Seoul, South Korea
Mira sighed heavily as she scrolled through her phone, each bump and sway of the Seoul Metro Subway caused her body to sway. The subway rattled along the tracks, the rhythmic jolt of its movement helped distract her from her thoughts.
Mira is an 18-year-old young woman with upper-thigh-length hot pink hair styled in two twintails and two middle-parted sidelocks framing her face. Her bright appearance had gained her several disapproving looks from those older than her and entranced glances from her peers.
Today, Mira rode the subway for a single, uncomplicated reason: to escape her overbearing and controlling family.
She couldn't handle their disappointing stares and words of disappointment. She couldn't take any more of it all and decided to mindlessly ride the subway for hours.
"Blacksheep," everyone called her.
How utterly ridiculous.
So what if she yearned to be different?
To embrace her true self?
Why did her desire for individuality transform her into a problem child in the eyes of her parents and those all around her?
Mira wasn't ignorant. She understood why all too well; they wanted her to conform into the fabric of their uptight society, to keep her head down and blend in.
To them, having a daughter who dressed in vibrant colors or sported an eccentric style of dark attire, one who seemed to care little about societal opinions, was a source of shame that marred their reputation. If it weren't for her perfect brother, Mira was sure her parents would have been utterly unbearable.
"Just wait… as soon as I can, I'm out of there," Mira muttered quietly, her gaze drifting to the other passengers seated around her.
Each face was a portrait of silence, their expressions were simple and no expressive, they were living embodiments of the obedient image their society demanded. It made her heart ache — not for them, but for herself.
A stray thought flickered through her mind, igniting a spark of doubt.
Was she really the problem?
The subway lurched violently, pulling her back to reality as she grasped the nearest handlebar, her knuckles turning white with tension.
A haunting screech of the subway's brakes echoed in her ears, drowning out the hurried yells of her fellow passengers. Panic rippled through the car, erupting in a wave of screams and yells as the subway began to tilt ominously.
Mira's eyes widened in horror as she looked toward the windows, her breath hitching in her throat.
Outside, disaster unfolded before her. A large section of the Dangsan Railway Bridge had spectacularly collapsed into the roaring waters below. Now leaning precariously forward, the subway leaned dangerously toward the edge as the ground beneath them slipped away.
"We're going to die!"
"Help! Help me!"
"Hold onto me! Hold onto, Mommy!"
Mira looked around as the passengers strained to hold tight or scramble towards the subway car behind them. At the precarious angle they were hanging, those who attempted to climb only slipped, sliding helplessly towards the front of the car.
Am I going to die? Mira thought, her grip on the handlebars tightening so fiercely that her knuckles turned a ghostly white.
Behind them, the coupling of their subway car strained and groaned, desperately trying to support the weight of two entire cars dangling precariously in the air. With a deafening crack that echoed like thunder, the coupling broke, and the front section of the subway plunged toward the churning waters below.
Mira braced herself, shutting her eyes as gut-wrenching screams filled her ears. She could do nothing but wait for the inevitable to happen.
But then, after what felt like an eternity, something miraculous occurred. Mira opened her eyes, bewildered, as she saw her subway car suspended mid-air, defying gravity.
The panicked screams transformed into stunned silence as every passenger turned to gaze out of the windows in awe. They were floating!
"What the hell?" Mira whispered, disbelief flooding through her. Tentatively, she released the handlebars and approached the window. Her heart raced as she vaguely recognized the red and white figure soaring below the subway. "Who—"
"Look, Omma! It's Atomic!" a young boy exclaimed, tugging at his mother's shirt in sheer excitement.
"Isn't that the American hero you love to watch? We're saved!" she gasped as hope bloomed in her chest.
As cheers erupted in the subway car, the heroic Atomic defied the odds, lifting their section of the train with little effort.
With a small gesture, he pointed toward the waters below.
In a dazzling display of red light, he summoned a massive glob of water, swirling it upward to mend the shattered bridge in a breathtaking spectacle of matter transmutation. After a few seconds, the bridge was restored to its former glory, as if the disaster had never even occurred. The passengers erupted in happiness, their fears washed away by overwhelming relief.
After repairing the bridge, Atomic placed the subway back on the tracks and reattached it to the now-fixed coupling.
Mira watched as Atomic gracefully floated over to her subway car, the fabrics of his red and white costume seemed to glow under the bright sunlight. With a confident wave of his hand, the doors slid open with a soft whoosh, revealing the now hushed interior of the subway—a stark contrast to the chaotic sounds that had flooded the car just moments before.
Atomic stepped inside the now-silent car, commanding the attention of all the passengers. As he moved among them, Atomic spoke in Korean, his voice echoing gently in the confined space.
"Is everyone okay? Anyone hurt?" Atomic asked.
The passengers, hardly believing that a renowned American superhero could communicate in their language, felt relief wash over them. Excitement bubbled as they eagerly expressed their gratitude, their voices a mix of admiration and awe.
Atomic moved purposefully from person to person, checking for injuries that may have occurred from the near-fatal accident. He knelt beside the first group, scanning their faces for signs of distress.
His hands were steady and reassuring as he gently placed a hand on the shoulder of a trembling teenager. With each interaction, he not only treated any physical injuries but also helped those who were shaken to calm down.
Finally, he reached Mira, who took a step back at the mere presence Atomic exuded.
"Does it hurt?" Atomic asked.
"What?" Mira said as she scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion.
"Your wrist. It's beginning to swell," Atomic said, motioning to her hand.
Mira looked down and noticed her wrist swollen wrist. It pulsed with an angry red tint. It seemed that her wrist had absorbed the violent jerk during the subway's drop when she was nearly flung forward from the momentum. It was only thanks to her adrenaline that kept the pain at bay, but now that adrenaline was fading, the pulses became stronger and stronger. Sending pangs of pain up her arm.
"Ouch!" Mira groaned as she moved her hand.
"Easy. You don't want to aggravate the injury anymore. Can I?" Atomic said as he motioned to her wrist. Mira, not having any real reason to refuse, nodded.
Atomic gently held her hand and wrist. After a brief moment, a flash of light danced over her arm. Mira watched in awe as a red wrist brace, matching her hair, materialized.
"You have a grade 2 ligament injury. Thankfully, it shouldn't take too long to heal as long as you don't try to move your hand too much. This wrist brace should help. Just try to take it easy for a while. Okay?" Atomic said with a calm and gentle voice.
"...Okay," Mira said slowly as she took her hand back. Still in shock at everything that had happened. "Thank you."
Atomic nodded and proceeded to assist the next person. After ensuring that everyone on board was taken care of, he turned his attention to the conductor. Unfortunately, the man was unconscious, having hit his head during the subway's fall.
After making sure the man would be okay, Atomic used his powers to move the subway across the tracks until they reached the nearest station. There, a small army of police, ambulances, and news stations awaited.
Mira stepped off the subway and looked up to see Atomic salute at everyone below before flying away.
Hungry reporters clamored for an interview with Atomic, their microphones thrust forward into the air in hopes he would return. Paramedics in bright uniforms rushed past, their minds focused on tending to the subway's shaken passengers, while police officers moved purposefully around the scene, carefully gathering statements with a practiced professionalism.
With a small frown tugging at her lips, Mira turned her gaze down to her wrist brace — a reminder of the narrow escape she had just made.
The weight of the accident hung heavily in her thoughts, a stark realization of how precariously life could tip from the mundane to dangerous in an instant. This brush with death had ignited a flame within her.
No longer would she allow the expectations of her parents or the judgments of others to dictate her path. Mira would embrace the life she desired, unafraid to pursue her passions and to be true to herself.
With a resolute smile breaking through the remnants of her worries, she lifted her gaze once more to the open expanse above, her eyes tracing the soft contours of the fluffy clouds drifting lazily by.
Little did Mira know, in just a year's time, her world—along with the fates of two other young girls—would be forever transformed in ways she could never imagine.
••o••o••o••
"You're ridiculous," Serena sighed as she expertly chopped an onion. Wyatt smiled sheepishly and lifted a grocery bag with bright Korean characters.
"What? How so?" he asked.
"When you said you were going to get some kimchi, I thought you were going to the store down the street, not to another country."
"You said you wanted to try making kimchi fried rice tonight. What's better than authentically made kimchi from its home country?" Wyatt replied as he pulled out a large bottle of kimchi.
"…only you can justify a 12-hour flight for kimchi," Serena said, moving on to prepare the next part of dinner.
"More like around 2 hours. Flying in orbit at around Mach 4 makes the trip a lot faster," he said confidently.
"That's not the—never mind," Serena sighed, realizing that arguing with Wyatt wouldn't go anywhere. On the kitchen counter sat a small television set, a news report could be heard retelling the events of the near fatal subway accident. "Still, your trip to South Korea ended up being a good thing. If it weren't for you, a lot of people could have gotten hurt."
"I don't know. I'm sure Korea's first responders would have gotten there to help," Wyatt said as he pulled out a bag of shrimp chips. With a soft pop, he opened it and began to eat a few. "I hear they're pretty quick and efficient over there."
"You know, this noble and humble attitude of yours is starting to annoy me. Would it kill you to be proud of your accomplishments? You're a freaking superhero for Christ's sake," Serena said as she walked to the fridge to pull out the rice she made yesterday for tonight's meal. "The way you talk makes me want to kick you…"
Wyatt sighed and shook his head. "Please don't."
"What are you two talking about?" Daniel asked as he walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. "Whoa. What are you making for dinner, Serena?"
"Kimchi fried rice," Serena replied as she grabbed a wok from one of the kitchen's bottom cabinets. "Mr. Miyagi mentioned he hasn't had it in a long time, so I thought I'd make some for him. Hopefully, he'll like it."
"That's really thoughtful of you. I'm sure he'll appreciate it," Daniel said as he sat beside Wyatt, grimacing slightly.
"Are you alright?" Wyatt asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess my body is taking longer to heal after our spar this morning," Daniel chuckled, rubbing his injured side. "Still, you should consider learning Miyagi-Do. It could help round out your fighting style. While being aggressive may work for now, someday you'll face an opponent who will get past that. Defense will be your greatest asset on that day."
"Karate, huh? I might take you up on that the next time I visit," Wyatt replied. "How's it going at the car dealership? Are you making any sales?"
When Wyatt traveled to California to deliver the news of Maksimilian and Reznov's capture to Serena, he decided to extend his visit to a week, eager to spend quality time with her and her new family.
During this time, Wyatt quickly grew close to the LaRusso family, who welcomed him into their warm, modest home with open arms.
Daniel, a 22-year-old young man with an impressive 5th-degree black belt in karate, stood out as a remarkable new presence in Serena's life.
Daniel took it upon himself to mentor Serena in karate, with the guidance of his wise sensei, Nariyoshi Keisuke Miyagi. The aged sensei imparted a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to both Daniel and Serena, nurturing their skills and fostering their understanding of martial arts beyond mere physicality.
Over the week, Wyatt cherished his time with Serena, exploring the picturesque Valley and surrounding areas of California. Their days were filled with adventure, from hiking scenic trails to visiting local cafes buzzing with life.
In the afternoons, Wyatt and Daniel would spend hours sparring at the Miyagi-do dojo, pushing each other to grow and refine their techniques. Despite being trained by one of the greatest fighters in history, Wyatt often found himself on the defensive against Daniel, who displayed a mastery of his craft that was both impressive and humbling.
Out of their twelve sparring sessions, Wyatt had only managed to claim victory five times, but each defeat deepened his respect for Daniel, and their shared love for martial arts forged a strong bond between them.
In an effort to show his appreciation for the LaRusso's hospitality, Wyatt offered to help Lucille around the house, even though she insisted his assistance was unnecessary. Regardless, he took the initiative to discreetly upgrade and repair several items around their cozy home, finding joy in the simple acts of service.
Despite enjoying his time with Serena and the LaRussos, Wyatt still donned his suit and ventured out as Atomic, flying off and going where he was needed while Serena struggled to cover for his mysterious absences.
Although curious, the LaRusso family chose not to pry into his enigmatic life, respecting his privacy while quietly accepting him as one of their own.
As the week drew to a close, Wyatt found himself a little confused. He had grown fond of the LaRusso family, embracing their warmth and camaraderie, but a nagging feeling lingered—like he had seen them somewhere before.
In addition to spending time with the LaRusso family, Wyatt made it a point to visit Burbank to see Zoey, one of his newer friends.
As he got to know her better, he discovered she was a whirlwind of energy and creativity, always in motion and radiating enthusiasm. Zoey shared snippets of lyrics she had been crafting, captivating Wyatt with her natural talent and infectious passion.
This glimpse into her artistic world deepened their bond as he found himself enjoying her music reccomendations, especially as she took him to well-known spots in Burbank where rap battles often took place. In those battles, she would quickly join in and often than not emerge victorious.
Wyatt greatly enjoyed spending time with Zoey. She was a breath of fresh air and she helped him forget his worries as a hero.
As Wyatt spoke with Daniel, his phone began to ring with a distinct ringtone.
Excusing himself, Wyatt quickly stepped outside to answer the call.
"Hello?" Wyatt said.
"Wyatt... I need your help. How fast can you get to New Mexico?" Phil Coulson said, almost breathless on the other end of the line.
"I'll be there in ten minutes," Wyatt replied, and in an instant, he shot up into the sky, his suit morphing around him.
Having seen Wyatt fly away from the kitchen window, Serena sighed and wondered what excuse she would come up with this time.
——
AN: Hello, just a quick update. I want to let everyone know that I am going back to the start of the story to touch up and fix some of the earlier chapters to help them mesh better with the direction I'm taking the story.
In the beginning, I didn't really have the greatest idea on where I was taking the story, so they were a bit rough. Hopefully as I edit them all, the story will be a much more cohesive experience.
The edits and changes won't be too radical, but if any of you want to go back and reread the chapters to check out what I did, I'd appreciate it. All the edited chapters will have a (Edited) next to the title so you can tell which have been updated and which have not. You may need to refresh the chapter a few times for it to update.