Green Lantern Rebirth
Welcome to Happy Harbor
Shinji was in the kitchen making breakfast for himself. Hal was out all night "again".
"Same old same old" He thought but smiled anyway as he heard the door open.
"Hey kid" Hal called as he closed the door.
"Where were you all night?" Shinji asked as the man walked in.
"Out" He said as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a diet soda.
"And what did you do last night?" Hal asked.
"Read, watched T.V. did the last of my homework and patrolled the city for a few hours" Shinji said.
"No friends, over?" Hal asked.
"Of course, not" Shinji said as he placed his plate on the table.
"What do you mean of course not" a kid your age should have be having friends over, having fun, getting in trouble" Hal said perching against the table.
"I thought we were the ones who were supposed to prevent trouble?" Shinji said.
"In uniform. Out of uniform we're allowed to have fun. Life's too short" Hal joked.
"You don't have to tell me how short life is" Shinji muttered taking the last bite of food and downing the last swig of coffee, using it to wash away the bad memories welling up.
"Come with me" Hal said finishing the last of his soda.
"Where are we going?" Shinji asked as he followed Hal out of the Apartment.
"You'll see" Hal said as they left the building and walked around the corner.
"Here" Hal said entering a phone booth. Shinji followed and he closed the door. As soon as it was closed a light scanned both of them.
"Green Lantern- 04, Kid Lantern-b06" an automated voice said, and Shinji felt a tingling a flash of light and he found himself standing in a large room.
"Welcome to Mount Justice" Hal said.
"Okay, why are we here?" Shinji said taking in the large space.
"Well, a few days ago Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad had an "incident" at Cadmus labs, and long story short, the league decided to form a team of young heroes" Hal said.
"Yo KL" A voice said, and Shinji turned to see Robin and Kid flash walking toward him, dressed in normal cloths. Behind them were Aqualad, a tall muscular boy, and a pretty green girl with auburn hair floating in the air.
"Hi" Shinji said shyly as they walked toward him.
"Dude, what's up?" Robin asked.
"Actually, I brought him here to see if you guys want him on the team." Hal spoke up.
"Wait, me?" Shinji asked.
"Dude, having our own green lantern would be so cool" Kid Flash said.
"So, how about it?" Hal asked.
"It would be an honor having you on the team" Aqualad said.
"An honor? Who is this exactly?" the tall boy asked glaring down at him.
"I'm Shinji Ikari, it's nice to meet you" he said bowing.
"He's a green lantern" Robin said.
"What like you?" He asked Hal.
"Show them kid" Hal said.
"Shinji focused and called up his uniform" He formed a table and chairs and even replicas of Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad. He dissolved the constructs and shifted out of his uniform.
"So, any objections?" Aqualad asked.
"None from me. I'm Ms. Martian, M'gan, but you can call Megan" She rambled floating down in front of him.
"Um, okay" Shinji said backing away slightly.
"Superboy" The tall boy grunted.
"Well, now that that's settled, I'll be on my way" Hal said.
"Wait, what?" Shinji asked.
"You didn't think this was some kind of pit stop, did you? Kid, it's the summer. Stay, get to know your new teammates" he said as the glowing tube took him away.
"Wait, did he clear your position on the team with batman?" Robin asked. Shinji just stared at him.
"Okay, we'll cross that bridge when we come too it" Robin said grinning.
"We were having a tour of the base. Why don't you join us?" Megan asked, and her smile was so sweet Shinji couldn't refuse.
"I know, come with me" She said and floated away. Shinji followed suit, bringing up his aura and floating along behind her, the others following on foot. She took them to a hanger with a red ball sitting on a platform.
"This is my bioship" She said.
"Cute, not very aerodynamic, but cute" Kid flash said.
"It's in sleep mode" Megan said and put out her hand. The ball shifted into the shape of a twin pronged red ship that slowly rotated, its rear facing them, a hatch opening.
"All aboard" she said. The six of them boarded the ship, and chairs grew out of the ships floor.
"This almost reminds me of an Eva" Shinji thought as he sat down in one of the chairs and restraints grew out of the seat and buckled him in.
"Red tornado, please open the bay doors" Megan asked, and the large doors opened. The ship flew into the sky, and Shinji tuned out the others bantering, looking out the window, and losing himself in his thoughts as Megan demonstrated her transformation powers.
"Can I really be part of a team? I mean, I'm a green lantern, but that means I have other, better lanterns to rely on. We're all kids here, just like" He shied away from the thought of Asuka and Rei.
"Shinji, are you still with us?" Megan's voice rang in his head like a slap to the face.
"Yes?" He asked, turning to find all five of them staring at him.
"Dude, were you even paying attention to anything we've been saying?" Kid flash asked. Shinji blushed and averted his eyes.
"Sorry" He said.
"Don't be. I mean things like this must be kind of boring for you, being a green lantern and all" Megan said sweetly.
"That's not it. I was just, thinking" He said.
"About what?" Aqualad asked.
"And if you don't tell us, we can always have Ms. M get it out of you" Robin joked when the ship beeped an alert and Red Tornado came over the comm...
"There is a strange occurrence at the Happy Harbor Power plant. Perhaps you should investigate, covertly" Red Tornado said.
"Keeping us busy" Robin scoffed.
"A simple fire led you to superboy. Maybe we should look into it" Megan said as the ship descended toward the power plant. As it did Shinji saw that the place was swarming with tornadoes one of which came right for them, hitting the ship and sending it reeling. Megan managed to escape the tornado and land the ship in the power plant parking lot. Shinji followed behind them as they gathered on the ground.
"So, what's the plan?" Shinji asked when a laugh pierced the air.
"Where's Robin?" Megan asked as the windows exploded. Shinji followed, summoning his aura without his uniform. He had gotten good at using his ring's powers without the uniform to do housework and cooking and he was instructed to be covert. They made it inside to see Robin knocked against a pillar.
"Who's your friend?" Kid Flash asked.
"I don't know, but he play's rough" Robin said.
"How rude of me. You may refer to me as Mr. Twister" The red figure with blue tubes running from his back to his arms said. Kid flash sped toward Mr. Twister only to be thrown through a hole in the wall. Kaldur and Megan charged him but were blown back as well.
"I was expecting a Superhero and all I get are children" He said as Shinji helped Robin to his feet.
"We aren't children" Robin said throwing two objects at him. He deflected the first one while the second one imbedded itself in his chest.
"Objectively you…" The man was about to say when Shinji hit the object with a laser, causing it to explode and making Mr. Twister stumbled back. Shinji kept a continuous beam up, which pushed the figure back until he brought up a wall of air that pushed his beam back. Shinji stopped the beam, creating a shield around him and Robin that he had to struggle to maintain as the violent wind crashed over him and vanished.
"A green lantern. But so young. Does your mother know you're here? Do none of you have adult supervision. I am disturbed" He Joked.
"Sorry to disturb you" Robin said throwing more projectiles at him. As Robin, Ms. Martian, Aqualad and Superboy regrouped. They charged together. Superboy roared and leapt at him to punch him only to be hit with a gust of wind that sent him into Ms. Martian. Aqualad followed with his water mace but couldn't hit the man either, or he was smacked backward. Robin and Shinji stood side by side.
"Any ideas?" Shinji asked fist clenched, ring glowing.
"You're the green lantern. You don't have anything in that ring?" Robin asked as the man put his hands up and sent a twister at them. Shinji threw up a shield around the two of them only to have the man bring down his fist right on top of it, smashing it. The wind picked them both up and tossed them back. Shinji halted in midair and sent out a claw to grab Robin, depositing him safely to the ground as the man left through the hole in the wall. Everyone followed as Wally was thrown by the villain and caught by Megan.
"Ms. Martian read his mind" Aqualad ordered.
"But you told me not too" She said.
"It's okay with the bad guys" Robin said as the villain hovered over them. Shinji waited a dozen different constructs racing through his mind that could possibly take him down, but only one that could work.
"I have to go for it" Shinji said.
"Hello Megan" Ms. Martian said slapping her head.
"No wonder I can't read his mind. It's red tornado in disguise. That's why I can't read his mind, he's an android. And who else do we know who's an android with those powers" She said.
"That's why he sent us here" Aqualad said.
"He said we would be tested soon. Just something else to keep us busy" Robin scoffed
"Speedy was right, this team is a joke" Kid flash said.
"Are you absolutely sure he's red tornado?" Shinji asked.
"Dude just trust us. This game is over" Kid Flash said as they approached the hovering figure.
"This is over." Aqualad called up.
"Yes, it is" The man said raising his hands over his head and generating dark clouds.
"We will not indulge you, we will not engage" Aqualad shouted.
"He isn't who they think he is" Shinji realized as he backed up almost into the hole in the wall and gathered his will, shaping it into the form of a canon. The targeting system formed over his eyes and the reticle flashed. Lightning began to flash in the sky
"Can red tornado do that?" Kid flash asked
"You think I'm tornado, how ironic" The man said and sent a flash of lightning down on them. he kept the construct up as the others were blown back, knocked unconscious, only Superboy was standing. The targeting reticle almost centered as Superboy leapt at the man only to be hit by another bolt of lightning plowing him into the ground. As he hit the ground the target centered, and Shinji pulled the trigger. With a hum the canon fired a burst of green energy the same strength as a positron beam. Unfortunately, the man managed to dodge at the last second, the beam passing an inch from him, the power dispersing the clouds, setting his brown scarf on fire and leaving a scorch mark across his chest. Shinji fell to his knees, exhausted from the effort.
"Why was this so much harder this time" He wondered as his legs buckled his energy spent.
"Impressive little lantern. You have my undivided attention" The man said as lightning sparked again. Suddenly the man vanished from sight.
"I will admit, you children have power, but playing hide and seek with you will not help me achieve my objective. Face me again and I will show no mercy" He shouted and flew away.
"What happened?" Kid Flash asked.
"I put the bio ship between us" Megan explained as Superboy pounded a rock to dust in anger.
"What were you thinking?" Superboy shouted at her.
"I'm sorry, I was just trying to help" She said.
"You tricked us into thinking he was tornado" He roared.
"Superboy, it wasn't her fault" Aqualad said.
"It was a rooky mistake" Robin said.
"Just stay out of our way" Superboy growled and leapt away.
"Hit the showers we'll take it from here" Kid Flash said as he raced off, Robin following.
"I was just trying to be part of a team" She said.
"I'm not sure we have a team" Aqualad said.
"Shinji are you alright?" He asked as Shinji struggled to get to his feet.
"Yeah, that last attack took more out of me than I thought" He said hands on his knees.
"Stay with Ms. Martian, regain your strength" Kaldur said and raced after the others. Shinji pushed to his feet.
"Guess both of us aren't needed" He said walking to stand beside the girl who got to her own feet.
"You're the only one who got any sort of hit on him" She said as they entered the bio ship.
"Yeah but I feel like my guts have been ripped out. Everything I've tried to do today has been harder than it usually is" He said looking at his ring as he sat down. He was strapped in as the ship took off.
"That seems to apply to all of us today" Megan said as the Ship flew back to mount justice.
"All the same, we can't let the four of them do this on their own" He said.
"That's why I'm calling in some help" Megan said as the comm. opened showing red tornado.
"Red tornado, the disturbance at the power plant was a man named Mr. Twister. He's an android with the same powers as you. He's even immune to telepathy" She explained.
"They could use your help" She said.
"If I were to intervene it would not be to help. Though it is strange that this Mr. Twister shares my abilities and immunity to telepathy" He said.
"Hello Megan" She said slapping her head.
"Mr. Tornado" Shinji asked.
"Please, just Tornado" Shinji said.
"Hello, can everyone hear me?" Megan asked inside Shinji's mind. He ignored her to ask his question.
"My ring isn't working as well as it usually does. Can you take a look at it when we get back?" He asked as his inner ear listened to Megan's plan.
"The workings of the green lantern rings are beyond my ability to study. However, I do know that the rings effectiveness is based on your own mental strength and wellbeing. If you are worried or unfocused it will not work the way you wish" He explained. Shinji looked at his ring.
"Shinji, do you understand the plan?" Megan whispered in his mind. He shoved all the fears and insecurities he had been feeling around the team, about the team to the back of his mind and focused on one goal, beating Mr. Twister. His ringed glowed brightly in response.
"Yes. Let's do it" he said. They stowed the bio ship and he watched as Megan transformed into red tornado and flew away. Shinji flew a distance behind her, so he didn't give her away. He watched as she emulated Tornados powers by having kid flash spin in place to simulate a tornado and as she pretends to be damaged. He watched as Mr. Twister sent out wires that latched onto Megan's/tornado's head. He got ready, and as soon as she transformed her head, he struck forming a giant fist and crashing it down onto him. He grabbed twister and threw him toward super boy who punched holes in him, then threw him into the water where Aqualad was waiting. Twister crashed out of the water where Megan caught him and blew his limbs off with her telekinesis. As he fell robin hit him with explosives and Shinji finished him off by generating a spear of Longinus and sending it through the armored shell, the twin prongs holding him in place on the ground. He descended to the ground as a hatch opened and a man crawled out from under the pinned armor.
"I call foul" He said. Megan lifted a rock and dropped it on the man before anyone could stop her.
"I don't know how you do it on mars, but here, we don't execute our captives" Robin shouted.
"And I thought you trusted me?" She asked and lifted the rock off the crushed remains of the man who was a robot.
"That's why I couldn't read his mind" She said.
"Speedy was wrong, this team thing, so worth it" Kid Flash said.
"And we are glad to have you on it. The both of you" Aqualad said looking at Shinji as well. He turned away blushing as he used his ring to begin scooping up the debris.
"I really didn't do much to help" he said creating a dumpster to hold the pieces.
"You were the only one to get a decent shot in until the end" Superboy said.
"What was that anyway?" He asked as the bio ship appeared overhead.
"I'll explain later" He said as he hovered upward.
"I'll follow you back" He said. The others entered the ship and he followed it back to the cave, depositing the remains on an examination table where red tornado looked them over.
"If nothing else you make a good garbage man" Robin said only to be nudged by Aqualad.
"This thing was made to sabotage or reprogram you" Aqualad said.
"I expect you to solve your own problems. Do not expect me to fight your battles as I would not expect you to fight mine" Red tornado said.
"Batman, Aquaman Flash, they would have jumped right in. I guess if we have to have a babysitter a heartless machine is just what we need" robin said
"Dude harsh" Kid flash said
"And inaccurate. I do have a heart. It is made of silicon alloy. I also have excellent hearing" Tornado replied.
"In the future I will strive to be more accurate" Robin said.
"And more respectful" Aqualad added. Shinji took another look at the remains on the table and the five individuals gathered together and quietly walked away.
"What am I doing here? These guys, their normal kids. Even Megan and Superboy are more normal than me. I don't have anything in common with them" He thought as he activated the portal back to coast city.
"Shinji, is something wrong?" Meagan asked him mentally.
"Dude, where are you going?" Kid Flash asked. He didn't answer as he stepped into the portal.
"Hey, how did it go?" Hal asked as Shinji walked through the door.
"I don't think it's going to work." Shinji said as he walked into the kitchen and began cooking.
"They didn't really need me, and you didn't square it with batman before you dumped me off on them" He said
"Whoa, I didn't dump you off. I wanted you to spend some time with kids your own age" Hal said.
"You don't seem like the kind of kid who makes friends easily" Hal said leaning up against the counter. Shinji sighed as he continued working.
"I'm not like them. Despite the danger, their all so happy and carefree, so normal, even superboy as angry as he is" Shinji said.
"Did you at least try?" Hal asked and Shinji slammed his knife down on the table.
"Why do adults always say that when kids can't do what they want?" Shinji growled. Hal just sighed and pushed off from the counter and walked away
"I'm sorry Hal, but I don't know how to be a kid" Shinji said softly as he went back to work on dinner.
Okay, next chapter. Sorry this has taken so long but I've been working on other stuff and inspiration has been nil. This chapter I wanted to bring back angsty demon ridden Shinji. After all, what do you think would happen if someone like him was thrown into the rather bright personalities of the other members of the team?