Chapter 24: National City's Hero!
The following morning after the attacks, National City came together, both to remember those who sadly died in the attacks but also abuzz with excitement towards their new hero, Harbinger.
The remnants of yesterday's chaos still remained. Public services such as police, fire services worked together alongside government contractors to rebuild the City, while people worked together to find out all of those who sadly passed away and give them proper funerals.
Simultaneously, the city was also abuzz with immense excitement as the stories of Harbinger's heroic deeds spread like wildfire. Songs about how Harbinger slaughtered hundreds of monsters were already being sung, and every news company worth a damn released any and everything they could about Harbinger.
The emergence of Harbinger in National City was nothing short of a seismic shift in the landscape of the city. For years, National City residents looked towards other cities and their heroes, only wishing they had someone like that for themselves.
National City had lacked its own protector, someone who could be counted on to defend the streets they walked every day, someone who knew the city and its people intimately.
The arrival of Harbinger seemingly changed all of that. For the people of National City, having their own superhero meant more than just added protection; it meant pride. Harbinger's actions sent a powerful message: National City was worth defending. It wasn't just another city on the map.
It was a place deserving of its own guardian, a hero who chose to fight for them, not because of some grand cosmic duty, but because this city was his home too. His image became a beacon of hope, a reminder that someone was always watching, always ready to step in and protect.
This immense buzz and excitement was manifested everywhere, and National City Technical High School was no exception; the halls were filled with chatter about the new hero who had single-handedly saved the city from a monstrous invasion, how handsome he was, how cool his powers looked, and everything in between.
Kayn walked through the bustling corridors, a small smile playing on his lips as he overheard snippets of conversation.
"Did you see Harbinger yesterday? He took down those monsters like they were nothing!"
"He's so cool! I heard he even saved a whole bus of people before going to fight the big one!"
"I heard he uses Magic, do you think he can beat Superman?"
"Imagine we can see them fight. Holy shit I'd play that game."
Kayn kept his expression neutral, but inside, he was pleased. His plan was working perfectly. It only took one evening, but the entire city was enraptured with him, or 'Harbinger', and no-one suspected that the bespectacled Kayn was Hero, courtesy of that unique glasses.
"System, Sign-In." Kayn said in his mind.
[ Congratulations! You have received – Master of Music ]
Kayn just accepted the reward, information about Music flooding his mind. How to perfectly play every instrument, how to sing, rhythm, bass, any and all musical information.
As Kayn entered his class and moved to his seat, he spotted Kara shyly writing in her notebook, which he had come to learn was her diary, where she wrote how she felt in her personal life and things that happened.
"Kara," he called out as he approached. "Everything okay?"
Kara jumped slightly, clearly not expecting anyone to address her. She looked up at Kayn, her blue eyes wide with surprise before a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Oh, hi, Kayn," she said softly. "I'm fine, just... thinking."
"Thinking about what?" Kayn asked, leaning casually against the wall beside her as they whispered to each-other.
Kara hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was listening before she spoke. "About Harbinger," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I saw him yesterday... He saved me."
Kayn's expression would lead anyone to believe that his interest was piqued, though he was internally laughing at how cute the future Supergirl was reacting to him "saving" her, "He did?"
Kara nodded, her expression turning passionate as she continued, "Yeah, I was caught in the middle of everything when those monsters attacked. I was trying to help people, but it was... overwhelming. And then Harbinger showed up. He... he was incredible, Kayn. He saved so many people, including me and my sister."
Her admiration was palpable, and made Kayn think a-lot about her. Although this version of Kara was still shy, and needed a friend to help her come out of her shell due to her trauma, she was already showing signs of a hero.
Plus there was noticeable differences between this Kara and her arrowverse version still, such as the fact this Kara her had an amazing relationship with her sister Alex, and never went to Midvale High.
This also means that there would never be Kenny Li, meaning that she also never had a truly close friend aside from her elder sister all this time.
"I'm glad you're okay," Kayn said, his voice warm. "It must have been scary."
Kara smiled, a bit more relaxed now. "It was, but seeing Harbinger... it gave me hope. He's someone you can believe in, you know? Like Superman, who's my favorite hero."
Kayn internally chuckled. Who else would the favorite hero of Supergirl be but Superman?
Just then, the bell rang, and the teacher entered the room for the class to begin, kicking off the day.
Throughout the morning, the discussions about Harbinger continued, even bleeding into the lessons as teachers struggled to keep the students focused. It was clear that the city had found a new hero to idolize, and Kayn was content to let the fervor build. The more they revered Harbinger, the more power he wielded—not just in battle, but in influence.
During their lunch break, Kayn sat with Violet and a few other students Violet made friends with. As probably the most handsome new student in the school, it was only natural Kayn immediately became popular.
Violet was her usual composed self, though Kayn noticed the subtle way she was listening to the conversations around them, gauging the public's reaction to yesterday's events.
"Looks like Harbinger's becoming a bit of a celebrity," she remarked quietly, her eyes flicking to Kayn.
"Jealous." Kayn asked, leading Violet to just chuckle and continue listening in to various conversations as she ate her snack.
As lunch continued, Kayn noticed Kara sitting alone at a nearby table, her tray untouched as she stared off into space. He chuckled at her awkwardness. As an alien who spent the first 12 years of her life on Krypton, she struggled to actually express herself.
She needed others to basically force themselves into her life to become friends, which only Kayn had done, partially due to her acting so awkward and off-putting to others.
After a moment's hesitation, he excused himself from his group and made his way over to Kara's table.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, giving her a friendly smile.
Kara looked up, surprised to see him, "Don't you have a meal with the popular crew waiting? I doubt the school's Queen Bee Liza will appreciate me stealing you away, plus now you have my sister staring over here like a hawk."
Kayn just chuckled, placing his tray on the table and sitting down, taking a bite of his chicken sandwich before responding, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Liza will survive. Besides, I could use a break from all the chatter about who wore what and who's dating who. As for your sister, who cares."
"You don't have to sit with me out of pity, you know. I'm perfectly fine on my own." Kara responded, continuing her meal.
Kayn shook his head, his expression softening. "I'm not here out of pity, Kara. I just thought you could use some company. Besides, I like hanging out with you."
Kara's gaze shifted down to her tray, her fingers tracing the edge of her untouched food. "I'm not exactly the most fun person to be around. You know that."
"You don't get to decide who is fun for me to be around, and you're more interesting than you think." Kayn responded.
Kara glanced up at him, her blue eyes searching his face for any sign of insincerity. When she found none, she let out a small sigh. "It's just… I'm different, Kayn. I've always been different, and it's hard to connect with people when you're soo...me."
"I get it. But different doesn't mean bad. It just means you see the world in a way others might not. And that's not something to be ashamed of. If anything, it's something to embrace." Kayn said, trying to ease Kara to the idea of opening up, she was still an important potential ally and friend.
Kara's expression softened, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "It's not always easy to see it that way. I want to fit in, but at the same time, I'm scared of what might happen if people knew the real me."
Kayn took a sip of his drink, considering his words carefully. "Fitting in is overrated. Trust me, I've been to enough places to know that blending in with the crowd isn't always what it's cracked up to be. But being true to yourself? That's something worth fighting for. And if you ever need a reminder of that, well, that's what friends are for."
Kara looked at him, a small, genuine smile starting to form on her lips. "Friends, huh? I guess I could get used to that."
Kayn grinned, his tone playful. "Good, because you're stuck with me now. And who knows? Maybe one day, you'll realize you don't need to hide as much as you think."
Kara chuckled softly, the sound light and relieved. "You know, you're different too, Kayn. But in a good way."
Kayn winked at her. "I'll take that as a compliment."
For the first time in what felt like ages, Kara felt a warmth she hadn't experienced since arriving on Earth. It wasn't just about having someone to talk to; it was about having someone who understood, someone who didn't see her differences as something to be fixed but as something that made her unique.
Previously, she could only rely on her sister to be her anchor in the terrifying waves that were life on Earth. However, her relationship with Alex would always be unique. Alex was her sister, someone who took care of her all these years and tried to make her comfortable.
However, Kayn was different. Although they only knew each-other for a short time, he barged into her life just because and established himself as someone who didn't care for her awkwardness.
As they continued to chat, the lunchroom's noise seemed to fade into the background. For the first time, Kara felt like she could let her guard down, even if just a little. Her trauma from Krypton still lingered, but she felt opening up more would be a key step in moving past it.
And as she listened to Kayn talk about mundane things—classes, teachers, the latest gossip—she found herself relaxing, the weight on her shoulders easing just a bit, although that weight re-applied when she saw Alex's teasing look across the cafe.
Kara smiled, a genuine smile that lit up her features. "Thanks, Kayn. It's just... I wish I could do more, you know? To help people like he does."
Their eyes met each-other. Kayn knew she was actually talking about Clark Kent, her cousin Superman, but still nodded since as he shouldn't know her exact identity, he was supposed to believe she was talking about Harbinger.
Kayn's eyes met hers, and for a moment, he saw a glimpse of the hero she was meant to be. He knew that one day, Kara would step into her role as Supergirl, but for now, she was still finding her way.
"You can," he said softly. "Maybe not in the same way as Harbinger, but everyone can make a difference, Kara. You just have to find your own way to do it."
Kara looked at him, her eyes searching his face as if trying to understand something deeper. "You really believe that?"
"I do," Kayn replied with a firm nod. "And I think, deep down, you do too."
The rest of lunch passed in a more relaxed atmosphere, with Kara opening up a bit as the duo talked about miscellaneous things, favorite movies, tv shows, food and more stuff.
As the day wore on, the excitement about Harbinger didn't wane. If anything, it seemed to grow, with more students sharing rumors and stories about the mysterious hero.
By the time school ended, Kayn felt a sense of satisfaction. The seeds had been planted, and now all he had to do was let them grow.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone