"Welcome to the Avengers," said an elderly gentleman as Hal and Wade entered a space filled with futuristic architecture. The man's old-fashioned suit seemed out of place in the high-tech setting.
This man was none other than the Guardian. Although the Guardians had joined the Avengers, which increased their responsibilities, it allowed them to prove their worth, especially given past mistakes. So even though Jarvis was the true overseer of the Avengers, the Guardian, merely a gatekeeper, still took pride in his role, dressing with a polished, dignified air to welcome Avengers members.
"Hello," Hal greeted, a bit taken aback. Wade, meanwhile, looked at the Guardian in confusion, realizing the portal they'd just used was his doing but having no idea who he actually was.
While Wade's unique abilities granted him insight into various dimensions, including knowing Robert's true Saiyan nature, such knowledge was usually reserved for well-known figures. Guardians weren't as famous, so Wade mistakenly assumed the Guardian was a mutant with teleportation abilities. Excited by the idea, Wade grew more enthusiastic.
"When did you join the Avengers? I don't recall seeing you a few years ago," Wade said with a grin.
"Not long ago," the Guardian replied, slightly bewildered by Wade's friendliness, but assuming he was a veteran Avenger, he explained himself.
"And what about your companions? Do you know any of them? Are they here too?" Wade's eyes lit up.
"Yes, they joined the Avengers as well, but like me, they're mostly in support roles," the Guardian replied, still puzzled by Wade's questions.
"Do you know anyone who can grow claws?" Wade asked eagerly. Though he had Peter Parker, his "friendly neighborhood bug," as a friend, he longed to meet someone who fit his mental image of a best buddy—like someone with Wolverine's claws.
"Claws? What power is that? Are you talking about Nightwolf or Morbius?" the Guardian replied, lost in Wade's rapid-fire questions.
"No, a mutant with metal claws!" Wade said, exasperated by the Guardian's confusion.
"Mutant? Is that a power type?" The Guardian remained clueless.
"You're not a mutant?" Wade's eyes widened as he finally realized his mistake.
"No, I'm a Shadow Hunter!" The Guardian clarified, sensing that "mutant" was some type of supernatural classification and sharing his own background.
"Hey, Wade, what are you doing over there?" called out Johnny Storm, snapping both Wade and the Guardian out of their mutual confusion. Several Avengers were busy evaluating Barry Allen's impressive powers, while others, feeling the competitive pressure, had already begun training to improve their abilities.
Johnny himself had recently experienced a power boost similar to Barry's, so he wasn't in a hurry to strengthen himself further. Instead, Tony Stark had asked him to fetch Wade and his "brother" Hal, as Hal's versatile abilities intrigued him.
"Holy Torch! I know you!" Hal's eyes lit up upon seeing Johnny Storm. Unlike the unfamiliar Green Lantern Corps or the unknown Guardian, Johnny Storm's reputation as the Human Torch resonated deeply with Hal, making him feel truly immersed in this world of superpowers for the first time.
Meanwhile, Wade, his enthusiasm for adventure undeterred, squirmed away from Johnny's playful "Monkey Steals the Peach" move, yelling, "Are you trying to roast me here?"
"Just a little toasting! I heard from Jarvis you've been living it up lately, touring the world, and making public appearances just as frequently as Spidey saves people," Johnny replied with a mischievous grin.
Wade, undeterred, shot back, "Well, who says I'm a superhero? Maybe you should try being a mercenary. Might even pay better!"
"All your money's Tony's, you know. If you lure me away, you won't see another dollar!" Johnny teased, turning to Hal. "Come on, we need to get more information about your ring and that alien."
Seeing Johnny switch to a serious tone, Hal took a deep breath, falling in line. Soon, he came face to face with the famous Iron Man, Tony Stark.
"Hello, Iron Man," Hal greeted him cautiously, nervous not because of Tony's status, but due to Tony's unpredictable personality. After all, Tony Stark wasn't always the most reliable individual.
"Hi, Hal," Tony replied, calmly. "Now, let's see what you can do."
Relieved, Hal focused his thoughts on the Green Lantern ring, ready to showcase his abilities. However, Tony and the others watched as Hal simply stood there, motionless, with nothing happening.
After a few moments of silence, they all turned toward Wade, whose expression grew concerned under their questioning stares. Tony, who was well-acquainted with Wade's antics, even began to suspect that Wade had fabricated the "Green Light Hero" story, or worse, that he'd mistaken Hal for someone else.
"You gonna transform, Hal? You're really making me look bad here," Wade whispered urgently to Hal.
"Maybe I'm using the wrong stance… Let me try again." Hal's face grew rigid, and he struck an awkward pose, shouting, "Ha!"
But once again, nothing happened. The entire room fell silent, and Hal thought he could almost hear the sound of imaginary crows flying over his head.
Tony cleared his throat. "Jarvis, let's skip the sound effects," he murmured before turning back to Hal. "Are you just not comfortable using your power yet? Or maybe you're feeling pressured with us all watching?"
"No, it's… the ring's out of charge," Hal admitted with an embarrassed smile after checking.
"Out of charge? You have to charge this thing?" Johnny exclaimed, astonished. "So it's some kind of tech device that can be mass-produced?"
"I don't know if it's 'tech,' but it can definitely be mass-produced. In fact, there's an entire Green Lantern Corps in the universe. Their base is on the planet Oa, and every member has a ring with powers like mine," Hal explained.
"Tell us more about the Green Lantern Corps and how this ring recharges," Tony said, intrigued.
"I know! I'll go grab the lantern; it's back at Slade's base," Wade chimed in. "But seriously, Hal, your endurance is lacking. Just one burst and you're already out?"
Hal's face flushed red as he tried to explain that he'd trained extensively on Oa, and his energy reserves were low. Wade, however, seemed more interested in poking fun than listening, heading off to retrieve the power lantern. Though embarrassed, Hal's initial awkwardness with the Avengers quickly faded, and he continued sharing what he knew about the Green Lantern Corps, Parallax, and Abin's final battle.
"So, the Green Lantern Corps' greatest warrior, Abin, was attacked by Parallax, fled to Earth, and passed his legacy to you, but might have unwittingly attracted Parallax here as well?" Tony asked after listening carefully to Hal's story.
"Yes… although Sinestro and the others have already vowed to confront Parallax, they may have re-sealed him by now," Hal replied, sounding uncertain.
"I doubt it's that simple. If Parallax were easy to handle, they wouldn't have resorted to sealing him instead of destroying him. Even the Green Lantern Corps' best couldn't defeat him, so I wouldn't count on Sinestro," Tony said seriously. "We should prepare for Parallax to invade Earth."
"Prepare? What should we do?" Hal asked, feeling a new sense of urgency.
"I've informed the Saiyan. With him on our side, things should be under control," Tony said confidently. "As for you, focus on mastering your abilities. I'll also work on understanding how this thing recharges."
"The Saiyan? Is he also an Avenger? I haven't heard of him," Hal said, his brow furrowing. "If the Green Lantern Corps couldn't handle Parallax, then Parallax must be incredibly strong…"
"Trust me, if the Saiyan couldn't handle him, the universe would already be under Parallax's control," Tony replied, reassuring him with a smile. Gesturing to Wade, who had returned with the lantern, Tony asked, "So, this is your power source?"
"Yes, but charging it isn't complicated." Hal pressed his ring to the lantern, and a green glow enveloped him…
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]