Xander's heart raced as he sprinted through Gotham's darkened alleys, the Max Steel suit clinging tightly to his body. The sleek, futuristic armor pulsed faintly with TURBO-energy, its luminescent lines shimmering in the darkness. Steel hovered beside him, his small, metallic form glowing faintly.
The adrenaline from their recent encounter still coursed through Xander's veins. He had taken down a group of armed robbers, sure, but now the reality of what that meant was sinking in.
I'm in Gotham City. The DC Universe.
His breath came in short bursts as he ducked around a corner, the faint wail of police sirens echoing behind him. He needed a plan—fast.
"Steel, give me an update," Xander whispered.
Steel's eyes flickered as he scanned their surroundings. "Energy levels stable. No immediate threats detected within a 30-meter radius. And your heart rate? Pretty elevated."
Xander frowned. "Anything else?"
"Negative," Steel said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Xander rubbed his temples. "We need to figure out where to lay low. And I need answers. How did I even get here? Why do I have TURBO-energy inside me?"
Steel's voice hummed thoughtfully. "Data regarding your arrival in this dimension is currently incomplete. Hypothesis: dimensional anomaly or trans-dimensional energy burst."
Xander sighed. "So basically, you have no idea."
"Affirmative," Steel said.
Xander pushed off the wall and started walking again, the suit's faint hum a constant reminder of his new reality. The sounds of the city grew louder—honking horns, distant shouts, and the occasional screech of tires. Gotham was alive, and it didn't care about one lost teenager trying to figure out his place in this world.
As he reached the street, Xander pulled the suit's camouflage overlay over himself, transforming its appearance into a simple hoodie and jeans combo. He passed a group of construction workers arguing over blueprints and a street performer juggling flaming torches.
"Uh, Xander?" Steel's voice broke in after a pause. "I don't have much memory data, but juggling fire seems...unwise."
"Not our problem," Xander muttered.
"Good call," Steel said with a noticeable quirk of amusement.
Elevated heart rates and aggressive vocal patterns reached Xander's ears. Steel spoke up again. "Possible threat detected. Two blocks east."
Xander's eyes narrowed. "Details?"
"Audio suggests attempted mugging," Steel replied crisply.
Getting involved was risky. He barely understood his powers, and the last thing he needed was more attention.
But he couldn't just walk away.
"All right, lead the way," Xander said, picking up his pace.
Steel guided him through the maze of streets until they reached a dimly lit alley. A man in a tattered coat was cornered by two thugs, one wielding a knife.
"Hand over your wallet, old man," one of the thugs snarled.
The victim's hands trembled as he fumbled with his pockets. "Please, I don't have much..."
Xander clenched his fists. "Steel, tactical suggestions?"
"Swift disarmament followed by incapacitation," Steel said. Then, with a hint of enthusiasm, "And...maybe say something cool?"
Xander took a deep breath. "Let's do this."
He sprinted into the alley, his movements a blur. The camouflage shimmered briefly, revealing flashes of the sleek suit beneath as Xander grabbed the first thug's wrist, twisting it until the knife clattered to the ground.
"What the—" the thug started, but Xander cut him off with a well-placed punch to the gut.
The second thug lunged at him, but Xander dodged easily, sweeping his leg out to trip the attacker. The thug hit the ground hard, groaning.
Steel hummed approvingly. "Not bad. You might be superhero material yet. Might need to work on your quips, though."
"Not helping," Xander muttered.
The old man stared in shock. "Who—what are you?"
Xander forced a smile. "Just a concerned citizen. You okay?"
The man nodded shakily. "Thanks to you."
Sirens echoed in the distance, growing louder.
"Time to go," Xander said, backing away. "Stay safe."
As he retreated down the alley, Steel spoke up again, his tone carefully balanced between professional and friendly. "Effective intervention. Minimal collateral damage. And you didn't even break a sweat."
"Yeah, but we need to be more careful," Xander said. "I can't keep running into trouble like this. Someone's going to notice."
"Stealth protocols recommended," Steel agreed. Then, thoughtfully, "Also, have you considered capes? Capes are iconic."
Xander sighed. "One thing at a time."
They made their way back to a quieter part of the city, eventually finding an abandoned warehouse near the docks. The place was dusty and filled with rusting machinery, but it would do for now.
Xander set Steel down, the bot hovering in front of him, eyes glowing faintly.
"So," Xander said, "what's the next step?"
"Data analysis and strategic planning," Steel replied crisply. Then, after a brief pause, "Also, do you think this place delivers pizza?"
Xander chuckled despite himself. "Glad to see you have your priorities straight."
He glanced down at the Max Steel suit still covering his body, even under the camouflage. The sleek armor pulsed faintly with TURBO-energy.
"All right, Steel," Xander said, "can you turn off the suit? I need to get some normal clothes on."
Steel's tone turned cautious. "Correction: suit deactivation is not possible."
Xander froze. "What do you mean, not possible?"
"The Max Steel suit is permanently bonded to your bio-energy matrix. It cannot be removed," Steel explained.
Xander's eyes widened. "You're telling me I have to wear this forever?"
"Affirmative," Steel said politely. "On the bright side, it totally brings out your eyes."
Xander groaned. "Great. So now I'm a walking action figure. Just what I always wanted."
"Action figures are collectible," Steel said earnestly. "Very valuable."
"Not helping," Xander muttered.
"Scanning current fashion trends," Steel announced. "Camouflage protocols engaged. And no, skinny jeans are still a thing. I'm sorry."
The suit shimmered, maintaining the appearance of a hoodie and jeans.
Xander flexed his fingers, the suit still humming beneath the illusion. "Well, I guess this is better than looking like a sci-fi superhero all the time."
Steel's eyes pulsed. "Adaptability is key. And hey, at least I'm good company."
Xander sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just hope nobody tries to hug me or something."
As he settled in for the night, the weight of the day finally hit him. He was in a completely different world, with powers he didn't fully understand and no clear way home.
But one thing was certain—he wasn't going to give up.
"We'll figure this out, Steel," Xander said softly.
Steel's voice was steady. "Affirmative. Together. And maybe with pizza."
As the city lights flickered in the distance, Xander allowed himself a moment of hope. This was just the beginning.