(Hal POV)
Two years passed, and my life as a Green Lantern continued. I did my job as a Green Lantern and did a few missions in Space Sector 2814. Sinestro came to visit me a few times over the last two years, and we became good friends... or at least we would have if I hadn't been so absorbed. He had a unique perspective on things, and his sense of justice was somewhat forceful. I agree that there are times when killing someone is the better option, and I was never a fan of the 'no-kill' rule. But Sinestro had this weird sense of justice and would rather instil fear in others, not very Green Lantern-like of him.
No matter what I did or said, he would say that I was naive and my human brain needed time to adjust to the Universal scale. Whatever that meant. I could tell that he was lying about my progress. Every time we sparred or he watched how I solved a problem on my own, he was impressed. He never won a sparring match with me, and my skill in using the Green Lantern ring had shot through the roof.
Very soon after starting my job at Ferris Air again, I enrolled at a university and took a few courses. Very quickly, it became apparent that I truly have beyond-genius intelligence. I was bored out of my mind during the lecture and decided to read the book we were given. I finished it before the lecture ended. That gave me an idea. I would visit the library and borrow as many books as I could on any topic that interested me.
One week later, I took all the required tests and started another course the next day.
.
Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemical Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences (MUSE), Mathematics, Mathematics-Computer Science and Numerical Sciences, Neuroscience, Pharmacy, Physics, Prehistoric Archaeology, Bidisciplinary Master of Science ...
Yes, I was a bit out of my mind. But when you learn things as quickly as I do, it's just a craving to learn more and more. I came to understand things deeply and had numerous ideas on how to refine my constructs and what to add or remove. It was all worth it in the end. I also delved into other topics, such as geology, trading, history, languages, engineering, and many more.
I applied the knowledge I gained from trading to invest my money wisely and earn enough to become financially independent, reducing my dependence on my job. I liked to fly, but when you have a Green Lantern ring on your finger, there's little a jet can offer.
.
I created my personal lab using the Power Ring, where I can conduct various experiments at will. I wanted to do quite a few things. First, I tried to increase my body's capabilities without the ring. For that, I tried to recreate the Super Soldier Serum from Marvel.
I know that all of this is not necessary, but the Super Soldier Serum is only the beginning. There are many more things I can and will do. The way I approach this is by conducting all the research in my laboratory and then implementing those changes using the power ring on myself. I can directly manipulate my DNA and biology this way, and the changes I make are permanent. That is the most broken advantage.
I have also been thinking about the Golden Sentry Serum. However, I haven't yet found a way to create it. But I have a different idea. I call it the 'Energy converter cell'. As the name suggests, this specific cell has the function to convert any type of energy into the one I want. Meaning that I could, for example, use sunlight to convert that energy into the energy my ring would need to function. Therefore, I won't need the Power Battery anymore. This is still in its infant stages, but it will work fine. On the other hand, I have had an idea that I am currently pursuing, which involves using Prometheum—specifically, Volatile Prometheum.
Volatile promethium can absorb, channel, amplify, and create an unlimited amount of energy. This form of promethium can be used as a power source to fuel multiple types of weapons and devices. Volatile promethium has a dangerous side effect in that it emits a mutagen that can mutate living beings or trigger the metagene. I know that Deathstroke has used volatile promethium in the past for his armour, sword, and staff. He counteracts the harmful mutagen with his accelerated healing. I will either use my ring to counter the harmful radiation or give myself a similar regeneration factor he has.
I am currently using the Ring to locate Volatile Prometheum, and the easiest way to do so is by finding Deathstroke. The Mercenary is a criminal and will be searched for by Batman, so I might as well meet them now and introduce myself. This way, he can start planning for a way to handle me now, before I 'lose' the need for a ring. I don't mind Batman's contingency plans, to be honest. Why would I bother being mad about someone planning in case I am a potential threat? I find it stimulating, and it motivates me not to stop growing stronger and more innovative.
I follow the direction the ring tells me and fly forward. I notice the air changing slightly and find myself in the sky over Gotham. Of course, Deathstroke would be here. He is one of the best mercenaries on the planet, and his skills are exceptional. I follow the sign and realise that something terrible is going on in Gotham. The streets are on fire, shootings are happening, and people are screaming in pain and fear. Fear: I have become increasingly sensitive to all emotions, and I can sense fear from a distance. And in Gotham ... it is everywhere. It makes me sick to experience something like this.
The sensors inside my suit are alerting me to something. I've changed my look somewhat and now wear a green round helmet. It wasn't working for me. I designed the inside of my helmet to function like a computer. Many different screens flash in front of my face, displaying what I want to see. And what I see right now ... is not something I want to see.
Gotham is in chaos.
The streets are on fire, buildings are broken or destroyed, men and women kill each other, explosions take place, and the screams of pain and fear can be heard everywhere. This is terrible. The screen changes again, giving me a view of both the outside and the heatsignatures. I see a few of them in the building to the right and fly forward. Already, I use my willpower to stabilise the building from all sides. I create firefighters and firetrucks to put out the fire and start searching the building where I have detected heat signatures coming from. My constructs operate based on my mind and willpower, so they will do and say in every situation what I instruct them to. Thanks to my training, I have achieved a ridiculously high degree of multitasking.
The firemen constructs pick up the people and then carry them out of the building. As this is going on, I focus on the building itself. I coat the entire complex with my energy. Every piece of it, the windows, the doors, the walls, the floors ... and then I went deeper, down to the smallest nails and screws. After doing this, I then start small and put it all back together. The nails and screws are put back, the tiles are placed in their right position and the walls align with the windows. After roughly 10 minutes, the entire building is back to its original state. And it may even be better than it was before, all the minor wear and tears are now fixed by yours truly. I smile, seeing the awe and happiness in the people's faces. This is a wonderful feeling. Let's move on to the next.
To make it easy for me, I created police cars and SWAT trucks with policemen and SWAT teams inside them. And then, I flood Gotham with them. This would be nearly impossible for anyone other than me, as the amount of willpower and concentration required is astronomical. I don't want to hurt anyone, and they shouldn't be robots, either. They need to act and think like I do, discerning between each situation they encounter—an enormous task. But I can do it.
I'm not done yet, not by a long shot. I construct a floating chair and sit inside it. From the armrest, a series of things rise. A widescreen, a mousepad, and a keyboard. But that's not all. Small round drones appear in front of me, which I send through the sky of Gotham. These drones act like my eyes and ears, guiding me to where I can find people in need and where I can start to repair and fix things. The pictures I see in front of me show me criminals of all sizes who my policemen and SWAT teams are slowly apprehending. It is going very well, in my opinion. The darkness permeating Gotham is being pushed back by Green Lantern's light.
.
Something pulls my attention away from the rest of the city. Two people, fighting, shooting at one another, not bothering about casualties. Two mercenaries ... two of the best in the entire world. I use my willpower to have the other constructs work without my conscious intervention. I shoot through the sky and reach the position above the two men shooting at one another.
*Beep Beep*
[Warning! An explosive substance has been detected. Explosion imminent]
I turn to the building the warning came from and act out of instinct. I point my fist forward and create a crude bubble around all the heat signatures I have detected. And then it happens.
*BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM*
The complex erupts in a fiery explosion. I create a large blanket around the area, protecting the buildings across the street and around from the debris and from getting further damage. I lift the balls through the rubble into the air. The people are confused and utterly shocked. The realisation that they almost died just now has not settled just now.
"Please remain calm. You are safe for now."
I then place them down a distance away and remove the blanket again. They are released from the bubbles and look at me. Some start crying out of relief, fear or sadness; I'm not certain. Maybe all of them. I don't have time to take care of them just yet; the two men are still going at it. I create two policemen who tell them to keep their distance and wait for the authorities to arrive and for the fight to end. Then, I focus on the two men who have had the decency to at least observe me and see me as a threat. At least they aren't totally stupid. I say that, but know that that's not the case at all.
"You two have fought long enough. That ends now."
"And who the fuck do you think you are, huh? Get out of here, you lightshow, before you swallow lead."
"Floyd Lawton, also known as Deadshot, the 'man who never misses' - an assassin with almost superhuman marksmanship skills. And Slade Wilson, known by your codename, Deathstroke, an elite mercenary, commonly considered the world's greatest and deadliest assassin."
"Oh, so you know us, how flattering. Now, piss off."
Deadshot points his guns at me. I think about it for a moment and then slowly descend to the ground. I form a sword in my hand and get into a stance. What I need right now, after all that studying, is combat experience and what better time to get it than with two professional killers who are out to get at each other and complete what they came to do? I have my armour ready, and my helmet is recording what will happen so that I can create simulations off of it and make the most of it. What they don't see is that a dome is created around us, that encases us three and protects the civilians from harm. I am ready, and they won't know what hit them.
[Hal's new look]
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I am open for suggestions on the FML.