Adventures of Superguy

July 20, 2010 - Happy Harbor, RI

Mt. Justice

21:34:28

“So what’s the dealio with you, M’gann?” Walli asked as she took her seat beside Connor on the log again.

“Oh! Okay, I can go next. Well, I’m from Mars.” M’gann explained hesitantly.

There was a beat as they all simply stared at her, and she realized what she had said and facepalmed.

“Ugh! Hello, Megan! Obvs, you already knew that.”

The team chuckled as she gathered herself, her hands clasped in her lap.

“It might be easier just to show you…” She began.

…If that’s alright?

Her telepathic mindlink came to them as surprise, but this time without a shock. Slowly, the team was getting used to M’gann’s telepathic touch. They nodded, or gave their mental assent. And so she began to show them the red world of Mars, from her own memories.

M’gann revealed to them a grand vista; an underground city of in a vast cavern of red stone, stalactites and stalagmites reaching from ceiling and floor, some meeting in great hourglass columns. Within and around these natural rock formations were great circular pathways and promenades, linking one to the other. They crisscrossed at every level in curling organic shapes. The stone formations were partially hollowed out, the rock dressed in beautiful designs. Metal buildings grew off them like barnacles, all in the same circular, organic shapes, like gleaming shells of undersea mollusks. Light glowed softly from a thousand points and lines; windows and illumination panels, but also in delicate tracery around the edges of the metal buildings and constructions, outlining them in neon colors.

All Martians live in underground tunnels and caverns, because the surface is uninhabitable.

Their mental vision took them to the surface, a reddish grey, rocky desert where the sun beat down but brought no warmth. They couldn’t feel the cold and thin atmosphere, but they felt the echo of those things, knowing if they would feel them bite if they were really there. There was an indescribable feeling of loss and desolation on the surface.

Our family lives are very intertwined. As you already know, we mostly communicate telepathically. The form of communication we use helps large Martian families maintain a sense of community and stay closer.

Now their vision became of a great stone hall, filled with Martians. They were all seated around a long table for a meal or feast, if the spread was anything to go by. They looked more like J’oann than M’gann’s pseudo-human form, mostly hairless with heavy brows and large domed heads. Each was a different shade of green, and they dressed in an exotic fashion. Robes and capes were common, with minimal other clothing. Most simply wore what looked like bikinis or briefs, with similar distinctive X shaped bandoleers that the Manhunter from Mars made her signature. There were other styles of sashes and bandoleer, however. Many of the people in the vision had four arms, while others had only two. 

Connor noted a distinct imbalance in genders, if he was judging Martian gender correctly. There seemed to be one male for every three females, so the latter dominated the gathering. At the head of the table was a four armed male Martian, and a massive six legged roast beast was levitated to the table before him, and he began carving it with what must be invisible telekinetic blades He served himself first before plates of the cuts floated down the table to the other diners. The scene had a patriarchal air that seemed decidedly old fashioned to Connor. As if sensing his curiosity, M’gann continued her guided tour of her own memories.

Martian families are usually quite large. Males only make up 25% of the population, so each male usually takes as many wives he can. So our families have one father and many mothers, and the children are all raised together. In my family, I have seven brothers and twenty two sisters! In my extended family, I have over three hundred cousins.

The vision shifted to a crowd shot of M’gann’s family at some event, and Connor recognized the four armed male who must be her father. He saw the females standing next to him had been sitting at either side of the table from the patriarch; his wives, and among them M’gann’s mother, presumably. Her siblings spread out before their parents, her brothers clustered in the middle and she and her sisters flanking on the wings, their parents standing at the back. The gathering reminded Connor of a family graduation ceremony picture. He could pick out M’gann as she was the only one in the throng with the ginger hair she had on Earth.

Connor saw the breadth of shapeshifting of a Martian family, with size, color and even limbs an optional choice. M’gann’s brothers looked familiar to him, as they wore the same shape J’onn J’onnz wore on Earth. Her sisters took a much broader variety of sizes and shapes, some quite alien but most were beautiful to his eyes.

There was a flash of something across the mindlink, hot and scratchy, and he realized it was jealousy.

Shit. 

I think I just thought her sisters were hot. 

At her.

Shaken out of submerging into M’gann’s memories in the mindlink by his faux pas, he came back to himself momentarily. Seeing through his own eyes, he glanced at the rest of the team but they all appeared as lost in the vision as he had been, and hadn’t noticed whatever passed between him and M’gann. His eyes found hers as they communed, and hers glowed faintly green, but then she blushed and turned away.

Dang, it’s cute when she blushes.

His eyes saw her stiffen, and his mind felt the static of her choking mentally as she heard his unguarded thoughts. His embarrassment only grew worse as a result. The reciprocal feeling of her embarrassment, and his for having exposed himself, became a feedback loop that turned them both red.

Sorry. I’m… not used to telepathy. He said mentally; privately, he hoped.

It’s okay, really. Came M’gann’s telepathic reassurance. Aunt J’oann taught me a lot on the trip over about human ideas of privacy and telepathy. But its hard to keep things separate on a mindlink. I can… teach you, if you’d like?

Desperately trying to think only of what he wanted to tell M’gann, rather than the cascading thoughts of overthinking his every possible thought, he firmed his telepathic response. Every drop of willpower kept him from thinking of anything else embarrassing for her to bear witness to. He definitely didn’t think about thinking about what she looked like naked.

That would be… good. Thanks.

Nailed it.

Shit.

M’gann’s telepathic laughter was like the feeling of church bells ringing with joyous acclaim, and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever felt, since he couldn’t hear it.

As they held their private telepathic conversation, her focus on her story and the memories she shared with them never wavered. Having that kind of ‘second thoughts’ impressed Connor, who was finding exactly how hard it was to hold just a single line of thought at the moment. 

Many Martians look different, because shapeshifting comes naturally to us. Along with our telepathy, its the basis of much of other powers and one of the pillars of Martian society. But my family are all G’arrunn Martians. But there are other subspecies of Martians; the B’lahdenn and the A’ashenn. 

As she explained, she showed them scenes of busy Martian markets and streets, familiar G’arrunn mixing with others. The B’lahdenn were red in color but the shade varied as much as the green of the G’arrunn, and were usually taller and seemingly better dressed. The few they saw all appeared to be prominent, and often had entourages. They flew or walked sedately, and others made way for them. 

The A’ashenn were a white, the color of milk or chalk rather than a Caucasian skin tone. There were fewer of them than the G’arrunn, but many more than the B’lahdenn. They seemed to cluster together, and their clothing appeared more utilitarian and worn. But they always seemed to be at the margins of things; in alleyways and footpaths away from main thoroughfares, usually making way for G’arrunn and B’lahdenn when encountered. These scenes gave off a sense of disquiet, of simmering unease.

Thankfully, M’gann addressed the tension she showed them.

Some on my planet do not see the A’ashenn as equals. My parents were both green and I was raised in what you would call a ‘progressive’ environment. My family and I have no issue with A’ashenn. But others were not so tolerant. And their treatment of the A’ashenn is especially horrible.

Her memories took a dark turn, and they could all feel the tension across the mindlink. A’ashenn were forced to make way for others on the street, and angry confrontations began if they didn’t move out of the way fast enough. Service workers refusing to serve them, or accusing them of malfeasance. Poor districts of the city were turned into ghettos with rundown buildings and infrastructure, and a sea of chalk white faces on the streets and amber eyes with black sclera looking out from windows in resentment. The shared recollections hovered on these moments, and there was a profound unhappiness that weighed them all down. After a moment, though, the perspective shifted and the mood literally lightened.

Of all the sisters, brothers, parents, aunts and uncles, the family member I was closest to was Aunt J’oann. We had a great relationship! We would watch her exploits on Earth with the rest of the Justice Guild! She grew to be a true beacon of hope and stood for what our society could achieve. 

Her memories became grainy, and Connor realized that these images were not of things M’gann had seen herself, but ones she’d watched on television. He saw battles of the Justice Guild, the Martian Manhunter among them, battling a huge tentacled horror with energy blasts flying in all directions. A gloating sorcerer flew above the fray as the Guild wrestled the tentacled beast, and Connor was pretty sure it was Wotan, judging by his ludicrous hair and beard. The monster was finally defeated when J’oann phased into its maw and tore it apart from inside. Across the mindlink he could feel M’gann’s past joy in her aunt’s victories.

She became the most famous Martian in our history! Upon her return to Mars, it was declared a day of planetwide celebration. But her return wasn’t just for the adulation of the populace, she also had a specific purpose in mind. Having learned about all of you, excluding Connor, J’oann decided it was time to introduce a younger Martian hero to Earth. She came back to Mars and declared she would hold a competition to find the next Martian champion who would be returning with her to fly among the heroes of Earth! 

A feeling of pride and ambition washed over them through the mindlink before she continued her narration.

I decided I would enter the contest! But so did like, half the Martian population, or close enough. However, the difference between all of them and me is that I was going to win!

Now they all stood in a vast arena, a vast vaulted ceiling of its cavern overhead. The stands were packed with thousands of Martians of every type. The field of the arena was divided into different stages and obstacles, and hundreds of Martians competed to complete each one. Floating rings tested flyers as they raced to beat each other’s times, others faced off in combat rings and shapeshifted so fast they seemed to be made of liquid as they grew and shed limbs, claws and other natural weapons and fought until one submitted. Tests of strength were common, as Martians lifted massive stone blocks with both muscle and density shifting, some adding additional arms or thicker legs and backs to hoist larger loads. Others used their telekinesis to levitate equally large blocks, catch flying projectiles, or disassemble complex mechanisms into their components and then reassemble them telekinetically.

The competition was fierce… and dangerous. It was exciting and consumed or touched the lives of every single Martian on the planet! At first, Aunt J’oann seemed like she didn’t want me to compete. I thought maybe it was that she didn’t want me coming to Earth. I had seen some of her adventures, and they were dangerous. 

They saw J’oann through M’gann’s eyes, staring down with a stoney face and crossed arms as M’gann flew the aerial obstacle course in record time.

But I was not going to let that stop me. I was determined to win! From everything I had seen and heard of Earth up until that point, I loved it! I HAD to see it for myself! I wouldn’t let anyone beat me! 

They saw a field of young Martians, mostly G’arrunn in identical jumpsuits, assembled as they awaited the results. There was some kind of score tallying happening, but the team didn’t understand whatever M’gann was sharing there, as they were overwhelmed by the feelings of her ambition and nervousness as she stood amongst her peers.

Then came a feeling across the mindlink like the dawning of the sun after a long and bitterly cold night; warm, inviting and triumphant.

They saw M’gann and J’oann embracing on a floating platform before the assembled competitors and audience, all of whom cheered wildly for the victor.

I won! The whole competition! My heart soared! I was coming to Earth. This was the most exciting time of my life! Now I am here with all of you, and I’m part of the team. And I love it!

Her exuberance and joy washed over them like the sun’s first rays and the mindlink began to recede.

“We are glad and lucky to have you, M’gann.” Kaldura said, laying a hand on her shoulder.

“You can say that again.” Walli backed up her friend.

“Yeah, you’re aces in my book.” Robin added

“Aww, thanks gals…” M’gann said, puffing up a bit.

Connor caught her eye as she looked up, and together they shared a small smile across the campfire. Her eyes had lost the green glow of her telepathic focus, but he saw a glimmer of amber in them as her cheeks became a little pink.

Man, I probably should have brought Gizmo. He could have been my mental filter between my Not Safe For Work thoughts and the pretty green girl…

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