did not hold onto pride. He left that for the living to fight one another in pursuit of. As such, it did not take long before the Wraith took to the air, Viktor’s strength coming into play once more.

Only moments following this peculiar development, Casper’s shape vanished in a cloak of Necrotic energy, all before manifesting once more on the other side of the obstacle, his dark magic reshaping Hex into a physical state. Adjusting his scarf, the boy felt how Coal’s talons landed on his shoulder, again. Soon, they would meet with the remaining crew, with the extended family.

A simple turn of his head revealed them crossing the monkey bars, another obstacle where Casper’s abilities offered no synergy with his group. It was almost awkward, but as eyes met the incoming team, phantasmal orbs narrowed their attention on Zach. How had he been getting along with his half? Casper was aware of how difficult it could be for the magician to make friends, and while he had himself to blame, few people ever allowed themselves to see past the facade. Weights were placed upon Zach’s shoulders, but getting them acknowledged was an issue in itself. Hex pitied the boy, but knew all too well that his presence was less than preferred if choices were presented.

Clawed hands slid into the young Wraith’s pockets, his focus replacing one team with the other, now aiming sights at his own.

Location: Happy Harbour
Interactions: Team Canary

---

Viktor simply stared down the gap as the team approached the next obstacle for a few moments before he also looked to Daphne. Yet again, her low confidence was apparent. He crossed his arms at his chest and looked between his team members while Daphne analyzed the obstacle, attempting to come up with his own solution just in case she failed to come up with anything.

Viktor found the time she took to decide on how to cross a gap inadequate. He wasn't sure what she had been doing, but her plan would work. Viktor momentarily eyed Talon when Daphne questioned his ability to land. That's almost insulting.

He gave Daphne a nod to indicate he was good with the plan before tossing Casper across the gap. His next action was to approach Talon since he was sure Alisa would throw Daphne once Casper cleared the gap. Clearing the objective was far more important than their minor altercation that occurred moments ago. He was sure Talon would be fine if thrown, but he also wondered what equipment he had chosen to bring for the obstacle course and why Daphne hadn't asked him since she was the one leading them. He side-eyed her briefly. He was not a fan of her leading them. Not in the slightest.

@DClassified

Kila gave Zach some instructions to turn the monkey bars into an extension ladder. The entire time Zach wondered who died and made him leader of this group that he could boss people around? That was his job. He was the celebrity of this group. Moreso than that wannabe Felix for sure. He liked Ja more. Ja was fun. This whole multiple personality stuff was a pain But, Zach hated this assignment. It was like high school all over again. He wanted to get out of this obstacle course with his dignity intact, so he would play ball, at least for now.

Now all Zach had to do was figure out the right words to achieve the desired effect. Logomamcy was not as easy as he made it look. You needed to be clear about what you wanted or things could haywire. He took a breath and said “reddal otni srab.” while pointing to the monkey bars with his wand. The metal monkey bars floated off the ground surrounded by magical sparkles, and twisted and formed themselves into an extension ladder. ”There, it’s done. That’s one spell down, and one left to go. Hope it’s worth it!”

Meanwhile, Zach could see the other half of the group doing the obstacle from the other side. Rain had thrown Casper across the gap. Is that really how they were going to get across? By throwing each other. How barbaric. Although, he would love to toss Casper across the room. His cousin already had a protege, him. Why did she need another for? Was he not good enough? Not to mention the creep factor.

Zach shrugged off the unpleasant thoughts and turned his attention back to the rest of his team.

---

---

So we’re throwing them, huh? Hopefully I don’t drop Daphne… It was certainly an inelegant method, but Alisa supposed that it was really their only option. Viktor, Talon, and herself might have been able to jump, but she wasn’t too sure about Daphne or Casper. For all intents and purposes, Alisa and Viktor were yet again taking the lead on an obstacle. They would just have to be really careful about not dropping anybody. As Viktor picked up Casper and tossed him across the gap, Alisa approached Daphne.

Unable to speak, Alisa tapped Daphne on the shoulder, waited to get her attention, and then picked her up. It wasn’t much of a strain, but she was heavier than the tires. And… it was a bit awkward. Alisa blushed as she tried to get her hands in the right, least awkward position, while also trying not to drop Daphne onto the ground. Sorry, she mouthed while shifting her hands around to get the best grip. Her hands were noticeably cold and hard when placed on Daphne’s skin, almost like a mannequin’s, except flexible and mobile.

Alisa ended up getting Daphne into a sort of bridal carry position. Now she just had to actually throw her. Oh, this was going to be hard. Throwing Daphne without any momentum behind her would result in her falling into the pit, but getting momentum would be difficult. Alisa chewed on her lip for a moment, contemplating, before turning to her side and starting to rock Daphne back and forth like a baby. Her head was on the pit side and her feet were facing towards the tires. Hopefully, with this method, the other girl would land head first on the other side. Gradually, the rocking started to pick up in speed until Alisa offered her a comforting, nervous smile and chucked her across the pit with all the force she could muster.

Oh, please don’t fall please don’t fall please don’t fall… Alisa crossed her fingers and closed her eyes, unable to watch.

---

Kila watched the spirit boy as Viktor had thrown him across the gap. For whatever reason now, he did not feel the threatening pulse from earlier, despite now being much close to him. Otherwise, launching each other across was an interesting method, one that they could have similarly employed. Though, asking the Princess to throw them across was, for one, needlessly dangerous.

Secondly, it wouldn’t help her get across as her restriction limited her flight. One miscalculated gesture could send any one of them hurtling to the bottom of the pit, and in effect losing the challenge of the course.

Walking over to the ladder Zatara had reconstructed as Kila had tasked him with, he threw it over his shoulder. Bringing it to the gap, the young Vet pushed it out to full extension. Having the same length as the monkey bars, Kila laid it out across the gap. While it cleared from one end to the other perfectly, he extended his palm to the team.

”It is not fully stable to cross just yet. I am going to the center to hold it open from beneath. That way, you lot can walk across without a misstep compromising the bridge. Once across, I will follow.” Kila explained.

Now moving toward the edge, Kila took a breath. Going down on all fours to evenly distribute his weight, he crossed it like one would climb up the ladder vertically. Once at the center, where the extension point was, he went to the under side of the ladder extending his limbs on the bars. This was done to maintain the tension of the extension as well as use his weight to keep the ladder grounded.

While under there, he watched as Daphne flew over him and the pit. He growled a little under his breath, still insulted by their teachers’ decision.

”Go now!”

---

Talon watched with his eyebrow raised as Cybergirl swung and tossed Nymph clear over the gap of the chasm before them. Hex had already made his way across without a second thought, his abilities allowing him to simply materialize across the plane. This was Nymph's plan, utilize the strengths of the team in order to get the weaker members across. Although weaker probably wasn't the correct term, just the less able to fly or teleport, or clear the pit in a single bound.

During the first hurdle, Talon did not involve himself - Rain and Cybergirl's enhanced strength meant they could be relied on to clear the obstacle on their own, with only Nymph guiding them through it due to her ability to communicate. And now for this next obstacle, it was Nymph who helped clear something up - the depth of the pit itself. Talon wondered if she had eyesight beyond a normal human's, or perhaps a mastery of trigonometry that she was able to state the dimensions of the pit with such confidence. He wondered how it was she was able to come up with the information. He'd ask her later, when he'd be able to speak again.

Rain turned his attention to Talon and Talon met his gaze. Rain had that serious look he always had on, looking at Talon expectantly.

"What?" Talon gestured to him.

Rain looked back over at Nymph on the other side, safely clearing the passage. Then back to Talon.

Talon got it - Rain was thinking of tossing him too. Inconceivable.

Talon looked passed Rain's broad shoulders to the closest tree to the edge of the pit. The height of which would do fine for what Talon needed. He brushed passed Rain, returning the taller boy's serious look with one of his own.



Rain had carried some of the team through that first obstacle, yes - but Talon would be damned if he had to be literally carried the rest of the way. Only a few feet away was a thick tree, one with enough branches and thick enough bark to climb easily enough. Talon did just that. Demonstrating his dexterity and acrobatics, he made it look effortless - easily swinging himself up to a tall and thick branch high enough off the ground to see across the way. Sure enough he was right, there were plenty of other trees across the way. Determined not to be left behind by the others, Talon took out the one gadget he was permitted to bring with him - a modified Batrope from Nightwing.



Pulling it from a pouch at his waist, Talon took careful aim across the chasm. The strength of the cable would be enough to support his weight, easily. And in training with Nightwing and some of the others, Talon was beginning to get a real knack for swinging utilizing it's clawed edge - easily clearing the gaps and spaces between the buildings and skyscrapers of the city of Bludhaven. This should be a cake walk in compared to those dazzling heights. Without hesitation, Talon fired the mechanism, the length of cable-wire firing outward at the thickest tree across the way. And with that, Talon dove. If he retracted the device at the same time as his descent, he should arc enough to swing easily enough across, landing safely and clearing the gap.

The theory was sound, but Talon didn't account for the tree itself. After nearly making it across, he could hear the cracking of the thick branch he had grappled. Suddenly it snapped, sending the wood splintering, and the grapnel end retracting completely back into the device. Talon was in freefall, and he wasn't going to make it clear after-all. Keeping as cool a head as possible, Talon braced himself, as he slammed just a foot below the edge of the peak. He dug his hands deep into the earth, grabbing on as tightly as he could in order to get as much leverage as possible. An outsider would note that he looked like he was free solo on a cliffside. Dirt and debris showered beneath Talon as he felt himself momentarily stunned. He looked up to see both Hex and Nymph looking over the edge at him. Coming to, he realized he needed to find another place to grab, but he was losing his footing, and pickings were slim...

---

Standing, patiently waiting for his team, Casper turned his gaze skyward, if only for a moment, to frown at the clear blue sky. Had it not been for his aura of dark magic, the boy would have perished long ago, his body dematerializing into nothingness. It was beyond him how vampires were able to deal with this, considering their inability to shield themselves from the celestial sphere. In opposition, the girl at his side, Daphne, she blossomed beneath the very same light that would spell Hex’s end. True opposites, in every regard. Life and death, as it was.

Casper recalled his initial moments as a Wraithborn, the unending trauma which followed a grotesque transformation. He recalled his father’s control, and he most certainly remembered the orders placed upon him. The inability to move at his own behest, the shackles attached to every fiber of his being.

Was it the same for Talon? Magical dominance over his very being wasn’t required for another’s control. While Casper wasn’t a therapist, or well versed in body language, his eyes told him enough. Talon’s hands were stained in blood, death surrounding them like gloves. Something else they shared, a past different and yet the same. They were both making attempts at a somewhat normal life, if this was what one would consider normality. The life of heroes, some may have called it, a title neither Talon nor Hex were soon to adopt, surely.

It would be a lie to claim that this silent mystery had not caught Casper’s attention with an iron grip. Quite unlike Zach’s interest in the physical pursuits of romance, Hex’s attention rather fell on the spiritual side of this interaction. Despite being stained with blood, Talon’s soul shone brightly, a young man with much to offer his team, his new family. Casper had laid eyes on souls so vile they were nearly rotten, with John Constantine reaching the peak of that list. The man was fully aware, as well. He had flayed his own spirit to the point of disfigurement, but it would be a foolish conclusion to claim that despite all of Constantine’s decisions, he wasn’t seeking to do the right thing.

Was there guilt in Talon’s heart? Did he remember the names of his victims? Their faces? Did he ever regard his time as a weapon pointed at an enemy with distaste and disgust? Irrelevant of Casper’s nature as a creature of death, it was impossible to recall the people who had died at the touch of his spells. Their names, their faces, their lives all erased at the behest of a man who once called himself the boy’s father.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Hex was caught off guard by the snap of a branch. He had witnessed Talon’s dextrous motions, his mastery over gadgets Casper was unable to even operate. However, the tree Talon had latched onto was not on the same page, faltering beneath the sequence of launching and grappling.

Falling to a knee, Casper extended a hand, seeing how his ally, his friend was holding onto the edge of the pit. Though muscles were severely lacking, Casper would at the very least attempt to aid the other boy, his expression offering Talon a faint, somber smile. With claws helpfully offered, Hex dug his free hand into the grass, feeling how sharp digits burrowed into soft earth. He was the weakest member across all of them, clearly, but there was no hesitation.

---

Cybergirl launced her forward and Daphne heard the wind whistle in her ears. She covered her face with her hands, not wanting to see the depths over which she was flying. It also caused her to not see where she was landing, and she rolled over the ground clumsily. To bystanders it looked incredibly rough and Daphne felt a dulled pain in the places of impact. Bark started to spread unevenly covering the dark green bruises on her skin. She ignored it and got to her feet carefully. She reunited with Hex, who looked unfazed by being tossed a good 10 meters.

Unlike she originally thought Talon wasn't being launced across, he'd brought a grappling hook. Daphne touched her temple, looking down with furrowed brows. Why hadn't she asked Talon? She completely forgot he was allowed to bring a piece of equipment. The teen girl sighed, feeling dumb. Maybe his way would have been much safer...

She watched Talon launch the grappling hook and steady his grip, right when he was about to jump she held in her breath. Her brain was screaming at her not to look, trying to protect her already battered mind. Her eyes went wide with shock and a subconscious scream escaped her when the branch started to snap. It looked like everything happened in slow motion and she couldn't make her body move. This was exactly what she was scared of, someone falling in. She saw Hex trying to reach out to Talon, which was increasing her panic even more. He couldn't pull him up and would end up falling in too!

Going on auto pilot she rushed to their side, grabbing Talon under his arm, holding on tight. She soon realized though, he was too heavy to pull up. All she could manage was to not make him fall in and she didn't know how long that would last. Her anxiety made it incredibly difficult to keep a clear head and soon she was yelling at both teams.
"Guys we need help!!" Her high voice trembled and it was clear from her tone she wasn't just scared, she was panicking. A 10 meter drop wasn't going to end well for Talon.
"We can't...." She adjusted her grip, her fingers digging into his shoulder. From in between the foliage of her hair slender flat tendrils started to wrap around Talon's arm and shoulder. Daphne was too frazzled to attempt to control their movements, much like the bark her hair acted on it's own. It slightly eased the force she needed to exert to keep Talon from falling. Until they continued to snake around his head, growing tighter, trying to pull him up by his neck.

When Daphne realized what was happening she screamed again. Luckily she had the sense to not let go, or they would both fall in. The hopelessness of their situation was getting to her and she started to cry.
"Help us please!!!, I can't...I don't know what's happening!"
With her other hand she was pulling at her hair, trying to keep it away from Talon's neck. They were not just fighting the deathly fall of the pit, but now also her own body.

---

Talon felt the grip of the rockface begin to slip beneath his fingertips. The strength in his hands was enough for a real foothold, but this pit was far from a climber's dream. He slid an inch further, attempting to dig his fingernails deep into the earth. He gritted his teeth against the sight. He looked around, quickly - was there anything that he could utilize for leverage? What would Grayson do? Talon reeled - there was nothing. Almost nothing. From over the end of the ledge, a pale hand with long black clawed like nails reached out and down towards him. It must be Hex - the ghost boy. Talon guessed he had laid himself prone on the ledge and reached out without hesitation. His reach wasn't quite long enough though - there was still about a foot of difference in where Talon was on the inside of the ledge. But there was no time to second guess his moves - he only had a few seconds before the earth would give way beneath him. He dug the heel of his boot against the earth, used every ounce of strength to launch himself higher.

It was only a millisecond, but it felt longer.

Hex was a boy who was already demonstrating an eager-ness to be one of the team. To contribute. Talon had admired his volunteering right away to fight Black Canary, noticed he was quick to console Nymph after their sparring session, and now here he was, willing to literally outstretch for him. Not a bad teammate.

Talon grasped Casper's hand in his own, but immediately knew the Wraithborn would not be able to hold his weight. If it came to that, Talon would let go. There was no point in dragging the boy with him for his own mistake. Luckily, Talon didn't have to worry about that. Because only seconds behind Hex was Nymph. She was on Hex's other side, and she too reached down to grab Talon, holding onto his arm. The three of them hung there for a moment, not quite being able to pull themselves upward. Talon's self-toss prevented him from putting his feet on the ledge for support.

He looked down passed his feet, saw the long distance he would fall. Then back up to his teammates, who were risking their own safety for him. Why were they doing that? It was his own mistake. It was his fault. His arrogance. He couldn't see Hex's face but could feel him straining his arm to help keep hold of Talon. Talon could however see Nymph - and she looked so worried. This girl he had just fought with, she too was a creature of such empathy and warmth. Talon couldn't help but feel supported....

Wait, no - he was actually being physically supported. He shook off his daze and realized it was because of Nymph's abilities - her hair was taking on that shape it had briefly during their encounter. He could feel her wrapping around his arm, trying it's best to secure him. If she kept it up, he'd turn out safe after all. He was about to try and thank them both, but felt himself get cut off.

Her hair - the living foliage that it was - had begun to coil around his neck. She looked as surprised as he did. They seemed to constrict a little tighter, and Talon could hear her calling out - maybe to him, maybe to Hex and the others. But everything was starting to get fuzzy. Talon felt a tear drop splash against his face as his vision began to grow white...

Location: Happy Harbour
Interactions: Team Canary

---

The silent tension between Viktor and Talon presented itself as the two exchanged looks. His brush past Viktor actually caused him to narrow his eyes at the back of Talon's head. He quickly shrugged it off and walked in Alisa's direction, but kept his eyes on what Talon might do to cross the gap. Whatever piece of equipment he had chosen was likely involved, and Talon scaling a tree narrowed down his guess on what it was. Good choice.

He threw a glance at the other group utilizing a ladder to cross the same gap they were. "Ja" appeared to be leading the other group, taking the lead and giving orders to the rest. He took a mental note before hearing the cracking of a branch. Though the swing failed, Talon managed to grip below the edge of the other side. Viktor watched Talon struggle with an almost disappointed stare. Help was immediately there for him in the form of Casper and Daphne….. Or so he assumed.

Not only could they not pull Talon up, but Daphne was unintentionally strangling him with her hair. Viktor actually scowled at how embarrassing this was. As Daphne cried for help, Viktor gripped Alisa's right arm and pants leg. He hoped she trusted him because he did her at this moment. As heavy as she was, he moved her as if she were a mere fraction of her weight. Viktor swung her around with a spin and launched Alisa with a grunt. Unlike Casper, he didn't bother worrying about how hard to throw her. He had aimed her to the right to avoid an even bigger disaster in knocking his entire team into the hole.

Not stopping there, he backpedaled far enough that he could get some momentum before he would attempt to clear the gap himself. He placed trust in Alisa, but you always had to have a contingency.

Kassy was pleased with their team. Kila had a clever idea about using the monkey bars, and Zach had the skill to make it happen. Was this what having friends was going to be like? Interesting if true.

Once she crossed the makeshift ladder, she noticed the other team getting launched across. That was one way to clear a chasm. Their team probably couldn’t pull that off, though, unless their new teammate Aleen’a was willing to get up close and personal with everyone.

Then things started to go very wrong, in rapid succession. Talon used a little rope to try and swing across the gap. But the branch he attached the rope to wasn’t nearly strong enough to manage his weight. It snapped, and left the boy clinging to the side of the chasm. Both Casper and Daphne went to help, but she couldn’t quite tell what was happening next. All she heard was Daphne’s desperate cry for help.

She moved without thinking.

“Hang on!” The usually quiet Atlantean shouted sharply. She ran toward the edge that the others were on, and took in the situation quickly. If nothing else, it reminded her of a giant squid attack. Those were common enough where she lived that she knew what to do. “We’ve got to cut the tentacles!” She pulled a small, sharp, hooked knife from her belt and started sawing at the green vines that were attached to Daphne’s head, going for the thinner places, but not ones close enough to Talon’s neck to harm him. Usually this was done with a sword, but the usual knives her hometown folks carried would do in a pinch. Daphne’s vines were surprisingly clingy, but she did manage to slice through two that had wormed their way around Talon’s neck.

Was he breathing now? She hoped so.

Second problem was actually stopping Talon’s fall. Without thinking about it or what it would mean for her team’s progress, she reached down her hand for his.

“Please stop crying and help me pull him!” There was a surprising amount of force behind her voice, considering she hadn’t even spoken to Daphne before.

---

Kila was on the ladder in wait for those of his squad to cross. Despite trying to keep cool outwardly, he was feeling himself get more tense as time ebbed forward. The other squad had more opportunity to simply beat them in both tasks and that wasn’t a good look. He didn’t want to get reprimanded in his first training session when the tasks given were so simple given their qualifications.

That was when he heard a boom from the top, unfortunately from the end of Black Canary’s team. Possibly Alisa using some robotic ability to get across. Though the body that flew above the pit briefly was not hers. Instead, it was the Talon boy from earlier. He did not have as graceful of a landing, not even makin it to the other side. He instead crashed into the wall of the pit and had to hold on for dear life.

Kila wondered what the hell happened for them to suddenly change the strategy they had been using. The only logical guess would be that the guy decided to go on his own terms. Regardless, he was in a difficult situation now. At first it may have seemed like something they could handle, just the two members of their squad who made it across to just pull him up.

Casper had attempted to do so, it appeared, with Daphne following in suit. Though it wasn’t long before Daphne cried out for help. Actually turning his head to get his first good look at the drop. From the looks of it, this would be no good for anyone if he were to fall down there. Kila was annoyed that the Talon boy literally didn’t look before he leapt as the saying went. That was when his eye caught the movement of Daphne’s hair.

A wave of the feeling from earlier swept over him...The strange primal urge swept through his system as Daphne’s power reacted out of distress again. Help Talon. It was a heavily conflicting feeling from when it was originally Daphne on the receiving end of Talon’s assault earlier. Kila felt conflict on whether or not he should actually aid them or not. That was when he heard the gasping of breath, looking to see that Daphne’s vines begun to constrict Talon’s neck.

In that moment, the decision made itself. He wouldn’t ignore the instinct this time, and thus Kila embraced it. Turning around on the bottom of the ladder, he pulled his feet up to shorten the extension of it. The end closer to their objective had been tugged back just enough to scape the dirt wall of the pit on the way down. Kila held tight to the top to keep it secure and prevent himself from free falling. Quickly shifting his eyes back down though, gravity was clearly weighing down on the falling edge and it started falling father. Kila shoved his legs into the rungs to extend the ladder again, stuffing the end into the corner of the pit.

When it seemed to be locked in its diagonal position, Kila dropped to the bottom from about halfway. He took a breath to alleviate some of the adrenaline in his system before continuing. While strong-arming the ladder’s position to aim to being right beside Talon’s position, he heard Kassandra’s voice.

Aiming his head up, he caught sight of Kassandra cutting the strangling hair. That was one problem in progress of being solved. He admired her initiative in not standing by to watch when things clearly hadn’t gone as planned.

In which case, when close enough, Kila climbed up the ladder as quickly as he could. With the group that held to Talon’s arms, Kila grabbed up his legs as he was stepping up. As he neared the top though, the ladder’s extension integrity began to weaken.

Thus, as the natural inclination was to hurry, he skipped a few rungs per step. It was when he was nearly to the top that he heard a click. Realizing what had happened, he jumped at the last second to launch himself the rest of the way with half of Talon’s body.

Kila managed to clear the jump just barely with Talon’s lower half as the ladder closed and fell the rest of the way down. With his lungs and heart rate catching up to the actions he had just performed, Kila stepped away from the group sitting on the ground.

Well...He had failed the challenge, miserably due to emotions within that felt foreign to him...but at the very least Talon would hopefully be alright. He’d accept the punishment for his deviance later.

---

---

Oh god. He… he’s falling! Alisa watched in horror, frozen in place as Talon tried to grapple across the pit and… fell. As he clung to the cliff side, she watched, considering her options. Daphne and Casper were over there, and they could help, right? As they did just that, she was briefly relieved. The two weren’t strong like her and Viktor, but Daphne had her vines and Casper had necromancy. They’d get him back up. Crisis averted.

Except things quickly got worse. Alisa’s horror only doubled as she saw Daphne freak out, shapeshift, and wrap her vines around Talon’s neck, choking him. Alisa didn’t need oxygen, but Talon did. Alisa glanced at Viktor, her jaw slackening and eyes widening. She didn’t know what to do, but she needed to be there to help. He looked almost disappointed. Why does he look like that? Talon could die! She understood that this could have easily been avoided if he had only let Viktor throw him, but still.

“Vik, you n-” Before Alisa could voice her request, Viktor had already grabbed her by her limbs, swung her around, and chucked her across the pit. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Oh, this was scarier than she thought. Alisa landed with a crash in the ground on the other side, creating an indent. Ow. That was a hard and painful impact, and she felt her nerves firing, but she still rushed over to the scene to help.

Kass and Ja had gotten there before her, thankfully. Alisa sighed in relief as Ja let the ladder drop and pulled his legs over the edge and Kass cut the vines. She rushed forward and broke the remaining vines (well, Daphne’s hair) in a few quick and hard movements, separating the two. Hopefully Talon could breathe better now. “M-make sure he’s okay!” she told Kass and Ja, trying to sound strong but still reeling a little from the sudden crisis. “I’ll handle Da- Nymph, I mean.”

Alisa took the elbow of the still-crying girl, pulling her away from the pit and everyone else. She hoped Daphne’s vines weren’t still overreacting, but if they were… well, she would be the best stress ball for them. Since Talon was already out of the pit, this was the best way to help, before Daphne's out-of-control body hurt anyone else. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? I think... I think everything's going to be alright. It's okay."

---

What else had he expected? Since arriving at mount justice, the boy repeatedly stepped outside his comfort zone but nothing quite like this. It was a reminder, an indicator. Casper was not a helping hand, it quite blatantly opposed his very biology. Those clawed digits were not designed to aid another, and no strength followed their movements. They were weavers of necromancy, and nothing else. Needled threading the weave. A Wraithborn seeking to assist a friend by physical means seemed almost unnatural, but Casper was willing to try. It was a mistake. Though the boy’s heart was in the right place, hindsight sang another song.

Casper’s inclusion had added to Daphne’s panic, which in turn pushed the scenario into chaos. Indeed, Hex had needlessly put himself at a disadvantage. How his father would have scowled. ’We are warlocks, getting our hands dirty is beneath us.’ Clenching his teeth, Casper retreated a short distance from the scene as it was playing out. Kassandra, Kila, Daphne, Alisa, far too many people involved themselves in this. Tactics were discarded the moment Casper was first to respond, his attempt at living up to the team spirit backfiring. Had he actually managed to grab hold of Talon more effectively, what then? The Wraithborn most certainly wouldn’t have been able to pull him up.

Despite a less than preferable outcome, the scenario had mellowed into something reminiscent of success. However, some damage would likely remain. Talon’s pride had certainly taken a massive blow, Kila abandoned his otherwise mission-oriented goals, and Daphne was having a breakdown. Shifting his gaze towards Kassandra, the boy took note of her assertive approach, something that may very well come back to haunt her insecurities later. Was this a learning experience, or something that would end up leaving scars?

Taking a moment to look at Aleen’a and Zach, it was clear who could have helped Talon in the blink of an eye. Casper was not so narrow-minded as to expect Black Canary and Green Arrow to retain their unconventional rules considering the circumstances, and the team, those who attempted to help, would likely get a pat on the back. ‘Congratulations for abandoning whatever regulations had been put forth to save an ally in distress.’ Even so, had Casper taken a moment to consider the outcome, he would have done this differently. The boy would not extend his claws, but rather, he would have called out for Zach. With hands free and attention now on Daphne, Hex would further have been able to calm her down, or at the very least make an attempt.

This was, however, what people referred to when claiming that in the heat of conflict, one cannot sit back and slowly consider options. Mistakes were going to be made, and they certainly were.

Shade, it was what Casper wanted. A reclusive moment away from an unyielding sun. Luckily, they were in a forest, and finding a good tree to sit beneath was a task far easier than previous experiences. Spectral eyes lowered to the dirt covering Casper’s claws, a swift wave of darkness passing over them causing remnants of life to flake away and disappear. “Well, that was a shitshow,” Coal spoke, remaining on Casper’s shoulder.

”Yeah..,” came a response, Hex’s gaze lingering upon Daphne where he sat, beneath a large, comfortable tree. Was she still crying? Alisa was with her. In this case, three very much was a crowd, recalling Coal’s earlier question.

“Ah, well, you did the right thing.” The bird stretched, nudging Casper with his beak.

”No, I thought the right thing..,” a correction, ”I did it wrong..”

There was a shrug before Coal motioned at the others with a wing. “It’s whatever, Cassy’,” he began. “Shouldn’t you try to console the Plant?”

A short pause lingered before Hex leaned back against the tree trunk. ”I think she’d feel crowded..,” his eyes shifted to Talon. ”And I don’t think he’d appreciate being consoled in front of the others..,” claws rose to casually motion at Jack, in the distance.

“The living are difficult,” Coal chuckled, “say, remember what it was like being alive? It was only.., a few months ago, wasn’t it?”

Hex took a moment to consider his close friend’s question, a frown bridging itself across his features. Mere months had passed, and yet.., ”no..”

---

The Warlords of Okaara had not prepared her for situations like these.

Everything seemed to have happened all at once. One guy from the other team tried to use a grappling hook to swing across the gap but the branch he used couldn't handle his weight and he ended up grabbing the edge of the gap for dear life. Two people came to help him but the girl's plant-like hair was strangling the poor guy, making her cry out for help in panic. Ja and Kassy managed to get to the other side to help the poor guy but their ladder collapsed on itself, leaving Aleen'a and Zach with no visible way across.

It seemed that most were focused on those affected, namely Talon and Daphne. Aleen'a would have done something but she didn't know what the right thing to do was. She wanted to carry the victims off to the base for medical treatment but she didn't know if she was permitted to use that power of hers right now.

"Oh no, what can I do?" Aleen'a said with so much concern in her voice. "Oh Mighty X'Hal, please guide me." She prayed to her god just as a scary-looking guy from Team Arrow tossed a girl over the gap. It didn't look like the girl was hurt at all, Aleen'a could see an indent on the ground where she landed when she stood up and rushed to join the others at the scene.

'This day just got curiouser and curiouser...' Aleen'a thought to herself.

When she saw the same scary-but-also-good-looking guy seem to prepare himself to jump over the gap, the Tamaranean knew she had to act fast. She quickly rushed towards Zach and lifted him off the ground, carrying him bride-style. "I will carry you to the other side, Zach. Felix, I will come back to you!" Aleen'a said as she ran back to gain momentum. She then ran forward at fast as she could and jumped high into the air, screaming in surprise and even in delight.

The pair sailed through the air with Zach being carried effortlessly by Aleen'a. When they got closer to the other side, she extended her arms outwards and tossed Zach forward so he won't get crushed by her. "Oof!" Aleen'a landed on her face like the first time she joined the team a while ago but thankfully, her tossing Zach would have given him a much safer landing than she did. At least both of them got past the gap.

Aleen'a coughed and groaned in a bit of pain as she rolled over and laid on her back. "Zach, if you can, please help them with your magic. I will clear the course for our team in your stead although that would mean I should not carry you here, should I?" Aleen'a sheepishly said as she got herself up and patted the dirt from her clothes. "I am sorry, I do not know how much help an alien like me would be for them so please, do what you think is best." She sadly said to him with a melancholy smile.

---

Talon's vision had grown white while the tendrils and vine's that were once Nymph's hair continued to wrap themselves around his slender neck. His focus was blurred, but he remained conscious. He felt his grip on the face of cliffside slacken, no longer able to maintain the necessary strength to keep himself rooted to the spot. As he felt his feet hanging precariously over the gaping maw of the pit, Talon's mind became still - he was completely at the other's mercy. He felt more of Nymph's foliage slither around and across his face, through his dark hair and across his lips, cradling the back of his head as the young girl above him called out to the others.

The pressure on his throat was beginning to truly burn, each gasp trying to retch itself through his enclosed windpipe. He intentionally slowed his breathing to avoid damaging both his lungs and his throat, an exercise in still-ness he had learned at the Court of Owls. He was able to stabilize himself long enough to feel the vines wrapped around him begin to slacken, and drop at his feet. He felt great relief at being able to breath less obstructed, and looked up into the eyes of the Atlantean Girl - Mirage. In her hand's she held a hooked knife, a serrated blade like the edge of a saw-tooth shark, or a fishing lure. She had hacked away at what was once Nymph's hair, clearing his breathing passage. She too reached out for Talon's hand, and Talon felt his fingers wrap themselves around hers. He felt her strength imbue his own. She was strong, she was brave. Like some of the others. But was she enough? Hex and Nymph still held him tight, and though he was supported by them, his strength was failing and he wasn't able to assist. Dead weight.

Just as Talon felt that the others could hold him no longer, the boy Talon knew as Ja had miraculously arrived at his side, with a metallic ladder in tow. The dark skinned boy with the big hair utilized his impressive strength, displaying his heroic aptitude and making it look effortless - he grabbed Talon by his dangling lower half, and practically leapt up the metallic rungs with all the grace of a panther. Talon was pulled by the helping hands of the others at the same time, and the two young boys were thrown up the gap, landing with a loud thud among the others. Everyone on that end of the chasm were all collapsed in a pile of broken teen titans. Hex and Ja had immediately gotten up and stepped away from the others, and Kass seemingly was looking over the others, catching her breath and making sure everyone was present and accounted for. As they all began to separate and get up from the ground, Talon recognized that there was still one hand gripped around his forearm - Nymph's. She looked stricken, and Talon didn't think she was consciously still holding on to him. He looked at her through furrowed brows, and pulled his arm away from her as Cybergirl grabbed Nymph and pulled her aside.

Talon got to his knees, and leaning on all fours, coughed once or twice, a vicious sounding tear at his throat. He reached up and felt the skin at his neck - it felt sore already. He saw the others disbanding away from him, attending to each other or else silently stalking off. He felt his face grow hot again, frustration and anger threatening to bubble back up to the surface. He looked up to see the members of Team Arrow had all abandoned their obstacles in order to help rescue him. Now he was nursing fresh wounds across his neck. He gripped the earth beneath him, pulling dirt through his fingertips, feeling the bits of rock and stone in the grip of his fist. He looked up at the branch that had snapped beneath his weight. How many times had he swung without effort across the nightscapes of Gotham? But here, on his first day, something so stupid. And then to be saved by everyone. And that girl. The sensation of being gripped around the throat by the girl he had just beaten in front of the others. It wasn't possible that she-

Hex was off not too far from Talon, and Talon avoided his gaze. Standing up, he dusted the dirt from his knees. Pulled out the batrope/grapnel gun he had utlized to check it's utility. How useful that turned out to be. How useful he turned out to be. Saving his pride, no one had said anything directly to him at this point. He wouldn't have been able to bear it. The Magician Zatara and Brightheart had made their way across now too, immediately checking in on everyone's status. Rain was surveying his teammates with that cold gaze of his...