Two Years Later

Clark Kent thought of the things back home. His friends, his family. His longing for home was strong and he felt forlorn about it. But he knew what he had to do. He needed to leave to help people, that was his purpose in life, help others that couldn't help themselves. But he shouldn't be condescending about it, he knew people could handle themselves and he shouldn't interfere with their lives. But even if this was his purpose. He still missed home. Even though he had been out of his home for at least a year, he could still smell Ma Kent's home cooking. Apple pie was her favorite dish to make. He still saw Pa Kent working on the farm and tending to the cattle. He still smelled the country air and saw the perfect blue skies and emerald grass. Everything was perfect...

"Hey buddy, stop daydreaming, you're here,"

Clark snapped out of it. He was here. The place he sought out to be at. The Daily Planet, The supposed "greatest newspaper in the nation." The stories there are considered legend. No other place had the intrigue and the facts as much as Daily Planet did. Clark got out of the taxi and paid the man. Clark looked up at the sky. It was a gloomy gray.

"This place is definitely more depressing than I thought,"

Clark went inside the Daily Planet and saw how amazing it was. It was a very busy environment with people moving at a breakneck pace. Nothing Clark ever really experienced before. There was high school but the classmates never moved this efficient. He walked through the traffic of humans, careful not to hit anyone. Unfortunately, he ran into a young woman.

"Hey, watch it, jerk,"

Clark helped pick up her papers. She was a very attractive woman with dark brown hair, she had extremely beautiful eyes, which were a shiny amber. Clark was almost dumbfounded by her beauty.

"Sorry for running into you, I'm...,"

"Look, buddy, I don't care who you are. Run into me again and I will personally make sure you won't work in this town again. Got it?"

Clark nodded. The woman walked off angrily, grumbling to herself. A young man walked beside him, looking at the woman.

"She is one interesting lady, huh?" He said humorously

"Yeah, Interesting indeed," Clark said in a daze.

"Jimmy Olsen, Photography,"

"Clark Kent. What's her name?"

"That sir, is the "Lovely" Lois Lane. Top reporter in her class. She gets her stories as fast and dangerously as possible. I'm her assistant

"You're not partners?" Clark asked

"Not in her words, at least. She considers me more of an assistant. I bring her coffee and such and I take photos of her stories,"

"Sounds like she's a great reporter,"

"She is, but, to tell you the truth. Her spelling sucks,"

Clark chuckled at this notion. "Her spelling sucks?"

"Our computers don't have spell check, so her words come off as jumbled and mixed up. She is definitely not on Perry White's good side anymore,"

"Perry White, the famed editor?"

"Yeah. It's not just the spelling though. It's the fact that she goes off on these dangerous suicide missions just to get a story. She doesn't have any restraint. Oh, you probably want to see Perry. He's the one that will get you a job,"

Clark was led to his office. The words "Perry White" were engraved on the door.

"Good luck," Jimmy said.

Clark nodded in approval and went inside. Perry White was yelling at someone on the phone.

"I don't care of he's the king of Mars, I want that interview!" He slammed the phone on the receiver. "Oh great, another newbie. Next, they're gonna tell me it'll rain rats," Perry sighed in exasperation. "What's your name, kid?"

"Clark Kent, sir, I read about the Daily Planet in a job listing and... "

"Get to the point, lamb chop,"

"Oh, I just want a job here, if you are hiring reporters,"

Perry chuckled under his breath. He looked out his window and slowly came back to Clark.

"You think it's easy to be here, Kent? You think this will be a walk in the park, huh? It'll be puppies and rainbows all round? Well, it's not and let me tell you something. I have been working at this shit hole for 30 damn years and I have seen some pretty gruesome shit. It doesn't get any better, kid. Believe me, it doesn't. It's a dog eat dog world out there, Kent, and nobody's going to save you, Got it?"

Clark nodded in total fear. He felt the tension in the room.

"Then you got the job. Report to Miss Lane for your first assignment. Jimmy'll take ya, He's the guy with the carrot top,"

Clark Kent nearly sprinted out of his office. He saw Jimmy and talked to him about how crazy Perry was.

"That's how he is with all the reporters. He has seen a lot in his life,"

"I don't think he is well. It's going to be crazy working for him,"

"So you will be working with Lois Lane. That means we all get to work together,"

"Yeah, Lois seems like a charmer," Clark sarcastically remarked.

They went to Lois's office and saw that she was on the phone. When she saw them, she immediately got off the phone.

"This joker again?' You've got to be kidding me," Lois scorned.

"He will be working with us, Lois. He's the new guy," Jimmy said

"Correction, Jimmy, He will be working for me. What's your name?"

"Clark Kent. I came here from Smallville, Kansas,"

Lois's muscles suddenly tightened. "Kansas? Like where that spaceship landed many years ago? Interesting,"

"Smallville, huh? Must have been the place that grows their farm boys big,"

Clark's blood started to boil. This woman was definitely not on his good list. Grow their farm boys big? Seriously? That is not even funny.

"Alright, Smallville, we've got an assignment,"

"Smallville is my nickname? What? Oh well.." "What is it?"

"We've got to ask questions at LexCorp. Lex Luthor is holding a press conference regarding his candidacy for mayor and future operations of the company,"

Lois grabbed her things and left the office.

"Let's go, Jimmy and you too, Smallville,"

"Something tells me this going to be a long year," Clark thought