Raven

Chapter 5 - Team

After a climb that was easier than the last, I pulled myself up onto the wooden floor of the treehouse and sat there for a moment with my legs dangling out the trapdoor. After getting my bearings, I looked up to see an unfamiliar face; a blond boy with short, straight hair and eyes a similar shade of blue to mine, wearing a brown vest, orange shirt and denim jeans. He stood with authority, his arms crossed as he tried to stare me down. Despite this menacing appearance, there was some sort of vague confusion on his face. Almost offended, I raised an eyebrow and didn't break eye contact as I stood up. This brought me about eye level with the stranger and I noted that he was only a couple of centimetres taller than me.

"Hi." I started calmly, finally dropping my gaze for a split second to take my mask off and lower my hood. "Going to go out on a limb here and assume you didn't know I was going to show up tonight, sorry about that."

"Oh he knew," came Harley's voice from what I assumed to be the kitchen of the place, and I winced. I mentally bet myself five bucks that he was making some variation of Milo, before turning my attention back to the stranger in orange. "Wills always knows." That was Harley again, and I rolled my eyes.

The blond, whom I was now going to call Wills unless proven wrong, did much the same and extended a hand. The change in attitude surprised me briefly, and I took the hand offered to shake.

"You're joining us, th-" the stranger was cut off by a huge crash in the kitchen, followed by the unmistakable sounds of liquid splashing everywhere and Harley swearing. Wills sighed and dropped his hand, turning to the wall separating the two rooms. "What did you break?"

"Uh ... only the milk and this flower pot." Came the reply, and I heard an indignant yell from nearby. Turning, I saw the same red-haired girl in green from before flash jump over the back of a nearby couch and run into the kitchen.

"Noooo Harleeyyy." She groaned, drawing the words out. The pot was hers, I realised and shook my head. There was the sound of water running, more cursing, and a few minutes passed in relative silence. I felt a bit uncomfortable, shifting my weight back and forth, while Wills seemed impatient and tapped his foot.

It was about that time when a dark-haired boy dressed in grey and black entered the room, yawning. In making eye contact I noted that his were a dark green, a surprising contrast to all of the blues I'd seen around tonight.

"Sup," he greeted, nodding to Wills and raising a hand in a friendly wave to me. "I'm Green Arrow, Joel if you like. And nope, this isn't my normal outfit."

"Estella." I introduced myself, feeling a grin come to my face for the first time in a while that evening. "Raven, if we're on a mission; and I'd figured."

"Did I hear another girl?!" A shrill voice came from down the hall, the source of which was revealed a moment later to be a bouncy, dark-haired girl of about twelve. I made a note to stay away from the business end of the mallet she was twirling easily. It was when she scampered over and peered up at me inquisitively with dark green eyes that it clicked that she and Joel were related somehow. After a moment, she skipped to Wills' side and whispered into his ear. He leaned down, listening.

"Yes, no, no, and why would you even think that?" The last answer was spoken in an incredulous tone, and I heard a groan from behind me. Joel had a hand splayed across his face, and he sighed when he noticed my bemused expression.

"Ella likes to know everything she can about a person. Yes, she is my sister. No, do not trust her with the location of your lolly stash." He ticked off his sentences on his fingers as he spoke. That ... pretty much answered all my questions. Ella turned around and poked her tongue out at Joel, and I heard a grumble of "meanie" from her.

"The good news," announced the redhead as she re-entered the room, "is that my oleander is okay and re-potted. The disappointing news, as always, is that my brother is an idiot." With a huff, she flopped down on the couch and picked up a purple nail file. She paused for a moment, frowned, and sat back up to look at the four of us that were standing with blue-green eyes. "What, is there some kind of meeting happening?"

"No shit Kiz." Harley re-appeared, cradling a tin of Milo in one hand and a spoon in the other as he spoke through a mouthful of powder. He gestured to me with the spoon. "I see you've met everyone else already, good one. I'd introduce myself but that'd ruin my streak, and you know me anyway."

"And I'm Kira, Toxic, whatever you want to call me." The green-clad girl waved a hand dismissively. "Unofficial healer, but regardless try not to break anything. We're short-staffed as it is these days." Harley winced, almost imperceptibly, but the cause of which was unknown. "So how do you know my brother anyway?" Kira continued, resting a hand on her chin. I had a vague feeling that I was going to like this girl.

"A pleasure to meet you. As for that long story, I'll cut it short: we were pretty close friends until about five years ago, when my dad decided that having friends outside my family was a danger to us all." I rolled my eyes, but then shrugged. "Any other questions?" There were shared looks among the others, shaking heads, and eventually Ella piped up, rocking back on her heels.

"Yeah, but to Willsy, sorry Stella. Who's initiating her?" Wills thought for a moment, looking around at the current Crime Lords.

"Harley, it's his turn," he responded simply. "Once we get her results, we'll see if she- if you're fit to be a Commander, Estella." I nodded, not totally understanding what was going on. However, I figured that I would soon. Joel yawned again.

"Can we do this in the morning though? It's after midnight and we don't have another mission tonight. And by morning I mean when the sun is actually up, don't start." He pointed at Wills while saying the last line, and I wondered if that had happened before: Joel suggesting that something should wait until the morning, only for Wills to point out that 1am is, in fact, morning and they had to do it exactly then. The level of unimpressed, in theory, was almost enough to make me laugh. But I had to agree, it had been a long night and I really wanted to sleep.

Wills sighed. "Okay, fine. Sleep until nine if you must, but if Harley and Estella are awake before you then you miss out. This goes for everyone." He added, and looked at the two younger girls. There was a general murmur of assent, and I was left for a moment wondering where I was going to sleep before Wills continued. "Estella can take up the spare room; the girls can show you which one it is on the way through."

Cue complaining from Kira and Ella (which I personally thought was justified), but the latter gestured for me to follow her down the hall. I bid the boys goodnight and followed until we came to a door, which Ella patted proudly.

"This one's yours. Rest up, Harley's a menace any time before eleven. Here's to hoping you're his equal in this fighting stuff." As Ella turned to leave, I reached out and caught at her arm.

"Hey, listen ... thanks. I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into here, but yeah. Also, if you ever want to know something about me, you can ask." She seemed a little surprised, and I stood there awkwardly for a few moments before Ella beamed, stood on her toes and ruffled the hair on top of my head affectionately.

"No problemo Stella. And okey dokey, I'll keep it in mind. You go sleep now, though." With that she wandered off to the end of the corridor and turned right, heading into the room that Kira had vanished into a few minutes before.

It took only a few minutes for me to get changed and make the smallish bed that stood in the corner of the room up with fresh sheets, and one more to turn out the lamp and climb into the sheets. I fell asleep quickly, and for once no dreams accompanied me.