Still Defiant! SI-OC [Marvel/DC]

56: Acceptance

Getting to Central City from New York was simple and fast. As he looked at the city that had not existed in his previous life, Daniel began to focus on his hearing, determined to search for any possible crime. Maybe he could even find Flash in advance if he was lucky.

'Mmm, I don't hear any lightning, but I do hear some minor crimes. Let's take care of that first.'

With a blurred movement, Daniel descended upon the city and began navigating between its buildings. Soon, his figure could be seen interrupting various incidents ranging from car accidents, petty thefts, attempted rapes, attempted murders, and many more.

Soon, the local police became aware of his arrival, as did the news outlets and the people. Daniel even stopped from time to time to greet some individuals, doing everything he could to make sure his presence in Central City was known to anyone who didn't live under a rock.

'If this doesn't make him come to me, then I'll have to use Plan B,' he thought while helping a puppy that had gotten stuck in a wire fence.

A quick trip to a nearby animal shelter, and soon he was back on the streets, looking for more problems to solve.

In a way, it was relaxing—just helping. Saving others brought him a sense of gratification and fulfillment that he had never managed to achieve in his previous life.

The fame wasn't bad either. Daniel wasn't hypocritical enough to deny that he had sought to be recognized by the whole world. The costume, the name, as well as his performance in front of people—he had thought through and done it all to create a reliable and even idealized figure in whom people could place their faith and hope.

So far, it had worked. Well, almost. He still had many aspects to improve—that was obvious—but his fame among the civilian population was certainly in a good place.

'Maybe I'm not Superman, but I'm not far from him either.' It was hard to match the favorite superhero, but not impossible.

After a few more minutes, Daniel finally stopped, landing softly on top of a building where he decided to wait and see if Flash would choose to meet him or not.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long to get his answer.

He almost missed it, but with great concentration, he managed to see a red and yellow streak beginning to approach his location at high speed.

'You're finally here.' Daniel smiled and soon heard the door on the rooftop behind him open, followed by quick footsteps stopping just a few meters away from him.

Turning around, he was finally able to get a proper look at the famous Scarlet Speedster, and when he did, he had to blink a couple of times.

Well, his suit… clearly had room for improvement. Still, it was very close to what he had imagined it would be, with that yellow lightning bolt stamped on the chest being the most distinctive feature.

"Looks like you got my message," he said, turning fully around. Flash, who had been watching him with equal parts excitement and nervousness, nodded and visibly relaxed.

"I thought maybe I was overthinking it, but you left so many trails to follow that it soon became obvious you wanted someone to find you. And well, here I am… Uh, you were looking for me, right? Because if not, this is going to be really embarrassing."

Daniel snorted but still nodded, dispelling Flash's worries.

"Don't worry. In fact, I'm here for you. You've been making a really good impression since the East Coast attack. I have to thank you, by the way—if you hadn't arrived in time that day, many lives would have been lost."

Flash smiled and rubbed his nose with slight embarrassment.

"Well, you know, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

He didn't ask how Defiant knew he would be in Central City. Anyone who watched the news or read a newspaper would be aware that he had been patrolling the city more than anywhere else. He couldn't help it—despite being fast, he still didn't feel comfortable leaving his home for too long. Besides, his job required him to stay nearby, or he risked getting fired.

He had already been late to the office too many times these days.

"Well, I won't beat around the bush. I'm forming a team," began.

"I don't need to hear more. I'm in!"

Before Daniel could explain further, Flash interrupted him with clear excitement in his voice.

"Seriously?" he asked with slight doubt, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding? This is the second-best thing that's ever happened to me! After getting superpowers, I mean."

"Well, this was a lot easier than I expected."

Not that Daniel had anticipated rejection, but he had clearly underestimated just how enthusiastic Flash would be about joining his group.

"And well, who's the big bad? Another crazy guy like Graviton? Some mad scientist planning to blow up the moon or block out the sun? Oh! Maybe an alien invasion?! Please tell me it's an alien invasion. Wait—you're not an alien, are you? People talk about that a lot on the internet. Not that I have anything against it, of course."

Daniel smiled before responding.

"Nothing that dramatic for now. Well, there's a group called the Ten Rings that have super soldiers with fire powers, but that's more Tony's problem at the moment."

"Super soldiers..." Flash whispered with almost childlike amazement, and a big smile began to form on his masked face. But then he frowned and pointed at him.

"You didn't answer my last question."

To that, Daniel simply kept smiling.

"Oh, I see what you're doing!"

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Of course, Daniel had to rein in Flash's enthusiasm a bit and talk to him more seriously about everything, making sure to clarify every possible aspect so he wouldn't be caught off guard.

He spoke extensively about S.H.I.E.L.D., its agents, the work they did, and their place in the world while also mentioning everything he could about the Avengers. He placed great emphasis on the fact that the group worked with S.H.I.E.L.D., not for S.H.I.E.L.D.

He didn't want Flash to get the wrong idea and think the government could dictate their actions. That would only lead to many disasters he preferred to avoid.

Finally, they parted on good terms, each sharing their own secure phone number so they could contact each other in case of emergencies, as well as agreeing on a date and place for a future meeting.

With everything going so well, Daniel felt more confident about what he was going to do next. And so, he arrived over Hell's Kitchen and began descending from the skies, looking at what was considered the most dangerous place in New York.

Like other parts of the city, Hell's Kitchen had also suffered some damage due to the incident a few days ago, though on a smaller scale. Still, its effects on the area were clear, and he had seen numerous reports about the different crimes that had been interrupted by the local vigilante—or, as people had started calling him more often these days.

Daredevil.

And speaking of the devil, Daniel could see his figure almost hidden among the shadows, 'watching' him from the top of a distant building. The vigilante gave him a slight nod and, in a swift movement, vanished into the darkness.

Daniel shrugged and began following his trail until he arrived in front of the doors of a grand cathedral that seemed to have stood there for many years.

Even in the late hours of the night, the place remained completely open, and Daniel stepped inside with light footsteps, glancing around until his eyes landed on the cross at the center, bearing the figure of the crucified Jesus.

"I thought this would be a good place to talk," Matt said, sitting on one of the pews with his hands in a prayerful position.

Maybe it was a bit dramatic, but it didn't feel wrong. So, Daniel approached and sat on a pew near Matt, instinctively making a quick sign of the cross.

"Are you a believer?" Matt asked, noticing the gesture, but Daniel shook his head.

"My grandparents were, and for a time, I was too as a child, but when I grew up, I stopped being one."

That was quite common, really. Religion had long since become a tradition passed down from parents to children, but that didn't mean one couldn't later change their mind and follow their own beliefs.

"So, you don't believe in God anymore?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong—I believe He exists. But… I don't think He's the only one, nor as the Church portrays Him."

Given his experience, Daniel couldn't point a finger and call any religion a lie. If Odin existed, if Zeus existed, and if all the other gods from all the different cultures around the world did, then surely the Christian God did as well.

But just because He existed didn't mean everything humanity believed about Him was correct. Most likely, much of it had been altered by humans themselves until it became distorted. But if he was honest, he wasn't interested in finding out.

In the end, the only thing that mattered to him was humanity—not the gods who had abandoned it.

Matt remained silent for a moment, considering his words.

"That's an interesting perspective," Matt finally said, separating his hands. Unlike other believers, he never judged people for thinking differently. Then, he brought his hands to his face and removed the mask that covered him.

"I've been thinking a lot these past days, clearing my mind and going over everything, trying to find an answer." It had been an intense debate with himself, questioning not only his life but also his beliefs and actions.

Right and wrong, black and white, and the inevitable gray that formed between them.

"I finally realized that I was looking at this the wrong way—trying to judge you by my own standards when that's not my place." Matt rubbed his hands together and lifted his head in the direction of the cross.

"I will never kill—that is something I am certain of, and I will never agree that others have to do it either. But if I tried to point my finger at every person who has taken a life in the name of doing what is right or defending themselves, then I wouldn't have enough hands—not even if I lived ten thousand lives."

If he condemned Defiant, then he would also have to condemn the police officers who had done the same in the name of the law, as well as those who had taken a life to protect themselves or their loved ones.

Some might say it was different—that the police had the authority to do so, and that people acting in self-defense had the right as well.

But who granted that right? Why were some allowed to take a life while others were not? Taking a life was taking a life, no matter the reason. But that wasn't entirely true, was it? For humanity, the reason always mattered.

And as a human, Matt could understand that—even if he didn't always like it.

"So, where does that leave us?" Daniel asked curiously after a moment.

"I don't think anything has really changed. You can't convince me to support your way of doing things, and I can't stop you from taking another life if you believe it's necessary to save others… but if you harm an innocent, if you go beyond the line you've already crossed, even if it seems impossible—I will try to stop you."

That was Matt's final boundary. Reluctantly, he could 'accept' that those who did evil would end up wasting their lives in vain. But if an innocent person were to suffer the same fate, he would never tolerate it—no matter what.

Hearing this, Daniel relaxed significantly. This was actually fine. He had come here thinking he would have to use a level of eloquence he probably didn't have, but in the end, Matt had reached his own decision, saving him a lot of trouble.

"You don't have to worry about that. The only thing I want is to protect those who can't protect themselves. Killing for the sake of killing is far from what I seek or desire," He said it sincerely, and Matt could tell it was true thanks to his heightened senses.

Of course, Daniel never promised that it wouldn't happen. The future was so uncertain that he had no idea what he might be forced to do when the time came.

He wanted and wished to be good, but perhaps the world wouldn't let him. Now, it remained to be seen whether his will was strong enough to hold onto his ideals and keep defying the adversities to come—or if, instead, he would be forced to succumb to the pressure and bend until he became something unrecognizable, even to himself.

'I guess only time will tell.'

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In the end, the two parted on what could be considered 'good' terms. Daniel wasn't bothered by the outcome. It wasn't as if he had expected to become Matt's best friend or anything. He simply wanted to make sure they remained on the same side and that he could count on his help when the time came.

It could have been worse, but it wasn't—and in his book, that was a clear victory.

'Looks like my good luck is finally turning around,' he thought as he soared through the skies, heading toward Smallville.

Now, he just needed to deal with Carol, and two of his concerns would be settled.

'At this rate, I'm going to get gray hairs from all this stress… wait, can I even get stress-induced gray hairs?' He knew that Viltrumites could get some gray hair after a few thousand years, but since he had the Core, could he too?

With such trivial questions on his mind, Daniel landed at his farm and stepped inside, switching on the lights.

As always, the place remained clean and smelled nice, though it felt a bit empty. He hadn't added much new furniture or put up many decorations, despite having lived there for nearly a year.

'It's my house, but it doesn't really feel like mine.' Maybe he should buy some paintings or repaint the walls.

A new rug wouldn't be bad either.

Reaching his room, Daniel took off his suit and changed into something more casual. Then, he headed to the kitchen, pulling ingredients from the fridge as he thought about what kind of meal he should make.

"You know that staring from the shadows is kind of creepy, right?" His voice made Carol, who had been outside among the bushes, shudder slightly before stepping forward and entering the house.

There was something strange about her demeanor. Daniel was tempted to ask but decided to let her speak.

Observing her from the corner of his eye, he noticed how she played a little with her hair, now longer than when he had first met her.

'Now that I think about it, I never asked her how she kept it so short.' He doubted she had used kryptonite-sharpened scissors.

"I talked to Lena." Carol finally gathered the courage to confess. Upon hearing her, Daniel paused for a moment before continuing to cook.

Seeing that he said nothing, Carol furrowed her brows. Was he upset? Disappointed? She couldn't see his face since he had his back to her, and that was starting to unsettle her a little.

"I didn't look for her, okay? I promised you I wouldn't, and I never intended to, but she found me… outside my school," she added, though she wasn't sure if that would be enough for him.

Hearing the concern in her voice, Daniel sighed. Not for the first time, he wondered what Carol really thought of him. Why did she sound like she believed he would lash out or get angry with her?

Had he ever seemed capable of that?

'Why does it seem like I'm the toxic one here?'

"Carol… I'm not upset that you talked to her. I wouldn't even be upset if you had looked for her," he said, turning around and looking at her seriously, making her appear somewhat bewildered.

"But I thought—"

"I know what I said before, but I was wrong." Daniel then ruffled his own hair.

"You wanted to help me, and I didn't let you because I was afraid of putting you in danger. But now I know I was being an idiot. I shouldn't have dismissed your idea so quickly, and I apologize for not considering your feelings better." It was a little uncomfortable, but as a man, Daniel knew he needed to say it directly and not try to make excuses.

Carol blinked in surprise. When she came to find him, she hadn't expected to be the one receiving an apology, so it took her a moment to process it despite her superhuman brain.

"You know, it seems like I keep making mistakes with you. I make a mistake, then I apologize, only to make another one and apologize again. That must be pretty annoying, right?" Daniel laughed somewhat embarrassed.

Seeing him looking a bit downcast, Carol quickly shook her head and stepped closer to him.

"No! I know you do it because you care about me. I'm the one who keeps complaining and causing you trouble."

Uh, no, that wasn't right. Daniel almost facepalmed but managed to hold back his exasperation.

"Stop it, I told you not to try to excuse me, I know when I mess up, and you haven't done anything wrong."

Carol shook her head again, this time with a frown, but a hand on her head, gently ruffling her hair, stopped her from saying anything further.

"Let's stop arguing about this. Tell me about your meeting with Lena instead."

Daniel knew that if he didn't change the subject, they would end up in a loop that could last all night. That was how stubborn Carol could be when she set her mind to it.

Carol pouted but decided to stop as well. Even if Daniel thought he had messed up, she knew he was just trying to do the right thing.

Soon, both of them started cooking together, and in the meantime, Carol told him about her encounter with Lena and what she had managed to find out.

"So she doesn't plan on leaving Smallville anytime soon. That's worrying." He already knew it would be too good to be true if she were just passing through, but having it confirmed still made him seriously consider what he should do about the situation.

"She didn't talk much about why, but she told me she's going to take over the local fertilizer plant. I think she wants to expand it, maybe even renovate it completely."

That could cause problems. God knew farmers were never happy when someone came in and tried to change their environment, much less when there was a chance it could affect their land.

"You said she wanted you to show her more of the town, right? It seems like she likes you. If you can, try to find out exactly why she's here."

Maybe he was reading too much into this, and Lena had just come to experience rural life… Who was he kidding? Of course, something was going on. He just hoped it wasn't something that would end with his fist through Lex's chest.

"Is it really okay for me to get so close? What if she starts suspecting me?" Carol asked with some uncertainty.

"Maybe she'll have some doubts, but if you're smart, you can make those doubts disappear. And if something goes wrong, well, we'll figure out how to fix it."

Carol looked at him before smiling and nodding. Yes, even if something went wrong, as long as they were together, they could solve it. She truly believed that.

"Alright."

Carol then rubbed her chin as if considering something very seriously.

"If that's the case, would you say this is a spy mission?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Well, yeah? Since you're trying to gather information undercover, then sure, it's a spy mission," Daniel said casually, not paying too much attention.

"Then should I dye my hair? How about red? Maybe I could even get a dark leather suit."

For a moment, the mental image popped into Daniel's mind, and he couldn't help but cough.

He hadn't expected her to still have her comments about Natasha in mind.

But… maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea… He wondered if Natasha would be willing to lend her one of her suits for a while…

'No! I must stay strong and not fall into temptation!'

Daniel quickly shook his head, getting rid of such dangerous thoughts.

Seeing the red on his cheeks, Carol's eyes sparkled. She wondered if her mother had a way to make her hair change color. If not, getting a wig wouldn't be a bad option either. As for the leather suit… maybe she could take one of the suits from the Fortress and paint it black.

"Let's talk about that later. I might need to leave for a few days to attend an important event."

He quickly tried to change the subject, and it seemed to work because as soon as Carol heard that he needed to leave for a few days, she frowned with clear displeasure.

"What kind of event?"

"The Baxter Foundation's Scientific Innovation Expo. It's almost time, and I don't want to miss anything. There will be many great scientific minds I want to meet."

And four individuals he absolutely needed to see, though he didn't say that part.

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Note:

Choosing the title for this chapter was quite difficult! Lately, I feel like I haven't been very creative with titles—I need to improve on that.

On another note, I feel like I could have made the encounter with Matt longer, but I didn't want to make it unnecessarily dramatic or tedious. I also considered adding more religious references, but again, I ran the risk of doing it poorly, so I decided not to bite off more than I could chew and kept it simple yet direct.

The meeting with Flash was also a bit tricky, but I think it turned out well overall. There will be more interactions between him and Daniel in the future, so don't worry if it felt too short.

I still don't know exactly how to handle his character. I thought about taking inspiration from the (Justice League Unlimited) version, but that's Wally, not Barry, so I've been looking into some things from The Flash TV series (I know that show went downhill fast after the first few seasons, so I won't take too much from it—just the good parts). Even so, it'll take me some time to feel comfortable writing him, but I think I'll get there eventually.

PS: For my readers who follow this story on sites where I can't upload images, remember that you can find some drawings and sketches of my fics, made by me, on my X account (twitter) @Emma_pressure) there aren't many but if anyone is interested you can check it out.

With that said, let me know if you notice any mistakes, and don't forget to comment—criticism and suggestions are always welcome!

Remember that You can already find the next chapter of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D