Disclaimer: Me owns Nothin'

Note: For Rtarara, who unknowingly helped me come up with this.

Mark of a Warrior
History

Long, long ago, in a planet named Krypton, within the Rao System in the Corvus Constellation, when Rao was but a yellow sun star, this story began. Back then, Krypton was a planet without minerals, it was a planet of crystals, plants, and fauna. Metals were found deep and close to its core, but such elements were rare and not even compounds were found anywhere within the world. It was dirt or sand, soil or beaches. And yet, at the peak of the largest mountain in this world, laid the fabled Silver Crystal. It grew like a crystal, almost as if it sprouted from the earth, yet it was shiny and not at all see-through, giving it its name. This was why it was considered precious, and even more why every child sent on a quest — the quest, came back as an adult and with a unique ability — changed. They came back with an animal counterpart to them that they could shift into at will, and it was how they found their mate.

Back then, the natives lived in clans, and everyone knew how to fight and protect; in general, everyone knew how to be warriors. During these times, without a semblance of order, every warrior that came of age had to go through the trail by fire; reaching the Silver Crystal at the top of their world. The other clans couldn't attack the ones in this sacred quest, nor could help be offered. Bodies were often found, killed by predators that attacked the child who had to show they were adult, and whenever they came down, they came changed, and marked. There was no disregard over gender, girls and boys went through this trail, with girls having the highest numbers of returns. Many times, the clans forwent the help rule and searched for those who had survived to take a particularly brave child, and finding a place among others without having to fulfill their quests, which had already left them haggard, tired, and sometimes near the brink of death, was a welcome respite. This also ensured new blood was always within the different clans.

Life on Krypton was brutal, savage and unrelenting, but prosperous. Those who managed to return, had to bear the Mark of the Warrior, an engraving on the Silver Crystal that denoted their worth, and how they found their mates. An adult who came from the mountain bearing this symbol, had the right to any mate, of any gender, and they were mated for life.

Indications of how this custom was still held, could be seen later on, as the culture of Krypton disregarded any concept of divorce, not even having a word for it.

This questing tradition died when a man came from the mountain, marked yet without the ability that came with it. The others, who gained a seat of privilege on their clans, knew with instinct that this single man, who had returned with the Mark but no visible change, had conquered his own animal side.

"I come to bring change!" He proclaimed; he was the only one who had never received training as a warrior, the first man to bring science. "I come to unite all the clans, and bring peace to Krypton!"

This tale was passed down in history, and much later, searches for the Silver Crystal were in vain. The man had brought forth ideas and with him, metals were found and although none like the Silver Crystal but in that color, mostly, made the Crystal turn into a myth. That was how the story was taken as much later, when Krypton was a bustling planet filled with technological wonders; a myth or legend was all that was left of the Silver Crystal.

The only thing that lived on, was the clan from which the man came, and how it came to stand for Hope.

Present Day, National City, CatCo

A brand new display was being opened at the Museum of National Treasures. Cat had promised to take Carter to the inauguration, which included a special treat: touching a piece of the exhibit and a fake coin, given as a memento.

Sadly, it wasn't going to be a possibility.

"Keira!" Cat's shrill scream made everyone turn and look as the blonde assistant scurried and made her way to her boss' office, closing the door at the look of those hazel eyes. "Care to explain why my Saturday morning says I'm to have a meeting with the board of directors when I specifically —"

"Miss Grant, I personally scheduled the museum visit," Kara began, tone completely apologetic as she began searching through the tablet just to sigh in aggravation. Without further words, she gave the device to the older woman while she went back outside to one of the boxes that cluttered her desk — she had to go through all of Siobhan's things — and found another tablet before going back inside, closing the door. "Yes, Siobhan programmed it."

"Why did she think it would be nice for me to spend my Saturday morning listening to drones is beyond me," Cat sighed in annoyance. "Well, why didn't you undo this mess?"

"Um, Assistant Number One had a priority code that made her entries able to override mine," the girl replied with a sigh, rubbing her face. "I hadn't had time to look things over, let alone fix this."

"Nothing to be done I suppose," the hazel-eyed blonde replied with an annoyed sigh and her assistant went around the room, giving her two Advil pills in their beautiful little tray, along with a glass of water, and another filled with jelly-beans. "I gave Carter's babysitter the day off, but I cannot postpone this stupid meeting now.

"Well, at least Lucy came back," she added offhandedly; Kara's heart skipped a beat at this. She had gone to see Lucy, revealed herself and explained everything, how she was done pinning after James when he truly, still, loved her, and how she didn't want to see such a cute couple — what she aspired to in terms of finding someone for herself — be broken by her. It was news to her, that the one she was finding out to be an incredibly reliable friend, had come back. "I made her beg enough, and if you'll be taking Carter, I rather have someone on my side whom I can count on."

"Wait —"

"I trust Supergirl, to always give my son her top priority," Cat growled, placing a hand over Kara's own and making her assistant swallow on a dry throat, and she smirked. Just the knowledge of how much control she had on the alien was satisfying. Kara blushed, since she couldn't argue with that, not again, not after she had returned to her usual wardrobe and plenty of guilt to work the day after the whole red-k mess. Meaning, yesterday. "I want a complete, detailed account on the exhibit, the information they have and, fifteen minute text messages from Carter."

"Yes Miss Grant."

"Chop chop, we have a full day today," which was why she hadn't bothered changing the boardroom meet to later that day. It was Friday, and she had meetings with each head of department. "Call Lucy, let her know that her contract prevented her from leaving CatCo on such short notice. I'm also making her head of department."

"Right away Miss Grant." But her boss was already checking her emails and ignoring her.

Once she was back at her desk, the first thing Kara did was call the lawyer. It was an awkward conversation at best, but now that she had made up her mind about broadening her horizons to other possibilities, she felt at more ease while speaking to Lucy. The blonde was firm on her thoughts: she wasn't going to pine over James Olsen anymore, it was hard enough being his friend and co-worker; fighting crime, not CatCo.

Saturday, National City, Museum of National Treasures

"Hey, I know I'm not your mother bud, but I'm happy to be able to enjoy some time with you," Kara said with a happy smile, combing Carter's adorable curls.

"It's okay," he replied with a smile, "at least it's you and not my dad or Adam."

"You don't like Adam?"

"I don't like the way he blames mom for everything," he replied with a shrug, but his eyes had a hard glint to them, "I mean, I know he has another mother, that his dad is loaded, which is why he could quit college and still have a nice, fancy apartment."

"You do?" She teased, but he nodded his head emphatically.

"He told me himself," Carter frowned a bit, "and when he talks about you, he mostly asks if you are seeing someone, if you're still single. And he gets mad whenever I win at games.

"Not even Winn gets mad, he grouses about his score and points out that it's improving," he sighed, making a desperate arm gesture, as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "And he is getting better, which makes me get better."

"But, why don't you like Adam?" She asked, frowning a bit. "I mean, you're brothers. Doesn't that count for something?"

"I think it's more that he doesn't like me," he replied while standing and going to another part of the museum; the private touring would start in an hour, but as always and in true Grant Fashion, he had to be there earlier. If it was a public affair of mingling with socialites or if it wasn't science related, he would likely arrive fashionably late, but not enough for others to label it so. "Nobody does." He whispered to himself, not knowing Kara was Supergirl and hence, had super hearing.

"Carter," when he didn't turn (he felt like he was being accused of being a bad brother when in reality, he had been trying) Kara went to his side and hugged him from behind. Suddenly he felt a bit lighter, as though the contact contradicted his thoughts and lifted some of the weight. "Adam is troubled, and I can say so clearly because no one in their right mind wouldn't give you a chance.

"You're a wonderful boy, and I always have fun with you," she concluded, giving him one final squeeze.

He turned around and hid his face on her shoulder. "Thanks Kara. You always know how to make things better."

"Please believe your mother when she says this?" She requested back, rubbing his back. "She wouldn't lie, not even to you. Probably because you're that important to her."

"She doesn't seem to understand that Adam didn't want anything to do with her," he sighed, "he used the letter to quit school, to come and meet 'his mother' when he already has one."

"An adoptive mother isn't the same as a biological mother." Kara said, thinking about Eliza and Alura.

"Yeah, both willingly give you all they can, and one feels this is an obligation while the other truly wants it," he finally stepped back, hands on her waist. "Not that there are some foster families that don't cash in kids for government money, but they don't adopt the kids."

"I guess you're right," Kara could really learn from him.

"If the one taking care of you does a good job as a mother, why not call her that?" He questioned with a shrug, still not letting go and actually holding on tighter, not ready to leave the comfort even if their blue eyes were locked in a gaze.

"Because you had another before her?" She asked back, feeling a bit self-conscious at the fact that he wasn't her kid and rubbed his arms in comfort.

"Well, it's like one of my friends at school," he began as he took a hand and guided them both back to the start of the line, which had grown but the security guard knew they had arrived first, "her father went to war when she was seven, and was mistaken for dead. Her mom married again, and while she cannot call the man dad or father, she calls him da, even after her real father returned from war."

"Is it really that important?" She asked herself, and soft blue eyes met hers.

"If you married my mom and loved me," Carter asked, taking notice of the blush but saying nothing about it, "would you rather I call you something like ma, or keep calling you Kara?"

"The private exhibit is about to start," was called before she could answer, and he kept holding her hand, "please get in line."

Saved by the bell, almost literally; the blonde thanked Rao for small favors.

"Hey, I was here first!" A man cried when they took their place at the start of the line.

"Sorry, we were the first to arrive," Kara stated firmly.

"You were wandering around the museum," another man spoke; he had a slight accent, "we've remained in line!"

"So you would rather we had remained the hour sitting there?" She asked, frown in place. "You barely arrived ten minutes ago!"

"You don't know that!"

"He arrived ten minutes after we did," she pointed at the man at the start of the queue, "his wife and children walked around as we did while he kept their spot and the guard explained we had arrived earlier!

"You're telling me that simply because I came alone I should have stayed in line?"

No one else complained after that. A single mother, and so young at that, who could afford the private viewing . . . well, that was a miracle worker. Not that anyone said anything out loud, and it wasn't like she could read minds; she was alien, not necessarily martian. Still a bit flustered, she gratefully and with her softest smile thanked the man who allowed them to go in first. It was the same smile on the boy's face.

The exhibit was from a meteorite just recently found; it looked like silver, but the element wasn't in the periodic table, so scientists had been researching it. For lack of a better name, they called is Silverite. The study had yielded a single result: that it was harder that titanium, and just cutting an edge off to be able to study it had been almost impossible. The piece that was cut though, was the one piece those in that exhibit tour could touch. It looked like a big coin, very round with some rough edges, and an emblem on one side.

Kara and Carter stared, and the girl could recognize one of the kryptonese symbols on it, along with an emblem of one of the House, a House of hunters who later became the first warriors, and a legend had been written to warn kryptonians against touching anything from said House, as it was a myth. It was never recorded how they met their end, only that at one point, they and all those who had previously belonged to it, had vanished into the tallest mountain of Krypton and were never heard of or from ever since. The emblem was now worn with pride by all warriors, which was why soldiers only kept their names and not their last names, renouncing their houses to belong to the military. Only those who made it to the rank of General, were allowed to wear the original emblem of their House, and only if their platoon was part of said House or were willing to serve under it. Few chose to exert such privileges, most willing to devote themselves to the military and Krypton first, the house in which they belonged second. Unless, it was a House of warriors, all sharing the same ideals. United they remained for the strength of Krypton and to protect its people.

She had always thought it was a scary story told to children to keep them from wandering into such place, and sadly she had no one to ask about it. She couldn't handle seeing her mother's hologram, not when the pain of Astra's death was still being processed, Alex's betrayal too close to mind to be of any good.

"Only one member of the family may touch it," a man in lab coat stated, hand extended and at the blonde's nod, the boy enthusiastically surrendered his hand; she shook her head to clear it, glad to be back from memories of the past.

"We already had our hands cleaned upon entering," Kara supplied, still inspecting the surface of the coin.

"The kids are usually the ones who would want to touch it," the man replied in what could be his best monotone, "I'm just here as a precaution."

Carter took the coin in his hands, marveling at the surface and denoting the crest delicately. "What's the symbol?"

"Well, the cuts were carved to help define the measurements," the girl narrowed her eyes at him, knowing the man was lying, "and in an effort of figuring out its composition."

"Did you manage?" The man gave her a look of contempt, "to figure out the composition."

"It's still under study," he replied in a severe tone, frowning a bit.

"Kara, look!" Carter began playing with the coin and his knuckles.

"Careful!" The man complained, startling the boy and his concentration broke; both gasped when the coin began to fall.

If it wasn't for the alien's reflexes, the clang would have been heard.

"Nothing happened," she began, distracting the other two from her shaking hand and herself from the searing pain of her palm, "next time, tell them what they can't do, don't startle them and then try to blame them."

The man, snarl in place and mouth opening to retort, didn't get a chance to do so.

"Sorry Kara," the boy whispered, looking at the floor.

"Not your fault bud," she glared at the man who was turning red before focusing back on her charge, making their eyes meet with her good hand, "he should apologize.

"Here," she finally got her body under control and with a steady fist, she opened it over Carter's palm and there the coin sat, a substance from another planet. "Don't let this Grinch ruin our very own small Christmas."

He giggled at the whisper, before tracing the symbol once again and then placing it back. With that, they left soon after; Carter wasn't interested in the findings, since nothing had been conclusive. Once outside, Kara found a place to sit, and once she had the support, did she began trembling. She was going to have to ask her mother about the House of Qy, and the legends of silver in their home world, get over everything that was so messed up in her life lately. She couldn't help but think that the mark burned on her palm was a bad omen, or a blessing in disguise.

"Kara?" She met soft blue in a worried gaze. "Are you okay? You're trembling."

"Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that ice cream," she replied with a wince; the mention of food made her stomach upset. "Ah, I don't like being sick."

"Newsflash," he said, sitting besides her, laughing a bit, "no one does." He gave her a one-arm hug as she smiled, her queasiness momentarily forgotten as his scent seemed to reassure her. "I saw your hand trembling a bit."

"My muscles tensed when I caught the coin," she replied, opening a closing her fingers, remembering the burning sensation that began spreading through her body; her palm faced the floor since she knew the symbol would be etched in it. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah!" He replied with a beaming smile.

Sadly, they soon had to return to their daily routines, and taking Carter back to St. Edmund Hall meant traveling back to CatCo with her boss.

It was Hell.