Chapter 37 (edited)

Kara was already an undeniable badass.

Under her sharp gaze and commanding presence, Jonathan didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"You're saying Atlantis is real? Seriously?" Jonathan asked, clearly more focused on the mythical kingdom than anything else.

Kara shrugged nonchalantly. Without warning, she jumped into the air, raising one hand.

A second later, a baseball arced perfectly into her palm.

Jonathan's eyes twitched as he observed the scene. Had Kara just thrown a baseball around the Earth and caught it?

Setting aside the fact that the ball was intact after traveling at such high speeds, just how much power did it take to casually achieve something like that?

Kara smirked, holding the ball up and waving it at Krypto, the family dog.

"You wanted him to fetch this?" Jonathan asked incredulously, his tone dripping with disbelief.

Even Krypto looked at her, mouth slightly ajar, his expression clearly saying: Are you serious?

Kara touched down lightly, ignoring the disbelief around her. She gave Krypto a mischievous glance before lightly tossing the ball into the field ahead. The dog barked happily and took off after it.

Returning to the old pickup truck, Kara hopped onto the tailgate, stretching out as she relaxed.

Jonathan walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "When did you grow up into someone like this? I still remember the first day we brought you and Clark home."

Back then, Kara had been distant, untrusting, and even a little hostile toward Jonathan and Martha. Her time on Krypton and the journey to Earth had left her wary of attachments.

It had taken months of patience and love to earn her trust. Eventually, Kara softened enough to leave Clark in their care when she wasn't around. The day she first called them "Mom" and "Dad" had felt like a small miracle.

Now, years had passed, and Kara had grown into a strong, confident woman. In two or three years, she'd be thirty. If she'd let herself, Martha would have already started setting her up on blind dates, hoping to see her settled down with someone.

But Kara resisted every attempt, adamantly refusing even the idea.

Once, during a particularly persistent conversation, she had pointedly told Jonathan and Martha: "If you want grandchildren, tell Clark to get a girlfriend."

Clark, who had been innocently eating at the time, had nearly choked on his food.

Now, Clark was also growing up. With high school nearly behind him, he'd soon have to decide whether to head to college or join the workforce. Either way, settling down was on the horizon for him, not Kara.

"Dad, you should focus on teaching Clark to bring home a girl," Kara teased. "Because if you're thinking I'll inherit the farm, forget it. I don't want it."

Jonathan sighed, shaking his head. "Why do I even bother talking to you?" he muttered, retreating into the house, pretending to be upset.

Kara chuckled at his mock indignation before turning to Krypto. The dog had returned with the baseball, tail wagging proudly. Kara grinned and used her psychokinesis to pull the ball from his mouth and into the air.

Instead of throwing it forward, the ball shot straight up, disappearing into the sky.

Krypto stared after it, ears drooping as he let out a disappointed huff. With a dejected gait, he turned away, clearly done playing with her.

A few days later, Kara stood at the train station, ready to leave Smallville for Metropolis.

Since Jonathan wasn't feeling well enough to drive, Clark had offered to accompany Kara to help with her luggage.

When they arrived at the bustling city, Kara walked confidently ahead, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and carrying a large suitcase. Her outfit, though formal, seemed slightly unconventional—it was clearly a men's suit.

Despite the suitcase's size, she carried it effortlessly, as though it weighed nothing. Passersby might have assumed it was empty.

Clark, however, didn't have the same luxury. He trailed behind her, struggling to balance a TV under one arm and a large package under the other—a package containing an entire set of new bedding Martha had insisted Kara take.

"Remind me again," Clark grumbled, his voice strained, "why you even needed all this stuff?"

"It's Mom's fault," Kara replied with a smirk. "She thinks Metropolis doesn't sell TVs or bedding."

Clark groaned but didn't argue, following her toward the station exit.

As they passed a wall-mounted TV in the terminal, a news broadcast about the recent tornado caught Kara's attention.

While the anchors discussed the aftermath, no footage of the event was shown. Kara wasn't surprised—no one had managed to record her saving the town.

She guessed that someone higher up, likely a government agency, had suppressed any evidence of her involvement. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Don't get too smug," Clark said, noticing her expression.

"What? I'm just saying Dad overreacted," Kara replied, her tone playful.

Clark shook his head. "Just keep a low profile while you're here, okay?"

Kara grinned. "Sure, little brother."

Clark sighed, realizing there was no winning with her.

As they walked through the crowded streets, Kara felt a strange mix of anticipation and nostalgia. Her new job at the Daily Planet was about to begin, and with it, an entirely new chapter of her life.

But even as she stepped into the bustling metropolis, a part of her would always remain tied to the quiet fields of Smallville.