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[b]January 1, 2016[/b]

A steady, driving rain fell over the quiet streets of Metropolis on a grey New Year’s Day. The rain mixed with the dust and debris from the attack a mere week before, creating a haze in the air and a dirty slush on the ground. It was as if the city itself was showing its grief at the tragic loss of life that had occurred here on what is normally one of the happiest nights of the year. When people had normally been tucked into their beds awaiting a happy Christmas morning, this year they had been running for their lives as an unimaginable horror was tearing their beloved city apart. It had ended nearly as suddenly as it began, but not before fire, death, and destruction held court in the City of Tomorrow.

The biggest blow, of course, was that Superman, the protector of Metropolis, fell in order to stop the beast known as Doomsday. There had been a growing unease about superhuman activities in the country and across the world, but no one ever spoke ill of Superman in Metropolis. He was their favorite son. He was their shield. He was their hero. His loss had been felt across the world, of course, but none were more devastated than the people of the city he had called home. They now lined a street leading to Centennial Park, waiting in sadness for the funeral to begin, a sea of black umbrellas covering their mourning figures. There were so many they filled the majority of the park, save for the area cornered off for the VIPs.

In the park, Superman’s closest friends packed in a small semicircle on a bare hill overlooking the park. There, where a statue commemorating Superman’s heroics stood, was now a gleaming stone tomb. It would be here where Superman would be interred, allowing people to pay their respects.  

At a podium in front of the tomb stood Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin and the hero known as Supergirl. Kara was adorned in flowing black robes with the crest of the house of El emblazoned in silver on her chest. Her hair was braided tightly on the back of her head, uncharacteristic for her free spirited ways. Kara stood awkwardly, trying to keep her height off her right leg which was still tender from the fight with Doomsday.

She scanned the assembled crowd, her heart breaking as she did so. The front row was comprised of the Justice League, save for Batman who was nowhere to be seen. She cursed under her breath that he wasn’t here. Wonder Woman, whom Kara felt had shut herself off since the event, looked down at her feet, a pose Kara had nearly never seen from her. 

Behind them, the younger heroes were assembled. Konnor Kent, Superboy, wore a scowl on his face, but that was honestly normal. Kara felt that his anger at his situation had become worse since Clark died. Next to him was Kaldur. He had been a rock for her since she lost her cousin, and he looked as steady as he always did in his formal Atlantean garb.

In the back were assorted civilians, including Lois Lane and Jim Olsen, both of whom were tired and out of tears. Next to them, however, was the most heartbreaking sight of all. Jonathan and Martha Kent sat, completely anonymous due to the desire to keep Kal’s secret identity safe. Jonathan looked tired, but better than he should have, by all rights. He was the reason Kal became Superman, and the old man was proud of his son for saving Metropolis, no matter how much he missed him. Martha, on the other hand, looked like a wreck. Kara had visited them a few times in the week, and Martha had barely come out of her room. It broke her heart to see the Kents this way, and she looked away before the tears started.

She approached the microphone, and cleared her throat. She heard the sound echo through the city, as they had set up the city’s PA system in order to allow the citizens in the city to hear the speech as well. Kara looked down and shuffled her feet before looking up and behind her at the statue of her cousin. She hadn’t prepared anything, and she wasn’t all that sure what she was going to say. But seeing the gleaming marble figure of the hero the words came to her, “Truth...justice...the American way. These are the things many people have said my cousin stood for, and in a way they weren’t wrong. Kal-El was a man who stood for many things, but there was one that stood above all the others. That was hope. Superman was defined by hope. He wanted to foster it all of us, hero and civilian alike. Because he believed in a better future for the people of this world. He may not have come from here, but Superman cared about the people of this planet. He didn’t put on that cape for glory or ego. No, he did it for every single one of the so-called little guys he saved. Because he knew every human life had potential to create the better world he dreamed of, and I’m willing to bet all of you have the same dream. That’s why you lined the streets on a day like this to remember him. Some of you may think the dream of that better future died with my cousin, but I’m here to say it doesn’t have to. As long as we continue to fight together against the evils in this world, and keep that hope alive in our hearts, Superman’s death will not have been in vain. Together we can keep his spirit alive, and together, as he believed, we cannot be defeated.”

Kara smiled weakly at her allies and stepped back from the podium. She didn’t know if what she said made any sense, or if it would get her point across, but she hoped it would. She meant every word. Without Clark, they’d all need to work together to survive.