Chapter 10 – A Space Dog and Brotherly Secrets
The dog in front of them was clearly anything but ordinary. Its fur was pure white and shimmered with an almost ethereal glow, like moonlight made solid. Its eyes sparkled with an intelligence far too advanced for any normal animal. Clark was rolling on the floor with it, laughing wholeheartedly in a way he hadn't done in a long, long time.
Martha and Jonathan exchanged a look filled with concern. Something about this whole scene didn't sit right with them. They weren't used to surprises—not after raising a boy from the stars. Wasting no time, they gently grabbed Arthur by the hand and led him into the kitchen, away from Clark and the mysterious dog.
"Arthur," Martha began with a firm but gentle tone, "where did you find that dog?"
Arthur paused for a moment, pretending to reflect. I'll use my photographic memory I gained from devouring monsters to strengthen my body. I'll just say I saw Clark as a baby inside the spaceship, and because I have perfect memory, I never forgot. This way, I don't have to reveal my powers. A perfect memory doesn't attract attention—after all, we have Superman living with us.
"Mom... Dad... I've never told you this before, but… I have a perfect memory."
Jonathan furrowed his brow, confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean I remember everything I've ever seen—since I was a baby," Arthur explained calmly, keeping his voice steady. "Because of that... I remember the day you found Clark. The spaceship. The field. Everything."
Martha raised a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in disbelief. Jonathan said nothing at first, caught between shock and awe.
"You knew this whole time… and never said a word?" Jonathan asked after a long pause.
Arthur nodded slowly, offering a soft, reassuring smile.
"Because it never really mattered to me. Clark is my brother. He always has been."
Martha felt her chest tighten with emotion. Her eyes shimmered, though she tried to blink the tears away. Jonathan, still silent, placed a firm hand on his older son's shoulder, his expression unreadable.
"Today, when I got home from school," Arthur continued, "I saw Clark sitting alone. He looked sad. He had no one to play with. Then I remembered the spaceship that brought him here... and I thought, maybe there was something inside that could cheer him up."
He glanced toward the living room, where Clark was now rolling on the floor laughing, as Krypto happily licked his face.
"And... I guess I was right."
Martha wiped a tear from her cheek discreetly. Jonathan stepped closer and gave Arthur's shoulder a firm squeeze.
"You're a great older brother, Arthur. We're proud of you."
Arthur smiled in return, and for a moment, silence filled the space—broken only by Clark's delighted laughter echoing from the living room.
Martha finally sighed, smiling again, warmth in her voice. "Alright, everyone, let's eat dinner. Clark, come on! And Arthur, what's the dog's name?"
Arthur glanced at the collar around the dog's neck. "It says... Krypto."
Martha nodded with a soft chuckle. "Well then, Clark and Krypto, come join us for dinner!"
The family gathered around the dining table. The meal was filled with laughter and light-hearted stories from school, as if the world hadn't shifted in a major way earlier that very afternoon. But within each heart at that table, something had indeed changed: the unshakable realization that, even among secrets and extraordinary differences, they were still a real family.
After dinner, everyone eventually retired to their rooms. Clark fell asleep quickly, a peaceful smile on his face, with Krypto curled up protectively at the foot of his bed. Arthur, however, had no intention of sleeping just yet.
With a subtle motion, he raised his hand, and a dimensional portal shimmered open beside his wall. The portal radiated with golden, flickering magic like a living flame. On the other side was another world entirely—one filled with adventure and danger: the world of Fairy Tail.
Arthur stepped through the portal and stood before the enormous doors of the guild hall. As he pushed them open, a chair flew straight at him from across the room.
"What the—?" he exclaimed, snatching the chair mid-air with lightning reflexes and hurling it back across the room.
"AAAH!" shouted Macao, crashing to the floor with a loud thud. The entire guild burst into laughter at the scene.
"Welcome back, Arthur!" Wakaba called, raising a frothy beer mug and giving a hearty wave.
Arthur smiled as he stepped into the lively hall, filled with familiar faces and warmth. But before he could even take a seat, a blur of red crashed into his arms.
"Erza…" he murmured, his hand instinctively reaching up to stroke her crimson hair.
Erza stared up at him with intense eyes. "How did your mission go?"
Arthur recalled the excuse he had crafted to explain his sudden trip back to Earth.
"Oh, everything went smoothly. Mission completed perfectly."
"So you didn't destroy the location like a raging red-haired gorilla?" teased Mirajane with a mischievous smile as she approached.
"What did you say, you ironing board?!" snapped Erza, eyes flaring with fury.
"Say it again! I dare you!" Mirajane shot back, laughing.
Arthur watched the two bicker and banter, a familiar scene, and tried to keep a straight face. Internally, he was already planning.
Good thing when we went to the beach last vacation, I devoured that jellyfish and gained some of its traits—especially its longevity. Otherwise, I wouldn't survive this much time travel in a single year. With my extended lifespan, I should be able to live at least a thousand years. Later on, I'll just devour a demon or dragon to increase it further. Eventually, I'll visit other worlds with legendary treasures that boost life expectancy. Not just for me, but for my wives and parents too. They're normal humans... they age and die. I won't let that happen.
Just as his mind was drifting deeper into his strategy, the doors of the guild burst open with a dramatic bang. A boy with wild pink hair dashed in, shouting excitedly despite the late hour.
"Natsu…" Arthur muttered with a half-smile.
That means the other characters won't be far behind either.
Arthur's eyes gleamed with resolve as he thought of the monsters he would face both in this world and in his main timeline. Challenges lay ahead, but he welcomed them.
"It's time," Arthur said aloud to himself, "to focus on getting even stronger."