Superman, while deeply attached to Earth and nearly fully assimilated into its culture, carried an ever-present reminder that he was not like the people around him. His immense strength separated him from humanity, no matter how much he wished to belong.
This sense of isolation weighed heavily on him. Otherwise, he would never have given his sanctuary the name Fortress of Solitude. It was not merely a hideout but a reflection of the loneliness he carried in his heart.
What was Superman's life truly like on Earth? In the comics, he once confessed something to Darkseid that revealed the truth of his burden.
"I always feel like I live in a paper world," he admitted. "Every day I'm careful not to break anything, not to hurt anyone. I never allow myself to lose control, not even for a moment, because if I do, someone could die."
This was not something Kara, newly arrived on Earth, could yet understand. Shin, however, understood it to some degree. Unlike Superman, his moral compass was less rigid, and his mastery of chakra gave him a level of control that spared him from the same constant restraint. Still, he knew what it meant to live carrying more power than those around you, and how it made one an outsider.
The difference was even more profound for Superman. Shin had been born human and only later gained extraordinary abilities. Superman had been alien since birth. The destruction of Krypton and the loss of his people reinforced that divide. Even worse, when remnants of his kin appeared on Earth, he had been forced to destroy them in order to protect humanity. That act left him carrying not only loneliness but guilt.
For that reason, seeing his cousin Kara alive filled him with an overwhelming joy. It was not simply the thrill of meeting family; it was a reprieve from solitude, proof that he was not the last of his kind.
At first, Supergirl was uncomfortable, uncertain of her place in this strange new world. But when Superman embraced her, she thought of her family, her home, her people, all wiped out in the destruction of Krypton. Overcome by grief and relief at once, she wrapped her arms around her cousin, tears glimmering in her eyes.
The Flash clapped his hands together, grinning broadly. "I didn't expect Clark to still have family. So what does this mean? A new Superman? And now a Supergirl?"
Batman, however, said nothing. His sharp eyes studied Supergirl with suspicion. To him, Kryptonians were a threat too great to ignore, especially after what had happened with General Zod. Supergirl did not seem dangerous at the moment, but Batman was already calculating contingencies in the back of his mind.
For Superman, though, the reunion overshadowed all else. He turned to Shin, still holding his cousin close. "Thank you, Shin. Thank you for rescuing my sister. But tell me, what is the situation on Apokolips?"
"Are you saying you went there alone? Isn't that too dangerous? Did you gather any intelligence before you acted?"
Shin shook his head with a small smile. "Not at all. I didn't need to. Apokolips will never again be a threat to Earth."
The Justice League members froze in surprise. Shin, however, shifted the subject almost casually. "Anyway, is there anything to eat? I'm starving. The food on Apokolips is… well, let's just say it's better not to mention."
The New Gods of Apokolips had little need for food. They absorbed cosmic energy directly, living in a world built around constant militarization and worship of strength. Meals were not for enjoyment but for sustenance, primarily meant for slaves and parademons. The result was bleak: bland nutritional supplements that, though nourishing, were revolting.
Shin had not touched a single bite of it. The taste alone was like chewing lard without seasoning. After all, once he had awakened his Kryptonian bloodline, he could draw power from sunlight itself. Eating was optional. But on Apokolips, there was no sun. The planet's fire pits and geothermal furnaces lit its skies, leaving no source of solar energy.
While he could endure hunger, the absence of good food gnawed at him. A Kryptonian body could go for days without sunlight or nourishment, but cravings could not be ignored.
Supergirl immediately perked up when she heard Shin's complaint. She, too, had endured Apokolips far longer, much of it under the fog of brainwashing, and she despised the tasteless rations there.
The group moved to the Justice League cafeteria. Shin unleashed his appetite without restraint, devouring a meal fit for thirty men. Even after consuming mountains of food, he leaned back in his chair with a sigh and declared he was only thirty percent full.
Supergirl, though equally hungry, ate more modestly, finishing enough food for two before collapsing into her seat with a small groan, rubbing her stomach in satisfaction.
Only once he was somewhat sated did Shin begin recounting his battles on Apokolips.
As his story unfolded, the Justice League listened in stunned silence.
Superman blinked, trying to process it. "Are you saying all the New Gods on Apokolips have surrendered?"
"Indeed," Shin said, wiping his mouth.
"And Darkseid," Flash cut in, waving his hands as if swinging an axe.
"You're telling me you just… snuck up on him and chopped him down?"
Shin chuckled. "Do you want to see his head? I kept it."
Flash recoiled instantly, shaking his hands frantically. "No, no, no, I don't need to see that. Definitely not!"
Diana's brows knitted as she tried to comprehend it. "So now Apokolips belongs to you? All of this happened in what, a week?"
Shin tilted his head thoughtfully, then nodded. "In a sense, yes."
Batman finally spoke, his tone low and wary. "Do you realize how unbelievable this sounds? This defies everything we know about the balance of power in the universe."
Aquaman nodded firmly. "Exactly. If you told us you infiltrated Apokolips, sabotaged their power core, and reduced the planet to ash, I might believe that. But to directly defeat them, conquer them, and bend them to your will… Even if all of us fought together, we couldn't hope to do that."
Shin crossed his arms. "Facts speak louder than doubts. I'm not here to boast, but the truth is none of the so-called New Gods of Apokolips could stand against me."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Supergirl. Or, if you prefer, I can take you to Apokolips to see for yourselves." His lips curved into a faint smile.
"Or better yet, I could hand Apokolips to the Justice League. Use it as your headquarters. It's a world existing on a higher dimensional plane than most of the universe. From there, you could monitor the cosmos with far greater clarity."
The room fell silent. What Shin suggested was not only staggering but almost incomprehensible. For the Justice League, the idea of claiming Apokolips as a base was beyond anything they had imagined.
The possibilities, and the dangers, were only beginning to unfold.
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[This chapter is for the late upload yesterday.]
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