Kara obviously knew herself very well, so she never guided Clark's thoughts and beliefs too much. At most, she taught him to master his powers and learn new things.
Instead, she highly praised Jonathan for guiding Clark.
Perhaps the path of a hero was difficult, but Kara believed Clark could do it. She didn't want him to become a reckless individual with powers due to her own influence. She was aware she couldn't provide the ideal example of what a hero should be.
After spending time together, Kara took Clark home.
Their encounter with the Trench creatures had been an accident, likely caused by the sheer impact of their earlier clashes. The vibrations had attracted the monsters.
For Kara, the creatures posed no threat, despite their underwater speed rivaling the speed of sound. Clark, however, was troubled by the realization that he may have taken lives during the fight. Kara didn't dwell on it, though, and returned to the site alone the following evening, only to find the creatures' bodies gone—likely dragged away by others of their kind.
After further exploration, Kara discovered a remote area under the sea teeming with Trench creatures. She deduced the ruins of the Trench Kingdom lay nearby.
The sheer number of creatures, possibly in the hundreds of thousands, made her scalp tingle. Clearing them out entirely was nearly impossible. Underwater, her heat vision was far less effective, and using it recklessly could evaporate large portions of the sea. Even her telekinesis and elemental control of water would only delay the inevitable resurgence of such creatures.
For years, Kara had ignored the Trench Kingdom to avoid unnecessary complications. If not for the accident, she would have continued to pretend it didn't exist.
After ensuring there was no immediate danger, Kara returned home. The next day, she planned to head back to Metropolis with Clark. It was time for her to resume work.
She couldn't help but imagine Perry White's reaction to her long absence—he was unlikely to be pleased. She prepared herself mentally for the scolding and made sure to have exclusive leads ready, such as the Batmobile's presence and Oracle's retirement.
On the morning of their departure, Jonathan drove them to the train station. Kara's car had been destroyed during her time away, and she'd need to replace it soon.
Upon arriving in Metropolis, Kara felt a wave of nostalgia. At the station exit, she and Clark parted ways. Clark headed to university for his classes, while Kara returned to the Daily Planet.
Many colleagues expressed surprise at Kara's sudden return.
"Kara, where have you been? You've been gone for so long!" asked one of her former classmates, who now worked at the Planet.
Kara smiled casually. "Something came up. I took a long leave, but I cleared it with Perry."
Others pulled her aside to share updates. "While you were gone, Kate Grant took over your column. Sales dropped at first but eventually recovered. You might want to watch your back."
Kara understood the workplace dynamics well but didn't take the warning to heart. She thanked her colleague and walked over to her old desk—now occupied by Kate.
Standing tall at 6'3", Kara's presence was impossible to ignore. Kate looked up from her work, offering a polite, "You're back, Kara."
"Oh?" Kara replied, feigning surprise. "We're on a first-name basis now?"
She smirked and leaned casually against the desk. "How's the column holding up?"
Kate nodded, looking somewhat nervous. "Thanks to your guidance and suggestions, I managed to keep it afloat. Now that you're back, I can hand it back over."
Kara waved her off. "Don't bother. The readers are starting to accept you. It'd be a shame to shake things up again."
Kate's eyes widened in disbelief. Kara's words made it clear she intended to let her keep the column—a significant gesture, considering how much effort Kara had put into building it.
"But this was your hard work…" Kate stammered.
Kara chuckled. "Relax. I've been thinking about starting a new column anyway. I'm considering something about food—sharing recipes and reviews. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"
Kate's relief was palpable. She hadn't stolen the column; rather, she'd filled in during Kara's absence and, with Kara's occasional advice, had managed to succeed.
Meanwhile, other colleagues who had been watching were surprised by Kara's generosity. Some had expected a showdown, while others had worried about the outcome. Kara, however, remained nonchalant.
Eventually, Perry White emerged from his office. Spotting Kara perched on Kate's desk, he called out, "Kara, Kate, in my office. Now."
Kara smirked and whispered to Kate, "I was wondering how long he could wait."
She slid off the desk, ready for whatever awaited her in Perry's office.
In Perry's office, Kara and Kate sat across from each other while Perry leaned against his desk.
"You're finally back," Perry said, glancing at Kara with a mix of relief and restrained curiosity. Concern was evident in his eyes, but he wisely refrained from asking too many questions.
Perry was no fool. Kara had hinted at things that most people would kill to know, but he had kept his distance. If someone less discreet had been in his place, Kara's secrets might have been exposed to the entire world.
Perry knew what was at stake. Even with Kara's subtle remarks, he had deduced that Batman might be Bruce Wayne. But crossing Bruce was dangerous—his resources and influence could crush anyone who opposed him. More importantly, if Kara was truly "Oracle," the ruthless vigilante who had taken down Lars and the League of Shadows with precision and force, keeping her secrets was as much an act of self-preservation as it was loyalty. Perry wasn't the Joker; he wasn't reckless enough to test those waters.
Instead, Perry made the wise decision to support Kara. His expression turned thoughtful as he studied her. "What's the plan now? Should Kate keep helping you?"
Kate kept her head lowered, not daring to interject. She was still new at the job. Kara had only been in Gotham for about a month, but her writing had already made an impact, outperforming Kate's column in every way. The profits didn't lie.
"No," Kara said decisively.
Her tone was calm yet resolute, and her piercing gaze landed on Kate, softening just slightly. Kara was many things, but breaking a promise wasn't one of them. "Kate's done an excellent job with her column. Let her keep running it. She's earned it."
Kate looked up, surprised but grateful.
Kara continued, her voice unwavering. "As for me, I'll start a new column. You've been on my case about slacking off, so it's time I put in the effort."
"Oh?" Perry raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "What's the topic this time?"
"Food," Kara said, her ruby-red eyes lighting up as she spoke.
Perry blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Food? What kind of angle are you thinking?"
Kara leaned back slightly, a smirk playing on her lips. "I want to combine local culture with food reviews. I'll describe the dishes, share the general process of making them, and throw in my own commentary. It'll be unique."
Perry considered her proposal, his skepticism showing. "Are you sure people will read it? Every TV channel has cooking shows already."
Kara shrugged nonchalantly. "You've got to take risks. If it doesn't work out, I'll pivot to something else—maybe fashion or even gossip columns. I can handle it."
Kate opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated.
Kara noticed and smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'm not being forced into this. I want to try something different. Sticking to one thing for too long gets dull." She paused and added with a teasing tone, "If it doesn't work out, maybe I'll switch careers entirely. How does 'screenwriter for Marvel' sound? I could adapt their comics into a cinematic universe."
Marvel comics were popular in Gotham, and Kara had noticed their consistent sales. The idea of spearheading a Marvel Cinematic Universe, producing 20 interconnected films over a decade, thrilled her. She chuckled inwardly, wondering if DC comics in the Marvel world were just as successful.
Perry, however, looked horrified. "Don't forget you're still under contract with us," he warned.
Kara rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, fine. If this food column doesn't perform for three consecutive issues, I'll write your gossip column."
"Deal," Perry said quickly, knowing he had little to lose. "But don't think you can slack off!"
"Never crossed my mind," Kara replied, grinning.
Perry suddenly held out his hand. "Now, hand it over."
Kate frowned, confused by the exchange.
Kara smirked and pulled a set of photographs from her jacket, placing them in Perry's outstretched hand. Kate gasped softly when she caught a glimpse—photos of Batman.
But the truth was far less scandalous. Kara had asked Bruce for some casual shots, including a few with herself, to use for her articles.
Before Perry could press for more, Kara dropped another bombshell. "By the way, tomorrow's headline can read: 'Oracle Announces Retirement.'"
Perry's jaw nearly dropped. He stared at her, searching for any sign she was joking.
Kara nodded, her expression calm but firm.
Relief flooded Perry's face, quickly replaced by excitement. "This is huge! We're going to sell out tomorrow!"
Kate, however, frowned. "Chief, shouldn't we be more concerned? What if Oracle was injured fighting the Joker? People love Oracle. You can't just celebrate without knowing the full story."
Perry glanced nervously at Kara, silently seeking confirmation.
Kara rolled her eyes and nudged Kate toward the door. "Relax, kid. I'm fine. Now, go finish your work."
Once outside, Kara stretched her arms above her head and sighed contentedly. "No column until next week. Looks like I've got a few days off."
Kate watched her in disbelief. "You're betting your reputation on this column, and you're taking it easy?!"
Kara simply laughed, pulling out her phone to call Dani. The two made plans to meet up for drinks, and Kara strolled out the door without a care in the world.
Moments later, Perry emerged from his office, looking around. "Where's Kara?"
Kate blinked. "She left."
"Left?!" Perry sputtered, his face red with exasperation. "She didn't finish designing the column layout or drafting the outline! Damn that woman!"
Kate stifled a giggle but said nothing, her mind still spinning from the whirlwind that was Kara.
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