A.N. Welcome back to the Assassin's Ball! Now, Akame has some things to discuss with her oldest friend, while outside forces focus on Night Arrow. Then, there's the girl with the dog.
Let'sgetiton!
Disclaimer: OCMixmaster27 does not own any of the franchises represented in this story apart from original characters. This work is made for nonprofit entertainment purposes only.
"Hello there!": Speech.
'This is gonna be fun': Thoughts.
[All systems are go!]: Mechanical Speech
{The Master awaits you.}: Foreign Speech
"How Dare You!": Monster/Demon Speech, Special Technique
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Night Raid: Assassin's Ball
Chapter 5: True Justice
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: July 6th, 2016
A female patrol officer with long blond hair in a ponytail stands in front of a burrito stand while waiting for some lunch. Nearby, a male officer with short light-brown hair leans on his police cruiser while waiting for his partner. Occasionally, he scans the civilians walking past him, keeping his eyes and ears out for anything suspicious.
The female turns to her partner and goes, "Jamie! Red or green sauce?"
"Surprise me, Eddie," Jamie responds.
After a moment, Eddie returns to the patrol car with two burritos in hand and hands one to her partner. "You're getting the next one."
"Yeah, I know," Jamie says as he takes a bite of his burrito, only to recoil and take a deep breath. "Jesus, Eddie! You could have cut it back on the spice!"
Eddie shrugs with a smirk. "You said to surprise you."
Jamie chuckles. "Well, nice job."
The two fall into a comfortable silence as they take their lunch break.
"So, you heard the rumors?" Eddie asks. "Apparently, the mayor's trying to make Night Arrow an official city hero."
Jamie sighs. "It's not a rumor. My dad had a meeting with the mayor yesterday. Grant wanted the old man to endorse his decision."
Eddie rolls her eyes knowingly. "Let me guess; you dad told the mayor how much of a bad idea that was and didn't mince any words whatsoever."
Jamie nods. "Pretty much. He's always been by-the-book."
"Well, he's the police commissioner," Eddie points out. "I'd be surprised if he wasn't."
"Salutations!"
Both officers quickly turn to the source of the exclamation. They see a young woman with auburn hair and orange eyes giving them a bright smile. She wears a green dress with a white skirt underneath and green calf-high boots. In her arms is a small white dog with black eyes, ears, and nose wearing a collar and leash.
"Hey there," Jamie greets the girl. "Anything we can help you with?"
"I just wanted to thank you both for your service to the city!" the girl says cheerfully. "You noble police officers are true heroes!"
Jamie takes a moment to look at the girl questioningly before nodding. "Thanks. We appreciate that."
Eddie smiles as she looks at the dog in the girl's arms. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Koro! He's my faithful companion!" the girl introduces the dog, who stares blankly at the officers.
"Is he friendly?" Eddie asks.
The girl waves her hand in a so-so motion. "He's a little nippy."
"Well, make sure to keep him on his leash, ma'am," Jamie says.
"But, of course! Thank you for your diligence, officer!" the girl says before skipping away with her dog.
Jamie watches the girl leave with a critical look. "Did that seem odd to you?"
"What? That a girl walked up to us and thanked us for doing our jobs?" Eddie asks. "Honestly, it's a breath of fresh air for me."
Jamie shakes his head uncertainly. "I don't know. Something seemed off about them."
Eddie scoffs. "You always have to analyze everything, don't you?"
Jamie gives his partner a look. "We're cops, Eddie. It's our job."
"Fair point," Eddie says as the two cops resume their lunch. "Hey. Didn't Danny meet Night Arrow back when he was hunting Wilder?"
Jamie chuckles. "Yeah. Danny's never gonna live that down."
Location: Night Raid HQ
"HURAAH!" Bulat shouts as he swings his newly acquired axe at an Incursio-clad Tatsumi, who grunts as he blocks the swing with his spear.
The rest of Night Raid (minus Akame) watch the spar from nearby.
"Bulat seems to be handling Belvaac pretty well," Tai notes.
Najenda smiles proudly. "He's an adaptable warrior."
"Now we just need to find a wielder for Black Marlin," Sheele notes.
"The ability to control water would be a powerful weapon against the Shadows," Lubbock notes.
"Everyone except Esdeath," Tai points out, "If anything, it'll just give her more ammunition."
"It's too bad we couldn't get Nyau's Teigu," Najenda laments.
Tai scoffs. "Good luck fishing that flute out of the Hudson."
"Speaking of Nyau, any progress on getting him and Liver talking?" Lubbock questions.
Leone pounds her fists together eagerly. "Just give me five minutes with them! I can make them sing!"
Tai shakes his head. "Don't get your hopes up, Leone. Liver's become a near-mindless hulking monster. We had to ship him out to Blackgate Penitentiary in Gotham since there's nowhere to hold superpowered criminals here in this city. And then there's Daidara, who bit off his own tongue the second the officers guarding him looked away."
"What about that bastard, Nyau?" Leone growls.
"He's more preoccupied by the fact that somebody justifiably sliced up his face," Tai reports. "He's been put in a straitjacket to keep himself from taking the rest of his face off."
The other members of Night Raid look horrified by this.
"The rest of his face?" Leone asks incredulously.
Tai nods. "Apparently, he can't live with a face so damaged, so he wants to get rid of it and find a new one."
"Jesus Christ," Mine mutters. "Ra's will let anyone in the League of Shadows these days."
"Ra's needs people to wield his Teigu," Tai points out. "I don't think he cares much about how many screws they have loose. Remember Seryu?"
"Ugh. Don't remind me," Leone says in disgust as she shudders with the others.
A shout of exertion gets the group's attention. They turn and see Bulat and Tatsumi in a deadlock before the two warriors force each other away. The brothers in all but blood pant as they size each other up.
Bulat holds his hand up. "That's good for today, Tatsumi."
Incursio dematerializes off of Tatsumi, who smiles as he stretches out some kinks. "I think I'm getting the hang of this!"
"Indeed! You're becoming an excellent warrior, Tatsumi!" Bulat confirms proudly.
Bulat and Tatsumi both walk over to the group.
"Well done, both of you," Najenda compliments the two of them.
"Hey, Bulat! How's everything going with Donnie?" Tai asks.
"Even better than I hoped!" Bulat answers. "He was surprisingly accepting of my full history!"
Location: Donnie's Residence
Date: July 4th, 2016
Donnie and his boyfriend Bulat are sitting on the former's couch as Donnie digests what he just heard. Donnie's face is neutral as he looks the larger man, who has an uncharacteristically anxious look.
"…So," Donnie begins, "you joined an organization of assassins after you left the military and started killing people under the orders of an immortal eco-terrorist."
Bulat nods nervously.
"You then left the organization with your friends and started your own group," Donnie continues, "where you went around killing bad guys around the world using magical weapons."
Bulat nods again.
"And now, your group is working with one of your former teammates, Night Arrow, to try and become superheroes who don't kill people anymore," Donnie finishes.
Bulat nods once more.
Donnie takes a breath. "You know, if you're really a Markovian spy, you can just tell me."
"It's the truth!" Bulat insists. "I'd show my own weapon, Incursio, but…well, I don't own it anymore."
"What do you mean you don't own it anymore?" Donnie asks in confusion.
Bulat rubs his head sheepishly. "My honorary little brother, Tatsumi, used it during our last battle, and Incursio chose him to be the new wielder."
"Oh. That's…good for him, I guess," Donnie says awkwardly.
Bulat sighs. 'This isn't going well.'
Donnie looks surprised as he watches his boyfriend get off his seat on the couch and bow to him from a kneeling position on the floor.
"I'm deeply sorry for not telling you sooner, Donnie," Bulat apologizes, "but our group is supposed to be secret. The less people who know about our organization, the better."
Donnie nods tentatively. "Yeah, I get that," he says. "So, why are you telling me?"
"I promised you that I would," Bulat answers. "Plus, Tai was right in saying that I shouldn't keep secrets from the one I want to spend my future with."
Donnie blushes upon hearing the last part. "You…you really mean that?"
Bulat raises himself from his bow with a bright smile. "Of course! I've felt that you were the one for some time now, and I would absolutely love to share my life and heart with yours!" Bulat's smile quickly drops. "That being said, I understand if what I just told you was too much. If you wish to end things now and live a normal life without me…I would accept that."
Bulat closes his eyes, anxiously waiting for Donnie's response. The larger man hears silence for several agonizing moments, before he picks up a shuffling sound from the other end of the couch. He then hears footsteps approaching, followed by the sound of knees hitting the ground in front of him. It's the feeling of smaller hands on Bulat's face that makes him open his eyes. Bulat sees Donnie looking right at him with a warm smile.
"Just promise me one thing, Bulat," Donnie requests. "Promise me you'll come home safely."
Bulat looks astonished. 'Home?!' he thinks as his bright smile returns. "Absolutely! You have my word as a hero of the masses!"
Donnie giggles. "I'll hold you to that, hero," he says before kissing his boyfriend on the lips.
Location: Night Raid HQ
Date: July 6th, 2016
"Congratulations, Bro!" Tatsumi cries out in delight.
"I'm proud of you, Bulat," Najenda says with a smile.
"Same here," Tai says. "I'll talk with Patty about getting some protection for Donnie and his family."
"Thank you all for your support!" Bulat exclaims as he wipes himself off with a towel.
"Let's get inside. We need to figure out how to find the Shadow's hideout," Tai states as he and the other Night Raid members head for the building.
"Not to mention what to do about Akame," Tatsumi says in concern. "She hasn't come out of her room in two days except for meals."
"She's probably still figuring out what to do about Murasame," Tai states. "I guess it rejected her for some reason."
"Maybe it got jealous that she got a new sword," Leone says with a cheeky grin.
"Weapons don't feel jealousy, stupid," Mine berates, before looking uncertain. "Do they?"
"It's a Teigu we're talking about, Pinkie Pie. Anything's possible," Tai points out. "Did you forget about Susanoo?"
Mine looks away with an embarrassed look. "Of course not, stupid."
"Let's not worry about Akame right now," Najenda commands. "I have faith that she'll figure things out."
Location: Akame's Room, Night Raid HQ
The black-haired ruby-eyed girl sits in a seiza position as she faces Murasame. She stares at the black blade, the dark marks under her eyes indicating her lack of sleep the past two days.
"Murasame…my oldest friend," Akame mutters in a tired voice, "talk to me, please. Tell me what's troubling you. Tell me how I can help you."
The sword doesn't respond. It simply oozes out the malicious black aura it's been emanating since the fight with the Danger Beasts.
Akame wobbles as her exhaustion starts taking its toll. Eventually, she closes her eyes and droops her head, falling asleep in her seiza position.
Now snoozing, the girl doesn't notice the black aura drifting to her body and wrapping around her form.
Location: Unknown
"Wake up, Akame."
Akame's startled awake by the booming voice, all exhaustion leaving her body. Her eyes open as she lifts her head up and quickly examines her surroundings. Her modest room has been replaced by a black expanse with blood-red swirls. That same red color lights the roaring campfire that's right in front of her face.
It's the figure on the other side of the fire that gets her full attention.
The figure is twice her size and wears battered crimson samurai armor over tattered black clothes. Long white hair flows wildly behind a red snarling oni mask, with red eyes glowing out of it.
The sight would terrorize most people. Akame, however, smiles fondly.
"Murasame."
Location: Mission Room, The Watchtower, Earth's Orbit
Embedded into an asteroid orbiting Earth is a towering building that overlooks the planet. This is the Watchtower, the satellite that serves as the headquarters of the Justice League and its covert branch known as Young Justice. Inside the satellite, two figures stand in a glass domed room while observing a holographic computer screen.
Left of the screen is a dark-skinned young man with super-short blond hair and gills visible on his neck. He wears a red-and-blue swimsuit that exposes his arms and legs, along with a pack on his back that holds two weapon handles. This is Kaldur'ahm, aka Aqualad, leader of the Young Justice Team.
Right of the screen is a green-skinned young woman with short red hair and freckles on her face. She wears a black full-body suit with a large red X over the torso and a blue cape. This is M'gann M'orzz, aka Miss Martian.
Nearby is a walled section that contains three tubes with advanced projectors inside them. One of them lights up.
[Recognized: Tigress B-07, Kid Flash B-23, Guardian B-24, Bumblebee B-17]
Aqualad and Miss Martian both turn to see four individuals enter the room via the light of the Zeta Tube transport.
The first one out is a fair-skinned young woman with long blond hair wearing an orange-and-black outfit and a tiger-themed mask over the upper part of her face. This is Artemis Crock, aka Tigress.
The next one out is a teenage boy with brown hair wearing a yellow full-body costume with red pants, red gloves, yellow boots, red lightning bolts on the side of his head, and red goggles. This is Bart Allen, aka Kid Flash.
Behind him is a tall African American young man wearing a dark blue jumpsuit with a golden helmet, golden shoulder pads, and golden wrist pads. This is Malcolm Duncan, aka Guardian.
The last person out of the tube is an African American young woman with yellow insect wings coming out of her back wearing a form-fitting black and yellow costume with large yellow goggles. This is Karen Beecher, aka Bumblebee.
"Gamma Squad. Welcome back," Aqualad greets his comrades. "How goes your investigation into LexCorp?"
"Well, the good news is that Bumblebee was able to sneak into LexCorp's labs and retrieve the recipe for their soft drink," Tigress reports. "The bad news, however, is that there's nothing in the ingredients list that links it to the soft drink that The Reach sold."
Aqualad sighs. "A shame. We don't have a reason to take LexCorp out of the soda industry."
"At least we know Lex Luthor isn't trying to brainwash people like The Reach tried to do," Miss Martian offers in a hopeful tone.
"A small comfort, I guess," Tigress acquiesces, "but that's not why you called us back to The Watchtower, is it?"
"No," Aqualad confirms. "Have you all heard of the new vigilante in New York City?"
"Oh yeah! Night Arrow!" Kid Flash answers, before giving Tigress a cheeky smile. "Ollie complained about this new guy stealing his gimmick."
Tigress smirks, "Honestly, he's more flattered than anything else," she states. "So, what about him?"
"The Justice League has been curious about Night Arrow since his debut six months ago," Aqualad explains, "but we've been too busy dealing with The Light and The Reach to do a proper investigation."
"Five days ago, Night Arrow helped the NYPD bust an up-and-coming drug cartel run by our old enemy, Vertigo," Miss Martian continues. "I paid a visit to Vertigo a few days ago to get some information about Night Arrow." Miss Martian quickly puts a hand up. "Don't worry. It wasn't too invasive."
Tigress smiles. "I never had any doubt, M'gann."
Miss Martian smiles back. "I was able to get some valuable information, including the appearance of Night Arrow. Brace yourselves."
All four members of Gamma Squad allow a mental image to enter their minds courtesy of Miss Martian's telepathy. They see Night Arrow in his all-black hooded balaclava-clad costume. It's the bow itself, however, that makes Tigress gasp.
"Hyperion," Tigress mutters in surprise, getting everyone's attention.
"What was that?" Bumblebee asks.
Tigress smiles fondly. "I know who Night Arrow is. The bow is a Teigu named Hyperion. It belongs to my older brother, Taiyang."
Miss Martian gasps. "Oh, my goodness! I remember you telling The Team about him years ago. He's the one who taught you how to use a bow, right?"
Tigress nods. "Yeah. Tai practically raised me when Sportsmaster couldn't."
Aqualad types on the holographic computer and pulls up a photo of Tai with some information below it.
"Taiyang Nguyen," Aqualad reads. "Officially, he lives in downtown Manhattan and works as a bartender at Bianchi's Bar and Grill."
"Nguyen?" Miss Martian asks. "Not Crock?"
Tigress sighs. "Tai never really recognized Lawrence Crock as his dad. He took his responsibility as an older brother seriously, so he protected Jade and I from the worst of Dad's abuse. I guess he always identified as a Nguyen more than a Crock."
Guardian speaks up, "You said his bow was a Teigu? What's a Teigu?"
"Ancient weapons made by a secret society of blacksmiths," Tigress answers offhandedly. "It's a long story."
"In any case, the fact that your brother is Night Arrow is a boon for us," Aqualad states, "and since Gamma Squad's mission investigating LexCorp has hit a dead end, I have the perfect new assignment for you."
"We're gonna meet Night Arrow?!" Kid Flash asks excitedly. "So crash!"
"To what end?" Guardian asks.
"The Earth-based League members had a vote yesterday," Miss Martian explains. "Should Night Arrow meet our standards, he'll be invited to join the Justice League."
"Looks like you'll be working with your brother!" Bumblebee cheerfully says, getting a smile from Tigress in response.
"Miss Martian will be accompanying you on your search," Aqualad states. "With her telepathy, Kid Flash's speed, and Bumblebee's flight, you should be able to locate Night Arrow in decent time."
"It'll be great working with you, M'gann," Artemis says, "though we won't have to search all of New York City for my brother."
Aqualad gives Tigress a curious look. "You know how to find him faster?"
"Nope," Tigress answers with a smirk, "but I know how to get him to find us."
Location: Akame's Mindscape
Akame continues gazing lovingly at the colossal figure of Murasame, who glares down at her with glowing red eyes.
"I never thought I'd be able to meet you like this, Murasame," Akame says with some joy in her monotone. "You're even more beautiful in person."
"Hmph," Murasame huffs with narrowed eyes. "So you say."
Akame frowns at hearing the upset tone. "Please, Murasame. Tell me what's bothering my oldest friend."
"You dare call me your oldest friend after you betrayed me?" Murasame asks in anger.
"Betrayed? How?" Akame asks. "I would never betray you."
"That piece of tin dangling from your hip says otherwise," Murasame growls.
Akame's eyes widen in realization. "The Hattori Hanzo blade."
"That's right. That so-called sword you replaced me with," Murasame confirms.
"I never replaced you," Akame says. "Whatever bond I develop with the sword will be nothing compared to the bond I have with you."
"Really? You were so eager to use it in the fight against the Danger Beasts instead of me," Murasame counters with hurt in his voice.
Akame blinks at her friend's behavior. "Could it be…are you jealous of the Hanzo blade?"
Murasame recoils at the accusation before scoffing. "J-Jealous?! W-Why would I be jealous of that pitiful excuse of a sword?! It doesn't even have the blade on the right side! It's a terrible weapon!"
"Then why are you upset at it if it's inferior?" Akame questions.
Murasame looks away and pokes his fingers together. "I-I'm upset that you're using that junk metal in your battles when you have me," he says, his voice sounding like he's pouting behind his mask.
Akame smiles as she stands up and walks around the fire to Murasame's side. She places a hand on the samurai's thigh.
"Murasame, listen well," Akame commands, getting the armor's attention. "The Hanzo blade is just a tool. You, however, are a being with a soul and feelings. You're someone I've confided in, found comfort in, and depended on for as long as I can remember. You are, and always will be, my partner."
"Then why aren't you using me anymore?" Murasame asks. "Why am I an emergency option for you now?"
"Because it's effortless for you to kill people, and I'm trying not to be a killer anymore," Akame answers.
Murasame gives Akame an analytic look. "You've never been bothered with killing people before, Akame. Why are you suddenly against it now?"
Akame's face grows somber as she grasps her chest. "I used to be agonized by it, actually," she admits, surprising her partner. "When I was training with the League of Shadows, I was taught to bury my distress deep inside myself and focus on the mission at hand. I had no choice, after all. I had to succeed as an assassin for my survival. After years of this, it became like breathing to act as if nothing bothered me anymore. I carried that behavior with me when I joined Night Raid."
"…And then Taiyang returned," Murasame states.
Akame nods. "He forced all of us to stop being the assassins we were trained to be, and become heroes instead. Now, I don't have to force down my pain and emotions anymore. Now, I can feel freely. I remember all of the people I've killed. Many of them were deserving of it…and many of them weren't. I'm…ashamed of what I've done in the name of peace." Akame sniffles as tears form in her eyes. "I don't want to be a killer, anymore…I want to be better."
Murasame's glowing eyes appear to soften as his hair stops flailing wildly. He gently grabs Akame and lifts her up to his eye level. His free hand reaches for Akame's face and daintily wipes the tears from her eyes.
"Akame," Murasame says softly. "I didn't know you felt this way. I…I should have realized…"
"Your poison makes it difficult for me to use you without killing my opponents. Perhaps, if you were to hold back on it…," Akame suggests.
"You mean take away the one thing that makes me One-Cut Killer: Murasame? It would be a pretty empty title if I did," Murasame states. "Besides, the kills are nourishing to me."
"I know that you enjoy the feeling of vanquishing our opponents, but–"
"No, I mean it literally nourishes me," Murasame interjects. "Whenever someone dies by my poison, their soul is absorbed into my very being, strengthening and reinforcing my steel. Why do you think I haven't rusted and shattered after centuries of existence?"
Akame blinks owlishly. "I thought it was because you were a superior weapon made with magic, tender care, and good craftsmanship?"
"…Well, I mean, I am built different," Murasame says in a smug tone, "but that's how I was built, Akame. I was made to be cold remorseless killer."
"We both were made to be cold remorseless killers," Akame states, "but that doesn't mean we can't grow into something more. I want to be a hero, Murasame, and I want you to be a hero with me."
Murasame scoffs. "You think I can be a hero, Akame? You know what I've done long before I met you, right?"
"Of course," Akame answers, "but like Tai once said, 'it's not about what you've done, but what you're going to do'."
Murasame sighs. "We can't change who we are, Akame. We are destroyers."
Akame smiles and rubs Murasame's masked face affectionately. "People change all the time, for better or for worse. You and I have been forced into the role of destroyer by those who wanted to exploit us for their own ambitions. I believe that you and I can grow into something more beautiful together. I'm going to be better, Murasame, and I want you to be there with me, side-by-side, like we've always been."
Murasame hums to himself in thought.
"…You're better at changing than I am, or perhaps you're the one who can ignite that change inside me," Murasame muses. "There's a way for you to control my poison, one that'll secure my confidence in you staying by my side."
"How?" Akame asks.
"We bond."
Akame looks confused. "Bond?"
"You remember the tale of the First Teigu?" Murasame asks.
Akame nods. "Hogo-sha, the Sentinel. It was created by Hamura, the first Grand Forgemaster of the Brotherhood."
"Hamura didn't wield the Sentinel like traditional weapons. Instead, he bonded his body with it, essentially making the two entities one being," Murasame explains. "Since their time, Teigu have often bonded with their wielders in order to make them more powerful. I've sensed such bonds have been made within this generation of wielders. Taiyang has bonded with Hyperion, Najenda with Susanoo, Seryu with Hekatonkheires, and Esdeath with Demon's Extract, though the Teigu has been more dominant with that last one."
"You're suggesting we form a bond like they did," Akame deduces.
"That's right," Murasame confirms. "Once we are bonded, you'll be able to control how my poison reacts to its victims. You won't be able to stop it, but you can make it so that it's non-lethal. Of course, its curse will still remain. Once you mark someone with my poison, when they do eventually die, their soul will go to me."
"That would be a good compromise," Akame muses.
"There's another benefit," Murasame states. "With the bond, you'll be able to use Little War Horn without cutting yourself or sacrificing your humanity. Not only that, but the trump card will last longer and leave less of a strain on your body."
Akame smiles. "That sounds wonderful."
"However, there is a drawback," Murasame warns in a serious tone. "Since we'll become linked, you'll feel pain if I were to be seriously damaged, and should I be destroyed, your body will feel an agonizing strain unlike anything you've felt before."
Akame nods seriously. "I understand."
"One more thing," Murasame adds. "I'm putting in a little stipulation of my own. If you ever – and I mean ever – try to discard me, I'm taking your soul and making your body my own. You'll be devoured until all that's left is Murasame. Do you accept this, partner?"
"Without question," Akame swiftly answers.
Murasame sets Akame down onto the ground. "Then, let us begin."
The nearby fire suddenly erupts and appears to flow out of the firewood. The blood flames grow and encircle the two beings, trapping Akame and Murasame in a ring of crimson fire.
"Fair warning," Murasame states. "There will be…some discomfort."
Akame spreads her arms wide in acceptance. "Noted."
Murasame chuckles behind his mask. "Best partner ever."
The crimson light leaves Murasame's eyes before the giant set of samurai armor suddenly collapses into a heap, as if the person wearing them has vanished. The black aura oozing out of the armor rises up and coalesces into a cloud of necrotic energy with glowing red eyes coming out of it. The cloud then shoots towards Akame before slamming into her chest.
Despite Akame's strong constitution, she can't help but silently scream as the essence of Murasame penetrates her body and soul while crimson fire burns around her.
Location: Chrysler Building, East Manhattan
Time: Early Evening
Tai sits next to a steel eagle head as he enjoys some Pad Thai in a to-go box while looking out towards the last vestiges of light from today's sunset. He's currently wearing his Night Arrow outfit, though his mask is off. With no true leads on the League of Shadows or The Undertaking, Tai went on a routine city patrol to blow off some steam and brainstorm new ideas.
Suddenly, Tai hears his phone go off. He sets down his food and quickly takes out his phone, seeing Patty's number on the screen, before answering.
"What's up, Patty?" Tai asks.
[Hey, Tai. Catch you at a bad time?] Patty asks.
"Nah," Tai replies. "Just getting some early dinner after a patrol."
[Anything big?]
"A few purse snatchers, some drug dealers, some gangsters hassling a woman, the usual. Nothing about the League of Shadows, unfortunately."
[I see. So, you're not setting a trap for the League of Shadows in Chinatown?]
Tai looks confused. "…No. Why?"
[Just got a report of someone lighting off green smoke on top of Confucius Plaza. I was hoping that was you.]
Tai suddenly perks up. "Wait a minute. Green smoke? Not purple?"
[Yeah. That mean something?]
Tai chuckles. "Yeah. It means I have some family in town."
Location: Rooftop, Confucius Plaza, Chinatown
The members of Gamma Squad look on as green smoke billows out of an oil drum. Tigress and Miss Martian stand near the drum itself, while Kid Flash, Guardian, and Bumblebee stand a distance away.
Patpatpatpatpatpatpatpatpatpat.
Guardian and Bumblebee look towards their speedster teammate, who's patting his legs at super-speed while the group waits for their quarry.
Kid Flash notices their looks and stops his hands. "…Sorry."
His two teammates chuckle quietly before looking back towards the smoke.
Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap.
Guardian and Bumblebee glance at Kid Flash's foot tapping at superspeed.
Noticing their looks, Kid Flash stops his foot. "…Sorry."
Nearby, Miss Martian turns to her friend Tigress and goes, "So, smoke, huh?"
Tigress nods. "Yeah. It's a variation of a signal used by the League of Shadows, though they use purple instead of green."
"Wouldn't this attract the attention of the Shadows?" Miss Martian asks.
"Well, hopefully there aren't any Shadows in New York City," Tigress says.
If she only knew.
"So, now what?" Miss Martian asks. "What happens next?"
"The green smoke is only known by me, Jade, Dad, and Tai. If I were my brother, I'd figure I'd have a 1:3 chance of running into a member of the family that isn't a mercenary," Tigress explains. "Therefore, I'd default to the Nguyen-Crock method of introductions."
Miss Martian looks perplexed. "Which involves what exactly?"
The members of Gamma Squad suddenly find their eyes drawn to a light arrow that flies from a nearby rooftop up into the night sky and right towards them.
Tigress goes, "That."
BOOM!
The arrow impacts the ground next to Tigress and Miss Martian, releasing a bright light that blinds all of Gamma Squad. After the light dies down, the heroes take a moment for their sights to readjust.
FWIP! X3
Leaving Kid Flash, Guardian, and Bumblebee unable to dodge the three light arrows that bring them to the ground, stunning the heroes.
Tigress and Miss Martian, their vision returned, both look back at their downed comrades before turning towards the newcomer, who has his bow drawn and pointed towards them.
"You know that someone hostile could have come before I did, right? What did I teach you about assuming anything, Artemis?" Night Arrow asks.
Tigress rolls her eyes. "'Don't make an ass out of u and me'."
Night Arrow nods as he lowers his bow. "Good. Now then, let's see what else you remember," he says as he pulls out his phone and selects some music.
Tigress turns to Miss Martian. 'Go look after the others,' she commands through Miss Martian's telepathic link as she pulls out her own bow. 'This is my fight.'
'Got it,' Miss Martian answers before flying off towards the rest of Gamma Squad.
(Insert Music: Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out)
Night Arrow puts away his phone and looks straight at Tigress. "Ready?"
Tigress nods as she pulls out an arrow and nocks her bow.
Both siblings loose their shots, their arrows intercepting each other mid-air. Night Arrow quickly nocks three more light arrows in rapid succession. Tigress runs to the side, avoiding each of the shots, which explode behind her steps. After the third shot, she leaps and fires at Night Arrow before rolling behind a roof ventilator for cover.
Night Arrow catches the arrow and pockets it before drawing his bow and shooting towards Tigress.
Tigress, who was peeking above the ventilator, ducks behind it to avoid the light arrow that flies above her head. Tigress quickly rises up again with her bow drawn at where Night Arrow…used to be.
Fwip!
A light arrow from behind Tigress knocks the bow right out of her hands. She swiftly pulls out her crossbow and fires behind her. Night Arrow uses Hyperion to block the bolts as Tigress charges forward and draws her sword.
Night Arrow dodges two slashes before tilting his head to avoid a thrust aimed right at his face. He then uses the drawstring of Hyperion to slice the blade off Tigress's hilt before delivering a palm strike to her chest, sending her skidding away.
Tigress recovers and glares at the remains of her sword before throwing it away and pulling out a collapsible staff.
Night Arrow smirks under his mask as he folds Hyperion and puts it away. He then gets into his Eagle Claw stance before beckoning Tigress with his free hand.
Tigress's eyes widen in recognition of the stance before glaring at the challenge and charging at her brother.
Tigress twirls her staff and swings it at Night Arrow, who simply leans away from the attack. Tigress follows up with a leg sweep, but Night Arrow blocks the leg with his foot, halting Tigress's movement. Tigress leaps up with a right cross followed by a staff swing, but Night Arrow leans back to avoid the former while using his forearms to block the latter. Night Arrow then wraps his arm around the staff, trapping the weapon, before clutching Tigress's face and tossing her onto her back, keeping the staff and her mask with him.
Her face now exposed, Artemis spins to get herself back on her feet as Night Arrow tosses her staff and mask away. Artemis goes for a right hook and a left jab, but Night Arrow simply steps back to avoid the hits. Artemis tries to knee his gut, but Night Arrow blocks the knee with his hands and pushes her away. Artemis jumps up and goes for a spinning kick to the head, but Night Arrow catches the leg and punches Artemis's knee, causing her to cry out in pain as she falls to the ground.
Nearby, Miss Martian is helping the rest of Gamma Squad get back on their feet as they watch the duel.
'Uh, shouldn't we be helping Arty out?' Kid Flash asks through the telepathic link.
'She said this is her fight. I'm sure she'll be alright,' Miss Martian assures her teammate.
'Really?' Bumblebee questions. ''Cause this looks less like a fight and more like a little kid being tossed around by her older brother.'
Artemis takes a moment to get back on her feet, trying not to put pressure on her sore knee. She charges towards Night Arrow and throws several crosses at him, but he avoids every one of the attacks. Artemis goes for a roundhouse kick to Night Arrow's side, but he catches the leg before spinning into Artemis's guard and tapping her chest with his fingers. Artemis seems confused by the last action…
Pow!
…until her chest is hit with a one-inch punch that knocks the wind out of her.
This leaves her unprepared for Night Arrow to pull out her arrow that he caught earlier and bring it inches away from her throat.
(End Music)
Artemis smirks. "Tip 23: 'Use every weapon at your disposal, even the ones that don't belong to you'."
"You remember?" Night Arrow asks.
"Sure do," Artemis confirms. "I also remember Tip 5."
Night Arrow feels something sharp tapping his ribs. He looks down and sees a small blade in Artemis's hand aimed right at his torso.
Night Arrow chuckles. "'Always have an ace up your sleeve'. Well done."
The Nguyen siblings separate from each other as Artemis nurses her knee.
"Couldn't you have eased up just a bit?" Artemis gripes.
"The best lessons are often the most painful," Tai says as he pulls back his hood and takes off his mask.
"You're just making excuses," Artemis accuses.
Tai shrugs. "Believe what you want," he says as he opens his arms wide. "Now, get in here."
Artemis smiles as she wraps her arms around her brother, who embraces her back.
"It's good to see you again, Tai," Artemis says fondly.
"You too, Moonbeam," Tai says with a smile.
"Moonbeam?!" Bumblebee calls out, drawing the siblings' attention to the rest of Gamma Squad. "That's so cute!"
Artemis groans before glaring at her brother. "See what you started? That's never gonna go away now."
"Yeah, I know," Tai says with a cheeky smirk as he picks up Artemis's mask and hands it back to her.
Artemis replaces her hero mask as Tai scans her costume.
"I can't help but notice the similarities to Mom's old outfit," Tai notes. "Are you the new Huntress?"
"Actually, I go by Tigress," Artemis corrects. "Thought the mask kinda gave it away."
"You know what I just said about assumptions, right?" Tai responds before turning to Gamma Squad. "Friends of yours?"
"Yup! This is Miss Martian, Guardian, Bumblebee, and Kid Flash," Artemis introduces.
"Looks like we've got a lot of catching up to do," Tai states.
Location: Westfield World Trade Center
It's just reached closing time as Mine and Sheele step out of the building housing the popular shopping center. Sheele walks ahead of Mine, who's struggling to carry all of the shopping bags on her person.
"You don't have to carry all of those yourself, Mine. I can help you," Sheele offers.
"And let you trip and crush all of my hard-bought goodies? Not a chance," Mine says through gritted teeth.
"Maybe if you didn't by so much stuff, you wouldn't have trouble carrying anything," Sheele points out.
"C'mon, Sheele. I can't waste any opportunities for premium shopping," Mine states. "Once the Shadows are dealt with, we're gonna say goodbye to New York City."
Sheele looks confused. "We are?"
Mine stops walking and turns to Sheele. "Of course! You didn't think we were gonna stick around and be Tai's sidekicks, did you? After we save the city, we're out of here, and back to business as usual."
Sheele looks away uncertainly, something Mine notices.
"…You're with me on this, right?" Mine questions her friend.
Sheele sighs. "Honestly, I want to stay. I want to be a hero."
Mine looks stunned as she drops all of the bags she's holding. "You can't be serious."
"It's the truth, Mine," Sheele says with conviction. "I've always felt sick inside that the only thing I was good at in life was assassinations. I was skeptical when Tai introduced me to crimefighting, but it came more naturally than I expected to be a hero. I can be useful, and I can sleep better at night."
Mine slaps her forehead. "Unbelievable."
"It's not just me, Mine," Sheele continues. "I know for a fact that Tatsumi, Bulat, and Leone feel the same way. I'm sure the others will follow suit eventually."
"That little hick is too naïve for his own good, Bulat's riding a hero-high, and Leone's just chasing after that fool Tai," Mine counters.
"Why are you so against being a hero?" Sheele asks her friend.
Mine suddenly looks nervous and glances away. "Well…the thing is…"
"Excuse me," a woman's voice calls out behind Mine. "Do you need help with your bags?"
Mine huffs in annoyance, not even looking at the person behind her.
"I'm fine. Thanks," Mine says shortly before turning to look at Sheele. "As I was saying…"
The pink-haired girl trails off as she notices Sheele's pale face and terrified expression, which is directed behind Mine.
"Oh, that's a rude way of speaking, Mine," the strange woman says with mirth in her voice.
Mine blanches as she suddenly recognizes the voice. She slowly turns around…
…and sees an orange-haired young woman with a calm yet foreboding smile holding a dog in her arms.
"S-Seryu Ubiquitous!" Mine cries out as she wheels around to face the newcomer.
"That's me!" Seryu says cheerfully as she sets Koro down onto the ground. "It's been a couple years since we last saw each other, hasn't it? Somalia, remember?"
"You mean when you massacred scores of people?" Mine accuses.
Seryu chuckles coldly. "I prefer to think of it as 'cleaning the gutters'."
"You wouldn't dare try and start anything out here in public, would you?" Sheele asks as she gestures to the people walking past them on the sidewalks, a few of them glancing at the conversation.
Seryu suddenly adopts a look of faux concern. "Oh no! I've stumbled across a pair of criminals responsible for murders around the world! If only there was a brave soul willing to bring them to justice!"
"Like you're one to talk about murder, you hypocrite!" Mine yells as she reaches behind herself for her weapon, with Sheele following suit.
Seryu shrugs. "I suppose whoever lives can tell whatever story they want to the police. Now then…," She turns to her faithful companion. "Koro! Battle Mode!"
The small innocent-looking dog suddenly grows to four times its previous size and growls at Mine and Sheele with a menacing look. The two members of Night Raid respond by pulling out their Teigu as the surrounding civilians run for cover.
Seryu grins madly as she pulls out two tonfa guns. "Let True Justice be served today! Die for your sins, Night Raid! Koro! Prey!"
With that, the canine Koro, a.k.a. Hekatonkheires, charges forward, intent on devouring the two before him.
Location: Rooftop, Confucius Plaza, Chinatown
The green smoke has long been extinguished as Taiyang Nguyen swaps stories with his little sister, Artemis, and her fellow crimefighters.
"So, you became Green Arrow's apprentice after I left home for my training trip, after which you joined a team with the other apprentices of the Justice League, and you guys act as a covert espionage branch that investigates supervillain activity around the world," Tai summarizes.
"That's the gist of it," Artemis confirms.
Tai smiles proudly at his sister. "Words cannot describe how proud I am of you, Moonbeam."
Kid Flash and Bumblebee do their best to stifle their laughter, though Artemis still hears it.
Artemis glares at her older brother. "Do you always have to embarrass me like this, Tai?"
"I'm your big brother. It's required," Tai replies with a cheeky smile. "On that note, any special guys or gals that I should know about?"
Immediately, all members of Gamma Squad look away with somber expressions. Artemis and Kid Flash look especially somber.
Tai's smile falls as he sees his sister's expression. "Artemis?"
"…There was a guy. His name was Wally. Wally West," Artemis explains. "He was the original Kid Flash."
Tai glances over at the yellow-wearing speedster, who's looking down at his own feet in sadness.
"During the Reach Invasion, Wally went with The Flash and Bart here," Artemis continues while gesturing to Bart Allen, "to stop a Magnetic Field Disruptor up at the North Pole. They succeeded, but…Wally was destroyed by the energy from the MFD."
Tai gives his sister a sympathetic look. "Artemis, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have–"
"It's alright. You didn't know," Artemis interjects as a fond smile forms on her face. "He was a special guy. Sure, he was full of it sometimes, but he was very caring, especially when it came to his friends. We were happy together…for a while, anyway."
Tai's smile mirrors his sister's, happy that she was able to be with her special someone, even if it was short-lived.
Artemis gives her brother a stern look. "Enough about me, Tai. What's going on with you? The last letter Mom and I got from you was five years ago. Where have you been?"
Tai chuckles nervously. "Yeah, that's my bad. I had to go to some pretty remote places for my training."
"Where'd you go?!" Kid Flash suddenly asks, his excitement quickly returning. "China?! India?! The Amazon?! The Sahara?! A remote monastery in Tibet?!"
Tai smirks. "Yes."
Kid Flash has stars in his eyes. "So crash!"
'Bart! Don't be rude!' Miss Martian admonishes Kid Flash telepathically before giving Tai a sheepish look. "Sorry about that. We're all just so eager to learn about you."
"So, that's what this meeting's all about, huh?" Tai asks.
Miss Martian nods with a smile. "The Justice League has recognized your good deeds here in New York City and cordially invites you to join our ranks."
Tai blinks in surprise. "Wow. I, uh, am honored," he says uncertainly.
Artemis nudges her brother and goes, "Don't act too excited."
"Sorry about that. It's just unexpected," Tai states. "I always figured the Justice League was for guys that save the world from alien invaders and supervillains."
"We have plenty of heroes that operate on the street level," Guardian corrects. "Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Plastic Man, Red Arrow."
"Did Green Arrow agree to having me join?" Tai asks. "I figured, with everyone calling me 'Night Arrow'…"
"He complained a bit, but he was joking around," Kid Flash says with a smile. "I think he was more flattered that there's another archery hero out there in the world."
Artemis nods. "Green Arrow's not a prideful guy. He's been a great teacher."
Tai shrugs with a pout. "I suppose so. I mean, I'm the one who taught you how to use a bow and arrow in the first place."
Artemis smirks. "Yeah, but he's the one who hooked me up with all of the fancy trick arrows," she says as she pulls some arrows out of her quiver and shows them to her brother. "Taser arrow, flashbang arrow, goop arrow, explosive arrow, even the classic boxing glove arrow. Just a few gadgets to give your Hyperion some competition."
Tai smirks back. "So, you have an arrow that can destroy a tank in a single hit?"
Artemis's smirk falls.
"Or an arrow that can split itself into five arrows?" Tai continues.
Artemis looks away with a pout.
"How about a teleportation arrow?" Tai questions smugly.
"…I hate you so much," Artemis mutters.
Tai chuckles and ruffles his sister's hair. "Love you too, Moonbeam."
Artemis swats the hand away. "Stop it!"
Tai continues smiling as he addresses the group, "Well, anyways, as much as I'd love to join the Justice League and get involved with whatever missions they have lined up for me, I have some things to take care of here before I accept your invitation."
"What kinds of things?" Bumblebee asks.
Tai adopts a serious expression. "The Shadowy kind."
Artemis's eyes widen in shock. "The League of Shadows is here?!" she exclaims, getting looks of concern from the rest of Gamma Squad.
Tai nods. "They're planning on purging New York City. I don't know how exactly they plan on doing it, only that they call it 'The Undertaking'. What I do know is that Ra's al Ghul sent the big guns to oversee the operation."
"Big guns?" Artemis asks. "You mean like Deathstroke? Lady Shiva? Sensei?"
Tai stares straight at his sister with a no-nonsense look. "Artemis, I mean the big guns."
Artemis feels her whole body grow cold. "E-Esdeath?!"
Miss Martian and the others see their comrade go deathly pale. "Artemis? Who's Esdeath?" Miss Martian asks.
Artemis takes a deep breath to center herself before turning to Gamma Squad. "Esdeath Partas, aka The General. She's a cryomancer more powerful than every other ice wielder we know of combined, who's been trained since childhood in the art of war and death," Artemis explains, getting looks of dread from her friends. "She's the personification of the cruelty of winter."
"She also brought some fellow Teigu-wielding Shadows to assist her," Tai reports. "We've already encountered Zank the Beheader, as well as Esdeath's Danger Beasts, but I feel as if we've only encountered a fraction of her forces."
"Wait a minute. "'We'?" Artemis questions as she registers what Tai said. "Who's 'we'?"
Tai suddenly looks nervous and looks away. "Well, I've been unofficially working with the NYPD for the past few months, and I, uh….mighthaverejoinedNightRaid."
Artemis's eyes widen once again in disbelief. "You rejoined Night Raid?!"
"What's Night Raid?" Guardian asks.
"A group of assassins that broke from the League of Shadows to become vigilantes," Artemis answers Guardian before pointing at her brother accusingly. "You said you left the group because you didn't want to be a killer anymore. I thought that was the whole point of you disappearing on your training trip in the first place. To be better."
"It's different now," Tai defends. "I'm in charge now, and I'm trying to make the group into heroes, not killers."
"You're making them into heroes?" Artemis asks incredulously. "And they agreed to it?"
"I might have threatened them with throwing them into prison and taking away their Teigu, but they've adapted well to the Way of the Hero," Tai reports. "I think they all have what it takes to truly be the good guys."
A sudden tremor gets the group's attention. The heroes look west and see some smoke rising from behind the skyline.
"Uh, please tell me there's an event going on," Kid Flash says tentatively.
Tai swears under his breath as he pulls out his phone and makes a call. "Patty?"
[Tai. I was just about to call you. There's some kind of confrontation going on outside the Westfield Mall,] Patty reports.
"Westfield Mall?" Tai mutters in horror. "That's where Mine and Sheele went!"
[Units are already on their way to assist, though from the sounds of things, they'll be in over their heads,] Patty informs. [Apparently, there's some kind of monster dog wreaking havoc.]
Tai's eyes narrow at the mention of the dog. "Seryu," he growls. "Keep your people at a distance! I'm on my way!" Tai hangs up the phone and turns to Gamma Squad. "You guys have a fast way to get across the city?"
Miss Martian gestures off to her side. "I-I have my Martian bioship!"
Tai turns and sees a large red aerodynamic ship fade into view next to the group.
Tai nods. "That'll work."
Location: Westfield World Trade Center
A police cruiser arrives at a hastily made barrier of plastic gates and other cruisers surrounding the area outside the mall. Officers Jamie and Eddie quickly exit their vehicle and join their comrades crouching behind the barrier.
"We got the call about the 10-40," Jamie states, addressing one of the hiding officers. "Isn't this a little excessive for a fight?"
"It ain't a typical 10-40, Reagan!" the officer responds. "See for yourselves!"
Jamie and Eddie both peak over the cruiser to see the fight nearby. The purple-haired girl using a giant pair of scissors to fight a familiar orange-haired girl wielding tonfa guns is the least surprising sight. The most surprising is the pink-haired girl using a huge gun to shoot at a colossal with massive teeth.
Jamie turns to his partner. "Still think that dog's adorable."
Eddie gives Jamie a look that says, 'shut up!'.
On the battlefield itself, Sheele has Seryu on the defensive, swinging her Extase at the Shadow who blocks with her tonfas while backpedaling.
Seryu suddenly gasps as her foot trips on a rock, making her fall backwards. "Crap!" she exclaims as Sheele closes in.
Seeing her opponent swing her scissors, Seryu throws her torso back and her arms forward to avoid a lethal blow.
SHING! SQUELCH!
"GAAAAH!"
Though at the cost of her arms.
'She sacrificed her arms to avoid a lethal blow!' Sheele notes before charging at her opponent again.
Despite the pain, Seryu grins madly. "Justice always wins!" she yells as a gun suddenly sprouts out of her right stump.
The sudden appendage shocks Sheele. 'Her body's been modified?!'
"The Great One gifted me this ace in the hole!" Seryu exclaims. "EAT THIS!"
BANG!
Seryu falls on her rear and examines the result of her ace in the hole.
A single small singe on the flat side of Extase.
'She blocked it?' Seryu thinks in disbelief.
Sheele twirls her weapon before swinging it at her opponent, slicing off the gun and making Seryu scream in agony.
Back at the barrier, the police witness Sheele defeating her opponent while Mine keeps Koro at bay.
"You figure out the bad guys are yet, Jamie?" Eddie asks her partner.
"Not yet," Jamie answers. "You?"
"Well, my opinion on the dog has changed," Eddie quips.
Nearby, Sheele points Extase at Seryu's face. "Call off your dog, and we'll get you the medical attention you need."
Despite her situation, Seryu still grins. 'I'm not done yet. When I use that, Koro overheats and can't be used for a while…screw it!'
A distance away, Koro glares down at the pink human who's been hurting it.
"Koro, use your trump card!" Seryu shouts, getting the dog's attention. "GO BERSERK!"
Koro's eyes go blood red as its body grows and bulks up, making its collar snap off. Its form turns crimson from the sudden swelling of heat inside. In a matter of moments, Koro transforms into an even larger and more muscular version of itself.
Berserk Koro opens his maw…
ROOOOOOOOOAR!
…and unleashes a roar so loud that it shatters nearby windows and makes Mine, Sheele, and the nearby police cover their ears in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Koro quickly grabs Mine in its massive fist.
"Shit!" Mine yells as she finds herself lifted up off the ground.
"MINE!" Sheele cries out for her friend.
"CRUSH HER!" Seryu shouts in mad glee.
Recovering from the sonic attack, the police watch as the giant red dog starts crushing the pink-haired girl, who cries out in pain from the pressure.
'Screw it! I'm calling it!' Jamie thinks before pulling out his pistol and shouting, "SHOOT THE DOG! TAKE HIM DOWN!"
The other officers quickly follow Jamie's lead and start firing at Koro's face. The bullets do little damage to the living weapon, though this does make Koro ease up the pressure on Mine.
Seryu looks at the police incredulously. "What the hell are you all doing?! We're the good guys, idiots!"
With Koro and Seryu focused on the police, Sheele quickly rushes at the dog, jumps up, and slices cleanly through the limb holding Mine. The dismembered arm falls to the ground and releases Mine.
The pinkette sorely picks herself off of the ground and gives her friend a grateful smile. "Sheele."
"Thank goodness I made it in time," Sheele says in relief.
Back at the barrier, Eddie quickly spots a gun turret pop out of Seryu's mouth and aim at Sheele's back.
"GUN!" Eddie shouts as she instinctively shoots at Seryu.
The shot hits the orange-haired girl's ear, making her recoil as she shoots her own shot. Seryu's bullet hits Sheele's right arm, making her drop Extase.
Mine's eyes suddenly widen in alarm. "SHEELE! WATCH OUT!"
Though alerted by the shout, Sheele still only has a moment to react to the giant set of jaws heading right for her. She leaps away and avoids a fatal bite.
CRUNCH! SQUELCH!
"HAAAAAGH!" Though her right arm below the elbow is taken in the process.
Mine and the police watch in horror as Sheele's arm is devoured by the rampaging dog, while the girl herself tries to put pressure on her bleeding stump. Mine rushes over to help Sheele as the officers all aim their weapons at Koro.
The only person not concerned with Sheele's current crisis is Seryu, who's glaring daggers at the police. "Traitors! All of you! Traitors to justice!"
"Lady Seryu!"
Everyone's attention is turned to the thirteen Shadow warriors who suddenly appear near Seryu.
"Ninjas? You've gotta be kidding me!" Eddie complains.
Up above, a large shimmering shape arrives on the scene. Inside the invisible ship, Tai, Artemis, Miss Martian, and the members of Gamma Squad take stock of the situation.
"Ok, this is so not crash!" Kid Flash exclaims as he and the other heroes have panicked expressions.
"So, mind telling us who the good guys are?" Bumblebee asks Tai, who's fully dressed as Night Arrow.
"Pink, lavender, and everyone wearing blue," Night Arrow says quickly, not letting his fear show as he unfolds Hyperion. "Miss Martian, have your ship scan the dog. Find the hottest spot in its body. That's its weak spot."
Miss Martian closes her eyes as she lets her ship do its work. "Found it. It's right in the middle of the forehead."
"When I say so, open the door," Night Arrow orders as he pulls his bowstring back and holds it, making the arrow glow brighter and brighter.
Down below, Seryu looks hopeful as she sees the reinforcements. "Finally! Now that you're here, we can bring justice down on Night Raid and the traitorous police!"
"We're not here to fight, Lady Seryu," the lead Shadows informs, making Seryu's smile drop. "Al-Liwa' has ordered us to bring you back immediately. Cease all fighting at once."
"What?! But I'm doing this in her honor!" Seryu yells before glowering. "Fine! I'll do it myself! Koro! SICK THEM ALL!"
Koro roars as it prepares to charge right at the two Night Raiders.
Only for a blinding light to appear right above the barricade, getting everyone's full attention.
"Now what?" Jamie asks as he and the other officers shield their eyes.
Mine and Sheele both can make out a figure standing on what appears to be nothing as he draws a bow.
"Is that…?" Mine mutters.
Sheele, in her weakened state, smiles hopefully. "Tai."
Seryu's eyes widen in fear as she also recognizes the archer. "No. Not him. Koro! Move!"
On the invisible ramp, Night Arrow aims his shining arrow right at the dog's forehead. "Shooting Star: Titan Slayer."
Fwip!
Night Arrow releases his arrow, which appears to close the distance in the blink of an eye and a streak of light. The arrow quickly tears through flesh, muscle, and bone, before embedding itself into a small orb. The core of Hekatonkheires shatters as the arrow explodes in light.
BOOOM!
Koro only has a moment to register the blinding pain inside its brain before its forehead explodes outward, the gore splattering right in front of the barricade.
Seryu looks on in horror as her faithful companion falls backwards, its eyes losing life almost instantly. "K…KORO!"
That's as much as Seryu can say before the worst pain she's ever felt courses through her body, causing her to collapse to the ground with a soundless scream.
Night Arrow jumps down from the invisible ramp and lands on a police car, with Gamma Squad following behind while Miss Martian stays on the ship. Night Arrow observes Seryu writhing on the concrete with an agonized face.
'So that's what the shattering of a Teigu-Bond looks like,' Night Arrow notes as he reflexively clutches Hyperion a bit tighter. He then turns to Jamie behind him. "Officer Reagan. The girls in pink and lavender are our allies. If you can continue assisting us, that would be appreciated."
Jamie sighs. "Ah, screw it," he mutters before pointing his weapon at the Shadows. "By authority of the NYPD, drop whatever weapons you have and get on the ground!"
The other officers aim their pistols at the Shadows in solidarity with Jamie.
The lead Shadow grunts at the situation. "Damn it. Shadows! To arms! Protect Lady Seryu!" he commands as he and other Shadows draw their swords in defiance of the police.
Seeing the situation, Night Arrow pulls out his phone and selects a song.
(Insert Music: The Hives – Tick Tick Boom)
Night Arrow glances back at his sister. "Remember that game we used to play?"
Tigress smirks and pulls out her bow. "Who's the Better Shot?"
Night Arrow smiles under his mask. "Let's play."
Night Arrow and Tigress both quickly nock and release their shots. A light arrow and a taser arrow knock out two of the outlying Shadows, prompting all but three of the remaining ones to charge at the heroes. Night Arrow and Tigress both run to meet the group, while the other members of Gamma Squad go to help Mine and Sheele.
Night Arrow encounters his first Shadow opponent, who swings their sword at the vigilante. Night Arrow responds by simply slicing the sword with his bowstring. The Shadow only has a second to register the useless weapon before a light arrow hits them point blank.
Tigress's opponent goes for a stab in the gut with their sword, but Tigress moves herself out of the way before stomping on the blade and roundhouse kicking the Shadow. Before the Shadow can get themselves back on their feet, they get trapped under a net courtesy of Tigress's net arrow.
Night Arrow's next opponent tries throwing some shuriken at the vigilante, who responds by swiftly shooting a light arrow past them. The Shadow watches as Night Arrow appears to vanish in a burst of light, making the thrown shuriken hit the street. The Shadow tries looking around for the vigilante only to get hit by a light arrow from behind.
Tigress sees her next opponent, pulls out her crossbow, and fires several bolts at the Shadow's feet. Said Shadow quickly finds their feet caught in a blob of red gunk. The Shadow tries to force their legs out of the trap, only to have their arms trapped by a bolo arrow.
The lead Shadow is still with Seryu and two of his grunts as he spots Mine helping Sheele get on her feet. "You two! Seize them! We can use them!"
Hearing the command, the two Shadows rush towards Mine and Sheele to try and capture them.
They only get so far, however, before one of them is blindsided by a yellow blur.
The other one spots Guardian charging right at them and swings their sword at the hero. Guardian uses his shield to deflect the blade, making the Shadow reel backwards. This leaves the Shadow unprepared for Bumblebee, who flies off Guardian's shoulder and grows to human size right in front of the assassin.
"Surprise!" Bumblebee calls out before blasting the Shadow in the face with her stingers.
Nearby, Night Arrow and Tigress make quick work of the next several Shadows.
Thwip! A light arrow takes down Shadow #7.
Thwip! A boxing glove arrow knocks Shadow #8 unconscious.
Thwip! Another light arrow sends Shadow #9 flying.
Thwip! A gas arrow hits Shadow #10 right in the face.
Thwip! A third light arrow makes Shadow #11 seize up.
Thwip! A taser arrow stuns Shadow #12.
Night Arrow and Tigress both see the lead Shadow standing protectively in front of a twitching Seryu. The siblings smirk at each other before they both fire arrows right at the Shadow. The assassin jumps in the air to avoid the arrows. This leaves him vulnerable to another duo of arrows to impact the airborne Shadow, making him seize up and crash to the ground.
"First!" X2
The brother and sister both look at each other incredulously.
"That was clearly mine!" Night Arrow argues.
"My arrow knocked him out!" Tigress contends.
"But my arrow hit him first!" Night Arrow counters.
"Your arrows are cheat!" Tigress gripes.
"Hey! You're the one with all of the fancy trick arrows!" Night Arrow complains.
"'AnD wHiCh OnE cAn DeStRoY a TaNk?!'" Tigress mocks her brother. "That's you! That's what you sound like!"
Ch-Chik!
Night Arrow and Tigress both quickly turn and see Seryu shakily back on her feet with a psychotic expression and her mouth gun pointed right at them.
"Move!" X2 Both siblings yell as they run towards a nearby tree while avoiding shots from Seryu's gun. The heroes manage to take cover behind the tree, which takes abuse from a barrage of bullets.
"BURN IN HELL, YOU DOG-KILLING TRAITORS!" Seryu shouts as she continues firing, aiming to cut the tree down with her bullets.
Night Arrow curses under his breath before pulling an arrow out of Tigress's quiver. "I'm borrowing this!"
"Hey!" Tigress cries out before flinching away from a deflected shot.
Night Arrow ignores the cry as he prepares a light arrow. "Get ready!"
Seryu laughs maniacally as she fires everything she has at the poor tree, unleashing her rage and grief. She stops, however, as she spots a light arrow shoot up into the air from behind the tree. The one arrow splits into four before falling right towards Seryu and crashing around her feet, creating a four-point flashbang. The blasts make Seryu's ears ring, and her vision go white.
Her vision clears just as Night Arrow and Tigress are right in front of her.
Pow! Hyperion hits Seryu right in the forehead.
Pow! Tigress's bow impacts Seryu's gut.
Crack! Night Arrow's stomp breaks Seryu's kneecap.
Crack! Tigress's elbow shatters Seryu's nose.
Pow! Right cross from Night Arrow to the face.
Pow! Left cross from Tigress to the face.
Seryu looks forward just in time for Night Arrow to shove the borrowed arrow into her gun barrel and break off the shaft. Both siblings uppercut Seryu, sending her flying into the air. Dazed and battered, Seryu barely registers the beeping arrowhead inside her gun barrel.
BOOM!
(End Music)
Night Arrow and Tigress shield themselves from the sudden blast. As the dust settles, the heroes both have surprised expressions as they view the effects of their tag-team attack.
Seryu is lying on her back, staring at the sky with an excruciatingly pained expression on her face…or rather, what's left of her face. Her mouth-gun has been blasted apart, and is now smoking metal coming out of her gasping mouth. Her lips have been completely destroyed, exposing her scorched gums and shattered teeth. Her nose has been torn to shreds, and her eyebrows have been singed off. The screams coming out of her mouth are quiet, hoarse, and torturous.
After a moment, Night Arrow points at his handiwork. "…I thought that was the goop arrow?"
Tigress looks at her brother incredulously. "What? No, it's this one," she says as she pulls out a different-looking arrow.
"…Whoops," Night Arrow mutters.
A rush of wind indicates Kid Flash's arrival. "Hey guys! We need to go! Like, now!" he hurriedly says as he points behind him.
Night Arrow and Tigress both look and see Guardian and Bumblebee helping Sheele and Mine into the landed decloaked bioship.
Kid Flash runs ahead as Night Arrow and Tigress turn away from their defeated enemy and quickly head for the ship.
As he runs, Night Arrow calls out to the police. "I leave them in your custody! Thanks! Bye!"
With that, Night Arrow and Tigress quickly enter the bioship, which closes up and flies off, leaving the police to deal with thirteen incapacitated assassins, the bleeding corpse of a giant dog, and the heavily scarred double amputee known as Seryu Ubiquitous.
Officer Jamie sighs. "And now we're the cleanup crew."
"Hooray for heroes," Eddie groans.
Location: Mission Room, The Watchtower, Earth's Orbit
Aqualad is watching some hologram monitors when he notices two people approaching him.
The first one he spots is a serious imposing man wearing a grey costume with black boots, black gloves with scallops, black trunks, a yellow utility belt, and a black bat symbol on his chest. The most prominent feature of the outfit is the black cape-cowl with pointy ears and whitened eyes. This is Batman, founding member of the Justice League, and mentor to three generations of Robins.
Behind him is a friendlier-looking man wearing a red full-body suit with yellow lightning bolt wings on his head, whitened eyes, yellow lightning bands around his wrists and waist, yellow boots, and a yellow bolt symbol over a white circle on his chest. This is The Flash, another founding member of the Justice League and mentor to two generations of Kid Flashes.
Aqualad turns from the monitor and nods to the two senior heroes. "Batman. Flash."
Batman nods back as he and Flash stop next to Aqualad. "Any word from Gamma Squad?"
Aqualad turns back to the monitor, showing the streets of New York City. "I received a transmission that they made contact with Night Arrow and were in the middle of…unorthodox introductions. After that, they went with Night Arrow to handle some kind of emergency. They didn't mention what specifically it was, though I'm getting reports of some kind of monster attack."
[Recognized: Kid Flash B-23, Miss Martian B-05]
The three heroes turn to one of the Zeta Tubes, where Kid Flash and Miss Martian quickly rush out of the bright light. As Miss Martian swiftly types away on a console, Kid Flash speeds over to his mentor.
"Barry! You've done surgeries before, right?!" Kid Flash asks with panic on his face.
Flash looks surprised by the urgency. "I-I have. What happened?"
Miss Martian finishes typing on the console.
[Three new entries accepted.] The computer declares.
Batman's eyebrow rises under his cowl. "Three?"
The Zeta Tube lights up again. [Recognized: Guardian B-24, Night Arrow D-01, Sheele D-02, Mine D-03, Tigress B-07, Bumblebee B-17]
The first ones to exit the Zeta Tube are Guardian, Night Arrow, and Sheele, with the young woman being supported by the male heroes. After them comes Mine and Tigress, with the blonde watching over the pinkette. Bumblebee enters last after making sure they weren't followed.
Aqualad, Batman, and Flash all go wide-eyed at the sight of the paling bespectacled girl holding a hastily bandaged bleeding stump where her arm once was.
Sheele gives a tired smile. "S-Sorry for the mess."
"Oh, God," Flash mutters before super-speeding to Sheele's side.
"B-Be careful," Sheele wearily warns. "Your suit…"
Flash smiles warmly. "Don't worry. It's a close-enough shade of red," he assures before turning to his protégé. "I need you in the room with me."
Kid Flash quickly nods. "Got it!"
With that, the two speedsters rush to the Medical Wing with their patient in tow.
Tigress looks at Mine cradling her own arm. "I should take you to get that arm looked at."
Mine looks away. "It's just a sprain. I'm fine."
Tai tears off his mask, revealing an enraged Tai Nguyen. He takes a deep breath, and…
"Mẹ kiếp con mụ tâm thần đó! Cô ấy và con chó của cô ấy sẽ bị thiêu rụi trong Địa ngục! Nếu tôi gặp lại cô ấy, tôi sẽ đánh gãy chân cô ấy và biến cô ấy thành tấm thảm chùi chân!"
Everyone looks surprised at Tai's exclamation, especially Tigress and Batman who both understand his words.
"…Colorful," Batman comments.
Bumblebee turns to Tigress, "What did he say?"
"'Fuck that psychotic bitch. Her and her dog should burn in Hell. If I ever see her again, I'm gonna break her legs and turn her into a doormat'," Tigress translates evenly, making everyone else (sans Batman) wince.
"I believe we are going to need some context here," Aqualad states.
Tai groans. 'And the night gets longer still.'
Location: Park Row, New York City
The sirens of the ambulance wail as a patient is being transported to New York Presbyterian hospital. Inside, two police officers watch over a patient as a medic monitors her vital signs. These policemen had been the lucky ones who were picked to transport one Seryu Ubiquitous to the emergency room while Officer Reagan and the others secured the crime scene and apprehended the Shadows.
The two officers look down at the formerly cute yet still deranged young woman lying on the stretcher. Her scarred face makes it difficult to discern any emotions, yet her eyes convey a heavy despair, all of her rage and fighting spirit having left her body.
"If it weren't for her being crazy, I'd actually pity the girl," one officer confesses.
"Honestly, it makes me pity her more," the other admits.
SCREECH!
The ambulance comes to a sudden halt, making nearly everyone fall to the ground. After a moment, the medic and two officers recover.
"What the hell was that?!" the first officer yells.
The medic looks through the small door towards a stunned driver. "Hey, Ben! What the hell…is…,"
The medic trails off as she and the driver see a colossal wall of ice blocking the street.
Suddenly, the ambulance lurches again as a thick coating of ice quickly envelopes the vehicle, leaving only the back doors bare.
A pale beautiful woman with long blue hair wearing a white general's uniform calmly walks to the back of the ambulance before pulling out her rapier.
Shing! Shing!
The officers and medic watch in shock as the ambulance doors are sliced into pieces before falling onto the street.
Revealing "The General", Esdeath Partas, in all her glory.
"Who the hell are you?!" the second officer demands as he and his partner go for their guns.
Squelch! Squelch!
Esdeath responds by quickly forming two icicles and hurdling them into the officers' chests. The medic screams as she sees the policemen drop dead to the ambulance floor.
The medic cowers in the corner as Esdeath enters the vehicle. "P-Please! I have a family!"
Squelch!
Another icicle ends the medics pleas permanently.
"My condolences," Esdeath say coldly before approaching her subordinate.
Seryu glances over to her superior, who crouches down to her level and gives the orangette a warm smile.
"Seryu, my dear warrior," Esdeath says fondly. "You fought like the Devil, didn't you."
The crippled girl's eyes leak with tears. "K…Koro…," she mutters through her oxygen mask.
Esdeath cups Seryu's face with her hands. "Shhh. Don't despair over Koro. Think of the good times with him. Focus on all of the fond memories you made with your partner."
Despite the lack of lips, Seryu manages to have a small smile. "Koro," she says as her mind drifts to the good times she had with Koro.
She replays all of the times she fed Koro, bathed him, played fetch with him, gave him belly rubs, hunted criminals with him as though they were hunting rab–
Snap!
Esdeath's smile falls as she cradles Seryu's blank-eyed head, which is now twisted at an odd angle. She pays no mind to the flatlining heart monitor.
"You sure had a warrior's spirit, Seryu," Esdeath says as ice travels from her palms onto Seryu's head and down the dead girl's body. "A shame that it didn't come with a warrior's discipline."
In seconds, the lifeless form Seryu Ubiquitous is completely covered in ice before shattering into tiny bits.
"Farewell, Seryu the Tamer," Esdeath says as she calmly exits the vehicle and walks down the street.
As she walks, she can't help but chuckle.
"So ruthless of you, My Beloved. It almost makes me proud," Esdeath says before a determined smile forms on her face. "You've cost me enough subordinates, though. Next time, victory – and you – will be mine!"
Location: Meeting Room, Night Raid HQ
Timeskip: One hour later
Tatsumi paces around the room while muttering in worry. At the meeting table, Najenda is having a smoke to calm her nerves, Lubbock is playing Cat's Cradle in a not-so-calm manner, and Bulat is stoically cleaning Belvaac. At the other end of the room, Patty is talking on his phone, trying to gain information on the situation at Westfield Mall.
Lubbock groans as another wire creation comes out a mess. He turns to the pacing brunette and goes, "Will you knock it off, Tatsumi?! You're breaking my focus!"
"Well, sorry if I'm a little concerned about the fate of my friends!" Tatsumi yells. "First Akame seals herself off in her room, and now this!"
Bulat looks up from his axe and towards his honorary brother. "We're all concerned, Tatsumi, but you need to have faith in your comrades. This isn't the first time some of our own have been in danger."
Patty hangs up the phone and turns to the group. "So, good news is that Tai was able to save Mine and Sheele with the help of some other random heroes, I guess. The bad news is that they went off in some weird spaceship and haven't been seen since. The worse news is that someone killed Seryu while she was being transported to the hospital, along with the two officers and one of the medics. The officers on the scene said that a shit-ton of ice was on the scene."
Najenda exhales some smoke. "Esdeath. Seems like she wanted to tie up some loose ends."
Tatsumi starts pulling at his hair in frustration. "Superheroes?! Spaceships?! Esdeath?! I am officially freaking out here!"
Bulat waves his hands in a calming manner. "Easy, Tatsumi. Too much stress can give you a heart attack."
Everyone suddenly hears the door opening, and a familiar voice saying, "What did I miss?"
Tatsumi's face lights up. "Akame! Thank goodness you're–," he says, only to freeze as he and the others drink in the sight of the new Akame.
Akame's calm smile is a stark contrast to the malevolent black aura wafting off her body. The blackened irises in her eyes only adds to the disturbing image.
Tatsumi's eloquent response is for his entire body to go stark white and collapse to the ground.
"Tatsumi!" Bulat calls out in alarm as he tries to resuscitate Tatsumi, whose soul appears to be leaving his mouth.
Najenda gives Akame a once-over. "I take it this is why you locked yourself in your room with Murasame."
Akame nods. "We've come to an understanding," she says as she holds up her Teigu. "From now on, I decide if this is a killer's blade or not."
Nearby, Patty hears his phone ringing and walks away to answer it.
Najenda smiles. "Well done, Akame. It's about time."
"So, what's going on?" Akame asks in visible concern. "I heard Tatsumi getting agitated."
Lubbock recovers from his own shock and answers, "Mine and Sheele got attacked by Seryu when they went shopping. Tai was able to save them, but Sheele got injured in someway and we haven't heard from them in an hour."
Akame smiles confidently. "Don't worry! I'm sure our friends will be alright!"
Tatsumi quickly rises off the ground and points at the newly cheerful girl. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO AKAME?!"
The other Night Raiders laugh at Tatsumi's exclamation, even Akame, whose laughter is quiet. All of the laughter stops, however, as Patty walks back to the group with a somber expression.
"What is it?" Najenda asks apprehensively.
Patty takes a deep breath. "…That was Tai. Something happened to Sheele."
Location: Mission Room, The Watchtower, Earth's Orbit
Mine cradles her arm and watches with an upset look as Tai talks with Batman and Aqualad. Nearby, the non-speedster members of Gamma Squad converse with each other, and Artemis glances over in Mine's direction concernedly.
Batman hums in thought as he registers what Tai has told him about the League of Shadow's actions in New York City.
"Ra's al Ghul has been unusually quiet since his death at the hands of The Reach," Batman notes. "To think he's been planning another Purge."
"Perhaps it has to do with the rumor The Team discovered about Ra's being removed from The Light," Aqualad suggests.
"The Light?" Tai asks. "I've heard whispers about them. Some kind of organization led by supervillains?"
"In a sense," Aqualad answers. "Their members include Vandal Savage and Lex Luthor. Supposedly, they have a grand plan for Planet Earth, and they view the Justice League as a hinderance to mankind's development."
"Sounds like something right up Ra's al Ghul's alley," Tai says.
Aqualad nods. "He was a member of the organization, but investigations done by our other members indicate that he's been replaced by Deathstroke."
Tai groans. "Slade, huh? That smug prick."
"Bad history?" Batman guesses.
"Unfortunately," Tai confirms. "In any case, it sounds like Ra's is trying to restore his reputation to the Shadows and The Light. God, that sounds weird saying it out loud."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Everyone in the room turns to see Mine growling at Artemis, who's looking at the pinkette with surprise and unease.
"I'm telling you; you need to get that arm looked at!" Artemis insists.
"I told you; it's just a sprain!" Mine argues.
Tai walks over to Mine and says, "Artemis is right. You should head to the Medical Wing here. Better safe than sorry."
Mine turns her glare to Tai. "I am not in the mood for your help, Taiyang."
Tai's face turns serious. "This is the worst possible time for pride, Mine."
"Pride? PRIDE?!" Mine shouts. "You think I'm proud right now?! My best friend is in the middle of surgery because she got her arm eaten by a giant dog on my watch! She nearly died, and I couldn't do a damn thing to help her! There is nothing about me that I'm proud of! I've never been proud of myself! Ever!"
Tai's face softens as he sees the tears streaming out of the pinkette's eyes. "Mine…"
Mine continues, "You know why I joined Night Raid in the first place? It wasn't to save people or bring scum to justice. It was to get myself out of a shitty marriage arranged by my asshole crime boss father to the disgusting son of a rival boss. The man who created me said that I was finally being useful for once. God, it felt so good blowing his brains out."
The younger heroes look queasy at that last part.
Mine looks down as she continues crying. "I'm not a good person, Tai. I argue a lot, I blow money on clothes, and I shoot people. The only thing I take comfort in is that the people I shoot deserve it. I'm not a hero at all. I don't save people…I couldn't even save Sheele…"
Everyone else looks on in somber silence as Mine releases all of her frustration and depression.
It's Tai who makes the first move by closing the distance and placing a comforting hand on Mine's uninjured shoulder, making her look up with tear-filled eyes.
"You've taken a lot of shit from me over the years, Mine Yavuz, but I wouldn't have given you the opportunity to be a hero if I didn't think you were capable of being one," Tai says calmly yet confidently. "I believe that you're a good person deep down, and Sheele does as well. She wouldn't give up on you. Neither will I."
Mine hangs her head again. "…I wish I can believe that myself."
Tai pats Mine's shoulder. "You will. For now, let's get your arm healed up."
After a moment, Mine gives a small nod.
Artemis smiles. "I'll show you the way," she says as she begins guiding Mine to the Medical Wing.
Only to stop as Flash and Kid Flash rush into the room.
"Phew! Haven't had to do one of those since Heatwave blew his arm up in '09," Flash comments.
"Sheele! Is she alright?" Mine asks in concern.
Tai walks over to the speedsters with a tentative look.
Flash and Kid Flash look at each other before turning back to the group. The former says, "So, good news first; Sheele is stable, and after some rest and some antibiotics, she'll have a long and healthy civilian life."
Tai and Mine both breathe sighs of relief before the latter blinks in confusion. "Civilian?" Mine asks.
"That's the bad news," Kid Flash answers. "I'm pretty sure you need both arms to swing around that giant pair of scissors she carries, and unless she can get herself a bionic arm…"
Mine gasps in her hand. "Oh, no."
Tai looks down somberly. "…Damn it."
"At least she's alive," Guardian says, trying to cheer the Night Raiders up.
"Sheele is a total klutz, especially when it comes to chores. She's always felt the most useful when she was out in the field with Extase," Tai explains. "Now, that's been taken from her. She'll be devastated."
"There has to be something you can do!" Mine insists. "You have a giant space station, for Christ's sake!"
Flash looks over to Batman expectantly.
"…I know some people who specialize in advanced technology," Batman says. "I'll see what I can do."
"We appreciate that," Tai says in a thankful tone. "I've heard good things about WayneTech."
All of the heroes in the room (except Batman) quickly snap their heads towards Tai.
"…Why did you say that particular company?" Flash asks tentatively.
"He knows," Batman says evenly, surprising the other heroes.
Tai shrugs. "Wasn't too hard to figure out." He then turns to Mine. "Come on. She's gonna need both of us in there when she wakes up."
Mine nods, and she continues her trek to the Medical Wing, with Tai and Artemis in tow.
"Night Arrow," Batman calls out, stopping the leaving trio. "Take as much time as you need with Sheele. Afterwards, we need to talk about the League of Shadows."
Tai nods before continuing his exit with his sister and friend.
Flash speeds over to Batman and says, "Well, this is a wonderful thing to add to our already overflowing plate."
Batman nods. "An operation this big in the most vital city in America; we should have seen this coming a lot sooner."
"I here you," Flash says. "So, is it just gonna be Night Arrow joining us, or are we bringing in his whole team?"
"The latter," Batman replies. "The more heroes we bring into the fold, the better. Besides, Night Raid just might be what we need to deal with the biggest item on our plate."
Flash's eyes widen in surprise. "Really? Better than The Team?"
Batman's silence is his answer.
Location: Medical Wing, The Watchtower, Earth's Orbit
Date: July 7th, 2016
It takes a moment for Sheele to awaken from her slumber, her body feeling surprisingly light and airy. She looks around at her surroundings, her hazy glassless gaze taking note of the advanced machinery, the heart monitor beeping at the side of the bed she's lying on, and the IV bag attached to her left arm.
"Good morning, Sheele."
The purple-haired girl turns her head to face Tai, who's approaching her bed from her left. She sees the blonde reach towards her and put her glasses on her face.
"Oh. Thank you, Tai," Sheele says with a smile. "I feel so good."
Tai smiles back tentatively. "That would be the painkillers in your system."
"…I see," Sheele says. "Where's Mine? Is she alright?"
"I'm right here," Mine says as she approaches the bed and stands next to Tai, the pinkette's arm resting in a sling.
Sheele looks at Mine in concern. "Mine…your arm…"
Mine grins disarmingly. "I'll be alright in a few days. You really saved my life, Sheele."
Sheele sighs in relief. "Thank goodness."
Tai takes a moment to try and find the right words. "Sheele, what's the last thing you remember?"
Tai's question and the sensation of her right arm tingling jumpstarts the memories in her mind. She remembers going shopping with Mine, running into Seryu Ubiquitous, and then…
Despite the painkillers, a cold feeling washes over her as she slowly looks over to her right side…and sees a bandaged stump where her lower arm once was.
Tai and Mine both tense up in anticipation of Sheele's reaction.
Only to be surprised as the bespectacled girl's smile returns.
"It's funny. I feel like I can still clench my fingers. This must be that Phantom Limb sensation I've read about," Sheele mutters evenly. She turns to her friends. "Well, at least I was able to do some good in the end."
Tai flinches ever so slightly as he sees Sheele's smile twitch while her eyes start watering.
'She's one brave woman,' Tai thinks before patting Sheele's shoulder. "Sheele…if there was ever a moment to be weak, this is it."
At that, Sheele's smile slowly falls into devastation, and the tears flow freely from her eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
Tai wastes no time in embracing the sobbing girl, while Mine looks away with regret.
"You're part of our family, Sheele," Tai says as he comforts the purplette. "We'll get through this together. You'll be alright. I promise."
Nearby, at the door to the room, Artemis watches the scene unfold with a sad smile on her face.
'I wish the circumstances were different,' Artemis thinks to herself, 'but it's good to have you back, big brother.'
A.N.: And cut! I got delayed by writer's block and a plan to move to another city went Kaput, but I'm glad I got this chapter done.
Anyway, let's talk about what happened here.
Firstly, Bulat and Donnie are official! Hooray! I don't know if you guys noticed, but I'm trying to make a happier ending for our heroes.
Speaking of which, Sheele's still alive! Hooray! Granted, she's one arm short, but if Bucky Barnes can get a replacement then so can our lovable bumbler.
Also, Sery Ubitchitous and her little dog are dead! Hooray! Blowing her face off was the best part of me writing this chapter!
Finally, Night Raid has made first contact with the Justice League. I'm still working on how much I want the Justice League getting involved in fighting the League of Shadows. I want to focus more on Night Raid than flooding the story with superheroes. There are opportunities in the future for proper team-ups.
For now, I hope you enjoyed this story so far, along with the other stories being written in Phase 1. Stay tuned for my next update!
Dropareviewifyoucanflamerswillbeignored.
