The Littlest Wayne

~22~

{A small chat with Ma'le'fa'k}

After the whole chaotic situation of the Zeta-tube exploding, the M'arzz/Earth communication satellite being destroyed and finding out Manhunter hand made it through to the other side safely, (which no one was more relieved about than Lily, M'gann and her family) M'gann went with her parents to speak to her brother, who was apprehended for lurking and suspected of causing the explosion. And judging by their expressions when they returned, it didn't end well.

Lily offered to try and speak to him, J'aan, M'aat and the Ma'hunters were hesitant to say the least to let a child talk to Martian criminal, but after Conner and M'gann assuring them that she's won other villains 10 times her own size and convicted of much worse crimes, they reluctantly agreed.

So there she was, standing there in front of his cell, with him having his back turned to her.

"Umm... M'comm was it?" She enquired trying to get his attention.

"It's Ma'le'fa'k to you Earthling whelp!" He snapped at her, whipping around with a snarl, Lily didn't flinch.

"Wow, that's quite the mouthful, can I call you Mal for short?"

He only gave a grunt in response, he'd tolerate it, for now.

"So I'm guessing they sent you to get me to change my mind, make me see the "error of my ways"?" He said in a mocking tone.

"That would be preferable, but something tells me you're not gonna fall for that stuff."

He gave a quick chuckle.
"You're not as dim as you look. My parents gave me the same spiel so don't bother."

"Did you ever consider it's hard for them to see their son in jail, despite what you think they do love you."

"Which is worth what exactly? When only 2 of 29 children are A'ashenn love is not enough, my parents failed to teach tolerance and acceptance even in their own home. Their ways don't work, and your Earther ways don't work either."

"Oh and your ways do?" Lily remarked.

"Why am I even talking to a child about this, you wouldn't get it."

"We may not have the same background, but I know more than you'd think."

"Oh and why is that?"

"Because me and my mother went through the same thing!"

Ma'le'fa'k paused, Lily took a breath to steady herself.

"She was the kindest woman you'd ever meet, always helped others when they needed it and never had an mean thing to say about anybody. But that didn't stop people from throwing rocks through windows or spray painting on our walls to go back where we came from, or glaring at us for just walking down the street."

Lily opened her mind to him, showing all the bad memories, memories of being bullied and her mother tending to her wounds, of her mother being threatened and having to clean up the shattered glass and graffiti off their home and stranger sending them death glares for absolutely not reason.

Ma'le'fa'k was honestly at a loss for words, maybe they did more in common than he thought.
"So you understand where I'm coming from."