Superman/Steven Universe:

The Shield of Hope

Disclaimer:This is a nonprofit fanwork Steven Universe and all it's characters belong to Cartoon Network and Rebecca Sugar, Superman and any other DC Characters and properties used in the fanfic belong to DC Comics. Please support the official release.

Enjoy

Prologue:

Beach City, Summer, Year 2000

Clark Joseph Kent bounced happily up and down on his seat as his father pulled into the small town. Clark and his parents went to visit some relatives in Charm City and on the trip back they ran into some car trouble and had to stop into a town. They passed the town on the way to Charm City and Clark got excited seeing the town sign, he has never seen a Beach before his friend Lana told him about the time she and her family went to one how she got to play in the sand, swim in the ocean, and a lot of other stuff that sounded fun to Clark. He begged if parents if they could stop there and see the beach, but they had to get to Charm City in time to meet the relatives leaving Clark mostly disappointed. But this emergency stop proved to be a blessing for Clark, it was early in the afternoon as they pulled into the gas station and parked the car Clark nearly jumped out of his seat and out the door. He jumped excitedly up and down as his parents exited the car.

"Ma, Pa can I go down to the beach please, please, please" he said happily giving his parents puppy dog eyes.

His mother smiled while his father gave an exhausted sigh.

"Alright Clark we'll go to the beach, you go on ahead me and your Ma will catch up after we get the car checked out" Pa said.

Clark's eyes sparkled and he gave both his parents a big hug and began to run towards the boardwalk, he was stopped when his mother grabbed his arm.

"Now Clark remember what we talked about when we left Smallville about your talents, you can't let people see this side of you understand" the mother said in a sincere and worried tone.

Clark nodded knowing how his parents worry about him and his talents his mother gave him a kiss on the forehead and he was on his way.

The seven year old made his way to the boardwalk and began to walk down it, he passed an arcade that was bigger than the one they had back home, and a place called Fish Stew Pizza the name was weird but he was interested in eating there. As he came to the end of the boardwalk he came to a building that looked like it was under renovations a sign on it saying Future Location of the Big Donut, he saw a few of these in his families travels. After he finished his inspection of the boardwalk he turned to the beach and walked on the sand, he stood and looked towards the ocean he never saw it before. His teacher taught him that beyond the ocean were other places, places that were really different from America, filled with people who were really different from them. As he looked out towards the ocean he wondered out there were there people like him, people who had talents like him, who could understand him, his hand went to his pocket as he fondled something within it. He then turned towards the giant hill and followed the rocky wall towards the edge of the beach, as he reached the end he was surprised by what he found a statue of a beautiful women craved into the hill itself.

Clark was astonished by it despite its slightly worn look with moss growing on it and some of its multiple hands missing, he saw that one pair of arms formed an opening within the statue. He began to walk towards it when he heard a loud crash come from the opening, a women flew out of the opening landing on her feet on the sandy shore Clark scared turned and hid behind a stone hand embedded in the sand. He peaked from behind the hand and saw the women, she was tall taller than his dad or any other man from Smallville, she had large curly pink hair that went down her back, wore what Clark could only describe as a wedding dress from his families photos, the dress had an opening on the belly in the shape of a star, and within the opening where the bellybutton should be was a pink gem.

Clark marveled at this beautiful lady but was snapped out of his stupor when he heard a roar and something else flew from the statue. It was a large purple monster built like a gorilla with no head it faced down the pink lady a mouth opening up in its body and letting out a roar, Clark quivered at the sight of the creature but saw the women stared down the monster with a fearless eyes. The monster charged towards her arms raised up intending to crush her, Clark almost screamed out for her when her gem started to glow and a pink shield emerged on her arm and she blocked the attack. Clark was in awe as she lady strained against the monster's strength, she went low extending her leg to kick the monster in the knee making it fall on to it she then spun around and hit the monster with her shield knocking it to the sand. The monster got up quickly firing a punch towards her she blocked it with her shield sending her skidding back by yards. When she came to a full stop the monster jumped into the air wanting to crush her with its body, she brought her shield up blocked it she then fell to her back making her shield disappear and brought her feet up placing them on the monsters body, she let out a grunt as she kicked the monster off her and into the sky. It flew high into the sky as the lady jumped on to her feet she then leaped into the air as the monster began to return to earth she reared her fist back, and when they met in the air her shield once again appeared in front of her fist and she punched it towards the earth. Clark was amazed by the strength and beauty of this mystery lady, his amazement turned into fear as he saw the monster was heading right for his hiding spot it landed onto the stone hand crushing it as Clark jumped out of the way.

Clark laid on the sand as the dust from the crash began to clear once it was gone his eyes met with the pink lady, she looked at him confused and he to her, her confusion disappeared and was replaced with worry as she yelled

"RUN"!

The monster the rose blocking his view of her Clark cowered as the monster brought it arm back intending to backhand him, Clark eyes widen as the arm came toward him and he braced for the impact. It never came as the pink lady stood in front of him and took the hit slamming into the rocky wall, the monster forgot about Clark and went to the lady pinning her with its massive hand. It reared its fist back intending to smash her against the hill, Clark stood there and watched the lady struggle against the monsters grip, Clark was scared but knew the woman defended him and didn't even know or question who he was he knew she couldn't leave like this it was time to use his talents. He rushed towards the monster and grabbed its leg, the monster stopped its attack and looked at Clark, the lady with fearful and worried eyes looked at the child

"What are you doing child run, run now" she yelled with urgency in her voice.

Clark heard her but did not run he grunted as began to lift the monster by its leg, the monster released the lady, she looked astonished at Clark. Clark dragged the monster away from her and yelled as he spun the monster throwing it into the ocean, he breathed heavily as the monster splashed into the ocean. He then turned to see if the lady was alright, the lady leaned against the rock wall astonished by Clarks feat of strength, Clark was glad he could help but felt like he should run he wasn't allowed to use his talents in front of people. Before he could get his thoughts together the lady yelled

"Behind you"

Clark turned fast and saw the monster soaked and angry it rose both its arms ready to claw Clark. Clark brought his arm up and the monster slashed down on it making Clark fall onto his back, Clark laid on the sand and let out a hiss as he felt a stinging sensation on his arm. He looked at it and saw a huge gash on it with crimson liquid spilling from it, Clark's heart froze and began to cry as looked at his arm the monster prepared for another attack. Clark looked up and whimpered

"G-G-GO AWAY"

He yelled, suddenly the veins surrounding his eyes and his eyes themselves began to glow red, a large red beam erupted from his eyes engulfing the monster going out into the sea. The beam slowly began to dissipate and his eyes returned to their normal blue, steam seeped from his tear ducts as Clark shook his head dizzy from the attack, he hissed again remembering his arm and fear once again overtook. He got up and began to run but felt a gentle hand on his shoulder he turned around and was met with kind worried eyes, the lady towered over him, but slowly kneeled down so that their eyes were on the same level she brought out her hand and said in a calm soothing voice

"Don't worry I'm here to help"

Clark looked at the lady still holding arm and still scared

"Let me see your arm…please" she said still in a worried tone

Clark didn't know why but he felt like he could trust the lady so he extended out his bleeding arm and she gently took it in her hand, she looked over the wound with a concerned look on her face

"That slash should have taken his arm off but all he has is this" she thought to herself.

"But still you poor thing" she said gently to Clark she then began to cry her tears ran down her face and onto his arm.

Clark was amazed as when the tears made contact with the wound it began to heal itself there wasn't any stinging or feeling of any kind it just disappeared, her tears even washed away the blood on his arm. She released his arm allowing Clark to inspect it with astonish "There all better now"

She asked gently Clark nodded still amazed by this lady,

"Now would you mind telling me your name" she asked with a kind smiling.

Clark froze he looked down at the ground nervously and began fiddling with his hands, the lady giggled at the boy and then extended out her arm

"My name Rose Quartz Universe"

Clark looked at the hand and put his to hers gently shaking it still avoiding direct eye contact "Clark Joseph Kent ma'am"

Rose smiled at the answer and stood her full height

"Clark that a really nice name you got, thank you for your help I really appreciate it" Rose said as she walked to where the monster previously was.

She reached down into a tiny divot in the sand and pulled out a sparkling purple gem, the gem was the surrounded by a pink bubble and disappeared into nothing.

"I don't wish to ask probing questions to someone I just met, but how were you able to do that" Rose asked curiously as she approached Clark again.

Clark continued to look at the ground as his face turned red

"I-I don't know I've just always been able too" he said shyly.

Rose still gentle and smiling asked

"And the eye thing, is that something you've always been able to do"

Clark replied "No th-that's kinda new".

Clark then said "I'm really really sorry, please don't call the government so they take me away"

Rose was surprised by the statement "Why would the government want you child" she said slightly worried

"I heard my parents say that if anyone saw what I could do they would call government people and then they would take me away" Clark said near hysterics.

Rose simply smiled and lifted the child's chin so their eyes met

"Why would I do something like that the person who saved my life, you did a good thing", Clark smiled at the lady

"Um… if I could ask you a question Miss Universe" he asked meekly

"I suppose that's only fair you answered my question" Rose said with a giggle.

"Where are you from Ms. Universe" Clark asked

Rose smiled and replied "Very far away Clark",

"Then that means you've seen a lot of places, have you ever seen anything like this before because I think I'm from far away to" Clark said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue crystal no bigger than a pencil and showed it to Rose.

She took the crystal in her hand and examined the crystal, her eyes widen when she saw a symbol carved into the crystal it looked like a stylized S

"Have you seen this crystal before, do you know what it is or what that S is suppose mean" Clark asked.

"I do know what this is but I don't think I am at liberty to say where, but you are right you are from very far away" Rose said calmly as she handed the crystal back to Clark

He took the crystal back sadly and looked down "Oh… so everyone is right, I'm not like my parents or everybody else".

Clark began to cry Rose put her hands on the child's shoulders and asked "Why are you crying"

Clark still crying said "Because the kids at school say that I'm a freak my parents got on their doorstep, and that I'm not like everybody else, and that probably from somewhere far away like Europe or the moon, and that my parents don't really love me, and…"

Rose put a finger to his lip to shush him. Clark looked at Rose tears still on his cheeks and she looked at him with a stern but kind face

"I'm sure your parent love you with every fiber in their heart and those kids are only saying that because they don't know you, people are sometimes scared by what they don't understand and want to reject it, that why you have to show them despite being different that you are a good person, let your actions speak for you". Clark found her words kind, comforting, and insightful

"Clark there you are" Clark turn around and saw both his parents coming down the beach he towards both of them and hugged them.

"I'm sorry our son didn't mean to disturb you, he really wanted us to spend time at the beach" the man said to Rose

"Oh I don't mind, in fact he was able to help me out with a problem, you know I was going to spend some time with my husband on the beach if you want you can join us" Rose said with nonchalant happiness.

"Well as long as were not intruding on anything" the man replied

Clark and his parents spent a the entire afternoon on the beach they met Rose's husband Greg Universe a large man with a receding hair line yet it was as long as he was tall he was just as nice and kind as Rose. Clark got play in the ocean, make sandcastles, and hear Mr. Universe play on his guitar, he heard his parents talk to Rose and Greg about their parenting experiences and the possibility of children in their future making Rose blush and Greg almost choke on a soda he was drinking. Soon it was time to leave and Clark had to say goodbye to Rose

"Can I visit you again Ms. Universe" Clark said sadly

"Of course you can Clark I'll always be here, and remember what we talked about" she replied,

Clark nodded and said "I'll show everybody back home how good a person I can be" her turned to go to his parents but was stopped by Rose.

"One more thing Clark no matter what anybody says about you or what you learn this world is your home, those are your parents, and you are a human being" Clark was confused by what she said

"Oh and I almost forgot to tell you what that symbol means… it means hope Clark, I think you are meant to do great things for your fellow man" Rose said as she kissed Clark on the forehead.

Clark smiled giving her a hug and running to his parents to leave, on the trip back home he looked at the crystal examining the symbol

"Hope, I want to bring hope to people"

Clark didn't know but this moment would be one of many that will forge him into the greatest man on the face of the earth, a man of a better tomorrow, a symbol and an idol to any, and he too will help forge another great man, the son of the women he met that day Steven Quartz Universe.