Author's Note and Disclaimer:
A plot bunny I got while reading Scarlet Spider (Marvel Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws and the plot overview of the latest episode of Arrow 6x18.
I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.
The Green Arrow was on a patrol as usual, jumping from one rooftop to another, until he felt a sting in his neck as he collapsed on the ground and then, he looked up to see a figure in black attire and a hood, with a full face mask, on his chest a belt of throwing stars, bow, quiver and sheathed katana.
"Prometheus." Green Arrow glared as he notched an arrow and fired but Prometheus dodged and jumped, kicking Green Arrow in his face as he fell down.
"You'll never be a hero. You're nothing but a villain. Of this city. Of your loved ones. Of your own story. You are your own worst enemy, Oliver. You ruin everything you touch. You claim use that hood to honor those you've lost, when in fact you're trying to cover up your own failures…"
Having had enough of Prometheus's taunting, the Green Arrow lunged at Prometheus and took off his mask but froze to see…
"Yao Fei?"
The face of Yao Fei smiled viciously before letting out a maniacal laugh and headbutting Oliver and shoving him away before kicking him back. "You'll never escape your past, Oliver. You won't get away from me!" Yao Fei kicked Oliver in his stomach hard. "We all wanted you to be a better man, yet you lost Laurel, Sara, you even let Malcolm Merlyn ruin your dear little sister!"
Yao Fei started to beat Oliver savagely as he then fell on the ground before getting up. "If I could take back what I've done and do things the right way, I would! I know I failed you but I've been trying so damn hard to make up for it. I've been trying to honor you by being better. And the Yao Fei I remember would appreciate it. He would have forgiven me… which makes me wonder, who are you?"
Oliver groaned as he collapsed down for a moment before getting up as he heard a different voice.
"I'm someone, who would never forgive you." Tommy Merlyn said as he kicked Oliver in his face. "You lied to me, you never wanted to tell me who you were. If you had, I might have understood but your lies were what made me jealous of you and what you were drove Laurel towards you, yet she died being dragged into your orbit. Hell, Thea, our own sister has Sara's blood on her own hands!" He threw Oliver across the roof as Oliver groaned. "You even drove Sara away because you forced Laurel to bring her back with Lazarus pit because of your hypocrisy! Everyone around you suffers! And I'll put an end to this." Tommy pulled out his katana and stabbed Oliver in his abdomen as he was losing strength as he collapsed on the ground. "You're not a hero. You're a plague that infects and destroys everything it touches…"
Everything then cut to black…
…as Oliver woke up on the shores of Lian Yu. He was confused about what was going on as he walked down the beach before in front of him appeared a man in black and orange mask, a body armor, a pair of swords.
"No." Oliver glared. "This isn't possible. This is all in my mind."
"When am I not in your mind, kid?" Slade taunted as he pulled out his sword and attacked and Oliver blocked with his bow and kicked Slade back.
"No. No way in hell. Never again. Never!" Oliver snarled as he lunged at Slade and drove an arrow through the eyehole in his mask as Slade collapsed on the ground.
"There is nothing you can do to undo the damage you have already done." Yao Fei said as he appeared behind Oliver.
"I did everything I could to make it right." Oliver retorted as he turned to Yao Fei.
"If only that were truly the case." Yao Fei said coldly as he and Oliver walked down the shores of Lian Yu towards the grave of Robert Queen. "After you returned home, you swore to honor your father's memory, yet in your crusade suffered even those who may or may not have deserved it because of your recklessness. How can you truly become a better man, if you do not realize the cost of your actions?"
"I've been trying so damn hard to make up for it. And I've grown so far from when I lost my father!" Oliver snapped.
"How?" Konstantin Kovar said suddenly as he appeared in front of Oliver. "Because you have friends, Mr. Queen? Because you have people in your life, who love you?"
Kovar pointed behind Oliver as he saw the grave of his father, Shado, Yao Fei and then, there were graves of Akio and Maseo Yamashiros, Taiana, Tommy Merlyn, Moira Queen and Laurel Lance, bodies buried under rocks and next to them empty graves of Sara and Quentin Lance, Thea Queen, John Diggle, Roy Harper, Felicity Smoak, Rene Ramirez, Dinah Drake, Curtis Holt and Samantha and William Clayton.
"Those closest to you will suffer the most." Yao Fei said behind Oliver. "How long until they will wither, infected by the darkness you let inside your soul? They love you with their hearts wide open, yet they will always suffer as the price for your sins and failures. Just like my Shado, just like Tommy, just like your mother, just like Laurel…"
"No." Oliver snapped. "I refuse to believe that."
"Survive." Robert Queen suddenly said as the apparitions of Yao Fei and Kovar disappeared. "Son, it's time to come back home." He smiled at Oliver as next to him on the shore appeared a small boat.
Oliver's eyes were filling with tears. "I can't go back, Dad. I failed you. I've been trying so hard to right your wrongs and honor you. But… I failed you… again."
"There is too much talk about blame between us, son." Robert held Oliver's shoulder. "There will always be. You need to let it go. We all have our regrets. But what I will never apologize for… is for putting my faith in you and taking a chance on you. So, don't give up now."
"How can I?" Oliver sniffed. "Everything I touch dies. Everyone's better off without me."
"We love you, Ollie. We always will." Laurel said as she held his hand. "We need you as much as you need us. We make each other stronger. You will always need people in your life and you can't keep letting your past define you. You can't blame yourself for losing us. We all carry that burden together. You need to keep going, otherwise everything you were fighting for will have been for nothing."
She turned to the boat on the shore as Oliver turned to it too before going on board and sailing on the sea…
Oliver then woke up in the bed in the lair as next to him were Thea, Diggle and Felicity. "Ollie, are you OK?" Thea asked.
"What… what happened?" Oliver asked.
"You were hit with some kind of a strong hallucinogen. I've never seen anything like this." Felicity said. "I did some research. It's supposed to bring up your greatest fears. What were you dreaming about by the way?" Thea and Diggle shot her a glare as she suddenly realized her mistake. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that."
Oliver smiled. "It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters that I had my clarity."
"What clarity?" Thea asked.
"That I will prove Prometheus wrong." Oliver vowed.
Elsewhere in Starling City
Adrian Chase put down his hood and mask as behind him appeared a young woman, who smiled vindictively. "What did he see?"
"Yao Fei." Adrian smiled. "I'd expected he'd see his father, yet… vivid hallucinations are always an entertaining side effects of the drug." He smirked as he examined the dart. "We will proceed to our next step soon."
Talia smiled. Their revenge would be so sweet…
Author's Note:
So, what did you guys think about this?
Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
With regards
Bl4ckHunter