2012-09-17 Memories and a Martian

Normally, Axiom's a lot more stealthy when he goes through Central Park. He knows the place well enough that he

can move through it as easily as the Batman does Gotham. But today, he's distracted. Distracted enough that a few

people have spotted him. Word's spread, a couple people worried that some kind fight is going to break out.

Thankfully there's no battle happening but something is bothering Axiom as he approaches a foot bridge in a more

secluded and less traveled area of the massive park.

Young superhero, radiating something bothering him. Quietly, the Martian descends onto the bridge. Of course,

nobody notices him. If they do, well, they didn't see anything important. Except, of course, for Axiom. Him, the

Martian is *not* messing with mentally.

Axiom's about to hop the railing and jump down to the path below when J'onnn appears. He jumps, squeaking in

surprise. When he calms down, Axiom blinks. "Martian Manhunter?"

"Yes. You seem...troubled." And J'onn does care. He also likes Thor and is well aware that Axiom is hanging out

with the guy. Well aware.

Axiom pauses. He's about to ask how J'onn knows when he remembers the whole telepathy thing and guesses it's

pretty obvious. "I...uh. Yeah. I guess I am. There's um...a lot on my m-mind."

"Do you want to talk about it...with somebody who might be less involved." Sometimes humans find it easier to

discuss their problems with a near stranger, he has noticed.

Axiom is quiet for a moment, thinking it over. Talking with Nightwing had helped a little so the idea of talking

with stranger does sound like it could work. "I...yes. Please. But we should get somewhere private," he says. "I

w-was headed somewhere that'll work," he adds, hopping over the railing. He tumbles when he hits the path but gets

back up and heads under the bridge. Walking over to a maintenence door, Axiom takes out a key and unlocks it. He

waits for J'onn before heading inside. At one point it was a storage area for the parks department but it's been

abandoned long ago. Once inside, he moves a shelf out of the way of a flight of stairs and starts heading down

into the dark. "This place...is part of what's been bothering me."

Martian Manhunter nods. "What about it?" he inquires as he follows. "Did you find something unpleasant down here?"

Which is always possible. A body, evidence of malfeasance, or just a bad smell. It might even connect to the

sewers somewhere down there in the dark.

That actually gets a little mirthless laugh out of Axiom as he leads the way down the familiar path to a tunnel.

"No, no bodies," he says, pausing to unlock another door. When this one opens, it's into a much larger area. The

ruined and abadoned remains of a subway station. Axiom stands there a moment and quickly pinches himself. One

breath of relief later and he turns back to J'onn. "I used t-t-to live here," he explains, heading deeper into the

station to flick a few switches in an electical box. This turns on a christmas lights that have been strung up all

over the station.

Martian Manhunter nods. "You were squatting?" he doesn't seem upset, at all. He knows people can end up in bad

situations financially. Or, perhaps, the young man's parents threw him out for having superpowers, rejected him

the way some might reject the disabled. Humanity really needs to grow up about *that*."

"Homeless," Axiom corrects, closing the electical box and looking around. "I...has nowhere else s-s-safe to go and

since no one else knew about this place," he shrugs, finally looking back up at J'onn. "Other than me, you're the

only p-p-person that knows about this place."

Martian Manhunter nods. "And I won't tell anyone, just in case you ever need a place to hide, or a place to stow

stuff." Which does make a certain amount of sense...in their business, that might happen at any time. "And nowhere

safe to go?"

"Thank you," Axiom replies, offering a smile. "I was...well, Superboy and Impulse are looking f-f-for a place for

Young Justice to be b-b-based out of. And I thought here..." he trails off. There's a long pause before he answers

again. "Home...w-wasn't...things weren't good. So I ran."

Martian Manhunter ahs. "Well, it might make a good spot if your primary goal is staying under the radar. Is it

possible to get out down the tracks?" He doesn't ask about home. He's not surprised, sadly.

Axiom nods. "That's what I was thinking. I stayed hidden under here for two y-y-years and no one found me so it'll

be a good place for a base," Axiom explains. The place still bothers him but since actually getting down to the

place, he's relaxing. "No, both sides are all blocked off. One goes to a dead end and the other's c-c-caved in or

something."

Martian Manhunter hrms. "Having more than one exit, if you can manage that, is a good idea." He knows these kids

are about to do something unsanctioned and dangerous. He also knows if he suggests they don't do it, they'll get

even more determined. Best to let them...and give them some quiet support.

"I think there was a map of the area in here somewhere. I c-c-came back down to make sure everything was still

all...here and if I could find out more," Axiom explains. He wraps his arms around himself a moment and looks

towards the ticket offices. "I was...it's stupid but thinking about c-c-coming back down here had me scared...like

if I g-g-got back down here, I'd wake up and find out that everything that's b-been happening was a dream and I'd

be back to just being a street rat again..."

"Not logical, but living, sentient beings seldom are." J'onn glances upwards...of course, there's a ceiling and

earth between him and the sky. "Regardless of species."

Axiom looks at J'onn curiously. He watches the much older hero for a moment. "Is s-something wrong, sir?" he asks,

concerned now. Axiom tends to be like that, putting concern for others ahead of whatever's bothering him.

Martian Manhunter shakes his head. "Memories," he says, simply. "Sometimes, they can be...very powerful. As you

know."

Nodding, Axiom steps over towards a knocked over trash bin to set it rightside up. "They can," he bites his lip a

moment. "I umm..also w-w-wanted to apologize for what happened the other day. With the armored car. I...I kinda

messed up there."

"You did not realize your own strength...an occupational hazard of borrowing other people's powers. And yours have

an...interesting effect." He studies Axiom. "I suggest practicing with as many different powersets as you can

find."

Axiom nods. "I'm used to the powers I c-copy being...weakeer than the original," he admits. There's a faint blush

a bit of awkward shifting at the studying. "I can...make people stronger and then copy what they d-d-do," he says.

"I'm trying to copy as much as I can, sir. This...copying thing is still kind of new. Only been able to do it for

a few months."

Martian Manhunter nods. "I noticed. But you do not know my powers...well." A few months. Got it. He's still sure

the kid just needs practice.

"Yeah, your powers were kind of um...new," Axiom admits. "Different from any others I've c-c-copied before," Axiom

replies. "But um...they were r-really cool too."

Martian Manhunter nods. "Have you ever copied a non-human before?" J'onn, doing nothing to hide his origins...but

then, if he wanted to do so, he'd make himself look human.

Axiom nods quickly. "I've been keeping a list actually um...I didn't bring it w-with me but I've copied Thor, Sif,

Phyla-Vell, and Aqualad too."

Martian Manhunter hrms. "Thor and Sif do not appear to be human, and I know Phyla is not." Aqualad he believes is,

but he could not be sure. "Interesting."

"They're gods. I've been to Asgard too so I know its real," Axiom replies. He's pretty sure Aqualad isn't

human...but then again he's basing it off the gills and internet rumors. "Copying Phyla was...weird t-t-too

because of those energy band things. They just felt kind of weird."

Martian Manhunter nods. "Interesting that you can copy that. I would have thought you would be limited to what is

in a person's genetics." And if Thor and Sif are really 'gods' they might not even *have* DNA.

Axiom shakes his head and smiles. "I'm n-n-not sure how it works but I copy everything. Like when I copy Thor,

this hammer just...appears in my hand. And it was the same with Hawkeye...sudden bow and arrows."

Martian Manhunter hrms. "You are not, I think, copying people's powers, then, per se. Something slightly

different." A pause. "I hope borrowing my telepathy did not give you too much of a headache."

"I'm not?" Axiom looks lost, head tilted to the side. "What am I copying then?" he asks. There's then a smile from

the teen. "It's okay. Telepathy always g-g-gives me a headache but I'm getting used to it."

Martian Manhunter hrms. "I'm not sure...but you appear to copy what it is that makes somebody able to fight.

Interesting." He's tempted to read the kid's mind, but that would be rather *rude*.

"Wow," Axiom looks down at himself, thinking this information over. "My p-p-powers are more complicated than I

thought," he says, flexing his fingers a moment. "I wonder if my powers will end up changing more in the

future..."

"That is...not unlikely, given how young you are." J'onn seems thoughtful at that. "Mine are mature. Which might

be part of what surprised you with their strength."

"I'm not that young..." Axiom hangs his head a moment. He's sixteen at the moment but sometimes gets mistaken for

younger because he's on the shorter side. "Maybe. I'd have t-t-to compare it to some others to know if that's it

for sure."

"You are still a teenager, at a guess. I would expect powers to continue to develop well into adulthood." J'onn

smiled slightly. "And from where *I* am standing, you seem very young."

Axiom nods. "I'm sixteen," he says. He gives J'onn a curious look, trying to figure out how old he is from

appearance alone. "R-really? How old are you?" he asks eventually.

"Old enough to have...had a daughter not that much younger than you, in equivalent age," J'onn says, finally,

rather than give actual years, which might be intimidating. Figuring it out from appearance is likely

impossible...he doesn't really look that human, after all.

Axiom nods. "Oh. I guess I m-might seem young then," he smiles. "I um...just get c-called a kid a lot," he says.

Ages tends not to intimidate him anymore after finding out how old Thor really is.

Martian Manhunter nods. "You will understand when *you* get older and people start to look young to you. But

again, I would not be surprised to see your powers develop further, especially as you learn more about them."

Axiom laughs. "I probably will," he says. When his powers are mentioned, Axion nods. "I hope they d-do but even if

they don't, I'm going to keep doing everything I c-can to help people and stop the bad guys!" he declares as he

gets to work cleaning things up.