Tales from the Cave-Sleeping Beauty

The Curse is Fulfilled

Conner wandered around the streets, back from Cadmus early.  He was headed back to Happy Harbor when he felt his phone vibrate.  Pulling it out, he checked it, and his eyebrows shot up.  The reminder on his phone read Miss Martian's Sweet 16.  "Its M'gann's birthday?", he cried out, loud enough for the whole city to hear.  He hit himself on the forehead.  "How could I forget?"

He suddenly felt like a douche.  He really cared about M'gann.  In fact, he had fallen in love with her, ever since she had forgiven him for yelling at him for the Mister Twister incident.  She listened to all his problems about Superman and the League.  She baked him his favorite cookies whenever he was feeling down in the dumps.  She was sweet and kind and understanding and endlessly patient with him.

But she'd never fall for some jerk like me!  Conner had anger problems and was constantly distant from others.  He had been programmed to destroy, to fight and ruin.  Someone as gentle and giving as M'gann could never fall in love with somebody like that.  But that was no excuse for neglecting her on her birthday.  Her sixteenth birthday of all!  He noticed a little flower shop just a few feet away.  Digging through his jean pockets, he hurried over.
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M'gann stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection.  She wore the pink gown the girls had bought for her, along with the shoes, jewelry and gloves from the boys.  Dinah had curled her red hair and applied red lipstick and silver eyeshadow to her face.  The diamond tiara from Uncle J'onn hung in her hands by her fingertips.  Most girls who just discovered that they were a princess would be happier than ever, but M'gann felt like crying.

Slowly, she raised her arms over her head and adjusted the crown into her red tresses, completing the picture of a perfect princess.  She looked regal and elegant, but inside, her heart was breaking.  After she walked through the Zeta tubes, she would never see her friends again.  No more shopping sprees with Artemis, Zatanna and Raquel.  No more pranking strangers with Kaldur, Wally and Robin.  Worst of all...no more time with Conner.

No more cooking meals and baking treats with him.  No more trying to cheer him up when he was feeling worthless and invisible.  No more spending late nights with him, watching TV, reading books, or just being together.  Those days and evenings were behind her forever.  She would never see Conner ever again.  She sat on the end of her pink butterfly bed and sniffled, trying to hold back tears.

"M'gann..."  Her head shot up.  "Wh-What was that?"  She stood on her feet.  "W-Who's there?"  She gasped as her door opened, but no one was behind it.  "M'gann..."  Something overtook her, and she poked her head out of the room, her eyebrows shooting upward when she saw a small glowing black sphere, like a black hole, floating in the hall.  It floated down the passageway, whispering her name.  "M'gann..."
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The Team sat in the training room, their heads hung low, unsure what to make of their current situation.  The non-original Leaguers were yelling at the originals over keeping such an important secret about M'gann from everyone, even M'gann herself.  "We did it for protection of the secret.", Batman said calmly.  "We couldn't risk anyone finding out."  He walked through the Zeta tubes, closely followed by the others, leaving the Team alone in the Cave.

Recognized—Superboy, B06.  All heads turned to see Conner enter Mount Justice, holding a small bouquet of M'gann's favorite red and pink roses.  "Hey, guys!  Sorry I'm late!  Where's the birthday girl?"  Heads lowered again.  Conner raised one of his eyebrows.  "What's wrong?"  Kaldur slowly stood up and walked over to Superboy.  "Conner...M'gann is leaving."  "What?"

"Martian Manhunter is taking her back to Mars...forever."  Conner stared at the others, who nodded sadly in confirmation.  Conner was frozen, as still and silent as a stone statue.  "No!  He can't take her back!  We need her here!  I need her here!"  He ran down the halls towards M'gann's bedroom.  "I need to tell her before its too late!"
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M'gann found herself following it, down hallways and past doors, wondering where it led.  At last, it disappeared behind an old-looking wooden door.  During all her time living in the Cave, M'gann had never seen a door quite like that.  She turned the rusty black handle and creaked it open, peering inside.