By Emily M. Hanson <emilymhanson@yahoo.com>
Rated: G
Submitted: January 2002
Summary: A short experimental fic from the point of view of a pen that is much more than it seems.
This is another experimental story. I got the idea from watching an episode in which Lois gives Clark a pen she was about to throw away, which turned out to be a lot more than just a pen.
***
"That's the problem with society today," Clark ranted as Lois dropped me into her wastebasket. "Everything's disposable."
Lois picked me up as he continued to rant about disposable objects, disposable relationships, and disposable lives. "Okay, fine. You want this? You can have it. It's just a pen, Clark."
Ha! Little do they know what secrets I have. I am not just a pen, I'm an invention by a genius. That's right, I was invented by a bona fide genius named Dr. Faraday. Only eight people in the world understand his theories. Lois and Clark don't even realize what power they held in their hands when they touched me.
Clark put me in the container on his desk. Later, when he selected me to write, he accidentally activated me. A bright light flashed. At that second, I thought he'd figure out my secret. But then he said, "It's not a pen, Lois, it's a flashlight." A flashlight! As if a mere flashlight could do what I can. He still doesn't know my true potential.
For the next few days, Lois continued to spout phrases that would have given away my secret, if only she had known. But she didn't. I was nearly swept up by a janitor and kicked around the office, as though I were just a disposable pen. I tried to tell them that I was much more than that, but they wouldn't listen to me. Nobody did, until the last day of the week.
It was evening and everyone had gone home for the day. Jimmy Olsen picked me up off the floor. I thought for sure he would trigger my power, but he just set me on a desk and went home. The scientist and his goon, who had used me to hypnotize Lois while they killed Dr. Faraday and stole his secrets showed up, holding her at gunpoint. Then Superman found me. I had a feeling he would listen as he blindly groped on the desk and discovered me there, camouflaged among real pens and pencils. Little did I know that my story was about to end.
I was tossed into the air by Superman in hopes of releasing Lois from the bad guys. As Lois and Superman argued with the scientist, she managed to break free of their grasp and grab one of their devices to restore his sight. Then the bad guys grabbed me. I watched in horror as they struggled. No, you idiots, I tried to tell them. They wouldn't listen, of course. But I knew what was coming as Superman focused his newly regained vision onto me. I was the invention of a genius, after all. The Man of Steel is so predictable.
I felt searing heat, then suddenly, I found myself here in this strange dimension. Mostly, this place is populated by millions of lost socks and coins, but some famous objects are here. They brag about their history. The key that Benjamin Franklin tied to a kite to discover the properties of lightning is notorious. People joke about such a place existing, but it does.
Anyway, I watched as Lois and Mayson spoke to Clark the following day. I noticed the way Lois looked at him. She was definitely jealous until she learned that he hadn't spent the past few days with Mayson. There was definitely something between them, but they either didn't recognize it or couldn't acknowledge it. I hope they will soon realize that like me, their relationship is not disposable.
THE END