Chapter 1

Calamity at the Food Court

(A/N: "Embracing the Limelight" is the sequel to "Avoiding the Limelight". Reading its predecessor isn't necessary for understanding the story, but it will be helpful to understanding who exactly Jessica Cruz is in this continuity. If the content warnings of the previous story scared you away, you'll be pleased to know the same themes of anxiety, depression, and PTSD are touched on but aren't the main focus of this story. Thank you for all the love and support, and I hope you enjoy. God bless)

Jessica Cruz hadn't had much of a social life before becoming a Green Lantern, which might have been the only thing about her life that hadn't changed. After undergoing combat training with Wonder Woman and Black Canary, flight training with Hawkgirl, and construct creation with holographic tutorials left behind by Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Jessica had officially become the Green Lantern of Sector 2814, as well as a probationary member of the Justice League. It was all formality however, and Jessica had already been given full access to The Watchtower, even the top levels reserved for senior members.

It had been five long months since the ring put itself on her finger, and nearly three since she started going out on missions. She was usually accompanied by a senior member of the League, with Wonder Woman being her usual chaperone, but off-world she was generally paired with Cyborg, when he didn't have Watchtower duty that is.

The first time Jessica had been in the vacuum of space she'd had a panic attack. One of the worst she'd ever had, but thankfully the tagline to the movie 'Alien' had been accurate. In space, no one can hear you scream.

Except that wasn't entirely true because Wonder Woman had been talking to her via commlink, and together with Jessica's ring, the two were eventually able to calm her down and talk her through the emotional meltdown. Jessica still didn't like outer space, and the few times she'd been called to move asteroids or help tow damaged spaceships, she had stood atop and anchored herself down to a Justice League Javelin while doing her work.

She knew it was silly, and thought for sure the other heroes must make fun of her behind her back. Besides the times she crossed paths with Dinah and Shayera, or was paired with Diana which was becoming less frequent by the week, Jessica spent very little time associating with her fellow League members.

When she wasn't being used as glorified roadside assistance, Jessica was hiding in her apartment. She still had groceries delivered to her door, but she didn't mind splurging now that her dad wasn't paying her bills. Being a Green Lantern meant being on call at all hours of the day, every day, which made having a regular full-time or even part-time job impossible, but thankfully the Justice League had a special fund for heroes like herself.

For three years Jessica's parents had paid her bills and given her a generous monthly allowance, but it had only made her feel that much more guilty, especially when her mother tried guilt-tripping her. Whether she actually thought it would help Jessica or was simply upset and frustrated with her daughter didn't make much of a difference to Jessica. She'd always had a good relationship with her mother, and still did, but her mother simply didn't understand and couldn't understand what she'd been through and how it had affected her.

She didn't feel too guilty receiving birthday and Christmas presents, but she rarely bought anything for herself the rest of the year on account of feeling guilty whenever she looked at the self-gift. Now that it was essentially her money however, her Amazon wishlist was subsequently growing and shrinking by the day.

Jessica almost felt guilty taking the League's money as it felt wrong somehow getting paid to be a hero, but being a Green Lantern and League member honestly was a full-time job, and at least it meant being able to buy Pokémon plushies whenever she needed cheering up.

Besides a couple of trips to Akihabara in Tokyo to get special edition gaming and anime merchandise, the only other outings Jessica made were to her sister's soccer games. Thankfully soccer, but especially women's soccer, was still a growing sport in the US, meaning there were plenty of empty seats to choose from, and stadiums weren't terribly loud. That would soon be changing however...

Sara was attending college on a full scholarship, was the star player of her team, and was all but guaranteed to play professionally in a year or two. She was a hero to all the little girls in their community wanting to be famous athletes someday, and while Jessica may have been a hero of Earth, her baby sister was her hero.

Today however was a special occasion, and Jessica hated her sister now more than the time she chewed on her pink Power Ranger as a kid. Sara's team was competing for the NCAA Division 1 Championship, which meant dinners, interviews, crowded stadiums, and worst of all, publicity. Jessica of course wanted nothing to do with the lifestyle her sister craved, but Sara needed a change of wardrobe if she was going to be in the limelight, and Jessica hadn't bought new clothes that weren't lounge wear since the fateful camping trip four years prior that took the lives of her best friend Phoebe and their boyfriends David and Ethan.

It was strange then to be walking around a crowded mall with Sara by her side but Phoebe nowhere to be seen. A part of Jessica kept expecting the fun loving blonde to appear suddenly with a sack full of goodies she had bought with her dad's credit card. Sara was a lot like Phoebe, a troublemaker with a heart of gold, shirking responsibilities whenever possible while Jessica took up the slack and acted as the voice of reason. Their babysitter in other words.

Perhaps that was why she tended to be drawn to boyfriends and girlfriends on the wild side that helped her live a little, because otherwise, living would've consisted of watching reruns of old cartoons and playing video games, and that was simply unacceptable to girlfriends like Phoebe and Sara.

She was dressed up for the occasion by her standards, wearing black sweatpants and a green hoodie, and not because she was a Green Lantern. Every time she wore anything green, Sara teased her about it, when in reality green had already been her favorite color due to always chose the Grass starter in Pokémon. Sara of course was wearing purple shorts and a matching tank-top, with the TCU horned frog kicking a soccer ball proudly emblazoned on her chest.

Sara advertised her college and team everywhere she went, in part because purple was her favorite color, but also because she never shied away from showing her athletic physique in public. Jessica meanwhile in her baggy pants and oversized hoodie was uncomfortable just thinking about people staring at her, and wished when she suited up there wasn't a Green Lantern emblem on her own chest.

"I think those guys are checking us out," Sara said across the table.

Jessica crossed her arms over her chest instinctively, and glanced across the food court before offering her a polite smile. "Sis, I look like I just rolled out of bed after not showering for a week. They're all looking at you, specifically your legs..."

'Or they're thinking about murdering us, or worse...' her fears warned her. This was such a common train of thought that her anxiety didn't even spike.

Sara hummed to herself as she squirmed in her seat, and made it a point to stretch her long legs as far out as possible. "I dunno, I think the short one might be into you. Or maybe he recognizes you as the new Green Lantern." She kept her voice low, but not as low as Jessica would've liked.

"Barely anyone even knows there's a new Green Lantern," she said. "Diana didn't ask if I wanted to be announced to the public like other League members, and she already knows the answer. I might not wear a mask, but only because they make me feel claustrophobic. The green eyes and highlights in my hair should keep my identity secret enough. Anybody that sees the ring on my finger in public will probably just think it's some cheap costume jewelry and that I'm a nerd."

"You are a nerd," Sara laughed, flashing the boys a sultry grin. "You're wearing Pikachu socks in public, but you're embarrassed about wearing a 'fake' Green Lantern's ring?"

"Pichu, not Pikachu," the ring corrected, keeping its voice low. It was semi-masculine today, but that could change by the time it spoke again. "Jessica gets upset when people assume every Pokémon is Pikachu."

"Do not."

"Do too," Sara said, still eyeing the boys that most certainly hit the gym multiple times a week. "Hey, Ring. You can read Jessica's thoughts and feelings, right? When's the last time lust overpowered her so-called 'great willpower'?"

"SARA!"

"Approximately fourteen hours, fifty-three minutes, and six seconds ago. Shortly after she saw Nightwing visiting The Watchtower. Do you wish to hear details?"

"RING!" She tried prying it off so that she could dump it in the ketchup, but alas it was as though her finger had swelled. "This is why I don't leave my apartment!"

Sara laughed and Jessica could've sworn she heard the ring laughing in a cadence eerily similar to her own. "What do you say we try seducing those guys into taking us shopping, Jess? Maybe they'll even buy us dinner after."

Jessica shook her head, and sank deeper into her chair. "I-I don't think that's a good idea."

"What, afraid some supervillain will try getting to you by hurting your boyfriend and sister?"

"First of all, you watch too much television. Green Lanterns don't really have arch-enemies here on Earth. Second, I don't know if I can date anymore after what happened to David..." She closed her eyes and saw him getting shot just as clearly as she had four years ago.

Sara reached across the table and held her hand. "I'm sorry, Jess. I wasn't thinking. I was just trying to help."

"I know," Jessica opened her eyes but looked away when the ketchup reminded her of blood, "but some things can't be helped..."

Silence fell between them not unlike the years of silence they'd share whenever Sara visited her apartment. Her sister had always been the talkative one, but it was difficult to know what exactly was going on in Jessica's head, so she usually stuck with trivial matters like soccer, school, video games, and television. Even when there was some conversation between them, there was rarely much actually being said. To Sara however, a hug or kiss on the cheek spoke louder than words. She was going to try to help even if she didn't know how.

"Is it because it'd feel like cheating on David, or-"

"I just don't want to get close to anyone like that again," Jessica interrupted, not wanting another therapy session in the middle of a crowded mall. She tried speaking again but her voice cracked, and it took several attempts and washing down the lump in her throat before she could speak again. "Sara, it took all of my supposedly 'great willpower' to get out of bed and come shopping with you today, and it still is. I'm still scared there are murderers around every corner. I'm still scared to talk to strangers, and the thought of having another boyfriend makes me feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Anxiety levels have increased dramatically since the conversation began," the ring confirmed. "Terminating this line of dialog is advised."

Sara nodded. "Alright then. No boyfriends." She gave her sister a playful wink. "You know it doesn't have to be long term."

She gave her sister a suggestive smile that left little to the imagination, and despite herself, Jessica laughed. "Phoebe was a bad influence on you. On both of us."

"And I can't thank her enough," she agreed, "and I miss her almost as much as you do." Her smile faded for a moment, but only a moment. Phoebe had been like having another older sister. A fun older sister, and although she missed her terribly, most days she was able to smile about their relatively short time together and remember only the good times. "You said Batman was looking into the case. Has he found anything?"

Jessica shrugged. "I haven't actually spoken to him myself. Never even seen him on The Watchtower. Diana tells me he's looking into it, but whether she's just saying that to make me feel better, or-"

"She's Wonder Woman," Sara affirmed, "and your friend. She wouldn't lie to you."

"Like her much?" Jessica said with a sideways smirk.

"She's Wonder Woman," she repeated, still smiling suggestively. "Who doesn't love Wonder Woman? Ring, of the top five superheroes Jessica wants to sleep with, how highly does Wonder Woman rank?"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"

Sara rocked her head back in laughter, drowning out whatever answer Jessica's ring might've had. The boys at the other table seemed bemused by whatever conversation was taking place between them, but a good-looking young woman, two if Sara was telling the truth, held their attention even if the eldest was a bit odd and more than a little nerdy.

Jessica's indignation subsided as a motorcycle roared to life, drowning out her sister's further teasing. It must've had a massive engine for her to be able to hear it from the middle of the mall, and Jessica's stomach sank while her heart hammered against her chest.

"Alien lifeform detected," the ring announced. Sara continued talking, but Jessica's training kicked in as she scanned the crowd of people for anything out of the ordinary. The ring announcing the presence of alien lifeforms was nothing new, and happened frequently on The Watchtower and even a couple times at her sister's soccer games. Nothing had ever come from it before, but either the ring was sensing malicious intent, or perhaps it was all the training with Diana and Dinah causing Jessica's sixth sense to go into overdrive.

Or perhaps it was merely the fast food not sitting well on her stomach. Anxiety and greasy foods rarely went well together.

Jessica also wasn't particularly fond of loud noises.

She didn't like crowds of people.

Sara was going to die. If not today, someday.

Her breath caught, and before she knew it, Jessica began hyperventilating.

'Jessica,' the ring said privately, 'there's no need for alarm. Merely caution. Take a deep breath and remember your training.'

Counting to ten may have worked for other people, but it had never done much good for Jessica. After so many years and failed attempts she assumed it was because counting to ten had no real emotional value to her, and overtime she'd begun associating it with panic attacks.

'Breathe and relax. Stress and tense muscles release toxins into your bloodstream. What's happening is perfectly natural. Getting oxygen to your blood will help you feel better.'

"Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Charmander-" Jessica covered her mouth to keep Sara from hearing her. She found that reciting lists of things she loved to be her greatest weapon against her imagination, and not long after she started, the ring announced that her anxiety levels were decreasing. "Pikachu, Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandlash-"

"What do you think, Jess?" her sister asked. "Wanna try talking to them?"

Jessica shook her head. "M-maybe some other time. I think we should leave. Or stay here and not move. Maybe we should wait until the mall closes and everybody leaves first. Or-"

Sara ignored her and got to her feet, impulsive as ever, but before she could take a single step toward their future meal tickets, the glass ceiling above them shattered. Hundreds of shoppers all around the mall screamed, including Jessica, but they were all drowned out by the thunderous roar of a motorcycle in the sky.

Jessica jumped to her feet and threw herself atop Sara, her powers and training forgotten but her instincts as a protective elder sister returning after years of neglect. "You okay?"

Sara groaned but nodded, wishing she had a red card to give her sister for tackling her. "Screw swimming and soccer. You should've played football with the boys, Sis."

Jessica raised her head, mindful of the glass that had fallen around them, but it appeared her ring's subtle energy barrier had protected them and the surrounding tables. Thankfully nobody had been sitting directly underneath the broken glass, and besides some superficial cuts and bruises, everyone seemed fine. Everyone could still run for safety at the very least. Including the guys that had previously been eyeing them, and Sara them.

"Ring, what's going on?"

"Listen up, maggots!" hollered a gravelly voice. Jessica finally turned her attention to the massive biker riding above them. "The name's Lobo! That L as in lacerate, O as in obliterate, B as in disembowel, and O as in obliterate!"

"You've got to be kidding me..." Jessica muttered.

"Anxiety levels increasing," said the ring unhelpfully.

Sara crawled out from under her sister and studied the hulking man with pale skin, dark hair styled like a rock star, and a chiseled physique matching that of any superhero of Earth. "Wow, he's kinda hot," she admitted, careful not to crawl on any glass. "Friend from work?"

Jessica shook her head. "Something tells me he's not a member of the Justice League."

"The Main Man's looking for something valuable," he said, his deep voice drowning out even the motorcycle. "It's green, round, and shiny, and worth more than this entire puny planet. The Main Man gave his word he'd deliver it to his employer by tomorrow night, and he's the kind of man that always keeps his word!"

The panicked crowds weren't listening. Instead, they were more interested in getting as far away as possible. Jessica had half a mind to join them, but she'd already hesitated too long, and now it was a sea of humanity rushing for the emergency exits. Without thinking, she grabbed her sister by the wrist and dragged her over the McDonald's counter.

"Justice League, come in!" she shouted into her commlink. "Watchtower! Martian Manhunter! Cyborg! Mr. Terrific! Anybody!"

"Calm down, Jessica," said a smooth sounding young man in Jessica's ear. "Cyborg here. What's the situation?"

"What's the situation!? I'm at the mall shopping with my sister, and some alien driving a motorcycle shouting something about being 'The Main Man' crashes through the ceiling, demanding my power ring!"

Cyborg sighed, and Jessica could practically hear him massaging his temples. "His name's Lobo. He's a bounty hunter and mercenary for hire. He'll work for anybody so long as they pay him, even the Justice League on occasion."

"WHAT!?"

"Calm down, Jessica. He's got super strength and durability comparable to Superman, but believe it or not, he's mostly harmless."

"Harmless? He's wrecking the mall! This is where I first met Santa as a kid!"

"Cyborg..." Sara said thoughtfully. "Is he the cute one with all the metal bits?"

"Not now, Sara. Alright, so send Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, hell even Crimson Avenger and The Question! Someone! Anyone!"

"No can do, Jess. Everybody in Lobo's weight class is busy or unavailable right now. All things considered, Lobo's a low level threat to those around him. He's more likely to kill or injure civilians by accident than on purpose."

"How does that make it any better!?"

"Jess, you're a Green Lantern. Crowd control is your specialty, and in case you've forgotten, you're in Superman's weight class too. You've got this. Watchtower out."

"Don't you hang up on me!" she shouted. "Hello? Hello! Ring, get him back on the line!"

"Come on, Jess!" Sara said excitedly. "You can take him! I've been waiting forever to see you in action!"

"You've contacted Justice League Watchtower," a recording of Cyborg said. "I can't come the the communicator right now due to there being either an alien armada, giant monster, robot army, zombie apocalypse-"

"Answer the damn phone you Frankenstein-looking answering machine!"

"-alternate universe Superman, evil clone of Superman, Darkseid, Supergirl after waking up on the wrong side of the bed, Lex Luthor, The Joker-"

"Ring, shut up! I don't know who's screwing with me more right now, you, Cyborg, or life in general." She took a deep breath and rattled off the Disney Afternoon lineup. "I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today..."

Peeking over the countertop, Jessica saw that Lobo seemed to be more interested in the local cuisine than the actual locals running for their lives, or more importantly, her and Sara, and her power ring.

'Have to get Sara out of here,' she thought to herself, everything else being trivial in comparison.

"Alright, Ring. Magical girl time." Jessica held up her ring and she was immediately engulfed in emerald light. Her eyes glowed green and highlights appeared in her hair, and she was suddenly wearing a form-fitting black and green uniform with white gloves and boots.

"You look sexy in your super suit, Sis," Sara said, admiring her sister's imagination.

"Thanks. Doesn't breath worth a damn though." She glanced over the counter again, feeling like she was in the kitchen scene from 'Jurassic Park'. Watching the lawyer get eaten always settled her nerves for some reason.

"It's because bad things are happening to other people instead of you," the ring chimed in. "Same thing with watching NASCAR. No matter how bad your day is, at least you're not on fire and didn't ruin a million dollar car on television."

"Ring, not now. Sara, here's the plan. I want you to-"

"I still think you should make it a little more skin-tight," she interrupted. "I mean, if you can give yourself as many curves as you want, why not go all the way?"

Jessica closed her eyes and massaged her own temples. Is this how Cyborg felt with every call? Or was it just every time she called? The malaise of fear was gone, as well as the hammering in her chest, which left only a thread bare temper remaining. She knew it was mostly because of anxiety, but her sister and the ring also had a habit of trying her patience.

"Both of you, focus. Sara, I'm gonna go talk to this guy and see if there's a way we can settle our differences without getting my ass handed to me. Meanwhile, I want you to get the hell out of here."

"But I wanna watch you fight!"

"Sara, I'm barely holding it together as it is. I don't need to be worrying about you while fighting an alien from whatever planet Gene Simmons is from."

"She makes an excellent point, Sara. Please leave the vicinity and get somewhere safe. I will keep your sister safe in return."

Jessica nodded, pleased that the ring was agreeing with her for once. "If I can hold my own against Wonder Woman, I can at least hold this guy off until the Justice League gets here. I hope..."

Sara grabbed her hand before leaning in for a hug. "You are the Justice League. Now go kick his ass, J-Bird!" She slapped her sister's rear before sneaking out a nearby door, but poked her head back in a moment later. "Before you do though, ask him what hair products he uses and what brand of eye-liner that is. He's gorgeous!"

Jessica grabbed a styrofoam cup off the counter and threw it at her, missing unfortunately. "I believe your sister may have gone a little boy-crazy during puberty and hasn't quite recovered yet," the ring said. "Either that, or she's attempting to cheer you up."

"No, she's just insane, just like the rest of the world..."

Once more Jessica peeked over the countertop and saw the bounty hunter filling his belly, now with tables and chairs.

*gulp*

"Okay, Ring," she whispered. "What's the deal with this Kiss fanboy?"

"Czarnians were a peaceful and highly educated race. They were noted for having incredible strength, speed, and durability, and for their cloning prowess. No significant wars or conflicts are recorded from their history."

"Were? As in past-tense? What happened to them?"

"It is believed they were wiped out during a high school science project gone wrong. The bounty hunter Lobo is believed to have killed his entire race for a final exam."

"W-what!?"

"Records indicate he only received an A-."

"And Cyborg thinks I can go toe to toe with this guy? He needs to update his software from Vista or-"

"Hey, human female," Lobo called. "You're not all as cowardly as you look. Make The Main Man a sandwich, will ya? Lots of pickles, onions, and garlic. Hyperspace travel makes me hungry."

"Did he just-"

"I believe he just entitled himself to an ass kicking. You go get him, I'll stay here."

Anger replaced anxiety, and more than a dozen movie one-liners came to Jessica's mind, but she kept her mouth shut on account of being afraid she'd get tongue tied.

"I'm not here to make you a sandwich," she hissed, hopping over the counter and landing with less grace than she would've liked. "I'm here to arrest you."

She approached the massive brute cautiously, and from behind. Jessica was just under six foot and as tall if not taller than most guys, but she didn't even come up to Lobo's shoulder, and she and Sara standing side by side would've still needed another sister to be as wide as him.

Lobo laughed and finished the chair he was eating. Afterward he let out a belch almost as loud as the motorcycle currently doing wheelies in the sky.

"I'm Lantern Cruz. The guardian of Sector 2814," she said more sternly. "P-please leave Earth's atmosphere immediately, followed by its solar system and neighboring systems. Otherwise by the authority of the Green Lantern's and Justice League, I'll have to take you into custody."

The Czarnian laughed, shaking the ground beneath him. For the first time he acknowledged Jessica and sized her up, his smile growing. "Keezy femme," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Ring, translate."

"Keezy femme roughly translates to 'perra loca'."

"WHAT!?"

"Would you prefer English?"

Jessica gritted her teeth and tightened her fists. All her life she'd been the good girl that bit her tongue, avoiding trouble whenever possible. Then for four years she'd hid away like a coward, each day slowly eroding what the young woman named Jessica Cruz had become after eighteen years. She still didn't have the fight to get out of bed some days, and she had a habit of crying when she got angry or simply 'because'. But not today. Not at this very moment...

"I'll show you who's crazy, bitch!" With a running start, Jessica leaped into the air and struck Lobo across the jaw followed by a flurry into his chest to knock the wind out of him. She wasn't aware that she was mirroring Wonder Woman and Black Canary's movements almost exactly, seamlessly transitioning between fighting styles, but it was after a string of obscenities yelled in Spanish and a knee to the groin followed by the jaw that she realized something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Her leg nearly buckled underneath her, and her fists felt as though she'd been punching concrete without gloves or an energy field protecting her.

Lobo laughed and popped his jaw back into place. "I appreciate a feisty woman that knows what she wants, but unfortunately The Main Man has a job to do. Sorry, little lady, I know sexual frustration when I see it, but the flirting and foreplay are gonna have to wait. Maybe after I get paid we can go out for dinner and get it all out of your system afterward."

Even more furious than ever before, Jessica raised her numb fist but with speed that should've been impossible for a man his size, Lobo backhanded her and sent her flying across the food court, through a wall, and into a sporting good's store.

She laid on the ground dazed, covered in sheetrock, not entirely knowing where she was, thinking only that Diana was a filthy liar. She did not in fact punch almost as hard as Superman.

"I believe it would be appropriate to throw away all of your Wonder Woman themed underwear now," the ring said, mindful of her splitting migraine.

"Did you just call him a donkey-faced rooster?" said a voice kneeling over her. A voice not nearly as considerate.

Jessica blinked and saw Sara looking worriedly down at her.

"Something like that," Jessica groaned. "Everything's a little fuzzy. Why are you still here?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world!" She helped Jessica to her feet. "We're in this together, Sis. Got a plan?"

Jessica steadied herself and instinctively put herself between Sara and Lobo, who for some reason seemed to have lost interest in her. "Not really, but he looks like a brawling kind of guy. I'm gonna put all that training from Diana and Dinah to the test and-"

Jessica froze at the sound of gunfire, her entire body becoming statuesque. It took Sara a moment to realize what had caused her sister to suddenly become immobile, having never witnessed the worst of Jessica's panic attacks or their triggers. She followed her sister's gaze toward a small group of armed citizens and a mall cop shooting at the bounty hunter, their bullets not even worth his attention.

"They're on our side, Jess," she said. "Even if they weren't, bullets can't hurt you."

Jessica nodded, but all she heard and saw were Phoebe, David, and Ethan being shot and killed. Then her parents. And finally Sara...

Phoebe dying in her arms. Slowly...

Sara dying in her arms. Crying...

A roar even louder than the motorcycle or gunfire cut through the air as Lobo raised a weapon previously strapped to his back, which turned out to be a blaster not unlike something out of a sci-fi movie. The civilians ran for cover, but thankfully for them, either Lobo was a poor marksman, or he simply wanted to shoo them away like flies.

"Jessica, you have to help them!" Sara pleaded. "If they don't get out of here, somebody might get killed!" Jessica nodded, but a part of her wouldn't have minded, as it'd mean the gunfire would stop. Why couldn't her sister understand she couldn't get any closer? Why couldn't anyone understand she wasn't cut out to be a Green Lantern? "JESSICA! PLEASE!"

"R-right." Jessica jogged toward the civilians after a push from her sister, but not before creating a construct shield and increasing the intensity of the energy field around her.

"Stop shooting!" she said between chattering teeth. The mall cop and civilians, six in total, God bless Texas, turned and while momentarily hesitant, recognized the symbol on her chest. She was thankful for the glowing green eyes because they hid tears, and the group wordlessly nodded and followed behind the crowds, keeping an eye on her and the bounty hunter.

"They looked scared," she realized.

"That's because they are," the ring said. "Even if it was pointless shooting at their enemy, if they could buy everyone just a few moments, it was worth the risk. Bravery is not the lack of fear, Jessica, but rather standing up in spite of it. That is your area of expertise."

She shook her head. "I know, but I'm still scared, Ring. I hate this, and don't give me that 'With great power comes great responsibility' crap. I'm doing this because I have to. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have even gotten out of bed today. I'm not giving you to that freak, but only because I happen to kinda like you. You're fun to watch movies with, and I don't have to charge my GameBoy anymore because of you."

"Do all human females get braver when they're angry, or is that just a Latina thing? Or are you angry BECAUSE you're feeling brave?"

"Ring, we're having a moment here, and this mall's not big enough for two sexist jerks."

"My personality is reflective of your own. That means my sense of humor is yours as well. Also, I'm attempting to lower your anxiety levels."

Jessica wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "Thanks. I'm probably the least impressive Green Lantern that's ever worn you, huh?"

"I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you mention it..."

"Alright, your highness!" Lobo shouted. "Olly olly oxen bitch!"

*bzzzttew!*

Jessica ducked and raised her shield, but was surprised to find after opening her eyes that Lobo wasn't shooting at her, but instead the jewelry store.

"It would appear he's shopping for rings. What, am I not good enough for him?"

"More like he's looking to make a quick buck before taking mine and getting the hell out of here."

She took a step forward but froze.

*bzzttew!*

"It's a baster, Jessica," she muttered. "Not a gun. Totally different. One puts bullets in you, the other cremates you. One puts you in a casket, the other puts you in an urn."

Phoebe, David, and Ethan's caskets flashed in her mind, and she nearly vomited.

"Jessica Cruz," the ring said, "you are the first wielder of this ring to be more afraid of tiny pieces of lead than than a particle vaporizer."

"Hey, you chose me, remember?" she said, wiping her mouth. "I didn't sign up for this! Do you have anything useful to say or not? Even if you don't, keep talking. It helps..."

"His blaster is antimatter. Your constructs are made out of pure energy. It will have next to no effect on your constructs, and would merely be inconvenient to get shot by it while your energy field is active. Getting shot with Sara's paintball gun would hurt more. Remember the time after church you bent over and she shot you in the-"

"Ring, if you're wrong, so help me, I will sell you on eBay."

Jessica sprinted across the mall keeping low, and made it a point to study her target this time. Lobo was having his way with the jewelry store, smashing glass, pocketing whatever he was interested in, and blasting whatever he wasn't.

Part of Jessica's training had involved firearms. How to disarm a gunman as efficiently as possible, how to dismantle all manner of weapons, recognize their threat level, and even how to operate them when necessary. Just touching a gun made Jessica sick, but while destroying them was therapeutic to a certain degree, it also made her feel like a little girl again doing something she shouldn't, and that she'd get in trouble and severely punished in front of God and everyone. And then a decade later she'd lie in bed all night thinking about what she could've or should've said or done instead.

"Control the barrel, control the gun. Destroy the barrel, destroy the gun," the ring reminded her. "You've got this, J-Bird."

"Alright, let's give this another shot." She snuck as close as she was willing to get. "I think I've got an idea. Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

From her ring emerged a small creature reminiscent of a toad with a bulb growing on its back. Jessica immediately squealed, and couldn't help jumping up and down while clapping. "Use Vine Whip!"

The figment of her imagination complied and wrapped tendrils of vine-like constructs around the barrel of the blaster and pointed it toward the ceiling. That way she wouldn't have to find out whether her ring was telling the truth or not.

"Hey, hands off!" Lobo attempted pulling the weapon free, but controlling the barrel of a gun was much easier than the rest of it. He managed to fire off a couple of energy blasts, but for the sake of the shop and to satiate her own curiosity, Jessica used more vines to create a capture net. To her surprise, the condensed antimatter dissipated immediately after hitting the energy from her ring.

"Have I ever steered you wrong?"

Almost giddy with how her first Pokémon battle was going, Jessica struck a victory pose. "Razor Leaf!"

Leaf-like constructs sharper than razor blades flew through the air and cut the gun into tiny pieces, but bounced harmlessly off Lobo's skin.

"Aww man, I just got done breaking her in. You know how much an ARC-50 rifle costs in this part of the galaxy?"

"No idea. Is that what the jewelry's for?"

Lobo glanced at the scattered jewels around him. "Gas money actually. The Hog might be a chick magnet, but she's a gas guzzler if there ever was one. Now if you'll excuse me, The Main Man's got a job to do and the clock's ticking."

Lobo reached behind him and retrieved what she initially thought was another blaster, only to jump in surprise when a red laser blade popped out.

"A freaking lightsaber! Really!?"

"Unlike the blaster, I would recommend NOT getting touched by it," the ring said with an unusual amount of concern in its voice. "That is not antimatter. It would appear to be anti-life. Well, not ACTUALLY, but-"

"Yeah, lightsaber, got it." She took several steps backward. The blade hissed as if the air itself was crying out in pain, and Jessica's skin-tight suit was feeling awfully hot, and even thinner than usual. "I picked a bad week to binge 'Star Wars'."

"Would you be upset if I told you to try using The Force?"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't, actually."

Jessica recalled Bulbasaur, unsure if she'd be able to live with herself if her favorite Pokémon got killed, construct or not. Instead she summoned a spear and round shield just like she had trained with. They were Diana's preferred weapons due to their versatility and mobility, but Jessica simply preferred having a shield at all times and keeping her opponents at a safe distance. She didn't like the idea of blocking a killing blow from a not-lightsaber with her pitiful shield, but if she could just deflect it and-

Her thoughts were interrupted when once again Lobo moved faster than her eyes could follow, but her instincts told her to move right, hold the shield up high for a deflection, and stab with her spear. Her instincts were proven correct and Diana's training invaluable as Lobo moved and acted just as she predicted he would, but much to her dismay, her construct's spearhead bounced harmlessly off his chest.

"Recommended course of action," the ring said after Lobo attempted to bisect its wearer. "Disarming your opponent whom you cannot presently injure."

"YOU THINK!?"

Jessica had been right, Lobo was a brawler and seemed to have learned how to use a sword by copying samurai movies on television, which wasn't far from the truth actually. She however had spent months training side-by-side with an Amazonian princess that fought her as viciously as she might her most hardened enemy, as well as Black Canary who might've been even more skilled. Jessica quickly discovered she could in fact follow Lobo's movements, and that they weren't nearly as fast as she originally thought. She even found her own strength and speed increasing the longer the fight dragged on.

'Your powers are fueled by willpower,' a voice said. 'You grow stronger the more confident you feel.' Whether it was her own voice or the ring's she couldn't tell, but whoever it was, they were right.

She tried disarming her opponent multiple times but found his grip to be like iron, and so focused on trying to break the sword hilt.

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" Vines extended from her shield and wrapped around Lobo's wrists. He didn't seem to care too much, and was prepared for the razor sharp leaves that had followed previously, but feeling more brazen than she had in four years, if not twenty-two, Jessica's shield morphed into a whip. She might not have been stronger than Lobo, not by a longshot still, though the gap was tightening, but she was a hell of a lot smarter and better trained.

Getting inside his guard where the blade couldn't touch her, Jessica shifted her spear into a gladius and drove it straight through the not-lightsaber's hilt, shutting it off. "Always did like Mara Jade Skywalker best."

"Disney would disagree..."

"I'd hold onto something if I were you, Sweet-cheeks," Lobo said. "You just ruptured an unvented power cell. Gonna hurt like-"

The not-lightsaber exploded in Jessica's face, sending her flying across the mall. Her ears rang and her vision was dark, and her only sensation was that she was floating.

'Am I dead?'

"I have good news and bad news to report," the ring said. "Which would you prefer first?"

Her vision gradually returned, and was surprised to find herself partially submerged in water. Did she fall unconscious while swimming? Her classmates would never let her hear the end of it, and her coach was going to be furious.

Coughing and gagging nearby got her attention, and she suddenly remembered Lobo, the not-lightsaber, and the power cell exploding. "Good news first..."

"Good news is Lobo and your energy field took the brunt of the explosion. It would appear our opponent removed the weapon's safety mechanisms to make the blade burn hotter. My apologies for not sensing the danger sooner, and for not just assuming he's an idiot. Bad news is we lost nearly twenty percent of our power in the explosion."

"You're really starting to get on The Main Man's nerves!" Lobo yelled. "You break his sword, you break his gun, you break his heart, and now you're trying to make him break his word to his employer! That's unforgivable!"

He took a step toward her and Jessica tried to stand up but found her legs wouldn't work.

"I'm gonna teach you a lesson in respect, Lantern! This is sexual harassment in the workplace, and believe me, The Main Man knows sexual harassment when he sees it!"

"I can't believe I'm gonna die to this idiot," Jessica muttered.

"It is rather unfortunate, isn't it? Where's a mobster when you need them?"

"The first thing I'm gonna do is pawn that stupid ring and- OWW!"

Lobo grabbed his nose and looked around for where the blow had come from, and had just spied a basketball rolling away from him when another hit him in the side of the head. "Who's doing that!?"

Jessica turned and saw Sara with a line of basketballs she'd procured from the sporting good's store, and was firing penalty shots with deadly accuracy like the game depended on it, or in this case, her sister's life.

"Jessica, run!"

Another basketball struck Lobo in the head, but this time he merely laughed. "Gotta give you human females credit. You might not be smart, but you're never dull to be around." He backhanded the next ball out of the air, sending it directly back at Sara who caught it in the stomach and immediately crumbled to the ground.

"SARA!"

"Now where was I..."

Jessica slowly got back to her feet and raised her ring. "Don't take another step, bastard."

"Or what? You'll-"

A concussive force of energy sent him flying back into the jewelry store, and Jessica found herself submerged again in the fountain pool kids threw coins into and made wishes. She spat out terrible tasting water when her head breached the surface, and didn't bother trying to catch her breath. "Ring, can you tell me if Sara's alright?"

"Nothing life threatening. Will need to scan her to know further details. We however lost another five percent charge with that attack. Recommended strategy, ending this with a decisive blow. If that fails, retreating and recharging will be necessary."

Jessica climbed out of the pool, her suit already dry by the time she made it back to the jewelry store. Thankfully willpower and imagination covered frizzy hair as well.

Lobo groaned getting to his feet, muttering curses in his native language Jessica didn't care to have translated. She raised her ring level with his face, her willpower having never been stronger.

"Hey, uh, I-I was just teasing back there," Lobo said, backing away. "Sorry I hurt the whelp a minute ago. I know how much you heroes like them, but that ball to the nose actually kinda hurt. The Main Man's gotta protect his vanity, you know."

"That whelp happens to be my baby sister," Jessica seethed. "If you hurt her, and if she needs a doctor, I swear I'll-"

She didn't finish whatever threat she was going to make. Instead, she began channeling all of her willpower into a single imagination. Lobo without his head, or a head without a torso. She hadn't quite decided.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Too bad you're not me then," she snarled, thinking of the four years she had wasted not being with her sister. Missing her graduation, and not being there for her whenever she broke up with a boyfriend or the time she'd been in a car wreck. And now she'd been hurt while trying to protect her.

Her reason for living...

Her baby sister...

Her hero...

Phoebe. David. Ethan. And now Sara. All dead because of her...

Tendrils of green energy scattered around the room like a lightning storm. Tears fell from her face as she poured every ounce of willpower she had into the ring, more willpower than she ever imagined herself having, but every time she gathered enough power to wipe Lobo off the face of Earth, the energy seemed to evaporate and evade her grasp like smoke.

"Don't the Justice Dweebs and Lame Lanterns have no-kill policies?"

"Consider me a probationary League member and junior officer," she said, wincing from the toll it was taking on both her body and mind.

"A cop that doesn't play by the rules," he laughed. "A woman after my own heart, but I'm pretty sure your boring ring wouldn't allow you to kill me even if you could. Which you can't, but that's not what I was warning you about."

"JESSICA, STOP!" she may have heard her ring's warnings before now but ignored them previously. Now she was all ears.

"I-I can't!"

"Terminating action immediately!"

The light from her ring dimmed to that of a dull flashlight, but electricity continued crackling around the jewelry store, emanating from one of the glass cases Lobo had left conspicuously untouched.

"Now you've done it," he grumbled. "This was supposed to be an easy job so I could have money for the club tonight. Guess Candi, Brandi, Jasmine, and their kids are gonna have to make do without The Main Man's generosity this week."

Jessica took a step back, careful not to get too near the tendrils. "I didn't do anything! Whatever's going on is entirely your fault!"

"Actually, it would appear to be OUR fault," the ring interrupted. "I believe that jewel is what he's been after, and it appears to have absorbed our power. Notice how I keep saying OUR? Sorry, J-Bird..."

"WHAT?" She turned to the hulking rockstar. "I thought you were after my ring!"

"Your ring?" Lobo laughed. "What would I want with a Green Lantern's power-less ring? I've got three already. Still got the fingers attached and everything"

"Then why-" Jessica blinked, her eyes beginning to water. "WHAT!? EWW!"

"Can't use power rings without a power battery, which unfortunately are hard to come by. Believe me, The Main Man's got willpower and an imagination, especially when it comes to women, but I don't want The Guardian's hounding my ass more than they already are."

The glass shattered around the case, and a green pearl from which all the electricity was emanating levitated into the air, pulsating like a heart.

"Okay, what's the story about with the pearl?" Jessica asked. "And why is it growing and shooting out electricity?"

"Correction. The bolts of lightning are concentrated energy from the emotional spectrum itself."

"Yeah, getting close to that thing with a Lantern ring probably wasn't a good idea," Lobo said as if it should've been obvious. "Not really sure how it works since The Main Man's not much for details, but the orb is some kind of temporal vessel-thingy. It stays dormant until someone or something connected to the emotional spectrum comes along. Hate to say it, but you've pretty much doomed your entire planet, Sweet-cheeks. Gonna miss Earth. Best alcohol and strip clubs in this part of the galaxy."

"Why didn't you say anything before!?"

"I don't really like to talk about things that aren't about me. Besides, it's not my planet. If it was, I wouldn't need a demigod's help killing everybody. The Main Man's already a god of death, sex, violence, and death. In that order."

"D-demigod? Did you just say demigod?"

Jessica already felt like curling into a ball and crying, but the thought of having not just doomed her entire planet, but Sara as well was too much, and she dropped to her knees. "Oh God, I-I screwed up again."

"You couldn't have known, Jessica. I'm the one who made the mistake. The fight is far from over however. Stay strong, and remember your training."

She could barely hear her ring, and the pearl continued growing in size until it was a massive orb, and much to Jessica's horror, discovered the pearl was in fact a massive eyeball. Her vision was filled with an emerald flash, and when her sight finally returned, she saw a young woman standing before her with green hair and flowing robes made out of the same sort of energy as her suit. The strange woman's eyes glowed just like Jessica's, and she could sense a similar kind of energy radiating from her and the eye floating beside her. Only infinitely more powerful, and radiating malicious intent from the emotional spectrum.

Lobo stepped forward. "Alright, might as well get this over with. The name's Lobo. That's L as in-"

A blast of energy from the eye sent Lobo flying across the mall, and from the horrible smell in the air, may have partially vaporized him as well.

Jessica crawled away, hoping and praying they hadn't seen her. "Ring," she whispered, "what's the deal with this Keezy femme?"

'Her name is Sarya of Venegar,' he said privately, 'but she's better known as The Emerald Empress. The floating orb beside her is The Eye of Ekron. Recommended course of action, fleeing. Now contacting Justice League for reinforcements...'

"Well, well," the woman said, walking over broken glass. "A Green Lantern. I suppose I have you to thank for waking me. Rather poetic, wouldn't you say?"

Jessica froze and looked up, more terrified than she'd been for the past four years. "S-sorry, new to the job. Care to tell me what's going on?"

'Please start monologuing so I can fly away with Sara. I just wanna go home...'

"The Eye of Ekron was once a precursor to the technology used by your Lantern Corps, but it's since evolved into a god worthy of worship, and I its most faithful servant, a queen. Now kneel!"

Jessica screamed as she was consumed by burning light, her only thoughts being of regret, with the biggest being Sara, and having gotten out of bed that day...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I originally conceptualized this story as a one-shot where Jessica fights a "brute" villain like Bane or King Shark, but they weren't quite in the same weight class as a Green Lantern. That's when I remembered Lobo, and thought him being hired to relieve Jessica of her Lantern ring would be perfect, but then the story gradually took on a more humorous tone, so another villain was necessary. That's when Emerald Empress and The Eye of Ekron popped into my head. Jessica Cruz has fought and shared scenes with them a few times in her character's history, and I oddly think of them as being Jessica's archnemeses. As for Lobo, I really enjoyed the chemistry he has with Jessica, and I found him to be a LOT of fun to write for. He's rude, crude, and gets on everybody's nerves, but he always gets his comeuppance in the end even if he's usually able to walk it off. It's a pairing I've grown oddly fond of while writing this story.

I also really like the dynamic of Jessica and her ring being a "buddy cop duo", and the ring trying to keep Jessica's anxiety levels low and willpower high through humor and occasional motivational speeches is a really interesting relationship in my opinion. I also liked getting to explore Sara a bit more in this story. I changed her character quite a bit from her comic portrayal, but I really like this dynamic between them. I wanted her to be a stark contrast to Jessica in this universe, and be basically everything Jessica isn't.

The cover image for "Embracing the Limelight" comes from "Green Lanterns Rebirth #6".

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all of you. God bless)