Not good. Not good at all.
Eden was freaking out.
Clark Kent at his best was just… a little too kind. Too indecisive. Sure, it could be frustrating, but it kept Eden—and the whole damn world, hell, the whole universe—safe.
But if Superman ever broke that code? If Clark went dark? There wouldn't be a scrap of mercy left.
And unlike Homelander—pathetic strength, fragile ego, terrified of bad press—an unchained Superman was the kind of threat that could shatter the Earth. Maybe the entire cosmos.
Compared to that, even Viltrumites suddenly felt… approachable.
"Alright, Clark. Look at our son—he's terrified!" Nolanne finally cut in, stepping between them, voice bright and warm. "Leave the parenting speeches to me from now on. Besides…" She shot Eden a wink. "Today's his eighteenth birthday. His coming-of-age! Where's the gift you've been hiding? Don't tell me you plan to wait until midnight, after his birthday's over, to hand it to him?"
Clark blinked, like the reminder yanked him back to reality. "Right. His birthday." His face softened, and he hurried upstairs toward the storage room.
Eden instinctively flicked his X-Ray Vision upward—but nothing. Either the box was lead-lined or wrapped in something just as effective. Not surprising. He couldn't outmatch his dad with X-Ray Vision, not in a million years. If Clark didn't want him to see, then Eden wasn't seeing a damn thing.
"Dad, it's just another birthday," Eden tried to joke, nerves fraying. "No need for a grand mystery gift. Honestly, you're making me feel guilty here. At least give me a hint what it is?"
"My son's eighteenth birthday is no small matter," Nolanne cut in, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Relax. Your father's been agonizing over this for a week. You'll love it."
Dear God, Mom, how are you not panicking right now? He's acting so off. What if it's something messed up? Eden's thoughts were spinning out.
Clark's voice carried from upstairs. "I remember when you were little, Eden. You once said you wanted a pet. We told you no back then—too busy, no one home enough to care for it. But now? You're old enough. Responsible enough. I want you to treat it like family. Whatever it is, you'll take care of it."
"A… pet?" Eden frowned just as Clark came back down the stairs, cradling a beautifully wrapped box.
Wait. No way. Could it be… Krypto?
He remembered asking years ago, half a test, half a joke—trying to see if his dad had any experience with pets. Clark and Nolanne had shut him down immediately. He'd dropped it, assuming they'd forgotten. Apparently not. Clark remembered everything.
Eden's heart twisted. All these years, he'd thought his father might not be strong enough to stand against someone like Thragg. That maybe Clark wasn't as untouchable as he looked. That maybe Eden had to shoulder more than he thought.
But now? Now he wasn't so sure.
"Eden, open it," Clark urged, smiling as he set the box in his son's hands. "See if this pet suits you."
Eden inhaled, long and steady. If it's Krypto, then… fine. That'd actually be amazing.
He flipped the lid open.
"Meow~"
Not a white dog.
A ginger cat. Curled lazily inside the box, blinking up at him.
"…A normal cat?" Eden muttered. His chest loosened with relief. Nothing sinister. Just a cat. And honestly? After everything? Probably the best gift he could've gotten.
"Eden?" Clark tilted his head. "You don't like it? I thought young people loved cats. Maybe you wanted a dog? Should've brought him instead…" He rubbed his chin, muttering.
"Who said I don't like it?" Eden blurted, scooping the cat out of the box and pressing its fur against his cheek like it was treasure. "She's adorable. Thank you, Dad."
The cat purred, soft and content. No strange smell, no weird aura. Just a normal, lovable little creature.
Until—
DING!
Danger! Danger!!
Highly hazardous species detected: Flerken!
Master must evacuate immediately!
The System's warning slammed through Eden's mind.
"…What the fuck?!" His smile froze. "This cat's a Flerken?!"
His pulse spiked. Marvel? How the hell does this tie back to Marvel?!
Eden stared at the ginger cat in his arms, then back at Clark. Confusion churned into dread.
Dad… what the hell are you?
Eighteen years in this world, and only now did Eden realize—he'd never truly known Clark Kent.
That day.
For the first time in his life, Eden looked at the smiling, gentle man he called his father and felt something close to awe.
"Son," Clark Kent had told him, voice calm but edged, "I'll always be the kindest—and the strictest—father you'll ever have."
Two days later. Reginald Vel Johnson High School.
"Scratch, scratch, scratch…"
Eden sat at his desk, spinning a pen between his fingers while staring out the window at the blue sky, lost in thought.
"Meow~"
The so-called "pet" sprawled lazily on the corner of his desk—the adorable but terrifying Flerken—purring as it slept.
"Eden, you can't bring pets into class!" the teacher scolded, exasperated. "This is a place for learning. And what if a student's allergic to cat hair?"
Eden didn't even look up. "If I leave him home alone, he might eat the neighbors while we're out."
The class erupted in laughter.
"Alright, that's enough," the teacher sighed, waving for silence. She softened a little. "Fortunately, no one here is allergic. Just keep him calm, and no disruptions."
"Yes, ma'am." Eden nodded politely, though inside he was smirking. He knew damn well how high allergy rates were in this country. Honestly, bringing a Flerken to school was insane even by his standards.
Still, his thoughts weren't on class.
I used to think my mother, Nolanne—and the Viltrumites behind her—were the greatest threat to my peaceful life. But now? No. My father, Superman, brought a Flerken from Marvel back across an OM-class universal barrier. As a birthday present. A pet. How the hell am I supposed to process that?
A shiver ran down his spine. His father's power was on a scale Eden couldn't even begin to imagine.
Dad… you've been hiding so much from me.
Most of Earth's crises, Eden realized, had been handled by his mom. But his father? Clark was either busy beating dimensional lords—or on his way to beat dimensional lords. Eden had always assumed those "lords" were Flaxan-level nuisances. Clearly not.
He finally understood: while he and Nolanne fought to protect Earth, Clark had been guarding the entire universe.
In Dad's eyes, Viltrumite invasions are probably just… small fry. Hell, he could probably drop onto Viltrum itself at its peak and still walk out on top.
Goosebumps prickled across Eden's skin.
If Dad stays kind, keeps our family whole, then fine. Everything's fine. But if what lies under that kindness is some twisted, corrupted Superman… what the hell do we do then?
His pen snapped in his hand.
With power like that, there was no way Clark couldn't go back to DC if he wanted. He'd crossed into Marvel and returned with a Flerken, for God's sake. So why hadn't he gone home?
Eden saw two possibilities:
One—Clark truly loved his family. He'd lost all faith in his own world and chosen this one instead. Maybe because his Earth had been destroyed. Maybe because it simply didn't exist anymore.
The thought made Eden shiver.
Two—Clark had bigger plans. Darker ones.
Neither option left Eden feeling safe.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath. There's only one answer—I've gotta get stronger.
He'd grown complacent, thinking that after reconciling with Nolanne and beating Battle Beast, there was no one left who could threaten him. He was wrong. Dead wrong.
Power was the only thing that mattered. If he wanted to keep his family safe, he had to keep growing. No excuses. His dad had set the bar, and it was sky-high.
Sorry, System. I misjudged you.
He'd thought the System had glitched, tossing him from fighting Homelander straight into Battle Beast like it was skipping levels. But no—Battle Beast had just been another slime. A golden slime, maybe. Not the final boss.
Eden clenched his fists. I need a fight. Something I can tear apart, just to let this pressure out.
Lunchtime. Cafeteria.
"Eden! William told me your mother is Omni-Woman?!" Eve dropped her tray onto his table, eyes blazing. "I thought we were friends. Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
If the Guardians hadn't pulled an emergency shift on Friday, she'd have confronted him days ago.
Eden didn't look up from his food. "Now you know."
"Is there anything else you're hiding? Omni-Woman can't shoot lasers. So where the hell did that come from?" Eve pressed. She already had her suspicions.
Eden just shook his head slightly, still chewing. Eve had been on the team too short to know the truth—that every year, the top two contenders for "World's Strongest Hero" were Omni-Woman and Superman. Husband and wife. Their rivalry wasn't public knowledge. But it wasn't Eden's job to explain.
"Eden, if you won't tell her, at least tell me! I'm your best friend, aren't I?" William plopped down next to Eve, tray in hand, looking both offended and embarrassed. The thought of all his fanboy rants about Omni-Woman—directed at Eden's mom—was making him die inside.
"You are my best friend," Eden said sincerely, finally meeting William's eyes. Then he went right back to eating.
"Then confess already!" William insisted.
"I agree," Eve said, folding her arms.
"Yeah, spill it!" other students chimed in, catching onto the drama.
William leaned closer, voice dropping but still loud enough for others to hear. "For the record, I've always been Omni-Woman's number-one fan. Way stronger than Superman. Who even knows if those dimensional lords he fought were real? Could've been GDA propaganda. But Omni-Woman? We've seen her strength with our own eyes!"
Eden set his tray down with a sigh, finally done eating.
Time to stop playing games.
"William," he said, rising to his feet. His plate floated into the tray return with casual precision. The cafeteria quieted.
"You wanted the truth? Fine."
William's stomach sank. Something told him this was about to change everything.
Eden didn't explain. He didn't have to. Instead, with a shimmer of light, the black battlesuit wrapped around him. The red cape unfurled behind him, sharp against the cafeteria's fluorescent glow. His presence filled the room.
He looked at William.
"Let me reintroduce myself. My mother is Omni-Woman. My father is Superman."
William froze. His brain just… shut down.
"…Oh. Oh, fuck."
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