Chapter Text
Multiple pictures were on the presentation to the Team. Most of them were of some kind of dark spirit. They were ghastly with pitch black bones and drapes. The plants around them looked gray and dull, with the dirt seem glow red. Like the ground was sick or dead. The other kind of the injuries. They looked like a wild animal got to the people.
Bumblebee hissed her teeth. "We need to do something about this.”
Miss Martin nodded.” This could get worse if the attacks continue.”
Starlight, a young black girl with black thick hair and a missing leg, raised her hand. “Umm excuse me Miss but exactly what are they? Besides out of our nightmares?”
Doctor Fate spoke with venom.“ These are called haints,” he spat out. “ Foul creatures made of regrets and sorrows when the Great Tapestry is torn. With them , Stigma is born.The amount of chaos that can be caused by them is dangerous at best."
Nightwing showed more photos to the rest of the team. “And with the Reach around, they will have more fuel fast. And not just in Gotham.”
“ And that's where we come in. ” La’gaan asked. “ Send us in, Nightwing. Those haints will be shark bait by morning. You can count on that.”
Cassie nodded “I can't believe I'm saying this but Lagoon Boy's right. Best to knock them out now before they get worse.”
“ Uh, rude. I'm right here.”
“ Yeah so what are we waiting for, time to bust some ghosts!” Beast Boy cheered, turning into a wolf.
“ If anyone could take out these demons, we would hav just don just that, darlin.” a voiced cooed in an southern accent.
A young dark skin black woman with long braids stepped into the light. The first thing they noticed was her eyes. They were pure black with only white rings in what looked like her irises. Second was her attire; she looked like she stepped out of a Gothic horror novel.
“But these things can't be affected by moral means or magic. Controlled? I honestly don't know but the point is neither you or me couldn't banish them much less hurt them. We need a weaver for that.”
“Thank you for that exposition, Mourning Glory.” Nightwing playfully snarked.
“Any time, Songbird.”
“ Is it possible that you will ever call me Nightwing?” he groaned.
“ Is it possible that you ever call me Ms. Moon? You know my hero name?” she snarked back.
“ I will when you change your hero name. It sounds pretentious and you know it, Sunflower.” Nightwing teased.
Starlight nervously raised her dark wenge hand again. “ What about Milady? Her codename is pretty and fitting. Ms. Moon is the same.”
“ No offense, Betta ,”La'gaan started. “ I agree with your point about Ms. Jellyfish but Barracuda’s is kinda- ”
Milady cuts him with a glare of cold fury.“ Say one more word, you overgrown salmon, and I will make you regret ever meeting me.”
"Pre-"
Beast Boy decided to get things on track before something happens. “Excuse hello, confused heroes here. What the heck is a weaver? ”
“ Weavers are basically healers in a sense. They fix up the knots in the threads in the Grand Tapestry. You see-”
Doctor Fate interrupted her. “ The problem is that we need one but only come out in a storm and we can not make them. Believe me, I have tried.”
Ms. Moon huffed in indignation. “Well it's a good thing we know one then,” she signed. “ Which lead is to the reason we told you youngin this.”
The younger members team held their breath. Some of them just got back from space or another Reach mission but they all were already itching for an new one. Bart, Clarissa and Garfield were especially restless.
Nightwing started to state the mission. “ Robin Beast Boy, Impulse, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy, Starlight, Milady and Wonder Girl. You mission is- ”
-
“Stay out of trouble,” Clarissa repeated. “And don't go looking for the weaver and disturb her. Seems a little unnecessary. For at least me.” she thought in annoyance. It clearly thought it was beneath her to get the order along side them but she kept quiet.
The group decided to go outside to take their minds off of what they told. They all bundled up but it didn't exactly work. The air of Happy Harbor felt off somehow, like the chill came from within rather then with out.
The city was also quieter somehow. It was winter after all but was really still. It seems the city was holding it's breath. Even the forest felt like it was crying. Not that most of the younger members noticed.
“ What I can't believe is that they're not letting help” Garfield grumbled.
“ If he says stay away, we stay away.” Tim pointed out. “ We're need the Weaver for a reason.”
The mood was frustrated to say the least. The kidnappings were bad enough but finding out that could create monster that they couldn't beat just stung more somehow. Like the more they slack, they helped created these things.
Bart, Garfield and Cassie were making snowmen while Jamie was watching while drinking some soup from a mug. Clarissa was taking the time to finish “ Great Expectations” while she had the chance. Meanwhile La'gaan was looking for something take a picture of when he noticed a certain witch out of it.
Onna’s head was down the whole time after the meeting ended. She wasn't usually chatty but it was getting worrying.
“Betta Fish. Are you okay?,” La'gaan was the first to ask her. He put his hand on her shoulder. “You seem more out of it then usual.”
Her face turned into a tomato and took a few steps to get away farther from him. “ Fine, really! I'm totally not thinking about haints or stigma or other things that seem to make the world crazier!”
La’gaan winced before nodding his head. “ Look Oona, I know I can be a pain but I'm worried.” His ruby eyes started into her soul. “Usually you would using the time off to draw some stuff for that fashion stuff you like.”
“I'm just… worried.” She paused, walking away as she did. “My grandmother told me stories when she was alive and since haints are real …. Maybe we should listen to them and maybe try to - AGHHGGB”
Her fake leg got caught in a root and she tripped and fell to the ground and down a steep. She winced in pain but before she could get up she saw something near the root.
La'gaan panicked. “Betta! Are you okay? You want some help.”
“I’m fine. Just my luck, I guess. Go head back with the others, I'll catch you then.” Oona dusted herself off as she got up.
“ I mean, I could just go down and carry you up. It would save you the- ”
“ No!" she squeaked out become composing herself. " I mean, I need to help it myself. Go ahead before the others get worried. I'll be fine.”
As she looked around the thicket, there was a doll. A patchwork one from the looks of it. An misshaped thinks that looked like a bag of potatoes. But it had a certain charm to it. Like a little innocent Oogie Boogie without the bugs stuffing. She picked it up and started to walked back up.
Only for her fake foot to get caught a particularly strong bramble vine. As she struggled, La'gaan came down the dive.
" Oona, come on. At least let me help with the brambles, Betta."
"Thanks but I can do it on my own." She got the brambles off. As she began to walk she stumbled with La'gaan catching her. "Okay, maybe a little help is good."
As they began the walk back up, she noticed the doll had loose stitches. She decided to fix them later when she had the chance. She also noticed the white threads surrounding the doll.
Little did she know that she failed that mission the minute she picked up the doll. Or what else was going to go crazy.