Young Justice: Ephyra

Settling In, Part 1

CENTRAL CITY

July 5, 05:17 CDT

Superboy was slipping into a blac k t-shirt with dark gray sweats. He lets out a yawn before climbing on the inflatable mattress, pulling the sheets over his body and closing his eyes. He heard a snore come from the sheets of the bed next to his inflatable one. He let out a breath, before listening to the silence of the room which soon lulled him to sleep.

Superboy wasn't quite sure as to why he accepted the speedster's offer of staying over, but when he thought about it he realized it was because he was too angry with the events a few hours earlier, to really listen to the speedster's offer until it was too late. He had said yes absentmindedly and next thing he knew the red head had fist-pumped the air and was rambling on about how cool him staying over would be.

Superboy was regretting saying yes, not just because he didn't know how to be himself without causing the speedster to feel down, but because he missed his clone counterpart. Ephyra had been there for him more than the others, in literal terms actually. She had technically been the first to speak to him and accept him (it also helped that she understood what it meant to be a clone). She seemed to understand him better than most and another bonus was that they had a natural mental link.

One thing that did plague his thoughts was his own and Ephyra's donors. Superman hadn't accepted him; had treated him like he was nothing, had looked at him like he was some disgusting monstrosity. Well, at least that's what Ephyra said when she had ranted over their mind-link in fury of how his donor had treated him. Superman's behavior towards him wasn't the only thing bothering him; it was also the jealousy of Ephyra's donors.

Ephyra was like him on the basis that they were both clones and shared a misunderstanding of the real world. He of course was warmed by knowing those two facts would never change. Those facts didn't however, deter the jealously he felt every time his fellow clone mentioned her donors, or the smile that lit her features when they were mentioned. Just thinking of them caused jealousy to course through him, which later brought about guilt, whenever she noticed his jealousy she would try to shove down the urge to speak of them.

He didn't like putting down her feelings for the closest things to mentors and parents, but he couldn't help feeling envious. What did she have that he didn't, that allowed her donors to accept her without quarrel? It wasn't fair, but it didn't seem like it would change. So he decided he would just be happy for his "sister".

One thing that did plague his mind ever since she met her donors was their expressions. They acted a bit joyful and excited and continued to do so, though he noticed some wariness, which was understandable. However, when they came to pick her up and take her to go rest for the night before they got her adjusted to her new life, there was something else in their expressions...their eyes. It was almost like they didn't seem wary anymore, but a bit more straightforward. He wanted to say a little suspicious, but they had masked it by keeping up their same behavior that they had shown when they first spoke to her. He didn't say anything to his fellow clone, because he knew she knew of his envy of her and her donors, and would most likely see it as just that. Ephyra was oblivious but he was sure he wasn't imagining it; there had to be something off with them. Or could it be his envy was clouding his judgment of what really happened – but what if it wasn't? The only question to ask after that would be why would they seem...off towards Ephyra?