Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Quiver, Sebastian the crab

---

Daphne smiled at Will's attempt to return her joke. There was still this hint of nervousness in their communication with each other. It was mutual, but probably for different reasons. That was something that hadn't changed despite what they both went through the last months. She followed his gaze towards the water and eventually resting on Viktor. Daphne averted her gaze. She looked at the water beneath their feet instead. Exactly where Will was looking earlier to avoid embarrassment.

Were they being obvious about it?

Did that bother her?

Will alluded to something between her and Viktor twice in a row now. She noticed that it made her feel uncomfortable. This wasn't the first time she'd thought about the Team's opinions about her and Viktor. They were such an unlikely pair, Daphne wasn't sure they would be supportive. Especially given the fact that they didn't start off on the best terms. She caught herself quickly trying to smooth things over by brushing off what Will said earlier.

"It's okay don't worry about it..."

Was it okay though? And she was the one who was worried.

"And I think I'm good yeah, just uhm.....a lot on my mind recently"

"How about you? How have things been going lately?"

She moved her hair over one shoulder. Something fell down, make a plopping sound, which went completely unnoticed by the both of them. Until there was a sudden sharp sting in her left foot. Daphne squealed and jumped from the water onto Will's back. His shades fell down and started to sink towards their mysterious assailant.

"Something bit my foot... it's it's there!"

She pointed to nowhere in particular, her voice genuinely panicked.

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Daphne, Will, Vincent & Erin
Mentions:

---

Viktor had washed away his previous thoughts concerning himself and HIVE, choosing to simply swim aimlessly and take in the natural world beneath the waves. Just enjoying the moment was still a new thing for him, making him feel odd at times. Still, he was slowly beginning to see the merit of allowing oneself true freedom.

Going with the tide, Viktor eventually found his way back to the beach, more than ready to enjoy something from the grill. As he stood at the water’s edge, his eyes scanned over the scene, an instinct forever drilled into his head.

_{"Sorry, I shouldn't make jokes like that. Things being...the way they are."}

Viktor's eyes darted to Will and Daphne, but his his usual cold expression didn't waver. Instead, he kept his focus on listening to the exchange. Why? He wasn't quite sure himself.

Viktor had never experienced a relationship like the one he shared with Daphne, but seeing her rub the sunscreen on Will forced a nearly lost feeling within him. It wasn't just anger. It was much closer to envy, except it was more sickening. Betrayal?

However, betrayal had never taken this form before Viktor. To him, it was an advantage or asset threateningly turned against you and your interests. The barrel of a gun that you believed belonged to someone you deemed an ally, a safe location rigged to be a trap, or deceit disguised as something beneficial. This was neither of those things. Whatever this was, Viktor was very sure of one thing— he did not like it.

<sub>"It's okay, don't worry about it..."

"And I think I'm good yeah, just uhm.....a lot on my mind recently"

"How about you? How have things been going lately?"</sub>

Viktor was already making his way over toward them, his ears only honing in selectively on their interaction, further souring his mood@. He fought against the natural furrowing of his eyebrows and the balling of his hands that swung stiffly at his sides, but he couldn’t rid himself of the slow-burning emotion that started at the pit of his stomach and spread as a subtle heat on the surface of his skin.

Closing in, he noticed something peculiar fall from Daphne’s hair, its many appendages wriggling about. He recognized what it was, and might have found himself puzzled as to why a crab had been in her hair, but the thought took a backseat. What was important to him now was reaching Will and Daphne so he could…

He wasn’t quite sure what he would do. In fact, it never even crossed his mind. How could one act on a feeling they weren’t even quite sure of? The only thing he had to work with was the nervousness he identified between them. As if they knew what was happening was wrong? So, was it just typical nervousness or was there guilt? Whatever the case may have been, the time to think about it had come to a close.

!!!

Daphne's squeal caused Viktor's eyes to look downward toward the potential source of her pain before his eyes landed on the sight of her clutching onto Will’s back. That feeling he was shouldering peaked in that very moment, but instead of it fueling him to take action, it unexpectedly collapsed into him. It wasn’t painful… at least that's not how he’d describe it. It was heavy— heavy enough that if it were tangible, he’d find it difficult to traverse even the damp sand on the water’s edge.

This was the moment, now. When it had finally arrived, yet, all Viktor did was offer them a brief look of acknowledgement. He didn't expect a response or explanation. He simply wished to blatantly show that he could clearly see them. Too many unknowns… His mind tried to cope by using the several years of training, conditioning, and brainwashing. Why did these things come to aid him now? Don’t show weakness… These teachings were a safety net, sure, but one interwoven with barbed wire and pin needles.

Reaching down, into the shallow water, he scooped up the tiny crab into his palms. Daphne’s assailant appeared so harmless yet it was quick to pinch at his fingers. He looked at it as if it were as intelligent as any of the beachgoers enjoying their time.

“You should be mindful in keeping your claws off Daphne.” He said with a slight smile as he let the small crustacean cling to his index finger, His eyes however, were set on Will, cold as the first instant they’d met.

“And we’ll talk later, Daph.” Viktor took a step away from them and crouched down to free the crab from his clutches. It scurried off with its claws raised for its own assurance, while Viktor took his leave as well, making his way toward the grill as he originally intended.

“Vincent.” He greeted on approach. “I know I want food, but… I think I could use some advice.” He still wasn’t quite sure if what he did was wrong, right, or enough. He lazily nodded toward Erin. “Relationship advice…” He admitted begrudgingly while not excluding Vincent's girlfriend's insight as well.

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Mentions: Viktor @FunnyGuy

---

Vincent was having a great time. He and Erin were in complete sync as they both manned the grills while 80's rock and metal music played on the bluetooth speaker she brought from home. With how well they moved around each other, careful not to trip over one another's feet, and with the music playing, Vincent would have likened it to a dance of sorts, if he were the poetic type.

Some time later, they had finished cooking for the time being and, as Vincent ran an onion across the grate of the grill he had been using for the meat, he felt Erin's back press against his as she leaned against him. He said nothing and continued cleaning the grill as he simply enjoyed her presence. Less than a month ago, the thought of being in a relationship had never crossed his mind, but now that he and Erin were together, even if they were just feeling things out, he couldn't deny how much happier he was.

As he cleaned the grill, he looked out at his teammates as they enjoyed the beach. Pei was having fun in the water Zach was with his boyfriend; Ro and Kassy were doing something in the water, as well. At first, Vincent thought they were playing, but there seemed to be a purpose to whatever they were doing. His eyes soon drifted over to where Daphne and Will were talking. They were too far away for him to make out what they were saying, but something seemed to spook Daphne, making her cling to Will's back just as Viktor approached them. While he had no idea what was being said, Vincent could almost use his powers on the daggers Viktor's glare gave Will before the former approached the grill.

Vincent's eyebrows rose as Viktor made his request. The food was easy enough to take care of, but relationship advice would be a tall order for him to fulfill. "Uhh, you sure you're asking the right guy, Vik?" he asked as he closed the grill. He glanced at Erin, who stifled a laugh, and added, "I'm not exactly an expert at this kinda thing, either. You'd be better off asking Za--"

Erin cut him off by gently nudging his arm with an elbow as she stepped beside him. "What he means is that we're happy to help," she told Viktor as she picked up a paper plate. "What's on your mind? And while you're at it, what're you hungry for?"

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Vincent & Erin @Daxam
Mentions: Daphne, Will, Zach

---

Viktor listened silently to Vincent, and at first, he was slightly disappointed that he might not be much help. It wouldn't be the end of the world, since there was still Zach but he also didn't want to go anywhere close to the shoreline. He wanted some level of discretion concerning what had occurred and Will and Daphne would be too close in his opinion.

Fortunately, Erin cut in, voicing that she was willing to offer some help. That's if Viktor could even explain his issue.

“Thanks.” Viktor nodded and looked over the food the couple had prepared for everyone. “I’ll hold off on the glizzies… The rest is quite exceptional. Two burgers, three kabobs, bell peppers, and one slice of watermelon for my first plate… Oh, and I don't mind you needing to stack my food or needing to use a second.” Viktor wouldn't say it, but he was happy to have gotten to the food before KJR for once without having a plan for being early.

“Alright, about my situation.” Viktor clasped his hands behind his back and started to pace as if he was going to start a thorough briefing with the two of them. “Well, first, I must disclose that Daph and I have been sleeping together every night for the past two weeks…” He stopped in place to give the two, especially Vincent, some time to let that piece of information sink in. Fortunately, Viktor was being very literal. Unfortunately, the couple would likely interpret his verbiage as something else. Still, his pensive expression showed he was forcing the explanation out, despite how uncomfortable he may have been

“We’re not as open with our relationship as you other couples, and I'm still uncertain as to how we’d announce a private affair like ours.” He paused again, shortly. “Anyway… moments ago, Daphne and Will were… close. They were close, and I did not like it… But I don't know if that's normal or what a boyfriend is supposed to do.” With the difficult parts out, Viktor continued. “It wasn't cheating, since I’ve seen plenty of that on the countless reality television programs I’ve watched, but it felt like… betrayal. Which doesn't make sense since I’m not harmed in the slightest. It's not envy, because Will doesn't have something I don't. I doubt he ever will. No. Pun. Intended.”

“I looked at them, and told Will not to touch her and told Daph that I would talk to her later, but I’m not sure if that was right… or wrong.” He then finally gave the two a firm nod for their insight.

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Viktor @FunnyGuy
Mentions: Daphne, Will

---

As Viktor listed off what he wanted to eat, Erin reinforced the paper plate with another, then a third after thinking about it for a moment. She listened intently as Viktor spoke while she loaded up the plate, nearly dropping a bell pepper when he outright said he and Daphne were sleeping together. She blushed and glanced at Vincent, who nearly choked on the water he was sipping. While he had been with the team long enough to know that Viktor was painfully literal most of the time, those were still the last words he expected to hear so blatantly.

The couple were quiet as Viktor continued, explaining what had happened between himself, Will, and Daphne at the water front. Vincent, after catching his breath, "That explains the glare you gave him."

Meanwhile, Erin was in thought as she filled the first plate. As she nudged it toward Viktor and reached for another, she slowly said, "I'm taking a guess by saying this, but would it be safe to say that this is the first time you've been in a relationship? Or at least in such a serious one?" She waited for Viktor's reply before she continued, "I won't say I'm an expert on relationships or anything. I've only dated a couple times and...well, my parents would rather I study something 'worthwhile' like law or business or goddamn politics than the intricacies of interpersonal relationships." When she paused to collect herself, Vincent found himself surprised at the venom in her voice when she spoke about her parents. He knew she wasn't on the best terms with them, but he hadn't had a chance to ask her for specifics.

I'll try to ask her about them later, he thought, rubbing Erin's back comfortingly as she continued, "To say that how you felt wasn't normal would be dismissive. Your feelings matter and it's good that you've already told Daphne that you wanted to talk. Just don't forget that when you do, her feelings matter, too. She might not realize that you felt hurt when she got close to Will, so make sure you keep that in mind when you talk. Don't go into the conversation heated or else you can end up pushing her away. Calmly talk to her about what happened, how it made you feel, and go from there."

After a few moments, she looked in Viktor's eyes and added, "Opening your heart to someone is scary. You have to make yourself vulnerable to someone and that requires an amount of trust. You have to trust that she won't intentionally hurt you and she has to do the same for you or else your relationship won't last. You do trust her, right?”

Cora obliterated the holy hell out of a piece of grilled watermelon while Vincent, Erin and Viktor talked about relationships. She'd been single her whole life, so she really didn't know if she had anything meaningful to add there. Honestly, and she wasn’t going to admit it out loud, Cora was surprised Viktor “Emotions? Is that a Martial Art?” Sullivan somehow managed to pull Daphne of all people. That truly was monumental character development of a caliber this universe may never again witness, and it made a grin pop up on her face. Her friends were happy and live was a hell of a lot better now than it was a few weeks ago.

"You guys have been friends for, what, not even a year?" Cora asked. "Considering the things we get up to, it's amazing you're all still here. There was a point where each of us was pretty scared to fight a bad guy, right? And now it's natural. You and Daph might have no idea what you're doing now, but you will one day."

She swiped another bit of food from the grill like a possum robbing humans in the night.

"Whatever goes wrong, it goes wrong for a reason. You'll both figure it out. You deserve to."

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Vincent & Erin @Daxam, Cora @Blizz
Mentions: Daphne

---

“That explains the glare you gave him." Vincent’s chime in was met with a lazily executed guilty shrug. He hadn’t thought anyone else was paying attention, but he wasn’t entirely surprised that the Team’s go-to scout
noticed what had occurred.

"I'm taking a guess by saying this, but would it be safe to say that this is the first time you've been in a relationship? Or at least in such a serious one?” Erin asked as he grabbed his first plate from her. The aroma coming off his plate kept him from answering right away, and even when he did, his eyes were glued to the food.

“Correct on both.” He simply answered, but also wanted to ask about what it means to be in a relationship that wasn’t serious. Curbing the question for some of his independent research, he listened to what Erin had to say next. Introducing her background, first? Impressive. He shot a brief look at Vincent, acknowledging whatever good choices he made to have Erin as his girlfriend.

"To say that how you felt wasn't normal would be dismissive. Your feelings matter, and it's good that you've already told Daphne that you wanted to talk. Just don't forget that when you do, her feelings matter, too. She might not realize that you felt hurt when she got close to Will, so make sure you keep that in mind when you talk. Don't go into the conversation heated, or else you can end up pushing her away. Calmly talk to her about what happened, how it made you feel, and go from there.”

Viktor nodded quietly, shooting a glance toward Daphne, a distance away. He took care to make a mental checklist in his head to reference later, but the overall takeaway so far was to maintain calm, which he felt was easy enough for himself.

"Opening your heart to someone is scary. You have to make yourself vulnerable to someone, and that requires an amount of trust. You have to trust that she won't intentionally hurt you, and she has to do the same for you, or else your relationship won't last. You do trust her, right?”

“Hmm, sometimes.” Viktor winced at his own response. “I mean, when it comes to our relationship, yes, I trust her.” With a momentary aversion of his gaze, Viktor added, “I just know we’re both new to this, and most interpersonal relationship-related things are a challenge for me… We’ll make mistakes.” he nodded solemnly before looking up at Vincent and Erin with a sheepish grin. “However, I have good friends.” Viktor was glad for that and was grateful for how things seemed to work out together.

"You guys have been friends for, what, not even a year?" Cora hopped in, pulling Viktor’s attention to her added insight. "Considering the things we get up to, it's amazing you're all still here. There was a point where each of us was pretty scared to fight a bad guy, right? And now it's natural. You and Daph might have no idea what you're doing now, but you will one day." Viktor nodded in agreement, knowing full well how many trials the team had gone through.

"Whatever goes wrong, it goes wrong for a reason. You'll both figure it out. You deserve to.”

“Thanks, Cora. And you as well, Vincent and Erin. For the food, too. I believed that helped me and… I’m positive the talk with Daph will go smoothly.” He thought he was finished, but raised his eyebrows upon realizing something. “None of you can talk about any of this. Daph, doesn’t think anyone’s caught on, and I’d like for her to be comfortable believing that for a little longer. Okay?” He eyed the three of them as if he was asking them to promise to keep a classified mission between them.

Interactions: Mateo.

Zach looked up from his conjured drink just in time to catch the sun-glinting, walking thirst trap that was Mateo making his way across the sand. His eyes followed him with an unapologetic smile, that smug smirk, the tattoos, those trunks… rude.

He was still admiring when Mateo flopped down on the towel beside him and said, “You gonna share that, cariño?”

Zach offered the drink with an overly dramatic flourish. ”Only because you said it in Spanish.” He leaned in slightly. ”Also, full disclosure, I did conjure it. If you start levitating or glowing, tell me. Could be a side effect. Magic is weird like that””

He didn’t even bother hiding the grin when Mateo turned his attention elsewhere, mistaking Will for Viktor. Zach giggled to himself. ”You’re a menace. And I mean that in the hottest way possible.” He murmured low enough for Mateo to hear.

When Mateo settled in again, Zach reached out and gave his arm a light tap with the back of his hand.
”You doing okay? They’re a lot, I know. But let’s be honest, so am I!” His tone was gentler now, more sincere. ”You don’t have to impress anyone but me, alright?”

He gave Mateo a small wink, then added under his breath, ”And you already aced that test hours ago.”

Then he leaned back again, tilting his head toward the sun with a relaxed sigh. ”Still voting we move the whole team here, by the way.”

Quiver had been blushing a dark red when Daphne had cried out and jumped on him, he felt the skin of her thighs as he tried to secure her from whatever was attacking her under the water, nearly lost his balance, and definitely his sunglasses. It was only a moment before suddenly Rain was upon both of them. He was looking at Quiver with an intensity even a bit more fierce than a look he'd wear during sparring. In his hands he held a crab - undoubtedly the dangerous culprit of Daphne's fierce attack.

"Keep your claws off Daphne" he said, but it was Quiver he was looking at.

Quiver felt heat blossom in his face - this time the kind that came with irritation, and growing anger. Quiver meant to say something, a snap of his own, something witty and vicious, but hesitated.

Am I threat to you, now?

Quiver watched Rain say something to Daphne, and then he was off, shuffling up the beach.

Now you take me seriously...

Quiver cleared his throat, aware that he probably looked like he was itching for a fight while his rival's girlfriend was still clasped around his shoulders.

"You know, if that crab had pinched me instead, I don't think Rain would have gotten here quite as fast."

He leaned down (he didn't have to go far) and helped her back onto solid enough ground. He smiled at her, and noticed a look in her eyes. Concern? Worry? He froze for a moment. He had thought this situation was more about him, but he was just really a collateral piece. And now he wondered if Daphne was concerned for trouble for herself.
"I needed the help - I burn easily. Brooding in the dark too much, you know how it is. And those hard to reach places, you know how they....go."

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Quiver, Herself (pity party)

---

After Will returned Daphne safely back into the shallow water she just stood there for a while. Most of what he said went right past her. Her face was burning, and not because of the sun. There was a knot in her stomach and it twisted uncomfortably.

“And we’ll talk later, Daph.”

Her thoughts started spiraling and so did her emotions. Viktor sounded like the first day all over again. That time in the mall where he wanted to walk and talk. She'd been dreading to speak to him then just as she was now. What if all the progress they made was ruined now?

She was so dumb. Of course this wouldn't look good. The only place where something like this would get a pass was in a tv series.

Your life is not a K drama Daphne.....

When she finally got out of her head she noticed Will smiling at her reassuringly. She forced a smile.
"It's fine..." But it wasn't really
"I think I'm just going to get out of the water, it's a bit cold." Seriously Daph?.... cold?

She couldn't keep up the smile any longer, so she made her way back to the towel without a glance back at Will. Daphne flopped down onto the sand, feeling defeated. She already knew this feeling wasn't going to go away, not until the dreaded talk. But even then she wasn't sure she'd feel better afterwards and that scared her.

Did he hate her now?

It took him such a long time to love her, if they went back to the way they were at the beginning.....

Location: Boca Catalina, Aruba
Interactions: Viktor @FunnyGuy
Mentions:

---

Erin grinned as Viktor swore her and Vincent to secrecy. “You got it,” she said. “My lips are sealed, as are Vincent’s. Now, then, speaking of which…” She looped her arm through Vincent’s and added, “I’m gonna borrow the chef for a little while. It’s our first vacation together and I’m gonna get some one-on-one time with him or die trying. We’ll be back in time for dinner!” With that, Erin led Vincent by the arm away from the grills and toward the water line, barely giving him time to realize what was going on.

The couple, hand in hand, wandered down the beach, away from the rest of the group, though they didn’t stray far before settling down in the sand just at the edge of the water. Now that they didn’t have the chaos of cooking to distract them, Erin had noticed just how many scars Vincent had. They riddled his arms and torso in varying sizes and shapes. Some were large and deep, others small shallow. She wasn’t put off by them by any means, but she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her boyfriend. He was only a couple months younger than she was, yet his scars made her think he had already lived a lifetime. “How’d you get this one?” she asked, pointing to a long, thin scar along Vincent’s left forearm.

He glanced down at it and said, “That one? That fight was from…a year ago, I think? Guy wasn’t anything special, just some punk with a knife. He got a lucky shot and ended up with a broken jaw for his trouble.”

“Why didn’t you use your power? You can make yourself bulletproof, right? And why would they let someone bring a weapon into the ring?”

“I wasn’t supposed to use my powers during fights unless I absolutely had to,” Vincent explained. “Old Man’s words. He was concerned I might go up against someone who could shut down my power or something like that, so he didn’t want me to rely on them too much. That’s why I’ve built my body into the finely tuned weapon you see before you.” He flexed, earning a chuckle from Erin. “As for why they let him bring a knife in, there weren’t many rules, aside from not killing your opponents. They didn’t wanna draw too much attention and dead bodies popping up around town would do just that.”

He leaned back on his hands and added, “Knives and other weapons were easy to deal with, though. It’s the other guys with powers that were the problem.” He started counting on his fingers as he said, “I’ve fought guys who could shoot fire, ice, one dude spat acid, another used his bones as bullets. That one still kinda grosses me out.”

When he turned back to Erin, he saw a thoughtful expression on her face. “What’re you thinking about?” he asked.

Shaking her head, she said, “Nothing, it’s just…While I was living my life, going to school, dealing with my parents, catching my ex cheating on me…you were fighting for your life. We’re the same age, but you’ve been through things I never could’ve imagined.”

Vincent slowly nodded and replied, “I gotcha. It’s not like I lived a normal life.” He grinned and added, “But, it’s not all bad. Losing my parents still hurts, of course. And I would’ve preferred having a roof over my head. But, I wouldn’t have met the Old Man or Roscoe if that hadn’t happened. I wouldn’t have found out how much I like to fight or cook. I wouldn’t have met the team. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if it weren’t for all the shit in my life. And I like who I am and where I am. More than that, though…”

He reached out, wrapped an arm around Erin’s waist, and pulled her close as he added with a grin, “Even without all that, meeting you was worth everything I’ve been through.”

At that, Erin snorted as she leaned against Vincent, watching the waves. “Didn’t think my bonehead of a boyfriend was such a smooth talker,” she teased.

“I’ve got my moments,” Vincent replied with a shrug and a smile.

---

As the sun started to drop to kiss the sea, Kassandra once again emerged from the water. She was carrying a massive fish, one that had taken her most of the time to find, and then hunt down. Relaxation was nice and all, but she had a personal mission that outweighed that. Carrying the fish in her arms, she strode down the sand. Following the scent of the grill, she slowed nervously. Aside from Cora and Viktor who were near, everyone else seemed to be scattered about. Maybe she should wait...

Not too far behind her was the young wild man. He was skimming across the sands like an octopus would; Low to the ground, one limb flowing after the other. Their prey was nearly as large as the both of them, a swordfish. In their hunt, he had been given the role of the chaser while Kassy had been the decoy to herd the catch in the right direction. She had used her power to create images to confuse the fish…but, it ended up distracting Ro as well.

Although it was fast enough to nearly escape, Ro proved to be faster and caught hold of it to wrestle it into stillness. Then, all it took was one swift blow from the daughter of the water to kill it. At first, he was unsure why Kassy didn’t want to eat it right afterwards. But she had explained that their kill was to be shared with the rest of the pack as well, so he obliged.

Ro had been following up to this point in anticipation of the others’ reaction to their successful hunt…but Him’s Kassy stopped walking for some reason. He crawled nearer to look up at her, his mane flowing in the soft sea breeze. Unsure of what else to do, he rested his head against the side of her knee and lower thigh.

Kassy watched the conversation with uncertainty, before deciding. She crouched down to Ro and smiled, lovingly resting her hand on his cheek. "Thank you for your help, Ro. Will you help me find the others, please? Not everyone is here to eat."

Ro perked up when she crouched down, and nodded his head when she requested for him to find the others. Looking at who was at the cooking area, he turned his head and locked his vision onto Zach with his stranger. With his first target acquired, he trotted off across the sand. As quick as he was quiet, he blocked the sun over the magician’s head as he leaned over for a moment.

“Buzz. Time for eat.” He expressed with some mild urgency.

His eyes had caught an incorrigible iceberg bobbing in and out of the sea. His arms had spread out like wings as he circle above where she was in the air. Lowering to a more precise distance to be close enough to be in earshot without yelling too loud;

“Bluey! Time for eat!” He called to her, hopefully over the sounds of crashing waves before taking off higher into the air again. While he was up there, his eagle eye caught Vincent and Erin sitting off to the side and he landed near them, flapping his arms as though to slow himself down. He was careful not to scare the stranger girl that smelled like Vince.

”Chuma, Kassy say’d time for eat.” The Red guardian recalled before trotting off.

Before long, he found himself nearer to where Daffy-flower and arrow-boy were. Ro still remembered their fight at night by water from some time ago. Kassy taught him that Will was family too and that he wasn’t bad. Still, there were times when Ro saw him that he could still sense a little bit of fear in him. So, he was careful in his approach not wanting to startle or anger him, coming from around closer to where Daffy was laying.

“Daffy…Dati…Kassy say time for to eat.” Ro announced in a gentler tone of his gruff voice before circling around to head back to where Kassy and the rest of the food was.

Kassy waited anxiously, bare toes digging in the sand as she watched Ro gathering her team and allies. Once everyone had gathered, she carried the gift forward. “...everyone, I…” Why did she lose her courage now? Of all the times for her to not be able to say what was on her mind! Picking up on her apprehension, Ro had stood up beside her, protective and supportive. She smiled to reassure him and, after taking a deep breath, she started again.

“Where I come from, to feed someone a meal that you have hunted with your own hands is to show them care. I haven’t been the best person to you all. To those who know me – Daphne, Viktor, Zach - I am learning to change, to be better… and this is part of that.” She exhaled. “To those who I am still getting to know – Cora, Pei, Vincent, and Will - My worst moments, my rage and nastiness are not who I am. With time I hope I get the honor to meet you and earn your friendship.”

Her head bowed, and she offered up her gift. “From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. From the depth of my soul, I thank you. Eat. May it feed you and make you strong.”

-

M O U N T J U S T I C E

---

With the perfect beach adventure behind them, a paramount mission briefing was primed and ready for the Team the following morning. Once all were gathered and seated in the mission briefing room, Black Canary entered the room while Batman patched in on the overhead monitor.

“Good morning, Team.” Black Canary greeted with a head nod, a slight smile on her face— warm, but not too friendly.

“Good morning, Team. As you are aware, your primary focus is Kobra’s manufacturing, testing, and distribution of their latest strain of Kobra Venom. Your previous missions have tackled all but the latter…” He let the Team absorb that for just a beat. “However, success in the following mission will give us a lock on who is expected to receive the drug.” The screen display shifted, showing a satellite image of a remote island in the South Pacific, with Batman’s window shrinking down into the bottom right corner of the screen.

“Isla Serenata is the location of this year’s Gala Nemesis. This private event is particularly hosted and attended by several criminal entities as a means of networking, marketing, and negotiations. However, many attendees are invited to attend simply due to their wealth and status. We have a strong lead that Kobra will be in attendance to seek a potential buyer for their new Strain of Kobra Venom. You’ll be there to find out who, while disguised as attendees. Some of you will be undercover as a group of spoiled affluent teens who were able to get by wealth alone, while others of your team will serve as your bodyguards who happen to be lesser-known criminals trying to upstart their careers. Sticking to your cover is the most important objective of this mission, as you will be amongst some of the most dangerous people on the planet.”

“And that is where I come in, team. I was informed about the details of this gala and have already begun the prep work for each of your temporary identities… with some help, of course.” She happily dipped her head toward the monitor. “Likewise, some of you have a bit of experience in the shoes of some of these identities.” Her eyes darted to select members of the team. “For those who lack that, consider Iceburn, Metamorph, Quiver, and Rain as my assistant coaches for the roles you will assume. Iceburn, Metamorph, Mirage, Nymph, and Zatara will be our wealthy, spoiled brats. Will, Viktor, Cora, and Vincent will be our bottom-rung evildoers. We’ll only have two days to get all of you ready for this.” She nodded to Batman, who continued.

“Aside from your identities, at the gala, you will be accompanied and assisted by an agent intimate with the underbelly of international crime. Origami, an information broker… Her criminal reputation will be what strongly validates your presence at the gala, and her expertise in intelligence collection is something the Team requires for this mission, but be aware… she is not doing this out of the goodness of her heart. She is not a member of your team, and you should consider her a potential risk to your true identities. Simply treat her as a necessary and temporary ally.” Another pause followed, but he was also expecting questions from the members of the Team and was quick to expand upon the fact that the team would not only be working as a criminal element, but they would also work alongside a tried and true criminal during this mission.

“As for Origami's motives to participate and the Justice League’s motives for allowing this… Despite her criminal history, Origami is a teenager who has been determined to have been targeted by an organization that sought to use her as an unwavering asset. Many of you are familiar with such circumstances, and some of you have experienced them firsthand. Origami has requested much-needed leniency for her past crimes in exchange for providing her expertise. She sees this as a trade of services,” he said with eyes narrowing, “we see it as an opportunity for her to get exposed to peers using their abilities and skills to help others while doing some good in the world. Still, this does not overwrite what I mentioned previously about applying caution.” His pause was deliberate, allowing the Team to take all that had been briefed for a moment. “If there’s any input needed or anything that needs clarity, you’re welcome to speak.”

Zach fidgeted in his seat, as he stared up at the satellite image. The vibe whiplash from sunny Aruba to undercover gala mission involving literal criminals was real, but he didn’t say anything at first. He was too busy processing everything. Especially the fact that he’d be masquerading as a spoiled rich kid. Which, let’s be honest, he could probably pull off in his sleep.

After Batman opened the floor, Zach finally raised a hand with an exaggerated motion, not quite sarcastic but not entirely serious either. ”Question, is this a ‘do not draw attention’ mission or a ‘draw attention but in character’ mission? Because if I’m playing a rich kid with too much money and no boundaries… I can absolutely make that work. But there’s a very thin line between ‘authentic’ and ‘headlines.’”

He let the question hang for a second, then added more seriously:

”And are we expected to stay in character at all times, or will there be safe zones for debriefing during the gala? Something tells me ‘bathroom break’ might turn into ‘plot twist’ in this place.”

Zach leaned back slightly in his chair. ”Also, not that I’m complaining, but you’re handing me a role that’s basically ‘Zachary Zatara gone wild.’ Just saying… don’t be surprised if I end up on some rich villain’s Instagram feed by the end of the night.”

He was ready. Nervous, but ready. And slightly thrilled. A secret island villain gala? That was so his kind of theater.

---

Episode 6

Pei was still crawling around in the sand, her eyes peering above the water. When the waves came her way she ducked down underneath the surf, and then stood back up on her knees to take a deep breath. She repeated this process, in some sort of odd zen-like state of repetition. At this point she wasn’t thinking about much at all. Normally she was much more talkative and social but something about the beach made her only want to zone out and do nothing.

Above she heard a call. Kila, or, Ro now, Pei thought, called out to her. ”Uhh, yeah, okay! Thanks!” She called back, standing on her knees. She pushed herself out of the beach and trudged her way over.

And there was Kass, waiting for them all, holding a giant fish. Pei was gobsmacked by the size of it. She stared. So much so she kind of missed the first part of Kass’s speech, only tuning back it when her mind picked up on the earnest tone of voice.

When Kass offered the fish, Pei side-stepped it and set her blue arm across Kass’s shoulders, leaning into her. ”You and your giant Fuck Off ocean fish are all good in my book, Kass.” She said with a grin. ”I don’t wanna hear another apology outta you until you accidentally break one of my bones, got it?” She said playfully, patting her shoulder.

”...Did you just kill that thing? I feel like it’s looking at me.” Pei frowned, the beady dead eyes of the fish just inches away from her.

—

Episode 7

”A disguise, eh? A little bit of espionage? A tad of stealth? A little bit of spycraft? A wee dollop of skullduggery? A miniscule amount of- okay I’ll stop.” Pei pursed her lips, linking her fingers together and leaning back in her chair. She had shown off enough of her vocabulary. Maybe she was just a little nervous with Batman and Black Canary in the room. She was hanging on their every word. As for this Origami person, Pei didn't think much of it.

When she was named assistant coach, she sat up straighter in her chair, focusing up even more. ”I can be a spoiled brat if you want. I know how to be a rich person. I’m half rich person.”

”Daphe, Kass, watch this.” She turned to face them.

”Girlypop.” She said. Pei froze a grin on her face, looking happy and cheerful.

”Bitch.” Then she smoothly moved her hand upwards, gliding it over her face. When it passed, she had a calm yet disdainful look on her face.

”Girlypop.” She moved her hand back down, and there was Pei again.

”Bitch.” She moved her hand up. The nasty woman reappeared.

”Girlypop.”

”Bitch.”

Then she nodded and pointed at them. ”So. Write that one down. That’s good advice.” She tapped the table with her finger for emphasis.

Pleased with her assistant coaching, she looked at Zach. ”You should probably tone it down a little bit, my friend. Unless there’s a code word and we need a rich boy distraction. Then you could cut loose and show everyone your full power.” Pei clenched her fists and rose them with a smile.

”I’m gonna need some high quality body paint, myself. I can’t exactly show up as a blue person.” Pei said. ”Which is annoying. I just know I’m gonna be washing that shit off for the next two years.” She frowned.

”Maybe we could just do my head and everything past my elbows and knees?” Pei asked hopefully. ”I could wear a really cool suit that doesn’t show a lot of skin. And then I’ll stand around and look at people like this.”

”Hmmph.” Once again she made that face, tipping her chin up and looking down at everyone in the room. Unimpressed. ”Hmph hmph.”

Location: HQ, Mount Justice
Interactions: The Team
Mentions:

---

Viktor was more focused than ever during this briefing on the upcoming mission. It not only made him feel small inklings of doubt that his team could pull off maintaining covers as villains, but it also sparked memories of his attendance at events such as this gala. These events always had a theme or a misdirection, but they always had the same motive. His eyes looked across everyone in attendance, sizing up each member of the Team, just before nodding to himself. They can do this... We can do this.

Faith. It was something that still didn’t sit well with him, but he stomached it nevertheless. Despite any doubts he buried, everyone around the table had the capability of carrying out this mission, even with Zach’s playful comments. Before Batman could step in to comment, Pei had piped up to give some preliminary instructions to those who would be disguised as the wealthy youth attending the gala. Of course, the Tempest Queen was the one who’d waste little time getting the Team prepped for the mission.

Viktor shot glances at Will, Vincent, and Cora to make a mental note of who he’d be working with, yet… his eyes naturally peered toward Daphne. He wondered what her thoughts and feelings were regarding the mission, especially knowing she wouldn’t blatantly voice them. When her eyes eventually met his from across the table, he gave a subtle head nod with an even subtler smile before looking toward the center of the table.

“As far as henchmen go,” Viktor figured he could give some of his own preliminary advice to those who’d be assigned as bodyguards while Pei was giving pointers to the group she’d be coaching. “The quieter, the better. If I’m leading you, then it’s best if I do most of the talking and issuing of orders. You can disagree out loud for show, but follow my guidance.” He stressed the last part for emphasis before continuing. I’ve attended an event like this one. Not many will be looking for an altercation, but this place might end up being the most dangerous place we’ve been to.”

An infiltration mission. They could handle that. Cora sat up near the display where Batman was broadcasting the briefing, fiddling with a component for the repulsion gauntlet she stole once. It was a fun side project, and she planned to eventually use it regularly on missions alongside some other gadgets. It was easier after she had the chance to work with Static, meaning there was less electrical interference in her life.

It was a good thing that Zach, Pei and Viktor were more inclined towards this mission, because she damn well wasn’t. It’d be new, but she was sure her teammates and the League could get them ready.

Though…

”So… What does this Origami girl know about us already?” She asked. ”If she deals in information, I’m guessing she’d want to meet us with a dew facts in her pocket already, right? And if she wants to find something secret about us between now and then… How can we expect her to try it?”

Cora could handle electronic methods of spying. Cameras, microphones, comically tiny tracker button things… She’d just shut off her armband to short those out.

”How do we keep ourselves covered in case she’s bluffing?

Quiver took it all in - their newest assignment, their new temporary roles. He felt himself stifling a yawn - not out of boredom, but due to lack of sleep after the trip from yesterday. Quiver had left before the others, thinking to get a workout in the gym before calling it a night. He was particularly motivated. The awkward encounter he was privy to between Nymph and Rain had unsettled him. He wasn't however 100% sure of in what way he was most bothered. He felt a nice moment he had with Nymph now had this asterisk on it. Like he wasn't actually a part of it, but instead a prop of some kind. He wasn't a third wheel exactly, but he sort of felt...

He shook it off. He was focused now.

He was interested in this Origami character. Black Canary and Batman had said she was used like some sort of asset. Quiver knew what that was like. From where he came from with the Court of Owls - all of his brothers from his youth - he had an idea of what this woman's experiences were like. Quiver was surprised to find that he already was feeling sorry for her. Wanting to help her.

He guessed the "hero" thing was really starting to catch-on to his mindset.

"And who is going to bodyguard for who? Have you assigned that as well?" Quiver asked, his hand tentatively raised beside him. He glanced over at Rain and then Nymph, wondering if they were thinking the same thing he was.

Settled in the same room as the others, Kassandra stayed silent as the next mission was discussed. Being that the last one had been a hair short of full blown disaster, “anxiety” didn’t come close to what she was feeling.

It was simultaneously like she’d never done this before, yet was weighted with the knowledge of exactly what could happen if things went wrong. She wouldn’t let it happen again – she’d put her own self on the hook before that. How to prepare? There were so many things that could go wrong on just a regular mission, but this one was even more vital. Before she could untwist the tangle of questions in her mind, Pei caught her attention.

To her own surprise, she felt a grin flit across her face. Something about Pei’s goofiness shot through her confusion like a knife. When the little display was done, she actually did write something down – though it doubtless was not whatever she was meant to learn.

Being still in fear will not protect them. Relax.

Kassandra waited for the others before speaking up in turn. “What are this girl’s skills? Does she have powers? If she’s our age but working for the other side, she must have something that makes her useful, correct? I don’t want to get into another situation that could have been avoided with prior knowledge.”

Unlike the last time she’d mentioned this failing to Batman, she spoke with a calm that stated the point without the anger attached. Under Martian Manhunter’s guidance, she’d gone back to her usual meditation, but deeper. Her past was like a venomous barb trapped under her skin, leaking anger and poisoning her heart. One day, she knew she’d have to speak in full about her past, to dig through the pain and excise it. She wouldn’t heal with the poison still in her. One day.

“We need to know that. And maybe what her personality is like also. That way, maybe we can watch for signs that she’s decided to stop helping. Also... I have never been wealthy. Even when I was working in Atlantis in the palace, I was seen more or less as a student. No one of import.” She managed a soft chuckle."I know how to present to the wealthy and self important though. A lot of obvious sychophancy, bowing and scraping. But spit in their wake when they leave."