MADC Chapter 4 100 Hundred Percent

The sky of Metropolis became a storm.

Supergirl and Power Girl circled one another like predators, their capes flaring violently in the high-altitude wind. Sparks of tension snapped in the air between them, invisible yet undeniable. Kara’s eyes blazed with a warning, while Power Girl wore a crooked grin, her confidence almost mocking.

“Last chance, Power Girl,” Kara said, her voice cutting through the roar of the city below. “Let him go.”

“Not happening,” Power Girl shot back, smirking as she pulled Zack tighter against her chest. His face squashed into the window of her cleavage, her grip tightening with every taunt.

Zack’s muffled voice squeaked out, panic laced with desperation. “C-can’t… breathe…!”

He flailed his arms weakly, but her Kryptonian strength made resistance laughable. His lungs burned as each inhale grew shallower, panic clawing at his chest. ‘Of all the ways to go, is this really it? Being suffocated by a superpowered clone in the middle of a family feud?’

Kara’s stomach twisted at the sight. “You’re hurting him!” She shouted, fury cracking her voice.

Power Girl tilted her head smugly, though her arm didn’t loosen. “Oh please. He’ll live. Besides, he looks cozy.”

“Cozy?! I’m dying over here!” Zack wheezed, his muffled protest swallowed by her bosom.

And then the fight erupted.

Kara blurred forward, fists flashing. Power Girl barely dodged, twisting in midair and countering with a punch of her own. The collision cracked like thunder, a shockwave rippling through the night sky and rattling windows in the streets below.

Zack screamed as the impact sent them spinning, his body jolting in Power Girl’s grip. His head whipped violently with the motion, the city lights below blurring into dizzy streaks. “I did not sign up for this!”

The cousins traded blows, each strike like meteors colliding. Kara’s knuckles cracked against Power Girl’s jaw, sending her reeling—but she never let go of Zack. He dangled helplessly in her grip, flung back and forth like a ragdoll caught between titans.

“Let him go!” Kara bellowed, her fists glowing faintly with heat vision barely restrained.

“No,” Power Girl snapped, swinging her free fist with brutal precision. “If you want him—come and take him.”

Another clash, another sonic boom. Zack’s ears rang, his ribs aching from the crushing hold. He gagged, trying to suck in air. “Ladies! Maybe we can… talk this out?!”

Neither listened.

Kara’s eyes narrowed, her fury boiling. Each punch she threw carried not just Kryptonian strength but desperation—the thought of Zack suffocating in Power Girl’s grip twisted her insides, fueling her strikes. Yet the more she fought, the more Power Girl laughed, enjoying every second of pushing Kara’s buttons.

Zack’s vision blurred. His head lolled weakly against Power Girl’s shoulder, breaths shallow and ragged. ‘If this keeps up… I’m not making it out alive.’

And then, like a cruel reminder, the metallic voice surged in his skull—

Connection established: 42% (Power Girl).

Zack’s body jolted. His mind burned as the bond continued to rise as he kept being held by Power Girl while the fight happened around him. Through the haze, one thought screamed in his head. ‘I wonder what will happen when this hits 100%?’

Kara and Power Girl hovered opposite each other, their capes whipping violently as the wind screamed around them. Zack dangled helplessly in Power Girl’s grip, his face flushed red as he tried desperately to draw breath.

“Let him go!” Kara shouted again, her voice raw with fury.

“Make me!” Power Girl spat back, her smirk gone, replaced with something sharp and possessive.

Their eyes flared, and in the next heartbeat, twin beams of blazing red heat vision ripped through the air, colliding between them in a searing explosion of light.

KRZZZZZHHHH!

The force of the clash cracked like thunder, the beams evenly matched, neither Kryptonian yielding an inch. The air around them warped and hissed as their power strained against one another, lighting up the sky like a second sun.

Zack screamed, the heat prickling against his skin even from the middle of the tug-of-war. “ARE YOU TWO CRAZY?! I’m right here! I’m gonna roast like a marshmallow!”

But neither woman looked at him—they were locked in, their wills pressing against each other, neither daring to blink.

Kara’s teeth clenched, sweat forming at her temple. ‘I can’t keep this up. If I don’t change tactics, Zack’s going to suffocate… or worse.’ And then the risky thought struck her. ‘It’s dangerous… but it might work.’

With a sudden burst of speed, Kara cut off her beam, launching herself forward into the blinding clash. Power Girl blinked in shock, thrown off balance as Kara closed the distance in an instant.

“What—?!”

Kara slammed her shoulder into Power Girl’s arm, wrenching Zack free from her hold with a forceful twist. In the same motion, she scooped him against her chest, her arms locking protectively around him.

Zack gasped, sucking in blessed air, his chest heaving as he clung weakly to her. “Oh, thank God… I thought I was done for.”

“I’ve got you,” Kara said quickly, her voice trembling, equal parts relief and anger. “You’re safe now.”

Her boots never touched the air again—she blasted away, streaking through the sky like a missile, holding Zack tightly against her as though the world itself might try to rip him away again.

Behind them, Power Girl spun in midair, blinking rapidly as she realized her arms were empty.

Her eyes widened, her heart twisting with something unfamiliar, ugly, and raw. “No…” she whispered. “No, no, no!”

The fury hit her like a tidal wave. “HE’S MINE!” She roared, her voice echoing across the city. She shot forward in hot pursuit, every rational thought burned away by the single obsessive need to reclaim Zack.

Her fists clenched so tight her gloves creaked, her teeth bared as she cut through the night air. ‘I need him back. I need him in my arms. I can’t let Kara win.’

She didn’t even realize how unlike herself she sounded.

Zack, still pressed firmly to Kara’s chest as they streaked over the rooftops, turned his head slightly, eyes wide with dread as he looked back at the furious blur chasing after them. “Uh, Kara? She looks… really pissed.”

“I know,” Kara muttered, her arms tightening around him, her heart pounding. “But I’m not letting her take you again.”

The metallic voice echoed in Zack’s mind, louder this time, as though responding to the chaos:

Connection established: 45% (Power Girl).

Connection established: 70% (Supergirl).

Zack’s heart raced faster. ‘If this keeps going… something’s going to snap.’

—----------------------------------

As the chase tore across Metropolis, two Kryptonians locked in a deadly dance with Zack caught at the center of it all.

The world around Zack blurred into streaks of lights and stars as Kara carried him, the wind stinging his skin. Her arms were firm, protective, and steady despite the chaos they’d just escaped.

But Zack’s thoughts weren’t steady. They churned inside him, louder than the rushing air.

‘Why me? Why is all of this happening because of me? First waking up in a dumpster with no memory, then explosions, then Kara risking herself… and now Power Girl. What am I worth? All I’ve done is drag Kara into messes and somehow… changed her.’

He glanced up at Kara’s face, lit by the moonlight as she flew. She looked determined, but there was tension in her jaw, in her narrowed eyes, in the way her arms clutched him like she’d never let go.

Finally, the words tumbled out. “Kara…”

“Little busy right now,” She said, scanning the skies for any place to hide.

“No, listen.” His voice was quiet. “Maybe… maybe it would’ve been better if we had never met.”

Kara froze mid-flight. The words hit her harder than any villain’s punch. Her eyes widened, her breath catching as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She slowed until they hovered in the air, the city far below.

“What… why do you say that?” she whispered.

Zack winced. “I mean… look at everything that’s happened. You’re supposed to be Metropolis’s protector. You’re supposed to be this symbol of hope. And since meeting me, all I’ve done is bring you problems. You’ve been… different and not acting like yourself. Whatever I am, whatever these… powers are, they’re changing you—and not in a good way. Maybe if we hadn’t met, you’d still be the real you.”

His words cut deep. Because in some ways, he was right. Kara’s chest ached as she thought about the last few hours, the way she nearly lost control in the park, the overwhelming jealousy that made her fight her own clone, the desperate need to keep Zack close no matter what. That wasn’t her. That wasn’t Supergirl.

Her arms trembled faintly as she lowered herself toward a nearby rooftop. Her boots touched down gently, and she set Zack on his feet with care. But even as she let him stand, she didn’t release his hand. Their fingers stayed interlaced, the warmth of the connection pulsing stronger than ever.

“You’re right,” She admitted softly, her voice heavy with conflict. “I haven’t been acting like myself. Not completely. But don’t you dare think for a second that means we should never have met.”

Zack blinked at her, confusion plain in his green eyes. “How can you say that? All I’ve done is mess things up for you.”

Kara shook her head firmly, her grip tightening around his hand. “Because… you don’t understand. Meeting you—it hasn’t ruined me. It opened something inside me. Feelings I didn’t think I’d ever have. Every moment with you, no matter how short or how messy, has become… precious.”

Her cheeks warmed, her voice trembling despite the steel in her words. “If we had never met, Zack, it would devastate me. Because now I know what it feels like to… to want something for myself. To want you.”

Zack’s lips parted, his heart pounding. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know if he could believe her. But the sincerity in her eyes—bright, vulnerable, unyielding—made his chest tighten.

And then it happened.

The metallic voice surged in his mind, louder than ever, almost deafening:

Connection established: 100% (Supergirl).

Zack gasped, stumbling as a wave of warmth crashed through him, flooding every vein. Kara stiffened too, her body trembling as she felt it—the bond surging to completion. Her breath hitched, her knees nearly buckling.

Energy hummed between their joined hands, visible now as a faint glow of light wrapping their fingers. Kara’s blue eyes widened, shimmering with awe and fear all at once.

The glow faded slowly, leaving only the hum of the city and the sound of their quickened breaths.

Zack blinked, looking down at his hands, flexing his fingers. “...That’s it? I don’t feel any different.”

But Kara did.

Her chest rose and fell sharply as a wave of clarity washed over her mind. It was like a fog lifting, a noise finally silenced. The gnawing desperation that had haunted her since their first touch—the overwhelming need to cling to him—was gone. In its place was… peace. Warmth. And an undeniable realization of every single thing she had done leading up to this moment.

Her eyes widened. She remembered the way she had pinned him down in the park. The way she had begged him not to let go. The way she fought her own clone like a jealous child.

“Oh Rao…” She whispered, her face flushing crimson.

Complete and total embarrassment surged through her, burning hotter than her heat vision. She turned away from Zack, pressing a trembling hand to her face.

“Kara?” Zack asked cautiously, tilting his head. She looked so red it worried him. “Are you—are you overheating or something? You don’t look okay.”

But before he could step closer, Kara’s mortified voice cracked out, “I-I can’t—”

And then, without another word, she shot into the sky in a streak of red and blue, faster than even the Flash at the moment. The air rippled in her wake, nearly knocking Zack off balance.

“Kara!” Zack shouted after her, his hand reaching helplessly toward the stars. “Wait! Where are you going?!”

But she was gone.

Gone because she couldn’t even face him. Gone because the weight of realizing how much she had revealed—and how much she had felt—was too much to bear.

Zack lowered his arm, staring at the empty sky where she had vanished. His heart sank in confusion and frustration. “What… just happened?”

And then—

A sharp chime echoed in his mind.

Before his eyes, glowing lines of light traced themselves into shape, forming a holographic screen suspended in the air. Zack staggered back in shock, his green eyes wide.

“What the hell—?!”

The screen pulsed gently, words appearing in sleek digital font:

Congratulations! You have successfully created your First Bond.

Zack’s jaw dropped. “First… bond?”

The text shifted, the glowing letters rearranging themselves as the screen expanded into several panels. At the top, bold and unmistakable, was the title:

Welcome to the Bond System.

His breath caught. “The Bond… System?”

A new set of text scrolled across, crisp and precise:

Explanation: The Bond System activates upon forming a connection with powerful individuals. Each bond is unique and manifests in different ways, depending on the emotions shared between the user and the bonded individual. Bonds grant abilities, influence growth, and alter the nature of relationships. The stronger the bond, the greater the rewards.

Zack’s mind spun. “Wait… wait, wait, wait. So you’re telling me I’m basically running some kind of… relationship upgrade program?”

The screen pulsed again, as though answering him.

Current Bond Status:

 – Kara Zor-El (Supergirl): 100% – Completed Bond. Effects: Emotional equilibrium stabilized. New abilities unlocked. Relationship permanently marked.

Zack’s throat went dry. “New abilities?”

He pressed a hand against his chest, his heart pounding. He didn’t feel any different—but Kara had. And now she was gone, flying who knows where, probably mortified out of her mind.

He rubbed his face with both hands, groaning. “Just great. I wake up in a dumpster with no memories, and now I’m apparently in some cosmic dating simulator that just scared off the one person keeping me alive.”

The glowing screen hovered patiently, waiting for his next command, as if mocking him with its cheerful hum.

Zack looked up at the empty sky once more, his voice low and uncertain. “Kara… what happens to us now?”

A sudden gust of displaced air hit him, nearly toppling him off his feet.

Zack spun around. “What the—?!”

There she was. Power Girl descended onto the rooftop, her boots clanging against the concrete. Her blonde hair whipped in the breeze, her cape flaring behind her. Blue eyes narrowed, scanning the empty skyline.

“Huh…” She muttered, brows knitting. “She’s not here?”

Zack’s chest tightened. He knew exactly who she meant.

Power Girl turned sharply toward him, her voice edged with suspicion. “Where’s Kara? I saw her streaking this way with you, but now you’re just… standing here alone.”

Zack’s heart leapt into his throat. The glowing screen was still floating inches from his face—but Power Girl’s gaze passed right through it. She didn’t react at all.

‘She can’t see it.’ That realization made him stumble. He snapped his eyes back to the Bond System, then to her. ‘So this is only for me? Great. Just one more weird thing I can’t explain without sounding insane.’

“Uh…” Zack stalled, scratching the back of his neck. “She, uh… just suddenly left. Took off before I could stop her.”

Power Girl tilted her head, her expression softening into something smug. Slowly, a smirk curved across her lips. “So she ran off, huh? Guess that means she won’t be getting in my way anymore.”

Before Zack could protest, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a crushing embrace.

“W-whoa! Hey, wait!” Zack yelped, his arms pinned awkwardly against his sides. “What’s with all the hugging lately?”

But Power Girl didn’t answer. Her cheek pressed to his hair, and her eyes fluttered shut as that familiar warmth spread through her. The comfort, the calm—it rolled over her like a tide, softening every hard edge she’d been carrying.

“Mmm…” She sighed, her voice dipping into something softer, almost vulnerable. “There it is again. That feeling. You have no idea how good this is.”

Zack stiffened. He remembered Kara saying almost the exact same thing—that being near him made her feel comfort, like she didn’t want to let go.

The metallic voice in his head chimed again, cold and precise:

Connection established: 50% (Power Girl).

His heart hammered as Power Girl squeezed him tighter, utterly lost in the sensation. Zack squirmed, eyes darting nervously to the still-glowing Bond System screen hovering behind her.

“Kara just ran away,” Power Girl whispered with a triumphant smile, “and that means you’re mine now.”

Zack’s chest rose and fell in quick bursts, the pounding of his heart loud in his ears. Power Girl’s arms were locked around him like steel bands, her warmth seeping into him while the chill of panic crawled up his spine.

‘This is exactly what happened with Kara,’ He thought. ‘She held on and couldn’t let go. And now… it’s happening to her too. Damn it, I can’t just sit here and watch another person lose themselves because of me.’

Zack sucked in a shaky breath. His throat was dry, but he forced the words out anyway. “Okay… okay, look. I need to tell you the truth.”

Power Girl cracked one eye open, her smirk faltering. “The truth?”

“Yes. Everything.” Zack shifted as much as her hold allowed, staring straight into her sharp blue eyes. “You’re feeling… different around me, right? Like you don’t want to let go. That comfort, that pull. Kara said the same thing. It isn’t just you. It’s me. Or… something inside me.”

Power Girl raised a brow, silent but listening.

Zack’s voice grew heavier, words tumbling faster now. “There’s this… system. I don’t know how to explain it and I don’t know why I have it. But when I touch someone, someone like you or Kara, it creates a bond that changes you. And it’s my fault. Kara fought you over me because of it. And now, it’s happening to you. I’m… I’m responsible for this.”

He braced himself for anger, rejection, anything.

But Power Girl just stared at him for a long, quiet moment—before letting out a small chuckle. “That’s it?”

Zack blinked. “Wait—that’s it?! That’s all you have to say?”

Her grip tightened, pulling him against her again. Her cheek brushed his hair as she exhaled, her voice low and steady. “I really don’t care.”

His jaw dropped. “You don’t care? I’m literally telling you that you're changing, and you don’t even care?”

Finally, she pulled back enough to meet his eyes again. This time, her smirk was gone. In its place was something raw, vulnerable, and bitter.

“Listen to me,” She said quietly, but with iron in her tone. “I was created for one reason. To kill Kara Zor-El. That’s it. That’s my entire existence. A weapon made in a lab. A copy. Nothing real about me. My life, my identity, even my damn name—it’s all fake.”

Zack’s chest tightened.

Her lips curled in a humorless smile. “Do you know what that feels like? To know you’re nothing but a science experiment? That every breath you take only matters if it ends hers?”

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

“So if I feel something new, something real, for once in my life?” Her voice softened, trembling at the edges. “If holding you makes me feel like I belong somewhere, like I’m more than just a clone? Then I don’t care what’s causing it. I don’t care if it’s your ‘system,’ or magic, or fate.”

Her arms pulled him closer again, almost desperate. “I don’t want to let go. I want to feel more.”

Zack’s throat constricted. He had expected anger, maybe denial. But not this. Not the raw honesty of someone who had never truly been allowed to live for herself.

For the first time, he didn’t feel just panic—he felt sympathy.

Still, in the back of his mind, the metallic voice chimed again, cold and precise, cutting through the moment like a blade:

Connection established: 55% (Power Girl).

Zack winced, his stomach twisting. ‘If this keeps climbing, she’s going to be just like Kara was before the bond completed. And if she hits 100% too… what happens then?’

He swallowed hard, looking into her eyes. “Power Girl… if you keep holding on, it’s only going to change you more. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Her lips curved into the faintest smile. “For once in my life… yes.”

Zack hearing her answer releases a long, heavy sigh, rubbing his face with both hands. His head was pounding—not just from the system’s endless revelations but from the emotional whiplash of the last few hours.

Finally, he looked at Power Girl, still clinging to him like a lifeline and spoke, his tone weary but calm. “Fine but look… as much as I’d love to keep standing here while you squeeze the life out of me, it’s night now. I need to find somewhere to sleep. Can we at least leave this roof?”

Power Girl blinked, almost surprised he’d said something so… ordinary. She tilted her head, then gave a short nod. “Alright. But I’m not leaving you alone.”

Before Zack could protest, she scooped him up in her arms again, descending from the rooftop with a controlled glide. Her boots landed softly on the cracked pavement of a quiet street corner. Even on solid ground, though, she didn’t let go. Her grip shifted to his hand instead, her fingers intertwining tightly with his.

Zack glanced down at their linked hands, his lips twitching into a crooked smile. “You know… you’ll still feel the bond if we just hold hands. You don’t have to glue yourself to me twenty-four-seven.”

Her cheeks flushed faintly, but she didn’t let go. “I like this better.”

“…Of course you do,” Zack muttered, shaking his head.

The two of them began walking, their footsteps echoing softly against the concrete. The city felt quieter here, away from the chaos of earlier, the neon lights casting long shadows. Zack cleared his throat after a moment. “So… where do you usually sleep?”

Power Girl didn’t even blink. “I usually just break into an empty apartment or house. Eat their food, use their bed and sometimes just take some of their belongings. Pretty simple.”

Zack stopped mid-step, staring at her. “…You what?”

She gave a shrug, completely unfazed. “What? I don’t need money. Nobody notices half the time. And it’s not like anyone ever taught me how to live like a normal person.”

Zack dragged a hand down his face, groaning. ‘Of course.’

“That’s… not exactly reassuring,” He said finally. “I don’t know if I can handle sleeping in some stranger’s bed like it’s a hotel. We need a better plan.”

Power Girl raised a brow, smirking faintly. “Better plan? You’ve been homeless since this morning. What do you suggest?”

Zack opened his mouth, then shut it again. “…Touché.”

They walked a few more steps in silence before Zack glanced at her again. “Hey, do you even have a name? I mean, I’ve been calling you Power Girl this whole time, but that feels… I don’t know. Distant.”

To his surprise, her cheeks darkened further. She looked away, suddenly flustered, and muttered, “You’ve been holding my hand for hours, and I’ve practically glued myself to you… and we haven’t even exchanged names.”

Zack couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, kind of crazy when you think about it.”

She looked back at him, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. “Alright. I’ll tell you mine… if you tell me yours first.”

“Fair enough,” Zack said with a small nod. He cleared his throat, feeling oddly formal. “Name’s Zack. Zack… something. That’s all I’ve got right now.”

Her expression softened, and then, to his surprise, she smiled—genuine, almost radiant. “Zack. I like it.”

He raised a brow. “And you?”

She hesitated, as though saying it out loud was something she hadn’t done in a long time. Then, with a quiet breath, she answered, “The name the scientists gave me… is Galatea.”

Zack blinked. The name hung in the air between them, heavy and yet beautiful. “Galatea…” He repeated it slowly, letting it roll off his tongue. “It suits you.”

Her blush deepened, but this time she didn’t look away. Her grip on his hand tightened, her eyes shimmering with something new, something fragile. “I’m glad you like it.”

Zack’s chest tightened as he looked at her. For the first time, she didn’t seem like just a clone, or a weapon, or even a rival to Kara. For the first time, she seemed… human.

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