Vicious Little Thing

[Independent Batman Beyond OC] "I've got no time for bedtime stories, I'm not a little child. Everything makes me furious, everything makes me wild." Orion Powers. Tracked tag: thelittlestpowers Rules About FC Headcanon Relationships

[firsthome]

[thelittlestpowers]

Did you ever meet any if your Dad's relatives? The other Powers family members

I never knew my grandparents on my dad’s side -- my mom’s relatives are the ones I’m closest with...Aunt Bunny, Grannie Ronnie. But Dad’s side is a bit more mysterious to me. I’ve seen photos, though. I think Great Aunt Geri seemed to be pretty cool. I would have loved to pick her brain about technology, dad said she was awesome at that.

[thelittlestpowers]

What are your thoughts on Max Gibson?

I. love. Max. She is one of the best friends that I have. Sort’ve like a sister-mentor-friend all rolled into one. She watches gross reality tv with me, and eats cupcakes and supports all of my money making ventures. Plus, she has a list of my bullies and threatens to hack them all the time. I wish she worked less, though. 

[thelittlestpowers]

What are your thoughts on Terry McGinnis?

Terry is pretty schway, I guess. He works a lot and I don’t see him much, but he’s always offering to give me a ride or to hang out. He’s like another big brother to me. He makes me feel special. Sometimes he’ll take me on a ride on his motorcycle, which is really, really fun! 

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

His Confessions

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

thelittlestpowers:

“I like you too, Danny.” she smiled, buckling her seatbelt. “I think they got in some new pumpkin pastries on the menu.” she did love pumpkin anything. It made up for the fact all the flowers were dying in preparation for the snow.

“I needed this night out, you know?”

Was that the clue? He had hoped for a small sign, but all of it was super tough to figure out. At least Bucky or Terry wasn’t gunning out of the house to whale on him. “I’m always happy to help out” Danny admitted. “I’m always going to be here for you for anything.” He knew what it was like to need someone and he learned that lesson in Arkham of all places.

[thelittlestpowers]

“You say that now, but just wait.” she said. She’d been growing distant since Johnny Sionis was growing more aggressive. Since the Randy nonsense had happened, Alex had at least been trying to make an effort. Who knew how long that would last, though.

“But it’s nice that you would say it.” 

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[thelittlestpowers]

She smiled when Mary chuckled. It wasn’t at her, it was with her, like they were old friends in on a joke together.

“I guess I’ve been keeping up with appearances for so long that I forget people are probably just as much of a wreck as I am. It’s easy to forget when everyone looks so effortless.” hip hop classes were much less intense, still technically difficult, but she felt a bit freer.

But Mary was a good person. She wouldn’t have taken this time to talk with her and to comfort her if she wasn’t. She was doing more than her own sister was at this moment in time. Everything went back to how stressed Alex was, to how heartbroken she was over Randy. How she wanted a baby, but she would just have to settle for an emotionally damaged teenager. How did she think Orion felt? She knew she had to fill Randy’s shoes, and she was homesick for her father. She was taken away from him only to be practically ignored for work and emotional breakdowns. Orion had no rock, she had no constant support. Everything seemed to be on glass, every time she made progress, she could feel it crack.

“Alright. I’ll try. Who are these girls?” she was much more comfortable around boys, they were easier, in her opinion.

“One of the best that I know. I don’t care if you say Macbeth is camp, I love it.” she giggled.

[notyourdahl]

“It’s all acting, hun. People wear masks and they only show their true faces when they’re alone.” And even then. Sometimes you never saw your true face for your self. Sometimes you just went on seeing yourself the way other people do. 

“Glad you asked.” Mary said, steering the teen to leave. They’d make their way to the dorm section where the two girls Mary wanted Orion to meet were in their dorm at the moment. 

Mary had to laugh at that. “Macbeth was the worst thing ever! I should have never done it. No one can take me seriously. Now, when I did Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream? That worked. People have an easier time laughing with me. And I have an easier time when it’s not at me.” 

[thelittlestpowers]

“Makes sense to me,” she shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself nervously. Meeting new people was often nerve-wracking and her defenses were going up. She’d much rather be alone than be vulnerable. She wondered what her father would do -- he’d probably scold her. Orion wasn’t much in the sociability department. Paxton was always the one full of charisma and charm. 

“I never laughed at you. I wish I had seen you as Puck, though. I’ll bet it was great.” she said, following Mary closely. 

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[thelittlestpowers]

She smiled when Mary chuckled. It wasn’t at her, it was with her, like they were old friends in on a joke together.

“I guess I’ve been keeping up with appearances for so long that I forget people are probably just as much of a wreck as I am. It’s easy to forget when everyone looks so effortless.” hip hop classes were much less intense, still technically difficult, but she felt a bit freer.

But Mary was a good person. She wouldn’t have taken this time to talk with her and to comfort her if she wasn’t. She was doing more than her own sister was at this moment in time. Everything went back to how stressed Alex was, to how heartbroken she was over Randy. How she wanted a baby, but she would just have to settle for an emotionally damaged teenager. How did she think Orion felt? She knew she had to fill Randy’s shoes, and she was homesick for her father. She was taken away from him only to be practically ignored for work and emotional breakdowns. Orion had no rock, she had no constant support. Everything seemed to be on glass, every time she made progress, she could feel it crack.

“Alright. I’ll try. Who are these girls?” she was much more comfortable around boys, they were easier, in her opinion.

“One of the best that I know. I don’t care if you say Macbeth is camp, I love it.” she giggled.

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[notyourdahl]

“That’s therapy unfortunately. That your therapist telling ‘Just think positively.’ Right after you tried to kill yourself and half the city…but I digress.” That was such ancient history that Mary could hardly remember what her plan had even BEEN. 

Orion was definitely too tense. The girl sat like Mary was some stern school marm. “There is nothing wrong with that, but we’re in school here, you gotta relax a little. Your teachers and other students don’t expect to see you perfect every second of the day.” And Mary agreed, “Of course everyone wants to be perfect when they perform. I used to go to acting classes and voice classes and any kind of class I could get into just to be perfect. But it ate away at my childhood. I never got to play with kids my own age, and by the time I was a teen, I had no idea what it was like to be myself or be anything else but an actress. I was stunted to say the least.” And then even that didn’t go right. 

“Just…cut yourself a little slack. No one here expects you to be perfect. We are all in the process of learning. Even me and I’m in my 80′s.” The tiny woman exclaimed. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“It’s just a waste of my time. I hate wasting my time.” she was very much like her father, efficient with her time, and who got to see her during the rare downtime she had. Kill half of the city? Now there was something she hadn’t anticipated hearing. She was about to ask before Mary cut her off.

She shrugged, tucking a piece of stray hair back into her bun meticulously. It wasn’t so wrong to try, was it? “I guess it is just intimidating feeling like the only weak link in the class. I want to make sure rehearsal goes smoothly, and we use each minute that we have most efficiently. I want people to like me...” she trailed off. Hard work would always be respected and admired, and the older kids would like her because she could hold her own. She nodded as Mary spoke. “But you’re having fun now, right? You don’t have to have a childhood to be happy.” 

Orion had stopped being a kid when she was ten, and Batman and the accident with her father all happened. She wasn’t always as serious as she was now, but she had lost both of her parents in what seemed to be one fell swoop. 

“You seem to know who you are and what you want...you’ve always seemed that way to me. How are you so confident so easily?”

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

His Confessions

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

thelittlestpowers:

He hadn’t messed up, but Orion was very much a Powers, she wanted him to come to her and clearly state his intentions. She wanted to be sure she was right, since Danny was a nice boy, and nice boys didn’t typically go for Orion Powers. 

“You know, I’m always so impressed you go out of your way to remember my order.” she said with a small smile, allowing him to hold the door for her, entering and winking over her shoulder.

He smiled and followed after her. Orion’s wink was a shock to him. Was she being coy? That didn’t seem too much like Orion though. Trailing after her, Danny opened the car door and hopped onto his side, making sure Orion’s door was also open.

“Course I would” he said. “I like you…a lot.”

[thelittlestpowers]

“I like you too, Danny.” she smiled, buckling her seatbelt. “I think they got in some new pumpkin pastries on the menu.” she did love pumpkin anything. It made up for the fact all the flowers were dying in preparation for the snow.

“I needed this night out, you know?”

[thelittlestpowers]

♖♟

♖ for on of my muses guilty pleasures

She LOVES trashy reality television, regardless of the distinguished air she tries to give off. She especially loves dating shows. 

♟ for something my muse admires

Emotional strength, and consistency. Orion has never had much stability in her life, and she crumbles because of anxiety and abandonment issues. She looks up to people who are the calm in her storm. 

[greys-isabel]

Send me a...

♗ for a tip for getting my muses romantic affection ♖ for on of my muses guilty pleasures ♞ for something that my muse wants to do ♟ for something my muse admires ☁ for something that make my muse sad ☂ for something my muse wants to protect ♨ for something that relaxes my muse

[originalgrin-deactivated2014032]

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[notyourdahl]

Mary nodded, leaning on her cane a bit. Listening to students concerns was probably one of the better parts of her job. The worst was talking to the board of directors. Bunch of assholes. 

“Yeah…” Mary sighed. “Yeah…I know how that is. I didn’t make friends until I was in my 30′s. But you, you have a chance to make friends much earlier. And much easier.” Not that it would be easy. But Mary, Mary had an idea. 

“I am sure no one says that. Your teacher says you get nervous, but she knows you know how to perform. It’s just…doing it.” And that was a hurdle that Orion may never be able to jump. 

Mary stepped further into the room. “Maybe I can help with the making friends thing, though. There are some other new girls on campus who could probably use some new friends too.” It was necessarily true, that Tamara and Calliope were all that new, or in need of friends, but Mary was sure they wouldn’t say no to one more in their little group. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“I find that hard to believe,” the teenager said. “You’re so nice, and you’ve always been nice for as long as I’ve known you. Making friends easily? I’d have to see it to believe it.” not many people withstood her initial iciness.

“At my old dance school I never really liked recitals. I like classes, though. I wish mom and dad could have seen me do a recital here. That would be schway.” her face sank, but quickly became hopeful again. “But I think Paxton will come, and maybe Alex.” 

Orion raised a brow when Mary mentioned making friends. “I don’t know…everyone here seems to have their own little groups. Do you really think I’d fit in?”

[notyourdahl]

Mary laughed. “This niceness you see, it came on only in my thirties, once I started actually getting some help for all my various issues.” And then again, most of her new found friends were criminals. Or ex-criminals. 

“See? You’re already planning to dance. Well, if they don’t or can’t I’ll be here.” And Mary at least wouldn’t judge. She’d seen Sophia judge that little girl on performance, and she was 5 at the time! It really was unfair.

The tiny old woman gave the girl’s hand a gentle pat. “You’re here aren’t you? Only way to fit in is try. Plus these girls are nice, I promise. I wouldn’t send you into the lion’s den, believe me.”  

[thelittlestpowers]

“My dad’s made me try to get help, anger management, and it just made me angrier.” Orion grumbled, rubbing a scuff mark on her slipper. 

“I mean, I’m here to dance. I just…I’m not pushing myself enough, right? That’s what stage fright is, isn’t it? A fear of failure because you haven’t practiced enough?”

She softened when Mary patted her hand. Physical affection in her household was hard to come by. Now she couldn’t even look at her father for prolonged amounts of time, much less hug him. She never liked to hug her mother. 

“Even nice girls tend to think I’m weird.” the only female friend close to her age she had was Nicole Lovelace, and she didn’t see her often enough for her liking. Max Gibson, and Riley were both way older than her. More like surrogate sisters than friends.

“My dad’s a meta supervillain, my brother’s been in jail, my sister’s Clayface’s step-mom. And I am an out of control teenager. I don’t feel like I know how to talk to people my age.” she was surprised she had the four friends she did, even if she was usually serious.

“But I guess I can try. Who do you have in mind?”

[notyourdahl]

“I don’t blame you. Those kinds of things never worked for me either.” Mary could turn her emotions on and off though. So it wasn’t so much anger management that she needed, but emotional support. Most of the time Mary hadn’t known who she really was. 

Mary’s eye brows shot up slightly. “Who told you that tripe? Wait, nevermind, I know.” Sophia of course. Nothing was ever good enough. “Honey, Come, let’s sit a minute. I’m tired of craning my neck up.” She moved to sit in a chair that the instructor used. Her old bones creaked slightly as she took a seat. 

“How man other dancers do you see practicing right now? And how many do you usually see here practicing when you do and for as long as you do?” Mary glanced around. No one was here. It was lunch time and most kids were with their friends and eating. Not Sophia Power’s little girl. Food was for the weak and practice was all that mattered. 

“You are good enough, more than that. I know, I saw your entrance performance. You are wonderful. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. Your teachers believe in you and so do I. I think the only one who thinks that your not good enough is you. And that’s ok.” Mary sighed. “Well…it’s not. But I understand where it comes from.” Years of being told she wasn’t good enough and never would be. “So no, stage fright is not because you haven’t practiced enough. Sometimes it’s because you practice too much. You worry yourself to the bone, thinking too much about how you’ll mess up that you do.” And that was the worst thing a performer could do to themselves. 

“I think having a few friends and relaxing a bit might help you get even better.” Mary couldn’t promise anything, but Mary knew from her own experience that gaining friends and not worrying so much over her performance had actually helped her in her later career. 

The graying blonde smiled. “Oh honey, I have the perfect little group for you. They’ll relate, I’m sure of it.” And Mary knew just where they were. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“I just thought it was silly how people did a lot of whining but never really did anything about their problems. It seemed counterproductive.” she was all business. 

She sat when Mary told her to, her posture perfect. She tried to be delicate and graceful in all that she did, but the conversation about meeting new friends was stressing her out. She was lonely, and the last group of friends she’d made outside of Bucky and Matt ended up to be gang members trying to recruit her. Hopefully Mary would be right, and this would go better.

“I mean, I don’t want people to see me when I’m not polished. Which was why class with better dancers made her anxious, it was like going onstage unprepared. The other girls would size her up, and suss her out as weaker, right? “Isn’t it normal to want to be perfect? Especially in the arts?”

She nodded, reluctantly allowing herself to trust Mary, at least for now.

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[notyourdahl]

Mary nodded, leaning on her cane a bit. Listening to students concerns was probably one of the better parts of her job. The worst was talking to the board of directors. Bunch of assholes. 

“Yeah…” Mary sighed. “Yeah…I know how that is. I didn’t make friends until I was in my 30′s. But you, you have a chance to make friends much earlier. And much easier.” Not that it would be easy. But Mary, Mary had an idea. 

“I am sure no one says that. Your teacher says you get nervous, but she knows you know how to perform. It’s just…doing it.” And that was a hurdle that Orion may never be able to jump. 

Mary stepped further into the room. “Maybe I can help with the making friends thing, though. There are some other new girls on campus who could probably use some new friends too.” It was necessarily true, that Tamara and Calliope were all that new, or in need of friends, but Mary was sure they wouldn’t say no to one more in their little group. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“I find that hard to believe,” the teenager said. “You’re so nice, and you’ve always been nice for as long as I’ve known you. Making friends easily? I’d have to see it to believe it.” not many people withstood her initial iciness.

“At my old dance school I never really liked recitals. I like classes, though. I wish mom and dad could have seen me do a recital here. That would be schway.” her face sank, but quickly became hopeful again. “But I think Paxton will come, and maybe Alex.” 

Orion raised a brow when Mary mentioned making friends. “I don’t know…everyone here seems to have their own little groups. Do you really think I’d fit in?”

[notyourdahl]

Mary laughed. “This niceness you see, it came on only in my thirties, once I started actually getting some help for all my various issues.” And then again, most of her new found friends were criminals. Or ex-criminals. 

“See? You’re already planning to dance. Well, if they don’t or can’t I’ll be here.” And Mary at least wouldn’t judge. She’d seen Sophia judge that little girl on performance, and she was 5 at the time! It really was unfair.

The tiny old woman gave the girl’s hand a gentle pat. “You’re here aren’t you? Only way to fit in is try. Plus these girls are nice, I promise. I wouldn’t send you into the lion’s den, believe me.”  

[thelittlestpowers]

“My dad’s made me try to get help, anger management, and it just made me angrier.” Orion grumbled, rubbing a scuff mark on her slipper. 

“I mean, I’m here to dance. I just...I’m not pushing myself enough, right? That’s what stage fright is, isn’t it? A fear of failure because you haven’t practiced enough?”

She softened when Mary patted her hand. Physical affection in her household was hard to come by. Now she couldn’t even look at her father for prolonged amounts of time, much less hug him. She never liked to hug her mother. 

“Even nice girls tend to think I’m weird.” the only female friend close to her age she had was Nicole Lovelace, and she didn’t see her often enough for her liking. Max Gibson, and Riley were both way older than her. More like surrogate sisters than friends.

“My dad’s a meta supervillain, my brother’s been in jail, my sister’s Clayface’s step-mom. And I am an out of control teenager. I don’t feel like I know how to talk to people my age.” she was surprised she had the four friends she did, even if she was usually serious.

“But I guess I can try. Who do you have in mind?”

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

[notyourdahl]

Mary nodded, leaning on her cane a bit. Listening to students concerns was probably one of the better parts of her job. The worst was talking to the board of directors. Bunch of assholes. 

“Yeah…” Mary sighed. “Yeah…I know how that is. I didn’t make friends until I was in my 30′s. But you, you have a chance to make friends much earlier. And much easier.” Not that it would be easy. But Mary, Mary had an idea. 

“I am sure no one says that. Your teacher says you get nervous, but she knows you know how to perform. It’s just…doing it.” And that was a hurdle that Orion may never be able to jump. 

Mary stepped further into the room. “Maybe I can help with the making friends thing, though. There are some other new girls on campus who could probably use some new friends too.” It was necessarily true, that Tamara and Calliope were all that new, or in need of friends, but Mary was sure they wouldn’t say no to one more in their little group. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“I find that hard to believe,” the teenager said. “You’re so nice, and you’ve always been nice for as long as I’ve known you. Making friends easily? I’d have to see it to believe it.” not many people withstood her initial iciness.

“At my old dance school I never really liked recitals. I like classes, though. I wish mom and dad could have seen me do a recital here. That would be schway.” her face sank, but quickly became hopeful again. “But I think Paxton will come, and maybe Alex.” 

Orion raised a brow when Mary mentioned making friends. “I don’t know...everyone here seems to have their own little groups. Do you really think I’d fit in?”

[fanningmaryelle]

2003 x 2015

[thelittlestpowers]

Settling In

Orion’s nerves were not doing so well as of late. She had started a new school, and the bullying had come to almost a complete stop. However, that came with the fact that she had to make up a new routine, and find some new friends. She was doing what she typically did in her spare time between class, which was practice. People probably thought she couldn’t dance because her legs locked and she got such terrible stage fright in front of her peers. 

After what she considered a rather sloppy attempt at a pirouette, she hit the wall, figuratively and literally. What was she even doing here? It was probably just because her dad gives money to the school. Usually, if there was one thing in the world she was confident in, it was her dancing. Now her confidence was shaken, and she missed her parents terribly. It wasn’t like Alex paid much attention, and Paxton was busy planning his wedding to Deanna Clay to take much notice. 

She was alone, she was still angry, and she couldn’t stop the tears of frustration that began to spring up.

[notyourdahl]

It was often that the tiny founder of the school made her way around campus. Mary Dahl usually kept to her office when she was at the school and usually accompanied by her bodyguard. Today, she decided to take a walk and visit the students that she knew. 

One in particular was on her list, and as the girl was not in her dorm, she figured she might be practicing. 

Mary knew all about confidence. She had regained and lost her’s so many times that she wasn’t sure if it was coming or going most of the time. That had been many years ago, age had a way of solving those kinds of problems. But Orion was still a very young girl and her confidence was shot due to a stage-mom from hell. Mary could relate to that. 

“I thought I’d find you here.” Mary said, smiling as she entered the room fully, her cane tapping along next to her. It was mostly for show, and for hiding her gun, but it helped with the feeble old lady routine. 

[thelittlestpowers]

Orion twitched when she heard Mary enter the room. She moved away from the wall, dusted off her leotard and smiled nervously at the diminuative woman. “Ms. Dahl! You scared me.” 

She was a perfectionist to her core, and she hated for anyone to see her practicing. In her day to day life, she agonized over outfits, over how her food was prepared, and her hobbies were no different. She was rigid with control thanks to Sophia’s child-rearing skills. Orion didn’t want to look like anything came as a struggle to her. She wanted everyone to see the polished, perfect product. 

“I just figured I’d get some practice in before ballet class tomorrow…you know how it is. Practice makes permanent. What brings you by?”

[notyourdahl]

“Sorry, I’m sneaky without meaning to be.” She was small, people didn’t notice her. Mary leaned on her cane slightly. Orion was so guarded. It was to be expected. Sophia and Derek Powers were the most walled up people Mary had ever met. 

“I just wanted to check on you. Make sure you were settling in ok.” This poor kid. She was so closed off from everyone. “How’s everything?” Mary had watched Orion grow up. She had been friends with Sophia, at least socially. They had drank together and talked. And the way the Sophia treated her little girl…well, it made Mary slightly ill. Now, Mary hoped, she could help this poor frightened teen to find her way. Even if it was only making a safe place for her to dance. 

[thelittlestpowers]

“It’s okay, I suppose I’m just a little on edge lately. New place, and all.” trust did not come easily to her. As a child she had to compete for her mother’s attention with other children, wearing fake hair, fake teeth. Each crown bought it for a little while...or at least for the car ride home. Sophia Powers had a prize-winning daughter, and a handsome athletic son. She must’ve been the envy of other mothers, right? She loved Orion when it made her look good. They were the portrait of a happy home from the outside. At least her father loved her. He wasn’t proud of her, but he loved her.

“I don’t make friends easily.” she said, messing with a bit of fabric from her leotard. “People probably think I’m stupid because my legs lock in class.” she didn’t want to speak and prove them right. Orion was also never an overly friendly girl initially.

“It’s nice to see you, though. I haven’t seen you since the audition to get in here.” 

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

His Confessions

[the-schwayest-batman-around]

thelittlestpowers:

“Those are all flowers that…well, they say a lot. Sometimes the message changes depending on the number of flowers, so flowers could always use a translator.” she said, giving him a smile, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks. She grabbed her purse from the table and slung it over her shoulder. 

“Are you ready to go? It probably won’t be crowded and we could play checkers at the table or something.” 

Had he messed up? He looked concerned, glancing from the flowers to Orion. Danny fidgeted slightly, already worried Orion was rejecting him. She hadn’t said it yet, but he nodded, slowly following her. “Checkers sounds great” he said, holding the door open.

“Do you want your usual?” he asked, trying his best to compose himself and smiling.

[thelittlestpowers]

He hadn’t messed up, but Orion was very much a Powers, she wanted him to come to her and clearly state his intentions. She wanted to be sure she was right, since Danny was a nice boy, and nice boys didn’t typically go for Orion Powers. 

“You know, I’m always so impressed you go out of your way to remember my order.” she said with a small smile, allowing him to hold the door for her, entering and winking over her shoulder.