>>5643602“Well, I usually am.” you reply, turning from the woman to your daughter, going over to her with eyes full of concern. “Everything okay kiddo? I figured you'd be out healing people in the city for a lot longer.”
“I healed everyone who needed it.” she says, her voice sounding more dull than usual. Which immediately draws even MORE concern from you. “There were less casualties than I expected, from how messed up everything back there was.”
“You can thank Superman for that.” the woman says, who is very clearly a warrior. “He puts the people of Metropolis's safety above even his own.”
“Well, that'd explain the shape he was in when I showed up.” you say, acknowledging her before turning back to your daughter. You rest your forehead against hers, whispering to your daughter. “Are you okay?”
“I...I just wish I'd have been able to be here sooner.” she replies, sounding a bit upset. “If I was here even a few minutes sooner, I could have saved hundreds more.”
“You did your best kiddo, their deaths aren't your fault.” you comfort her, hugging your daughter and patting her on the back. “You didn't hurt them.”
And to your surprise, the cowled man of all people walks over, laying a hand on Caulifla's left shoulder. She starts a bit at the touch, turning her head to face him as he speaks.
“The burden is always hardest on those with the power not to fight off evil, but to save those hurt by evil's actions. But such power always comes with a cost, in here.” he says, pointing to his own heart and not touching your daughter's chest. “Just because you can save lives doesn't mean that they all can be saved.”
“If I'd just been up sooner, if I hadn't slept in, I could have-!” she shouts, but the black caped man isn't having it, voice cutting hers off.
“Then you would have just been awake longer back on your own world, blissfully unaware of events transpiring here.” he says, silencing her. “Not every life can be saved. But because of you, because of your powers, more people get to live through what happened today. Everyone you saved gets a second chance, something they wouldn't have gotten were it not for you. Thank you.”
And as the cowled man stops talking and steps back, your daughter is stunned into silence. But after a moment you realize that it isn't only the four of you, but EVERYONE present who stopped what they were doing to listen to this man talk. And you get the feeling that he has that effect more often than not.
-Saiyan Conqueror Quest 195 paused-
RIP to the GOAT Kevin Conroy 