Even heroes have the right to dream [Open]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

He hasn't wanted to sleep since he arrived.  And technically, he doesn't need to, not for long periods.

He CHOSE to in his everyday existence.  He does need to dream from time to time.   But since he arrived on board, he's been trying to memorize every detail he can.

Which isn't much.  He was trying to conserve some of the more physically strenuous uses of his powers...it occurred to him that he was cut off from the sun, meaning that he wasn't getting a regular solar recharge.  Meaning what he did had a finite limit at the moment.  What that WAS is hard to day.

Fortunately, he didn't particularly need to eat as often as normal humans did either.  Which is a good thing with what was being served in the ship.

He hasn't ventured terribly far yet.   Just not...into it, I guess.

Yep, the melancholies have set in.

Comments

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

"Why so glum, chum?" When Superman looks up, he'll see a pretty Latina woman in her early twenties looking down at him. "It's the food, isn't it? I know, I know. It makes Doublemeat Palace seem awesome by comparison. Hell, it even makes the mutant chickens from KFC seem like gourmet cooking." She smiles brightly at him. "Care for some, uh, company?"

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

Despite his mood, it made sense for him to get to know the other people on this ship. She might save his life one day. Besides, he genuinely liked people. "Of course." Superman said, managing a smile. "I'm Kal-El. It's good to meet you, miss..."

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

"Wendy," she says, holding out her hand. "Wendy Watson. Big, big fan."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

Superman's eyebrows arch. "Are you from my world?"

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

"Oh, not even close," Wendy says. "Though if I was, I'd totally love to have a comic book store or something in Metropolis." She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "No, where I'm from, all of you guys are comic book characters or television characters or anime characters. You, specifically, are everywhere."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

This is getting more uncomfortable by the minute. That said, in a world without the metas that are commonplace for Kal, what he does would be pretty...fantastic.

"And people are entertained by this?"

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

Wendy senses his discomfort and smiles apologetically. "They are. Some of them, at least. Others are inspired, and they look up to you." She won't mention the fanfiction and stuff she's come across, because somehow, she doesn't think that Superman would like to know about the Superman and Lex Luthor slash that's out there. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable..."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

Kal smiles. Genuinely, that boyish smile that melted Lois' heart from time to time. "It's not you, Ms. Watson. It's...even for someone used to dealing with the unusual, the whole thing isn't sitting right with me. Of course going from being dead to...this..." he waves his hand in a gesture. "...can be disconcerting. You seem to be handling it well, at least."

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

It's an infectious smile, one that causes Wendy herself to smile as well. It's not a flirty sort of smile - she wouldn't dare even think of flirting with Superman of all people - but it's a warm one. A friendly one. "Please. Just call me Wendy," she says. She shrugs then. "Where I come from, I work with this guy called the Middleman - and be careful, he might squee if he sees you. Loudly. He's a bigger Captain Marvel fan, I think (his nickname's the Big Green Cheese), but I wouldn't be surprised if he was a huge fan of yours either." She blinks. "Right. Off-topic. I'm kind of a superhero. We fight evil so that, you know, the public doesn't have to. Plus, the comics and the video games and...I'm kinda desensitized to all of it."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

"Oh good, we'll be training together soon then." Superman said. "The Captain has asked a couple of the more experienced heroes to handle training the others so we can find something resembling teamwork"

[wendy-watson.livejournal.com]

It took everything in Wendy's power not to squeal and tackle Kal.

"That...would be awesome."

[twelvevoltman.livejournal.com]

Down the hall, someone is trying not to crap his pants with glee.

"Excuse me! Mr, uh . . . Superman." Tall, skinny guy, black electric guitar in one hand, silver sharpie in the other, waves like the spaz he frequently is. "Hey. I'm trying to get your attention without doing the whole It's A Blank thing, but my normally killer wit is failing me so, uh - can you sign my axe?"

He holds out the guitar and the sharpie.

"I'm pretty sure after that, there's not much I can do to make it more metal."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

Kal looks confused. "I...don't have any transmutation powers..."

[twelvevoltman.livejournal.com]

"'Metal' in a nonliteral sense, in this case as a synonym for 'awesome' or 'appropriate for use as an instrument of rock 'n roll,'" Allen explains. "I don't mean to be a bother, but my arm's getting tired."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

Kal shrugs, takes the pen, and signs the guitar. This had been a first for him. But it was better than the requests he got from women to sign their breasts.

[twelvevoltman.livejournal.com]

"Oh, and could you sign my -"

He points to his chest.

"Naw man, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You get that all the time, right?"

If Allen's fanboy grin gets any wider, his face is gonna split. "Normally I'd give you your space now but we ARE crewmates so we're probably gonna run into each other so hi, I'm Allen, I do engineering. It's truly awesome to meet you, sir."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

Superman smiles and offers a handshake. "Kal-El. Please, call me Kal."

[twelvevoltman.livejournal.com]

"Really?" Allen takes Superman's hand (he's never washing his again, mostly because the plantsuit does it for him) and attempts to pump it vigorously. "Kal, I can't tell you how awesome it is to have you here. Really. Between you and Robin and Spiderman and Future Batman, this is pretty much the best abduction ever."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

Kal's eyes shot open at the last one. "What do you mean,
'future Batman?'"

[twelvevoltman.livejournal.com]

"You know - that kid, Terry. Takes over after current Batman?"

Allen raises an eyebrow. "We may be dealing with some crossed continuums here -"

[beyondgotham.livejournal.com]

Terry had been in a bit of funk since that whole having-to-beat-up-Robin thing. This involved a whole lot of moping around the ship.

But here was something to immediately lift his spirits - the man himself. His biggest hero next to his Dad and Bruce. Superman.

"Uh.... sir?" He said hesitantly. Because really, what exactly can you say to Superman?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_man_of_steel_/]

Superman looked up...third visitor of the night. Interesting.

"Please...call me Kal." Superman said.

[beyondgotham.livejournal.com]

"Seriously?" The just about floored Terry. Half the time, he didn't even refer to Bruce Wayne by his first name.

Terry held out a hand. "Terry. Terry McGinnis. Just. Just wow. I'm talking to the slaggin' Superman. Just... wow. You're one of my biggest heroes."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

"I've...been getting that a lot here." Superman said. "Am I a comic-book in your world too?"

[beyondgotham.livejournal.com]

This confused Terry for a moment. Why would Superman be a comic? But then he remembered that Leela and Allen knew him as a cartoon. It was pretty confusing, really. Not to mention weird.

"No, man, you're a legend!" Terry said excitedly. "See, you and me, we're from the same world... or, at least sort of. I'm from Gotham. As in, Batman's Gotham. Just, I'm from the 2050s."

He didn't want to mention that he had replaced Batman. At least not yet. Stupid time-traveling.

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

Finally, some common ground. "I'm glad to see Gotham's still standing fifty-plus years into the future." Superman said. "It was 1992 when I was...taken? Plucked?" Superman sighed. "Is Batman still alive in your world?"

[beyondgotham.livejournal.com]

Damn it, why did people have to go and ask him about the future? Now he had two choices - tell the truth, or lie to the Superman. He'd heard about Supe's many powers, but wasn't sure if lie detection was one of them. Stupid super powered people. Life would be so much easier if all vigilantes were like Batman.

"Well, um. I guess you could say he's alive. There was a... while when he wasn't around, when I was a kid. But a few years ago - I mean, in 2050, I was grabbed in 2053 - he showed back up again."

[look-upinthesky.livejournal.com]

Kal nodded. He didn't have lie detection powers per se...but he could listen to your heartbeat and work off the fluctuations, if there are any.

"Allen...the one engineer...mentioned something about a 'future Batman' being on the ship somewhere. Is this the Batman from your era?"

[beyondgotham.livejournal.com]

Allen? Allen who? Wait, was that the guy from the lockers? Leela's friend?

"Well, Allen's not really... from our world. So, it depends. What exactly did he say about 'future Batman'?"

Hopefully nothing important to Terry's past that Supes might try to stop and in doing so screw up the world.