Chapter 09

"What are we going to do?" Jonathan asked Ajak.

Ajak stayed silent. He'd been with her long enough that when she was quiet it was because she was deep in thought. Millennia's worth of experiences tended to lead to long and deep zone outs.

"He's shooting fire from his eyes, or I guess more like heat but either way the things he's looking at burn. How can we help him with that? What is happening to him?" Jonathan rambled off, trying and failing to hide how deeply concerned he was.

"His eyes are releasing powerful amounts of thermal energy" Ajak said calmly in order to try and calm her husband.

Jonathan took in what his wife was saying and understood. Their son had heat vision. How could they help him control that so he didn't hurt anyone and more importantly so he didn't fear himself.

"In time the blasts will probably be powerful enough to melt most anything they encounter. I know this because Ikaris' optic blasts are similar. Ikaris generates cosmic energy and then releases it from his eyes, although his blasts aren't just thermal, they can be concussive or electric as well." Ajak continued to inform her husband.

"What does that mean? He's becoming like Ikaris?" Jonathan questioned.

"I don't know; I still don't know what he is. He's ageing which means he can't be an Eternal at least not one like me and his power is definitely not cosmic. I do know that whatever he is Ikaris can help him. I was hoping he could meet my family on their own terms. Ikaris, Sersi and Sprite all met him for the most part of their own volition and chose the role they would have in his life. The rest of my family is so spread out and doing their own thing that I didn't want to force them to be something they weren't ready to be for our son's sake." Ajak said to him.

Her voice would sound assured and firm to most but Jonathan caught the hint of concern in her voice. She didn't want her family to reject him like what almost happened when Ikaris first met them and was emotional. Jonathan hugged his wife tighter, she needed to know no matter what he would have her. Ajak let out a deep breath then continued.

"But it's clear he's changing and we need them. I called Ikaris and Makkari, they'll be here tomorrow. Apollo needs people who can help him not only control his gifts but embrace them. Ikaris will help with his thermokinetic optic blasts and Makkari will help him with his speed. I'd been hoping his speed wouldn't be so great that I couldn't help him but he ran through the barn wall again and his clothes and shoes caught fire while he was running. He was so distressed he didn't even notice. He needs my family" Ajak told him softly before leaning into his chest and continuing to stare at the sky.

The two heard Sprite step out onto the porch. No doubt she heard what they had been talking about.

"Ikaris is coming over tomorrow?" Sprite asked already knowing the answer.

Ajak and Jonathan both turned to her and then Ajak said simply, "yes".

Sprite nodded and shuffled her feet, clearly seeing Ikaris made Sprite nervous Jonathan noted.

"Is Sersi coming too?" Sprite genuinely asked.

"I doubt it; with such short notice I think he'll come alone but Makkari is coming too" Ajak told Sprite.

Sprite nodded simply a slight and bashful smile creeping on her face. She quickly composed herself and then walked closer towards Jonathan and Ajak and the trio turned back towards the field and looked out at the sky.

Sprite looked at Jonathan and he looked back at her wondering what she was thinking. She had a mischievous grin on her face which concerned him slightly.

"I hope you're ready to meet the fastest Eternal alive tomorrow" she signed to him. Clearly the prospect of Jonathan interacting with Makkari amused her.

"I married into this crazy family, I'm ready to meet any Eternal" Jonathan signed back.

Ajak laughed at their exchange and the three of them began to joke to one another about Jonathan's typical nervousness at meeting the Eternal family. Tomorrow would be an interesting day no doubt they all thought.

Apollo Kent awoke and slowly and carefully opened his eyes the next morning. He went to the bathroom and splashed water in his face. He looked up and took in his reflection, his curly dark hair and glowing blue eyes. He looked deep in his own eyes as fear rose in his chest wondering if they would turn red and he would burn down the bathroom. He immediately closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths. He needed to calm down, he felt the panic building but was pulled out of it by a knock on the door and then the door subsequently opening. Sprite burst into the room and the two locked eyes. Apollo immediately shut his eyes.

"Apollo trust me you aren't going to hurt me like that" Sprite said her voice a mix of amused and warm.

Apollo gingerly opened his eyes and Sprite smiled at him.

"There you go, you give yourself to much credit, you know who I am. Like you could hit me without me letting you" Sprite told him confidently.

Suddenly the Sprite in front of him disappeared and Sprite was standing by his side. Apollo jumped back startled and Sprite laughed at him.

"I hate it when you do that. It's not funny" Apollo said to her.

"It actually really is" Sprite replied. "Besides you needed something to get you not to be so doom and gloom this morning. Especially considering what's happening today".

That perked Apollo's interests. As far as he knew today was supposed to be a normal day for him. He was supposed to go to school and try not to set anyone on fire. He chuckled sadly to himself in his eyes, thinking how sad it was that that was his new normal. Trying not to burn things he looked at.

"What do you mean? What's happening today?" Apollo asked curiously and Sprite just grinned at him.

"Get changed and go downstairs your parents want to talk to you" she told him before walking out of the door.

Apollo rushed into his room, put on his clothes and then his glasses before heading downstairs anxious as to what exactly his parents had in store for him.

He found his parents at the dining room table. They had cooked a big breakfast made up of healthy amounts of everything; eggs, sausages, pancakes, bacon and toast. Apollo felt his stomach grumble at the sight of the food before him.

"Morning, sleepyhead. Your lucky you don't have school today or you might have missed the bus again" Jonathan told him.

"What do you mean? Why don't I have school today?" Apollo questioned as he sat down.

"With the sudden development of your new gifts and the growth of your general physical abilities we thought it best for you to take time off until you can control them properly" Ajak told him.

Apollo immediately felt regretful, he didn't want to inconvenience his parents but now here they were moving things around for him.

"Apollo, please don't feel bad about this. This is who you are and you shouldn't hate that son" Jonathan told him.

Apollo nodded absent mindedly not fully taking in what his father was saying.

"Apollo everything that's happening to you is what's meant to happen to you and like I told you yesterday I promise you one day you'll see it as a gift. Your Uncle Ikaris will teach you and when he's down you'll see what I see" his Mum told him reassuringly.

"Uncle Ikaris?" Apollo said to his Mum confused.

"Yes, he's coming over today a long with one of your Aunt's to help you" Ajak told him as she served him his food.

"So you better eat up and gather your strength your days just getting started" Jonathan told him.

"And if you think school is tough wait until you have Ikaris as your teacher" Sprite signed to him a playful glee in her eyes.

Apollo ate as much as he could which was almost everything on the table before going out to the fields and taking in the day. It was chilly day and light drizzle of sleet fell over Smallville. Apollo steeled his mind, trying to mentally prepare himself for what was coming today. Ikaris and one of his Aunt's were visiting. He could understand why Ikaris was coming but not his other Aunt. Ikaris shot lasers out of his eyes and his parents were definitely hoping that Ikaris could help him with his own eye blasts but what could his other Aunt be here for? And which Aunt was it? Apollo got his answer almost immediately as a golden streak raced by him so fast he barely saw it. He turned back to the house and saw a pretty woman with brown skin and curly hair done up in a long braid standing on the porch. The woman and his Mum embraced in a hug and she hugged Sprite too. Apollo walked back to the porch and saw her and his Mum talking in sign language to one another. She was asking her how she'd been and what she needed her for. His Mum just pointed towards him as he stepped onto the porch. His Aunt turned to him confused and then she looked back and forth between Ajak and him still not understanding the full picture until his Dad came from inside the house.

"Honey I heard some commotion is she here yet" Jonathan shouted from inside the house as he opened the front door and came face to face with Makkari; the fastest eternal alive.

Makkari quickly put two and two together and looked at Ajak with a cheeky smile on her face as if to playfully say 'you're going to be in so much trouble'.

"Hello, I am Jonathan. Ajak's husband. Welcome to our home" Apollo's dad signed nervously to Makkari.

"Hello Jonathan, I am Makkari" Makkari signed back a warm smile on her face, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Jonathan knew sign language.

Makkari then turned to Apollo and looked at him inquisitively and Apollo quickly realised she was trying to figure out if he also knew sign language so she could greet him without needing a translator.

"Hello I'm Apollo, it's nice to meet you" Apollo quickly signed.

Makkari happily put her hands on her chest, clearly she was glad that Ajak taught her entire family sign language.

"It's nice to meet you Apollo. I am Makkari, your Mum is like my older sister which I guess makes me your Aunt" Makkari signed to him as she smiled.

Apollo nodded and Makkari put out her fist so Apollo could fist bump it. Apollo softly fist bump his new Aunt and the two shared kind smiles to one another. Makkari then turned to Ajak.

"What did you need me to come here for? As lovely as meeting your family is you haven't called out for me in a long time. Is there a particular reason you needed me?" Makkari asked.

"Yes, there is. First of all, I would like to apologize for not contacting you in so long and secondly and most importantly for my son. Apollo has a problem that you're uniquely able to help him with" Ajak told her in response.

Makkari looked confused and Ajak decided it was better to show her than tell her.

"Apollo, go for a run" Ajak instructed her son. "A quick lap around the farm" she told him.

Apollo was a bit confused at first but then realised what his Mum was trying to help him with, his speed. Apollo handed his glasses to his Dad and then stepped off the porch facing the vast cornfields and farmland before him before taking off in a sprint at close to 400 miles per hour. The world blurred around him as Apollo ran a lap around the Kent farm and a few moments after he had left the porch he was already back. Apollo skidded to halt and stared at Makkari who seemed a mixture of amused, shocked and amazed.

"You've been hiding a lot" Makkari signed to Ajak causing her to chuckle sheepishly.

Makkari having seen Apollo run understood what the issue was immediately.

"You want me to help him with his speed don't you?" Makkari asked.

"I do. He's gotten too fast for me to keep up with and his control of it isn't great" Ajak signed back to Makkari informing her of exactly what Apollo needed.

Makkari nodded ready to get to work when she felt a powerful vibration in the air, like a sonic boom, Ikaris. Suddenly a blur streaked out of the clouds and landed on the Kent farm. Ikaris walked up confidently to the porch a smile on his face.

"Ajak, Jonathan, Sprite, Apollo it's a pleasure to see you all again" Ikaris greeted.

Ajak and Ikaris hugged one another and then he shook Jonathan's hand before hugging Sprite and scruffing Apollo's hair. Ikaris and Makkari faced each other for the first time in a long time and Makkari watched him, once he was her battlefield commander and leader but since they were separated with no more Deviants to fight she was clearly unsure of what their new dynamic was.

"Makkari" Ikaris signed politely before slightly tilting his head in a formal greeting with his usual confident smile on his face.

"Ikaris" Makkari replied.

"So why did you call me here out of the blue. Not that I don't like visiting my favourite cousin but what was so urgent?" Ikaris said as he looked inquisitively at Ajak.

Ajak and Jonathan shared a look as Apollo suddenly couldn't meet anyone's eyes and started looking at the floor as if he was embarrassed or ashamed.

"Apollo's shooting fire from his eyes" Ajak finally spoke out.

"What?" Ikaris said and even Makkari looked shocked at the revelation.

"It's hard to explain but we've seen it and Apollo needs your help" Jonathan quickly added not wanting the conversation to be drawn out so his son wouldn't feel like a freak.

Ikaris shook his head as if to shake off the shock and then looked at Apollo. Ikaris went up to Apollo and crouched down in front of him and smiled at him warmly.

"Don't worry, I know you're scared right now but believe me I will help you control this power" Ikaris told Apollo as he put his hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

Apollo nodded and then Ikaris turned back to Ajak and Jonathan.

"Which one are we training him in first?" Ikaris asked.

"His optic blasts should take precedence" Ajak instructed both Ikaris and Makkari.

"Yes ma'am" both Ikaris and Makkari signed to Ajak before Ikaris beckoned Apollo to walk with him.

The two walked into the snow and cornfields unbothered by the cold and Apollo felt very self conscious, it reminded him of the time he first met his Uncle Ikaris and he had to lift the truck off the ball. He felt like he'd be thought of as some kind of monster and now he literally shot fire out of his eyes like he was a monster from myth or from the stories Sprite would tell him.

"It'll be okay" Ikaris uttered filling the silence that had fallen between them. Ikaris could clearly sense how troubled Apollo was by this new ability.

"How do you know? What if I can't control it? What if I hurt someone?" Apollo said clearly distressed.

"I know because you're a part of our family and that means your powers are meant to be used for the greater good" Ikaris told him. "And I'll show you how."

Ikaris then went and put up several scarecrows across the cornfields and lined them all up close to one another. Apollo looked at him confused as he walked back towards him.

"This power you have it's greater than you realize and once you learn to control it it'll be an ability that will be far more useful than you even realize" Ikaris spoke as he put his hand on Apollo's shoulder in a comforting manner.

Ikaris then turned and his eyes glowed gold right before two golden blasts of energy flew out of them. The blasts collided with one of the scarecrows and Ikaris started moving his head directing his eye blasts so he could carve something into one of the scarecrows. When Ikaris stopped he'd left a smiley face burnt on to the chest of one of the scarecrows. The small embers of fire around the face went out as snow that was falling put out the fires. Ikaris smiled at Apollo and then looked him in the eyes.

"You can do that too. Just concentrate, find the energy inside you and draw it out. Find that pool of heat within your heart and your breath and release it from your eyes. Let that fire out and aim it how you want to" Ikaris instructed Apollo.

Apollo listened to his uncle and looked out to the scarecrows. He tried to find the heat that Ikaris was describing as he stared at the scarecrows. Suddenly his body felt very warm, he felt as if the snow falling around him would instantly evaporate if it touched his skin even if he knew that wasn't the case. The warmth travelled throughout his body and then his eyes started burning. Suddenly the look of fear in Skye's face when she saw the fire flashed across his mind and he had to stop his blasts from releasing. He couldn't become a fire starter, burning things he looked at wasn't an ability he wanted. He needed it to stop. Apollo shot his eyes but the warmth behind his eyes was too much he couldn't stop it.

"Aargh" Apollo shouted in pain as he shot powerful blasts of heat from his eyes and completely destroyed one of the scarecrows setting it ablaze.

Apollo collapsed and started tearing up again as he looked at the burning scarecrow.

"I can't do this; I don't want this power. I don't want to shoot fire from my eyes, I don't want to leave burning things in my wake like some kind of monster" Apollo said his voice hollow and scared.

Ikaris crouched down and hugged Apollo.

"You're not a monster and this power is only monstrous if you want it to be. Listen to me thermal blasts are a tool. You can use it to hurt, however you can also use it to protect and even to heal and help. Don't fear the fire because fire isn't just death and destruction it's also warmth and life. Remember that" Ikaris informed Apollo.

Ikaris wiped the tears from Apollo's eyes and looked him in his eyes.

"Right now I can tell you're fighting the fire you feel the heat and become scared but that heat is the beat of your heart and the warmth in your breath. Do you understand? It's an extension of you. Don't fight it, embrace it cause when you do that's when you'll control it" Ikaris said to him.

Apollo stopped crying and let his Uncle's words reverberate through him. Apollo stood up again and looked at one of the other scarecrows. He looked for the warmth again except this time he didn't let himself get scared. He hadn't hurt anyone he loved and he never would. This power was his, he would control it. The warmth filled him and Apollo let it flow into his eyes but held it there looking at the scarecrow and aiming at only at the scarecrows right hand. His vision went red and he released a blast at the scarecrow and when he was done only the scarecrows right hand was burnt off.

"Woo, there you go Apollo" Ikaris cheered.

Apollo smiled at the praise and at himself, he controlled it. If he controlled it once he could control it again, he would become like his Uncle Ikaris and learn to perfectly control his own eye blasts.

"Okay let's try this again but more control, try not to burn right through the hand" Ikaris told him.

Apollo nodded and then the two spent the rest of the morning burning through five scarecrows, two water barrels and the mailbox before Apollo felt comfortable enough to feel like he had control of his new power. The two walked back into the house and Ajak and Jonathan thanked Ikaris who simply assured them it was no problem. Apollo then decided to show off his control by making some popcorn by using only his eyes.

"Well we're certainly going to save on the electricity bill this winter by just having you heat everything" Jonathan quipped as he watched his son use his heat vision.

Apollo chuckled and Ajak hugged him.

"You've gone soft" Sprite said to Ikaris as the Kent's all began quipping amongst themselves. "Back when you were leading us in battle your training sessions with the others were almost as intense as real battles" Sprite reminisced.

Ikaris remembered many training sessions with Thena ended with them usually bruised up.

"I used to watch you train the others and it was one of the few times I was glad that I didn't get to spend all my time with you" Sprite told Ikaris.

Ikaris cocked an eyebrow at her.

"It wasn't that brutal" Ikaris defended

"Gilgamesh punched you through a building and you body slammed him into the ground after carrying him like 40 feet into the air" Sprite told him.

"Well we were training to fight against the Deviants and we were all grown up. I could afford to be rough. I had to take the gentle approach with Apollo, besides this was just teaching him to control his power, when I start teaching him combat it'll be a different situation" Ikaris replied to Sprite.

Sprite just nodded as Apollo continued to use his heat vision to light candles. What Ikaris said gave her pause, she wondered if that's why Ikaris was so soft with her, in his mind he didn't view her as grown up.

Makkari sped through the house interrupting everyone she had clearly gone off 'collecting' while Ikaris and Apollo trained. She dropped a few miscellaneous items on the table and Jonathan quickly asked her where she got them only for Ajak to brush off his concerns.

"Good your back" Ajak said.

Makkari nodded and then asked "Is he ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be" Apollo responded.

Makkari smiled at him before she super sped out of the house and Apollo quickly followed suit. The two ran until they came to a long empty road that was slightly wet from melted snow. Makkari took in the fresh air and snow for a moment as she waited for Apollo caught up. She caught a snowflake on the tip of her finger and watched it turn to water and drop all in slow motion, prolonging a moment she found peaceful with her accelerated perception. Seconds later Apollo skidded to a halt a little past her. Makkari smiled still amused that he did that. Apollo looked back at her embarrassed at his skidding stop.

"You don't have to do that" Makkari signed to Apollo.

"I only do that when I go too fast, I can't really see the world around me or stop easily so I have to decelerate like that" Apollo told her

Makkari chuckled at that response. "There's no such thing as too fast" Makkari signed to him.

Apollo looked at her inquisitively wondering how she could think that considering any time he ran over 400 miles per hour he couldn't make out anything and was in danger of crashing or running through something.

"You think your speed comes from just your legs. I see it in the way you run, all you do is propel yourself at superhuman speeds. However, speed like ours is far more complex than simply doing that. If you want to learn how to truly run, you need to feel. Feel the kinetic energy vibrating in the world around you, let every movement flow through your body" Makkari told him.

Apollo did as she asked and opened himself up to feel the vibrations of the world around him. He closed his eyes and concentrated and felt the air around him. He felt the vibrations it carried, he felt the movement of everything around him and he let that feeling encompass him before he opened his eyes. This feeling was amazing; it was like sensing through movement, his body felt like it was going to start vibrating.

"Good, very good. Now this is the important don't run. Accelerate. Accelerate your whole body not just your legs and arms. Let the speed inside you fill you from head to toe. Let every muscle in your body brim with the kinetic energy you're generating." Makkari instructed Apollo.

Apollo listened and then began to accelerate his entire body and the feeling like he was vibrating was no longer just a feeling his entire body was filled with kinetic energy. He could feel it just like he could feel the movement of everything around him. The world slowed down and suddenly everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

"There's no such thing as too fast, because you're not running you're becoming speed. Move forward with every step knowing that you are speed. Now run Apollo, run!" Makkari signed to him with prideful joy.

Apollo looked at the road around him and the world warped momentarily as he took off. Apollo ran faster than he ever had and no matter how much he accelerated his perception never changed. He could see and feel perfectly, the world all moved in slow motion to him. The snow falling around him all fell incredibly slowly and Apollo took a moment to take it in. Apollo laughed to himself with glee as he watched the snow fall. He was moving at over 500 miles per hour and he was in total control of his body, the wind flowing around him felt even more intense than before, he could sense every vibration around him and he felt more free than he ever had while running. Suddenly Makkari was by his side smiling as she ran with him.

"This is amazing" Apollo told her as they ran side by side.

"I know, and it only feels more incredible the faster you run" Makkari said to him before getting a playful smirk on her face. "So why don't you push yourself and see how fast you can go, first person to do a lap around Smallville and go back to the farm wins" Makkari challenged.

"You're on" Apollo signed in excitement pushing himself to run as fast as he could, temporarily leaving Makkari behind as she let him get a sizeable head start before running after him.

The two raced around Smallville so fast nobody could clearly make them out several times and by the time they reached the Kent farm it was clear while fast Apollo still had nothing on the fastest Eternal alive. The two ran into the house laughing as they did so. Makkari put an L on her forehead and teased Apollo about losing to her as Ajak, Jonathan, Sprite and even Ikaris to an extent where shocked at how quickly they burst into the house.

Apollo looked at his family in excitement as he told them about how fast he could run now and Jonathan and Ajak congratulated their son on mastering his gifts. Ikaris told him maybe the three of them could race now and Sprite teased him about how he'd probably still find ways to be late to things before making a big point hat that said 'tardy' appear on Apollo's head. The family laughed at that and enjoyed their afternoon together. Makkari and Apollo raced a few times with Ikaris flying with them overhead. Sprite was always excited to create a vision of a loser sign over whoever came in last which caused Ajak to playfully chastise her as Jonathan also tried to stop Makkari from taking things she found during each race. The family laughed together and they all enjoyed each other's company as afternoon turned to evening and Ajak and Jonathan made a big meal for everyone.

They all had a big dinner together and Ajak thanked her family for not just helping but being there for her son. She was greatly touched at how much it seemed like Apollo was bringing them together slowly after all this time apart and she wished she could share it with the others sometime soon.

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