“A New Direction”
Somewhere over Smallville After a long chase, Superboy had finally caught up with a villain named Terror-dactyl, who had stolen a rare dinosaur bone from a museum exhibit. “I think it’s time to make you extinct!” The villain shouted as he fired a gun at the teen of steel. “Do you even know who I am?” Superboy asked as he used his tactile telekinisis to deflect the bullets and grabbed the Terror-dactyl by the collar. “I’m the Teen of Steel! You can’t expect to stop me with a gun!” Just then he felt a sharp blow on the back of his head, from where his opponent had just slammed the dinosaur bone into his skull. “But that might do it...” Superboy said as he fell out of the sky and the villain started flying away. Superboy regained consciousness just in time to see a mountainous pile of bull... mess right below him. SPLAT! Superboy’s head poked up from the mess and saw a familiar face standing there with a tray and two glasses of lemonade. “You really should call before you drop in like this.” Martha Kent said. Seventeen Showers Later Kon-El was sitting at the Kent’s dinner table, on his third plate of Mrs. Kent’s delicious pot roast. He was wearing some old clothes of Clark’s that Martha had dug out of the attic for him since his costume was going to need extensive drycleaning. “So, what brings you to Smallville?” Martha asked as the boy continued to shovel down the food. Jonathan Kent was in town in business and would be home shortly. “I was chasing a thief when he got the drop on me,” Kon said between bites. “Thanks for dinner and the change of clothes, but I really should get going.” “Where are you staying these days?” Martha asked. “Teen Titan Headquarters,” Kon replied. “But it’s kind of annoying having Impulse running in and out of headquarters when he sleep speeds.” “A drafty old building is really no place for a growing boy,” Martha said. “Why don’t you stay here for a while?” “I couldn’t,” Kon said. “I don’t want to burden you or anything.” “It’d be no burden,” Martha said. “You’d be expected to pull your own weight around here, and you’d have to help Jonathon with the chores around the farm.” “I could do that,” Kon said. “But what does Mr. Kent have to say about this?” One Hour Later “No, no, no,” Jonathan said. “We’re too old to be raising another super powered boy.” “But look at him,” Martha said. “He needs guidance. A man around to help bring him up right.” “I’m almost eighteen,” Kon said. “I think I’m pretty much raised.” “Imagine how Clark would have turned out if he’d been raised without a firm and guiding hand,” Martha said. “He might have become something like that creepy Bat person in Gotham.” “I suppose I could use an extra set of hands around the farm,” Jonathon said. “And you’ll also have to enroll in the local high school. I won’t have any boy of mine go without an education.” “Yes, sir,” Kon said. “So, what time do we start work? One, two o’clock tomorrow afternoon?” “Try four a.m.,” Jonathan said. “There’s no sleeping until noon in this house.” “Four... in the morning?” Kon asked as if it Jonathan was speaking another language. The Following Morning The rooster’s crowing was heard as Kon felt around the floor for his boot and tossed it out the window. “Rise and shine!” Jonathan shouted. “Time to start the day, sleepyhead!” “I’d rather fight Darkseid in my underwear than get up this early.” Kon said as he buried his face in his pillow. “I don’t care how you’re dressed just as long as you’re outside in five minutes.” Jonathan said as Kon looked outside. It was still dark. “I hate my life...” Kon stumbled outside as Jonathan handed him a shovel. “What am I shoveling? Dirt? Sand? Hay?” Kon asked. Jonathan just laughed. Shortly Kon was shoveling cow dung. “This job is full of shi-” “When you’re done there, you can help milk the cows and feed the chickens,” Jonathan said. “Then after that-” “Let me guess?” Kon asked. “Wash the General Lee? Give Uncle Jesse his sponge bath? Try to find out which cousin Daisy will wind up with?” “Funny,” Jonathan said. “But if you don’t want breakfast, just say so.” Kon was about to fling the full shovel when Martha walked up to them. “Jonathan, I to run into town and pick up a few things,” Martha said. “Could you come and help me?” “I would, but I have too many things to do around here,” Jonathan said. “I’d ask Kon to go, but I’m sure he’d rather-” Kon was already running toward the truck with Martha in his arms. Shortly in Town Kon’s arms were filled with packages as he trailed behind Martha.He’d been trying to think of a reason, any reason, of why he should stay in Smallville. The farm life wasn’t exactly for him, the city was where he’d rather be. After depositing the packages in the truck, they entered the First Bank of Smallville. “Yeah, this is real exciting,” Kon said to himself. “Thrill as Superboy opens a savings account! Feel the excitement as the boy of steel chooses the color of his bank book!” “Nobody move!” A man in a ski mask suddenly said as he fired a shot in the air. “I want all the money, now!” “Oh, please,” Kon said. “As if...” When everyone was distracted, Kon just pointed at the gun and used his tactile telekinisis to dismantle it. “What the fu-” The robber was cut off as the security guards tackled him. “Well, that was certainly exciting,” Martha said as they exited the bank. “Maybe we should head home.” As the left, Kon bumped into a girl, causing her to drop the bags she was holding. “Sorry about that,” Kon said. “I guess I wasn’t watching where I was-” Kon and girl bumped heads as they both knelt down to get the bags. “I’ll go,” Kon said. “Wait right here.” Kon picked up the bags and handed them to the girl. “Nothing’s too damaged, I hope.” “Thanks,” The girl said. She was blonde, blue eyed, and extremely beautiful. She kind of resembled Cassie. “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new in town?” “Uh, yeah,” Kon said. “The name’s Kon, er, Connor. Connor Kent.” “Nice to meet you, Connor Kent,” The girl replied. “The name’s Shauna. Are you going to the High School?” “Uh... yeah,” Kon said. “Maybe I’ll... see you there.” The girl just smiled as she walked off, leaving Kon standing there, looking smitten. “Kon!” Martha said. “Are you coming? Or do you want to fly home?” That Night Kon was lying in his bed, looking out the window. “Maybe Smallville isn’t so bad,” Kon said to himself. “At least the girls are hot. And maybe I can finally get away from all that crap that comes from being a super hero in the city. What kind of enemies could I possibly make out here?” Far Away The rubble of what once was Project Cadmus started to rumble and give way to a large cylinder bursting through the ground. An escape route just in case things went awry that no one knew about. A door on the cylinder slid open as Amanda Spence stepped out. “Hope you haven’t forgot about me, Superboy.” To Be Continued... Previous Issue | Next Issue |
