Shard

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 @dreamingflowers
💀 @Courtaud
💀 @FunnyGuy
💀 @canaryrose

---

More combat, more sparring. It was an impressive display, of that Casper could not object. An android fighting an enhanced human. One would be forgiven for considering the exchange somewhat entertaining, but for Hex, the situation strung along a slightly different path. With his attention turning towards the active duo, eyes landed on Rain, his soul infinitely bright in comparison to the android’s, where it was replaced by endless emptiness. ”Sure..,” came a response, the Wraithborn’s pointed ears noting what his friend had asked. Friend, a rather strong word, wasn’t it? Had they reached this level, yet? Thinking back to a mere few moments earlier, the warmth of an embrace, digits interlocking, a head on his shoulders, it all painted a clear picture. If not friendship, what could possibly be at play?

Moving closer to the battle at hand, spectral eyes narrowed. To a being who saw people through the form of their souls, what did Alisa amount to? An object? That was quite narrow-minded, a view Casper would get chastised for. He understood enough to draw that conclusion. However, difficulty remained. Hex was required to push past these feelings if he was to adequately work with his teammates, none of which he viewed with the same level of insecurity as Alisa. He could not place the girl. Brightheart, the Tamaran, her presence was cause for concern due to her biological nature, due to the sunlight she was absorbing. However, that was something Casper could get past with his magic. Alisa was beyond him, her very being so utterly divorced from where he stood that merely looking upon her often caused the Wraithborn momentary confusion. He had to remind himself that she was, in fact, a person. That she wasn’t a doll, or merely a mindless machine. Throughout her battle with Viktor, she had displayed emotion, she had even tricked him, an act raising Casper’s brow.

Perhaps the warrior humanized her far too much in assuming a need for breath. She was a robot, after all, a thing. Ironic then, how Casper and Alisa shared many aspects in that regard. Evidence for her humanity was presented quite frequently, but despite this, Hex was combatting less tolerable views. Viktor lost because he presented concern for a thing, rather than a who, or was that the wrong way of looking at this? The very same technique would have had the very same outcome on Hex himself, yet he was the one silently judging.

Lowering his gaze to grass swaying in the wind, Casper slipped those clawed hands into his pockets. How many of these individuals were prepared for actual battle? For actual warfare? Sparring was different from when the intent to kill replaced friendly movements. What would happen when blood was spilled, and then kept flowing? How would some of these recruits react when stepping into a room filled with death? It was naive to believe that they’d always be on time, that every hostage was going to be saved without failure. It was foolish to think that difficult decisions weren’t going to force uncomfortable thoughts, or even haunting regret. Talon knew this, that much was certain. However, what of the far more bright and less experienced individuals on their team? Kila would push through a hallway of casualties, but would Ja do the same?

Though attempting to maintain focus on the task at hand, Casper tended towards drifting away. He was an empathetic creature without pause. Hex rarely felt anger, and he was seldom ever swept from his feet. It was because of this empathy that worry came to blanket him. He did not wish for these bright, excited smiles to be corrupted by the more realistic side of superherodom. With the boy’s tail drooping behind him, Casper clenched his sharp teeth. These warnings were likely going to come. Black Canary had more experience than any of these young souls, and eventually, once they were ready, she was going to tell them that this job wasn’t glamorous.

Eyes rose, and attention fell back on Viktor and Alisa. Casper sensed blood. He had sensed it since Talon’s battle with Daphne. Necrotic Empathy, his mother called it, the ability to sense another’s wounds, a creature’s injuries. The closer to death they were, the more blatant it became, until death itself was presented loudly, and clearly. At least no one had held back. They were all serious about this, even Zach, despite showing less of it than he could have.

”Well done..,” a ghostly voice congratulated.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 @dreamingflowers
💀 @Courtaud

---

Had Casper made a teammate feel better? Had he brought positivity to a situation? It felt odd, almost unnatural, but comforting all the same. Until now, Hex had labored under the assumption that only the dead found his presence pleasant, when he wasn’t mistaken for the Grim Reaper. Casper assumed that only spirits could be consoled by the Gravewalker, a title he had earned back home, by a peculiar member of their cult. He would, however, claim that this handle was far too dramatic for him to maintain, but as Daphne started towards Talon, the boy was left with his thoughts. As per usual, they wandered and caused scenes to linger. Memories overlapped with expectations, assumptions met by reality. What had Casper thought would happen following this peculiar attempt? Needless to say, it went far better than anticipated. A bringer of death was, in the end, capable of making an agent of The Green smile. The joke had been told, and Hex was satisfied with what had come to pass.

“Look at you!” Coal’s voice was enough to bring Casper back, pulling him from a mind’s endless vortex, “being a good guy.” Talon’s landed on the boy’s shoulder, a wing extending to gently pat the Wraith’s head. “Prouda’ you.”

”I..,” Hex returned, his spectral orbs fixed on Daphne and the rehabilitated assassin. It was something they had in common, in a way. Hex and Talon, they both grew up in cults, they were both assigned to missions involving less than morally grey instances. They had killed, they had destroyed, and they had been villains in their own right. For Casper, it was his mother that put an end to this development. For Talon, it was the Bat Family. Perhaps one day they could bond over this most beshadowed tale. An assassin and a dark sorcerer, now an operative and a supernatural, two heroes with dark pasts. However, Casper had something Talon never did. A loving mother, and it made all the difference. ”I should probably not bother them..”

“The hell are you on about?” The crow returned, “three’s a crowd, or some shit?”

”Is it..?” Hex blinked, raising a claw before tapping his chin.

“No!” Coal laughed, “now you’re just looking for excuses not to be a friendly little ghost,” the avian chuckled. “So tuck your insecurities away, and waltz up there.”

”But they’re talking..,” Casper countered, motioning at his newly acquired friends.

“Join the conversation!” A back and forth which would continue endlessly, unless Casper yielded. Coal was correct. What was the alternative? To remain still and stare at his allies as they further socialized?

”Fine..,” Hex finished, the dark layer of magic coating him beginning to flutter.

“Don’t teleport! Walk! Use your wee feetsies’!” A wing pointed southward. Again, the crow spoke true. Teleporting into a conversation wasn’t normal, and Casper needed to maintain some sense of normality when engaging with the living. It was a different world, entirely separate from spiritual interaction. People were more firm, less fluid. They preferred a stable foundation, not flowing energies.

”Right, yeah..,” Hex agreed, clawed hands slipping into his pockets as he began to slowly pace towards Daphne and Talon. ”Ah, hey..,” Casper stated, halting his stride once he finally reached the previously battling duo. ”Uh.., nice fight..,” he managed, meeting their gaze for a brief moment before those spectral spheres lowered towards the grass.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour, next to Nymph.

Interactions
💀 @dreamingflowers

---

“Do we need to contact ma’, or Zatanna?” Coal spoke, a sense of worry in the crow’s voice. Worry? An onlooker would have been surprised, hearing such from this specific, spiritual avian. That of which had been bothering Casper was growing all the more potent, and it was clearly distressing the boy. However, Hex’s attention was soon confiscated by the training at hand, by his teammates. Talon and Daphne had reached the end of their spar, their battle, and the emotional turmoil within Nymph was obvious. One did not require the ability to read minds or sense another’s heart to draw this conclusion, neither of which Casper was capable of.

”It’s gone now..,” Hex stated, clenching his teeth, before regaining lost equilibrium. Had the situation been different, more time and far more effort would have found itself sunk into the scenario at hand. Whatever it was that had been calling out to him undoubtedly appeared powerful, Casper could assess that much. It was reasonably a dangerous force, one extending its cold, unforgiving hand. It always was. Across the shore, few things sought to offer aid unless called upon. Throughout Hex’s studies, he had come across warnings in regards to Demons, Devils, and those of the Nether Realms. However, something he had learned for himself was that the very same caution would apply to his own people. The undead. ”Look..,” the Wraithborn spoke, his phantasmal gaze fixing its unnatural stare at Daphne.

Though a moment’s passing was required before Coal moved on from what had only recently transpired, the crow turned to their flowery ally in the distance. There were other things to focus on, currently. Something more pressing, and something certainly more present. “You should go and hug her.”

Freezing in his step, Casper paused. A hug from the Wraith? Would that have been an appreciated act of friendship? He had oftentimes embraced Coal, and it was a comforting experience, to be sure. However, it was less so his own reaction to such a decision which halted Hex’s stride, and more so Daphne’s own. He had already scared her away, once, hadn’t he? Or was that Coal simply turning a situation into what it wasn’t with whimsical jokes? Likely. However, if Hex based every decision on the risk of scaring the other party, he could very well shut himself away from anything with a pulse. Narrowing his gaze, the Wraith frowned. They were a team. They were supposed to be there for each other.

’I know it will be hard, Casper, but they are going to be your friends, your family.'
'Yes, they might be frightened by you, but if you let that get in the way..,'
'You’re the one who’s afraid.’

Zatanna’s words acted as encouragement, as if a hand had placed itself on the Wraith’s shoulder. She was right. ”A hug..,” Casper repeated, insecurity present in both voice, and body language. The Black embracing The Green, how ironic. Some may even consider it poetic. ”Okay..,” Hex decided. If it was ironic, then let the joke be told.

With his frame vanishing, dark, Necrotic energies transporting Casper from where he had once been, the boy soon appeared closer to his ally, his teammate. Manifesting like the ghostly entity he was, Hex possessed enough social graces to understand the need for initial distance. He did not want to scare with the unexpected, especially not whilst a vulnerable state was to consider. Rather, Casper remained standing a select few feet away, his spectral eyes landing on Daphne, before soft, echoey words left his lips. ”You did great..,” the Wraith found himself speaking. ”I.., know it’s frightening..,” he continued, slowly approaching the girl before he sat at her side, feeling grass beneath him. ”When I fought Canary, I thought I was going to faint..,” Casper shared, a small, mellow smile bridging itself across his lips to reveal those shark-like teeth beyond. ”But..,” there was a short pause, Casper’s focus remaining on Nymph, ”it’s okay to be scared..”

Landing atop a branch, Coal stood silently watching. Were crows able to smile, there would surely be such an expression present. “Proud of you, kid,” a quiet statement left the spirit’s beak.

”I don’t mean to overstep..,” Casper tried, with yet another pause soon following. He could not let insecurity get in the way. Progress had been made, and he was going to keep making it. Raising his slender arms, the boy gently embraced Daphne, if only for a moment before releasing her. ”I’ll.., haunt you until you feel better..,” the Wraithborn finished, his smile tenderly widening.

Young Justice

She is the most enthusiastic GM I've ever had.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.
💀 Something Not Present.

---

Eyes shifted towards the others, a team of heroes with far greater physical capabilities than the Wraithborn. A ghostly gaze remained lingering upon his teammates, all of whom had been assigned to one another, an easy deduction, it would appear. From a glance, Casper drew a conclusion, mainly that Viktor and Jack, or rather Talon, were the most skilled combatants on the team. Kila raised the number to three, however, his presence was pointed elsewhere. It would undoubtedly have been interesting to see a battle commencing between Rain and Talon, their martial arts on full display, but as had been stated, little would be achieved by two skilled warriors clashing, while those of less experience were left to their own devices. Bright souls prepared for combat, a fist thrown and soon caught by The Green, Daphne’s abilities having confiscated Casper’s attention.

It was a transformation akin to a fairytale, the young maiden allowing her true self to take hold, shedding the human disguise worn amongst her brothers and sisters, before sight of another entity was beheld. Casper was aware of the concepts, the forces of nature, as some called them. They had been a central part of the boy’s studies, and were often referenced in ancient arcana. As his closest acquaintances may have been able to tell, while Casper was unable to wield magic other than his own, knowledge of what comprised their reality was something he sought with insatiable determination.

The Green, and the Parliament of Trees, The Black and the Parliament of Decay, and finally, The Red and the Parliament of Limbs, three aspects of life all part of the same team. It was an ironic development, to say the least, with Casper standing amidst the very two forces in direct opposition to his own. If Hex recalled, there were ten Parliaments, and those closely acquainted with each force were easy enough to spot due to the color of their souls. Daphne, a brilliant green. Ja, a fearsome red. Kassandra, a harmonic blue. Then, of course, there was Zach, a nearly whimsical combination of glittery purple, an arcane spirit. In a way, these colorful manifestations allowed for Casper to understand his teammates on a deeper level. He himself did not possess a soul, not like the others. His essence was pure Necrotic magic, something that strongly emanated energies reminiscent of The Black, something which likely caused discomfort in those with the ability to sense what was beyond the physical plane.

Lowering himself to the grass, Casper proceeded to gently hug slender knees, the boy’s chin resting against his kneecaps. The tree guarding him from sunlight with pleasant shade acted as bringer of comfort, and allowed for a pleasant spot as he watched the others spar. Black Canary would rather maintain vigilance and supervise the team, than continue a session with Casper, which was understandable. Injuries could very well happen, and not everyone possessed a healing factor. Equally so, Casper was the only undead creature present, which meant that his magic could only heal himself. As for the others, Daphne’s plant biology likely allowed for accelerated regeneration. It brought a thought to mind, in fact. What would those of a more traditional view say, when witnessing such opposing forces fighting alongside each other? Talon was a rehabilitated assassin, and Casper was walking death. Let it never be said that the Justice League wasn’t inclusive.

C̸̮̘̩̓̅͒̚a̸̛̺͓̩̿̂͜s̵͚̙̈́̀͘p̶͚̀̅̀͋̔e̸̖͛̌̂̒r̴̡͓̪̠͑̈́̑.̴̡̲̗̹͊͆.̴̬͛̎͠.̷̢̬̠̤̃͊

In an instant, a headache surged through the Wraithborn’s skull, a flinch escaping him as claws rose to the boy’s forehead. Tensing, Casper struggled to his feet, stumbling forward with a tremble echoing throughout his digits, forcing the boy’s fist closed. “Dude, what’s wrong?” Coal spoke up, but earned little in response.

”I..,” Hex tried. It was the same voice previously calling to him, if with less clarity. The Wraith’s attention desperately turned towards the entrance of their new home, a shivering fear clinging to his spine. ”S-something’s here..,” Casper uttered, his phantasmal gaze searching from right to left.

“Dude!” Coal exclaimed, wings flapping before talons gripped at his friend’s shoulder, “what’s happening? Nothing’s here!”

”I don’t know..,” came a response, a hand rising as Casper caught himself against the tree, falling to his knees. ”Coal.., something is trying to contact me..”

“So? Shit’s always trying to contact you. What’s different this time?” The bird expressed, its head tilting.

”This isn’t a lost soul..,” Hex clenched his teeth. On that, he was correct. ”And it’s not a.., a malevolent spirit..,” he seethed. Again, he was correct.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.

---

A gust of wind made its way past Casper’s features, strands of hair briefly pushed aside as phantasmal eyes peered ahead at Black Canary, his combat teacher. The differences between the two were staggering, to say the least. Casper, or Hex, wielded far more power than his current mentor, but as Zatanna had revealed, power meant nothing in the eyes of a tactical approach. “Good luck,” Coal spoke, the bird soon vanishing from place, his shape and being fading with a small, ghostly flash. It left Hex and Black Canary upon the stage, eyes meeting moments before the storm. It was ironic, in a way, where the actor with superior power felt anxiety building within. Was the Canary worried? Were her thoughts on anything other than the battle at hand?

In an instant, there was a charge. Despite claiming to be ready, Hex stumbled back, a fist moving towards his face. ’When fighting an agile enemy, you don’t want to be stationary. Always be on the move, always keep them guessing. Be a Ghost, which shouldn’t be too difficult for you’. Zatanna had left the boy with countless lessons, her methods a harsh combination of trial and error, and magical bombardment. Before Dinah’s clenched fist connected with her mark, Casper’s shape dissipated into phantasmal energy, all before manifesting a short distance from his sparring teacher. A black flow of Necrotic magic taking him from one location to the next. Black Canary, however, did not let up. Don’t hold back, words Dinah had uttered only moments prior.

With a quick motion of his hand, Hex conjured forth a flash of spectral energy, darkness coming into being hungerly attempting to swallow Dinah within its infinite void. The Canary was not deterred, her movements expertly executed as one foot pushed her to the next, maneuvering around Casper’s spell before a kick aimed to slam into his side. ’You can’t dodge everything. Blinking requires you to know where to go, which is an extra thought, something you don’t always have time for. You need to be able to block.’ True to his teaching, Hex willed a ghostly barrier into shape, Dinah’s kick halted by its ebony surface, as if connecting with a soft field nullifying the impact. ’But blocking keeps your enemy at a short distance. Use the second you’ve bought to reposition.’ Memories of Zatanna were still fresh within his mind, and reflexively, Casper’s shape burst into a spectral force, this time appearing behind his teacher.

Thinking he had acquired the upper hand, Hex cast another spell, the ground beneath his mentor growing utterdark, with Necrotic tendrils rising from its depths, attempting to wrap themselves around her and restrain the woman. Typically, they would have drained her soul. With Casper’s training, they would merely paralyze her. However, none of these effects came to pass, as Dinah executed an impressive backflip, evading the spell’s reach and spun, her knee nearly slamming into Casper’s forehead as gravity did its job, lowering her towards the ground. Again, the boy was attentive enough to dissipate, allowing for another brief moment of distance, another spell to be cast. Hex manifested a series of dark, Necrotic bolts launching forward, warranting a response from the warrior he was confronting. Gracefully dropping southward, Dinah lowered her upper body, dodging the dangers of magic before spinning back to her feet, yet another kick caught by Casper’s ghostly barrier. ’Great, you’ve blocked, but have you thought of everything? When you’re enemy’s that close, you need to pay attention to more than the one attack you’ve negated.’

The boy’s eyes widened, recalling another of Zatanna’s lessons. Black Canary’s kick was a distraction, mere theatrics, as it instantly led into a low sweep. Before he knew it, Casper was forced to the ground, his legs knocked out from under him, and the Wraithborn was defeated. Had air traveled through his lungs, Casper would have been out of breath, surely. Was he capable of growing tired outside of very specific mistakes, he’d have been exhausted. Rather, the boy’s attention rose towards Black Canary who extended a hand, clawed digits accepting her help as the woman pulled him back to his feet with little effort. ’Your enemy is going to read your every move, Casper. Eventually they’ll notice a pattern, a weakness, a mistake, and they will use that. Never be predictable.’ Zatanna was right. Black Canary was the superior warrior in every way, and it showed. She dodged, evaded, and slid past fearsome Necrotic magic as if wind given form. She barely thought about her movements, every motion a reflex, every action practiced perfection.

“Woah! That was awesome!” Coal exclaimed, the spirit appearing on his favorite spot once more, upon Casper’s shoulder. “I mean, she kicked your ass, but damn! You held your own, kid!”

Though a moment passed, Casper’s phantasmal eyes lowered, a small, timid smile bridging its way across his lips. ”Thanks..”

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.

---

It was a daunting experience, to say the least, Casper’s attention fluctuating between his team and Black Canary. This was here he’d show them what he was capable of, at least in a defensive manner, and it would likely decide how the others saw him. Some of the individuals in this group likely judged their teammates based on their capabilities. Jack came to mind, followed by Viktor, and certainly Kila. The less fun side of their very own Kilamanjaro duo. Feeling how several eyes were boring into him, Casper clenched his teeth. This was just like fighting spirits, wasn’t it? It was just like standing up to a mad phantasm ready and hungry for the Wraithborn’s end. It was almost ironic how many individuals in the Young Justice team Casper had found himself to be a part of that lacked powers, all of whom compensated with elite training and physical skill. Casper did not possess any of that. No, he wielded something else entirely.

What did it matter what the others thought of him? In what capacity could Casper actually work together with them? Were they all going to practice choreographed motions, one attack leading into the next from several directions before a heroic end to the battle was at hand? It felt far too romanticized. It felt like fiction. Perhaps the boy simply lacked imagination, perhaps he had been on his own for so long that the notion of working alongside other aspiring do-gooders was divorced from reality. Then, this held true for nearly all of them. Despite Zach’s bombastic nature, Casper knew the boy well enough to point out that he hadn’t worked alongside others, either. The Wraithborn could only guess that this held true for those without powers on his team, as well. The quiet ones, the reserved heroes. The more Casper considered this situation, the more he longed for a quiet environment. He looked back at the moments spent in the Spirit World, despite how much it had initially frightened him. There was a sense of comfort that came alongside residing on a plane of the dead. An understanding he didn’t come across on the material plane.

None of that mattered, at the moment. Standing beneath a blazing sun, face to face with his new teacher, and only a few feet distanced from a Tamaran, Casper was starting to feel stress build up. Had he been breathing, acceleration in that aspect was imminent. Had his heartbeat been able to rise, he’d have felt the muscle beating against his ribs, repeatedly. Rather, Casper’s emotional chaos was kept within, a swirl of anxiety unable to reach the surface of his undead body. He appeared calm, collected, and untouched. His apathetic eyes, two ghostly swirls lit up within seemingly endless darkness stared ahead, insecurity hidden behind their glow.

’I’m scared..,’ thoughts traveled back to the previous day, Casper’s words confessed to a feathery friend always by his side. ’You’ll be okay, Casper,’ was the response he had earned, something which allowed for a sense of calm to wash over him. The truth was that no one truly knew how this would play out, but words of encouragement were never meant to afford glimpses of the future, but rather the strength to carry on. Coal had put Casper in this position, but the Wraithborn would not admonish his dear friend for that decision, knowing full well that this was always going to happen, one way or the other. Was this stage fright? Perhaps, Casper’s clawed toes curling slightly within his shoes as the boy’s body tensed further with every second. At the very least, his poker face was superb, the pinnacle of displayed apathy. Within, however, chaos reigned.

’You can use your magic freely, at will, and without drawbacks,’ Zatanna’s words made their way to the forefront of Casper’s mind. ’But that does not mean that you can be careless. With all your power, what would you do if I summoned a miniature sun in front of you? Ball up in a black sphere and hope it goes away?’ That session had been harsh, a lesson that taught Casper that power meant nothing in the eyes of superior tactics. It didn’t matter if he could subjugate a room of people with a wave of his hand if a single one of them managed to raise a gun for long enough to shoot him. Power was a tool, and it was easily surpassed by those with the ability to think a step further.

There was more to concentrate on than simply Black Canary. He had an incredibly powerful opponent in front of him, as well as a blazing sun above his head, which was arguably the most daunting foe Casper would ever face. Though his protective shroud had grown to be a passive addition of his magic, a reaction to sunlight more so than anything, a lapse in calm could very well cause the layer to fluctuate and that spelled out certain death for the Wraithborn. A lot was at stake here for a simple sparring session, but that was good. This was what most of their missions would entail, focusing on more than one thing, more than one enemy. ”I’m ready..,” Casper stated, hoping that he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.

---

Apathetic, spectral eyes shifted towards a peculiar newcomer, Casper’s attention tracing across the combat scenario to a more rambunctious presence. A sight morphing an otherwise expressionless face into a faint frown. What was what light? As if concentrated sunlight gathered in a single container. It was headache-inducing, the boy narrowing those ghostly spheres before looking away. A new addition to the team? One the Wraithborn would have clear issues with. A singular glance in this girl’s direction, Aleen’a, was enough to warrant irritation. It wasn’t her personality, nor was it her flamboyant approach. The girl, or this creature, had done nothing wrong. Rather, her nature clashed with Casper’s to a dangerous extent, enough so for the Wraithborn’s dark shroud to grow somewhat thicker, and more noticeable.

This team, this family as Zatanna had phrased it, was continuing to grow, more individuals appearing with bombastic aftershocks soon following. Casper was aware of Tamarans. He had never met one before, but he recalled a Teen Titan by the name of ‘Starfire’. They were peculiar aliens, and their souls had a tendency of shining like bright stars. Aleen’a was no different, and indeed confirmed the rumor. In a way, Casper considered it beautiful. To him, an individual wasn’t the body they wore, but rather what was within. Quite literally. To a Wraithborn, the soul was everything, in any of its many different iterations and names. In old scripts, it wasn’t called a soul, it was called a shade, but semantics were irrelevant. To Casper, it was one’s being, one’s actual self. It would be fair to say that Casper witnessed a person’s inner being far before he ever saw their face. A body was simply a sleeve, a container for what was truly important. With that in mind, Casper would have been a fool to gaze upon the sunlit Tamaran and consider her spirit anything but beautiful, akin to a sunrise amidst darkness. Despite this, the ultraviolet rays emanating from Aleen’a were difficult to ignore.

“Hey, Casper! Try not to get a tan, yeah?” Coal stated, hopping from one foot to the other atop his friend’s shoulder.

”I’ll try..,” the boy mumbled, slowly backing away from Aleen’a.

“Anyway! Go up there and show them how it’s done, dead boy! Come on! It’s time for your gloomy ass to shine!” The avian continued. It wasn’t an attempt at embarrassing Casper, and much less so a desire to see him fail. Rather, Coal was aware that Casper wouldn’t participate without a push. The Wraithborn was a more than capable combatant with his magic, but like many others present, he was somewhat reluctant to offer a public display. It was almost ironic. Was any other superhero team this reserved? This group must have broken a record, certainly.

”I don’t know, Coal..,” Casper replied, his ghostly gaze lowering to the ground. If he was to go to the offensive, whoever ended up affected by the boy’s magic would be paralyzed for a few hours. Not the most effective training sequence. However, Casper didn’t need to focus on offense, he was already experienced enough in that regard, and the concept remained the same, irrelevant of if he was fighting the living or the dead. It was defense he needed to work on, defense and reaction time. That was where the two worlds differed for him. Spirits and those on the material plane would utilize an offense against him in completely different ways. He needed to master a response to both. ”Okay, I’ll try..,” the boy finally conceded, taking a step closer to the Arrow and the Canary. ”I’ll work on my defense..,” Casper stated, speaking up somewhat now that his older, feathery brother had pushed him enough.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.

---

People had started to speak their minds. Responses were being offered, and even Kassandra had something to share. Each statement brought another thought to mind, and it was growing exceedingly clear that Green Arrow was less popular than expected among the members of this newly formed team. However, Zach and Kassandra took a step outside the question they had been asked, and displayed an interesting point.

For most, varied capabilities would certainly aid in a battle. Casper was, however; a bit of an exception. He could not run out of magic, as it had been phrased, and no components were used when weaving his powers. However, the boy’s weaknesses remained elsewhere. Casper was helpless against artificial life forms, but no amount of physical training could change that. Was he going to claw an Android into pieces? An ironic thought, but hardly a reality which would come to pass.

” I appreciate the lesson..,” Casper began, speaking up for the first time, ”But I hope relying on our physical strength isn’t mandatory..” Did the phantasmal entity coated in a vague but noticeable dark cloud need to explain the reasons why different rules applied to him? Casper’s body was merely a shell, a container for the Necrotic magic within. That very magic was arguably his true self, simply using his body as a vehicle. Expecting the same training regime to work for every individual in a team composed of entities worlds apart was foolish. For Casper, his magic was as much a biological part of his body as the boy’s limbs. If by chance he was unable to utilize this magic in an area, a suppression field would likely have been prepared, which in turn would prevent him from entering in the first place, considering how his very being would have been repelled by such powerful spellcraft.

With all of that presented, however, Casper did find it paramount to learn of others’ fighting styles and how to adapt. He was more than capable of conjuring forth his powers in melee combat, given enough training. As long as Black Canary and his teammates weren’t expecting him to throw a punch. This was already a hurdle passed with Zatanna. Much like Zach, she had suggested physical training to the Wraithborn, with little to show for it.

A Wraithborn wasn’t a physical combatant, and no amount of training would change that. Asking Casper to fight without his magic fell along the same lines of asking Viktor to fight without his arms, or his legs for that matter. “Hah, you can show them that you have your teleportation on point, at least! Zatanna made sure of that.” Coal cawed with a chuckle. Maintaining a safe distance to your opponent was true for every combatant. “…so can you regulate your magic enough not to cause paralysis?”

Casper had learned how to prevent his spells from damaging the essence of whatever entity it came in contact with. He did not, however, think that he could go beyond that. All in all, Hex wasn’t a very spar-friendly creature, but he would make the best of it. ”No..,” the boy returned.

“Sweet!” Coal exclaimed. Yes, this would be a disaster. “Can you regulate your magic enough not to cause organic matter to die?” The physical side of Necromancy, targeting the body rather than the soul. While fully capable of this, Casper preferred the spectral side of his magic. It was less messy, and far more versatile.

”…no..” Casper repeated, his eyes lowering to the ground.

“You’ve got this, kid!” Coal joked. A disaster indeed.

Young Justice

Location
💀 Happy Harbour.

Interactions
💀 Those Present.

---

Spectral spheres eyed the early morning, tail slowly swaying at the sensation of a windy breeze. Divorced from temperature, Casper could still appreciate comfort accompanying the motions as sunlit gales gently caressed the Wraithborn’s cheeks. As if on reflex, clawed fingers rose to gently adjust the purple scarf so frequently positioned by the boy’s neck, a habit from when he still drew breath, perhaps? It was somewhat different, seeing his companions all gathered in one location, rather than spread out across rooms and hallways, much like the previous day. Gently rocking back and forth on the soles of his feet, Casper’s hands slipped into his jacket pockets, a slight frown managing its way to his features as the sun aimed bright rays at the deathly creature, Casper’s Necrotic shroud keeping him safe from relentless bombardment.

Physical training had never been his forté, and today nothing would change. Casper was unable to build muscle, or in any way alter his body. The boy was far weaker than that of an average human, and notably useless in a physical altercation. Rather, Casper’s entire repertoire of usefulness hailed from his magic. It begged the question, what would he have done in the situation currently witnessed? Conjuring forth Necrotic magic to attack his aggressors before they could reach him was an option, but that boiled down to exactly how skilled they were. Black Canary was a prime example of someone who would have utilized her advance and her stride to avoid being hit, all the while closing the distance between herself and Casper, giving her the upper hand. There was a reason as to why the Wraithborn felt most comfortable at a distance.

Rather, in a scenario where his assailant already possessed the advantage of distance, Casper’s first move would have to be logistical. Through means of his spectral magic, the boy would shift locations, phasing his body to another nearby location which shifted the advantage. Unlike Green Arrow, Casper could not hold his own in melee combat, and required quick thinking. Powers or not, Hex was taught by both his mother and Zatanna never to underestimate an opponent. A bullet unhindered by magical defenses would kill him, and arrogance paved a sure path to defeat.

Shifting his attention to Talon, the Wraithborn found himself agreeing with what had been said. It lined up well enough with the boy’s own deduction. Oddly enough, even Coal was silently watching this unfold. Though a playful bird, the spirit knew full well the importance of training. When Casper and Coal were alone, other rules applied, but in a scenario like this, another position was adopted. Most of Casper’s enemies were going to be alive and use weapons, rather than spiritual entities wielding powers. He had to adapt, and quickly.