---

Talon finished drying his dishes, taking time to place them delicately back into the cabinet. The porcelain clacked as he stacked his plate atop the others. His back was to the lounge, where the others were. Hex had invited him to sit with him on the couch. Talon considered this the better option over standing around with Rain, Cybergirl and the sleeping Nymph. Talon crossed in front of the group of them, being sure to meet Rain's eyes through his own dark glasses. He looked less irritated than he had earlier in the day, and having two women on his arm might be doing something for his mood. Talon stared him down through it, careful not to brush the sleeping plant in his arms. It was an image not unlike something he'd see in a fairy tale. Prince Rain to the rescue.

Talon sat on the couch next to Hex and Coal, his elbow on the arm of the couch and his hand under his chin. He was disinterested in the show, but Hex had made a good point. Increasing camaraderie would increase success in the field. And Hex was one of the few people that Talon had had a meaningful interaction with already. Mirage was likely engaged in a fight. He wished he hadn't been so quickly dismissed by Black Canary - seeing an Atlantean in action would have been thrilling. Not to mention the alien girl who had joined them at the last minute. Talon knew virtually nothing about her.

Hex was asking Talon about his personal life. Another subject Talon wasn't comfortable expressing verbally. He shook his head when asked if he knew how to play any instrument. When Hex expressed his desire to play, Talon wondered if there was a piano somewhere on the base. He considered it likely that the League would have stocked the building with social things to do for the members looking to rehabilitate their socialization. Maybe he'd even learn an instrument. Start a band with the others. What a ridiculous idea. Talon turned red when Hex mentioned that he couldn't help opening up to him. He wasn't used to this at all. Hex had come across as a lonely type, someone who keeps to the shadows - but instead he'd already demonstrated himself as the most social out of all of them. Or at least someone willing to leave his comfort zone. Talon wasn't willing to open himself to others in a meaningful way just yet.

"Your bird. Does it have abilities like you?"

---

The boy’s question had been answered by a shake of Talon’s head, and that was quite enough for Hex to note a conversation. So far, so good, as they said. Reminiscent of a cat on his lap, Casper stroked the oversized bird lazily basking in the attention so readily given, a position these two were in more frequently than either would care to admit. A slowly turning chair alongside a glass of whiskey and expensive suit would certainly paint a comical image, with these ingrediants in mind. Casper had seen enough James Bond movies to conjure the scene, and before leaving England, suits were the only clothes he ever wore. More casual attire was a new addition, to be sure, one he was growing accustomed to. Hex opted to leave his past behind, rather adopting a new alias, than maintain a title previously worn. ‘The Dead Prince.’

“Ah, nah my man,” Coal stretched his wings, exposing a feather-covered belly for those slender claws. “Cassy’s like..,” the crow began, “if you took Magic, and gave it a body,” his wing pointing skyward at the pale creature, “you get that.” Granted, this was not much of an answer, prompting Coal to proceed. “Well, Necromancy to be specific. It’s Death Magic, spooky stuff,” he illuminated. “Me? I’m a spirit, I can do some of the stuff Cas’ here can weave together.” Craning his neck to get a better look at Talon, the crow continued, “like.., I can do that teleportation thing Casper’s lazy ass keeps doing. I can phase through things, also something this lazy bum always does,” a wing accusingly motioned at the Wraithborn. “And some other shit, but you’re not interested in a whole fucking Ted Talk about this, I’m sure.”

”Growing up..,” Casper began, changing the subject and once more shared details of his past. Perhaps the transformation he had gone through labored to render secrets irrelevant. He saw little point in maintaining them, and no longer found himself drawn to the caution of discretion. The living world was a fading memory, constantly drifting further away with every tick of a clock. Time, it had lost its purpose, its value, and with it, so much once considered important. ”I watched a lot action movies..,” Hex stated, leaning back against the sofa, his eyes rising to meet the ceiling. ”Seeing you fight, it was.., impressive..,” the Wraith expressed. ”I always did envy martial warriors, their movements like..,” claws rose motioning at nothing in particular. A simple emphasis. ”...a dance..,” Casper finished.

His fight with Black Canary strung along the same path. It felt somewhat like artistic movements, each motion a choreographed execution. Magical battles were not quite the same, they revolved more around anticipation reminiscent of a chess game. Yes, a game of chess, versus a stage-lit dance. Turning to gaze at Talon, Hex’s spectral spheres narrowed their attention. Claiming that the boy looked through his companion was quite accurate, those orbs giving more attention to the spirit within. ”Though, this battlefield is more daunting, isn’t it..?” Came a question, another soft, somber smile bridging itself over Casper’s lips.

”We charge into battle without a second thought, but.., a conversation is quite frightening..” A slight tilt of Hex’s head allowed for his ghostly focus to entwine with Talon’s, his mellow expression lingering. ”So I believe a thank you is in order.., for braving these sands with me..,” a clawed hand extended, it’s dainty shape halting before reaching Talon. ”My name is Casper Blackwood, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance..”

---

---

Alisa gazed at Daphne laying on the ground and raised a brow. She didn’t think that was a normal spot for a human to sleep, and Viktor going to pick her up confirmed it. Why had she decided to sleep on the ground of all places in her transformed state? Wait… her transformed state. As a plant. Was it possible that she photosynthesized like an actual plant? She did have plant parts and green skin at that moment. But she was also a human being, something Viktor was probably more familiar with than her.

“That seems like a good idea,” she told Viktor, although unsure. He was probably right, after all. Alisa, while she knew them, had no real familiarity with sleep or the biological needs of a human. Viktor knew better than her.

The two of them walked back to the base in silence, their conversation turned quiet by the presence of the sleeping Daphne. Alisa contemplated how their morning had gone. It wasn’t even 9:00 AM and it had already been maybe one of the most eventful days she had ever had! While she knew it had been months since she had been home, it felt like only a few weeks had passed. The difference was jarring. Life back home was comfortingly familiar but excruciatingly dull- a sheltered life for a girl who shouldn’t exist. But here, with the team? In the week she had been here, everything had been so different. She had met people who were like nothing she had ever seen before and just in the past hour she’d been expected to do things she had never done before. And, if their teachers were to be believed, the future would be even more different. It was almost overwhelming, the sudden change in her life.

They reached the base just in time for Alisa to shove aside a growing feeling of homesickness. She would deal with that later, in private. The mountain admitted them and they walked into the lounge, Daphne in tow.

Alisa was a bit surprised at what she saw coming in. Casper and Talon were speaking to each other. I didn’t take either of them to be chatty. She hadn’t spoken extensively to either yet, but they both managed to spook her in their own ways. Casper with his ghost-ness and Talon with his seemingly uncontrollable temper. “Hi, Casper, Talon.” She acknowledged them both with a slight smile. She turned back to Viktor. “I’ll go get her some water and a snack for when she wakes up,” she told Viktor, and walked off to the kitchen.

True to her word, Alisa filled up a cold glass of water and got a bar of chocolate out from the pantry. Then, she came back to the lounge and set the stuff on the table. She looked back at Talon and Casper.

“Oh, we’re introducing ourselves again?” She completely ignored most of Casper’s ramble (it made her very uncomfortable) and focused on the name bit. “Blackwood is a nice last name. I’m Alisa Fields. I don’t think I included the Fields bit before,” she told them. She knew others had issues sharing their secret identities (she supposed Talon was among those considering he was wearing sunglasses indoors), but she really didn’t see the point in hiding it from their teammates.

---

Talon looked down at Casper's outstretched hand. The ghost boy's clawed fingernails not unlike the gauntlets Talon himself wore during battle. He was taken aback however at the boy's cavalier attitude to his real identity. The others were all willing to share that part of themselves, it seemed so far Talon was the only one who wanted to keep a part of himself to himself. Hex was so willing to become fast friends with him, despite not really knowing him all that well. In fact, the others all seemed to demonstrate a familial relation to each other, or a willingness to break down those barriers and socialize.

Talon felt embarrassed, honestly. Here's this nice boy wanting to get him to open up. But Talon didn't have anything to offer him. Before he could respond, Cybergirl smiled at the two of them on the couch. It seemed at least so far she felt no ill will towards his behavior during the training exercise. Talon watched as she joined their little group in the lounge, wondering if he'd be able to tell she was made of cybernetic parts if he wasn't already informed. She carried herself with grace regardless, without the pointed way of speaking in some of Oracle's old science fiction movies.

She too gave her name. Alissa Fields. Talon looked away in order to save face, but what he felt was some mixture of shame and wanting immediately to get away from the others. He had no name to give them. He was only a Talon - one of many. But if he kept wearing these glasses, kept at hiding that part of himself...none of them would know that.

He could at least pretend to have an identity worth keeping secret.

"Talon." He told them, unable to meet Alissa's eyes, or shake Casper's hand, still outstretched.

Location: Happy Harbour
Interactions: Alisa, Casper, Talon, Daphne.

---

Viktor didn't mind the silence during the walk the rest of the way to the headquarters. It was a courtesy to Daphne's slumber but he had a hunch the girl was a heavy sleeper with how she hadn't budged when he grabbed her off the ground… oh and also that snore of hers.

In his hold, Daphne felt exactly as she looked. Like a large uprooted plant with stiff limbs. The thought of tearing a leaf from her to study was tempting but he refrained as he and Alisa entered the lounge area occupied by Casper, Coal, and Talon.

"Hi." Viktor forced after Talon had passed by him. The eye contact he gave Viktor did not have the same effect as the previous times. Not after what he witnessed at the gap. To Viktor is was best to just ignore the boy's aggression, especially while holding the sleeping Daphne.

As Alisa grabbed a drink and a snack for the slumberer, Viktor moved towards a couch adjacent to the one occupied by Talon and Casper to set Daphne down on her side. Not better than a bed, but adequate enough. Viktor glanced at the others' attention on reintroducing themselves, and with a hidden deft hand...

Pluck!

He tucked his prize into his shorts pocket and proceeded to exit the lounge room without a word or a wave. If allowed, he would make his to the third level of the headquarters.

Zach entered the base. His eyes were a still red and puffy from the crying. ”maerc eci!” He said in a pained, quiet, raspy voice. Unfortunately, no Ice Cream was summoned. He still hadn’t fully recovered from the punch to the throat. “Stupid bitch...” He muttered as he went to the kitchen. Since his voice wasn’t working too well, he had to make his own ice cream. Nothing felt better after a rough day than a bowl of ice cream.

Thankfully, the base had some ice cream. It was only vanilla, and they didn’t have fudge or whipped cream, but it would do in a pinch. After making himself a bowl, he walked to the lounge, and sat on a couch. He did notice the members of the other group were there, but Zach didn’t bother acknowledging them right now. He sat there eating his ice cream, and occasionally sobbing still.

---

Casper’s clawed digits did not remain outstretched for long, but rather returned to his lap where Coal had confiscated the boy’s lower half. In a way, he had expected Talon’s response, a reserved and withdrawn approach with a name far divorced from what had been presented. Talon, simply Talon. It was the extent of this young man’s identity, Casper reckoned, and by no fault of his own. The blood staining his hands was prompted by a past shrouded by control and the will of others, an aspect most relatable. Whatever resided beyond the title ’Talon’ was yet to be seen, and this likely held true for the wielder of this handle, as well. Had it not been for Coal, Casper’s behavior would likely have echoed the Assassin’s. That is what differentiated the two. Their circumstances.

There was, however, another addition present. Alisa Fields. The android, the programmed lifeform. If anything could warrant discomfort, Alisa was presenting the reason wherever she found herself. A soulless computer, a creature mimicking life through numbers and code. It was beyond Casper how individuals were capable of creating such a reflection of existence within a metallic shell, but it had been done, and this put the ‘Dead Prince’ in a very peculiar position. His allies were perpetuating the idea that Alisa wasn’t an object. She was a person, and where Hex was left torn on the matter, he understood one thing more so than most; social etiquette. ”Hello, Alisa..,” came a ghostly response, white spheres lingering on her shape. Was politeness part of her programming? Casper would return the favor, echoing Alisa’s attempt, before his focus diverted. Zach had entered the lounge.

He appeared distraught, that bright soul of whimsical purple flowing with magic. Casper had learned of Zach’s displeasure since a time back, however. He did not particularly fancy the Wraith, seeing him as little more than an intruder among the Zatara. Was it insecurity? Perhaps. If asked, Hex would claim that there was little need to elevate the paranoia of replacement. He was not remotely interested in being Zatanna’s protege, and he most certainly wasn’t one of the Zatara. Similarities ended at the concept of Magic, with Casper’s very being unlike anything wielded by his teacher, or her kin. In the same vein, Hex was a stranger, one considered an unwelcomed guest by his fellow student.

Though a desire to assist his teammates had made itself known within the Wraith since arriving at Mount Justice, he would benefit from the knowledge that inclusion was not always appreciated, nor was it warranted. Casper leaned across his knees and slipped back into his shoes before standing with Coal in his arms, the bird stretching and taking its place on Hex’s shoulder. Was there something the Wraith had left unsaid? His eyes scanned the room, taking a moment to linger on Zach where the boy was enjoying a bowl of ice cream.

”I will retire to my quarters..,” Hex stated, shifting his gaze to Talon for a brief spell. There was empathy within those phantasmal orbs, two bright spheres of energy peering through those they gazed upon. It was a short exchange before the Wraithborn turned and started towards the hallway. He required something akin to a break from the others. Casper missed his books, and the solitude of a dark room.

“Had enough?” Coal asked, nudging his friend as Casper walked down an ever-stretching corridor. “And are you dropping the act?”

The act Coal was referring to was Hex’s attempt at a more socially accepted vocabulary. His regal upbringing having been put aside in the process. ”It has been rather entertaining, though..,” the Wraith responded, clawed hands sliding into his pockets.

“Oh, you mean being a normal dude?” The bird returned, laughter soon following. “Will you start wearing suits again?”

”Let’s not overdo it..,” Hex offered, managing a slight, sharp-toothed grin.

---

Hex got up off the couch and removed himself from the room with a fancy flourish. For the moment, only Talon and Cybergirl were still in the lounge. She looked to be disinterested, unphased at Hex's exit and just barely paying attention to the television. Talon hesitated. Should he say something? Maybe he could apologize about how the exercise went this morning. Or try and explain his actions after her sparring match. He took a moment to steal a glance at her physiology - trying to spot additional signs of her cybernetic origins. He knew it would be rude to ask about them, how she operated - but she seemed friendly enough - at least in introducing her name. So she couldn't be that secretive. Gathering his courage to talk to her, and attempt an actual conversation, Talon ran through how he could keep his cool. He could feel his fingers itch, and he raised them, considering signing at her before realizing what he was doing. Force of habit. He cleared his throat and just as he was about to ask her more about herself and where she came from - the magician walked in.

Or not exactly walked in. More like stormed in a huff. He was red-faced, and tear-stricken. And after a wave of a magic phrase in the air, attempted to summoned a gallon of ice cream to his person. Talon ducked his head in order to avoid it, thinking it would fly across the kitchen to Zatara's grasp. However, nothing happened, and Zatara looked to grow more irritated and trudged into the kitchen. Talon watched him rustle through the fridge and cabinets. Something had obviously happened during the rest of the team's training session. Talon wondered if it wouldn't be long before the other's got back. He had some words for Mirage. He looked passed the magician towards the entrance to the lounge, but no one was behind him. He looked back to Cybergirl who looked as equally confused about Zatara's sudden appearance.

Without meeting eyes with the rest of them, Zatara was shoveling down spoonfuls of the frozen stuff, determinedly watching the television. Whatever had happened at his match, Talon could assume it likely that he had lost. Or perhaps the rest of them had been disqualified for having to intervene in Talon's rescue. It was a lot of physical activity and emotional output all at once. Zachary was upset. What would someone like Nymph or Hex do in this situation? Talon didn't know how to make him feel better, but he did have one thing he wanted to say to Zatara. The boy had been very kind to him when they had first met, almost flirtatious. Talon didn't know much about that, but he felt he owed him at least something. And watching Zatara sitting there after a workout eating ICE CREAM of all things was just not going to cut it for Talon - he had to intervene.

"After such physical activity you shouldn't be consuming dairy or dessert products. Eat protein."

Talon got up off the couch, brushing passed Cybergirl and opened a cabinet in the kitchen. There was no almonds like the kind Dick kept in his cupboards, but there was a plastic jar of dry roasted peanuts with a manacle'd peanut brandishing a cane on them. Talon grabbed them and handed them over to Zatara, still sitting in the lounge.

He signed the gesture for "eat" looking expectedly at Zatara. He may not be close with these people, but they were his teammates, and he would be damned if one of them would get sloppy with these kinds of amateurish eating habits...

---

The team's robotic caretaker was making his way through the winding hallways, carrying a large lamp. He was receiving communications through his built in earpiece. The teachers of the training earlier that morning had instructed him to find one of the members of the team, he'd already searched the other levels. The most plausible location would be the lounge.

"Good morning Team, I was requested to bring this equipment to your team member Nymph" Red Tornado addressed the Team in his very matter of fact type of a way, though his actions definitely showed he did care. He turned his gaze to each of them, analyzing their faces, only to find the hero he was looking for was missing. His quick survey of the room caused him to miss Nymph, who was sleeping on the sofa. The back of the sofa was facing Red Tornado, obscuring her from his view.
"I cannot seem to locate her, I may require your assistance for this task" He said setting down the lamp on the kitchen isle. The android turned around, his cape flowing behind him and if surprise could be caught on his metal features it would have drawn up his non existent brows. He saw Nymph sleeping peacefully on the sofa.

"I no longer require your help, I seem to have located her"
Without any sort of explanation of why he needed to find her he made his way over to the sleeping heroine. He installed the lamp on a small table next to the sofa adjusting the head, so the light would cover optimal body surface.
"As I understand your team member requires solar therapy to restore her body, Black Canary has instructed for her to remain this way for at 60 to 120 minutes"

The soft blue light started to shine from the lampshade. Red Tornado adjusted the strength of it, so it would be bearable for the other Team members in the lounge.

Kassandra had a fleeting moment of triumph as she defeated Zach. She was ready to smile and offer him a hand up when he started to cry, and took off before she could speak.

“...oh, no.” Had she hit him too hard, perhaps? She didn’t know what could have caused him to run away in such a fashion.

Maybe her aunt was right. Maybe she was a freak, a –

No. She would not be using that word for herself.

With a sigh, she turned to watch the next battle. It seemed Kila was facing off against their teacher, Black Canary. A high honor, indeed. As she watched their battle, she grew more and more impressed. Kila was utterly graceful, and obviously well trained. What she wouldn’t give to be able to fight like that. Even with all of his skill, he still lost, but handled it in a more usual way.

Zach was probably back at the base right now, telling all the others how much of a bully she was. Her fists clenched. It was just like home. What had changed, at all? She was still the outcast, the weirdo, the odd one out here. Everyone knew it.

She could feel a despondent mood settling over her. Her stomach rumbled as she remembered she hadn’t had breakfast yet. Time to face the music, as it were. She moved with leaden steps, as if walking into the mouth of a whale.

But eventually, she did reach the base. She could hear the echo of the television as she approached the lounge. Why couldn’t the kitchen be elsewhere? Entering with slumped shoulders, she went for the pantry where she kept a selection of food for herself. Dried seaweed and sardines, that would do for breakfast.

Were the others staring, or was she just imagining the burning of eyes on the back of her neck?

She half turned, eyeing the others through her white curls. It seemed everyone was watching some strange looking show on television. Then she noticed Zach. Her stomach twisted. He looked rather awful, puffy eyed and despondent, eating a jar of… what was that again, iced cream? Talon looked to be trying to push some food onto him. She was pretty sure iced cream did not count as breakfast.

“Zach?”

She stepped up slowly, unable to meet his eyes lest she lose her courage.

“I’m sorry I hit you too hard. If you like, I can ease the pain so you feel it less while you’re healing. You’d still have to mind straining your voice.” She paused, chewing her lip. “Only if you want.” She didn’t know what else to say, and just stood there.

---

Kila only caught the end of the sparring match between Mirage and Zatara. Despite all of his talking, he seemed to adapt pretty well to the atlantean’s illusionary fighting style. However, too, Mirage had clearly spotted Zatara’s main weakness. Thus with her opportunistic nature, when a flash of weakness showed itself, she took it. It was only a matter of her being able to close the distance.

As Kila had predicted earlier, the time would come when his magic wouldn’t be able to save him. He saw it all in the horror that invaded Zach’s expression when the magic he commanded couldn’t understand him. Just like that instead of trying to fight back, he gave up and fled in an explosion of tears. If this were a real battle, he’d be knocked out or dead at this point.

Another thing that seemed to catch the warrior’s attention negatively, was each of their levels of stamina. Although he wasn’t particularly versed in how magical energy taxed the body, this training session was barely a battle. He fact that they were both drawing breath this early felt concerning. Kila himself, despite coming off of the daze of Canary’s sensory attack, was still in good condition as far as energy was concerned.

Either way, he was sure that the Speech Devil learned his lesson for the day, no need for any other words on him. Instead, Kila would have walked over to where Mirage remained to offer some reassurance, but it wasn’t long before she took off after the sorcerer boy.

There were many emotions throughout this first training session. The young veteran couldn’t help but shake his head. These splayed emotions were among ‘friends’. Should a mission call for them now, would they have the ability to push through their emotional and physical fatigue? Only trial and error would tell.

Sighing, Kila took a seat on the ground crosslegged and shut his eyes. Canary hadn’t dismissed him or the others yet, but there seemed to be a fast and loose reign of control. Kila decided he could get some meditation time in while he waited for further instruction, finally taking that break from earlier.

---

Darkness, a comforting blanket. It surrounded the young Wraithborn, embracing him as eyes closed, a process of meditation in the works. Casper felt the world vanishing, life, death, and limbo closing themselves off. There was silence.

An onlooker would have witnessed the boy sitting on the floor, Necrotic energies circling him like dancing snakes. A method of relaxation, the closest thing one could consider sleep for a Wraith such as him, and yet, nothing quite like it. A state of trance, a world where Casper could retire when the desire for bliss was prevalent. Shamans would perhaps claim that Hex had retired into his own mind, a refuge from the material and spiritual.

Ǎ̶͇̬̘͆̚n̵̢̘͎̋̃̾̄ŝ̸̡͎͇̽̒̂w̷͎̖̩͕͚͐͒e̷͙͠r̸̞̰̦̮̃ ̷̢͎͐̔̚͝m̸̢̧̜̎̄̑͆̐ĕ̸͇.̷̬͔̇̏̀̃͊.̶̲͈͌̍̈́̈͂.̵͎̋̈̽̽̐

Eyes shot open, brilliant white spheres peering through the darkness as Necrotic energies expanded into explosive dissipation. Teeth clenched, tension rising, all before Casper attempted to center himself. He was a Wraithborn, Necromancy given flesh, not a common teenager haunted by an angry spirit. He would not allow this presence to overcome his will. ”State your business..,” Hex demanded, rising to his feet. No more headaches, no more surprises. He was waiting for this, expecting it. He welcomed it.

The voice, demonic and shivering in nature, it mellowed into a more understandable tone. More familiar vocals. “M̸͕̻̔y̴̧̜͉̬͂ ̷̥̖̩̞̗̇b̵̢̜͈͙̑̓̈́ư̶̡̯̘̻̆s̸̢̹̮͇̀͊siness,” came a quiet chuckle, one soon accompanied by a shape manifesting through the blackness, “is you.”

”I surmised as much, yes..,” Casper’s ghostly echo lingered within his room, the boy’s gaze attempting to discern the shadowy form. This was not a ghost, nor a spirit. It wasn’t a phantasm, or a poltergeist. It was a will manifested, something unable to interact with the surrounding world, and neither could it be interacted with. A strong mind was enough to dispel the illusion, and where Casper fancied himself adequately experienced, this entity was powerful. ”You aim to torment me, then..?” Hex raised a brow. There was a sense of calm about him, proof of Casper’s nature and his abilities. It was unlike before. This time, Hex was prepared.

“Torment you..,” a response reached the Wraithborn’s ears, that hazy shape sharpening into a more recognizable sight. A display shooting a crippling chill down Casper’s spine. No, he would not be deterred. Not even by this. He couldn’t be, and yet, the boy stumbled, weightless steps bringing him towards a curtain-covered window. Fists clenched, eyes narrowing. Casper would have asked himself how this was possible, but the answers were present and obvious. His mother hadn’t destroyed the soul. She had only ended the flesh. “Why would I do that to my son?”

He was trembling, fists tightening to the point of pain. A moment further and Casper’s claws would have pierced his own skin. No, he could not leave this entity victorious in a battle of wills. ”Need I seek you in the world of Spirits to permanently cure us of your presence, father..?”

A moment of silence followed, spectral eyes meeting that of a memory, a shade neither dead, nor alive. An image. A message. “Oh, Casper,” the entity responded, “don’t get ahead of yourself,” a motion was extended towards the boy. “You have grown powerful.”

”You have remained.., for reasons beyond me..,” Hex seethed. Something must have brought his father back from death, or rather, claimed him following the man’s passing.

“Son, this is the first of many further meetings,” the man uttered, a respectful bow soon following. “I have missed you, so.”

”Abandon your attempts at etiquette. You curse my sight for a reason, and you were claimed by someone. Who..?” The Wraith frowned, arms soon crossing. A part of him expected to see his father again, but not like this. Not in a manner so impersonal.

“Know that I act out of love, Casper,” a translucent hand extended towards the boy. “Let this sink in, and we will see each other.., again.” Murdock Blackwood vanished, his shape dematerlizing.

Again, silence lingered, Hex’s gaze falling to the floor. He felt a set of talons gripping his shoulder, small, beady black eyes meeting the Wraithborn’s own. “Casper, I..,” Coal began, before the boy cut him off.

”It drains him..,” Hex stated, his mind moving towards conclusions. ”He didn’t abscond for the dramatic exit..,” the boy explained. ”He’ll return.., repeatedly..” If Casper’s studies had taught him anything, it was that magic penetrating another’s mind was quite taxing, and factored in distance. His father was doing this from the Spirit World.

“Dude, you just saw your dad! Don’t you need, like.., a minute?” Coal cawed, flapping his wings in a manner most exasperated.

”I..,” Hex tried, teeth clenching. A clawed hand moved towards his chest, memories of pain returning, a deathly sting piercing his heart. Falling to his knees, the trembling returned. He couldn’t maintain the act. ”H-he’s back..,” Casper reached for Coal, taking the bird in his arms.

“Casper! It’ll be fine, you hear me? You’re stronger than this!” The bird exclaimed, “you’re stronger than him!”

Tightening the embrace, Hex held Coal against his chest. Fear, a sensation Casper had not felt since that day. That fateful day, when a knife plunged into him.

Location: Laboratory, Third Level
Interactions: The leaf

---

Viktor strolled into the laboratory, finally retrieving the leaf he had plucked from Daphne out of his pocket. Stopping in front of an empty table, he held the leaf up to eye level. He flipped it over, trying to discover anything unique about it. After squinting at it for a moment he moved it close to his face and sniffed it. Nothing…

So far the leaf was… just a leaf. He wasn't sure if he'd find anything of value from this, but he had to try. Holding the single leaf by the stem in one hand, and sifting through the drawers in the lab with his left, he eventually retrieved a case of microscope slides, a Petri dish, diluted water, and a box of gloves.

In a few moments, Viktor was studying a piece of the leaf through the microscope while the rest of it sat in the Petri dish.

"Hmm." Viktor noticed the cells did not appear as just plant cells or just animal cells, but both. It was not too surprising, but still, a weird thing to observe. He glanced at the leftover leaf in the petri dish. It wasn't much to work with, but he conducted as many tests as quickly as he could. He burned it over a burner, plunged a bit in acid, left it in water, but nothing immediately occurred. In fact, the leaf did nothing outside the realms of a typical leaf from a tree just outside the headquarters.

Viktor held the stem with a small portion of the leaf with that same neutral expression he always wore. There was nothing… but it was a confirmed nothing. He was almost disappointed but stopped himself.

It's only fitting based on what she's shown so far. To expect anything more is just hopeful or foolish. He cleaned off and put the equipment away, but kept the bit of leaf he had left, placing it in a small ziplock bag. He tucked it in his pocket and made his way to the gymnasium. And now for some real training.

---

“Casper..,” Coal’s attempt pierced the silence. How long had it been? Mere moments? An hour? It was difficult to pinpoint the exact passing of time, Hex’s arms encircling his friend in what could only be considered desperation. A facade had been erected, one substituting fear with vigilance, stoicism replacing shock. Divorced from the others, however, Casper could shed this layer, if for only a moment as he was clinging to the large crow in his embrace.

”I won’t succumb,” the boy offered, his eyes opening to offer a somber expression. ”Allow me just a moment,” he pleaded, teeth clenching as Hex attempted to dispel the fright placed upon him by a distant memory.

“Take all the moments you need, dude,” the crow cooed, welcoming silence as it returned. Despite Casper’s shattered self, it was impossible to ignore a small, yet visible spark burning within. A sense of determination. It was like Duke Murdock Blackwood revealed, Hex had grown powerful, and a ghost from the past would not labor to spell his demise.

There was, however, a question lingering in the back of Hex’s mind. Had he been attempting to don the face of someone he wasn’t? It was true that despite his position as a marquess, Casper never flaunted his title. Indeed, the boy had displayed a respectful approach whether confronted by prince or pauper. Though, upon arriving in America, he had opted to abandon both his vocabulary and threads of regal standing. For someone so adamantly apathetic towards the opinions of others, Casper had braved great lengths in an attempt to fit in.

Rising to his feet, Hex noted how Coal’s shape vanished from between his arms, talons materializing at his shoulder. There was a moment’s hesitation before Casper deigned to approached his closet, claws wrapping themselves around the handle before slowly pulling it open. Within he witnessed that of which was Casper Blackwood, a mask residing below neatly folded clothes.

Where had he come across the handle ‘Hex’? It was quite fitting, but if analyzed, a question sprung to mind. What had brought this creature, one disregarding the notion of masks, to pick one up for himself? Perhaps it was a desire to separate from the name ‘Blackwood’, an attempt at carving out his very own identity divorced from mother, father, and bloodlines. It was a distinct contrast to his fellow student, Zachary Zatara, who desperately sought to wield his surname. Casper had muted his own.

Claws gently traced themselves across the mask, feeling its hard surface against their sharp tips. Was this a desire to abandon his father’s name? Hex, its very definition denoting a curse, a bewitching spell. It was what Casper had become, which in turn indicated a desire to embrace his nature, an existence bestowed upon him by his father. “What’s on your mind?” Coal asked, seeing how Casper slowly retrieved the mask, eyes meeting a plague doctor’s visage.

”Why am I afraid?” Came a question, Hex’s voice mellow in execution.

A moment passed before Coal responded, avian feet landing atop the mask. “The guy killed you.”

Again, there was a pause. Casper’s mind worked to decipher his emotions, a circle of never-ending questions. ”Then, we are the same, he and I.” A faint frown bridged itself across Hex’s features, ”father created Hex, but it is mine.”

“Yeah!” Coal exclaimed, “told old man shouldn’t scare you, Cassy! You’re the fucking ‘Hex’!”

Lowering his mask, Casper turned towards the door as Coal reclaimed a position at the bird’s favorite shoulder. ”Let us reconvene with the others.”

“So, now that your mental breakdown is over, I have a question for you,” the crow asked as they started down the corridor on a path to the lounge. “Everyone here is a bit broken, aren’t they?”

”Yes,” Casper offered, hands sliding into the pockets of his jacket, ”we are.”

“So, like..,” Coal continued, “what’s the plan? Overcome all this fuckin’ teen angst’ with friendship magic?”

Managing a soft smile, Casper’s eyes remained on the floor as he walked. He allowed himself a moment to consider an answer, pausing as he noted a soft, blue light emanating from the lounge. Halting his stride, Hex remained in the corridor, a dark shroud manifesting upon him, ”fortune smiles upon us, then, as magic appears abundant here.” He finished, before stepping into the sunlit lounge.

---

BRIGHTHEART? Felix couldn’t help but glance in the direction of the wall the Tamaranean had punched a hole through not half an hour ago. Did Black Canary want him dead? Or was this some sort of test to see if he’d learned anything from Green Arrow’s mistake earlier. If that was the case, she was in for a surprise. He took a deep breath and shook out his body. No, he knew better than to think the match would hinge on their respective powers. Aleen’a was still off somewhere so Felix double checked his force field belt and mentally prepared himself.

Aleen’a flew down and joined the team but she was late when Black Canary paired off their teams with one another. She didn’t want to be a bother so she just stayed silent on the sidelines, watching as the battles continued before her. The only chance she got to see people from Earth fight was when the Justice League helped the Tamaraneans fight off the Citadel years ago and she loved how everyone had their own unique and distinct way of fighting. She thought it was an honor to watch her peers battle as well, everyone gave it their all and she was very much inspired by all of them.

During all of that, she kept herself mentally prepared. It was only through this mock battle that she got an idea of everyone’s fighting capabilities. She’s been trained to battle every kind of opponent there was but of course, Earth had its own way of throwing her out of the loop. Everything she thought she knew about Earth just got thrown out of the window.

She looked at her fist, opening and closing it. She could feel power inside her thanks to the bright sun, making her strong enough to punch through a hole on a wall. Will strength ever be enough to face the challenges waiting for her on this planet. Only time could tell. For now, Aleen’a must wait for the last fight to be over so she could finally face her opponent.

Aleen’a was gone longer than he expected and the others had started their sparring… Well, was a magic fight technically sparring? It was as intense as anything he’d seen. Felix had to admit, if he could so deftly summon all the power Zach seemed to have at his disposal, he might be tempted to ignore the martial stuff too. While Black Canary and Ja had their own impressive sparring match, showing off moves Felix ached to try some day, his attention stayed on the magic users. Kass and Zach in all their power were in the middle of their own personal battlefield. It reminded Felix of some of the larger battles between metas he’d had the privilege of witnessing. A shower of fucking rocks. Klizz.

He could almost feel Kass’s satisfaction himself when the Atlantean finally socked Zach in the mouth. He’d be surprised if anyone didn’t. It was short-lived though. Felix hadn’t wanted to see the magician like this. Sure, he was kind of annoying and full of himself. But you just laughed along and teased people like that. At least, that’s how he had learned to handle himself. He watched Zach run off, and took a step towards him. But no. His clone appeared also lunging forward to take off after the boy.

“Wait. No.”

The clone stopped in his tracks, likely coming to the same conclusion. “Shit, we’ll just make him even more mad. Dude doesn’t like me. Besides, I need all the help I can get.” Felix gestured with his head to Aleen’a who had been watching the matches as well from the other side of the sparring grounds. Felix met his clone’s eyes, a hint of a smirk playing across his mouth. No, he couldn’t afford to hold back.

A short time later, Felix approached his opponent. “Princess! It is my honor to be your sparring partner. I hope you enjoyed the show as much as I did.” He bowed slightly, in good humor. Not entirely sincere but by no means mocking the actual royalty standing before him. “You should know though.” The young man pulled out a small metal box. He opened it, and two small drones shot up and began flitting about, the light glinting off the round lenses in front. “These are not weapons. Just recording devices to help me review later.”

"Zachary…" Aleen'a wanted to follow him but he might take it in the wrong way. She reckoned she must give him some space just like the others did. She sighed, it looked like all of them have their own issues.

She turned to see Felix calling after her and she greeted him with a warm smile as always. "You are going to be my opponent? How wonderful! I am feeling very much of the excitement towards our battle. Oh and everyone are such excellent fighters! It is an honor to be battling alongside everyone in our future missions, and I am especially honored to be fighting you now as well." Aleen'a said and bowed before him.

She then watched in amazement as Felix opened a box and let out two small flying devices. "You are taking records of our fight to review it? My, I have never heard of such a process to improve one's fighting prowess. If you may, I also wish to watch our battle in these adorbubble little flying things so I can improve as well." She excitedly said. "I believe it is now our turn to battle, yes?"

Felix nodded. Adorbubble? It had a weirdly nice ring to it. “Right, let’s go then.” As Aleen’a readied herself, Felix stepped back. He looked down quickly checking that his force field belt was activated and took a deep breath. Two Felixes walked out from behind him as if they had just been hiding there, and where there was once one Felix there were now three. The Felixes took a step back into a fighting stance, and the force fields around them bent the light just slightly, creating the impression of a faint bubble. “Don’t be goin’ easy on us, Princess,” the three said in unison then charged at her. In a bid to overwhelm her the two on either side split in a pincer move.

Aleen’a jumped back in shock when there were now multiple copies of Felix in front of her. As the Felixes attacked her at once, she yelped and flipped upwards into the air and landed a few feet away from them. “I have never fought someone with self-duplicating powers before. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, Felix!” She excitedly said as she proceeded to run to the right in a round-about way to make space between the clones. She noticed distorted light surrounding all of them, a force field of some sorts? Either way, she had to determine which of them was the real Felix, it’s really just either one of the three. Stalling and thinking about who the real one among them was was just a waste of time so she decided to attack the middle Felix of the three instead. “Here I come!” Aleen’a shouted, running at full speed towards that specific Felix.

Gold Rush turned in place to follow Aleen’a’s movements, shuffling back and forth. It wasn’t like them to hold back, preferring to overwhelm their opponent. But she was suited to take them all on so they held back more so than usual. Until she did them the favor of announcing her advance.

It was clear who her target was and the other two Felixes split, while the poor boy at the center of her attention did everything he could to move with the blow. But the princess was quick. Even with warning, he couldn’t dodge or block in time. As her fist connected with his chest, the force field shimmered at the point of contact, cushioning the blow. Felix grunted, still pushed backwards. “Shit, that hurts…”

The other two who had separated came in from the sides and struck with their own punches. “On your left!” the one on her right shouted. They weren’t so coordinated that they could time their attacks perfectly and so the one coming from her right attacked first.

‘They’re too slow.’ Aleen’a thought to herself. The longer she was fighting these clones, the more she realized that they don’t think and act in unison. They took action based on their instincts or probably based on the instincts of the real Felix. She could hear the right one’s footsteps before he even shouted to confuse her. Warrior’s instincts, Aleen’a supposed. She quickly ducked, grabbed the right Felix’s attacking forearm upwards before striking his abdomen with an open palm. She then flipped high backwards again, hitting the middle Felix’s chin with her foot before landing a few feet away from them once more to gain space.

The dumb ploy hadn’t worked, but their real mistake had been to not attack together. Two of the Felixes were quickly punished for it, while the third didn’t even get to act before Aleen’a retreated once more. Felix had taken a kick to the chin and hit the ground, his force field flickered, a sign that Aleen’a’s alien strength was already pushing it to its limits. He quickly got up with another curse. The three whispered among themselves.

“She’s too fast.”
“Or we’re too slow.”
“I might need to tag out soon. Don’t know if I wanna take a hit with no shield.”
“We just need to stop her from moving. Gotta grab her.”
“Much fun as that sounds, not sure if we can pull it off.”

One of the Felix’s clicked his tongue a few times. As if counting out a beat.

“We just gotta sync up,” he said in a pause. And the other two picked up the same beat.

---

The "original" Felix sat crouched, watched from the trees. The two drones circling the group of his clones and Aleen’a fed him a video stream as well, but he didn’t need to look too closely to see he was still outmatched. She just kept countering him and jumping away. Of course, this was why two of them had stayed back. They’d stayed back to start firing on her if she tried to fly, but this was the same thing.

“We’re up,” he said to the clone at his side. The two raised both their arms, wrist blasters pointed at the air above Aleen’a. They weren’t close enough to hit her from this distance but the blasts should serve to throw off her jumps if she tried to retreat again.

---

The three Felixes charged at Aleen’a once again. Practiced in keeping rhythm, the three acted in time with the beat they'd agreed on and it showed in their synchronized movements. There would be no effort to strike Aleen’a this time, only to hold her down.

Aleen’a was ready to counter them once again when the three Felixes huddled together and began popping their tongues. "Is… Is something in your throat? Would you like to drink a warm glass of water?” She called out to them, not wanting to fight someone who was at a disadvantage. She wanted all of her fights to be fair for both parties as much as possible, even though anyone would break the rules in a life-and-death situation anyway.

They continued to do tongue-pops until the three settled on to a rhythm they could play in unison. Aleen’a was very impressed by it but it quickly turned to suspense once all of the Felixes were coming right after her. She still wasn’t used to fighting duplicates of the same people, the whole battle’s making her feel like she’s hallucinating but she tried her best to stay focused. She instinctively flew up to evade them and gain more ground but that was a bad idea. Aleen’a shouted as she felt pain from her back from being shot by the two Felixes hiding in the trees. The pain and shock caused her to lose focus and made her fall back down on the ground. She moaned and squirmed, still trying to think about what happened to her but it was already too late as the three Felixes were already upon her.

As she had done before, Aleen’a tried to retreat once more. The boys had made a more coordinated rush, but even then were not quick enough to reach her before she simply skipped away. That was when the hidden Felixes fired. A blast knocked her back on the ground. The three Felixes dove, acting to keep her pinned. Sure Gold Rush didn’t have a problem with fighting dirty against villains, but this was his team mate. He wasn’t about to hit her when she was down. A submission would do.

Being able to act in time with each other presented some advantages. It also presented some disadvantages. When the two Felixes running ahead both dove at once to tackle Brightheart, aiming to pin her arms down, their own outstretched arms brushed against each other. There was a yellow flash of light that engulfed the two. When the light cleared there was only one Felix to hold the Tamaranean princess. He had his arms wrapped around her legs, attention torn between admiring those legs and figuring out what to do now.

---

Our Felix watched from the trees, stunned that the clone by his side had somehow managed to actually land a shot on Aleen’a. He had only been going for cover fire, so it had to be pure luck that any of their shots had landed. He turned to look at his clone. The Felix shrugged. “Lucky shot I guess,” he said with a smirk.

There was no time look into it further. He suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. The telltale yellow flash of light confirmed what he expected. Somebody over there had messed up. “Chingao, let's go.” He dropped from his tree branch, hitting the ground with a thud and a shimmer of his force field. With the shock absorbed, he was able to hit the ground running. He needed to backup his remaining clone. The footsteps behind him confirmed that this clone was with him as well. Hopefully the other could hold his own for now. Or maybe, however unlikely, they’d already knocked Aleen’a out. He held one arm out just in case, but it was unlikely he would be able to fire again without risking hitting himself.

---

Aleen'a cursed at herself for being stupid. Of course the real Felix will hide in a distance and let his clones fight the enemy. The Warlords would be displeased with her if they could see her right now but there was nothing she could do about it. She felt the pressure from the weight of the three Felixes push her down on the ground. When she was down, she looked back and realized only one Felix was left, arms wrapped around her leg. "Felix? Where are the other Felixes?" She heard footsteps and she looked to see the two Felixes emerge from the trees, running towards her while aiming their blasters at her.

She growled in defiance. She didn't care if she'll get shot while flying anymore, she needed to get this Felix off of her. "Sorry about this, Feelix!" Aleen'a said then flipped upside so she's laying on her back on the ground, using her knees to squeeze the clone's head. She pushed herself off the ground using her arms and kept herself steady with her legs squeezing fake Felix's head in, using him as a booster for her to fly up with him still in tow. She got down close to the ground and was now flying full speed towards the two running Felixes, flipping herself mid-air with her now grabbing the Felix's feet and planning on using him to ram the others.

"Here I go… Felix ATTAAAACK!"

Felix watched as Brightheart effortlessly just flung his clone’s body around. He was in trouble. If his clone had any sense he’d just dispel himself, but it was clear from one look at his face that the clone held by Aleen’a was in a daze. He called back to the Felix running with him. “Stay back!” If she managed to force contact between the two clones, that would take away his last remaining allies. Behind him, the footsteps died as his clone fell behind just before the two groups met. Felix watched Aleen’a advancing like a runaway train, his own body held before her. No time to think. He knew what would happen, that he’d be fine. Still, if he gave himself that time to think. he would hesitate and falter. He planted his feet intending to grab and throw Aleen’a. As the clone made contact with his hand, there was another flash of yellow light and the body vanished. He grabbed for Aleen’a’s waist as she kept moving at him, but she was too fast for him. Instead of redirecting her into a throw, Felix got knocked backwards into a tumble. He hit the ground hard, but kept going. His head spun, his body spun, and the shimmers of his force field went off with every new hit. But there were some softer impacts that told him he had somehow managed to keep his hold.

She didn't know how the clones disappeared the first time so it sucked that it took her a second time to realize how that happened. The next thing she knew, she was tumbling all over the ground while holding someone, probably another. Their two bodies flailed and kept rolling over each other for what seemed like an hour before it finally stopped. Her body ached all over and she's covered in dirt and grass. She even spewed some out of her mouth and groaned in pain, not before realizing something warm breathing against her belly.

Aleen'a looked down and saw Felix getting pinned down by her. She could also see his force field barely hanging on. "Hello? Are you the real Felix?" Aleen'a asked him while tapping on his head, the force field glowing on the spot where her finger made contact with it, all while keeping him still pinned down by her.

They finally came to a stop. Felix could feel a weight on top of him and realized it was Aleen’a. Oh God. Sure enough, she tapped on his head. Klizz. Panicking, Felix started flailing about. He couldn’t even see. He couldn’t even breathe. Where did he have his face?! He scrambled out from beneath Aleen’a and took a few steps back, panting. He had just wanted to throw her not… this. “Yeah…” he said, looking at the ground trying to catch his breath. “I’m the Felix you know. If my clones touch me- uh, or any other clone, they disappear. Just like you saw.” He kept his eyes averted from her. “I uh… I think you won.”

"I… did?" Aleen'a stayed seated on the ground. Even after being told she won, she weirdly didn't feel any better. Ah yes, the whole fight was weird from the very start. "It was an honor fighting you, Felix. It was quite the unique experience." Aleen'a said as she stood up and bowed before him, giggling sheepishly.

Felix nodded. "Well... you did come out on top," he joked shakily, his confidence slowly returning. "I could keep trying but I think I'm just about out of tricks..." Another awkward second passed before he continued. "And an honor for me to be one of your first fights on Earth," he returned the bow. "And hopefully not our last." He kept his head low, still avoiding meeting her eyes.

The last remaining clone had watched all of this. Just stepping out of the way when the other two tumbled past him. Were his skin not darkened from time in the sun, the flushing of his skin would have been obvious. “Aight. I’m out,” were his last words as his form dissipated.

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

---

In the teleporter room, Red Tornado waited next to a large black and red jeep. He'd acquired the vehicle after deciding a social outing would be a great new objective for the team. He took his role as caretaker seriously, studying up on the best methods to guide a group of teens. The android actually felt quite proud of his accomplishment and was sure this would be to the teams liking. A little ways away from him Daphne was waiting with him, almost exactly like the day prior, waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. The teen girl was fidgeting nervously, smoothing out the wrinkles of her outfit. She had gone through at least five different sets of clothes before finally settling on what she was wearing now. To spare herself further embarrassment she arrived in the teleporter room ridiculously early. Waking up underneath a solar lamp, surrounded by the rest of the team who were just casually going about their day eating peanut butter sandwiches was not fun.

She checked her reflection adjusting the hair framing her face and checked if the white ribbon in her ponytail was still secure. Daphne sighed, feeling nervous. Facing the team after the disaster training this morning was something she'd been putting off. There wasn't any way around it now though. Rummaging through her small white purse she got out her perfume and sprayed some behind her ears and on the inside of her wrists. The scent cheered her up a bit. This shopping trip could still be fun. Her plan was solid and even though she didn't know everyone that well she was a great shopper and gift giver. It was almost like a superpower on it's own.

As more of the team arrived Daphne glanced around, at the jeep, the zeta tubes, really anything but the people in front of her. Red Tornado was silent as per usual, until everyone was present.
"Hello team, your timely arrival is appreciated" It was great to see the teens arrive on time, he understood that was often a problem with this age group. The android began to explain the purpose of their meeting. He wanted to come up with a "pleasant" surprise for the team and had decided to keep them in suspense.
"Your next objective is a social outing, as I understand this is what teens partake in to relax, I've been recommended a trip to the mall is particularly "fun""
Seeing as the training of this morning had resulted in multiple unpleasant and arguably traumatizing events this would be the most effective solution. He gestured towards the jeep.

"I arranged a vehicle, but it is limited to five team members, you may also make use of Zeta Beams and the Public modes of transportation."
Red Tornado looked at the team in front of him, retrieving data about their license registration.
"Rain, Zatara, Gold Rush and Nymph are qualified to drive"

Daphne almost dropped her purse hearing her name and driving mentioned in the same sentence. With a heavy heart she glanced over her shoulder at the large jeep. It would be nice to get through one afternoon without trying to kill anyone. On the other hand she didn't want to give into her fear. Giving in was the easy way out but in the end that would only make things more difficult for her. It was exactly why she joined the team, knowing full well there would be violence and fighting. Best thing to do was face her fears head on. She didn't have to like it though.

---

---

Talon. That couldn’t be his real name. Was he trying to be funny? Obstinate? Alisa couldn’t tell, but he looked dead serious. She stared, scrutinizing his face for any apparent emotion. Talon was a puzzle she had yet to figure out. He scared her with his volatile temper, sure, but he also interested her. Everyone on the team did. If she had to live and work with them, she might as well understand them. She barely noticed Viktor silently leaving the room, but she gave a friendly wave goodbye anyways and a smile.

Alisa’s eyes were drawn to Zach as he ran into the room sobbing, making a beeline for the fridge, and pulling out ice cream. Her brows raised and her mouth parted in confusion. What was wrong? Had something happened on the course? Again? He didn’t look hurt… Alisa moved forward to comfort him, but Talon got there first. Comfort was a strong word for what Talon was doing. Getting… peanuts for Zach? Nutrition was important, she supposed- although it always slipped her mind- but it was still strange.

At nearly the same time, Red Tornado and Kassandra came in, Red Tornado in his traditional calm manner and Kassy running to go talk to Zach. So she was the one who hurt him. Alisa hadn’t thought that the other girl had it in her! Red Tornado put a UV lamp over Daphne, which made Alisa want to facepalm. Of course she photosynthesized. Why didn’t I say anything? She was such an idiot.

Alisa observed the situation in the lounge for a moment more, but it was clear she wasn’t needed right now. So, with that, she made her exit.

---

Four hours later, Alisa arrived in the teleporter room. Red Tornado had said they were going out on a social outing, whatever that meant. She stood next to Daphne and wrung her hands. Yet another new thing to her- going out with friends. If she could call these people her friends yet, that was. She wasn’t entirely sure yet. She had known even the early comers for only a week, and she knew so little of them!

Alisa had taken the chance to change out of her exercise clothes into some more comfortable outing clothes that didn’t expose her robotic parts. Now, she was wearing her painted floral bootcut jeans from the day prior, a flowy white blouse, and the same tennis shoes from earlier that day. Her hair was down, resting at her collarbone.

A shopping trip?! Alisa smiled, suddenly gleeful. Awesome! She needed art supplies, and more clothes, and shoes, and books, and decorations… decorating was her jam. Would Red Tornado allow them to have candles in their rooms? She glanced at Daphne, smiling. It would be fun to shop with another girl. She knew that girls in movies did things like this, but she had never actually gone shopping with friends. Would it be as fun as it looked? She hoped so.

Then, Alisa’s “heart” plummeted as she remembered something. She was hopelessly broke. Shopping required money, didn’t it? The smile fell off her face, and she looked at her feet, suddenly embarrassed. Maybe the others had guardians or mentors to provide money for them, but she didn’t have anyone she could ask. Again, she was swept with homesickness. Money had always been short back home and her mom would never have let her do anything like this, but she would’ve given her money if she’d asked. She supposed she could ask Cyborg, but she barely knew him. He could barely be called her mentor- she had known him for two weeks and met him a total of once. She had his number in her phone and he had been checking in periodically, but she didn’t dare ask a guy she barely knew for money. He had seemed friendly, but that would be humiliating.

Even though she couldn’t buy anything, Alisa decided that she would still go, if only to window shop and chat. It would still be fun! Sort of.

Alisa turned to the group. “I think I’ll take the Zeta Tubes and walk.” She wanted to avoid the embarrassment of having to talk about what she was going to buy when… well, she couldn’t buy anything. “Anyone wanna come with?”

Location: Teleporter Room
Interactions: The GANG

---

Time had flown by, but now without purpose. Viktor had filled the time with close quarters shadow-boxing with a few weapons and some archery thrown in, showered, changed, and then proceeded to type up various notes in the confines of his room. He started with summarizing the events of the morning's combat training exercise, followed by individual entries for each member of the team.

He had to agree that Talon may have been correct about staying to watch the other team perform, but he might have also missed the chance to study the leaf procured from Daphne. The other entries can remain short for now, there is plenty of time to socialize and train with the others. Until then, there would be unanswered questions. It didn't help that everyone had such different backgrounds, but it could prove useful in the long-run. That's if they didn't end up dead first.

When the time came, Viktor entered the teleporter room, wearing black sneakers, black sweatpants, and an ash gray shirt with a black bat symbol on it. He crossed his arms at his chest while listening to Red Tornado elaborate on what he had in store for the group.

Viktor actually liked the idea of going to the mall, despite not visibly expressing it. It was the perfect environment to study various social interactions in one place. Kate Kane called it "people watching" but Viktor found that name too simple.

While looking amongst the team at those identified as possible drivers, he heard Alisa pipe up about using the zeta tubes. His familiarity with her almost drew him to joining her, but the jeep needed a suitable driver.

"I'm driving." He announced as he stepped forward towards Red Tornado to receive the keys to the vehicle. In that moment, he also noticed the scent of Daphne's perfume. Viktor briefly looked in her direction, slightly crunching his face before looking back to the team's robotic caretaker.

---

Gazing upon the ghostly reflection of a peculiar boy on the surface of a polished mirror, Casper’s eyes scrutinized every available venue. Questions circled his mind, the notion of regal formality clashing with a casual approach. Following a slow tilt of his head, Hex gently adjusted the tie around his neck. Was it the right color? White with black stripes, or black with white stripes? Tracing claws against its shape, Casper closed his eyes for a brief moment. The boy quite enjoyed donning different outfits, thoughts of past masquerades coming to mind.

He missed those days, soft classical music filling marble halls with elegant regalia dotted by intricate masks rightfully dubbed artwork. Festivities of the wealthy, a flamboyant display of riches and fashion entwined, a side of Casper he had not displayed for his newly acquired allies. Perhaps one day he would regale them of waltzes beneath shimmering moonlight. A slowly wagging tail indicated bliss conjured by such thoughts. A nobleman’s dance of pleasure shrouded in the mystery of obfuscation, ornate visages blanketing each attending face. It was what Casper considered a party, what he thought of as gatherings, something quite clearly separating him from modern wealth. Drugs, prostitutes, and costly mistakes.

Returning to the current issue at hand, Hex’s dilemma remained. He did not know what to wear. In fact, this extended to the boy’s new approach as a whole. Who was he? Who was Hex? “I have an idea,” Coal stated, piercing the silence that had grown thick between the two.

”Share with me these thoughts,” Casper responded, brow rising as he aimed those ghostly spheres at the crow visible upon his mirror.

“Where’s that leather vest of yours? You know, the gay one,” the avian cawed, pointing a wing at the closet, “put it on top of what you’re wearing.”

”The gay one,” Hex repeated, followed by a slow shake of his head. ”Mother claimed the same,” he continued, reaching a clawed appendage into the closet before he procured the vest. It was a peculiar thing, one with zippers and a punky touch, something that may have clashed with his otherwise regal attempts. ”It doesn’t.., look horrible,” Hex offered, donning the vest atop his dress shirt and jeans, witnessing it hugging his spindly, svelte form.

“Now, roll up your sleeves, put on those gloves, and you’re golden!” Coal finished, indicating the fingerless leather gloves Casper would soon slide over his claws. It was, incidentally, the only type of handwear he could utilize.

A moment lingered, Hex’s gaze returning to that mirror as he pondered the result of Coal’s suggestions. ”It is.., different,” Casper offered, arms crossing as his tail swayed in thought.

“You look great! Stop obsessing over your clothes, geeze,” the spirit rolled its eyes. “The others are waiting for us. Come on, come on!” Small, taloned feet hopped in place before Casper finally conceded. Coal was right, the boy could very well spend an entire afternoon fretting over his attire. It would not come to that, however. Taking a step towards the door, Hex wasted no time in phasing through the obstacle, dark energies dematerializing him before once more shaping the boy into a solid form on the other side.

”Where do you reckon we’re headed?” The Wraithborn asked, a claw rising to call the elevator at hallway’s end.

“Therapy,” came a quick response, “these kids are made of glass. Imagine when you need to actually fight shit.”

”Come now, Coal. Don’t be so crude,” the boy retorted, his converse-clad feet bringing him into the metal box, ”it was you who assured me of their eventual growth,” Casper reminded, hands moving behind his back as the elevator started towards the lower levels.

“Yes, but that only means that they’re crybabies right now!” Coal pushed as they waited to reach their destination. “If this was the reaction to your initiation, you’d be dead.”

”I’d be dead.” Hex displayed a soft smirk, eyes rising to a shifting number over the metallic door.

“You know what I mean! The not-walking-around type of dead!” A very passionate display, but Casper had a single rebuttal.

”We shall revisit this conversation when I embrace flight.” With that, polished, chrome doors slid open, and Casper joined his team. To him, it mattered little who drove. Hex would remain in the backseat.

Halting at Daphne’s side, the boy remained silent, tail slowly swaying as he carefully listened to his new comrades.

Zach wasn’t expecting any of these people to acknowledge his presence, and he would just sit there eating his ice cream in peace. Boy was he wrong. Talon decided to criticize his choice of snack. Who did he was, his mother? He was legally a grownup, he could have ice cream if he wanted. Talon ran to the kitchen and came back with a jar of peanuts. He looked at Talon, then at the peanuts. His voice wasn’t in a state to say something sassy right now, and Talon was clearly trying to do something nice. Zach just reached into the jar, and grabbed a handful of peanuts.“Um... thank you.” He starined, and shoved the nuts into his mouth. (Get your minds out of the gutter kids)

Then Kassy came in, and apologized for hitting him too hard. As if that was what he was upset about... It was a more complicated situation than simple “boo hoo, I’m injured.” But Zach wasn’t in the mood to discuss that right now. She also offered to ease the pain. Zach nodded. “Do it... We can discuss this later... When it doesn’t hurt to talk...”

___



It had been a few hours, and Zach’s ability to speak had been restored. He was relieved, he made a living on being able to talk, and being unable to was a nightmare.

Zach got dressed in his casual clothes, which today consisted of a purple T-shirt with a bunny on it, jeans, and sneakers. They had all been summoned together for a mission. They were all going to go to the mall to go shopping. Fun! Shopping was fun when you had money, and Zach did indeed have money. What was weird was that Red Tornado was treating this as if it were a serious mission. Zach just facepalmed and sighed.

There were several modes of transportation available to them. Zach had decided to go in the Jeep. There was no way he was taking public transportation like a Plebeian. The Zeta Tubes were an option but... Viktor was driving. “Great. I call shotgun.”