Summary:

Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…

Notes:

This story is based on my own personal speculation that Vril Dox/Brainiac-1 will end up in the present at some point to wreak havoc in National City. Takes place after "A Visit from the Future" and "Sleeping Beauties".

I included some of Brainiac-5's various comic history regarding his parentage and childhood experiences, then put my own twist on it - although Brainiac-4 was twisted enough on her own...

"Your mother abandoned you?" Kara asked gently as Brainiac-4 and Dr. Nix faded away, leaving only an empty hospital room in their wake.

Brainiac-5 nodded, then sat on a nearby gurney. Kara joined him.

"I remember that day," he said, then added, "The curse of being a 12th level intellect," off Kara's surprised look. "My brain wasn't fully functioning yet as far as problem solving, but I still remember what happened."

"Did you ever see her again?"

"Many times," he continued to stare at the hospital bed in which Brainiac-4 had lain. "She joined one of the most violent criminal organizations in the 31st century, then murdered all their leaders and took over." He frowned, "The Legion has had several run-ins with the group since I became a Legionnaire."

Brainy suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Kara attempting to offer comfort, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he replied. "I have never developed an emotional attachment to her."

"She's still your mother," Kara pointed out.

"Most mothers don't stalk their sons throughout the galaxy just to abduct and torture them," Brainiac-5 replied darkly.

Kara inhaled sharply, "She did what?"

"A story for another time perhaps," he replied. "Suffice it to say, she is dangerous. The Legion and I captured her and handed her over to the Coluan government. She is currently locked up in a maximum security prison."

Brainy hopped off the gurney, making it clear the conversation was over. "Perhaps that door will lead us somewhere," he pointed to the door at the other end of the room. "Shall we go?"

Kara nodded, and he held a hand out to assist her down from the gurney. Though she didn't actually need his help, he felt like it would be the polite thing to do.

She took the offer.

Before the two could take a step towards their target, a strange clacking sound filled the room.

Both spun around to see a metal, skull-shaped creature skittering across the tiled floor on what appeared to be robotic tendrils. It stood about 4 feet high and stopped right in front of them.

Kara looked at it, eyes narrowed. "What the—"

"A drone. Blast it!" Brainy shouted. "Hurry!"

Kara took his word for it and unleased her heat vision. The drone exploded in a mess of circuits and wires.

The clacking sound returned again, but this time it appeared to be multiplied.

"We need to get out of here. NOW!" Brainy grabbed Kara's hand, and the two ran towards the doors of the hospital room, dodging energy blasts as several drones began to advance on them.

The door was locked.

Without a second thought, Kara kicked it opened and pushed Brainiac-5 through.

They soon found themselves stumbling out into what appeared to be a schoolyard, the door and hospital room disappearing behind them.

"What's going on here?" Kara demanded, glancing around for more drones.

None appeared to have followed.

"He is playing with us," Brainy replied. "It is an attempt to keep me stuck in here."

"Great…" She sighed, then shaded her eyes with a hand as she looked up at the overcast pink and green tinged sky, silhouetted by high-rise buildings made of something other than brick. "Where are we?"

"Colu," Brainy replied as he watched various ships and shuttles fly by above them. "My home."

Kara looked off into the distance and narrowed her eyes. "What's happening over there?" She nodded to a commotion several feet away.

"My classmates," Brainy frowned as the two headed towards the action. "As if I needed to be reminded of this…"

"You can't outthink a fist, Brainiac!" A teenaged Coluan boy shouted as he and his friends surrounded the crumpled figure on the ground.

The fallen adolescent pushed to his knees, sporting a black eye and cut lip.

"I can outthink all of you, and that is all that matters." He replied defiantly, the symbol on his forehead glowing.

A hard kick to the ribs immediately silenced the boy's grandstanding.

"If you're as intelligent as you claim, why did you think anyone would ever accept a Brainiac at this school?" Another boy in the group spat. "They should have locked you up a long time ago!"

"I have committed no crimes," the bloodied boy gasped in response as he clutched at his midsection.

"It's only a matter of time," a third boy sneered. "Your kind can't help it. It's in your genes! The only good Brainiac is a dead Brainiac!"

Kara winced at the harshness of the boys' actions and the cruelty of their words, then her eyes fell on Brainy.

At first glance, he seemed unaffected, but she could see the anger bubbling beneath the surface with the clenching of his jaw and the tight fist he held stiffly at his side.

She had a feeling he had heard these words many times in his youth, and had been subjected to repeated physical abuse from his peers for simply being who he was.

"We should go," Brainy indicated the closest building as the scene continued to play out. "There may be a way out through there."

He started to walk ahead of her at a brisk pace.

Kara couldn't blame him for wanting to make a quick exit…