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DC X Rider Ch 143
🕑 Added 2025-04-15 14:26:04 +0000 UTCIn the grand Atlantean palace, Hila stood near a massive viewing window, gazing out at the shimmering city below. Coral towers glowed with soft, internal light, and sleek submersibles zipped through the water like schools of metallic fish. Atlantis was finally calm, the tension from Orm’s attempted coup having faded over the past few months. Things were... peaceful. Almost boring, really.
She sighed softly, leaning her forehead against the cool, transparent material of the window. Duties kept her busy, shuttling between Atlantis and Xebel, handling diplomatic matters, overseeing training. It was expected. Necessary.
But still... her thoughts kept drifting back to the surface. Or rather, to one specific surface dweller. Haruka. Kamen Rider. Months had passed since he’d helped them, since he’d fought alongside her, since he’d left Atlantis. Months of trying to push the memory of his unexpected kindness, his quiet strength, out of her head. It wasn’t working very well. Even amidst royal council meetings or weapons drills, his face, usually hidden behind that strange helmet, would pop into her mind. That surface dweller... quite remarkable, she thought, a faint smile touching her lips. It was... distracting.
The shimmer of Atlantean lights reflected in Hila's eyes as she stood there, lost in thought.
"Lost in the kelp again, sister?"
Hila jumped, nearly tripping over a stray piece of coral. "Mera! I didn't hear you come in."
Mera raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her gaze knowing. "Oh, really? And what, pray tell, has you so entranced by... that window?"
Hila felt warmth creeping up her neck, tinting her cheeks a delicate shade of rose. "Nothing," she said a little too quickly. "Just... admiring the city."
Mera chuckled, a sound like seashells tinkling together. "Right. Admiring the city. Or perhaps... someone from the surface?"
Hila's blush deepened, now spreading to her ears. She turned away, feigning interest in a nearby decorative clam. "Don't be ridiculous, Mera."
Mera strolled closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, come now, Hila. You're practically glowing like a bioluminescent squid. And you never blush. Spill, little sister. Is the 'surface dweller... Haruka' still occupying your thoughts?"
Hila huffed, crossing her arms. “I am not thinking about Haruka.” The words were firm, regal even. But the blush blooming across her cheeks screamed otherwise.
Mera’s grin widened. She loved when Hila got flustered. It was rare, and utterly delightful. The fierce, composed princess of Xebel, rendered nearly speechless by the mention of a certain brooding motorcyclist? Priceless.
"Oh, but you are," Mera sang, drawing out the words. "Admit it, Hila. He’s gotten under your scales. A bit... smitten, perhaps?"
"Don’t be absurd," Hila snapped, though the heat in her cheeks stubbornly refused to fade. "He was simply... helpful. And brave. And... possessed a certain... stoicism that I found... intriguing." She trailed off, realizing she was digging herself deeper.
Mera threw her head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the hall. "Intriguing? Oh, Hila, you're hopeless! You sound like you're describing a particularly fascinating species of kelp."
Hila glared, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
Mera, still chuckling, reached into a pouch at her hip and pulled out a small, shimmering device. “Speaking of surface-dwellers... thought you might find this interesting.”
She activated the device, and a holographic news broadcast flickered into existence, hovering in the air between them. It showed a chaotic scene: twisted metal, flickering emergency lights, and a swarm of reporters clamoring for information.
"National City celebrates its heroes after the robot attack!" a perky reporter announced, her voice distorted by the water. "Supergirl, Kamen Rider, and the mysterious Miss Martian have once again saved the day!"
The broadcast showed grainy footage of Supergirl soaring through the air, battling a hulking robot. Then, a quick glimpse of Kamen Rider, his form obscured by smoke and shadow. And finally, a brief, almost ethereal image of a green-skinned woman phasing through a collapsed building.
Mera turned to Hila, her expression teasing. "Want to watch? I hear the camera loves the Kamen Rider."
Hila bit her lip, feigning indifference. "Please. As if I have any interest in—" She paused, then sighed, her composure cracking. "Oh, alright, fine. Put it on. But only because I wish to assess the situation."
…
The reporters surged forward, a chaotic mess of microphones and notepads, eager for a sound bite from the newly formed heroic trio. Flashbulbs popped, momentarily blinding even Supergirl, as the clamor of questions rose to a fever pitch.
“Kamen Rider! What was it like facing such powerful robots?”
“Supergirl, another amazing save! Do you ever get tired of being the city’s hero?”
“Miss Martian, where did you come from? We’ve never seen you before!”
Haruka, still slightly dazed from the battle, instinctively pulled back, letting Kara and Megan take the lead. This is so not my forte, he thought wryly. He much preferred fighting robots to facing a barrage of eager reporters.
Kara, ever the natural, beamed at the crowd. “It’s all about teamwork, guys! We couldn’t have done it without each other.”
A reporter shoved a microphone towards Haruka. “Kamen Rider, any comment on the devastation caused by the robots?”
Haruka cleared his throat, trying to sound as authoritative as possible. “The important thing is that no one was seriously injured. We managed to contain the threat before it could cause any real harm. That’s what matters.” He hoped his tone conveyed the sincerity he felt. The sight of those trapped civilians had definitely rattled him.
The attention shifted to Megan, the newest face in the heroic lineup. "Miss Martian! Can you tell us about yourself? Where did you get your powers?"
Megan stepped forward, her green skin gleaming under the television lights. She seemed a little nervous, but her smile was bright and genuine. “Well, as my name suggests, I’m from Mars! I’m a Martian, like the Martian Manhunter.”
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The Martian Manhunter? Another one?
“I came to Earth to follow in his footsteps,” Megan continued, her voice gaining confidence. “He’s always been a huge inspiration to me, and I want to be a hero just like him.”
The reporters, sensing a new angle, pounced. Questions about Martian Manhunter, Mars, and Megan's powers filled the air.
Haruka, feeling increasingly out of place, shifted uncomfortably. He was used to the shadows, not the spotlight. Alright, enough, thought Hila, watching the feed back in Atlantis. Those surface folk are testing my patience.
Just as he was considering making a polite escape, a particularly persistent reporter cut through the noise with a pointed question. "Supergirl, Kamen Rider, and Miss Martian! You all seem to work so well together. What's the relationship like between you three?"
Haruka froze. Uh oh. He glanced at Kara, then at Megan, then back at the sea of expectant faces. How were they supposed to answer that?
He decided to play it cool, opting for a vague, noncommittal response. "We're… close," he said, carefully choosing his words. "We trust each other, we support each other. We’re good friends, you could say." He trailed off, hoping that was enough.
He didn't miss the implication in the reporter's eyes, nor the murmur rippling through the crowd. "Close friends," huh? Did that mean they were a thing? A heroic power couple? Or perhaps a… throuple?
Hila, watching the broadcast from the confines of her opulent chambers, nearly shattered a pearl necklace. Close? she fumed, her gaze narrowing on the screen. “Close how, exactly?" She did not like where this was going.
Mera, perched on a nearby chaise lounge, watched her sister with a mixture of amusement and concern. "Careful, Hila," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "You’re about to give yourself an aneurysm."
Back in National City, Megan, oblivious to the unspoken tension, beamed at Haruka and looped her arm through his, snuggling close. "Oh, we're very close," she chirped, her smile wide and innocent. "Kamen Rider's been so welcoming and supportive. I don't know what I'd do without him!"
The reporters ate it up. Cameras flashed, capturing the cozy tableau of the three heroes.
That was when Kara decided to act. A surge of… something… went through her. Was it protectiveness? Annoyance? Downright jealousy? Whatever it was, she couldn’t stand the sight of Megan monopolizing Kamen Rider.
Before Haruka could even process what was happening, Kara had swooped in and latched onto his other arm, hooking it through hers with a possessive grip.
"Close?" Kara echoed, her voice a little too high-pitched. "Oh honey, we're practically inseparable! We're besties. We do everything together!" She flashed a dazzling, if slightly strained, smile at the cameras.
Haruka stood there, sandwiched between two powerful heroines, his mind completely blank. What the heck is going on? he thought, bewildered. He was used to fighting interdimensional monsters and rogue Kryptonians, but this… this was a whole new level of crazy. He glanced from Megan's innocent smile to Kara's determined grin, completely lost.
Back in Atlantis, Hila's grip tightened on the pearl necklace, and one snapped under the pressure. A low growl rumbled in her throat. She was not amused. At all.
Mera suppressed a laugh, hiding her face behind her hand. This was getting too good. She watched, fascinated, as the drama unfolded on the screen. And she felt just a little worried as Hila's fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly. "Oh dear," she murmured, trying to stifle her amusement. "This is going to be interesting."
Hila flicked off the holographic display, the images of Supergirl, Kamen Rider, and Miss Martian abruptly vanishing from the room. She stood abruptly, the uncharacteristic violence of the motion causing a ripple in her flowing Xebellian gown.
“I am going to the surface,” Hila announced, her tone brooking no argument.
Mera raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh? And what pressing matter of state requires your immediate attention among the surface dwellers?”
Hila paused, her mind racing for a plausible excuse. “There… there have been reports of… irregularities in the kelp farms. Excessive barnacle growth, you see. I must investigate firsthand.”
Mera chuckled, the sound echoing in the ornate chamber. “Barnacles, Hila? Really? You, a princess of Xebel, are personally investigating barnacles?”
Hila glared at her sister, her green eyes flashing with annoyance. “It is a matter of strategic importance! The kelp farms are vital to our economy. A barnacle infestation could have devastating consequences!”
Mera simply arched an eyebrow again, her amusement evident. “Very well. But are you certain this… barnacle situation… couldn’t be handled by a team of qualified technicians?”
“I have never been more sure,” Hila declared, her chin lifting in defiance. She wanted to see Haruka. To confront him, yes, but also... well, she wouldn’t admit that part aloud.
Mera sighed dramatically, though a smile still tugged at her lips. “Alright, Hila. Go. But you will not go alone. You will take Kaldur and Tula with you. I will not have you gallivanting around the surface world without proper protection.”
Hila hesitated. Kaldur and Tula were both skilled warriors and fiercely loyal to Atlantis. They were also notoriously perceptive. Having them along would make any sort of… private… conversation with Haruka considerably more difficult.
“Must I?” she asked, her voice laced with reluctant obedience.
Mera’s smile widened. “Yes, Hila. You must. It’s for your own safety, of course.”
Hila gritted her teeth, knowing she had been outmaneuvered. “Very well,” she conceded, turning to leave. “I shall prepare immediately.”
Mera watched her sister’s retreating figure, her expression a mixture of amusement and genuine concern. This will be interesting, she mused, a twinkle in her eye. She then clasped her hands together, looking skyward, "Neptune, please protect that surface-dweller Rider… he'll need all the help he can get… whatever is coming to him from Hila’s wrath."
