Chapter 35

Inside the cave, Leonardo placed the final stone into the slot as a blinding light lit up the cave. Reaching out his hand while trying to shield his eyes due to the bright light, he grabbed the near transparent blue crystal floating before him. Then, he felt something take place as he and Clark found themselves in an area full of snow.

'It is slightly worrying that Lional had the third stone,' Clark said finally.

'I doubt it was him who had it, but probably the woman who was in the office.' Leonardo thought for a moment as he threw the crystal. 'Anyways, it is worrying to say the least, but we will deal with it when we are done here, wherever this is.'

The two watched as moments after the crystal touched the snow, the ground slightly rumbled before large crystal ice pillars began to shoot up out of the ground. One became two and two became four as the crystal pillar continued to multiply as they rose high into the sky before them forming a giant fortress.

Letting out a low whistle, Leonardo looked at the large fortress before him. "Now that's what I call a true Fortress of Solitude. Impressive isn't it Clark."

'In a way.' Clark tried not to express his current emotion.

'It's fine to show emotions at times, Clark. There is no need to bottle your emotions up or admit when something is amazing looking. I mean look at this amazing sight, it is so shiny and sparkles.' Leonardo laughed as they trudged through the snow.

"Welcome my sons. You have traveled far and learned a fair bit of many things. Now one journey has ended. A new journey is about to begin. Welcome home, my sons." Jor-El's voice echoed throughout the fortress.

"I thought Krypton was destroyed!" Clark said, much to Leonardo's slight embarrassment.

Luckily Jor-El didn't mind the question. "It was, but here in your Fortress of Solitude, the geography of our planet has been replicated for your training."

Clark grumbled slightly, only still slightly resistant to learning. For he felt like he was getting further and further from being a normal teenager. Not to mention what he considers to be a normal human.

'Just embrace your heritage Clark. You don't need to be so resistant to your biology or what your kryptonian father left you.' Leonardo said.

'I'm not so resisting, but I feel I am drifting further and further from being a human.' Clark sighed dramatically. 

'Clark I told you before, while you may be of Kryptonian biology, you have the heart of a human.' Leonardo stated. 'So you can be as human as much as you can be a kryptonian.'

"Before the training, can we work on getting me separated from Kal-El?" Leonardo asked Jor-El.

'We also need to get back home.' Clark also noted.

"Very well." Jor-El. "It will require a week of time inside the incubation chamber. Shall we begin?"

'Dang it.' Leonardo cursed. "No, since Clark is needed in Smallville since he can't very well go missing for a week. We will do it in a few months when Clark has Spring Break. Until then, we will come every weekend to study for a few hours each weekend. Is that acceptable, Jor-El?"

"Each time you delay your training, you put the future of this planet at risk." Jor-El answered.

"Well they survived this long, a few years won't make that big of a difference." Leonardo joked. "Besides, if you push Kal-El on this topic, he will probably try to run away and fight you on this."

'Leo! I am tired of you telling me how I feel.' Clark snapped.

'Well, am I right?' Leo asked.

'That's beside the point.' Clark grumbled.

"He needs to learn that the incoming threats are too great for the human race to handle on their own." Jor-El replied. "Should Kal-El refuse to do his training, then drastic actions must be taken until he continues or completes his training."

'I don't see how you can see Jor-El in a good light.' Clark grumbled. 'It sure sounds like a threat that I must follow the life he planned out for me.'

'It's an A.I program with most of Jor-El's memories that lacks his regrets, pride and guilt.' Leonardo said feeling like he mentioned this before. 'Besides, it is also a computer Clark. It will do what it is programmed to do and in this case, turn you into a guardian for this planet.'

Clark rolled his eyes clearly, not wanting to hear that. It went against what Jonathan and Martha had taught him. Since if he became a guardian, it means he will be at the forefront and spotlight of the human race.

'Don't worry so much, Clark. Just take it one step at a time and go at your own pace. No one is asking you to step out in the spotlight tomorrow.' Leonardo said. 'Besides, we haven't established your dual identities yet nor your outfit.'

Clark agreed with Leonardo's first part, but sputtered at the second one.

--

Upon returning to the farm, Leonardo went to sleep while Clark worked on his chores and played catch up with his parents. Which more or less contained some ranting about Leonardo and Jor-El actions lately.

"Well son, while they are a bit rough handed, they are trying to help you become the man you can become." Jonathan said. "While I don't want to admit it, they are more knowledgeable in certain aspects when it comes to you."

"So you also think I should do this training?" Clark looked shocked. "I thought you were against even tracking down these stones, why the change."

"While you were gone, I had time to mull over Leonardo's words. It doesn't hurt you to learn more, Clark. Studying isn't a bad thing and it can possibly solve many of the questions about yourself. Answers neither I nor your mother knows." Jonathan admitted with great difficulty.

"I'm just tired of everyone deciding what I will be in the future." Clark sighed. "Jor-El and Leonardo want me to be some grand hero, even if Leonardo says it is up to me to decide. You want me to make my own choices yet backhand me when I do. It's all so confusing, why can't I just be Clark Kent, your son."

"You will always be our son, no matter the name or appearance you go around in the future." Jonathan looked uncomfortable. "However, Leonardo is partially right, it is up to you to decide in the future."

While they got along a bit, Jonathan was still uncomfortable about Leonardo present inside his son. Since the few times they talked, it made it difficult for Jonathan to get a read on Leonardo's personality. So far what he knows is Leonardo is all over the place, he likes to talk about nonsense and do things on whims, but is also serious and cautious.

Clark let out a small sigh wondering why his life seems so complicated and why so many have such high expectations of him.

--

Clark's and Leonardo's life entered a simple monotonous routine. From early morning they do most of their chores, then punch a log for an hour or so taking turns, go to school, or the Fortress depending if it is the weekend or not, before finishing up the day chores and working on their boat. Of course with a few incidents with a couple meteor infected teenagers having a meltdown.

One such example was Seth Nelson who gained the power to manipulate magnetic fields which include one thought. Which made Clark deal with a tiny episode of jealousy after Seth triggered Lana's brain to make her think she loved him. Leonardo let Clark do his thing, as he decided to allow the Lana love boat to run its course in Clark's life. Since, the previous attempts to help Clark to notice other possible girls to date didn't seem to work much.

Another issue was Lionel being locked up into Belle Reeves. His pupils were almost completely white, and seemed incapable of caring for himself. Which made Lex happy for some reason as he began to take control of all of Luther Corps.

Finally, and what made Clark a whole lot less resistant to learning from Jor-El. Clark ended up reliving a few moments of Jor-El life when he came to Earth for a short time.