2012-11-07 Keep Your Pants On!

It's raining in New York today. Though the streets are crowded, anyone who can is finding someplace to wait out the weather. Someplace like a mall... and Brooklyn has one of the largest malls in the world.
Naturally, Jubilation Lee is a regular! The Chinese-American teen is busily checking out the selection in a secondhand clothing store, both by the tags and via the dressing room. When you can't afford /new/ jeans, old ones work just fine if you can find your size.
Which is the problem, really: Jubilation can't find anything that's quite right. She's currently stepping out of the changing room, pausing in front of a conveniently placed mirror and critically eyeing the boot-cut jeans she's found. Not too bad so far, if a bit loose and heavy. Maybe a little tailoring is in order...
It's raining...
It's pouring...
And odds are somwhere in Brooklyn there's an old man that's snoring...
But that doesn't matter right now. Or at least the snoring man part doesn't. The raining part on the other hand does. Or at least it does as Karen Starr (not PG, but Karen, since she's in her civilian duds) wanders the mall. And while she shouldn't be dripping wet (her clothes strangely enough are dry) her hair is still dripping as she wanders past...
Pause.
Strike that, wanders /into/ that second hand clothes store as something catches her eye. And of course as she enters she just has to pass close to Jubilee...
Jubilation can vouch for raining and pouring, and did see an old man on the bus, but she couldn't tell if he was snoring or just peacefully asleep. She wasn't really paying attention. But she is now, frowning at her image in the mirror... and that of the woman who's passing behind her with wet hair and oddly dry clothing. Now /that/ she can't ignore! Puzzled, she half-turns to look... which is about when she feels something sliding down her thighs! Looks like those jeans need to be taken in a little. This kind of thing is embarrassing enough when it happens in silence, but Jubes gives a little yelp of surprise, the kind that's guaranteed to bring every scrap of attention in the store in your general direction. Oops.
Power Girl tries not to make a joke, especially considering what happened when Jubes met Kate
"..."
Yeah. As Karen starts to walk past Jubilee, that has to happen. And the taller blond woman can't help but blink, then facepalm. Which in turn means that she tries to reach over and grab the nearest thing that looks like it might cover her up, be it a plus sized dress, a sheet, or just another pair of pants... Whatever she can grab that /hopefully/ Jubilee can hide behind as she fixes thing.
"You all right kiddo?"
Jubilation does have a moment of panic, clapping her hands over the seat of her floral print briefs. But to her credit, she doesn't squeal in dismay, and she's actually fixing things in seconds.
She's managed to grab up her pants and is pulling them up when a shadow falls over her. A very /big/ shadow. The girl glances up to see a massive gingham-print dress being held in front of her like a Chinese dressing screen! She can't even see her mysterious helper. "Oh, thank you!" she says, hoping it penetrates the dress and reaches its holder.
"You're welcome." is simply said by Karen as she holds the dress, and doesn't move. Nor does she glance in the direction of Jubilee. Instead, it's as if she's looking around, possibly at, or somehow even through the racks of clothing without actually moving from where she's standing.
...Which of course is impossible. Right?
"Just let me know when you're ready so I can put this back. I don't think it's either of our styles."
"I'm totally with you there! I think I could camp out in it," Jubilation replies, stifling giggles. Somehow a laugh during this embarrassing moment helps, and she's got everything back into place in only another second. She does hold the jeans up, though, just in case. She'd rather not repeat the experience! "Okay, I'm good!" she calls, and this time she can't hold back the laughter, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Sorry!"
And as soon as Jubilee says she's good, the dress is pulled away, before Karen moves over to put it back on the rack. All without managing to drip on it.
"It's all right." is said by the taller woman. "Odds are everyone has some sort of... Wardrobe malfunction sometime. But they're still as embarrassing as heck."
"No kidding! On the plus side, I followed Mom's advice about clean undies," Jubilation replies, giving the tall woman a smile. "Thanks for helping me out. I'd offer to shake your hand, but... well, you know. Maybe after I've changed? I do have pants that fit with me, I swear!"
There's a bit of an eyeroll at that, as well as a head shake before Karen says, "Go. Change back. Put on some pants that fir you."
Yeah. What else can be said about that.
All though as that's done, the blonde goes back to looking like she's looking at clothes in the store, when she actually can't actually be looking at them.
Jubilation disappears into the changing room to do exactly that.
She's back only a minute or so later, and notices the tall blonde's still there, looking around at the racks. "Hi again. Um, looking for anything? Or just here to survey the store?" she asks, trying not to smile. Mostly, she's failing. "I don't see any equipment..."
"Oh, well..." Karen starts to say before she blinks and shakes her head again. After all, she really has to remember about that at times...
"I thought I saw something when I was walking past. And now... I don't see it." is admitted, with a certain amount of truth. "I guess it's no big deal though."
Jubilation looks around thoughtfully. "It must've been pretty big. You're the tallest woman I've seen in a long time," she observes frankly. "Um, not that that's bad or anything," she adds hastily. "Your height's just kind of unusual."
There's actually a slight, amused snort at that.
"Yeah. It is. Which tends to make finding clothes that fit a pain, unless I get them custom made. More often than not I end up having to fight with transvestites just for pants and shoes that fit. Thankfully though they don't usually fit into shirts that'd fit me."
Then though there's a pause.
"And it looked like it was. But speaking of clothes that look like they might fit, I'm going to guess you're having trouble with pants...?"
Jubilation stifles giggles at the explanation of how hard it is for the blonde to find clothes that fit right. "I can see why not!" she replies... and then recalls how many people take that sort of remark, blushing a little. "Um, right... actually, I was. I kinda have the opposite problem from your height, and I'm not a kid, so a lot of stuff is either the wrong length or the wrong shape. Those jeans accommodated my hips just fine, but the waist was too big."
Strangely enough Karen is use to comments like that. And as long as they aren't people blatantly hitting on her because of her chest, or worse making sexual innuendos because of her chest, or of course just blatantly staring at it, or...
Well, let's just say Karen is willing to overlook that comment right now.
Instead there's a slight wince and a nod at that before she frowns ever so slightly.
"I see."
"The trouble is, I can't always tell 'til I try 'em on," Jubilation goes on. "Most of the time I realize there's a problem, but this time I was a little distracted when you walked behind me. Which totally isn't your fault."
Which reminds her of something. "By the way, your clothes are bone dry, but your hair's soaked... dripping, even. How'd that happen?" she asks curiously.
There's a momentary pause. One akin to a deer caught in a headlight. Or at least there is for a moment or two before Karen shakes her head, and starts to smile again.
"I'd say 'trade secret', but you probably wouldn't believe me. So instead... Rain coat."
Sure there isn't a sign of a coat on, or even near her, buuuut...
"I don't see a coat anywhere..." Jubilation says, frowning thoughtfully, careful to keep her voice down. She also didn't miss that momentary widening of those baby blue eyes. "And there's no place in the mall to check one in; goodness knows I've tried to find one. Are you sure..?" Simple curiosity is a dangerous thing in young hands.
Now this time, Karen doesn't even blink. Instead she continues to smile as she says, "It's in my car."
Okay, yeah. There might be a bit of something there. Maybe. But for now...
"Anyways, you really should fully try the pants in a dressing room next time, if only to avoid what just happened."
"I'm definitely gonna remember that. Next time I might be wearing something even /more/ embarrassing under them," Jubilation replies. "But your raincoat's in your car? What'd you do, dodge the raindrops between there and the entrance?" the teenager asks, smiling as well. Seriously, it's coming down hard out there, and she knows it.
Blink.
Pause.
Stare.
Yeah, the fact that Jubilee isn't letting this go... It partially impresses Karen, and at the same time worries her. A large part of her wants to reach up and massage the bridge of her nose. Thus she tries to offer the younger woman a slightly sheepish smile.
"I was dropped off right at the entrance. A friend was driving my car."
There. Maybe that'll work?
"Ah, that'd explain it!" Jubilation smiles. And that smile turns impish, slowly. After all, there's no more sign of a friend than there is of a rain coat. And that still doesn't explain why her hair's wet and nothing else is. She slowly turns away, looking at a silk sweater on a rack. Then she looks back. "Oh, what kind of car is it?"
"Company car." Karen tosses out. She doesn't exactly snap, but she is starting to feel more than a little uncomfortable by this subject. "Dark blue sedan. I'd say what make, but that's meaningless since Starrware kinda gutted the entire thing for an experiment a while back, and replaced it with other things, then gutted it again and even altered the outside for other things."
"Oh..." Jubilation blushes again. She really hadn't meant to annoy the tall woman, but all those answers hadn't made any sense. Or seemed honest. It still bothers her a little. "Sorry to bug you about it. And forget my manners for so long." She offers her hand, much belatedly. "Um, Jubilation Lee. If you want to know what name the person who's been badgering you goes by, I mean. Sorry again."
There's a slight sigh from the taller woman. Not because of anything Jubilee said or did. But more because Karen is annoyed at herself for how she just acted. hence why as she moves to shake the offered hand, she says, "Karen. Karen Starr. And sorry about that."
"Karen." Jubilation shakes the tall woman's hand with a surprisingly strong grip for one her size. "Nice to..." Okay, making eye contact might be a little problematic within handshake distance. The teener steps back, stifling giggles. "Nice to meet you. But it was totally my fault, so no apology necessary. Dry clothes and wet hair struck me as kind of unusual, but I guess it's not a big deal if you're less curious than I am."
There's a faint, almost chuckle before Karen admits, "I can understand you being curious. I probably would of been too. But let's face it. We're in new York City. Something like that is small potatoes when compared to a lot of stuff that happens around here."
And no, the taller woman doesn't say what she means by that.
"That's totally true! I mean, between the mutant rights issues and the oh-so-amazing heroes we've been seeing lately, what's so strange about dry clothes?" Jubilation asks, nodding. "I mean, anybody could turn out to be someone you've seen on the news fighting crime... or committing it." She grins. "I mean, wouldn't you have /flipped/ if my jeans hit the floor and showed a supersuit or something?"
"Supersuit...?" Karen repeats, while internally she can't help but remember something that she use to wear 'back home'. Or she does before she shakes her head.
"Supersuit? No. I probably wouldn't of flipped. On the other hand, if you'd been wearing a bat suit I might of commented about how A) He does exist, B) He's a she, and C) That she's really outside of her town." Pause. "Then I might have flipped."
Jubes giggles. "You're funny, Karen." Then she looks down at the rack. "But I did see him once. The Batman, I mean. He's definitely real. I /almost/ flipped... but I was a little too scared to freak out any more."
Karen almost... /ALMOST/ says something like 'Let me give you a hint about Batman...'
But instead she just smiles and shakes her head slightly. Or at least she starts to shake her head, but she stops part way and just stares at Jubilee for a moment or two before she asks a single question.
"Really...?"
"Really!" Jubilation replies, wide-eyed. "Um, do you mean 'really' as in, did I really see the Batman? Or 'really' as in, was I really too scared to freak out any more? 'Cuz if it's the latter, I had a gun pointed at me at the time. I was /seriously/ scared!" She shivers at the memory. "But if it's the former, I really did see him. He's the one who saved my life."
"It was a 'really' in that I was surprised that you saw him." Karen says with a slight smile. "But i'm not surprised that you were a bit freaked out. not given the stories involving him and what happens to even get him to appear."
Then though, something in Karens pocket beeps, and she pulls out a smart phone, which she just glances at and frowns.
"And unfortunately... And I hate doing this, but I have to go. That was work, and something has come up. Sorry."
"It was a pretty typical Batman story all right," Jubilation replies. "I'm just glad I lived to tell it." Considering what she's left out of the story, like the fact that there were /three/ gunmen and that she was helping a friend stop a robbery at the time, she's luckier than she lets on!
She blinks at the beep, and nods as Karen explains. "I understand. I guess it's the problem with owning your own company." Starrware, Karen Starr, two plus two is four, right? "But it was totally cool to meet you, Karen. Stay dry out there!" The last is followed with an impish grin.
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