Arius' Adventures in DC

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Arius' Adventures in DC

Chapter 09: One punch is all it takes.

-Arius-

Arius hovered in the air, staring at the evening sky, noticing the view of the stars was less visible with the light pollution from the city and while Flash waited below for him to enter the villa, his senses focused on whatever powerful being was approaching Earth. The Ki signature was massive and was hurtling through space at incredible speed.

Curiosity took over and with a quick, "Hold on, I'll be back," to the Flash, Arius launched himself into the stratosphere, anticipation bubbling in his gut as he felt like he might get into another fight.

The source of the energy quickly came into view and revealed itself to be a small spacecraft tearing through Earth's atmosphere and while at first he wanted to let it hit the Earth thinking back on the destruction that he witnessed Gotham and Metropolis Arius caught it mid-flight, grunting slightly at its velocity as it hit him right in the stomach.

With a heave, he brought the ship gently down in an empty clearing away from the city to avoid any unnecessary damage if whatever was in there was hostile. Once on the ground Arius, not wanting to wait for whatever was in there to come out, pried open the ship's hatch to reveal an unconscious teenager inside.

She looked human with golden blonde hair, she was inhumanly beautiful, her face was perfectly symmetrical and was appealing to his eyes but what really caught his attention was the unmistakable "S" on her chest which was identical to Superman's.

Arius was confused because while he didn't know much about the DC universe he was almost certain that Superman was never female nor blonde and considering he already met Superman earlier Arius assumed she must be related to the 'Man of Steel'.

But seeing that she was still unconscious despite the fact that he ripped the ship open in a not so quiet way, he decided it was best to try physical stimulation, so he poked her perfectly sculpted face and she still didn't react and for a second he thought she was dead, but he could see the subtle rise and fall of her chest and the massive Ki signature wouldn't be there if she followed the light.

Deciding to give her a second poke this time the girl stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open, revealing baby blue eyes filled with confusion, but once they took in his form they quickly showed fear and before Arius could say anything, she jolted back glancing around like a cornered animal.

"Hey, hey, relax!" Arius said, raising his hands in what he thought was a calming gesture. "I'm not here to hurt you. Are you related to Superman? What's your name?" He said in the voice he used to use with his dog, but the girl didn't seem to relax and her fight or flight instincts seemed to kick in as her panic transformed into aggression. 

"Go Away!" she shouted, her voice trembling and before Arius could even respond to her warning, her lithe form blurred forward and while the crude attempt at a punch failed. The momentum didn't as the top of her skull collided with his face at 'Mach Jesus' and the sheer force of the hit sent Arius rocketing through the sky at a speed he couldn't process without powering up, but with a mind full of fluff that thought didn't occur to him.

So he sailed the air as the world became a blur while he was hurled westward, slamming through what he assumed were buildings and mountains, until he finally crash landed into the heart of Los Angeles, right through the skylight of a nightclub called 'Lux'.

Wiping the wide eyed look on his face Arius could only groan, pulling himself out of the rubble he'd left in the nightclub's polished floor, brushing off bits of rubble while shaking his head trying to clear the stars he was seeing in his vision.

And while he was gathering his bearings, a smooth, charming voice that seemed British, which confused him considering he was hit west not east, cut through the chaotic murmurs of party goers who were gawking at him. "Well, well, well. Truly a guest who truly knows how to make an entrance."

Looking over Arius saw a sharply dressed man approaching, his dark suit immaculate despite the destruction littering the place with the dust barley settling. The man's face was strikingly handsome, with a captivating charm that seemed to radiate from him.

"Lucifer Morningstar," the man said, offering a hand with an amused smirk. "Owner of this fine establishment and, if you believe the rumors, the Devil himself."Arius who was reaching to take his hand froze, his mind racing.

'The actual Devil?' Arius thought quickly focusing his Ki sense on the man and was absolutely baffled that he couldn't sense a shred of Ki from the man despite the fact that multiple patrons of the club were showing clearly in his mind and taking a quick look around he also noticed that despite crashing into the middle of a seemingly popular nightclub no one died almost as if they were pre-placed. That combined with something about Lucifer's presence was unnerving.

Deciding not to take chances with someone who could quite possibly be the devil himself, Arius straightened up and dusted himself off, "Uh, sorry for crashing into your place, send the bill for the repairs to the Justice League." He said and without waiting for a response, Arius launched himself back into the sky, leaving behind a bewildered and mildly entertained Lucifer.

When Arius was in the air again he circulated his Ki, powering up and rocketed back east to the clearing, his frustration simmering. It hadn't even been a minute, so when he arrived the blonde alien was still standing there, her azure eyes locked onto him with a burning intensity that was quickly turning crimson. Arius recognized the look, Superman showed the same one multiple times during the invasion and he wasn't going to get caught off guard again.

He spat out blood and while initially wanting to attack he decided to be the bigger person and after taking a deep breath he started, "Listen," but that was as far as he got into de-escalating the situation as twin beams of searing heat shot from her eyes.

Reacting this time Arius countered with his own Ki beams. The clash between red and green beams illuminated the darkening area and shook the ground beneath them and despite her rather abundant energy reserves she wasn't a match for his legendary power and faltered first. Arius also dissipated his own beam and immediately closed the distance between them in a flash and landed a monstrous punch to her stomach.

The sheer force of the blow sent her flying high and even as she gasped for air. Arius, enraged by the sucker punch and not one to take an attack lightly, followed ready to finish the fight with a hammer fist aimed at her neck, but just as he raised his arm two familiar figures intercepted him.

"Stop!" Wonder Woman shouted, placing herself firmly between Arius and the blonde alien. The thought of killing both Wonder Woman and Superman to get to her came to mind, but he quickly dismissed and powered down knowing that if he continued to attack it would be blown out of proportion and he was just learning to control his anger.

Superman took the opportunity of him being stopped by Wonder Woman and caught the girl mid-air. They began speaking in a language Arius didn't recognize and after a couple moments the girl's posture softened, and she was wrapping her arms around Superman in a tight hug, tears streaming down her face.

The whole situation seemed rather odd and Arius was just left there floating, dumbfounded. "What... what just happened?" he was confused and the adrenaline still pumping through his body left him feeling slightly anxious.

His question was answered by Superman who turned to Arius, his expression apologetic. "Sorry for the misunderstanding. Diana, Arius, this is my older cousin Kara from back on Krypton, she was sent to Earth to protect me, but something must have gone wrong with her ship considering that she's only just arrived."

Arius stood there, stunned. "Her name is Kara?" He asked stunned because even if that wasn't the actual name of his adopted mother that's what he referred to her as in his mind.

Superman nodded. "Yes, Kara Zor-El."

And for a moment, Arius's mind blanked, Kara. That name wasn't just familiar, it was the name he made up for his adopted mother back on Vyragos. The sheer coincidence left him speechless, but he shook his head to dismiss the thought. It wasn't the same Kara, but it did make him look back on what had occurred.

He'd met quite possibly the devil and he knew god was real. So considering all of that it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that the resurrection was possible and the thought of bringing his mother back to life gave him hope, but he didn't allow himself to go too far down that rabbit hole and turned his attention back to the duo.

"Wait, you said she was your older cousin?" Arius repeatedly looked between the two and the age gap between the two was rather obvious considering that Superman looked as if he was in his late twenties and the now identified Kara looked like a young woman in her late teens, even comic book logic couldn't explain that shit, but the question earned him a subtle elbow from Wonder Woman.

"Yes my older cousin at least chronologically, biologically is another question, because she was in suspended animation when in the ship." Superman said with a smile so wide it looked like it hurt, still holding Kara's hand as if afraid that she would vanish.

Arius nodded at the explanation, but really didn't give a flying fuck and proceeded to glare at the now-docile Kara, who was clutching Superman like a life line using the Man of Steel as a barrier between her and him, while peeking over Superman's shoulder.

"You scared me!" Kara retorted in anticipation, her voice shaky but defensive which absolutely baffled him because she was walking around with enough energy to put Darkseid to shame and the thought of someone like her being scared was absurd.

"I scared you?!" He roared in shock, "You're stronger than that ugly burnt bastard that was using your cousin like he was a ping pong ball and you're the one who head checked me halfway across the planet! How would I possibly scare you? I had my hands up while saying, 'I'm not here to hurt you'." The punch itself baffled Arius, the large disparity in strength between the two relatives was obvious to him. Just on energy reserves alone she dwarfed Superman.

"That's exactly what someone who would want to hurt you would say and waking up to someone who looks like they could eat me for breakfast wasn't exactly ideal! I didn't even know I was strong before I punched you." Kara replied indignantly, as if she didn't inflict more damage on him then even Darkseid, he could still feel his tooth loose and a bruise forming on his face.

"Why you little?!" Arius exclaimed angrily wanting to go over there and punt the little shit into the sun, but was held back by Wonder Woman.

"Arius," Wonder Woman interrupted, rubbing his shoulder. "She's been through a lot. Let's get her somewhere safe, and after getting all the information we can get the full explanation later because like you both of them lost their entire planet and they are the last of their kind." Diana explained hoping to calm him down and hearing that they were also the last of their kind did reduce his anger slightly. Putting himself in Kara's position seeing someone who's dressed like a barbarian right after waking up wouldn't be the most calming.

"Did your planet explode too?" Arius asked the two skeptically, wanting to see how similar they were and Superman was about to answer, but he paused and urged his cousin to speak instead.

"Uhh, yes the last thing I remember before going unconscious was the shockwave and I think that's what knocked me off course and prevented me from taking care of Kal-El." Kara muttered hugging Superman even tighter and Arius quickly connected the dots that the name Kal-El was the alien equivalent to Clark Kent.

The knowledge that the duo's planet also exploded when they were leaving left Arius feeling both sympathetic and sceptical, because knowing it happened to Krypton in the past and just recently Vyragos, with both himself and Kara landing on Earth was a mystifying coincidence. That wasn't considering Freiza blew up Planet Vegeta in the Original Dragon Ball series. Maybe the god who sent him here had an explosion fetish?

So Arius exhaled sharply, crossing his arms. "Fine, but she owes me a spar when she settles in." he said trying his best to be understanding, but the thought of fighting Kara made his blood boil. The female Kryptonian had the potential to be the ultimate sparring partner and based on their interactions so far she didn't have the same boy scout mentality as Superman which excited him in a way he wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

Kara, obviously not expecting the request, blinked in confusion and Superman sighed as if preparing himself for an oncoming headache. 

"That'll be for later. Right now I need to get her medically checked, review the ship data since it's not nonfunctional," giving him a disappointed look, "and explain to her what it's like to be here on Earth." The Man of Steel stated leaving no room for discussion before flying off North with Kara and the spaceship.

"Arius, would you come with me to the Watchtower? The League is going to have an emergency meeting, and it would be best for everyone if you came with me." Wonder Woman who was next to Arius inquired with her usual calm.

"The Watchtower?" Arius repeated before nodding, imagining a high-tech hidden base below a lighthouse similar to the Batcave below a house, his curiosity piqued.

Diana gave a small smile and led him to an invisible ship which confused him considering both of them could fly, but he stepped in regardless and within seconds when they were rocketing skyward, breaking through Earth's atmosphere and after traveling in space for a bit they began to dock inside a giant orbital building headquarters. The sheer size and wonder that was the 'Watchtower' made him realize that Earth was more technologically advanced then he thought.

After they docked Diana led Arius through the gleaming corridors of the Watchtower, the stars visible through the massive viewing windows. The sight of the stars filled Arius with a sense of peace.

"Here," Diana said, stopping in front of a door. "This room is for you to relax in while we have our meeting. I won't be long and it has everything you need a television, games, and plenty of food. Please, stay here until I come to get you."

"Got it," Arius agreed and after watching her walk away he stepped inside. The room was impressive, a massive screen mounted on the wall, shelves lined with the latest gaming consoles and their respective games, and a fridge stocked to the brim with snacks and drinks. It was the ideal place to pass by time.

He flopped onto the plush couch, grabbing a controller. 'Might as well see what this Earth's gaming has to offer,' Arius thought and after figuring out how it worked and powering up the console he was engrossed in the virtual world, the stress of recent events melting away as he played.

Meanwhile, in the League's meeting room, the Justice League gathered around a large table. Batman, at the head of the room, activated the holographic display. "We need to discuss Arius," he began, his tone as sharp as ever.

-Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)-

Diana glanced at the screen showing Arius contentedly playing the game in the break room badly if the way flash was laughing was an indication. A part of her felt relieved that he seemed at ease.

"He's not dangerous unless provoked and hasn't made any big issues with conforming to rules." she said firmly. "The only issue is his adaptation of Earth culture, since he is new to all of this having spent his last decade on a primitive planet and he seems to be liking Earth."

"That's what I'm worried about," Bruce replied, "Right now he is here out of necessity since Vyragos was destroyed, but what if he decides Earth isn't worth his time, or worse becomes hostile we'll have no way to stop him."

Clark's face flickered onto another screen next to Bruce, the background showing that he was in his Fortress of Solitude. "Kara's safe and finishing up her evaluation in the Fortress, but her arrival raises questions about Earth's future and whether there could be other aliens who will be arriving soon."

"And after discussing it with Superman we decided to hold a vote. We've seen what happens when Earth faces enemies as powerful as Darkseid with an army, so we need to strengthen the League and ensure we're prepared for whatever comes next." Bruce stated as recordings from the invasion world wide showed people being ripped apart and kidnapped with no hero in sight to help.

Clark nodded, interrupting before Batman could continue, "Yes, but before we discuss the future of the league, there's one person I believe who showed up in a way none of us expected. Victor, you've proven yourself a true hero during this invasion, stepping up even when you yourself were going through a life changing transformation. So I believe everyone at this table would welcome you officially to the Justice League. What do you say Victor?" Diana nodded along, agreeing that the young man did what very few heroes would be willing to do, stepping up and facing Darkseid.

Cyborg, sitting across the room, leaned back slightly in his chair. "I appreciate it, Superman," he said, voice steady but resolute. "But I have to decline." The half man said which surprised her and the others if their surprised glances were any indications.

"I'm honored by the offer, but going through this invasion and facing death made me realize something. Being a hero… it's not just about heart or powers. It's about experience too and I don't think I'm ready to consider myself Justice League material yet." Cyborg gave a small, confident smile. "If you need help with tech though you know where to find me."

"Are you sure, Victor?" Wonder Woman asked gently. "You've done incredible work." she said, urging him to accept, it was possible for him to gain experience while on the Justice League.

Cyborg however nodded in acceptance, "Positive. I want to start small and grow into this responsibility. To earn it." He said with a resolute will and though she thought he was ready it was his choice in the end and one she respected.

"Understood, the door remains open." Bruce gave a curt nod, his face still stoic as always not giving away any emotions. As the discussion shifted a new holographic projection of Earth appeared.

"Now like I was saying earlier, Darkseid's invasion was just the beginning. We've also had Arius appear and now Kara Zor-El. All of these events have happened within days of each other and this indicates a world wide shift. A couple years ago we emerged as superheroes which led to super villains becoming more prominent and with more extraterrestrial life arriving on earth it means we can expect another significant change." Bruce started.

And Clark finished, "Earth is changing, and we need to prepare for whatever comes next and as the threats grow, so does the League."

The explanation made sense to her and the other members of the league as they murmured their own agreement, if they were more coordinated with other heroes world wide lives could have been saved and soon the meeting turned to nominations, with each league member putting forth their candidates and she was first.

"I have someone in mind," Wonder Woman said with confidence in her voice. "Dinah Lance, known as Black Canary. I've met her a handful of times and she is fearless. I also believe her sonic abilities could add diversity to our team."

"Solid choice," Green Lantern agreed with the other nodding along.

Bruce leaned forward and chimed in again, "I'm nominating Shazam, his civilian identity is a secret, but his power set rivals Superman's, and his heart is in the right place. While he's young, I believe he could learn and I'm also nominating Kent Nelson, known as Doctor Fate as well. We don't have enough magical experience in the League, and Fate is one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence." he said to which Diana had to agree that it would be helpful to have a magic caster when Circe caused trouble.

Green Lantern raised his hand. "If we're pitching names for the League I wanna bring in Green Arrow. He doesn't have powers," he said, taking a quick look at Batman, "but his skills, leadership, and aim are unmatched. Plus, he's got years of experience in the field."

Aquaman's deep voice continued the cycle, "I nominate my wife Mera, she's a proven warrior and with the ability to control water on a massive scale. She would be a valuable asset that is as strong as any of us."

"For my pick I'll throw in Hawkgirl. She's a known alien and while fierce and determined, has shown she can be trusted and has a skillset that complements the League well." Clark said and though she didn't know much about Hawkgirl she agreed nonetheless trusting Superman's opinion. She thought of more women joining as an absolute win.

The Flash grinned, clearly excited, also put forth his choice, "What about Kid Flash? Wally's been training under me and he's fast, really fast." The speedster put forth to which multiple members frowned herself included feeling as if the young hero was a bit too immature to be putting himself and others lifes at risk.

Bruce cut in with a shake of his head. "No, he's too young. We're talking about facing planetary threats and he's not ready for that yet." He said and she agreed, but it wasn't age and it seemed hypocritical of Bruce considering he had Dick involved in hero work years ago as a child.

"Fair enough." The Flash frowned slightly wanting to argue, but conceded the point.

As the nominations for the league reached its conclusion, Bruce glanced at the group and transitioned to his next idea, "We will be getting in contact to invite the chosen heroes to join, but Flash's nomination along with Cyborg's reasons earlier stuck with me."

The Flash tilted his head, curious. "What's that?" He asked and Diana herself was curious to what Bruce had in mind.

"Teamwork," Batman replied. "Like we agreed upon, not everyone is ready for the Justice League, but some need guidance, structure, and a place to grow. If we don't help them, they could end up like Arius or worse isolated, homeless, and with nowhere to belong."

Diana frowned thoughtfully. "What are you suggesting?" She asked not liking how Bruce used Arius in the example.

Bruce seemed to pick up on her tone and turned to the group, his tone resolute, "I'm suggesting we create a new team. One that will train young heroes and give them a sense of purpose, to prepare them for the challenges they'll face. So I propose the formation of the Teen Titans."

The room fell silent as the League members considered the idea.

"Teen Titans, huh?" Flash said, a grin creeping onto his face, "I like it. A place for younger heroes to work together, learn teamwork, and stay out of trouble and if they ever need any help they have a quick way to contact us… It sounds perfect."

Batman nodded. "I already have the ideal candidates in mind. Robin, Beast Boy, and Zatanna Zatara. I'd also like Cyborg to be part of the team."

While Diana didn't have anyone else to nominate for the Teen Titans the thought of an organization to help children and teens in need to keep them away from a life of crime seemed necessary and it baffled her how they never thought to create something like that sooner.

Cyborg, who had been quiet since his refusal earlier finally spoke, "Teen Titans, huh? I like the sound of that, I'll do it."

Flash perked up again. "Then I nominate Kid Flash for the Titans. He'll fit right in with a team like that."

Batman gave a small nod. "Kid Flash can join. The Titans won't face threats on the League's level, but it'll give them a place to build trust and skills. We can oversee them and step in when necessary."

The meeting finally wrapped up with the members agreeing to reach out to the nominated heroes. Batman turned off the holographic displays, with the only screen showing a live feed of the room Arius was in, with the Saiyan almost raging before taking a deep breath and turning off the gaming console with a pout before going to work out what else the room had to offer.

The Flash chuckled, "You think Arius would be interested in joining the Titans? I'm pretty sure Beast Boy would love him."

Bruce shook his head, "Arius is a different situation entirely. For now, let's focus on the ones we can shape." the thought of Arius joining either the League or the Titans officially though did stay in her mind and was something she would bring up with him.

"Still, I think we're heading in the right direction with him." She smiled faintly and retorted, already seeing the progress that Arius was making adapting to Earth and with that, the League dispersed, hopeful of the future as they prepared to welcome new heroes into their ranks.

-General-

The Watchtower was quiet, a rare moment of calm after days of unrelenting tension. Wonder Woman exited the League's meeting room, her shoulders heavy with exhaustion. She had been awake for days organizing evacuations, combating Darkseid's forces, and now managing the aftermath on top of keeping watch over Arius. Her body longed for rest, but her mind refused to let her leave Arius unattended for too long.

Walking toward the comfort room, she opened the door quietly and stepped inside, greeted by the sight of Arius sprawled on the couch. The Saiyan worked out how to use Earth technology as a movie played softly on the television, though he was clearly asleep, one arm resting across his broad chest. The table in front of him was littered with empty plates, remnants of what looked like the entire pantry.

For a moment, Diana allowed herself to take in the sight. His massive frame somehow seemed at ease, his breathing steady. He looked... peaceful. She felt a pang of gratitude that, despite his overwhelming power, Arius had not proven to be a threat. At least, not yet.

And with the exhaustion hitting her full force. Diana decided that she could afford a brief reprieve, so walking over she eased herself onto the couch beside him, careful not to disturb his rest. The cushions dipped slightly under her weight as she leaned back and closed her eyes, the warmth radiating from him strangely comforting. Without realizing it, she drifted into sleep.

Arius cracked an eye open before shutting it again, because while he hadn't shown it, his senses had alerted him to Diana's approach long before she'd entered the room. He just kept his breathing even and stayed half-asleep out of caution, but when he felt her sit beside him and rest against his shoulder, her weariness was clear even without his Ki sense and sensing no threat, he relaxed again.

Gently, he shifted his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders. Diana murmured faintly in her sleep but didn't wake, unconsciously leaning into the warmth he offered. Arius smiled faintly to himself, finding the gesture both amusing and strangely comforting, he allowed himself to sink back into sleep.

Minutes later, the door to the comfort room slid open with a faint hiss. The Flash popped his head in, looking for Arius. His eyes widened when he saw the scene in front of him. Wonder Woman, the fierce Amazon warrior, was resting peacefully against the chest of the giant warrior. And Arius, in turn, had his arm loosely around her, his expression surprisingly serene.

The Flash couldn't help himself smirking, he whipped out his phone and snapped a quick picture. 'No way I'm keeping this to myself', he thought mischievously as he backed out of the room and disappeared down the hallway, suppressing a chuckle.

-Bruce Wayne (Batman)-

Unknown to Barry, Arius' finger twitched and pulsed a dull glow of green before fading, but Batman while watching the footage of the camera's in the room did, when he was checking in on Arius who was now cuddling on the couch with Diana. 

Narrowing his brows he reviewed the footage from the villa and noticed that Arius was initially startled by Diana when making breakfast, no glowing finger or twitching body parts indicating an unconscious defense mechanism. It seemed as if the Saiyan was developing a reflex even when unconscious to approaching people after getting hit by Kara and getting caught off guard.

The fleeting moment hinted at awareness, even in his seemingly unconscious state, went into his data entry along with the fact that when caught off guard Arius' defenses are massively reduced. The image of the Saiyan with a bruise on his face served as proof with it also making its way into a contingency plan. He would have to test if Arius can only sense living beings or weapons as well.

He'd keep an eye on Arius, having a gut feeling that something big would happen soon. The sight of the Saiyan cuddling with the Amazon upset him, but he was no one to say anything, having kept a professional relationship with everyone in the league. So the comfort room remained still. The movie continued to play softly in the background as the two warriors rested quietly against one another, not knowing they had a spectator.

-Clark Kent/Kal-El (Superman)-

The Fortress of Solitude hummed with the quiet activity of Kryptonian technology, its crystal architecture gleaming under the sunlight. Superman, having finished with the league meeting, stood by a console, watching the results of the scans on Kara. She sat nearby, swinging her legs slightly, trying to maintain her composure under his scrutinizing gaze as he ensured the punch left no lasting damage with his X-ray vision.

"These scans are just a precaution," he said, keeping his voice calm and reassuring seeing nothing wrong as Kara was in perfect condition, "I need to ensure you're not carrying any diseases that could harm Earth or yourself. Kryptonian physiology is far more adaptable, but we're still susceptible to unknown variables."

"Alright that makes sense." Kara nodded while fidgeting slightly, still nervous.

As the scans concluded he turned to her with a thoughtful expression at the results, "It's fascinating, your cells have absorbed much more solar radiation. It's like you took a dip in the sun itself. Simply put, what Arius said earlier is true, you're stronger than I am and by a large margin." he muttered seeing the results of the scans in disbelief.

"What?" Kara blinked in surprise. "How is that possible? You've been on Earth longer." She asked and it was a good question considering that he also had no idea why.

So he pulled up the ship's data on the console, displaying a visual of Kara's flight pattern as it drifted through space, which gave him the answer, "When your pod was knocked off course, it ended up orbiting a blue star for several years while you were in suspended animation and since blue stars emit more intense radiation than yellow stars. That energy must have supercharged your cells, it's like you're a battery with a full charge." He explained wondering if he could get stronger by recreating the same conditions for himself. The memories of both Darkseid and Arius toying with him.

Kara however was staring at the visual, processing the information, "So... I'm stronger because of that star?"

"Exactly, but with that strength comes responsibility," he said, his tone growing serious, knowing he had to ensure she grasped what he stood for, "You'll need to be careful. You're far more powerful than most beings, including myself but you'll have to learn to control it or you'll hurt those around you, like the accident that happened with Arius."

"I understand, Kal." She nodded solemnly and being referred to as Kal after going by Clark his whole life felt foreign, but nice as if he was finding a piece of himself that he didn't know he lost.

Satisfied, he shifted the conversation, "Now that we've covered the basics, why don't you tell me about yourself? Or ask what you want to know about Earth?"

"Well…" Kara hesitated, smiling nervously, but continued, "What was it like growing up here?"

He didn't expect that question right off the bat, but considering that she was supposed to guard him as a baby seeing him fully grown must have made her curious at what she missed, "I was raised on a farm in Kansas by two of the kindest people I've ever known, who named me Clark Kent. They taught me everything, from how to be human, how to control my powers, and how to live with purpose. Years later, I became a journalist at the Daily Planet to stay close to the action and help people in another way when I'm not being Superman."

"That's... amazing," Kara said, genuinely impressed even if he could pick up the slight bit of sadness in her tone, but her fidgeting didn't stop. Her fingers twined together, her gaze darting between himself and the floor.

Finally, she took a breath and asked, "What about Arius? What do you know about him?" Which caught him off guard because he definitely didn't expect Kara to ask anything related to the man even he knew little about, but something about the question itself set off alarms in his mind.

Focusing his enhanced senses he picked up subtle changes. Kara's pupils were dilated, her cheeks faintly flushed, and her voice carried a slightly higher pitch, her heart rate had increased, it clicked instantly. She's attracted to him.

Superman's first reaction was objection followed by concern. The thought of his only biological family developing feelings for someone like Arius unnerved him. The Saiyan was a mystery, one that he didn't fully trust, but as he thought about it, he realized he was being unfair. He barely knew Arius himself and was already judging him prematurely. That wasn't right, especially when Arius had helped save Earth during the invasion, even if he did so unintentionally.

"Hmm," Superman began cautiously, choosing his words carefully as he didn't want his bias to show, "Arius is... unique. He's incredibly powerful as you've experienced firsthand," he started to which Kara nodded with the blush on her cheeks darkened for a reason he didn't want to think of, "He's also resilient both physically and emotionally from what he told us, Arius survived alone on a planet called Vyragos for years which was blown up just like his homeworld Planet Vegeta. What happened to us once happened to him twice. That kind of experience shapes a person."

Kara nodded before leaning forward slightly, her interest clear. "Do you know what he likes or dislikes? Anything more personal?"

At that point he could only shake his head, not wanting to say more, "Not really. He's a mystery to me, but I'd imagine Diana knows him better considering she's hardly left his side, maybe you should ask her." He hinted, trying to dissuade his cousin, but all he got in response was a brief look of jealousy flashing on Kara's face before quickly vanishing.

"That's fine I was just a bit curious... that's all." Kara said, faking a smile while she averted her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow, but decided it was best not to press further, "Well, in any case, I think it's best if you rest. You've been through a lot, and your body needs time to adjust to the Earth's atmosphere." he explained.

Kara nodded, though her expression was slightly distracted. Kal watched her for a moment longer before stepping out of the room. Once he was far enough away he pulled out his phone and made a call.

…

…

…

"Clark?" Lois's familiar voice answered. "It's nice to hear from you! Hopefully the invasion didn't hit the farm too bad."

He hesitated. "No, the farm is fine, but I… Uh, need your advice." He said in his Clark Kent voice.

"About? Did you get hurt?" She asked concerned and it warmed him up a little 

"No No I'm fine. It's… well, it's about my cousin. Her home was destroyed and she came to live with me after the invasion and recently met an acquaintance of mine that she might have a crush on and I don't know how to respond." He explained the situation in human terms to the one person who he knew would know what to do.

"Is he a good man?" She asked, humming in contemplation.

"I don't know him too well, but I believe so." He responded believing that if Arius was evil he would have tried to conquer the Earth with his power.

"Listen Smallville, here's the real advice, let things happen naturally. If she likes him, and he likes her back, let them figure it out. If it doesn't work, they'll move on and you can comfort her and if it does... Well, maybe you'll be welcoming a new member to the Kent family." Lois stated confidently and it made sense he couldn't make every decision for her and it would do her some good to make it for herself.

"Thanks, Lois. I needed that." He chuckled despite himself. 

"Always here to keep you grounded. Now stay safe and I'll let you know when we're going back to work. Right now Wayne Enterprise is rebuilding the Daily Planet and we're going to be paid until they can fix the damage." Lois said warmly with a chuckle and the reminder that he technically worked for Bruce was amusing.

"Thanks, Lois. I'll see you then." He said with a smile knowing that he'd be seeing her sooner considering the workaholic would be scouring Metropolis for a headline and his work as Superman was never done.

"I'll be here," Lois said, "And Clark? Try not to play overprotective big brother too hard. It's cute, but it's not your best look."

Superman shook his head with a grin as the call ended, his thoughts a little clearer. He glanced back at the Fortress where Kara was resting. Lois was right even if he wanted to be the overprotective big brother she was still his older cousin and she had the right to pursue someone that made her happy and she was also technically stronger than him.

At this point he could only hope Diana and Arius weren't serious because it seemed the amazon had some competition and he wasn't looking to choose sides.

AN: Howdy doody, took a bit to edit this chapter to how I liked and searching for a job is a pain in the butt, but here it is at last. I tried to keep the names of people consistent with the POV's with Wonder Woman seeing Superman as Clark and Batman as Bruce with the three of them being the closest among each other. 

As for relationships, well that's going to be a mess, but it is what it is… So once again I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and any feedback would be appreciated.

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