"I don't believe this," Vesper scoffed. "Jessabel is a tool, Axel's a raging beast, and Jack is nowhere to be seen. Just my luck. And now I'm stuck with you, Rouge." Vesper looked back to the person she was talking to, a white bat who looked back at her with a less then genuine smile.
"It's not that bad, hon. I can be good company at times."
Vesper rolled her eyes. "I work best on my own or in very small groups...and even then with people I trust. You are not one of them."
"Your loss, Vesp. You sure are one tough gal to like."
"You got the tough part right. I don't intend to take this laying down. I will put an end to whatever...or whoever planned this."
Rouge's sarcastic tone lessened into a more serious one. "I'm just here on orders, Vesp. No need to get defensive with me. We're almost to the rendezvous point. Word is from HQ that Team Scales will be meeting us there for our mission."
"I don't even know these people. How do I know I can—"
"Vesper..." Vesper and Rouge stopped in their tracks, hearing a voice that seemed to come from everywhere. They looked in all directions, but saw no one.
"Okay, come out," Vesper said as she readied herself for trouble. "If you're trying to scare me, it won't work."
"You have been chosen. You have shown to be able to overcome fear. Welcome."
Vesper was unsure of what to make of this supposed invitation. "Welcome? Welcome to whaaaAAAAAA!" Without warning, Vesper was being lifted up into the air faster than even she could take off. Despite her desperate attempts, she could not control herself, finding that she was floating higher and higher into the air. Rouge was a bygone memory by now, as there would be no way she could catch up.
As she reached the upper atmosphere above the clouds, Vesper suddenly stopped in mid-air, but still could not control herself. "Whoever you are, stop it! Come out and face me!"
In the distance, something caught her eye; a glint of light. As it got closer, Vesper could make out a green glow with a small object at its center. Before she could react, the small object that turned out to be a ring wrapped itself around her finger, and that same familiar voice spoke to her from the ring itself. "You have a strong will...Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."
Vesper's mind was in a drift. Her thoughts traveled to places far beyond Mobius, to the furthest stars. In a trance, she spoke words that seemed to come to her as naturally as breathing. "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power. Green Lantern's Light."
Snapping back to reality. Vesper found herself plummeting to the ground. She managed to right herself rather easily as she glided down and regrouped with Rouge. She looked at the thieving bat and noticed a look of curious puzzlement on her face. "So...what was that all about? And...What's with the get-up?"
Vesper looked down at herself, realizing that her body was now covered in a skin tight black and green outfit. The ring she received was still on her finger, glowing rather brightly. The insignia it bore was one of a circle with two bars on the top and bottom, with a symbol to match it on her chest. "I...have no idea. I don't know what just happened...or where I got this ridiculous costume."
From above, they both heard a male voice. "So...a new Green Lantern for this sector."
Vesper and Rouge both turned to face the source. Floating down in a green aura was a human that was wearing a similar green costume and ring just like Vesper's"
Rouge stepped forward and boldly said, "Hey, who invited you to the party? Who are you anyway?"
"Name's Hal. Hal Jordan."
Vesper gritted her teeth and pointed a stern finger at the intruding human. "Take this ridiculous thing back! I don't want it."
Hal looked at Vesper and chuckled in a friendly manner. "Don't say that just yet. You may change your mind."
Rouge rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Ugh...So she gets the fancy jewelry. Well if she doesn't want it, I'll take it."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Hal said. "The ring chose miss uh..."
Vesper knew why he didn't finish his statement. He was letting the thought hang so that she would introduce herself. "Vesper. The name's Vesper. You say this ring...chose me? How does a piece of jewelry choose an owner?"
"Green Lanterns are chosen by their rings because they have a strong enough will to use them. Like this, for example." Hal raised his ring up and lifted Vesper up in a green bubble. The bat was startled and started beating on the inside.
"Hey! Let me out!" Hal released her and she fell to the ground, nearly stumbling over. This caused Hal to chuckle a little bit. Vesper straightened herself out and glared at Hal. "That's not funny. Now...Did you come on business or just to pick up ladies?"
"Sorry, you're not my type. Besides, I should get you back to Oa for a little...Green Lantern Boot Camp."
"Pardon?"
"I know you said no bubbles, but..." Hal once again sealed Vesper in a bubble and began flying higher into the air, much to Vesper's displeasure. Instead of fighting however, she just sat down in her little bubble and crossed her arms in frustration. As they cleared Mobius's atmosphere, She saw a hole open up in space. The hole was black with what appeared to clouds inside it. The hole became a tunnel as they flew through it.
Seconds later, they emerged into completely new surroundings. The landscape was rocky and jagged, but the ground had a comforting green glow about it while the sky was a calming magenta. All around there were natural looking buildings of different shapes and heights. Some were even floating in mid-air. Vesper saw many different kinds of aliens around, all baring a green costume, the insignia on her chest, or both. Hal finally descended onto the flat top of one of the structures and released her from her bubble.
"While that was not the most pleasant trip...I will say that this is interesting."
"Trust me...it's about to get worse."
Vesper eyed Hal suspiciously. His tone was not threatening, but he did sound sincere in what he was saying. "Worse? How so-OOF!" Vesper felt something large and heavy slam into her back, sending her sliding on her front side along the ground. She looked in the direction the object came from and saw a much larger and uglier alien standing next to Hal. Vesper was not easily intimidated, but something told her that this alien was not one to mess around with. He looked like he could snap her in two with his massive arms.
"This is Kilowog. He'll take things over from here. Remember...You can make anything with your ring. All you have to do is concentrate. With that, I gotta go. Good luck Vesper...You just might need it." Hal turned around and flew away, leaving Vesper alone with this Kilowog creature.
Upon Hal's departure, Kilowog cracked his knuckles and smirked at Vesper. "Good, now let's get started. Welcome to hell, little twerp."
"If you're trying to scare me...not gonna work."
"We'll see if you say that when I'm finished with you. Now your constructs are only as strong as your willpower and your ability to hold them."
Kilowog created a green boulder above his head and hurled the massive thing at Vesper. She reacted quickly and dodged it, but then saw another one heading right for her. She didn't have time to dodge; she acted on instinct and raised her arm to protect herself. She thought about a wall and then noticed a solid green barrier appear come between her and the boulder. The boulder bounced off, but the hit knocked Vesper back a bit. She straightened herself out and faced Kilowog again.
"Not bad. You would not believe how many new recruits had to be wiped off of the floor just from that first attempt to train them. But you still need focus."
Kilowog aimed his ring at Vesper and shot her with a green energy blast. She was not fast enough to react and ended up taking it in the chest. The blast knocked her down a few feet backward. She sat up only to see another green blast. She was still not quick enough. When the third one shot toward her, she reacted by flying up into the air to avoid it. She then used the new speed provided to her with her powers to dive toward Kilowog, unleashing her own barrage of energy blasts. Kilowog blocked them with an energy shield though.
Then Vesper felt herself getting unnaturally heavy as she plummeted like a stone to the ground. When she landed, that's when she saw the green ankle shackle attached to a heavy ball and chain. She was effectively grounded by her trainer, who was now laughing triumphantly. "Get out of this one, rookie."
Vesper suddenly found herself sealed inside a green box of similarly colored liquid that simulated water. She then realized she could not breathe. Thinking fast, she created an air bubble around herself so that she could breathe while also creating a blaster weapon that covered her arm. She aimed it at the chain and a plasma bolt shot out and dissolved the chain holding her. Finally, in order to escape her watery prison, Vesper dissolved her air bubble and blaster, replacing them with a large fist that she held out in front of her. She charged forward and shattered it with a good hard strike. She landed on her feet and instinctively conjured a katana, ready to face Kilowog. He towered in front of her and chuckled.
"Not bad for a rookie. That just may not be the slowest time I've seen someone get out of that trap."
Kilowog walked forward as disarmingly as a hulking monster can and extended his hand out to shake Vesper's hand. Vesper raised an eyebrow, but knew a friendly gesture when she saw one. She dissolved her own sword and took Kilowog's hand. She realized then that this was not as honest a gesture as she thought. Grabbing her hand hard, Kilowog used all of his strength to hurl Vesper into the air, and using a missile to slam into her side and cause her to collide with another green wall created by Kilowog. Just as her face hit the ground she felt her ankle grabbed by a noose of some kind and she was yanked back and up over Kilowog's head. He slammed her into the ground on the other side of him using his lasso. Vesper rolled over to see Kilowog standing just over her, grunting disapprovingly.
"Remember this, rookie. If your enemy is out to kill you, he's not going to play fair. Neither should you."
Vesper looked up at him and snickered. "Thanks for the advice." Quickly, Vesper aimed her ring at Kilowog and shot him in the face with an energy blast. Using the opportunity of him being stunned, she created a pair of shackles that bolted into the ground to hold his arms and legs in place. She then conjured a katana lightning fast and thrust it to forward, stopping just inches from Kilowog's throat. "Here's a lesson for you. Don't underestimate the new kid."
Kilowog stared at her with a snarl on his face. That snarl soon changed to a grin and he started laughing. When he was finished, he spoke in a slightly more pleasant tone. "You've got a lot to learn, but I think you're going to do fine here. Only time will tell though. Welcome to the Corps."
