#this is awesomebutunpractical's fault

[fictionadventurer]

I can’t stop thinking about the Superman AU where Kara doesn’t get lost in the Phantom Zone so both children are raised by the Kents.

Kara’s ship was set up to teach her English (and possibly other Earth languages) during the trip, so the Kents learn the whole story of Krypton right away. Both kids keep their Kryptonian first names.

Kara’s extremely protective/possessive of Kal at first. She was sent across solar systems to take care of this kid, and it’s hard to step back and let anyone else fill that parent role.

Right away, the Kents notice that Kara’s stronger and faster and more durable than a human, but she doesn’t start developing outright superpowers for at least a few years. Kal starts showing signs of it by the time he’s in kindergarten, though extreme powers don’t really start to develop until his teenage years.

Kara’s homeschooled for a few years, but she does attend Smallville High for, yes, the socialization. (And to quell some of the rumors about the weird kids the Kents adopted).

The Kents have a swingset that’s the site of tons of terrifying acrobatic stunts from two children who are developing powers of invulnerability and flight.

Kara never quite loses her Kryptonian accent. In high school, there’s a running gag where she claims the accent is from more and more ridiculous places. Metropolis. France. Antarctica. Mars. Middle Earth.

(One time someone joked that her accent was from Alderaan, and it hit way too close to home).

(The official story from the Kents is that Kara was adopted from parents who did a lot of traveling and her mixed-up accent was worsened by a mild hearing/speech impairment).

The Kent household is bilingual. The kids are both fluent in Kryptonian, and Martha and Jon made sincere efforts to learn, though they’ll never be really adept. About half of the conversations in the house occur in a pidgin Krypt-lish.

For Kara’s sake, they try to adopt Kryptonian celebrations into their family traditions, but it’s difficult when a good chunk of Kryptonian holidays celebrate celestial events that they can no longer see or family connections that no longer exist.

Kara = Jock Girl. Kal = Nerd Boy.

Kara’s smart, but her early education on a different planet makes it harder to adapt to this world’s knowledge system, so she doesn’t put her focus toward academics.

She’s somehow both a tomboy and the girliest possible girl. She’ll be shoveling manure one minute and buying mascara the next.

She’s also got a very practical, no-nonsense personality, but she’s devoted to her carefully curated selection of stuff animals. She may have made one or two based on memories of Kryptonian animals.

Kara’s on a couple of athletic teams in high school. I could see her being on a dance team because good performance requires her to work in sync with the entire team, so her superpowers don’t give her that much of an advantage. And she’s in volleyball because she has a volleyball girl vibe.

Kal’s more introverted and sheltered (especially with two protective mother figures hovering over him), but he grows up comfortably human while fully acknowledging his Kryptonian heritage. He really does need glasses as a kid, learns to read young, and overall slots comfortably into the role of Friendly Neighborhood Nerd from his early elementary years.

(”What’s Kal short for?” people ask him. “Kaleidoscope”, he replies.)

Both kids are close with both Kents, but Kara has a particularly strong bond with Jonathan while Kal is more similar to Martha.

Kal bonds with Martha over her collection of pulp sci-fi books. (Kara finds their depictions of other worlds too unrealistic). They’re also both Star Trek fans--Kal prefers the original series, while Martha prefers Next Gen.

Kara stays on the farm after graduating high school. She still feels a strong duty to stay and care for Kal, and though she won’t say it out loud, she needs to cling to the sense of home that Smallville provides after losing her home planet.

She helps out with the farm work, and also works as a paramedic and/or firefighter. The job serves her caretaker strengths, and also provides a lot of opportunities to use her powers to rush to the rescue. It doesn’t take long for the “Smallville Angel” to become a local cryptid.

Her love interest is a down-home Smallville boy. Possibly a high school sweetheart, possibly someone she meets on the job, whether working alongside him or helping to rescue him. He has a very hands-on job, whether it’s as a firefighter, construction worker, or a farmer.

By the time Kal’s a high school freshman, he takes over the Smallville High paper and transforms it from a sports-scores-and-lunch-menus fluff page into a hard-hitting investigative paper. Within his first few months on the paper, he uncovers an embezzlement scandal at the school.

Kal is far more at home in Smallville than Kara is, but because it’s the only home he’s known, he also feels more of a drive to explore the world outside it. He does some traveling after high school, goes to Metropolis for college, and though he visits Smallville frequently, he never lives there again after leaving.

Kara gets married (to the above-mentioned love interest) around the same time that Kal graduates high school. They settle down in Smallville.

Kara has at least one biological kid, but she also becomes a stepmother/adopted mother. Could be that her love interest is a widower with children from his previous marriage. Maybe they adopt a couple of his brother’s kids. Maybe they adopt some kids from a rescue situation Kara came across. But I want Kara to have to deal with some of the “You’re not my real mom” stuff that she put Martha through.

(And it’s even more interesting from the perspective of the kids. When do you tell them? How do they deal with “my stepmother is a space alien who shoots lasers from her eyes”?)

Kal takes up hero work in Metropolis, but has a harder time keeping his identity secret with so many eyes around. With his imagination primed by pulp sci-fi, it doesn’t take long to come up with the idea of a costumed alter ego. Kara thinks it’s a bit silly, but her heart soars when she sees the costume’s focal point is the House of El crest, and she loves that it becomes a symbol of hope for this world.

It’s a big step when Kal brings Lois home to meet the parents, but the real test is when she meets Kara.

“She’s my big sister. Well, really my cousin. Also kind of my mom.”

“I didn’t think you were that kind of hick, Smallville.”

If she’s being completely honest, Lois is intimidated by the idea of meeting someone with all of Kal’s abilities and a mother-wolf instinct to protect him. But the Kents are intimidated by Kal getting involved with an investigative journalist who’s the daughter of a military general.

They hit it off great, though, and both sides quickly realize they have nothing to worry about.

There’s also a huge Kent extended family that was involved with these kids from the moment that Jon and Martha found spaceships in their cornfield. The Kents are exactly the clan you want at your back when you need to hide two alien kids from the government. Need fake identification and adoption papers? Someone to steer the Men in Black off the trail? The Kents will pitch in with enthusiasm.

Not everyone in the family knows about their abilities or secret identities, but they’re a close-knit clan anyway. They have a harder time adjusting to having city-gal Lois among their ranks than two space alien kids.

It’s a crazy, chaotic, blended and adopted family that’s growing and shifting over the years and always provides a place for Kara and Kal to belong.

[an-aspiring-jester]

So, I had some fun with the questionnaire I’ve reblogged from @awesomebutunpractical and before I knew it I filled out the first one entirely XD. I don’t usually talk about my OCs here, so people won’t be interested, but @frustratedpker, I think you’re gonna enjoy it! XD It’s for Lucas, from my superheroes story. A perpeturally overworked genius inventor.

How do they react to…

---Someone in danger who isn’t hurt yet

 "Look out!" *jumps in to help if he is able*

---Someone in pain/injured

 "Alright, just breathe. It's gonna be okay. Let's get you to the hospital, alright?" 

---School work load

 "...It's time for an all-nighter, isn’t it?" 

---Loss of a friend

 "Just, ignore the pain. Come on, you can do this. Objectively, it's not the end of the world. It'll stop hurting eventually."

---Death of a family member

 "Death is a natural part of life and there's no reason to dwell on it. (Can't afford to dwell on it) I gotta focus on the living people who depend on me now." 

---New kids in school

 "Okay, let's see what they're all about." 

---Being the new kid

 "Okay, figure out the social structure and worm my way into it!" 

---Being picked on

 Ignore it for a while, if they don't tire themselves off, fight back. 

---Being praised/complimented

[All internal] 

By semi-strangers: *side-eye* "Alright, what do you want from me?" 

By authority figures, for a well-done job: "All of this is meaningless anyway." 

By friends and family: "...What is this warm feeling inside?" 

---Unintentional physical contact

 That was accidental, therefore has no meaning, so no need to dwell on it. End of discussion. 

---People who talk in excess

internally: “Huh, is this how other people see me? That’s a lot of talking. Fascinating. I guess I have to listen till they’re finished, it’s only fair. Then I’m gonna start talking. This conversation will last a lot longer than I anticipated.”

---Being at a club

 "I'm bored. How much longer until I can slip out without being rude?" 

---Getting in trouble at school

 Looking the teacher dead in the eye: "What are you going to do, expel me?" He knows pretty well he wins them every possible competition, raising the statistics and bringing in money, he knows he won't get in trouble for breaking a few stupid rules. 

---Getting roasted by a friend

Roast them right back.

---Types of humor besides their own

 Roll his eyes. If with irritation or fondness, depends on who's making the joke. 

---People of the opposite personality type

 Okay, so I looked up old 16 personality test results I did for him some time ago, he's an ENTP, so I guess that the opposite would be ISFJ… which, coincidentally, is the result I got for Bridget, the love of his life! XD So, I'd say, he goes along with this type pretty well? XD 

Honestly, he loves meeting new people, the more different from him the better, more reasons for a good debate! Problem is, not everyone shares his enthusiasm. XD

---Mainstream type people

 "(sarcastic) Ahh, good to see the good old capitalism work as intended. (sincere) No, no, that's not your fault, this system is literally designed to appeal to you, nothing wrong with that!" 

---Memes and internet humor

Doesn’t keep up with it, but he’s all for people having fun.

---People who are needlessly lazy

 Annoy them into doing some work, probably. 

---Being pulled into a fight

 Story of his life. He grits his teeth and deals with it as quickly as possible, so he can get back to his business. 

---Really early mornings

What’s the difference??? Seriously, his internal clock is all over the place. 

---Having to be a mediator among friends

That’s just a typical Tuesday for him.

---Learning new flaws in other people

 Adding it to the mental file on this person and adjust his expectations accordingly. 

---Acquiring new physical flaws

“Sure, why shouldn’t my life be even harder, huh? Alright, let’s soldier on. I wonder what the tabloids are gonna write about that…”

---Moving into a new home

 New home, new start. It's pretty exciting to arrange everything.

---Being ignored by a crush

 Pouts. Just a little. Sees if it gets him anywhere. If not, he shrugs it off and moves on. 

---Sharing a literal bed

 He doesn’t have much use for a bed, but on the rare occasion someone actually manages to drag him into one, he's out like a light. No concern for who he might be sharing it with. 

---Their own flaws and insecurities

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I have a problem with this. I’ll work on it. Promise…”

---People’s misconceptions of them

“Eh. What else did I expect? Do I bother correcting them, or just let it be?” (Usually lets it be)

---Their crush loving someone else

 "Ouch. Uhm… sure. Alright. I guess it's for the better. I hope they're happy…" 

---Someone who wants to debate

“ALRIGHT! Let’s get this party started!!!” (He loves debating. A LOT.)

---A crabby boss at work

 Tests how cheeky he can get before getting called out on it. 

---Control freaks in their life

Malicious compliance.

---People so open minded that they agree to everything

“What do you do when someone offers you opposing ideas? What’s your thought process there? Do you flip a coin? Asking for science.”

---Day and night changes

Literally couldn’t care less. Barley notices it. 

---People who gossip

 Ignores them. There's no sense fighting them. 

---All nighter activities

 What's the difference between day and night, again? 

---Theme parks on location

"They're so tacky, I love them! Let's ride everything!"

---Couples making out publicly

“Do you think they’re being performative, trying to hide from the public eye and themselves that their relationship lacks any substance, or just genuinely so in love that the rest of the world ceases to exist and they can’t contain themselves? Discuss.”

---Going to the doctor

“Make it quick, please. I have important stuff to do, but my friends won’t let me leave without a checkup. Let’s get it over with.”

---Bad smells in the area

 Probably investigate what's causing them and if anything can be done about it. 

---Beginning a new project

 So many thoughts at once. Constantly calculating every possible outcome. It takes him a second until he can actually focus on the first step. 

---New technology item in the house

 If it's his own - probably loses interest in it right after ensuring it works properly and moves on to the next toy. If it's someone else’s - research it thoroughly (maybe taking it apart too) making sure it's not a spying device. XD 

---Being cut off from supplies

 "Time to improvise!" 

---New money to spend if they want

“Hey, I got money. Does anyone want something?”

---New students or neighbors

 Be welcoming and friendly if he comes across them, but doesn't get out of his way to greet them. 

---Friends doing something wrong

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right here… WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING???!" 

---Getting called out on their mistake

 "Yes, I KNOW, but unless you have any brilliant ideas on how to fix it instantly, just let me work it out myself already, okay?!" 

---Optimistic kind of people

"That’s the spirit! In case it all crashes and burns around you, at least you didn’t waste time being miserable before it happens! Good for you!" 

---People who overwork themselves

*Knowing look from someone who also chronically overworks himself* “Just be sure to stop before you kill yourself, okay?” Anything short of that is fair game, if the goal is worth it.

---People with poor hygiene

Politely ignoring if it’s strangers, gentle nudging/teasing if it’s friends.

---Animals in general

Don’t bother them, so (hopefully) they won’t bother you.

---People who don’t trust anyone

“Fair, fair. Say, have you ever got takeout? Or used public transportation? I’m just wondering how far the ‘trust no-one’ rule stretches…”

---Long lectures or speeches

“You… You could literally compress it into a five-minute bullet point version. You realize no one is paying attention anymore, right? I know that stuff you’re saying is important, but it’s counterproductive if you put your audience to sleep first! At least throw in a few jokes…”

---Sleepover activities

 "Alright, let's go have some harmless childish fun! You know, for science." 

---Travelling for vacations

 "I can still work remotely on my projects, right?" 

---Board or card games

 "I honestly haven't touched any of them in years. But sure, I'm willing to try!" 

---Starting a new job

"Just tell me what you want from me and leave me alone."

---People missing limbs

 "... Do you want me to build you a new prosthetic? Free of charge. Let's talk customization!" 

---Being kissed unexpectedly

If it’s his fiancée: “NICE.”

If it’s anyone else: “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I’m about to be married! Sorry, you’re out of luck here.”

---A sudden scream

*deep sigh* “What now?”

---The sight of fresh blood

"... That… Probably shouldn't be here. Alright, let's investigate." 

---Public wardrobe malfunctions

Likely doesn't notice. If he does, he still marches on so confidently that no one dares to say anything. 

---Sleeping in accidentally

 "...How mad will Bridget be?" (Though honestly, if it means he actually got some sleep for a change, probably not much. She can handle some bad publicity in his name.) 

---Friends of a bad influence

 Doesn't play the goody-two-shoes but doesn’t compromize his firmer morals. Can probably be some good influence while still acting "cool".

---Pessimistic kind of people

“Hey, maybe it won’t be THAT bad! Maybe we can escape with some limbs intact! That’s something to look forward to!”

---People who hate a show they like

“Piss off, let me enjoy things in peace."

---Being told they’re not good enough

If it’s some jerk who they just met: *challenging* “Oh yeah? Pray tell, WHO is good enough in your eyes? I don’t see YOU working overly hard to get your job done…”

If it’s someone close to him: “…Okay.” *proceeds to silently bend over backwards to BECOME good enough, probably destroying himself in the process*

---People with mental disorders

 Asking about what accomodations do they need and proceeds to stare down anyone who dares to say anything about it. 

---Being turned down for an invite

“Yup, okay, no problem, some other time, then!” *I shouldn’t have asked so suddenly, of course they have other plans, everyone has their own life! Stupid of me to forget.*

---People who don’t take care of their bodies

 "Look, I know I'm not the one to talk, but it really isn't healthy. You deserve to feel better than that." 

---Being told a secret

 He doesn’t have any dramatic reaction. Is silently glad to be trusted, but won't acknowledge it in any way. He probably just nods. 

---People with very little impulse control

 *Sighs and follows to do the damage control*

---People who can’t make a solid decision

 "You know you have to decide eventually. I won't help you with it, so we're stuck here until you do." Slight guilt-tripping isn't below him. 

---Intentional physical contact

 "Oh, that's… nice. Yup, makes sense, people are social creatures, it's natural for them, and I'm probably a little touch-starved, now that I think about it. Yup, let's settle on 'that's nice'." 

---People who complain

 Complains about their complaining, even harder. Give them a taste of their own medicine. 

---Being introduced to someone else

*Charming mode activated*

---Having something of theirs taken

"Are you going to give that back, or shall I start looking for a new one?" 

---Not knowing what they are doing tomorrow

 "Ahh, finally some free, unstructured time. I wonder who will try to bring about the end of the world tomorrow." 

---Their plans going awry

“Time for plan B! Or to make a plan B on the spot. Whatever.”

---Various authority figures

Act compliant enough not to get caught, do what is right regardless.

---People who can’t take care of themselves

Subtly helping them until they do. 

---Weather changes

“Oh, right. Weather exists. Probably should take that into account. I haven’t been outside in a long time.”

---People who wait for you to go to them

 He's going to make them wait a LONG time. But he's gonna cave eventually. 

---Competitive people

“Does this make you happy? This constant chase for glory? Meaningless victory after meaningless victory? It will never be fullfilling, you know. You'll never be fully satisfied."

---A very ladylike girl

“Okay, that’s an odd sight nowadays. I love it.”

---Being taken to the gym

“Sure, I guess. I’m not going to like it, but if it makes you happy. I’m not going to make a habit out of it, though. I don’t really see the point.”

---Really late nights

Time is meaningless anyway. Seriously, who cares for daylight?

---Having a room all to themselves

“More space to spread out my projects and working tools!”

---A true gentleman

“I want to study you so bad.”

---People who keep changing how they look

“It’s like having a little surprise every day! I look forward to seeing what else you come up with!”

---Being kicked out of a public place

“….That was funny.”

---Getting lost when they need to be somewhere

 "... They're gonna wait for me. They will. Still, finding my way now would be MARVELOUS. What the heck went wrong?" 

---Getting something unexpectedly free

 "Uhm, thanks, but I don’t really need that? I can pay you, you know."

---Reading someone else’s journal

 He's probably gonna mark spelling errors, automatically. And write coments on the margins.

---A friend who snaps at them

If he was being purposefully annoying: *winning smirk*

If he wasn’t: *taken aback* “Okaaay… I probably should back off now. Uhm, sorry about that? You wanna talk it out?”

---People who like a show they hate

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Besides, it doesn’t really matter. Having arguments over this would be just petty.”

---Someone having a crush on them

 He doesn’t alter his behavior much, it's not his problem after all, but he hates to lead anyone on so he tries to let them down gently, while still being friendly. He also doesn’t want to embarass anybody. 

---Not knowing where to go next

 Choosing the direction at random and finding out. 

---Super mega health nuts

“I plan to get killed before any of my organs get out of warranty anyway, so I see no reason to obsess over health too much. Just remember, you can always get run over by a bus!”

---Technology geeks

“I mean, you keep me in the business, but try not to get too dependent on it, okay?”

(It’s too late, isn’t it?)

---Culture-minded culture-focused people

 Admires their dedication.

---Nature enthusiasts

 Doesn't truly share it, but whatever suits them. 

---Being given a gift they can’t use

 Probably laugh about it. 

---Being blamed for a friend’s misdeed

Honestly a pretty regular occurrence. If it caughts him unawares internally he's like "*sigh* [name], what did you do this time?" and fishes for info so he can play along accordingly. But often he just straight up takes the blame, knowing that he can usually get away with more due to his privileges. 

---Being snubbed by someone they look up to

 After a whole childhood of getting snubbed by his own parents, he tries not to let it bother him too much. Just keeps doing his job. And he generally tries to avoid putting people on the pedestals in the first place. 

---Being put on the spot to give an answer

He either knows it, or bluffs convincingly enough. No problem.

---Talking in front of a large group

Again, typical Tuesday. He’s a natural.

---Being left out of an activity

 "Alright, that's no problem. I have work to do anyway. You guys have fun without me." 

---Animal enthusiasts

“Okaaaay… That’s cute. I don’t really see the appeal, but that’s cute. Happy for you.”

---People with physical disorders

 Basically treats them like everyone else. Offers asistance when specifically asked to. 

---History enthusiasts

 "You're like a walking encyclopedia, and I want to learn from you! Honestly, infodump more, that's really interesting!" 

---Being sat on by someone else

 Just, ask them to move? He doesn’t think much of it. 

---An injured person

 Get them some medical attention. Not necessarily by himself. There are people more competent at it. 

---An unexpected grade in school

"Grades are a meaningless concept that doesn't reflect one's knowledge or skill level at all. It's all about standarized testing designed to keep a complacent society. Plus it's affected by the teacher's biases. And ultimately no one cares about them once you finish school."

---Authority figures playing favorites

"That's human nature for you. Try to work around the unjust system." 

---Segregation and prejudice

“Explain your reasoning to me NOW. I’m fully prepared to debunk every single point you make. Oh, I have time. I’ll clear my calendar just for this. I’m not letting you go until you see an error of your ways.”

---Activists who try to force their ideals

 "Yeeeeah, right. Look, I get that you feel very strongly about this topic, but have you considered the other point of view? Not that I necessarily disagree with you, but you come across a bit too aggressive, plus your understanding of the situation seems pretty simplistic, and that's not gonna work out well…" 

---Commercials on TV

"Let's see what they're trying to sell now, and how pathetic they are at it. You know, for research." 

---Learning a secret they weren’t supposed to

 Wondering how to use it without betraying he knows anything. 

---Being flirted with

 Nicely, but firmly indicating he's not interested. Confident all the time. 

---Being lied to or betrayed

 He shouldn't be surprised. Deeply disappointed if it was a friend, though. 

---Loud/rowdy/energetic people

 Observing them with slight amusement. Like a zoo display. If he's got enough, he'd retreat to his lab. 

---Tense situations

 Take it upon himself to break this tension. That's his speciality. 

---Rough tough areas of town

 Keep calm, try not to stand out too much and leave as soon as possible. 

---Situations under stress/pressure

Guess his energy level spikes up and he's a bit more snappy with people in extreme situations, but that's it. But honestly, when is he NOT stressed? It's practically his baseline. He's mostly numb to it, in moderate doses. 

---Learning or advancing a skill

 "Okay, I got that covered, so what's the next step?" Learning never stops. 

---Music of their choice

 He doesn’t care much for music. He's got to be in the mood for it. 

---Being invited out with friends

 "Cool, what are we going to do?" 

---Plans changing on the spot

 "Okay! So let's get to it!" 

---Being placed in a group project

 "So, how are we dividing the tasks? I propose we make a plan…" 

---Sharing a bedroom

 "Honestly, just tell me if you want me to clean up my stuff. I can always move with them to the garage."