Hello, I am back!!!
(⌐■_■)
*****
-Metropolis City-
Today was an exceptionally cloudy day, the kind that cast a heavy shadow over the bustling city. Dark clouds gathered above, looming like an omen of impending turmoil.
Kara, with a contemplative expression, sat on a skyscraper looking down at the bustling city of Metropolis. She could see the urban chaos unfolding below. Car horns blaring angrily at each other in the chaotic traffic, workers in sharp suits and hurried expressions scurrying to their towering offices, and the cacophonous screams of machinery echoing through the canyons of steel and glass.
All these urban symphonies reached her ears, but she seemed untouched by the commotion. Her gaze, usually as bright as the morning sun, was now clouded and unfocused, lost in deep contemplation. Her vivid blue eyes mirrored the uncertainty that weighed heavily on her heart. The news of a looming threat had taken root in her thoughts, casting a shadow that even Metropolis's darkest clouds couldn't match.
Zion's cryptic words didn't help much either. For all she learned, the threat was something all of them would need to face together to overcome. The cosmic threat didn't make her heart waver; it only made her more resolute in her decision.
At the same time, she didn't know if she could trust Zion. He was just a person she met the other day; she couldn't completely trust him like Kal-El neither. And with his request to use the Fortress of Solitude, her doubt about him only increased. Yet, when she looked into his eyes as he told her about himself, she could find no deceit.
She might not be the best at looking through someone's facade. However, she knew not to trust easily. If the years of imprisonment had taught her something, it was everyone for themselves. Even Barry only saved her because he needed Superman to fight Zod.
She was grateful to him for saving her, but she also understood the truth, that she only escaped because the world needed a superhero to fight the world-ending crisis. And she fought to protect the world she hated because they were not different from herself, too weak to fight back.
In the end, she was saved by an unknown entity. The entity with the power to change fate and with unparalleled cosmic power. He asked her to stay here.
But why?
She arrived at that question again. She was not special or anything, and there was another Kara who would arrive in the near future. So why was she saved? Did she possess some remarkable ability? For all she knew, she had similar abilities to Superman.
That was all.
But Zion, he had the power to fight, to change into another form to escape his reality, and he knew of her past. He was a singularity, an existence that is unique in his own right. He also knew about the entity but refused to reveal any information.
For now, she could only trust him, but she didn't know if she should allow him to enter the Fortress of Solitude. The Kryptonian knowledge stored in the Fortress with many other civilizations in the wrong hands could bring unimaginable disaster.
The fortress gave her a feeling of home that she had missed so much. Brainiac welcomed her after it learned of her Kryptonian heritage, but it was confused as it learned of her identity as her features didn't match the Kara Zor-El in its database.
Kal-El, after explaining the situation to Brainiac, showed her around the Fortress. The ship itself was unique, carrying countless artifacts from many civilizations. Its walls were adorned with holographic displays, showcasing the history and culture of the stored worlds. She saw many civilizations bottled in a container with its citizens in suspended animation.
Kal-El was learning how to release them, but the process would take time. But it was a poignant reminder of the world she had lost, and yet, it also held the promise of discovering her roots and understanding her place in the universe.
She knew that she was alone in the universe. In time, she would eventually discover her purpose and her home in this universe.
But for now, she needed to protect this city.
***
-After a few hours of nothing-
The moon hung low over the city, casting a shimmering silver glow across the tranquil waters of the sea. Kara was gliding across the Metropolis sky far above where the eyes could see, her cape billowing gently with the night breeze.
The day had gone without a hitch. No accidents, no one trying to kill another person, no one trying to bomb, no robbery, at least for her. Superman was using his free time from protecting Metropolis to help around the world.
Even though it was inefficient for him to move across the world every time, while Kara, who was free, could do the world-saving thing while Kal-El kept to Metropolis. When Kara asked, he declined, saying some situations might cause diplomatic problems if they involve recklessness.
Superman was the only world-saving hero for now, the only one with the power to fight across the world, even if there were diplomatic troubles. (Hey, he is Superman.) Superman represents hope.
"Help!... Somebody help! Help me, please!!!" A distress shout echoed in the Metropolis night.
Kara's super-hearing picked up the distress cry, and without hesitation, she charged in the direction of the cry. Her figure blurred as she sped up to arrive on time to help. The cry led her to the Metropolis docks. The entire place was shrouded in an eerie darkness, bringing fear deep within the human heart. The lampposts' light flickered, making one think that a monster would attack them the minute the light blinked.
Kara lowered her altitude, her figure shrouded in the moonlight. She used her X-ray vision to find the source of the cry. But she was confused to find that there was no need for help. All she saw was the empty docks, with some men working their night shifts.
"Someone Help!... Help! Help!"
The cry rang again. Kara snapped in the direction. A ship hidden by the cover of the night, not far away from the docks. Kara quickly rushed to help, arriving to see a person trapped beneath a stack of heavy crates. Concern etched across her face, she rushed forward, her super-strength making quick work of the obstacle. But just as she reached out to assist, the seemingly injured person revealed his true identity.
Kara was taken aback, "What are you?"
She could now see the person due to the scarce light in the ship. It was no person; it was a machine. The head resembled a metallic skull with sinister, glowing eyes that pierced through the darkness. His chest contained a green glowing stone in a transparent chamber. His arms and legs were cybernetic limbs. His entire body was covered in metallic plating.
"I am Metallo, little girl. I was aiming for Superman, but you will do for now."
Metallo, with a sinister laugh, exposed his chest, revealing his deadly Kryptonite Heart that powered him. The green, radioactive glow of the Kryptonite heart bathed Kara in its debilitating energy.
Kara moved back in alert, the conversation she had with Kal-El replaying in her head.
"Remember, even though we have unimaginable strength below the Yellow sun, we are still susceptible to some things on this planet. Such as Kryptonite, its radiation causes us immense pain, and it will gradually weaken us the longer we are exposed."
Kara deduced that the green stone in the cyborg's chest was the Kryptonite Kal-El spoke of. So, she maintained a distance from it, knowing that she might be weakened if she stayed near.
Metallo grinned. "That's right, girl! You're not so invulnerable now!" Metallo taunted. He had prepared this trap to catch Superman, but his plan attracted the young one. He knew of the second super in Metropolis, he was prepared to deal with them both if it came to be. He had prepared a lethal amount of Kryptonite.
Kara moved back until her back was against the ship's guardrails. She could only fly further to avoid Metallo. She was about to fly away, but Metallo wasted no time. He unleashed a powerful blast of Kryptonite energy from his chest, sending Kara hurtling through the air and into the dark waters.
Kara hit the water with a tremendous splash, the force of the impact causing her to sink beneath the surface. The cold, salty seawater enveloped her, drowning her in the sinking comfort of the darkness.
Meanwhile, Metallo, his robotic body unfazed by the water, followed Kara into the sea. He descended beneath the surface, his mechanical limbs allowing him to move effortlessly through the water. With a sinister grin, he closed in on the struggling Kara.
"There's no escape, girl. Your powers are useless underwater," Metallo taunted. (Hey, don't ask me how Kara can listen to him underwater. It's Super-hearing.)
Kara, still regaining her balance in the water, could feel the whole ocean weighing her down. But she wasn't feeling suffocated as she thought she would. She could still feel the strength in her limbs. She tried to swim up, but Metallo wasn't going to give her the chance.
Metallo extended one of his robotic arms toward Kara, ready to grasp her and sink her to the depths of the sea.
Kara's vision slowly cleared, giving her a full view of the ocean as Metallo rushed to finish her off while bathing her in the green Kryptonite's light. Metallo extended his arm to grasp Kara's neck. Kara regained her stability, slapped the hand away, and punched the cyborg with all her remaining strength.
Metallo received the full force of the punch unimpeded. A shockwave exploded on the ocean floor as Metallo shot out of the sea like a rocket, blasting off the surface. Kara, now with a clear mind, noticed the changes in her body.
She could still feel the strength flowing through her body. She could still hear the vibrations brought from the oceanic beings. She could hear the distant calls of the whales. She could still feel the change of the tectonic plates, the gravity pulling her to the earth. Her senses were still sharp.
A smile made its way to Kara's lips as a possibility entered her mind. "You are special, Kara," Zion's words echoed in the backdrop.
Kara summoned her strength and kicked off the ocean floor, rocking the Metropolis dock. [BOOM, water splashing] She propelled herself upwards, breaking through the surface of the water. The moonlight illuminated her as she floated above the sea surface.
She quickly scanned the surroundings for her assailant. She found Metallo crawling out of the broken crater, his jaw shattered. Kara's figure blurred before she appeared next to Metallo, her fist connecting to his skull in an uppercut, launching him into the air.
She then appeared in the air before slamming to the ground. Metallo, unable to respond to the onslaught, was thrown around like a ragdoll. Metallo formed a crater as he took his place on the ground. [Boom]
Kara slowly landed next to the crater, her eyes not leaving Metallo's metal body.
"Why... are you not weakened?" Metallo's voice cracked.
Kara stood above him without replying, her eyes focused on his Kryptonite heart. Kara crouched, her hand grasped the piece of Kryptonite before pulling it out. Metallo was shocked to see Kara grasping the Kryptonite without showing any signs of pain or any other for that matter.
Kara checked the glowing rock in her hand, her eyes scanning the Kryptonite. She was checking to see if the rock really did weaken her. Her finding was that it didn't. The Kryptonite wasn't affecting her in any way. It was just a glowing rock in her hand.
Kara then turned to the Metal man. She was thinking about what to do with him.
*****