Fenrir and Hellfire had been gone for a while. They're probably just bro-ing out Phil thought, not knowing the dark truth. Most of the pizza had been eaten, leaving only cardboard corpses. Phil had definitely eaten more than his fair share; he may have dropped out of the University of Star City, but he still ate like a college student.
Stretching, Phil yawned and cracked his joints. "Anyone want to do a War Room session?"
Jin was finished with her pizza, and playing a sci-fi shooter on her handheld gamer. She lifted her hand and called out without moving her gaze from the scene. "I'm up for it, Philly." Raising up from the couch, she wandered toward him while shooting down enemy ships. "Dangit." She'd been shot down, so she pocketed the game and looked up at Phil.
Her head tilted, and her eyes got the calculating look that was present when she was facing a problem. "You look different." They all looked a bit different, though. But it wasn't a physical change that she was noting. "Your eyes." She said after a long moment of silence. "You're looking more aware, sharper." A faint grin appeared on her face. "Good. Maybe you can teach me something instead."
Phil paused, thinking on Jin's words. "A lot has changed in a year," he said, returning Jin's apraising glance. "You look... different. In a good way." I can't put my finger on it. She obviously has grown, but she looks more confident maybe?
"How have you been?"
Jin's smile flickered. She didn't want to tell him about the therapy, and the nightmares, or anything else. "I'm alive. That's usually the best I can go on a given day." She jerked her head in the direction of the War Room, and led the way. "If it's all the same, I'm going weapons-free. I need the practice."
Phil frowned. Jin's response was cryptic and pessimiatic, but Phil doubted he could get a better answer with everyone else around. "Yeah, fine with me. No powers either?" They began walking towards the War Room.
Jin smirked a bit, giving him a look over her shoulder. "If you can hack it without your powers, then sure. But I'm not gonna go easy on you." She turned back to watch where she was going. Even though she'd read the blueprints of the upgraded base, she was still getting used to them on foot. "Maybe last year I would have been gentle, but... you look like you can handle it, so you get the respect punches."
"Oh, thanks," Phil responded in a sarcastic but friendly way. He playfully punched Jin's arm.
"Oh, owwww." Jin made an exaggerated wince, and then grinned at him. "You keep that up and you might even leave a mark."
Phil grinned, like he used to around Jin. She was like a goofy little sister to the young mage.
Jin let the rest of the way to the war room, warming up her muscles in quick sequence, and pulling herself into an agile handstand, balancing on her palms, and then fingertips. "So... how have you been, Philly?" She righted herself and started to roll her shoulders. "You do anything interesting while we were... on break?"
"Well, I did some traveling, Europe mostly. I met Justice League Dark. That was interesting, to say the least. Let's just say I'm sick of rhyming couplets." Phil chuckled at his own inside joke. But inwardly, Phil frowned; his nerves knotted in his stomach. I trust Jin, and I should tell her the truth. The whole reason for this 'study abroad' was to train for my inevitable fight with the corrupted Nabu. No one but Constantine knows about Nabu going psycho. "I... should tell you something. It's about---"
Phil was cut off by a commotion over the loudspeaker. Apparently, something was going on in the meeting room.
Hurrying back to the others, Jin and Phil were surprised to find Plastic Man alive again.
(Collab between Dizzy and Riurik)