章節 2: Chapter 2 New Life
It has been six years since the end of the world.
There is still a deep wound from that aggressiveness in the collective human psyche six years later, and it may be difficult for the passage of time to heal it even by the time we reach the twenties. The globe after the war saw the establishment of a federal government, and despite the government's best efforts to convince the populace that their victory was the result of their soldiers' valour on the battlefield, the federal government was finally founded. Even so, insiders know this to be a fabrication. They came out on the losing end. In reality, the enemy's leader had been killed by a surprise attack just before victory was assured, and the formerly unstoppable extraterrestrial army had retreated from Earth.
There is a sense that the time of superheroes is drawing to a close. The Justice League, the last line of defence for Earth, vanished in the early days after alien invaders landed. There were rumours that they had fought valiantly for Earth before ultimately falling, but most survivors didn't believe them. The president of the Lex Bunch, Lex Luthor, spoke out on his own, pointing out that it is absurd to say that humans are leaving their fate to such a group of superpowers. Luthor is also the philanthropist who has contributed the most to the post-disaster rehabilitation work. The human race, by now, should have realised its destined path.
Luther's idea became entrenched in the minds of the people as a result of his many talks. A new age in human history will begin after the time of superheroes has ended. The last remaining heroes on Earth have also gone into hiding, taking on the personae of urban tales and rumours while carrying on with their jobs covertly. The vast majority of them, however, have not made an appearance in the media.
Superheroes failed us at a time when we needed them the most; therefore, we must have the ability to rely on ourselves. After the war, an author who typified the prevailing opinion of the time wrote.
We, the poor travellers, are currently lounging in the living room watching television with our legs crossed and a glass of wine in hand.
At least, according to Jay Reynolds's brand new chequebook, he turned eighteen this year. As of yet, he has no idea what his new identity should be termed following transmigration and the conclusion of the Doomsday War; when the orphanage adopted him, he had to make up a story about his personality and age. And because the conflict produced so many orphans living on the streets, nobody can check his lies.
He decided to put his supposed superpowers to the test and discovered that he possessed most of them. Their abilities are severely diminished and far inferior to the previous version, yet they still have thermal vision, freezing breathing, super strength, super speed, and the ability to fly. He thinks it's related to his advanced years. He also quickly realised that he had entered a DC Comics–inspired mirror realm. He was familiar with the DC Comics universe, but the present day was unlike anything he had ever seen in the comics.
Naturally, he wondered if, like Superman, he was a Kryptonian. However, since he could not recall where this body came from, it was impossible to settle this dispute.
His adoptive parents, the Reynolds, changed his last name to Reynolds after he had only spent around six months in an institution. Both his father, Mr. Charles Reynolds, and mother, Jane Reynolds, worked at the Metropolitan Hospital, and his mother was the editor of the Metropolitan Daily Planet. In the office where Jay was adopted, the sun was warm and gentle, and the memory has stayed with him. He took a seat in a wooden chair with back support while the Reynolds took up residence on the sofa across the coffee table from him.
That day, Jay was most struck by Mr. Reynolds' devotion to the Dean's lighter. In the form of a revolver, it was less powerful, and firing it sent flames shooting out the end. Mr. Reynolds spent the entire time fidgeting with the lighter in his hand, like an adult with a new toy.
"Focus!" We're not here to purchase you a lighter today," Mrs. Reynolds said.
Mr. Reynolds flashed an awkward grin and hesitantly reached for the lighter.
They looked back at Jay, and Mrs. Reynolds said, "Relax, Jay, and tell us more about yourself."
Jay rubbed his cranium. "What?"
As an illustration: "You must have your hobbies, right?"
"Well...reading? In terms of genre, I have no preferences." With a grin that had become almost routine, Jay replied, "I make an effort to write about topics that pique my attention on occasion. Aside from the fact that it's something I enjoy doing, helping to keep things tidy and in working order doesn't seem very noteworthy."
Mrs. Reynolds beamed as she strolled across the mall in what appeared to be a fancy attire. In her words: "If that's the case, then I'm confident you'll get along famously with us. If you'll have us, we're happy to take on the role of adoptive parents."
Mr. Reynolds, fiddling with the lighter again, casually mentioned that his son may get his own computer.
Before Jay could answer, Mrs. Reynolds snarled at him: "Hey! Did you forget that we have twenty years to pay off our mortgage, even after we recently redecorated?"
I think Mr. Reynolds was completely taken aback by this. He lacked the self-assurance to deal with his wife's wrath. Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "But I think...just it's a computer, therefore it shouldn't be a great hardship."
"Exactly what do you think? Your monthly family budget has never been a concern of yours; of course, it is!" Mrs. Reynolds spoke louder than usual, and if not for the context, Jay would have sworn she shouted in Mr. Reynolds' ear. He yelled out in laughter at the memory of that hilarious scene.
Jay promptly remarked, "For the time being, I can manage without a computer. All I want is a place to call home for a while."
This line perfectly captured Mrs. Reynolds' main idea. For a while, she released Mr. Reynolds' grip as she tenderly patted Jay on the head and murmured, "Whoa, look at this bright young thing. Feel at ease knowing that you can become a member of our family if that is what you desire."
Jay hmm-ed and nodded his head fervently, relieved that he would no longer be forced to share a house with a gaggle of ten-year-olds.
Mrs. Reynolds sprang up enthusiastically and said, "That's excellent! Then go and pack up your stuff, we'll go through the legalities, and then you can move into your new house!"
she
Mr. Reynolds got to his feet still smitten with the lighter shaped like a handgun. When he finally went outside, he used it to light a cigarette and then hesitantly set it down on the coffee table, muttering: "Me too. This kind of lighter is what you need."
Everything went smoothly at the hospital, and Jay was able to move into his new house that afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds treated him with great kindness on the first day they met. They served him refreshments, invited him to sit on the couch in the living room, and waited patiently while Mr. Reynolds was told to clean his bedroom.
He never had such advantages to begin with, and time has taken them away from him.
Mrs. Reynolds entered the living room armed with an apron and broom, looking like a soldier preparing for battle. She grabbed the newspaper from Mr. Reynolds, who was sitting on the couch with Erlang's legs crossed, and her hands were like lightning as she yelled: "Turn that thing off!" "When times are good, you shouldn't be sitting around doing nothing. Wake up and tidy up!"
Mr. Reynolds took one glance at Mrs. Reynolds's vivacious demeanour and exclaimed, "You know, you make me feel bad." "Again? Earlier, we had just finished cleaning up..."
"Back when? Just last week?" Mrs. Reynolds' eyebrows were arched in puzzlement.
It's been a week, tops! Mr. Reynolds, seeing Jay's supportive expression, mustered the will to object, "No one cleans every week!"
Speak less! Mrs. Reynolds flung the broom at Mr. Reynolds, who grumbled disapproval for a moment before slowly getting to his feet to obey the instruction, as if he actually had the guts to do it. So long.
Jay caught the rag Mrs. Reynolds tossed to him and stated, "Jay is also available to assist. Your bedroom, study, and balcony must be pristine, especially the glass and cabinets."
Like the TV soldiers, Jay gave the commanding officer a salute and a "Yes, ma'am!"
As one became two, the three parted ways. Mrs. Reynolds was cleaning the mop in the bathroom, and the sound echoed through the house. Mr. Reynolds kept whining and busied himself with the broom. A few seconds after confirming that neither of the Reynolds had noticed him, Jay sat down on his bedroom chair with a brand new book and launched his super-speed through his lump amount like a whirlwind. A magazine's glass tables and cupboard doors appear almost spotless and reflective.
He might be able to stop by in a little while to provide Mr. Reynolds some assistance.
He had hardly settled into a seat when he heard the familiar humming of a cell phone from the living room. He went back into the living room to retrieve his phone, swipe away the notification, and see that it was from Lois, a female in his high school class.
"Hi Jay, My apologies for the disruption, but this weekend I'm hosting a party at my house, and I expect almost the entire class as well as many club members and other friends to show up. Are you available right now?"
Jay graciously rejected almost immediately. As Mr. Reynolds sprang up from the couch to clean up the mess behind him, he inquired, "Who? Classmate?"
"Well," I mused, "a friend from school invited me to the party." "But I'm not going," Jay responded, tapping out the rejection message rapidly into the text box.
"Why?" A statement made by Mr. Reynolds. To paraphrase a friend, "I think you should try...you rarely go to any of your classmates' parties, thus your high school life is incomplete!"
I'm just not interested, Jay shrugged. "It's not a huge issue."
The head shook in Mr. Reynolds' direction: "No. You should listen to your grandfather and go at least once, or else you will always regret not going. When I was younger, I met your dad at a party. A nice gal overall, huh, I remember her."
Sad that she doesn't have kids, right? Jay's interruption was rude.
"Yeah." Mr. Reynolds's appearance changed abruptly to that of a deflated ball. "That's too bad. I was too naive and immature at the time to realise the potential of the situation, but had I done so, I might have..."
What does that prove?
Mr. Reynolds' countenance changed suddenly, and his words were rapidly altered, as Mrs. Reynolds' melancholy voice emerged behind him like a ghost "In the end, in the end, it all comes down to this. High school students can't succeed without regularly participating in group activities with their peers. The mandatory..."
That's fine, I can follow along now. When Jay heard that, he couldn't hold back his laughter. And with that, I'll be leaving.
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