Chapter 14: Fear Foes and Training

Mon-El paced nervously in the DEO briefing room, his face pale as Kara explained the events surrounding Raditz and the impending arrival of the other Saiyans. The Kryptonian warrior stood near the monitor, her arms crossed, her tone calm but firm.

"So let me get this straight," Mon-El said, his voice trembling. "You fought a Saiyan, and he told you there are two more coming? And one of them is Prince Vegeta?"

"Yes," Kara replied. "Raditz mentioned that the Saiyan race was nearly wiped out. These two are likely the last remaining members of their kind."

Mon-El leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair. "Prince Vegeta... he's infamous even on Daxam. Saiyans were bad enough on their own, but Vegeta? He's a different level of terrifying. Entire planets would surrender the moment they heard his name."

Kara frowned. "I figured he'd be powerful, but I didn't realize his reputation extended that far."

"It does," Mon-El said, his tone grim. "He was one of the strongest warriors in the universe, even before the Saiyans were wiped out. And now that he's likely gotten even stronger..."

Kara stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Mon-El's shoulder. "We'll stop him, Mon-El. I don't care how strong he is; Earth is my home, and I won't let it fall."

Mon-El nodded reluctantly. "You're braver than most people, Kara. I just hope you know what you're up against."

Meanwhile, Cadmus worked tirelessly to sow fear and hatred toward aliens, with Lillian Luthor leading the charge. Their latest propaganda campaign played on nearly every screen in National City, amplifying the footage of the battle against Raditz and Kara's grief-stricken moment with Goku's body.

The narrative was clear:

"Supergirl is emotionally compromised."

"Aliens have brought nothing but danger to Earth."

"We must take control before it's too late."

At a Cadmus rally, Lillian addressed a crowd of angry citizens. "How many times must Earth be threatened before we take a stand? Aliens like Supergirl may claim to protect us, but all they do is attract more destruction. The man in the orange gi, the green alien—are we supposed to believe this is normal? Acceptable?"

The crowd roared in agreement, holding up signs with slogans like "Earth for Humans" and "No More Aliens!"

Lillian smirked, her voice growing colder. "Cadmus is here to protect humanity. And if Supergirl or any alien dares stand in our way, we will eliminate them."

At the DEO, Kara sat in a conference room with Alex, J'onn, and Winn, watching the latest news coverage of Cadmus' propaganda. Her fists clenched as another pundit dissected her actions and motivations.

"I'm doing everything I can to protect this planet," Kara muttered. "And all they see is someone to blame."

Alex leaned forward. "The problem is that Cadmus is making people believe you're part of the problem. They're stoking fear, and fear is powerful."

J'onn nodded. "We need a way to change the narrative. Something to remind people why you're their hero."

Winn hesitated before speaking. "What about transparency? If people knew more about what you're fighting for, maybe they'd trust you again."

Kara sighed. "It's not that simple, Winn. If I reveal too much, it could make things worse. The Saiyans are already a massive threat—imagine what Cadmus would do if they knew all the details."

Alex placed a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder. "We'll figure it out, Kara. You've been through worse, and you've always come out stronger."

Mon-El's presence at the DEO raised new questions among the staff. Though Kara vouched for him, his arrival couldn't have come at a worse time.

Agents whispered behind his back, and J'onn kept a watchful eye on him. Mon-El, for his part, tried to stay out of the way, though he often found himself drawn into conversations about the Saiyans.

One evening, Mon-El sat with Winn in the break room.

"So, uh, Daxam," Winn started awkwardly. "That's Krypton's sister planet, right? What's it like?"

Mon-El smiled faintly. "It was beautiful. Lush, vibrant... but not as advanced as Krypton. Our cultures didn't get along, though. Kryptonians always looked down on us, thought we were lazy."

Winn shrugged. "Well, I guess if you're sitting around on a paradise planet, why work hard, right?"

Mon-El chuckled but quickly grew serious. "Honestly, though, I'm more worried about these Saiyans. If Kara and her friends barely managed to take down one, I can't imagine what two of them will do."

Winn leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, well, if anyone can handle it, it's Supergirl. And Goku—when he comes back."

Mon-El raised an eyebrow. "Goku? That's the man in the orange gi, right? Kara talks about him like he's some kind of legend."

Winn nodded. "Pretty much."

With pressure mounting, Kara decided to address the public again. This time, she spoke not as Supergirl but as Kara Danvers, though she kept her identity hidden.

Standing before the cameras, she spoke with sincerity and conviction.

"The man in the orange gi, the one who fought alongside me, was a hero. He gave his life to protect Earth from an invader who would have destroyed everything we hold dear. I can't tell you his name, but I can tell you this: his sacrifice wasn't in vain."

She paused, her voice steady despite the emotion behind it. "I know many of you are afraid. I understand why. But we can't let fear divide us. We're stronger together, and we'll face whatever comes next—together."

Though some were moved by her words, others remained skeptical, their fear still fueled by Cadmus' influence.

At Cadmus, Lillian Luthor watched Kara's statement with narrowed eyes.

"She's trying to win them back," Lillian muttered. "But it's too late. The seeds of distrust have already been sown."

One of her scientists stepped forward. "What's our next step, ma'am?"

Lillian smirked. "We escalate. If Supergirl won't back down, we'll force her to. Prepare the Kryptonite weapons. Let's remind her who really holds the power."

That night, Kara sat alone on the DEO rooftop, gazing at the stars. The weight of everything—Goku's loss, the Saiyans' impending arrival, Cadmus' schemes—pressed heavily on her shoulders.

But as she closed her eyes, she heard Goku's voice in her mind, as clear as if he were standing beside her.

"Don't worry, Kara. I'll be back. We'll get through this together."

She smiled faintly, her determination reigniting.

"We'll be ready," she whispered to the stars. "No matter what."

The wind howled as Kara soared high above the Earth, her mind set on one destination: Kami's Lookout. Goku had told her about the sacred place where he trained with Kami and Mr. Popo, and after hearing about its unique environment, she decided it was the perfect place to prepare for the Saiyan invasion.

As she ascended above the clouds, the grand structure came into view—a circular platform suspended in the sky, its ancient architecture serene and imposing.

"Kara Zor-El," Kami greeted her as she landed. His voice was calm, but his eyes held a wisdom that seemed to pierce through her. "Why have you come?"

"I need to train," Kara said firmly. "Goku told me about this place, and I know the Saiyans are coming. I need to be ready."

Kami studied her for a moment before nodding. "Very well. But time is short. I have a solution that will help you grow quickly."

Kami led Kara to a large, imposing door within the lookout. The room beyond it radiated an otherworldly energy.

"This is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Kami explained. "Inside, time moves differently. One year in the chamber equals one day in the outside world."

Kara's eyes widened. "So I could train for years in there and only lose a few days out here?"

Kami nodded. "Precisely. However, the conditions are harsh—vast empty space, extreme temperatures, and gravity far stronger than Earth's. It's not an easy place to endure, but if you're serious, it will push you to your limits."

Kara straightened her posture. "I'll do it."

Inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Kara faced challenges unlike anything she'd ever experienced. The intense gravity made her movements sluggish at first, and the vast, endless white void felt isolating. But she pressed on, channeling her inner strength and pushing herself harder than ever before.

Under Kami's guidance, Kara learned to tap into her ki, the latent energy within her that didn't rely on the yellow sun. At first, the process was slow and grueling, but as the months passed, she began to master it.

By the end of the three years, Kara had transformed. Her power level without the sun now rivaled some of the strongest fighters on Earth—3000. With the yellow sun's boost, she surged to an impressive 8000.

When she finally stepped out of the chamber, only three days had passed in the outside world, but to her, it felt like a lifetime.

"Thank you, Kami," she said, bowing deeply.

Kami nodded. "You have grown much, Kara Zor-El. But remember, power is nothing without control. Use what you've learned wisely."

"I will," Kara promised.

Back at the DEO, Mon-El was adjusting to life on Earth. Though he didn't have the full range of powers that Kara possessed, he had gained super strength and enhanced durability, making him a valuable ally. However, he couldn't help but feel a growing admiration for Kara that went beyond simple respect.

One day, while sparring in the training room, Mon-El turned to Winn, who was monitoring their session.

"So, uh," Mon-El began, hesitating. "Is Kara... seeing anyone?"

Winn nearly choked on his coffee. "Oh boy, here we go."

"What?" Mon-El asked, genuinely confused. "I mean, she's amazing. Strong, smart, beautiful... who wouldn't like her?"

Winn sighed, pulling up a screen on the monitor. "It's not that simple, Mon-El."

He played the footage of Kara holding Goku's lifeless body after the battle with Raditz. The image of her tear-streaked face as Goku's body disappeared spoke volumes.

"That's the man she loved," Winn said softly. "He was a Saiyan—Goku. He gave his life to save this planet."

Mon-El frowned. "But... he's gone. She can't hold onto someone who isn't here anymore."

Winn shook his head. "Kara doesn't think he's gone for good. She told us about something called the Dragon Balls—they're supposed to be able to bring him back."

Mon-El sat down heavily. "So, she's waiting for him?"

"Yeah," Winn said. "Me and James... we both had feelings for her too, but she never really gave us a chance. Her heart's been set on Goku since the day they met."

Mon-El stared at the screen, watching Kara's anguish on loop. "He must've been someone really special."

"He was," Winn replied. "And honestly, Mon-El? If you care about her, the best thing you can do is support her. She's going through a lot right now."

Mon-El nodded slowly. "Yeah... you're right."

When Kara returned to the DEO after her training, her friends immediately noticed the change in her. She carried herself with a new confidence, her movements precise and controlled.

"Kara!" Alex greeted her with a hug. "You look... different."

"I've been training," Kara said, smiling. "I went to Kami's Lookout, the place Goku told me about. I had to be ready for what's coming."

Alex stepped back, studying her sister. "You feel... stronger. What exactly did you do?"

Kara smirked. "Let's just say I had some time to grow."

Later that day, Mon-El approached Kara in the DEO's observation deck.

"Kara," he said hesitantly.

She turned to him, her expression curious. "What's up?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry about everything you've been through. And if there's anything I can do to help, I'm here."

Kara smiled warmly. "Thank you, Mon-El. That means a lot."

Though her heart still belonged to Goku, Kara appreciated Mon-El's sincerity. For now, she focused on the battle ahead, knowing that the Saiyans would arrive soon—and she would be ready.

To be continued...