Sorry for the delay. I moved and I have yet to hire internet service. I will be using my cellphone to try to upload the chapters that I have written so far. However, I want to advice since I can't access to the internet through my PC I can't use the Add-Up from 'Grammarly' to check my spelling. Once I have internet again I will revise them.
Becoming Superboy 31
She hadn't felt pain like that in a very long time. Her nose was bleeding and her skin felt bruised. Still, she felt better. Kon was flying away. She was glad she didn't have to face him and his accusatory eyes anymore. Instead, she would just have to deal with the Earth woman. She had heard this Wonder Woman but never met her until then. It was said she was a great warrior. The way she carried herself said so. Not that it would matter. She was stronger than any human that was or would ever be. She wiped the blood off her nose and flew to stand a little higher than her. The woman would have to be foolish to think she could defeat her.
"You cousin told me about you," Wonder Woman said continuing her steady pace towards her. She felt sweat on the back of her neck but ignored it, "you are brave after facing great tragedy, but you are allowing your emotions to blind you, deliver you to the hands and wills of that man. You have allowed him to place our world in danger. Here and now know that I don't resent you, but I will not permit it to go any further."
"I think you forgot who you are talking to. I am not one of the children you smother over" she clenched her fists and allowed her eyes to take a red tint. "And I won't let you keep me from saving my planet!" She launched at the woman ready to hurt her just enough to keep her from interfering. She didn't really want to hurt her.
If I am the killer, why are you the one throwing all the punches?
She cursed Kon. She hesitated because of him.
"Your world is already gone!" Wonder Woman's scream rang around them like thunder breaking through the skies; deafening and stunning. She evaded her punch at a speed she didn't know humans to possess except the Flash. Her eyes met hers; they were fearless, naked of fear and deceit. She believed what she was saying, but it didn't mean it was the truth.
Wonder Woman caught her wrist and twisted her arm so that their faces were inches from each other.
"Listen, Kara, it's not even done and this madness is already shaking out the world apart," Wonder Woman said in a whisper. For a moment, she stopped to listen and she heard the many calls for help, the restless seas, storms, and tectonic plates grinding against each other. But it was only for a moment.
"Why should I believe you!" she screamed at her. Earth was wrong. There was always someone asking for help. She freed her arm and chased after Kon. What was with Earthlings and thinking they were always on the right?
"I am sorry it has to be this way," she heard her say before something took hold of her ankle and then slammed her to the ground. She saw little red stars behind her eyes. When she sat up, she saw a golden rope had been the one responsible. "You think this outdated rope can stop me!" but she couldn't break it, so she tried to untie it but it seemed to tighten around her fingers.
"Have you learned nothing of your time on Earth? There are many wonders here as well," Wonder Woman said before the rope came undone and almost with a mind of its own went back to her.
The sight of her; unhurt, proud, strong made her see red hurt her pride. She would not make the mistake again. She tackled her, slamming her head to the ice. She would not go easy on her. She would fight and save her family. She landed a fist on the side of her mouth; blood flew out of it. She didn't scream or cringe. Her eyes never lost her from sight, a warrior to the core… she reminded her of Lara.
Her pause was all she needed. Wonder Woman bent her legs before kicking her with both feet on the gut and sending her flying off. She stopped in midair feeling like she would throw up. Wonder Woman flew to her level, her head held high. She kept her composure even though she had evidently hurt her. If she was to cross that line, she was sure Wonder Woman would die for her world with her head held high. The doubt Kon had planted started to sprout with the way this woman was looking at her. She was furious. She wanted to believe.
"They call you Wonder Woman, I thought you would be stronger than this!" she wanted to stay as far as possible from her. She shot her with her heat vision. The woman crossed her forearms in front of her chest instead of moving like she initially thought she would do. She was about to scream for her to move, but Wonder Woman kept steady. Her silver bracelets deflected the heated rays off, not even turning red.
"You are right not to understand for you have yet to reach your real potential. Real power is not about strength, but from learning of your adversary, knowing how they fight, from the first meeting." She didn't want to hear that from her! She threw a fist at her, but she basically moved to the side without effort evading it. She continued to speak as she kept observing her "you Kara, fight as a child does when they throw a tantrum; attacking without plan or strategy. Using more energy than necessary and tiring unnecessarily."
"You don't know anything about me!" she tried another punch but Wonder Woman only evaded her like an adult does a running child.
"I tried not to hurt you because Superboy asked me to, but time is running out. You have to understand that no life stands over another, even if they are Kryptonian," her words wrapped her like her rope around her neck and torso. When had she done that? "Please Kara, for your cousin who has no memory of another home. Be true to yourself."
"Let me go!" her arms were bounded by her sides, her knees bent into kneeling.
Wonder Woman kneeled before her until they were on the same level, "I don't know if my strength is anywhere near yours, but that doesn't matter today. What mattered today was experience. You still have a lot to grow Kara."
Why couldn't she free herself from this human rope? This wasn't supposed to happen. Kon would destroy the Star Chamber and all would be lost. She had to do something!
"This is a rope created by a god, not even Superman can break it. It's fruitless to try," Wonder Woman didn't even move, but he could feel the rope becoming tighter. It made her skin and mind tingle. She had heard of magic before, but this was her first time facing it. She didn't like it. "It also has the ability to make you tell the truth, or in your case face the reality. The lies you told yourself about H'El and his plan, that no danger would come to this world when trying to rescue your own. Don't fight it Kara. You know what the right thing to do is."
No, she didn't know! That was the problem! The tingling sensation of the rope became overwhelming in a few moments. She could feel it reaching into her heart and mind. It tore at the veils placed by H'El only because she was afraid.
888 years ago 888
"Dinner will get cold Kara, let's go inside," Mrs. Kent said walking up to the fence where she sat looking for her cousin's arrival.
"He is not coming again, is he?" it was the third time he didn't make it. She wasn't surprised anymore.
"The League keeps him busy, it can't be helped," Mrs. Kent said calmly though she too looked up at the sky.
"But he lets the clone go with him," she said bitterly. She had only met him once and already disliked him. He had called her words she still couldn't find in the dictionary (after she tried to lobotomize him.)
"Not as far as he has told me. Conner usually works alongside others his own age group," Mrs. Kent said ignoring her tone.
"Does he trust him more than me?" she turned to look at the old woman. Clark usually told her everything.
"It's more like he doesn't trust the two of you together. To be fair, he hasn't brought Conner around for us to meet," Mrs. Kent said with a soft laugh.
"I didn't know that. Maybe he doesn't want you to get hurt by him," she said with a smirk. Of course, Kal El wouldn't place his adoptive parents in danger.
"I doubt it. If Conner is anything like Clark, they are probably fretting too much about it," Mrs. Kent said, again with the calmness of a saint.
"It doesn't make you angry he exists?" Kara asked her with a frown. How could she say something like that so calmly?
"We taught Clark all life deserved to be respected, no matter their origin," the older woman leaned on the fence and looked towards the sprouting fields.
"Clones are dangerous, imitations," she said under her breath.
"Kara," Mrs. Kent sighed.
"I wish you could have seen what they did, and then you would understand," she said knowing she was behaving like a child, but she really wished she could comprehend.
"I am not telling you to forget, but keep in mind Conner did not choose how he came to be," Mrs. Kent said though she didn't need to. They were the same words Kal El had told her after he sent the clone away after their first meeting. It wasn't like she didn't understand their meaning, but she just couldn't accept them.
"I am afraid of him," she admitted.
"Most are when we come across situations we don't understand, and all here is new to you," the woman said looking straight ahead.
"What am I going to do? Back on Krypton I had my whole life mapped in front of me," it was terrifying not to know.
"What did you want to do back in Krypton?" Mrs. Kent asked her.
"I… I was going to be member of the House of El, and contribute to our society-"
"Is that really what you wanted?" the woman asked her with a frown which matched her own.
"Of course!" she shouted before she realized what she did and looked down "I am sorry." Her mother had always told her she needed to watch her temper in public.
"If you were given the choice, what would you have wanted to do?" Mrs. Kent asked not losing her calmness.
She didn't know. All her life she had grown to know what her role would be.
"I understand Earth is sort of messy compared to Krypton and we could learn a lot from you, but something I hope never changes is youth," Mrs. Kent said after a long silence.
She gave her a curious look.
"Young people have the tendency to dream more than old people, and when they dream big enough they usually accomplish great things. Your cousin, he used to sit in that same spot and dream while looking up at the moon," Mrs. Kent said looking up at the moon.
"Dream?" She lost count of the times she had been reprimanded for letting her mind wonder back in Krypton. Here, she was being told the complete opposite. She looked at the moon again, this time not looking for Kal El but seeing that it was a moon, but not like the ones back in Krypton of coppery color. This moon was white as snow and much larger. Still, like the moons from Krypton, the light was borrowed from the sun. She allowed her mind to wonder and build something. She told Mrs. Kent what she wanted. She had expected her to reprimand her, but the woman instead encouraged her and gave her the tools to start. That night when she went to sleep she realized she hadn't stopped smiling for hours.
When she realized it tears started running down her face. She should be missing home more.
888
"STOP!" she launched at Wonder Woman though still tied and sent both of them crashing to the ice. "Stop!" she shouted again, but it was as if her energy was being drained. She begged Krypton to forgive her. She missed her home, but she also had grown to care for Earth. She just could sacrifice this world for theirs. Her scream shattered the cold air as she came to accept the truth. Her heart was fragmented into so many emotions; devotion, love, anger, loneliness, peace, regret, shame, desire, desperation, envy, happiness, humiliation, jealousy, hate, confusion, denial, hope, fears… and then there were dreams.
The ropes came undone; still she lay on the ice looking up at the sky. Though it was nighttime, the sun was visible as the Star Chamber tried to take all of its energy and snuff the life of not just Earth, but the whole galaxy.
"Get up," Wonder Woman asked before she did. "If you still have doubts in your heart, then see, Kara."
But she didn't need to see any further. The truth had been unearthed from her. She knew she had made a great mistake when she allowed herself to believe in H'El.
"This is my entire fault," she looked up at the sky and did her best to keep her tears at bay. She didn't want to further embarrass herself in front of Wonder Woman.
"She lies!" the next moment H'El appeared and hit Wonder Woman sending her far from her.
"I no longer believe your lies. You are willing to let this world die," she started flying back.
"Kara, we don't have time…" H'El caught her hand and started pulling her with him.
"I won't hear it anymore! I know what you did to me," she freed her hand and glared at him. The memories, the nightmares; they were all his doing "I remember the torture you put me through to think you were the only one… stop this now." Her hands were shaking because she knew she was not strong enough to defeat him. H'El had been able to take on Kal El and Kon El and was yet to look even one bit tired.
"I can't and I won't! This vessel will take us back home, there is no other way!" H'El made to take hold of her again but pulled back the moment a sharp sword was placed in between.
"I will take care of him, Kara," Wonder Woman said glaring at H'El.
"This is my fault, I will deal with him," she said flying forwards. She would not let another person get hurt because of her.
"I did this for you, for us," H'El said softening his voice. She could feel a buzzing feeling on the back of her mind.
"More lies!" he was trying to control her again, "you think because we are going back there won't be consequences for this world? That is not the way of our people. We don't sacrifice others!"
"Don't do this to us. Kara, I know you have grown to care for this primitive world, but you have to realize the best choice for you and the universe is Krypton. We were the brightest-"
"Krypton's time ended. You can't decide which world is worthy primarily because Earth has not reached its full potential. It… it might be even greater than Krypton one day," she watched as his mask with each one of her words. She honestly believed Earth boundless potential.
"You shame your family Kara, and you shame my feeling for you. These inferior beings don't deserve-" H'El said looking down on them. He lifted his arms before blocks of ice lifted into the air. Whatever he said after, she didn't hear. She and Wonder Woman were too busy dodging the ice.
"You don't get to just come here and observe from above without actually knowing them and get to make those types of decisions!" She bet he had never even bothered to try to talk to them. To hear what they wanted or dreamed.
She heard a tremendous crash and realized H'El had not been targeting them, but Kon instead who was still trying to take the Star Chamber apart. She turned and saw Wonder Woman had taken care of it.
"Kara! Wonder Woman! That one was too close!" Kon shouted with his back to the and his hands on the ship.
"Leave this to us!" Wonder Woman had screamed before they launched a frontal attack.
888
He heard Kara scream as she fought alongside Wonder Woman. The fact that she was back helped him believe that they would actually make it. He could feel he was so close now. If he tore the Star Chamber, it would no longer be able to- he stopped but it was too late. The Star Chamber fell apart only to reveal a ship he had never seen before. H'El had somehow shielded it from his sense. The Star Chamber was gone, the ship remained and it could still make use of the energy. It's path was aligned with that of the energy being stolen.
"Be gone! You are an eyesore for me!" he heard H'El shout before hearing the gasps from the two women.
"Bastard! You used me!" he rushed to the outer controls of the ship. They were incomprehensible to him.
"One can always count on the destructive tendencies of a clone. As the last of your kind, know that at least you could do something right," H'El said flying towards him.
"Don't you ever get tired of lying?" he said wondering if his body would be able to stand one last round. Well, at least he could make fun of him. He saw the fear and then the rage in H'El's face. He was trying to hold back his fury, but he bet the way he was smirking at him made him lose it even more.
"I am the only real survivor of Krypton! I embody their will and strength! I represent their faith that someday one of their brightest would-" he started shouting.
"Let the souls of Krypton rest! No one is listening to you anymore!" next thing he saw was Superman wearing his armor tackle H'El. He lifted his fist, "this ends now!"
The whole Northern Hemisphere felt the aftershocks of that mighty punch. He had never seen or heard Superman use that much of his strength. Was what Luthor said right? Was Kal El afraid to use his full power?
"Superboy, you need to hurry," Wonder Woman said reaching him and standing guard at his back in case H'El tried to hurt him.
"It's not as easy as it looks!" he went back to the ship. The controls were too advanced for him. "Where is Supergirl! I could use her help in the controls!"
"I… don't know…" Wonder Woman said with a tone he had never heard her use before. It was laced with fear. His throat went dry and he tried to pour the rest of his energy into stopping the ship.
"Ahh!" he turned his head but it was too late. Superman had been punched with as much force he had dealt previously and sent crashing into them, knocking them off the platform and away from the ship. The three of them stood to continue the fight, but they found themselves bonded to the ground by H'El's power.
"No…" it was weak, but he heard Kara. She was a few feet away trying to get up but seemed to be drained out of energy. Then he spotted the culprit. He attempted to help her, but he was running on empty. But then she saw her reach for it and begged Rao or whatever God listened to clones that she had a plan which involved all of them getting out alive.
888
It was her fault. All the lives lost that day were on her. It was all because she blinded herself. Hope was their crest, but there was such a thing as misguided hope. Sometimes, you just had to admit things were gone, but new ones would come along. That's what Rao had taught them. No matter how many ends came, there was always another beginning. Trying to force the past into life, it was not right because at the end it would end again, but this time meaningless. She had known this truth all her life but chose to ignore it even when it stared straight at her in the face.
Her whole body ached as she finally pulled herself up with her bundle in arms. She begged her body to hold on until she was done.
She had heard more than saw Kal El fall from one mighty hit. Kon was still trying to stop it, but he was weakened. H'El was so close to launching his ship and took no pause to tell them again he was on the right. That sacrificing one Earth, or a hundred Earths would still be correct just to bring Krypton back. He had finally let the lies fall away. This gave her further courage.
"Humans all think they are so damned special! They are not! The only worthy thing to come from this world will be its sacrifice for Krypton," H'El said standing on top of his ship, aligning everything to perfection.
"H'El, please wait for me. I realize I was in the wrong. Please… please take me with you," she begged him as she tried to fly towards him, but failing miserably.
"Kara!" she heard Kal El shout her name and saw the fear in his eyes.
"Don't interfere!" H'El had cried before he used his powers to bring her towards him "I knew you would see reason my deal Lady Kara, come to me."
"Don't do it Kara! He isn't worth it!" Kon El shouted.
"She is braver than I gave her credit for,"she heard Wonder Woman say. It filled her with pride.
"Kara! We can still do it together! You don't have to-" Kal El said as the fear became more prominent in his eyes. So, they all had seen through her plan. She just hoped H'El hadn't.
"But I do," she whispered trying to give her sweetest smile to H'El.
"What's wrong Kara? You look sick. I will take care of you" he said bringing her to his arms. He was so cold.
"And I will take care of you…" she said before she stabbed him with the shard of Kryptonite they had moved from the trophy room. H'El had relocated it using his powers, which meant he was also affected by it.
"Why? Don't you-" H'El looked at her with wide eyes.
"You haven't been fighting with your full strength because you have been moving everything with your powers. Now, all of that will fall apart and this world will continue on living," as she said so, the ship started to fall. The temporal warp holes were beginning to collapse. The control panel, which he had been managing from afar fell apart to all the abuse it had received from Wonder Woman and Superboy.
"And Krypton dead, how could you have betrayed your own?" he said keeping hold of her forearms.
"I will not betray their memory," she would not spill the blood of innocent for them.
"You… you…" H'El tried to pull the shard out, but she was using her bare hands to keep it there. Finally, he slumped against her.
"Did she kill him?"she heard Kon ask though he didn't sound one bit sorry.
"No, he is just wounded which means he will be desperate,"Wonder Woman said.
"Kara! Stand back!" finally, the hold H'El had over them fell away and Kal El rushed towards them.
"It's not too la…" H'El whispered in her ear.
"Rao forgive me," she knew it wasn't too late, but she had made her decision. She pushed H'El back as the thunderous clouds filled with time warps started to collapse and pull everything close to them.
"We would have saved our people," he said as he was being pulled back.
"I know," she said before she felt strong arms take hold of her.
"Hold on!" Kal El shouted as he pulled her back from the pull of the time warps. She didn't see into which one H'El got pulled into, not that it mattered. Without the shield of the ship, he would be crushed by the energies of time.
They landed at the entrance of the fortress. Kal El held her close to his chest.
"Kara!" Kon was by their side soon after. She wanted to tell him not to look so worried about her, but to take care of himself. He looked as if he had been put through a shredder. She knew a good part of it was her fault.
"Prepare the medical room," Kal El told Kon about to take her into the fortress.
"It's no use. That Kryptonite was the filter for the ship's energy. It was-" it was many times stronger than ordinary Kryptonite. They had to know that. Her skin had taken a sickish green look. Even as they stood close to her, they had to feel its energy was poisoning her cells.
"Just shut up and let us help-" Superboy started to shout before he collapsed back.
"Kon!" Kal El looked so torn. She wanted to tell him to put her down and take care of him.
Wonder Woman had caught him and checked his pulse, "he is still breathing."
"Put this on him," Kal El pulled the crest from his chest and handed it to Wonder Woman. She didn't get to see it. Next thing she knew they were flying above the clouds and into space. "We only have one opportunity, Kara. You have to try to hold on, you understand?"
"I did the right thing, right?" she asked him listening for Kon's heartbeat.
"You saved us, Kara," Kal El told her with a proud smile.
"You are my little cousin, I had to…" the world faded into darkness and for a while she thought she had died.
She remembered the warm feeling of the sun close to her skin. Kal El held her in his arms the whole while. She didn't know how long she was there, it felt like days. Later she would find it was just one. It always amazed her of what her body could do. She didn't deserve these gifts. She didn't deserve to be in that warm bed with Kal El watching over her. He told her she would be moving with them. He didn't want her living on her own. She didn't try to contradict him. She didn't have the strength to or feel the right to say it. Through her life, she had made mistakes, but this one had been the greatest of all. After the announcement, Kal El tried to get her to talk about the few ordinary things of her life. It was torture. This was one of the things she preferred of Earth over Krypton and the wound of her betrayal felt even deeper.
Kon El took Kal El's place sometimes, but he didn't say much. Instead, he brought her book after book and would stay quiet reading. She wasn't sure if he knew she just didn't want to talk, but was nonetheless thankful. There were things that needed to be said, but Kon wasn't pushing her. At times, she picked at him. He was wearing Superman's armor. He looked very uncomfortable pulling on the collar or sleeves sometimes. She listened to his heartbeat and heard it was okay.
On the last day of her stay in the Watch Tower's medical bay, he came in wearing his usual black and red suit. He seemed a little pale, but she took it was a good sign when he resumed with the routine of sitting and reading.
"What is your favorite book?" she asked him as the time to go home neared.
"I don't have one," he said as he kept reading his book.
"But you must," she said with a frown. Would it be The Bones of Time? Or maybe, The Cloning of Joanna May? Or maybe The Klone and I? All books she had read to understand human's point of view on cloning.
He gave her a curious look before looking at the book in his hands, "yesterday my favorite book was One Hundred Years of Solitude." Was he trying to tell her something? "Today, this is my favorite book," he showed her a book by the name of Great Expectations. "They are very different from each other, but they are both great books."
"What is it about?" she asked him.
"It's complicated," he said with a small smile. "It is the story of the life of a low-class orphaned boy who seeks to become of high class to gain the favor of a woman he met when they were children. He comes across many mysteries and challenges in the way," he looked at the book fondly.
"So, does he?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"I will let you find out on you own," he said with a bigger smile before placing the book on her bed and then getting up. "I will wait for you outside."
It was time to go and face the world again. She wished Kal El would have allowed her to rest in the Fortress but the League had insisted on her staying at the Watch Tower. They probably didn't trust her anymore, and the only reason why they didn't lock her up was because of Kal. She sat on the bed and went through the backpack Kon had brought her with clothes. Her body felt stiff as she dressed. Though she was no longer in danger, she knew everything would continue to hurt for a while. Her chest ached just thinking of leaving that room and facing everyone. Kal and Kon had been looking after her, but she had heard many standing outside, tempted to enter her room.
"Back off La'gaan," she heard Kon on the other side of the door.
"Not until I give her a piece of my mind," she heard Lagoon Boy. He sounded furious, just like she imagined the rest of them would feel.
"You are stepping out of bounds," Kon said.
"I am steppi- you are no longer part of the Team! What the hell are you doing here?!" La'gaan shouted which made her ears hurt.
"Making sure you don't bother her. She is still healing," Kon said starting to sound tired. She wondered if this wasn't the first time he stood between them and her.
"You know who else is still healing? M'gann! Billy! And the people we rescued when she helped that bastard with that damn machine! So get off your damn high horse and-"
She heard La'gaan gasp. She used her x-ray vision to see Kon had La'gaan pinned to the wall. She placed a hand on the door and kept telling herself to open it. No one else could get hurt because of her.
"I won't ask you again, leave," Kon said tightly to La'gaan.
"Why you?!" then the Atlantean's body puffed, pushing Kon back.
"La'gaan, that's enough," everything seemed to stop when Miss Martian arrived. She was thankful to see she looked okay. "I need to have a word with Kara."
888
He wasn't sure what M'gann had told Kara, but she seemed a little better when they came back. He made sure to take her through where they wouldn't meet with anyone else in the Watch Tower until they reached the Zeta Beams. La'gaan was an idiot though he did have the right to be angry. Still, it wouldn't fix anything when he talked to Kara like that. When they emerged back on Metropolis, the sun was starting to rise. It was Saturday morning, and though he had no classes, he still had plenty to do.
"Let's get you some breakfast," they had been so busy that week that they had been living on takeout food. He had to get her something better than that.
"You don't have to do that," Kara said stopping, "I don't-" but he wouldn't let her have her pity party.
"I am hungry, and I can't leave you on your own, better?" he told her in a flat tone.
She merely nodded before following him to the Bagel Palace. He ordered for her since she seemed to have trouble picking from the fifty different types of bagels. He loved the place.
"Conner! Over here!" and the peace was gone. He saw Cat Grant accompanied by Lori a few boots away.
"Just follow my lead," he told Kara when Cat wouldn't stop waving her arm for them to join them.
"Oh my gosh, I haven't had the chance to thank you too for bringing this little project to ClarkCatropolis. And this is?" Cat launched her attack the moment they sat.
"Kara, this is Cat Grant, who works with Clark, and Lori; my friends and partner in our journalism class. This is Kara, Clark, and my cousin," he noticed Lori only gave a small hello as she read over some pages. She hadn't touched her food.
"I heard about you. I thought Clark was making you up. You know you could probably be a model. I know a few-" Cat went on rambling as she brought out a small box with cards and handed a few to a very confused Kara.
Thankfully, the Bagel Palace worked fast and brought their orders in a few minutes. He did his best to bring Cat's attention to him. Kara didn't seem to have much appetite and it would be some time before they left the place.
"Lois sent me pictures of the place you guys will be using for the interview after you asked her for a few changes. I have to say, Conner, you know your way around a studio set. She even sent me the music you guys would be using," Cat used her phone to show him the pictures. It actually looked better than he had thought it would look.
"I took a short course on lights and framing. Lori picked the music," he said glad at least something was going according to plan.
"You two make a great team. I am sure that if you stick together you might even get to be as good as Clark and me, maybe," she added the maybe with a mischievous smile.
"Thank you Cat," he said as he glanced at Lori, who was still looking over the pages with a worried and sickish look.
"No problem, well it was a pleasure to meet you, Kara," Cat said getting up before shaking Kara's hand, "please think what I told you. I have to run kids. See you around." And she literally ran from the establishment on her high heels.
"So, what is that?" he asked Lori. He couldn't remember ever seeing her so worried.
"Oh… oh! These are questions the readers of ClarkCatropolis would like us to ask the Titans," she said as she placed the pages down. He had to guess there were at least fifty of them.
"Is that why you look like you are going to be sick?" he said reaching for them.
"Some are just wrong," Lori said shaking her head, and then she looked at her food and pushed it away.
"They can't be as bad as the ones the readers of the Daily Planet sent… never mind, they are worse. What were people on when they wrote this?" it was a miracle his heat vision didn't kick off on its own and got rid of the offending material.
"I think now I understand why you said they wanted to meet to see what could and couldn't be asked. People just want to know too much," Lori said with a short laugh.
"By Rao!" he saw Kara actually shield her eyes when she picked at the pages.
"Don't read that!" he turned the offensive material down so no one else would be mentally scarred by it.
"That's just wrong…" Kara said with wide eyes.
"Not hungry anymore?" he said pulling her bagel towards him.
"Not one bit," she said a bit more awake than before.
"I wonder if they will back out of the deal if we show it to them," Lori asked taking the page from the back. She cringed, and then turned red before giving it to him.
"We better cross out the vulgar ones first," why would they want to know if their private anatomy were any different than those of regular humans? He wished at least they had chosen better wording to make it seem like curiosity instead of depravity. He was starting to think he liked it better when people were scared of them rather than curious. Some peoples' imaginations just went to places they shouldn't.
"You haven't told me where we are going to meet," Lori said handing him a black marker. Of course, he would be the one to go through that torture.
"Because they haven't told me," then he noticed Kara's curious look, "we are meeting with the Titans to go over boundaries regarding the interview."
"Oh," Kara said with a frown. She was wondering how that was going to work with him also being Superboy.
"Would you like to come?" Lori asked her with an excited smile.
"What?" he asked looking at them.
"The more the merrier, you know?" Lori said with her pearly white smile.
"I don't think it would apply in this case, but I guess we could try," the more Lori pulled Kara in, the better she looked. She needed something to get her mind off the past few days.
"You don't have to," Kara started looking worried.
"But I do. I am not letting you spend the weekend locked at home eating ice cream," he said as he went down the list of questions. No, they weren't going to any birthday parties, no matter how much they paid.
"I… I wasn't going to do that," Kara said looking away.
"Let me guess, pie?" Kara gasped. Everyone had their poison. His were bagels.
"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend, even your cousin seems to be scared of you," Lori said giving him a playful push. "Besides, there is nothing wrong with drowning your sorrow with some pie or a gallon of ice cream. Or better yet, both," she said before she was actually able to get a smile out of Kara.
"Unless you want to go into diabetic shock," he retorted.
"How can you stand be related to this guy?" Lori said pointing a finger at him.
"You get used to it," Kara said in between small burst of laughter.
"Very funny, now let me get through this," he said picking the rest of the papers and going over the questions. No, the Super was not to compensate for something else. Did people have such horrible memories?
"Did you just move to Metropolis?" he heard Lori ask Kara before they started talking.
He listened to bits here and there as he went over the fifty pages of questions. There were a few diamonds among all of them. He and Lori had already agreed on some queries of their own. However, at the insistence of both ClarkCatropolis and The Daily Planet they would add some questions from their readers though they had the right to choose which ones.
"Please bring us some pie," Lori said as she and Kara started to laugh. He ordered another bagel which only made them laugh more. He hated having to stop their fun, but the hour was approaching for them to meet with the rest of the Titans.
"Is it really okay for me to come along?" Kara asked as they walked out of the restaurant.
"Lori is the type of person you don't contradict," he said keeping an eye on the Luthor walking ahead of them. "And I was serious about not letting you go home to eat your heart out," he knew Clark had in mind to spoil Kara for a while. He wouldn't be surprised if by the time they got home they found some pies in the fridge.
"I don't need your pity," she glared at him. Now, that was the Kara he remembered.
"It's not pity," he said keeping his eyes ahead, not letting any expression slip.
"Then what is it?" she asked sharply.
"Don't know. I still don't like you if that's what you are thinking. Maybe I am just doing this to annoy you," it was hard keeping a straight face through the whole thing.
"By presenting me to who is probably the nicest of your friends?" she asked him motioning to Lori ahead of them.
"I wouldn't say nice as much as pushy. Believe me, after a few more chats with her she is going to get smug and she will start showing her true colors," he didn't bother to keep his voice down. He knew Lori tried really hard to get close to people, but after a while she tended to overdo it.
"At least I am interesting," she called back to them with a laugh.
"Oh, did I forget to mention she is also meddling," he said finally breaking a smile.
"An excellent feature for any future star reporter," Lori said raised her fist in the air. People stared at them, but she didn't even flinch.
"Next time she is going to try to get your life story," he warned Kara, a real warning. She gave a slight nod.
"Afraid I will find you are the most boring of the Kents?" because he told her the most boring background story. His parents supposedly moved to Europe, he didn't want to go with them, so they shipped him off with Clark. He was an A straight student, never got into fights, and had a passion for the truth. She didn't say it back then, but she had clearly been disappointed. With all the strange things going on their world someone with an ordinary life was simply put, boring. He wondered if Kara would be able to top his story.
"Not everything is about the story," he said just before his phone rang. Not his usual phone, but the one for the Titans. He answered and listened to Kid Flash explain what would happen. After hanging up, he led Kara and Lori to a small alley.
"You know this is the sort of place where you get mugged, right?" Lori said looking around and holding her purse close to her.
"Wait," he said with a frown. The next instant Lori was gone and then Kid Flash returned.
"What is going on?" Kara asked looking from one to another.
"Hey there," Bart said to Kara with a smile, "are you coming too?"
"She is," he said before Kara had a chance to answer. The next moment Bart had her on his arms.
"It will be just a sec," he told her and then he was gone. The next second he returned with a red print on his face, "I am not carrying you."
"What happened to Red?" he said before they started running towards the warehouse nearby.
"No time to explain, we are in a schedule. We are going to need you in San Francisco after this," Kid Flash said picking at a list on his hand.
"What about the meeting?" he asked feeling something else was going on.
"Pushed to later, hurry," Kid said before getting ahead of him.
Bart was waiting for him by a side door in the warehouse. He opened the door which led to an ample space with a few chairs. On two of the chairs Lori and Kara sat. Standing in front of them was Blue with arms crossed. He was not happy Kara was there. They had talked about what happened with Kara and H'El and though Blue claimed he had no ill will towards her, he knew he wasn't comfortable with her so close to him.
"Where are the rest?" Lori asked.
"I already told you they are busy," Blue said with a sigh, "can we get this over with?"
"Just a sec amigo, we have to properly introduce ourselves," Kid Flash said with a bow, "especially with such beautiful ladies before us."
"Superboy should be the one doing this, it's his city," Blue said giving him a nervous look. They were playing with fire, but for some reason he found it exhilarating.
"You know he is shy," Kid Flash said with a smirk.
"Heh," he couldn't help laughing. Those two would be the death of him.
"My name is Kid Flash. Well, is not my real name. Could you imagine someone actually calling their son Kid Flash?"
"Or daughter," Blue said with a shrug.
"But you know how this goes, and my handsome friend here, even though you can't tell with the armor, is Blue Beetle," Kid Flash finished.
"Mucho gusto," Blue said with a nod.
"My name is Lori," Lori said lifting her hand and waving weakly.
"Kara," she said crossing her arms, clearly uncomfortable.
"Conner," he said with a nod towards them.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road. So we thought it would be a good idea for the world to know more since people haven't heard much about us," Kid Flash said.
"Not our choice," Blue said.
"But there are things we are going to ask you not ask," Kid Flash said dropping the smile. Ten tons of tension fell around them. Even he who stood with a foot on each side felt it. He, Kara and Kal had no family left on Earth, so it was not as big of a worry to them, but these two and Tim were a whole different story.
"We will try to answer as many of your questions as we can, but there are some which are not acceptable," Blue said also dropping any sign of friendliness.
"What do you have to hide?" he could sense Lori's fear, but she hid it well. She stared at Blue directly in the eye unflinching.
"Not something, but admittedly someones" Kid Flash said.
"The masks are not for us, but for our families and friends. There can be no hint as to who we or they are. The moment any of them become endangered we will leave. No warnings will be given. No other attempts to do this will be done" and the way Blue looked at him, it said the warning was for him too.
"There's a reason why the League has a spoke person," Kid Flash said pulling one of the chairs to sit and lean back. His posture said to relax, but his eyes kept them on guard.
"But we want to do things differently from the League," Blue said. He was already guiding part of the interview just like he had asked them. He wanted the interview to be not so much about their personal selves but about what they would be doing.
"Why?" he asked playing his part, "aren't you working with the League?"
"That question can wait for the actual interview," Kid Flash said waving his hand dismissively.
"That's it? You don't want us to ask anything about your friends or families?" Lori asked them with a frown. The whole week she had been telling him her theories of what she thought they would demand. It had gone from movie deals, politics, religion, and too far off topics that he and probably the rest had never thought about.
"What else could we ask?" Blue asked almost endearingly. He saw Lori open her mouth to try to say something, but the words just wouldn't come.
"This is a list of questions from followers of the Daily Planet and ClarkCatropolis. You tell me," he had been carrying the list of queries Lois gave him that week and handed them along with the ones from ClarkCatropolis.
"Kid," Blue handed them to the speedster who started sorting through them with a red marker.
"Got it; no, no, no yes, yes, no, yes, no, yes, no, maybe, no, no, yeah, yeah, no, yes. What do you think about this one?" he asked stopping and showing the question to Blue.
"Why would anyone care to know that?" Blue asked before looking at them.
"Which one?" he asked before they showed him the page.
"Are you seeing someone?" he didn't think it was a bad question. Compared to the ones they had crossed out entirely with a black marker, it was actually okay.
"No, what about you?" Blue said.
"Remember that girl I told you guys about," Kid Flash said with a smile.
"Cool, what about Red Robin?" Blue asked rubbing his chin, "after he broke up with you-know-who I haven't seen him with anyone."
"Even if he is, he will probably say no," Kid said before he started moving on with the rest of the questions.
"Superboy?" Blue asked.
"You know what a stick in the mud he is," Kid Flash said with a smirk.
"True, true," Blue said with a short laugh. Kara and Lori snickered too for their own reasons. He would get them back for that one.
"Hobbies?" Kid Flash asked.
"Yeah, like what do you guys like to do with your free time?" Lori jumped in. That was actually one of the questions they had talked about using. He didn't get what their hobbies had to do with anything, but it seemed more than one person asked it.
"What is this free time you are talking about?" Kid Flash said not crossing the questions but moving on, "we live to do this stuff, you know? It is not like we like to go out bowling every other Friday, which reminds me. I want Red Robin on my team next time."
"He cheats, I don't know how he does it, but he cheats," Blue said barely able to hold his laugh back.
"You and Suppey haven't been able to prove anything, and why do you complain? You always team up with him," Kid Flash said finishing with the questions and handing them to them, "just kidding, but we have some odd hobbies so you better be ready."
"Are you sure Superboy and Red Robin will agree with these questions?" Lori asked going over the pages. He noted some of the questions had small notes on them like 'Don't ask about previous girlfriends. It's a sore subject for most of us, except me because I am awesome.' Then there was also 'You can ask about our spiritual beliefs, but I would recommend you not to because we all have different views and it would take too much time to explain all of them. Especially the Kryptonian.'
"I also copied them, so I will ask them and get back to you if we need to change anything," Kid Flash said showing them the handwritten pages.
"We will continue to stay in contact by the same means," Blue said as his wings opened.
"See ya," Kid Flash said before disappearing and then Blue Beetle flew out one of the warehouse windows.
"So, that just happened," Lori said as she kept looking through the questions and the notes Kid Flash made, "what's this?"
He picked in to see a doodle on the back of one of the pages. It had him, Blue, and Red Robin drawn on a corner which was labeled the 'Loner Corner' and Kid Flash and Solstice on another labeled 'The Happy Corner.'
"I am guessing that's the girl he was talking about," he had seen the news report the night before about their new member.
"I am so keeping this," Lori said with a smile, "might be worth something in the future."
"They are sort of odd," Kara told him. He thoughts so too, but somehow they usually got him to laugh.
"I think they are just good friends and funny too," Lori said putting the rest of the pages away.
"I bet they wouldn't have said half of that stuff if Superboy had been here," Kara said as they started walking towards the exit.
"Right," he laughed sure that if he had been there as Superboy they would have thrown even more low blows.
888
When he opened the door of their new department, he wished he could just go and lie down but that already endless week seemed to stretch even further before him. Kid Flash had finally called him back and told him Red Robin was exhausted so they were looking after everything else that needed to be taken care of. Kid Flash was gathering all of their new members, plus talking to a few others. Blue Beetle was working on the underwater caverns of what they hoped would become their base. He had the task to talk to the governor of San Francisco and convince him to allow them to place their base near their city.
"I want to join the Titans," Kara said the moment he closed the door.
"What?" he asked feeling flabbergasted for the umpteenth time that day.
"Miss Martian asked me to join the Team after things cooled down, but Blue Beetle and Kid Flash didn't… well, you know?"
Blue had eventually relaxed around her and Kid Flash didn't even show a hint of worry.
"Not that I am saying no but is that the only reason why? You don't even know why we are doing this," having someone with her abilities would be great, but he needed to make sure.
"It can't be so bad if you are doing it, right?" she said offering him a nervous smile.
"Has another alien parasite taken over you?" he said giving her a curious look.
"I am serious!" she shouted before turning her back on him.
"I know, I am sorry," he said with a short laugh. "We did have planned to ask you, but sincerely I thought you would say no. I never imagined you would actually ask us to join," he scratched the back of his head, and he thought when they were at each other's necks was awkward. He just couldn't get used to a nice Kara.
"Oh," she said wide-eyed. Actually, Red Robin had asked him to take care of it and he had planned to do it the same morning H'El attacked.
"You couldn't have picked a better time. We are actually all meeting in San Francisco with the rest of the new members. So you don't have to worry about standing out," he said as he started to take off his civilian clothing only leaving his black and red suit.
"Right, because being related to Superman never does that," she said before going to her new room to change.
He suppressed a sigh and sat on the couch for a few minutes while he waited for her. Things were about to get messy, he could just tell.