Chapter Text
“Is this really how you want to spend the entire summer before senior year?”
Jordan didn’t look up from the glowing text he was currently skimming near the Fortresses’ podium, but he gave Jon’s question a slight shrug of acknowledgement.
“I can fly you home any time you want,” he offered distractedly, “but trust me, some of this stuff can be fun. I just have to remember how to get to the more interesting simulations…”
He trailed off as be continued his search. Jon let out a quiet sigh and leaned against the wall he had settled against a little while earlier.
Even though he was somewhat bored, and second guessing their choices, the fact was he didn’t really have much else to do that afternoon. School was out, he was only at the firehouse a few days a week, and things with Candice had fizzled in recent months. He still hung out with a few of the guys but, aside from that, he didn’t have a lot on the go.
So when Jordan had proposed that they start hanging out at the Fortress more regularly to work through some of the history and language lessons stored there, he’d found himself agreeing.
He didn’t really consider that stuff “his thing,” but he was curious enough to check it out. It was a good excuse to get out of the house, and it seemed to make their parents happy. Especially their dad, who’d smiled proudly when they’d first mentioned their plans.
Jon tried not to dwell, but he did like that positive affirmation more than he wanted to admit. After years of feeling like a bit of a letdown, at least he could still do this.
Though he was finding it hard to get as enthused as his brother. Which wasn’t really much of a surprise.
“Ah! Here’s the one I was thinking of!” Jordan declared, his excitement reminding Jon of their dad. “The Kryptonian-Daximite War. I started watching it a couple of months ago. I didn’t get to the end of it, so I’m happy to start it again together. All of the battles and diplomatic negotiations are really fascinating— and I think we won. Eventually.”
Jon couldn’t help but feel a familiar tug of discomfort as Jordan spoke.
Sure, he’d agreed to this. And he was trying to embrace the weirdness more. But the wording was still a little too unsettling for him. Since they were alone, he didn’t hold back.
“We?” he snorted, raising a challenging brow. “I know you can fly and whatever, but you know you’re not actually from there, right?”
That response was enough to make Jordan finally look up, his jaw stubbornly set.
“I know where I was born, dumbass,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “And it’s not about flying or powers. Krypton may be gone, but this is still our history. Just as much as anything on Earth.”
Jon shrugged tightly.
Even though he’d provoked the discussion with his comment, he didn’t really want to get into it.
It was summer vacation, after all, and this was supposed to be bonding time with his brother. Even if it was weird, and mildly unsettling, he supposed he could play along.
“Fine, whatever,” he said, attempting to brush it off. “Put it on.”
Jordan looked at him, pausing as if he wanted to say more. But he seemed to decide against it.
Instead, he tapped the podium few more times, bringing a blueish hologram to life in front of them.
It wasn’t the first time Jon had seen one of these play out. The Fortress had countless modules to go through, and they’d watched a few already. They definitely gave off sci-fi vibes, he mused as a holographic fleet of spaceships zoomed into view.
No matter what Jordan said about their connections to it, it was impossible not to feel like he was simply watching a strange movie. Albeit one with rather dry narration.
He half-listened to the opening spiel about a trade disagreement as Jordan settled down next to him.
“I feel like we should have brought popcorn,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t really work.
“Shut up,” his brother muttered back, apparently still a bit testy from his earlier remarks. “If you miss this part about the leaders of the high council, the rest isn’t going to make sense.”
Jon slumped back, trying to settle in to his somewhat uncomfortable seat.
It didn’t bode well that he was already antsy, but he decided to try to pay attention.
He couldn’t deny the fact that his ears perked up when he heard mention of someone named Ren-El— though the tiny holographic figures depicted in the council chamber were nearly impossible to make out. He squinted, looking for the familiar symbol, a feeling he didn’t recognize simmering within him.
There was barely time to dwell on any of that, however.
Less than a minute into the simulation, Jordan abruptly jumped to his feet, his head snapping towards the entrance to the Fortress.
Jon didn’t hear anything unusual, but he recognized that look on his bother’s face at this point. Something had caught him off guard.
He found himself scrambling to his feet too, instantly on edge.
“What?” He asked, the historical projection abruptly forgotten. “What is it?”
“Someone’s coming.”
There wasn’t time to ask who could possibly be arriving at a secret spot in the middle of the north Pacific.
A moment later, Jordan zipped forward at a speed he could barely track, colliding with another blur.
Jon jumped back as the two figures toppled forward, skidding to a stop a few feet from where he stood.
He sucked in a sharp breath, blinking before lunging into action himself— even though that was probably reckless of him when there were superpowered beings involved.
“Jordan! Are you okay?”
His first concern was his brother, who wasn’t easily knocked over nowadays. Instinctually, he offered out a hand, wanting to pull him back from a crumpled blue heap that had appeared beside him.
But of course, Jordan didn’t need him. In another flash he was back on his feet at Jon’s side, looking down at the unexpected arrival with widened eyes.
“I’m fine,” he said, “but she was coming in way too fast. And totally out of control. I did my best to stop her from crashing.”
Though Jon had barely followed the fray, Jordan had, apparently, seen enough to know that this person was female. He also seemed surprised, but not particularly worried. Despite the fact that this person clearly had powers.
“Who is she?” Jon pressed, unsure if he should approach or not.
The figure was breathing and, as he continued to take the scene in, he could see a tangle of blonde hair on the other side of the hunched form.
“I…I don’t know. But…” Jordan took a step forward, hesitating for a moment before crouching at her side and reaching out a hand.
Then, he gently nudged her shoulder, prompting a wary groan.
“Hey,” his bother tried, taking the lead. “Are you okay?”
There was another pained sound, but the figure finally moved. Slowly and, with visible effort, she rolled over, allowing them to see her properly for the first time.
She was about their age, with messy blonde hair and smudges of dirt on her pale face. Unsurprisingly, after that crash, she looked like she was in pain and her face was screwed into a pinched grimace.
But all of that became secondary the moment Jon laid eyes on her unusual outfit.
It was made of a unique blue fabric, clearly not of this world— and the front was adorned with a very familiar crest.
“Holy shit,” he muttered, eyes locked on the girl as Jordan stepped back to his place at his side.
They exchanged a look, then continued to stare at the unexpected new arrival.
“Who are you?” he managed, working through the shock. Whoever she was, the signs seemed to be pointing to a very clear connection.
One that Jon could barely grasp.
She surveyed them both, drawing a deep breath before she finally answered.
“My name is Kara Zor-El,” she said, still wincing through the pain.
“I’m looking for my cousin.”