"Are you okay honey?" The voice comes through the earbud plugged into the young girl's ear, and she speaks in an agitated tone.
"Fine." Obviously, at least emotionally, she wasn't. "Are ya sure? Is Mr. Peabody's tree okay?" The young, agitated girl now stirs from her spot on the ground, surrounded by debris from what looks like it was once a tree. She sits up slowly, brushing bits of scrap wood from her thick hair.
"It was like that when I found it.." Of course it's hard for her to outright lie to her own mother.
She now pushes herself to her feet, dirt and debris falling from her thin and muscular form. Her name is Tasha Patterson, though she hopes people will start calling her a different name someday. A more noble name. She looks up to the sky with a glower, as if she were angry at it. You see today is her training day.. and she has to master the power of flight. But thus far.. well she isn't doing so hot. She reaches now into her back pocket, pulling her phone from it, to make sure it's okay. It is, of course. Thankfully. She speaks once more into the mic
"If you saw me hit the tree… I mean if you know I found a destroyed tree.. then that means you're watchin me, so why'd ya ask if I was okay? You can clearly see I'm okay." Once more, her tone is an agitated one. One of frustration. Not frustrated with who she carries on the conversation with, but with herself. She had pushed herself to fly as high as she could, and then come back to the Earth at a fast rate and stop herself. She got the first part down, the second part is easy (gravity does most of the work), but that third bit.. not so much. And unfortunately, one of Mr. Peabody's prized pine trees cushioned her fall. Rather, it exploded when she collided with it.
The woman speaking to young Tasha stands a good 6 miles away, holding her phone in her hand as she looks in the direction Tasha is. Her light blond hair sways gently in this day's warm breeze, the shadow of her very large home cast over her. Her name is Kara.. and she was once called Supergirl. She speaks once more over the phone to Tasha. "I just had to ask, sweety. Want to try it again? Or you want to come in for lunch?" A voice from behind Kara now speaks up, a man sitting on the deck of the house in a lounger, watching Tasha through binoculars. "Tell her she should come in, that's enough for today. I can make us some cheese sandwiches." He is Kara's husband, Mike. He doesn't like watching his daughter disappear into the sky, and then plummet to the earth like a darn meteor. Kara puts her phone on mute for a moment as she speaks over her shoulder to her husband. "Mike she has to decide this on her own. We talked about this, again and again. If she's ready to stop then we will, but if she wants to keep going then we have to support her." Tasha's voice now comes over the phone, the phone on speaker.
"I'm comin back.. I'm hungry.." the tone now is one of defeat. Kara finds herself frowning a little as she glances to the phone, and then she looks out towards Tasha again. "Okay, I'll go make us lunch." Mike says as he pushes himself from his chair, seeming relieved this was coming to an end for the day. He hopes. He doesn't like this, at all. He has no want for his daughter to follow in her mother's footsteps, but he knows he may have no choice in the matter. Tasha has become her own woman, and in many ways as stubborn as her mother.
She said she was going to head back to the house, but she doesn't. Not quite yet. Tasha stands there, practically in the middle of nowhere, just looking along the horizon. She wants to yell out and curse in frustration, in anger. She can do all of these amazing things.. she's helped so many people… and yet she can't perform what should be a basic thing for her. She's half Kryptonian.. but she sure can't fly like she is. "Tasha, don't be angry with yourself. This isn't like one of your games. It's not going to come easy, love. When it's meant to happen, you'll be flying like an ace. I promise. Be patient with yourself." Tasha's voice comes off now harsher than she intends.
"Okay first off I don't know what games you think I play, but Dark Souls isn't easy." So there.
"And second.. I'm not angry. I'm just.." her voice fades as she feels her hands clench into fists at her sides. "I know, baby. I know. Come on back, dad's making his world famous grilled cheese." Kara's voice is gentle through the earpiece, one of eternal patience for this young and troubled girl.
"Okay." Tasha says softly.
Now she turns slowly, glancing at what's left of the poor pine tree. The Peabody Farm is a good ways away, this tree probably won't be discovered for days, at least. Maybe Tasha can do something in the mean time.. plant.. another.. one.. or.. some better plan than that. Her bright blue eyes now turn towards her own home, and she leaps upwards. Her body is carried about 30 feet upwards just like that.. and then she is zooming through the air towards home. She has a rudimentary understanding of flying.. but she's nowhere near the level of her mother's talent. Something that really bothers her. She takes her time flying home, keeping herself close to the ground out of habit. No need for anyone that might be looking in her general direction at this moment, as unlikely as that is. This farm is very secluded, very perfect for training young heroes. Kara watches Tasha from the miles away from the moment she leaps up, to when she is approaching. Having telescopic vision has its advantages when you're a mom. Tasha comes within sight of the house, and she starts to slow. Kara is tempted to give her pointers, but she knows that would just anger Tasha more. She feels bad for her daughter. And she wishes she could do more to help her. Tasha lands with a few skips, her feet digging into the earth a little as she does. Tasha doesn't look towards Kara as she takes the earbud from her ear, and Kara turns off the phone. She looks Tasha over as the young girl approaches the deck. "Well we have to sew your shirt again.. and those shorts have about had it." Tasha is wearing a Led Zeppelin shirt, one of her favorites. With little patches along it from where it's taken so much abuse from her wearing it. Well.. wearing it while crashing into things or beating up people. She just nods to her mother's words as she flops down on one of the chairs on the deck, slumping down in it as she scowls. Kara just smiles a little as she watches her. Tasha feels angry right now, but Tasha knows that will pass. In a short while she'll be back to her old self.. especially after she eats. Kara now walks to the deck, just as her husband emerges from the glass door leading to the house holding a plate of 3 sandwiches. "Okay girls.. here's yours. Two for Tosh" One of the many nicknames he has for Tasha "and one for my lovely lady." Kara laughs gently and kisses his cheek as she takes one of the sandwiches, and Tasha wrinkles her nose in disgust at the little show of affection between husband and wife.
"Gross." She utters softly as she sits up, taking 2 of the sandwiches. Because.. she'll eat them both, and Mike knows it. Tasha has the appetite of a pachyderm. And starts to eat one, setting the other on her knee. Mike looks between them, sensing that his daughter is upset. In the past year or so he's seen it enough times while she's 'training' to recognize it. He is about to say something.. but he gives Kara an odd look. "Hey.. what's wrong?"
Kara drops her sandwich as she looks over her shoulder, her hands clenching into fists. She is suddenly in the air, hovering between whatever is coming and her family. Tasha's eyes go wide and she leaps to her feet… making sure not to drop her sandwiches… as she watches.
"What what?" she says as she looks in the general direction in the sky Kara is looking. Kara isn't sure what it is.. but it sounds like a missile coming at them. She knows that sound well enough to recognize it from miles away. Which.. is exactly what she does. She almost decides to go out and intercept it.. but she hesitates. There's something off about it.. it's slowing down, she can see it now in the sky almost a half mile above them. It doesn't LOOK like a missile she's ever seen. She motions behind her absently to Mike and Tasha that she thinks it's okay, nothing to worry about. Yet.
Tasha takes another discrete bite of her grilled cheese.
The small probe now slows as it approaches the group, and Tasha quickly finishes off her sandwich, setting the other carefully on the near table. And at the same time.. she instinctively puts herself between the probe and her father. "hey.. that looks like.." Kara now lands as the probe slows it's progress before them. She watches it carefully as it hovers closer.. and moves right passed her. Tasha sees this happening also, and she prepares herself for a fight. But.. the probe comes to a halt and a holographic image emerges from the probe. The image of Cyborg is now seen within the holographic light, and Kara's eyes widen as she whispers. "Vic.." she looks wide eyed towards her husband, who catches that look of astonishment on his wife's face.
"Who?" Tasha says softly, looking between her mother and the hologram. But as if it heard her, the hologram's audio comes to life.
"Greetings, I am Cyborg. I've have been watching you and have taken notice of your heroic deeds. You are being invited to be taken up to Justice League Satellite. Others are will be waiting there where we all can discuss why I've contacted you. I am not asking you...I'm begging you to join us. There's a threat you'll be facing soon and if you're not ready then you'll be dead along with the rest of us. I need a team and you're on of my first picks. If you accept then press the red button on this probe and a boom tube will open leading to the Justice League satellite."
The three of them stare in silence, and then Kara looks towards Tasha. And Tasha, she now has the widest grin on her lips that Kara has ever seen. "Well.." Kara says softly, knowing that this is a decision for her daughter. Though she knows already what Tasha will say. And Tasha looks like she is about to say something.. but she stops herself. She looks down at her hand, now feeling her father holding it tightly as he stares silently at the hologram. Tasha blinks and looks over her shoulder, and she then turns, looking up to the man.
"Papa.. you heard the glowy little man.. he needs me, they need me." Slowly Mike looks from the hologram to his daughter, a deep and unhappy frown on his lips. He then looks to Kara, and Kara finds herself looking away from him. Tasha leans up a little to try and catch his line of sight.
"I know you don't want me to, papa. But he sounds desperate.. I mean they need me.." Mike just shakes his head, absolutely hating this. "Okay.. just be—" his words are cut off as Tasha seems to vanish with a gust of wind, almost knocking Mike on his butt. Kara speaks when Tasha disappears. "Mike.. we knew this was coming.. you know what she is.. what she's meant to be.." Mike glances towards Kara, saying nothing.
A moment later Tasha strides through the door leading to the deck, now wearing something completely
different. Clad in blue and red, a long blue cape trailing behind her. A proud smile is on her lips as he stops not far from her mother and father, her hands resting on her hips. Kara smiles widely also, and Mike can't help but smile a little. Tasha looks between them, as if silently asking them to compliment her. They are silent, and Tasha now thinks they aren't going to let her go. But finally her father speaks with a defeated sigh. "Go get 'em, Moon Princess." In the time between blinks, before Mike even realizes she has moved, Tasha is hugging him tightly. Not so tightly that she cracks one of his ribs accidentally (which she actually has before), and he hugs her back, running his hand through her hair. He knows whatever objections he has will fall on deaf ears. He's been outvoted for.. years.. on this subject. Tasha pulls away from him and moves to hug Kara tightly, who hugs her back as she whispers to her. "Be careful, Tasha. If you need anything, just call us. We'll get your things to you when you get situated. Mama and papa love you so much." Tasha squeezes her mother a little tighter around the waist, and then she looks towards the probe as she pulls away from her. She strides up to it as she takes a deep breath, and her hand presses down on the red shiny candy like button. With a burst of pressure, the Boom Tube opens a tear in the atmosphere itself, it's vacuum drawing in air all around it. Tasha's cape and hair sway as she looks over her shoulder to her parents, and then she steps through the portal.
She emerges on the other side not a moment later, speaking in a proud and confident tone as she exits.
"If the world is in danger, Supergirl will answer your call."
Oh that was cool. She stops as the Boom Tube closes.. and she looks around the interior of the satellite with wide eyes, whispering
"Wow."