Samuel awoke to the cold, harsh reality of his wrecked home. His body ached from the exertion of the fight, and his head throbbed with lingering pain. He struggled to his feet, surveying the destruction around him. Broken glass glittered on the floor shattered furniture lay strewn about, and the walls bore the scars of the recent battle.

With a heavy sigh, Samuel began to clean up, moving through the debris with a sense of detachment. He swept up the shards of glass and righted the overturned furniture, each movement mechanical and devoid of emotion. This place, which he had painstakingly maintained to recreate a semblance of the home he once knew, was now a painful reminder of his constant struggle to escape the chaos that followed him.

As he worked, a knock on the door broke the silence. Samuel's heart sank. He knew it was only a matter of time before the authorities came to investigate the disturbance. Reluctantly, he opened the door to find a group of police officers standing there, with Commissioner Gordon at the forefront.

"Samuel Schulze?" Gordon asked, his voice firm but kind.

Samuel nodded. "Yes, Commissioner."

"We received reports of a disturbance here. Mind telling us what happened?" Gordon's gaze swept over the damaged interior, concern etched on his face.

Samuel hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "There was... an attack. Some men broke in and started wrecking the place. I tried to defend myself."

"An attack by who?" Gordon pressed, his eyes narrowing.

Samuel thought for a moment. Was there any good in telling the full truth? The world was chaotic, and the laws controlling meta-humans were still unstable. Revealing that the Joker wanted his powers could only complicate things further.

"I don't know who they were," Samuel replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "They seemed... a part of a gang though. Joker's."

Gordon exchanged a glance with the officers, then looked back at Samuel. "Joker's gang, you say? Like they were on something? And how did you survive?"

Samuel's expression remained impassive. "I got lucky," he said simply. "I used what I had around me to defend myself."

Gordon studied Samuel for a long moment before nodding. "Alright, Samuel. We'll need to take a look around, get statements, and gather evidence. You understand?"

Samuel nodded again, stepping aside to let the officers in. As they moved through the house, documenting the damage and collecting evidence, Gordon stayed with Samuel.

"Listen, son," Gordon said quietly, "I know things have been tough for you. But you need to be honest with us if we're going to help you."

Samuel met Gordon's gaze, his eyes revealing nothing. "I am being honest, Commissioner. I don't know who those men were or why they attacked me."

Gordon studied Samuel for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright. We'll do what we can to find out. In the meantime, is there somewhere you can stay? This place isn't safe."

Samuel glanced around his destroyed home, feeling a pang of loss but showing no outward emotion. "I'll manage," he said quietly.

Gordon placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll be in touch. If you remember anything else, or if there's any more trouble, call us immediately."

With that, the officers finished their work and left, leaving Samuel standing alone in the remnants of his home. He resumed cleaning, each sweep of the broom a small, futile attempt to restore order to the chaos that had invaded his life.


Name: Samuel Schulze
Level: 15
Ability: Incomplete Transmission
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)


Samuel glanced at his status screen after he finished cleaning up his room. It was already dark outside, and he hadn't eaten a thing, but it had been a while since he felt a strong craving for food. All the eating he did was to maintain the little illusion he had created, not because he wanted to. Now that illusion was shattered, he felt no big reason to eat.

He had to check on his powers again, as they were constantly evolving. The screen showed various types: Normal, Ground, and Psychic. What did they do? Why did they matter? He had no idea.

His attention moved to his two new skills: Yawn and Teleport. Teleport was, of course, one of the best skills Samuel had ever acquired. The ability to escape instantly to his home was the most ideal power he could imagine, allowing him to avoid conflict and evade troubles not meant for him. Even though he was sure Batman would soon come to him to 'talk', Teleport gave him a sense of control.

Yawn was also useful. It could immobilize and disarm enemies without lethal force. But it had its limitations—Joker had taken a while to succumb, so it wasn't effective in sudden, high-stress situations.

Despite most of his powers not being lethal or violent, Samuel had to admit that his skill set was quite formidable. The fact that he had managed to take down dozens of armed goons without formal training spoke volumes. But this also brought problems.

The Joker wanted him because of his powers, and Batman was looking for him because of the incident. But neither of them was the real problem Samuel was facing. His true conflict was internal.

Samuel didn't seek revenge against the Joker. He wanted justice, but not through illegal means like vigilantism. After his parents' death, Samuel clung to his own set of philosophies to stay sane. He followed those principles rigidly, believing that heroism and vigilantism were detrimental to society and needed to change. The world was far from ideal, and the presence of supervillains and superheroes was the most flawed aspect of it all.

He wanted to live a quiet life, pursuing his own goals without stepping into the spotlight. But now, he had powers.

Despite his disagreement with heroism and vigilantism, Samuel knew that great power came with great responsibility. He could save lives with his abilities, but if he did so too frequently, what made him different from the heroes he criticized?

Samuel knew this question was hard to answer, and he needed time to find a new goal, a brandished way of living from now on. Maybe, he thought, someone or something that gave him these weird powers might help.

He remembered that his 'ability' was incomplete transmission. So, maybe one day this transmission might be complete, and he could get real answers and reasons for why he got these powers in the first place.

As Samuel decided that he was just going to sleep today, a knocking sound came from the door.

With a sense of resignation, Samuel walked over and opened the door. A group of masked men stood there, rifles pointed directly at him. Samuel remained expressionless, raising his hands slowly.

"¡Arriba las manos! Nos llevamos al maestro Bane," one of the men commanded in Spanish. Samuel wondered who Bane was, but he didn't ask for now. He wasn't sure how desperate they were for him...and wasn't sure if they wanted him, or just his body. But one thing is for sure...this was already two times in only a few days. He was being kidnapped this week more than he ever did his whole life.

He thought to himself that he could just teleport in the middle of the kidnapping process and then contact the police. For now, he needed to stay calm.

The men moved to put a sack over Samuel's head. Just as the rough fabric touched his hair, chaos erupted. Smoke bombs filled the air, and small shurikens and gadgets flew around, disarming the men and creating confusion. Within moments, the masked men were incapacitated, their rifles taken away.

Through the haze of smoke, Samuel saw two figures standing amidst the downed men: Batman and Robin. Batman's eyes met Samuel's, who nodded at them before turning and slamming the door shut without a word.

Batman quickly stopped the door with a firm hand. "This isn't safe," he said, his voice resolute.

"...I know," Samuel said.

"Then you know exactly why I'm here, Samuel," Batman said with a firm tone. "Let me help you."

Samuel looked at Batman...no, Bruce Wayne in the eye. Even though his eyeballs were covered by the cowl he could feel the compassion Bruce Wayne was having towards him, just like when he did when Samuel lost his parents.

...It was meaningless.

"No."

"No? Why? I mean, at least tell me why you keep saying that, man. Samuel, we're just trying to help here. The league has many super-powered friends that can help you with..."

"I do not hope to be a vigilante or a hero. Nor do I want to get involved with them." Samuel answered coldly. "Heroes and vigilantes? They're a flawed concept. They cause as many problems as they solve. You think you're helping, but you're just perpetuating a cycle of violence."

"Hey, you can't say that when we just helped..."

"Robin, stop." Batman cut off Robin's protests, and Robin stepped back, frustration evident on his face.

"Samuel," Batman said, turning his attention to him, "you know this situation can't end well."

Samuel felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. All he wanted was a quiet life, free from the constant conflict. He decided it was time to put an end to the argument.

"Batman. Bruce Wayne. I don't need you to look after me like this. You don't have to act as if you're my parent. I'm happy here. This is the only place I feel truly content. You don't need to try to adopt me, like you did with...Robin...Dick Grayson." His words hit both Batman and Robin with shock.

"Batman, he...he just..." Robin stammered, his voice full of disbelief.

"Is that also part of your abilities, Samuel?" Batman asked firmly. Samuel nodded in response. "Then this is even more serious. If others find out..."

Batman took a deep breath and continued, "I'm not here to force you into becoming a hero or a vigilante. You can continue going to school and live your life as you wish. But I can't leave you here."

He activated a holographic projector, which displayed footage of Samuel using his powers—enhancing his strength, defeating Killer Croc, teleporting, and putting the Joker to sleep. The CCTV footage was undeniable.

"Your powers are constantly evolving, Samuel. It's too dangerous to leave you unprotected and untrained," Batman said, his tone calm and logical. "This isn't just about you. It's about the people around you. They could be targeted by villains who see their abilities as valuable. You've already crossed paths with two major villains in Gotham in just two days—three if you count Killer Croc."

Samuel watched the footage, his face betraying no emotion. Batman continued, "Your father worked for Wayne Tech. Your mother helped me when I was in danger, just like you did. I want to help, just as your parents did."

Finally, Samuel nodded.

His only home was already lacking many of the memories he shared with his family. And...maybe if he gets introduced to somewhere safe, he might be able to live a peaceful life like he wanted to.

Batman nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. "That's all I ask. For now, let's get you somewhere safe."

And with Batman leading the way, Samuel followed him to the dark alleyways of Gotham, into a small, abandoned photo booth. After a flash of light, all three of them disappeared.

It was 15 days before Independence Day.