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This was it. Kon’s life was officially over. Well, not literally, but it certainly felt like the end of the world! The team he had so proudly been a part of, Young Justice, had just broken up. For good! Kon didn’t know what to do with his life now. The buildings around him glistened with sunlight, threatening to blind him if he dared to focus on any one spot for long.
People rushed about, heading to and fro, heedless of the turmoil boiling in the young hero’s heart. He flew around the city, aimless, as he considered his options. He could try to convince the team to get back together again, even though all his previous attempts had failed.
Bart was determined to work solo for a while, studying under his mentor who had just regained enough strength to continue after nearly dying. Cissie wanted to retire from the hero world for good. She had plans on becoming an archery teacher, starting with an offer she got for camp counselor at a sports focused summer camp. Cassie decided to go into training with the Amazons and Kon couldn’t blame her. The Amazons were amazing, and he would have gladly joined them for training. Greta vanished. No one could seem to find her, or figure out why she’d left the way she did. Robin was back in Gotham, working with Batman and trying to figure out who he should be next. Robin was a mantle, he had said, and he couldn’t keep it forever.
No, Kon couldn’t convince them to come back. He didn’t want to keep them from reaching their goals. He could go back to Cadmus, but that would mean becoming their property and their living experiment. He shuddered at the thought. No, that could never be an option, not again.
As he dodged past skyscrapers, he thought about his time with Young Justice. It was almost funny, now that he thought about it. Back at the start, when the team called themselves Just Us, he figured it would be so easy to walk away. He could easily see himself going solo, maybe meeting up with Impulse and Robin on occasion, but no real roots in place. And then, their little team grew, and became Young Justice. Just like that, he had friends, a team, a family.
Family. That’s what he needed! He needed his family with him! But, with his family now scattered, who could he turn to? An idea tickled the back of his brain. What if he started his own team? After all, he was there for the start of one team already. He knew what sort of challenges to expect and how to work with others. Trouble was, the only team he really wanted to be a part of was the team that had just disbanded. He frowned. This whole life after a spectacular team was proving to be more difficult than he ever thought it could or should be.
As he slowed to a stop, then hovered in place, looking down at the bustling city so full of life below him, an idea struck. With a grin he raced off to an isolated place, a beautiful valley that had been cut off from its surroundings by a massive rock slide, and landed. The valley was stunning, picturesque, like a perfect photo for all to see. Vibrant green grass covered the earth below Kon’s feet, and a rainbow of wild flowers grew around the edges of the valley. The centre held only grass, but the gentle breeze running through it made the grass dance as beautifully as any flower.
Kon smiled as he looked around, stalling the inevitable. This valley held a lot of memories. Young Justice had camped out here together at least once a year since Kon had found the place. Cassie had taught them all how to make flower crowns with the valley’s wildflowers. Kon laughed softly to himself as he remembered Bart creating a flower tornado while trying to collect the perfect flowers. Kon paced through the open grassy valley, making his way towards the centre of it, gathering his courage. He finally stopped, turning his gaze towards the brilliant sapphire sky.
“Kal? Kal-El?” He practically whispered. “If you can hear me, I could really… Really use your help…”
He trailed off, feeling a bit annoyed that he couldn’t solve his problem on his own, then took a deep breath.
“It’s not life or death, not really, I just… I need some advice… So, no rush! Take your time! I’ll be here, well, until I find my answer, or until you can make it to me… Whichever comes first…”
With a sigh, Kon sat down in the middle of the field. Well, that was done and over with… There was no turning back from now on. He had finally crossed a line he swore he wouldn’t – the line he had drawn himself between him and his almost mentor – and reached out for help. Being a part of a team had really changed him. Before, he never could have considered reaching out to someone else for help. He would have handled everything alone. Alone. Too often he had found himself alone. It wasn’t until now, after having been a part of something larger, something spectacular, that he realised just how much he hated being alone.
Time seemed to pass more slowly than usual as Kon waited. Was this how it always felt to Bart? Why was it that time always seemed to move so slowly when he wanted it to skip ahead? As his impatience grew, making him restless, Kon stood and started pacing. Sure, Superman could easily be too busy to drop everything and fly down here, he was Superman after all! But he had still hoped that Superman could have set aside time for him. Some time. Any time. At least enough time to help him figure out what exactly he was supposed to do now.
The more Kon thought about it, the more he realised how much he didn’t know about his mentor. He knew Kal was originally from Krypton, even if he didn’t remember it, and that his Kryptonian name was Kal-El. But what did he do when he wasn’t Superman? Did he have another name? Another life? All his friends had separate lives and names when they were not out being heroes, as did their mentors, so shouldn’t Superman? But what sort of name could he have? And what was taking him so long? Maybe Kal-El was too busy being his other self now. Maybe he just didn’t think Kon’s request was a priority.
Just as his thoughts were starting to get to him, he heard the sounds of someone flying his way. He sighed in relief and turned to face the new arrival. There, illuminated by the slowly setting sun, was Kal-El. Superman. Kon’s mentor, of sorts, had actually shown up when Kon called. Kon resisted the urge to gape in amazement. Was this how people viewed Kon? Or maybe, how they could view him in the future? Could he become this shining beacon that drew people close, gave them hope, and really inspired them? He would continue to cling to the small spark of hope that that was what his future held. Steeling his nerves, he faced his mentor with a casual, nearly cocky, grin.
“Glad you could make it.”
“I always have time for those who need me.”
Kal-El smiled that brilliant smile, and pulled Kon into a hug. Kon let out a breath of surprise, before lightly hugging back.
“And I’ll always have time for you.” Kal said, pulling back from the hug but keeping his hands comfortingly on Kon’s shoulders. Kon smiled in response. He had definitely chosen the right person to discuss this problem with.
As Kon tried to find the best way to ask his questions, he turned and began pacing the valley. Kal-El quickly fell into step at his side. Determination set, Kon turned to face his mentor.
“How… How did you decide what you were going to do?”
Kal-El tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
“How… How did you decide what to do with your life? How did you move on when the Justice League disbanded? How… How did you decide what to do with your life outside of… well, of being a hero?” Kon self-consciously fiddled with the straps and buckles of his leather jacket.
As he noticed Kal-El blinking at the barrage of questions Kon glanced down at his jacket. Whatever he had been expecting when he decided to answer Kon’s pleas, this was clearly not it. Kon felt a wave of worry wash over him, wondering if he was going to get an answer, or if his mentor would just shrug him off.
“Hmmm… You had to ask the most difficult questions, didn’t you?” Kal let out a breathy laugh, “Well, I’ll answer as best I can. When the Justice League broke up, I was hurt, sure, they were my friends! My colleagues! But, before that, we were heroes who primarily worked alone. Even though we worked together, we often worked solo, so it wasn’t too different from how our lives were before the League formed.” Kal-El smiled sadly.
“We’ve come together and broken apart many times. I think we only hold on because we’re so used to managing on our own or working in much smaller teams. I suppose we’ll always be friends, but I had always hoped our team could become something more. A family. But I suppose that will only be possible in the future… maybe with some heroes like you taking over in place of us older capes.” Kal smiled again, this one much warmer, full of hope and pride.
“As for what I do outside of being a hero…. I was raised by human parents. The best parents I could’ve ever hoped for, really. They showed me the world, and inspired me to do what was right. I went to school, made friends, grew up, and, eventually, found a career I enjoyed. Meanwhile, I focused on mastering my abilities, learning how to control the power I had and how to use it for good.” He paused, his eyes distant, fondness shining through them.
“But what brought this on? Why ask me about this now?”
Kon looked down, trying to find the right words. Everyone knew by now that Young Justice was no more. Kal definitely knew this. But instead of trying to say what he thought the problem was, he was giving Kon the chance to explain it himself. Part of him was grateful, but part of him wished Kal had put the problem into words himself.
“I… I just have no idea what to do with my life now…”
When Kal didn’t interrupt, Kon continued.
“Young Justice was the greatest thing that ever happened to me! They– They were my best friends… We went to so many places, helped so many people, and made so many memories, but now…” Kon sighed, eyes shadowing over as he remembered those last moments, before he finally allowed himself to leave the Young Justice headquarters for the last time.
“Now it’s all over. They’ve decided to move on, do their own things, find their own path, and I’m… I’m just… well, lost. I don’t know what I should do, or where I should go… Teams seem to break up a lot, from what I’ve seen, but… I never expected we would be one of them…”
Steeling his nerves, he looked up into Kal’s eyes.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
Kal thought for a moment, then said “I don’t have all the answers, you know. I don’t think anyone does!” He paused, tilting his head to one side like an oversized puppy, “Except maybe Batman!” He said with a grin as Kon let out a bright peal of laughter.
“Look, I can’t tell you what you should do, or what path you should take, only you can work that out. But I can make a suggestion.”
Hope sprung into Kon’s eyes at Kal’s words.
“So far all you’ve mentioned is life as a hero, as part of a team… What about life as a person?”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever taken the time to be a regular person? To be just another face in the crowd, instead of standing in a spotlight for being who you are? To just relax and view the world like the majority of the people living their lives?”
Kon blinked and thought.
“No… I’d never even considered it before.” Kon pondered over being able to blend in. He’s always stood out, and been proud of it, but blending in? That could prove interesting. “Is that what you do?”
Kal laughed.
“Sometimes. I was raised to be like any other human, to go through life like them, well before I started wearing the cape and accepting the name ‘Superman.’ When I’m out of costume I live my life. I work, visit home, talk with friends, even just relax alone if I want to. I do everything I can to let myself be human, even though I’m technically not. It helps me hold on to humanity, even in the most incredible situations.”
Kon thought about this. Maybe this was what he was missing? Each of his friends, his family, had a life outside of their hero work. But Kon… Kon only had Superboy.
“In this other life… you have a different name, right?”
“Yes. When I’m not Superman, or Kal-El, I am Clark Kent, proud son of Ma and Pa Kent.”
“Ma and Pa Kent?! I love them!”
“You– you know my parents?”
“Yeah!” Kon’s smile shone brightly, “There was some time anomaly, a second Superboy, some strange storm, and long story short I ended up helping them out. They even said I could come back any time! Said I reminded them of their son.” His smile turned more wistful at the memory.
Kon fell silent once more. He wished he had a family of his own, a name that could connect him to them, and a life that allowed him to stay with them. But there was no sense wishing for something that could never be. Then an odd thought struck him.
“Wait… You’re Clark Kent? The reporter?! The Superman, Kal-El, last son of Krypton, is a reporter named Clark?!”
Kal, or Clark, laughed.
“You really didn’t know?” As Kon shook his head in disbelief, Clark chuckled softly and said “Sure, I do my best to hide it from the public, but I thought everyone in the hero world knew about my alter ego by now!”
As Kon flubbed through many attempts at speech, Clark’s expression softened, becoming more relaxed.
“If you want to take a break and figure out what you want to do, I know a great place for thinking.”
Kon looked up.
“It’s a lovely little farm, out in a small town called Smallville, with nothing but nature and hospitable neighbours for miles. Plenty of space to be, and think, and work. The couple who owns it is particularly lovely, and always ready to help someone in need. Especially those who need to find their way. You might’ve heard of it. The Kent Farm.”
Kon thought about this. He could finally get to see Ma and Pa again? It had been far too long since his last visit. He really should drop in more often! And now he had the perfect chance. He could even end up being a part of Superman’s family, and not just the superhero family! Not just the weird teen hanging around the Kent’s because he wanted some company, but family visiting family! He could really be included in something again, something great, something special. It should prove to be a good chance to try to find himself, figure out what he wanted to do with life, and maybe even figure out why the Kent’s felt like family even before he chose to visit them at their invitation. With a grin he faced Clark again.
“I’d love to go. It sounds absolutely perfect!”
“Good! Then I’ll take you there as soon as you’re ready.”
“You’re going too?”
“Of course! I never miss a chance to go home.”
Kon grinned, excitement flooding his veins, before a thought rushed to the front of his mind.
“Oh! Wait… If I’m going to do this, to really try being a regular teen human for a change, I’m going to need a different name, right? Not a Kryptonian one, but a human one…”
Clark nodded in agreement.
“Hmmm, what should I choose… Noah? No… Tim? No… James? Heck no! Hmmmm…”
Kon rose as he spoke, and began pacing, as Clark watched on with an amused smile on his face.
“Oliver?… No, too pretentious! Bruce? No, definitely not! Ben?… No… Logan?… Nah… Nate? Caleb? Barry? No… none of these really fit…”
As Kon continued to ramble off potential names, and shoot them all down immediately, Clark spoke up.
“Well… What about Conner?”
Kon froze, mulling over the new name, as a brilliant grin spread across his face.
“Conner… Conner is perfect! A total fit!”
“Well then,” Clark Smiled. “Welcome, officially, to the family, Conner Kent.”
Clark held out his hand, offering a handshake, but received no hand in response. Just as Kon, now also Conner, saw Clark’s smile start to slip, he rushed forward, falling into Clark’s arms in a hug so strong any human would have surely been crushed to atoms. Conner practically sighed in relief when he felt Clark return it .