Chapter 38: The Thunderous Simp, The Fire Lord's Gloom, and The Man of Steel part-3
"I am the Fire Lord," Zuko said calmly. "I control the fire. That includes putting it out. Go put a shirt on, Blaze. You are shivering."
Blaze, blue-lipped and shivering uncontrollably, looked at Mai. She hadn't even looked up from the poem about the grave.
"I... I give up," Blaze chattered. "You people are too weird."
He ran off to find a warm blanket.
Zuko sat down next to Mai. They sat in silence for ten minutes.
"This is a good date," Mai said finally.
"Yeah," Zuko agreed.
[Incident Report: World 20][Target: Zuko & Mai.][Status: Gloomily Ever After.][Villain Status: Suffering from mild hypothermia.][Reward: 1000 System Points.]
(Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Now, for the finale of this chapter. Let us go to a world where 'Super' is in the job title.)
[System Alert: Anomaly Detected.][World Designation: World 21 - The World of Tomorrow (DC Universe).][Setting: Metropolis, The Daily Planet.][Host: Clark Kent (Superman).][Target: Lois Lane.][Villain: "Lexos" (Transmigrator - Tech Genius).]
(Clark Kent. The Boy Scout. And a villain trying to out-scoop him on his own secret identity? This will be fun.)
[Initiating Transfer...]
........................
World 21: The World of Tomorrow (DC Universe)
Ethan arrived in a mind that was incredibly organized. It felt like a library made of diamonds.
Clark Kent was sitting at his desk at the Daily Planet, typing an article at super-speed (but slowing down enough so no one noticed).
(Clark. Stop typing. We have a situation. A new reporter, Alex "Lexos" Sterling, is currently in Perry White's office with Lois.)
Clark pushed his glasses up his nose. "Alex? He started yesterday. He seems nice. He brought donuts."
(He is a Transmigrator. And he is not nice. He has a device—a 'Truth Camera'—that can see through disguises. He took a picture of you changing in the alleyway this morning. He is about to show it to Lois and Perry to expose you as a liar and a fraud.)
Clark froze. The keyboard cracked slightly under his fingers. "He knows?"
(He knows. And his plan is to ruin your reputation. He will say, 'Look, Clark Kent has been lying to you all for years! He thinks you are stupid!' He wants to drive a wedge between you and Lois so he can swoop in as the 'Honest Journalist'.)
"I have to stop him," Clark whispered. "I can... use my heat vision to melt the camera from here?"
(Too risky. Perry would notice a camera melting in his hand. We need to play this smarter. We need to make the reveal... boring. If he reveals you are Superman, we need to make it look like everyone already knew.)
"But they don't know."
(I know. But I have a plan. System Ability: 'The Mass Gaslight - Suggestion Level 1'. I am going to emit a low-level psionic wave that makes everyone in the office think, 'Yeah, Clark is huge and looks exactly like Superman, it is an open secret we just don't talk about out of politeness'.)
Clark hesitated. "Is that... ethical?"
(Is it ethical for a guy to blackmail you with alleyway photos? Just do it. Alex is walking out of the office now. He has the camera.)
Alex Sterling walked out of Perry White's office, a smug grin on his face. "Lois! Perry! Everyone! Gather round! I have the scoop of the century!"
Lois Lane looked up from her desk. "This better be good, Alex. I am on a deadline."
"Oh, it is good," Alex gloated. He held up a tablet connected to his camera. "I have discovered the true identity of Superman! And he has been hiding among us like a snake!"
The newsroom went quiet.
Alex pointed a dramatic finger at Clark. "It is HIM! Clark Kent is Superman!"
He pressed the button to display the photo. It showed Clark hovering in mid-air, putting on his cape.
Alex waited for the gasps. He waited for the betrayal.
Lois looked at the photo. Then she looked at Clark. Then she looked back at Alex.
"And?" Lois asked dryly.
Alex blinked. "And? Did you hear me? Clark is Superman! He lied to you!"
Perry White chomped on his cigar. "Son, look at the guy. He is six-foot-four, built like a linebacker, and has blue eyes. Of course he is Superman. We just don't say anything because he puts on the glasses."
Alex's jaw dropped. "What? But... the secret identity! The betrayal!"
(It is working! The Suggestion is active! Go with it, Clark!)
Clark stood up, scratching the back of his neck shyly. "I... uh... thought the glasses were a good disguise."
Jimmy Olsen laughed. "CK, come on. The glasses? We just pretended to be fooled because you write good copy."
Alex was hyperventilating. "This isn't right! This isn't how the plot goes! You should be angry! He made fools of you!"
Lois walked up to Alex. She took the tablet from his hand. "The only person making a fool of himself is you, Alex. Outing a colleague? That is low. Even for a tabloid hack."
She turned to Clark. She walked right up to him, grabbed his tie, and pulled him down for a kiss.
The newsroom cheered.
"Finally!" Jimmy yelled.
Lois pulled away, smirking. "So, Smallville. Does this mean I get exclusive interviews now?"
Clark blushed, his face matching his cape. "I think that can be arranged."
Alex Sterling fell to his knees. "My scoop... my harem plan... ruined by... politeness?"
Perry White pointed to the door. "Sterling! You are fired! We don't tolerate paparazzi behavior in this newsroom! Get out!"
Alex ran out, crying about how the DC Universe made no sense.
Clark looked at Ethan (internally). "Did you... really brainwash them?"
(Just a little nudge. They will forget the details by tomorrow and go back to being fooled by the glasses. It is the status quo. But for today... you got the girl. And you didn't have to melt anything.)
Clark smiled. "Thanks, System."
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