Everything seemed to have passed.
Gotham City narrowly avoided a major crisis. With Batman's previous efforts, the criminal underworld was falling apart, and Gotham City appeared to have returned to a state of peace.
As for Kara, she didn't even bother to watch the news about Gotham City lately and focused on resting at home.
Now, she had started putting on her sportswear every morning and evening, going out for runs and walking her dog along the way.
"You're not old enough yet," Clark said one day, unknowingly hitting one of Kara's sensitive nerves.
Kara was ten years older than Clark. Unlike many origin stories, Kara hadn't spent decades in the Phantom Zone because of a meteorite's impact. Instead, she had arrived on Earth at the same time as Clark.
Clark was eighteen now, while Kara was twenty-eight, soon to turn thirty.
"You're saying I'm already middle-aged?" Kara put her hands on her hips and stared at Clark with cold eyes.
Clark quickly raised his hands in surrender.
If it had been before, Kara might have let it slide.
But today was different.
"Crack-clack."
Kara clenched her fists, making a series of ominous joint-cracking sounds.
"Sister?" Clark began backing away.
A slight smirk appeared at the corner of Kara's mouth. "It seems I've been too kind to you, Clark. It's time you remembered that offending your sister comes with consequences."
Kara wasn't actually upset with Clark, but she used his comment as an excuse. "I've noticed you've been slacking off lately. I haven't had time to teach you what I've learned. Today feels like the perfect day."
Clark asked with a wry smile, "Can I say no?"
The answer was an obvious no.
Using this opportunity, Kara started an intense training regimen for Clark during her time at home.
She was teaching him the combat techniques she'd learned, using hands-on methods so Clark could experience and internalize them.
To avoid causing too much of a scene, Kara set a rule: no using super-strength. After all, the point was for Clark to develop combat skills, which would be meaningless if he relied solely on brute strength.
Kara also began teaching Clark about psychokinesis, a skill she had developed using information from an ancient magic text.
"Clark, we're not invincible. While we're incredibly powerful, we also have weaknesses," Kara explained seriously. "For instance, red sun radiation."
Kara started breaking down the vulnerabilities of Kryptonians for Clark. He needed to understand what could hurt him—and even kill him.
"If the golden rays of the sun strengthen us, then the red sun's rays weaken us. Always remember that. If you ever find yourself in outer space, avoid red stars at all costs."
She also cautioned him about kryptonite. "There's another danger: a mineral from Krypton called kryptonite. It can nullify all our powers, and prolonged exposure can even kill us."
Kryptonite had always been the deadliest threat to Kryptonians. Even the indestructible Doomsday wasn't entirely immune to its effects.
"That's why I'm teaching you how to control your mind through psychokinesis. When your mental strength is strong enough, you can create a protective shield around your body before kryptonite gets close."
Kara explained how she had discovered this technique during the recent Gotham City crisis. By using psychokinesis as a shield, she had resisted toxic fumes, which otherwise would have seeped into her pores and poisoned her.
Now, she hoped to teach Clark this skill, believing it could one day save his life.
To be fair, Kara treated Clark with a lot of care. Because of their age gap, she had always seen him as someone to look out for—not quite a son, but more than just a cousin. They were the last of their kind.
Clark understood Kara's concern and trained hard, determined to master everything she taught him before heading off to college.
Superman's enhanced learning abilities certainly helped. As Clark matured, he began unlocking powers similar to Kara's. After all, they were both Kryptonians from the same family.
Kara's one-month break passed quickly, filled with productive days. Before she knew it, it was time to return to her job in Metropolis.
Clark had already left for Metropolis a few days earlier to start school. Kara had driven him there in her car—a vehicle she was still paying off.
Jonathan had wanted to send Clark off, but since his kids were grown, he trusted them to handle things. Clark, not wanting to see his adoptive mother Martha cry during their goodbye, had convinced his father to stay behind. He promised to visit home regularly.
Martha, however, shot a look of mock accusation at Kara. "Your sister said the same thing when she left. Then she disappeared for three years."
Kara sheepishly stuck out her tongue and motioned for Clark to hurry up and escape.
Afterward, Kara returned home for a few quiet days. But once her vacation ended, she packed up and headed back to her life as a white-collar worker in Metropolis.
On her drive back, Kara loaded her car with groceries from home, as Martha and Jonathan insisted on sending her off with enough food to last weeks. Her trunk was full, and if she hadn't protested, the back seat would've been crammed too.
She turned on the radio to enjoy some music on the drive. But just as she started to relax, her phone rang—a flip phone, as smartphones were still rare and impractical. She picked it up, already feeling a sense of foreboding.
"Kara, I've got great news!" Jennifer's excited voice came through the line. "I'm being transferred to Gotham! Isn't that amazing?"
Kara hit the brakes so hard she almost flew forward. Gotham City? Amazing? Kara didn't think so.