Chicago, IL
gardy720
Beyond Smallville: The Dragon's Heart
Chapter 1: Halfway across the world in Xi'an, China, Lana Lang is hiding out, taking odd jobs. Tired of Lex Luthor's dogged pursuit, the young woman dreams of a better day. The Midwestern beauty had made a number of mistakes over the last year or so…big ones.
Clark wouldn't trust her with his secret until the day before she left for China. Rigging an explosion to cover her tracks, Lana had hoped to throw the evil Luthors off her scent, knowing that Lex soon would have a gang of international goons hot on her trail. Clark's secret was huge! She couldn't have guessed it in a million years.
When Lex Luthor wanted something, (or someone) he usually got it. 'Spare no expense. Find Lana Lang', was the edict which the eccentric youth sent out to his minions via E Mails. Lana knew far too much about Lex's clandestine projects, including 'Level 33.1', the genetic research program that Luthorcorp was sponsoring. The projects' science managers would alter test subject's genes, with or without their permission. Lex was attempting to create the 'Ultimate Soldier'.
Lois Lane had sworn to avenge her friend Wes Keenan's death. Wes was yet another failed Luthorcorp experiment. The Tech Sector's first attempt to create a super powered soldier was a disaster. Wes had gone insane and killed a U. S. Senator and his lackeys, nearly killing Lois in the process. Wes had died in Lois's arms. She vowed to bring down Lex and all of Luthorcorp by any means necessary. Lois was already working on that plan back in Metropolis.
Lana, however, chose to run. Lionel had threatened to kill Clark if Lana didn't marry Lex. She'd hoped to get lost in the world, out of the Luthors' grasp. Today, she stopped in a quaint, rundown souvenir shop in central Xi'an. The local people had very little to offer. She'd just passed by an open air marketplace, grimacing as all types of meats hung in the kiosks, most of which had been covered by flies. Yuk! I'd better consider becoming a vegetarian, she mused.
Most of the city's scant resources were 'donated' to the Chinese Army. After a few moments of looking around, a colorful tapestry caught Lana's eye. The wall decoration was roughly 6' x 8' feet in size. It portrayed a fairly common Chinese dragon at its center.
The creature was gold colored, and its scales seemed to reflect light. It was depicted with green-feathered wings, violet eyes, and a red spiked tail. The image had been hand sewn into a maroon colored background. It also featured some well-known Chinese landmarks, red pagodas, and some generic landscapes and seascapes were imprinted just beyond the dragon. "Oh it's beautiful!" Lana remarked. "Aunt Nell will love it!"
The shopkeeper was on her in no time. "Hello? Can I help you?" the white haired elderly man asked pleasantly in broken English. Lana examined the tapestry closely for flaws, finding none she faced the old man. "Is this an original?" She asked, letting her naivety show. The shopkeeper frowned. "No lady…it is copy…pretty though…yes?" He seemed eager to be rid of it.
"How much is it?" Lana inquired. "American dollars?" The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. "Yes, in American dollars." She answered. Lana steeled herself for the sticker shock. "One hundred and twenty." The shopkeeper offered. Lana knew that these people loved to haggle. "One hundred." She countered. "Okay lady. It yours. One hundred American." Lana paid the storeowner and helped him take the tapestry from display. This gave her the opportunity to examine the back of it.
"Sold." Lana said cheerfully. The shopkeeper thanked her and ran to the rear of the store to show his wife and children the American money. Lana carefully rolled up the heavy tapestry and carried it off out into the dark dirty damp streets of Xi'an. It was about a half hour's walk to her overpriced dive hotel. She loved China, despite the obvious ever present dangers.
A block from the hotel, four young thugs spied the petite American tourist and her prize. Things were about to get interesting… Lana didn't make eye contact with the troublemakers. "Look here boys…American babe with money…today our lucky day." The nearest thug said. Two others said something likely rude in Chinese. They began to close in on her. Lana hid the rest of her money.
She tossed the tapestry into a corner near a building. Lana had taken several martial arts classes before she and Lex broke up. She assumed attack position, her gaze following the nearest of the assailants. They ignored her tapestry for the moment. "Four against one is hardly fair." Lana protested. The leader threw his hands in the air. "Who ever say anything in life always fair lady?"
He circled in towards Lana. She easily sidestepped his lunge. Lana smelled the alcohol on his breath. Good, maybe I can use that to my advantage, she hoped. A second attacker tried to grab Lana from behind. She shoved her hip into him and flipped him over her shoulder in a classic Judo move. "We have tiger by tail, boys." A third robber said. The tapestry suddenly unrolled itself. The golden dragon's chest began to glow, and it shimmered into a three dimensional image.
Lana felt a jolt of energy that she assumed was an adrenaline rush. She picked up a punk with one hand and tossed him through a wooden cart. She pivoted and nailed a second one with a vicious roundhouse kick. He sailed through a storefront window across the street, sending shards of glass in all directions.
Lana's eyes glowed violet as she opened one palm, and three Chinese stars jumped into her hand from a nearby weapons shop. She whipped the stars at a third guy, injuring him severely. Using her super speed to defeat the fourth assailant, Lana hurled him against a brick wall.
He crawled to the edge of the street before the alley entrance. Lana cut him off, putting her foot on his throat. "Please don't kill me lady!" He croaked. Lana backed off and floated above the pavement. "Coward!" She hissed. "You beg for your life, squealing like a little pig!" Her voice deepened.
She gestured towards him and he fell on his side, gasping. "What happened to the warriors of Chin?" Lana raised one hand and the punk was pulled up out of the filthy street by an unseen force. "You are reduced to robbing little girls of their insignificant baubles?" Lana growled. "Who are you?" He whined. Lana's eyes narrowed. "Does the bait worm need to know the name of the fish that will eat him?" She countered angrily. The assailant was still hovering a few feet in the air.
"Coward! You bring shame to your family and all of Chin!" She shouted. "Tell the masses that Princess Yuan Ti has returned from the underworld to rule Chin once again!" Lana twisted her hand, the thug fell to the ground, and a sickening crack was heard. His elbow had been broken.
"I, The Dragon Princess, may allow you to kill yourself after you deliver my message. Now get out of my sight!" She ordered as the attacker got up and hobbled away, leaving his friends, and Lana's treasures behind. She grabbed the tapestry and reverently rolled it up.
Lana floated down the street towards the high rent district. The next morning she awoke refreshed, back in her hotel room. The dragon tapestry was leaning against one wall. Lana stretched leisurely and prepared to enter the antique screened shower.
She padded barefoot across the creaky wooden planked floor to get some clothes. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something bright and shiny as it sparkled in the early morning sun. On her makeshift nightstand were dozens of gems.
Lana rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn't imagining things. There were rubies, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, silver and gold rings and trinkets, and a number of Chinese coins, as well as a small jade dragon, and a golden amulet with a large red ruby at its center. "What on Earth?"
Fearing that a thief had been in her room and robbed her overnight, dropping his booty during his escape, Lana checked her wallet, purse, and checkbook. All were in place exactly as she'd left them the day before. Even her 8 x 10 framed photo of Clark lay undisturbed atop the dresser. She gave the hotel room door a once over and found that it was still locked, as were her windows.
Lana panicked. At first she thought that she'd call the police, but somehow she doubted that they'd believe her story. Besides that, any contact with the authorities would surely alert Lex's goons. The best idea she could think of was dumping all of the bounty into a bag and leaving it somewhere on the street. Unfortunately, her fingerprints were likely all over the items. How did I get them?
Lana wanted to cry. There was a knock at the door. "Housekeeping." A high-pitched female voice said through the door. Now what? Lana was silent. The maid unlocked the door. Lana stood in front of the nightstand, trying to hide it from view. In walked a young woman no older than Lana, fresh towels in hand. "Oh I sorry missy, thought room was empty."
She said and was about to back out into the corridor when Lana stopped her. "Okay, you can leave the towels here. I was about to shower anyway." The young girl nodded and placed the linens on a chair beside the door. "I come back later, yes?" The maid offered.
She still had to make a living. "Yes, thanks." Lana nodded and hurriedly closed the door behind her, locking it. Lana used the towels to wipe off all of the items, hoping that it would be good enough. She used the last bath towel to pack the goods in a shopping bag and set it to the side. Lana took a deep breath, trying to relax.
Lana collapsed onto her bed and picked up the "International Times" A newspaper written in English. Her eyes widened. The front-page story showed the image of a flying woman with long black hair that supposedly went on a robbery rampage of jewelry stores and gem trader shops. It looked exactly like her! Though her face was obscured, it was certainly the same red and gold outfit she'd had on yesterday. The tapestry she'd bought was slung over one shoulder!
"Damn it! Now what happened?" She exclaimed as she read the article further. "No!" It read: 'Seven patrons and shop owners killed as mystery girl demands tribute!' Lana tossed the article into a wastebasket and tearfully packed up her things. She left the shopping bag full of stolen goodies for last. I can't even escape halfway across the world without getting into trouble! Lana thought as she kissed her picture of Clark and dropped it in a suitcase. "I'm going home! I bet Lex is to blame!"
Who knows how many opportunities Lex had to drug me? There were probably chemicals in the food and drink that I had at the Luthor Mansion. That psycho turned me into a kleptomaniac to steal for him! "When I get back to Smallville, Lex and daddy dearest will pay for this! Lana vowed as she called the airport. Lana fumed. I'm tired of running, maybe I should file suit against Lex…
Lana headed downstairs to the ratty hotel lobby. She rang the bell at the service desk. A frightened elderly man responded. "Hello. Can I have my bill please, I'm checking out?" She asked. "Sure thing, lady." The old man replied as he shivered. "Are you okay?" Lana questioned as her eyes narrowed.
"Here your bill." He handed her a hastily written invoice. "Cash or charge?" Lana considered that as she examined the bill carefully. "Cash." The old man nodded, took Lana's money, and hurried into the back room without even a 'thank you, come back again.'
Lana shook her head and carried her own bags toward the exit. It was odd that no porter or bellhop rushed to help her, as hard up for American money as these people usually were. Lana shoved through the creaky wooden door and walked out into the dingy, dirty street.
She held up one hand to hail a cab, which in this area were mostly rickshaw drivers. As impractical as they were, the tourists seemed to love the ancient mode of transportation. Not even a passenger bicycle was in sight.
The streets were strangely deserted. Lana recalled that yesterday morning when she'd gone shopping, the locality was full of hustle and bustle. Shopkeepers slammed their doors shut, yanking down the weather-beaten shades.
No cabbie came, so Lana walked over to the next street, assuming that it would be busier. She took a moment to toss the stolen jewelry, still wrapped in the hotel towels, into a large metal garbage bin, in a nearby alleyway. Lana felt bad.
She wished that there were some way to return the stolen items anonymously. Her hope was that some poor, deserving people would find the gems and coins, and at least turn them in for a reward. Lana turned back towards the street and heard screaming voices and the rumble of large machinery. Some residents in the minuscule apartments above the shops slammed their windows shut. Lana felt an icy chill up and down her spine. Something was wrong. Lana squinted.
At the opposite end of the street four heavily armed men, riding in a typical Chinese Army jeep, led a number of soldiers toward her. Lana's first instinct was to run, before she realized that she'd just lost control of her legs. She put down her bags, dragon tapestry included, and posed in the middle of the street, crossing her arms defiantly. In Chinese, the soldiers were yelling, 'we found her.'
Lana's heart pounded. When did I learn Chinese? She wondered. "Ready to fire!" The leader yelled. Everything went black. "Stop woman! Make this easy on yourself!" The soldier atop the jeep shouted from the middle of the block as they advanced. "You can't escape! Give us the gems!" Lana's eyes flared a brilliant violet. "You dare order a goddess?" She challenged.
"I smell gunpowder!" She added in her normal voice. "Good! I see that my invention still is used today." The lead Chinese soldier stared at her blankly. He directed three of his men to surround her with guns pointed. They obeyed. "Let me see that!" Lana said as she moved her hand in a yanking gesture towards herself. Instantly the lead soldier's gun turned red hot and he let it go.
He cursed as the action burned his hands. A second later the automatic rifle was in her hands. She looked down the barrel of it. "A projectile driven by gunpowder!" She commented. "I'm glad to see that mortals have improved their ability to kill each other. This will do nicely." The next three soldiers opened fire, and Lana caught or deflected every shot. "They are still not that strong." She remarked calmly. She dropped the flattened and bent bullets on the ground in front of her.
A soldier from behind the original four, revealed a rocket propelled grenade launcher, and aimed it at Lana's head. "Fire!" The leader ordered. The grenade spun towards her. She sidestepped it within the blink of an eye, and caught the tail end of it. "That's much better." Lana praised, and tossed it back at the soldiers. Before they knew what hit them, seven soldiers were down, as they lie bleeding and dying. The grenade had impacted the jeep, exploding on contact.
Lana laughed as the rest of the small army scattered, taking up defensive positions. She hovered above the street. All of the troops opened fire simultaneously. Lana quickly grew tired of deflecting the bullets and waved her hands in a spreading motion. The jeeps, soldiers, and other equipment parted, as she cleared a path through the chaos.
Jeeps flipped over trapping soldiers beneath them. A rocket grenade launcher misfired, bursting into flames. The entire regiment was knocked off their feet. If they were lucky, they received minor injuries, burns, and broken bones. Some were severely injured or killed. A news helicopter hovered nearby, trying to capture the scene on video without drawing Lana's attention.
They failed. Lana heard the chopper's motor and glanced up. "You need machines to fly?" She observed. "I don't." Lana lifted herself into the sky and floated towards the helo. She didn't notice any weapons. "You are not attacking. This is wise." She said as she neared the terrified news people. The soldiers remained hidden, soundly defeated by the goddess Yuan Ti.
Back in Metropolis, Chloe was back at her post, dutifully monitoring the international TV news stations. The battle with the Chinese Army caught her attention. "Is that a phantom?" She muttered. "I'd better call Clark…that attacker looks familiar…" She speed dialed her cell as Jimmy looked on. "Wow! What's all that?" He asked excitedly as Chloe ignored him. "Clark, you'd better get down here and check out the news…" She said, checking to see that Jimmy was out of earshot.
"Something's wrong in China…it's always…" Chloe was interrupted by a flurry of papers that scattered in all directions. "Drafty in here…" Jimmy mumbled. "Oh hi CK! I didn't see you there." He stated. Clark was already at Chloe's desk by the time she flipped off her phone. "Geez! I'll never get used to that." She complained.
"What's up in China?" Clark inquired as he searched for the correct TV monitor. "I think you missed a 'zoner'" Chloe said dryly. "Someone's kicking the crap out of the Chinese Army." Clark frowned, using his super vision to zero in on the cause of the melee.
"No!" He yelled, startling Jimmy, who dropped the papers he'd just collected. "Lana!" Clark gawked as Chloe strained her eyes trying to see the attacker. "What? Lana's a…?" Before Clark could answer Chloe, he was gone. "Where's CK?" Jimmy wondered as he stood back up. He scratched his head as Chloe shrugged. Lana had decimated most of the local Chinese Army by the time Clark reached her. Even at super speed it took a while to zip all the way to China.
The Chinese Army had sent in a few of their fighter jets. They whistled above them as Clark followed their trajectory. "Lana!" Clark called from the alleyway. The being called Yuan Ti ignored him at first. "Lana! Stop it!" He shouted. She was about to grab the jets and crash them into one another. Thankfully, Clark distracted her and the jets stormed past strafing the area with their forward guns. They'd come by for a second pass and this time would use their stinger missiles.
"Who dares order a goddess around?" Lana snapped as Clark made himself more visible. "You are not human?" Lana added in shock. Apparently, Yuan Ti could tell the difference. "I told you that back in Smallville." Clark deadpanned. "You care for this Lana person so much, that you risk certain death?" Yuan Ti challenged. "Yes. I love Lana, and you can't have her!"
Clark sounded as tough as he could. "Give her back!" The jets were making another attack run. "No!" Yuan Ti said simply. "Why not?" Clark stalled as he got a visual fix on the fighter jets. "Because you wish it." Yuan Ti countered. "She is as I was when I walked in Chin." Clark started putting the pieces together. "Those days are over. The world has moved on." He reasoned.
Yuan Ti considered this. The jets fired two of their stinger missiles at Lana. Clark used his super breath to blow the missiles into an abandoned building nearby. They exploded on impact, and most of the building's façade tumbled down, spewing flames, dust, smoke, and shrapnel in every direction.
An iron beam skewered Clark's leg. He felt it a bit, but quickly pulled it out and it instantly healed. "You are a god?" Yuan Ti asked, now thoroughly confused. "No, I'm not religious." Clark replied evasively. The jets circled around for another pass, figuring that they missed Lana the first time.
"Lana. I know you can hear me! Fight it!" Clark urged. "Fight the being that inhabits you." Yuan Ti grinned evilly. "There's no Lana here, boy!" She taunted. "However, I am looking for someone to challenge me. Chin hasn't progressed as far as I thought. Where are you from?" Clark continued to stall as he aimed his heat vision at the plane's engines, overheating them.
"America." Clark replied as the pilots bailed out of the spiraling airplanes. "America?" Yuan Ti repeated. Clearly she hadn't heard of it. "Oh, the unknown regions. Marco Polo was right. There was a new world beyond the great seas. Chin is a sorry country. I will rule America." Clark used his super speed to grab Lana by the waist, and shook her violently.
"Get out of my girlfriend!" His voice rose and Yuan Ti was amazed that he'd touch her. "Girlfriend? You wish to rule by my side?" The evil goddess asked and her eyes flashed back momentarily to Lana's normal hazel color. Lana was fighting Yuan Ti from within. "Fine. You can rule Amer'ca as my consort. What is your name, courageous one?" Clark looked deeply into her eyes, searching for any sign of Lana. "Clark Kent!" He said loudly. The dragon tapestry spun around.
It opened and Yuan Ti vacated Lana's body. Once more the ancient goddess was trapped within the pattern. "Clark?" Lana asked weakly. She fainted into Clark's arms. Three new jet fighters were approaching from the west, and two more from the east. The Chinese Army soldiers had reformed their ranks and were about to open fire. This time, without Yuan Ti's help, Lana would likely be killed, and he might not feel well either. "Damn It!" Clark cursed. He was trapped.
If he used his abilities, Clark would reveal himself to the world. The news chopper had stabilized, and began filming again. He purposely turned his back towards it, holding Lana tightly in his grasp. So this is how it ends…Clark thought. He could shield Lana for the most part, but inevitably, some bullets would hit her, or the jet's missiles would get her. A blue streak rocketed in from the northern sky. Something physically hit the helicopter. The chopper spun end over end.
Kara had shoved the helicopter away from the fight scene. She'd knocked it clear out of the area. The passengers bounced throughout the cockpit. It would crash in a moment, killing all occupants on board. The Chinese Army opened fire and Clark switched into hyper speed in the nick of time. To the soldiers it would simply look like they disappeared.
He'd no idea who'd saved him, or how long Lana's body could withstand travel through hyper speed. He'd done it once with Chloe, but it was a much shorter distance. Clark slowed to a stop in a deserted area of the Ural Mountains in Russia. Lana was still unconscious. The climate had cooled considerably. They couldn't stay long.
Back in China, Kara glanced down and saw Lana's things, and Kal disappearing. She could track him by his Kryptonian alpha waves. Kara sighed. Kal will be mad at me if I don't save the people in the helicopter, she reasoned.
Kara flew at an angle behind the out of control chopper, and stabilized it by grabbing the tail section. Fortunately, the occupants had fallen all over the cockpit and were in no position to take videos or snapshots. She placed the helicopter carefully on a building's roof, making it a point to stay out of their line of vision.
Nothing could prevent the soldiers on the ground from seeing her, though. At the moment they were skulking around every corner trying to locate Clark and Lana. Kara flew on a direct line, swooped down, and gathered Lana's luggage, including the dragon tapestry, with lightning speed. She shot up again and off into the distance, before any soldiers could see her, at least that was her hope. Kara had no idea how huge the mistake was that she'd just made.
Clark glanced around the barren Russian wasteland and then zipped back into hyper speed. This time he veered near the Aleutian Islands, skirting the Alaskan coast, finally slowing to a stop in the Canadian wilderness of Saskatchewan. Lana stirred. "Are you all right?" He asked, brushing the frost from her face, and the hair from her eyes.
"I guess so, what happened? Where are we?" Lana murmured as Clark set her down. "In Canada near the Mackenzie Mountains. It's beautiful country. Dad and I went fishing near Vancouver once, but we never ventured this far north." Lana's eyes widened slightly. "How'd we get here? I was about to book a flight to Metropolis." She recalled dazedly.
"I don't know what happened…exactly." Clark hedged. "All I know is that you're safe with me. Lana, I thought you were dead!" He kissed her carefully and she didn't resist. "I might as well be, you know Lex is relentless." She said tiredly after their kiss.
"I told you before you left that I can protect you from Lex, from anything…" Clark protested. "Clark!" Lana pressed her finger against his lips. "I'm a danger to you as long as I see you and live near Metropolis. Your secret can be revealed." She countered. "Maybe that's what is meant to be." He remarked.
"All of my life, I've been fighting my birth father, Jor El. It's caused nothing but trouble. My Earth dad sacrificed his life defending my secret. I nearly sacrificed you as well. Those days are over. A new war is about to begin. Lex has to be stopped…I know you have feelings for him…" Lana shuddered, partially because of the cold and partially out of fear. "Lex and I are over. Lionel is now a bigger threat." She added. "Lionel? No, wait…" Clark was confused.
"Lionel threatened to kill you, Clark." Lana interrupted. "If I didn't marry Lex. He said you had a weakness…" Clark shook his head. "Yes I do. All that means is that I'm mortal. For years I wasn't sure if I'd ever die. Lionel wouldn't use that against me, unless…" Lana gazed into his eyes.
"There was only one way I could get out from Lex and Lionel's clutches. I engineered the exploding SUV to fake my death. And it was all paid off, too." She tried to joke. "I made it look like I was killed that would enable me to hide in China, you know get lost in the world."
"I know too much. Luthorcorp will be after me forever." Lana sighed as Clark held her close in the chilly night air. "You can't sacrifice your life for me." Clark protested. "It's not fair. Smallville is your home. I won't allow it." Lana frowned. "That is my choice, Clark." He shook his head. "There must be another way, and as for my secret…well, I've been thinking…maybe it's time that I 'came out' so to speak. I'm tired of living lies, Lana." She faced his shoulder, relaxing in his grip.
"Whatever the reason is that you're here, Clark, it's bigger than you and I." She argued. "I can protect you, all of our friends, and family from Lex, Lionel, or whatever comes our way." Lana sighed again. It was clear that she wasn't going to win this argument any time soon. "Clark Kent, you are stubborn!" She playfully berated him. "Which, by the way, is a very human quality."
Lana watched as some wild deer bounded past them below on the grassy ridge. She heard a distant waterfall splashing along the rocks, and a number of nearby animal noises. "I wish we could just stay here." She lamented. "I'd like nothing more, Lana." He finally smiled. "We still have to eat, and buy things, though." Lana nodded absently. "Besides, now I have a new responsibility…"
As if on cue, Kara came soaring down from a cloudbank that she'd been using as cover, with Lana's possessions in her hands, including the dragon tapestry. She landed softly on the muddy brown and green hillside where Clark and Lana held each other.
"Oh my God!" Lana gasped as she stepped in front of Clark. "A flying girl! Stay away from Clark! You're one of the aliens from the ship!" Lana shouted as Clark stifled a laugh. "Huh?" Kara's big blue eyes widened and blinked. "Uh…thanks for protecting me Lana, but this is my cousin Kara, from Krypton!" The teen alien beauty set Lana's things down at her feet.
"Pleased to meet you." Kara smiled brightly and extended a hand. Lana cautiously stepped forward. "Cousin?" She shook Kara's hand. "Careful Kara, Lana isn't as strong as you and I." Clark toyed with them. "She looked like she was beating up on the soldiers well enough." Kara countered playfully. "What?" Lana gawked as Kara floated above her. "That's kind of a long story." Clark evaded.
"I see. Translation, let's talk about that later." Lana stated. "Yup." He smirked. Kara cast a sidelong glance at them. "So, why can't you fly?" Lana grilled Clark. "I asked him the same thing yesterday." Kara put in. "I don't think he's trying hard enough." Clark reddened. "It's easy, Kal." Kara urged.
"Take my hand." As usual Clark tried to protest. "Now's not the time…" Lana crossed her arms and tapped her foot expectantly. "Oh go ahead Clark…Try it." Kara held Clark's hand and they easily floated higher above the tree line. Lana watched in amazement as Kara gracefully moved from vertical to horizontal.
The skies were darkening quickly, enough to provide them some cover. Clark nervously gazed from the ground to Lana. Kara did a quick turn, guiding Clark into a banking maneuver. She held him at arm's length. "Now you try it." Clark reluctantly let go and he sustained his defiance of gravity for a few moments, before sinking below Kara's reach. Lana gasped as Clark began to fall. He tumbled downward.
Kara shook her head and her long blonde mane flew to one side. "Concentrate, Kal." She encouraged. Clark put his arms out flat as he stabilized. He still sank toward the rocky hillside. About a foot or two above ground, Clark stopped. He floated in a spread eagle formation. Lana ran over to gape. "That's it, Kal. You're getting it." Kara called from high above.
Lana passed her arms beneath and above Clark, as he continued to float. "It's like swimming, Clark. You have to learn how to float before you can swim." Lana added. Kara zipped down alongside him. "You want to try?" She asked Lana. "Oh, I don't have any powers." Kara nodded. "I'll take you up."
Clark was about to argue when he fell face first into the muddy weeds. Kara pulled Lana up and placed her on her back. "Hold on." Kara directed as Lana lightly wrapped her arms around Kara's throat. She sailed upwards above Clark, along the ridge, and high above the darkened foliage. "Be careful!" Clark yelled as Kara banked right and then left, before spiraling down toward the forest bed.
"Wheee!" Lana laughed as she let go of Kara's neck and held on by wrapping her legs around the alien teen's thin waist. Kara flew low and then high again as Clark watched nervously from the ground. Naturally, Lana slipped off and tumbled towards the ground. Clark used his hyper speed to catch her well before she'd hit the hillside. "See! Enough horseplay for today!" Clark complained.
Kara zipped in low, landing smoothly behind them. Clark still held Lana in his arms. "We should get back to Smallville under the cover of darkness." He instructed. "Okay, I'm starved." Kara commented. "Ready Lana?" Clark glanced at his young cousin. "Uh…no. Kara you carry Lana's luggage. I'll hyper speed her back home." Kara groaned. "What am I, a pack mule in a miniskirt?" She whined. Lana laughed. "Sounds like a typical teenager to me." She commented.
"Kara, super whining is not one of our innate abilities." Clark chided. "Kal, you are such a stick in the mud." Kara sassed. "It's no wonder that you can't fly." Lana snickered. "Where did you get that outfit, anyway?" Clark asked his young cousin. She was wearing a blue two-piece outfit, which bared her midriff and her long legs. "It was the only thing that Chloe could find."
"A Metropolis University cheerleader outfit?" He asked skeptically. "We were supposed to go shopping with Lois today, duh! You decided to bolt off to China, Kal." Kara countered. Lana smiled brightly. Kara seemed so normal, like Clark, she mused.
All aliens aren't bad. There was hope for mankind. "Why do you keep calling him Kal?" Lana pressed. "That was my birth parents' name for me. Kal El." Clark answered. "I'm Kara Zor El!" The teen alien boasted and floated around them to pick up Lana's things. "Let's go! Kal, you owe me a pizza for this." Kara grabbed her stuff.
"Okay, we'll stick to the less populated areas of Canada and the U.S." Clark directed. "Kara, make sure you fly below the radar but high enough above the ground that you won't be seen." She nodded and rocketed off. "Ready?" Lana nodded. "Stop me if you feel sick or dazed. I don't recall hyper speeding anyone who was conscious before." Clark picked her up and began to run.
He reached the point where his visual perception shifted, making everything they passed look like it was moving in slow motion. "Whoa!" Lana exclaimed as her long black hair was pinned behind her ears. Her face felt rubbery as Clark reached a certain G force.
In seconds, they were decelerating near the Kent Farm. "Are you okay?" Clark asked as he slowed to a stop on his front porch. "Wow! What a rush!" Lana said happily. "It was like being on the roller coaster at Stone Park Fairgrounds." Kara sat on the old wooden swing rocking absently.
"It's about time you got here." She jabbed. "Lana, I put your stuff in my room. Is that okay?" Clark reddened. "That's fine Kara, thanks!" "Um…how do you like Earth?" Lana asked Kara, pleasantly trying to start up a conversation. "It's beautiful! Krypton was cold and harsh…"
The two girls chatted as Clark finally relaxed. He had Lana back with him. That was important. Yet there was much more to be done. His Earth mother, Martha hadn't even met Kara. How would they explain her appearance? If she was under eighteen, did she need a legal guardian? How could he keep Lex and Lionel at bay? If Lana did know too much, would he have to cut a deal with them? He sighed under the weight of the responsibility.
His attention turned back to the girls who were giggling. I should just learn to enjoy the moment. Things can change in the blink of an eye, he pondered. Upstairs, the dragon tapestry had again unwound itself. The golden dragon shimmered. Clark's problems had just begun.
"You learned the English language by watching TV?" Lana teased young Kara. "It's a fairly simple language compared to the others within the galaxy." She commented. "Others?" Lana shuddered. Only now did she consider the ramifications of alien life living on Earth. Everything was about to change, she hoped, for the better. Clark's cell phone rang, silencing everyone.
"Chloe?" He asked worriedly. "Um…" Lana waved at Clark and mouthed the words: 'Don't tell her I'm here, yet'. He nodded. Lois was in trouble, again.
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