Samuel quietly sat on the sofa of the unfamiliar place he was now calling home. He wasn't sure where he was or what purpose this facility served, but the interior was clean, modern, and advanced in ways that felt almost alien. One of the most intriguing features was the Zeta Tube—a teleportation device that allowed instant travel between locations equipped with similar technology. It was one of Samuel's current fascinations, and also a source of deepening nihilism.
"Teleportation... They had a teleportation device all along," Samuel muttered to himself. "Of course. That explains the sudden appearance of League members all over the world whenever there's a crisis."
And that was only a fraction of the technology Samuel had seen in this place. Holographic displays were seamlessly integrated into nearly every surface, offering instant access to the net wherever he went. Other devices, whose functions were mysterious and unclear, dotted the rooms. But one thing was certain—everything here was incredibly advanced, far beyond what he had ever imagined.
The realization gnawed at him. The public had no access to anything remotely similar to this. A teleportation device could revolutionize transportation, saving immense time, connecting continents, and improving overall quality of life. Holograms could transform how people accessed information, heralding a new age in communication and entertainment. Yet here, in this hidden place, only the so-called heroes had access to these technologies. It felt wrong—deeply wrong.
Of course, he knew that technology like this needed to be used with care. And the Justice League might have a good reason for this. Still, Samuel wasn't happy about this.
As Samuel continued to contemplate, his thoughts drifting toward the implications of such withheld advancements, he couldn't quite understand why the facility was so large. It was clear this place wasn't designed solely for him. His suspicions were confirmed when Batman revisited the place.
One day, Batman and Martian Manhunter, whom Samuel had only seen on the news, teleported into the house with a companion. From her appearance, Samuel quickly deduced that she was a young female with green skin, much like Martian Manhunter. This indicated she was also a Martian—an alien, with powers he had never encountered before.
"Samuel," Batman said, his voice calm yet firm, "meet Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian."
"So this is the child you spoke of, Batman?" Martian Manhunter asked, his deep voice resonating through the room. "Are you sure that he—"
"He can be trusted," Batman interjected, cutting off any doubts.
Samuel remained silent as the Martians approached him. His expression remained blank, betraying no emotion, but inwardly, he activated his abilities. With a quiet focus, Samuel wished to see their information, and two screens materialized in front of his eyes.
Name: J'onn J'onzz
Type: Psychic
Level: 54
Ability: Telepathy
The person anticipates and dodges the attacks of his allies.
Name: M'gann M'orzz
Type: Psychic
Level: 22
Ability: Anticipation
The person can sense an opponent's dangerous moves.
Psychic type. It was Samuel's first time encountering someone who wasn't a normal or fighting type. As he observed the two screens displaying the Martians' information, the young Martian approached him with a friendly smile.
"Hello, Samuel. I'm M'gann M'orzz. Nice to meet you! But since we're on Earth, you can call me Megan. That's my Earth name, and I'm excited to be here!" Megan said, her voice full of enthusiasm. Samuel noted her excitement, though he couldn't quite understand what made her so eager about being on Earth.
"..."
Samuel simply nodded in response to Megan's greeting and began to walk away without saying a word. Megan's smile faltered slightly, a hint of confusion crossing her face, while Martian Manhunter watched Samuel closely. Before Samuel could successfully leave the room to avoid further interaction, Batman stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"She'll be living in the cave with you, Samuel. You'd better get used to her company," Batman said in a low, authoritative voice.
For a moment, a rare flicker of emotion passed through Samuel's eyes—a clear indication of his displeasure at the arrangement. But Batman met his gaze with a steady look. "You need protection and guidance for your power. I believe that living with others who have abilities will help you control yours. We don't fully understand the source of your power, so finding the right mentor is difficult. However, staying with young heroes will help you learn to manage your abilities."
Samuel sighed, realizing he had little choice in the matter. Sharing his personal space with others was one of the things he disliked most, but he understood that Batman and the League had control over the situation, including where he lived.
In the end, he nodded, albeit reluctantly.
Satisfied, Batman and Martian Manhunter left without further discussion, leaving Samuel alone with the young Martian.
The silence between them hung heavy after Batman and Martian Manhunter left. Samuel, now left alone with M'gann, moved to the other side of the room, his expression still unreadable. He picked up a book from a nearby table, ready to retreat into his thoughts and avoid any further interaction.
M'gann, however, wasn't deterred by his cold demeanor. She approached him with a bright smile, her enthusiasm undimmed. "It's so exciting to meet you, Samuel! I've never worked as part of a hero team before. It's thrilling to think we'll be working together."
Samuel didn't look up from his book, his attention seemingly absorbed in the pages. "Hero team? I'm afraid I'm not doing that 'team'," he replied flatly. "No one told me I'd be joining a team."
M'gann hesitated, her smile faltering slightly. "Oh... I see. But, what powers do you have? I've never seen you in the news or media before."
Without lifting his eyes from the book, Samuel simply said, "That's because I'm not a hero, nor am I interested in being seen. I'm here because I have to be, not because I want to."
M'gann looked around awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. This wasn't how she imagined meeting another young hero would go. She had thought they might share stories, maybe even bond over their unique abilities. Instead, Samuel was completely uninterested, almost cold.
After a moment of silence, M'gann, determined to connect with him, decided to try another approach. She focused her mind and gently reached out to Samuel telepathically.
"Samuel," her voice echoed softly in his mind, "I can tell you're not comfortable with me, and that's okay. I'll wait until you're ready to talk. I understand if you fear me."
Samuel's body stiffened as he felt the telepathic link. But what disturbed him wasn't the sensation of someone else's voice in his head—it was what came next.
Suddenly, he felt his thoughts, an immense and overwhelming torrent of thoughts, being transmitted like an uncontrolled dialogue directly into M'gann's mind. It wasn't just a stream of consciousness; it was an endless, chaotic flood. Questions, answers, doubts, debates—all clashing and spiraling in a cacophony of noise.
M'gann's psychic presence was flooded by the sheer volume of Samuel's inner world. Thousands upon thousands of seemingly meaningless yet deep questions roared through the link, overwhelming her mind. She could sense his constant self-questioning, his relentless internal debates, the doubts he carried. It was too much, too fast, too intense, too constant.
Samuel, deeply disturbed by the psychic intrusion, tried to shut his mind off, but the connection only grew more chaotic. M'gann's face twisted in pain as she struggled to maintain the link, her bright, eager demeanor crumbling under the weight of Samuel's turbulent mind.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, M'gann forcibly severed the telepathic link, gasping as she did. She clutched her head, wincing in pain, her eyes wide with shock and discomfort.
Samuel, too, felt the disorientation, but his face quickly returned to its usual stoic expression. He stared at M'gann for a moment, as if trying to understand what had just happened. But instead of saying anything, he simply looked away and returned to his book, his heart still pounding from the experience.
M'gann, still reeling from the psychic noise she had encountered, took a step back. The room felt smaller now, and the distance between her and Samuel seemed much greater. She had wanted to connect with him, to understand him, but she hadn't expected the sheer intensity of his mind.
"...S-Samuel, I..." she stammered, still trying to recover from the overwhelming experience.
"Psychic abilities... Of course you have those," Samuel responded calmly, his voice devoid of any warmth. "I suggest you inform me beforehand if you wish to link my mind to yours. Or at least, give me time to organize my thoughts."
"Okay..." M'gann replied quietly, a bit shaken.
"Feel free to roam around this place," Samuel continued, "except for my room, which is the first room down the corridor."
Without waiting for a response, Samuel turned and walked away, seeking solitude to process the new information from the Martian and Batman. He entered his room and sat down in the old chair he had brought from home. The familiar creak of the wood as he settled in was oddly comforting.
Team. M'gann M'orzz was clearly excited about that "team" she mentioned, and Batman had clearly stated that Samuel would receive guidance and live with others who had powers. It seemed likely that Batman was planning to form a small team that would use this place as their base.
Samuel frowned slightly. He had never agreed to be part of any team, and he doubted Bruce Wayne was a man to go back on his word. Batman had explicitly said that Samuel wouldn't have to be a hero or a vigilante. So, even if a team was forming here, Samuel assumed he would only need to mind his own business.
There was no reason to be concerned, aside from the occasional interaction that might be necessary. And that wouldn't be a problem—he could easily avoid conversation, which usually led most people to keep their distance. It's not like the superhero team would be composed of hormone-driven teens struggling to control their emotions, right?
"..."
Samuel put his book down and habitually checked his Status screen. To his surprise, two of his skills had been updated.
"...That was considered as a victory?" he muttered to himself, mildly astonished. Such a simple incident was considered a win, and he had leveled up because of it.
Name: Samuel Schulze
Level: 16
Ability: Incomplete Transmission
Effect: Due to an incomplete transmission for an unknown reason, this person can learn only, but all status moves. Can learn more than four moves.
Current Moves:
Normal | Pound (35/35)
Normal | Tearful Look (20/20)
Normal | Rage (10/10)
Normal | Bide (10/10)
Normal | Recover (5/5)
Ground | Sand Attack (15/15)
Normal | Protect (10/10)
Psychic | Agility (30/30)
Normal | Yawn (10/10)
Psychic | Teleport (20/20)
New Moves:
Normal | Helping Hand (20/20)
Normal | Play Nice (20/20)
"...I hope these new moves aren't some sort of cosmic joke," Samuel muttered, noticing the irony in the new abilities. Helping Hand and Play Nice—both seemed almost symbolic considering how he had treated Miss Martian earlier. He sighed. It was almost dinner time, and...
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to be... a good neighbor," he mused, reluctantly deciding to make a small gesture of goodwill.
Samuel walked out of his room and headed to the kitchen. Even though his neighbor might be a hero wannabe—or a sidekick—it didn't mean he had to be hostile. Nor did he want to cause anyone unnecessary pain.
Meanwhile, M'gann M'orzz was lying on her bed, face down, while her telekinetic abilities unpacked the items she had brought from M'arzz. Her favorite DVDs floated across the room, arranging themselves neatly on a shelf. Despite the display of coordination, M'gann was hardly feeling excited about her new room. She had just botched her first encounter with a team member, and the thought weighed heavily on her.
"I shouldn't have connected my telepathic link to him like that... Uncle J'onn warned me about this. Why did I do that? I..." M'gann sighed, her thoughts filled with regret and self-recrimination.
Suddenly, there was a quick knock at the door. Surprised, M'gann floated over and opened it. There, on the floor in front of her, was a small plate of steaming tomato spaghetti.