Pathways - Part 3
Title: Pathways
Pairing/Characters: Tess Mercer/Alice, Lois Lane
Fandom: Smallville/The Playboy Club
Rating: PG
Summary: As the Man of Steel’s destiny is finally fulfilled, some end up still looking for a greater calling of their own. Like Lois Lane, whose life takes a sudden change when she gets a visit from a special someone who grants her superpowers. Or Tess Mercer, who unexpectedly gets stuck in 1960s Chicago of another universe where now she has to try and find a new life in this feminine repressed era while still trying to find her way back.
A/N: This idea originally came from my mourning of the series The Playboy Club as the series was cancelled right before Cassidy Freeman’s character was going to start a relationship with Alice. However since we don’t know too much about Cassidy’s TPC character Francis, I figure to swap her with Cassidy’s other character, Tess from Smallville, to take Francis’s place in the series.
A/N2: Story takes place after the series Smallville has ended. If you’re expecting a story about Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman, this is not your story. They’ll see plenty of action, but it mostly focuses on the four main ladies, lesser exposed characters and some new ones.
A/N3: It will be a while before Lois gets her powers and Tess gets stuck in 1960s Chicago. However once that happens the ball will really begin to start rolling.
Part 3
Los Angeles, California
Green Lantern heads to the cliff side of a beach as discreetly as possible. He drops down to the sand and heads into a cave. A moment later, a young man in civilian clothes step out. He places the ring in his jean pockets and walks away with a joyful expression on his face.
Not too long after he arrives at an apartment complex. He enters the place and a red haired woman is sitting in the living room couch.
“I saw the news and what you did in Roswell, Kyle” she tells him.
“Oh that already made it here?” Kyle remarked.
“Sure did. The news are saying the armour was stolen from S.T.A.R Labs.” She gets off the couch. “I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t mention that someone helped you out a bit. Like say, I don’t know… how to pick a better costume than those stupid pajamas you originally had. Or how if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have even known how to use that ring,” she reminds him.
Kyle shrugs his shoulders. “You know I couldn’t have mentioned you Alex, gotta preserve my secret identity and all.”
“Though now that Green Lantern is big news, the media is going to need photos of its newest superhero,” Alexandra says with a smile. “And lucky me, I just happen to both be dating the Green Lantern and a professional photographer.”
*****
Cat Grant sits in the CEO office of the Daily Planet, the officer formerly belonged to Tess Mercer, but it had reverted to its original owner; Lex Luthor.
“So what do you think?” Cat asks anxiously.
Lex tosses papers down on his desk then looks up at Cat. “I’ll print your environmental story Miss Grant about that Springfield mayor dumping radioactive waste in the lakes and mutating the wildlife there. Though it would be nice if we got some pictures to go with your story.”
“That can be done,” Cat responds back. “According to my sources, there’s a strong possibility of three eyed fishes and squirrels that developed eyes lasers.”
“If you can get me pictures of mutated wildlife like that, I’ll bump your story up to page 5.”
Cat gets off her seat, “I’m on my way. I won’t let you down Lex.” Cat turns around, but stops on her way out when the doors open and she sees Lois Lane and Clark Kent step in.
“You wanted to see us Lex?” Lois asks.
“Yes.” Lex gets off his seat and moves closer to the two of them. “I just wanted you two to know that your reports on Superman are easily the top sellers in Metropolis. Keep up the good work you two,” Lex gives them a smirk.
“No problem Lex,” Lois replies while giving a smirk of her own.
Business has gotten extremely weird for Lois and Clark since half a year ago Lex, told Clark that he’d accepted his destiny to become Clark’s greatest adversary. Though they imagine they must have it easy in comparison to Oliver, the man whose company is still merged with Lex’s. The same man who murdered Lex the first time around. Doesn’t seem like Lex remembers that far into his life before his imminent death, but Oliver likely prefers to split their current partnership up before Lex uncovers any more info about who had killed him.
Before Cat leaves the office, she remembered something else. “By the way Lex, what happened to Tess?”
“All I know is that my dear sister is traveling the world at the moment,” Lex answers.
From what Lois and Clark can gather Tess is indeed alive and well, though her exact whereabouts are unknown to them.
*****
Kyle and Alexandra trek on the sandy beaches. Alexandra looks around. “No one’s watching Kyle. You could put it on now. And if anyone walks in on us, you were offering to let me take pictures of you.”
Kyle takes out his ring from his pocket and slips it on. His Green Lantern costume almost instantaneously appears on him.
Alexandra takes out her camera. “Now let’s see some poses superhero.”
Kyle starts flying into the air as his girlfriend snaps shots. “That looks great,” Alexandra comments as Kyle does poses in the air. Kyle uses his ring to produce an image of his lantern symbol in front of him. “Good,” Alexandra remarks. “That’s cool, hold it steady.”
She snaps the shot then makes another request, “Now how about one on the ground?”
Kyle descends onto the sand and crosses his arms like an imposing superhero. “How’s this?”
“Very dashing, hold still,” she says as she snaps her final shot. Alexandra then checks the images. “Okay, that should do it.”
Kyle eases up on his flexing pose. “I’m finished now?”
“You bet muscle boy. So what else can that ring of yours do? You handled the flying thing well.”
“All I have to do is think about it.” Kyle takes off into the air and performs some barrel rolls and loops pretty low from the ground. He then lands back down. “I always wanted to fly, that’s probably why it came the easiest to me.”
“You got lucky in Roswell Kyle. There are going to be tougher foes out there, and you have to learn how to fight and defend yourself using the ring.”
“What do you suggest? A giant fist or a box?”
Alex shakes her head. “Not if you expect to get far. Come on Kyle, you’re an artist, use that imagination of yours.”
The energy from Kyle’s ring goes off and he constructs a knight’s shield and sword. “How about this? Kind of swashbuckling, isn’t it?”
“Sure, if you expect to run into the sheriff of Nottingham,” Alexandra replies back. “Give it another try, and this time go for something… bigger and more advance.”
The shield and sword begins to mold into one and take the form of a hand held energy cannon. Kyle fires the cannon and causes an explosion that sends both him and Alexandra flying butt first onto the sand.
A very windswept Alexandra looks at Kyle in a mixture of disbelief, admiration and awe. “You did that?”
“Hell yeah! That was the coolest,” Kyle answers excitedly, not having moved from where he had landed.
Alexandra sits back up. “Let’s see how well you can construct vehicles and bigger machines.”
Kyle stands up. “When I’m finished, villains will have to be nuts to mess with me.”
*****
Lois and Clark are settling down in their Metropolis apartment after getting home from work not too long ago.
Lois puts her arms around her fiancé. “So what’s the plan for tonight Smallville? You going to go out to save the world again or can we have a night to ourselves?”
Clark smiles, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a night off.”
“Good,” Lois remarks. “Since you’ve put on that costume, you’ve really embraced this whole destiny thing of yours. I was relieved when Chloe told me that she and Oliver were out on a mission to recruit more members for the league.”
There’s a knock at the door. Lois pats her fiancé on the shoulders then goes to answer the door; there’s a surprise visitor at their doorstep.
“Mrs. Kent?” Lois remarks.
Clark walks over to see for himself. “Mom? This is a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?”
Martha steps in the apartment to hug Clark. “I wanted to pay my son and his soon to be wife a visit.”
Lois looks out the door and sees Conner standing on the landing. “Hey”
“Oh I hope you two don’t mind that I brought Conner?” Martha asks.
“Not at all, come on in Conner,” Clark welcomes. Conner steps inside and Lois closes the door behind him.
“Did you two have any dinner yet?” asks Martha.
“No, we haven’t Mrs. Kent,” Lois answers.
“Well let me make you guys something while I’m here,” she offers.
None of them can resist the chance to indulge in some of Martha Kent’s world famous culinary delights so Clark and Lois quickly agree. Martha disappears into the kitchen and it’s not long after that they are all seated at the kitchen table tucking into a fabulous meal. Clark and Conner devour more than half the food on the table.
“I’ve got to say mom, I really miss your home cooked meals,” Clark compliments.
“Don’t ever hesitate to fly over to my place Clark,” Martha replies back. “So how has life been like for you two ever since Lex returned? It has got to be awkward having him as your boss.”
“We should probably be grateful Lex hasn’t revealed Clark’s identity to the world and still keeps both of us on his payroll,” Lois jokes.
“He hasn’t done anything major yet, and the two of us been doing our thing underneath the public noses,” Clark answers.
Martha looks over at Conner pointedly. “Conner, why don’t you ask Clark about it now?”
Clark looks at Conner, “Ask me what?”
“The reason I came here with her was to ask if you can help me.” Conner speaks up.
“Not too long ago Conner decided to try out some super heroics of his own,” Martha informs.
“Nothing too big, stopping a sniper is probably the biggest thing I’ve done so far,” Conner adds. “Considering where my powers come from, I figured you’d be the best person to teach me Clark. I could be your sidekick, you know like Batman and Robin.”
Lois smiles, “Has Martha already sewn you a costume?”
“I like to wear my t-shirt with the ‘S’ symbol on it,” Conner answers. “So what do you say Clark?”
Clark pauses for a bit before answering. “If you want to learn how to be a superhero, then tomorrow you can join me Conner when I go on patrol.” Conner smiles in elation at Clark’s answer.
for previous chapters: the master list