Young Justice is not mine.
Forewarning: I can't do anything about Nightfall and Nightlight's names i understand they're similar, but I do not own Nightlight- she belongs to my friend. Just remember, Nightfall is the one with the WATER powers and Nighlight has SPIRIT powers. Nightfall is associated with BLUE, Nighlight with pink/purple.
Please, I understand why there might be confusion and I'm trying to find ways to differentiate them more in writing, but ya'll don't need to keep reminding me. I can't change anything- I'm sorry!
Thank you for understanding.
Revelation
"The fall of dripping water wears away the stone."
- Lucretius
BAYOU BARTHOLEMEW
An uneasy silence had fallen over the bioship as they made haste towards their destination. It seemed all to common, as of late, for the team to be filled with unease as they approached their assigned mission. However, this time around, the gravity of their assigned mission weighed heavier on their shoulders, and the blanket of silence felt even more suffocating.
Nightfall fidgeted anxiously in her seat, nerves and anxiety radiating off her in waves. She chewed her lower lip, ignoring the taste of blood as she gnawed a portion raw from nerves. Two extra pouches of water were strapped over her chest, their added weight an unfriendly reminder of the mission that laid before them.
"Nighty, you okay?"
The girl jumped at the sudden voice before she twisted in her seat, turning to face a concerned Nightlight. Her hood was up, covering her brown locks, and casting a shadow over her face, pink eyes glowing even brighter in the shadow.
Nightfall shrugged unsurely, tearing her gaze from her worried friend to stare back out the bioship window, "Just nervous is all…" She managed to mutter the words out.
Nightlight's eyes softened as she watched the waterbender unconsciously curl into herself. The feeling was a mutual one, and it didn't take an empath to know the whole team were feeling various degrees of nerves. She reached forward, placing a hand on Nightfall's shoulder and giving it a soft squeeze, "We can do this. After all, Batman seems to believe in us."
The waterbender snorted at the thought but seeing as the dark knight was the one who sent them on this mission, Nightlight's words were true. Silence settled in the ship once more as the spirit energy wielder leaned back in her seat.
The silence was short to last, however, as Kid Flash- with a mouth full of banana- pointed his fruity snack Aqualad's way, "What's in the duffel?"
Nightfall cocked her head back towards the Atlantean, the majority of the team also turning to look at him, "Plan B." Was his vague response, and no amount of staring from his comrades caused him to say anything more.
His nonchalance irked Nightfall, as the waterbender was more curious than what was good for her, and she leaned back in her chair to prod Aqualad about the super-secret duffel. Curiosity served as a good distraction for anxiety.
"What is-"
Miss Martian suddenly cringed, pained groan escaping her lips as her hand flew up to her forehead, "Ugh."
"You all right?" Superboy was quick to turn his attention to his girlfriend.
And as all eyes turned towards her, she shook her head and muttered, "Dizzy."
"Martians get airsick?" Robin quirked a brow.
Kid Flash's eyes squinted as he studied his teammate closely, "She does look a bit greener than usual." He noted.
"Not me," The Martian snapped back, "Her."
Nightfall's brows creased together in confusion at the response, and she shared a look with Nightlight and Artemis- the only other girls in the bioship. They were each equally confused and glanced back at Miss Martian as they chorused together.
"I feel fine."
"I'm good."
"Yeah, all good here."
"Not her," Miss Martian scowled, voice on the slightly annoyed spectrum as she vaguely gestured between the three girls, "The bioship." She retorted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "She's trying to shield us but-"
The team's world was rocked as the bioship began to take a nosedive, an unknown force violently causing the ship to jerk back and forth in a chaotic manner. Nightfall gripped the panel before her for dear life, knuckles nearly white from her vice grip as her stomach flip-flopped madly. A sudden force slammed harshly into the underside of the bioship, and the ship took a nosedive towards the murky waters of the bayou below.
With a shuddering groan the bioship crash landed into the bayou, skidding along the waterline before coming to a halt with a rough jolt. Darkness suddenly shrouded the interior of the ship as vines shot up from the water and curled around the bioship, dragging the team deeper into the water.
Nightfall groaned and held her head, urging the feeling of nausea away. As much as she loved roller coasters and amusement parks, what had just happened to them was a bad ride- and she did not wish to repeat it ever again.
The team shifted in their seats, Superboy checking on Wolf who hadn't been strapped down, while Aqualad checked on the duffel bag. Kid Flash rubbed his neck and Artemis picked up some arrows that had been knocked loose. "Alright, all in favor of never doing that again?" The speedster spoke lowly.
No one had time to respond or even laugh at Kid Flash's joke before the light of day suddenly flooded the compartment. Black Adam's oh so friendly face appeared in the hole he had made in the roof of the bioship, and Miss Martian doubled over in pain.
"He's hurting her!"
Superboy didn't need to be told twice as he shot out of his seat. His fist collided harshly with Black Adam's scowling face, sending the villain flying away and ending his onslaught on the bioship. The force of the impact, however, sent the ship rocking backwards, and water began to immediately flow into the newly formed hole at a rapid pace.
As Artemis began to panic and complain about how she did not want to drown a third mission in a row, Nightfall shot up from her seat. With her arms at the ready, she pushed back against the water. She lowered her arms down before thrusting them upwards, brows furrowed in concentration, and the water flow began to slow and reverse flow.
The torrent of water was strong, and the waterbender did what she could to fight against it. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to fully stop the flow, but she did manage to slow the stream enough so that the water was only up to their ankles and not their shoulders.
She just wished her ability to freeze water was more competent and reliable. It was strongest during a full moon, and as it was still day time, that time was not now.
"I- I can't hold this for much longer." The girl managed to grunt out. The opposing force from pushing back the water had caused Nightfall to skid backwards a few inches, so her back was now pressed up against her abandoned seat, and more and more water was beginning to slip past her hold. The water level was up to their waists now, and it was still rapidly rising despite the waterbender's best efforts.
"M'gann," Superboy turned towards his girlfriend, who was still slightly out of it. He grabbed her shoulders, "We need to get out, open a hatch!"
Miss Martian blinked owlishly at the clone for a few seconds before his words registered, "Hello Megan!" She slapped herself on the forehead before extending a hand outwards and opening up a hole in the bottom of the ship.
Artemis dug through her utility belt as she grumbled to herself once more and pulled out three rebreathers. She held onto one for herself before passing one to Nightlight and Kid Flash. The latter blinked before hesitantly accepting the rebreather, "Wow, uh, thanks?" He stared down at the device, cradling it closer to himself as if he expected the archer to snatch it away and say 'joke's on you!'.
"Be astounded by Artemis's kindness later, but we need to get out of here now!" Nightlight admonished and popped her rebreather into her mouth. Kid Flash nodded, mimicking the girl's action and Artemis did the same.
Nightlight was just grateful this wasn't salt water- or she'd be most certainly rendered useless right now.
Nightfall grunted and pushed back against the water flow once more. It slowed a little bit, and the brunette hoped it would be enough to allow the team to slip out, "I-I'll hold it for as l-long as I can."
Aqualad nodded and glanced over his teammates, "Then we must evacuate, now. Follow me." The Atlantean turned towards the hatch and prepared to dive in, but not before he flashed Nightfall a stern look, one that said 'you better be behind us'.
One by one the team disappeared into the water, making their escape until it was just Robin and Nightfall left in the flooding bioship, "Nighty, we need to go." His voice was urgent and though the waterbender knew they needed to get out, she found herself hesitating.
Though she could feel her control over the water slipping as the bioship sank further and further into the bayou- which created more and more pressure-, Nightfall was afraid of the tidal wave that was sure to come as soon as she relinquished total control. So she kept her arms up, doing what she could to continue to slow the water.
A familiar tug blossomed in Nightfall's mind as Miss Martian activated the physic link, 'Out, everyone, now.' Their leader's voice commanded.
The sudden mental intrusion decimated what little concentration Nightfall had left, and before her or Robin could brace themselves, as if a dam had broken, water began to flood in at full force. It cared little about the two teenagers trapped in the cabin as it swirled around the confined space, and the girl cried out as she was suddenly dragged underwater from the force.
Her back slammed into the side of one of the bioship's seats, and what little breath Nightfall had managed to suck in fluttered out at the force of the impact. She was too disoriented and dazed to try and waterbend herself to safety and struggled to swim towards what little surface remained in the cockpit.
Robin hadn't been standing as close to the breach as Nightfall had been, so he had a few seconds to brace himself for the tidal wave. With fast reflexes he shoved his rebreather into his mouth and braced himself against the nearest seat as the tidal wave washed his way.
The boy wonder slipped under the water with semi-ease, ensuring the spare rebreather was still safe in his hand, before he pushed against the current towards a floundering Nightfall. He latched onto her shoulder, righting the girl before spinning her around and pressing the extra rebreather to her lips.
The waterbender immediately bit down on the device, chest heaving as she sucked in a deep breath, her screaming lungs finally finding some semblance of peace as oxygen filled her system once more. The current swirling around the duo began to slow and calm as the cabin was fully submerged.
Having found her bearings once more, Nightfall placed an arm around Robin's shoulders as his arm found purchase on her waist. With a sharp kick of her legs, the two were propelled through the hatch and into the- relatively- safe open waters of the bayou. Behind them the bioship sank further and further into the murky depths, oversized vines curling around the ship and aiding in her sinking.
'Robin, Nightfall are you-'
The two broke through the surface of the water where they landed harshly on the muddy shoreline in a messy heap. Nightfall groaned, spitting out her rebreather as she clambered out of Robin's lap, head spinning and chest heaving, "Mmmm, water sucks."
The hacker shifted on the ground as well, flashing Aqualad a cheeky grin as he pushed his wet bangs out of his face, "We're fine, Kal."
The Atlantean didn't look particularly amused at the close call the team's youngest members faced but chose to hold his tongue as Miss Martian looked over at the water somberly, "S-she's in shock." She disclosed quietly, looking rather disheartened and in shock herself, "She'll need time to recover."
Nightfall was hoisted to her feet with the help of Kid Flash, while Nightlight gave Robin a hand up. The team began to regroup and Aqualad fully intended to cover what their next plan of action was, when, from out of nowhere, they were all struck by a wave of overwhelming dizziness that forced the team to their knees.
Nightfall felt as if her head was ready to split as she cradled it in her hands, and Kid Flash spat, "Vertigo."
"Count Vertigo to you, peasant." The villain corrected with a harsh sneer, powers dropping in the process.
Superboy- who was arguably the most durable of the bunch- was the first to recuperate from the mental attack. He launched himself at Count Vertigo, only to be swatted away by Black Adam. Nightfall managed to react next, and, ignoring the pounding in her head, she reached out towards the bayou and attempted to use the water to push Vertigo back. The wave was weak, however, and it didn't do too much more than just getting the villain wet.
Count Vertigo looked unamused as he spluttered, doing what he could to spit the murky water out of his mouth. The waterbender sent another murky wave towards him, and this time Aqualad added in his own hydrokinetic abilities, strengthening the wave into an actual tidal wave and washing the villain away.
'Robin, Miss Martian, Nightlight, disappear,' The Atlantean commanded over the mindlink, 'We will keep them busy. You three fulfill the mission objective.'
Nightlight looked ready to protest, as she hated the idea of abandoning her team, but Robin intervened before she could say something, 'We're on it.' He gently grabbed his friend's elbow, guiding her towards the jungle before he disappeared into a tree, Miss Martian already in camouflage mode and right behind the boy wonder. The spirit energy wielder was still hesitant, but with a reassuring grin and a wink from Kid Flash, she relented and turned invisible before disappearing after the others.
Nightfall watched the trio disappear before she fell forward on her hands, another wave of vertigo washing over her as the count reappeared, looking slightly disheveled from his little swim and very pissed. His finger was pressed to his headpiece, which was ramped up to max and aimed at the already disoriented remaining team members.
Under normal circumstances Nightfall would be pissed to have her face in mud, but she really didn't have any room to protest as darkness filled the corner of her vision as unconsciousness dragged her down.
Nightlight flew through the dense forest, invisible to the naked eye. Beside her, a camouflaged Miss Martian also bobbed and weaved through the trees, while Robin stuck to the shadows as he expertly maneuvered from branch to branch.
Despite her best efforts to push on with the mission and shove her feelings aside, Nightlight couldn't help the deep-seated sense of wrongness that gnawed at her heart as they trekked further into the jungle, and further away from their vulnerable teammates. Even with the order from Aqualad to carry on the mission without them, she couldn't help the sense of guilt she felt at just leaving them in the hands of two incredibly strong and dangerous villains.
It made her feel even worse since she wasn't there when the team had been attacked on their home turf- and now she was just leaving them behind.
'I'm sure they'll be alright, Nightlight.' Miss Martian's kind voice echoed in the girl's head. At Nightlight's silence- and suddenly reserved mind- the Martian back-peddled, 'I'm sorry… I didn't mean to read your mind. Guilt was just… radiating off you in waves.'
Nightlight's face was stoic, not that the other girl could see her in her invisible state. She glanced to her left, where she could just make out the shimmering figure of Miss Martian, 'It's fine. I didn't mean to clog the mind link with my concerns.'
'Aqualad wouldn't have sent us if he didn't have faith in us.' Robin took a second to pause as he pulled up his holo-computer, his two companions hovering just behind him, not that he could see them.
The pink-eyed girl landed on the ground, dropping her invisible façade as she glanced over her friend's shoulder, where she also effectively dropped the conversation.
Orders were orders.
Robin had pulled up the same map Zatara had used earlier, only this one was zoomed in further and provided them with a more detailed location of where they needed to go. Nightlight studied the map, and once the boy wonder was certain of which way they needed to head, they trekked on.
And Nightlight did what she could to leave her worries behind.
'I've lost contact with Aqualad and the others,' Miss Martian informed her companions. She hesitantly glanced over her shoulder, still in camouflage mode, back towards where they had come and last seen their teammates, as if she was ready to fly off after them, 'Should we-'
Robin cut her off, voice curt, 'Sorry, that's not the gig.' He pulled back a large piece of foliage, revealing their target: an oversized, dome-shaped building covered with a thick, glass roof, 'This is.' Standing tall and proud on top of the greenhouse roof was a thick vine, one that was identical to the plants that were currently wreaking havoc on different cities of the world.
Miss Martian didn't look convinced, 'but we should still check on the rest of the team, right Nightlight?'
Nightlight could obviously relate to how the Martian was feeling, but the mission had to come first. She sucked in a breath and shook her head, 'Sorry, M'gann, but Robin's right. We have to focus on the mission.' The brunette offered her friend a reassuring look before focusing on the building before them, 'This looks like the control center for the Injustice League.'
Miss Martian's shoulders sagged, but she said no more as Robin chimed back in, 'Looks like that plant thing is acting as an antenna to control the other plants worldwide.'
'What's the plan to-'
Nightlight's sentence was interrupted by a low rumbling noise as the bayou began to bubble. The three whirled around at the sudden disturbance, just a coy voice purred, "Well hello there~" Poison Ivy stood, hands on her hips and a dangerous glint in her eye, before the three teens. She flicked her wrist, and in the blink of an eye, large vines snaked around the young heroes before they were lifted violently into the air and held harshly in place.
Ultra Humanite made an appearance with a loud thump, stepping up beside the smug villainess and training his oversized machine gun on the captive teens. Bombsquad stood beside the primate, body stoic and firm.
"And goodbye." Ivy finished, smile resolute and dark.
Miss Martian's eyes glowed just as the oversized primate pulled the trigger, and suddenly the barrel of the gun was aimed downwards towards the base of the vines, rather than at the teens themselves. Ultra Humanite roared in frustration, fighting against the Martian's telekinetic control as the gun spewed bullets at the vines, tearing through them and releasing the teens.
Robin landed with a soft splash, while Nightlight and Miss Martian took to the air. Bombsquad launched a handful of bombs at the teens, but they were deflected by telekinesis and detonated harmlessly in some nearby trees. Ivy screeched, clearly enraged as their once captives scattered into the trees, and the three villains scrambled to recapture- and destroy- them.
"Sorry boy wonder," The redheaded villain sneered, arms raised above her head, "but I'm putting an end to your little reconnaissance mission."
A stream of vines shot forth from the ground, and Robin launched himself into the trees. He nimbly leapt from branch to branch as he avoided the onslaught from Ivy. The branch he was suddenly standing on suddenly shifted, catching the normally spry boy wonder off guard.
Coupled with the already slippery terrain, the sudden shift caused Robin to momentarily lose his footing, and Ivy took advantage of this. As the hacker tried to recover, a particularly deadly vine, covered in spikes, made a swipe at his chest. With fast reflexes, he was able to avoid a direct hit, but the vine redirected itself and curled around his ankle. The protective layer of his pants managed to prevent the thorns from digging too deeply into his flesh, but it still stung, and he cursed under his breath.
Ivy cackled as Robin struggled to quickly detach the vine, and the villainess focused her sole attention on him, as Nightlight and Miss Martian were keeping Ultra Humanite and Bombsquad busy- the latter not putting forth much effort to ending the two teens.
The villain was playing by a different agenda.
"I'd like to say its been a pleasure, Robin but-"
A stream of pink suddenly shot through the air, the energy bolt lighting up the small clearing before it landed at Ivy's feet. The redheaded villain was sent flying backwards, where she landed harshly in the murky water and the vine that was curled around Robin's foot went slack. He pulled his foot free just as Nightlight landed in front of him. The two shared a look, the boy wonder nodding his thanks to the girl, and Ivy clambered to her feet.
Her normally perfect hair was wet and tangled, drenched with mud as it clung to her face. Ivy's eyes were wide with anger and a snarl curled her lips. With another enraged shout, she lifted her arms up before thrusting them forwards, and a flurry of thorn covered vines shattered the ground and raced towards the two teens.
Nightlight lifted her arms up, her familiar shield appearing before the two. The vines bounced harmlessly off the dome, and Ivy's hands moved in frenzied motions as she slung vine after vine at the defensive barrier, each motion more and more disoriented than the last.
The shield continued to hold up against the barrage before Ivy got smart. The onslaught of plants suddenly stopped, Nightlight frowning as she shared a concerned look with Robin. Out of caution, the shield remained up, and Ivy eyed them through wide eyes.
The earth suddenly trembled furiously, and a vine tore through the earth beneath Robin and Nightlight's feet. It soared upwards, the two teens splitting apart, before it shattered the shield outwards and made a wild grab at Nightlight and Robin.
Robin flipped away as Nightlight turned intangible, the vine continuing to thrash about wildly. It erupted without warning, Miss Martian making an appearance beside her two teammates, and Ultra Humanite and Bombsquad were nowhere in sight. She held her arm out, and with a quick flick of her wrist she knocked Ivy backwards.
After a quick check on her comrades, the three turned and disappeared into the trees as they continued on their way towards the control center. Robin led the way, Miss Martian and Nightlight flying behind him. The former suddenly stopped and glanced upwards.
'Robin, Nightlight, she's made contact.'
Robin and Nightlight shared a look before speaking together, 'Artemis? Nightfall?' The former unintentionally putting more emphasis on the waterbender's name.
Miss Martian was unimpressed, 'No.'
Thump. Thump. Thump.
As Nightfall shifted groggily, the first thing she fully registered was the pounding in her skull. She rubbed her head with a groan and made a mental note to start carrying ibuprofen on her at all times when she went off on missions.
This was not the first time she had been knocked out during a mission and had awoken to a blistering headache.
The second thing the waterbender noticed- and this made things even more peculiar- was the fact that there was a bright, glowing cage, with which she was trapped within. The rest of her teammates- aside from the stealthier ones- were engaged alongside her, and each were various shades of groggy as well as they awoke from their own unconscious states.
While shifting into a sitting position, Nightfall realized her foot was hanging out of the golden cage. An uncomfortable tingling feeling shot up her leg and spread throughout her body when she looked down. She jerked backwards, snapping her foot back into the- relative- safety of the magical entrapment. In the process she collided with Kid Flash, and the speedster placed a protective arm around the startled Nightfall.
She glanced up at him as he spoke, "You okay there, Nighty?"
"Uh, y-yeah."
It wasn't that the waterbender was necessarily afraid of heights, she just disliked being within a magical glowing cage, travelling at rather fast speeds high above the safety of the earth.
And that was her current predicament.
"Ah, they awaken." A smooth voice commented.
Wotan floated into view, a smug look on his aged face. Nightfall glowered at the haughty look upon the sorcerer's face, and she felt the urge to punch it off- not that she was in any place to even do so. The girl wasn't sure how the team was going to get out of this one.
I just hope Robin, Nightlight and Miss Martian were in a better predicament…
"You are certain this will hold them?" Count Vertigo questioned his magical comrade from above the cage.
"This cage is impenetrable. Even the Superboy has not chance of escaping."
A dangerous scowl graced Aqualad's lips at Wotan's arrogant statement, and he surged forward to wrap his hands around the enchanted bars before him. His voice was firm as he spoke.
"You are not the only one trained in the mystic arts, Wotan!" Aqualad's tattoos began to glow a familiar light blue color, only the longer he grasped the cage, the more that color started to blend into a golden-yellow aura. The glow shifted from the Atlantean's hands to surround him and the bars of the cage. Nightfall had to shield her eyes as the glow continued to brighten and Aqualad tried to absorb the energy of the cage and break it.
His efforts were fruitless, his own energy draining away as the cage overpowered him. The glow faded from around him, and Nightfall was immediately at the Atlantean's side as he slumped against the bars, tattoos smoking ever so slightly.
A condescending chuckle floated through the air, "Please, Atlantean," Wotan started mockingly. Aqualad glared up at him, Nightfall's hand on his shoulder, "Do not pretend you are in my league."
The waterbender could feel the anger radiating off the normally calm, cool, and collected Atlantean. She found it almost unnerving to see him so shaken and enraged- the exactly opposite to how he normally carried himself- but Nightfall honestly couldn't blame him. They had been knocked unconscious before being caged up like animals and transported to who knows where, by a bunch of villains who were out for their heads.
Oh, and the icing on the cake?
They were weaponless.
Nightfall's water pouches- extra ones included- were no longer strapped to her body like they were at the start of the mission, and her bō staff was nowhere to be found either. Aqualad and Artemis were also missing their preferred weapons.
Just as the waterbender had settled in for a long ride, the world suddenly dropped out from under her.
A surprised shriek slipped past her lips, a feeling of weightlessness overtaking her body. From above she watched as the bioship- not in camouflage mode- soared through the air, and a disoriented Wotan plummeted harshly towards the earth below. Count Vertigo fell through the sky as well, scowling and pointing at the falling teens as Black Adam caught him mid-air.
The ground quickly approached the team, and Nightfall's heart lurched and the thought of crash landing into the bayou. As the water below them approached, the waterbender reached towards the liquid, hoping that she was just within range or control. She waved her hands about, stomach flip-flopping when the water churned and bubbled below, a sign she had some control over the water.
Nightfall plummeted headfirst towards the ground, while the others around her managed to right themselves. She was focused on the water below, and with a wave and stretch of her arms, a spout of water shot upwards. It encircled the teens before Nightfall directed her arms to the side, and the water shifted into a slide before directing the team towards the ground in a safer manner than their freefall.
The rest of the way down was smoother to say the least, until Nightfall hit the end of her make-shift water slide. While the others had hit the slide on their backs, the brunette hit the slide on her stomach, and belly-surface down the slipper surface until she landed face first in the murky bayou water.
A squeamish feeling tore through her body as she inhaled a mouthful of the disgusting liquid, and Nightfall bolted to her feet at a pace rivalling Kid Flash's own. She gagged, coughing and spluttering in an attempt to remove the water from her mouth. Her hair hung limp, dirty and wet, in her face, body fully soaked and covered in mud.
"Nighty, you got a little something-" Kid Flash pointed hesitantly at his own cheek, while nodding his head towards the waterbender. A splatter of thick mud trickled down her cheek, and she glared darkly at the speedster.
A coil of muddy water snaked up from the bayou, Nightfall's arm rising ever so slightly, "I got a little what, KF?" She hissed out.
"N-nothing!" The speedster tossed his arms up, admitting defeat and surrendering with a sheepish expression. He shifted closer to Superboy, using the clone as a makeshift shield from the irked waterbender. She rolled her eyes, the water falling harmlessly to the ground below before she examined her surroundings.
Ultra Humanite appeared from the shadows, oversized machine gun in hand. Superboy cracked his knuckles, his signature scowl on his face, "I hate monkeys."
Not even a second later the clone was charging the enormous ape, a battle cry ripping from his throat. Wolf was on his tail, and Ultra Humanite let out his own ferocious roar as Superboy tackled him into the mud. Machine gun fire echoed in the small clearing as the two engaged in battle, Superboy dodging the bullet barrage and counteracting with his own physical assaults.
Vines snaked and danced their way into the clearing, Poison Ivy riding them like one would a chariot into battle. A devilish smirk painted her perfect lips, eyes wide as she lifted her hands up. Two large vines twisted into the air, poised and ready to attack.
Artemis and Aqualad instinctively reached for their weapons, each frowning in annoyance when they were reminded of their predicament, "I feel naked." The archer groaned, "and not in the fun way."
Nightfall was half-tempted to respond to Artemis's wry comment- either with disgust or amusement- but she was forced to duck instead as Poison Ivy pointed a delicate finger towards the trio. Her attack to come, however, was not so delicate.
An overly sharp vine, littered with thorns, slammed into the spot she had once been standing in. It pierced the ground below, and when it pulled back to strike at Nightfall once more, she snapped her hand towards it. A blade of water shot up from the bayou, ripping through water surface before tearing the vine in two and rendering it limp.
Aqualad shifted to the side to also avoid being impaled by a vine, and the waterbender snapped her hand towards it as well. Another sharp burst of water cut through the vine, severing the pointy end from the rest. The vine flailed like a chicken without a head before it crashed into the bayou.
Poison Ivy screeched wildly as more of her babies were destroyed by Nightfall's water whips, and Aqualad spoke, "Then we will make our own fun."
"We're supposed to be PG here, ya know!" The waterbender commented wryly, though her voice was tinged with amusement. She snapped a sharp wave towards another one of Poison Ivy's vines, ripping it in two.
Aqualad chuckled as he watched Nightfall move before ordering, "Artemis, maneuver seven! Nightfall, keep the vines at bay."
The two girls nodded their understanding, and Nightfall deflected a vine away from Artemis as she ran towards their leader. She leapt up, placing her feet within Aqualad's cupped hands, and he propelled Artemis upwards.
Vines tore through the air in an effort to take the blonde down, but Nightfall was quick at deflecting them. She spun around, arms down low and out towards the ground, as she pulled water upwards. Her arms snapped outwards, the water in her control arcing upwards. It snapped through the air, slicing at the vines and clearing Artemis's path.
Foot extended outwards, the archer landed a solid kick to Poison Ivy's face. The villainess slammed into the murky water below with a splash, the attacking vines in the area going limp from a momentary lack of control. She skidded through the mud a few feet before sluggishly climbing to her feet, eyes wider and crazier than before.
Nightfall felt a chill run up her spine at the murderous look on Poison Ivy's face. It wasn't natural, and the irater the woman became, the wilder and more unpredictable her attacks became.
Artemis launched herself at the villainess once more, ducking under vines to lash out with physical attacks. Nightfall made a move to attack, a water whip at the ready to mow down anymore vines that came her way. There was a stalemate of sorts on the battlefield, as with each vine Nightfall sliced down with water, two more would pop up in their place. Just like the waterbender had a strong power source surrounding- as the bayou was filled with water-, Poison Ivy was in the same boat.
The bayou was covered in luscious plant life just waiting to do the villainesses bidding.
Just as Nightfall snapped her whip at a vine that knocked Artemis back, a hard body collided with her own. She landed harshly in the murky water with a shriek, a new layer of mud covering her already soaked and dirty body. Her breathing was shallow as she spluttered and gagged on the filthy liquid again.
The body that landed on top of her own shifted with a pained groan. Through the muddy waters Nightfall could make out a familiar mop of red hair, and when they moved to sit up, she stared into the emerald orbs of Kid Flash. He grinned at her sheepishly, falling back on his knees as the waterbender laid in the mud on her back.
"Thanks for breaking my fall, Nighty."
"Ergh. Don't mention it." She grumbled out, accepting his extended hand. Kid Flash hoisted her to her feet, and the muddy brunette stretched, doing what she could to relieve the knot that suddenly lodged itself in her back.
I could really use a chiropractor right now…
"My- my baby!" Poison Ivy shrieked, drawing the duos attention. The villainess had shifted her focus away from the battle, eyes glaring up at the plant that sat firmly atop the Injustice League's headquarters.
It flickered in the darkness, and upon closer inspection one could make out individual explosives, all primed and at the ready. They flashed dangerously, their ominous beeping echoing across the bayou and taunting Poison Ivy.
An eruption shattered the night sky. Fire and flaming plant material rained down on the gathered heroes and villains below, and Poison Ivy let out an absolutely horrific screech as she watched 'her baby' burn and go lifeless.
As smoke and embers billowed from the remains of the vine on the roof, three figures appeared from the shadows. Nightlight hovered behind Miss Martian and Robin, arms extended outwards as a protective dome encircled the teens, protecting them from the immediate heat and explosion.
The dome dissipated, Poison Ivy absolutely seething, and with Robin's deadpan utterance of "Timber", she snapped. A slew of vines erupted from the ground and launched themselves towards the trio, only for Miss Martian to float forward and telekinetically disintegrate the incoming assault.
A bright beam of energy shot out from the smoke that surrounded the three teens, colliding dead-on with Miss Martian's back. She cried out as she was knocked from the roof, landing roughly in the waters below. Robin and Nightlight glanced over, the latter tossing up another shield as Atomic Skull shot at them once more.
The villain had to recharge between blasts, and Nightlight extended Robin a hand before flying the duo off the roof. They landed beside a recuperating Miss Martian, and Kid Flash shouted a warning just as Atomic Skull took aim at them once more.
The Joker appeared at the scrawny villain's side, an alarming smile on his face as he eyed the wreckage that littered the area. Harsh laughs slipped past his lips as he cackled at the events unfolding before him, before lamenting to no one in particular, "Children- children foiled our plan?! Inconceivable! Unacceptable! Retributional! That last one might not be a word, so sue me."
"Kill them. Kill them all!" Count Vertigo ordered. An eighth figure appeared from the shadows, expression unknown as an intimidating mask covered his face. The present royalty glanced over at the newcomer with mild annoyance, "Bombsquad, so nice of you to finally join us." His voice was laced with sarcasm, accent thick, but the burly villain didn't seem phased.
"I came when I was needed." Was the best explanation Count Vertigo was going to get, as Bombsquad had his attention focused on a certain waterbender who was giving Poison Ivy a run for her money, biding his time as he sought out his window of opportunity.
Meanwhile, Nightlight had managed to knock Ultra Humanite away from Superboy with an energy burst, giving the clone a momentary bullet reprieve before he launched himself at the primate once more, Wolf right at his heels. Just before the girl could move on to help another team member, Count Vertigo ensnared her within his nauseating powers.
She fell to her knees, head pounding and body aching. Any attempt to go intangible or bring up a shield proved fruitless, as her mind wasn't fully coherent. As Count Vertigo stood over Nightlight, Kid Flash felt inexplicable rage wash over his body.
"Leave. Her. Alone!" The speedster snarled out, bracing himself to charge at the royal villain.
A sudden blast of orange energy brought Kid Flash to his own knees, and Wotan hovered over the battle. A shield surrounded his body as Robin attempted to attack him, and when the shield dissipated, white bolts of lightning shot forth from the mystic's fingertips.
Nightfall backflipped away from Poison Ivy, pulling up a wave and kicking it towards the villain. The lightning struck her front just before her own attack could hit the villainess, and the wave crashed back into the bayou harmlessly, while the waterbender was forced to her hands and knees from the force of the mystical attack, a broken scream slipping past her lips.
With teeth firmly clenched, Nightfall forced herself to look up, peering through muddy hair. The other members of the team were in the same predicament, each one pinned down by a blast of lightning. The only exception was Miss Martian, as Aqualad stood protectively over the green-skinned girl, holding both his and her lightning strikes at bay.
Some form of communication passed between the two, the Martian's eyes glowing green as the bioship was summoned. The duffel bag Aqualad had stowed on the bioship earlier suddenly fell from the sky, the Atlantean shifting the beams of lightning so they were both in one hand. He carefully unzipped the duffel, pulling out the mysterious contents from deep within, and the battlefield suddenly stilled.
Mouth agape with shock at there mere sight of the duffel's contents, Wotan's spell shifted away as he breathed out, "The Helmet of Fate…"
The mere mention of the artifact sent a panic through Kid Flash's body, and he scrambled to his feet, screaming, "No, Kaldur, don't!" Black Adam sailed by, decking the speedster in the face and sending him back-first into a tree, his right arm pinned down at an awkward angle.
"Kid Flash!" Nightlight shouted. She picked herself up from the water, a pink blast knocking Black Adam away before Superboy took over, decking the villain in the face.
Despite the audible protest from Kid Flash, Aqualad wasn't dissuaded from fully enacting 'plan B'. And in what felt like slow motion, he lowered the gleaming artifact onto his head. A powerful blast of light tore through the battlefield, Nightfall shielding her eyes from the eye-melting illumination. And when everything cleared, the Atlantean as they knew him was no more.
Doctor Fate had arrived.
Standing up, Kid Flash cradled his now broken arm, "Oh dude…"
Wotan hovered in the air, stunned at the arrival of the Lord of Order, but determined to defeat him, nonetheless. Doctor Fate lifted ominously into the air to face his magical opponent head on, "Wotan, you are mine." He decreed, and the evil sorcerer responded with a bright blast of orange energy. Doctor Fate deflected it with his own blast of golden energy, his own more powerful than Wotan's. The beam decimated the villain's attack before slamming the villain into the roof of the Injustice League's headquarters. Golden chains ensnared Wotan, pinning his arms to his side and binding him.
Across the murky bayou, Kid Flash knocked Count Vertigo to his knees, deflecting his attack on Miss Martian. The speedster ripped off a chunk of his cape as he raced by, and Nightlight swooped in for the final blow. A pink disc crashed into the royal villain's temple, his head piece shattering and the impact knocking him into Poison Ivy.
The two Injustice League members fell backwards into the bayou. Not giving them an opportunity to stand up, Nightfall pushed her arms forward, a tidal wave racing passed her. It slammed into the two villains, washing them away. Their backs slammed against a nearby tree, the water still pelting them, and Nightfall did what she could to freeze the water that ensnared them.
She wasn't sure how long it'd hold them, but at least Count Vertigo and Poison Ivy were disbanded for the time being.
Nightlight hovered over to Kid Flash, who had ducked behind a nearby tree. She snagged the torn remains of Count Vertigo's cape from his hand, ignoring his protests and complaints about 'my souvenir!'.
"Relax, KF, this should help your arm." She murmured softly, carefully wrapping the fabric around his injured arm.
Kid Flash watched her fondly, "Oh." Nightlight glanced up at him once she was finished with the make-shift sling, "Thanks, Light."
She smiled up at him, only for the smile to be suddenly wiped from her face as Wolf crashed into her. The speedster reached out for the girl, "Nightlight!" He turned back just in time to zip off as Ultra Humanite made a swipe for him.
Meanwhile, Nightfall found herself laying within the muddy water once more, a bomb having erupted at her feet. Her ears were ringing, mind mildly dazed as she placed a hand to her forehead. A figure loomed over her, and as her vision cleared again, the waterbender could make out Bombsquad as he stared ominously down at her, another bomb at the ready.
"Ainngai, Nightfall." [Hello, Nightfall.]
The girl blinked as she stared up at the villain. Did he just-?
"Katigatkit alianaiq." [Pleased to finally meet you.]
Nightfall felt her heart stop, mouth going dry, as Bombsquad continued to speak her in her family's native tongue. She crawled backwards in the water, as she didn't feel stable enough to stand, and her mind attempted to fathom how- just how- Bombsquad knew Inuktitut, and that she knew the language as well.
It, after all, was not a common language.
"Kimigguk nalukkutik." [You look confused.] The villain continued to step towards the girl, who looked panicked as she desperately moved away from him in the water. Nightfall shook her head, eyes full of disbelief and confusion.
"T-tukisinngittung." [I-I don't understand.]
Bombsquad sneered, his facemask hiding his expression from the terrified waterbender at his feet, "Everything will all make sense in due time." He spoke, this time opting to use English instead of Inuktitut, "Forgive me, my Inuktitut is a bit rusty."
"Kinanngittunga?!" [Who are you?!]
"Tch." The villain tutted, head shaking slightly as he toyed with the waterbender, "English please, Nightfall. It's only fair." He crouched down, lowering himself to the girl's level.
Nightfall glowered up at Bombsquad, the rest of the battle fading into the background, "Who are you?" She managed to ground out through gritted teeth. Her voice was shaky at best, the sound bringing a hidden smirk to the villain's face.
Bombsquad chuckled darkly at the question, a shiver running down Nightfall's spine at the ominous sound. It was haughty, with an air of knowingness to it, and she didn't like how this whole encounter made her feel. This villain was supposed to be new to the waterbender, be he acted as if he knew her- and she believed him. They had never met before, and this was their first encounter, yet he made Nightfall feel as though they had been fighting each other on opposing sides for years now.
"I'm just an old friend of Koda's here to reclaim a debt he owes me."
And then, like she had been punched full force in the gut, all the breath left Nightfall's system. Her blood ran cold, draining from her face as her heart began to beat a mile a minute. Her mind raced as she attempted to process what he had said- and what it meant for her and her family.
Bombsquad stood up from his crouch, looming tall over the stunned waterbender in a taunting manner. He had the girl right where he wanted her. Lifting his arm up, he jeered, "This will be quick, painless even, for you," The burly man closed his hand into a fist, and a large blade protruded from his gauntlet, "but for your father, well, let's just say this'll make us even."
And at the mention of her father again, something snapped within Nightfall. The full moon hovered over the bayou, and the waterbender felt her mind sharpen as she focused on the power it brought her. Bombsquad went in for the killing blow, unaware of the shift in the girl's deposition and ignorant to the hardening of her face.
With a searing battle cry, Nightfall rolled over, arm up high and a shield of ice covered the girl. The blade set on penetrating her heart was entrapped within the ice, and Bombsquad grunted in annoyance. He yanked his hand back, attempting to free his weapon.
The ice cracked from the force, and with another strong tug, the villain succeeded. He glared down at the ice shelter and lifted his burly arms up. With a roar of anger, he slammed them down on the ice, continuing the motion until he could reach his prize inside.
When the ice finally shattered, Bombsquad was further enraged to see the girl he was after gone. He spun around, searching the area furiously for Nightfall, but when he caught glimpse of her, he was met with a roaring tidal wave.
The wave encapsulated the villain, tumultuously spinning him out under the water before harshly throwing him into a tree. Bombsquad spluttered and coughed, doing what he could to dispel the water he had inhaled. A sharp sheet of ice suddenly splintered the tree he was leaning against, and he glanced over to see Nightfall on the offensive.
The waterbender pulled her hands upwards, a small waterspout forming before her. It quickly froze over, and, with a determined expression, Nightfall began to slash at it.
Disc after disc of sharp ice went sailing towards Bombsquad. One disc managed to nick a cloth part of his uniform, leaving a small gash in the material, and he growled. Another disc came sailing towards his face, but he lifted his arm up, and the disc shattered against his armored gauntlet.
Nightfall frowned, taking a step back as Bombsquad took one step forward. The blade at his side glinted ominously in the moonlight, and she lifted her foot up. Stomping down, the bayou water began to slosh before a small wave shot outwards from the impact. It tripped up the villain's footing, and he found himself falling into the water once more.
Though Bombsquad was always up for a challenge, this wasn't one he really wanted to take up. He had planned on this being an easy gig- swoop in, throw the girl off her game, and go in for the kill, all to make water daddy's life miserable.
Killing Nightfall was supposed to be the easy part, as he knew she wasn't fully trained. Joining the other villains was just a front, as it allowed him to get the girl away from her father. And with the other villains distracting her team, he could isolate her with ease.
Nightfall actually fighting back- and mildly succeeding at keeping him at bay- was never in the cards.
The villain found himself fully consumed by anger and annoyance, his patience wearing thin. Nightfall braced herself, fully expecting him to stand back up, and ready to knock him back down if he did, but Bombsquad barely moved.
Instead, with a harsh growl, Bombsquad snapped his arm towards the girl. A small bomb soared through the air, landing at Nightfall's feet, and she quickly dove to the side.
It erupted, and the waterbender pushed back at the wave it created. Her ears began to ring once mull, a dull pain thudding in her mind. Bombsquad leapt through the wave, and Nightfall just barely had time to deflect his sharp blade as it aimed itself at her stomach.
She deflected his arm again as he reeled around, this time bringing up a sharp water whip to snap the blade in two. Bombsquad watched as half the weapon fell into the water with a soft splash, and he glowered at the girl.
"You're just making this harder on yourself, Kayanna."
A spike of rage tore through the girl's body, and she let out a frustrated cry, "Leave me and my family the hell alone!" Bombsquad began to laugh at the waterbender's defensive declaration as she put up a front to seem stronger than she actually was.
The sound only served to anger Nightfall further, and the water in the bayou began to churn and bubble, and Bombsquad eyed it with mild disinterest. The laughter died down as the surrounding water turned more violent, waves whipping tumultuously about. The villain was fighting against the waves as they attempted to sway and knock him about, and he gritted his teeth at the annoyance.
With a distressed shout, Nightfall titled her head back and thrusted her arms outwards. The waves spiked and erupted around her, tidal waves careening out in every direction. Bombsquad found himself overtaken by one, unable to withstand the force. But he found purchase against a nearby tree, arm up to fight against the watery force as he waited for the waves to subside.
Nightfall suddenly shot out from the wave; a harsh tendril of water ready to lay waste to the villain before her. Bombsquad's hand suddenly shot outwards and he grabbed the girl by the neck. Turning, he slammed her against the tree he had been leaning against, hoisting her up so her feet no longer touched the ground.
The waterbender struggled in his grip, clawing at his hands as breath slowly seeped from her lungs. Bombsquad chuckled darkly, grip increasing as Nightfall's a haziness began to overtake her vision.
The next thing he knew, Nightfall had slipped through his grip. She gasped for air, sliding down the base of the tree, and when Bombsquad glanced down at the girl, he was mildly surprised to see her head was no longer solid. Rather, from the neck up, she was entirely water. Her watery head shimmered in the moonlight; eyes replaced by glowing blue orbs.
Nightfall herself seemed perplexed by the sudden liquid-y state of her head, as this was the first time any part of her body that wasn't her hands had shifted into a watery state, but she didn't have much time to contemplate it. Bombsquad made a mad swipe for the girl, and she dove to the side.
Head shifting back to normal and heart thudding, she danced away from his attacks. Bombsquad was relentless, however, chasing after the girl and swiping at her with another blade.
She ducked behind a tree, arm up to shield her face just as part of the tree shattered from a concussive burst. Nightfall sucked in a breath before shooting out from behind the splintered tree to hide behind another.
"I know you can't keep this up forever, Nightfall." Bombsquad taunted as he loaded up another bomb. He toyed with it in his hand as he stalked towards the tree the waterbender had hidden behind.
Adrenaline surged through Nightfall's pains, heart thudding loudly in her chest. Despite her best efforts, she could feel her body begin to tire and ache, and that didn't bode well for her as the burly villain continued his onslaught on her.
Bombsquad flung himself around the tree, lashing out with his blade. He was met with nothingness, however, as his blade found itself stuck in the thick bark of the tree. Nightfall was nowhere to be found, and he grumbled to himself.
A thick fog began to move through the bayou, and Bombsquad found his vision severely limited as he attempted to search for the waterbender. He blindly swiped around himself, attempting to not only get the girl, but to dissipate any of the fog that he could.
His efforts proved fruitless, however, and Nightfall shifted through the bayou with ease, having used her powers to allow herself to walk silently on top of the water. She wasn't sure what her next course of action should be, and she suddenly realized just how silent it was around her.
The bayou was expansive- that much she had seen when they first flew in- but until she was actually in it, she didn't realize just how expansive it was. Nightfall wasn't sure how far from the others she had gotten, but she knew it wasn't a good thing. Even with the full moon increasing the strength of her powers, she was still no match for Bombsquad.
Opting to try and get back to her team, Nightfall ran across the water's top. She darted between the trees, using her ears to listen for- what she assumed to be- Bombsquad's movements as he moved blindly through the fog.
Water greeted Nightfall's body once more as she was knocked roughly to the ground. She spluttered, mouth filling with water as she rolled with the body. With her concentration lost, the fog that filled the bayou began to dissipate and roll away.
Cover now gone and vision clear, Nightfall stared up at the familiar face, "R-Robin?"
"Nighty?" The boy blinked back at her.
"What have we got here, ay?" An eerie voice spoke with a laughing undertone, "The little bird has a girlfriend? Isn't this a nice surprise?"
Nightfall and Robin shared a look before the boy wonder clambered off the girl. The Joker cackled madly as Robin extended a hand towards the girl, hoisting her to her feet with ease as the two braced themselves.
Bombsquad appeared from the shadows, body tensed and miffed as he came to a stop beside the pasty villain, "The girl is mine, Joker."
"Isn't she a little young for you, Bomby?" The Joker cackled, and Nightfall cringed at the comment. Bombsquad, for his part, remained silent as he drew his weapon.
The two stuck close to each other, Robin's hand shifting towards his utility belt as Nightfall held her arms outwards. She lifted her arms up, moving them in a quick circle before holding them out to her sides, fingers curled towards. The water surrounding the two moved in a whirlpool before shooting upwards, water tentacles snapping to attention before moving about in a protective manner as the waterbender moved her arms.
The Joker twirled his two switchblades in his hands, a mad grin on his face. He didn't seem deterred by the water barrier that separated him from his target, and only continued to cackle madly as Nightfall snapped at him with a water tentacle as the mad man attempted to approach the two.
"Ouch!" The Joker pouted as he rubbed his wrist, mad smile shifting into one more maniacal, "That was a bit rude now, wasn't it, water girl?"
Nightfall ignored the deranged man, arms still moving about at her side as she continued to keep her tentacle barrier up. Bombsquad eyed the cackling man beside him with disdain before having a go with his own attack.
He chucked the bomb that was in his hand, and Nightfall moved her arms up and to the side. The water tentacles blurred together to create a cohesive barrier to block the explosive device. The small bomb erupted, the concussive blast pushing back against the girl's water barrier. A second eruption suddenly hit the barrier, and the impact knocked the waterbender backwards.
The water fell back into the bayou, Nightfall's concentration breaking. Robin was right at her side as she doubled over, mind fuzzy, and the Joker stalked towards the two.
"Now instead of one bird, I get two carve two lovebirds!" His switchblade glinted dangerously in the moonlight as he held it out before himself. A batarang suddenly sailed through the air, clipping the weapon out of the Joker's grasp.
The mad man glanced upwards with a dark smile, Nightfall and Robin following his gaze.
From the sky appeared the Justice League, and as the Joker's eyes settled upon the Dark Knight himself, he began to cackle madly, "Batsy! I was beginning to worry you weren't going to show up! Now we've got a party!"
Batman's frown deepened, and Nightfall made eye contact with her father, who stood beside the Leaguer's leader on a platform courtesy of a Green Lantern. Nighttide felt a mild sense of relief as he took in the relatively okay state of his daughter, but his relief was quickly washed away as he noted the close proximity of, not only the Joker, but Bombsquad as well to the girl.
The already stoic expression on the older waterbender's face hardened and he glared down at the burly villain.
Bombsquad assessed the situation as the Justice League began to touch down. With a hidden scowl, he turned towards Nightfall, calling out to her, "Until next time," He paused for a moment, eyeing the manic villain beside him, and the waterbender stared at him with frightened eyes, "Tunkolugortok." [Little blue.]
The villain disappeared into the trees, slipping away and Nightfall fell to her knees, not caring if the burly man got away. The Justice League could chase after him for all she cared. She buried her head in her hands, the weight of the day's events crashing down upon her, and Robin crouched down beside her.
Though he didn't understand the final words Bombsquad had spoken, he did recognize it as Inuktitut, and based on Nightfall's reaction, this wasn't the first time he had spoken the language to her.
"Nighty, come on." Robin murmured to the girl as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder. She glanced up at him with tear filled eyes but allowed him to help her to her feet. They regrouped with the team as the Justice League rounded up the remaining Injustice League members, Flash reporting that Bombsquad had somehow managed to disappear.
Nightfall buried her head in Robin's shoulder at the news, and Nighttide scowled darkly.
"It's over." Batman's voice was firm as he spoke.
Vertigo passed a look to Poison Ivy, the villainess returning the look before the two slowly raised their arms up in surrender, the rest of the Injustice League following suit. All but the Joker, that is, "There will be another day." Vertigo proclaimed.
"Another day?!" The Joker shouted to the wind, hysterics overtaking him, "Another day!? There won't be another day! Not for any of us!" A mad cackle slipped past his lips, echoing through the bayou as he held his hands up. He waggled his fingers, revealing tech-infused gloves, and as his signature laugh continued to haunt the gathered heroes, thick vines snaked their way out of the bayou.
Small buds grew from the vines, becoming engorged before exploding, exuding a thick, green gas.
"Joker-Venom spores!" Batman exclaimed, darting forward. "Don't breathe!" The thick gas began to roll over the bayou, and Nightfall sucked in a deep breath before holding it as Robin tucked her face further into his chest, his own head buried in her hair.
Batman's fist collided harshly with the Joker's face, and the villain fell like a sack of potatoes, which prevented him from creating any more spores.
The cloud of deadly gas seeped towards the gathered heroes and villains, ready to roll over and engulf them. Just before the cloud could do so, Doctor Fate rose above the encroaching cloud, "Fear not!" A golden ankh illuminated the night sky, and the hazy gas was drawn towards the ancient symbol as the threat was sucked away, "Fate has intervened!"
With the Injustice League- minus one- defeated and tied up, most of the League had taken off to escort the villains to their proper prisons. Batman, Nighttide, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, and Zatara were the only remaining Leaguers, and they stood a little ways away from the team, discussing something quietly amongst themselves. Nighttide kept stealing glances towards his daughter, as something felt off as she stood slightly separate from the team.
Nightfall had her arms wrapped protectively around herself and Robin remained close her side. The boy wonder could also tell something was off with the girl, as she had been rather silent since Bombsquad escaped, but he didn't want to pry too much and pressure her into talking.
"What were you thinking?" Kid Flash practically roared, turning from Aqualad- who was still under the control of Doctor Fate- to glare at Miss Martian, "How could you let him put on the helmet?!" A guilty expression tainted her otherwise soft features as she turned away from the speedster's betrayed look. Nightlight tried to calm Kid Flash down, but he pulled away from her comforting hand as he walked forwards, "Nabu will never release him now. Kaldur will be trapped inside Doctor Fate forever."
Nightfall glanced up at the commotion, watching with sad eyes as Kid Flash glanced up at Doctor Fate with enraged eyes.
A brief moment of silence passed, the team waiting with baited breathes as Doctor Fate continued to stand hollowly before them. The silence and waiting were agonizing, and as the hope began to further drain from the teens, Doctor Fate slowly reached up to grasp the helmet.
A burst of golden light tore through the clearing, and just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. Doctor Fate was no longer present, and in his place stood Aqualad, who clutched the helmet to his chest. Kid Flash placed himself in front of their leader, body shaking with disbelief.
"Nabu let you go?!"
"He almost did not." Aqualad admitted grimly, "but your friend, Kent, was most helpful." He smiled, voice taking on a lighter tone, "He says hello." Kid Flash grinned back.
"We're done here." Batman stepped forward, flanked by the remaining Leaguer's, "The supervillain secret society as been neutralized. As for your performance…" The whole team tensed, Nightfall included, as they awaited the Dark Knight's final verdict. His masked gaze shifted over each and every member, taking in their mud-splattered and soaked forms, "It was satisfactory." He concluded.
Celebratory murmurs and excitement rippled through the team as the shared excited smiles. But as they celebrated their victory, Nightfall curled further in on herself. Though the praise from Batman- if you could even call it that- was endearing, she was at odds with herself about the whole thing.
Not only had Bombsquad name dropped her father, but herself as well, and he spoke in their native tongue. What this meant for the waterfam, Nightfall wasn't quite sure, and as much as she didn't want to tell her father- she was not ready for how angry he was going to be- this was something that needed to be solved.
And soon.
Batman dismissed the team, and Miss Martian called the bioship to them. They chatted excitedly amongst themselves, an almost 'high' blanketing the team as they celebrated their victory. And, despite the long battle they had just ensued, none were feeling particularly tired.
All except Nightfall at least.
The poor girl looked conflicted and distraught, and in their afterglow of victory, the team had their minds focused elsewhere. Robin had remained by her side, concern growing within him as he watched her breathing become shorter and shakier. Her body itself had begun to quake.
With the team dismissed, so were the remaining League members. Nighttide didn't hesitate to immediately find his way to his daughter's side. Concern flared up within him once more as he took in Nightfall's shattered state.
Whatever had happened during the battle had truly done a number on the young waterbender, and that didn't settle well with Nighttide at all.
"Night-" The older waterbender had barely gotten the word out before Nightfall crashed into his chest. Her body shook as she let loose her emotions, tears flowing freely down her cheeks and she buried her face in her father's chest.
The team caught wind of the sudden commotion, and Robin watched solemnly as the group walked over to the two waterbenders. Nightlight opened her mouth, presumably to ask if everything was okay, but the boy wonder placed a hand on her shoulder, and when she glanced over at him, he shook his head.
Under normal circumstances, Nighttide wouldn't show affection in the field, but as his daughter continued to break down before him, he wrapped his own protective arms around her. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, and the two sank to the ground as another sob wracked Nightfall's body.
"Ai ituitchuk, paniga?" [What is wrong, daughter?]
Nightfall shook her head and buried her face deeper in her father's chest, a choked sob slipping past her lips. She tried to form the words to speak back to Nighttide in a language she once found so comforting, but every time she formed a word in Inuktitut, she felt ready to throw up.
"Kayanna?" He spoke softly once more when she didn't answer. She sniffled, and Koda reached down, hand gently caressing her cheek before drawing her chin tenderly upwards, "Talk to me, paniga, please. You're scaring me."
Kayanna choked back another sob, a fresh stream of tears coursing down her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot, cheeks red and tear streaked, "H-he knows." She managed to choke out through a hiccup.
Koda felt his blood run cold, and as his daughter re-buried her face in his chest, an unsettling feeling coursed through his body. Those two little words might've been vague, but the older waterbender could immediately decipher the meaning behind them.
Their secret identities had been compromised.
A/N: Alright, here's the rest of the chapter~! lmao not 100% on that ending, but I wanted to introduce the Waterfam's main villain, Bombsquad! We'll see more of him as the season progresses, but the final culmination of his arc actually takes place in the timeskip- so hopefully I'll find the time/motivation to write about that at a later date!
Thanks ya'll for being amazing!
-SnowWolf22
