Escape Velocity // The Flash

Chapter Eight: Orbital

Barry strode to the centre of the massive room they stood in, and fiddled with one of the strange machines there. "Not everyone's available right now...but those that are will be on their way."

Mineko was confused at how Barry could've attained that information by playing with a toy. Soon enough, a blue blur came soaring through the darkness in the window, another thing that Mineko had simply accepted that she could not understand. Seconds followed, and a peculiar man came hurrying through one of nearby doors.

He was an incredibly large fellow...larger than Barry, who was far more muscular than any man Mineko had met. The man had a head of tidy black hair, a piercing gaze and a smile that made Mineko very weak at the knees. On his chest was a symbol that Mineko identified as the letter S in English.

"Sorry Flash, I was taking care of some asteroids; applying some course corrections. Am I late?" He apologised sincerely.

Barry shook his head with a sigh "Nah, you're early. As usual. Despite having to redirect tonnes of space rock with your hands."

The man shook his head modestly, then sent his attention to the woman that accompanied Barry. "Hi. I'm Superman."

"Superman...?" Mineko muttered.

"From what I understand, you aren't from around here, so to speak."

"I now understand where Ser Barry got his gift for understatement..." Mineko replied, though it wasn't clear whether she was joking or not. "You people of the future have strange names... 'Barry' and 'Superman'."

It quickly became obvious that Mineko had never considered the concept of code names, but as Barry face palmed himself at least several times in high speed, Superman chuckled at her comment. "Well, just to simplify things, you can call me Kal."

"I admit 'Ser Kal' is preferable over 'Ser Superman'..." The woman sighed.

"Look, you can just drop the 'Ser' altogether... you're not in the past anymore." Barry huffed. "It's just weird."

"Well, I think it's rather charming." Superman beamed at the woman and Barry glared at him in a way that said 'Do not encourage this.' "Now that you know our 'strange' names, I think it's only fair that I know yours."

"Mineko." She stated simply.

"Hang on a second..." Barry paused. "How did you know she's not from here?"

Superman chuckled, it was low and rumbled in his chest. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that out." He replied, gesturing towards the woman.

She wore an old, plain robe. It's beige surface was stained in dirt and mud from battles long past, there was even a patch of red on the right hip from a previous stab wound. On her feet were Geta, a type of saddle that had two planks of short wood on the bottom. It looked like a balancing act more than actual footwear... Lastly, her long hair was tied up with an ancient looking clip, but two strands were forced out on either side.

Barry had looked out of place and alien in the past, but Mineko just looked completely outdated.

"And Fate might have informed us as well." Superman added. Both of them suddenly wore nervous expressions, Barry's turning into outright panic. "Don't worry, I think you're safe... for now."

Before too long, Mineko was overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of a duo of other oddly dressed people. One of them wore a black cowl that shielded the top half of his face, with the image of a black bat on his torso. The other was a...green man with blue robes and red eyes. Mineko was startled by his strange appearance...