2012-09-22 An Encounter In Metropolis

Metropolis. The City of Tomorrow! The home of Superman! The home of Lexcorp!

It is a city of progress, where technology is advanced, and where it is protected by an icon!

And Metropolis is also the place where Starrware Labs very recently was called in to do a very specific job. The specifics of the job aren't important right now. All that is important is that Karen Star, owner and CEO of Starrware Labs, had to come to deal with the client personally. Which means that she's in the city.

Of course it probably doesn't help that as Karen was leaving that job that gunshots could be heard, and a car goes racing by down the road past her, with a guy leaning out the passengers side window firing at /something/ behind said car...

For the most part, Kara Zor-El is enjoying the weekend and just plain 'Kara', dressed in casual clothes with her glasses perched on her nose. She's doing a bit of window shopping solo, seeing as how Cassie is busy today, but she's still enjoying herself as she looks at the stylish clothing on display in the windows of Lacy's Department Store (a Metropolis institution). of course, the clothes she's wearing are rather drab and unstylish, the better to hide her identity as Supergirl; at least, that's the theory. Still, even a Supergirl can dream about fashion, can't she?

The gunshots that ring out break kara out of her reverie, and she quickly looks for the source of the trouble. Once she spies the car with the gunmen, she rushes towards and alleyway, at 'normal' running speed, ready to do a super-speed clothing change and go into action as the Girl of Steel.

Kara is not the only one to run to get changed. Only Karen runs into a different alley, on the opposite side of the street, which anything avoids the potential uncomfortable bit where you get two heroes running into the same spot, starting to get changed, and then realizing they're both there...

After just a few moments though... Power Girl flies up, out of the alley, down the road just a little bit, and then towards that oncoming car...

The thugs in the car don't react to her though. nope. Instead the driver just keeps going ahead at full speed, while the passenger keeps shooting back, behind the car, even if there appears to be nothing there.

Suddenly, with a blur of blue and red, something *is* behind the fleeing car. Supergirl flies down to a trailing position behind the car as bullets harmlessly bounce off her. her eyes glow red for a moment before she fires of a blast of heatvision at the gun being shot out of the passneger window. The barrle of the pistol glows cherry red, then starts to melt as the crook drops it with a howl of agony. Kara stays behind the car still, makign sure that no other weapons are pulled out that could endanger the civilians on the streets.

Oh, another weapon is pulled after that thug drops the gun and shakes his hand, sorta. But considering that it's fricken Supergirl coming at the car from behind, it's probably useless. After all, what good is a knife, even if it's thrown by that guy from the passenger side window, against the 'Maid of Might'? And heck, the knife probably isn't even thrown well, considering his hand is more than likely burnt now due to that heat vision too.

Of course as the white and blue blur that is Power Girl comes towards the car head on, the car itself isn't moving for that much longer after that knife is thrown. No, the last survivor of another universe doesn't crash into it. Instead, as she flies closer, and closer, she gets lower, and lower to the ground, until she gets so close that she can grab it and pick it up. Worse, as the wheels start to lift off of the ground, the car starts to go backwards a little, as Power Girl decelerates.

"Boys... You picked the wrong time and the wrong town to pull this."

A knife? Really? Kara just blinks in disbelief at the crook's desparation when the knife plinks off her. Then, she's blinking in disbelief for an entirely different reason as the blonde woman flies down to pick up the car. She looks familiar, but Kara can't exactly place where she's seen this woman before. Leaving the mystery for later, Supergirl accellerates forward and picks up the back end of the car. Between the two heroines, the car is now up in the air and not going anywhere. "Now, would you gentlemen prefer to be dropped off at Central Booking, or should we just take you straight to Stryker's?" With the car raised above her head, Kara smiles at her impromptu partner on the other end of the car.

And if the guy on the passengers side hears Supergirl, he doesn't respond. on the other hand, the driver looks at Power Girl for a second, then cranes his head around to look at the Maid of Might, then looks at Power Girl, then at Supergirl again.... Before he starts talking like mad. Only he isn't speaking english. Instead, it sounds like a mix of russian and chinese, where it constantly switches from one to another mid sentence.

Power Girl meanwhile blinks as she looks through both the front and back windows of the car, and realizes just who else is here helping. And while her expression becomes almost strangely neutral, she does respond to the Maid of Might.

"I'd recommend central booking Supergirl. It's too easy for lawyers to play tricks about things being done improperly to get their clients out when they're dropped right into jail."

Supergirl nods in response, but before the car can be flown away, the matter is settled as the Metropolis PD arrive with a squeal of tires and blaring sirens. "Or, we can let the authorities handle it here," Kara says with an smile. And as the uniformed officers pproach, Kara lets her half of the car down. Looking at the crooks in the car, Supergirl stares at them and speaks to them in a similar mixture of Russian and Chinese: "I suggest you surrender now. This is a situation you can't possibly win." Hopefully, the display of knowing the two languages the crooks are using will help rattle them into a peaceful surrender, but Supergirl stays ready for trouble.

And the babbling driver just goes silent as he hears Supergirl, while the passenger stares at her for a few moments.

Of course it isn't until after the officers themselves are all but standing next to the car with their guns out that Power girl lowers her end of the car to the ground, so the officers themselves can open the doors and drag the thugs out, and off.

And yet, as that's being done, Power Girl slowly starts to smile as she nods and walks around the car, towards the Maid of Might. As she gets closer, she even extends a hand in greeting.

"So... You must be Supergirl.." is said in an odd tone, making it sound like the taller blonde woman might have some odd feelings right now. "It's nice to meet you face to face."

Supergirl nods and has a freindly smile on her face as the woman comes over and greets her. "I am. I guess the costume kind of gave it away?" She smiles, full of youthful mirth, occasionally glancing over to ensure the arrest of the prisoners goes smoothly. kara takes the offered hand and shakes it. "And I hope I don't offend you, but I haven't seen you around Metropolis before. Are you new here?"

The prisoners don't give any fight at all. In fact, they're strangely silent as they're loaded into the cars and driven off. In fact most of the cops leave as well, except one or two that wait for the wrecker to come and pick up the car the thugs were driving so it can be impounded as evidence.

"The costume... And a little bit more." is said by Power Girl as her smile becomes a more honest and real smile. "As for my being from out of town, you could say that I am, in more ways than one."

Of course as soon as that's out there, the taller woman explains a little bit as to what she meant.

"these days I mainly work in new York City, and I'm not exactly the most high profile person out there either."

"Oh, I go to new York alot too. My best friend lives there and I do some training with Princess DIana and the Amazons at the Themysciran Embassy." Supergirl's still smiling, her mind continuing to try and place where she's seen this woman before. "Regardless, it's always great to ahve another set of hands to help out here in Metropolis." Kara gestures to the sky with a nod of her head. "Got time to fly around and chat? Or do you have to be somewhere?"

"No. I don't have to be anywhere." is said as that smile falters, just a little. "But we probably should chat, and doing it while flying around might help a bit..."

Why does Power Girl put it like that? Maybe she has some concerns. But if she does, do they relate to what she might have to say? What sort of reactions they might cause? Or does she just want to minimize the chances for anyone listening in?

Or maybe she just feels like taking to the sky?

"And I'm not surprised you know her. Not at all." is said as she in fact, starts to drift on up into the sky.

Supergirl nods and lifts off, keeping an easy pace alongside the woman as they ascend into the bright blue afternoon. "I've learned so much from Diana and the Amazons. And like I said, her protoge, Wonder Girl, is my best friend." Kara looks over at her companion curiously. "But...some how I don't think you wanted to talk about my friends." The strength, the speed, the flight....Kara's heart pounds in her chest for a bit and she tries to force it back down. Not everyone with powers is a Kryptonian, she reminds herself. Still, the spark of hope remains. "And if you don't mind me asking, who are you? And how did you get your powers?"

"Actually, your friends sound interesting, and I don't mind hearing about them as long as you feel like talking about them."

Yes, Power Girl says that as she continues to smile, and yet a slight hint of pain taints it.

That smile doesn't even falter as she hears that question.

"Before I answer that, I have to ask you two things. Who do you /think/ I am? And more importantly, /how/ do you think I got my powers?"

The question causes Kara's heart to leap into her throat. The ember of hope in her burns a little brighter. She looks over the woman cautiously, and decides to go for broke.  she says in Kryptonese (and Rao, how sweet is is to no longer have to hide her heritage in public!). 

The response comes in the same language. But it's... Different. Accented. Altered. It's almost like it shares the same roots, but not exactly, and as the language grew, it didn't exactly become the same. There's still enough to make it recognizable, but some simple things like the way certain sounds are formed is different.

 is said as Power Girl not only glances away, but also speeds up just a little. 

And yet, as that's said, Karen can't help but feel like Kara, personality wise does remind her of what she was like, back when she first arrived on her Earth. But at the same time, she's not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing just yet.

There's a pained expression as Kara zooms ahead. one that grows worse as Supergirl just rattles off like that, apparently overjoyed by what Karen apparently is. And yet, here's the one answer that could very easily cause a reaction from the younger woman. One that Power Girl is very reluctant to say.

 is said in her native tongue. 

The answer given causes a look of confusion on Kara's face. Her mind struggles with the information, tyring to process it.  The diferences in last names doesn't quite register with her.  That has to be it, and the thought confuses Kara even more.

There's a shake of Power Girls head as she simply responds with, 

Then, the woman in white just stops, and hovers, midair, before she tries to explain things better.

"There was a crisis." is said in english. "I don't fully know what caused it. And what I saw of it I can't even begin to describe."

Then, she pauses again.

"I should go back to the beginning. Where I'm from, Kypton exploded. Much like my cousin, I was sent in a ship. Only while I was in mine, I aged, and was taught via a machine, even though I was unconscious. I ended up arriving on Earth after my cousin was fully grown. After he had donned a costume and cape. I ended up wearing one much like his, and even took a 'name' like his. Supergirl. But then... Then reality itself..."

Herkay, now the picture is starting to become clearer. "So, you're not from the future; we're alternate versions of each other." Kara smiles, showign little discomfort at the idea. "My father and Uncle Jor-El theorized about such things, but never really examined the possibilities. But, I'm sorry for interrupting. You were saying that something happened in your reality?" Kara has some concerns here, a sneaking dread filling her with what might have possibly happened to this Kara.

There's a nod as the younger kyptonian woman speaks up. And it even gives Power Girl a moment to collect her thoughts so she can put this the right way...

"As I said, there are no words to describe what happened. How it appeared to be happening. All that can be said is that it was as if reality was destroying itself. It was as if in its final death throws I ended up here."

"I've been here for a few years now. But it's only been within the past month or so that I started to put on a 'costume' again, so I could try to do some of the things I did back 'home' to help others."

The announcement confirms the worst fear in Supergirl's heart. She looks on at her alternate 'twin', an expresison of sadness and understanding writ large on her face. Without a word, she flies over and gives this other Kara a comforting hug. "I'm so sorry. That's so horrible for you, to have gone through all of that." She pulls back, and there's a few tears welling up in her eyes. "But you're here now. And however we're related...you're one of us. Myself and Kal. I know we'll never be able to replace your family and freinds, but you have us here."

Even as she's hugged, Power Girl doesn't return it. At least not at first. heck, it's almost like she's frozen in place as she's hugged, before finally, and slowly she returns the gesture.

"Thank you. But I'm not. You know it. I know it."

"And for now, Kara Zor-El... I have to ask that you don't tell anyone, even Kal-L about me. That is I'm assuming that by Kal, you mean Kal-L."

"I... I think it'd probably be best if he, and possibly certain others... learned about me, from... me."

There's a bit of confusion on Kara's face, and maybe some disappointment as Other Kara tries to distance herself from the 'family' label. But she nods in understanding. "It's okay. I'm sorry if I came on a bit too much there. But no matter what, if you need my help, I'll be there for you. And of course, I'll let you tell Kal on your own. You have the right to tell your own story to whomever you choose, at the time of your choice. But...I would sugget it be sooner instead of later." The cheerful and sympathetic features on the girl's face vanish into a mask of solemnity. "We have a problem. A very *serious* problem." She pauses taking a deep breath. "I don't know if it means anything to you, but the Phantom Zone's been breeched here."

It means something. But how much is hidden behind the 'mask' that overtakes Power Girls face as she tries to keep her emotions in check. And while not a real mask, it still is one in that she forces her expression to become as completely devoid of emotion as she can, before she speaks up.

"How many have escaped...?"

As for the rest of what's said, there is a slight nod.

"I'll tell him. Probably soon. But as I said, I've been here for years."

Kara's focusing on breathing, trying to keep her emotions under control. Which is especially difficult given her feelings on the subject of the escapee. "One confirmed. Ursa, again if that name means anything to you. But we don't know how many others or who they might be." She sighs, releasing the tension in her body. "But yes, it's definately a bad situation." Kara recovers a bit and smiles. "I should probably get going now. There's a training sesison with the Titans, the group I'm a part of, in a little while. But I'm glad we ran into each other. And maybe with some more time..." kara smiles gently and looks at her alternate self. "I don't know....it'd be like having a big sister, maybe. But it's your choice; I'm just letting you know that there's people here that would be proud to have you as a part of the family."

So this Kara is with The Titans? That little fact is filed away for later, as the older woman nods as she drifts back a bit from Supergirl.

"I understand. Go. Do what you have to do."

As for the 'big sister' bit, not to mention 'family'. Power Girl doesn't respond to that, as she instead offers a pained smile. Maybe she isn't sure herself how to react to that just yet.

Supergirl smiles, then gives kara a wave before zooming off and down towards Metropolis. Idly, she starts to wonder about the idea of alternate versions of her existing. What would they be like? And she tries to push away the chilling thought that there might be some versions of her that she wouldn't like to see at all.