Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. The majority of the Team's children
A/N: Stealthy Mentalist! Finally, but how will it affect the team?
Chapter 23 – Mari Grayson
"Dad! You can't be serious? Why can't I go to the cinema?" I squealed loudly, pleading him with clasped hands. "Bruce said I could."
Dad frowned hard. "Well it's a good job that he's not your father then." He turned the page of his newspaper, noticing a familiar name and throwing it onto the sofa. "Mari- my decision is final."
"What?" I screeched. "This is so unfair! Why don't I just go to Tamaran- Aunt Blackfire would know how to treat me."
"Mari. I'm not having this discussion with you, and you are also not going to Tamaran."
My hands slammed down on the desk, accidentally fracturing the top of the wood. "You never let me do anything I want to do!" I headed straight for the door, without a care in the world for anything that my father might say. "And I'm going to my room. If that's okay?"
I hated living in Wayne Manor – Bruce was slow and very dismissive of me and Max, despite being his protégé's children. I wondered if Bruce Wayne had children, because his demeanour and treatment of us made me believe otherwise.
In my room, I opened up my laptop, infuriated by my father's sudden iron fist. He had no reason to behave this way, and also out of nowhere. I couldn't have said where the change of heart had come from.
With the Justice Squad, there were few villains showing their faces. Double M, the Mastermind, was in Belle Reve now, after we got him in the theatre. Maverick was secure in the cells at base. The Salvation hadn't show up at all either. Nothing was pressuring Dad.
I had an email notification from my new penpal, Damian. It was only when I was looking at the screen that it made me notice the date and time at that precise moment. Everything made sense now.
It was the anniversary of Mum's disappearance.
Ignoring the new email, I slammed the laptop shut and glided slowly back to the library where Dad was still sat.
"Dad... Why didn't you just say it was the anniversary? The day that she left."
"Because this day is always hard enough for the Graysons. Were you being serious- about wanting to visit Tamaran?"
I paused for a moment, not really knowing what the answer was. "I guess. I really just sort of said it in the heat of the moment. It's not exactly something I'm proud of saying so you have to take it with a pinch of salt."
"Well- I just want you to know that if you ever want to, you can go and visit Tamaran."
"It wouldn't be the same without Mum, or even Max."
Max never liked the idea of going to Tamaran because he looked so different to them. As a human-Tamaran hybrid, he never liked that I was the spit of Mum but with Dad's dark hair. He was just a copy of Dad's. The idea of him going to Tamaran was definitely not top of his list.
"Green Canary sent me a message earlier – you and the Justice Squad have a mission tomorrow. Are you ready for it?" Dad watched me pace the room. "Mari?"
"Sorry- yes. Of course!" I smiled broadly, trying to sound convincing.
-o-
The mission.
To settle an intergalactic dispute between two species on a far off planet. No big deal, right? Fortunately, I had Stealth, Diana and Mentalist by my side to make it more enjoyable. Although, I made sure never to mention that to Green Canary or Angel. That would get me blacklisted if I ever labelled missions as anything but my job.
Angel and Miss Martian were at the front of the bio-ship, manoeuvring through a small asteroid belt. Diana was sat in the seat beside me, glancing over her shoulder at Stealth and Mentalist who were being an adorable couple. I had wondered why the four of us had been chosen, but I was glad to be spending time with the others.
"This is Miss Martian requesting to dock – I repeat, this is Miss Martian requesting to dock. Over." Miss Martian flipped a switched and pressed a series of buttons overhead. "Okay team, let's focus on the mission at hand."
The mission at hand. A political dispute between the north and southern hemisphere of Pamara. A small planet where the residents couldn't help but air their issues with the one. The only problem was that we didn't expect to find the number one enemy of the Justice League there. It all happened so fast. From the moment we landed, it felt tense in the air.
No one greeted up to begin with, and that spoke volume. I looked around as I disembarked with my fellow squad members. It was empty and that was enough to make my skin crawl. My boots clicked against the metal gangway as I walked away from the bioship. Below the walkway was a large pool of lava that bubbled and spluttered.
"Okay team – let's scour the area and see where everyone is. They've got to be somewhere." Miss Martian looked back at the bioship. "I need to check the bioship's systems. Angel, take the team and organise them."
Angel saluted Miss Martian playfully. "You got it, Miss M." He swung around, nearly battering us with his illustrious wings. "Okay team. Nightstar, Mentalist and Stealth, take that ramp up there. Diana and I will search the other docking bays."
Diana looked around calmly. "It's like this place has been evacuated."
Nervous, I replied, "I wouldn't joke about that if I were you."
"I wasn't actually joking Nightstar. But go, we have a job to do and a planet to rescue."
"Keep the comms link open." Diana followed Angel quickly, running to keep up. Her gladiator skirt shift from side to side with every shirt, making metallic little clinks.
"Come on guys!" Stealth exclaimed brightly, darting back and forth between the doors at the top of the ramp and towards me. "Nightstar, wake up!"
I reacted with rapidly blinking eyes. I kicked gently off the ground, floating towards the doors. "Something feels wrong. It's just a feeling but it doesn't feel right. I'm worried that this is just a big trap." I felt my nerves on edge, awaiting a sudden sneak attack.
We walked along the way, until a sudden hissing sound signalled that something was being pumped into the corridor all around us. I tore through the air towards the next door. My hands rattled against the buttons on the control panel until I stopped in agitation.
"Nightstar!" Stealth exclaimed, reaching for me and then collapsing into my arms. "Knock out gas- hold-"
"Stealth! Stealth?" I squealed, shaking her body. "Wake up- Mentalist! Oh no..." I released Stealth's body, letting it fall to the floor and gawping at even Mentalist's body on the floor.
They were both out cold and I felt truly alone. I wondered whether I should go back for Diana and Angel, but I couldn't take both Stealth and Mentalist's bodies too. The door I was standing by opening slowly and I froze, waiting to see what happened and who would come my way.
"Oh? Well isn't this precious! I wasn't expecting a Tamaranean girl on Pamara." A lady with sheet white skin and a black bodysuit appeared in the doorway, looking me up and down. "It's Nightstar, isn't it?" She brushed her hair back with her hands, exposing sharp and pointy ears. "Now. You and I are going to have a little chat to see if you are strong enough to save your friends."
"Not until you tell me who you are?"
"Me? Why I'm Doctor Nightmare!" she cackled, dragging Stealth's body with her. "Bring him. Their nightmare may only be beginning but yours is far from over..."
-o-
"If you can tell me what your friends fear, then I promise you I'll let everyone go." Doctor Nightmare walked around her subjects. Diana, Angel, Stealth and Mentalist were all lying comatose in a line. "It's quite simple really – and no, I'm not giving you any second guesses. You fail with one and I'll leave them there. Trapped forever."
"Forever?" I question to make certain.
Looking at them, it is clear that I have to do this alone. In the pit of my stomach, I feel a horrible sickness that tells me I need to be strong. For everyone. I hate to imagine what each of them is going through – stuck in a whirlwind nightmarish dream. They're my teammates and friends, but I don't know what scares them. I couldn't tell. I could guess, but I could never be certain.
Brainstorming the ideas of what might be their biggest fears, I try to think about what the common fears are. Common fears... Loss, rejection, pain and suffering, betrayal, hurting friends and loneliness were among the ones I could think of. None of them stuck to the four of them, until I started to apply it to each of their situations.
"I must hurry you, Nightstar. This is not going well for you, is it?"
"Then let me into their nightmares."
Doctor Nightmare sighed loudly. "Because then you would know exactly what their nightmares are. Come on! Show me what you're made of." She bounces up and down on her feet, enthused by the plan. "You want to know where the people are, don't you? They're all safe, but you can't save them unless you play my game! Or would you like me to force you into your very own nightmare. Let me guess... Mummy issues?"
"No!" I shriek abruptly. "Okay, I'll tell you their nightmares."
"Excellent. So you do have Mummy issues. What did she do? Did she run away and leave you all alone? Or was she a hero that was caught in the line of action. What was her name- Starfire!"
My violet starbolts singed on my hands, but I withheld them, refusing to strike her in case Doctor Nightmare chooses to leave them trapped forever. "I can do this."
Yeah. I can. It's like Damian says – you have to believe in yourself. No one will believe you if you don't yourself.
Focusing on Angel, I imagined how I have seen him behave. As the son of Hawkman and Hawkwoman, who were sadly killed side by side in the fight against Parasite, he's here to continue their legacy as part of the Justice League. He was always fond of Green Canary, but I doubted that is a fear of his. So I looked further afield, realising that it was rather simple.
"Never being able to fly again – losing his wings." I smiled at Doctor Nightmare, despite her grimace. Regardless, it did give me a confidence boost. "Stealth would be terrified of unrequited love. If Kyle ever fell out of love with her, she would hate it. Her and Kyle breaking up after everything they have already been through. That would tear her up inside, which is why she's so keen to make it work with him."
"Interesting, but I want to know about the boy. What does he fear?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but something worried me. "Wait. I need to know that you're not just using me to discover their fears. I don't want you to give you the rules to destroy us."
"Okay- I'll give you credit. You got two out of two. Wakey wakey..." Doctor Nightmare whispered to Angel and Stealth.
I felt sorry for Stealth, who bolted upright, screaming "Kyle!" before bursting into tears. I put my arms around her, embracing her comfortingly. "It's alright Stealth, it's alright. It was nothing but a nightmare."
Stealth shivered. "What? Why?"
"Because Doctor Nightmare wanted us to come to Pamara. We have a chance to save everyone. All we have to do is discover what Diana and Mentalist fear more than anything."
She looked unnerved. "Isn't it obvious? Mentalist is terrified of the monster everyone is afraid he'll become. That he'll destroyed the world if he lets his power take over." Stealth wiped her eyes of tears, reaching out for Mentalist. "Wake him up now, Doctor Nightmare!"
"Temper temper..." Doctor Nightmare sighed loudly, waving her hands and forcing Mentalist to wake up.
"Kon-El!" Mentalist screamed, shaking as his eyes beamed a glowing red.
Stealth leapt to his defence, placing her hands on either side of his face. "Mentalist- it's me. It's me, it's okay. Just breathe." Their foreheads touched and I felt at peace, glad that I had known Stealth enough to wake up by discovering her fear.
"Now just Diana stands between us and saving Pamara." I squeeze my hands, watching Angel sit up slowly. "Welcome back Angel..."
"Man," he said, rubbing his eye with his palm. "That was some crazy-"
"Nightmare?"
"Yeah. Why's Diana asleep? What's going on?"
I explained what the problem was and he pursed his lips, wondering what Diana might have to be afraid of. "She's pretty self-conscious and I know she's not scared of failing, because she's so conscious of being a team that she believes we can do anything when we work together. I think I got it."
Doctor Nightmare is interested. "Oh- is that so? Well come on then. Let's hear it."
"Diana's hiding something and she's terrified of the truth coming out." I smiled confidently, waiting to hear if I was accurate. "Doctor Nightmare?"
"Wake up little gladiator..."
She goes to touch Diana and I throw a warning starbolt at the enemy's hand.
"Angel, cuff her. Something's still not right. She's buying time." I wince, calling out to Miss Martian with telepathy, an old trick my dad used to tell me about. I hoped that she was available to help.
Nightstar! Get out of there – the planet's going to blow, it's a trap to take out the Justice Squad!
"Run!" I scream, pushing Doctor Nightmare away and firing a couple of blasts of starbolts at her. "Go!"
Angel picks up Diana in his arms and follows a flying Mentalist and speeding Stealth out the room. I go to follow, kicking off the ground with a jump and a tap of the foot. With my arms stretched out in front of me to give me that streamlined sharp, I stick close to Angel.
The bio-ship is hovering just by the edge of the corridor, waiting to shoot off.
"Wait! You can't leave me here!" Doctor Nightmare screamed from behind me, tackling me to the floor. "This wasn't my fault! I only did what I was told to. They wanted me to do this."
"Get off me!" I cried loudly. "I don't want to hurt you!"
Miss Martian, help me!
-o-
"Mari... Mari, please wake up. I need you..." Lola's voice was shaky.
I could feel a stiff mattress underneath me. "Lola?"
"Mari! Oh thank god you're awake. I need to talk to you."
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"We got off Pamara with the people – Miss Martian found them trapped in a cave. She got them out, but Diana... She's still trapped in the nightmare. Without Doctor Nightmare, I don't know if she'll ever come out of this alive. But I think someone might be able to help us."
"Tigress?"
"Oh- well, no. I was thinking Zac. See if he can like, mind meld or something. Finding Tigress would be a once in a million chance." Lola looks down at her feet. "There's something about the way my dads speak that tells me she was one heck of a super when they were young."
"Did somebody mention my name?"
I jerked around to see Zac leaning on the doorframe of the infirmary at base.
He smiled broadly. "Seeing as I owe Lola a favour, I'm willing to do what she asks, even if I don't get why it wasn't a date with yours truly."
I wince as I sit up, noticing Diana in her gladiator suit beside me. "Well it's got nothing to do with the fact she's all loved up with Kyle, clearly..."
"Him? Ah c'mon Lola, you're killing me. The test tube mix of kryptonian, martian and human? Seriously?" Zac exhaled hard. "Oh well. Maybe if it all goes wrong, you'll realise that it was me you had an emotional connection with and not him. So about Diana's state. I'm sure it's very easy to break the spell on her – so long as you tell me exactly who did it."
"Doctor Nightmare..."
"Piece of cake!" Zac exclaimed with a cheerful grin, rolling his sleeves up and resting his hands on either side of Diana's head. "Ka-erb eerf m-rof eht eramthgif!"
Diana's green eyes snapped open, staring up at Zac and bursting into tears almost immediately. "I'm so sorry Dad!"
Zac didn't know where to look. "Well that is not the reaction I was expecting." He winced, knowing how it felt to be without a father. "It's okay, Diana."
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = This chapter felt a little weaker than other ones, but I couldn't resist – what did you think of the chapter? If you have any suggestions for future chapters, let me know. I have a whole host of new characters I want to introduce, so make sure to tell me which character's kid you want to see join the squad next!
