Spectacular World

The Path That Leads To The Past

When her father got sick, they had been forced to sell a bunch of things. Even their home. What they didn't sell, though, they put up in a storage locker somewhere in Spider Street. She had never bothered to go to it and didn't even really know what was in it.

Now she stood in front of that locker, a sense of dread starting to course through her mind.

Her mother's lips had been pulled into a thin line, and the woman's hands were shaking. Despite that, though, her mom still took the three of them to the storage unit. As it opened and revealed the contents inside, nothing really caught any of their eyes. It wasn't a big locker, and it was packed to the brim with so many random items. Book shelves that held novels they'd never bother to read, clothes they've grown out of, random furniture, some of her old comics, and toys, yet despite how normal it all looked, she found her eyes drawn to something directly in the middle.

It was covered up by a large tarp, yet that wasn't enough to stop the hints of blue that came from beneath the cover. The 'thing' let out a low hum, and for a reason she couldn't explain, she almost felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

She knew instantly what it was.

Mr. Larison had told her about it once. A metal. One that could create a Super.

Max Lightning and Jack both stayed still, simply staring at the tarp. Her and her mother walked forward slowly. "Hope..." Her mother trailed off.

"You don't have to say anything, mom." She cut the woman off and shook her head. "You knew I was a Super from the very start, didn't you?"

"I never wanted things to end up like this." Her mother said, bowing her head. "Your father and I just wanted to keep you safe."

"There was nothing you could have done to stop this." Max Lightning said, shaking his head. "This was fate. The paths of hundreds of different stories bound together and formed the road of destiny that we all walk on. This destination was always on the path. A turn someone like her would make. Grab onto it, Hope Lauren. Behold your story."

She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the tarp, dragging it away. The pod rested beneath it. Forged out of a familiar silver metal. The same metal her helmet was made out of, as well as the weird hands Red Ape had and even the trident Poseidon used. The pod glowed softly, illuminating the dark locker, and she placed her hand onto it, feeling a soft vibration course through her. She felt her mother's hand go over hers, and they both stared at it. She could see her reflection in it. A wide-eyed young girl was looking back at her.

"What is this?"

"It's where your father and I first found you."

"This thing created me?" She gulped and tried to process the emotions she was feeling. "What does that make you then?"

"I'm your mother, of course." Her mother reached out and cupped her face, staring into her eyes. "From the moment this thing opened and I laid eyes on you, I became your mother. And you're your father's little girl. I knew one day that you would find out. That you'd discover the truth. Your father did as well. It's why we hid it. He had a friend. One that was able to get Super Tech. They built your glasses. We never wanted you to discover your powers. Your father knew early on what would happen."

"That I'd be a superhero."

"We just didn't want to lose you." Her mother's face broke for a moment, and the woman stepped away, turning around so she couldn't see her.

"You won't lose me, mom. I'm strong. Like crazy strong."

"Your daughter is right." She jumped when she heard Max Lightning speak up. She had forgotten that he and Mr. Larison had been standing behind them. "That pod—much is unknown about it even to the higher-ups in the Enforcers. What I can tell you though is that it's special. It takes DNA from hosts it deems worthy and then creates a brand new baby Super with them. Not just any Super though. A special one. In fact, there are only ever four of them in the entire world."