I started imagining what kind of suit I wanted, and suddenly, hundreds of designs flashed in my mind—some I'd never even seen before. It was like scrolling through a superhero costume-making website, except it all felt real. I realized this must be my Creation Divinity at work, guiding me. At first, I thought about going with a suit similar to Superman's, but I wanted something that set me apart.
Instead of the classic blue and red with touches of gold, I envisioned something that stood out—something unique to me. I didn't have a particular preference at first, so I closed my eyes to visualize different possibilities. I imagined a black suit with silver accents, but it didn't quite click. I went through several versions in my head, each one missing that spark of inspiration. Then it hit me—a design flashed in my mind: Val-Zod's superhero suit. The metallic blue, the silver wrist guards, and the silvery white cape and boots. It stood out.
But I knew I wanted to put my own twist on it. I wanted that same bold color scheme, but with the streamlined, textured design of the DCEU Man of Steel's suit. The emblem on my chest wouldn't be the House of El's symbol, though. No, I had something else in mind. I wanted the emblem of Rao's house, symbolizing something greater, but in colors of red, white, and silver—not the typical black.
Then came the real challenge—deciding what material to use. Should I go for Promethium? Nth metal? Or maybe aim for something even more powerful, like Element X or Tenth Metal? These were some of the strongest materials in the universe, and at my current level, it was a tall order to conjure even a small amount. I decided to start with Element X. At level 1, I could only produce a limited amount, but as my Creation Divinity grew, I would be able to forge stronger metals and in larger quantities. One day, I might even bend reality itself—build entire universes, or create life.
The rush of excitement threatened to overtake me, but I had to stay grounded. There was time for all that later. For now, I focused on the task at hand.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the task at hand—creating the perfect suit. I envisioned every detail, feeling the fabric in my mind, the strength of the metal, the flow of energy.
Within seconds, like a puff of magic, the suit materialized before me, glowing with a radiant light. The moment I touched it, I felt an instant connection. The suit turned into liquid, wrapping around me and merging with my body. As soon as it did, I felt incredible. It wasn't just wearing a costume—it became part of me.
I noticed the glow was a bit much, though. Not wanting to stand out too much, I willed the brightness to dim. Instantly, the suit responded, and the glow faded, leaving me with a sleek, powerful look. I smiled, admiring the results. "Awesome," I muttered under my breath.
Feeling a surge of adrenaline, I decided to test it out. I dashed up to the roof of my building and, with a slight bend of my knees, willed myself to fly. And wow. In a flash, I shot into the sky, breaking through Mach 20 with ease, leaving a trail of sonic booms in my wake. The sheer speed was exhilarating. My speed kept increasing and soon I was hitting Mach 50 easily. While flying the sun's rays didn't bother me at all—in fact, they felt empowering.
As I soared higher, I could feel the sunlight energizing me, like I could control every photon that reached Earth. I realized I had the power to manipulate the sun itself. I could trigger solar flares if I wanted to, but I quickly dismissed the thought—it was dangerous. The longer I stayed in the sunlight, the stronger I became.
As I soared back home, the thought of the young girl in the abandoned building weighed on my mind. I couldn't shake the image of her alone and vulnerable. But before I could act, I scanned the city from above, making sure no one else needed immediate help. That's when I spotted it—a school bus swerving erratically through the streets of Blüdhaven. The bus slammed into parked cars, and I could hear the terrified screams of children inside. The driver—clearly drunk—was doing this on purpose, steering the bus like a weapon.
Without a second thought, I flew toward the bus at lightning speed. As I approached the back, I confirmed that it was a rear-wheel drive, with the engine at the back. I quickly lifted the bus and used my freeze breath to stall the engine, stopping the rear wheels from spinning. All of this was done in the blink of an eye, with the kids and the driver practically frozen in mid-air, moving in slow motion toward the windshield.
I broke through the rear window and wrapped the drunken driver in my biosphere before he could hit the front windshield, pulling him out of the bus and dropping him safely—well, safely enough—on the side of the street. Then I turned back to the kids, who were still mid-flight, their faces contorted in fear. One by one, I wrapped them in my biosphere, carefully lowering them out of the bus and placing them across the street, far away from the driver.
Once the kids were safe, I returned to the bus, still hovering above the ground. I slowly lifted the vehicle above my head, moving at a pace that allowed time to catch up with itself. The moment my feet touched the ground, reality snapped back. The children, who had been so close to disaster, were suddenly aware of what had happened. They looked at me—holding the bus above the street—and erupted into cheers, tears of relief streaming down their faces.
The police, who had been chasing the bus, finally caught up. They arrived just in time to see me gently lowering the bus to the ground. Their faces were a mix of awe and disbelief. Before they could say anything, I flew over to where the bus driver was trying to flee. With a quick swoop, I grabbed him and brought him back to the officers, depositing him at their feet.
The cops eyed me cautiously, unsure of who or what I was. But before they could react, the five kids rushed forward, wrapping their arms around me in tearful gratitude. Their voices rang out as they thanked me, hugging me tightly. I couldn't help but smile as I returned the gesture.
One of the officers, a sergeant judging by the stripes on his uniform, stepped forward. "What's your name?" he asked, still trying to piece together what he'd just witnessed.
I paused for a moment, thinking about what name to use. Then, with a smile, I answered, "Hello, Sergeant Michael. My hero's name is Sentry."
As I floated into the air, the crowd that had gathered around began to cheer. I heard someone shout, "We finally have a real superhero! Thank you, Sentry!" Another voice chimed in, "About time! Blüdhaven has enough vigilantes. We needed a hero like Superman or Flash. Now we finally have one!"
I hovered above them, smiling at the sight of people cheering and clapping. I raised my voice so everyone could hear. "It's my pleasure. Blüdhaven has a protector now. My name is Sentry, and I'm here to stay."
With that, I shot into the sky, leaving behind a trail of sonic booms and a city filled with hope.
As I reached my apartment, I quickly changed into something less conspicuous—my usual Yankee cap and a face mask. Heading downstairs, I mulled over how to approach Cassandra without making her feel threatened or defensive. I knew she was cautious, so I had to tread lightly.
Before I reached the abandoned building where she was staying, I scanned the area. Through the broken windows, I spotted her sitting there, flipping through the pages of a comic book. It caught me off guard—I had assumed she was reading, but it was clear she was just analyzing the frames, likely trying to understand what the pictures meant without knowing the words. I smiled at her way of piecing it all together.
As I neared the building, about a block away, I noticed her movement. She'd taken her eyes off the comic and was now focused on the entrance. She knew I was coming. When I reached the building's entrance, I looked up to see her watching me from the broken window. To show her I meant no harm, I took off my cap and face mask, offering her a reassuring smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded in acknowledgment. It was a small sign of trust.
Deciding to match her athleticism, I performed a quick jump and flip, landing gracefully on the other side of the fence. Her expression shifted—there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected me to be able to move like that.
She was staying on the third floor, which, compared to the rest of the building, was in better shape. I approached slowly, and when I was close enough, I pulled out a paper map. Using hand gestures and my eyes, I asked her to come over and take a look. She cautiously walked over, intrigued. I pointed to a dot on the map, one I had marked with a simple drawing of a bed and small figures, then looked at her and back at the map. I repeated the motion, pointing at myself, and then back at the bed symbol—hoping she would understand it was my home.
Then, I pointed at her, then at me, and back at the drawing, trying to communicate my offer for her to stay at my place. To drive the point home, I mimicked eating food, hoping she'd understand that food was part of the deal. She nodded but narrowed her eyes, her expression intense. For a second, I thought she might be angry, but I quickly realized that was her "thinking face." She was weighing her options.
After what felt like an eternity, she raised her finger, signaling she'd give me one chance. If anything made her uncomfortable, she would be gone. I gave her a thumb-up, acknowledging her terms. Satisfied, she packed up her tattered sleeping bag and comic book, slipping them into her backpack. With a nod, she indicated she was ready to go.
We made our way out of the building, both performing a similar jump and flip to leave. Walking through the streets with Cassandra, I was starting to feel more at ease. That was, until I heard it.
A laugh.
But not just any laugh—the kind of maniacal laughter that sent shivers down your spine. It was twisted, filled with a madness only found in Gotham. My heart sank. I wasn't ready for that kind of evil.
I focused on the sound, trying to pinpoint it, while Cassandra watched me, noticing my change in expression. She gave me a curious look, wondering what was wrong. I quickly forced a smile and gave her a thumbs-up to show everything was fine. She smiled back, trusting me, and nodded.
But deep down, I knew better. Somewhere in the distance, the Joker was out there... and I wasn't ready to face him. Not yet.
Then I heard it again.
HAHAHA!
"It's about time... It's Showtime! HAHAHA! Remember, it's his debut! I'm so proud of him! Harley, is everything ready?"
Harley's voice chimed in. "Yes, puddin'. We've been tailing him all week. Commissioner Gordon will be home tonight... with his daughter, Barbara."
Joker's voice, gleeful as ever, sent shivers down Kyn's spine. "Wonderful! Let's go get him. I brought my special drink and a camera for the occasion! HAHAHA! It's going to be a night to remember. No mistakes!"
Oh no...
As I walked with Cassandra, I couldn't shake the feeling that this world was somehow... off. Things were happening at different times, events overlapping in ways that didn't make sense. It felt like reality itself was scrambled. But for now, I had to focus on the present, and that meant taking care of her.
We passed by a small pizzeria, and I pointed to it, raising an eyebrow in question. Her stomach answered before she could, and she gave me a nod, her eyes lighting up at the thought of food. I ordered two large pizza pies and a two-liter soda—she had pointed at the soda when we were ordering, and it seemed like her silent way of telling me what she wanted.
A few minutes later, we were headed back to my place, the aroma of hot pizza filling the air. I brought her inside and showed her the second bedroom in the house, which used to belong to my parents. It felt strange, offering someone a place to stay in the room that once housed so many memories. I'd cleared most of it out, but my adoptive mother's nicest clothes were still there, hanging in the closet and folded in drawers. I pointed to them, signaling that Cassandra could use them if she wanted. I also showed her the shared bathroom, making sure she understood we'd have to take turns.
She nodded, her expression soft and grateful. Once everything was settled, I flipped on the TV and found some cartoons. The moment the colorful characters appeared on the screen, her face lit up, and she gave me a big smile and a thumbs up. It was like seeing a different side of her—innocence breaking through the hardened exterior. We sat down with the pizzas and soda, her eyes darting between bites of pizza and the TV, engrossed in the show.
While she was enjoying the cartoons, I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening elsewhere. I had a plan for tonight, and it involved Barbara Gordon. I tapped Cassandra's shoulder and told her I'd be heading out for a bit. She gave me a quick nod, too absorbed in the cartoon to ask any questions.
I grabbed my cap and face mask, stepping out of the apartment. The cool night air hit me as I walked through the streets until I reached a dark alley. It was time to switch gears. With a burst of super speed, I changed into my superhero suit, and in an instant, I blasted off into the sky, leaving sonic booms in my wake.
Within seconds, I was at Barbara's apartment building. I landed softly on the fire escape, hiding in the shadows as I waited. Tonight, a villain was supposed to show up, and I was going to be ready when they did. But as I waited, I couldn't help but think about how strange it was—everything felt out of sync, like this world wasn't following the rules it once had.
Whatever was coming, I had to be prepared.
It didn't take long Just as I was settling in, I heard two cars screech to a halt outside the Gordon's apartment building. The doors flew open, and Joker's goons piled out like clowns at a circus, one by one. The last to emerge was, of course, the man himself—Joker—wearing an absurd tropical shirt, shorts, and a purple hat. A camera dangled from his neck, like a tourist on vacation. Harley Quinn followed closely behind, grinning like she'd just hit the jackpot.
The goons escorted Joker to the elevator, where he hummed and giggled, clearly enjoying his "grand entrance." Right before reaching the Gordons' floor, one of the henchmen handed him a gun. Joker, being Joker, instantly turned the gun on the poor guy, laughing maniacally as the henchman nearly wet himself. "Why the sourpuss? It's just a joke!" Joker cackled, causing everyone, except me, to freeze.
I knew what was coming. Joker knocked on the door, but before Barbara could even move, I made my entrance—shattering the window as if it were tissue paper, landing right in front of her.
Without a word, I yanked the door open, and—Bang! —a bullet hit me square in the chest... only to fall flat to the floor like a crumpled piece of paper. I couldn't help but smile. No pain, no scratch—just a mildly amusing thud. With a concealed grin behind my face mask, I locked eyes with Joker, whose expression shifted from confusion to gleeful madness.
"HAHAHA!" Joker hollered, unloading his gun at me. The bullets were about as effective as shooting spitballs. "Who are you? And why do you remind me of someone I despise? Why can't it be Batsy? I really hate surprises!"
Before his goons could join the party, I melted their guns with a quick flick of my heat vision. They looked shocked, but not for long—I knocked them out with a light tap at super speed, barely grazing the back of their necks. I didn't want to harm them, so I kept it simple. Harley tried to charge at me, but I gave her an even softer nudge, ensuring she'd wake up pain-free.
Joker, of course, attempted to make a run for it. I caught him mid-stride before he could even hit the stairs, lifting him effortlessly. Freezing him with a gentle puff of my super breath, I made sure not to harm him too much. The scum deserved a fate worse than Arkham.
I stood there, noticing the way Barbara looked at me—a mixture of gratitude and curiosity, maybe even something more. Commissioner Gordon, however, remained cautious, his piercing gaze weighing me from head to toe like a seasoned detective sizing up a situation. He didn't speak, but his silence said enough: he was grateful but suspicious.
Barbara's eyes lingered on me; her voice softer but still direct. "Thank you... If it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd be standing here right now. Probably wouldn't have survived it. By the way, who are you? I haven't seen you around."
I returned her look with a calm smile, keeping my tone steady. "Name's Sentry. I'm new in town—well, I'm actually based in Blüdhaven, but I've been... expanding my range."
Her curiosity grew, and I could sense the unspoken questions in her mind. "Blüdhaven? You're a bit far from home, aren't you?" she asked with a slight smile, her expression softening.
I nodded. "I overheard the Joker's plans with my super hearing. When I realized what he had in mind, I couldn't just stand by. It wasn't exactly part of my plan to step into Gotham, but when lives are at stake..." I let the thought hang, hoping the message was clear: I wasn't about to let anyone die, regardless of city boundaries.
Barbara then asked "What are you going to do with the Joker?"
"Something special," I replied, closing my eyes and concentrating. A rift began to form—a tear in space itself. Barbara and Commissioner Gordon's eyes widened in disbelief as they watched a door materialize.
I thawed the ice encasing Joker and casually tossed him through the portal. The door shrank, then closed, leaving only a faint ripple behind.
Commissioner Gordon, still stunned, asked, "Sentry, what was that door? Where did you send him?"
"That's the Phantom Zone," I explained, keeping my tone calm. "It's a pocket universe where Krypton's worst criminals were sent and it's the planet that Superman came from. They can see the real world but can't interact with it. No aging, no food, no escape—true solitary confinement. Joker will be trapped there, alone, with no one to laugh at his twisted jokes."
Barbara and her father exchanged glances, slowly realizing the full weight of what I had done. I gave them a nod, then turned to leave. "Tell your boss he's welcome," I said with a smirk to Barbara, before flying off back to Blüdhaven.
After landing in the dark alley, I used my super speed to quickly change back into my casual clothes—a cap and face mask—and walked back to my apartment. As I entered, I noticed Cassandra had fallen asleep on the sofa, with the TV still playing cartoons in the background. Her small frame looked worn out, the day clearly having taken its toll on her.
I walked over quietly, not wanting to startle her, and gently tapped her shoulder. She stirred and opened her eyes, blinking up at me with a sleepy smile. I returned her smile and made a gesture mimicking a shower, then pointed at the pink towel I had bought for her earlier in the day. Understanding what I meant, she nodded and got up, heading to the bathroom.
Before she went in, I motioned for her to take her nightclothes with her, pointing to the pajamas I had also bought. She gave me another nod, quickly retrieving them from her bedroom before heading back to the bathroom. Cassandra wasn't like most people who linger in the shower for ages—she was in and out in just 15 minutes, efficient as ever. When she returned, dressed in her new pajamas, she settled back on the sofa and resumed watching the cartoons that were still playing.
I smiled at her content expression, then gathered the leftover pizza and stored it in the fridge. Afterward, it was my turn to freshen up. I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, and once I was done, we both sat together for a while, quietly watching TV.
The sense of companionship was nice, even if neither of us spoke much. Eventually, the night caught up with us. We both headed to our separate rooms, ready to get some well-deserved sleep. It had been a long day, but things felt a little more peaceful now.