Issue 6

Where are you from?

I have to say that the movie wasn't too bad, I didn't know how Indrid felt about horror movies, but I suspected that he would be the person who looked at it with a strange fascination at the lapses in logic. I was wrong, I was horribly wrong. He was just as bad as Terra, hiding behind his hands, the seat and talking to the people on the screen. I guess he can submerse himself completely into the movies, go figure. I wondered if it was the 3D but then again I was thinking about punching someone for making me pay for pointless 3D effects. Can't movies at least try with 3D effects and it didn't help that the glasses looked filthy with all the gunk plastered on it that I had to wash it off before the movie started. Last time I go to the big Cineplex and the last time I get suckered into seeing a 3D movie.

"Warning: He's in the house, he has turned into a werewolf," cried Indrid from behind the comfort of Starfire's hair. The fact that he was using it for a blanket and she hardly seemed to acknowledge it is just a testament to how long her hair is.

"Hush, friend Indrid, she can't hear you," said Starfire as she pet his head like a puppy. "You should try to think of it instead as a testament to how the inner monsters of the human mind forces one to express himself with rage when social interactions are rejected."

"What," said both Terra and I as we looked at Starfire who seemed to give us a knowing smile. I have no idea where that came from but then again Starfire wasn't stupid and she had been spending some time with Indrid. Though if she started her sentences like he did then I was prepared to quarantine them before it spreads.

"Query: I understand that and I suppose it would explain the senseless violence, but must they keep preying upon my automatic reflexes to the sensation of danger," he asked as another jump scare popped up and he nearly leapt out of the chair and probably out of the theater with his leg muscles.

"Indrid, nothing is going to happen to you, I promise," I said as he relaxed in my seat and continued to eat the popcorn that I had paid quite a bit more than I considered paying for a small. I usually buy large sense it's refillable but we're going to eat so it has to be light.

"Response: I am quite aware but this will not hurt me but it is tiresome when my body can't help but react to it," replied Indrid, once again taking safety by scrunching into himself.

I smiled a bit as I relaxed at the peaceful moment, not having to worry about my company or the new visitor that had been plopped into my lap. I could imagine that Clark, my Clark, is smiling at me from above knowing that his cousin is doing fine and I know he's with his wife, Lois, maybe even having that family they never got to have. I believe there is an afterlife because I hope secretly that there is a place where I belong, where everyone I had lost would be there and I hope that there would also be those from this world. Even if he wasn't the Clark I knew, Kal-El was very much the man Kal-L was and sometimes when I looked at him I couldn't help but wish that he'd get gray hairs. It's probably my strangest musing that will never be told to anyone, ever. Thankfully my super hearing picked up all hell breaking loose outside. I was about to pull the group out when I saw how close the loving couple was getting and thought I'd allow them to sit this one out. If it did get worse I always had the JSA and if it did get worse and I had to come get them then they were probably couldn't the carnage outside because of…other things that I would not think of.

"Hey Terra can you help me out with something, I forgot something," I said, hoping no one would ask questions.

"Alright," she said as she got up and left with me. I walked out to get a good look at what was outside and immediately rolled my eyeballs out of their sockets in frustration.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," I said. In the back I could see familiar orcs and fairy tale creatures; it looked like either a really good larp gone bad or a really bad larp gone good.

"You think it's that same girl," asked Terra as she started to change into her super clothes. Last time she had to fight in her underwear, though I still don't see why she took off her skirt last time. "So what's the plan?"

"Same as last time, you're on ground control to make sure no one gets hurt, meanwhile I'm going to go find the source of this," I replied as I put on my gloves which I had underneath my suit. Putting a piece of your costume in your purse is how an amateur gets exposed. "I need you to keep the people safe and try to minimize damage, whoever it is I don't think I have enough grey matter to fix everything this time."

"What about the girl, are we going to put her in jail this time?"

"I don't know Terra, this might not be her, but if it is I'm not exactly up for giving third chances."

"Actually I believe you have a different problem," said a somewhat familiar voice from right above us. The voice belonged to this Earth's version of Brainiac 5, the smartest member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. "I don't we've met personally but you are recorded in the history books though it seemed no one could quite figure out what your connection to Superman was other than an ally and another Kryptonian."

"Brainy if you're here than something else from the 31st century is here so excuse me if I insist we focus on that," I said catching the eyebrow that he raises at the mention of his nick name. "I'll explain how I know who you are and the Legion as well, but right now I want to know what it is that we're dealing with. Try to keep it as brief as possible."

"I'm good at keeping things brief," he said with an air of self-assurance was jumping the border into arrogance. Yep, just like old times Brainy, just like old times. "The person causing all of this is Mordru, a wizard that I believe you have encountered before though this is not his full power. It is more of his shadow being manifested through a book. Right now we need the help fo the Justice Society and I was hoping you would know the whereabouts of Dr. Fate. I fear he may be the only one to subvert this book's power."

"Hey Brainy, if you're done talking to Supergirl we need to get to the JSA," said a gruff voice that had a feral ring to as a man dressed in orange and brown with the outline of a wolves head on his chest. "I'm sorry, you don't smell like Supergirl, well at least not completely. Who's this?"

"Powergirl and you can stop sniffing me unless you want to breathe through the other side of your head," I warned as I took charge. There were more people jumping in and I wasn't Clark or Kara so I had to be resolute to get the Legion to trust me. "The headquarters is close to the UN building, Terra go there and tell them to bring Dr. Fate. Brainy if you have any members of your team good at crowd control than do it and try to minimize the damage, I just spent ten weekends and lots of spare time fixing it from the last big rumble. Also, I want to know any heavy hitters you got on the situation."

From right behind us there was a sudden flashing light in the sky, the kind that you know is magical and I could see all of the creatures being pulled back towards the source of the light. I knew that it was over and a part of me was regretting that the whole Ellen-Ripley-badass routine was for nothing, but at least there wouldn't be any more damage. As it turns out the shadow was just a very brief echo that only resonated with the magical book that I had taken from a misguided ecologically friendly girl who might have read too much Tolkien. I'd probably be more relieved save for the fact that I just wasted eight bucks on a movie that I only got to see half-way and somebody had eaten my box of Reese's Pieces. I was saving those for later when I actually watched a really good horror film. If it was a homeless guy I might have been at least glad that he at least got some food, albeit the food came with being one step closer to diabetes. In truth I make enough to buy me another box so I can't complain too much.

"Well that was anti-climactic," said Terra as she sat on the benches outside the screen room waiting for Indrid and Kory to come out.

"You can quite shadowing me, I know you're there Brainy," I said with a sigh as I turned to where Brainiac 5 was. He was lucky I knew what Brainiacs were like or else I would have misinterpreted the observant gazes he was giving me and then I would have to slap the hearing out of his ear.

"I believe you said we would talk about yourself once it was over," said Brainiac as he pulled out what seemed to be a recording device. "The historical pages have yet to correct this mistake."

"Actually I was wondering if you could first explain to me what that was all about," I said, giving him the same look I use to telegraph that I was not in the mood to be poked and prodded.

"Very well, an answer to get an answer, a very blunt person," said Brainy as he started to pace around me, examining me as if he was trying to make sure of something. "The essence of Mordru is contained within the White Witch back in my time but a sliver of it pierced through time, possibly drawn to recent use of the book that you mentioned or past use. Sometimes magic doesn't have an accurate travel of time given how random raw magic can be and this was one not even under the control of any entity. It could be possible that if given a proper way to channel this raw magic there could be an alternate way of time travel just in case something happens with time bubbles. Either way, to the best of my knowledge you have nothing to fear from the book though I would like to study it some more in my own time."

"I'm afraid it was already lost in a card game to Zatanna, not my idea, but you can get it from her," I replied as I saw Indrid and Koriand'r come out of the theater.

"Are you related to Kara by any chance," he asked as he looked me in the eyes, almost as if he was expecting me to shape-shift into her. It was a running theme for all the Supergirls to fall for all the Brainiac 5's. At least that's how I saw it and I did fall for my Brainy, but that was on Earth2, my Brainy didn't exist anymore.

"I am Kara," I replied as I brush my hair out of one of my eyes. "Kara Zor-L, of Earth 2. I know you because I knew the Brainiac 5 of Earth 2 or at least the Earth 2 I was from. I know as smart as you are you know of the multiverse, but you may not know that it was just recently re-created along with all the Earth's destroyed but there are still those of us who came from different Earths. I believe that's enough information to fill in the gaps of your historical files."

"Query: Ms. Karen, who is this man," asked Indrid as he looked at Brainiac and the two started to examine the other. I swear it was almost like they were staring in a different colored mirror.

"I am Brainiac 5," replied Brainy before he turned to me. "I think it's best for me to return to my own time and I thank you for the information, Kara Zor-L. I doubt that book will give you much trouble for now."

Two Weeks Later

There is one thing that I always try to do during every year it's throw a kickass Halloween party. Unfortunately the times when I could try to make my ideal horror movie setting in my lab passed some months ago and now was the time of Christmas in which I would have to dress up like Mrs. Santa Claus. As it turns out my second in command Simon, in his infinite wisdom, left the decoration to Martie Lieb, a woman who could use up a cell phone plan in a day and Rien Styles, the man whose ego allowed him to do nothing small. Needless to say we had a giant tree in the lobby and a Christmas tree on every floor. Well I had told him that I wanted to give all of my mad scientists a big Christmas party, especially since now we're celebrating actually making a good profit and finally being in the business of selling something or some things. The company was finally on the map and I guess it would be nice for us to celebrate in a grand way. It was also the reason I had check for mistletoe whenever I was about to go through a doorway, something that Indrid kept forgetting much to his horror.

For the grand Christmas party it seemed like he and I were given hats and set up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus with everyone else getting either elf hats or reindeer antlers. Simon was the worst off with his Rudolph nose that was made to actually glow. I was dressed in my usual business clothes although I did change my colors to fit the holiday spirit while Indrid stayed with his black slacks, white business shirt and black vest. He did look like security which is what he was supposed to be though no one questioned it as long as he did brilliant things. He also looked like he was being circled by man eating beasts and I guess he was with the already drunk female staff members going after him. Unfortunately I was holding my own against other intoxicated male coworkers who kept on finding mistletoe somewhere and as soon as I found it I was going to burn them all. Thankfully only a quarter of my staff at most were intoxicated so it was hardly a problem.

"I need to go up to my office my and check on the delivery of the cake," I told Simon, using this moment to get away before someone else hit on me. Sometimes my employees were taking advantage of my kindness and hopefully they'll remember to tone it down next year with the alcohol.

When I opened my office door I noticed that someone had slipped an envelope under my door with the name Anthony written on it in cursive hand writing. It was very neat too, about the same quality as one would find on post-typewriter novelists. I didn't know if it was from Anthony or to Anthony but no one would have mistaken my office for one belonging to an Anthony. I used my x-ray vision to scan the envelope and found only a picture inside. I took out the picture and saw two boys, one with blonde hair and grey eyes and the other had fiery red hair, quite similar to Indrid, and his eyes were similar to the other boys. I looked on the back to see it inscribed with the words "to Anthony." There was something familiar about those two boys, I couldn't figure out what it was.

"Query: Ms. Karen what is that you have in your hand," asked Indrid as he walked over to the desk where I was. From the lipstick marks on his face he was probably escaping from the mistletoe wielding intoxicated females downstairs

"I don't know, it was in an envelope someone slipped under my door," I said as I handed it to him. The expression changed on his face almost immediately and I could see his eyes start to study the photo while running his fingers over his face. "Is something wrong?"

"Response: I believe this is what I originally looked like," replied Indrid as he pointed at the red haired boy. He didn't say anything else and for the rest of the night he seemed drawn into himself, not even bothering to return to the party.

I felt worried about him as I drifted off to sleep and found myself back on Earth 2. It was one of those torturous dreams, the ones that make me that I don't have a home anymore and remind me of all the friends and loved ones I had before. This time I was facing some alien with rock-like skin, another monster of the day threat that I usually get. This one however was a particularly hard customer who gave just as good as he took. I was partially limping out as the crowd came to thank me. In the background I could see a little boy with red hair and grey eyes. There was no expression on his face as he turned and started walking away. Before he could get very far there was an explosion as another alien threat came rushing from the sky towards me. I braced myself for the impact but just before it hit there was a force that knocked it into the lake nearby. I looked up with a smile on my face to see my cousin standing there, his fists to his waist in that pose that he usually does. He looks at me and opens his mouth but all I can hear is the sound of a telephone ringing.

I awoke from my dream to find that the real world had come back into being bringing with it a bitter realization that Clark wasn't there. It always hurts to wake from these dreams because I knew that all of those people were gone. Clark was gone, the people who come to cheer me on or help me were gone, even the boy was go-I nearly jumped up from my bed and reached for the picture that I had found in that envelope. The telephone was blaring but I ignored it to examine the picture and look at the boy who Indrid had identified as himself, the same boy that was in my dreams, the same boy that was there on Earth those years ago.

Author's note: Well this managed to get out quite soon though I am wondering about quality. I hope you all are enjoying this and this wasn't the chapter completely drove this down, i've been getting that a lot with my own comics. Other than that I'm wondering on what a Powergirl fan fiction community is like, I was hoping to inspire some writers and would like to know if I have done that. Anyway I hope to get the next chapter out soon and get closer to revealing the true nature of Indrid Cold.