CHAPTER NINE - KRYPTONIAN

For a while there, luck seemed to be in their favor. Lois and Clark were able to get Lex to reveal his possession of the crystal, which was an accomplishment in itself. Not only that, but they also learned the reasons behind Clark's nightmares, and a potential way to stop them. Even with the possibility of the crystal being dangerous, Lois was sure that as long as Clark avoided activating it (however he may do that), they would be alright. Hell, maybe all their problems were about to solved, and everything was about to go back to normal.

But boy oh boy, was she wrong.

Because then Lex took out that box, and by extension, the crystal. Clark's close proximity seemed to become some sort of trigger for the device. Upon it coming into view, it immediately began to glow blue, just like Martha and Jonathan described. Perhaps, under different circumstances, it would have been a beautiful sight, but at the moment, Lois was far too preoccupied with Lex's words.

"I really don't think you're going to have much of a choice," he had said to Clark, referring to Clark's refusal to activate the crystal.

For several moments, Lois did not understand his meaning. But soon enough, she was enlightened in the worst possible way.

Not only was Clark a trigger for the crystal...but the crystal also triggered something inside Clark. Lois could only watch with horror as his gaze fixed on the crystal, as if hypnotized by it. Then there seemed to be some intense struggle in his expression, but even that was eventually wiped away by a sudden blankness, accompanied by fully blue, glowing eyes. It was in that moment that Lois became truly terrified because, in that blankness, she could find nothing of Clark in his face. Yes, the physical features were still the same, but all personality, everything that showed that there was a person under his skin...was gone.

And then he started to move slowly toward the crystal, his hand outstretched to take it for his own. Lex, who was meanwhile at his desk, grinned darkly at the entire situation, eagerly awaiting to see the final outcome of this little "experiment" with Kryptonian technology, and the planet's only survivor.

"Lex!" Lois yelled "This is crazy! Put the crystal away, before you hurt someone!"

He only shook his head. "The inventors of the atomic bomb theorized that their creation could open a black hole that would destroy all of reality. I am willing to take the same risks, to accomplish something great."

Wonderful, Lois thought sarcastically. Lex is banking on this thing being the next atom bomb. Because that went over so well the first time.

But Lois was also concerned about what the crystal would do to Clark, mentally or physically, if he touched it. So she tried grabbing Clark's shoulder and screaming in his ear, trying to snap him out of this odd trance. But he was completely unresponsive. He kept moving forward. Or perhaps she should say 'stumbled,' because his movements were so robotic - so forced - that it seemed he no longer knew how to walk properly. But to her chagrin, he continued onwards all the same.

"Clark, stop! Don't!" she ordered, her heart hammering in her chest with fear.

There was a moment - a hopeful one - when something seemed to shift in Clark's features at the sound of her voice. His brow furrowed, and his lips parted. It might have been...confusion? But at least it was recognition of something...that she existed. She was getting through to him.

But...ultimately, it wasn't enough. He still proceeded forward. He still pushed past Lois and grabbed for the crystal.

And now… now all hell is breaking loose.

At his touch, the crystal glows so vibrant a blue that Lois is forced to shield her eyes. Energy pours from it, electrical and palpable in the air, like ozone. It's not exactly painful, but it still prickles her skin.

Amidst the chaos, she hears Clark cry out. She listens to his voice as she shuts her eyes tight, trying to block out the light. Despite her blindness, Lois tries to move forward, intending to make him drop the damn thing before it hurts him further, mentally or physically.

"I don't understand…" she catches him murmuring. "What...what happened to me?"

Even through her lids, Lois can see the light dim a bit. Thus, she cautiously opens her eyes, fearful that the change in illumination is only temporary. But such is not the case.

She is greeted by the sight of Clark, changed into the Superman costume that he wears under his clothes, with his business suit discarded on the ground. Wrapped in his cape is the crystal, but even with that covering, some of the light seeps through - and it's glowing brighter by the second… getting stronger.

"I'm sorry…" Clark says, looking at Lois pleadingly. His eyes are still glowing, but at least his personality has been somewhat restored. "I didn't...I didn't know what I was doing…"

"It's not your fault," she replies, approaching him while shooting a glare in Lex's direction, who has also just finished shielding his eyes. She is going to kick that bald maniac's ass at the first opportunity… no doubt about it. But right now, Clark is still connected to the crystal somehow, and judging by the strained look on his face, he's still fighting to maintain control of his own body.

As she approaches Clark further, intending to get that crystal as far away from him as possible, he motions for her stop.

"Don't come any closer!" he warns. "Please...The crystal...I think it's building up energy, and I'm pretty sure it's going to release it too."

Her eyes widen. A 'release of energy,' in her experience, generally means an explosion, and given the fact that they're inside Lexcorp Towers, which employs thousands of people, she fully comprehends the seriousness of the situation.

"We can't let it happen. We'll have to take it out of here. Far away."

"Far away?" Lex repeats, standing up angrily. "You're both too caught up in the worst case scenario. This crystal was sent to spread knowledge, not destroy. I'm meant to see this. You can't-"

"Shut up, Lex!" Lois and Clark yell in unison, unwilling to listen to him any further. They then return their attentions back to one another, and the pressing matter of relocating the crystal to a safe location.

"Where?" Clark asks, rubbing his temples with his free hand. "I can't...I can't think straight. My powers are messed up. I need somewhere unpopulated… somewhere this can go off."

"Space?"

"I don't know...I've never tried to do something like that, and I don't think now's the time to test my limits."

"The Arctic, then!" Lois offers forcefully, snapping her fingers. "We don't have a lot of time!"

He nods weakly, his eyes glowing so brightly that Lois nearly has to shield her vision again. "I think that'll...that'll work."

Clark moves toward the door, preparing to leave, but suddenly the gravity of the situation hits Lois even more. So she briefly stands in his way, just for a second. Stupid decision, she knows, but there are things that she has to say to him just in case… just in case this is the last time.

"Clark," she begins in a cracking voice. "If this thing really is...really is gonna explode...just… get out of there, okay? It's from your planet, which means that it could very well kill you, and I just..." She sighs briskly. "I need you to come back. Okay?

He pauses for the briefest of moments before saying, "I will. I'll come back for you."

Then, with what Lois suspects is considerable superspeed, she feels his lips brush against her own. But the kiss is ultimately the shortest they have ever shared, and he is soon long gone, flying far away.

She can only hope that he makes it out of this okay.

Now, Lois is left alone with Lex, whose expression is rather unreadable at his desk. Is he disappointed that he will not experience the crystal's capabilities? Or is he glad that Clark's life could end today? Maybe he is just jealous of the concern Lois is showing for Clark?

Lois's fist clenches, ready to punch him after the stunt he just pulled. But she figures that it will accomplish nothing. He'll still be Lex, he'll still be rich, he'll still be trying to ruin her life in one way or another. He's not worth it.

But one thing is for sure: her gratitude toward him for saving Clark last has nearly disappeared in its entirety.

Thus, her glare is like daggers when her eyes meet his, and after wordlessly picking up Clark's belongings, she storms out of the room.


Clark didn't come home to the apartment that night. He didn't return during the day either. Midnight of the second night has just passed, and he is still startlingly absent.

Lois tries to avoid worrying too much. Perhaps he got distracted by some overseas disaster that required Superman's aid. It wouldn't be the first time, of course…

But the news reports no Superman sightings, and no disasters. Which, against her better judgement and her faith in Clark, leads her to acute panic. What if the crystal destroyed him? Or stripped him of everything that made him Clark Kent, leaving that blank slate of a Kryptonian behind?

So she tried and failed at 'not worrying.'

To pass the time, she writes articles, covering the stories that Clark is missing during his pretend "sick day." But to her, it doesn't seem like extra work. In fact, right now, it's quite welcome.

Sometimes she thinks that this is only way she's able to escape the present - in her writing. Her fingers pound the desired keys with the greatest alacrity, and she lets her wild emotions fade away as she becomes Objective, Pulitzer-Winning Reporter Lois Lane.

Usually, Lois Lane, the woman isn't any different - even in the attitudes of her articles. She's just as aggressive, as blunt, and as critical as she appears on paper. But there is more to her right now. She is filled with overwhelming emotions that threaten to spill onto the document, even for unrelated topics like the credit-card scam that's sweeping Metropolis, or the mismanagement in the city's sewage maintenance department. Her finger yearn to write Where are you? over and over again, as if he - or someone… anyone… could answer her at the bottom of the page.

But staying calm for the sake of her articles seems to be soothing. It lets her know that there is a world outside of the claustrophobic space inside her mind, which is filled with frantic thoughts that press down upon her like weights. A world where matters are more-or-less simple - where life and death situations aren't commonplace, like they frequently seem to be in Lois's experiences. Right now she is not Lois, but a third person narrator in Metropolis's continuous story. It makes everything seem a little more insignificant, even if her current situation is far from being such.

At some point, she dozes off at her computer, her face flat against the keyboard. It must be several hours later when she hears a voice say: "Lois?"

Her eyes shoot open and her she sits straight upwards. Upon spinning around, she sees Clark standing near the open window. Both his cape and the curtains are billowing around him, the fabrics reminiscent of white and red angel wings.

She quickly examines him, discovering that he is completely intact, despite her fears. The dark circles under his eyes have even disappeared, leaving him looking as energetic and healthy as he previously had.

And then she is conflicted by the fact that he's so… so… okay? He left her here for nearly two days, worrying her goddamn ass off about him. She thought he was dead, for all she knew, but nope. He's here, bright-eyed and thriving, back in their apartment like he just returned from the supermarket, for Christ's sake.

Alright, well, he wouldn't go to the supermarket in his Superman costume, but still. He has some serious explaining to do, and she's seriously considering punching him.

But then again, she is so damn relieved that she also finds herself resisting the urge to kiss him wildly.

Ultimately, Lois unconsciously chooses the latter. (He wouldn't feel anything if she punched him, anyway). So she stands and runs until she collides with him, thus throwing her arms around his body. The force by which she proceeds to kiss him would probably injure a normal person...but she knows he can handle it, so she doesn't hold back. And soon enough, he is returning the embrace and meeting her lips with his own, becoming equally as absorbed in the emotion of their reunion.

Eventually, they break apart, but not entirely. Because he shows no inclination to let her go, and she has no desire to move away from him, they remain enclosed in each other's arms as they stand there. Her head leans against him, with her forehead just reaching his collarbone. Like usual, he is warm, and his heartbeat hammers steadily under the S insignia.

"Where the hell have you been?" she mumbles angrily against his chest. "You had me so effing worried, Clark. It was driving me crazy…"

He leans down so that his mouth is pressed against the top of her head. That way, when he speaks, she can feel the movements of his lips. "I know. I'm sorry… when the crystal went off… it knocked me unconscious. And then…"

Clark trails off as he shifts his head and rests its side against the top of her own. He continues to clutch her tightly, which is something that Lois might otherwise enjoy. But right now, she finds herself unwilling to accept his meager explanation. After all her panic, she knows she deserves more than that. She deserves the truth.

What really happened in the Arctic? Where's the crystal? And just how strong was the explosion if it knocked Clark unconscious?

She lowers her arms and takes a small step backwards so that she can see his face, and vice versa. Because right now, Lois wants him to notice her raised eyebrows and unamused expression. The reporter and concerned girlfriend in her need more information.

"I know," he says, easily guessing what's on her mind. "You want to know what happened exactly. And I want to tell you. But to be honest...it's a little more than words can express. On the other hand... I can show you, if you want. Because I do. I want to show you."

"Show me?" she repeats. "Show me what?"

He only smiles. "It's a surprise. Do you have a winter coat? If you decide to go...you're going to need it."


Lois can only gape. Because as she stands on top of an arctic glacier, with snow caking her boots and the wind freezing her every nerve, she is greeted by the sight of a crystal castle of some sort. It's breathtaking - huge. Unlike anything that she has ever seen before. She struggles to describe it accurately, even in her own mind.

She supposes that the surface of the structure seems to be made out of separate, crystalline spires, which interlock to create walls that tower over her, reaching up toward the sky. They glint in the light of the Arctic sun like diamonds - and more interestingly, just like Clark's crystal.

The building's shape is unlike any architecture she has seen before, thus giving it an otherworldly quality. But she supposes that such a quality makes sense in the current situation. In fact, she starts to doubt whether she should even refer to it as a "palace." If anything, it seems more like a fortress with its thick walls and its apparent impenetrability.

"So...what do you think?" Clark asks, tightening the hand that is currently holding and intertwined with hers.

"It's incredible," Lois replies. "And the crystal...made this?"

He nods. "Yes. Apparently my father wanted me to have some part of Krypton on Earth. He didn't want me to lose sight of my culture."

"And how do you know that?" Lois inquires, surprised that he suddenly understands his birth father's intentions so fully.

He pauses before replying, like he is trying to piece together a murky memory. "When I brought the crystal here, its energy release knocked me unconscious not because of extreme force, but because it was supposed to affect me that way. This… building built itself around me, around where I slept and healed from the exhaustion it had caused me. But more than that, I think the crystal also downloaded years of Kryptonian knowledge into my memory. My father designed it to do that, so that Krypton's culture could live on, through me."

"You're joking."

"I wish I was. Using those signals Lex talked about, I think it sort of hijacked my brain waves. Gave me all the Kryptonian cultural awareness that I lacked."

"So does this mean you can speak Kryptonian now? And not just in your sleep?"

He nods again, easily replying: "Zhi, khahp ehwor kryptahniuo ugem. Rrip skulir zrhueiao gemzeht."

Lois whistles in admiration of this newfound skill, proceeding to ask: "And what does that mean?"

"It means, 'yes, I can speak Kryptonese now.'"

"That was a lot of words for such a simple meaning."

"Well," he begins, blushing a bit, "I also said 'you look beautiful today,' but I thought that might embarrass you."

Lois isn't sure how to react, so she can only return the blush. Of course he has to give her ridiculous compliments that make her want to curl into a shyness-induced fetal position. Words like that are especially odd, coming from him, considering that he is so handsome that he has literally (and in Lois's opinion, deservingly) been declared the Sexiest Man Alive. Indeed, he's angelic and otherworldly, just like this strange crystal castle. So the notion that he finds her beautiful is almost as unlikely as the notion of this inanimate fortress finding her beautiful. Except… except that Clark really does feel that strongly about her, for some strange reason.

So she does what she normally does when she struggles to make sense of everything: she cracks a joke.

"You're too damn sweet, Smallville. But then again, for all I know, you could be calling me ugly because I can't understand you."

"If I called you ugly, in any language, then I'd be nothing but an absolute liar."

"Then maybe you were cursing at me."

He looks somewhat indignant. "I'd never do that. Cursing is rude, Lois, and it badly influences children."

She blinks and laughs at his stereotypical farmboy manners. "Clark, we're in the Arctic. I don't think any children will fall victim to the 'evils of swear words' while we're here."

He raises an eyebrow at her. "Do you want to come inside, or are you going to keep trying to make me look bad?"

"Well, if we're dishing out compliments here, Smallville, I really don't think anything in the universe could make you look bad."


The inside is even more breathtaking. The entrance, which only seems to open at Clark's touch, leads to a spacious hall. At its center is a crystal statue - a man and a woman in geometric clothing, their hands united to lift a spherical planet. From the hologram she watched in the Kents' cellar, she can easily relate the figures to the image of his biological parents. It astounds her that it is here, having seemingly formed on its own.

Clark guides her by the hand toward what appears to be some sort of holographic computer console, also made of crystal, just like everything else in this 'fortress'. It immediately reacts to his presence, blaring out words that must be Kryptonian. The sentence ends with "Kal-El," so she figures that it must be some sort of greeting. In response, Clark says a few things in a commanding tone, but she cannot make sense of them.

"What did that mean?" she asks. "Not that I'm trying to butt into your conversation with your crystal fortress, but I'm starting to feel like a third wheel here."

He smiles. "I asked the computer to access Earth frequencies and signals to learn human languages." Then, the smile falters a bit. "Just because I can speak Kryptonian now, doesn't mean I'm comfortable with it - it still feels like I was forced to know these things. And the fact that something could control me so easily… scares me, to be honest."

For a few moments, Lois doesn't know how to respond to that. His implications… are significant, of course. The idea that something - anything - could manipulate Superman to commit horrible deeds is certainly terrifying. And since Lois experienced the way that the crystal almost wiped Clark's personality clean… she cannot say that it is a notion beyond comprehension.

But it is also something that she refuses to consider possible.

"You resisted this thing the whole time, Clark. Even when the crystal was in your hand, you managed to regain control of yourself. I won't say that you shouldn't be afraid of losing control… but I think you should also trust yourself not to."

"I suppose," he sighs. "And this is what I wanted, right? To learn about my culture?"

"As far as you've told me, yes."

"I just… this is more like inheriting a house from a dead relative. It's not the same as knowing them. It's just their old stuff. Given to me for safe-keeping," he muses. "Not sure I want it. I would have preferred to learn about Krypton from someone actually from there, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand how you must be feeling."

There is silence for a few moments, in which she suspects Clark is contemplating his status as The Last Son of Krypton too deeply. Once again, she tries to lighten the mood.

"This could make a good place for a romantic getaway, though," Lois remarks half-jokingly.

He raises an eyebrow, but smirks. "In the Arctic?"

"Well, it's no Hawaii, but it's not that cold in here. And how hard would it be to fly a mattress up here?"

"Anyyyway," Clark interrupts, still smirking visibly, but trying to straighten his features. "There's something else I wanted to show you. There's this device that the crystal made - my father's records called it a 'Phantom Zone projector.'" He runs his hand over a box-like mechanism protruding from the floor next to the holographic computer.

"That sounds a bit scary," Lois remarks.

"What it does is...confusing. A bit beyond me. But if I'm not mistaken, it might have been used to house objects in some sort of pocket dimension. I don't know if my father ever used it, but if he had, I wonder whether I should try to open the door-"

Suddenly, the screen of the computer lights up on its own and emits a beeping sound. Lois is initially impressed by the speed at which the system responds to Clark's commands, however subtle they may be. But then it begins talking in Kryptonian, and she sees Clark's eyebrows knit together in incredulity and confusion.

"What is it?" she inquires. "Something wrong?"

Clark takes a step toward the computer. "The system is reporting your presence as some sort of violation of its 'Eradicator' protocols. But that shouldn't be right… I'm supposed to command the system, and if I'm giving you access-"

The computer blares again, and suddenly, crystals form and expand from the ground. They shape into humanoid figures that stand and approach them threateningly, sharp arms of jagged crystal pointed toward them.

Clark pulls Lois behind himself and yells a string of Kryptonian words, all of them clearly commands for the robots to stop. But they do not listen, and continue to approach.

Groaning in aggravation, Clark speeds forward and smashes the crystals apart with his bare hands. They fall in broken shards to the ground with a tinkling sound, like a shattered window. After that, they are still, leaving Lois and Clark with nothing but immense surprise and confusion.

Clark turns to her, saying, "I'm sorry. I don't know why that happened. It shouldn't have happened."

"It's alright," Lois replies, though in her head, she can admit that she is shaken by his fortress's reaction to her. "I mean, no harm, no-"

BEEEEP. BEEEEP. The computer is screeching some sort of alarm now, and all Lois can do is cover her ears to block it out. Even Clark cries out at the sound, proceeding mimic her action with a pained expression. She can only imagine how the volume is affecting his super-hearing, if it is hurting her ears this badly.

They are nearly paralyzed by the noise, and as they stand there, frozen, the shattered piece of crystal reform and regroup, drawing more material from the ground below. Soon, they have reformed into more crystal creatures - greater in number and size. As Lois stares in horror, they begin to move toward her menacingly, like they fully intend to tear her limb from limb.

TBC...


DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING SUPERMAN OR DC COMICS-RELATED

A/N: For those of you who don't know how my writing process works, I always try to be many chapters ahead of my posting so I can go back and correct mistakes/fix continuity errors. And currently, this book (including the chapters I have not posted) is 400 pages long, and I'm not nearly done, which is kinda crazy. Plus, when I say "this book" I mean book two on its own, not book one. So yeah. This is gonna be loooong.

Tbh, this book should have been broken into two, but I wanted it to be a trilogy. Oh well.

Also remember that thing I said about not everything in this series being happy and fluffy? Please keep that in mind and refrain from yelling at me when that stuff happens.

And I'm sorry to leave you guys with another cliffhanger! But this chapter was super long as it is and I need to stall for time while I finish this book so I can get on to the next one. Hope you enjoyed! Please review!