Z9

Defenders of the Earth: This Is Their Story

By Marzena

Plot: Season 2, Episode 37

Chapter 9: Powers

"What are you doing?"

With a thunderous clash, the dishes tumbled down on the floor, and whirling around, Amy found herself face to face with an astonished Kshin. Paling, she took a step back and nearly stumbled over a broken plate.

"I. ... I ... I was just ..."

"You've been piling up dirty dishes in the air," Kshin stated matter-of-factly.

"Kind of. I was just trying to get everything into the kitchen at once."

There was really no point in denying what she just did. He'd seen her, and unfortunately, while she actually could see into the future, minor stuff like that never revealed itself to her. If she'd known he'd enter the bloody dining hall while she was using her telekinesis on the dirty dishes, she'd have carried them on a tray, using her hands.

"Okay ..." Curious, Kshin came closer. "I didn't know you could do that."

Nobody knew. She hadn't told anyone yet and she'd hoped the powers she'd inherited from both her magical parents would go undetected for a while. She was just settling in at the mansion and she was just beginning to get to know Mandrake, Kshin and their friends. It was hard enough being an ordinary girl among a bunch of superheroes with special abilities. Being a powerful freak herself, well, she couldn't see how that would be of any help.

"Well ..."

"Why didn't you tell me? Or anyone, for that matter? Does Mandrake know?"

The questions kept coming at her, but the excited look on Kshin's face made her decide not to be pissed at him. After all, it was her own fault. They'd been having dinner together when Dynak X had sounded the alarm, making everyone of them running off to Monitor. Amy had remained behind. She wasn't a member of the Defenders of the Earth. She'd no place running off behind the others. But she had assumed that Kshin had done so. That was why she'd been using her powers to carry the dishes back into the kitchen. But obviously, Kshin had been send back.

"Nobody knows," she said defensively.

"But why?" Kshin asked back. "I think telekinesis is a fascinating power! And it's Mandrakes power as well. That could be something for the two of you to connect over."

She bit her lip. Even little Kshin had noticed that Mandrake treated her like a stranger and that she did the same. They stayed out of each others way, not quite knowing how to connect and what to do with each other. When she'd come here, she'd thought it would be easier. Well, she'd been wrong.

"I will tell him," she assured him.

And she would. Someday, when she'd feel more comfortable around him and at home in this place. Right now, she still felt like a stranger. And if powers would change that, it would probably mean that the powers were more interesting and valuable to him than the daughter.

"When?" Kshin promptly asked.

"Someday," she snapped, folding her arms defensively. "I just don't want to do it right now. I want to get him to know me as a daughter first and as a being with magical powers later."

"You don't want him to get to know you at all," he accused her. "Otherwise you'd have gone to have a long talk with him ages ago. You're living here, but you're not really living with us. We don't know you, and it seems like you don't want us to."

She blinked at getting such a speech from such a young boy. But then again, he was right. She knew it herself. Mandrake wasn't entirely to blame that there was no connection between them. She never made any efforts either. Maybe it was because of Kshin. Seeing Mandrake with another kid hadn't been what she'd expected. And seeing those two so close, she'd instantly given up the hope that one day she'd be as close to her father as Kshin was. But this wasn't Kshin's fault, and nor it was his problem. Mandrake had welcomed her into his home. He had offered her a place in his life. That meant something.

But of course, there was the small matter of her wanting revenge on Ming the Merciless for killing her mother. Somehow, she didn't think that this would go down well with Mandrake. And somehow, being known for having powers would automatically put her in the spotlight. That would be a drawback for her revenge-planing as well. And furthermore ... yes – she was afraid, too. Afraid of not being good enough, of not being powerful enough, of not being perfect enough. At least as the ordinary teenage daughter, she wouldn't have to compare with DoE-status.

But, so she reminded herself, none of this actually was Kshin's fault. He'd proven a good friend. He'd welcomed her, tried to befriend her, showed her around.

It's pretty cool to have a sister all of sudden, he'd said.

Well, maybe it was time to treat him like a brother, too.

"Will you keep this to yourself, please?" she asked, sending him a pleading look.

"If I don't have to give an explanation about the broken dishes, fine," he sighed. "But I really do think you should tell Mandrake. Or someone else, if you don't trust Mandrake that much yet."

"I don't really know any of them too well," she reminded him. "But I guess I will tell them when the time is right. I promise."

"Fine, I'll keep your secret," he answered. "It's really a cool power. I do wish I had powers too!"

"I'll tell you a secret," she whispered, leaning down towards him. "I've got another power as well. My mum trained me a bit. I'm not really good yet, but I've got a trick or two up my sleeve."

"Really?" His eyes started to sparkle. "What are your other powers? Can you show me?"

Grinning, she stepped forward, suddenly feeling a lot more involved and at home than before. Maybe having a friend here, even if it was a little boy like Kshin, did made an awful lot of a difference.

"Help me clean up this mess here first, will you?" she pleadingly asked. "And then I can show you something, if you want to."

"Cool!" he exclaimed, and together, both of Mandrake's children started to gather up broken dishes all around the dining hall.

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Article

Author

Chapters

1: Death

April and the other Gordons face a tragedy.

2: Beautiful

Mandrake is reunited with a romantic interest.

3: Peace and Quiet

Flash is thrown into an unexpected struggle.