Thank you warlocktoungue for the two reviews! Yes, I did get the idea for Krida from Starfire, her planet and Starfire's planet are cousin planets if you will. I didn't really have inspiration for Krida's look from anyone, but after you asked that question the first face to pop in my head was Elizabeth Olsen.
Now onto chapter two! If anyone has questions or feedback don't be shy! Please enjoy Soul on Fire Chapter Two: Relationships.
Chapter Two: Relationships
Krida stood before Barry, Cisco, Harrison, and Caitlin; the four watched as the alien held her head high with her shoulders squared. Their intense stares not bothering her even a little bit. She was used to standing before grand crowds to declare announcements, giving speeches or praise and sorrow.
Standing before four humans is going to be easy.
The real trick is going to be convincing them she was no threat.
There was no point in lying about who she was and how she had come to have landed on Earth. In the long run, it would just cause more problems.
The only way to gain these four trust was by being unapologetically honest.
"I'm sorry, but that guy's King," Barry pointed at the headless mass of rock, "Was sent to capture you?" Barry looked back to Krida.
"Yes," Krida answered with a curt nod.
"Why?" Barry asked.
"Because his King, Kane, wants my hand. My parents and I refused" Krida answered.
"Why Earth?" Cisco was the one to ask.
"I didn't choose it, my father probably has no idea I'm here either," Krida took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, "When we refused Kane's marriage proposal, it angered him so that he started a war with my planet. It lasted for five years before Kane was able to finally attack my Kingdom."
Caitlin blinked her eyes, perplexed by what she had heard.
"Wait, he started a war, because you said no?" Caitlin's question sounded just as odd out loud as it did in her head.
"Kane isn't accustomed to not getting his way," Krida said through her teeth annoyed, glaring at Kane's fallen soldiers.
"What's to stop him from sending more after you?" Harrison asked.
"Nothing" Krida answered.
"Thanks for sugar coating it" Cisco muttered.
Krida's eyebrows knitted together confused.
"'Sugar coating', what does that mean?" Krida asked, her voice matching her face.
"Oh, uh, it means to make something bad sound good" Cisco explained.
"You mean lie?" Krida asked surprised.
"For a lack of better words" Cisco shrugged.
"I don't lie," Krida said, "It gets nothing done and hinders abilities to move forward."
"Well that was straightforward," Barry said.
Krida wrinkled her nose at the words before shaking her head; clearing out any statements she was going to make.
The way they spoke was so different from her, it was going to take some getting used to.
"So when I say that the chances of Kane's soldiers coming here are slim, you can trust me," Krida said.
"Why wouldn't he send more?" Harrison asked.
Krida looked to the man and knew he was going to be harder to convince she wasn't a threat.
"Isn't he going to wonder why one of his soldiers didn't come back?" Harrison's question was valid.
"You speak as if he cares about his men" Krida's rebuttal silenced Harrison's question.
The four share a look of confusion and concern all rolled into one.
Krida wasted no time.
"Kane's creates those creatures," Krida explained, "They mean nothing to him, with a snap of his fingers he can have twenty at his disposal."
Krida looked over to the rock monster again and scowled at the mass of black.
For five years those monsters had invaded Krida's home. Destroying villages, terrorizing her people, and creating nightmares in dreams as well as the wake.
Dropping her hands to her side and her shoulders slouching; Krida's eyes glowed as she glared at the corpse of Kane's once soldier. Her hand's ignited in blue fire.
"Please allow me the gratitude of disposing of that monster," Krida said, twitching her gaze over to Harrison.
It didn't take a genius to see that Krida has the trust of the young ones of the group now. It was Harrison that needed a few more inches.
The way to do that?
Submit, to a degree, to the man. Show that humility is possible, that pride won't intervene if it wasn't necessary.
Harrison saw Krida showing those qualities. To say he wasn't, slightly, impressed would be a lie.
The man of Earth-Two stepped back, extending his arm out to the monster.
Krida sprinted over to the creature, raising her arms in the air. As she brought her arms down, her blue fire wrapped up her arms and around her shoulders. When her fist's made contact to the black mass of rock, it exploded into a cloud of black dust.
Krida stood, the black dust falling to her feet as if bowing to her; making her look more and more like the warrior she's proven to be.
"Awesome" Cisco said in awe.
Looking over to Cisco, a smile spread on Krida's lips. He was already making his way to being her favorite human. He was right off the bat, kind and non-judgmental of her. He tried comforting her when she was confused and only left because his companions needed him.
Those are qualities in an individual Krida was raised to look out for and cherish. To strive and perfect in herself.
Looking down at her hands, Krida grimaced at the black dirt and rubbed the leftovers on her thighs. Her right hand paused at her thigh, feeling one of her karambit knives missing.
"Where's my karambit?" Krida asked, looking around the floor in panic.
Had she dropped it when she was fighting the Famine? Did she even have it on her? She hadn't noticed with the amount of adrenaline that pumped through her veins.
"Oh, this?" Barry asked pulling the black, curved, blade out of his back pocket.
Krida looked at the blade and sighed the panic away. Her missing karambit was held gingerly in Barry's hand, the purple leather standing out against his skin. The four green gems around the finger hold glowed in the light.
"Yes, thank you-" Krida's smile disappeared when Barry moved his hand back.
Putting more distance between her and her weapon.
Krida's eyebrows turned downward in angered confusion.
"I don't understand, I thought I proved I was no threat," Krida said, "Please give me my weapon."
"Yeah Barry, what gives?" Cisco mumbled to his best friend.
"Don't get me wrong Krida, I believe you," Barry said, "But that guy was able to get in here with ease," he gestured around the lab, worry painted on his face.
Krida's face relaxed with understanding.
"So what's to stop more from coming to Earth is your worry?" Krida asked.
Barry nodded.
"You obviously can take care of yourself from those things, but what about everyone else?" Barry asked.
Realization covered Cisco and Caitlin's face.
Harrison stood back, observing the situation. He had already thought of this and waited for one of the three to discover this as well. Barry being first wasn't a surprise. The self-proclaimed super-hero would have come to the conclusion soon.
Harrison just wishes it was a little sooner.
"You protect this 'Central City' correct?" Krida asked
Barry nodded.
"I will teach you how to fight the Famine then" Krida decided, holding her head high.
Barry blinked his surprised.
Harrison even looked to the alien surprised; for a quick second before returning to his calculating gaze.
"R-Really?" Barry asked surprised.
"You have graced me with the opportunity to live on your Earth, to take refuge here, my father would not be proud of me if I didn't return the hospitality," Krida said.
Barry relaxed at Krida's words, a smile of thanks stretching on his face.
Mistake one already made.
Krida let out a yell and charged at Barry.
Jumping at the speedster, she wrapped her legs around his neck and locked her ankles together. Twisting at her waist to the side, Krida took the two of them to the ground. She landed on her stomach and hands while Barry was flipped to his back, creating a painful 'SMACK!' sound.
Standing up, Krida picked up her fallen karambit. She spun and flipped the knife a few ways before putting it back into its proper spot.
Looking down at Barry, Krida watched as he coughed a few times, trying to ease the pain in his back and chest.
"Rule one when fighting the Famine, never relax, always stay alert. The second they see weakness, they attack" Krida lectured.
"Noted" Barry coughed.
"Dude, she just Hurricanrana your ass!" Cisco exclaimed.
Barry looked at his friend with a look of betrayal while Krida giggled at the man.
"I'm sorry man, but that was really cool," Cisco said and looked to Caitlin for confirmation.
She bit her lip and shrugged at Barry apologetically.
"It was pretty cool" the doctor agreed.
Barry, defeated by his friends' words, lid back on the floor, his arms spread out.
Krida turned her smile from Cisco and Caitlin; down to Barry. She saw a lot of potential in him, the fact he wasn't sour about being taken down by someone smaller than him was a good sign.
Offering her hand to Barry, he gratefully took it. With a strong tug, Krida lifted the man to his feet with ease.
Harrison looked over the two Metahumans, a Doctor and an alien.
He bit the inside of his cheek at the thought of a bad joke.
The four interacted with each other in a way that only made sense. Their personalities balanced with one another, one not overpowering the other.
Harrison gave an unconscious nod that wasn't noticed by the four. Maybe giving this, Krida, a chance was a good idea.
"How fast is she going?" Harrison asked Cisco.
He, Cisco, Caitlin and Barry watched Krida run on the treadmill that was made for Barry to practice on.
"Ninety-five miles per hour" Cisco answered, a wide grin on his face.
"That's faster than a cheetah," Barry said impressed as he watched Krida run.
She was running at her top speed in a sports bra and legging. Refusing to wear shoes when they told her they were going to test her speed.
Krida said that it was a tradition for thousands of years for her people. They had a special connection to their planet and felt the best way to be connected to it was to have bare feet when in battle.
"How are her vitals?" Harrison asked.
"Everything's normal," Caitlin answered, equally as impressed as her friends, "Heart rate is at a perfect 194 beats per minute."
"If I hadn't seen her crash in that ship, I would think she's a Metahuman" Barry commented.
"She's not breaking a sweat!" Caitlin added in astonished.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Cisco declared, "She's awesome."
"Careful to not get attached Ramon" Harrison warned.
Cisco shot Harrison a confused look that the man from Earth-Two easily ignored.
"That's enough Krida, we're done for the day," Harrison told the alien woman over the intercom, starting to turn off the machine.
"Good, Iris had offered to take me on a 'shopping spree', whatever that is," Krida said, slowly her pace with the machine until it came to a complete halt.
For three weeks the team had run tests on their new alien friend: Blood work, basic exercises, strength, agility, the works.
In those three weeks, Krida has come to know Joe and Iris West. The two were wary, but fascinated, with Krida and her abilities. Iris couldn't help but let the journalist in her ask every question she could think of. Krida patently answered every question given to her.
Joe had questions, of a different variety, of his own for the alien.
When the two were satisfied with the answers they were given, it became apparent that Iris enjoyed Krida's company.
The alien was forward, but kind to the journalist, she didn't beat around the bush in an elegant way. The way she treated Iris inspired the journalist to write about Krida but promised that she would never have it published until permission was given.
The two women were close but not as close as Krida was to Cisco.
Krida enjoyed the way Cisco talked about his work. It was in such a joyous way that she couldn't help but smile. Sometimes she didn't understand what he was saying and Cisco knew when Krida didn't. The fact she listened made him happy and would keep talking.
In return, Cisco listened to the way Krida would talk about her planet and their customs. He'd listen to everything and anything she had to say about her home. After some time Cisco was almost an expert on Krida's people. Krida even started teaching the young man her language.
Sometimes the two would speak in her tongue without realizing it.
Until Harrison Wells reminded the two that they, were in fact, speaking Gaiala.
"Are there going to be any test tomorrow Harrison?" Krida asked the man, walking into the observation room.
Harrison didn't stop the small twitch of annoyance in his eyes.
"It's Dr. Wells, and yes, we're going to see how long you last in the water," Harrison said.
Krida nodded and started making her way to the small makeshift room they gave her.
"She calls you Harrison out of respect," Cisco said, not looking up from the data he and Caitlin examined.
"Oh really now" Harrison muttered apathetically.
"Yeah, on her planet, what you're named is a sign of honor, and calling you by that name means she respects you" Cisco explained.
Harrison paused in his typing and took in Cisco's words. The scientist did notice that Krida had been insistent on using everyone's given name.
San's Cisco because he didn't allow anyone to tell her his real name was Francisco.
Krida had no qualms calling Barry, Bartholomew, even if it made the speedster cringe. But it was never in a rude or teasing way. She speaks to everyone as her equal, as if they were no less than her just because she was a Princess.
Cisco fought back a smug smirk at the sight of Harrison's pause in work.
"I see," Harrison said, continuing his typing.
Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin shared a knowing look before finishing up their data collection.
Krida stared down at the brown liquid in front of her. Her nose wrinkled and eyes skeptical of the drink.
Iris hid her smile behind her own mug of coffee, enjoying Krida's scolding gaze.
Everything that was a norm to the people of Earth, seemed to confuse Krida in one way or the other. Krida didn't understand the need for cars when walking was good enough. Why people needed to always have their faces on a screen, or why everyone felt the need to take pictures with their coffee. All of this was foreign to the alien who, despite all of that, was able to blend in perfectly with the human race.
Iris knew others just assumed Krida was just another hipster. Someone who just thought she was above the advances of technology and hated how cars polluted the Earth.
Oh if only they knew.
"And people drink this for energy?" Krida asked, unsure of the mocha coffee in front of her.
"It's one of the things that helps me get through the day" Iris answered honestly.
Krida huffed from her nose and picked up the ceramic cup carefully. The reminder from Iris that the chocolate brown liquid in front of her was hot.
Slowly, Krida took a small sip of the drink.
Iris covered her mouth with a hand to stop he laughter at the look of disgust taking shape on Krida's face.
"You don't have to finish it" Iris assured.
"Oh thank you" Krida coughed setting the drink down as fast and careful as possible.
"How are things with everyone at the lab?" Iris asked.
"Good, except Harrison, still doesn't like that I call him by his name," Krida said, still disgusted by the taste in her mouth, trying desperately to ignore it.
"Do you need a water?" Iris giggled.
"Very much so" Krida nodded, pushing the caffeinated drink further from her.
Hoping the farther the coffee was, the faster it's unpleasant taste would leave her mouth.
Iris smiled at the woman before leaving to ask for a cup of water. Krida was thankful for the lack of a line, not knowing how long she could stand the taste in her mouth.
"Here you go," Iris said placing the cup in front of Krida.
"Thank you much," Krida said before downing the clear liquid in under a second.
Iris tried controlling her smile but couldn't. she was understanding more and more why the brains of S.T.A.R. labs enjoyed Krida's company.
Besides from being kindly honest, Krida was also protective of the people she cared about. It bothered the aline when her friends were hurt or uncomfortable; she did a reasonable amount of things to try and elevate people's emotions.
The journalist was reminded when a man was disgustingly flirting with her. Krida noticed how Iris felt awkward with the man's advances.
What did Krida do?
First, she requested that the man leave so the two could continue their quality time with each other.
When that didn't work?
She warned the man that if he didn't leave, she was not responsible for any injuries he may inquire.
Thankfully, when Krida broke the man's nose and fractures his wrist, there were witnesses to testify that Krida was just defending herself and Iris.
"The reason he probably doesn't like you calling him by his first name is that he worked hard for his title," Iris told Krida.
"Title?" Krida asked confused crossing her arms in front of her chest.
This was Krida's way of saying she was going to sit back and listen.
"Getting your doctorate is a very important thing here," Iris started, "It takes years of studying and testing and determination to get where Wells and Caitlin are. They have to prove time and time again that they are worthy of being called a Doctor" Iris continued.
"It's like when you've trained years and years to perfect how to scale a mountain?" Krida asked in a way only she could understand.
Iris smiled with a nod, "Exactly."
Cisco wasn't the only one who comprehended they way Krida spoke.
"So, me calling Harrison by his name, here, is a disgracing him?" Krida asked, the corner of her lips turning down into a frown.
Iris gave the alien an apologetic nod.
"I know you don't see it like that, but to a degree, yeah" Iris answered honestly.
Krida nodded, taking in the words that were spoken to her. Looking at her caffeinated drink, Krida's nose wrinkled.
Human's were so complicated compared to her race. Everyone on her planet was proud of the name they were given. It meant the family had thought long and hard; how to epitomize their child. It is an honor to be addressed by given names in Gaiala.
Grabbing her mocha coffee Krida down the entire drink in two gulps. Successfully burning the back of her throat and tongue.
"Krida," Iris didn't know what to say and could only watch the pale woman astonished.
Slamming the cup down, Krida coughed a few times, trying to get the bitter taste out of her mouth.
"Do you need more water?" Iris asked, standing up to get ready and retrieve the water.
"No," Krida coughed, "Think of this as my way to understand Harrison's feelings of me not calling him Dr. Wells."
Iris blinked at her friend across from her. The journalist truly didn't believe that the Princess alien in front of her would stop surprising her.
Harrison and Cisco looked over their equipment one last time as they waited for Krida on the docks. Caitlin and Barry were with Krida, equipping her suit up with waterproof sensors to track vitals.
Iris and Joe stood back, wanting to see first hand what their alien friend was capable of. Which Harrison was completely against.
"Alright, she's suited up," Barry said, walking out of the trailer, Caitlin close behind.
"You ready Krida?" Cisco called out.
"As I'll ever be," Krida said, walking out in a diver suit.
A band was wrapped around under her chest, a metal disc located above her heart. Another band, similar to the one on her chest, was wrapped around her wrist the same metal disc on the inside of her wrist.
"We're gonna see how fast you can swim first before we see how long you can hold your breath underwater," Harrison told Krida, who was pulling her long hair into a bun at the top of her head.
with her hair out of the way, you could see the earpiece so Krida would be able to hear them talk to her.
"Ok, I must warn you, Dr. Wells, I'm not as fast in water as I used to be," Krida said before sprinting to the water.
Harrison looked up from his computer screen shocked, watching Krida dive into the ocean.
Iris smiled at her friend while Cisco bit back a smirk he wanted so desperately to send Harrison Wells.
"Do you see how fast she's going?" Caitlin asked astonished.
"How fast is she going?" Joe asked curiously.
"Seventy miles per hour" Barry answered.
"And that's her being slow?" Joe huffed an impressed smile crawling on his lips.
Harrison nodded with everything that was said, doing his best to not let it show that Krida had caught the man off guard.
Couldn't let everyone know that the Doctor Harrison Wells could be affected by anyone so new to him.
Harrison glanced up at the water for a split second, just in time to see Krida pull herself out of the water. She was taking in big gulps of air, showing that she was, in fact, slow and possibly out of shape for the water.
"We'll skip the other test," Harrison said, collecting all of the data from the swim and storing it into a file.
"Are you sure Dr. Wells?" Krida asked surprised.
The man was never one to go off schedule.
"It would be pointless with how tired you are," Harrison explained, "Get some rest, we'll try again tomorrow."
With that, Harrison closed his laptop and started putting everything else away.
Cisco looked from Harrison to Krida and smiled at her relieved face. Krida noticed the smile from her friend and stuck her tongue out at him. Cisco covered a laugh with his hand before starting to help Harrison put equipment away.
"Come on Krida, let's get you back in your clothes before you get sick," Iris said, walking up to the girl and following her into the trailer.
"I would very much like to get dry again" Krida agreed, eager to get out of the divers' suit.
"That was really cool of you Harry," Cisco told Harrison.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Ramon" Harrison grumbled.
Cisco just rolled his eyes at the man.
Woof, I wasn't expecting this chapter to be this long, I had a lot of editing to do after I had written it down, so now I'm happy with it. Haha. I hope y'all enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. Please review your thoughts with me! Till the next chapter!