It's been a while, but I'm back! November's pretty much done, NaNoWriMo's over, and my brain has got a plot bunny overload - bring on the fanfics!
By popular request, I'm branching out of the Teen Titans zone, and writing a full-lenght multi chapter masterpiece (hopefully) for the fandom :)
ENJOY :D
Prologue
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!
~ Green Lantern
Hal Jordan was very aware of the danger he put himself in on a daily basis, for both of his jobs. As a test pilot, anything could go wrong. After all, it was his job to make sure that whatever could happen wouldn't happen. When he wasn't flying, he was, well, flying, as a Green Lantern, that is. Being one of Earth's heroes and an intergalactic space cop – do I really need to highlight the dangers?
Point is, with all the danger in his life, Hal expected to go out with a bang. An engine malfunction, or a final showdown with Sinestro. Something that would walk straight out of the movies. Not… this… wherever he was.
It started on his day off. While taking a stroll downtown, he had heard a scream. Heroic instincts setting in, he ran down the nearest alley, taking out his ring while following the screams. "Help! Somebody, please! Help!" the girl sobbed, backing up into a brick wall, to her despair. "Anybody! Please!" Hurrying his pace, Hal quickly sprinted towards the girl and her oppressors.
"Hey, leave her alone!" He shouted with a green energy fist at the ready.
"Hey look, it's the green bean!" One said with a sly grin, looking over at Hal. "Mind your own dang business!"
"How about you mind your manors?" Hal shot the fist forward, shocked to find the green energy merely passed through the man, causing no affect. "What the-?"
"Maybe that works on other scum, but your pretty light shows ain't gonna do nothin' to me!" Train? Chainsaw? Bazooka? AK-37? Bomb? Cat? Batman? No matter what he tried, his ring had no effect on the man. Distracted, he forgot about the man's accomplice.
"Lights out, Lantern…" the other man muttered, sneaking up behind him with a crowbar, bashing him upside the head. Hal fell to the ground with a thud. He started to get back up, but was again met with a slap to the face from his new favorite metal tool. "Ha! How tough are you now, Hal?"
He knows who I am? The Green Lantern thought frantically, attempting to stay conscious, despite the large man now jumping on his legs, cleanly snapping them. He knew he had to do something, fast! That little girl – where'd she go? Hopefully she ran while she had the chance…
"Come on, Louie! Get the ring!" the first man shouted. The ring? They're after the ring?
With one last ditch effort, he used his ring to propel himself into the sky. "Sorry boys, single and proud! Not giving up this ring any time soon!" he hoped they couldn't quite catch the slur in his words. He again tried to use the ring against them, but still nothing worked.
The blood loss was catching up to him, but he couldn't let these two get away. He wouldn't. Forgetting about his busted legs, he attempted to land and engage them in hand to hand combat. Of course, as soon as he touched down, his legs screamed in agony, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Give me the ring, Mr. Jordan," the first man said with mock politeness, advancing towards the near unconscious hero. So much for my day off…
"Why?" he asked, trying to put his usual confidence into his voice, "Need a new fashion statement? 'Cause I've heard that the Superman merchandize is totally in this year!" At least Big Blue could just punch 'em once and be done… While the men muttered what they thought of that, Hal quietly removed his ring, whispering, "Go find someone… the next Lantern. Just in case. Find a hero…" needing to distract the goons in front of him, he screamed, "Took 'ya long enough, Bats!" surprised, the men spun around to find nothing but thin air, as the Green Lantern slipped into unconsciousness, his costume fading away to leave a broken and bloody Hal Jordan unconscious in an alley.
The League better get their asses over here…
"Hey, where'd the ring go?" Goon number two asked, angering the first.
"He snuck it somewhere? Find it!" In the typical mocking attitude of its owner, Hal's ring zoomed right over the men's heads, and then flew off in a flash of green. The sound of police sirens caused them to scramble off, though they were far from done with Hal. "I'll get the ring, Hal, if it's the last thing I do!"
When the coast was clear, the little girl Hal had come to rescue snuck out of her hiding spot, behind a dumpster, pocketing her phone. Cautiously, she began to shake the unconscious hero. "Mr. Lantern, sir? Um… I'm gonna help you, sir. I promise." He started to stir. Encouraged, she continued, "Mr. Lantern, should I get the Justice League? They'll know what to do. They'll make you all better!"
"L-left pocket… blue button…" he muttered, half awake. Eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, she did as she was told and found a small communicator. She pushed the blue button, and was surprised to find Martian Manhunter staring back at her. She gasped in surprise, almost dropping the communicator.
"This device is not a toy," Manhunter scolded, "How did you come across it?"
Remembering her purpose, she gathered up her courage, explaining, "Mr. Green Lantern saved me from these scary guys, but they hurt him real bad! He keeps falling asleep and his legs are bent funny! I don't know what to do!"
"We will have to Zeta the two of you to League headquarters, is that clear? He needs immediate medical attention, and you will need to be questioned. Listen carefully – take Lantern's hand in your own." She did as he commanded, her eyes wide with fright.
"Now what?"
"Type in 1203, and press the green button. You'll be teleported here. It will feel a bit strange, but it is perfectly safe." Scared, she again did as she was told, and soon found herself in the Watchtower, surrounded by heroes bustling about.
"Get him to the infirmary, stat. J'onn, he's now your top priority. Fix him," Batman stated bluntly, briskly walking over to the scared girl, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "It's okay. He'll be alright," he soothed, "You're a very brave girl Miss…" he trailed off, looking for a name.
"Abigail." The dark knight nodded, leading her away towards the Watchtower library, deciding a less than formal interrogation would be necessary. Maybe he could get Canary to question her… she was good with kids, right?
"We're going to contact your parents and let them know what happened," Batman explained, knowing the small girl would have many questions. "You'll be able to see them in a little while, when you go down to the police station to tell them what happened." She nodded a brief 'okay'.
Abigail tightly clutched onto Batman's cape, following him down the hall. If Batman says he's gonna be okay, then he's gotta! But… "Um… Mr. Batman?"
"Yes?"
"Can… can I have your autograph?"
Hal groggily opened his eyes, relieved to realize he was in the Watchtower infirmary, and not in an alley. Looking at his twin casts, he realized he had another thing to be thankful for: painkillers.
"Welcome back," Black Canary said, guardedly walking into the room.
"Hey, Dinah. How long was I out? And how'd I get here?" he asked, voice scratchy and low.
She handed him a cup of water. "Couple hours. The kid got you here by Zeta."
"She okay?" Hal asked, worried.
"She's fine," Black Canary answered, cautiously.
"As apposed to who?" he asked, suspicious.
"You, for starters. You're a mess. Both legs broken, a fractured rib, broken wrist…" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Gonna be sidelined for a while, aren't I?"
"At the very least," Dinah responded, shooting a pitying look towards him.
"Wait a second, what am I missing here?" he asked. He followed her gaze to his hand. "The ring – I sent it to find the next Lantern, in case those guys trashed me permanently. Since I'm not dead, it should've come back by now… Unless it found a replacement for while I'm out of commission?"
"It found someone, yes," she replied, biting her lip. She wasn't sure how much she should tell him. But it was his ring and identity and all…
"Well, that's good, right? Found some nice guy or gal? How'd you guys find the new Lantern so fast anyway?" Canary started to formulate a response when the door burst open, and a very angry Batman waltzed in, followed by half the league, their sidekicks milling in the background.
"Hal, you better be able to fix this, or as soon as you get out of that, you'll be back in another body cast," Batman threatened.
"Fix what? Canary, you said the kid was fine, and the ring found someone, right? What's there to fix?"
"Your replacement, Hal. You need to find a new one. Now."
"Hey, I don't choose, Bats! The ring does! There's nothing I can do to-"
"So you're okay with a child replacing you for the time being?" His jaw hung open in shock.
"The ring picked that kid?"
"No, and her name is Abigail by the way," a voice spoke up from behind the crowd of heroes, making their way forward. "And I'm not a child, Batman." The dark knight said nothing, choosing to glare at Hal instead. Hal only knew one kid that ever talked back to Batman and lived to tell the tail.
"You mean-? No way. You're joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Batman asked through gritted teeth, only about two inches away from the poor Lantern's face. Before Hal could put his foot in his mouth again, John Stewart, the other Lantern in the League, placed a restraining hand on Batman's shoulder, giving him a pointed look. As Batman backed up, John grabbed the new Green Lantern, pulling him forward.
"Hal, meet our new recruit: Robin."