Hope

Kara Zor-El was the daughter of House El, Krypton’s elite scientific clan which was famous for being both rational high-level thinkers and generous philanthropists. Smart, kind, and beautiful. One could say that members of House El were as close to perfection as you could get. Kryptonians looked up to the children of El as an example to follow, the elite that even elitists couldn’t help but be drawn to.

When Alura and Zor El announced the birth of their daughter, many families couldn’t wait to see what the newest child of House El would offer Krypton. Jor El, her uncle, was practically a celebrity in the scientific field and her father was already famous for discovering a new way to harness Krypton’s core and give the people of Krypton hope for a better tomorrow. Her grandfather, great grandfather, and all other ancestors before her were all important figures that shaped Krypton’s history.

Her mother, even before she married into the El household, was a great peacekeeper and political socialite. Her aunt, Lara, was an incredible biochemist that some say will revolutionize the Kryptonian genetic code.

In short, there was a heavy set of expectations upon her since the day she first opened her eyes and took her first breath.

Her fate was to be a scientist, like every child of House El. She was one of the first batch of new genetically enhanced children that her aunt had been a part of creating. Kara’s genetic code was unparalleled. Truly, it was Lara Van-El’s finest work.

By the time Kara was eight cycles old, she was pushing the limits of what Krypton thought was classified as a genius. Her parents were proud, her grandparents were humbly accepting accolades just by walking around with her on the streets of Kandor, the Capital Citadel.

It was upon reaching thirteen cycles of life that everything began to take a sudden turn. Her uncle and father were huddled around screens in the laboratory more often than necessary. Her mother’s political views were beginning to change ever so slightly, and her normally cheerful aunt was looking more and more worn by the day. Her grandparents always stopped their hushed conversations whenever she walked into the room. Kara was no fool, she knew something was wrong. It was only a few months later that she found what had worried her family.

Krypton’s core was growing unstable and her father, the man that had first came up with idea of using the planet’s core, was looking grimmer by the day. There was guilt in his eyes, her mother was looking for allies in order to get the High Council to listen to her uncle and father’s pleas. But Kara knew that despite the worry and genuine fear in her family’s eyes, this would be the one time in history that society would shun the House of El.

Why?

Well, who wants to hear that the world was coming to an end?

Fear was the enemy of man. Fear drove people to do unreasonable things, like call her father and uncle a bunch of loons. Kara took comfort in the family coat of arms that rested on her chest. Hope. That was what her family stood for. Hope was stronger than anything in the universe. It was what her family preached for generations. It was her job to keep the family motto and keep it she did.

Months passed and Kara found herself feeling isolated from her peers, yet still, she was standing strong with her head held high and heart filled with hope for a better tomorrow.

Suddenly, one day that wasn’t special in particular Kara got a summons to visit her beloved aunt and uncle in the farther outskirts of Kandor. Her mother and father wished for her to spend some time away from the cruel whispers and mocking eyes. A much needed break, they had said to her. Kara took it in stride and secretly felt relieved in her heart.

Jor El and Lara lived in the mountains where their crystal fortress shined like a beacon of light. Not many families had fortresses out in the mountains and even less lived in them, most preferred to live in the environmentally controlled citadel domes. To each their own, Kara loved fortress regardless of the storms and wild winds.

Upon her arrival she was greeted by the sound of a baby crying. Her eyes lit up as she ran into the inner rooms and gasped at the sight. Her lovely aunt sat regally in an armchair with a baby swindled in a red blanket. Her uncle looked up at her and beckoned her to get closer. She blinked away her awe and calmly walked to her aunt.

“Aunt Lara, I did not know you and Uncle had commissioned a child. My congratulations nonetheless upon the newest addition to our family.” Kara internally squealed as the baby gurgled and blindly reached out a small fist.

Her uncle chuckled at the baby and brought his digit closer to the small fist, stroking it gently and letting the baby hold on. “Kara, there is something you should know before we reveal to you our son’s name. We hope that… it will not change how you perceive us and our child.” Jor El’s gentle tone yet odd choice of words caused Kara to frown.

“Darling,” her aunt called. Kara’s blue eyes darted to look at her aunt instantly. “Our son… he is different from all other children on Krypton.”

Kara nodded. “Of course, he is a child of House El and no doubt more brilliant than the stars in the sky.” The baby cooed softly, and Kara felt her lips pull up into a smile. His small face was scrunched up and red, reminding her of the sun.

“He is even red like Rao, already proving my words true. Is it common for infants to be this…” She tiled her head and tried to find a polite way to say that he looked oddly like a wrinkly red fruit.

“No, it is not common for infants to be this red since the birthing chambers provide plenty of oxygen and well… Kara my darling, our son is different because he was born. He is Krypton’s first natural birth in a millennium.”

Looking up at her aunt and uncle, Kara only then realized why they looked so nervous and why there was no gathering to celebrate the new addition to their family. What her aunt and uncle had done was…

“Treason,” Kara whispered. “Natural birth is treason, a level six offense!” Her eyes looked down in horror at the innocent life. “He would be killed.” Horror intensified into intense protectiveness. Her eyes shone with the stubborn will to fight and defend the innocent life bundled in her aunt’s arms.

“I swear upon the blood of El to protect him with my life.” She looked up from her cousin to see her aunt and uncle slowly lose the tension in their shoulders. “He is my cousin, regardless of how he came to be here. He is my blood.”

It was her aunt that reached out her hand and Kara grabbed it with her own. Her aunt quickly blinked the tears away as a smile shone on her face. “Thank you, Kara. Thank you for accepting him.”

Her uncle slipped his finger from his son’s fist and gently placed his hand on Kara’s shoulder. Their blue eyes, a mirror image, locked as he looked at her. “We named him Kal El.”

“Voice of reason. Truth speaker.” Kara automatically translated. She smiled at the baby as he wiggled in the red blanket. “Hello, Kal El. I am Kara and I swear to love you and protect you from harm.”

How was she to know that only two months later her parents would place her in a ship and make her promise to find Kal El once she lands on a planet far, far away. As she cried and howled at the glass that was displaying her home planet getting farther away, she saw a ring of fire and then the planet exploded. Her mother, father, aunt, uncle, grandparents, friends, classmates, and fellow Kryptonians were alive one moment and dead the next. Never would she see another sunrise on Krypton ever again. Never would she get to walk the busy streets of Kandor. Here one moment and gone the next.

The ship released a sleeping gas and Kara yelled as she cried her heart out. Her only conciliation was that her sweet little cousin was on a ship just like hers. He, unlike her, would be defenseless and would not remember Krypton. It was up to her to raise him and love him. She must protect him and teach him about their people and home. She would remind him of Lara’s love and beautiful smiles. And in her eyes, he would see the mirror of his father’s and know what they looked like.

As her vision blurred and the gas slowly worked its way into her lungs, she let herself remember her parents’ last goodbye.

Her ship sailed through an ocean of stars right behind her cousin’s ship. Asleep, they wouldn’t feel the passage of time nor the turbulence of space travel.

When Kara opened her eyes once again, she was greeted by the sight of a grown man that looked oddly familiar to her. Her brain was still addled in confusion as her eyes found his shocked ones. She was surprised to see his face at first. He looked so much like her uncle and his eyes were the exact same shade that she and her uncle shared. His raven hair slightly curled, and his jaw was strong yet there was a hint of someone else’s features mixed in. When he smiled, Kara knew exactly who he was before her eyes even landed on signet of her family’s coat of arms on his chest.

“Kal El.” She whispered in awe.

He blinked at her in surprise and let her small hand slowly reach to touch his cheek. “Forgive me, cousin. I slept for too long. How long have you been alone?”

His eyes widened at first before he looked away. He gently placed his hand on hers, still rested on his cheek, and she wasn’t surprised to see his eyes look a little watery.

“You are here now. That is all that matters. Tell me, what is your name?” His voice was soft, and the timber reminded her of her father. He spoke slowly, every word was measured with deliberate thought. As if he was focusing on pronouncing the words. Oh. Oh her poor cousin.

She let a soft smile grace her lips. “I am Kara Zor-El and I promised to love and protect you from all harm and raise you to be strong.”

He looked into her eyes, and something softened in his gaze. “I am a grown man. I am not…” He sighed and smiled sadly at her. “This planet’s yellow sun has made me stronger than anything in this world, nothing can harm me here. Protection is not something I need but I am not averse to adding more loved ones into my life. Let me protect you and show what this world has to offer.”

Kara nodded. “Very well, in return, I will share with you our family history. Would you like to hear about your parents, Kal El?” Lara’s smile lived on in her son as he shone like a bright star, just as Kara had prophesied.

“I would appreciate it.” He had a bit of an accent she could not place. He must have grown up speaking a different language, yet he still knew theirs without her being there to teach him. Perhaps, her wise uncle had equipped his ship with memory crystals. Perhaps, there was still something of her home leftover.

Hope bloomed in her heart as he backed away from her ship and raised his hand. She took it and looked around at the bright yellow sun and the endless blue sky.

“How beautiful.” She whispered.

Despite the horror she had been through, there was still life growing even in a strange alien world. She breathed in the clean air and looked around at the strange fauna. Kal El tightened his fingers around her hand.

“You are not alone.” He promised. “I am here.”

Kara smiled. She was sad of course, but there was plenty of time to grieve later. For now, she was safe and she has found her family. She will endure what is yet to come. After all, she came from a family that believed in a brighter tomorrow.

She still had hope.