It was uncomfortably silent inside the submarine. As soon as they reached the safety of the underwater vehicle both Talon and the professor went their separate ways. Professor Bingley sat at the back. His research materials were spread out on a table and he seemed to be organizing everything. These reports were some of his finest work, a milestone in his career. He could not let anything happen to it, or let it fall into the wrong hands.

He worked diligently, occasionally looking over at Talon discreetly. The Professor wasn’t sure what to think about the quiet teen. He seemed capable enough and he let him work in peace, two major plusses in his book.

“I don’t think we’ll be safe for long here, we should be heading back to the surface sooner rather than later.” He said, not taking his eyes off his work for one second and failing to catch Talon's look of skepticism.

Is he suggesting we abandon the team and leave his briefing unfinished? Talon wrote it off as Dr. Bingley being worried about his own well being. The team's confrontation with squid had been shaky and disjointed, tarnishing the confidence the scientist had in his security detail. From his perspective, he had saved himself.

From Talon's, he failed to do anything. It bothered him to feel he was worse than anyone else in that situation. Everyone in that situation demonstrated initiative in the heat of the moment. [Color=red][I]Alisa arrived to support me when I wagered under Rain's scrutiny… Viktor stepped forward to take the blame and responsibility for firing the weapon that I was meant to have positive control over… And him[/color] Talon eyes were affixed on the scientist and his notes now. He took the decision away from me. I wasn't focused. Because of… I want to blame that prick, but… Talon wanted to punch something, his hand balled into tight fists. Maybe talking would take his mind off things. It wasn't his strong suit so perhaps it served as a good distraction.

“I think you will be able to finish your briefing once the terrorists are repelled.”

Professor Bingley scoffed slightly and finally looked up from his papers to stare at Talon. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and leaned on the table with his right hand.
“There wasn’t a whole lot more to say. I could bore them with the negligible side effects. Those are barely worth mentioning, chances of that occurring are below 0.5 percent.”

He went to stand in front of the table, like he was giving another presentation and Talon was his audience. He was trying to convince him of his point of view.

“Also the importance of stopping this gene greatly outweighs the side effects compared to the damage these powers can cause. This cure is justified.”

Talon sincerely questioned if this was true and started asking the Professor pointed questions. His answers to those questions slowly revealed his plans. Piece by piece he was starting to understand what exactly Professor Bingley was trying to do.

“You know what kid? The Atlanteans should be grateful I’m doing this.”

“Grateful?” Talon’s criticism was displayed on his furrowed brows, and Dr. Bingley wasn’t a fan.

“Yes! Grateful.” Dr. Bingley scoffed once more. “I don't expect you to understand. Wasn't it you who couldn't do what was necessary against that tentacled monster? You see, you and I are not cut from the same cloth. I'm willing to eliminate the threat to the many... I don't care if that threat has a pulse, I'll end it.” There was brief silence between the two before Dr. Bingley continued.

“By any means necessary.” His jaw was tight and his mouth was set in a firm line. He barely blinked, staring down at Talon who had no idea what to do. The mission was to protect Dr. Bingley and allow him to successfully liaise with the Atlanteans, but how could Talon follow that protocol knowing what the scientist’s true intentions were. His former self might have just shrugged and kept with the objective but that’s not what a hero would do. That’s not what Nightwing, his mentor, would do. He’d have to inform Kass and the rest of the team, but he needed more. He needed to get Dr. Bingley to really spill as much information as possible. Interrogation was within his skillset, and he knew exactly how to play someone like Dr. Bingley. The prideful were always looking to prove themselves.

“So you’re aborting the children with unwanted genes? Couldn't the Atlanteans have figured that out themselves?” Dr. Bigley shook his head. He couldn’t believe how wrong Talon was.

“No! You think that I’m so lowly to settle on just abortions?! Atlanteans would not agree to the execution of fetuses. I will make sure every single Atlantean child is allowed to be born… Some may not experience a proper life, but that’s better than them becoming sociopathic members of their society.”

“Proper life. I don’t… understand.” Talon’s face was that of a curious skeptic. Dr. Bingley shook his head as he would have to simplify his explanation moreso.

“They’d all live but they would succumb to the side effects. They would be mentally inhibited BUT they would not be a threat to those around them. Drones are better than predators. Don’t you think?”

“I-”

“It’s the best course of action... To rid this world of the dangerous. They’ll have lower brain functionality, but be harmless. They won’t be scolded or locked away for being a danger to their society. In fact, they’ll be harmless.” Dr. Bingley wore a grand smile upon his face as if he was fulfilling a dream.

---

Metamorph kept on the path, approaching the Aquarium. Despite his small outburst earlier, he reluctantly broke formation from Mirage to go provide aid to the team there while she went to check the salt plant. Despite having been in buildings called “plants” before, he couldn’t help but wonder if in Atlantis, if it was a literal plant that processed salt…A question for later as he got nearer to the location in question.

If memory served correctly, this was the team of Daffy-Knee and Alisa and Zachy were sent. With all of them, surely there had to be many deluge forces here. He felt many currents coming from ahead, a disruptive set of waves pushing against the sensitive whiskers hidden in his headbush. They were still in battle, and his assumption was confirmed when he met an entry way.

For the most part it looked as though it was under control; some forces knocked out and others locked in a shiny cage of cards. The latter caught Ja’s eye with wonder as it must’ve clearly been Zatara’s doing. Whenever Ja put cards in water they got all soggy, but these ones trapped their adversaries even this deep underwater.

The jungle boy felt the need to ask him about that later, but he was jostled from his thoughts on Cybergirl calling out to Nymph to look out. As it seemed, she had two of the remaining deluge forces caught in her hair. While one seemed easily subdued, the one behind her had more fight in them. Thus the deluge woman thrusted and thrashed about until she managed to shoot herself free with some of energy pistol.

Seeing her take aim at Daphne was what immediately sprung Metamorph into action. Using Ceta’s dolphin speed while kicking his legs like a tail, he swam with his arms wide as though to tackle the deluge woman. She seemed to catch on to his approach and fired at him instead.

Metamorph ducked it at the last second, instead zipping beneath and around this new opponent. With the precision of a praying mantis, Ja clipped the gun out of her grip and looped his arms around to hold her. Unlike earlier though when full of rage of the Red, Ja had control, locking the woman into a kataha jime judo choke. While she kicked and thrashed to try breaking free, Ja didn’t budge as the strength and suction of a giant squid was enough to remain locked.

Golden eyes surveyed about the room to be sure that there weren’t any other immediate threats. When seemingly clear, he didn’t seem as tense. ”Is that all for here? If not, we should rendezvous with the others to see if we are needed elsewhere.” He asked with a small calm smile while he waited for the woman to slip into unconsciousness.

Location: Poseidonis, Conference room
Interactions: Metamorph

---

Before she could catch on to what was happening Ja swooped in for an impressive rescue, preventing her from getting hit by the Deluge agent. The woman managed to free herself from the vines and attempted to shoot her. Daphne nodded at Ja, giving him a thumbs up. The Team always had her back, they were amazing. She stopped moving her body to stay afloat and slowly descended onto the Aquarium floor, rejoining Alisa, Zach and Ja.

A little while later

The Team reunited in the conference room after having successfully repelled the Deluge agents. Professor Bingley was standing in the exact same spot as before. Almost like nothing had happened. He didn't seem to be bothered much by the attacks.
"Thanks to the combined efforts of the brave Atlanteans and the Young Justice Team I'm standing here safe and sound and more importantly able to share the next step of my research plan"

He opened another suitcase. This one was heavily locked by multiple security systems, including a finger print and retina scanner. It was the amalgamation of his entire research all worked into a single modified gene. A invaluable and precious sample.
"I worked tirelessly to develop this formula, it is the pinnacle of five years of research. And I want to offer this to you, my colleagues in the field, my fellow pioneers"

One of the researcher took one of the samples, holding it in the palm of his hand. There was so much potential in such a small object.
"So we can start trials right away?"

"Absolutely. Test trials, synthesis, and then mass distribution to all medical facilities offering prenatal care."

Before the Conference:

As she and Ja split to check on the other teams, Kassy found herself dragging her fins, not wanting to see Dr. Bingley’s face again. She just couldn’t fathom how a human, even a smart one, could be so well versed in Atlantean politics and culture. He could be a fan of some kind – they had those. Sort of like Zach, most of them were harmless.

This was something different. This was like an obsession. It didn’t quite make sense.

Before she could really think more on it, the sub came into view. She opened the hatch and poked her head in. “Talon, Dr. Bingley, it’s all over. You can come out now.”

As the doctor grumbled quietly about interruptions to his life’s work and brushed past her, Talon grabbed her arm. His voice was low, but audible. “There’s something you should know.”

-
At the Conference:

Kassy’s mind was reeling. If what Talon had told her was true – and she had no reason to believe otherwise – Dr. Bingley was a very smart, very unhinged man. She felt sick to her stomach as the crowd seemed to lap up his speech.

And then he opened the case, holding up an innocent looking vial.

It was already real? This… thing, this genetic curse, it was right there.

There were about a hundred people in the room, including her teammates. So many people, so much potential for disaster. Yet – suddenly, none of them mattered. She had to stop him, no matter the cost.

Was this what it meant to be a true hero? Sacrificing everything for the greater good?

Even sacrificing yourself?

“Stop.”

The samples were being handed out already. No one seemed to hear her.

“I said, STOP!” Her shout carried clear across the room this time. That did it. Everyone seemed to freeze in place. Two hundred eyes stared her down. She swam toward Bingley and the other researchers, her eyes resolute.

“I can’t let you do this. I won’t.”

“What is the meaning of this?! What are you doing, Miss Mirage?” Bingley stepped in front of her, his eyes unreadable behind thick glasses.

“Stopping you. I won’t let those side effects hurt other people, innocent people, those who aren’t even here yet.”

She was trembling, but carried on. “This isn’t right, Doctor. My people haven’t done anything to deserve this. We aren’t dangerous. Just misunderstood.”

Bingley frowned, eyebrows furrowing. “Your people? What do you mean, your people? Wait a minute-” He wasn’t a fool, and quickly caught on to Kassy’s implication.

Kassy smiled, all teeth. “That’s right. I’m the one you’re looking for. Your genetic curse, your controversy.” She turned, pushing her white hair up from the back of her neck. A little mark lay there, always hidden by her curls. A single eye.

“YOU?! You’re a – a - ”

“That’s right.” Kassy spat the words out. “I’m who you want. I won’t let you go through with this.”

Bingley gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “I can’t believe it. My perfect test subject, right in front of me.” He reached for her for a split second, then yanked his hand back. Fear lit in his eyes. “Wait, wait – don’t you dare hurt me.”

Kassy shook her head, “Dr. Bingley, I am not dangerous. I’m just a person. I never asked for any of this!”

He wasn’t listening. His voice raised to a panicked pitch. “Guards, you heard what she said! She admits it! You know what she is, what she’s capable of! I demand she be taken into custody!”

“No, no! I’m not dangerous. Please, just listen-” Kassy shut her eyes, trying to keep her temper under control. She could feel her fists clenching. But she had to face this.

Bingley laughed, but it was a cruel sound. “I don’t have to listen to you. Guards!”

“Stop it, please!” Her ears were ringing as she reached for Bingley’s arm. He jerked back from her grip.

“You’re nothing but a sociopath. A menace to society, a dangerous beast. A siren!”

She had heard this before. How many times had her aunt used these same words? This same excuse, over and over again, to treat her like dirt. How many times would she hear them again? For a moment, she saw the same cold eyes, the same cruel smile. Dr. Bingley and Aunt Kristy could have been twins. All of the calming methods, all of the meditation, all of the times she told herself to endure, none of it mattered. It was never going to change.

Something snapped.

“I. AM NOT. DANGEROUS!”

Her scream carried across the conference room. Her irises got darker and darker, their brilliant orange filling into a dark, eerie fathomless black, like the eyes of a shark. Even the water around her seemed to warp, optical illusions twisting the eye of anyone who looked.

She trembled, her whole body taut with rage. Tears started to slide down her cheeks.

---

Helping Aleen’a back to the submarine took quite a bit of time, especially with Viktor insisting she not use up any additional energy. He assured her he was capable enough to swim the two back on his own. Along the way, he had internally cursed a few members of the team and the squid Talon navigated the submarine into. If not for them, Aleen’a might have avoided wasting the UV device given to her for the mission. Half are fools, and half blindly follow the fools. Viktor was obviously bitter about more than the UV device. When thinking of the team that had advanced and improved so much in such little time, Viktor only noticed the flaws.

Zach sees this as nothing but a game… a way to be center stage.

Daphne. She knows little of her capabilities and weaknesses. A walking L… Liability.

Talon is a mess. Distracted. Unsure of himself. Impressionable. His skill means nothing in the presence of his lackluster initiative.

Ja… Kila… His mind is divided and unpredictable. His skill set appears to shift, but how do you factor such a thing into your planning?!

Alisa and Aleen’a toe the line to whoever gives them orders. Jump off the cliff, won’t you? Uneedly sacrifice yourself won’t you? It’s unfortunate.

And then Kass. She…

Moments later…

Viktor sat with the team amongst the audience to watch Dr. Bingley finish the briefing where he left off. Unveiling samples he had brought along to distribute to the Atlantean people for test trials was not something Viktor expected. He simply raised an eyebrow at how forward the scientist was. It reminded me of his days as a child within H.I.V.E. That organization employed those with boundless ambition and curiosity. Their ingenuity was something to praise yet it was all for conquest and deviance. Dr. Bingley would have fit right in. He used the fear of a sub-group to push his research. Demonizing those with certain genetic traits was disgusting to Viktor. In fact, he didn’t agree with this research in the slightest. His mind was simply wired to ensure the success of the mission. For the good? For the better? For the worse? It mattered not once he was given his objectives. Squids could die and nations could fall in his wake and he would barely bat an eye.

As the samples were handed out, Viktor noticed Kassy attempting to address Dr. Bingley. She found failure in her first attempt but managed to snatch his attention with an assertive tone that attracted the eyes of the audience. The back and forth between Kassy and Dr. Bingley intensified with each passing moment.

As soon as Dr. Bingley called for the guards, one of the four guards took the initiative to start swimming forward towards the stage. To the guard, Kassy was simply a disturbance he would remove from the conference room.

“Team…” Viktor uttered before-

“I. AM NOT. DANGEROUS!”

Viktor winced at Kassy’s sudden scream. He had been planning to intervene, but he was much too late. Viktor attempted to look in Kassy’s direction but distorted images and sounds made him avert his gaze.

The other three guards attempted to reach Kass, but the affected audience made it even more difficult to swim to the young Atlantean. Some tried to escape, swimming straight into objects and others. Others cowered or flailed in fear. And then there were those that simply attacked, pushing others away as they found their safety compromised.

“Fuck! We have to stop her!” Viktor shouted as he peeked in the direction where he last saw Kassy. He held the armrests of his seat and planted his feet on the backrest. A grunt of frustration could be heard over the communications channel.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bingley had fallen in the presence of the young woman who objected to his research. He had attempted to flee, but due to him being so close to the source of the illusions, he felt the full brunt of it. Dr. Bingley found himself unable to find comfort as his feet failed to plant on the ground. His senses were so distorted, he felt as if he had no equipment and was simply opening his bare eyes and ears to Kass who shouted at him. Her figure blurred and her words slightly muddled. This was the monster he sought to eradicate.

“GET AWAY FROM MEEEEEE! I WON’T DIE HERE, YOU ABOMINATION! I WON’T! GUARDS! GUARDS! GUAAARDS!” Dr. Bingley screamed, putting all his hope in the guards that slowly encroached on Kass.

It was then that a sudden disturbance of the water occurred in the vicinity of Kassy. Viktor had taken some time to aim himself at the center of the illusionary distortion before pumping his legs to launch himself towards her. He couldn’t see or hear her clearly, but Viktor could only assume Kassy could hear him. And so he spoke to his teammate.

“Kass!” He called to her as closed the distance. Kass! His body inched closer and closer to his target that only grew to be more and more distorted as he approached. “Stop!”

And then Kass. She… She questioned my capacity. Questioned my place on this team! There was genuine emotion that surfaced as his face contorted behind his visor. His fist cocked back as he readied himself to deliver a strike toward the distortion. He grunted as he had put a significant amount of force behind the punch. He wanted to hit her fast and hard. A quick burst that would knock the Atlantean out of her ill-found senses. With a powerful thrust…

…

…

…

…

Viktor missed. His fist thrust an entire foot past Kass’s head. Shit.

Alisa and Daphne had their respective Deluge agents under control. At least untill Daphne didn’t. One of them got free and tried to shoot her. Thankfully, KJ came in just in time for the brilliant rescue just in the nick of time! With that out of the way, they met up with the rest of the team back in the conference room.

—-

If Zach had known he would be back here listening to Dr. Bing Bing talk shit about magic, he would have let the Deluge agents get away… Of course, then he might have to put up with Viktor glaring at him all day, and he wasn’t sure which of those alternatives was worse…

Thankfully, things got interesting real quick. Kassy of all people spoke out against the doctor… Zach wanted to clap and shout Yaas Queen! Slay! And be gay about it, buuut he knew that wouldn’t be appropriate right now. There was a heated back and forth between the two, with Dr Bing Bing calling the guards to arrest her. The guards even proceeded to ascend on her. Then Kassy snapped, and shit went to hell. The water around Kassy was distorting, and people were panicking. Even Bing Bing was still screaming for the guards. Zach looked at him in disgust. ”What a pussy…”

Viktor attempted to punch Kassy for some reason… What was that going to accomplish besides pissing people off? Honestly, Zach felt like Kassy had a point, and he should just let her have her freak out. But, that probably wasn’t good for the innocent Atlanteans… So, the first priority should be calming the people down. Luckily, all of this was magic related, and that fell right into Zach’s wheelhouse. “Noisulli lepsid!” Zach exclaimed. However, nothing happened. “Noisulli eht kaerb!” He tried again in an irritated tone. Still didn’t work. ”Esaelp snoisulli gnikcuf eseht fo dir teg!” Zach shouted angrily. Again, still didn’t work.

Zach was horrified. Why wasn’t his magic working?

Location: Poseidonis, Conference room
Interactions: Team

---

One minute they were watching Dr Bingley speak about his plans to distribute samples and the next Kassy snapped in a way Daphne had never seen before. Revelations about Dr Bingley's research and Kassy's origins had her mind reeling. Everything was happening in rapid succession, Daphne got up from her seat, ready to act but not sure what to do. This was awful. With a pained look on her face she watched Kassy lose control of her abilities. It caused a surge of panic in the crowd.

Daphne looked to her Team, Zach was struggling with his magic and Viktor attempted to take out Kassy but missed her.The strength of Kassy's illusions distorted her senses. Her vision was blurred and her body felt incredibly heave one minute and light as a feather the next. They needed to help Kassy regain control over her powers, calm her down somehow.

Daphne tried to block out some of the distortion by closing her eyes.
"Guys! What do we do?"

---

Aleen'a was thankful for Viktor's help in helping her go back to the submarine. While she still had some energy left within her, she already felt a little woozy from overexerting herself. Perhaps fighting almost all those Deluge agents by herself was a bad idea especially since she didn't have a reliable source of ultraviolet radiation, but she was trained to fight even in the direst of situations as well. She could only hope the team won't run into any more trouble, but even she knew it would require a miracle to make that happen.

--

Indeed, Ale definitely jinxed it earlier. Even from the start of Dr. Bingley's discussion, she could already pick up some sort of hostility from Kassy. Before she could approach her friend and ask her what was wrong, Kassy loudly demanded the doctor to stop giving out the vials. One thing lead to another and Kassy released an incredible burst of energy along with a strong surge of rage that washed over Ale like a tidal wave. The Tamaranean groaned from the amount of anger she felt from Kassy. Her people always knew to control their emotions especially since they were an empathic alien race but humans seem to never be afraid to show their true feelings.

"T-The people! Save the p-people!" Ale managed to say to Daphne and she watched in horror as Viktor tried and failed to punch Kassy. "No... Don't harm her!" She screamed and swam straight towards him, slamming Viktor away from Kassy as he might try to hurt her again. However, the intensity of the illusions and anger was much stronger now that Ale was nearer to the source.

She groaned, both her heart and mind hurting because of Kassy's powers. Tears swelled in her eyes and mixed along with the seawater though it was evident in Ale's expression that she was in great pain. Everything was so distorted, she didn't know the difference between what's real and what's not anymore. Rage wasn't the only emotion she was feeling as well especially when she could pick up on the fear and anxiety of others around her because of the illusions. It was suffocating for the Tamaranean.

"K-K-K-Kassy..." Ale weakly blurted out, her voice coarse and dry. Despite what's happening to her, she endured all of it and used the remaining amounts of her energy to keep herself from giving in to Kassy's abilities and emotions. She went upright with great effort, the veins on her neck and sides of her forehead bulging as she groaned and sobbed. Ale wasn't sure where Kassy was exactly but Ale still tried to weakly reach out with a shaking hand.

She then remembered the vial of that strange liquid that seemed to be the source of Kassy's rage. If they manage to destroy all of them, maybe it could help in calming their friend down. "The v-vial..." Ale weakly said before mustering all her energy to shout as loud as she could, hoping the others could hear her amidst the chaos. "Destroy the vial! D-Destroy it!"

Pandemonium.

It was as if everything was happening in slow motion for Kassandra. Screaming, swimming, panic. She looked at it, what she’d caused, and still felt that raw, open wound inside her screaming for attention. Everyone always expected her to be a monster. So who was she to say differently?

Distantly, she saw a figure approaching. She turned, and Victor’s fist went past her face easily, bubbles flying. It was clear he couldn’t see or hear right.

Unfortunately for him, she could.

She grabbed his wrist, hard. Then she shoved him in the chest, and as she did, she let her out-of-control illusions wash over him. The distortion around her lessened. But not for Victor.

With a blank stare, she simply activated his sense of touch.

All of it.

It would be mild at first, but soon would become overwhelming. Crippling.

Pain.

If he wanted to treat her as a threat (and why wouldn’t he) then she would respond in kind.

That’s what monsters did, didn’t they?

Why had she even bothered to pretend to be a hero in the first place?

This was all she'd ever be seen as.

---

Like a Starfish, the animal boy stuck to the wall with his limbs splayed out, relaxing some. With the deluge forces handled and the remnants of the Red’s rage satiated, he felt much calmer inside, like weight had been dropped. That wasn’t to say that the young lionfish wasn’t alert, as he was still on the clock after all. Thus when everything was reassembled and the session resumed, Ja was stationed in a corner of the room to watch Dr. Bingley.

That, however, was when he started to talk about this strange unnatural ‘cure’ that he created. It did not sit well how calm this man was in the moment, considering an attack from the deluge came, seemingly synonymously with his arrival. Perhaps he felt safe, given the team’s ability to repel those forces.

That, though, was when Ja took particular notice of the briefcase. The strange case that the man carried held many sorts of protections on it. Yet, when he opened it, that feeling of unsettlement sank deeper. This ‘bad medicine’ wasn’t just some idea that the man had dreamed up, but one that he had already achieved. Inside the case was not only one, but many small containers carrying the compound inside. After the reveal of which, he went on to tell the atlantean scientists that they could start their tests.

Ja’s expression scrunched up at the implications. The man was planning to preemptively alter genes in children that weren’t even born…That didn’t seem right, no matter what it was. While he supposed that his opinion on the matter was irrelevant, he heard Kassy’s voice. Ja’s body slowly peeled from the wall it was clung to when the conversation started to escalate. The lionfish understood that Mirage used magic, like Zachy, but the tattoo on the back of her neck must have meant something. Ja understood and ultimately agreed with her point of view that this thing was a curse of human creation…

However, Ja looked around where perhaps Kassy had not. How ready the Atlanteans seemed to be to try out this experimental drug on their own people. Was this why the mission was so quiet? The Atlantean King had to know explicitly what was happening here…Did he perhaps agree with what Dr. Bingley was proposing?

Those questions became irrelevant though when Ja heard the things that Dr. Bingley had called her. How could he go from praising Young Justice for saving his life earlier, Kassy included, to this? Part of him would have asked what had gotten into the nice doctor that asked him questions on the submarine…but perhaps this was what he was all along.

His hair prickled outward as the tides turned, and his senses told him that bad was coming. The guards lurked closer towards where she and Bingley were, and Ja protectively drifted nearer. What were they doing? Kassy had done nothing— Then, instantly, chaos had exploded into the room with Kassandra’s rage filled voice. Ja’s own senses began to blur and fight for clearance as illusions filled the room.

With the rapidly rushing water against the sensitive whiskers in his mane, Ja could at the very least tell that the people rushing were real. In which case, he had to move to just barely avoid panicking Atlanteans crashing into him. Even his own teammates struggled with swimming, trying to get a hold on the situation.

The young man felt his heart race in his chest when Rain went for simply try to stop Kassy by knocking her out. Hurting one of their own shouldn’t have been the way to stop this, and Aleena, thankfully, had stopped him before he could do so. Nymph had asked what to do, and Metamorph himself wasn’t sure at first.

The words of Dr. Bingley earlier had simply replayed in Ja’s mind; “A dangerous beast” striking him personally. The jungle boy had been called that himself by BSF, as well as the people that he was sent to hunt. That one lurked within him…one that had hurt and killed people in the past…one that escaped him earlier today…one that Kassy had saved him from becoming again…

Maybe the answer wasn’t to fight her, or destroy the vials like Aleena had suggested. Maybe doing those things would only make what Bingley said right. Maybe the answer was to save her from her rage, like she did for him. Maybe it was Ja’s turn to let her know that everything was alright; that this is not what any of them wanted…

The boy didn’t realize exactly when his vision had gone dark, but when he blinked his vision was bright with color. Messy and polarized color, yet a kind he could make sense of, as he could see the figures of everyone and everything in the room with little impedance. Regardless, he saw Kassy amidst the figures and swam to her directly. The way his arms and legs pushed him forward in the manner an octopus might.

As he got nearer, he thought about the voice he heard in his mind…the one that whispered to his rage. He could see the waves of intense energy radiated from Kassy from the brighter colors that radiated from her. Yet, at the center of it all, he could see the face of a friend had been there for them in the past. A friend that was upset and lost. Kilamanjaro gently grabbed the girl by her shoulders.

”Kassy! Don’t believe that man! You are not a monster! You are my friend! But the only way that everyone else will see is if you stop this! Please, come back to us!!”

---

---

Chaos followed Kassy’s haunted scream- but Alisa wasn’t sure why. Atlanteans and her teammates alike began to yell in terror, punching at things that weren’t there. Everyone was terrified without reason. She floated, a quizzical look on her face. Was ‘the defect’ that terrifying? It just looked like Kassy’s eyes had turned black and she had revealed a tattoo on the back of her neck. Then, Alisa remembered. Her powers. Mirage had to be stronger than everyone else had thought. She was out of control, broadcasting her emotions and taking over others’ minds with them. Alisa, however, was the only one who could see through the haze.

So many things were happening at once. Alisa’s eyes were drawn to Viktor as he swam over to Kassy, apparently in a daze, and threw a punch at her. Idiot! Asshole! Alisa started rapidly swimming towards them, fury building in her. Couldn’t Viktor see that it wasn’t her fault? Was he heartless? Aleen’a, ever brave, rushed at the two of them, barreling into Viktor- but it wasn’t enough to stop the next awful thing from happening. Alisa swam at them, trying to stop it before it was too late. She had the best chance of fixing this.

Aleen’a shouted to destroy the vials, and Alisa changed course, swimming towards the cowering scientist cradling them in his arms. Aleen’a wasn’t entirely correct about the vials being the source of Kassy’s rage- it seemed to be more about her emotions- but getting the vials out of their hands would help. It would prevent their usage- and whatever they were, Kassy and her ilk didn’t deserve that fate. It made Alisa terribly sad to think about. Brain-dead zombies. She understood why Kassy was upset.

“Give me that!” Alisa held out a hand for the scientist to give her the case and, when he simply cowered in fear, she yanked it from his hands. There was a struggle.

“Stop! Demon!” he screamed. “You can’t have the cure! I won’t let you!”

Alisa punched him in the stomach and ripped the case from his hands, pushing him aside and swimming up. “I got it! I got the case!” She could see no reason to destroy the vials- having them leak into the water might have some adverse effects on people- but they needed to be in safe hands.

Location: Poseidonis, Conference Room
Interactions: The Team

---

The relief on Dr. Bingley’s face as Viktor moved to strike Kassy died the moment the young man missed his mark.

“No…” The scientist shook his head, staring at Kassy with absolute terror in his heart. He needed someone to put her down, but the distortions were proving to be too much for everyone except… His eyes darted towards who he assumed was Alisa. It was getting more and more difficult to discern what was going on. “Cyb-” He stopped himself as he watched Kassy grab Viktor and knock him away before being struck by Aleen’a who was attempting to keep the stony-faced teen from delivering a counterattack. As if he could. Dr. Bingley and anyone else that wasn’t Kassy had no idea what was happening to Viktor at the moment. What was apparent, however, was the dip in the intensity of the optical illusions that plagued everyone in the room. This is my moment… My chance…

Meanwhile, Viktor found himself knocked away, first by Kassy, and then by Aleen’a. The world around him seemed to whirl chaotically after the quick succession of attacks while also being unable to maintain the focus of his senses. Senses that had been sharpened and amplified by H.I.V.E. and the serum the villainous organization had administered to him. The desire to collect himself was strong, but he would soon find it to be a faraway dream. A faraway dream with a parting gift from Kassy in the way. A mild pain that grew within him… No, this pain was not just within and it was only intensifying. He shut his eyes and balled his fists tight as he felt it across his skin, through his muscles, in his bones. He attempted to push it down, but it was inescapable. The pain caused Viktor’s body to curl into a tight fetal position, his thoughts no longer on the situation, the mission, or anything for that matter. All there was, was this nightmare.

“No…” The words were but a soft groan as he endured. There was no way to resist. No way to fight back against this. He was… helpless. Helpless. “Tch!” The pain kept him from even forming the words he wanted. Viktor needed the team… but weren’t they his assailants? His mind was slipping as only the brief moments before this writhing pain were replayed in his head. As if Viktor’s mind attempted to cope with his helplessness, it used Kassy and Aleen’a’s attacks and his recently surfaced gripes with the team to conjure up anything to rationalize this pain. They were hurting him, and not just the two. It was everyone. Kassy, Aleen’a, Daphne, Ja, Zach, Talon, and even Alisa. They all delivered their fair share of blows with little to no holding back. Every means of attack the team could muster was used to inflict this pain onto every fiber of his being. And eventually even this reality his mind attempted to produce took the backseat to the pure unbridled pain. That’s all it was. That’s all it was ever meant to be.

He hadn’t even noticed it. That he was screaming hysterically in a way no one could have imagined. With a crack in his scream, he lost consciousness.

---

Dr. Bingley spotted one of the Atlantean rifle-like weapons dropped on the ground by one of the guards who had been plagued by Kass’ distortions. This was possibly the swiftest the man had moved in his entire life as he grabbed the weapon and aimed it at Kassy. He didn’t know how to formally use the weapon, but it had a trigger and a barrel which was enough for him to hold it up with confidence. The distortions were far weaker and thanks to Ja’s intervention, Dr. Bingley was sure he could land a hit.

“And it always comes down to me eliminating the threat to the many! First the squid, now you, and soon I will make sure that no Atlantean has to worry about accidentally giving birth to a monster. I wish I could say I was sorry, but...” Dr. Bingley pulled the trigger.

Zach looked at his hands in absolute terror. Why didn’t his magic work? There should be no reason for this. ”How? W-w-why did this happen? Was there some other kind of magic at work here? Zach didn’t know, but one thing was sure. He was helpless without magic. What good was he to the others without? He was just some stage magician who could do party tricks… Not very useful to a superher team.

The others struggled and fumbled trying to get their hands on those terrible vials. Then the illusions were lessened as Kassy straight up started torturing Viktor. He did deserve a little punishment to be quite honest… Although this was a bit much…

Then Dr. Bingley grabbed a gun from one of the guards, and fired it straight at Kassy. It fired a wave of energy, which meant his magic would have done nothing even if it was working. Still, he swam torwards it, and took the blast.“Agggh!” He shouted in pain and fell backwards. At least now he could be useful for something.

---

Aleen'a felt the intensity of Kassy's magic weaken, most probably due to Ja's words of kindness towards her. She felt a huge portion of the weight off her chest although she still feel how strong it still was. She heard Alisa shout that she had the case of vials and she saw her swimming away with them. She then watched in horror as Dr. Bingley aimed an Atlantean blaster at Kassy and attempted to shoot her only for Zach to swim towards the blast and shield her using his own body.

The shock from seeing her friend hurt himself and making him close to the brink of death along with the confessions of the human doctor filled Ale with an emotion she had never felt so greatly before: rage.

Despite being so weakened both physically and mentally, Ale struggled through it all. The veins on her temples were bulging so much they looked like they were about to burst, her eyes were getting red, and blood started dripping from her nose. She swam towards Dr. Bingley with a murderous look in her eyes, grabbing and crushing the nozzle of the Atlantean rifle to prevent him from using it.

"Your madness ends here." Ale said, her voice devoid of any emotion. Before Dr. Bingley could do more, she punched him so hard she blew some of his teeth off and probably knocked him unconscious as well. She then turned her attention to the hurt Zach and swam towards him, cradling him in her arms as she began to cough up blood. She swam to the unconscious Viktor next and carried both of them while swimming to Daphne.

"H-Help them, Daphne... Help... T-Them..." Ale tried to say but she had exerted too much of her power and she received so much of the blunt of Kassy's magic that she fell unconscious as well. She floated aimlessly in the water while she had Viktor and Zach in her arms, blood dripping from her nostrils and half-opened mouth.

Location
💀 The Spirit World ➡ Headquarters.

Interactions
💀 None.



Chaotic wastes of the Spirit World rumbled with a swirl of magic, force rippling through its otherwise still, ever-present nature. A place of eternity where time held no meaning. A nexus between realities, and a funnel to the afterlife, it was the realm of spirits, in all of its terrifying infinity. The Spirit World at the end of a war, one waged and fought by Blackwood fury. “Come and accept Nekron’s embrace!” A voice echoed through endless space, crackling energies of Necrotic might clashing with each motion, be it a dainty flick or savage swipe. “With his ring, you will rule in death! The Spirit World will be yours, at Nekron’s side!” How long had it been? Memories of the waking plane were vague, set aside for a conflict that had whisked a young hero from life’s touch. Months, years, it was impossible to tell, days fading into myth alongside time as little more than a fable.

It had been Casper’s reality, a constant war against the forces of Nekron, a battlefield where he was the prize. Strife rippled through the fabric of ghostly walls, a realm beyond that of which was material, a war with singular purpose; keeping Nekron locked in the Land of the Unliving, a prison within the Spirit World. There he would remain, Death; there he would continue to cradle eternity, pulling strings from behind an ethereal veil. One of these strings took the name of Casper, a key to releasing Death into an existence of life.

“It is your destiny!” Lord Murdoc Blackwood exclaimed atop the shattering tower where a battle maintained its crescendo, “not to be a soldier in an army of fools!” Yes, his destiny. Lies took flight, and with wings spread scattered an obfuscating mist, leaving only truth in their wake. Casper’s creation found purpose at Nekron’s side, the reason for his nature as a Wraithborn. He was a key, brought into being to free Nekron from ageless shackles. A herald to begin the process of unmaking life.

”Father..,” a ghostly tune echoed, familiar and different, present and yet distant, ”you and Nekron..,” the Wraith spoke, forces of immaculate white swirling between slender claws, ”..can go fuck yourselves!” It may have been clear that the otherwise proper boy, raised in nobility and wealth, had long since abandoned tact and grace cradling a silver tongue. Rather, what replaced honeyed words was a war-stained tone.

“This ring will make you unstoppable!” Murdoc roared, a spell soon following with waves of ghostly magic seeking to subdue the duke’s son. Sorcery thickened by the might of a black lantern ring, the forces of death striking at Casper’s own spellcraft.

A conflict they had waged for spans uncountable, the Wraithborn scarcely recalled his time on a material plane. The boy did, however, hold the thought close. His mission was to get back. With both the resistance and the forces of Nekron depleted to little more than scraps within the Spirit World, what remained was father and son. A duel atop spiritual ruins, a decisive battle.

Casper responded, the Wraith’s clawed digits allowing for a spectral shroud to manifest, a barrier halting Lord Murdoc’s onslaught before shattering beneath its weight. ”It doesn’t make you unstoppable.” A distraction, Casper utilized the ethereal chaos embracing them, his shape allowing for a spectral act of vanishing, all before reappearing at a vantage point where he unleashed a frightful blast of necromantic force, slamming into his father.

“Abandon this childish rebellion!” Came a response, Murdoc’s mastery of magic an impressive display as the man responded with a shield of his own. Casper was, however, aware of their differences. The boy could not best his father with measures of brute force. Amplified by a black lantern ring, Murdoc’s spellcraft was heavily enhanced, which forced the Wraithborn to consider a more creative approach.

One would not blame either combatant for a halting stride, a sudden freeze in motion and intent. It was over, for Lord Murdoc Blackwood failed to notice his son’s third spell. A wordless desire brought form, dark magic manifesting at the behest of Casper’s will, for such was the nature of a Wraithborn, Necromancy given form. A withering curse, thorns of necrotic mercy woven into physical shape slithered across the entirety of Murdoc’s form, digging deep into him with might, power, and essence viciously drained. Imprisoned on the spot, unable to move, the man witnessed an approaching Wraith, teeth clenching alongside his fists. Words were robbed of their purpose, for they refrained from leaving desperate lips. Motion was halted, and magic locked.

”I’m sorry, dad.., but this is it,” Casper uttered, a clawed hand extending to allow for a final spell, an ending to this overlong conflict. Silently, Lord Murdoc’s shape began to fracture, the man’s spirit shattering like glass. The son had erased the sins of the father, the Blackwood legacy as servants to Nekron. An unceremonious, quiet end following a wrathful battle amongst the infinity of an endless reality, the Spirit World.

“Holy shit, Cassy’, look!” Came a familiar voice, before talons gripped the boy’s shoulder. “A fissure! The fight with daddy dearest must have ripped it open,” the Wraithborn’s avian friend exclaimed, surfacing a measure of hope. Did Casper want to return? Was the living world a place for him? Throughout this conflict he had learned of his purpose, to free Nekron. It was the only reason for his existence. All that power, only to serve a creature who would bring forth the end of life.

It was cut short, however, as Casper’s contemplation was pushed to the back of his head. From the ashes of his father’s defeat rose a ring, a nexus of power unfathomable calling to him. Temptation took center stage, confiscating the lad’s senses. He felt it, a tremble running though his slender shape, a caress slowly breathing its way down pale flesh, a voice in the darkness. It called out to him, a voice loving and chilling, the power to change everything at the very tip of his claws.

Ghostly eyes were fixed upon the trinket, a ring brimming with necrotic power, a battery to further the Wraithborn’s majesty over death immeasurably. “..don’t do it, Casper,” Coal warned, taloned feet digging into the boy’s shoulder, “don’t do it!”

”So much power..,” the lad’s hand rose, a pull of darkness and death itself shackling his mind.

“Put that on, and you’re Nekron’s puppet! He’ll control you! Don’t fucking do it, Casper!” There was that voice again, so familiar, so distant. Did a world exist outside the awesome, rippling energies before him? “Casper! The fissure is closing, let’s move!” Coal neigh shouted, talons hopping up and down on that scrawny shoulder. “It’s now or in a hundred years, don’t be fooled! You still have idiot friends back there that need you!”

Idiot friends. The statement cut through Casper’s stasis, his trance. Idiot friends. Yes, he recalled. A soulless abomination. An annoying magician. A dual minded bush baby. An insecure fish. A plant. A hardass, and worst of all, a literal sunbeam. Idiot friends.., and he had learned to appreciate them all. With sharp teeth clenched, the boy’s clawed hand soon followed, those obsidian spikes nearly boring into his flesh. Eyes fell shut, the boy’s body bursting into an ethereal state before Casper dashed forth, a ghost flying through the expanse of the underworld. “Fucking yes!, go back to them, Cassy! You made a fucking promise!”

A promise. It was to the plant, Daphne. 'I’ll haunt you, until you feel better.'

Turning to look behind him, a glance over his shoulder, it was enough to reveal that Nekron wasn’t done. The ring was following him, and it would catch its mark unless something was done. With a ghostly swipe, Casper ripped open the fissure, his spectral form flying through before manifesting once more in its physical state. He spun, arms extended as the lad attempted to close the fissure, necrotic magic crackling around him as the strength of spellcraft, black as night, began to stitch the seam. “Come on, come on!” Coal exclaimed, “he wants to put a ring on it Casper and you know this will be an abusive fucking relationship!”

He was well aware. The boy had been a puppet once already, one saved by his mother before Murdoc was able to open a rift into the Spirit World and use Casper to free Nekron. Yes, he was well aware of how it felt to be a puppet. The power to erase life rested within that ring, and for Casper, the power to rule the Spirit World. Power that came at the cost of his free will.

A massive flash of obsidian energies forced the gateway shut, a shockwave pushing the Wraith onto his back as Nekron’s black lantern ring slammed against the fabric of reality, all before silence blanketed the boy’s senses. Slowly, Casper rose to his feet, spectral orbs turning to scan the area. ”Coal, where are we?” Eyes of a ghost allowed for sight beyond the veil, for secrets to reach the surface, and for shades to vanish. Nothing hidden, nothing obfuscated, all laid bare to the core with soul on full display, everything except the most shallow, fundamental details. Casper could not make out one city from the next, a vast, gray landscape stretching out before him. It was night, that much he could note.

An alleyway cradled the Wraith’s return, welcoming him to the land of the living once more, and thus he walked, Coal taking flight to further illuminate their presence, returning with a single word. “Harlem.” Where Casper’s eyes failed him, where they were blind to the surface of a living world, Coal would add color.

”America, then,” the Wraith spoke, ”let’s go home.” Home, the headquarters. Hopefully it was still there, hopefully too much time hadn’t passed.



Worlds apart, and it mattered little, for who was there to embrace her child upon his return other than Casper’s mother? Alas, it was with a phone connecting them, but a call which allowed for a ride to be scheduled. A conversation to sum up what had seemingly amounted to bearable sways of time. It has felt like an eternity, and for Casper, it was. Days stretching into infinity spoke for itself, and such was the nature of the Spirit World. One travels there expecting peril, but upon returning, one may step into an existence scarcely recognizable. Casper was lucky, spared from this fate.

Stepping out of the car he had been gifted by a phone call to mommy dearest, Casper found himself at Happy Harbor. A place of memories, each one returning with every weightless step. “And we’re back, teenage drama abound,” Coal mused.

”Think I’ll prefer that over constant warfare,” the boy uttered, raising his gaze towards a massive entrance rising to allow entry. It was like the first time he stepped into Mount Justice, the Wraith’s designation reaching his pointed ears. Scarcely a month, he was told. How ironic.

“So, lounge?” Coal asked, challenging a crow’s inability to grin.

”I want a fucking drink,” the boy groaned. It was fair to wager that following recent events, perhaps he deserved a soda. Despite his nature, Casper had missed the flavor of sweets, and few things would stand between him and a can of Monster Energy.

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

---

The Martian Manhunter was operating multiple screens around the communications complex, levitating from one display to the next, setting up the details for the Team's next mission. Members of the Team began to arrive one after the other. The Martian lowered himself to the ground, his cape rustling softly. He looked at the Team, his expression more serious than usual. There was something off about his behavior.

"Good morning Team." He nodded to their familiar faces. They'd been through a lot during the previous mission. Their resilience made him proud. The formation of the Team had seen many changes the past week. Talon left the initiative shortly after the Team returned from Atlantis. Casper returned from a harrowing journey into the Spirit World. He turned to the young hero.

"It's good to have you back with us Hex."

There was one member unaccounted for, Daphne. However her absence didn't seem to surprise her mentor and he began the briefing.

"The Justice League acquired a lead on Kobra's recent activities."
"There have been reports of teens disappearing from the Meta-Human Youth Center. The mission teens are mostly males, between the age of 16 to 19."

The screens behind the Martian Manhunter showed photographs and video montages of the dark heights and obscuring alleyways of Gotham City. The background information wasn't lining up with the briefing content. A bunch of confused faces stared at him. He stared at them with a puzzled look until he turned around himself and noticed the screens.
"Oh...my apologies" He stammered and corrected his mistake by pulling up the corresponding footage.

He cleared his throat and continued.
"We have identified a chemical you've encountered previously, during the mission at Gotham. It was able to alter Talen's perception and to a degree take control of his actions and free will. While we still haven't located the source, it is likely you will face it again"

"The goal is to locate the missing Teens and discern the extent of Kobra's involvement."

The Martian Manhunter levitated to the screens and turned them off one by one. He didn't dismiss the Team. It looked like he was buying himself some time. Because the displays could have easily be turned off with a single button. He floated in front of the Team.
"There is something else of importance I must show you."

The Martian turned and seemed to be flying away. He lifted something of off the ground with his telekinetic abilities. The object was hidden from view earlier during the briefing. He returned silently, lowering a glass case beside him. Inside was Daphne, fully transformed and standing completely still, like she was sleeping.

He allowed the Team a moment to process seeing her in this state before speaking softly.
"Professor Hall, Nymph's father contacted me a few days ago to inform us there'd been an incident during their study sessions."

"My attempts to reach her mind have been....unsuccessful so far. Her mind seems to have withdrawn and placed her body into a stasis."

"We know very little about her current condition, but she is alive."

He turned to the glass case, feeling like he'd failed.
"Until we find a way to free her, she'll stay here at the HQ."

Location
💀 Headquarters.

Interactions
💀 @dreamingflowers
💀 The Team.



Screens of technological wonder passed the boy by, every image moving across a gathering of pixels residing within a fully material world, an existence Casper had difficulties perceiving. It was a square, large and framed, a shape he made out amidst a gray landscape dotted by souls of immaculate color. Souls he had nearly forgotten while in the Spirit World. Despite longing for lost teammates, the Wraith had kept to himself after an arrival back to earth. A handful of scenarios were left to digest, stories of missions and outings managed by this crew of misfits, with their very last assignment accumulating in losses and trauma.

Mirage, a girl whose magic was clear to Casper following their initial meeting, had lost control. That it had unleashed itself in such a manner, yes, it was something the boy could relate to. Within the Spirit World, he had no reason to hold back, no reason to stifle his magical prowess. However, the rules had now changed. He stood upon the stage of life once more, and as such was to take heed. Unleashed his magic would kill, it would destroy.

Silence lingered, a blindfolded gaze fixed on a peculiar sight, one which to him had exposed itself long before it was revealed to the material. A soul hidden away, one who claimed a promise once made. Since returning, the Wraithborn had noted a searing pain within those spectral orbs above his nose, warranting a blindfold to save him from celestial light. Though his magic rebuked divine rays, it did little in shrouding those ghostly spheres.

It was a quiet step, a phantasmal motion as Casper vanished from sight, reappearing once more but an arm’s length from Daphne’s glass cage. A promise, one he aimed to keep, but a string of words now tormenting the lad. 'I’ll haunt you, until you feel better.'

Sharp teeth clenched, eyes falling shut beneath the dark fabric of Casper's blindfold. He hadn’t failed, not yet. No, this was the result of something else entirely, and here she remained, cocooned within a prison of her own making. ”Continue to blossom..,” the boy uttered in silence, claws gently placed upon the surface of glass. It was ironic, in a way, poetic perhaps, that Casper’s infatuation with Daphne stemmed from utter darkness. An innate desire to unleash death and erase life. An attraction to the bright and colorful, only to rob it of prismatic splendor. He had learned much in his time within a world of ghosts and souls, both of his nature and abilities. However, as these realizations took hold, Casper had stood against them. His nature would not define him, and wherever death led this weary ghost, he aimed to allow blossoms their bloom.

Slowly, those ebony claws lowered across the glass, falling to Casper’s side as the lad’s forehead gently fell against its reflective surface, an echo of spectral energy licking past his spindly shape. Indeed, he had heard the mission briefing. He knew what their next assignment would entail. Acting the saviors, donning the capes of heroes. It was their destiny. It was the very antithesis to his existence, and yet here he stood. An agent of the void, of death and nothingness, hoping to one day witness fields of flowers sprouting before him.

Turning to the team, Casper’s gaze lingered. What did they think of his return? Did it matter? They were the reason he had clawed his way through the Spirit World and into the material plane, and here they stood. “We’ll get her back the way she was, Cassy, don’t worry,” a soothing voice reached his pointed ears, Coal’s beak tenderly tapping against the boy’s temple. “First, we have some kids to save, yeah?”

”Yeah,” Casper agreed. Meta Humans kidnapped from a Youth Center. Despite the morbid, horrific reality faced by those briefed, it was almost a relief for the Wraith. No longer a war between life and death, and rather, a fight against injustice. He had missed this. ”I am believed to be a Meta-Human, officially,” the lad spoke up. ”It is stated on my documents,” Casper explained, a clawed hand rising to find itself placed upon his scrawny chest. ”I volunteer to be bait.”

“Fucking hell, Cas’. We’ve been back for less than a week and you’re already serving yourself up,” Coal chuckled.

Amazing how much a life could change in just one day.

Kassy lay asleep, her mind locked in the same nightmare memory it had shown her every night since the Atlantis incident.

She watched Zach get shot by Bingley. Watched Ja desperately try to calm her down. Watched Viktor drop, screaming in pain that she caused him. Watched the other team members fall one by one. Something deep inside her just wanted all of the pain to stop. While the rest of her wanted to wrap their hands around that so - called doctor’s throat and squeeze until she really was the monster he thought she was.

But that part did not win. Not today. Her strength dissipated, the illusions dropped away. Her eyes returned to normal, only to stare on in horror at the state of things. She slumped to the ocean floor, desperate for the relief of unconsciousness. No relief came. She was hauled up and cuffed by the guards, and gave no resistance. She wasn’t sure of what else happened in the conference room once she was ‘escorted’ out.

But she was brought before the king and queen, and questioned thoroughly. About the true nature of her magic. She told them everything she could do. Besides the illusions, she could speak as the voice inside someone’s head. Influence their thoughts. Make them do things at her whim. Could she simply coerce a person into their own death? Perhaps, though she would dare not try it.

What had set her off? Bingley, Bingley, Bingley. That line of questioning had made her angry all over again, though nothing so spectacular happened about it. The Doctor was in trouble of his own, for having picked up and fired a weapon into a crowd full of panicking civilians. Oddly enough, he told nothing but the truth, as if he was so proud of himself.

She spent one night in a holding cell, while the rest of the team rode the sub home.

The next day, she took the Zeta tube back home. Though she was convinced it wasn’t her home much longer. Zach, Viktor and Aleen’a were in the infirmary. She answered no questions, said not a word. She couldn’t look them in the eyes; her friends – no, former friends. She simply returned to her room and started to pack away her things.

She did not know her fate until the following morning. Only she and Red Tornado were called into the room, though she knew the others likely attempted to eavesdrop on the conversation.

It seemed, after much debate, that she was going to be allowed to stay. There were caveats, of course. She wasn’t going to be leading anyone anytime soon, for the time being. She was to wear a magical limiter at all times, a precautionary measure that was deemed to be best ‘for everyone’. According to Queen Mera, her staff had the same treatment put to it. And then there were the mandatory therapy sessions with Black Canary. Twice a week until otherwise ordered.

Through it all, Kass said barely a word, except to acquiesce at each new instruction. “Yes.” “Of course.” “At your command, my King.” There was a marked dullness to her. If they had ordered her jailed and powerless, it would have been the same. Whatever happened now, she deserved it.

As the days stretched on, she spent the majority of it in her room. She only left to eat, and even that was sparing. Every day, she passed by Ja who had seemed to take up point near her room. Every day, she said nothing. Not even Casper’s sudden return seemed to rouse her interest. She simply accepted it, without a word, and returned ot her room.

By the time the new mission was called, she could barely bring herself to join. But join she did, barely in time to see Daphne in her strange frozen state.

Her orange eyes held no light, and she did not speak. She simply waited in the briefing room, for the next command.

---

Aleen'a was one of those that spent the most time in the infirmary. The toll from fighting so many enemies at once as well as surpassing her limit from Kassy's release of magic had taken effect on her mind, body, and psyche. The wounds were easy enough to heal for the Tamaranean as all as her vitality which was also easy to replenish by spending almost the entire day being exposed to ultraviolet radiation. However, it was her mind and psyche that were affected the most during their last mission at Atlantis.

Nowadays, Ale felt aloof, she had no concept of herself and her surroundings. She would lift a boiling kettle off the stove by touching its metal part, stick her head inside a turned-on oven because she felt cold, munch on the blades of rocks while thinking they were candies, and drink an entire bottle of vinegar after mistaking it for a bottle of water. It's a good thing she came from a race of highly durable aliens so all of the things she did while in that state didn't harm her.

For Black Canary, it was clear that Ale felt like a husk of her former self. It's as if what was once a joyful and energetic alien teen had now become void of any emotions which was the life force of Tamaraneans. Without emotions guiding their lives, they were extremely weak though thankfully still durable, even losing the ability of flight which came in second nature to them like breathing was to humans. She would watch some emotional movies with Ale to try and tug at her heartstrings as Canary thought that all was not lost for Ale.

Their therapy took some time as Canary would ask Ale what she felt after watching a movie and the heroine would always switch the genre of the next movie too. Canary was troubled when Ale would laugh loudly at the horror slasher movies, cry in sadness at the comedy ones, and scream in fright at films for children. Throughout their sessions, Canary guided Ale on her emotions, rediscovering and reconnecting herself with her psyche. Ale still had a long way to go for a full recovery but at least she wasn't using the fire extinguisher as a bath bomb now.

Currently, she's with her other teammates in the briefing room now with Martian Manhunter telling them of their next mission. Right away, she felt at ease at the sight of another alien, making her feel not so alone in a room full of humans. She would glance at Kassy as she knew she might be beating herself up because of what happened at Atlantis. She wanted to approach her and tell her it wasn't her fault but because Ale wasn't fully recovered herself yet, it might do more harm than good. As for Casper, she would've been flying around in joy if he appeared earlier. Due to her basically being almost devoid of emotions for now, she waved a quick hello at him and returned her attention to the briefing, remembering to maintain her distance from him because of the nature of their physiologies.

"Kidnapping... Teens?" Ale said in response to Manhunter's briefing. She nodded carefully, taking longer than usual to process the information. When he finished the briefing, well, he didn't exactly finish it. He was more like biding his time as if he had some bad news to share with everyone. He left for a while and when he returned, Ale gasped when she saw Daphne in a comatose state. While Manhunter explained the misfortune that lead to Daphne becoming unconscious, the Tamaranean slowly walked towards the glass case and put her hand on it. She felt a twinge of pain in her heart that was as clear as day. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wept for her poor friend. For the first time in a long time, she could properly feel an emotion: sadness.

"Daphne... Friend... I can't even feel you..."

---

Viktor had thought leaving the infirmary would make the psychological wound he suffered leave his psyche. That if he reached the comfort of his room, the nightmares might stop. The nightmares that depicted the members of his team attacking him while he helplessly endured. There was no pain, but it was… Viktor would never admit it was scary. Never.

Instead, he woke with beads of sweat, panting in fright in the middle of the night. This would surely pass, right?

Viktor had been cut, stabbed, and beaten in his short life, yet these dreams that plagued him unsettled him to the core. So much so that he kept his distance from the rest of the team. And in the middle of the night when Viktor suffered these nightmares, he’d leave not just his room, but the headquarters by himself in the middle of the night only to return an hour or so later.

Tonight was no exception. Viktor had returned from whatever thing he did after prematurely waking from his slumber. Within the vacant halls of Mount Justice, he kept his footsteps quiet as he could but…

Alisa waited on the couch in full darkness. Her head jerked up at the footsteps, however quiet they were. She had needed to have a talk with Viktor ever since the disaster that had been the Atlantis mission, but he had been avoiding her. Her emotions about him had been complicated lately. He had almost acted like a completely different person on the mission, and now he was acting even stranger. Yet Alisa was nothing if not persistent, and she hated being ignored. So she did what any rational person would do- she had waited in the dark for two hours at 1 AM to wait for him to come back for a strange stroll in the night.

She stood quietly as he walked into the lobby, stepping into a spare bit of light. “Hey. Do you have a second?” Anyone else might have jumped from Alisa’s sudden reveal but Viktor just froze in place while briefly looking like a deer in headlights.

“I…” His desire to avoid her was defeated by that look of persistence in her eyes. “Sure. What is it, Alisa?” He didn’t feel right being in the dark and walked over to approach Alisa in the light.

Alisa turned on the light and sat back down on the sofa. She patted the spot next to her, motioning for Viktor to sit. She wasn’t sure where to start. With everything that had happened recently… her budding friendships with everyone felt fraught, most of all with Viktor and her. How was she supposed to talk to him about all this? She settled on “Where were you?”

“Alisa…” Viktor sighed as he moved to the sofa and plopped down beside her. It was obvious he wasn’t a fan of the question but it was Alisa asking it. If this were anyone else on the team, he might have told them it was none of their business and continued to his room. Viktor didn’t know how to feel about the others right now. The nightmares that plagued him were intense but he knew they were just in his head. The real issue was why they lingered so vividly and for so long after the mission. Perhaps what he saw was warranted based on his actions since joining the team? Did he deserve that pain from everyone? “I just needed to do something. So, I ran the obstacle course. Thrice.” He slightly shrugged.

Upon closer inspection, his eyelids were a bit lower than normal and his palms had faint black marks from handling the giant tires on the course. Despite answering, Viktor found his answer inadequate. He was sure that his closest friend… Was she still? He was sure Alisa would want to know the reason why.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping. It’ll pass, so no need to worry about me. What about you, Alisa? How are things?” He shifted the conversation to her. Sure, he was taking the attention off of himself but he also wondered how she was doing since they hadn’t spoken since returning from the last mission.

“You should sleep,” Alisa murmured, looking into Viktor’s eyes. He did look tired. She felt bad for keeping him up even later, but she doubted that she’d be able to talk to him at any other time. “I’m… I’m fine. I didn’t- the mission wasn’t as bad for me as everybody else. So.” It was true. Viktor had suffered immeasurable pain, Zach had been shot, Kassy had had her life fall apart, and everybody but her had suffered the effects of haunting illusions. So Alisa, unlike everybody else, had no reason to be upset.

“I am…” she struggled to say the next words, reluctant to engage in confrontation despite having set it up. Viktor didn’t need to be the most empathetic person on the team to realize she was bothered but her next words were unexpected. “I’m mad at you,” she blurted out. “About what happened in Atlantis.”

“You’re mad at me… about what happened in Atlantis?” He repeated, staring at her. “Why?” Viktor almost sounded uncaring but if he truly had been, he wouldn’t have even posed the question. It was just his awful delivery. A flash of Alisa punching him square in the face, caused him to suddenly wince and brace himself by grabbing the top of her thigh. His eyes were wide for a moment before he took a deep breath and pulled his hand back to his lap.

“Um.” Alisa had been about to call Viktor several unsavory names but was thrown off her rhythm. She certainly hadn’t expected him to do… that. A scarlet tinge came to her cheeks as she stared at him in bewilderment. The heat of his sweaty hand practically burned through her pajama pants before he snatched it away. Nope- she wasn’t going to ask. She didn’t want to know. “Okay. Anyways,” she said, “I’m mad at you because you acted like an asshole the entire time. It was like… it was like you were trying to piss everybody off on purpose! First the thing with the squid- I really don’t like being talked down to, by the way, and I was right- and how you spoke to Daphne about her powers, and what happened at the conference… it wasn’t your fault, but you’re not doing favors for yourself with the team. And it’s obvious how much you think you’re fucking team leader or something, but you’re not, and you won’t be if you keep acting like you have a massive stick up your ass.”

There was a slight rise of Viktor's eyebrows as he was beginning to realize he was far from prepared for this, and Alisa wasn't even done yet.

“And your dedication to the “mission”? Total bullshit. Why did you have to tell Kassy you fired that shot when it was Bingley?” Alisa sighed. “I told you you wouldn’t get anywhere with being a dick. You just don’t care about anyone outside of your objective.”

Where there should have been an apologetic reply or a defensive retort, was only silence. Viktor clearly had no idea how to respond to Alisa being so upset with him. He could take people being upset with him but Alisa’s words struck much deeper.

“I…” He failed to reply. “I am…” Again, but this time his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Shit. Just talk! Viktor shut his eyes and took a deep breath in and a deep breath out, not much different than he had practiced with Kassy on the beach a few weeks back. There was no guarantee what he was doing would work but he almost felt like he was drowning. “You are right.” He finally opened his eyes. “I thought what I was doing was right but… it doesn’t feel like it was, and I hate it.” His right fist balled into a tight fist. “Almost everything I’ve been taught. Every call. Every approach… ‘As long as it ensures the mission’s success,’” Viktor said the last words as if they’d been programmed into him. “Feelings, lives, and allies… friends don’t matter… but you make it…” He sighed as he didn’t understand why this was so difficult. “It must be wrong. I am wrong.”

Alisa hadn’t expected him to… agree. Her indignant face melted. Not into one of pity- she knew he’d hate that- but to one of regret. Maybe she’d been too harsh. Alisa was quiet for a moment, too, furrowing her brows. “I know it’s hard to remember, and harder to change, but you’re not with HIVE anymore. We’re supposed to be a team. We need to be a team to achieve what they need us to. If we keep acting like this, someone’s going to get more hurt than they are now. I’m new to this whole hero thing too, but… to me, it seems like we need to work together. And we can’t work together if one person doesn’t look out for anybody else.” Her tone was much more gentle this time. She reached out to squeeze his hand but he took hers first. He trusted her. At least that’s what he thought he was feeling.

“The team,” he gave a single nod before raising an eyebrow. “How does this sound then? As long as it ensures the team’s success… it matters.” Viktor was nodding as if repeating the words over and over in his head.

Alisa smiled. “Much better. But let’s add well-being. As long as it ensures the team’s success and well-being, it matters.”

“Hmm…” He pretended to be considering the addition before barely smirking. “Of course. As long as it ensures the team’s wellbeing and success, it matters. Perfect,” a word he rarely used to describe anything. “Alisa, I uh… I have one more thing.” Viktor let go of her hand and slowly got up from the sofa so he could face her standing up. He almost looked lost with the awkward expression on his face. “I’m… sorry. For making you mad. And for… acting like an asshole… and everything else.” He raised his arms outward as he looked down at Alisa with an uncomfortable expression painted on his face.

“Apology accepted.” Alisa quirked her brows in confusion at what he did next. A laugh twitched on her lips. “What are you doing with your arms there, Viktor?”

“I’m…” There was actually a slight hint of red on his face. He could feel the unfamiliar heat rising in his cheeks. “A hug.” He blurted out in a low voice.

“Oh!” Alisa blushed herself and then laughed. “Okay!” She stood and hugged him back, tight. Weren’t hugs supposed to be tight? “I hope you know this is weird for me too. But it’s nice.”

“Yes!” He said while trying not to sound too uncomfortable. He tried to match her pressure with his own strength. “It’s nice. And also... thank you, Alisa.” He winced a bit, he’d be fine. They both would. It was a moment they’d forever cherish.