Hello Everyone, its your friendly neighborhood Scarecrow, here again to bring you another exciting tale! This story... is actually not really a story at all. It is, in fact, a series of one-shots, devoted to various fictional (and maybe even non-fictional) characters receiving a power ring from the DC Universe. This one was born when, while scouring deviant art, I came across a picture of Jack Sparrow as an Orange Lantern. The idea stuck, and I began thinking about what kind of rings would other characters get, if the rings could chose them? So, a few hours later, this little piece was born. Then, after another hour of refining it, I figured it was ready for posting. This 'story' won't be updated frequently, as it mostly serves as something I go to when I want to take a break from my other stories. Anyway, it's kind of short for me, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. Also, I know that there is no official Orange Lantern Oath yet, so I just used one I found on the internet. If they ever do come out with the real one, I'll adjust the material accordingly. Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy.
-Orange Light-
Jack grunted as he collapsed on the sandy ground. He was weak from hunger and thirst, and at this point could hardly stand. And as he lay there, dying, he did something he didn't normally do, and didn't enjoy doing now: reflect.
He had lost everything. Him, the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, now had nothing to his name. He had no ship, no crew, no money, and worst of all: no rum. All of these things had been taken from him by former first mate: Barbossa . That apple loving son of a bitch had stolen his beloved Black Pearl from him, and left him to die on this god forsaken island. The same island he'd been left to die on so many years earlier. Only this time, they had burned all the plants down, and made sure there were no more hidden catches of food and rum. When they were sure he would truly have no comforts while he waited to die, they had left.
He wasn't sure how it all happened. He had failed to achieve immortality with the Dutchman, and had seen the Fountain of Youth destroyed before he could use it. And even though he had managed to restore his precious Pearl to working size, he hadn't been able to keep it in his possession. It was as though the universe was conspiring against him to leave him with nothing but the clothes on his back!
Jack coughed as he turned his head towards the ocean; the greatest thing in the world. It wasn't supposed to be like this! Him, dead on dry land, and not even because of rum! He should be out there, on the open sea, taking what he wanted, when he wanted it! He swore that if he ever saw Barbossa again, he didn't care what the circumstance were, he was going to kill him! He didn't care if some bizarre twist was forcing them to work together for some 'greater good'. The greater good could kiss his ass! He'd tried being heroic a couple of times, and it just wasn't worth the hassle!
But it looked like he'd never get his revenge. His body was worn out from lack of sustenance and exposure to the elements. While he was toughened by many adventures to last longer then most, at some point reality kicks in.
Jack stretched out his hand, his fingers touching the water as the tide came in. He wanted off of this island. He wanted to be free. He wanted the Black Pearl back. He wanted a bottle of rum. He wanted Barbossa 's head on a platter!
He wanted…
He wanted…
wanted…
want…
"Jack Sparrow of Earth"
Jack startled back to the real world at the small mechanical voice. Hovering just before him, right near his left hand, was a small orange ring. Was he hallucinating? Was this perhaps some sort of near-death experience? It was certainly different from what he might have been expecting.
Before he could reply, or even think of one, the Ring seemed to nod to itself in confirmation before speaking again "You want it all"it said simply, before slipping onto his finger.
And all of a sudden, the pain went away! He could feel strength returning to his body, as though life itself were being poured back into it. The hunger didn't go away, in fact it may have increased; but who cared! He wasn't going to die!
His head suddenly hurt as the ring flooded his mind with knowledge: The ring was attracted to greed, and had been brought to him by his great desire for all things! It would allow him to bring into existence anything he could think of, so long as he thought hard enough!
There was also some vague bit about being called upon in the even of something called 'The Blackest Night' but that all seemed a bit vague to Jack as he thought about how much he really wanted… everything! And now here was this ring, a literal gift from the heavens above, to help him take whatever he wanted! And all he had to do to complete his bonding with the ring was say a simple oath to it? Bring it on!
With that thought, a flash of orange light went off in front of Jack, and when it died down, an Orange Lantern appeared sitting in front of him. Instinctively, Jack raised his ring to the Lantern's front, and immediately felt power flow from the battery into his ring, filling him with more energy then he could have ever previously imagined.
And as it did, words came to his mind, unbidden. And, without realizing it at first, he began to speak the words, excepting the Ring, its power, and what it stood for.
"This power is mine, this is my light"
The orange light flowed up Jack's ring to his arm, making its way steadily upwards. Everywhere it went, his cloths changed, becoming like new, better even. And unsurprisingly, turning orange.
"Be it bright of day, or black of night"
The light flowed across his chest, mending his jacket and shirt as it went. As it crossed his chest, the insignia which was emblazoned on the ring appeared on it as well. Jack felt a certain sense of pride seeing the emblem there. Only he deserved to look this good.
"I lay claim to all that falls within my sight"
Jack was standing now, the words getting louder and louder with each syllable. The light had spread to his trousers and boots. They were good as new and orange as the rest of his outfit. Another thing was that a sword, made of pure orange light appeared at his hip. On the opposite hip, an orange pistol, much like the one he had carried to enact his revenge on Barbossa the fist time, sparked into existence.
"To take what I want, THAT IS MY RIGHT!"
He roared out the end to the oath, his eyes turning orange as the Light of Avarice burned in them like the heart of the sun. The last thing to appear on the new lantern's head was also the most important: his hat. With it on his head, Jack Sparrow, Orange Lantern, was ready to take.
-Orange Light-
Barbossa didn't know what had happened. Tortuga was burning. Everywhere people were running and screaming, only to be cut down by flashes of Orange light. That same Orange light which lit up the sky and skimmed across the water, sinking ships wherever it went.
He had heard the rumors of such a light. Some weeks ago, people claimed that a vicious Orange light was attacking costal towns, leaving not a single structure nor living soul in its wake.
It quickly became apparent that these were no mere rumors though, when the Queen's men were sent out to put a stop to… whatever the Orange forces were. They were not successful. In fact, all it did was catch the Orange's attention; as it followed fleeing soldiers all the way back to London.
London was now a smoking crater, and the entirety of the Royal Family was missing, presumed deceased. That would be shocking, were if not for the fact that the Orange things (for while some claimed they looked like humans, no ordinary human could do what they did) were growing in number, and were attacking everything that stood in their way. The strangest thing was that after every attack on a city or town, the number or Orange soldiers seemed to swell. This lead some to believe that the souls of those killed by the Orange light were captured, and turned into its soldiers.
The natural solution was to head out to sea, away from the Orange, to a place it couldn't get them. Only… that place didn't exist. The Orange soldiers seemed perfectly capable of moving vast distances quickly and with no effort. Soon, countries all over the world were experiencing the same problem.
Those that thought they could hide away were in for a rude awakening, as the remains of the Brethren Court found out when tried to hide away at their fortress. The Orange soldiers arrived and, unable to kill them with swords or muskets, the pirates were quickly overrun. Only he, Barbossa , with the Black Pearl, had managed to escape. After witnessing the horrors of the Orange, he had set sail for Tortuga, in hopes of gathering enough supplies for a voyage to the farthest reaches of the earth. Only to find the city of sin in flames.
Barbossa was shaken from his thoughts by the sound of something landing on the deck behind him. Turning, he saw to his growing dread one of the Orange soldiers. However, this one looked familiar. In fact, it looked just like…
"Jack!" Barbossa cried, taking a step back hesitantly. There before him was the man he was sure was dead some time ago! Why had he not learned to simply shoot the fool, lest his unnatural luck somehow save him!
Jack smiled that dam smug smile of his, looking over the Pearl like one would a long lost lover. "It's good to see you've been taking such good care of my Pearl for me." he said, though his voice was thick, and layered with a deeper, more powerful tone to it. "I'll be taking it back now, you understand"he said simply.
Barbossa reacted on instinct. If Jack bloody Sparrow thought he could just walk onto Barbossa's fairly stolen property and take it without a fight, he had another thing coming! Cocking his pistol he fired a round straight at Jack's heart. The bullet burst from the barrel with a bang, and struck its intended target. However, the round never penetrated Jack's chest, who still stood there smiling.
"That was a nice try mate, let me show you mine"Jack said, before raising his clenched fist, ring pointed at his former first mate. With a flash and a bang, Barbossa found himself crying out as his entire right arm was sliced clean off. A second blast took off his left arm, and a third severed both legs below the knees. Barbossa was now only kept aloft by the glow of Jack's ring.
Jack was giddy as all around him, the crew of the Black Pearl were killed and converted into his personal corpsmen. That was nifty function he hadn't discovered until after he'd made his first kill with the ring. Apparently, the copies made by the Orange Light of Avarice would have to serve him, and would be incapable of treachery. For someone who had been backstabbed more times then he could count, that was a blessing.
So with near childlike glee, he watched as the Orange light consumed a still screaming and struggling Barbossa. Finally, there was only a mass of floating Orange light in front of him. With a strange binging noise, the ring informed him that consumption of Barbossa's identity was complete.
"Hector Barbossa, you belong to the Orange Lantern Corps"and with a single pulse, an avatar the spitting image of Barbossa stood before him, ready to serve his every command.
-Orange Light-
From there, the conquest had been standard fair. The sea got easier to manage after he used his ring to create a replica of the Kraken, and sent it to hunt down any survivors. In less then two months, Jack Sparrow had murdered nearly the entire planet. Such was the power of Avarice.
After that, his avatars had rounded up all the loot. And he did mean all the loot. From every corner of the glob his corpsmen brought him gold and silver and gems. And rum, lots and lots of rum! As for women, he had all the women he could ever want. Sure they tended to lack personality (besides whatever he wanted them to have at that particular moment), but somehow, he didn't care. The riches of the world were literally at his fingertips!
But it still wasn't enough.
Which was what lead to his current project. Modeled after his precious Pearl, hundreds of thousands of Orange Pearls had been made by his avatars, each capable of holding nearly an entire country's treasure in it. Each manned by an army of avatars, with the original Pearl (which he had heavily remodeled with the power of the Ring) being captained by himself.
Their mission? The Ring had told him that their were innumerable worlds beyond the stars, each unique and magnificent in its own way. You could spend a million lifetimes looking, and you wouldn't see them all. But that didn't mean Jack wasn't going to try…
Yes, now that he knew he could, Jack planned to travel the galaxy, and claim the treasures of countless worlds for his own. And with a fleet of avatars behind him, he was sure the voyage would be a successful one. Not every avatar could leave of course, no… some would have to stay behind to protect the planet in his absence from any who might dare try and steal from him.
And so, when the day finally came when the last drop of treasure, food, and rum had been loaded onto the last of the of the Orange Pearls, Jack used his Lantern Battery for a very special construct. Using the Orange Light, he placed the planet under lockdown. Now, only those with an Orange Ring should be able to access his planet. Of course, it wasn't full proof, and a determined force might be able to break through. At which point Jack ordered the avatars left behind to kill with extreme prejudice.
As one, the fleet of Orange Pearls lifted up into the sky, each ready to take off in a different direction. Jack was so giddy he could hardly contain himself. Taking a swig from his rum bottle (of which the ship had stored thousands more), Jack willed all the constructs onwards, into the void of space, and on to the next big adventure.
"Buck up me hearties yo ho!"
The End.
Yup, that ends the tale of Jack the Avaricious. So what did you think? Why don't you tell me by leaving a review? Please and Thank You. Now here's a question for you: Who do YOU think should have a Lantern Power Ring? For those not 100% In the Know, the Eight Rings I'll be using are:
Orange: Which as we obviously saw is attracted to Greed.
Green: The basic one I think we're all familiar with. It's attracted to will power, and the ability to overcome great fear. (Very easily assigned to the Protagonist of a work)
Blue: This one is attracted to hope, or one who inspires hope. I find this a little difficult to assign, and have only come up with two or three possible candidates.
Red: Rage. This ring is attracted to great hate, so think of someone driven by rage, or who is often incredibly angry.
Yellow: This ring is attracted to those who are capable of inspiring great fear. So maybe really scary villains, or scary heros (like Batman).
Indigo: This one is attracted to those capable of great compassion. Your millage may very on how that's judged.
Violet: This one is attracted to great love. This means people who have great love in their hearts, or who act with love in mind. Also, for some reason, all Violet Lanterns are women. Keep that in mind.
Black: This ring is attracted to the dead. They revive the dead, for the purpose of wiping out all life. So... think of a character that's deceased.
There is a White Lantern Ring, but I don't think I'll be using that. It represents Life, and the ways of obtaining it are rather... vague. So for the time being, no White Lanterns.
I'm looking for all sorts of suggestions here people; movies, comics, manga, anime, TV shows (Hell, if you can make a good enough case, I'll even take real life people).
Now, while these are somewhat easy to write, I like to think of them as something to go to as a break. So, this may not get updated all that often (though, if you're familiar with my work, none of my stories are updated too regularly. Guess I'm a somewhat slow writer). Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this little experiment, and have a wonderful day. And again, please review.
Until Next Time...