Chapter 18: Could You Demonstrate?

"Hmm?"

The old wizard raised an eyebrow when he saw Shen You returning with the girl and the cat. He stared at Kara for a while, scaring her enough to hide behind Shen You again. The girl and the cat peered cautiously from behind him, nervously eyeing the strange old man.

The old wizard chuckled, stroking his long beard. "Interesting. Another outsider. It seems my years of seclusion have made me quite ignorant."

The old man was indeed sharp, immediately recognizing that the girl wasn't human. Not long after they returned, Kara's stomach started growling, and Streaky looked listless and meowed weakly. Both the girl and the cat looked pitifully at Shen You.

Even though Kryptonians and cats could gain superpowers from Earth's sunlight, it likely took some time. Even Superman's powers developed gradually over his decades on Earth.

Shen You suspected this might vary among Kryptonians. Superman took thirty years to learn to fly, while General Zod caught up in just a few days. Shen You didn't think Superman's talent was inferior; it might be due to age differences. Kryptonian powers might depend on their developmental stage. Some comics even suggest older Supermen are stronger and have more abilities than in their youth. 

These were just speculations that would need verification with the help of this Kryptonian volunteer. When Kara's powers would awaken remained unknown, and it was crucial to monitor her health and development.

Before her powers awakened, she would need to eat like a human. Shen You kindly asked the old chef to prepare fries and a burger for her.

The joy of comfort food was universal, even for Kryptonians. Kara devoured her burger and fries, smearing white sauce all over her face. 

Meanwhile, Shen You discreetly scanned her from head to toe with a scanner, uploading the data to his personal terminal linked to his trans-temporal bracelet, obtaining his first precious scan of a Kryptonian.

Later, he'd ask Kara to provide blood samples for research. This needed to be done before she developed invulnerable skin, making such procedures more challenging.

Whether from hunger or novelty, Kara was moved to tears, mumbling with her mouth full, "So good... this is so good."

"Eat slowly, don't choke, no one will take it from you," Shen You laughed.

Kara noticed the longing Streaky and felt sympathetic. "Can I share some with him? He's my good friend."

"Don't worry, I bought special cat food for him," Shen You replied.

Kara seemed puzzled, glancing at her greasy food. "This is really tasty, can't I give him some?"

"Oh, this isn't healthy," Shen You said casually.

The girl's chewing paused immediately, and the burger lost its charm.

After they were full, it was time to address hygiene. Kara's white dress, though pretty, had turned into a dirty mess after her fall and time spent running through muddy woods.

"You should take a bath and clean up," Shen You suggested. "I don't have clothes for you, but I can borrow some from Auntie Ye next door. Her daughter should have something that fits."

Kara, still somewhat confused, followed Shen You to the bathroom.

Shen You demonstrated how to use the shower. Though it was new to her, she quickly understood the basics.

Then her gaze landed on the toilet. 

She tugged Shen You's sleeve, "What is this for?"

Clearly, there were no toilets on Krypton.

Shen You gave a brief, abstract explanation. The idea seemed to elude her, as she tugged his sleeve again, eyes wide and innocent, "Could you demonstrate?"

Shen You: "..."

Setting that aside, Shen You led her to a room. Having extra rooms now seemed like a wise decision. He quickly prepared a room for the Kryptonian girl and her cat, then headed to his underground lab.

Kara's ship, under the stealth mode of his mobile armor, had been brought back. Pal had been trying to interface with the ship's AI for the past two hours.

Kryptonian technology was indeed advanced, with security protocols Shen You had never seen before. The ship was completely locked, both physically and digitally. Unauthorized access was impossible.

Shen You guessed that if Hikaru were here, he might find a way, but as an intern, Shen You couldn't bypass the security without damaging the data.

Fortunately, he didn't need to.

He coaxed Kara into touching the ship, and the security protocols instantly disengaged. A pleasant female voice greeted them, "Kara Zor-El, welcome, Daughter of the Stars, Last Daughter of Krypton."

All files and records were unlocked, including Kryptonian culture, technology, history, and knowledge of interstellar species.

Clearly, Kara's parents intended to save not only their daughter but also the treasures of their once-glorious civilization.

This was an invaluable gift. While it would take time to understand this fundamentally different knowledge system, even partial insights would be immensely beneficial.

Just as Superman sought help from his Fortress of Solitude for insurmountable foes or complex problems, this ship would be a valuable resource.

Shen You also reviewed the ship's logs to understand Kara's journey to Earth.

She had left Krypton slightly later than her cousin, her ship caught in the explosion's aftermath. The warp engine malfunctioned, causing the ship to detour into the Phantom Zone, where it remained for twenty years.

Until then, her story matched what he knew.

But he then searched for information about the mantis-like creature he had killed.

Ree-Bach, an Artronian, sentenced to life imprisonment by Kryptonian courts for grievous harm, in the Phantom Zone.

If Kara emerged from the Phantom Zone, this one likely did too.

And where there are two, there might be more.

The most dangerous criminals of Krypton.

"Sir, the young lady seems to be looking for you," Pal interrupted.

"Hmm?"

He left the lab and returned upstairs to find Kara, now wearing a lace nightgown, with a strange expression.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"N-no, it's just... I was staring out the window and saw..."

Kara's expression grew stranger, as if struggling to describe what she had seen.

"Calm down, don't worry. Just tell me what you saw," Shen You encouraged.

Kara cautiously asked, "Do people here often sleep in street trash bins, dressed like bats?"

Shen You: "?"