Emerald Genesis

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Here's the first scene.

"Move aside!" Muscleman snarled, pushing the bystanders aside to take on five masked robbers. Those criminals, their heads covered by ski masks and wearing flak jackets, turned their machine guns on him. Bullets bounced off his steel black uniform, as he shot two red beams from his eyes to melt their weapons. The men screamed as the metal turned liquid and dripped onto their hands, legs, and feet, and they dropped what remained of the sludge. Muscleman then picked one victim after the other and tossed them to the side, as his face turned into a sneer at their helplessness.

A sixth robber, also with a ski mask and flak jackets, snuckbehind Muscleman,and hit the superhero with a crowbar, only to feel the crowbar bounce off his hands. A shining, golden rope descended on the criminal, as Babe Wonder, clad in her trademark skin-tight red uniform with black stars, descended.

"Freeze, creep!" the super heroine shouted, and, with the power of her lasso, her victim instantly became frigid. She struck his face, and he collapsed.

"Good work, my woman," Muscleman said, as he brushed his shiny black hair back. "You are a credit to your aunt."

"Thank you," Babe Wonder replied, as she tightened her lasso on her prisoner.

The street had become a shambles. Several cars were overturned and burning, with the acrid smell of burning gasoline in the air, and, in isolated pockets, people watched. The police now arrived, in several cars with flashing red lights. A black truck also pulled up to disgorge men in helmets, vests and rifles, who quickly took control of the situation. The two superheros, with their work done, flew off.

Hal looked around to see that the curio shop was miraculously untouched. Someone had left a message for him to go there, where something would be waiting for him, and, even though Hal thought it would be a prank, he decided to oblige, though he certainly hadn’t expected to come across that fight. He entered the store to see wooden shelves filled with dusty books, old tables with tiffany lamps, bronze cups, chipped porcelain pots, muskets, scabbards, and, at the far corner, a large grandfather clock with a pendulum slowly swinging inside. He was never into antiques, but he realized with a wry smile that these objects were as faded as his clothing.

"Can I help you?" The shopkeeper’s blue hat was carefully pulled over to hide his eyes, and his matching blue cape had a high upturned collar, with a gold chain tied across his neck to keep the cape in place.

"Uh, yes," Hal replied, "I am looking for something ..."

"I have just the thing for you," the shopkeeper replied, taking out a small, glowing green object. "And, since it's a nice day outside, there's no charge."

Hal was going to say that it wasn't a nice day, then suddenly realized that, in this store, the turmoil outside was non-existant - no sound of gunfire, no smell of burning gasoline, no sirens. He decided to test the shopkeeper.

"I don't think I want it," he said.

"Trust me, you do," The shopkeeper put the ring in his hand.

"Why?"

The shopkeeper smiled, "Because it's magic."

Hal turned the ring over. Somehow, it felt right, so he put it in his left middle finger, and saw it adjust its size and width to fit comfortably, even as it sent waves of soothing energy through his finger to the rest of his body. He suddenly realized it had real magic – something that could hurt even Muscleman.

He looked at his host. "Why me?"

"Because you can be without fear, and you have the intelligence to be a super hero.”

"Why don’t you take it?"

“Because I don’t need to.”

Hal sensed that this individual really didn’t need a ring to protect himself, but he didn’t press the point.

"I know you are afraid, but everyone is, even the super heros without fear are afraid," the shopkeeper continued.

“Isn’t that a contradiction?”

"Not at all. If someone is truly without fear, he would be dysfunctional. The essence of being without fear is to conquer it, so you can bravely go about your task. That is what life is all about.”

That made sense, so Hal asked, "What do you want me to do?"

“Be a super hero.”

“How?”

“I can’t answer that – no one can. You will just have to find out for yourself. But don’t worry, because I will be here when you need me.”

"What's your name?" Hal asked.

"I have a nickname, which I ask everyone to use."

"What is it?"

"The Phantom Stranger."

[Froggy]

even better!

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Thanks - the essence of writing is re-writing, but I think the first scene is as good as it's going to get. This next one, however, may need another re-write, but we'll see how the story develops.

Thinking about flying was easy; forcing the ring to do it was far more difficult. Hal had to focus his entire will to make it perform the task, and his concentration wasn't helped by him wearing an uncomfortable uniform of a green hourglass with black on the sides. And that was not as silly as his green mask, though, as he suspected, a green ring would require a green theme in its superhero. He still didn't know what the lantern was for, but he would find out. He had been practicing at this isolated spot in the park, on this sunny day, and he wasn't having much luck.

"Stop!"

He turned to see Babe Wonder gliding effortlessly towards him, her lasso in hand. He let himself down, awkwardly, until he hit the ground with a bump and She sailed smoothly to land and put her lasso around him. He noticed that, while his uniform was ill-fitting, her skin-tight red outfit wrapped itself around her perfectly, revealing her shapely torso and chest.

"Speak the truth," she commanded. "Are you a superhero?"

Hal felt the ring generate waves of energy through his body, and he realized he could push her back if he wanted, but, somehow, he didn't want to. "I am a superhero."

"I've never seen you before. Are you new?" She demanded.

"Yeah, sorta."

"I thought so." She snickered. "You weren't flying very well."

He said nothing. He tried a weak smile, even as he made eye contact with her clear, blue eyes, and he noted, her skin was smooth and silky. But he had always thought she was nice.

"Where did you get your powers?"

"I cannot say," he replied – the Phantom Stranger had warned him against giving out any information.

"I command you to answer."

"No." He had heard that her lasso compelled the captive to answer truthfully, but he felt no such compulsion. He did, however, let her keep it around him, because he didn't want to upset her.

"I SAID I want you to answer." Babe Wonder repeated.

"No," he repeated.

Babe Wonder shook her head in disbelief, then released him. "Well, I'll let you go this time."

He realized she was just trying to avoid the truth, that she could NOT compel him, but he didn't say anything.

"I have to go," she said, "But we will contact you."

She turned to fly off, and, on impulse, he said, "Wait."

She turned back to face him and struck a pose, with her hands on her hips.

"Uh, perhaps we should get to know each other, you know, so we can help each other fight Dr Sivana." He did it - he actually asked her out.

She snickered, and he realized this was not the first time someone had come on to her. She looked at him up and down, and walked around him, evaluating.

"You got money?"

"Some."

"What do you do?"

"I work for a major company."

"Menial or desk job?"

"Desk job."

She nodded, and he realized he had passed the first test. "You own or rent?"

"Rent."

"Sorry. I'm busy." She flew off, leaving him alone.

He felt a little sad, then ashamed, but realized that at least no one saw that. He shrugged his shoulders, then decided to walk the rest of the way. This was lunch hour, after all, and he did have to go back to that desk job - the one at Wayne Enterprises.

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Here's the next scene, but I don't know if it's redundant, since everyone knows how the ring is recharged, but I've tried to make it a little different.

The Lantern Festival was always a merry time in Chinatown, but, this year, the mood seemed to spread to the rest of Gotham, as people everywhere walked around with paper lanterns shaped like various animals, each with a lighted candle inside.

Even the Phantom Stranger was caught up in the mood. He had a red Chinese suit beneath his usual cape, while his shop was filled with oriental antiques of all kinds, from jade dragons to metal pots with Chinese artistic designs to wall paintings of Chinese calligraphy written in black ink on white canvas.

But Hal was not here to celebrate; he was here to learn more about his ring, namely, how to recharge it.

“This is what you need,” the Phantom Stranger said, holding out a lantern. It was all metal, all green, and obviously of Chinese design, with a rectangular body connected to a handle by which it could be held. On one side, a perfect circular hole was cut out. “Put your ring through this hole every twenty four hours, and the lantern will recharge it. Try it now.”

Hal put his hand and ring through the hole, but felt nothing.

“You also have to swear an oath,” the Phantom Stranger continued. “This is part of the process of focusing your will, so the lantern will let the energy into the ring.”

“What sort of oath?” Hal asked.

“The sort that you should swear as a superhero – to fight for justice,” the Phantom Stranger explained. “Focus your mind on it, and say what comes naturally. That will be your oath.”

Hal kept his hand and ring in the lantern, tried to imagine the power going from the lantern to his ring, and tried to think of what he should say, and, as the lantern lit up, the words came. “And I shall shed my light over evil, for evil cannot stand the light, the light of Green Lantern.”

[Froggy]

good so far.......I like your version of the stranger too as well

[Green Lantern wannabe]

True to the DC Universe and this section, my action scenes are PG rated.

After hours of practice, the procedure became automatic – when he switched to super hero, he had to engage the cloaking routine so the satellites would not see him switching identities, while also turning invisible so bystanders could not see him. Then he would fly to some spot and, to the world, suddenly appear as Green Lantern.

He did that this evening and flew to the edge of the dockside, where the Phantom Stranger had told him would be his first assignment. The spot in question was at the far end of Gotham Harbor. On one side of that far end was water, black as night, without even a moon to provide lighting, while on the other side was a lonely warehouse of aging bricks, with aging wooden double doors locked tight. No one would be there unless he had to, and, on this night, quite a few were there.

Several masked men were outside the warehouse, holding dockyard workers hostage, while other masked men were busy loading crates onto a truck. Hal had read about a series of heists by the Syndicate, and this was presumably the latest one.

He mentally told his ring to send an electronic voice message to 911, giving details of what was going on, then moved in. A giant green net emerged from his ring to fall on the masked men loading the crates, and then a series of hula hoops to fell on those guarding the prisoners.

Hal felt a sudden jerk as the ring suddenly spat out a large green shield to block bullets coming his way, and a green magnifying glass also came out to show the snipers on the rooftop of the warehouse. He flew to them, as one of them brought out a long tube, which he lifted onto his shoulder. The criminal fired the rocket propelled grenade, which the ring automatically blocked with another shield, but the concussion jarred Hal, disorienting him for a second.

That was all his opponents needed. On the ground, his former captives had worked themselves free and were running for their lives, while those on the rooftop fired fog pellets. When Hal’s green fan had blown away the smoke, all that remained were the dockyard workers, cowering on the ground, as sirens wailed in the background.

Hal felt like he was at amateur night.

[Froggy]

aww hal jr didnt get em.....he'll get em next time

keep it up!

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Given the knowledge of the audience, I don't know how redundant some scenes are, but everyone enjoys re-reading origin stories - and also enjoy watching them on film. Please tell me if the obvious scenes are boring.

Wayne Enterprises didn't pay him well, but the conglomerate paid him reasonably, enough for his one-bedroom apartment, his continuing education, with a little left over. As the President, Lucius Fox, said, they were tough, but they were fair. Hal's job wasn't interesting, but it wasn't boring, and there was always something to do in inventory control.

And his work became more interesting recently, because he had been noticing something unusual. For some reason, there was a spike in ordering certain strategic materials, which were almost never ordered because they were only used by the military, and Wayne Enterprises had been diversifying out of those contracts, in favor of the more lucrative consumer electronics business.

He was in his cubicle mulling over this, when he heard the sound of someone coming from behind him. He turned and blinked, as he recognized Bruce Wayne, billionaire owner of his corporate employer.

"Good morning, Mr Wayne," Hal said, getting up.

"Please, be seated," Wayne replied, gesturing to Hal's chair as he took another one.

Hal did as he was told, and he observed his visitor carefully. Wayne seemed amiable enough, and he looked quite fit and handsome in his designer suit - Wayne's years of travel and education had put a distinguished mark on him, though no one knew exactly where he had gone.

“I have made certain special orders, but I don’t want to wait too long. Can you put in a rush?” Wayne said. He seemed comfortable in his surroundings, and he came across as an amiable person, almost someone who could be a nice friend. He certainly didn't seem to have the mental illness that the gossip mills claimed he had.

“I can try, Mr Wayne,” Hal replied. “Most of them would arrive in six weeks, but, if you’re willing to pay a little extra, we can arrange for special delivery.”

“Do it – money is no object.”

Hal’s job had suddenly become interesting, very interesting.

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Please give me your thoughts on this ongoing story.

“MUSCLEMAN! MUSCLEMAN! Where are you, Muscleman?”

Solomon Grundy clenched his fists and raised his arms as he snarled his challenge. He had already thrown several cars at the nearby buildings, and the lamp posts had also been snapped off. Hal knew that this figure, clad in his usual black suit with white shirt, was a formidable opponent, but Muscleman was nowhere to be seen, and the military may not arrive for several hours.

Hal hadn’t done well at the dock yard, when the hoodlums were only human, and he wasn’t sure if he could take on a super villain who was almost as strong as Muscleman, but this was not the time to be uncertain. He looked around, and, seeing no one, quickly activated his ring. First, he used the cloaking device to shield himself from the satellites, then dissolved his civilian clothes to appear as Green Lantern.

He didn’t want to take out anyone from the back, so he flew in front of the creature. Grundy seem to know a challenge when he saw one, because he charged at him. Hal threw up a green brick wall, which Grundy crashed through, sending green fragments everywhere. Solomon was now dazed, as he stumbled slightly. Hal fashioned a giant mallet – the sort he had seen at cricket games on British TV – and pounded his opponent into the ground. He had to concentrate his entire will to keep the blows coming, as the super villain was smashed repeatedly into the concrete, creating a crater. Hal paused to see if this was over, and Grundy, groaning, began to get up. Hal continued the hammering, until Grundy was motionless. Hal was not worried, however, because he knew that this creature was not really alive, and, if destroyed, would reconstitute in the swamp outside Gotham.

The military vehicles arrived, with their anti-Grundy weaponry, and, since the Phantom Stranger had warned him not to be too visible in the initial stages, Hal decided to leave. As he flew off, he allowed himself a smile – he had won his first victory.

That felt good, very good.

[Green Lantern wannabe]

How am I doing so far? Some feedback would be nice.

Crime Alley not one alley but a sprawling ghetto, where the underworld were always busy trading stolen goods, buying drugs, and selling guns. Even the police would not go in unless heavily armed and in numbers.

This evening, however, in an isolated alley, some officers had been ambushed and disarmed, with their hands in the air. Hal flying above, prepared to swoop in, but then he saw a large, dark figure leap to the ground, his black cape flowering behind, and jump at the thugs. The first hoodlum was taken out with a blow, and the next two were dispatched in short order with a flurry of rapid kicks. The last one threw his automatic to the ground and surrendered. The dark figure, his face hidden by a cowl with pointed ears, nodded to the police officers, then fired a gun, which shot up a long, thin metal line to the rooftop, and carried him up. The figure then bounded in rapid succession across that rooftop, to the next one, and disappeared.

Hal wanted to follow and find out who this super hero was, but then something else caught his eye. Or rather, someone else. This other person had a blue hat carefully pulled over to hide his eyes, and with matching blue cape, and he was standing alone on the rooftop, motionless, observing everything.

Hal flew to the Phantom Stranger. “Is that guy new?”

“Yes,” The Phantom Stranger replied. “He calls himself the Batman.”

“Did you also give him his powers?” Hal asked.

“Not really. But I did help him.”

“You’re doing all this aren’t you?” Hal said, observing his colleague’s emotionless face. “Are you going around creating heroes?”

“Yes and no. But I cannot discuss this.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is not the time.”

“Look,” Hal said, “If you want me to be a super hero, you’re gonna have to come clean with me. What are you up to?”

“I cannot tell you,” the Phantom Stranger said. “But suffice it to know that your world needs super heroes.”

“MY world,” Hal repeated. This could only mean that the Phantom Stranger was from another planet, like Muscleman.

“You have your lamp, you have your ring, and you must trust me when I say you have a duty.”

Hal decided to play the devil’s advocate. “How do you know I won’t use the ring to rob a bank?”

For the first time, he saw the Phantom Stranger grin. “That could happen, yes, and you could use your power to destroy this planet. But I will have to trust that you won’t.”

[Froggy]

sorry i havent responded in so long, but MAN this is good! I like the pace and everything, so good so far

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Ah, thank you, my friend. I had thought I had lost my one fan.

Hal knew that Dame Meredith’s annual Gotham Charity Ball was a fixture of high society, and major super heroes were often invited to draw more participants and money – Babe Wonder included. He knew that a bookkeeper would not be allowed in, but a super hero might, so he made his way, as Green Lantern, to Dame Meredith’s mansion. He was in luck, because she was at the entrance, speaking to one of her aides, a young lady in dark blue suit with matching skirt. Dame Meredith looked just like in the magazines – she was a large lady, with voluptuous sagging breasts and heavy legs. Her face was glossy wax, and her lips were dyed garish red, while her hair was bright yellow, so much so the strands looked like steel.

“And make sure Dame Winslow doesn’t come – her husband’s company has been losing money for years, and she is no longer first class.” She told her aide.

“Yes, ma’am,” the aide replied, typing her instructions on her palmcomputer.

“And keep calling the Wayne Foundation. Bruce Wayne has been avoiding me, and I heard that Madame Butler met him last week – if he shows up at her function before coming here, I’ll never live it down.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Hal approached them and waited until he was noticed. “Excuse me, but I am Green Lantern, and I was wondering if you needed my help at the Charity Ball.”

“A super hero,” Dame Meredith said, looking reluctant. “What are your powers, young man?”

“A green ring that can make all kinds of shapes.”

“A green ring,” she repeated, shifting uncomfortably. “Have you fought any super villains?”

“Solomon Grundy. I beat him.”

“Anyone else?”

“No.”

“How long have you been at this?”

“Not long.”

“Well,” she said, making calculations – beating Solomon Grundy, a major Muscleman opponent, was a feat, but that was just one fight. “All right, you can go to the cocktail, but not the dinner – that’s too expensive.”

“Thank you very much,” Hal replied, taking the hint. He would have to find some other way of meeting Babe Wonder.

[Froggy]

heh, still no respect for the young lantern. Still good so far. Cant wait to hear mroe but that'll have to wait gotta go to school now!

[Green Lantern wannabe]

You're in school? High school or college?

[Froggy]

You're in school? High school or college?

Highschool junior

[Green Lantern wannabe]

That's Grade 8 or 9, I presume. I'm old enough to be your father. :)

“AND PRESEEENTIIIIING … MUSCLEMAN!”

The Announcer waved his hands as the superhero, with his trademark Red “M” in its five-sided diamond emblazoned on the chest of his blue suit, flew down, and the stadium crowds roared their approval. Overhead floodlights flashed around in all colors of the rainbow, and triumphant music blared through the speakers.

“AND THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUUUUTIFUUULL WOMAN … BABE WONDER!”

The crowds roared even louder, as she floated gently to the platform to join the first superhero, her arms raised to keep her balance.

Hal couldn’t afford the front rows, but his view from the back was good enough so he could see everything. He felt his ring send more waves of green energy through him, as he saw her again.

Muscleman now took the microphone. “You know why we’re here – support the Muscleman Children’s Fund.”

Babe Wonder joined in. “Yes, and everyone who pays a penny, sees a penny toward the children. We get NOTHING!”

Hal knew that was true. The media had investigated the Fund again and again, and the results were clear that the two received nothing, not even gifts, and they gave their time freely. He also knew several auditors from the Wayne Foundation who had worked on the Fund and had confirmed the same thing. But he always knew Babe Wonder was a good person.

Muscleman provided an excellent show, melting metal plates with his laser-red heat vision, then chilling them immediately with his freeze breath. Babe Wonder now showed her strength, as she lifted a giant tray filled with hulking large men, then threw the tray so the men were thrown in the air, and flew to catch everyone of them safely. The crowd went wild.

Hal knew that he was not in their league, since he was just starting out, and he accepted his status. But he was still hoping to see Babe Wonder again. He knew that the break was coming, and Babe Wonder would go out through the back – he got this from one of the attendants, who rented the apartment next to his – so Hal began making his way to the appropriate corridor.

He heard the cheering begin to die down, so he knew the act was winding down, and he wanted to position himself at the right place at the right time. The corridor entrance had a large sign, “AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY,” but that was OK, because his friend an attendant at the exhibition, was waiting for him.

“You’re sure it’s OK, Tom?” Hal asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ve asked my boss and he says it’s OK.” His friend nodded reassuringly. He was wearing the red tunic that the other volunteers were wearing, with gold buttons on both sidesat the front and long sleeves with black rings at the wrists. On his left chest was his identification badge, “Thomas Kalmaku, Second class attendant.”

“Thanks, bud,” Hal replied, “I owe you.”

“No prob,” Kalmaku replied. “Good luck.”

Hal nodded and went in. No one else was there, and Hal continued quickly down the corridor. Kalmaku had told him that Babe Wonder liked to go outside for fresh air during the breaks, and he knew which exit to use. Looking around one more time to make sure he was alone, and also to make sure no camera was recording anything, he quickly turned into Green Lantern and went to the exit.

Babe Wonder was there, but so was Muscleman. The superhero was kissing her on the lips, and she was kissing him back, very hard. Neither noticed him.

Hal stared at them for a long while, then quickly walked away. When he was alone again, in the lonely alley, he raised his hands and flew off. He was a superhero, and he was going to destroy all the villains on Earth - all of them. He would show everyone that he, not Muscleman, was the greatest hero of all.

[Froggy]

actually it's eleventh grade, but still, very very close......


and aww Hal's heart is broken. Cool way of bringiing in tom kalmaku

[Green Lantern wannabe]

Junior high is eleventh grade? What's twelfth grade, then?

Metropolis was cleaner than Gotham, but this block had become a shambles. The buildings were all destroyed, but, fortunately, they had been set for demolition – Hal knew that already, which was why he picked this place for a fight.

“Well, you’ve made a mess of everything,” Babe Wonder said, her left hand at her chin, as she surveyed the carnage.

“I’m the toughtest superhero around,” Hal, in his Green Lantern suit said, “Even Muscleman couldn’t’ do it, but I could. Do you see that now?”

“I can definitely see that,” Babe Wonder replied, as she looked at Hal’s prostrate opponent..

Hal felt a triumph, as he knew he proved something to her. Bizarro had appeared in Metropolis, but Muscleman was rescuing the victims of a flood in India, so Hal decided to take the villain on. Hal knew the rumors that Bizarro was some sort of clone of Muscleman, created by Lex Luthor, and Hal felt that any Green Lantern could take on any Kryptonian, clone or otherwise.

When Hal saw the super villain, also with the trademark blue suit and red cape, except the trademark “M” was upside down to be a “W”, he felt an even greater rage. His ring created a giant set of rings which he dropped on Bizarro, then he scooped up and entire building and dropped it on his opponent. Bizarro broke out of the rings and crawled through the rubble. Hal created two giant hands – one held the creature, and the other pounded him again and again on the head. He was so intent on beating Bizarro that he didn’t even notice Babe Wonder arrive. In fact, he was so intent on destroying his enemy that he got his ring to lift the surrounding buildings and smash them into Bizarro, again and again, then created a giant magnifying glass which focused the sunlight to melt the rubble into concrete, encasing the victim.

“You see that? I’m good, I’m very good. I’m even better than Muscleman – he can’t beat Bizarro like I can.” Hal shouted at Babe Wonder, who was taken aback. “Why can’t you see that?”

He looked to see Bizarro was unconscious, then flew off. He had shown them – he had shown her.

[Froggy]

Junior high is eleventh grade? What's twelfth grade, then?
I meant to say highschool, sorry for the mistranslation

Hal's got some juice now. Beat bizarro

[Green Lantern wannabe]

I'm a little maxed out now, so I will have to let my creative juices flow again, and that may be awhile. But thanks for being my audience, bud. :)

Hal had been hoping that the next confrontation would also be in Metroplis, and his hope came true. And it was a very large confrontation.

The Wizard had blasted Muscleman with a thunderbolt, sending the super hero crashing through the street to the sewers below, throwing dust and debris into the air. A few feet away, the Flash was creating a miniature whirlwind around the sentient gorilla, Grodd, while Babe Wonder was tying Cheeta with her magic lasso. Green Arrow, meanwhile, was putting his arms below the jaws of the Shark, another sentient animal, to stop it from biting him.

Hal flew to the Wizard and created a giant green flyswatter, which he used to slap the villain to the ground. He noted in a moment of reflection that his opponent’s green hood and cape matched the flyswatter. The Wizard was wearing a simple brown tunic with matching shorts, and he didn’t seem to have any equipment, but he must have had some kind of magical shielding, because he got up immediately, unhurt.

“So, you are the green torchlight we’ve been hearing about,” the Wizard, a middle-aged white male with a goatee, laughed. “Not bad for an amateur. But can you take this.”

The Wizard waved his bare arms, and two large pythons, both with bland brown skin with scales of simple diamond shapes, dropped from above to catch Hal in their grip. He began to suffocate, and he realized that he had to act fast or die. His ring created a giant chainsaw which buzzed through the snakes, and their long pieces dropped to the ground and disappeared.

“Not bad, I’m impressed,” the Wizard admitted, nodding. “Now try this.”

Hal felt something hit him from behind, and he turned around to see a lion with golden fur try to mangle him with its claws, snarling as it did so. Then a roaring tiger with red fur and black stripes came to grab his leg, and a crocodile also appeared to close its jaws on his other leg. The Wizard was not letting him breathe. From his skin, a green force field tingled into existence, then grew outward, pushing the animals away.

Hal was now in a protective bubble, and he had the initiative. His ring fired several arrows, at the Wizard, then several hundred green darts, then several thousand more, all whistling through the air as they approached their target. The super villain tried to form a shield, but there were too many projectiles, and he was taken down – with a chest full of darts and arrows.. Hal knew that he could kill the Wizard if he wanted, and he knew that the Wizard did try to kill him. But Hal also knew that he had to spare the villain’s life – as the Phantom Stranger said, super heroes were held to a higher standard.

He turned around to see the Shark almost ready to overwhelm Green Arrow, so he formed a giant harpoon which speared the enemy. Bright red blood began spurting out, as it dropped to the ground, unconscious, but Hal wasn’t worried, because he had heard that the Shark had recuperative powers, and it would recover almost immediately. He looked around to see Flash had so dazed Grodd that the gorilla could barely stand – nothing Hal need do here – and then turned to see Babe Wonder had already finished with Cheeta.

Muscleman had come up now, and brushing the dust off his uniform, as Babe Wonder went up to kiss him.

“You see that, I did it, and you couldn’t.” Hal shouted at Muscleman. “You’re not that good.”

Muscleman stood there, not saying anything. Babe Wonder stood next to him, also not saying anything. Both seemed taken aback at Hal’s outburst.

“You think he can do better?” Hal confronted Babe Wonder, pointing a finger at the super hero next to him. “Well, if he’s so good, why can’t he take on the Wizard, but I can?”

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Flash and Green Arrow watching everything – they obviously didn’t want to take part in this. Hal saw he was not accomplishing anything, so he stomped off, fuming. Every time he was in a bad mood, he would never fly, if only because walking let him clear his mind. When he was out of sight of the other super heroes, and he was about to change into his real self, when a female, a blonde wearing a dark leotard with fishnet stockings, bumped into him.

“Hi,” she said coyly. “You were very good.”

“Uh, thank you,” Hal replied, recognizing the Black Canary.

“I saw you there, and I think you’re wonderful,” she smiled.

“Uh, thank you,” he said, smiling sheepishly.

“Don’t let any one tell you anything else – not even Babe Wonder.” She went on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.

“Thank you,” he replied. “Uh, say, are you free …”

“I’m seeing Green Arrow.”

“Oh, ok. Some other time, then.”

“Maybe.” She winked, then walked away, towards the arena he had just come from.

Hal decided to fly back. He was, after all, in a good mood now.

[Froggy]

it's cool, just as long as you still tell the story!