"Okay...tie?"
"Tie...you...really are...a fighter"
*Live...with robots...your whole life...and see just...just how well you fight*
*So you decided to make sure we keep in practice with one of your native languages?*
*Exactly*
*Your family does the same for those that learned their language*
*Good to know*
Katherine leaves the cave and then starts doing power training with Batman and slowly goes through most of the rest of the league over time, more during breaks of course but at least the league got the required training they needed. For the next few years until Katherine turned eighteen a pattern emerged where Katherine did League training every weekend for sure and every week during breaks, and the League also trained with her family on a regular basis and while they didn't learn interesting fighting tactics like Katherine had they did learn to start trusting them and also fighting against invisible enemies though they were never going to be as good as Katherine and they knew it
"So...you never did tell us if you were going to graduate on time or late"
"Late, by half a year because it turns out that my old school skipped a few things that this school teaches and the school has a policy that if that's the case the students graduate half a year after their class year in special courses that focus on what they missed, this is so that they don't miss summer vacation like the regular students"
"We'll try and have some of us there in disguise"
"Thanks for that, oh and by the way I've finally made my decision regarding your offer, I'm joining the League once I graduate and I also know where I'm going to work after I graduate too, and it's not in the EDC or the military"
"Oh?"
"Yep, found out my passion last year during a school trip, turns out that my affinity for a camera is going to come in real handy because I'm going to be joining Clark Kent at the Daily Planet"
"You applied and already go accepted?"
"Yes and I was told after I graduated I would be welcome"
"Does Clark know?"
"Not yet, I plan on surprising him"
"By the way, have you and your family figured out how to handle League interactions?"
"Not exactly but we've been working on it, it's just not always the easiest to do"
"They did raise you after all"
"And that's the main problem both of us are having trouble working on knee jerk reactions being close to each other in my potential disguise at the base, it's not working the greatest because not only have they raised me but...there's also the fact that we're going to have to work closely together at times depending on the trouble that happens and we have yet to work out a good compromise of where we're emotionally distant enough to be considered professional acquaintances yet emotionally close enough to help one another on bad calls like you guys do at times"
"And that closeness will forceably take time to develop and you're having a hard time figuring out the speed that can happen"
"Exactly"
"Hm...the founding members will come by at some point and see if we can't help you guys out"
"Thanks"
"In the meantime Supergirl wants to do some Kryptonite training with you, she's going to be in the lead suit for her own safety but she needs to know you can handle being around it since we have never gotten reports about those training sessions"
"That was my personal request, but I can see why they need to know how things are going so I'll let my family know to expect her and to prepare the suit for her"
"Understood, by the way we do need to know the results of not only your tests but about anyone else regularly exposed to Kryptonite that isn't a Cybertronian"
"I thought that they were at least sending those reports out, I'll talk to them and see what's going on in that regard"
"Thank you"
Katherine went home and immediately went to the medical center and saw First Aid first
"Hey First Aid I got a question for you guys?"
"What is it?"
"Do you know why no reports have been sent to the League about Kryptonite exposure for everyone but me per my request?"
"Yes actually, because only Cybertronians are exposed to Kryptonite except for you, this is for everyone's safety Kathy, as it is very few people are even aware we have a piece of Kryptonite"
"Understood, by the way in case I forget can you let the Primes and Galvatron know that the League is demanding the results of my Kryptonite training when Supergirl comes and does some training with me?"
"Understood, is it safe to assume the lead suit needs to be prepared?"
"Yes it is"
"I'll see that everything is done Kathy"
"Thanks, and tell the League about the Kryptonite will you? I know for a fact that their getting nervous about it, Batman as much as told me so when he mentioned the League hadn't received those reports"
"I'll contact them immediately with that information, guess we didn't think about that worry for them"
"No kidding, I've got homework to do so I'll just be in my room with the knock sign up, one of my projects requires no interruptions if at all possible"
"Got it, good thing that rule has long since been established with everyone"
"Exactly"
Katherine wasn't interrupted fortunately and got her homework done in three hours because that project took two hours on it's own because of it's complexity, she was late for dinner but they all knew how important homework was so there was no complaints
"So, how are things going anyways in regards to school?"
"Complicated, the school is keeping something from us students but I have no idea what it could be, plus while I will graduate half a year later than the others it almost seems like they're testing me personally regarding my knowledge of my chosen field, almost as if I actually won't stay half a year later which doesn't make any sense considering their policy"
"They won't back off on their policy, but they might be testing you to see if your career choice is actually a good fit for you"
"Maybe, what about the other thing?"
"That we're not sure of, but I do want to remind you to trust your teachers to know what they're doing"
"I guess that's all I can do"
"Now then regarding Supergirl, is it the usual weekend schedule?"
"As far as I know yes"
"Okay then we'll have a suit ready for her by Saturday, and First Aid mentioned he sent a report to the League that no other human is exposed to Kryptonite, I guess we forgot that they might want to know that for other people's health"
"You know that we need to send them a report about me this time right?"
"Yes we do, why you wanted to keep it secret is beyond us in the first place"
(Sighs) *I did it for safety reasons guys, if any of our enemies teamed up with League enemies and found out that we had Kryptonite...well it wouldn't end well I don't think, and then there's the race where I accidentally got my powers in the first place, I think...my being human is helping me but that they themselves might be extremely susceptible to the Kryptonite, almost as susceptible as Superman and Supergirl, it's for their safety as well*
*I think we understand now and should have thought of that ourselves*
*I would have thought you would have thought of that when we first noticed that Kryptonite has the potential to do...interesting things whenever I activate my powers*
*I think we were thinking back to when you first developed those powers*
*Oh, that would do it*
*Indeed, for now you take a break until Supergirl comes*
*Will do*
The rest of the week was pretty normal, as usual Katherine got top grades on all her schoolwork including her project and then finally it was Saturday and everyone was simply waiting for Supergirl to come join them for Kryptonite testing, the League in the meantime had written back stating that they were glad to finally know that no one else had been exposed to Kryptonite but that the policy probably wasn't the best
"We'll work on it"
"Good, by the way Supergirl is going to be working on something with you guys besides the Kryptonite"
"Oh?"
"Batman thinks that having outside help might help you guys with what you're going to have to do once I joins the League"
"Good thinking"
Just then they saw Supergirl come in for a landing, but they could instantly tell that something was wrong because her flying was erratic at best and almost none existent at worse before she ultimately collapsed into the hands of Thundercracker who had been following her for the past mile. Once he landed he gently laid her down on the waiting stretcher and while Skyfire went to contact the League and more specifically Superman the medical team rushed her into treatment working fast and furiously to try and figure out what had happened
"Let's hope we have answers by the time Superman arrived because otherwise there might be trouble"
Unfortunately they didn't have answers by the time Superman arrived, but he also understood that not only were they not really familiar with Kryptonian physiology there were several things that could affect them, though it was primarily just Kryptonite that was problematic they had learned over the last couple of years that a few EDC enemies could also affect them and all of those possibilities needed testing to rule them out
"Superman, do you want to stay with Supergirl and delay the testing for another time?"
"Yes, that's probably for the best, once we know more I might be willing to do the tests but right now..."
"We understand"
The group gives the two as much privacy as possible knowing that the medical team would be enough of an interruption
"I hope we find answers and soon, she...she didn't look so good"
"No, she didn't and Rumble, I'm worried, very worried about what we might have to deal with if she dies"
Fortunately Supergirl lasted all the day and through the night, she didn't make any remarkable recovery as far as anyone could tell but according to Superman she was healing, just...slower than normal almost as if she was under the influence of a red sun and yet not at the same time, but her just surviving the night was good to them
"For now there's testing to be done"
"Superman...it can wait until next weekend if you like, Supergirl is more important than me"
"No she would want me to take her place in testing and I know for a fact that she is healing and as such I think I can afford a couple of hours away from her, I would know before anyone else if something changed anyways"
"Very well"
Three hours later and the testing for the day was done and Superman afterwords said that the results were interesting to say the least
"We're still trying to figure everything out even now why things happen the way they do, though I think the ones that accidentally gave me these powers might be as susceptible to Kryptonite as you and Supergirl are and as such I don't want them exposed if at all possible"
"You mean it might kill them as well?"
"Might just at that"
"We'll find a way of getting in contact with them and warning them of that possibility, but you know that they too might want definitive answers and come for those tests themselves right?"
"I know it's just...until we had more answers about me I didn't want to risk their lives, but with the way things are going I guess I don't have much choice now do I?"
"Not anymore"
"I think we'd best check on Supergirl again even though you're acting like she's okay"
When they got there everyone noticed more medical equipment surrounding her, specifically a crash cart and a lot more medication bags
"We have what's wrong, however the treatment might send her into cardiac arrest so we're going to be careful about how we go about doing this"
"Understood"
Fortunately the treatment worked and everything ended okay but it was a near thing at times. The next day Katherine found out not only why they were doing extra testing but what the teachers had been keeping from the students for so long, as for the testing it was actually standard testing for potential internships during the summer after they graduated and even those who would graduate half a year later had the chance for those internships the secret that the teachers were keeping from the students wasn't the internship opportunity though that was a secret but instead the big secret as Katherine thought of it as was a special assembly with various military and law enforcement representatives that explained their jobs and also would take them out into their fields for the rest of the school year at various points in time for one week each. The first day though was about meeting in various classrooms and Katherine was in one of those classrooms when of course an incident would have to happen
"Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, all faculty and students follow emergency Code Red procedures...there's also a Code Black repeat there is also a Code Black as such priority is Code Red procedures repeat priority is Code Red procedures"
"Shoot this hasn't happened before has it?"
"Never"
"Well then...agent can I have your backup?"
"Kerenai..."
"Wait...you're Kerenai?"
"Yes sir"
"Have had it, I'll stay here you do what you have to do, but first I really need to know those codes to know what's going on"
"Code Red is active shooter alert so I am very glad you have a weapon on you Code Black is not quite as bad but still pretty serious where the phone lines are cut, teachers are already phoning 911 and alerting officers here to what's happening so that they can make calls over the radio too"
"Understood, I'll be ready for any trouble, but I'm locking the door behind me too, be careful out there"
"Don't worry I will be"
"And Kerenai...last resort at your discretion"
"Always"
As soon as she leaves the teacher questions the agent who was a DEA agent
"Last resort?"
"Something private that only she will reveal at need"
"Understood"
Katherine ultimately had to go hand to hand against the active shooter because the criminal managed to get the weapon away from her, but she didn't need to use her powers because her hand to hand skills were enough to get her through the fight but she was still glad to see officers with handcuffs when the shooter started to stir from her blow that stunned him enough to incapacitate him for a couple of minutes
"Thank goodness there were officers already here"
"You okay?"
"Fine, very glad I am capable of fighting, Katherine Kerenai by the way, and...one of the guns actually belongs to a DEA agent here today"
"We'll get everything sorted out eventually, but right now knowing that you're okay is the priority"
"Right...you guys found out over the radio correct?"
"Yes, we've also called emergency services just in case, but what we're wondering is why we didn't receive a phone call"
"Phone lines have been cut which might mean a second intruder that I never encountered, which is a bad thing in my mind"
"We'll check you need to get back to safety, and I don't care if you're Kerenai and have the last resort at your discretion you're going into a classroom period"
"Understood officer"
An hour later and the school was given the all clear, it turned out that there had been a second intruder, but that intruder had left after cutting the phone lines and as such wasn't part of the main attack, they were still caught anyways close to the school because they were friends with the primary intruder and wanted to see their friend safe but that wasn't to be
"Well at least there wasn't a second armed intruder, still cutting class short today due to no phone lines"
"You sure about that?"
"She's right, because we need to check and see if anything else was also tampered with as a standard EDC precaution"
"Why EDC precaution?"
"Because other schools have been attacked by EDC enemies recently using students or other adults, the pattern is always slightly different but the one thing that always remains the same is that there are two people are involved in an incident that requires the police"
"How come we haven't heard anything about that?"
"We have no idea"
And the group was telling the truth about both aspects, there recently had been a string of attacks on school students by EDC enemies and there really was no answer to why Katherine's school hadn't been alerted to the problem and the reason behind the attacks was to make the country weaker if possible by instilling fear into everyone
"I think I might be wanting to report directly to the principal for a time then"
"Until you graduate?"
"Yeah and maybe even after I graduate depending on what's going on at the time"
"In the meantime you guys have class in between going to the various law enforcement agencies for a week on their schedules"
The rest of the school year was calm and Katherine was one of the one's chosen for an internship despite the fact that the school knew that she had secured a job already, the main reason behind the internship was to give her some skill before joining her job and for some reason she had to deal with another active shooter situation though this time she ran with others and as soon as they were outside she gave one order that she hoped would be followed for their own good
"Everyone scatter!"
Once Katherine knew she was safe she called emergency services and eventually the situation ended
"You know you've been part of too many incidents recently Kerenai"
"You're telling me I am not happy about it either by the way"
"Well in any case things are contained and you're free to leave"
"Thanks"
Katherine's internship eventually ends peacefully and she gets in training with the League that was primarily hand to hand but also involved power training because she was joining the League and everyone needed to know what was going on for safety reasons
"So have you guys figured out the problem Superman went to help with?"
"Pretty much yeah, there are still a few things that might need to be worked out but we're pretty much solid on how to handle the situation until it's been long enough to be even semi-familiar with each other"
"What things still need worked out?"
"Things that have been determined to be unable to be more worked on until I am an official League member"
"Understood"
Suddenly the alarms went off and when they stared at the screen just one word went out of almost every person's voice
"No"
"What's wrong?"
"Have you completely read or been told by your family the complete history of the Justice League?"
"Yes I have, what of it?"
"Do you remember the one thing that managed to kill Superman?"
"Yes I...Doomsday?"
"Version 2.0 from the looks of it"
"Looks like I'm going all out then because I am not staying out of this fight"
"Let your family handle it Kerenai"
"Unfortunately they can't because the EDC is already involved, but they're also very restricted in that environment, normally it wouldn't be a problem but..."
"Right I think I know what you're getting at, hop in then"
"Thanks, by the way I'll do my best not to use my strongest powers right from the start"
"Why not?"
"You'll see besides not wanting to knock myself out within ten minutes of joining the fight"
"Quick question what are you going to do about your identity?"
"I'm not using the one, that's when I officially join the League instead it will just be plain old me, there's been plenty of times before that I've joined in a fight as myself so it won't be so surprising"
"Understood"
"By the way when we get there can you try and hover over the enemy and open the hatch for me?"
"What for?"
"You'll see"
Fortunately Batman was able to do as requested and he quickly finds out why she wanted to be directly above Doomsday, she had a punch planned for him enhanced by her powers and it definitely got the attention of Doomsday which was actually her ultimate goal of giving other League members and emergency personnel time to get anyone injured out of the danger zone
"Come on tough guy, let's fight"
Katherine does strong but relatively low strength attacks in that the attacks didn't sap her energy as quickly as other attacks but they still did good amount of damage which told her that yes the creature was designed to fight against Superman and hurt him whoever had created him had never encountered EDC enemies and thus had no clue about her or her abilities and thus she was very helpful in the fight and in the end while both Superman and Supergirl were injured it wasn't as bad as the last time plus the fight ended a lot quicker than it otherwise would have too