Life can Change Chapter 90 — Brave New World

(AN: Don’t worry I still intend on continuing this one for a few more chapters.)

Superman cut across the sky in an arc while the air peeled away from him with sharp cracks that rolled behind him like distant thunder. The world blurred into strokes of colour under him and the wind pressed against his face while he pushed through one sound barrier then another. His chest felt tight and his thoughts churned in a way he could not slow. The conversation with the president kept replaying and each time it settled heavier on him, a dull weight that made his jaw clench and his breath flare through his nose.

He wasn't happy...

Not one bit...

He flew out over the ocean where the waves stretched in long shifting plains and the water rolled under him in deep folds that caught the moonlight. He moved faster and the spray trailed behind him in thin ribbons. His mind sat in the space between anger and sorrow and neither one eased with the miles. He only knew he needed space and he needed quiet.

The water turned to white along the horizon and he dipped lower as he crossed into the cold air above Antarctica. The wind grew colder and the land unfurled under him in long sheets of white that rolled all the way to the edge of his vision. The fortress rose from the ice like a set of long crystal branches. He slowed his flight and came down at the entrance where the great doors opened as he approached.

He walked inside and stopped only a few steps in, the anger he had tried to keep quiet broke free. He swung his fist into the wall and the impact sent a fracture pattern through the crystal; while small pieces fell around his boots.

Light footsteps tapped along the floor and one of the attendant androids came around a column. "Sir," the android said. "Are you well. May I bring you a drink."

Clark let out a long breath and let his shoulders fall. The anger drained and left only the tired feelings behind it. He managed a small smile and nodded at the android. "Thank you Gary," he said. "But I'm fine and I am not thirsty."

Gary straightened a little. "You appear troubled. Was it a difficult day."

Clark rubbed his palm along the back of his neck while he looked past the android into the deeper chambers of the fortress. "Yeah you can say that," he said. "Just a bad day..."

Gary tilted his head. "Shall I call Miss Lois Lane for you. She is often able to improve your mood."

Clark stopped and considered it, then he shook his head. "No," he said. "Not right now. I need to think."

Gary bowed his head slightly. "Understood sir."

Clark stepped past him and walked down the long corridor where the crystals curved overhead. After a bit of walking je reached the Nexus Chambers where the doors parted and the room opened into a wide circular space. The chamber held no furnishings except for a single crystalline terminal at the far side and a long table beside it. A black square cylinder rested on the table with the crest of the House of El etched into the surface in a white pattern.

He reached out and picked it up with both hands. Then placed it into the slot at the base of the terminal and stepped back while the structure made a vibrating sound.nThe lights in the chamber dimmed and a column of pale light rose from the floor around the terminal. The cylinder opened with a soft click and a projection began to form. Lines of light folded into one another until a clear image stood in the centre of the room.

"Kal-El my son. I am pleased to see you again."

"It is good to see you as well," he said in a voice that sounded steadier than he felt.

Jor El began to walk a circle around the centre of the chamber. "By my estimate," he said, "it has been nearly five years since you activated this archive."

Clark gave a small nod. "Last time we spoke you suggested I take over Earth and rule over everyone like a king, and when I refused you tried to break out into the internet."

Jor El paused for a moment then resumed his walk. "A lack of vision on my part," he said. "And I offer you my apology. I believed humanity to be fragile and in need of a guiding hand, I did not consider that it should not be my hand guiding them. I sent you here with a purpose and I forgot that the purpose was for you to choose your own path and not follow a path I laid before you."

Clark felt something loosen inside him at those words and he let a small smile slip through. "Thank you," he said. "That means a lot."

Jor El turned to him fully now. "I only ever wanted to help you," he said. "And at the time I believed I was doing what was best for you and for this world... I see now that I was wrong." He stopped mid step and tilted his head. "But I digress. You must have had a reason to come here today. Tell me what troubles you. Let me help if I can."

Clark lowered his gaze for a moment while he tried to order his thoughts. "I need advice," he said quietly. "There are millions of people suffering.... They are sleeping in tents and basements and abandoned halls. They lost everything. I tried to fix the problem in the best way I could, I asked the government to let me rebuild the cities that the Viltrumites destroyed. And the president refused." Clark's voice tightened and he shook his head. "He refused because it profits the people funding his campaigns to keep those families displaced. He refused so that someone richer could buy the ruins and sell them back to the poor." He rubbed a hand across his brow. "I do not want to hurt anyone. I do not want to intimidate anyone. I do not want power and I do not want to rule. I only want to help people. But how do I do that without breaking the very laws I promised to uphold."

Jor El paced with his hands folded behind his back while the faint vibrationn of the chamber filled the silence between them. He took a long moment before he spoke again. "Humanity is a species that contradicts itself," he said. "It is driven by compassion yet burdened by greed. It creates wonder and destroys it with equal speed. They will kill their own kind over a currency that holds no real value beyond the belief placed in it. They create systems that work against themselves and then fight to preserve those very systems."

Clark let out a long breath. "I cannot disagree with you there."

Jor El turned and faced him again, the projection holding a calm steady certainty. "You find yourself in a difficult position, especially with the limitations you place on your own conduct, yet it is not impossible to find a solution." He lifted a hand slightly. "You want to help humanity but my son you cannot help people who do not want help."

Clark's brow pulled together. "That is not good enough," he said. "Being a hero is helping people even when they do not ask for it. That is what I have always tried to do."

"Perhaps," Jor El said, "yet that is not what I meant. I do not mean to tell you to surrender or to give up on them. I mean that you should focus on those who are willing to accept the help you can offer. You cannot fight every system at once yet you can choose where you direct your strength."

Clark shook his head. "But how," he said. "I offered to rebuild an entire city and I was refused."

Jor El stepped closer. "Then we must shift the question. The law stands in your way. If the law did not apply or if it could be removed would you be able to help them."

Clark raised his gaze and answered without hesitation. "Yes. I could rebuild the houses with the worker drones. I could restore the infrastructure. I could get people home by the end of the month."

Jor El nodded slowly. "Then we focus on that. Is there a way to nullify the law or to place yourself outside of its reach. Consider the structure of the systems that bind you. If you must obey the law then is there a lawful path that allows you to act."

Clark stared at the crystalline floor as the question shifted inside him and a new path formed in the space between what he wanted and what he was allowed to do. His eyes widened a fraction.

Jor El watched him with a quiet knowing. "I see you have an idea."

Clark looked at the projection and felt a rising certainty settle into his chest. "Yes," he said. "I do."

_____________________________________

(One Month Later)

"Welcome to Metropolis Daily, I'm Rob Mccanon with your daily news."

"It has now been one full month since the disappearance of Superman," the host said while he shuffled his papers and glanced at the live feed counter, "and the public is asking one question... where is he and what he is doing, does he even care? These questions are growing louder since he has not been seen in any major relief zone since last July. Our panel is here to discuss what this absence means and what responsibilities, if any, Superman has in all this."

The camera cut to a woman in a navy blazer with her hands folded on the desk. "People should not expect salvation," she said with a hard stare toward the camera. "He is an alien. He is not human. We do not know how he thinks or what he feels or if he even cares about us beyond whatever cause drove him to put on that suit in the first place. This is one more example of him failing the world at a time when the world needs him most."

Another panelist raised a hand in protest and leaned toward the desk. "That is unfair and you know it. Superman has spent his entire life saving people in every corner of this planet. There is no one with a record even close to his. If he is gone then there is a reason for it and I have no doubt that whatever it is he will return when he is able. It is wrong to claim he does not care."

The panel erupted into overlapping voices while the host tried to keep them from talking over one another. 

...

Lois Lane stood in her kitchen with a wooden spoon in her hand while steam drifted up from the pot on the stove. The news played on the small television mounted under the cupboards and she half listened while she added salt and stirred circles through the sauce. Her hair was tied up loosely and her glasses were sliding down her nose as she leaned over the pan.

Whoosh

A sudden rush of air swept through the apartment and a soft thump sounded from the living room. Lois did not jump. She set the spoon down and wiped her hands with a towel.

"You are just in time," she called out. "Dinner will be ready in a bit."

Clark stepped in from the living room with his suit half undone at the collar and his hair flattened on one side from the wind. "Thanks," he said as he pulled off his boots and set them by the door. He walked into their bedroom and reemerged in a loose shirt and simple trousers. He dropped onto the sofa with a long exhale and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It has been a long day," he said and let his head fall back against the cushions. "I think it might have been the longest day Ive had in a while."

Lois kept stirring while she glanced back at him. "Does that mean you are finally going to tell me what you have been up to," she said without turning fully around, "since you're clearly not doing any hero work lately."

Clark let out a slow sigh. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm not keeping anything from you because I want to. It's important and I promise that when the time comes you will know everything."

Lois pressed her lips together in a tight line. The answer did not satisfy her yet she knew him too well to push further when he spoke like that. "Alright," she said. "I will hold you to that."

They sat down to eat after a few minutes and Lois overfilled his plate in the way she always did when he looked worn out. She talked about her day at the Planet and about the new intern who kept tripping over cables near the printers and about Jimmy who had been bursting with excitement after landing a small scoop on a missing cat case that somehow led him into an interview with a councilman. Clark listened quietly and nodded when she paused. He watched her fork circle the same patch of rice as her voice slowed.

"What is wrong," he asked as he set his glass down. "You keep circling something."

Lois hesitated with her fingers drumming against the table. She tried to start three times without getting a word out then finally she drew a breath and spoke.

"I need to tell you something," she said. " and it's important."

Clark leaned forward with his hands open. "You can tell me anything."

Lois swallowed and looked down at her plate. "Yesterday I took a test," she said. "Then I took another one. Then another." She let out a nervous breath that trembled in her throat. "They all said the same thing."

Clark stared at her with a blank expression for a moment while his mind tried to match her tone with the possible meanings. Then it hit him with a slow widening of his eyes.

"You mean to say..."

Lois nodded and a small smile broke across her face. "Yes... I'm pregnant."

Clark did not move at first. His mouth opened and shut once then he stood so fast his chair skidded back and bumped the wall. "You are... pregnant," he said as if he needed to hear it again to believe it. He began pacing around the table with quick steps and his hands moving in wide circles. "We need to tell my parents!!! and we need to start planning and we need to make sure you have everything you need and we need to get you checked and we need to—"

"Clark," Lois said with a soft laugh, "slow down. I've not even had a scan yet or gone to a doctor."

That stopped him. He stared at her then immediately straightened. "We should go right now."

Lois shook her head while she reached across the table and took his hand. "Calm down. It is fine. Everything is fine."

Clark sat back down and stared at her hand in his. Then he looked up and broke into a smile that softened every line of his face. He leaned across the table and kissed her slowly while his thumb brushed her cheek. They stayed there for a long time with their foreheads touching and their fingers linked and the rest of the world fell away.

After a while Clark leaned away from her kiss only an inch yet that inch carried a tremor that Lois felt through his breath. His expression shifted in a way she could not miss. The joy, the shock, the wonder were all still there, but something else crept in underneath, something worrying and unsettled that pulled at the corners of his mouth and hollowed his eyes. He looked almost nauseous, and Lois's body reacted before her mind caught up.

"Clark," she said, stepping in closer and tilting her head so she could see him clearly, "you look like you are about to hurl. What's going on? Talk to me."

He tried to straighten in his seat, tried to force his face into something smoother, but the effort only made the strain more obvious. "I'm fine," he said with a weak smile that fooled no one. "Really. I am just... surprised. I am happy. I am very happy. Do not worry."

Lois folded her arms and stared at him as if he had just told her the sky was made of pudding. "You know I have seen you lie before Smallville," she said. "You are not good at it and you are not doing it now, so you can drop the brave face."

He opened his mouth then closed it. His eyes drifted to the window again, anywhere but her face, and that alone set off another alarm. Lois stepped closer until she could lay one hand on his knee.

"Clark," she said quietly, "tell me whats wrong."

He let out a long breath, the kind that deflates a man. His shoulders sagged. "I am happy we are having a child," he said slowly. "I meant that. I meant every part of that. It is the best news of my life. But the timing..." His voice trailed off.

Lois frowned. "The timing what? The timing is not exactly something we scheduled on a chalkboard, we weren't even sure we could..."

He gave a small, helpless laugh but it died quickly. "This is tied to what I have been doing these last weeks."

Lois stepped back a fraction, confusion and worry tightening her posture. "I knew it," she said. "I knew something was off. Clark, what are you wrapped up in?"

He rubbed a hand over his face. "Something large."

"How large."

He met her eyes. "Large enough to change the world."

Lois stared at him, her breath caught halfway in her throat. "You are doing something that big," she said, "and you did not tell me."

"I couldn't," he said quickly. "Lois, I couldn't tell anyone. If this leaked even a little then it would all fall apart. I didn't want you caught in that."

Lois scoffed. "I have been caught in your secrets for years. I have been kidnapped more times than I can count and I still do my job and keep my mouth shut when I need to. Do not insult me by acting like I cannot handle this."

His eyes softened with guilt. "I know you can handle anything. That is not the issue. I didnt want to put you in a position where you would feel pressured to report it. Or hide it. Or live with it before the world knew. I did not want that weight on you."

Lois shook her head. "I am your wife, Clark. Not your intern. If the world is about to change, I deserve to know why my husband is pacing around the house like he is carrying a whole planet on his back."

He swallowed hard. "I know. I know. And I am sorry. Truly. But this has to unfold in a very exact way."

She searched his face, looking for any cracks. Instead she found resolve. It scared her more than anything he had said.

"Clark," she whispered, "what are you doing."

He took her hands in his and held them like they were the only stable thing left. "I cannot tell you yet. But I promise you this. No matter how people react or what comes next, I will protect you. I will protect our child. If everything falls apart I will hold it up until I cannot anymore and then I will still hold on. Nothing will happen to you."

Lois breathed slowly through her nose and pressed her forehead lightly to his. "You are scaring me," she admitted. "But I trust you. I always have. And I know you are trying to do the right thing even when it pulls you apart. Just remember that I am here too. You don't  have to take on the whole world by yourself."

A small smile broke through his tension as he closed his eyes. "I know. And soon I will need you now more than ever."

Lois cupped his jaw, her thumbs brushing the corners of his mouth. "Then you have me," she said. "Always." She leaned in and kissed him again.

_______________________________________________________________________

"This is breaking news from the National Network and we are interrupting all scheduled programming for a developing story in Washington. Reports are coming in that Superman has returned to the public eye after a full month of silence and that he is preparing to make a statement outside the White House within the hour. We are being told that a stage has been set up on the North Lawn directly in front of the press pool and that a full broadcast feed has been requested for all major networks. This will be transmitted across the United States and also through every international outlet that has picked up the link."

"This is unexpected. Officials inside the administration have given no comment yet and details remain limited. All we know at this moment is that Superman contacted the White House only minutes ago and that preparations began almost immediately. A large crowd is gathering outside the gates and more people are arriving by the second. We have correspondents on the ground and we will bring you live footage as soon as the signal is clear."

The anchor leaned forward.

"It is not common for Superman to speak from Washington and it is even rarer for him to call for a global broadcast, so speculation has started across the political and scientific community. Some believe this may be connected to the continued reconstruction efforts after the Viltrumite attacks and the unresolved disputes between federal authorities and several international coalitions. Others believe he may be addressing his absence and the concerns raised by many leaders and citizens about his long silence."

"What makes this more unusual is the timing. The White House schedule was cleared on short notice and the staff moved very fast to accommodate the request. Security on the grounds has increased and we have been told that the Justice League has been contacted for coordination. This indicates that whatever Superman intends to say is not a routine statement. It is expected that millions of viewers worldwide will tune in."

"There is a feeling in the air that this may be an announcement of real consequence. Viewers at home will remember that Superman has played key roles in international relief efforts throughout the past decade and has often chosen to stay out of political disputes, so this direct address to the world has left many wondering if he is stepping into a new role or responding to a crisis that has not yet been reported."

He shuffled through his remaining papers again.

"We have two analysts joining us shortly, one from our political desk and one from our global affairs division, and they will help us understand the potential motivations behind this move. For now we will stay with this story as it develops. The stage is nearly set and the press pool is filling fast. The White House communications director is expected to speak first and then Superman will take the podium."

The anchor leaned in once more.

"This is a moment that may shape public discourse for years to come. Superman is preparing to speak to the planet and we will bring you every second live as it happens. Stay with us."

...

Superman stood in one of the side chambers of the White House, a quiet room meant for private preparation, though nothing about it felt quiet to him now. The world was waiting outside and he could feel it pressing against every wall of the building.

Most of the League stood with him in a loose circle. Wonder Woman rested her hand lightly on the edge of a table as she watched him. The Flash shifted from foot to foot as he always did when he was nervous or impatient and his movements stirred faint bursts of air that made the curtains move. Aquaman stood with his arms folded across his chest. Hawkgirl leaned back near the wall with her wings tucked in tight. Mr Terrific stood beside the door looking over occasionally. Even Batman was there despite not being part of the league anymore, although he kept to the part of the room near the corner.

Superman looked at them one at a time. He could not tell if it helped calm him or made him feel more guilty for dragging them into this. His hands remained open at his sides yet there was a tension in them that he could not fully hide.

"I keep asking myself if this is right," he said. "I keep running through every possible outcome and I know how much could go wrong. This is something the world has never seen from me and I am not sure how they will take it."

Wonder Woman stepped forward and placed her palm against his arm. "You have never acted out of pride or anger. You act out of care. That is who you are and that is why we trust you."

The Flash nodded. "People need some hope right now. If you think this is the step that gets them there then we will back you."

Aquaman gave a short sound of agreement. "You choose to do something ambitious, If you choose to carry this burden then you will not carry it alone."

Mr Terrific added, "You ran the numbers with me. You know what will happen if nothing changes. If you believe this move shifts the balance then move forward. We will help manage the fallout."

Their support made him feel better yet the doubt did not vanish. It simply settled somewhere deeper in his chest. He breathed and let it out slowly. He did not need to speak to thank them. They understood he was more greatfuo than words could ever express.

After a moment they all knew it was time. 

They began to file out toward the door in a line. Wonder Woman gave his arm one more squeeze before she joined the others. The Flash paused halfway through the doorway and shot him a brief grin then vanished into the hall. Aquaman followed with a firm nod. Hawkgirl brushed past him with a light clink of her gear. Mr Terrific lingered only long enough to say that he would coordinate the crowd control before stepping away.

Batman remained. He did not approach. He stayed in his place near the corner then pushed off the wall. "You are doing something that needs to be done," Batman said. "You see a failing system and you are choosing to stand between it and the people it harms. The hardest choices require the strongest wills. You know that."

Clark nodded. "I do."

Batman shifted as though ready to turn but Clark spoke again before he could take a full step.

"I havent given up on you Bruce, I hope you know that," Clark said. "I will never give up on you."

Batman froze only long enough for Clark to notice the pause in his movement. He did not turn around. He did not answer. He only resumed walking and disappeared down the hallway.

The room fell quiet. Clark stood alone now with only the distant noise of the crowd. He rolled his shoulders and pulled in a breath that filled his chest. He let it out and straightened himself. His doubts were still there but his purpose was set. He stepped toward the door. The moment he reached it an agent opened it from the outside and nodded.

...

Superman walked forward across the North Lawn grass and the crowd noise dropped into a heavy hush as he stepped onto the small platform and moved behind the podium with its cluster of microphones pointed toward him and he adjusted his stance while the cameras flashed in rapid bursts from every direction and the live feeds carried his image to screens across the planet.

He looked out at the sea of faces, reporters in the front rows with notebooks ready and government officials standing farther back near the White House doors and Justice League members positioned along the sides, and he drew a slow breath before he spoke. "Thank you all for coming here on such short notice, first of all I'd like to apologize for stepping away from public view these past weeks, but I needed that time to prepare everything that brings me here today."

Reporters immediately raised hands and several voices called out questions at once, words overlapping about his absence and the relief efforts and what he planned to say, but Superman lifted one hand gently and continued speaking over them.

"If everyone could please hold questions until I finish, I would appreciate it."

The reporters lowered their hands and fell silent, some nodding in agreement while others exchanged quick glances but respected the request and waited.

Superman paused for a moment and his gaze drifted across the podium as if gathering his thoughts, Wonder Woman stepped closer from her position at the edge of the stage and placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a firm nod, he returned the nod before facing the microphones again.

"As you all know Millions of people around the world have lost their homes, their communities and their sense of security after the Viltrumite attacks, families sleep in temporary camps while children miss school and parents struggle to find work and rebuild lives that were torn apart in hours." He hesitated again and the pause stretched long enough for the crowd to shift restlessly.

"I have watched the responses from governments and from large companies, and I find myself disappointed and outraged at how often profit and budgets take priority over helping those who suffer."

Murmurs spread through the press section and grew louder among the onlookers while government staff near the White House exchanged uneasy looks.

Superman kept speaking as the noise settled.

"Governments exist to protect and care for citizens, yet too many decisions favor financial interests and corporate partnerships over immediate aid and fair reconstruction, people wait in lines for basic needs while contracts get signed for developments that push original residents farther away."

More murmurs rippled outward and camera shutters clicked faster and several officials whispered to each other with tense expressions.

"I know some will say my words seem unfair and that resources are limited and money does not appear from nowhere, and those points have merit in ordinary times, but one month ago I stood inside that building behind me and offered President Ellis complete reconstruction of Gotham at no cost to any government or taxpayer, with labor and materials covered entirely by me and the Justice League, and I made the exact same offer to every nation that suffered damage from the Viltrumites."

Gasps rose sharply from the crowd and reporters leaned forward while phones and cameras captured every angle and officials near the doors froze in place with widened eyes.

"Not one government accepted the offer, not a single leader agreed to let us rebuild homes for free so families could return without new debts or higher rents."

The gasps turned to louder reactions and some reporters began typing furiously on devices while others stared in stunned silence.

"I did not come here today to list government failures or point fingers, I came because I care about people, I care about all of you watching and listening right now, and when I first chose to become a hero my only goal was to help anyone who needed it, whether that person cleaned schools for a living or ran a company from a corner office... but for years I ignored suffering that humans caused each other because I believed I had to stay within laws... that I could never place myself above them."

He turned toward the Justice League members standing nearby and they met his gaze. 

"But I will not ignore that suffering any longer... we will not ignore it any longer."

He faced the podium again and raised both hands slightly in a calming gesture as fresh murmurs started.

"Please understand that I have no intention of taking the presidency or any elected office, I will not declare myself king or ruler or god, and I will continue to respect and follow the laws of the United States and every nation where I operate."

Superman reached into a compartment on his belt and removed a small crystalline device no larger than a phone and he held it up for the cameras to see and then activated it with a touch, and a bright holographic projection appeared above the podium showing a vast city of gleaming white structures surrounded by snow fields under a clear dome that held stable weather inside.

"For the past month I worked in secret with help from members of the Justice League and technology from Krypton to build this city in an unclaimed region of Antarctica, every building stands ready for immediate occupation with power and water and heating systems that maintain comfortable temperatures year round, and farms inside the dome grow fresh food and factories provide jobs and schools welcome students of all ages and hospitals offer full medical care."

Shocked murmurs exploded through the crowd and spread beyond the gates where thousands more watched on large screens and reporters shouted in surprise while government officials clustered together in urgent conversation.

"I created this city for one purpose, to give every person who lost their home in the attacks a new place to live right now, transportation portals connect directly to major cities on every continent for easy commuting, and residents who already have jobs elsewhere can travel back and forth daily at no cost, and those who want work inside the city will find positions waiting."

"I took this step only after every other option closed, I refused to force governments to act or threaten leaders into compliance, that path would make me the very thing I fight against, so instead I built a choice that harms no nation and claims no existing territory and uses no resources from any country."

He lowered the device while the hologram continued to rotate slowly above him showing streets and parks and homes filled with light.

"Any person who wishes to move to this city may do so today, we will provide free transport from every relief camp and shelter, information lines open within the hour so families can register, and children can start school tomorrow and parents can begin new lives without waiting years for contractors or politicians."

"All I ask from governments is that you allow people to leave if they choose this option, m do not block transportation or pressure families to stay or punish anyone who decides to go."

His voice hardened for the first time and the words carried clearly over the microphones. "If any authority tries to stop them or threatens harm to keep people in camps, then that authority will answer to me and to the Justice League." He paused and scanned the faces in front of him one last time.

"We live in a Brave New World, you gotta keep up with the times or get left behind." Superman stepped back from the podium and offered a final nod.

"Thank you for your time."

(AN: Earth is changing because of Superman. He's going to play an important role later also the reveal of Jon Kent. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)

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