eachdraidh | 001; visual; seelie

Entry tags:

001; visual; seelie

[ It troubles Medusa to have to do this: to admit to what she doesn't know. But she doesn't have the luxury of trying to remain proud. Her people need her. ]

Greetings, fellow shard-holders of the Seelie Court. My name is Medusa. Where I come from, I am the queen of a people known as Inhumans, in a kingdom called New Attilan. I speak to you today to ask you for your help, and for whatever information you may have.

First, if you have heard of us— the Inhumans, our city of Attilan— or our allies the Fantastic Four, the Avengers: I would speak to you. I would know how long you have been here, where you were, what you were doing when you were taken, what you have learned since. It does not matter if we knew each other before. If we share friends in common, then you may consider yourselves friends of mine.

[ Until the moment in which they prove themselves false. But Medusa carries on as though this hasn't occurred to her. See how answers, and if there are enemies who come out of hiding. ]

If you are an Inhuman, of any tribe or city— know that you can always come to me for aid. The time for petty and superficial differences has passed. We are one people, and as one people I will defend you and stand for you as I would any citizen of New Attilan. Should we ever leave this place, you will always be welcome there.

[ This, too: she has ways of knowing who might pretend to be one of her people as well. But if they're here, others besides Kamala...she needs to find them. ]

Second, I would like to hear your opinions on what we've been called to do. Tell me what you think of this war, and of your experiences. If you fear reprisal, speak to me privately and I will keep what you said in strictest confidence. I will come and meet you anywhere you desire. You see, I cannot pledge my allegiance and my willingness to serve before I know who and what it is I pledge for. To stake myself is to stake my kingdom and my people, and I cannot do so lightly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, not yet, but now you have brought another question to my attention. What is the Justice League?

It's another group of heroes! From what I've heard Herc say about the Avengers, you guys are like some alternate universe version of the Justice League from my world. I mean, it's not-- It's not an exact, oh ABC is the alternate version of XYZ, but more just like both groups are organized, recognized, and work together to protect the world.

I am not an Avenger, child.

[ IT FEELS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THIS DISTINCTION. SHE IS THE SOVEREIGN OF HER OWN NATION. They might be her allies, but there is a very definite difference between "works with" and "is part of." ]

But I see what you're getting at. Do you only have one group where you come from, or are there many? They are rather common for us.

Oh. Sorry!

[ Hey, Aquaman is the KING OF THE OCEAN and he's a member of the League :T ]

And yeah, the League's the big one. There are a few other smaller groups, and there are definitely heroes scattered all over that do their own thing too, but the League's the main group. The most visible too, really.

[ And then there's the Team, which is like the mini-League if Dick's being honest, considering how they're literally made up of members who are League proteges. But they only go on League(/Batman)-sanctioned missions. ...Mostly. ]

[ Aquaman isn't nearly the obsessive isolationist the Inhumans try to be. ]

If I may ask...how did this come to be? Where do the people in your world come by their abilities, if they have them?

Different ways, really. Superman and the Martian Manhunter are aliens! Like, literally. Martian Manhunter's from Mars. And then the Flashes seem to all have gotten their abilities from an experiment-explosion... [ He rolls his eyes. ] Some more deliberately than others. Some people are born with them.

The people who are born with them, they are human? Or...other?

Sssort of? I mean, yeah, but they also sometimes make a point of being not. [ He shrugs. ] Atlanteans, Amazons... But at the same time, they're definitely human in that they're not, like, monsters. [ He says the last word like it's personally insulting. ]

Of course not. Do you think I am a monster?

[ Do you, Dick? ]

Of course not! It's not a--whether or not you have powers, thing. It's a what-you-do thing. And that isn't limited to whether or not you have superhuman powers.

With great power comes great responsibility?

Basically! And also without power.

[ Joker isn't superhuman and he's... He's very him. ]

There is more to power than possessing abilities an ordinary human lacks.

[ Even if she were not superhuman...she would still be a queen, and that's a mighty power indeed. ]

Yeah, that too. For sure.

Do you have a name for these people, who are born with powers?

I don't think so? Other than the members of the League, it's not really... It's not really something that's advertised, y'know?

No. That is counter to my experience. To be born with innate powers is something that is bound to be remarked upon, in one way or another.

People are afraid of what they don't understand. It's why all of us use masks and code-names and don't let civilians know we're heroes.

I am not unfamiliar with either of those concepts. They are unfortunately traits that the humans of my universe also possess.

[ Dick she's been doing this longer than you've been alive. Although, to her, all of that code-names and masks is a uniquely human requirement. That's not why the Inhumans do any of that. ]

But that is not the fault of the misunderstood. Nor is it their responsibility to compromise themselves to make other people more comfortable.

[ He shrugs and sighs, propping his chin up with one hand. ]

Didn't say it was. Still... It's a thing that's prevalent. You can't change human nature overnight. You just gotta...ease them into it. Them, us, whatever. Humans.

[ These are the conversations she hates having with humans. ]

Yes, I've heard this before too. And everyone else is asked to wait, and tolerate hostile acts and attitudes without being tolerated in return. Truly an effective solution.

Whoa, I didn't say I condoned it or that it's okay. My mentor and I, we're both totally human, no superpowers at all. We get just as much flak as the rest of our teams do. [ Sometimes more, because for all that the other members of the League are more physically powerful, Batman and Robin keep a close eye on Gotham. Maybe if they had superpowers, people would feel less grumpy about it. ] All I'm saying is that it happens and I don't blame people for being scared. For every one that speaks up against us, there's at least one person who supports us. We're doing good, making a change for the better.

It's important.

[ There's an argument to be had there. There's much to be said about important, and what it means to different people, and how the actions of the other depends on which side you find yourself on. And that the people he defends are just as much other to her people as her own is to them, and her own...well. They are rightfully scared, too.

But it seems unproductive to have it with someone who has very little power to make decisions, at least in an actual argument form. And now Medusa's beginning to put other pieces together. The picture they form displeases her. Of course, she's not his mentor, so it's not her decision to make. ]

How old are you?

Fourteen.

[ And immediately he braces himself for the inevitable protest. You'd think he'd get less of it, now that he isn't nine anymore, but it seems like people still have a problem with it. Which, admittedly, if he'd seen someone else his age getting into the kind of trouble he tossed himself into daily, he'd have put a stop to it, but still. There's definitely a defensive note to his voice as he continues: ]

And I'm good at what I do.

I did not ask you to editorialize or offer justifications.

[ She's gonna smash Bruce's face into the floor if she ever meets him. Believe it. ]

How long?

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