[Center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210419/b20e29e2aece398f677b72adcb18d2b2.png[/img] [h3][color=#9bff8a]A[/color][color=#81a977]N[/color][color=#d8d8c8]D[/color][/h3] [img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/b3RmLjg4LmIwZWM5MS5Ubmx0Y0dnLjA/nebulo.demo.png[/img][/center] [Color=silver][b]Location:[/b][/color] Submarine [Color=silver][b]Interactions:[/b][/color] Kassandra [@Mistress Dizzy], Daphne [@dreamingflowers], Talon[hr] When Kass had first let loose, what she said was what he'd expect. He was just satisfied she believed him. He'd take the ass-chewing and continue on with the mission, but there was a sudden shift in Kass' tone. If Talon's words from before stung, Kass' were like a deep stab of a serrated knife. It wasn't just about what she said or even how she said it. It was who it was coming from. For a brief moment he almost found the situation unreal. [Color=orange]“Did you ever consider that you haven’t been chosen to lead because you don’t have the capacity? You don’t deserve to be a [i]leader[/i]! [b][i]You don’t even deserve to be a team member[/i][/b]!”[/color] Viktor's eyes shifted to the right, away from Kass' in that moment. To his surprise, he noticed no one in the submarine reacting the way he might have expected. He didn’t even react the way he expected. Viktor was actually speechless. Normally he might have retorted or made a quick comment back, but there was nothing. He and Kass had never had a confrontation like this, so hearing the things she said about his place here weighed heavy on him. He wondered who else felt the same. [color=f7941d]“You’re done here. Leave.”[/color] With that, he followed with a slower pace to his step and took a seat towards the back, sitting alone with his eyes affixed toward the empty seat across from him. [color=silver][i]She’s wrong. I'll show her, and everyone else too.[/i][/color] Meanwhile Talon started to set the course of the submarine. The young man’s face lacked comfort as he remained uneasy about the events that unfolded. He felt disgruntled, but only because he felt confused. [color=red][i]Was it restraint, hesitation, or ignorance?[/i][/color] He checked the vessel’s sensors and noticed everyone hadn’t made it on board yet. He’d wait a few minutes for everyone to get set, and then he’d proceed to Atlantis. When Daphne arrived in the seating area, Viktor couldn’t help but look up at her. She had been sitting beside the seat he had been staring at, but it was something else that drew his attention. He was staring at her stoically, watching the water drip from the ends of her hair onto her black t-shirt. Daphne sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. The atmosphere inside the submarine was weighted. The tension was palpable. It was quiet, no one was saying anything. She felt like she walked in at the tail end of a huge argument. Whenever she argued with her family back home, this was exactly how they acted. Silent displeasure, each retreating to a corner of the room. Daphne noticed it was only Viktor who was sitting at the back. Alisa and Dr Bingley were standing together at the front of the sub with Talon. She looked back at Viktor who was already staring at her. A tingle ran down her spine. She couldn’t tell if it was the cold of her damp clothes or the way he was looking at her. Daphne averted her eyes and looked down at her lap. [color=silver]“Nymph. I need to speak with you… privately.”[/color] Viktor requested, but sounded as if he was going to deliver a reprimand of his own. The teen girl took a deep breath and got up, taking the seat beside him. If this was going to be another lecture she would just sit through it. There wasn’t a lot that could make her feel worse right now. [color=Lightgreen]“What is it…?”[/color] Her voice trembled slightly due to exhaustion. [Color=silver]“Look at me.”[/color] As usual he was comfortable telling someone what to do. [Color=silver]“How are you feeling?”[/color] Daphne frowned. She was confused for a second. The question wasn’t strange, but the fact it was Viktor who was asking it was. She tried to hide her surprise before looking at him. It was difficult to admit she wasn’t feeling that great, especially to Viktor. He was going to see right through her if she lied, so there wasn’t much use to come up with one. Besides, she wasn’t exactly looking fine either. [color=Lightgreen]“I’m….lightheaded and also very tired…”[/color] She studied his unreadable face, brown eyes searching for any clue about how he was feeling. It was set in a hard expression, his jaw was tight and his mouth seemed more turned down than usual. Maybe he would tell her if she asked. Daphne cleared her dry throat. [color=Lightgreen]“How about you?”[/color] [Color=silver]“You're dehydrated.”[/color] There was almost no break between their words. He had deduced the saltwater would affect her in such a way, but had no idea the degree of it. He got up from his seat to go to the supply box setup a few seats away. He grabbed up four bottles of water and returned to his seat beside Daphne. And as for her question. [Color=silver]“I'm fine, but you need to stop neglecting yourself.”[/color] Viktor offered one of the bottles to Daphne. [Color=silver]“Sip it.”[/color] He instructed. Dehydrated…. It made sense, given how she was feeling. It felt similar to the heatstroke she suffered last summer. She started to realize her adaptability was more limited than she thought. What was she even thinking? Every weakness plants had she shared. That was about the first discovery her dad and she made. Of course extreme cold wouldn’t leave her unaffected and there was a reason you couldn’t water plants with sea water. It killed them. Daphne took the first bottle of water and put the remaining three on the floor next to her. She took a sip, swallowing the cold water. [color=Lightgreen]“How did you know what was wrong with me?”[/color] She asked in between sips. Viktor briefly raised an eyebrow but dropped it when he realized she was asking a serious question. [Color=silver]“I have always made it my business to know as much as I can about everyone's capabilities. You in particular since you are so new to your abilities. I noticed most of your mishaps are not a lack in ability, but a lack of knowledge in your abilities. To be honest…”[/color] Viktor paused as he knew what he wanted to say, but identified how problematic it could be if said out loud. Him saying [I]“We could run some tests”[/I] or [I]“I want to study you”[/I] might have panicked her. [Color=silver]“I think I can help you, but you'd have to work with me. Maybe once a day.”[/color] She let his words sink in and finished her first water bottle. Daphne glanced to her side, looking at Viktor and looking away again. He wanted to try to help her. She shifted in her seat, not sure how to answer. If he made it his business to know the most reliable source to go to was her dad. Her dad the scientist, or was he a scientist who just happened to be her dad? He used to say the same. He wanted to help her too. Where did that get her really? Viktor didn’t have to publish a scientific paper, did he genuinely want to help? She needed to know more before accepting his help. He mentioned her dad earlier when he got Dr Bingley off of her back. She grabbed a second water bottle and took a small sip. [color=Lightgreen]“When you were doing your research about me, did you…..talk to my dad?”[/color] [Color=silver]“I emailed him after our first mission.”[/color] He stated honestly before he grabbed the wrist of her hand holding the water bottle. [Color=silver]“Slow down… Now, unfortunately, it was only recently that he replied back allowing us to communicate back and forth. I assume it's out of desperation.”[/color] Daphne flinched lightly when Viktor grabbed her wrist. She stopped drinking despite being thirsty. She looked at the empty seats facing Viktor and her. He was right about her dad becoming desperate. He allowed her to be on the initiative only because he knew saying no was not an option. Cain would pick her side and the Martian Manhunter promised to get her away from home. With her leaving and him rushing through all the available data his paper was slipping from his hands. [color=Lightgreen]“When I first discovered my powers I was held at knife point by some robbers in Gotham Park. That same day my dad began talking about the possibility of studying my powers.”[/color] Daphne let that bit of information speak for itself, saying volumes about the situational nature of her dad's parenting skills. [color=Lightgreen]“I joined the Team to….take a break from living at home”[/color] She worded it delicately. [color=Lightgreen]“Take a break from being a research subject”[/color] Daphne added quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear them. [color=Lightgreen]“If you helping me means what I think it does, I won’t have anywhere to go. The team’s all I have right now.”[/color] Viktor's right eyebrow raised once more as he readied himself to challenge her words. [Color=silver]“I'm not your father and I'm not a scientist. We'd just be… I would be helping you understand your powers. If you'd been out there any longer, what do you think would have happened? Or perhaps I should bring up La Hoya. What if you manned your own position, alone? You won't always be so lucky. If you don't make the effort in understanding those powers, they'll be the end of you and then… you won't ever have to worry about having anywhere to go.”[/color] Viktor released Daphne's hand and finally faced forward, back to the position he had taken before Daphne sat beside him. He didn't understand her. In his eyes, her grasp on her abilities were her responsibility to the team. Viktor felt she needed to be the expert on what she was capable of, but her apprehension made him feel like she didn't want to take the reins and would rather fly by the seat of her pants until things went horribly wrong. The harshness of his words stung. The truth was painful. Daphne took back her hand and placed it in her lap. She felt a lump form in her throat and swallowed hard, the dryness of her throat made it hurt more. Viktor didn’t understand and that wasn’t his fault. The horror of being locked into your own body, it was terrifying. [Color=silver]“If you change your mind, you can always find me right around noon with the carved trees. The ones you've frequented.”[/color] He kept his eyes on the window across from him. His thoughts a mystery to all but himself.