All names and characters are owned by DC comics. I own nothing and am making no profit from writing this story. There, feels good to finally get the terrible secret off my chest.
DRAWN BATTLE LINES
Bruce and John had stayed cooped up in the computer lab for two days in front of Bruce's computer. They had a special task to perform, which needed a lot of planning and preparation to execute. They were hacking into the mainframe of the University's computer network.
In the two days the college had continued as before, with the students taking over the responsibilities of the administration as best as they could. Quarrels over certain students not doing their share and protests against any new responsibilities were frequent. Several fights had broken out among the tired and distracted students, and there was also Khent working with Vane and Kuik and their friends to upset the order as much as possible. Matters were fast becoming desperate, and a solution for the existing conditions was required immediately.
On the third day, Clark was sitting in the cafeteria poring over the documents Bruce had sent him about the particulars of the reform. Wally was at the moment at a loose end and had taken the seat opposite him. Diana had just finished her classes and had come to the cafeteria in answer to Clark's call. She came to the table and took the seat next to Clark.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked him.
"I think so." Clark replied thoughtfully. "There are a total of eight people on the board who passed the reform. It's almost completely certain they were all bribed by Mr. Mxyzptlk. So appealing to them won't help. But there is this one guy." He took out a list of names of the people affiliated to the University and pointed towards one of them. "Mr. Howard Rinkle. He's the man who acts as the supervising director of the university, and is also connected with several other major universities. His position is a rather strange one, and his main work is taking care of the government interactions with the universities."
"So how can he help us?" Wally asked.
"It seems he rarely votes on the actual policies of the universities, and prefers to leave the decision making to the board of directors. But he has the power to veto over any decisions the directors make. Which means he is the man who can help us get this reform repealed if we can convince him of the harm its doing."
"Smallville." A voice said, interrupting Clark. He turned to see Lois coming towards him. "Hey, Lois." He said. "Can I help you with something?"
"Perry wants an interview with the new president of the college." Lois replied, bringing out her pen and notepad. "So whenever you have the time..."
"Oh" Clark said, looking a little startled. "Well, sure. We just need to wrap this matter up and then we can do the interview. Why don't you take a seat?"
Lois sat down next to Wally and looked at Clark expectantly.
"So anyway." Clark resumed to Diana and Wally. "We need to convince this man that all the students want this reform to be removed. I know some of the idiots like Khent and Vane and Kuik want it to become permanent, but-"
"So your main aim still is to get the reform repealed?" Lois interrupted him.
"Yes, it is." Clark replied, looking at her with raised eyebrows. "I made it clear the day I stood up against Khent in the auditorium what my plan was."
"But don't you think some more concrete steps should be taken now." Lois said impatiently. "The whole college is in a mess, it needs a firm leader right now."
"Clark is doing what is necessary for the college." Diana spoke up before Clark could respond. Wally nodded vigorously in agreement. "Getting the reform repealed is the fastest way out of this situation."
"And what about the disorder among the students?" Lois challenged Diana. "That needs to be dealt with firmly. Fights are breaking out all over the place. Someone can get seriously hurt if Clark doesn't show more determination in his leadership. People are starting to think he's scared."
"There is a fine line between leadership and tyranny, a line which should not be crossed." Diana said, a hint of sharpness in her voice. "Perhaps you would prefer for Clark to suspend all the students who disagree with him? Make it a rule for all those who oppose him to be severely punished? Rule over the college with an iron fist where no students are allowed any liberty to express their views?"
"That's not what I meant-" Lois began impatiently.
"I don't mean to stick my oar in." Wally broke in apologetically, "But why do you think there haven't been any casualties even after all the fights that have broken out, Lois? I and Arthur and Clark and John were there to stop them. The only thing was Clark managed to calm things down before the students got really serious. We didn't even have to fight." Wally shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "It wasn't very exciting but we kept the peace."
"These two haven't really left much for me to say." Clark said with a smile at Wally and Diana. Then his expression became serious. "But the point is, Lois, there's really no need to resort to force right now. The situation is bad, but it's manageable for now. And we have enough time to try our best to get the reform removed, so that's what we're trying to do."
"Yeah, so let's leave these two to the war effort." Wally said, getting to his feet. He put an arm around Lois's shoulder and steered her away towards the door. "Listen Lois, I think you know a girl named Linda Park?..."
Diana looked apologetically at Clark as the two left. "I am sorry, Clark." She said. "I did not mean to snap at her like that."
"Don't worry about it. Lois can be a bit harsh when she feels strongly about something." Clark said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm pretty sure she actually respects you for standing up for me." He grinned. "It's something she thinks I don't do often enough on my own. But let's get back to the reform."
He took out a page bearing the particulars of where Mr. Howard Rinkle's office was, and his visiting hours.
"Reforms are tricky things to handle." Clark said. "Since this is a college, and not a school, it has a greater degree of autonomy, which means the reform was passed by a group of private citizens, and not the government. This action was perfectly within their rights."
"So how do we remove the reform?" Diana asked.
"The reform was passed by the entire board of directors, except Rinkle." Clark said. "We just need someone to convince him that the reform is a bad idea and should be removed."
"So how do you plan on getting through to Mr. Rinkle?"Diana asked.
"I was thinking we just tell him the facts." Clark said. "Show him how distracted the students are because of the extra workload, how detrimental the effects of this reform will be on the students in the long term scenario. Convince him that the reform is a mistake and needs to be reformed."
Diana nodded. "I suppose the direct way would be the best. So when will you go to meet him?"
"I won't be going there." Clark said, shaking his head. "I have to oversee the work on campus, and its possible Qlak and company might try to throw a spanner in the works. I think I need to be on hand in case something happens." Clark looked at Diana and added simply, "So you'll be going to talk to Mr. Rinkle."
"Me?" Diana gasped. "Don't be silly, Clark. I don't know how to talk about these matters. I won't be able to convince the man of anything."
"There's no one else who can do this, Diana." Clark said. "I really think you'll be able to handle this job the best. I've talked to my dad, he's been able to arrange a meeting with Mr. Rinkle today."
"Clark, listen to me, I don't know anything about these administrative matters." Diana argued. "You should send Bruce, or maybe John. They will have a much better chance of geting the point across."
"As the president, it's up to me to decide which student should be given which work." Clark said, starting to look hurt. "I thought you trusted my judgement, Diana..."
Diana sighed, exasperated. "I do, Clark. But this is ridiculous. I don't know what to say to make the man believe me. I'm not qualified for this job at all."
"None of us are, Diana." Clark said. "I'm still asking you to do this. Will you?"
Diana sighed, finally giving in. "Fine, just because you're asking me to." She said. "But don't expect any miracles."
"Just do your best." Clark said encouragingly, grinning. "That's all anyone can ask for."
Bruce was sitting in the auditorium, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. He'd been in front of the computer for two days and his head was beginning to ache. He had left John Henry in charge in the computer lab and had come to the auditorium to clear his head. Students were milling around in the auditorium and outside attending to their work.
Clark entered the hall and spotted Bruce. "Tired?" He asked, coming towards him.
"No, just needed a few minutes." Bruce replied, sitting up straight and rubbing his eyes. "Did you get the papers I sent you?"
"Yeah, I looked through them. Diana's gone to talk to Howard Rinkle." Clark said. "Did you find what you and John were looking for?"
Bruce nodded. "Took a while, but we got it." He gestured out the door towards the computer lab. "The security was pretty tight, and I doubt even I would have been able to get through if Lucius hadn't upgraded my computer. Some of the softwares we used aren't even supposed to exist. But anyway, we managed to get to the digital documents of the reform."
"And now all that needs to be done..." Clark said slowly.
"Is to change the documents, and stop the reform in its tracks." Bruce finished. "Simply deleting them will just complicate matters even more, but altering them will make them obsolete."
"Getting into some more illegal schemes?" A voice called out from behind them.
Clark closed him eyes in exasperation, then turned to see Qlak Khent and Thomas Vane glaring at them. "Don't these guys have anything better to do?" he wondered silently.
Khent was staring at Clark. "Still trying to find a way out of your responsibilities, Kent?" He asked coldly.
"Haven't we had this conversation already?" Bruce asked.
"No, what I recall is you two running away from us because you couldn't answer our questions." Thomas Vane said. Again, they had chosen a very public place for the confrontation, and many students had stopped their work to watch them.
John Jones entered the auditorium. He had come to discuss some of his work with Clark. Seeing Khent and Vane, he stopped. They both looked at him challengingly. But he simply took a seat in a chair a few feet away from them and continued to watch the argument along with all the other students.
Khent turned back to Clark. "We're telling you again, Kent, we will not allow you and your friends to act like you own the campus, and think that you can do whatever you want now that you're president."
"And I've already told you I have no intention of acting like a dictator on campus." Clark said mildly. "The steps we are taking are for the benefit of the students."
"We're accepting full responsibility for our actions." Bruce added. "You don't have to worry about us getting the rest of the students into trouble, that's the last thing we want."
"Yes well, forgive me if we don't believe you." Vane said coldly. "You are obviously not the type of person who cares about authority, or would be willing to toe the line."
"And considering that you're working with our so called leader, that begs the question of what ideals Kent holds to be true about authority." Khent growled.
"My beliefs are of no one's concerns other than mine." Clark said quietly. "But I do not believe we should accept these radical changes when they could have such destructive effects on us. So I'm working to have them removed. They pose too much of a risk."
Khent smirked. "No need to tell us you're a coward, Kent." He said.
"Yes, we already know how weak and spineless you both are." Vane added with a sneer.
"If that's your view, there's nothing we can do to change it." Bruce said with a shrug.
"That's the first sensible thing you've said yet." Khent said with a snort. "And we're going to show the rest of the students that it is the right view. They all need to see your true characters, even if we have to force them see sense."
John sat quietly in his chair, watching the confrontation. Khent and Vane were mistaking Clark and Bruce's passivity for cowardice. They did not realise the two were keeping quiet for the student's sake, so that they did not get the wrong impression. Public perception of an individual is not easy to handle.
As sad as it seemed, people found it easier to relate to Bruce than to Clark. Bruce's sarcastic nature and cynical attitude were easier to believe than Clark's optimism and hopeful approach. John knew Clark could not afford to lose his temper in front of the other students. The leader's position is a difficult one, and they are rarely allowed to drop their guard. If there had been any traces of violence in Clark's behaviour, his opposers would have been up in arms at once, calling for his dismissal. Fortunately, Clark was of a naturally even temperament, and did not get angry easily. That temper helped him keep cool instead of retaliating to Khent and Vane's taunts. But Khent did not understand that. At the most personal level, Clark presented a paradox most people refused to believe in- He was a very strong person who hated violence.
Bruce again was too logical minded to rise to their bait. He was equally aware of the importance of appearances of anyone associated with Clark in the eyes of the students. He would not pick a fight with Khent or Vane either.
And yet, was it entirely wise? John mused. This show of restraint was being misconstrued as cowardice, not just in the eyes of Khent and Vane, but also many of the students. There was a certain kind of dark glamour about Khent's aggressive methods that appealed to the baser instincts, especially in the present turbulent climate of the college. What if the students decided that they did indeed require a forceful leader? Clark would never try to hold on to his position if the people wanted him gone. And then what would happen to the college under Khent's rule?
And so John decided. Clark had asked him to keep an eye on the unruly elements, and had given him the job to take whatever steps he deemed necessary to quell those elements. Khent and Vane needed to see Clark and Bruce in a stronger light.
There are certain points in every person's psychology that are open to attack, whether it is there pettiness, there self absorption, or even their protective instincts. John was well aware of those points in the minds of the people he was close to. He decided to say the one simple line which would produce the desired effect.
"Is that why I saw you both harassing Diana two days ago?"
There was a blur of motion, and suddenly Thomas Vane found himself bent over the table, his hand twisted behind his back, unable to move. Bruce Wayne had pinned him to the chair faster than he could react, and was now holding his head pressed into the table. The other hand was holding his wrist bent at a dangerous angle.
Qlak Khent would have helped his friend, but he had his own problems. Clark had pinned his to the wall, and was holding him there struggling helplessly, with one hand wrapped around his neck in a vice like grip.
Clark stood motionless for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm himself. When he spoke, his voice was calm, but his fingers were still clamped around Khent's neck.
"What did you say, John?" Clark asked quietly.
"I saw these two forcing their company on Diana in the hall two days ago." John said.
"Were they hurting her?" Bruce growled, his grip on Vane's wrist more painful than ever.
"No, she was fine." John said. He felt satisfied that the point had been made. "Diana can take care of herself. But it does show a disturbing side of Mr. Khent and Mr. Vane's nature."
Clark released Khent's neck. Immediately, he swung a fist at Clark's face. Clark caught the fist and slammed him into the wall, holding him there by his collar. Khent wanted to continue fighting, yet there was a menace in Clark's expression that made him stop struggling.
"Let's get something straight, Khent. You seem to be under the impression that I'm afraid of you. Believe me, nothing could be further from the truth. I don't want to fight you, but that's not because I'm afraid you might be stronger than me." Clark stared directly into Khent's eyes. "It's because I'm afraid I might not be able to stop myself from breaking your jaw if I'm not careful."
"You want to fight us, you face us yourself." Bruce said to Vane, who he was still holding pressed into the table. "You do not, under any circumstances, try to use our friends to get to us."
"Consider this a warning." Clark said. "I'm already tired of what you've been doing among the students during these last few days, trying to turn them against us, and I'm starting to wonder whether it wouldn't be wiser simply to remove you. Every time I see you I find myself favouring the idea more." Clark removed his hands from Khent's collar and stepped back. "How many more days you want to spend in this college is up to you."
"And how many bones you want to keep intact during that time is also up to you." Bruce said, releasing Vane's arm and stepping back as well. "Keep that in mind the next time you feel the urge to act like idiots."
The two turned and left the hall together, leaving Khent and Vane staring after them.
Diana was led by a petite blonde secretary into a musty old office in which a large wooden table was kept, where a man sat bent over some papers. The man motioned for Diana to sit without looking up. Diana sank into the chair opposite him.
"I have an appointment in a few minutes that is of some importance, so I would appreciate it if we kept this short." The man said. "What can I do for you, Miss Prince?" He looked up.
Mr. Howard Rinkle was a dried up little man with a bald pate on the top of his head and was clad in a neat gray suit. He glanced at Diana over the top of his round glasses before bending over the documents spread over his table again.
"First of all, I would like to thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Rinkle." Diana began.
"Don't thank me, I am merely returning a favour I owe to Jonathan Kent." Mr. Rinkle said, still not looking at her. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Have you heard about the new reform they've established in Metropolis University?" Diana asked, wondering how to get her point across.
"I am aware of it, yes." Mr. Rinkle said, finally looking up at her. "I trust it has been implemented satisfactorily?"
"Yes it has, but that is what I wanted to talk to you about." Diana said. "We, that is, the students of the university want to get the reform repealed."
For the first time, she received his full attention. He gazed at her through his glasses.
"And you think I will be the one to get it repealed." He said. Diana nodded. "Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, Miss Prince, but the reform was passed through the entire board of directors, and has their full support. I have no reason to doubt their motives or decisions. I am afraid there is nothing I can do, or want to do. Good day."
He returned to his documents. It was clearly meant to be a dismissal to Diana. She sat looking at him for a moment.
"So it is of no consequence to you that the reform is having a terrible effect on the students and their studies?" She asked.
"Students are always coming up with new reasons to not study." Mr. Rinkle said, still writing. "It is hardly a new problem. Might I suggest you take the matter up with the students instead of blaming the authority?"
"The students are the authority." Diana said. "And that is playing havoc with their studies. They spend all their time over college chores, and are too tired and distracted to attend to their real purpose in coming to college."
"Every reform needs some time to become effective, Miss Prince." Mr. Rinkle said. "I was not present at the time when the reform was passed, but I can assure you the board of directors who passed the reform have the student's best interests at heart."
"In any other case, I would prefer to believe you, but in this case I have seen the effects of the reform with my own eyes and I cannot believe the intentions in this particular case were benign." Diana retorted. "Students have turned against each other, the administrative system is breaking apart, and the scholarly part of college has been pushed to the background. All because of the reform passed by individuals like Mr. Desaad and Mr. Graven, who I believe were influenced more by the dean of the college than their own beliefs."
"I trust Mr. Desaad." Mr. Rinkle said, shaking his head. "His methods are a trifle unorthodox but he is a very intelligent man. I believe his reasons for passing the reform must have been sound. And now, I'm afraid I really must ask you to excuse me."
"Mr. Rinkle, you are basing your opinion on what you have heard instead of what you have seen." Diana said earnestly. "I would not have come here if the situation at the college had not demanded it. The system the reform implemented is not working. It is counterproductive to every element of college life that students wanted when they came to the college, and you need to understand that. At least allow me to explain to you the true nature of the reform, which is not what you believe it to be. Let me show you why it is imperative that the reform be removed as soon as possible."
Mr. Rinkle stared at her dispassionately for a second, then looked at his secretary.
"Can you go and tell Mr. Adams to wait a little while longer, Jean?" he asked. His secretary nodded and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. The director leaned back in his chair and gazed at Diana. "Ten minutes, Miss Prince."
There was much cheering in the college when Diana came back that afternoon, since the news of what she had gone to do had spread through the campus, and also the result of the meeting with Mr. Rinkle had reached the student's ears. She looked slightly embarrassed with the applause but was smiling.
"See?" Clark said with a grin when he and Bruce and Wally went to meet her. "I knew you could convince that man." Khent and Vane and Johnny Kuik stood watching them from a distance.
"Yes well, it wasn't easy." Diana said, taking a letter out of her bag. "But in the end I managed to get him to sign a letter putting his veto on the reform policy."
"Excellent." Clark said, examining the document, while Bruce and Wally congratulated Diana. "Just a few loose ends left to tie up."
"The biggest being the official notice of the reform." Bruce said, taking the letter from Clark and scanning it.
"What notice?" Diana asked.
"Mr. Mxyzptlk tried to keep as little hard evidence for the reform as possible, and most of the documents pertaining to the reform are digital, which I don't think will hold any water now, after what we've done to them." Bruce said with a satisfied smirk. "But there is an official notice establishing the reform that is to be delivered to the dean of the college in a few days. If we can destroy that, the reform falls through.
"But if the notice reaches Mr. Dak Syde, the reform will become official and even Rinkle's veto won't be able to stop it." Clark added. "As far as we were able to find out it'll take a few more days for the notice to get here."
"And when it gets here, it should technically come to Clark or anyone he authorises, since he's in charge right now." Bruce said. "But no matter what happens, we can't let it go to Dak Syde. If it does, the reform stays as long as Mxyzptlk wants it to, so we need to make absolutely sure we get to it first, and dispose of it. Fortunately Arthur has a friend who promised to let us know when the notice is going to get h-"
"Clark" A voice yelled. They turned to see Arthur coming out of the auditorium and hurrying towards them. "The notice is coming out today." The students moving around the campus froze when they heard him shouting.
"What?" Clark exclaimed. "But it isn't supposed to get out for at least three more days!"
"Mxyzptlk must have had it arranged." Arthur said, jogging towards them. "Brian said the man's left twenty minutes ago. He's probably outside the university gates right now."
Clark stood rooted, his gaze directed at Khent. He knew Khent had heard everything Arthur had said. Khent shot Clark a look of triumph.
"Johnny" Qlak shouted to Johnny Kuik.
"Wally" Clark called out urgently as well.
Wally and Kuik looked at each other for the briefest second. The next moment, they were both gone.
The two raced through the campus, dodging the people standing their watching them in fascination. They both moved swiftly through the crowd, making their way to the campus gates. They were moving at the same pace, well below their full speeds. Both knew the importance of conserving their energies.
They were running neck and neck through a narrow passage, barely a few inches apart. Suddenly, Kuik gave a violent shove sideways, catching Wally in the shoulder and back. Wally tumbled to the ground, his momentum causing him to roll over several times and crash into a table. There was a collective gasp from the students, and several girls screamed.
But Wally was back on his feet in seconds, his body showing no hint of damage. Kuik was pulling ahead now, and pouring on more speed. Suddenly, Wally changed paths, heading for the auditorium undergoing construction. Kuik watched him go out of the corner of his eyes. He knew what Wally was up to. There was a shortcut through the auditorium to the entrance gates.
Kuik changed directions as well, going after Wally. Wally had slowed down, and was almost jogging. Kuik knew he was timing it so that he was the one to pass through the doors first. He grinned. There was a large green window right next to the door that he could easily get through and beat Wally to the gates.
Kuik accelerated his speed to its maximum level, knowing this was the decisive point, and headed straight for the green window.
There was a sickening crash, as Kuik's body ran headfirst into a very solid and painful wall. The green window was actually a part of the painting Kyle Rayner had done on the auditorium at Clark's request. It was so realistic it looked exactly like a real window. Wally had known this, and had counted on Kuik to try to take a short cut through it.
Kuik got dizzily to his feet. His entire body was aching. There was a faint buzzing in his head and stars were popping up in front of his eyes. He took a few breaths, trying to get back his bearings. Wally had disappeared.
Finally, Kuik felt well enough to resume running, but he knew he was too late.
He reached the gate just in time to see a car leaving in the distance. An official looking envelope was lying open on the ground, and Wally was sitting on the college railing, thoughtfully chewing on the last piece of a document.
"I've tasted better." he informed Kuik as he came up to him. "It's just not the same taste if it's not your test result that you're trying to hide from your dad..."
Kuik stared at him for a moment, then turned and walked slowly back to the college.
Dusk was falling.
Clark stared around the hall. It was the one that was undergoing renovations. He sighed, feeling a peaceful stillness standing there in the huge, silent room. It was finally over. The reform had been repealed.
"Wally told me you were here." Clark heard a voice say, and saw Lois coming towards him.
"Just taking a look around." Clark smiled. "Why aren't you at the party, Lois?"
"Yeah, I'm heading over there just now." Lois said. She looked slightly embarrassed. "I... look, I wanted to... kind of... say sorry, Smallville. I wasn't exactly supportive of your leadership."
"Don't worry about it, Lois." Clark said lightly. "I know you prefer action to standing around talking. But that's not always the right way to work. I prefer to look for a peaceful solution where ever possible, but I can see how that method might seem ineffective sometimes."
"Yeah, I just thought you were too soft on Khent and Vane." Lois said. "But then I heard about what happened in the auditorium." She grinned. "I didn't know you could be that assertive."
"I'm assertive when I need to be." Clark shrugged. "I just keep hoping I wouldn't need to be, if that makes any sense."
"It does a little." Lois laughed. "So the college will be back to normal tomorrow? The same old boring routine."
"As normal as it ever was." Clark nodded. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find ways to make your life more interesting. Not to mention more dangerous."
"Yeah well, I do have a knack for finding trouble." Lois said with a grin. "Like that time with Dent and Lobo and Luthor. That was the second time you saved my life, you know. I guess I can always count on you to come rescue me, right?"
"Well, that would be a very strange approach to a relationship." Clark said, smiling. "And maybe not the healthiest one. But you know, if you think over your actions a little before rushing into danger, you wouldn't need me to save you all the time." Lois blushed. "I'm just saying Lois, there's no reason for the whole 'Act first, think later' policy."
"I'll keep that in mind." Lois said. "I'll see you around, Small- Clark."
"See you, Lois."
It was night time. The students had declared an impromptu celebration in two hours. Students were getting supplies from every quarter they could manage. Everyone seemed happy to have the reform lifted, and the strain of the last few days was forgotten.
Nobody stopped to question the silver haired old man with the electric blue eyes who was strolling through the campus, gazing with interest at the proceedings.
The old man made his way to the administration block of the college, where light shone through a single window in an office. The old man headed towards the office and knocked on the door.
"Come in." A voice called.
The old man entered the room. Mr. Dak Syde was sitting in his chair, poring over some documents. His eyes narrowed when he saw his visitor.
"Good evening, Mr. Syde." Mr Mxyzptlk said, entering the room.
"You seem remarkably composed for a man who invested so much money and effort to bring about a reform only to have it repealed within a week." Dak Syde said, still watching him through narrowed eyes.
Mr. Mxyzptlk smiled.
"My measure of success and failure is somewhat different from yours, Mr. Syde." He said. "I have satisfied my curiosity upon a certain thought that had been weighing on my mind. And it really was quite entertaining watching the students of your college make a stand against the system in the manner they did. I would say my little experiment was quite successful."
"Then I congratulate you." Dak Syde said, rising to his feet. "I only came to make sure my personal documents were in order. There is no telling what else Clark Kent and his friends might not have changed. If you will excuse me, I will now be leaving."
Mr. Mxyzptlk moved out of the room. Dak Syde turned off the light and came out as well. He locked the room and turned to Mr. Mxyzptlk.
"I wish you a good night." He said coldly, turning towards the hall.
"Incidentally, Mr. Syde." Mxyzptlk called out to his back. The dean turned. "I'm curious, what exactly did you promise Qlak Khent to get him to run for president? And were your orders for him to get Clark and Bruce and their friends killed once Khent became president, or simply to get them expelled?"
Dak Syde's expression became as black as thunder. He turned on his heel and stormed away without a word.
Mr. Mxyzptlk watched him leave with a smile of amusement. He turned in the direction opposite to that of Mr. Syde and made his way to the auditorium.
Inside the huge hall he found Bruce putting all the computer parts he taken out of his computer and put in the school computers into a bag to return them to their rightful place.
"Congratulations are in order, I believe?" Mr. Mxyzptlk called out.
Bruce turned and looked at him in surprise. He frowned. "I wasn't expecting them from you." he said. "I thought you didn't want us to get the reform repealed?"
"Oh, I had no doubt that you and your friends would be able to manage it." Mr. Mxyzptlk said with a smile. "I was especially amused by what you did to the soft copy of the files concerning the reform. I even have a print of one of them with me." He took out a document and studied it with a chuckle. Bruce had changed every point in the document where Mr. Mxyzptlk's name had been mentioned, and turned the name backwards. The name now read Kltpzyxm on every page. "I assume you were not amused by how drastically my reform changed the scenario of the college." He said, still chuckling, stowing the document back in his pocket.
Bruce stared at him. "Why?"
"I'm sorry?" Mr. Mxyzptlk said, although the twinkle in his eyes showed he knew what Bruce meant.
"Why did you do all this?" Bruce said. "I've been racking my brains all this time, trying to think of how this would benefit you. But I can't think of anything. Why did you spend so much time and money on this reform? And you don't seem in the least annoyed that it's been repealed."
Mr. Mxyzptlk was listening intently. "Which question would you like me to answer first?" he asked politely.
"The one which explains things from the beginning."
"Well, let's see now." Mr. Mxyzptlk leaned back against the wall and looked musingly at the ceiling. "I saw you at the youth fest for the first time. I observed you and your friends for a while. I put some people to work on finding out your pasts. And then I executed the reform." Mr. Mxyzptlk smiled at Bruce. "I have studied you and your friends very closely indeed, and you all make fascinating studies."
"And why did you execute the reform?" Bruce asked.
"When I came here, I found my mind filled with memories of my own time in college." Mr. Mxyzptlk said quietly. "I saw the students behaving in exactly the same manner as in my time. So sure of themselves and their destinies. So confident of what life has in store for them. So completely certain that they will be able to handle anything, because they have their whole life mapped out in their minds." Mr. Mxyzptlk stared at Bruce. "Is it really so terrible that they get a taste of real responsibility, of what they can expect in the real world? That they understand their strengths and their weaknesses while there is still time? For a week's worth of loss in study, they gain experience which will help them cope when it is finally time to face the real world. Is that really so terrible?"
"All that money you spent just to teach them a lesson?" Bruce said incredulously.
"Ah, money. What is it really worth?" Mr. Mxyyzptlk said, waving his hand impatiently. "I have money, money enough to buy my own country if I want to. That's all I have, Bruce. Just money..." He stared at the young man standing in front of him. "It was when I saw you that I decided to involve myself here. You reminded me of what I was like in my own youth."
"I reminded you of yourself?" Bruce asked sceptically.
"You seem surprised." Mr. Mxyzptlk said with a smile. "Why is that hard to believe?"
"You don't seem like me at all." Bruce said with a shrug.
"And who do I seem like to you?" The old man asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Well actually, you remind me of Clark a little." Bruce said. "You both seem to have this annoying habit of acting like everything is happiness and laughter all the time."
"I remind you of Clark?" Mr. Mxyzptlk smiled. "I consider that a very great compliment, Bruce. Thank you. But answer me this, if he annoys you so much then why are you friends with him?"
"I ask myself the same question sometimes." Bruce said dryly.
The electric blue eyes stared into Bruce's eyes, losing something of their humour. Bruce was suddenly conscious of the eyes looking past his face and into his mind, into his very soul.
"This is not really a laughing matter, Bruce. The wall you built around yourself to keep away from other people did not work very well when you came here, did it?"
"There is no wall." Bruce said defensively. Mr. Mxyzptlk was coming towards him, those piercing eyes looking into his intently.
"Evasions don't work well with me, Bruce. I have seen too much of life, seen the same scenario played out too many times to be fooled anymore. You have come a long way from being the boy who based his life on a solitary existence bereft of the leavening influences of companionship. Your loner attitude has changed since coming here, since meeting people like your friend Clark. Why?"
"I can trust Clark." Bruce said, standing his ground, although feeling strangely unnerved under the old man's gaze. "This type of life requires a certain amount mixing with other people."
"You think your decisions are based solely on logic, and have nothing to do with emotions? The road you had set yourself upon left no room for anyone else to become a part of your life, but coming to this university helped you return before you could go too far down the path to be able to turn back. Shutting down your emotions is not the answer to making sense of the world. As complicated as it makes life, people are governed by emotions, not logic. You really believe you are different in that respect from the others? That you alone think logically? Then answer me this Bruce; out of all the students you could have chosen to be friends with, why did you gravitate towards Clark? Arthur Curry is of the same social status as yourself. John Henry Irons is on your intellectual level. Wally West shares your enthusiasm for fitness." Mr. Mxyzptlk came to stand right in front of Bruce. "Then why do you spend your time with a farm boy from Kansas? Why have you shed your loner habits to become his friend?"
Bruce stood motionless, not sure of what to say. Mr. Mxyzptlk continued in a gentler voice.
"It is because, Bruce, you understand that Clark possesses the one thing this world doesn't believe in, and the one thing it so desperately needs. The one thing that you prize more highly than others. Hope. The desire to believe in a better tomorrow, instead of staying chained to a miserable past."
Mr. Mxyzptlk stepped back and strolled over to the table.
"I was exactly like you when I was younger, Bruce. Cynical and bitter. More interested in logic than emotions." Mr. Mxyzptlk stared at Bruce, and in his eyes was a deep weariness, eyes which spoke of a very long age, and of experiences great and terrible that had left a mark on the mind. "I believed that logic was the answer to life's problems. That if I could control everything, there would be harmony. It was a foolish belief, of course. Humanity is the most unpredictable quantity in existence, and any attempt to control it only leads to more chaos."
"In my pursuit I lost everything. My family, my friends, everyone who loved me, everyone I loved. I see you going down the same path that I did Bruce. But you are much more brilliant and resourceful than I ever was, which makes me afraid that the mistakes I made will be on a much bigger scale in your case."
Mr. Mxyzptlk moved away and stood in front of the table. He stared at the computer parts scattered across it. Then he turned and looked at Bruce with eyes that were gentle yet serious.
"Don't ever move away from the people who care about you, Bruce, and the ones you care about. They make life worth living. No matter how alone you try to make yourself be, if only to protect others from what you see as your own flaws, you have to understand you are already surrounded by people who love you, not just here but in Gotham as well. Turning your back on them will be the real tragedy. The world does not only contain untrustworthy people, and I am glad you are beginning to understand that now. It is why you became friends with Clark. He is the type of person who will never give up on his friends." Mr. Mxyzptlk smiled and turned to the door. "I wish you all the best in your life. Take care, Bruce."
He left, leaving Bruce staring after him.
Clark entered the hall to see that everything was in order there. He saw Bruce standing alone beside his bag, staring into space.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Of course." Bruce said with a slight start.
"Well, the old system gets re-established from tomorrow." Clark said as he came in. He turned and leaned against the table, gazing round the hall. "We did it."
"Congratulations are in order, I believe." Bruce muttered.
"What?" Clark asked, turning.
"Nothing." Bruce said, returning to his packing.
They stood in silence for a while. Then Clark glanced at Bruce and said quietly, "I'm sorry for letting you and John take the risk with the computers, Bruce. I realise how dangerous it was."
"You're worrying about that?" Bruce said shortly. "You didn't make us do anything, Clark, we both made the choice ourselves. It was the only way out of the situation."
"Right." Clark said, staring into the distance. "The only way."
It was the point at which they had taken the biggest gamble in the whole operation, doctoring the digital documents to make them obsolete. It was the only option, and was an illegal act. The only reason for them to not be caught would be because the reform itself had been established through bribery and other illegal means, and any investigations into the documents would inevitably have led to a closer look at the reform process by government authorities, which would not have been what Mr. Mxyzptlk or Dak Syde would have wanted.
The risk had been taken, and it had paid off.
"I also decided not to make any complaints to the authorities about Khent and his team." Clark said.
"You're going to let them go after all they did to try and discredit you?" Bruce asked, packing the last of the computer parts into the bag.
"There's nothing concrete we can pin them with except bad behaviour. For all we know, someone like Mxyzptlk might have been putting them up to it the whole time, there's no way of being certain." Clark said with a shrug. "And the truth is they weren't the only ones behaving badly. Most of the students were acting worse than usual these last few days. But you know, a lot of them seem more mature now, and the student body as a whole is extremely united tonight." He grinned. "So it seems some good did come out of this whole business. I've decided to let sleeping dogs lie. I think everything is going to be all right now, and thing will get back to normal soon." He glanced at Bruce. "Of course, I know you might still consider them a risk. I can understand if you want to get them punished. I won't try to stop you."
"No, that's fine." Bruce said brusquely, zipping up his bag. "Maybe this whole business is just left well enough alone. I won't say anything about them either."
"You're letting it go, just like that?" Clark asked, surprised. "You're not going to do an in-depth study of the situation first? Figure out the hundred and one ways this decision could go wrong?"
"No." Bruce swung the bag over his shoulder, not looking at Clark.
"But... why?" Clark asked.
"Because you said it was going to be all right." Bruce said, turning towards the door.
He left the room, leaving Clark alone in the hall with a bewildered expression on his face.
Diana walked up to the terrace of the cafe building where Clark stood leaning on the railing and staring out over the campus.
"John told me you had come up here." Diana called out to him with a smile as she walked towards him. "Why aren't you downstairs joining in the celebration with everyone else? We finally managed to get the reform removed. And from tomorrow, everything will be back to normal."
"I just wanted some quiet after all the hectic stuff that's been happening." Clark said, returning the smile. They stood side by side leaning over the balcony.
"John told me about the way you handled Khent and Vane in the auditorium." Clark said with a grin. "Very smoothly done, Miss Prince, with just the proper amount of restraint and tact."
"Why, thank you Mr. Kent." Diana said with a laugh. "I doubt you would have thought I was the suitable choice for convincing Mr. Rinkle if you had heard of that incident before."
"I still would have wanted you to go, Diana." Clark said quietly. "I don't think you realize it, but you have a gift for being very eloquent about a subject if you truly believe in it. I noticed it the first time I met you, when I took your interview. Not to mention you can actually handle an argument without losing your temper and becoming rude and unreasonable." He grinned at her. "You have the makings of a very fine diplomat, Diana."
"I'll keep that in mind in case I ever decide to go into politics." Diana smiled.
The two relapsed again into companionable silence, feeling the cool and refreshing breeze blowing over them.
"So now that the reform has been removed, will the staff retain the changes we made when they come back?" Diana asked.
"That's up to them." Clark said with a shrug. "They've been doing this for a long time. I think we can trust them to make the best decision."
"And I suppose you will be given a badge and an office now that you are the new college president." Diana said teasingly.
Clark was silent for a moment. Then he said softly, "No, Diana. I've resigned from the post of student body president."
"What!" Diana exclaimed, looking at Clark incredulously. "Why did you do that?"
"I always knew this was temporary, Diana." Clark said, avoiding her eyes and looking out over the campus. "I stayed in the position as long as it seemed necessary. As long as we had to keep Khent out of the position of power. But now the old system's returning. There's no point in my being president any longer."
"But Clark, you were voted for by the students." Diana protested. "And they still want you in that position."
"But I myself never wanted that position in the first place." Clark said, shaking his head. "All the time I was president, I was afraid that I was going to make a wrong decision, and someone else might have to pay the price for my mistake."
"But you didn't make wrong decisions." Diana argued. "All the students listen to you Clark; they trust you to make the right choices for them."
"But I don't trust myself." Clark said, looking seriously into Diana's eyes. "Do you know how scared I was when I sent Wally to race against Kuik, and Kuik threw him into those chairs? I was terrified Wally might not be able to get back up. Or when I was actually allowing Bruce and John to hack into the mainframe computer. They would have been in so much trouble if they'd been caught. I was terrified when John told me how Khent and Vane had been harassing you, just because I hadn't wanted to take any drastic steps to suppress them."
"But I wasn't hurt, and neither was anyone else." Diana protested. "You can trust me to take care of myself, Clark."
"There's no girl I trust to do that better than you, Diana." Clark said. "But I was still scared. And I think a part of me always will be."
"Clark, the students trust you." Diana said. "We all trust you. Even Bruce, and you know how rarely he trusts anyone."
"That's because they see something in me that isn't there. Something that they mistake for a leadership quality." Clark said softly, shaking his head. "But I'm not good with responsibility. I've never had to deal with it before. I wish I could be the person people expect me to be, but the truth is, after all is said and done Diana, I'm just a farm boy from Kansas."
Diana looked at him helplessly. She wanted to continue arguing, but Clark's expression told her it was no use.
"Oh come on, it's not the end of the universe." Clark said lightly, seeing her serious expression. "I'm just stepping down from an awful lot of responsibility. You should go join the celebrations too Diana, you've earned it. I'll be down in a minute."
Diana turned reluctantly towards the door. Clark returned to the railing. Diana reached the door and paused.
"Clark?"
"Hm?" Clark turned back to look at her.
Diana looked at him in the faint moonlight and said quietly, "You know, the first thing I noticed about you was how easy it was to talk to you. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. You have the ability to communicate with people, and you understand them. Even more importantly, you genuinely want to help them. That is the quality that the students saw when you stood up against Khent. It's what made them vote for you instead of him. It's what makes you such a good leader." Diana stared at Clark in the faint light. "You're not the naive farm boy anymore than you are the mild mannered reporter, Clark." She said quietly as she turned back to the door. "I wish you could see that for yourself."
She left, leaving Clark staring after her. He turned back slowly, and gazed again over the large campus stretching out in front of him.
And the duck goes quack quack quack.
Which has nothing to do with anything. I've just gotten into the habit of making some inane comment at the end of every chapter.
