[Third Person's PoV]
3 days later…
Krypto lay peacefully atop the shrine, his head resting comfortably on Clark's crossed legs. The large white dog had his eyes closed, basking in the golden warmth of the sun's radiation, the serene moment broken only by the occasional wag of his tail.
Without warning, Krypto suddenly perked up, lifting his head with a curious expression. Clark, sensing the same thing he was, opened his eyes and gave a soft, knowing smile.
"They're back quicker than I thought," he murmured.
Krypto turned toward Clark, a questioning look in his eyes. Clark chuckled lightly, scratching his chin.
"Yeah… it's them—my sister and grandma. The ones I've told you about," he explained, rising to his feet and brushing the dust from his pants. "Come on, let's go meet them."
"CLARK!! WHERE ARE YOU?! LET ME SHOW—" Momo's voice rang out suddenly, loud and shrill, cutting through the peaceful atmosphere like a blade.
Both Clark and Krypto flinched in unison, wincing at the volume.
Before Momo could finish her shout, the pair leapt gracefully off the roof of the building, landing lightly in front of the main gates, just as Momo and Seiko stepped through the guarded entrance.
Clark greeted them with an easy grin. "Sup."
Momo and Seiko froze, their attention immediately captured by the white Labrador sitting obediently beside Clark. The dog panted cheerfully, tongue out and tail wagging excitedly.
Momo's eyes widened. She took in a sharp breath and then—
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
"Arghhh!!" Clark groaned, covering his ears as the high-pitched scream reverberated through the air. Beside him, Krypto let out a soft whimper, ducking his head and placing a paw over his face.
"Oh my gosh, he is just the cutest thing I've ever seen! Where did you find him?!" Momo squealed, dropping her bags without hesitation and diving forward to smother Krypto in affection.
Clark rubbed his ears and answered matter-of-factly, "Same place I came from—he fell from a spaceship, and I found him."
Momo rolled her eyes. "Clark, be serious."
Clark's eye twitched at her reaction, then glanced toward Seiko with a pointed look. She simply raised an eyebrow and directed her gaze to the collar around Krypto's neck. Her eyes landed on the symbol—it was the same one Clark had been wrapped in when she'd found him all those years ago.
"Is he…?" Seiko asked, lifting an eyebrow inquisitively.
Clark nodded.
Before Seiko could respond further, Momo excitedly asked, "What's his name?!"
"Krypto," Clark replied.
"Ugh! That is such an awesome name! Isn't it, Krypto?" Momo cooed, burying her face in the soft white fur around his neck and ruffling his scruff with pure joy.
As Momo continued to lavish affection on the dog, Seiko motioned for Clark to follow her. Clark nodded, picking up Momo's discarded bags—along with Seiko's—and effortlessly carrying them all inside as Momo remained outside, entirely entranced by her new four-legged friend.
Inside the shrine's living quarters, Seiko glanced at him seriously. "So what happened? What's the story with the dog?"
"It started not long after you left on your trip," Clark began, placing the bags neatly inside their respective rooms in a blur of movement. "You know how much I enjoy flying, right? Well, I went on a quick trip… nothing too far."
He continued to recount the strange series of events—how he had witnessed what he first believed to be a shooting star crashing into the desert, only to discover it was actually a small spaceship. Inside, he had found Krypto. And then came the discovery of the Fortress of Solitude, hiding it away in the arctic. He told her about the projection of his biological mother and the overwhelming 'revelation' of his true heritage.
Seiko stood in stunned silence, a cigarette dangling loosely from her lips.
"You're actually an alien…"
Clark blinked, staring at her in disbelief. "What did you think I was?!"
Seiko scratched her head sheepishly. "I dunno… some kind of government science experiment? A NASA project gone sideways?"
"You're going to drive me insane," Clark muttered, dragging a hand through his hair in frustration.
Seiko took a long drag from her cigarette before asking quietly, "So… you met your mother, huh? Or at least, a version of her. How was it?"
"I met a simulation of her, yeah," Clark said, exhaling heavily as he lowered himself into a chair. "It was… exhausting. Enlightening, maybe. Complicated, for sure."
Seiko raised an eyebrow. There was a weight in his tone that hadn't been there before—a tiredness, a quiet resignation. She settled in across from him, sensing that whatever he was about to say would take a while.
"I don't mind talking about it," Clark said before she even had to ask. "We ended up discussing… that thing we talked about in Kyoto."
Seiko didn't interrupt as he began recounting the conversation with the simulation of his mother, how it forced him to confront truths about his purpose, his fears, and the heavy burden of his origin. He talked for a while, his voice quiet and steady, his gaze distant.
When he finally finished, Seiko leaned forward slightly, watching as Clark stared at his hands, his thumbs tracing slow, repetitive circles.
"In the end," he said softly, "I realized I can't keep running from it. Or maybe I just gave up on trying to run. I'm tired."
He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the back.
"So I'm going to spend the next few years preparing—training harder than ever, studying what I can. Maybe… maybe doing all that will help me come to terms with it. Maybe it'll quiet the hate I still carry."
Seiko stared intently at Clark, her eyes narrowing with both understanding and worry. "Since it seems you've already made up your mind, I won't say anything to dissuade you," she said after a moment of silence. "Just know that whatever it is you're planning… you have my full support. And if it ever gets too overwhelming—if you need to rest or reset—I don't mind offering a lap pillow."
Clark's face flushed immediately, the red creeping up his cheeks as he glared at her in embarrassment. "Was that last part really necessary?"
"What? I was being honest," Seiko replied casually, patting her lap as if to reinforce the offer. "I heard lap pillows are great for stress relief."
"Stop being weird," Clark grumbled, clearly flustered. Seiko only blinked at him, genuinely confused by the reaction—she had meant it sincerely.
To steer the conversation away from the awkward territory, Clark quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, how did it go with Momo? Were you able to uncover her spiritual energy?"
Seiko sighed, her expression shifting to something more thoughtful. "Yeah… and you wouldn't believe the potential that girl has. It's extraordinary. I mean, truly rare. With proper training, she could one day rival the strongest Yokai out there. There's almost no real limit to what she might become. You should have seen it."
"I already do," Clark murmured, glancing toward the part of the shrine where he could hear Momo still playing with Krypto. With his enhanced vision, tuned to the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum, he could see the raw, pulsing spiritual energy surrounding her—a towering green aura that extended far into the sky, reaching the clouds and even higher, like a celestial beacon.
Seiko followed his gaze before returning to the more pressing matter. "So… are you really going to do it?" she asked quietly. "Are you seriously planning to become a Hero?"
Clark took a deep breath and leaned forward slightly. "I don't have much of a choice," he admitted. "So yes, that's what I'm going to do. Not right away, of course. I've still got a lot of work to do—training, studying, preparing. I figure I'll need maybe five or six years. Give or take."
He gave her a small, grateful smile. "It definitely helps that you started training me early. Without that, I'd probably need twice as long. So… thanks. Really."
Seiko was quiet for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she gave a simple nod and looked away, her cigarette burning slowly between her fingers, her eyes filled with distant thoughts.
---
It was late at night. The shrine had grown still, wrapped in the quiet embrace of sleep. The only sound was the gentle hum of cicadas outside. Everyone was asleep—everyone except one.
Seiko walked softly through the dim halls of the shrine, her long hair flowing loosely down to her legs. She wore a loose T-shirt and shorts, a sleeping mask pushed up onto her forehead and a pair of red-framed glasses perched on her nose. In her hand was a half-lit cigarette.
She stepped outside, letting the cool night air brush against her skin. As she walked through the courtyard toward the shed at the edge of the property, she took a drag of her cigarette, exhaling slowly. Her expression was unreadable—caught somewhere between nostalgia and burden.
Once at the shed, she pulled a ring of keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. The hinges creaked as she stepped inside. A moment later, she flicked on a small battery-powered lantern and walked straight toward the back corner, where a blue tarp lay draped over a large object.
With one firm yank, she pulled the tarp away, revealing Clark's pod—the very same spacecraft that had brought him to Earth so many years ago. The metallic hull still gleamed faintly, a silent testament to the mysterious civilization that had built it.
Seiko stared at it, her jaw tightening. A mixture of guilt and pain twisted her features.
"Forgive me… for being so worthless," she whispered, the words barely audible as her hand trembled slightly.
She reached forward and began pressing buttons on the pod's control panel. The interface buzzed to life, a glowing panel lighting up beneath her fingertips.
"Hello?" she called out cautiously, tapping again. "Anyone there?"
A robotic voice responded, flat and firm: "Unauthorized personnel detected. Access restricted—"
"Wait!" she interjected, her tone firm. "Are you the one Clark called Sol? Or rather… Kal-El?"
There was a pause. Then the voice returned, altered—less robotic, and slightly more human in cadence. "Name of confidential A.I. detected. Name of lost son of Krypton detected. System override initiated… Hello. And yes, you are correct. I am Sol, the Artificial Intelligence designed to serve Kal-El. You must be the caretaker and guardian of the Last Son. I've heard Kal-El speak of you."
Seiko let out a small, relieved breath. "Looks like my gamble paid off," she murmured. She then straightened her posture and addressed Sol clearly. "That boy… my grandson… he's convinced he has to be the hero no one asked for. I can't fight his battles for him, but I want to help him in the ways that I can. You're an A.I. from an advanced alien civilization, right? So I'm guessing you've got the knowledge and resources to help me design something. Something that will protect him. A suit, maybe. Something worthy of a 'super' anything."
She took another drag of her cigarette and blew out the smoke slowly. "Because if he's going to be a superhero… then he's going to need a damn good supersuit."
There was a long silence from Sol's interface.
Then, softly: "If it means ensuring the safety of the Last Son of Krypton… I would be honored to assist you."
A small, genuine smile tugged at Seiko's lips. "Glad to hear that," she said, her eyes gleaming with purpose.
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