Title: Metamorphosis
Author: Nadia Mack
Rating: PT
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing
Spoilers: None
Summary: The only thing you need to know here is that this story won't follow Season 4's timeline. You could almost think if it as an alternate universe.

It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company George Washington once said.

Is it true? Can I walk this life without the need for companionship?

I have friends that I care deeply for, even love, but is it enough? Are my parent's enough? Am I alone enough? Deep down I know it's selfish to think such things when I've barely really lived my life.

I'm only seventeen; my life doesn't always have to be like this.

So lonely.

So scared.

So vulnerable to the insecurities I created inside me.

I'm only seventeen and my life doesn't always have to be like this.

I walk along the hallway of Lex Luthor's mansion; I needed to speak with him on a number of things. It's difficult, you know, my friendship with Lex. I don't quite know what's happening but I know without a shadow of a doubt that the friendship we both try so hard to make work is crumbling.

I don't trust him.

Sadly, he doesn't trust me too. Not with the secrets I keep. Lex is too incalculable that sharing my past with him would be a risk I couldn't take. Not when so many lives I care for are at stake.

I walked into his study, his fortress of solitude as my loft is to me.

Knowledge. Power. Knowledge is power but can they ever be mutually exclusive? Probably not. Not when Lionel's influence still holds him.

Cling. Cling. Cling.

I glanced back at the libraries' entrance. Lex must be having another one of his fencing lessons today.

Cling.

Against my own better judgment, I follow the sound. I make my way to another room where I see two competitors fight with strategic smoothness. Lex must have been practicing a lot more lately; I couldn't tell which one was who.

It looked like they fought equally, as if one or the other knew how the other person was going to attack.

The fight was so graceful; I ended up just watching it. Perhaps one day I can learn it.

As the duel continues on, one of the swordsman engaged and the other parried then grunted. He was too slow to react and the attacker lunged, taking the score. I crossed my arms and thought the move was impressive.

I waited until they were through, and once they were, I headed towards one of them.

"Lex." The person lifted their mask off and it revealed an oriental 20ish year old man that wasn't Lex. I step back a little and apologized. "I'm sorry, I thought you were Lex." I turn around and approach the other swordsman. "Lex, could we talk?"

If it wasn't for my super hearing I wouldn't have heard the chuckle that came from the person in front of me. I immediately felt like I was the butt of a very bad joke.

"Lex," I continued on.

When he removed his mask it was clear to me why he reacted the way he did. It wasn't Lex at all, it was a woman.

She was around 5'7" or 5'8" with brown locks and highlights.

"Oh." It was the only word I could utter and the next thing I noticed is her eyes. They were green, and it almost felt like it was seeing right through me.

This situation was leaving me more than a bit baffled. "You're not Lex," I conclude.

She raised her eyebrows at me and I saw that she wasn't impressed. "I could see how much you'd confused us. Bald hair. White complexion. We're definitely one of the same," she quipped. The tone in her voice threw me off-guard. It was humorous and lighthearted.

Who is this woman?

I fumbled with my next words. "I'm sorry I thought…"

"I was Lex. I believe we've established that already," she finished for me.

I shook my head, trying to regain my verbal balance. She's leaving me tongue tied.

"Is Lex here?"

She threw me a wry grin, and for a moment, it felt like she was challenging me. She turned to her fighting partner who just stood by watching me embarrass myself. She spoke to him in an oriental language.

"Japanese?" I say.

She shook her head. "Chinese." She tossed her Sabre to her partner and proceeded to remove her Jacket that protected her torso. "The language of the future"

I followed her. "So I've read," I returned, surprised at my own confidence.

She smiled at me, and it was the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. Before I could say another word, Lex walks in.

"Ah, I see you've met my friend Lois Lane"

To be continued…