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*****
"Oren Kent!?"
Raven's eyes narrowed, her entire demeanor shifting into something predatory, like a large cat extending its claws. A dangerous aura began to radiate from her.
Could it be? Did Mike leave some 'seeds' behind years ago when he was a young, wandering rogue? And now that child's child—Mike's grandson—has come knocking?
Raven scrutinized Oren Kent with a piercing, cold gaze that made the young man feel as though he were being scanned by high-tech machinery. Oren managed to force a nervous smile. Blue eyes, black hair, rugged facial lines, a powerful physique...
Raven took a deep breath. "Who exactly are you?"
"Oren. Oren Kent!" Oren explained again, his nerves fraying. He gestured toward Mike, who was still eating breakfast in the dining room, and let out a hopeful smile. "My grandfather is Mike Kent. I saw him; he's home."
Thank goodness, I finally found him! It seemed the address his father had given him was correct after all.
Raven inhaled sharply. "And who sent you here?"
Good heavens, he even has a grandson now?
"My dad!" Oren beamed, his handsome face radiant in the morning sunlight, appearing even brighter than the sun itself.
"Raven, who is it?"
Curious as to why Raven hadn't returned, Mike called out. He walked toward the door, munching on a piece of fragrant toast.
"Huh?"
Seeing Oren, Mike froze. He looked familiar, yet Mike was certain they had never met. "You are...?"
"Grandfather!" Oren cried out happily.
Raven shot Mike a chilling smile. "Alright, spill it. Whose is he?"
"Whose is what?" Mike's lip twitched as he looked at the youth. "Who are you, exactly?"
"I'm Oren! You said you'd recognize me the next time we met!"
"Oren?" Mike murmured. He studied the young man for a moment before his face lit up with a look of pure joy. He stepped forward and pulled the boy into a tight hug. "How did you get here?"
Oren's racing heart finally settled. He gave Mike a genuine smile. "I came to find you."
"Come in, come in!" Mike grabbed Oren's hand and led him into the house. Seeing Raven's suspicious appraisal, Mike let out a laugh. He leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the cheek and whispered into her ear, "He's Clark's son. From... well, another world."
Raven froze. "!"
She stared at Oren in shock. The youth gave her a respectful smile and pointed to himself. "Yes, my father is Clark."
Raven's mind went blank. She watched the two walk inside, then hurriedly slammed the door shut and chased after them. Clark's son? From another world? How is that possible? And why show up out of the blue now? Questions swirled in her head as her gaze remained locked on Oren.
"Who's he?"
Little Lamb, having just finished breakfast, looked at Oren with curiosity. Gwen let out a yawn, but her eyes brightened when she saw Oren. What a handsome guy!
"They... they are?"
Oren stared at the two of them, looking utterly bewildered, as if he were seeing something impossible. His gaze lingered on Gwen, filled with profound shock. Is this... Aunt Gwen? Compared to the queen-like Gwen of his world, the current Gwen was...
His eyes sparkled. "She's so cute!"
A wide smile blossomed on Gwen's face. This guy has great taste!
"Gwen and Lamb—my daughter and son," Mike explained with a smile. "And this is Oren." Mike patted the dazed youth on the shoulder.
So, this is... my uncle? Oren's gaze landed on little Lamb. This small? Uncle?
Oren: (Д)ノ
"What's with that look?" Little Lamb snapped, looking at Oren crossly.
Oren blinked. "I'm just... a little shocked."
"Ha!" Little Lamb said arrogantly. "Struck by my kingly aura, were you?"
"Pfft!" Gwen let out a laugh and swatted little Lamb on the head. "The only aura you have is a 'stinky' one!"
"You're the stinky one!" Little Lamb glared at her and batted her hand away.
Gwen playfully put her hand back on his head; Lamb batted it away again. She put it back; he batted it away...
"Argh!" Little Lamb growled at her, lunging forward to try and bite her hand. Gwen dodged just in time, making a face at him despite the close call.
"Missed me!"
"I'll get you!"
As the two began a game of cat and mouse, Mike and Raven looked on, their heads starting to ache. Watching this scene, Oren felt his heart—numbed by years of constant warfare—slowly begin to warm.
"Enough, you two! It's time for school!" Mike shouted. His form flickered with speed as he placed a hand on each of their heads, pinning them in place.
Little Lamb bared his teeth at Gwen. She responded by flicking his forehead, grabbing her backpack, and bolting. "See you tonight!" she yelled over her shoulder. As she passed Oren, she gave him a sheepish smile before disappearing out the front door.
Little Lamb stomped his foot in frustration. "Sister is too cunning!" he grumbled. He summoned a spatial portal and marched through it.
Oren's jaw dropped. Wait, this... this much luxury? They use portals just to go to school?
With the children gone, peace returned to the house. Mike and Raven turned their attention back to Oren.
"You..."
Gurgle!
Oren pressed a hand to his stomach, looking embarrassed. Mike chuckled. "Hold on, let me get you some breakfast."
"Thank you, Grandfather," Oren said politely.
Beside him, Raven's expression stiffened. Mike is 'Grandfather,' so I'm 'Grandmother.' I'm already a grandmother? The realization made her lip twitch, but when Oren looked at her, she forced a gentle smile. "Come, let's talk while we have the chance."
"Okay!" Oren nodded.
In the kitchen, as Mike prepared food, he ran through various theories for Oren's sudden arrival. An emergency? World destruction? He kept his expression neutral. It couldn't be a family dispute, could it? Is Oren a runaway? Mike's expression shifted. If that's it, it's actually quite serious... I'll have to counsel him. If he loses his way and turns dark...
"Tsk, that would be dangerous," Mike muttered. He plated some fried eggs, crispy toast, and bacon. He brought the simple breakfast out and saw Oren and Raven talking pleasantly. "Come on, eat up."
"Coming!" Oren shouted, his heart full of anticipation. It had been a long time since he'd had a proper home-cooked meal.
Raven watched Oren's back, shock still lingering in her eyes. She truly hadn't expected Oren to be the child of Clark and the Kryptonian, Faora! Faora! Who was she? The iron-blooded Kryptonian commander! A powerhouse who had led an invasion of Earth! But now she was hearing that Faora and Clark had a child and that she had become... Iron Woman?
Raven felt a bit disoriented. How did that even happen? The story must be fascinating. A sudden spark of gossip-hunger lit up her face. She caught Mike's eye and beckoned him over. Once he was close, she whispered, "Oren's mother is Faora?"
"Yep!" Mike smiled. "Unexpected, right?"
"How did that even happen?" Raven asked, her curiosity clawing at her like a cat.
Mike gave her cheek a playful pinch. "Their world is quite different from ours."
This only piqued Raven's interest further. Mike took a moment to recount what he knew of that alternate reality: the story of Star Corporation, the Kent family there, Gwen's life, and the relationship between Clark and Faora.
Raven was stunned. She looked at Oren at the dining table and suddenly felt a surge of tension. "Then why did Oren come here this time?"
Oren's world sounded far more chaotic than their own.
"Something must have happened," Mike said, his voice thoughtful. Something incredibly serious, something that even Clark and the others couldn't handle together, he added mentally.
Oren contentedly stuffed the last bit of bread into his mouth. He felt his weary spirit recharging, his body flooding with renewed strength. Habitually, he picked up his dishes to take them to the kitchen, but Raven took them from his hands.
"Go sit for a while. Your grand... Grandfather has things to ask you." She was still struggling with the sudden leap in the family hierarchy.
"Okay..." Oren nodded solemnly. He knew what Mike was going to ask, and that was exactly why he was here.
As Oren sat on the sofa, Mike gestured for him to wait a moment while he brought over two cups of fragrant tea. Oren took the cup, nodding to Mike. Watching the rising steam, his turbulent memories began to settle.
Mike waited patiently, taking a leisurely sip of his tea and savoring the fragrance and slight bitterness. When he saw a bitter smile touch Oren's face, he knew. It's starting.
"Our world... it's in big trouble again," Oren said with a wry smile.
"I expected as much the moment I saw you," Mike replied calmly. If it weren't a problem they couldn't solve, Oren wouldn't be standing here. "I'm curious, though—how did you get here?"
"It was Uncle Tony," Oren said gratefully.
"Tony?" Mike paused, then immediately understood. Before leaving, Tony had given Oren a mysterious gift; it must have been a space-time traversal device.
"Yeah, I really owe him for that," Oren whispered. "I know doing this might cause new, unpredictable events, but this was the only solution I could think of." Despair flickered across his face.
"I see..." Mike murmured. Space-time travel could indeed introduce new variables, but if the alternative was the destruction of Oren's world, Mike would have used the device without hesitation too. It was the only hope left. He gave Oren a reassuring smile. "Don't overthink it. You just have to make the right choice for the situation at hand."
Oren gave a soft reply.
"So, what is it this time?" Mike asked.
Oren's face hardened. "The Phoenix Force."
---
*Midtown High School*
Gwen was slumped over her desk, her head resting on her arms as she dozed. Golden sunlight spilled across her face, coating her in a shimmering film like a spirit of the sun. Seeing this, Peter Parker quickly snapped a photo with his phone. Looking at the image, a faint smile touched his lips.
Suddenly, Gwen sat bolt upright. Peter scrambled to hide his phone, averting his gaze awkwardly. "There's still a little time," he stammered. "You can rest a bit longer. I'll wake you when the teacher arrives."
Gwen blinked at him. "I knew it!"
Knew? Knew what? Peter's heart raced. Did she catch me? He looked at her warily, only to see Gwen smack her right palm with her left fist, her eyes gleaming with sudden insight.
"That Oren guy! There is definitely something fishy about him!"
Oren? Who is Oren? Peter's internal alarms went off.
"The way he was looking at me was all wrong!"
"Huh?" Peter was startled. Who is this Oren? I need to have a serious talk with him!
Gwen knit her brows, stroking her chin as she talked to herself. "He's really handsome, but... why did he look so familiar to me?"
Handsome? Familiar? Peter's anxiety skyrocketed. This was more stressful than being held at gunpoint by a dozen thugs.
Gwen squinted, Oren's face filling her mind. When she pictured his deep blue eyes, two other faces rose to meet it: her brother, Clark Kent, and her father, Mike Kent. The three sets of eyes overlapped in her mind. A second later, she struck Clark from the list of candidates, leaving only Mike and Oren.
"Could it be that Oren is..." Gwen began to tremble, as if she had uncovered a deep, dark secret.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked cautiously.
Gwen took a deep breath. "Let me ask you something."
"What?"
"If... your dad had a secret love child who suddenly showed up at your door, what would you do?"
"Wait, what!?" Peter was flabbergasted. What does this have to do with anything? Weren't we talking about Oren? How did we get to love children? Who would even...
Then, the realization hit him. He looked at Gwen in shock.
Gwen's eyes turned cold. She gave Peter a chilling smile. "If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll end you."
Peter nodded frantically. Does this count as a secret between just the two of us? The thought actually made his heart flutter with a strange sweetness.
Gwen ignored him, clutching her phone and frantically firing off messages to Clark and the others.
Emergency! A love child has come to the door!
(End of Chapter)