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Captivating Sympathy
Chapter Two: A Cat In Gloves Catches No Mice
Morning shone bright with promise for the future, but Catlyn couldn't shake a darkening fear of her past. It lay just out of her reach, taunting her endlessly. She slipped out from beneath the bundle of covers and placed her feet on cold brown stone of the living room floor. After stretching, she folded the blankets of her makeshift bed on the couch. A glace at the clock told her she had risen before the sun once again.
Protests from her stomach pulled her into the kitchen where, much to her surprise, Megan was standing in front of the oven.
"I didn't wake you up did I?" she asked worried.
Catlyn smiled and shook her head. While the martian took some getting used to, there was no denying how sweet and courteous she strived to be. There existed a kinship between the two outcasts that wanted nothing more than to be apart of something bigger than themselves. Their desires were something both could relate to, although their reasoning differed.
"If you keep thinking about it, you'll never get past it," Megan said, breaking the momentary silence. "I'm sure you'll get them back soon."
"You're right Megan," Catlyn sighed, wondering if Megan had read her mind to know of the thoughts that plagued her or if it was simply written plain as day across her face.
"Do you know what it was that called the other three away last night?" the martian asked in an attempt to take her teammate's mind off of her less than pleasant thoughts.
Once again, Catlyn shook her head as her stomach voiced its disapproval.
Megan smiled and moved into the living room, giving Catlyn an unblocked path to the refrigerator. She sat down on the couch and turned on the television for what Catlyn could only presume would be another cooking show marathon.
A bowl of cereal made for the perfect breakfast as far as Catlyn was concerned. It was something quick, easy, and, most importantly to her, something she remembered. She had finished about half of the bowl when Superboy emerged from the back hallway that led to the bedrooms.
"Hi Superboy. Did you sleep well?" Megan asked, tearing her attention from a show dictating the best way to make peanut butter cookies.
Compromised with a mouth full of cereal, Catlyn opted for a small wave towards the clone.
Superboy only nodded in response to both girls and headed for the kitchen.
Not yet finished with breakfast, Catlyn scooted around the island to make room for the silent teen. She reasoned he must not be a morning person.
After that thought crossed her mind, Megan seemed to relax and turned her attention back to the television. Most people might find the martian's near constant probing as an invasion of privacy, but Catlyn was curious on if the poking around might lead to a lost memory surfacing. It was easier to pretend she had no inclination that her thoughts were not confined to only her mind.
"Recognized, Aqualad. Three zero two," a female computerized voice announced.
As promised, Kaldur strolled out of the portal and looked around at the handful of teammates, barely suppressing a yawn.
"Late night?" Catlyn asked as a greeting while she moved to the dishwasher and deposited her cereal bowl and spoon. Beginning her second full day at Mount Justice, she had come into her own, feeling more at home than she would have thought possible.
Kaldur nodded and moved to the living room, sitting on the couch beside Megan. He lay his had back and closed his eyes before rubbing them vigorously with the heel of his palm.
"What happened?" Megan asked.
Superboy and Catlyn entered the living room to hear the retelling of last night. She sat on the couch resting on the half wall that divided the room form the kitchen while Superboy remained standing, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.
"Robin, Wally, and myself thought Speedy would be a promising addition to the team, so we went out to find him. We fought along side him, but he declined when we offered him a spot. Turns out he's a free agent and wants to keep it like that. He thinks our team is a joke, something concocted by The League to keep us busy and out from underfoot," he explained. His tone implied he was torn on what to believe at this point. He glanced up at his teammates and smiled at Catlyn. "Are you going to spend all day in your pajamas?"
She blushed and realized she was indeed the only one not dressed. How could she tell Kaldur that she didn't have any clothes, that even these had been borrowed from Megan.
Fortunately, it was Megan that came to her rescue. "Hello Megan," she said, lightly hitting her forehead with the heel of her palm, "I completely forgot." She got up and took hold of Catlyn's hand. "I have something for you in my room. Let's go."
Catlyn felt her hand rise into the air as Megan took flight and practically dragged her through the cave and back into the cavernous hallway. She landed and opened the door, pushing Catlyn into the room in her excitement.
"I bought some clothes earlier, but I don't need them. The clothes I have on are organic and respond to my mental commands. I can literally change them," she said with a broad smile. "I want you to have them since I don't have a use for them. I'll leave you to get changed." She strode out of the room and gave Catlyn a smile before closing the door.
The bed was sagging under the weight of all the clothes piled on in a system of organized chaos.
She noticed right off the bat that the martian had a style all her own. Nothing was quite what she would have chosen, but her heart was filled with gratitude none the less. Catlyn picked through the massive collection, combining a strapless, empire cut white dress with a shimmering faux-lace covering, black leggings and a pair of black converse. She attached her whip to her waist and deemed herself dressed.
By the time she had changed and navigated the twisting hallways back to the main cave, Robin and Wally had arrived. They were rushing up to the others who were standing in front of a wall of holographic screens.
"Did you ask him?" Robin asked with excitement.
"What did he say?" Wally fallowed up, not giving enough time for anyone to answer the previous question first.
"Ask who what?" Catlyn asked waking up to the illuminated circle.
Robin and Wally turned to answer her, but were struck mute at the sight of her.
Catlyn gripped the hem of the dress nervously and looked down at the floor.
"He's arriving now," Kaldur said with a slight grin.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Wally asked, having recovered. He took off at a slow jog, leading the rest of the team to the main entrance of the cave.
"You look really good Cat," Megan smiled as she flew off behind Superboy leaving Catlyn to pick up the rear.
Catlyn glanced left and right, not seeing any signs of the approaching android. She wondered how he was getting here. On the computer screen, it showed his location, moving swiftly across the Atlantic ocean. Was he coming by boat? That didn't seem like the style of someone named Red Tornado. Her musings were interrupted by the wind picking up considerably. Looking up into the sky, she saw the head and torso of their babysitter, as Robin would say, while his legs seemed to generate a literal red tornado. "Answers that question," she mumbled.
"Red Tornado!" Wally called out in greeting coupled with an exaggerated wave.
"Greetings. Is there are reason you intercept me outside the cave?" the android asked.
"We hoped you had a mission for us," Kaldur explained.
"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility," Red Tornado answered simply.
"But it's been over a week," Robin protested. "And nothing-"
"You'll be tested soon enough," Red Tornado interrupted. "For the time being, simply enjoy each others company."
Robin glanced back at Catlyn who was fully focused on the android before returning his attention to Red Tornado.
"This team is not a social club," Kaldur reminded him, a bit of menace creeping into his tone.
"No," Red Tornado agreed, "but I am told that social interaction is an important team building exorcise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave." he suggested before walking past the grouping of teenagers and into the cave.
"Keep busy," Wally repeated after a light punch to Robin's shoulder.
"Does he think we're falling for this?" Robin asked perturbed.
"Oh, I'll find out," Megan whispered, eager to contribute and be apart of the team. She narrowed her eyes in concentration but quickly sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry, I forgot he's a machine" she stammered. "Inorganic. I cannot read his mind," she clarified.
Catlyn put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Nice try though," Wally offered before his demeanor changed and he moved closer. "so, uh, you know what I'm thinking right now?" he asked suggestively.
Catlyn stepped back a couple steps before Robin nudged him with his elbow. "We all know what you're thinking right now," he accused.
"Ow," Wally said halfheartedly.
Kaldur looked down before resolving to do as Red Tornado instructed. "And now we tour the club house," he said somewhat bitterly.
"Well, Superboy, Cat, and I live here. We can play tour guides," Megan offered, looking with the rest of the team at Superboy for some sort of conformation.
"Don't look at me," he dismissed. He would walk with the team, but he would not be "playing tour guide".
"We wont," Wally assured, looking back to Megan and smirking. "A private tour sounds much more fun."
"She never said 'private'," Robin snapped.
"Team building," Kaldur mused. "We'll all go."
Catlyn walked up beside Megan as the group began to move and heard a unceremonious grunt come from Wally when Robin pulled him back by his arm and passed him.
"So, this would be our front door," Megan started, acting very much the part of a tour guide.
And so it went on. Megan was thorough with the tour of the cave. Every room, bathroom, and closet was shown off as though she were a real estate agent.
"And this would be the back. The cave is actually the entire mountain," she concluded nearly thirty minutes later.
"It was hallowed out and reinforced by Superman and the Green Lantern in the early days of the league," Wally added as the team made their way back into the cave.
"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" Superboy asked.
Catlyn was so surprised to hear him speak that it took her a split second to realize she had been wondering the same thing.
"The cave's secret location was, compromised," Kaldur explained.
"So they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah, that makes sense," Superboy said sarcastically.
Once again, Catlyn found herself agreeing with the moody teenager and nodded.
"If villains know of the cave, then we must be on constant alert," Megan reasoned, sticking her finger into the air as if she had deduced something no one had thought of.
Robin grasped her hand out of the air and held it in his. "The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they'd never think to look here."
Catlyn blinked a few times as she tried to make sense of the string of "know"s.
Wally put his hand on top of Robin's which still had a light hold of Megan's who was in the process of worming her had free. "Uh, he means, we're hiding in plain sight," he offered.
"Ah, that's much clearer," Megan said, although it was lacking confidence and she scratched her head as if she were still puzzled.
Superboy sniffed the air and announced, "I smell smoke."
"My cookies!" Megan gasped before flying towards the kitchen, the others following her from a distance.
Using her telepathy, she opened the oven door and made the cookie sheet float out of the oven and land lightly on the granite top of the island just as the remainder of the team entered the kitchen. She looked disheartened at the charred and still sizzling cooking before her. "I was trying out Granny Joan's recipe from episode seventeen of, uh, never mind," she explained before trailing off embarrassed.
"She's been watching cooking shows and baking since you left," she mumbled to Robin who looked down at her and smiled.
"I bet they'd have tasted great," Robin assured moments before Wally took a bite out of one of the scorched cookies. "He doesn't seem to mind."
With a cookie in each hand, Wally looked around the group of people staring perplexedly at him. "I have a serious metabolism," he answered.
"I'll, make more?" Megan said in confusion, but happily all the same.
"It was sweet of you to make any," Kaldur said kindly, although he kept his distance from cookies.
"Thanks Aqualad," Megan said, clasping her hands in front of her.
"We're off duty," he reminded her. "Call me Kaldur."
"We trust you with our secret IDs, unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here. Batman' forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name," Wally jeered as Robin scowled.
"And we all know that Cat is Cat," Megan smiled, but stopped at the confused glances she was getting. "Do you not have nicknames on Earth?" she pondered.
Catlyn smiled and nodded. "We do, but you have to let people in on it before it's widely used," she explained.
"I like it," Robin said, smiling at both Megan and Catlyn.
With all the talk of names, Superboy began to take his leave and walk towards the living room. He paused and grunted, looking with wide eyes at Megan. He grabbed his head and practically snarled. "Get out of my head!"
Everyone looked between Superboy and Megan confused before her voice rang loud and clear within their minds.
"What's wrong? I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically," everyone heard. They all gripped their heads like Superboy had at the unnatural sensation of hearing a third party's voice with such certainty. It gave one the feeling of going mad.
"M'gann, stop," Kaldur commanded. "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy," Kaldur broke down the concept for her.
"Besides," Wally joined in, "Cadmus' creepy little psychic genomes left a bad taste in his brain."
"I, I didn't mean to-" Megan began her apology.
"Just stay out!" Superboy commanded in a gruff voice before departing the group and sitting on the couch.
The air was heavy in the kitchen as Megan hung her head. The little bit of confidence she had about fitting in on Earth had been snatched away in a matter of seconds. With her sunny disposition, she didn't remain down long. "Hello Megan," she said, followed by her hitting her head lightly with the heel of her palm. "I know what we can do." She flew out of the kitchen without an explanation.
Robin and Catlyn glanced at each other, raising their shoulders in unison before resigning to follow after her.
They passed Megan as she headed back the way they had come. "Follow the hallway all the way down and wait for me by the last door on the left. I'll meet you there," she said before continuing on.
The team did as instructed and Catlyn couldn't help but smile when she saw Superboy walking behind a much happier looking Megan. The doors were parted and revealed what looked to be very large, deep crimson egg with purple markings.
"It's my Martian Bioship," she said gesturing to it.
"Cute," Wally answered while everyone else searched for words for such a strange looking spacecraft. "Not aerodynamic, but cute."
"It's a rest silly," Megan said with a smile. "I'll wake it." She raised her hand, palm toward the ship. Right before their eyes, the egg like shape morphed into an impressive design. She spun it around and opened the hull. "Well, are you coming?" she asked when no one followed her.
No one moved for a second. Catlyn took the first step and the others followed.
The interior of the ship held a wide array of purple hues and reacted to the number of people inside it. With a squelching sound, it produced six chairs and a martian steering mechanism.
"Strap in for launch," Megan said, sound a bit nervous.
Catlyn took a seat by the window with Robin to her left. She knew the disgust could be seen on her face from the feeling of the chair moving and creating the seat belt around her.
Robin chuckled before he too felt the odd sensation.
Apart from Megan herself, Wally seemed to be the only one that was not disturbed. "Cool."
Once everyone had been seated, Megan asked for Red Tornado to open the doors. He complied and the team was off and flying.
It was incredible. Catlyn had her face nearly pressed against the glass as the scenery whizzed past. Even without her memories, she was certain she had never experienced this before.
"Incredible," Robin agreed, pulling his gaze away from the window and turning to Megan.
"She sure is," Wally said dreamily. "I mean the ship," he stammered, pointing down at the control panel, "which like all ships is a she."
"Smooth," Catlyn teased.
"Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth" Robin said with a smirk.
"Dude!" Wally called out from the other side of the cabin.
Kaldur leaned over and had a quick, one sided conversation with Superboy while Megan watched nervously.
"He'll come around," Robin whispered in response to the worried look in Megan's eyes.
"He doesn't seem to like me much," Megan said doubtfully. "He didn't even speak to me when I greeted him this morning."
"He didn't say anything to me either," Catlyn offered.
"But you didn't say anything to him," Megan pointed out.
"I didn't think drooling cereal would be the best morning greeting," Catlyn mumbled while pouting.
Robin covered his mouth and chuckled at the mental image playing in his mind.
"You guys remember he has super hearing, right," Wally reminded.
The three teens looked nervously at Superboy who wasn't responding as if he head heard anything, although they knew better.
"Hey, how about showing us a little martian shape shifting?" Robin offered as a means to pass a little time and get Megan's mind off the brooding clone.
She complied and stood up, causing both Kaldur and Superboy to pivot in their seat so watch. The same squelching sound the bioship made when it changed was heard as Megan's form began to change. It started at her feet and traveled up her body, creating an image of Robin with one very distinct difference.
Catlyn stared and tried not to giggle.
To demonstrate how quickly the change could happen, she spun around, becoming Wally by the time she was back in her starting position. The copy was impressive, but still had the same inconsistency.
"It it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Wally asked with a dreamy expression.
Megan then morphed back into her usual attire.
"Impressive," Robin clapped, "but, you know you're not exactly going to fool anyone with those." Robin held his hands up. He had meant those particular copies and the move was only supposed to be a gesture.
Catlyn let loose a couple giggles and Robin quickly put his hands down once he realized what it looked like he was inferring.
"Mimicking boys is a lot harder," Megan admitted, slightly embarrassed.
"Why not try Cat," Wally suggested. As far as he was concerned, it was a win win. He would get to see Cat close up and Megan's confidence would more than likely go up.
"I could try," she smiled and made an exact copy of Catlyn.
"That's prefect!" Robin applauded.
Catlyn couldn't help but stare. She hadn't really thought about it before, but up until this point, she had even forgotten what she looked like. Now she realized why Robin and Wally had gaped at her earlier. Her black hair contrasted well with her porcelain skin and her eyes shone like emeralds. The dress hung her curves in a most flattering way and the leggings showed off her well defined, yet still feminine legs.
She looked away, now slightly uncomfortable.
"Are you okay Cat?" Robin asked as Megan once again morphed back into herself and glanced over nervously.
"Just stunned," Catlyn said with a forced smile. She seemed to have managed a somewhat convincing one because Megan smiled in return and sat back down in the pilot's chair.
"You're clothes," Kaldur started but trailed off.
Megan launched into her explanation of how her clothes were able to change with her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Robin asked quietly.
Catlyn nodded and gave another forced smile. When Robin's expression didn't brighten, she sighed quietly and hung her head. "I'll be okay," she mumbled. She saw him reach over and take hold of one of her hands and felt him lightly tilt her chin up so he was looking into her eyes.
"If you need to talk, I'm here," he said simply.
A genuine smile graced her lips as she nodded. "Thanks Robin."
"So long as they're the only ones," Superboy grumbled.
"Can you do that ghosting through walls think like Manhunter does?" Wally asked.
"Density-shifting? No," Megan admitted. "It's a very advanced technique."
Robin could see that the confidence she had attained with a perfect copy of Catlyn was slowly starting drift away. "Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall, but when he tries it, bloody nose," Robin chuckled. It was just his way of saying that everyone has problems with the advanced things, and if it came with an opportunity to tease Wally a bit, all the better.
"Dude!" Wally whined.
Wally might not have appreciated the telling of that particular story, but it seemed to have done the trick.
"Here's something I can do," said said before the squelching sound started again. "Camouflage mode,"she grinned, proud with herself.
They're joyriding was cut short when Red Tornado's voice came in over the radio. "Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate, covertly. I'm sending coordinates."
"Received," Megan replied. "Adjusting course."
Robin scoffed. "Tornado's keeping us busy again."
"Well, a simple fire led you to Superboy," she reminded him. "We should find out what caused the alert."
"I think I know the cause," Superboy said as he looked out the window.
A tornado was fast approaching. Catlyn didn't think there was any way the ship was going to make it out of the way in time. Sure enough, the ship was sucked into the wall of the tornado where the camouflage mode blinked before dissipating. The team was feeling the effects of the tornado's force as they tumbled and spun around the edge of the cyclone.
Megan concentrated harder on freeing the ship, and with a burst of speed, the team was able to make it out without serious damage. She landed the ship and instructed everyone to jump through the hole she created on the floor of the ship.
"Robin, are tornadoes common in New England?" Kaldur asked. "Robin?"
Both Kaldur and Megan looked for Robin only to find him missing.
Catlyn heard a familiar mischievous laugh echoing around them. She marveled at his speed and stealth. "He's inside," Catlyn said with certainty.
"He was just here," Megan protested.
Glass shattered from what looked like powerful gusts of wind and fell to the street below.
"No time to argue about it now!" Catlyn yelled as she took off and readied her whip.
The team ran through the double doors to the power plat just as Robin slid down a pillar and crumpled to the floor.
Superboy appeared beside him, backing off slightly as Robin tried to sit up. "Whose your friend?" he asked, glaring at the towering red android responsible.
"Didn't catch his name," Robin said before yelling after Superboy's retreating back, "but he plays kinda rough."
Catlyn knelt beside him as the villain started speaking.
"My apologies, you may address me as Mr. Twister."
I know it's a really bad place to leave off, but it was getting so long and I had to find a stopping place. I hope you like this chapter as much as the last one. I wanted to get it out as soon as possible and still give you a quality fanfic.