September 20th, 2021 | JL Watchtower, Orbit
The Watchtower wasn't abuzz as one might believe. Few heroes actually remained up here when there wasn't a global or galactic crisis occurring. The view and silence of space gave it a somewhat tranquil atmosphere despite elements of the natural world being scarce. It was a location that would serve well in escaping one's troubles. At the same time, it could also serve as a prison for one’s negative thoughts. Martian Manhunter aimed for Kassy to experience the former.
It had taken Kassy a while to shake off the physical ramifications of the journey to the Watchtower. With an Atlantean body born to withstand double the amount of pressure that a human could, going into an environment with no atmosphere at all was taxing. But the vertigo and nausea had subsided, which left her mind free and clear to spin into whirlpools.
Within a large soundproof training room, Kassy and Martian Manhunter stood facing each other. When the Martian wasn't smiling, his face was the representation of neutrality, even putting Viktor’s stoic expressions to shame.
“Kassandra, we have worked towards strengthening your mental defenses but is there anything specific you might be interested in training? I may not possess your abilities but I have had experience and time with many heroes of the League I can draw from.”The young woman looked exhausted.
"Well… I feel that I am…" Kassy looked off, clearly struggling to express herself.
"I am not doing my share when it comes to combat. The elemental magics my staff provides are a distant second to what the rest of the team provides. It's good for a backup, but if I-" If she had been stronger, she could have protected KJ. She knew that thinking was not actually helpful, and so she didn't let the guilt pass her lips.
"If I wish to continue helping, I need to learn to manage my own magic better. I need stronger illusions." Martian Manhunter gave Kassy an affirmative nod.
“Illusions are an exemplary tool with many uses in and outside of combat. However, the user requires not only a great deal of finesse but the ability to maintain what they know is real against their elaborate design.” Martian Manhunter floated away from Kassy, giving her some distance.
“Remember your reason for improving yourself Kassandra, and I know we'll be successful in enhancing your abilities. We'll start easy. I'll draw out surface memories of locations from your thoughts. You will then change the scenery of this training room to that setting. Are you prepared to begin, Kassandra?”Kassy took a calming breath. She wasn't sure how this was going to go. As far as she knew, no one else had read her mind. Nothing for it but to dive in, though. She shut her eyes and tried to relax. "Yes, I am ready."
“Good. We will be going with something familiar to you. The lounge at Mount Justice where you and your friends spend many heartfelt and casual moments. You are the architect, so build the scene around us. One sense at a time, the order does not matter. Only focus on the final product of your illusion. Convince me that we are in the lounge on a typical day.” His voice was calm and steady as he held a moment from Kassy’s memory while also keeping his senses vulnerable to her manipulation.
"Okay." Sight was always the easiest. The lounge at Mount Justice seemed to melt into place around them. The familiar sofa and cushiony chairs. The Big TV with speakers and a rack of DVDs. Two finely dressed rich women mid-argument about something inane - and then Viktor, hiding a smile while he watched. Daphne next, underneath her sun lamp and reading a book. Zach on his phone, texting at rapid speed. Cora sitting with a machine kit and a screwdriver. Pei with a dye cap on her head. Will trying and failing not to look interested in the television. Vincent walking in with a massive bowl of perfectly done popcorn. And Kilamanjaro with a smile and a laugh, in sharp focus.
Everything seemed to waver for a moment. Kassy focused her breathing and braced herself. And then, like a bubble was popped, sound came rushing through. It was a lively moment, the sort of warm chaos that could easily follow a group full of teenagers. Quite suddenly, it smelled like popcorn, and soda, and hair dye, and sea salt and the air after rain, and it was warm, because despite their arguments, they were comfortable. Her friends, her family.
Her home.
"...I… am not sure how to manage taste."“Though, I believe if I were to try the popcorn of your illusion, it would taste as it's intended to.” Martian Manhunter replied as he surveyed the illusion. He expected such a familiar setting to miss the finer details due to the typical complacency seen from other illusionists but he found himself very impressed by Kassy’s demonstration.
“Kassandra, if you can fool most of one's senses, the brain will often fill in the gaps. There are exceptions. Such as someone having prior knowledge of your abilities or someone very in tune with their senses. Kilamanjaro and Viktor would make for good practice. Regulating their sharp senses to the natural world makes them harder to fool. It's better to overwhelm the mind when faced with adversaries of this type,” He informed in his calm, steady tone.
“Now, let us delve deeper…” He put a single finger on his temple, searching for a more tumultuous scene from her memories.
Kassandra shifted with discomfort. She could feel a subtle sense of something wrong, like an itch she couldn't reach. Was this what it felt like when she used her magic on others?
“This one… When you and the team embarked to Atlantis, you encountered a giant squid deep in the ocean. Bring me there, but a version of it where the situation plays out better than it had.” This time Martian Manhunter was asking Kassy to conjure an illusion with a vast setting with an enormous creature. Instead of forming an illusion of events she was familiar with, she'd have to change what she knew of the situation. Kassy’s illusions were strong in their ability to imitate but could they alter what she remembered into something she knew in her heart was not true?
"...Yes, sir. I'll try." She truly did not want to return to the scene of her failure. So many things had gone wrong - had been wrong from the beginning. Despite her fear, she'd been so happy to let the others see where she'd come from.
“I know you can do this. Don’t hold back the illusion, Kassandra. It is merely the past and I am here with you.” Martian Manhunter’s voice coached faintly.
The cool, pressing depths of the ocean, wrapping around like a hug and shield all at once. Safe and familiar. At that depth, it was a deep blue - but it was bursting with life. Coral and kelp feeding brilliant colored fish. The deep vibration of whalesong, and all around an almost imperceptible hum of ocean current. It was peaceful and beautiful.
Then peace and beauty went ink-black in the same moment.
“Team, we have a situation. There’s a giant squid out here and we need to chase it off without harming it too much. Rain, Cybergirl - protect the doctor! Metamorph, Brightheart, and Nymph, on me! Zatara, now’s the time to see if that merman charm of yours works! Let’s go!”To Kassy's eye, the squid was not a mindless, blood-thirsty thing. No, it was more akin to a giant bear cub than anything else. Dangerous, but juvenile. It would fight if provoked, but more likely would be scared off.
The team shifted into gear at her command. Former and current teammates worked quickly together. Nymph used the thick kelp to keep it from further hampering the sub, while Zatara conjured up a bigger squid. Mirage's magic gave it an illusory reality. It took another push from Brightheart's combined strength, but soon enough the creature was starting to back down.
Kassy's breath started to pick up as she pushed the line between what was real and what wasn't. This had not been how it went at all, but… how she wished it had.
"...hold, team. It's leaving." Mirage exhaled, voice shuddering with adrenaline.
"Excellent work, everyone! Head on back to the ship, I will make sure we're clear." The team obeyed her orders quickly, and she watched them all go safely back into the sub. By now, the squid was retreating in full. Mirage saluted the creature as it left.
"My apologies for all the fuss, old one. I know you're not a -"“MONSTER!” Bingley's voice howled, sending a slight ripple through the illusory world. Martian Manhunter chose not to intervene, believing the effect was just Kassy reaching the limit of her abilities.
Merely a stumble she can recover fro- Martian Manhunter was caught off guard by what occurred next.
Without consideration for Kassy’s proximity to the squid or the decisions she had made to ensure a peaceful resolution, twin torpedoes struck the creature. It occurred so quickly and with little warning. All that had preceded the attack was the brief sound of whirring through the deep. She heard the muffled sounds of torpedoes exploding on contact. She felt the force throw her backward violently. She saw the rush of bubbles mixed in with blood and body parts. She could smell the high concentration of blood that spread through the water. She tasted…
“Kassandra… Kassandra…”“YOU ABOMINATION!” She remembered this taste.
“Focus on my voice… Kassandra!” Why here? Was she hurt?
“You know what she is, what she’s capable of!”
No, she was-. She was far from being fine.
“Kassandra! Kassan-… where-…. taking us-…” Martian Manhunter’s voice faded while Bingley's remained so powerful.
“Sociopath…”
She'd heard it too many times.
“Kas-……. foc-……. st-...”“Menace…”
Not even her childhood was safe.
“Dangerous beast…”
Just how long would it take to convince them otherwise.
Kassandra turned her head to spit a cloud of fresh blood.
“But - I didn’t do anything, Auntie.” Her tooth had cut the inside of her lip, and she knew she’d have another swollen bruise to hide at school tomorrow.
“Be quiet.” Her aunt’s voice was sharp and cold, devoid of everything but disdain. “How dare you embarrass me in public.”
“I was just putting it back. I never sto-” She flinched reflexively as her aunt’s hand clenched. Why did she bother to speak in her own defense? Why waste the air?
Her guilt was already decided; all that was left was the
punishment.
“K-”
"Your useless excuse for a father married a monster and leaves me dealing with his siren spawn-" Kassy tried to block out her words. None of it was true. Her father would come back, someday.
"My beautiful son tangling tailfins with some whore, trying to go to the big city… What does Poseidonis have to offer that can't be found here?""Auntie, they love each other! And they want a new start as adults once they marry!""They can marry here, and stay here.” She cast a glance down with a sneer like she had found a snail in her food.
"No one asked for your thoughts on the matter."“Worthless…”“You’re nothing…”“Unwanted…”“Lucky to even be considered fam-”“FAMILY!” Martian Manhunter’s voice boomed over her aunt’s insults. Just his voice sent ripples through the memory, rumbling and shattering the memory and revealing something else. Something warm, familiar, and pleasant.
Kassy’s treasure.
Her home.
Her family.
Kassy found herself returned to the Mount Justice lounge. The familiar sofa and cushioned chairs. The Big TV with speakers and a rack of DVDs. Viktor was still hiding a smile while he watched TV. Daphne sat up with her precious smile from beneath her sun lamp. Zach was grinning at his phone after receiving a text back. Cora held up a newly constructed gizmo. Pei looked in a handheld mirror at her hair’s new shade of neon orange. Will submitted to simply enjoying watching the television. Vincent held a handful of popcorn, ready to stuff his face. And Kilamanjaro, still with a smile and a laugh, in sharp focus.
“Kassandra.” Kilamanjaro motioned her with his hand to join everyone.
“Don’t look so sad.”“Don’t look so sad.”“You’re home. You're safe.”“You’re home. You're safe.”I'm home. I'm safe. Kassy relaxed, reaching out for KJ's hand. But just before they touched, she stopped short.
"...Kassandra…" The smile slid off her face.
"You never call me that."It took truth to break an illusion. Even while submerged in it, there was now a sheen of unreality over it. Like a movie with false lighting. Close - but not quite real.
With her realization apparent, Kilamnajaro’s smile faded as his expression became stoic. He uncharacteristically stood square and upright.
"...sir, you can let me out. I… I'm okay."“Of course, Kassandra.” Kilamanjaro’s body shifted into Martian Manhunter as the lounge melted away into the plain white room the two had started the training session in.
“I would like to apologize, Kassandra. I did not want to resort to such methods but I needed to pull you out,” He explained with a concerned look.
“On a positive note, I believe I know where you need improvement… It's not an issue of skill. You're distracted by your pain and you seem to carry it with you like a weapon on your hip.”"You did what needed to be done. It is… okay." Kassy was silent for several moments, wiping her tear-streaked face on her sleeves. Perhaps she should have felt angry, but… it was nice to see KJ's smile, even a false one.
"I didn't do it on purpose. But I'm tired of being that way. Can you help me be better?"“We will Kassandra. You and I will both help you be better. Let us have a brief intermission before another exercise.” The Martian smiled warmly. He was confident Kassy would continue to grow more powerful. She only needed to find her balance… or perhaps it was more fitting to call it, her
anchor.
"That's a good idea… Thank you, sir."
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