[center][color=darkgray][b][sub]E P I S O D E   S I X :   R E F L E C T I O N S [/sub][/b][/color][b][color=bf2628][sup][h1]?!?[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center]
[COLOR=bf2628][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C I T Y  H A R B O R[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][sup][color=darkgray]September 2[sup]th[/sup], 2021  |  22:28 PM  |  Harbor, Gotham City[/color][/sup][/INDENT][/INDENT]

The Beast found himself in unfamiliar circumstances, yet a quite familiar pain panged through the body. From all fours, his eyes quickly switched between looking at the giant metal boxes, darkness, flashes of light, but stopped in place on one person. He was there the last time his peace was disturbed. The Beast remembered him. Remembered the anger and hurt that the [color=red][i]Arrow boy[/i][/color] brought from within. 

[color=red][i]It was him!![/i][/color]

His posture was that of a savage predator, and yet his body launched from his four limbs like a frog. All that kept claws from tearing into Quiver was his reflex to bring his bow up in defense at the very last second. However the seemingly impossible strength difference was enough to make them both topple over. The glow of the Beast’s eyes cast the light of two blood moons looming over Quiver in the night. His fanged jaws snapped down at his head, barely held back by the stringed weapon.

Frustrated, the Beast grabbed hold to throw it, and subsequently Quiver, over his shoulder towards another of the metal containers.  The thunderous clap of a tiger’s roar erupted from deep in his diaphragm, echoing through the harbor.

Quiver looked up into the eyes of his teammate, save the look that was peering back at him belonged to someone else entirely. Quiver knew he wouldn’t have the strength to hold whatever was inhabiting Metamorph. Quiver would have to try and use his strength against him. At least that’s what the young man would have tried if Meta didn’t grab him and throw him, essentially hurling him several feet away. He crashed hard into the same crate the two of them had been hidden in earlier.

The mission went to hell in a handbasket fast. That wasn’t a surprise, and Zach should have been used to that by now. He came in, and turned some gangsters' guns into flowers with a spell. 

Then he heard KJ scream, and ran over to check what the fuss was about, only to see him throw Quiver over his shoulder and into the metal containers. [color=darkviolet]“What was that for?!”[/color] Zach exclaimed as he went over to check on Quiver.

Quiver reached up to Zatara, who promptly pulled him up to his feet.

“Don’t ask questions: make this arrow hit harder.”

With a grimace, Quiver pulled back on his bow - an explosive tipped arrow with its sights set on The Beast.

Zach’s eyes went wide. [color=darkviolet]“We’re shooting arrows at our teammates now? Seriously? You know Kassy… Mirage is going to stick that arrow up your… quiver if you harm a hair on his head.”[/color] Zach shook his head. “What is even going on? Did you two get in a fight or something?”

Quiver wasn’t listening. Instead he was watching Metamorph rear up - like a wild animal increasing its size to threaten prey. 

No chances. He fired at the ground beneath Metamorph’s feet. More concussion than outright destructive, it would at least give off a smokescreen of debris, or else even a second for Quiver to regroup.  

Talos had just introduced a man’s face to the ground when he heard a bloodcurdling roar, followed shortly by the sound of an explosion. He turned toward the sound and saw Quiver standing with Zach, a dust cloud not too far away. [i]Well, shit, if there’s someone dangerous enough for explosives, maybe I should get over there,[/i] he thought as he, without looking, backhanded a gunman that had tried to sneak up on him.

As he dashed over to his allies, he ran his hand along the side of a shipping container. The steel shed its flaking red paint and gathered around his hands, forming a pair of large fists, far too heavy for him to lift without his power. He put himself in between his comrades and the dust cloud, dermal armor coating his arms and chest. He raised his steel-clad fists, eager for this new challenge.

Instead, the dust cleared just enough for Talos to make out who it was. His memory flashed back to the bank, back to the last time Metamorph had lost control, though he hadn’t seen firsthand exactly what that meant. [color=teal]“Someone wanna give me the rundown?”[/color] he asked, keeping his eyes locked on Metamorph’s silhouette, not sure what to expect. 

Quiver glanced over at Talos, unwilling to take his eyes off of this version of Metamorph for too long. He spoke quickly, all while loading up another round. He did however have the wherewithal to report his next message over comms.

“Metamorph has been compromised.” 

The silhouette of the Beast started off standing, but suddenly crouched to the ground. Then, jumping upward out of the smoke, the Beast took to the air. After briefly glazing over [color=red][i]Metal Boy[/i][/color] and [color=red][i]Zzz[/i][/color], his stare refocused on [color=red][i]Arrow boy[/i][/color]. Backflipping in the air to angle his body downward, his body propelled forward, directly diving at him.

Talos was quick to react. He kept himself between Quiver and the missile that was Metamorph, his steel fists rippling briefly. When Metamorph was in range, Talos reached out and his steel fist extended out toward his comrade, the fingers opening up, then spreading out as they slim down into cables, forming a net. [color=teal]"Let's all calm down, now,"[/color] he said, [color=teal]"and talk about this like rational super teens."[/color]

Zach was still confused about what was happening. [color=darkviolet]“Compromised? Compromised how? Does someone here have mind control powers or something?”[/color] He asked and looked around for any Gangster being weird.

Sometime during all of this, Stormcaller floated over the heads of the boys present. That scream scared her. She wasn’t confident she could outrun KJ like this if she was on the ground. She floated downwards until she was just a few feet above Talos’ shoulder. [color=00ffff]”How long can you hold him like that?”[/color]

All the while, the Beast thrashed against the bonds that Metal had put him in. It was quickly becoming dented in places, as though trying to contain a charging rhinoceros with each hit. [color=red][i]Metal boy protecting Arrow Boy…Held him in cage. Him be caged no longer![/i][/color] With a seemingly new resolve, he built up momentum and burst a hole through the steel cables. Rolling across the ground, his claws dug into the ground to stop himself.

[color=teal]“About that long, apparently,”[/color] Talos remarked as he recalled the snapped cables, reforming his steel fist.

Quiver could tell that Metamorph was burning a hole through him with his stare. He’d grown up surrounded by that kind of bloodlust. The others on the team were hesitating to engage - he didn’t blame them. They didn’t want to hurt their friend. But the friend they were trying to help wasn’t home right now - and they were all in incredible danger.

From his quiver he pulled the Canary arrow. Modeled after Black Canary’s sonic scream, the Canary arrow has a fletching that emitted a similar sonic blast. A loud enough pitch that would bring a kryptonian to a stop. At least briefly. Quiver would plant its talon-like arrowhead into a surface for the back-end to fire the blast. If it came to it he’d hook it into the wall behind him, moving out of the way for its radius to engulf Metamorph.

While holding on to that one, he fired a standard arrow right down the middle, straight at Metamorph. Get him to head right this way.

The Beast started to charge, but stopped on the second stride. Clearly wary of the projectile this time, he dodged it, looking back from whence it came. The Fury of the Red also seemed to take note of the small crowd now forming where he once was. His view briefly cast onto Zatara standing among them, and he bared his fangs, but his eyes seemed to tell the story of…confusion? 

Regardless, he glanced briefly back to [i][color=red]Arrow boy[/color][/i] before disappearing into the shadows of more nearby containers.

“Yeah you better run.” Quiver groaned, before he fired off his grappling arrow and turned to Zatara and the others.

“Find a way to talk him down if you can, but he’s dangerous. Whatever took him over at the bank seems to have a real stronger hold today.” With that, he released the grappling pin and zip lined up to higher ground

Atop a nearby container, Quiver started scanning the alleyways between the giant metal crates. He’d be lying if part of him wasn’t excited at the chance to fight Metamorph. An awesomely talented warrior with ability to envy, Will would have jumped at the chance to fight him if he was still the way he once was, as a Talon.

Daphne continued disarming more of the shooters. The heat was on her all of the sudden. She didn’t even get the chance to unload any of their weapons. Reforming was too dangerous and she would definitely get shot. While fluttering around the harbor she started to understand why. Most of the Team had gathered at Metamorph’s position. 

With considerable effort on her part she extended to her limit, forming a large cloud which ambushed a group of three unsuspecting gang members. After a short struggle they were dazed by the scent trail. It cleared the way to the Team and she rushed over to their side. 

[color=Lightgreen]“Where’s…..”[/color]

She came to a stop, panting. Supporting herself against one of the crates she looked at everyone. 

[color=lightgreen]“Metamorph?”[/color]

[color=teal]“Your guess is as good as mine,”[/color] Talos replied. He separated the steel fists from his arms and let them float around him as a pair of large spheres. He spread his wings and said, [color=teal]“I’ll let you guys know if I spot him from the air.”[/color] With that, he took off, his wings glinting in the ambient light. [color=teal]“Come out, come out wherever you are, bud! Make this easier on both of us!”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”I bet I can try to stun him if we need. But I [i]really[/i] don’t want to risk actually hurting him.”[/color] Cora had been practicing using a precise amount of lightning to stun people, but people were different every time. Some people were stunned a little less and others were stunned a little harder.

She pushed off the ground, and scanned across the harbor for any movements in the dark. [color=00ffff]”If I see him, I’ll try to keep him distracted.”[/color]
[hr]
With the others taking flight, Quiver continued to move from crate to crate, scrutinizing any movement he could make out as Metamorph. At this point any of the rounded up gangsters were presumably taken care of by the members of the team who hadn’t moved on Metamorph’s position. Quiver knew Metamorph was a Hunter, and he’d keep well out of sight from airborne heroes. He moved further from the others, thinking he’d find Meta before them. But what then? Would he engage defensively? Or otherwise? He leapt another crate, bringing him close to the end of the shipping yard.

An eerie silence was slowly coming to the harbor as the gunshots were fading in frequency. Instead, near the edge of the harbor, the rhythmic splash of the ocean’s waves were the predominant sound. It was often believed that the ocean was where life began. At first microscopic, though through time, it evolved into bigger more complex creatures of the deep. Where the first predators were born. 

Then, a violent swash as the sea seemed to vomit up the Beast, flying directly at Quiver.

But the hooded hero saw it coming. With peak reflexes, Quiver’s bow collapsed back into it’s staff. He was already mid-swing, slamming the weapon directly into the chest of his compromised teammate. Will had caught The Meta Beast Thing dead to rights, then used all of his strength to lift him up and over with the staff, with the intent to slam him downward into the metal crate he was using for footing. It worked in theory - Meta landed with cat-like reflexes of his own, on both his feet. At the same time, the animalistic hero shoved the staff away from him, as though wary of what it could do.

Quiver could see a lack of of friendliness in Meta’s eyes, and felt a chill. The eyes of a killer. A bit too familiar. With a severe disadvantage in strength, Quiver spun the collapsed bow around and tried to connect with his target, but Meta moved gracefully. 3, 4, 5 swings before Quiver could make contact, and knocked Meta across the face.

Seeming to recognize that the staff itself had no destructive properties, the Meta used his incredible chimp-like grip strength to snap the end of it off. Will tossed the rest of it aside. And he really liked that bow.

The Meta charged at Quiver, a near howl piercing the night sky from the thrashing hero. He swung his vicious clawing swings at Quiver’s face. Will was operating as much on instinct as he could, as this heightened version of his teammate had a speed advantage on top of his overwhelming strength. The only chance he had was to use Meta’s strength against him, so as he swiped for Quiver, Quiver brushed his wrist aside, trying to knock him off balance. In doing so, he went for a knee to Meta. 

Meta looked shocked but not injured, and he snarled with what looked like the sharpest canines Quiver had ever seen. He grabbed Quiver’s knee and rolled through the strike, trapping Quiver like a hunter with a snare trip. Will could feel his leg muscle straining as Meta pulled on it from on top of him. Quiver felt his earpiece for comms go sliding across the ground.  He couldn’t break the hold, and cried out. He grabbed the first arrow he could reach at his side and held the arrowtip at Meta’s back. 

A zap of electricity surged through the tip onto Meta’s back - Stun Gun Arrow.

Meta was forced to let go, and hopped off of Quiver. Quiver tried to stand and could feel the pain in his leg. But Meta was already back on him. Quiver went down against a taller metal crate beside them, and Meta’s claws tore through the metal crate, shredding through like it gave up no resistance at all.

Quiver pulled his grapnel gun from the belt at his side, and fired it at Meta’s shoulder, where its metallic grips dug in. He released the mechanism, and it pulled against Meta’s frame while he rolled away. He was up on his feet quick, meaning to reach out to the team on Comms, but Meta was undeniable. 

Having cut the grapnel’s line and pulled the clamps out, the Beast started throwing vicious haymakers - not with the discipline that the Usual Metamorph was capable of, but with reckless volatile abandon. Quiver took another hit to the gut, feeling nearly lifted off the floor from the contact. The wind was knocked out of him, and as Meta went for another kick, Will threw up his arm to block.

It was a feint.

Quiver felt a warm splash on his chest and feet, a rush of nausea. He looked down to see a dark red liquid spreading across his abdomen. Meta had sliced four claw-like marks across Quiver’s oblique. Bluntly, the Beast kicked Quiver in the chest, sending him across the shipping container, precariously close to falling into the depths of the ocean.

Talos had been circling the area when he caught a flash of movement near the water. He turned his attention to it just in time to see Quiver go down, kicked to the edge of the container by Metamorph. [color=teal]"Found them,"[/color] Vincent said into his earpiece. [color=teal]"They're by the water. Quiver's down, I'm gonna go lend a hand."[/color]

He tucked his wings in and dove toward the scene of Quiver and the Beast's fight. He landed on the far end of the container and saw that Quiver's injuries seemed quite a bit worse than he expected. He then turned his attention toward Metamorph and, for the first time since his transformation, regarded the thing that had been his comrade, but was now something else entirely.

He had a wild look to him and the things that made Metamorph who he was were gone, replaced by pure, animalistic instinct. Talos wanted nothing more than to charge out of the gate, to take this new challenge head-on, but figured he owed it to Metamorph to at least try…what was the word? Right, reason.

He held his hands up, and his steel spheres lowered slightly, though remained at the ready as they hovered around his waist. [color=teal]"Easy does it,"[/color] he said to the Beast. [color=teal]"Let's just all go ahead and calm down, huh? I'll be glad to fight you, but it won't go the way you want. I won't go down easy."[/color] He cast a quick glance at Quiver and added, [color=teal]"No offense."[/color]

Quiver coughed and rolled to his side.

“No, I’ve got him right where I want him.” He said, starting to pass out.

[color=teal]“You sure do, buddy,”[/color] Talos replied as he cautiously took a step closer, putting Quiver within his range. A black mist appeared around Quiver’s torso as Vincent pulled carbon out of the air and fitted it around his teammate’s chest, forming a sort of compression band of carbon fiber. 

[color=teal]“Not as good as a bandage, but hopefully it’ll keep you from bleeding out, for now.”[/color]

Stormcaller drifted above the scene happening between the Beast, Quiver and Talos. Quiver looked a little beat to shit, and Talos was fine. Good, he could distract KJ- or was it B now?- While she made her move. 

Stormcaller stopped magnetizing herself, causing her to fall out of the sky. She spread her arms out, and electricity began to crackle between her fingers. Hopefully he couldn’t smell static, otherwise she was fucked, but she aimed straight for him and reached to grapple him with her entire body. Electricity exploded from her like a human stun gun; slamming into…nothing?

While she was falling, the predatory creature’s headbush seemed to slowly stand on end, as though a dog’s ears perked, alerting him to something approaching. Lightning? His head swiveled upward towards the sky to see the falling lightning person, instinct driving him to jump backwards, away from it and back onto the docks a little ways away. 

Talos barely had enough time to take to the air, shearing off the section of steel Quiver laid on to bring him up with him just as Stormcaller fell from the sky and electrocuted the shipping container. [color=teal]“Jesus, maybe warn me, next time?!”[/color] he called out as he kept an eye on whatever Metamorph had become.

He and Quiver landed on another container and he was about to chase after Metamorph, but stopped when he looked down at his injured teammate. He thought about getting Quiver out of there and getting him some help, but his instincts told him that wouldn't be so easy, not so long as this Beast was prowling around. Plus, he still wanted a chance to try his hand against it. 

[color=teal]"Hang tight,"[/color] he told Quiver as his armor spread across his arms, [color=teal]"we'll get you sorted soon as we can."[/color] With that, he dropped down from the container, alert for his misbehaving teammate.

Stormcaller bounced above the ground, not even touching it but repulsing herself away with her weird magnetic field. Her hands spring upwards in front of her, and let more electricity crackle upwards. She immediately took off in Metamorph’s direction like she was intent on rushing him down and punching the shit out of him. That was not what she did though. She leapt into the air again, propelled by her powers.

When she was about 15 feet above the ground, and still soaring towards him, Stormcaller brought her hands together to cause a thunderclap. Lightning from her fingertips compressed inwards, forming a vibrant ball of electricity. The energy immediately exploded back outwards in an intense, blinding flash in front of Metamorph. The entire harbor shook with the sound, but the flash was directed between Stormcaller’s metal gloves so it would only blind one person. 

Talos watched as Stormcaller unleashed a flash of light at Metamorph and took that as his cue. The steel spheres that had been floating around him spread out and enveloped his body before taking the shape of a suit of armor. Directing his power on himself, Talos shot toward Metamorph, his arms outstretched in an attempt to tackle him.

Zach still wasn’t sure why KJ was attacking everyone, but he still felt like he had to do something to keep his teammate from getting killed. He approached Quiver, and exclaimed [color=darkviolet]“egadnab otni latem.”[/color] Turning that carbon fiber Talos had made into a proper bandage. [color=darkviolet]“Dleifecrof!”[/color] He brought up another darkviolet forcefield of magic around the two of them. [color=darkviolet]“I don’t know what you all did to piss him off. But I’m glad it’s not me.”[/color]
[hr]
After Vincent’s message over comms Daphne immediately rushed back into the night sky. She moved as fast as she could to the water’s edge. There was a feeling of heaviness spreading throughout her dispersed body. It increased gradually and she was losing altitude. It forced her to land in between the crates, still a ways away from the water. The landing was rough. She reformed while still airborne and managed to grab onto some loose hanging ropes, making her way down. 

Daphne leaned her back against the cold metal of a crate. Catching her breath she turned on comms. 

[color=lightgreen]“Is someone with Quiver? I’m close to the water’s edge but it might take me a bit.”[/color]

There was a flash of light and a deafening thunder clap. It sounded like it was very close to her and she subconsciously covered her ears. She hated thunderstorms. Get a grip Daphne….

That must have been Cora. 

The Daughter of the Green upon getting closer would be met with the sight of the Red Beast catching Talos. Having rolled backwards, their darkened teammate reversed the tackle. 

With the armored hero pinned below, a bull elephant’s roar bellowed down at him, planting his feet against Talos’ chestplate. And yet, as his weight increased to try crushing him…The Beast paused in his attack, turning his head instead to where a familiar scent was. The flower seemed…hurt.

Talos laid beneath the Beast’s feet as he did his best to throw him off, but his increasing weight made it almost impossible. He could feel his carbon armor being tested to its limit as hairline cracks spidered across his chest, blood seeping through the hairline gaps in his armor. He couldn’t breathe, he could feel his ribs groaning in protest, ready to snap at any moment. For the first time in a long time, he was skirting the line between life and death…but he wasn’t afraid.

No, he was [i]pissed.[/i] He had made peace with the possibility of dying a long time ago, but if it [i]was[/i] his time, he would prefer it to be on his feet. Slowly crushed to death on his back, helpless and meek like he was all those years ago? [color=teal][i]Fucking…pathetic…![/i][/color] he growled inwardly as his anger at himself and the situation he was in grew.

A chill ran down Daphne’s spine. She could make out Vincent as Kila’s victim, pinned down under his foot. The animal cries coming from within Kila were terrifying. It resonated through her entire being. In any other given situation this would have pinned her in place, but Vincent was in very real danger now. If this was the animal she thought it was she needed to get him out of there right now. 

She bravely stepped forward, searching for Kila’s red glowing eyes, wanting to connect. He’d turned his head towards her…..but his eyes were closed. Why?

[color=Lightgreen]“Kila….can you hear me?”[/color] Her voice wavered. She went up even closer.

The young man-thing seemed to recognize her voice, and crawled off of Talos, approaching her instead…Almost [i]un[/i]naturally odd for a human body, yet naturally similar to a spider, his body was on the ground, limb flowing over limb to drag forward. The mesh of his mane writhed around his face and his head seemed to twitch about on his shoulders. Although blinded in the eyes, the Beast seemed not to lose much awareness.

With the Beast finally off of his chest, Talos rolled onto his stomach, coughing as he fought to regain his breath. His carbon armor receded, his costume warm and damp with blood from his split skin underneath. His ribs were more or less intact, maybe a crack or two here and there, but so long as he could breathe, he could handle the pain.

The Red and The Green edged closer to each other until Daphne stopped moving. The unmistakable scent of fear could not be masked, not even by her powers. She whimpered quietly. The edges of her costume started to be picked apart piece by piece, the petals floating aimlessly into the air around her. The dispersion stopped there. Something was holding her back. 

[color=Lightgreen]“Please stop Kila…”[/color] She choked up with fear, fear she had tried to push down ever since the mission at the bank. Where she first saw him like this. 

The Beast too came to a halt, hearing her fear, smelling it, feeling it. Why? The flower was retreating subtly. 

[color=red][i]Stop…? Stop what? [color=lightgreen]“stop Kila...”[/color] Him stop? Her scared more than before. Her feared Him? No, Him her friend. Her said ‘stop Kila’…but Her still scared. Her scared of [i]them.[/i] Arrow boy with Them. Metal boy with Them. Them still fight, them hurt Him…Them hurt Her? No…NO.-[/i][/color]

[color=red][b]”NOOO!!!”[/b][/color] His voice boomed almost as loud as the thunderclap moments ago. It was deeply pitched, yet freakish, causing Nymph to flinch backwards. It was neither like Kila nor Ja. It was someone else. Someone worse.

Talos heard the roar, but he didn’t flinch. His armor shifted and liquid metal dripped from the plates as he shed extra mass. If hitting hard wasn’t going to work, he was going to hit fast. [color=teal]”I’m still here, pal!”[/color] he shouted. [color=teal]”And you aren’t the only one with anger issues!”[/color] He shot forward, moving faster than he had earlier and lashed out with a kick aimed at his teammate’s head. Restraining Metamorph wasn’t going to work, he realized, especially given his still-limited understanding of his abilities. He was going for a knockout, this time, deciding to apologize for it later.

The kick connected solidly and Vincent was barely able to duck out of the way when the Beast gave a wild swing in his direction, only to dash back in with a right cross. Talos’ movements were becoming more refined as he sidestepped another strike from his comrade and countered with a blow from his left, drawing from what he had learned from his mentor. Against the thugs earlier, he was just having fun, but now that he was up against someone that he had learned could actually hurt him, let alone kill him, the gloves had come off.

For a little while, he thought he was doing well and his blows were having some effect. The lighter armor made it easier for him to weave between and even counter the Beast’s wild strikes, but it didn’t take long for Talos to realize something was wrong. It was when he delivered his second kick, the fifth strike of his combo, that the Beast just didn’t budge. [color=teal]”Damn it,”[/color] Talos growled. He redirected his focus to the back of his breastplate and threw himself backward to put some space between himself and his teammate.

From his crouched position, the Beast’s head was briefly aimed toward the aged tarmac of the harbor. Then between the wisp-like billowing of the headbush, two flashes of scarlet blazed to life. Instantly they seemed to lock onto Talos’ retreating form. For once since the battle started, the Fury of the Red didn’t make a sound in response.

[color=teal]”Think I made him mad.”[/color]

That was the last thing Talos said before the Beast was on him. Without realizing it, he found himself in the same situation Quiver had been in earlier. He was on the back foot, just barely able to dodge the Beast’s strikes, even with his powers helping him out, while at the same time, looking for an opening to strike back that just didn’t come. It was frustrating. Talos was used to being the aggressive one. If it were anyone else, he’d push back and force an opening, but something was holding him back.

He twisted to dodge a lunge and a container flipped over just behind him, he felt his chest sting. Was that it? Now that his armor was compromised, was he…afraid? [color=teal][i]No, no way! I don’t do fear![/i][/color] he thought. He tried to hold his ground, but with the Beast bearing down on him, he found himself backpedaling almost instinctively. Something, an alien feeling, started to overtake him. All he knew was that it was no longer excitement.
[hr]
Kassy barely heard anything Iceburn said past 'we got this'. The moment she knew it was okay, she turned and ran toward KJ. The fact that something was wrong wasn't the worst part of things. No, the worst part -

"Metamorph has been compromised."

She turned her comm off. Hearing out loud what was obvious wouldn't help. She could just pick out the sounds of battle and pain. Faster. Why couldn't she run [i]faster[/i]? Her friends were hurting each other. The boy she loved was suffering. She couldn't just watch it happen.

If she couldn't prevent pain as a hero, then what was the point of all this work?

Her hand gripped the shortened handle of her elemental staff. There had been less reason to use it lately. Between Daphne's reawakening, Cora's lightning command, and Pei's ice power, what she could do with the forces of nature paled in comparison to their strength.

But no illusion would get her body across the pier quicker. The staff lit in the night as she summoned control over air. Around her body, the air seemed to loosen, somehow, friction around her body and clothes fading. And at her back, it pushed, forcing her forward. She nearly stumbled and fell with the sudden shove of wind, before getting her footing.

The distance shrank in seconds, and she stopped the spell just in time to skid to a stop.

Carnage was before her. She could smell blood in the air, and picked out her teammates in the gloom. The lavender tint of Zatara's magic, the scent of ozone that always surrounded Stormcaller. While she couldn't see Nymph, she had a sense that the other girl was very close by. Talos in front of her, running. Being hunted by -

[color=orange]"..."[/color] His hands and front were coated in blood. Whose it was didn't bear thinking about, in this moment. Healing and apology could come later. For now...

She whipped her staff in the air and slammed it, base first, into the ground. The fire runes lit with a burst of light, revealing Mirage in full force. If this didn't make her an appealing target, nothing would.

[color=orange]"Kilamanjaro! You need to STOP!"[/color]

The ringing of his name perked the ears of the young Beast, and his body froze in the air with the spread of his arms. The voice that called to his name caught his attention, staring down at her bright shining form against the darkness. The predator’s head snapped back at his prey as it made more distance between them. Although inclined to follow, the command conflicted with his instincts. The indignance of his mind was expressed through a bear’s groan.

[color=red][i]Kass said Him to stop. [color=orange]”Kilamanjaro…STOP!”[/color] Why?[/i][/color] 

Kassy's eyes too, flicked to Talos as he started moving again. She understood why, but the worst thing to give a predator was a reason to chase you. [color=orange]"We are your friends. I know you don't want to hurt your friends."[/color] She walked toward him slowly, staff tapping the ground with each step. Her free hand, just hidden in shadow, signaled Talos to 'hold'. Hopefully he'd see it, and decide to obey. [color=orange]"It's going to be okay. I promise."[/color]

The staff’s tapping caught his eye next, and with each, the Beast lowered in altitude. All the while, his face twisted in confusion with her words. [color=red][i]Friends…Kass Him friend. Flower Him friend. Zzz…yes, Zzz Him friend…Arrow Boy hurt Him. Bright and Metal Boy protect Arrow.— Kass protect Metal Boy…? But…but Kass Him friend. Kass not with Them. [color=orange]’It’s going to be okay…[/color]…Kass promise?[/i][/color]

Once on the ground, his eyes switched from the staff to Kass herself.

[color=orange]"That's right. It's just me."[/color] She kept her pace slow, and even. "I'm your… your friend." Her gaze was soft, despite her fear. [color=orange]"Come on."[/color] Kneeling, she set her staff down, not breaking eye contact. [color=orange]"We need to go home."[/color]

[i]Home…[/i]

It was subtle at first, his breathing slowed down. His headbush was less wily, rather calmer but no less wild. Gradually the pulsating crimson of the metamorph suit faded into its more natural black and brown tones. Similarly if one were to look closer, the glowing scarlet of his eyes withdrew with a few blinks to a golden hue. With his lowered positioning of being down on all fours, he opted to sit on his knees instead. One of his hands came up to hold the side of his temple, pressing against a sore pain. 

That was when the smell hit him, and his hand slowly pulled away from his head. Blood…His recollecting view moved on, to the glowing body in front of him in the darkness. Kassy? His eyes traversed his surroundings more. They were on a mission on the docks…did he doze off…? As his view caught his other teammates, he found himself sobering very quickly to the fact that this wasn’t some kind of dream. No…This was a nightmare.

Farthest away from him, he could see Zach leaning over Quiver’s unconscious form. Above were Stormcaller and Talos, the latter clearly having seen better days. His eyes started to burn. No…not again…did…did he…? His eyes turned back to Kassy’s direction but stopped on seeing something in the darkness a little ways away. Even in the shadows, he could still see her. She shared the look that they all did. A feeling that he could sense in his core; They were afraid. Afraid of…

[color=goldenrod]”No…”[/color] He fell on his backside. His eyes shuffled fast between his teammates once again as the realization hit him. [color=goldenrod]”No no no…I…I-I didn’t..-“[/color] His voice trembled in tandem with his lips. Tears rolled down his cheeks while he crawled backwards, away. What did he do?!

[color=goldenrod]”I didn’t mean it…I d-didn’t mean it…I’m…”[/color]

Kassy crossed the distance between them, kneeling and wrapping her arms around him. [color=orange]"I know. I know you didn't. It's going to be okay. I've got you."[/color] Her fingers slipped through his hair in a gentle motion. Soothing him with shaking hands. [color=orange]"You need to rest."[/color] There was a subtle tinge of mental magic in her voice. Asking, not commanding, telling him it was okay to just sleep.

Ja’s eyes whirled around the damage to both teammates and containers, still stumbling through repeating himself. He initially flinched at Kassy’s touch, but quickly his breathing calmed. Yet, his body was still tense despite the coaxing. He felt that the shadows were watching them. Then one of them moved— His eyes had drifted towards the darkened sky when he noticed a figure suddenly drop from a crane. Was fast moving at first but then quickly slowed. By now, they would surely recognize the winged silhouette drifting down as a phantom towards the shoreline. 

How long had he been there?

The Bat landed near to where Quiver was being protected by Zatara’s forcefield, seeming to study his condition. A moment passed before a sharp turning of his head to stare in Metamorph’s direction. A familiar cold chilled his spine upon feeling the glare. The Bushbaby felt his eyes fluttering closed as a new voice took over the comm lines.

[color=slategray]“Get Quiver to the jet. This mission is over…”[/color]