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Back on the Interceptor again...
After returning to the ship, Razer was scolded by Hal Jordan for his actions and was given a citation for working as a team before the three stood in shock and confusion over seeing the plans for the Red Lantern fleets that the group was working on:
"Warships, hundreds of them..."
"Better keep your ring charged, Red."
Kilowog told Razer while furrowing his eyes at the hologram of warships, "Looks like we all should." Hal spoke.
Although everyone was still on edge about something other than the Warships, it was about Cassandra. She had been sleeping for the past few hours; however, Kilowog finally could tell she wasn't waking up.
Of course, Hal and Razer were shocked and now worried about what Atrocitus had done to her. On the other hand, Razer looked as guilty as ever before as Hal asked Aya about his niece's condition.
Quietly, she gets a flashback of Cassandra and her talking in the medical room one night before tracking Shard.
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____________________________Flashback~______________________________
" 'Your vitals have cleared a bit; if the pills continue to work, you might be cured.' "
Aya spoke, as Cassandra sighed before stretching her arms into the air, " 'I hope so because being in a scifi ship like the Interceptor sure has a lot of better equipment.' "
She yawns while Aya starts hiding the medical records as instructed, " 'Might I ask a question, Cassandra.' "
" 'Hm?' " Cassandra turns to her, who continues adding the hidden adjustments on the medical records." 'If you do not wake up, may I have permission to show the medical records to everyone in the Interceptor?' " Aya said, making Cassandra silently hesitates but nods: " 'If I...If I don't wake up, you have my permission to show the medical records.' "
" 'And your memory of being kidnapped?' "
This surprised the human girl; she glared a bit, making Aya come clean: " 'Back in Spider Guild Prison planet when we were in Razer's mind... not only had I seen his memories, as you were occupied talking to him, I accidentally caught many glimpses of your past, along with your kidnapping memory... why did you not tell anyone that you were experimented on at the young age of 8, minus your uncle, Hal Jordan? Does he know? On what had happened?' "
Aya sounded worried, which made Cassandra realize that her emotions were exploring bit by bit, until she finally sighed with a frown: " 'Sadly, he doesn't know what happened while trying to find me, so learning that I got experimented with toxins and chemicals inside my blood. Is something I will not allow.' " Cassandra explained to Aya, " 'So go ahead when the time comes. You have my permission.' "
_______________________Flashback ended________________________
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Noting that the A.I. cannot keep the secret about her friend's health, Aya decides to tell the truth. It shows the memory of the incident with Joker during Cassandra's childhood and her medical condition to everyone who had gotten ahold of their secret meetings.
Aya displays the holographic memory of Cassandra's kidnap as she lets Hal Jordan, Razer, and Kilowog see the torture unfold, as it started with little Cassandra Jordan waking up:
==*Memory upload*==
" '𝐖-𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐦 𝐈?' " 𝐀𝐧 𝟖-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠.
As the hologram continued to play, Aya's voice narrated the events, describing the horrifying scene unfolding before Hal, Razer, and Kilowog.
They were there to witness Cassandra's traumatic experience to gain a deeper understanding of her past and how it shaped her.
==continue==
𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦, 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞.
𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫.
𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫: "𝐈-𝐈-𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮! 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮!"
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧, 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 deadly 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠:
"𝐀𝐡, 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞," 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. "𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫!"
𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚'𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞, 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. "𝐏-𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞... 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐨. 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐈 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫!"
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬. "𝐎𝐡, 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞." 𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩, 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞.
"Turn it off, Aya."
Hal Jordan calmly but immediately commanded her.
As the holographic video ended, Hal, Razer, and Kilowog watched in shock and anger as they witnessed the horrors that Cassandra had endured as a child. After watching the whole thing, it ended as Hal clenched his fists, his eyes filled with rage.
"That sick bastard," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with fury.
Razer's guilt deepened as he realized the extent of Cassandra's suffering.
He couldn't help but blame himself for not being able to protect her from Atrocitus. But now, Razer understood why she was excited and cheerful; she wanted to show everyone she could handle it herself.
His fists trembled at his sides, and his voice cracked as he spoke. "I...I should have been able to protect her," he said, his voice filled with regret. "I should have stopped this."
Truthfully, he was right; Razer would have saved her from Atrocitus if he hadn't left the Interceptor, and yet, as of now, this is what he had not expected Hal's niece to hide the secret of her medical records and her experience of being experimented on.
Aya had just revealed one memory of Cassandra's past to show how her kidnapping happened and has been done to her. Let me tell you that the Red Lantern was furious, "But, How can someone so cruel do this to her?!? Cassandra was just a child."
Razer angrily says, making Hal Jordan look away from his niece in guilt before showing sympathy and responsibility for his niece a few years ago.
At the same time, Kilowog frowns, and his expression is filled with worry and betrayal.
Yet, no one seems to understand why Hal Jordan's niece never told them about her condition.
Aya slowly begins to tell them more, "Cassandra tried to say to you about her condition, Razer, " Razer widens his blue eyes at her in disbelief but listens: "But since, in her words, she knew she couldn't keep this secret any longer, and she wasn't ready to face any judgment nor pity."
Everyone looks at Cassandra's body, lying on the medical berth.
At the same time, her normal skin has turned pale with the oxygen mask over her mouth, and then everyone turns back to Aya's explanation: "She also said that no one would understand the weight of her burden. So, she continued to hide it until she was ready."
"Why didn't she-!" Razer was cut off when Hal's niece's vitals began going high, and everyone was already on high alert as they all went to Cassandra's side to see her body jolting.
Razer felt scared for Cassandra's life on the line while Hal shouted: "Aya, find the nearest planet with a hospital! Now!"
"There is no hospital other than the planet of Betrassus," Aya responded after glancing at Cassandra's body; she felt a different emotion as she remembered what it was.
It was worry and fear.
Aya, who had quietly observed her friends' reactions, spoke up. "I can't begin to imagine Cassandra's pain," she said softly. "But we must focus on protecting her now. We need to find a way to counteract the effects of the experiments and help her recover."
Hal nodded, his anger giving way to determination. "We'll do whatever it takes," he said firmly.
The A.I. flies the Interceptor.
Not caring about her injuries, Aya may never show her reaction due to her emotions exploring. She felt a tear trail down from the corner of her eye.
(Hal Jordan's POV)Location: Planet of Betrassus...
We got to Betrassus as soon as possible.
I landed the Interceptor as Kilowog decided to stay inside the Interceptor and check up on Aya while Razer and I got off our seats to go outside.
Before I could even remember getting my niece, Razer was already the first to carry her in his arms, "Razer, you can't carry her. You'll be seen as a threat." I tried to warn him, but it was too late: "I don't care about it! What matters is for Cassandra to survive right now. Do you want her to die!?"
"No, I don't want her to die either, Razer. But given the circumstances of you being seen as a threat-" I was cut off guard when Kilowog placed a hand on my shoulder, "Jordan, let him. If he wants to, then it is fine... Cassandra would have felt the same way as he does."
His words surprised me, but I realized that he was right. We needed to do everything we could to save my niece's life. So, Razer followed me, carrying Cassandra towards Iolande's castle with me and floating there.
As we entered the castle uninvited, the guards and royal citizens looked at us with suspicion and fear. But Razer only had his eyes on one thing: saving Cassandra's life. He would have become a green lantern if he weren't red.
They stopped us by asking us why a Red Lantern was carrying Cassandra since I let him take her while we floated toward Iolande's castle: "Hal Jordan, this is an unexpected turn of events."
"Iolande, we need your help."
"Anything for you, what seems-"
All of a sudden, the guards pointed their spears at Razer by calling him an enemy; he was about to get angry, but, luckily, the only thing he did was snarl and growl at them.
Queen Iolande furrowed her eyes at him, "What is going on here?" she demanded.
I explained the situation to her, my voice filled with urgency.
"We needed your help, and we needed it now. Razer with me, and he cannot do it unless you let him pass through without attacking him. I promise you, and he will not harm anyone."
Queen Iolande stared at Razer momentarily before her eyes landed on mine.
With a soft nod, she agreed by letting him in: "Quickly, in here, the doctors will see to it that she is in good hands." Iolande lets us in while Cassie has just gripped Razer's armored chest.
She may be unconscious, but I know that she'd be in pain, not knowing if he and I didn't come along to get her here.
The doctors and nurses were about to take my niece off Razer's arms, but he pulled away from them. This meant he was protective. I told him, "Razer, control your anger later. We have to let them take her to the medical room, or she will die."
I reasoned with him, and he slowly processed and silently gave up by handing her to them. Once they placed her inside and on the surgery table, Razer stood there: "Cassandra, come back to me."
I heard Razer mumble in sadness as the doors closed before him.
Hours had passed, and no sign of Iolande's best doctors had come out of the medical room of her castle.
We waited, but I got a call from Kilowog; I told Razer that I was going for a walk, and he hinted that I had a call to answer. He nodded without leaving his eyes off the emergency doors.
As soon as I got outside, I contacted back to Kilowog: "Hey, Kilowog," I spoke tiredly but worried about my niece.
"How's she?" Kilowog asked.
"For now, it's okay... Cassie is already in surgery." I answered.
"And Red? How's he holding up?"
At this point, I went to glance at Razer from afar, and his face was glued to the emergency door. And I turned back to Kilowog's hologram through my ring, "He seemed fine, but as of now... Razer is feeling a lot right now."
Unbeknownst to me, Razer was caught in the clutches of dread to the world around him. There was someone who he deeply cared about, someone whose happiness meant the world to him, yet his secret fears weighed heavily on his heart.
A nagging sensation of guilt gripped Razer in the depths of his thoughts.
It was the guilt of feeling responsible for someone else's well-being.
His worry stemmed from an unyielding desire to protect them from the harsh realities of life, shielding them from sorrow and pain. It reminded him of his dead wife, Illana, but now, after learning what Atrocitus did. Is unforgivable.
The lines etched upon his face grew more pronounced as he pondered whether he had done enough or been there when Cassandra needed him most. Concern occupied his every waking moment, even the simplest joys of life.
Razer has tirelessly questioned his actions, wishing he could have done more, said more, and been more.
At the same time, I stopped the call.
I went over to take a peek through the small window of the emergency room, where Iolande's doctors continued analyzing the medical records of Cassandra's secret meetings with Aya, trying to devise a way to counteract the chemicals in her bloodstream.
I was pacing back and forth, his eyes filled with worry.
Razer sat next to the emergency doors in case something went wrong.
However, his head bowed in guilt and regret.
Worst of all, he hasn't even said or spoken anything.
I, on the other hand, kept calm, yet I was terrified, with many thoughts about how I should tell my brother a lie about what happened like Cassie died in a cruise accident and her friend Kia too.
There were many options for lying, but truth be told, I'm not a lying man. I am honest except for my secret identity as the Green Lantern.
Finally, after an eternity, it was around 1 a.m. when one of the doctors came out and spoke to us. "It was a close call," he said. "But we were able to stabilize her condition. However, we must closely observe her for the next few days to monitor her progress."
We were relieved to hear that Cassandra was going to be okay.
But we also knew that we couldn't let our guard down. Atrocitus was still out there, and he would stop at nothing to get revenge on us:
"But we need a blood transfusion with the same DNA as her blood since it is the only way to take out the chemicals in her body. Permanently."
A nurse explained to the doctor, who gave us worried looks. I knew what they meant, so I listened to them as they continued: "However, your niece's silver eyes are still permanent,"
Queen Iolande comes in, as the doctors bow to her and let her continue: "Also, what is her blood type?"
"A+."
"If you're her uncle, do you have the same DNA as hers?" I shook my head in defeat, "My blood type is O-. Only my sister-in-law has that blood type."
The doctors sadly nodded before discussing with the Queen; afterward, they smiled a bit, and I glanced at Razer: "Hey, everything will be fine, kid. Have hope."
Razer silently responded, "If she doesn't-"
"She will." I firmly stated, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Razer, she's a fighter and a stubborn one at that, so everything is gonna be alright."
Razer looked at me, his eyes filled with desperation and worry. I knew he was struggling with guilt and doubts, but deep down, I could see how much he cared for Cassandra.
I didn't want to make any promises I couldn't keep, but I wanted to give him some semblance of reassurance.
"We'll find a way, Razer. We won't give up on her," I said, my voice filled with determination. He nodded slightly, his grip on the emergency doors tightening. "I just... I can't lose her. Not again," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly.
I understood his fear.
Losing someone you care about is the most painful thing in the universe. And for Razer, who had already experienced the loss of his wife, the thought of losing Cassandra was unbearable, "You won't lose her, Razer," I said firmly. "We're all here for her, and we won't let anything happen to her."
Razer glanced at me, his eyes filled with tears, but pushed me away before he could let them fall as he immediately glanced over his shoulder to meet my domino mask: "Thank you, Hal Jordan..." he said softly.
I smiled softly at him. "We're in this together, Razer."
Later, after they explained who would volunteer for the blood transfusion process, I was surprised to know that Queen Iolande was willing to do it. She then explained: "You saved me from my brother; let me do this as a thank-you gift for saving my place as Queen."
Razer and I looked at each other in disbelief before he spoke: "Do what you must."
She nodded before motioning the doctors to do the preparations.
"You do realize that it means that she'll be-"
" 'Royalty'? Yes, I know. But it means that she will be part of the family. As a distant relative." Iolande softly smiles as the doctors put all the equipment to work, "Do you wish to see her before it starts?" The nurse asked; Razer silently nodded, "Yeah, but if it isn't much of a bother, Razer offered to keep an eye on Cassie." I told her, making him look at me in shock, which I ignored as it also surprised Queen Iolande. With a grateful nod, she led me to the room where Cassandra was being monitored. Razer stayed by her side, his gaze never leaving her. I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him.
Despite his struggles and fears, he remained fiercely devoted to protecting Cassandra.
I knew then that he would do whatever it took to ensure her survival. As I entered the room, I saw Cassandra lying on a hospital bed, looking fragile, with wires and tubes connected to her, monitoring her vital signs.
My heart ached at sight, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger towards Atrocitus for bringing her so much pain. I approached the bed and gently placed my hand on Cassandra's forehead.
She stirred slightly but remained unconscious. "Hang in there, Cassie," I whispered, my voice hopeful.
Razer stood beside me, his gaze fixed on Cassandra's face. The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated his features, casting a soft glow on his strong jawline. At that moment, I saw a vulnerability in him that I had never witnessed before.
It was as if all his defenses had crumbled, leaving behind a raw and exposed soul; as a protective and supportive uncle, I saw Razer sitting next to Cassandra's unconscious body as he held her hand.
Carefully trying not to break it, Razer held it gently as if she were a delicate, fragile flower. I watched as he leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm so sorry, Cassandra," he said, his voice quivering. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I never wanted you to get hurt. Please, wake up, Cassandra. I need you." I could see the pain etched into Razer's features, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.
At this moment, I realized the depth of his love for Cassandra. He had always been guarded, hiding his emotions beneath anger and bitterness. But now, faced with the possibility of losing her, he had let all his walls crumble.
Watching this usually stoic and aloof individual open up and expose his vulnerabilities was a strange sensation.
'He likes her. There's no denying that one.' I mentally grinned, knowing that once my niece woke up, I would tell her about what I had witnessed since I couldn't imagine the pain he was going through, but I knew that I had to support him.
"She's strong, Razer," I said, my voice steady but filled with conviction. "And with Queen Iolande's help, we can save her." Razer turned to me, his eyes filled with nothing but relief.
I nodded, a small smile playing on my lips. "We're a team, Razer. And a family that sticks together, no matter what." Razer nodded before taking a chair nearby and sitting on it as the weight of his guilt seemed to lessen briefly.
As I stood there, silently observing this tender scene, I couldn't help but hope that, somehow, Cassandra would wake up and find comfort in Razer's touch. I prayed for her recovery, not just for her sake but for Razer.
Because in that intimate moment, I saw a glimmer of redemption and healing within him, a chance for him to find his version of peace.
We waited for the blood transfusion to be completed. The room was silent, the only sound being the machines humming in the background. I watched as Queen Iolande, with her regal grace, donated her blood to Cassandra.
It was a selfless act, a testament to her kindness and compassion.
Finally, the transfusion was complete, and Cassandra's condition stabilized. The doctors assured us that it would take some time for her body to recover fully, but there was hope.
I began thanking her as she offered Razer and me to sleep in the guest rooms; I agreed, but as soon as I was about to exit, Razer's hand gripped the emergency doors, and a look of relief washed over his face.
That's when it happened: Razer, who didn't want to leave Cassandra's side, decided to stay by her side. I turned to see him sitting back down next to her bed without taking his eyes off my niece, so I asked: "You coming, Razer?"
He said nothing until: "I'll stay with her and inform you when necessary..." "Oh... well, okay, but there are guards outside if you need something-" "I will inform you when necessary, Jordan." He coldly said, and without saying anything back, I gave him an 'ok' before I went to the guestrooms to sleep for the night.
(Cassandra's POV) A few days later...
A sound of beeping?
I fluttered my silver eyes open, not to recognize the room, until I saw a window open, upon realizing the familiarity of the city: It was Betrassus. But hold on, why am I?- I silently gasp to hear a familiar soft snore.
Slowly, I turn around to see Razer. His eyes closed while his red armored chest was moving, indicating that he was breathing in a deep sleep... on a damn chair??? 'Razer??? What the hell are you sleeping on a chair? Don't you know that it's very uncomfortable?'
As I rose from my place as quietly as a mouse, I walked over to Razer's tired form to observe his peaceful expression. Seeing him so relaxed and calm, free of the worry lines that usually marred his face, filled my heart with joy. For a moment, it felt like all the pain and suffering we had endured had faded away.
I reached out and gently brushed my fingers against his cheek, marveling at the warmth and tenderness of his skin.
Razer stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed.
I knew it was selfish, but I couldn't resist the urge to lean in and press a soft kiss against his cheek.
It was a gentle, chaste kiss, but it held all my love and gratitude for him: 'He must be tired...did he stay? That must be sweet of him, but...why did he stay?'
I thought, slightly but quietly giggling when I got a good look at him: His skin is described as a slender, human-like alien with a pale white skin tone and black tattooed markings on his face.
His blue eyes are closed while still wearing his red helmet with two horns protruding from it, black leggings, red boots, and gloves crossed over his breathing chest.
As I admired his handsome face, I suddenly realized that I fancied him more as a beautiful alien. As I pulled away from his cheek to move towards the window, a red hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
My heart was filled with a mix of emotions - disbelief and shock. Razer's blue eyes widened in surprise, contrasting with his overall appearance. We stared for what felt like 6 seconds before he let go of me.
"Cass...Cassandra? Y-You're..."
"Yeah, I'm awake." I smiled,
"This isn't a trick?"
"No tricks, Razer." I softly told him, only to feel my waist wrapped around Razer's arms while he pulled me into a tight embrace. I could feel his heartbeat against my chest, knowing he genuinely cared for me.
"I thought... I thought I would lose you," Razer whispered, his voice filled with relief and vulnerability. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."
I held him tighter, burying my face in the crook of his neck. "I'm here, Razer. I'm not going anywhere." I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, overwhelmed by his emotions.
We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, finding solace and comfort in our shared embrace. At that moment, I knew our connection was remarkable, yet we didn't know how to show it... but in due time, I would learn.
As we pulled away, there was a newfound understanding between us. We didn't need words to express our feelings. Our actions spoke volumes; in that simple embrace, we found peace and a bond that couldn't be broken.
"Razer... I'm okay," I softly smile at him by touching his cheek, causing him to blush a bit, "And I'm well; that's all that matters." But more than anything, I knew we had a long road ahead... and I'm willing to stay patient.
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"3 days!?!?" I exclaimed at Razer, who had already contacted my uncle about me being awake earlier and handing me a glass of water for my sore throat.
My uncle Hal had already dashed in to see me freak out over being unconscious for three days; he was relieved to see me and, along with Queen Iolande. "I'm sorry, Cass. I-We wanted to make sure you were stable before we woke you up," Razer explained, his voice filled with concern.
"I understand, but three days? That's a long time," I replied.
My frustration was evident.
"It was necessary, Cassandra," Queen Iolande chimed in. "You took quite a hit during the injuries you had received by Atrocitus, with your heart condition having worsened it, and your body needed time to heal." I sighed, realizing that they had my best interests at heart. "I know. I'm just... impatient." Uncle Hal chuckled. "That's the Cassandra I know. Always wanting to be in control." I smiled weakly at him. "Well, I guess some things never change."
Everyone in the room laughed, and the tension eased.
It felt good to see my family/friends to know that they were by my side even during my unconsciousness. But as they continued to chat and catch me up on what had been happening while I was out, my mind kept drifting back to Razer.
I stole glances at him throughout the conversation, and every time our eyes met, a warmth spread through my chest.
There was something different about our connection now, more than friendship. I felt overwhelmed by the feelings I started to have for Razer that were killing me daily, but it scared and excited me simultaneously.
After a while, the room emptied, leaving only Razer and me. We sat silently, the air thick with unspoken words and emotions: "Are you feeling better now?" Razer finally asked, breaking the silence.
I nodded, not trusting my voice at the moment. "That is good. I was worried about you, Cass," he admitted, his voice filled with sincerity. I frown a bit, remembering hearing about Razer being hurt and tortured by Atrocitus, who told him about him murdering his wife.
I mustered up the courage to speak: "Razer," I started, this caught his attention, "Back at Shard... when you were fighting Atrocitus at Battery Square, I heard what he said... about your wife and all. But the point is that earlier, just after I woke up, I noticed that you weren't taking care of yourself because you slept on that chair with injuries you just got from him in the throne room... and it got me worried about you that it scared me."
He looked down, a hint of guilt and sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I couldn't leave your side."
I reached out and gently touched his gloved hand.
"You don't have to apologize, Razer. It meant a lot to me that you stayed." A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, Cass..."
My heart fluttered at his slight smile, and his words made me realize that those unspoken feelings I had earlier were reciprocated.
'You mean more to me than you'll ever know.' Razer thought.
Time skip~
I was once wearing a navy blue round-neck knit pullover sweater over my floral skirt, which my uncle had brought me to change into. I paired it with my white Converse shoes.
Razer had just returned after speaking to my uncle, and Kilowog had signaled through their power rings to pick me up.
As I turned around to meet him, I asked, "Are we ready to go?" He replied, "Yes." Just as I was about to take my first step, Razer caught me from falling to the ground.
I sweatdropped and nervously laughed, "Don't force yourself, or I'll have to carry you." Razer had spoken to me in a strict tone, but to see if I could push his buttons, I grinned and said, "I'd like to see you try." I was taken aback when he did what he promised. He lifted me off the ground and carried me in his arms. I gasped in shock and tried to wriggle free from his grip. "Okay, okay, you win. Can you put me down?"
"No."
Razer's voice filled with amusement, causing me to blush.
"I'm not going to let you fall again, Cassandra. Besides, I kind of like carrying you like this."
He winked, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed for testing him, knowing this was a bad idea: "Seriously, you're impossible," I muttered, playfully swatting at his arm. Razer chuckled and adjusted his hold on me, ensuring I was secure.
As we made our way toward the Interceptor, I could see my uncle talking with Iolande; that is when I found out something.
"Thank you, Iolande," My uncle said, "without your help sharing the blood transfusion with Cassie, she wouldn't have survived."
I stared at my uncle in shock, realizing that Iolande had willingly given up her blood to save me, "Wait! What? Uncle... Queen Iolande, I... I don't know what to say," I stammered, my voice filled with emotion.
She smiled warmly at me, her black eyes filled with compassion.
"You don't have to say anything, Cassandra. You are family to us, and family takes care of each other."
By hearing this, I immediately dismounted from Razer, he became startled and I felt my eyes well up with tears. Overwhelmed by the love and support that surrounded me, I hugged her tightly with all my strength.
She seemed shocked, but she returned the gesture by kissing my forehead, a typical Queenly gesture. Meanwhile, Razer stood by, his expression filled with protectiveness, as he pulled me closer into his arms and carried me to the Interceptor.
Kilowog greeted us cheerfully. "Welcome back, Cassie!" I replied, "Thank you, Kilowog, for the warm welcome."
Everything was clear, and I was now an officially distant relative of Queen Iolande. Finally, we were off back into space for another adventure.