Superman: Birth of a Hero

Ch. The Beginning

I do not own Superman, Supergirl, or the Avengers

All three are owned by their respective companies partnered with

Warner Bros., The CW, and Disney

Positive reviews are welcome

Ch 1 The Beginning

Krypton

Argo City

The Planet was in peril. Seismic activity was felt all over the world. The grounds shook about with almost uncontrollable quakes in incremental bursts. Six individuals within a single flying speeder, a smooth, plain, roofless flying vehicle, landed outside of a single, huge, oval shaped, metal grey hangar. The dome opened as one of the male figures pulled out a small, hand held device and pointed it at a walled section, a single light emitting just before the doors opened. As the doors parted, splitting apart at the center, allowing the rushed, yet scared people inside, the sound of mighty explosions could be heard from afar.

"Hurry, there's no time to lose." The one with the remote said. He wore a red, two piece full body suit. He had black hair and brown eyes. His name was Jor-El, Head of the House of El, one of Kryptons leading scientists, husband of Lara-El Lor-Van, father of the newborn child, Kal-El. In the top center of his chest, was a single symbol, an 'S' inside of a diamond format. This symbol stood for 'Hope' among the people of Krypton. And it was one that the El's would hang on to so long as their children survived.

Lara-El Lor-Van, wife of Jor-El, mother of Kal-El, had flawlessly long and curvy blond hair, and blue eyes. She wore a single, white gown. In the center top breast area of the gown, was the same symbol as her husbands lineage, signifying to what House she represented and to whom she forever belonged to.

In her arms was a child, Kal, their son. His destiny was to survive, to thrive on an alien world. And would one day, be a force for good and a leading champion of Justice. He bore his fathers hair and looks, while his eyes matched the same distinctive color and shade of blue as his mothers.

"This way." the other male member of the House of El said as he and his brother led the women and children deep into the hangar where three, tear shaped pods awaited their passengers.

The pods were a dull grey, with odd, web patterned fins. Two of them were stationed behind a single craft that both Jor-El and his wife Lara rushed to as they said their good-byes to the clueless infant.

Zor-El, like his brother, and like many a member of the House of El, was one of Kryptons leading scientists. His and Jor-Els warnings to the High Council about Kryptons imminent destruction, had fallen on deaf ears, just over several days before. The High Council of Krypton was the Leading Faction of Kryptons Government that controlled almost everything all around the planet. They would soon realize, that their vanity would cost them greatly.

Zor-El bore a lighter tone of hair than his brother, bordering on blond, inherited from his and Jors mother, and had hazel eyes. His two piece suit was a dark toned shade of blue, bearing the same shield as his brother. His wife Alura-El In-Ze, with brown hair and blue eyes, wore a similar color toned, two piece dress, also bearing the crest of the House of El upon her breast. She bore him two children, Val-El, and Kara Zor-El, fraternal twins.

Val wore a similar outfit as his father while Kara wore a white shade toned outfit. Val looked much like his mother with brown hair and had his fathers eyes, while Karas hair was a dark blond with blue eyes.

While Zor-El quickly separated himself from his wife and children to prep the ships for launch, Jor-El had already initiated Kal's vessel, sending the babe on ahead, the ships computers guidance systems were already preprogrammed for the coordinates to Earth.

Alura at this time was rushing her children upon the platform. With the last of the pre-flight instructions down loaded into both ships, Zor-El came to and rejoined his family.

He and Alura crouched slightly as they looked into and gazed upon their children one last time. Both grasped the shoulders of the younglings as it would be the last they would ever do so.

"Both of your pods coordinates are interlocked with Kal-Els. You will follow him to Earth."

"I'm not afraid, Father." Kara replied, though in truth, she was rather frightened as she knew that she would never see her parents, or her friends, nor their homeworld, ever again.

"We will look after Kal, Father, Mother." Val added, his feelings also prominent, though he tried not to how it, trying and failing to hide his true emotions.

Zor-El nodded proudly at his son. Grasping his sons shoulder, he pulled him to the side while Alura spoke to Kara, "By now, your mother is already explaining the finer points of what you and your sister will expect upon arriving upon the surface of Earth. Do you remember what I have taught you regarding Earths Sun within the Sol System and Earths gravity, as well as the changes that will take hold of you?"

"Yes, father."

"Then know, as an older brother to your sister, and the eldest living male of the House of El, the crystal Jor-El left to his son, I have given to you as well, only yours is a complete copy of Kal-Els as well, but stores both your mother and I's personality matrix instead of Jor-Els. Inside of your ship, is your robotic companion, Neel'ex. He will help to aid and guide you when you land on Earth. But for the moment, he is on a standby mode in order to conserve power. Along your long journey, you will sleep, but know that your Mother and I will always be with you, in here," he pressed an index finger against his sons heart, "and here.", pressing the same finger against his sons head a second later.

"I will not fail you or Mother, Father. Nor will I fail Uncle Jor-El and Aunt Lara." Val said, with determination in his voice, a single tear falling from his right eye, trailing down his right cheek.

"I know, son. You've already made me proud." Pulling his son into a final embrace, he held him for a moment before releasing him and letting him turn to and enter his mothers arms for the last time.

"Watch over your baby cousin and Kara, my son." she had said as she held him and Kara at the same time.

"I swear it, mother." the emotions he felt, he forced back down so as to show how strong he was being for both of their sake.

A tremor, worse than the last, with an even greater sound of implosion within the distance as if it was drawing nearer, let the family know that time was of the essence as Val quickly turned, ran to, and jumped into his pod. As a transparent shield took its place over the pods main viewport, he looked and beheld Kara running to and embracing their mother one last time. She then too jumped into her pod as his began to rise.

Looking into the eyes of his parents, a single hand touching the transparent shield, he silently spoke, "Good-bye Father, Mother."

Turning to the front, he felt the ship lurch forward, quickly shooting for the planets atmosphere, and into the blackness of space.

"Ship, patch me into Kara's pod." the young Kryptonian demanded, not bothering to look upon the ships computer systems, trusting in his parents capable, technical expertise.

"Acknowledged." came the ships robotic toned computer. "Ship to ship communications, now available."

"Kara, do you read me?"

"I read you, Val."

"We're going to make it, do you hear me? We will meet up with Kal, on Earth."

Though his twin did not respond, he could hear the sniffles from within the speakers.

"Kara,"

"Yes Val."

"I just want you to know, I love you."

"I-I love you t-too, Val."

"See you soon, sister." were his final words as the ships systems began to initiate its 'Stasis Program' in order to render both he and Kara unconscious. His eyes began to feel heavy. He could barely make out Kals ship as the FTL Drive kicked in, and Kals ship jumped into Hyperspace. Val would have fought the blackness that threatened to overtake his mind when the shock wave of Kryptons destruction acted as an EMP, thus damaging the pods computers, knocking the tiny vessel off course. But as it was, the need to sleep was too much, and before he could form a coherent word or thought, the gentle, yet firm embrace of darkness and silence took hold of his mind.

As Krypton exploded, the shock wave hit the pods in which the son and daughter of Zor-El and Alura inhabited, with great force. Both pods sheered off in separate directions. For Kara, her pod was dragged by the gravitational forces of and to the Phantom Zone, an Anomaly where time had no meaning, where only the worst of Kryptons Criminals were kept. A ship based prison was housed within the Anomaly known only as Fort Roz. It held the worst of the worse, including the twin sister of Alura and her husband.

The twins were clueless about the whereabouts of their beloved Aunt Astra, yet were indeed wary of her husband Non, as word had reached them via their friends of several things he had done that may or may not have caught the attention of the Kryptonian Law Enforcement Agency.

As for Val, his pod was thrown far enough away not to be affected by the pull of the Phantom Zone, and yet his ship was thrown even farther out into space. Before too long, within an undetermined amount of time, a rift in space opened, the forces within pulling at the depowered pod. Once through, the rift closed, the pod never to be discovered by outside influences that festered throughout the Galaxy.

While in another Universe, a similar rift opened kilometers from a solid, planetoid moons body. The pod tumbled through the darkened void as if being spat out. As it hurtled through space, past the moon, the gravitational pull of a blue planet took hold of the pod. Before long, the ship began its descent towards the planet.

The jarring that followed as the ship entered the planets Atmosphere, passing its Thermosphere, awakened the little robotic droid.

Shaking its head as if to clear its sensory nodes, its optic sensors quickly took notice right away that there was a problem. The machine known as Neel'ex right away, connected itself to the ships main computers, having to compensate its efforts from the tremors that were felt throughout the ship.

It noticed right away what the problem was. Taking control of the ship, lest the pod crash into the planet below's crust. Neel'ex managed to then halt the pod just kilometers from the solid ground of the Earth itself. Already the pod was heated from its entry through the atmosphere and Thermosphere, as the little droid could attest while initiating a systems check of the pod. After taking control, the droid then redirected the pods engine control, the ship hovering several hundred Kilometers for just a moment above the planets surface before it could crash, only to then shoot back into the sky, disappearing within the cloud coverage of the planet skies, where it remained cloaked from view. Noticing this, the little droid adjusted the pods course and kept the pod safely hidden within the said clouds coverage, moving at the same speed as the water air vapors so as to not be visually noticed by the Terrans.

The little droid then accessed the pods computers and learned of the slight damage within its systems, and began to correct this little problem, but before doing so, initiated the 'Awakening Procedure Protocols' in order to awaken the primary individual within.

Before too long Val-El began to come to. His head hurt slightly, his eyes blurry as he began to return to awareness. It took a moment for the remaining grogginess to fade away as he rubbed the back of his neck. Looking through the main viewport and seeing only the whiteness of the coverage outside, he turned to the side ports and noticed the same visual coverage as ahead of him.

"Ship, status report."

"Salutations, Val-El."

"Neel'ex?" the young Kryptonian queried with a shocked gasp of disbelief.

"That is correct, Val-El."

"Neel'ex, what happened, where are we?"

"I am unable to answer the second question as I have yet to patch into the planets computer systems. As for the your first question, upon entering the planets gravitational field, I was reactivated early on when the ship was suddenly jarred upon entry into the planets atmosphere."

"How did you take control of the pod?"

"Sensing the pods main systems were damaged, I was forced to make an executive decision since you were at then, unable to do so."

With a sigh of relief and appreciation for his fathers quick thinking in allowing the droid to accompany him on his journey, Val leaned back into his comfortable cockpit in thought before his thoughts then turned to other matters.

"Neel'ex, can you patch me through to Kara's ship?"

A few silent moments passed before the droid spoke, "I am unable to comply."

"What?" the boy said shooting up immediately. "Why not? Do I need to do a diagnostic systems check on you?"

"Negative."

"Then why can't you patch me into Kara's pods communications systems?"

"I am unable to reach Young Karas vessel. I do not believe she exists or is upon the planets surface."

"That's impossible. Neel'ex, do a complete systems check. Find out what ever you can that may help us solve this problem by tapping into the ships computer and sensor logs and find out what happened. If you need to, tap into the planets computer systems as well, but do so discreetly. We need to know where and when we are." Val said as he felt a sudden fear creep itself into his stomach. "While you're at it, see if you can find Kal-El's pod."

If not for the pods shielding, no doubt that the young Kryptonian would be experiencing the sudden changes his Father and Uncle Jor had revealed to him when he learned of where he and Kara were to go in order to watch over and protect Kal-El.

It was unknown how much time had passed when Neelix spoke again, "Val-El?"

"What is it, Neel'ex? What did you find?"

"I apologize, but as I was able to do a complete scan of the escape pods main systems, the computers logs indicated that upon Kryptons destruction, the shock wave disabled both of the ships systems. Final entry logs suggests that Young Karas pod as well as your own were knocked off course."

"Off course? Wha...Where did Kara and I go?"

"I am saddened to say, that Kara may have been dragged into the Phantom Zone."

"Th-The P-Phantom Zone. No, no...tha- Neel'ex, are you certain?" Val asked, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

"Affirmative. I have checked and re-chhecked the sensor logs three times to be certain."

"And us? Where are we? When are we?" he asked with despair and uncertainty in his mind.

"According to the ships logs, as we too were knocked off course, the last of the sensor systems, before going offline, noticed a rift off the ships bow that dragged the ship in and closed in on itself moments later."

"A rift?"

"A tear in the very fabric of space and time. For all intents and purposes, we are on Earth, just not the Earth in which was our intended destination. As for the year, according to the current timeline, it is March 7th, of the Earth year 1994."

Leaning back in his seat, a hand over the left side of his face, eyes widening at the sudden realization at what Neel'ex was telling him, "So, another Universe?"

"Precisely!" came the voice of the Kryptonian AI.

Eyes moving every which way in order to understand the far reaching consequence at the thought, young Val took a moment to take it all in. Kryptons destruction, the pain of loss, of his parents, sister, cousin, his Aunt and Uncle, the pain of being alone. Of being the only one of his kind on this new and unexplored world. It was then that he looked up, a determined glint in his eyes and quickly asked, "Neel'ex, Uncle Jor-El chose a family on Earth in which Kal-El was to be raised by, in the most likely event that Kara and I did not succeed in the mission. Tell me, is there such a family here on this Earth?"

The computer panels before him began to flash in various sequences as Neel'ex went to work, "There are various records of families situated throughout this world by the name of Kent, but there is no known colony or 'Town' referenced under the name of Smallville, known in the State under the name of Kansas. But if I was to reference a family suitable for your needs, it most likely would not take long for me too search out a compatible human family."

Nodding as he knew he had no known way of caring for himself should he remain alone. He was in a bad spot and he knew it. With no Kara, no Kal-El, he had only his robot and a Kryptonian crystal and some emergency rations that his father had informed him would be in both his and Karas pods storage compartments. He knew that he couldn't do this alone, even if he had his trusty droid, he would need help and stability and to do that, he would need to find aid in order to survive. "Do it!"

Once more, the pods panels glowed erratically for several moments before ceasing, "I believe I have found a human couple with the same, if not, similar compatibilities as the Kent Family. Though it appears that the said couple seem to be incapable of having children of their own."

"Oh? How so."

"The male among the couple received an injury during a tour of this worlds US Military Service. Having retired from active duty within the US Marines, Allen Kleyton and his wife of seven years, one Charlotte Kleyton-Childress have been looking to adopt a child for a little over a standard Earth year. Having studied the couple via all online information, including Medical Records, as well as current and past Satellite imaging, I can conclude that the Kleytons are as close to resembling the Kent family as one could possibly be."

"Satellite?"

"It is one of the hubs currently existing above the planets atmosphere capable of viewing the stars beyond Earth, and aid in information retrieval. It was through this, in which I was able to gain access of information concerning the Kleytons, even if it was by all accounts, illegally attained. As you requested, this was done discreetly, so as not to be noticed by the worlds Government Agencies. This in turn enabled me to learn and understand as much as possible in order to assist you. These 'Satellites' possess enough information as well as aiding in Military and Civilian communications, that I was able to easily bypass their security and firewalls. Their technology is impressive, but no where near Kryptonian level standards."

"That...That's good to know." Val said, shaking his head "What about the Kleytons' is similar to the Kent family and what is the language most spoken on the Continent below?"

"The Kleyton's are what is known as farmers, that is the growing and harvesting crops and raising various animal life. Ones whom specialize in Agriculture practices." he surmised, "And the language in most parts of this world is mainly English."

"A language I know enough of, thanks to the many study sessions with Uncle Jor." With a sigh of resignation, "Alright, let's do this. Where are the Kleytons now?"

"The Kleyton's are currently mobile. Their choice of residence is in a town called Hutchinson, in the state of Kansas."

"What is the meaning or difference with the various states, cities, and towns?"

"That is something you will have to learn for yourself, should things go according to plan."

"Yeah," he muttered in a low sarcastic tone, "a plan that I am just making up as I go along." Looking up, he could barely make out blue skies above that seemed to get darker as his eyes drifted beyond the stratosphere, 'Kara, Kal, I'm so sorry. Father, mother, Uncle Jor, Aunt Lara, please forgive me.' Closing his eyes, he focused on the images of his memories of his family from within his mind, of his sister and baby cousin. A few moments of silence passed as he lowered his head and silently prayed to Rao, begging him to welcome the spirits of his family into his Kingdom, and to watch over Kara and Kal. Coming to, he opened his eyes and sniffed once as he felt the side of his face. A lone tear had fallen from his left cheek. Noticing the wetness as he looked down into his hand, he curled his hand into a clenched fist, "Ok Neel'ex, adjust course. Get us to this place, this...Hutchinson."

"Acknowledged." came the droids response as the ship shot through the clouds. As the pod passed through the last bit of mist-like vapor that had made up the rather large cloud, Val looked up to a clear blue sky, and a yellow sun.

He smiled as he felt the suns warm, rays wash over him, granting him strength of which he had never felt before.

Hutchinson, Kansas

Population 41,310

Early Evening

Allen Kleyton had just placed the last of the needed grain into the back of his truck. His wife Charlotte, was seen leaving a small Grocery store with two paper bags in her hands. She had a smile on her face, as on either side of her, were long time friends from her youth who were aiding her with grocery bags in their arms as well.

Allen could not begin to understand what they were speaking of as they were still several feet away on the intersecting road, headed towards the family vehicle.

It was as Charlotte had placed her bags into the back cab of the truck, that her two friends did so as well.

"It was good seeing you two."

"You as well dear."

"Take care Charlotte. Make sure to keep that husband of yours out of trouble now, you hear?" the woman said as she eyes him, sending him a sly wink, making him chuckle while blushing.

"I will Brenda." Charlotte replied. Hugging the woman known as Brenda, she then turned to the other woman, "We still on for that all girls night, Alice?"

"As if I'd miss that for the world." Alice replied with a humorous snort, pulling back after hugging her old friend.

"You girls take it easy." Charlotte said as both she and her husband both jumped into the truck. They pulled out and began the trek out of the small town after both women went their own separate ways.

"They seemed jovial, more so than usual." Allen said as they passed the last shop before driving onto the two way lane towards their home.

"They always have been." Charlotte agreed with a tired, yet happy sigh. She then looked out towards the bright, cloud filled skies as her mind began to drift off. For years now, she and her husband had been trying to find a way to bring a child into their lives, but with the money restraints and hard times, that was making their wants for a child to carry their name, rather impossible.

Allen, having been wounded after his third tour of duty, and having taken shrapnel from an RPG to his lower extremities and legs, now walked with a limp and was aided by a cane. Despite being wounded, his manhood worked just fine, but the damage was too extensive to his nether regions that it reduced any chances to bring a child into the world through natural means.

With a hand on the edge of the passenger side window with said window lowered completely, she thought of nothing more of what could have been.

Adoption was difficult as even farmers were falling on hard times in the current day and age. That, plus the money, time, and paper work just made things that much more difficult.

As he drove, Allen chanced a look at his wife. Seeing her deep in thought, let go of the stick shift in order to run his left hand behind her neck, gently massaging the soft skin beneath her long blond head of hair.

She leaned into his touch as she rather enjoyed the attention, especially when he knew she needed the comfort. She moaned with content as she turned to look at him with a warm smile, that he returned. It was then that she noticed an object within the skies past her husbands driver side as it made itself known to her. Eyes widening, she hollered her husbands name in a panicked tone, "ALLEN!?"

Allen Kleyton barely had a chance to react as he fought to control his vehicle when he quickly turned and looked upon what she saw. It was a small ship of an unknown make that had just flown overhead, the force of which caused the truck to spin out of control.

When the Kleytons came to, it was Charlotte who did so, noticing that her truck had overturned and landed on its head. She moaned in pain as her head hurt something fierce. Though upside down, she had enough strength to touch the right side of her head, noticing that she had a shallow cut. She hissed as she touced it, the cut stinging a bit.

"A-Allen." she barely got out.

"Ugh, Charl-Charlotte?"

"I'm here." she got out a bit wearily.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. The last thing that came to mind was some kind of ship coming at us, and then I just blacked out."

"Yeah, me too. The trucks totaled." Both of them were hanging upside down, thankful that they had followed the laws of the road and were buckled in.

Suddenly, the truck began to lift upward. As it began to tilt on its side a bit, Allen Kleyton thought a loud, "What the hell?"

Looking forward from behind the windshield of the truck, both Kleytons noticed a single, blue suited body with two small legs in the middle of the front end of the truck. With a single hand, the individual the hand belonged to, held the up turned hood closed while the other could not be seen.

Both were in even more shock when the truck was fully turned over, and the head of a boy in a blue toned two piece suit, rising as he set the truck back on it four wheels. The Kleytons were further shocked as the young man came around to the passenger side of the vehicle and ripped the door off.

Charlotte reeled back in fear when she saw the 'boy' run a hand through his hair, looking apologetic at having done so.

The boy then turned his head to gaze upon the woman and spoke in strained English, "A-Are...yo-u...al-alr-alright?"

As Charlotte nodded, the boy then said, "Ok!" before he fell to the side, losing the battle to remain conscious.

"Gasp." a young man rose with the rise of the sun. Slowly sitting up in the bed he had lain in, he leaned forward as he rubbed the back of his neck. He'd dream that same dream or memory, every anniversary since he came to this world. He then turned to the side of the bed and allowed his feet to touch the floor. It was cool to the touch as his feet adjusted to the temperature of the wood and the coolness it was giving off.

He ran his hands through his hair when he rose to his feet. Stretching his arms out wide, he welcomed the 'pops' and 'cracks' in his back and arms as he stumbled towards the adjoining bathroom next to his room.

Taking care of his manly duties, he turned on the water to wash his hands and face, and prepared to brush his teeth when a knock sounded at his bedroom door.

"In here." he called out.

A head popped inward as a middle aged woman with graying blond hair looked around and towards the bathroom. She entered the room completely, a warm smile on her face, "I'll never get how you are always the first one up." Charlotte Kleyton was wearing a warm cranberry red robe that was tied off at the waist.

Her son of almost 11 years was a blessing to her and her family. A child, having fallen from the stars, given to her and her husband. It had taken a few days to come to terms with the fact that they had been given a chance to live their dream, despite the fact that the child was an orphaned alien.

Allen, being a former Marine, and seeing that the boy was not of the Earth, even after his robotic companion had explained things to them, could not bring himself to give this child up. The boy had just lost a world, a home, family. He had nothing left, and it spoke to the hearts of the couple that this was their chance to make their dream a reality while protecting him from the Government.

The robot, designated Neel'ex, aided Allen in placing the Kryptonian pod in the barn of their home once they were able to retrieve it. Of course, Neel'ex had to pilot it back, and through the pods systems, was able to keep it off the radar of the US Military.

For over 10 years, the Kleytons slowly introduced Christopher Johnathan Kleyton to the world. With Neel'ex's help, they were able to manipulate and alter the Governments computer systems, giving Christopher a paper trail and a history.

Charlotte contacted one of her friends whom was a good Lawyer and brought her into the know. Alice Schofield became the honorary Godmother to Christopher and swore to keep his secrets. Through Alices aid, Chris was able to finally have an physical identity that even his robotic companion could not do for him.

It was a slow transition for the Kryptonian, but over time, he adjusted well. Made friends, had a love for human literature and even joined the school newspaper and science clubs.

After he turned 18, he joined the local Junior College and took several courses on Journalism until he earned his Masters Degree. When he wasn't at home and or at school, he spent time in the North where he was able to set up a base for himself.

The Master Crystal his father left he and Kara, was used to create his very own Fortress of Solitude. There, he was able to set up a place for his human parents as a retreat, and or a place to be used as a shelter. He then created two sets of very tall ice sculptures, one set being his parents, the other, of his Aunt and Uncle, each holding a section of a globe that represented Krypton. As a way of keeping his robotic friend safe, he flew him to the fortress where he remained to this day.

As for his powers, with Neel'ex's aid and some aid from his parents, both human and AI, he was able to learn to adapt, control, and hone his growing abilities.

Finally, it was time to see the world. He had been planning it for some time as the AI of Alura had implored him to learn just what the world held for him, to hone his craft and better himself as a Journalist.

Now in his home, his bags were already packed and sitting beside the bed as his mother leaned against the door of his bathroom.

He was brushing his teeth as he thought on how lucky he was to have found such good parents despite the way his life had played out. What he lost, he gained in ways he never thought possible. He'd thank Rao everyday for supporting him and blessing him, despite how much he missed his sister, his cousin, his biological parents, Uncle, Aunt, and even worse, Krypton.

"Wha'?" he asked half humorously, despite being half awake with his toothbrush in his mouth.

"Nothing, just gazing at my little boy, all grown up. A mothers prerogative."

Washing out his mouth and drying it with a towel, he smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"I don't want you to go." she mock cried, resting a hand on his hardened chest.

"I know, but I have to. I have to find where I fit in."

"You fit in just fine here."

"Of course I do, mom. This is home. But I have a calling, out there. I have to see what the world has to offer. I want to be the best journalist our family could be proud of."

"We're already proud of you, Chris." she said as she sat on his bed beside him. He half stepped into his pants and was already getting his sox on.

"I get that mom, I really do. But I want to get the name of Kleyton out there and see where it goes."

He stood up shortly after stepping into and lacing up his shoes. He was in the process of fixing his pants and getting his belt tightened around his waist, "We've only had you for so short a time, and already you're leaving us."

"I won't be gone long mom, just a few short years. I of course will always be here for the special occasions. After all, who makes the best Holiday meals in all of Hutchinson, Kansas?"

"Who makes the best meals, period? Flattery and compliments are just a few of the reasons why I love you so much."

"I thought it was because of my charming personality." he shot back with a cheeky smile.

"Well, Mr. Personality, hurry up. I'm making a big breakfast send off before your Aunt Alice comes to take you to the airport." she said as she got up from the bed and walked to the door. "Maybe if you hurry, you'll be able to take extra for a snack while on the flight."

"Yes mam." he replied as she closed the door. Ten minutes later, he was walking casually down the stairs with his two suit cases and a briefcase in hand. He had a total of three cases that he was taking with him, the first two filled with clothes and such, the briefcase being filled with some of his work and personal credentials, but was smaller than the suit cases because it contained his laptop inside with his credentials, personal resumes, and such.

"There he is."

"Hey dad." Chris said as he set his luggage down.

Getting up, the aged, former soldier turned farmer slowly got up to give his son a morning hug. Sitting down a few moments later with his son taking a seat opposite him and grabbing his hot cup of coffee, taking a generous sip, Allen Kleyton set it down as he asked, "So, ready to see the world?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Thanks mom." Chris answered when he looked up and acknowledged the breakfast his adopted mother set before him. As he began to dig in, his father then asked, "you nervous?"

Swallowing what he had in his mouth, and clearing his airways with a sip of orange juice, Chris replied, "Sort of. It's going to be odd, you know. I haven't exactly spent a lot of time away from home except when I was at school, studying for my Masters Degree. This will be my first time actually seeing the world. Say, why don't you come with me?"

"We've been over this dear." his mother chided as she swallowed a bite of her breakfast and chased it down with a sip of the steaming hot brew.

"Besides, we're fine right where we are." Allen reiterated. "This is a journey you need to take by yourself. Will we be envious, even jealous that you will be able to see the world? Yes. But the farm won't take care of itself. Besides, we're too old for that sort of thing."

"Allen Christopher Kleyton, I am not too old." his wife rebuked. Seeing her husband wince at the full usage of his name, she continued as she smiled to herself, "I just happen to like where I am, and have no desire to go gallivanting all over the world like some 'Hippy'."

She smirked when Chris began to cough suddenly, only to start chuckling to himself. "So, do you have that suit and boots I and Alura designed and made for you?"

With a nod, he answered, "Yes mam. But I doubt I will need it."

"Remember what I told you, it's better to have it than not need it. And since you've mastered the art of disguise with wearing those glasses in the outside world, it's doubtful anyone will recognize you without them. Besides, after what we've learned regarding that woman, what was her name, Dear?"

"Captain Carol Danvers." her husband replied. "Her father is old fashioned, and an asshole. Thank God, she didn't turn out like that idiot. Hard to believe that, even with you being not of this world, let alone this universe, there is still life beyond our own little blue world if the stories I've heard from my old friends still in the Military tell me, regarding Captain Danvers is true. Let's just hope she doesn't turn out like her old man."

"Easy now, Allen. You above all else know how uneasy lies the head of a traditional Military family man." A new voice chimed in as Alice Schofield walked into the kitchen. "Good Morning Kleytons."

"Morning Alice." Charlotte responded as she rose from her chair and walked back to the high walled cabinet containing the cups, grabbing a coffee cup and pouring a generous amount of the hot dark liquid, before passing it to her long time friend who accepted it graciously, "Thanks. Mmmmm." she purred as she enjoyed how delicious the coffee tasted as if flowed over her tongue and down her throat. "Amazing as always, Charlotte."

"I do try."

"So, Christopher Dear. You ready to explore the world." she asked as she turned her attention to her Godson.

"I guess you can say that."

"How do you feel about going so far away? Nervous?"

"Terrified really."

"Well, I'm sure you can handle it, honey. After all, you're invulnerable and insanely strong."

"I guess." Chris muttered as he looked down. He didn't like the fact that even as a Kryptonian, he was more durable than a human being. His adopted family meant everything to him, which is why he created replicas of his parents and Aunts home back in his fortress, so should anything threaten his parents and adopted Godmother, all three would have a home to relocate to.

"It's ok, son." Allen said as Chris met his gaze, "You don't have to worry about us. After all, you gave each of us special mother box devices to get to the fortress, should the worst occur."

"I-I just don't want to lose you guys, not like I lost everyone else."

"Still having the nightmares about your homeworld and family, hon?" Alice asked worriedly. Seeing him nod, Alice, sitting closest to her adopted nephew and Godson, grabbed his hand in support, "Don't worry about us, Chris. You know that nothing will happen to us, we're tougher than we look."

There was a moment or two of silence as Chris looked at his family who nodded with warm supporting smiles on their faces.

Before long, breakfast was at an end, and it was to a tearful set of parents that Chris was embracing with as little of his normal strength as he held them, basking in their love for him. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"We'll miss you too, son." his father replied as he pulled himself and his wife away a step, holding Chris at an arms length.

"I don't want him to go." Charlotte cried as she huddled into her husbands side, tracks of tears falling down her face.

"I won't be gone forever, mom." Chris said emotionally. "Besides, at least I got some breakfast to go as a snack while aboard my flight." he raised the small red lunch sack that acted as a cooler for the food within. And if it wasn't for the fact that he had Heat Vision, she feared that the food would go rotten before he even got aboard the plane. "And you know, you can't keep me away when you make the best food in all of Hutchinson County."

"Ooohhhh," she cooed as she grabbed his face and kissed both of his cheeks before pulling him once more into her arms Feeling his arms wrap around her, she made sure to hold him just a little longer."

"Say cheese." a flash of light, and a small giggle from Alice revealed her lowering a cam as she had taken a picture of the three Kleytons as Father held son who held the mother.

Holding the camera up, she then said, "Going to have that picture developed and copied so that we can all have one to hold onto for memories sake."

As it was, Chris made sure to quickly load his luggage into his Aunts vehicle. After loading the luggage into the back of the vehicle, before he got in, he gazed upon his parents one more time as they stood on the porch, holding one another and smiling sadly as he was about to leave. "I'll call you from the airport."

Getting a nod from his parents, he took one last look at the house and farm, then his parents who he gave a single wave, receiving one in return, got in the car before he changed his mind and shut the door. A hand grasped his arm, causing him to gaze at the woman he called his Aunt, "They're going to be fine." she said softly. Getting a nod, she smiled warmly and started the car.

As the car pulled away, Chris used his enhanced Kryptonian vision to keep his parents in view as he gazed upon the passenger side mirror on the outside of the car. It wasn't until she took a turn heading into town that he relinquished his visual power and returned it to normal.

It was over thirty minutes later that they reached the airport. After checking in with the Counter Agents about his flight and making sure his luggage and lunch sack was secured with Security Personnel as well as making sure his two suit cases were secured with the right flight in which he would be a part of, he called his parents who were joyously happy to hear from him. After the phone call ended, he heard the call over the intercom for his flight to out of the country to Europe.

Turning to Alice, he breathed in a sigh, "Well, this is it."

"Yes yes it is." she said with finality.

"I'm going to miss you." he said as he leaned down to give her a hug.

Her arms wrapped around his neck since he was much taller than her, with her being 5'11 and he being 6'10. "I'm going to miss you too, honey." Releasing him, she stepped back as her hands remained on his buttoned jean jacket, looking up into his eyes, a single tear fell down her left cheek, eliciting a sniffle. "You remember to call your parents and I when you get there now, you hear?"

With a chuckle, he replied, "Yes mam." With only his briefcase in hand, he walked into the terminal towards his plane.

Once he was out of view, Alice went to a window that looked outwards as she looked at the plane that would take her boy away. She didn't know which window in which he would be seated near, but a hand lightly waving from a window near the middle of the plane, caught her attention. She looked and saw it was her Godson whose face appeared in the said window with a huge smile.

Alice smiled tearfully as she waved back, with him sending her a raspberry kiss that she pretended to catch and place against her heart. All too soon, the jet bridge began to pull away, followed by the plane as it began to back away from where the terminal resided. She followed it to the best of her abilities until she lost sight of his window. But by then, the plane began to pull onto the runway far out of her visual range. A few minutes later, the plane picked up speed, and began to take off. As the front of the plane lifted up, an somewhat unwelcome presence made itself known as it stepped up beside him.

"There he goes." The person was African-American, with one eye hidden behind a black patch, the signs of scarring above and under the patch. He was bald, wearing a dark black, two piece suit, the jacket closed with one button.

"Fury." she said a bit crisply.

"Agent Schofield." he replied back in a similar tone.

"My days as a SHIELD Agent are over."

"Correction. The day you came to me about him in order to help give him an identity with the promise to keep him off of SHIELD's radar, was the day you resumed active duty. The Kleytons have done a remarkable job in raising the boy into a positive member of society, which is why I am going to be keeping my eye on him."

"He's done nothing wrong." she snapped, turning fully to look at the Director of the U.S.'s head of SHIELD.

"Yet. He's done nothing wrong, yet. And I want to keep it that way. The kid is an asset, a valuable asset. And with the recent events surrounding Ms. Danvers, the world could use someone of his caliber."

"He's just a boy." she said.

"Who has become a man. A 'Superman', if the level of power you told me he possesses is anything to go by. Which is why when the time comes, I'll also want you to approach him with this."

Handing her a cream colored file with the SHIELD logo upon it, she saw that beneath the logo were the words 'Avengers Initiative'. Opening it, was all of Chris's personal information and what all that Nick Fury and SHIELD knew of him.

"I thought you swore that he wouldn't be in the system." she said as she looked up into his one good eye.

"He's not. Christopher Kleyton, also known as Val-El of Krypton, is only known to myself, Agent Coulson, and you. Because of how the Kleytons and you have brought him up, I have kept my organization in the dark about his existence, let alone the technology in his possession as well as the crystal fortress he just so happens to have in the Arctic, protected by technological defenses SHIELD could only dream of."

With a defeated sigh, she asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Me, I just want you to continue doing what you've been doing. So long as he has positive, moral individuals in his life to keep him on the straight and narrow path, I won't interfere. But, if something happens that draws him into the public's attention, I expect you to do the right thing and talk to him. That's all."

"Fine. But if we do this, we do this my way. You need to keep SHIELD off of my back." she said irritably, closing the file and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Agreed." Fury replied as he turned and began to walk away. Pausing in his step, he turned back slightly, "And Schofield, remember, I'll be watching." he said pointedly as he turned back around and continued to walk away.

12 ½ pages of written material for a new Superman story arc with an OC character that was created and named in honor of the man murdered on the series 'Krypton', by his former friend, Daron-Vex. In this version, the Val-El, named in honor of his Great Grandfather, will be the Superman of the Marvel MCU. He'll live by a similar code as Kal-El, but will have a bit more of his Aunts personality in the mix as I may or may not bring Astra into the story, which I leave up to you. Also, let me know what pairing you think may be appropriate because I may or may not also bring in the Faora-Ul from the DCEU. You decide. Let me know what you think, and I'll keep on writing more as much as my fingers will type. Until next time.