A/N
A pleasant surprise I hope, although one which I've been teasing for a while. In any case, here is the next chapter and I thoroughly hope you enjoy!
Episode VIII: SOS, Part II
"How?"
A simple question really, with an answer Kyle is not yet ready to give. Still, the people around him deserve to know even a fraction of what he's experienced over these tumultuous weeks.. days.. he doesn't really know how long it's been.
He's not entirely sure how he managed to become Larfleeze's little servant, but if this is what it takes for him to complete his mission, then so be it. Of course, they can't know about that yet, and to be quite honest with himself, he's still not entirely sure what the mission is. Just going with the flow at the moment, he's just spending his days attempting to piece together everything which has happened.
It's going to be a struggle, but in the end, that's what life is.
One big struggle.
Although it's a true shame he has to take the struggle and multiply it by one hundred percent for no reason other than something he may or may not have experienced.
The most he can remember is a sharp pain, and a fleeting goodbye. Then, the rest is all one big fuzzy mess inside his brain.
"Good question. So.. I'm still figuring that out," Kyle answers Green Arrow with his trademark smile. "The good news is simple: I can get you out of these cages, but I need some help to do it."
"Hold on a second," Hal interrupts, staring straight into Kyle's soul. His former mentor is probably having a hard time processing everything as usual, although Kyle is certain his ring can do most of the thinking for him.
"Yes, I am alive," Kyle responds before Hal could ask, making sure to pat himself roughly on the stomach so they can see he is completely corporeal. "I am not a ghost, although it would be cool, and no, I don't remember much about the 'hows' and the 'whys'."
"So you're telling us.. all this time, you've been chilling inside of Larfleeze's lair, and somehow are not inside one of these cages," the Flash questions, astounded. When Kyle nods, he quickly adds on, "At least we know he's still crazy."
"You still have your rings right?" Hal asks, his face returning to some sense of normalcy as he begins to accept the situation.
That's the catch in this whole situation Kyle finds himself in - Larfleeze has them, and he'll need their help to get them back.
"Larfleeze took them when I first came here," Kyle responds, although not expecting the severe response from Hal's face. Borderline angry, the original human Green Lantern doesn't appear to be too pleased with Kyle's words.
"You didn't have to come here?! Why didn't you come back?!" Hal exclaims with a detectable hint of both frustration and sadness in his voice. "We could've helped with.. whatever you are doing here. You let us think you were dead."
"About that.. how exactly did I die again?"
With his question leaving most of the superheroes in front of him to recoil slightly, he's assuming it wasn't the best way to go. For a second, he's not sure any of them wanted to answer, but then his former den-mother Hawkwoman seizes the responsibility.
"That traitor Aqualad. He stabbed you without a second thought," Hawkwoman replies, her wings tightening along with his fists. Clearly, someone would do some terrible things to Kaldur if she ever got ahold of him.
In Kyle's case, he's not even sure whether he should be depressed or furious about his untimely demise at the hands of someone he believed to be a friend. Weird, how someone's own death can cause so much confusion and questions. From all the stories and heroic tales children read growing up, death is supposed to be absolute, and in the case of a hero, it's supposed to mean something.
Kyle feels the opposite. He's not sure whether it means he never actually died, or he can't comprehend he actually did die.
"Okay, so we'll deal with that at a later point. For now, help me get my rings back, and we'll blow this joint," Kyle offers to the team, and many nods or mumble in agreement.
This is going to take some getting used to - dealing with heroes who have believed the cheeky lantern to be dead, however it shouldn't take long for them to get back into the swing of things, or so he hopes.
"We can deal with the cordiality later," Wonder Woman speaks up, "for now, what do you need us to do?"
About that. So, in reality Kyle might not have a grandiose plan he was pretending to have. Actually, he was simply planning to have the team improvise on the spot and hope for the best, but since Wonder Woman asked - she just had to ask - it's time get creative.
Larfleeze is smart, but one-dimensional. When he focuses on something, he can't shake it off, and the way Kyle has been surviving Larfleeze by simply doing it every time they speak. Say something, repeat it to make sure he hears, and repeat.
A little 'x person is coming to take your treasure here' and a little 'better make sure your things are locked tight, heard there's thieves around' there. Works wonders, and Larfleeze eats it up like the greedy monster he is.
"Flash, Shazam, I need those rings back. Since you two are the fastest, thought I'd give you the task of running around to find it."
"I'll go with them," Hal interrupts, tapping his ring, "Got a map right here."
"Sure. Princess, Aquaman and Hawkwoman, you've got the job of securing our exit. As soon as you hear something bad, keep the entrance clear of debris. The cave's falling apart as it is, and having a superpowered battle inside here isn't going to help," Kyle nods to the members he mentioned, and they all nod seriously in return.
"What about good ol' me?" Green Arrow asks, flashing a smile at Kyle.
"Don't worry, I didn't miss you out," Kyle responds with a smile of his own, "You my friend, are helping me. Someone needs to distract 'Fleeze, and we are the two most annoying people here."
"You're damn right," Green Arrow agrees, a flash on mischief running across his eyes. "Annoying is my middle name - or is that handsome?"
"Definitely annoying," Hawkwoman corrects the archer with a raised eyebrow. Or, at least what Kyle can assume from beneath her nth-metal helmet.
Looking at the assembled team, he nods as he examines their resolve and seriousness. Believing all this time it would be sweet to come back, he didn't expect it to feel this good. He's been itching for action to happen, and the world has landed these on his doorstep.
"I know I said to leave the re-union for later, but.. it's good to have you back Kyle," Wonder Woman says, making direct eye contact with the former Green Lantern. "The League will be thrilled to hear you are back too."
"Some of us, anyway," the Flash sighs, and it's takes only a few seconds for Kyle to come to a conclusion.
"It's weird, but I kind of miss the bat, you know?"
"Ha! You might be the only one to say since Shazam thought he was his friend," Aquaman jokes, and soon the whole team is smiling and reminiscing about those amusing occasions. Even the culprit himself appears to be entertained at the memory.
Once the cheery mood begins to die down, Hal turns to face Kyle once more with a solemn expression.
"I don't remember the last time I sat down and actually enjoyed doing this since you died," he states, and his mood instantly travels to the others. "It's going to take some getting used to... you being alive again."
Although Kyle might not understand how long it's been or the circumstances of his death that well, it's pretty easy to assume both the League and the team have took his faux-passing hard. At one point, Kyle himself tried to mourn his own passing. He stopped due to the morbidity of it all, but it's the trying which counts.
It's been such a long time without speaking to a person with a relatively sane mind, he doesn't know where to begin apologizing or explaining. If anything, his words might just aggravate their pain, and he won't do that to the people he cares about.
Still, he can do his part to get them back on their feet again.
"Don't be so soppy, Hal," Kyle chuckles at Hal, who is still inside of his cage looking out. "Let the good times begin again."
"I can explain," Kyle begins, mouth searching for the words to temper the build-up of paranoia inside of Larfleeze's brain. Improvising may have been a good idea at the time, but when faced with an almost all-powerful alien with a tendency to destroy anything he believes to be deceitful, trying to not die is a lot harder than expected. "This guy is my friend. You see, here's a straight and narrow guy, and never stole anything in his life."
"Liar," Larfleeze answers with a single word, his ring still trained on both Green Arrow and Kyle.
At least this version of the plan is still working according to plan. As long as Larfleeze is completely entranced on them two, the others have their chance to do their part.
For Kyle, there's still a few things he needs to learn before he can leave. And the only one who can teach him is Larfleeze.
"That hurts - when have I ever betrayed you?" Kyle returns, and Larfleeze loosens a little, though the insane greed behind his eyes remains to it's worst extent. "Think about it.. I've been here for so long, and now I decide to help these people steal what's yours?"
"It's always the same with these people. Them and their greed cannot be quenched, until they have taken what's mine!"
Ironic. Then again, another word for greed could be selfishness.
Larfleeze has become so greedy and so self-centred, he can't separate what's real and what is delusion. Many humans would describe this as a form of mental illness, and Kyle would agree in that case. Although, Larfleeze cannot be helped.
There's no treatment or therapy which can cure the deep-rooted avarice within his soul.
"How do you control it?" Kyle throws a curveball.
"Stay on topic, kid," Green Arrow mumbles, earning him the ire of Agent Orange. Needless to say, the lantern doesn't appreciate whispering and conspiring.
"Everything around here is yours, right? What's to stop you from taking everything else for yourself?" Kyle ignores Green Arrow and carries on, his words having some measure of impact on Agent Orange, and his ring's concentration begins to waver ever so slightly. "Must be some days you want to give it all up."
"The simple answer, human, is that I cannot. What's mine is mine, and no-one will take it from me," Larfleeze answers, to which Kyle begins to nod his head in understanding.
"Uh, keep it up kid," Green Arrow motion for Kyle to carry on.
Kyle just needs to understand. Of all the emotions on the spectrum, this one is probably the hardest for a true hero to comprehend. Willpower is a necessity, and fear is understandable. But, this need Larfleeze has to keep everything to himself for no reason other than possession of it, it goes against everything someone who aspires to be a hero should stand for.
A quiet rumbling invades the room as Larfleeze tenses and looks behind him. Next to his bright, powerful Lantern Battery is a single ring amidst an abundance of orange rings. However, this one is shifting uneasily in place, causing the rumbling and bringing something to the attention of Larfleeze which Kyle had hoped to avoid.
"Thief," Kyle can hear Agent Orange angrily mutter to himself.
For once, Kyle examines Larfleeze's eyes and sees something other than paranoia and suspicion.
Desperation.
Even with all this power summoned onto one ring, Larfleeze is still desperate. Desperate for power, desperate for respect, and most importantly, desperation to not let go of everything he has accomplished.
Though, the way he's staring at Kyle isn't due to the greed within his heart. It's conflict, as though the lantern really wishes to let go of his greed and turn this sorry existence around, but there's only one thing holding him back.
He can't control it.
All this time, Kyle has been attempting to uncover the mysterious danger of avarice through the lens of a hero and the mind of a villain. But, the solemn truth is.. there's not controlling avarice, and the more you try, the deeper it drowns you.
Avarice controls you.
Kyle's moment of realisation and understanding is halted as the orange ring he had been noticing soars from the rest and embeds itself deeply onto the finger of Kyle. Green Arrow's eyes widen for a split-second as he digests what had just happened, but then realises the consequences.
"You CANNOT take it from me!"
Bright orange light bounces around the cave as Kyle and Green Arrow attempt to avoid it's tendrils. They seek out Kyle in particular, seeing Green Arrow only as a hinderance, and enclose the former lantern within it's uncontrollable need.
Green Arrow draws an arrow and swiftly places it onto his bow, but before he could loosen an arrow, more bright orange light seeps from inside the enclosure of greed and explodes outward.
Kyle zooms straight for Green Arrow as he moves outside of the prison he broke out of, flying straight for the exit and grabbing Green Arrow in one simultaneous motion. Whilst trying to leave, Hal, Shazam and the Flash join them. Though not having the time to speak as they attempt to outrun the constructs chasing after them, Hal's eyes widen the moment he lays his eyes upon Kyle's orange suit.
Barrelling through cave walls and humanoid constructs alike, they soon come across the open exit of the cave, where the others are waiting patiently.
"Now!" Wonder Woman yells to the other members of the team at the entrance, and they set to work on the superstructure, bashing into it with all their might. Soon, what began as a few little rumbles from an enraged lantern following them became a tsunami of the unmistakable sounds of rocks falling as the cave began to collapse.
Only just making it out of the entrance, Kyle and Hal quickly make sure the team is fully protected from the rigours of deep space and set off to find relative safety from any retaliation.
"Man! It's good to be back!" Kyle yells, his heart positively trying to escape from his chest.
"Hear hear!" Green Arrow gasps, clutching his heart and breathing heavily.
Kyle opens his mouth to congratulate the team, but a green construct crushes down on his sides, trapping his ring hand by his side.
"Take it off Kyle!" Hal commands, pointing his ring directly in Kyle's face.
"What do you think you're doing, Hal!" Wonder Woman grabs the Green Lantern by the shoulder and pushes him away as far as being in space would allow.
Pausing, Hal points to the ring now currently making it's home on Kyle's finger. "How the hell did he get that on? No-one has been given or taken one of Larfleeze's ring in over a millennium, so I want to know what's going on!"
Although the constructs bearing down on his sides are painful and more than annoying, Kyle shares in Hal's distrust and apprehension in this case. He doesn't want to ever wear a ring fuelled by avarice, but if that's what it takes to complete his mission, then so be it.
"I get it Hal, so how about you let me out and I take off my ring, huh?" Kyle implores Hal.
Thinking about it, Hal eventually concedes and relinquishes his control over Kyle's body. True to his word, Kyle grabs his ring and though it takes much more willpower than he first believed it would, he yanks off the power ring, only being saved from the vacuum of space by Hal and his willpower ring.
"Talk," Hal orders, and the other share in his commandment as they all look expectantly towards Kyle.
Here goes nothing, he mentally psyches himself up.
"Well.. let's just say I'm doing my own version of 'around the world' but in this case, I need to master the emotions.. all of them. I already know about fear, willpower, rage.. and now Avarice. I can't tell you why I need to do this - and I barely know myself - but you need to trust me on this one," Kyle explains, and the team looks as confused as ever.
Except for Hal.
"No-one's ever attempted that before," the lantern says, astounded. "Then again, I doubt anyone has ever wrested a ring from Larfleeze."
"Until now," Kyle nods, "times are changing Hal, and whatever the world is going to be like, I know the world will be better if I manage to do this."
Kyle's words resonate with the assembled group, and after an agonisingly long wait, the Flash floats over to Kyle and opens his palm, revealing both the crimson ring of rage and the Sinestro yellow of fear. Taking them both, Kyle gives a thankful smile to the speedster, who flashing a knowing one in return.
"Do what you gotta do," the speedster assures, giving Kyle a pat on the shoulder.
"If you're going to do this."
Kyle turns around to Hal Jordan, who approaches Kyle and places a welcoming hand on his shoulder.
"You're going to need a helping hand or two," the lantern smiles, opening his own hand to reveal Kyle old Corp ring. "I'm trusting you on this one Kyle, so don't let me down. Whatever this is.. you're going to have to deal with one old cop by your side."
Nodding with appreciation, Kyle picks up the ring from Hal's hand. The veteran lantern wades away and allows Kyle the satisfaction of gazing upon the power ring which has given him so many memories and tribulations.
Not wasting anymore time in the event this is all one big dream, Kyle slips the ring onto his finger.
Welcome back to the Green Lantern Corp, Kyle Rayner.
"Welcome back.. I never left."
A/N
Thanks for reading my friends, please review and favourite and if you wish to speak to me about anything, please feel free to PM me!