The Strange Girl

Superman's POV

We watched in stunned silence as the fragments of the magnificent statue fell away, revealing a young girl. For a moment, we couldn't believe our eyes. The statue had become a living being. Despite her fragile and unconscious appearance, we remained cautious. Past experiences had taught us to prepare for the unexpected.

"Clark, keep your guard up," Bruce said, his voice low and firm. He was always wary—sometimes to a fault. But this time, I couldn't blame him. The situation was far from ordinary.

Batman's POV

I approached the girl slowly, instincts sharp. There was no way she was human. No ordinary person could survive being encased in a stone statue for who knows how long.

The information I'd received from Alfred about the statue and the new mineral—which bore similarities to Kryptonite—didn't include anything about the statue concealing a living being. But this was Gotham. Surprises were the norm.

Damian, predictably, was already crouched beside her before I could stop him.

"Damian, don't be reckless," I warned, voice sharp. He ignored me, as usual.

Robin's POV

"She looks pretty dead," I said flatly, studying the girl while everyone kept their distance. When no one answered, I decided to check myself. Pressing two fingers to her neck, I felt a faint pulse. It was weak but there.

"She's alive," I said, glancing up. "We have to help her, Father. She might die."

Father's expression tightened, and for a second, I thought he would argue. But then he nodded curtly. "Pick her up. Quickly. We're leaving."

Relieved, I gently lifted the girl into my arms. She was surprisingly light, almost unnaturally so. Without wasting any more time, we hurried to the Batmobile and headed to Wayne Manor.

When we arrived, Alfred was already at the door to greet us.

"Welcome home, Master Bruce, Master Damian, and Mr. Kent. Oh..." He trailed off, his gaze falling on the unconscious girl in my arms. "And who might this be?" he asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

"We don't know, but she needs help," I said, brushing past him and heading straight into the manor. The others followed closely behind as I carried her to one of the guest rooms and laid her on the bed.

Alfred quickly began his assessment, checking her vitals with the precision of someone who had seen his fair share of emergencies.

"Will she be alright, Alfred?" Superman asked, his voice tinged with worry. It was rare to see him this concerned.

Alfred nodded slowly. "She'll recover, but she's in critical condition. May I ask where you found her?"

Superman chuckled lightly before replying, "If I told you she came out of a statue, would you believe me?"

Alfred's brows furrowed as he glanced at Bruce. "Given her attire, I assume this was the warrior statue?"

Bruce nodded, his expression unreadable.

As Alfred continued tending to her, a thought nagged at me. Finally, I spoke up. "There's one thing that's bothering me, though."

Superman turned to me, curious. "What is it?"

I hesitated for a moment before asking, "How did she end up in the statue?"