a different experience with the future

[slayers_desire]

Normally, April is granted glimpses into her future, or the future of people she cares about. And when that happens she often feels drained and tired. Today a totally different experience with the future occurred, when she talked with an older red-kryptonite influenced Clark.

The initial contact and a possessive kiss had fueled her Beast. Then after using green kryptonite to null the red, April had learned more about Clark's future.

Including things she has to tell his younger self.

Even if it wasn't a vision, April feels drained all the same. And so draws herself a bath and slips into the warm, relaxing bubbles. If older-Clark was right, then his younger self should still be contactable. She just needs to figure out the right way to explain what she saw, what happened and how to not say certain things about his future.

Using her PINpoint, she calls her Clark. And there is a moment of pure anticipation as it rings.

Comments

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Chloe had a what? Kryptonite arsenal?" The fact that she apparently knows his weakness and his secret is alarming, to say the least.

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"Under the red Kryptonite influence, you had mentioned that it had been a betrayal of Chloe and Oliver."

"I got the impression that both people were working with you in the Watchtower you mentioned."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

He's beyond confused. He's never heard of Watchtower and he has no idea who Oliver is. Or Tess. Sure, he'll find out sooner or later, but right now he's in the dark.

"...I hate to think I get cryptic in the future."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"His main goal was for you to hear the message, to try to change the future. I think he wanted to protect some things, so not too much about who you become is changed."

"You were stronger. More confident. I felt that you had more trusted people in your life."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"And... somehow trusting Jor-El will help avoid this." He can't see a connection at all. He doesn't want to be skeptical, but it doesn't make any sense from where he's sitting.

"I... guess I can try." No promises, though. "If I come back one day and I've gone all... Kal-El again..."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"I will bring you back." April promises. Because really, she would only blame herself for sending him on such a mission.

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Thank you." He never doubted that she would. And he's very, very glad that he didn't decide to wait before giving her that box.

He doesn't want to think about that horrific vision or all the problems he's bound to have along the way. Fortunately, he's been provided with an adequate segue to a slightly happier topic. "Speaking of Kal-El, I've been practicing my flying."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

The segue works for April. The horrific vision of Clark's future had returned all that worry about losing him. And red-kryptonite Clark off-hand comment about Zod not knowing about her, because of Lois.

"Oh? That's good! How has it been going?"

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Not fantastic," he admits. "I can get up in the air with a bit of work, and I can do any gymnast proud with flipping around and turning and things, but propulsion is still a bit of an issue. As long as I stick to hovering I'm super, though."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"There has to be some sort of trigger behind the propulsion. Do you remember what helped your other side?"

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Not really. He was pretty flat when it comes to personality." Kal-El had been more like a robot than a living person. "Maybe it's just... having somewhere I need to go? I don't know."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"You have access to the Fortress, why not start there?"

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

He blinks. Stares at her. "...Fortress?"

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Right. Future-you." April smiles apologetically.

"It could also be something that you will strengthen with practice and time. My visions were difficult for me to understand and control, when they first appeared."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

Clark is starting to get annoyed with his future self. How pathetic is that? I can't stop meddling with my own life.

"I hope so. I've met a very, very future me who seemed to think hollering silly phrases would help and I'm not quite desperate to try that yet."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"What kind of silly phrases?"

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you know. 'Up, up, and away!' That sort of thing."

Nothing happens in the flight department when he says it, which is a good thing because he'd feel absolutely terrible if he put a gigantic hole in her ceiling.

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"Okay. That does sound bizarre. You could try saying it and jumping... alone somewhere."

"Unfortunately I do not have much experience with flying so I am unsure what else to suggest."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"I've gotten really good at the jumping part," he says, a little proudly. "I almost hit a cropduster last time though."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"A cropduster?" April never grew up anywhere near a farm.

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"Oh! They're small one-man airplanes with a special compartment for pesticides. The pilot flies down low over a large field and sprays the crops to kill off all the bugs. My family grows organic so we don't hire them, but some of the neighbors do."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"I hope that the pilot was flying high when you almost hit him." April strokes his hair. "And didn't notice you."

"I was fortunate. My first non-human abilities had shown themselves around other non-humans."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

"I figure somewhere around five hundred feet, but it's hard to tell without something to judge against. Scared the heck out of him but I'm pretty sure he's convinced I was just a really large bird." It's a bird, it's a plane! No, it's the amazing plummeting Clark Kent. At least it went over better than the time Clark accidentally pitched the tractor seven miles and had to explain that to the police.

He looks at her curiously. "Tell me about it?"

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"From an earlier age, I was raised in a Demon dimension. Where humans were... well surviving much like that horrible vision Future-you had." April tugs at her sleeves.

"My physical enhancements were easy adapted into my training. It was a balance to learn how to use my strength, agility and speed in appropriate ways."

"My Beast... was an issue to deal with at first. The Demons wanted me to embrace that part of myself completely. To allow it to rule me. And become me."

"After they forced my first vision... I ran away."

[kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com]

He shivers a little just imagining it. "God, that's awful. I'm glad you got out of there."