Clark felt like he was going back in time as he stepped inside the house he grew up in. Everything was the same from the furniture to the decorations and white wallpaper.
He set his bags on the nearby red couch as he and his father passed though the living room to the kitchen. Even the kitchen looked the same. The only difference was the wood grain table and chairs in the middle of the room.
"New table?" Clark asked as Johnathan handed him a Coke.
"It was time to get a new one," Johnathan said, opening his bottle of cheap beer.
"So?" Clark asked. "What's new with you and mom?"
"Same old same old" Johnathan admitted. "Just working on the farm with your mom and dog."
Clark looked at Krypto who just kept hovering to his side. It was nice to see his best friend again.
"Speaking of mom, where is she?" Clark began but as if on queue a woman appeared in the doorway. With a big smile on her face she walked up to Clark and hugged him tightly.
"Hi mom," He said, hugging her back.
As they hugged he felt two more arms wrapped around him as Johnathan was hugging both of them too.
As both of his parents embraced him Clark was filled with joy and warmth. Five years was a long time not just for his parents but for him as well. He didn't want to let go nor did he want them too either.
Even Krypto was trying to get in on the action. He would just nudge each of them until they gave him their attention.
After they embraced Martha just like her husband look at Clark up and down.
"You're growing a beard?" She asked, her voice calming yet still happy. "And your hair is long."
Clark sighed at his mother's comment. "Yes mom, my hair is long."
"You should get it cut."
He rolled his eyes while grabbing his drink from the table.
"Clark," he heard his mother say. "Why don't you put your stuff away and get tidied up and then we'll talk later."
"Gee mom, sending me to my room already." He replied sarcastically while quickly grabbing his stuff and heading up the stairs.
Clark was hit with nostalgia the second he opened the door to his bedroom. He could barely remember when his parents exchanged his crib for a twin sized mattress that was set next to the window.
Even the window had memories like all the times Lana Lang would sneak through late at night when his parents were asleep.
Eventually when he was old enough he got his own desk which was still set by the door.
The walls stayed the same pale blue only difference as that as he aged he would hang up different posters. When you were younger he had posters of his favorite cartoons and shows like The Gray Ghost and Looney Tunes.
Once he hit his teens he exchanged those to his favorite bands. Some of which were beginning to fade except for the Katy Perry Teenage Dream one he received from Lana on his thirteenth birthday.
Some old clothes were still in the closet like the red zip up jacket his mom made him when he was fifteen. He would have to donate those; it's not like they'll fit him anyways.
Once he put everything away there was one more to do. Nothing like a good shower Clark thought, grabbing a towel and heading to the bathroom across from his room.
After the shower it felt really nice to be cleaned up. He looked in the mirror, he was starting to look like a mountain man. His long hair was a little past his shoulders and his beard wasn't long; it just didn't really sit right with his Young face.
Reaching under the kitchen sink were different supplies like combs and hair dryers. But Clark was looking for one thing in particular. In the cabinet corner was a black bag and inside were a set of silver scissors and blades.
Nothing on earth could hurt or bruise him and the same for his hair. Good thing the utensils in the bag could.
…
After the shower and a good shave Clark headed down stairs only to immediately hit with different smells. The smell of beef and carrots hit his nose, even different spices too.
"Are you making Beef Bourguignon?" Clark asked, walking into the kitchen seeing his mom.
She turned and smiled at him only for her face to look shocked. "You shaved?"
"Yes I did" he said while rubbing his hand on his smooth skin. "Can you give me a haircut later."
Martha turned to him with an exasperated look.
"You are a lot better at it than me," he continued.
"I will another time."
Clark looked over her shoulder at what she was doing, seeing her mix different spices together. "Can I help with anything?"
"Yes you can" she answered, moving over to leave room for her son. "Just cut the beef and carrots."
He stood next to her with a knife in hand cutting beef into squares and carrots into even pieces.
Johnathan was in the other room watching T.V with Krypto laying his head on his lap. Clark didn't need his enhanced hearing to know what he was listening to.
Every time he turned on the news all he ever heard was violent crime and politics. For the most part Clark did what he could to ignore all news media. Unfortunately what he had in mind was very ironic.
"Hey mom I wanted to talk to you and dad" he said, getting her attention.
She looked at him a bit concerned, almost like she knew what he was feeling. "Okay" was all she said, leaving his side and going to the other room to get her husband.
"What's going on?" Johnathan asked, stepping on the kitchen facing Clark.
"Um..I think you guys should sit down," he told both of them.
They both complied sitting at the end of the tabe next to each other. Clark turned from the counter looking at them.
"I was gonna wait to tell you but I think it's best if I just get it out". He said drying his hand with a cloth. "You both know I was looking for something when I was gone."
Both his parents looked at him as he pulled up a chair and sat at the table with them.
"Sadly I didn't find anything I was looking for" he continued. "I didn't find anything about where I come from or anything that can explain what happened five years ago."
Martha and Johnathan's faces changed at the mention about five years ago. All three sat in silence for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Martha said with a slight comforting smile. "I wish it worked out differently."
Clark reached across the table and held his mother's hand. "I think I found something else though."
"What did you find?" Johnathan asked curiosity.
"I think I found a purpose,'' he said. "When I was gone I didn't see any clues or anything leading anywhere. But I did see a lot of things, some good but mostly bad."
Clark sat back and explained to them about his travels and all the things he saw. He explained the different sights and places he went along with people he met.
Eventually he told them about the bad things he saw. He made sure to water it down as to not freak them out
When he was done they sat in silence once more not knowing what to say. Both Martha and Johnathan hem were processing what their son has been through.
"Mexico was the last straw," Clark said, breaking the silence.
"So that was you there" Martha said
Clark nodded "Yeah that was me." He replied looking as if he was in a deep trance not even blinking.
"Clark" he heard the voice of his father getting his attention. "What happened over there?"
Clark shrugged, "Nothing good."
He felt a hand grasp his "Okay…what's this have to do with your purpose" Martha asked.
"Long ago you both told me that I was sent here for a reason," Clark said. "I think that reason is to help people."
"What do you mean?" Martha asked.
Clark looked at both of them. "For the longest time I've seen people get hurt," He said. "Sometimes I've helped but other times I haven't. But I'm done doing that now I'm gonna help everyone I can."
"But how?" Johnathan asked. "Do you think the world is ready for that ?"
Clark paused and his face turned a bit more serious.
"I don't think the world is ready for anything. Things just happen in it."
Both were processing what Clark had told them in silence. Clark stood up walking over and wrapped his arms around them.
"It will be okay," he said. "I promise."
Martha's eyes begin to water. "Do you have too though?"
Clark hugged them tighter. "It's not that I have to, it's just that I want to."
Martha broke from his grasp walking up the stairs with tears running down her face. Clark stood there speechless.
He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She's just worried," he heard the voice of his dad say.
"What about you?" Clark said, turning to look in his eyes.
"I'm scared Clark," Johnathan told him. "I'm scared for you. Because no matter how strong and tough you are there will always be someone bigger."
Clark didn't know how to reply; he knew they would be worried and they had every right to be.
"Regardless" Johnathan continued. "Whatever challenges come your way I will never lose hope in you."
Clark's eyes were beginning to tear up. not knowing what to say he just hugged his dad.
They both heard footsteps coming down the stairs and looked as Martha came down with a box in her arms.
The eyes were red but the tears had stopped. There was still sadness in her face but Clark knew it was more of a concerned sadness.
"I made this for you last year" She said, handing it to Clark. "I don't know why it just felt like something I had to do."
Clark took it, setting it on the tabe and lifting the lid. Inside was a light blue long sleeve shirt with a red and yellow letter S on the center. On the wrists of the sleeves was a red line that did fully wrap around.
When Clark lifted it up he saw a darker blue on the sides but leaving the back the same light blue as the front.
The rest of the box had light blue pants and red boots. But what caught his eye were a pair of candy apple red underwear.
"What's this underwear?" He laughed while holding them up.
"No," Martha said. "Those are Trunks and you're supposed to wear them on the outside of your clothes."
"You want me to wear these?"
Johnathan began to laugh which made Clark begin to laugh.
Martha just rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to, then give them back."
She started to reach for them but Clark pulled them closer to him.
"No they're mine" he said
At the bottom of the box was a piece of cloth the same candy apple red. The same letter S was on it except in yellow with black outlining.
He pulled it out and it unfolded into a cape. "Wow," he said, putting it on his shoulder.
It wasn't as long as he thought, only stopping a little above his shoulders. It was however really wide but also very lightweight.
"Wow…umm I don't know what to say" Clark said looking at both of them. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," Martha said. "It wasn't easy but I made it similar to how I made you that jacket.
"So you made these out of my baby blankets too."
Martha nodded.
"While you're still here I'll make a mask for…"
"No masks," Clark interrupted. "No mask, it will just make things more complicated."
"How so?" Johnathan said
"I didn't want anyone to think I'm a vigilante who thinks of themselves above the law." Clark sighed "I want to be someone that people look to. Someone that can inspire hope."
Martha looked down. "So no masks okay."
"Well not in the way you're thinking," Clark said. "Clark Kent will be the mask. The one with the job,friends and life."
Both his parents looked at him not completely understanding where he was going.
"So how is this going to work?" Martha asked.
"With glasses."
Now his parents were really questioning his plan.
"Okay let me explain better," Clark said, reaching into his pocket pulling out a pair of rectangular shaped glasses and putting them on. "I just have to change my appearance a bit. Hence the glasses and my hair for when I get it cut."
"Okay but it gotta be more than appearance" Martha told him.
"I know I will change my posture." Clark said, dropping his shoulders and bending forward a bit to hunch his back. "And I'll just act like a dork."
"But son you are a dork" Johnathan told him.
"Then a more dorky," Clark laughed back.
"What about when your not saving people"
"Journalism" Clark smiled
"Journalism?" Both Martha and Johnathan said unison.
"Yeah it will be a way for me to see what's going on in the world" Clark smiled. "No one will look twice when I need to go somewhere dangerous."
"And where will you be with both of your lives?" Martha asked.
"Metropolis"
Both his parents looked at him with panic and concern.
"Metropolis!" Martha said with a question that sounded a bit more like yelling. "No no no that city is considered one of the most dangerous places in the country!"
Clark looked at them and he knew they would be worried.
"That's why the apartment I applied for is only fifty bucks a month" He grinned.
"This isn't a joke" Martha scolded
Clark sighed he could feel the tension around them.
"Mom I'll be fine" he looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's bad but it's not the worst. I think…I know I can make it better and I will."
Both his parents didn't know what to say. They just looked at him with worry which quickly turned into hope.
"Do you have a name besides Clark Kent?" Johnathan asked.
Clark looked at S on the blue shirt. The name he had in mind worked pretty well with the outfit.
"Superman," he answered.
"Superman?" Johnathan said. "That nickname I used to call you when you were younger."
Clark nodded while Johnathan smiled and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Okay then" he said "Superman."