Summary:
July 15, 2014:
Clark helps Kara move into her new home, a corner suite at Metropolis University.
Metropolis University
A standard single occupant dorm room.
Characters
NPCs
Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6WMzDOh1o
Summer is starting to begin, and while most teenagers in Metropolis have beaches and parties on the mind, some are getting a head start on their future. In another few weeks, Metropolis University will open its halls onto a new semester, and that means it's time for students to start moving into the dorms. It's a major moment in any teen's life; moving away from home to begin higher education, but it's an especially emotional time for Kara Zor-El, better known to the world as Supergirl, and slightly known by the student body at Met U as mild-mannered Kara Kent. She's only been on Earth for a few months, and the destruction of Krypton is fresh in her mind. Now she's moving into her first, real, Earth home that she can call her own; a single dorm room. Dressed in casual clothing and wearing her brown wig and glasses, Kara looks around the tiny apartment, looking over the small collection of boxes containing the meagre collection of possessions she's acquired during her short stay on Earth. And not for the first time since arriving on this strange world, she feels rather alone.
Alone. Clark Kent has known that feeling. From the day he discovered his powers until now, to some extent, he has always felt alone. Even when among friends, family, or co-workers, he is different. But not from Kara. She is his cousin, and she is going through a similar transition that he had to make. But there are two key differences. For one, was raised as a human. He knew nothing of his home planet of Krypton. And secondly, she has him, there, ready to lend a hand, a shoulder, or an ear. In this case, it's the hand. Not that she needed it, but it would not look practical for her to carry some of the heavier boxes, so her cousin Clark carries them, two stacked on top of each other. He has on his work clothes, as he has a conference to attend later in the day, and struggles to control the two boxes he carries. At least he struggles until he carries them into her dorm room. And with the door shut, he suddenly handles them with ease. "It's nice that they assigned you a corner room Kara. There'll be plenty of sunlight shining through that bay window at mid day."
Kara turns to Clark and smiles as she hears the door shut. "I think it will be nice too." She walks over to him and gives him a big hug; a thanks for all the assistance he's given her in adjusting to this new life as well as an embrace to celebrate that they're both alive. "I was hoping to maybe live with you here in Metropolis… but I know that would be impractical." Kara takes a step back after the hug, breathing deeply to fill herself with courage. "It's enough for me to live in the same city as you, I suppose. We'll still get to spend time together, and that's what's important to me."
Clark sets the boxes down on the floor as Kara approaches him. He gives her a warm embrace, hugging her as if he hadn't done that in a long time. "You know, you could. It's probably not too late to get the deposit back." He knows she can take care of herself, he knows that very little on this planet could harm her, physically, but emotionally, she's vulnerable. She's still so new to Earth, it's customs and culture, and he wouldn't want to see her taken advantage of. "And I do have the spare bedroom," which is currently being used as a home office. Oh, the good old days, when a reporter actually needed things like a desktop computer, printer, and fax machine. Now, it can all be done with a pad, or at most a laptop.
Kara smiles at the offer, clearly touched by it, but shakes her head. "No. It is tempting, but having both of us dashing out of the same apartment would increase the chance of someone seeing us in our costumes. The secret is important; there are too many who would attack the ones you love who can't defend themselves as we can. The people at the Daily Planet: Perry… Jimmy…. Lois." The Kryptonian teen smiles a bit as she says the last name on that list. "Also… I think it is good for us to have our privacy. We don't have to feel like we're inconveniencing the other. And I also have to learn to deal with humans without you standing with me. You've taught me much about this new home, and I should put what you've taught me to good use."
Truth be told, Clark would prefer if he could keep an eye on her. He's become something of the overprotective big brother, even though he's her cousin, and six months ago, he didn't even know she existed. But a lot can change in half a year. She's family, and more than that, she's a living, breathing example of a Kryptonian upbringing. "Well," he accepts defeat, "the offer will remain open. If you ever change your mind, there'll be a room waiting for you." He's become quite adept at concealing his identity. In 31 years, few have even come close to guessing that he is something more than human, and most of them were intentional. Sure, he's had his issues, his close calls, but so far, his secret seems to be safe. "And how has it been? How are you settling in?"
"It's been good," Kara replies with a genuine smile. She sits down on the edge of her single bed, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm making friends with other heroes. Diana sponsored me for membership in the League. I'm working with others and keeping Metropolis and the world safe." She takes another breath as she looks around the room, and the happy mask falters a bit. "It's not Krypton, and it never will be," she says quietly. "But it's my home now." Kara looks back at Clark, the smile replaced by a look of determination. "And we… I… need to honour the sacrifice our parents made by building a life here. It's not going to be easy, but I'll make it happen."
Clark takes a seat beside his cousin on the bed, making it creak a little by his weight. "Diana did that?" He hadn't heard, and must really start paying more attention to the goings on of the League. "That's fantastic," he leans into her shoulder, giving her a little nudge, "I can reasonably guarantee you a second vote in favour." But as she begins to talk of Krypton, and the change, he begins to understand that she's going through her own personal journey, trying to figure out where she fits in this world. "Of course, you're welcome at the Fortress whenever you want, but that's just a stopgap. You're right. You'll have to make a life for yourself here. It's not that bad. I know I'm no expert on Krypton, but I've lived her all my life, almost all my life, and I like it. I know I'll never understand what you've lost, but all I can say is that you should try and focus on what you've gained."
Kara just smiles and pulls her cousin in for another hug. "I know," she says, looking happier. "I still have you. But I've gained your friends and family, and I've got friends of my own here now. Stargirl and Arsenal. Oracle and Nightwing. They're accepting me not just because I'm your cousin, but on my own merits. The pain is always going to be in my heart, but the joys of the friends and family I make here will counter it. Supergirl has a path set for her alongside you and the rest of the League. Now, I need to choose what life Kara Kent with have."
Clark returns the hug, rubbing a hand up and down her back in a comforting manner. Pulling back, he adds, "You'll always have me, our friends, and our family," putting emphasis on our, as opposed to my. "But, it's good to hear that you've been making friends of your own, though I do know some of them. I suggested Nightwing as a codename after reading up on the Kryptonian version in the Fortress of Solitude. It seemed to fit and I'm glad he kept it. But, I've never been more proud than when you decided to model your codename and uniform after my own. I know you can handle the burden and the power, so I'm certain that Kara Kent will have no problem settling in. And if you don't, send the trouble makers to me." He winks at her and smiles.
"Yes," Kara laughs and looks at her cousin with glee. "It was rather amusing to work with someone named after a Kryptonian legend. But, where there's a Nightwing, there should also be a Flamebird. The two are linked; mythically, ecologically, and spiritually." She pauses, smiling at her cousin and just enjoying the moment here. "I want to share more of Krypton with humanity, Kal." She always looks serious when switching to his Kryptonian name. "I'm already creating some crystal art for Wonder Woman to put on display, but there's more that I can share. And every bit that gets shared is a part of Krypton that will live on here. The crystals you carried contained science and learning and history. But I brought art and music and culture in the crystals in my ship. Humans aren't ready for the science that we have; they probably won't be for hundreds of years yet. But there are still things that we can share with them, and perhaps inspire them in ways other than running around in these costumes and saving people."
He likes the sight of her smiling profusely, laughing. She is happy. He knew she could be, but it's still wonderful to have a hand in making it happen. "I think there is one, though I don't know how she got her name." He pauses as well, letting the moment sink in. It's easy to be comfortable talking with someone, but true comfort is being together, where not a word is spoken. And he's okay with that. She's the cousin he never knew he had, and now, he wouldn't know what to do if he didn't have her. When she moves on to the crystal art, his ears perk up. "That sounds like a good use of your talents, Kara." While true, his crystals were more academic, to prepare him for life among a backwards species. With her Kryptonian education, she could afford to focus on the arts, helping her to become a well rounded individual. "Some of them are, some of them are even capable of creating technology on par with Krypton. Have you heard of Doctors Reed Richards and Hank Pym? But yes, the rest of humanity aren't ready for what we could give them." And the way he says that, it belies the hurt he feels about it. He could save so many of them. Help them in ways they can't even imagine, and yet, to do it now, fully, would do more harm than good.
Kara nods at the mention of those names. "I have. But I still have my doubts. Kal, even if you feel we can trust them, can we be absolutely sure that the science and technology we give them to work with won't get out? They have their own enemies and their own issues to deal with." She sighs, obviously conflicted between her desire to help and her desire to not make things worse. "Whatever you decide," she says finally, "I will support you." After taking a deep breath, she hugs him again. "You know humans much better than I do. Whatever you judge them ready for, I will support your choice. And I will be happy to work with them to pass on the knowledge of our fathers to those you deem worthy."
Clark always feels a tad uncomfortable when she calls him Kal, or the Fortress addresses him as Kal. Yes, it is his name, he was born Kal-El, but to him, it's an alien term, something he rarely hears, and never quite seems to suit him. But whether he is Clark Kent or Kal-El, he seems to find himself in situations where people try to put things onto him. It's a good thing he has such broad shoulders. "If we can never trust them, then how can we live among them. Most people are decent, hard working, and easy going. The ones who might understand our technology are… more. They have a responsibility, as we do. But a burden shared is a burden halved." Suddenly, he can see himself going into his speech mode, and abruptly cuts himself off, "You have good judgement Kara. While I'm happy that you believe in me, you should believe in yourself."
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