| DC/Marvel: Age of Infinite Heroes | ||||||||||
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Linda was not sure where to go looking for Kara, but decided to try public records. If she owns or rents anything in her own name, it should be on record. It does not take too long to find that there is a building owned by a Kara Zor-el. Linda wonders how often Supervillains drop by, having a publicly known address could be a pain.
Linda Enters the lobby and buzzes the penthouse. She could fly, but right now she is in civilian dress, wearing a backpack. So she is walking, blending in with the crowd.
Peter is here on a mission of mercy.
Kara was busy going through the stuff Peter had collected on the Kingpin. It was by no means complete. There were a lot of gaps, a lot of blank space. But if Kara had everything Peter had, they could work more effectively. One of Peter's contacts at the Bugle had let slip a tip that Spidey had double-checked and found valid-Kingpin was working in human trafficking through one of his MANY subsidiaries. As soon as Peter found out when, Spider-Man and Supergirl were going to hit Kingpin where it would be most painful. In the WALLET.
Right now he was making himself useful by heating up the crockpot Aunt May had put together and charged Peter to bring and cook at Kara's place and the smell of beef stew was making its own presence known.
Kara Zor-El was looking through all the data. Peter really did collect a fair bit. She had just gotten back from stopping a meteor from destroying the International Space Station and now she was doing homework. Well at least she'd be getting good meal, provided the house didn't burn down via crockpot. She turns around to look over at Peter in the kitchen. "Everything okay?" she asks, when the lobby buzzer rings. "Huh. Who could that be?" she asks aloud, before heading to the intercom and pressing the button. Sometimes she liked doing things like a normal person instead of just looking down with x-ray and telescopic vision, because that's just going out of ones way to be weird. Plus there was a video screen on the intercom because this was not 1960. "Hello? Linda? Hey! I'll buzz you up!" she says before doing just that. "Penthouse apartment up top."
As if penthouses are anywhere else.
Linda took the elevator up, even if the stairs would be faster for her, she is incognito at the moment. She wonders if Spider-man will be about...she is mostly here to see Kara, but she does have something to mention to him.
Peter looks up. "Linda? Wow...that's a face I haven't seen in awhile." He looked back to the crockpot. Aunt May knew him too well--she had chopped up the vegetables and beef already, braised the beef in chunks, then put them all in ziplock bags so Peter could just put it all together at Kara's place and turn the unit on. In 1.73 hours, the stew would be done, and it would taste just like Aunt May's beef stew always tasted.
He pushed a couple of buttons, then said, "We are go no go here."
Kara Zor-El opens the door when Linda comes up the elevator, offering her a hug. "C'mon in! Give me just a second to tidy up, okay? Peter's making dinner via his aunt! Then you can tell me why you're visiting? Hopefully nothing bad? I was really hoping to relax a little today."
Linda says to Peter, "The last few times we met, there were a pair of masks between our faces. Actually, I have not seen you without your mask before, Peter. Wonder Woman did mention your Aunt to me though, which I am not certain she should have as it was not her secret to tell. I just got back from a 6 week Amazon basic training course. That has something to do with why I came looking for Kara."
Peter raises an eyebrow. "Well, Aunt May is not really a secret between me and anyone. She was the one who raised me after my parents disappeared. In many ways, she and Uncle Ben made me the man I am today. So that can't be bad, right?" He grinned. "But that also means you have to stay for her beef stew. If you didn't, she'd never let me hear the end of it."
Kara Zor-El grins at Linda. "Did Artemis really put you through the ringer? I know when I was on Themyscira, she was extra-tough on me." She closes the door. "Is something wrong on Themyscira? I didn't hear from Diana."
Linda responds, "Nothing is wrong, and Artemis was tough at first, though I think she kind of came to like me after a bit. The Boar hunt seemed to impress her. No, it is Diana's parting gift I came to discuss. Did I ever tell you why I stopped being Supergirl?"
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Jeez. And I didn't even get past Cub Scout. Kara, should I be worried if you ever tell me you're going hunting?" He smiles crookedly, then looks to Linda and the joking kinda shuts down. This sounds important. "Uhm...should I make myself scarce?"
Kara Zor-El shakes her head. "Kal didn't ever tell me why either, except that you just didn't want to be found."
Linda considers, then says, "Well, I do not think it will hurt if either of you know it. It started when Matrix and the Angel of Light left, declaring me to be Supergirl and restoring me to my current powers. Just after that, a spaceship landed near me, holding a teenage girl who said she was Kara In-Zee. I took her under my wing and trained her, though even at that age she was more powerful than I was. It eventually was revealed that she was drawn out of time by a being trapped outside of time by a future Supergirl, who was out to prevent his imprisonment by killing all Supergirls before any of them could grow up to be the one who trapped him. He realized, when we met, that I was the one he sought...and I killed him with Sorcery...a power I have not used before or since. I was afraid of wearing the symbol again, because if I did, I might become the Supergirl who studied Sorcery and created the time loop."
The odd part? Peter can follow all of this. He is actually diagramming it in his mind. However, he doesn't say anything yet. Kara should be the one to speak first, if anyone should. Sisters in all but blood, and maybe even that doesn't separate them. So, don't say nothin' yet.
Kara Zor-El pauses. "That sounds.... um..... original?" Kara never really 'got' magic. It tended to clash with her scientific intellect. Even back on Krypton, the one guild that always weirded her out had been the Guild of Kryptonian Magic. Honestly she used to consider it a farce, although since being on Earth she did learn that magic was real, and that means kryptonian magic was extinct. At least unless what Linda said was accurate. "So uh.... are you sure it would be you who becomes that person?"
Linda shrugs, "Beats me, but HE was sure. It really depends on the nature of time...and that is beyond my current understanding." As an angel, who is a 7 dimensional creature, she could understand time...but that was long ago and she really does not remember that much of it.
Peter listens, and then the Super-Phone plays "Little Miss Dangerous" and he picks it up. He presses the answer button and says, "Hey Gabby."
Peter nods. "You can? Well, all right, but...well, I'm...hang on." He looks to Kara. "Honey, would you mind picking up Gabrielle from the Xavier School and bring her back here? Supergirl Express?"
Kara Zor-El looks back and forth between Linda and Peter. "Oh... sure. No problem. Be right back Linda." she says before blurring out of there
Linda says, "Gabby is an interesting little girl." The spent some time together at the Mansion.Gabby has arrived.
Gabby was standing there on her phone speaking to Spiderman while standing outside on the porch of the Xavier Institute. A deep breath is taken... and then the air is rushing from her lungs, the world blurs around her, and she feels that topsy turvy sensation of her stomach lurching with a change in g-forces. Then she's apparently here in another blink. Her phone is lowered and she sucks in a quick breath. "Holy fudge buckets warn a person first I've had too many surprises lately!"
Peter sighs. "You get used to it, Gabby. Especially in certain...situations. Welcome to Metropolis." He steps out of the kitchen, reaching into his pocket. "But you know me under a different moniker."
He pulls the balaclava Spider-Man mask out of his pocket and holds it up. "I figured you ought to know."
Kara Zor-El smiles a little, scrunching her nose. "Sorry. Figured you were prepared. Um...next time I'll warn you to take a deep breath first." She goes to close the penthouse balcony door through which she just arrived with the pint-sized passenger.
"Hey Gabrielle, long time no see," states Linda. Well, for a girl Gabby's age, 6 weeks is a long time.Gabby doesn't have one of those phones that can close, but she does flick it off. Peter is stared at with a thoughtful scowl... but she observes the phone in hand, and the familiar voice, and then the mask. Letting out a huff of breath she remarks, "Well this explains why you and Kara were so lovey dovey when she was supposed to be dating Peter." Hmph. A faint smile comes though, and she adds, "Nice to see you again by the way, Kara. And Linda," she amends nodding toward her.
Peter smiles wryly. "I didn't want to leave you in the lurch. Linda's got something important to say, though, and it sounds like she's working her way up to it. So while we're listening, want to take a whiff at what we're having for dinner?"
Gabby perks a bit at that. Food? She was a growing girl of course she was always interested in food. "Well... if you insist." Suddenly the identity thing doesn't matter quite so much.
Kara Zor-El looks at Linda. "So... um... about why you came over?"
Linda says, well, I gave you the background...the thing is, Wonder Woman gave me an official Emissary uniform as a graduation present." She pulls the costume out of the backpack. I am trying to decide if I should wear it. It is really Kara and Kal's family thing..."
Peter looks over and blinks. It's certainly...different. He's seen a fair amount of supersuits in this line of work, but it's almost...elegant. Like a Sunday-go-to-church-type of costume.
"Wow." It's all he's got, ladies and gentlemen. Mark your calendars, Motor-Mouth is at a loss for words.
Kara Zor-El smiles a little. "Well.... I can't speak for Kal, but I do know he spoke about you like you were already family. I wouldn't think there's a problem with you wearing the House of El's symbol. Not to mention, according to him, you already have before, so you've earned it."
Gabby looks at the suit, then at Kara and Peter unsure of how to react. She didn't really know enough about them to know the whole House of El thing... so she just shrugs and adds in, "Cool."
Linda admits, "Gabby should remember what happened to my last costume. This one is supposed to be indestructible. That has advantages."
Peter nods. "Yeah. Before I got the Stark Tech Spider-Suit, I went through two costumes a month. I thought my tailor was going to kill me."
Kara Zor-El smiles at Peter. "I happen to like sewing. No worries about killing you."
Gabby gives an uncertain nod at mention of the costumes. "Right. I guess? I sort of remember, maybe... Anyway the new one is nice," she offers with a grin.
"I just thought," states Linda, "I should discuss it first with Kara, Kal, and perhaps Kon. I recall telling Kon once, this symbol is not something you earn once, it is something you earn every time you wear it. Now, possibly, I am worthy to earn it again."
Peter nods thoughtfully. "Have you tried it on?"
Kara Zor-El adds, "Oh um... by the way, no one tell anyone that I like to sew, okay? I don't want people thinking I'm boring."Because if there's one thing that describes Kara Zor-El, it's boring.
Gabby rubs her arm lightly as she stands there watching the adults. After a moment she edges closer to Peter, the one she really knew at all... at least under his other guise. "Um, I kind of get the feeling this is more a family thing," she mumbles.
Peter rests a hand on Gabby's shoulder. "Who says you're not family, HB?" he says quietly.
Linda adds to her previous comment, "The question is, if I wear this, is it leading me to the future fate I am trying to avoid? It is complicated..."
Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, one of the strongest beings in the galaxy. One of the last survivors of a distant world, 1000 years ahead of Earth, with powers that dwarf most heroes. Cousin of Superman, the epitome of the word 'superhero.' Has saved the planet a few dozen times in the past year and a half since she got to Earth.
But she sews. So she's boring.
Kara Zor-El pauses. "I don't think that just changing your wardrobe will do that much."
Linda says to Kara, "Sewing, creating costumes, it is an art. On Krypton, if I understand, you had machines that could craft almost anything for you, sewing by hand would be a craft skill. As to the other thing, the saying goes, 'a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step'."
Gabby blinks up at Peter to give him a smile. "Thanks, but I don't really know Linda much. Or Kara much... I mean, besides the basics. And..." She stares a little at Linda and Kara's remarks on sewing. "What's wrong with sewing? I sew stuff for Jonathan all the time."
Peter smiles to Gabby, but says nothing. He doesn't want to tell Gabby about the Kingpin yet. Let them have this conversation, and then he can pull a Kryptonian, a shapeshifter, a human weapon, and the conversation back to Earth.
But not yet. Right now he's content to listen and rub Gabby's head lightly as he does.
Kara Zor-El rubs her head. "Yeaaaah but I just think people already see me as 'Superman's little cousin, the girl' and don't take me seriously as much as I'd like. Even though I'm actually older than Kal, if you take all that suspended animation into account. Plus it took 6 months for Tony Stark to stop calling me Superwaitress when he found out I sometimes waitress in San Francisco.... don't want to start getting called Superseamstress. He's finally settled just on Cheerleader, so I quit while I'm ahead."
Gabby perks up, just a little, as a topic she can sort of add into comes up. "Someone thought Tony was my 'sugar daddy' and now I'm not allowed to go shopping with him anymore." Granted it was just the store clerk, and she hadn't known what that term meant until Emma told her. The remark is added, then she falls silent again glancing down at her hands as her fingers wring together. Looking back to Peter she forces a smile, then looks down again. "I'm sorry. Something happened recently and I don't think I'm up to this right now." She just couldn't bring herself to act her usually happy self right now.
Peter sighed. "Tony's a brilliant, alpha-male kinda guy, but he's also a bit of a jerk. He's not settling into the role of hero easily. Besides, Kara, we both know there are some people who take you VERY seriously, indeed..."
Stupid Mouth, reporting as ordered!
No! DOWN! SIT! PLAY DEAD!
"...people like the Kingpin."
I JUST TOLD YOU...
Yeah, whatever.
Peter's entire body suddenly slumps next to Gabby.
Linda chuckles, "When Matrix first left me, and I was left with a fraction of my former powers and only Linda in here," she taps her head. "I was seriously concerned with feelings of inadequacy and with what people thought of me. It took a while to learn it is what you DO that matters."
Kara Zor-El looks at both Peter and Gabby. "What's wrong?"
Linda frowns at Peter, "Who is the Kingpin, I think I read about him while I was at Xavier's but there was not a lot in the file."
Gabby tilts her head at Peter listening to him with a wry grin, up until he slumps against her. Blinking in surprise she reaches around his waist with an arm to give him a hug as she frowns thoughtfully. They had been staking out Intergang for awhile so she well knew who Kingpin was. "Okay I think this trumps meeting my Uncle... What's up with Intergang now?"Peter takes a deep breath.
"I was hoping to hold off on this until you said all you needed to say, Proxima." He looks at the three of them. "The Kingpin is the de facto leader of the criminal underworld in New York City. I've heard about him for the last few years, but was busy dealing with small time criminal goings-on. However, since Kara and I joined forces, we'd been making a bigger dent in his operations...and it looks like we drew his notice."
He pauses.
"...because, about a week ago, he attempted to have Kara killed while she was afflicted with a hot dose of tainted red kryptonite."
Kara Zor-El pauses. "Well... technically it made me forget some aspects of who I was. Like.... the Supergirl part. And that I had powers. And that I wasn't human. And a couple other things which aren't pleasant to think about now. Still don't know how he got red kryptonite though."
Linda says, "Literally tons of Kryptonite cane down in Gotham Harbor when you arrived, Kara. That was before the worlds Joined I think, but the odds are good some amount wound up in the hands of the Underworld...and if anyone HAS it, the Kingpan can GET it."
Gabby blinks at this news looking around. Hmm. Lifting her phone she taps away at the screen idly while listening to the conversation go on around her. "Ebay?" She suggests as she holds up her phone to show the screen. "Lots of hits for 'unusual meteorites.'"
Peter shrugs. "The man's revenue is in the millions. Maybe more." He looked to Gabby. "We're striking back. Kara and I are beginning a campaign to hurt as much of the businesses the Kingpin profits from. And there is a LOT." He paused. "How would you feel about taking part in it, Gabby?"
Kara Zor-El nods a bit at what Linda says. "Yeah but.... most of that I thought was green Kryptonite. Not even sure how he'd have known about red. I guess maybe someone could have told him though, like Lex Luthor. I swear, all the jerkiest villains are bald apparently."
Linda winks at Kara, "Probably a compensation thing." She has not been invited on the mission, pushing in is not always the best choice. She notes, "Back to the question at hand, do you people think I should wear the new costume?"
Gabby lowers her phone with a small thoughtful frown when Peter asks that question. Her weight shuffles from foot to foot and she lets out a sigh. "I may not be able to. Remember I said I needed to talk to you, Spi--Peter?" Her eyes dip down, then up toward him, then away again as she chews on the inside of her cheek. "The other day I was in the city... and I know you didn't know. We were trying something new with me checking in with the folks every hour by phone. I was doing good at it, too!" She assures in a rush before sighing. "But I ended up meeting my Uncle. He's in the city right now, so I ... probably shouldn't be." Lightly clearing her throat she explains, "He ..." She pauses a moment, tipping her head to the side to stare at Linda. "Wow, you're not really situationally aware much are you? I thought I got easily distracted." Looking back to Peter she shrugs. "Sorry. I can explain later I guess. If I can I'll help but I'm really on lock down now till he's gone."
Peter nods to Gabby. "All right. I'll get the whole story from you later...but if I can find a way you can help without breaking curfew, I'll let you know." He looks to Kara, then says to Linda. "I think you should wear it. I think you should be part of the family again. I'm sure you can still use the name you picked for yourself, though."
Kara Zor-El looks at Linda. "Like I said, I think you've more than earned it according to Kal."
Linda walks over and hugs Kara, "I will talk with him when I can, but for now, did we want to make some salad and biscuits to go with this stew?" Sometimes, it is better to enjoy the small things in life while you can.