---
It was night. Henry and Holly were on their way home, after everything they had discovered. Henry was also carrying the hologram projector of Alura and some crystals. One of his first goals was to create a robotic body for her and transfer her artificial intelligence into it. On top of that, he also needed to make the Ghost Zone bracelets. Building the first one would be very difficult, even with his superbrain. And after it was built, they would need to make a tracker so they could find Kara in the Ghost Zone.
'Henry, what are you going to do now?'
'I don't know yet.'
Henry remembered something. Thinking about how Holly was, she would probably tell Cecil and the other Guardians about Nolan.
Henry, who had been flying, stopped. Holly did the same.
'Henry, what's wrong?'
'You can't tell Cecil or the other Guardians about the Viltrumites, about Nolan.'
'But Henry, if it's true, it means they betrayed us. I have to tell Cecil and the others.'
'I know, Holly. I want to tell them too, but I'm not ready yet. I don't know if I'm strong enough to face him...'
'The Guardians will handle it.'
Henry flew closer to her and grabbed her arm.
'Please, Aunt Holly, don't tell anyone yet.'
Holly sighed.
'Okay.'
'What are you going to do about the Ghost Zone?' Holly asked.
'I'll think about that tomorrow, Aunt Holly.'
'Alright.'
Henry and Holly flew together. At some point, they parted ways and headed to their own homes.
Henry landed in front of his house and knocked on the door. It was late when he arrived.
His mother opened the door.
'Mom, I'm sorry for making you stay up...'
She pulled him inside and gave him a tight hug.
'Henry, I thought I'd never see you again. I'm so sorry, your father and I lied to you, but you've always been my son in my heart.'
Henry realized he had really worried his parents and quickly tried to explain.
'Even if you're not my real parents, I still love you all. I don't mind being adopted. I'll always be the same with you.'
'Henry, thank God! Your father and I were worried you wouldn't understand.'
After hugging for a while, they both let go. Henry went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. He opened the fridge and took something out. His mother had a lot of questions for him.
'Did you and your aunt find out where you came from?'
'Yeah... Mom, I'm an alien, but I think you've known that for a long time...'
'Yeah, it was hard not to notice. You were so different from the other kids your age. I remember when you were little, you used to fly around the room... Your dad and I were always worried, but you never bled. Whenever you fell, you never got hurt.'
'Really... I don't remember that. I only remember things from when I was 5, Mom.'
At some point, his dad came in too. The two started asking questions.
'Did you meet your family? And what was that thing at the door?'
'Yeah, I met them. Actually, I can show them to you. Wait here.' Henry stood up, stopped eating, and went to the door to grab the hologram projector.
He brought the projector back into the kitchen and set it down on the floor. He activated it, and Alura appeared, surprising both of them.
'Alura, Henry told me a lot about you. Thank you for everything you've done for him.'
Alura bowed slightly in gratitude.
'Elliot, no need to thank me. My wife and I have a few questions for you.'
'Alura, of course, feel free to ask.'
Alura answered all of their questions. They asked everything they wanted to know. After they were done, Henry took the projector and put it in his room, storing it there.
---
Back in his room, Henry was thinking about what he would do the next day—where to find the parts to create his mom's body and the Ghost Zone bracelets—when his mother knocked on his door. He went over and opened it.
'Henry, I want you to go rest. You have school tomorrow.'
'But Mom...'
'No buts! You're still a kid, and you need to go to school. You don't need to worry about this stuff.'
'But I have to...'
His mother shut the door in his face before he could argue. He sighed and threw himself face-first onto the bed, trying to relax. Maybe Mom's right. I'll worry about this tomorrow, I'll leave all the problems for the next day.
Henry fell asleep.
The next day, Henry woke up. The hologram of his mom, which was in his room, woke him up.
'Henry, wake up... it's time for school.'
Henry woke up, startled. He had forgotten that Alura's hologram was in his room.
'Oh my God, you almost gave me a heart attack!'
'Sorry, dear...' Alura said.
Henry could swear he saw a smile on her face.
'You did that on purpose, didn't you?'
'Of course not...'
'What time is it?' Henry asked, rubbing his eyes.
'You have 30 minutes before your class starts, you'd better hurry...'
'Great...' Henry rushed to grab some casual clothes from his wardrobe and ran to take a shower. He dressed as fast as he could and rushed out the door to school. He had missed the day before, and he couldn't afford to miss today. Before leaving, he realized he had forgotten his phone, so he ran back to grab it and saw several messages from his friends at school. He didn't have many, but he liked the ones he had. He didn't have time to reply, so he'd answer later.
Near the school, knowing he wasn't going to be late, he grabbed his phone and sent a message to Ned, his best friend.
Henry: 'Ned, where are you?' (Message sent)
Ned: 'Dude, what happened to you yesterday? You didn't reply to my messages.'
Henry: 'Sorry, Ned. I've been really busy. I'm doing something tomorrow, and I'll need your help.'
Ned: Sighs 'Sure, I'm in. What is it?'
Henry: 'I'll tell you tomorrow when I figure everything out. But changing the subject, where are you?'
Ned: 'I'm here at school, waiting for you by the entrance.'
Henry: 'Okay.'
Henry arrived at the school entrance and saw his friend Ned Leeds. He was chubby with tan skin and had almond-shaped eyes.
Ned walked up to him.
'You disappeared, man. Where have you been? Want to come to my place today to play Dungeons & Dragons, or we can...'
Henry: 'Ned, after school today, I need to tell you something, and it's really important.'
Ned: 'Seriously, dude? Fine, if you don't want to play with me, it's cool. You didn't need to lie, I get it. Not everyone likes it, we can do something else...'
Henry: 'It's not that, Ned.'
Ned: 'So, what is it? Come on, tell me.'
Henry was a bit nervous.
Henry: 'Alright, come with me.'
Ned, looking suspicious, followed Henry to the newly repaired gym.
Henry: 'Alright, Ned, pay close attention and don't scream.'
Ned: 'Dude, you're starting to freak me out with the way you're talking.'
Henry put his hand to his forehead and sighed, but he couldn't blame Ned, he was just a regular guy.
Henry and Ned reached a secluded area of the school, where no one was around.
Ned: 'There's nothing here.'
Henry walked ahead of Ned and told him to watch closely.
Henry: 'I've wanted to tell you something for a long time, Ned,' Henry said, floating in front of him.
Ned, who had been skeptical at first, opened his mouth in surprise, pointed a finger at him, and stammered:
Ned: 'You... you... you... can't be. Powers... you have powers!'
Ned's exaggerated reaction shocked Henry a bit.
Henry: 'Ned, I know...'
Before Henry could say anything else, Ned started speaking loudly.
Ned: 'This is awesome! You have powers!'
Henry flew towards Ned at high speed and covered his mouth.
Henry: 'Ned, you can't tell the whole school, it's a secret!'
Ned: 'Sorry, my bad, but this is just too cool.'
Ned still had Henry's hand over his mouth.
Henry slowly removed his hand from Ned's mouth.
Henry: 'Alright? You're not going to scream again, right?'
Ned was so excited that he just nodded. He looked at Henry with a wide-eyed stare, got closer, and grabbed his arm.
Ned: 'Henry, I have one request.'
Henry: 'No, Ned, whatever it is, I'm not doing it...'
Ned: 'You have to show me all your powers!'
Ned looked at him with a sad face, as if he was about to cry.
Henry: 'That's not going to happen, you can forget it.'
Ned kept giving him that sad look. Honestly, Henry felt a bit sorry for him. Eventually, he gave in.
Henry: 'Okay, Ned, but just once.'
Ned: 'Yes! Hahaha!' Ned started laughing and jumping with joy.
Henry: 'But only after class.'
Ned: 'Got it.'
Ned and Henry were talking when a teacher appeared and told them to head to class.
On the way to the classroom, Henry saw Samantha walking down the hallway carrying some books.
Ned noticed Henry looking at the girl. He knew his friend too well.
Ned whispered in his ear as they passed her.
Ned: 'She's too good for you, man.'
Henry: 'Ned, you idiot!'
Ned laughed.
The rest of the day went normally. Henry just studied and, for a while, forgot about his problems.
After school, Henry and Ned went back to Henry's house. Ned was testing all of Henry's powers: flight, super strength, hearing... After a while, it started to get dark.
Ned: 'This is amazing, dude! You're like Omni-Man!'
Henry: 'I know, right? Cool, huh?'
Ned: 'How?'
Henry: 'How what?'
Ned: 'How did you get your powers? Did you get bitten by a spider? Did they experiment on you?'
Henry: 'I'm an alien, Ned.'
Ned: 'No way...'
Henry: 'I know, crazy, right? I didn't know either.'
Ned: 'That's insane...'
Henry: 'Want to do something crazy?'
Ned thought for a moment.
Ned: 'I'm in...'
Henry grabbed an old mask and put it on Ned. He also wore one, and they went outside.
Henry: 'Ready, Ned?'
Ned: 'Ready for what?'
Henry grabbed Ned and flew up into the sky at high speed.
Ned screamed like crazy from fear.
Ned: 'I'm gonna die!'
After reaching a certain height, Henry stopped. Eventually, Ned stopped screaming in terror. Henry slowed down and flew slowly, holding Ned.
Ned: 'This is amazing, dude!'
It was nighttime. They were high enough to see the whole city, all lit up.
After flying with Ned for a while, they landed back down.
Ned: 'That was so cool, but I gotta go now. I'll call you tomorrow.'
Henry: 'Bye, Ned.'
Henry climbed the stairs to his house, went to his room, grabbed the crystals he had taken from his spaceship, put on his suit, and left. He decided that, that night, he would begin building his Fortress of Solitude
---