Pandora~ A Young Justice Fanfiction

Complications

Anastasia's POV

"Alright what happened? What happened to the rest of my team?" Dick growls as soon as he's out of the portal and on the floor of the Warworld. Walking behind him I survey the floor before my eyes scan back to the other occupants in the room.

"It's all my fault." Jaime sighs, and I almost feel bad that I'm glaring at the poor kid, but at the same time force gets answers. However I was never talked to with soft caring voices after training exercises gone wrong, so while I know it gets answers I know how bad it feels to be on the other end.

Dick on the other hand doesn't seem to be easing up, and I don't blame him. It doesn't make sense that seven of his eight members disappeared into this air while one stands her fine as the day.

"Just tell them what you told us." Captain Atom eases, and I take a breath seeing how calm my leader is, but even though I let go of my glare the rest of my exterior is hard and calculative. 

"We'd won. We were all here in this bay, and Wondergirl had Mongul hogtied. Then suddenly a boomtube opened up right beneath our feet. I flew up and out. It was instinct, you know. But before I could do anything else, the boomtube closed, and the others were gone." He's looking to the side a dopey pout forming on his armored face, and as he finishes his fists clench his expression going with it.

I suddenly feel for him even though I've never lost my teammates, they've lost me it seems to be the trend, unless you count throwing Artemis, Kaldur, and M'gann to the wolves. Still, that was our choice, Jaime didn't choose to lose his friends they were just forcefully taken from him, and now I'm sure he's feeling nothing but guilt.

"Definitely reading traces of boomtube activity." I step forward my blank stare reading the charts. We share a look, and it's enough time for me to examine his facial expression. Eyebrows pressed, lips set in a firm line, and shoulders and neck moving together rigidly.

He's pissed, but who at I'm not sure. Maybe just world, but I'm sure it's not at Jaime and the poor boy is shaking in his boots as we continue to awkwardly comunicate like we're on a link. Some habits die hard I guess.

"We think Mongul may have opened the boomtube as a means of escape, gaining the Team as captives in the bargain. The Team and worse," Captain Atom explains. I suck in sharply like someone is squeezing my lungs, and someone might as well it might feel better.

"Impulse had the crystal key." Jaime looks at me eyes nervous and sad even if they are orange, and I drop my head in my hands unable to look at him anymore. It's become a habit now for me to hide my face when I know my feelings are reflecting on it, so I turn away or drop my gaze.

"So the priority is making sure no one uses it to reactivate the Warworld.
Captain Marvel and Rocket are already guarding the key chamber..." As Atom continues to explain the League's plan from the corner of my eye I continue to watch Dick. His head droops forward and the line that is his lips gets thinner, he's thinking which could be good or bad.

This is always the hard part of the job, that's why the Amazon's had it right with no attachments there was just less pain. Not only have I lost kids today that I care about deeply, but I've lost Karen and Mal two of my closest friends, and I've lost Conner who is one of my best friends. The fact that he's still a little irked with me isn't helping things. Not to mention Cassie who's basically my little sister/aunt

"It's all my fault." I snap out of my head taking several strong steps forward once I hear his defeated voice. My hand rests on his shoulder, and I wait for him to look back up at me. "I know this is going to be hard, but try not to feel guilty." I know the feeling I've been feeling it a lot, I think but don't say aloud.

There's a heavy sigh behind me, and I take a step back allowing Dick to do his leader thing. "Wonder Woman is right. You didn't do anything wrong. We'll figure this out. For now?" He pauses and we both turn to Green Beetle.

"I will ensure he gets home safely." He agrees and I hope he's picking up on my gratitude if he can't see it on my tired face, and in my lazy body language.

"No, I want to stay. I want to help." His protests make the whole situation worse because I remember being in his position. A kid just wanting to help, but my superiors denying me the chance. Now I know why though.

"You will help. But right now, you need rest. Sleep. Go." Dick sighs the arguing tiring him out. His eyes keep scanning over the floor, clearly he's itching to start our investigation. "Dick's right, tomorrow Percy will need you to be strong for her because she will feel just as guilty for not being here, you'll need to be well rested."

"I'm sorry." He says one last time before stepping through the portal Doctor Fate has brought up.

"No. Whoever did this, they'll be sorry." Not only do I believe him, I agree with him.

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Anastasia's POV

It's not adding up, some kind of fight clearly took place, and the more I examine the room the more blaringly obvious it becomes. I'm standing in the center of the room, and everything on my left is slightly to far forward. It's just enough to drive my OCD crazy, but not enough proof to pin someone.

There's also imprints in the floor though a few feet in front of me, and I'm almost positive I've seen similar ones before. Against the back wall there's a body impression that's about the size of Superboy, and I've seen him get thrown
into enough walls to know what to look for.

Maybe this is all in my head, maybe I'm making it all up just to comfort myself. So maybe I feel like I'm getting somewhere when I've actually been walking in place all along.

Giving up I slump back over to Dick's side perking up when I see him hunched over something. "Robin's birdarang," he explains jaw clenched and words tense. I take the sleek weapon away from him, and look it over really only wanting to get it out of his hands. Jason's birdarang was the first thing we found before... You know.

"There was definitely a fight down here, but-"

"Why did Blue lie?" He finishes for me a single eyebrow raising as I flip the birdarang around in my hand trying to think. "It gets better," he pulls up the scan he must of done a few minutes prior. Seeing the specks of blue isn't comforting because it seems to just push me farther away from answers.

"It must've scratched his armor."

"That's what I'm hoping."

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Anastasia's POV

I punch the bag that hangs from the ceiling in the corner giving Dick space as he watches the news. I guess I can't handle the crap they're putting out there anymore it makes me sick, but it may help him plot or something.

Another punch and another punch, and the longer I go the more thankful I am that I made Wally come pick Percy up. Of course she insisted on staying, but like I told Jaime she needed to be rested. Especially if Dick plans to go through with this plan.

"I give you Blue Beetle!" My fist that's pulled back freezes as I whip to stare eyes wide and caught off guard at the TV.

"Thank you. Thank you all. But it is I who should express gratitude to you, Ambassador, for giving a normal, average human being like me the power of The Reach, the power to save the world." I hear a snap come from where Dick's sitting, and without thinking my fist flies forward knocking the punching bag half way across the room. Chalk and sand flying everywhere as it soars, and I'm left heaving my fist still ready to punch something else.