54/Sounding Out

Sounding Out
Date of Scene:	16 April 2017
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	When two flying bricks meet.
Cast of Characters:	Dragonfly (Arazello), Superwoman

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Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Flatbush. A wretched hive of scum and villainy. OK, that's overstating things. It's a low class neighbourhood that's gentrifying and this causes the usual social troubles and strife. And, of course, crime.
    Dragonfly soars through the April-showers soaked skies over Flatbush, cruising at barely subsonic speeds, eyes peeled below for signs of these troubles, ready to intervene in crime. Boredom taking over she plummets straight down, halting at the last second in a three-point landing on the top of the tallest building in the neighbourhood. "Nailed it!" she crows. "Didn't even loosen a tile!"
    The patter of rain is her only reply...

Superwoman has posed:
    Rain. Quiet. Solitude. All things that Faora desired right now. Needed. It had been a week or so since she'd discovered the destruction of her homeworld. Since her powers started to develop thanks to the yellow star of Earth. Now, she just moved from place to place- traveling in quiet as she observed the natives. She's dressed as one might expect for a human woman in the rain and chill of an early spring night in New York- a heavy hoodie work over her form as she gazes up at the stars through the haze. Gazes up and notices Dragonfly as she zips around like her namesake. Faora's eyes narrow and she makes her way up to meet this strange costumed woman. She moves acrobatically up the side of a building, her powers of flight slow and clumsy- instead trusting her ability to climb, jump, and traverse the fire escape quickly.

    It doesn't take long before Faora, too, is on the roof- her hoodie up and casting a shadow over her face as she looks across at Dragonfly. Quiet and curious, "You wear a costume." she states, "Are you here to cause trouble, or to be a friend?"

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly nearly (proverbially) jumps out of her costume at the sudden intrusion; she was apparently not expecting someone at the top of this building. In a more literal jump she flips, looking like wire-fu, not natural ballistics, away from Faora and faces her in what appears to be an amateurish defensive stance.
    She stares, presumably blinking behind her sunglasses, at Faora as she processes the question.
    "I protect people," she finally says. The way she says it is a little strange, like she's trying on the words for size. "This is a neighbourhood that has a bit of a crime problem. I help out where I can." That sounds more natural, less stiff and unfamiliar to her.
    Again the short stare, as if narrowing her eyes and appraising Faora from behind her sunglasses.
    "I could ask much the same of you. Trouble or troubleshooter?"

Superwoman has posed:
    Faora judges quietly those words- watching as Dragonfly moves- barely moving herself in response to the acrobatic jump and flip maneuver. "You're dropping your left." she states, nodding towards Dragonfly's combat stance. "And your feet are wrong. You'll be easily knocked over if someone attacks." she sounds as if she knows- and her speech has this accent. Its difficult to place. "I'm glad to hear you help out. I'm told not everyone in a costume does."

    "Trouble or troubleshooter. I suppose that depends on who you ask. I'm not here to cause any harm to the people here, though, if that's what you're asking." Faora replies.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly's face twists into a half-smile. "You think I'll be knocked over?" she asks. "That would be interesting to see." Her face is twitching from the suppressed amusement. "But yes, you're right. Not everybody in costume is good people. I think that's just an extension of not everybody is good people. There's good citizens and bad, good cops and bad, good soldiers and bad, good capes and bad."
    She snorts and relaxes her stance.
    "Then there's people like me who're just mediocre but muddling along the best they can. Dragonfly." She extends a hand.

Superwoman has posed:
    "You don't believe me?" Faora says, "That you would be knocked over?" she shakes her head quietly. "You really don't know how to fight, do you?" She says next, Put it up again." she offers. Waving her hand, "Go into that stance again. If you think I can't knock you over, why not prove it?"

    Faora smiles quietly, "I don't have a fancy hero name." she says, "For now, Fae will have to do." she offers softly- looking at Dragonfly's hand with a bit of confusion. She quietly extends her hand in mirror of Dragonfly. Just holding it in the air.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly sighs and just gently takes the hand in a light clasp, shaking both up and down. "That's called a handshake," she explains. "A fairly common custom here on Earth," she adds sarcastically. "But probably not on whatever planet you teleported in from."
    She shakes her head and steps back.
    "Let's make it better. I'll just stand here," she says, planting her feet shoulder-width apart, putting her fists on her hips, facing Faora squarely. "Do your worst. Knock me over."

Superwoman has posed:
    "I see. A handshake." Faora offers simply. The sarcasm is lost on her, and one might guess by her accent that she's not from around these parts. Still, she smiles when Dragonfly takes that position. "You are a fool to stand so proudly, Dragonfly." she notes for just a moment.

    And then Faora moves. Its fluid. Its quick. Its powerful- and within a moment, Faora has made a strike at Dragonfly's body. Behind the knee with a hooked leg, one hand finding a wrist the other moving towards a strike between Dragonfly's shoulders. If it hits Dragonfly wouldn't only be knocked over, but her arm would be bared making movement difficult and painful. Faora, it seems, has the strength to make that happen as well.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    The strike hits, moving with the speed only a Kryptonian can muster. It hits before Dragonfly can even really register what's happening. And, sure enough, over she goes. And continues going, gravity seeming to not want to pull her down. Then worse happens; Faora goes with her, flipping in the same direction keeping the same attitude, flipping faster and faster and faster until the pair are spinning in the air like the propellor idling on an old-time biplane.
    "That was fast!" Dragonfly admits, impressed. The intended pain of the hold isn't happening, although the immobilization via leverage appears to be working quite well. The pair continue to spiral above the roof. "And you're stronger than I expected too." Worry creeps into her voice. "I'm not sure I can stop us without crashing, though. This is more complicated than I expected."

Superwoman has posed:
    Faora shifts in the air as they go spinning- it wasn't quite what Faora had hoped for. She had planned for Dragonfly to hit the ground. How, exactly, they went in the opposite direction is left to wonderment. "I can move very quickly when I desire." she mentions as they spin.

    "I would suggest you reverse whatever gravitation effect has caused us to move opposite the roof." Faora says as they spin. "Or, perhaps, I can do something." she offers as she begins to push her own power to stabilizing them- her own personal gravity field changing towards her whim- towards down.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Between the pair's applying their powers, two sets of feet finally hit the ground. Dragonfly staggers a bit on landing. "Whew! That was a bit dizzying," she says. "I kind of froze there; things got too disorienting too fast."
    She tries to straighten out, something which would fail in the grip of a motivated Kryptonian, although the force she applies in the attempt is impressively large. And it feels like she could apply more if she strained.
    "Uh, can you let up a bit please. I don't want to get into another contest of wills here; the first one didn't go well and, well, the second one could damage the environment a bit."

Superwoman has posed:
    Faora loosens her grip, getting to her feet once the pair are on the roof. "Still, I'll consider that having taken control of the combat situation." she says with a quiet smile as she dusts herself off from the non-dust of having gone floating straight up. "You are strong. You should remember there are others who are stronger. Those who know how to fight. You can not rely on strength to win a battle. Strength is not the most important thing in combat, Dragonfly."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Yeah, there's speed, surprise, and, of course, the simple technique of not getting into a battle in the first place," Dragonfly says. "I'm still new to all this, though. And I hardly think it's fair, Supergirl. Dying your hair and going around without the red and blue spandex thing is cheating."
    She grins and throws her hair back into something sort of resembling order from after all the spinning. "I didn't realize I'd gotten onto your radar; and I didn't know you snuck around in hoodies and street clothes. Makes sense, though."
    You can almost see the shovel as she digs herself in deeper.
    "Anyway," she continues, "you don't have to worry. I'm not here to cause trouble. You can get back to saving the world while I try to keep crime to dull roar here in this part of the city."
    She then practically squeals. "I can't believe I'm talking to the real Supergirl! Man B... Uh... Crusader is going to have his ear talked off over this!"

Superwoman has posed:
    "I am not supergirl." Faora states simply. "As I said. Call me Fae." she repeats, "My hair is not dyed, either." Faora notes. "Furthermore, I am taller and broader of shoulder than Supergirl. I think you will find we are very different people." Faora smiles though, a quiet thing as she looks over to Dragonfly. "You are correct though that we are of the same type." she states, "A good eye on you, I suppose is what they would say."

    "I'm sorry that this is to be a disappointing end to your evening." Faora offers softly. "Very sorry. But, if it helps, I am from the same planet."%

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly sits down, cross-legged, in mid-air, astonishment etched over her face. "Pull the other one!" she says. "Another ... uh ... Kleptonian? No, that's not right. Cryptogram? No... Whatever, you're from the same place as Superman!?"
    She chuckles.
    "Disappointing? Hardly! I think this is the coolest day of my life! You have no idea! Supes and his ... sister? Cousin? Girlfriend? Whatever! They're, like, the only people on the planet I know for sure are stronger than me. They're incredibly cool! Knowing ANOTHER one just ..."
    She is actually squealing like a fangirl now.
    "I wish I had my phone available! I'd love to take a selfie with you; just to put in my album, you understand, not to share!"
    She mimes writing in the air.
    "Dear Diary, today I got my ass handed to me by one of Superman's fellow Klepton... whatever! She gave me actual advice!"
    Dragonfly steps down from her seat and paces around.
    "So what brings you to my neck of the woods? Were you checking me out or did you just happen on me? Oooh! Wouldn't it be so COOL if you were sent to check up on me!? That means Supes knows I exist!"

Superwoman has posed:
    "Kryptonians." Faora corrects. "I'm rather glad you don't, to be honest. I'm working through a lot of things right now, Dragonfly. I'd rather keep my head down, to be honest." She admits quietly as she takes a slow breath. Quiet as she looks up into the sky. "I'm afraid that I must again disappoint you, though. Our meeting was mere chance. You appeared and I was curious." Faora really doesn't seem to spare Dragonfly's feelings in that.

    "However, I am aware of you. And Superman and Supergirl are both known to me." Faora offers, "So, in a way, now you are known to exist by Superman and the rest of us. Just perhaps not in the order you have preferred."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nothing seems to put a damper on Dragonfly's spirits now. "Oh, that's OK! I don't mind if the knowledge goes the other route. Just the fact that I'm ... what? Two degrees removed from SUPERMAN HIMSELF!" She shakes her head. "That's mind-blowing enough. Anyway, welcome to the neighbourhood. And if you ever need any help for anything, like, say, someone to hold your jacket while you smack down evildoers, or something, let me know. I'm always willing to help."
    She grins disarmingly. "And if you need help working through things, let me know with that too and I can be your personal cheering squad to help boost your mood, OK?"

Superwoman has posed:
    Faora chuckles quietly, shaking her head. "I appreciate your... exuberance." she says, her voice quiet. "However, I am afraid that what I need to work through is.." she pauses a long moment, "Its difficult for others to empathize with." she offers so very quietly. Voice so very sad, so very far away. "And I don't know if I'll be smacking down evildoers anytime soon, if I'm being honest. As I said- I have a lot to figure out. A lot to deal with. More than I think you could really help me with."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    That brings a bit of a shadow of concern over Dragonfly's spirits. "OK," she says, nodding. "I actually think I understand that better than you think. I've had to work through some ... issues of my own." She purses her lips a little in contemplation.
    "Look, this is kind of where I go to rest when I'm patrolling or just need to get away for a while. If you ever just need to talk, or if you need help of any kind, just drop by here and wait or ..."
    She casts her eyes around and spots an exhaust vent.
    "...just leave a message in here," she says, striding over to the rusted casing, pointing to the slats. "I'll keep my eyes peeled and respond as quickly as I can, OK?"

Superwoman has posed:
    Faora just chuckles softly, a bitter sounding thing. "Thank, Dragonfly. I'll keep it in mind." she offers quietly, bowing her head low. "But I think, for now, I should be going." she smiles over to Dragonfly once more. "Thank you." she says once more as she then lifts from the roof and heads to the sky.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly admiringly watches Faora fly off. As the Kryptonian vanishes into the distance she clenches her fist and does the victory arm-pump. "Yes! Supes and Supergirl are going to know about me now! SO COOL!"