Tim was temporarily occupied with writing up some reports.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1t5wjzPFz
After all, Nora had shared a lot—so many details to dig into. The moment she began to speak, it was like a dam had burst, her words carrying the weight of her past all at once, rushing forward and almost leaving no room to breathe.
Tim gently asked Nora to take a break.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbln6nYFvni
He glanced over at her on the couch, drinking water. She was leaning against a cushion, her gaze slightly distant, as if she too was still processing everything she had just said.
Tim asked, “Do you know the origin of the virus?”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV4vS8dxls
Nora shook her head. “It was hard to even think about that while trying to survive.”
Tim nodded. He understood. In the apocalypse, the only people who had the luxury to think about such questions were scientists—or madmen.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFqoK8PHIY
He silently opened his notes again, jotting down a few questions to ask her next time. These were also the kind of questions Batman would have paid extra attention to.
His fingers paused on the keyboard.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ927FblKKPd
Tim stared at the words on the screen, and his thoughts began to drift.
Part of him felt grateful—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCyGWIdiUK
Grateful that Nora had come into his world and that they had met. The miracle of it all was unbelievable. And yet here she was, alive, sitting not far from him, as if the entire universe had looped in on itself just to send her to his side.
But another part of him mourned for her world—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8zK7Xosmj
A peaceful place where Batman only existed in comic books, now devastated by disaster. That kind of ending was too cruel, like fate had torn every fairytale apart with its bare hands.
Tim couldn’t even begin to imagine—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmS0H4qLuG
A fifteen-year-old girl wandering alone in such a ruined world for an entire year.
Had she gone hungry often?137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONtcVreD3v
Had she been injured often?137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRDEPuKORI
Had she cried often?
These images flashed through his mind like a silent slideshow:137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf844R5yas1
Nora, lugging a worn-out backpack, dragging an injured leg, searching for food in the rubble. All alone.
Even after she reached the base, she still did everything she could to help others.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhH42E52bQ
She didn’t just choose to survive—she chose to help others survive too.
In any extreme disaster, children are always the first to be abandoned. Tim knew that very well.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO0Y8tPph8
Which only made Nora’s actions more incredible. In that kind of environment, she still shielded the children from the wind and rain, even building a space where they could learn and laugh.
And in the end, Nora… turned.
Tim shut his eyes.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKUP7ToPf5
Maybe—maybe she had asked one of the children to kill her. That thought hit his chest like cold water.
He left the cause of death blank in the report…137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpRkmbp4xF
He wasn’t even sure if the Nora from that moment… was still really Nora.
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Tim had also created a separate spreadsheet about superpowers.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebuHKVOzdG
He couldn’t ignore the fact that, in Nora’s world, some people had supernatural abilities.
Based on Nora’s descriptions, Tim began to categorize them.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeowSpCVgbK
He listened and took notes, analyzing those sci-fi-like accounts, trying to find patterns—what types of powers there were, and how they might be applied.
Back then, he asked her: “Do you have any?”
Nora suddenly looked at Tim and gave a small smile.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0IMsX0VVy
There was something like a candy hidden in that gaze—sweet, but dangerous.
She turned away and pulled out a piece of paper and a box of colored markers.
Tim blinked as the paper and markers were suddenly laid out in front of him. “What’s this?”
Nora looked at him with excitement. “Quick, draw something.”
Tim hesitated, unsure what she was up to. Frowning, he picked up a red marker and cautiously sketched a bird—red, simple lines, a bit rough, even sloppy.
Nora leaned in to inspect it, her green eyes sparkling. “Tell me about this little guy. What powers does it have?”
Still confused, Tim glanced from her to the paper. “Uh… it can fly?”
Nora nodded, smiling as if he’d given the right answer.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0ZcUEfryH
She picked up the drawing. From Tim’s perspective, she placed her hand behind the paper and made a gesture.
She formed an "OK" sign with her fingers—and then, in the next second, flicked the back of the paper with her index finger—
Snap. A tiny sound.
Something red suddenly rose off the page.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDVETBZhiY
Before Tim could even react, the thing spread its wings in midair—flapping in the small room.
Tim’s jaw dropped.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCUqmf4g0q
His head turned, eyes tracking the flying object—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqkpnejqMk
It was the bird he had drawn.
The very bird he had lazily doodled a moment ago was now alive, flying around the room.
Nora raised her hand and gave a short whistle.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzYdHJNNFn
As if understanding the command, the bird circled once and flew steadily downward, landing gently on her palm.
Its wings fluttered slightly, just like a real bird would.
Nora turned to Tim, smiling.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0InGwyjm6s
She reached out and took his wrist, gently turning his hand over.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6o2vWax38W
Then she let the red bird step from her hand into Tim’s open palm.
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Tim leaned in for a closer look. It obviously wasn’t a real bird.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBa9jcn0V9
The edges of its wings were soft, like smudged crayon lines. The body was asymmetrical, with a bit of that cartoonish, goofy charm.
It looked like a 3D figure made entirely of crayon—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zFCiQkYpo
The color was vivid, and the texture powdery, like it had just been peeled off the paper. You could still see the mix of wax and paper in its surface.
Yet the bird moved around in his palm like it was real.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7tuDiVKXM
It tilted its head, flapped its wings, and even gently pecked at his knuckles with its crooked little beak. It wasn’t shy at all—in fact, it was quite clingy.
Tim swallowed hard, eyes locked on the lively crayon bird. “How long can it last?”
Nora replied, “Not sure. But something this size… about a day.”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKKYi5S6df
Her tone was casual, as if she were commenting on the stickiness of a Post-it note, not the lifespan of a flying, living drawing.
Tim asked, “Are there limitations to this power?”
Nora: “Yeah. Big ones.”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAhmFxyvur
She answered so quickly, it was like she’d been expecting the question.
“I can’t draw them myself. Someone else has to—137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OnJt8R1Z6
Especially drawings by children. Those are the most powerful.”
Tim’s eyes sharpened. A few potential testing methods that had just popped into his head were immediately deleted.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0KIUT6qAl
No one in the Batcave could draw—not beyond sketching crime scene maps.
Maybe Damian was decent at it, but the idea of relying on Damian to test Nora’s powers—Tim mentally drew a big X over that plan.
Tim frowned. “This ability feels…”
Nora cut him off, clearly knowing what he was about to say: “I know—it feels strong, but also kind of weak. I don’t use it often, either.”
She shrugged, that helpless look on her face, though her voice was still laced with amusement.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5A1b46OpD
“Next time, I’ll show you what happens when I use a kid’s drawing. That’s on a whole different level.”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAJEawB1Pl
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and then Add to home screen.