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Young Justice is not mine.


Humanity

"Love is the life of humanity."

- Emanuel Swedenburg


MOUNT JUSTICE

"Ea… th… an… na… earth… anna… earth to Kayanna!"

Kayanna blinked as a casted arm entered her field of vision, breaking her out of her bleak trance as it moved back and forth. She glanced downwards, dull blue eyes making eye contact with concerned green.

"You okay, Kay?"

She stared down at the speedster blankly, eyes hazy and distant, "Y-yeah." Her voice was shaky as she spoke softly.

Wally met her sullen gaze, lips quirked downwards. It was obvious Kayanna was lying. She was perched on the armrest of the recliner Superboy so lovingly carried in for Wally, curled in on herself with a somber look on her face. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her chest as she absentmindedly watched the sparring session Black Canary was supervising before them.

Though Kayanna was decked out in her Nightfall garb like the rest of the team- sans Wally- were in their own hero attire, Black Canary had let her sit this match out. It also helped that, with Wally currently milking his broken arm, the team was uneven, and thus Kayanna wouldn't've even had a sparring partner.

"I can tell you're no~ot." The speedster sing-songed softly, gently nudging the girl's side. She smacked his hand away and turned her head, watching as Nightlight flipped Superboy over her shoulder and Robin back flipped away to avoid kick from Artemis.

"I'm fine, Wally." Kayanna bit back. Her tone wasn't very aggressive, but there was an air of snippiness to it. In all honestly, she wasn't sure what she was.

As her father and Batman assessed the Bombsquad situation further, Kayanna was told to just carry on like normal for the time being.

But how could she when some crazed villain knew the secret identity of her and her family?

She had been reassured numerous times that, alongside the League finding Red Tornado, finding Bombsquad had also been placed as a top priority, and League surveillance of the Sanders family had been increased tenfold. The situation still left Kayanna rather rattled and anxious, but not much could be done right now.

Bombsquad was 100% MIA.

"Aaaaaaaand we have two pineapple juices!" Captain Marvel's chirpy voice effectively ended the two's short conversation. The burly man leaned down with a bright grin, proudly displaying a serving tray with two fancily-decorated glasses of pineapple juice, each one sporting their own mini-umbrella.

As fresh beads of condensation rolled down the sides of the refreshing drinks, Wally rubbed his hands together. He thanked Captain Marvel before grabbing a glass, pushing it into Kayanna's hands before grabbing the remaining one for himself.

Kayanna pushed the straw in her beverage absentmindedly, as Wally slurped loudly from his own, "Ah! Just what the doctor ordered!"

"How's the arm doing, Wally?" The Justice Leaguer leaned in closer, inspecting the cast with curious eyes.

The speedster glanced up at Kayanna and she quirked a brow as she met his playful gaze, "What do you say, Sanders? Nothing wrong nachos can't cure, right?"

She shook her head, "You're insatiable, West." The soft smile on her face told him she was teasing, but he was just happy to get a little quip out of her.

"Nachos!" Captain Marvel pulled back with a bright grin. He bounced from toe to toe, the two teens looking up at the giddy man, "Oh, I'll go get you some!" He lifted into the air before taking off towards the kitchen, and Wally flashed Kayanna a smug grin as she shook her head.

All this power was going to the speedster's head…

Kayanna took a sip of her pineapple juice, savoring the sweet flavor as she absently began to stroke Wolf's fur, who was curled up peacefully beside the recliner. Aqualad caught a punch from Miss Martian, but the girl was quick to retaliate with a kick, knocking their fearless leader back some.

Across the sparring platform, Nightlight used her smaller body to her advantage and dove between Superboy's legs as he swiped at her. She wasn't quite used to not using her powers when in a fight, but she had always been a quick learner.

And Black Canary was a great teacher.

Robin landed harshly on the ground with a grunt, Kayanna cringing from the sound of his impact. The computer flashed, docking the boy wonder five points and awarding them to Artemis for a well-time throw. As the two powerless members of the team, they were both by far the best when it came to normal hand-to-hand combat skills- with Artemis being closely matched to Robin's own skill level.

"Good work, everyone." Black Canary spoke proudly, stepping into the ring and placing a hand on her hip. One by one the three separate sparring matches came to a close, the team sharing proud glances with each other as the Leaguer kept up her praise, "In fact, it's been a very productive week."

Artemis stepped forward with a cheeky grin on her face, "Yeah, for everyone except Kid Malingerer." She gestured to the injured speedster, who pouted.

"Hey, arm broken in combat against the Injustice League here!" Wally held his casted arm up for emphasis. Artemis just shook her head, "Babe, tell her!" Kayanna ignored the speedster's pleading look, biting back a soft grin as she sipped her juice innocently and shrugged.

Robin snorted, "Not like you haven't been milking your broken arm all week."

"Dude!"

Black Canary chuckled softly to herself and eyed the team fondly, "I've really enjoyed being your, uh, den mother this week." A wave of bemusement washed through the team as they eyed the Leaguer, who spared them a soft smile.

The tender moment was interrupted, however, by the zeta tube whirring to life. It called out Zatara's name, and when the Leaguer fully appeared, he offered nothing more than a curt nod to the gathered group before he turned to type on a keypad.

All eyes were on the magician as he keyed in a few commands, curiosity blanketing the room, and soon the zeta was whirring to life once more. This time, however, it called out a name no one was familiar with.

"Recognized: Zatanna Zatara: A-Zero-Three. Authorization: Zatara: One-One."

As the humming of the zeta died down, a crowd formed at its entrance to greet the newcomer. The golden light faded away to reveal a shy looking, raven-haired girl, who sported what appeared to be a school uniform of sorts. It vaguely reminded Kayanna of Gotham Academy's own uniform. The new girl peered up at the team with curious blue eyes, and they stared back at her with the same amount of curiosity.

Kayanna studied the newcomer with interest, a strange feeling bubbling up within her chest as butterflies danced in her stomach. She marveled at how the girl's hair perfectly framed her face, and her bright blue eyes shined brightly as she glanced around. Her shyness didn't mask her beauty in the slightest, and the waterbender couldn't help but admire her from afar as the team shifted closer to the newcomer.

Those bright blue eyes suddenly found Kayanna's own, and an embarrassed blush erupted across her cheeks at being caught staring. But when the raven flashed her a coy smile, her embarrassed blush shifted into something… else as a warm feeling blossomed within her chest.

The waterbender was quick to turn her head, tearing her eyes away from the pretty raven and studying the drink she still had in her hand intently. Her cheeks still felt hot, heart thumping as she stirred the ice in her drink. She could still feel the girl's gaze on her, and when Kayanna dared sneak a glance up through her lashes, the raven's soft smile increased as they made eye contact once more.

Kayanna tucked herself behind Wally, breaking off their eye contact and ignoring the perplexed look from the speedster. She missed the slight frown that graced the raven's pretty face, but when Zatara spoke up, her attention moved to him, "Zatanna, this is the team. Team, my daughter, Zatanna."

Miss Martian flew over to her, lips quirked upwards in a welcoming smile, "Hi, I'm-"

"Robin!" The boy wonder was suddenly in front of Zatanna, hand raised in an awkward wave and Kayanna blinked. The new raven quirked a delicate brow, and Robin rubbed the back of his neck with an uneasy cough, "I mean, I'm uh, Robin!" He laughed nervously and Wally cleared his throat, catching his friend's attention before giving him a look that said 'and the rest of us?' with an amused grin. Robin swallowed thickly before prattling off the team's names, "Uh, she's M'gann, and that's Wally, Dimitri, Artemis, Kaldur, Conner, and-" Robin glanced over his shoulder, making brief eye contact with Kayanna before she tore her gaze away to stare at the ground, and he finished his introductions in a softer voice, "-that's Kayanna."

Zatanna nodded politely at each team member as they were introduced before settling her bright gaze on Kayanna, who was still tucked into herself and avoiding eye contact with her. She was more in view now, however, as Wally had shifted away when he subtly teased his best friend.

"Welcome to the cave, Zatanna." Aqualad welcomed warmly.

"Thanks." She smiled, her body losing some of the tenseness she had arrived with. Her nerves were beginning to fade at how welcoming the team was being, but she still felt slightly on edge at being in the presence of some amazing young heroes.

Robin caught her attention once more, and she turned to him with a bemused expression as he beamed at her, "So, y-y-y-y-y-you joining the team?"

Kayanna felt a wave of unease wash over her body, and she wasn't sure why she was suddenly so uncomfortable as she watched Robin practically drool over the pretty raven. Zatanna, for her part, wasn't quite sure what to make of the boy wonder's behavior, but she smiled at him softly as he continued to grin her way.

Meanwhile, Nightlight found a deep frown settling upon her lips at the idea of someone else joining the team. It wasn't that she disliked Zatanna- she had obviously just met the girl and she wasn't the type that was quick to judge- but the team had grown rather rapidly since its founding and that played at her insecurities. Invisibility was one of her powers, but she sometimes felt invisibility was just her- and as the team expanded, she disappeared more.

It had, after all, originally just been her, Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad- with the occasional Speedy. She liked their little quartet, even if they didn't meet up all the time, but now the team was twice that number, and it tugged at her anxiety and insecurity of being replaced.

Zatara cleared his throat, placing a protective hand on his daughter's shoulder as he removed his top hat, "Let's not get ahold of ourselves. This is strictly a visit." He flashed Robin the most professional glare Kayanna had seen before turning towards Black Canary, "Though I am sorry we missed the training. It's something from which Zatanna could benefit."

A flash of annoyance danced across Zatanna's face at her father's comments, a look that was completely missed by Zatara. Kayanna could one-hundred percent relate to how the girl was currently feeling, as her own father was also rather overprotective and overbearing.

The waterbender's thoughts were interrupted, however, as Miss Martian's voice suddenly echoed in her mind, 'Do the rest of you guys get the impression that we're still stuck on probation with Zatara?'

'It's not just Zatara,' Superboy scowled, folding his arms over his chest, 'Why's Marvel still hanging around?'

Wally quirked a brow and looked at the clone incredulously, 'Because we like having him around? Right Kayanna?' The speedster looked to her for support, but found the girl wasn't paying very much attention to their mental conversation, 'Uh, Kayanna?'

'What?' She tore her gaze away from Zatanna, blinking owlishly at the ginger as she rezoned in on the conversation, 'Oh, uh, yeah, sure.'

'See? Kay agrees with me!'

Artemis rolled her eyes, 'Of course she agrees! Marvel waits on the two of you hand and foot.'

'Please just leave me out of this.' The waterbender's comment was ignored, however, as Wally turned towards the archer.

'And your point is?' His lips were pursed together quizzically, not quite sure why it was so wrong he had a Justice Leaguer acting as his own personal butler. Personally, he thought it was rather cool.

'You shouldn't be taking advantage of Captain Marvel's kindness, Wally.' Nightlight tacked on softly, glancing up at the speedster. He shrugged and she redirected the conversation, 'but at least Red Tornado never seemed to scrutinize us so much…'

Aqualad sighed, 'It does almost make one nostalgic for Red Tornado's tenure here as our supervisor.'

'Yeah, at least he trusted us.' Robin scoffed.

Superboy's anger was suddenly palpable in the mind link as he glared at his gathered teammate's, 'If you ignore the fact that we shouldn't have trusted him! He betrayed us! That machine nearly got M- all of us killed!'

Nightlight turned, stepping before the irritated clone and placing a delicate hand on his chest. Blue eyes still wide with anger, he glared down at her but she didn't budge, 'Calm down, Conner. Red Tornado never would've just turned on us; something must've-'

'You weren't even there!' Superboy raged, interrupted the spirit energy wielder as he shoved her arm down. Nightlight's eyes widened, guilt once more gnawing at her stomach and she floundered for something to say.

'I-'

'You have no right to comment on-'

Wally was suddenly in front of Superboy, pushing the clone backwards as he placed himself between him and Nightlight, emerald eyes blazing, 'You do not get to talk to her that way!' The speedster's body was tense and challenging, a stark contrast to his normally relaxed and laid-back personality. Kayanna was surprised by the malice and venom that laced his voice, and suspense filled the mind link as the two entered a heated glare-off.

Even Superboy looked slightly taken aback by Wally's dark tone, but he wasn't the type to back down from a challenge. Just before things could escalate further, Aqualad interjected himself, and he placed calming hands on the two boy's shoulders.

'That is enough. This is not the time nor place to-'

"Are you guys having a psychic conversation?" The team shared startled gazes at having been caught and turned towards Zatanna. She peered up at them, expression a mixture of annoyance and curiosity, but more-so the former than anything else, "Cause I can't decide if that's really cool or really rude…"

The pretty raven's call-out had caught the attention of Black Canary and Zatara, and the two looked to the team for an explanation. The blonde Leaguer looked disappointed in her trainees, while Zatara looked borderline angry. Kayanna folded her arms over her chest, choosing to stare at the floor while Superboy broke the awkward silence the discovery of their psychic conversation had left.

"Alright, fine! We were talking about Tornado! It's been a week since his attack and the League hasn't told us anything!" The kryptonian scowled, demanding answers from the Leaguer's present.

Black Canary sighed, but her voice was cool and collected as she addressed the concerns of the team, "The League is searching for Red Tornado, as well as the androids who invaded the Cave, and their creator, T.O. Morrow. Batman's made tracking them down- as well as Bombsquad-" She spared Kayanna a quick glance, the waterbender scowled at the reminder, "our highest priority."

Robin looked frustrated, "But you've found none of the above!" He challenged.

"Not yet," The Leaguer's voice was clipped as she spoke, a hint to the team to drop the conversation, "but Tornado is Justice League, and the team is not to pursue this."

Instead of heading her silent warning, Robin- and Superboy- looked ready to argue and protest some more, but Zatara jumped into the conversation, "Why don't you all take Zatanna on a, uh, tour of the Cave?" It was a weak suggestion, but it left little room for argument and the team silently through in the flag.

The gathered bodies turned towards where the girl once stood, only to find she had seemingly disappeared. Momentary confusion rippled through the crowd as they looked for Zatanna, and Kayanna quickly pointed behind herself, "She's hanging with Wolf."

All eyes settled on Zatanna, who was snuggled up against Wolf giving him all the love he deserved. She glanced up as soon as she felt like she was being watched, and shifted as Wolf stood up, loving the extra attention as he sauntered over to Superboy. Robin looked baffled, even more confused at the fact Kayanna of all people noticed the pretty raven's disappearance and he didn't.

"How did you…?"

"I, uh…" The waterbender blinked, fumbling for words. She couldn't exactly say 'oh, I was checking her out!' as the reason she knew where Zatanna went, "She, uh, w-walked past me?" She spat out the weak excuse. Robin's brows lifted upwards, clearly seeing straight through her lie, but Captain Marvel reappeared, a fresh plate of nachos in his hand.

"Oh, you're giving a tour? Cool!" His voice was too perky and excited for the slightly on-edge atmosphere that hung over the mission room, but he didn't seem to care.

"Actually," Superboy spoke up, voice sounding fake as he spoke smoothly, "I was hoping you'd take Wolf outside. He needs the exercise; we'll join you in a few!" He patted Wolf on the head, gently nudging him towards the Leaguer.

Captain Marvel beamed, chest swelling with excitement as he agreed enthusiastically, "Sure, sure. I can do that! C'mon, Wolf!"

The enhanced canine bounded over to the burly man, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as he sniffed the air. Picking up a delicious scent, Wolf tried to steal a bite of the delicacy Captain Marvel was holding onto, but it was swept away from him as the Leaguer flew down the hall. His childish giggles echoed hollowly off the walls, and Wolf bounded after him.

Wally stared longingly after the man who stole his nachos, lips quirked in a childish pout, "Wh-bu-bla-uh, my nachos!" Nightlight shook her head, gently grabbing the speeder's arm and dragging him down the hallway as he continued to mope.

Nightlight made a brief promise of getting Wally some nachos later, and the speedster seemed mildly content, Kayanna following slowly after the couple and the rest of the team as they started their 'tour' of the cave.


The group entered the kitchen, Kayanna slipping around them to place her glass of pineapple juice in the sink. Because she wasn't a heathen like Wally- who left his glass (and other food messes) on a small table in the mission room-, she gave it a quick rinse. As the rest of the group formed a small circle, she rested her elbows on the kitchen counter, propping her chin in her hands.

Robin glanced around for a second, catching Kayanna's eye from afar, before shifting towards Zatanna, who rejoined the group with a more comfortable presence. The waterbender blinked, however, when she noticed the pretty raven was not wearing the school uniform she once was.

Instead, she looked more at ease in simple lavender top and cream capris, and when she came to a stop beside the countertop Kayanna was currently resting against, the brunette couldn't help but voice, "How did you-?"

Zatanna's blue eyes glinted mischievously, voice coy when she responded, "A magician never reveals her secretes." The tongue-in-cheek response- coupled with a sly wink- caused the waterbender's heart to skip a beat, and she couldn't explain the strange feeling that blossomed within her chest at having the pretty raven's attention on her.

It was similar to the feeling she got around Robin sometimes… but that just didn't make sense to the girl.

Robin beamed, squeezing himself into the duo's conversation, "So, you're a magician then?" Zatanna turned her attention towards the hacker, a soft smile on her lips, and Kayanna frowned, an unsettling feeling churned within her stomach.

Before she could even register what she was doing, a snarky retort slipped past her lips, "Did your detective skills help you figure that one out, Wonder Boy?" Her tone was clipped, and it surprised even herself at how harsh she sounded. Robin looked mildly miffed at the comment, and whatever feeling had bubbled within her stomach melted into guilt.

But she couldn't form the words to apologize.

Zatanna breathed out a short laugh, unsure of what to make of the brief exchange, before she shifted her attention to the rest of the group, voice bored as she drawled, "We're not really taking a tour, are we?" Her tone really hinted at the fact that, if they were actually going to listen to Zatara's words, she would just poof away.

All eyes snapped to Aqualad, and with bated breaths they awaited their leader's decision. The Atlantean shared a brief look with Superboy, and a silent understanding passed between the duo before the clone addressed the group, "No," His voice was firm and unwavering, "we are hunting down that robot." Aqualad nodded his head in affirmation.

The pretty raven blinked in surprise, "Oh wow, out loud and everything." Her voice was tinged with amusement.

Artemis lifted a fine brow, small frown twinging her lips, "What about new girl?" She not-so-subtly gestured to Zatanna, who quirked her own brow in response, but maintained silence.

"She should probably-" Nightlight started softly, only to be rudely cut off.

"I'm sure she won't tell," Robin chuckled nervously, glancing between the new girl and Aqualad- the only one who truly held the decisive power. The pink-eyed girl frowned as she faced the Atlantean as well, but he failed to say anything further.

"I can't tell," Zatanna's voice carried an air of mischief to it, "not if you kidnap me." The implications of her suggestion weren't daft on the team, and a smirk to match the pretty raven's own found its way onto Artemis's face.

"Yeah, she's going to fit in great."


After a brief round of 'musical chairs' in the bioship as they figured out where to squeeze Zatanna in- right between Robin and Kayanna if you wanted to know-, the team took off. The waterbender was unsure as to where they were going, as Aqualad didn't give Miss Martian any specific location, but nonetheless they made haste to leave the hanger, lest Zatara come looking for his daughter.

Kayanna was honestly surprised Aqualad didn't protest the pretty magician accompanying them.

"M'gann, the bioship wasn't cleared for take-off." Black Canary's voice filled the cockpit, and Kayanna felt her body stiffen at the suspicious tone the Leaguer sported.

Miss Martian was quick to chirp back a response, "We're kidnapping Zatanna!"

Curse M'gann and her naive nature.

"To show her Happy Harbor!" Nightlight quickly tacked on, voice just smooth enough to cover her lying through her teeth, "We'll be back soon!"

There was a few second pause as the team waited for Black Canary's response. "Er, rrrrroger that." The older blonde didn't sound all that convinced, but Kayanna knew she trusted Nightlight- and the team- and was just giving them the benefit of the doubt, "Have fun."

The line clicked out, and the breaths the team had been holding were simultaneously released. Nightlight slouched back in her chair, trying not too think about what her father would have to say about all this. She hated lying- even more so to an authority figure such as Black Canary- but she trusted Aqualad and she trusted this team.

And even she was itching to get a lead on Red Tornado.

The bioship sailed smoothly through the air, and Kayanna rested an elbow on the dash before her, chin resting in her palm, as she watched the scenery dance past them. A silence had fallen over the bioship, and it was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.

As Robin would probably say, it was just fortable.

The waterbender snickered to herself at the thought, and the soft noise caught the attention of Zatanna. The pretty raven leaned forward, calling out to Kayanna, "And what's so funny?" She arched a delicate brow, a light grin on her face as the other girl turned towards her. Her tone was more playful and curious than it was accusatory.

Kayanna blinked before glancing back at the other girl. She shrugged, unsure of how to actually respond. Robin's wordplay didn't make sense to many people- heck, she didn't quite understand it- so she wasn't quite sure how to explain it, "Oh, uh, it's n-nothing…" She pathetically responded, and Zatanna's brows furrowed.

Robin watched the two converse for a moment, before he leaned back in his chair to glance at Miss Martian, "Where are we going?" The hacker sounded rather exacerbated and all eyes flickered to him, which effectively ended Kayanna and Zatanna's conversation, "I mean, Batman is the world's greatest detective and- and he looked for Tornado and T.O Morrow in every logical location." He glanced at his teammates, "So what we need is an illogical plan… you know, a truly dumb idea."

The boy wonder's insinuation hung in the air, and all eyes snapped to Kid Flash. It took the speedster a moment to process just what Robin was implying, before it clicked and he flashed his best friend an unamused scowl.

"Oh, ha ha." A mildly offended pout settled on his cute face, "If this is how you treat the smartest person on this team I-"

Nightlight suddenly interrupted him, twisting her chair further around and placing a gentle hand on his knee, "Wally, we know you're incredibly smart, which is why we're turning to you for help."

Kid Flash nearly melted at the gesture, and coupled with her gentle smile, he found his heart thumping extra loud in his ears. The girl's words fueled his ego, however, and Kayanna watched as his chest swelled, "As a matter of fact…" He quoted ominously, a mischievous grin on his lips.

This wasn't going to bode well for the team.


BELLE REVE PENETENTIARY

And that was how Nightfall found herself within the daunting walls of Belle Reve Penitentiary.

She had heard about this place numerous times from her father, as Belle Reve was filled with villains and baddies that dared face the Justice League. It made her mildly uncomfortable as they traversed down a back hall, far from the cell blocks and holding areas of the inmates. Warden Strange was doing his best to keep the team's appearance on the downlow, so, surrounded by officers, they were quickly escorted to an interrogation room where one Professor Ivo was sat.

Nightfall had recognized him as the tiny man who's deadly android destroyed the gym at Gotham Academy a few months back. They had failed to apprehend him that night, but upon being placed on the Justice League's 'top priority' agenda, he had been found.

And apparently left to rot here at Belle Reve.

Professor Ivo stared at the teens with disdain and subtle annoyance. His face was stoic, arms folded neatly in front of himself and he quirked a fine brow as Miss Martian stepped forward.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your surprise visit?"

"Warden Strange owed us a favor for stopping last month's prison break." The Martian leaned forward, pressing her hands firmly against the metal table and levelling the tiny man with her best glare. Unfortunately for her, Miss Martian was too soft for her glare to induce much fear, "He's given us five minutes with you."

Nightlight found herself tucked into the back of the small interrogation room, arms crossed in front of her chest as she eyed the scene from afar. Her hood was up, masking her sullen expression, and she felt a strange sense of loneliness wash over her, despite the team's close proximity to herself.

"So spill, Ivo." Superboy practically growled, uncrossing his arms, "How do we find T.O. Morrow and his reds?"

Professor Ivo shifted in his chair, leaning back as his face contorted into an unimpressed look, "Now why would I know how to find Morrow?" He sounded almost bored.

"Becaaaauuusssseee, and here's a truly dumb idea," Kid Flash started, using Robin's words from before, "you're Morrow's biggest competitor in the evil android game. Who better to keep track of what he's up to, and where?"

The tiny man pursed his lips, a flicker of annoyance flashing in his eyes. He composed himself, Nightfall scowling as he leaned forward with a taunting expression, "Then let me rephrase myself. Why on earth would I tell you how to find Morrow?"

Professor Ivo was toying with them- and wasting their five minutes in the process.

As if celebrating an early victory, the tiny man leaned back in his chair, a defiant smirk toying on his lips. The lax posture was almost an insult to the team, and Aqualad's eyes narrowed darkly.

"He knows." His voice was empty, and he turned to nod at Miss Martian, "Do what you must." She nodded her acknowledgement, closing her eyes momentarily in concentration. When they flickered open, they glowed a soft green. Professor Ivo chuckled tauntingly at her attempt to retrieve their desired information.

"Oh please. As if I've never faced a telepath before."

Miss Martian groaned, eyes returning to normal as the tiny man continued to toy with them. She looked to their leader for further commands, but even Aqualad looked to be at a loss.

Nightfall shook her head, an uneasy feeling blossoming within her, "This is getting us nowhere." She spoke lowly to no one in particular. Beside her, Robin nodded his head in agreeance, but remained silent otherwise as he analyzed the situation before them.

After working with Batman for numerous years, he had picked up a trick or two for interrogation purposes. That being said, this wasn't really the time or place for them- and if Miss Martian's telepathy couldn't break the guy, his knock-off Batman techniques wouldn't work either.

"Trulb tuo S'worrom eurt noitacol!" A mystical voice called out. Professor Ivo went rigid, a blank expression overtaking his features.

"Morrow is in a secret underground base located beneath Yellowstone National Park one-hundred meters south of Old Faithful." His tone was almost robotic, monotonous as he spewed their desired information in one breath. Once the words were finished escaping his lips, his eyes went wide and he glanced around the room in confusion.

The team were equally as confused- and even a little bit shocked. With an agape mouth, Nightfall found her eyes immediately finding their way to Zatanna, who had been the source of the spell. She straightened up from her spot beside Professor Ivo, her determined expression melting into one of satisfaction as she turned to embrace the surprised looks of the team.

They still wore awestruck expressions, and when Zatanna made eye contact with Nightfall, she winked playfully at the flabbergasted girl. Beside her, Robin lifted up on his tippy-toes for a better view- as he was partially obstructed by Aqualad- and the waterbender shoved him to the side as he invaded her personal space. Her tossed her an annoyed look before trying to maneuver his way forward.

"Wait!" The tiny man's hands flailed once he removed them from his mouth, where they had once been covering it, "What- what just happened?"

Even the team didn't seem to quite have a definite answer to Ivo's infinite confusion. They had figured Zatanna had powers of some sort- seeing as her dad was The Zatara, magician extraordinaire- but to see them so up close and in personal was a completely different story. The magnitude of her powers had Nightfall greatly intrigued, and she suddenly had an urge to get closer to the girl.

Aqualad was the first of the group to compose himself, shocked expression morphing into a more neutral one. He addressed Ivo, "Your cooperation has been most appreciated, Professor Ivo." The sarcasm was thick as it mixed with his commanding tone, and the flabbergasted tiny man stared up at the leader, mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

And then the team was off to their next adventure.

Within minutes of leaving the interrogation room, the team was in the sky once more, Yellowstone National Park in their sights. Nightfall's fingers thrummed against the console before her, chin resting on the open palm of one of her hands. She eyed Zatanna from the corner of her eye, who sat on her left, subtly checking the girl out.

A thousand questions were on her mind in regards to what had just happened at Belle Reve, but every time Nightfall found Zatanna's pretty blue eyes on her, her tongue twisted and the words faded from her mind. She swallowed thickly, her head tilting back as Aqualad began to speak.

"Black out all external communications. Soon Canary and Zatara- Batman too, I imagine- will know of our visit with Professor Ivo. We do not have much time."

Nightlight pinched the bridge of her nose and slumped further in her chair. Her mind was being pulled in all sorts of different directions as it fought with itself. Disobeying the Justice League and going behind their backs had her on edge, as she tended to be a stickler for the rules, but Aqualad was their team leader- and she trusted him.

Coupled with her invasive thoughts of being forgotten about as their numbers grew, and the team's interest became focused on the new girl, today just didn't feel like her day.

Robin turned towards Zatanna, "Look," he started, catching the pretty magician's attention, "I'm trying to be all… nonchalant here-"

A sly grin was quick to spread across Zatanna's face as she interrupted the boy wonder, "Why? Be as chalant as you like."

Nightfall couldn't help the snort that slipped past her lips at Robin's befuddled and awestruck expression. It was hard to make the acrobat speechless, and that just made the magician all the more alluring to Nightfall, "Oh wow, I never thought I'd meet someone who spoke Robin."

Kid Flash snickered as Robin turned to shoot his friend a glare. The glare softened when he met Nightfall's playful gaze, and Zatanna eyed the two with a quirked brow. Soft smiles etched their lips as they continued to make eye contact, and the tender moment was broken when Artemis spoke up.

"Look, I think we're all just trying to get a handle on your powers."

Nightfall hummed in agreeance, turning to face Zatanna like the rest of the team, "Yeah, like could you teleport Tornado or Morrow to a cell?"

"Ooor force his bots to surrender?" Kid Flash chimed in with a shrug.

The pretty magician glanced around the cockpit, noting how she had become the center of attention. She shook her head and let out a breathy chuckle, "Or create peace on Earth?" She asked rhetorically with a shake of her head, "Zatara couldn't even do that, and I'm nowhere near my dad's level." Apprehension laced her voice, and Zatanna suddenly looked a bit self-conscious, "I need to know a spell cold. Or else have time to prep it. Plus, all magic requires energy, which usually has to come from within. I just can't make the impossible happen at will." Nightfall watched as she lifted a dainty hand upwards, glancing down at it with insecure eyes.

The waterbender suddenly had the urge to reach out and comfort the magician. She understood completely what it was like to feel as though you were forever stuck in your father's shadow. Nightfall felt that about Nighttide- that she would never reach or even surpass his level. And it was a rather disheartening thought.

Before she could say anything, however, Superboy's angry voice echoed in the small area, "What's our ETA to Yellowstone?" Nightfall glanced over at him, noting the dark expression on his face as he crossed his arms, "I'm way past ready to stuff Tornado into a trash compactor."

"Are you so certain he betrayed us?" Aqualad's voice was serene, the total opposite of the clone's, and he whipped around to face their leader.

Nostrils flaring, he demanded, "Aren't you?"

Nightfall watched the exchange through conflicted eyes. Despite her unfavorable opinion of the clone, she could understand his anger and confliction, and she even felt it herself. The difference was, she had her anger under control.

"I am not convinced," Aqualad replied in a calm manner, carrying on with his explanation, "and even so, that makes him but the victim of his creator's programming." He turned his seafoam eyes on Superboy, who met his gaze initially before cowering away, "certainly he deserves a chance to prove he is more than the weapon others designed him to be."


YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

The bioship glided smoothly towards the earth below, geysers erupting in the distance. Nightfall felt the familiar feeling of nerves she felt before a mission flutter about her stomach as they approached their destination. The entire team was on edge, as the gravity of the situation facing them weighed down on their shoulders.

They were oh so close to finding Red Tornado- a feat the League couldn't even achieve.

Nightfall's leg bounced anxiously as Miss Martian expertly landed the ship, and in an instant, the team stood at the ready. She circled around her seat, eyes watching as Zatanna made her way to the back of the alien ship, whilst the rest of the team awaited orders in the cockpit.

"Stealth mode." Aqualad voiced firmly. A silent acceptance of his command rippled through the team as he pressed the Atlantean symbol on his belt, the once red of his suit blurring to black.

Nightfall tapped her own chest, Kid Flash and Artemis doing the same, and the three's suits instantly darkened. Miss Martian's eyes slipped shut momentarily, and her once white and blue suit morphed into her stealth suit. Meanwhile, Nightlight and Robin stood by, their suits already adapted for stealth.

Assured that the team was ready to depart, Aqualad turned towards Zatanna, who was now standing by the open bay door of the bioship, "I recommend you stay behind." His voice was firm yet gentle.

Snorting softly, Nightfall shook her head, "A bit late for that, isn't it?" She murmured to the boy wonder beside herself. He smiled softly at the remark.

The pretty magician quirked a delicate brow, face looking almost challenging as her eyes flickered from Nightfall and Robin to Aqualad, "Oh? Is that an order?"

"No," He was quick to clear the air and reiterated, "You must do as you see fit." Nightfall could tell Aqualad wasn't too keen on the idea of Zatanna tagging along, but if the challenging smirk was anything to go by on the raven's face, his suggestion was just that- a suggestion. She wasn't a team member- yet- so it wasn't really his place to tell her what to do or not to do.

"Good!" She beamed up at him with satisfaction before lifting her arms up. Silvery-blue smoke began to billow at her feet before swirling around her body as another spell tumbled past her perfect lips, "Emit ot yrt eht wen kool!"

A soft smile graced Nightfall's lips as she watched the small show, and when the smoke dissipated, Zatanna stood in an entirely new outfit. It was a more feminine version of the magician's outfit her father wore; white dress shirt tucked into a yellow vest overlaid with a dark tuxedo jacket complete with coattails. She also sported a pair of white gloves as well as dark, tight shorts, which sat atop some gray leggings that were tucked into black boots.

The one thing she lacked in comparison to her father, however, was the iconic magician's top hat.

Overall though, Nightfall had to admit; she made the outfit work.

And the confidence Zatanna exuded as she stood before the team? Inspiring.

Nightfall swallowed thickly and tore her gaze away from the pretty magician, but not before catching Zatanna's eye. An immediate blush settled on her cheeks at having been caught staring, and it only further increased when the raven tossed her a cheeky wink.

Robin found himself stepping between the other mischievous raven and Nightfall, blocking them from each other's view as he awkwardly cleared his throat, "She is already dressed for the mission?" He supplied with a shrug, and Aqualad's shoulders sagged in defeat.

At least if she came with them now, he didn't have to worry about her sneaking out later?

The team- plus one rebellious magician- disembarked the bioship and disappeared into the dark forests before them. Nightfall kept pace with Robin, who was leading the charge, while simultaneously keeping an eye on Zatanna, who was keeping up with the trained protégés rather well. Nightlight found herself in the back, flying alongside a concerned Kid Flash who had taken notice of the girl's slightly sullen body language. He didn't inquire as to what was on her mind, however, but he could tell his presence beside her helped cheer her up a little bit.

The group slowed to a halt, Robin ducking behind a fallen tree as he pulled up his holo-computer. Nightfall glanced over his shoulder, and the boy spoke, "Ivo was right. Something is definitely down there."

Aqualad took heed of the hacker's words, quietly motioning for the group to follow him as he moved forward. They dart out of the cover of trees, entering a large clearing, only to be greeted by a harsh gust of wind. Dust lifted into the air as the team slowed to a halt, the winds only getting stronger in nature.

Nightfall clenched her teeth as she pushed back against the strong breeze, arms lifting up to protect her face. Beside her, the rest of the team enter into similar positions, each trying to protect themselves from the windy onslaught. The current proves too much, however, and the waterbender suddenly finds herself harshly colliding with the dusty ground below.

She grunted as she glanced upwards, eyes squinted as she stared into the coarse breeze. Her pigtails whipped about in the wind, occasionally slapping her cheeks, and Nightfall shoved them over her shoulders in an attempt to stop their onslaught on her face.

The wind continued to batter the team, a flurry of tornadoes appearing and encircling the group. They trapped the team in place, and Red Tornado made a quiet appearance.

Nightfall struggled to her feet, coughing as she inhaled a plume of dust. She swayed in the breeze before managing to steady herself, legs set apart in a wide, balancing stance. A little ways from the waterbender, Miss Martian lifted into the air. She held her own arms up as she fought against the crippling winds.

Voice strained and harsh, she cried, "Why Tornado? Why are you doing this?!" The android in question remained silent as he hovered ominously above the team. An image flickered in Nightfall's mind, Miss Martian's voice accompanying it, 'Message received?'

"Who cares why?" Superboy snarled, "Nail him!" The clone surged forward, eager to attack the Leaguer as an enrage yell slipped past his lips.

Aqualad followed his lead, calling out to his teammate, "Superboy, maneuver seven!" He obliged, slowing in his tracks and spinning around. As the Atlantean neared, Superboy cupped his hands before propelling him upwards and into the air. Aqualad aims a punch at Red Tornado's face, but before it can connect with the android's metallic jaw, he's punched back. Nightfall cringes as he collides with Superboy on the way down, the two landing limply on the ground.

As their two heavy hitters lay in a heap, Artemis and Robin leap forward to attack. The archer knocks a few arrows, whilst the boy wonder pulls out a few exploding disks. They take aim at the hovering android before letting loose their designated projectiles. The weapons soared through the air, but with a quick swipe of his hand, Red Tornado redirected them towards the earth below.

"Look out!" Robin cries out, just as the explosives land at their feet. The two dive away just as they erupt, but the force throws the two to the ground. Nightfall's heart clenches at the sight of them on the ground, but a subtle nod from Robin tells her they're both okay as they lay 'helplessly' on the earth.

Kid Flash skids to a halt beside Nightfall, the two watching as Nightlight lifted up into the air. A barrage of pink discs soar through the air, but Red Tornado merely shifted to the side to avoid them. There was a sudden presence behind him, and the android spun around, latching onto Miss Martian's wrist.

The Martian cries out in shock, her sneak attack having been thwarted, as Red Tornado sent her flying through the air. She collided with a hovering Nightlight, the two girls careening towards the clearing below before they landed harshly. They went limp, and Kid Flash glared up at the floating android.

"That does it, Red!" He cried out, and Nightfall shifted into an offensive position beside him, "You're not the only spin doctor around here!"

The speedster began to spin around, creating his own mini twister as Nightfall pulled out the water from her pouches. Kid Flash's tornado continued to build in power, and the waterbender shifted the water in her control into icicles.

The icicles merged with Kid Flash's tornado, the cyclone adding more speed and power to the icicles as they were launched into the air. Red Tornado lifted further into the sky as the icy projectiles neared. The tornado he used to hover himself in the air caught the icicles, spinning them around rapidly before launching them at dangerous speeds towards Kid Flash and Nightfall.

A scowl settled on Nightfall's lips as she eyed the incoming projectiles. Kid Flash made a move to tackle the girl out of the way, but she slashed her hand in the air. The icicles shifted back into a liquid state as she spun around and recollected the water into a stream that she held up behind herself.

The two teammates prepared themselves for another attack, but a flurry of tornadoes sprung up around the duo. Nightfall found herself caught up in one, a nauseous feeling erupting in her stomach as she was violently spun around. Kid Flash found himself in a similar predicament before his and the waterbender's twisters were merged.

A cry of pain escaped Nightfall's lips as she slammed into Kid Flash. The cyclone dissipated; the duo being dropped haphazardly onto the ground. They landed in a heap of entangled limbs, the waterbender finding herself on top of the speedster. They laid still, however, as the rest of their teammates also laid motionless.

Zatanna found herself to be the last one standing. Panic bubbled up within her chest, but she swallowed it down as she ran forward. Arms extended outwards, she attempted to cast a spell, "Etaerc a…a… dleihs dnuara ym-" Red Tornado was in her face before she could successfully cast her spell. An oversized, metallic hand curled around her throat, cutting the spell off mid-cast and leaving the magician a bit short of breath.

With eyes wide, Zatanna stared up at the android before her tossed her to the ground alongside the others. She slid to a halt, and Red Tornado lifted above the motionless group of teens once more, eyeing his handy work.

The ground began to tremble and churn, and Nightfall cracked an eye open at the sudden commotion. Red Tornado had control over wind- not the earth- so the fact it was rumbling was very concerning to the waterbender.

The world continued to quake until it suddenly stopped, and Nightfall could make out another red figure that stood on a tall spire made of earth. It was roughly the size of Red Tornado, but maybe a bit bulkier in size. Through squinted eyes she couldn't make out much, but what she could make out was that the new figures chest was covered in glowing yellow markings, that bared a slight resemblance to Red Tornado's own.

And when the new arrival spoke, shivers ran up Nightfall's spine, "Quite the performance, brother." Its voice was monotonous, and most certainly matched the voice Red Tornado spoke with, "but we both know that's all it was. I have all your memories, Tornado, plus a next-gen processor. I know your next move before you do." Their ruse was up, so the team stirred. The brunette shifted off Kid Flash's chest and climbed to her feet. She extended a hand outwards, helping the speedster up as the new android continued to speak, "Blowing a message into the sand?" A large chunk of the earth floated into the air, hovering behind Red Tornado and his sibling. 'Play Dead' was scrawled on it, "Pathetic."

The boulder with the 'secret' message suddenly shattered into smaller pieces before the android hurled the still-large rocks at the team. A familiar pink dome appeared before the team, and Nightfall glanced over her shoulder to see Nightlight standing behind the group, arm extended outwards. The rocks bounced harmlessly off the barrier, a dust cloud settling over the clearing.

When she felt it was safe, Nightlight dropped the shield. As the dust from the rocky onslaught began to dissipate, the team got a good look at the new elemental android.

He was way bulkier than his 'siblings', with a wide chest and tall legs. The insignias on his chest glowed brightly, and almost looked like lava from afar. In the center of his chest was a yellow triangle, with a dot in the center. And the same symbol laid smack dab in the middle of his forehead.

The earth began to rumble once more, a reminder that this android could seemingly control earth- which, coupled with his three siblings, completed the quartet of elements.

Without the cover of the dust cloud his brother had created, the team could fully see Red Tornado as he turned tail and flew off into the distance. Nightfall's eyes narrowed, face hardening as she watched the android disappear from view.

'Red Tornado is getting away!' Zatanna called out over the mind-link.

'Is he abandoning us?' Artemis scowled.

Miss Martian stared at the place where Red Tornado once was, voice a mixture of emotions, 'I don't believe that.'

Superboy snarled, anger painfully obvious over the mind-link, 'I do, and when I get my hands on-'

'We will worry about Tornado later,' Aqualad interjected, slipping into leader-mode to calm the clone down, 'but for now, his… brother is our priority. Kid, take point, Nightlight will provide you cover. The rest of you, be ready for anything.'

Kid Flash tossed Nightlight a coy wink as he slipped his goggles on, the spirit-energy wielder shaking her head as he sped off ahead of her. She lifted up into the air, hands alight with energy orbs as she started her assault on the android.

Red Volcano stood alarmingly still as the two teens approached him, but with a small lift of his hand, a shield of rock lifted from the ground just in time to deflect Nightlight's attacks. The girl scowled, pink projectiles glowing brighter as she put more energy into them. A particularly strong one collided with the earthen shield, shattering it into tiny pieces just as Kid Flash raced up the android's rocky perch.

The speedster leapt up, shifting into a front flip and aiming a double-footed kick at Red Volcano's chest. Before he could place the kick, the android grabbed one of Kid Flash's ankles and tossed him harshly to the side.

"Kid!" Nightlight cried out, darting through the air and catching the boy before he could hit the ground. He thanked her just as Red Volcano began to boast.

"You stand no chance against me, humans."

Superboy and Miss Martian launched simultaneous attacks on Red Volcano, faces contorted in anger, "We're not human!"

Red Volcano raised his hands upwards, two large hands made entirely of earth rising into the air. They each grabbed hold of the two aliens, clutching them in a death-like vice, "My apologies. I suppose a properly inclusive term is-" He smashed the two together, "-meatbags."

The two rocky hands shattered, dropping Superboy and Miss Martian and burying them beneath a pile of rubble. Nightfall shared a look with Aqualad, who nodded his head at the waterbender. Together the two take off, poised and ready to launch a watery attack.

The ground quaked, and a gaping hole tore across the landscape. Nightfall felt her stomach flip-flop as the ground literally fell out from beneath her feet. A strangled gasp tumbled past her lips as her and Aqualad plummeted into the dark depths below.

The earth continued to shake and tremble as Red Volcano closed the chasm behind the two. Just as her view of the sky began to slip away, Nightfall's arm shot out, a water tentacle shooting upwards. She closed her fist, the watery construct closing around a particularly jagged rock. Her descent was slowed as the end of the tentacle consumed her arm, and she swung her way towards Aqualad.

Latching onto the Atlantean, Nightfall quickly swung the two out of the canyon before it could close completely and crush the two. They landed on the ground above, the waterbender eyeing the chasm as it sealed itself up. She breathed deeply, releasing a breath she didn't know she had been holding as she recollected her water. Aqualad placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, a silent 'good job' passing between the duo.

Robin passed his eyes over Nightfall, quietly making sure the girl was okay before turning towards Red Volcano. A scowl danced on his lips and, with Artemis at his side, he darted up a rocky incline. A few explosives were clutched tightly in his gloved hands, and Artemis had a few explosive arrows notched and ready to fly.

Together they released their weapons once they reached the edge of the ledge. A large rock lifted into the air at Red Volcano's command, the explosive devices lodging themselves within the earthen barrier. Robin scowled as he landed on the ground, Artemis in a crouch beside him. They watched as the android jutted his arm outwards, moving his shield away just as the devices detonated.

Smoke billowed from the eruption, curling around Red Volcano and blocking him momentarily from view. There was a flash of hope throughout the team as a momentarily calm settled over the battlefield. But then, through the smoke, the android's monotonous voice taunted:

"That was pitiful." Nightfall shared an irked look with Aqualad, "Tornado's memory files and my superior processing speed allow me to anticipate your every move!"

"Emoks emoceb a dlofnilb!" Zatanna chanted, stepped up by the waterbender with her arm extended upwards. The smoke curled and twisted, wrapping around Red Volcano's eyes and solidifying, creating a blindfold. The distraction seemed to work, as the android tugged at it, and the pretty magician smirked, "Tornado never knew my moves!"

Nightfall beamed, "And it looks like you've got some good ones!" Zatanna turned towards the girl, lips still quirked upwards in a playful smirk and an instant blush dusted the waterbender's cheeks. She cleared her throat and tugged a hand through her choppy bangs, "That, uh- did I just sound like Wally?"

Zatanna giggled, the sound like music to Nightfall's ears, "I don't mind."

An eruption rippled across the battlefield, the two girls turning their attention back towards Red Volcano. Lasers shot out from his eyes, a sight that sent Nightfall's heart plummeting, as the blindfold was disintegrated. Behind the oversized being, the ground began to rumble and quake as a volcano lifted from the earth.

Lava spewed from the open top and poured down the sides as the earth continued to tremble. Ash began to rain down on the team, and Kid Flash gaped at the sight.

'Oh no. He's activating a stage two eruption. If it gets to stage three-'

'In English please?' Artemis snapped at the speedster as she let loose a flurry of arrows.

Nightfall glanced over to see Kid Flash pouting as they ducked behind a boulder, the archer's arrows having been returned to sender, 'We can kiss the hemisphere goodbye.'

A heavy silence settled over the mind link. No one spoke in words just what that would entail, but the gravity of the situation was not lost on them. The fate of the world literally laid in their hands- and seeing as they were just a group of teenagers, that was a heavy burden to bear.

'Hit him from all sides!' Aqualad's voice tore through the somber silence, and the team leapt into action.

The Atlantean lead the charge, leaping into the air, only to be immediately knocked down by a large chunk of rock. Superboy followed their leaders charge, making an attempt to Red Volcano head on, but he was also knocked back. An unseen force suddenly jerked the android back, an attempt to rip him apart at the limbs.

A spout of lava erupted, and Miss Martian's reappeared, the sudden heat causing the girl to cry out as her knees wobbled. Superboy called out her name and ran towards her. Just before he could reach his girlfriend, Red Volcano leapt down from his perch, landing between the two with a loud thud.

Superboy was swatted to the side, and the android reached down, snagging Miss Martian by her cape. He held her limp body up, the heat causing the Martian to slowly lose consciousness.

"Ekoms dna srorrim… etaerc Dik Hsalk snoisulli!" A spell echoed in the air, and Nightfall glanced over her shoulder to see Zatanna hovering over Kid Flash, who was kneeling on the ground.

A series of plumes of smoke appeared around the two, each one morphing and swirling into a Kid Flash. Nightfall watched as Zatanna grinned to herself, obviously pleased with her chosen spell as the copies of the speedster surged forward and towards Red Volcano.

"And here I thought one Kid Flash was enough." The waterbender glanced over as Robin stopped at her side. A soft smile graced her lips, a light chuckle escaping her as she shook her head at the quip.

One by one, the Kid Flash copies began to disappear as Red Volcano laid waste to them with rocks. He still held a groggy Miss Martian in his arms, but as more and more speedster clones were dissipated, it became painfully obvious that Kid Flash was not going to get close enough to save their teammate.

Nightlight suddenly fell from the air, breath knocked from her lungs as a boulder collided harshly with her gut. Robin ran to her aide, helping her stand as she sucked in deep breaths. Nightfall frowned at the scene before her, noting how their heavy hitters- Superboy and Aqualad- were still recovering from being knocked back earlier, and Kid Flash was still trying to distract Red Volcano.

Sucking in a deep breath, the waterbender closed her eyes. If she knew anything about Yellowstone, it was that it was full of geysers- which meant plenty of water resided in underground reserves. She just had to reach it, and that was a bit more difficult than it sounded. Water sources she could see were much easier to bend than water sources she could not see- but that didn't mean it was impossible.

Nightfall held her arms out, eyes still closed as she attempted to focus and find the water that resided beneath the earth. The battle still raged on around her, the army of Kid Flash clones diminishing even further, until she finally felt it. Her eyes snapped open as a surge of power rushed through her body.

Nightfall jumped forward and raised her arms up high. She focused on the water just out of eyesight, and the earth began to lowly rumble behind her. The waterbender waved her hands and the rumbling grew louder until it finally erupted, a spout shooting into the air.

With an angry shout, Nightfall lifted an arm up before spinning around and slamming it down. The stream shot forward, aimed directly at Red Volcano, and moved at a violent pace. Kid Flash raced alongside the water spout, and the android dropped Miss Martian to protect himself.

A chunk of earth rose from the ground, blocking the water stream. Kid Flash- the real one- slipped under the boulder Red Volcano was using as a shield, making the most of the distraction to grab Miss Martian, collection the unconscious girl into his arms before racing away. The speedster slowed to a halt beside Aqualad and Superboy, the latter immediately taking his girlfriend from Kid Flash's arms.

Meanwhile, Nightfall continued her onslaught on the android, her attacks being fueled by the pent-up frustration she had been feeling all day. From the anxiety she felt with the Bombsquad situation, to the whatever feelings she felt in regards to Zatanna's arrival. She just let it all out.

The waterbender's arms fanned out over her head, another large stream of water shooting up from the earth. She spun around and slammed her arms down, the torrent barreling towards Red Volcano. The rocky barrier the android was using as a defense slowly began to erode away as Nightfall slammed torrent after torrent of water towards Red Volcano.

"This is irritating," Red Volcano sneered as his earthy shield disintegrated after another harsh blast of water, "but your power is nothing compared to mine."

Nightfall prepared to pull up another water stream, ignoring the android's taunting words, but the earth began to quake once more. Red Volcano's arm shot out, and the ground began to splinter, a chasm of earthen spikes tearing across the ground towards the waterbender.

"Nightfall!" Robin's voice cracked as the deadly spikes neared the girl. His body moved without second thought, and he tore across the battlefield, feeling like a speedster himself at the rate he was going.

Robin collided with Nightfall with a hard oof. The two hit the ground, hard, just as the spikes pierced the air where the waterbender had once been standing. They rolled, Nightfall finding herself on top of the boy. Neither had much of a chance to react to their predicament before Robin turned the two over, clutching the girl close to his chest.

A hailstorm of rocks rained down upon the two young team members, and Robin positioned himself as a human shield over the waterbender. Nightfall tucked her head into his chest, flinching as Robin hissed when a rock slammed into his shoulder blade. Yet he continued to hold onto the girl, keeping her as close as he could while they waited out the rock storm.

The falling rocks suddenly stopped, and Robin cracked an eye open to see what was going on.

Nightlight stood before the duo, arms upwards as a familiar pink glow illuminated the area. Robin shifted, pulling away from Nightfall ever so slightly as she stared up at him. Rocks continued to slam into the shield that encased the three, and the boy wonder swallowed the lump in his throat as he moved off the waterbender. Nightfall accepted the hand he extended her once he was on his feet, and when the two stood, they nodded their thanks Nightlight's way.

Robin rolled his shoulder, and Nightfall tossed him a concerned look when he hissed in pain. He was going to have a gnarly bruise there in the morning. The boy wonder waved off the waterbender's worry, instead setting his masked gaze on Red Volcano.

While Nightfall and Robin stood under Nightlight's shield, protected from further attack at the moment, the rest of the team were pinned down a little across the field. The ground continued to quake and rumble, and with each passing minute, the rumbling grew more violent and fervent as the volcano Red Volcano activated continued to grow- in height and power.

Ash began to shoot from the increasingly more vicious volcano, and it fell from the sky like a lazy snowfall, a sharp contrast to the events that were currently playing out. It coated the ground in a fine, hazy layer, and lava spilled over the volcano's rim.

Nightfall could feel her heart thunder in her chest. They were making no progress in taking down Red Volcano- and Red Tornado was still nowhere to be found. She wasn't sure if the League were going to be convening on them at all, but they didn't really have any time to wait- or hope- for them to arrive.

This was on them.

'We're getting nowhere.' Artemis's voice sounded in the mind-link. She sounded irritated, and Nightfall could relate. She was doing what she could to not feel hopeless- but at this point, what could they do?

Nightlight groaned, and the waterbender glanced over just as the other girl collapsed to her knees. The shield above them flickered, and Robin crouched down beside his friend as Nightfall hovered over the duo, "I don't know how much longer I can hold this." She revealed. With help from Robin, Nightlight lifted back to her feet, and the shield re-solidified itself.

"If we don't-"

Out of nowhere, a torrential geyser erupted from behind the team. Nightfall startled, and Nightlight's shield fell, the geyser twisting around before shooting towards Red Volcano as the rocky rain ended. The android was ill-prepared for the attack, as he was suddenly flung into a pool of lava that bubbled behind him.

Red Volcano sunk beneath the surface, and when Robin went to compliment Nightfall on the attack, he was surprised to see she looked just as perplexed at the sudden watery attack as the others. So instead, he turned towards Aqualad, shouting across the field, "Nice hit!"

The Atlantean shook his head, "The hit was not mine!" He shouted back before pointing towards the distance, "Look!"

Nightfall whirled around, following Aqualad's gaze. She was surprised to see Red Torpedo- another one of Red Tornado's 'siblings' and an android that had attacked them at the cave- come rising up on another geyser. Water twisted and danced behind the android, who was poised and on the offensive.

Red Volcano emerged from the lava in a burst of heat, and immediately a harsh torrent of water slammed him back down. The earth grumbled and groaned, the earth-manipulator rising out of the lava on a rocky platform. He lifted above the ground, setting his glowing robotic gaze on his 'brother'.

With arms raised upwards, two streams of lava rose from the pools below him. Before he could launch his attack, however, Red Tornado made a reappearance.

Nightfall watched as the fugitive Leaguer slammed into the earthen pillar Red Volcano had once been positioned on. It shattered, the android landing once more in the bubbling pools of lava. His head appeared above the surface, only to be enveloped in more fire by Red Inferno.

"Sister, brothers! Stop!" Red Volcano cried out; voice more demanding than it was pleading as Red Inferno collided full force with him. The sound of metal on metal filled the area, but Red Volcano's siblings showed no mercy as they laid into him.

Red Torpedo slammed the beefier android into the lava pool, the three beginning to sink beneath its fiery surface. Red Volcano continued to struggle as the other two elemental androids held him in place, and just as he began to gain the upper hand, Red Tornado slammed, feet first, into his chest.

The Leaguer helped keep Red Volcano beneath the surface of the magma, and though the team couldn't see what was happening beneath the surface, it didn't take a genius to know that high levels of heat- like a literal pool of molten rock- could easily liquify metal. Red Tornado sank deeper and deeper into the pool of lava, and when it became painfully obvious that he was not going to be pulling himself out any time soon, Superboy dashed across the fiery pool. He snagged the android by the remains of his cape just as his waist disappeared beneath the magma before setting him on the ground.

The team circled around their once den mother, a hallowed silence blanketing the group. Nightfall tore her gaze away from Red Tornado's melted legs and missing feet, choosing to instead focus on a loose pebble that was stirring on the ground.

Wait-

The waterbender didn't have much time to dwell on the pebble that seemed to move of its own device before a harsh tremor ripped across the surface of the world. The force caused Nightfall to stumble, each of the team members finding their balance off as well, and as her and Robin used each other to steady themselves, they whipped around towards the source of the commotion.

The once dormant super volcano Red Volcano had awakened shook violently as it continued to rise upwards. Lava continued to pour down its sides, the area filling with the smell of sulfur and smoke as it inched closer to a full on eruption. Nightfall found herself sweating as the temperature of the area suddenly shot upwards, and Miss Martian wavered slightly from the sudden heat, Aqualad also looking a bit worse for wear.

Kid Flash eyed the volcano with urgency as he took command, turning towards Red Tornado and barking out a series of commands, "Tornado, listen, we're on the verge of a stage three super volcano eruption! There's no turning back from that. We need to vent pressure fast or the ash cloud will bring on a worldwide nuclear winter unless you divert it!" The Leaguer nodded in response, and the speedster turned towards his best friend, "Robin, triangulate around the pressure locus."

The boy wonder nodded, "Right!" His holo-computer appeared, and he quickly scanned the volcano that continued to quake before them. A 3D imagery of the volcano appeared on the screen, three red dots blinking into appearance and he turned to show the screen to Artemis.

The archer's head tilted in acknowledgment before she pulled out three arrows and notched them. She took a quick second to aim at her targets, and once they were in her sights, she let them loose. The arrows soared through the air and erupted into three smaller rockets, each one homing in on the pressure points before exploding on impact.

Immediately, steam, coupled with more spouts of lava, pooled out of the impact sites. Red Tornado stared up at the sky, and a few moments passed before anything happened, but then electricity sparked around his melted legs as he powered up. A familiar red tornado appeared around his body, the gusts of wind propelling him into the air. He disappeared into the dark ash clouds that loomed above, and Nightfall sucked in a breath as the team waited, eyes glued to the sky.

"Hey, uh, Nighty…" Kid Flash called out to the girl, and she noted how the confident and commanding tone he once had was now gone, replaced by a rather concerned tone. When she turned to him, he gestured to the encroaching lava, which was getting dangerously close to the team now, "We could use a cool down…"

Nightfall blinked before what he was suggesting clicked and she nodded before stepping forward. Eyes slipping shut, she took in a deep breath as she, once again, focused on reaching the water that course beneath the earth. Once she felt it, her eyes snapped open and she surged forward.

Arms thrusted upwards, a geyser of water shot up from the ground. The waterbender shifted her hands forward and the stream moved at her command. She directed it towards the rolling lava, and as soon as the cool water made contact with the molten earth, a cloud of scorching steam billowed upwards.

The lava slowed to a near halt and solidified as the water cooled it, but the veil of boiling steam was still billowing their way. As it came closer, Nightfall slashed her hand through the air and diverted the steam around where the team was clustered together.

In a flurry of wind, the steam suddenly dissipated and the team glanced upwards, watching as the ash cloud above slowly diminished and lifted upwards into the atmosphere. The sky cleared, threat of a nuclear winter and human extinction gone, and the stars and the moon greeted the young heroes. The surrounding lava cooled, the temperature of the area severely decreasing as the once super volcano went dormant.

The ground ceased shaking and Kid Flash fist pumped the air, "Yes!" He cried out in excitement, and Nightfall shook her head in relief, sparing her redheaded friend a soft smile when he placed a thankful hand on her shoulder. Zatanna appeared on her other side, giving the girl a grateful smile as she leaned her shoulder against the waterbender's own.

Nightlight herself found a small smile gracing her lips, and she even returned Robin's fist bump when he turned towards the girl. Relief flooded her system, momentarily replacing her feelings of inadequacy as the team celebrated their victory.


"There, that should do it!"

Robin stepped back from Red Tornado, who was laid out on a metal work table. The boy wonder wore a bright grin as he admired his handy work. The android's face was lifted upwards, revealing the inner workings beneath. Nightfall didn't exactly understand the wires and things she was looking at, but Robin did and that's all that mattered.

Red Tornado's face plate slid back into place, "Yes, I can speak again."

The team were currently gathered in T.O. Morrow's secret underground base, which Red Tornado had so kindly showed them. It was eerie, to say the least, as it was cold and dark and Nightfall was perplexed as to how he could've even built a secret base this large underneath Yellowstone. The logic was beside her.

Aqualad stepped towards the newly vocalized Red Tornado, a thoughtful expression on his face, "You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save the planet."

"The planet would've survived," The android corrected, "It is humanity that was saved." Though most of his body remained lifeless, Red Tornado turned his head to look over the team, "Though not by me. My sister and brother were the true heroes of this day."

The Atlantean placed a hand on Red Tornado's shoulder, "My point is," he paused briefly, "you were never the mole, never a traitor."

"No, I left to protect you from further attack and to find my creator, Morrow."

Nightfall loosely listened to the conversation that carried on in the background, instead following Kid Flash around the lab as he excitedly looked through bin after bin of various parts and pieces. He was like a kid in a candy shop, and he turned to the waterbender excitedly, holding up an oversized hand that looked reminiscent of the hands Red Volcano used to have.

"Cool, souvenir!" Kid Flash exclaimed with a bright smile. It shifted into a mischievous one, Nightfall quirking a brow as he faced her, robotic hand held up, "Care to give me a hand, Nighty?"

The waterbender snorted at the lame pun, shaking her head as she smiled softly. The speedster continued to beam at her, obviously content with his lame joke, and she shot back, "I think you have it hand-led, KF."

If possible, the speedster's bright grin increased tenfold as Nightfall played along with his pun. Hearing her joke again made the speedster's heart happy, as she had been rather down for the past week or so.

Across the lab, Robin dug through another bin of discarded robot parts. He reached in and pulled out a robotic leg, holding it up with a smile as he turned towards a downed Red Tornado, "Reddy! We can rebuild you."

Red Tornado didn't seem to share the boy wonder's excitement as he responded with a solemn, "I do not believe I should be rebuilt."

Nightfall and Kid Flash shared sorrowful looks and regrouped with the others. Nightlight frowned at their den mother's comment, relating with his feeling of inadequacy as tried to speak, "Why not-"

Superboy, however, didn't feel that was the conversation he wanted to be having right now, and instead interjected, "Why'd you volunteer to become our den mother in the first place?" His tone was harsh and accusatory as he whirled around to glare down at the android.

"I was the pragmatic choice," Red Tornado began, "I do not require sleep, have no secret identity, or second life to live."

"But you do have an advanced AI programming," Kid Flash countered with a smirk. He toyed with the robotic hand he held onto, ticking off a finger as he continued on, "designed to learn, adapt, evolve!"

Miss Martian smacked her forehead lightly, "Hello Megan!" Her familiar catchphrase rang out, "You wanted to become more human!"

"And you couldn't do that with the Leageu." Artemis sniggered, "They're stiffs!"

Robin chuckled, meeting Nightfall's gaze with a soft grin, "You sure aren't going to learn emotions from Batman!" He joked, "Trust me."

The waterbender matched his laugh, adding on, "Nighttide doesn't believe in emotion either."

"So that made us the pragmatic choice then." Nightlight smiled.

Aqualad placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, speaking softly, "Then the cave was not only a proving ground for us, but for you as well."

There was a brief pause, almost as if Red Tornado was contemplating everything the team had just said. His head turned, and Nightfall was sure he was studying each member of the team closely, "I do not know if these statements are accurate, but perhaps, they are true. And if I understand the term correctly, I believe I have come to… care about you all."

Red Tornado may have had a carbon-steel alloy heart, but it was still a heart nonetheless.

"See? Practically a meat bag already."


A/N: Hey guys! Long time no see, eh?

Anyways, sorry for the lack of updates. Between working full time, this COVID stuff, and just generally lacking motivation, I haven't really been able to write that much. I've been sitting on this chapter for a few months, actually. I've been more into drawing and writing one-shots, not full chapters, lately.

But, I hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter! I didn't want to end it where I did, but I felt it was a good stopping point as I've reached like 13k words already.

And I know it's been a while, but please leave a review if you're reading! I'd love to hear from anyone who's still around~

Hope ya'll are staying safe and healthy! These are crazy times we're living in. Wear a mask and wash your hands!

- SnowWolf22