"My clothes... damn," I muttered to myself as I flew through the air at high speed, my clothes flapping wildly around me. I glanced down at my attire and winced - my shirt was almost torn to shreds, and my pants weren't faring much better. Luckily, I still had some semblance of modesty left, but it was a close call. Flying naked would have been more than a little uncomfortable.
I arrived at my home in no time, landing swiftly in front of the house and bursting through the door. I sprinted to my room, flinging open the closet door and grabbing a fresh shirt and pair of pants. I hastily shed my torn and bloody clothes, relieved to be rid of them.
As I changed, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was matted with dirt and streaked with blood, and my body was stained with crimson smudges. I looked like I'd been through a war.
"Shit" I muttered to myself. I really needed a bath.
I hastily made my way to the bathroom and turned on the water, feeling a sense of relief as the hot liquid cascaded down my body. The blood began to run down my skin, swirling down the drain, and I felt my tension start to ease.
As I gazed at my reflection, I winced at the sight of my purple-hued skin, the blood still seeping from my wounds. I spotted torn skin and gashes, and the blood just kept on coming. "Shit... this hurts," I muttered, wincing at the pain.
I quickly finished my shower, my mind already racing with thoughts of what I needed to do next. I hoped that no one had stolen my backpack while I was... distracted. But then I remembered something else.
"Where's the object I had before...?" I muttered to myself, turning around with the towel wrapped around my lower half. I was relieved to see a blur of movement, and then the rectangular object materialized in front of me, its holographic screen flickering to life once more.
"Ha... this looks like a damn sci-fi novel..." I said with a smile, shaking my head in amazement as I gazed at the screen.
But my amusement was short-lived. The screen began to emit a loud, static-like noise, and the rectangular object started shaking violently. Suddenly, the holographic screen disappeared, and the object clattered to the ground. I cautiously approached it and bent down to pick it up.
"Okay, I'll keep this just in case..." I muttered to myself, tucking the object into my pocket. I headed back to my room, where I quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and shoes. My old ones were literally destroyed, and I was surprised there was anything left of them at all.
I stretched my arms and moved them around, testing my injuries. The pain was still there, but it seemed to be slowly subsiding.
"Okay, time to head to Smallville to get my parents," I said to myself, making my way out of my room. "I hope they're there, and I need to find my backpack too." I patted the rectangular object in my pocket. "Maybe this thing will come in handy later..."
I burst out of the front door and launched myself into the air, shooting upward with incredible velocity. The wind rushed past me, whipping my hair back and forth as I soared through the sky at breakneck speed.
In no time, I found myself approaching Smallville. I began my descent, landing softly in a forest just outside the town. I stood up, stretching my arms and flexing my legs with a burst of energy.
With a sudden burst of speed, I shot off like a bullet, the world around me becoming a blur. My perception slowed, and everything seemed to move in slow motion as I ran. Before I knew it, I had arrived in Smallville, racing through the streets with ease. I finally came to a stop in the alley where I had left my backpack.
"Haa... it's here, what luck," I exclaimed, relief washing over me as I spotted my backpack in perfect condition. I grabbed it and smiled, "Alright, time to meet up with my parents."
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and decided to leave the alley. As I emerged onto the streets, I was relieved to see people going about their daily business, oblivious to the recent robot explosion. I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the blast hadn't been heard in this part of town.
As I walked through the streets, I suddenly stopped and looked around, wondering where are my parents. "Where are they...?" I muttered to myself, feeling a growing sense of unease. "Shit..."
I shook my head, wincing slightly as a dull ache throbbed through my temples. It was strange - my head hadn't hurt much before, and the wounds on my body had stopped aching a while ago.
As I continued down the street, I felt a vibration inside my backpack. I quickly opened it and pulled out my cell phone, having forgotten that I'd stashed it away to protect it from damage.
I checked the caller ID and saw that it was my dad. A wave of relief washed over me, and my heart began to calm down slowly. I accepted the call and said, "Hey, I'm okay."
But my dad's worried voice on the other end of the line made me smile. "What the hell?! Clark, where are you?!"
I chuckled and replied, "I'm in town. I already took care of Wall-E. Where are you guys?"
There was a pause on the line, and then my father's voice came back, "We're near the town park"
I smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I'm on my way there," I said, already starting to make my way towards the park.
I quickly arrived at the street near the park, and my eyes scanned the area until I spotted my parents standing near their car, parked near the park's entrance. I hastened my pace, a mix of relief and excitement washing over me. As I approached, I called out loudly, "Mom! Dad!"
As I approached, my parents' faces lit up with relief, and my mother quickly ran towards me, her arms open wide. She enveloped me in a tight hug, and I could feel her body shaking with sobs. "I'm here..." I said, smiling as I hugged her back, trying to comfort her.
My father's expression, however, was a mix of relief and concern. "You finally came, Clark...what the hell happened in the barn?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at me. I let out a sigh, feeling a sense of trepidation. This was going to be a difficult conversation to have.
--
Two days had passed since the incident, and I had spent most of that time calming my mother down and reassuring her that everything was okay. I had to tell my parents that something had happened to my ship, which I had come to Earth on, and that I needed to investigate. Luckily, we were able to repair the barn door quickly, thanks to my super speed and strength.
I stood in front of the ship, which was hidden inside the barn. It was an oval-shaped vessel with a sleek black and gray design. I approached it, feeling a mix of emotions, and touched the cold metal surface. Suddenly, I felt a vibration in my pants pocket, and I pulled out the rectangular object. It was vibrating rapidly, and before I could react, it shot out of my hand and flew towards the ship. I watched in amazement as it passed through the ship's hull as if it were liquid.
"What the hell...?" I muttered, shocked and confused. The ship began to vibrate, and I took a step back, unsure of what was happening.
"So... where did that freaking robot come from...?" I wondered aloud, trying to make sense of the situation.
"That robot comes from the planet Krypton, a defense and combat robot created by the most brilliant scientists of the planet Krypton," a deep, adult voice said, startling me. "But it seems that there was a malfunction in the artificial intelligence of the combat and defense robot. The robot was in a liquid state inside the ship for protection."
I quickly turned around, looking for the source of the voice. "Who's there!?" I shouted, clenching my fists tightly.
The voice replied, "Don't worry, I just turned on my systems. Good morning." The ship began to glow with a soft blue light, and I approached it cautiously. A hole opened in the ship's hull, and the rectangular object floated out, hovering in front of me.
"What are you...?" I asked, staring at the object in confusion. It began to float around me, surrounding me with its gentle hum. "Good health, physical condition in good condition..."
I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of this strange situation. "Ah... okay...?" I replied, feeling a bit bewildered.
"It seems to be in good shape, Kal-El," the object said in its deep, adult voice. I was taken aback by the use of my Kryptonian name, but I supposed it was no surprise that this robot knew my true identity.
"Okay... can you explain more things to me in depth?" I asked, my voice laced with anger and frustration. "Why did that robot attack me? It almost killed me!" I demanded, still trying to process the events that had unfolded.
"The error is unknown even to me," the rectangular object replied, its voice calm and measured. "It seems that the information inside the robot was corrupted and modified so that it attacks you when my systems are close to activating."
I nodded to myself, trying to process the information. "Okay... at least I know what happened..." I muttered, my eyes fixed on the ship.
I turned to the robot floating next to me. "Hey, is this ship I landed on this planet in useful? Does it have any technology or resources that could be useful to me?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
The rectangular object replied in a confident voice, "Currently, the ship's systems are still offline and will take some time to activate"
I asked curiously, "And...how long will it take to activate?"
"A few months" the rectangular object replied. "The amount of energy the ship needs to accumulate to be useful to you is immense, but I assure you that it will be worth the wait. The ship's technology will be of great use to you in the future. Although most of my data is stored inside the ship, I have managed to retain a fraction of it in this smaller form. While it's not the entirety of my knowledge, it will still be quite useful to you."
I nodded, intrigued by the prospect of having such advanced technology at my disposal. I turned to the rectangular object and asked, "So...do you have a name?"
The object responded, "Currently, I am just an artificial intelligence created on Krypton without a name. Your father, Jor-El, created me during a time of crisis on Krypton. A name was not given to me due to the urgency of the situation and the lack of time."
I thought for a moment, considering a name that would suit this advanced AI. "How about...Aegis?" I suggested with a smile, thinking it was a cool and fitting name.
Aegis...the rectangular object repeated, "Aegis...well, then that will be my name."
I smiled, feeling pleased with my decision to name the AI "Aegis". But as I stood there, I suddenly felt a pang of hunger. "I think I'll go grab something to eat," I said, turning to leave.
As I recalled, the more time passed and I absorbed more solar energy, the fewer human needs I would have. For now, my body still required sustenance and hydration, but in the future, these needs would become obsolete.
But then I stopped and turned back to Aegis. "Hey, Aegis, can you...go back to my pocket or something? You're quite...striking, and I don't want to draw attention to myself with you floating next to me."
--
"Okay, Aegis, what can you do?" I asked, hovering in the air near the clouds, with Aegis floating beside me.
"Currently, my systems are limited, but I can store any type of digital information, collect data in various ways, create holograms, scan objects or living beings, and perform other functions," Aegis replied, his voice steady and calm. "However, some of my capabilities may be disabled due to my current energy state. I'm only operating at a fraction of my usual capacity, but my energy levels are slowly returning."
"So, what is the energy that keeps you activated?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. I wondered if it could be something as simple as sunlight.
"The energy that powers me is currently stored within the ship," Aegis replied, floating around me in a slow, deliberate orbit. "It's slowly starting to activate, but it will take some time for the ship to reach full operational capacity."
"So, you're like a small part of the ship that's been given a spark of energy to activate itself, but it's only a small fraction of the ship's total power, and that limits what you can do?" I asked, a smile spreading across my face.
Aegis nodded in agreement. "Yes, something like that."
It was strange to see Aegis make this gesture, as if he was unfolding himself from the bottom up.
I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. "So, what are my parents like?"
Aegis's response was immediate. "They're... quite extraordinary, to say the least. Your mother, Lara Lor-Van, was one of Krypton's most skilled warriors. In fact, she was said to have surpassed even Dru-Zod, the legendary general of Krypton. She was a true legend among her peers, known for her bravery, strategic mind, and unparalleled combat skills."
I was taken aback by this revelation. "Wow... and my father?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Aegis's voice was filled with an almost palpable excitement as he spoke about my father. "Your father, Jor-El, was a visionary of unparalleled brilliance. He was Krypton's most renowned scientist and inventor, credited with developing some of the most sophisticated and innovative technologies on the planet. His mastery of Kryptonian science was unmatched, with a profound understanding of the fundamental principles that governed the universe. He possessed the unique ability to harness the power of the elements, craft advanced materials, and design revolutionary technologies that were decades ahead of their time."
I let out a deep sigh, my mind reeling from the sheer magnitude of my parents' accomplishments. Holy crap... my parents were pretty important on Krypton...
I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Wait, what is Krypton like?"
Aegis's response was cautious. "Krypton... I'm afraid I don't have much information to share with you at the moment. My knowledge is limited, and I don't have access to the full range of data that the ship contains. However, if the ship is able to recover its energy, I should be able to provide you with a wealth of information about Krypton."
I leaned in, eager to learn more. "But what can you tell me now?" I asked.
Aegis hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "I can tell you that Krypton was a planet torn apart by conflict. There was a war between two factions, but that's about all I can say for now. My information is limited, and I don't want to speculate or provide incomplete information."
I grinned mischievously as I asked, "Well, Aegis, can you connect to the internet?" I had a plan, and if it worked, I could finally start training in martial arts. I was tired of just throwing punches around without any real technique or strategy.
Aegis floated in the air, his digital form glowing softly. "Internet...? Probably," he replied, his tone neutral.
I pulled out my phone and held it up to him. "Can you connect to this?" I asked, curious to see if he could hack into the device.
Aegis floated closer to my phone, and in a sudden, unexpected move, he enveloped it with his digital form. I felt a jolt of concern as I watched my phone disappear into his glowing, rectangular shape. "I hope you don't break it," I said, my voice laced with a hint of worry.
But a few seconds later, Aegis's rectangular shape began to glow blue, and I heard his voice say, "Connection established, loading..." I couldn't help but smile as I realized that my plan was working.
"Okay, it seems my training arc is about to begin!" I exclaimed, feeling a sense of excitement.