MADC Chapter 5 A Super Cameo

North Pole

The endless white snow stretched in every direction, the Arctic tundra was quiet save for the howl of frigid winds brushing over glaciers and jagged cliffs of ice. Snow whipped across the barren expanse, swirling like feathers scattered into the sky.

And right in the middle of it all was Supergirl—burning red, rolling in the snow like a girl possessed.

“Uggghhh!” Kara squealed, her muffled voice rising with every roll. She buried her face in her hands before plunging it into a snowbank, the cold biting against her cheeks. It didn’t help. If anything, the sting only reminded her how hot she felt inside.

Her cape tangled around her legs as she kicked against the ground, groaning loudly into the emptiness. “I can’t believe I did all of that! Rao, just—take me now!”

She threw herself back into the snow, arms spread wide, staring up at the endless gray sky. Every single moment replayed in her head in vivid, excruciating detail—the way she pinned Zack to the ground, how she begged him not to let go, how she almost tore the city apart fighting her own clone because she couldn’t stand the thought of losing him.

Her face flared so hot it felt like steam could melt the snow around her. She shoved both hands over her eyes, kicking again. “What is wrong with me?! At any second I would’ve… I would’ve—”

She let out a long, strangled groan and rolled over onto her stomach, face pressed into the snow until she left a perfect imprint.

The worst part? She couldn’t even blame him. Not really. Zack hadn’t asked for any of it. He hadn’t tricked her, hadn’t manipulated her—if anything, he looked just as confused and terrified as she felt. ‘It was me,’ she thought miserably. ‘I was the one who pushed for the connection, who forced myself to stay close. All me.’

Now that her mind was clear—now that the haze of desperation was gone—she could look back and see just how reckless she had been. The very thought made her curl up in the snow, cape wrapping around her like a blanket as she buried her burning face.

And yet… even here, in the coldest, loneliest place she could think of, the bond was still there.

It thrummed quietly in the back of her mind, like a golden thread tied around her heart. It told her exactly where he was—safe, alive, moving. Every beat of his heart, every shift of his emotions, she could feel the echo of it.

She exhaled shakily. “He’s okay…” The words came out soft, more to herself than anything.

But unlike before, there was no pull. No unbearable urge to chase him down, to cling to him until her body ached. Just the quiet knowledge that he existed, and that he was alright. Comforting, yes. But also… terrifying.

Because it meant there was no excuse anymore. If she went to him now, it wouldn’t be because of the bond—it would be because she wanted to.

Kara curled tighter, the snow crunching beneath her. “How am I supposed to look at him now?” She whispered into the ice. “What expression am I even supposed to make? ‘Hey Zack, sorry for wrestling you to the ground like a lunatic and fighting my cousin because I couldn’t control myself?’”

The squeal that tore from her lips echoed over the tundra. She slammed both hands into the snow, sending a puff of white into the air.

“Nope. Nope nope nope. I’m staying right here until the ground swallows me or until this embarrassment melts away. Whichever comes first.”

She rolled onto her back again, cape fanned out over the snow, her face still red as she stared at the sky. Her breath formed clouds in the frozen air. Somewhere far away, she could feel Zack—steady, alive—but she clenched her fists and shook her head.

“Not yet,” She whispered to herself. “Not until I figure out how to face him again.”

And so she lay there in the Arctic silence, surrounded by snow and glaciers, a Kryptonian powerhouse reduced to a squealing mess of nerves and shame.

—-----------------------------------

Metropolis, Night

The city never really slept. Even at this hour, neon signs buzzed above cracked sidewalks, car horns blared from busy intersections, and the chatter of nightlife spilled out of bars and late-night diners. Amid it all, Zack and Galatea walked side by side, her cape fluttering faintly behind her, his shoulders hunched against the cool breeze.

They had been wandering for what felt like hours. Zack’s stomach grumbled softly, but he ignored it, too tired to complain. Their path had taken them past several hotels and apartment complexes, each attempt was the same, clerks shaking their heads, eyes flicking with judgment from his ragged, dumpster-stained clothes to Galatea’s glaringly obvious superhero outfit.

“Another no,” Zack muttered as the lobby doors shut in their faces. He rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand, exhaustion creeping in. “That makes… what, the fifth place?”

“Seventh,” Galatea corrected smoothly, though her voice carried a note of irritation. Her blue eyes lingered on the closed doors for a moment before she turned back to him. “This is pointless. None of them are going to take us seriously. Let’s just go with my plan.”

Zack raised a brow warily. “Which plan?”

“The one where we stop wasting time and break into a house. Simple, efficient, warm bed and food guaranteed.”

Zack groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Yeah, because nothing says ‘good night’s sleep’ like committing felony trespassing.”

Galatea tilted her head, genuinely confused. “You didn’t complain when I offered to pay with stolen cash.”

His face heated, and he threw his hands up. “That’s different! I am desperate, okay? I really don’t have a choice!”

Galatea’s lips curled into a smirk, her grip on his hand tightening as if to emphasize the bond between them. “So stealing from people’s wallets is fine, but borrowing their empty homes for the night is a step too far?”

“It’s not ‘borrowing’ if you break in through the window!” Zack shot back, exasperated. “And it’s not like they’re big corporations who won’t miss a couple bucks. Breaking into someone’s house is personal.”

Her laughter came suddenly, bright and sharp against the hum of the city. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?” she teased. “The way you twist yourself into knots over morality. It’s… cute.”

Zack blinked, caught off guard. “Did you just call me cute?”

Galatea smirked again, though this time her cheeks colored faintly. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Zack muttered under his breath, “Too late,” before realizing she’d heard him.

Her laugh came again, lighter this time, as she leaned closer. “You’re different from anyone I’ve ever met, Zack. You argue with me, you make me feel wanted. Most people run in fear or stare at me like I’m some weapon. You? You’re worried about whose couch you’ll fall asleep on.”

Zack looked at her, really looked at her—the faint blush on her cheeks, the way her grip on his hand had tightened without her realizing. He sighed, shaking his head with a half-smile. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Galatea’s smirk softened into something more genuine. “So I’ve been told.”

And in the back of Zack’s mind, the metallic voice chimed again:

Connection established: 68% (Galatea).

Zack winced, the sound echoing like a warning bell only he could hear. ‘It’s climbing again…’

But when he glanced at her—her smile faint but real, her hand warm in his—he didn’t have the heart to pull away.

—-----------------------------------

As Zack continued to hold hands with Galatea walking through the streets of Metropolis as they tried to find a place to stay the night.

They came across the glow of a taco stand that cut through the shadows of the quiet street, its flickering sign buzzing against the night. The warm scent of grilled meat, spices, and fried tortillas drifted through the air, making Zack’s stomach twist painfully.

He tried to ignore it at first, pressing a hand to his gut as if that would silence the loud growl that escaped him. His face heated in embarrassment. ‘Great. Real smooth, Zack. Add “hungry vagrant noises” to your list of charming qualities.’

Beside him, Galatea’s lips curled into a grin. She tilted her head, clearly amused. “You’re starving.”

“I-I’m fine,” Zack lied unconvincingly, his stomach betraying him with another loud growl.

Galatea let out a soft laugh, the sound surprisingly warm. Without another word, she tugged him gently toward the stand. “Come on.”

Before Zack could argue, she was already at the counter, ordering with an ease that surprised him. A few bills from her stash of stolen money changed hands, and within minutes she returned, holding two steaming plates.

“Here,” She said, handing him one.

Zack blinked, the smell hitting him like a wave. He looked at her, eyes wide with gratitude. “You’re… you’re a lifesaver, you know that?”

She smirked. “Don’t forget it.”

They found a bench nearby under a flickering streetlamp, its metal cold against the night air. Zack wasted no time digging in, biting into the first taco like a man who hadn’t eaten in days. Flavor exploded on his tongue, and he groaned happily. “Oh my god… this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

Galatea sat beside him, her own plate untouched, simply watching him with an almost curious expression.

Halfway through his second taco, Zack paused, noticing her still sitting with her hands in her lap. “Wait. You’re not eating?”

She shook her head. “I don’t really need to. Kryptonians can absorb energy directly from the sun. Food is… optional.”

Zack stopped chewing, blinking. “Wait—so Kara can do that too?”

Galatea’s eyes sharpened at his mention of her counterpart, but she only nodded. “Yes. It’s how we survive.”

Zack set his taco down, frowning. “That’s… wild. But also? Eating alone sucks.”

Galatea blinked at him, caught off guard. “What?”

He gave a small, lopsided smile. “Food isn’t just about staying alive. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s about sharing with company. Trust me, you don’t know what you’re missing. So… eat with me. Please.”

For a moment, Galatea stared at him like he had said something foreign. But slowly, her lips curved into a smile—not smug this time, but genuine. “You’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

Her heart fluttered strangely at his earnest tone. Picking up a taco from her plate, she took a tentative bite. The flavors hit her, unfamiliar but surprisingly pleasant. Her eyes widened a fraction.

Zack grinned, leaning back against the bench. “See? Told you. Way better than pretending you’re a solar panel.”

Galatea laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah,” Zack said, taking another bite of his own taco, “but now you’re ridiculous with me.”

For the first time, Galatea felt something like normalcy—sitting on a bench, sharing food under a buzzing streetlamp, not as a weapon or a clone, but as a girl learning something new. She didn’t want the moment to end.

And far above them, hidden from view, cameras zoomed in.

From rooftops, lampposts, even a drone hovering silently in the distance, lenses tracked their every move.

—----------------------------

In a dimly lit control room miles away, a wall of screens displayed the pair from every angle. Zack laughing, Galatea smiling awkwardly, the two of them eating together like old friends.

Seated at the center console, Lena Luthor leaned back in her chair, her sharp green eyes fixed on the displays. Her brow furrowed, lips pressed in thought.

“What… exactly am I looking at?” She murmured, confusion etched across her face.

—------------------------------

The further Zack and Galatea walked, the darker the city became as they finally arrived at Metropolis’s less reputable area. Metropolis’s Southside was alive, but not in the same way as the bustling districts they had passed earlier. Trash littered the cracked sidewalks, flickering signs struggled to stay lit, and the sounds of laughter and music were replaced by arguments, breaking glass, and the occasional police siren in the distance.

Zack pulled his ragged jacket tighter around himself, unease crawling up his spine. “Yeah… this is the part of town where you don’t wanna drop your wallet. Or… breathe too deeply.”

Beside him, Galatea scanned every corner with narrowed eyes. Even in the dim light, her body seemed coiled like a spring, ready to strike at the first sign of trouble. Her lips curled in distaste as she muttered, “What a dump.”

Zack chuckled nervously. “And here I thought you were about to say something nice.”

Galatea shifted closer, her hand tightening around his. “Stay near me. If anyone so much as looks at you wrong, they’ll regret it.”

He blinked at her seriousness, his heart skipping. ‘She really watches me like a hawk.’

After weaving through graffiti-covered alleys, they finally stopped in front of a shabby, run-down apartment complex. A flickering fluorescent light buzzed above the peeling entrance door. Half the windows were cracked, and the faint smell of smoke lingered in the air.

Zack sighed. “Well…hopefully this becomes our new home sweet home?”

Galatea gave him a flat look. “If this is ‘home,’ then you need better standards.”

They stepped inside, the creak of the door echoing through the dim lobby. At the far end, a man sat behind a battered desk, cigarette smoke curling lazily above his head. His greasy hair clung to his scalp, and when he looked up, his eyes landed immediately on Galatea.

His lips twisted into a grin—ugly and lecherous. “Well, well… what’ve we got here? Didn’t know angels checked into dumps like this. You looking for a room, sweetheart? Or maybe—”

His gaze traveled slowly, deliberately, down her figure. “—something else?”

Zack stiffened, his fists clenching at his sides. ‘Don’t say anything. Don’t cause trouble.’ He opened his mouth to speak, but Galatea moved first.

Her eyes flared dangerously, and with a sudden crack, her fist came down on the desk. Wood splintered, the entire surface shattering into jagged pieces. The cigarette tumbled from the man’s mouth as he stumbled back, falling out of his chair with a terrified yelp.

“Try that again,” Galatea hissed, her voice low, sharp, and full of menace. “And I’ll break more than your desk.”

The manager’s eyes went wide with terror, his body trembling as he scrambled upright. “Y-yes, ma’am! O-of course, ma’am!”

Zack exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Well… at least she didn’t actually hurt him.’

He stepped forward, placing his hands on the counter—or what was left of it—and said calmly, “We’ll take a room. Preferably one where you don’t bother us.”

“R-right away!” The man stammered, practically tripping over himself as he handed them a key. “No charge! On the house! And—and don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word or step anywhere near you!”

“Good,” Galatea said, her icy tone still laced with threat.

The manager nodded furiously and scurried into the back room, clearly eager to put as much distance as possible between himself and the Kryptonian clone.

Zack turned to Galatea, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and disbelief. “You know… you’ve got a way with people.”

Galatea smirked faintly, slipping her hand back into his. “And now we’ve got a place to sleep. Problem solved.”

Connection established: 85% (Galatea).

Zack sighed but didn’t argue. ‘At least we’ve got a roof over our heads… even if we had to scare someone half to death to get it.’

—-----------------------------------------

The door to their room creaked open on rusted hinges, revealing a dim, yellow-lit space that smelled faintly of mold and cigarettes. The stained carpet squelched beneath Zack’s shoes, and the peeling wallpaper curled from the damp plaster walls. A single bulb swung from the ceiling, buzzing like an angry insect.

Zack hesitated at the threshold. “Well… at least it isn’t a dumpster" He muttered, forcing a weak smile.

Galatea’s face darkened into a massive frown, her nose wrinkling as if she’d just inhaled a garbage dump. “This is unacceptable.”

Before Zack could answer, she strode into the room with purpose. Her eyes glowed crimson, and in a heartbeat, searing beams of heat vision sliced across the bed. Blankets and pillows went up in flames instantly, curling into ash. She turned next to the curtains, then the dresser, methodically burning away anything she deemed filthy or tainted.

Zack stood frozen in the doorway, jaw dropping as smoke drifted lazily upward. “Um… you do realize we need some of that to actually… sleep, right?”

“Better nothing than to touch this filth.” Galatea replied curtly, her voice sharp with disgust. She swept the room one last time, scanning every corner like a soldier clearing enemy territory. Satisfied, she turned back to him. “Don’t touch anything until I get back.”

Before he could even open his mouth, she was gone. A gust of icy wind rushed into the room as she vanished through the broken window, rattling the battered frame.

Zack groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What is my life right now?” He sighed.

It wasn’t even a full minute later when the wind roared again and Galatea returned, her arms laden with folded blankets, crisp sheets, and fluffy pillows that looked like they belonged in a department store.

Zack blinked at the pile. “You know what? I’m not even going to ask where you got those.”

Her smirk returned, faint but satisfied. “Smart man.”

With surprising care, she laid the bedding across the scorched mattress, smoothing the corners with precise efficiency. Within moments, the room looked—if not luxurious—at least habitable.

Zack was too tired to argue. He shrugged off his ragged coat, kicked off his worn shoes, and collapsed onto the freshly made bed with a long, relieved sigh. “This… this I can live with.”

Galatea didn’t hesitate. She joined him, settling against his side before wrapping an arm firmly around his torso. Her head rested on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

Zack stiffened at first, blinking down at her. “You’re, uh… really close.”

Her eyes closed, her voice softer now. “Get used to it.”

Zack let out a weak chuckle, shaking his head. ‘She’s impossible.’ But exhaustion was winning. His body relaxed against the warmth of the blankets, his eyelids growing heavy.

Galatea’s hold tightened, protective and possessive all at once. Her breathing slowed, her features softening into something almost peaceful.

Zack’s last conscious thought, before sleep claimed him, was a simple one. ‘At least I’m not alone tonight.’

And in the back of his mind, the metallic voice whispered again, steady and inevitable:

Connection established: 90% (Galatea).

The city outside buzzed on, unaware that within the walls of a shady Southside apartment, two unlikely companions slept close together, their bond growing stronger with every heartbeat.

—------------------------------------------

South Pole

The Arctic tundra stretched endlessly, a sea of white and gray. Kara lay sprawled in the snow, her cape partially buried, her pale breath rising into the frigid air. The cold didn’t bother her Kryptonian body, but it felt like the only thing capable of cooling the fire of humiliation still burning in her chest.

She groaned, dragging her hands over her face. ‘How am I supposed to face him again? What was I even thinking?’

A familiar voice came from above, calm yet tinged with mild amusement.
“Is there a reason you’re lying in the snow like that, Kara?”

Her body stiffened. She didn’t need to look up to know who it was. With a groan, she turned her head into the snowbank, muffling her reply. “Go away, Kal. I’m not in the mood.”

Superman descended gently, his red cape billowing in the polar wind like a banner of defiance against the frozen wasteland. Boots crunched softly into the snow as he landed, arms crossed, that trademark smile tugging at his lips.

“Well, mood or not, I think I deserve some answers,” He said evenly, though his tone carried a certain older-brother weight. “Like why did I get reports of you and Power Girl tearing up my city while I was taking the one day off you made me promise to take.”

Kara groaned again, rolling onto her back. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and not from the cold. She avoided his gaze. “It’s… complicated.”

“Complicated?” Kal arched a brow, tilting his head. “Kara, you and Power Girl fighting isn’t complicated—it’s dangerous. So start at the beginning. Why were you two at each other’s throats?”

Kara sat up, her cape dusting snow from her shoulders. She bit her lip, her eyes flicking away from his steady gaze. Finally, she muttered, almost too softly for him to hear. “I… met a boy.”

Superman blinked. The wind howled between them, filling the silence. “A… boy?”

Kara’s blush deepened, and she folded her arms over her chest defensively. “Don’t say it like that!”

Kal’s confusion was plain. “What does meeting a boy have to do with fighting Power Girl in the skies over Metropolis?”

Kara’s stomach twisted. She could still feel the bond thrumming faintly in her chest, that invisible thread tying her to Zack. She thought of how her control had slipped, how jealousy had twisted her until she fought her own cousin. Her face burned hotter.

“I—it’s not just any boy,” she stammered. “There’s… something about him. Being near him—it changes things. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Superman crouched down in front of her, concern softening his expression. “Kara, what kind of ‘changes’ are we talking about?”

Her fists clenched in her lap, snow crunching beneath her boots as she muttered, “The kind that makes me act like an idiot. The kind that makes me fight Power Girl over him.”

Kal’s eyes widened slightly, though his voice remained calm. “You fought Power Girl… over a boy?”

Kara groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Don’t say it like that, Kal! It sounds even worse when you do.”

Superman hid his smile behind a sigh, his arms crossing again. “Kara… you’re going to have to explain this to me properly. Because right now, I don’t understand how a single boy could throw you so completely off balance.”

Her heart hammered, her embarrassment growing. She didn’t know where to start, or how to tell him about the bond without sounding insane. ‘How do I explain Zack to him… when I can barely explain Zack to myself?’

The Arctic winds whistled around them, tugging at their capes as Kara sat hunched over in the snow. Her hands twisted nervously in her lap, blue eyes darting anywhere but her cousin’s steady gaze. Superman stood over her with his arms folded, his expression calm but edged with curiosity and that subtle disappointment only family could wield.

“Kara,” Kal said evenly, “you need to explain what happened. All of it. Because I’m still not connecting how meeting a boy turned into you and Galatea—Power Girl—slugging it out over Metropolis.”

Kara’s blush deepened, her teeth catching her lower lip. She groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment before dragging them down and forcing herself to look up.

“Fine. I’ll tell you. But don’t laugh.”

Kal tilted his head, one brow raised. “Do I look like I’m laughing?”

She shot him a glare. “You’re thinking about it.”

His lips twitched—caught—but he stayed silent.

Kara exhaled sharply, her breath puffing in the cold. “Alright. So… I was in the city. Just a normal day as I stopped a bank robbery. And then… well, I saw him. Zack was caught in the middle of the robbery. The guy looked completely lost, like he’d just dropped out of the sky. Turns out, he had no memory of who he was or where he came from.”

Kal’s frown deepened, his posture straightening. “Amnesia?”

“Yes,” Kara admitted, looking down at her gloves. “At first, I thought he was just another civilian caught in the chaos. But then things… happened. He saved me once—sort of—and somehow I kept ending up pulled toward him. I don’t know how to explain it, Kal. It’s like…”

Her throat caught. The words she wanted to say—the bond—sat on the tip of her tongue. But shame slammed them back down. If she told him about how she’d clung to Zack like a lifeline, how she nearly lost control of herself, how could she ever look him in the eye again?

She shook her head quickly. “It’s like he has this effect. Just by being near him, everything feels… different. And not always in ways I can control.”

Kal narrowed his eyes slightly, thoughtful. “Different how?”

Kara stiffened. “That’s… not important.”

“Kara,” he pressed gently, “if something is influencing you—”

“I know,” she snapped, then winced, softening her voice. “I know. And maybe I’ll explain later. But for now… just trust me. It’s complicated, just know that I spent some time with him as a way to help him recover his memories.”

Superman studied her for a long moment but nodded slowly. “Alright. Go on.”

She let out a relieved breath. “But then another incident happened. So then, I had to leave him—just for a bit—to deal with a villain causing trouble across the city. I thought it would be fine. But when I came back…”

Her fists clenched in the snow. “Power Girl was there.”

Kal’s eyes darkened. “Of course.”

Kara’s face burned hotter. “She said she was just messing with me at first. That she thought it was funny to take him. But when I tried to get him back, she wouldn’t let go. And I… I might have gotten a little… heated.”

Kal arched a brow. “‘Heated’? Kara, you could’ve leveled the city.”

She groaned, dragging her cape over her head like a blanket to hide her face. “I know! I lost it, okay? She wouldn’t let him go, and he was right there between us, and—ugh, Rao help me—I just acted without thinking.”

Kal crouched down, pulling the cape gently away from her face. His expression softened, but concern lingered in his eyes. “So let me get this straight. You rescued him, but in doing so, you revealed more about yourself than you wanted. And now you’re embarrassed.”

Kara’s cheeks flamed brighter. “Don’t say it like that! You make it sound like I’m some lovesick fool.”

“Are you?” Kal asked quietly.

Her breath hitched. She looked away, snow crunching under her boots as she dug the toe into the ice. “I… don’t know. Maybe.”

Kal didn’t push, though the flicker of a smile tugged at his lips. Instead, he rested a steady hand on her shoulder. “Kara, you’ve faced armies and stood against supervillains. Don’t let embarrassment shake you like this. If this Zack really matters… then you’ll figure it out. But hiding from him won’t make the feelings go away.”

Kara swallowed hard, her chest tight. She wanted to argue, to deny it—but the bond in her heart pulsed quietly, reminding her exactly where Zack was, safe and alive.

She sighed, collapsing back into the snow with a groan. “Why does being Supergirl have to be easier than being Kara?”

Kal chuckled softly, standing tall again, his cape rippling in the Arctic wind. “Welcome to the human side of life, cousin.”

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes.