Straight to the point, as expected. I leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms casually. "Good evening to you too, Batman, and welcome to Blüdhaven," I said, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Name's Kyn. What else do you need to know?"
The Dark Knight's eyes squinted in suspicion, his voice calm but carrying that unmistakable edge. "The Kyn James I found records of was a bullied orphan who lost his adoptive parents in a car explosion at sixteen. Barely finished high school. No significant accomplishments. Then there's the orphanage you grew up in—no traces of your past. Just a headmistress who claimed she found a newborn at the door with nothing but a note stating your name. Normal blood, normal body functions. So, I'll ask again—who are you, and how did you gain these powers?"
I watched him carefully, keeping my cool as he continued, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
"Why do you have Superman's powers? I've been monitoring you—and that girl who's also been living in this house. Specifically, you, since yesterday. You didn't detect me. I've noticed your mannerisms seem human, genuine even, not faked. I ran multiple scans, but every attempt to analyze your abilities came up empty. That forced me to come here sooner than I had planned."
His eyes narrowed further, the weight of his presence pressing down on me like a storm cloud. "Now, answer my questions, Kyn!"
Before I could respond, I heard a rapid series of footsteps—Cass, in her Whisper Suit, moving at super speed. The door slammed open so hard it cracked the wall behind it. She lunged straight at Batman, her fist aimed at his chest, no doubt trying to protect me. I acted in an instant, using my own super speed to intercept her punch. The force wasn't overwhelming, but it would've hurt him—a lot.
Cass blinked in confusion as I held her fist gently. I smiled at her and pointed to Batman, giving her a thumbs-up to let her know he wasn't a threat. She was smart—she got the message and stepped back, though she kept her suit on, staying on guard. Her eyes never left Batman, her body tense, ready to spring into action the second he made any suspicious move.
Seeing her so serious, so defensive, stirred something inside me. It made me want to track down her father and give him a few well-placed punches for turning her into someone who felt like she had to be ready for battle every second of her life.
Batman, silent and watchful, observed the entire interaction without a word. Once he saw that the situation had calmed, he spoke again. "Who is this girl? Why does she have so much power? Is she a metahuman? Can't she speak or understand human language? Kyn, explain what's going on here."
I nodded, impressed by his sharp observation. "That's an impressive guess, Batman. Her name is Cassandra Cain. She's the daughter of Lady Shiva and David Cain, but instead of a loving family, her father raised her to be the perfect weapon—a killing machine, a bodyguard for Ra's al Ghul. He didn't teach her how to speak, only how to fight and kill. When she was eight, he forced her to kill someone. It broke her, and she ran away, living alone, struggling for years. She's been with me for a few days now."
Batman's eyes flickered with something—surprise, maybe even a bit of sadness—as he looked at Cass. Then he turned his gaze back to me, the weight of his unspoken question clear. He wanted more answers.
"Okay, okay, I get it," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. "You've got a lot of questions, and I'm guessing you're not the type to wait for answers."
His stare didn't waver. Classic Batman.
"The truth is, I didn't always have these powers. Until recently, I was just a regular guy in Blüdhaven—working odd jobs, minding my own business. But... something changed. It all started on my 17th birthday. That's when the visions began. I saw a planet exploding in chaos, with two spaceships escaping before the end. One carried a baby boy, the other a teenage girl. The boy's ship made it out, disappearing through a wormhole. But the girl... her ship got caught in the explosion and veered off course. That's all I can remember for now."
I paused, meeting Batman's gaze directly. "What else do you want to know? I'm not here to give you a full breakdown of my powers. All I'll say is that they're slightly similar to Superman's, only magnified millions of times. And no, that's not me bragging—it's the truth. Believe me or not, I don't really care."
I smirked, not out of arrogance, but because I knew how much Batman would verify by the time the Gazette's morning edition hit the stands. He'd find out soon enough.
"You mentioned your scans couldn't read me? Interesting," I leaned forward slightly, curious. "I think it's because my body's still changing, too fast for any tech to pick up."
I glanced over at Cass, standing silently in her Whisper Suit, then turned back to Batman, my smirk widening. "As for Cass… yeah, she's human, but she encountered something that allows her to have super powers equal or superior to Wonder Woman's. Don't ask her about it though; she doesn't trust you, and frankly, neither do I. The only way you'd get her to talk is if you removed your mask and told the world who you are. Since we both know you won't do that, it's better if you respect our boundaries."
Batman's expression remained stoic, but I could see a flicker of surprise in his eyes. His posture remained tense, but there was a subtle shift. He was reevaluating.
"So, you're telling me she's comparable to Wonder Woman," he asked, his voice low and measured. "Is that what I just heard?"
I shrugged, keeping my voice calm but firm. "That's exactly what I'm telling you. Cass is as strong and skilled as Wonder Woman, and if they ever fought, it wouldn't be a clear win for either side."
The Dark Knight seemed to process that for a moment, his narrowed eyes studying me carefully.
"That's all I'm willing to confirm, for now," I added, meeting Batman's intense gaze. "Neither of us trusts you. So, what else do you want to ask that's not about our powers, sir?"
The room seemed to grow quieter, the weight of my words lingering in the air. Batman's expression didn't change, but there was a tension in his posture that told me he was calculating his next move. This wasn't just about powers anymore—it was about trust, and that wasn't something either of us was willing to give freely.
"Kyn," he said, his voice low and probing, "I need to know—what did you do with the Joker? Barbara and Commissioner Gordon, both said you opened a spatial door, threw him into it, and claimed it was the Phantom Zone. Is that true?"
Without hesitation, I nodded and willed my connection to the Phantom Zone. A swirling spatial door materialized in the room, causing Batman's eyes to widen. He wasn't expecting me to demonstrate it so casually. Through the doorway, a shadowy figure sat hunched in a corner, hugging his knees, muttering incoherently. The Joker.
Batman stared at the sight, utterly taken aback. "So... you really do have access to the Phantom Zone," he said, his voice colder than before, tinged with disbelief. "How much control do you have over it?"
"I have complete control," I said simply. "As you can see, he's locked away where he can't hurt anyone. We both know Arkham couldn't hold him, and no prison on Earth is secure enough. In the Phantom Zone, he can see everything, but he's powerless to interact with anyone. He's as good as neutralized."
Batman stood in silence, processing my words, his gaze fixed on the Joker's silhouette in the distance. There was a tension in the air, as if the weight of my actions had sunk in. After what felt like an eternity, he took a small step back, still guarded but slightly less confrontational.
His voice dropped, becoming more serious. "Alright, Kyn. One last thing... what do you stand for? Why are you putting on that superhero suit? It's not the suit or the powers that make a hero. It's their actions, their principles. So, tell me—what do you stand for?"
His words hit with the force of a challenge, one that carried more weight than any punch. This was the Dark Knight's final test—the one that would decide whether he saw me as an ally or a potential threat.
I took a deep breath, knowing that what I said next could set the tone for everything that followed. "I stand for protecting those who can't protect themselves," I began, locking eyes with him. "I didn't ask for these powers, but I have them now, and I'm not going to sit back while people suffer. My strength? It's a responsibility. A responsibility to stop threats before they become unstoppable. And I'm willing to go as far as I need to in order to make sure the people I care about—and this world and many others—stay safe."
Batman's eyes remained locked on mine, unwavering, measuring each word. The silence stretched between us, thick and electric, like the tense calm before a storm. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he gave a subtle nod—not approval, not yet, but a signal that he was listening.
He stood there, processing everything, and then, in his usual cold tone, he said, "This isn't over, Kyn." His voice carried a warning, one that was impossible to ignore. "I'll be watching you. If you step out of line, even once..."
I nodded, holding his gaze without flinching. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Batman."
His expression didn't change, but I could sense the weight behind his words. With no further conversation, he turned and disappeared out the window in a seamless, practiced motion, leaving only the faint rustle of his cape in the wind. It was as if the night itself had swallowed him whole.
I sighed, the tension still lingering in the room like a shadow. This was only the beginning. Batman wasn't just going to watch; he'd probe, investigate, and eventually, he'd come back with even more questions. And sooner or later, I'd have to answer them, no matter how difficult they might be.
I glanced at Cass, who had been watching Batman with quiet curiosity. Her expression was calm, but I could tell she was still on alert. Feeling a bit guilty, I said, "Sorry that all this woke you up."
She smiled, shrugging it off like it didn't bother her in the slightest. That was just her way—tougher than she let on, always taking things in stride. I walked her back to her room, lowering my voice to keep the peace of the night intact. "Go back to sleep, Cass. Have a good night."
She nodded, giving me a quick hug before darting into her room. The door closed softly behind her, but I couldn't help but smile at her shy, sudden affection. Despite everything she'd been through, moments like this reminded me how far she had come.
Still smiling, I made my way back to my own room. The night was far from over, but at least now it was quiet. As I settled into bed, the weight of the night finally caught up to me. With Batman's visit still fresh on my mind, I closed my eyes, hoping for some rest before tomorrow inevitably brought more challenges.
A few hours later, I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed, though still mindful of the lingering weight from last night's encounter with Batman. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, I focused on the routine I had built with Cass. I made breakfast for both of us, keeping it simple—something healthy but filling.
Once we finished eating, we moved on to language training. I knew her intelligence was off the charts, but even I was surprised by how quickly she picked up English. We started with the basics—alphabet, phonetics—but within an hour, she had the alphabet memorized perfectly. From there, we dove into vocabulary, and before I knew it, she was breezing through words, their forms, and their meanings. Her memory was almost photographic.
By noon, she was already differentiating between nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs—understanding concepts that take most people weeks to grasp. I was impressed, but not surprised. Cass had always been a quick learner, and now, with her mind focused on something other than combat, her potential seemed limitless.
After lunch, we both knew it was time to put the training aside and switch gears. Afternoons were when things started getting chaotic around Blüdhaven, and there were always people who needed saving. Most crimes happened later in the day, but it didn't hurt to patrol early. It was time to suit up and hit the skies. Today, we'd be ready for whatever came our way.
As Cass and I flew through the city, scanning for any trouble, I noticed two silhouettes in the sky approaching us. My eyes narrowed for a second before I recognized them—Superman, in his classic suit and trunks, and Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz, hovering alongside him. Superman waved, flashing that signature friendly smile, while J'onn gave a more subdued nod.
Before I could greet them back, I heard the familiar Ding! in my mind. "Don't tell me..." I thought, and sure enough, a system screen popped up in front of me:
{System has registered J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter) as your third mimic. Temporarily locked since you're not ready to receive memories, talents, and skills. Please say, 'System, unlock mimicry,' when you're ready.}
I glanced over at Superman and J'onn, feeling a mix of excitement and caution.