[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1trNZ24.png[/img]
Location: Mount Justice Lounge
Interactions: [@Crimson Flame][/center]

Kassandra had a fleeting moment of triumph as she defeated Zach. She was ready to smile and offer him a hand up when he started to cry, and took off before she could speak.

[color=orange]“...oh, no.”[/color] Had she hit him too hard, perhaps? She didn’t know what could have caused him to run away in such a fashion. 

Maybe her aunt was right. Maybe she [i]was[/i] a freak, a – 

No. She would not be using [b]that word[/b] for herself.

With a sigh, she turned to watch the next battle. It seemed Kila was facing off against their teacher, Black Canary. A high honor, indeed. As she watched their battle, she grew more and more impressed. Kila was utterly graceful, and obviously well trained. What she wouldn’t give to be able to fight like that. Even with all of his skill, he still lost, but handled it in a more usual way.

Zach was probably back at the base right now, telling all the others how much of a bully she was. Her fists clenched. It was just like home. What had changed, at all? She was still the outcast, the weirdo, the odd one out here. Everyone knew it.

She could feel a despondent mood settling over her. Her stomach rumbled as she remembered she hadn’t had breakfast yet. Time to face the music, as it were. She moved with leaden steps, as if walking into the mouth of a whale.

But eventually, she did reach the base. She could hear the echo of the television as she approached the lounge. Why couldn’t the kitchen be elsewhere? Entering with slumped shoulders, she went for the pantry where she kept a selection of food for herself. Dried seaweed and sardines, that would do for breakfast.

Were the others staring, or was she just imagining the burning of eyes on the back of her neck?

She half turned, eyeing the others through her white curls. It seemed everyone was watching some strange looking show on television. Then she noticed Zach. Her stomach twisted. He looked rather awful, puffy eyed and despondent, eating a jar of… what was that again, iced cream? Talon looked to be trying to push some food onto him. She was pretty sure iced cream did not count as breakfast.

[color=orange]“Zach?” [/color]

She stepped up slowly, unable to meet his eyes lest she lose her courage. 

[color=orange]“I’m sorry I hit you too hard. If you like, I can ease the pain so you feel it less while you’re healing. You’d still have to mind straining your voice.”[/color] She paused, chewing her lip. [color=orange]“Only if you want.”[/color] She didn’t know what else to say, and just stood there.