Mekt: Say Yes To Drug!

ShrinkingViolet And ChameleonBoy are playfully throwing things at each other from across the table, Brainiac-5 and CosmicBoy have gotten into a friendly intellectual debate, SaturnGirl is showing Timberwolf "family cooking secrets", Lightning Lord and Ayla are playing tic-tac-toe on a napkin; and LightningLad?

LightningLad is watching all of them with the biggest smile on his face.

This, this is his family; these are the most important people to him, and they're all together.

Imra was right to suggest they do this, as much as Garth and Rokk thought it would end in disaster...

If Garth could live in a single moment, he'd choose this one.

"Hey, Garth, you still with us?" Brin asks, shaking the red head's shoulder gently.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, sorry," even after being caught spacing out, Garth still can't bring himself to stop smiling.

"He's being dopey 'cause we're all hanging out," Mekt rolls his eyes.

"It's nice to bring everyone," Imra pauses to look at Mekt, "the whole family, together, and I'm glad we all could, and Garth has the right to be as "dopey" as he wants."

"I see you lookin my way, pink, and remember who was Garth's family first," Mekt jeers light heartedly.

"Can we please not fight?" Rokk requests.

"Yeah, it was nice in here guys..." Cham agrees.

Mekt huffs and leans back in his chair, "Yeah, I guess I shouldn't start shit when I'm a guest, and especially not when I'm still technically on parol."

"Don't swear either, it's not nice," Ayla adds, getting a laugh from a few of the others at the table.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Mekt rolls his eyes.

"Even Mekt being an ass can't ruin my mood today," Garth laughs.

"Can this?" Mekt throws the crayon he was using at his brother.

"No," Garth throws it back laughing, but accidentally hits Cham instead.

"It's on, old man!" Cham laughs, throwing one of the wadded pieces of paper him and Salu had been fighting with at Garth instead.

He decides its time to throw one at Brainy too and that sparks immediate retaliation.

Pretty soon a full blown play fight is going on, and Imra and Rokk were quick enough to move anything sharp or breakable off the table before joining too.

( @ifjgh )

LightningLad may have lost an arm, but he got his sister back, and in a way his brother too.

And he got a pretty good upgrade thanks to Brainy and Vi.

“I’ll be right back, Kell, keep an eye on Mekt, Bouncy, keep an eye on Ayla, and Kell,” Garth hums as he walks out.

He finds the two younger legionaries in Brainy’s “room” on the ship.

Both of them are sitting on Brainy’s bed, ShrinkingViolet has a pillow tucked under her chin.

“...while I agree with you on principle I have to point out—“ Brainy pauses mid sentence when Garth pulls them both into a hug.

“Thanks, you two,” Garth pulls away, smiling, a hand on each of their shoulders.

“Uh...you’re welcome?” Vi smiles back, though a little confused.

“For helping save Ayla?” Querl questions.

“For...everything, okay? You two did a lot of good today, and I just...I want to tell you both I’m proud of you,” Garth explains, before ruffling both of their hair.

“It’s what we do,” Vi giggles.

“It’s nice to know you appreciate us,” Brainy hums.

Kell wasn’t much one for family, being raised by a robot with multiple personalities does that to a man.

Not to say K3N-T didn’t raise him well!

But people are different than robots...

Here’s a younger one of Vanguard AU Ayla, who took heavy inspiration from her twin brother’s old costume.

More Vanguard Ayla! Yay!

———

14.

That’s when Garth former the Legion.

And now Ayla is 14, and she wants to join the Light Speed Vanguard.

“Little sis, the Vanguard isn’t for kids.” Mekt sighs.

“So what? I’m supposed to join the Legion Of-“

“Absolutely not, don’t even say their name.” Garth cuts her off.

“You always get so defensive about them, what’s wrong with them?” Ayla crosses her arms.

“Yeah, little brother, maybe the Legion would be good for her, they’re more equipped for younger supers,” Mekt offers.

“No, I don’t care, I don’t want her joining them!”

“Garth, is this about your exes?” Ayla asks.

“No!..Maybe! Look, if Ayla wants to join the Vanguard then I say let her join!” Garth exclaims.