Today felt like every other normal Sunday in National City, flying higher and higher... the breeze whistling against the bright spandex suit. She fluttered past watching contently as the world kept on turning. Hearing birds chirping, thousands of breakfasts cooking, Kids bouncing... clearly intent on destroying their parents kingsize mattress, church bells ringing and choirs beautifully singing. Drifting lower, letting the wind carry her through the mid morning rush .. she could here the gasps of surrounding civilians, jaws tilted to the sky as they watched their famed super non-human fly.
Greeting her, she grinned as a stream of mutterings sounded-
"Mornin' Supergirl"
"Hope your having a great day Supes!"
"Love you Supergirl!"
"Supergirl seems happy... I hope she's happy."
and ... at this very moment she supposed she was. It had been a difficult horrific year, loosing Mon-El, going up against PSI, getting her ass handed to her by Reign. Discovering Imra... seeing them together. It... she felt so lonely. Not that loneliness was something she hadn't already understood, because she did... but the mountain of difficulties the universe had sent her way lately, it was unbearable and for a time she wasn't certain she'd actually make it out alive. But here now... with the public of National City reminding her they all cared, that they definitely had her back.. she felt slightly raw but certainly comforted for the first time in her very unstable super heroic lifetime.
It didn't last long.
Catching the rumblings of a group of disgruntled citizens, uncertain what the ruckus entailed she swept lower to take a better look drifting downward until her feet touched the ground. She was in the middle of National City Square, high billboards flashing surrounding them in a faint neon glow. A big group of civilians were huddled in a tight circle all talking in hushed whispers...
...-girl"
...ptonian"
-same symbols"
-ou think they're related?"
...should shout for her."
-e'd know what to do"
-finitely Alien."
Eyebrows crinkling Supergirl stepped forward hesitantly, smog clearing moving slowly... the hushed whispers got quieter as each face turned wide eyed and staring like they were waiting for some sort of response. Breaking apart to allow her through Kara glanced at the expressions and mixed emotion on people's faces as she passed each one of them by ...it was freaky.
Getting closer, to the front of the now bustling crowd realising she probably should've just flown by... her breath caught in her throat... she recognised that buzz. The faint humm of Kryptonian alloy as it powered down its engines.
Pushing forward arm braced on the shoulders of surrounding humans, eyes fixated looking downward.. a ship. Just like her ship... with one distinct difference the House of El symbol was carved into the side.
Just like the one they used for casual interplanetary travel... the one that she thought was too broken and got left behind... Story for another day...
Anyway reaching the front... condensation and mist blocked out the visor... just a faint rustle of blue standing out among the Kryptonian metal. Reaching out delicately letting her fingertips brush across a cool translucent window, she braced her palm more firmly to clear a wider area.
Inhaling sharply at the sight before her... It can't be...
Reaching a palm over her mouth gasping, eyes blurring with tears she bent forward slightly bracing on her knees pressing her other palm tightly as it wrapped around her stomach.
Concerned eyes glanced around, citizens waiting... tensions rising watching the Girl of Steel visibly crying.
A young woman wearing a long black trench coat settled a soothing palm on Supergirls shoulder, catching each other's gaze a surge of strength flowed through her as Kara looked into kind loving eyes.
Shifting her focus back to the pod she stood straighter inhaling deeply, taking in a gargantuan amount of air before gripping the sides of the window firmly and using a good proportion of strength to pull it free.
I was like being kicked in the stomach, all the wind knocked out of her... she didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
Moving in she gently placed two shaky palms on the cusp of this glorious woman's face.. two eyes blinked blearily before startling as everything came into focus... a fresh new alien world came into focus.
Kara breathed out "Mom?"
Catching each other's gaze it's like time stood frozen, they were the only two people in the universe that still existed.
A young Kryptonian girl, El Crest emblazoned... red cape billowing and a Mother waking up to see what should be a thirteen year old child standing inside the body of stunning adult young beauty.
Offering a hand, Alura took it, hesitating momentarily.. stumbling drowsy from the effects of hyper sleep. Guiding her like she was made of glass, by the palm and an elbow, care radiating from the Kryptonian blonde like she was worried Alura would evaporate right then and there.
Standing together, directly infront of each other, Crowds melded into the background... nothing else needed for existence at that present point in time.. staring Alura placed her palm on Kara's chest gently, tracing the Kryptonian crest eyes searching the face of a child she used to know so well.
Drifting a palm over the one already placed against her heavy thumping heartbeat Kara lifted up the hand to place it on her cheek, closing her eyes momentarily to embed the moment into her memory.
Eyes opening, deciding to take the palm away her voice shook croaking as she asked the dreaded four worded question "Is it really you?"
"Oh sweet child."
At that Kara burst out crying, enveloping her long dead mother into a crushing hug, hearing her mother speak... really speak. She couldn't hold it together anymore, eventually she decided to ultimately pull back ... still hellbent and needing to ask the most important questions...
Voice shaking "But-but how... I-I watched you die, when you put me on that ship... when I reached the atmosphere I saw the explosion I saw the whole planet just disappear... how? How did you survive, how are you still here?"
She needed to know.
At this point there were now thousands surrounding them also crying and teary eyed.
Thats when like a kick in the teeth the world suddenly titled, turning diving on its axis so everything good and hopeful was incinerated completely.
Looking directly into Supergirls eyes, Alura smirked. Kara's face slowly contorted...
Shaking off Supergirls arms, those ones that'd found their way onto Alura Zor-Els shoulders... her body started shifting... changing until that flowing blue gown, golden belt, brunette hair and thoroughly loving eyes were replaced by a scornful hate filled sand coloured smile, gazing triumphantly as it towered over them leaving that slender Kryptonian figure of her lost mother behind.
The look on Supergirls face was indecipherable as she watched her life shatter before her ...falling to her knees it wasn't her mother... She didn't understand.
That's when the ship started shaking, Kara looked up only to catch it morphing into another one of those creatures, both looking to each other as if proud accomplished...
Looking between them she couldn't figure out ... "Why?"
Breathing ragged, struggling to stay in the present Kara dug hold of those worlds furiously growling out "WHY?!"
Standing up suddenly taking a step towards the one that had worn the face of her throughly dead parent. It held its hands up teasingly, mockingly shrugging "April Fools!"
With that the duo burst out laughing as Kara grasped at her chest gagging, falling into the arms of watchful civilians...
people shouting...
..."WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"
..."Can't you see your hurting her?!"
..."Her parents are dead... how dare you disrespect her memory of them like that!"
..."Why... why be so vile?!"
At that the taller of the two, the one originally disguised as an inanimate object straightened and turned serious ...
"Because Alura Zor El mother of the one you call Supergirl sentenced our parents to a Kryptonian prison... and we think she should pay for her mothers indiscretions."
Kara was on the floor choking back sobs, forcing herself to grit out "MY MOTHER WAS THE HIGHEST RANKING JUDGE, SHE MADE NO MISTAKES WHEN SENTENCING HER CRIMES, HOW DARE YOU BLAME HER FOR YOUR OWN PARENTS MISDEEDS."
At that the fake 'Alura' stepped forward fist in the air. Grasping hold of his arm, pulling him backward his brother shouted "no, no don't fight her brother, you won't win it's not worth it, she's hardly going to fight us unless we hit her first... don't give her the excuse she needs to take out her fury... be satisfied with what we've taken... we've destroyed her memories of Alura... isn't that enough... for now." Looking to each other he nodded and lowered his arm shaking his anger off and smirking once more before they both turned to take off "See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya Superdupergirl."
And just like that they were gone...
White hot rage filled her veins, she wanted to tear them limb from limb, she wanted to scream until her mouth started bleeding, cry until nothing was left but dry eyes and fly up and fry... explode like her double had done as she'd died.
Instead she just lay their with the imprint of her mothers warm enticing arms. It felt hollow... the memories of her other world tarnished. She couldn't distinguish between the hug of Alura and the imposter... it was like the newfound memories were overlaying the ones already occupying her brain. Did Jeju really smell that way... did she feel just as warm or is that what remained of that abominable alien?
It's all just gone ... it's all ruined.