Chapter Text
It was at breakfast the next morning that Kara noticed the new seating arrangements.
“What’s this?”
Jyrne didn’t bother swallowing any of her meal before she began explaining, although Kara didn’t feel right for judging her. She was, of course, hungry and likely to die soon.
Before each seat was a small plaque engraved on cracked stone. It was like cobblestone but shinier and darker in material. So familiar and yet not.
Kara never paid attention to any of the minerals that made up Krypton, not until it was all gone and the remaining Kryptonians were all dying out on a floating piece of Argo City. Even then, none of the material was durable enough to rebuild and many of the buildings were just left in ruins. Kara never knew if they were ever really supposed to rebuild. She had assumed that back then, but in hindsight she wondered if the plan was to build many rockets so that all the survivors could escape. Of course, that never ended up happening, only enough material was gathered for one ship, and Zor-El already knew who to send.
But Kara didn’t care for the minerals, even now. Instead, she was staring at the engravings that read “CHAMPION OF KRYPTON.” She thought it funny that this be her title. Of course, Jyrne was the “Champion of Titan”, and Abin Zol was the “Champion of Ungara”, but it still felt odd to her.
“I know, weird right. I never in a million years expected to be Champion of Tamaran.” K’lothell chortled.
Kara’s eyes dashed away from the stone and towards Darkseid and his female loyalists as they arrived at breakfast. She didn’t know for certain, but she could swear their table was closer.
“No, it’s not that.” Kara spoke before she sat down. “It’s just that… my cousin is more deserving of this title than me.”
“Not like its hard competition. It’s only a 50/50 chance who gets to be Champion.” Krem snickered before he began to down his noodle-like food. Kara peered over at his plaque, which read Champion of The Yellow Hills. She paused for a moment. That wasn’t his planets name, it was a location but not the planets name. Then again, she thought about it and wondered if Ruthye being from the same planet meant Darkseid had to improvise. But Kara thought about it once more and wondered why he’d even bother with all this, especially if he picked his contestants at random. What if they were all from Thanagar, then how do you decide who the “Champion” is? And why did it even matter?
“Your cousin, is he like you?” Ruthye asked.
“Well, it depends on what you mean by ‘like me’. He has powers like me and is big and strong. He’s stronger of course, but still…” Kara began, thinking back to her cousin fondly. “But he’s also more…”
She peered around the table, noticing everyone’s eyes on her.
“Human.”
Kara grabbed a cube-shaped ration of something bread-like and bit down.
“He was only a baby when he left Krypton, he doesn’t remember a thing about our way of life or anything of the sort. I was fourteen when he left, and I left at eighteen but by the time I arrived at Earth, Kal was already an adult, and I was… Still eighteen.”
Another bite.
“So, what, you’re actually way older than you look?” Krem asked.
“Yep. I’m forty-one although I am stuck a few years back, so I’m only twenty-six.” Kara explained, feeling a wave of confidence wash over her as she boasted. She was never all that into beauty techniques and such, but still, looking ten years younger is always a bonus.
“Where is your cousin? Is he going to come looking for you?” Ruthye asked, and Kara’s face dropped.
“No. He won’t search for me, and even if he did, I’m too far away. I ran away you see, because I did something bad, and I didn’t want to be found.”
“Guess you got your wish.” Nul said quietly.
Kara frowned for a moment before she sunk in her chair. He was right, she was dead either way, this way she was just postponing the inevitable. Still, the food was nice. A bit too nice for prison food in fact. It was weird.
“I didn’t know Kryptonians had powers. Although, I never heard much about them, I was only a toddler when the planet was destroyed. I didn’t even know there were any survivors, you’re like a cryptid.”
Kara chuckled for a moment.
“Yeah… Well… We don’t usually. Back home I was normal, I didn’t have any abilities whatsoever and then I got to Earth and suddenly, I could shoot lasers from my eyes and my breath would turn to frost within seconds. And I was strong, very, very strong. I’m strong now, only… Here on Apokolips I’m not… I can’t shoot lasers or turn you into ice sculptures with my breath… I’m not…”
And Kara froze.
For as nice as these free luxury meals were, and the friendly company, she had almost forgotten that in a few short days, they’d all be trying to kill each other. Thinking about it now, she was still strong, very strong, but she didn’t have her abilities anymore. The abilities she had trained and perfected and spent so long relying on, now they were just gone. Back to being that ordinary girl on Krypton who didn’t know what she had until it was gone. She looked around the room. Perhaps she had overestimated her chances, although Nul couldn’t fly he could certainly still fight, and his wings were still large enough to be considered weapons. Then there was K’lothell. For as nice and friendly as she seemed, she had powers that worked whenever she needed. She could emit starbolts and blasts of energy, the only reason she hadn’t yet was likely because she knew Darkseid would not tolerate this. But in the battlefield…
“Can’t use your powers here, neither can I. I think Darkseid has some nullifiers installed around here, it only makes sense, he wants us to fight in the arena not in here.” K’lothell said.
It made Kara feel a bit better, but also worse. Well now it was too easy. She had no competition, sure she didn’t want to go in there and kill everybody, but she easily could. It seemed a little unfair considering some of the players had no powers, but she figured it was always going to be unfair. Ruthye was only a child, why the hell was she here?
And she felt a presence behind her, towering over her like she was a child again. It was startling, and that feeling told her exactly who it was looming over her. It was Darkseid, with his hands held politely behind his back. She tensed up for a moment, but wasn’t entirely sure if she should turn around. He could sense she noticed him, but was it a trick? Would she turn around and be met with a fist around her neck? She swallowed hard and decided to get it over with, and she turned around trying her best not to be too quick or too slow with it. At a casual pace, she hoped. Not that it mattered.
“Kara Zor-El, Champion of Krypton. It is my honour to invite you to have dinner with me privately.” His voice was low and deep. Almost demonic. She figured that matched his whole vibe, especially with how hellish the planet was. His invitation was less of an invite and more an order, although coming from any other man she would’ve assumed it was a date. Not him though, this was most certainly her last meal before he would execute her away from the others. She wondered if he was taking her out because he felt it would be too easy for her to win. Perhaps he liked watching the struggle of it all, and she wouldn’t struggle at all.
Still, she said nothing as she rose from her seat and followed the man through the guarded hallway, where she noticed it was only her. None of the Female Furies followed, nor did Granny Goodness, it was just her and her executioner. Her karma had finally caught up to her for taking the life of Zatanna Zatara.
Yet, as she entered his private quarters she was surprised to find no bed. The room consisted of a giant imposing throne and a few tables and chairs scattered about and that was it. On the far side, the wall was made from falling lava. Was this even his bedroom or just his study? Kara didn’t even know if whatever Darkseid was, needed to sleep. Perhaps he was always awake.
She followed him as he led her to the seating, where Kara sat down in a chair only slightly larger than her, and Darkseid resided himself to simply standing. She doubted he would’ve fit in the chair across from her anyway, and the throne was too far to make conversation, if that was what she was here to do.
“Kara. I would just like to say, I’m honoured you are here. This is the first Battle Royale I’ve been excited to watch for centuries, and for that I thank you.” Despite his friendly attitude, his voice said otherwise. It wasn’t sarcasm, it was the fact every word he said was just dripping will maliciousness.
“It’s not everyday I get to the meet the last surviving member of a race, and this year’s game will benefit greatly from it.” He smiled, and Kara shivered.
“It’s not today either. I’m not the only Kryptonian left, Kal-El is back on Earth. Why not just kill me and go get him, then you’d really mark us extinct with your little reality show game.” Kara scoffed, but Darkseid didn’t seem to take offense at all. She didn’t believe anything offended him anymore. Not really.
“Really? You think I didn’t know about Superman?” Darkseid exclaimed, as if it was something everybody knew about. She guessed everybody did. “What I’m more surprised about really, is that you haven’t heard. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so confident in your words, and I doubt you are bluffing.”
Kara’s stern expression dropped for a moment. What was he talking about, and if he knew about Kal then what was he going on about?
“So, what, you’re just going to lie to whatever audience you have and say that I’m the last Kryptonian. That’s scummy, even for you.” Kara chastised.
“Oh, don’t talk to me about scummy, my dear. I just find it laughable really, and I guess I am sorry you had to find out this way.” Darkseid enthused. “But Kal-El is dead.”
Kara’s heart stopped for a moment, and her eyes widened. Everything in her mind told her that Darkseid was lying, he was a liar, of course he was. He could lie so effortlessly, this immortal being of pure evil. So why did she believe him, with her whole heart?
“He can’t be, I just saw him a few days ago…” Kara stuttered.
“It may have been a few days here, but I can assure you, Kal-El has been dead for a year by now.” Darkseid clarified. “If it makes you feel any better, he died in a heroic way. That should comfort you at least.”
“How?” Kara choked out.
“He sacrificed himself to repair Earth’s sun from what I heard. A sun-eater almost destroyed it and killed humanity with it, and he became a solar consciousness to keep it running. A fitting end, don’t you think? Shame your death likely won’t be as valiant, but I will at least make it entertaining to watch.” And his eyes squinted as he gave Kara a smirk.
“So, you don’t think I might win your game?” Kara asked, trying not to cry.
“Oh no. Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re way stronger than all those other weaklings, you will almost certainly win, I’ll just try and drag it out longer. But… If you were to die, it would be… well not a hero’s death like your cousin, but a famous one at least.”
A single tear fell from Kara’s lash.
“But still, better than nothing, Supergirl.”
Kara struggled to return to her room.
Every step she took was so heavy, and she just didn’t have the energy to move herself anymore. She was so tired, and nothing seemed worth it anymore. Not that she had particularly wanted to win the games, but she didn’t want to die, but now she wasn’t that keen on living either. She wasn’t sure what she wanted, maybe just to feel better. But she hadn’t felt “better” since she was a little girl, and now that Kal was gone, she was more alone than ever. Not just the Last Daughter of Krypton, but the Last Child of Krypton as well.
Eventually she made it to her room, where she crumbled onto the ground and just stayed there. Not asleep, just there. The only good that could come from her state, was she’d be easier to kill. Having the feat of killing the last Kryptonian would be impressive for any of these people. Kara was just glad she wouldn’t die alone, maybe she’d die pathetically, but not alone. She didn’t want to be alone anymore.
She stayed on the ground for a few more hours, and as the time passed by outside Kara could only think about how much time had just passed by on Earth. If a few days equalled a year, then those few hours were a few months she’d never get back. By the time she returned to Earth—if she ever did—it would be a vastly different place. Perhaps when she returned, they’d have forgotten all about Superman and Supergirl. Perhaps she’d return and the Justice League would be all gone, and the supervillains had taken over.
Amid her nihilistic thoughts about time wasted, she heard a knock at her door. It was too small and quaint to be one of the Furies, let alone Darkseid himself, come to scoff at her misfortune once again. Instead, she opened the door to find herself craning her neck to look down at Ruthye.
Kara knelt, crouching to her level to listen to her. Before Ruthye opened her mouth, her eyes gazed down to the symbol on her chest that she had forgotten was there. She wondered if it meant anything to Ruthye, likely not. She doubted any other planets knew Kryptonian symbols, and she further doubted that the legend of Superman and Supergirl had reached whatever planet Ruthye and Krem were from.
“Could I sleep in your room tonight? I haven’t gotten much sleep these past nights, and whenever I was scared my mother would let me sleep in her bed.” Ruthye said so quietly, anybody without enhanced hearing might not have been able to hear her.
“And I know that I don’t know you very well, and you don’t know me but I’m just… so alone without my family, and I need to be well-rested if I want to survive in that arena.”
Kara nodded and led her carefully into her room. Ruthye’s eyes turned to glance at the crumpled heap that was once Supergirl’s costume. Just sitting there like it was nothing. Kara ignored Ruthye’s curiosity as she kicked her boots off, stepping towards her bed which was abnormally large to begin with. Ruthye stepped to her side and removed her headpiece revealing her short, scruffy dark hair. She set it down next to Kara’s boots and climbed into bed with her, turned towards Kara and leaning further into her, as if she was cold. Kara knew she wasn’t cold, Apokolips was a very warm planet, with the lava everywhere and all. It didn’t bother her, and it obviously didn’t bother Ruthye. She wondered if the planet where Ruthye was from was warm. She assumed it must’ve been similar to Earth, maybe even Krypton. Ruthye didn’t look very extraterrestrial, only her attire seemed alien, physically she seemed very human. Then she guessed, so did Krem and so did Nul. K’lothell, Jyrne and Abin seemed alien, them and a few of the others Kara had never formally met. Then again, the Female Furies that Kara had been observing, they seemed humanoid as well. Some had things that were off-putting, like the neon yellow skin, or the sharp teeth but besides that. Pretty human. Granny Goodness herself just looked like an ugly old woman.
“How did somebody like you end up someplace like this?” Kara asked glumly.
Ruthye shuffled a bit under her arm, she wasn’t startled, maybe uncomfortable with the question, but not scared. Ruthye didn’t seem too scared all things considered, she seemed very brave in fact. Kara felt for her, she shouldn’t be so okay with all this, especially at her age. Ruthye was roughly the same age as Kara was when Krypton was slowly dying, and Kara never wanted to feel that way ever again, nor did she want anybody else to feel that way. She knew Ruthye was hurting, she was just better at hiding it than most.
“Just unlucky I guess.” Ruthye sighed. After a long pause she continued. “I was after Krem actually. I was hunting him, but when those Parademons came down to take Krem, they took me as well.”
“Hunting? You were trying to kill Krem?” Kara asked. She didn’t mean to sound so offended, but it must’ve come out that way because Ruthye immediately became defensive.
“He murdered my father, for no reason.” Ruthye jeered. “And after the deed was done, he left behind his ornate sword, still lodged in my father’s chest. It was such a beautiful sword too, it was a kopis blade. Me and my family were poor, we were farmers and Krem was an officer who loved to look down on those he felt were beneath him. Yet, he left his sword like it was nothing but trash, when people like me would never get close to owning one. So, I took that sword, and I was going to kill him with it. You killed my father, prepare to die. I finally got close and then as I was approaching him from behind, that’s when Darkseid got us.”
“Did he see you?” Kara asked, concerned.
“No. I doubt he’d recognise me from home either, he never usually came to our area as it was where the poor folk lived. I doubt he remembers my father much to recognise me either.”
Kara breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for somebody like Krem to hold a specific vengeance against a child. At least now he wouldn’t be hunting for her specifically, and that was more of a chance of Ruthye surviving the games.
I will protect you. Kara thought. And when it comes down to it, I will make sure you survive in the end.
Kara Zor-El and Ruthye Marye Knoll fell asleep, and Kara dreamt about her fathers last goodbye to her, and Ruthye dreamt about all the cool powers she couldn’t wait to see Supergirl use.