A/N: This story is a cross-over of two of my favorite shows from the late 80's – early 90's – The Adventures of Superboy and the sitcom Out of this world. Don't ask me how this idea came to me, but if you remember the shows or are just curious to see what the blazes is going on, please read along!
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
The Adventures of Superboy
The liberation of Antareus
Chapter 1: Frozen Capital
Clark Kent's loud, buzzing alarm clock woke him from a deep, pleasurable sleep. It was the kind of slumber he craved after investigating bizarre activity and mundane filing tasks at work, and soaring around the planet protecting the innocent as Superboy. He raised his hand to slam the 'Off' button when he remembered it was the fourth clock he'd bought in two months because of that. His super-strength flattened them like pancakes.
"I could open a clock factory with all I've broken through the years." He sighed.
Clark gently pressed the button. He rolled out of bed and began his routine of a shower, heat laser shave, and methodical dressing. He hated feeling rushed in the mornings and preferred not to use super speed. As he combed a side part in his thick, black hair, an unusual feeling enveloped him.
It was quiet – much too quiet for the busy city street he lived on in Capital City. He buttoned up his white shirt to the collar to hide his Superboy suit and adjusted his navy suspenders. Before going down stairs to make coffee he peeked out the window.
"What in the world's going on here?"
A pigeon was frozen in mid-flight – ready to land on the ledge for seeds he'd left out. Clark flung open the window and touched the bird carefully; it didn't move or flutter yet Clark detected a heartbeat. He zoomed in on the sidewalks. The people were the same - eating, driving, waving down transportation, talking, hugging, running to school… but they were motionless in time.
"Not them again! Please no!" Clark groaned, remembering the aliens who'd slowed down time to nanoseconds to test Superboy's abilities and eventually overtake the world. They ran in fear after mistakenly believing all humans had the same powers. Clark banged the windowsill annoyed. The disturbance could've come from anywhere. He put on the TV. The newscasters stared unmoving at the teleprompter. He flicked through inanimate commercials and morning cartoons. His clock stuck at 7:30am.
"So much for breakfast and enjoying my new Turkish coffee." He grumbled.
Clark spun fast and transformed to Superboy. He hurried out of the apartment building and past the grumpy landlord with his broomstick frozen in mid-sweep. He wondered if they still saw him. He approached the corner newsstand owner and waved his hand across his face, but received no response. He assumed their vision was blocked.
"This is gonna be loads of fun." He flew high. He needed to look for anyone moving, and demand some answers.
~Oo~
Thirteen-year-old Evie Garland clutched her crystallized cube in both arms and roamed the streets of the unfamiliar city. Florida was a far cry from her luxurious seaside neighborhood in Marlow, California. Capital City had an urban setting, like when she and her mother Donna visited New York, though not as large or dirty. And New York had no palm tress anywhere.
Evie's father Troy had transported her here on a very important mission to find Superboy.
Troy counted on Evie, because communication from his planet was now severely limited through the cube. In many ways she was on her own. Evie felt bad that her father froze the people in her hometown too. He did it so her mother wouldn't worry and go crazy looking for her. Donna was very overprotective in ways, but she'd be rightly furious to know that young Evie was alone in another state. Evie put the cube in her purple knapsack in case it dropped. That was the last thing she needed. But the alien material was practically shatterproof.
"Superboy! Superboy, where are you? I need help!" She shouted at the sky. "Please come!"
Thinking of him sent pleasant shivers up her spine and she blushed. Almost everyone on the planet knew and loved Superboy and all he stood for; she had more than one of his posters hanging above her bed to drool over before she fell asleep. She and her girlfriends fawned over his shiny black hair, the tight muscles under his colorful suit and his blue, sensitive eyes. He had a handsome, friendly face and serene nature. Evie still hoped he wouldn't be too angry that she froze everyone. He always helped people in need, and right now she was one of them.
~Oo~
A beam of kinetic energy shot forth, creating a rectangular portal in an alley. Three mercenaries from the planet Xavariax marched out brandishing weapons. The Xavarians were a fierce alien breed. Their skin tones ranged from orange to purple, with hair of every color. They had a mouthful of tiny razor-sharp teeth and black talons. These particular Xavarians dressed in form-fitting leather and tensile chains that added supple movement to their hulking frames. They were on a vital mission too. Tammox, the tallest orange creature, stared across the motionless city.
"The girl is in the vicinity! I sense it. Only Antareans would freeze time as a first defense! We must find her before she gets to him!" He rasped.
He pushed a few buttons on a silver gadget hanging off his belt. The holographic apparatus traced every life forms. He zeroed in on Evie only three street blocks away.
"Now we will show that fool Troy who is boss! I will never forgive him for killing my father in battle." Tammox, seethed. He clamped the apparatus to his belt. "We will find her and kill her now!"
The other aliens – twins with violet skin and emerald green hair and eyes – kept silent before their commander and nodded.
"Power up your phasers to maximum. I suspect she will be an easy kill. She is only half-human girl with limited Antarean abilities."
~Oo~
A girl's terrified screams broke the death-like tranquility of the frozen city and Superboy flew toward the commotion. It was the same light, sweet voice he'd heard pleading for him.
He gazed shocked at three alien creatures menacing the girl. Superboy soared down and barreled into the ringleader just as it was about to slash the girl's throat with his talon. The alien slammed against the building, spraying bricks and mortar all over the sidewalk. The girl clamored to her feet. Superboy kept his arms protectively in front of her.
"Who are you? What are you? What have you done to this city?" He demanded.
"You have asked the wrong alien, Boy of steel! Give us the girl! You have no stake in our mission!" The orange creature hissed – his words garbled with saliva. He flicked his reptilian tongue at Evie and licked his puffy lips. Evie cringed behind Superboy's cape. Who knew what vile plans the alien was hatching for her?
Superboy narrowed his eyes and stood his ground. "Not on your life, scum!"
"Yeah! Don't touch me, you're so gross!" Evie called out bravely.
A purple alien shot at them. Superboy threw his hand up to block the yellow beam and it refracted. The alien stumbled and fell hard onto the floor, smashing the sidewalk to chunks.
"Midox! Doxim! Quit fooling around! We underestimated the Kryptonian! Seize them both!" Tammox shouted.
Doxim leaped to Superboy and lifted him over his head. He tossed him across the the street. Superboy crashed through a storefront window, but blocked two frozen shoppers from the shattering glass by flying them backward. Evie screamed and ran to help him.
Tammox pointed his finger, and raised Superboy with telepathy. With a sudden magnetic force he swung his arm and Superboy was flung to the top of a building. He plowed into a giant billboard and bent it out of shape. The alien's magnetism tethered him. Midox clutched Evie from behind.
"Let me go, you ugly creep!" She bit his scaly arm to no effect. "Green is not your color!"
Tammox increased his power and Superboy let out a pained shout. "Leave. Her. Alone!"
The force rippled through every muscle in his body.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" Evie cried. She closed her eyes and lowered her head up and down swiftly. In a flash of neon colors, she transported herself directly to Superboy. Evie miscalculated her landing and she tottered on the edge of the building.
"Ahhh! Superboy! Help me!"
"NO! NO!"
Superboy despaired as he watched the girl fall backward. A deep strength came to the fore and he peeled himself off the billboard and dove after her. He caught her before the aliens could.
"I got you!" He landed gently, feeling her shudder in his arms. "You'll be okay."
The aliens laughed and encircled them. Evie blinked her eyes again. A giant wall of flypaper appeared in a haze of translucent white, purple, and hot pink sparks of energy. The aliens were stuck and fumbled in the gooey substance.
"Darn it! It was supposed to be a wall of steel! But it works! That's gonna be a killer on the hair, guys!" She called out.
Superboy backed away very perplexed. "How did you do all that?"
"It's called a gleep."
"A what?"
"A gleep, I'll explain later, I'm kinda new at this. I've only had my powers for three months." She clutched Superboy's arm. "They're breaking loose!"
Superboy lowered her down. Tammox freed his arm and raised his weapon. Superboy leaped in front of Evie to take the blow. Before the beam could hit, Superboy counteracted with his heat vision and the beam reversed into the weapon and exploded in Tammox's hand.
"My talons, you broke them!" He grasped his right hand in pain.
"That's gonna be a heck of manicure!" Evie shouted, covering over her fears with humor.
Superboy sucked in air, and blasted the trio with streams of cold wind. The aliens, with the flypaper whacking their faces, skidded down the block. Superboy did not let up. They rolled like tumbleweeds and tried to anchor their claws in the street.
"Midox! Doxim! Retreat! We must re-think our strategy! This is not over, Boy of Steel! We will capture that girl and destroy you too!"
"As long as I'm around, you'll never hurt her!" Superboy shouted. "And you'll never get me either!"
Evie swelled with courage. Superboy would be on her side. She peeked at the aliens for the last time; they were almost too hideous to look at, despite having arms, legs and humanoid features. She "gleeped" again and clothed them in big red and white polka dot dresses, ponytails, and hot pink lipstick on their slimy mouths.
"That looks much better!" She giggled.
The aliens roared with displeasure and stumbled through still battling the flypaper. Superboy was stunned into laughter and faced Evie. Her powers reminded him of the imp Mxyzptlk. Perhaps she came from the fifth dimension too. He looked at her carefully. She was a pretty blonde girl with catty, dark-blue eyes and a wide, playful grin. She cocked her head and kept her hands behind her back. She looked down ashamed.
"I didn't know they were coming for me. I'm sorry."
Superboy patted her shoulder. "It's not your fault. What's your name? Did you stop time? Or did you just freeze living creatures?"
"Yes! It was me…with a little help. My name's Evie Ethel Garland. You can call me Evie; mom only calls me that when I'm in trouble. Time's not moving, Superboy. When I unfreeze everyone it will still be 7:30 am. My father was going to take me directly to you, but I lost contact with him, so I had to think fast. I know you have super hearing. I thought it'd be easy if I froze everybody so you'd only hear my voice. I'm really, really sorry. I can make them move again, I promise. Please don't be mad at me." She chattered in one long, anxious breath.
Superboy cracked a smile. "Hey, I'm not mad, just really, really baffled. I'm glad I heard you and came in time. Tell you what, why don't we have a nice, long talk about this. Maybe you can explain why those punk aliens were after you."
"Sure! But I don't know them; I've never seen them before. What if they come back?"
"I hope they don't, we'll stick around here in case. I don't want them hurting anyone else. Everyone's extremely vulnerable."
"You're right, but it's safer to keep them from getting more hurt and running around."
"Okay, we'll leave them for now." Superboy surveyed the damaged city block and frowned.
Evie saw his concerned. Before he could attempt to fix it, she gleeped three times and restored each battleground to its original condition. Superboy marveled at her.
"That's amazing, Evie."
"It's really cool. There's a coffee shop on the corner, let's go there." Evie pointed. "I'm starving!"
"I hate to say this, but unless you unfreeze the cook, you'll have to do it yourself."
Evie grinned. "Oh, that's easy. I can gleep up a good breakfast for both of us."