Chapter 3

No one said anything further about birthdays and the three Legionnaires, five if you counted Triplicate Girl’s additional selves, headed to the store. They tried to ignore the stares they were getting from the other customers.

“Maybe we should have changed into normal clothes first,” mumbled Lightning Lad, grabbing a shopping cart.

“Too late for that now,” said Triplicate Girl, looking at the giant display of diapers, thankful that they didn’t need them. “What are the first three items on the list?”

“Plastic cups, child size silverware and plates,” said Lightning Lad, reading off the list Saturn Girl had given him before they left.

“Got it,” said Triplicate Girl, dividing herself and heading down the aisles.

“The next items are a chair and a stool,” read Lightning Lad. “What would we need a stool for?”

“So he can reach counters,” said Superman.

“But he can fly,” said Lightning Lad.

“Do you want to tell a three year old he can fly?” asked Superman.

“Er, no,” said Lighting Lad sheepishly. “Why don’t you get those and I’ll get… multivitamins?” He laughed. “Good luck getting him to take those.”

The shopping went like this for over an hour, gathering the things that they needed and trying not to get too much of the stuff that they didn’t. The boys indulged Triplicate Girl in her desire to get Brainy pajamas and puzzles but didn’t think it would be a good idea for her to even remotely near the toy aisle.

“But he’s three, he needs something to play with,” pouted White Triplicate Girl.

“He’s Coluan,” exclaimed Lightning Lad. “They don’t play with toys, even as children. They like things like puzzles, mind teasers and riddles.”

“Fine, but I’m getting him some books and you can’t stop me,” said Orange Triplicate Girl, all three of them sticking out their tongue at him.

“And I don’t care if Coluans don’t play with toys, one of you will pick out as least one for him or so help me,” trailed off purple Triplicate Girl, glaring at them before her and her counterparts walked off towards the books.

“You pick one,” said Lightning Lad, turning to Superman. “She can’t hurt you if you happen to pick the wrong thing.”

“Gee thanks,” said Superman but he went to the toy section anyway.

Most of the toys were of things he didn’t recognize. There were models, figurines and actions figures, but Superman wasn’t sure of the aliens which ones were based on real species and which ones were made up. There were nothing like the fire trucks or dinosaur toys he grew up with, at least none that he could find. Then again, he wasn’t sure if Brainy would like those sort of things, little or not.

What would Brainy like? He liked making things, maybe they had those magnetic toys where you could make them into various things? No, there were too many small parts for someone Brainy’s current age. Was he too old for building blocks?

Finding the building blocks Superman got the kind that had the bridges and triangles along with the squares in lots of different colors. The worse that could happen would be that Brainy wouldn’t like it, right?

On his way out of the toy section Superman spotted the stuffed animals. These, like the rest of the toys came in a variety of things that he didn’t know what they were. Some of them he thought would scare a child, for they crept him out, but at the very end of the aisle were some normal ones that he recognized.

All the animals from Earth were there, even a few dinosaurs. Superman considered getting a long neck dinosaur, not remembering it’s technical name, when he spotted the teddy bears. A lot of them were a little goofy looking, like the one dressed as a clown, but there was a nice tan one with a red bow tie sitting by itself.

Before Superman knew it he had picked up the tan bear and went back to where he was meeting the others.

For the flight back to headquarters they had to borrow the shopping cart to hold most of the things they had gotten. Superman carried this as Lighting Lad and the three Triplicate Girls carried the larger bags that wouldn’t fit.

“How was the store?” asked Timber Wolf, helping Superman unload the cart so he could return it.

“Fine, they have lots of weird looking toys though,” commented Superman.

“What, did you expect to find one of those,” began Lightning Lad, pausing to think. “What were those ridiculously popular things that people were stupid enough to buy? Pet socks?”

“Pet rocks were even before my time Lightning Lad,” commented Superman, rolling his eyes.

“Why would anyone buy a rock?” asked Lightning Lad. “The ground is covered with them.”

“Before my time,” repeated Superman.

“Superman did find this for Brainy though,” said Triplicate Girl, merging together and pulling the tan bear out of one of the bags. She held it out for Superman. “You should go give it to him.”

“I need to take the cart back,” said Superman.

“Lightning Lad can do that,” said Triplicate Girl, ignoring Lightning Lad’s protest. “You need to show Brainy you’re not scary.”

“But I’ll just end up scaring him again,” said Superman, looking down.

“He’ll never stop being scared of you if you don’t make the effort to show him otherwise,” said Triplicate Girl, lifting his chin so he’d look at her. She placed the bear into his hands. “Just be yourself, you’ll be fine.”

The walk to Brainy’s room was a long one, especially since Superman kept turning around, walking away before rebuilding his resolve and turning to walk forward again. By the time he got there, Saturn Girl was leaving.

“Hey Saturn Girl, where’s Brainy?”

“Asleep,” whispered Saturn Girl, holding a finger to her lips.

“Well, this is for Brainy,” whispered Superman, holding out the bear for her. “Could you give it to him?”

“You give it to him,” whispered Saturn Girl, moving around him to her own room down the hall.

“You didn’t happen to talk to Triplicate Girl, did you?” asked Superman.

“You took a while to get here,” smiled Saturn Girl, before wishing him good night and heading to bed.

Superman stood there a while, looking at the bear in his hands. Taking in a deep breath, he tip toed into the room. Spotting Brainy, curled up on his side, facing him, on the bed he snuck over and placed the bear next to him.

Almost instinctively Brainy reached out and wrapped his arms around the bear, unwittingly trapping Superman’s hand underneath his own.

Panicking, Superman became perfectly still, even stopping his breath. Then, remembering that he couldn’t hold his breath forever, eased himself downwards and to the side so he could remove his hand with the least amount of movement, lessening the chance of waking Brainy. Once he had his hand back, air returned to his lungs and stood to sneak back out the room risking one last glance at Brainy.

Though he hadn’t been there when the other first discovered shrunken Brainy, Superman thought this was the first time the Coluan looked relaxed, not scared or worrying about what he should or should not be doing. Even when Brainy had been giggling and chasing Bouncing Boy there had been a sense of hesitance in the child. And, even though Brainy seemed to like Saturn Girl, Brainy had immediately sat down in the chair when she approached, almost as if he was scared of getting in trouble.

Remembering how Brainy said that he didn’t need a birthday, Superman wondered what kind of childhood his friend had. So scared and hesitant to do anything wrong, without the knowledge that anyone cared about him.

Superman gently ran his fingers through Brainy’s hair, smiling as Brainy stayed asleep, unafraid of his touch.

“You’re safe here, Brainy.”

When Superman went to the kitchen the next morning for breakfast everyone was already there. Most of them were sitting around the table except for Timber Wolf, Phantom Girl and Brainy. Timber Wolf seemed to be cooking pancakes while Phantom Girl was holding the mixing bowl for Brainy, who was standing on his stool and trying to beat it’s contents with a whisk.

Sitting down on the other side of Saturn Girl, away from Brainy’s chair, Superman noticed the bear sitting in Brainy’s chair but then saw Saturn Girl’s sad face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I hate Coluans,” mumbled Saturn Girl. “At least the ones that raised Brainy.”

This having to be the first time, since the roller coasters at the fear factory, that Superman heard Saturn Girl use the word ‘hate’, Superman looked over at the little Coluan, wondering what he could have done to cause such a reaction.

“Why?”

“He’s too independent for a three year old,” said Saturn Girl. “Coluan or not, he just doesn’t act three.”

“What do you mean?” asked Triplicate Girl, sitting on the other side of Brainy’s chair so she could sit next to him once the meal started.

“I don’t know about you guys but I had to be dragged out of bed when I was three. My clothes were chosen for me and I had to be forced to take a bath and I needed help with nearly everything,” said Saturn Girl.

“Nearly all humanoid species are like that,” commented Bouncing Boy.

“Not Brainy. He got up on his own, made his bed, took a bath and was waiting for me outside my door when I got up,” said Saturn Girl, sighing. “And he looked horrified when I told him he could have knocked.”

“Maybe all Coluans are like that,” suggested Lightning Lad.

“No, I looked it up on Brainy’s computer,” said Saturn Girl. “Coluans talk earlier and learn faster but are usually as physically and emotionally dependent on their parents as any human child would be until their teenage years and he shouldn’t be so scared of something so simple as knocking on my door.” She sighed. “I hope we never have a mission where we have to save Colu. I’d end up attacking the robots who raised Brainy if I got the chance.”

“The robots? What about Brainy’s parents?” asked Superman.

“He didn’t have any,” said Saturn Girl. “He was raised by the government robots who were only programmed to take care of Brainy. Not care for him in any way.”

Before anyone could comment Brainy popped up beside Saturn Girl’s elbow, away from Superman.

“I helped make pancakes, which aren’t really cakes because they’re for meals and not dessert.”

Saturn Girl turned and smiled at him, lifting him up into her lap to hug him.

“That’s right and you did a very good job.”

Brainy seemed to, almost, wince at the sudden attention but when her arms stayed around him, he smiled. He leaned against her but didn’t hug back.

“Fresh, hot pancakes,” announced Phantom Girl, carrying over the first giant plate of pancakes to the table. “Get them before Bouncing Boy does.”

“You mean Bouncing Boy can’t have any?” asked Brainy, alarmed.

“Of course he can, I’m just teasing him,” said Phantom Gil, giving the plate to Bouncing Boy first to prove her point.

There were plenty of pancakes for everyone and once Brainy was seated in his chair and Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf sat at their seats the meal began.

Superman watched as Brainy began to cut up his pancakes, something he couldn’t have done himself at that age, before Saturn Girl offered to do it for him. He didn’t like how surprised Brainy looked at the question or how embarrassed he appeared when he let Saturn Girl cut his pancakes for him. It made him smile though to see Brainy’s eyes widen in wonder when Saturn Girl poured some syrup onto the pancakes, take a cautious bite and then smile at the taste.

“So Brainy, what would you like to do today?” asked Triplicate Girl, smiling brightly at him.

Superman watched Brainy’s eyes widen, before he turned to face Triplicate Girl.

“I don’t have to work on anything today?” asked Brainy uncertainly.

“Work?” questioned Lightning Lad, making a face that made Superman think the other boy was thinking on the same lines as Saturn Girl now when it came to how Brainy was raised. “You’re three, you shouldn’t have to work on anything.”

Turning to Lighting Lad now, Brainy looked worried.

“But the Caretakers say that-”

“Forget the Caretakers,” snapped Lightning Lad, wincing when Brainy jumped. “As long as you’re here your only job is to be a kid.”

Brainy looked down for a while before risking a glance at Lightning Lad.

“How long?”

“What?” asked Lightning Lad, now confused.

“How long am I staying here?” asked Brainy.

“Brainy, you live here,” said Saturn Girl gently.

“I do?” asked Brainy, softly.

“Yep,” grinned Phantom Girl. “You’re stuck with us.”

Looking down again, Brainy seemed to consider all of this for a long time before tears began to well up in his eyes. Very soon, he was crying softly.

“Brainy, what’s wrong?” asked Saturn Girl, lifting the boy up and holding her in his arms. She rocked him gently as he cried and cling to her, her expression full of worry. “Do you…” She gulped. “Do you want to go back to Colu?”

“No,” cried Brainy, holding onto her more tightly.

“Then it’s okay,” said Saturn Girl, relieved. “We won’t make you.”

“Yeah, you can stay with us forever and ever,” said Triplicate Girl, walking over so she was standing behind Saturn Girl in Brainy’s sight range.

“R-really?” asked Brainy.

“Really,” said Triplicate Girl.

“I promise,” added Saturn Girl.

“Cross your heart?” asked Brainy.

“Cross my heart,” agreed Saturn Girl.

As Brainy calmed down, Superman thought that, if Colu was ever in danger of being destroyed, he’d bring the popcorn.

After breakfast, Superman was aware of Brainy watching him as he helped clear off the table. He pretended not to notice and volunteered to wash the dishes if someone else dried.

When Brainy left the kitchen with Saturn Girl, Triplicate Girl nudged Superman’s chest with her elbow, giving him a smile.

Later, when all the Legionnaires were in the lounge together, Superman pretended to read a book while really watching Brainy play with his new blocks with Bouncing Boy on the floor. He smiled at the sight of the teddy bear sitting next to Brainy, and returned to his ‘reading’ when Brainy looked up at him.

It almost became a game. Each would look at the other but only when the other wasn’t looking at them. Being only three, Brainy was more obvious about turning his head so Superman found it easy to avoid being caught. At one point, when Brainy was looking at him, Superman almost wanted to look up and say ‘peek a boo’ but he doubted Brainy would know what it meant and he didn’t want to risk scaring him again.

Soon it came to the point that Superman thought he should really get something to read, for even a young Brainy wouldn’t be fooled by him staring at the same thing forever, he wondered if maybe he should just stay away awhile to make Brainy more comfortable. Perhaps the glances had been out of caution instead of curiosity like he originally thought?

When he got off the couch, turning to leave, Superman was surprised to hear little footsteps follow him. Even more surprised to feel a tug on his cape. He turned and looked down, still surprised to see Brainy there even though it couldn’t have been anyone else.

For a long time Brainy held onto the cape as he clutched onto the bear with his other arm. After a minute or two he looked up at Superman, face flushed a dark green.

“T-thank you for the bear.”

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you like him,” said Superman, smiling.

Looking away, Brainy released the cape and ran to where Saturn Girl was sitting. He didn’t try to hold onto her, but looked relieved when she scooped him up in her arms to sit on her lap.

Superman continued to smile anyway. It was a start.