M'gann was inside his mind. Shay could feel her. But no memories were coming up. It was just their presence in the middle of nothing.
'You are the one in control this time, Shay.' He felt her voice rumble in his head, which was odd in its own way. 'I'll only see what you want to show me.'
He was a bit daunted at having control of his own mind, seeing how he had almost no idea as to what M'gann meant, but he still tried his best. He thought up of the most hurtful moment he could think of, after Lisbon. How he had returned all alone in a ship full of loyal but misunderstanding sailors only to face the rampant ignorance of the whole Order.
M'gann watched quietly as the moment in which Shay jumped from the house's window with manuscript in hand played before her, and continued in her silence as the rest of that memory continued. She didn't say a single thing as Shay hesitated over the cliff's edge, but whimpered slightly when a shot rang out and Shay plunged into the ocean.
'I had no idea...' Her voice was soft, caring, and Shay felt a small smile graze his lips because of her words. 'Are the Assassins really that vile? That conniving and contriving?'
'I cannot tell you that either Desmond or Ezio are like them, M'gann, but I can assure you that the Assassins from my own time were nothing but greedy and ignorant." He stopped himself for a moment, then continued in a whisper, 'They ignored their creed, cast it to the side because they wanted to be able to defeat the Templars. Thousands of innocents were killed by my hand. That is why I became a Templar. To stop the Assassins.'
The fact that he was able to communicate with the girl without ever moving his lips was odd, but he didn't question it too much. He did not really feel like breaking his back trying to understand the oddity that was M'gann's immense power over the mind.
'And these Templars, just what are they?' M'gann asked, and suddenly the memory Shay had been thinking of was replaced by their bodies.
Shay was dressed in his formal Templar uniform and was relieved to no longer be stuck wearing the rags he had stolen from that French Assassin. M'gann was dressed in the mission clothes he was accustomed to seeing, the white shirt with the blue skirt, and she smiled warmly at Shay.
He was glad that at least one of the kids now knew the truth.
'Why am I in these clothes?' He asked, peering down at himself curiously as he wondered how he was wearing those clothes.
M'gann smiled softly at his curiosity and explained, 'We are in your mind right now, Shay. It's kind of hard to explain, honestly, but what I can assure you of is that because we are in a mindscape and not a physical landscape, your mind has the power to project you in your most comfortable form.'
Shay turned the information over in his mind and he found that while he was far from understanding the matters of the mind when it came to M'gann fully, he could at least see what she meant now. He was more comfortable wearing Templar robes than wearing Assassin ones. He wasn't wearing the robes physically, but his mind had dressed him up for comfort.
'Now...' M'gann muttered softly, hoping to not bother Shay with what she was going to ask. 'May you tell me what Templars are?'
'Ah! Of course! Sorry...' He looked down for a moment, slightly embarrassed at having gotten so easily distracted, but regained his composure and began, 'Templars are the order that fight against the Assassins.' Shay explained, 'If you'd like... I can show you how that happened.'
'Yes please.' M'gann answered almost instantly, then he saw her blush and retract slightly, 'I mean, if that's what you'd like, of course.'
Shay smiled fondly at the girl and nodded. Then he turned around a bit and began to play the memory of the first day he remembered after having fallen from the cliff's edge at the homestead. The day he met the kind couple that had kind of adopted him as their own. After that, he showed the moment he met George Monroe. That man became both a father figure and mentor to Shay and he felt his heart break a little when he relived the elder's death once more. But it was that very death that had cemented his cause. It was when Monroe died that he gave his full efforts to the Templar cause.
M'gann was clearly amazed by everything she was seeing and how open Shay was when it came to her, but before she could ask Shay just why he felt he had been forced to kill Le Chasseur the shrill ringing of the smoke alarm broke them both out of the trance.
M'gann immediately stood up from the floor and looked up at the alarm in surprise then helped Shay get up from the floor before heading towards the main room they had come from only about an hour ago. Shay was confused as to what the loud noise meant, but followed after the girl without question.
~/~
They both reached the kitchen a few minutes later, only to find that Ezio, Conner, and Artemis were in the kitchen with the oven's door hanging by only one hinge and smoke billowing all about.
"Conner, are you alright?" M'gann immediately inquired, eyes wide at the sight of the piece of machinery she used on a daily basis to perfect her cooking craft.
The clone looked at the Martian with a soft frown but nodded, "Ezio wanted a pizza." He explained almost dumbly, as if he didn't really want to admit what had happened only a few minutes ago.
Artemis went to stand beside Ezio and patted his upper arm with a small smile, "I guess the big lug got hungry but you weren't around to translate for him, Megs."
"He couldn't have gotten hungry so fast... Right?" Shay asked M'gann now, who shook her head.
"The passing of time when inside someone's mind is much slower than in reality." She explained while she ignored the questioning looks sent her way by Artemis and Conner. "What feels like five minutes inside the mindscape could be thirty minutes out here. Actually, I can't tell you with full certainty just how long we were both exploring your memories, Shay."
"About an hour." Conner cut in as he took a step towards them. "Ezio spent the first half hour without annoying me too much... But..."
"l'ho convinto a fare la pizza!" Ezio interrupted, smiling broadly as he took one step forwards.
"Does he even understand what we're saying?" Artemis asked, "Because I know he can use context clues to kind of figure out what we mean and what not, but I just feel like he's spouting off random Italian at this point."
"Sorry, Ezio." M'gann apologized before her eyes glowed green once more. "You should be able to communicate well with us now."
"Now I can understand you!" He cheered, then slapped Conner's back, "We tried to make a pizza, but Conner here did not tell me how to work the oven. We tried to figure it out, honest, but for some reason the heat didn't make any sense."
"So that's why the pizza burned..." Artemis mumbled, looking at the oven. "Well, even with your fail, we're going to get food."
At that very moment the alarm that had announced how dangerous Ezio and Conner were when in the kitchen ceased. Shay looked up at the ceiling for a moment, wondering just how the alarm worked and was cut off so easily, but Artemis answered his question before he even asked it.
"Kaldur went to cut the alarm off and is going to order some pizza for us. While he does that, we," She motioned at herself, Conner, and Ezio, "Are to clean up the kitchen disaster they created."
"We could help." M'gann offered, then faltered slightly when all eyes turned to her. "Well, if Shay doesn't mind, he could help. And I know I would not mind helping you clean up."
Conner smiled softly at the green skinned girl but shook his head, "Why don't you go and finish whatever it was you were doing?" He told her, "I know Shay seemed kind of... I don't know... He seemed like he really needed to tell you something. Seemed important." Conner shrugged noncommittally at these words.
M'gann hesitated a small bit, then looked at Shay, "Would you like to finish showing me those things or would you much rather wait?"
Shay looked down at the teen with a soft smile and shrugged, "Whatever you think would be best, lass. I would not mind helping with the clean up." He then looked at Ezio and Conner with mirth shining clear in his eyes. "I am guessing cooking would not really be one of your strengths?"
Conner's cheeks blossomed with pink at that, and he turned away before M'gann could see his embarrassment, but Ezio only smiled at the Irishman, "These contraptions are not what I am used to, Shay. But... Maybe trying to make a pizza without asking for instructions was not the best idea; in retrospect, of course."
The Templar quirked an eyebrow at Italian, wondering just how one man could remain so happy even when he had clearly gotten in trouble, but shook his head and moved so he was seated on the chairs that were placed on the outside of the kitchen, right in front of the window in the wall. Liam and he had been just like that at one point. They would get in trouble with Hope and Achilles but they would only laugh the elder's anger off.
The thought of his old friends and allies dampened Shay's mood and M'gann noticed this. She looked at him with a worried frown, but still hesitated between staying with her friends and Ezio or going to accompany the clearly wounded man.
Luckily for her, Conner seemed to understand her hesitation and shoved her lightly towards him, "Just go, M'gann."
She smiled broadly at him and kissed him on the cheek, then floated towards Shay and sat herself beside him. Once there, she smiled at him then turned to Artemis, "So, Ezio, would you care to tell us just how you made pizza?"
Shay was slightly surprised to find that M'gann clearly had some type of care hidden deep inside of herself for him, but didn't say anything as Ezio went on a long explanation as to just what ingredients they used to make the burnt pizza while Artemis fetched the tools needed to begin the cleanup.
"We're back!" Wally yelled out as soon as the Zeta Beam had allowed him to come into the Mountain, only to find that no one was where they had last left them. "Uh..." He mumbled for a second, blinking stupidly at the empty space before him.
After him arrived Robin, who was neither frowning nor smiling, only to have him quirk an eyebrow at the vacant scene before him. But he didn't question it as Desmond and appeared through the machine. Lastly came Zatanna, who was too busy paying attention to Connor's story of how he saved the first inhabitants he had invited to the Homestead to notice the absences, and Connor, who was telling said story.
"I swear there were people here when we left." Wally muttered to Robin, who only scoffed and nodded.
"Wally, did you really think they would really just stand around doing nothing while we retrieved Connor?" The thirteen year old asked as he took a few steps into the Mountain. "You very well know that there was no way that was going to happen."
Wally seemed to deflate at his friend's bluntness, but Connor placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder and smiled down at him, "Do not worry, young one. I am sure we will find your friends."
"I am not young." Wally spat, glaring at the Native American halfheartedly. "You look barely nineteen."
Connor shrugged softly then turned to Robin, "Where would we find these friends of yours?"
Robin glanced around the room for a moment, then said, "Knowing that they're the most boring members of the Team, I can safely say they are either in the kitchen, their rooms, or the library."
"Ooh! I smell something delicious!" Wally suddenly gasped with a bright smile, sniffing at the air, "Follow me!"
He took off running without any hesitation and Robin followed with a smirk. Zatanna walked after them in a much slower speed and Connor decided to go after her about ten seconds after the three teens had gone ahead.
Desmond, though, stayed behind for a moment to stare at Connor's retreating form. It was odd, really, to see him so talkative and young. He remembered just how scarred and cold the Native American male had ended up after a life full of heartache and trauma. The Templar assassinations he had committed and all the pain he had gone through with all the people he allowed himself to grow close to had left Connor cold and calloused by the time Desmond had finished looking into his memories. So, with how he knew Connor would end up, Desmond wasn't sure if he enjoyed the fresh and doe eyed young adult he now had under his charge.
Still, he didn't allow himself too much time to contemplate on Connor's life because he knew he didn't want to; nor could he afford to; miss any of the new interactions to be had between the teens and the Assassins in the other room. Besides, he was kind of hungry and if Wally's nose was correct, they now had food in this place.
Without too much thought after that, Desmond made his way over in the direction the other three had gone in while hoping there would be enough food for all of them.
~/~
When Desmond reached the kitchen, he found that inside where Artemis, Conner, Ezio, and Kaldur with one pizza box on the counter. Outside, by the kitchen's window to the outside, he found Shay and M'gann speaking softly about something or another. And finally he found Connor, Wally, Zatanna, and Robin with countless pizza boxes splayed all around them, and there was even one in the teenager's hands as they explained what pizza was to the Native American.
That, Desmond decided, was going to get annoying really soon. Differentiating between Connor and Conner was not going to be easy nor fun. But maybe the kid had some type of nickname he could be called while Connor was around... Desmond wasn't really looking forward to having to use Connor's given birth name to address the Mohawk.
"It's cheese, Connor! Just try it!" Wally pushed the cheesy food into the man's hands, smiling broadly the whole time.
"Wally? What are you doing?" M'gann asked, seemingly pulling herself out of her conversation with Shay to stop the redhead from bothering the stranger too much.
The fifteen year old smiled at her, "Megs, I would like you to meet the newest member of the Assassin fan club, Connor Kenway."
Desmond noticed Shay's frame tensing up at the name, but he did not understand why. There was nothing too odd about it, right?
"Connor?" M'gann repeated, all the while Artemis' head popped up through the window into the kitchen.
"Kenway?" Shay asked, his voice much more composed and cold than it should have been when it came to having an ally.
Desmond nodded now and spoke up, "Yeah, he's the closest in era to you too, Shay. If I'm correct, he comes from the year 1777, if not 1778."
Connor glanced over at Shay, who only nodded tensely with a strained frown and knitted brows. To Desmond it looked like he was trying to make a connection between something or another, he just didn't know what Shay could be trying to connect at the moment.
"Wait, that means Revolutionary times!" Artemis gasped out suddenly, then she was out of the kitchen and running over to the dark skinned male. "Can you tell me about the Boston Tea Party? I have this huge essay to write for History class that's due in three days!"
Connor took a step back at the blonde's sudden appearance, clearly shocked by her energy, and turned to Desmond for some type of help. The male from modern times, though, only smiled at him and shook his head. It would be kind of funny to see his ancestor squirm a bit because of how uncomfortable the girls would make him feel.
Even though that was what Desmond wished, though, Kaldur stepped out of the kitchen with a calm look on his face and diverted the attention away from Artemis' outburst and towards what he deemed to be the more important situation at the moment.
"His name is Connor, correct? We already have a Conner." He informed, motioning towards the clone still in the kitchen.
Said clone was in the middle of keeping Ezio from opening the refrigerator. The Italian man was fascinated by quite literally everything in the kitchen, but now that he knew the giant box of metal in the corner was cold, he wanted to figure out how it worked so he could bring his designs back to Leonardo, whatever that meant.
"I believe it will become rather confusing if we continue calling them both by their names." He admitted with a sigh. "To tell you the truth, I do not feel right asking one to choose a name other than their own, but if you all will be staying with us we must not have so much confusion or doubt amongst us."
Connor thought for a moment, then admitted, "You could always call me by my birth name, Ratonhnhaké:ton."
The whole group became silent at the mention of his real name and all the teens looked at him, wide eyed and unblinking. The silence caused the Mohawk to shrink away from them slightly and Desmond felt a tiny bit bad for him. Still, Kaldur was a respectful teen and reacted as kindly as he could.
"I am Atlantean, sir, but even I must admit the pronunciation of your name would give me quite some complications." He admitted, feeling slightly bad for making the stranger feel so bad in the first few minutes they had gotten with him.
"We can keep calling him Connor," Wally offered, even though he was speaking with a piece of pizza in his mouth, "And call Conner Con whenever they're in the same room."
Artemis immediately jumped on the chance to make fun of Wally, though, "Wow, Baywatch. First good idea I've heard from you in the whole time I've known you."
Wally stuck his tongue out at the blonde but didn't say anything else as he went back to eating his pizza slice.
Kaldur rolled his eyes at their theatrics, but turned to Superman's clone and looked at him, "Would you mind that, old friend?"
Conner blinked at him for a moment, then shrugged, "It's only when that guy's in the room and you already call me Superboy on missions." He growled at Ezio and slapped the Italian's hand when he tried to open the fridge once more. "Ezio, out of the kitchen!" Then he mumbled, "Can't he stay away from electrical appliances?"
Ezio walked out of the kitchen dejectedly for a moment, then brightened up when he saw the newest Assassin to join their ranks. Immediately he went towards the Mohawk and began to look him over, analyzing all the oddities he wore.
"What is this?" He asked, picking up the tomahawk that hung from the younger's belt.
With curiosity peaked, Ezio began to turn the weapon over in his hands, amazed by the rudimentary and slightly crude craftsmanship of the weapon. And his intrigue was furthered with the overall bluntness of the thing. It was nothing like any weapon he had come across before.
"Ezio, maybe you shouldn't be playing with weapons you don't understand." Desmond scolded softly as he plucked the tomahawk out of Ezio's hands and returned it to its rightful owner.
The Italian seemed to want to grab at the thing again, but Connor's glare stopped him from it. Instead he turned to Shay and walked towards him.
Once more M'gann and Shay had begun to whisper in voices so low nobody else could hear them, but stopped when Ezio neared them. Shay looked at M'gann for one last time and straightened up.
"I hope you are able to discuss this with your teammates before any madness stirs." Shay told her simply and M'gann nodded, for once not smiling after having spoken with Shay.
Inside the kitchen Con had finished cleaning up what had been left of the pizza mistake and he walked out with his eyes narrowed. He had heard everything Shay and M'gann had discussed, even though he could not understand why they were speaking about such things.
The green skinned teen made her way towards Kaldur and whispered in his ear, "May I bring you aside for a moment. I need to tell you something." She informed him, which made her teammates look at her with curiosity and confusion.
"Of course, M'gann." He nodded, then bowed at Connor. "If you will excuse me."
With that both teens made their way towards the communications hub, all of the other teens looking after them with different questions in their mind.
~/~
"Shay, Connor, Desmond, shall we get to know each other more?" Ezio asked, smiling at all of them. "It only becomes of Assassins to learn from one another."
Shay's face read that he clearly did not like the idea of spending too much time with them, but Desmond immediately perked up at the chance.
"Yeah, let's do that, Ezio. Robin, got a room for all of us?" He asked the young bird, who nodded.
"But don't you want to eat dinner first? It's been a long few hours for all of us." Robin questioned and Desmond chuckled slightly.
"Dinner first." Shay agreed, getting down from his chair and passing by Ezio's side to go into the kitchen and grab a slice of pizza.
Ezio looked after him with pursed lips, then shrugged and went towards the teenagers and grabbed a slice from the many boxes on the table. He could ask Shay why he was such a jumpy man once they were away from the teenagers. It was not a conversation for young ears.
So, Connor is Ratonhnhaké:ton and Con is Conner. Conner is Superboy, Connor is the Assassin.
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review.