Still Defiant! SI-OC [Marvel/DC]

7: Fire Meet Gasoline

In the skies, Helicarrier, central command.

"The world remains in shock after the significant revelation that took place this morning-"

"Who is this mysterious figure that has been aiding the world?"

"Defiant is a reality we must accept-"

"Is this the beginning of a new era?"

News from all parts of the world presented themselves before the sole eye of the SHIELD director.

Sighing, he glanced at his second-in-command, Maria Hill.

"How is it?" he asked, though already knowing the answer.

"The news has traveled across the entire world. Hiding something like this or trying to mask it is impossible. The live broadcast was being watched by more than half of the country and beyond" Maria Hill shook her head.

Fury nodded. In fact, he knew that even SHIELD couldn't do much; they had been having too many issues trying to mask Defiant's less public actions. This was simply impossible to hide.

"What about Subject D? Have our satellites made any progress in tracking him?" Subject D was the official designation for Defiant.

Maria Hill once again shook her head helplessly.

"After transporting the building to Central Park, he vanished. There have been no new confirmed sightings since then" Fury nodded and looked at the images on the screens.

This had gone beyond their expectations. Unconsciously, he touched the eyepatch, recalling a past event.

The world was very strange, but SHIELD had always ensured that it didn't affect the general public. They managed to conceal the big green guy, but it seemed they couldn't hide this.

In fact, there were many more things happening in the world that were becoming increasingly difficult to conceal.

He remembered a proposal he had been working on for a long time.

An initiative.

It seemed it was time to set it in motion.

"No matter what means we have to use, we must find him. I need to talk to him" said Fury, looking with seriousness at the clearest image that had been obtained of Defiant.

An image that had been printed and plastered across every news outlet in the world.

A man carrying a burning building on his shoulders while a girl was being protected beneath him.

His blue eyes seemed to radiate a clear intensity and evident resolve.

Combined with the prominent 'D' on his chest, which seemed particularly striking, gave him a memorable appearance.

Fury smiled imperceptibly.

He knew who would be the first candidate for his initiative; now he just had to find him.

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"And this, my friends, is the upper half of the building that Defiant transported to Central Park. The fire department is working alongside the police department to prevent any civilians from getting too close, allowing for proper cleanup-"

The newscast continued to play in every home in the country and even beyond.

It was probably the most significant news in the world in a very, very long time.

The impact that a revelation like this brought to humanity was something not easily explained.

And the cause of it all was currently in his underwear, scrubbing his costume with a lot of soap.

"Good news, the costume is effective. Bad news, it's not smoke and ashproof" After scrubbing for the last time and ensuring that any persistent stains or odors had vanished, Daniel put it in the dryer and changed clothes.

He entered his living room and watched the news.

The people's reaction surpassed his expectations. He certainly underestimated the degree of effect that the public appearance of someone like him had on people.

Certainly, there had been news about him before, but it all seemed like rumors and tales that most people believed were false.

What happened this morning made people look back and realize that all those tales and rumors were real, causing a great stir.

Daniel looked at the image of himself carrying that building, and although it wasn't intentional, it looked quite impressive.

"That should have made a good impression, right?" Even though he didn't do this for fame, he knew it was necessary to have a good image.

After all, he didn't just want to be a hero.

He wanted to be The Hero, a symbol, a pillar.

Of course, wanting to be it and actually becoming it were two completely different things.

Even if he didn't manage to become it, he still wanted his symbol to represent something.

To be something.

A legacy, an ideal perhaps.

Even if he died, he wanted this world to have a memory of him.

He wouldn't die without being someone, without achieving anything, without changing the world.

Maybe it was too selfish? Maybe it wasn't the selfless thought that a good person would have, not like an ideal hero, certainly.

But he wanted to try.

"To live a life I'm proud of, a life worth living"

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Carol paced her room with a hint of nervousness, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

She remembered what happened that morning—her neighbor was Defiant!

Of course, she knew he wasn't normal, but she hadn't thought they were one and the same.

She'd been investigating Defiant for weeks! And he'd been right beside her the whole time...

Now, the big question: what should she do?

She wanted to meet him, had so many questions, but at the same time, she hesitated.

Her whole life had been "invincible"—disease, weakness, pain, fatigue—none of it had existed for her.

She would admit she was a little arrogant about it.

She'd never exactly worried about getting hurt, and that was one reason why she'd never quite connected with people.

How do you connect with someone when you're so different? Beyond things like personality or tastes.

It wasn't just that she liked strawberries and someone else liked grapes.

It was something more fundamental.

Like a fish would never know what it meant to soar high in the sky, or a bird to swim deep in the sea.

When she was younger, she was more ignorant about it, thinking maybe she wasn't so different, that perhaps she could fit in.

That changed quickly when she hurt her mother simply by hugging her, by expressing her love for her.

The sound of her bones breaking haunted her even to this day.

She hadn't hugged anyone else since then.

Accidents like that had plagued her youth, making her extremely cautious.

Being close to people was difficult; any kind of contact was a battle where she had to make sure not to move incorrectly, not get too excited, or carried away.

Would she break them? Would her simple touch hurt them? Those questions were always in her mind, even when she was near her parents.

They might say it wouldn't happen, that she could control herself better, that she could be normal.

But they couldn't understand it, just as she could never truly understand them.

Even though she tried, she really did.

But she was tired of trying.

And now… there was someone else like her, someone as different from others, someone who might understand her, and that excited her so much, but also scared her.

She wasn't "invincible" anymore.

"This is not right!" Her father's voice snapped her out of her contemplations.

And there was another problem, her father... he hadn't been precisely happy with the morning's revelations.

In fact, he was anything but happy; concern seemed to have engulfed him. Carol had been too focused on herself to pay attention, but now that he was starting to raise his voice, it seemed she had to figure out what was going on.

She quickly descended from her room and listened to her parents talking.

"Come on, Jonathan, calm down. Things aren't as bad as they seem," her mother spoke gently, but her father shook his head. His hair was disheveled, and he breathed somewhat heavily.

"I can't calm down, Martha! Did you see what he can do? What if all of this is just an act? What happens when he decides to stop playing the good guy, huh? What if he's here for-" Clearly, her father didn't have the same impression of Defiant as Carol, and before she could stop herself, she spoke, surprising both of them with her sudden intrusion.

"I don't think he's playing" Carol's voice was clear, and she couldn't help but shrink a little when both turned to look at her intensely.

Her father wasn't pleased with her words; his bloodshot eyes and flushed face were clear indicators of that.

"How can we know that?! We know nothing about him! This could just be an act, a way to find what he's after!" Her father shook his head at this thought; his concern seemed to escalate.

He continued speaking, but it seemed more like he was talking to himself.

"No, he can't know about you, he can't find you-" her father cut himself off when he realized he was speaking aloud. His face looked pained, and he averted his gaze from her, leaving Carol with a horrible feeling in her stomach.

"Find me?" They were hiding something, both of them were.

She had always known there was something they weren't telling her; it was evident, but she never delved too deeply into it.

"Why would he want to find me?" Her voice was calm, but she wasn't. She looked at her mother, who averted her gaze from her, and that horrible feeling intensified within her.

Her gaze returned to her father, who seemed to have resigned himself to something.

A long sigh escaped him, and he looked at her with an expression she couldn't comprehend.

"Listen, Carol, you... you're not our daughter"

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The night fell, and time seemed to blur for Carol.

Sitting in her "fortress of solitude" as her "father"had called it, which was actually just an old disused barn. she looked at the starry sky, In her hand, she held a strange, dark-colored elongated object with an 'S' engraved on the front.

Her fingers rubbed against the unusual texture, the texture of a material that didn't exist on Earth.

She began to replay recent events in her mind, as she had been doing for some time now.

She wasn't her parents' daughter.

She wasn't human.

She wasn't from this world.

She gritted her teeth bitterly.

All this time feeling different, thinking there was something wrong with her.

All this time trying to fit in, to be normal.

In the end, she was never a part of this world...

She swallowed, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

But even though it was a bitter feeling, it was also something she had known within herself all along. That sense of derealization had always been there; she always knew she wasn't like the others. Too many differences, but she simply hadn't been willing to admit it.

But now, whether she liked it or not, she'd have to accept it.

She felt... so hollow. Her eyes reddened, tears threatening to spill, so she shut them. Her mind focused on something else, a loud, clear sound echoing in her ears, something that had been there all along, accompanying her like a warm comfort she hadn't realized she needed.

Her eyes opened with a strange glint in them. She glanced toward the neighboring farm and stood up.

She might not be the same as humans... but she wasn't the only one, right?

Maybe they couldn't be completely alike. Certainly, she couldn't fly; even her parents had assured her that the ship she arrived in was the only one, so even that possibility was minimal.

But they were similar, and because of that, she wanted to meet him.

Carol didn't think about the consequences; she dismissed the potential dangers this might bring. Her mood was altered, and thus, she was impulsive.

She glanced back at her house before leaving.

She hadn't told her parents about Defiant and their discoveries. She thought about it, but with everything that had happened and how paranoid her father had been, she quickly dismissed that idea.

She didn't know what she would do if he found out. No, she couldn't tell them, not now when she had finally found someone else, someone different, someone like her.

She looked away, clenched her fists, took a deep breath, determination filling her.

Then she disappeared in a blur.

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Daniel was in his backyard, seated on one of the two reclining chairs that had been there even before he arrived, probably used by his grandparents to rest and relax.

Looking at the sky, he pondered recent events. The day had been eventful, so he decided to wait a bit before heading out again.

He took a sip of his hot chocolate, version 89, the best one yet.

Then, he heard movement in the tall weeds in the abandoned farmland, and his gaze shifted there, raising an eyebrow when he saw a figure emerge in a blur of speed that surprised him a little.

He observed the girl coming out with a somewhat rigid posture and quickly remembered who she was.

She was that girl from the supermarket.

He lowered his cup of chocolate and placed it on a small table between the two chairs, then stood up slowly without looking nervous or disturbed by the sudden visit.

"It's a pleasant night" he said, though he didn't know what was going on. He could deduce a bit, considering the speed demonstration he had witnessed earlier. In a way, he had been expecting someone to find him. He hadn't been exactly discreet like Defiant. Of course, ordinary people couldn't easily find him, with him flying around the world, it was hard to pinpoint his whereabouts. Moreover, the speed at which he moved through the sky made even the best satellites lose track of him.

But people like him? Extraordinary people? They could. Maybe not quickly, but certainly at some point. It seemed that moment had actually arrived a little earlier or perhaps had always been by his side.

"Uh? Y-yes?" Carol blinked and said, not knowing how to start this conversation. She hadn't thought too much about it when she hurried here; she had been carried away by emotions and now felt unsure about what she should do.

Daniel gestured to the chair beside him.

"Come, have a seat. It seems like there's a lot to talk about" he offered politely.

Carol seemed a bit hesitant but nodded and approached with a timid posture.

Once she was seated, Daniel quickly pulled out the Teapot of chocolate and offered her a cup.

"Here, take this. Hot chocolate always comes in handy on nights like this"

She looked at the cup before taking it, and they both sat there, gazing at the starry sky, the scent of chocolate filling the air.

From the corner of his eye, Daniel could feel Carol's intense gaze on him, which made him a bit nervous, though he didn't show it outwardly.

"When talking to a girl, you must show confidence!" His brother used to say that all the time, and somehow, it stuck with Daniel even in this second life.

Certainly, such advice had helped him a lot in the past.

A silence filled the atmosphere and Daniel decided it was time to show a little of that confidence so he decided to speak first.

"So... you're quite fast" he said, almost as soon as he finished speaking, he wanted to slap himself.

Seriously!? Was that how the conversation started!?

"Y-yes, I've always been... quick" Carol replied clumsily, and Daniel sighed.

"I'm sorry, I'm not good at this" he admitted with a laugh.

"How about we start over? I'm Daniel, Daniel Evans," he said, offering his hand.

Carol looked at his outstretched hand and awkwardly extended hers.

When their palms touched, some of Carol's apprehension reached her, and she almost wanted to completely relax her grip to avoid hurting him.

Then he firmly grasped her palm, and Carol realized in an incredible way that she could feel it. The grip on her hand was different from any other touch she had ever felt before, whether from her parents or Chloe. When they touched her, it just felt... dulled? numb? It was hard to describe since she hadn't had anything to compare it to.

Not until now.

now she could say the right word, distant, the touch of her parents, of Chloe, she had always felt distant.

Slowly, both hands tightened, and for the first time in her life, Carol could feel what true contact meant.

She could understand that feeling that she couldn't describe before even when she knew the words for it, it felt Bright, lived... real.

A huge smile formed on her face.

"I'm Carol, Carol Kent."

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With the ice broken, Carol seemed like a dam bursting, unable to stop the water—or in this case, the words—from pouring out.

"From space?" Daniel blinked as he looked at her, somewhat surprised.

After a long conversation, they had reached the point where Carol began telling him many things, from how she found him to even her origins. Somehow, her words seemed to have no filter due to her excitement.

Setting aside the fact that she had been stalking him these past few days, Daniel paid more attention to her origin story. He hadn't expected a story like this. Certainly, he had realized she was special due to the incredible speed she demonstrated when she arrived and the strength in her handshake.

But he had thought all of that was due to some sort of accident with strange chemicals, perhaps radiation or something that had given her powers.

He certainly didn't expect the space part.

"Yup, straight from up there" Carol said, pointing to the night sky with a smile.

She had thought saying it would be very difficult or that she would have felt more self-conscious about it.

The truth was, it was simple. Once she started talking, she couldn't stop, and she said it as easily as if just a few hours ago, she hadn't been on the verge of falling apart because of it.

It's not that she felt comfortable talking about it; it's just that she didn't feel uncomfortable telling Daniel. It was strange; he seemed to have an effect on her that made her feel... secure?

A rational person would be more cautious, more careful. But tonight, Carol had thrown away all rationality or logical thinking. Tonight, she was doing something she had never been able to do—simply letting her emotions guide her, regardless of the potential harm it might cause in the future. And all of that was just because of Daniel.

Because somehow, she felt like she could just trust him.

"And you?" she asked with curiosity in her eyes.

Upon hearing this question, Daniel pondered deeply.

What could he say? "Oh, I'm from space and another universe, lol!" Yeah, that sounded suspicious as shit

Besides, he couldn't mention that he was from another universe., the warning from the being still lingered in his mind. He wasn't foolish enough to ignore it.

Even saying he was from space sounded too "convenient."

And suspicious.

Though she seemed very open with him, the truth was Daniel wasn't someone who easily placed trust in others.

Unlike Carol, who was too enamored by their encounter.

Daniel was more rational and cautious. Though the meeting was intriguing, he wasn't hypnotized by it, not easily fascinated as Carol had been.

Moreover, there was something about this "origin" story that didn't sit right with him. It was a suspicion he would have to explore later by examining his memories.

"Well, I don't know about space, but I've certainly been different since I formed my earliest memories in this life," not a complete lie nor a complete truth.

She looked him straight in the eyes, and Daniel returned the gaze confidently.

They remained like that for a few seconds before she smiled and nodded as if she completely believed him.

It was too easy.

Almost made him feel guilty, almost.

Although Daniel wasn't a mind reader, he could tell that the girl in front of him was somewhat blinded by some reason. She shouldn't trust someone she had just met so much. On the other hand, Daniel completely ignored Carol's thought process. It wasn't just that she trusted anybody; it was simply that she had chosen to trust him.

As a leap of faith, she had chosen to believe in him thanks to everything she had been doing as Defiant. She had been investigating him for weeks and even secretly spying on him, after all. It wasn't that she just leaped and gave her trust without a basis or without knowledge of whom she was doing it to; she had already formed an image of him in her mind that allowed her to judge his character in a certain way.

Even if it was an irrational act, paradoxically she did it based on reasons she believed were reasonable.

"Not as amazing as coming from space" she said with a smile, and Daniel laughed and nodded.

This time, a comfortable silence filled the air for a few moments.

"I'm sorry" Carol suddenly apologized.

"Huh?" Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"For spying on you, I'm sorry about that" she said, cheeks flushing. She had gotten too excited and admitted to secretly observing him, though she didn't go into exact details of how she did it as she quickly realized that might not exactly paint a good picture of herself.

Daniel laughed and waved his hand casually. "Don't apologize. You had good reasons. It doesn't really bother me" although it was a bit odd, it didn't really bother him much. In Daniel's mind, investigating someone who might pose a threat was somewhat normal.

Probably, Carol did it to ensure he wouldn't be a danger to the people of Smallville or something like that. Of course, Daniel was completely wrong.

Carol breathed a sigh of relief; she didn't want to give a bad impression. She hadn't cared about it before, but now it was different. She didn't want to seem unpleasant to him.

"I won't tell anyone" she assured, and Daniel blinked, looking at her with doubt.

"About Defiant, I won't tell anyone," Carol affirmed seriously.

"is fine, I'll trust you," and he meant it. Although he hadn't known her for long, he could see honesty in her words. Of course, it's not like he could do much to make her keep the secret either way.

What should he do? Threaten her? Threaten her parents? What was he? a villain? None of those options were an option.

Then Carol asked another question.

"Why?"

Daniel looked at her, and she seemed to sense the doubt in his eyes, so she rephrased her question.

"Why venture out into the world like this, why expose yourself, why reveal your abilities?" The question seemed important to her.

Her voice had that touch people get when they need the answer to something that's crucial to them.

Daniel straightened up, realizing it was time for a proper talk.

At this point, he'd be a fool not to realize that Carol was the important "thing" in Smallville. Though he couldn't know what her "destiny" was, he definitely wanted to make sure she wasn't an enemy. He didn't know all her capabilities, but he preferred not to have to fight her.

What he said next could be very important. It could define whether he faced a disaster or a potential ally.

Thinking about it made him lose some confidence; he wasn't as good with words as he'd like to be. But at this point, he could only try and take responsibility for the consequences if things didn't go well.

As Daniel thought about how to handle this, he opted to tread as honestly as he could. He couldn't divulge everything, but he could say something that was true in a way.

Half-truths? Incomplete truths? Mixed truths? At least he wouldn't tell a lie, even if he couldn't be entirely forthcoming about everything. He wasn't going to lie; That would be fucked up even for him.

But there was no other way. If he wanted to reach her, he could only opt to be as truthful as he could. at least as much as possible

"Do you know how I ended up in Smallville?"

He asked that, and Carol pondered before responding somewhat uncomfortably.

"I... heard something happened to your family?"

Daniel nodded, time for a half-truth.

"My brother and my parents, they died in a car accident"

It was true and yet not entirely true. Daniel Warren Evans's family had died like that, and even though they were an alternate version of his own family, the fact that he hadn't inherited memories from his counterpart didn't mean he didn't mourn their deaths. This was amplified when he thought about his own family; he would never see them again, and that hurt almost as much as if they had died—in every sense, they had. after all for them he was dead

"It was a silly accident, really, and it could have been easily avoided" that was true. The accident that killed his family in this world wasn't something complicated or grand.

It was just a simple mechanical failure in a car.

"No one could have done anything to help them, no one normal, at least..."

He wondered how the Daniel of this world should have felt upon learning about it—the helplessness he must have experienced. And what would have happened if he had arrived in this world before that? Could he have saved them?

He shook his head, dispelling those thoughts, and continued speaking. Feeling guilt over something he couldn't have changed was futile.

"This world is like that, full of silly accidents and injustices that ordinary people can't do anything about. You can say it's just how the world works, but... I don't like it, No, I don't accept it"

He thought about his death. When he realized he had died, that memory had been buried within himself, and it had been difficult to think about it. But over time, the memory began to resurface, along with understanding.

His death hadn't meant anything...

Thinking about it and everything he had experienced as Defiant in the past few days, he had realized something. He wasn't sure if he could put it into words, but he decided to try. So, he continued speaking.

"I don't accept a world where people can't live without fear, a world where those you love simply vanish due to absurd injustice"

A world where you can just die without achieving anything.

"Robbery, murder, rape, or simply an accident or a natural disaster" He gritted his teeth, thinking about all he had seen while traveling the world.

Thinking about all those cries for help.

He looked Carol in the eyes and spoke very seriously.

"No matter which it is, I refuse to accept it. No matter what, I will stand in defiance of that absurd injustice, no matter where it comes from" He sighed a bit after saying that, before recalling something else.

"Moreover, my brother always used to say a phrase that has stuck with me for a while."

It was a phrase that came from an important place, a bit blurry now, but he knew his brother had introduced him to this phrase and had taught him where it came from. However, he couldn't recall it now, and he knew his disadvantage had something to do with it.

"Great power comes with great responsibility. I have great power, and I've chosen to take responsibility for it. I didn't fully understand it before, but I suppose losing everything puts things into perspective, and I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a significant factor in my decision"

He looked at his open hands, thinking about his family, those he'd never see again, the life he had lost, his dreams and goals—all that he could no longer achieve.

It was a bitter feeling that left a bad taste in his mouth and made him a bit downcast, but he quickly composed himself, took a deep breath, and looked back at Carol, who had her full attention on him.

"You asked me why, and now I answer. I've lost everything—my life, my past, and the people I loved more than anything. I refuse to let anyone else go through the same, not if I can help it, not without trying to help them"

He clenched his fists and the sound of the air compressing him to impossible measures was clear.

"I possess incredible abilities, extraordinary ones even, and that's why I believe it's my responsibility to use them to help people, the world" it was self-imposed, but it was his choice.

"To stand in Defiance between them and anything that dares to threaten them. So, it doesn't matter even if the whole world knows who I am or what I can do, even if they oppose my existence. As long as someone needs my help, then I'll do something about it" he finished with a firm voice and a resolve shining in his eyes.

He was very honest about this; in the end, no matter his goals or plans, the reason he chose to be a hero was this—everything else was secondary.

He suddenly realized how long he had been talking and a bit of shame filled him.

"Sorry, I rambled too much" perhaps he got carried away. He rubbed the back of his head and turned to her with a small smile.

Then he noticed how she was looking at him and couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. That look... why did it seem more intense than before?! Did he say something wrong?

And why were her eyes glowing red?!

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Carol listened attentively to his words, and the emotions he emitted left her momentarily lost.

His eyes gleamed with that incredible resolve she wished she could have.

Carol had never considered what she could do with her abilities; she had always lived trying to hide them, trying to hide herself, just to be "normal"—running away from who she was and what she could do.

And here before her was someone who could confidently say what they wanted to be, pursue their desires without fear or doubt.

She wanted that. She wished she could be like him, have that kind of resolve—a will like his.

And she could, right? She was extraordinary too.

She didn't want to continue hiding, afraid of what she truly was and who she was.

She didn't want to remain that strange girl watching the world move forward without her in it.

She felt her heart beating stronger at the thought.

Although her parents were always against her using her abilities, it was not what she wanted, it was not how she wanted to live.

Something shone within her—a desire that had been locked away behind fear, doubt, and uncertainty.

She looked at Daniel and realized why she had been investigating Defiant so intensely. It wasn't just because he possessed extraordinary abilities, but it was how he used them. Because deep down, she also wished to be the same—to use her abilities freely and without fear. Perhaps even, as he said, to help others, to stand as a Defiance against injustices.

Because she wished to be like him.

And now he was here in front of her, and it was as if she could feel that desire growing inside her like a blazing fire, as if she could simply reach out and grasp it.

Her gaze focused intensely on him, emotions that had been suppressed within her for so long seemed to erupt at this moment. In her mind, she recalled every word Daniel had said, and the desire within her grew even stronger.

Carol became lost in those feelings and didn't notice Daniel's nervous glance.

for his part, Daniel began to review what he said, had he made a mistake? He wasn't good at giving talks, so he didn't know if there was something wrong with his words.

But he couldn't continue thinking about it because his instincts screamed at him. He only had a moment to see Carol's eyes turn completely red before quickly looking away.

A couple of extremely hot rays shot out, piercing the dark sky like a high-speed laser.

Carol screamed and tightly shut her eyes, feeling the heat hitting against her eyelids.

Daniel looked astonished and wondered for a moment if she had tried to kill him.

But seeing the pain in her expression dismissed that idea. If this was an assassination attempt, it was a very bad one.

Still, there was something in the back of his mind bothering him. Where had he seen something like this before? He shook off those thoughts and quickly approached Carol.

"Are you okay?" he asked, watching as the red glow slowly faded from her eyelids.

"I-I'm sorry, this has never happened before," she nervously replied as she carefully opened her eyes, her heart still beating strongly.

She didn't understand what had happened or why her eyes had suddenly started shooting rays out of nowhere.

Panic gripped her, and Daniel quickly tried to comfort her.

"Don't worry, I know it wasn't your fault," he waved it off as if to downplay it, and Carol gave him a shaky smile in return.

"On another note, Heat Vision! That's incredible," he spoke up again, being honest. It was truly incredible; a Viltrumite didn't have that, and he was certainly a bit jealous of it.

Listening to his excited voice and the clear lack of reproach toward her, Carol smiled timidly, and some of the nervousness seemed to dissipate within her.

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Several minutes later, the atmosphere had returned to normal, with the conversation flowing. Carol was quite talkative, and Daniel was rather good at listening.

She seemed almost unable to stop herself, talking about many things she had kept bottled up inside. So many things she had wanted to discuss with someone but had never been able to until today.

She spoke about her childhood, her struggles, the accidents she had due to how different she was, her worries, and even her desires.

Daniel listened attentively and spoke when necessary, offering support, advice, and suggestions.

Truly, Daniel wasn't a great conversationalist, but he was an excellent listener. He didn't mind listening to people talk and knew how to make them feel comfortable.

"I really want to do more, I don't want to keep holding back, just staying on the sidelines" Carol said and looked at him, there was some fragility in that look as well as hope.

Daniel could relate to her in a way—hiding all his life, suppressing his abilities out of fear of harming others. Certainly, he too wanted to break free from that.

"I want to be like you. I want to help others, to use my abilities without fear, feeling proud of who I am and what I can do, not just living hidden away on a farm" her voice turned bitter at the end.

When she said that, Daniel suddenly remembered his own thoughts.

"To live a life I'm proud of, a life worth living."

It seemed he wasn't alone in those desires.

Her sky-blue eyes looked at him with pleading and hope, and Daniel couldn't help but get lost in them for a moment.

"Please, help me"

Those words were enough for Daniel to decide what he should do, even though he had already decided to do something even if she didn't explicitly ask him to.

There was no other way; he couldn't reject such a sincere wish, one with which he could identify. Maybe he would regret this in the future, he didn't know, but he decided to leave the problems of tomorrow to the Daniel of tomorrow.

The present Daniel had to help a girl.

"Very well"

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Note

What did you think? I'm not good at writing emotional conversations, I had to rewrite some parts several times, but I think I've done the best I can with my current skills and I'm happy with it... at least for now.

If you're wondering about Carol's current abilities, I'm basing them on her progress taking into account the Smallville series and how some of the Kryptonian powers work there. Of course, not everything is the same, and the power scale isn't the same either.

Speaking of the power scale, there won't be anything as exaggerated as the comics. You can think of it as a mix of live-action movies/series and animated series/movies. It will become clearer as the story progresses.

I appreciate your support and comments. For those reading this on webnovel, you know I want those darn stones!

For those reading this on forums like spacebattles or questionable questing, leave your likes and comments.

If you're reading this on FF, leave reviews about what you think so far and put this story in favorites!

If you're on Ao3 I want those Kudos!

The same goes for Scribblehub, royal road, and wattpad, I appreciate your support!