Garth sighed as he was experiencing something he's gotten pretty used to while being on the surface world... getting stuffed in a locker. "Ha! Guy's shrimpier than Karen Beecher!" Doris laughed as her voice walked away.
"Great talk, Doris... glad we could be lab partners..." On the one hand, it was definitely annoying and humiliating to experience it almost every school day... but on the other, he was finally getting a 'normal boy' experience! No high royal thing where everyone has to constantly bow with respect. No, this was the real world where he got to be just like everyone else, and even make friends with people, and read comics! The comics were definitely a plus.
"Now how am I getting out of here?" He hadn't exactly reached puberty yet so his Atlantean strength wouldn't be viable. He could just use some water to manipulate the outer dial... but that would require knowing the combination. Doris kept locking him in random lockers, and the school was clearing out for the football game so he couldn't exactly count on someone coming in to get him. "Maybe I can... ooh, that might work." He activated his telepathic powers. "Brothers, hear me, help me escape."
Plop
Plop
Plop
Three fishes ended up flopping on the floor, gasping out for water. "... Right..." Goldfish were cool but not exactly helpful. "Is anybody left in the school!?" Garth banged on the locker. "Somebody!? Anybody!?"
"That's weird. I thought I checked the school for ghosts." A familiar voice walked by with an unmistakable cowlick.
"Iruma, in here!" Garth banged on the door.
"Garth?" The boy asked. "You got stuck in a locker?"
"Stuck, shoved in, same difference." He shrugged, as best he could given his current predicament. "I can't get out cause I don't know the combination …"
"Don't worry, I have a can opener that can free you."
"Wait, how does a can opener-"
Bang bang bang bang
Iruma repeatedly banged said device on the door until it clicked open, letting Garth out. "It might not be a green lantern ring, but a can opener can solve most of life's problems."
"Huh… would have thought a swiss army tool would fit that description better." He nodded along as he got out. "So, are you coming to the game?"
"Nah, I've never really been a sports guy, and nobody I know is playing." Iruma shrugged. "Unless you're playing."
"As macho as I am…" Garth grinned as he showed off his muscles. "I actually have a much more important job... I'm the water boy!"
"Ooh, keeping them hydrated, that is important, otherwise everyone will pass out."
"I know, right?!" Glad to see some people understood his value. "Anyway, Hal's competing."
"Who?"
"A guy I met. He and I are looking around the school to form our own hero team." He grinned. "Don't tell anyone I told you ... but he's a green lantern."
"Ahhh, so he must be the guy J-the other green lantern I know complains about." Iruma nodded.
"Wait, you know the other green lantern? The girl one?" Garth blinked. "Who is it?"
"Sorry, can't say, I don't like revealing other people's secret identities without them knowing. People find it rude."
"Riiight." He nodded. "Good thing I can trust a guy like you with my secret as Aqualad."
"It's a little on the nose considering Aquaman, don't you think?"
"Maybe, but if I want to be his partner, then I have to prove my worth by showing him I'm worthy of his name!"
"Aaah, like Batgirl." Iruma nodded. "I guess that's fair."
"... How many secret identities do you know?"
"Everyone's but Batman's." Iruma nodded. "Most of the time everyone leaves their faces exposed, so it's not that hard to figure it out. Although I will say an abnormal amount of them go to this school. Like I thought they were supposed to be mostly adults."
"Guess it's a next gen thing." Garth shrugged. Made it easier to make friends though. "So, did anything interesting happen back home while I was gone?" Garth asked.
"Nothing much. Aquaman's brother attacked, Lori tried to marry me, I helped find the trident of Poseidon, morning much."
"Oh, that's cool-Wait, Lori Lemaris wanted to marry you!?" He shouted, his eyes wide.
"Yeah." Iruma nodded. "She asked, I said no."
"The daughter of Poseidon ... you turned her down?!"
"Right." The boy, who was apparently either asexual or naive beyond measure, nodded.
"Dude, why didn't you say yes?!" He shouted. "Weren't you always going on about how much you wanted a fluffy romance and stuff?"
"... It just didn't feel like the right time to focus on that stuff." His surface bro sighed. "I would've loved to stay in Atlantis ... but ... it didn't feel right at the moment. Plus I'm fifteen. I barely have the experience of going down a slide, let alone the experience needed for marriage."
"But if you had the experience...?"
"I don't know, maybe?" Iruma sighed. "I don't spend a lot of time thinking of what if's. The only life we have is the one we live now. So I'm going to just… live the normal boy life." He smiled. "You know, kind of like you."
"Guess that's fair." Garth nodded.
"Honestly, more surprised you didn't convince Tula to come up with you."
"Eh, she still kind of has a prejudice against humans. I'd rather give her time before trying something."
"Riiight. That checks." The boy nodded. "You know, I met some Amazons that have a prejudice against men."
"Really? The Greek warriors protected by the gods Amazons?"
"Yeah, and they all think I'm a girl for some reason."
Garth looked the guy over. "... I mean, you got the dainty look to pull it off."
"Dainty?"
"Yeah, you're kind of skinny and your eyes look wide and innocent."
"Hmm… I would put on muscle, but that would cost me some athletic capability, and it would be harder to fit into small spaces …"
Jessica groaned as she floated back down from Earth, walking off another bruise from Kilowog. "That guy is always so rough…" She groaned.
"Maybe he'd be less rough if, you know, threw a punch." Her annoying partner, Hal Jordan, suggested.
"Easy for you to say. You live for fighting." Jessica groaned. Six months of wearing this ring and she STILL had no idea why it chose her. She understood the concept of 'strong will', and overcoming odds… But she had no idea why that meant she had to fight as a part of some group of space cops.
"Hey, I don't just LIVE for fighting... I live for my good looks too." Hal countered. "Fighting is just one of the many talents that comes naturally to me."
"Yes, fighting, violence, all coming natural. You must be SO proud of yourself." Jess groaned.
"Yes, but I prefer not to brag." Sarcasm wasn't his strong suit either. Neither was humility. "And not to get on a high horse…"
"Too late."
"But fighting HAS let me save the day multiple times, so, you can't really argue with it."
"There is a non-violent solution to every situation." She argued.
"... Really?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you just fight a little girl in a mech suit a few weeks ago, you know, fighting her to save the day?"
"We didn't fight her, we disabled her robots and got her out before it exploded." Jessice stood for her actions that day. "And it clearly wouldn't have escalated at all if her parents were more attentive."
"Alright, I'll name three situations, you give me a non-violent solution." Hal said with crossed arms. "Alien invaders."
"Diplomatic meetings discussing a possible mutual exchange of goods and cultural ideas to benefit both sides." She smirked. "Simple, all talking with no punching."
"The Joker."
"Tighter security around Arkham and fundraisings so we could provide funding for competent doctors that are actually licensed to treat psychopaths and the like." Most of Gotham's criminals, from what she learned from Barbra, seemed to mostly suffer from mental illness of some sort.
"Doomsday."
"Phantom zone projector."
"... That last one is pretty violent, you know." Hal stated lowly. "It's known as the worst prison in the universe for a reason."
"And all evidence shows that Doomsday is mostly a mindless monster that only lives to kill, taking him into another dimension is the only logical solution."
"So you admit violence is the answer." He smirked. Jessica punched him in the shoulder. "Hey!"
"Don't try to twist my words, Hal. My mind is set." She glared. "I won't fight anybody."
Hal sighed. "Look, I'm just trying to be helpful, alright. You can't expect EVERY enemy to go down after a stern talking to. It's like tonight's football game." Hal did one of his stupid poses as cheerleaders passed by. "You have to tackle the enemy head on and push past everyone in order to win."
"I know. Why do you think I came?" Jessica asked, pulling out her 'down with contact sports' protest sign.
"… Is this because you genuinely hate the sport, or because you're immune to my good looks?"
"I'm not immune, I'm annoyed and slightly repulsed." Jessica countered. "And it's mostly the former."
"Whatever, Jess. Your protesting is going to be drowned out by all the cheering once I land the first touchdown."
"Hey Hal!" Spoke out a short boy standing next to Iruma. "One sparkling water bottle for the sparkling star!"
"Don't mind if I do, Garth." The egomaniac took the bottle. "You boys ready to see the star of the school annihilate the other team?"
"Heck yeah!/I don't watch football." The boy and Iruma responded respectively.
"Oh, so you're here to help me protest?" Jessica asked with excitement.
"No, Garth's my friend, so I'm cheering him on." Iruma said.
g"...But he's the water boy." Hal questioned.
"Exactly, if he doesn't hydrate everyone, people will suffer from heatstroke and pass out." Iruma nodded with full sincerity. "It's clearly the most important position."
"… Suuuure." Hal nodded. "So, who're the suckers we're fighting today?" He asked as he began drinking the bottle.
"The Coast City Carps." Garth grinned. Hal instantly spat out the water onto the boy's face. "Hey!"
"Coast City …" His eyes were full of fear, staring at a bus. "Oh no!" He jumped into a trash can.
"Oh my." Jessica smirked. "Is the brave and fearless Hal Jordan scared of the other team?"
"It's not the team. It's who came along… !" Hal ducked as the cheerleaders came out. "Maybe she's not here…" A girl with magenta eyes and a ponytail in a bow came out. "She's here! She's here!"
"...You're afraid of cheerleaders?" Iruma asked.
"No no, he has a point." Garth nodded. "Girls can be terrifying."
"Right, almost forgot."
"Not Cheerleaders, THAT cheerleader!" Hal called out, pointing at dark-hair brunette. "She's tracked me down, and now she's going to destroy me!"
"Oh stop being so overdramatic." Jessica glared as she flicked him in the head. "Why would she even be mad at you? Besides the obvious reasons?"
"She's... my ex."
"... Yeah you're doomed." Iruma nodded. "Love novels have shown me the only safe haven from an angry girl is the fires of hell."
"Okay, starting to feel offended." Jessica crossed her arms before rolling her eyes. "Look, whatever happened to you in the past can clearly be resolved if you just talked it out with her. I'm sure a conversation is all she wants from you."
"HAL JORDAN!" The girl shouted. "You thought you could break up with me!? You thought you could hide!?"
"Oh no." He whimpered in overreaction.
"I am the only girl for you!" … Wait what? "And if I can't have you, then I will make it so you're mine alone!" Her ring lit on fire with violet light, as she was covered in a poofy dress and tiara. "Even if I have to scorch the ENTIRE FOOTBALL FIELD FOR YOUR LOVE!"
"What!?" Jessica shouted as she saw the girl covered in what looked like pink flames… before she glowed similarly to a green lantern, and created light constructs, just like a green lantern… constructs in the shape of spades, and reigned them down on the school. "What's going on!?"
"Oooh, a Star Sapphire, not good." Iruma winced.
"You know her?" Jessica asked.
"Just her lantern corp."
"… There are other lantern corps!?" She asked in disbelief. "I thought the Green Lanterns were the only ones!?"
"You get told about them when you pass basic combat training." Hal said. "You know, the thing Kilowog's been TRYING to do all day today with your refusal to punch anything?"
"Well, sorry if I'm staying firm in my beliefs!" Jessica grabbed the teen as she pulled him out of the way of a fiery spade. "What's her deal, powers wise that is!"
"Green Lanterns use willpower, she can do everything they can but with love!" Iruma shouted.
"How much do you know about lanterns?" Hal asked with a raised eyebrow
"Not that much, just enough to rank them on how likely they are to kill me." Iruma said.
"… Where do the greens rank?" Hal asked curiously.
"Five. Right above the Indigo Tribe that brainwashes instead of outright kills, and below the Star Sapphires that raze entire planets for their love."
"Iruma." Jessica scolded. "I'm sure that's a bit of an exaggeration-"
"I WILL MURDER EVERY GIRL HAL JORDAN HAS LOOKED AT UNTIL I'M THE ONLY ONE HE CAN EVER HAVE EYES FOR!" A scream followed by an explosion rang out.
"An exaggeration, eh?" He asked with his own raised eyebrow.
"I'm sure she's just really hurt-"
"Well now we need to suit up and put the hurt on her!" Hal took out his ring.
"Heck yeah!" Garth shouted... slowly pulling off his shirt. "Too bad I don't have powers to make changing easier."
"... Wha-" Jessica began to ask.
"He's an Atlantean." Iruma said. "Hero thing. We can talk about it after we survive the crazy girl trying to kill us all."
"How-never mind." Jessica pulled out her ring as she stood right beside Hal. "Let's get this over with. In brightest day-!"
"In blackest night!" Hal recited the oath right next to her. "No evil shall escape my sight!"
"Let all those who worship evil's might-!"
"Beware my power.."
"GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"
And in a split second and a flash of green, Jessica was back in her outfit while Hal… hadn't changed at all. "… Did you forget to charge your ring?" Garth asked, now in a red suit and blue shorts.
"What, no, I had fifty percent power last I checked, that should be more than enough!" Hal slapped his ring.
"I CAN HEAR YOUR BREATHING, HAL JORDAN!" A spade was thrown right at the teen's feet. "YOU CAN'T RUN FROM ME! ACCEPT MY LOVE!" She fired off pink, flaming hearts at them.
"I can help him run!" Iruma shouted, forcing Hal down. "You guys hold her back as long as you can!"
"On it!" Jessica made a wall. "Now, let's-"
"Oooh, I get it now!" The pink girl cackled. "You think just because you're in the same corp, you get to make moves on MY man!?"
"Wait what!?" Jessica shouted. "You think me and-no, no no no!" She gagged. "We're not together, we're not even close to BEING together!"
"And I'm going to make sure you stay as FAR APART AS POSSIBLE!" The girl made a heart shaped bow and arrow, firing off arrows that were strong enough to destroy the school buses in pink fiery explosions.
"Garth, if you have any extraordinary powers you'd like to show off, now would be the time!" Jessica called out to the short boy.
"Beware, Star Sapphire!" He announced dramatically. "For you have messed with the friend of the mighty Aqualad! Now feel the force of the ocean itself!" Garth exclaimed, raising his hand... as his water bottle harmlessly splashed against the woman's face. "Scared?" The pink lady responded by creating a construct of a pack of piranhas swimming towards the kid. "This would be a different story if we were near the harbor!"
Ooookay, Jess was on her own... "You know, maybe we could settle this with a nice, calm, discussion. Maybe some tea?"
"Sure we can… I'll bring the tea,... and I like it HOT!" The girl cackled madly as she created a giant teapot that began to spill out smoldering hot pink water at her.
"Hal, when this is over I might just kill you myself!"
Hal jumped into the locker room, slamming the door shut as he took deep breaths. "Ooookay, we're safe for now, but Jess can't hold her for long." This was not how he wanted today to do. It was supposed to be simple. Pass combat training with flying colors, convince Jess she was being lame and convince her to punch something, win the football game single handedly, and get a hot girl's phone number to cap the night off. What he couldn't deal with was Carol Ferris coming back to end his life!
"Yeah, I know. She's good at saving people but not so good with stopping bad guys." The Japanese kid Jess hung around with, Eric or something, took in a deep breath. "You mind transforming now and helping her before she and Garth get fried from love?"
"Right right." Hal sighed. "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!" He exclaimed, raising his ring to the air... where it sputtered. "It's fully powered but it's not working! What the heck!?"
"YOU CAN'T GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND TO PROTECT YOU FOREVER, HAL JORDAN! I'M RIPPING HER APART AS WE SPEAK!"
"I AM NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!" Jess screamed. "BUT YES, SHE IS RIPPING ME APA-CHAINSAW! CHAINSAW CONSTRUCT!"
"Ahhhh!" Hal jumped into a locker, but it didn't hold him. "Nooo! Curse my ruggedly toned and perfectly formed muscles! They make me too big and handsome to hide!"
"I knew I was right about keeping them small." The Japanese kid muttered. "Okay, I know Lanterns are weakened by the color yellow..."
"That's actually a myth." Hal corrected, trying to pry his muscles from the small locker. "It's because the Sinestro Corps are yellow." Hal's deepest regret... ghosting his bro. "Yellow is associated with fear, and fear energy can break will power constructs."
"Oooh, is that where yellow-bellied cowards came from?"
"Kind of, yes." Hal nodded as another boom shook the room. "Maybe if I try the vents!" He went for it… and got his head stuck. "NO! MY RUGGEDLY HANDSOME FACE IS TOO CHISELED TO FIT!"
"Wait, hold on, your ring's not working because YOU'RE afraid of your ex!" The kid shouted. "You're too afraid of her, giving no willpower for your ring to work with!"
"Tell me YOU wouldn't be afraid of that!" He pointed to the window, where the rampaging woman who was wreathed in violet flames continued to scream as she made a drill to go into Jessica's back.
"LET'S SEE HIM LOVE YOU WHEN YOU RESEMBLE SWISS CHEESE!"
"I DON'T WANT HIM TO LOVE ME! HE HAS DOGFOOD BREATH!"
"DON'T YOU INSULT MY BOYFRIEND!" The lady brought out a violet rocket launcher, firing it right at Jess.
"She seems to really love you." The kid observed.
"Course she does, look at me." He smirked, posing. "It's why her ring's putting out so much raw power. I'm just too good looking for any girl to not love me."
"But Jessica doesn't."
"Eh, she's weird. She doesn't find me attractive for some reason." Hal shrugged. Maybe she was into chicks or something.
"Wait, does the Star Sapphire like you because of who you are or because of your good looks?" The kid asked.
"What's the difference?"
"One's a true bond that can never be broken unless subjected through immense terrible and horrible emotional pain that'll also get physically hard to endure, and the other's shallow that'll break off the moment she thinks she can do better." The kid explained.
"Like anyone can be better than me." Hal waved off.
"LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE HAVING YOUR HAIR CUT INTO PIECES! THEN I'LL MOVE TO YOUR LIMBS!"
"...But she is pretty clingy, so maybe that second part will work!" Hal screamed. "We need to make this ruggedly handsome face ugly!"
"Right... I have no idea how to do that!" The kid shouted.
"Of course, I'm too handsome for my own good." He lamented.
"No, I have no personal view on subjective beauty. I think some things are sparklier than others, but most faces look equally beautiful in my eyes." The Japanese boy said.
"Wow… what planet do you live on?"
"Earth last time I checked." The kid muttered as he looked around. "Hm, if it's your face she likes, then we just got to mess it up right?"
"Good luck." It was impossible to mess up perfection.
"Stand right here." The kid pulled him in front of a locker.
"Alright, what's the-"
SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM
"AHHH!"
"I'm slamming your face in to make it ugly enough... maybe a few broken teeth will work better with it."
"Wait, hold on-!"
SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM
"Okay, move to the mirror and tell me if I did a good job."
"Uhghahfhf…" He muttered, the pain preventing him from saying anything coherent.
"You're right, I should mess up that nose too while I'm at it." He got the locker door ready again.
SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM
Iruma slowly moved the man out of the locker room. "Alright, this way now." Iruma might have overdone it, given that Hal couldn't see anymore.
"GAAH…why.. Why..." The teen let out incoherently.
"Okay, let's see how we're doing." Jessica was currently battling a giant pair of scissors with a hair curler, and Garth was standing on top of a flag pole as piranhas tried to eat him. "...I see things could be going better."
"Ghaagh…" The now puffy man muttered out as he began to drool.
"Good idea, Hal. Start drooling. The books I've read indicate girl's find it immature and gross." He nodded. Okay, it's go time. "Hey, Star Sapphire! Here's Hal Jordan, he's ready to meet you face to face!"
"Finally!" The pink girl grinned as she created a giant punching glove to keep Jessica at a distance. "Now Hal Jordan, you have nowhere to escape– scape scap-ahh! What happened to you!?" Her concentration was so bad that all of her constructs dissipated. "You're horribly disfigured!"
"..gahaa.." The teen drooled.
"He decided he liked this look, this is the new him." Iruma nodded. "All the time." He slowly backed away to Jess and Garth. "You two alright?" He whispered.
"Yeah, not the first time I've almost gotten eaten alive by piranhas…" Garth breathed heavily as he rubbed one of the bite marks.
"What did you do to calm her down?" Jessica asked, panting.
"Hal said girls liked him for how good looking he was, so I messed up his face to see if I could make it ugly enough for her to back off." Iruma explained. "I had to really slam the locker into his face for it to take full effect."
"... I like this plan." She nodded with a smile.
"I thought you were against violence?" He asked.
"Against villains that need someone to talk to, arrogant jerks that should know better but don't are given a little leeway on that front." Eh, as long as she didn't actually protest the plan, Iruma would just let it be. "So will this work?"
"Hal said her ring runs on love, so as long as she doesn't love him anymore, we'll live."
"Oh my.. oh my poor Howy Wowy, you're a disgusting front to nature.." The Star Sapphire's flames began to die down. "You poor, ugly, disgusting little creature, no one could ever love you like this..."
"It's working!" Garth cheered.
"Yeah it is!" Jessica celebrated. "Ooh, if only I could record this moment."
"No one will ever be able to love a disgusting troll like you… except me!" And the flames reignited even hotter than before.
"Oh no." Iruma gasped. "I failed to make him ugly!"
"Only I can see the beauty behind the beast while others mock and scorn you, only I will be able to be with you forever and ever and ever!" The pink lady created pink chains around the man. "Which means you belong to me and me alone!"
"Oh come on!" Jessica called out. "You can do better than freaking Hal Jordan of all people!"
"Don't you dare insult my Hal Jordan!" The girl created a line of cupids all pulling back on fiery bows and arrows. "He's the perfect guy for me, even if he doesn't know it!"
"That sounds a bit contradictory!" Iruma screamed as he had to backflip out of the way of the flaming projectiles. "Okay Jessica, I know you're not one for violence, but talking it out isn't working and I think she at least thinks what they have is true love."
"It IS true love. Why else would my love for him make me this powerful!?" The star sapphire created a giant flaming heart shaped bomb and threw it at him, only for Jessica to bounce it back with a trampoline.
"This is not love, it's just obsession, and it's making you act irrationally!" Jessica shouted. "I mean, your relationship couldn't have been the best if the two of you broke up!"
"We DIDN'T BREAK UP!" The pink lady shouted. "We were happily in love and about to be Coast City's ultimate power couple, but then his parents moved and he told me OVER TEXT!"... He WHAT!?
Iruma, Garth, and Jessica all looked to each other, before looking over to the bruised up Hal Jordan, whose face looked like it was finally swelling down. "Ah.. ah.. What happened? Is she gone?"
"She chained you up, but I feel like that's the least important thing." Jessica growled. "You broke up with her... over TEXT!?"
"Uuhh... yeah?" The guy blinked.
"... Have you not watched any TV show ever?!" Garth shouted.
"Yeah, even I know enough to know how impersonal that is!" Iruma shouted.
"But it was with a smiling face, so it was all good!" Hal shouted.
"On VALENTINE'S DAY!" The pink lady shouted, the chains around Hal lit up. "But no matter, now that you're mine and ONLY MINE, I'LL FORCE YOU TO BE THE PERFECT BOYFRIEND FOR ME NO MATTER HOW MANY OF YOUR BONES I NEED TO BREAK!"
"Okay, Hal's mistake or not, we need to do SOMETHING!" Garth shouted.
"Exactly, Jess, you need to punch her!" Hal called out
"I'm not going to punch a girl for your convenience Hal, it's all your fault!" Jessica shouted.
"It's not just for my convenience, she's burning the entire football field, and the school's about to be next!"
"Once you and I are the only humans left in the city, our love will burn brighter than the sun!"
"I think she makes a perfectly valid point for why some people need to be punched!" Garth shouted.
"No, it's just a misunderstanding, everything can be fixed if we can calm her down!"
"SHE'S THE OPPOSITE OF CALM DOWN!" Hal shouted.
There was so much fighting, so much fighting and so little answer. The Star Sapphire wanted somebody to love, Jess didn't want to fight her, Hal wanted Jess to fight because he was too scared, Garth was less than effective given their surroundings and lack of water. His first, and really only, plan failed because this girl was either really in love or really delusional and he had NO idea how to proceed from here and everything was starting to get stressful–I'll take it from here.
Carol raised her hand, energy gathering as she formed a massive heart bomb that got bigger and bigger with every passing moment. "First, the city will be cleansed from the parasites that wish to rip you away from me, then, I will move on to the next, and the next, and the next!" It was the perfect plan. The only way for Hal Jordan to never move on from her was to make sure there was no one left to move on to!
"Carol, this is crazy even for you!" Her precious Howy Wowy shouted at her.
"Only because you drive me crazy, crazy in love for you!"
"Jessica, she is LITERALLY going to blow up the school, and every time we've talked to her it failed!" That short boy shouted.
"Only because we haven't had the right conversation with her!" That homewrecking harlot of a green lantern yelled. "We need to think of something else, right Iruma-Iruma, where'd you go?"
"There's no talking me out of it, my mind has been made!" Carol laughed in triumph as she prepared to let the bomb go. "Love will win the day because LOVE CONQUERS ALL!"
"He isn't worth someone as grand as you." Cut in a voice.
"What, who said that!?" Who dared question her love!? "Lantern, don't you dare try to say anything bad about Hal Jordan!"
"I haven't said anything bad about Hal... in the last minute."
"It was me." She turned to the blue haired boy from before, gazing intently. "Please..." The boy's eyes… sharpened.., narrowing down into her soul as she felt small... yet warm at the same time. "You shouldn't dirty your hands over someone like this... someone that won't treat you right."
That voice… that voice was… so... Soothing… "What would you know about it!?" Carol growled, shaking her head as she created a dagger to drive into the blue haired boy's neck.
"I know that partners need to be equal, caring, and honest with one another in full." The boy grinned, not showing a single sign of fear. "Hal's ego is too large, he doesn't view you as a partner."
"Oooh, he's doing this again." The short boy muttered.
"Wait, you know what this is?" The green homewrecker blinked in surprise.
"Yeah... actually this would probably explain the Lori thing."
"Of course he views me as a partner, we went on a date and everything worked out perfectly!" Carol justified.
"Then ask him how he remembers the date." The boy gazed into her eyes... With that… mesmerizing look…
"Howy Wowy~!" No, don't get distracted! You loved Hal Jordan one hundred percent and he felt the exact same way, even if he was a little dumb about it! "Could you retell me how our first date went minute by minute in excruciating detail?"
"Okay …" He blinked, before smiling. "Well, it was a Saturday morning …"
"Sunday." She smiled.
"Sunday morning. I got my hair done, like always, then I was walking down the street and we met up at the burger joint-"
"Smoothie shop."
"A very suspect memory wouldn't you say?"
"Shut up!" It was just a slip up, Howy Wowy would ACTUALLY forget their very first day. "Go on, dear."
"Anyways, we were chowing down and we started talking about all the stuff we have in common, like dirt biking, air jets, football…"
"What about the stuff I like?" She asked with a grin, a small twitch in her eye being felt.
"… Cheering our team on and twilight?"
"..." The twitching got bigger. "...I hate twilight..." Common mistake... anybody could've made.
"Okay... then there was a supervillain attack, so we said our oaths and flew off."
"...I WASN'T EVEN A STAR SAPPHIRE YET!" She growled.
He blinked. "I thought we met in space."
"No, we met because– You don't even remember how we met!?" Carol shouted.
"Should we run?" The short boy asked. "I feel like this is a running situation."
"Create a barrier around Garth Jess in case this gets messy."
"What about you?"
"I can handle this."
"Of course I remember." Oh boy, that was a relief– "Last year, when you were on the cheerleading team."
… Her ring died down, her suit shattering into nothing as her love is slowly dying. "YOUR DAD WORKS FOR MY DAD'S AIRLINE! We've known each other for years!" She tackled the boy into the ground, even if the chains disappeared. "HOW COULD YOU FORGET THE YEARS OF BONDING WE HAD!?"
"I try to ignore my dad's office job!"
"He's a pilot– How do I know your life better than you do!?" Carol growled, her love being replaced with rage, the constructs around her dying around her.
"Huh, can't say that Iruma's plan isn't working." Green Lantern muttered. "The flames are dying down."
"You.. you… YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" She used whatever little love she had left to form a dagger, one she would use to CARVE out this bastard's black heart out he had.
The lantern girl used a construct rope to snatch her away... pulled her into a hug. "Let the anger go... he's not worth it …"
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! HE HAS TO PAAAAY! HE HAS TO PAY FOR HOW HE TREATED ME!" she began tearing up.
"You don't need to base your life on your love of someone." She said, continuously patting her back. "Especially someone as boneheaded as Hal Jordan."
"Hey, I'm walking off with a concussion here!"
"Do not lose the bright light in your heart because of him."
"But... but …" She began crying. "It hurts! It hurts so much!" She sniffed as she returned the hug. "I loved him... I really loved him and he barely knows a thing about me... If it wasn't true love… then why does it hurt so much!?"
"Love is tricky… we all crave it, but none of us know where it'll lead us. Good or bad." The blue haired boy commented. "After all, you know what they say: The eyes lie, but the heart burns with honesty."
Carol blinked in surprise. "… Did... did you just quote Elden Love Fantasy!?l" She shouted in earnest excitement.
"Does everyone read that book?" The lantern asked.
"It's my favorite book series." The boy… the…dream looking boy nodded. "I've read all the books since I was five."
"So have I!" Carol cheered, pushing the green lantern away as she grasped the boy's hands. "I've never met anyone else that felt the same! I never even gotten Hal to take a look at a copy of Pride and Prejudice."
"Why would I read about a racist that feels pride!?"
"...Wow you're dumb." Everyone around them stated at the same time, before chuckling.
"Wow... I... I can't believe I wasted so much time on a loser like that." Carol sighed.
"HEY!"
"We all make mistakes, that's just life. Sometimes we make mistakes, and those mistakes lead us to something better." The boy offered his hand to her.
"...Something… better..." This boy.. He was saying everything right… and unlike Hal Jordan, he had a brain!
His face flickered a bit, looking softer once again, before blinking. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll find whoever you're looking for, eventually. Until then, you should learn to love yourself... cause I think she could be a nice person." And he held her hand in his own… such a warm…gentle… kind hand.
BADUMP BADUMP
Fwosh
Her ring lit ablaze again as she held onto his hand. "Thank you."
"...Her power's back… bad sign, really bad sign!" The short boy shouted.
"Jess, punch her now-OW!" Hal rubbed his shoulder after green lantern hit his arm.
"That's the LEAST you deserve after all you've done today!"
Carol… Carol ignored Hal Jordan for the first time in a long time… and… it felt…amazing… to focus on something… she could… actually love. "Would… would you like to... hang out?" Carol asked shyly.
"Sure, I'd love to hang out sometime." The beautiful, dreamy, kind boy smiled so brightly it acted as if it was their own sun. "How about next Tuesday?"
"YEEES!" Carol cheered, embracing the boy and twirling him around in the air. "Yes yes yes!" She had someone new... She had a brand new prince! "This love… it's fuels me like never BEFORE!" Her power grew tenfold as she felt love.. Love for someone new… and love.. For herself.
"Hey, what about me!?" That idiot Hal Jordan shouted.
"Oh get over yourself and your oversized chin." Carol scoffed, looking down at her brand new prince. "I've moved on to someone better!"
"Why are you offended? Weren't you the one that broke it off?" The short boy asked.
"Yeah, but still, you don't just get over people like me like that!"
"... Hal, you are the worst." The green lantern grumbled.
"Hey, I'm not the one that made the crazy lady ten times more powerful!"
"I said get over yourself!" She shot a laser at Hal, who narrowly avoided a blast. "Oh, I never got your name." Carol instantly returned to smiling at her Prince.
"Oh, sorry, I'm Iruma Suzuki." He grinned, his smile reflecting beautifully off the pink flames around them.
"What an adorable name… Iruuuma.." She let it play out in her mouth and giggled. "I'm Carol Ferris, and it has been a pleasure meeting you." She did a little curtsy as she rose up into the sky. "Thank you for helping me, Green Lantern. Hal Jordan is yours."
"...Okay, you're welcome, but Hal and I were NEVER dating-!"
"And just know if you get in the way of me and my NEW prince… let's just say I'm a big fan.. Of scorched earth." She blew up half of the school as a warning shot. "We clear?"
"...Crystal…" She gulped.
"Goodie! I'll be transferring schools within the month, see you later!"
"It was nice meeting you, Carol!"
Carol blushed as a trail of hearts followed her. "Nice meeting you too, Iruma-kins!" She waved off, before blasting into the sunset back to Coast city… with a new heart filled with a new love. "Best… Breakup… EVER!"
