Chapter 10: Burning Hope
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Now I thought I would give a little backstory to my newest character and I think you'll really like what happens in this one. Please Review and Enjoy.
We find ourselves in a low-income neighborhood as the sun was setting.
Making his way through the neighborhood we see Aaron but he was maybe a year or two younger than he is now and he was caring a bag of fruit.
"Hey Aaron!" Looking over he saw a gang of thugs. "You got something for us?"
"Uh sorry guys not today." Aaron said stepping back only for another gang to come up behind him.
"Nah Aaron's smart. He's gonna give it to us." The leader said.
"Come on guys. Not today." Aaron said not wanting to do this.
Laughing the thugs pushed him to the ground and as they tried to wrestle the fruit out of him Aaron struggled hard but they beat it out of him.
A few minutes llater they left eating the food Aaron bought.
Groaning in pain, Aaron opens his hands to reveal three bruised apples.
In a rundown apartment, Aaron opens the door to see an elderly couple watching a little boy while his father was at his desk.
"Hey guys, I'm home." Aaron said.
"Aaron!" His little brother smiles running over and hugged him.
"Did you get the fruit?" His father asks.
"I did until the Shanks and Glocks stole most of them." Aaron said putting the ones he saved on the ground. "Any luck with a new job dad?"
"I'm trying Aaron but no one wants to give me a chance." He sighs.
"You boys, you can't give up hope." Grandma said.
"We'll get through this." Grandpa said.
"Yeah dad, you've told us that." Aaron's father sighs.
"Aaron what have we always said?" Grandma asks.
"Hope always burns brightest when things are darkest." Aaron sighs.
"Exactly." They both nod.
"I'm going go do my homework. I'm not that hungry." Aaron said walking into the next room.
Sighing Aaron's father held his head in his hands.
"Mom, dad am I a lousy father? I hate seeing what my boys are being put through." He groans.
"Of course you aren't. You're a great father." Grandma smiles.
Climbing up the fire escape to the roof, Aaron lights a headlamp and was working on his homework.
"Alright carry the one divide by—" Aaron's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of glass shattering. "Ugh not again."
Looking over the edge he saw the Shanks and the Glocks getting into another turf war.
Groaning Aaron turns off his headlamp and lays back looking up the stars.
"Ugh how am I supposed to cling to hope when every day I have to struggle to get by?" Aaron groans. "You try living in this hell hole and see how much hope you can muster up!" Aaron snaps before throwing his books across the roof.
Getting to his knees, Aaron sobs silently. "Please, please give me a reason I should keep fighting."
Suddenly a faint blue light shined as Aaron looks up to see something fly down and drop right in front of him.
"What the?" Aaron said as he saw a blue and black lantern floating in front of him with a blue ring on it.
For a brief second Aaron's eyes glow blue as he puts the ring on his finger.
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." Aaron chants looking up at the night sky. "For hope burns bright!"
Down below as the two gangs fought a bright blue light shot down in the middle shocking them.
From the light all of them look to see Blue Lantern walking out.
"War's over fellas. Shanks and Glocks stop this violence now or else." Blue Lantern declares.
"And why should we listen to some caped weirdo?" A Shank asks.
"Because if you don't I'll kick your asses." Blue Lantern glares.
"Oooh." The two gangs mocked.
"I'm not kidding." Blue Lantern said as he raised his ring and all the gang members were raised high into the air. "Now listen up. If I catch any of you causing trouble in this neighborhood ever again then your families will have fewer mouths to feed. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes." All of them whimper.
"What was that?!" Blue Lantern asks.
"Yes! We promise!" The Shanks and Glocks scream as Blue Lantern lowered them down. "Now go home and get out my sight."
Immediately all the gang members ran away in fear.
Looking to his ring, Blue Lantern looked at it. "Grandma was right. Hope burns the brightest in the dark." He smiles.
Years passed and we find ourselves in Metropolis.
Aaron's father managed to get a job in Metropolis and they provided everyone with a new home and a good paycheck.
At Metropolis High, Sam was walking down the hallway with Marinette.
"So Sam they need us to help at the bakery today after school. Apparently, they get busy around this time of year." Marinette said.
"Well seeing as how those two let us stay at their place for free it's the least we can do." Sam said when Lila walks out and he knocks her books out of her hands.
"Hey watch it!" Lila said bending down.
"Oh man I am so sorry." Sam bents down and helps her get her books and she looks up at them.
"You two look familiar, have we met?" Lila asks.
"I don't think so." Marinette said unaware that they did or would later in their original world. "I'm Marinette and this is Sam."
"Hi there." Sam waves.
"Lila, I'm Lois Lane's co-writer." Lila said.
"Oh you're a reporter?" Sam asks.
"Sort of. I help look into those superheroes that are everywhere." Lila said getting their attention.
"You don't say." Marinette said.
Down the hall, Aaron was at his locker getting his books.
"Well if it isn't little boy blue?" Aaron looks to see Hal Jordan walking over.
"Hal Jordan, never thought I would see you again." Aaron said closing his locker.
"Listen buddy, if you ever need a leader for your little group I'm available." Hal said.
"Sorry Hal but I'm the leader and if it's not me then Silver Claw is in command." Aaron said.
"Wolf boy?" Hal asks.
"Yeah he's the one who gave us the idea to start our own team. Dude's cool." Aaron said.
"Not as cool as me." Hal scoffs when his phone went on the alert. "Oh man not again."
"What's up?" Aaron asks as they walked down the hall.
"Uh sorry I just uh need to figure out how to block someone on my phone." Hal said.
"Oh I can help with that." Aaron said looking over. "Here go into your settings and then you just click this button. There you're all good."
Suddenly they heard a loud rumbling noise and Carol burst in across the hall.
"Did you block me Hal Jordan?!" Carol snaps causing Hal to yelp and hide behind Aaron.
"Uh Hal explain." Aaron said.
"Aaron meet Carol. Carol this is my buddy Aaron." Hal said as Carol walked over. "He was the one who blocked you from my phone."
"You son of bi—" Before Aaron could finish Carol tackles him.
"How dare you separate me from my true love?!" Carol snaps.
"True love? Didn't you break up?!" Aaron asks.
"Worst text ever!" Carol whines.
"Wait what? Hal!" Aaron turns to see Hal had ditched him to fight her. "Oh when I get my hands on that stupid jock."
"Hey don't you dare call my Hal Jordan stupid!" Carol said attacking him.
"Hey knock it off!" Aaron said kicking her off him.
Shrieking Carol leaped in for an attack but Aaron held up a book so when Carol punched it she flinches in pain.
"Ow…wait is that Pride and Prejudice?" Carol asks reading the title.
"Yeah it's a decent book." Aaron shrugs before bonking Carol on the head with it.
"Nothing will stop me from getting my precious Hal Jordan back!" Carol said about to attack.
"Why do you keep going for a guy who dumped you?" Aaron asks stopping her.
"Because I love him." Carol said.
"Do you? Because it seems more like you're clinging to him because you don't wanna be alone." Aaron said surprising her.
"What?" Carol said as he sat up.
"Look I get it, being alone sucks but he dumped you. That means he doesn't want anything to do with you. And I get it being dumped is horrible. You got off easy." Aaron said.
"He dumped me by text." Carol said.
"Yeah well dumped me by texting my dad. She said it would be better to hear those words from someone who "actually" loved me." Aaron said causing her to gasp.
"That's horrible." Carol said.
"Tell me about it. Look any guy would be lucky to date you and if stupid Hal Jordan can't see that then I pity him." Aaron said.
"Really?" Carol asks.
"Yeah you're a cutie." Aaron smiles nudging her causing Carol to giggle.
"Oh stop." Carol giggles. "Sorry I tackled you."
"Well if you wanna make it up to me how about a soda?" Aaron offers.
"Deal." Carol said as they walked away.
At the lockers, Jess and Hal were talking.
"Whoa, you just left the new guy to fight off your ex-girlfriend? What the heck Hal?" Jess said.
"Hey she might go easy on him." Hal shrugs.
"Or kill him." Jess said.
"Hey Hal Jordan." Looking over Jess and Hal saw Carol and Aaron walking together.
Yelping Hal hid behind Jess expecting the worst.
"Hey Jessica Cruz. Lovely day isn't it?" Carol asks.
"Uh yeah?" Jess said surprised by this.
"Well I gotta go. I owe this sweetie a sweet." Carol smiles.
"Oh stop it you." Aaron chuckles as they walked away.
"What just happened?" Hal asks confused.
"I think Aaron helped Carol get over you." Jess said equally confused.
"Wait what?" Hal said.
"Congrats Hal, you finally got her off your back." Jess said walking away.
"Yeah…I did." Hal said crossing his arms clearly jealous of Aaron.