New World

Kara could tell that she was in some sort of suspended animation. There were countless questions running through her mind. Apparently they couldn't be answered at the moment. She waited for what Jor-El had in store for her. She was really beginning to hate being detained. The fact that she was only further increased her frustration toward her uncle. Where was he when I needed him the most? She remembered a few hours ago when Jor-El had refused to give her answers as to what was happening back on Earth. One thing that made up the most of Kara's agitation was that the blue crystal her father had given her was gone.

Since she could only speak within her mind, she asked the first question that came to her mind. 'Why am I here?'

"You are here to learn what you could not know long ago. It is a revelation of a sort. Let me ask you a question Kara, what does it mean to do the right thing?" said Jor-El's voice.

Kara was at a loss. But she knew the question was an obvious one. In her mind, she answered. "You mean like 'save the world so that people can live a happy life?'"

"Doing the right thing means putting aside your own affairs and interests while being aware of certain consequences. You have a lust for power Kara, and it can lead you to ultimate doom if you let it."

Kara wanted so much to roll her eyes at that statement. She knew a while ago, actually a few days in taking control of Lexcorp that power was the only course to go. It was the one thing that made things run. She was well aware that power was the right course of action. It was the truth. She just didn't want it to admit to her team. Lately, conflicts of interests had made her confused but that did not mean she was forgetting that obtaining power was the ultimate goal. Kara had learned what it took to be a hero. Kal-El had instructed her in the ways of what was right and what was wrong. But now everything her cousin said seemed muddled to her.

"Is there a reason I should really be here aside from the usual lecture?" asked Kara impatiently.

"I'm merely preparing you, Kara." Jor-El said gently.

"Preparing me for what? To be your puppet? You were never there when I needed you. Unless you are trying to punish me, you should let me go while I go and take down the obstacles that get in my way!"

"The crystal has already clouded your mind with lust and greed. Kal-El has tried to make you like him, a hero. Even the Amazons saw potential in you. At this point, you are severely corrupted. But I see that there is only one way for you to start over."

"What do you mean?"

The next thing Kara saw now was a blinding flash of light again, only this time, her mind had gone completely blank. She could no longer feel she had a body.

She was gone.

Lying on the ground in a new place felt like being born again. Only you were still you. Karen thought about this and finally opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw a familiar sky. I'm back on Earth. She realized as she looked around at her surroundings. Karen hoped that what she did will have something good come out of it. Remembering what had happened moments ago, Karen had left Kara to Jor-El in a limbo stasis before Jor-El sent her back to Earth-2.

"Thanks, Uncle Jor-El." Power Girl muttered.

She sighed in frustration. Power Girl had hoped her uncle would have sent her back to the Earth that was in utter chaos. She needed to be there. It was a world that needed to be saved. A wave of sadness flooded her as she realized that there was probably no chance she would ever talk to Tim again. Standing up, Power Girl turned into a state of desperation immediately. She had to find a way to go back to the alternate universe.

Before, Karen could easily gain access to the other Earth. It was partly due to the interesting machinations of her cousin. 'I had Kal-L send me there one time before he became awkward. That was the time I first met Drake.' Power Girl knew it was the only choice. Flying away, Power Girl declared. "It's time to pay Ultra Man a visit."

Traveling faster than the speed of sound, Karen immediately arrived to the arctic where the Ice Palace was settled. It was her own family's fortress of solitude. She flew inside the main entrance where towers of ice and crystal were seen. She went to a certain area of the fortress where a large door stood. It was over twenty feet high. Power Girl, using her strength and might pulled open the doors with her hands.

The chamber was dark save for the light coming from the outside. Karen made her way in a casual manner. She finally came across a holding cell where blue light emanated from the bars that made up the doorway. A large figure wearing a large black robe could be seen hunched over as if he was in great pain. Karen deactivated the door and made her way in. She stood over the man with her hands on her hips. Right now, she had to show she still had power over him.

"How was your day?" she asked.

The figure did not answer but merely grunted.

"You know, you looking like this, you could give Bizarro a run for his money." Karen bit out.

Still, the cape-wearing man became silent.

"You do remember why I put you here?" Power Girl said now kneeling so that she could try and see him at face level. "You became out of control and you let yourself betray your own principles. But most important," Karen stood up now. "You betrayed me."

The prisoner merely uttered an incoherent response and tried to look away.

"I need your help. A world is in utter chaos. You're the only who can send me back there. I have no time for a speech telling you to get up off your ass. I need you to actually do something again. Otherwise-" Power Girl looked away as she thought about Tim Drake, the man she had longed for forgiveness. She tried to hold back the tears but they just poured out.

"What. Do. I. Get. In. Return?" the huge brute said gritting his teeth.

Karen stood up and scoffed. "It's always about what you want isn't it?" she yelled.

"No..." the figure then turned to look at Karen with red glowing eyes. Karen was abashed. 'It's not Ultraman!'

"What I want is always mine..." The figure stood up laughing, took the robe off and revealed himself to Power Girl. The behemoth was tall, black and wore a dark blue helmet.

"Darkseid." Karen stated.

"I've been looking for you for a long time now." The physically imposing Darkseid slowly walked around Karen now. "Kara Zor-El is gone. You're the only one who is still powerful enough to take me down. I cannot have that."

"Damn straight, I'm powerful. That Anderson thing you have going on? I know what you're trying to do. We're going to come at you with everything we got!"

"You really believe that you...or your pathetic friends have the chance to stop me this time?"

"Let's find out." Power Girl said and came up with an uppercut to Darkseid's chin which sent him crashing through the ceiling and out of the fortress. She followed suit. As she got outside, she saw a large portal forming in the sky. 'A vortex to another dimension!' she thought.

Eventually Darkseid had landed on the icy, white snow. Karen wasted no time and sped over to him and pummeled his face repeatedly. Despite the blood appearing on his grotesque face, Darkseid smirked.

He headbutted her.

Karen was knocked back several feet away and once she shook the disorientation off. She saw Darkseid's glowing red eyes and knew at once, he was about to emit the omega beam. Power Girl evaded the intense fiery blast just in time but as she turned away from Darkseid, she felt a strong pain to her back. The blast had swerved and hit her, sending her face first to the ground. As she tried to get up, she felt a foot kick her chin which caused her to hit the base of a snowy mountain. As she fell to the ground, Karen spat out blood. As Karen slowly opened her eyes, she saw a content Darkseid believing she was dead. His back was turned and began to launch. Now flying, he was about to enter the portal.

Until Power Girl grabbed his boot and entered the portal with him.

"With our Supergirl gone, we're the city's only protection."

Timmy and the rest of the team made their way onto the ravaged street by way of walking.

"We're already near the coordinates of where Lex was seen last." Jade said.

"Hopefully we can find a clue as to where he might be." said Drake.

"Personally I don't understand why he couldn't just stick around. Assuming again he did do some damage to Anderson, I would have thought he would've stayed around and go 'haha' on the guy." Dinah pointed out.

"Building was about to collapse. I don't think he would stayed long enough to gloat." Jade responded.

"Once we find Luthor, what is our next point of action?" Devyra inquired.

Jade answered. "We get him to tell us how he is able to harm him. We can then convince him to-"

"To what? Join the team?" said Drake outrageously. He sighed before he went on. "Luthor is not going to tell us jack. All he wants is to be in charge again."

"I agree 100%." Dinah nodded.

"Luthor is a man with great ambition. Something tells me that because he is a man with no quarrels of anything that can be construed as right or wrong, he is a man of great action." said Devyra.

"Well nice to know you admire the guy." Dinah rolled her eyes.

"I'm suggesting that he is initiating something. He would not come back for nothing."

"What do you think Timmy?" Jade asked.

"I'm thinking of something else. Supergirl's costume. It was in possession of an intelligent Bizarro."

"That's another question mark." Dinah pointed out.

"I wonder why Darkseid found the need for Bizarro to take it..." Jade agreed that it was very peculiar.

The answer was given to them in the form of an object hitting the ground near them sending them flying several feet. Debris and dust spread out from wreckage. One by one, each of them began to slowly get up in a wary manner. The team began to inspect the object as soon as they came to. Jade used her ring to open the smooth metallic object. It seemed to be a ship of some sort. After a green laser emitted from her ring, Jade and the others looked inside where they saw a blonde woman looking at them.

"Who the hell are you?" Tim asked while at the same time telling himself it was pretty obvious who she was. He just couldn't believe the sight.

"I'm...I am Linda Danvers. I think." the curly blonde woman replied. She began to crawl out of the ship's compartment. "It is strange." 'Linda' nodded. "I remember my name...but I don't remember any of my life."

"Why are you here?" Dinah asked.

"To find the love of my life. Jake Anderson. You must help me find him."

"Jake Anderson?" Jade asked in confusion.

"If you know where he is, could you take me to him?" the girl spoke.

"This may be a way for Darkseid to get Kara and Jake to combine. The suit. It must have had Kara's DNA on it. That's why it was stolen!" Timmy whispered.

"Do you think she may have just lost her memory? Maybe she's actually Kara." Tim whispering to Jade.

"No. She's not."

Everyone looked at Devyra who had now came face to face with the woman claiming to be Linda Danvers.

"She's a clone." she nodded in agreement. "Right now we better move as well."

"Why is that?" Dinah asked.

"Look above." she motioned upwards to the eerie sky filled with patrolling drones and Darkseid's mysterious ships.

Cir-El was still sitting in the corner of a dark and depressing looking sewer looking at the boy who had saved her. It was time to wake him up.

"Derek?" she said giving him a nudge to shake him awake.

"Hmmm...what?" Derek then got startled when he saw Cir-El. "Oh my God. I thought everything that had happened was a dream."

"Right now, it's more of a living nightmare with everything that's happening up there."

"So...are we getting out of here?" Derek asked standing up now. Both began walking down the dark tunnel.

"At the moment, we're behind enemy lines. We need to get to the safest part of the city. We need to get to Luthorcorp."

"Luthorcorp?" Derek asked abashed. "I've always assumed that was the worst place in Metropolis to be."

"What do you mean?" It was true Mia had only come back a few hours so she obviously she didn't understood what Luthorcorp truly represented.

Derek looked a bit hesitant. "Oh...right. You said you just got here. So you probably don't know that the other Supergirl, is in charge and for a few years, she's been referred by many of us as a tyrant."

Appalled, Mia demanded an explanation. "A tyrant? Why?"

"Her plans for the city. Changing it from the way it was. Constant security. Spying. Unethical searches and seizures. Certain rules. You name it. We have a poverty rate that's gone up considerably and despite her 'best' efforts, war is still happening."

"How could Kara believe that doing all that will help the city, let alone the world?" Mia asked him but she made it sound as if she was asking herself.

"Power." Derek answered. "Most people who attain it are never sure of anything." Awkwardly Derek went on. "Look at history. Abraham Lincoln was a powerful figure but many regarded him as eccentric and so people became wary of him even if he did help the slaves. Adolf Hitler, well you know what people thought of him. Our current president...well you get the point."

Mia could not help but be overwhelmed by how much Derek has experienced and seen. "I'm wondering whether there are forces at Luthorcorp that transformed Kara this way. She couldn't be swayed like that."

"I don't know anything about that. But if you think that's the cause, it's still no excuse."

"How so?"

"If something happened to her, she would have changed her ways once she saw how bad things got." Derek said a bit meekly.

Mia started to think for a while now. Ever since she came back, she had been wondering exactly why things got so bad in this world. Luthorcorp may hold the key. "There are things that they might be keeping from me." she muttered out loud.

"They've been keeping a lot of things from us." Derek said. "That's why some people have started to form underground rebellions."

"She's that strict, you say?"

"Yeah...which is why many of us from time to time have thought about infiltrating Luthorcorp and trying to find out the meaning for all the madness."

"When you say 'we', are you suggesting that you have had a hand in acts of rebellion?"

"Well, um...I mean, you're going to report me?" Derek asked a bit fearfully that he stopped and backed against the wall as Mia did the same and began walking toward him. Derek took it as a threat.

Mia stopped and began to go over what has transpired throughout. She shook her head and merely said to him. "No." she then turned away trying to come up with some way to get rid of the newfound confusion.

"Before my disappearance, I've always seen Luthorcorp as a haven of evil. Coming back, i believe it did a lot more than that. It has the power to corrupt and confuse anyone associated with it."

Derek spoke again. "If we could just find out what it is they're doing...it could give her and her team a message from us stating we will not be ignored."

"Infiltration is irrelevant and useless. There has to be another way and I may need your help, Derek." she quickly turned to him.

Running through the street, the team hurried for whatever shelter they could find. Timmy dragged a confused Linda with him. Since the girl named 'Linda' arrived without any clothes on, Timmy did manage to acquire a long red cloth and tied it around her body like a towel. In the meantime, cars on fire were all around the street. Explosions went off like random mines. Smoke billowed from certain buildings. It became another warzone. Jade along with Devyra fired at the drones above. Dinah and Drake fired their 8mms at the flying robots. The machines continued to follow them.

As Jade fired back, her ring began to sputter and the light began to dim. "My power is draining! We need to get out of here!"

"What do you think we're doing?" Drake chimed as he continued to run.

"We got to move faster than this, people!" Dinah cried out. She was panting so hard that the sweat poured down to her mask.

Everybody took a chance to look back and saw that several Darkseid/Anderson soldiers flew past them and fired intense laser blasts that were powerful than the recent ones. Several fighters flew down past them and fired at the street ahead, creating an explosion that made them stop and take cover. Devyra and Jade were the only ones defending themselves while Dinah and Drake, the non-powered individuals took shelter in a coffee shop. From out the window, the two ducked and shot at the drones outside whenever they could get a chance. Timmy and the girl known as 'Linda Danvers' finally made their way inside the small dilapidated coffee shop.

"I must find Jake!" 'Linda' spoke.

"We got bigger problems to deal with, sister!" Dinah said a bit aggravated.

"What is happening? Why is everything blowing up?" Linda cried.

"It's going to be ok, Linda. We're getting out of here soon." Olsen assured her as best he could.

"We gotta get reinforcements somehow!" Drake cried out as he shot another few rounds on a random soldier who tried to shoot back at him.

"Why is your friend out there on the ground?" she asked confused.

"Oh crap!" Dinah cried out.

Olsen and the rest looked out the window and saw Jade was lying on the ground. She was now powerless and thus, her energy is spent.

"Jade!" Olsen shouted.

Devyra could not help for she was very preoccupied with a large starship in the sky.

"I might be able to help!" Linda spoke up.

"How?" Olsen looked at her.

"I don't know but...I'm starting to feel fast..."

Suddenly she disappeared in a blur outside to the barren street. Olsen and the others looked as she carried Jade in her arms effortlessly and gave her to Timmy through the main window. Linda surveyed the destruction around her as soon as the three tended to Jade's seemingly lifeless form.

"Linda!" Olsen cried out to her. He motioned for her to come inside.

"Something's happening to me!" Linda began to cry out as she stood in the street now.

"Linda get back in here!" Olsen cried out in alarm.

"But my eyes! They're burning!" she shouted.

Linda then unleashed a large fiery beam from her eyes destroying the Dark soldiers in front of her. Several shot at her. But the blasts had no effect and only bounced off. She then sent another wave of fiery energy to one of the ships above which made a large hole from the bottom. Linda shot again and again until smoke billowed out from the ship's bulk which slowly made its way below where it crashed into the next street, completely destroyed now. Devyra who had already took down two ships of her own looked quizzically at Linda.

Olsen and the others made her way to both Devyra and Linda.

"She has the same powers as Kara..." Dinah said a bit mesmerized.

"Let's go back to base while they've retreated!" Olsen cried out. "Maybe we can come up with answers back there."

Everyone headed toward the street where the Luthorcorp building stood. As they finally arrived, the team looked happy that they were about to get some rest and then having some time to regroup as well. As they arrived, they each found to their dismay, A large pile of ash and rubble in front of them.

"No..." Olsen murmurred.

"You gotta be kidding me." Drake said sadly.

The Luthorcorp building was destroyed.

On top of a large apartment building, several miles away, two figures looked as a billow of smoke made its way into the sky. Cir-El and Derek saw the incredible sight of the Luthorcorp Plaza destroyed.

"Lucky no one was inside." Derek pointed out, looking content.

"It had to be done." Cir-El said with her arms crossed.

"But the more I think about it, the worse I feel. What if we started a chain of events that we can't control or stop?" Derek looked at her.

"That's what life is about. Consequences."

Derek merely nodded in understanding.

"I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me see the world for what it's turning into."

"Ummm...you're welcome. I think."

"Seriously..." she then made her way toward him now and placed her hands on his shoulders. Derek was starting to turn red and sweat at the same time. "You've opened my eyes."

"Uh wait. I've never-" Derek began to stutter as Mia's lips were about to press against his. She put her a gentle finger to his lips so that he could stop talking. She then started to get close to him again.

Amidst the chaos and destruction, Cir-El kissed a confused-looking Derek on top of a building.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait again. I just been so busy lately with work. Obviously it's taking too long for this story to finish itself. But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to stop. What I have to do is think of a proper ending. Any ideas are appreciated! I'll get back with a new chapter soon! :)