Hey guys! Here's the next chapter in the story. I hope you like it.
Like always, I do not own Young Justice.
Mind Link
Inner thoughts
Star City, CA| 23:16 pm PDT, July 17th, 2010
"I still think this is a bad idea," I mention to my three companions as we head to the docks. "I mean, have any of you spoken to Speedy since the 4th of July?"
The three teen males remain silent, looking to one another, hoping someone would answer the question. In the end, Aqualad speaks up for them. "We have all been busy-"
"With what? We haven't done anything; it's summer. No school, no jobs, nothing! Oh, and patrols don't last that long so don't try to say it was because of that."
"Look at that," KF pipes up, pointing to the docks. "We're here!"
Kid Flash races off into the distance with Robin not too far behind him. Aqualad quickens his pace as well, but I hang back for a moment. I don't want to get involved in the current fight. Star City isn't my territory, and I'm not Speedy's babysitter either. I understand the boys want to keep our group together, but if Speedy isn't interested, then I rather leave him be. Plus, I haven't spoken to him after the 4th either. What happened at the Hall of Justice was embarrassing. Honestly, what was Speedy thinking when he decided to grab my hand? Now the League will have the wrong impression about me! How do I know that? Because my parents have been asking non-stop about my relationship with the older teen. Well, correction, my dad (John) and step-father (Katar) have been asking me non-stop. My mom asked once and then dropped the subject altogether, for which I'm grateful.
My mom knows about my crush on Aqualad and has never spoken to anyone about it. The reason my mom was upset during the whole Hall of Justice incident is that she thought I had a secret relationship with Speedy. My mom doesn't care if I date so long as I introduce her to my significant other. She said I'm old enough to decide whether or not a guy is right for me. My mom said the only reason she would intervene is if I started to rush the relationship, or if the guy was bad news. When Speedy made that rather odd display of emotions the other day, it made the entire situation worse for me with my entire family. Until I know what I want to say to him, I rather not see Speedy.
Instead, I wait for the boys to return from their talk with Speedy, so I can avoid our inevitable encounter. Just as this thought crosses my mind, I notice all three of my boys approaching me. Checking to see if Speedy is with them or not. When I don't see the older teen, I check my boys' faces, and by the looks of it, the conversation didn't end well.
"I'm gonna guess he said no, right?"
"Where were you?" KF asked, throwing his arms up in the air. "We could have used you back there?"
"With the bad guys?"
"No, the bad guy has been taken care of," Robin adds a bit despondently. "The cops will be here in a couple of minutes, but that isn't what KF meant. Why didn't you help us with Speedy?"
"I didn't think you needed me."
"Well, we did," Kid replied bitterly. "If you had spoken to him, maybe he would have joined the team."
"You don't know-"
"He was asking about you," Robin cuts over me. I didn't have the heart to tell them how uncomfortable I feel. Instead, I decide to walk away from the three without saying a word.
Since Star City has multiple zeta beam transporters, I'm not surprised when Robin and KF decide not to follow me. However, I did notice an Atlantean close behind me. Still, neither one of us spoke as we walked. Aqualad even followed me to Detroit, Michigan. Since we have zeta beam transporters, it's easy to visit both sets of parents. This week I'll be staying with my dad at his apartment.
Once we reach the city, I hold out my hand silently for Kaldur'ahm. Understanding what it meant as I pulled him in close and flew us to a nearby building. I land us about a block away from my dad's apartment since I knew my dad was probably still on patrol. He has a strict "no boys" rule for his apartment, and I'm not about to get on his wrong side so soon after the 4th of July.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" I quickly ask, getting right to the point. I avoid wasting time when I can, something I get from my mom. We're both impatient people, and my dad likes to joke that all Thanagarians are.
"War, why are you avoiding Speedy? You are aware of the feelings he has for you, do you not?"
Thanks to my mask, Aqualad doesn't notice how my eyes widen. Nevertheless, he knows me too well, it seems, as he continues to speak. "So, you do know, but it seems as though you are unsure how to respond to him."
"I never knew you to be a mind reader," I joke as I think of how I should word my following sentence. "I didn't know at first, but at the Great Hall, it became clear how he feels. Still, I only see him as a friend, and after everything that happened that day, I'm not too sure what I want to tell him."
"I see," Aqualad murmurs to himself. "In any case, I believe it will do you well to speak to him. Perhaps the two of you can quickly come to an understanding to continue your friendship with no ill feelings in between."
"I guess, but you know how Speedy is. He has a temper that matches my own. I feel like it'll turn sour quick if I bring it up."
"True, the two of you are far too alike."
"Exactly," I yell, unknowingly inching closer to the dark-skinned teen. "Imagine Speedy and I together. We would be at each other's throats within minutes of the relationship."
"I agree, but I did not share my opinion with our dear friend. I was afraid he would take it the wrong way."
"When doesn't he," I grumble, which soon turns into a laugh shared between us. In the end, neither of us notice how close we were to one another until a green light blinds us. "Dad!"
"Girl, what did I say about boys?"
"I thought that only applied to the apartment?"
"Not anymore, it doesn't!"
"But we're teammates!"
"Who said I cared," he comments before dimming the light from his ring. he comes to stand behind us, and we rise to greet him. "Hey baby girl, you ready to spend the week with me?"
"Yup!"
"Good, 'cause I got a bunch of your favorites waiting at the apartment," my dad says as he hugs me before turning to face Aqualad. However, as they speak, my dad still keeps an arm on my shoulders. "Hey man, how's it been?"
"Excellent, thank Posideon. How have you been, Green Lantern?"
"Alright, I guess. Just missing my baby girl, but I couldn't help it last week."
"Ah yes, you were quickly called upon a mission."
"Yeah, the guardians needed me to check something out, but now that I'm back, I should be good until the next rotation. Thinking about it makes it seem as if I never left the Marines."
"I understand what you mean, sir. At times, it feels as if I am still serving instead of accompanying Aquaman on his missions."
"That's right, you did serve the Atlantean armed forces for some time, didn't you?"
"Yes, sir, it's mandatory to serve for two years in Atlantis. I served from 12 to 14 before transferring to the Conservatory."
"Then becoming Aquaman's protege, huh? You've worked hard these past few years, Aqualad. Your family must be proud, considering your accomplishments. I know I would be proud to have a son like you."
"Thank you," Kal says as he bows his head. "I feel honored to receive a compliment from a great hero like yourself."
"You're too modest, Aqualad," my dad laughs as he pats the Atlantean with his left hand. "Listen, it's late, and I don't feel comfortable allowing you to walk free in the city. This may not be Gotham, but it's still one of the most crime-ridden cities in the U.S. Stay and have a late-night dinner with us."
"Technically, it's past midnight, so this would be an early breakfast," I mention just as a thought jumps into my head. "Hey, not that I mind, but I thought you said no boys allowed?"
"Yeah, but this is Aqualad," the Green Lantern states as if that alone is an explanation. "Now, if it was Kid Flash, then that would be another thing entirely. He's not even allowed in my city! I already warned Flash that this is a no speedster zone."
"Lord," I moan as I smack my head. "I work with these boys!"
"Look, we ain't about to argue while I'm hungry," my dad says, turning his attention back to Aqualad. "What do you feel like eating, man?"
"I have never tried egg sandwiches before."
"Well, lucky for you, I'm the best at making them," I mention, puffing out my wings. "I'll whip up a batch as soon as we get to the apartment."
"Say's who?!" my dad playfully yells as he shoves me away from him. "Last I checked, you're decent at making them."
"Liar! Grandma said I was better than you!"
"Girl, don't be bringing my momma into this! Aqualad, you'll be the judge, alright!" the older man said before going into the air. "First your sass, now the lies?! Girl, I ain't never met someone better at making egg sandwiches than me!"
Happy Harbor, RI| 11:16 am EDT, July 18th, 2010
Mount Justice
The next day, Kal and I left in civilian clothes to Mount Justice since we have a clean uniform ready at the hideout to use for missions. My dad gave Kal some of the clothes he kept from his High School years. It was an old black hoodie with a white t-shirt, a pair of dark wash jeans, and some slides. Kaldur'ahm hates most footwear, so we were in luck when he agreed to wear my dad's sandals.
I, on the other hand, have to cover myself as a custom for my culture. Since no one besides close family can see the top part of my head, I need to conceal it. At times like this, I rely on my African American side of the family to help me since I can't wear my Thanigarian helmet out in public. I place a dark green headwrap over the top portion while leaving the rest of my hair in a ponytail. Then I pair it with black and silver shield sunglasses, a green v-neck shirt, black pants, with white and black Nike shoes to bring it together. I also grab my backpack and slide my mace inside just in case we're assigned a mission.
When the two of us arrive at the cave, Miss Martain and Superboy greet us while we check on RT's eta. While we wait I carefully unleash my wings (I can't walk out in public with them), Robin and Kid Flash run inside to join us.
"Did you ask him?" Robin asked from beside KF.
"What did he say?"
Shaking my head at their impatience, I smile at the two. "Hey to you too."
"He is arriving now," Aqualad chuckles from beside me.
"Then what are we waiting for," KF exclaims, playfully punching Rob on the chest before rushing out to meet Red Tornado. All of us either fly or run after the red-head. We catch up to the younger teen just as he greets the red mechanical leaguer.
"Greetings," Red Tornado declares. "Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"
"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad explains for our group.
"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."
"But it's been over a week, and nothing-" Robin tries to explain until RT cuts him off.
"You'll be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."
"This team is not a social club," Aqualad firmly states, catching me by surprise since he never speaks to his elders in such a manner.
"No, but I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourselves with the cave."
With nothing else to say, the android left us outside as he retreats to the cave. None of us follow as we stare at his back. Grouchily, KF turns to Robin, punching him on the shoulder, "Keep busy."
"Does he really think we're falling for this?"
"Oh, I'll find out," Miss M replies to Robin's question. After a moment, she sighs as she quietly speaks again. "I'm sorry, I forgot he's a machine, inorganic. I... cannot read his mind."
"Nice try, though," Kid grins. "So, uh, you know what I'm thinkin' right now?"
Before this can get out of hand, I smack the shorter red-head to silence him. "Shut it, Kid."
"Ow, sorry!"
"In any case, I have no clue what has all of your panties in a bunch, but I suggest you chill. RT has a good point. We need to know the layout of the cave in case of an emergency. Plus, we hardly know each other... well, we hardly know Miss M and Supey. This will be a great chance to break the ice."
"That sounds like a great idea, WarHawk!" the martian exclaims as she points to SB and herself. "Since we live here, we can play tour guides."
"Don't look at me," Superboy frowns when half our group turns to him.
"We won't," Kid says as he takes a step closer to Miss M. "A private tour sounds so much better."
"Sh-she never said private," Robin argues.
"Team building," Aqualad reminds the boys. "We'll all go."
And thus, began the most boring hour of my life as we follow the green female throughout the cave. I already know the layout since my uncle Hal helped make it. Also, it doesn't help when nobody except Miss M is speaking. Thankfully, by the time we reach the main hall of the cave, Kid Flash speaks up.
"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League."
"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" SB inquires to the group, clearly confused by the League's choices.
"The cave's secret location was... compromised," Aqualad tries to explain.
"So they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah, that makes sense."
An awkward silence was about to follow until I piped up to save our mentor's butts. "Well, it also serves another reason. Since the Hall of Justice is out in the open, it serves as a symbol to everyone that the Justice League will always remain among us. Plus, it's in Washington, D.C., our nation's capital. Making it a whole lot easier to speak to diplomats and our government officials. Considering we have a couple of royalties and aliens among our core, it's necessary to locate the League close to those in need."
"I suppose you do have a point, WarHawk, but what about us?" Miss Martian queries. "If the bad guys know of the cave, then we must be on constant alert!"
"The bad guys know we know they know about the place," Robin tries to explain as he takes a hold of Miss Martian's hand. "So they'd never think to look here."
Seeing the confused look on her face, Kid steps in and swats Robin away to steal the girl's attention. "Uh, he means, we're hiding in plain sight."
"Ah, that's much clearer," Miss Martian says, scratching the back of her head.
Suddenly, SB begins sniffing the air, weirding me out. "What are you doing?"
"I smell smoke," he replies to my question. As soon as he does, Miss M gasps as she yells something about cookies before flying off.
We follow her to the kitchen as she retrieves the burnt cookies from the stove with her telekinetic powers. Upon inspection, it seems as though none of the cookies survived.
"I was trying Grammy Jones' recipe from episode 17 of- Nevermind!" the girl awkwardly trails off.
"I bet they'd tasted great," Robin reassures the girl before pointing to his best friend. "He doesn't seem to mind."
All of us look to Kid Flash as he stuffs his face. I silently move to grab a glass of milk before handing it to the boy. "Geeze, at least grab yourself a drink, you psychopath."
"Sorry, but I have a serious metabolism."
"I'll... make more?" the Martain adds, uncertain how the other teen will receive the news.
"It was sweet of you to make any," Aqualad tells her, causing the girl to smile shyly.
"Thanks, Aqualad."
"We're off duty," he gently reminds her. "Call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur, except for one."
"He means me," I laugh, waving the confused look off of the girl. "I usually call him Kal. However, that nickname belongs to me alone. By the way, my name is Alizeh."
"I'm Wally," the boy pipes up as he leans against the counter. "See? I already trust you with my secret ID, unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here. Batman's forbidden boy wonder from telling anyone his real name."
"Hey, I'm not the only person hiding!"
"Woah now," I interrupt the two before the conversation can go any farther. "My culture dictates that only close family members can see my entire face. So, don't bring me into this."
"Well, mine is no secret," Miss Martian states brightly. "It's M'gann M'orzz. But you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, and I'm on Earth now."
I was about to say something when I hear a grunt from behind me. It's Superboy gripping his head as he slightly leans forward, almost in pain.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Woah, chill man-" Before I can finish my statement, the rest of the boys lean forward, clutching their heads. "What's going on?!"
"M'gann stop," Kal yells in anger. Confused, I look at everyone around me as I try to figure out what's happening. Thankfully, Kaldur explains the situation (kind of). "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."
"Wait, so she did something in your mind?"
"Yeah," Wally says, dumbfounded by my question. "Didn't you hear her?"
"I actually couldn't enter her mind," M'gann states. "It's shielded from me."
"Huh, that makes sense," Robin said, snapping his fingers. "At Cadmus, Alizeh was the only one to remain standing when we were attacked telepathically. It must be due to her Thanagarian physiology."
"I guess," I shrug my shoulders. "My mother never told me that, but it could be true... Now that I think about it, do you remember that mission when an escaped convict gained the power to go into people's dreams?"
"You mean that Freddie Kruger dude?" Wally asked me for confirmation. "Yeah, why?"
"I'm pretty sure that wasn't his name, but yes, him. Well, my mother fell asleep before finding out about this information, and he tried to kill her in her dreams. J'onn tried to help, but he claimed he couldn't enter her mind."
"So, that proves it," Robin declares to the group. "Thanagarians are immune to telepathy. However, it might very if they are conscious."
"But that voice that woke us up at Cadmus...?"
"Right, I was about to say the same thing, Wally," I call out to the boy. "Maybe it varies?"
"Lucky," SB mutters before storming out of the kitchen and to the couch.
"Don't mind him," I add to the disheartened girl. "Cadmus left a bad taste in his mind due to their psychic tricks. You didn't know any better when you spoke to him."
"I am sorry."
"Don't be, hun. You didn't know any better. You're still new to Earth, and as an alien myself, I can understand the huge culture shock one gets when arriving."
"Oh, so you were born on Thanagar?"
"Yup!" I stated proudly. "Born and raised on Thanagar until I turned six. Years work a bit differently over there and we age differently too. Then we came to Earth and I've been here ever since. So if you need any help adjusting, let me know."
"Thank you, Alizeh," M'gann beamed, clasping her hands in delight. "It's like having an older sister."
"If you want to see it that way, sure. But I do have a favor to ask in return."
"What is it?"
"Can you try that mind talking thingy on me? I've always wanted to know how it felt."
"...I could try again..."
"Great!"
"Wait, Alizeh," Kaldur said as he held his hand up to M'gann. "Are you sure about this?"
"I don't see why not. I mean, it's not like M'gann is going to snoop around my memories. She's only going to speak to me."
"But it's not possible," Wally points out. "We just went over that."
"Not really," Robin cuts over us. "Maybe Thanagarians have a natural resistance to telepaths that comes from the unconscious."
"What's your point, man? You're only proving me right."
"What I'm trying to say is that if they're aware of the intrusion, maybe they can control when their mind is open."
"Exactly," I call out to the two. "During the nightmare incident, I guess it's easier for someone to speak to us while unconscious. Or, at the very least, broadcast illusions to us. Once we're alert, maybe Thanagarian's have to give consent."
"There is quite a bit we do not know of your people," Kal adds from beside me.
"Don't remind me," I mutter more to myself than to those around me. "Anyways... M'gann, try the thingy!"
"Alright!" the green teen laughs. For a moment, nothing happens as I await the incoming intrusion. After a minute, I notice M'gann scowling as I feel added pressure behind my eyes. Instead of fighting the feeling, I relax and try to open my mind.
Alizeh?
M'gann?
It's working!
Wow, this is cool. Weird, but cool!
Just then, I feel the presence leave my mind, and I smile. "Man, that's gonna come in handy in future missions. You got some great powers, M'gann!"
"Thank you, Alizeh!" the martian says, and I notice her relax. She must have tensed up when she thought the boys were rejecting her powers.
"So, do you have any other things you're willing to show us?"
She didn't respond at first, thinking to herself, but then she allows a kind smile to grace her features. "Hello, Megan! I know what we can do."
Quickly, she flies off, and we turn to follow her. She does backtrack to grab the sulking Superboy, but afterward, she leading the way to the hanger.
As we enter the room, she points to the giant ship in the middle of the room. "It's my Martian BioShip."
"Cute," Wally remarks. "Not aerodynamic, but cute."
"It's at rest, silly," M'gann giggles; she reaches out with her hand towards the ship. "I'll wake it."
When she does, the ship transforms into an actual aircraft. M'gann invites us inside, and I immediately follow the Martian.
Once we're all inside the ship, we're amazed by the interior. Of course, I'm used to Alien technology, but it's still cool to see how each civilization differs from one another. Looking around, it seems as though I'm not the only one. Robin and Wally also look around excitedly as we ready ourselves for launch. The two boys stay close to the green female while I sit in between Kal and SB.
"Red Tornado," M'gann calls out. "Please open the bay doors."
When the doors open, we rise steadily rise into the open air. As everyone around me begins to laugh and enjoy the ride, I focus more on the tech around me.
"Is something wrong, Alizeh?" M'gann inquires.
"No, it's just... nice," I grin back at her. "I haven't been back to Thanagar for years, and Earth isn't as advanced, so it's a bit weird at times for me. I guess I'm just glad there are finally more people and objects similar to my own nature."
M'gann didn't respond to my comment, but her smile did brighten considerably. I'm glad she understood what I meant. At times I can be a real ronard.
As we continue to fly through the skies, Kaldur turns to Superboy, who is still bothered about the incident that happened in the kitchen.
"I may not have psychic powers, but I can guess what you're thinking," He gently whispers so only the three of us can hear the conversation. "You overreacted, and you don't know how to apologize. Just say sorry."
Superboy doesn't say anything as he tries to look away from us. I smack his bicep to get his attention. "Boy, if you don't stop throwing this stupid pity party for yourself, I'll smack you again."
"Alizeh-"
"Shush, Kal, I'm educating this moron," I cut over the Atlantean. "Listen, no one is mad at you, Supey. We understand you've been out of your pod for hardly over a week, so you're social skills aren't exactly awe-inspiring. Not to mention the treatment you received at Cadmus, it's fair to say your reaction to what happened earlier is expected. Still, saying a simple sorry will go a long way, considering she's new to things on Earth. Take it from me; it's difficult to accumulate to a different culture. Don't you agree?"
"Yeah," Superboy agrees before turning away again. I gently roll my eyes at him as I focus on the scenery in front of me. I still catch the conversation from the three behind me, but for the most part, I mind my business until M'gann begins shapeshifting into different people on the team. Once she gains everyone's attention, she transforms into a female version of Robin and then Kid Flash.
"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Wally asked the entire group.
"Yes," I slowly remark. "Basically, borderline creepy."
"Hey!"
"Someone had to say it," Robin comments before turning to M'gann. "Those were impressive, but you know you're not exactly going to fool anyone with those."
"Mimicking boys is a lot harder."
"Then what about another girl," KF suggests as he looks at me, wiggling his eyebrows. "I've always wanted to see two Alizeh's."
"Only in your dreams," I tell him as Robin snickers.
"Dude, did you tell her about my dream?!"
All of us laugh as Wally blushes a deep red. In the end, M'gann does transform into me, which is a bit odd. I never thought I'd see another hawk like me.
"That's cool," I reply as I near the girl. She's wearing my uniform and helmet. To add to the transformation, M'gann stretches out her wings to their full extent, nearly hitting Robin and KF in the process. "Wow!"
"But your clothes?" the Atlantean questions.
"They're organic like the ship," M'gann responds as she turns into her humanoid form. "They respond to my mental commands."
"As long as they're the only ones," Superboy says darkly, not caring if anyone hears him.
"Shut it, moron," I tell him as I smack his head before sitting down. "By the way, can you ghost through walls like your uncle?"
"Density shifting?" Miss Martian asked, her smile waning a bit. "No, it's a very advance technique..."
Robin begins to chuckle before speaking up from his seat, "Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall. When KF tries, bloody nose."
"Dude!"
"Here is something I can do," M'gann says brightly. "Camouflage Mode."
Peaking outside the window, I notice the wings of the ship disappear. Before anyone can speak up, another voice interrupts us.
"Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Habor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I'm sending coordinates."
"Received," M'gann states. "Adjusting course."
"Tornado's keeping us busy again," Robin scoffs to the rest of us, catching my curiosity.
"Why are you complaining?" I ask the boy, turning around to face him. "At least he's giving us a job."
"Plus, a simple fire led you to Superboy," Miss Martian adds in. "We should find out what caused the alert."
"I think I know the cause," Superboy announces, gaining all of our attention. Soon, all of us catch sight of the tornado heading in our direction. M'gann tries to alter the course, but we still manage to get swept up in the wind.
Finally, M'gann gets us away from the tornado and onto solid ground. Quickly, we all shuffle out of the BioShip to assess the situation. The factory that RT told us about is currently evacuating its occupants.
"Robin, are tornadoes common in New England?" Aqualad questions, but he only meets silence. "Robin?"
In the distance, we hear Robin's eerie laughter being carried on the wind.
"H-he was just here," M'gann stammers as I roll my eyes.
"Yeah, he does that," I groan as I take off towards the factory. "Come on, let's go check if there are any other civilians in need of assistance.
Reaching the opening of the Power Plant, we find Robin fighting against a bulky red and black exo-suit who is creating smaller tornadoes. One of the funnels sweeps up Robin, and I make it just in time to save him and land us near the others. However, I notice I'm at a disadvantage with this villain. Yes, I'm an expert when it comes to traveling through the air, but even the greatest hawks must land when it comes to tornadoes. Plus, my wings are nowhere near as strong as a normal Thanagarian, so I'm screwed.
"Who's your new friend?" Superboy asked as he passes us to attack the villain.
"Didn't catch his name, but he plays kinda rough!"
"Good," I reply to Robin as I watch SB get blown away. "I always did like it when men are rough with me." Taking out my mace, I point it to the enemy and shout, "What is your name?"
"My apologies," he mechanically responds. "You may address me as Mr. Twister."
"Hm, I've heard better," I smirk as I run towards him with my wings closed. Once he starts to blow a funnel in my direction, I instantly extend the chain to my mace, jump to my left, and spread my wings to allow the current to carry me. Debris begins to block our vision as I swing around and use the momentum of our attacks to slam my mace into his back. He stumbles forward, but my victory is short-lived when someone rams into me. The two of us begin to tumble once we collide. By the time I gather my bearings, I realize the person who hit me was Kid Flash, who seems a bit disorientated. However, he comes to just as quickly as I do. We exit the nearby forest lining at the same time our foe exits the Power Plant. I quickly recall the chain to the handle of my weapon. As the enemy nears, the two of us nod to one another as we rush him. Still, he evades our combined attacks before we can land a single punch.
"What have you done to our team?" Wally yells at the man.
"Embarrassed them, largely," he laughs, sending us back with a gust of wind.
I grab Wally while forcing my wings to fly me forward to avoid an impact. Suddenly, I notice the wind stops, yet I remain in one place.
"I got you guys," Miss Martian reassures us as she and the rest of the team exit the factory. She gently places us on the ground, and as a group, we confront the enemy once more.
"I would have thought you had all learned your limitations," Mr. Twister chuckles as he rises into the air, disrupting the elements with his powers.
"What do you want?!" Aqualad demands.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a real Hero."
"Read his mind, find his weakness," Aqualad commands at an unsuspecting M'gann.
"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that," she objects, now hesitant to move.
"It's okay with the bad guys," Robin yells, and had this been any other situation, I might have smacked them for startling the poor girl.
Now determined to help us, Miss M attempts to read the villain's mind. Nevertheless, her concentration breaks as her frustrations grow. "Nothing! I'm getting nothing!" Then, out of nowhere, she smacks her head lightly with a smile on her face. "Hello, Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise."
"What?" I ask her because I'm sure I heard her wrong.
"He's inorganic, an android," she points out to the group. "And how many androids do you know that generate tornadoes?"
Before I can object, the entire group runs with the idea.
"Red Tornado sent us here," Aqualad reminds the group.
"After saying we'd be tested soon enough!" Robin agrees. "This is his test, something to keep us busy."
"Umm, I don't think-"
I get cut off by a pouting Kid Flash. "Speedy called it. We're a joke."
Aqualad makes a noise of disappointment before slamming his fist into his open hand. Quickly, I grab hold of the dark-skinned teen to speak reason to him. "Aqualad, wait!"
"No, this ends here!"
"But it could be someone else! The tornadoes aren't even red!"
"Who cares, War!" Wally yells. "This game is over."
"STOP!" I try to reason with them as they walk towards the enemy. "RT wouldn't do this! Just listen to me!"
They choose to ignore reason as they stand together a few feet from the villain. "We know what you want!"
"So, let's end this!" Aqualad finishes for Robin.
"Consider it ended," Twister complies, raising his arms. The sky begins to darken as a massive twister envelope's the sky.
"An impressive show, but we will not indulge you! We will not engage!"
Lightning cracks through the sky, confirming my earlier suspicions. "Get away from him, you idiots. It's not Red Tornado!"
"You thought I'm Tornado? Ironic."
Mister Twister stikes a bolt of lightning at the trio, sending them back. I jump to the side to avoid damage, but I see SB doing the opposite. Assuming what the moron plans on doing, I rush forward, mace at the ready. I make it just in time to absorb the bolt with my weapon. However, the force is still too powerful for me to control, and it sends us flying. The next thing I know, I blackout from the hit. When I finally come to, I hear M'gann and Wally speaking as Superboy and I try to stand.
"What happened?"
"I placed the BioShip between us."
Suddenly I hear a blast beside me, which happened to be an enraged Superboy, punching a boulder to smithereens. "You think that makes it better? You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado."
"She didn't do it on purpose," Kaldur interceded, trying to protect the female from Superboy's wrath.
"It- it was a rookie mistake," Robin tries to say. "We shouldn't have listened."
"You are pretty inexperienced," Wally adds, scratching the back of his head. "Hit the showers. We'll take it from here."
"Stay out of our w-"
Before Superboy can finish his sentence, I slam my powered-up mace straight to his face. Once he's on the ground, I place my foot on top of his chest, applying enough force to keep him down. Next, I raise my head and stare down each person on the team.
"Who's next?"
"What are you doing?!" SB yells, trying to push me off. I release the chain connected to the ball of my mace and allow it to fall a centimeter away from his face.
"Shut up," I ordered, my wings spread out around me. Looking back up, I face my boys. "I warned you it wasn't Red Tornado, but you didn't listen. Please ask yourself, why in the world RT would put innocent people at risk for a simple test!" When silence is the only thing that I could hear, I continued. "Yes, Miss Martian got it wrong, but I don't blame her. She is new to Earth and the League; thus, she doesn't understand what's going on at times. She made a mistake due to ignorance. Not stupidity as you three did."
"But-"
"Be quiet while I speak, Wallace," I warned the boy, and Kid Flash stops talking. "The three of you have complained all day about this being a ruse and how Speedy is right... Now I understand why. You let that brat get in your heads, didn't you!" When none of them replied, I continued. "Why?! Because he's older? Because he knows better? Please! He threw a tantrum and quit because he didn't get his way. Now we've finally been given a chance, and you're ruining it by listening to him! Don't you understand that! He must have realized he messed up, and now Speedy is spitting out venom at all of us, so we feel just as down as he does!"
I lift my foot off of Superboy, recall the chain to my mace, and walk away from the group. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to allow innocent people to get injured because of what Speedy said!"
I left the group where they stood as I followed the trail of destruction Mister Twister left behind. It takes about 10 minutes for the wind around me to pick up, warning me that the android is close. I pick up my speed and ready my weapon all the while, being careful of my surroundings. By the time I find Mister Twister, the amount of damage he's generated is enough to send me into a fury. As he watches my approach, he sends a twister in my direction, but I evade it and create my own debris like before to obscure his vision. Instead of veering around like before, I swing back and smack a nearby car with my mace towards the android. The vehicle manages to hit him, but there isn't any damage left behind, meaning his suit must be sturdier than it looks.
"You think you can stop me," Mister Twister yells at me.
"Maybe she can't alone, but we can," KF screams back as he knocks Mister Twister a few feet.
"Immaterial and insufficient! You are a distraction I can no longer tolerate."
"What he said," I add as SB jump into the fight. I fly towards the two and grab them before Mister Twister can blow them away. "Geeze, do you guys have a plan?"
"Um, I thought backing you up was the plan."
I nearly facepalm until I realize the boys are still in my arms. "Fine, whatever, but listen up. We have to contain the destruction to this area; so the entire town doesn't suffer."
"Got it!"
"Alright!"
"Okay, so KF, hang on to my waist and hold my mace for me. That way I can throw Supey with both hands."
"Sure!"
Kid Flash does as he's told so I can take hold of Superboy with both hands. I see both Robin and Aqualad joining the fray from the corner of my eye, and an idea comes to mind.
"KF, radio to Robin to create a distraction!"
"Okay, hold on!"
"Shouldn't you be holding on?" Superboy questions as I do a barrel roll to avoid the incoming attacks.
"What did you say?"
"Huh?"
"Both of you shut up!" I yell at the two, nearly getting caught in a twister.
"I thought you wanted me to call-!"
"KID FLASH! Radio Robin NOW!"
"Okay, geez, don't rip off the messengers head!" After the two speak for a moment, KF nudges me to grab my attention. "Listen, Rob is going to set off two sets of bombs. The first is to temporarily distract the knock-off version of RT while Aqualad attacks him with some water. The next set of bombs will be for show, so throw Supey two seconds after they go off."
"Roger that!"
I circle around to gain momentum as the first part of our plan commences. Once I notice Robin throw the second set, I zoom in to throw Superboy. Once I'm close enough, I throw him with all of my might. He's about to hit the android when the robot calls upon another thunderbolt sending us all back. The fight doesn't get much better after that. As our side continues to struggle, I begin to wonder if our team is enough to beat the android. Before I'm able to radio my teammates to regroup, a body hits me and sends us into a nearby building. When the two of us emerge from the rubble, I see the person who slammed into me was Kaldur'ahm.
"A little warning next time?" I grunt out, rising to my feet.
"Look out," he snarks, rising to his own feet. Suddenly his eyes widen before lunging at me, throwing me over his shoulder, and running away from the destroyed building. Just then, Superboy falls precisely where we were standing moments ago. A boat soon follows, causing an explosion. "He didn't look out..."
"No, duh," I breathe out to the boy carrying me. "But thanks for the warning."
Aqualad has no time to respond when the robot turns his attention to us. To keep him safe, I flip our bodies and throw Kaldur in the opposite direction so I take the burnt of the hit. Thankfully, during the attack, I find an opening to make a few hits of my own, but they aren't enough to finish the fight with the android. I'm about to strike it again when pressure begins to build up behind my eyes. Taking the opportunity, Mister Twister punches me into a nearby yacht.
"Ugh, what the hell?" I groan as my comm goes off. "Huh?"
"WarHawk, open your mind to Miss M!" Robin tells me. "She doesn't have a comm, but she has a plan!"
That explains the pressure from earlier, I thought to myself. M'gann must have been trying to enter my mind.
Allowing my mind to relax, I hear a determined Miss Martian instructing us what to do next. Figuring the plan was the best thing we have, I agree to go along with it. It's simple, really. I have to hide and use my wings to pick up the dust so KF can use it as a cover screen to make his own twister. Just until Mister Twister "wins" the fight. Then we'll use our combined efforts to damage him until the android can no longer stand. Thankfully for us, the plan goes according to plan, and we tear the arms off the android. The chest plate opens up to reveal a short slender man in a green and white suit.
"Foul," He stammers as he falls out of the suit. "I-I call foul."
"Huh, I thought it was an android," I thought out loud to my teammates. "Figures, it's a scrawny human trying to act like some big shot."
"Just as I thought," M'gann calmly states as her eyes glow green. Bringing a nearby boulder, she drops it on top of the man crushing him.
All of it happened so fast that I couldn't stop it. Only Aqualad was fast enough to react to it, but even he didn't make it in time to save the man.
"Holy crap," I mutter, looking back and forth between the rock and M'gann. "What- why- NOAN, GIRL!"
"Don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth, we don't execute our captives!" Robin yells at a smiling M'gann.
"Well, that depends on the country and situation..."
"NOT HELPING WAR!"
"Yeah, sorry, just... wow! I didn't expect that to happen. Girl, you do know that heroes aren't supposed to be the executioners, right? I mean, we're kind of like volunteer cops when you think about it."
"You said you trusted me," M'gann smirks at us as she lifts the boulder again and chunks it to the side, revealing a crushed android. "That's why I couldn't read his mind."
Wally is the first one to walk forward, solely to grab one of the eyeballs. "Cool, souvenir!"
"Dork," I mummer before another thought comes to mind. "Wait, then what was the souvenir from Cadmus?"
"Supey."
"What?!"
As I get stuck between saving a frightened Kid Flash from an angry Superboy, the conversation around us continues.
"We should have had more faith in you," Kaldur tells her.
"Yeah," KF pipes up from behind me. "You rocked this mission. Get it? Rocked."
"Ugh, just kill him," I tell Superboy as I move away from the boys.
"WarHawk, wait~!"
"Ignore him," Robin says as I go to stand beside him. "We're all just turbed you're on the Team."
"Thanks, me too."
Hours later, after we put the entire Mister Twister fiasco to rest, I head home. When I enter the apartment, I find a note from my dad warning me he has monitor duty at the Watch Tower tonight, so he'll be home late. Taking that as a sign that I'll be home alone 'til morning, I nearly make myself at home.
Nearly, being the keyword.
Suddenly, I hear the sound of a creak in the apartment, and I freeze. Quietly, I grab my mace from my backpack and walk in the direction I heard the sound come. Sadly, since I walked home in my civilian attire, I had to put my wings away. I didn't have enough time to unleash them yet, and I don't want to let the criminal get the upper hand by taking my time to confront him.
When I near the area where I hear the culprit, I notice it's my room, and my anger grows.
Crua! I thought to myself. I don't want a panty-stealing freak in my room.
Giving the perpetrator no time to react, I kick down the door, run in and swing my mace... only to stop an inch from Speedy's startled face.
"Hey, War," He smiles as he lazily lifts his hands in surrender in my still dark room. The window he entered through is still open allowing the moonlight to hit us.
"Geez, Roy, what the hell are you doing here?!" I ask as I put down my weapon. "You know better than to be here. If John finds you-"
"Well, you weren't answering your phone-"
"Why would I? After the stunt, you pulled at the Hall of Justice! HA! You're lucky I don't punch you!"
"Listen, I know I should have handled the situation better, but you have to agree I had a point."
"Hardly a reason to disrespect our mentors."
"As if you didn't do something similar, Alizeh," Roy scoffed. "I heard about what happened at Cadmus."
Ugh, he's got me there...
"Look, I just want to talk-"
Roy freezes in place as he stares at me. Thankfully, he's not in uniform, so I'm able to see the movement in his eyes. Raising my eyebrow in bewilderment, I realize Roy isn't looking at me but at something behind me. Turning my head, I see my mirror, a chair with Aqualad's uniform he left here this morning, and my door hanging from its hinges.
...
AQUALAD'S UNIFORM!
He pushes past me and grabs the uniform before I can stop him. He stares at it for a moment longer and then turns to face me in rage. "Why is this here?"
"What does it matter?!" I respond, trying to take it from his hands. "Roy quit being a nuisance and give me the uniform."
"Then answer the question!"
"I thought you wanted to talk?!"
"And we will after you explain yourself."
"I don't answer to you!"
"She's right," a deep voice states from the doorway, turning on the lights to my bedroom. We turn to look at the new arrival, and I'm relieved to see it's my dad. "She answers to me."
He steps forward and calmly takes the uniform from Speedy as he glares at the younger man. Neither of us dares speak or move as my dad put's the uniform in my hamper. When John finally turns to address the situation, even I shudder at the anger dancing in his eyes.
"Do you want to explain why you're in my daughter's room?"
Roy doesn't speak, but he does look away from my dad.
"Not gonna talk, huh? Fine. Then you better listen. If you ever enter mine or the Hawk's domain again, I promise you; you're gonna wish you never left Star City. Now. Get. Out!"
Roy nods his head as he follows my dad out of my room. I don't dare follow the two. Instead, I go about closing my still open window and pulling the curtains closed. Next, I make myself comfortable and change into my pj's, release my wings, remove my headwrap and sunglasses before belly-flopping onto my bed.
A few minutes later, my dad silently joins me in his pj's. He lifts one of my wings as he lays down beside me. He doesn't say anything, allowing me the chance to speak first.
"I thought you had monitor duty?"
"Well, you're mom took mercy on me. She said it wasn't right that I had it just after coming Earthbound, so she took my shift."
"I bet my father must have hated that," I joked, which caused my dad to huff out his own laugh.
"What bothers Katar is none of my business."
"True," I agreed, grabbing one of my dad's hands. "Sorry, you had to come home to that. I didn't invite him."
"That explains why the door is broken."
"Sorry..."
"Don't apologize, baby girl," my dad murmurs as he pulls me in for a hug. "This wasn't your fault. I'm just glad I stopped it before it got worse."
"Me too."
"Well, leave the rest to me, alright. I'll take care of it."
"You aren't going to hurt Roy, are you?"
"So long as he doesn't step foot here or your mom's house, no. I'll send the bill for the door to Oliver and leave it be."
"Thanks, dad."
"Anytime, baby girl. Now get some rest."
So that's the end of this chapter. I hope you guy's liked it! By the way, I'm going to leave the definitions of the "Thanagarian dialect" down below. No, it's not real words, I just made them up. However, if you do find the dialect, please let me know.
Ronard: dumb, tactless, rude
Noan: Thanagarian version of "what the hell" or "sh|t"
Crua: Thanagarian version of "aw, hell no".