Cyrus

[jon-el87]

Chapter 1
The man had arrived to the Cobb Farm an early morning in September. Roberta Cobb had noticed the man standing there on the driveway up to the house, when she had looked out of a window in the kitchen. The man was about 5’3, brown hair and wearing a blue jacket over a red T-shirt. The man appeared to be disoriented, like he wasn’t sure where he was, but Roberta was unsure if she should go out and talk to him. Her husband was away, so she was here alone. Alone and seven months pregnant. Of course, that’s when some looney would show up near her home.
After nearly five minutes, she decided to go out and talk to him, find out who he was and what he was doing here, but took her cellphone with her, just in case. He turned towards her, when she approached him.
“Can I help you?” Roberta asked, with a firm grip around her cellphone.

“I’m looking for Clark…” The man replied.
“There’s no Clark here, I’m sorry.”

“This is the Kent Farm, right?” The man was visibly confused.
“Cobb Farm. But, it used to be the Kent Farm, before we bought it little over two years ago.”
“Do you know where I can find Clark?” The man was becoming nervous and agitated.
“No, I’m sorry. Think the previous owner moved to Metropolis.” Roberta turned her head back towards the house for a second. “Listen, I might…” When she looked back in his direction, he was gone. She looked around, but there was no sign of the man anywhere. Almost like he had vanished into thin air. Roberta went back into the house. Could she have imagined him? During her years in Smallville, she certainly had heard of weird things happening, but had never seen it herself. Had she just seen a ghost? Had the man been swallowed by the Earth? A person can’t just be somewhere one second and then be gone the next.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 2
“So, you’re telling me that the thing just flew through a window?” Lois asked Connelly, an orderly at the Metropolis Sanitarium, where something quite peculiar had happened during the night. It was just after sunrise, when the two were standing in the parking lot outside of the sanitarium.
“Yes, it looked like an orb. Glowing, flying through the air. Then it made physical contact with one of the long-term patients and he just vanished in a bright flash of light.” Connelly replied.
“What’s the name of the patient?”
“I’m sorry…I can’t give you the names of patients.” Connelly had once worked at Belle Reve, before moving here five years ago, and while Belle Reve certainly didn’t have a good reputation, Connelly had been among the good guys on the staff.
“Come on, it might be important. A glowing orb crashes through the window and causes a patient to vanish. At the very least, I should know his name, so someone can find him.” Connelly still hesitated. “You’ll be doing it for the patient’s own good.” Lois added.
“Okay, it’s not like he had any friends or family, who might be hurt by me telling you his name. Guy’s been here for a decade, catatonic. Never once has he had a visitor, that I can remember.”
“So, what’s his name?”
“Cyrus Krupp, born William Burnet. Poor guy was just sitting in a wheelchair, when that glowing orb came he vanished.”
“Cyrus Krupp…” Lois repeated for herself. Where had she heard that name before?

[jon-el87]

Chapter 3
Around the same time, Clark Kent was covering a story about a foiled car-jacking on the other side of Metropolis. He’d gone to the police to ask some questions from detective Danny Turpin.
“Didn’t know you covered car-jackings, Kent.” Turpin remarked as they sat down by his desk. The desk was cluttered with papers, but also had a photo of Turpin’s wife and kid.
“How’s the family?” Clark asked.
“They’re fine.”
“Good. About the car-jacking, I understand there was something special about it.”
“Yeah. Young girl got grabbed, when she tried to enter her car. Got a gun shoved in her face…”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. The guy demanded that she had over the keys, then, she says, someone showed up.”
“Superman?” Asked Clark to keep up appearances.
“No, she says this was someone else. Grabbed the guy, crushed his gun with one hand and then knocked him out. The weird thing was what the girl said her savior was wearing…”
“What about it?”
“He was dressed in hospital clothes, when he saved her. Then he appeared to have decided to change clothes, because he broke into a clothing store across the street. Just crushed the store window and went into the store. Seconds later, he emerged dressed, no doubt a fast guy, in a blue jacket, red T-shirt and blue jeans. Then the witness says that he just flew away. A few minutes later, officers arrived at the scene and took the car-jacker into custody. He’s down in the cells now.”
“Could the witness give any description of the mysterious man?”
“Said he was short and had brown hair. It was dark. She couldn’t tell us much.”
The conversation was cut short by Clark receiving a text. He apologized to Turpin and looked at the message from Lois: “Have you ever heard of a Cyrus Krupp?”

[jon-el87]

Chapter 4
“Cyrus Krupp…?” Clark remarked as he was closing the door behind him to his and Lois’ office at the Daily Planet, so they could speak in private. “That must’ve been ten years ago.”
“Who was he?” Lois asked as she sat down behind her desk.
“A troubled kid, meteor infected. He was born William Burnet. His parents died during the first meteor shower. He saw my ship land and became convinced that he himself was an alien.”
“So, that’s how he ended up at the Metropolis Sanitarium?”
“Yeah, when he was confronted with the truth, Cyrus suffered a complete mental breakdown and taken to the sanitarium. I visited him a few times, but then he never appeared to make any recovery and I got my hands full with Brainiac, Zoners and other things. Haven’t been to see him in ages.”
“I see…Now what I wanna know is why this faux alien was suddenly attacked by a glowing orb last night…”
“I have no idea.” Clark went over to the window and opened it. “Excuse me for a moment.” He told Lois and flew away at super speed. He returned a few minutes later, holding a black orb. “I found this on the roof of the sanitarium. It’s Kryptonian” Clark said and handed it to Lois.
“What would a Kryptonian orb want with a mental patient?”
“That’s what I’d like to know, Lois…” Clark paused for a moment, ”the car-jacking…”
“Clark?”
“There was a foiled car-jacking this morning. Stopped by a man in hospital clothes. Only it couldn’t have been Cyrus. He could only heal people.”
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be the first time something Kryptonian gave a human Kryptonian abilities. Any idea where Cyrus might’ve gone?”
Clark remained silent for several minutes, before uttering “The farm.”

[jon-el87]

Chapter 5
“So, Mrs. Cobb, you say this man just appeared out of nowhere this morning?” Clark asked as he was handed a cup of coffee in his former kitchen. Roberta brushed her long red hair to the side and sat down.
“Yes. Strangest thing. He asked if this was the Kent Farm and said that he was looking for Clark.” Roberta said. “I guess he was talking about you. You probably know more about this man…Cyrus…you said? Is he dangerous?”
“He wasn’t when I met him, but he’s suffered from delusions and has been catatonic for the last ten years. I’m more worried that he might get hurt.”
“I’m sorry, that I can’t help you. Like I said, he just appeared outside of the house, then vanished when I told him you weren’t here.”
“Thank you.” Clark got up, shook Roberta’s hand and went outside. Walking down the steps he had climbed he knew not how often. For a moment he could’ve sworn that he heard Jonathan Kent call to him, but this was no time to be nostalgic. Cyrus had recovered, now possessed more powers and was looking for him. Clark walked, until he was certain that Roberta Cobb couldn’t see him from her house and flew back to Metropolis. Back to his office, where Lois was waiting.
“How did it go?” Lois asked.
“I showed her a photo. Mrs. Cobb confirmed that Cyrus came there this morning. He was looking for me.”
“Why?”
“No idea. Maybe he wants my help. I’ve helped him before, so maybe he hopes that I can do it again. Only problem is, we knew each other ten years back. I don’t know where he might go. I tried the farm, but I wasn’t there. The Talon’s been blown up and I looked around Smallville High, but he wasn’t there.” Clark pulled the orb out of his top desk drawer. “This might be my only clue where to find him.” Clark couldn’t do it at the office, so he flew away to the Fortress of Solitude.
Stepping inside, he put both his hands around the orb to activate it. The orb began to glow and floated out of his hands.
“What have you done to Cyrus Krupp?” Clark asked. The orb responded with a holographic image of a young Cyrus touching the orb and being blasted with an energy wave, until young Cyrus dropped it. Clearly, something more had happened to Cyrus on the day of the meteor shower, than just seeing Clark’s spaceship and becoming meteor infected.
“What happened to him?” Clark got no response, so he decided to ask a different question. “Why did you come for Cyrus last night?”
The orb projected an image of road workers digging in Smallville, where they had unearthed the orb, which had been buried for over 20 years in an idle state (probably damaged), but then reactivated after it had become unearthed and gone looking for Cyrus.
“What’s so important about Cyrus Krupp? Who created you?” Clark’s question wasn’t answered with a holographic image, but with a man’s voice. A voice that said one single thing. A name: “Mon-El”.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 6
Clark returned home to his apartment in Metropolis, where he was soon joined by Kara and Karen Starr, the only two Kryptonians Clark could talk to. They all sat down around the kitchen table, with the orb between them. Karen picked it up and examined it closer. They had only known each other for a short time, but Clark had come to rely on the advice of the blond Kryptonian who went by “Karen Starr”.
“The voice said it belonged to Mon-El?” Karen asked.
“Yes, is that one of our relatives?” Clark asked.
“Mon-El was a cousin of our fathers.” Kara explained. “Not that I can claim to have known much about him. We only met a few times.”
“And the orb?”
“It reminds me of the orb, that created me and the other Kandorians.” Karen declared. “Probably sent here by Mon-El, but for what purpose? To create more clones? Then why did it go after Cyrus Krupp and give him powers?” Karen paused for a moment. “You said that it showed a young Cyrus touching it?”
“Yes.” Clark replied.
“And Cyrus was a kid, who claimed to be an alien?” Karen asked.
“Yes, but does that have to do with anything?”
“Are you sure he really was delusional?” Karen smiled and put the orb down.
“What are you thinking?”
“Kara, you told me that the council closed all portals…?”
“Yes, that’s why so few of us made it off the planet. After all, with portals, who needs interstellar spaceships, that are slower?” Kara replied.
“Perhaps Mon-El managed to reopen one portal briefly.” Karen said. “Long enough to send this orb through. Using your ship was a beacon, for where and when he should send it. Hence why it appeared in Smallville, at the same time and right near where you landed.”
“For what purpose?” Kara asked.
“This orb isn’t much unlike the one, that created me. Perhaps Mon-El stored his DNA in it and intended to use it, to create a clone of himself, here on Earth. But, something went wrong. A young boy touched it and…I can only speculate, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the essence of Mon-El was transferred into the boy. Something Mon-El hadn’t predicted…I hope.”
“So, you’re saying that when Cyrus said he was an alien…?” Clark asked.
“He wasn’t entirely wrong.”
“But, why didn’t he manifest Kryptonian abilities?” Kara asked.
“Clark said young Cyrus dropped it. Might’ve interrupted the transfer…and the transformation of Cyrus into a Kryptonian. Might’ve been why he had the ability to heal. His body was altered to possess abilities like ours, but the process being interrupted resulting in him manifesting a different ability, than what we three have.”
“Could it be undone?” Clark asked.
“Clark, I don’t think you’re understanding what I’m saying. When Cyrus…or rather William Burnet, touched the orb, it tried to upload the essence of a Kryptonian into his body. It effectively killed William. He’s been dead since 1989. Probably merged the DNA of Cyrus and Mon-El. Only it failed to trigger his abilities. What you encountered in 2003, was a Kryptonian essence, a soul, if you want, in a human body, with partial Kryptonian DNA. It’s how he’s always been, since the meteor shower. But, don’t feel bad about that, we need to focus on finding Cyrus…or Mon-El, whatever you wanna call him.”
“Any idea of where we should start?” Asked Kara.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 7
The site of Cyrus’ transmission tower. Clark couldn’t believe that it had taken him this long to remember it. Karen stayed behind in Metropolis, in case Cyrus showed up there, while Clark and Kara flew to Smallville as Superman and Supergirl, after nightfall. Much to Clark’s surprise, there was the tower again. It had been rebuilt. Cyrus was in front of the tower, down on his knees. Clark went up to him and grabbed his shoulder.
“Cyrus…Mon-El?” Clark asked. Cyrus turned around at super speed and punched Clark, sending him flying five miles. Without blinking, Kara tackled Cyrus at super speed and sent them both flying in the opposite direction. Clearly, Kara’s father wasn’t the only black sheep in the family tree. They ended up seven miles away from the site of the tower, when Cyrus got onto his feet and slammed Kara into a large rock, crushing it against her invulnerable body. She punched him in the face, but he was prepared, so it only sent him back a few feet. Clark had caught up to them and landed. Rather than attacking them again, Cyrus just flew away at super speed. Kara wanted to follow, but Clark grabbed her by the ankle and stopped her.
“Clark?!” Kara asked. “What are you doing?! We need to catch him, before he hurts anyone!!”
“Not like this.” Clark replied as Kara’s feet touched the ground. “This whole thing’s a big misunderstanding. Cyrus hasn’t seen me, for ten years nor has he ever seen me in this suit.” Clark changed into his normal clothes, but kept the glasses off, at super speed. “Poor guy probably didn’t recognize me. You should probably change too.”

[jon-el87]

Chapter 8
After they had both changed into civilian clothes, they managed to trace Cyrus to Smallville High, where he was standing right outside the main entrance. They landed several feet from him, while Clark approached him carefully.
“Cyrus?” Clark asked. “It’s Clark Kent. Do you remember me?”
“Clark?!” Cyrus said and turned to face him. “I remember, now, Clark. I always knew that I was an alien. You said I wasn’t.”
“I know. I was wrong.” Suddenly Cyrus began screaming in pain and put his hands on his head, then he looked back up at Clark. His eyes filled with hate. Cyrus tackled Clark at super speed, sending them both flying out into the woods, while Kara followed them.
“I won’t let you escape, Zod!” Cyrus screamed. Clark couldn’t understand why. They slammed into the ground and Cyrus continued punching Clark, until he knocked Clark off his feet and almost a mile away. Clark was lying on the ground, when he suddenly began to feel the familiar pain of green Kryptonite. He had landed right next to some. Kara came to help, but she too fell over in pain from the Kryptonite. Cyrus arrived to seemingly finish the job of taking out Clark, but suddenly his facial features changed. No longer were there signs of hatred in his face, but compassion. Cyrus grabbed Clark and Kara and dragged them away from the Kryptonite. “Why doesn’t it affect you?” Clark asked.
Kara got back on her feet and was ready to continue the battle, but Clark signaled to her to stand down. Cyrus sat down, with Clark sitting down next to him.
“Cyrus, what’s going on?” Clark asked.
“I don’t know…” Cyrus covered his face with his hands. ”One second I was here, the next I was back on Krypton, fighting General Zod.” Cyrus replied and looked at Clark.
“Why didn’t the Kryptonite affect you, Mon-El?” Kara asked and Cyrus turned to her.
“Mon-El…? I’m…” Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Karen Starr appeared in her Power Girl suit and carrying the orb.
“Good thing I’ve found you.” Karen said and mentally activated the orb, which floated over to Cyrus and began glowing again, when he touched it, enveloping him in a bright light. “Stand back.” Karen told the others. The light from the orb became blinding and then it vanished. On the ground lied Cyrus, while the orb had seemingly disintegrated itself.
“Karen, what’s going on?” Clark asked, as he went over to Cyrus to check on him, but then he saw that the face of Cyrus or Mon-El had changed. He no longer looked like Cyrus Krupp. He was about Clark’s height and had black hair.
“I realized that the transformation still wasn’t complete. The orb restored Mon-El’s memories and powers but didn’t complete the transformation. If it hadn’t, the incomplete transformation would’ve either made him catatonic again or killed him this time. Even the memory restoration may not have been entirely stable…” Karen said.
“That’s why he attacked us.” Clark realized. “He said he was here one second and then on Krypton the next. He experienced his life out of order. When he saw me, his unstable mind mixed my face up with Zod’s. Probably why he rebuilt the tower. He thought he was back in 2003 and tried to contact his ‘alien’ parents…”
“I don’t think so.” Karen interrupted. “You said he tried to send a signal.”
“Of course! He wasn’t trying to signal his parents! He was trying to signal the orb. Summon it, so it could complete the transformation. His subconscious must’ve realized that the incomplete transformation would result in a complete mental breakdown, so he set out to build the tower, to prevent it. Only, in his disoriented state, Cyrus became convinced that he was trying to signal his parents and not the orb. Let’s just hope that Mon-El will be fine now…”
“Um,” Interfered Kara and pointed at Mon-El, “That’s not Mon-El. I’ve never seen this man before, in my life.”

[jon-el87]

Chapter 9
Not sure what to do with the man formerly known as Cyrus Krupp and Mon-El, Clark, Kara and Karen brought his unconscious body to the Fortress. A safe distance from innocent bystanders, if the mysterious man proved a threat. They put him down on a table in the Fortress. He didn’t begin to wake up for over two hours.
“Clark…?” Cyrus asked as he got up on his feet and saw Clark.
“Are you okay?” Clark asked.
“I’m fine…”
“Who are you?” Kara asked in a hostile tone. “Why didn’t the Kryptonite affect you? What’s your connection to Mon-El?”
“Kara!” Clark said to get her to be quiet. “What can you tell us about your life before you came to Earth?”
“I was on Krypton, fighting the war against Zod. I was mortally wounded in battle. My friend Mon-El extracted my essence and put it inside the orb, along with my DNA. When William Burnet touched the orb, my essence was uploaded into him. Effectively killing him, an eventuality that Mon-El hadn’t foreseen, I’m afraid. It was only supposed to clone me.”
“And why didn’t the Kryptonite work on you?” Kara asked. “It does on every other Kryptonian…”
“Kryptonian…? I’m not a Kryptonian, I’m a Daxamite. I got trapped on Krypton, when the council closed all portals.”
“Daxamite?” Clark asked.
“Distant cousins of Kryptonians.” Karen said. “They get the same powers as us, under a yellow sun, only without our weakness to our home, it would seem.”
“What’s your name?” Clark asked.
“Lar Gand.” The man once known as Cyrus Krupp answered.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 10
Over the next three months, Lar Gand – formerly known as Cyrus Krupp – attempted to try and adjust to his new life on Earth. He was given a new civilian identity, along with a suit that resembled Clark’s Superman suit, having been inspired by Clark’s activities. Only his suit was red with a blue cape and lacking a crest. Crests was after all a Kryptonian thing, not the Daxamite way. While wearing this suit he began going by the alias “Mon-El”, in honor of his late friend. But, no matter how hard he tried, Lar Gand felt that he didn’t belong. He was an outsider. A Daxamite reborn and raised as a human, but with memories of a whole life on Daxam and other planets, at the same time. He considered going back home to Daxam, but felt that he wouldn’t be accepted there, not to mention he had been gone for so long. Would anyone remember him? Would his old friends still be there?
Noticing Lar Gand’s problems, Clark summoned him to the Fortress one afternoon. Clark was standing there waiting for him, when Lar Gand arrived.
“You wanted to see me…?” Lar Gand asked as they walked into the Fortress.
“Yes, how have you been getting along?” Clark answered.
“Oh, just fine…it’s just…”
“Cyru…Lar Gand, I’ve noticed that you’ve been having problems.”
“Been a bit difficult to adjust to my new situation, to tell you the truth.” Lar Gand replied after some hesitation. “I don’t quite seem to be able to fit in.”
“I know, that’s why I’ve made some arrangements for a possible solution.”
“What kind of arrangements?” Suddenly a bright flash of light appeared and then Lar Gand saw Brainiac standing there. A servant of Zod. Instantly, Lar gand tackled Brainiac at super speed and began punching him, until Clark managed to calm him down.
“He’s been reprogrammed! He’s Brainiac 5 now! He no longer serves Zod!” Clark screamed.
“He doesn’t?!” Lar Gand replied in a shocked tone.
“Perhaps I should take Lightning Lad’s advice and get a new face.” Brainiac 5 remarked as he got up on his feet and transformed into a green-skinned young man with blond hair. “What do you think?” Brainiac 5 asked.
“It suits you.” Clark said. “But, why green?”
“Decided to take a civilian name a while back. Ended up with Querl Dox. The green skin suits the Coluan name.”
“What exactly is going on here?” Lar Gand interrupted.
“Brainiac 5 is part of a team of superheroes in the future. I thought you may want to join them for a while, anyway. To see if you can’t find what you’re looking for there.”
“If you don’t like it, we can easily return you to this time.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Take all the time you need.” Clark replied as Lar Gand flew away and around the world. Was he going to stay here or was he going to go to the future? How could he be certain that he wouldn’t have the same problem to fit in there? Lar Gand flew past Smallville, then returned to the Fortress, where Clark and Brainiac 5 were still standing.
“Let’s do it.” Lar Gand said and smiled.
“Good.” Brainiac 5 replied and threw Lar Gand a Legion ring. “Put it on.” Brainiac 5 added.
“What’s this?” Lar Gand asked as he put on the ring.
“It’s how we’re gonna get to 3013. Just focus on that year.”
“Goodbye, Clark.” Lar Gand said to him as they shook hands.
“Goodbye, my friend.” Clark replied right before Brainiac 5 and Lar Gand activated their rings and vanished in a bright flash of light. Transporting them to the 31st Century, leaving Clark alone in the Fortress. In his gut, Clark could feel that Lar Gand/Cyrus Krupp/Mon-El would find his place, his purpose with the Legion. His friend would be content. Happy. What else could Clark ask for him?
The End

[jon-el87]

Creator Credits
Brainiac 5 first appeared in Action Comics #276 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney.
Connelly first appeared in the Smallville TV series episode “Asylum” and was created by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer.
Cyrus Krupp first appeared in the Smallville TV series episode “Visitor” and was created by Philip Levens.
Lois Lane first appeared in Action Comics #1 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Mon-El first appeared in Superboy #89 and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp.
Power Girl first appeared in All-Star Comics #58 and was created by Gerry Conway, Ric Estrada and Wally Wood.
Supergirl first appeared in Action Comics #252 and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.
Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Trivia
The origin for this story was me asking myself what kind of story Cyrus could be brought back for in a Smallville revival. The answer I came up with is that it would have to be a story, with the twist that Cyrus really was an alien. Now Cyrus had been a kid, who thought he was an alien and was mistaken for a Kryptonian, which was then disproven. An obvious allusion to the character of Mon-El. I had once thought about the possibility of Mon-El being introduced on the show but found several reasons why you couldn’t. One of them being that Smallville had already sort-of done his story with Cyrus, making it redundant to repeat it with Mon-El (not to mention, with all the information Clark has, it’d be unlikely that he’d mistake Mon-El for his brother). So, as I was thinking about the twist for a Cyrus Krupp returns story, I came up with the idea to combine the two. Reveal Cyrus to not just be any alien, but Lar Gand of Daxam (AKA Mon-El).


This story features an original character named “Roberta Cobb”. “Bob Cobb” was an identity Mon-El assumed in his first appearance.