บท 63: Chapter 63: There Is No Homeland, Just a Kansas Farmer's Dream
Smallville Salon Club.
Peter sat with the farmers, listening to the mayor share news about the wildfires.
After receiving Jonathan's call, he had arrived at the scene.
"The governor has declared a state of emergency, mobilizing all resources to fight the fire and protect lives and property. Currently, over 500 firefighters have been deployed, along with four large fixed-wing planes spraying chemical fire retardants."
"But..."
The mayor's tone shifted, "Weather is the key factor going forward. Kansas is gripped by record-breaking high temperatures, and shifting winds are complicating firefighting efforts."
The mayor looked around at the crowd, "So—for everyone's safety, we advise you all to evacuate by noon tomorrow."
As the mayor called for an evacuation, murmurs spread through the crowd.
Jonathan frowned as he listened to the mayor's announcement.
After the recent livestock attacks, the farm had already suffered losses. If the wildfire were to reach Smallville—
"Don't worry, Jonathan," Peter reassured, sensing Jonathan's concern. "The fire might not spread this far."
Jonathan nodded, "Yeah, let's hope it doesn't get to that point."
After a few words with him, Peter turned his attention to the club's television.
The TV was showing footage of the raging wildfire.
In a fleeting moment, Peter caught sight of a figure in the flames.
Someone completely engulfed in fire, moving freely within the inferno.
Peter stared at the screen, momentarily stunned, then wore a thoughtful expression.
Meanwhile, at Smallville Elementary School...
In the principal's office, the Martian Manhunter removed his hat and shook hands with Assistant Principal Henry Greer.
As assistant principal, Henry Greer's main role was maintaining school discipline.
When disciplining students, he always tried to embody a lovable John Wayne figure, though not always successfully.
"John Jones. I am Peter Podrick's butler."
The Martian Manhunter explained that, in Peter's absence, he was there as a guardian to handle matters concerning Azu.
Henry paused, taken aback by the dignified presence of the man before him.
After a brief cough, he said to the Martian Manhunter, "Peter Podrick was once my student. I remember him now."
Sitting behind his desk, he chuckled apologetically, "I see so many students, and four or five years later, they all start to look alike. You end up calling a boy by his brother's name and so on. There's no avoiding it."
"Quite understandable, Mr. Greer," the Martian Manhunter agreed.
Just as the assistant principal was describing a conflict between Azu and Whitney, the door burst open. Whitney's father stormed in.
Dressed in a custom Savile Row brown suit, Harrison greeted the assistant principal and bluntly asked the Martian Manhunter, "Are you John Podrick's guardian?"
The Martian Manhunter responded calmly, "I'm his butler."
"Good. I'm quite busy lately; I have to be in court in fifty minutes. Let's get straight to the point."
As a lawyer, Harrison impatiently demanded, "John violently hurt my son and insulted him. I want John to publicly apologize, and I expect the school to punish him accordingly."
The Martian Manhunter looked at the astonished assistant principal and replied with a steady tone, "To my knowledge, Mr. Harrison, your son has stayed after school seventy-four times—twelve of those were for bullying less popular students. He skipped out fifty-one of those times."
The Martian Manhunter's words left Harrison stunned.
"Once, he was suspended for placing a firecracker in a girl's shoe—a girl named Emma Swop, who nearly lost two toes from the prank. That girl, Swop, had a cleft lip." His tone grew cold at the mention. "Mr. Harrison, you clearly haven't realized that the law, which you see as your son's shield, also protects John. If you bring forward accusations of physical and verbal abuse seeking an apology and compensation…"
"I believe the school might request compensation from Whitney as well."
He directed his gaze at the assistant principal, "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Greer?"
The assistant principal swallowed hard, stunned by the Martian Manhunter's knowledge.
Though his mind was in disarray, he quickly gathered himself.
Seeing the Martian Manhunter gain the upper hand, he promptly told Harrison, "I believe Mr. Jones is right."
"You—you!"
Harrison gaped at the Martian Manhunter, "You won't escape punishment with such underhanded tactics, you—!"
Stopping himself, he hesitated, realizing he was at a disadvantage with this man, and ultimately left the room, visibly frustrated.
Azu soon learned about the Martian Manhunter's decisive encounter with Whitney's father in the office.
This significantly improved his opinion of the butler.
The next day, as the whole family packed to temporarily relocate to Metropolis to escape the wildfire, Azu quietly thanked the Martian Manhunter.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones."
"Your strength shouldn't be used like this, John. I'm teaching you to discover your potential—not for things like this," the Martian Manhunter said as he packed. "You should follow Clark's example and use your abilities cautiously."
Azu scratched his head and put on an innocent expression, "It wasn't intentional, Mr. Jones."
As they spoke, Peter came over and asked, "All set? Ready to go?"
"Yes."
Azu quickly shot the Martian Manhunter a look, asking him to keep it a secret.
Noticing Azu's expression, the Martian Manhunter sighed internally.
He wants this kept secret, but his father already knows.
Peter patted Azu's shoulder, "Check that you haven't forgotten anything. We might be gone for a while."
"Dad."
Azu looked longingly around the room, "Will... we come back?"
Peter ruffled his hair, "Of course we will. This is our home. We'll stay in Metropolis for a while. Don't you like the big city?"
"No, it's just, Dad, I just want to be a Kansas farmer here, protecting the farm and you."
"Hmph, didn't you once say you wanted to be a superhero, John? Changed your mind?"
"No. Superheroes aren't real. I think… Dad, it's just a dream many people have."
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