A/N: This story brought to you by musing thoughts about Shadow Stalker's particular brand of psychosis. More to come.

Initiation 1.1

There was an explosion behind Shadow Stalker as she shifted into her shadow state, not the typical kind of explosion but a strange field of light. It passed through her, but she could feel it acting sluggishly on her brain, trying to draw her down with apathy, make her sit and wait for them to come for her.

She turned, fired both of her crossbows at once. For someone watching, it would look like she had fired bolts of pure, gaseous shadow, passing through normal obstacles. It took precise timing to use them properly, but she'd gotten pretty good with practice.

One bolt went wide, clattering into a wall beside a horrified-looking bystander. The other materialized halfway through Gallant's leg, breaching his armor, and he screamed before going down, clutching at it.

Shadow Stalker shifted back to normal form to kick him in the head, the steel toe of her boot impacting the thin armor covering his face, and he went down for the count. Pathetic. Don't know what Glory Girl sees in him.

The other Wards were closing-Clockblocker, Vista, Kid Win, and Aegis. Vista could divert her bolts, Clockblocker could freeze them regardless of whether they were in the shadow state. They'd found that out during testing. Aegis would just survive anything she tried. Even a headshot might not work.

That left just one possibility. Shadow Stalker brought her crossbows to her opposite forearms and slammed them into the cartridges there. There was a click as the crossbows were automatically reloaded.

She took aim deliberately, letting the Wards see what she was doing, and fired at Vista, who shrieked and frantically started to warp space in front of her, distorting the path. Clockblocker lunged in the path of one, managing to freeze it, and Aegis flew past Shadow Stalker in some vain attempt to catch the other.

The arrow solidified before it reached Vista, but her power paid off and the shot only grazed her temple.

Meanwhile, though, Shadow Stalker had gone after her real target. Kid Win's laser pistol blew a hole in the center of her chest, but she kept pressing forwards, barely feeling it, reloading as she did so. Kid Win got a punch to the throat, his laser pistol tossed aside, and then Shadow Stalker grabbed him in a one-armed headlock, her other hand holding the business end of a crossbow to his throat.

He struggled, but she pressed the crossbow bolt in closer, drawing blood, and he stilled, the unspoken message clear.

Aegis stopped in his tracks. "Sophia," he said, in his best 'practiced hostage negotiator' voice, the one he copied off of Gallant, "let him go."

Shadow Stalker made a show of considering it, wasted behind her mask. "Nah. I've got a better plan. Run home with your tails between your legs, and I don't slit Kid Fail's throat."

"Listen, Sophia, you don't want to do that. You can still avoid the Birdcage. We're just taking you in for breaking your probation."

"Let me guess," Shadow Stalker said, "someone found my bolts. Piggot decided it was a sign straight out of heaven, and told you guys to bring me in so she can gloat about me going to juvie."

Aegis winced, and Shadow Stalker knew she had struck gold. She hadn't believed what the girl on the phone had said, but she'd suited up just in case, and a good thing too. They'd opened up with Vista putting Clockblocker a step behind her, with Gallant backing them up. If she hadn't been looking for it she would be in electrified handcuffs right now.

"Look, Sophia, there's no good options for you here. I'll testify, say you weren't in your right mind, and we can avoid a maximum security prison."

"That's three times you've said my name in front of the cameras," Shadow Stalker replied indicating a group of bystanders with a jerk of her head, several of whom had pulled out camera phones and were recording. "So, first off, fuck you for that. Second, I said back off." She angled the hand that she wasn't holding to Kid Win's throat downwards, careful not to let him out of the headlock, and fired the crossbow.

There was a thunk followed by a shriek of pain from Kid Win, and Sophia grinned at the looks of horror on the faces of the Wards.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I wasn't fucking serious? I've got lethal ammo here, you think I haven't used it before? Belly wound like that, he'll bleed out really quick, so back off so I can leave him sobbing for his mommy on the ground and you can get him to Panacea."

"Sophia-"

"Stop using my real name, Carlos." Sophia enunciated that one loud and clear for the cameras. "And get-"

Abruptly, the crossbow she'd been holding to Kid Win's throat, which she'd moved a bit so that he didn't cut his own throat while writhing in pain, was knocked aside by a blur of bright colors. In the same motion Battery planted a fist in Shadow Stalker's gut, moving so fast that Shadow Stalker couldn't go into her shadow state.

Shadow Stalker almost doubled over, but she tried to remain on her feet, shoving Kid Win's writhing form aside and lashing out at the Protectorate's speedster with a crossbow-holding hand. She needs to charge up. If I hit her now she won't get the-

An arm caught her throat as she moved forward, and Shadow Stalker was blown back, landing roughly on her side. A man wearing body armor with a visor over his head stood between her and Battery, his arm extended like some sort of wrestler. Assault. Figures.

There was a crackling sound, and Shadow Stalker turned to see Dauntless leveling his spear at her, electricity arcing. Going into her shadow state would just make it worse. She gritted her teeth and braced herself, though she knew it would be useless. She'd seen Dauntless knock out dozens with one blast from that spear.

An instant before the blast that would have sealed her fate, Dauntless' arm jerked aside. The blast hit Assault, Battery, and Kid Win instead, causing them to spasm before the two adult heroes collapsed and Kid Win curled up on the ground, clutching at his injuries.

Shadow Stalker caught a glimpse of Dauntless looking on in horror before a familiar darkness began to billow out into the area, concealing him and the Wards from view. Shadow Stalker went into her shadow state. She knew from experience that the darkness would dampen her powers, but it was better than nothing.

The darkness surrounded her, isolating her from the outside world. Only a small hole above her revealed the cloudless sky and gave her light to see in.

Grue emerged from the darkness, a tall, muscular figure wearing motorcycle leathers and a motorcycle helmet, within which she could make out a skull. Wisps of darkness circled around him.

Shadow Stalker thought about shooting him, decided against it. If he was only here for revenge, he would have just covered her in darkness, or let the Protectorate get her. No, he was here for something else.

She waited for Grue to speak, but he didn't, just extended a hand to the prone Shadow Stalker. She hesitated a moment and took it. What did she have left to lose, anyway?

Grue helped her to her feet, and turned, the darkness parting around him and moving to fill the space he'd left. Shadow Stalker followed as they moved at a run. "The Wards? Dauntless?"

"Being taken care of," Grue replied in his strange, echoing voice.

"Heard you started running with a team," Shadow Stalker nodded to herself.

"Five people, counting you." Grue turned to look at her, calm, authoritative. He was the team leader, reports had said. He was establishing his authority here.

Well, she'd worked with worse, and she'd fought Grue. He fought like a predator, engulfing his enemies in darkness and dismantling them in hand to hand combat. Much though she hated him for the humiliating defeats that he had handed her, she respected him for that. She'd worked with worse, and if she decided against it, well, they had to leave her unwatched sometime.

"Sure," she nodded.

"Welcome to the Undersiders." Grue's darkness parted in front of them. They'd come a long way, several blocks from the original fight at least. An unmarked minivan with tinted windows stood in front of them. "Get in; get changed if you need it. I'll take you to meet the rest."