mixingbowl | People tell me to be flawless

People tell me to be flawless

[The thing about being dropped into some other dimension is that none of your family's wealth and prestige follows you there. Pacficia's still trying to decide if this is a bad thing or not. On one hand, she could use the money, on the other... she hasn't been too fond of her family's background as of late.

Still, whatever change of heart she's had, it doesn't make the transition from spoiled rich kid to nameless nobody any easier. Suddenly, she has to do everything on her own, from earning a wage to keeping her sparsely decorated apartment clean. The last couple of weeks have been a struggle, leaving her feeling useless, confused, demoralized, and lonely all at once. There isn't much she can do to dissipate those feelings, not when everyone else stuck here is a stranger to her, so the laundry machines become her distraction for the day.

In a way, it works: the bubbles that begin surging out from the washer's lid promptly make her forget all her troubles. She gives a little shriek when her attempts at shutting the thing off only get bubbles into her hair, and she finally gives up. Pacifica runs toward the laundry room door, nearly smacking into the person trying to enter it.]

I can't get it to stop! [Pacifica latches onto the guy immediately, hoping he'll know what to do. A Northwest is supposed to be beyond asking for help, but this is an emergency!]

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[It's the high pitched shriek that gets his attention first and has him zipping down the hallway in the direction of the distress call. It's not as though things haven't gone wrong in this place before, but it's been a while since anyone was attacked by anything and as far as he knows, there isn't anything menacing around.

But still, he's Superboy and he's hardly about to leave someone hanging when they needed help. He's only a few feet away from the laundry room when a form nearly crashes into him and he screeches to a stop, apparently having found the source of the scream. One glance at her tells him that she's not injured so there's that, but he still hasn't identified the threat.

He pats her arm awkwardly in what he hopes is a comforting gesture and eyes the door to the room she'd come from.]

What is it? What can't you stop? [A monster of some kind? An unwelcome suitor? Really bad country music??? Give him something to work with here!]

The washing machine! [No trace of irony in her face as she blurts it out in her panic. Since he's already offered to help--in Pacifica's mind, at least, why else would he stop?--she begins tugging him back toward the laundry room urgently.]

Well, what are you waiting for? The bubbles are getting everywhere and, like, what the stupid machine is doing to my clothes!

[Sorry, Kon, she apparently isn't taking 'no' for an answer here. Apparently the state of her wardrobe is more important than whatever else Kon might've been doing before he got pulled into this mess.]

[Later, Kon would like to say that he had laughed it off upon realizing the emergency was of the more mundane variety. He would like to say that he had patted the girl on the shoulder and calmly proceeded to figure out the problem. In fact, if asked, it's what he will say. It's just that he'll be lying.

There's just something about a girl clinging to his arm and yelling in his ear that apparently turns on the SUPERBOY ~~PANIC~~ mode in his mind, and it apparently doesn't turn off even when it is revealed that a washing machine is to blame.

Kon very smoothly hovers (flails) over to the washing machine (or what he presumes to be the washing machine as he can't see it through the growing foam) and shoves his hands elbow deep into the bubbles. When he can't immediately find any switches or knobs, panic streaks across his face and he darts into the air, definitely hitting his head on the ceiling in the process, and glaring at the bubbles as if they were to blame.]

I can't find the switch! [Before anymore despair can begin to creep into his voice and damage his flawless reputation, he mumbles under his breath and dives head first back into the foam. It's a full two minutes before the machine lets out two soft beeps and shuts off, after which a very sudsy Superboy emerges from the mess.]

Geez, how much soap did you put into this thing?

[Part of her registers his flying ability, but that observation is quickly shoved to the back of her mind to be acknowledged after the crisis has passed. Instead, she's just feeling profoundly disappointed by his blundering.]

Seriously? I thought you knew what you were doing! [Her mouth snaps shut when the monster machine finally powers down, and she crosses her arms over her chest sulkily.] Um, enough to get my clothes clean, obviously.

[Which is basically Pacifica-speak for "I have no idea". She surveys the mess dubiously, as if finally realizing just how much foam the detergent has managed to create.] How are we going to get rid of all these bubbles?

Yeah, your clothes and the rest of the clothes in the entire city! [At her question/demand, Kon slaps a hand to his face and drags it down, groaning. Since when did this become a we effort? He does not remember signing up for this.

After sighing and resigning himself to helping her if for no other reason than he literally has nothing else to do, he motions out the door and to the hall.]

I think I have an idea, but I need you to go open the nearest window and make sure no one walks out between here and there.

It's not my fault I wanted my clothes to be extra clean. How was I supposed to know adding more detergent wouldn't get the job done?

[Thoroughly embarrassed, much more than she wants to admit, Pacifica sniffs, tosses her hair over her shoulder, and walks over the window. Only because she doesn't want to deal with him asking more questions about her laundry.]

There, it's open. [She stares at him, mouth pursed, foot tapping impatiently against the floor.] Now what, genius?

[Once upon a time, Kon had thought Roxy was high maintenance. He realizes now that he had been terribly wrong and that he needs to immediately tell Roxy the next time he sees her how low-maintenance and totally not at all bossy she is.]

Hey, you could show a little gratitude for how awesome and helpful I'm being! [Hmph. Honestly. With one last huff, he dives back into the foam and does his best to sort of. Shove it in the direction of the door. It really shouldn't be working, but thanks to his TTK he's able to more or less successfully push the suds out of the room, down the hall, and out the window. There are still a few patches of bubbles left behind here and there but he's done what he can and at least it's not all over the floor anymore.]

There. [He tosses a grin Pacifica's way.] You're welcome.

[Though she's staring at him again, this time there's a hint of tension in her expression that wasn't there before. Sure, she'd seen him levitate just a few minutes ago, but now an entirely new power's being shoved into her face.]

What did you do just now? With the bubbles and--and the flying earlier.

[Even if the other refugees had warned her about people with powers, seeing it in person is entirely different from simply hearing about it. She doesn't have much to compare him to, unlike Dipper, she imagines. The only real run-ins she's had with the supernatural were the ghost haunting the mansion and Bill. Pacifica can't help but be a little wary of him.]

[Pacifica, you asked the right question. Kon positively preens.]

Oh that? That was just my patented tactile telekinesis. I can move anything that I can touch, no matter how heavy or...foamy. [In demonstration he hovers over to a chair, touches it with a single finger, and levitates the chair on the tip of said finger.]

All a part of being Superboy. [Were those sunglasses always on or did he just pull them on with his TTK, the world may never know. Kon continues to grin, pausing only to brush a few stray bubbles off of his jacket.]

[She sees what you did there with the glasses, Kon. Pacifica levels an unimpressed look at him, some of the tension in her loosening with his words.]

Um, I don't know who you're trying to impress with the sunglasses, but it's really not working for you. [Straight to the point, as usual, and delivered with a roll of the eyes.] And what kind of name is Superboy?

[Whatever points he earned by demonstrating his ttk, he's lost with the sunglasses trick and preening. Congrats, your cool points are now in the negative.]

[Obviously someone just doesn't know how to tally cool points correctly.]

Impress? Wait, what? [Sorry Pacifica, the sunglasses thing was definitely subconscious. That's the level his cool reaches. Whatever, not important, more importantly...]

Superboy is a great name! [Said with perhaps a little defensiveness.] I mean, it's a code name obviously. Not my real name. [Which he has!!! A real name!!! It's exciting!!!] What's your name?

[She trades the unimpressed look for one that's a mix of skeptical and confused. Code name. Right.] My name's Pacifica, Superdork.

[It's hard to see him as anything but a dork when he was literally covered in bubbles not too long ago. Pacifica would also rather focus on throwing a few nicknames out here and there, than think about how she'd faltered and completely left her family name out of her introduction. Months ago, it would've been one of the first things people knew about her. Now? The family name just conjures images of the enraged lumber ghost and the paintings of horrible deeds.

She moves on, in no hurry to look at open up that festering wound.]

Why do you even need a code name? Are you some kind of government agent?

[Okay that's not fair, it's too easy. He knows he should be the bigger person and not point out the fact that she is making fun of his name when her name is Pacifica but he doesn't want to. Here it is, handed up to him on a silver platter, and he can't in good conscience take it. The world is a cruel place.]

Because I'm a superhero, obviously. Can't have people learning my secret identity and all that. [Which okay he doesn't actually have one but hey the public doesn't know that, he could totally have a secret identity, that was sort of the whole point of the secret part.]

[She studies him again, just a touch incredulously. Okay, so the outfit underneath the jacket looks very...costumey, lending just a bit of credit to his worlds. Pacifica tries not to shudder at the brightness of the colors, though she imagines Mabel would've been all over it.

After her latest, careful examination of Superboy, Pacifica taps her shoe smartly on the ground once, twice.]

That doesn't make any sense. [She finally declares, with an air of criticism.] You're just wearing a ridiculous outfit in broad daylight with your face in full view. Doesn't sound like much of a secret identity if people can just look at you and know it's you.

You'd be amazed the difference a few accessories and a different set of clothes can make. [He grins, thinking of how many people Clark managed to fool on a daily basis. So stupidly simple.]

Speaking of...[He nods in the direction of the laundry room.]

Don't you think you should check out the damage?

[She stares.] You're joking. There's no way that works.

[She's prevented from saying any more with the reminder of her laundry and she gasps as she rushes toward the machine. Reaching in, she pulls out a sopping wet dress that's still covered in bubbles.]

Ugh. I'll have to wash it all over again.

[It's a good thing she gets distracted because Kon isn't quite sure how he'd explain ~~comic book logic~~ the whole Clark kent thing.

Instead he follows her, hovering a few inches in the air and eyeing the mess of clothes with a critical glance.]

I think it'd be fine if you just throw it in a bucket of water and rinse it yourself.

[That's definitely a look of horror she's giving him now.]

You mean, wash it by hand?

[She makes it sound like she couldn't imagine anything worse, and her massive pout only adds to the scandalized image.]

Unless you have very talented feet? [His gaze drifts to her feet in consideration and then back up to her face, one eyebrow raised.]

[The look she gives him says without a doubt "Really?" ]

Why can't I just throw it back into the machine? That's what it's there for, isn't it?

[What was it they said about asking a dumb question and getting a dumb answer?]

Unless you've suddenly learned how to use it in the last three minutes, seems kind of like a bad idea. Besides, it’s still all full of bubbles. [Kon shrugs and searches the room until his eyes fall on what he’s looking for and he touches down, feet coming back into contact with the floor so that he can send a flicker of TTK out to drag a bucket towards them. After that he moves to a visible hose and fills said bucket with clean water before returning the hose to its place.]

Come on, you toss your things in here and I'll even help you out cleaning the machine.

[Pacifica makes a face, obviously balking at tossing her clothes into the bucket.]

Is that thing even clean?

[Kon gives her A Look. This girl is unbelievable.]

It's clean enough.

Ugh, fine. [Pacifica practically throws up her hands in exasperation.] But if my clothes get damaged because of this, I'm totally suing you.

[An odd look crosses her face as soon as those words leave her mouth. Familiar as they are, they're now a stark reminder that she's here alone, without any of the comforts that she enjoyed back home.

Trying to hide that brief slip of her usual snobbish attitude, Pacifica begins drops her clothes into the bucket rather grumpily.] There. Happy now?

[If she was expecting that comment to be glossed over, she is going to be sorely disappointed. Kon immediately bursts into laughter, highly amused and not in the least bit offended because he's too busy laughing.] I hate to break it to you, but being a superhero doesn't pay a dime. [He'd think it would, what with all the saving lives and stopping bad guys, but nope. At least he got a lot of very grateful makeouts out of it. Well, he used to anyway.

He hovers over to the bucket, laughter fading into a smirk as he shrugs.] Looks good to me.

[Pacifica takes a break from looking at the sad, sopping wet clothes in the bucket to stare at him yet again. For someone so ridiculous, he's surprising her too often for her tastes.]

Don't you superheroes have to keep putting yourselves in danger for other people? Why would you do that if you're not getting anything out of it?

[It makes absolutely no sense to her. There has to be a catch somewhere or he's lying to get out of responsibility for her clothes, she decides.]

[Kon shrugs like it's no big deal mostly because to him, it isn't. For a lot of superheroes the answer is altruism, but for him, it's a little more complicated than that. He's Superman's clone, created for one purpose and one purpose alone. To be a superhero. (To be Superman.) If he doesn't have that, he doesn't have anything.

(And no matter how cool he may play things, it would be a lie to say he doesn't love helping people.)]

Because I can. I mean, flying, strength, watching bullets bounce off of me. What would be the point if I took all that and tried to be anything else? [So the strength and the invulnerability thing aren't exactly the same as Superman's, but he still has them in his own way. He can't fathom standing by watching someone hurt people while he had the ability to stop it.]

[Shrug.] It's not like superheros are the only people who do the right thing just because it's right.

[While she hadn't been too impressed with him at first, Pacifica can't help but feel a little awed by that long list of abilities. Things like that aren't exactly common, for one.]

You're bulletproof? [Her mouth works, but no words come out immediately. Her gaze shifts to the side thoughtfully.]

You could be...not a superhero. A lot of people would use those powers to get what they want with force. [Her parents definitely would. And with powers like those, who would be able to stop them? Pacifica stares at him again, then blurts out: ] I don't get it. How do you resist?

[Kon grins at her astonishment, enjoying the attention. He isn't of course bulletproof in the same way as Superman but his TTK simulates the effect rather nicely. (As long as he's paying attention.) At the follow up question he has to frown and shrug.]

I don't know, I mean...don't you think the things that really matter can't be taken with force? I guess I could go on a rampage and rob a bunch of banks or something, but I just don't see the point. Not exactly the best way to win friends and influence people. And the money in the banks has to come from somewhere, right? I'd be hurting a whole bunch of people if I just took what I wanted and didn't think about the consequences.

[Pacifica just wraps her arms tightly around herself and looks off to the side.]

A lot of people wouldn't even think about the consequences or care that they're hurting people. I guess that makes you a better person than the people I know.

[Somehow, all this talk about morals has become thoroughly depressing to her.]

Yeah, well...[Kon trails off, shrugging.] Sounds like you know some crappy people. [He can't help but be uncomfortably reminded of Black Zero. They had a word for people in his universe who abused their powers and didn't care if they hurt people. Super villains. Like Black Zero.

Sadly, Kon doesn't have to imagine what he would be like if he was the sort of person Pacifica was describing. He's met that version of himself. He totally sucked. (Also, Kon kicked his ass.)]

[Her shoulders hunch a little, but she doesn't disagree. She'd be lying if she did, honestly.]

Yeah...I guess I do. They're not the people I thought they were.

[The last part's said practically under her breath.]

[And okay he doesn't regret his words but he's starting to pick up on the fact that maybe he should be a little more careful with what he says. Obviously something about this is personal for her.]

It's not like people are just black and white though. There's this guy I know, Rex—he's sort of my manager—and he's like, a monumental scumbag. Lies, cheats, steals—the works. But at the end of the day, he does the right thing when it matters. [Beat.] Mostly. He's a selfish greedy bastard but he still cares about other people. [Kon grins.]

He's kinda grown on me. Goes to show that people can be really complicated.

[She shoots him a withering look, mouth twisting slightly.] Okay, you need to quit it with, like, the patronizing right now. You don't have to try and make me feel better just because I'm younger than you.

[Then, the wind seems to go right out of her sails, her flash of irritation passing as quickly as it came.]

Besides, your anecdote doesn't really work. The people I'm thinking of are selfish and greedy, and they won't do the right thing when it matters.

[Older than her? He should probably be offended by her tone (and a part of him is) but he's mostly too busy being smug because she thinks he's older than her. He is definitely going to let her keep on thinking that. Ha. Older.]

You know where I come from, we call that 'being nice' and we do it for people no matter how old they are. [Kon hesitates for a second, wondering if he should just go. It's not like it's his fault she knows crappy people and she clearly didn't want his help. Still. (He very carefully doesn't think 'what would Superman do.' Mostly.)]

If these people are so awful, why do you hang around with them?

[Something in her expression tightens again, and it's a mix of irritation and misery. She huffs.]

Like, I don't know if things are different in your world, but I can't just ditch my parents.

Oh, uh. I wouldn't know. Don't have any. [To be honest, the whole concept is baffling to him and it shows in the obvious discomfort that he tries and fails to conceal. People couldn't just ditch their parents, right? Probably not.]

I guess that would make things complicated.

[What is with this guy and throwing her curve balls like this? Pacifica points at him accusingly.]

Okay, now you're really pulling my leg. How do you not have parents?

[He shrugs like it's No Big Deal. When he was first "born" or brought into consciousness as it where, he hadn't cared much. Now he's been around long enough to know how weird he is, but whatever. If people had a problem with it, that was their issue. It didn't bother him. Not at all. Nope.]

I'm Superman's clone. Superman is like the hero, you know? Best hero in the world. So this group of scientists started worrying about what they'd do if Superman ever died and they decided to make me as a back up plan. [He laughs as if the story hasn't reduced his entire existence to being a an emergency copy of the real thing.]

Only Superman's not dead and now they're stuck with me. So yeah. No parents. They should totally make my life into a movie, right?

You're a clone? [While this is the first time she's met a clone, he rates pretty low on her "danger" list right now. Her curiosity outweighs any other emotion that would have cropped up.]

So what'd they do, just ditch you because Superman's still around? That's lame.

[This time, she's quick enough to bite back her comment about suing them.]

[He grins and tosses her a wink.]

More like I ditched them. They wanted to make me work for them but I do my own thing now. Way better than working for some stuffy governmental creeps, right?

[Surprisingly, his words have their intended effect, drawing a slight smile out of her.]

Way better. [She waves a hand at him.] Fine. I guess you're not completely lame, if you had the guts to leave them and work on your own. [Translation: Congrats, you've regained some cool points.] What'd that Superman guy say when that happened?

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People tell me to be flawless

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