Superman Returns: Flight of the Sun
Chapter 1: A case of curiosity
Author's Note: This will not be updated regularly, as I am focusing on both a Mario story and a Doctor who story, and revision for upcoming exams. I have recently watched the film Superman Returns (and before you ask, I have watched the 1978 one as well), and this is my take on it, but featuring an OC that is a female hero. The first few chapters are set a year before Superman Returns.
Disclaimer: DC Comics own Superman and all characters related. I only own my three OCs.
On the doomed planet Krypton, a wise scientist, Jor-El, placed his infant son, Kal-El, into a spacecraft and launched him to Earth.
Raised by a kind farmer and his wife, the boy grew up under the name of Clark Kent, and became our greatest protector...Superman.
But when astronomers discovered the distant remains of his home planet, Superman disappeared.
4th April, 2005
A young woman with reddish-brown hair walked out of the Daily Planet, her phone to her ear, talking to her friend. She laughed at her friends comments.
"I defiantly agree. I'll see you at the apartment."
"Yeah, see you."
Risa Redlark finished the conversation and began walking home to the apartment she shared with her childhood friends, Mina Smith and Charlie Jenkins. On some days she felt lucky to have them, on others, she wanted to tear her hair out with frustration.
The reporter only had four friends. Jimmy Olsen, who also worked at the Daily Planet, had practically been her friend the moment she walked through the door eight years ago. He could be a little (a lot) over excitable, but he was a likable guy. Her other friend had the opposite personality of Jimmy.
Clark Kent wasn't much of talkative guy, and sometimes he could be awkward. Despite that, Risa had still managed to become his friend – in fact, the two got along great. But then he had left – without a word. She hadn't heard from him for four years, and she had wanted to ask him something, but never got the chance. She didn't even know if she would see him again.
She put all thoughts of her friend out of her mind, and continued home.
When she got in the apartment, Mina was already there, watching the news. Charlie was reading one of her favourite books.
"Hey, guys." Risa said.
"Hi." Charlie replied.
"Good day?" Mina asked.
"I guess so; so, anything good on the news?"
"Ah, just the usual – crimes, celebrities, all that crap. There wouldn't even be crimes if Superman was around, but he left us." Mina complained.
"I'm sure he had his reasons, Mina." Risa countered.
"Is there anything interesting on the news?" Charlie piped up.
"Only this meteor that's set to pass by Earth. It's been jamming up satellite signals and mobile phone signals." Mina added.
"Is it passing by tonight?" Risa asked.
"Yeah, apparently it glows yellow."
"Let's hope it doesn't crash, then." Charlie said jokingly.
Risa rolled her eyes and started with dinner. It was a girl's night out tomorrow – they would need the strength for whatever they would get up to. Their previous girl's night outs had consisted of late night shopping, the cinema and/or clubbing. Risa would always hope they would get back before midnight, but that happened very rarely.
As they sat eating their pizza, Risa's thoughts once again drifted to Clark. If or when he got back, she would have to ask him – Risa observed people, so she was sure of her answer. In all honesty, she wondered how no-one else had worked it out – maybe people were just thick.
"Stop thinking about your boyfriend!" Mina blurted out.
"...I don't have a boyfriend." Risa said.
"You know who I mean – Clark Kent."
"He's not my boyfriend, as you full well know." She pointed out.
"He's been gone for four years. If either of you two went away for that long, I'd still think about you." Charlie put in.
Mina scoffed.
"I'm not sure we could say the same about you, Mina Olivia Smith." Charlie added. Mina looked offended.
"Thank you – nice to know you think so highly of me."
"That's okay."
Some things never changed in four years.
That night, they would. That night, something would happen that would change everyone's life forever.
They had gone to bed by then and the night was quiet. Risa was looking out of the window, not really paying attention to it.
Suddenly there were screams, and she looked down. People were running and panicking, pointing at the sky. Risa opened the window to get a better look.
It was the meteor – glowing yellow and heading towards the nearby park.
Holy shit.
"Mina, Charlie, wake up now."
"What?"
Risa pointed out of the window, and her two friends peered out.
"Oh my god!"
"Shit!"
By all means, they should be running, but Risa felt she had rubbed off on her friends enough for them to know that wasn't the best course of action.
So they watched as it crashed.
A normal meteor would cause a shockwave that would kill thousands of people, but from where Risa was standing, she could see that only the nearby trees were affected. This got her attention.
"I thought it would cause more destruction than that." Mina said, voicing her friend's thoughts exactly.
"Which means it isn't a meteor." Charlie realised.
The three friends exchanged a look – they knew what this meant.
"Come on then – time to get down there and see."
And so they went.
They had no way of knowing that decision would be life-changing.
End of Chapter.
