chapter ONE: ... way trip, for now.
Author's Note
in redemption series, every chapter title(s) are in two parts, as you read the eclipses you read the chapter number again.
so for this one it's
chapter ONE: … (ONE) way trip, for now.
chapter ONE: ... way trip, for now.
The icy blast caught him off guard, freezing the polished concrete floor beneath his feet. This wasn't his main corporate building; this was his private R&D facility, a place where he tinkered with the dangerous and the arcane, and where his older suits, relics of battles past, were stored.
Lex Luthor’s expensive Italian loafers, usually a symbol of his power, became treacherous. He skidded, arms flailing, narrowly avoiding a face-plant into a half-disassembled robotic arm – collateral damage from an earlier, less urgent, experiment. Damn it all, Lex thought, his heart hammering against his ribs. Wrong place, wrong time, as always. He risked a glance over his shoulder. Superman, a god sculpted from granite and rage, was gaining. His cape billowed behind him like a storm cloud, the very air crackling with barely contained fury. Lex knew that look. It wasn't the quick, merciful end. Superman's rage wasn't about instant annihilation; it was a slow, deliberate torment. He wanted Lex to suffer.
The thought sent a chill deeper than the icy breath nipping at his heels. Gotta think, gotta move, Lex's mind raced. He couldn't reason with Superman in this state. The man of steel was beyond logic, consumed by grief and a thirst for vengeance. He'd tried to explain, to plead his innocence, but it was like shouting into a hurricane. Superman saw what he wanted to see: Lex Luthor, standing near the body of his fallen friend, John Corben. And that was enough.
Lex had to reach the suit vault. He knew the Mark 108 was his best chance, but that was locked down at LexCorp Tower, a fortress he doubted Superman would let him approach. His only option was the prototype, a clunky, grey monstrosity compared to his sleek modern designs and Mark I – Mark VII, Mark 47, and the Mark 48, but they were all in the suit vault. The Mark 47 that would have to do.
He burst into the emergency suit bay. The room was a wreck, sparking wires dangling from the ceiling, a mangled Mark 47 lying half-buried under a pile of rubble. His heart sank. The vault was sealed, the access panel glowing a malevolent red. No Mark 108. Damn it. He'd give anything for the 108 right now, its sleek, adaptive armor capable of withstanding Superman's current power levels. Hell, even the 47 would be a godsend compared to what he was about to resort to. His gaze snagged on a partially exposed alcove. He wrenched the door open, revealing a single suit, miraculously intact. It was the prototype. A hulking, grey behemoth. He ran a hand over the pitted metal, a grim reminder of how far he'd come. This suit... this relic was barely functional. He'd designed it to combat a much weaker Superman. He remembered testing its durability, wincing as a WWII-era tank shell bounced harmlessly off the reinforced plating. Two, maybe three hits from something with real power, though... that was another story. He could practically feel the weight of the empty tank he'd once used to calibrate its strength, a distant memory compared to the forces he now wrestled with. And the speed... He shuddered. A Model 2 train was a snail's pace compared to Superman's blistering velocity. Still, it was better than nothing. A thin layer of kryptonite-laced steel was better than bare skin against a god's wrath.
He scrambled into the suit, the archaic servos groaning in protest. A flicker of green light pulsed from the chest cavity – the kryptonite core, a crude power source compared to the refined reactors of his later designs. "P.A.I.N. boot sequence initiated," a synthesized voice croaked from the helmet's speakers, lacking the smooth confidence of his current A.I. Lines of code crawled across the HUD, painfully slow. "Estimated boot time: five minutes." Five minutes. Five minutes to stall a god. As if he could stall a god for five minutes in this old dinosaur of a suit. He had to move.
Portal. It was insane, reckless, a desperate gamble, Lex thought, his mind racing. But it was all he had. He'd glimpsed the readings earlier, a flicker of anomalous energy. Untested, unstable, potentially catastrophic.
But Superman wasn't known for his patience. He slipped again on the ice, his armored feet barely finding purchase. He dodged a chunk of falling concrete, the remnants of what had once been a support beam. The lab was a warzone. His warzone. He could hear Superman's roars echoing through the ravaged corridors, each bellow a death knell. He had to buy time.
He burst into the experimental science division. The portal shimmered in the center of the room, a swirling vortex of emerald green. It sputtered, the energy fluctuating wildly. "Power source unstable," P.A.I.N. reported, its voice laced with static. "Dimensional aperture at 30%." Lex glanced at the power conduit running along the wall, severed and sparking. Superman. He was systematically dismantling the building's power grid, cutting off Lex's escape route.
Five minutes, P.A.I.N. had said.
Five minutes to get the portal online, five minutes to escape a god's wrath. Inside of an old dinosaur of a suit.
Five minutes he didn't have.
"Superman, listen to me!" Lex shouted, his voice echoing through the shattered lab. "I didn't kill Corben! I swear, I was just—"
Superman cut him off, his voice a low growl that vibrated through the floor. "Spare me your lies, Luthor. You were there. That's all I need to know." He took another step closer, and Lex could see the fury burning in his eyes. "You think I'd give you the quick release? The mercy of a painless death? No, Lex. That's too good for you. I'm going to make you suffer. I'm going to break you, piece by piece, until you beg for the oblivion I denied you."
The suit's systems finally flickered to life. Two minutes, Lex thought, glancing at the countdown on his HUD. Two minutes until the portal opens. Will this tin can hold up that long? He had to buy time, create an opening.
Lex Luthor grinned, a flash of his old arrogance. "You know, Superman," Lex said,
Lex Luthor’s voice echoing through the ruined lab, "we could be buddies. Real buddies! I mean, who else is going to come up with such elaborate schemes to challenge you? Without me, you'd be bored! Just flying around, saving kittens from trees. Darkseid? Doomsday? Brainiac? They can't hold a candle to a good, old-fashioned Earth-grown nemesis like me!"
Superman smirked, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Spare me the theatrics, Luthor. You're delaying the inevitable." He lunged…
Crack! Boom!
Lex braced himself, the impact shuddering through the prototype suit. His gauntlet crumpled like aluminum foil, shards of metal spraying across the floor. But... Superman recoiled, his hand clutching his own. Blood welled between his fingers, a crimson stain against his godlike skin. Lex stared in disbelief. The prototype... it had actually drawn blood. Not bad for a relic, he thought, a flicker of grim satisfaction amidst the chaos. He knew it wouldn't last. This suit was a museum piece compared to the armor he now wielded. It was designed for a Superman whose powers were still nascent, a far cry from the celestial powerhouse he now faced.
Superman roared, his eyes blazing. He lunged again, and Lex knew he couldn't take another hit. The suit was failing, sparks flying from the damaged gauntlet. He glanced at his HUD. One minute. The portal was almost ready. "You know, Superman," he gasped, dodging another blow, "you're going to miss me when I'm gone! Who else is going to keep you on your toes? Darkseid? Please. They're just warm-up acts. I'm the main event!"
He stumbled back, closer to the shimmering portal. It pulsed with emerald light, still unstable, but just functional enough. Thirty seconds. He reached into his belt, pulling out a small, metallic sphere. A grenade, designed not to kill Superman—that was beyond his prototype's capabilities—but to distract him. He tossed it blindly at the portal controls.
Clunk.
It was a long shot, but it was his only chance. He didn't wait to see if it worked. He lunged through the swirling portal, the unstable energy tingling against his skin. Behind him, he heard a deafening BOOM! The grenade had detonated, hopefully disrupting the portal controls enough to prevent Superman from following.
The world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors and distorted shapes. Lex felt a sickening lurch, his stomach twisting. He was tumbling through dimensions, a passenger on a chaotic, uncontrolled ride. He knew the risks.
Dimensional travel was a gamble, a roll of the infinite dice. Worst case scenario? Molecular disassembly and a botched reassembly.
Best case? He landed on a planet with breathable air. Somewhere, anywhere, that wasn't here.
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/L/
/L/__
/LLLLL\
Meanwhile, in Equestria…
Twilight’s horn glowed softly as she focused on the complex spell. The air around her shimmered with magical energy, the scent of ozone heavy in the air. Spike paced nervously, his claws clicking against the stone floor. “Twilight, are you sure this will work?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly. “I mean, bringing another being to fight for us to defeat Supermane? I know we’re running out of options, but still, is it the wisest choice? For all we know, we could bring another Supermane! Do we want that?”
Twilight’s horn flared brighter, beads of sweat forming on her brow. “Well, what would you have me do, Spike?” she asked, her voice strained. “Let Equestria suffer? Let it burn? No. I won’t let Equestria down, not anymore. If this spell has even the slightest chance to stop the mare of steel, then I’m taking it. We are out of options, out of ideas, and out of time. Even the Elements of Harmony didn’t work on her. It’s either use this spell and hope for the best, or submit. And you know I won’t submit, not while there’s any option left. Right now, we have an option. And I’m taking it. Do what you must, Spike, but I won’t let Equestria burn if there’s a way to stop it.”
“Alright, if I can’t change your mind, Twilight,” Spike said, his voice determined despite the tremor in his claws, “then I’ll buy you some time. See you in another life if I don’t make it out alive.”
“Spike, be careful,” Twilight whispered, her horn glowing intensely as she maintained the spell.
“Supermane!” Spike roared, charging towards the mare of steel.
Whoosh
“You rang?” Supermane drawled, a smirk twisting her lips.
Spike didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Yeah, I rang. I’ve lost friends because of you. I’ve lost hope. I’ve lost… everything. I’m either going to die trying to stop you, or I’m going to take you down with me. Either way, I’m done being nice.” He lunged.
“You think you can kill me?” Supermane laughed. “That’s adorable. I know your little plan, dragon. Bringing someone else to do your fighting for you. Pathetic. But I’ll humor you. If you die too quickly, I’ll just wait for your ‘great savior’ to show up.”
“I don’t care if I die,” Spike snarled, his claws raking against Supermane’s leg, drawing a thin line of blood. “You took everything from me! I have no illusions about winning today! But if I go down, I’m taking a piece of you with me!”
Clash!
Spike and Supermane’s hooves connected with a thunderous boom. The shockwave sent tremors through the ground. Spike was thrown back, but he scrambled to his feet, his eyes burning with desperate fire.
The fight raged on. Spike, fueled by adrenaline and grief, fought with a ferocity that surprised even himself. He was outmatched, but he refused to yield.
Supermane, initially amused, was now growing frustrated. She unleashed a blast of heat vision, forcing Spike to dive for cover.
“Almost there! The portal is open!” Twilight’s voice echoed in Spike’s mind. “The mare of steel isn’t invincible!”
Whoosh
A swirling vortex of emerald energy erupted behind Supermane.
“That could have been a better landing…” a voice grumbled. “Wait, I’m not dead!”
Spike glanced back. A figure in bulky, grey armor had emerged. Human tech. Familiar.
“He’s your champion?” Supermane sneered. “I could beat you both.”
“Rule the world? That’s my gimmick!” Lex retorted. “Hey, Superman wannabe! You want this world? Come through me.”
Supermane’s eyes narrowed. “Your champion wants to rule? Tartarus must be frozen over. What’s your name, so I can burn it into Ponyville?”
“Lex Luthor,” he said. “And I’m nobody’s champion. You want this world? Come through me.”
“You heard it from Equestria’s champion’s mouth,” Supermane said, a cruel smile spreading across her face. “He’s no champion. He isn’t your savior, but a conqueror.”
“I’m going to enjoy wiping that grin off your face,” Lex replied.
Ding
“Boot-up complete. How can I assist, Lex?” P.A.I.N. asked.
“Restore power to the limbs, P.A.I.N.!”
“On it.”
Whoosh! Crack! Boom!
Lex and Supermane clashed. The impact created a crater. Supermane staggered, her foreleg twisted. Blood oozed from a wound in her shoulder.
“I see now,” she hissed. “I can’t defeat you today, Lex Luthor. But I give you three months. Then, I’ll destroy you.” She launched herself into the air.
Lex deactivated his gauntlet. “Huff… Huff… One Superman to another,” he muttered. “If that’s all they’ve got…” He looked at Spike. “So, dragon, who was that mare? And how do I fix this suit?”
“Are you going to take over this world?” Spike asked warily.
“Settle down,” Lex said. “I just didn’t want her to have it.” He lied smoothly. “I’m Lex Luthor. Now, tell me about that mare.”
“I’m Spike,” the dragon replied. “That was Supermane. She’s been destroying everything. Nothing stops her. Not even the Elements of Harmony. Twilight used an ancient spell to bring you here.”
“Once I deal with ‘Supermane,’ we part ways,” Lex said. “No friendship. Just business. Now, where’s Twilight?”
“Follow me.” Spike led Lex to a crystal tree. “Twilight, I’m back. And I have a guest.”
“Oh, Spike! You’re alright!” Twilight rushed forward. “Thank goodness. I’m Twilight. Just Twilight.”
“Lex Luthor,” he said. “I need to fix this suit. Then, I’ll handle your Supermane problem. I’ve faced worse.”
“You fought a stronger Supermane?” Twilight asked, her brow furrowed. “But… you said you wanted to rule this world. Are you evil?”
“I don’t want to rule anything,” Lex said smoothly. “Just a pest problem. And I wasn’t letting her have it.”
“Oh… thank goodness,” Twilight sighed. “That spell has a year-long cooldown. So…”
“One-way trip,” Lex finished, his eyes gleaming.
