Beyond Smallville: Fan Fiction

Amber

Smallville High School, October 2001:

 

            Superman’s next plan was to see if Lana made it back into this Time Shard. The glowing Amber facet was driving this slice of Clark’s early teenage life. She’d gone missing from the green shard. Time travel was becoming more and more complicated as he crisscrossed the time nexus.

            Today was the day that he’d saved Lex from the river and found out about his alien past from his Earth father, Jonathan Kent. It was also the day Whitney Fordman and the other jocks had hung him in the field as a scarecrow. He didn’t need to repeat that scene.

            However he still had to stop Jeremy Creek from destroying the school dance. Clark bounded up the cement stairs into Smallville High. Lana should be in his Biology class right now if his watch had kept the correct time. He slid across the freshly waxed floors, nearly taking out the Crow’s trophy case. Kal glanced into the Biology Lab through the small glass window. No sign of Lana.

            The class bell rang and Whitney and his crew caught him flat-footed at the end of the corridor. “Hey Kent! What’s up?” The elder jock asked, devoid of any obvious malice. “Whitney? How’s it going?” The blonde haired quarterback seemed distracted. “Fine.”

He gazed past Clark, probably looking for Lana, the teen superhero mused. “So, who’re you takin’ to the Homecoming Dance tonight?” Whitney actually sounded like he cared. “I thought I’d blow it off.” Superman deadpanned. “It seems kind of lame.”

            Whitney shook his head. “You’ll never get anywhere that way, Kent. Where’s your school spirit?” He waved without making eye contact with Clark. Kal turned around expecting to see Lana’s shining smiling face. Instead, a girl he vaguely recalled approached them.

            She happily returned Whitney’s wave. “Hey Carolyn! Come here, will ya?” Carolyn Cosgrove bounded up to them in full Smallville High regalia. The cheerleader’s yellow and red Smallville Crows team colors shone brightly in the late morning sun, which poked through a nearby window. She gave Whitney a quick peck on the cheek.

            “What about Lana?” Clark asked, before he’d thought it out. “Lana? You mean Lana Lang?” Whitney acted like he was hearing her name for the first time. “She’s okay for you, I mean if you like that type.” The upperclassmen criticized. “She seems a bit geeky or bookish.”

            Clark stifled a gasp. Carolyn hung on Whitney’s arm. Lana was many things, but ‘geeky’ and ‘bookish’ were not on my list of adjectives, Superman thought. “Go for it, Kent. I doubt if anyone’s asked her yet.” Whitney added. Carolyn grinned brightly.

            “You better hurry and ask, Clark, before all the good girls are gone.” Carolyn urged. “Hey Sullivan!” Randy Smith, the Crows’ running back shouted over the din of students slamming lockers. About halfway down the corridor, Chloe Sullivan walked alone, her nose in a copy of ‘The Torch’.

            She ignored Randy for the moment. “Yo Sullivan!” Wendy Scott, a nearby cheerleader yelled, as Clark winced. Wendy’s high-pitched voice hurt his super sensitive ears. Chloe stopped and sighed. The wicked witch of the west commands my attention, she thought sourly.

“Yes Wendy, you bellowed?” Chloe turned around to face them as she spoke. “Yeah, newshound, here’s a hot story for you…Kent is dateless again.” Randy said eliciting a chuckle from everyone except Whitney, ironically. “And this is my problem, how?” Chloe snapped back.

            Chloe slowly made her way back toward the ‘cool’ people. The jocks and cheerleaders all hung out together, of course. Clark reddened, but was curious why Chloe didn’t seem to acknowledge him at all. “What am I, a varsity dating service?” Chloe asked sarcastically.

            “Oh, nice attitude, Sullivan.” Whitney commented. “I don’t seem to recall you covering our football practices in recent memory.” He chastised her. “I’m a serious journalist, Fordman.” Chloe came back, much to Superman’s amusement. “Isn’t it your job to cover the team?” Wendy asked icily. Chloe grumbled. “I suppose.” Wendy did make a point, she mused.

            “Anyway, why doesn’t Kent just ask someone out?” Chloe questioned, barely making eye contact with Clark. “You should set him up with Lang.” Whitney suggested, as Kal coughed.

“Lana Lang?” Chloe scoffed. “No offense Kent, but you can probably do better than her.” Clark was beginning to find Chloe’s attitude annoying. This was clearly not his Chloe, best friend for years. “Why don’t I just talk to Lana, myself?” Superman challenged. “Exactly my point.” Whitney added. “If you really want me to introduce you two…” Chloe placated the group.

            “Yes I would.” Clark stated, with an edge to his tone. Maybe I can get some answers from Chloe, though it seems doubtful, Kal wondered. “There you go, Kent.” Whitney praised, slapping Clark on the back. The slap was intended to knock him forward, but Whitney reddened.

            “Damn, Kent!” He shook his arm, as the pain shot up to his brain. “What do they feed you on that farm?” Carolyn and Wendy giggled, but Randy seemed to be considering something. “Come on Kent, let’s locate your princess.” Chloe muttered. Clark reluctantly followed her.

            “Any idea where she is?” Clark asked coldly. “In the library, where she usually is.” Chloe replied with disinterest. “The library?” Clark parroted. “Miss Sullivan!” A loud male voice boomed from behind them. She hesitantly turned around. “Principal Kwan?”

            “Miss Sullivan, Mr. Kent…” Kwan stared down his nose at Chloe. “The library is a room full of books…the very essence of education.” Kwan began sarcastically. “You remember the term ‘book’ don’t you? Not I Net, or E Book…but an actual square item made from paper.”

            “Miss Lang is one of…wait for it…exactly three students who actually use the library.” Kwan continued arrogantly. “Miss Sullivan, it would do your woeful excuse for a school newspaper some good if you went to the library, really enter it, and do some research.”

“I will.” Chloe placated, as Clark grew impatient. “Good.” Kwan added. “Kent, if you insist on bothering Miss Lang, who is a straight ‘A’ student by the way, please offer to help her enter the school’s mainstream. Miss Lang has no extracurricular activities scheduled all semester.”

            “Okay.” Clark was ready to say anything to rid himself of the principal. “And ask your hooligan sports fanatics to refrain from bellowing, like the proverbial North American Moose in my school corridors.” Kwan concluded as he left.

            Chloe sighed and led Superman to the library. She shoved open the old wooden doors, and sure enough, Lana Lang sat alone at a table with a stack of books and a laptop computer. Kal’s heart pounded annoyingly, as he gave Lana the once over.

            She was similar to his Lana from the original time shard, except that she seemed a bit stockier, which Clark felt looked good on her. Lana had her hair piled high atop her head in a bun, wore a plain white blouse, gray knee length skirt, and black loafers.

            “Lana Lang…” Chloe said loudly, purposely startling her. “I present Clark Kent.” Chloe gave her a mock bow. “Princess Lang, please don’t behead Clark until you’ve heard him out.” She added sarcastically. Kal was red with embarrassment and anger at Chloe’s rudeness.

            Lana glanced up from her book, closing the laptop at the same time. “What?” She asked, looking like a deer in the headlights. Clark noted that Lana wore a pair of black rimmed ‘cat glasses’ popular in the nineteen eighties, but decades out of fashion by now. He thought she looked cute.

            “Miss Lang hasn’t quite gotten over her Lisa Loeb fetish from the nineties.” Chloe criticized. Lana gazed away, attempting to ignore Chloe’s barb. Clark was livid. “Chloe! Don’t be rude! Don’t you have a paper to print?” He snapped, bringing a brief smile to Lana’s lips.

Chloe seethed. “Hey, I’m doing you a favor, Kent! Don’t ask me for another!” Superman forced himself to calm down. “Fine! Thank you. Good bye!” He bit out. Chloe turned on her heel and left, slamming the library door behind her. Lana stifled a giggle.

            Kal didn’t know what to expect, so he decided to make small talk. He checked out the titles of the books Lana was reading: ‘Unexplained Phenomena’, ‘Genetic Mutations’, ‘The Next Evolution.’ Clark was shocked. Lana was onto something!

            “Lana? How are you?” Clark began, swallowing hard. “Fine.” She stared at him blankly. “You know it’s not wise to get on Chloe Sullivan’s bad side…she could trash you in The Torch.” Lana finally said. “Chloe is the least of my problems. Do you remember me at all?”

            “Uh…I know my parents had a place next door to you…The Kent Farm, correct?” Lana asked nervously. “Yes, that’s true.” Kal’s heart was broken once again…this wasn’t his Lana.

“We used to play together when we were kids.” Superman vainly hoped to jog Lana’s memory. “Okay. I don’t really remember much since the accident.” Lana sheepishly stated. “The accident?” Clark repeated. “Yes. My parents died during a freak electrical storm.” She added.

            “I’m sorry.” Superman said sincerely. That’s not what happened he mused. This time line was fractured. “Thanks.” Lana said sweetly. “Were you going to ask me something?” She hinted. “Oh yeah.” Clark steeled himself. This is still difficult, even after all these years.

            “Did you have a date for the Homecoming Dance, tonight?” He choked out. “I’m sorry about the short notice. I’ve been traveling.” Well, it wasn’t really a lie. Lana was speechless, at first. “I’d noticed that you haven’t been in class.” She opened cautiously.

            “I’m not really good at this sort of thing.” Clark admitted. It feels good to tell Lana the truth, even if she wasn’t exactly the same person. “Neither am I.” Lana still hadn’t committed. “Um…you haven’t asked anyone else?” Superman shook his head. “Nope, you’re the first.” In more ways than one, he thought. Lana’s eyes lit up. In fact, they seemed to momentarily glow yellow.

            “Uh…sure. Thanks for asking.” Lana took a deep breath. “Great!” Kal forced himself to contain his excitement. “I don’t have a dress ready.” She glanced away, embarrassed. “Whatever you’d like to wear is fine with me.” Clark felt a little more relaxed.

Lana smiled. “In that case, I’d better get a move on!” She slammed her laptop into its case, and hurriedly placed the books she’d taken out back on the shelf. Clark could swear that she was moving faster than normal… Lana zipped back, giggling. Kal smirked.

            “Oh and thanks.” She quickly kissed him on the cheek and bolted out the library door. Okay, this is weird, yet so far, manageable, he thought. Still, this time shard was messed up as well. He warily glanced around, using his x-ray vision to make sure that no one was watching.

            Superman pulled the Eye of Rao out of his jeans pocket and examined it under a tabletop light. “I wonder…” He muttered. Two shards were darkened, the green one and the amber one. Yet there was a glint of light in each. The green facet had a sliver missing from it.

            The green shard had been the first he’d used. Clark studied the others. None of them had pieces missing from their crystals! Could it be that he’d created these alternate realities by accident?

This is giving me a headache. He still had to stop Jeremy from torching the school gym. Kal put the Eye of Rao away and headed back out into the now silent corridors. The dance would be in four hours…plenty of time to check in with his parents and stop Jeremy.

Clark sped off toward the farm, careful not to be seen using his hyper speed.

            He slid into the front porch, briefly damaging the railing and first three stairs. What is wrong with my abilities? I still have them, yet I’m uncoordinated, he analyzed. Maybe all of this time travel was wreaking havoc on my powers? That’s all that I need.

            Superman casually walked up the rest of the stairs and into the front door. Martha and Jonathan Kent gaped as Clark wandered over to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. He drank the entire portion, immediately feeling better.

            Kal drew in a deep breath, knowing that he’d have to face his long dead foster parents. “Mom, Dad…how’s it going?” He began nervously. “Um…son?” Jonathan was obviously shocked to see him. “We thought you were moving up north.” Clark silently gawked. “Up north?”

            “Yeah sweetie.” Martha said as she stood and approached him. “You wanted to visit the ice fortress, and speak with Jor El.” Superman breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t due to discover the ice fortress for a few years, unless… “What’s wong son?” Jonathan asked.

 He always knew when something was not right. “Nothing, I guess…” Kal lied not sure of how much to reveal. “I asked Lana Lang to the Homecoming Dance.” Clark decided to play along. “Oh? Good for you honey.” Martha said and hugged him. “She’s a nice girl.”

Yeah, as far as I could tell, Superman mused. “So did you need to borrow the truck?” Jonathan asked. “Yeah, if it’s not too much trouble, that would be best.” Kal replied. “No trouble at all son.” Jonathan slapped him on the back. “Be careful, and don’t stay out too late.”

“Thanks dad,” Clark’s stomach tied itself in knots. “The dance will be over around 11 pm.” Martha smirked. “Of course you’ll want to show Lana make-out point.” Kal blushed. “Mom!”

Clark worked his way up into his bedroom. He’d only been digging through his old things for a moment when his cell phone rang. “Hello?” It was Lana, and she seemed upset. “Clark, I can’t find a dress for Homecoming! Maybe I shouldn’t go?” Clark sighed.

Those were the good old days, he reminisced. The days when school proms and the like, had seemed important. “Don’t worry Lana, give me your size dimensions and I’ll see what my mom could whip up.” He sort of lied to her, and that was one habit he insisted on breaking this time around.

“Really?” Lana’s tears immediately stopped flowing. “Yes, really.” He confirmed tenderly. She did as she was asked, and Clark bolted for Metropolis, returning swiftly with Lana’s prom dress. Speed definitely had its advantages, Superman mused. He dropped it off and met Lana’s Aunt Nell.

They were all set, but where was Jeremy? Kal wondered silently, as he zipped around Smallville searching for the disturbed young meteor freak. He never did catch up with him. Clark knew approximately where Jeremy might be at 7 pm. He’d make his move then.

Maintaining appearances, Superman got dressed in his black and white suit and drove out to pick up Lana to escort her to the prom. Lana was a dazzling beauty, even at this young age. Her pink and purple ruffled dress fit perfectly, leaving one slim shoulder bare.

“Hi Lana, ready to go?” Clark pleasantly and carefully pinned the corsage to the left shoulder of her dress, just above her chest. “Sure.” Lana smiled brightly and she still wore her ‘cat glasses’. She took his arm, and Clark thought that he felt a surge of electricity from her contact.

Hmmm, must be some local static in the air, Kal surmised as he opened the passenger side door for her. Lana waved to her Aunt Nell, after posing for the obligatory pictures. She clambered into the red pick up, mindful not to trash her dress. “You look beautiful,” Clark praised.

Lana reddened and glanced away. Shy? Lana? Since when? Superman observed. This alternative reality stuff just gets more and more bizarre. Clark opened with some casual conversation about Lana’s classes, and Chloe’s rudeness. Soon they arrived at the dance, parking the truck nearby.

link to chapter 8