YJC Ch 9: Reporting In

| Junction City, Kansas

| 2019 March 3rd, 8:00 PM Sunday

With a great exhale leaving her lips, Raven found herself in a cramped space. It was dark, stuffy. Raven felt fabric lazily draping over her head and shoulders. She had no doubt that if she didn't have her demon genes, she would be completely blind.

Her nose flared as she took in stale air, picking up on the familiar scent of dirty laundry that she knew was in the corner and the distinct smell of lavender air freshener that she hoped would freshen up the area.

But what else did she expect from her closet?

Taking a moment to glance down at the carpet under her feet, Raven pleasantly noted that there was not a single bit of fire or a shard of ember to be seen. That was good. She was worried that her personalized summoning mark would emit some sort of etheric feedback that would set the newly installed fabric ablaze.

Raising a hand to push her hanging clothes aside, Raven then turned to her right only to see red eyes peering back at her from a cage that was nestled in its usual place by her shoe shelf.

The tiny birds hoped to attention at the sight of her, their eerie child-like voices echoing through the small space. "Welcome back.", they cooed.

Her mouth twisted into a small frown. She usually left them covered with a small blanket until she needed them, and while she could tell Nightshade visited the area at least once before, she could also tell someone else was here. Someone she didn't know.

"Who moved you guys?", she questioned.

"Some boy.", one whispered. "A boy we told to leave.", another chimed. Then they spoke in unison. "He took us with him. Then the woman put us back."

Pursing her lips in deep thought, Raven resolved to ask Nightshade about it later. It was odd that any child would take her little birds, but it was clear Nightshade saw no reason to inform her about the incident. Which meant Nightshade saw no serious problem to someone learning of her magical talents.

Gripping the door handle, Raven found herself taking a deep breath as she took in the familiarity of her room. Beige walls, blue furniture, a lone bookshelf and a small bed was what her living space comprised of. It looked unassuming. Boring even. With most of its character being found in the classic literature lining her shelves and the organized desk in the corner which was littered in schoolwork.

But if someone were to tear down the wallpaper she put up and remove the carpet Nightshade had installed, one would find all manner of sigils, glyphs and symbols. All to create wards, seals, and other forms of magical protection. If the room was laid bare, it would probably look like a room out of a horror film.

Some future homeowner or property inspector was going to have a field day if they ever decided to move out. Thankfully, all of the marks were made to look older than they actually were. They might just attribute it to an earlier tenant.

Grasping the cool metal of the bird cage, Raven walked over to her desk as she set down her "pets". They were eagerly bouncing around now, their little bodies shifting up and down as they mimicked bird behavior. "Out time!"

Flipping the simple latch that kept the cage closed, there was a flurry of flapping wings as both of her little black birds took flight. One immediately took to flying laps around the small room, but the other joined her at the wooden desk. It was looking at everything that was around, curiously pecking at any pencils or stray bits of paper that was disturbed by its counterpart's active wings.

Leisurely stroking the bird closest to her, Raven took to mentally checking the house's energies. It was a luxury that she could only afford in this place, a home that she constantly visited and formed a defined relationship with. That bond affords her a certain amount of clarity with her empathy.

She could tell that Nightshade was not currently in the house but arrived a while ago. Two people also arrived for a short visit, one of whom she recognized as belonging to her tutor. The other signature was unknown to her, but it didn't have a single flare of maliciousness to it. Arrogance and impatience, yes. It even gave off a flare of childish glee and wonder at one point. But nothing to imply that this person held any ill will, suspicion or malice towards her or Nightshade.

Well, she was nothing but thorough. "Describe this boy to me.", she ordered.

Bird #1, who was currently dragging a pencil around, answered her in a small voice. "Small. Red hair. Freckles. Round glasses… gross voice."

She almost smirked in amusement, knowing very well that her creations had close to no idea what children could sound like aside from her usual monotone. "Doesn't sound like a threat."

"No. No threat.", it chirped. It sounded halfway between bored and annoyed. It didn't take long for the creature begin pecking at the desk again.

Giving a passing look to her civilian phone at the other end of the desk, she gestured to it. "Would you mind handing me my phone?"

The not-bird's feathers ruffled, as if irritated with the question, before giving its usual response. "Yes. I do mind." It then flew off to join its partner on the bed, and the two began chirping in what Raven was beginning to suspect was a made-up language.

That was the key flaw with her creations. For all of their willingness to be respectful and answer most questions, they did not take orders. Be it as simple as bringing her a pencil or going to a designated location, the two birds simply refused to follow her every whim. At most they would consider the order like a request, and then either agree or decline based on mood.

Which made a certain amount of sense, she supposed. Because while she tried to make her "homunculi" after taking lessons from Nightshade, her creations were remarkably different from whatever her teacher could come up with.

Nightshade's ravens, however odd they may appear upon closer inspection, looked closer to actual birds in terms of proportion. Her ravens, in comparison, looked cartoonish, with their giant heads always being bigger than the rest of their bodies. Nightshade's ravens were made out of some form of shadow matter that always reminded her of thick smoke or a collection of dark sand. But hers were more… thick. More defined. Odd proportions aside, they had a solidity to them that was considered unusual outside of the dream world.

But perhaps their most surprising attribute was their intelligence and independence. While she wouldn't call either of Nightshade's ravens stupid, they were only capable of understanding basic commands, with more advanced actions only being made possible by Nightshade who gave them mental instructions. Which is to say nothing of their inability to speak… or their inability to refuse orders.

As it stood, the only reason they had not flown away was because she had placed barriers in the house and because they were willing to bargain or negotiate.

"Raven?", one asked.

Raven looked at them with a steady gaze. "Yes?"

"What did you do today?"

She felt her shoulders relax themselves, familiar with this line of questioning. "I saved people and hung out with a friend."

The other one joined in. "The red head?"

"His alias is Arsenal. But yes, the red head."

The two made a few tentative hops in her direction, and their heads began to swivel a bit more as they turned their attention towards her. While they did not need food, water or even air, they always displayed a certain appetite for conversation. "And what else?"

Raven parsed her words carefully. "I was invited to join a special group." She always worried that they might be prone to gossip.

"A special group?" They intoned.

"Yes. Arsenal suggested it."

One of them spoke up quickly. "What does this group do?"

"They basically do the same thing I do already, but on a bigger scale."

"That's it?"

"That's it. Although you have to understand that heroism can be a bit complicated sometimes."

"How is it complicated?"

If she continued answering their questions, she would be here all day. She would have to make time for them later in the week. Speaking of which…

"It just is. But listen, I have something serious to discuss with you both. I am going to have to dismiss you."

Their little movements stilled, their twitching legs becoming rigid. Their tone, while sullen, did not exactly sound so much sad as much it sounded disappointed. "Did we do something wrong?"

"No. It's just likely that I will not be able to care for you. If I agree to cooperate with this special group, then odds are good I will not be able to care for you the way you should be cared for. It's not like Eve can take care of you either since she is barely around as it is. You don't want to stay holed up in a cage for months on end, do you?"

"No. But the other place is boring. And won't you be lonely?"

Raven once again idly wondered what this 'other place' really was. Nightshade assured her that they were most likely referring to the Land of Nightshades or perhaps the Dreaming. But it wasn't like they knew for sure. All she knew is that when she dismissed her creations, she never saw them again. And yet, all constructs she made afterward were… informed. They knew things she talked about with previous ravens, and they knew what was expected of them in terms of conduct. If they were not so adamant that they were not the same creatures she had made before, she would have thought she was reconstructing the same pair of creatures.

"If this team is as full of teenagers as they claim, I won't be all that lonely." That was likely going to turn out as a lie later. She wasn't really good with people. But it wouldn't do her any good to reveal that. "Can you tell me about this 'other place' again? You claim you don't know much, but you obviously know something."

The two avians peered at each other, as if trying to make up their minds on how to respond. "The other place is… other. It is dark, and it feels, and it even thinks sometimes. But it is not a place we know too well."

"Why?"

The look they gave her was somehow poignant, and Raven knew what their answer would be. "Because we did not exist before you called us. Not really."

Raven turned away. "Do you know when Nightshade is going to be back?"

"Yes. We think she will be back home in the afternoon. She wants to talk to you."

Her face didn't show any changes, but Raven couldn't help but have some level of concern. They had not set up any plans for magical lectures (mostly because Raven was primarily self-taught), and as far as she knew, her CBI training was progressing well aside from a few minor hiccups. Which meant either Raven did something wrong, some sort of new protocol was put into place, or — and Raven had mixed feelings on this — this was part of Nightshade's routine attempts to initiate "bonding time".

She didn't think either of them looked forward to those. They could act amicably in public easily enough. But their private conversations… it always went better when they kept to topics like magical academia or school performance. Anything else always felt stunted.

After giving a distinct exhale, Raven turned her attention to her birds again. "I am about to submit some reports. You guys can stay out of the cage and hang out for a bit. But do not irritate the rats while I'm gone. I know you guys like pecking at them."

"I make no promises.", one said. The other gave a small bounce on her bed, as if struggling to contain its energy, before it responded. "I have no interest in them anyway."

And that was the most she could expect from them. Good thing she kept her pet projects separate from each other.

With that she exited her room, walking down a rather boring hallway. It didn't take her long for the feeling of guilt to bubble up within her, but as she had done so many other times in the past, it was carefully held in check, bound by the rigidity of her training and logic. She entered the master bedroom, where the messy bed and moved objects told Raven that Nightshade had indeed been inside the house at one point.

She made her way to the laptop sitting innocently on a desk. A few passwords and domain portals later she found herself staring at a familiar set of questions and empty text blocks.

Swallowing a small lump in her throat, Raven started typing an all too familiar line:

'I encountered Arsenal. I was in Enterprise, Oregon and he requested that I take him to Salt Lake City, Utah. I did. We tracked down Psycho Pirate at his request. No new information on his abilities, techniques, tactics, or toolset.'

Raven unconsciously found herself biting her lip, her eyes glossing over as she automatically put in the relevant information in their proper fields. Dates, times, addresses, etc. It was mostly a formality, but they always liked having details.

She doubted the government even really looked at these reports all that closely anymore. They had their own agents who could gather information, and more importantly: Arsenal was practically walking into their hands. It was said he was taking contracts from Sarge Steel. It would certainly explain some things. Based on Nightwing's reaction, his fancy little phone didn't come from the League. And while Arsenal could hotwire cars and steal electricity from the city's grid to fuel his cybernetic arm, he couldn't make a phone like that himself.

Lacing her fingers, Raven intently stared at the computer screen. Giving information on Arsenal - and any other hero she came across — was relatively routine at this point. But like others in the program, it was all mostly viewed as child's play to their supervisors. But what she learned today...

'Arsenal and I also encountered Nightwing. Through him, I learned that the Justice League has a covert ops unit. I was also offered the possibility of joining per Arsenal's recommendation.'

He fingers felt a bit more heavy than normal, and she bit her lip. Moral issues aside, Raven had no doubt that this line would attract attention. Attention that Raven wanted to avoid, if possible.

Putting a firm finger on the backspace key, the information vanished from the screen. Poising her hands above the keyboard, Raven inwardly cursed her position.

She promised Arsenal she would consider the offer, and she had every intention to keep that promise. But regardless on if she joined or not, it would not look good for her if the powers that be learned that she was withholding this information. Despite being considered 'in training' for the CBI, the obligations she was expected to abide by were quite clear. If this information was as important as she thought it was, then she might even get punished for failing to inform someone.

How that punishment would go was a mystery. But a training reassignment or a temporary relocation to a DEO base seemed likely. She also didn't like the idea of joining this team in the first place. Either way, the first thing she needed to do was talk to Nightshade. With her advice, they could determine her next course of action.

| Junction City, Kansas

| 2019 March 8th, 4:00 PM Friday

When Nightwing approached her about a potential new teammate, Black Canary could honestly say she was a bit surprised. Both because the new member in question insisted on secrecy, and because it was Arsenal who had to provide information to the girl's location. She honestly expected Nightwing to immediately provide her with an address and her basic bio. But perhaps this was his attempt to show that he was operating with higher standards?

Stepping out of her car, Dinah was met with the sight of a quaint looking house. Mowed lawn, clear color, pristine windows, etc. The only thing that stood out was the distinct security pad latched onto the front door and the garage. Well, given the type of work her ward did, it was only to be expected.

Heels clicking on the pavement, the woman approached the white colored door to give it three firm knocks. It didn't take long for the door to open to reveal a Caucasian woman in casual clothing. Dressed in a blue turtleneck and jeans, the counselor noted the quick look of appraisal that was sent her way.

Dinah made sure to put on a reassuring smile. "Hello, my name is Dinah Lance. Are you Eve Eden?"

She nodded. "I am. And you are Black Canary, who I assume is here because of Rachel?"

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow at the tone of voice used but said nothing of it. It was a bit better than the deference she was usually given. "Yes. We believe she will be a good fit for our operation, but we obviously want to discuss a few things. You have a right to know what exactly she is getting into."

Eve gave a low hum in acknowledgement. "If you are who you say you are, can you produce some ID?"

Without batting an eye, Canary reached inside one of her pockets. This request was fairly common among her clients. But of course, she also understood that no one ever asked for her civilian ID. Bringing out a pristine card, Canary presented the familiar blue object to the woman in front of her. Ms. Eden began evaluating the card immediately, and Canary fully expected her to inspect the object from front to back.

Justice League membership cards were mostly a formality, but it was a form of identification that attentive civilians learned about if they wanted certification. They knew they were to look for a blue card with a globe in the background, with the Justice League's name emblazoned in firm steel, and quickly followed up by the motto of "Truth and Justice". The member's name and designation number were located on the bottom right.

Finding no fault with the identification card, the dark-haired woman opened the door wider. "Well, come on in. We are already sitting in the living room."

After quickly smoothing over her clothes, Dinah found herself crossing the threshold. She was quickly escorted to the living room where, as promised, she found the two of them already waiting for her.

Ms. Eden was situated on the left side, nursing a glass of ice tea in her hand. Her daughter, she noticed, was situated on the opposite side of the couch with a straight back and uncrossed legs. When she had similar meetings with Mr. Dorado and Ms. Sandsmark, the children would either be sitting right beside their parental figure or sitting on another piece of furniture entirely. And the children also tended to have sitting positions that were a lot less... formal.

The others were mentored by other heroes or were at least affiliated with them. But from what she understood, Rachel operated solo with Arsenal as her only hero acquaintance. So perhaps she was trying to impart a good impression?

Turning her attention toward the serious-looking girl, she extended a hand. "Hello. I already introduced myself to your mother, but my name is Dinah Lance. But you can call me Dinah. Or Canary, if you prefer."

With an impassive face, the girl with black hair lightly gripped her hand. "Rachel."

Seeing no sign of relaxation in her behavior, she went right into it. "As you may have heard, the League has an affiliate Team that specializes in covert missions. This gives young heroes an environment where they can hone their skills while remaining out of the spotlight. This Team has access to several League resources, and are almost always supervised by an adult."

Ms. Eden didn't look surprised, but Dinah didn't miss the small frown that came on her face.

She put on a reassuring smile. "We also take special care to select missions that we believe are appropriate for young heroes. This, when combined with the lack of publicity, helps ensure that no one is exposed to undue danger."

"But these missions are dangerous, right?", Eve asked.

She nodded. "All missions are. As is hero work in general. But we take steps to keep danger to a minimum. In the event a mission looks too dangerous to continue, the group leader is expected to retreat. Member safety is paramount."

"A group leader?", the girl inquired. "You mean I am going to be working with a squad at all times?"

"Well, there is no "I" in "Team", right?", Canary joked. "Teamwork is arguably the Team's most important aspect. The group setup also helps reduce mission casualties and complications."

Eve set her glass of tea down, her gaze sternly looking at the woman situated across from them. "And how often will you expect her to go on missions, exactly? And how often will she be able to contact me?"

Slightly raising her arms, Canary elaborated. "Assuming she isn't on a mission or in training, Rachel will be more than free to contact you whenever she likes. The League will also ensure that you are kept informed of any situations or serious injuries she may acquire. The details of her schedule can be worked out later, but we won't be taking her from you. She can still come home every day if you want. But just know that we also have a rooming facility in the event that she wants to stay with the Team on a more permanent basis. Or she can just stay on the weekends."

"Assuming you agree to her operating with us, of course.", she quickly added. "Rachel will not be put on the Team at all unless we have your informed consent. And if you have any additional questions either now or in the future, I will be sure to answer them. We can also arrange for you to meet one of the Team leaders, if you want."

The woman gave a small sigh. "That won't be necessary. I already allowed Rachel to continue her... activities. But only so long as she regularly contacts me and takes steps to avoid danger. If she is put under supervision and given ample means of communication as you say she will be, then I have no real qualms against her joining." She turned her attention toward Rachel, who still had yet to show a different emotion for this entire meeting. "But I will be expecting regular reports."

Rachel's response was in monotone, and mostly devoid of any trace of affection. But Canary still detected some amount of respect in her voice. "I will."

At this point Canary expected a hug, a firm hand on the shoulder, an exclamation of excitement, or some other physical gesture that a child was being accepted into a prestigious — if dangerous — undertaking. But aside from a few seconds of serious eye contact, the two didn't interact at all. There was just a nod from Rachel and a small intake of breath from Eve. Almost as if she was resigned to Rachel making serious decisions on her own.

Canary awkwardly coughed. "Since she is a minor, you can rescind her participation whenever you want. We will also be starting her off with a few training sessions before she is put on her first formal mission. Since today is Friday, she is more than willing to stay at an affiliate facility for the weekend. This will provide us more than enough time to show her the ropes. And if she decides she doesn't want to -"

Eve waved her off. "She is already packed." Canary paused, stunned. "Rachel mentioned that this Team likely had housing arrangements. It is also not uncommon for Rachel to stay overnight at various locations over the weekend. Sometimes it is with this "Arsenal". Which I don't particularly like. Other times -" She fixed Rachel with a glare. "It is in the wilderness, of all places. Although this time around she packed more than survival gear. I will be expecting a call when she arrives, though."

Rachel didn't outwardly react, but she internally cringed at the white lie. She hated camping, and if she did need a place to sleep over the weekend, she was given access to a handful of 'defunct' CBI safehouses. Buildings that were no longer used by any active operatives, but were still owned by the government. And if she couldn't find any of those... well, let's just say she made ample use of her ability to travel to other dimensions. The Nightshade Realm in particular was mostly safe for her, now that she had Nightshade's permission to be there.

Canary was silent for a few more moments, eyes slowly blinking as she stared at the prepared luggage. She made a small cough. "Right. There is one more thing I need you to do." Finally opening the suitcase, she brought along, she pulled out a set of forms and promptly presented them to Eve. "Just sign some standard permission and disclosure forms. It mostly just confirms that you are giving your daughter permission to operate with us, that you will not disclose any confidential information online or with the media, clarifying your rights, and so on. It's all pretty basic. You are free to look them over for as long as you like."

The paper crinkled as Eve skimmed them over, and for the most part she was correct: They were standard. Although there was an entire section Eve did not recognize. It was titled "Galactic Statutes", but it was prefaced with the fact most of these would never apply on Earth. Upon seeing her confused expression, Canary clarified that that particular set of pages did not need to be signed immediately. So, it was skipped, but the forms overall seemed acceptable. It didn't take long for them to be signed.

After giving her a copy of everything she just agreed to, Black Canary delicately placed the signed papers into their proper place in her suitcase. She then rose quickly, hands on her hips, and turned to Rachel with a smile. "With that out of the way, you are more than free to come with me. You can load up your luggage in the SUV I brought over."

At her words, Rachel lifted a hand that was encased in purple energy. It only took a few moments for Canary to detect the floating luggage that was quickly heading out what she assumed was a bedroom. It only consisted of a few duffle bags, but it was more than enough for what was possibly going to be a temporary arrangement.

Canary expected the luggage to continue levitating to the car, but the pieces of luggage promptly situated themselves on the floor with a small clang the moment she reached the front door. Patiently waiting for the young girl to join her, Canary noted how Rachel lifted the bags with her own hands as they made their way onto the sidewalk.

"Rachel." Ms. Eden's voice called out just as they were about to close the door. She looked slightly frazzled. Off put. Like she wanted to say something important but wasn't sure she needed to. "Be sure to take care of yourself."

For the first time since her visit, Canary saw the girl's face lightly soften. It was barely perceptible, but it was there. Her stare was less tense as the young girl met her gaze. "I know. I appreciate the warning."

After that, Rachel turned her gaze back toward the car, staring at it intently as her psionic abilities felt that something was... off. Something was registering on her empathy, and it didn't feel like it was coming from Canary or like a human was sitting inside the car. It felt... baser. It reminded her of when she was dealing with an animal, but somehow this new presence felt different. It felt as if it was a bit more focused, more capable of understanding what was going on around it. Perhaps there was an alien in the car? She had never personally encountered one, but it was definitely within the realm of possibility.

Whatever it was, it did not faze Black Canary as she entered the driver's seat. Following suit, Rachel tried to ignore the slight feeling of unease as she entered the backseat. Once she did, the odd presence only felt stronger - and not in a way where she could pinpoint a location like she usually could. Instead, it felt like it was around her.

The blonde woman gave her a glance from the rearview mirror. "Are you alright, Rachel?"

"Yeah.", she responded. Looking around, it was quickly determined that no one else was in the car. But that couldn't be right. After the car started moving, Rachel tried her best to search for a camouflaged figure without looking obvious. But no matter how hard her eyes searched, she found nothing. But she did notice that her seat alternated between warming up and cooling down. Was the car's heating system malfunctioning? Or was it entirely psychological? The sensation felt odd, and Rachel found herself adjusting her legs into something more comfortable. But as if someone noticed her discomfort, the air conditioning turned on, the air giving a noticeable whoosh throughout the car.

She felt a flare of surprise from Canary, and the peculiar emotion had Rachel eyeing her driver. The older woman wasn't paying attention to her, and was instead running her hands along the dashboard, almost as if she was trying to comfort it. Her voice as quiet, and most likely not meant for Rachel's ears. "What's going on with you?"

Fingers tapping on the steering wheel, Canary didn't appear too focused on the road when she noticed Rachel staring at her from the back. She quickly started talking. "I hear you have been operating solo? That's becoming more common nowadays. How did you start?"

Stopping her silent search, Rachel refocused her eyes on the front seat. "My abilities manifested when I was really young, but I was only allowed to begin operating when Eve gave me several karate lessons. I mostly dealt with petty thugs and stopping assaults. But I eventually expanded. Then Eve benched me when she figured out I was teleporting large distances. We worked through it though." Her tone was still monotonous, and Canary was beginning to think that this was a normal tone of voice for her.

"Hm. I noticed that she seems really concerned about you. Does she encourage you to stay hidden while working?"

Rachel's tone made it obvious she didn't want to elaborate. "Yes. We are big on privacy, and me being hailed a hero in public is attention neither of us want."

Canary nodded in acknowledgement. While she didn't know that much about them, their efforts to stay out of the public eye were noticeable. The two were reportedly rarely seen and the house was outfitted with above-average security. Arsenal had also noted that they would likely appreciate it if they took steps to ensure that Black Canary was not spotted entering the building.

Thankfully, Nightwing assured her that even if people were in their homes, it was unlikely that they would notice her walking into a random house. She also went a step further and made sure she equipped some darkwear contacts. If anyone tried to take a photo or video of her, they'd better get used to seeing a swirl covering her face. A similar effect could be achieved by using a common media filter, so it's not like positing it would achieve anything other than ridicule. She also asked M'gann for a small favor... although the said favor was currently acting very odd.

"I can respect that. It can be scary being a metahuman in today's world."

Rachel responded with a simple "Yeah". She looked tense in her seat, hands clenched into small fists as her eyes glanced at various places around the vehicle. Nothing seemed outwardly unusual. But as she peered at one of the neighboring cup holders, one of which now held a chilled water bottle that definitely wasn't there before, Rachel concluded that there was something going on with this car.

Canary cleared her throat. "I have a job that I need to deal with in Dodge City. But before I do that, we are going to get you to your accommodations in California. Have you ever seen a zeta-tube up close?"

Raven shook her head. "Not really. I know that certain government organizations and the Justice League uses them for quick travel, but I don't know that much about them." She did know a little though. Like how despite taking a so-called 'snapshot' of DNA for recognition purposes, the machine actually wasn't capable of analyzing it all that much. If it was, experts said the existence of metahumans would have been discovered a lot sooner. She also knew that earlier versions of the zeta-tube significantly increased the probability of developing cancer, which lead to a massive and costly overhaul of all existing zeta tube systems in the early 1960s. But she couldn't really say she understood how they worked on a technical level.

"Well, since you are not formally part of the Team yet, we will register you in the system as an authorized guest. It will require you to stand in the machine for a bit, but it should be over in no time. Then it will just be a simple matter of sending you to the HUB. The nearest one is in Topeka, so it should take us less than 30 minuets to get there."

That caught the girl's attention quickly, the statement making her raise her eyebrows in surprise as she looked at Black Canary like she made a mistake. "I think your math is off. If we are driving, it will take us around an hour to reach Topeka. Maybe more if the traffic is particularly bad."

The older woman smirked. "You'd be right if we were driving the whole way there. But flying will be much faster."

Before the girl could open her mouth, the car began to change, with amorphous shapes beginning to arise right in front of her eyes. In a scene that reminded her of being stuck in the more abstract part of the dreaming, Rachel found herself surround with indescribable forms and textures as the vehicle transformed into what she could only described as an alien space ship. Complete with foreign looking control panels and odd glowing bulbs toward the front. Bulbs that, she assumed, Canary was using to pilot the ship.

The older hero looked amused, giving her a bright smile as the floor literally began to move her toward the back of the now-spacious cockpit. "I asked one of the Team's senior members to loan me her bio ship. If nothing else, you get to have an amazing experience."

She didn't take a single step as the ship repositioned her seat, and Rachel found her eyes going wide as she finally looked out to realize that they were indeed airborne. Clouds were already whizzing past the window, and Rachel could distinctly tell that the ship was beginning to accelerate as she felt the space around her begin to move.

All she could offer in this situation was pitiful. "Uh... woah." If she wasn't already on her guard, she had no doubt that her powers would have lashed out. Thank Azar for that.

The older woman almost laughed. Her reactions were not as open and straight forward as other teens, but there was no denying that she was amazed at what she was seeing. The look didn't last long though, as it didn't take long for her face to return to its emotionless state.

Black Canary still considered it a solid win. But her face turned into one of surprise as she saw Rachel's seat immediately morph into a massage chair; the imminent humming being accompanied by the floor opening up to reveal an impromptu mini-fridge. It opened with a noise that Canary suspected was for dramatic effect, but all it did was make Rachel's face turn into a solid mask of increased neutrality. How she was able to do that with her already less-than expressive face she did not know. But she'd never seen the bio ship act like this.

Regardless of the ship's motives however, it was clear Rachel wasn't fond of the ship prying into her personal space. Her hands were firmly grasping the bio-material in a vice grip, and she looked like she was anything but relaxed as the newly formed massage chair continued its vibrating routine. The look became even more severe when smooth tendrils slowly rose from the ground, hovering near her person as if inquisitively trying to investigate her.

When she turned an almost accusing look Canary's way, the older woman could only find herself sheepishly shrugging. "I think she's trying to impress you?" She resolved to ask Miss Martian about this behavior later.

| The HUB

| 2019 March 8th, 2:47 PM

Laying casually on the couch, Kid Flash was anxiously bouncing his leg as he waited for the zeta-tube to announce the arrival of a potential new teammate. From what he's heard, it was supposed to be a girl.

Beside him was El Dorado, who was sitting much more calmly. But his face held a mild note of confusion. "Not that I'm complaining, but isn't it supposed to be a secret that the Outsiders are working with the Team?"

Kid Flash smirked. "Well, it only makes sense, right? We may be doing our own thing, but we still do operations with the rest of the Team. So, it's not like it was going to remain a secret anyway."

The young man nodded. "I suppose that's true. I guess I am just surprised we are taking someone else in that we barely know anything about."

"And we don't have to.", Superboy said, walking over to join them. "We barely knew anything about Halo when she joined, so there is no reason Raven has to be any different."

El Dorado sighed in resignation. "How is she, by the way?" He gave a glance toward the upper banister, trying to spot a glance of the ever-reclusive girl.

"She's... doing better.", Superboy supplied. "But I think us emptying out you-know-who's room made her upset."

Kid Flash gave a small snort. "Well, it's been several months already. If Brion wanted to come back, he would have been back by now."

El Dorado shot him a glare. "Dude."

The speedster quickly raised his hands, the action looking like a blur. "I'm not trying to be mean. But it's just a fact, y'know?"

They heard the sound of a door opening and closing, and the trio found themselves looking at several other members joining them in the common area. Beast Boy was, naturally, at the lead, with hands on his hips. Looking like he was beyond enthusiastic to give this new girl the best first impression. "I hope you guys don't mind, but I made sure to get the whole crew together for this. I want to give Raven a solid Outsiders welcome!"

There was a hint of excitement in the air, and Kid Flash found himself groaning when he noticed Wonder Girl practically beaming at the possibility of having another girl on the Team. Big advocate for 'girl power' and all that jazz. He also saw Static being playfully shoved by Blue Beetle. Even Forager was in attendance, with his avid clicking noises presumably being a show of happiness.

The only one that seemed somewhat out of place was Arsenal, who was now shoving his way through the small crowd. "I know you guys are all excited, but try not to get your hopes too high. She's not your average girl. Odds are good that she is not going to particularly like any of you at first."

"Well of course you would say that!", Cassie haughtily replied.

He didn't even look in her direction, practically glaring at the zeta-tube. "That's because it's absolutely true."

As if in response to his statement, the familiar computerized voice began to boom to over the intercom as the machine finally began to glow with its tell-tale light.

Recognized: Raven. A-46. We wish you a warm welcome to the HUB.

Several eyebrows were raised at the odd announcement, but Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said, I wanted to give her a solid welcome."

"You know you have to get rid of that.", Superboy reprimanded.

No one had much time to talk as the machine finally died down. In what was once empty space there was now a girl. One who didn't look physically imposing. But her casual wear and hefty duffel bags were completely overlooked as the group took in her mostly-passive expression. Despite a quick and obvious survey of her surroundings, nothing moved on her face to indicate any particular emotion.

When combined with her muted attire and dark hair, the girl looked like, overall... like a complete downer. Although her eyes were much too piercing to be given the same description. She looked like she was appraising everything and everyone, and judging them accordingly.

When she was done with her evaluation, she looked toward Superboy. "Is this where I am supposed to report in?"

While it was barely noticeable to most onlookers, Beast Boy noticeably shrunk a bit. Since he was a literal TV star and influencer, he was used to being approached first when it came to newies. But, he supposed, Superboy did give off a 'bigger' vibe. Even without his massive physique, the older hero hung around Big Blue far too often to not develop an air of leadership.

Superboy, for his part, took the question in stride. "It is. But you don't have to be so formal around here. This is as much as a place to hang out and have fun as it is a place to work."

He then took a step forward, making sure to give her a firm but gentle handshake. "My name is Superboy. I am one of the Team's senior members, but you may know me better as one of the Outsiders."

Raven nodded. She had been seeing him on the news a lot more often lately, often acting alone in Metropolis or making headlines alongside Beast Boy. "Raven. While I can't say I'm exactly thrilled, I can say that I am eager to begin training with you."

There was some awkward shuffling in the crowd and a few shared glances, and then Raven looked like she was trudging through a formality. "I also appreciate being able to meet all of you."

A few moments of silence trudged on, with no one not quite sure how to respond to such an unusual response. Turns out Arsenal wasn't exaggerating. Thankfully Beast Boy was no stranger to dealing with people. "I'm sure you already know most of us by now, but to keep things short and sweet -" He gestured to the team members one by one, pointing out each as he listed them out. "That's Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, Forager, Kid Flash, Cyborg, El Dorado, and that's Static over there." He gave her a wink. "He's also looking for a girlfriend, in case you're wondering."

"Oh come on, man." Static whined.

Beast Boy glanced toward the upper floor. "We also have Halo and Terra in the building, but they had other things to do. You can also expect to meet Miss Martian, Nightwing, and Artemis later. And you already know Arsenal, but he barely sticks around. But for now, we're happy to have you!"

Raven didn't even look remotely impressed. "A pleasure." While everyone in the room knew that they were not as popular or famous as their mentors, they expected at least some reaction. In this room alone there were multiple media stars, publicly well-known sidekicks, and a dude who was in a relationship with a Queen! There was even an exiled princess upstairs!

"Aren't you at least a little excited?", Jaime quietly asked.

Raven fixed him with a noncommittal stare. "Not really. In case Arsenal forgot to mention it..." She shot him a glare. "I was never particularly interested in joining this team. But I opted to give it a shot anyway because he made me promise that I would consider it. He said it would be a prime opportunity for me to enhance my skills and better myself. So, here I am."

Despite her tart words, Arsenal openly showed her a smile. But whether this was in genuine happiness over her words or because she was proving his previous statement right was anyone's guess. It was probably a mixture of both.

But Arsenal aside, her statement earned more than a few gob-smacked expressions. There were even a few insulted glares being sent her way, none of which did anything to affect the stoic empath.

"I want to say 'ouch', but I appreciate the honesty.", Kid Flash quipped, a slightly-forced smile quickly making its way on his lips.

Wonder Girl was completely incensed, her former enthusiasm of making another girl friend completely evaporated. "Do you think you are better than us or something!?"

Raven shook her head. "Not really. With what I can only assume to be League resources and vast training experience, I expect most of you to be quite proficient in hero work. Capable of saving a number of people that far outweighs my meager contribution. But I also know what my personal goals are, and joining this Team didn't factor into them. If anything, it got in the way of them."

Wonder Girl looked like she wanted to respond, but couldn't determine how. Did she just openly admit that they were better heroes? And that her contribution to saving lives was, in her words, "meager"? She still admitted that the Team was a hinderance to her personal goals, though. So, she could call her out on that.

But before the girl could open her mouth, Raven beat her to it. "But the world is nothing if not filled with change. So, if joining this Team will make a better difference... then I am willing to give it a chance. Who knows, my goals may even alter considerably."

There was another awkward pause, and several were thankful when Arsenal decided to butt in. "Hey Rae, we set up a room for you upstairs. How bout I help you move in."

Raven stated heading toward the stairs, one grey duffel bag hoisted over her shoulder, the other hovering in the air with a purplish glow. "Not a chance. You can escort me to my lodging, but I don't want you anywhere near my underwear. I'll talk to you later, though."

Raven gave a dismissive wave without turning back. Even as Arsenal all but catapulted himself to get in front of her, Raven continued walking as if she somehow knew where she was headed. But when she finally reached the top of the stairs, she naturally found herself following Arsenal's figure as he strode toward what used to be Brion's room.

Before the two disappeared out of sight, Arsenal looked back at them, giving them a look as if he was absolutely thrilled to have pushed her into their lives.

Author's Note: The design for the membership card is a ripped straight from S1 EP5, where we see several members inducted into the League. If you are curious about Black Canary's designation number: it's 18.

"You guys are lucky. If she wasn't trying to get to know you, she wouldn't bother being so honest with you."