I think you have an excellent turn of phrase. Sorta wordy though ;). I had a hard time with this, like most other fanfic because I didn't know who any of the characters are, but it's just because I'm not cool.
Kryptonian Berries
Kryptonian Blueberries
by Ghassy
PART I
Karen Starr laid on her back, taking in a sky filled with from the rooftop of her high-rise apartment complex in New York. Normal humans wouldn't have been able to see the stars, thanks to the cities light pollution, but with her honed, Kryptonian eyesight, she could see them all with crystal clarity. Not that it mattered much; none of the stars were hers... No, she didn't mean to diminish the splendor of the sight. The star filled sky was beautiful, even if it wasn't her own.
She was wearing her civilian getup; an untucked, green designer T and a belted pair of blue jeans. She liked wearing her Civie clothes around the apartment. They'd never stand up in battle, but they were far less restrictive than her skimpy costume. It felt nice laying there on the roof, letting the cool, nighttime breeze blow through her hair (She didn't have it up in pigtails; what was the point? She was in her own home after all). The serenity of it all helped her forget about her troubles. Of course, nothing took her mind off her troubles better than driving her fist into a supervillian's face, but recently, there just hadn't been many incidents of villainy that required her support. She couldn't say that was a bad thing; the whole point of hero-ing was to reduce crime. But she couldn't help but feel bored without anything meaningful to do. And boredom, almost inevitably, lead her to reflect on how empty her life now was.
Terra...
Yes, she had Terra to look after now. She was young, confused and alone... much like herself actually. Misery loves company? Perhaps, but having someone like Terra to teach the ways of the world made her more confident in herself. More importantly, it gave her someone she could relate to; someone one who could be her friend. And as Karen reflected on it, it became apparent that was what she truly needed.
She felt something vibrating in her left pant pocket; her communicator, naturally. She fished the circular device from out of her pocket, pressing the button to see who it was. A hologram of Allura appeared, with her shoulder-length blond hair and form fitting blue jumpsuit. Allura's and Karen's relationship was...complicated. In some ways, Allura was Karen's mother, except Karen's real mom was from another universe.... and dead. Everyone from Karen's universe was dead but herself, but now wasn't the time to reflect on such a sobering fact.
She pressed another button, activating the message. "Hello, dear," The hologram said in Allura's sultry voice. "Work on the colony has been lighter than usual lately, so I thought I could drop by and see how you're doing for a day or two; make sure you're getting along okay." Patronization; just what Karen wanted. "You know, we could really use a hand like yours on the colony; I know my own daughter's busy with that silly Justice Club or whatever, but there's no reason your talents need to go to waste." Allura just didn't get earthlings. Neither did her own mother. The similarities only served to make her feel even more miserable.
Allura's voice then took on a hushed tone. "I understand what you've been going through these past few years. It's taken a toll on you, I know has. I just want to let you know that I'm.. here for you, Karen. I always have been. See you soon, Allura." I understand...Karen scoffed at that. Had Allura ever seen her entire universe destroyed in a blink of an eye? Had she ever had everyone she knew and loved deleted from existence?... She didn't hate Allura, not at all. She was a very nice woman. She just... wasn't her mother. She never could be, no matter how hard she tried. And because she did try hard...
No, Karen wasn't going to take her frustrations out on Allura. She was a good person, if a bit prejudiced. The frustration just got to her sometimes. She stuffed the communicator back into her pocket as she stood up, stretching her slender arms in a yawn. She needed to let Terra know, so she would be prepared. That girl was quirky; Karen honestly didn't know how'd she react to an unexpected event. That was part of her charm, but it could get troublesome if left unattended.
Karen made her way to the door that lead back into the sky-rise. She went to grab the doorknob, but she gripped it too hard, tearing it from the door frame. "Damn," she said to herself. "I did it again." The landlord would pissed off when he found out what she did to one of his doors again. She thought it best if she let him find out on his own. She turned around and chucked the doorknob into the distance. It shot up into the sky and out of sight in mere seconds. Evidence disposed of, she opened the door 'manually'.
Karen walked down the hall and, carefully, opened the door to her apartment. The apartment was essentially a penthouse, generously paid for by billionaire industrialist Bruce Wayne. It was spacious, chic, and had all the modern amenities. Honestly, Karen thought it was a bit much, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She walked through the apartment to the Den, where Terra was. Terra was sprawled out on a cushion next to a large plasma TV, wearing her own pair of jeans and designer T. She was flipping through channels, a bored expression on her face.
" In Tehran today...Head-on, apply direct... Kobe goes for the three pointer and...Oompa Loom... I have a bad feeling about this..." Terra gave a slight moan. "Man, there are SO many things on. How can you watch them all?" Karen smiled a bit, leaning over Terra. "Usually, we don't. We just pick the ones we like and, well, watch them." She ruffled Terra's short black, hair a little. "I'll take that." She said, pulling the remote control from Terra's hands. Terra looked annoyed for a moment, but Karen knew she was just messing with her. They had a kinda of understanding Karen hadn't felt since.. well, since arriving in this universe.
"Terra," Karen continued. "My mom's coming to see us, she'll probably be here soon."
"Your mom?" Terra said, a puzzled look on her face.
"Well, kinda.. sorta... But not really. It's...complicated, to say the least."
"Oh," Terra said. "What's a mom?"
Karen ran her hand over her face, but her smile showed through it. Yes, Terra's quirks made her a handful at times, but it also made her undeniably cute. That wasn't the only thing about her that was cute; her beady eyes, small nose and overall petite form made her seem like the little sister Karen never had, even though Terra herself. Karen's form, on the other hand, was anything but petite. Puberty, it seemed, had been exceptionally kind to her.
"Well," Karen started, trying to explain. " A mom is... someone who cares for you, raises you, nurtures you; that kind of stuff."
Terra pursed her lips, turning her eyes towards the ceiling in thought. "Hmmm... Yeah, I had one of those back underground. Did you?"
Terra's question caught Karen off-guard. "Well, yeah...had. Like I said, it's complicated, and if you don't mind, I'd rather not go into it right now."
Terra had a troubled look on her face, and for a second Karen was afraid she might have upset her. But her smile quickly returned. "Ok, whatever you say, Karen."
Karen smiled back, relieved she didn't have to dredge up more uncomfortable memories. "Let's see what's on the local news," she said, flipping over to a local broadcast channel. It was in the middle of the 10 O'clock News, showing an on the scene report. A female reporter with a nice red coat was standing in front of what appeared to be a factory, and next to her stood...
"Luthor." Karen said, her words suddenly filled with bitterness. What was this sleazeball doing in her city? Terra stared at Karen in confusion; at a loss for her sudden anger.
"I'm here live with the Founder and CEO of LexCorp, Mr. Lex Luthor," The reporter said, "To witness the beginning of the newest addition to the LexCorp family, LexSweets Incorporated. Tell me, Mr. Luthor, what inspired you to get into the candy business?"
"I'm glad you asked that, Ms. Brown," he said in that smooth yet slimy voice that made Karen just want to gag. He steepled his fingers, a disgusting smirk on his bald face "What else but candy can bring a smile to a child's face? For too long, the antiquated and costly practices of other corporations have kept untold numbers of underprivileged children from experiencing the joy of chocolate. But LexSweets is poised to change all that. That's what LexCorp is all about, after all; bringing people joy."
"What a bunch of bullcrap!" Karen shouted at the television in anger. Terra looked at Karen with genuine concern. "What's wrong?" she asked innocently.
"Oh, nothing," Karen responded, trying to sound calm in front of Terra. "Just another businessman lying through his teeth."
Terra wasn't convinced. "He says he wants to bring joy, right? Isn't that what we want to do?"
Karen forced a smile. Terra's heart was in the right place, but her naivete left it open for rampant abuse. "What people say and what people actually mean are two different things. You'll come to understand that." Terra remained unconvinced, but she didn't argue either, instead turning her attention back to the broadcast. Karen wondered how long it would take to teach Terra the ways of the world. She was definitely strong, but without proper understanding of how things operated, she could be easily abused. Karen knew she couldn't shield her forever. She just hoped she'd catch on soon.
"How very thoughtful of you," The reporter continued. Karen scoffed; she (and the entire station, for that matter) was probably on Luthor's payroll. "Is there anything else you'd like to add."
"Yes," Luthor said, looking as genial as a bald, corporate supervillian could be. "In fact there is. I have an invitation to extend to one 'Power Girl'..."
ME? Karen thought, her mind skipping a beat. Why's he inviting me?
"...Tommorrow morning, to tour our new chocolate factory." Luthor continued. "Now, I know there has been some bad blood between me and your family in the past, but consider this a burrying of the hatchet. Let bygones be bygones, as they say. Bring as many guests as you like, they'll be greatly appreciated."
This was a trap. It was so obvious a trap that Karen wondered why someone as smart as Lex Luthor would try to pull it on her... unless it wasn't a trap, and she was being paranoid...which is exactly what Luthor would want her to think. Damn, this was harder than she thought.
She turned off the television, unable to listen to more of Lex's garbage. Terra, on the other hand, beamed with an eager look on her face. "Oh, can we please go to the factory tomorrow? It seems so interesting. I wonder what candy tastes like. Hope its better than sushi." She pretended to gag.
Before Karen could respond, she began to feel the building quiver. Was she under attack?.. Of course not, that was just Allura's spaceship landing. She chuckled sheepishly at her own paranoia. "Hey, Terra," She said, grabbing her by the arm. "Mom's home. Wanna meet her?" Terra nodded in reply. "Then come with me, she'll be waiting for me on the roof. And don't ask about the doorknob. Please, just don't."
Terra nodded once more, so off they went to the roof of the apartment. Resting on the rooftop was a glistening, tear-shaped spaceship. It sat there, producing a humming sound that dissipated as the engines began to deactivate. Terra was awe struck by the sight. "Wow, so your mom's like... E.T. or something; I saw that on TV... does her finger glow?"
Karen laughed, throwing her arm around Terra's shoulder. "You'll see for yourself soon," she said as she waited for Allura to emerge.
Part of the metallic spacecraft peeled back, allowing the female Kryptonian to exit. She stepped from the ship, shaking her long, blond hair, which had grown messy from being cramped inside the spaceship. She strode towards them in her tight, blue and black jumpsuit, showing off a body that had surrendered little to her 40-odd years. Her womanly hips swayed side to side, and her chest had a bounce not unlike Karen's. Her face was warm and inviting, with rosy-red cheeks and not a single wrinkle. If Karen hadn't known better... But of course, she did. There was no use playing 'what ifs'.
"Karen!" Allura said, throwing her arms around her (somewhat) daughter. Karen responded in kind, although with a little less enthusiasm. "I've missed you so much," Allura continued in her sultry voice. "We've got so much catching up to.. who is this?" She said, noticing Terra for the first time.
"Hi, I'm Terra. That means Earth in Latin." she said, offering Allura a handshake with a wide grin on her face. Allura shot Karen a puzzled glance. "You're living with a human?" she said, with a hint of indignation.
"Well, technically," Karen tried to explain. "She isn't technically a human."
"I'm from underground!" Terra chimed in.
Allura gave Terra an odd look. " I... see." She turned back to Karen, resting her hands on Karen's shoulders. "Look, its not that I dislike humans, I just feel your wasting your talents on them. You're capable of so much more."
Karen pushed her semi-mother's hands off her. "I've made my choice, Allura, and I'm sticking by it. Not you or anyone else can change it."
Allura smirked. "Every bit as stubborn as my daughter, aren't you?"
"Where do you think she gets it from?" Karen responded in kind. The two stood in silence for a moment before Allura resumed talking. "I need to cloak the ship." She reached down and pressed a button on her belt. The spaceship flickered for a second before turning invisible. "So," Allura continued, "What do us girls want to do together?"
"OH!" shouted Terra, raising her hand. "Let's go to the factory thing that Luthor guy invited us to!"
"Hmm?" Allura said, mildly intrigued. "What kind of factory is it?"
"A candy factory!" Terra said enthusiastically, almost jumping with excitement. "It's a place where they make sweet things that taste real good. This guy, Luthor, invited Karen to tour it tomorrow. And she can bring whoever she wants!"
"Hmm.." Allura said, placing her hands on her hips as she thought it over.
"I don't think this a good idea," Karen butted in. Allura frowned. " Why not?"
"He's evil!" Karen said with conviction. "Your nephew fights him on a regular basis!"
"So what?" Allura said dismissively. "He's only human."
"He's really smart!" Karen argued.
"Pfft, maybe for a human." Allura replied nonchalantly. Karen grit her teeth at Allura's stubbornness. Sensing the tension between the two, Terra tried to defuse the situation. "Karen, if this guy turns out to be as bad a guy you say he is; don't you think the three of us could take him?"
As bad a guy you say he is...HA. Karen scoffed at the notion. There was no doubt in her mind about Luthor's vileness. It was a simple fact of nature. Still... Terra had a point.
"I geuss," Karen admitted, " We'd be able to take him. He is just a human, after all."
Allura clapped her hands, a cheery smile returning to her face. "Wonderful! Now, would you girls kindly lead me to where I'll be spending the night? I don't want to be unprepared for the tour tomorrow." The girls lead Allura down to their apartment, where they made an impromptu bed for Allura out of the den's sofa. With a potentially big day ahead of them, the girls all turned in early. Karen slipped into her button up night-gown before sliding under the covers of her bed. Despite her reservations about the upcoming trip, Karen soon fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.
By the time Karen had awoken the next morning, light was already seeping into the room through the window blinds. Crap, this late? she thought to herself. She slid her legs over the side of her bed, then stretched her arms over head, releasing a tremendous yawned. As she did so, her chest pressed up against her already taut nightgown. The strain of her breasts forced the topmost button on her gown to burst off, landing on the floor. Karen blushed, covering up her exposed cleavage with her arms. This was one of those times where the enormity of her bosom proved a hindrance more than anything else. It was hard enough finding the right cup-size for them, and most of her tops had to be mail ordered (Though the fact that she wore her standard heroing leotard most of the time made it easier for her). It made talking to the opposite sex difficult, hell, even the same sex was difficult sometimes. It was as if there was a magnetic force, pulling their eyes down towards her large, soft breasts. Her cleavage was like a black hole; once you spotted it, your eyes could never escape. Karen could understand why, but it frustrated her to no end how that was the only thing most people saw in her.
She looked across the room towards Terra's bed. There lay Terra, cuddled up snugly in her black and white striped PJs, still soundly asleep. Karen smiled. Terra never fixated on her chest. She was a person to her, and more importantly a friend. despite her naivete, she could relate to her, and they had a deep understanding of each other. They were so intertwined, Karen scarcely thought what she could do with out her.
Karen went over and place her hand on Terra's shoulder to break her slumber. "Wake up, sleepy head," Karen said playfully. "Don't want to be late for the tour, do you?" Terra's eye flickered opened, and before Karen could react, she had clamored out of bed and had begun stripping off her night clothes. Karen turned away, blushing again. "So," Terra said cheerfully as she continued to disrobe, pulling her top off of her own perky breasts. "We're going in our superhero getups, right?"
"Well," Karen tried to find the words as Terra pulled he pajama bottoms off from her slender legs. "Yeah. He invited Powergirl, not Karen. It'd make no sense to wear anything else." Terra quickly ran over to the closet, pulling one of her suits down from the rack, which she slipped into with ease. "Well?" she said, placing her hand on her firm hips. She was wearing a black and white form fitting suit that covered her torso. It was low cut (what super heroine suit wasn't?) and ended with white gloves for her hands. To cap it off, she wore black boots that stretched all the way up her calves. "What do you think?" Karen gave her a thumbs up. "You look great, Terra. Go wait out in the den with Allura. I'll be done in a minute."
Terra nodded, then went through the door to join Allura. With a sigh, Karen removed her night gown, then went over to the closet herself to retrieve her leotard. Her fuller curves filled her suit much more snugly than Terra's did as she put it on, but she managed it well enough. She studied herself in the mirror, making sure her hair was in line and her suit was on straight. It wasn't that much unlike Terra's, only white with blue gloves and boots, topped off with a red belt around the waist and opening that gave every villain a great view of her cleavage before she punched their face in. she also had a red cape held in place by a golden plate, which Karen admitted was a bit much, but since she had saved her city so many times she thought she deserved to be a little flamboyant. She didn't spend much more time appraising her body; she was aware of her beauty, but she wasn't vain. After a quick overview, she joined Allura and Terra, who were waiting for her in the main room.
Allura was already in her blue-black jumpsuit, sitting on the armrest of the couch while sipping a mug of coffee. "Can you believe it?" she said, pulling the mug away from her luscious lips. "Humans actually have to MAKE their own beverages. Shouldn't they all have automatons or something do menial tasks like this?" Karen giggled slightly to herself. Allura was a kind women, but she often took for granted the benefits of being a member of an advanced alien race. "There are such robots," Karen replied. "But they're much too expensive for the average human to afford."
"Hmmph," Allura grunted, taking another sip of coffee. She didn't hate humans, not at all. She just did not have a very high opinion of them. "So," she continued, placing her now empty mug on the coffee table. "You all ready to see this guy's chocolate factory?" Terra, who was standing next to Karen, nodded vigorously. Karen, not entirely convinced, gave her own curt nod. Allura stood up, placing her hands in her hips. "Then it's time to get this show on the road. Thus guy won't be waiting for us forever." With that, Allura quickly herded the girls out of the apartment and onto the roof, where they soon took flight. Karen was forced to carry Terra, as there were no spare rocks lying around for her to fly on. Niether one of them seemed to mind much, though.
"Hey," Terra said playfully, squirming in Karen's arms which were wrapped around her belly. "You're squeezing me!"
Karen smiled back. "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you rather me let you go?"
Both of them giggled, the wind blowing through their beautiful hair. Karen landed both of them a block away from the factory, and they were both now incredibly at ease. What ever nefarious plans Lex Luthor may have had planned couldn't have been farther from her mind. All she could think about was her friend and how excited she was to be here. It filled her with warmth to see her so happy for once. No matter what happens here, Karen thought to herself. This'll be a day to remember. I know it will be.
-------
Kryptonian Blueberries
by Ghassy
PART II
Karen lowered Terra gently to the ground before releasing. Though Terra was a very capable heroine in her own right, Karen wanted to be sure she didn't hurt her. If anything were to happen to her... She didn't even entertain that thought. As long as she was on her guard, nothing bad would befall her. On some level, she knew how much she was doting on Terra, but that wasn't a fact she cared much to ponder over. They all had a factory to tour.
The factory itself looked to be yet another testament to Luthor's industrial might. The building towered over everything else in the vicinity, and stretched for over a mile, taking up several city blocks. On the side of the compound were giant, green illuminated letters reading 'LEXSWEETS INC.' Luthor definitely was not letting his presence go unnoticed.
In front of the factory was the Grand Plaza, complete with a spurting water fountain and a solid gold statue of Luthor (Karen shook her head. Why had that not surprised her?), and behind that was an equally Grand Entrance way, covered by a massive, blue marble arch. And standing in front of the door... was him. Luthor was dressed in his usual business suit, looking more prepared for a business conference than a factory tour. He had that smirk on his face, that superior, arrogant smirk of his that let everyone know just how pathetic they were compared to him. Hatred for him resurfaced inside of her; she curled her hand into a fist. An uppercut would surely wipe that smirk from his face.
Instead, she forced a smile. She wasn't going to let her anger get the best of her. She began moving forward to shake his hand, but Allura, who had landed before her, beat her to the punch. She shook his hand cordially. "Nice to meet you Mr...." "Luthor," he finished for her in his smarmy, businessman voice. "Lex Luthor. But please, call me Lex. And you must be Powergirl's lovely mother. I can now clearly see where she got her beauty from."
Allura blushed slightly, releasing Luthor's hand. Karen ground her teeth, infuriated that her archnemisis had just hit on her mother; sort of. But she kept her composure, unwilling to let her anger control her. Luthor then glanced down at Terra, who was standing next to Allura, and grinned. "Ahh, the newest defender of the city; the geomancer Terra." he said as he ruffled her black hair. Terra quickly frowned, and batted away Luthor's hand. "Don't touch me!" she yelled at him, causing Luthor to stagger backwards. Karen couldn't help but grin, she always loved seeing Luthor get knocked down a peg.
Terra took a step a back, a worried expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor.." she said, almost trembling. "I just don't like being touched." Luthor smiled. "It's ok, I understand. I promise I wont touch you again without your permission." He then turned to Allura. "I'm afraid I haven't learned your name yet."
"Allura," she said simply as she messed with her long, blond hair. "Of New Krypton."
"A shame what happened to the old one, isn't it?" Was that... a joke? Karen clenched her fist so hard she could feel her manicured fingernails digging into the palm of her hand through her glove. If he gave her just ONE more reason to knock his lights out, she'd-
"Alright," Luthor said, gesturing towards the factory entrance. "Now that we're done introducing ourselves, lets get this tour underway, shall we?" Karen let her fist loosen. Luthor was a creep, but he was a creep she could deal with. And if there was any nefarious plotting going on inside the factory, well, there were three super heroines right there to put a stop to it. With a sigh, she turned towards the entrance way, following Luthor and the other girls lead into the factory.
The factory's lobby was as massive as anything else in the factory. A high, vaulted ceiling towered over a wide expanse of marble flooring, broken up by a large central kiosk where several secretaries were busy at work. On the far wall below a stock ticker was a large banner displaying the company's kitchy motto; "LexSweets: The Taste No One Beats."
"So Powergirl," Luthor continued as they walked across the lobby. "What brought you to take up my author? Ready to let bygones be bygones?"
Karen scoffed. "As if. This has to be, what, the 12th time you've supposedly 'turned over a new leaf'?"
"Now, PG," Luthor said in a cloying tone as they approached a set of metal doors separating the lobby from the actual factory. "Don't you heroes believe in second chances and new beginnings and all that?" He pulled a keycard through a scanner, opening the metal doors. "I'm a changed man."
"I'll believe that when I see it." Karen said to herself as she stepped through the airlock with the others. The pair of doors closed behind them as the group walked to the other side, where Luthor repeated the process. The metal doors parted to reveal...
An ordinary factory. Sure, a super-sized one, with conveyors snaking all around and towering several stories above the factory floor, but it wasn't anything THAT spectacular. "Ahh," said Luthor, taking in a deep breath. "This where all the magic happens."
A look of disappointment spread across Terra's face. "Magic? I don't See any magic? All I see are machines."
"Why, that's the magic of Industry!" Luthor said, making a sweeping gesture encompassing all the machinery and workers in the room. "Through LexSweets revolutionary mechanization process, we can sell our chocolate at a tenth of what the leading competitor can. Our efficient-"
"Efficient?" Allura interrupted, shaking her hair from side to side. "Please. A Kryptonian schoolchild could make a mechanism more efficient than this."
Luthor halted for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. "Well, until you kind Kryptonians are generous enough to share your technology with us, we'll make do with what we have." He beckoned them along, passing by all manner of ovens and conveyors and other mechanisms involved in the candy production process. Terra's mood, however, didn't improve. "I mean," she started saying to Karen. "I saw a movie once. Well, part of a movie actually. All these kids went to a factory run by this funny man, and when they showed the chocolate room, it was filled with candy trees and grass and everything. They even had a river made of CHOCOLATE. THAT'S magical. This is just.."
"This is real life," Karen said, placing a hand on Terra's shoulder. "Things aren't always like they are in the movies. In fact, they're hardly ever like them. You've got to learn to accept the world as it really is if you want to actually do something about it. And sometimes, it is rather disappointing."
Terra pouted. "I wish it weren't." Karen giggled. "We all do. But again, that's life. Besides, we're not done with the tour yet. Maybe they'll be something amazing at the end, hm?"
Terra looked her over for a minute, not sure if she wanted to agree with her. She finally sighed. "If you say so." Karen smiled, wrapping her arm around Terra as they continued moving through the production line.
"Well," Luthor said as they approached what appeared to be a set of elevators. "Since you appear to be unimpressed by my main production line, how about I show you some of my more experimental projects?" He took his keycard again and slid it through the scanner, opening the elevator door. They all stepped inside and rode it down, deep into the bowels of the facility. After about a minute, the elevator came to halt and the doors opened, revealing a long corridor lined with doorways. "Ladies," he said with another grand gesture. "Welcome to LexSweets Research and Development Division. Where the impossible frequently is made possible."
Impossible frequently made possible? What kind of hyperbole was that for a candy company? Lex's kind, no doubt. No matter how mundane the accomplishment, he always needed to accompany it with an overdose of flair.
"There's one project in particular," Lex continued, "That I'm very interested in showing you. One I believe will change the world. This isn't just bluster," his voice suddenly becoming solemn. "I have hopes for this project, and once you see it, I believe you all will too."
Oh great, Karen thought to herself. Just what I need to deal with; one of Luthor's pet projects. This was CANDY after all. How friggin' revolutionary could you make a bar of chocolate or a stick of gum be?
Allura soldiered ahead of the group, swaying her vivacious hips from side to side without a care. Karen kept catching Luthor sizing up her mother's form like a buzzard. She felt two conflicting emotions; disgust for having her own mother (well, sorta) be the eye candy of that creep, and surprise for not being the one to attract unwanted male attention. His hand was perilously close to Allura's toned backside. If he so much as touched it, he'd never touch a damn thing with that hand ever again.
Karen also began noticing the doorways they were passing. Each door was labelled with the name of the project they contained, and the status of the project. Karen came to a door that caught her attention, labeled 'Sour Shocker'; it's progress was labelled 'CANCELLED' with an exclamation mark and underscored three times. Luthor, spotting Karen's interest, spoke up. "Ah yes, the Sour Shockers. A bit... TOO shocking, as it turned out. But that project's in the past," He beckoned them around a corner, towards the final door in the hallway. "This...This is the future!" Karen groaned. Again with the melodrama. At least Terra was begin to look excited again. Whatever Luthor had in store, it better damn well have been worth it.
Luthor pressed a button, causing the doors to fly open inward. The room wasn't that large; no more than 30 feet or so across, but it had a high, vaulted ceiling which slanted inward towards a central machine. Several things dangled above group from the ceiling, and Terra was fascinated by them, like a toddler watching a mobile twirl around in a crib. "Oooh, what's that?"
"None of your concern," Luthor said curtly. He pointed at the machine in the center of the room. "That, ladies, is what I've brought you here to see."
"What does it do?" Karen said bluntly. Luthor craned his neck towards her, grinning. "Well, you'll just have to wait and find out."
The machine itself was enormous, towering over everything else in the room. It was sleek, new age design, with only a few tubes sticking out of it. It didn't look like any candy machine Karen had ever seen before. Luthor stepped up to a control panel in front of the device, activating it. Lights on the control panel and device flashed as the mechanism whirred to life. "This revolutionary machine is completely solar powered, with absolutely no waste byproducts at all." Luthor commented.
"That's nice," Karen said sarcastically. "But what does it DO?"
"I'm getting to that," Luthor said, beginning to grow annoyed. He pressed a button three times, then stood back from the console as machine began to come to life. "Witness the marvel of modern science!" He said, trying to talk over the noise of the machine. Light blinked across its surface as fluids passed through the tubes. Terra stared on in wonder. Karen and Allura, on the other hand, were far less impressed by Luthor's light show. "With the latest in genetic engineering, I've been able to compress a full, three course meal, complete with all the vitamins, proteins and nutrients found in the actual dish, into..." The noise finally subsided as three small, rectangular objects were deposited from machine into a tray next to Luthor. " A stick of ordinary chewing gum."
Karen twisted her face in confusion, doing a double take at both Luthor and the gum. She tried to think of something to say, but all she could manage was "Gum?!" Luthor nodded. "It's still got a few... kinks in it, but like I said, I have high hopes for it. I see a future where hunger and starvation are no longer remembered; LexSweet Meal Replacement Gum will be available to all. No one shall ever go hungry again."
Karen picked up a piece, giving it a funny look as she squeezed it a little between her fingers. "Yeah, but....Gum? Whose going to want to chew gum that tastes like meat?"
"Hey, as they say, 'don't knock it 'till you try it'." Luthor said simply. "In fact, that's why I brought you ladies here today. This you're own private taste testing. Think about it, you'll be the first non-LexSweet employees to a try a piece. You all have an edge on the entire world!"
Karen stared at the gum hard, unsure of what to do. By now, Allura and Terra had already grabbed their pieces. Allura looked mildly intrigued with the gum, but to her, it was just another frivolous thing to experience. Terra, on the other hand, couldn't wait to try the gum, and kept looking to Karen to see if she approved. "Oh, Ka..PG, this is just like the movie I saw! A girl was about to try a gum just like this! I didn't see how it turned out, but I bet it was great!" Karen forced a smile, then turned back to Luthor.
"You sure this is safe?" She said, cautiously.
"My dear," he said condescendingly. "It's candy. What can be dangerous about a piece of candy?"
Knowing you... she thought to herself. She scanned the gum with her X-Ray vision. After a thorough inspection, she found not a single trace of poison and kryptonite. Karen sighed. "It's clean."
"See?" Luthor said. "Got yourself all worked up over nothing. Now, are you going to accept my offer or not?"
Karen's eyes darted between Lex and the gum. No use being a stick in the mud... "Fine, we'll try it."
Terra squealed as she quickly placed the stick in her mouth and began to chew. She pulled it back and forth with her tongue, trying to soak in the flavor. "Mmmmm.... Tomato soup... fresh off the stove." Allura, who had nonchalantly slid the gum into her mouth, as surprised by the strong taste of the gum. "Wow...This really is good... It's like the real thing." Karen looked on as her friend and mother (who wasn't really) continued chewing vigorously. Oh well, what the hell. She thought to herself, and popped her piece into her mouth. She was immediately struck by a torrent of flavor; the rich taste of tomato soup; warm and creamy; dripping down her throat... it was all too much for her to take in.
"Mmmm..." said Allura, licking her chops. "It's changing...Roast Beef and Baked Potatoes.." Her hands fell to her stomach; it was SO realistic she could actual feel herself getting full. Karen, who had switched to the main course as well, felt a bit full herself, but she didn't care. Any doubt in her mind vanished as long as the taste of hearty, homemade beef filled her mouth.
"Oooh, I can feel the last dish coming!" Terra said expectantly. Karen did as well, and suddenly it hit her; The sweet, fruity taste; the warm, flaky crust; and a dollop of vanillia ice cream to top it all off. "Ooh...Blueberry Pie!" Karen squealed, unable to help herself. Allura and Terra released similar moans as well, the taste of this last dish was more than they could've imagined. Allura, who had been gasping at the rich taste, began to regain her composure. "Oh, Mr. Luthor, for a human, you're really...Karen?" She said, showing concern. Karen was mortified, her own gum seemingly dissipating as well. "Don't ever use my-" "Karen," She interrupted firmly. "Your nose. It's... Blue."
"Wha-what?" Karen stammered, touching it with her gloved fingers. Indeed, splotches of blue were appearing on the tip of her nose, and, spreading through her veins, crept on to her face. She could feel it now, a cool trickling sensation spreading through her skin, tickling her nerves. Suddenly she noticed; "It's happening to you! And you too!" She said, pointing at both Terra and Allura's faces. Both of
them gasped, now feeling the sensation for themselves.
The blueness spread through their veins like a cerulean weed, spreading out across their temples and cheeks until their entire face took on a brilliant blue hue. The filaments in Allura's and Karen's hair turned light blue as the change spread as well (Terra's black hair gre several shades lighter, becoming dark indigo). Each looked upon one another in stunned silence as the color continued to spread, yet still chewing the gum which was (obviously, Karen could see now, feeling like such a fool) doing this to them. Luthor continued to grin in the background.
"Every time," Luthor said as he chuckled to himself, taking in the heroines shocked, azure faces. "It happens every time. I should really get around to fixing it one of these days, but," He shrugged, feigning innocence. "What can you do?"
Karen knew she should be enraged. She knew she should be beating the crap out of Luthor for doing this to her and her friends. But she wasn't and wouldn't; all she could do was react in surprise and shock as she felt the blueness creep underneath her leotard; over chest (through the opening in her outfit, she could see her breasts be engulfed in the wave of blue); across her arms; down her legs. She felt the sensation spread under her blue boots to the tips of her toes; her tingling feeling encompassing her entire body. She was now completely blue.
Embarrassed by her predicament, Karen blushed; her cheeks turning a flushed shade of indigo. He eye darted between Allura and Terra, who she could tell had turned blue completely as well. She could make out details on them that she couldn't on herself; their lips were now deep purple (and fuller? Karen couldn't tell) and their eyes had seemed to turn more blueish as well. Karen pondered over the changes, thinking...
"Luthor!" Suddenly and violently coming to her senses. She stormed up him and grabbed him by his ironed shirt collar. "What the hell have you dont to u..?" She stopped mid-sentence, feeling a pain in her stomach. It was like a stomache mixed with indigestion, only ten times worse. She let go of Luthor and stumbled backwards, clutching her stomach with her gloved hands, which did little to mitigate the pain. "Karen," Allura said, finally breaking her fixation on her own changes to worry about her (quasi-)daughter. "What's wrong?"
Luthor shook his head, clucking reprovingly. "Violence gets you nowhere, Powergirl. But you never learned that, did you? Break this, smash that; you were always brute forcing the problems you couldn't solve. But you see, a calculated approach can be very... fruitful." he said, grinning.
Karen couldn't bring herself to respond; the pain her belly was growing more intense. She released a soft moan as the sensation pushed outward...against her hand? She looked down, not believing what she was seeing. Her white leotard, which normally clung to her thin, athletic body, was rising outward, against her gloves. She could feel it squeeze between her fingers as it continued to press outward. Karen was in complete shock. "Mother?" The blue-skinned Karen stammered, holding her gurgling, expanding stomach. "What's happening to me?"
TO BE CONTINUED
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Freakinweirdo's Illustration
Thoughts?