[09th January 2011]
[Star City, California, United States of America]
"So this is what your home city looks like eh?" I mused 'resting' my arms on the safety barrier and looking out into the great rocky caverns illuminated by soft crimson light "...certainly a nice view, wouldn't want to slip though"
"Heh, heh, no, not really...it is a bit of a drop isn't it?" M'gann giggled a moment, then sighed, resting her arms on the barrier, and chin on her arms as she followed my own gaze into the dark gaping abyss below, over which bridges and various pipes only barely obscured. People bustled around us, a constant hum, though they ignored us entirely "...I liked coming here...sometimes anyway...and just..."
I sighed as she fell silent, just staring off into the abyss with a tired expression on her face "I know that wasn't the best end to the mission, how're you holding up? Could be better I imagine, since you've gone for our mutual dream share when we're both out for the count"
M'gann fidgeted a little, looking a bit embarrassed, as she stood in her 'standard' shape of green skinned human-martian girl and dressed in the cloak and dress 'uniform' she'd chosen. Seemed being 'home' had caused her to switch back to her 'preferred' form even in her dreams...again "No...I...it was, so sad...to fail and Mr. Davis had to die, he wasn't really a bad guy was he?"
I shook my head "Not really, misguided and vengeful more than anything, but there's a price to pay, and not just for the man making the mistake I'm afraid"
She smiled sadly, still bending over and resting head on arms, as she glanced over at me "I thought that might be so...and I..." she huffed slightly, straightening up bracing hands on the barrier "...well, I didn't want the Link to end, sorry John"
"Reminded you of home did it?" was my query, more amused than anything as I turned around, resting my back and hands on the barrier, and gazed over the build up city surrounding us. All of the 'people' had similar looks to M'gann and her Uncle while in more 'humanoid' form...it was all very 'human' really, from the shapes to the clothing being alot like what M'gann currently wore with the red X's worn by several, as well as hair on not a few "Feeling homesick?"
"Maybe...a little..." she replied boinking the side of her head gently with her fist in that 'Hello Megan' thing of hers "Hello Megan! You're being really obvious here!"
Then looked a bit sad, and maybe embarrassed, coping my stance but sort of hugging herself instead of resting arms to the sides on the barrier like I was doing "I...miss home, but...I don't miss home as well..." the 'people' she'd summoned vanished leaving us alone in the vast underground cavern city "...it was, nice, today I mean...No, I mean the Link, and that...not fighting monsters and the man dying, and..."
I gave her arm a gentle punch as she started to act all flustered at implying she'd found happiness amongst all the misery "Hey now, don't be like that, I know what you meant M'gann...and I'll note your back in your...well, can I ask how accurate many of the people walking about here were? Your natural form is somewhat different if I recall our last dream or two"
Yeah that was embarrassment, nervousness too, as I watched her consciously force herself to shift from her usual green skin to a chalk white version, with crimson coloured eyes. Still not her 'true form' but her basically human form, save taking on her 'natural' tint; I rested a hand on her shoulder, feeling a bit bad for noting it while a bit relieved she had dropped her stress issue even just a little inside memories of home "Hey, there's no one here but us, so you don't have to get all flustered over this. You can be yourself, or who you want, here...it's sort of the point of all this after all"
She gave me a grin, of sorts, that wasn't entirely forced "I know, and no...It's not entirely how everyone looks on Mars, but the, well, 'human' look got popular a few centuries ago, even more now with all your planet's signals reaching us...soooooo..." she moved away from the barrier wall and did a twirl "Ta-da!"
I sighed, using one hand to rub my face "Oh lord, you're a planet of shape-shifting cosplayers aren't you? "
"Heh, heh, heh...maybe?" she replied with a bemused shrug "...thought it was, is, more...half human? Kind of human-like maybe? Clothes weren't really big either outside ceremony and it's just a matter..."
She flushed, falling silent as I rolled my eyes and gave an amused snort "Yes, yes, M'gann I know, organic clothes, technically naked in reality...not sure why the others don't make the jump"
"Please don't tell Wally! Or Superboy...or anyone else on the Team, but especially Kid Flash"
I couldn't help but laugh "Oh, relax, I can keep a secret, but I'm surprised it'd be taboo considering..." I motioned at the empty city "...telepathic shapeshifters, and what you just indicated a moment ago"
"Uhhh...human thoughts can be really loud sometimes, and Wally..." she blushed, a purple-ish colour on that chalk white skin hands clasping together in front of her "...kind of...projects unintentional, and I...peaked without thinking at first and...uh...he has a vivid imagination. I'd prefer not to give him ideas for them"
"Now, now, you shouldn't be snooping in the naughty places M'gann, tut-tut-tut!" I teased with a smile, getting an initial pained look, then an embarrassed laugh from her as she rubbed the back of her head "...but yeah, I can understand, so lips sealed as always. That, and we really need to get around to teaching the others mental barriers, even so you don't have that problem"
"Hmph, like you hide yours away Mister?" she huffed at me, arms folding across her chest, and giving me an amused look. Well she was cheering up at least, and maintaining the humanoid White Martian look for the moment.
Still...I grinned and nodded "Oh, yes all the naughty thoughts are safely stored away from telepathic snoops my dear M'gann, as if the innocent little Martian girl never had any eh?"
I couldn't help but laugh a little at the shifting emotions, a blush, but also a faint distorting the scenery around us to a bright sunny day, a beach beneath our feet as a shirtless Connor, Robin, Kaldur, and myself surprisingly enough, played shirtless volleyball nearby. Letting M'gann unintentionally dictate the 'mindscape' scene, then watch as the four 'people' immediate vanished the moment she realised what I was laughing at "Really?"
Arms shot up into the air, waving and gesticulating at empty air as 'Artemis' and 'Zatanna' briefly appeared like ghosts nearby before vanishing "Ah! Ah! It was...and they...and I..."
I walked forward, resting my hands on her shoulders and giving a smile "Relax, I'm just teasing...feeling any better?"
It earned me a punch in the shoulder, but she chuckled herself after a moment "And you John? How are you...and don't lie, or pretend you're fine!"
"Honestly...I'm...not happy with how it went, I hate when things go bad like this, and I know we're facing into more bad things soon as we wake up. Even down to Z..." I sat down on a 'rock' altering the scene a little myself, shifting into 'beachwear' of swimming trunks and light, brightly coloured, shirt, enjoying the 'sand' beneath my feet and the faint sea breeze on my face "...she tried so hard...we all tried so hard, and it didn't work out...and all I want do is relax here a time and put off facing it till...later, sometime later"
"Good news then...you do need sleep, so waking up is some time away!" she told me, coming over and sitting down beside me and resting an arm on my shoulder. What's worse she was right, this was another one of those 'extended operating periods' and at the least I needed the bare minimum of a few hours rest unless I wanted to burn potions or spells "...so it's time for Hello Megan! Beach Episode!"
I gave an amused snort, she'd copied my action and slipped into beachwear herself; a relatively revealing yellow two piece "So we're using our hard created dreamscape simulation bond...too relax at an imaginary beach?"
"Yes We Are!" hyper-cheerful thy name is M'gann M'orzz "you need to relax, I need to relax...and then in the morning we'll cheer up the others too when Mr. Skull Sorcerer, our Team Leader, isn't all tired, and grumpy, and stressed!"
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[09th January 2011]
[Star City, California, United States of America]
Dinah Lance was exhausted as she collapsed back into the sofa of the former millionaire's mansion, and currently temporary recovery area, several hours after defeating the magical invasion. Ollie had gone off on patrol around the city along with SCPD, now that monsters had vanished restoring order and helping those injured had become a priority. That and guide the soldiers who'd poured into the city, to largely mill aimlessly in the end, after the Dome had gone down along with the monsters disappearance.
She closed her a eyes, resting back into the couch a few moments and just...resting; another day and night with only the barest rests in between fights looked like.M'gann and Fortune had essentially collapsed from exhaustion after the fight; unsurprising after what they'd done between 'mind guiding' everyone, doing whatever magic stop the teleportation ability of the monsters, and the odd telekinetic slams they'd been throwing about. Zatanna had, and still was, very upset over what had happened earlier and only convincing her, and some of the other children on the team, to get some sleep before they'd need to be deployed again.
Which...likely wouldn't too long after they got that rest considering the destruction that had been caused in Gotham by that earthquake, and all the crazies and idiots who'd hidden till now had re-emerged to try rob banks, or just back to being crazy. All it had taken was the US military being overstretched by the crisis here and in Gotham, and a mass breakout from Arkham to send the League into overdrive once again. Robin had taken off of course, alongside Kid Flash, when they'd gotten word of Gotham...but Dinah and Diana had at least managed to convince the other members of the Team to get some damned rest [eventually] and be ready to serve as a reserve in a few hours.
'Something we desperately need' she thought, or maybe mumbled, to herself as she grabbed a cushion and rested it under her head. And, what was worse, it was just after what had been something of a debacle as they found themselves being forced to let the soldiers that had helped them murder a man to save the day...it still hurt Diana stepping aside like that, and figuring out how to explain to Zatara why his daughter was so upset. Wasn't that going to be a fun meeting?
"Man down! Man...aghh" came over the communicator she'd left beside her head, eyes snapping open and pushing herself up. That had been the soldiers guarding outside, near the fountain, while the youngsters and herself rested inside after the big fight. Along with one of SHIELD's pet assassin's, and Artemis's mother, fully recovered, despite the other children not knowing due to that face mask of hers. It was frustrating in some ways to see such a girl that was trying so hard, and had so much potential, like Artemis being tempted back into that life because her mother had decided the best thing, to do once getting healed, was join a Secret Government Military force as probably Black-Ops member.
"What's happening?" she demanded as grabbed the communicator, jumping over the table and dashing towards window. Gunshots echoed out in the afternoon sky along with a scream, then behind her the sounds of activity in the rooms as some of those inside were woken up; or most likely the masked and black clad Huntress had readied herself for an attack. A jump, a dash, and through the window doors brought her gaze down over the balcony and into the courtyard were two bodies already lay bleeding on the floor as a man dashed forward...unnaturally fast. Ignoring the tiredness in her body, she took a quick survey of the situation and terrain, grabbed edge of the balcony and hopped over; landing in a crouch a few metres in front of the runnig man with knifes...
Shhhhhrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
...sending him flying backwards into fancy stone statue in the fountain. It should have knocked him, it should have at least slowed him down...but without even a pause the blood covered man, now soaked in water, simply braced himself and jumped forward. A sinister smile covered his face, a creepy slasher smile she'd seen on far too lunatics faces in the past, as blades seemed to materialise from his sleeves into his hands. His gaze came to focus upon her as she noted the third soldier behind her bleeding, but alive, against the doorway with a blade in his shoulder.
"Give me Constantine's little apprentice! YOU HEAR ME YOU LITTLE SHIT! I'M GONNA GUT YOU! YOU AND YOUR LITTLE TOY SOLDIERS! I WAS GOING TO BE A KING! A KING YOU SKULL MASKED FUCK! GONNA FUCKING GUT YOU!" the man started ranting at her, moving as she drew breath for another scream...
And barely dodging the throwing blade "Out of the way of the Lord of Blades Blonde Whore! Gonna slash and slash and gut you like all the rest! I'm Free Again! Make you beg and scream! Free Again! Revenge be MINE! SLAUGHTER OF ALL BE MINE!"
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