Chapter 2: The Girl of Steel and a Very Peculiar Proposition
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: TRADE OPPORTUNITY DETECTED: KARA DANVERS (SUPERGIRL).]
The system's alert was a gentle nudge, a quiet confirmation that I wasn't entirely insane for wanting to approach the woman who could probably bench-press a bus. Kara Danvers. Sitting right there. And according to my previous, pre-death meta-knowledge, my future ridiculously powerful girlfriend. No pressure, Adam. Just, you know, establish the foundation of a multiversal romance while simultaneously gaining a superpower. Standard Tuesday, really.
I subtly checked my holographic inventory again. The Nth Metal Locket still shimmered, patiently awaiting its destiny. Its purpose: to facilitate the first, pivotal trade with Kara. The reward, according to the logline, was Solar Energy Absorption (Minor). Not exactly flight on demand, but a start. Every superhero had to begin somewhere, right? Batman started with parental trauma and a trust fund. I started with a blank space and an Nth Metal Locket. Arguably, my origin story was more relatable.
"Okay, deep breaths, Stiels. You've prepared for this. You've replayed this moment a thousand times in your head, just, you know, with less actual cosmic reincarnation involved. Don't be a creep. Be the charming, slightly unhinged individual you were born to be. Or, apparently, reborn to be."
My eyes scanned the coffee shop, searching for that innocuous opening, that perfect conversational gambit that wouldn't make me sound like I'd just escaped from a conspiracy theory convention. Kara was still absorbed in her newspaper, a half-eaten pastry forgotten on her plate. My gaze fell on the small, buried human interest piece about homeless shelters that I remembered from my research. It was perfect. Benign enough for an opener, and genuinely reflective of Kara's compassionate nature.
I cleared my throat, a sound that seemed disproportionately loud in the quiet hum of the cafe. Kara's head snapped up, her bright blue eyes, magnified by her glasses, wide and slightly startled. My internal monologue was already doing stand-up.
"Stage fright, Adam? Really? You just cheated death and got a cosmic vending machine, and now you're nervous about talking to a pretty girl? Pathetic. But also, endearing. Probably."
"Excuse me," I began, pitching my voice just loud enough to be heard over the gentle clatter of cups. I gestured vaguely towards her newspaper. "Sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help but notice you were reading that article about the homeless shelters. It's... it's really great, what they're doing. I mean, you don't see enough good news stories these days, do you? Especially about people genuinely trying to help."
Her initial surprise melted into a genuine, warm smile. "Bingo! Hook, line, and super-sinker!"
"Oh, no, you're not bothering me at all," she said, her voice like warm honey, exactly as I remembered. "And you're right. It's easy to get caught up in all the bad things happening, but there are always good people trying to make a difference."
"Exactly!" I said, leaning forward slightly, a carefully constructed earnestness in my tone. "It's like, you scroll through the news and it's all doom and gloom, right? Alien invasions, supervillains trying to steal the Statue of Liberty, regular villains trying to steal your wallet... a little bit of genuine human kindness is a refreshing change." I subtly paused, letting the meta-knowledge linger for a beat, a tiny, almost imperceptible test. She didn't react. Good. Too soon for the "I know your secret identity" card.
"I'm Adam, by the way," I offered, extending a hand across the table. It was a calculated risk. Physical contact. The true test of whether she sensed anything… off about me.
Kara's smile widened as she took my hand. Her grip was firm, surprisingly strong beneath its apparent gentleness, but not enough to trigger any "adaptable body" protocols. "Kara," she replied, her handshake brief but warm.
"Nice to meet you, Kara," I said, a genuine twinkle in my eyes. "Nice to meet you, future co-savior of the multiverse. Don't worry, I come with a very powerful emotional support system. Me."
"So," she said, pulling her hand back, "are you new to National City? I haven't seen you around this coffee shop before."
"Ah, the classic 'new in town' question. Do I tell her I literally just materialized here from a cosmic blank space? Or do I stick with the slightly more plausible, 'recently moved, seeking adventure and decent coffee' narrative?"
"Uh, yeah, something like that," I hedged, opting for the well-worn vagueness. "Just moved here, actually. Figured it was time for a change of scenery. And, you know, warmer weather. My old city was perpetually grey. Like a bad film noir, but without the cool trench coats."
Kara chuckled, a bright, melodic sound that sounded exactly like the sound bite from my memory. "Well, welcome to National City, Adam. We're usually pretty sunny here. Unless, you know, there's a giant alien spaceship blocking out the sun. That happens." She said it with a slight roll of her eyes, a familiar quirk from the show.
"Oh, you have no idea. I've got the full series boxed set playing in my head. I'm ready for the Durlans, the Daxamites, and definitely the Dominators. Bring it on. Eventually."
"Yeah, I've heard," I said, trying to keep my voice casual. "Seems like a bustling place. Lots of... activity." I paused, then decided to go for it. The Nth Metal Locket was itching to be traded.
"Listen, this might sound a little strange," I began, adopting a slightly sheepish expression, "but I've got this... thing. It's a bit of an impulse purchase, I'll admit, but I saw it and thought it was really unique. And, well, I don't really have anyone to give it to. But it just… it reminded me of something. And, uh, I was wondering, would you be open to a… a very unconventional trade?"
Kara's eyebrows rose slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "An unconventional trade?" she repeated, a slight smile playing on her lips. "I'm intrigued. What kind of trade are we talking about, Adam?"
"Okay, deep breaths. This is it. The big ask. The slightly-creepy-but-canon-mandated hug for a superpower."
"Okay, so," I continued, mentally preparing myself to access the inventory. "I have this… locket. It's made of this really cool, rare metal. Nth metal, actually. And it's got this… subtle energy to it. Nothing dangerous, just… interesting. And I was thinking, I don't really need it, but I would really appreciate a hug. Like, a genuine, 'welcome to National City, hope you don't get vaporized by a rogue laser beam' kind of hug. In exchange for the locket."
Kara blinked. Once. Twice. Her smile faltered for a second, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. Her polite curiosity was slowly morphing into something that might have been suspicion. Or maybe just bewilderment.
"Oh, for the love of all that is holy, Stiels, you just proposed a hug-for-locket trade with Supergirl. This is either going to be the start of a beautiful friendship or the moment she decides you're a creepy stalker who needs to be gently but firmly deposited on the moon. Honestly, 50/50 odds at this point."
"A... a hug?" she finally managed, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and genuine confusion. "You want to trade a locket made of Nth metal for a hug?"
"Yeah!" I chirped, trying to sound as earnest and harmless as possible. "Think of it as... a welcome present. From the universe. Through me. I mean, I'm just the humble messenger. And hugs are universally appreciated, right? Especially when you're new in town. And I promise, it's not a trick. No hidden cameras, no alien mind control. Just a locket and a hug."
I could see her weighing her options. Her gaze drifted from me to the invisible holographic display showing the locket. Then back to me, trying to decipher if I was genuinely eccentric or dangerously unhinged. She paused, a thoughtful hum escaping her lips. "Come on, Kara. Think about the Nth Metal. Think about the warm fuzzy feeling of helping a potentially weird but harmless stranger. Think about how much you need a hug after dealing with Cat Grant all day."
Finally, a slow, genuine smile spread across her face. It was the kind of smile that could light up a room, or, in her case, an entire city block. "You know what, Adam?" she said, pushing her chair back slightly. "That's probably the most interesting offer I've had all week. And given my week, that's saying something."
"Hallelujah! She's playing along! She's not calling security! This is progress! This is the sound of a superpower entering my system!"
She stood up, and I quickly stood too, feeling a surge of nervous energy. She extended her arms, a warm invitation in her eyes. "Alright, Adam. Welcome to National City."
I didn't hesitate. I stepped forward, and she enveloped me in a surprisingly gentle, but undeniably strong, hug. It wasn't one of those flimsy, air-kiss hugs. It was a proper, full-body hug. And as she wrapped her arms around me, a sudden, almost imperceptible surge of energy flowed into me. It wasn't painful, or even overwhelming, just a gentle hum beneath my skin, a warmth that started in my chest and spread through my limbs.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: FIRST TRADE SUCCESSFUL! CHARACTER: KARA DANVERS. SKILL ACQUIRED: SOLAR ENERGY ABSORPTION (MINOR). TP EARNED: 100.]
"Whoa. Okay. That was… subtle. And powerful. And definitely not just a hug. My internal solar panel just got its first charge. Now, if only it charged faster than a dying snail."
I pulled back from the hug, feeling a faint, pleasant warmth radiating from my chest. Kara smiled at me, completely unaware of the cosmic transaction that had just taken place.
"Thank you, Kara," I said, a genuine warmth in my voice now, tinged with a fresh layer of awe. "That was... a really good hug. Best welcome I've had in a long time." I quickly, almost subconsciously, shifted the Nth Metal Locket from my inventory into her hand. It shimmered slightly, almost imperceptibly, as she took it.
"It's beautiful," she said, her eyes widening slightly as she examined the locket. "Thank you, Adam. This is really thoughtful."
"No problem," I replied, feeling a newfound lightness in my step. "Just trying to make a good first impression. You know, show the universe I'm a giver. Not a taker. Unless it involves useful superpowers, then I'm definitely a taker." I quickly added the last part internally, of course.
She clutched the locket in her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Well, Adam," she said, her smile returning. "It was really nice meeting you."
"You too, Kara," I said, already mentally planning my next move. A minor version of solar energy absorption. This was just the beginning. The tip of the ice-cold, cosmic iceberg.
I glanced down at my holographic display. My TP was now at 200. And I had a new skill listed: "Solar Energy Absorption (Minor): A nascent ability to draw limited energy from solar radiation. Current absorption rate: extremely slow. Requires significant exposure for minimal effect. Can be upgraded with TP or through further trades."
"Extremely slow, huh? So I can't just sunbathe my way to Kryptonian levels of power. Bummer. Still, it's a start. And hey, I can always work on upgrading it later. With more TP. And more… unconventional trades. Or, if it proves useless, I can sell it. Hmm."
I walked over to the counter, feeling a strange mix of exhilaration and exhaustion. "Just a black coffee, please," I told the barista, who still looked profoundly bored. "And make it strong. I've got a feeling I'm going to need a lot of caffeine. And maybe some SPF 5000."
As I waited for my coffee, I couldn't help but smile. My old life was over. My new one, as the Multiversal Broker, had officially begun. And it promised to be anything but boring. The Arrowverse and the MCU were about to get a very sarcastic, very well-informed, and very determined new player. And all it cost me was my old life, a locket, and a hug. A truly cosmic deal.