[Third Person's PoV]
Clark practically leapt from his seat the instant the final bell rang, marking the long-awaited end of the school day. He didn't even bother to pack his things neatly, nor did he spare a glance back at the classroom. At that moment, nothing else mattered. Freedom was all that did.
He didn't wait for Momo, knowing she often stayed behind to chat with her friends or walk home in a group. That suited him just fine—it gave him the perfect opportunity to slip away and do what he truly wanted.
As he casually strolled out of the school gates, blending in with the rush of students, Clark whispered under his breath, "Sol?"
A voice responded in his ear, crisp and clear yet only audible to him. "I have taken care of the CCTV systems. You are free to proceed as you wish, Kal-El."
Without breaking stride, Clark turned down a narrow alley nestled between two tall buildings. Within seconds, a blur of navy blue erupted from the shadows. Clark soared into the sky, breaking the sound barrier as he ascended at an unnatural speed.
Clouds shattered around him like fragile mist as the atmosphere warped with his velocity. Within seconds, the curvature of the Earth became visible, and before long, he was darting across continents—his destination: the icy solitude of the Antarctic.
He screeched to a halt in front of the glistening, crystalline gates of the Fortress of Solitude, the hidden sanctuary built from Kryptonian technology. As the doors parted, he stepped inside and handed his backpack to a maintenance robot that hovered over and took it with metallic efficiency.
In a blink, he zipped around the interior chambers, shedding his uniform and donning something more casual—black pants, boots, and a form-fitting blue hoodie. Relaxed but still sharp.
Then, from the corner of the chamber, he retrieved a familiar object—Krypto's pod. The very one his faithful companion had arrived in five years ago. He carried it outside and set it gently on the snow beside him.
Clark then brought his fingers to his mouth, index and thumb pressing against his rolled-back tongue, and blew a powerful, piercing whistle. The force shook the snowy landscape around him, stirring gusts into flurries.
He waited, hand shielding his eyes from the blinding sun as he scanned the horizon. A moment passed… then another. And then he saw it—just a speck at first, but rapidly growing. The ocean parted in a V-formation as something burst from above the surface, soaring through the air with a howling gale in its wake.
Krypto.
The white-furred dog blazed through the air like a comet, tongue flapping wildly and ears fluttering. His eyes locked onto Clark's with excitement. As he neared, he began to descend, snow kicking up in a wild storm under the sheer force of his approach.
With a thundering impact, Krypto landed, paws skidding across the icy ground, creating waves of snow and frost that crashed into Clark. Calmly, Clark blew the wave of snow away with a single breath, revealing the superdog standing proudly before him.
Krypto sat down instantly, tail thumping, tongue out, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Clark crouched down with a grin and rubbed the dog's ears affectionately. "Well, buddy, I'm here to fulfill my promise to you."
Krypto barked once, loud and joyful, then flipped backward in midair with excitement before bounding up and licking Clark's face, tail wagging at high speed.
"Alright, alright! I know you're excited," Clark chuckled. "Now go on—get to your pod and place your paw on it."
Krypto immediately obeyed, strutting over with pride and planting one paw on the center of the pod. It began to glow red, pulsing with energy, before slowly dissolving into shimmering stardust.
The stardust spiraled upward and surged toward Krypto, encasing him in radiant golden light that flowed like molten lava. Krypto barked in surprise as he was lifted off the ground, the golden magma-like energy swirling around his legs.
A collar formed around his neck, appearing like a ring of flowing lava. Dangling from it was a shining dog tag engraved with the House of El insignia. From the collar, a majestic red cape burst forth like a wave of sand suspended in midair.
Krypto's eyes blazed with fiery light.
At the same time, Clark's suit responded to the activation, sliding across his body in a wave of nanotech. His Superman uniform shimmered into place, with molten-like gauntlets wrapping around his arms and glowing boots forming over his feet. Heat radiated from both of them, melting the snow beneath and sending steam rising into the cold air.
When Krypto landed, his armored paws hit the ground with force, melting more snow beneath him as steam hissed upward.
Clark crossed his arms and grinned. "Ready to save the day… Krypto the Superdog!"
Krypto gave a happy spin, chasing his tail before proudly displaying his new look. Then he raised his head to the sky and let out a mighty howl, "Awoooo!"
Clark crouched down, his cape fluttering behind him. "Ready?"
"Woof!" Krypto barked in confirmation, mirroring his stance.
With a sudden crack of air and a pulse of energy, the two launched into the sky. Snow blasted upward in their wake, swirling after them as they tore through the clouds side by side.
Clark and Krypto flew beside each other, their red capes flailing into the wind behind them. Clark looked beside him and smiled, "Try and keep up!" He challenged before blasting forwards.
Krypto followed after him with a strong howl charging forwards.
…
In the middle of a bright, bustling day, the roof of an underground nightclub suddenly collapsed with a thunderous boom, sending clouds of dust and smoke billowing into the air. The chaos startled everyone inside, despite the venue's artificial night ambiance—complete with dim lights, pulsing bass, and neon strobes that masked the reality of the sunlit world outside.
From the gaping hole in the ceiling, a figure crashed down with tremendous force, landing in a crouch that sent a ripple through the floor. Smoke hissed and curled around him, briefly obscuring the scene—until two glowing red eyes pierced through the haze.
Superman stood tall, brushing some debris from his shoulder. Behind him, a low growl echoed menacingly. Krypto, his loyal companion, emerged beside him with his own glowing crimson stare.
"You guys do know it's illegal to traffic teenage girls, right?" Superman's voice boomed, calm but filled with fury.
The gangsters froze in disbelief for a moment. Then someone shouted, panic lacing his voice, "Shit! It's that Superman everyone was talking about! Kill him! Quick!!"
The Yakuza members scrambled, pulling out Uzis, handguns, and whatever they had stashed. A storm of bullets erupted toward Superman, striking him square in the chest—and doing absolutely nothing. The rounds bounced harmlessly off him, clattering to the floor.
Krypto let out a fierce bark. Instantly, his eyes blazed brighter, and the metal of every weapon began to heat up, glowing red-hot. The guns melted in their hands, searing skin and sending screams of agony ringing through the club.
"Go play," Clark said casually, already turning toward a side door. Behind him, Krypto leapt into action.
The moment Clark entered the corridor, screams and the sounds of bodies flying began erupting behind him. He walked calmly, each step deliberate, until he reached the first locked door. He shattered it with a single punch, sending splinters flying.
Inside, a heavy-set man turned toward him in shock—only to be hurled bodily out of the room and into the door across the hallway, leaving a shattering it with his body.
Clark blurred into the next room, where a girl chained to a bed sobbed helplessly. The man beside her barely had time to react before Clark lifted him by the throat and slammed him into the ceiling with such force that his spine cracked, rendering him instantly paralyzed.
Clark knelt beside the girl, his eyes softening. With a gentle breath of freeze breath, the chains around her shattered like glass. "You're safe now," he said kindly. "Rest a moment. This'll all be over soon."
And then, in a blur, he was gone.
From the doorway where he'd entered, Krypto streaked through the smoke, unleashing heat vision in sweeping arcs. He tackled thugs, smashing them through walls, grabbed them by the ankles, spun them like rag dolls, and slammed them into each other like toys. One poor soul was knocked through a bar and landed unconscious among broken bottles.
More Yakuza stormed in, drawn by the commotion. A few carried swords. One brave—or foolish—man slashed his katana at Clark.
Clark bit the blade causing it to shatter into fragments.
Another tried to leap at his back, but Clark's cape surged to life, wrapping around the attacker like living flame. It heated rapidly, scorching the man's skin and sending him howling to the ground—severely burned but alive.
With the last of the resistance subdued, Clark took a breath and closed his eyes.
"Sol…" he called softly.
His cape stirred again, elongating, flowing forward like liquid fabric. Pieces of his suit came apart from his arms and wrists, disassembling and reforming. Crimson tendrils of nanotech flowed into the rooms like streams of sand, gathering discarded clothing and draping it gently over the rescued girls with care and precision.
Slowly, hesitantly, the girls stepped out into the hallway, guided the red sand. They gazed in disbelief at the scene—bodies strewn everywhere, blood on the floor, the air thick with smoke and heat.
Then they saw him.
Clark stood calmly, as his suit reassembled itself over his body. They followed him out of the corridor where Krypto was perched triumphantly on the chest of the last unconscious Yakuza member.
"Good work, SuperDog," Clark said, ruffling Krypto's head affectionately.
One of the girls gasped. "Did he… Did that dog help?"
Clark smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. He did. He's a good boy, isn't he?"
Krypto barked excitedly, tail wagging, and leapt up to lick Clark's face. He floated midair, soaring around the hallway in joy at being called a good boy.
"That dog… is flying."
"He actually took them down?"
"If that's true… then he really is a good dog."
"How much crap did they drug us with? I must be hallucinating…"
Clark gently led them toward the exit. Just as they stepped outside, the sound of approaching sirens filled the air. Several police cars screeched to a halt in front of the nightclub.
Clark turned to the girls. "Tell them what happened. These officers are trustworthy—we made sure of that. They'll help you. Don't be afraid, no one's buying them off."
'We' referring to Sol.
He floated slowly upward, Krypto circling him with a proud bark.
Tears welled up in the girls' eyes as they looked up at the sky, watching their saviors ascend into the sunlight.
"Thank you, Superman… and you too, SuperDog!" one of them cried out, mascara running down her face in streaks.
Krypto let out one final joyful bark and followed after Clark into the sky.
After all, their day was just beginning.
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