[Third Person Pov]
"Coordinates are set, preparing for lift off," Sol's voice echoed clearly throughout the entire ship, reaching every corner of the cabin with calm precision.
Momo was practically bouncing in her seat, gripping her seatbelt tightly as her legs shifted with barely contained excitement. Her eyes were wide and bright, completely focused on what was about to happen.
The sleek, futuristic spacecraft slowly began to rise from the ground in a steady, controlled motion. Beneath them, the platform gave way as the ship ascended, and above them, the crystal ceiling started to shift. Large sections of it slid apart smoothly, opening a clean path for the ship to pass through without resistance.
Outside the Fortress of Solitude, one of the towering crystal spires that pointed toward the sky began to split open from the center. The spacecraft shot out from within the structure like a projectile, cutting through the opening at high speed. Down below, Seiko stood near the base, looking up at the opening while gently waving her hands at them. The moment the ship cleared the exit, the crystal spire began to reform itself, sealing back into place as if it had never been disturbed.
As the ship climbed higher and broke through the atmosphere, the exterior ignited with heat from the intense wind resistance. Flames wrapped briefly around the hull, though it had no visible effect on the ship itself or the people inside.
"Wooohooo!!" Momo cheered loudly, completely thrilled by the experience, while everyone else glanced over at him with confused or slightly amused expressions.
Lala let out a small giggle, clearly entertained by Momo's reaction, and decided to join in. "Woohoo!" she echoed, raising her hands slightly.
Before long, they entered the void of space, where the stars appeared sharper and far more vivid against the darkness. The Earth drifted behind them as they continued forward.
Not far from their position, hidden just beyond ordinary sight, another spacecraft hovered under a cloaking mechanism near the planet.
Inside it, Maul and Smutts, both men serving under Zastin's regimen, stood over a large console filled with alien controls.
"Sir, Superman is going off planet again, and this time he's using a ship, which most likely means he has company with him," Maul reported as he monitored their trajectory.
"The Princess is most likely with him. Should we follow along?" Smutts asked, glancing toward Zastin for confirmation.
"Of course! And don't you dare lose them!" Zastin responded with sharp intensity. "Our job isn't only ensuring the safety of the Princess, but also keeping an eye on Superman and reporting his progress to the Emperor."
"Hai sir!" both men responded at once, saluting with disciplined energy before immediately taking control of their ship. The cloaked vessel surged forward, following after Clark's ship as it sped away from Earth.
"Kal, what do you suggest we do with the tag alongs?" Sol asked, having already detected Zastin's ship tracking their movements.
"As long as they don't cause problems or get in my way, leave them be," Clark replied casually from his seat.
He kept his gaze fixed out the window, watching the stars stretch across the darkness. When his eyes landed on the distant glow of the sun, something crossed his mind, and his expression tightened slightly for a brief moment.
"Sol, I never really questioned this… what's the sun like in Cortexive Prime?" Clark asked.
"Don't worry, Kal-El. If there was anything worth reporting, I would have told you ahead of time. Remember, my main priority is your safety and well-being. I would never overlook something that could jeopardize that," Sol answered. His voice didn't come through the ship's speakers this time, but directly through the connection with Clark's suit.
Clark leaned back slightly, relaxing into his seat as a faint smile formed on his face. "Thank you, old friend," he replied through the same private link.
"…Are you perhaps feeling unwell?" Sol asked immediately, genuine concern slipping into his tone. He was already on the verge of stopping the ship and turning it around just to run a full diagnostic scan on Clark.
"And the moment is ruined," Clark muttered, rolling his eyes as he let out a quiet groan. "Just go into hyperspace."
Sol let out a soft chuckle before complying. In an instant, the ship surged forward at incredible speed, opening a breach ahead of them that they flew directly into. Behind them, Zastin and his men followed suit, activating their own jump and staying close on their trail.
"Woah!!" Momo exclaimed as the stars around them stretched into long streaks of light, forming what looked like an endless tunnel due to the speed they were traveling at.
Clark allowed himself a small smirk as he took in the view. Around him, panels displayed navigation data while the ship carefully followed its route. It adjusted constantly, ensuring they avoided dangerous regions like gravity wells, the natural pull of massive objects such as stars and planets in real space that could drag a ship out of hyperspace if they weren't careful.
Clark started softly humming to himself under his breath, just loud enough for those nearby to hear bits of it. 'We're going on a trip, in our favorite rocket ship, zooming through the skies, little Einstein…'
(A/N: CLIMB ONBOARD! GET READY EXPLORE!— The song is stuck in my head now)
"What song are you humming?" Lala asked curiously, tilting her head slightly as she listened. She let out a small giggle before adding, "It sounds really catchy."
"Nothing… ignore me," Clark muttered, a bit embarrassed as he looked away. There was no easy way to explain that it came from a children's show, especially one that had partly inspired the design of their ship.
A few minutes passed as they continued traveling through hyperspace. The tunnel of light stretched endlessly around them while Lala and Momo naturally filled the silence with casual conversation, their voices adding a light energy to the otherwise steady hum of the ship.
"Arriving in front of the Guapunk Quadrant now. Exiting hyperspace," Sol reported clearly as the ship began to slow.
The vessel slipped out of the tunnel of color and into normal space. In front of them was a massive, vertical swirl of stardust, formed from meteorites and scattered debris that had been reduced to fine particles. The entire formation rotated slowly, centered around what appeared to be the entrance into the Guapunk Quadrant.
Yami stared at it with narrowed eyes, her expression tightening slightly as she subconsciously bit her lip. There were too many memories tied to that place, most of them unpleasant. She hadn't expected to return so soon.
Sol guided the ship forward, carefully navigating them through the swirling mass and deeper into the quadrant, following the set coordinates without deviation.
Soon, they arrived within range of a yellow sun, its light casting a steady glow over the surrounding system. Several planets orbited around it in stable paths.
"That one," Yami said, raising her hand and pointing toward a blue planet in the distance. It stood out immediately, not only because of its color but because of the five moons steadily orbiting around it. The planet itself appeared positioned above the sun from their angle, slowly moving along its path.
"Sol, how's the atmosphere?" Clark asked as he focused on the planet ahead.
"It is suitable for Ms. Momo to breathe without issue. The planet is inhabitable for humans and many common species," Sol answered. After a brief pause, he continued, "However, I have something to report. There appears to be a layered barrier surrounding the planet. We may not be able to enter without proper authorization."
Clark turned toward Yami, clearly confused. "How were you able to enter?"
"I was hired by Cranis Axiom Draal," Yami explained simply. "He has enough influence and status to invite people inside without any trouble."
"Just who exactly is this Cranis guy?" Momo asked, curious.
"He's a scientist and one of the managers of a science tower on the southern continent," Yami replied. She paused briefly before adding, "He might have gained more power since I was last here, so I can't say exactly what his position is now."
"Cla—Kal-El… wow, that's weird," Momo said, correcting herself mid-sentence. "What exactly are you planning to do?"
Clark scratched his cheek lightly, looking almost sheepish. "I honestly don't know. I kind of took this trip on a whim."
All four of them, including Krypto, leaned slightly to the side in unison at that answer.
"That was quite impulsive of you, don't you think?" Krypto said, giving a small, tired smile.
Clark stared at him for a moment without saying anything.
"What?" Krypto asked, raising a brow as much as a dog could.
"Sorry, it's just going to take some getting used to, you talking and giving your opinion," Clark said with a light scoff. "It's throwing me off."
"Same," Momo added in agreement.
Clark shook his head slightly, refocusing. "I'd like to meet the guy, though. Whatever happens, happens. Right now, we just need to figure out a way to get onto the planet."
"Maybe we can use Yami-san and make it seem like she's returning from her mission?" Momo suggested carefully.
Yami shook her head. "He probably already knows his control over me is gone. He'd deny us access immediately."
"Maybe we could try asking politely first," Clark said, thinking out loud. "And if they refuse, I punch a hole through their shield." His suit reacted slightly, faint heat building around his clenched fist.
"Um, Kal-El, aren't you forgetting something?" Lala said, raising her hand with an amused expression.
"What?" Clark asked, turning toward her.
A small smile formed on Lala's lips. "I'm a princess, silly. There's no planet in this universe that would deny me entry."
"..."
Clark reached over and gently took Lala's hand into his. "Lala, you are simply the gift that keeps on giving."
Lala immediately became flustered, her face warming as she let out a soft, slightly embarrassed giggle.
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