ISSUE 06 COLOR COORDINATION

"Alright, rookie. Here's the deal, if you're gonna be out in the field with us, we need to know you can stick and move." Guy explained as they stood on an empty beach. The ocean flowed in the distance, making waves rise and swallow the faraway sight of Titans tower.

"Plus, with what you told us about Project Cadmus and unknown organizations possibly wanting your ring, you'll need training to protect yourself." John explained further from behind him.

"Don't I already have the strongest weapon in the universe?" Kyle held up his ring hand, "What's the point?"

"Did Hal Jordan lead the Justice League?" Guy asked.

"Uh…. I don't think so—"

"My point." Guy interrupted, "Truth is, for all that bastards endless willpower, confidence and bravery, without his ring he was just an arrogant fighter pilot."

"Guy." John's voice sounded like a sniper bullet entering the chamber. A prelude to swift, precise and explosive violence.

"Oh, shut-up." Guy pressed, "He killed our own. He destroyed Oa. I'll talk down to him all day if I want. The only reason that bastard became the first human lantern is because he was closer to Abin-sur than me."

"Guys…." Kyle said as he stood awkwardly between them in his green-lantern uniform.

"What?!" They both replied combatively.

"What was Hal like….? I mean— before, Coast-City." Kyle questioned. He hadn't thought about it till right then. He wasn't some great evil force of nature. He was a person. A hero. One well beloved if John's stance said anything. But there was more to it. He could see his anger— disdain and rage.

"Oh no. We're not taking that stroll down memory lane." Guy spoke animatedly.

"Then I have a better question." Kyle said.

"Anything but that other one." Guy conceded.

"Why does Ganthet avoid you— and you avoid him?"

Guy and John shared a glance before John walked over to Guy so they both faced him.

John cleared his throat and stood at ease. "Hal lost his mind to a life of trauma and combat. I've seen it happen to my brothers in arms many times….. only they didn't have an atomic bomb on hand when they snapped. He needs to be put out of his misery. He needs peace and our brothers and sisters need Justice. For all the wars he's endured…."

"And who put him in those wars?" Guy asked.

"The Guardians." Kyle understood. He was already on the fence about them when Ganthet showed what happened to Hal.

"They didn't respect their Lanterns— they didn't see us as anything other than toy soldiers they could shuffle around on their universal chessboard." John explained. "I took an oath. No evil shall escape my sight. I broke it the moment I took it too. For decades, I let the evils of their tyrannical rule escape my sight— and now look at us. The universe's peace-keeping force once known by all, reduced to three."

"Two and a half, FMJ." Guy corrected, "Our new guy is part time, remember?." He teased.

"All the more reason we need to get to work." John seemed finished talking.

Guy seemed ready to fight. Then again, he always seemed that way.

Kyle decided not to ask his last question to anyone but himself. "Could they change?"

***

After a few minutes of warm-ups— which seemed comical since he could fly faster than a fighter-jet and lift entire buildings, they started the basics.

Guy took the lead and stood directly in front of him.

"Let's start simple, this is a power-ring." Guy held up his fist and flashed his ring. He waited until Kyle did the same. "Good. All power-rings operate, are attracted to and empowered by aspects of the emotional spectrum."

"Emotional electromagnetic spectrum." John corrected.

"Yea, yea." Guy waved him off and continued, "Think of this spectrum like a field of energy."

"It is a field of energy."

"Jonny-boy I'm gonna arrest you for being a jackass." Guy sneered.

"I need better teachers or I'm dead." Kyle sighed.

"Focus." Guy flicked him, "Anyway. This field of energy is fueled and created by all sentient beings and their innermost emotions."

"Like us." Kyle said.

"Exactly. For better or worse.." He looked back at John, "The emotional electromagnetic spectrum is also powered by one of The Seven Forces of the Universe."

"I have no idea what you just said."

Guy looked up again, "Dammit— I don't either. John fix your handwriting."

Kyle turned around and found a construct of notes floating behind him. Guy couldn't even read. "I'm so dead. I'm dead and I haven't even met any of my deadlines. Alex, I'm in over my head."

"Anyways— yes you do." Guy made him face forward again.

"I do?"

"The Flash!" Guy faked excitement. "Superspeed— his speed, comes from the Speed Force. Another one of The Seven Forces of the Universe. Don't ask for anymore, I don't know them."

"Got it."

"The Guardians weren't the first to harness this energy field. But they were the best and created us. The Green Lanterns. Powered by Will championed by the avatar Ion. There are others— other emotions and avatars."

"Red Lanterns." Kyle remembered watching Hal become one shortly. How he changed back to green, he wasn't entirely sure of…

"Powered by rage. Their blood is hotter than lava, they can't take off their rings without dying and they're dumb as dirt but boy can they rumble. Their avatar is Butcher— think of a giant red bloody bull with fangs and ram horns." Guy shivered like he was having a pleasant memory.

"There's more. Blue's— powered by Hope. They aren't very combative but when they're by our side, our power magnifies. Think of them as support groups in times of war. You'll need them. Their avatar is Adara."

"There's also the indigo's. Their thing is compassion— being all mushy and sappy. Makes me sick. I don't give a damn what their avatar is to be honest." Guy faked a gag.

"Is there a lantern of every color?" Kyle asked. "Also can anyone have more than one?"

"Slow down." Guy held a hand out, "We've never heard of anyone wielding multiple ring colors, that's just too much power. Also, there's only one more that we know of on the spectrum. The Guardians liked to bring up some prophecy in this crackpot space Bible about a war of light between the seven colors but that's hogwash. Focus on these, and especially this last one."

"Yellow." John said.

"Fear." Guy pulled out a yellow knife. It looked like a toy.

"Why do you guys look so…. Like that?" Kyle questioned.

"Fear breaks your will. Yellow Lanterns are our weakness. You could be even stronger than Hal, but if you run into a team of Yellow-Lanterns you still might get got." Guy explained.

"But don't I just have to stay focused?" Kyle asked.

"You don't get it." Guy explained, "It's literally a flaw in the coding of our power-rings. Fear breaks us. It melts through our constructs. Corrupts our greatest soldiers. It runs so deep we could die by a straw….. it only has to be the color yellow."

Guy lunged with the yellow knife and slashed at Kyle's arm.

"OUCH!" Kyle reflexively flinched and tried to evade the slash. Guy was more experienced and wielded the element of surprise well.

Kyle stood guarding himself, awaiting the stabbing feeling in his arm.

It never came.

He stood up straighter then and found the two lanterns looking at eachother.

"OHHHHH YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"

Kyle dusted himself off. His suit threads glimmered green as it tightened around his muscles in flexion, "That was supposed to cut me wasn't it?"

"More surprises." Guy gritted his teeth.

John itched his chin in deep thought. "A green lantern with no weakness to the color yellow…."

Kyle looked at his ring, beginning to better understand Ganthet's words.

"They want THAT ring."

"Kyle, did Ganthet tell you anything about your ring?" John asked.

"No." Kyle replied, "But he insinuated it was different. I think it's a last ditch effort. Something expirmental." He looked at the ring as it sat on his gloved finger.

"Alright, let me see it." Guy said.

Immediately after his words, a construct of a outstretched hand slithered out of his ring and grabbed hold of Kyle's ring, ripping it off his finger.

"Hey!"

"Easy, twinkle-digits. I just want a test-drive." Guy took his ring off and slid on Kyle's.

Green energy burst from the connection and suddenly he was wearing Kyle's uniform.

"Yuck…. I feel like I'm wearing my shoes backwards." Guy hovered above the ground. "Nothing too crazy…. A little stiff."

He took out his yellow knife and stabbed his hand. It shattered. He laughed like a maniac.

"Alright, Guy. Give him his ring back." John said.

"Shush." Guy aimed his ring at John, attempting some— assumedly, comical construct.

All that came was green smoke. A few sparks, even.

John blinked in the silence.

Guy tried to ignore the reddening of his cheeks. "Hold on. Just a little performance anxiety… haha… gotta warm her up!" Guy rubbed the ring and tried again.

More smoke and sparks. Like a sputtering engine in an undrivable car.

Three minutes passed with Guy flexing all his imaginative ability he could. So much so that the veins in his neck were bulging as he tried a construct of a box no larger than his head.

All he could manage was a 2d square that wobbled and liquified into aimless energy.

"What the hell is this garbage?!?" Guy was sweating bullets.

"It's the balance…" John smiled faintly as he looked at Kyle. Who was still wearing a ripped sweater and jeans.

"What?"

"However his ring was made, they had a goal. It's not all powerful with an all clear weakness. It's balanced. Constructs aren't as easily made— requires more concentration. A clearer imagination. But also no yellow weakness. That ring, is only the strongest weapon in the universe…. When it's worn by Kyle."

The ring jumped off Guy's finger and floated back to Kyle.

As he watched it descend, he was suddenly back at the cemetary. In the parkinglot. Flying over the ocean.

"The ring never makes a mistake."

It slipped back onto his finger. A little differently this time.

"You made a mech with that thing?" Guy huffed.

"I guess I'm lucky…. Sometimes." Kyle shrugged.

John shook his head, "No. You're an artist. You have a powerful mind. Powerful in ways we don't usually see. With that being said, don't think of what you're about to do as fighting."

John and Guy took their fighting stances.

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't a fight for you. That ring is your pencil— your paintbrush and this beach is your canvas."

Kyle grinned as he caught on. His hair flowed like he was underwater as he raised his ring and birthed a construct of a lightning storm. Green arcs of whitehot willpower struck the sand, turning it to glass and causing the two lanterns to go on the defensive as verdant clouds churned in the sky.

He stood alone. No fear. No worries. Having fun for the first time since….

John's words echoed.

"For you this isn't fighting."

"This is art."