In a secret workshop underneath a tailor shop that designed clothing, the owner, an old man named Arthur Rosenbaum, was currently making a normal outfit.
Then a mechanical noise sounded as a door opened. Arthur smiled at the sound and looked up to see Omni-Man and Mark. But his expression shifted to confusion and shock, Omni-Man's body was covered in dirt, while Mark was injured, his face especially swollen and his clothes bloodied.
"What happened to your son, Nolan?" Arthur was shocked but still offered a handshake.
"Training," Omni-Man said, accepting the handshake.
Arthur was taken aback. Before he could question it, Mark answered his thoughts, also offering a handshake.
"I asked him not to hold back. Nice to meet you. I'm Mark Grayson."
Arthur looked at Omni-Man, who simply shrugged and leaned back against the table. "He's the one who asked for it."
Arthur sighed, shook his head, and accepted the handshake. "Nice to meet you too, kid. I'm Arthur Rosenbaum. Just call me Art." He smiled at Mark. "I've heard so much about you from your father."
Mark smiled back.
"Looks like your father never mentioned me, huh?" Arthur said with a shake of his head.
"Well..." Mark didn't know how to answer. He didn't have the original Mark's memories.
"He's a teenager, Art. He barely remembers anything that isn't in the mirror," Omni-Man said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mark asked, catching his father's insinuation.
Omni-Man just smiled and looked away.
Mark couldn't believe his father had just said that about him.
"So, I'm guessing you brought your son here for his custom suit?" Arthur asked.
"Yes," Omni-Man said. But then his communicator started ringing. He pulled it out and said, "I've got to go. See you later."
"Use the north—" Before Arthur could finish telling him to use the exit, Omni-Man was already gone from the workshop. "—hatch. Never mind."
Arthur sighed, then looked at Mark, who was looking around at the suits displayed in the workshop.
"So, do you have a suit design in mind?" Arthur asked.
"I do. Can I draw it for you?" Mark said, slightly excited.
"Does that mean you've already chosen a name?" Arthur asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Mark said with a grin. He already had in mind the hero he wanted to be, the hero he'd watched since childhood in his previous world.
Arthur handed him paper and a pen, and Mark started drawing. He drew it as he envisioned it. If he hadn't known how to draw, it would have been a disaster.
When Mark finished, Arthur was surprised. Mark's suit design was far out there, but the color scheme was close to his father's style.
"I can do something with this"
Arthur smirked, looking at the design.
"I'll call you when the suit is ready."
Mark nodded as they exchanged numbers. With that, he left, flying away and heading straight back home. As he enjoyed the wind hitting his face, he thought to himself.
'I can still move. I've still got energy. I should head back to train.'
Without thinking much about it, he headed straight to the nearest sea. He removed his clothes and dove deep into the water, beginning to train just like he did yesterday.
After a few hours, Mark walked out of the sea, looking extremely tired, but the injuries he'd received from his dad were nearly healed. His muscles were slightly more defined. He walked over to where his clothes were.
He grabbed them and put them on. He was exhausted, and feeling the cold wind, he decided to just sleep on the beach without a care in the world. He was too lazy to head back home.
He forgot that he was supposed to return home for dinner with his family.
When he finally opened his eyes, the sky was turning bright. He looked around, surprised.
"Shit."
Mark flew home as fast as he could without burning his clothes. When he arrived, he descended into the backyard. Debbie and Nolan were waiting for him inside, sitting at the dining table.
Mark instantly closed his eyes at the sight of Debbie's expression. He sighed. 'I'm cooked.' As he opened the door, he prepared himself for a lecture.
"Where have you been?" Debbie asked. He'd been gone an entire night. She was worried, even Nolan, who went out as a hero, worried her.
"I fell asleep on the beach," Mark said, putting his head down. He didn't see any reason to lie.
"You what?" Debbie raised her voice.
She went quiet, watching his face as she thought about what to say next.
Mark quickly decided to escape the situation. "I'm heading to school first. I'm going to be late."
"Where do you think you're going, Mark? I'm not finished," Debbie said with an angry face.
Mark, who had started walking, stopped and listened to the nagging she launched at him. Nolan drank his coffee, smiling at the scene. When she finally finished, she said, "Go get ready and go to school."
Mark just nodded and went back to his room to change into fresh clothes, he still smelled like seawater.
Debbie sighed as she sat back down next to Nolan and started complaining about their son.
"What are we going to do about our son? He's becoming more reckless by the day." She raised her concern, especially since Mark would soon go out as a hero. She worried he'd get caught off guard or hurt because of his recklessness.
"I'll do something about it," Nolan nodded. Debbie was partly right, he hadn't seen that side of Mark when they were fighting.
A few minutes later, Mark headed downstairs and walked to the kitchen counter, where a sandwich was waiting. "Thanks, Mom," he said. He decided to kiss Debbie's forehead and give her a hug from behind. Debbie smiled. "See you guys later. I'm already late for school."
Mark quickly left the house.
"He's been more affectionate lately," Debbie sighed. She couldn't stay mad at him anymore.