Rao remained silent for about five minutes, watching as Batman walked up and silently squeezed Superman's shoulder, followed by Wonder Woman doing the same to a relieved and drained Kara. He marvelled at the love and friendship they shared, and then spoke.
"Due to the sacrifice of the Flash of the time, and my last daughter, the remaining earths survived, and then merged into one, but in the aftershocks in the new, merged universe, a number of your histories were restarted... Flash's history remained untouched, so, to this day, Mr. West uses his uncle Barry as his guiding light and inspiration. His death in Crisis was remembered and honored in a number of ways, most specifically now in the Flash Museum."
He paused and continued, looking at Diana. "Your reality was changed too, Diana. This time around, you became Wonder Woman much later, and certainly did not become a heroine in the '40's, as you were on Earth-2 Pre-Crisis. In the reforming reality, that absence was rectified by your mother, Hippolyta when she..."
"Time travelled to the 40's and worked with the JSA..." Diana responded in shock.
Nara spoke up "Kal, however...you were restarted...and extensively...'rebooted', if you will, and the 'ripples' affected you...and your family...the most. Bertron chose Krypton as the site for his attempts to build his 'Ultimate' being...And brought the power of cloning to your people, as their Golden Age was beginning...Krypton was radically changed." Nara frowned. "In this case, there appears to be the first appearance of ...something…altering the natural order of things. Seyg-El had only one son, Jor-El... and Kara was wiped from existance as a result. Krypton had only ONE survivor. For all her love and sacrifice, our Daughter's noble death was forgotten... No one remembered her because she no longer existed…"
"How...how am I here, then, Mother Nara?" Kara asked with a shaking voice.
"Through the actions of our former Green Lantern here." Rao gestured to the Spectre, who looked back at the group with a pained look on his face.
"When he triggered Zero Hour, and history rebuilt itself at the end, I was able to go in, and help create a younger brother for Jor-El..."
"Allfather, forgive my impertinance..." Kara stood and looked nervously at the floor right in front of Rao's feet. "Giving me new life is appreciated...but...why couldn't you step in and stop the wars on my world? Assuage their fears of death? Why did a WHOLE world HAVE to DIE?!"
Rao hesitated and Nara saw pain and sadness cross his features. He walked over to Kara and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I couldn't...because they wouldn't LET me, child. They used my name but no longer believed. Belief requires FAITH, both of which are the purview of the heart…and NOT of the mind. After the wars and up to the time of the conception of the both of you, all that existed to them was science and logic, a society of…and BY the mind." He hesitated, and then continued.
"We ALL grow, Kara...all who live grow, learn...and advance in many different types of wisdom. But, at times, that wisdom and knowledge does come with a cost. As I wearied of the wars I fought in my youth, which your bibles told about, I moved on, searching in the one area of existance I hadn't conquered yet...the higher worlds spiritual. I explored, advanced...and moved past the point my brother Zeus is at now. The only downside was, I was now bound by a new set of rules. I could no longer just arbitrarily intervene whenever it suited me...YOU had to invite me in. YOU had to ask for my help. Otherwise, I would risk undoing what you came down to learn. Unfortunately, with a world of logic..."
"...They wouldn't ask...They COULDN'T ask." Kara replied sadly. "So they… locked themselves in a prison of the mind. Their fear grew, and you couldn't...guide them out of it."
Rao nodded. "Pre-Crisis, your people were a great deal more spiritual...as such, you both were NOT the only survivors... Kandor, a city of about 7 million Kryptonians, survived and ultimately found a new home, orbiting a red star. If it is any consolation...both of your parents survived then."
Rao walked back over to Kara. "All is done, but for four more items of great import...Kal, Kara, Mrs. Lane-Kent, over here if you please?"
Kal and Lois walked over, and stood before Rao.
He and Nara raised their hands up. Kal and Kara saw a warm orange glow surround them and then felt it lift them off the ground. They both felt a vague 'sucking' sensation.
"What are you doing to them...Rao?" came a curious, but hooded voice.
"Doing a final draining and cleansing of their cells, Batman." Rao responded, eyes closed and focusing internally. "Their systems still have residue of the Imp's magics within."
With a final flash, the purge completed.
Rao lowered himself, and Nara began to glow steadily brighter. Rao erected a tinted barrier around Lois and the others.
The glow steadily increased to almost sun-level brightness. Batman, Diana, and J'onn watched in silent wonder as Nara pointed an arm at each of the Last Children of Krypton...And let loose with a blinding white stream of energy at each. The white light slammed into the Kryptonians noiselessly, and was silently absorbed.
Barbara watched, fascinated at the expression of bliss on both of their faces.
Two minutes later, all three slowly lowered back to the ground. Kara blinked repeatedly, and noticed Babs looking at her.
"I...feel a bit lightheaded." She said with a grin.
Nara approached Lois, the barrier reforming around her. They talked privately for a minute. Lois nodded. Nara placed her hands on her shoulders, and closed her eyes for a moment. An ice blue energy surrounded Lois for a minute, and then faded. Rao waved his hand with a smile, and let the barrier fade.
J'onn got a sense of joy from Lois.
Kal looked at Lois curiously. "Later...Superman...You'll find out in a bit..." was all she said with an electric smile.
Rao walked slowly over to Kara. She nervously, hesitantly looked up at him.
"Well, we are making some progress, I think." He said with a smile.
"One last thing is called for, my dear...consider it a last gift from us... and a continuity, of sorts. I heard how you were designing your costume before all this madness began, and I think it's a very good idea."
He reached out with His left hand, and gently touched the back of his fingers to Kara's forehead. Pausing a moment, a smile crossed His face. He pulled his hand back, and then gestured with a flourish. The light danced around the Girl of Steel for a full minute, obscuring her, and then slowly faded...
Babs gasped.
Rao said with a smile, his voice booming through the room,
"Let this go out to one and all, after the fire and the pain...through the tempering fires of death and nonexistance... Krypton's Last Daughter has returned. Supergirl has returned. Stronger and more beautiful than ever..."
As the eyes around the room readjusted after the flash, they saw a black catsuit. The catsuit had burgundy shoulder caps that wrapped into the modified chest shield, also done in burgundy with gold inserts. An elongated arrowhead of dark blue stretched over her bosom and continued down the front, stopping at the point between her legs. A gold, multi-segmented belt wrapped around her waist, locking together in the front, forming a slight V-shape. She was wearing dark red boots, whose fronts came to a raised top point, and were topped by a thin band of gold at the top. Her gloves were burgundy, as well, extending up to mid-forearm, again coming to a point and were topped with a pinstripe of gold.
This look was further accentuated by a burgundy cape that stopped at her calves.
Kal's eyes went wide.
"Kara..."
"Kal?" She followed his pointing finger and looked at her cape. Pulling it into her hands, she saw the familiar alien cuniform down the center, now interrupted near the top with the modified S-Shield.
Rao placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded. "It IS your father's vestment. Whenever you show in public as Supergirl, it will display your heritage for all to see. The love of Zor-El & Alura will be commemorated." He smiled, and then added, more to Kal than anyone else, "And since the material came from Krypton, it will be greatly resistant to damage...not invulnerable, but close."
Nothing more was said as Rao watched the cape become wet with silent tears.
Babs rolled up, Batman by her side, J'onn, Diana and Kal behind them.
"How do you feel, Kara?" Barbara said with a smile.
"I feel...new...reborn." She smiled, scrubbed the tears from her eyes with the back of a burgundy glove. and then looked around with a radiant smile. "Thank you, everyone. This wouldn't have ended at all well without all your help. Two important people might well be dead...and I would still...feel alone."
She walked up to Batman and sobered a bit.
"Thank you as well. Your words in the 'Tower were of great value to me." He nodded silently and graced her with a faint smile.
Bruce chuckled mentally, looking at Kara and Kal. So much alike…They are so much alike. But how will her immersion in her homeworld's culture affect her here? He sobered a bit. I think I'd best keep an eye on her. The arrogance she had initially COULD be dangerous if it returns.
Rao lifted his hands. "It is time for you all to return to your daily lives...just remember what has gone before..."
"Lord Rao, may I ask you one thing before we part?" He nodded. Kara turned her back to the group, and static filled the air briefly. They saw Rao look at the group, and then nod and reply.
Kara bowed and turned back to the group. Kal looked at her curiously...just as everything went white.
They materialized back in the Fortress. Kal ordered the robots to ready food for everyone. They ate an hour later and then all prepared to leave.