"Little sister, I'm really not a bad guy."
"…."
"Don't believe me? Look, are there any bad guys in the world who are this handsome?"
"…."
"Huh? Look! What's that? A mouse chasing a cat past us!"
"!"
The little girl, who had been huddled in the bushes, refusing to come out, suddenly lifted her head. Her large, azure eyes widened, and a single strand of golden hair on her forehead stood on end. Her curiosity, mixed with caution, drew her out slightly, like a flower inching toward sunlight.
Yes, that was right—Krypton had cats and dogs too. Liam knew that. Superman had a Superdog as a companion, and Supergirl had a Supercat.
Even though they had never met, Liam was almost certain—eighty percent sure—that the girl before him was Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, Supergirl.
She had escaped the doomed Krypton alongside Superman, but her spaceship had been stranded in a peculiar space for twenty years: the Phantom Zone. While time remained stagnant within, the outside world aged two decades. By the time her vessel broke free and landed on Earth, her infant cousin had already grown into the legendary Superman, while she remained a child.
Across reboots and parallel universes, Kara's age varied—sometimes fifteen or sixteen, sometimes closer to nineteen, occasionally as young as thirteen. The Kara in front of Liam appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen: a tender, slightly childish face, but with early signs of physical maturity. Her smooth, golden hair framed a fair, delicate visage. She wore a white Kryptonian dress emblazoned with the iconic S on her chest, the El Family emblem that marked her heritage.
Thoughts raced through Liam as he landed gracefully in front of her. According to the main timeline, when Kara landed, Superman would have found her first, provided care, and ensured her safety. But this was before Superman's debut. Without protection or guidance, her fate mirrored that of Flashpoint's Superman: vulnerable, potentially captured by humans, or worse—locked away for experimentation.
Liam, though not a member of the Space Garrison, felt a surge of indignation. This was a Kryptonian, right in front of him!
He recalled Batman's lessons: in the DC Universe, ignorance about Kryptonians was unforgivable. Superman may have been considered the last son of Krypton, but history—and later events—would prove otherwise. Many surviving Kryptonians wielded god-like power, most dangerously disposed, constantly seeking dominance or destruction.
Having a docile, intelligent Kryptonian ally now could prove invaluable: someone to observe, assist, and provide insights into their kind. If Batman had a Superman, Liam reasoned, it was perfectly reasonable for him to have a Supergirl.
Furthermore, the Superman family radiated positivity—a literal source of inspiration and strength. For someone like Liam, concerned about accumulating "light" and energy, this was not just convenient—it was strategically ideal.
"Huh?" Kara blinked, astonishment and curiosity mingling in her large eyes. "You… you can speak Kryptonian?"
Liam paused, considering the moment carefully. Batman had once criticized Kryptonians for their perceived slowness. The girl's reaction confirmed his suspicion: she found it odd that a stranger could understand her.
Of course, Liam didn't truly know Kryptonian. He had learned countless alien languages from the Land of Light universe, but Krypton did not exist there. He was communicating through telepathy, yet Kara had no idea. This subtle approach allowed Liam to build trust naturally, especially in a place where she had no family or allies.
"You're from Krypton?" she asked.
"Huh? You know our planet?"
"That emblem," Liam said, gesturing gently to the S on her chest. "The El Family crest, right? I've been to Krypton and know some friends from the El Family. Let me guess… your father is Jor-El?"
"No, that's my uncle. My father is Zor-El."
Perhaps it was innate in the El Family to trust easily, or perhaps Kara's youth and innocence simply made her naturally open. Liam's careful words, paired with his telepathic assurances, won her trust almost instantly.
"Krypton… was destroyed."
Her voice quavered. She looked down, eyes brimming with the beginnings of tears.
"What!?" Liam feigned shock. "I… I hadn't been there in a long time! I didn't know… I'm so sorry."
"My parents sent me away at the last moment before the explosion," Kara explained, clutching her small hands. "They told me to come to Earth and take care of my little cousin, but—"
Her expression shifted, fear replacing sorrow. She grabbed Liam's hand quickly. "We… we need to leave. Something super scary is chasing me!"
"What?"
"Atrons," she whispered, glancing nervously around. "My dad said they're brutal, unstoppable warriors in the star cluster. One of them was searching for me just now—I saw him rummaging through my spaceship! I barely hid in time… he must still be nearby! We need to run, or he'll find us!"
Liam tilted his head, analytical. "Hmm… the Atron you're describing—is he green, looks like an insect, and has two huge scythe arms?"
Kara's eyes widened. "How did you know?"
"Well…" Liam smirked subtly, then took her small hand firmly. Together, they approached the crater he had created moments ago.
At the bottom, the crushed, mangled body of the Mantis-man—the Atron—still shimmered faintly, pixels of alien matter settling like dust. Kara peeked only briefly, then shrank behind Liam in fright, unable to process the devastation.
"That him?" Liam asked gently.
Kara nodded, astonishment and awe mingling on her face. Her wide eyes silently asked: how could someone this powerful exist? She had grown up hearing tales of Atrons—monsters so brutal, even Kryptonian prisons considered them high-risk.
"He lunged at me," Liam explained, tone casual, as if recounting a trivial incident. "I acted in self-defense. That's all."
Kara's admiration deepened instantly. She had no frame of reference for such overwhelming strength, but instinctively recognized it. Liam, internally, noted: She doesn't know her own power yet. In the future, she'd barely need to move a finger to defeat something like this.
"Let's go. I'll take you to my home," Liam said smoothly, gesturing toward his sleek landing spot. "It's big enough, and safe."
He opened the helmet and motioned toward Kara's Kryptonian spaceship. "You get inside—we'll take it with us."
Kara hesitated, then brightened suddenly. "Can I bring Streaky?"
Liam froze. "Streaky?"
"Yes!" Kara clapped her small hands excitedly, pointing toward the bushes. "Come on, Streaky!"
"Meow~"
A small cat bounded out, scampering into Kara's arms and nuzzling her chest affectionately. She held it tenderly, eyes gleaming with hope.
"He's my only friend… can he come?"
Liam stared, momentarily speechless. Could this be the Super Orange Cat that shoots lasers from its eyes and can carry planes?
He shook his head subtly, smiling under the helmet. "Of course he can."
Kara beamed, and Liam knew: the first trust had been established. Together, they would leave the battlefield, their fates now intertwined in a world that had yet to witness the full power of the El Family.