maskormenacelogs | But if you closed your eyes does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

September was a busy month, a bad month, and May's still reeling from everything that happened. The only really good thing that comes out of it is now that there's no need to hide her identity anymore (mainly because she had to be impulsive enough to pull her mask off on the network in response to Stark doing that in the first place). It's still weird, to think that she can keep her webshooters on even in her normal clothes, if she really wants.

It certainly makes it faster to get back to the housing from the local high school, if nothing else, and squeeze in a bit of a patrol, too, which is why when she comes in through the front door the neck of her costume is still visible, peeking out of the hoodie she's wearing and the silver metal of her webshooters is glinting within the sleeves and on her palms.

Still, she wasn't expecting anyone to be home.

"Uh, hi."

Edited 2016-10-03 09:57 (UTC)

Depending on the time of the month, May can be found on patrol in different imPort cities: In the first week or so of October, she goes out of her way to keep an eye out on De Chima- after all, it was hit the hardest, and Spider-Man is still out of commission, to an extent. Eventualy though, she settles on keeping a more regular schedule in Nonah, and occasionally sticking her nose into Maurtia Falls.

Most of the time it's in full costume, but every now and then, it's while unmasked. There's definitely something special about being able to feel the air ripple through her hair on a regular basis while webslinging, even if she does keep it in a ponytail, because letting criminals take advantage of her hair as something to hold onto? No thanks!

But if there's a bit more photography going on than she's used to, well. She just tries to ignore it.

The whole thing with the new superpowered natives- some of whom are still causing trouble- is just an incentive to keep at it.

If nothing else, she really needs to start getting some fall-weather clothes. And there really isn't anything in the world more stress relieving than a nice hunt for a cute pair of boots or a few sweaters. Especially if she can hunt down a sale or three.

At least as far as May's concerned.

Which is why she can be found at one of the bigger malls in Nonah, checking out the shoe stores (to go with the cute suede cuffed ankle boots, or the mid-calf leather ones?), browsing the racks at a Cool Subject (should she get the long sleeved netted undershirt? Does she need a long sleeved netted undershirt?) and peeking briefly into the Thot Topic (Exactly how much imPort stuff is there?).

Depending on what point in her shopping she's at, May can also be found grabbing a coffee at the Moonbucks kiosk, too. As compared to, you know, the one two stories up in the food court.

Erik is not sure why he is even at Cool Subject. He just always passes it and never goes in, never knows who exactly the clientele is. Looking around at the clothing and accessories, he's still not particularly sure. But he's also not exactly the most fashion-forward person of 2016, so he takes a look around like he's trying to figure out if he should belong to this demographic. Someone should alert him that 50-something grandfathers are definitely not the type of people who usually shop here.

He is particularly confused by a piece of clothing and reaches out for it, at the same time someone else does. "Sorry," he says, pulling his hand away. Right. Long-sleeved netted undershirt is all yours, May.

May isn't the only one who had a pretty bad September. Even if Kara's September didn't happen in Nonah, and wasn't September, and only lasted a week or so. She's still getting used to being back here, slinking around the house for the first day or so and then being a little more bold about it as she made herself stop hiding from her housemates. It still takes a few days before she runs into anyone at home though, and then it's someone she hasn't met before.

"Oh! Um, hi." There's still a glow beneath Kara's skin, but it's banked very low, hard to spot in brightly lit rooms. If she ever cheers up again, it will get better. She's smiling now, a little sheepish as she closes the refrigerator and turns to say hi properly. "I, um, I just got back again. I'm Kara. Danvers. Zor-El." She really needs to work on that name delivery.

"Cute outfit."

Darlene, on her way out of the kitchen, is not pleased to have been caught at home. She's the housemate that's never home, always gone, always coming back at weird times and closing her door without saying anything to anyone. Or just never coming home, staying away for a string of days and then a presence once more, mostly announced by the large amounts of half-eaten takeout that take up a chunk of the fridge space. Never finished and never thrown out and never marked with her for-real name, but variations thereof, DAR, DARLA, DOLORES, DARCY, DARBY, DELBENE.

One of those boxes is in her hand right now. Plus some cheapo wood chopsticks. The immediate smell is reheated Chinese, all MSG and hot waxed cardboard. As displeased as she is, Darlene isn't one to cede ground to anyone, especially not Teen Queen in wacko bracelet gloves. More unimpressed than pissed, she shifts her stance, cocks one hip.

Kind of like a hi.

This is a change of pace from Darlene, and as a result Kara's smile gets a full one in return. "Hi. I kinda noticed it looked like there was a third person living here when I moved in. I guess you didn't really get ported out? I'm May. Parker." She finds herself fingering the edge of the bracers of the webshooter on her left hand, realizing how weird this must look- between the webshooters and the neck of her costume- to someone without any context. "Uh, also Spider-Girl." Because that should at least be mentioned to someone who's her roommate. Who luckily missed out on everything that happened last month.

"Nice to meet you. You missed a wild September." To say the least.

Darlene.

May's only run into her a few times, thankfully. Enough for both of them to know they live in the same house and have an idea of what the other looks like and sounds like. Whatever Darlene's schedule is (if there even is one) it doesn't match up with May's attempt at being a high school student with a big extracurricular.

Eventually there will be more of a war for the fridge, to get rid of all the random old takeout before it starts growing things, and with the luck of all the imPorts here starts to attack or something, but she hasn't really had the time or mind for it, the last couple weeks.

But it isn't like Mayday isn't used to rude New Yorkers in the first place. "It does it's job."

"What's its job?"

Don't think she missed the video clip of that unmasking. What Darlene lacks in sociability, she makes up for in constant monitoring of the network. Not that anyone would know that, considering it's not a detail she often shares about herself. Considering she doesn't willingly share any details about herself. The fact remains, she is way up on current events, and the reveal of her housemate's face beneath a spider-patterned gimp mask just happens to be one of those events.

But she raises her eyebrows at May anyways, waiting for her answer.

"I guess not." Kara's eyes follow the movement automatically and she looks interested, and then an explanation is immediately provided, sort of. "Spider-Girl? Oh, is that why the, um." She gestures at the webshooters, the costume, then reaches up and pulls off her glasses.

"Well, I'm Supergirl, so I guess we make a good pair."

It's out there before she's even begun to wonder whether or not it's a good idea. She's tired of hiding, really, and May is her roommate, it's not like she won't eventually notice the red cape, even if Kara leaves out her window every time.

She hops onto the counter to keep chatting, there's nothing of interest in the refrigerator anyway. "So what happened here in September?"

To be fair, it's not like May's really fashion-forward by some standards either. She picks out what she likes, regardless of intended style and coordinates it with other things she likes. It's still a bit of a surprise to find that the other hand reaching for the same shirt as her belongs to an adult man. One that's on the older side. Not old old, but still. Maybe she should rethink the netted shirt after all? (Is it even in the right size for either of them?)

"Oh! Sorry," she says at nearly the same time, also pulling away. She still manages to spare a mildly embarrassed grin after the fact. "I didn't see you there." She really hadn't, though in retrospect she should have noticed. She's just become used to having to tune her spider-sense out here with all imports (and now locals with powers) if it isn't giving her a bigger than usual warning.

Leaving through the window does have its perks, but there's a lot more freedom in being open about it. More danger, too, but that's that was already a gimme because of wearing a costume in the first place. Still, she hadn't expected to get a reveal in return, which ends up with May's smile warming even more than it already was.

"Definitely why the getup under the hoodie," she says. "And Supergirl? Like the big guy with the red cape who was on the network earlier this month?"

May shucks her shoes off as she sets her backpack down, and sits against the wall, soles of her feet pushed against it a good foot or so above the floor in an easy motion before beginning to speak. "Well, you've probably heard or noticed how some of the locals suddenly have powers, right? You know who Tony Stark is?" Her expression darkens for a moment. She's probably never going to be happy with Stark for what happened.

"Make a statement as far as costumes go," May says, trying to not let Darlene get to her. She doesn't need to let the older woman know how aggravating she really is, even though May is pretty sure she has to go out of her way to be this way. People just aren't like this. Right? "Besides, it's not like most people who do the costumed hero thing are Tony Stark with powered armor."

Toys like that require a budget. Mayday lucked out with powers (admittedly with Parker luck because of everything surrounding them), but using them effectively still needed training and loads of practice.

"He was on the network?" She'll need to ask him about that later, but now she nods with a proud little smile. "He's my cousin. The guy on the network, Superman, not Tony Stark, I don't think I know Tony Stark." But from that expression, Tony Stark is someone she ought to know about.

"It sure does make a statement, it makes the statement that you are freaky into tight spandex. Or that's what I assume you're wearing under that big ole sweatshirt of yours." Darlene hitches up one eyebrow, with a little smirk. "Wanna prove me wrong?"

Since they're having a conversation now, she leans against the doorframe, shifts her chopsticks in her grip. Moving on:

"Tony Stark, huh. Been thinking about him a lot?"

No, it is definitely too small for Erik. He would look ridiculous in it, and it wouldn't cover his stomach. But hey, apparently crop tops for men are in fashion... Either way. "No, take it. Sorry, I just wanted to see what it was." He missed the whole 80s fashion thing and didn't know fishnets came in shirt now.

"It's probably closer to your size," he notes, seeing the little sticker on the hanger.

"Yeah, asking a big ol' moral question. He seemed to be getting a lot of replies, so I'm guessing he's pretty popular." If he's anything like his cousin, who seems to be a pretty nice person, it goes a long way in explaining that.

"Stark's from one of the worlds like mine? An alternate version?" She waves a hand in the air. "One of those things, they're always weird to explain. There's one on my Earth, too, but this one's younger. He's one of the people who started their own company here, and he rolled out this phone with a hidden program on it. It turned out it was giving some of the locals here superpowers. He went full supervillain."

Never go full supervillain.

Edited 2016-10-11 04:01 (UTC)

It kind of disabuses hope that high school girls actually grow out of this kind of behavior, because apparently it doesn't happen. "I don't need to prove anything to you." Even though saying it means she already is. She could still escape to her room here, and focus on getting some of this homework done, but it'd still be having to escape- and would probably be more ammunition against her later.

"Considering he beat my dad up enough to put him in the hospital? A little bit, yeah." May was still covering up a few of her own bruises until recently.

"That sucks," she offers in way of commiseration, just flippantly enough that it's hard to tell if she means it or not. "Good thing everything's getting all normal again."

Darlene's phone buzzes and she grabs for it, smirks at the notif, then stabs the lock button again and shoves it back in her pocket. Clearly not as interesting as present company. Be flattered.

"Wait, which one was your dad?"

"That sounds like him," Kara says wryly. Both the moral question and the popularity. That news is less welcome though, and Kara's expression gets harder as May explains what's been going on.

"So what happened? Is everyone okay? Is he, I mean, someone did something about it, right?" Are they just standing here when someone needs to do something about it?

"He had however many of his armored suits go out and defend him, same with a bunch of the locals he gave superpowers to. He was pretty much playing God. A bunch of us fought him and held him off until he got fixed. It's complicated. I'm not sure I really understand what went on with Stark, but he's back to normal."

May's eyes don't quite meet Kara's anymore, since she didn't exactly answer the 'is everyone okay' part, but she should. "As for 'okay', well, Stark caused more than his fair share of damage and injuries. And unmasked my dad on the network after beating him to a pulp." It doesn't need saying that that's why she's given up on the secret identity game.

"The one he unmasked on the network," May says, not entirely sure what to make of Darlene's comment and trying to decide whether it was sincere or not. She likes believing the best of people, but Darlene is certainly something.

"Because that was doing him a favor, somehow."

May pulls it out to look at the size sticker, and then the actual size of top before making a bit of a face. The label says small, and it really isn't kidding. It's closer to being child sized than being something even a teenager can fit into. At least at first glance.

"Or maybe not."

She yanks down lightly with a finger to check the give of the netting. It turns out it's way more stretchy than it looked.

"Hm. I think this is more spandex than I'm willing to commit to for civvies," she says.

After all, there's skintight and then there's skintight.

Well, this is all horrifying, and Kara's poker face is as nonexistent as ever. "He unmasked your dad on the network? After—" She has a brief flash of Barry telling her about Zoom breaking his back and dragging him around Central City like a puppet, and it makes her press both shaking hands over her mouth.

"What can I do?" The eternal question of the hero arriving late to find chaos. But in this case, she also means, what can she do for May. Clearly they are already friends, and friends take care of each other.

Right, he moves on, selecting another piece that seems to be in a more palatable fabric of plaid, but puts it back once he realizes there's a skull print on it.

"Civvies?" he asks. He's never heard the term before. Maybe they're slang for clothes that are meant to be worn to uh. Whatever event someone would wear this to. God he's old.

"Oh, yeah, I caught that speech. Wait, so you're not down with the public unmasking, but you're unmasked, except you did yours to yourself so it's cool. Consent being the big problem."

Not necessarily judgmental for once, but that probably won't last long.

"I'm just trying to get it because, unpopular opinion time, I can't decide whose side I'm on in this whole thing and now you're adding another facet to it and it is messing with me."

The question gets a smile out of May again, and the reaction, if nothing else, tells her that Kara definitely gets it. "It's a bit late to really do anything, but I appreciate the offer, really." Especially since it's something May would do too, even with barely knowing the other person.

"He's getting better, besides being totally sure that this means we're all in danger now that his identity's been revealed." Even though they're already kind of in danger just by being here, and it's not like wearing the webs has ever been a hazard-free occupation for him, or for her for that matter, either.

Well, at least she's on board with consent, whatever other faults Darlene has. "Well, whatever Stark's reasoning at the time was, he was still using people he pretty much brainwashed as his personal army." At least they're back to normal, outside of a few with superpowers still.

"The whole thing is pretty much a 'what not to do to pretty much anyone'." May unslings her backpack, and leans against the wall. Even if she's not heading up to her room yet, she's not going to let Darlene make her feel like she should keep it on.

"Oh, uh, normal clothes." Mays's trying to not look too amused at the fact he's completely out of his element in here, but well, he's awfully hapless. Seeing the reflexive move to return the skull-print plaid (which she doesn't really give a second look- flannel is one thing, but skulls too? Is Pac Northwest Goth a thing? Or is it trying to mix goth and grunge?) she grins a bit.

"Experimenting with some new styles?"

"Hadn't realized the skulls were such a popular design," he replies. Maybe he should lie and say he's shopping for his grandson, but he doubts Billy would even put these clothes on. He definitely reached for the flannel since-- that's something he'd actually wear. Next thing he'll do is touch some leather and have it turn out to be pants with spikes and studs. Ugh.

Yep, Erik definitely belongs somewhere else in this mall. Like, anywhere else.

"But sure, I guess you could say that. Do you know what these are for?" he asks, gesturing towards a rack of belly rings.

"I think it's a new thing? They weren't doing that that much back home." Then again, it is enough of a time jump that she could probably take advantage of some of this if she ever goes home remembering all of this.

She looks at the rack of piercings he's directed her attention at, and covers her mouth with a hand to try and be a bit more polite and hide the smile. "Oh, those are those aren't earrings, if you're wondering. I'm pretty sure those are belly piercings. And the next row over from those are facial ones." Just to set the record straight.

"I'm May, by the way." She might as well introduce herself, considering.

"I'm Erik," he replies, moving over to the facial piercing area, despite having no facial piercings himself. He is confused by ear cuffs, by snakebites, and gauges. But he has also just never met a person who wears gauges. Like where does it go?

He shakes his head. "Thank you for the help," he says. He is not sure what he was thinking walking into a store with this particular storefront. Maybe like, a nice solid black sweater. But even these belts are cheap. What is this, vinyl? "They never had a store like this, back home." He thinks Storm might have liked it...

Kara lets out a quiet breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Okay," she says with a nod. Okay. So there isn't anything she can do right now, but there isn't anything she needs to do right now either. "Well, if you ever want to talk, I know...a little something about identities. And people finding them out when you don't want them to."

At least Max Lord had never revealed her name on the air. She wouldn't put it past him, but he hadn't done it. ...maybe now they would, she thinks, folding her arms as if suddenly chilly. Maybe now that Supergirl was dead, they'd tell the world she'd really been Kara Danvers.

"Um, I suppose I should. Finish unpacking again. It was nice to meet you."

Over the course of her time here, Selina's heard a lot about Maurtia Falls. The descriptions she's gotten have caught her interest so she's finally decided to visit. One night she's minding her own business, exploring Maurtia Falls via the rooftops, when she lands on one particular roof at the same time as someone else. That's always awkward. Last time it happened it was just Len on the roof with her so she didn't mind so much. This time, though, it's a girl she doesn't know in a costume she's never seen before. At least she's also in costume so hopefully it'll pass as just a funny coincidence. No need to explain why she's running around on the rooftops in a costume to someone who is also running around in a costume.

"Nice costume," Selina comments, staying where she is.

"I could say the same to you," May says, cocking her head to the side as she takes the newcomer in. It's always a bit of a surprise to run into someone else out on a rooftop when on patrol, but not an unwelcome thing. With all the black (practical, and sleek!) the other woman's costume doesn't exactly give any warning signs in particular, and the lack of anything too dangerous (but is that a whip?) is always an encouraging sign. Usually, at least.

"Do I win any prizes if I guess the theme?" She doesn't recognize her in any sense from her own world, but some things do kind of give tells, as far as proof of concept goes. So to speak.

" 'Pretty much brainwashed' is such a thin friggin' defense. And kinda takes away from the fact that there are people out there who probably agree with him, with no brainwashing required. Even if he did Bond villain monologue too long for anyone to give a real shit."

She definitely stopped giving a shit. It didn't even take very long. Coolly, Darlene shakes out her hair.

"So, what do you think about all the norms that got superpowers during the whole thing. Pretty cool, right?"

Selina's not dangerous, really. Not unless someone happens to be trying to stop her from doing something she wants. Then she's very dangerous. For now, though, she's really not in any type of mood to pick a fight. This should be a perfectly calm meeting, considering so far the other woman seems okay too. At the question, Selina smiles.

"As long as you don't think the theme is bats," she replies. She has definitely been called Batwoman before. Please. "What are you meant to be? A spider?"

There are definitely not spider women in her world. That she knows of, at least.

"With those goggles and little ears? Who would see cateye frames and think 'bat'?" It's a rhetorical question, in a lot of ways, just because it's the sort of detail guys wouldn't notice. They'd probably be paying attention to other things. And while the costume itself isn't one May knows, she's at least heard about the theme before.

As for the catsuited stranger's guess, May confirms it. "Spider-Girl," she answers. "Webs included."

"You'd be surprised." Men are morons, what can she say? It doesn't help that some of the criminal element in Gotham weren't too happy the few times she teamed up with Batman. Batwoman was more an insult than something they really thought she was. But honestly most of them probably really don't notice. They see the tight leather suit and their brains stop there. Typical.

"Cute." She holds up a hand. Yes, the gloves have claws. Gotta follow the theme, you know. "Catwoman. We're definitely not from the same place. My world doesn't have any spiders, girl or otherwise."

"Really? I might have to take you up on that, sometime." It's an offer she really appreciates. She might get superhero 'girl time' back home with Stinger, but the Ladyhawks and American Dream are all business, and none of them know her identity under the mask, beyond that.

"It was nice meeting you, too. Do you want any help?" If nothing else, while Kara might not need it, she can still offer.

Well, she sure did walk into that one. The cynicism's practically dripping onto the floor. "Maybe there are people who agreed with him out there, but he still took control over other people who wouldn't've have been there or doing most of that, when he completely lost it. Just because someone might or might not agree with something, doesn't mean that it excuses taking away their free will." May isn't going to give that one up that easy.

"It's probably better that some of them got powers and still have them, in the long run." Maybe not the way they got them- not with what Stark did, but there's also all the fishiness with everything going on here... "Hopefully."

If nothing else, it's at least some kind of fair.

Right on the earlobe, unless you're really adventurous. May's got a few piercings in both of her ears, but only wears a single pair of earrings lately when she does. Less tugging, as far as the mask goes.

"Really?" That's a bit of a surprise, but it does explain more why he's so confused in here. "Some of the stuff in here can be overpriced for what it is, but what's what sales are for."

Everything's overpriced here. He paid $40 for a flannel just the other day. He's probably wearing it now. "I don't know, I was never a fan of fishnets, even if they're half off." They're already half off. He'd be so cold wearing them. Not that they're for him, but looking at this garment, he can't believe it's supposed to be for a woman. So.

He picks up a stray My Inorganic Affair t-shirt. "Have you heard them?" He assumes these are band tees. Give him some credit.

"Most people's free will is way too easily coached by marketing ploys and manipulation. Or by force. Personally I think rustling up the establishment is always a good idea, or else we all start getting super comfy in bullshit situations. Personally," she adds, with a flash of teeth, "I know that's important, because I know this is about your dad and your whole mask schtick, okay, so don't get your feelings hurt, or whatever."

Just in case she does decide to get hurt feelings, Darlene shoves away from where she's leaned up against the doorframe, ready to head back to the sanctity of her room.

"I mean, the other thing is, I don't know about how fair it is to start passing out superpowers. I think it calls into question the need for our asses to be here. Let's remember you said that in like a year, okay."

"Oh, no, no, that's okay, I'll just, I'll get things fixed up. I'm sure I'll see you again soon though, um, maybe we could get pizza sometime soon? Pizza and potstickers is the best combo."

And Kara could use another hero to relax with when they were both off the clock. Her smile is more genuine now. "Thanks though, May."

Inflation is the real killer.

She glances at the shirt he's holding up. "My Inorganic Affair? I only heard of them here. They're alright, for the kind of music they have."

Maybe she'd have a better opinion, but nearly everything here is heavily retro, and the music isn't much of an exception, even if some of it is almost like what she's used to.

"Oh, what kind of music do they play?" he asks, honestly curious. Like, what kind of music do people who shop at a place like this listen to.. He's not sure he's ready for the answer.

But he's waiting.

But if you closed your eyes does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

Nonah #3

Patrolling

Shopping

Re: Shopping

:D

:]

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