Chapter One

Changing the world

A NEW FRONTIER by Clark Kent

The thing with changing the world, is that once you change it, everything's different. Sometimes this can be good and sometimes they can be bad, only time can tell.

Having taken the time in pondering this over the past few months, the general public is mixed as they are awoken to a New Frontier of superheroes and strange creatures from the deep recesses of our nightmares and the thing that runs solely through everyone's mind is; what happened to our world?

As we stand today we remember the tragedy and destruction brought upon our world nine months ago during the Battle of Metropolis, but to simplify this event to merely one location would be a disservice to the significance of that day. For this was the day we as a race awoke to world we were unaware of. A world of Gods and warriors and monsters that both fought against and for our world. It was on this day that we faced Apokolips and were saved by these people of the shadows; our heroes.

These heroes naming themselves 'The Justice League' and the 'Slayers' worked together in uniting a front to take back our world from these alien tyrant were attempted to take something that we as a species hold dear; our free will. Today we congratulate them for their efforts and the work they have done these past few months to help rebuild a world in turmoil. Today, we welcome a New Frontier as our governments formerly welcome these institutions as members of our world and as the heroes they deserve...

"Bit sentimental don't ya think, Smallville?" Lois Lane asked after reading Clark's expose on the latest Slayer news, her brown eyes surveying her bespectacled partner with a scrutinizing eyes, "if I don't know any better I'd say you're biased."

"We've had enough negativity thrown about from Lex, Lois," Clark Kent, the dark haired bespectacled reporter replied calmly yet with a bit of force as he thought of the months of slander and negative press thrown Superman and the Scoobies' way. Ever since Lex had got off on the Twilight incident, mainly due to his army of lawyers, he had used all of his uses of the media to go after the Justice League and cast doubt in the minds of people about the implications of leaving the world unchecked against these mysterious saviours. Despite many people opening the heroes with open arms, the Slayers had not had the same good press and had spent months working the the different governments to convince them that they were to be trusted. Clark had been trying to help as much as he could, but with the League being set up and gaining trust it had been hard.

"I think, what Lane is trying to say Kent is whether your prior engagement with the 'Slayers' is going to cause a conflict of interest," Perry White, Clark's gruff grey haired editor snarled as he gave Clark a knowing look. Both he and Lois had known that he had had a relationship with Buffy Summers, the... former leader of the Slayers. They had been sensitive towards the situation since Buffy's death during the Battle of Metropolis, mainly due to Clark staying clear of covering any Slayer news, but what with this they had to ask these questions.

"I can assure you Mr White that my work will be totally professional," Clark replied lifting his glasses from the bridge of his nose as they slipped down. "I may have had a relationship with the Slayers but that does not mean that I will not sway from the truth. The truth is, is that they have been fighting against monsters for centuries in shadows and now in the open and I feel that should be honoured. They have proven to me that they can be trusted and I believe they can do the same with the world."

"Lex's scaremongering may beg to differ," Lois scoffed with derision as she thought of Lex's continual blasting of Superman and the Justice League, mainly Superman though, for some reason Lex had an unnatural hatred for the Man of Steel. Lois suspected it might be to do with Superman putting him in jail for the whole Twilight incident, but really she thought it was because of his long wavey black hair.

"LNN can do whatever Lex wants them to do in the meantime we'll do what the Planet has always done!" Perry declared boisterously as he stood up ready for action. "Kent, you're joining Lois at the Slayer story. I want the inside scoop on the Slayers and I want it on my desk before Lex Luthor can get a mullet."

"So, we've got all the time in world," Lois smirked sarcastically as she stood up grabbing her handbag and marching stridently towards the door. "Come on, Smallville, I'm not missing this plane cos you can't keep up."

"You'd be surprised how fast I am, Lois," Clark replied shrewdly as he pushed his glasses up from his nose, following Lois with a knowing look wondering if she'll ever notice what he's hiding behind the glasses. Despite that, he had great respect for Lois, she had been good to him these past few months helping him through some bad times. They had been working closely and Clark started to see Lois in a whole new light; she was bossy, obstinate and and always had to have her own way and in a way that was what Clark liked about her. She didn't take no one's excuses and knew what she wanted and would do anything to get it, she was always on the move and always throwing herself into every situation and yet despite all that there was a great warmness and calmness to her. He had found that out as she helped him grieve over Buffy.

"Come on, Smallville, keep up!" Lois called at the elevator as she stepped inside Clark lolling behind lost in his thoughts. He followed her inside smirking at her as she stood hotly with her arms folded and tapping her foot impatiently. She was always like this when a story was at the tip of her fingers; like bulldog. Restless and aggressive, which without her morning Coffee was a bad combination. She glanced over at him her face softening as the elevator doors closing, the bulldog performance disappearing and showing the warm and caring side Clark had known only in private; usually during an afternoon drink at Bibbo's. "You gonna be okay with this?" She asked with concern yet keeping her eyes fixed on the golden doors of the elevator both of them looking at the reflection of the other.

"If you'd asked me a few months ago I would have said no," Clark shrugged letting off the heavy weight from his shoulders. "But as someone not too far away said to me, 'you can either sit on your butt and feel down, or you can roll up your sleeves and start kicking some'," he finished with a small smile as he did his best impression of Lois when she gave her usual pep talks. For Clark, it had been daily, now it was once a fortnight. Jimmy however got one every day now. Perry, much to his own annoyance, got one everyday whenever Lois gave him a story he knew would give the Planet trouble.

"I do not sound like that," Lois sniffed in denial as even she had to admit that Clark could do one hell of an impression of her, so much so that it had become very popular among the bullpen.

"I think the entire bullpen would disagree," Clark replied coolly continuing the usual banter that had become a regular thing with his and Lois' relationship. She smiles at him sarcastically as she remembers Steve Lombard and the others laughing at Clark's impression. Clark placed a hand on her shoulder a look of seriousness on his face and she turned to look at him fully. "Honestly, thank you."

"Don't get sentimental on me, Smallville," Lois said stiffly getting herself together after a moments pause as she felt herself taken aback by his gratitude. It was something she had not expected and something she had never asked for. Clark was a friend and she had been there for him as he had been there for her respectfully over Chloe's death. They had grown close and Lois had felt an admiration for Clark that she had never seen before. His openness and calmness had kind of allowed her to do the same of the past months; of course after a few drinks at Bibbo's, but it still counts. She turned after gaining her composure again and strode out of the elevator, "we've got work to do."

Clark shook his head as he followed her toward the taxi outside. He felt a warmth fill in the pit of his stomach as he watched her push herself through men far bigger than her and hailing a cab with a ear-piercing whistle; even for Clark. He couldn't help but smile at her defiance at being pushed about or ignored.

He took her hand as the taxi pulled over catching her off guard as he leaned forward to open the taxi. She was always caught off guard by Clark's honesty and good manners, almost forgetting that despite his mild-mannered demeanour, which had improved since when he first came to Metropolis when he was more bumbling than mild mannered, he was still that home grown farm boy from Kansas she had known all those years ago. A warmth filled her as he took her hand and helped her into the cab and despite her usual independent nature that would usually dismiss such a gesture but right now, she enjoyed it.

"Metropolis International Airport, please" Clark stated as he set himself in the taxi.

"And step on it," Lois added with urgency as the taxi drive set off, though he didn't need much coaxing as he put his foot down sending Lois flying backward colliding into Clark who caught her as she fell into his hard and surprisingly muscular chest. Her smiled meekly as she blushed brightly both setting themselves back in their seats, ignoring the moment and setting off to find the next story.

The Slayer private jet had set off from New York International fairly early so as to keep on good time; this was more Giles' idea than anyone else's. It had been an anxious few months for the Scoobies and the Slayers since the Battle of Metropolis, mainly due to the world governments poking their noses in on their organization. For months they had had government officials inspecting their cells and asking questions that they no undoubtedly knew already, after all as Giles had revealed the Watcher's Council had had a lot of fingers in government pies to keep the Slayers secret and the demonic world.

"They're covering their asses," Faith had snarled with disgust when she had heard this. In truth, that was exactly what they had been doing. The Twilight group may have been led by Angel and Orion morphed into the terrorist Twilight using New God technology in order to keep Buffy's enemies at bay while they prepared for Darksied's invasion, who planned to use Buffy to discover the Anti-Life equation, an equation that would have given Darksied the power over everyone's will, but it all came from the worlds fear of a group of super powered women who fight demons creating an army unchecked by the stuffy men they had entrusted to keep them at bay before. Even now, the whole incident was a lot to process. Not just the fact that vampire and demons were not the only threat to humanity, but now God-like alien armies who hoped to conquer

It was on that day that everything seemed to change, not just universally, but personally as well for the Scoobies, as they were revealed to the fact that the enemy they had been fighting all those months had been a former ally of theirs; Angel. They had fought against Angel before, or rather Angelus, Angel's desouled other half that revealed the true vicious and sadistic vampire that lied beneath. They had long forgotten those days when Angel had lost his soul after a one night of 'perfect happiness' with Buffy and spent the next few months torturing not only Buffy, but her friends as well. They had forgiven Angel for that, convincing themselves that he was not in his right mind and was not the same Angel they had known. Despite that, it had taken a few months to gain their trust again with only Buffy's assurance that he was the same Angel that kept them from staking him.

Xander clenched the arm of his chair as he thought of those days and the fact that they let that monster live, not just then but even now. He something tiny touch his knuckle and he looked down to see the tiny rag doll that was now Dawn looking up at him from her seat, which towered over her like everything else now a days. Ever since, she had been curse by her ex-boyfriend who was a thrice-wise she had gone through many transformations; first a giant, then a centaur and now a little toy. They were still trying to find a way to reverse it, but without Kenny, her ex-boyfriend, there wasn't much chance of that. "Are you okay?" Dawn asked her voice slightly squeaky and softer than Xander could remember, all though it was better than when she was giant and nearly always caused his ears to pop.

"Yeah, just nervous about today," Xander lied only looking at her with her eye-patched eye so to not reveal that fact, Dawn always could tell when he was lying. He glanced at her to see if she accepted his lie. She did reluctantly, turning back to the movie on the plane.

Xander thoughts returned to him as he looked over at Dawn. He wondered what it was with the Summers' girls that they do the dance with no pants with guys that will either go evil or cause magical transformations afterwards. He swears he'll kill Kenny when they ever find him. He had been quite elusive the past year they had been searching for him, which meant they had to wait and see what happened to Dawn and transformations. Like her sister, Dawn had argued that Kenny was a good guy and that he had just been hurt by what she did to him. The same old excuses; he wasn't himself.

Maybe he was projecting his anger at Angel on to Kenny. After all, Kenny was just a kid acting out after being hurt. Angel on the other hand was a different matter. After all the excuse, Xander had never been truly convinced at his supposed nobility and goodness. He thought he was proven right when word reached them that Angel had taken over WolfRam and Hart, the evil demonic Law firm, only to be disproven by Andrew, who revealed that Angel was in fact working to take it down from the inside. Yet another excuse. But, the Twilight thing, there was no excuse. Sure he had been trying to stop an invasion from Darksied but by doing so he had caused the death of countless Slayers and most importantly; Buffy.

If it hadn't of been for Angel and his causing the whole Twilight group; Lex Luthor wouldn't have attacked them giving Darksied a window to capture Buffy and thus cause her death. He was just as guilty as Luthor and Darksied. All three of them were monsters and each one of them had gotten away; Darkseid escaping to Apokolips, Lex's lawyers getting him off from his crimes and Angel... they let him go yet again.

They gave him yet another excuse, but this time Xander knew; they didn't forgive him.

It had taken them a long while to get over Buffy's death. More so then the last time, since now they wouldn't be bringing her back. They couldn't do that again, not like last time, it nearly killed Buffy coming back from the dead. No, they had decided all those months ago, they would honour her by leaving her to where she belonged and where she deserved to be. They would just have to carry on without her. Xander had been appointed leader of the Slayers, mainly due to him being Buffy's second in command during her leadership; her Watcher.

Since then, he and the others had worked hard to gain good relations with the world governments since they had been revealed. They had gone through every inspection and investigation brought to them by every government agency all of them seeing how much of a threat could be. They had brought their case forward and had fought against the odds. Now today was the day they got their 'reward'. That being, they are now legally allowed to fight demons. Xander scoffed at this, that they needed permission to do what they had been doing for years, who did these people think they were. They had no idea the damage and heartache they had faced doing what they do. It was Giles who had convinced them to do this and basically helped Xander come with clear limitations to government interference in order to allow them to do what they do. Giles had really been a life saver these past few months helping Xander with all of this; his Watcher. They had never really always seen eye to eye but lately they had grown closer with Giles acting like his Obi-Wan, which Giles really doesn't like being called and Andrew jealously hating since he believed Giles to be his Obi-Wan. Only one padawan to one master after all.

"We'll be landing in five minutes," Giles announced as he made his way from the cockpit returning to his seat.

"Thanks for the heads up, G-Man," Xander proclaimed cheerfully snapping out his dark thoughts.

"Please be serious, Xander," Giles replied his head lolling back with exasperation as he sat in his seat, "this is a very important day for us and we have to be at our best."

"What? So the stuffy politicians don't try and nuke us?" Faith replied not liking the fact that she was A) in a suit and B) she had to spend her day with stuffy guys in suits who think they have all the power to push them around. This was gonna be a long day. She was definitely not five-by-five.

"Precisely," Giles noted a matter a factly as he cleaned his glasses. "Which is why we should all try and be civil..."

"I thought everything was peachy now?" Willow asked popping up from over Giles chair.

"It is," Xander interjected as Giles opened his mouth to reply. "but we still have keep things on the up and up. As long we play they nice, they play nice. This is what this whole day is about to make sure we all play ball."

"P-precisely," Giles stuttered both in awe at Xander's mature response and also pride at seeing how much he has grown.

"So, lets all have our game faces on and we may just yet get some free passes to the Mall of America," Xander smirked over at Giles, leaning back in his seat with his hands at the back on his head with a smug look on his face.

"Oooo, the Mall of America," Willow chimed as she thought about it falling back into her chair. "I wonder if they have a magic shop there now!"

"I'm totally going to for some new leathers," Faith added looking down at her suit pants with disdain.

"I could get something cute to wear!" Dawn squeaked with excitement.

"Yeah, Barbie's new clothes line is really good this year," Xander joked, grinning ear to ear at Dawn as the other began to laugh at a funnily grumpy looking Dawn, who's floppy arms wrapped around themselves in rather comical way taking away from her mood.

"That's not funny!" Dawn grumbled as she deeper into her seat.

"Aww, don't worry Raggedy Anne we'll buy you something to grow in to!" Faith guffawed from her seat, causing them to laugh even more as the made their descent into the capital.

"The World is definitely doomed," Giles sighed with exasperation as he closed his eyes feeling one of his migraines coming on that usually came about when the 'mall' was mentioned. This was definitely going to be a long day.

Kahndaq, was a country in turmoil ruled by a powerful dictator, one that bled the country and its people dry. Its people had not known freedom for a long time, it was almost as if the dark times had returned to them from the old Legends of Ahk-Ton. Many had come to believe that one that their saviour would come to protect them and overthrow the terrible tyrant that held them in his iron grip. Many however had lost hope.

Arfan held on to the last bit of hope he had left as he walked through his home village bring what little food he could carry back to his family. He looked up to the sky and wished that something good would come down and protect them. His grandfather humoured him with stories of the past. But the stories he had heard whispered among many were the heroes of America. His heart rose as he thought of the stories of the Gods returning and his hopes were that they would return to Kahndaq.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as he huge force exploded in front of him knocking him clear of his feet. His bag of wheat slipped through his fingers crashing to the ground, the toils of his day scattered across the ground, smearing across his face as he flew through the air his face planting down on the hard dusty ground. Confusion and terror filled him as he scurried up from the ground, the only thing he remembered before the force hit was a white light. A bright white light. He looked up to see tall foreboding figure standing silhouetted in the same blinding light that had hit him.

"Khem-Adam!" Arfan gasped as he saw the figure standing over him, both fear and awe filling him as he believed his prayers had finally be answered.

"Zod!" the figure growled dangerously, bright red eyes barring down on Arfan. His feeling of hope disappeared and were replaced by dread as the white light dissipated and was replaced by a fiery red light that exploded from the creatures eyes. This was not the Gods returning to save them. This was just another dictator bringing more destruction.

Author Note: Yay! After long last I've pulled my finger out and got back to writing the finale to my Buffy/Smallville crossover. For those who are still here to read it, thanks for being patient. I promise I will finish the series and for anyone who has stuck with it and requested it, thank you for the support. I promise I won't let anyone down with this. Well let me know what you think of this chapter another will be coming VERY soon! Next Chapter: Zod Returns! ... well people find out he's returned, we've seen him return but... okay the next chapter title is called Zod Returns and Now Everyone Knows it!