Kassandra startled slightly, tearing her attention away from the situation at hand as she heard the two new arrivals coming in. Maya, on the surface, seemed impressive enough. She carried a beautiful sword and seemed at ease with the weapon at her side. The other girl just seemed rough by comparison. She also had the stones to attempt to insult Batman, which nearly made Kass’ jaw drop. Just why would she go and do that? It made no sense, and left a bad taste in her mouth. She had met people like that and did not want to meet any more.

She brought her attention back to the screens in front of her. From what she could tell, a circus was some type of human festival where they did multiple amazing things. Something called a ‘trapeze’ where humans flew through the air. A bunch of – what were they again? – elephants doing tricks. So on and so forth. She wondered what exactly she could bring to the table that would not be so obvious. Evidently she’d have to go to Zach for advice, since he would be taking the lead for this mission. Somehow, she felt like this suited his showy nature.

She had been introduced to the computer several weeks ago, and while she was no expert, she could use it well enough to get onto the internet and watch videos. Some of them had Zach in them, and she was still wondering why. It was a true pleasure to see Viktor pop up as well in one instance. That poor, delicious steak, though…

“I suppose my illusions could make a decent show, though I’d have to put some polish on them somehow. Zach, do you know if I can use my natural talents to come up with something?”

---

---

After the mission to La Hoya, life at Mount Justice almost returned to normal for Alisa. Keyword: almost. She spent nearly 24 hours in debrief once they got back home, drawing and explaining the files she had recovered for the Justice League. After that, though, life mostly returned to her new normal. She hung out with and got to know her teammates, painted, went shopping, trained in combat methods, and worked on new augments. An enlightening conversation and hair-braiding session with Daphne in her room brightened up one of her nights, but she spent most of the rest of the time doing normal Alisa things.

Despite herself, Alisa couldn’t seem to properly mourn the disappearances of Felix and Casper. She had liked them, sure, but she hadn’t known them. She hadn’t had the time to know them. She should’ve made that time. Oddly enough, that guilt was more overpowering than the grief. If only she had made an effort to get to know them.

Unlike many of her teammates, Alisa did not pursue a session with Black Canary. She didn’t need it. A computer didn’t necessitate counselling, even if it did have emotions, and she didn’t want to waste any of the superhero’s time.

Perhaps her craziest night came in the early morning of Thursday, the day before they departed for their next mission. She broke her curfew, snuck out with Viktor, tried to sneak into a bar, participated in late-night bowling, drove a car for the first time, crashed that car, and got grounded. It had been a good night, all things considered. Despite crashing a car and getting grounded, the two of them had had a blast. The worst part had been the brutal lecture from Red Tornado and explaining to their teammates afterward what they had done to the Jeep. Alisa found that Viktor was steadily becoming her closest friend on the team, although it was an unlikely pair. He was actually sort of fun.

Outside of her more notable outings, she had spent time watching rom-coms and sitcoms with Aleen’a, occasionally exchanging friendly words and conversing with Kassy and Ja, and watching Zach doing magic (and being very amused when she watched the video with Viktor in it). She hadn’t spoken much if at all with Talon. He always seemed to be either silent, glaring at Viktor, or speaking to someone else. So they stayed away from each other.

Overall, Alisa’s week was (mostly) awesome. Despite now being house-bound and broke (again), she had had fun with her teammates. But things were about to ramp into gear again…

---

Like the rest of the team, Alisa sat quietly at the conference table, trying to listen to Batman’s briefing. It was hard, though- she was too starstruck by the living legend standing in front of her. For what must have been the gazillionth time, Alisa was feeling like she was slightly out of her depth. Who was she, to think that she belonged here? But this time, she knew that she did- she had proven it more than once.

A circus? Alisa perked up at the mention. Unlike Aleen’a, she knew what a circus was, although she had never been to one. She knew that they were supposed to include acrobats and exotic animals and presentations of fantastic abilities, but she wasn’t sure about much more than that. It should be interesting, at least, she thought to herself, already internally going over the acts she could perform. She wasn’t an acrobat, but she was nearly indestructible…

When the Zeta-Tube announced a newcomer, Alisa’s head whipped to the transportation system, along with the heads of nearly every other member of the team. Gold Rush and Hex’s replacements were here.

The first one- Maya- walked in with a swagger, a sassy attitude, and a sword throw. While Alisa wasn’t necessarily impressed, she could imagine herself being friends with this girl. Seeing that sword in action would be cool.

“She-Devil”, however, would find herself on the receiving end of a stunned, disgusted look and a not-quiet scoff from Alisa. Did she just… call Batman a pedophile? Looking around the room, Alisa found that she wasn’t alone. Why would this girl waltz in here, a newly minted member of their team, and insult them all?

She was about to follow Daphne, anticipating some sort of disaster brewing, when Viktor approached her. Alisa turned to her friend, a smile appearing while keeping an eye on what was brewing between She-Devil and poor, poor Daphne. “I don’t really know,” she told him. She stood from her seat and crossed her arms, showing off her favorite pair of floral hand-painted bootcut jeans, a pair of drawn-on Converse, and a white tank-top. She had matched clip-on sunflower earrings to go with the outfit. Maybe she couldn't be as fashionable as some people, but she could still try, goddamnit! “I’ve never been to a circus. Is sword swallowing a thing there, though? I saw it once on America’s Got Talent… I could do that! I don’t have a complete digestive system, and what I do have is unpuncturable. And, uh… you? Maybe some sort of strongman thing?”

---

0757, Friday

"Hm." Viktor eyed his surroundings, his eyes briefly stopping at each large tree surrounding his position. Quiet and only a click away from the HQ. Hidden away in nature Viktor found solace. Removing a knife from his cargo pocket, he approached one of the large trees. He'd start here.

0810, Friday

Daphne squinted, staring at the forest surrounding the HQ. She tried to recall which trails she walked before. They all kind of looked alike. The teen girl shrugged, it didn’t matter all that much. She plugged in her headphones and turned on her current favorite. There were a whole bunch of plants left to discover. It was a fun upside to her power, it turned a simple walk in the forest into a treasure hunt.

0850, Friday

Beep beep beep beep! Beep beep beep beep!

Viktor shot a glare at his digital watch and quickly shut off the beeping that indicated a quick stopping point. Reason being that he wanted to look over everything from the files collected during their mission. Not all the team were "morning persons" and even fewer would start their day reading files. This would give him the chance to look them over on his own. Maybe even take them to his room.

He eyed his work carved into the bark of the tree with the same stoic look he gave most things before stabbing his knife deep into the tree, right below the carving. And with that, Viktor made his way toward the HQ.

0858, Friday

“Nope I already have this one…...or is this different?”

Daphne quietly talked to herself, looking at two leaves sitting on top of the other cuttings she collected. She frowned, determining the differentiating qualities about each. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Every leaf was different but some really looked alike. She stared at the path in front of her with a thoughtful expression. Would it really matter if she got some plants mixed up?

She would figure it out later. There were plenty of botanical books in the library. Passing by the treeline, something caught her eye. It shimmered and it was stuck in the base of a tree. She walked up to it. It was a knife….

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach. Over half of the blade disappeared into the bark, her first instinct was to pull it out. Daphne pulled out her headphones and turned off her music. If the owner of the knife was coming back she wanted to hear them coming.

Daphne’s hands were trembling long before they reached for the hilt. She pulled at it and quickly realized she needed to put a little more muscle behind it. With one foot on the base of the tree, she steadied herself and pulled again.

It wasn’t budging. Her face flushed green at the effort she put in. After a couple more attempts she was forced to give up. Whoever put it in there was strong. She sat down in front of the tree. There was a carving right at the base, she hadn’t seen it when she zeroed in on the knife. It piqued her curiosity.

It looked unfinished, but if she used her imagination she could kind of see a face. She brushed her fingers past what could be considered a mouth. Daphne transformed. There was something she wanted to try. She touched the center of the lips and imagined the remaining facial features of the tree.
“He...Hello?”

“It is morning…”
Daphne raised her brows in surprise, almost pulling her hand back. She’d never gotten a response this quick and especially not on her first try.

1207, Friday

With light footsteps and now sporting a backpack, Viktor approached the tree he had jabbed his knife into.

"I think I can finish you with what I brought." He said as removed his backpack and set it on the ground. He then dug into his backpack and removed a hammer and a few different-sized chisels, laying them out on the forest ground. Before choosing what might be the most appropriate chisel, he stood up to face the tree. "Hmm."

Viktor gave the tree a long stare before removing the knife with a swift tug. He sheathed and pocketed it though he was sure he'd need it for finer cuts along the way. Grabbing a chisel and hammer, he went to work on the tree. He worked swiftly yet meticulously on carving the face of a bare-faced middle-aged man with a pensive expression. He then moved to another. This one, this time a smiling woman with long still hair down the sides of her face. She appeared welcoming while the male face appeared unapproachable.

It had taken a few hours, but Viktor had gotten two trees done. He packed up his equipment before noticing a smaller-sized shoe print than his own at the base of the first tree. He looked around, remaining as quiet as possible, but all he could hear were the natural sounds of the forest and hadn't spotted anyone either. He looked back at the print and shrugged it off before making his way back to HQ.

1428, Friday

Daphne skipped lunch, getting by on sunlight and a couple of sips from her water bottle. It was something she didn’t do often because it still freaked her out a little. The hunger went away and she felt full without eating. Usually she did eat something after her photosynthesis, more so to retain a sense of normalcy, not because she needed it.

She decided to stop collecting for the day. It was almost getting to be too much work to process them all into her diary. She enjoyed it, but at the same time didn’t feel like spending the remainder of the day cooped up inside the library trying to match up her cuttings to their plant family.

Back at the HQ Daphne went to the lounge. She was in the mood to bake something. Opening the tap to wash her hands she thought about what to make. Yesterday she saw a whole bunch of cherries in the fridge. If they survived Ja’s feeding frenzy she could make a cherry cake. With her fingers crossed she opened the fridge. Two tubs full of dark red cherries were safe and sound.

“Awesome!”

She whipped up a cake studded with halved cherries and popped it in the oven in under twenty minutes. It filled the kitchen with the sweet smell of pastry. Meanwhile she was sorting out her cuttings.
Awh no…..
Her face fell when she saw one of the leaves got ripped. She looked at it up close, trying to recall which tree it had come from. Daphne was pretty sure it was from the tree with the mouth carved into it. That wasn’t too far from HQ, she could swipe one more after the cake was done.

1519, Friday

Viktor entered the lounge with sweat glistening his face and damp gym clothes, one of the sets Daphne had purchased for him. Plain black shorts and a dark blue sleeveless shirt with a winky face emoji at the center of it.

The faint smell of dessert had led him here from the gym. Dessert was not always his go-to meal post workout, but he couldn't help but at least investigate the cake that sat on the counter with only a slice or two cut from it. Not hesitating, as he thought of the short-lived existence of this cake once Ja inevitably caught a whiff of it, he cut himself a small slice. He wondered who had baked it as he bit into it. He'd have to commend them for a job well done. Looking around first, he cut a second live and moved to the couches where he could watch some bad television.

1552, Friday

Daphne was standing in front of the same tree she went to earlier. She was dumbfounded staring at the two carved faces, a look of disbelief on her face. She kneeled down and brought her face closer to the carving, looking at the details up close. Their noses nearly touched and she smiled, leaning back.

They were so lifelike…
It gave her a sense of wonder, like seeing something beautiful for the first time. It could just be her, but for some reason the faces seemed to make talking to trees easier. She decided to test it again. Daphne brushed the angry brow of the male tree.
Turn your frown upside down, she joked.

“Can I borrow one more leaf?” She asked, keeping her verdant fingers against the bark.
“Take one, yes” The tree replied, the wording of the sentences the plants made was a little different to human speech, but Daphne was getting used to it.

1552, Friday

A deliberate audible crunch of leaves was made by Viktor as he entered the small clearing where Daphne and the two carved trees were located. His eyebrows furrowed as he had caught the one he believed left the shoe print from earlier.

"What are you doing here?" Viktor asked as if Daphne was trespassing.

Viktor startled her. She jumped up from the grass, the scare transforming her back immediately. The teen girl swallowed and regained her composure. Daphne brushed some dirt from her knees and gave Viktor a wary look.

“I was….talking to this tree.”
It was probably time to go back to HQ. She retrieved her bag and tucked the leaf in between the pages of a book. She took a couple of steps forward, ready to leave. Viktor would have surely let her too, but Black Canary's advice from yesterday nagged at him.

"Daphne. You can continue talking to the… grumpy tree. I just didn't expect you to be here… again." He was sure it was her who arrived earlier.

Again…?
Daphne’s brows furrowed together, she was confused. He was right she’d been here earlier today, but how did he know that? He dubbed it the grumpy tree, probably because of the carving. It did look kind of grumpy, with a scrunched up face. Kind of like…..Viktor actually.
Looking at the similarities between her teammate and the tree was probably going to make her laugh. She looked away from both the tree and Viktor, thinking about what she could say.

“Actually it’s….”
Daphne definitely progressed in her communication with plants. Some things were still challenging though. The things they said to her were more primal, similar to perhaps an animal. They spoke about needing water, light, and protection. Other times it was like she was talking to a person and they were able to understand and comprehend complex parts of life. She stopped herself from saying anything negative about her powers in front of Viktor.
“Never mind” Viktor raised an eyebrow as to him, this meant she was holding something back.

“You know what’s funny…” Daphne started, turning back to face the trees.
“Those faces help me talk to them, for some reason it makes it much easier”

"Does it?" Daphne nodded. She couldn’t explain it, but it did.
He looked around all of the other trees around that could be prospects for his hobby. "Lucky for you there will be more trees with faces among other things out here in due time… What do they even tell you? How do they feel about what I've done?" He was curious.

Viktor’s sudden interest in her powers caught her off guard. She glanced at him, an unsure look on her face. Not being yelled or sneered at was strange, his behaviour confused her. Daphne decided to trust this was a genuine conversation.
“It depends on what they want to say, sometimes they ask me for things they need, or share what they’ve seen happen”

Potential to be used as spies…

She paused, not catching on right away. Feel about what he did?
Wait…..
Viktor made those faces? Did he….
Daphne blinked a couple of times, the surprises kept coming. She tried for a small smile at Viktor, instead of the usual deer caught in headlights look she often had around him.
“I don’t know what they think about it, but I like them.” Her answer didn't seem to shift his expression. Viktor was not hungry for validation, so there was a bit of an awkward silence between them.

"Thanks, Daphne." He turned away to start walking back, but turned his head so he could see her behind him "Coming?"
She glanced back at the trees, deciding between the grumpy tree or the grumpy guy. She went with the latter and followed Viktor. Daphne had her eyes on his back. For once she didn't feel like she was reporting for duty when talking to Viktor. It was nice.

Location: Communications Complex
Interactions: @canaryrose Alisa

---

"I'll actually be assisting Zach with whatever act he comes up with." He quickly answered. His thoughts briefly went to the video stream he was a part of. Shouldn't be too difficult. The mission would be good for Alisa and himself as it might knock off one or two days of their two week grounding.

"And swallowing a sword… If you can do it, why not. You could also ingest things normal people can't. Maybe add that too." Viktor felt a grumbling in his stomach that would eventually lead him to the kitchen for something to ingest himself.

---

Daphne was on her second midnight patrol of the HQ. It was their first night back at base since La Hoya. Thoughts of the mission kept her awake, thinking back on the mistakes she made. She tossed and turned, stared at the ceiling, listened to relaxing music, sprayed lavender spray on her pillow, nothing helped her sleep. After a while the walls were closing in on her and she just had to leave her dorm.

So she ended walking aimlessly through the halls of the Sanctuary. The robe she was wearing kept opening up at the front while she walked. A chill ran up her legs and she shivered. She never really did learn, falling into the trap of buying something pretty but uncomfortable each and every time.

What was she going to do all night?
It was looking pretty likely that sleep wasn’t an option anytime soon. Maybe some tea.
She rounded the corner of the lounge quietly, half afraid she was going to run into someone. Obviously no one was awake right now. Daphne adjusted her loose braid and fixed herself some tea. While she waited for the water to come to a boil she suddenly thought of something.

Alisa never slept, so did that mean she could be awake now?
It wouldn’t hurt to try. She got out a second mug and strawberry flavored tea bag and made her way to her teammates room. Daphne walked very carefully holding the two mugs of hot tea in her hands. She spilled some tea on her way to Alisa’s room, but kept going.

Daphne hesitated in front of Alisa’s door. 3 am wasn’t exactly the time for casual chit chat. She slipped her foot out of her slipper and tapped the door lightly.
“Hi it’s Daphne…” She whispered quietly, feeling slightly nervous.

Only a few seconds after Daphne’s knock, the door opened and revealed a bewildered but smiling Alisa. Apart from her hair, which was up in a messy bun, she looked just as peppy and energetic as she did during the day. “Oh, hey!” she whispered. What was Daphne doing awake at 3 AM? “What’s up? Is everything alright?” Alisa knit her brows, slightly concerned. She hadn’t seen the other girl around much since they had got off the plane. Mostly because Alisa had been stuck in debrief drawing for the better part of the last 24 hours, but still. To her knowledge, everyone was worried about Daphne. Seeing her appear in the middle of the night was certainly strange.

“I’m alright, just couldn’t sleep.” Daphne appreciated Alisa’s concern. She smiled softly and held up the cups of tea.
“I have tea if you like….” She didn’t want to be a bother but she also needed someone to talk to, or at least to distract her from her thoughts. Daphne stepped into Alisa’s room and took a good look around. It looked nice, she liked the decorations she put up. They definitely had similar taste. She placed the cups of tea on Alisa’s desk carefully, using a piece of spare paper as a coaster, so the mugs wouldn’t leave markings on the surface.

Daphne took a sip of her tea and blinked at Alisa, realizing she had to say something. She decided a compliment on her room would be a good way to start.
“Your room looks nice...” She touched one of her paintings absentmindedly. Daphne felt a little paranoid. After Viktor’s clear disapproval of her place on the team she wondered who else felt the same way.

“Thanks,” Alisa replied and took the tea in her hands, sipping it carefully to be polite. Then, she put it down again- while the flavor was nice, hot drinks weren’t appealing to her.

Alisa’s room was small and chaotic. Her bed, a twin with a metal frame and a quilted purple comforter was piled high with papers, books, and drying projects. It was in the left corner, the end facing the door. Evidently, the bed didn’t see any use as an actual bed. An easel sat in the corner to the right of the bed with a half-finished painting of two otters hugging laying on it. There was a small table next to it with paint bottles, a palette of paint, a cup of paint-filled water, and a pencil on it. Her desk was directly in front of the bed, the closest thing to the door. It was a tan color and she had a laptop, some blueprints and sketches, and a pile of candy on it. There was a white office chair in front of it. On the right wall, Alisa had her charging station closest to the door, another pile of paintings, a large wardrobe, and then her easel. There was a white shag rug on the dark wooden floor, covering most of the center of the room. There were no windows, and the walls were their original cream color, although she had plenty of pretty posters, paintings, and even a bulletin board hanging.

“Sorry about the state of my room,” Alisa said, taking the opportunity to close the door. She leaned against the wall “I’ve never been very good at cleaning up. I mean, I will eventually, but…” She shrugged. “I’m usually too busy with making something to clean.” Her too-large blue eyes flicked over to where Daphne was touching the painting. It was a landscape, partially inspired by her first sight of Mount Justice. “If you like it, you can have it! I’m running out of room to put everything.” It was true. Her room was pretty cramped.

“I’d try and help you sleep, but…” Alisa gestured to her bed as if to express her inexperience. “Why can’t you sleep? I’ve heard that worrying can make you not sleep. Did you have caffeine too late?”

Daphne shook her head and smiled. Alisa didn’t need to apologize, they were just two teen girls drinking tea at 3 AM, she wasn’t the cleaning police.
“I don’t mind, I grew up with my dad and brother, this is neat compared to what I’m used to”

Her face lit up with a smile at Alisa’s comment about the painting. It was a beautiful watercolor painting, Alisa was really talented. Daphne admired people who were really skilled at some kind of creative hobby, she was trying to do the same with sewing and some simple embroidery. Maybe she could make something for Alisa, as a trade off.

“That’s so nice of you, I’d love that”
She had the perfect place for it too.

A lot of the time Daphne forgot Alisa was an android. It was endearing, the way she knew about things but hadn’t seen them in real life before. Like she studied about life before living it.
“And I don’t drink coffee, I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about La Hoya…..”
Daphne put down her tea and climbed on Alisa’s bed. She quickly changed subjects to avoid talking about the mission.

“I know something fun we can do though, we can braid each other’s hair”
Daphne untied her braid and moved her hair to her back.
“You can do mine first if you like”

“Sure!” Alisa began to braid Daphne’s hair. Her hands moved firmly and steadily across the other girl’s scalp as she tried to get every strand.

Unfortunately for Daphne, Alisa had never been one to forget about a subject of conversation. “I wouldn’t blame you for thinking about La Hoya. A lot happened. Casper and Felix are… gone, you froze, Viktor yelled at you…” She trailed off, a blush coming to her cheeks. She didn’t want to remind her about her failings! “I’ve been thinking about it a lot too,” she admitted. “It was my first mission and all, and it doesn’t help that I have all that data stuck in my head.”

Daphne relaxed while Alisa twisted her brunette hair into a super neat braid. She frowned at Alisa’s last sentence. That sounded much worse, having everything literally stuck in your head. After Alisa finished braiding her hair she switched places with Daphne.
“So it was also your first mission?” She sounded surprised. Without Alisa they wouldn’t have all this information.
Daphne untied the messy bun on top of Alisa’s head. She gently finger combed her hair and smoothed it out before starting to braid. She was done a lot quicker with Alisa’s hair only being about shoulder length.

Daphne was curious about Alisa’s motivation in joining the initiative and how she ended up on the team. She didn’t know anything about her past.
“How did you end up on the Team?” She asked while grabbing her tea from the desk.

Alisa winced. “Long story. Long, complicated story.” She snatched a piece of candy from her desk and chewed on it. `Then, she sighed, and started talking. “For context: I was created and mostly raised by a group of anarchists. They were paranoid and never let me leave the house. No friends, few outings, no school, no… nothing. They mostly loved me, but I was bored and lonely and wanted a life. So I… erm. Last November, I jumped out my bedroom window and ran away.

This was the awkward part. Alisa laid down on her bed, a blush coloring her cheeks. “I headed to the bus station and tried to buy a ticket to San Diego. But, um… turns out, you need an ID and to either have your parent’s permission or be over 18 to buy a bus ticket. I had neither of those things! So the teller calls the cops, the cops pick me up, book me as a runaway, take me to the police station and… there’s a metal detector. And I am made of metal. After about an hour and a half, they figured out I was a robot, interrogated me, figured out how to turn me off, and…” She shrugged. It was a painful, recent memory, but she didn’t want to lie. “I wake up in a closet in a secure government building with a sheet over my head 7 months later, in May, with a superhero standing over me. He explains my circumstances to me- if the Justice League hadn’t taken an interest, the US government would’ve shoved me in an industrial metal shredder and made me into scrap metal- and asks me if I want to join the team or… well, something else. I say yes and end up here a day later.”

Alisa finally met Daphne’s eyes again, still blushing. “That’s pretty much my story. It was by accident, but… I think I’m happy I ended up here. I told you it was long, though!”

Daphne was staring back at Alisa, her brown eyes widened at every twist and turn in her story. She put down her mug, completely stunned for a couple of seconds. Daphne imagined what it must have been like for Alisa. Things could have turned out so differently if the League hadn’t intervened. Without the League Alisa could have still been locked away somewhere, like a piece of obsolete technology, unwanted and unused.

Daphne reached out and squeezed Alisa’s hand.
“I’m glad you’re here too, after all the bad things that happened to you.” “The League is really watching out for us, I know this is one of the better places to be for someone like you and me”

She broke eye contact with Alisa. The way she never blinked was really intense at times. They were discussing sensitive topics and it made Daphne uncomfortable. She played with the tail of her braid, debating whether or not she should share some of her own background.

Alisa gave Daphne’s hand a strong squeeze back too, smiling. “Thanks,” she said. “I’m glad I’m here too. I didn’t set out wanting to be a superhero or anything… but it’s what happened, and I actually kind of like it.”

“So, since you had me bare my soul, it’s your turn! How did you get here? Lemme guess: you were Martian Manhunter’s sidekick or something, and he sent you away because you accidentally strangled someone to death on a mission, and you had to evade prison somehow…” Alisa trailed off, smirking mischievously.

Daphne shifted in her seat nervously, she immediately let go of her braid when Alisa mentioned strangling someone. She realized she really had to do something to improve her reputation. The last thing she wanted was to be known as an accidental killer. She didn’t return Alisa’s smirk, looking serious.

“No that’s not what happened” She shook her head and looked at Alisa again.
“Up until about six months ago I didn’t even have any powers. I was walking home from class, it was late and my family didn’t want me to walk by myself, but I was being stubborn.”

Daphne paused and looked away, so she could continue the second part of her story. She couldn’t look Alisa in the eye while telling what happened in the park.
“Some robbers followed me and attacked me, which activated my powers. It scared them off. Batman found me but he couldn’t transform me back. That’s how I ended up with the Martian Manhunter as my mentor, he used his mental powers to help me”

“Shortly after my dad and I started to study my powers for his research paper. He’s a biologist in Gotham”

She drew her legs up to her chest. Somehow telling her story to someone else made her realize how messed up it was.
“The more we studied the more my dad kept pushing the boundaries to see what would happen. After a while I couldn’t do it anymore, but I couldn’t tell my dad. This is the paper of his career”

“So the Martian Manhunter proposed to bring me here. I would be away from home for a while and learn to use my powers for the benefit of everyone”

Alisa understood. She understood perfectly, in fact. She reached out to give Daphne’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “I get it. You felt more like a project than a daughter, huh?” It was the same way she had felt in what felt like only a month ago.

Her jokes weren’t seeming to land, though- Daphne had not taken that well. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here too. You’re nice, and while you may not be in the most control… you’re working on it, and that’s what really matters. I mean, hell, you’re so nice that you’ve made friends with Talon. How?! I mean, I made friends with our other resident grump, but he’s on another level.”

Daphne moved over to where Alisa was laying and layed down next to her, looking up at the ceiling. Even though this was what she’d been doing every night, being next to someone kept her from spiraling into negative thoughts. Alisa mentioned Talon which made her smile. She really didn’t know the reason why he seemed to dislike her less than everyone else. Daphne treated him the same as she tried to treat everyone else, with kindness and respect.

“Honestly Alisa, I have no idea. Maybe he has a soft spot for brunettes?”

Alisa’s feet dangled off the bed as she laid sideways on it, staring at the ceiling. Should she get ceiling stars? Maybe she should get ceiling stars…

She laughed at Daphne’s guess. “If that was true, he’d talk to me too. Maybe it’s only for natural brunettes? Wigs don’t count.” That was followed by another laugh. Her hair was really a wig sewn into her scalp. “We’ve never spoken much, I don’t think. He’s silent and broody and I always catch him staring at me. Weird guy. I guess you see something in him, though?” Alisa then paused, and turned to look Daphne in the eyes. “Don’t tell him I called him weird, though. I have a feeling he’ll be mad.”

Daphne laughed at Alisa talking about her wig. She stared into Alisa´s large blue eyes and promised her she wouldn't tell on her. She pushed herself upright and let her gaze wander about the room.
“Boys can be so weird sometimes…” She sounded absentminded, like she was remembering something which fueled her statement.

“Really? It’s not just unique to ours?” It was only a half-joke. Alisa had met very few teenage boys in her life.

Daphne hopped off of the bed and tossed a pillow at Alisa, smirking.
“We’re supposed to be strange, it’s a girls thing.”

She checked the time. Wow, it was already 4:15am.
“Thanks for staying up with me Alisa. It was nice to get to know you a bit better”

Alisa caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest. It was so late already? “Alright, Daphne, go get some sleep. I’ll see you in eight hours. Night!”

Daphne left soon after, taking the tea with her to her room, and Alisa sat back up again and sighed. Time to get back to work on that painting...

Talon sucked his teeth. The others were planning out their various skills and talents that would enable them to blend into the circus without suspicion. He wondered if there would be any sort of audition process, or if they would be simply slotted into their positions. Talon figured he'd do something acrobat related, not too dissimilar from Nightwing's upbringing. His concentration was broken momentarily when Nymph approached the more boisterous of the new recruits. It was unsurprising - Nymph was the kindest one of all of them.

The two bruisers (those being Cybergirl and Rain) were talking together in hushed tones. Talon felt impatient with them both, but primarily Rain. The thick-necked muscle kid had preached a big game about taking things seriously, and yet it was only a few weeks into being on the team did he start breaking rules himself and destroying the team's Jeep. Talon didn't quite know if it counted as hypocrisy, but he knew that if anyone else had pulled something like that, Rain would be the first person to snort and shake his head. Talon hated people like that. Talon needed to engage with someone else before his irritation was too noticeable.

"Batman. Has Zatana found anything new about Hex? Or Gold Rush? We've been left in the dark for days now. And is it really wise for us to go into the field already with these two? We don't know what they can do."

Talon was treading a line. When it came to Batman, he was well aware that had it been up to the Dark Knight, Talon would have been sent back to some version of a normal life, without the benefit of engaging in hero work. Shipped away to some orphanage or foster program. Talon knew that Batman disapproved of his upbringing, and that he was still waivering on allowing him onto the team already. Because of this, Talon felt he had a lot to prove to the Bat. But upon returning from their first mission?

Nothing.

No confirmation of a successful mission, no report on his leadership. Just a talking to for the others who had broken protocol.

Talon wouldn't forget that snub.

In the middle of the briefing, two new members barged in. They were the replacements for Hex and Gold Rush. All though he would never say it out loud, Zach was actually glad they were gone. Felix was compettion as far as he was concerned. He was the star of this group, and the last thing he needed was someone else he had to compete against. The same applied for Casper, but not for fame but for magic. He never understood why Zatanna tried to mentor him in the first place. They didn’t practice the same magic, and Casper was perfectly capable on his own. Zatanna did not need another protégé, she already had him. Not to mention, Casper was just plain creepy…

Zach was disappointed that they had brought in two girls to replace them though. He was hoping for some new hot guys to add to the group… Oh well… At least one of them had style. She entered with a display of her sword wielding abilities. Zach wouldn’t go so far as to say he was impressed, but amused was probably the right word. “Great, if you put on something like that entrance, you’ll have a worthwhile act.”

The other girl was shaping up to be the Regina George of this group… Although, Regina was way more stylish… And definitely had more class… She made some comments to Batman, and he was taking none of her crap.

Zach didn’t get a chance to acknowledge her at the moment, Kassy asked him a question, and Zach immediately answered. “Yes you could. I’m sure the audience would be thrilled to see a real life Mermaid sing for them.”

The wanabe Mean Girl made more comments, and Zach scoffed. “Girl really? Chippendales? That’s the best you got? Chippendales Dancers are hot! If you really want to be the Regina George of this group, you’re gonna have to try a little harder. K hun?”

He then turned his attention to the rest of the group. “Guys, make sure you’re act is good. I know we’re on a mission, but that’s no reason for us to have a shitty performance.”

---

Like the others, Aleen'a turned her head towards the zeta-tubes as someone announced their arrival. "Ooooooh..." She said in awe as the newcomer expertly twirled her sword around as if it was just a toy. She actually thought she might be a protege of Wonder Woman because of the sword-wielding stuff she seemed to do but judging from the style of the sword and her overall vibes, Aleen'a got the feeling the girl might be under a different tutelage.

"D-Demonslayer?!" Aleen'a said in shock as she flew upwards and had her hands on her cheeks. "How marvelous! We have a mighty slayer of demons in our ranks! Oh, it is such a delight to be working alongside you, Maya Kobayashi of House Kubayashi! I am much ecstatic to learn more about your demon-slaying ways!" She cheerfully said as she flew towards Maya.

The other newcomer didn't seem to have any sorts of weapons on her but Aleen'a could sense some very hostile vibes coming from her. It's as if she wanted nothing more than to fight and bully people into crying. On the bright side, her strong spirit would be a great asset to the team so Aleen'a just gave her the benefit of the doubt. After all, she kept saying all these weird high-end words one after another that made it hard for the Tamaran team to keep up!

"Aaah, a feisty one! With a sharp wit like that, you can defeat any enemies that come your way! Love your hair too. It reminds me of the teeth of a vuurgbelch. At the least, you are way prettier than them." Aleen'a said with a giggle as Daphne greeted and even praised Bex's outfit too. I am Princess Aleen'a of House Tykayl, daughter of Lord Drogon'a and Lady Grethan'a, blood kin of Princess Koriand'r of House Tykayl. We whole of the heartedly welcome you wonderful women to the team." The Tamaranean gave them a bow and a warm smile before going back to her seat.

Aleen'a listened attentively to her flamboyant teammate as Zach explained what a circus was. Basically, it was a group of people performing different acts as some sort of entertainment. Based on what she was seeing from the pictures and video clips Batman showed them, it seemed that the performers were mostly wearing extravagant costumes while doing various tricks and acts. Zach said she should be the 'strongwoman' as it was mostly a role suited for performing acts of strength.

"Aw, Zachary. While my alien physiology makes me far stronger than any ordinary human, I believe every one of us is strong in the body, the mind, and even the spirit, whatever our gender may be. Still, your compliment has deeply touched my heart. Thank you much of very." Aleen'a said to Zach with a warm smile, probably confusing the term as a compliment. "No worries, Zachary. I have been training for the past week so I can be in optimal shape for our mission. My strength and I will not let you down. Oh, and if anyone wants a partner for their acts, I volunteer as well!" She said with a bright grin.

"Also, er, chip end dales? Is that another circus term?"

---

It was nice and sunny, barely any clouds and a soft breeze that was just right. Compared to Gotham, Happy Harbor was a much brighter place to live. The buildings were smaller and not cramped together. The ocean wind breathed into the streets, instead of the city smog. Daphne loved it here, it was peaceful and quiet. It gave her room to process all the crazy things that had happened to her this last year.

Her thoughts went back to the mission at La Hoya. She walked further out into the grassy fields at the back of the HQ, her ponytail swaying from side to side. The first hour on comms went great, but her powers turned it into a disaster for everyone. Ja insisted it was his fault too and as nice as he was, he probably pitied her.

Daphne glanced over her shoulder. Her teammate wasn’t there yet. She was early though. It gave her a head start to mentally prepare herself. She kept walking, heading for the clearing they used for combat training. At first she hesitated to accept Ja’s offer to help her learn to control her powers. He asked her the day they got back from la Hoja. Daphne was having a pity party by herself, wallowing and feeling very sorry for herself. If even the Martian Manhunter couldn’t help her, Ja probably wouldn’t succeed either. The day after her solo pity party she realized she would be an idiot to turn down Ja.

She got to a good spot and checked her bag for the snacks she packed for Ja and her. Yup they were still there. Daphne put her bag on the grass. She could probably get in some stretches before Ja got here. She reached down to touch her toes, sucking in her breath, feeling her leg muscles straining a bit.

It wasn’t long before sounds of leaves rustling from the trees could be heard. It was loud and quick, but ended just as abruptly as it arrived. Next it came from the bushes, this time, the sound of a chipmunk’s chatter followed. Surely these sounds could have been merely a coincidence, given her place outside. What couldn’t have been though, was the sudden appearance of Ja floating above her head upside down.

Channeling the power of a Hummingbird’s flight and Owl’s silence, he smiled and waved to her in a way similar to how he did on the jet that day. When they got back, Ja let her have time to breathe and recover. However, he decided that he could try to teach her how to control her power. To be able to build strength on her own with her inner nature.

The words of Viktor during that time really struck a chord with the Jungle boy. Not because anything he said about her powers were incorrect, but it was wrong that he blamed her for their failure. It was wrong in the way he said it, and wrong in the place he said it. Perhaps that harshness was supposed to be her punishment, but she didn’t deserve it. Daphne wasn’t the one that was spotted.

The mission in La Hoya was her first one ever, but only one of hundreds that Ja had been on. He was the one that failed them because of his own weakness of mind. If he had been paying attention, maybe they get more than Alisa’s drawings. Maybe they get more information about the strange car. Bluntly, if Viktor was so adamant about something being said to him, he could have said it himself over the comms. Ja, while understanding of tactics, recognized the rivalry between Viktor and Talon behind the planning. He sensed it even before their staring contest on the jet…His thoughts on that was for another time.

“Hai Daffy-Knee!”

“Hi Ja!”

Daphne stood on her tippy toes and interlocked her hands with Ja, pulling him down to the grass. She smiled, now face to face with the curly haired boy. “Did you eat breakfast already, if you didn’t I brought some snacks” She knew Ja loved to eat. It was the least she could do for him, seeing as he was helping her. Besides, Daphne liked taking care of people.

For a moment, Ja was shrouded in darkness as some of his hair flooded his eyes from the sudden wind change. He felt no need to clear it when down with Daphne on the ground now, chuckling playfully instead. When she mentioned snacks, Ja’s smile became more toothy and gluttonous. While he certainly had not missed eating breakfast, he didn’t want to lie to get the snacks.

“Mmm….I had breakfast…but I did not eat brunch yet!” He explained before sitting criss-cross on the ground before her. Pushing his hands from his chin up his face to move hair out of the way, his bright and cheery eyes now visible. “But, I can wait until a little later. I don’t want to accidentally fall asleep during our lesson today.”

“Are you sure….??” Daphne teased, reaching into her bag. She built up the suspense only to come up with an empty hand.

“Okay okay, let’s focus” The teen girl stopped messing around and sat in the same position in the grass. Legs crossed underneath the folds of her skirt. The breeze felt nice on her skin and she breathed in the fresh smell of the grass. Daphne closed her eyes to enjoy it.

She opened her eyes back up and looked at Ja’s happy face expectantly. The maned young man smiled.

“I am sure you have felt it before in your time with these abilities. You feel urges within you. I am not sure what exactly you feel, because mine is the Red. The force of nature that connects to you, is called the Green. My Ambuya, or the american word…grand…ma? Grandma. My grandma taught me that, the Green is what connects all plant life together on earth.” Ja explained, leaving a second to let it sink in.

“So any time you feel something from the plants around you, it is the Green speaking to you. You may not always understand what it is trying to tell you, but that is okay, that takes time, and practice. Today, I just want you to get used to focusing on that feeling. It is still lively outside today…” Ja paused, looking around briefly. Then he pointed out a small patch of flowers in a small clearing between the trees getting some sunlight.

“Close your eyes, and maybe try to focus on what it feels like when the sunlight touches your skin.”

Daphne remembered Ja mentioning the Green weeks ago. At the time she’d brushed it off. Later during her sessions with the Martian Manhunter he also mentioned the Green. He helped her understand the why and how she was connected to this natural force. She smiled encouragingly at Ja’s struggle to find the right English word to express what he meant.. He was doing really great. There was a warmth she saw in his eyes when he talked about his family. He probably missed them, being all the way in America with the team and her.

Daphne narrowed her eyes slightly, concentrating on what Ja was explaining about the Green. He had an understanding of it because he was connected to a similar force, the Red He would be able to teach her things the Martian Manhunter couldn’t.

She glanced at the direction he was pointing at, seeing the small patch of flowers. He wanted her to focus on the sunlight. A little smirk appeared on her face. That was too easy. She could do that with her eyes well closed. Daphne untied the ribbon in her hair and set it down next to her. You could hear a quiet rustle while her transformation spread, starting with her hair and tracing down the rest of her until she was completely verdant.

Daphne opened one eye to peek at Ja.

“Don’t startle me please '' She knew Ja liked to joke around and so did she. Daphne had come a long way with controlling her powers, but having them fail twice lessened her trust in them. She returned her attention to the sun. Daphne could tell she was photosynthesizing because her skin tingled when the light triggered the cells to grow.

“As you are feeling this, try to focus on those flowers I gestured to. To feel familiar with them…”

Ja’s smile shrank just a bit as he waited for her eyes to close back again. For a moment, Ja himself closed his eyes, exhaling and rolling his shoulders. As he felt the Red’s flow through nis body. As much as he didn’t want to do this, this lesson was one he wanted to get out of the way first. Clawing his fingers, he crept around Daphne using the silence of a leopard. Once near the clearing where the flowers grazed the sunlight, he waited for just a few more moments.

Keeping an eye on Daphne, Ja raised one of his clawed hands and he swiped them up from the ground suddenly. Like knives, his talon-inspired attack sliced a few of them in half and uprooted the others in one simple swoop. If done correctly, and if she had the connection to the Green as he expected…

Daphne kept the flowers in her mind's eye, remembering the way they swayed in the w….
“Aahhhh!!!” Sudden cries of pain reached her ears, ripping through her. She covered her ears. The sounds came from further away, like some sort of accident happened in the distance and she was hearing the victims cry out. They turned into a soft distant moaning. Daphne shot up from the ground and transformed back, breaking the connection with the Green immediately.

She put her hand over her chest, feeling her heart beat fast. What happened?
“What happened…?” Daphne looked over to Ja, seeing him with a fistful of flowers in his right hand.

“Your first test, unfortunately.” Was the young man’s reply, resting the flowers on the ground in front of her. “You have a strong connection to them...If not, you would not hear their cries.” Ja paused to let that feeling sink in, his expression soft and almost apologetic.

“As those who have trained me figured out...pain is the easiest thing to recognize…” He let the specific animals of the red flow out for the time being. He placed his left hand on Daphne’s shoulder.

“However, while I will not do to you what has been done to me, it will make you stronger to do these sorts of tests every so often. It will build your inner strength, so that the Green does not hurt or hinder you in the field…” Ja carefully explained, making sure to use the correct english words to convey what he meant. The maned young lion smiled again though.

“You did better than me on my first test. You did not panic…” He commended, eyeing the ground where he placed the flowers.

Daphne smiled. Ja’s words encouraged her. She wondered what he alluded to, it sounded to her that he might have experienced mistreatment in the past, involving his powers. She didn’t know what that felt like, but she did feel for him. There was much more to his smile. Daphne looked down at the grass and picked up some of the flowers, twirling them in her fingers.

“Thanks Ja, it means a lot to me to have someone help me understand my powers better. The meditation techniques the Martian Manhunter has been teaching me can only take me so far. Lately I’ve been feeling like it’s a waste of time. It didn’t help me at La Hoya one bit.”

She looked at the flowers, their simple beauty making her feel better. Daphne changed the subject, glancing at Ja with her warm brown eyes. She reached her hand up and tucked a red poppy in Ja’s curly mane. It stuck there immediately.

“Flowers for some reason are much easier to talk to, I don’t know why. My dad suspects it’s because they’re more social than some other plants. They communicate with bees and butterflies during their short life. Trees are different, they are more independent.”

Daphne shook her head, smiling at herself. “Not that this is useful information to you though”

She retrieved her bag from the ground and held it up to Ja. “Snack time?”

Ja grinned. So far, today seemed like a good lesson day. She didn’t panic AND she wasn’t sad about the first test, as painful as it might have been. Plus, he got to learn more about her when she opened up some. Despite her belief that some of the information was irrelevant, to Ja, it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“Snack time.”

---

---

---

Kilamanjaro couldn’t help but marvel at the legendary Batman, even though it wasn’t an actual bat-man. Ja also didn’t sense any animal abilities but maybe that made him more impressive. The man carried himself very seriously and, in a way, reminded him of King Lion. He was somewhat surprised by not being pulled aside after having a hand in the team’s major failure…Though, he supposed that container he found made up for it to some extent. It was a change of pace at least, and one of the many differences from what he grew up with.

In the meantime, he made sure to pay attention to what Batman was instructing them to do next. Infiltrating a ‘circus’ took Ja a moment to process. The word was foreign at first, but it clicked when he thought about Zachy. Whenever Ja watched his videos on the computer, other videos showed up on the side as suggestions, and a few of them said ‘circus’ on them. When he watched them, it was essentially a bunch of silly and fun stunts! Though, given this was a mission, he guessed being silly wasn’t so much to be a part of things.

He also brought up the situation around Hex and Gold Rush, being their teammates’ replacements. Both of them strangely disappeared right after the last mission. Hex disappeared into the realm of spirits, and it made Ja wonder what would cause him to get stuck there. Although worrying, apparently Hex had gotten stuck there before and made it back to the realm of the living. In Gold Rush’s case, Ja had seen a few movies about time travel to guess that something in the present may have changed something in the future. Did…did the team failing the mission mess up the future? Was Gold just gone forever now?

It made Ja sad to think about, but he didn’t dwell on it too long as their new teammates came in. There were two girls this time. The first one, Maya, was clearly a special swords-person. She must have had a lot of skill with sharp things, like Talon did. Ja smiled to her and waved. The other one with the blonde hair on the other hand, made him wonder. She spoke venom, throwing it around the room with each person she laid eyes on. Even their senior and commander, she spoke too with disrespect.

Ja was taken aback by her impression that he had forgotten her name and his smile disappeared. A tingle of fear and a protective snarl rumbled from the bottom of his throat when Daphne approached her. With her more friendly response to the flower girl, Ja’s nerves eased. Returning his mind to the mission, he listened to the others as they discussed potential acts.

It was easy to figure which act would likely suit him; anything related to animals. However, he didn’t know if this particular circus had them, and even then, which ones. Otherwise, he hadn’t a clue what he could do for an act. Zachy had the most experience with this stuff, so it made sense when the others asked him questions. Maya mentioned being a knife thrower, Aleen’a a strongwoman, and he suggested Kassy to be a singing mermaid.

The memory of Kassy’s voice brought a warm and twitchy feeling to his chest that stole his attention away for a moment. She didn’t like singing to people though. Blinking back into focus, Ja returned to the moment and crawled over to the magician. ”Ooo! What can I do Zachy?!”

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

---

"Batman. Has Zatana found anything new about Hex? Or Gold Rush? We've been left in the dark for days now. And is it really wise for us to go into the field already with these two? We don't know what they can do."

Batman narrowed his eyes at Talon. Given Talon's background Batman attempted some leniency when dealing with hotheaded youth. This wasn't one of those times.
"As said previously Hex and Gold Rush are League business, when we know something so will the Team"
He turned towards the mission briefing screens, seemingly ignoring Talon's stab at the new recruits. He touched the interactive interface and pulled up the profiles of Demonslayer and She-devil. The computerized voice of the Zeta Tubes started to narrate the capabilities of both team members. With the montages playing in the background Batman returned his attention to Talon and the rest of the team. He was sure there existed doubt between them. Fact of the matter was, they were down two recruits, each mission proved more challenging than the next. Piece by piece they were figuring out what exactly their unidentified enemy was planning. They needed all the help they could get.

"Both recruits have been through the same selection process as each of you" He let that sink in for a few minutes.
"You will treat them as members of this Team" It wasn't a question, his tone made that clear.

The montages behind Batman stopped playing and transitioned into the earlier images of Haly's circus.
"We want you to get to the circus grounds ahead of the performances, get to know the area and employees."
"There is a fair happening at the same time, use that to your advantage and remain inconspicuous."

The circus and the Team's performance wouldn't be until the evening. The Team would have most of the afternoon to enjoy themselves at the fair, something Batman didn't explicitly state was the purpose, but the ample amount of leisure time was odd. Haly's circus was passing through Gotham and would set up just outside of the city. The Team would have to take the Zeta Tube and make their way to the location by subway or taxi. The jeep was still out of use due to the antics of Viktor and Alisa.

Location: Communications complex
Interactions: Demonslayer

---

Daphne was left with a vivid green flush on her face after Bex retreated.
"That went better than I expected"

She watched Bex approach the rest of the Team. The girl definitely had a strong personality and she wasn't the only one. There were going to some heated arguments in the future, that much was sure. Literal heat this time, she watched the montage of Bex, her brows furrowing together. Best stay out of her hair when she's angry. Daphne watched the rest of the team, most of them were talking to each other. Zach was being heavily questioned and asked for advice, being the leader this time around.

Still no word on Hex and Gold Rush. Daphne listened to Batman talking to Talon. She could understand where he was coming from. It seemed like their former team mates were so easily replaced. Outright stating they didn't trust Bex and Maya wasn't going to help the situation. Daphne was going to listen to Batman and be the friendly face of the Team. She approached Maya and thought of a funny way to open the conversation.

"I would actually survive if you missed a throw" Daphne laughed. If knives didn't still make her squeamish she would have volunteered. For now though she could wait to end up as a salad.
"Hi welcome to the Team, I'm Daphne but on missions I go by Nymph"

---

---

“Oh!” Alisa widened her eyes in genuine surprise. She hadn’t imagined that Viktor would want to be Zach’s assistant. People always had a way of surprising her. “Cool. Maybe Zach will teach you some tricks… if that’s how magic works? I don’t know.”

While talking to Viktor, Alisa kept her eyes and ears on the rest of the room, waiting to see what their new teammates would say after their introductions. She heard most of Daphne and She-Devil’s conversation and was pleasantly surprised. She-Devil was sort of nice to Daphne- maybe Alisa had evaluated her personality wrong.

She turned her attention to the montage with the rest of the team. Surprisingly, she had sort of agreed with Talon, although the montage assuaged the majority of her doubts. Both seemed to have good abilities, if not impressive. One could turn into a rampaging demon, and the other had a fancy sword. The irony of adding a girl who could transform into a demon and a girl who slew demons to the team at the same time was not lost on her. In fact, it made her giggle a bit.

Once the montage ended, Alisa turned to Viktor again. “A fair should be fun. And in Gotham! Your hometown.” She smiled, but then dropped it and stared into space. “Any thoughts on our new teammates? I’m not so sure about them,” she whispered.

Location: Communications Complex
Interactions: @canaryrose Alisa
Mentions: Bex and Maya

---

“Cool. Maybe Zach will teach you some tricks… if that’s how magic works? I don’t know.”

"To be honest, I usually feel just as confused as you about it." Viktor shrugged before looking in Zach's direction. The guy was exactly where he wanted to always be. The center of attention, and even if the attention appeared to be negative to Viktor, Zach flourished in it with confidence.

Funnily enough, Viktor was also listening in on Daphne's interaction with Bex. Though Viktor and Alisa we're facing each other, to a third party there was a brief silence between them. Perhaps she's not so abrasive after all. Viktor assumed. He was going to return to the conversation, but the montage that played after Talon inquiring about the newcomers grabbed his attention. He watched silently without a change to his blank expression. His eyes looked toward Alisa when she giggled, which he found odd as he didn't find anything funny.

“A fair should be fun. And in Gotham! Your hometown.” Viktor had a hint of a smile. It wasn't as if he had not been back home, but the thought of going to Haly's Circus in Gotham after so many years felt somewhat good. It was nostalgia if anything.

"I am sure you will enjoy it, A. It will be as if we weren't grounded, so take advantage."

“Any thoughts on our new teammates? I’m not so sure about them,” His eyes shifted back to the monitors replaying the montage.

"They are not an even trade of Hex and Goldrush. Utility and arcana for physical might and a bladeswoman both spiked with a hint of arcana. Hmm..." Viktor squinted his eyes in thought for a second. "Hard to say. They appear experienced from what we're being shown, but… I guess I could talk to them." Viktor shrugged again and then glanced Bex's way. "I've been trying to be friendlier anyway, right?"

Kassandra was at a loss. She had searched the entire base but had yet to find Daphne. All she needed was a quick ride to the beach, and Daphne was the easiest to ask. It would be a simple matter, if only she could find the other girl. But Kassy had checked the usual places, and some unusual places, but found nothing of her teammate. Maybe she was out. Unfortunate.

So, plan B. It didn’t take long to find Victor in front of the television watching some strange human sport that involved harnesses and a very large white ball being batted back and forth. His eyes briefly glanced to the direction of her approaching, but returned to the television screen as to not miss too much of Ping Your Body, Pong Your Body!

“Um…” Her voice came out a lot softer than intended. Even with him being her wrestling partner, Victor made her nervous to talk to outside of that. He was just so intense. “Victor?”

"Kass?" He had been glad he could shorten her name after Casper's departure. It made addressing Kassy much easier. He turned his head to face her with that bored look he usually had.

“I’m sorry to interrupt-” She too, glanced at the television, trying to make sense of it. The only thing she recognized was a very large net stretched out across what looked like a massive table. “...whatever you’re watching… but I can’t find Daphne and I need a ride to the beach.” There, the request was out. Though he looked kind of engrossed, so he’d probably say no. “Usually I wouldn’t bother anyone and I’d walk, but I cut my foot on a bit of sea glass a few days ago and it still aches a little.”

"Let's go." Viktor did not even hesitate and he agreed so readily that Kassy was actually somewhat startled. He reached for the remote and turned the television off. He appeared as if he had been waiting for someone to come by and ask something of him. As if the television was just him passing the time… but why was it always trash tv? Never the news or a documentary, just poor entertainment. As he stood up from the couch he looked her up and down to assess her attire. She was wearing one of her usual long skirts, a pastel green tank top, and a pair of brown sandals that Daphne had insisted upon buying her during a mall trip. There was a small bandage around her left foot. Besides that, it looked like very relaxed clothing. "What are your plans at the beach? Swimming?"

“Oh, no. Not swimming, really. I need to meditate. I’ve been putting it off.” She paused, peeking back toward the now-dark television. “Thank you for agreeing to take me. I thought you were busy.” He raised an eyebrow at that last bit.

"Not when I'm here." He gave a quick nod towards the center of the lounge. "And I am willing to assist all of my teammates. No thanks needed." Viktor added before starting to proceed to the garage. "Why are you meditating? Why does anyone meditate, really?" He ignorantly asked as the two walked through the Sanctuary.

Kassy didn’t mind the question and answered as she followed him to the garage. “For me, it’s about staying calm under pressure, and focused. Clearing my mind of flotsam really helps me use my power better, and…” She looked away, her lack of eye contact distinct. “Keeps my emotions under control.” Shaking her head slightly as if to clear it, she continued. “For others, meditation is about relaxation and freedom. Freeing yourself from your thoughts and burdens, even for a short while.”

"Hmm…" Thinking about Kassy's answer made Viktor curious about taking the time to practice meditation for himself. He had always gone about thinking he didn't need it or that it was even a waste of time. "I will join you then. I've taught you things and now you'll teach me something." Entering the garage, Viktor spotted the jeep as he grabbed the keys hanging from a hook on the wall.

The way Viktor spoke left little room for argument. Though, Kassy would have taught him anyway. “Um. Okay. I’d be happy to teach you. It’s going to be hard at first, but once you get used to it, it really comes in handy.” She climbed in the front passenger seat and put on her seatbelt. “I hope what you’re wearing is comfortable to you, because we’re going to be sitting in the warm sand for a while.” The temperature would be no problem for her. That beach and the waters around it were like a second home. Viktor looked down at his clothing as he seated himself and put on his seatbelt. He wore olive-colored cargo shorts, a black sleeveless shirt, and black sneakers.

"I'll be fine. If not, I'll fix it." Viktor was not opposed to taking off a few articles of clothing to get comfortable.

Gathering her courage, she started to explain. It felt strange to be teaching the highly capable Viktor anything, but she was going to try. “The first thing you need to know is that you might not be able to perfect your meditation technique the first time. Or even the second or third. I know you set a high standard for yourself, but you’re going to have to relax it a little.” There was going to be a lot to say, so she might as well get started as they rode on the dirt road along the coast after leaving from the secondary garage exit.

"Interesting. I wouldn't have imagined meditation being that difficult to master." Viktor said his previous idea of the practice had begun to fade as Kassy explained. "It's something to strive for and it might help me with some things." He commented.

“Yes, but…” How to phrase this delicately. “Don’t try pushing yourself into some kind of competition, even within yourself. It would probably backfire. That’s not the point of meditation.”

"Interesting, and noted." Kassy looked out of the window at the passing scenery as they drove, feeling the brush of breeze on her skin from the open windows. It was easier to talk to Victor without having to confront that stare of his.

“Another thing I should probably warn you about is that things might come up in your mind that haven’t before.” She didn’t know much about Victor’s past. However, considering a good portion of the team had some rough upbringing or another horrid event in their past, it stood to reason he might have some memories that he’d rather not discuss. “When you’re sitting quietly with just yourself, concentrating on nothing, it leaves your mind free to wander. Sometimes to idle thoughts, sometimes to… less happy things.” This made Viktor both curious and reluctant to try meditating. One of his issues was not letting go of the bad things fast enough, and when he did it was more like he was just delaying their revisiting of his mind. The next thing Kassy said helped, however.

“The trick of it is to know how to acknowledge those thoughts and then let them go. Like bouncing a bubble on your fingers without breaking it. That’s the hardest part of everything, in my opinion. Even I can’t do it all the time.”

"Some of the time is better than never… right?" He forced a soft smile. He almost looked uncomfortable making it.

Kassy smiled politely back. She couldn’t remember seeing Victor smile at her before. Even one that looked vaguely creepy was a step forward, right? “Right. But the process is always in motion. Every time you attempt, you learn a little more. Or at least, that is what I was taught.” The beach was coming into view now, and Kassy perked up somewhat. “Oh, smooth seas today. That’s good. It means the environment should be calm.” Viktor made a glance at Kassy but did not utter a word until he found a spot to park in. He decided to keep his socks and sneakers in the jeep. It was the beach after all. Kassy kicked off her sandals, leaving them on the floor of the jeep as well. She strode onto the hot sand, the heat of it warming her bare feet.

"What made you want to leave? The sea." Viktor asked as they walk across the sand.

“I didn’t want to leave. It was King Arthur’s idea.” She paused, realizing she might have been confusing. “Oh. You may know him as Aquaman, I suppose. He’s the one who suggested I try this. Or rather, he gave me the news that I would be going on land - and I obeyed. That’s what you do when your king gives you a command.”

She brushed aside an errant bit of debris, and sat down in the sand, facing the ocean. Viktor followed her lead and did the same, just a foot away from her. “At first I just thought they were trying to get rid of me. But I’m still receiving my stipend, so… I suppose I must be doing something right.” Shrugging, she smiled vaguely at Viktor, clearly unsure of what to say.

"Duty. A value I can respect." He faced the calm ocean, finding it peaceful. So much so that he might visit the beach a little more often. "You might not have chosen to be here, but maybe you can make reasons to stay while you're here." Viktor shrugged. "Ready?"

“Ready. Make sure you’re comfortable. Now, close your eyes.” She let her orange eyes close, concentrating on the sound of the waves. “Focus on your breathing.” Her voice was soft and soothing, blending in with the gentle crash of water on the shore. Her breath dropped into a rhythm, out of practice. “Inhale while counting to four in your head. Hold for four, and exhale for four.”

“When thoughts come - and they will - acknowledge them, but let them pass. Always come back to your breath.”

Inhale. One. Two. Three. Four. Hold. One. Two. Three. Four. Exhale. One. Two. Three. Four. The breathing was easy if he kept the rhythm, but he kept drifting from it. His senses were so sharp, he was easily pulled from the rhythm to something else he felt he needed to analyze. The wind tossing grains of sand, the rustling of the trees far behind him. Viktor scrunched his face. And then.

"One. Two. Three. Four. . . . . One. Two. Three. Four..." He spoke it softly to help drown everything else out.

Kassy opened one eye, peeking at Victor. “Good. Just like that.” She could hear his breathing was steady enough, though she imagined his mind was drifting. She had been the same, in the beginning. Shutting her eyes again, she let herself concentrate on nothing but the air filling her lungs. In. Hold. Out. In. Hold. Out.

‘Please, don’t - I didn’t mean to!’

‘Shut up, you filthy little -- ‘

She inhaled sharply, eyes flying open momentarily. It was just the beach. Nothing but the trees and the sand and the sea. It wasn’t real, she wasn’t… there. Viktor was quietly watching her out of the corner of his eye wondering if she was ok until she spoke rather calmly again.

“It’s not a perfect science.” She let her eyes shut again, fighting off the cold feeling filling her stomach. “And sometimes you get more than what you bargained for. But it’s good to get that stuff to the surface.” She let herself lapse back into silence, to not disturb Viktor anymore. He might have thought of calling this whole meditation thing a loss, but he attempted again.

He whispered his seconds of breath until he drowned out the world around him. Then there was just the breathing and nothing else for what felt like forever.

'Nymph, stand up!'

'This is not the time to relax. This is a mission.'

'METAMORPH TAKE OUT THE GUARD AT YOUR REAR, NOW!'

'Nymph! Nymph, answer me! Get a hold of yourself! I need you to get a hold of your abilities… NOW!'

It was easier for him to place the blame on her. So easy that he let the thoughts linger.

'Fuck… Metamorph, get the container to the jet to rendezvous with the rest of my squad. I will continue to keep up comms with Squad A and get Nymph out.'

'-Nymph simply does not belong on this team.'

'Viktor…That’s harsh. Now isn’t the time or the place.'

'I needed you to support them. When you are the leader, you shoulder that blame too.'

Viktor's eyes shot open with a glare. His intense expression of anger juxtaposed the ocean across from him. His hands balled to the point where his arms lightly trembled. The thing was, Viktor was angrier with himself. Like bouncing a bubble on your fingers without breaking it. I guess… I'll try again.

Kassy peeked over again, seeing the anger on Victor’s face. She had become very in tune with other people’s feelings from a young age, especially anger. He looked terribly tense, which made her wonder just what thoughts he’d gotten stuck on. But she wouldn’t ask. It was up to him to volunteer that information.

“Inhale… 1… 2...3...4.” She coaxed softly, closing her eyes again. This time, her own memories stayed in the little mental box she kept them in.

With time Viktor relaxed again and naturally, the thoughts that had bothered him most were revisited.

]'Viktor…That’s harsh. Now isn’t the time or the place.'

'I needed you to support them. When you are the leader, you shoulder that blame too.'

Only this time, it was his own voice criticizing him in place of Alisa and Talon's. He might have made the same mistake from just a moment ago, but Kassy's previous guidance helped him. Let them pass… One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four ...Viktor's body relaxed even further as he felt better. As if he relinquished the weight of that moment on the jet.

Kassy remained quiet, her own thoughts unjumbling themselves as she relaxed. Her breathing was steady, and old memories stayed buried. She sat there, quiet, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, without warning, a wave of intense sadness washed over her. She felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes, and had the uncomfortable premonition that she wouldn’t be able to do this for much longer.

Not the meditation, but being able to connect with her teammates. It would all be over soon, she just knew it. The very thought made her sick. She’d let herself become used to being here, let herself make friends. Daphne’s kindness, Alisa’s spark, Zach’s liveliness, Ja’s spirit... It was just going to make everything a lot worse, when the tidal wave fell.

She let the tears fall into the sand, trying to steady her shuddering breathing. This wouldn’t do at all. If Viktor asked, she wasn’t sure she had the energy to lie. Honestly, it was only a matter of when he'd ask.

"Kass. What's wrong?" Viktor asked as he reluctantly placed a hand to her shoulder to give her a sense of security. It was honestly his only good move when it came to showing sympathy without having to make a face. "We can go back if you like."

Kassy looked out at the water to avoid looking at Viktor. “It’s… just flotsam.” She finally managed to squeak out through the lump in her throat. Viktor stared at her for a moment with skepticism. “And we can go back, but only if you feel like you gained something today.”

"I believe so." Viktor followed her gaze to the water while letting his hand fall from her shoulder. "Thank you, Kass." He got up on his feet and offered a hand up.

“You’re welcome, Viktor.” Kassy said, forcing a smile as she took his hand and got up. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” She tried to relax herself.

"Noted." He wouldn't pry, but that did not mean he would simply forget how unsettled she seemed.

“Oh, and just so you know, meditation can be anywhere quiet. Your room, the bath, the library… though I wouldn’t recommend it with the television on.” She made a little face. “What was that weird show, anyway?”

"Ping Your Body, Pong Your Body. It's a competitive game show where the contestants replicate a sport known as table tennis. Two competitors do this by wearing bodysuits meant to replicate that of a hand paddle. The playing field has two respective sides with a net as the divider. To keep it simple, one competitor has to make the ball over the net, bounce off the side of the net, and bypass their competitor to score." He paused for a second as he thought of how odd the whole thing was. "It looks ridiculous." Amused, he wore a short lived slight smile on his face.

Kassy listened to Victor’s explanation of the strange human TV show, and was slightly taken aback at the little flash of a smile. She’d never seen him smile before. It looked good on him. It made her smile back, her sharp teeth gleaming in the sun. “It really does look ridiculous. But I think I would like to watch with you when we get back.” She started to walk through the sand, back toward the jeep. “If that’s alright.”

"Of course it is, Kass." Viktor gave a single nod. They both had grown to enjoy spending time with each other. Despite the rough meditation session, Kass would consider the whole thing a success overall, especially when it meant making a new friend out of a teammate.

H A L Y'S C I R C U S F A I R

---

The sounds of excited screams and the smell of fried pastries were drawing in the early birds to Haly’s Circus fair. There was something for everyone. The easygoing crowd could visit attractions such as the hall of mirrors for some laughs. Competitive fair goers could test their skills and luck in the many games to include the shooting gallery, taking their pick from a huge selection of stuffed animals.

The fair was roughly divided into two areas. One with rides including staples like the ferris wheel, a haunted house, merry go around, tilt-a-whirl and animal rides.
The second area included a selection of games like, the dunk tank, basketball shooting, among other games that tested one's dexterity.

Sprinkled throughout the grounds were food stands selling everything from pretzels and hotdogs to funnel cakes and cotton candy in rainbow colors. There was even a fortune teller tucked away into some back corner.

Both areas conveniently lead to the circus tent which was set up at the centre back. Circus workers were setting up the inside of the tent to not only prepare for the following night's shows but the fireworks that would be used to finish next evening’s circus show with a bang.

Location: Haly´s circus fair
Interactions: She-devil

---

Daphne breathed in the sweet smell of cotton candy. She looked around and excitement filled her stomach with butterflies. There were a couple of staples she definitely wanted to visit. Haly´s circus fair was close to her heart, it used to be an annual family tradition. When she was little her dad took her to the fair every day after school. It was a week full of fun rides, eating way too many sweets and adding more stuffed animals to her impressive collection. Careless quality time with her dad. The nostalgia was bittersweet. Any amount of time they spent together in the present was solely for the purpose of his research.

She sighed. This really wasn´t the place to be gloomy. She was at a fair on a nice summer day, dressed up nice and with a group of mostly nice people. Making new memories was her goal today, so she stopped pouting and put on a smile. Her stomach rumbled. She frowned and held her hand against her belly, hoping that would stop the sound. It was lunchtime and lucky for her funnel cakes were on the menu today.

I wonder what the rest of the Team is up to...

Daphne got out her phone and opened up the group chat. She added Maya and Bex just before they left for Gotham. It was a small gesture to show they were welcome on the Team, to include them. Her finger hovered over Maya and Bex, hesitating if and who she should text. Daphne ultimately decided to text Bex. It was very likely she would get a hard no, but that was okay. She opened up a new chat and started typing.
"Hi Bex
It's me Daphne, I wanted to ask if you wanted to get lunch together?" Realizing she sounded as unsure of herself over text as she did in person she deleted the question mark.

The teen girl waited for her new team mate to text back. While she was waiting she looked up some shade. If she wasn't in her verdant form the sun scorched her just as much as anyone. She reapplied some of her perfume. It was honestly not of much use, the florals getting lost in the sugary smells around her. It was more out of habit than anything.

Location: Haly's Circus Fair
Interactions: Zachary @Crimson Flame, Bex @psych0pomp

---

"Hmm." Viktor had stopped after stepping foot onto the fairgrounds as faint nostalgia greeted with childhood memories that felt so distant. His time with H.I.V.E. proved to be the thick buffer for everything before it. Separate musical sounds and cheerful laughter filled the area as early as now with the sun still present. The area seemed like it could span forever with its many vectors of entertainment.

But it was also a mission. He mentally called back to Batman's words:

"We want you to get to the circus grounds ahead of the performances, get to know the area and employees."

"There is a fair happening at the same time, use that to your advantage and remain inconspicuous."

He was legitimately vexed as remaining inconspicuous at the fair was not the type of blending in he was used to. The guy didn't even laugh.

"Zach, if you don't require me, I will be… remaining inconspicuous." It was pretty much bullshit. Viktor didn't know what he would do yet. Like, what would be the best thing?

"You look like you might be a strong fella! Test your strength! Win a prize!" The High Striker attraction's operator had pointed to Viktor who narrowed his eyes at the man. "Come on, show off for your friends! Win a prize and put a smile on that pretty young lady's face!" The operator nodded in Bex's direction, making Viktor briefly turn to her before stepping up to the man who handed him a mallet. The corners of his lips turned up this strange man gave him the answer to his need to be inconspicuous. He didn't have to act extra excited or put on a friendly smile. All Viktor had to do was win…

"How much?"

Location: Haly´s circus fair
Interactions: She-devil, Mirage

---

Daphne had sniffed her way to the closest food truck, selling a whole bunch of fried stuff, including funnel cakes. She ordered the smaller sized one and after a couple of minutes it was ready. The toppings ranged from chocolate sauce, to fruits, to marshmallows, to caramel but Daphne just wanted some powdered sugar. Keeping things classy. She was holding her precious cake in one hand and her phone in the other, checking her messages. A text from Bex popped up.
"Sure. Sexy Eeyore is swinging around his dick for a prize. And now I want corndogs. See U."

Daphne's brown eyes went wide and she let go of her phone like it was on fire. She tried to catch it before it hit the ground, making her juggle awkwardly with the funnel cake and the arguably more expensive piece of electronics. She managed to save her phone from certain doom and a definite shattered screen. The food she just ordered wasn't as lucky. It landed with a sad plop onto the ground.

"Ah that's such a shame, do you want me to make you a new one? It's on the house no worries."
She didn't have much time to recover from her embarrassing reaction to a simple text from Bex. The lady who worked in the food truck was nice enough to give her a new one. Daphne could feel her face burning. She forced herself to turn around.
"Oh that's really not necessary, it was my fault, I'm just so clumsy sometimes and always looking on my phone when I should look..."
Daphne rambled on and the lady interrupted her.
"Are you okay dear? You're looking a little green, maybe you should get out of the sun for a bit, come stand here under the shade."

The teen heroine caught on to what was happening and put her hands on her cheeks.
"Ah...it's uhm...my allergies. Thanks for the funnel cake, I don't have to have a new one"

Daphne quickly rushed away from the food truck found a quiet corner next to an out of use whac-a-mole game. She took a deep breath.
That was a disaster...
She looked down at the phone in her hand and smiled at her ridiculous behavior. Get a grip on yourself Daphne.
She got out the fan she kept in her purse and waved it in front of her face. While she cooled off she tried to make sense of the text that Bex sent her.
Who was sexy Eeyore?
Probably a nickname for one of the boys, but who? Definitely not Ja, he was to cheery to be compared to Eeyore. Daphne was trying to make sense of it when she spotted Kassy walking past, looking a little lost.

Daphne had an idea. What if she brought lunch for Kassy, Bex and...sexy..Eeyore..
Her lunch met an untimely end and she was still kind of hungry. Bex wanted a corndog and she could bring Kassy too. She spotted fish and chips were also on the menu and she knew Kassy liked fish.
"Hi Kassy!" Daphne called out to the Atlantean heroine. She walked up to Kassy with a smile and proposed her lunch plans. Daphne was too embarrassed to return to the same food truck. She spotted a different one selling mostly the same things. They went over there and Daphne ordered four corndogs(just in case one wouldn't be enough), a funnel cake and Kassy made her own order. She texted Bex to pick a spot to meet up and she would bring lunch.
"How do you like the fair?" Daphne asked, waiting with Kassy next to the food truck.