Powers (TWxPG)

"Wha… where… am I?" I breathed as I slowly woke. I squinted against the bright light overhead that shone too intensely for my languid irises. I brought up a tired, shaky hand to shield my eyes, and gasped when I saw that it wasn't covered in fur.

My eyes shot open, more alert now as I began to register my surroundings. I quickly scanned the room as my thoughts buzzed around in every direction from the fear and surprise of the unfamiliar.

But this was not all that unfamiliar…

I was in a hospital room. A plastic nebulizer mask was strapped over my nose and mouth. I lifted my head and looked down at my body. I had no shirt on. The skin of my chest and abdomen had goose bumps from being exposed to the cool air of the sterile room. The thick elastic band of my red briefs showed above black sweatpants that hung loosely over my hip bones. There was an IV needle taped on the back of my left hand. Several heart monitoring leads were attached across my torso, the cords traveling up to various machines that displayed digital virtual readings of my vital signs. One in particular was beeping faster and faster as my heart rate accelerated.

"No… No no no no," I hissed angrily as I started panicking. Was this another nightmare? Although my mind was hazy, this didn't have the feel of a typical dream. Did my father manage to kidnap me so that he could continue his vile experiments? But then why was I back to normal?

Well, I sure wasn't about to let dear ol' dad come in here and answer those questions for me. I sat up and pulled the mask off and over my head, the rubber strap moving my wild hair behind me and away from my face. I tore off the leads strapped across my chest and the monitors abruptly went blank, making the signature monotone hum of undetected life. Finally, I ripped off the IV from my hand, ignoring the sting left on my skin from the tape being removed too quickly. I didn't want any more of that filth coursing through my veins.

I started planning an escape strategy as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I'd have to be fast, but stealthy. I'd use the skills I had learned in the Rawlian jungles, which had been fine-tuned from my time training with the Legion, to get myself out of here.

Wherever here was… There weren't exactly clues in this medical room to aid me in regards to knowing my locale, except that this was not one of the Legion rooms. The patter against the window at least told me it was raining, therefore we couldn't be on an asteroid or a space station. Were we still on Earth? Was I back on Rawl?

I carefully planted the soles of my bare feet on the cold tile floor as I stood up, which actually took more effort than what I was used to. I was probably just drowsy from whatever drug I was given. I took my first step toward the door but immediately felt light-headed. I reached for a nearby table to steady myself, but my hand missed and I fell on my hands and knees as the instrument tray crashed to the floor.

And then it came. The pain. The excruciating, mind-blowing pain. It seared through my body, my muscles, my joints, creeping up in wrathful throbs as if it were an angry monster that I had awoken from a slumber.

My mouth was open wide in shock, but I couldn't utter a single coherent word, I could only let out ragged gasps and small noises.

The hell did he do to me?!

I winced and bent over as invisible knives stabbed my belly, ripping my organs apart. I fell to my side and held myself, shivering and sweaty. It felt like there was a volcano erupting inside of me while at the same time being stranded in the Antarctic with no clothes.

I heard footsteps running toward the door, and gritted my teeth. I was trembling; maybe from the chills, maybe from the apprehension.

Damn it! I promised myself that I would never let him take me, never let him use me again! How could this have happened? I heard codes hurriedly being entered on the other side of the door to open it. My heart pounded so forcefully I could hear it in my ears, and the rush of blood started giving me a headache.

Desperation was clearly printed on my face as I clumsily sifted through the pile of instruments that were scattered across the floor from my fall. Maybe I could threaten him with one, use it as a weapon, but they all seemed pretty blunt and ineffective. I was out of options and out of time. I could just use the tray as a last resort and give him a good whack upside the head so I'd have a bit of time to rush out and get some distance.

I heard a ping and braced myself as the electronic door slid open.

"Brin! What happened?"

"Tinya," I rasped, relieved but confused as she and Brainiac-5 rushed over to me. Tinya knelt down and wrapped her arms around my neck. I tried to hug back but my arms could just barely embrace her because my limbs felt like lead. Why was I so fatigued?

"Oh thank goodness!" Tinya sniffed and sobbed, her hand stroking the back of my hair. "We were gone for just five minutes and then all of a sudden Brainy couldn't detect your vitals anymore. We thought the worst!"

"How about we get Timber Wolf back on his bed?" Brainiac-5 suggested. They both held my arms as I sat back down.

"Where am I?" I croaked. One hand was over my stomach and another was on my forehead. Everywhere was sore, and I was starting to feel nauseated but forced myself to keep my head clear. "How am I human again? And why do I feel like my entire body was used as someone's punching bag?"

"Hold on, Timber Wolf," said Brainy. "We'll answer your questions once you lie down and we get you back on the inhaled anesthetic and tissue-rebuilding solution–"

"What?!" I cut him off, and then groaned as my temples started throbbing.

"What. Happened?" I asked, more slowly and urgently this time.

"You don't remember?" Phantom Girl asked softly, her hand on my shoulder.

"The effects of the drug I administered can temporarily make it difficult to recall the recent past," Brainy explained as I lay back on the reclined bed.

"Take a few deep breaths," he instructed while repositioning the mask over my nose and mouth, and sure enough, within a few breaths the pain subsided and I defervesced. Brainy filled me in on the events of the past twenty-four hours, and the memories slowly came back to me.

Yeah, I remembered it clearly now…

I had been prowling the Zinithium lunar mining facility, senses alive and in tune with my environment as I searched for clues. I knew Grimbor the Chainsman was nearby, but I just couldn't pin his exact location.

"Come on out, Grimbor," I called out, doing little to hide the excitement on my face. "You can't hide from this," I indicated my keen sense of smell. It would only be a matter of time –

Fast movement flickered at the edges of my vision and I instinctively flipped out of the way as one of Grimbor's weapons crashed down at the spot where I had been a millisecond ago. Grimbor landed on the platform and pointed another weapon at me. I roared and leaped at him, ready to rip him to shreds. This crook was gonna learn the hard way that firearms couldn't do shit against me.

But when the emerald laser light surrounded me, I felt myself shrink as my strength, energy, and vitality were drained from me. My fur vanished, and although my muscles were still toned, it was like they were no longer working. I was trembling with fatigue from just holding myself up. Any joyful sentiment I could have had over finally being human again was immensely overridden by confusion, shock, fear, and the pain I felt all over my body, to the core of my bones. In just three seconds, Grimbor had managed to undo all the experimentation that my father had done, but it left me so weak, and so powerless, that I could barely lift my own hand.

"My powers," I muttered, too astonished really to say anything else.

"What powers?" Grimbor mocked, whipping a chain around me. The metal felt unusually heavy – ordinarily I could bust out of them with ease.

"You. Won't. Win." I threatened.

"These traps are an extension of my will," Grimbor mused in a voice that was much too calm for my liking. "I find everyone eventually succumbs to them."

This guy was enjoying himself way too much; unfortunately I was too dizzy to think up some smart retort to fire back at him. Grimbor aimed his weapon at me again. Now that I was human, I was completely vulnerable.

I couldn't believe this was it. The one moment I got to be human again, I got to spend it in agony and on the verge of death. The last thing I saw before I passed out was a flash of lightning.

After Grimbor was defeated, Karate Kid had used his weapon to reverse the effects, but it hadn't worked on me. The team brought my unconscious form back to HQ, where Brainy found that I was suffering from shock, a fever, and internal bleeding. According to him, my human body apparently wasn't taking the toll well from all my past battles and experiences.

"When your heart stopped the second time, it was clear to me that Earth simply didn't have the medical technology to save you, so I brought you to Planet Quarantine, a world known for having the best healthcare in the United Planets," Brainy explained as his cold, metallic fingers took my wrist and wrapped something around it.

I looked at the barcoded wristband. The print read:

QUARANTINE GENERAL HOSPITAL ID# 513477908

PATIENT: LONDO, BRIN 19 M

DOB: 1-12-95

ADM: 7-17-14

PCP: DOX, QUERL

ALLERGIES: NONE

"So you're my doc, huh?" I asked. My voice was slightly muffled through the plastic mask but clear enough.

"With my twelfth-level intelligence, I am more than qualified to oversee your medical treatment."

"And I'm your nurse!" Phantom Girl chipped in. "Well not officially but there was no way I was gonna leave your side!"

I gave her a small smile. Tinya and I had been steady for some months now, maybe four? I wasn't really sure, but luckily she wasn't the type of chick that made you remember anniversaries.

My smile faded as I looked up at her. I wondered if my eyes were also getting weaker. I used to be able to see all the details of her skin and facial features in ultra-high definition. My vision wasn't blurry enough to warrant eyeglasses, but the resolution had definitely attenuated. The strain of my wolf-vision evidently took a toll on my eyesight as well.

I had loved staring into those silvery depths. Her eyes were now a cool, clouded grey, still beautiful, like overcast skies, just not as amplified.

I took the mask off again. The pain was manageable now plus it was annoying. I could always put it back on when the pain returned. I was disappointed when I realized I couldn't smell her anymore either. I had grown quite fond of her scent…

My sense of smell had become my dominant method for interpreting the world. Looking back, I kinda wondered how I went my entire life without such an incredibly advantageous ability. I looked off into space as I remembered that no matter how useful my powers were, I didn't choose to have them. And a "gift" forced upon you, was a freedom taken away.

Brainy left, saying he would report to the Legion how I was coming along.

…..

Brainy said something as he exited the hospital room but I was focused on Brin. He had been smiling a moment ago, but now looked really contemplative and down. I climbed up on the bed and settled next to him, pulling the quilt up to about the level of our armpits. He smiled at the gesture, and I smiled back as I snuggled up to him, happy that he was happy. My arm was around his shoulder and his arm was around my waist as we just lay there, time still as we absorbed each other's presence.

It was definitely intriguing to finally see Brin in his human form. His voice was slightly less gravelly, but it was still definitely his. His skin was remarkably pale, in fact, lighter than my own. One could at least see the slight tan of my skin when it was against my white uniform, but Brin? It was like he was porcelain. But I felt uncomfortable describing him as such, for his strong-set jaw and unwavering gaze told me that even in his weakened state, he was still my solid rock – my unbreakable diamond.

I moved some of his hair behind his ear. His lustrous, dark brown hair could almost be mistaken for coal black. Yet even in the LED lighting of the infirmary, I could make out the sultry russet that reflected along the edges of his strands whenever he moved his head, the color I knew could reach a subdued auburn in the sunlight. Unlike me. My hair was so black it was almost blue, but the day he told me he loved my hair, I never once felt insecure about it again.

His eyes were no longer a striking yellow, but no less captivating. They were now a warm gold, with a few specks scattered in his iris like objects trapped in liquid amber – a frozen history that he told again and again whenever he peeked at me through those black eyelashes.

We relaxed under the covers, the only sounds being the gentle hum of the ventilation system and my occasional giggle whenever Brin would snake a hand up my shirt to tickle around my belly button. I kissed his forehead, and before long we fell asleep.

…..

"You may not make it, Timber Wolf," Brainiac-5 told me.

My "nurse" was out, and Brainy had just finished scanning my readings. We had been here for three days, and I wasn't doing well. Although I was managing the pain, I was growing weaker and weaker and it didn't help that I couldn't hold anything down. All the punches and blows I received to the gut were coming back to haunt me. I lurched any hospital food they attempted to give me – it was pretty nasty – and the IV fluids weren't giving me enough nutrients to rebuild my tissues faster than they were breaking down. I couldn't take ten steps without feeling like I needed to sit down. It was frustrating as hell. I was nineteen fucking years old, I shouldn't be moving like I was on my death bed.

But I guess I was.

"The only way you can survive is by returning to your canine form, which would instantly heal all of your internal wounds," Brainy paused, his magenta eyes hesitant and careful. "And I could do it. Although you destroyed Dr. Londo's files, I was able to deduce his method. But you'd go through the same transformation process that he—"

"No." I instantly cut him off. I would actually rather die than go through that again. I turned and faced the window as Brainy continued.

"Timber Wolf, you understand that it's against Legion policy to be a member without a superpower. You can't even live with us. HQ is targeted by many villains. If we're attacked, how would you defend yourself?"

I kept silent as I stared out the window. I saw Phantom Girl walking up toward the hospital.

"Not a word of this to anyone," I demanded. Brainy looked at me and then down at Phantom Girl and then back up at me before sighing.

"Besides," I grinned, "we got Karate Kid. Maybe I'll train with him to get stronger. And I'm sure I'll be back on my feet with a nice home-cooked meal."

"Although I witnessed his swearing-in, I still don't approve of it," Brainy shook his head. "But if you think you're up for it, I'll get a ship ready for us to head back to HQ. Just don't overexert yourself," he warned before leaving.

…..

Besides a few curious glances, I was given a pretty warm welcome when we arrived back at HQ. I wore a thin black shirt, dark blue jeans, and white gym shoes. My hair was tied back – I was too tired to comb it this morning. Garth, Supes, and Tyroc gave me hard brotherly pats on the back, and I stifled a grimace behind a smile, which Saturn Girl saw right through.

"Welcome back Timber Wolf," Imra smiled and grabbed Garth's arm to pull him along, "I'm sure he needs some rest."

"Not too much rest I hope," Cosmic Boy spouted, walking over to me. "Although we welcome you back from Quarantine's private planetary intensive care unit, you are expected to resume your Legion duties within a reasonable timeframe. So we hope you have a speedy recovery, because unless you can match Karate Kid in your human abilities, you'll be dismissed from the Legion."

"Thanks for the well-wishes, if that's what that was." I frowned and walked away. I wasn't up for Mr. Pompous today. Sometimes his asperity bordered on the line of douchebaggery. Although I got plenty of rest on Planet Quarantine, I still felt sleep-deprived, and it took effort to just appear like I was doing alright and wasn't about to fall over any minute.

I made my way to the Legion simulation room. Some noncore Legionnaires were standing by a wall watching Karate Kid practice fight moves. I went by them and leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. I just had to sit. My elbows rested on my knees as we watched him train.

Our newest recruit was around Cham's age, maybe fifteen, and had a determination that was strong enough to cut through steel – literally. Just now Val kicked through a wall of alloy and the whole thing crumbled to the ground.

Damn. Kid ain't one to fuck with. No wonder he took out Grimbor. I got up, shoved my hands in my pockets and left for my room. When I got there, I saw that Tinya left my duffle bag on my bed with a little note on top. I had told her I could carry my stuff back to HQ but she wouldn't have it, she would just phase it out of my grip whenever I tried to take it from her.

I smiled at Tinya's note, written in her adorable, semi-cursive Interlac, saying she would bring dinner up for me. When the food came, however, it looked… unappetizing, to say the least. But I was starving, so I kissed her cheek and ate what I could and slept.

The next morning I threw up.

Tinya apologized while checking my temperature.

"Maybe I should make my own breakfast," I croaked, grabbing my mother's cookbook.

"Nonsense!" she said, taking the cookbook and running out of the room.

About an hour later she came back with the cookbook and a plate of food, which smelt burnt and greasy.

"Here you go," she handed me the cookbook first, "I uh, kinda spilled a little food on it, heh…"

I frowned at the dried stain on the corner of the cover. "…'S okay."

She placed the tray of food in front of me and my frown deepened. The eggs were undercooked, with little chips of shells interspersed throughout the yellowy mush. The sausages were shriveled up, and she actually managed to burn the toast.

Maybe it was because I felt so miserable, or ill-tempered from the hunger pangs and headaches, but I snapped at her. I couldn't get how she wasn't able to follow the simple instructions of the cookbook.

"Sorry," she mumbled, and left my room, and I instantly regretted it once the door closed behind her.

I settled for a bowl of cereal and headed for the Legion gym. Turned out Cosmic Boy's "reasonable timeframe" was one freakin' week, so I had no time to be bedridden. I wore black shorts and a red sleeveless shirt with a thick white line running down the middle. I tried to train, but on the squat rack I could barely rep 195 lbs, which was pretty damn pitiful… I used to bench press 800 lbs and squat 1000 on a max load easy. I sighed and did what I could, and after a cool shower and a smoothie – I wasn't sure if I was up for solid food – I hit the sack at 5:30.

I dreamed I was back on Quarantine, but rather than Brainy coming in to check on me, it was my father.

"Why son, you need to get back to your beast form? I'll gladly aid you in that endeavor!"

He strapped on gloves and came at me with surgical instruments, which looked ten times more bizarre since it was a nightmare. I screamed and woke up in cold sweat.

Tinya came rushing in in her nightgown. Although it was against the rules, she stayed with me throughout the night, holding me close. I rested my head on her chest and she ran her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp. It relaxed me and relieved my headache enough for me to get some shut-eye.

I got up before dawn and left Tinya there sleeping on my bed. I headed to the training room and was surprised to see Karate Kid there. This dude was up at 5AM, training!

As I watched him fight against holograms of enemies, I thought about what Cos and Brainy said. Would I survive if I remained human? And where would I go if I was kicked out of the Legion? A wave of insecurity washed over me, a sensation I hadn't felt since leaving Rawl. I suddenly felt unsafe, as if father were waiting right outside the Legion building, ready to snatch me up the moment he found out I was vulnerable. I briskly walked up to Karate Kid after he just finished a move.

"Hey kid, where'd you learn that?"

"Oh! Timber Wolf-san," he bowed. "I hope you are feeling better."

I growled at him. I thought I had told him to stop calling me that. "Don't worry about me. Where did you learn that?" I repeated more sternly this time.

"Oh yes, it is a Japanese martial art I learned from my caretakers. It was what I used to defeat Grimbor," he explained, demonstrating a few punches and kicks.

"Show me," I said simply, and got into a fighting stance. I wasn't familiar with the Japanese martial art disciplines, but I was willing to learn. My fighting style was based on martial arts tricking, which drew from several combat styles. Plus I needed someone to spar with and I was in no shape to handle Garth's electrocutions.

After about two hours of training, Karate Kid and I shook hands. It was actually a great workout, and I learned a bunch of new techniques. I sipped some water as I walked out of the training room but started coughing a little. I thought I probably just aspirated some droplets down the wrong pipe, but I kept coughing and coughing. I coughed so hard it racked my whole body, and I sunk to my knees in the hallway. When I calmed, I saw blood on the hand that had been covering my mouth.

…..

Brin had woken up so early, leaving me alone in his room. I put on jeans and a shirt and went to look for him and make sure he was alright. I found him walking through the Legion hallways, with that distant, contemplative look again. When he spotted me he gave me a soft smile. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he swung an arm over my shoulders and we walked together.

Brin was a few inches shorter than before, but he still towered over me. He now just brushed six feet as compared to his former six-foot-three. I stood five-foot-seven in the raised white heels of my Legion uniform but I was five-foot-five in the slippers I wore off-duty. We stopped by the Legion kitchen.

"I can make you something," I said, looking up at him. He looked back down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You'll be right here! You can tell me what to do and I'll follow your exact instructions," I promised. He sighed, finally relenting, and I smiled as I gathered the pots and pans.

Brin sat on the kitchen counter and instructed me through the entire process. Everything he said was either new to me or the exact opposite of what I thought should have been done – which, I suppose, was why he was awesome at cooking and why I sucked at it.

But in the end, I squealed when he tasted the food and said, "Not bad."

…..

The next day I woke up feeling better and nausea-free. Tinya had actually prepared a decent meal, and I ate and ate, finally enjoying the food. My training sessions with Val have also helped me improve immensely in energy and strength. Today he showed me how to take advantage of stress points and attacking the enemy's weak spots. It was pretty enlightening. I usually just charged full-force at an enemy and ripped him apart with my claws.

But seeing as I no longer had any claws, I was to learn that in battle, flexibility was a virtue.

We sparred, doing all types of martial arts tricking maneuvers. Aerials, backflips, sideflips, cheats, hooks, grabs, drops, spins, and twists. The key was to be faster than your opponent, more versatile, more unpredictable. It was a dance. It was a fight. It was life in motion.

Life. The very life that was slipping from me with each moment... I had passed out unexpectedly during our training session with a small trail of blood running down the corner of my mouth. Karate Kid rushed me over to Brainy's lab.

"The walls of the major blood vessels that emanate from your heart are disintegrating," Brainy informed me as he scrolled through virtual 3D images of my twelve body systems. They each had bar graphs next to them that compared me to standard health, but some of my bars were short and red.

"Your combined musculoskeletal system has improved with the strength training, but your digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems weren't able to recover fast enough. Even with the nutrients supplied through medicine and food, your body lost its ability to absorb or utilize them. Your organs are failing."

"So, what you're saying is…" I couldn't finish.

"You're… dying, Timber Wolf," Brainy said, sympathy actually showing through his robotic exterior. "You tried but the damage was too great."

I closed my eyes and sighed after a few moments. "Keep this information private."

Karate Kid looked shocked. "But Phantom Girl-chan will be worried! You –"

"Leave," I told Karate Kid. I've seen Tinya get worried about me before, and it damn near broke my heart. It would kill me faster than any sickness could.

…..

[Lana del Rey – Young and Beautiful]

I kept a straight face as I placed my flight ring and communicator belt in the velvet casing. Superman sighed as he gently closed the gold box.

"The war with Imperiex has lowered our ranks… I was hoping we wouldn't lose another member," Supes said solemnly. I remained silent and tightened my grip on the strap of my duffle bag.

"We'll miss you bro," Cham said, giving me a fist bump.

As I turned to leave, Karate Kid put a gentle, bronze-colored hand on my shoulder.

"With every obstacle there is a solution," he declared, his hazel eyes looking up at me in earnest.

"…Yeah," I mumbled, and continued on my way.

Phantom Girl was standing in the hallway right when I rounded the corner.

"So where're you gonna go?" she said, arms crossed and clearly agitated.

"Don't worry about me, princess," I smiled at her. "I just need some time to think. Besides, I'll come back anyway to get the rest of my stuff."

I kissed her forehead and walked around her.

"Wait!" she called after a moment. She ran and jumped into my arms and kissed me. I dropped my bag and kissed her back, deeply, savoring what I only knew were our last moments.

Will you still love me when I got nothing but my aching soul? I know you will…

I know you will…

…..

I reached the outskirts of the city that night, where I made my way deep into the woods. I came to a waterfall that stretched several hundred meters across and marked the edge of New Metropolis. I coughed again and sunk to the ground, laying there staring up at the moon that shone brightly through the tree tops, the only sound being the roar of several tons of falling water. My throat tickled again, but I suppressed the urge to cough and breathed calmly, letting the warm, metallic fluid seep wherever it wanted to, letting it drown me. I was tired of it all: the blood, the pain, all that I lost, and the constant worry that I could lose control and hurt the people I loved.

I cursed my father for damning me to such a fate.

My heart rate slowed as I stared up at the moon with a neutral expression. At least my last sight would be a pleasant and peaceful one. Although moonlight was only a reflection of the Sun, the moon did something to this light; it enchanted it, made it mysterious and strange, sending the sunlight back in mythical wavelengths, mesmerizing the viewer. It was almost as beautiful as Tinya… emphasis on almost.

I used my last moments to ponder over what could have been. Tinya and I would have fought side by side as Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf. Wazzo would have to ditch the idea of finding any more possible suitors for her daughter, because I would have asked Tinya to marry me. Heh, the UP President probably wouldn't be too thrilled that her future son-in-law was a freakin' wolf. I pulled the corner of my lip up into a tired smirk at the thought of our potential family photo. Like hmmm, which one didn't belong?

But Tinya would fight for me, and that's what I loved about her. She was a true friend… my Tinya… my everything…

And I would've been the best father. I'd show dad what it meant to raise and love your children. Could I even have kids? Even if we couldn't, we'd adopt. I guess I never fully researched how my radiation-induced transformation affected the entirety of my biology, but as my heart rate slowed to a dangerously sluggish pace, I supposed it didn't matter anymore.

As I stared blankly at the glowing white orb above, my thoughts finally drifted away, losing their hold like planets that have lost their star, flying off into the blackness of space. I closed my eyes. The moonlight felt so good on my skin, so relaxing, almost rejuvenating. It was dead quiet, and I could no longer hear the sound of the rushing water.

I reopened my eyes, too numb to notice that the vision of the moon had become sharper. It was almost.. calling to me, and like an ocean tide, I was pulled into its majesty.

…..

"Hurry, Cham!" I yelled, gesturing at my Durlan teammate to fly faster.

"Tinya, I'm still on suspension. You should be happy I came along at all," Cham grumbled. "Besides, we've looked everywhere."

"There's just no way he could've made it out of the city in this short time period, even with a flight ring," I sighed while landing in the woods near the edge of New Metropolis.

"Maybe he doesn't want to be found," Cham said softly after landing next to me.

"No!" I shouted at him, refusing to accept that. But I had gotten a dreadful feeling after Brin left HQ, like I would never see him again. I sat on a tree trunk and looked up at the moon as tears welled up in my eyes.

Timber Wolf had been with me right before the mission against Grimbor. I had just been consoling Cham over his suspension, and was on my way to see Cosmic Boy to give him a piece of my mind. I saw Timber Wolf ahead, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and a wily grin on his face.

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" he pushed himself off the wall.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I playfully stuck my tongue out at him, but his grin just widened as he walked up to me.

"No no no!" I squealed as he tickled my waist. I phased out of his grip as he chuckled.

"Can't I get a hug before my next mission?" he asked with his arms spread out.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Fine." I secretly planned to tickle him back.

But just as we neared, Brin swooped down and my arms closed around air. Before I knew it I was over six feet high, kicking and whining over Brin's shoulders.

"Hey! Put me down! I'm warning you!" I hit his arms and back, which did nothing against his fur, thick skin, and huge muscles.

He carried me to his room and put me on his bed and blew raspberries onto my belly and neck, making me laugh so hard. Then he hovered above me, the ends of his hair tickling my face.

"You shouldn't be so loud, princess. You don't want Cosmic Boy coming in and finding the President's daughter in such a compromising position."

We, uh, were in quite a provocative position. I cleared my throat and untangled myself from him, stood up and regained my poise and lady-like manners. Only Brin knew how to bring the child out of me, and at the same time make me feel like a woman.

I was about to return a witty remark but his Legion belt blinked.

"Guess it's time for the mission," Brin said. He stood up and gave me a final peck on the lips. He walked towards the door and turned to me before it closed.

"Be here when I get back?" he winked.

"Hehe, you bet," I blushed and smiled.

It was an uneventful, three hour wait. Brainiac-5 had assigned me to data entry. When I heard the Legion ship fly in, I was excited, but my smile slowly faded and was replaced with shock when I saw Superman and Lightning Lad carrying an unconscious and human Brin to the recovery ward, one of them saying, "It's gonna be okay buddy, just hang on!"

I hugged my knees and sobbed at the memory. Just when I thought I had him in my arms, he was gone from me again. I closed my eyes and Cham and I remained there in silence.

I jumped when I heard howling in the distance. Cham had heard it as well, and was looking around. We took off again, flying towards the sound.

…..

I hadn't felt any pain.

I howled at the moon from a rocky eminence on the edge of the waterfall, feeling revitalized and reborn. The spray of the raging waterfall left moist droplets on my fur, and for once I felt I had full control over my being. I leaped off of the rock and soared several meters, landing back on the forest ground. I changed back into my human-like form, the one everyone was used to, wearing only my black shorts, the rest of my clothes having been torn away from the transformation. I could now morph into my full beast form whenever I needed to, at my own discretion, and without the throbbing headaches. I would never have to worry about my father manipulating me ever again.

"Brin!" a voice called from behind, but I had actually caught her scent beforehand and growled at the luscious fragrance. I had just barely turned completely around before Tinya jumped in my arms, wrapping her legs around me and hugging me so tight, as if I would disappear the moment she let go. I gladly hugged her back, wiping her tears and shushing her sobs.

"Let's go home," I whispered in her ear.

…..

Cham watched his fellow Legionnaires walk off into the distance, Timber Wolf carrying Phantom Girl in his arms.

"The universe sure works in mysterious ways," he smirked, and flew off into the night.

.....

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Powers is part of the larger series, 'Fur, Inc., My Princess, and Other Stories' found on