Working on a crossover. (Patreon)

The world had been electrified by news of Superman’s cousin coming to Earth. Ever since last year,, when a series of interviews by Lois Lane had delved into Superman’s feelings of isolation, meager as they were, the world’s heart had gone out to him. Kara was seen as an end to his loneliness. Most, not knowing any better, expected her to join her cousin in the costumed family business. Many even looked for evidence of a romantic relationship between the two. All were surprised when Kal-El announced that Kara would be joining him as a superhero—once she finished training at the X-Mansion. In mutant circles, it was considered a huge get for Scott Summers. He and Xavier had long dreamed of teaching not just mutants, but metahumans and even exceptionally intelligent baseline humans in how to responsibly build their jetpacks and powered armor. Being trusted by Superman would also help their cause. He also knew that Kal wasn’t just trusting him to teach Kara, but to defend her. It would take years of exposure to yellow sun before she was at all as powerful as her cousin. The placement was a mutual-defense pact. Bigots knew the school was defended, as did enemies of Superman. Kara hated it. Hated Superpowered Ethics with Professor Wagner, hated Posthuman Biology with Professor McCoy, hated Extreme Condition Survival with Professor Logan. The only course she could at all stand was Self-Defense with Professor Summers. Typically, no one else liked it. They all wanted to learn how to crack heads from a badass. They didn’t get that he was teaching them control, the primitives. She was the only one who showed up for his tutoring sessions. She still disliked it, though. Learning judo flips and blocks. Maybe she only went because she didn’t have to put up with any other students. ”Why do I need to learn how to fight someone stronger than me? Once I soak up enough sun, there won’t be anyone stronger than me.” Scott lunged at her again. She grabbed his arm to flip him, but he slipped out of her too-loose hold. “There’s always someone stronger. I know it’s frustrating, being powerless—“ “It’s normal.” “Look at this as an opportunity.” He gestured for her to come at him. She gave it her best shot, ended up flat on the mat. “You can learn how to fight before you’re tempted to coast on your powers. And you know what it’s like to be weak.” Kara got back up, hating how her muscles stung. Not a feeling she’d ever have on krypton. “I’m not weak, I’m normal. You keep saying I’m going to fly and lift boulders and shoot lasers from my eyes. That’s never been my life. I grew up ‘powerless.’ Now I’m getting stronger every day and—fine, I’m gonna fight monsters.” “You’ll help people,” Scott assured her. “Sometimes by fighting monsters. Come on, let’s see another try.” Kara rushed him. Got his arm twisted around his back and shoved him to the ground before he could break loose. She wasn’t sure she could hold him. He simply tapped. “Good.” *** He was also concerned about her heatvision. Worried that when it came in, she wouldn’t be able to control it. He led her blindfolded through the mansion’s hedge maze. “Green-K radiation. Red sunlight. Magic. Your powers aren’t guaranteed. They can be taken. If they are, you’ll need to be able to fight like this.” “Like someone put a blindfold on me?” she asked, stumbling into a hedge. “If your ocular powers are out of control, you won’t be able to use your sight.” Spitting leaves, Kara followed his voice. “It’s not like I can see where I’m going.” “Not a fair comparison. You already know the maze.” “We redid it after the last Reaver attack. Focus. Hear the interaction of the wind with the leaves around you.” So saying, Scott took a corner. Kara followed him, though her shoulder brushed against a bush. His footsteps were light, but she could hear them if she strained. That wasn’t good enough for her, though. Scott was being too smug for her to want to learn something from him; she wanted to cheat instead. She’d always heard jokes about her X-ray vision. If she could just look through her blindfold. She applied herself. Eyes opened, she focused on the inside of the blindfold, trying to see into the cloth, see through it—and abruptly, she saw out into the world. A hedge row stood before her; abruptly vanished as she looked through it. She reined it in like she were focusing her eyes. Her sight slipped back and she was only looking through the blindfold, no further. She felt a bit like she was near-sighted, having to adjust her vision constantly. She looked over to see Scott. True to his word, he’d taken his visor off, which meant he was navigating the maze by only four senses.