05/11/14
Happy Mother's Day!
Chapter 4
The main part of the robots head had landed near Clark and though he knew he should be running he went over to pick it up.
"I'm sorry robot."
Clark jumped when the robot opened its eyes and looked at him.
"You're alive," said Clark with a relieved smile.
Again Clark jumped when someone tapped his shoulder. He turned to find the robot's body, or at least most of the robot's body, it missing a leg and arm, standing beside him.
Even though the robot's body didn't have a head, it seemed to look at Clark expectedly. After a moment, it pointed to its neck.
"Oh, right," Clark put the head back onto the robot's neck and it reattached itself.
"Is anyone out there," Clark could hear a man's voice shout.
Not answering, Clark looked around for the robot's missing limbs but could not see them. He hoped the people on the train wouldn't find them either, scooping the robot up, surprisingly light considering how much metal with compacted inside of him, and flew them the rest of the way to the farm.
"You can't tell anyone I can do this, okay?" Clark said and chuckled at the robot's staring face. "Once you learn how to talk anyway."
When they landed Imra rushed out of the house, "You were supposed to wait!"
"Ah," Clark hovered in the air, just out of her reach,
"And who is that?" Imra pointed to the robot and then gasped when she saw his arm and leg were missing. "Is he alright? Does he need a hospital? Clark, he saw you fly, should I wipe his mind?"
"Relax Imra," Clark landed, hoping Imra's anger was forgotten. "It's the robot."
Imra frowned at him, "He's a little small to be a giant robot."
"I know," Clark smiled, "He can shrink apparently."
"Apparently," said Imra, looking the robot over. "What happened to his leg and arm?"
"He, um, got hit by a train." Clark mumbled.
"He what?" asked Imra.
"He was sort of, kinda, hit by a train," Clark said softly.
"He- ow," Imra jumped and looked at the ground.
By their feet was the robot's leg. It wasn't moving now but it must have rolled down the hill after them somehow and hit Imra.
Bending down, Imra picked up the leg. The metal must have been very light weight for Imra to be able to pick it up.
"Let's get him inside and reattach this," said Imra, leading them back inside.
Clark carried the robot inside and seat it, or rather him now, on one of the kitchen chairs. Now with proper light, Clark took a good look at the robot. He hadn't noticed that when the robot shrunk the insignia from the robot's chest appeared on the robot's forehead.
Getting a better look at him as well, Imra frowned, "I didn't know robots had hair and it looks a lot like yours when you first get up in the morning."
"He sort of copied me," Clark explained.
The robot stared at Imra a moment before his hair shifted. It changed from short and black, to long and blond an imitation of Imra's hair.
Despite herself, Imra giggled, "That's a bit too much hair for you little robot."
The robot stared at her, clearly not understanding.
Imra smiled at him, "Though blond does look on you, maybe a little darker?"
The robot seemed to process this and then shook his head, the blond now a darker shade.
"Good," Imra smiled. "Now, can you make it shorter again?"
Again the robot seemed to process this and then shook his head, making the hair shrink back to Clark's hair length.
"Maybe a little longer," Imra put down the leg and touched the robot's shoulders. "Could you make it to here?"
This time the robot complied a little faster and, at Imra's instruction, also included bangs which partly covered the insignia on his forehead.
"There, perfect," Imra smiled.
"Now that you're done making over the robot can we re-attach his leg?" Clark picked up the leg and silently had Imra scoot away. He bent down and held up the leg to the robot, watching as it reattached itself.
"Does this make the robot Cinderella, Prince Charming," Imra smiled at Clark, whom blushed and told Imra not to be stupid. "So what's the plan?"
Clark suddenly found the bottom of the robot's foot fascinating.
"You do have a plan, don't you Clark," asked Imra.
"I think he stepped in something," Clark mumbled, "Hopefully not someone."
"Clark," Imra warned.
Clark sighed, "I don't have a plan." He let go of the robots leg, watching as the robot's feet dangle from the chair, now no longer tall enough to reach the floor. "I just didn't want him to be out there alone."
"Oh Clark," Imra sighed but Clark could also hear her smile in that sigh. "I guess we can figure something out."
Both were taken by surprise when there was a knock at the door.
"You don't suppose that's his arm, do you," asked Clark.
"Not unless the arm has a mind of its own," Imra frowned.
Silently Clark and Imra told the robot to stay seated and headed for the door but the robot stood and started to follow them. They tried to have the robot sit again but every time they moved to walk away, he moved to follow them.
The knocking came again, this time more insistent.
"Stay here," Clark mouthed at Imra and went to the door, leaving Imra to hold back the robot, or to braid his hair or something.
Behind the door was a girl, not much older than Clark, with red hair and freckles, wearing a trench coat which made her look a bit like a detective from an old movie. She tipped her hat to him in greeting.
"Hey there handsome, I'm Alexis Luthor, I work for the government."
Before Clark's mind fully communicated with his brain, he slammed the door in Alexis Luthor's, from the government, face.
"Oh geeze," Clark mumbled when the knocking returned.