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#3 |
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Conner Kent |
Try-Outs
"Hustle! Hustle, people," Coach Arnold screamed out to this year's candidates.
The breeze blew through the field as one group of teens ran in place dropping to squat thrusts, another practiced their passes, and another ran the training course.
"Ok girls, listen up, I need two teams right now," Coach Arnold bellowed. "Mathews, Kent you're the captains, assemble your teams."
"Francks," Duncan shouted, and the teen ran to his side.
"McCarthy," Conner shouted, sending the teen to his side.
The two continued until they reached the last two players.
"Caruso," Duncan shouted, and the teen ran over to his team. "I guess you're left with the scrub Ford," Duncan laughed as his team gathered around him in a huddle.
"Sorry, Conner," Whitney said as he joined the team.
"For what?" Conner asked.
"For being stuck with me," Whitney said.
"Don't let Duncan get inside your head, he's trying to psyche us out that's all," Conner reassured him.
The two teams came out of their huddles and got into position.
Both teams played hard and Coach Arnold saw the effort that every player put into his game. He knew that this year would be hard, especially since he had two outstanding players in Conner and Duncan and knew that with them they wouldn't just make it to the championship but bring it home.
Chloe Sullivan sat up in the bleachers and watched the try outs. The Torch had to cover them and she usually would have sent someone else, but she wanted to be there to lend moral support to Whitney.
She couldn't understand it. She sat there and watched him get slammed to the ground over and over, and after each slam he jumped up with the biggest smile on his face. She found her angle.
Most reporters would give a straight up account of the try outs but Chloe wasn't like most reporters. She knew the thing people wanted to read about was spirit. So Whitney helped out, she was going to write about the feel of the game not the sight of it.
"Ok, hit the showers," Coach Arnold shouted after blowing his whistle. "The line up will be posted outside of my office by the end of the day, and practice immediately follows. All postings and positions are final, so save the drama for your momma, boys."
"Nice game Kent," Duncan said with a pat on Conner's back.
Conner stood there in front of his locker, the last one on that side. He was fully clothed except for his shirt. After making sure no one was around he slipped on his black Superboy shirt and quickly pulled his blue sweater over it.
Conner heard some laughs coming from around the other side of the lockers and caught some of what was being said. He knew it was Duncan and the guys picking on Whitney again. Conner didn't know what to do. He knew what they were doing was wrong, but he also wanted to be popular.
Conner shut his locker and walked around the other side, "Hey guys, let's go, we're going to be late for Biology and we have that sub, Ms. Allen," Conner said.
"Oh yeah, she's the hottie," Duncan said with sly smile.
Duncan's crew headed out of the room, Whitney looked up at Conner and Conner felt even worse. Conner lowered his head and taped the locker as he turned the corner to exit the locker room, knowing that he could have done more.
Conner sat there in Biology staring out the window thinking about everything that had happened since he got to Smallville. He thought about how things were less complicated, how he didn't have to try to be anything when he was with his friends, Tim, Bart, and Cassie, but now he couldn't connect to them.
"Kent, Kent," Duncan whispered from behind Conner. "Earth to Kent."
"Yeah, I'm here," Conner whispered back.
"Yeah, but where were you? You were like in the stratosphere or something," Duncan said with a slight chuckle.
"Nah, just thinking about somethings I guess," Conner replied.
"Yeah like Ms. Allen's bod," Duncan said tapping Conner on his shoulder.
"Yeah," Conner said not revealing what he was really thinking about.
"Me too," Duncan whispered laughing as he sat back into his chair and resumed his teenage crush on his teacher.
Conner decided to let the weight on his shoulders take the backseat for now and relax, because right now he was a teenager, and after all the Kents were always telling him to relax and have fun like a normal teenager.
"So Kent, what position do you think you got?" one of the other teens asked Conner as they exited Biology.
"I don't know. I don't even know if I made the team yet, none of us do," Conner said as they turned the corner heading to their next class.
"Yeah right," the teen said. "You're definitely on the team man, your a Legacy man."
"Legacy?" Conner asked.
"Yeah man. See, your cousin Clark is like the biggest hero this school has ever had, man. He took the Crows to the champions and won it almost single handily," the teen explained.
"You're a Legacy, just like me man," Duncan added.
"So?, just because Clark was good doesn't mean I will be," Conner said. "Plus I want my position for my talent, not his,"
"Yeah right, it's in your genes man. Listen man, who cares how you got here?, you know you can play man, you gave me a run for it out there," Duncan said.
"I don't know," Conner said as they entered their next class, English.
Conner couldn't get what Duncan and the gang were saying. He kept coming back to the fact that he did have Clark's genes, and how much that had already effected his life.
Conner sat there looking out of the window tapping his pencil as Mrs. Patterson explained the English assignment and assigned partners for it, but Conner was too busy thinking about being created to be the next Superman.
He sat there thinking how they took Superman's DNA to make him a hero, and what Duncan said earlier made sense, he was just like Clark, it was in his genes.
"Mr. Kent! I'm sorry if my lesson is interrupting your day dreams, or maybe I'm just boring you," Mrs. Patterson said as she slammed her hands on his desk startling him.
"Yeah," Conner stuttered as he jumped to attention, setting the class into an outbreak of laughter.
"So I bore you, Mr. Kent?" Mrs. Patterson asked in a very irritated tone.
"No, no Mrs. Patterson, I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I promise," Conner stammered out.
"Ok, since you're new I'll cut you some slack, but don't push it too much," Mrs. Patterson offered.
"Thanks, Mrs. Patterson," Conner said in a soft tone.
"Kent, Dude, Patterson ripped you," Duncan joked.
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me, " Conner joked back.
Conner and Duncan walked down the hall and Duncan's girlfriend, Christen, walked up to them, Duncan grabbed her by the waist and gave her a kiss.
"Coach Arnold posted the team roster boys," Christen said as she turned to walk with the boys.
"Yeah, we're on our way now. Want to come with?" Duncan asked Christen.
"I would love to but I have to go check out the newbies who are trying out for Cheerleader squad," Christen replied. "Catch you later, though, at The Talon ok?"
"Ok, but before you go I get a good luck kiss," Duncan said pulling Christen close to him and giving her a big kiss.
"Ok Kent, let's see what we got," Duncan said slapping Conner on the back as the two headed down the hall to Coach Arnold's office.
As they approached the office they could see the crowd of potentials around the cut sheet.
"Move it, move it, starting line-up coming through," Duncan said as he pushed his way through the crowd.
Duncan reached the front of the line and looked at the top of the list and was shocked to see that his name wasn't there, but that shock was relieved when he seen why it wasn't.
"Dude, you made Captain," Duncan said to Conner. "Well, Co-Captain at least. Yeah man, Championships watch out here comes Mathews and Kent Boo Yah!" Duncan said giving Conner a high five.
Conner stood there and a smile came across his face, he made the team. Conner walked over through the crowd and stood with Duncan and his friends, celebrating in their positions.
Whitney walked up with Chloe and made his way through the crowd. He looked on the list and saw the starting team line-up and his name was nowhere to be found on it. He started to feel defeated and then he remembered to check out the 'B Team', right at the top of its list was his name, Whitney Ford.
"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah," Whitney cheered as he emerged from the crowd heading towards Chloe.
"What, you made the team?" Chloe asked.
"The 'B Team'," Whitney proudly said.
"The 'B Team'? Ok but why are you so happy, you're not starting," Chloe inquired.
"Yeah, but if someone gets sent out or has to leave the team I'm in. I'm the first on the list, and last year I wasn't anywhere," Whitney said sharing his enthusiasm.
Conner looked over and saw that Whitney was happy for his 'B Team' spot.
Whitney headed over to Conner and extended his hand and said, "Thanks Conner."
Conner met Whitney's hand and shook it as he asked, "For what?"
"You had faith in me and made sure I got the ball today on the field, Coach Arnold got to see me today because of you. Thanks man," Whitney said letting go of Conner's hand.
"You're welcome," Conner said as Whitney walked back over to Chloe.
Conner stood there for a second and really saw Whitney's pure excitement and another smile came across his face, but this one was for Whitney, and for having the smallest role in his joy.
"Come on man, we have practice Kent," Duncan said slapping Conner on the shoulder and Conner joined the gang of excited teens through the doors to the locker room.
"Ok, now that we have our team time to work like one," Coach Arnold stated. "Our first game is Friday and I want us to go out there as a team."
Coach Arnold walked down the path that the Starters and the 'B Team' made, his head going right to left as he talked.
"This year you'll notice that the role of Captain is being shared between Mathews and Kent," The Coach said. "With two Captains I expect twice the teamwork. Now I want the two teams to face off and run some moves."
The teams practiced everyday till Friday and they were ready for the big game. Emotions were running high and pressure was everywhere.
The team ran out to the field and gave it their all. The Gotham City Crusaders though were giving their all too and the two rival schools pushed hard and near the end of the first half the Crows paid with a player having to leave the game due to an injury.
Whitney sat there on the bench excited. He was sorry that a team mate had to be injured for him to go out, but he was excited to be able to play.
Duncan called a time out and he raced over to the bench and huddled up as Duncan informed the team of his decision, "Caruso your in for McCarthy, ok let's go out there and end this half with a lead, ok?"
The team broke up and Conner looked over and saw a disappointed Whitney. He grabbed Duncan's shoulder, Duncan turned and asked, "What?"
"Ford should be the one going out, he's the top pick on the 'B Team'," Conner said.
"Caruso is like us, Ford isn't, man," Duncan said ready to turn around.
Conner grabbed his shoulder again and asked, "How's that?"
"Caruso is a Legacy, he should be on the Starting Line-Up but Coach Arnold and his old man didn't see eye to eye in High School," Duncan said.
"Or maybe Coach Arnold thought that Ford was a better player. He earned his spot and deserves his time on the field," Conner said.
"Yeah, well he's not, that's it," Duncan said returning to the field.
The team went back out and Conner put his helmet on and joined them.
Conner got the ball and passed it to Caruso who fumbled it which lead to the Crusaders getting control of the ball and ending the first half in the lead.
"What happened man?" Duncan asked in the locker room in a ticked off tone.
"I'll tell you, Caruso dropped the ball. Ford should have been there, he would have caught it," Conner said. "That's why the Coach put him on the top of the 'B Team'."
"Caruso deserved to be called out Kent, he's a Lega..." Duncan began.
"...Cy, yeah. So what? Ford earned his spot, he didn't have any easy ins, he got his spot by working hard and pushing himself," Conner said cutting Duncan off.
"Well, if you want Ford in so bad man then step down, give him your spot because Caruso stays," Duncan said firmly.
The team headed back out and Conner looked hard at Duncan as he walked past him and said, "Fine."
Duncan smiled thinking that Conner wouldn't give up his spot for Whitney. Conner went up to the bench where Whitney sat, he tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Go, you're in man."
Conner sat down and watched as Whitney raced out to the field putting on his helmet and chin guard with the biggest smile. Duncan looked over to the bench and saw what Conner had done and shot an intimidating glare his way.
From the bleachers Chloe saw what happened and a smile came across her face as she thought Maybe he isn't like the rest of them.
Conner saw something out of the corner of his eye, a figure standing in the shadows, but when he turned to see it it was gone
The game ended with the Crows winning by a touchdown and the team went into the locker room to clean up and pack it in for the day.
"Well, congratulations team, you won your first game," Coach Arnold said.
"Yeah, barely, no thanks to Kent," Duncan said throwing his shirt hard into his locker.
"Excuse me," Conner shot back.
"You heard me man. Our score would have been a lot higher if you hadn't sent your charity case in and sat the last half out," Duncan said.
"Ford scored a lot out there. And don't forget I sent him out there because he deserved it, unlike Caruso. You know, your Legacy buddy," Conner replied.
"If it wasn't for your Legacy you would never had made the team Kent, your cousin got you in, but I guess it's ok if it benefits you, huh?" Duncan shot at Conner.
"Alright girls, shut up. You won, it doesn't matter how, you did ok," Coach Arnold interrupted to bring some peace.
Conner grabbed his bag and headed out of the locker room, he paused at Whitney, looked at the Coach and said, "I quit. Ford is next on the list. Congratulations Whitney, you earned it man."
Conner stormed out of the gym and took flight, the mysterious shadow figure looked on as he flew away.
As Conner flew around he smelled something, it was smoke. He looked around and saw that there was a barn on fire and the Smallville Fire Department was having a hard time with the raging fire and that there were animals still inside.
He flew down behind a nearby farm and changed into his Superboy uniform and flew off to help the SFD with the fire and rescue.
In a dark office, the only source of light a plasma screen tv showing news coverage of Superboy helping the SFD with the blaze and him rescuing the barn animals.
A man's hand touched a button and another flash of light appeared as another plasma screen lit up, this one with another broadcast of the fire. The wall slowly began to fill up with different views and angles of Superboy lending a hand as the fire was put out.
The man's hand touched another button and the wall of plasma screen turned into one screen, a huge chess board. The hand maneuvered an inferred mouse and another piece was moved on the screen. BZZZ "Mr. L., the plans are all set for your next move sir," a voice coming from and intercom said.
"Good," Mr. L said from the shadows as the plasma screen turned off cutting all light from the office.
Conner headed into his room, one towel wrapped around him and another one to dry his hair. He felt a cool breeze and looked over to see that his window was open. He looked puzzled as he didn't remember opening it. He headed over to it and shut it, then noticed letter on his desk. When he opened it he read it outloud.
"I knew you would do the right thing, and that you would know when it was truly right.
"S"
Writers Thoughts:
Hey everyone, this month I wanted to start bringing the Conner I showed you the last two issues to the point he is now in the DCU.
I wanted to show Conner deal with trying to live up to not just the hero that Superman is but the Man that Clark is.
I also wanted to shake things up some with the supporting cast. Conner had his time as the popular kid and now we will be ready to see why he dislikes school so much in Teen Titans.
I brought back the mysterious Mr. L. to remind everyone that he is still lurking in the shadows and watching Superboy, and seemingly testing him, but for what?
I said it from the beginning I wanted to use Clark/Superman a lot to show his relationship with Conner, so of course I had to have him be there watching from a distance and showing Conner that not only was he there for him, but that he was proud of him.
I hope to hear feedback from more of you, so please write in, let me know what you think, what you like, what you don't like, and what you want to see more/less of.
On a side note I would also like to thank all of the people who have been visiting my companion site, don't forget to let me hear from you too.
Ok, that is all for this month make sure you log on to read next month's issue.
***J***
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