This story is set during Season 1 or early Season 2 of Justice League. There were a couple of things that came together – GL and Flash starting to build more respect for each other (by which I mean, GL starting to respect Flash), the colors of their costumes worked well with the Christmas theme, and then Flash's involvement with the Central City Orphanage and GL's involvement with the Marine Corps, which does the Toys For Tots campaign each year (technically, the Marine Corps Reserve), and I had a rough outline. Nothing too profound, but bits of fun. On another note, especially as I'm posting this a week before Christmas 2008, if you have a chance, please do donate to Toys for Tots or other similar charities – there are a lot of families struggling right now, and it can mean a lot to children – and sometimes even more to parents to see their childrens' faces light up on Christmas morning.
Disclaimer: I do not own Green Lantern, Flash, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or the United States Marine Corps Reserve. I do own exclusive rights to "GL The Hard-Nosed Lantern" but believe me, I'm trying hard to get rid of them.
The Green & The Red
The Guardians made every effort to ensure that their Green Lantern Corp was as close to neutral as possible. They forbade Lanterns from holding government positions, taking sides in political disputes, or acting as agents for a particular government in their sectors. An admirable and logical position to take, without question. The amount of power an individual Green Lantern wielded was such that it had to be used selflessly for maintaining order, not used to promote one's own political viewpoint. Sinestro's despotic reign over his home world prior to his expulsion from the Corps was a perfect example of why the separation needed to be maintained. Still, thought John Stewart arcing through the sky to his rendezvous, it was blasted frustrating at times. He'd spent 8 years in the Marine Corps before being selected to wear the ring, and taking an honorable discharge at his next opportunity. He'd been close to promotion to Gunnery Sergeant, but the Guardians were unmoved. Not only did they require that he leave the Marine Corps, he couldn't even remain associated with them in the Marine Corps Reserve. Still, the Marines didn't forget their own, and although officially he wasn't in the Reserve, he still was able to help out with missions like this one from time to time.
Alighting beside Sergeant Major Frank Morgan, with whom he'd served in the Corps, he gave a salute. "Evening, SarMaj."
"You know, John, you're not in the Marines anymore. You don't actually have to salute."
"Force of habit, Frank. How's our supply?"
"Not bad, not bad. Bunch of new people this year, but they've done a damned fine job. Marine!"
A young man with a shaved head turned. "Sar Major? We're just about ready to set out."
"All right, Marine. Let's head to our first stop."
"Where's the first place on the list, Frank?"
"The Central City Orphanage."
* * * * * *
Central City Orphanage
The van with John and the Marines pulled up, and they started unloading wrapped presents from the back. Frank Morgan went up to the front door and knocked. "Sergeant Major Frank Morgan, US Marine Corps Reserve, ma'am. We're here with toys for the children."
"Oh, we're so glad to see you, Sergeant Major. Please come right in – oh!" the lady at the door said with a smile as she saw John. "Your friend didn't mention that you were coming as well, sir."
"Actually, ma'am, I only reached Frank at the last minute, so he didn't know I'd be able to make it." John began.
"No, I meant…" the lady began, but was interrupted by a call from inside the building "GL! No way! Is that you?" A familiar figure in a red costume appeared in the doorway.
John stifled a sigh. Apparently Santa planned on making him prove that he deserved to be on the nice list this year.
The Marines quickly began passing out toys to the excited children, with Flash and Green Lantern moving around through the children, talking to them and helping pass out presents.
"It's great to see you here, GL. I just about flipped when I heard you – but no one else sounds that serious, especially at Christmas."
"We're in a serious business, Flash. I don't know why you don't understand that."
"I do understand that! What's wrong with having fun at that same time?"
"You need to treat your power seriously, that's what! You have the potential to be one of the most powerful members of the League!"
"Right. Someone will take the rest of you out, and I'll be the only one who can save the day, because I'll run really fast at them – as long as I act all serious and stop joking around."
"I act the way I do because I have the most powerful weapon in the universe on my finger…"
"No, you don't."
"-and…what?" John felt not unlike he imagined Flash must feel when tripping over something at high speed.
"There are 3600 sectors in the universe, right? So, even assuming that a Green Lantern's ring is more powerful than any other weapon in the universe, you really only have one of the 3600 most powerful weapons in the universe on your finger. You just wanted it to sound cooler."
"That…wha..NO!"
"It's OK, GL. 'One of the most powerful' just doesn't have the same flair. Still, it's not like your ring is more powerful than the other Lanterns' rings – or is yours the 'One ring to rule them all?' If so, you need to keep that hubris in check, man – it brought down Isildir, Boromir – you could be next." Flash looked at GL with such a mournful expression that even John couldn't keep his focus on the lecture.
"I'm serious, hotshot."
"Yeah, GL, I know. Everyone is. Didn't you ever think that maybe a little joking around is a good thing? Helps you keep your perspective, so that Hawkgirl doesn't start going after jaywalkers and litterers with that mace of hers."
John actually chuckled at that, envisioning their volatile teammate. "So you figure that your joking keeps us from going over the deep end, right, hotshot?"
Flash grinned at him. "Hey, I'm just doing my part. Although Diana thought that the 'Batman smells' lyrics for 'Jingle Bells" were a lot funnier than Batman did."
"You actually sang 'Jingle Bells, Batman Smells' – to Batman?!?"
"Well, not exactly. I was singing it for Diana – after all, she still needs to adjust to our culture, right?" The Flash's look was all innocence. "How was I supposed to know that Batman was monitoring the surveillance cameras on the Watchtower?"
"Well, for one thing, because he's Batman."
"Good point."
The two heroes continued to work with the presents, with a much more comfortable silence between them.
"Flash?" The lady who had answered the door called to the Fastest Man Alive. "The children are ready."
"Huh?" She held up an orange and green book which disappeared from her grasp before John could read the cover. "Okay, kids, here we go!" As John looked on, bemused, the Fastest Man Alive sat down on the floor in the middle of a group of orphans, opened the book, and began to read animatedly, "Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…"
* * * * * *
"He cleaned out the icebox as quick as a Flash…"
"No way!" piped up one of the kids. "No one's as fast as the Flash! He's the Fastest Man Alive!"
Flash laughed. "That's right, Jeff. Just ask GL over there – he'll tell you how fast I can clean out an icebox."
GL joined in the kids' laughter, remembering how many times Batman had spoken to Flash about food disappearing on the Watchtower.
As the Flash finished the book, he found himself reassessing the speedster. Much as he hated to admit it, the kid did have a point – it sometimes was hard to keep a sense of perspective in this business. If nothing else, Flash's lighthearted attitude did balance some of the more serious members of the League – including, to be honest, himself. And seeing him spending his time with these kids at Christmas – something which he had obviously been doing for some time, given his familiarity with the orphanage – did put Flash in a new light. To be honest, he would have expected Flash to be making rounds of parties, trying to show off and pick up anyone in a skirt, but here he was, reading the Grinch to a group of orphans, and looking perfectly happy to be doing it. Maybe Flash was deeper than he had thought, more mature. Maybe there was more to him than the brash, irreverent face he often presented. Maybe…John was interrupted from his musing by a change in the Flash's voice. He had finished the book and was talking to the kids.
"…and I've got a new Christmas song to teach you guys, too! Are you ready?" Flash looked at John with a smirk, and John braced himself. "Here we go! To the tune of Rudolph…
GL the hard-nosed Lantern
Had a very shiny ring
And when the bad guys saw it,
They couldn't do a thing."
~He is NOT doing this to me in front of the Marines, is he?!?~
"Then one year in blackest night,
Ganthet came to say,
GL with your ring so bright,
Won't you shine Green Lantern's Light?"
~I swear, I'm going to kill that kid. If I break his legs first, he can't use his superspeed to get away from me.~
The End
Author's note: Yes, I know. "GL the Hard Nosed Lantern" is horrible doggerel. In Wally's defense, he was making it up as he went along to needle GL.