After reversing the polarity of the machine while getting rid of the drain connection for Zombozo, I made my move.
Midnight Hope focused her power and used her energy to spread to Ben, Max, and the other remaining victims. She had her eyes closed while thinking of all the memories that made her feel hopeful.
"Come on, Hope…You can do it," Ben said, believing in his girlfriend.
"Look! It's working!" Silvania pointed at the people getting de-pruned.
Although the victims regained their strength, Midnight Hope was beginning to lose hers.
'Almost there…almost there…' Midnight Hope thought, starting to feel drained yet keeping strong with hope.
"Looks like Midnight Hope is starting to lose her light. We better shut it down," Max said, ready to go over until collapsing where Ben and Silvania helped him.
"We can't shut it down now! Otherwise, things will get worse for both the people and whoever's the battery!" Silvania explained, knowing the process at hand.
"She's right, Grandpa. Only Midnight Hope's powers can counteract the fear energy," Ben reasoned, although growing worried for Midnight Hope/Lea. "And I know she's got this. We just have to have hope she can."
As a last resort, she chanted her oath to give a final blast of hope with the remaining strength she could muster.
"In fearful day…in raging night…with strong hearts full, our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the war of light…look to the stars…for hope burns BRIGHT!"
The Blue Lantern girl's energy burst through the whole Haunted House. It was also strong enough to cause the fear mirrors in the mirror room to crack into pieces from that shockwave. Soon, everyone who was drained by Zombozo felt rejuvenated.
"It worked. I feel like my old self again," Max said, able to stand up with no problem.
"Me, too," Ben said, feeling his strength back.
"Wow! Your blue friend did it!" Silvania replied, seriously amazed.
After doing that, Midnight Hope de-transformed back into Lea and collapsed from exhaustion once getting out.
"Lea!" Ben shouted, already helping her up.
"I'm okay. That took a lot of energy and concentration," Lea admitted, seeing her ring in very low light. "I have got to recharge my ring when I get back home. And ask the Blue Lanterns how to master that healing thing better."
"I guess I should thank you both for saving us," Max said, before looking at the Ectonurite. "Silvania, allow me to take you to Plumbers HQ. We can help you get home to your main planet."
"Okay. But I don't know why you need me off the planet when my home is underground here," Silvania replied. "I live in New Phaetos where lots of Ectonurites like me live there."
"You're kidding me," Lea said, a bit surprised.
"Nope. There's even a secret entrance to get there," Silvania stated, grinning. "I should take you all there sometime.
"Nope! No thanks!" Ben said, waving an index finger. "I think we've had more than enough scary fun!"
"Very well. But if you're ever in trouble again, be sure to ask the Plumbers. We help protect aliens like you." Max offered.
"And the Green Lanterns of Earth here, too," Lea offered. "Same with Blue Lanterns like me."
"I'll be sure to think about that," Silvania assured, waving goodbye before phasing through the wall where she made her leave.
Lea then hugs Ben. And he hugs her back. "I'm okay, Lea. Thanks to you," He said.
"I almost ended up being another victim of fear, if I didn't remember the wisdom of my mentor in Odym," Lea admitted, looking at her ring.
"Then I guess you have learned a lot in Odym," Ben said. "And you must be very grateful."
"I'll be more grateful when we shut down the mirror room permanently and take the remaining Circus Freaks to prison," Lea stated, walking out with Ben by her side. "Along with helping everyone else out of this place.
So, my date didn't go very well. Despite defeating an evil zombie clown inducing fear in everyone, the experience has left poor Ben traumatized a bit. And I don't blame him. I would be in a state of panic, too, if I had to face a freak like Zombozo. The important thing here is that those Circus Freaks are locked up and won't be a problem for a long time. I'm not sure what happened to Zombozo, though…And I prefer not knowing.
Anyway, after Magister Tennyson called the Plumbers to clean up the Haunted House, along with shutting down the mirror room filled with fear-inducing reflections and having the prisoners free, I asked him to drop me over at Hal's place so I can check how things off-planet turned out for him.
I also took a quick nap on his couch in getting my energy back…Not to mention clear up a headache that later formed along the way.
After everything, Green Lantern returned to Earth and went to his apartment. And he looked like he was petrified. As he was going to lie down on the couch and sleep, Hal didn't notice someone underneath a blanket until he almost sat on her.
"AHHH!" the person screamed, becoming wide awake after being crushed which startled Hal in standing back up, and soon noticed him. "Oh…Hey, Hal. Welcome back."
Turning on the lights, Hal saw it was Lea. She was waiting for him after Ben and his grandpa went home.
"Lea?!" Hal was shocked but calmed down when he saw it was only the blonde teen. "Don't do that. You almost gave me a heart attack."
There's a first. I scared the Fearless Hal Jordan. Of course, I would never say that to Hal out loud.
"Sorry about that, Hal," Lea apologized, after sitting back up. "Normally, it's me being jumpy. I didn't mean to catch you off guard, but I had to chat with you and it couldn't wait until tomorrow. You wouldn't believe the crazy date I had that left me on edge."
"What happened?" Hal asked.
"Oh, you know. A regular night at the Carnival," Lea said casually, later sounding irritated. "Played games, had funnel cake, dealt with an evil zombie clown who trapped the haunted house with horror mirrors and drained people like raisins through fear!"
"Yeesh, and I thought Scarecrow and Sinestro were embodiments of fear," Hal said. "At least you made it out alive, right?"
"Barely. I almost lost Ben and myself, if it weren't for my ring reminding me of Saint Walker's wisdom from succumbing to my fears," Lea said, looking at her ring. "Oddly enough, that weird energy from the mirrors causing people to go paralyzed in fear…felt familiar somehow. And I can't help but think my Lantern ring saved me from being another victim."
"Maybe it's because your hope is strong enough to conquer any fear. Even with whatever you faced," Hal reasoned, placing a comforting hand on Lea's back. "What's important is that you saved people from something horrible. And I'm proud of you for that, Lea."
Before saying anything else, Hal hugged Lea in surprise. She eventually hugged back and smiled warmly.
"Thanks, Hal. I'm glad to have you to continue fighting as Lantern," Lea said, still hugging. "Just shows I can do anything with the right partner. How was your day, by the way, Hal?"
Hal's smile secretly dipped when hearing that. As if there was something he felt regretful talking about.
However, he finished the hug and changed the subject while acting cool.
"Just the usual Honor Guard business with Guy and John. Nothing big or exciting to mention. So…let's talk about something else," Hal suggested. "How was your day before the fear factor was brought in?"
"Oh! Well, it was good. We played lots of fun games and rode a few rides. Ben got a Mr. Smoothy certificate over a pie-eating contest," Lea said while bringing out a certain plushie from her bag. "And I was able to get this toy over a game of Ring Toss. Ben chose the toy and thought of me."
"Awww...Isn't that nice and romantic?" Hal said, touching the Green Lantern plushie. "Your boyfriend has good taste in superheroes."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Lea said, blushing bashfully while hugging the toy. "It's very sweet of Ben."
"Was there any kissing?" Hal asked, with a smug grin.
"Hal!" Lea whined, her cheeks blushing. "...There was some kissing."
Hal laughed. "It's fine." He then calmed down and Lea punched him in the arm. "Ow! Lea!"
"Sorry…Still, Hal, despite dealing with our worst fears and fighting Zombozo...It was worth it," Lea admitted, looking at her ring thoughtfully. "Especially when saving an alien ghost girl who was being used as a battery in promoting and transferring fear to a mad clown."
"An... alien ghost girl?" Hal asked, a bit surprised when hearing this. "That's unexpected. What was her name?"
"Technically, she's an Ectonurite. And her name is Silvania," Lea answered, looking at Hal. "Ben and I managed to get her out, and she helped out by scaring the confetti out of Zombozo. To say the least...we were lucky she was on our side."
"Huh. Other than the aliens I know, Earth may have many more aliens out there that we have never heard of." Hal said. "First Fro'Gieon, and now this Silvania. I wonder how many alien creatures are out there that we don't know of? That you, me, John, Guy, and the Justice League never heard of?"
"I'm not sure. But whatever aliens are out there, we'll be ready," Lea assured. "Who knows? We might be lucky enough to see Fro'Gieon and Silvania again to help us out with any future problems. Maybe more allies."
"Maybe. I know some aliens and mutants have been living on Earth for a while." Hal said. "But if there's more out there, then that must mean, the universe is more endless than we realize." But he smiles at Lea. "But your right. We might see potential allies."
"Exactly...I hope Silvania is enjoying her freedom," Lea said, looking up in thought.
I wasn't wrong, though.
I realized just how powerful hope can be against fear. My lessons from the Blue Lantern Corps saved me from being another victim of a supervillain's evil plans. And it's obvious that my path in hope will come in handy more in the future.
As for Silvania, she's happily back in her underground city called New Phaetos. Even promised to come to visit us whenever. I'm just happy she's free now and living her alien ghost life.
However, what neither of us knew...was that Silvania will be back with some new surprises...
Somewhere deep underground at New Phaetos full of many Ectonurites, Silvania was in her dusty room holding her creepy doll. A cracked, creepy porcelain doll with long, ratty blonde hair, a tattered while laced dress, and spooky blue eyes.
To humans, a doll like that would terrify anyone. But to Ectonurite girls like Silvania, this is a precious doll everyone wants. That doll was like a best friend to Silvania where she'd tell and do everything.
"What a night, Scaraline...I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that mean clown anymore," Silvania responded, looking at her doll. "At least, it's finally over."
Suddenly, something yellow was glowing from above. At first, Silvania panicked that the sun somehow got through that could hurt her. However, she realized it couldn't be the sun since she lives deep underground. Not to mention that this specific light isn't hurting her.
"I...I'm not burning?" Silvania questioned, now growing curious.
Turns out, the light was coming from a floating yellow ring. Along with having a disembodied voice.
"Silvania of Earth. You possess the ability to instill great fear. You have been chosen to join the Sinestro Corps."
The End...?
And that is another story concluded. Major thanks to Alvaxerox for helping me out with this story. Also, I would also like to give credit to another user who I haven't chat with in a long while yet made this Silvania thing happen: NewbienovelistRD. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to expand my imagination of creating an Ectonurite character and her background. RD always surprised in the best way possible. Hope you read this on how much you inspired me. And to say thanks for everything.
There were a few references I used from the original Ben 10 series episode called 'The Last Laugh'. Along with 'Ghostfreaked Out'. In case you all were catching on.
Rest assured, Silvania will return.
Remember. Each Blue Lantern story may or may not represent an emotional spectrum of the Lantern Corps. Can you guess what this story represents? I think this is another easy one.
And if you think this story was heavy and insane, then just wait. The next one will have some drama and deceit that will keep you shocked. Especially secrets being revealed.
Enjoy, and please no flames. Unless used to roast marshmallows.