"There's no way in hell I'd ever willingly give you Kryptonite, Poison Ivy."
The villainess pouted and placed a hand on her hip. "Oh, come now darling, after bringing you Little Miss Snowdrop and the Titanesses, don't you think I've earned a little goodwill?"
Caitlin crossed her arms, frost starting to spread under her feet. "The last time that you showed up in Metropolis, the Superman Museum ended up covered in ivy vines and the museum director was found hanging from the ceiling in just her underwear."
Weiss looked at Jinx, to which she just rolled her eyes in a way that clearly meant don't ask.
Poison Ivy sighed wistfully, as if recalling a fond memory. "Ah, what a night..."
An ivy vine grew upwards from her dress and flicked itself in front of her face, snapping her out of her reverie. "But we should let bygones be bygones shouldn't we? After all, The Green entrusted their safety, and the defeat of that decrepit Martian, in my hands." The vine turned towards her and curled up at the end, almost as if it were angry. "Sorry, in my vines."
Before Caitlin could retort, Weiss interjected, "Conner and Superman are still under D'Kay's control, and defeating them without it will be next to impossible. You said that Dust and Kryptonite have a similar composition, right? Maybe I could hold onto it instead."
S.T.A.R. Labs went silent, save for the random beeps and noises that came from the computers and machines that surrounded them.
Caitlin pursed her lips and looked at the safe that was down the hall, not at all thrilled with the idea of the likes of Poison Ivy having anything to do with saving the Justice League and the Titans. "I think I have a vial of Kryptonite that might fit in one of your Dust chambers for safekeeping. Give me one second."
Poison Ivy turned to Weiss and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her cringe inwardly as she felt her Aura block some sort of pheromones that seeped out from the woman's hand. "Thank you, Snowdrop, you're such a doll."
Jinx's eyes glowed pink and and a raven shaped shadow appeared under Raven. "Hands to yourself, Ivy."
"The second that we get rid of D'Kay, you better run because there's a cell in Arkham with your name on it." Jinx warned.
Poison Ivy simply smirked, tapping a finger against her jaw thoughtfully. "If I recall, my little four leaf clover, you have a list of heinous crimes that's almost as long as mine. You know, I did have high hopes for the young villainess who seemed to be born for her role." She flipped her hair nonchalantly, taking joy in seeing Jinx tense up. "I mean, bad luck powers? Never in a million years did I anticipate the little girl who was rejected by society would be able to switch sides and defend those who had wronged her."
Jinx's face turned as pink as her hair. "Listen you has-been-"
"She's not worth it, Jinx." Caitlin called from down the hallway, a bright green crystal in the shape of a cylinder in her hand. "Here you go, Weiss. I shaved it down to fit the exact dimensions of the Dust chambers. Your physiological composition is nearly identical to that of a human from Earth, so the Kryptonite shouldn't cause any adverse effects."
Weiss removed the vial of Light Dust from Myrtenaster
and handed it to Caitlin, sliding in the Kryptonite and closing Myrtenaster, the revolver clicking as it spun and set in place.
As soon as her Aura came in contact with the glowing crystal, a dizzy spell overcame her as the strange power washed over her. She stumbled forward, barely catching herself on a table that was nearby.
"Whoa, Weiss, are you alright?"
A bright green Glyph appeared under Weiss, radiating concentrated Kryptonite energy mixed with her own Aura, which focused it and amplified it much like it would with Dust.
"Fascinating…" Caitlin breathed, not at all put off by the unusually bright green color of the Glyph.
Weiss shook her head, focused, and dispelled the Glyph, spinning the revolver so that Fire Dust was at the center instead of the Kryptonite.
She didn't like the feeling that channeling the Kryptonite through her Aura gave her. Knowing that it could do harm to Conner and Superman… it didn't sit well with her.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just...wasn't expecting that."
Poison Ivy's eyes sparkled with something that Weiss could only identify as dangerous. "What an interesting turn of events. Someone with the ability to channel Kryptonite."
"An ability that I don't intend on using unless completely necessary. We're going to save everyone, not put them out of commission, remember?"
"But why take all the fun out of it?" Poison Ivy pouted, making Raven roll her eyes.
"Let's get going. The more time we spend here, the harder it'll be to break D'Kay's influence over them."
Caitlin's expression hardened and she ran a hand through her hair. "I wish I could go with you guys, but ever since the Grimm invasion, things have been crazy busy here, not to mention Cisco's still scouring the city for any clues about why Metropolis was the only city to be affected."
"Also the fact that there's nothing stopping D'Kay from turning either of you into one of her mind-controlled zombies." Jinx muttered dryly, still peeved that her boyfriend was one of those zombies.
"Be safe, and remember, all Green Martians are weak in the face of fire. It's something that's been ingrained in their genetics, and so strong that I don't think even Darkseid can reverse it."
Weiss looked down at the Fire Dust in Myrtenaster's revolver. Using it definitely wasn't her forte, but if it meant saving Conner, she'd have to manage.
"Let's head out. We can't leave everyone under his control for much longer."
Poison Ivy smirked. "Let the fun begin."
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"I think you and I have very different definitions of the word 'fun'." Weiss grumbled as she pinched her nose, the disgusting smell of the sewer overpowering her senses.
"Mount Justice is filled with traps and defense mechanisms. This is the path that's least likely to get us vaporized or detected by D'Kay." Jinx explained.
As they walked through the sewers, Raven's magic surrounded them, keeping them concealed from D'Kay's senses, so long as she kept focus.
"You sense anything around us, Clover?" Poison Ivy asked, much to Jinx's annoyance.
"My name is Jinx, and no, I don't sense any life forms, except for the rat that's been following us for the past five minutes."
Raven stopped abruptly, the energy around them wavering. "Did you say a rat's been following us?"
"I-"
Before Jinx could answer, a green elephant came barreling at them, forcing Raven to break her focus to erect a wall of magic, blocking the elephant from flattening them like pancakes.
"We've been spotted, we need to get out of here and create the barrier again, otherwise we'll have to face off against everyone who D'Kay's made into a puppet." Poison Ivy warned, using the moss that spread across the sewers to engulf Beast Boy, trapping him under the green mass.
"Beast Boy!" Raven called out, trying to reach him through D'Kay's control.
The shape-shifting hero only bellowed and turned into a hummingbird, using his small size to escape from the moss and turn into an ankylosaurus, swinging his weighted tail at Jinx as he fell to the ground.
Using a Gravity Glyph, Weiss caught Beast Boy and threw him to the side of the sewer, making his skull collide with a steam pipe that burst as the spikes that ran along his body tore through it.
Steam filled the sewer, obscuring them from Beast Boy with burning liquid that would hopefully dull his senses should he recover.
"Good thinking Weiss, let's make a break for it!" Poison Ivy directed, erecting a wall of vines and thorns behind them.
"Raven, how's that shield coming?" Jinx asked, using her own magic to extend her senses and search for any more auras around them.
"The closer we get to D'Kay, the harder it is to keep it up. If they don't know where we are already, they will soon."
Explosions came from the other side of the thorn wall that Poison Ivy had erected.
"We need to split up. D'Kay has a team of superpowered minions at her disposal and we can't hope to face them all at once."
They stopped running when they reached a fork in the sewer system, leading to four different tunnels.
"Jinx, collapse the tunnel behind us. Raven, can you see far enough to direct us to the safest path?"
Raven' eyes glowed briefly before she pointed at the leftmost and then the rightmost tunnel. "The ones in the middle are dead ends. The one on the left leads to the sewer's main room and the one on the right leads to the Grotto which is also the closest to D'Kay's position."
"Well in that case, Weiss and I will take that one, you two act as a diversion and take the one on the left."
Jinx and Raven's faces hardened, but the rumbling and chaos from the other side of the plant wall told them that they didn't have much time to dawdle.
"I'll be fine. After all, D'Kay will most likely have Superman and Superboy with her to protect her, and seeing as I'm the only one with Kryptonite, I'm the best suited for the job."
Jinx mumbled something under her breath before snapping her fingers, causing the tunnel behind them to collapse. "Be safe and watch your back, Weiss. It isn't beneath Poison Ivy to turn on her allies when it suits her."
"Fortunately for you dolls, the Green themself has asked me to help and I'd be remiss to deny the wishes of the very being who has control over my powers. So you're safe." Poison Ivy winked at Weiss. "For now, at least."
Explosions boomed from both tunnels, the one on the right filled with green flashes, the one on the left with lightning bolts and bursts of purple magic.
"Best of luck girls, may you survive and live to tell tales of my glory."
Raven just rolled her eyes and turned into a shadow, melting into the shadows of the sewer while Jinx snapped her fingers, turning herself invisible.
Not wanting to step in any sewer water, Weiss created a line of Glyphs into the tunnel, skating across them as Poison Ivy used her vines to sling herself across.
Eventually they reached a giant room with two waterfalls coming out of pipes on either side the water flowing out of the room and through grates which led to the rest of the sewer. Green Lantern and Batman stood on either end of the room, looking like wax statues with how still they stood.
As soon as Weiss and Poison Ivy stepped into the room, their heads turned to look at them simultaneously, their stares blank and lifeless as they took their fighting stances.
"Looks like I was right. D'Kay has the Justice League acting as her personal guard dogs."
"Do you know how to snap them out of it?" Weiss asked, loading Water and Wind Dust.
"Cognitive recalibration." Poison Ivy responded simply, throwing countless seeds into the water around them, causing giant trees to erupt from them.
Batman and Green Lantern rushed at them, with Batman throwing multiple bat-shaped ninja stars at them and Green Lantern creating a giant green fist which was easily three times Weiss' size.
Using the water from the sewers, Weiss created a giant iceberg which blocked the ninja stars and Green Lantern's fist, breaking into a million fractals which rained over the entire room like a hailstorm of knives.
Green Lantern then proceeded to make a sword and rush at Weiss, only allowing her enough time to dodge out of the way.
Before she could catch her breath, Batman came at her, wielding a rapier made of hard light that she didn't know he was capable of using, stabbing and parrying with dexterity that kept her on her toes, not allowing for the slightest reprieve. He fought with just as much grace and elegance as Winter did, employing fencing techniques that Weiss had studied when she began her training.
Batman stabbed at her multiple times which she blocked, being forced back with every move he made, finally using a Glyph to jump back when he swung the sword in an arc, barely dodging the lash of energy that came after.
Before he could come at her again, she used a Gravity Glyph to throw him up in the air, hoping to knock him out from the impact, but before she could, green ropes made of energy wrapped around her, throwing her into the air as well, allowing Batman to stab her in the back and send her reeling forward into the water.
Weiss huffed, looking up to see Poison Ivy sitting on a throne made of vines, carelessly inspecting her nails. "You're doing great, darling, keep up the good work."
Resisting the urge to freeze her where she sat, Weiss stood up and created multiple Ice Glyphs over the water, freezing Batman and Green Lantern in giant blocks of ice.
"A little help, please?" She asked, exasperated with the woman standing before her. "For someone who claims to be a chosen of The Green, you really don't have much to show for it."
"I was just seeing what you could do, little snowdrop. After that display, I think you would make a fitting partner after all."
The ice around them began to crack, making Weiss panic as she fortified the Glyphs under them, making them spin faster.
"I'll deal with dear old Batsy and you can deal with Green Lantern."
"And how do you suppose I do that?"
Poison Ivy pointed to the green ring with the lantern insignia on it. "His ring is like a battery, and eventually it'll run out. Keep him busy until it does and then strike."
Weiss recalled the day that she had first met Green Lantern, and how the Apathy had nearly killed him because it drained all of the willpower from his ring.
She didn't know how having her Summons filled with willpower would affect her ability to control them, but it was a risk she would have to take if she wanted to save Conner.
Right as she finished the thought, the ice shattered, with Green Lantern not sparing a moment to create a giant machine gun and pelt them with bullets. Poison Ivy jumped out of the way and used a vine to swing across the room and kick Batman into the wall, using her vines to keep him occupied.
Not wanting to end up like the last Grimm Coco fought, Weiss loaded Hard Light Dust and created a barrier, protecting herself from the thousands of bullets that came at her.
When he realized that Weiss wasn't taking any damage, Green Lantern created a giant hammer and swung it down on her barrier, causing it to crack from the impact.
If I want to be able to Summon the Apathy, I need time to focus, otherwise I'll end up being affected, too.
Green Lantern swung the giant hammer down once more, making Weiss use a Glyph to get out of the way and avoid being pulverized.
She loaded Wind Dust and created a vortex, sending plucking him out of the air and sending him reeling towards Batman.
She stabbed Myrtenaster in the ground and quickly formed the Summoning Glyph, forming the hypnotizing, swirling circle over the water.
As he flew backwards, he threw countless angry green birds at Weiss, pelting her like a hailstorm, making her cry out as she held her ground, focused on Summoning the Apathy.
Thankfully, Poison Ivy came to her aid, forming masses of moss over both Batman and Green Lantern, pulling them in deeper to the green mass.
"Weiss, whatever you're about to do, do it now!" She yelled, barely able to contain the possessed heroes.
Weiss breathed hard as her Aura focused in on the Glyph, thin, emaciated bodies clawing their way out of the Glyph and into the water, the Apathy slowly but surely making their way into the world once more.
The Creatures of Grimm crawled out of the Glyph and instantly their powers took effect, draining the will to go on from Batman and Green Lantern. Weiss' head ached with the effort it took to direct their powers and keep it from affecting Poison Ivy and herself.
Green energy started draining out of Green Lantern's ring and went into the Apathy Grimm, and by extension, Weiss.
A chill went down her spine as she felt a wave of indomitable courage and willpower come over her, making her feel like she could do anything.
The Summon Glyph turned green as Green Lantern and Batman cried out, falling to the ground as the Apathy screeched, draining every last bit of their will.
Seeing them on the ground, almost kneeling before her...the sheer willpower coursing through her...it was intoxicating.
A voice in the back of her mind told her to stop, that she could kill them if she continued...but she didn't want to let go of the power.
"Weiss. That's enough. We need to go."
Weiss felt a hand on her shoulder, but she barely registered the words that were being spoken to her.
"Weiss. Normally, I would be all for putting an end to old Batsy and the Green Bean once and for all, but that's not who you are. Don't let the power control you."
Annoyed by the incessant pestering, Weiss directed the Apathy to the person behind her.
Poison Ivy's widened as she felt all the energy drain out of her body, falling to the ground as she no longer had the willpower to keep herself up.
"Think of the reason we came here. You're here to save your friends, right? I'm not sure how they would feel if you murdered two members of the Justice League."
The Apathy's powers stopped, and Poison Ivy sighed, feeling as if she could suddenly see in color again.
"F...friends?" Weiss stammered, her grip on Myrtenaster wavering as the Apathy continued to drain Batman and Green Lantern.
"Jinx and Raven are out there fighting to save your other friends who are currently puppets for an insane space demon. And your friends back home will certainly have something to say about murdering two heroes in cold blood, won't they?"
Poison Ivy began to panic as Batman and Green Lantern finally fell to the floor, barely breathing, just staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Uh, you've been with Superboy your entire time on Earth right? Conner? Don't tell me those blue eyes and giant biceps haven't gotten to you, snowdrop, because my womanly intuition is never wrong."
The Glyph wavered, and the Apathy started to lose their solidity, the Aura and ice that was holding them together starting to come apart.
"Weiss, darling, think of your dearest friends. The ones here and back in your dimension. How would they look at you knowing you killed two people? How would you look at yourself?"
Silver, yellow, lilac, and cobalt eyes flashed through Weiss' mind, pain and disappointment shining clear through them.
The sound of Myrtenaster clanging to the ground, broke Weiss out of her trance, making the rest of the Apathy dissipate into the air, leaving green energy particles floating around the room.
Weiss let out a strangled sob and fell to her knees, trying to choke back the tears that fell freely down her face.
"What happened to me?" She looked up and saw Batman and Green Lantern lying on the floor, their eyes vacant and lifeless. "Will they be alright?"
Poison Ivy put her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "I still don't know what the hell happened, but they've been through worse, trust me. They'll recover."
"The Grimm-"
"-And I don't want to know. All you and I need to worry about right now is beating D'Kay. You can apologize to Batsy and the Green Bean for kicking their asses later."
"But-"
Poison Ivy shook her head. "No buts." She extended her hand, which Weiss took hesitantly, letting her help her up.
She used her vines to pry open the doors, revealing the Grotto which was shrouded in darkness, most likely hiding the alien that held her friends captive.
"Let's go."
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Thanks to her almost depleting Green Lantern and Batman's will to live, Weiss had more than enough Aura to repel D'Kay's powers, though the fact that her Glyphs turned green if she didn't concentrate enough did nothing to soothe her guilt.
The Grotto was dark and unusually quiet. The last time Weiss had been in there, it was lit with the memories of the fallen heroes. Now, it was completely still, the holographic effigies having gone dark.
She was about to keep on walking through the Grotto, but Poison Ivy placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.
"The moss are telling me that there are Kryptonians in here. Two to be precise."
Weiss' heart dropped, but she ignored it and loaded Fire Dust, using the orange glow emanating from her sword to see better.
"Why haven't they attacked yet?"
"Subtly isn't exactly the Kryptonians' forte, so if they're in here, they're waiting on orders from D'Kay to strike."
Weiss added Lightning Dust to Myrtenaster and slashed an arc in the air, sending orbs of bright light throughout the room.
With the room illuminated, Poison Ivy and Weiss were surprised to see that it was completely empty. There wasn't a Kryptonian in sight.
"How strange...even now the moss is telling me that they're here."
Poison Ivy perked up, as if she had just been struck with an idea. "Say, snowdrop, would it be possible to infuse Kryptonite into those pretty little lights you have?"
Weiss looked at the bright green crystal that was sitting in her revolver. "Even if I knew how, I'm not going to do it. Your plants can't give you exact coordinates?"
"Well it's not like they can actually speak Eng-"
Before Poison Ivy could finish her sentence, a blue blur descended from the ceiling, punching the floor in front of them and sending a shockwave through the grotto, blowing them back.
Weiss didn't even hit the ground before a blur of black, red, and blue appeared behind her and punched her in the back, sending her tumbling into the stream that ran through the Grotto.
"These Kryptonians are mighty, but their minds are weak." D'Kay materialized in front of Weiss, looking even more gruesome than before, wicked scars all over her body as well as a large mouth over her hip, sharp fangs protruding from it. "Even now, they fight against me, but to no avail. Hmm...the young one's mind still remains filled with images of you, wretched girl." The mouth over her hip spoke, though with a much deeper and gravelly voice than D'Kay's normal voice.
Weiss jumped back using a Glyph, using some Wind Dust to dry herself off after putting some distance between her and D'Kay, the stream separating her from the Martian and the possessed forms of Conner and Superman.
"I'm guessing there's no reasoning with you?" Poison Ivy surmised, dropping some seeds into the ground. Giant brambles erupted from the ground, surrounding a giant flytrap plant with razor sharp teeth. "But I think I like it better this way. I'll enjoy tearing you limb from limb."
"Treacherous thorn, your death with come in due time. Lord Darkseid only seeks the girl and has promised me my betrothed upon her successful capture."
"Your betrothed? You mean you don't know where Martian Manhunter is?" Weiss asked, an idea already starting to form in the back of her mind.
"He escaped my grasp when the Justice League failed to apprehend me, but Lord Darkseid promised me that his forces will capture him soon. His best hunter should bring me my love within the next hour." D'Kay's mouth turned into a snarl that Weiss guessed was supposed to be a smile. "Which means I have more than enough time to deal with you two. Kryptonians- do whatever you must."
Panic surged through Weiss as she saw Superman fly up into the air.
"Got anything hot in your arsenal?!" Poison Ivy asked Weiss, thrusting her arms forward and trapping Conner in a cage of brambles before he could rush at them as well.
Weiss loaded Fire and Wind Dust, but before she could ask why, Superman drew in a big breath and blew strong, icy winds at them, freezing their surroundings.
Creating a red and green Glyph, Weiss blasted a hot funnel of air, clashing with Superman's frost breath.
Even with the support of the energy she had gained from Green Lantern and Batman's willpower, it was still barely enough to hold off Superman's power.
Superman charged at her, making Weiss dispel the Glyphs and use another to jump out of the way, using a line of Glyphs to increase Superman's momentum and send him into the wall of the cave.
After enough struggling, Conner broke out of the thorned cage Poison Ivy had erected around him and tackled Weiss, knocking Myrtenaster out of her grasp and restraining her, holding both of her wrists behind her back with one hand.
"You've got to be kidding me." She grumbled, frustrated that Conner was able to keep both of her arms restrained without even the slightest bit of trouble.
Using a Glyph, Weiss jumped backwards into Conner, knocking them both down and causing him to lose his grip on her. She back flipped to Myrtenaster and picked it up, using Wind Glyphs to blow him backwards and into the river.
He charged her, throwing punch after punch that she dodged deftly, only using Myrtenaster to block and deflect his strikes.
She created a Gravity Glyph behind him and kicked off his abdomen into a backflip, using Ice Glyphs to trap him from the neck down in a block of ice.
Since Conner was Conner, however, he broke out of her ice trap and sent ice shards flying everywhere, pelting her with them.
Hoping to shock some sense back into him, Weiss loaded Lightning Dust and pulled the electricity out of Myrtenaster with her right hand, flinging it at him. Conner just crossed his arms and braced himself against it, being forced back just the slightest from the impact.
He jumped up into the air and then plummeted back down, punching the ground and sending shockwaves through it strong enough to blow Weiss off her feet.
She managed to do some backflips to recover, but before she could get on her feet, Conner sped behind her and punched her in the back, sending her sprawling forward into the moss.
Tired, irritated, and wet from the slimy moss, Weiss stood up and loaded Gravity Dust, creating multiple Gravity Glyphs around Conner, suspending him in midair.
He flailed angrily around as he tried to fly out of her trap, but unfortunately for him, Weiss still had plenty of Aura to spare.
"Conner! Snap out of it!" Weiss stabilized him so that he was right side up and slowly walked closer. "I know you're still in there. Don't let her control you."
His eyes were still glazed over, but he stopped struggling.
From behind her, Superman crawled out of the crater that he had made from impact.
Poison Ivy threw hundreds of seeds on the ground and grew monstrous plants which looked like they could rip the flesh off a human in under thirty seconds. "Keep it up! Whatever you're doing, it's working. I'll deal with Superman."
Weiss didn't actually expect to get through to him and didn't really know what to say, but continued nonetheless. "Your mind is yours and yours alone. You're stronger than her, Conner. Your heart is so much bigger than her brain."
Just for a split second, Conner's cobalt eyes came back to life. But as quickly as it came, it was replaced by his excruciating screams as D'Kay used her telekinesis to contort his body, twisting him as she gave him his consciousness back long enough to feel the pain she was inflicting.
Weiss tried to use her Gravity Glyphs to fight against her telekinesis, but there was only so much she could do against D'Kay's supercharged powers.
D'Kay stepped through the river, using her powers to bend the flow of the water around her as she walked.
"It is no use trying to defy me. Far stronger than you have tried, and you will fail just as they did. In fact…"
The elevator doors opened, revealing the unconscious forms of Jinx and Raven, followed by the rest of the Justice League and the Teen Titans.
Weiss heard a grunt and a thump from behind her and saw Poison Ivy roll towards her, Superman floating in the air behind them.
"You're surrounded my dear girl, and if you don't comply, the pain that I inflicted on the young Kryptonian will only be the beginning."
Panic seared through Weiss. She was backed into a corner, and there weren't very many other options for her.
"I won't give up so easily."
As a last ditch effort, she loaded Lightning Dust and cast a Time Dilation Glyph. As the world slowed around her and time froze, Weiss used a line of Glyphs to charge at D'Kay, ice forming around Myrtenaster and the entire room, dropping the temperature as Weiss skated across the Ice Glyphs.
She jumped up and thrust Myrtenaster forward, but before her rapier could pierce through D'Kay's eyes, a red blur came at her and swatted her out of the air, dispelling the Time Dilation Glyph and sending Weiss tumbling back to where Poison Ivy was.
The Flash stood in front of her, eyes glazed and completely hollow as he stared at Weiss and Poison Ivy.
Weiss recalled Kid Flash saying something about going fast enough to stop time itself, but she didn't think it was actually true.
"It is time to surrender, child, lest I lose my temper and leave Darkseid to piece your remains back together."
Weiss looked around and saw the state of her friends, of the heroes who had sworn to protect the world that she had fallen into.
In her current situation it was hard to see how she was doing anything to improve their situation. She didn't want to give up. She wanted to go kicking and screaming.
But that's not an option if I want my friends to survive this.
"I'll go peacefully, but if I do, you need to let go of my comrades."
D'Kay let out a snarl that Weiss guessed was supposed to resemble a laugh. "You're hardly in a position to make a deal, child."
In a flash, Weiss summoned Apathy Grimm and flooded the entire room with them, draining the will out of the zombified heroes.
"I'm not so sure about that." She glared, her icy eyes piercing through D'Kay like an icicle.
D'Kay simply laughed and snapped her fingers, causing all of the heroes to crumple to the ground, their minds finally free from her control.
To Weiss' horror, she seemed unaffected by the emaciated Grimm which clawed at her, failing to drain her.
"My insanity is far deeper than the claws of your creatures can sink into, child." The mouth on her hip spoke. "Years of isolation in a prison will change you. Alter your very mind until it manifests into the company that you so crave and desire."
She reached out and crushed the head of an Apathy with her hand, causing it to disperse into ice and mist. "But I care not for these creatures. I only desire my beloved…" She caressed the face of another Apathy, using her powers to restrain them as the ones surrounding her tried to claw at her. "And if your retrieval is necessary for our reunion, then these heroes mean nothing to me."
Weiss' grip tightened on Myrtenaster. "And you swear that you're not controlling them anymore?"
"Kryptonian. Awaken."
Conner groaned as his eyes slowly opened, his head pounding from being under D'Kay's control for so long.
"Weiss? What's going on?" He asked in confusion, pushing himself off the ground as he took in the unconscious heroes and Apathy Grimm that surrounded them.
Weiss instantly dispelled the Summon and used Glyphs to run over to him, throwing her arms around him as she held back tears.
His arms unconsciously tightened around her, his hand resting on the back of her head. "Weiss? What's going on?"
She didn't say anything, only hugging him tighter as she knew that that moment might be the last time that she saw him.
"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I've met so many amazing people and I owe it all to you."
Conner was absolutely bewildered and starting to feel a little scared. "Ice Princess, what's going on? Why am I back to normal if D'Kay isn't dead?" He pulled Weiss even closer, his arms locking around her as he started to realize what she was trying to do.
D'Kay held a claw forward and opened a portal, though it swirled a murky gray color and obscured where it led. "It's time to go, child of snow. I've granted you your wish. Now it's time to hold up your end of the bargain."
Weiss held blinked back the tears and tried to pull away from him, but to no avail. "Conner, let go of me."
His head fell to her shoulder and with her hand against his heart, she could feel how fast it was beating. "Please don't do this. We can find another way. We can get you back home. I promise, just don't do this to yourself."
Weiss pulled back slightly and pulled his forehead down to meet hers. Ice met cobalt as she looked into his eyes and saw the pain and raw fear that was going through him.
She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, her left hand dropping down to Myrtenaster, spinning the revolver until it landed on the Kryptonite.
"I'm sorry, Conner." A bright green Glyph appeared under them, making Conner turn deathly pale as the effects of the Kryptonite overtook him.
"What the- how are you doing this?" He choked, falling to his knees.
Weiss jumped back, tears now flowing freely down her face. "I can't risk your life for my own. Everyone's been so kind to me by taking me in… I can't repay you by letting you become her minions."
She used a Glyph to jump over to the portal, making sure to keep the Glyph under Conner active.
He groaned in pain as he tried to crawl away from the Glyph, panic flooding his senses harder than he had ever felt before. "Weiss! Don't do this. Please."
She shook her head and smiled sadly. "I have to. It's my duty as a Huntress and as a hero to put the safety of the people I love before myself."
Weiss allowed herself one more glance at Conner, most likely the last one she would ever get, before walking into the gray portal, her decision made.
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