Review Comments:
Jeremy Shane - Thanks!
LoisNClark4Ever - I'm glad too! It's been a long time coming! Well, that's what I was hoping for! haha. Well, since I don't expect we'll be diving too much into who, how, why Barry did what he did, I'm sure there's no harm in telling you, haha. The woman in question is Pandora, whom is basically responsible for the New 52 alongside Barry Allen. Not much is known about her yet, but she came to Barry because of his ability to manipulate the time stream.
I'm excited for him to arrive at the Daily Planet as well! And I'm always excited to get my favorite intrepid reporter into the story because you know how I love to write her! Clark will likely never know that things have changed though. I was hoping people thought at first that Shelby was Lois, and then were surprised to find he's never even been to the Daily Planet, haha.
Lilbit4 - I'm glad you're liking it!
Mr. Wartburg - Glad to hear that! Hopefully you'll like this one as well!
Hotchocolate329 - Lois won't appear until the next chapter, but hopefully this works too!
cherylnixon - Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys think too!
Tomarisun - It was Pandora, but I'm not really sure that she'll ever really factor into the story since I'm not really planning on having these characters ever known their was a pre-Flashpoint world for them. I too am extremely curious what role she will play in the comics, especially since one of my favorite books is the Justice League Dark, and the last issue had a pretty big moment at the end that definitely hinted that we haven't see the last of Pandora!
They are not together anymore either, but like Clois, I strongly believe that we will see Iris and Barry end up together in the long run. I actually love how Iris is being written so far, the Flash book is soooo good. Francis Manapul is proving to be an ace writer as well as, to me, the best artist not named Jim Lee. It was weird to see Arthur and Mera still together with so many other couples breaking up, but Mera's story does play into the Aquaman side of things so strongly, I suppose I understand.
SmallvilleAU50 - I'm glad that you like it! And hopefully you'll enjoy the things to come!
Author: CaptainTightPants12
Rating: K
Disclaimer: If I owned Superman, his story lines, or any related characters, you'd be seeing this story in the pages of the this month's issue of Superman and not for free on FanFiction. Ditto any DC Comics characters or storylines.
Summary: After Barry Allen changes history to save the world, Clark Kent faces an uncertain destiny in a new world.
Chapter: #2, the Funny Pages
Author's Note: So, now that the set-up is done, this serves as a bit of a prologue, as well as a chance to show how things are different this time around. Hopefully you guys will enjoy this last bit of set-up before we jump full on into the story!
The walk was a long one. Clark's apartment was a much longer stroll than one would tend to take. The average person would have caught the subway or hailed a cab. But a walk was what he needed. It gave him time to think. He reached up and pushed his glasses back up his nose. They always slid down when he was walking. Or sitting. Or pretty much anything else that required any physical motion.
Which brought him to what he wanted to think about. Home.
"Do I really have to wear these?"
A chuckle was his reply. "Your mother thinks they'll help with the recognizing thing."
Clark gave him a stern look, "Do you really think a pair of nerdy glasses are going to keep people from recognizing me?"
"Hey now, those were my old glasses, son," laughed Jonathan. "But it's more than the glasses. It's the slouching. It's the nervousness, the bumbling thing? When people see the real you, and the things you can do, nobody is going to think that nervous Clark Kent is capable of anything like that."
His head dropped, "But why does Clark Kent have to be some bumbling weakling?"
"Son, I know it's going to be hard, pretending to be something you're not. I know it's going to be hard to make yourself feel so small, but unless you want to put on a mask, it's something you're going to have to do."
Clark's head shot up. "People don't trust people in masks, Dad."
"Then these..." Jonathan pointed at the glasses, "...and all of the act, will be the real mask."
Clark nodded. "But what if people do recognize me? What then?"
With a smile, Jonathan pulled his hat off his head. "Maybe this will help."
He frowned as he took the hat, rubbing the Smallville High stitching. "But you love this thing..."
"I like this hat, Clark... But I love you," he smiled. "I bought this hat when you made the football team."
Clark frowned, "You made me quit the football team."
Jonathan smiled, "But I sure did enjoy watching you as the water-boy. Besides, if you're worried about people seeing who you are behind those glasses, this might help. In those movies you like, they can always throw on an old ball-cap and a pair of sunglasses and your own mother wouldn't be able to recognize you."
"Those movies are from the stone-age, Dad," chuckled Clark.
"Hey now, I took your mother to see some of those movies!" he laughed.
Clark rolled his eyes, "I'll wear it, but only because it'll remind me of home. Where my roots are... Are you going to be ok without me to help on the farm? I can come home on the weekends, it's a short flight."
Jonathan shook his head, "Son, your mother and I always knew you were destined for big things. Things bigger than this old farm. We'll be fine. Pete Ross even offered to come on as a hand, and Ben Hubbard offered to look after the back forty. It's the world that needs you. We've put it off for long enough. It's time to show the world what you can do."
"I think I'm more nervous about that suit than anything," sighed Clark.
He nudged Clark with a smile, "Don't let your mom hear that, she worked hard on it."
"I know, it's just... Underwear on the outside?"
Jonathan shrugged, "That's what they're supposed to look like, Clark. She went on down to the library and borrowed one of them super-hero books. She copied it right out of the funny pages, all but that big 'S' anyways, that was all yours."
Clark chuckled, "So that's my destiny? The funny pages?"
"No, Son. Your destiny is to go out there and show the world that the impossible is possible. You can do so much, and I'm not just talking about bending horseshoes with your bare hands. When the world sees you, the real you, they're going to believe again. They're going to believe in compassion, they're going to believe in hope again. The world needs that."
"What if I'm not the person you think I am? What if I fail?"
Jonathan gave him a stern look, "You won't. You've got more courage, more determination, more compassion than any man I've ever known, Clark. You make me so proud, and I know you're going to touch the lives of so many people. You're going to be a symbol for the whole world. You're going to inspire them out of the darkness."
Clark smiled a small smile, "I've gotta get a day job first."
He found himself standing in front of the Daily Planet all too soon. He faintly wondered if he'd super-sped here without realizing it. Looking the building up and down, Clark had never felt more small in his entire life.
'But I guess that's the idea,' he told himself.
He wanted to be the hero that his father believed he could be, with the values his parents instilled in him, but Metropolis was an expensive city and he needed a job. One where he'd find out about emergencies as they happened. Since he didn't want to carry a gun or ride in a firetruck when he could be there in a flash, a reporter job was ideal.
Eyes on the emergency, not on the man slipping away. He took a deep breath and made his way inside.
'Welcome to the funny pages, Clark Kent.'
Author's Note: That's right folks, Jonathan Kent is still alive. This is one of the major changes from Smallville, or even the Superman movies, that I want to explore. Jonathan being alive when Clark becomes Superman, whom he has not become quite yet. This pretty much ends the prologue portion, and we'll be jumping into the main story in the next chapter.
Anyways, make sure to shoot me some reviews and let me know what you've thought so far! I'm excited for what comes next because we're two chapters in and we've only seen Clark, Krypto/Shelby, and Jonathan. That all changes in #3!
