Tim was temporarily occupied with writing up some reports.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCuQRTyPA5
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ySPot82Yk
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?”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsa1OQ9v5BX
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYwlzacswo
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOINGLly1h
Tim stared at the words on the screen, and his thoughts began to drift.
Part of him felt grateful—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiPT93CLmr
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—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMaxXM3NZx
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—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4t1tNxPvU
A fifteen-year-old girl wandering alone in such a ruined world for an entire year.
Had she gone hungry often?101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wlR92wai0
Had she been injured often?101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1OcYSJREM
Had she cried often?
These images flashed through his mind like a silent slideshow:101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2uPrFfA1U
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiq6wIrvgID
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNXA03UPHC
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8I7X8qBvh
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…101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGmnaE8CBm
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VPlOeYn5i
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSN7c7Fh3dE
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhrRwW8aSC
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPvDJBz3av
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgS9lqoFGA
Before Tim could even react, the thing spread its wings in midair—flapping in the small room.
Tim’s jaw dropped.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqf5tWFy1L
His head turned, eyes tracking the flying object—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaRiqBvgIn
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9zbgzgeDW
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEFgYnq1Mx
She reached out and took his wrist, gently turning his hand over.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF534BlTPP
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQPS0VWN2L
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—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodSkjP1ld1
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgizTRNOoM
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.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIqvKCFuqn
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.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELSGoXTwQH
She answered so quickly, it was like she’d been expecting the question.
“I can’t draw them myself. Someone else has to—101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7evsC4Flrq
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKhfzq44VA
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.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqfibH2OQG
“Next time, I’ll show you what happens when I use a kid’s drawing. That’s on a whole different level.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEQ4NTkBpG
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and then Add to home screen.