you looked in the mirror and saw nothing
as it should be
this always felt like your real face
blank and unreadable
judgement
this is the face they saw in the streets during your war
you'd been out on patrol and were now home
gazing into the figure in the black computer monitor
you'd have tea delivered down to you eventually
tonight was uneventful
in a way that was a relief
a few muggings stopped
one carjacking
nothing you couldn't handle
you pulled off the mask and set it aside
sure enough your butler came down the cave stairs with a cup and saucer
”long night sir?”
Jeeves was witty as ever
yes you could say that
better a boring night than an eventful one
today you had plans so you were glad for once a case didn't interfere with them
a decade ago when you started this caped crusade you thought you were alone
but it turned out others were rising up at the same time as you
you'd rubbed elbows with lumerian kings, valkyrie warriors, robots and all manner of oddities in-between
all devoted to their own little crusades at first
then, like you, they realized strength in numbers
it took a lot to get you to trust them and them you
but if your organization had a heart it was Dog Star
the way he told it, he was an alien from a distant planet Argon
long since destroyed in a cataclysm
sent here to earth as an infant, the strange child was raised on earth
the strange visitor did not look human, to his dismay
Argonians apparently evolved off their equivalent of canines as opposed to our apes
that left him looking like an anthropomorphic dog
the sun's rays gave him powers far beyond humans
strength, speed and invincibility among others
his slender build was apparently peak Argonian physique but it was deceptive
you had known for a fact he was more powerful than a locomotive
one last gift from his birth parents, a holographic watch, allowed him to blend in with humans
it projected a friendly human face over his own
something he used to great effect while working as a reporter
made for good cover when he was off the clock as his caped alter ego
hard to imagine a mild mannered reporter and a dog faced superhero were one and the same
you'd done enough of this outside research on him before the League business
before he told you himself and you had to keep up the illusion of surprise at some details
you felt it best to keep tabs on the others as they surfaced in the event you had found a threat to earth
you didn't expect to find a companion in him
today you'd been invited to his fortress in the south pole and given how you had no prior social obligations with bank robbers or mad bombers, you accepted
he was delighted when you agreed
always chipper
hard to be gloomy around him
you don't know how he did it
might be a gift
you had no idea why he invited you but it felt polite to agree
Jeeves inquires whether you'd be home for dinner tonight due to plans
you had no idea
he said he'd hold off until you were sure
something about rescheduling
well, no matter
you decided to grab some rest upstairs and you'd take the jet to Star Dog's fortress around noon
until then you asked not to be disturbed