Supergirl ~ Legion of Super-Heroes ~ Part Two

***

"Hey," James walked out to meet Lena and Iris. "Just put out a press release telling the city that CatCo is no longer under siege and urging the public to stay calm."

Lena repeated incredulously. "The streets are desolate. People are barricading themselves in their homes. The city is terrified!"

"And we know that there are people working on getting Kara back and working on Reign," Iris reminded Lena. "We've got that hope, it's time to spread it to the people."

"Well, on the bright side," Harry walked up, balancing a tray of coffees in his hands. "Desolate streets mean no lines at the coffee place."

"Oh, you're a life saver," Lena sighed in relief, taking her cup.

"Well, I try," Harry drawled as the others took their cups.

"Thanks, Harry," Iris smiled.

"Speaking of people," Lena cleared her throat. "Anything about Kara?"

"The Legion is still working," James shook his head.

Lena sighed, slumping slightly. "God, I hope she wakes up soon."

***

Kara groaned in frustration, pacing her loft. "This is

Querl looked up from examining her blue blanket, watching her plop down on one of the couches. "Out of all the 4,237,642 versions of our first meeting that I envisioned, you calling it 'torture' wasn't one of them."

Kara sighed, putting her head in her hands, then frowned, watching Querl move to the other couch, looking at the pillows. "What are you doing?"

"Checking for brain damage," he answered. "In simulacra, like the one we're in now, brain damage could present itself in any number of ways. Mildew, mold. Rats indicate neurological issues. It's just to prepare you for reality re-entry."

"Reality re-entry?" Kara repeated.

"If you're not properly prepared when we wake you up, you could go into shock," Querl nodded. "Some people die immediately."

"Yeah," was all Kara could say to that, before she blinked. "Wait, though. Does . . . does that mean I'm ready to wake up?" she asked hopefully, standing up.

Querl blinked. "Did I bury the lede again?"

Kara whooped gleefully, tossing her pillow at him, making the Coluan catch it, startled. "Yes!" she cheered, turning around. "OK, do I need to do anything?"

"Well, your loft is the manifestation of your subconscious, and that door seems to be the only way in or out," Querl shrugged. "My assumption? Walk through it."

Kara nodded, walking over and putting her hand on the handle.

***

"It's starting to drain."

Oliver turned sharply when he heard Querl speak, and he hurried over to see Kara's tank was indeed starting to drain. "Is she OK?" he asked as Alex ran over, Barry and Sara turning to see what was going on.

Querl nodded in confirmation. "She's ready."

After a few seconds, though, there was no change in Kara's condition. "Kara?" Oliver asked, walking over to the tank. "Kara?"

"Kara?" Alex banged on the tank. "Kara, it's us!"

Querl frowned, looking at the tank in confusion as the water continued to drain, the level now at Kara's neck as her head lolled to the side. "She should be fine."

***

Kara yanked on the door repeatedly, looking between the door handle and the door itself before finally turning to look at Querl. "It's not opening."

Querl hurried to the door to try it himself, but it failed to open for him as well. "You should be fine!"

***

"I thought you said she was ready!" Oliver glared at Querl.

"She should be!" he insisted.

"Then why isn't she waking up?" Sara asked, looking the tank up and down.

Querl just shook his head, looking dumbfounded.

***

Kara growled, still yanking on the door, as if repeated attempts would end with the door miraculously opening. "Why won't this open?"

"Your body is fine," Querl told her, pouring himself a cup of tea. "We drained the tank. You suffered no ill-effects from the hibernation."

"Then why am I still stuck in my brain?!"

"There's nothing wrong with your brain," Querl shook his head. "We've ruled that out."

"Well, you're the 12th-level intellect," Kara stormed over. "Why don't you figure it out?"

Querl took an experimental sip of his drink, then frowned. "Well, that rules out the physical. So, barring another explanation, I would have to say the only thing keeping you here is

Kara did a double take, then scoffed. "Well, that doesn't make any sense, 'cause I'm the one that wants to get out of here. Then why won't this thing open? It opened for me earlier."

"To let me in," Querl reminded her, sitting down and crossing one leg over the other. "Going out – " He raised an eyebrow, watching Kara try to punch the door, only for it to warp and not give. "Different story. Is there some reason your subconscious might be – " He paused, watching Kara try again, ending with her staggering backwards. "Preventing your escape? Self-preservation, perhaps?"

Kara seethed, turning around and walking away from the door. "I'm not afraid," she stated.

"You were badly beaten," Querl pointed out, taking a sip of his drink, watching Kara turn and fire her heat vision at the door. "Fear is a logical response to that stimulus."

Kara jerked back slightly, clenching her hands into fists. "I am she roared, using her heat vision with all her might.

Querl winced as her heat vision backfired, making things all around him explode, paper flying everywhere. He looked down when part of his mug cracked and fell to the ground; when he looked back up, Kara was stopping her heat vision, looking around in horror . . . and slight fear.

***

"Come on, little one," Slade growled, looking down at the blonde Kryptonian lying in bed, the crown still on her forehead. "Snap out of it!"

"Brainy will figure it out," Mon-El assured him.

"Don't overpromise," Querl warned. "I've never seen anything like this before." Five vigilantes – one of them Kara's fiancé, the other four her siblings – turned stunned gazes at Querl, and Sara coughed meaningfully. Querl blinked, seeming to realize what he said. "I'm sorry," he looked down. "Insensitive."