While many around them sighed in relief that the war had ended before it even began, Supergirl stood stiffly, her eyes narrowed and full of accusation. She pointed at Ace, voice sharp "You destroyed their minds. You can't just do that. Only a monster would be happy doing something like that!"
Ace didn't reply. She merely turned to Courtney, her expression flat.
"What's wrong with her?" she asked calmly.
Courtney smiled knowingly and replied "She's just salty she couldn't show off. Her powers are disabled here and all."
Supergirl's mood only darkened at Courtney's words. She shot a glare at Green Lantern and said coldly "We should leave."
Just then, the barbarian leader, who had just returned from issuing orders, overheard her. He quickly interjected, "Please, stay. If only for a little while. We want to thank you properly."
Courtney's smile widened mischievously. "Let's stay a bit longer. The place is pretty interesting, right, Ace?"
Ace looked around the primitive yet magical surroundings, the forests, the hidden cities built into mountains. After a moment, she shrugged, "Fine. I can stay. Makes no difference."
Green Lantern, however, crossed his arms and said firmly "We need to talk about that Kryptonite rock before we leave. That thing can't stay here."
The group naturally split after that. Ace, Courtney, and Pat headed back inside the fortress to chat and relax, while Green Lantern followed the barbarian leader to discuss the dangerous glowing rock.
Supergirl remained standing alone, simmering with barely-contained anger. After a few moments, she turned and stormed off, disappearing toward a nearby stone wall overlooking the sprawling forests.
Amazo, who had been following Ace at first, noticed. His synthetic mind debated the situation for a moment before he spoke up to Ace "I will scan the Earth's core while we are staying here."
Ace nodded absently, waving him off as she continued inside with Courtney and Pat.
Meanwhile, Supergirl sat on the wall, arms wrapped around her knees, gazing down at the endless greenery below. When she heard footsteps approaching, she turned slightly, only to look away immediately in distaste when she saw it was Amazo.
Without a preamble, Amazo asked "Why are you hostile toward me and Ace? I don't believe we have had any confrontation since my return to Earth."
Supergirl clenched her jaw. "You are asking after what she has done?" she replied.
"Ace just knocked them out and no one is harmed permanently and you have been hostile toward us even before that" Amazo added.
"Why do you care?" Supergirl snapped at him.
Amazo spoke thoughtfully "My father always said to make friends where you can. Having an enemy for an unknown reason violates that directive."
Supergirl's shoulders tensed. She turned, fury blazing in her blue eyes.
"Did Ashborn also tell you," she spat "to clone someone and treat the clone better than the original?"
Amazo observed her quietly, his eyes analyzing her emotions, before speaking calmly "You are angry because Father had a hand in Tea's creation? He helped, yes... But according to the information I was given, it was a logical decision. He did not betray you. He was unaware of exactly what Cadmus was working on. Though there is a moral ambiguity considering he expected the outcome"
Supergirl's hands tightened into fists. Her whole body trembled with anger.
"I forgave him for that when I first knew about it," she said, her voice shaking. "But he knew how hurt and angry I was about having a clone and he still went on and invited her into his home. Even if he wanted a mother for you... he had to pick my own clone and say it in my face?!"
Amazo tilted his head again, clearly confused by her assumption "There is a misunderstanding you have," he said plainly "Tea is not taken in as our mother... nor as a sibling for that matter."
Supergirl narrowed her eyes at Amazo, her voice dripping with disbelief.
"Oh right," she said sarcastically. "And what is she then? Your nanny?"
Amazo answered without hesitation "She was our chauffeur. Her job was to take us to school in the morning, bring us back afterward, and drive us on outings and shopping days."
Supergirl scoffed loudly, crossing her arms tightly over her chest "As if I would believe that," she snapped. "She's living with you, isn't she?"
Amazo nodded without any sign of shame or discomfort. "Her identity is sensitive. She had nowhere else to go. It was also more convenient to keep her around. Father had a hand in her creation and the choice to walk away from Cadmus' orders, regardless of the circumstances, he held a direct responsibility for her and chose to help."
Supergirl hesitated, confusion flashing across her face for the first time as she recalled her clone words, she has never forgotten the Watchtower fight. She didn't expect such a straightforward answer. Amazo, seeing her reaction, continued:
"Father was right. He suspected you stopped dropping by and cut all ties because you hated that your clone was being helped by him."
Supergirl felt like the ground under her shifted. Her lips parted slightly, stunned. "You're telling me..." she said slowly, "the reason the clone didn't kill me... was because of Ashborn?"
Amazo nodded "I don't know the exact details, but yes. He convinced her to walk away from killing you... and from destroying the Watchtower."
Supergirl blinked rapidly, her mind racing "And," she asked, "the two of them... they had no relation or intention besides Ashborn giving her a place to stay and a job?"
Again, Amazo nodded without hesitation.
He paused for a moment before adding "To keep things clear, Father and Tea had no relation beyond that. He only wanted to help. He bore no malice toward you at all. And I assure you, Tea is her own person now."
Supergirl barely had time to process that when Amazo continued "But over time, she changed. And even two months ago, she and Father grew closer and… went on a date together. You don't need to worry about her coming after you or trying to take your place"
With that, Amazo turned around and left, believing he had clarified the misunderstanding and set things straight.
Supergirl remained seated on the wall, staring at the forest without seeing it. A sensation like ice water poured over her head, chilling her to the bone as realization dawned.
Galatea lied to her.
The clone had lied back then, manipulated her, twisted the truth and she wasn't clear enough with Ashborn to fix the mess before it grew.
For a brief second, guilt prickled her chest but it was washed away almost instantly by something much stronger.
Fury.
A deep, burning fury erupted from within her, hotter and more consuming than anything she had ever felt before.
Galatea had lied. Galatea had taken her place. Galatea had warmed her way into the life Supergirl thought she lost.
Everything that had gone wrong, the broken bond, the loneliness, the silent resentment, all of it now had a face.
Supergirl stood up slowly, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.
There was only one thought ringing in her head now, clear and loud: Galatea will pay.
___________
Two hours later, after much discussion and consideration, the group made their decision.
The giant kryptonite rock would remain hidden deep within the mountain. It was agreed that this was the only place where it could actually do good, safely tucked away from the wrong hands. However, to prevent any future threats, the entrance leading toward the Earth's core would be sealed off permanently.
With that settled, the group prepared to leave.
Amazo, ever helpful, offered "I can teleport those heading to Metropolis."
Courtney and her stepfather, Pat, immediately agreed, welcoming the quick trip home. Green Lantern and Supergirl, however, politely or in Supergirl's case, tensely declined, choosing instead to take their own way back.
Thus, the group was divided.
Amazo gathered those who agreed, and with a brief shimmer of golden light, teleported them all straight back into the heart of Metropolis.
As they landed safely, Pat let out a low whistle. "Thanks for the quick ride, Amazo. Sure beats driving."
Amazo nodded with a polite smile, hands behind his back in his usual calm stance.
Courtney stretched her arms above her head, then leaned closer to Ace, whispering with a mischievous glint
"Hey, did you notice Supergirl's face before we left? I've never seen her look like that... It was like she wanted to kill someone!"
Ace, standing lazily against, nodded casually "Yeah... maybe she got that mad just from us staying a little longer," she said, shrugging. "Could be we just annoyed her."
Neither seemed particularly concerned about it.
Meanwhile, Amazo remained silent. He hadn't commented during their conversation, but deep down he knew better. He had a strong suspicion that it wasn't just their extended stay that had triggered Supergirl's rage.
He figured it had something to do with the conversation they shared earlier, about Tea, about their father, about truths that maybe weren't so easy to digest.
Something he said must have infuriated her beyond measure.
Still, Amazo made no outward sign of it. Instead, he calmly decided he would bring it up with his father later.
After all, in his own words he was just an underaged super android. He tried to help and it seems it backfired. Handling messy emotional conflicts isn't his strong suit. In retrospect, that sounded like a job for someone far more experienced in the first place, his father.