A Kara Chapter
Becoming Superboy 27
"But it was Kryptonian! I am sure!" she said trying to stop him.
"Kara," Superman said with a sigh as he lifted what remained of the beast that appeared in the city. It wasn't much since he had to detonate an underground oil pocket to finish it. "That's not possible. Besides, the creature you are speaking about was from Krypton's prehistoric time. How could it have survived after it had already gone extinct?"
She had been a moment too late, but she was sure it had been a Tripedal Curosiananium.
"But it could mean Krypton still exists, don't you want to go back home?" she said flying in front of him to stop him.
"There is nothing left where Krypton used to be," he said with a frown.
"Or maybe you care more about this world than your own!" She shouted at the top of her lungs before biting her lip. She expected him to reprimand her for her crossing the line. She knew he had grown on Earth and considered himself an Earthling as far as he could.
"This world is our home now," he said in a calm tone.
"Kal El, I am sorry," she said lowering her hands and head.
"It's fine. You had a few rough days. Go home and rest. I will take this to the fortress and have it examined. We will know its real origin once the study is done," he told her as he started to fly away.
"Alright," she said turning to go back to Metropolis. She had a lot of glasses to clean.
"Kara," he said stopping her, "I wish I could understand you better. I have no memories of Krypton, or our family like you do, but be sure that I have looked into every possibility to see them again."
She had nodded before he offered her a kind smile. She tried to return it, but it was crooked. It wasn't just the planet that was different, the people too. Back home, they were to keep their emotions guarded, even among those of their family. There were few words of kindness and a lot of responsibility and honoring the House of El. She couldn't recall her parents staying in the same room for long. It had been what on Earth they called an arranged marriage. It had been the norm back then. Her mother had been lucky to be married into a family of higher standing, and she had been seeking the same for her though it was hard to go superior than the House of El.
As she flew back home, she thought of how confusing and messy Earth was. She knew her uncle would have loved it. He broke every tradition possible. One of them was picking his own partner though he was of the House of El and Lara had been a soldier. She had been an excellent aunt, and her mother too had liked her, but the rest of the House looked down on her. There had been many times when they tried to put her down by flaunting their intelligence.
She smiled a little as she recalled how she had surprised them with her vast knowledge. How she wished Kal El could have seen her. Jor El had been so pleasingly surprised that he went to embrace her in front of everyone. Everyone talked about the incident for a whole cycle.
"Get up Kara, you can do better than that," Lara had helped her through the physical part of her rite of passage. She had gotten the top score, even beating the participants that came from military Houses.
When she finally arrived home, she didn't bother to change or clean up the glass. She went straight to bed and collapsed on it. One of the legs broke and she cursed in a few choice words she had learned on Earth.
She knew Kal El trusted her, much like his mother used to. It had been so stupid to tell him something like that. She felt terrible about it. After all, he only knew his parents and home world for a few hours.
"Kara Zor-El. Wake up" she heard a voice and opened her eyes. She was in a place surrounded by fire, just like the firefalls of Krypton. She really missed her home.
"Who! Where am I?!" it had to be a dream.
"You are not dreaming. These aren't the firefalls of Krypton. I don't have to read your mind to know your thoughts Kara Zor-El. My name is H'el and I am from Krypton." A man, or at least she thought it was a man appeared before her speaking fluent Kryptonian. She didn't know who he really was, but he was not Kryptonian.
"Who the hell are you? What have you done to my apartment?!" her landlady was not the most understanding of people.
"There is no need to worry," he told her, which pissed her off even more. She just wanted some peace and quiet.
"I am only telling you this once; get out of my apartment!" she said clenching her hands. She had enough for the past few days. First she got taken over by an alien parasite. The she got saved by no other than Kon, and somehow managed to piss him off again. To make things worse that day she had managed to insult her cousin; one of the kindest beings in the universe.
"We are not in your apartment Kara Zor-El. We are on the surface of Earth's sun," H'el said to her motioning the giant ball of fire.
"Liar! I told you to get out!" she launched at him fists first. He didn't move an inch when she hit him and she fell back, "I can't feel my hands! What are you?" she hadn't felt so much pain since she sprained her ankle while running through the sands of Galanni.
"My journey has affected my body in strange ways, but be assured I am, despite my appearance, another member of the House of El. A Kryptonian. An honorary member, not one of honorable blood such as yours." He said with a light bow.
"What are you talking about?" she said flying backward.
"I was sent on to a mission a long time ago by Jor El. He was my teacher, a father in some ways. He entrusted me with an unique mission and turned me into the last explorer of Krypton. I was sent off shortly before the destruction of our world. I became a wanderer and this body is the witness to the many trials I endured. Not long ago, I heard about two powerful beings which carried the crest of the House of El. So, here I am to reunite with my brethren," the man that claimed he was of the House of El. But, she would have recalled someone outside of their blood ties being given such an honor.
"Why should I believe you? You took me away from my home against my will," she said starting to fly back home.
"Only to show you that I am like you; the sun is the source of our power. I understand that you have doubts, but I promise you that I will do my best to prove myself to you," he said flying after her.
"Why would you do that? You want me to treat you like someone from the House of El? Why have I never heard of you before?"
"It's complicated, but Lady Kara you must believe me. I need your help," he said giving her a pleading look.
"For what exactly?" she asked holding her head high, just as her mother had taught her when being addressed by someone that wasn't of their House or from an even more senior House. She had hated it back then, but she couldn't see another way to behave around him.
"To return to Krypton before it was destroyed and save it," he told her.
"You-you are crazy," she all but spat though she knew time travel was possible, but as Kal El had explained to her, it came with significant risks.
"No, lady Kara. This life on Earth is," H'El told her with a frown and a moment later they appeared in a battlefield.
"Where are we?" how had he brought them there? All around there were screams of fury and death. Bullets crossed the sky with no real aim anymore. She prepared herself to fight in case they decided to point those guns at her.
"Don't fret as they can't see us. Their weapons, as you know, are useless against us. I understand why your father and Jor El sent you and your cousin to this world. Their yellow sun keeps you safe and you return the favor as their saviors, but look at this. This is real madness for do you really think these creatures deserve you?" H'el said as he motioned to the carnage around them.
She knew what war looked like. Still, her eyes were drawn to a young boy hiding behind a broken wall in the middle of the battlefield. His eyes were full of tears as he tried to make himself small as much as possible.
"They use their knowledge to service only a few and kill each other instead of looking after those who shape the future. What is worthy of them that deserves to be protected? This is no place to call home, not to you or any sane being. It's what Krypton always made sure to evade," how many times had she heard this in her lectures back home? It had never really made sense until she came to Earth. Why would anyone seek violence over actual solutions?
The top of the wall where the child was hiding collapsed and started to fall towards the child. In a moment, she was there and covering him from the rubble and the bullets. It was nothing to her, but it would have meant his death. She took him in her arms, wrapped him in her cape and flew him out of the line of fire. She placed him in the center of a small town nearby where people approached him immediately to check he was okay. They still couldn't see her, but thanked some deity for her work.
"You might have saved one life today, but what about the countless lost in just one day to famine, and war. This is life on Earth; a sad spectacle of death," H'el said looking towards the still ongoing battle.
"I…" she knew he was right, but as Kal had said, they couldn't be everywhere at once. Still, if they stopped one battle, somewhere another one always started.
"I am offering you a chance to return home Kara," he told her, and how she wished it was possible.
"How can I-," she asked.
"Believe me? Trust me? You are smart as part of your heritage, so I knew you would need proof of my sincerity. So, proof I will give you."
The world had gone white before they appeared in her apartment. In the middle of the half-empty living room was Kon floating in the air. His face had bruises over bruises and parts of his suit were torn. His skin looked red and painful as if he had been burned to the point where even their healing capabilities had difficulty curing him. He was unconscious, but his expression told her he was in a lot of pain.
"Kon!"
"Appropriate name my lady, he was much difficult to contain than the clones created in our world," he beat Kon? It made sense, yet it didn't. He didn't have the same level of strength as her or Kal El, but he was by no means an easy target.
"You brought him here?" she asked with a frown. She knew this wasn't the time but her stomach felt heavy at having Kon in her apartment, her sanctuary.
"Do not worry for he is not a threat at the time. However, you know he can be for anything living. As a clone, his true nature is to hate everything that is unlike him. For such reason, he must be terminated," H'El said placing a hand on Kon's throat and squeezing. At once Kon gasped in pain though still unconscious.
"Let him go!" she said taking hold of his hand and trying to pull him back.
"You know he is a threat even though Kal El and this world think otherwise. It was only a matter of time back then as it is now. Here is the proof of my sincerity lady Kara. Just tell me to do it, and I will eradicate the abomination of the House of El," all of her reasoning told her he was right. The clones had always been submissive and obedient until one day something changed on them. What if the same thing happened with Kon?
"I-I…" she released his wrist and looked at Kon, who was gasping for air.
"Don't let his appearance trick you lady Kara, nor Kal El's trust on him. You know your cousin does not fully understand the destructive potential of this Kon. The same was for the Kon of our home world, remember?" but Kon choose that name to remind him of the threat he could be, to keep himself in check. He was not ignorant of his nature and didn't allow it to stop him from trying to live a fulfilling life.
"Where… where am I?"Kon opened his eyes groggily.
"Fast my lady; you know what the right thing to do is," H'El said preparing his other fist to hit Kon.
"Ka-Kara?" Kon said when he saw her and relaxed slightly. He had no idea in what position he was, but he knew her. Even though they had their differences, he trusted her.
"Don't do it," she said and then added when H'El frowned,"not yet."
"Not yet? As you say, I will do my lady. I will just make sure he is no threat for now. But why did you hesitate?" he said releasing Kon's throat. She too now could breathe easier.
"Because you are also here for Kal El; he has attached himself to the clone. Let us talk to him first and make the decision together," she said trying to sound as reasonable as possible, all to buy them some time. He was too strong for her to take on her own and with Kon hurt; she could only hope Kal could.
"Kal El won't help us I am afraid. I have seen how fond he has grown not just of the clone but also this strange world. He has forgotten who he really is thanks to the corruption of this world. He has forgotten his Kryptonian heritage," H'El said with a scowl.
"You can't give up on him," she told him. After all, Kal El was the rightful heir to the House of El.
"Of course not, but it will be hard to persuade him since he did not receive the proper Kryptonian upbringing," H'El said with an apprehensive look at Kon. It had been a taboo back in their world to treat a clone in any other way than a servant. Kal El lived with the clone, was his friend and mentor.
"Then let me talk to him first. He trusts me. I think I can help him understand," if this man really knew a way to restore Krypton, she didn't want to miss her chance by having him kill Kon.
"Will do as you say, my lady. Tell him of what is possible and that there is still hope to be reunited with his family," he said. Then, she appeared somewhere else she didn't know.
She stood frozen in front of a door in an empty hall. A nearby window told her it was close to night time. Where had the rest of her day gone to? She looked at the door in front of her and heard voices. At once she recognized Kal El's but the other it took her a moment. It was the woman who had spent the Giving holiday with them. It sounded like they were arguing, but she couldn't place the reason. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
"Kara!" Kal El said almost jumping out of his skin.
"Oh God, they even follow you around!" Lois Lane said throwing her hands in the air.
"I need to talk to you," she said before pressing her lips tightly together. She had wondered for a while if it was possible for her cousin to get upset, now she knew he could. He glared at her before taking a deep breath. Okay, he could for about ten seconds.
"I bet she does," Lois said rolling her eyes. In doing so, igniting the proverbial match that was Kal El's temper, "go Smallville, don't want to keep the chick in a leotard waiting."
"Is not like that," Kal El said before he glared at the woman. "And I will be back, we are not done talking."
"Oh look at that, you can actually grow a spine," Lois said checking her nails.
"Yeah, because standing up to idiots like Morgan Edge to stuff it didn't prove it, but what about yours Lois? I haven't seen you stand up for anything for a long time," Kal said crossing his arms.
"I didn't know farm boys could be so full of themselves. Please, spare one of your speeches about real journalism, I have heard them all before," she said turning away from him.
"But did you really understand anything at all standing side by side with Carroll. You only picked to stay with him because you saw that picture of Superman and Wonder Woman kissing. You settled for less, admit it," he said and Kara swore she would never make her cousin upset. He could be as mean as it could get.
"Shut up," Lois said throwing him a dirty glare.
"Why Lois? Did I hit a nerve?" he said looking down at her.
"Go before I kick you to kingdom come," she said before she started pushing him out.
"I will be back," he said walking.
"And you won't find me here. I am going to dinner with my boyfriend, remember? The one I live with?" Lois said before slamming the door behind him.
"This is really important," she said finally finding the courage to speak.
"Have you seen Conner? His friend Lori said he didn't show up to school," he asked as he walked down the hall. Kara followed after him.
"It involves him," she said biting her lip.
"Please don't tell me you two got into a fight. I just asked him to ask you if you would like to move in with us," Kal seemed to be near his breaking point.
"I know where he is, but I need your help freeing him," she said hoping that would snap him from whatever emotional turmoil he was in.
"What? Kara, what happened?" he asked wide eyed.
"A Kryptonian showed up," she told him.
"Where have I heard that before?" he said with an eye roll. More than once beings had showed up claiming to be Kryptonian to take advantage of him. "Look, let's go talk somewhere else," he said before she nodded.
A few moments later he was changed into his uniform and they were flying over a park.
"Okay, so he claims my father sent him into outer space. I hope you don't believe his story Kara. You know better than me that Krypton had firmly forbidden any type of space exploration. Even my father wouldn't have broken that law," Superman said looking more worried and skeptical as well as she told him of what H'El told her. "Also, has he bothered to explain to you how he plans to restore Krypton?"
"No, but what if there is a chance," she had told him of all the abilities H'El had, maybe he did know of a way.
"I don't believe him, Kara. But I know we must save Kon, or he will kill him," Superman said with a frown.
"Is he more important than the chance to save our world?" she asked him feeling her gut clench.
"What? That's an unfair question! Kara, you have to learn that there is a difference between hope and false hope. That's what he is feeding you, and in your heart you know that is true," he told her taking hold of her shoulders. "I know you are hurting, and he is only taking advantage of that."
"How would you know if you haven't even met him!" she said pushing him back.
"Then, let us resolve that. Though you have been granted great power my power, it is my devotion to Krypton that can make things right once again. I can return Krypton to its rightful place as the shining jewel of the cosmos," H'El said appearing before them.
"You must be H'El," Kal El didn't hide his disdain for him. He placed himself in front of Kara as if to protect her from his influence.
"Kal El, you resemble your father greatly in appearance. Is like seeing my mentor, the one that took me in, gave me purpose, and treated me as a son, again. Seeing you now is like meeting my younger brother," H'El appeared in front of Kal El the next moment and embraced him. Kal El at once pulled back.
"Before you go into the whole story of how you were missing in space all this time, let me tell you Kara has told me all about it. Now, I want you to return Kon to me and then leave our world," Kal El said firmly with his chin high.
"You don't believe me," H'El said with a frown.
"Not for a moment, now return Kon," of course he would demand Kon instead of the way to restore their home world, Kara thought with a frown.
"But Kal El!" if there were just one chance, they should take it.
"He is trying to use us, Kara, nothing more," he said not looking away from H'El.
"I was an idiot to expect you to understand. You have never had any real connection to Krypton. Why would I think that would change now?" she said turning her head to the side as to not see his hurt expression.
"That is not fair Kara," but his tone said it all. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She just wanted to go back home.
"Your cousin has a point lady Kara. Why should he believe me without proof? Giving names is not enough so I will show you of my knowledge of Krypton," the next instant Kon appeared in his hold. His body looked in even more pain and she wondered how many times H'El had to subdue him.
"Superboy!" Kal El said closing his eyes. The sight was more painful to him than her.
"He is still alive," she said not able to look away. A line of blood ran from his forehead.
"Barely!" Kal El shouted before moving forwards. He then said to H'El "let the boy go!"
"This is not a boy Kal El. ITis a clone like those that nearly destroyed our planet with their bare hands and naked rage so many years ago. That is why to prove my intentions are noble I going to snap his neck," H'El said raising the hand that held Kon higher as if to make a show out of it.
The next moment Kal El had sent him crashing into the park below. She heard the shouts of people as they ran away from the place.
"Would Kryptonians really be as cruel as to kill a defenseless boy?" Kal El said holding Kon's unconscious and hurt body.
"They wouldn't see him as a boy," and they wouldn't think him defenseless, she thought. Even though Kon was not fully Kal El's clone, she could see the close resemblance between them. That always hurt.
He didn't say more and handed him to her, "protect him."
"But-" even now her arms were shaking as she held the clone. Memories of her childhood running, hiding from those things flooded her mind.
"Kal El!" they heard H'El shout.
"Protect him no matter what," Kal El told her before colliding with H'El.
She watched her cousin land a punch on H'El, which sent shock waves through the air pushing her and her charge back.
"How dare you raise your hand to me, you presumptions little child!?" H'El said returning the punch with the same strength if not more. But Kal El's cheek barely budged as he glared at H'El.
"Because H'El, you have done what only a few have accomplished. You made me mad!" his eyes turned red and he tried to burn her. He managed to land a direct hit on his chest. H'El touched his chest where the skin had been broken and looked at his own black tar blood.
"Uncultured ingrate! You do care more about these insects than your own people!" H'El shouted before he took of Kal by his cape and threw him in a parking lot.
"I would watch what you say H'El," Kal said getting up from the crater he created. He then said with a smirk "I am the true son or Jor El and don't ever forget that!" he launched at H'El.
"Just because you beat the dragon I sent you think you can beat me? You are nothing but a fool. It is time a faithful member of the House of El takes charge!" H'El said creating a barrier around him the next instant which ricocheted Kal El. He crashed into a car, which exploded then creating a chain reaction. Next thing she saw was all the cars in the lot explode as well wrapping the two men in a storm of fire.
"Kal?!" She placed Kon down and flew towards them.
"ARRRRGH!" Kal El flew out of the ball of fire.
"Kal E-ck!" the next thing she knew he had his hand around her throat.
"This is all your fault Kara! All of it!" he sneered on her face.
"What are you—" she said trying to remove his hand.
"Shut up and listen to me, you spoiled brat! Why did you leave Kon?! Why couldn't just you listen just for once without doubting me?! Why do you insist on making my life so difficult?!" he shook her in the air.
"Kal…" she saw only rage in his eyes.
"I am tired of your old Kryptonian nonsense. I am sick of having to explain the same thing to you again and again because you are too damn stubborn to accept it," his anger was replaced by disgust and disappointment.
"Kak!" she tried to form the words to apologize or reason with him. She couldn't decide which because it was heartbroking to see him like this.
"I will say it once more in a way even you will understand; Krypton is gone!"
She felt tears running down her face as she started to lose consciousness.
"Kara… that's not…" she heard Kon's voice before all went dark.