Even among all the wonders in the Fortress of Solitude, there were few sights as wondrous as the interdimensional portal device. It was a doorway which opened to an infinite number of worlds- worlds of staggering potential, promise, and peril. Superman stood before it, adjusting his robes.
“How do I look?” he asked.
A spindly blue robot, operating a console in the center of the room, swiveled its head and scanned him.
“Appearance meets diplomatic standards.”
“Thanks. Are you excited?”
“All systems ready.”
“I’m pretty excited, too.”
Superman marveled at the ring-shaped device. He listened to the power humming through its conduits, and watched as blue indicator lights lit up its sides. On their side, he thought, it’s a magic mirror. We’ve built a literal bridge from sorcery to science.
It had been a short time since the Justice League’s hunt for Starro led them to find the alien conqueror invading a strange world in an alternate universe. As was his usual MO, he had spread his spores across it, seizing upon the native population and bending their will to his control. By teaming up with the heroes of that world, they had defeated him- possibly for good this time, though Superman wasn’t holding his breath on that.
The upside was that, in finding the way back home, a stable two-way connection to that world had been found possible- a rare situation when dealing with other universes. Though the inhabitants of that world couldn’t have been more different from humanity, Superman had encouraged the League into continued contact, hoping peaceful relations would benefit both sides.
It had been slow going. Both sides made the other uneasy. A smattering of historical and cultural information had been shared through the portal in the form of letters, books, newspapers, maps, art, and so forth, and only few cordial get-togethers had been held. Today would be the first time any being from that world would tour Superman’s arctic sanctuary, though he hoped it would not be the last.
“The connection is stabilized. Receiving handshake signal from other side,” reported the robot.
“I think they’d call it a ‘hoofshake’.”
“Nomenclature updated.”
“Let them know we’re all clear.”
“Sent. Received. Guest en route. Materializing now.”
The surface of the portal rippled, and the princess of Equestria stepped through.
“Princess Celestia! Welcome to the Fortress of Solitude!” Superman flew up to her and extended a hand.
“Thank you for having me, Superman,” she said, smiling and shaking his hand with a hoof. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
She looked him up and down.
“You’ve changed your superhero outfit?”
“No, actually. These are Kryptonian diplomatic robes.”
“Now, Superman, I thought we agreed that this was a simple dinner between friends. Nothing formal.”
“I know, but I hardly ever have an occasion to wear this. In fact, I rarely get to show this place off to anyone. Do you think you could just indulge me, by letting me indulge you?”
“Well, if you put it that way,” she said with a smile. “Oh, I brought a gift for the Fortress.”
She pulled from her back a small potted plant. Its stem was like a wavy green ribbon, with bright yellow sunflowers running up both sides. Their petals resembled flames encircling an orange center.
“Wow, it’s lovely. What do you call it?” Superman asked, taking it in his hands.
“It’s called an Bonfire Aster. After I became an alicorn and gained the earth pony ability to cultivate plants, this was the first species I was ever able grow from a seed.”
“Nice choice.”
“Well, in those days, they were far less impressive- practically just a yellow dot on a stem. But after a thousand years of breeding them, we’ve got some interesting varieties.”
“Come on, let’s take it to the solarium and plant it.”
He led her down a long, white hallway. It was brightly lit, though starkly bare.
“Do you still find time to grow plants?” asked Superman.
“I’m doing watermelons in my private patch this year. Luna, meanwhile, seems to be obsessed with growing the perfect rutabaga.”
“How can she tell if a rutabaga is perfect?”
“Oh, don’t even ask.”
Celestia looked upon the walls as they walked.
“These designs are so intricate. Such rich colors.”
“Wait, you can see them?” Superman asked, turning to her in surprise.
“Others can’t?”
“The stonework in these halls intercepts cosmic background radiation and releases it as far-spectrum fractals. Only a handful of beings on this world can see it happen.”
“That’s a long way to go for wall art that few will appreciate.”
“Well, it keeps things from getting monotonous up here. I never walk down the same hallway twice.”
They passed a door, the steel surface of which had been laser-etched with the words “Alien Zoo”. Celestia stopped.
“Oh, this is your menagerie? May I see it?” she asked.
“Sure, but I was going to strike it from the tour. I’ve relocated all the animals to new homes on other planets, except for one, and it’s not a very pleasant creature.”
He showed her inside. The zoo was a long, narrow passage lined with wide-windowed animal enclosures on both sides. All were empty, save for one.
“Take a look,” Superman said.
Inside the enclosure was a massive spider-like creature. It was covered in black shaggy fur, with bone-like spikes running down its back. It had a huge jaw like a shark’s, full of razor-sharp teeth. Upon seeing them, it immediately bolted toward them, slamming its body into the glass. It hit a forcefield reinforcing the window, but the impact still made the room shake. It continued attacking the forcefield, slashing at it with its claw-tipped feet.
Celestia looked at the placard on the glass.
“’Thanagarian Snare Beast’. But this says it’s been altered?”
“They normally just hide in caves and wait for prey. But Sinestro mutated this one to make it a living weapon. It’s too dangerous to relocate to any planet- it just destroys all living things it finds as fast as it can, even if it means depleting its own food supply. I’m just not sure what to do with it.”
“May I try something?”
“Uh, sure?” he replied, slightly wary.
She placed her hoof on the glass, closed her eyes, and lowered her head. The creature continued to attack the window, but Celestia didn’t flinch. As she maintained her stance, the snare beast backed up and stalked back and forth in front of her, then approached her again, slowly. It tentatively held one of its legs up to the window, touching the same spot Celestia was touching on her side. The two held position, their limbs separated by only a few centimeters. The snare beast backed away, looking at Celestia and Superman, calmly. Superman approached her, fascinated.
“Was that a spell? Friendship magic?”
“Come here. You try.”
Superman placed his hand on the glass where her hoof was. The snare beast stalked up to him, and placed its claw across from his hand. They locked eyes- its ten met his two. Satisfied, the creature broke away and trundled off to the back of its enclosure.
“Incredible. I’ve never seen it so calm,” Superman remarked, turning to Celestia.
“I think it was thinking the same thing about you. There may be hope for the two of you, yet.”
“Thank you, Celestia.”
“Glad to help.”
They continued down the passages of the fortress, reaching the door to the solarium. The room was wide, with backlit square panels lining the walls and its peaked ceiling. As they entered, another robot greeted them.
“Hello Kal-El. Would you like me to transplant this specimen?”
“Actually, I’d like to do it myself. But perhaps you could tell me the best planter for it?”
“Scanning. This plant will grow best in a high-acidity, low-nitrogen soil. Planter 5 is optimal. Preparing watering regime.”
“Thanks, Nine.”
He hung his robe on a hook and tied on a gardener’s apron.
“This will only take a minute. Go ahead and have a look around. There are some fascinating species here.”
Celestia walked the rows of the greenhouse. Some planters were unoccupied, some had flowers, grasses, herbs, mushrooms, fruits, and vegetables growing. She took note of an odd rose- a white one with purple spots- and read its label.
“This rose was a gift from Wonder Woman. She created a whole new breed for your birthday? Suddenly I’m feeling awfully unoriginal.”
“Are you kidding? I’d love to fill this place with flowers from all my friends!” called Superman, carefully spading aside dirt.
“I could only imagine the kind of flower Batman would gift,” Celestia said with a grin.
“Oh, he’s got a thing about plants. Says they’re a security risk.”
In the corner, she saw a different kind of planter. It was a sealed transparent capsule, with alarm circuitry running down the side. Inside was a dark purple plant producing a group of tightly-swirled flowers, out of each of which protruded a snaking pistil. Tendrils grew from it into the dirt, along the ground, and up the sides of the container.
“My word. Is this from a friend, too?” asked Celestia, peering closely at it.
“No, that’s from an enemy. It actually is a security risk. It’s safely contained now, but it can be extremely dangerous to touch. Still, it deserves a place to grow, all the same.”
Celestia turned her attention to a planter of pink and blue flowers. She heard a soft noise emanating from them, then put her ear closer. She startled back, realizing the flowers were singing. She read their label. They were from Alpha Centauri IV.
“Incredible. Are these meant for Lois?”
“Lois? Uh, she’s not really one for flowers,” said Superman, who finished planting the Bonfire Aster by lightly packing the dirt around its stem.
“There we go. Say, do I need to have earth pony abilities to keep this growing?”
“You mean there’s a power you don’t have?” asked Celestia, wryly.
“Har har.”
“The truth is, nopony has any idea how plants of our world will behave under the rules of yours.”
“Then we can consider this the first joint science experiment between our worlds. Nine, let’s see how the sun hits it.”
The panels lining the room turned transparent, and Celestia realized they were not in a room in the interior of the ice fortress, but in a greenhouse on the surface. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly through the room.
“So, this is your sun,” said Celestia, gazing up through the ceiling. “It feels… older. Almost wiser. Like it’s seen so much more than my own sun.”
“I’ve never heard that said about it. I suppose it has seen quite a bit. It’s always been a good friend to me, at least,” replied Superman, replacing his apron with his robe.
“I envy you in that regard,” she sighed. “Your relationship with your sun is so intimate.”
“Really? I was thinking yours must be much more so.”
She shook her head.
“Lately, it’s been feeling more and more like a chore. Like pushing a broom.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“But to be under a sun which requires nothing of me, which simply just is, well, that’s extraordinary. It’s a bit eerie, but it’s also something of a relief. It really just orbits the planet by itself?”
“Oh, the planet orbits it. It appears to rise and set because the planet is also rotating.”
“Fascinating. Our worlds really do have so much to learn from each other.”
Celestia closed her eyes and spread her wings to catch the sun’s warmth. She began to tilt her horn toward it.
“Uh, Celestia?”
“Oh!” she said, snapping to attention. “I wasn’t going to try to mess with it, I promise!”
Another robot appeared at the door.
“Kal-El. Dinner will be ready in five minutes.”
“Thank you, Six.”
Celestia watched the robot leave. Superman motioned to her to follow him behind it.
“Superman, why do they call you ‘Kal-El’?”
“That’s my Kryptonian name- the name my birth parents gave me. Very few people call me that, but whenever I’m doing something to reflect my Kryptonian heritage, like the work I do up here, I go by ‘Kal-El’ to honor that side of me.”
“Then, shall I call you ‘Kal-El’, while I’m here, as well?”
“Ah, but this is a dinner between friends. In fact, why don’t you just call me, ‘Clark’?”
“Your Daily Planet identity,” Celestia recalled.
“More than that. It’s what my friends and family call me,” he said with a smile.
“I’m honored. Very well…Clark. Oh, it’s fun to say!”
“Just don’t call me that in front of any supervillains.”
They followed Robot Six down a corridor, and it entered a door labeled “Kitchen”.
“Would you like to see the kitchen? I need to check on a few final things.”
She nodded, and the door slid open before them as they entered. Inside was a large galley of various counters, with a staggering variety of cooking devices, only half of which Celestia could guess the purpose. Robots Six and Seven worked over several dishes cooking simultaneously.
“I’m glad to see the robots are taking care of the cooking. I was afraid you’d go to too much trouble over dinner tonight.”
“They handled most of it- a few simple dishes from around the world, plus a special dessert. I only put in the one from yours.”
“Really? A dish from Equestria?”
“Your attaché wrote that you had a fondness for these. I was so intrigued, I had to try my hand at making them.”
He opened a compartment in one of the cooking devices. Celestia peered in.
“Are those… hay fries?”
“Extra crispy.”
She practically trotted in place with excitement.
“The royal chefs make such faces when I ask for these! Thank you, Clark.”
She looked around the rest of the kitchen, looking at exotic spices and ingredients from around the world and beyond it. There were rows of cookbooks, some in alien languages, and racks of utensils she had never seen.
“Do you cook often?” Celestia asked, watching a sauce pot simmer.
“As much as anyone, I suppose. I learned a lot from Ma.”
“What about together with Lois?” she asked, looking into the window of a large, oddly-shaped oven.
“Uh, not that often. She’s so busy. Oh, don’t peek in there- that’s dessert, and it’s a surprise.”
He led her out to the dining room. Though the room was long, only a small circular table was set.
“Huh,” said Celestia upon seeing it.
“What?”
“I don’t know why, but I was expecting one of those extremely long dining tables.”
“There’s usually one in here, but, well…”
“They’re just the worst when there’s only two,” Celestia finished.
“Exactly!”
“Even when Luna and I can find time to share a meal, we just use one corner of ours. I swear, half the things in my palace are just impractical status symbols.”
“A lot of Krypton was like that. And some of Metropolis. In Smallville, though, the status symbols were a little different.”
He gestured to one of the pictures hung on the wall. Celestia walked up to it for a better look. It was a photograph of the Kent family farmhouse, with acres of corn fields stretching behind it.
“You know, I envy your dual identity. Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to go disguised amongst the pony folk. Work a normal job, get a little apartment in Canterlot, have friends who don’t bow every time they see me…”
“Constant deadlines, noisy neighbors, awkward New Year’s parties…”
She giggled. “I guess it’s true what they say- the grass always looks tastier on the other side.”
Clark went to the dinner table and pulled out Celestia’s chair for her. She looked at it, surprised, then took her place and allowed him to push it back in under her. He took his seat, and a robot poured their wine.
“So, the Ultrasphinx has Jimmy by the neck, and it demands I answer its riddle, or else it will erase him from history,” Clark recounted.
“Let me guess- that old chestnut, ‘What goes on four legs all day, then six in the evening?’ No, wait, that wouldn’t work here,” said Celestia, furrowing her brow.
“Actually, we assumed it would be something like that. It had a different one in mind, though.”
“Let me try to answer it.”
“Sure. It asked, ‘What happens when the immoveable object meets the undeniable force?”
“Huh. We don’t have that one.”
Celestia paused to think for a bit, then shook her head.
“All right, what happens?”
Suddenly, Clark sat up straight with a panic in his eyes.
“Dessert!”
“Dessert happens? I don’t get it.”
He was out of the room with a burst of wind that blew Celestia’s mane straight back. She heard a clanking coming from the kitchen, and turned to see Clark returning to the room with a dish in his hands.
“Sorry. This kind of quantum baking can only be done in a Vulxan oven, but since Vulxans experience time differently, even the robots aren’t sure how to set the timer on the thing. Doesn’t look ruined, though.”
He put the dish on the table. It contained a cobbler-like dessert, the surface of which seemed to blur and refocus itself on its own.
“Wow, what is it?”
“Kandorian Surprise. It contains twelve different flavor elements in quantum suspension. There’s no way to know how it tastes until someone tries it- then the superpositions collapse and the whole thing will taste that way for everyone.”
“That’s incredible. Are you sure you’re not a magician?”
“You know, one time I asked Zatanna to teach me some magic,” he said, returning to his seat. “She told me my aura was ‘catastrophically wrong’ for spellcasting.”
“Ouch!” Celestia laughed. “But don’t take it personally. I’ve often had to encourage a student to pursue other interests when it was clear their destiny didn’t lie in sorcery. It’s never a fun conversation, but the students usually find a path that fits them better.”
“Well, maybe I have a path as a baker. Dig in.”
Celestia floated her fork into the dessert, and brought a piece up to her mouth. She ate it, and her eyes went wide and started to water. She made an apologetic face to Clark before spitting it into her napkin and reaching for her glass.
“That bad, huh? Let’s see.”
He tasted the dish, and winced. He forced it down and also took a drink.
“I don’t believe it. Every single flavor settled into the least desirable outcome. It tastes as bad as theoretically possible!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. But that’s still kind of impressive, in its own way,” said Celestia.
“I should’ve listened to Ma. She thought I should bake something simple, like apple pie topped with slices of cheese.”
“With what? Clark, that sounds even weirder.”
Following dinner, Clark and Celestia retired to a simply-appointed sitting room.
“Funny,” remarked Celestia, looking around. “There’s no windows, but I swear the Fortress has been getting darker over time.”
“The day/night cycle in here is simulated. I keep it on Metropolis time- the sun is setting there, so it’s darkening in here. It’s easy to lose track of time up here- especially when the sun goes weeks without setting. This helps to remind me that there’s a world outside these walls.”
Clark kneeled in front of a fireplace on the far wall, and struck a match.
“Is it safe to light a fireplace in an ice fortress?” asked Celestia, seating herself on a large sofa across from it.
“Oh, the ice is well-protected from the Fortress. Even then, it’s not a traditional fire. Take a look.”
Instead of wooden logs, the fireplace contained piles of tiny multicolored cubes. As he lit one with the match, a flame spread evenly across them, filling the room with a prismatic glow. Suddenly, one cube cracked open like a hatching egg, and a tiny yellow flare burst upward popped in mid-air. As it slowly drifted back down, other cubes popped out flares of other colors. Celestia watched in wonder.
“It’s beautiful. Like miniature fireworks. Which planet is this from?”
“Actually,” said Clark, taking a seat next to her on the sofa, “I invented this one myself. I just thought a fireplace could be more interesting, you know?”
“Lois must love it.”
“Oh. Uh, she hasn’t seen it yet.”
“Clark, you’ve been side-stepping the subject of Lois all night. Is something wrong?”
Clark let out a sigh. “Lois… has moved on. She told Superman she needs a real relationship. Then she told Clark Kent she’s dating Steve Lombard.”
“That oaf who does the sports at the Planet?”
Clark raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t call names. But seriously, him? Clark, you know it’s never going to last between them. Lois has better taste than that.”
“Oh, he’s not such a bad guy once you get to know him,” said Clark, shrugging.
She shook her head. “In every copy of the Planet you’ve sent over, his columns are the lowlight. He has no appreciation for statistics, no understanding of teamwork, the vocabulary of a yearling-”
“But he can be there for her. Lois deserves someone who can commit to her full-time. Neither Superman, nor Clark Kent, nor Kal-El could ever give her that.”
“But you love her.”
“Enough to let her go. To let her be happy with someone else.”
Celestia looked down, considering this.
“If you truly think it’s for the best, I won’t push you on it.”
“I do. Besides, it’s safer for her. Being close to Superman just paints a target on someone’s back.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, have you never considered dating someone more… super? When I first saw Wonder Woman, I assumed she was your wife. You have similar taste in costumes, at least.”
“Oh, Diana and I have given it a shot in the past. We just didn’t click on that level. We love each other as friends and as teammates, but when we kissed, there was no spark. She said it was like kissing a sister.”
“Ah. That’s too bad. What about Power Girl?”
“She’s kind of my cousin,” he shrugged. “It’s a whole interdimensional thing.”
“Vixen?”
“Dating Green Lantern.”
“Oh, what about that new Green Lantern? She’s quite pretty.”
“She’s a junior member, so I’m more like her boss. Wouldn’t be ethical.”
“Doctor Light?”
“Definitely not ethical. She’s actually my doctor.”
“Are you sure excuse-making isn’t one of your superpowers?”
Clark laughed.
“Hey, dating is complicated, for even for Superman. But you know, we don’t have to just talk about my love life. What about you? Any handsome stallion catching your eye?”
Celestia looked taken aback, then turned her head, saddened. She fidgeted with the wine glass in her hooves, and set it on the side table. Clark immediately realized the topic he broached in jest was more serious for her.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”
She held up a hoof to silence him.
“No, it’s only fair. I was just surprised that you asked. Nopony back home ever asks about my love life. Not Luna. Not even the tawdriest tabloids. Everypony treats me as if I was some marble statue that came to life one day, incapable of understanding this thing called ‘love’. And maybe that’s how I present myself. But it wasn’t always like that.”
She resettled herself on the couch, leaning back and relaxing her posture. She gazed into the glow of the fireplace.
“Clark, what I’m about to tell you, I don’t think a single living being on my world remembers.”
Though Clark could hear her clearly from a mile away, he knew from her hushed tone that she would rather he be close for this. He scooted in nearer to her.
“It was ages ago, right after Luna’s banishment. I was a wreck. I didn’t know how to rule alone. I didn’t think I wanted to rule at all. The kingdom was starting to unravel. At the urging of my advisors, I tried to bolster Equestria’s strength by opening diplomatic talks with our neighbors. I contacted the zebra kingdom first.”
She smiled in recollection.
“Oh, what a country. It’s capital was majestic. The zebras were warm and inviting. And their prince… was so handsome.
"We worked together for weeks, drafting pacts for mutual defense and trade. The negotiations were kept secret, so as to not raise any hopes prematurely. We grew close. He would take me on tours of his country, and I would show him around Equestria. I think after a while we were just dragging out proceedings so we could spend more time with each other.
“Then one day, we had finalized the first treaty. We had worked from morning ‘til evening in his palace quarters. I was so distracted, I almost forgot to raise the moon that night. I hastily went to the window to do it.
“I still remember the look on his face as he watched me- so full of awe. He told me I was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore- I kissed him right then and there.”
She closed her eyes, reliving it. After a pause, she continued.
“What followed was the most wonderful night of my life. But after that, was the most horrible morning. The prince’s brother caught us in bed.”
“Caught you? You were doing something wrong?”
“In his eyes. He accused me of seducing the prince to get a more favorable outcome from the treaty. Despite our protests, he convinced the whole royal family to see it that way, too.
“I told them my feelings were real, and even proposed marriage to prove it. But I had closed that door on myself. The queen told me I had left Equestria in such a sorry state, I was the least desirable candidate in the world for a political marriage to her son.”
She pulled her legs up to her body and slouched over, drooping her wings to her sides.
“I must have looked so pathetic in their eyes. A desperate, begging tramp.”
“Hey, come on,” said Clark, putting his hand on her wing. “Don’t say that.”
“I was banished from the kingdom,” she continued. “They kept the whole thing quiet, but there would be no treaty. I never heard from the prince again, and both our lands plunged into isolationism again after that. One little slip of the heart, one night of chasing after a fantasy, and I had scuttled the futures of two nations and nearly brought shame and scandal to both.”
“You can’t blame yourself for following your heart.”
“No?” she sighed. “If I had kept my emotions in check for just one more night, the world would have been a much better place. I selfishly put my passions before my duty.”
“Celestia…”
“Some good came of it, though. I found new things to fill my heart. I rededicated myself to ruling Equestria as best I could. I opened my school and cultivated young minds. I spent ages researching magic, including looking for a way to bring back Luna. All of it bore fruit when my protégé unleashed the spark that restored her to my side. That became my new happiest memory.”
“But you never fell in love again?”
“After so much time, I didn’t even miss it anymore. Love became this thing for other ponies to enjoy, not for me.”
She grimaced and tensed her body.
“Sometime I officiate weddings, you know. That’s when I’m reminded. That’s when it actually hurts. I have to get up there and speak of love, as if I know so much about it. As if I could have any advice for a happy couple. It’s absurd, but nopony ever calls me on the hypocrisy. I wish they would.”
“Celestia, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
“You’ve done me a great kindness just by listening,” she said. “It’s a relief to finally talk to someone about it. I’m just sorry that I brought down the mood.”
“Don’t be. We both needed this.”
She leaned her full weight against his shoulder, and he put his arm around her, giving her a reassuring hug. They watched the fireplace glow. By now it had expended its warmest colors, and was crackling with deep violets and dark blues. Clark felt Celestia’s warmth against him, and became aware of the gentle swells of her breathing.
Since he was a teenager, he had trained himself to block out his heightened senses around other people. Otherwise, he would be constantly catching every scent they gave off, hearing the blood rushing through their veins, and seeing every last microscopic piece of lint on their clothes.
But now he was subconsciously opening his senses to Celestia. He could smell every botanical in the soaps and perfumes she had used in preparation for tonight. He heard her heart’s rapid beats. He saw how much effort she had put into brushing her coat, so that every last hair was perfectly in place.
She looked at him. He looked at her.
“Clark… you’re petting me.”
He looked at his arm, and realized he had been softly stroking her for the last few minutes. He lifted his hand, but her magical aura gently pressed it down again.
“I didn’t say stop.”
He was now aware of his own heartbeat, faster and louder than hers. She leaned in, inching her face closer to his.
“We shouldn’t…” he said softly.
“Clark,” she whispered. “You’ve spent the whole day trying to impress me. You dressed up. You cooked my favorite. You made it night. You lit the fire.”
“But that was just… I was only being…” His eyes widened as a series of realizations hit him like blows from Doomsday. “Oh.”
“Yes… ‘oh’.”
“I guess this was never just a dinner between friends, was it?”
Celestia smiled and shook her head. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up. Clark closed his and leaned in.
Clark woke alone in the fortress master bedroom. He sat up, briefly wondering if the last night had been a dream. He smiled when he saw Celestia sitting in a chair on the balcony outside. His feet barely touched the floor as he went to her.
The balcony allowed a breathtaking view of the arctic. Forcefields made it bearable, filtering the blinding ultraviolet glare off the snow and protecting against the chill and wind. It was designed to be just cold enough to remind oneself that they were actually outside, and to appreciate the warmth back indoors. Clark found Celestia with her wings wrapped around her body like a shawl, gazing out across the ice and snow. He took the chair next to her and began to open his mouth, but she spoke first.
“I want to thank you for last night, Clark. It was truly wonderful. I’ll never forget it.” Her voice was low and slow, and she didn’t meet his eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
She dipped her head to the small table between them. Sitting on it was Clark’s phone, which he had left in the bedroom on silent. It took some doing to route cellular call signals to the arctic, but it was often necessary in maintaining the secret identity.
“You communication device kept lighting up. I only looked at it because I was afraid it was the Justice League was trying to contact you.”
“Oh, that’s just my work phone. But the Planet shouldn’t be trying to reach me today, unless… was it an emergency?”
“Please, just read it,” she said, sounding pained.
Clark scrolled through his texts. He saw who had been messaging him.
“Ah, it’s just Cat Grant. She’s always texting everyone about the latest office gossip. I keep telling her it’s…”
Then he saw what Cat had thought was so urgent. Lois Lane had confided to Cat that she was planning to break up with Steve Lombard. Cat had flooded Clark’s inbox with messages, suggesting he sweep her off her feet while she was on the rebound, strike while the iron was hot, and other metaphors that he didn’t much care for.
“…I keep telling her it’s unprofessional,” Clark finished, lowering the phone to look at Celestia. She had been studying his face.
“Looks like I was right,” she said steadily. “I said they wouldn’t last, remember?”
“Celestia…”
“Thank you for having me, Clark,” she said, standing up. “You have a lovely home.”
She walked past him, back inside the bedroom. She eyed the bed as she passed it, and sighed. As she reached the door, Clark put his hand on her back.
“Wait. Nothing’s changed.”
“I know you love her, Clark. I have no right. I have no place. I just got carried off by another fantasy.”
“That’s not true. It’s you I want.”
“Look at us, Clark. What are you going to do, bring me home to your parents? Tell the Justice League about us? Or just announce us to the whole world?”
“If you’d like.”
“Stop. Please, just let me go.”
“Why? So you can shut yourself off for another thousand years?”
Celestia winced at that. She shot him an angry look, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She walked up to him, and placed a wing on his shoulder.
“I appreciate you caring. Lois deserves a sweet man like you.”
She kissed his cheek, then turned back to the door to open it. She then heard a series of electronic clicks behind her. She looked and saw Clark typing on his phone, his thumb flying as fast across the screen as the device could register. He turned the phone to show her what he had written:
Sorry, Cat. I’m taken. In fact, I’m spending this weekend out of town with my girlfriend. I’m just crazy about her.
She stared at the words. Clark’s thumb hovered over the ‘send’ button. “It’s up to you,” he said. “What do you want?”
“I…” She trembled.
“Love doesn’t have to be just something for others to enjoy. It can be part of your life, too.”
“Are you really that sure about us?” she asked.
“As sure as the sun shines,” he responded.
She threw her head back and belted out a laugh, scarcely believing he had really said that. He shrugged boyishly at her. She looked at the phone, then into his eyes, and nodded. He hit ‘send’, then turned off the phone and set it aside.
She watched it power down, then walked up to him, cautiously. “Clark… this is all new to me. Are we really doing the right thing?”
“Do you remember my story about the riddle of the Ultrasphinx? I never told you how I solved it.”
She thought back.
“‘What happens when the immovable object meets the undeniable force’?”
“Right.”
Her eyes went wide with a realization. She smiled serenely.
“I think I know the answer now…”
Their faces drew closer. Their heartbeats quickened with anticipation. They held each other close and spoke the answer as one:
“They surrender.”
