DClassified

Young Justice

_{Interaction | Batman AKA @DreamingFlowers
Location | Secret Sanctuary, Happy Harbor}

---

To be in the physical presence was much different from a hologram. There were a select few that could intimidate Kila; Batman was one of them. The Dark Knight of Gotham brought with him a familiar air of the one who cast a shadow over the boy. While the mission ended with a semblance of success, as Batman pointed out, there were failures. Significant enough ones that their commander opted to be here to personally point them out.

Zachary was the first to be condemned. Apparently, the young magician didn’t contribute to the recon part of the mission at all. With the specific wording chosen, it seemed more like he took going undercover to a youth rec center too far. However, instead of acknowledging his mistake, the Speech Devil spoke out against Batman, causing Kila to half wince. ‘Doing what every teen boy does,’ That phrase made the young lion narrow his eyes.

Kila may have been from another country, but as a late teen boy himself, that Zatara was just making excuses. The teens that they were sent to find were taken from their families, being manipulated to work for Kobra against their will. That was just what the team discovered. They could have been tortured or worse behind the scenes.

With this tantrum he was acting out, it proved that Zachary didn’t think about any of that— about any of them. He only thought of himself, and what he wanted. So, when he walked away, turned his head away from him. A waste of potential.

When it came time to answer for himself, Kila was more anxious through the calm demeanor he put on. While pieces were trying to return to him, ultimately, no specific details came to him. Still, an ‘I don’t know’ surely wouldn’t suffice. The way that Batman talked about this particular Kobra Agent, it was clearly a threat unlike what he’d fought upon awakening. According to Batman, he fought that person, but Kila himself remembered no such thing. Unless, perhaps…

There was a theory Kila had for years, that the gaps in his memory were when his abilities of the Red came to him. BSF claimed that they couldn’t fully understand or explain the memory dilemma. This theory would explain a lot if it were true. How sufficient that notion would be for Batman, he couldn’t be sure. Still, Kila explained as best he could.

”My memory around that time is unclear to me. I am unsure if I was hit in the head or not. However, going from my past experiences, I am inclined to say that my power of Red has caused me to black out to face this threat. I have yet to understand fully what would trigger it to behave this way. Though, I understand it is not an excuse for my failure…”

Young Justice

It’s really about how you execute her strengths that makes her too OP or not.

Young Justice

&

_{Collaboration | @Mistress Dizzy AKA Kassandra
Location | Mission Site; Taos, New Mexico}

---

It had been a long time since he’d felt pain quite like this in his head. Sounds were blurry in nature, like his senses were dulled. In trying to open his eyes there was nothing but darkness overhead. Something seemed wrong…it didn’t smell like the Indawo Engcwele…though as the realization started to set in, his senses sobered from unconsciousness quickly. He hadn’t been there since his freedom, which was over a year ago.

Kila’s eyes shot open, body suddenly stiffening. Taking in his surroundings, not only was he away from that wretched place, he seemed to be in another hellzone entirely. Did he awake into yet another dream? He was being carried down a corridor, from low lighting to even lower lighting on the approaching floor. Looking up at his carrier directly, he was able to distinguish Kass. Trying to blink more clarity into his vision, he called to her.

“Mirage…”

Mirage was carrying Metamorph in a careful fireman's carry, making her way down the corridor to the lower level where the rest of the fighting was taking place. When she felt him start to stir and shift, she stepped into a darker area before kneeling and settling him down gently. "Metamorph." Her cool hands cupped his face. Despite the battles taking place above and below, it was clear that she was worried enough to give him full focus. "What happened? Rain and I found you unconscious. What do you remember?"

“I…don’t…” He started, trying to reclaim some semblance of how he got here. It was like the circus all over again… “I remember the rec center…searching for teens…” Kila pushed himself to sit up straighter, pulling the half-mask off to let his face get fresher air. The sounds of battle grew louder with the more alert he was getting. He tasted blood…though nothing felt particularly injured. Was it even his? “What’s happening? Where are the others?”

Mirage's hands slowly moved from his face to his head, clearly checking for damage. The expression of concern grew. "...Metamorph, the rec center was hours ago." Her mouth twisted into a frown. Then she shook her head, putting it aside. One thing at a time. "Rain is above, fighting one of the more dangerous Kobra members. The others are below, also in battle. I need to get below, as Rain is…" She trailed off, biting back several comments. "Fine. Will you be safe here? Do you want my knife?" To Mirage's eye, he didn't look fit for battle. He barely looked fit to stand.

The Meta took in her commentary slowly at first, thinking it over. Hours ago? Well…it certainly felt like it was, but the pain in his head felt fresher than that. From the many times he’d done battle, he knew the differences of pain from many injuries. It wasn’t a hit that had knocked him out…Instead something more internal, more sinister…he’d have time for that later.

She had said that Viktor was alright, which had indicated to him that he could handle his particular situation. Though…her tone suggested that she didn’t care much of how he fared… Regardless, when Mirage offered him her knife, the young warrior sharply nodded and stood up.

“I have seen darker days. Our comrades need us, regardless of what I’m currently dealing with. Let’s hurry.”

Mirage cast him one more concerned gaze. "If you say so." She didn't fully believe him. People did not shake off something that could knock them out so easily. And Metamorph was the best of the team - what could have caught him off guard?

"Try to remember what hit you, if you could. It's probably important." She extended her staff to it's full length and stood as well, pointing the way down. "Come on. The others were quite outnumbered when I left." She moved quickly, but not as quickly as she usually did. It was clear she was making sure Metamorph could manage.

Due to that, Kila took point but stopped at the mouth leading into the next room. He was not prepared for what he saw next. His heart pounded in his throat, hands clasped into shaking fists. Fire reflected off of his eyes as a body burned between the moving bodies of battle. However, it was not a body of flesh and blood. What Metamorph and Kassy bore witness to was the head of their comrade Alisa laying beside metal bits and a body being burned asunder.

Although an android, antithetical anger ascended and annunciated across his face.

Mirage clapped one hand to her mouth, eyes wide in horror as she took in the scene as well. "No… oh, gods below…" She gulped heavily and shoved the fear down, deep down. "Rain, get down here now, Cybergirl is - is -" She couldn't say it. "Just get here! Rain, respond!" Nothing. Either their comms were cut, or his fight had gone bad. Either way, things were getting overwhelming.

"Metamorph, I can't get Rain. I think we need to retreat, this is above our heads."

For a brief second did Kila watch the chaos before looking at Kassy again. The knife in his hand flipped into a reverse grip, cutting a scratch across the middle of his alternate palm. He understood that she wouldn’t be gone forever, thus it would be no deep wound. But his lapse in self-awareness would not be his undoing.

“No. Alisa was sacrificed in this battle. For her sake, we finish it. Will you cover me?”

Mirage watched her teammate slash his palm. She knew now, what that represented. Surely there had to be some way to get her back. But that wasn't going to happen until they all made it out. The fear in her eyes turned into a chilling resolution.

"I am behind you. Always. Tell me who we strike first."

Metamorph turned back to the room, eyes quickly roving between moving bodies and quick flashes from firearms. Between the teens and remaining Kobra grunts, Kila got a little over a dozen. Zatara and Brightheart were handling the teens, but cleared having to duck gunfire from the others.

“We need to get the groups off of our squadmates. Drop the furthest ones first.”

Keeping close to the wall, Kila used the relative darkness to his advantage, coming up on a trio with their weapons trained on Brightheart. The closest heard him approaching and turned a second too late. The knife left two puncture wounds in his calf and thigh, forcing the man to his knee. Grabbing the first agent’s weapon arm to divert his aim, Metamorph turned his attention to the next. The atlantean dagger flew from his hand, piercing through and pinning the second agent’s wrists together due to the man’s two handed shooting position.

With his knife hand now free, he was able to bat away an attempted punch to his stomach from the first agent. In the same motion, Kila brought his elbow down on his opponent’s joint to break the arm. With the commotion grabbing the third’s attention, his pistol was aimed for the young lion. Holding the first’s gun hand with both of his, Kila dropped to his back to duck a few shots. On the way down, he tapped the trigger on the SMG the first had, aiming for the third’s legs to wound and destabilize him.

The second in the meanwhile, being a little tougher, managed to separate his now slit wrists. With the knife still lodged in his right arm, he attempted to reach down to pick up the weapon he’d dropped, but it was for naught. Kila had never stopped moving and hit the man with a jumping back kick to his head, knocking him out instantly.

---

While Metamorph moved on one side, Mirage took the other. She had come to a silent realization, in the somber space between seeing Alisa and taking Metamorph's orders. Unfortunately, she had been more than a little self absorbed lately. Trauma was one thing, sure. Despite the pain, she was still upright and breathing. Sure, she might not have had nearly as much of her power at her disposal. But she damn sure wasn't going to earn it back wallowing in bed and refusing to fight with everything she had.

Her footsteps faded into silence as she vanished into the shadows. The first - and last - sign of her approach on the first Kobra agent was the whoosh of her staff through the air, right before it made contact with the side of his face. The thud of his unconscious body alerted the rest. Three stopped shooting below and spun to face… nothing.

"Spread out and search. Cover everything!"

The trio of agents fanned out into the dark.

"Damn… can't believe we have to do this without the goggles." The first agent paced slowly into the dark corridor, whining to himself. "And she never even looks at me. What am I doing here? I wanna go ho-" His whining - and windpipe - were suddenly stopped. Mirage was behind him, one arm neatly cutting his air supply from behind. The other was wrapped around his torso, keeping his gun arm down.

While he struggled soundlessly, his desperate struggle for breath muted under a sound illusion, Mirage flickered in and out of sight. The moment he went limp, she lowered him slowly to the ground. After removing the bullets from his gun (Rain had taught them all that) she melted back into invisibility.

The footsteps of the second agent paced slowly down the middle hall. Unlike his teammate, he had a little more discipline. He was silent, his gun sweeping left to right as he moved. It was obvious he'd taken to whatever training that had been forced upon the teens quite well. Mirage would make that his undoing. Silent and graceful as a shark on the hunt, she closed in. Her steps fell into rhythm, matching the pace of the agent's sweep. The Kobra teen danced with her, unseen, until Mirage was just winding up to knock him out-

Yet the lad struck first and faster, whipping backward, turning the gun on Mirage and squeezing off a shot. If the staff hadn't already been in their hands, it would have been too late to react. But sometimes even the most skilled fighters needed just a touch of luck. Mirage batted the gun to the side in the same moment that it was fired - the shot popped off and she negated the sound on reflex - until the pain hit her upper arm a second later.

Mirage gritted her teeth, a hiss of pain escaping. "Well done." Her lips raised, into an expression that was only in the shape of a smile. "But not enough." Everything went a fathomless black, like the bottom of the sea.

A few seconds later, a gunshot rang out in the dark. Then another.

"Come quick- I found the hero! H-help!" The Kobra leader showed up fast, looking for his squadmate. There was nothing to greet him, save a small pool of fresh blood.

"Interesting." Mirage's voice echoed through empty air. The Kobra leader spun, trying to track the sound. But it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

"Without the presence of that woman… you all seem to show loyalty to each other."

"Where is he? What did you do to my brother?!" The Kobra leader spat. Mirage could see the fear in his eyes, hiding behind the anger - it was genuine. She silently debated. If Rain were in charge, the obvious move would be to use this man's loyalty to take him down. But right now, no one was leading Mirage but Mirage.

"Your brother lives and breathes. Though he will have some nasty bruises when he comes to, and for that I apologize. He'll require medical care, but it's nothing so severe that a caring older brother could not provide." She melted from the shadows, revealing herself, and the agent lying unconscious at her feet. The Kobra leader startled, the barrel raising, and Mirage raised both hands carefully. A slow but steady trickle of blood dripped from the wound on her upper arm, starting to puddle on the ground.

Without knowing what word would come next, she started to speak. "I know what you're seeing. I know it makes you want to hurt me. I think I know what has been done to you, your brother, your friends. Out of respect for the repeated violation of your self-will, I will not do as she has, and force you to stand down. I will only ask." Her orange eyes stared, soft and steady. "Disarm your weapon. Throw it aside. There's been more than enough blood shed today."

The Kobra leader stared on. Mirage was wide open - he had a clean shot that could likely be lethal. He closed his eyes… and pulled the magazine free. With a quick motion, he dislodged the remaining bullet from the chamber and flung the gun aside. Then he simply ran forward for the other teen on the ground, starting to check his pulse.

Mirage stepped aside with a tiny smile at the family reunion, digging in her side pack and pulling out a small plastic bag. It was little more than a small roll of bandages and some alcohol wipes. Truthfully, she needed them herself right now, but… she'd manage.

"Your brother has a knack for this. It's rare that anyone can get the drop on me. In the future - if this experience marks him for something other than a peaceful life - I will gladly advocate." She nodded to the two, and ran off to find Kila.

---

Across the room, Kila took aim with the borrowed Uzi to ravage the legs of yet another of the Kobra fodder that took notice of Zatara’s battle. That moment of dividing his attention though, left him open for the prickling sensation of two small objects puncturing his suit at his side. As he turned his head to the right, instantly that prickly feeling became full on waves of shock from a Kobra man with a taser.

His teeth clenched at the static like feeling rippling through his body. Although painful, Kila’s threshold for pain was much higher than most. That threshold enabled him to withstand and power through to aim the SMG at the tasing operative. As he did, he barely felt the sensation of two more prongs latching to him. The sudden jolt of more electricity caused the young lion to fall to his hands and knees, dropping weapons in the process. He felt his heart stutter in his chest and his hair stood in surprise.

While his body started to shake and his vision blurred, threatening him with unconsciousness, a third Kobra agent decided to run directly at him. However, the stunned Metamorph looked past and made eye contact with Alisa’s deadened eyes. The imagery of their cyber friend’s body engulfed by flame, metallic organs strewn about, bore into the pit of his stomach. Then just past her, one of the teens sat beside the body of another, distraught by the destruction.

None of them needed this…None of them wanted this…None of them deserved this.

How many more meta children would have to suffer because of the ambitions of organizations that wanted their power? To be twisted and manipulated into doing things they’d rather not? This was why Kila fought. So that the men and women who were responsible, wouldn’t win. Very briefly did his golden eyes tinge amber.

Kila didn’t know exactly when he started shouting, but it wasn’t a shout of anguish or fear. No, this was a battle cry from a type of pure, primal rage. The type of rage that numbed pain and drew strength from hidden places. Strength that Kila used to catch the boot of the Kobra man that ran to try kicking him while downed. Standing up from his knees, Metamorph raised the leg above his head, jutting a swift kick to the man’s groin.

As their squealing associate fell, the remaining two agents watched with shock while Kila pulled the static barbs from his suit. Still they didn’t relent, deciding to drop the tasers to rush him at the same time. Kila waited for them, feeling more free now that the electrical currents had ceased. Without the buzzing in his head, he noticed that the sounds of combat were more isolated. Kila deduced that these were likely the last two henchmen. Although his body ached, he remained steadfast. These two would not be enough.

Feigning focus on Kobra Ten, he ducked a telegraphed punch. Taking the split second to turn tail, K stomped the side of Kobra Eleven’s right knee. Weaving another hook from Kobra Ten, The Meta countered with an elbow to his neck. Kobra Eleven started to recover but Kila didn’t forget about him. The young lion faked him out with a low crane kick, hitting that knee once again.

Kobra Ten grabbed hold of him, trying to choke him out with both arms. Kila strained for a second, pulling at the man’s arms to regain his airways. In the meanwhile, Kobra Eleven took notice of the Uzi that Kila had dropped earlier. However, Metamorph noticed it as well and knew he had only a moment. Noticing the dagger at his feet, he flicked it upward with his foot to catch and stab at Kobra Ten’s armpit. Tearing through fabric and drawing blood, Kobra Ten’s grip loosened just enough for Metamorph to headbutt him and break free.

Kobra Eleven, on his one good knee, took aim at Metamorph’s chest and pulled the trigger. Kila clenched his forearms together in the knick of time, artillery shells ricocheting off of Iwisa’s gauntlets. It didn’t last long though, just as soon as six shots were fired, the weapon clicked in defiance— empty.

When Kobra Eleven looked up, a fist came directly to his head. Then another. Then another. Chain punches broke through the feeble defense that Kobra Eleven tried to put up. Kobra Ten watched with bated breath at the relentless assault until Kobra Eleven’s body fell to the ground limp.

Metamorph turned to face Kobra Ten, shoulders rising and falling with his breathing, fists clenched for more. There was a brief standoff; one that ended with Kobra Ten clutching at his bleeding armpit and running in the other direction.

Only after his opponent was gone from sight, did Kila fall to his backside in exhaustion. It would be up to the others now to finish their fights…at least before he could get his second wind…

Young Justice

_{In Collaboration with @DreamingFlowers
Location | Mission Site: Taos, New Mexico}

---

Metamorph was quickly closing the distance. Originally, he expected her to start firing at him, but instead, her secondary assault rifle remained down at the conflict. It made him wonder just what her training was. She fired with no particular aim while on the open battlefield, just seeking to cause damage. Whereas in more secular, social situations, she seemed to have the precision of a viper’s strike.

The irony of that comparison only hit harder as literal fangs seemed to pull from between her lips. What she hadn’t accounted for though, as she tossed her ranged weapon aside, was that Metamorph kept moving. A blur was his form as his body sprung to the ceiling to launch himself down at her from above. His arms extended in an attempt to pin her to the floor with the impact.

He was quick, she had to give him that. In no time at all he had her pinned to the floor of the bridge.

"I see you like being on top."

She didn't seem too impressed by Metamorph's power play. She refrained from fighting back right away, giving off the impression he overpowered her.

Their closeness was something she could use to her advantage, but he was holding her arms down. What he didn't account for was the girl's flexibility. She started to wrap her legs around his waist, slowly moving higher up his backside. Eventually she managed to cross her ankles behind his neck.

With a sudden surge of strength she forced his head down until their faces were inches apart. She stared into his golden irises. There was something primal in them, something that felt familiar. Initially her tug was met with resistance but on eye contact, he froze.

Although caught off guard by her sudden attempt at a reversal of sorts, he anticipated another attack….Another attack that never came. Why? The evil kobra girl’s eyes sent both the sun’s warmth and the mountain’s chill through him at once. It became difficult to determine whether the feeling of his heartbeat in his throat was adrenaline or something else. This strange feeling simmered through his being; his urge to attack her was fleeting.

What was happening?

For a split second, he felt his grip weaken. No, his pack needed him to focus!

With a quick exhale, Metamorph quickly turned his head away. In an effort to break away, his hands swiftly released from her arms to pull away her legs from his neck. He needed space to reposition his pin, something about her eyes must have been the cause.

She smirked at his hesitation. He was trying to pry off her legs and she took the opening to push herself up towards him. In one smooth motion she locked her lips with his. Waves of sleep inducing pheromones transferred into Metamorph’s system. The warm gold inside his iris was swallowed by pools of black, his pupils dilating widely. The air around them rippled, like the swaying hills of the hot deserts.

A hiss came from her throat and she broke the kiss leaning back on the floor. Her darkened eyes returned to emerald and she was breathing heavily. While she waited for sleep to overtake her opponent she turned on her ear piece.

“I got one of them neutralized, take him to the back room immediately.”

“On my way!” One of the Kobra agents answered confidently. A pair of heavy footsteps was approaching the pair from the other end of the bridge. He’d watched, this hired agent took down guys before and the fact that many were powerless against her was unnerving. As it would only be a matter of time before the enemy might employ someone like her and they were suddenly on different sides.

The man kneeled down and looked at Metamorph through his goggles. The teen was still struggling to stay conscious which made the man hesitate in picking him up.

“What are you waiting for?” The girl snapped at him, getting up from the floor. As soon as she did, a deep female voice with a mild south african dialect came through the comm in her ear:

“Your power of persuasion is strong, but not enough to tame the Prince. In approximately two minutes, the Beast will reawaken with vengeful rage that you are ill-equipped for single-handedly. This unassuming man will remain as a brief distraction to give you the several seconds you will need to follow my instructions. Timing is critical, do you understand?”

Soon after those words were uttered in her ear, the downed animal boy began to stir. While at first it seemed that she had him in a stupor, his body started to writhe, hands clawing the floor of the bridge in defiance. An unholy entanglement between a human scream and a Silverback Gorilla’s roar erupted from the back of his throat; echoing off of the walls.

“You are now a lure, so when he begins to stir, start moving towards the back room. When he is in position, you must repeat this phrase exactly: Yiba nobuqili. Make sure your pronunciation is correct— click your tongue or it will not work. Yiba nobuqili.”

There was barely enough time to grasp what was happening next. One minute she thought she had this in the bag and the next everything went to hell. Slowly she backed away from Metamorph, cleverly positioning herself behind the other agent.

His eyes took on a scarlet glow when they snapped open and his focus locked on the Kobra man standing over him. In a single motion, the Meta rolled over and swiped his arm at the man’s knees. Utterly unprepared for the sudden burst of inhuman strength, he was overtaken. Though he raised an arm in defense, the Red Beast bit his forearm, feeling bones shatter within his jaws. Several more grunts and vicious swings of his arms were hurled down on the victimized man before a sudden stop and shift in his posture.

Turning his head around at a 180 degree angle in an owl-like fashion, his vision now locked on her.

She screamed seeing Metamorph viciously take down the agent. A chill ran down her scaled spine when he focused his gaze on her. The sound of her chilling scream immediately drew the attention of the army of teens down on the ground. Many of them abandoning their objective in favor of her protection. She didn’t have time to issue out orders as she scrambled to get off the bridge.

Using her thermal vision she spotted one of her enthralled goons, lingering right below her.

She had to jump for it. The teen rushed to catch her and set her back down on the ground carefully, like he was handling a butterfly.

Without as much as a thank you she snapped at him.

“Get back to fighting now!”

She got a quick read on Metamorph’s position before rushing towards the back room. The girl was heading for the expiremantion area. Behind her she could hear heavy pouncing. It sounded like he was walking on all fours. Without her sniper she felt naked. Her pheromones didn’t work on him, how was that possible?

Her only weapon now was “Yiba nobuqili!”

She had caught the Red Beast mid-lunge, his body tumbling over itself a bit as he suddenly collapsed. With those two words, Metamorph was more thoroughly stunned, hands clasped at his head and his breaths heavy.

“You have survived,” The voice returned to the reptilian girl’s ears, “Good. Your next task is on the chemist desk in the room. You will find a device in the leftmost drawer. Collect it and hold it near the gauntlets on the Prince’s arms, it will attach and cloak itself. After which, your task regarding him is complete.”

Having escaped Metamorph’s brute strength for the second time the girl finally started to question her supposed savior. Instead of thanking the woman she resorted to asking her own questions, in a snooty and almost ungrateful tone. She was annoyed at herself for getting into this mess, she was supposed to be the one on top of things.

“What is his deal anyway?”

She located the device with little trouble and snapped it on Metamorph’s gauntlet.

“The Prince, in simple terms, has mental complications. Some intended, some not. What you invoked was one of the wildcards. For now, the deed is done, proceed as you were.”

“Of course I seduced a nutcase.”

She rolled her eyes nonchalantly. Actually did she say Prince?

“So he’s a prince? Something tells me he’s not the loaded kind of prince.”

She could smell money from miles away. This guy just looked like some kind of poser. Fake gold gauntlets and not to mention hideously designed. If they weren’t temporary enemies she would have given him the contact info of her jeweler. On second thought that was probably a waste.

Anyway she had to get out of there. This Kobra operation was done and dusted. Her part was more than done.

Young Justice

_{Interaction | The Team Vs. Kobra
Rain AKA @FunnyGuy
Kobra Agent AKA @DreamingFlowers
Location | Mission Site: Taos, New Mexico}

---

Metamorph had quietly crept back to the group by the time they Alisa had blown a hole through the wall. Although effective, he wondered why she had a weapon on her arm that she couldn’t quite handle. She appeared okay after the fall, which was really all that mattered. When the insides of the structure was exposed to be dark, the wild child felt a wave of suspicion. He doubted that they were led to an abandoned building. That just told him that they needed to be more cautious, as he’d displayed moments ago, predators were silent before they attacked their prey.

That wasn’t to say that the predators were always the ones who were successful. Those who were prey often came equipped with some form of defense. Some had the power to fight back directly, as well as confound and deter the danger from them. A tactic the team seemed to impose when Zatara shot fireworks into the darkness.

With that as the cue, Metamorph hopped in after the others. Between the flashing of light and dark, he could pick out bodies in motion taking up tactical positions in the room. Moreover, some among enemy ranks using their powers to lock them in by resealing the wall. An ambush to was ironically in wait for Young Justice’s own surprise attack?! It settled a minor worry in the back of Ja’s mind, when the girl at the diner stopped at the table when Aleen’a and Alisa were there. Regardless, the specific way that they’d been discovered could be dissected later. For now they needed to find the teens and free them.

As of currently, overcoming the attacking Kobra forces was the first priority. Taking on the posture of a Tree Frog, Metamorph hopped up onto one of the hangar walls to get a vantage point. From the increased height, he got a better view of the ensuing conflict, using the frog’s vision to peer perfectly through the darkness. Using the shadows, they seemed to be trying to separate everyone— to “divide and conquer” them. Predators of nature often did the same for pack animals, to separate the weaker from protection and take them.

While Metamorph believed that their troop was strong, he wouldn’t let the Kobra agents take any advantages. Thus, taking note of the positions of his teammates and their encroaching enemies, Metamorph jumped down into the fray. Combining the power of a tiger with the agility of the frog: His body flipped, kicked, and bounced like a pinball in between the groups.

While he did, he took note that, it didn’t seem to just be Kobra agents that they were fighting. An odd energy came to his senses that swirled around the room. The specific sort tipped him off to the fact that it seemed the super powered individuals were actually other teens…? Maybe they were the ones that were ‘kidnapped’? Was this whole endeavor a trap to bring Young Justice here? No, that couldn’t be it, because there were teens at the Youth Center that were afraid of being kidnapped. A form of mind control…?

Questions quickly swirled through his mind but were interrupted by the sound of someone speaking right above him. A girl’s voice, barking commands…or perhaps coughing them out seemed more accurate. The voice actually seemed rather familiar, the name of what was surely the boy Kassy mentioned earlier, confirmed her to the trouble making girl herself. Was she possibly their field leader? Neutralizing her could very well destabilize their ranks, giving his pack the advantage.

Noticing Rain still in battle close by, Metamorph ran forward to help him quickly. Rolling forward into a handspring, he launched his body upward legs first to kick an agent several feet away. With the small break, he looked up and spoke: ”Rain, we need to reestablish the light. Give one of the magic workers some time. I’m going to target Kobra’s field leader.”

Wasting no time, Metamorph made his way to the top of the drawbridge. A strange mixture of a tiger’s snarl and a frog’s rumbling croak escaped from between his enclosed teeth. The purpose was an attempt to draw her gun away from the conflict below, thus he prepared to possibly dodge quick-firing aim.

Young Justice

_{Interaction | The Team;
Rain AKA @FunnyGuy
Mirage AKA @Mistress Dizzy
Location | Mission Site: Taos,}

---

Amidst the ride in the van, Ja had remained quiet, sat near to Kassy in the van’s interior to monitor her condition. His eyes had shut as he concentrated on what was to happen next. There was some suspense in the restaurant on multiple levels but could be considered a success. Although assuredly identifying who they were looking for, as well as their target though, they knew not much else.

That lack of knowledge was dangerous in itself, as with other missions they were given intel at least. All he knew was, he’d do his utmost to make sure that their teamwork would be fluid. Teens were lost every day, and ultimately society would only search for them for so long before giving up. Young Justice wouldn’t give up on them.

As though on the same line of thought, Rain’s voice came through the speakers, to which Ja simply nodded. Moreover one could notice that, from the beginning of the ride until now, Ja’s hair seemed to be slowly unraveling itself. That was the second reason his eyes were closed, with him deeming necessary that he’d need his senses in proper order with their mysterious conditions.

Right on cue with the van stopping, his eyes reopened, followed by his head shaken from left to right to loosen and splay his headbush. Once out, there was a deep inhale of the warm yet dry desert air and Ja sank to all fours, following the rest of the group. While surveying the situation, a knuckle gently tapped Kassy’s calf from his lowered position, looking up with something of an expression of reassurance.

Then, as soon as Rain gave the command to go clean up the guards, Metamorph jut a hand up before taking off on all fours. More specifically, the Wild Child raised his right, after Aleen’a called for the left roving one. With his hair rather naturally blending with the bush-like foliage of the New Mexican desert, Metamorph disappeared into the wilderness.

The guard seemed none the wiser, only briefly stopping as though he’d caught movement near one of the bushes. Weapon raised, he approached, only for a jack-rabbit to hop off away from the man. Seeing no threat from that direction, he continued his patrol elsewhere. His crucial mistake though, was turning his back to the wild.

Only when prey's back was turned was when predators followed, and followed one did. Not only was he followed, but a figure walked upright behind him. With a panther’s silence, it mimicked his cadence step for step to further mask its presence. By the time doubt crept in of something not being right, it was already too late. With the furious force of an elephant’s trunk, a palm struck the back of the guard’s helmet. Before the body could even properly hit the ground, the predator was forced to quickly snatch an arrow out of the air that nearly hit him.

Studying it momentarily, Metamorph looked up to see where it came from, seeing Rain. His eyes narrowed just a bit at their current mission leader’s impulsiveness but didn’t dwell on it long, dragging the body into the shrubbery before shifting his position to meet back with the others.

Titans Academy

No promises BUT, you may have a wild Static on your hands.

Code Vein (Closed)

_{Location | The Crow’s Nest
Time | February 25^th - Morning
Interaction | @Dreamingflowers}

---

Seeing that Ajax had elected to stay in his room during the announcement, Erik had given him the letter that Cerise had left afterwards. A crooked smile formed upon reading the words, conflicting feelings battling within him. Although understanding Erik’s perspective and his realistic words of reassurance, he hadn’t forgiven himself nor fully changed his own viewpoint much. Reading her letter, he couldn’t resist the urge of a small somber smile as it was like hearing her voice as he did. The message the letter contained though, bore on him more than his own thoughts ever could have.

She was offering a sort of apology, talking about how he must be disappointed or asking for his forgiveness and understanding. It pained him more that she’d think he would be mad at her at all for leaving, than the actual act itself. Though, the more important side of this letter was what caught his eye. The feeling of a need to protect the Commune from who she ‘might be’, and apparently that the father her vestige showed her as having, wasn’t a ‘wonderful’ person. Those inklings of what she feared her past to be, that he’d learned of over the years, seemed to culminate with this latest vestige.

It made him wonder just what she saw that spooked her this much to feel she needed to take this personal journey. Ultimately though, Ajax understood that he’d never truly know, even if she stayed…There was a saying that humans used, that he personally had grown to hate in the past; Ignorance is bliss. The idea that not knowing something allows someone to live on better than learning of it…Perhaps that could have been the case for little Red…That thought bounced around in his head for a while…

In the silence of his room, he’d kept tabs on what had been going on outside of it, half the team going out for a mission, half staying, which he was part of, his emotions would distract him…and possibly present a danger, given his condition. A window had broken, but Ajax felt no need to go out there, due hearing the lack of concern from the others; Vincent. Having overheard Dallas’ going out, Aj figured that he should dispose of the old framework and prep it for if the man couldn’t find a replacement today.

There was also the fact that he heard a new voice out there. He deduced that it was likely a revenant, as the probability of humans coming all the way out to them unaided was less often. With that in mind, he felt the new presence warranted at least a look. Cerise would’ve welcomed them.

Thus Ajax pulled on his white coat, prepping for the chill that often wandered the halls with him. He walked down the hall, his eyes scanned the area, taking note of the broken window. He stopped slightly short, though, of Poppy as she talked to Dallas and Desmond. Waiting until she’d given them their ‘assignments’ he approached.

”…Hey…What’s the status of the newcomer?” Aj asked, his voice cool and calm but not as firm as it normally was.

Code Vein (Closed)

_{Location | The Crow’s Nest
Time | February 25^th - Early Morning
Collaboration | Erik @FunnyGuy}

---

The morning air was cold; the coldest he’d felt since his awakening long ago. His coat, and even his mask for once in ages, had not covered his skin while outside. However, the Sword cared little about those things in this moment, planted out in front of the entrance with his eyes on the distant horizon. He had watched until the figure of what he had been watching had vanished from sight and for even longer.

The weight of worry tugged on him and had pulled him out here. The weight of a guilty heart bore down on him though, and was what stuck him in place. He was sure that she left early, before the sun would rise, in an attempt to reduce the heartache of a more formal goodbye. Though, as the shimmer of the sun began to peek through the darkness, Ajax’s head bowed and his fists clenched.

“It’s different this time, huh?” Though Ajax recognised this to be Erik’s voice, it lacked its chipper tone. The quiet footsteps stopped beside, with their owner taking in the breaking dawn. Erik need not look to Ajax to empathize. Instead all he needed was to see what he saw. And to recall the feeling that had struck him years ago. A feeling that was a concoction of guilt, regret, and loathing all swirled in a deep pit. A pit in one’s gut that felt empty, yet full of the worst things simultaneously. The two had seen a few members come and go. A few from far worse circumstances than this, but Cerise’s departure was different. It wasn’t the length of time, but the quality of it. “Because you’re blaming yourself.” Erik’s eyes finally searched for his. He never knew Ajax to lie to him but Erik wondered if his closest and most honest friend would lie to himself.

”…It…feels like I’ve lost her twice.” Aj commented, frankly not feeling the need to answer the question. Being a revenant, the expression ‘deja vu’ was the story of their lives until they’ve gotten their vestiges. Being ‘alive’ as long as he’d been, with all the memories he’d ‘found’, it had never quite felt this bad. The fact that it felt like the second time made him wonder about the little girl in his memory. Despite knowing that Erik would understand, Aj couldn’t quite lift his head to look him square in the eye.

”…It is my fault, and I am not saying this in a downward spiral of emotion…I finally pushed her too hard.” His shoulders slowly rose and fell in the brief seconds he took to push the next words out to explain further. ”I let my mission, my need to find the past, cloud my judgement. I knew her fears and concerns…yet, the one time that she probably needed my support the most, I was the one that pushed her into it. I became the very thing I was trying to protect her from.”

“Aj!” Erik had begun to shake his head. “You can’t put so much blame on yourself.” His volume leveled out to prevent possibly disturbing the others inside. The Crow's Nest was huge but revenants had the keenest of senses. “You can’t… Because you don’t control things like some god or something. You were part of getting the vestige to her, but who says she wouldn’t have eventually wanted to know the truth behind her past.” Erik held his right hand out, forming the shape of a dormant vestige in his palm.

“And don’t say you lost her… She’s alive…” Erik found himself thinking of Sasha. A revenant that had founded the Observatory… technically even before he had. A revenant that died so he could live. “And this was something Cerise decided… Using hindsight is only going to make you feel worse. No one, not even she knew what memories would be uncovered in that vestige. We never know…”

Ajax’s gaze was trained on the ground ahead. His mind still looped around the possibilities. It was true that he was no god that could make her every decision, but it didn’t take a god to push someone in the wrong direction…Though the notion of it being ultimately Red’s own decision and that there was no way of knowing the effects, lessened some of the weight on his shoulders. For that, his crimson eyes clicked upward from his head’s bowed position to look at Erik at his side.

”Hindsight is what we need, Erik. Hindsight is what separates us from animals. We learn from our failures, to do better in the future. For us, revenants, it gets us closer to knowing who we were…” His fists unballed as the realization came to his mind. Sometimes to…become better in the future… There was a moment of silence, but Ajax sighed in frustration.

”I won’t accept an escape route for my culpability in driving her out…but, I understand what you’re saying. I am in pain…but I will heal. I will learn from this…”

“We all will.” Erik placed a hand on Ajax’s shoulder. Despite Erik's leveled tone, the pain of loss was heavily present in his heart. His sights returned to the landscape ahead. So many years behind us and it still feel like we have so many more ahead.

Ajax slowly nodded, some of the tension in his shoulders easing under Erik’s hand. “I’m going to get an early start on my conditioning…You coming?”

“Heh. As if I'd ever decline”

Young Justice

&

_{Interaction | Kassandra
AKA @Mistress Dizzy
Viktor AKA @FunnyGuy
Location | The Hotspot}

---

Completely unaware of the situation outside, Kassy was in the bathroom. Her head was bent to the sink and she was guzzling water straight from the tap, germs be damned. Most human viruses didn’t bother her anyway. Her face was still flushed, and her heart was thumping as if it wanted to escape her body.

After a solid 30 seconds of drinking, she pulled her face away from the spigot. “What’swrongwithme?” She stuck her hands into the running water and soaked her face.

Ja had been wondering that same question in the time that he stood awkwardly beside her. Ultimately, it had something to do with coffee. Though, perhaps that had to do with the fact that, being that they were always underwater, did Atlanteans drink coffee? Did they even really need to drink at all when submerged? It was a question that he felt he should have known, given his intimate knowledge of animals…but the ocean was new territory for him.

A hand extended to make contact with her back. “Are you hurt?”

Kassy flinched at what she felt was a sudden touch. “Hurt? Kinda. My chest hurts. And my skin.” She was trembling faintly. Her chest heaved as she tried to slow her breathing. “Have I been poisoned? Are we under attack?!” Her mind was flitting from thought to thought and she couldn’t land on any of them. There was a sense of sheer anxiety flowing through her.

The lad returned his hand to his side upon hearing that even her skin hurt. Though her other questions elicited a thoughtful shaking of his head. “No…No I don’t think that’s it. The motive of our target is that they are looking to kidnap, not kill…” He reasoned, instinctively reaching a hand towards his own head, only to realize his hair was down and braided. His senses felt out of whack, but he could still track certain chemical responses that people gave…the waitress seemed to have no ill intent.

“I wonder…during any of your time on land…have you ever had coffee before?”

Kassy looked at him, her dyed red hair dripping with water and sweat. “Coffee? Not really. It smells awful and I don’t like hot drinks. And Viktor only makes enough for himself.” She gripped the edge of the sink, trying to calm herself. The cool porcelain felt good on her palms, but it was doing nothing for her mental state.

“I didn’t drink any coffee, though.”

“Ah…I think you may have misunderstood what you ordered. ‘Expresso’ is simply a different, stronger form of coffee…Which doesn't necessarily need to be hot. From what I understand, people drink it to gain a burst of energy…which is probably why Red Robot doesn’t let me have any…” Ja explained his thoughts aloud, pacing a little bit, as if thinking.

“Oh! But the burst of energy is relatively temporary. It wears off in time…so maybe that will happen for you.”

“I really hope so. I feel very overwhelmed right now.” She tried to focus on her breathing again, but that didn’t last long as her thoughts flitted like a school of fish. She blinked and looked at her friend, having just realized something rather important. “...Ja. You do know we’re in the girls’ bathroom, right?” Thank goodness no one else was in here! “You should probably leave.”

Her sentence drew a chill up his spine as the realization sunk in. His eyes widened and, almost on cue, there was a knock on the door. Iwisa, as well as the rest of the Dzvuku Hyenas were very strict about these sorts of things back in Buredunia. A woman’s boundaries were to be expressly respected. If violated when they were around, the punishments were brutal. He didn’t mean to end up here, he just wanted to make sure Kassy was okay.

He felt his own heart rate kick up in his chest momentarily, wondering the impact something like this would have on the mission. He wasn’t sure how it was handled in America…Well, simply standing here wouldn’t accomplish anything. At least for now, Kassy wasn’t in need of immediate medical attention. Thus, Ja took a breath and opened the door to quickly step out.

When he did, he almost barreled right into— Viktor?

“Ja.” Viktor eyes darted over Ja’s shoulder to peer inside the restroom. He wasn’t able to see anything from his position and took a step back to allow the young lion some space to remove himself from the doorway. “What’s the problem?” There had to be one, right?

“I’m…not exactly sure. One moment we were talking, then everything changed. Her face went red, she was hot, her heart was pounding, and she was shaking…It seems like she’s coming back around now though. I think it was the coffee.”

“Coffee?” Viktor’s right eyebrow raised with his doubt but despite any underlying tension, Viktor felt Ja wasn’t capable of such a lie. “She couldn’t have drank so much that- She needs help getting water but…” Viktor glanced down the corridor towards the greater section of the restaurant before whispering. ”Our target might be here but I think I can buy you some time. Saw it on reality tv, so it should work,” Viktor gave a confident nod.

Once outside of the bathroom for a little longer, Ja’s face seemed to focus rather intently on the end of the corridor. His head rotated left and right furiously for a second, flicking the braids past his face purposefully. His nostrils flared, sharply inhaling.

”I…there is someone here that I…recognize?” The hushed statement seemed to confuse his own lips as they exited. Returning his attention to Viktor, Ja nodded. ”Do what it is that you must do.” Viktor was already making his first step away.

“Same to you.”

Ja watched him go before turning back to the door. Now more consciously, he knocked on the door to grab Kassy’s attention.

Kassy, who was dousing her face with water, startled at the knock on the door. Usually she wouldn’t have jumped, but everything was a bit too much right now.

Going to the door, she peered out. It was just Ja, so she smiled gratefully. “Hi. As long as my heart isn’t going to explode, I’ll be okay.” She still looked unwell, though not as bad as she initially had.

The jungle boy smiled back. “Good…It was V who came over to check if everything was alright…and apparently the…special someone may be here. I think I…” He paused and put up air quotes with his fingers, “‘recognize’ them. What they can do…sort of…Do you think you’re well enough to come back and sit down?”

Kassy nodded, tiny droplets of water scattering. “Yes, I think so.” Some of the redness in her face was going back to normal. “Just let me tidy up.” She closed the door again, wiping down all the surfaces she had inadvertently wet. Once that was done, she exited, trying to look as normal and casual as possible while she swept the cafe with a gaze. There was that dark haired girl, with a surprise.

She almost, almost spoke his name out loud, her lips clamping around the name ‘Riley’. She tore her eyes away and sat back at the table. Her leg started to jiggle almost immediately. She bit off a mouthful of the chicken sandwich, which was still warm. It was actually pretty good, but she was just eating it to hopefully counteract the caffeine in her belly.

Ja in the meantime had walked with something of a pep in his step, casually selling the idea that he was at ease. Inside though, the feeling of the red increased, sensing that someone else with animalistic abilities was near. Instead of looking directly in that direction, his head turned to the opposite and he inhaled. When he did, his hair became much more soft and limp, opposed to its natural state, prompting the beanie he wore to slide off of the braids and onto the ground.

Realizing his ‘mistake’, he turned to pick it up, sneaking a quick glance to the table where the alternative animal surge came from. The girl, it seemed, had some sort of reptilian ability…And seemed vaguely familiar. It was as though he had been in her presence before in some way…a familiar scent…but where did he see her before? He didn’t let his gaze linger, quickly turning his head and putting his hat back on. He didn’t want to be suspicious, and it wouldn’t be a good look to be studying another girl while on his…date…

Smiling, he took a seat next to her this time. With her at his side, he was able to turn his head away from the rest of the restaurant. “I think I found the guest…any idea where they might be from?”

Kassy put her chin in her hand, speaking low behind her fingers so her lips could not be read. “Yeah. Definitely reminds me of someone I may have met in Gotham. She looks… a little different, somehow. I’m not sure.” She let her gaze grow unfocused, listening for specifics in the conversation. So far, there were none. “The boy, I met him today, though. He’s nice.”

Ja slowly nodded. He knew that she was simply using Gotham as a code word for where she’d seen the suspect…Though that didn’t help him figure out where exactly he himself recognized her from, it at least established that Kassy’s seen her too before, so it must have been on a mission. If that was the case, it meant she was definitely the one they were looking for, and the nice boy she met definitely wasn’t safe.

There wasn’t much he could do without being too overt though…The animal boy leaned back in thought, reaching a hand out towards a chicken sandwich. His eye briefly clicked over to the other squad’s table…Zachy showed up…wait. Viktor said he had a plan! Maybe that would get things rolling.

He was soon to take a small victory bite of the sandwich until he realized there was already a bite mark on it. His eye twitched briefly in confusion before he remembered, he was on Kassy’s side of the table. His eyes widened momentarily and he looked at her. In goofy fashion, he laughed a little at his mistake before returning it.

”Heh! Sorry.”