Chapter 7: Hate Triangle
Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter. I want to thank you all for liking and following this story, even though I haven't updated it in a while. I had fun making this one! I'm still working on other stories, but I hope you guys like this one. So sit back, relax, review, and enjoy!
It was the Homecoming football game for Metropolis High, and everyone was excited.
"Man, people are really enjoying the football game," Jake said as he and Izuku grabbed drinks.
"Yeah, I've never been to a football game before. I've got to thank Jess for bringing us," Izuku said, sipping his soda. He then noticed a girl with long black hair, and pencils sticking out of it. This was Lois Lane.
"Welcome, sports fans, to the biggest game of the year! Lois Lane coming to you live from the field, where our Fighting Hamsters are sure to make this game out of this world!" Lois said.
Looking around the field, they noticed Jess walking with a guy with muscles and brown hair—this was Hal Jordan, a fellow Green Lantern.
"Kilowog's right, you know. You're gonna have to hit someone eventually," Hal said.
"Oh Hal, must you be so wrong about so many things?" Jessica mocked.
"Go get 'em tonight, Jordan!"
"Nibble on, Hamsters!" two fans cheered.
"Nibble on!" Hal echoed, but Jess walked away. "Hey!"
"Life isn't like a sports match, Hal. There are more ways to get a touchdown than by hitting people," Jessica said.
"Hey, Jess," Jake said, walking over with Izuku following behind him.
"Hey guys, glad you could make it," Jessica smiled.
"I want to thank you for bringing us here, like giving us tickets and all. I really appreciate it—well, we both do," Izuku said.
"Whoa, hey there," Hal said. "Name's Hal Jordan, but you probably already knew that."
"Yeah, I've heard your name thrown around here and there," Jake replied.
"When I score my first touchdown, it'll be for you," Hal said, looking at Jessica, causing Jake and Izuku to roll their eyes, hating this guy.
"Yeah, sorry, he's... yeah, he's an idiot," Jessica said.
"Clearly," Izuku added.
"Well, I'm going to go. My team really needs me. I'm basically holding the team on my back," Hal said, walking away.
"This guy's really something," Jake said.
"No kidding," Izuku replied.
"I'm sorry you guys had to suffer through that," Jessica said as the bus for the other team showed up.
"Oh no!" Hal exclaimed, hiding behind a trash can. "I didn't know we were playing these guys."
"Hold on. Is the great Hal Jordan actually afraid of the other team?" Jessica laughed as Jake and Izuku walked away.
Jake and Izuku couldn't help but chuckle as they overheard Jessica teasing Hal. As they walked further away from the field, Jake glanced at Izuku.
"I can't believe Hal would be scared of another team. I thought he was supposed to be this fearless Green Lantern," Jake said, shaking his head.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, I guess even the bravest heroes have their moments. But honestly, seeing him like that makes him seem a little more... human, you know?"
"True," Jake agreed. "It's easy to forget that even people like Hal have their insecurities."
Jessica caught up to them, still laughing. "You should have seen the look on his face! I swear, sometimes Hal just needs to be knocked down a peg or two."
"Well, you're good at that," Jake said with a smirk. "But seriously, what's up with that other team? They can't be that scary, right?"
Jessica shrugged. "They're just really good. Hal's had a rough history with them—apparently, they beat his team pretty badly last year, and he's been dreading this rematch ever since."
Izuku raised an eyebrow. "So, it's more about his pride than anything else?"
"Pretty much," Jessica replied. "But he'll pull through. Hal always does. Even if he acts like a goofball sometimes."
Jake grinned. "Sounds like you've got a lot of faith in him."
Jessica smiled. "Yeah, well, he's a good guy deep down. Just needs a little push sometimes."
As they continued walking, the sounds of the game echoed in the background. Jake glanced back at the field, where Hal was reluctantly emerging from behind the trash can, trying to regain his composure.
"You know," Jake said thoughtfully, "maybe we should stick around and watch the game. If Hal's going to pull through, it might be fun to see it happen."
Izuku smiled. "I'm down. Plus, I want to see if Hal really does have what it takes."
Jessica grinned. "Alright then, let's head back and see how this plays out. Maybe we'll even witness a miracle."
With that, the three of them turned around and headed back toward the stands, ready to support their reluctant hero in whatever way they could.
Nearby, Lois was finishing up her story.
"Get ready, folks! Our Hamsters are about to lay it all on the line! With stakes this high, the drama is… ugh, I can't do this, Jimmy. I just can't. Football isn't news. I need action, drama, heroes, and villains," Lois groaned, walking over to the stands where Jake and Izuku were sitting. "Hey, is this seat taken?"
"Oh, here you go. Have a seat," Jake said.
"Hey, aren't you the girl who runs the school paper? Lois, right?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, for now. Sadly, people won't read school news if nothing exciting happens. I need action or my paper is dead," Lois said, just as a bright pink light shone behind them.
"Huh?" The three of them turned around and gasped when they saw Carol—now in a pink dress with a pink crown on her head. This was Star Sapphire.
"Thought you got rid of me, didn't you, Hal Jordan? Well, now you're mine!" Star Sapphire said, throwing hearts at the field that caused explosions.
"How's that for action?" Jake said.
"Jackpot," Lois smiled, standing up. "Thanks for the seat, but I've got a scoop!"
"Show your face, Hal Jordan!" Star Sapphire shouted as everyone ran for their lives.
Jake and Izuku exchanged a quick glance, their expressions tense as the chaos unfolded around them. Without saying a word, they quickly ducked under the bleachers to avoid the panicking crowd.
"This is getting out of hand," Jake muttered as they crouched behind the metal supports. He reached into his pocket, pulling out Kwasi, the Ladybug Kwami. "We need to stop her before she does any more damage."
Izuku nodded, already reaching into his own pocket to release Ravage, the Black Cat Kwami. "Yeah, we don't have much time. Let's do this."
Kwasi floated up, his eyes sharp and focused. "Star Sapphire is powerful, Jake, but with your quick thinking and luck on your side, you can handle her."
Ravage nodded in agreement. "And with you, Izuku, remember to stay agile and use your instincts. This will be no easy fight."
Jake took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "Kwasi, spots on!" he called out. His wristband glowed brightly, transforming him into Beetle in a flash of red and black light. His yo-yo appeared in his hand, ready for action.
Izuku followed suit, his determination clear. "Ravage, claws out!" he shouted. His ring gleamed as he transformed into Shadowclaw in a burst of green and black energy. A sleek staff materialized in his grip, ready to be used.
as the two heroes emerged from under the bleachers, eyes locked on Star Sapphire, who was still wreaking havoc on the field.
"Hey, Star Sapphire!" Beetle shouted, catching her attention. "How about you pick on someone your own size?"
Star Sapphire turned, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the two heroes. "And who are you supposed to be? Another pair of wannabe heroes?"
"Wannabes?" Shadowclaw smirked, twirling his staff. "You'll find out soon enough."
Without hesitation, they charged toward Star Sapphire, ready to put an end to her rampage.
Running across the field, Jessica and Hal jumped behind a popcorn machine.
"What's going on? Who is this girl?" Jessica asked.
"Her name is Star Sapphire, and she's super clingy," Hal replied.
"I can see that. What is she, some super evil, maniacal space princess or something?" Jessica asked.
"No, she's… my girlfriend," Hal admitted.
"Wait, what?" Jessica asked in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Lois was running toward Star Sapphire with her camera ready. "Now this is drama," she said but quickly ducked as she narrowly dodged a blast. "On second thought, I could do with a little less drama."
As another blast flew toward her, something suddenly grabbed Lois in a flash of green lightning and pulled her to safety.
"Whoa, you okay?" Lois opened her eyes to see Shadowclaw, fully activated in Full Cowling mode, who had just saved her.
"Whoa," Lois said in awe as Shadowclaw carried her a good distance away.
"You stay here where it's safe. I'll take care of this," Shadowclaw said, putting her down gently before drawing his staff and heading back into the fray.
"Whoa mama, now that's a scoop," Lois said, clearly impressed by what she was seeing.
"Need your help!" Beetle called out, blocking more of Star Sapphire's heart-shaped blasts with his spinning yo-yo.
Shadowclaw darted back into the fray, his staff spinning effortlessly in his hands. As he approached Beetle, he couldn't resist adding a little humor to the situation.
"Looks like this kitty's got claws," Shadowclaw quipped, deflecting a heart-shaped blast with a swift spin of his staff. "But don't worry Beetle. I'm feline good about our chances."
Beetle rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "Seriously, Shadowclaw? Cat puns? Now?"
"What can I say?" Shadowclaw grinned, effortlessly dodging another attack. "I'm just trying to keep things pawsitive."
Beetle chuckled, shaking his head. "Focus, cat-boy. We've got a job to do."
Shadowclaw nodded, his expression turning serious. "Right. Time to put this crazy catfight to bed."
With that, Shadowclaw leaped into action, his movements fluid and precise as he closed in on Star Sapphire. "Hey, Star Sapphire! Why don't you paws for a second and think about what you're doing?" he taunted, hoping to distract her.
Star Sapphire snarled in frustration, firing another blast of pink energy toward the two heroes. "I don't have time for your games, little kitty!"
"That's a shame," Shadowclaw replied, sidestepping the attack. "Because I was just getting started. How about you take a cat nap instead?"
Beetle took advantage of Star Sapphire's distraction, launching his yo-yo with precision to bind her arm. "Nice one, Shadowclaw! Let's wrap this up."
"Right behind you, Beetle!" Shadowclaw said, his tone still light as he moved in to assist. "This is one fight she won't fur-get."
"Smash!" Shadowclaw yelled as he kicked Star Sapphire, but she quickly raised a shield to block his kick. A giant shockwave erupted around the football stadium.
"Okay, whoa," Beetle said, covering his face as Shadowclaw landed next to him.
"I only used One for All at 5% there," Shadowclaw said, glancing down at his foot.
"Why don't you take a few deep breaths? No one else needs to get hurt," Beetle suggested.
"My heart is already hurting, and it's because of Hal Jordan!" Star Sapphire cried out, breaking free of Beetle's yo-yo and blasting them both back.
"Beetle! Shadowclaw!" Jessica gasped. "Hal, we need to help. On the brightest day, on the blackest night—"
"No evil shall escape my sight," Hal chanted.
"Let those who worship evil's might…"
"Beware our power…"
"Green Lantern's light!" They both chanted, but only Jessica transformed into Green Lantern while Hal's ring just made a sputtering noise.
"What's wrong with your ring? Wait, are you scared?" Green Lantern smirked.
"Dude, she really freaks me out," Hal admitted as Beetle and Shadowclaw were thrown into them.
"Hey, guys," Beetle groaned.
"Did we miss the game?" Shadowclaw asked as Green Lantern helped them up.
"Beetle, Shadowclaw, help me get him to safety. Hal, run to the locker rooms!" Green Lantern instructed.
"You can't hide from me, Hal Jordan!" Star Sapphire shouted, firing hearts at him.
Creating a bow and arrow, Green Lantern fired them while Shadowclaw smashed the hearts away with his staff, crackling with One for All energy. Beetle knocked the remaining hearts away with his yo-yo.
"What did you do to make her so mad at you?!" Beetle asked.
"Nothing, she's just mad because I broke up with her!" Hal said.
"WORST TEXT EVER!" Star Sapphire sobbed.
"What?!" Green Lantern said, grabbing Hal. "You broke up with her over text?"
"Dude, that is not cool," Shadowclaw said.
"You never break up with a girl over a text. You know what that means, dude?" Beetle screamed.
"I put a smiley face in it. I'm not the Joker," Hal protested.
"Well, now there's a frowny face on my heart!" Star Sapphire snapped, creating a giant heart with a frowny face and forcing him to run as both the heroes and the villain pursued him.
"You are the worst, you know that?" Shadowclaw said.
"You broke my heart," Star Sapphire said.
"This is the lowest thing you've ever done," Green Lantern said.
"I cry myself to sleep at night," Star Sapphire threw the heart down, launching it into the air, but Beetle caught it.
"Can one of you please hit her?" Hal asked.
"I wanna hit you right now," Beetle said as the four of them ran into the locker room, where all the football players froze upon seeing Green Lantern.
The locker room fell silent as the football players gaped at Green Lantern and the rest of the heroes. Green Lantern quickly stepped forward to address the stunned crowd.
"Listen up, everyone! We've got a bit of a situation here," Green Lantern said, trying to keep the mood light despite the chaos outside. "Star Sapphire is causing a scene, and we need to get her under control. Just stay calm and stay out of the way."
The football players nodded, though they still looked uneasy. Hal, Beetle, and Shadowclaw exchanged worried glances as they regrouped.
"Okay, we need to come up with a plan," Beetle said. "Star Sapphire is powerful, and we can't just keep dodging her attacks."
Shadowclaw nodded in agreement. "I've got an idea. If we can get her to focus on something else, we might be able to get her to calm down."
"Focus on what?" Green Lantern asked, glancing at Shadowclaw.
Shadowclaw smirked. "How about a little distraction? Beetle, you've got that yo-yo with you. Can it create something useful?"
Beetle nodded. "My yo-yo can create a lucky charm, but the result can be pretty random. However, I can also give Shadowclaw the Miraculous of the Fox. It grants the power of illusion, which might help us create a more controlled distraction."
Green Lantern's eyes widened. "That's perfect! We can use the illusions to draw Star Sapphire's attention away from the stadium."
"Yeah," Beetle agreed. "I'll give the Fox Miraculous to Shadowclaw. He can use it to create illusions."
Beetle pulled out his yo-yo and opened it, pulling out the Miraculous of the Fox. He handed it to Shadowclaw. "Here you go. Use this to help us out."
As Shadowclaw put on the necklace, an orange and white fox-shaped Kwami named Tricks emerged. Shadowclaw spoke the unifying command, "Ravage, Tricks, unify!"
With a burst of magical energy, Shadowclaw's costume transformed. His new outfit was sleek and thematic: a dark black bodysuit with glowing orange and white accents that resembled a stylized fox and cat combination. The suit featured a sleek fox mask with sharp ears and cat-like eyes, and his gloves and boots had intricate designs that seemed to ripple with illusionary energy. His new hero's name was Feline Mirage
Feline Mirage weapon was a flute that doubled as a staff. As Feline Mirage, he activated his illusion powers by saying, "Mirage!" and used the flute to create a convincing illusion of Hal Jordan.
With the illusion in place, Feline Mirage ran outside, using his new powers to keep Star Sapphire distracted "
Once outside the football stadium, Feline Mirage stood beside the illusionary clone of Hal Jordan, manipulating it to engage Star Sapphire.
The clone, under Feline Mirage's control, taunted Star Sapphire. "Oh, come on, Star Sapphire. Do you really need me to validate you? I'm nothing but trouble!"
Star Sapphire, still furious, focused on the clone. "How dare you mock me with this pathetic imitation!"
Feline Mirage kept the illusion alive, making the clone mock and belittle her further. "Seriously, why waste your time on someone like me? I'm clearly not worth your energy."
Back Inside
Lucky Charm!" Beetle threw his yoyo into the air and from it a small hand mirror appeared. "A mirror?"
"Oh thanks, I needed to freshen up my look," Hal said, taking it and checking himself out.
Beetle looks around and peeks outside and gets an idea.
"I got it. Hal give me the mirror." Beetle said.
"But I'm not done." Hal said when Beetle elbows him in the gut causing him to drop the mirror.
"Now you are," Beetle said.
"What's the plan?" Green Lantern asks.
"Follow my lead," Beetle said as the three of them walked out.
"Hey, Star Sapphire!" Green Lantern calls out.
"You! You three will not get in the way of me and my Hal Jordan!" Star Sapphire yells. "I won't let that girl have him!"
" Wait No no no no no no! I wouldn't date that loser if he was the last guy on earth." Green Lantern said.
"Seriously, have you met this guy?" Feline Mirage said.
"This guy is a total idiot!" Green Lantern said.
"Hey, I'm right here!" Hal said.
Beetle holds up the mirror. "Star Sapphire there's only one real love that you ever need and it's right here."
Floating down Star Sapphire looks into the mirror and only sees her reflection. "Me?"
"That's right. You don't need Hal to feel loved. You can love yourself." Beetle said.
"You don't need Hal. I mean look at him, he's a mess." Feline Mirage said.
"Again, right here," Hal said annoyed.
"Carol he doesn't love you." Green Lantern said as Star Sapphire sniffled.
"It smells like dog food." Star Sapphire agrees.
"The only book he's ever read is a playbook." Green Lantern said.
"I tried to get him to read Pride and Prejudice once. He asked where the pictures were." Star Sapphire admits.
"You see, he doesn't deserve someone like you," Beetle said.
"The real love of your life is out there and you'll find him once you learn to love yourself." Feline Mirage said.
Smiling Star Sapphire handed the mirror back to beetle
Star Sapphire, now feeling more confident and self-assured, turned away from the stadium. "Thank you. I needed to hear that," she said as she flew off.
Feline Mirage, watch then let the illusion of the clone fade away.
"Thanks for the help, Beetle," Green Lantern said, giving Beetle a nod. "We managed to make her see the truth."
Beetle grinned. "Glad we could help. Star Sapphire's better off focusing on herself."
As Lois arrived back, she saw Beetle Had the mirror in his hands. "Miraculous Beetle!" he exclaimed, throwing it into the air. Beetle repaired all the damage made to the field, astonishing everyone.
Lois took a picture of Beetle, Feline Mirage, and Green Lantern. "Pound it," the three heroes said, fist-bumping.
Then Feline Mirage divided the two Kwamis, transforming back into Shadowclaw.
"Here you go. Thanks for letting me use this," Shadowclaw said, handing the Fox Miraculous back to Beetle.
"You're welcome," Beetle said, putting the Miraculous back inside his yo-yo.
"You know, you three could have just hit her," Hal said.
"Shut up, Hal!" the three of them said, before punching him all at once and knocking him to the ground.
"This was definitely the first. I have never been in a fight where we won without throwing a punch," Beetle said.
"That's why I believe there's an alternative to fighting," Green Lantern said.
"You might believe that, but will others?" Shadowclaw asked. "You're a hero, which means sometimes putting your values aside to help others in need."
"But... I don't want to hurt people," Green Lantern admitted.
"Neither do we, but if we don't stop them, innocent people could get hurt," Beetle said.
"Just think about it. In the meantime, try not to ask us to bail you out of trouble every time one of Hal's exes shows up," Shadowclaw smirked.
Almost instantly, Green Lantern and Beetle burst into laughter. "Okay, okay, you've made your point," Green Lantern smiled.
"Come on, guys, let's get out of here," Beetle said as they left.
As Lois watched Beetle and Shadowclaw leave, she thought, "Those two are something else and my ticket to the greatest scoop of all time." She grinned.
That evening, at Jake and Izuku's penthouse, Jake was lounging on the sofa, absorbed in a comic book, while Izuku was practicing his One For All Full Cowling techniques at the other end of the room.
Izuku concentrated on his movements, trying to understand why his smash didn't work against Star Sapphire. "I don't get it," Izuku muttered to himself, performing a series of kicks and punches. "When I kicked at her shield, it should have broken. What went wrong?"
Jake looked up from his comic book, noticing Izuku's frustration. "What's up, Izuku? You seem pretty focused on something."
Izuku paused his training and sighed. "I'm just trying to figure out why my smash didn't break through Star Sapphire's shield earlier today. I thought my Full Cowling would be enough to get through, but it didn't have the impact I expected."
Jake closed his comic book and walked over. "Maybe it's not just about raw power. Sometimes the type of attack or the way it's delivered can make a difference."
Izuku nodded, considering Jake's words. "That makes sense. I was using a standard smash technique, but maybe her shield had some kind of energy resistance or reinforcement that I didn't account for."
Jake leaned against the wall. "It might also be about timing and precision. If you can pinpoint weak spots or adjust your attack to match her defenses, it could make a big difference."
Izuku looked thoughtful. "Yeah, I'll have to analyze her shield more closely next time and see if there are any patterns or vulnerabilities I can exploit."
Jake grinned. "You've got this. You're always figuring things out and improving. Just keep at it."
Izuku smiled back. "Thanks, Jake. I'll keep working on it. I want to make sure I'm ready for whatever comes next."
Jake nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. And in the meantime, let's make sure we take some time to relax and recharge. It's been a hectic day."
Izuku agreed. "Definitely. A bit of downtime sounds perfect. Maybe we can plan something fun soon."
Jake returned to his comic book, and Izuku resumed his practice with renewed focus, both appreciating the balance between work and relaxation.
