DClassified

Young Justice

&

_{Collaboration | @Canaryrose AKA Alisa
@DreamingFlowers AKA Daphtree?!?
Location | Mt. Justice, Greenhouse}

---

The afternoon sun peeked through the sky window above the greenhouse. The warm light brought out the fresh scent of the plants and bathed everything in a peaceful glow. Everything was in full bloom. The Nymph was anchored into the soil at the center of the greenery. It happened gradually, but she was becoming less recognizable as the girl she once was. There was a vague impression of arms crossed in front of her chest and subtle facial features. Her legs were twisted into a singular trunk, hair reaching up high above her head in a canopy of leaves.

Mementos the Team brought her during some of their visits were carefully arranged around her “feet”. Each one was different and personal to the one who brought it. There was a small vase filled with her favorite flowers, a well meant but slightly soggy cherry cake, a bottle of perfume and other accessories.

It had been a while since someone visited her last, that is, until a knock came to the greenhouse door.

Coming to the inside of her ‘room’, was a familiar friendly face belonging to her first friend on the team. The green shirt that she’d gotten for him was on his back today, he remembered. The bushbaby remembered the missions they had been on. Remembered the training that he took the time to try imparting to her.

Ja only wanted to help…Though, he feared that it might not have been enough because, here she was; locked in this form. He wanted to help her to become comfortable with her power…but this didn’t feel right. The Red whispered to him, when she was first brought like this. She was alive, but not as they had known her. Even now, in this room with other plants, he might not have recognized her if not for her scent. The human spirit that made her distinct was quieter now, even more than then.

These thoughts made his face somber at first, but when he made his way closer to her, he smiled. She was still alive, and still here. He tried to focus on that.

”Hai, Daffy-Knee…” His voice was small but gradually gained volume as he spoke more. ”It has been some time. I am sorry for that. A lot has happened…New people have come to the team again…Oh, Alisa is back and okay after the last mission. She stumbles about sometimes like a baby learning to walk. It is funny to watch but I don’t laugh. How have things been here? Has Red Robot been treating you good? Does he even talk? I told him a bunch of times that he should talk—”

He stopped mid-way through his ramble, throwing a finger up to remember. Throwing a hand into his headbush, he tugged a rolled-shut paper bag free. Reaching inside, he pulled out what looked like chalk and started putting them into the dirt near her roots. ”I almost forgot, I brought snacks. Not for me, but you! They said that these are “plant food” at the store. They are shaped like sticks…I would have made something but I realized that you can’t eat people food yet. Think of them like jawbreaker candy.”

It had been two months since Daphne had turned into a tree. To Alisa, though, it felt like less than one. Her friend had been gone so long… longer than she had. And Alisa had never gone to visit her. She wasn’t sure why. Seeing Daphne like that terrified her on some molecular level. It reminded her of what had happened to her, she supposed. But she needed to brave it, for Daphne. Her friend might still be in there, her mind trapped in the Green. How awful would it be if Daphne had been conscious the entire time and Alisa had never come to see her? That imagined guilt made her squirm.

So, she came. Since it was properly summer now, she wore a white sundress. It had been a bit of a walk in sandals, but oh well. Alisa carried a sketchbook and a small tote bag with her as she went into the greenhouse, intending to draw next to her friend. But, to her surprise, as she came outside of the door she heard a voice inside. Ja. He was here? Today? A pit formed in her stomach. She had wanted to be alone, and while she liked Ja… his unpredictability, his periods of sheer energy and periods of seriousness, exhausted her. From listening, it seemed like he was energetic today. Huh.

She kept the bandage he had given her in her room, tucked away in a drawer. It was a touching gift. Alisa cherished it.

Pushing open the door, Alisa smiled tentatively and approached the tree, looking up at her friend. Her smile turned sad. That face... she hadn’t realized how realistic it would be. How much it would look like Daphne and, at the same time, not.

“Hi,” she said, smiling down at Ja, who was stuffing sticks into the dirt. Alisa looked on curiously. “What are you doing?”

”Hai Alisa,” Ja paused briefly from what he was doing to wave at her. With her question, he went back to putting the last few sticks in the dirt. ”I have brought Daffy-Knee food for plants. According to the garden people at the store, it is supposed to give nutrients to go along with sunlight and—“

In the indent corner of Daphne’s wooden eyes, a small droplet of water glimmered in the growing lights. It could simply be a collection of dew although it was long past morning. It traveled down her face, falling on top of Ja’s diligent fingers. The wild child jumped, then froze in place as he was thoroughly startled. His eyes stared up at the eyes of the plant girl rather intently. It was a brief but intense whisper of bittersweetness that swept through his senses of the Red. His heart lurched in his chest.

”D…Daphne?”

There was no sign in Daphne’s frozen face that she felt the same wave of emotions as her counterpart of the Red. The bark covered her usual warm brown eyes, hiding what she was feeling on the inside. Just then a single leaf twirled downwards, landing close to Alisa’s feet.

Alisa bent down to pick up the leaf, turning it over in her fingers with care and a tender look in her eyes. “Is she… crying?” she whispered, almost reverently. She took a cautious step towards the tree. Her logical mind was screaming that it was impossible, but… she had seen crazier.

”I…water fell from her and touched my hand..but I felt her.” The bushbaby looked at the hand that had been contacted and his bottom lip squirmed. Turning his head to Alisa, he noticed the leaf she was holding. Confusion mixed into his expression, and the shrill whimper of a golden retriever pup exhaled through his breathing. ”It was really fast but for a moment I felt Daph in there. I don’t know if she was happy or sad…”

“Well,” Alisa murmured, “maybe she’s still conscious in there. Maybe she can hear us. You’d know better than me, if you can feel it.” She approached the tree and stroked the bark, overcome with the urge to draw her friend in this form.

“If she’s conscious, maybe she’d like us to talk to her,” she hedged, and Ja nodded.

”That is what I was doing before you came in…I was telling her about how things have been over the last month, and that you are back…” Ja’s head bobbled left and right as he spoke, gesturing to Daphtree in kind. There was still a sort of weight that sat in the center of his golden irises, but a smile on his lips. ”But you can tell her all about it yourself, now that you are here.”

Alisa shrugged. “I… you know more than me. But I did see this movie yesterday. I’ll tell her about it.” With that, Alisa took a seat next to Ja, arranging her legs neatly and resting her elbows on her knees. “Where to start… okay, so this girl moves to New York City for a job at a fashion magazine…”

Pariah

[Please Delete This.]

Pariah

...

Pariah

The Watcher

Name | Rhamses (Formerly Rashawn Hudson)
Alias | “Rha”; “The Watcher”; DJ Pharaoh
Age | 18
Gender | Male
Appearance Details |

• True Appearance is pictured above.
• Synthetic Color-Changing Skin; _{/Most often brown skinned as was Baba’s when casual.}
• Varying Cybernetic Bodily Attachments/Circuitry, some visible.
• Right Eye; Brown _{/white in true appearance}
• Left Eye; Seeker Eye/Mask
• Muscular Frame
• 5’11 Height
• Black Braided Hair

Signatute Coat & Shawl

[Variant Information]

Notoriety | Unknown
Danger Level_{/Variant Type} | Class 4_{/Volatile Distortionist}

Abilities | Super-Conductive Electromagnetism - Rhamses's body itself can generate raw electromagnetic energy, which he has learned to manipulate, control and enhance. Rha can sense sources of electromagnetic energy or objects that can be affected by it such as underground water pipes. He can magnetize and demagnetize metals.

Electromagnetic Fields - Rha generates an Electromagnetic field just like the earth and the sun generate their own Electromagnetic fields. Rha can also create barriers and shields that he can use to defend himself and others.

Minor Technopathy - Rha can capable of fixing or operating electronic devices through his electromagnetic manipulation. He can operate most devices just by touching, even if they are not plugged.

Electromagnetic Levitation - Rha can cause objects to ‘fly’ by using their electrons to repel the ones in the air.

Wavelength Tuning - Rha can hear radio waves meaning he can listen in on the police broadband and music stations, as well as tapping into the phone lines so he can make calls.

Electrokinesis - Rha can generate electricity from his body and administer it in a range of different attacks and uses. He can charge devices, drain devices and project his electricity in a variety of controlled ways.

Electrical Displays - Electromagnetic Light Displays that Rha can craft around him in the forms of pictures and words. He can also use it to bend the spectrum of visible light around him to appear invisible for a short period of time.

Electromagnetic Force Bolts - He can fire bursts of electromagnetic energy from his body for uses similar to an EMP.

Ball Lightning - Named after Ball Lightning, the weather phenomenon. Electromagnetic Energy compressed into a large ball and thrown at targets; an offensive maneuver in a combat situation.

Static Cling - Rha can adhere most objects or people to surfaces and other objects, plus he can magnetize/demagnetize surfaces.

Enhanced Physiology - Due to his bionically enhanced body, Rhamses possesses above average physical strength, durability, endurance, and self-repairing capabilities. His brain became partially computerized, allowing him to process, learn, and react to information really quickly. It ironically gives him a powerful memory, though, it cannot currently unlock his organic memories before his reawakening. He doesn’t have to eat as much as his frame may suggest, nor does he need sleep if he can absorb electrical energy. Cybernetics and metal gear protect his most vital humanoid organs.

Armament/Equipment | He doesn’t often carry much, but a piece of equipment, is his Seeker Eye. This is a piece of technology that he works on constantly. It possesses a camera, several filters of vision such as infrared, ultraviolet, microscopic, and can differentiate between Variant and non-Variant individuals.

[Temperament & Lifestyle]

Affiliation | Pariah Underground

Personality/Habits | The best way to describe Rha’s personality, is that of a man with amnesia. Rhamses at this current point in his life is trying to rediscover the person he was before, ‘Rashawn’. His determined nature is likely one of his most defining character traits. He can also be very contemplative and highly self conscious. Rha's thoughts and actions are often conflicting between his more logical mind and his human one. He’s honest, at times bluntly, with himself and others. He also has trust issues with humans, especially with Karen conflicting with honesty and those who mistreat variants. He also has a special spot for music, which is likely his strongest connection to his former self.

A lot of his emotions are just as much a mystery to him, as he’s also struggling with the concept of humanity and trying to find his own. Despite his cyberized state, he is capable of irrational thought and emotions, such as anger, sadness, and joy. However, he isn’t quite sure how to express these emotions at times, which means his stoic demeanor could mean a variety of different things. Only certain people have the ability to make him innately show this side of him. Despite this though, he has the learned behavior of compassion for others, particularly variants or those of Pariahan affiliation, but extending to some humans as well. This is what, in turn, spurs him into vigilantist action when he feels necessary while on the surface.

Occupation/Trade | Electrician/DJ_/Vigilante

Skills/Talents |

• Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Analyzation/Observation
• Adaptation
• Navigating Technological Systems
• Intermediate CQCombatant
• Rapidly Expanding Intellect
• Awareness
• Musician/Musical Production

Family | Cochise “Baba” Hudson - Father
Karen - ?

Background | A lot of Rhamses' past is shrouded in mystery, even to himself, as his farthest memory back was waking up in Baba’s arms one year ago. Everything before that faded or outright blank. Images, faces, and places appeared in his mind that he couldn’t put together.

All he knew was Baba, Karen, and his current state of existence. He was told that he grew up with two parents. Rha at least remembered that Baba was his father and he assumed that she was his mother, though, he didn’t really remember her at all. He asked why but that was when she told him where he came from. The story shattered whatever childhood he believed he had.

He was...created? Experimented on by the ‘Reapers’? Supposed to be the messiah for variants against humans? To escape the trap? Baba saved him; and Karen. But not his mother? Baba always spoke about his mom, yet, that woman wasn’t Karen. Rha never saw the woman he talked about.

Whenever he asked about it, Baba cried, so Rha stopped asking him about it. Karen tried to take the truth back when Rha hounded her with questions instead. Pushing him to live his life. To do his utmost to gain a better life as a variant. To keep away from the darkness his father saved them from. That some things were better left untold.

Some time ago, men with black suits took Baba away when they were on the surface. She told him that they were going to help him, and that he was going to be home soon. Rha didn’t believe her, and still searches for him. More recently, he saw a face that he somehow remembered. A face his memory held in fondness. A face that was possibly a key to solving all of this.

One thing was for sure, that The Watcher would find the truth.

Whatever the cost.

| Theme |

Pariah

I remember this.

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.