Chapter 2: The Blue Haired Maiden
The first rule in any survival situation is to not panic. Most people tend to freak out and go running off without any idea of where they actually are. The best advice anyone can follow is to stay put and wait for rescue.
Kyle didn't think that applied when you were lost in another reality.
This wasn't the first time he'd been thrust into an alternate universe. Despite not being an official member of the Justice League at the time, even Superman's warnings couldn't keep him from helping out whenever he could. As such, Kyle had been dragged along on several adventures that put him and the team in different universes or even timelines.
Once he and some of the other Leaguers had landed in a post-apocalyptic earth where a mutated telepath had recreated his favorite comic series. In another they had encountered their alternate selves, demented versions who had conquered their world and ruled with absolute authority.
Every time they'd managed to find a way back after dealing with whatever crisis had brought them there in the first place.
Of course, Kyle couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in his gut that in those situations it was the more experienced members of the League who found them a way home. This time he was all on his own.
Taking the chance, he reached for his earpiece to try and call for help.
"Helios to Watchtower. J'onn, come in. Hello? Is anyone there?"
All he got was a monotone static blur on the other end. He sighed. It was to be expected. After all, if he really was in another dimension, there wouldn't be any satellites or Watchtower to connect with.
Taking the useless device and placing it in the hidden pouch that lined his uniform, Kyle groaned when he saw the large tear in it. Three claw marks had raked a claw across his torso, leaving bits and pieces of his moderately built chest exposed.
"Ok, so I'm in another dimension or at least on another planet with no supplies, contacts, and my one article of clothes is ruined," he listed to himself. Another sigh escaped his lips. "Now what?"
Taking a deep breath, the first steps of a plan began to form in Kyle's mind. He knew that it was important to figure out exactly where he was and if this world was inhabited by any sentient life. If it was, then he'd have to find a way to navigate until a way home presented itself.
Kyle closed his eyes and began to focus on the sounds around him. Doing so helped activate his super hearing, a passive trait Kyle had learned from Superman early on should be heavily muted on most occasion.
If he didn't, the constant high intensity of everything around him would drive Kyle insane, like having a constant jackhammer rumbling in his head.
The subtle sounds of the forest began to raise in volume, every crunching leaf and droplet from the nearby stream coming in loud and clear. As his range spread, so did the number of sounds.
There were many noises he didn't recognize, presumably from animals native to this world. A couple minutes later, something new hit his eardrums. While it was too far away for him to make out all the words, they were definitely the sound of someone talking and in English too!
While Kyle couldn't confirm they were human, he'd met enough aliens who spoke English to never assume, it did mean he wasn't alone. Now he had a lead.
Kyle wasted no time and began heading off in the direction the sounds had come from, opting to walk instead of fly. While it would have been faster, the last thing he needed was for someone to notice him and freak out before he could get a lay of the land.
It made the trip take infinitely longer, but keeping his presence unnoticed for now was well worth the extra hiking. As he walked, Kyle took in the sights of this new world. It was honestly quite peaceful.
Maybe he was just not near any of the more heavily populated areas, but this forest was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the city.
He followed the river as the sounds began to grow louder. They were just another mile off when Kyle's ears were assaulted by a more distressing sound.
"Ahhhhh!" A high pitched scream wrecked Kyle's ears and he was quick to pinpoint where the cry had come from.
Instantly he turned away from his original path and darted further into the woods. Finding civilization was important, but he was a hero first and foremost. It didn't matter whether this was his universe or not, heroes help people above all else, including their own needs.
Running through the forest was a quick detour, especially when in his rush Kyle literally ran through a couple trees. His invincible body was not slowed in the slightest, nor did he even realize until crashing into a third oak.
His superhuman rush ended at a small clearing within the trees where a dangerous scene played out before him.
In its center were three figures, each of very different appearances. The most normal was a young girl no older than twelve years old in a green and blue dress with even bluer hair. She was crawling away back first with a look of abject terror written on her face.
Opposite her was a large gorilla like creature, but one that didn't look the part. It was bigger than Grodd with white and green fur, sporting two massive fists and a dopey smile that detracted from any intimidation its body could invoke.
It swung at the girl while hooting over and over, causing the child to jump back with another shout.
Standing next to the girl and trying to comfort her was a small cat wearing a red and pink dress with a yellow tie that had a paw print on it. Kyle had seen many cats dressed up in cute human clothes by their owners, but what made it strange was the fact it stood on two legs like a person.
It got even weirder when it spoke.
"Wendy, look out!" The female cat cried as the blue haired girl rolled to the side as their attacker missed another swing.
"Woman, mine," it suddenly chanted in a low grunt. Kyle didn't know why any of this truly surprised him. He'd seen way weirder back home.
Just when he thought the strangeness had reached its peak, the now identified Wendy opened her mouth and roared.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
A huge cyclone of air launched out of Wendy's mouth right at the giant ape. Joey's eyes widened from his hiding spot as the whirlwind slammed into the wild beast, sending it skidding back several yards. Was this kid a meta human? How had she done that?
His questions took a back seat as sadly her attack wasn't enough to actually knock the creature down or out. It let out a dark chuckle and scratched its belly before stalking closer once again.
"Ah! Carla, what should I do."
The frightened squeak in her voice confirmed that this Wendy wasn't a veteran fighter who was just having a bad day. Seeing that the girl was in a real pickle, Kyle decided it was time to make his entrance.
As the gorilla raised its fists high, he rushed into the fight, intercepting what would have surely been a painful blow in both of his hands. Not giving his stunned audience a chance to recover, a quick kick to the gut sent the beast stumbling away, looking confused, hurt, and angry.
"Who… who are you?" A timid voice perked up, prompting Kyle to glance at the still downed girl and nervous looking cat behind him. He cast them both a warm smile.
"Names Helios. I was just in the area and thought you could use some help." It took him a second to answer, almost giving away his identity instead of his code name.
"Well we certainly appreciate you coming to our aide, though I can assure that Wendy and I have this situation fully under control," the white cat rebuked. While Kyle assumed she didn't mean it, the thanks kind of sounded like criticism if he were being honest.
Apparently Wendy thought so too.
"Carla don't be mean. He's just trying to… watch out!"
Wendy's words turned into a shout as she pointed to something out of Kyle's peripherals. He turned just in time for a white and green fist to smash into his face, this time sending him crashing into a tree.
The hooting and hollering that followed made it pretty clear who was responsible.
He tuned out the worried cries of Wendy and the annoying cheers from the big ape to focus on a more pressing issue. That punch had hurt. It wasn't like it was incredibly strong or anything. Kyle had taken blows from Superman and Darkseid after all, but for some reason this thing was able to make him feel pain, at least a little.
The only other time he'd been hurt like this was when…
Magic! That thing used magic. That's why it hurt. For all the powers Kryptonians had, none gave them a resistance to magical attacks. It made Kyle wonder if that's what Wendy had done too.
She did yell out her attack like reciting a spell.
He'd figure that part out later. Right now he and a monkey needed to have words.
"Hey monkey man," he shouted, wiping a little dirt of his already damaged suit. "I'll give you that one. I'd suggest you get out of here while you're ahead."
As he expected, the beast laughed at his request.
"Me no monkey. Me Vulcan. You in my wood so my property. I beat you and take woman."
Kyle's eyes narrowed as he saw Wendy shivering at the thought of being "owned" by this monster. No, he wasn't about to let it just walk away now. Kyle raised his fists into a classic boxing stance, motioning for the gorilla to come at him.
"If you insist, then come and beat me. That is, if you can."
Wendy looked stunned by his display of confidence, probably wondering how Kyle could talk like that after getting knocked around.
The Vulcan became enraged at and charged into what it believed would be an easy fight. Kyle suddenly felt bad comparing this thing to Gorilla Grodd. Even the normal gorilla had more combat skill than this guy did. It lumbered over in a clumsy manner that only a small child like Wendy would find scary.
It swung a wide right that Kyle saw coming and easily ducked. Another came at him in slow motion and was avoided. Then another and another. This pattern continued until Kyle leapt over the Vulcan's head, using it as a springboard towards Wendy and Carla while also pushing the beast into the dirt.
"Had enough yet?"
Kyle tried to keep his smile pleasant, but a smirk fought to take over when he saw the amazed look Wendy had as she stared at him. Yeah, it was nice being admired. The Vulcan was less impressed and shook some mud from his face, which was red as it seethed in anger.
"Me crush you!" The monster screeched as it charged once again, ready to follow through on its threat. Now a smirk broke on Kyle's face.
"Maybe you should just chill out."
Kyle took a deep breath before unleashing a chilling breath upon the Vulcan. Quickly, the gorilla creature's body slowed as ice began to form across its fur. The beast didn't realize until it was too late and trapped within a large block of ice inches away from connecting with Kyle's head.
He let out a sign. Was that the best pun he could come up with? Flash would be ashamed.
"Hey are you alright?" Kyle asked, turning his attention away from the frozen gorilla to the little girl who was staring up at him in awe.
"Yes, we're both ok," Wendy said, tugging on the hem of her skirt. "But that was amazing. I've never seen someone use magic like that. You must be a very skilled wizard."
"I'll admit while your disheveled appearance would suggest otherwise, you do seem to be quite the capable mage," Carla offered as she inspected him with eyes full of judgment. "We appreciate the assistance."
"Mage? Me?" Kyle responded, quirking a brow. "Uh, you know how it is. Sometimes it's good to have a few tricks up your sleeve."
There. He hadn't lied to the first person he met in this new world that could possibly offer him a lifeline, just not actually answered their question. The white cat continued to look him over, but Wendy didn't seem as hesitant.
"It's nice to meet you Mr. Helios. My name is Wendy Marvell and this is my friend Carla."
"A pleasure," Carla extended a formal greeting with a small curtsy.
"The pleasure is all mine. And uh, that's just what some people call me from time to time. My real name is Kyle Maize," he admitted a little awkwardly.
Normally giving out his true name so casually would be breaking the number one rule as a super hero, maybe number two, but Kyle felt it was ok here. After all, this was another world and no one would know of him, nor would they be able to threaten his family once they did.
Wendy didn't seem to find this odd, though Carla's eyes had narrowed significantly. "So what was all that about? Why was that thing attacking you?"
"Oh, the Vulcan?" Wendy confirmed, allowing the issue with his name to breeze by. "It wasn't anything special. Their race is known for attacking people out of the blue who go too deep into the woods, but I didn't expect to run into one on the main path. When it jumped out I got caught by surprise and just… just froze up."
"You must always be ready for a battle Wendy," chided Carla. "A mage such as yourself can't afford to be taken out so easily and by such a lack luster foe."
"I'm sorry Carla," Wendy bemoaned, sniffling a tad. Kyle decided to step in.
"Don't feel too bad about it kid. I'm sure you're a pretty strong fighter. I mean, that blast of wind was nothing to joke about. Everyone slips up every now and then."
That seemed to do the trick and bring Wendy out of her imminent funk.
"Speaking of that brute, how is it you don't know about them? Anyone who lives in Fiore has at least heard of how much of a nuisance those pests can be."
Now they were moving back into territory Kyle was not fully equipped to handle. Thinking fast, he tried coming up with a reasonable answer that didn't involve alien technology and alternate realities.
Magic was a thing here, right? Maybe he could work with that?
"That's the thing. I'm not exactly from around here. Is Fiore the name of your home town or…"
"Our home tow… it's the entire continent! The biggest on Earthland! How could you not even know that?" Carla balked in astonishment. Even Wendy looked shocked by his lack of knowledge.
Earthland? Is that the name of this planet? Kind of weird, but is it any weirder than naming the planet after dirt.
"Like I said, I'm not from around here. I live in a place called the United States, a place pretty far away from Fiore, so far it's impossible to travel there by conventional means. See, me and my friends were in the middle of a fight against a group of people looking to cause trouble and one of them opened a portal that accidently sent me here."
Wendy let out a small gasp, her eyes widening and casting a shocked, but sad look over Kyle. Carla also looked at him with a small amount of sympathy, though it was nearly lost among the highly suspicious gaze she wore. It was almost amusing how suspicious she was, not that Kyle blamed her.
It wasn't like Batman or the League or Batman wouldn't question that kind of story further. Especially Batman.
"Yeah, not the ideal situation to be in. Now I don't know where I am or how to get back."
If I can get back, a little voice said in the back of his head. Kyle tried to shoo it away, but there was a long pause after his last statement that weighed down on him.
What if he really was stuck here, unable to return? After all, the device that sent him here was broken and even if they piece it back together, it was Luthor who modified it. What if they needed him to make it work right?
Kyle couldn't see them finding any way to make him comply if that were the case. Luthor would rather leave him stranded in another world than take whatever deal the League could offer him. Without his friends there to lead the way, could he manage to find his own way back?
"If you don't have anywhere to go, why don't you come back to our guild with us?"
"Wendy!" Carla shouted, surprising Kyle yet again as a pair of angelic wings sprouted from her back, fully capable of lifting her into the air to eye level with the blue haired girl. "We barley even know this man. You can't just invite a stranger back to our guild. What will the master say?"
"But Master Roubaul is always talking about how a wizards job is to help people in need. If Kyle has nowhere else to go, then we should help him."
Wendy's earlier nerves had vanished and were replaced by a much more confident showing. Carla didn't respond right away, looking into Wendy's eyes with a conflicted gaze.
"You don't have to really," Kyle chimed in, causing both girl and cat to turn. "I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble."
"No, no, it's no trouble at all!" Wendy jumped in. "Our guild isn't too far from here, just about a mile that way."
Wendy pointed off down a small hill towards a road that led further through the woods. Kyle couldn't help but note it was in the same direction he had been heading. He didn't voice this, however, as Carla let out a tired sigh.
He had a feeling this wasn't the first time they'd argued like this. None of it felt malicious though, more like a mother and daughter having a spat.
"Fine, we can bring him with us, but I'm not letting you out of my sight until the Master decides what to do with you, got it?" She declared, rounding that fierce glare onto him. Somehow even after working with Batman for years, it still got a flinch out of him.
"Yes ma'am," Kyle answered, a light and very awkward chuckle escaping him. Wendy giggled too, apparently finding it funny to see someone else experience Carla's overbearing wrath, before taking the lead back towards the main path.
They spent the short walk talking, Kyle sharing a couple more details about himself and where he was from. Both Wendy and Carla were very curious for different reasons. When asked about the type of magic he used, Wendy said she'd never seen someone use more than one type.
Carla unknowingly came to Kyle's aide by pointing out while it wasn't impossible, most mages tended to favor a certain type of magic over others. Not many took the time to improve various skills equally or even could, before guessing Kyle used some kind of enhancement and ice magics.
"I kind of had a natural affinity for a couple different skills and my mentors refused to let any of that potential go to waste," he replied through a sigh of relief for the easy excuse.
It's not like he was lying either, just not sharing the full truth. He felt a little guilty, but knew it was best to hold his cards close to the chest for now.
The conversation went both ways as Kyle gained some important information about Earthland and Fiore. First off, only 10% of the world's population could use magic. Despite such a low number, that still meant there were numerous wizards out there all with their own skills and magical powers.
To help keep things under control, at least in Fiore, the government (a monarchy with several Minister advisory boards) created the Magical Council to oversee almost all magic related issues and decisions. The council still answered to the royal family, but had a lot more power and autonomy than most other advisory groups.
Under the magic council was a myriad of different guilds where wizards could find employment, taking on various jobs sent to them by anyone who needed help. Each guild operated a little differently, but all generally followed the same structure within the country's and magic council's rules.
Cait Shelter was one of these guilds, a smaller than average group that didn't rank high on any popularity list, but one that still completed its fair share of work.
"We're here!" Wendy cheered, running slightly ahead as the tree line finally broke and revealed a larger clearing up ahead. "Welcome to my guild, Cait Shelter."
It was a cute scene. The river they'd been following expanded into a large pristine lake with a waterfall raining down from the cliffs above. Along the lake side was a small village made up of several different buildings, a couple larger ones and many smaller ones around them in a semi-circle.
The cute part was that they were all shaped like cats.
If Kyle had to make a comparison, he'd say the entire village held a similar aesthetic to the native American tribes he'd read about in school, minus the cats. The outfits he saw people wearing only furthered that connection. They were all focused on one task or another, from moving large wooden crates across the circular village center to quietly fishing by the stream.
Wendy allowed him a moment to take it all in, the quaintness and peaceful nature of their cove. His silent gawking didn't last, however, as people started to take notice of their arrival. It wasn't hard given his strange outfit and the vibrant blue hair of Wendy that none of her guildmates seemed to share.
"Wendy is that you?" One of the small, but fast growing crowd members called out. His shout grabbed the attention of several others nearby and suddenly the trio were swarmed by almost every person in sight.
They started asking all sorts of questions, most of them the obvious ones. Was she ok? Why was she back later than planned? Who was the strangely dressed weirdo behind her. Kyle tried not to take offense at that last one.
"Everyone, I'm fine," Wendy announced as she smiled at the growing crowd, showing none of the stage fright she'd gotten when Kyle had first introduced himself other than a light blush. "This is Kyle Maize. He ran into Carla and I on our way back from our last job. We were in a little trouble so he ended up lending a hand."
"I still believe you did not need his assistance to vanquish such an overblown opponent if you just acted with more self-assurance. His assistance was not unwelcomed to speed things along."
Wendy's shoulders slumped a tad at Carla's words, though Kyle could sense the cat had meant well. Immediately the crowd broke into an uproar. Some were busy fawning over Wendy to make sure she was truly unharmed as she went into more details while a few were furious that anyone, creature or otherwise, would dare to attack their precious guildmate.
The largest number all switched their focus to thank Kyle for helping Wendy out of a tight spot, bowing to him with more enthusiasm than he felt was necessary.
"Please, you don't have to do that," Kyle quickly said with a little blush of his own. Seriously, even the Justice League never got such passionate praise from fans. "I helped out because it was the right thing to do. I'm sure most people would have done the same in my situation."
"Nonsense. Most people would have turned and run if they saw a full grown Vulcan on the attack," one of the taller wizards refuted.
"But I'm not most people," Kyle shot back, earning a laugh from those closest.
"No I guess not. After all, most wizards don't bother learning more than one type of magic, but to show such proficiency with two is quite the ego booster."
Now Kyle laughed. If they thought his super strength and ice breath made an impressive pair, then he almost wanted to see how they'd react to all his other abilities.
"Hey now, what's all this commotion about?" An older sounding voice cut through the crowd. All the respective guild members stood up straight, practically leaping aside for the owner of the shout to walk passed.
Approaching Kyle was a small, slim elderly man with a long white beard, complete with a mustache that extended up on his face's sides. On his forehead was a tattoo, composed of a dot surrounded by two arched stripes.
Like the others, his outfit fell in line with that of Native American clothing, though it was clear by the large feathered cap he wore that his outfit was one of a leader.
"Master, you're here," Wendy said in genuine surprise, bowing like her guild mates had done earlier. Carla, already being quite short, offered a curtsy instead.
Kyle hesitated for a second before mimicking her actions. Given Wendy's confirmation, it would be rude not to show the leader of her guild respect, even if he wasn't a member.
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir."
"Now there's no need for that young lad," the old man stated, pulling out a flash from his pants before downing about half of it in one gulp. "From what I've overheard, I should be thanking you for rescuing our young Marvell."
"Like I said it was no trouble, really. I'm just glad her and Carla are ok." The old man nodded while stroking his beard. He was clearing taking Kyle in and trying to get a feel for him. It wasn't the first time he'd been on the receiving end of that look.
"So you say. I must ask young lad, what brings you to our neck of the woods. Not many travel this far north, especially at your age and alone of all things.
"Mr. Roubaul is the master of Cait Shelter and a really powerful wizard," Wendy exclaimed. "Maybe he can help you with your problem Kyle!"
"Indeed. If anyone can help with your particular circumstances, our guild's master should be able to assist in gathering your bearings," Carla added, once again giving him a side eye as she looked for something that wasn't there.
Kyle glanced between her and the even shorter old man. "I mean if you don't mind…" he trailed.
Roubaul raised a brow and took another sip from his flask. "Of course I don't mind young lad. It's the least I can do to repay you for helping one of our own. After all, it's the duty of a guild to help those in need and Cait Shelter is no exception."
Kyle didn't say anything right away, scanning the large number of people watching their back and forth like some kind of tennis match.
"Would it be possible for us to speak in private? I'd rather not have everyone here knowing my business, no offense. It's just not pleasant to relive." Thankfully no one seemed to be troubled by request, some even nodding their heads in agreement.
"I suppose that's alright. If you would follow me to my office?" He asked with a small gesture towards the village's center hut, which was bigger than most of the others and just as cat themed.
Kyle nodded and bid the crowd goodbye.
"It was nice meeting you Kyle. I hope we see each other again sometime," Wendy said with a cheer.
"The pleasure was all mine Wendy, Carla," he said with another bow. "Thank you both again for all you help. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."
"And you as well," Carla replied, for once meeting Kyle's eyes with a look that didn't hold some hidden distaste.
He bid them goodbye one more time before following after the guild master, who's short legs hadn't gotten him that far ahead. Upon entering, Kyle was greeted by a relatively simple layout. Apparently it wasn't some animal skin hut like he'd first thought, but made of brick, clay, and cement.
The tribal aesthetic must have just been an extra cover.
The floor plan had a few tables scattered across the interior and a bar to the far left with shelves upon shelves of different booze.
There was a ladder staircase that led to the second floor and next to it was a large bulletin board with several pieces of paper attached. Those must be the guild's requests, Kyle thought as they passed towards a door on the right of the building.
Roubaul's office held the same simplicity as the rest of the building. A half full bookshelf and thick carpet decorated the room around the master's oversized desk that required a step stool for him to reach.
"Ok then young lad," the guild master began as he hopped into his chair. "What sort of trouble are you in that it would require us to speak in private? I can't imagine someone so young is in anything too deep. Then again, you youngsters always know how to cause a ruckus."
Kyle sighed. It was now or never to start getting some answers.
"What do you know about multiverse theory?"
And from there, Kyle began to weave his tale. How he wasn't from this country or even reality. How he ended up traveling here by accident during a fight with a dangerous group of criminals.
The conversation quickly moved into more specific talks about his own world and its unique history. How superheroes existed in place of mages, how the Justice League was formed and essentially filled a similar role that guilds did.
Their tenuous relationship with the world's government, despite all they did to help.
How magic, while real, was not as wide spread or easy to learn as it seemed to be here.
Of course, some more personal details were left out, but after an hour of back and forth questions and answers, Roubaul removed the hand from his chin that had been constantly stroking his magnificent beard. He then took the largest drink from his flask yet.
"Well that is quite the story. One of the craziest I've heard in quite some time."
"I swear to you it's all true," Kyle pressed. "I can prove it if you don't believe me." He reaching into his hidden pocket to retrieve his cell phone, but the Cait Shelter master raised a hand.
"Oh don't worry, I believe you are telling the truth." Kyle froze, adopting a confused look that made Roubaul laugh.
"I said it was one of the craziest stories I'd heard, but not the most unbelievable by far. When you get to be as old as I am, you come to understand that there are a lot of things out there nobody can explain or understand, yet still exist. I can sense you aren't lying either and see no reason why you'd come up with something so farfetched. That is unless you're insane," he added with another laugh.
"So you can help me then?" Kyle asked, hopeful optimism sneaking into his voice. It was immediately dashed when Roubaul's own smile faded.
"Sadly, while I believe you're telling the truth, I don't know anything remotely related to interdimensional travel. I don't think anyone has as far as I know. The closest thing I can think of is some variant of Teleportation magic, but nothing to the extent you've described."
"Which means I'm pretty much stuck here then."
Kyle fell back into the chair opposite Roubaul's mighty desk and slumped down. This was not what he wanted to hear. Unless the old man was messing with him for some unknown reason, it meant Kyle was well and truly stuck.
His only hope now was to either discover some long forgotten or wait until the Justice League found him.
And who knew how long that could take.
"Now don't go giving up so quickly young lad," Roubaul instructed with a gentle touch. "I may not be able to send you home, but that doesn't mean I still can't assist in your endeavor."
"But you just said…" Kyle began, cut off by a smirk from the guild master.
"I said I didn't know anything about interdimensional travel, but that doesn't mean I can't find out. One of the benefits of living a long well-travelled life is that I've gotten to know many people in both the highs and lows of life. I've got people in quite a number of positions all over the world who owe me quite a lot. Perhaps one of them knows a thing or two about the subject. "
He took another sip from his flask, only to realize it was empty and pull out an identical bottle after throwing the first away. "Anyway, I wouldn't put it passed our kingdom to have experimented with the idea and keep the information quiet, especially if they had any success with it." He took another sip of the alcoholic beverage. "In the meantime, I think I know just what to do with you."
"What do you mean?" Kyle asked, his body tensing for some unknown reason. Roubaul noticed and chuckled.
"I don't mean anything sinister by it. It's just that this might take some time, so I had an idea that might do us both some good. While we are busy looking for a way to send you home, I'd like for you to join my guild."
"Huh?" It was the best response Kyle could muster in the moment. He quickly recovered and shot to his feet. "Are you serious? I mean, I appreciate your help and the offer, but I don't plan to stick around this world longer than I have to. I need to get back home to my friends, my family. Plus, even if I wanted to join, I don't use magic."
"I don't see any issue," Roubaul said, waving off his concerns. "I understand it would only be temporary, but I think sticking around would benefit us both. First off, it will be easier for me to keep in touch with you about any leads I find and provide you a room and board for a small fee which you can repay by taking on job requests with the guild as well as earn some spending money. After all, neither of us know how long you'll be staying here and it wouldn't do to have you living on the streets."
"I… suppose that make sense." Kyle had to admit the man made a good argument.
"It would also give you the chance to use your abilities to continue… what did you call it? Oh yes, super heroing. I can sense you are quite powerful and whatever you've shared about your abilities is only scratching the surface, am I right?"
Kyle didn't give an answer, but the hearty blush on his face said it all.
"I have no doubt you wish to continue serving the public, which is exactly what guilds were created to do. At least as a member of our guild, you can use your powers to their fullest without raising suspicion as anything more and an up and coming wizard from some lesser known guild. And lastly…"
Roubaul paused for a moment, breaking the long held eye contact he'd held with Kyle and looked at his hands. They tightened as the man looked to be deep in thought. "I would appreciate your help looking after Wendy."
"Wendy?" Kyle repeated, eyebrow reaching full raise. Roubaul nodded.
"Yes Wendy. She's a special girl, been with us since before she can even remember. Never knew any other family. We all try to keep an eye out for her, especially Carla. She's got powerful magic, but lacks much of the training or confidence needed to grow. I saw how she looked at you, like you were everything she wishes to be. I've found Wendy to be a good judge of character and I'd like it if you were to lend a hand in watching out for her during your stay."
"Of course I can," Kyle answered without hesitation. "I owe them both for bringing me her after all. She kind of reminds me of my little sister, though less of trouble maker." Both shared a laugh at that. "But what about the magic? I can't be a wizard if I don't use it."
"Bah," Roubaul scoffed. "Maybe in your world, but here, being a mage isn't about the magic one wields, but why they wield it. You've got a good heart and I'd be happy to call you a Cait Shelter wizard."
Kyle didn't respond right away, staring at the small and energetic man. Part of him still questioned if all of this was too good to be true, but he and the League had found odder allies under weirder circumstances.
"Alright Roubaul, I mean Master. You've got yourself a deal," Kyle exclaimed with an extended hand that the guild master was all too eager to shake.
"Well then, welcome to the family young lad. I'll find you a place to call your own so you can settle in and see if we have any spare clothes to replace your onesie."
"Onesie?" Kyle mouthed, taking the offhanded description like a spear to the heart. Roubaul didn't notice as he pulled out what looked to be a stamp with the same insignia Kyle had seen all over the village. It kind of looked like a cat with two wavy tails.
"Now there is just one matter left to attend to. Where would you like your guild mark? This is how people know you are an official member. Don't worry it's not permanent," he added after seeing Kyle's odd look. "It serves as a symbol of your commitment to using your power as a wizard and that from now and till the end of time you will always be welcomed within these halls."
Well when you put it like that…
"Does it come in blue?"
XXX
"I can't believe you really joined our guild," Wendy repeated for the third time since their tour began. Both he and Wendy were walking through the village, which was far larger than Kyle had first thought, with Carla floating next to them.
The pair had been quite shocked to hear of his sudden recruitment into the guild after only a short meeting with their master. Though it made more sense when he explained Roubaul had offered to help him find a way home in the meantime.
Wendy had been thrilled to see the dark blue Cait Shelter mark on his right shoulder, perfectly matching her lighter blue one.
"Yeah, I'm still having a hard time believing it myself. Definitely wasn't on my to do list for today."
"Well clearly the master saw something worthwhile in you, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered. Then again, if he's helping you find a way back to your so called home, then it's only fair you do your part to repay his kindness. You'd best be prepared not to let him down after offering such a gracious chance."
"Carla, that's a little mean don't you think? We're on the same team after all."
Kyle rolled his eyes. Even now that they were officially on the same side, Carla still didn't drop her authoritarian attitude.
"I'll do my best to live up to your shining example. Until then, I plan to do my best. Until I can get home I might as well take everything in stride. One step at a time and all that."
Despite the light teasing of his words, Carla raised her head with a new smugness to her smile.
"See that you do. Now come along Wendy. You need to get some rest after all our recent travels."
"But I'm not tired Carla," the young blue haired girl whined.
"Nonsense. We've been on the road long enough and getting enough rest is important if you want to keep growing."
Wendy's face took on a heavy red shading, somehow getting worse when a laugh slipped out of Kyle's mouth. "But we didn't finish showing Kyle around the village."
"Don't worry about it," he intervened on her behalf. "We can finish the tour up tomorrow. I think getting some sleep is a great idea."
"Oh, well if you say so. Then let's do it Carla." Kyle held back his laughter this time as Wendy's attitude did a one eighty and she ran off with her white cat right behind her. He gave her one final wave before backtracking to the smaller cottages that had been designated as his own.
It wasn't any bigger than the smallest apartments available in either Haven City or Metropolis. A small living area, bedroom and bath with limited furniture was more than Kyle had expected, though the distinct lack of any Earth electronics did not go unnoticed.
Even though the sun was barely starting to set behind the mountain range, all of the day's events had taken their toll, making it very easy for Kyle to slip into the readymade bed and drift off into a dreamless sleep.
His last thoughts before consciousness faded away a promise that whatever tomorrow brought, he would face it head on like a true member of the Justice League. And now, also, like a true wizard of Cait Shelter.
XXX
Hours later, in the dead of night, when most living things had long since followed Kyle's lead and fallen asleep, one large creature moved through the forest with little care. The Vulcan stepped hard upon the ground, stomping anything that got in its way. Every few seconds a hard sneeze escaped its trembling lips.
This had been going on ever since it thawed out from the ice block.
"Stupid human. Steal my woman. Freeze like popci… pop… popcorn!"
In its rage, the Vulcan punched a tree, toppling it over with ease. As thoughts of finding the punk human and teaching him a lesson filled the beast's mind, something from above bonked the already frustrated Vulcan on the head.
"Arhhhhh!" The monster roared, looking around for whatever had dared to cause it further pain. What if found was not a living being, but a small chunk of rock. Curiosity peaked, the Vulcan bent down and picked the rock off the ground, inspecting it in the moonlight.
There was something odd about this, the Vulcan realized. Not because of the circuitry sticking out of it or the three small circles that formed a triangle pattern. No, what attracted the Vulcan's attention was how shiny it was.
Then something amazing happened. The three circles began to glow even brighter!
They blinked back and forth, faster and faster, much to the Vulcan's amusement. It's deep throated laughter filled the night air, right up until the lights stopped flashing and the circles opened to reveal metallic tendrils that sunk deep into the monster's skull.
"…."
"….boot…"
"Re…oot…ing…"
"Rebooting…"
"Unknown energy surge detected. Minimal sufficient energy levels achieved. Reboot in progress. Reboot complete. Sentient life detected. Establishing neural interface. Interface established. Brainiac fully online."
XXX
So what do we think? Believable introduction to the world? How do we like Wendy and Carla and Roubaul?