Fall had come, and with it a strange rise in criminal activity along the east coast. However, what activity had sprung up across two states that bordered the Atlantic coast was being taken care of by the new and obscure vigilante going by Night Fury.
Or at least, obscure to the public, who saw fleeting sights of the being- however, the League had a good guess on who it was. They had sent one of their own, Flash, to offer a hand of assistance to the wayward meta, and instead of a polite rejection or an agreement, Flash had been run out of the city with an abnormal storm system forming over his head and ominous whispering shadows nipping at his heels, plasmafire exploding in the skies above him.
Thus was Senka's continued recovery from his time with the League. He stayed to the shadows where he felt it was necessary, but he was often seen just simply doing small things for the people spread throughout two state's cities- Rhode Island's Shacklebolt City, and New York's Manhattan New York City. With his ability to teleport and fly giving him faster travel time, bordering on the Flash or Superman's travel speed with how fast he opened and close the portals, Night Fury was a reliable person; connection to the shadows and the ability to communicate through them with his Umbrakinesis gave him the power to prioritize and listen in on which problems needed attention first, such as helping a cat out of a tree before or after stopping another speeding car on the freeway.
Night Fury, Senka, didn't need or want the League anywhere near him, and in turn they gave him all the time and space he indirectly demanded of them.
His nights were made up of visiting Andy, eating home made food on a fire escape and talking about how their days had been- things that gave normality to a superteen's thus far nightmarish life. Senka particularly liked their anime marathons, flying over Shacklebolt City with the girl on his back, and checking in on Sherry; everything seemed… quiet.
But as the saying goes- all good things must come to an end eventually.
Senka's hackles raised when he recognized the scent of Gotham that clung to the Dark Knight and his bird- rain, a sourness from the streets, an upscaled bitterness like biting into uncooked potatoes.
The meta was in his beast form, lounging on a roof, when the scent hit him, and a low growl rippled through his chest, eyes narrowed and pupils slit and feral looking. «I thought I made it clear,» Senka began, his claws unsheathing and scraping against brick and mortar. «That I didn't want any of you capes in MY cities again,» he growled, tail flicking to and fro. The Dark Knight glared at the bestial metahuman disapprovingly before sighing.
Senka blinked in surprise as shoulders slumped minutely, a sign of defeat, though eye-contact remained strong.
"There's a situation," Batman began. "Three hours ago, a breakout in Belle Reve Penitentiary occurred, concerning individuals that the League had somehow not known of prior to the breakout." Senka snorted, smoke jetting from his nostrils to cloud over and across the roof. "A woman with a strange Metagene escaped along with three companions of hers. Files of them indicate they were part of a group that specialized in Gene Splicing and forcing a metagene to evolve."
The black dragon creature shook his head like a dog, a low rumble making the rooftop shale slightly.
«And what does this have to do with me?» Senka asked. «Send your little posse after them.»
"The files had a strange symbol on them, one I felt was similar…" Batman paused, tensing. He didn't know how to deliver this news without ensuring Senka wouldn't do something drastic. Violet eyes flashed in the shadows, the black tendrils dancing on the edges of the roof whispering agitatedly and prompting the Dark Knight to continue. "When Onryo sent us into your memories, the men who took you had the symbol of a Phoenix emerging from fire on their coats… it's safe to assume these three have ties with them."
The rooftop was silent before Senka made a choked chattering sound with his beak-muzzle-snout.
«Th-they got out of there?» He whispered, the shadows vanishing in his shock. Batman narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in demenor, filing away the sight for later assessment.
"You know them?" he prodded.
Senka barked out a roar, a laugh, and threw his narrow, spearhead-shaped head back, grinning wolfishly to the stars overhead so his fangs glimmered in their blinking light.
«So, what?» he chuckled dryly. «You think I'll jump to my feet and wag my tail for you? Play fetch like a good little doggie and protect the 'Master's' children?» violent blue-white and black flames pulsed in the back of Senka's throat, threatening to explode outwards and burn the object of his ire. Batman tensed, readying for any form of attack but the dragon before him sank into the roof's shadows, becoming liquid darkness as he spoke.
«I'll only warn you of this once, Batman,» Senka began, his voice coming from all around the Dark Knight. «Those people are mine to deal with, and mine alone. You will not send any of your capes or spandex after them. If I find out you went after them before I did…, well, you'll be sorry you ever met me- even more so than I am at meeting you. Understand?»
Batman growled, glaring at the darkness around him. "Who and what are they to you?" he barked out.
Suddenly, there was movement.
Blades made of rippling shadows sprang from all around him, held at the Dark Knight's neck. One false move, and the Batman would be without his head and would become a pincushion for good measure.
"Give me one good reason to trust you again, Batsy," Senka said, emerging in his humanoid form behind the vigilante. "One. Good. Reason." A sharp blade pressed into Batman's jugular, a bead of blood welling up from the pressure. "Because the League is the only thing keeping that group you're running from off your trail," the Dark Knight grunted out. "Without us, you would be locked up like a dangerous animal."
"…I should slit your throat," the meta muttered. The cold shadows pulsed erratically…
And dropped to the ground, dispelling like fog in the late morning. "But I won't." Amethyst eyes pulsed wickedly in the night, staring at the Batman dead-on.
"I want you to remember something," Senka said. Batman glared at the teen, his cape fluttering in the wind as Senka's wings spread out behind him, the ripple patterns in gold and dark violet lighting up in several rapid, dim pulses of light. "I was made to counter each one of you Leaguers. For every strength you all have, I exploit twice as many weaknesses. I never forget, and forgiveness is difficult to gain from me."
The shadows swirled, creeping towards their master and wrapping around him. "These two cities are mine. Those I protect within them are mine. Anyone who comes inside them, are m I n e. if I find any Capes or Tights in my cities, I'll send them back to you in bandages and slings on life support, because if there's anything I've learned from being in that fucking hellhole, it's that I keep what's mine and don't give until I'm either dead or in the LifeLight's."
In a swirl of darkness, Senka stood in his Beast Form and gave a roar at the dark knight before spreading his wings and shooting into the air, leaving the irate Leaguer behind. Only time would tell if the warning would be heeded.