DC: 2011-08-05 - Girls' Night Out

Burnlen Island - Gotham City

It's Friday night - Family Game Night. Even better though. Instead of a game of Scrabble, mom has gone one better and broken out 'Upwords' - now it's scrabble in 3D! Supergirl flies down and lands at the front door of the Brown residence. She peers at the house. Yep this is the address Tim gave. Sure he was hesitant at first but Kara's got a way of flummoxing Tim until he does stuff he normally wouldnt do. She looks at the house. Nice. Normal even. Not a bat cave, not a fortress of solitude, not a giant T-shaped building on an island outside of town. She uses her X-ray vision to make sure. Yep, there's Stephanie and an older woman looking intently at some sort of board on the table. She then knocks on the door.

Stephanie Brown ponders... then picks up a tile off her tray... "Alright mom... you got me with Sheet.. so here.. let me rain on your parade..." She drops an L, "Sleet!" grinning at her mother and sitting back. "Gotcha!" then the door is knocked upon. She tilts her head, "I don't think it's too late for the guys on bikes to be wandering around looking to convert us isn't it?" She looks out the peephole. "oh!" opening the door she smiles. "Kara? Hi..!"

Supergirl waves, still in her supergirl outfit. "Hi... um I was wondering if you wanted to go out to that movie and have pizza tonight? It's pretty quiet in Metropolis and I havent had to deal with any disasters for almost 2 hours."

Mrs. Brown looks over, "Stephanie? Who is that?"

Steph pales at seeing the Supergirl outfit. She whispers, "Kara! Ixnay on the Supergirl!!!" She points through herself at her mom and mouths, "SHE. DOESN'T. KNOW." Large eyes roll as if to say, "hide the outfit! Please!!"

Supergirl looks at Stephanie quizzically. "Really?" Then when you say please. "Oh... oh okay." And in a burst of superspeed, she's gone for about 10 seconds, then back again, wearing a yellow midriff-baring T-shirt and jeans. She even has her hair in a pony tail and is wearing a pair of cute wire-rim glasses. "This better?" she asks curiously. "Why didnt you tell her?" she whispers.

Supergirl looks at Stephanie quizzically. Why's so look frantic? What did Kara do wrong now. Then she realizes. Secret identity even from her mom. "Oh... oh okay." And in a burst of superspeed, she's gone for about 10 seconds, then back again, wearing a yellow midriff-baring T-shirt and jeans. She even has her hair in a pony tail and is wearing a pair of cute wire-rim glasses. "This better?" she asks curiously. "Why didnt you tell her?" she whispers.

Stephanie Brown opens the door fully, "It's a friend from... school.. Kara." She gestures, "C'mon in Kara. This is my mom.." She smiles. "We were just playing a game." She's dressed casually. A polo shirt and a pair of frayed cutoffs. It's summer after all. Thus, barefoot too. She smiles. "Thirsty? We've got some sun tea?"

Supergirl tilts her head coming inside. "Sun tea?" She thinks. "Well... I like the sun, and I like tea. So sure!" She looks at Stephanie's mother. "Hi.... um... I wasn't interrupting anything was I? What sort of game?"

Stephanie Brown smiles. "We were just about finished. Mom won. Again." She laughs. "She always has creative words to use.. " Mrs Brown greets Kara and after a few minutes goes about her own things, Steph looking to the othe blonde, "So... pizza and a movie?" She winks.

Kara Zor-El smiles and nods. "That'd be great." She pauses until Mrs. Brown heads out of the room. "Do you want to in Gotham or somewhere else? I found a really nice place in San Francisco that makes great pizza."

Stephanie Brown blinks. "I.. er.. oh.. right." She points to her cellphone. "I probably better stay in the city limits.. mom still pays the bill and it shows the calls.. Not sure how I could justify a call going to San Francisco.." She grins, "Otherwise it would be fun."

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Roaming charges." She shrugs a bit. "Okay then... you choose the place? Most of the time that I've been in Gotham hasnt been for casual stuff. I havent gotten to know the good places to eat."

Stephanie Brown smiles. "why don't we try Guiseppe's? It's quiet and they have great pizza. If we're lucky we can get the booth by the kitchen and can watch them tossing the dough. Besides.. one of the cooks is really cute." She grins.

Kara Zor-El raises her eyebrows. "Cooool." she smiles. "So how's your recovery been?" she asks, heading out. "I mean... if your mom doesnt know, what about the coma...?"

Stephanie Brown closes the door as they get outside. "My mom knows.. that I used to do this. It was kind of hard to hide that with being in a Coma and all. But she doesn't know I'm still doing it. She'll figure it out if she sees Supergirl showing up, though.." She smiles. "I'm not 18 year.. I can't exactly just do what I want even if it kills me."

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Yeah I don't get that with the age 18 cut off for rights. It wasnt like that on Krypton." She pauses. "Why do you do it? I mean... the whole crimefighting thing?" she asks as she walks along with you, hands in her pockets.

Stephanie Brown shrugs, "It's the law, being 18 and all.. and I do it because if I don't who will? It was a game at first.. a way to flirt with Robin and it was a rush.. but now? Even though I've almost died... I can't think of anything else I want to do more than this. I can make a difference.

Kara Zor-El bites her lip when you mention Robin. "Yeah... I'm guessing he would like that." She looks up...down, around. Then back at you. "It does make a difference, doesnt it... You don't get scared or anything about it? You know, the whole responsibility for other people's lives thing?"

Stephanie Brown shrugs some, "I do now.. I wasn't taking it seriously before. Then then... yeah. It's not a game. It really is life or death. This is my city. It's all I know. I want to help protect it however I can." She shrugs a little. "Sure, it can get scary.. but when so much is at stake?"

Kara Zor-El walks down the street with you. "And you feel being a superhero is better than, like... becoming a police officer or something instead?"

Stephanie Brown shakes her head, "I"m not a superhero, Kara. I'm just a girl." She turns and pokes the blonde in the arm. "You. Superman. You're superheroes. You have powers. I just have.." She shrugs, "Stubbornness and moxie I guess.. I'm a vigilante. Taking the laws into my own hands. Being where the police can't always be." She then shrugs more, "I can't be a police officer yet. I'm only 17. I could join the academy and have a chance at being an officer after I graduate from school but..would it really be any different than now? No, just with more rules. I can cut the necessary corners to solve things in a few days where they have proceedure to follow.."

Kara Zor-El shrugs a little. "I don't feel like a superhero. You have more to lose when you do the stuff you do. Sorta easy to do this stuff when you can bench press a mountain. Personally, I think I'd rather be a doctor. Or maybe a physicist." She pauses. "Don't tell anyone, okay?" She looks at Stephanie. "Nah... you're definitely a superhero." They walk a bit more. "Well... it'd be different in that you wouldnt have to hide it from your mom. Communication with family's important after all." She holds out her arms. "Besides, Batman doesn't have powers and my cousin says he's the most dangerous person on the planet."

Stephanie Brown shrugs. "Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's better parents just don't know..." She grins, "It keeps them from having a heartattack." She smiles. "But thanks for the compliments. It does make me feel good at least.. even if I don't agree with you."

Kara Zor-El turns the corner with you. She looks off in the distance and sniffs. "Smells good." then looks at you. "Robin talks about you a lot." she says simply.

Stephanie Brown grins, "Yeah.. Guiseppe's is my favorite pizza joint in Gotham." She then blushes, "I don't know about that.. I think he just uses me as a defense to try and not try to chase after you.." She smiles. There's no hint of bitterness there, just resignation to the cold hard facts that Kara is a crazy-hot girl in comparison and an alien too!

Kara Zor-El swallows a bit nervously and says nothing about the date to the Gotham Art Museum. "No... no I'm pretty sure he's genuinely in love with you. He's conflicted maybe... I dunno." Crap... she's a nice person. "I know Batman thinks highly of you too." she says. She actually sounds like she's telling the truth.

Stephanie Brown turns to face her seriously, "Kara, If he's interested in you.. I'm not going to get into a tug of war. Really. I've been almost dead for months. Before that we almost never talked for a few months because of his father refusing to let him be Robin any longer.." She shrugs, "If he wants to break up with me, I can't blame him. I'm baggage. I've been nothing but trouble really."

Kara Zor-El looks at her feet a bit while the two of you walk. "You're not baggage. I wish you werent a nice person though. Then I wouldnt feel this guilty about all this... What did he tell you about me?"

Stephanie Brown shakes her head, "He hasn't told me anything actually." She shrugs. "I can't control anyone else. I can't even control myself half the time. So I'm not going to worry about it. It's out of my hands." She gestures, "We're here. And whatever happens, we're still friends, ok?"

Kara Zor-El looks over at 'SomeGirl.' "So you're not mad at me about... you know." She pauses. "You know, I didnt actually know you existed until after he asked me out to the zoo. He just makes me feel a bit more normal, yknow? Sometimes at least." She walks across the street with you to the pizza place. "I don't know... I figure if he was waiting so long while you were in a coma there must be something still between you two. Guess I'm just insecure."

Stephanie Brown shrugs, "What can I say, Kara. I don't blame you if you didn't know. I didn't know about you till I pieced things together a bit from what a few people have said. I don't know what he's thinking or intending." She shrugs, "what can I do regardless but smile and keep on going?"

Kara Zor-El heads into the pizza place. "So he hasnt actually -said- anything to you about me though? I wonder why not..."

Stephanie Brown shrugs, "I don't know." She steps in after, changing the subject, "How are you liking things so far since you got here?" Her voice is probably a bit tighter, her heartrate up a little. It's all bothering her but she's determined not to let it show as much as possible. Hard to hide from someone with super senses though.

Kara Zor-El sits down at the table, making sure no one's nearby. She hears the heightened heartbeat, but doesn't mention it. "Well.... since I got here... I was shot at, beaten up, kidnapped, blown up, brainwashed, almost killed my cousin twice, destroyed the bat-boat, cop cars, and a blimp, destroyed a bunch of private property, trained on Paradise Island, almost got killed, split into an evil person, beaten up about half the Justice League...." She taps the table. "Things could be worse though, right?" She pauses. "I guess I like it well enough. I'd like to go to school but Kal thinks I should just keep doing the home schooling thing, and Batman thinks I should just skip to college. He said I could qualify for a WayneTech scholarship."

Stephanie Brown drops in to a booth. "I guess they know what they're talking about. But if you want to be part of things here.. going to college would probably be a way to feel like it. At least socially." She smiles some and toys with a strand of her hair before the server comes over to get drink orders and offer the deal of the day.

Kara Zor-El nods. "That's the only reason I want to go to school anyway. Isnt that the best reason?" She looks up at the server, then at Stephanie. "You decide?"

Stephanie Brown smiles. "Get us a couple sodas for now.. and a... " she pauses then figures Kara has to have a huge appetite, "..large pan with just the nickle peps' on it?" She smiles and sits back. "The nickle peps are the best. they curl up and get all crispy!"

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Sounds delicious." she pauses. "I think. What's a nickle pep? Are they made from nickel?" she thinks to herself. "That doesn't sound particularly popular."

Stephanie Brown grins, "It's a size thing. Pepperoni. It's what you put on pizza! There are difference sizes. The nickle ones are the size of a nickle.""

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Ohhhhhh" She nods. "I get it." Silence. "And what's pepperoni?"

Stephanie Brown looks at Kara, "Haven't you had Pizza yet?" She looks puzzled. "It's the slices of meat on top..?" She gestures to someone else's pie ias it is delivered to their table.

Kara Zor-El nods. "I had pizza in New York with a czarnian called Slobo, but no pepperoni." She pauses. "OHHHH no I didnt know that. And it's good?"

Stephanie Brown has no idea what a czarnian is so just nods. "It's great. Trust me." She grins as the sodas arrive. "So.. what movie do you want to see? I think Space Busters 3 is sill showing.. but if you haven't seen one and two it probably won't make as much sense.. there's also She Forgot What She Did Last Autumn... a horror movie.. and... I think there's a cartoon too..Wynnifred the Poobah and her friends Bouncer and Chicklet and Mopey. Mopey loses his nose and they have to help him find a new one.."

Kara Zor-El shakes her head then pauses. "With the space movie... I didnt see the first two. Did... did they bust space?"

Stephanie Brown grins, "No not really. It's just cheese fake science and lots of special effects." She looks up "Oh it's here!" the pizza is brought to the table, still steaming. The little nickle-sized pepperonis have curled up into little bowls of hot yummy goodness, the natural oils now trapped inside, golden and glistening.

Kara Zor-El takes a slice of pizza, folding it neatly and munches on it while it's still steaming. "Mmmm...mmmm! Good! Sorta spicy like..." She swallows the bite. "I think I'd like to stick to movies on Earth. Had enough of busting things in space for a while."

Stephanie Brown grins, taking her own slice and chomping. After wiping her mouth she nods. "Okay.. well then, really I guess it's cheesy horror.. or fun kids movie. We're girls and we're teenagers, we can get into see a Poohbah movie and no one will think twice."

Kara Zor-El thinks, taking another bite. "um.... I'm fine with a horror movie actually." She listens to Stephanie. "So... normal earth girls watch a lot of Poohbah movies then?"

Stephanie Brown pauses, "No. probably just me. I've always loved Poohbah." She laughs. "anyway.. I'm sure there'll be other things when we get there those are just the ones I can think of."

Kara Zor-El nods. "I just want to do whatever is normal. Have friends, shop, date, movies..." She picks up the slice and finishes the first slice off. "Pizza..." She grabs another slice. "Just a break from catching 747s and fighting supervillains and stopping earthquakes and... stuff like that."

Stephanie Brown laughs. "Whatever you enjoy is normal. No one likes the exact same things." She works on her slice, eating more slowly but still enjoying it. "As for shopping.. that's hard without money and money doesn't come along without a job."

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "I don't have a job either. Got a little allowance for doing chores but that's it. My cousin bought me a lot of clothes though, it was realy fun." She enjoys the second slice. "I should get a job." she says. "Then i could buy a cell phone and go shopping whenever I want and stuff." She sips the soda. "I asked Kal why I can't just make a diamond and sell it or something - he said I probably shouldnt do that. Too many questions." She puts down the soda. "How come don't you ask me questions about me? Not that I'm complaining. I like that you don't. Just curious why not?"

Stephanie Brown tilts her head after listening to all of that, "What should I be asking you? What it's like to be on a planet that you don't know much about? What it feels like to be able to freeze or melt or bend anything you could imagine? I guess my mom raised me better than most but that's really kinda rude to do. I know you're stuck here like Superman. But it doesn't mean I should bug you about it. If you want to talk about it then you will."

Kara Zor-El smiles as she mows down a second slice. "Yeah... you -are- really nice. Can I ask something? Since you're like my age and you're the first um.... non...super.... girl I know? What would you do if you were me? I mean.... for a living."

Stephanie Brown shrugs, "I'm just a girl. Who's hit Robin with a brick. Argued with Batman.. and lived... and.. got fired by Batman.. started a gang war... got tortured with power tools and shot.. then nearly died." She sips at her soda, "But I got better. So I guess that means something." She then tilts her head, "I would do what I wanted because adults always tell use they want us to think for ourselves. If you want to go to school take the time to learn enough about culture and things that you can fit in and then go to school. If it's too easy for you find some kids who aren't doing as well and tutor them. Be helpful. Even if you ace the classes because they're as easy as breathing.. you've at least experienced being a kid in earth culture. Go to college. earn your own degree."

Kara Zor-El nods as she listens to you. As the two of you go through the entire pie (lucky Kryptonian probably never has to worry about dieting either with a super-metabolism), she talks about her hobbies (art, science, engineering, animals - apparently a few days ago she spent the day playing with lions in Africa). She asks you about your hobbies... you both go to a movie. She finds the cartoon to be utterly confusing and asks her questions about it the entire time.

When it's time for her to go, Kara makes a phone call motion with her hand, then flies off. "Wait...don't have a phone yet.. need to fix that."