Ch 68 Kaldur'ahm

Logan looked at M'gann in surprise, {Aqualad? I don't think I have met him yet, what can you tell me about him?}

{Here, just share my memory and you will know everything I know about him.}

Logan felt a great deal of information hit his brain with a bit of pain accompanied by it. {Slowly sis, I am still not fully accustomed to thoughts this large being transferred.}

M'gann looked bashful, {Sorry, sorry, you just feel so comfortable. Like a brother, I grew up with on M'arzz.}

(So, we are talking about my favorite Aqualad, Kaldur'ahm. This son of Black Manta was the perfect mix of Atlantean muscle and magic. A calm and sometimes ruthless character who was steadfast in his beliefs. Marred with personal tragedy and choices made for him without his knowledge, much less his consent.)

Keeping these thoughts away from M'gann, Logan said out loud, "Let's go grab Aqualad and head to Atlantis, I can't wait to see it."

M'gann spoke outloud, "We will take Bio-ship, Kaldur wants to take the scenic route to see if anything has changed in his absence."

"OK by me, more chance to see everything possible with a good tour guide. Would you mind answering some questions I have about Martian life while we travel?"

M'gann returned to telepathic communication, {Sure, but do you mind if we talk like this? It's so comforting and I could really use that right now.}

{No problem, how about you wait here, and I will go tell Connor I will be gone for a while so he can take care of the yard dogs.}

{Can't you reach him from here? Your mind is very powerful so it shouldn't be an issue.}

Logan paused but told her the truth in the end, {He is a bit gun-shy about letting anyone in his mind right now, and I want to respect that when possible. Be right back, and no watching through my head. Get your voyeur kick some other way sis.}

M'gann looked guilty and a bit sad at his comments, and Logan wasn't sure what made her that way more, the reminder of the trauma she put Connor through or his stopping her from watching him through his mind.

Logan made a quick flight back to the junkyard and changed shape to talk with Connor. As soon as he landed in front of him, Connor smelled the air.

"You were with Megan, weren't you?"

Logan nodded, "Yes, I was, and I will be going to Atlantes with her and Aqualad. I came back to let you know I would be gone for a day or two. Aqualad seems like he wants to go on the scenic route."

"Yeah, he got ripped badly a few days ago about not having his head in the right place during a mission by Vision. I think Kaldur is on the cusp of a major life decision. H... How does Megan look?"

"She is pretty torn up and just like you, searching for a way past the hurt. It's a bit rougher on her, knowing she caused it. But I still don't think she sees herself in a bad light, like a child in a way. She feels she is being punished for doing wrong but can't figure out what she did wrong. Until she sees that, she won't change at all. Don't beat yourself up Connor, she needs to grow and then maybe you guys can work it out. For now, just concentrate on yourself like you have been doing."

After talking to Connor, Logan texted Pam to tell her he was going to be out of service range for a few days, but nothing would keep him from their planned outing. She refused to let him call it a date. Then he left a message for J'onn just in case M'gann forgot to tell him. Finally, Logan flew back to where he left M'gann and they boarded Bio-ship to go get Aqualad.

Logan looked around the interior of the ship, {So, let me ask about the family structure on M'arzz. I have heard you have 11 sisters and 17 brothers. If one Martian female had that many children, then I would think M'arzz would be overrun with cities so large we would have seen them with our telescopes hundreds of years ago. But so far as I know there are very rare cases of twins and most all Martians live an average of 300 years.}

M'agnn smiled, {I see your confusion. In our society, there are biological sisters and brothers of which I have one sister and one brother. But non-biologically there were 10 females and 16 males born on the day I was, so they are also my M'arzz siblings. Cousins are Martians that were borne on the same cycle around the sun, what you would call a M'arzz year.}

Logan nodded in understanding, {Now that makes more sense to me. J'onn was your mother's biological brother so that would be your blood connection correct?}

{That is right. I heard you have put forward your name to join Uncle J'onzz on the walls of his beginning. He is very happy about it because the name won't fall into the sand if he has no more children. Though it will fall to you to continue that name. But don't get me wrong I'm sure he isn't only happy for that reason}

{It feels right for me. No other option I came up with made me feel comfortable. As for J'onn, I think he still craves for a family of his own and I really hope he is able to find one. After all, he is only about halfway through his lifespan.}

As they continued to speak with their minds, Logan felt a slight disturbance in his mind and suddenly he could feel emotions coming from Bio-ship. She was happy to be carrying him and M'gann, the whole ship radiated pleasure and contentment would be the best description.

M'gann smiled happily, {You can feel her now, can't you? Your mind felt like it settled in fully now. Like a puzzle piece.}

Logan took a deep mental breath, {Yes, I can feel her, it's a wonderful feeling of inclusion. I feel the love she has towards you M'gann. It is a special feeling you should cherish.}

They spent the rest of the trip just thinking their own surface thoughts and letting their minds rest against each other's much like two balloons in a gentle breeze. Content in the closeness they both felt. Once they got to what Logan assumed was Mount Justice, he met Kaldur'ahm, or Aqualad as anyone who watched Young Justice would know him as.

He was dressed in his blue swimmer's pants and the skintight red shirt that showed the magical tattoo on his arms that helped him generate his electrical magic and, on his back, he kept the hilts to his water weapons that he could change the shape of at will.

He was a very polite and quiet person, but he wore his heart on his sleeve right now. His face would shift depending on what he was thinking. He seemed very distracted with his inner thoughts until they flew a long distance out into the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Kaldur reached his hand out and placed it on Bio-ship's hull and said, "Straight down from here my friend." After about 20 minutes of a sinking feeling in our stomachs, they finally leveled off and then Bio-ship's hull went transparent so everyone could take in the sights Aqualad wanted to show them.

The predominant colors were a purple that bordered on pink, light greens, and a pale yellow that looked almost orange in the distance. The vibrant colors were accompanied by vast schools of fish that swam around with impunity it seemed. It was hard to tell the size because the water you were looking through shimmered and distorted distances. It looked monstrously large when you looked right at it but when you looked at the surrounding ocean the city seemed so frail and small.

Kaldur spoke to his 2 friends, "Welcome to my birthplace, the Atlantean city-state of Shayeris."

M'gann clapped her hands in happiness, "It's spectacular!"

Logan just whispered, "Such beauty!"

He felt his body mass being compressed from the depth of the ocean, but Logan just increased his density to around half his max and then shifted his size to normal with his Martain abilities. Logan looked over at M'gann and saw she didn't bother resuming her normal height but was simply unaffected by any of it.

Seeing them both making adjustments, Kaldur said, "I hope neither of you experiences any discomfort. I thought to bring more appropriate attire than an open skirt to protect your modesty and some re-breathers for air."

M'gann, "Thanks for thinking of us Kaldur but I think we can cover it. Watch me with your mind Logan."

Her outfit lost the traditional cape she wore, and her skirt turned to long swim pants. More than that, Logan saw her change her lungs to work with a set of gills that opened around her neck. Once she was done, he followed suit and noticed his chest puffed out a bit more to accept the additional lung space needed. M'gann's chest expansion had a more apparent change due to the same thing. (Looks like I will be playing the part of overprotective big brother for our trip. Not even Kaldur was above taking a double look at M'gann's assets until he saw my watchful eye.)

Once they started to swim in the city both M'gann and Logan took to copying Kaldur's evolution traits that helped him move in water so easily, everything from the webbed hands and feet to the fin on his calves. After passing many buildings that reminded him very much of the architecture on Themyscira island, Kaldur pointed to one home and said, "This is my parents' home here!" He couldn't hide the excitement in his voice if he tried.