MM5: It came out better than I planned, and certainly better than I thought it would. I've found that writing Adam in first person helps quite a bit. I've used him and Triaxx, whose name I snatched for this account, in other places, but they didn't turn out so well. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
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"Have I mentioned, that I hate traveling this way?" Zatanna asked.
"Yes." Green Lantern replied. "Several times."
"Then why are we still traveling this way?" Kara asked.
"And for that matter, exactly where are we going?" I asked.
"Because I don't know where we're going. I'm hoping one of you two can help me find her." He pointed at Zatanna and I.
"I need ingredients for a locator spell." Zatanna replied. She glanced at me.
"I suppose I could try, we'll need to set down somewhere though." I commented. GL set down in literally the middle of nowhere. There was even a sign, denoting that fact. I muttered something, that I'd rather not repeat, and knelt. Zatanna watched in fascination. Of all the so called wizard corp, Zatanna was the only one that didn't hate me. Etrigan, who wasn't technically a member, had mixed feelings, but still didn't seem to like me. Kneeling, I drove my hands into the ground. "You realize that I'm only going to be able to get a general location on her." I asked. He nodded. I closed my eyes, and concentrated. After a moment, like sonar, the response came. I stood up, and brushed the dirt off my hands.
"Find her?" He asked.
"South America, Brazilish. Can't get more specific. The reading is tinged though. Same as those premonitions." I shook my head.
"Betrayal?" John asked.
"No. I can't identify it." Zatanna held out her hand.
"Let me feel it, maybe I can." I took her hand, and showed her, everything. "Evil, something, or someone, is plotting to use her. That's the betrayal. She doesn't know, that's why the tinge." She identified it.
"Then we need to hurry." Supergirl said.
"That's my department." Zatanna smiled. "Noitatropsnart." The scene dissolved. A moment later, we were standing on empty air. Falling is an interesting experience. There's nothing quite like free fall, even knowing you're about to die. Then I stopped. That's the second problem with falling. Even if you're caught, or are wearing a parachute, there's always a sudden stop at the bottom. I could feel it was Supergirl that had caught me. She had a hold of my ankles. Since this left me upside down, all the blood rushed to my head. Very disconcerting. I heard Zatanna telling John something, which he laughed over. As we floated upwards, Kara repeated the joke.
"Looks like the blood is rushing to the other head." She quoted.
"I hate funny people." Was all I could think to say. Kara laughed at that.
"Hey, I'm funny." She retorted. Remembering two things, I changed my attitude. The first thing I remembered, was that she was the only thing keeping me from being a very big splatter on the forest floor. The second was that GL didn't like me enough to save me.
"I mean people that only think they're funny. You actually are." She grinned, and flew upwards. It was rather nervous, when she tossed me up to flip me over.
"Why can't you fly?" Zatanna asked curiously.
"Maximum range. If I'm over 100' from something, I can't affect it. I can levitate to 100' feet, but beyond that, I can't effect the ground." I shrugged. Zatanna gave me a look, that spoke to me. It said: 'Elaborate lest I slaughter thee.' "I levitate, by walking on solid air, and I have to strengthen the surface of the ground to support that air. Other wise it would sink, and so would I."
"Why not just solidify the air itself?" She asked patiently. I blinked.
"Never thought of that." She muttered something none of us caught, even with Supergirl's hearing. Smoke rising from the forest, distracted us, and further conversation was impossible. GL, and Zatanna raced off towards the smoke, and Supergirl pulled me along as she followed. Most men would complain about being led around, more or less by the nose by a woman, even a beautiful one. I'm not most men, and it's not a really good idea to annoy someone ten or so times as strong as you are. Since she is, I don't.
---
"Well we can't carry him, so we've got to wake him up. No, don't..." Ivy began, as Harley drew back to kick him. As her foot swung forwards, Ivy and Savage both stepped back. A moment later, Harley was hopping around on one foot, holding the other. "...kick him. He might we wearing armor, and he might be irritated when he wakes up." She finished.
"Here, try this." Savage handed her a seed. Ivy raised an eyebrow. "It's native, so it won't hurt the eco-system. I use a chemical created from the pollen to wake injured allies. The natural smell works faster, but my green thumb withered and died." He shrugged.
"Worth a shot." She said, as she poked a hole in the ground. Harley leaned over.
"Won't it wake the bird chick?" She asked. Savage shook his head.
"I've tested it." He replied. Both took deep breaths and felt awake again. Bane stirred. For a moment, nothing happened then he reached up, and pulverized the tree trunk. A second later, he destroyed the lower portion. Then he reached up and ripped the rest off his head. Harley handed Ivy her fist gun, Ivy fired. The weapon which had leveled Harvey Dent, barely dented Bane. He didn't seem to even notice. Ivy handed it back, and stalked off. Savage prudently said nothing.
"Bane, be a dear, and bring the bird chick." Bane nodded, and hefted Hawkgirl. As they walked ahead, Savage turned back, and blinked.
:I sincerely hope, that was not what I think it was.: He thought to himself, and then turned and followed, cautiously.
---
Chi stopped, as he swept across the forest, searching back and forth. He thought he heard conversations. He swept up the trees in wind form, stopping on the highest branch that would support his weight. There, floating in the air, stood four people. He didn't know any of them, but recognized the one glowing green instantly. :Green Lantern. The one Shayera... I need to get their attention.: He turned, and swept back through the trees, arriving at the village in short order. One of the houses still smoldered. He sighed, but whirled through, stirring the ashes, and rekindling the flames, just enough to produce smoke, before putting it out. A few minutes later the four landed. First the Green Lantern, then a woman in a tuxedo. A moment later the last two arrived. The second man was drug along by a young woman. Tall, and dark haired, he didn't seem in the least offended that she was dragging him along. He was dressed in a deep blue long sleeve shirt, and blue jeans, along with dark blue sneakers, and white, fingerless gloves. Chi had the impression he'd be impossible to see floating on the water. She dropped him, and landed laughing.
"That's not funny." He said.
"Yes, actually, it is." She replied. He simply stood, dusting off his clothes. Chi stepped forwards.
"Are you friends of Shayera?" He asked
"You mean Hawkgirl?" Lantern asked, protectively. Chi cleared his throat, and nodded.
"Yes, Hawkgirl." Lantern took a deep breath. The woman in the tuxedo took the pause to take the conversation.
"Please, allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Zatanna." She bowed. "This is Supergirl. And that is Adam. Mr. conversational, is Green Lantern. You know Hawkgirl?" She smiled.
"Yes, my name is Chi'ambi. You may call me Chi." He bowed.
"Wind stalker." Adam said. Supergirl hit him.
"You know the name?" Chi asked curiously. Adam shook his head.
"Just the translation." He replied, rubbing his head.
"Quite knowledgeable. In any case, I have just been searching for her. The villagers sought to drive her out. The reasons, are far more complicated than we have time for. Suffice to say, they succeeded. When she left, I did as well. Neither of us had gone far, when the village was attacked. We both returned, but she arrived before me. When I arrived, she was already gone, after those heading south. There were four of them. Two went south, and two west. Since she had chased those to the south I went west. When the tracks turned suddenly, I was afraid for her. I searched as rapidly as I was able, and that is how I saw you. I fear Shayera is in trouble." Chi finished. He knew instantly he'd made a mistake, saying the wrong name when the Green Lantern attacked him. He didn't use his ring, he simply attacked. Zatanna threw her arm up, and he stopped in mid-lunge.
"Lantern, calm down!" She snapped. "Sunmos!" He dropped the ground, asleep.
"Chi, how long ago did she leave?" Supergirl asked.
"About 15 minutes before I did, and I was looking for almost two hours." Chi responded.
"Nekawa." Zatanna whispered, and the effects of her sleep spell wore off. He stood, and brushed off his suit.
"I'm sorry. My blood sister insisted I use her first name." Chi said. John stared at him.
"Blood sister?" He asked suspiciously. Adam stepped forwards, to explain. Chi seemed only able to do wrong in his eyes and blood shed was not conducive to friendship.
"By ritual, to live her as one of them, the only way in is to challenge a warrior and become blood sibling to them. She must have been defeated. On purpose most likely." Adam explained. John stared at him. "If she'd won, the archers would have killed her."
"What archers?" He snapped.
"Probably the same 10 that are watching us now." Adam waved at the surrounding houses and forest. Arrow tips poked out of windows, and the foliage. "You can put those down. For one, we aren't here to hurt you. And for another, they probably wouldn't hurt us." He called to them.
"Probably?" Zatanna asked. Adam shrugged.
"I know they wouldn't bother Supergirl, and GL's covered. You and I might get caught before GL gets us covered as well though. Then again, from the look in his eyes, he might not cover me." The look was one of pure and undisguised annoyance. Supergirl laughed.
"I'll cover you." She offered. He raised an eyebrow. "From the arrows." The eyebrow fell as he laughed.
"Excuse me." Chi interjected.
"Sorry." Adam apologized, before looking back to Lantern. "The floor is yours old chap." The last was delivered with an english accent.
"Thanks." John muttered. "I'm sorry for over reacting. Can you follow the tracks of those from the south?" He asked. Chi shook his head.
"No, one of them is a master hunter. I cannot follow his trail no matter how hard I try. It is as if he has been doing it since the beginning of time." He sighed.
"Beginning of time?" Lantern asked. "Can we have a description?" He asked suddenly.
"Of course, forgive me. Brother!" A man, who looked similar to Chi appeared. "This is my brother, Nrusa. He saw the entire group."
"Describe them, please." Lantern asked. Nrusa nodded. He gave the descriptions. "Savage." Lantern snarled.
"Bane." Supergirl had met him before.
"Ivy." Adam whispered with a note in his voice that earned him another slap.
"Harley Quinn." Zatanna knew the last one. They'd met while she was helping Batman.
"You know them?" Chi asked. Lantern nodded.
"Unfortunately." He rubbed his temples. "If they're working together, then we have a serious problem."
"Finding them is easy enough." Adam replied. "Zatanna can trail them."
"I have to have met them before... Oh, right." She smiled.
"Alright, I can follow Savage. Chi, would you come with me?" He nodded. "Alright, Supergirl, Zatanna, Adam, follow Quinn and Bane's trail, I'll use the ring to follow Ivy and Savage. Becareful. We should eventually meet up. If we don't be doubly careful." They nodded. Lantern rose into the air, and Chi rose with him. They flew off along the trail. Adam turned to Zatanna.
"It's all up to you girl." He grinned.
"Thanks, a lot." She muttered in reply.