Author's Note: This idea came to me when I first started watching Shy. First, it's a really good anime that you should watch with one of the most adorable protagonists I would protect with my life in years. If you're waiting for My Hero Academia, then this could scratch that superhero itch. Second, with how perpetually awkward and nervous our titular character is, I know just the world-famous superhero to give this little angel the love and support she deserves. What was once just a meme on my DeviantArt has now evolved into a full story, and you all have the pleasure of reading it as a little appetizer for my larger stories.
Super-Shy
At first, it seemed like just another day in the life of Superman. Whenever he wasn't working alongside Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen at the Daily Planet as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, the Man of Steel could usually be found doing anything from fighting criminals, foiling supervillain plots, saving the Earth and beyond from cosmic monstrosities to more minor things like saving cats from trees, visiting children at schools, or helping people cross the street. This day was a little different, however. His super-hearing had picked up cries for help all the way from an amusement park in Japan. No matter how big or small the crisis was, the Last Son of Krypton would always be there to lend a hand.
"Look, up in the sky!" a man at Himawari Land cried while pointing towards Superman flying towards a large crowd.
"It's a bird!" another man added.
"No, it's a plane!" a woman declared.
"It's Superman!" a little boy excitedly exclaimed as Superman landed in front of the crowd.
"If I had a dime for every time I heard that." Superman gave a good-natured smirk before deciding to get serious. "What seems to be the problem here?"
"It's the roller coaster; it broke down, and everybody on it is in danger of falling." a park employee explained the situation while pointing towards a roller coaster that seemed to have broken down in the middle of a big loop. "We already have a hero on the scene, but she's a rookie, so it looks like she could use some help."
"I'll see what I can do," Clark replied before he flew towards the coaster to help its riders. "Stay calm, everyone, I'm here to help!"
"Look, it's Superman!" a little boy sitting at the front of the coaster with what Superman assumed to be his mother or older sister cheered before another superhero arrived on the scene. It was a young and petite heroine that Clark assumed was still in middle school, judging by her skinny frame. She had big purplish-brown eyes, white hair with a matching-colored mask, a white leotard with a gas mask, triangular collar tails, a hood that looked like it had bunny ears, a belt with the letter S on the buckle that reminded Clark of his own big S on his costume, elbow-length gloves with bracelets on her wrists, and high-heeled boots with black thigh-high socks.
"Hello there, young lady. Would you help me rescue these people?" Superman asked the new hero as she grabbed onto the coaster.
"Uh, okay." the girl stammered, not knowing what to say to a legendary hero like Superman before turning to the brother and sister. "You two are gonna be fine, okay?"
"Wow, Superman and Shy are teaming up!" the boy cheered.
'That was her name?' Superman thought to himself
"We're here to get you both down. Just take my hand." Shy offered her hand to the siblings.
"Hey, um, would you maybe get everybody else down first before you come back for me?" the girl suggested, much to the unlikely duo's confusion. "You guys are gonna save all of us anyways, so the order shouldn't matter, right?"
"You are being very brave, miss." Superman complimented the girl's courage as she allowed Shy to take her little brother to safety. "Shy, was it? I'll keep the coaster steady; you focus on getting everyone safe."
"Uh, right!" Shy responded tersely.
"By the way, my little brother is a big fan of you two, so be sure to give him a good show." The girl told the two heroes, making Shy blush with an awkward smile before facing the boy.
"This part may give you a tummy ache, so just hang on, okay?" Shy said to the boy, who gave her a nod before she let go of the coaster and fell to the ground with a graceful landing.
"Attagirl." Superman nodded with pride as he tried to keep the roller coaster from falling off the rails. Even though Superman and Shy were complete strangers to each other, they showed remarkable teamwork as Shy rescued more coaster riders, and Superman kept them out of harm's way. Eventually, it came down to just one person left, the girl who let her little brother be saved first.
"Don't worry, miss, you'll be okay," Superman said before his super-hearing picked up that something was wrong. Suddenly, the roller coaster started moving again, and Clark lost his grip as it zoomed backward and off the rails. "Oh no!"
As if right on cue, Shy leaped into action and flew with a jet engine she wore on the back of her costume to keep the coaster from crashing. When she returned the coaster car to solid ground, the engine shut down as Shy took a breath, and Superman approached behind her.
"So glad I made it," Shy said through harsh panting while Superman touched her shoulder, making the young heroine tense up in shock. "Agh!"
"Well done, Shy." Superman beamed with pride before walking over to check up on the girl. "No need to be alarmed, miss. You can thank Shy for saving your life. I was just passing through." Unfortunately, the girl wasn't answering, and Clark's enhanced senses began picking up that something was wrong. "Oh no."
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?!" Shy cried out as she raced towards Superman to discover the girl unconscious where she sat with a large, bleeding wound on the side of her head. "No."
"I am so, so sorry, Shy." Superman sympathized while looking sadly at the body in front of them before he turned and prepared to fly away.
"Wait, Superman-sama!" A news reporter who had just arrived on the scene cried out. "Please, we'd like you to answer some questions! What are your thoughts on the new hero, Shy?"
"I've only just met the girl, but I believe she has much potential." Superman answered the reporter while sadly looking at Shy staring at the girl's unconscious body in shock. "However, she must also learn that it's hard work being a hero."
A month later, the roller coaster incident continued eating at Superman, both in his secret identity as Clark Kent and in his costumed crimefighting life. While he was relieved that the girl, whom the news called Iko Koishikawa, was taken to the hospital, it broke his heart seeing everyone up in arms about Shy's part in the incident. Many news reporters and public officials began questioning Shy's abilities as a hero. At the same time, people on social media have started blaming Shy for Iko's injury and accusing her of getting in Superman's way. It pained him to see someone as young as Shy be treated this way by people who didn't know who she was. If only he could see her again and tell her everything would be okay.
"Something the matter, Clark?" Clark's wife and work partner Lois Lane asked, looking over her fellow reporter's shoulder at the news about Himawari Land from the day of the accident. "You still thinking about what happened in Japan?"
"Yes, Lois." Clark sighed. "Although I was able to save everyone on that roller coaster with Shy's help, we couldn't save Miss Koishikawa from being hurt, and now everyone's blaming Shy for what happened."
"And she's fourteen, right?" Lois replied. "I know social media can bring out the worst in people, but they should learn to lay off a kid like her! All superheroes have that one day where they aren't able to save one person. Heck, even you had a few days like that."
"Exactly," Clark said before standing up and removing his glasses. "Lois, I need you to tell everyone at the Daily Planet that I'll be a little late today. There's someone I need to talk to."
"I'll make sure to have Jimmy cover for you, Smallville." Lois replied before giving Clark a farewell peck on the cheek. Clark then unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his signature S beneath his clothes as he raced to change into his costume. No matter what part of the world someone may live in, this looked like a job for Superman.
Meanwhile, in Japan, a young girl with short, black hair, black eyes, and a pair of glasses sat curled up into a ball on her bed in her room, with only a strange shrimp-like creature to keep her company.
"There's a truck that rolled over into the next prefecture." The shrimp creature stated. "Aren't you going to help?" Instead of saying a word, Teru Momijiyama, AKA Shy, held up her hands and tapped her bracelets together.
"I dunno when it happened, but I just can't transform," Teru explained to her companion N-Villio. "I guess it doesn't work when you don't have the heart for it."
"It's been a month since the roller coaster incident. I understand what you're feeling right now." N-Villio replied calmly. "But the people of Japan still need your help! You must protect them!"
"But I don't know if I can do it!" Teru said, sobbing. "I'm just gonna mess up again; someone will get hurt, and then everyone will say more mean things about me!"
"Oh, Teru, not everyone is saying those horrible things." N-Villio replied soothingly.
"Maybe if that Superman guy saved everybody while I held the coaster, maybe if I saved her sooner, or maybe if I didn't get in his way!" Teru continued crying. "If I were a real hero, this wouldn't have happened!"
Just then, an older blonde woman dressed in winter clothing and holding a flask in her hand appeared in a flash of light and sat beside Teru. "You, kid, are way too hard on yourself!" the alcoholic Russian heroine Spirits, aka Pepesha Andreanof, declared before gulping down her flask. "Word on the street is that you've become a total shut-in! And you also happened to meet the greatest hero in the world. That right?"
"Well, I wouldn't say I've become a shut-in." Teru replied nervously.
"But I get it!" Pepesha exclaimed, trying to sympathize even though it was clear to Teru that her mentor was drunk as always. "Really, I do. We all go through it!" Teru could only watch as Spirits continued her drunken rambling. "You know what? I dreamed of flying around the world like Superman or Century and getting everyone drunk! If we all were totally wasted, then things like war, crime, and discrimination would be a silly thing of the past because we'd all be distracted by how drunk we are! How great would that be?!
"Uh, Pepesha," Teru finally spoke up. "Why are you in my bedroom?" Unfortunately for her, even as a strange gust of wind blew through the window, Pepesha didn't have a clear answer.
"I forgot!" Pepesha exclaimed coyly, making Teru almost fall over in shock. "Okay, maybe I forgot one reason why I'm here, but at least I remember another." She then turned to face the door. "Okay, Kal, you can come in now!"
Just then, Teru's bedroom door opened, and in walked a large, muscular man with a red and blue costume and a large letter S on his chest. Teru froze in shock and amazement as she immediately recognized who had just entered her house. "I remember you; you're Shy from the amusement park," Superman said before holding out his hand in greeting. "Hello there, Teru Momijiyama. It's been a while."
Teru's jaw dropped in utter shock. Not only was Superman in her house, but he had also just said her real name. Teru couldn't find any words to say to the Man of Steel, only squeaky gasps of amazement. "Whew, tough crowd." Clark laughed awkwardly while shutting the door behind him. "And it's good to see you again, too, Pepesha. Haven't seen you since we took on Intergang a few years back."
"Y'know, when Superman told me you two actually knew each other from Himawari Land, I thought I was just hearing stuff from being so shitfaced all the time!" Pepesha laughed drunkenly. "But I'll be damned, he even knows your name too!"
"That's because you told me about her, Pepesha," Superman replied. "Which reminds me, I think you should leave us alone for a bit. This is between me and her. And you should also work on your drinking problem, too."
"I don't have a problem; it's just part of my gimmick!" Spirits exclaimed. "Kind of like how you always fight for truth, justice, and something or other!" Just then, Pepesha's bracelets began ringing, and she tapped on her earpiece to answer an incoming call. "Yes, what is it? Huh?! There's an emergency in Saint Petersburg! Aw, but I wanted to spend more time with little Teru and Mr. Superman! Okay, okay, I'm on my way!" As Pepesha finished the call, a portal opened beside her. "I'm so sorry, you guys. I really wish we could all chat some more, but I'll be back as soon as I remember why I came here! Bye-bye!"
"Oh, sure, see you later." Teru muttered as Pepesha stepped through the portal before it disappeared, leaving her and N-Villio alone in her room with Superman. "S-s-s-s-s-so, uh, Mr. Superman, how did you-"
"Please, just call me Clark," Superman said before giving Teru a gentle head pat and looking at N-Villio. "And who's this little shrimp supposed to be?"
"I am no mere shrimp, Superman; you may call me N-Villio." N-Villio introduced himself to the Man of Tomorrow. "I was created specifically to assist Teru in her endeavors as the heroine Shy, though I seem to be struggling at the moment given recent events."
"Let me take a swing at it," Superman said to N-Villio while gently touching Teru's shoulder. "I heard what happened to that other girl on the roller coaster, Miss Momijiyama," Clark said calmly while wrapping the tiny Japanese girl in his big, strong arms. "It's never as bad as it seems. You're much stronger than you think you are, trust me."
Teru couldn't find the words to say yet again. This man, this god among men who seemed like he could send a man flying across galaxies with a single punch, wipe out a solar system with a sneeze, or even fix a wall by gazing at what's left of it, took time out of his day to be a shoulder for little old her to cry on. Now that she thought about it, there was only one thing for Teru to do: cry into the Man of Steel's comforting grasp.
Later that day, once Teru had cried her heart out, and Clark dried her tears, the two of them sat together atop Teru's rooftop to watch the sun together. "So wait, you're not even from Earth?" Teru gasped in amazement.
"Yep, last son of Krypton right here, barring a few exceptions," Superman said casually. "I was sent here as my alien parents' last hope for our species, which is how I was adopted by some farmers who taught me everything about doing what's right and using my powers for good. In short, I'm a Kansas farmboy who also happens to be a god among men who chooses to use my godlike powers to help others out of the goodness of my heart."
"That's so interesting!" Teru exclaimed. "But why is it so easy for you? You're practically the strongest hero in the world! You can do anything!"
"That's true. I can do everything, but I've had a few times where I could not save somebody." Superman answered. "Like I said to the news, it's hard work being a hero. Tell me, how long have you been in the business?"
"I've only been a hero for three months now," Teru revealed, making Superman's eyes widen in surprise. For someone so young, this girl was already dealing with such a heavy burden on her shoulders. "Well, someone else was a hero before me, my older sister Mei. She's no longer with us, so I had to take her place."
"I am so sorry for your loss." Clark sympathized with Teru's grief. "I've lost many dear friends over my career as well. Many eventually came back to life, but others weren't quite as lucky. One man in particular was brave enough to stand up against overwhelming odds out of his love for his city, and he paid for it with his life." Even years later, Clark still remembered Dan Turpin's bravery in standing up to Darkseid and how his sudden death proved that the world didn't always need a Superman. Just a brave one. "And there may also be people who believe that truth, justice, and the American way are all just old-fashioned nonsense, but when you get right down to it, they're just a bunch of violent thugs who thought I was living in a dream world." He then reminisced on how his encounter with Manchester Black and the Elite forced him to ponder whether his ideals were outdated. "But they were wrong. It's my dream to live in a world where dignity, honor, and justice are the reality we all share, and I'll never stop fighting for that dream. Ever."
"Bravo, Mr. Kent, that is truly a dream to admire." N-Villio declared.
"Oh, that reminds me of something my grandfather once told me," Teru added. "He said when you have lived your life for someone, you will continue to live on forever in their heart. That person will, in turn, spread their kindness and create their own bond with others. They gave their life for those bonds, so when they pass, those bonds will live on."
"Your grandpa must've been a kind man to believe in something like that," Clark replied. "That reminds me, you talked about your sister earlier, right? Well, do you have any other family? Where are your parents?" Teru just looked down at her feet, indicating that was something she didn't feel comfortable talking about. "Oh, my mistake. In any case, here." He then handed Teru a watch that she put on her wrist. "Just in case you need me."
"It's just a watch," Teru said while quizzically examining the watch. "How can I call you with this?"
"It's not just any watch. It's a signal watch that can emit a high-frequency sound that only I can hear." Clark explained while getting up and hovering away from the roof. "A pal of mine has a watch just like yours, though he did use it for trivial matters at first. Just press the button, and I'll be there in a flash."
"I'll, uh, keep that in mind." Teru replied, adjusting her new watch. "Thank you for understanding me, Clark."
"I'm happy to help, Teru. Remember that no hero can truly save everyone. They just need to be there to help. Hold on tightly to the people you can save, and carry the ones you couldn't with you so you can move forward. That's what Pepesha was trying to say before she went on another one of her drunken rants." Superman said as he prepared to fly away. "We'll keep in touch!"
As the Last Son of Krypton flew away from Teru's house, she gazed longingly at the signal watch while contemplating Superman's advice. However, another thought immediately crossed her mind. "Uh, how do I get down?"
However, Superman and Shy wouldn't need to wait long to meet again. A fire broke out at the T-1 Hotel just a few days after their talk. Outside the burning building, two well-dressed young boys were watching the chaos with sadistic delight. One was dressed in a suit, had his black hair styled like devil horns, and stroked his cat in his arms, while the blonde boy looked much younger than his companion and wore a white dress shirt with suspenders holding up his pants.
Not too far from the action, as the firefighters worked on putting out the fire and saving everyone, Teru frantically pressed the button on the signal watch that would allow her to summon Superman in her time of need. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work. "Come on, come on!" she muttered impatiently.
"Teru, didn't Superman tell you that the watch emits a high-frequency sound that only he can hear?" N-Villio said through Teru's earpiece.
"I know, but he should be here by now!" Teru replied before she saw a group of firefighters calling out to a young boy who was rushing towards the building.
"Young man, step away from that fire at once!" a fireman yelled, but the boy was too stubborn to listen. "Quit pretending to be a hero and get out of here!"
"I don't care about that!" the boy, whom Shy thought looked somewhat familiar, disagreed with the fireman. "I have to go save them, just like Shy and Superman! They were the ones who saved me and my sister Iko, and now it's my turn to save everyone!"
"But the fire's really scary, and you could get seriously hurt!" the fireman cautioned.
"Yeah, but I wanna be a hero who defeats all the scary villains and saves people!" the little boy argued back. "That's what it means to be a hero, right?" As soon as he finished, the boy ran off towards the burning building just as it started coming apart, and a large piece of rubble began falling towards him. However, Teru leaped in just in time to save the boy from getting crushed.
"Hey, are you okay?" Teru asked bravely as she let the boy go. "Doesn't seem like you got hurt. That's good." She then tapped on her earpiece to talk with N-Villio. "Shrimpy, the T-1 Hotel is on fire," she said. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm going inside, with or without Superman."
"Miss," the boy asked, amazed at Teru's sudden courage. "Are you..."
"You were right, you know, about what it means to be a hero," Teru answered calmly. "I'm scared. I'm so scared, I can't stop shaking." She then started stepping towards the burning hotel. "But even so, I'll keep moving. I'll keep fighting for a world where dignity, honor, and justice are the reality we all share. Because..." Tapping her bracelets together, Teru was bathed in a fiery glow as she changed out of her clothes and became Shy again for the first time since Himawari Park. "Because I am Shy!" The boy gasped in surprise as he realized he was saved by none other than Shy, who smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. "Thank you, my hero. I'll take things from here, okay?"
As Shy blasted off towards the fire, the boy was approached by a firefighter who was accompanied by Superman, returned to Japan at last. "Hey kid, are you all right?"
"Sorry to keep all of you waiting. Toyman kept me occupied with his new game." Superman apologized for his lateness before picking up the boy. "Young man, you know it's not safe here. How did you wander here?"
"I wanted to be a hero just like you and Shy, but then Shy saved me!" the boy answered, making Superman gasp as he looked around the worried crowd for his friend.
"Teru!" Clark muttered to himself as he handed the boy to the firefighters and flew off after Shy, who was already running up the side of the building.
"I'M SO STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!" Shy panicked as she dashed toward the fire. "I'm the biggest idiot in the universe! I was so busy worrying for myself that I totally froze up!"
"Shy!" a familiar voice called out for Teru as the fire blazed, causing Shy's jetpack to activate on instinct as she was flung into the burning building while Superman flew in after her. "Oh, thank goodness, Teru. Sorry I couldn't be here sooner. One of my villains kept me so busy that I could barely hear your watch with his loud music."
"Superman-senpai?!" Teru gasped as she saw Superman again for the first time since their talk.
"Please, no need to call me senpai," Clark assured Teru. "Just go and find anyone trapped on this floor. I'll help put out the fire." As Superman got to work putting out the fire with his freeze breath, Shy nodded obediently as she raced deeper into the flaming hallway.
"Hello there! Is anyone still in here?!" Shy called out, but she didn't get an answer. "I can't hear anybody. Was the hotel already evacuated?" Suddenly, she began hearing someone crying out for help. "Right, someone's still here!" Shy dashed towards the source of the crying as she tried calling out to the owner. "Answer me! Tell me where you are; I'm here to rescue you!"
Shy then spotted an open door leading to a hotel room occupied by a woman and her baby, crying loud enough for Teru to hear while wrapped in the woman's arms. "Hey, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Shy asked as she raced to the woman's side, only to realize she wasn't answering. "She doesn't have a pulse!" Shy exclaimed while putting a hand on the woman's neck. "Oh no, not again! I'm too late. I couldn't save her! No, I shouldn't think that way!" Just then, she began remembering Superman's advice. "No hero can truly save everyone. They just need to be there to help. Hold on tightly to the people you can save, and carry the ones you couldn't with you so you can move forward."
After silently telling herself to snap out of it, Teru picked up the baby and their mother. "He's right, I need to move forward." she continued talking to herself. "I just need to get them out of here and get them to Superman and the paramedics as quickly as possible! If I can do that, I'm sure they'll be okay." Before Shy can reach the closest window, the fire created another explosion that caused the baby to fly out of Shy's arms and out the window. Out of desperation, Shy dropped the woman from her arms and blasted out of the apartment to catch the falling baby. "I promise that I'll save her!"
When Teru tried using her jetpack to fly herself and the baby to safety, it instead began malfunctioning on her. "Oh no, I overused my thruster! I won't make it!" Before Shy could crash onto the ground, though, a red and blue blur bolted from the fire, and she found herself being carried in Superman's arms.
"Thought you might've needed help." Superman declared with a reassuring smile as he gently cradled the panicking Shy. "And don't worry about that baby's mother. Pepesha has that covered."
"Good to see you got your spirit back, Teru!" Pepesha declared as she carried the unconscious woman out of the hotel with arms made out of smoke. "Seems like Shy has made her grand return!"
Once the fire was finally put out and the woman was taken to the hospital, Superman gave Shy a pat on the back for a job well done. "Nice work there, Shy. You made me very proud today."
"And just like that, our work here is done." Pepesha sighed in relief. "We can let the real heroes take things from here." However, Shy didn't seem too happy. "Aw, what's wrong, sweetie? Did you feel like you didn't do enough?"
"What? No, it's not like that at all!" Teru exclaimed. "I just don't feel like I really saved anybody today. You and Clark did all the work." Just then, a massive crowd of people all began excitedly huddling around Superman and Spirits. As Shy was reminded of just how popular the two older heroes were, the boy from earlier called out for her.
"Shy!" the boy exclaimed while racing up to see Shy. "Thank you so much for today and the amusement park too!"
It was here that Shy finally recognized as the brother of the girl she failed to save at Himawari Land. "Oh, you're that boy from the park! You're Iko Koishikawa's brother, right?" she asked. "Listen, I'm so sorry about what happened to your sister."
"That reminds me, my sister just got back from the hospital." the boy revealed to Shy's relief. "And she's gonna go back to school really soon, though she says she might transfer to a different school. I'm Daigo, by the way. Thank you for saving me, my sister, and everybody else, too!"
As the boy gave Shy a goodbye wave, Superman stood beside her after escaping the fans. "He said I really did save everyone," Teru told Superman. "But is it okay for me to feel that?"
"It's okay, Shy. You don't have to feel so guilty anymore." Superman answered reassuringly before Spirits took the two by surprise as she hugged Shy from behind.
"Shy!" Spirits yelled cheerfully, much to Teru's alarm. "Hey, you wanna know what one of the paramedics said? It's about the baby's mother you saved in the hotel." she whispered into her apprentice's ear. "She's regaining consciousness and will be alright. No matter what anyone says, you saved precious lives, and that makes you a hero. But that's just my opinion."
"If you ask me, Spirits is absolutely right." Superman beamed with pride as Shy began sobbing tears of joy.
"Aw, sweetheart, what are you crying for? You should be happy at a time like this!" Spirits asked while hugging Shy tight, with Clark joining her in comforting the young heroine.
"I got an idea, let's visit some super-friends of mine. That could cheer you up." Clark suggested before pressing on his earpiece. "Okay, Mr. Terrific, beam us up!"
"Wait, where are we going?" Shy immediately stopped crying to ask where Clark and Pepesha were taking her.
"Why, to outer space, of course!" Spirits answered as the three heroes were teleported away. "I finally remembered what I wanted to tell you! We're going to meet some superfriends of ours!" The trio then vanished in a flash of light and were soon taken away from Japan to the far reaches of space.
At the Justice League's watchtower headquarters, situated 22,300 miles above the Earth, six of the seven greatest heroes in the world were waiting patiently for Superman to arrive. However, they were slowly growing tired of having to wait so long. The caped knight of vengeance Batman sat calmly in his chair at the Justice League's roundtable, adjacent to the Flash, the fastest man alive, tapping his finger at speeds faster than light while the Green Lantern killed time by playing with his power ring. Meanwhile, Aquaman, the half-human king of Atlantis, was on the verge of falling asleep in his chair while the Martian Manhunter meditated with his eyes shut and the Amazon princess Wonder Woman fidgeted with her Lasso of Truth.
"So what's the point of Clark calling this meeting if he isn't going to show up?!" Wally West complained while folding his arms and slouching in his chair.
"Patience, Wally. Superman said he was meeting someone in Japan that he believes has much potential." J'onn J'onzz calmed the Scarlet Speedster down.
"Yeah, I've heard him talk about that kid a few times." Kyle Rayner replied. "What was her name again? Shine? Shiny Chariot? Silver Shell?"
"Shy, I believe her name was." Bruce Wayne said with his hands clasped together. "Perhaps she's the reason Clark is taking so long." As if he spoke of the devil, Clark finally arrived at the meeting. "And look who it is."
"Sorry for the holdup; I had to help put out a fire," Clark said with a nervous laugh. "Thankfully, I had a special friend of mine helping me out."
"Is this special friend in the room with us right now?" Diana asked while taking a moment to shake Arthur awake.
"AGH, OUTRAGEOUS!" Aquaman yelled as he was startled out of his slumber just as Pepesha entered the room. "Ah, Spirits, my old chum! What brings you to the Watchtower on such short notice?"
"Clark and I just wanted you all to meet a new friend of ours." Spirits answered.
"It's okay, Teru. You can come out." Superman called out to Shy as she awkwardly entered the meeting room. "Try and go easy on her; she's very shy. Which reminds me, her name is Shy."
"U-u-u-u-uhm, hi. M-m-m-m-my name is Shy." Shy trembled as she greeted the Justice League. She had always heard stories about their amazing adventures to protect the world and beyond, but Teru had never imagined that she would meet them in person one day. True to her hero name, Shy was paralyzed with nervousness, even with Superman's comforting presence by her side.
"D'aw, ain't she just the cutest thing?!" Flash said like Shy was an adorable puppy. "Look at her; she's even got little bunny ears on her hood! She's just too precious!"
"This is the hero you said has great potential, Clark?" Bruce said suspiciously. "She looks like she'd be scared of her own shadow."
"Hey, you just never know; her shadow could actually have Shadow Thief hiding there!" Kyle replied. "Also, her name is literally Shy? Talk about an incredibly appropriate name."
"It is so good to meet you, Teru Momijiyama." the calming, motherly voice of a blonde woman in a mask and an all-white costume declared as she stepped into the Justice League's meeting room. "Or should I say Japan's newest hero, Shy."
"Ah, Uni-Lord, what a pleasant surprise." Martian Manhunter greeted the woman warmly. "We were just getting introduced to Clark's new friend."
"It's been three months since you became a hero, Teru, and I truly wish we could've met each other sooner." Uni-Lord said to Shy. "But no matter." However, Shy was too taken by Uni-Lord's beauty to respond to her. "Hold on. Shy? Can you hear me? Are you all right?"
As Shy fainted from shock, Batman and Wonder Woman got up from their chairs to talk with Uni-Lord. "It's like Superman said, she's very shy," Batman stated.
"She's just so beautiful!" Shy thought to herself as her face turned completely red before regaining her composure. "And, uh, who might you be?"
"I am Uni-Lord, and I'm tasked with watching over heroes like you and Spirits," Uni-Lord explained. "I am very good friends with the Justice League here. You may call me the Heavenly Empress Uni-Lord."
"Empress?" Teru asked.
"But there's no need for such formalities. I wouldn't mind if you called me by a different name like everyone else close to me." Uni-Lord continued with a hand to her heart. "You may call me Eunnie." Shy blushed in response while Spirits groaned, Diana chuckled, Superman gave a weak smile, and Batman remained perfectly stoic. "That was a joke."
"She has jokes?" Shy muttered.
"That's exactly how I felt when I first met Eunnie," Batman replied before lowering his cowl to reveal his face beneath. "You may know me as Batman, but you can call me Bruce Wayne." He then began introducing the rest of the League. "That's Diana of Themyscira, aka Wonder Woman. The others are Wally West, Kyle Rayner, Arthur Curry, and J'onn J'onzz."
"Okay, now that we're done with introductions, let's get right down to business." Spirits said with a serious look on her face, a far cry from the lovable drunkard she presented herself to Teru and Clark.
"Indeed, I'll get straight to the point then," Eunnie said before she spread her arms out as the sun began glowing in the distance, giving the Heavenly Empress a holy image. "Sometime in the future, we will face a threat unlike anything we have faced before. There is no telling what this threat could be, but we must be prepared regardless."
"Indeed," J'onn added. "We are still debating whether this villain could be the Legion of Doom, Brainiac, Darkseid, or perhaps someone whose power eclipses all of them combined."
"And that is why heroes like us will dedicate our lives to the people of Earth." Uni-Lord continued. "Although this world is at peace for the moment, there is a darkness that exists in everyone's hearts that they don't want anyone else to see. No matter who we are, whether we're heroes or villains, that darkness exists within all of us. There are those who shun the light and turn to darkness."
"Understand this, Shy. The true purpose of a hero is to be a shining beacon of hope to light the darkest hour and protect the heart of this world." Superman declared.
"But I don't understand what this heart is." Shy wondered before Spirits gently touched the young heroine's back.
"Don't worry; I promise everything will all make sense soon," Pepesha said with a smile.
"In the meantime, welcome to the Justice League, Shy." Superman proclaimed as more heroes appeared to greet Shy, like Green Arrow & Black Canary, Shazam, Blue Beetle, Huntress, the Question, Hawkman and Hawkwoman, Supergirl, Steel, Plastic Man, Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Vixen, Stargirl & S.T.R.I.P.E., Atom, Firestorm, Doctor Fate, Power Girl, Wildcat, Shining Knight & Vigilante, and many more. "We hope you enjoy the experience."
Elsewhere on Earth, the two boys who watched the hotel fire earlier were spying on Shy and the Justice League through a crystal ball in a decrepit library. "Superman is correct. That Shy girl has a lot of potential." Klarion the Witch Boy said with his lips curled into a curious and sadistic smile. "However, that potential could most definitely be used against our alliance with each other, Stigma."
"Indeed, she must be dealt with." Stigma agreed with his new partner while playing with Klarion's familiar Teekl. "We must keep a close eye on this girl."
"So glad we're on the same page, my friend," Klarion smirked while holding a strange black ring in his hand. "These rings you make should be useful in our plots. Which reminds me, you remember our deal?" Stigma looked up from Teekl while the witch boy produced a glowing yellow gem from his pocket. "I help you with your little plan, and in exchange, you help me get the Ambre Jeune Perdu working. Am I correct, Mei?"
Stigma tingled at Klarion's use of his former name before he put Teekl down and shook his new friend's hand. "It's a deal." The two then turned to their respective allies waiting nearby. By Klarion's side were the Joker fangirl Punchline and Icicle's son Icicle Jr., while Stigma had the human toybox Kufufu and the ice-cold Tzveta.
"So, what do you want us to do?" Punchline said, glancing up from her phone with a mischievous smile.
"Find us this Shy, and bring her to us," Klarion commanded while presenting an image of Teru with a snap of his fingers. "We don't want her getting in the way."
"What, this kid? She looks like she's still in middle school!" Icicle Jr. commented while raising an icy eyebrow at the young heroine.
"Indeed, but with the Justice League aiding her, she could become an even bigger problem." Stigma added. "Superman says she has potential, which could be very dangerous."
"Kufufu, she looks adorable!" Kufufu laughed childishly. "This should be easy pickings!"
"Indeed, but we should also be wary of Superman," Tzveta replied. "We all know he is a force to be reckoned with."
"But let's see him fight once we take advantage of the League's Hearts." Klarion declared before he let out an evil cackle as the crystal ball began showing Teru shaking hands with the other members of the Justice League.
And that ends this one-shot with the implication that Klarion is teaming up with Amarariruku. If you've seen the Young Justice episode "Misplaced," you know that can't mean anything good. Maybe this could become a bigger story someday, but I'm happy with what I have now. And this just isn't a crossover with Shy and DC Comics, but the DC portion of this is also my personal DC universe, known as Earth-723, which you can find on my DeviantArt. For example, as you can see, the Flash and Green Lantern of this version of the Justice League are Wally West and Kyle Rayner rather than Barry Allen and Hal Jordan or John Stewart. Until we meet again, see you around!