Location: Happy Harbour
Interactions: Team Canary and The Others

---

Viktor had been ready to sprint and leap across the gap, but the other group immediately moved on to the scene.

Not wanting to interfere, he simply watched. Assessed. In no time, the dilemma had been remedied… by others yes, but Talon was saved. He glanced at Aleen'a and Zachary jumping the gap to his side. It seemed Aleen'a wanted to continue the rest of the course, and he could empathize. Unfortunately, he did not believe his team could continue. Daphne was too distraught.

Why is she even here? No combat ability. Weak mental fortitude. Thinks too slowly. Lack of control of her ability. Low confidence. Physically weak… At best, she is a moving humanoid-shaped punching bag… and him His eyes narrowed at Talon.

"Pathetic." He uttered softly with crossed arms at his chest. As he saw it, there was no point in crossing, he was sure the obstacle was over, he just needed to wait for one of the instructors to prove him right.

---

The situation had come to a simmering conclusion. Wounds were being licked, and scenarios were being regretted. With an overview of the scene, Casper took a moment to analyze the stage, which locked his gaze onto Viktor. The tough guy. The one who likely desired to lead them. If Casper’s truth was to be heard, he did not mind Viktor in such a position. However, where Daphne lacked skill, Rain lacked heart. One led with her emotions, the other with cold calculations. Hex was not a leader, and he had no experience in this field, but he had heard that a combination of both was required for efficiency. Equally so, the boy did not possess any notably audible capabilities, but the look on Viktor’s face spoke volumes. He was not satisfied, and most certainly appeared annoyed.

Was that not a theme for this group? Those with combat experience lacked empathy, and those with empathy lacked skill. How ironic. Had his short time as an undead entity given Casper perspective, or had it simply dulled his emotional spectrum? Was he quite this apathetic while still drawing breath? He could not recall. Something as simple as the sensation of warmth had faded from the boy’s memories, and in a desperate attempt to conjure forth what he had last felt as a human would reveal a single emotion; fear.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, ghostly eyes landed on Talon. He was by himself, alone. Would he appreciate an ally’s presence, now that he was out of earshot from the rest? Lowering his gaze, Casper felt lost, unable to proceed with the best course of action. Perhaps making an attempt was the right thing to do, even if it did backfire. With a slight frown, the boy rose to his feet, attention now fixed on the human who had experienced such a devastating blow to his pride. To his usefulness. In a world with magic, gods, and powers, those without were left with a desire to prove themselves, and failure was a painful outcome.

Indeed, the need to prove oneself. Did Casper share this obligation? He had felt anxious when fighting Black Canary, but was it because of pride, his reputation, or something else entirely? His feet began to move, weightless steps pushing down the grass beneath Casper’s blue canvas shoes. Certainly, the boy was not dressed for physical endeavors of any notable scale, but it was safe to claim that for Hex, it mattered little. ”My.., mother once told me..,” came a spectral voice following Casper’s arrival, his phantasmal spheres peering at Talon. ”..that the master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” Hex explained, claws scratching the back of his head, ”I think she stole it from an author..” the Wraith managed a quiet, mellow smile as he sat at Talon’s side.

Looking to the clouds, Casper leaned back, his slender legs stretching out before him. ”I had summoned spirits a thousand times, when I was alive..,” Hex began. If recent memory served, this was the most he had spoken in a while. ”Dying made it easier..,” a motion was made to indicate the Wraithborn’s self, accompanied by a slight chuckle, ”..but I accidentally nabbed a phantasm that almost killed me..” Unable to stifle his quiet, ghostly laughter, Casper looked down at the bright, green grass. ”I was supposed to conjure my grandmother. She always liked to talk..,” he illuminated.

”A fucking Wraithborn failing at the easiest thing a Necromancer can do. Talking to the dead..,” there was a shake of Hex’s head, his tail gently thumping against the earth. A short moment passed before the creature decided to share his thoughts, again. ”We are no longer bound to our shackles, Talon. We’re allowed to laugh at our mistakes..,” there was another small smile expressing itself across the Wraith’s lips, ”and our past ‘owners’ can go fuck themselves..,” sharp teeth offered a reveal alongside Hex’s grin.

Enjoying the comfort of a branch, Coal tilted his head as he observed Casper's interaction. The boy was making strides in being a team player. No one could deny him that.

S E C R E T S A N C T U A R Y

---

Green Arrow was swiping through his private album of Black Canary pics when he heard a chilling scream, making him nearly drop his phone. He stuck his head through the thick foliage of the branch he was lounging on to see team Canary in a dire situation. He was about to string up a rope arrow and zipline his way down there when his team sprung into action. He leaned against the tree trunk with one arm and observed the way they handled the situation. Ollie had to admit, it was actually pretty impressive. The crisis seemed to be averted, but he still wanted to make sure no one was seriously injured. From the looks of it they were just shaken up. He contacted Black Canary while steadying his aim.
"Dinah, I'm going down there to check on the team, there's been a situation"
"On my way, I got the first aid kit"
Black Canary was quick to respond and was already rushing towards the other side of the pit

"I'll string up a way across for you" Green Arrow answered in a more serious tone. He shot another rope arrow horizontally across the gap which Black Canary could use similarly to a pole and somersault her way across.
"No there's no...." Communications were cut off as Green Arrow made his way down from the tree, sliding across the rope using his bow. He landed expertly between the group of startled teenage heroes.

"Everyone okay here?"
Obviously they weren't. Dumb question Ollie, way to go. He scratched the back of his head, feeling he should have intervened earlier. He really couldn't take his eyes of these kids for five minutes.
"Holy hell that was rough right guys?" He patted Mirage on the back, commending her on her quick thinking.
"Killer moves everyone...." He sucked in a breath when he realized his choice of words was pretty disastrous. Ollie wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. Teaching was tough....

Dinah arrived at the pit and looked at the "way across" Ollie made for her. Seriously....
She passed by Zatara and Brightheart who were the only ones who seemed to have made it across. The teacher nodded to them and continued on her way.
"Ollie what the hell is this?" She sighed and rolled up her sleeves running fearlessly towards the edge of the gap, augmenting her jump with her canary cry to reach the rope. She grunted and did a set of somersaults to gain momentum, but still had to use her canary cry to reach the edge. In what universe was this a way across.....

Black Canary quickly assessed the scene, trying to figure out what happened. Both teams were mixed up and looked pretty shaken. Green Arrow started to explain what happened, he'd used the time it took for Canary to arrive at the scene to ask the team some serious questions. Ollie knew Dinah was not going to like this, not in the least because he failed to intervene earlier.
"Talon tried to swing his way across with his grappling hook, but he misjudged the strength of the branch he attached it to"
Green Arrow looked back at the both Talon and Hex sitting underneath a tree together. He sighed and continued retelling the events.
"So he nearly dropped into the pit, Hex and Nymph were trying to pull him up when....., well" He was hesitant to explain what had happened exactly. He knew it was an accident, but it was still pretty bad. Dinah wasn't going to let this slide.
"Nymph's powers went kind of haywire and made things worse, she.....nearly strangled Talon"

Dinah's eyes narrowed. This was unexpected. She hadn't realized Nymph's powers to be this volatile, dangerous even. Judging from the girls reaction she hadn't either. That was a problem for later though. Without saying anything Black Canary walked up to Talon and kneeled down next to him. Not waiting for his permission she started to inspect him for any injuries. His neck looked pretty bruised, and there were a few shallow cuts from the edge of the sharp leaves. She knew he wouldn't likely appreciate her patching him up in front of the team, so she opted for giving him the medical kit.
"Go patch yourself up Talon and rest at the HQ, if you feel any worse or have problems with your breathing report to me immediately"
She gave him a stern look to make it clear this wasn't the time to act tough.

Black Canary got up from the ground and turned to the rest of the team.
"The obstacle course is over."
She thought on the best plan of action, surveying the condition of the rest of the team. Team Canary was definitely out of the game, but she wanted to give the others the opportunity to engage in a sparring session. It was important she got a good reading on their combat prowess, it was going to shape future training sessions.
"Team Canary is dismissed, Team Arrow you can take a short break and join back up with me in the clearing for your sparring session."

---

Daphne was still shaking even though Cybergirl was holding her steadily. She couldn't believe what had just happened, it was all a blur.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt? I think... I think everything's going to be alright. It's okay."

She was too shocked to say anything, too upset to continue crying. Daphne didn't want to draw any more attention to herself, they should worry about the people who needed it more. She swallowed hard and tried to compose herself, sniffing quietly. Black Canary had joined them and was explaining the next course of action. Daphne glanced at Talon, feeling terrible about what she'd done. Though she looked away quickly, scared they would make eye contact.

Relief washed over her knowing they would no longer continue training. It would best if she would just leave now, go back to her room and hide out there. She felt like something was stuck in her chest, like she hadn't let out every emotion. Her tears and sadness were stuck. Stuck because this was not the time and place to work through them. It made it difficult for her to talk. Daphne squeezed Cybergirls cold hard hand, but could not manage a smile when she looked at her face.
"Thanks Cybergirl, I'm...I.." She didn't finish her sentence and quickly turned around.

Daphne took the trail back to the clearing. Her feet kept moving faster and faster until she was almost running. She reached the grass field at the entrance to the HQ, completely out of breath. The sun was moving further up into the center of the sky. Daphne could feel her body react to the light and at the same time exhaustion started to settle in. With a sigh she lowered herself to the ground laying down. She rolled onto her side and drew up her legs, holding her hands to her chest. Daphne closed her eyes and tried to forget about what had happened, falling asleep while her body regenerated itself.

---

Talon heard the approach of the young ghost boy, the one who had quickly established himself as the one to check on the others. Talon felt irritated that he needed to be supported at all in this way, but was deep down bedgrudgingly grateful that Hex was willing to approach him at all, with a friendly enough disposition. Talon would be lying however if a part of him didn't feel he was being patronized. Having to have his hand held like his mistake was some sort of game-changing event in their entire training regime. Talon was pissed off, honestly - but unsure how to shake it off. He didn't think it would be kind to take his frustration out on Hex. He felt like lashing out, but the boy was just trying to be nice.

Still...

Hex was sitting next to him now, and despite the kind words that Hex was expressing to Talon, he listened through gritted teeth. Despite only just meeting, Hex was speaking so familiarly with Talon. It was a little overwhelming. Was Talon expected to speak about his past? Did he now owe that to Hex? No, he didn't owe anyone anything. Not now. All he wanted to do was make a place for himself on the team, and instead he gave everyone else a hero moment. The boy felt like he was shaking from an entire litany of emotions - anger, embarrassment, he felt exposed. He wanted to swing at Hex just for being near him. But that's not what Nightwing would have wanted him to do. Hex began speaking about the shackles of the past, talking about ownership. What did he expect to know about him? Did he know where Talon had come from? He doubted it - Nightwing wouldn't share any of his past with his new teammates, and the only one who may know about his history with the Court of Owls might have been Rain, as he worked so closely out of Gotham. He scrutinized Hex through the black of his domino mask before faltering. The boy was being too genuine to get irritated with. That just irritated Talon further. He was about to speak up when both Green Arrow and Black Canary finally made their approach.

Black Canary approached him with a serious look and Talon felt like he was about to be reprimanded. Instead, she grabbed his chin in her gloved hand and gave him an inspection of his current wounds. He felt the soreness as soon as she turned his head to the left and the right. Her fingers pinched around his neck and he felt the tenderness of growing bruises. No doubt from Nymph's wrapped vines. He hadn't even noticed that he had small lacerations from them as well. He was dismissed from the others, ordered to go back to the base in order to clean himself up and rest. Nurse his wounds like a small child.

He opened his mouth to protest but she quickly told him it wasn't the time. He pulled the med-kit she offered for him brusquely and stormed off, not looking at the others. If they had anything to say - fine. They should be grateful he gave them a moment to stand out. He was the one that was attacked by an ally, choked by that girl and her out of control powers. But is that what really happened? She had a sunny disposition otherwise, didn't come off as angry and volatile. Maybe it was a mistake? He spared a quick glance at her, but Cybergirl was still huddled with her, trying to help. Still, the whole thing put Talon in a foul mood. He'd have confronted Nymph directly right then and there, but he wasn't sure what he would say. He was angry, and likely would snap at her, like he felt doing with Hex. But his anger at Nymph felt more justified. He was seeing red - What could he do to dispel it? Typically he would spar or something physical - but he didn't want to face any of his teammates right now...



Talon was back at the base now - it seemed the others that were on "Team Canary" during the training session were all dismissed at the same time. Talon wondered if they resented that. He wondered if the rest of his new team was more upset with him or Nymph. It was obvious her powers can sometimes run uncontrollably - a risk that many metahumans undoubtedly had to deal with.

He had successfully avoided the others since they had gotten back. He had heard Cybergirl interacting with someone in the kitchen, and so deftly avoided having to see them, stepping silently through the halls of Mt. Justice. He was on his way to the showers, but avoiding the others had him taking a long way around, and so he ended up near the front entrance of base. For some reason he couldn't quite explain, Talon headed outside, his towel in hand. He felt the need to climb a tree - get high up. He always did his best thinking up high, always saw better from a distance. It was the owl-like nature of growing up the way he did. He wasn't suited for ground level...

In the main hall, Talon immediately was noticed by Red Tornado - the group's psuedo-babysitter. He wondered if the android had already been informed of the teams failure earlier this morning. Talon wanted to turn around to avoid conversation, but too late. The android's robotic voice called out to him.

"Talon. The others were looking for you. If you'd like some time for yourself, I'd suggest the fresh air. You may find solace there."

Talon nodded. He wasn't able to speak. He stepped outside into the fresh air.

For whatever reason, he opted to take a stroll. The base of Mt Justice was filled with beautiful foliage - a far cry from the urban cityscape he had grown up in in Gotham. Talon was finding the breath of fresh air and lack of light pollution calming in ways he wouldn't have expected. Not far from the base, he came to a small clearing in the grass. There were flowers that Talon couldn't name. He had never been in a garden before. He had never been in the woods before, not really. Everything about his new home was foreign to him. He felt so out of place, so out of his depth. His anger, his loneliness, it all swirled around him in a complex wave of who he was as a person. As he scanned the beautiful greenery before him, he realized that one of the flowery spectacles he was eyeing wasn't in fact a flower at all.

It was a girl.

In fact it was the girl.

Seemingly on the forest floor, soaking in the sun's rays, was Nymph. She was in her plant form, nearly camouflaged. That would explain while he hadn't noticed her. Talon was carrying around such frustration with her, and if he had spotted her even ten minutes ago inside the building, knew for sure he would have snapped at her, grabbed her and confronted her about what she did to him, how she had embarrassed him. But Talon was struck by her at this moment. She was laying on the earth as if she was a part of it. Talon had a hard time telling where the world ended and she began. He traced the length of her with his eyes, the leaves and vines that had once caused him pain now looked as innocent and harmless as a breeze. As light as the grass he walked on. Talon held his breath and watched as it seemed as though the earth itself breathed along with her.

In that moment, all of Talon's anger seemed to seep away from him, swept away in the same breeze that tossed loose leaves along the ground. Talon knew at that moment he was not angry at Nymph, not upset that she had lost control.

He was mad at himself for failing. He had let himself down. He wondered if he had let Nightwing down too. And oracle.

Talon turned...and ran.



Not long after, Talon stood in the hot shower, letting the steam rise among the slick tiles. His dark hair was now down over his eyes. He felt at peace whenever he was in the shower, where he got most of his thinking done. He also didn't want to have to socialize with the others until his bad mood passed. He touched his neck - the light bleeding had already stopped, more like scratches than anything. But he began to have a bruise spread across his neck. He scrubbed the dirt out from under his fingernails, getting the grime he had gripped so tightly as he hung ominously over the obstacle pit. He wasn't sure if the other half of the team had come back yet, or what the plan for the rest of the evening was. He wasn't currently enrolled in school like some of the others, so his days would be pretty much his own until missions or training exercises. He thought he had remembered Nightwing mention to him that there would be social outings during his time spent on the team, and wondered whether he'd ever be willing to take part. He didn't know where he stood with the team, with these Teen Titans, with Young Justice...

---

Had he made a mistake? Another one? Casper remained seated where he was, watching Talon stand and leave at Black Canary’s behest. Training had reached its conclusion, and what a catastrophic end it was. Anger likely melded with anxiety, and perhaps even sorrow, all of which centered itself within Talon’s chest. The boy’s domino mask had managed to obfuscate his expression, and Casper was not an empath. He was merely empathetic. Dancing between the layers of life and death had, in a way, given him perspective. That much was certainly true. Spirits tended towards a less joyous approach, and perhaps Hex’s role of shepherd for the lost had armed him with the capabilities of being a shoulder to try on, as the phrase went.

The truth of the matter was that Casper knew nothing of Talon’s past, however a person’s soul expressed far more than one’s bright energy initially conveyed. It was a lesson he had been taught by his mother, as Hex’s passive ability to see souls could be actively accomplished by Necromancers through the use of spells.

There was death coating Talon’s essence, and where Casper refrained from judging the boy, he could draw an obvious conclusion. Talon had been a killer, a murderer, an assassin, and now he was here, among the rest. It spoke volumes in itself. Like Hex, the reformed soldier had been used by others, a weapon to be wielded. Words needed not be uttered for such revelations.

Perhaps this was what drew Casper to the mysterious individual. The selective mute, the one who treaded in silence, a person whose soul spoke the loudest. Hex’s mother would consider this a poetic turn of events. “Was this also the wrong thing to do?” Coal asked, descending to Casper’s shoulder, before a beak likely pecked at the boy’s cheek.

A soft shake of Casper’s head segwayed into his response, ”No, I think I did the right thing..,” he offered, ghostly eyes remaining fixed on the assassin as he made himself scarce.

“Am I sensing a crush!?” Coal exclaimed as the teen stood, his reaction leaving much to be desired. Rather, Casper’s gaze fell to the grass, his clawed digits finding home within the comfort of a leather jacket.

”You’re sensing compassion..,” the Wraithborn commented, playfully flicking his friend before weightless steps carried him back to their headquarters. It had been a rather eventful day to be sure, and it felt relaxing to finally find himself freed from the sun, that black aura surrounding Casper dissipating as he stepped beyond heavy, metal doors.

“So, whaddya’ make of the team, Zombie Boy?” The crow continued, stretching his wings as Casper started towards the lounge.

”There’s an imbalance..,” Hex’s spectral voice trickled past his lips, ”How will some of them react to the field..?” Casper uttered, pausing after he arrived at the lounge. It was empty, with everyone else either taking a breather, remaining outside, or having a shower. Lacking the features required for the latter to serve its purpose, Casper discarded the notion, and if that’s where Talon currently resided, circumstances would likely grow awkward. ‘Cooling off’ was a concept Casper was all too familiar with.

“Oh come on, you think everything will end up in blood and gore?” Coal laughed, flying onto the kitchen faucet as he watched his dearest, and closest friend opening the fridge. “This isn’t our world, Casper. I am sure we won’t run into ghosts, zombies, and bodies hanging from hooks.”

It was true that Hex’s usual venues were far darker, and certainly more morbid than streets patrolled by superheroes. Haunted houses were not only filled with dust and cobwebs. Equally so, Casper’s ventures before becoming a Wraithborn placed him in scenarios others would consider horrific nightmares. ”People will die..,” claws wrapped around a soda bottle, the sound of Casper’s ebony digits clicking against the glass.

“Oh, look at this ray of sunshine,” the crow shook his head. “Cassy’, those unused to the harshness of reality and all that shit will learn, stop being so fucking edgy, and give me some of that!” A wing pointed at the flask in Hex’s hand.

Reaching for a glass, Casper poured his feathery friend a serving before talons gripped its fragile edge, a beak occasionally dipped into the sweet liquid. ”You’re right..,” the Wraithborn took a sip and fell to a sofa, ”do you think I pissed off Talon..?”

“Guy almost got the noose, I think he was pissed off long before the Reaper came,” Coal cawed, “just give him some space, kid will be alright.”

Sinking into his seat, Casper managed a slight frown. Was Talon going to hate Daphne? This could end badly.

Location: Happy Harbour
Interactions: Team Canary and The Others

---

With Black Canary dismissing their group, Viktor took a moment to look at each of its members. Talon left to tend to his physical wounds, Daphne to what he assumed were her emotional wounds, and Casper made a quick getaway on his own. That only left Viktor and Alisa, just a 10-meter gap between them.

"A!" This was the loudest Viktor had localized since his arrival at the sanctuary. He called to her before proceeding to leap over the gap as the fastest means to get to her. He seemed to ignore the others, not even exchanging so much as a glance. "Let's go." It was his way of inviting her to walk back to the headquarters with him. He noticed discomfort in her expression and looked down for a brief moment. "You were satisfactory today, A. You also learned something." Despite his positive words, he did not smile.

Location: Obstacle Course
Interactions: Anyone who cares to answer.

As everyone was making away across the makeshift ladder, Talon nearly fell into the pit. Casper and Daphne tried to save them, and it looked like they had the situation under control. Until Daphne’s hair almost strangled Talon. Ja and Kassy tried to help them, but now their way across the gap had collapse, and Zach had only one spell left.

Suddenly, Aleen’a picked him up bridal style, and before Zach had a chance to demand to be put down, she took a running start and lept over the gap. “AHHHH!” He screamed as he was carried through the air. When they got closer, Aleen’a dropped him, and Zach landed on his butt. While Aleen’a landed on her face.

Zach sighed as he got up and dusted himself off. Thst was definitely an experience. Aleen’a explained that she was going to clear the rest of the course, while he could help out the rest of the team. She seemed sad that was unsure how to help the rest of the team. Zach looked back at the rest of his group. They seemed to have the situation under control… He could repair the ladder so they could get across. He still had one more spell left, and Aleen’a could probably handle what was left.

Then, Black Canary and Green Arrow came by to handle the situation. Canary said the obstacle course was over, and they could take a break before it would be their turn to spar. Zach was not looking forward to that, but at least this course was done, and he could use his magic again. Zach ran up to the gap. ”egdirb cigam!” Then a solid platform made of transparent purple energy materialized connecting the two sides, He ran across his construct to be with the rest of his teammates. “Ugh, I am so glad that’s over! Is everyone alright? You better be. We have to spar after all this…”

Location: Obstacle Course
Interactions: Kila @DClassified

---

It had all happened so fast. One moment he'd been joking and crossing the monkey bars. The next, there were teammates flying through the air and landing with a thud. Ja putting Zach's magic to use. Competition. And of course the batrope.

He couldn't stop himself from feeling just the tiniest bit of awe, his inner fanboy squealing when he saw the gadget. Sure he'd seen some fancy tech in his time. His own gadgets were children's toys compared to what the privileged could afford in his time. But the grapnel. It was a marvel of engineering. Something like that could've made a huge difference in his early life.

Of course, all that wonder vanished instantly when the gadget's owner fell. The relief they felt at Daphne's quick reaction went right back to panic as the situation got worse. Thankfully, the team was quick to spring into action. Including Felix himself. Though the others were faster, Felix and Felix and Felix managed to support them, at the very least to prevent anyone else from falling in. There was a triple curse as the ladder fell. Perhaps if one of them had been quicker.

Once everyone was safely away from the edge of the pit, Felix waved away his two clones. He didn't know if that would be a problem but didn't really care. He had had bigger things to worry about than the rules of their training. Trying to catch his breath, Felix sat in the grass with the rest of the team, noticing Talon standing alone. "Ta-" But no, Hex was going to talk to him. Something told him crowding the older boy would be a bad idea. Best not upset the Talon. He'd just have to catch up with him later... much later.

Green Arrow and Black Canary finally appeared, each arriving in their own time and fashion. Felix just shook his head at the delay. He was pretty sure one of him had gone to look for them. But sure enough, coming from the exact opposite direction was a panicked Felix running out from among the trees. The very same Felix who'd cheered them on earlier and hung back at the monkey bars to tease Zach. He'd clearly run off to find their teachers at the sign of trouble but misjudged where they'd be. Felix watched him hunched over, hands on his knees even more out of breath than the other three. He saw his double sigh in relief at the sight before him then fade away. Even if his clones were just present to be keep everyone company, he'd have to make sure they were all more observant in the future.

"Team Canary is dismissed, Team Arrow you can take a short break and join back up with me in the clearing for your sparring session."

As if that was the signal they were waiting for, half that team went their separate ways. Felix struggled. Should he talk to some of them? He didn't really know any of them that well, and who knew what sentiments might be lingering from their sparring. No, besides he preferred to do that sort of thing himself. Sending clones to do personal stuff was trouble for a few different reasons. No he'd just have to chill for now.

Team Canary weren't the only ones wandering off alone though. Felix noticed Ja standing off to one side, seemingly upset about something. Weird. Hadn't he pretty much done basically half the rescue on his own? With the ladder being the only casualty of his own actions. Felix got up slowly, dusting himself off and walked over to the other young man. "Yo Ja! That was some slick thinking. First the ladder and then using it to save Talon. Don't know where we woulda been without you..." He glanced over at his shoulder to see Zach's magicky purple bridge. "But, you know if we knew he could do that it mighta saved us a shit-ton of trouble."

---

“Has anyone told you that you think hella’ too much, Night Light?” Coal stretched his wings before the bird’s flight evened their distance, soon perching atop Casper’s shoulder where the avian belonged.

”Somebody’s got to do the bloody thinking..,” Hex responded, claws tapping the controller as channels zapped by, audio barely sustaining itself with every shift.

“Oi’! Your British is showing!” The spirit pointed out, “don’t get your knickers in a twist, love! I dinnae’ mean nothin’ by it!” Coal laughed, earning a small grin from his friend. It would be a lie to claim that the bird’s mock accent wasn’t entertaining, but his Casper’s dialect was somewhat hidden beneath that ghostly voice, despite its prevalence. Perhaps it was easy to forget that Hex was, in fact, English, considering his circumstances. Perhaps it was easy to forget that he was from anywhere. People tended to reserve nationalities for those who presented a human appearance. “Gods save the bloody queen.”

”Bitch is alive because she hired us to prolong her life to like.., a million..,” Casper stated in a manner most casual, his eyes glued to the television. ‘Ghost Hunters’, a rather fitting program, to be sure. However, the unimpressed expression on Casper’s face confessed to its fake nature. He saw no phantasms on screen, no ghosts, or apparitions. All he witnessed were people making fools of themselves by shouting questions into empty darkness.

“Wait, what!?” Coal replied, clearly shocked, “the fuck was that!?” He blinked. “You’re serious!?”

”She’s older than she looks..,” came a shrug, Casper’s drink meeting his lips for another sip.

“She looks a thousand!” The bird countered, earning a playful smirk, in turn. Was this true? Was any of this true? Perhaps. A certainty came in the form of Hex’s behavior, however. He was not typically this carefree or laid back, but would anyone observe the boy’s interactions with Coal, surprise was imminent. With Coal, Casper felt comfortable. The surrounding world tended to vanish, leaving place for a boy and his bird, and little else. It was where no expectations found themselves expressed, and where friendship replaced insecurity and obligation.

”Think they’ll realize that they’re talking to air..?” Hex motioned a claw at the television.

“Hey, don’t change the subject!” Coal protested, only moments before the bird was swept from Casper’s shoulder and held on the teen’s lap. “Cuddles won’t get you out of this!” The spirit exclaimed, unable to stifle his laughter as a result of Casper’s claws rubbing befeathered sides. Despite taking the shape of a crow, Coal was quite large and easily mistaken for a raven, something he was all too eager to correct. “And no, they won’t, because that’s not what makes a show!”

Releasing his feathery friend from tickled torture, Casper leaned back, arms still circling the bird. ”Coal, that voice I keep hearing..,” Hex’s demeanor mellowed into a more serious approach. ”It’s daunting..”

Craning his neck, beady black eyes met Casper’s ghostly spheres, “should we tell the others?”

A pause lingered, Hex’s shark-like teeth clenching as his embrace of Coal tightened. What were the others going to do? Red Tornado couldn’t begin to understand the spiritual world, and neither Arrow nor the Canary were versed in mystical arts. Perhaps Casper was able to confide in his mother, but she had enough responsibilities without interference. The same held true for Zatanna. ”I need to figure out what it is first..,” the boy offered, ”we are all getting used to each other, and this..-”

“Isn’t what they signed up for?” Coal suggested, finishing Hex’s statement. He earned a small nod, in response. “That’s bullshit, though. You all signed up for the same thing. Being there for each other.”

”Right now, we’re all just getting used to being in the same room..,” the Wraithborn stood, holding his bird as a frown bridged across his lips. Only time would tell where this journey was bound to take them. ”What comes first, Coal? My teammates, or the voice in my head..?”

“One should give you the strength to deal with the other.” Talons gripped Hex’s forearm as Coal stood, their focus lining up. “So put on that corny-ass plague doctor mask you’ve hidden in your room, and represent the dark side in this fucking rainbow squad.”

With his lips parting for a faint grin, Casper shook his head. ”Bloody tosser..”

---

Kila paced off to the side, steadying his breathing. Whatever soreness that developed in his muscles briefly managed to dissipate for now. His eyes aimed to the two that needed separated. However, their encounter this time seemed much more sour. It was now, in the aftermath that their teachers had decided to come over to assess the damages. Both went their separate ways with each, a different member of their squad going to comfort them. Ultimately, it seemed fruitless when Talon was dismissed by Black Canary and Daphne ran off. Overall, this session did not go as smoothly as anyone assumed it would.

For the first team lead by Black Canary, training was over. For them, however, it continued, as they were given a break before their turn to spar came. That’s when he looked about to find the rest that were on the course with him. Kassandra was met with commendation from Green Arrow, and the Princess somehow ended up across the gap with Zachary already. Did the course continue for them still?

Kila supposed that they weren’t dismissed from the task necessarily, and it seemed confirmed when Zatara made a bridge of magical energy. Kila could have guessed that the magician could do something like that, but he wasn’t initially going to leave their chances of success to blind belief.

Before he could even walk in that direction, the voice of Gold Rush met his ear. The nickname stung his ear at this close of a range and his head whipped to Felix. Before he could correct him, the boy had given him commendation which caused Kila to sigh his frustration away. When mentioning the magical bridge making things easier in them, the maned youth shrugged.

”We couldn’t, and cannot in the future, base our plans around what we don’t know...Besides,” Kila paused, watching Viktor and Alisa walk off. ”Something tells me that they wouldn’t have freed him from the death grip before we did.”

Walking off towards the bridge, Zachary’s banter seemed to bother him less so in the moment. ”Enkosi...” Kila muttered, looking over his shoulder. Remembering the boldness that the timid girl of the sea displayed, Kila remained impressed. What was more, it would be a lie to dismiss that she lingered in his vision a little longer than it should have.

Trying to get his focus on something else, he quickly turned his head to the rest of the course. Finishing it given the current circumstances felt fruitless, but Kila wouldn’t let his other teammates efforts be for nothing. Thus, he walked across the bridge and started on a tire. Compared to what he had just done, this felt like nothing, and before long his tire was flipped.

Glancing at his teammates once more, he remembered Black Canary allowing them to get a break before their sparring sessions began. However, he wasn’t sure how long she would be around and he’d rather take the opportunity, while he could, to ask. Without wasting time, Kila started walking towards the clearing.

As the craziness died down and one of their teachers finally arrived, Kassandra found herself relaxing just slightly. It was strange to be praised, though she wasn’t sure that Green Arrow actually meant it. He seemed very out of sorts. Maybe because someone had nearly died on his watch? Or lack of watch. What had he been up to anyway?

Once Black Canary showed, things began to organize. It was clear which one of them was in charge. She watched Talon stalk off with the medical kit, and Daphne simply take off running somewhere. Kassy knew she’d have to find a way to apologize for her own behavior earlier. Yelling at Daphne probably hadn’t helped anything in the situation. Kassy knew that having powers could have drawbacks, especially when emotions were involved. At the same time, she wasn’t sure how else it could have been handled. Mostly, the young Atlantean had managed to surprise herself. She hated being yelled at, so she was shocked that her voice could get some volume behind it.

Lost in her thoughts, she started back toward the sparring area. There, she picked up her staff and started to prepare herself for battle. She honestly could have done without the sparring, but she wasn’t going to say a word to Black Canary.

“Today’s a mess, Damiek. Are we really supposed to be a team?” She just knew the others would think she was insane if she were heard speaking to her weapon, so she tried to keep it quiet. “So many of us are broken. And I don’t think these teachers are up to the fixing. I guess we’ll have to glue ourselves together.”

---

---

Alisa watched as Daphne, Talon, and Casper went their separate ways. Her brows knitted together in concern. Everyone would be alright. At least, she hoped it would be so. She hadn’t known these people for long, but they were all superheroes. They were strong, resilient, and brave. They might have been a little shaken up after a strangling incident, but they would come out the other end alright. It was only a training incident, after all.

Still, she worried, arms crossed as she watched Daphne run off. The other girl seemed oddly fragile, yet powerful and volatile at the same time. And Talon… well, while quiet, he seemed angry at everything. Standing still, thinking, Alisa came to the conclusion that everyone on her team today had been odd. Casper was dead and stoic, while Viktor was just stoic. She was odd too, although she had always known that. It would be fair to assume everyone else was the same way.

Viktor yelled from behind her, and she turned around, briefly surprised at how loud he was. "A!" He leaped across the pit in an impressive bound. She could hear the impact from where she was standing, a benefit of her mechanical hearing. "Let's go."

Alisa took that as the invitation it was and started to walk with him back toward the mountain. She wasn’t sure yet, but she liked Viktor so far. He seemed nice and sparring with him had been fun. Maybe they could be friends. The thought made her happy, but she still stared off at where Daphne had gone, chewing her lip.

"You were satisfactory today, A. You also learned something," Viktor said.

Alisa found herself happy at that compliment. She wasn’t very good at reading people, but he seemed like a person of little praise. She smiled, her mood buoyed. “Thank you,” she said. “So did you, I think. But that was mostly just not to underestimate me.” She stuck out her tongue playfully and laughed. Friends were supposed to poke fun at each other, and she intended to do just that. “I still have a lot left to learn, though. But that’s what Black Canary and Green Arrow and Red Tornado are for, I guess.”

“For now, I just hope Daphne and Talon will be alright. The both of them seemed really shaken up, don't you think?”

S E C R E T S A N C T U A R Y

---

Black Canary was waiting for the second group of teen heroes back at the clearing. They were arriving one by one. She gauged their moods, studying their faces and body language. Mirage didn't seem too enthusiastic about sparring and neither did Zatara. Aleen'a would probably fly in any minute, in the same way she arrived earlier. Gold Rush was his usual upbeat self and Ja wasn't acting like Ja.....meaning it wasn't him. Dinah raised a brow, wondering if the switch happened randomly, or something had caused it.

She wanted to talk to him and piece together what was going on. First she needed to pair up this team. With the first sparring sessions she'd let the teens figure out who they were going to fight themselves. This time though she had a game plan. There were specific pairings she wanted to see square of against each other. With her hand on her hip she turned to everyone who was already present.
They were probably not going to expect being paired up. Combat was full of surprises.

"Alright guys, I'm going to pair you up for this round. Zatara you're with Mirage, Gold Rush with Brightheart when she joins us and..."
The blonde leaguer turned to Kila, motioning for him to come over.
"Metamorph with me"

Location: Outside of HQ
Interactions: Alisa

---

Viktor remained beside Alisa, as they made their way back to the HQ with the start of their conversation being quite nice despite the previous events. He wasn't the type to hold grudges, but he wouldn't forget the shortcomings from today. To Viktor, they were bittersweet lessons to learn from… and for someone else to light-heartedly rub in his face.

He narrowed his eyes at Alisa, feigning irritation.

"You'll have to try a new tactic next time, yes." He didn't think that Alisa being creative would be a difficult hurdle for her. She seemed to learn quickly, or at least gave off the impression.

The mention of Daphne and Talon caused a light sigh to escape him.

"Shaken up accurately describes both of them. Their dispositions were different, but they both lacked self-control." Viktor explained. They will be… fine?"

As the two approached the entrance to the HQ, Viktor noticed Daphne lying in the grass a bit ways off of the beaten path. Did she faint? Likely. He pointed Daphne out with a head nod.

"Daph." He said before jogging off the path towards her. As he approached, he heard light snoring coming from Daphne as she rested in the fetal position. He wasn't sure why she was sleeping like the many homeless in Gotham in a grassy field, but it just didn't seem right. The bed in her room or one of the sofas in the lounge would be so much better for resting. "I can carry her inside." He scooped Daphne up into a bridal carry.

Kassandra was a little surprised as their sparring partners were announced for them. The others had gotten to choose, so why not them? Oh well. It’s not like there was any point in speaking out about it.

“Very well.” She would battle Zach, but she didn’t have to like it. As the other teen approached, she waved him over. “We’re supposed to fight.”

Black Canary had chosen their sparring partners for them, and Zach was up against Kassandra. Well, it could be worse. He might have been paired up against someone like Aleen’a, or even the Canary herself. He sighed. “Well, let’s get this over with I suppose.” He approached the fighting arena, and tapped his head with his wand. ”etativel!” He floated a few feet off the ground. “Your move Little Mermaid.”

Kassandra readied her staff, and frowned slightly at the nickname. “Not a mermaid.” Without much other warning, she channeled her will through the staff. The eyes of the octopus figure started to glow a very soft pale blue, and a burst of air came through the top. She aimed it right at Zach’s feet, starting to twist it into a miniature tornado.

Zach shrugged. “Could’ve fooled me.” Suddenly, Zach felt a breeze, that got progressively stronger, and there was a small tornado forming beneath his feet, that pulled him to the ground, and he fell on his face. “Clever…” He stood up, and aimed his wand. “But you're going to have to do better than that! tlob enacra!” A purple ball of magic flew from the tip of Zach’s wand, and aimed at his rival magic user.

Kassandra was pleasantly surprised at Zach’s recovery speed. For all his complaining about not wanting to physically fight, he’d gotten up quick. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” She murmured as the purple bolt flew near. And then she simply disappeared. The bolt soared over empty air, and for a moment there was silence.

“In fact, you can’t see anything at all, can you?” Her voice seemed to echo from a dozen different directions. Being invisible was the first illusion that Kassy had learned, years ago. It came in handy for sneaking around the house. Multiple sound illusions were a little trickier, but it helped to have a good focal point. In this case, Zachary himself. “Catch me if you can!”

The bolt flew right by Kassy, and she vanished. Her voice echoed from multiple directions.“Interesting…” Zach mumbled. As far as he knew, Kassy couldn’t teleport. She couldn’t have gone too far. “Oh dear… Where did you go?” He turned his head in all directions, acting like he was searching. Then he took off his jacket, and rolled up his sleeves. sleeves.“skcor fo mrots!” Suddenly, a bunch of stones and rocks that were laying around the clearing, staring flying around wildy. One of these rocks was bound to hit her.

“Oof!” There was a grunt from a few feet behind Zach. Indeed, one of the rocks had hit home. Kassy popped back into view, rubbing her leg where she had been struck. That was going to be a bruise later. “Not bad… but you just messed up.” She raised her staff high and suffused her will. The octopus’ eyes lit yellow, and all of the rocks stopped in midair. Then she spun the staff hard, the rocks following the movement and heading for Zach like a stream of earth.

One of the rocks hit her, revealing his opponent, but then she turned the rocks back on him.“reirrab” A purple barrier of magic appeared in front of Zach, and blocked the stream of rocks. But… Zach fell to his knees and started panting. He had used a lot of magic, and was starting to get winded.

Kassandra was sweating as well. Using so many different things in such a short timespan was a definite drain on her resources. But - it looked like Zach was running out faster. “Sorry, Zach.” She darted forward, and reeled back, punching him right in the mouth. He wouldn’t be speaking spells after that. So much for not running out of magic. Maybe he’d take the physical stuff more seriously next time.

As Zach was catching his breath, Kassy came in and punched him in his mouth, knocking him to the floor. He got up, and tried to say something, but no words would come out. He felt as helpless as he did in his high school days. He could hear the laughter and name calling of everyone watching, whether they were actually laughing or not. So he lowered his head, and ran away. Tears streaming down his face, and sobbing softly. He didn’t want to hear what Black Canary, or any of these other idiots had to say. It was over.

---

It seemed that the obstacle course had come to an end because of what happened to the other team. Aleen’a was used to having teammates being injured while being trained by the Warlords but they were ordered to treat it like a battlefield and they must continue to fight on for their fallen comrades. Of course, this was nothing like what she experienced in her training as this was all just a test to see how they work as a team.

Aleen’a watched as the other team left and returned to the HQ, though she could see some were more distraught than the rest. She wished she could do something for them, making a mental note to share her zorkaberries to them later in the hopes of making them feel better. It was always a wonder for her how Koriand’r managed to plant multiple Tamaranean plants on Earth soil. It looked like Tamaran and Earth had pretty similar atmospheres as well.

Since the course was over, Aleen’a was glad that she could fly again at least. She hovered over the bridge to join the others. Compared to the other team, she was also glad her teammates seemed to be in much better spirits. Black Canary then told them they have a few moments to rest before they start the sparring session over at the clearing.

”Pardon me.” She had some time to spare so she excused herself and flew up to the skies, stopping once she got a view of the whole forest, Mount Justice where their HQ was, and the beautiful beach not far from where they were.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm her nerves. She needed some time to herself, to regroup her thoughts and such. So much has happened since she arrived here. Despite Kori’s teachings, she still had some trouble adjusting to her new home especially when her team was full of unique and interesting people. Aleen’a faced the sun and basked in its rays to rejuvenate herself. She didn’t realize how long she had been staying up there. When she looked down, her teammates were already at the clearing. She took one more deep breath before she flew down to join them and Black Canary.

---

Kila waited in silence for the others to show up, and when they did, he stood at attention. The eyes of Black Canary scrutinized them, studying them, he could tell. He himself had done it. As it seemed, they were to be in pairs as before. For one reason or another, he found himself oddly disappointed he was not put against Zach. That way Kila could have put him in place for that ‘kitty cat’ nickname from earlier. Still, who was he to refuse the honor of sparring with their teacher?

Thus, with the extended alias of his being called to action, Kila stepped aside from his squad. Now nearer to the Canary, the Meta took in a breath. He supposed now would be as good a time as any, especially given the task. “Before we begin, if you do not mind, Tenzi, I have a question.”

Dinah raised her brow lightly, nodding to Kila to go ahead and ask whatever he wanted. Out of the two personalities she’d seen the most of Ja. She wondered if what she knew of Kila was close to the truth.

Kila waited just a moment, as though the question was a difficult one for him. If he was honest with himself, it was. Actually getting answers intimidated him, but he wasn’t sure how many chances he would get. His eyes aimed to hers more directly. What do you know about the man called the Bronze Tiger?”

She looked at the dark skinned teen more seriously. Dinah knew about the Bronze Tiger. They fought together on multiple occasions and trained together under O-Sensei. Dinah remembered him as a somewhat unstable individual, but nonetheless an honorable man and warrior. She had not seen or heard of him in years. The last she’d heard of him was his exit from the League of Assassins, making his way back to heroism.

Their eyes met, and from her tone it was evident she was genuinely curious what Metamorph could possibly want from the Bronze Tiger. He wasn’t exactly a proper role model for these kids.

“I know him, but I haven’t seen or spoken to him in years. Last I heard he escaped from the League of Assassins. What is it you want to know about him?”

The maned boy thought a little about the information presented in the bit of dialogue she offered so far. She didn’t seem to hold contempt in her voice, which he supposed was a good sign. Though, hearing about the legendary League of Assassins was not. The Buredunian President described them as a clan of snakes and devils. It made him wonder if the man his Amai heaped much praise on, ran with them or was fleeing. That thought line led to the next question.

“...From what you remember...What sort of man was he?”

Dinah attempted to recall from memory her most positive personal experiences with the Bronze Tiger. She brushed her blonde hair away from her face and stared into the distance for a couple of seconds before answering.

“I remember him to be a fearless fighter, always two steps ahead, but he struggled too, with issues he never shared.”

Kila slowly nodded. So, as suspected, there was no real side in which the man resided. Though, it made him wonder all the more about him. What these issues were that he decided not to share. If this man loved his Amai, why did he disappear before Kila had the ability to remember him? Questions with no answers he could get now. Questions for a later time.

“Thank you, Tenzi.” Was all he had left on the subject for now. Taking a smooth breath, Kila planted his feet in a sturdy position. Squaring his fists, he held his arms near his head in a Muay Thai reminiscent stance. His eyes narrowed in focus.

“I am ready.”

“Don’t hold back”

Black Canary assumed her fighting stance, taking in her opponent Kila. This was not just going to be any ordinary sparring session. If she was to believe what she was told by Vixen and the League, Kila´s combat skills rivaled her own. Dinah loved a good challenge. She recognized his fighting technique and it was a good choice. The art of the eight limbs included the use of almost the entire body. He had not thrown any punches but she was already impressed, she recognized the disciplined stance that came with years of training.

In her signature aggressive combat style she rushed towards Kila, using a combination of a feigned punch to taunt him in a block, which would free up his lower body. She went in for a low kick to his shins. The youth remained stable on her initial rush. Ironic to her feigned attack, he raised his shin as the defense against the punch though, since she tried for the lower body. Instead, his counter used the raised leg to spear towards her hip with the small opening she left.

She was partially hit by his incoming kick, sidestepping the hardest hitting portion of his leg. Black Canary brushed off the pain quickly and went in with a high kick, her boot rushing towards his head, while her body twisted around to gather the necessary force to fortify her attack. He was lucky his hands were still up there, but the impact still sent him stumbling backwards. A splash of pain was brief across his system, as his attempted block really just smacked his arms into his head.

Standing firm again, this time he let his arms rest at his side and started walking up to her openly. The teacher furrowed her brow, what was he trying? Usually, during actual fights on League missions this would be the perfect opportunity to use her Canary cry, when her enemy seemed to be holding back. The sound forcing them into submission.

Black Canary ran towards him and leaped forward, wanting to grab his shoulders. She wanted to flip over his head and use that force to throw him. Her inertia was used against her as with her leaping forward, she jumped into a high knee. Further, her outstretched arms got contact with his shoulders, but he took hold of her wrists to pull her towards him. Rolling back, his feet were a springboard to launch her over and behind him.

Dinah was caught by surprise when her overhead throw got turned on its head. Literally, as now she was the one being thrown. The throw didn’t allow for enough altitude to use her canary cry safely and she was facing the wrong way. She was falling down quickly with her back aimed at the ground. When she landed the wind got knocked out of her forcefully and a sharp pain spread along her spine.

Black Canary rolled onto her side, grunting, forcing herself to stand up. The leaguer was visibly in pain, but ready for another round. She could take a couple more hits, but one more mistake like this was going to end in a serious injury. She motioned to Kila to start his attack.

The young warrior by now was on his feet again, keeping his breaths steady. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt like she was going easy on him. Although wary of her canary cry, he knew he didn’t currently have anything to counter it with. Still, on her mark, he made his approach again. This time though, it was through small skip-steps that zig-zagged. When within arm’s reach, he stepped into a quick jab.

Black Canary anticipated his flurry of punches and held up her arms, blocking the blows. One punch got through and hit her collarbone. She gritted her teeth and scowled. Trying not to let her frustration show, she created some distance between them using a backflip. The leaguer sucked in a deep breath and let out a very weak version of her canary cry.

Kila had initially tried to punish the backflip with an ironically named Superman punch. Though while he was in the air, the canary cry at this close of a range hit his senses hard. He crashed to his hands and knees, with a slight ringing in his hearing.

Dinah caught her breath after using her canary cry and steadied herself, with one eye on Kila. She went over to him and offered him a hand, helping him to stand up. Although still feeling dizzy, Kila managed to stand without wobbling.

“Very impressive Metamorph, I didn’t want to resort to this.” With her commendation on his efforts, his head motioned to the floor.

”I am...honored, Tenzi.”

---

Talon had finished changing after his post-training session shower, substituting his usual hero garb for turtleneck and slacks. He replaced his domino mask with a pair of dark glasses, heeding Nightwing's suggestion at continuing to keep his real face secret. Realizing that it was unlikely he'd be able to walk the halls without running into one or some of the others, Talon considered whether or not he should leave his dorm. The thought of being on the receiving end of one of Viktor's smug empty looks was almost too much to bear. But Talon's hunger ultimately won out. He stepped out into the hallway and headed out towards the lounge/kitchen area. He wasn't certain on the complete layout of the building just yet, having only been there a night. He would have to pay more attention to the base's winding halls and many corners. He did know that the lounge and kitchen were on the third level.

As he crested the hall, Talon heard voices in the lounge. Hex was talking to the bird, and the two of them were watching TV. Talon crossed behind the two of them watching some sort of reality tv program. Dick had told Talon that if he wanted to learn more about reality, reality tv was not the way to go. Talon passed the two of them, the bird chirping away at his familial friend. Talon wondered how long Hex and the bird had been together. Or if they'd ever really been apart. Talon shuddered at the thought of not ever being able to have time to themselves. He realized he knew very little about Hex and his history. In fact, he knew very little about the history of his a lot of his teammates. Nightwing had brought him up to speed about the superhero identities of his new friends, and they were more than willing to share their real names with Talon. Red Tornado had each of them demonstrate their abilities early on in the tour. Talon would have a hard time explaining what it was that Hex could do. He thought of saying something to him about the mission training earlier, including the sparring session they each had taken part in. Talon felt better after his hot shower - he always did. But he wasn't sure what to say yet, and his grumbling stomach lead him to the cabinets across the way.

The kitchen was filled with modern appliances, and Talon frowned at the fridge with way too many buttons. Instead of opting to wrestle with it, Talon grabbed a slice of wheat bread that was in the breadbox, opened a drawer with silverware, and made himself a sandwich. Banana and Peanut Butter - a healthy source of protein. He leaned against the countertops, watching television over Hex's shoulder, having a hard time hearing the show over Coal's chittering.

Moments later, the main hall opened up again, and in came the rest of "Team Canary." Cybergirl and Rain had made their way back, and Rain was softly carrying in Nymph in his strong arms. He held her effortlessly. Talon averted his eyes, embarrassed at the sight of both of them. He wondered if Nymph should have been moved at all, laying the way that she was. It may have been some sort of photosynthesis. Talon was aware that some metahumans require natural resources to replenish their strength or heal their words - Superman himself famously getting charged by the sun. Cybergirl and Rain were speaking to each other, and Talon felt himself interrupting.

"The others, are they sparring? It would have been informative to have watched."

Again, he was finding himself speaking up more and more, but still only when it came to the mission, to the job. There was more he wanted to say, more he wondered how to express. Should he challenge Rain then and there? In his younger days, that's exactly what he would have done. But they were a team now. And honestly, Talon was just grateful that the others had helped him when he needed it. As exposed as that made him feel. He felt a sort of inferiority complex rise from within him, wondered at this place on the team and what the others would make of his mistake. Even the others who had barely spoken to him since he had arrived. He took the last bite he had left and turned to the sink to wash his dishes. It was important to stay clean.

---

Ghost hunting was an art brought forth by those with no knowledge of the undead. Humans wielding contraptions of charlatans attempting to pierce the veil of life and death. Viewing this display brought thoughts to mind, Casper’s attention fixed on their television. He was aware that the public’s knowledge of this most supernatural world was limited at best, and what had been presented upon screens and stories was the extent of information readily available. How would these mundane creatures react to the truth of spiritual existence? Perhaps there was a reason for obfuscation and subterfuge. One big, everlasting, eternal secret. Silence revealing itself to be a deafening roar following one’s death.

Slipping out of those blue canvas shoes, Casper planted his small, clawed feet against the sofa. With arms embracing his slender knees, the boy rested a pale chin against his kneecaps, sounds other than mindless entertainment now making themselves known within the lounge. It was Talon. A single look offered evidence of calm, fury mellowing into recent memory. This was likely a big shift for him, a killer now abandoning a once sole purpose for the role of ‘hero’. Hex could not help but chuckle at the title. ‘Hero’, how many of those present could truly consider themselves such? The rehabilitated Assassin? The Shadow Warrior? Perhaps the Necromancer, or the Soldier? They were all in for quite the journey before such lofty titles applied.

”It would have been..,” Casper responded, his spectral voice, soft and mellow, presenting itself as words overshadowed the television. The boy’s tail gently rose, before once more falling to the sofa, a slow but repeated sequence following through idle motions. ”Though, I am sure you already know that information could be acquired here, as well..,” he added, enjoying another sip of a half-empty soda bottle. However, Casper had come off as a ‘glass half full’ kind of Wraith, hadn’t he?

”You are bound to trust friends more so than strangers on the battlefield..,” a faint smile crossed Hex’s lips as he turned towards Talon. A clawed hand rose before indicating the seat at Casper’s side. ”If you were to join me, we could take a careful step in that direction..”

Coal remained quiet as Casper spoke, aware that his chattering might have been too much for the less socially inclined. If Hex was to make friends among the living, a silenced beak was bound to help. Relaxing upon the sofa, Hex lowered his feet to the floor, making way upon his lap for a feathered spirit to find home. Gently, claws combed their way across Coal’s shape, spectral eyes rising to the television. ”Do you play an instrument, Talon..?” Came a question, Hex’s calm words seemingly unchanging from that monotone luster of apathy entwined with ethereal grace. A short pause followed his statement, Casper’s claws carefully tapping Coal’s frame, one after the other. ”My mother taught me the piano..,” he continued, memories flowing forth. ”It is quite entrancing, I think..” Again, a small expression of joy exposed itself on those pale lips, a smile akin to that of longing desire. ”A specter’s last song.., fingers dancing upon dusty, forgotten keys..,” he paused, sharp teeth revealing themselves as he managed a fading grin. ”Apologies.., I have found that I ramble in your presence..,” Casper’s embrace of his crow tightened.