What Hope Gave Back – Chapter Twelve
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"What is going on in here?!" Soranik's shout silenced the packed room, if only for a moment.
"You dare speak to me in such a tone?" Arkillo snarled, from the opposite side of the room as Kilowog. Clearly going into battle together had done little for their relationship.
She turned, glared at him. "I most certainly do. I can also tell Sinestro where you've been these past weeks. I bet he'd just love that." The advantages of being Sinestro's daughter were few and far between, but hell if she wasn't going to take what she could get. "Now. What is all this? I said visitors, not a party!"
The room was a disaster. Where Soranik had expected a nice, sedate gathering of friends, instead there was a loud, raucous party. Every available surface had a Lantern sitting on it and scattered in between them were plates and plates of food - not a morsel of it healthy. Not to mention the strange, coloured strands of something hanging from the ceiling.
"Uh, we just wanted to cheer Peesh up..." Kyle grinned sheepishly. "She deserves it, don't you think?"
"Oh no. No, I am not falling for that, Kyle. Absolutely not."
"Oh, come on Soranik, it's just a bit of fun." Hal spoke lightly, but there was the 'Corps Leader' undertone in his voice. "We'll clean it all up."
Soranik looked around again and pulled a long, brightly coloured string from Kyle's head.
"Silly string," he offered by way of explanation, as though she'd have the slightest idea what it was.
"Extremely," she said dryly. Still... Peesh did look like she was enjoying herself. She was trying to hide a smile even now and that was something she hadn't seen in far too long. Saint Walker looked amused too and she realised that he would usually have come to his friends defence - but he was enjoying the situation far too much. She groaned. If hope wasn't on your side the battle was lost. "Okay. Fine, have your... Party. But you ARE cleaning up. And keep the noise down." Sometimes, she felt like a babysitter to a corps full of children.
Still, she caught herself smiling as she went to attend to her other patients.
"She was a bit cross," Peesh said, in the aftermath of Soranik's disapproval and departure.
"Ah don't worry... We will clear it all up," Hal said with a smile. "There won't be a crumb left. We'll all help. Even Arkillo."
Saint Walker chuckled. "That will be the highlight of the day." Arkillo glared but Walker only smiled. "Oh, you will. After all, Soranik is Sinestro's daughter."
There was little Arkillo could say to that.
Xxxxxxx
The party was proof that both Walker and Peesh were well on the way to recovery and within a couple of days they had been released back to their quarters, which were actually starting to feel like home, though they lacked the privacy Walker preferred for family life.
From the window they could see the efforts of various Lanterns as they continued the clean up from the battle. The dead had been laid to rest, even the fallen Red Lanterns being shown the proper respect. Most knew that they hadn't chosen that life, that cruel circumstance had led them to their rings.
Shattered and damaged buildings were being rebuilt and Mogo was taking care of damaged fields, trees and the water supply. All was returning to normal again and soon, few signs of the fierce battle would remain at all.
Peesh leaned against the window, watching the work go on. "Arkillo is leaving," she said with a sigh.
Walker nodded. "He has been gone too long already. Sinestro will suspect. His previous loyalty will likely be his saving grace."
"I don't understand. Why does he go back to someone like that? Even his own daughter hates him! Imagine a man so terrible you are hated by your own child..." She could barely imagine it.
"It is not that simple," Walker sighed. "You must never underestimate Arkillo, no matter what he has done for you. He is a fierce warrior who believes in fear as strongly as I believe in hope. He has done terrible things before and likely will again. But he is also loyal to those he cares about, though I doubt he would ever admit it. He is as complicated as the world he lives in and we must accept that. While I would rather he gave up the ways of fear, that is not who he is."
"Your ring can't help with that?" She asked.
"My ring can heal those who are wounded, be it in body or spirit, but it cannot change a being's fundamental nature. Only the Indigo rings have that power and even then it is done with great caution."
"Oh..." She sighed, defeated. "Will we see him again? I know he's done bad things but... He was good to me. Without him, I'd never have been freed or known you were alive."
Walker pulled his daughter into his arms. "I am sure we will. Our paths have habit of crossing. And he will not forget these weeks any more than we will."
"I suppose that is enough. Do you think he will ever leave Sinestro?"
Walker chuckled. "We can but hope."
Xxxx
"You best look after her, Walker," Arkillo said, one large hand waving in Saint Walker's face. "I went to a lot of trouble to get her to you."
"I will, Arkillo. And I thank you again for all you have done. If you ever need anything, I am at your disposal." He'd have hugged him if he didn't think it was a sure way to lose a limb.
"Like I would ever need anything from a Blue Lantern." He made a strange sound, between a growl and a sigh. "More than once."
Walker smiled. "Of course. Regardless, the offer stands."
Arkillo snorted and turned his attention to Peesh. "Do not get captured again. You will likely not be so fortunate."
"I'll do my best. Thank you Arkillo." She hesitated and touched his hand briefly, to his clear displeasure. "Sorry."
He let it go and shot a look at an irritated Kilowog. "Next time we meet it will be on MY terms."
"Oh, stop." Hal sighed. "Thank you for your help, Arkillo and... I'm sure we will meet again."
"Most likely." Arkillo took flight and glanced down briefly, but he was not one for sentiment. He nodded at Walker and left without another word, his yellow light bright against the sky.
Peesh watched him go and leaned against her father. "I really am going to miss him."
"I know." He smiled. "But there are still plenty of friends around you. And I have been thinking, we should find a spot to build ourselves a little home of our own."
Her face lit up at the suggestion. "A real house? Like we used to have?"
"Yes... We can combine architecture from Astonia and the technology afforded to us here to create a lovely home. I doubt anyone will mind, least of all Mogo."
"A real home again... Oh daddy, I've dreamed about that. Thank you." Peesh smiled, something she seemed to do more each day. Things were looking up again, any troubles that remained were ones that they could overcome together.
Walker was glad to see her enthusiastic response to his suggestion. She deserved a home and all the stability she had been denied for so long.
"We can start looking for a suitable spot tomorrow. I'm sure Mogo will have some suggestions for us."
"Indeed I do, Saint Walker," Mogo replied, without anyone realising that the planet had been listening. "And I will ensure you have the most beautiful spots possible."
"That is most kind, Mogo," Walker said. "You see, "Peesh? It will be wonderful."
She nodded, though there was a brief hesitation that no one noticed. "As you always say - all will be well."
Xxxxxx
"How about here? It is nice and quiet and you can still walk to the corps headquarters if you need to." Saint Walker was confused. Peesh had been so enthusiastic about building a new home for them, yet they had seen a number of possible locations in the past few days and she had rejected them all.
"No... It's too quiet," she said, shaking her head, her growing tail swinging lightly with the movement.
Walker frowned. It was not like her to be so picky, especially given the living conditions she had endured over the past few years. "Well... No matter, I sure we can find something a little more active... Mogo says there is a nice spot about a mile from the headquarters... They had planned to use it as training ground but it never happened... I could speak to Hal, I'm sure he would let us use it."
She looked away from him, up to the sky which was now growing dark. Mogo's current orbit gave them a day of nearly fourteen hours, but that was nearing an end and they had been out since shortly after dawn.
"I don't know... That might get too noisy with people passing by... Maybe."
"Peesh..." He hesitated, not wanting to get it wrong, or upset her. "What is the matter? This... This is not like you. You have always been grateful of choices, not dismissive. Something is bothering you, something that prevents you from taking any of these lovely locations. Will you not tell me?" He worried that there was yet another hurt hiding, something that had happened that caused her to reject all she had been offered.
"I..." She hesitated, her hands twisting together anxiously. She'd hidden it so far, but confronted with his direct questioning, she crumbled immediately. "Daddy you... You've had to change because of me. Your whole life, since we were reunited."
It seemed like such a strange thing for her to say that he took a moment to absorb it. "Well, yes, but Peesh, I regret none of it. Having you back is the single greatest gift I could ever wish for. Every change is made willingly and without regret."
"Are you sure?" She looked close to tears. "You told me of your work on Elpis, how hard you'd fought to rebuild your battery. And you were going to find more Blue Lanterns, build your corps again."
"Yes... That is true," he admitted. "But the work I have done will not go away, I can return to it someday."
She paced around the grass, agitated and upset. "I don't want you to. Daddy, I... I know you want to do what you feel is best for me. But I want to do that for you. I know what hope means to you. And... And I've seen the universe. It needs more hope." She sniffed and wiped away her tears. "I love it here. I love Mogo and all the other lanterns. But... It's not where you need to be. I... Want us to go to Elpis. I want you do do your work. I want to help you." She smiled weakly. I didn't want to tell you because you'd put so much into making a home here for us. But in the battle I saw how much they need you. I... You always taught me not to be selfish so... I'll share you."
"Oh, Peesh..." Her concern and consideration made him incredibly proud, even as it broke his heart. "I can wait to do that. As much as I wish to bring hope to others, I must look after you first."
She blinked, trying not to cry. "I've grown up a lot, Daddy. Seen a lot. I don't need so much looking after any more. And you... Can still look after me there, can't you? I can't have all the hope. I want to bring others the happiness that you have brought me."
"You have grown," Walker replied, knowing his own voice was wavering. "You are becoming such a fine young woman. You are selfless and kind. I... Am so very proud." As she wrapped her arms around him, he held her tight. "Thank you."
The trees swayed softly around them and Walker heard Mogo give a sigh of resignation at losing two of his favourite residents. Still, it was for the best. Hope had to burn bright.
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