Girls of Steel: Rewritten

The Lake

Kara was a morning person.

Cora wasn't. At least, not today.

"Come on," Kara said as she dragged her cousin out of the house. Cora shielded her eyes from the sun.

"It's too bright," she complained. Barry handed her a pair of tinted glasses as he put on his own. She put it on, and it helped, though not much. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Alura, Oliver, and Iris, who looked just as cheerful as Kara, joined them in the foyer of the house. Alura carried a basket filled with food while Oliver carried a blanket. "Are we all ready to go?" Alura asked.

"Yup." Kara and the others nodded.

"No, it's too early," Cora said with a frown. She was ignored.

"Then let's go," her aunt said as they set off for the lake.

***

It didn't take them long to get to the lake. It was surrounded by short mountains and had a waterfall on its northern side. The water was crystal clear and seemed to glow under the rays of the sun.

They set up a picnic spot a few feet away from the waterfall. Alura set up an umbrella and took a seat while the others got ready to swim. "The water looks good," she said as she got out a holotext.

"Why don't you join us?" Kara asked her mother, who just shook her head.

"I have... What did Kal call it? PTSD, I think it was."

"PTSD?" Iris asked as she tiptoed to the edge of the lake. "Where did you get that?"

"Ask those two," she replied with a nod towards her daughter and niece. "Those two are the most competitive swimmers I've ever met."

"I believe that," Oliver said with a grin. Kara shot him a glare, but a glare from Kara was like a glare from a puppy.

"Well, now you've met a third," Iris said with a sigh. "Barry's as competitive as they come, especially when it has anything to do with speed."

"Race?" Cora asked Kara and Barry as she finally got over her grogginess. They nodded and made their way to the water. Barry spotted a short cliff overlooking the lake and pointed at it.

"Wanna race til there and see who can make the biggest splash?" The two Kryptonians nodded, and the three raced to the top while the others laughed at their childishness.

Barry won, obviously, since neither Els had their superspeed. Cora approached the cliff just after him and smiled at her cousin in victory as she ran up to them.

"You're second, not first," Kara grumbled.

"At least I'm not last." Her cousin rolled her eyes as Barry chuckled. He took a few steps away from the edge, sprinted forward, and cannonballed into the lake. The water sprayed far, and we their hair. Cora turned to Kara with a smirk. "I bet I can still make a bigger splash."

"You're on."

She followed Barry's actions and jumped into the lake. The water felt pleasantly cold on her skin as she broke its surface. There was a loud splash and a loud cheer from Iris. Her body quickly sunk to the bottom of the lake, but she wasn't worried. It wouldn't take long for gravity to do its job. She let the cool, familiar current of her favourite lake surround her.

***

Then, it was replaced by a sharp, cold breeze.

She landed feet first on the ground. She opened her eyes in confusion only to find herself surrounded by a frozen wasteland. She looked at the ground behind her to find herself standing on the edge of a frozen lake. She shivered and hugged herself to retain heat. She turned back to the frozen land in front of her and walked further in.