Updated chapter 4! Hope you enjoy!
It's an odd feeling, floating down from Stark's armor-removing landing pad to the barely reined in chaos below. Few people even look up, and those that do see her descend don't seem too impressed. Kara tries not to take it too personally; she's no armored billionaire, and they've only just seen the Norse god of thunder rain lightning from the skies. Next to them, a floating blonde with a cherry-red cape can't be all that shocking.
Plus, this is New York. The people of the Big Apple are already starting to shrug off the actual alien invasion.
A niggling voice in the back of her mind, however, wonders if maybe they're all caught up with the Bugle; despite Stark's advice, she did go back and read Jameson's front page spread on her. It was even worse than she imagined, all but devolving into slander, branding her a scheming, traitorous alien spy, who only revealed herself because the Chitauri invasion forced her to.
Kara gets that at least some people would be upset she's an alien in disguise, but a spy? For who, the ghosts of Krypton's High Council?
Her blooming insecurities aren't helped at all by the approaching – disapproving – familiar figure of Alex Danvers. "What the hell are you wearing, Kara?"
Her sister walks up to her just as she touches down. Kara has never before seen Alex decked out in full S.H.I.E.L.D. operative gear, and she has to admit, her big sister looks incredibly intimidating in the blacks, blues, and greys of her bodysuit and body armor. Suddenly, her cape feels a little too big around her shoulders.
"Hey, Alex." –she says, much too nervous for her tastes. "Stark gave this to me. This is my...uniform, I guess."
Alex sighs, long suffering. Kara winces; her sister does not appreciate the playboy turned superhero. "Kara, what exactly are you hoping to accomplish here?"
Kara immediately closes herself off, crossing her arms. "You don't have to say it like that. I'm just doing what I can to help. If that means putting this on and fighting bad guys, I'm game."
"Well, this isn't a goddamn game, Kara. I don't know what Stark said to convince you, but this is...it's not playing pretend, alright? It's real bad guys, with real weapons – people who won't think twice before trying to kill you. This is your life on the line. You should be laying low, not...presenting like this. Like a target." –she says, rapping on the shield on her chest.
Kara frowns. "You want me to hide? Alex, I made a choice. Good or bad, I walked out on my job, on my anonymity, to help people. What good is hiding going to do me now?"
"You jumped out on your job." –she remarks, sarcastic. "Yeah, I saw the footage. What were you thinking? Do you even know what you were fighting?"
"Stark called them Chitauri."
"You know what everyone else is calling them? Aliens, Kara. Guess who's getting lumped in with them?"
"And I should, what, deny I'm an alien? News flash, sis, I am not a human. I am not from Earth."
Alex winces, backing off a bit. She paces, hands on her hips, searching for the right words. "Kara...you've hid the entire time you've been here. And it's worked. Hardly anyone's ever suspected. And yeah, of course I know you're not from Earth, but you're my sister. You may not have been born on this planet, but you grew up here, with us – with me." –she says, softly. "Everything you've ever told me you wanted was to fit in. This?" –she gestures at her whole ensemble, and above them, at the Tower. "It's the exact opposite. Can you blame me for being worried out of my mind?"
Kara hesitates. "I don't blame you, Alex. It's just...you're right, ok? I didn't think things through when I joined the fray. But...I just can't sit it out anymore. I can't Alex, not again." –she says, haunted. "If I have to be the last Kryptonian, can't I at least make it count? Can't I use these powers for good?"
Alex groans. "I...god, why do you have to be so...noble?" –she grumpily says. "What if you get hurt, huh?"
Kara rolls her eyes. "I just spent a couple days fighting off an alien invasion. They couldn't even touch me, Alex." –she says, just a little bit too giddy.
"See, that's the thing; people will wonder why you didn't even lose a strand of hair, while Stark had to scrap his stupid armor. What if even one of those people starts to ponder what it actually takes to hurt you? What if they try? Kara, what if they succeed?"
Alex rarely, if ever, shows such vulnerability in her voice. Kara can't help but falter. "I'll...figure it out, alright? I just...I need to do this, Alex. It feels right."
The brunette offers a tired, exasperated smile. "Yeah...I get it. For what it's worth, I am proud of you. Terrified for you, but proud. I just wish you'd, I don't know, volunteer at a soup kitchen, instead of...this."
Kara raises an eyebrow. "That's actually not a bad idea. I'll keep an eye out for one while I'm out there."
"Of course you will." –she says, resignation winning over. "You're sure about this, then? Wearing this, being a superhero?"
"Well, you know I don't need it. The protection, I mean. And it's not Halloween, I'm not wearing it for fun." –she jokes. "But...I want to be someone people know to trust – but also someone that makes the bad guys think twice. I want people to see this emblem and know who I am. I know you don't like Stark, but I think he got that about me. I don't need power armor, or a fancy shield. All I need is to be me."
"The 'Supergirl', you mean."
"Supergirl." –she nods. "Or the Girl of Steel, or whatever they're calling me now. The last Kryptonian – but your clumsy little sister, too. A cute skirt and the colors of the House of El. That's my whole identity, I guess. Like you said, all I've wanted was to fit in – and I think I've finally found my place in this world."
Her sister looks at her. Really looks, beyond the fancy new suit, beyond the nervousness and insecurities, but also beyond the arrogance of someone who knows herself invulnerable.
Kara just wants to save a world. She couldn't do it for Krypton, so she's damn well going to try with Earth.
"You're sure." –she says, finally. Her sister reaches out and embraces her. Kara nearly drops her jaw – Alex is not into public displays of affection. As it is, the hug lasts only a second or two. "Be safe, Kara. I know you're bulletproof, but the world's getting pretty fucking weird. It just might catch up to you, one of these days."
Kara smiles. "I will. Thank you, Alex."
She snorts. "Don't thank me yet. You wanna help, right? You'll want to check in with my boss. See if you're still thankful after you meet Maria Hill."
As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a buck to spare.
Until next time!