UltraJo plummeted to Earth, her impact threw a great billowing dust cloud across the street. Instantly she tasted that unfamiliar metallic taste in her mouth, blood. Her Ultra hearing picked up the sound of smashing glass as debris rained through the shopfront windows.

Despite being winded she used her Ultra breath to blow the cloud away. In the newly cleared air she surveyed the ruins of the street. There was the slightest of movements behind a nearby car, using her Ultra vision she looked through the metal and leather of the small hatchback and saw a man and woman huddling, terrified.

With great effort she got to her feet and approached the couple “Are you injured?” She forced her voice to be clear and commanding.

The two of them shook their heads blankly.

“Get to safety. This is only going to get worse.”

However, the two of them were no longer looking at her, instead they were looking up in the sky, UltraJo followed their line of sight. Less than fifty metres away, and closing slowly, her unknown assailant floated two meters above the ground. Internally UltraJo was scared but externally she stood tall, she knew she inspired people to great deeds, they couldn’t afford to see her weakened. However, the fact that this person was wearing her uniform with inverted colours unsettled UltraJo.

“Who are you?” UltraJo demanded.

The figure came to a stop, less than a couple of metres away and smiled, as her cape snapped in the breeze, she spoke in a familiar voice, “Don’t you recognise me?”

UltraJo gasped as her assailants face deformed, her enemy wore her face.

“I’m UltraEvilJo” the villain laughed manically. “I’m responsible for the destruction of your home world.”

“Bullshit.”

Both UltraJo and UltraEvilJo were taken aback by this interruption.

“Everyone knows that UltraJo’s world was destroyed because the planet’s core was naturally unstable.” The man spoke out

“I think you will find that it was due to her people’s hubris. The industrialists and capitalist mined out all the natural resources of the planet, while ignoring the scientist warnings and actively steering the population into a hatred of experts. That’s what caused the collapse.” The woman corrected the man, before unabashedly adding “At least that is what you told the environmental select committee a couple of years ago.”

“Actually, I recently learnt it was because the evil alien Nerdiac stole a city from the surface of the world. Bottling it in a jam jar, which caused the planet to become unstable.” UltraJo summarised the knowledge she had gained last year after defeating Nerdiac.

“A jarring? That seems a bit far fetched.” The woman spoke incredulously.

“And you believe the Nerdiac?” UltraEvilJo sneered at UltraJo

“Yeah, sure. I mean, I travelled back in time and saw the jarring.” UltraJo replied defensively

“but what you did not see, is that it was I, who flew through your planets core, creating the implosion which led to its destruction.”

“I’m calling bollocks on that too.” The woman had now stepped out from behind the car. “Listen, we,” the woman pointed behind her at the man and a small crowd which had gathered, seemingly having come out of the shops, “have watched you battle the Prejudice Squad, Octopus man, Admiral Doz and many more, every summer you seem to have some big event where you have to fight someone well beyond your power levels. Each time one of them tells you one more secret fact about your origin. Octopus Man killed your adopted parents, or was it Chill Naiper? Admiral Doz time travelled to give you your powers, only your powers are due to your alien physiology and the Oxygen rich environment of our planet-”

“Sorry do you have a point here?” UltraEvilJo punctuated the woman’s speech.

“I’m not talking to you; I’m talking to her.” The woman pointed at UltraJo “Basically get your shit together. Maybe take some time off and go find yourself, figure out what is or isn’t real? Maybe that way these people, like UltraEvilJoe-”

“UltraEvilJo, there is no E”

The woman rolled her eyes “This is precisely what the fuck I am talking about, does that matter?” the woman spoke angrily “I mean get some perspective you’re destroying our city and yet you are concerned that I somehow pronounced a silent E? Is that an aspect of your Ultra hearing? Anyway, UltraJo, as I was saying maybe these villains wouldn’t be able to get under your skin so easily.”

The woman, stopped speaking, she seemed drained. The crowd could see the effect the speech had had on UltraJo, perhaps the destruction of everything they held dear had been prevented.

Tears filled UltraJo’s eyes. “This fine young woman has stood here and spoken truth to two of the most powerful beings in existence. She has shown true bravery in the face of overwhelming danger. She has inspired me” UltraJo smiled at the woman one last time before turning to face UltraEvilJo. “I will destroy you for destroying my home world!” UltraJo leapt from the ground smashing into UltraEvilJo, who’s face contorted into a grin, the two rocketed off into the clouds.

“I don’t think she got it.” The woman said exasperatedly to the crowd but as much to herself.