Arrowverse: I'm a Hero

Chapter 15: Echoes of the Future & The Waverider's Call

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Objective: Initiate Central City transition. Sub-objective: Manifest Time Travel Awareness. Primary Skill Acquisition Target: Time Travel Awareness (Proficiency Upgrade). Emotional Triggers: Foresight, Responsibility, Anticipation. ]

The days following the Magma-Man incident and Adam's heartfelt confession with Kara settled into a rhythm that felt, for the first time, truly fulfilling. National City had become home, and Kara, his anchor. They spent their evenings like any other couple, sharing dinners, binging obscure Earth-1 shows Adam subtly introduced, and occasionally, when the city called, donning their respective civilian disguises (Adam's usually involved looking mildly annoyed) to help Supergirl. His Flight was now at a respectable 15%, allowing him short, controlled bursts and even a clumsy hover, while his Kinetic Energy Manipulation grew stronger at 30%, capable of pushing substantial objects or delivering a satisfying concussive thump. His Super-Speed was a vibrant 30%, enough for quick, almost imperceptible dashes when no one was looking, or to win petty arguments by getting to the last slice of pizza first.

The Kryptonian Data Crystal was a revelation. It wasn't like a download; it was a subtle, intuitive understanding that bubbled to the surface when relevant. He found himself instinctively knowing the precise tensile strength of Kryptonian alloys, or the nuanced history of ancient Kandorian rituals, knowledge he'd previously only skimmed in wiki articles. He even subtly impressed J'onn during a DEO briefing by "connecting the dots" between a newly discovered alien artifact and a long-forgotten Kryptonian energy signature, much to Alex's growing exasperation and Kara's quiet pride.

But even amidst this comfortable domesticity, a restless energy began to stir within Adam. The Arrowverse, as he knew it, was a dynamic, ever-shifting narrative. And he knew what came next. Barry Allen's world was about to take a hard left turn into the paradoxical.

One morning, while casually scrolling through National City news feeds (and subtly checking Central City crime reports), a peculiar sensation washed over him. It wasn't his usual "Future Insight," which felt like a premonition. This was different. A subtle ripple, a fleeting sense of wrongness in time. Like a misplaced comma in the fabric of reality.

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Emotion Spike Detected: Foresight/Temporal Distortion (Adam Stiels). Triggering Time Travel Awareness (Passive) - Proficiency Upgrade. The timeline is, shall we say, experiencing some turbulence. ]

The system's alert confirmed his growing unease. This was the nascent Time Travel Awareness, courtesy of his deepening connection to Barry. He closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling. It was like a faint echo of a vibrating string, out of sync with everything else. He knew what it meant. Flashpoint. Barry was about to do something profoundly stupid, albeit for understandable reasons.

He found Kara at CatCo, diligently typing away at her desk, blissfully unaware of the impending temporal catastrophe.

"Kara, we need to talk," Adam said, his voice unusually serious.

She looked up, sensing the shift in his demeanor. "Adam? What's wrong? Did your 'network' discover a new brand of terrible coffee?"

He sat on the edge of her desk, lowering his voice. "Worse. My 'network' is getting some very specific, very unsettling vibes from Central City. Something... fundamental is about to change. Something that could have ripple effects across everything."

Kara frowned, sensing the gravity. "What kind of change?"

"Think... a butterfly flapping its wings," Adam said, searching for an analogy that wouldn't sound insane. "But instead of a hurricane, it causes... well, it causes a lot of very confusing paradoxes and probably makes everyone's favorite historical events suddenly cease to exist. Or involve dinosaurs. It's really a roll of the dice."

"Are you talking about... Barry?" she asked, her eyes widening slightly. She'd picked up on his fondness for the Central City speedster.

"Potentially," Adam admitted. "He's got a penchant for... highly emotional decision-making, shall we say. And when you can run faster than light, highly emotional decision-making can have catastrophic temporal consequences."

He didn't explain Flashpoint directly. He couldn't. But he could lay the groundwork. "Kara, I think I need to go to Central City. Soon. My 'network' is indicating that a very important, very unstable event is on the horizon there. And if I'm right, it might involve a significant personal crisis for Barry, and a ripple effect that could impact both our worlds."

Kara's brow furrowed with concern. "Central City? But... what about us? What about National City?"

"National City will always be home," Adam reassured her, reaching for her hand. "And you'll always be my priority. This isn't leaving. This is... strategic redeployment. I can't explain everything, but I have a strong feeling I need to be there, not just for Barry, but for... for the stability of things. My 'network' is very insistent that certain pivotal moments need a subtle nudge. Or, in Barry's case, sometimes a very firm shove."

He knew this was the first step towards the Waverider. Getting embedded in Team Flash was crucial for meeting Cisco and Caitlin, acquiring their skills, and eventually, joining the Legends.

"And what if your 'hunch' is wrong?" Kara asked, though there was a tremor of reluctant understanding in her voice.

"Then I've just had a very expensive vacation in Central City," Adam deadpanned, trying to lighten the mood. "And I'll be back before you can say 'Kryptonian' three times fast. But if I'm right... I might be able to help minimize the fallout. To help Barry. And to help ensure... well, a better future for all of us."

She looked at him, her gaze unwavering, then slowly nodded. "Okay. If you think it's important. Just... be careful. Central City has a lot of meta-humans. And from what Barry says, some of them are pretty messed up."

"Duly noted," Adam said with a wry smile. "I'll pack my 'highly advanced civilian protective gear' and my emergency sarcasm kit. And I'll call you. Every day. Probably twice a day. And send you pictures of all the truly awful coffee I encounter. It'll be a long-distance relationship, darling, but our bond is stronger than any inter-dimensional barrier. Or questionable temporal anomalies."

He leaned in, kissing her forehead. He knew this would be hard, but it was necessary. The Arrowverse was about to get a lot more complicated, and he intended to be at the heart of it, subtly guiding it towards a more favorable outcome. His path was clear, leading him not just to Central City, but towards a future where he could truly become a legend in his own right.