I wandered down the street, scanning the busy sidewalks, looking for the perfect spot to "accidentally" run into Superman. All the while, I tried to come up with a plan for when I actually managed to shake his hand.
I'd probably end up on the ground in pain, like I did after mimicking Weasel. That alone would be enough to freak Superman out.
Maybe I can pretend I'm Kryptonian, I thought, and blame it on the yellow sun enhancing my senses—explaining the pain? But if I ran into Martian Manhunter, I'd be screwed. One look into my head and he'd know everything.
Though, doesn't he only do that to bad guys? I could try to get his powers too, but I don't know my limit. Maybe I can copy an infinite number of powers. If that's the case, it changes everything.
But what do I actually want? Should I be a hero? A villain? Maybe just a bystander? An anti-hero, even?
Hell, I don't even remember much of the show. I only watched season one when I was a kid. This could all go balls up.
Maybe I just wing it and see what happens.
I didn't get to think much further, as the ground beneath me began to shake, and the sound of booming chaos echoed down the street. People were shouting, running in all directions. Just then, a figure came crashing through the side of a building and slammed into the pavement with a heavy thud.
Superman.
Before I could process what was happening, another figure emerged through the gaping hole in the building. The same powerful build, the same iconic costume—but everything was wrong. The colours were inverted, and his face twisted into an unsettling, blank expression.
Bizarro.
Superman groaned as he got to his feet, brushing the debris off his suit. He locked eyes with Bizarro, his jaw tightening. "You don't have to do this, Bizarro. There are better ways to help people!"
Bizarro floated above the cracked pavement, his blank, confused expression twisting into a frown. "Me help by stopping you! Bizarro save world by smashing Superman!" His deep, gravelly voice boomed across the street, sending shivers down my spine.
Superman clenched his fists, rising slowly into the air. "You're not helping anyone by causing destruction. Just let me talk to you!"
But Bizarro shook his head violently, his movements erratic. "No! Superman is bad! Bizarro stop Superman! Make world better!" He surged forward, fists outstretched.
I ducked behind a parked car, watching the chaos unfold. Superman dodged just in time, leaving Bizarro to slam into the street, sending chunks of asphalt flying. The ground trembled under the impact, and I had to steady myself against the car to keep from falling over.
Superman flew back, hovering in the air. "I'm not your enemy, Bizarro! You've got it all wrong!" He shot forward, grabbing Bizarro mid-flight and trying to wrestle him down.
Bizarro snarled, grabbing Superman by the shoulders and throwing him back into a nearby building with a massive crash. "Me do good! Bizarro save day by crushing bad Superman!"
I hesitated, then darted from my hiding spot, following the two as they careened through the street and into the next building, where Superman fought to break free from Bizarro's grip.
"You're confused!" Superman growled, breaking out of Bizarro's hold and throwing a punch that sent him crashing into a lamppost. "You don't understand what you're doing!"
Bizarro, undeterred, stumbled back up, glaring at Superman. "Me understand just fine! Me no need bad Superman telling Bizarro what to do!" He charged again, and the two clashed in the air, fists meeting with thunderous force.
I ducked behind another building as they grappled, my mind racing. This was insane. Superman was strong—Bizarro was stronger than I thought. And here I was, in the middle of Metropolis, following a fight between two super-powered beings.
Superman finally gained the upper hand, shoving Bizarro back with a hard punch to the chest. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you keep this up, you'll leave me no choice!"
Bizarro stumbled, clutching his chest, his eyes wild and unfocused. "Me no want hurt Superman. Me... stop Superman. For good of world!"
I watched, torn between the urge to run and the strange need to see how this ended. I could mimic one of them, but... who? Could I even handle powers like that?
As I watched the titanic battle unfold between Superman and Bizarro, my thoughts raced wildly. If I could just touch one of them—just for a second—I might be able to mimic their power. It was insane, but if I could pull it off, it might give me a shot at surviving in this world.
Superman had just thrown Bizarro backward, sending him crashing into the side of a parked truck. The opportunity was right there in front of me. My heart pounded as I moved closer, trying to stay low and out of their line of sight.
I edged toward Bizarro, who was picking himself up, staggering as if dazed from the impact. This was my moment. My hand stretched out, trembling, as I moved closer to him, heart pounding in my chest.
But just as my fingertips brushed his arm, Bizarro's wild eyes snapped toward me. He snarled, his face twisted in confusion and rage. "You no belong here!"
Before I could react, his massive arm swung out, and I barely had time to register the hit. The world blurred as his fist collided with me, sending me flying through the air like a ragdoll.
The force of the blow was unimaginable. I slammed into the concrete, skidding across the pavement before coming to a painful stop against a lamppost. Pain coursed through every inch of my body. I could barely move, let alone breathe.
My vision swam as I gasped for air, the taste of blood in my mouth. I tried to pull myself up, but it felt like my bones had been shattered. A ringing sound filled my ears, drowning out everything else.
Then the notifications started flashing in front of me, faint and blurry in my vision:
**Mimic Activated!**
[Mimicking Kryptonian physiology(Omnireplication)]
I barely had time to process it before the agony of the transformation hit me. My body felt like it was being stretched and twisted in unnatural ways. Muscles burned, bones cracked, and my mind was a storm of confusion and pain as Bizarro's power flowed into me. I felt heavier, my limbs awkward and clumsy as they adjusted to the overwhelming strength coursing through me.
Superman's voice cut through the haze. "Stay back!" he shouted, though I wasn't sure if he was talking to Bizarro or me.
But the pain was too much to focus on anything. My head throbbed, and I slumped to the ground, gasping, the sensation of the raw power overtaking me. I could hear Bizarro's heavy footsteps getting closer, but I was too dazed to move.
"Me no need weak human!" Bizarro growled as he turned his attention back to Superman.