Percy

"Can I talk to you in private, Perce?" Thalia all but sneered. She put a hand to my shoulder to move me away from the two Lanterns, basically saying I had no choice in the matter.

When we were a few meters away she looked at me pointedly waiting for me to start talking or explaining. "What?" I asked.

She slugged me in the shoulder, "What do you mean, what?"

Then Thalia went for another punch, but I caught it. "What is it with you and punching me today?" I said letting go of her fist. "You want an explanation, Thalia?" I can control my anger, okay? I've trained for years to do it. You may not know this Thalia but sons of Poseidon are notorious for their quick-to-anger responses. But my grief... that doesn't ever go away. I can't bring back Annabeth and that kills me Thalia. It kills me. This...ring," I said and raised my hand. The red ring hummed with power, "All it wants is my anger. It pushes everything else away."

Thalia gave me pity in the form of a smile, "Idiot. Do you realize that you're just burying your feelings? That's not healthy, Percy." My cousin rubbed at her face saying, "Listen, unhealthy coping mechanisms aside, what the hell are you doing revealing your demigod status like that?"

I sighed and glanced back at the two Lanterns. I looked back at Thalia, "I think I'm done being a demigod, Thal. I think I want to be a superhero, instead."

To her credit she held her laugh, "Be a superhero?"

"Look, I don't trust the Gods anymore. They broke that trust when they killed Annabeth. And now... since the Mist has all but disappeared, monsters are running rampant all across the world and yet..."

"Yet, what?"

"Where are they, Thalia? Why haven't I seen New York overrun by hellhounds or the minotaur trample Long Island. It's because they're scared. Not of demigods. Of heroes. The JL has put a stop to hundreds of evil creatures and now they don't want to be seen by the light of day."

Thalia relented, "Okay, I see your point... but I don't like where this point is going."

"I...want to offer my services to the Justice League," I said flatly.

"Uh huh," she said and pondered over my words. "Alright, then do it. If this takes you off laying on the couch all day, then, do it. You've always been a hero Percy, go be a super one."

"Aw. You think you're giving me permission. That's adorable, Thunder Head."

"Quit while you're ahead, Perce," she said with a threatening smile. Thunder rolling overhead.

"Thunder Head. See?" I said and started to walk back to the Lanterns. I know Thalia was going to pay me back for that comment but that was a good thing, meant she wasn't still upset with me. After what happened with Annabeth I stopped going to camp. I stopped associating with that side of my life. Maybe I somehow knew what the Gods did... I don't know. But Thalia and Nico were the only ones who went out of their way to visit me and my parent's apartment. They were the last connection I had to the godly world.

We walked back to the Lanterns, Green Lantern speaking up, "So, what's the plan, Percy? Can't just let you walk away with that ring."

"I want to join the Justice League," I said.

Guy scoffed and Green Lantern said amused, "You want to become a League member? That's quite a request."

Thalia spoke up, "Wonder Woman will vouch for him. The Amazon's have a record of active demigod involvements."

Really? I thought, kinda intrigued by the implications. "They do?" I asked Thalia.

She shot me another annoyed glare and said to Green Lantern, "Look, you'd be an idiot not to recruit Percy, he is a formidable demigod."

"Formidable," I mouthed to Thalia.

"Oh shut up, Kelp Head."

Green Lantern looked over to Guy, "I'll look after him. If it doesn't work out then I'll give you a call."

The Red Lantern nodded and walked up to me, "Listen Percy, that ring, given the chance, will draw out your anger. If you can't control it, it will control you. Do you understand?" I nodded. "Good," he said and pulled up his ring. The ring shined bright and enveloped his being with red light. He flew off at an unreal speed, into space.

I whistled and looked at Green Lantern, "Can I do that?" I asked with a grin.

"In time," he said. "Come on, we're burning daylight. Let's go back to Earth." He had us stand next to him as he formed an emerald green bubble around us. I could hear Thalia groan from behind me, making me chuckle. In an instance we shot off into space! Traveling through the stars was insane. It really made you realize how small we are in the world. In what felt like minutes we were already descending into Earth. While we had traveled, Green Lantern or Hal Jordan explained to me what the Lantern Corps were. For nearly every emotion there was a Corps. Color coded for fun, I suppose. Green was Willpower, Red was Rage, Blue was hope, and so on. Most of the other corps had very few members. The Orange Lantern of Avarice was a single person! But, the Green Lantern Corps was the largest corps. They had hundreds of thousands of Lanterns that protected the known universe as guardians.

When we landed Thalia pulled me aside and told me she was heading back to her Hunters. I hugged her goodbye and then went to talk with Hal. "So, what now?" I asked.

"Now, you get to meet the team," he said with a grin. Green Lantern then held up his ring and spoke into it, "Green Lantern to Watchtower, requesting transport."

A voice spoke through the ring, "Watchtower to Green Lantern, Access granted. See you in a sec, Hal."

Suddenly a beam of light shined on both me and Hal. In the next second we weren't on the streets of New York anymore but in some building! It was incredible! Walking from ahead of us was a man dressed in blue, a billowing red cape flowing from behind him, and a familiar "S" symbol on his chest. No way, I thought.

"You must be Percy Jackson," said Superman.