Chapter 1 Part 3
Clark and Chloe sat in the back of Scott's car with Jean sat in the passenger seat while they made their way into town. The professor had asked both Scott and Jean to give Clark and Chloe the tour of the town so that they could see what things around town were like. Both Scott and Jean had also been told by the professor that he had asked Clark about joining the institute as well.
In reality Scott wasn't sure about having Clark at the institute as for some reason he felt uneasy around the other teen. He knew he wasn't being fair to Clark in that respect but after seeing how he fought Juggernaut the other teen for a lack of a better word, scared the crap out of him. It wasn't fair to think it but he couldn't help but worry about what would happen if Clark joined the Institute and then fell in with the brotherhood. If what he had seen from Clark was true then the Scott knew that the other teen could probably wipe the floor with them. While knowing that he shouldn't be thinking along these lines he couldn't help it as it was his responsibility to make sure that his team-mates were kept safe. Hopefully though he was just being paranoid and he hoped that after spending a few hours with Clark that those fears would be put to rest.
As for Jean she had kept herself fairly quiet during the trip from the institute as she wasn't really sure what she should say. During the ride she had spoken briefly with Chloe and she had to admit that she liked the blond girl and hoped that if Chloe joined the institute that they would become friends. Clark however she wasn't so sure about after their brief conversation earlier. The way he had spoken to her had sent a cold shiver down her spine and in a way the look in his eyes frightened her. He seemed to suddenly switch and become a different person and all his emotions seemed to disappear. There was a coldness there that she didn't understand and that was what frightened her the most.
On the other hand though she also knew what it was like to be different from everyone else. Unlike the rest of the mutants at the institute her powers had shown up when she was ten years old just after she had seen her best friend killed in a traffic accident. From what the professor had told both her and Scott, Clark had had his powers since early childhood and had spent his entire life hiding what he was. That little piece of information had helped her understand why Clark was so guarded as having powers at such a young age was something that she could relate to. She only hoped that eventually Clark would feel comfortable enough around her and that others to open up a bit. With that though in mind though she realised that maybe if she talked to him about her own experiences that it might help him loosen up.
Coming out of her thoughts she sent Scott a telepathic message telling him to head towards the Mall. Once that was done she turned around in her seat to look towards Clark and Chloe. "Guys…We're going to start our little tour at the mall since we can grab a drink there and just chill for a bit"
"Alright" Chloe responded while Clark simply give the red head a nod in response.
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Arriving at the mall the four teens quickly exited Scott's car and made their way inside. As they made their way through the mall though Chloe couldn't help but notice that there was a little tension between Clark and Jean and she couldn't help but wonder what had happened. Her natural curiosity kicking in she slowed her pace to which Clark instantly responded to by slowing his own allowing them to drop behind Scott and Jean.
"So do you want to tell me what's going on between you and Jean?" Chloe asked the Kryptonian teen.
Letting out a sigh Clark had to admit that he should have known that Chloe would have picked up on the little tension between himself and the red head. "She kind of tried the twenty questions routine on me…Let's just say that it didn't end well when I told her that I wasn't playing and had no intention of answering her."
"Clark…You've got to let someone in eventually." The blond stated letting out her own sigh. Don't get her wrong she loves Clark but on times she cant help but pity him. She also often felt a slight annoyance towards his parents about the way that they had raised him in regards to his abilities. Ok granted that advertising to the world that he is an alien would probably be a bad thing. However it didn't change the fact that being raised the way he had been, had made him afraid of himself and those around him.
Since she found out the truth about Clark she had noticed that he had changed around her and that he wasn't the dorky farm boy that he pretended to be. She had seen the signs of his Alien nature buried under the surface rise within him on more than one occasion. In fact she often found this other side of him to be quite the turn on even though she would never tell him that. However that side of him would always end up being buried as the dorky farm boy came back to the surface. Clark needed to be able to let that side of himself out without having to worry about what his parents would say or do. The sad truth was that Clark's parents had raised him as a human, and in doing so it had made him afraid of what he really was. She hoped that somehow he would find being around others who were different easier and that it would allow him to express himself more than what he normally does. "She didn't mean any harm Clark…They're just curious."
"I know…It's just my whole life has been about hiding who and what I am…And now it's all out in the open so to speak."
"Maybe…But did you ever consider that this might actually be a good thing?" The blond asked.
Clark came to a complete stop and looked at Chloe as if she had just grown a second head. "How could this possibly be a good thing." He asked in frustration.
"Because maybe for once in your life you can let go and not have to worry about what others would think of you…You don't need to tell them about what you are Clark…But you can at least express yourself more than what you can at home."
"I know your worried about me Chlo and I appreciate that…But I don't know how to do what your suggesting." With that said Clark let out another sigh before shaking his head sadly. "All my life my parents have drummed it into me about keeping who and what I am a secret…Do I need to remind you of how freaked dad was when you first found out?"
"No." The blond answered with a small smile as she remembered how angry Clark's father had been. "Don't take this the wrong way because I love your parents...But there are times that I think they raised you to be afraid of your own shadow." As those words left her mouth she saw an angry flare flash on Clark's face. "Clark I don't mean that in a nasty way…All I'm saying is that there's a difference between being cautious, and being afraid…And I hate to be the one to have to say this, but despite how powerful you are…You are constantly afraid."
"I know Chlo." The alien teen stated as he let out a small sigh. Every word Chloe had just said to him was true and he knew that he had spent his whole life in fear of what he was. Despite knowing that his friend was right it was the only way he knew how to live. It was after all how he was raised and he didn't know how to be anything else.
Chloe could see Clark was lost in thought and decided that maybe it would be a good idea to let the subject drop for the time being. Clark needed her help though and as his best friend she would do that. She didn't like the idea of Clark always keeping people at arms length because of how he was raised. "Come on…Let's catch up with Scott and Jean." She finally said taking Clarks hand in hers and pulling him back towards the two X-Men.
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After taking a trip through the mall and grabbing something to eat Scott and Jean took Clark and Chloe around the town so that they could find their way around if they decided to stay. The X-Men also noted a great change in Clark's demeanour as the day wore on and they were both curious about it. They had both noted that Chloe had had some words with Clark throughout the day although they didn't know what was said.
Jean for her part had been tempted to read Chloe's mind again but she knew she couldn't and that she needed to respect both Clark and Chloe's privacy. She still didn't like how secretive Clark was especially since they all knew that he had powers. However as he mind drifted back to what the professor had said about Clark developing his powers at such an early age she decided to use that to her advantage as she walked over to him. "Hey Clark... We're about to head back to the mansion."
Clark turned his head towards Jean and nodded in response. "Ok."
Again Jean noted how disconnected his voice sounded and decided to try again and strike up a conversation with him. "You know, you and I have something in common." She said which caused Clark to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "The Professor said that your powers developed when you were still a child... That's one thing I can relate to." At that Jean noted that his expression changed to that of curiosity so she decided to continue. "When I was ten... My best friend was killed in front of me, in a traffic accident... I don't know how but seeing her laying there broken." The memory of that day suddenly hit her a lot harder than she expected and she had to stop herself for a second.
Clark noticed the pain in the red heads voice and instantly reached out and placed his hand right hand on her shoulder. "Jean, It's ok... You don't need to talk about it." He said as he realised with Jean was trying to do. Realising that she was offering an olive branch so to speak he thought back on what Chloe had said to him earlier as well as the conversation he had had with his mother on the phone. Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly. "For as long as I can remember, I've had my abilities... At first it was only the strength and I've had that for as long as I can remember... But as I get older, I keep getting stronger... When I was twelve the super speed kicked in... At first I could only run at about thirty miles an hour, but again as I get older and stronger... I'm also getting faster... My whole life I've been different and my parents have drummed it into me, that I'm not to tell anyone about it... The only reason I told Chloe was because she came to me when her abilities first started showing and was completely freaked out by it... If she hadn't developed her own abilities... I don't think I would have ever told her." With that said Clark let out another sigh. "My whole life has been about hiding and lying to people... Keeping who and what I am a secret from everybody..."
"And with everyone asking about what you can do... It's putting you on the defensive." Jean said interrupting what he was saying as she realised that he wasn't being funny with them and that he was just afraid. "I'm sorry if you feel like we're pressuring you."
Clark shook his head at that. "I don't blame you or the others for being curious... If I was in your position, I would probably do the same thing that you guys are doing." Removing his hand from her shoulder he give the red head a small smile. "I'm sorry about the way I was this morning... Sometimes when I get defensive, I can become a little cold and distant."
Jean looked into Clark's eyes and could tell that he was being honest with her, so she give him a small smile of her own. "That's alright... At least now I can understand why you were being defensive about your powers... It's the only way of life you've ever known... I'll make sure the guys don't pressure you about it... But when your ready, know that you can trust us."
Before anything else could be said both teens heard Scott and Chloe calling them so they turned towards the other two and started to walk over to them. "Thanks." Jean then said as the two made their way over to the other pair.
"For what?" Clark asked in confusion.
"For opening up a bit... I know it couldn't have been easy." Jean answered with a small smile as she made her way towards the car leaving Clark standing there in a little bit of confusion.
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Arriving back at the institute both Clark and Chloe made their way towards the room that the blond was sharing with Jean. While that was going on Scott pulled Jean to one side. "So... Umm things between you and Clark seem to be a lot better than it was this morning." Scott stated in a tone that Jean knew all to well. It was a tone that was pretty much telling her that he wanted to know what was going on.
"Clark and i just had a little chat to clear the air... We kinda got off on the wrong foot this morning." The red head said in response.
"Anything i should know about?" He asked.
Jean shook her head at that as she now understood why Clark was the way he was. She realised that the farm boy needed time to get used to everyone before they start pressuring him. "No... There's nothing to worry about... As Chloe said, just give him some time."
"You know more than what your telling me." It wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement and Scott knew that Jean wasn't telling him something.
"Yes I do... And i give Clark my word that I wouldn't pressure him and that I'd make sure nobody else did either." With that said Jean turned towards the professor's office as she wanted to have a chat to him about the dream or memory of Clark's that she had experienced the night before.
As for Scott, all he could do was stand there and watch as Jean walked away towards the professor's office.
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"So you believe that what you experienced was one of Clark's memories?" Charles asked the young red head who had just told him about the dream or vision she had had during the night about Clark.
Jean nodded in response and let out a small sigh. "It was weird... It was a memory of a vision that some psychic showed him... When he touched her the world suddenly shifted and I found myself standing in an endless graveyard... Clark was just kneeling there for a few seconds until he realised what was going on." At that Jean shuddered at the memory of what she saw. "It was as if he had outlived all life on Earth... The stars were even different... The Constellations, I didn't recognise any of them." With that said Jean closed her eyes for a second as the last part of that vision played out in her mind. "There was something else... Something that I don't even think Clark remembers about that vision."
"What is it?" Charles asked with genuine curiosity.
"Just as Clark's memory of the vision ended I saw something else behind him... I don't think he saw it or at least he doesn't remember it." With that she let out another sigh as confusion set in. "Behind him I saw... I saw this giant bird that seemed to be made out of flames... But the confusing part about it all, was that this bird spoke... It called out to Clark, but it called him Kal... But the really weird part of it was that I recognised the voice of the bird... It was my voice."
Hearing that the flaming bird called Clark by his Kryptonian name instantly made Charles realise that what Jean had seen, was real. He himself knew that Clark's birth name was in fact Kal-El, or Kal for short. The other thing that made him a believer in what Jean had seen, was the flaming bird. He knew what this flaming bird was as he knew that it was some kind of second consciousness that resided deep inside Jean's mind, even if she wasn't aware of it yet. This second consciousness was in fact a pathway to a power far beyond Jean's imagination. He also knew that Jean's mind couldn't handle what he knew was the Phoenix, at least not in the long term. For Jean to be able to handle the power she needed Clark, but that was a matter for another time. He knew that revealing too much information was not a good idea, at least not yet. Kal had told him that a paradox was in play and that messing with it, could be very bad. He needed to be careful, but he also needed to put Jean at ease over what she had experienced. "Jean... I believe that you did pick up on one of Clark's more disturbing memories... You should be careful however if you can access his mind."
"But that's the thing professor... I've tried casually picking things up from him and I get nothing... If you cant even read his mind, then how can I?" The red head asked in confusion as the professor's telepathic abilities were far beyond her own.
"Jean, brainwaves operate on a frequency much like a radio... While my telepathy may be more powerful than yours at the moment. I believe that you may be able to pick up on frequencies outside of my range... Clark's brainwave's aren't like other human's or mutants, but I believe that his brainwave frequency is on the very edge of your ability to receive them... If I had to guess going on what you've told me... I would say that when he's asleep or unconscious... His brainwaves can be picked up by you."
"So your saying that I can pick up frequencies that you cant and that Clark's frequency is just inside my ability to pick them up?" Jean asked as she began to understand what the professor was telling her.
Charles nodded at that as he realised that he may have to have a talk with both Clark and Jean sooner than he had planned. However he also needed to have a talk with Clark on his own as it was time to tell the young Kryptonian a few things. At the moment though he turned his attention back to the red head and answered her. "Yes... As I said, it's not a matter of telepathic power... But more of the frequency range that you can detect... What I want you to do... If you continue to have these visions is to come and see me about them... There may be things that you see and experience that wont make sense to you... Some may to be quite honest, scare you."
Hearing that Jean suddenly got the feeling that the Professor knew a lot more about Clark than he had been letting on. "Professor... I get the feeling that you know something about Clark... Something that your not willing to tell the rest of us."
"You would be right Jean." Charles stated with a sigh as he should have realised that she'd pick up on the fact that he knew more than he was letting on. "There's a lot I cant tell you... At least not yet... All I can say is that I've encountered someone like Clark before... I know what abilities he has, and what abilities he is yet to develop."
At the Jean sat back in her seat with a look of confusion on her face. What the professor had said about Clark's abilities made her realise that he was far more than your average mutant.
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"So lets see if i got this straight... Logan is crazy." Chloe stated as she dodged a large wrecking ball as it came flying towards her.
"Like, totally crazy." Kitty responded as she allowed the wrecking ball to pass right through her.
"Tell me again... Why would i want to come to this place." The blond said back as she focused her eyes on the wrecking ball as it made it's way back to them. She had absorbed Scott's powers earlier that day and now was the time to test it out. Focusing on the ball as it approached her she felt her eyes heat up before two intense beams of red light blasted from her eyes destroying the wrecking ball completely.
Logan watched from the observation room with a small smile. The new kid seemed to handle herself quite well and she seemed to have a natural talent for understanding any ability that she absorbed. The only thing left was to try and get the teen who was standing behind him involved as well. "You sure you don't want to try it yourself kid?"
"The point in that would be?" Clark asked with sarcasm as he looked out over the danger room before glancing back at Logan. "From what I can tell... Nothing in that room would even slow me down."
Logan raised his eyebrow at that since the farm boy had been rather mute when it came to his abilities. "Just what can you do exactly?"
Clark let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a few seconds as he fought back years of being raised keep everything about him a secret. However taking both his mother's and Chloe's advice he decided that he should just go for it. "Well so far... I have super strength and i have super speed as well... Then there's the whole thing about being bullet proof and very hard to hurt... I also have X-ray vision and what I call heat vision as well... The heat vision from what I can tell I can send out blasts of focused beams of infrared radiation."
"That's quite a list kid." Logan responded with another raised eyebrow.
"Oh and just to add insult to injury... I'm constantly getting stronger and faster... Two years ago if i got shot it would leave a bruise... Now I barely even feel the bullets if they hit me."
Before Logan could respond he suddenly head Charles in his mind telling him to send Clark to his office. "The professor wants to see you kid... And give me a little time and I'll find some way to get a workout from you."
Clark nodded as he realised that the professor must have used his telepathy to contact Logan. "Do you ever get used to the professor calling you like that?" He asked in reference to the telepathic message.
"After a while... You get used to it and it's just like someone calling you from across a room."
With that Clark turned and left the observation room leaving Logan behind to think of a way to get Clark involved in the training sessions. Thankfully he also knew that Forge was working on a new project for the danger room and if what that crazy kid had told him was true, then he will be having lot's of fun when it's ready.
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Clark walked into the professor's office and saw the man sitting there behind his desk. "You wanted to see me professor?" He asked.
Charles looked up from his desk before moving out from behind it. "Ah, yes Clark... Please take a seat."
The teen made his way over to the couch as the professor moved up next to Clark in his wheelchair before letting out a small sigh of his own. In truth Charles wasn't really sure how Clark would react to what he was about to say. "Firstly Clark I need to apologise to you." He started to say which instantly got him a look of confusion from the young man. "I have not been completely honest with you and before I say anymore on that I need you to know that I was prevented from doing so by a promise I made long ago."
"Professor, what are you talking about?" Clark asked in complete confusion.
Charles looked at Clark for a few seconds as he thought over what he was about to say. There was a lot of things he couldn't tell the young man yet but he also knew that he had to tell Clark certain things, especially if he was going to get Clark to join the institute. So with that in mind he started to speak again. "When i was in my final year of university i was almost killed." He started to say which got him a look of shock from the young man. "The details about what happened aren't important... But what is important, especially to you... Is that I was saved by a Kryptonian." With that said he instantly noticed the look of shock and then fear that spread across the young man's face. "I know what you are Clark... And where your from." Instantly Clark jumped off the couch and backed away in shock and Charles knew he needed to be very careful in how he approached this situation. "Clark, relax nobody besides myself knows... I only worked it out after i saw you fighting my brother... I have seen the powers you possess before, as well as some you don't have yet."
"How?" Was the only thing that Clark could ask at this point. He had the download from the cave inside his head as well as the message that Virgil Swann had shown him but apart from that, he was completely in the dark.
"There's a lot I cant tell you as I made a promise to that Kryptonian that saved my life... However since you are here and have been raised on Earth, I can only assume that Krypton has been destroyed... It was in the middle of a civil war if what the Kryptonian I met said was true."
Clark started to calm down a bit at that and looked the professor in the eyes. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"In truth... I didn't know how you'd react... I wasn't going to tell you but I learned something today, and I needed you to be aware of it... And for that I needed to tell you that I know about what you are... Your secret will not leave my lips unless you want it to... I have carried the knowledge of your people for a few decades now, and I am a man of my word."
"You said something's happened?" The confused Kryptonian teen asked.
"Yes... While you were unconscious, Jean was able to pick up a memory from your mind... She said she saw you talking with an old woman before you had some kind of vision where you were standing in an endless graveyard." The professor said and instantly noticed the young man wince at his words.
"Cassandra." Clark said in a whisper as he sat back down before looking at the professor. "What does Jean know?"
"Nothing... From what I can gather, her ability to read your mind is extremely limited... I wanted you to be aware of it as she picked up on your memory by accident and wasn't even sure how she did it."
"So what happens now?... I mean with you knowing about what I am." Clark asked.
"My offer still stands Clark... I would like you to attend the institute... I owe the Kryptonian that saved my life a dept that i cannot fully repay... However I know about the abilities that you now have as well as abilities that you are yet to develop... I will not reveal your true identity to anyone and it will stay between us if that is what you wish."
In truth this whole situation was a lot for Clark to deal with at the moment so with that in mind he stood up again. "Professor... I need time to process this." With that said he zipped out of the room before Charles could respond.
Charles for his part just looked at the spot where Clark was standing only a second ago, hoping he had done the right thing.
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So there you are people Chapter 1 Part 3 is finished
Let me know what you think all feedback good and bad are welcome
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