NOVEL NEXT Ch: 22 [Smallville]
After the lively party concluded, and the guests bid their farewells, Wayne Manor was enveloped in the serene quiet of the night.
Bruce stood on the rooftop, leaning against the balustrade, lost in thought. Selina, who had made her way up to the roof, approached him with a mischievous smile.
He turned to her as she approached, his thoughts momentarily interrupted by her presence. He regarded her with a small smile, appreciating the moment of solitude with her.
"Hey," Selina greeted him softly, leaning against the rooftop balustrade next to him.
"Hey," Bruce replied, his gaze still distant as he looked out at the night sky.
"Deep in thought?" She inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"Yeah," He admitted, his expression thoughtful. "I've been thinking about what comes next."
She tilted her head, her interest growing, "What's on your mind?"
"Too many things..." He sighed, "But mostly about the future, and what I want to do. As you already know the world has moved so much in these ten years, while I was in a coma. I need to catch up on it."
Selina nodded in understanding, "And what do you plan to do?"
He looked up in the sky and replied with another question, "Do you think despite Dad's efforts, Gotham is a safe place?"
Selina remained silent for a while before answering, "The Mayor is doing everything in his power, and after ten years, the crime rate has decreased, but still, Gotham isn't completely safe yet."
Bruce closed his eyes as the wind blew gently, caressing his face, "And what do you think threatening the city?"
She walked beside him and leaned on the railing below before responding, "It's not just the usual criminals anymore. There's been a slow rise in organized crime syndicates. You know how I was on the streets... I heard some rumors."
Bruce opened his eyes and turned to her, "Rumors?"
She nodded hesitantly, "I heard there's a criminal organization called 'Black Mask Syndicate'. It's not just them though, but also other smaller ones like 'Maroni Family', 'Loeb Gang', etc..."
"Organized crime..." Bruce muttered thoughtfully.
'Fuck the Black Mask Syndicate. Motherfuckers will put a bounty on Batman's head... My head to be precise!' He cursed internally.
She observed his thoughtful expression and continued, "They have ties with politicians. It's all thanks to your father that Gotham hasn't descended into chaos yet."
"Exactly. Sooner or later they will try to remove Dad or might even try to kill him like ten years ago..." Bruce stated grimly, "Crime is inevitable, but corruption and politics are two sides of the same coin."
"Don't tell me you are going to step in?" She raised an eyebrow.
Bruce smiled mysteriously, "Who knows? Maybe I will tell you if you focus on the deal we made and learn properly."
She stared at him for a while before sighing, "Fine. I will study properly. It's just that everything feels so weird... One day I was on the street running after stealing your money... the next, here I am..."
He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about the past. Just focus on the present and look forward to the future. And when the time comes, I want you beside me."
Selina smiled at his encouragement and nodded, "Alright."
Bruce removed his hand from her shoulder and turned to the small table he had arranged beforehand, "Enough of serious talk..." He grabbed the wine bottle and poured the red liquid into two glasses before handing one to Selina, "As promised."
They clinked their glasses together, the soft sound filling the quiet night on the rooftop. The crimson liquid swirled within the glass, casting an amber glow under the moonlight.
"To new beginnings," Selina raised her glass, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.
Bruce lifted his glass, a hint of a smile on his lips, "To new beginnings."
They both took a sip, savoring the rich taste of the wine. As the moonlight bathed them in its gentle glow, their conversation shifted to lighter topics, filled with laughter.
Unbeknownst to them, Bruce's actions ten years ago, preventing the event of his parents' death, were rippling through time and space. The echoes of his choices were beginning to manifest in unexpected ways, setting in motion a chain of events that would shape his destiny, for better or for worse.
[Meanwhile, Kansas, Smallville]
In another corner of the world, in Kansas, Smallville, a 16 years old teenage boy named Clark Kent was having a rather trying day. His eyes were itching and burning intensely, causing considerable discomfort.
He stepped out of his modest house, his eyes still itching and burning intensely. With each step, he rubbed his eyes, hoping to alleviate the discomfort. The small river nearby was a place of solace for him, a spot where he often fished and carried water for the farm.
As he approached the riverbank, the soothing sound of flowing water greeted him. Clark knelt down and cupped his hands, scooping up some cool, clear water. He splashed his face, hoping to relieve the irritation in his eyes.
"Arggg!" He groaned in frustration, as the burning sensation persisted.
He walked back to the bank and sat down under a tree. The soothing sound of the flowing water did little to ease his troubled mind. Clark glanced at his reflection in the water, his blue eyes appeared to be glowing red... "What the hell is wrong with me?!" He mumbled.
Clark ran his fingers through his dark hair and let out a heavy sigh. Ever since he was a kid, he has been different from the rest of the kids. He was stronger and faster than everyone else. At first, he thought he was special, but as he grew up, those differences began to cause trouble. He could hear voices from far away, see things clearly from miles away, and lift weights that no one his age could lift...
He knew he wasn't normal... But he didn't know what exactly he was. He had been keeping this a secret from his parents ever since he discovered his abilities, afraid that they might reject him.
Suddenly, his eyes felt like someone was pouring hot sand into them. Clark clutched his head as a splitting headache assaulted him. His vision blurred momentarily. He clenched his eyes shut, and as he did, something incredible happened. Heat radiated from his eyes, searing the air in front of him.
When he opened his eyes, a searing red laser-like beam shot out of them, cutting through the air and scorching the grass in front of him. He panicked and tried to control this newfound ability, but it was like trying to stop a runaway train.
The heat vision continued to shoot forth from his eyes, scorching a path through the grass. He desperately looked for a way to stop it. In his panic, he accidentally turned his gaze towards a nearby tree, setting it ablaze. Smoke billowed from the burning tree, and the flames roared to life.
He fell backward, his eyes still shooting the red beams uncontrollably.
As Clark lay on the ground, his vision still shooting out red beams, he inadvertently turned his gaze towards the small river he had been sitting beside. The intense heat vision struck the water, instantly causing it to boil. The riverbed rapidly dried up, leaving behind a trail of scorched earth. Steam billowed into the air as the water vaporized, creating an eerie spectacle in the tranquil countryside.
In his desperation, he tried to cover his eyes with his hands, but to no avail. Clark cried out in pain as the heat vision continued to burn uncontrollably.
He gritted his teeth and struggled to stay conscious. His body trembled as the heat vision continued to wreak havoc around him.
"FOCUS!" He gritted his teeth and focused on controlling this strange ability. Slowly, the heat vision weakened, gradually coming to a halt.
Clark lay on the ground, gasping for breath. His heart raced wildly as he tried to process what had just happened. The burning sensation in his eyes was gone, replaced by a dull ache.
As Clark recovered from the ordeal, he noticed the destruction he had caused. The riverbed was completely dry, the scorched earth covered in steam. The surrounding trees were charred black, smoke rising from their burned remains. The land around him was scorched.
He sat up shakily, his mind reeling from the experience. He stared at the destruction around him, overwhelmed by fear.
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