Icarus ------- Dick Grayson x Wally's Sister!Reader

Chapter 9: Mental Bonding and Realizations

Trigger warning: Minor bullying

It was about a week after the team went to India and learned about the mole. During that week, your studies had increased tenfold. Your classes had started to pick up speed, however, being such a young freshman with such high-level classes also meant a lot of unwanted attention.

"Hey, nerd."

"Haha, look at the little idiot acting like she belongs."

Three upperclassmen boys had you trapped in an empty classroom after school, and were jeering at you.

"Whoops!" One of them smacked the books out of your hand. Papers went flying everywhere. As you reached down to grab them, he stepped on your fingers. "Oh, sorry, you're so small I didn't even see you!" The other boys laughed.

"Here, let me help you up." The second boy pushed you over and into a desk as you tried to get up. The rest thought that was hilarious. You sat on the ground, cowering away from them.

The third boy placed his foot against your chest, knocking you fully to the ground. He then kicked you in the ribs sharply. The second boy held you down with a hand around your neck.

"Listen closely, kid." He sneered, leaning close to you. "You don't belong here. And if you even think about joining our school's knowledge bowl team? We'll be back. And it'll make this time seem like a daydream." And with that, they were gone.

You let the tears run down your checks and sobbed silently. They had done this almost every day. You had almost gotten used to the teasing and the open bullying in the halls, but this was the most extreme.

You pulled yourself together and put your stuff in your bag before walking to the bathroom. A large bruise in the shape of a hand was appearing on your neck. Your hand was scrapped up also. You sighed and drew out some concealer you used for this occasion.

~~

"Recognized: Icarus, B-27." You walked into the cave with your civies on as the electronic voice announced your arrival.

"Yo, Icarus!" Wally called, waving at you.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late, I got... Held up at school." You waved back. The team was crosslegged and sitting in a circle in the training room. "What are you guys doing?" Robin opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the person standing behind everyone.

"Mental training activity." You looked at them. It was J'onn. "So glad you could join us."

"Oh, h-hi, Martian Manhunter." You said.

"Please, sit down with the rest of the team," J'onn said. You nodded and sat in between Robin and M'gann. "Now that Icarus has so kindly graced us with her presence, we may begin. You will form mental blocks in your mind, and the team and I will try and breach them. Those whose minds we enter will be unaware with what we are doing, unless their mind is breached. This is in preparation for if you meet another villain like Psimon again. Close your eyes. Now, imagine something that keeps someone out and away. A wall, or a fence, for instance. Draw that image clear into your mind, and hold it there. Maybe there is something protecting the wall. A dragon, or thorns, for example. Imagine the wall encircling you, and your very being."

You took a deep breath. A few seconds later, J'onn spoke again.

"We will test M'gann first."

You felt cold crawl over your mind, and when you opened your eyes, it was dark. Minus M'gann, the team now stood in what seemed like endless darkness. Then, a reflective wall popped up out of seemingly nowhere, encasing everyone.