A Different Smallville

The next morning after stepping out of his room in cookie monster sleep pants. Leonardo looked at a glaring Clark as he held the Daily Planet in his hands. There on the front page was himself on an overturned bus holding seven people. A bright grin on his face in the picture as his eyes drifted up the title.

[Have no fear, for I am here.]

"I thought they would have a better title," Leonardo said. "It doesn't really scream attention like other headlines."

"Leo! Is this you on the cover?" Clark demanded.

"Well, they say there are three doppelgangers of each person in the world." Leonardo weakly said. "Clearly mine is a good person."

The look Clark was giving him, Leonardo knew he didn't believe a single word of that. Hence Leonardo just nodded. Yet before Clark could speak he held up his hand.

"I am finally able to fly again so I went flying and while I was flying I heard the accident." Leonardo said. "So I went to help, and if it makes you feel better, there's more to that line than what the headline holds."

"I'm not mad at you for helping others, but to see you plastered on the front page. You are basically outing yourself as someone special and bringing trouble to the family." Clark roared.

"That is what these glasses are for?" Leonard pushed up his glasses on his nose. "They do more than just change my inhumane blue eyes, you know."

"Glasses alone can't hide your identity." Clark growled.

"Yes, glasses alone won't but differing hair, clothes and acting will. I did mention it to you before." Leonardo sighed, before disappearing and reappearing.

This time instead of his pajamas, he wore loose jeans, and a shirt that made his muscular arms inside the sleeves look more fat. He also slumped a bit, losing a good two to three inches and his hair was styled neatly. It was such a drastic change that Clark felt like Leonardo turned into a suit wearing company man that worked long hours and didn't exercise. The only drawback was the youthful face that he had at the moment but in a few years.

"Ok, I got it, but you can't suddenly go out like that. The change is too drastic." Clark sighed as he pushed up his own glasses.

Leonardo vanished and returned with a dark plaid shirt and jeans as his hair was styled differently again. Tucking his sleeve up his forearms a bit, Leonardo took a seat at the kitchen table. He didn't see either Jonathan or Martha.

"Where is Jonathan and Martha?" Leonardo asked.

"The Talon." Clark answered, taking his own seat. "Mom wants to talk with Lana to see if she can take over managing the shop when Lana is away."

"Oh, well at least I will be able to enter and not have coffee or half eaten cake thrown at me if she does take over." Leonardo said looking at his small plate of breakfast. "Why so little?"

"Dad said with all the food you got last night, you might not want a lot." Clark smirked at Leonardo's sad face.

"I offered him a blueberry snack and this is how he will repay me." Leonardo sighed as he dug in. "So why does Martha want to take over the coffee shop?"

"I think it is something to do really. Dad is basically out working all day, we will be entering the final year of highschool and will be leaving for college after or whatever you decide on. She doesn't want to be left in an empty house by herself I think." Clark answered him.

"An empty house is lonely." Leonardo nodded in understanding.

--

"I got less rhymes than a chimpanzee, but you got more words than a gushing fire hydrant." Leonardo blamed his shower for such thoughts. "Yet, here I stand saying things to fall down on my-"

"Leo! Hurry up and stop singing." Clark knocked on the door.

Rolling his eyes, he stepped out of the shower and threw his cookie monster pajamas on. After getting up this morning, it was a fairly normal day, but Pete stopped by to say he was moving away with his mother. Which saddened Clark as he learned he is losing one of his close friends even if there was a bit of friction a while back.

Now Clark is basically looking for anything to distract himself for the moment. Hence, Leonardo found himself running all over trying to keep pace with Clark. Who seemed determined to overhaul the entire farm, just to work through his sadness.

Which he doubled down on after a visit from Lex's where their friendship fell through. It seems while Lex did put the bridge accident behind him. Other incidents he did not and more than half were related to Clark who came back raving about it. Clearly annoyed and a bit scared Lex might find something or put something together he didn't want discovered.

Opening the bathroom door, Leonardo looked at Clark with his inhumane blue eyes. "Clark, I will let you know I have a wonderful voice."

"That one way to put it." Clark grunted.

"If you keep being moody, no girl will like you." Leonardo said.

"If you keep being silly, no girl will like you." Clark returned fire.

Leonardo sighed as he walked down to the kitchen. Where it wasn't just Jonathan or Martha, but Lana clearly chatting. Counting to ten while letting out a deep breath, Leonardo headed towards his room and began to paint.

It wasn't anything special, but he drew a realistic looking wolf on the canvas. He had it mostly done, except the eyes and a few minor spots that he felt needed touching up a bit. Hence he got to work doing as he dipped the brush and went to work while tuning Lana out.

--

In the kitchen, Lana was telling Martha what she needed to look out for and how to manage the Talon. Which seemed nice if she didn't sound like she was talking to small children from time to time going step by step. Almost as if telling Martha that she is incapable and while Lana herself was a business genius.

Now, that isn't saying Martha didn't note a few things down, but a few points Lana made irked her. Not that she would say it and nicely smiled at the girl who kindly agreed to her idea.

"I assume mom's idea was accepted?" Clark whispered to his father.

"For the most part, but I still don't like the idea of her running a business owned by the Luthors." Jonathan replied.

"That reminds me I need to talk about today, it's been rough so at least something good came out for one of us." Clark whispered back.

"Despite going on for nearly five hours beside that hour break to drive here. It doesn't look like Lana will be done anytime soon. So let's go to the Barn." Jonathan sent his wife a signal with his hands behind Lana.

Then the two slipped out of the house and headed to the barn for a father son chat. Thus leaving Martha behind who felt like crying a bit as she felt left behind. She was tired and really wanted to send Lana away. However, she was too nice and it seemed Lana wanted to chat more about something and not just the business.

--

Then a few days pass with Martha heading to the Talon to get the feel of the land she will soon be taking over. Leonardo finally decided on his game plan for he would just head to California for a while before probably heading south to the Maya Temples. His goal was to wander and enjoy himself for a while during summer vacation.

Hence, as he began to pack so he could head out as soon as he could once the summer vacation began. Which was drawing in close and he was helping out on the farm and spending a few nights at the Fortress. For he was cramming a bunch of study time in so he didn't have to run up there every weekend.

'Sunshine, here I come.' Leonardo smiled.