They headed to her apartment in D.C. and changed out of their costumes. Kori swapped hers for a white shirt, pink shorts, and an apron with a glittery star on the front. Joseph just willed his golden Nth metal suit to shift into sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a matching gold apron—one of the perks of bonding with psychoreactive alien metal.
She was enthusiastic about baking. Good at it? Not quite.
Kori had misread baking soda and assumed it referred to a carbonated beverage. She tasted a spoonful with a wrinkled nose and then promptly declared, "This soda has gone bad," already heading for the door. "I'll get a fresh one from the store."
Joseph burst out laughing. "Wait—Kori, that's not soda-soda. It's sodium bicarbonate. For baking."
She paused, still frowning. "You name powders after drinks?"
"Earth's weird," he said, grinning.
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Your planet needs clearer labeling."
Though she'd lived on Earth for months, Kori still found some ingredients unintuitive. But with Joseph's help—and Nova calculating the scientifically optimal cookie recipe—they made it work. Nova even optimized the baking temperature and timing for crisp edges, chewy centers, balanced chip distribution, and perfect flavor.
The result? Batches of chocolate chip cookies so perfect they barely made it to the cooling rack. Kori inhaled 32 with alarming speed. Joseph tapped out after 16.
"I'm starting to think there's a black hole in your stomach," he said.
She licked some melted chocolate off her finger and grinned. "Try to keep up."
Afterward, they made a proper dinner together. Kori was much more confident here—living alone had taught her the basics. Still, her usual meals were mostly sandwiches, instant ramen, boiled eggs, or the occasional wrap. Joseph made a mental note to visit more often and teach her more recipes.
She suggested sushi. Turns out, all that practice rolling wraps had paid off—her technique was precise. Joseph took stock of her fridge and whipped up miso soup with rice to match.
While they cooked, the TV droned on in the background. News coverage detailed the recent repurposing of the Hyperspace Bypass Generator. Joseph had assumed it got destroyed. Apparently not. The footage showed the League and STAR Labs, with cooperation from captured Thanagarian scientists, had turned it into a planetary defense shield. It would only activate in dire emergencies due to its immense power consumption. A responsible move.
The Thanagarians remained in custody. No verdict yet. Public sentiment was mixed—calls for justice, and louder ones for revenge. Joseph doubted many governments would be as merciful. If not for the League, those scientists would likely be dissected or exploited.
He didn't care much about their fate. They'd tried to destroy his world.
Eventually, dinner was ready. They carried their plates to the couch, settling in as a documentary about gray wolves started playing. The food vanished quickly. Kori curled beside him, her head resting against his shoulder. Joseph draped an arm around her waist.
The quiet intimacy reminded him of the night after their escape from the arena—sharing ramen and watching albatrosses drift across the screen. So much had changed since then, but these small, human moments still grounded him.
Warmth filled his chest. Muscles relaxed. The soft narration of the documentary blended with Kori's breathing beside him.
Sleep came easily. Safe in her arms, he found peace.
**
| Taipei - September 8
The North–South Rhelasia peace summit nearly collapsed into chaos. Red Arrow, acting on intel that Cheshire planned to assassinate the summit's neutral arbitrator, arrived in Taipei and foiled her RPG attack. After capturing her in a rooftop scuffle, he discovered the arbitrator was none other than Lex Luthor.
Though Red Arrow despised him, Luthor publicly vouched for him and claimed he wanted peace—unified Rhelasia under LexCorp influence. Inside the summit, both leaders accused each other of orchestrating the attack. Red Arrow suspected Luthor was playing both sides; he had evidence of LexCorp arms deals, but Luthor argued peace was more profitable and asked Red Arrow to investigate the League of Shadows. Red Arrow accepted the mission but refused payment.
Later, while questioning Cheshire in prison, Sportsmaster staged her breakout. After a rooftop fight, Red Arrow was knocked into the river and presumed dead, but a tracker allowed him to regroup and contact Luthor. The billionaire suggested using Red Arrow's "death" to catch the Shadows off guard.
The next day, Red Arrow and Aqualad attended a tea ceremony hosted by Luthor to calm tensions. Disguised as a waitress, Cheshire shoved a bomb cart into the room. Aqualad used every drop of water—including diplomats' drinks—to form a shield, while Red Arrow detonated the bomb early. The blast opened a wall for Sportsmaster and more Shadows to attack.
A chaotic fight followed. Aqualad took on Sportsmaster while Red Arrow fought Cheshire. Then Sportsmaster dropped a bombshell: the Shadows had a mole inside the Team. Aqualad faltered, but Red Arrow activated the sprinklers, giving him enough water to summon a serpent that cleared the room—until Cheshire used a smoke bomb to escape.
As smoke filled the air, one last assassin charged the diplomats—only to be blasted by Mercy, Luthor's cybernetic bodyguard. Both Rhelasian leaders—South's Tseng and North's Singh Manh Li—thanked Luthor. To Red Arrow and Aqualad, it all felt orchestrated.
Outside, Cat Grant reported that a treaty had been signed. Red Arrow frowned. "You really believe Luthor's peace act? He's playing everyone. And if there's a mole in the Team…"
Aqualad stayed calm. "We'll investigate. Quietly."
Red Arrow scoffed. "Wouldn't surprise me if it was Flux or Artemis."
"Nova," Aqualad corrected, his tone sharp. "He exposed Thanagar's plans and has risked more for humanity than either of us. And Artemis is a valued member of the Team."
Red Arrow said nothing and walked off. After a pause, Aqualad called out, "You didn't call the League—or Green Arrow. You called us. Why?"
Red Arrow paused and sighed. "Even though I have some... disagreements with some of your members, The Team's earned my respect. If you ever need me, I'll be there."