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Note to readers:
Sorry I have not updated in a while. Life has been really busy for me in the last few months and I have not had time to update. Since I don't have time to update all my stories, i have had to choose two to work on. With that said I will be working only on this story and one other for the foreseeable future.
I am just responding to a few people who commented on Clark being a lot slower than he should be. I have done this for a reason and he is actually a lot faster and stronger. This will be explained later on.
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Chapter 1 Part 5
Clark had started to pack his clothes as he and Chloe would be leaving and heading back to Smallville that evening. In truth a part of him he realized wanted to stay a few more days, but he had things he had to do back home. The baby would be born in a few more months and he had his duties as Lex's best man to do as well. Even now the idea of Lex getting married again, was a little strange. However he was glad that it was Helen his friend was marrying and he was also glad that as far as he knew, she wasn't meteor infected.
"Clark, the others are having breakfast if your interested." A familiar voice stated from the doorway.
Clark turned towards the door to look at Jean who was standing there leaning against the door frame. "Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes." He responded as he put a shirt into his bag. "So is Chloe still going on the school tour with you guys?"
"Yeah. Why don't you come with us? It will give you a chance to see Bayville high, you might like it." The red head said back. In truth for some reason the thought of Clark leaving was upsetting her and she didn't want him to go. It also amazed her how quickly she had gotten used to him being around and she knew she would miss him. The day before they had spent hours talking and laughing out on the cliff overlooking the ocean. Nothing happened between them but for reasons she couldn't explain, she liked being near him.
Having recently broken up with Duncan though, she wasn't really looking for another relationship and she knew Clark wasn't really looking for one either. When they had been talking they both told the other about the relationships in their lives. She told Clark about Duncan a boy she was dating until recently and how she ended up breaking up with him because he was always trying to get her to choose between him and her friends.
As for Clark he told her about Lana and their on again off again flirting and dancing around each other. He also admitted that he knew that in the long run it would never really work between them. The sad truth was that he would always be hiding what he was from her and that she would never really know who he truly was. "Have you decided if your going to come back next semester?" She asked coming out of her thoughts.
"I don't know." Clark answered honestly. "Part of me does want to come back. But I have a lot of responsibilities back home. My mom is pregnant and is due in a couple of months, and my dad will need help on the farm." There was also the part about the fact that he wasn't a mutant going through his mind as well. He also knew that his dad would definitely not allow him to join the institute either. His father was a little over protective on times and it sometimes bordered on psychotic. "I told the professor that I would talk to my parents about it though, so you never know."
"Come on, lets get something to eat before Kurt eats everything." Jean stated before turning around.
Clark followed behind while letting out a small sigh, he really was going to miss being around others who had powers of their own.
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Logan watched as the kids left for school before turning around and heading towards Charles's office. As he approached her saw Ororo walking towards him. "Chuck wanted to see you too huh?"
"Yes. I believe he wants our opinions on Chloe on Clark." The weather witch responded before turning her attention to Charles's office door. Before she could knock however both she and Logan heard the professor telling them to enter.
Charles watched as Logan and Ororo walked in and took a seat. "I take it you know why I called you here?" He asked.
"Yes." They both said in response.
"Very well, I will start with you Storm. What are your opinions on Clark and Chloe?"
Storm sat there for a few seconds thinking over what her own observations of Chloe and Clark. Chloe she found to be highly intelligent as well as being highly curious about what was going on around her. She also found the blond to be rather open and from what she could tell the young woman had no problems interacting with those around her. As for Clark, well she didn't know what to make of him. From what she had seen, he too was highly intelligent but lacked Chloe's curious nature. He was for a lack of a better word, an isolationist. From her observations he didn't interact with anyone outside of Jean from the institute and only spoke when someone spoke to him. He was closed off and very cautious of those around him and she knew without a doubt that he didn't trust them. "I think Chloe would make a fine addition to the institute." She finally said before letting out a small sigh. "However I don't believe that Clark would fit in here."
"How so?" Charles asked although he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.
"He's too detached and outside of Jean, I haven't seen him interact with anyone else from the institute. He clearly doesn't trust us and is not comfortable around us." Storm stated in response.
Charles turned his head towards Logan and asked him the same question he had asked Storm.
Logan for his part had to admit that he liked both Clark and Chloe. He knew that Storm was right in everything that she had said about both the teens, but he knew something that she didn't. She hadn't seen the young man fight off the Juggernaut and hadn't seen the knowing look in Clark's eyes that he was going to loose, but he kept fighting anyway. For that alone, as far as Logan was concerned the young man was one of them.
He had also learned a few things from his brief chats with the young man. From what he had learned, Clark has had his powers for as long as he could remember. That in itself had told him that the kid had spent his entire life hiding what he was from those around him. Hiding and keeping his distance from people was a way of life for the young man and it was something that would take the kid a while to get passed. "I think they would both be good additions here Chuck. Storm's right in everything she said, but she's forgetting one thing. Kent has had his powers since he was a young kid. His entire life has been about hiding. It's not something that you just get over. He's already started to open up with Red, give him some time. I think that he'll open up to the rest of us."
Charles sat there and thought over what both Logan and Ororo had said to him and also taking into consideration his own experiences he made his final decision. "I have already offered Clark a place here at the institute and I stand by that decision." With that said he turned his attention to Ororo. "I agree with you that Clark is closed off and distant, but Logan is right. From what I know, Clark's powers first manifested when he was around three years old. He has had to spend his entire life hiding. But I believe as Logan does that in time, he'll make a fine addition to not only the institute. But the X-Men as well."
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At Bayville High, Mystique who was still under cover as principal Darkholme had a smile on her face as she watched the X-Men arrive at the school. Magneto had instructed her to gather what Intel she could on the new student that fought off Juggernaut and it looked like she was about to get that opportunity.
As she watched the X-Men make their way towards the building there were several things running through her mind. During the fight with Juggernaut she had witnessed the new kid use several abilities. He was strong enough to make Juggernaut bleed, yet not powerful enough to stop him on his own. Then there was the fact that the young man seemed to be able to move in a similar way to quicksilver, yet not as fast. Lastly she also witnessed him using something that seemed similar to Scott Summer's ability, however not to the same intensity that the leader of the X-Men could.
Noting that the kid had these separate abilities caused Mystique to wonder if this new kid was something like Rogue. She couldn't help but wonder if the kid had the ability to absorb the powers of others. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but think that it was something else. From what she could remember from the fight, Wolverine was just as surprised as she was that the kid could hold out against the Juggernaut.
With that in mind, she hoped that she could get some information from the young man if he comes to her office.
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Clark still felt slightly out of place while hanging around with the X-Men. Chloe he noted however seemed to be perfectly fine, which was typical of his best friend. He'd noticed over the years that she was far more open to things than he was. Ok granted that she hadn't had to keep her entire life a secret like he had, even before he knew about what he really was. Right now though as the group made their way through the school, Clark was wondering about his future.
Clark knew without a doubt that Chloe would be coming back to the institute next semester. He could tell by the way that she was acting that she wanted to be at the institute with others like her. However for Clark he was feeling conflicted. His responsibilities back home aside, there were two other problems back in Smallville. The first was Lana and despite what feelings he may or may not have for her, he knew that he'd never really let her get close enough to him. That aside there was also the issue of Pete. Ever since his other best friend found out the truth about him, things had been a little off. Pete was still his friend and they still had a lot of fun together, but something was missing. He pretended not to notice, but there were times when he'd catch Pete looking at him as if trying to see if he was still the same person.
In truth Clark had hoped that things could go back to the way they used to be. At the same time however, he was also realistic. Things would never be what they once were. The fact that Chloe would be leaving was making it even harder for him to not want to leave as well. "Clark, you look a little lost." Jean said as she noticed Clark deep in thought.
Chloe who was walking with them along with Scott both turned their heads to look at Clark. "Everything ok Clark?" Chloe asked.
Coming out of his thoughts, Clark looked towards his friend. "Yeah, just lost in thought again." He answered honestly without going into details.
"Sure everything's ok?" Chloe asked again to which Clark simply nodded at her. Then Chloe looked ahead and saw that they were approaching the Principles office. "Well, looks like our day is about to get more interesting. You coming?"
Clark looked towards the principles door before turning to look back at Chloe. "Sure. It's not like I'll hear the end of it if I don't."
Chloe simply smiled at that before the pair walked towards the office leaving Scott and Jean behind.
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Back at the institute Charles was once again looking over the files of the new students that would be arriving next semester. Including Chloe and Clark if he decides to join, there would be ten more. That was a lot of super powered teenagers to be under one roof together. Thankfully, Clark seemed to have a firm grip on the abilities that he currently has. Of course, Charles knew that Clark still had a few abilities that he has not yet developed.
Kal and Jean who had traveled back in time to save him had given him a fair amount of information about their future selves. The memory of that conversation was also playing heavily on his mind. Jean had warned him about what was going to start happening to her, as well as why it was important for Clark to be there. Time Travel was still one area that he could never understand and he could only hope that things work out the way that Kal and Jean hoped. That said he also knew that he'd need to keep an eye on both Clark and Jean. Their future counterparts had also warned him about how intense their relationship would become. Especially after Jean begins to go through her transformation.
That was another thing that was worrying Charles. He had no idea how things between Clark and Jean would actually start, or how close they will become before he goes back to Smallville. On top of that there was also the issue of what would happen should Clark become a student. The one interesting thought that was also popping into his head was how Logan would respond to things.
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"So do you think Clark and Chloe will join the institute?" Scott asked Jean who was sitting opposite him in the cafeteria while they waited for the two teens in question to finish with the principle.
"Chloe I think is already sold on the idea." Jean answered before letting out a small sigh. "But I'm not sure about Clark though. His mother is pregnant and he's not really sure about what to do about his future."
There was a hint of sadness in Jean's voice that didn't go unnoticed by Scott. "You like him? Don't you?" He asked while doing his best not to let any jealousy show. He'd been in love with Jean for years, but knew that she didn't feel the same about him. In fact he learned from Chloe that she went thought he same thing with Clark and it was nice to know that there was someone else out there that understood. Chloe had told him that he couldn't keep putting his life on hold hoping that Jean would come around. He knew that she was right and he'd spent a little time thinking about it.
"Yeah. I guess I do." Jean admitted with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But I'm not ready to jump into another relationship. I'm still trying to sort myself out after breaking up with Duncan."
Scott nodded his head in understanding at that. He'd spent the night in Jean's room while she cried her eyes out the night she broke up with the Jock. He may not have liked Duncan but Jean did and it broke his heart to see her so hurt by what she had felt she needed to do. It was not a decision that he'd ever had to make and knowing that Jean had broken up with Duncan for her friends, made it hard for him not to partly blame himself. He often wondered if he could have tried harder to be friendly with Duncan, even if it was only for Jean's benefit. "There's no rush." He finally said which got him a look of curiosity from Jean. "I mean if he does decide to join the institute, it wont be until next semester. It will give you time to sort things out and decide what you want."
"Your a good friend Scott." Jean stated with a little pride in her voice at having a friend as good as Scott was.
Scott merely smiled back in response.
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In the principles office, Clark and Chloe sat there and listened while the woman spoke. For the last half an hour the woman had been explaining about the school and what would be expected of them. However both Clark and Chloe had picked up on something. While the woman spoke, she seemed to change her tone whenever she spoke of the others at the Institute. It was almost as if she was trying to hide her dislike of the place.
For Clark, there was something else that was bothering him. Something on the edge of his awareness that he couldn't quite place. The only way to describe it was an instinctive distrust of the woman. There was something off about her that he couldn't quite place. "So do either of you have any questions?" The principle asked the teens as their meeting was coming to a close.
Both Clark and Chloe shook their heads in response to that as the both of them wanted to get out of there. "Alright, well I shall see the two of you next semester should you join, Xavier's Institute. The two of you should head to the cafeteria and wait for Miss Grey and Mr Summers."
Both teens recognizing the dismissal nodded their heads before getting up out of their seats and leaving the large office. Once outside Clark turned to Chloe. "There's something off about her." He stated flatly in a tone that Chloe knew all to well.
Chloe looked at Clark and let out a small sigh. "Yeah. I know. She doesn't like the Institute for some reason." The blond commented.
"Yeah, but the question is, why?" Clark responded as they turned the corner in the hallway. "We better meet up with Scott and Jean."
Chloe nodded in agreement and the two teens carried on towards the cafeteria.
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Back in her office, Principle Darkholme otherwise known as Mystique sat behind her desk deep in thought. The meeting with the two teens had gone as you'd expect for two new people who would be joining the School. However she had not been able to catch on to anything with either of them. She'd seen the girl at the mansion but she hadn't gotten involved in the fight. As for the boy, he was not what she'd expected. For someone who'd been able to hold his own against the Juggernaut, he was rather laid back. In fact his control seemed remarkable considering his strength. That in itself could pose a problem in the future.
She needed to find out more about these two individuals. However she also knew that they were returning to their home town that evening. Why they were leaving at night she didn't know.
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Time travel, it was a complicated thing yet Lara Kent had to admit that she was rather enjoying it. Being the eldest of her siblings, she was chosen for this little mission while her parents had gone back even further into the past to protect the Professor. Her long flowing red hair whipping around in the breeze was just as bright as her mothers. Yet her blue eyes glowed as she looked through the walls of the school.
Seeing her parents at this age caused a mix of feelings within her. They seemed so innocent and not burdened by the future that she knew was going to come. Looking down she lifted her hand to look at the ring on her finger. The same ring that her parents also wore. It was a symbol, the symbol of the Legion. She had a mission and she would carry that mission out, no matter what. Her parents after all, were to important to the future.
With a small smile she brought her eyes back into normal focus before retreating into an alley. A quick check revealed that she was alone and with that she looked up into the sky before shooting off. Within a mew moments she was up amongst the clouds. She loved being able to fly, even if unlike her parents, she couldn't go into space. Well she could, but she needed a suit. Being half human didn't exactly give her all of her fathers abilities. Although, being a telekinetic was fun.
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As the evening came, both Clark and Chloe were sitting in the professor's office as they were due to leave. All of their bags were packed and they were just waiting for a final chat with the professor. "Sorry I'm late. I've had a rather busy day." The Professor stated as he entered the room.
"That's ok Professor." Chloe responded as the wheelchair bound man made his way to his desk.
Coming to a stop behind his desk he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. "I know that things didn't exactly turn out as I had hoped." He stated with a small smile. "However i would like to inform you both that you are more than welcome to attend next semester. All I will need is the paperwork that you've been given signed by your parents. It has been a pleasure to have the two of you here and I do hope that you will consider..." Whatever he was about to say next was cut off by Kitty's scream of terror and before anyone could say anything, Clark disappeared in a blur towards the scream.
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Kitty, Rogue, Kurt and Evan arrived back at the Mansion as the Professor had told them that Clark and Chloe would be leaving soon. Walking in through the main doors they were just about to head towards the professor's office when there was this strange purple flash of light. As the light faded the four teens could only stand there in utter terror as a man wearing a hard mask with a big axe appeared.
Nyeun Chun Ti otherwise known as The Persuader blinked a few times as his eyes came back into focus. This was the second time he'd gone into the past in order to stop the Kryptonian and the Traitor to humanity. As the world came back into focus he saw four teenagers standing there looking at him in shock and terror. Immediately he recognized them as the X-Men and growled in annoyance. They were traitors to, they helped the Kryptonian in his rise to power as well. Seeing an opportunity to rid himself of these 'traitors' he gripped his axe tightly as it began to glow.
The four teens saw the Axe begin to glow just as the mask wearing psychopath lunged at them. Acting on pure instinct Kitty screamed out as she phased herself just as the axe was about to connect with her.
Clark heard the scream and immediately shifted into super speed however as he entered the main hall he was taken by surprise as he saw a girl with red hair flying at super speed towards the large guy that was attacking Kitty and could only come to a stop and watch in amazement as the new girl hit the attacking man with a right hook sending him flying through the corridor.
Lara had been keeping an eye on things and saw the Persuader arrive. Seeing him about to attack the X-Men caused her to go straight into action. Flying straight towards the mansion she went straight through the door and into the attacker punching him hard in the face sending him flying down the corridor. Coming to a stop she turned her attention to the girl that she knew from the history books as Kitty Pride. "Hi." She simply stated with a smile.
Kitty along with the four other teens in the room could only stare at the new girl in shock.
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So there you are people Chapter 1 Part 5 is finished
Let me know what you think all feedback good and bad are welcome
Next up - Clark, Jean and the X-Men learn a little about their future and the future that is in store for the world as well as learn a little about the Paradox that has been created around Clark and Jean.
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