Once Upon National City
A/N: Hey all! Long time no see! XD This drabble is a bit rough around the edges as I was having some issues writing it. Partly a case of writer's block and partly a case of trying to squeeze a multi-chaptered story's worth of stuff into a single drabble (or two parts of a drabble, rather). Nonetheless, hopefully it's still an enjoyable read! :P
Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.
Summary: Alex was an enigma. Not completely a vampire, not quite an angel, but something in between. Yet while Alex had more of a tolerance for things which would have killed a normal Hellspawn on the spot, it wasn't to say the vampire was invincible either. Kara & Alex. Supernatural/Family.
*** ~ Angel of Darkness – Part I ~ ***
Kara will always remember the day Krypton, or Heaven as humanity called it, fell.
It was a day of horror, and terror, and pain. So much pain. It was the day she lost everything, everyone that she knew, even her youngest cousin Kal-El.
Sent to Earth by her parents, Kara watched as Earth's skies blazed red with the burning of her home world, humanity ignorant of what they were witnessing. Yet in spite of her parents' noble efforts to save her, to preserve some part of Krypton's legacy, it was already too late. Daxam, the twin world of Krypton, Hell as humans would later come to call it, had already corrupted the world between their worlds. And by the time Kara arrived on Earth, half demons and Hellspawn roamed the lands, humanity none the wiser.
But Kara knew what they were. Just like they knew what she was. Yet as much as Kara wanted to do something, to help, to cleanse this world of this taint, she did not. What could one Kryptonian do, a mere child at that, against this darkness which had clearly taken root? Nothing. So Kara ran. And she didn't stop running.
A hand on her shoulder.
Kara jolted awake.
"Kara," a quiet voice murmured, the cool hand both firm and comforting. "We have to go. They're coming."
At the sound of a howl, blue coloured eyes snapped skywards, a gasp getting stuck in Kara's throat as more howls shattered the quiet air.
Scrambling to her feet in a panic, Kara tried to ignore the snapping of branches in the distance as the ratty knapsack which held their meager belongings was grabbed and dirt was kicked onto their campfire to put it out. Her heart thrumming in her chest uncontrollably, Kara grabbed the hand offered to her before she and her traveling companion took off running in the opposite direction of the howls, the flapping of a long, black trench coat being the only sound they made.
They made it as far as the forest's edge before they were surrounded, the pack of werewolves at least two dozen strong. Known as the Whites for their abnormally white fur, Kara watched nervously as the albino werewolves crept closer to them yet still out of reach, disproportionate limbs swiping at the air threateningly, squashed snouts, almost alien-like, snapping viciously.
Usually, the two of them avoided werewolf territory if at all possible. But after Kara's existence was discovered days ago while passing through National City, a bounty was put on her head for three hundred quartz crowns. Now every lesser demon from all realms were out to get them, Kara's biggest fans of sorts being a crazy Infernian imp named Scorcher and Master Jailer, otherwise known as Mon-El's (or Lucifer in humanity's mythology) number one bounty hunter.
"Kara…" a low voice murmured.
Kara turned her head, her stomach dropping the moment her gaze met a set of dark, chocolate brown coloured eyes.
"When you see an opening," the other said, a pale hand reaching into the backpack slung over one shoulder almost unnoticed. "You take it. Understand?"
Before Kara could answer, the brunette took two steps towards the biggest werewolf of the pack, the Alpha Kara assumed, and grinned.
"Alex, what-"
Something went hurtling passed Kara's shoulder straight for the werewolves in front of her. A grenade she belatedly realized as her eyes tracked it through the air. A second grenade was simultaneously lobbed in the opposite direction, Kara barely even noticing it before Alex's arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against her, the brunette's long, black trench coat covering them up from head to foot a second later.
Werewolves shrieked as the two grenades exploded, Kara nearly choking as the familiar scent of silver filled her nostrils, even under Alex's jacket. Then the two of them were off running again, dashing passed squealing and writhing werewolves through a silver fog, fur and werewolf flesh alike seared and smoking. It took everything Kara had not to throw up.
Somewhere in between running and keeping Kara on her feet, Alex had drawn her modified glock, blessed silver bullets locked and loaded, and tearing through the werewolves which survived the grenades and now chased after them. Despite not being armor piercing rounds, they might as well have been, three werewolves falling under the barrage before the clip rang empty. Before Alex could reload however, the two of them were bowled over from the side, Kara sent careening into the ground, hard.
"Kara!"
Gasping after having the breath knocked from her lungs, Kara shook her head to orient herself. Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head to find Alex face to face with a werewolf, likely the one which tackled them earlier, its maws wide and dripping.
"Kara, run!" Alex shouted, ducking under a swiping claw.
Getting her wits about her, Kara staggered to her feet, grabbing at the nearest tree to keep her upright as a bout of dizziness struck her.
"Alex-"
Kara yelped when the werewolf went flying into the tree next to her, its body just missing her by mere inches. Stumbling backwards a few steps in surprise, Kara almost went tumbling to the ground again when her heel hit an above ground root, her only saving grace being the strong hand on her arm which steadied her before she could fall.
"What are you still standing around for?!" Alex shouted, having closed the distance between them in three long strides. "I told you to-"
Alex's head whipped to the side before she could finish her reprimand. Before Kara even had a chance to follow suit, she was being shoved backwards off of her feet, that action just barely saving her from being run over by the White's Alpha werewolf and pack leader. Alex unfortunately was not as lucky.
"Alex!"
Alex went hurtling into a nearby tree back first, a sickening crack punctuating the air the moment her body hit the tree. Gawking in terror, Kara could only watch as the brunette peeled out of crater she made a second later, Alex limply hitting the ground with a dull thud, at the feet of the Alpha White.
"No!"
At her shout, the monstrous werewolf spun around to face her, Kara sitting on the ground frozen at the sheer size of it. It had to be at least three times her size, its face and body marred with a multitude of scars. Fur as white as snow, its eyes as black as the void, the Alpha stalked towards her, Kara scurrying backwards on her behind only for her back to hit another tree, halting her retreat.
She should have run like Alex told her. There was still time to, doubly so if she opted to use the wings she'd been hiding all this time under her blue shirt and red cloak. In this world, the sky was Kara's domain, one she rarely took advantage of because of how easy it would be to spot her, especially now that there was a bounty on her head. That was why they traveled on foot, avoiding major cities, hotspots for Hellspawn hiding in plain sight. However, with that decision came its own risks.
A gunshot.
Kara covered her ears as the Alpha shrieked, the werewolf immediately wheeling around to face its attacker. It was met with another bullet, and another, and another, a total of seventeen rounds piercing its skin without mercy before a click sounded indicating an empty gun.
"Get away from my sister!" Alex exclaimed, her eyes blood red, elongated fangs bared as she hissed.
The Alpha howled as it staggered to the side, somehow still staying upright in spite of its wounds. Snarling in defiance, it rounded on Alex with a roar.
"What?" Alex chuckled darkly. "Never seen a vampire before?"
Alex was an enigma. Not completely a vampire, not quite an angel, but something in between. Drinking of Kara's blood forty two years ago, not only had Alex regained her soul in doing so, but she also gained the ability to bear sunlight without any ill effects, along with a minute immunity to all things considered blessed or holy.
Yet while Alex had more of a tolerance for things which would have killed a normal Hellspawn on the spot, it wasn't to say the vampire was invincible either. Alex was just as vulnerable to injury, and in extreme cases, death, like any other beings, human or otherwise, the blood running down the vampire's face and the way her left arm hung limply at her side a testament to that fact.
"Alex-"
Alex's empty gun was slashed out of her hand with a vicious swipe of claws, the Alpha werewolf throwing itself at the vampire without abandon. Barely evading a second slash, Alex spartan kicked the lumbering White in the stomach, doubling it over. Now that her attacker was distracted, Kara scrambled to her feet just as the Alpha dodged an elbow from Alex, the werewolf retaliating with its claws again. Leaping backwards to avoid another swipe, Alex was forced back further when the werewolf tried to sever her torso from her legs with a waist high slash.
"Alex!" Kara called out again, torn being running away like her sister told her to and staying to somehow help the vampire.
"Kara," Alex growled, deflecting the werewolf's sharp claws downwards before elbowing the Alpha in the head, stunning it. Following up with a brutal back kick to the head, catching the werewolf in the jaw with her steel reinforced boot, Alex turned to Kara, shaking.
"Get out of-!"
Alex was cut off by another roar, the vampire leaping to the side just barely dodging the charging Alpha White by a hair.
"Not without you!" Kara shouted defiantly, her entire body trembling with a growing sense of panic. Then she was half stumbling, half running away as Alex was slammed back first into the tree Kara backed into earlier.
Alex growled as claws bit into the skin of her neck, the vampire grunting as the werewolf pulled her forward for a moment before slamming her back into the tree again, bark creaking under the force of the impact. Grabbing the closest object she could pick up, that being a fist sized rock, Kara hurled the stone at the abomination of a beast, the rock bouncing off of the Alpha's head causing it to blink in surprise.
"Hey!" Kara yelled, more confidently than she felt. "Leave her alone!"
Black, soulless eyes turned to her making Kara freeze. Gritting her teeth, her fists knuckle white at her sides and shaking, Kara took one step forward and glared back.
"P-Pick on someone your own size!"
Blessed by the light of Rao, upon coming to Earth, abilities Kara never knew could possibly exist quickly manifested, leaving her both awed and terrified. Flight capable wings, superhuman strength and senses, even the incineration of objects through the Holy Light of Rao just to name a few, Kara was more than capable of taking care of herself when it came to the forces of evil. She could have been humanity's great savior against the corruption invading their world, their angel against the darkness.
But she wasn't.
Not after she killed almost three hundred people over forty years ago trying to defend herself from a demon when she first arrived on Earth. Since that day, Kara refused to use her abilities to save herself, or anyone else for that matter, which typically left her a helpless spectator as her adopted sister fought for the both of them instead.
Like now.
For her efforts, Kara was rewarded with the Alpha White tossing Alex to the ground with a thundering boom, one even she felt in her bones despite standing at least fifteen feet away from the epicenter of it. Turning towards her, the Alpha took two steps forward before the vampire recovered, Alex kicking the werewolf in the knee, staggering it. Popping up to her feet and tackling the Alpha away from Kara before it could regain its balance, Alex snarled as the two of them wrestled for control again, the werewolf quickly gaining the upper hand due to its massive size.
"Run Kara! Now!" Alex shouted through clenched teeth. The vampire snarled, her arms shaking as she did her best to delay the inevitable.
"But Alex-" Kara protested.
That would be all Kara would be able to utter, the Alpha werewolf putting an end to the vampire's resistance with a stomping kick which knocked Alex's feet out from underneath her. Her sister collapsed to the ground like a ton of bricks, the werewolf quickly seizing this opportunity to grab Alex by the back of the neck and lift her clean off of her feet, turning the brunette around to face it. Then its free hand was plunging into Alex's chest making her choke.
"ALEX!" Kara exclaimed, all of the colour draining out of her face as the werewolf squeezed something inside her sister's chest, Alex's coughing up blood in a strangle gasp. Kara had no doubt in her mind it was Alex's heart the werewolf was after. That was the only way to kill her sister after all, either tear out her heart or take off the vampire's head given her unique physiology.
"K-Kara…" Alex choked out, in spite of everything. "R-Run…"
Her mouth hanging open in a silent scream, tears blurring her vision and rolling down her cheeks, Kara remained where she was, shaking as a leaf.
Ever since coming to Earth, all Kara had done was run.
"N-No," she said after a moment, her voice so soft.
Run away from her world.
The Alpha werewolf turned its head towards her.
Run away from her parents.
"No," Kara repeated again shakily but stronger, her chest heaving with suppressed sobs. "I w-will not r-run."
Run away from herself.
"K-Kara..." Alex coughed again, her face twisted in pain.
And what did that get her? Pain, and suffering, and loss. Her home world was gone. Her people were gone. Her family was gone. And she was alone. Or rather, she was when she first came to Earth. But not now. Not anymore. And if she had anything to say about it, she would never be alone again.
"Let her go!" Kara screamed.
The moment the Alpha White plunged its hand into Alex's chest, something inside Kara snapped and she knew things were never going to be the same. Taken by a rage she didn't even knew she possessed, holy wings of pure white tore through the back of Kara's shirt and cloak, spreading wide.
"I SAID LET HER GO!"
Her voice was venomous and dark as she surged towards the Alpha, her entire being crackling with ethereal light. Watching in slow motion as the werewolf dropped her sister, terror twisting its features, Kara pulled back her arm before the Alpha could react, her fist snapping forwards a split second later to meet the White's face in a vicious punch. The moment her knuckles connected with the werewolf's jaw, everything faded into white.
END OF PART I
A/N: I've always wondered what would have happened had Kara actually hurt someone with her powers rather than save them the first time around. How would she react? What would she do? And so, this drabble (Part I, at least) was used to explore that.
Given the nature of this piece, I played around with a few supernatural concepts, like Krypton equating to Heaven and Daxam being compared to Hell. Some of you may recognize a few things as belonging to the Underworld movie universe with Kate Beckingsale. As I'm not really the horror type and that was one of the few movie series I was comfortable enough with to watch (I hate horror movies lol), I drew upon some of that world's lore for this drabble. In the case of Alex becoming a Daywalker (aka a vampire unaffected by sunlight), angel blood, aka Kara's blood, is what did that for her.
The TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was also used for reference in this drabble in that vampires can hide their vampire faces and look totally human. When they show their true selves, their fangs come out and their eyes change colour. In Alex's case, her eyes turned the stereotypical red colour as usually associated with vampires.
In case it wasn't clear, Kara is not Supergirl here. She doesn't have bullet proof skin, etc. She's no different than any other supernatural creature (like werewolves, vampires, etc) in that she can be hurt and killed. Yet while that may be true, she also has powers not of this Earth (pun intended :P), though unlike the show, she never really cultivated them properly, being the person protected rather than being a protector. Hence why she appears much weaker here.
Alex covering them up with her trench coat from the silver grenades was inspired by the scene in Season 1, Episode 9 ("Blood Bonds"). It was during the scene where Kara covered Alex up in her cape to protect her from a trap explosion set for them when they went to save J'onn from Non.
Kara first met Alex 42 years ago. I derived that number from how long she spent in the Phantom Zone in the show (24 years) plus the amount of years they grew up with each other since Kara first landed on Earth in the show to where Season 1 started (18 years). For the purposes of this drabble, Alex and Kara look as old as they are in the show.
All aliens in the show used in this drabble have been turned into demons here to match the world. Werewolves, vampires and all other typical supernatural creatures are considered demons, otherwise known as Hellspawn for this piece.
For a refresher of what Infernians (Scorcher) are, follow this link (replace commas with periods): arrow,wikia,com/wiki/Infernians
For a refresher of who Master Jailer is, follow this link (replace commas with periods): arrow,wikia,com/wiki/Master_Jailer
The Whites are a reference to the White Martians from the show. Armek, who showed up in Season 2, Episode 11 ("The Martian Chronicles"), was used as the leader and Alpha of the Whites' pack. For more info on the White Martians, check out this link (replace commas with periods): arrow,wikia,com/wiki/White_Martians
For more info on Armek, check out this link (replace commas with periods): arrow,wikia,com/wiki/Armek
Three hundred quartz crowns was the bounty put on Supergirl's head in Season 2, Episode 17 ("Distant Sun") by Rhea. I thought it only fitting to use the same amount here, given that Daxamites are technically the bad guys here.
On a random note, seventeen rounds is the standard capacity for a glock gun. (It's amazing what you learn when using Google, lol). I'm assuming that's what Alex is using as her standard issue as the DEO has that in their armory.
Alex's fight with the Alpha White werewolf was inspired by her fight with Dr. Morrow as well as Kara's fight against Red Tornado in Season 1, Episode 6 ("Red Faced").
Kara's powers have been adjusted to match this supernatural world. As a result, she has the powers of flight (due to her wings), super strength and senses, and the Holy Light of Rao (the equivalent of her Heat Vision). Technically she's an angel, from humanity's standpoint at least.