Obsidian_cat: Grant me your power stones!
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[Base of Operations, April 23, 2015]
The metal of the main corridor reverberated softly beneath their steps. Caitlin advanced with determination, clad in her pilot suit: a white armor cracked from use, reinforced at the joints, with a golden visor that reflected the cold, white light of the passage. The engines and compressors of the base murmured like a sleeping beast. At her side, Dr. Schoenfeld walked with a furrowed brow, visibly worried.
"You can't do this," he finally said, pausing briefly to look at her. "Brawler Yukon is a prototype. It wasn't built for heavy combat."
Caitlin stopped as well. Her face, hidden behind the visor, seemed to relax. Then she turned toward him and smiled with a warmth that contrasted with the clinical tone of the environment.
"That's the only reason it was built," she replied firmly, though not harshly. "Don't worry about me. I trained for this. It's time to show the world what we're capable of—as a species."
A silence settled between them as they watched the frantic activity of the base: operators running, cranes moving, orders shouted through loudspeakers, screens glowing red. The bustle was not chaotic, but it was clearly pushing the limit.
"Deploying a Jaeger is a big job, isn't it?" Caitlin asked, still watching the tumult, trying to break the tension of the moment.
"Yes," Schoenfeld nodded. "Everything has to be fast and flawless… but in this case, not all this movement is because of the Jaeger." He hesitated briefly, debating whether to share the latest news.
Caitlin turned to him, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
"I guess you didn't hear, for different reasons. But someone hacked the control base. They're tracking what was taken and where the signal came from."
She frowned behind the helmet.
"Are you serious? How the hell did they do it? Or who did it? Nations aren't supposed to have secrets anymore. Why hack us, when they could just request the information they're after?"
Schoenfeld sighed with resignation.
"Who said it was a nation? Could be terrorists… or some genius in a garage looking for free Wi-Fi," he quipped, trying to ease Caitlin's nerves.
Caitlin let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"I doubt geniuses like that still exist in this age."
They rounded the last corner. Before them stood the Brawler Yukon, titanic, still tethered to assembly cranes and support machinery. Its shadowed silhouette loomed as if it were already awake, watching them.
Caitlin and Schoenfeld stopped. For an instant, they only looked at each other. Unspoken words floated between them: old memories, healed wounds, affections not yet extinguished. But they knew there was no time for that now.
"Take care," he murmured.
"You too, Doctor."
They turned their backs on each other, and Caitlin began to climb the catwalk to the cockpit, her heart heavy but her mind focused.
It was time for humanity to answer.
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[Vancouver, April 23, 2015 – Yara's Point of View – 8 years old]
She lay comfortably, still wrapped in the warmth of sleep, when she heard a voice calling her softly, though a little rushed.
"Yarita… sweetheart, wake up."
It was her mother.
She opened her eyes lazily, rubbing the sleep away. The room was dim, and the sound of rain drummed against the windows. Something about the calm atmosphere of home felt different. Not cold—just… hurried.
Very strange.
From the other side of the house came footsteps, objects moving, doors opening. Her daddy's voice, speaking quickly on the phone, as if every word were chasing the next.
"Thanks for the information… yes, yes, we've got it. We're leaving now," he said, followed by a dull thud, as if something had fallen or slammed shut.
Maybe they had called him from work. Daddy was a journalist. Whenever they called him like that, all of a sudden, it meant something big had happened. A march, an earthquake, some urgent story. But never at night.
"We're going for a little trip, okay?" her mother said, stroking her forehead.
"At this hour?" she couldn't help but ask, sitting up slowly.
Her mother didn't answer. She only smiled, but not the way she usually did. It was a closed-lip smile, with eyes opened a little too wide.
Frowning, she reached for her slippers under the bed, but as she stretched her arm, her mother gently caught it.
"No, no, sweetheart. Put on your sneakers. It's cold out."
Then she carefully lifted her up and wrapped her in a big, warm blanket. It smelled like the closet.
"What about Daddy?" she asked as her mother carried her in her arms.
"He's coming. He's just finishing a few things."
Through the open bedroom door, she caught a glimpse of her daddy with his backpack slung over his shoulder, stuffing documents, the camera, and a flashlight into a bag. He was still speaking, though this time only murmuring.
Still sleepy, she nestled against her mother's neck and looked out the window. The city lights flickered behind the fogged glass. She couldn't explain why, but something in her chest told her this trip wasn't like the others.
Her daddy appeared at the door just as her mother adjusted the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
"We're ready," he said, voice low but steady. "Let's go."
He grabbed the car keys from the small shelf by the door without looking, making them jingle in his hand as if to reassure himself they were real.
She rested her cheek on her mother's shoulder as they walked down the building hallway. They waited in front of the elevator. No one spoke.
The floor number ticked down slowly. Ten. Nine. Eight.
When the doors opened, a faint metallic creak greeted them. The three stepped inside. Her mother set her down gently so she could stand, but kept one hand on her shoulder.
"Why the rush?" she asked again, looking up, her words bouncing off the elevator walls.
Her mother took a moment before answering.
"It's just a trip. Don't worry, honey."
Then why are you smiling so tensely?
Her daddy was typing something on his phone, fingers moving fast. The blue light lit up his face.
"Who are you talking to?" she asked, hoping this time they'd answer.
"To Leje. She's letting the family know," he said, without lifting his gaze.
She tilted her head, thinking of Aunt Leje, who lived in another district with lots of cats and a huge tree that always cast shade. But something in her daddy's tone made her stop asking questions.
She's a good aunt. She must be coming on the trip too.
When they reached the basement, the air was colder. The yellow lights flickered on the high ceilings. They passed several parked cars. Some still had their interior lights on.
They got into their car. Her mother settled her in the back seat and tucked her in again. She stared out the fogged window, trying to see beyond the raindrops no wiper cleared.
When they left the building and drove toward the highway, it wasn't long before they stopped.
Ahead, the red glow of brake lights stretched into an endless line. Cars at a standstill. Some with doors wide open. People standing beside them, talking on their phones, looking at the sky. Others simply running.
"We won't get out this way," her daddy said.
He stopped the car with a sharp motion. His jaw was clenched as he looked in the rearview mirror.
"We go on foot," he said. Without waiting for an answer, he got out and opened the back door.
She shivered when the cold hit her as soon as the blanket slipped from her body. Her daddy carefully lifted her up again, wrapping her tightly.
"Hold on tight, princess."
"Where are we going now?" she murmured against his chest.
"Somewhere it can't reach us."
She didn't understand what he meant, but didn't press. She clung to him as they began to run. Her mother close behind. The rain lashed them as if the sky itself wanted them gone.
The car lights flashed across their faces. Some engines still roared without moving. Others had already fallen silent.
Not understanding anything, she just closed her eyes. She was so very sleepy.
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She didn't remember when she had fallen asleep. She only knew the world was dark, her cheek resting on Daddy's shoulder, the warm blanket against her face, and the rhythmic sound of footsteps, of rain falling, of hurried breaths.
But then she heard it.
A roar.
Not like big dogs, nor like thunder cracking in storms. It was deeper, as if the earth itself had growled. It vibrated in her bones.
And then, the ground shook.
She opened her eyes just as her daddy stumbled a little, though he didn't let her go. The air was filled with voices, with shouts. She looked around. People running. People pushing. Some with backpacks. Others with nothing at all. Many crying. A boy her age screaming for his mother. A woman kneeling on the sidewalk, praying with her eyes shut tight.
"It got here too fast!" she heard her daddy say to her mother, fear clear in his voice. "I thought we had more time!"
"What's happening?" she whispered, her voice trembling. But no one answered.
Her mother was running beside them, panting. She looked at her and brushed her hair back with a damp hand.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be fine, okay?" she said, forcing a smile. But her eyes were glassy. Frightened.
They kept running.
The crowd shoved them, overtook them, some fell. A bicycle sped past, nearly hitting her mother. A man tripped on another's backpack and got up with bloodied hands. An alarm wailed somewhere in the distance. Sirens.
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, but the thunderous crash forced them open.
A brutal, dry noise made everyone stop. As if the sky itself had split. Something had collapsed.
Then she saw it.
Where once there had been a tall building—one with red lights on the top floor, she remembered it because she always looked at it from the car—now there was only a thick cloud of dust, debris falling like heavy rain.
And in the middle of it all… something moved.
Something enormous.
Black, but with glowing lines across its body, like veins of blue fire.
A giant figure rising from smoke and concrete, crushing everything, lifting cars just by walking, destroying as if the world meant nothing.
She gasped. She didn't understand. She couldn't understand.
Her mother shouted something, but the sound was drowned out by another roar, closer now, louder. Lights flickered.
And for the first time that night, she felt afraid. Terribly afraid.
A fear she didn't know how to name, too big for her small words.
She only felt her daddy quicken his pace.
She shut her tearful eyes, both from fear and to shield herself from the dust.
The dust was everywhere.
It scraped her throat when she breathed. She didn't want to open her eyes. But when she did, she saw they were still running. It was no longer a street with houses and trees. Now it was all flashing lights, distant horns, flying scraps of paper. Her daddy's face was drenched—whether from sweat or rain, she couldn't tell—and her mother followed just behind, dodging people, never taking her eyes off her.
"There! The parking lot!" her daddy said, nodding toward a concrete entrance with a ramp leading underground.
But her mother stopped abruptly. "No! If another building falls on top… we'll be trapped. No!"
"It's safer than the street!"
"It's not!"
She saw them lock eyes for a second. That eternal second that seemed to decide everything. Then her daddy turned, swallowing the protest. And they kept running. Not down sidewalks or streets anymore, but through ruins, through crushed metal and fallen lampposts.
Up ahead appeared a group of people.
The men in green.
They didn't look like the soldiers from her schoolbooks. These were covered in heavy suits. They moved in formation, like a moving wall. Some shouted orders. Others helped lift people up.
One of them ran toward them.
He was very tall. His voice came out like through a tube: "Straight ahead! Then left! Secure zone underground!"
Her daddy nodded without a word. He just looked down at her and adjusted the blanket wrapped around her.
She didn't know what a "secure zone" was. But she liked how it sounded. Secure zone. Like a giant bubble.
They ran through an alley and turned, just as directed. And then, at the far end, they saw a massive steel gate, open, with red lights on either side. The ground around it was empty. No houses, no trees, no people. Only wet asphalt and that gaping metallic mouth waiting.
"Go! Go!" someone shouted from inside, their voice lost in the echo of rain and helicopters.
Daddy quickened his pace. The gate looked like a hole in the world. A refuge. Or a trap. But there was no other choice.
She felt the air around her grow colder.
And just before they crossed, she heard another roar. Closer this time. As if the monster were searching… listening.
She only wanted to be home. She clung tighter to her daddy's neck.
Secure zone, she told herself.
Secure zone.
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[Secure Zone]
The air in the safe zone smelled of metal, of dampness, and of fear.
She didn't really know what this place was. It was like a wide tunnel, with concrete walls and humming white lights, and people… so many people. All crowded together, sitting on the floor, standing, leaning against one another. Some had blankets like hers. Others only held each other, trembling. No one spoke loudly, but the murmur never stopped, as if fear itself whispered from every corner.
Her mother was holding her now, sitting in a corner next to Daddy. He wouldn't take his eyes off one of the screens hanging from the ceiling, placed all around the shelter. They showed the city.
Or what was left of it.
She grew curious and looked at one of those screens.
First she saw smoke. Smoke everywhere. Broken streets. Abandoned cars. People running. Sirens. Screams. And more screams.
On another screen, someone crying. A woman. Then another image: a building collapsing. In slow motion, it looked like a mountain dissolving into dust.
A girl screamed close by and covered her ears. Another boy began to cry. An old man collapsed, and someone caught him before he hit the ground. They carried him to a corner. Someone else fainted. Another began to pray, out loud, broken words, as if faith itself were slipping from his mouth.
"Are we going to die?" someone whispered behind her.
She didn't understand everything she saw, but she understood fear.
She pressed herself tighter against her mother.
And that was when they heard it.
A different sound. Through the speakers, through the cameras. A rumbling. Something heavy and massive walking. The screens began to tremble, as if even the images could feel it.
"It's coming," Daddy murmured, almost breathless.
She clutched her blanket.
The kaiju appeared on one of the feeds, crossing an avenue clogged with cars. It was like a living mountain, with eyes like embers. A being made of flesh and fury. And it wasn't moving in just any direction. It was… coming toward them.
Screams. Running. People searching for an exit that didn't exist. A woman shouting that she didn't want to die like this. Another breaking down in tears. The air grew heavy with desperation, thick as the smoke on the screens.
And just when the monster seemed to be heading straight for the shelter, something changed.
The image shifted.
She didn't know what it was at first. But little by little, the picture began to take shape.
A silhouette.
Descending from the sky.
Through the clouds that began to split apart, carried by enormous helicopters.
Her eyes widened in wonder.
It was a titan. Not like the monster. This one was made of steel.
Its chest pulsed with a blue light, flashing like a beacon.
The people around her stopped moving.
A silence fell, broken only by the sound of many breaths.
Yara stared, eyes wide. She didn't know what it was. But that didn't matter.
Because for the first time, since they had taken her from home, she didn't feel like they were going to die.
Her daddy whispered:
"It's here…"
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[Moments Later]
She didn't know if she was still dreaming.
On the screen, the monster no longer moved. It lay sprawled like some enormous insect, mouth gaping, broken. Black blood still poured in slow streams.
And in front of it… the other one.
The Titan.
Standing tall, smoke drifting from its chest, and the blue light pulsing as if it were alive. It was a beautiful light, like that of a giant firefly. Or like when you hid under the blankets with a flashlight to read in secret.
Her chest tightened. Not from fear, but… from something else.
She couldn't stop staring.
"We won…" someone whispered behind her.
"We did it, damn it!" shouted another, louder.
"We won! We won!"
And then everything broke loose.
Cheers. Applause. People jumping. One man fell to his knees, crying with his hands over his face. Others laughed and hugged like family. An older boy ran in circles shouting, "It's a robot! It's a giant robot!"
She didn't say anything. She just felt her daddy's arms wrapped tight around her. Her mommy kissing her head again and again.
But she… just looked.
Looked at the Titan on the screen. Still holding its blade. The rain putting out the flames around it.
It was huge. And brave. And it wasn't afraid to fight.
She thought it looked like a knight. Like the ones in stories. Only made of metal. The kind that never gives up.
The kind that protects.
"Who's inside?" she asked without looking at anyone.
"What, sweetie?" her mom said, wiping her tears.
"The robot… is there a person inside?"
Her daddy took a moment to answer. His eyes were red, and his voice cracked.
"Yes, probably, Yari… several people."
She went quiet. Her chest was pounding. She didn't know if it was from fear or from something she didn't understand.
Then she smiled.
Around her, people were still celebrating. Soldiers raising their arms. A woman praying out loud in thanks. A man who had fainted was waking up. Some doctors embraced one another.
But in the air… there was something else, too.
Hope.
As if maybe… everything really could be okay.
She lowered her gaze. Her daddy's face was pressed against her. Her mommy held her hand. The three of them together.
And then, she whispered softly, not knowing why:
"Thank you, robot."
No one heard her.
Only the blue glow on the screen.
And that was enough.
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[Arizona, Simon's House, April 23, 2015]
The television softly lit up the living room. An aerial shot showed the Jaeger still standing among the ruins of what used to be the main avenue, surrounded by red lights and helicopters. On the screen, the presenters spoke of the event as if they had just witnessed the birth of a new god.
Sitting on the couch, Simon and his grandmother watched in silence. He, with his back slightly hunched, kept his eyes fixed on the screen. She sipped her cup of tea with slow movements, as if savoring more than just the infusion.
"Wow… I never thought I'd live to see a giant robot fighting a monster," she said, with a mix of awe and resignation.
Simon didn't answer right away. He kept watching every image as if searching for something more, something hidden in the rubble, as if hoping to see that colossal figure rise again.
"Is this the new era?"
"The Robot? Who knows. Back then people were afraid of earthquakes… now they're afraid of giant monsters."
She let out a soft chuckle and glanced at him sideways, guessing at the restlessness boiling beneath his apparent calm.
"You're very quiet. Since all this started, I've seen you more serious than usual."
Simon's eyes were still locked on the TV, but he wasn't really seeing anymore. His pulse was still racing—not only because of the images of the Jaeger in combat, but because of the sprint he'd made to get back here from the abandoned asylum.
He knew the Jaeger Project would eventually have to reveal itself to the world. Even though no one spoke of it. In theory, it was a United Nations plan presented to the public, but beyond that—no details, no leaked data. But he had read about it.
Now they showed it live, with solemn music and excited hosts. As if it were a miracle. When the miracle was that thing was the damn Prototype. The fact that it worked at all—and that the pilots survived—that was the real miracle.
But they couldn't say that.
Why ruin this victory?
"Where did it come from?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"Who knows. But don't rack your brain over it. These things aren't meant to be understood, only appreciated," his grandmother replied with a shrug.
The conversation fell silent. The TV kept showing images: rescuers, flags held high, strangers embracing. The world celebrated a victory that Simon couldn't help but feel wasn't entirely honest.
His grandmother set her cup on the table and gave him a crooked smile.
"By the way… how's Snow doing?"
Simon blinked, as if the question had pulled him back from a faraway place.
"Fine… I guess."
"You guess? Hm. I'd say that girl's good for you. Ever since she's been around, I've seen you spend less time locked up in that cave you call a room."
Simon tried to hide a smile, but couldn't.
"She's not my girlfriend or anything, I'm not even nine."
"Yeah, yeah, I didn't say anything. I'm just saying it's good you have someone to talk to. Besides me, of course… though I know I'm fascinating."
Her laugh filled the room, warm and light. He lowered his head, hiding a genuine smile this time.
"When I was young, I had a friend like that too. Always into strange things. If he lived in this time, he'd probably be one of those… what do they call them? Gamers? Hackers? Anyway. I just want to say it's good you don't lock yourself too deep in your own thoughts. The world's already crazy enough without you overthinking every little thing you do or every choice you make."
He nodded. The TV was lowering in volume as the newscast moved on to other topics. His grandmother switched it off with the remote.
"Come on, it's too late for me to stay up. And tomorrow we go on living, as if we didn't just watch a movie-like battle on TV."
Simon stood after her, turned off the lights, and took one last look out the window.
The sky seemed calm.
He walked down the hallway in silence to the stairs. The light was replaced by the cozy dimness of his room. He pushed the door softly until it closed completely.
Click.
The room greeted him with that organized mess only he understood. Cables, darkened screens, a couple of books piled on the edge of the desk. He dropped into the chair in front of the monitor, but didn't turn it on. He just sat there, in the dark, breathing.
From the shelf, with his soft white fur faintly glowing under the hallway light that slipped beneath the door, Albion watched him. His blue eyes seemed even more alive in the shadows.
As attentive as ever.
The voice, calm and slightly mocking, didn't surprise him.
"What we did… it was the right thing, partner."
Simon lifted his gaze without moving from the chair. The plush dragon hadn't shifted an inch, but its presence filled the room.
"Yeah? And what if someone died in the panic? What if we caused more harm than good?"
"No. Stop. Don't go there," the voice was gentle, yet firm. "Warning thousands of people that a monster was about to fall on them—of course they'd be scared. So what? Did you want applause? For them to stay calm until the city shook? Not everyone even believed you."
Simon clenched his teeth. Stared at the floor. The words rang truer than he wanted to admit.
"We had no right," he whispered. "We weren't even sure it would attack Vancouver. It could have been a false alarm in the government's system. And still…"
"And still, you did it. Because you knew there was a chance. And you were right. You saw what happened out there."
"I know…" He leaned forward, burying his face in his hands. "I sent that message to every channel and device I could. You coded it so no one could trace it. Not even them. Just an alert, simple… no details. Just that. And now everyone's celebrating that the Jaeger defended the city. That there was a miracle. Nobody knows someone warned them."
"And they don't need to know," said Albion calmly. "You didn't do it for recognition. You did it because you care. If anyone ever mentions it, the government will take the credit—if they've got half a brain in public relations."
Simon stayed silent. Then he stood, walked to the shelf, and picked up the dragon carefully.
"What if someone…?"
"No. Enough. Don't start with that. We're not playing the 'what if' game. You did what you had to do. You saved lives. That's what matters. Everything else… is just noise."
Simon sat on the bed, Albion in his hands. The room fell into silence again, except for the faint hum of the town breathing beyond the walls.
"Yeah… we did the right thing."
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[End of Volume 1: Prologue – The First Steps]
Obsidian_cat:
I want to sincerely thank everyone who has read up to this point and those who have left their words of support. 🙏 Truly, thanks to you, I've found the motivation to keep pushing forward with this idea that, as I mentioned before, was born one random day while I was riding the bus.
In this first volume, we've gotten to know Simon and his everyday life at such a young age. I chose to take the story slowly, without rushing things, because I wanted to give both the protagonist and the supporting characters proper development. In fact, I leaned more toward a narrative focused on drama rather than action, drawing inspiration from HBO's The Last of Us, where emotional and human aspects took precedence over battles.
That's why I decided to leave out certain scenes, like the fight with Brawler Yukon. At this stage, I felt it was far more valuable to focus on backstory and emotions.
Now, in Volume 2, which doesn't have a title yet, since I haven't found one that truly conveys what I want for the next part, there will be more action and moments that will greatly expand the story (though I don't want to give away spoilers 😅). All I can say is: stay tuned, because twists and surprises are on the way.
Finally, I'd like to take this opportunity to answer some of the most common questions I've received about the story. And if you have more, I'd be happy to address them in the upcoming chapters.
Thank you once again for joining me on this first journey! 🚀
Now, let's open the Q&A section.
1 - How much do I know about the world of Pacific Rim?
I like to think I know enough about this world. I remember when Pacific Rim premiered, I went to see it at the cinema when I was about 11 years old, and I loved it — it's been my favorite movie ever since (the second one doesn't exist). I believe I know enough to bring this idea to life in this world and to shape what's necessary to my liking, since I can change many things. Watching fan videos and analyses on YouTube, as well as checking the wiki, has also helped me a lot to keep track of dates and little details I might otherwise forget.
2 - Will there be magical or highly fantastical elements in the story?
So the answer is kind of a yes and no. Yeah, those things will pop up and even get mentioned here and there, because when I was building the story I actually made a timeline with some of the key events, at least the big ones. So yeah, they exist, but they won't really affect the world itself or play a real role in the main story. Can't say much more than that though, otherwise I'd be dropping some heavy spoilers.
3 - Will the character be OP?
You see, I already consider the character to be way above most people or his peers in this world, but he still has plenty of room to grow. So when it comes to fights, whether as a Jaeger pilot or other kinds of battles, you can totally expect him to take some losses. That's part of what helps him grow as a character. So, I wouldn't really say he's completely OP.
4 - Will Simon's siblings show up?
Yes, Simon's siblings will show up. I've already written a bit about them, but it's not like they're main characters, so… they'll appear here and there. Yeah… it's been really fun to write about them, especially considering what happens to them in the movies. And honestly, exploring Simon and his siblings from a family bond perspective has been super interesting.
5 - Will Simon be a Jaeger pilot?
I'd say yes, in a way. Now, if you mean whether he'll be part of the Jaeger project as an active pilot, then no. It could happen that, for one reason or another, he ends up involved with them somehow, but he won't be actively seeking to join, at least not for now. There's also the chance that he might pilot the Gundam he has, but I haven't taken the story in that direction in the first chapters. Could he end up piloting it sometime soon? Yes.
6- Isn't the RX-78-2 too small?
Yes, compared to Kaiju and Jaegers in this world, it's definitely smaller. I've already addressed that to some extent, but as I mentioned before, this Gundam was meant more as a technological tool to learn from rather than as a main battle unit.
7 - Will there be action?
Definitely more than in the previous volume. But I don't want this story to be just about robots and monsters punching each other, so don't expect a fight in every single chapter.
8 - Will there be a harem?
We are faithful believers of the CORNBRINGER. So no, there won't be a harem. 😅
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Okay, jokes aside, I don't think every story needs a harem to be good. And honestly, since I'm still pretty new at writing, handling two or more relationships at once would only end up hurting the plot.
What I do want to make clear is that there will be romance, but it won't be the core of everything. Will there be pain? Maybe. In fact, don't be surprised if in the end the protagonist chooses to remain alone, setting off toward an unknown place for yet another adventure. Because, in my opinion, a story doesn't necessarily need the hero to end up with someone by their side in order to feel complete or to have a good ending.
Now, I'm not saying this is the ending of this story, but I want to mention it because, to me, it's something that could very well happen without breaking the narrative.
9- Is Nadya/Snow an original character created exclusively for the story or not?
Nadya/Snow is a character I created specifically for the story. I wanted there to be a contrasting dynamic with Simon, someone who would help me bring out more of his character. At that time, I was reading Absolute Batman, where Catwoman makes her first appearance, and I drew a lot of inspiration from the relationship she had with Bruce when they were younger. However, to be honest, I've always been more of a Black Cat fan and really, who isn't?, so I based Nadya/Snow's physical appearance more on Felicia Hardy, and I'm sure many of you probably noticed that. Still, since the original idea was born out of Catwoman, I decided to honor that inspiration by giving Selina's name to Nadya/Snow's mother.
Those were all the questions for now. If you have any other questions about the story, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comments. Thank you once again for all your support, I truly appreciate it!