"Hell, it's about time" I thought while under the gaze of my teammates.
But then, after some more thinking, I decided. "Nope."
I turned to face the others, my breath still coming in measured counts. "That was an Ursadon. I've... heard some stories about them, which is why I knew what it was. The shard did something to my mind before the beast appeared."
I told them half truths just to be safe.
Beast Boy stood motionless, his usual grin absent. The thoughtfulness that replaced it looked foreign on his face.
Starfire hovered near the damaged equipment, her eyes searching mine with the careful deliberation of someone trying to solve a complex equation.
Raven remained in her corner, her expression unreadable beneath the shadow of her hood, though her dark aura flickered with barely perceptible agitation.
Jaime's armor still covered him completely lik a metallic second skin that concealed whatever thoughts played behind those eyes.
"So this... animal was like a construct?" Starfire finally spoke, Her tone was not accusing but she was still trying to piece it together. "The shard created it from your consciousness?"
"Not exactly. I felt a psychic intrusion just before it manifested—like something was reaching into my head and pulling things." I flexed my fingers, remembering the cold invasion of the shard's touch. "It weaponized my knowledge against us."
Jaime stepped forward, his armor servos whirring softly. "Then we need to research this. Document it and sent it to the League. If that's just a fragment of something larger..." He didn't finish the thought. We all understood the implication without him having to say it. "Everyone needs to be prepared. All of them."
"I will compile the data and transmit it to the League immediately" Starfire assured us, already floating toward the communications room. "This information could be critical."
The rest of us shifted into work mode. Debris needed clearing, equipment needed salvaging. Jaime made calls to arrange structural repairs. Beast Boy and I gathered what could be saved while Raven used her powers to guide heavier materials into organized piles.
Three days passed in methodical repair and restoration. Three days of normalcy before everything shifted again.
——-
In a cave hundreds of miles away, Batman stood before a figure whose posture screamed defiance. The boy wore a domino mask identical to one Nightwing had once worn, though the suit was far less ostentatious. Red and black, with a more utilitarian feel, designed for a different philosophy.
"It was a mistake bringing you along" Batman said, his voice carrying the weight of accumulated disappointment. "You still haven't learned what it means to be part of a team."
"I don't need to be part of a team" Damian Wayne, the latest Robin countered, his voice sharp as broken glass. "I was trained by the League of Assassins to lead." He paused "To command."
"A leader is still a member of the team." Batman pulled off his cowl, revealing Bruce Wayne beneath. His eyes were tired. "You're mistaken about something important. To the League, those assassins were disposable tools for Ras Al Ghul. Not teammates. Not family. You understand the difference?"
Before Damian could respond, Bruce gestured to the Batcomputer, where an image materialized on the screen of a solitary building overlooking San Francisco, perched against the backdrop of the bay.
Damian's eyes widened with dread.
"There's no way. I'm not going there to babysit amateurs."
But his protest died in the echo of the cave.
———
The drive to San Francisco felt longer than the actual distance warranted. Damian sat rigid in the passenger seat of a dark vehicle. Sleek, practical and utterly lacking the usual intimidation factor of the bat-family. His knuckles were white against his thighs.
Dick Grayson also known as Nightwing, kept his attention on the road, though his slight smile suggested he was enjoying Damian's discomfort far more than necessary.
"I could have driven there myself" Damian muttered.
"You're lucky to be allowed within ten meters of a steering wheel after last night's stunt" Dick replied, his tone suggesting this was a conversation they'd had before and would likely have again.
Damian sighed. A gesture that probably did more to reveal his exhaustion than a hundred angry words could have. "So this is punishment."
"Not punishment." Dick's expression softened slightly. "This is an opportunity. Hopefully, you'll learn something about working with others. Real partners, not subordinates." He glanced over. "So, is the great Damian Wayne afraid of a little socializing?"
"I'm not afraid of anything. Teammates are a liability."
"Really?" Dick's eyebrow arched. "Then what am I?"
"An unavoidable irritation" Damian said flatly.
Nightwing gasped in exaggerated offense, pressing a hand to his chest. "Even after I took a break from 'the team' just to come collect you? You really wound me!"
"Speaking of your team" Damian said, voice carrying a calculated edge, "how is your little secret operation managing without their fearless leader?"
"Kaldur's got it covered" Dick said simply. "That's what being a team is about. Having each other's backs. Trusting people to step up when you need them."
Damian turned away, watching the landscape blur past the window. He offered no reply, which as Dick understood, was as close to acceptance as he'd get today.
———
Back at Titans Tower, the common room was peaceful. Everyone was present and without any imminent crisis, yet the atmosphere seemed to be charged. Starfire had just informed us of the new arrival, and reactions had varied wildly.
I wasn't sure what to think. The others seemed cautiously optimistic, which was more confidence than I felt.
Starfire floated near the window, a novel open in her hands, her features luminous in the afternoon light filtering through the glass.
Blue Beetle sat cross-legged on the floor, his scarab's interface projected before him as he muttered something about calibration failures.
Beast Boy sprawled across the couch like he owned it, a game controller practically welded to his hands as explosions bloomed across the massive screen.
Raven occupied her usual corner, meditating, her darkness rippling in slow, peaceful waves around her. Every noble and then, would peek at the screen of Beast Boy's game.
I was scrolling through news feeds on a tablet when Beast Boy suddenly bolted upright.
"Okay, I'm officially bored!" he announced with exasperation. "We need to do something. Something fun that doesn't involve sitting here like statues."
He transformed into a frog, hopping with irritation across the floor.
"Garfield, we can't leave" Starfire said gently. "Nightwing will arrive soon, and we should greet our new member properly."
"I finally get to meet Nightwing. The previous leader of this team and the man who broke up with Starfire." I think and lock the tablet screen. "Who would leave an amazing woman like that?" Then I saw my face reflected on the black screen of the tablet.
Supergirl's face flickered through my memory. A complicated situation that I still haven't gotten to untangle yet.
"I guess I'm not one to talk" I murmured, standing up. The movement caught Starfire's attention. "Want to spar while we wait? We could use the time productively."
Beast Boy was already edging toward the kitchen. "Love you big guy, but I'm gonna grab some snacks. Sparring makes me nauseous."
Before I could respond, Starfire rose with visible enthusiasm, landing directly in front of me. "I'd love a sparring session right about now!"
I smiled without meaning to. From the first time that we met, Starfire behaved in a calm and mature manner. But every now and then, she would act with energy and excitement. I find it extremely cute whenever that happens.
"Alright. Let's do this!" I agreed.
"Please try not to break it this time!" Jaime chimed without lifting his head from his project.
Since I switched from the dual psi-blades, the scythe has been my weapon and recently, Jaime made me some sparring tools in the shape of the traditional Nerazim Shadow Guard scythe .
But sparring with Starfire had a way of pushing me to the edge and half the time, the equipment broke.
Before I could reply, Beast Boy rushed in.
"Guys, Nightwing's here!"