Time flowed, and with it, so did the tide of Ace's school life. Though her arrival had sparked fear and chaos, the storm gradually began to settle. After hearing the story of her upbringing, the cold, clinical world she had endured, Courtney and the other girls no longer saw her as a villain, but as a girl who had never been given a chance at normalcy. Their sympathy turned into soft kindness, and slowly, cautiously, they started to treat her like one of their own.
Ace's calm, respectful demeanor made it easier. She never forced herself into their conversations, never demanded attention. She listened, observed, and when she did speak, it was with sincerity that disarmed even the most skeptical of hearts. And there was another unexpected benefit: her presence. The mean girls who had long ruled with pettiness and snide remarks now avoided the group altogether. One look into Ace's unblinking eyes was enough to silence even the boldest of bullies.
Courtney noticed the shift the most. She no longer felt like she was babysitting some dangerous experiment. Ace had proven herself more mature, more composed than half the school combined. But that didn't mean Courtney had stopped her daily reports.
Every word Ace shared with her, Courtney passed on to her stepfather. And every word he received was filtered to the League. The detail about Ashborn's past being worse than Ace's had raised more than one flag. It lent credence to Batman's theory that Ashborn Black was not just a dangerous man, but possibly a victim of something darker.
Ashborn, however, remained at his usual pace, he kept watching Ace's life unfold from the comfort of shadows, never far but never intruding. He had assigned some of his shadows to remain close to her at all times, invisible guardians no one noticed but always near.
And then there was Rex.
The old man didn't like and had even resisted the idea of adopting Ace at first. But now, he practically acted like a grandfather. He'd become so invested in Ace's life that even Ashborn found it excessive at times.
But today wasn't about watching from afar.
Ashborn walked through the peaceful streets of Metropolis, the city bustling with midday energy. His long coat fluttered gently in the wind as his eyes scanned storefronts. A gift, he still hadn't found the right one. Ace's birthday was approaching, and though she might not expect anything, he intended to make it special.
He turned a corner, only to pause when he saw two very familiar faces.
Kara Zor-El and Clark Kent, Supergirl and Superman, stood just ahead, wearing civilian clothes. Kara had a yellow shirt and jeans, her hair tied back casually and eyeglasses. Clark, the journalist civilian, wore a blue suit, his glasses perched low on his nose.
Ashborn spoke with his usual quiet confidence.
"Kara. Clark," he greeted smoothly.
Both were caught off guard by the second word.
Clark blinked in surprise. "Do we... know each other?"
Ashborn gave a faint smile. "I keep track of those who might participate in attacking my office for no reason."
Clark's polite expression cracked for a second. He froze. Ashborn, unfazed, walked past him casually and added, "Don't worry. I won't take from you time and whatever you two are planning."
Before he could step away, Clark's hand gently but firmly landed on his shoulder.
"We need to talk," he said, voice serious.
Ashborn turned his head, his smile never fading. "No one knows but me. I already knew during the trial, it wasn't hard to figure out." His tone was almost bored. "Now, unless you're going to physically stop me, I have a gift that won't buy itself."
Clark's eye twitched. He hadn't even asked the question yet.
Kara, curious, tilted her head. "What gift?"
"Ace's birthday is coming soon," Ashborn replied simply. "Still haven't found something suitable."
Kara fell silent. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but laced with a bitterness she didn't hide. "I should have expected it was for her."
Ashborn heard the edge in her words, but didn't comment. He had no desire to argue. Clark noticed it too but chose not to bring it up, shifting the subject instead.
"I want to talk about Stargirl" Clark said.
Ashborn shrugged with ease. "I blackmailed her into helping, yes. But it worked fine, didn't it? I am a law abiding citizen and won't do anything nefarious"
Superman's jaw tightened. Thoroughly annoyed now being answered again before saying his piece and for a moment he thought Ashborn was the worse version of Bruce.
Clark's eyes narrowed at the ever-calm Ashborn. There was something about the man's smile, always there, always unreadable, that made him uneasy. But before he could speak further, a thunderous explosion cracked through the city's peace.
The ground trembled. Civilians screamed.
One of the buildings nearby had been reduced to rubble, smoke and dust rising into the sky like a signal flare. From behind the thick cloud of debris, a hulking figure emerged, a giant mechanical toy, complete with blue paint and exaggerated limbs. It took a step forward, shaking the ground.
At its top stood the villainous Toyman, operating the machine from a control panel embedded in its head. Around him, more figures stepped into the chaos, Livewire with sparks dancing across her blue skin, Parasite cracking his knuckles hungrily, and Metallo, the cold green glow of kryptonite pulsing from his chest. A few more dangerous faces joined them, completing the small rogue battalion.
Ashborn's eyes scanned the group. "That's quite the lineup," he said lightly. "Looks like they're inviting your Justice League into an open fight."
Clark gave him a sidelong glance before blurring away in a rush of wind. Kara turned to Ashborn briefly, her tone curt. "Run to a safe place. We'll handle this."
Then she too vanished as she joined her cousin mid-air. In the span of a second, Superman and Supergirl floated above the scene, now clad in their iconic uniforms.
Ashborn watched with mild amusement.
[How do they fold the capes under those civilian clothes?] he mused idly.
But his thoughts were cut short when he noticed someone stomping in his direction.
Metallo.
The villain's eyes glowed with fury as he stormed toward Ashborn. "Of all the places… I didn't expect to see you here."
Ashborn tilted his head, still wearing that familiar faint smile. "Don't you have more pressing matters? Two heroes in blue to be exact?"
Metallo didn't bother replying, he just charged.
Ashborn let out a weary sigh. He truly didn't want to be involved in this. But now, with the towering cyborg sprinting toward him, he had little choice.
He raised his right arm casually, and in a flash, a small missile launched from his hidden arm guard. Metallo was flung backward, crashing into a car with a metallic groan.
"You never learn," Ashborn muttered.
Metallo groaned, rising to his feet, his anger doubling. "Oh, I learn." He raised one arm, and a hatch opened. A missile shot out with a piercing whistle, heading straight for Ashborn.
With a casual step to the side, Ashborn dodged the missile, then retaliated instantly, another missile launched and struck Metallo squarely, launching him back even more.
At that moment, more heroes arrived.
The Flash in a blur of red, Green Lantern with his glowing ring ready, Wonder Woman with her sword drawn, Martian Manhunter phasing through buildings, and Batman emerging from a glider above.
All eyes momentarily flicked to Ashborn, who stood unharmed as Metallo struggled to rise again.
Wonder Woman halted briefly beside him. Her voice was firm. "This is not your place. We will take care of this."
Ashborn offered no resistance, only nodding slightly. "I couldn't agree more."
He turned, walking away with unhurried steps, his coat trailing behind him as if the chaos didn't concern him in the slightest.
Then came the scream.
"Nooooo!"
It was Supergirl.
Ashborn felt it before he saw it, a massive surge of energy rapidly approaching. He turned his head just in time to see a green beam cutting through the battlefield, aimed directly at him.
And just as it was about to hit, a figure flew in front of him.
Kara.
Time froze for a split second before the beam collided with her.
A blinding explosion of pure energy erupted, engulfing both her and Ashborn. It was brilliant, devastating, a white-green burst that knocked back dust, wind, and even some of the weaker villains.
When the light faded and the dust cleared… there was nothing.
No Kara. No Ashborn.
Only a crater in the pavement, silent shock, and the horror reflected in the eyes of heroes and civilians alike.