"Kal-el. You are not in any danger, I assure you!"
"Stop calling me that. I am Clark Kent. You said you needed my help. What do you want from me?"
"I am Jor-el. No, I'm not your father. I come from another dimension. A dimension where Superman does not yet exist. My son there has not yet fulfilled his destiny despite my efforts to show him the way."
"That's why you've taken me? To help some other superman realize who he is? Why me?"
"The globe you have. It served as a navigational device and as a recorder for the Jor-el in your dimension. It also worked like a homing beacon, allowing me to track down one who had fully realized his potential. One who had trully fulfilled his destiny!"
"The storm! The lightning! The caves! That was you!"
"Yes, it was necessary to make sure you were the one I was seeking and to provide a doorway to where I need you to go!"
"What if I refuse?" Clark didn't want another mission. Things had been slow. He was enjoying time with Lois. "What about my life? How long will this take?"
"You have my word that you will be sent back only a few moments after you left!" Time travel and cross dimensional travel! Another day in the life of Clark Kent.
"All right. Where are you taking me?"
"To my universe. You will be left in caves built by my people ages ago when they visited this planet. You must seek out my son and the family who took him in. You will find many differences, and only a few similarities. Now, go!" The voice continued to echo long after the light had disappeared and Clark found himself in caves similar to the ones that had appeared in his Smallville. "Well, I guess my first step would be finding my way out of here." Clark said outloud, suddenly aware that there was no one to listen.
Clark saw a light up ahead and followed it to the exit. It was a nice sunny day but Clark wasn't sure where he was. The Jo-rel from this universe had neglected to mention where or when he was. Clark figured the best thing to do would be to find a paper. He looked around, and not seeing anybody went to change into his suit, then thought twice. "The Superman here doesn't know it yet." he thought. "Maybe I'll just fly high enough not to be seen. I wonder what this guy looks like."
Clark soard above the clouds and used his enhanced vision to see below. That's when he spotted it. "Welcome to Smallville". So he hadn't left Smallville. That was encouraging. He landed in a field and, using his superspeed, followed what he figured was the main road into town.
Within moments he was standing outside what looked like an old movie theatre but was apparently not so anymore. The big sign read "Talon". This was definitely not his Smallville. He went inside and found a newspaper sitting on a table. He picked it up and noted the year. 2005! He'd travelled years in the future. At least 5 to be sure. But nothing about this Smallville, other than the name, looked familiar. This "Talon" appeared to be more of a teen hangout. Clark felt really out of place.
"Hey Clark!" Clark turned around to see a young lady at a table smiling in his direction. How did she know who he was?
Just then a young man about Clark's height walk past him, "Hi Lana!" he said then greeted her with a kiss. Clark froze. This Clark looked nothing like him. Lighter brown hair. More rigid facial features. He looked younger too! Maybe in his early twenties. And with Lana! He remembered his Lana. Her hair was blonde, not dark brown. Jo-rel wasn't kidding when he said things would be different. And yet, this young man's name was Clark. That was similar. He was obviously dating Lana. Clark wondered how many other little similarities would pop up. Clark realized how long he'd been standing there and decided to wait outside.
He walked around the block keeping an eye on this young Clark and waiting until he left. He then followed him about a block and a half before his target took off at super speed. Clark took off after him, making sure to stay far enough behind that he wouldn't be noticed. Within moments they'd arrived at the Kent farm and Clark followed his target up to the loft of a barn which was apparently a place where this young man spent a lot of time.. That's when Clark decided to confront this other Clark.
"Clark Kent?" Clark asked.
"How did you get here? I didn't hear anyone pull up the road. Who are you?"
Clark didn't know how to answer. But resigned to telling the truth without using his name. "You're father sent me. You're real father."
"Who are you talking about, and who are you?" This young man apparently had a temper, and the mention of his biological father certainly stirred him up.
"You're father, Jor-el. He brought me here to help you fulfill your destiny." Clark was talking as calmly as he could, but he could see how angry the other Clark was getting.
The other Clark clenched his teeth. "I don't know who you think you are or what Jor-el told you to do, but my destiny is mine and mine alone to choose! Now tell me, who are you?"
Clark didn't quite plan on how he was going to explain this. Had he been this dramatic as a young man? "Clark calm down. I'm on your side. My name, believe it or not, is Clark Kent. I'm not sure how all of this works, but from what I can tell, I'm from another dimension in the year 2000."
"I don't buy it. From another dimension and another time, why? I don't really know. Jor-el told me that he had exhausted all means to help you accept your destiny and needed someone who had to come and help. Whatever that means. I assume it means to help you..." Clark stopped. Maybe he shouldn't tell him everything yet. Even though he was five years in the future, this man was at least ten or twelve years younger. Clark hadn't become Superman until his late twenties. He decided to play it safe and gather more info about where he was and what kind of man this Clark really was before moving too fast.
"Tell me what?" Young Clark interrupted his thoughts.
"That can wait. Clark, are your parents around?" That seemed like the logical step. His mom and dad had always been a source and sounding board for him, maybe these folks were too.
"Are you serious? You wanna meet my parents? How can I trust you? Every time Jor-el sends someone or something to try and help me accept my destiny, someone gets hurt. I won't let you hurt them or anyone else!"
This was getting Clark nowhere. He wanted to get home, get this over with. And yet, he couldn't argue with this Clark's protective nature. But how to prove he was not a tool of Jor-el. That he was here to do what it took to get him home, but that he wasn't about to hurt anyone. He decided to take a different approach. "Clark, let me ask you, are you aware of a green rock that makes you sick?"
This caught the young man off guard. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Clark could tell he did. "Tell you what. Find some, in a lead box of course and thow the box from here. I'll wait outside. I'll prove who I am and one of two things will happen. If you trust me, have your parents rescue me. If not, let me die and you'll have nothing to worry about."
The young man seemed to ponder this for a moment. "How do I know it will affect you and that you won't use it against me?"
Clark had planned for this one. He crossed his arms, floated of the ground and out the window, standing in mid air. "Even if you don't believe I'm Clark Kent. This should prove I'm Kryptonian and therefore am vulnerable to a certain green rock." The young man stood there speachless. Then supersped out of the barn.