2012-09-22 Another Encounter In Metropolis

The sun is slowly setting on the city of tomorrow. Another day ends for the citizens of Metropolis. They head home from their jobs. They make their dinners. They watch the news.
But not every citizen sleeps. The criminals are still on the prowl, including the ones with powers. Thus the heroes of the city are still on the job.
Some might be flying patrols. Some might be on their way too or from their 'day jobs'. Some might be actively stopping crimes. Some might be doing other things. But what ever the reason, the heroes of this city aren't resting. At least not at the moment.
One hero, who's technically not even from this city, is taking a break and just watching the sun set while sitting on the edge of a rooftop. Who is it? It's Power Girl. Why is she in the city? That's a long story that starts with her doing something for Starrware, and involves her stopping a crime and encountering another hero, one who calls this city home. For now though, all that needs to be known is that she's sitting there, watching the sun set, and thinking.
No one immediately present is psychic - but even money would probably now be on the fact that Power Girl is likely thinking 'WHAT THE HELL?!' (or some less family-friendly variation thereof)
Because out of nowhere, there's a red-and-blue-clad black haired young woman /flying tackling/ her off the edge of the rooftop. "GIVE IT BACK GIVE IT BACK YOU TOOK IT GIVE IT BACK!" - there's halfhearted punching and kicking, and whoever the HELL the girl is she's possessed of Super-Strength (not Kryptonian-grade), it's... remarkably rather more like a tantrum. "I WANT IT BACK GIVE IT /BACK!/"
Superboy has been keeping a bit of a low profile. After being blown up with enough C4 to level a military-grade tank, he's still smarting a little bit about the midsection. Bruises but nothing that keeps him from his appointed rounds. To that end, he's zipping overhead when he spots the sudden tackling on the rooftops below. He pauses, eyebrow raised ...
There's a tackle.
Power Girl goes flying off of the rooftop, and nearly slams into another building. But she manages to stop, just inches shy as she in turn hovers there and tries to grapple with who ever this woman in red and blue is.
"Who the hell are /you/?" is shouted as the alternate universe kryptonian tries to get free, without letting the other woman fall to the ground. "And what do you /WANT/?!?"
Yeah. It's kind of too bad that she hasn't noticed Superboy just yet, because if she did, she might have to ask for his help before this becomes a 'thing'.
"/ME/, dammit!" Though wether that's what she wants or who she is... well, frankly, either way it's probably confusing. When Power Girl starts grappling back, she'll notice quickly she's not actually supporting the other woman's weight in mid-air.
"I saved your stupid life and YOU STOLE PART OF M--" And then SHE looks confused. Her eyes race side to side and from top to bottom - though she doubles back for a second look at PG's bust. HUH. "I didn't lose /that/ much mass," she muses quietly.
Superboy decides to intervene because, well, if these two keep fighting they might end up leveling the city and he couldn't exactly stand by and watch that happen. So he zips down, hovering in the air a few feet from where they grappling and taking the brief lull in fighting to say, "You two need to stop that."
And now we have someone starring at Power Girls chest. Yeap. Her day is now complete. And that doesn't even count the fact that Superboy tries to stop them, causing the alternate universe kyptonian to glance his way.
"I'd love to. But she jumped me, and I'm simply trying to get free." is said towards the Last Clone of Krypton, before her gaze shifts back to Mae.
"Stole part of you? Huh?"
Yeah. Karen's a little lost there.
Fight? Were they fighting? Because the girl is just kind of rubbing her chin. Chest of confusion. Huh? Tearing her eyes away, the mystery girl just blinks those big baby blues at Power Girl.
"I was... different. I saved somebody, but it took a lot out of me. Gave it to her." Because that explains EVERYTHING, right? Matrix touches her own hair while looking at PG's, then kind of touches her shoulder mirroring where PG's is and just... shakes her head again.
There's a weird moment where she sort of morphs Karen's features; hair going blonde - (though she keeps the same crazy style) - stature and... measurements. The blue parts of her costume turn white.
Then just as quickly, all those changes revert with a shake of her head. "Not right at all. Mistaken self-identity. Sorry."
"Uhh ... " So far nobody seems to be making any sense, as far as Superboy is concerned. When Matrix changes and then changes back he tilts his head slightly to the side, "Are you alright? You're, uh, changing." Not that two Power Girls is a bad thing, but nevermind that.
The shapeshifting catches Power Girl off guard. It doesn't frighten her. It doesn't really startle her. It just catches her off guard. Enough that she lets go, and just drifts back a little, before casting a glance at Superboy.
"Shapeshifter.... Got it." is said by the female kyptonian before she blinks and peers at Kon for a moment as she shakes her head.
"Care to give me... Us, an explanation that would make more sense? Please?"
"I could, but it doesn't make any sense to /me/," Matrix offers. Is that an impish smile? That's an impish smile. "The Phantom Zone Criminals are destroying my Earth. Lex sent me to get help, but... things got complicated."
She pulls a small device from a pocket that suddenly forms on her dress and then seals back up -- "This is what brought me here. It's still functioning, but it lost the signal about a week ago. And then... that other stuff happened."
"You need help?" Superboy perks up a bit, mostly because he actually knows what to do in cases like this, "We can help you." Nevermind that he didn't ask Power Girl if she wanted to help, the Earth in question sounds like it is in another dimension and criminals capable of destroying a planet might be a little bit more than a match for him. Nuts to all that.
The fact that Superboy doesn't offer to help Power Girl isn't even something she thinks about. Not as she nods in agreement with the 'we can help bit'. All though part of what was said does get a reaction from her...
"If The Phantom Zone is involved, there are... Others you should talk to as well. And others we can consult."
And that's probably doubly true, if only because this is the /second/ time today that someone has mentioned them to Power Girl.
Finally, Matrix seems to pay some attention to Kon - and when she does, there's a thunderstruck expression on her face. "SUPERMAN! I was looking for you! We can go RIGHT NOW!" Oh, wait. Her thingie's busted. She looks at it, non-responsive but functioning in her hand. "Crap."
"I'm Matrix." At last, an introduction!
"I'm not Superman," Superboy says hurriedly, shaking his head and raising his hands, "I'm ... Superboy. It's a long story." He looks at the broken thing, an apologetic look on his face, "You need to find someone to fix that?"
"Super... Boy...?"
Yeah, Power Girl should of guessed that name considering the outfit and everything, but still...
"Never mind."
As the taller woman glances at the 'broken' device, she frowns slightly, then nods. but since Kon offered first, she doesn't say or do anything about it. Not at the moment anyways. But if he doesn't, well.... There is a company she knows of that specializes in weird science.
"But Superboy got killed, that's why Lex made m--" Matrix stops herself, practically shaking off the confusion like it'll hopefully come out of her hair. "Different Earth. Right. Sorry. But if /you're/ SuperBOY, then you know where SuperMAN is, right?"
She actually doesn't even hesitate to hand the device over to Karen when the latter shows even the remotest interest. "Are you Supergirl, then? Because I was, but now I think that other girl is and boy does SHE have a surprise coming."
"The Hall of Justice, maybe?" Superboy hazards. He winces a little at the notion that he should know where Superman is. In truth, he's only spoken to the man once. He gestures off in the direction of Delaware Bay, "But he's pretty busy. I don't know for sure that he'll be there ... "
There's a subtle wince as Power Girl accepts the device. She tries to move it gently, so she can at least look at it's outside, before offering it back, "I'd definitely say that you should try to find a couple of scientists to actually help you with that. I could recommend a couple if you want, but I can't guarantee how much help they'll be."
'Especially since there's a question of how they'd be paid for this.' is left unsaid.
"And no. This reality already has a Supergirl. I... Talked to her earlier. I'm Power Girl."
Then there's a glance at Superboy.
"Even if he's not there, they still should be able to put him in contact with her."
"Superman, Superboy, Power Girl... you talked to this Supergirl?" Matrix totally looked like she was going to go somewhere else, but the mention of Power Girl having talked to Supergirl brings a sort of jealous glint to her eyes. But getting handed the device back re-distracts her.
"It's not /broken/," Matrix says, looking it over again. "It was keyed to my world's frequency, meant for only two trips... and now the signal's gone. I don't know what could have happened." It's /very/ perplexing.
"Hall of Justice, you say?"
"Yeah," Superboy replies, gesturing once again towards the far side of the City, "It's over on Delaware Bay. It's the headquarters for the Justice League. Superman is their leader." He nods his head at Power Girl's point.
And /THAT/ catches Power Girls attention. She might not be good with tech. But the way Matrix just said that...
"Wait." is said out loud as she looks at Superboy in an almost pleading manner, as if silently asking him to help her with this in case it goes 'bad'.
"I don't know if this is true or not for the one you're from, but... I also don't want you to have your hopes up. If it's not the device, and it's not picking up your world, then your reality might be.... Gone."
Yeah. odds are the alternate universe kryptonian shouldn't of said that, but she felt like she had to say it, if only /because/ of her own experiences.
"Why would you even /say/ that?" Matrix looks utterly horrified by the very suggestion. "I mean... /really/?" Shaking her head, she won't even entertain the thought of it. Instead, she puts the device back into her hidden pocket and then smooths out her skirt. That her hair is still all over the place doesn't seem to register.
"Delaware Bay. Hall of Justice. Ask for their Leader," she repeats. Matrix then gives Superboy a nigh-disarmingly chipper smile. "Thanks!"
"Power Girl might be right," Superboy ventures, looking sidelong at his fellow Kryptonian, "But that doesn't mean we can't try. There might be something blocking the signal ... it might pay to have a look."
There's a wince as Power Girl tries to say in a calm, neutral voice, "Because it's happened to other realities."
How does she know? Why does she know? the taller woman doesn't say.
Instead she does say, "And yes... You should still have that device looked at, just to play it safe."
"Well, I can change shape but I can't be in /two places/ at the same time." Matrix looks at them both like... 'Duh!' "Anyway, shouldn't this Justice League have a super-scientist or something? If not, I can always take it to this world's Lex Luthor. He's BOUND to be a brainiac here too, right?"
Superboy shrugs his shoulders at that, he's not entirely familiar with the JLA's roster and as far as he knows Luthor is a businessman, "I guess that could be the case, yeah."
"...Do you want to tell her about Lex, or shall I?"
Yeah. That's said to Superboy, even as Power Girl looks right at Matrix.
"And the Justice league might. I'm not up to date on their roster right now. But if they don't, find me in new York City, and I can introduce you to a few scientists that can help."
"Why is this Universe so /big/, all these heroes and societies and ... ugh, how do you keep it all straight?" Matrix throws her hands up in mild frustration. Seriously! "I'll make... I don't know, a to-do-list or something I guess."
Waaaaaiit a second. "What /about/ Lex?"
Superboy looks at Matrix, shrugs and then looks back at Power Girl. He doesn't know anything about Lex Luthor save what he's seen on TV and in the newspapers. Yes. As far as the Super Family is concerned, he's way out of the loop.
Kon, odds are everyone here is out of the loop with the 'Family'. Power Girl's only been 'active' as Power Girl for what... A month? And she hasn't even met Superman yet. And Matrix all but said she's been here for what? A week? Maybe a little longer? And that's on top of you having only 'met' Superman once...
But oh well.
*Cough*
Power Girl just winces as she glances at Matrix, and then at Superboy, "Look... I'm not sure how much is true, and how much isn't, and I know Lex has a good public reputation. But he's always come off as a bit... Off to me when he's on TV. Almost creepy at times. Just... Be careful if you deal with him."
"Brilliant inventive minds are usually a little weird," Matrix says with absolutely no irony or sarcasm or /anything./ Just bald statement. "I'm sure once you get to know him he's a perfectly nice man! The universe can't be THAT different!"
Superboy just shrugs once again, "I don't know. I've never met him." There's not much else he can say in that regard, it seems, so he just moves the conversation along, "The Hall isn't far from here. Though you should be careful not to just burst in. They might think you're attacking them or something."
"Other realities can be as similar as looking in a mirror, or more different than you could ever imagine. Often in ways that you'd never expect."
Yeah. Power Girl had to get that out. And yet, as she glances at Superboy, she pauses slightly, then nods at him.
"Perhaps you should bring her there yourself. Odds are you're known enough that they'd be less likely to shoot you."
"I'm invulnerable, they can shoot all they want I just wanna talk to Superman," Matrix says flatly - but the weird tone in Power Girl's voice incites this /look/ from the girl. She doesn't voice anything, but she's definitely got something on her mind.
And then it's gone, because it just occurred to her, as she looks back over at Superboy, "Though if Superboy wants to escort me, who am I to say no?"
"I can do that," Superboy says, looking from Power Girl to Matrix, "It's just over there. Come on, then, I'll take you ... "
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