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[The concept of ghosts is weird and freaky to Kamala. They're still unknown in a world where many strange and wonderful things are known. Now they are very hurtful evidently. She knows she shouldn't take it personally. Those freaky little kids don't actually know her. What they say leaves a mark anyways. Like any kid with hurt feelings, she runs to the adult she trusts most to validate her after a long cry session.

It doesn't take terribly long to locate Allison considering the first thing she did on arrival was check to see who lived where out of her favorite people. She pops up red-eyed and sniffles like a very tiny jump scare.] Do you think I'm bad?

[Not a day for hello apparently.]

... Of course not.

[Immediately alarmed. Who is telling Kamala she's terrible and where does Allison need to go to give them a piece of her mind?]

Why would you think that?

[Kamala rubs her eyes.] These kids were saying I'm a liar. And they're ghosts so they're basically stalking me to say that and run away so yeah. That's fun.

[Her brow furrows, moving them both so that they're sitting next to each other. She glances towards the horizon, knowing at sundown she'll have her own ghost visit, but the living come first. Kamala comes first.]

Do you know why they're saying you're a liar?

[Kamala leans against Allison automatically like simply being close to her will fix everything. In some ways, it is that simple for her. She nods because there is really only one thing she does lie about. All kids tell fibs here and there.

There is only one thing Kamala actively tries to deceive people about. Even while crying she sounds furious about being called on it.] The only thing I lie about is my identity and what I can do. I'm just doing it to protect my family and friends. Why do they have to be such jerks about it?! It's not my fault Damage Control hates brown people with superpowers and Spider-Man for some reason.

No, that's not your fault, and something that's totally valid to lie about. You're not hurting anyone with that.

[In fact, she's actively protecting people. Not that Allison really understands this part of it - the Umbrella Academy didn't exactly require secret identities.]

They're just ghosts. They're not even from your world.

[The moment Kamala gets validated, she starts angry crying. It really is getting to her. She hasn't yet gotten to the root of just why yet.] I know! What gives them the right to be so judgy?! They bombed Bruno's house, and attacked me with drones when I rescued a kid from falling! They tried really, really hard to shoot Kamran once he got his powers. Literally, the only reason he's still alive is because I figured out how to make bulletproof shields on the fly!

[Excuse her while she buries her face in her hands to cry it out for a bit.]

[Allison frowns as she wraps an arm around her shoulders, keeping her close.]

No matter what we do, it's never good enough. We're always going to be a threat, one way or another.

[Which sucks in a lot of ways. White people get to be heroes with powers and "threats" but they're never as aggressive as they are with people like them. Even with the "prestige" of the Umbrella Academy, Allison never stopped being a black women. If the white people in the sixties knew what she could do?

Things would have only gotten so much worse.]

[It reminds her of her talks with Nakia. She always is trying to give her a reality check. She hates hearing it each time. Now really isn't any different. Allison people would know. She's been a superhero longer.

She sniffles loudly, the fight draining out of her.] I know. I just sometimes forget how screwed up the world is. I thought we'd stop being so awful to each other because all those people came back to life. Who cares if we're brown after all those horrible things we live through? That's not how it worked out.

People will find all kinds of reasons to stick to their prejudices. Especially the easy ones.

[And because I don't think they've talked about the Blip yet:]

What do you mean all those people came back to life?

[Kamala stills. She didn't mean to let that slip. The survivors seem to have a collective deal to never talk about it. If they don't talk about the Blip, they don't have to deal with the horrors of that day and the ones that followed.

Because it was terrible. How could it not be? It's easier to pretend it never happened while surrounded by their loved ones.

For a long minute, it seems like Kamala might not answer the question. She barely moves, staring straight ahead like somewhere in the distance there was something she just had to see. She does finally answer, clinical and weirdly detached. She sounds like she's reading a book report instead of talking about the broken world she grew up in.] When I was eleven, the world ended. Or at least got pretty close. There was an alien named Thanos who decided that the galaxy would be a better place if half of all life ended. He'd been trying to kill people on Earth for a while actually. The first time I was like three or four. The Avengers were always able to stop him until that day.

He killed exactly half of all life in minutes. One second someone was there and the next they turned to ash. It was random; like that made it better somehow. Nothing personal, right? Half of you just need to stop existing because I said so.

[Her lips twitch. It's a bad joke, but she feels like she should lighten the mood somehow.] I survived. So did my parents, brother, and best friends. I was one of the lucky ones, but that didn't make it any easier. Pretty much all of us saw people die that day. It was a weekday afternoon. We were at school and Abu was at work. Everything just fell apart. It stayed that way for years.

But, the Avengers fixed it. They found a way to bring back everyone Thanos killed with the infinity stones. I guess I just don't get how they can be focused on something so stupid after we got this huge miracle handed to us. It hasn't been that long since we got them back.

[That sounds horrific, honestly, and the fact that she lived through all of that ... honestly might explain her and Five's friendship a bit. But she does her best not to dwell on that, and focus on answering the question.]

Because when people get scared, they try to focus on the things they can control. They can't rid the universe of aliens who want to kill them, but policing people who are different? That's definitely within their reach. Doesn't make it right, though. You're just kids.

[It makes perfect sense. It's a bitter pill to swallow. Allison has an authority that Nakia doesn't when explaining these things. Kamala starts to accept the painfully obvious.] Kamran's mom died the day they came for him too. She was awful, but it's not like Damage Control knew all the terrible things she did and thought he was the same.

[Kamala sniffles, wiping her face with her free hand.] The only people I ever felt bad about lying to were my family and Nakia. I should have told them sooner who I really was a lot sooner than I did.

If lying to your friends about having powers is the worst of your sins, then I think you're doing okay.

[Allison's definitely done way worse. There's a man in Dallas with a coffee-scalded hand who can attest to that.]

When you're up against someone who doesn't see you as a person, it can be hard to ... stick to the plan of honor and dignity. I've definitely let myself go too far because I could, because I'm angry and I know they deserve it. But they're never going to see their hate as wrong, because in their mind, they're the ones who are "right."

[Kamala lets herself enjoy the relief from that for about five seconds before she recalls another shortcoming of hers.] I am kind of a jerk to my parents sometimes. Like almost making them cry kind of jerk. I'm working on it. The not lying about who I really am is a big part of it.

[No one tells her that's a normal part of being a teenager. She takes learning about Allison's past choices in stride. It gives her hope if anything for Kamran's future. Allison has turned out great despite having a bad parent and righteous anger. He can too.] Kamran tried to kill them. I stopped him, but just barely. Maybe I should have been mad at him for fighting me on it, but... [She shrugs.] It's hard to do good when no one gives you a reason to.

You're not wrong.

[Allison had a reason. But sometimes that reason wasn't enough and it wasn't a sense of altruism Reginald Hargreeves installed in his children, it was obedience. And even that wasn't always enough. But her story about Kamran makes her think of Viktor.]

I'm glad you found a way to stop him though. I had to do that for my brother once, and ... the option I was left with at the time didn't help as much as I wanted it to, but we all lived to tell the story. I guess that counts for something.

[Kamala's eyes light up with empathy. She cares deeply for Kamran, but he isn't family. She can't imagine having to fight her family.] It counts for a lot. It's not easy being a sister, but I'm lucky. My parents totally treat us differently, but he has my back no matter what. He actually showed up to help with Damage Control and followed my lead. I couldn't imagine having to do that with him so it's awesome you could.

Yeah, siblings are pretty great that way.

[She would know. She has six of them.]

My brothers are some of my favorite people. I can't even imagine what would have happened if we were alone growing up.

Yeah, I feel kind of bad for Aamir that he spent so much time as an only child. Good thing I arrived to grace him with my presence. [She makes a v with her fingers and winks. After a beat, Kamala hates somberly.]

Thanks for hearing me out. I know we have bigger problems, but I miss my family so much. I hate having stuff from home thrown in my face when I can't even make it better.

Hey, there may be bigger problems happening, but that doesn't mean the little ones go away.

[And that doesn't mean they matter any less. She also ... doesn't think that this place punching them in the face with their issues is going to stop anytime soon.]

We'll figure it out.

We will. We're a team. [Kamala says aloud. It's a comfort to her to have Allison. Suddenly she recalls this problem may not be exclusive to her. She grabs Allison's arm.]

Have you been okay? I didn't mean to come here and make it all about me. You're just the first person I think of when I'm freaking out.

And I am happy to help. But yeah, I'm ...

[She's about to say she's good, but the sun starts to set and there's footsteps on the wood of the boat, both of them turning to find a handsome man in the doorway.

"A bad time?"]

No, it's okay. Kamala, this is my husband, Ray. Though ... not exactly.

Oh my God! [Kamala absolutely beams at the extremely beautiful man in the doorway.] This is a great time! I'm so honored to meet you. I'm Kamala. I'm Allison's friend-slash-ward, but not in a tragic superhero way. My parents are totally still alive.

[She chuckles at her very funny joke before the record scratches in her brain. Kamala turns her head to Allison.] What do you mean by not exactly?

You have your ghosts and ... I've got mine.

[Aka Ray. But he just gives her a small soft smile. "It's nice to meet you, Kamala. I was just going to see if Allison was free for a drink."]

Oh cool! That makes sense since you're married and that's probably very romantic when you're not a Muslim couple.

[Kamala responds warring between being awkward, sincere, and nervous. She drops to a whisper.] Is this a friendly ghost? Are we okay right now?

eastbound } { ic inbox | @taken for granite

action | going back to the start.... of the arc. I'm sad I didn't get to do this idea!!

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