Chp 25 – Kismet
-- Smallville – October 2010 --
Still grimacing from the piercing noise, Clark stumbled into the hidden cavern behind the cave wall. Everything was just as he'd left it the last time he was there. The three stones that had been one of the focal points of his senior year and beyond, sat mockingly silent in the center of the stone table. The gap in the middle of the three stones brought back the frustration he'd felt when he returned with the third stone.
The stone on the bracelet glowed stronger as he walked closer to the table, and he peered at it curiously. Frowning, Clark snapped the stone away from the band and held it toward the table. The other three crystals began glowing, and he gasped as the small stone from the bracelet seemed to leap from his hand and seat itself in the heart of the compound. It fit perfectly.
The stones seemed to meld together, the creases that lined the joining sections disappearing before his eyes. As the newly created crystal rose from the table under its own power, Clark noticed that it had turned clear, as if made of glass.
In awe, he reached for it, and a bright light exploded around him with great force as his fingers wrapped around its cool surface.
Clark blinked against the bright light as it faded. When he looked around, he found that he was standing in a vast snow covered ice field. He had no idea how he'd gotten there.
Slowly turning in a circle, he noticed a grey dot in the sky. It wasn't moving. Using his enhanced vision, he zoomed in to see that it was a bird- frozen in mid-flight. Looking down, he saw that the crystal was still in his hand. The entire experience was surreal.
"What do you want from me!" he shouted into the cerulean sky.
His voice echoing against the distant mountains was his only answer.
Helplessly, he wondered how he could get home if he didn't even know where he was. Angry, he flung the crystal into the air, throwing it like a football on it's way to a Hail Mary.
His mouth dropped as it hit the snow, and immediately melted through it to the ice below. He heard creaking as the ice floor cracked, causing the ground to shake, and making him stagger.
He wasn't sure, but it looked like Hell was about to break loose.
Jonathan skidded to a halt in the truck, sending a spray of dirt and rock with the quick action. Leaving the ignition running, he jumped out of the truck and rushed over to the spot where Clark lay crumpled on the ground. Below them, the Kawatche caves walls were shaking, ready to close it doors forever on the secrets that were held there.
"Clark!" the older man shouted, shaking his son's shoulder. "Come on, Son. We've got to get out of here."
Confused, Clark blinked at his surroundings. "Dad?"
"Yeah. Let's go," Jonathan grunted as he helped pull Clark to his feet. When Clark stumbled, off balance, he pulled Clark's arm around his neck and grabbed his waist. "Are you okay?"
"I think so- my equilibrium is off," Clark answered, leaning on his father as they headed to the truck.
Jonathan helped Clark into the cab and jogged to the other side. Jumping inside, he quickly shifted into gear and spun the wheels in his haste to leave.
"First earthquake in Kansas history. That place is about to be crawling with suits." Jonathan glanced over at Clark, who was leaning heavily against the door. "What happened?"
"I don't know… it was Lois. She was it the entire time."
Jonathan's expression was perplexed as he turned his attention back to the road. "What do you mean?"
"She was the key."
Jonathan shook his head. He had no idea what Clark was babbling about. "Lois called the house. She said that you ran off after she touched the bracelet."
"How long have I been gone?" Clark asked, still dazed.
"Well, judging by the time she called, I'd say almost an hour."
"An hour?" Clark repeated in wonder. It had felt more like 24 of them. He was still having trouble remembering clearly what had happened during that time. There was snow. Birds frozen in the air. The crystal… and something rising from the ice. "I flew."
Jonathan turned at the words. "You what?"
Clark warmed to the memory. "I flew! I can fly. And…" his eyes narrowed as he tried to recall it all. "I'm supposed to do something… I can't remember."
Shaking his head to clear it, he turned to his father with wide eyes. "Dad! I don't have my abilities!"
Jonathan stopped the car. They had just turned into the Kent Farm driveway. "Was it Kryptonite?"
"No. It doesn't feel like it… it doesn't hurt or anything. I just feel… normal." After wishing for that all his life, he decided that normal was overrated. "What do I do?"
Jonathan sighed and eased the truck down the drive to its normal spot. "Well, you were pretty out of it back there, but you're starting to look better now. I'll bet your powers will start coming back little by little. Let's see if your balance is back."
Jonathan got out of the truck and headed around to the passenger side, arriving just as Clark's feet hit the ground. He was still a bit woozy, but his step was a lot firmer than it had been earlier.
"Let's get you inside. Your mother has something she'd like to show you."
"Lois!" Clark exclaimed, worriedly.
"She said she was on her way home when she called."
Clark sighed and nodded. He would get back to Metropolis as soon as he could.
"Spandex, Mom?" Clark asked, placing a hand over Cole's eyes.
The little boy was sitting on his lap, giggling and pulling at the hand blocking his view. He thought that it was an elaborate game of peek-a-boo.
Martha smiled and reached for the toddler, pulling him into her arms. "Well, I noticed that your underwear never seemed to get destroyed with all of the times you singed your clothes running through fires…"
Clark blushed. "That's because they were the last line of defense!"
"I think it's your aura- you know how you're able to use your body as a shield? I think that things close to your skin share your invulnerability. And I think the cape would look nice billowing behind you in the wind."
"Billowing?" Clark wasn't sure why he'd allowed himself to get talked into this costume thing. His powers had come back, and he had been experimenting with his new ability to fly. While he had done that, though, his mother had been busy altering designs for a disguise.
She was about as excited as she used to get when it was time to make his Halloween and school play costumes. He shot Cole a sympathetic glance. The poor baby didn't know what he was in for.
"Go try it on," his mother directed, pushing him toward the bathroom.
Clark sighed and gathered the primary-colored fabric into his arms.
A few minutes later, he stood looking in the mirror. Giving himself an once-over, he had a feeling that people would see more than he wanted them to. He had to admit that the cape was pretty cool. He splashed some water on his hair and slicked it back. The idea was to not look recognizable. He didn't want anyone to know that it was him… in tights.
There was a knock on the door and it opened a crack, only wide enough for his mother to slip her hand in. She was holding something red and yellow.
Clark looked down at his chest. She had already added a stylized Kryptonian symbol to the front. He had described it to her when his memories of the Arctic castle had started surfacing. He had learned that it had been his family crest on Krypton. The symbol for the House of El.
What more could she possibly add?
"You forgot these," Martha said through the door.
Clark pulled them from her grasp. "What are they?"
"I'm not sure what to call them… briefs, I guess."
"I've got to put these things on under this suit? Who's going to see my underwear?"
He heard his mother chuckle. "No, they go on the outside."
"What!"
"They'll help… cover you up a bit."
Clark glanced down. She was right about that.
He stepped out of the door when he was finished adjusting everything. "Well?"
Martha stepped back in shock. She hadn't been quite prepared for the forceful stature of the man that stepped out of her bathroom. Even Cole gazed at him with a curious unfamiliarity.
"If I didn't know it was you…" Martha began.
"Clark! Martha!" Jonathan called from the lower level. "Come quick!"
They rushed down the stairs and into the den. Jonathan did a double take on Clark before gesturing to the television.
"…The police don't have much to go on right now, but witnesses say that the woman was pulled into a black sedan in the middle of the day. You can see behind me that Centennial Park has been turned into a virtual crime scene. Police say right now that they have no leads on the identity of the woman, and don't know if in fact foul playwas involved. We'll keep you updated as we get learn more. Back to you, Vanessa… And in local news, scientists are at a loss in explaining the recent seismic activity…"
Clark glanced at his parents as the news continued in the background. "Lois."
tbc
