2014-01-02 - All That and a Side of Fish n Chips

Supergirl. The Girl of Steel.

Strongest girl on the planet. Maybe the most powerful being on the planet.

Batman's said she's more powerful than her cousin.

And where is she?

Fighting megalomaniac supervillains bent on world domination? No.

Preventing an earthquake from sending California into the ocean? No.

Time travelling to a far distant time to save the FUTURE ITSELF? No.

Performing feats of strength beyond the ken of ordinary men?

No.

She's been asked to come in for the 12:30 lunch rush at Jim's Diner.

Okay, actually that might be a yes for the last question, actually. Especially if you knew Jim's Diner at lunch rush, IS a feat beyond the ken of most men. Because that's when a lot of the college students come out from the nearby university and come to the diner - especially a lot of guys who really want to see 'The Only Diner with Supergirl as a waitress. There's still a rather long-time running question as to whether the really cute, superstrong waitress there IS Supergirl or maybe a mutant or metahuman. In any case...

Kara looks at the four regulars at Table 4. "For the last time, stop asking me to do stuff like that! Seriously! How many times do I need to- you know what? Tiffany? Can you take this table?" She pauses and looks at them. "And remember the deal from that armwrestling stuff, 30 percent tip for her." She stomps away quickly before there would be any whining. Then she sees Arthur come in - she sort of met him before. Back during her 'introduction to the superhero world' by her cousin. And then during the Labyrinth. She heads over in her waitress outfit. "Um... hey." she says, hoping he won't ask why she's a waitress. It was Kal's idea, but she likes it.

---

King of the Sea

Ruler of Atlantis

Son of an immortal wizard.

Faster than a nuclear sub.

More powerful than a torpedo!

Able to brave the darkness of the Trench or endure volcanic heat.

Arthur, Orin King, Walker, Swimmer! What is he doing here among the surface dwellers? He's bent over the desert counter looking over the cheese danish with a predatory gleam in his eye!

Aquaman straightens up looking a little embarrassed at being caught watering at the mouth over pastry. "Oh hi ... Kara."

Kara Zor-El nods a little. She just stands therfor a few moments. "Hi...." She rubs the back of her head. "You're going to ask why I'm a waitress, right?"

Aquaman taps his chin thoughtfully and says, "Why would I ask that? It's honest work and your business and anyway it's lunch hour. I would like a booth please and I'd like to talk to you whenever you get a break. Should I leave my trident here with the uh ... umbrellas I think they're called."

Kara Zor-El looks at the trident. "Um.... I can put it in the back so no one hurts themselves. If you want, Arthur." She pauses. "Oh and you can take that booth right there." She bites her lip and tries to figure out why Aquaman is here at the diner though.

Aquaman hands over the trident after retracting it to its smallest form. "Whatever is the custom. I mean people usually don't even notice it unless I draw it. It's like when Uma Thruman is on the plane in Kill Bill 2 with her swords. Okay talk to you in a bit," he says and takes a seat. The King of the Sea pours over the menu eagerly.

Kara Zor-El smiles awkwardly as she takes the trident and listens about movies she hasnt seen and references she doesnt know you. "Okay um... I'll be right with you." She heads to the back to put the Trident somewhere safe for Aquaman.

Jim opens his mouth to start to say, "Is that-"

Kara: "Don't Jim."

"But think we can get a pic-"

Kara: "Jim? Please?"

Jim: "But it's great adverti-"

Kara looks at Jim pleadingly as she puts the Trident aside. "Jim. I'm begging you. Begging. You."

Jim ruffles Kara's hair. "Okay kiddo. It would be good advertising though." Then goes back to the stoves to make the food.

Jim's Diner was of course one of the few places one could expect to find Kara when she wasn't out at college, or at her other job, or oggling her boyfriend in the Tower. Which was the first place Red Robin had looked for her upon arrival in San Fran. It wasn't the first time she'd been out in the city in costume, though the last time had been posing as the big sister to one supremely adorable Red Arrow, daughter of Arsenal, aka Speedy the First. It was still an unusual experience being able to walk around in daytime in her costume without issue. Having a city that LIKED their heroes was... rather nice.

Red nudges open the door and steps into the diner glancing around for the face of her friend whom she needed to talk to after recent events. Aaand... there's Aquaman causing her to blink in surprise a few times. "Popular place today it seems," she murmers more to herself than anyone else as she cracks a grin. Aaand while Kara is off convincing Jim not to take pictures of Aquaman, the newely entered Red Robin shrugs to herself and strides over toward his booth, "Hey, mind some more company?"

Aquaman looks up from his menu. It takes a moment for recognition to click. After all he never saw her in her full rig before. Arthur gets up and bows slightly then moves over. "Hello ... I'm sorry you introduced yourself to me but not as your codename and I'm not sure which one you are. Please join me ... I'm a little distracted. Having my sense of hearing in a bustling place like this you have to try hard not to eavesdrop." He reaches over to a table and snags an unattended menu for Carrie.

Kara Zor-El heads out again and sees Red Robin there as well. Which is fine. The Titans to come in a lot. They're right across the bay after all. But with someone from the Justice League here, it's giving Jim all sorts of ideas.

Jim: "Kiddo look how about-"

Kara looks at him pleadingly. "Jim?"

Jim: "Golden opportunity here."

Kara: "I'm invulnerable... and yet you're killing me Jim."

Jim hands Kara an apetizer. "Made it specially for his highness. I ain't ever served royalty. Fish and Chips. Maybe he can tell his super buddies? You could tell your cousin you kno-"

Kara hangs her head and walks out before Jim can finish the sentence. She heads over to Aquaman's table and sets the Fish n Chips on the table. "Compliments of the owner, Arthur." She looks at Red Robin. "Hey Red. Here's a menu."

Why does Kara seem to get perturbed about this? Because this is her attempt to have Kara Zor-El do normal stuff. Serving the King of Atlantis Fish and Chips. Not normal.

Plus the guys at the table nearby are arguing, "See, she DEFINITELY is Supergirl. That's Aquaman, dude!"

Guy #2: "That doesnt mean she's Supergirl."

Guy #4: "Well what about Robin?"

Guy #3: "One, Robin isnt a girl."

Guy #4: "How do you know that? Maybe Robin's a girl. Have you ever seen Robin up close?"

Guy #1: "Robin -is- a girl's name, you know, Doug."

Guy #3: "She'd redheaded. I'm almost positive Robin has black hair.

Guy #2: "Besides, even if it's Robin, lots of Titans come here all the time I've heard. Doesn't mean the hot waitress is Supergirl."

Guy #4: Remember when she beat all of us at armwrestling?"

Guy #3: "That doesn't mean -"

Guy #1: "At the same time."

Guy #2: "In Gary's defense, she could just be a metahuman or one of those mutants and a hot blonde"

Guy #3: "Think maybe we can ask the hot waitress for some more proo-"

Kara walks by and interrupts, "Don't." then back over to Aquaman's and Red Robin's table. She takes a deep, cleansing breath. Then sees Jim pantomiming about 'photo' and 'autograph'

And take another deep, cleansing breath, Kara.

"Red Robin. Red's fine," she offers to Aquaman with a dip of her head offered in response to the rather formal bow. "Thank you, your Highness." Sure he'd said call him Arthur to Bruce, but she wasn't Bruce. She actually was sixteen as opposed to reverted to it. Sliding into the bench the opposite side of the booth from him she flashes a smile apologetically. "You know how the Boss can be about secrets." A gloved hand lifts to tap her mask pointedly.

Then chaos ensues causing her to glance over toward the other table with the guys, and at poor Kara who earns an apologetic, sheepish grin. "Sorry. I was hoping to catch you to apologize for... you know. Stuff. He's not himself right now." Her hand had already dipped down to her belt to fiddle with something and absently she withdraws a small sealed-for-sterility pack of soft earbuds which she offers out to Aquaman. "Might help the hearing?"

Aquaman turns down the ear buds politely. "Thanks. I'm fine. You should hear a whale conclave sometime. And you call me Arthur too. You aren't my subject." He looks at the platter.

And looks.

Because he usually avoids eating vertebrates that may have served him faithfully. But it is magnanimity that truly measures a King. Besides he's seen sharks turn on other fish enough times after he's released his minions from his control. Also the fish are already dead. Handing the platter back would only insult or humiliate the owner who seems a decent sort. So he has a few bites and flashes Jim a thumbs up. "Let your boss come over after we eat. I'll be glad to say hello. I'm sorry but I have sharp ears." his cheeks are turning a little red with embarrassment. He isn't used to surface people being ... well ... excited about him.

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Wait, you came here to apologize for what?" She shakes her head. "Never mind. Annnnd Jim's a bit of a hero buff, I apologize in advance if he gushes or embarrasses anyone."

She pauses and looks at the fish n chips. "And for the choice of appetizer?"

She looks at both of them. "Soooooo any ideas on what you'd both like?"

Red Robin shrugs and slides the earbuds away again with a simple nod. No skin off her nose. She grins a bit however and looks back to Kara when she seems surprised. "Technically I came to the tower, but you weren't there, and so I figured I'd try here on the off chance... Essentially, yes. That and I needed to get some space from home for a bit." And play with her Christmas gift of a jet. As to the mention of food she blurts out, "Strawberry milkshake and the biggest, greasiest burger possible."

Kara Zor-El looks at Red Robin. "I'm not talking to that jerk. Ever. 18 or 40, he's an ass." Strong words from Kara! "So ... did mini Batman beat on his son after I left?"

Aquaman lays down his menu and says, "I'll have a double house salad and a really big grilled cheese with tomatoes ... That's no way to talk about the Bat. Besides, think how much worse he'd be if we allow him to isolate himself from everyone. Excuse me ... something I can do for you boys?" He the last question to Kara's regulars. Inane chatter he can deal with but pointing? Really?

Red Robin opens her mouth... Then sighs. "I'd protest, but I knew him at eighty and yeah the Boss is kind of difficult to get along with. Though he's usually not that difficult." Biting at her lower lip her eyes trace over to Aquaman at mention of a son. She wasn't certain how much he and Bruce may have talked about that--she certainly hadn't brought up that part. "No, he let Batwing beat on him till he was exhausted and then they talked and he promised he'd be a better father. So this might be a blessing in disguise." When Aquaman calls out the boys she shifts in her seat to glance back over at them with an eyebrow raised and a stern BAT GLARE that would make any of the Robins proud.

Kara Zor-El rolls her eyes. She doesn't bother responding to that news about Batman. Or any choice words she wants to say about him. She looks at Aquaman, "Oh please, the nutcase isolates himself anyway." She pauses. "No offense Red." She shakes her head. "I am so not talking about this. Far as I'm concerned, he should have been de-aged even more. Maybe then he'd learn how to GROW UP. Tired of all the crap I've taken from him ever since I landed on the planet." She looks over at the guys. "I swear if you ask anything about flying .." she says, pointing at them. But they've already sat back down after getting the bat glare from Red Robin.

"Thanks."

Aquaman grimaces a little. Maybe if he had his trident. No, swinging a weapon around a diner would be wrong. "Fair enough. What happens in Gotham stays in Gotham. Anyway, I heard rumors that the Black Manta was running a metahuman fight club and I wanted your help in going undercover to investigate it and catch that slippery son of a ... see his men would probably recognize me on the spot. If I pose as a fighter's manager they probably wouldn't expect that. Your cousin and most of the League is just too well known, period. But I've noticed most men's perception drops fast in the presence of lovely young ladies."

Kara Zor-El tilts her head. "So... you want me to go undercover to fight in an underground fight club?" She thinks a little and smiles. "I mean.... okay. If you think I can help with that. But do you think they'd accept me being like... a metahuman and stuff?

Next table, one of the guys says, "See, I think I heard her just say she's a metahuman, not supergirl!"

Kara pauses. "Okay. Actually I'll do it. I'm feeling the intense need to punch people anyway."

"Subject dropped." Red agrees with a nod only to turn back around resting her hands lightly on the tabletop with fingers laced together. Thankfully Aquaman picks up the line of conversation with something entirely different that catches her attention, and interest, while listening. "Don't blame you," she murmers with a lopsided smile.

Aquaman smiles a little at Kara, "Thank you. This is very important for me. I don't have to tell you. Red, if you could help us get some new looks that'd be great. Wait a minute. I had it with those chuckleheads. They don't have superhearing to excuse eavesdropping. Red, we have to mess with them before we leave. It's the superhero code."

Arthur raises his voice and says, "Anyway, that's the story arc for the movie on the new season of Entourage. You should audition. You'd make a fine superhuman." He sounds a little pretentious now, much like Elaine's boss on Seinfeld.

Kara Zor-El would protest about what Arthur and Carrie are planning - after all, the college guys ARE chuckleheads, but they're not BAD people... just really annoying (and have been for months) - but she doesnt say anything. Yeah, let them mess with them as long as they don't hurt em.

Kara asks, "So... what sort of disguise should I have for this undercover thing?"

"Already with you there," Red murmers to Aquaman with a grin. When he raises his voice with that she gives an overly dramatic SiiiIIIGH as she reaches up to scratch at the edge of her mask. "It's not a bad gig but GAWD the makeup itches." Dropping her voice a bit more she responds, "I can do secret identities, no problem. Good with that. Good cover would be a metahuman needing some extra cash to help with family stuff. Be a good reason for a girl like you to go into fights."

Aquaman samples a few fries and finds them delicious. "I don't advise young ladies what to wear. I tried to get Dolphin to put on some clothes one time and ... it was taken the wrong way. By her. By Mera. By the Atlanteans. Dress up however you want. You're a big girl. I'm not Kal you know," he winks at her.

Yes, even among people who live in swimsuits, Dolphin crossed a few lines. His intentions were pure and he still spent a few nights on the Aqua-couch.

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Actually I have a couple of ideas." She smiles and starts to head off. "I'll get you your orders by the way." She pauses. "Don't hurt them physically, k?" Then she walks away to get them food.