10642/Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

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Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Date of Scene: 03 April 2022
Location: Courtyard: Themysciran Embassy
Synopsis: Donna reassures Kara that her training is going well and she'll be better than Kal in no time. They discuss life in the shadow of more famous relatives and reassure each other of friendship, even though there's some questions of where exactly that friendship lies.
Cast of Characters: Donna Troy, Kara Danvers




Donna Troy has posed:
    "Good session!" Asterope calls back to Kara, the Amazon combat trainer smiling wide at the Kryptonian as she makes her way back into the embassy.

    Asterope is more normally found at the Themysciran Arts Center, where she helps to demonstrate to the 'world of men' the fighting arts of the Themyscirans, and runs training sessions for the public. This is a more private arrangement for Kara. When Supergirl had first joined the Titans, Donna had insisted to her that strength wasn't everything, and that training was equally important. She had launched on a specialist training regime for Kara, with the avowed intent on making her a far better fighter than her cousin. At first the main concentration had been on helping Kara to learn to moderate her strength, so she could more reliably hit people not /too/ hard, and to better conserve her own energy. Eventually she had moved on to technique. When the Arts Center had opened and a contingent of Themyscirans moved to America to join Diana and Donna (or Troia, as the Themyscirans all call her) there, Donna had arranged for the Amazon weapons master to give Kara regular one-on-one training sessions here at the embassy, away from the public.

    If Kara had been surprised by just how well-trained Donna was compared to your typical superhero type when they first met, she has now got to see why with these regular sessions with one of Donna's own instructors. Asterope is an incredibly skilled fighter, and Kara can tell her own technique is improving after every session. As an added bonus, while Amazons are not typically at the physical level of Diana, Donna or Cassie, they are stronger, faster, and tougher than the typical human by far. Asterope mainly gets by through being incredibly hard to hit, but she can take quite a punch when she doesn't avoid it, and if she can't really match Supergirl's speed, she's got blistering reactions and moves like the wind. It's good training, and good fun.

    Asterope enters the embassy building as Donna leaves, smiling at her fellow Amazon as the pass in the doorway. "Hey Kara!" Donna calls out as she steps into the sunshine and walks over to join her friend. "How'd the training go?" She glances back in Asterope's direction. "I've been hearing all kinds of good things, but then Asterope's one of life's eternal optimists. She thinks everyone's wonderful, so sometimes it's hard to be sure. Any problems? Feeling comfortable with the level of things?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
"Hypiaine!" Kara calls back in Themysciran to the departing Asterope, before adding on a little more, "Kaire polla!"

She doesn't need to bother much with disguises around here. Even if someone who wasn't privy to her secret were to spot her, her civilian guise looks vastly different to Kara even out of costume. She's opted for some Metropolis University sweats, a pair of shorts and a sweater that hangs loose off one bare shoulder.

"I think it's going well," she says, beaming that sparkling smile when she hears Donna, "I'm getting quite good, I think. I keep thinking about getting a xiphos but I don't think Kal would approve of Supergirl wielding a sword."

Kara used to speak without contractions and with a thick Kryptonian accent. One notable thing to hear her speak now is that she sounds more American. A lot of practice with the language, it seems, and finding people to converse with who speak it natively.

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna breaks into a mischievous grin. "You're totally getting a xiphos, and Kal doesn't need to know about it," she says. "If nothing else, it's really good practice for controlling your blows. When you're training with a sword you have to make sure you're not going to actually stab your training partner."

    She tilts her head to the side. "Though that does happen sometimes. A few years ago I had a little accident in training with Caitlin. She's very reluctant to use swords now, but it was completely worth it. I may have traumatized her a little with the whole bleeding thing, but that was the day I finally got through to her about committing to her attacks. It made a huge difference to her effectiveness. She had... well, kind of the opposite problems to you. She's a truly formidable fighter now, even aside from being ridiculously strong."

    She tilts her head a little further. "It's probably best you don't mention me telling you about this to her. She's a bit sensitive about it."

    She straightens again, beams a smile of her own and steps in close to give Kara a one-armed hug. "You've improved enormously too from the wildly enthusiastic Kryptonian scientist I met a couple of years back too, you know Kara. You're becoming a true warrior, and it's only right you should have a sword. I will get something extra strong made for you. But I'd like you to do some more training with the bracers too. You've got the speed for it. Not many people do."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"I love the bracers. Truly, I do. I have ... and you mustn't share this ... I have designs for a costume that incorporates them, as well as other Themysciran elements. But I'd absolutely die if people felt like I were trying to be a poor imitation of Diana, you know? And I don't feel like I've earned them. Not yet."

Kara leans into the hug slightly, smiling to herself.

"I've changed a lot, it's true. It's nice feeling more like I belong here and less like someone observing the whole place through a microscope. I actually feel like I am an Earthling, you know. Or at least an honorary one."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Just don't go for the lasso and you'll be fine," Donna says with a laugh. "I got a bit of that when I returned to America with a lasso of my own. People forget I was a public hero for years before she was. Nobody ever accused her of imitating me! Though, funny thing. I did find this one conspiracy theory website that claimed Diana was actually me. Because I left the Titans and vanished just before Diana went public. We don't look /that/ alike. But sometimes people stumble across a sliver of the truth purely by accident. I bet the guy who wrote it thought he was really smart when I came back to America and people learned Di was my sister."

    Donna nods her head in the direction of a low wall surrounding a flower bed, a 'let's head that way' gesture, before walking over to it and taking a seat in the spring sunshine. "Kal must have had it a lot easier than you in that respect," she says. "I mean being raised here meant that he has always felt very much part of it, even when he knew he was from another planet. I'm pretty sure I have a good sense of what you feel though. When I first arrived in America when I was sixteen, it really was like going to another world. You've been to Themyscira, you've seen what it was like. If that's all you've ever known, New York comes as a big shock."

    "But life isn't about where you come from, it's about where you go. You've found a place to belong. People who care about you. A mission in life. I think you belong here just as much as anyone else."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"Oh, he absolutely does. He speaks Kryptonian like he learned it out of a book. Which, I suppose, is because he did. He's fluent and everything, but it feels so formal and staid. Usually, I just tell him to speak English and pretend it's because I want to learn."

The welcoming words prompt another smile from her, and as she sits down, she leans sideways to rest her head momentarily on Donna's shoulder. It's no secret that she likes the sunshine herself, as it's like taking a nice refreshing drink of water after a particularly intense workout.

"I do belong here. I've made new friends. Friends that aren't just 'friends of a friend' either. One of them took me camping. It was nice to actually walk somewhere. I'm so used to just flying that I don't often take the time to just walk at a normal speed."

She sits up again, turning at the hips to face Donna.

"And what about you? I haven't visited the Tower in a while. Is everything going well?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Well enough at the moment," Donna says slowly, a hint of caution in her voice. "We seem to have the crazy Wonderland stuff resolved for now. Metropolis is being normal again, or at least as normal as Metropolis ever is. Though we're going to have to figure out how to undo the problems that triggered all that in the first place. Looks like we're going to have to plan some trips into Wonderland ourselves. Not sure I'm really looking forwards to that."

    "Having Cait back with us has been a big thing. That whole situation with the angels. I mean threats that endanger the entire planet I'm kind of used to. The entirety of reality less so. With Caitlin on the wrong side though? That was a tough thing to deal with. Glad it's over. Or at least over-ish. There's still some crazy happening in the Astral plane, but at least New York is free of it."

    She falls silent for a few moments, then breaks into a frown, looking down at her knees. "Kara, that whole... I haven't talked to anyone about this. But that whole business was -- was tricky. I mean it was bad enough having a member of the team on the other side. The last thing I'd want to do is be forced to fight Caitlin. Or any of the Titans. You guys are my family. So I tried to stay on the sidelines, and that's hard. Not getting involved. But honestly it wasn't just that. You know the whole Amazon deal. We're supposed to be the champions of our goddesses. And one side of that conflict was Gaia, the mother of all the gods. It seems so logical that I should have fought as hard as I could on her side even without the whole save the world thing on top of it."

     Donna looks up, tilting her head to study Kara's face for a few moments, then gives a shrug. "Our gods weren't getting involved. It was kind of meant to be a mortal thing, I think. So it felt to me like I shouldn't either. But it also felt like I should. Conflicting instincts. That was tough to deal with. I felt... guilty about not being involved more."

    "It's... confusing sometimes, you know? The whole gods thing. I mean Caitlin was on the other side because of her god. Because the other side resembled what she believes from her religion to be the side of good. But that's... interpretation. My gods, they're not an article of faith. You can argue whether the word 'gods' is really correct, but there's no doubting they are real. They gave me my powers. I'm supposed to be a champion to them. But they weren't exactly making themselves clear. I had to rely on my instincts, and that means... well. Second-guessing yourself all the time."

    She gives another shrug of her shoulders, and smiles a little. "What about you? I mean... if Rao ever spoke to you directly, how would you take that? I get the impression that the gods for you guys, it's pretty similar to how it is for most people here on Earth. Maybe you believe, maybe you don't. But it's /distant/ either way. How would you react if Rao made himself known to you?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
"I can't pretend to think much of gods," Kara admits with a wan smile, "Our gods were not really a part of our lives beyond the occasional expression of disbelief or cultural ceremony. Having a visceral and real connection to one is something I couldn't ever understand."

She reaches out to find Donna's hand, taking it in her own and giving it a strong squeeze.

"But what I do understand is finding it hard to sit on the sidelines. When I came here, the last thing I wanted was to be Supergirl. I was here to look after my cousin only to find he didn't need looking after. I missed my parents, I missed where I came from, and I didn't want to devote any of my time to protecting people who were as delicate as tissue paper to me."

She grins a little, as though disclosing a great secret.

"But I will tell you - I don't think you found it difficult because of your divine allegiances. You found it difficult because you're a good and noble person. Helping others is what you do. Sometimes, when you have the ability, not using it feels palpably wrong."

"As for Rao, well, I don't know what I'd do if he spoke to me. Probably ask where he was when the entirety of his congregation exploded."

Donna Troy has posed:
    It's nice to have a friend you can give a hand squeeze or hug to without having to take care not to break them, and Donna responds to the squeeze by squeezing right back and giving Kara a smile, appreciating the comforting gesture.

    "You're right," she says. "I mean in a way it wasn't about allegiance so much as it was about not spoiling things. I think the whole deal in that conflict was that Gaia had come up with a plan to fix things that specifically relied on the problem being solved by mortals. So if I'd interfered too much, it might have been counter-productive. Or on the other hand I might be completely wrong and could have helped more. I /wanted/ to help more, but I was worried that doing so would make things worse rather than better. I've spoken to gods... what, three times. It's not exactly like I have their phone numbers and can ring for advice. But I think that's the whole point, isn't it?"

    Donna leans back a little, closing her eyes and letting the sunshine fall on her face. She may be no Kryptonian, but she comes from somewhere sunnier than New York and loves the days where there's more sunshine too. "I think whatever your reasons for doing the things we do, whether you're a champion of gods, or inspired by your cousin or whatever, the important thing is that you do it for your own reasons. Not because someone else says so, but because you truly believe you're doing what's right. So in a way we all have that challenge all the time, don't we? People like you and I... we have a lot of power. If we do the wrong things, even with the best intentions, the results can be devastating."

    "That's why I think the Titans is so important. We don't have to rely wholly on ourselves. We are with other people like us, and we can help each other find our way through the maze of choices. I'm really glad you joined us Kara."

    She opens her eyes again, turning to smile at her friend. "I've missed having you around the tower so much the last few months. That's just the nature of the lives we live. But I hope to see more of you. I mean we're not that far from the university. When I was studying there I used to fly to classes from the tower. It only took a few minutes and you're a faster flier than me."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"I will admit, it doesn't feel like the right space for me sometimes. Everyone there is so ... fragile in their own ways. Obviously, they have abilities, but in the end, they struggle so much. Being there and being invulnerable, and strong, and fast ... I don't know. It feels like rubbing it in. I don't think they need me around to make them feel like they drew the short straw."

Despite her words, Kara looks proud at herself. Must be something about using a human idiom in the correct way. She's had that arrow in her quiver for quite some time. She glances down at Donna's hand in her own for a moment then sighs, extricating it and folding it neatly in her lap.

"But if you're asking me to come around more? I can do that. If you're promising you'll be there."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "That's always a challenge," Donna says with a nod of agreement. "And more for you than most. I mean everyone knows what Kal can do, and when they see you, they're going to expect... you know. The same. I don't really get that with Diana because I was around before most people had ever heard of her. "

    "We have quite a mix of people, and it's just natural to compare yourself to others. Take Terry, for example. His illusions and his rabbit holes make him a potent hero. But he can't quite stop himself from seeing himself as a weak link in the team because he's not a particularly good fighter. I know I have a powerful competitive streak, but I've always tried to avoid... well, pride. I mean in a way it's not /me/, right? It's gifts the gods gave me. So I've always tried to keep things a little... I don't really show people what I can do, unless it's absolutely necessary. I always try to do just enough rather than as much as I could. "

    Her eyes grow distant. "It has always been an issue. When we first started the team... Caitlin and I met Nightwing, Raven and Cybord during the Alien Alliance invasion. Those guys were setting out on the path, but hadn't really founded the team yet. We were kind of the last piece of the puzzle for them. Nightwing was the leader. He's smart, a brilliant tactician, and a very skilled fighter. But he's a regular human. When he saw Caitlin and I tipping over alien tanks he knew he wanted us for his team. But he always struggled a little with the feeling that he was the weakest member of the team, the one without powers. Yet we all followed him as leader of the team."

    She blinks a couple of times and then smiles. "Of the current crowd, I think it's Kate who worries about it most. Yet she goes into battle against alien fleets with a bow and arrows and not a power to be seen. You remember when we had that doppelganger problem and she wasn't comfortable being around the tower, and she stayed with your family a while? It's not you who makes her uncomfortable, it's the risks she takes that makes her uncomfortable. Having you around is a reassurance. The guys without powers are just that much more brave for doing what they do. And they are able to be more effective, and be more safe, because they do it alongside those of us who do have powers."

    Donna breaks into a grin and gives Kara's shoulder a nudge. "You know me. I'm always at the tower. Well, when I'm not fighting crime. Or visiting home. Or working at the embassy. Or... you know. I'm there a lot, anyway. It's my home."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"I just want to spend more time with you," Kara admits with a sigh, staring off into space for a moment, "Not ... sorry. I remember what you told me that time in the Tower. I promise I've accepted it. You don't have to worry about me."

She laughs lightly to herself, wringing her hands in her lap. More likely she's staring straight through the walls that surround them and out to something far off in the distance, though she doesn't let on save for the gleam in her eyes.

"I can do a lot of what Kal can do. It's true. I'm working hard to match him and I'm sure that one day soon, I may well be able to. It's as you said. I don't want to do this for me. And part of that means not being the 'Superman that people get when the real thing is too busy', you know?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna wraps an arm around Kara's shoulders and gives her another side-hug for comfort, but doesn't say anything that might poke at open wounds. When she drops her arm back down she gives Kara a wide smile.

    "I think that's a bullet I dodged," she says. "Being known before Diana was. I worry about Cassie in the same way sometimes, that she's under Diana's shadow. For now at least though, she revels in it. It's not such a bad thing really."

    "In a way we're all under Kal's shadow. We're all the people who show up when Superman is too busy. You know for years, whenever the Titans showed up for something, you'd always know they were hoping the Justice League would be there instead. I used to be really bothered by that. I think we all did really. But it fired us to be better. To improve. And I think nowadays people tend to think -- you know. 'I hope the Justice League or Titans show up!'."

    Donna leans back and gives a brief musical laugh. "It's just the price you pay for being second on the scene, I guess. But you know you're a better fighter than he is? Kal has always relied heavily on his powers. Sure, he's got the powers to be able to. But technique? Not so much. What you're learning, what you've learned already, from coming here and training with us -- that gives you an advantage. It doesn't matter how much power you have. The more efficiently and the more intelligently you use it, the more you can do with it. Look at Batman. No powers, but nobody can question what he has achieved."

    "Be patient, Kara. Keep learning. Before long, Kal will be the Supergirl people get when the real thing is too busy."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"You tease me."

Kara prods Donna in the arm, laughing as she does so.

"But yes, I'll keep working on it. I'm working on improving my technique here, and elsewhere I'm trying to develop my powers further. Strength works the same no matter what scale you measure it on, so I've been doing strength exercises. Though usually it involves a quick trip to Mars to throw heavy rocks around - I wouldn't want to alarm anyone here."

She pauses for a moment, wringing her hands a little further.

"How is Raven?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Not teasing, I mean it," Donna says, giving Kara a wry smile. "Why do you think I train for hours every day? I was raised by people who have been training intensively for literally thousands of years. The most skilled warriors this world has ever seen. By the time I was twenty I could beat any of them fairly easily, apart from Diana. But that's because of the powers I have. If I hold back, if I rely purely on technique, most of them can beat me. In another hundred years, when I'm at their level, think what I'll be able to do. Kal is stronger than Diana, but if it came to a contest, my money would be on my sister. "

    "Kal just isn't that skilled." Another shoulder nudge. "So I'm not teasing. Keep up your training and it won't be long before you're ahead of him." She gives Kara a look that's a mixture of thoughtfulness and amusement. "Throwing rocks around on Mars does sound fun, though. Maybe I'll join you one day."

    The smile fades a little. "Rae's... doing well. She's happy. To be honest a lot of people on the team are a little freaked out about it. Partly because she is only telling people a little bit of the reasons behind it. She... struck a deal with someone. A lot of the weight that has been on her shoulders pretty much her whole life has been lifted."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"Well, I won't pry about that. But I'm glad things are going well for her. I'm glad you're both happy."

Only then does Kara cease to wring her hands, instead wrapping her arms about her midsection and looking off into the distance once again.

"You're welcome to join me. I try to make sure I don't show up on any of the satellite feeds, but it's not so bad if I do. Maybe we can pose for a photo?"

She looks around once more, a thoughtful frown on her face.

"I'm not sure that I'm ready to do ... Titans things. Not yet, anyway. But that doesn't mean I want to be scarce."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna breaks into a huge grin. "Okay now that would be fun. We can fly up to a few satellites and photobomb them. You know, posing for the cameras and holding up V signs like we're in a Japanese photo booth. Maybe we can sneak ourselves onto Google Earth that way. "

    It's a challenge and it could be fun! But it's also probably intended as a little distraction to help Kara focus on other things.

    "At the very least it'll amuse some satellite imagery operators when the images come in. They probably get bored and could use something funny brightening up their days."

    Donna rests her hands on the wall either side of her hips, leaning way back then sitting upright again. A hint of displacement activity. "It's a big team these days Kara. If you don't feel ready to get fully into the swing of things, there's always opportunities to work with smaller groups. It's not like we all go on patrol as a single team any more. There's too many of us these days for that to really work. I'd prefer it if you were around a bit more in general though. Rather than being someone we call up when we're in need of extra firepower."

    "You are missed around the tower, you know. Not just by me. You're a positive presence when you're around. And the science guys love to watch you messing with Kryptonian crystal technology. But if you're feeling uncomfortable about things, take your time. You've got your T-Com. It's not like you really have to be there to be there, you know."

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara nods her head, rolling her shoulders before she rises to her feet. Not so much standing up in the normal way but levitating until she's upright and no longer seated. Once she's there she checks to make sure she's got everything, patting the deep pockets of her sweater until she's satisfied.

"I do still have it," she says with a nod, "And I will try to come around. It's just ... you know. Or maybe you don't. It doesn't matter."

She easily rises off the ground, hovering a few inches above it and giving her friend a broad smile.

"I should be heading back. But I liked this. We should do it more."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna gives a big smile and gets up too, though in her case it's by a more conventional fashion. Not that she couldn't, just that she doesn't. It's a curious thing that Donna has known she has had powers since she was very young while Kara was almost an adult when she developed her own powers under Earth's yellow sun, yet it's almost as if Kara is more comfortable with her powers than Donna is.

    "We should," Donna agrees easily with Kara. "Hey, us supers who live under the shadow of more famous relatives have to stick together, right?" She gives Kara a wink.

    "You know where I live." She gestures with her head towards the embassy building, and the window of her office there. "And you know where I work, too. You've got my number. You can call me any time. Even when there's not a world to save."