> The Emerald Torch
>  by Onomonopia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Rookie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Birds chirped merrily as the white mare walked down the street to her friends castle, humming merrily to herself as she went over her mental checklist of customers that had made requests of her. Normally Rarity never dropped the outfits off themselves but Twilight was a special case.

'After all, she is the Princess of Friendship, so she deserves the special attention,' Rarity hummed to herself as she came to a stop in front of the massive doors, raising a hoof and knocking twice before the doors swung back. "Hello Twilight, I've come to deliver that dress that you asked for!" Rarity frowned at not getting an answer before she headed inside, looking around for her friend.

"Twilight...oh there you are darling," Rarity said with a sigh when she finally spotted her friend in her personal chambers, sitting next to a strange machine that she was constantly tinkering with. Rarity walked up beside Twilight and tapped her lightly on the shoulder, startling the alicorn.

"Oh hi Rarity, I didn't hear you come in," Twilight muttered before turning her attention back to the machine, getting a look out of Rarity before she placed the dress on Twilight's bed and sitting next to Twilight.

"So may I ask what this is?" Rarity asked.

"I built this machine to try and get into contact with Spike," Twilight explained before sighing and looking out the window. "He's been gone a while and I've just been worried. I know that he has bigger responsibilities now but..."

"Oh there's no need to be worried darling, Spike will be fine," Rarity comforted with a smile before lifting up the dress with her magic and moving it over to Twilight, making sure it was the proper size. "I'm sure that it's nothing serious."

|)O(|

'It has to be serious.'

That was the only reason Lantern John Stewart could imagine, that would force the Guardians to remove him from his current assignment and bring him back to Oa.  So, as he descended from orbit to the emerald planet that was home to thousands of Lanterns from all over the cosmos, he was on alert for any sign of assault or distress. But when his descent brought the jade buildings and structures into view that covered the planet to form one massive city, he found that Lanterns still flew across the sky and moved from place to place as if nothing was the matter. Eveything on Oa seemed to be peaceful.

'Which is nerve wracking in its own right,' the Lantern Stewart gruffly thought as he floated through the streets towards the chamber where the Guardians of the Universe resided. 'Oa is anything but calm and peaceful, even on a good day.' The massive domed building towered over the Lantern as he floated through the entrance, moving past a number of faces that were unfamiliar to him until, in the main room, he spotted a familiar face.

"Ah, Lantern Stewart. I was wondering when you would arrive," the orange colored alien with a beak for a mouth and fin upon his head greeted as he spotted John.

"Tomar-Re. Good to see you again. Glad to see that whatever the Guardians called me in for, it wasn't the destruction of Oa," John said with a smile as they shook hands, but it fell quickly when he saw doubt flash in the other Lantern's eyes.

"I would not wager on that opinion, John. There have been some very serious whispers going around of dark things happening in the galaxy," Tomar informed John in a deadly serious, but also hushed, voice. "The Guardians have hushed things up as best they could, but rumors still spread."

"Rumors?" John whispered as he scanned the room to make sure they were alone. "What kind of rumors?" Before Tomar could respond, two massive emerald doors with the symbols of the Lantern Corps upon them swung open and a deep voice called for John to enter.

"The Guardians will tell you in person."

"Hopefully. The Guardians have a nasty habit of not telling us the whole story before sending us on missions," John muttered as he waved farewell to Tomar before turning into the corridor that led to the main chamber.  As he walked, he felt his left hand rub the green ring on his right hand, something he realized that he had started to do more often as he got on in his years. 'Maybe I think it'll bring me luck. Or maybe I'm just warming it up for whatever's about to jump me around the corner.'

His brief walk came to an end when he entered into a dark chamber where a large green ring floated in the air above the platform in the center, but what drew John's eyes were the nine small blue beings that wore white robes and had white hair upon their heads, if they had hair at all.

"Ah, Lantern of sector 2814, how nice of you to finally join us," one of the beings in the center said with an annoyed tone, reminding John that he was late.

"Sorry, sorry; had to help an alien world on my way here," John apologized as he held his hands up, but something in the Guardian's voice caught his attention. 'Normally when Ali gets mad at a Lantern, he'll rag on them for a while, but now...he seems distracted. It really is serious.'

"What do you need me for?" Stewart asked, snapping Appa Ali out of his thoughts.

"We have need of you for a mission, a very COVERT mission," Ali began. John never liked covert missions. Covert missions meant keeping secrets from your allies. Keeping secrets from allies led to mistrust on the battlefield. Mistrust on the battlefield led to dead teammates. "Given your track record of aiding the other Lanterns of sector 2814 in some of the fiercest threats the galaxy has faced, and along with the others being detained by a force that threatens that planet, we have elected you to handle this task."

"And just what is this covert mission? Or are you not going to tell me either?" John asked as he crossed his arms. Ali narrowed his eyes at the remark before taking in a deep breath.

"Lanterns are going missing. We've lost nearly a dozen now with no idea where they've gone." John hid the shock as best he could, but the news was still stunning to him. "There have been no leads on their locations, nor have their rings chosen new hosts. Both Lanterns and rings have simply vanished."

'Lanterns are all trained warriors who are taught how to deal with some of the most dangerous and evil threats that corrupt the galaxy,' he thought. 'For so many to go missing...'

"It is not just Lanterns of the Green Lantern Corps either," a Guardian named Sayd spoke up. "We have received reports from the field saying that two Red Lanterns have gone missing, and even rumors that Sinestro has lost a number of Yellow Lanterns. With that knowledge, it is not hard to imagine that the other Lantern Corps are missing members as well. Only Saint Walker says that he has all of his Lanterns."

"And has anyone checked up on our greedy little friend to see if he's still around?" John asked, but when he received stern stares in reply he figured he had just wasted his breath.

"Larfleeze has gone missing as well, but he does that from time to time. We are not sure if his disappearance is connected to these other Lanterns vanishing," Appa said as he regained control of the floor. "And that is why we have brought you in, to find out what has happened to the missing Lanterns and discover what is causing them to go missing. That is your mission, Lantern Stewart."

"And remind me again why I can't inform any of the other Lanterns about this?" Stewart said with defiance in his voice, which was not lost upon the Guardians.

"Because, Lantern Stewart, if the other Lanterns were to know that there is something out there that is causing Lanterns to vanish, and perhaps killing them, then it will plant the seed of fear into their minds. And I do not need to remind one such as yourself just how deadly fear can be to a Lantern of Will?" John bit back his response, figuring that anything else he said would either get him in trouble or get him on the Guardians bad side, which was Hal's job.

"Fine, I'll keep it covert, but on one condition," Stewart gruffly demanded, getting him a number of looks from the council. "I want a partner to go with me on this mission. I'm not getting any younger and I'd prefer having somebody out there that can watch my back. Or you can say no and another one of your Lanterns might just go missing trying to find the others." John smiled when he saw the Guardians share looks, essentially telling him that they would meet his demand.

"Very well, Lantern Stewart, you may have your partner," Ali agreed before narrowing his eyes at John. "But only if you take one of the newer Lanterns with you. This way you have a partner to "watch your back" and at the same time we can have an experienced Lantern training a recruit to replace one of the Lanterns we lost. Everybody wins, wouldn't you agree?"

'Crafty geezer.' "Fine, I'll take a rookie with me," John agreed as he turned to leave the room, looking over his shoulder before he exited. "But it'll be tough to tell him where we're going and what we're doing if I have to keep the mission secret from him as well." And with that one last shot Stewart walked out of the room, but not fast enough to avoid the insult that Ali muttered under his breath.

|) O (|

The sound of construct striking construct and the yells of others in danger assaulted John's ears as he walked into a large room with a bridge crossing a massive training room below, but John felt his soul become at ease by the sounds of battle and pain.

'Ah, the training room. Good times. Good, painful times,' he nostalgically thought to himself as he walked over the bridge, looking down to see over a dozen new recruits all smacking into each other with no idea of what they were doing. Then, the sounds of combat and pain were drowned out by the roar of a deep voice that John knew all too well, completing the nostalgia.

"You call that willpower?! My right cheek has more willpower in it than you do and I'm not talking about my face! Twenty laps, without the ring!" John chuckled as a six-legged insect-like creature began to race around the edge of the arena while the voice bellowed for the others to get back to training before a Lantern floated up onto the bridge with him.

"Still treating the newbies like dirt, huh Kilowog?" The pinkish alien turned to face John with a smile crossing his face, but the tusks on his face made even his smile look menacing.

"Finally, a Lantern I can look at that doesn't make me wanna puke," Kilowog laughed as he shook John's hand while also reading the look in his eyes. "Wow, the mission's serious enough that you need a poozer to help you out? That's gotta be rough."

"Guardians' orders. They want me to train a rookie in the field while we're on the mission," John said, mindful not to let Kilowog in on too much. He trusted the Lantern with his life, but he didn't have enough information to even speculate with at the moment.

"Oi, that's rough. And you picked a bad time to ask for one too. Nearly all the rookies here can barely figure out how to put their rings on, much less fight with it," Kilowog groaned before bellowing orders into the pit of fighters.

"Nearly all of them? Are you telling me that there's a rookie that hasn't made you question your life choices, and you didn't show me him immediately?" John poked with a smile. Kilowog replied with a smirk of his own before motioning for John to follow him.

"He only showed up about a month ago for training, but according to his story he's had the ring for about five years now," Kilowog began as he opened a door that led to the more advanced courses. "Despite not having a day of formal training, the kid's quick and knows how to make a construct. I've had him working on the advance courses, but I wouldn't be surprised if in a few weeks he moves up to master. He's good."

John was about to ask his name when a hail of laser fire shot across the training room below them, bathing the room in a red light as death flew around the room. But amongst all the red death, John could clearly see the Green Lantern that expertly deflected, dodged and evaded the lasers with precision. Three bolts fired from his ring and three turrets were destroyed almost immediately, cutting down on the sheer volume of lasers.

"Whoever this rookie is, he's good," John muttered as green buzz saws bounced around the room and ricocheted off the walls, cutting two more turrets into pieces before the Lantern created a massive, Chinese dragon that crushed the other two beneath the construct's might. "Wait a second, I recognize those dragon constructs. Is that-?"

"SPIKE! Front and center!" The Lantern stopped firing and shot up onto the bridge that rested over his training room, allowing John to get a look at the Lantern while a smile crossed his face. The Lantern was up to John's waist, had green fins that stuck out of his purple head and had modified his suit so that instead of just a uniform, he wore armor as well, similar to Kilowog, but not for a moment did John mistake at whom he was looking.

"Well I'll be damned. It's been a long time, hasn't it, Spike?"  The dragon narrowed his eyes with confusion under his mask, before they grew as wide as dinner plates in recognition while a smile crossed his face.

"No way!  John!  What are you doing here? And why do you look so old?"  John couldn't help but laugh as he extended a hand to Spike, who grabbed hold of it with confidence as the two shook.

"Maybe it's because I am old. But look at you. When I first met you, you were nothing more than a rookie who had no idea what he was doing and barely reached my thigh. Now you're in one of the most advanced rooms and nearly up to my chest," John pointed out with a smile. "You really have changed."

"Well, you look exactly the same aside from the gray in your mane, er, hair," Spike replied with a smile as he crossed his arms.

"So, the two of you know each other already?  If not, then you're doing laps for a year for speaking to a superior like that," Kilowog joked as he elbowed Spike in the ribs, nearly knocking the dragon over.

"Yeah, I helped save his world a few years back when the Black Lanterns attacked it," John informed Kilowog. "Spike played a huge part in it, though. If it hadn't been for him convincing...whatever her name was...to join us, I'm not sure any of us would have survived. He's a great Lantern, that I can vouch for."

"Well, if you speak so highly of him, then I have no doubt that you've picked your partner?" Kilowog asked, getting a look of confusion from Spike.

"Wait, what does he mean--'partner'?"

"It means we have a mission, Spike, one that I would love to have your help on if you don't mind," John asked.

"Well, I came here for official training. And since I've barely gotten any of that yet, I'm not sure if I should just take off after getting here..."

"Ah, don't worry about it Spike.  John here is one of our best," Kilowog vouched as he slapped Spike on the back and nearly knocked him over. "He can train you while you're out in the field. You'll learn faster that way.  And it's also Guardians' orders."

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Spike said with a resigned sigh.

'No, you do not, Lantern Spike. The Guardians' orders must be obeyed,' Spike's ring spoke to him.

"Oh yeah, I forgot yours was more vocal than the rest. Come on Spike, let's head to the hangar," John ordered. He said farewell to Kilowog before both he and his new recruit began to head to where the hangar was located. "Alright then, 'rookie', we're going to be taking a ship that you should be familiar with. We're going to be doing a lot of exploring among the stars, so we're going to need the ship."

"Cool, I get to fly the Interceptor? And do you have to call me 'rookie'? I've been at this for seven years now," the dragon pouted with a face.

"Couple of things: No, you're not going to fly the Interceptor. You seem more of a 'Jordan' to me, and if that's the case then odds are you'll crash the thing. And heaven knows if we lose another ship, the Guardians will lose what's left of their hair," John joked. "And of course, I got to call you 'rookie'--that's what you are. You might have a good amount of experience on a single planet, but today marks day one of your intergalactic training and trust me, you're nothing more than a rookie right now."

The two reached the hangar a few moments later, where Spike's eyes went wide when he saw the massive silver and green spacecraft that he had only seen before five years ago. John pointed his ring at it, and the doorway inside opened up while the lights came on and revealed the ship in all its glory.

"Just to make this official, let me introduce you to the Interceptor Mark Twelve, the fastest space traversing ship in all the known cosmos," John proclaimed, waiting for Spike's reaction. Spike's face went from amazement to confusion to curious to confusion once again.

"What's the matter, got a question that you want to ask?" John probed.

"Yeah, actually. This is the Mark Twelve, right? The last one I saw was the Mark Five," Spike pointed out, not noticing the smile spreading on John's face. "Does that mean that the ship was destroyed seven more times in the five years since I saw it last?"

"Yep. And every single one of those crashes was caused by Jordan. He even crashed himself into it once," John said with a laugh before he floated onto the ramp, motioning for Spike to join him. "But don't worry, you're flying with me now and I'm a far more cautious pilot. So come on, rookie, let's go save the galaxy."
> Past No Longer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Interceptor Mark Twelve silently trekked across the stars, skimming through the cosmos on the way to the destination John had entered into the main frame. That left plenty of time for John to inform Spike of what was going on and why he needed his help, while also tutoring Spike on how the cosmos worked.

"Are you listening to me?" John asked with crossed arms and a frown when he turned to find Spike staring out the cockpit for the fifth time since they had started flying. Spike swung back around and nodded his head vigorously, but his ring wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.

'Lantern Spike was far more preoccupied with the galaxy before us than he was listening to your-' Spike managed to shut his ring up by sitting on it, but John narrowed his eyes to let the dragon know that he had been found out.

"Spike, I know rules and regulations on interplanetary actions may seem boring, I know, it was boring to me too when I first joined the Corps, but these are important things that you must learn to be an effective Lantern," John reminded the dragon while placing a hand over his face. "And we've lost a good number of Lanterns due to recent events, so we'll need you and the newer generation now more than ever."

"Come on John, you talk like you plan on retiring soon," Spike pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "Besides, I know how to be a Lantern. Help keep the peace and punch the bad guys that break that peace. Simple." 

"There is far more to being a Lantern than that," John growled before constructing a number of different aliens and planets based on worlds that he had visited. "Each planet that isn't an official part of the Corps has different rules, laws and customs that a Lantern must learn if they are to do their job properly. For example, shaking hands is a sign of respect in our worlds, but for this one it's an agreement to fight to the bitter death, as one Lantern found out the hard way."

"But why do we have to listen to their rules?" Spike asked with an annoyed tone as he watched the construct of the Lantern battle a spider-like creature in a coliseum. "We're the guardians of the universe, right? Shouldn't we use the justice we know to protect others?"

"That's a dangerous line of thought," John muttered as he shook his head darkly. "If a Lantern believes himself to be above the laws of the Corps and the planet that he or she is trying to protect, then they may end up becoming that planet's greatest threat." As he said this he created another reconstruct of an entire planet that was under the rule of a single Lantern, one who had a red face and a pencil mustache. "Take Sinestro, for example. He believed that the best way to save his world was to become that world's ruler, so he conquered it with the very ring he swore to protect it with."

Spike felt his heart sink into his stomach as the images played out before his eyes, watching as Sinestro battled it out with a number of Lanterns including one he recognized as Hal Jordan. "Alright, I get it. If a Lantern rises above the law, then he becomes just as bad as the villains he faces."

"Not that I'm worried about you doing that, though. You proved back when I saw you last, that you have a Lantern's heart and can answer the call just fine," John reassured Spike as he canceled the constructs and leaned back in the pilot's chair. "Speaking of, it has been a long time since I met with you, and if I remember right you had a large number of Lanterns on your planet. So, what's happened since I saw you last?"

"World was threatened a few more times. Tirek, a really old evil, showed up and started stealing ponies' magic. Fortunately this bad boy runs on will, so Sweetie and I were able to defeat him," Spike smiled as his thoughts seemed to drift and a small smile spread across his lips. He snapped back into reality a moment later with a cough and avoided looking at John for a moment. "Sweetie left Equis about a month back with me. She went to see the home world of the Blue Lanterns while I went to Oa for official training. Hopefully she's doing alright."

"You left your home world undefended?" John asked in surprise. "What about that Sombra pony? Isn't he still lurking around in the darkness somewhere?" At the mention of Sombra, Spike threw his head back and let out a frustrated sigh, concerning John for a moment.

"Don't talk to me about Sombra! I have never fought a foe so darned annoying! No matter how many times we beat him, how many times we imprisoned him or took his ring, he finds a way to escape and he keeps coming back with another plan!" Spike vented with rage, so much rage that he shook his fists at the ceiling with fire in his eyes. John took in what Spike said before a smile crossed his face and he chuckled slightly, getting him a venomous look from Spike. "What's so funny?"

"Spike, you've got yourself a nemesis," John explained with a smile, but when Spike looked at him in confusion he clarified. "A nemesis is a villain or foe that no matter how many times you beat them, they still seem to keep coming back. Nearly all the heroes on Earth have one. Batman has Joker, Superman has Lex and Hal has Sinestro. It's just another sign that you're a full-fledged hero."

"I'd rather lock Sombra in a dungeon than have him as a nemesis," Spike grunted, getting another laugh out of John.

"Yeah, most heroes prefer the villains behind lock and key, but the universe doesn't work like that sometimes," John muttered with an expert's knowledge.

"But yeah, we didn't leave the planet completely undefended. Chrysalis promised that she would keep an eye out for Sombra, and if worse comes to worse Luna can wear the red ring again, though she doesn't like it," Spike muttered as he rested his head on the controls in front of him. "Owlicious is still an Indigo Lantern and he keeps Ponyville safe whenever I'm gone, so there's that. And...okay, that's a really strange looking planet."

John leaned forward in his seat to see that just as Spike had said, a planet that was a vibrant purple had just come into view through the front, while a quick glance at the navigation system showed the senior Lantern that they had arrived at their destination.

"Okay newbie, we're here. Time to disembark and start day one of training," John said as he entered in the commands to the ship, sending it hurtling through the planet's atmosphere and down into the landscape bellow. The ship touched down a moment later and, after both Lanterns charged their rings, the pair headed out onto the strange planet.

The first thing the pair took in were the strange, almost hook-like trees that were an orange tint. Shriveled up fruits dangled sickly from the wilted branches and the soil beneath the tree didn't look any healthier. The sky was a shade of red that Spike didn't know and he nearly jumped when a bizarre creature ran by his leg. He looked up at John to see if he was just as off put by the world, but if the Lantern was uncomfortable he didn't show it. Trying to follow his mentor's example, he let out his tension with a sigh before taking in a deep breath.

"Oh Faust, it smells," Spike groaned as he held a claw up to his nose, strengthening the thin green barrier around his body so that it blocked out the smell. "How can you stand this?" Spike asked John with tears in his eyes when he saw his senior practically unaffected.

"Years of experience. This is not the worst planet I've been to," John explained before lifting his ring. "Ring, scan for any signs of life. According to the ship's log, there should be a city around here somewhere." A burst of green light erupted from the ring and swept across the landscape for hundreds of miles, going for a number of seconds before the ring beeped and created a small, green arrow that pointed North.

"Alright, seems this is the way to go," John muttered as he took to the sky, Spike following after him. 

"Why is this place so dry?" Spike asked as the landscape somehow seemed to become more barren as the pair flew.

"This planet is dry about fifteen months out of its seventeen," John explained as they flew. "But those other two months are filled with rain so intense that the whole planet floods. The cities here are built with material that allows the whole city to float when that happens. It's quite the sight, apparently."

"Huh. How do you know all this?" Spike asked.

"This is one of the planets whose Lantern went missing," John explained as a large city just began to appear on the edge of the horizon. "He was the one who collected all that information about this planet, with his last entry being around a month ago. According to the other reports that I looked up on the ship, around that same time the other Green Lanterns went missing. This planet was closest to Oa and I hope that the natives here might know what happened. Come on, let's go introduce ourselves."

The two descended down into the brown and grey city below, landing right in the center of a large square where a number of the locals raised up a cry at their arrival. John placed his hands behind his back as he scanned the crowd for any sign of someone in charge, while Spike gawked at the aliens.

"They...look like sharks," Spike said aloud as his eyes glanced from one finned being with legs and arms to the next, observing how each one looked like a different breed of shark. "Land sharks."

"Yes, they do Spike, but keep those thoughts to yourself. We don't want to be rude," John instructed before his eyes caught a number of the shark-like beings running through the crowd that had gathered around them. John read a sign of relief on their faces before the sharks realized that they were strangers and the relief turned to worry. "Greetings. I am John Stewart, Green Lantern of Sector 2814. I am here-"

"You are here because Ro-viz is missing, are you not?" the shark clad in brown and green asked in an aged voice that surpassed John's. "There is no need to answer, for I know it is true. Please, come with me." The elder shark turned and waved for the two to follow him.

"Should we follow?" Spike asked.

"I don't see why not," John muttered before looking down at his ring. "Scan the planet for any signs of the missing Lantern, just in case he's still on planet." With the ring conducting a scan that none of the inhabitants would notice, Spike and John followed after the old timer, who began to speak once they caught up.

"Ro-viz was such a kind man. He was always helping others, even in these terrible times, and more often than not he was the only reason some of my people lived to see another day," the elder said as he walked, sorrow dripping off of every word. "So when the green ring descended from above and chose him to be a hero, none of us were the least surprised. For years he has protected us and helped make this world somewhat comfortable, using his power to bring rain two months a year instead of just one."

"Do you know what happened to him, mister...?"

"Lok-ra. But my name doesn't matter to you, for I am not long for this world. No, what matters is finding what became of my son-in-law and saving him from whatever has befallen him," Lok-ra explained before coming to a stop on the edge of the city, looking off into the distance where black clouds thundered on the horizon. "Nearly a month ago something strange happened in the Thundering Plains. Ro told me so. He said that his ring was sensing a strange being or force out there and he went to investigate. He never came back."

John and Spike shared a quick look before John reached out and placed a hand on the elder's shoulder. "Don't worry. If Ro-viz is still alive, we'll bring him back. Come on Spike, it's time to do our duty." John and Spike both took to the air as he said this before rocketing ahead into the Thundering Plains, Spike flying alongside John as they approached their destination.

"If Ro-viz is still alive...? You think that he's dead?" Spike asked as the two flew.

"It's most likely what happened to him. What has me concerned is that his ring never picked a new Lantern, if he did die," John muttered with dark thoughts, his life of combat telling him that something was really wrong here.

"Well then, perhaps he's not dead and the only reason he hasn't been seen is because he needs help," Spike suggested before rocketing ahead of John and into the storm. John thought about his words for a second, but his gut told him that there was a darker reason for the silence.

'Wish I had your optimism, kid.'

John caught up with Spike to find that the Lantern had come to a stop over a large chunk of dried land, but when John looked down he found out why Spike hadn't descended yet. A large chunk of the ground was completely carved out, with green cracks running along the ground in the circle of darkness.

"Um John? Any idea what that is?" Spike asked.

'The scorching that has affected the land does not seem to be recorded in Guardian knowledge,' Spike's ring spoke after scanning the ground. 'I will keep searching, but caution is recommended Spike.'

"Got it," Spike muttered grimly as he and John descended into the missing landscape. Both kept their shielding around their bodies at maximum just in case, while they began to scan the area for any signs of what happened. That was until John came to a part of the land where a faint energy that he knew too well was going off, and he called Spike over.

"It's just as I feared Spike, there's trace amounts of Green Lantern willpower here," John pointed out when the two of them reached the center of the carved area, where the traces grew stronger. "That means there was a struggle, but since neither the Lantern nor his ring is here it means he was either completely disintegrated or...he was captured. But what could possibly...?"

"Hey John, I found something!" Spike called out, snapping John out of his thoughts.  John floated over to Spike to find that the dragon was using a construct of a shovel to dig into the ground. "My ring told me that there was something buried down here, so I started to dig and I think I found it, though I have no idea what it is. Do you?"

John looked into the hole that Spike had made, not sure what to expect. But when he laid his eyes on the object, or rather, the face, that stared out of the hole and back at him, he felt his blood run cold. In an instant, John tackled Spike and hurled the two of them back, just in time to dodge a hail of laser fire that erupted from the ground. "Ouch...hey John, what was that...for..."

John turned to where Spike was facing to see a massive, metal monster pulling itself out of the ground. It was over seven feet tall while made of red armor that had purple lines running across its body.  Its head had red armor as well, but its face was a pale color that housed red eyes, eyes that held no emotion within them. The being crashed down into the ground with its massive boots, slowly lifting its head as it began to scan the Lanterns.

"Spike! Prepare to fight!" John barked as he created a Gatling gun that he aimed at the machine, firing hundreds of green bolts at the machine. But in an instant it had reached back and drew forth a silver staff, which it aimed at the pair as the green bolts bounced off of its chest.

"What the heck is that thing?!" Spike yelled as John stopped firing, switching from a Gatling gun to a sniper rifle. He fired a bullet right into the shoulder of the machine, piercing the metal and staggering it for a moment. But then the machine looked from the wound to the Lantern, its eyes seeming to glow a brighter crimson. It rose back up and took aim at John with its staff, before speaking its most infamous words,

"No man escapes the Manhunters."
> Manhunters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cracks spread along John's barrier as laser fire pelted the shield with ruthless power, driving John back as he struggled to keep the barrier from breaking down completely under the assault. He felt his feet skid back through the dirt as his construct became more and more cracked, giving him little time to think of a plan.

"Over here, you bucket of bolts!" Spike roared as he created twin, dragon-headed cannons on his shoulders and took aim at the Manhunter, which stopped firing at John to turn and face the dragon. "You want a real fight? Try me!" Spike roared as he unleashed hundreds of green dragons into the Manhunter, burying it under green and dust within moments. "Ha, take that! That'll teach you to-"

"Don't let your guard down, Spike, it won't go down that easily!" John barked right before the Manhunter lunged out of the dust and grabbed hold of Spike's throat with its left hand. It slammed the Lantern into the ground before lifting a foot and crushing his chest with it, pinning Spike down as it aimed its plasma rod at his face.

"No man escapes the Manhunters," it declared in its robotic tone, right before a tank construct rammed it in the side and hurled it off of Spike.

"You okay?" John asked as he pulled Spike out of the ground, the dragon shaking his head and glaring at the Manhunter who was also getting up.

"What is this thing? I've never seen anything take my dragon assault like that," Spike grunted before both he and John pointed their rings at the machine and began to fire in unison, making it rain green constructs upon the Manhunter that staggered back in the face of their firepower.

"Tell you later. Aim for its joints, they have a habit of being weak points," John instructed before flying forward, constructing a massive broadsword and swinging for the Manhunter's neck. Yet when the blade struck the neck, surges of electricity erupted from the machine and coursed into John. He gritted his teeth as electricity attacked his nerves, giving the Manhunter plenty of time to aim the blaster rod at his chest and blast the Lantern back.

"John!" Spike called out before creating a baseball glove and catching John in the mitt, stopping him from becoming a home run.

"Ugh...okay, new plan. We tear this freak apart like Hal and I did," John grunted as he floated back up while he constructed pliers. Spike followed his example and created a pair of tweezers as the two Lanterns turned on the Manhunter, who opened fire once again while repeating his infamous line. "When I give the signal, we each grab a separate side of him and tear this tin can open. I got right, you got left," John instructed. 

"Got it." John created a second construct in the form of a shield on his left hand, allowing him to fly headlong into the laser fire while keeping both himself and Spike safe for the moment. But John's face narrowed when he saw his strongest construct breaking far faster than the last time he had taken laser fire from a Manhunter. 

'Something's not right here. The Manhunters shouldn't be active, especially after Hal and his team put them down for good,' he pondered, but when a chunk of his shield shattered he cast that thought to the side and prepared to attack. "NOW SPIKE!"

"Come here ugly, let's see if you have a prize inside!" Spike yelled as he fired a bolt of green into the Manhunter's staff, knocking it free from the robot's grasp and allowing Spike to clamp down on the left side of its body with his tweezers. "I'm ready, John!"

"Good!" John said while crushing the right side of the Manhunter's body with his pliers. "Now pull!" Both Lanterns flew in opposite directions with all of their might, slowly beginning to feel the machine give in. The screeching sound of metal being torn apart assaulted their ears, yet when Spike cast a glance back at the Manhunter he saw the red eyes flickering on and off as a large crack spread up its torso.

"No man...escapes...the man...hunt...ers..." With one last pull the two Lanterns ripped the machine in two, right down the middle. Both halves collapsed to the ground with a shower of sparks and parts, yet it wasn't until the lights in its eyes went completely black that either Lantern lowered their guard and approach the machine.

"Okay, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Fortunately the guy split before any real trouble got started," Spike joked as he kicked the Manhunter's head, but John flashed him a look so serious that Spike's humor died instantly.

"This is no joking matter, Spike. If the Manhunters are being reactivated, which shouldn't be possible because we destroyed all of them, then there is a very dangerous force at work here," John spat as he scanned the Manhunter remains, cursing when the ring brought up its scans of the machine. "Just like I thought, this wasn't one of the original Manhunters. This is a replicant. That's why we were able to beat it so easily."

"Easy? I'm fairly certain that jerk bruised everything in my chest when he stomped down on me," Spike pointed out, but another harsh glare from John silenced the dragon once again.

"Yeah, easy. You asked what this thing was, allow me to tell you. Before the Corps were invented the Guardians of Oa created machines, called the Manhunters, to patrol and keep peace within the galaxy. Believing at the time that emotion was a weakness, the Guardians programmed the Manhunters without emotions so that they wouldn't be corrupted by live or hatred."

"But then, the Manhunters went bad. See, the Manhunters didn't have emotion, so they didn't completely understand how emotions worked. Eventually, after seeing how all evil in the universe was caused by emotion, they decided that all emotion in the universe was evil, so they slaughtered every living thing in their path," John revealed in a dead whisper, not looking at Spike when he said this. "The Red Lanterns were created because of the Manhunters, when the machines wiped out all of sector 666. And thousands of others..."

"Dear Faust that's terrifying," Spike muttered as he started to put the pieces together. "But if the Manhunters are back, or being remade, does that mean that somepony...one wants to use them against all living life in the universe?"

"That's what I'm taking away from this," John agreed as he stood, pointing his ring at the Manhunter and blasting it with his will until nothing was left. "If what I'm thinking is right, it seems that the Lantern of this planet discovered the Manhunters when they first arrived here, most likely to wipe out the people. He fought them and was either killed in the battle or taken, but not before knocking this one offline. But there we hit the flaw. Manhunters don't take prisoners. That's the reason they say no man escapes them."

"That's not the only question unanswered," Spike pointed out as he knelt down, creating a magnifying glass with his ring and examining the ground at his feet. "This wasn't caused by Ro-viz and it sure as heck wasn't caused by the Manhunters. No...something else, something powerful, caused the ground to be cut out like this," Spike muttered before looking up at John. "You said that the Manhunters had been activated once before? Do you think who did it then is doing it now?"

"Well...the Anti-Monitor was defeated years ago, but he has a nasty habit of appearing again when we least expect it. But even then, he only has the power to destroy and consume, not build new ones like this," John muttered as he placed a hand under his chin. "Though it is possible that he's getting help from somewhere, but that would mean-"

John's thoughts were blown apart by a massive explosion that went off far in the distance, snapping both Lanterns around to see that the city they had just left now had plumes of smoke billowing from its buildings. Without a moment's hesitation the Lanterns flung themselves toward the city, reaching it within moments to find that two more Manhunters were in the streets and had already laid waste to most of the area.

"Dammit, there were more of these guys?" Spike roared before sending a spiked fist into the back of a Manhunter's head, taking its attention away from the citizens it was attacking and towards the Lantern. The other Manhunter turned as well before both began to open fire on the pair, who both created separate shields to keep themselves safe.

"Spike, here's the plan! We isolate one of them and focus on beating it. If we each try to take one there's a chance we might be hurt or killed," John ordered over to Spike, but Spike shook his head before creating green armor over himself and lunging at the Manhunter.

"And if we do that, then the other Manhunter might kill more citizens! I might be a rookie by your standards, but I won't let anybody get hurt! I will fight!" John tried to call out to Spike but the other Manhunter slammed into him and drove John into the side of a building, where it placed its hand over his face before pointing the rod right at John's chest.

"No man escapes the Manhunters," it said before firing. John cried in pain as the blast hurled him through the building and out the other side, sending him crashing into the streets and carving a trench with his body.

'Damn it. I got lucky that my shield was at max or else that might have been the end of me,' John growled before getting back up just as the Manhunter landed in front of him, taking enough time to spit at the ground in front of the Manhunter's feet before constructing two giant fists.

"I don't want to escape from you, rustbucket. I've got you right where I want you," John growled before leaping forward with his right arm cocked back. Green thrusters erupted from the back of his green fist and drove the construct into the Manhunter's face with enough force to snap the machine's head back. The follow up punch caught the machine in the gut and launched it backwards, but in a moment it planted its feet and slowed to a halt instantly.

"Huh, tough armor?" John observed before creating twin mini-guns that he rested upon his shoulders. "Let's see how well that armor holds up at a thousands rounds a minute!" John roared as the guns unloaded will fueled hell into the Manhunter, turning the entire block green with the sheer amount of emerald bolts that flew from his guns. The Manhunter was consumed by the volume of fire and with a smile John saw that the armor on the Manhunter began to crack.

"No man escapes the Manhunters." The Manhunter took aim at John and fired the laser staff at him, but John's eyes went wide when he saw that the bolts were coming out just as fast as his mini-guns. For a long moment the two fires were evenly matched, with neither able to gain the upper hand. That was until the Manhunter extended its left arm and revealed a second laser rod, which fired lasers just as fast as the other one. 

Both Manhunter and John were hurled back as a massive explosion went off between the two of them, an explosion that sent the Manhunter skipping across the street while John was hurled into the side of another building. 'Can't risk dragging things out any further than they've gone. Got to end this now before even more lives are lost!'

Seeing the Manhunter get back up, John pushed himself out of the building while creating a wrecking ball at the end of a chain. With all of his might he hurled the ball at the Manhunter, catching it right between the eyes and driving it back down. 

"Stay down, fool!" John yelled while constructing a jet around himself, which he then flew straight down into the Manhunter. The jet managed to pierce through the armor of the Manhunter, but at the same time it brought John within firing range of the twin rods, which the Manhunter aimed right between his eyes. Yet, with a soldier's training John grabbed hold of one rod and pointed it at the other, blasting the rod into nothingness before tearing the other one out of the Manhunter's hand and pointing it right at its face.

"No man escapes the Manhunters."

"And no darkness escapes my light." The rod blasted the Manhunter's head clean from its body as well as hurled John off of the metallic monster. He landed flat on his back and let out a weak groan before forcing himself back to his feet, wincing in pain because everything hurt. 

'The pain's worth it though, since I managed to take that son of a gun down,' John thought as he floated over to the Manhunter, finding that its head was nothing more than a pile of scrap now. 'Alright, one down, now where's the-?' 

An earth-rending roar shook John Stewart to his core, and he looked up just in time to see the Manhunter being hurled across the sky, slamming into the side of a building. The Manhunter was quickly followed by a massive Emerald Dragon that wore the symbol of the Corps, the sight of which told John that Spike had had it far worse than he did. The dragon grabbed hold of the Manhunter and hurled it straight down into the street across from John, where it just managed to lift its head before the massive beast landed on top of it and crushed the Manhunter beneath its feet.

With one last roar of rage, the dragon reached down and grabbed the top half of the Manhunter, tearing it in two with one massive pull. The Emerald Dragon then brought the Manhunter before its face and grabbed hold of the machine with its teeth, ripping the Manhunter in half once again. He dropped the pieces of the destroyed machine to the ground as a bellow of victory escaped his throat, echoing across the city.

"If you're done showing off, we need to help those who got attacked!" John called up at the Emerald Dragon, who nodded in agreement before he slowly began to shrink down. John watched with curiosity as the emerald light returned to Spike's ring, and a moment later the dragon Lantern was back to normal, but with a considerable change. "Ouch. That looks like it hurts."

Spike moved his hand up and touched his cheek where a long cut was, wincing slightly before shrugging at John. "It's not the worse injury I've suffered. Besides, maybe if I'm lucky I'll get a cool scar out of it. Didn't you say something about helping the people here though?"

The rest of the day on the planet was spent helping those who had been caught up in the Manhunter attack, and repairing as much of the city as the two Lantern's could. John was impressed at how quickly Spike was able to put those who had been injured at ease, but he found his own focus kept constantly drifting back to the Manhunters.

'Who would rebuild machines with the sole purpose to kill all beings with emotions?' he found himself thinking as he aided Spike in repairing a building that had nearly tipped over. 'Only a few villains on Earth are crazy enough to try such a thing, but hardly any of them know of the Manhunters. In fact, most of the galaxy, aside from those who have heard Atrocitous speak, actually know what they are. Heh, I bet it was just some inventor who stumbled onto the remains of one and reactivated it because he didn't know what he was dealing with. This is what happens when the Guardians don't tell people the full story.'

"Yo John, I think we've gotten this place as cleaned up as we could," Spike said, breaking into John's thoughts and pulling him out. John looked from the dragon to the city and its citizens, who were starting to return to their homes now that the fighting was done. "I know that we should stay and make sure everything's fine, but I have a feeling that we're going to be needed elsewhere."

"You're right there, Spike. We need to report what happened here to the Guardians and then we're going to leave for another world," John ordered as he turned and started to fly for the ship, Spike following him with a questioning glance on his face. "The resurrection of the Manhunters, the missing Lanterns; if Batman was here he'd tell me that these two events are connected. And if the Manhunters are the ones abducting Lanterns from every Corps, then I have a fairly certain idea where they're heading next. I just hope we're not too late."
> Orders
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

John took a moment to mentally go over what he was going to tell the Guardians one last time, before he pressed down on a button within the Interceptor, a button that created holographic images of the Guardians in real time. They had been in the middle of a discussion, but their talk ceased immediately when they saw the image of Stewart.

"Ah, Lantern Stewart. We have been expecting you for a while now," Ali greeted him before reading the look on John's face. "It seems that you have something to report."

"Yeah, I've got something to report and you're not going to like it..." John sighed, "I found who caused the Lanterns to go missing. The Manhunters." The moment he spoke those words, the Guardians all turned towards each other and murmured for a moment, leaving John to await their response.

"This cannot be possible, Lantern Stewart," one of the other Guardians said to him. "Lanterns Jordan and Kilowog defeated the Manhunters and destroyed all of them over ten years ago. After that battle, we made sure that every last Manhunter was destroyed, personally. It is impossible that they have returned."

"Then I must have mistaken the giant red and purple robot that said, "no man escapes the Manhunters" for something else," John sarcastically replied before exhaling and regaining his professionalism. "That's what I thought at first too, but after Spike and I destroyed one of them we discovered that these aren't the Manhunters you built; these are new models."

His words once again sent the council into very quiet talks, which were eventually broken up when Ali silenced the others. "Are you saying, Lantern Stewart, that someone out there is rebuilding the Manhunters and are using them to either kill or capture Lanterns?"

"Not just rebuilding them.  Whoever is doing this is upgrading them, making them far stronger than they were before," John clarified as he rubbed his shoulder, pain starting to flow through it at the memory of battling the Manhunters. "Normally, it takes three or more Manhunters, attacking at the same time, to be a threat to experienced Lanterns, but Spike and I struggled to take on one. They're definitely tougher and they've also been upgraded with a second laser rod. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of what they might have now."

"That...cannot be," Ali muttered.

"Yet, the Manhunters only killed beings with emotions; they never captured them and they never had any interest in the power rings. But if they are being upgraded and capturing rings, then the evidence that another is involved is too great to ignore," another Guardian pointed out before turning back to John. "Lantern Stewart, have you discovered where the Manhunters have taken the Lanterns that they have kidnapped?"

"Sadly, my investigations ended when I was forced to blow the head off the last functioning Manhunter on the planet we visited," John replied. "However, we know that a Lantern from each Corps has gone missing, except for one. I have a hunch that's where the Manhunters--and hopefully whoever is controlling them--will strike next, and we'll be able to stop both in a single strike.

"That sounds like a reasonable plan, Lantern Stewart, but it is unfortunate that I must say that your request for back up from your home world has been denied," Ali informed John, who cursed inwardly as he waited for the reason. "Strange things have been happening in sector 2814 and every Lantern that defends that sector is needed there."

"Hal, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" John muttered under his breath. "Guess that it's up to me and the newbie, huh? I don't know how I feel about this.  This seems like far too dangerous a mission to leave to me and Spike. I don't feel like he's up for it."

"Lantern Spike helped to defeat the Black Lantern Corps when they tried to resurface, and managed to defeat a yellow, orange, red and black Lantern all by himself without any formal training," a Guardian spoke up in Spike's defense. "In the five years that he has been a Lantern, his accomplishments have matched or surpassed other Lanterns that have had their rings for decades."

"Yeah, Spike's an incredible Lantern with an unbreakable will, but power and will doesn't equal experience," John argued with some heat. "He's still young, still inexperienced in space missions, and to make matters worse he's a teenager. In that battle against the Manhunters, he ignored my orders and almost got himself killed in the process."

"You won that battle, did you not?"

"Yes, we got lucky. But that luck won't last forever and I don't want it to be in the middle of a battle when that happens," John growled, but from the looks on the council's faces, they were clearly thinking about other things.

"We will take what you said about Lantern Spike under consideration." John frowned, knowing that when the Guardians said they'd consider something, it just meant that they'd ignore it. "However, this development with the return of the Manhunters is serious. Continue to investigate the disappearances, Lantern Stewart, and report any findings that you discover back to us."

The council cut off after saying their piece, leaving John to stare at a blank screen while trying to think of what to do. "I really wish that they would take Spike off of this mission," he muttered to himself in the empty cockpit.

'Why is that? Lantern Spike has proven himself to be an exceptional Lantern, much like Hal Jordan did,' John's ring spoke up, its words getting John to sigh.

"He's an incredible Lantern. One of our best rookies. But this mission...It feels like a mission that only ends in death. It's not one a young Lantern with a bright future like himself should be on," John thought aloud. "For an old fart like me who's past his prime, my time will be here soon enough. I can take these kind of risks. But for him..."

John was cut off when he grunted in pain and clutched at his shoulder, grimacing as agony attacked his shoulder. "Damn, that Manhunter hit me harder than I thought. I'm really starting to think that I'm getting too old for this Lantern stuff. Maybe it's high time I retired."

'Lantern's cannot retire. The ring only chooses another when-'

"I know. There's only one way out of this business," John cut the ring off as he suppressed the pain, letting out a sigh before he walked out of the cockpit and headed for the living quarters. He had sent Spike there before talking to the Guardians, not wanting him to overhear what John had to say to them about the young Lantern. It was then he walked in on Spike, who had a green stethoscope around his ears with one end against the wall.

"And just what are you doing?" John asked with half a growl and half a chuckle as the dragon shot up into the air and whistled innocently. "There was no need to listen in on me, because I did plan on telling you what I told the Guardians."

"Oh cool!  Did you tell them about how we defeated the Manhunters and saved the sharks of that world we were on?" Spike asked with enthusiasm, but he caught John's eyes and the joy turned to confusion. "What? That's how it happened." John sighed as he constructed a chair and sat down in it, pondering over how to tell the kid.

"Spike...I asked the Guardians to take you off this mission." Spike's face remained blank for a moment before he blinked twice and tilted it with confusion spreading like a fire.

"Why would you do that? You were the one who picked me to go with you in the first place?" Spike reminded John. "Besides, if the Manhunters are as dangerous as you make them out to be, then it's better that you have me on the team instead of going at it alone! I took on Black Lanterns, so Manhunters should be no-"

"Yes, you are a skilled Lantern who has much experience with other Lanterns. But that's not the point. You've spent your five years as a Lantern making your own decisions and dealing with threats on your world as you saw fit," John said, making sure that every word was deadly serious. "But you are no longer on your world. You are with me and I am your superior. Yet, when I gave you an order back when we fought the Manhunters, you disobeyed me."

"Because if we focused on fighting one Manhunter, then the other one might have killed more people!" Spike roared in his defense, but the rage died down when John gave him a look. "Sorry, dragon temperament's a pain at this age. But we beat both of them! We saved everybody!"

"And at the same time, you put every being on that planet's life at risk," John scolded. His words seemed to strike Spike, and the dragon looked physically taken aback. "The reason I wanted to tackle one Manhunter together was that these are not the same Manhunters that I knew. These ones are stronger. I knew that together we could take one, but if we had to fight one-on-one, there was a chance we might die."

"But we didn't! We beat them and-"

"What if we hadn't?" John cut Spike off, drawing out confusion once again as Spike tried to think of an answer to what John had said. "What if they had managed to kill you? Or kill me. then double team you and kill you as well. Who would have protected the planet? Who would alert the Lanterns to the fact that the Manhunters are back? Many more lives could have been lost because you disobeyed me."

Spike considered John's words for a moment, understanding what he was talking about. But then a new thought took hold and Spike turned to face John with determination. "I get what you're saying, but there were innocent people in danger and we were the only ones who could stop it. I know that I risked my life, but we are heroes! That's what we do! We risk our lives for others no matter the risk."

"God, you sound so much like Hal," John groaned as he placed a hand on his face, remembering why he never worked well with the Teen Titans or any other team that had teens on it. "What I'm saying, was that it was an unnecessary risk, one that we could have avoided. You remember how quickly we took down the first Manhunter? We could have gone with that plan again and then moved quickly onto the next one with minimal risk to both ourselves and the civilians. These new Manhunters are far too unknown to be taking risks like that."

Spike opened his mouth to retort, but then he caught the faint tone that underlined John's words and rethought his answer. "I'm sorry, okay? I should have listened to you and followed your orders. You've been at this longer than me. But I also know that I swore on this ring that I would never let any evil escape my sight and would never lose my will to fight in the face of fear again."

"Heh, it's so strange to see such a young Lantern totally fearless," John joked and Spike didn't bother to correct him on his statement.

'Attention all passengers, we are approaching the destination. Please make sure that you are properly seated before we begin atmospheric entry because things will get bumpy.'

"The Faust was that?" Spike asked as John stood up, motioning for the rookie to do the same.

"I turned the ships A.I. back on to assist us in tracking down potential locations where the Manhunters might strike," John explained as the two Lanterns sat down in the cockpit and prepared themselves for descent. "This is one of the planets where I guessed that the Manhunters might attack."

"Why this planet?"

"Because when the Guardians told me about the missing Lanterns, they told me that one of every Corps had been taken so far, all except for one," John began as fire began to burn across the front of the ship as the Interceptor Mark 12 tore through the atmosphere. "And that would be the Blue Lantern Corps, the only one that hasn't lost a member yet."

"Sweetie," Spike whispered in a barely audible tone before looking over at John with far more concern on his face than before. "But the Blue Lanterns are the strongest of the Corps. They shouldn't have any trouble dealing with the Manhunters, should they?"

"Third rule of being a hero, kid; things are never as simple as they should be," John said with a dark laugh that was more bitter than joyful. "The Manhunters run off a similar, if not the same, power source as our rings. And I don't need to tell you what happens when a Green Lantern gets near a Blue Lantern, do I?"

"So Blue Lanterns can power up Manhunters?" Spike asked with horror in his eyes as he gazed through the fire at the planet below.

"Not as much as Green Lanterns, but still a considerable amount. And this is the Blue Lantern home world, where the power core rests," John added grimly. "The Green Lanterns have worked with the Blue to teach them ways to fight off the Manhunters after the last time they met, but I still wouldn't like their chances if they did have to fight. If being able to power up their foes wasn't bad enough, the Blue Lanterns are notoriously a small Corps, by far the smallest of them all. I think, including Sweetie, they barely reach a dozen. And since I don't know how fast the Manhunters are being produced..."

"Let's get down there and make sure that they're all alright," Spike said with what almost sounded like desperation in his voice. John nodded and pushed the ship down through the clouds onto the planet below, allowing Spike to get his first view of the Blue Lantern home world.

Despite the worry and concern that had plagued Spike's heart moments ago, he felt a way of hope and peace overtake him as his eyes gazed out on the planet. Beautiful blue seas covered the majority of it, with green forests upon the land that shone with an even brighter vibrancy than the green in his ring. Hundreds of different kinds of birds flew through the air past their ship, while as they got closer to the ground Spike could see hundreds of gorgeous flowers and plant life that filled the planet.

"Yeah, I had the same look on my face the first time I saw the planet as well," John said with a smirk as he saw the slacked jaw look on Spike's face. "Not gonna lie, if I wasn't chosen to be a Green Lantern, being a Blue one wouldn't be that bad an alternative. Hold on, we're landing."

Spike's eyes went even wider as John lowered the ship down on a flat piece of land that was surrounded by a large waterfall, a waterfall which went three fourths of the way around the landing zone. Spike felt himself began to radiate with even greater power and he turned his gaze to see a large, blue battery resting on a small piece of land that jutted out of the center of the waterfall, its light causing the water to take on an even more vibrant blue.

"Come on kid, let's get out and see if any of the Blue Lanterns are around," John said as he placed a hand on Spike's shoulder, snapping the kid out of his thoughts. The two exited the ship to find that the air that greeted them was far more pure than on either of their own planets, making them feel invigorated almost immediately.

"Hello there, Lantern friends. Welcome to Elpis." Both Lanterns turned their heads to see a large Elephant-like creature in Blue Lantern robes descending down towards them, seemingly meditating at the same time as both of his eyes were closed. "I am Brother Warth. We have not had many Green Lanterns visit us in a long while, but you are all welcome here."

"Thanks, but we won't be here long," John said as he looked around with a frown. "I hate to be rude, but is Saint Walker here? I need to talk to him, urgently."

"He is with the other Lanterns, who are all meditating not too far from here," Brother Warth said as he turned, while still meditating, and flew towards the falls. "Come my friends, let me introduce you to our Corps."
> More Than Partners
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brother Garth led the two Lanterns across the breathtaking landscape, the beauty of the land so great that both Lanterns were left speechless despite the occasional question that Warth put forward. Birds, whose feathers gleamed like a rainbow under the shining sun, flew past the group while the purest of blue streams and lakes ran beneath them.

"Wow...this planet is nothing like Oa...even Equestria at its best was never this beautiful," Spike finally managed to get out, getting a chuckle from brother Warth as he extended a finger and allowed a small bird to flitter down onto it.

"It pleases me to hear you speak so highly of our planet. For when Ganthet first brought the Blue Central Battery here, this land was nothing but ruin and desert," Warth revealed, getting an impressed whistle from John.

"Those blue rings can really work miracles, can't they? It makes me wish that there were more Blue Lanterns in the galaxy. We could really use more hope than we have."

"Do not worry, Lantern Stewart, all will be well," Brother Warth said, the familiar words getting a smile to cross Spike's face. "Look, up ahead is Saint Walker and the other Lanterns." Spike and John looked ahead into a small field to see ten Lanterns sitting in rows while meditating, while another Blue Lantern that had greyish skin sat at the front and watched them. "And as you can see, Lantern Stewart, our numbers have never been higher. It pleases me to see so much hope in the galaxy."

Saint Walker turned to look at the three Lanterns as they floated down to him, motioning to the class before uncrossing his legs and floating up to greet them with a smile on his face. "Greetings, Green Lanterns. It's rare that we get Green Lanterns here in such peaceful days. Have you come here simply to meditate and restore your hope...or, as I fear, there is another reason you are here?"

"It's the serious one, I'm afraid," John clarified. Saint Walker nodded and motioned for the group to sit with him, though out of the corner of his eye he caught Spike looking around for someone. Saint Walker spoke a few quiet words to Brother Warth before joining the Green Lanterns as the other Lantern took off.

"Can I get you something? Refreshments, perhaps?" Walker offered.

"Sorry, we're here on official Lantern business and will need to leave as soon as we can," John said in an official tone, but he visibly relaxed under the peaceful atmosphere and the blue ring's soothing energy. "But first things first; we're here to warn you."

"Warn me? I assume that the only reason a Green Lantern would come out here to warn me is that there is a chance that my planet may soon be under attack," Saint Walker deduced, getting a nod from John.

"The Manhunters have been rebuilt and they've been targeting Lanterns of every Corps, either killing them or kidnapping them," John informed Walker, who let out a sigh before placing his wrists on his knees and meditating for a moment.

"I remember the Manhunters well. They attacked our planet when Ganthet first tried to activate the Central Battery," Saint Walker reflected, his ring creating images of the Manhunters attacking the planet and the sole Blue Lantern. "I also recall, that through the efforts of our friend Hal Jordan and his allies that the Manhunters were destroyed for good. Yet, you say that they have been...rebuilt?"

"Rebuilt and far more powerful than before," John clarified with a snarl as he created a full construct of the new Manhunter with his ring. "They're far more durable than before and have greater firepower.  Spike and I got lucky with the group that we fought, since they seemed to be damaged before they attacked us. I can only assume that the Green Lantern they took was who did it."

"How strange, that beings that sought only to destroy all emotion in the universe, would now capture those who can bring out its power to the fullest," Saint Walker observed with a small shake of his head before looking at John again. "There is more that you wish to say to me, isn't there?"

"Yeah. I'd feel safer if you and the other Blue Lanterns came to Oa with us," John said, getting a curious look from the senior Blue Lantern. "You're the only Lantern Corps that hasn't lost a member yet, meaning that it's only a matter of time before the Manhunters come after one of you. But if all of you are on Oa, then not only will there be thousands there to protect you, but with will and hope combined they also won't stand a chance. Please consider what I'm saying, we can't lose any more Lanterns."

"There I fear I must enlighten you. When I talked with the Guardians of Oa, it was true at that moment all Blue Lanterns were accounted for, but now I am not so sure. Two Blue Lanterns are not on Elpis right now and have not been for some time.  I contacted both of them when I was informed Lanterns were going missing, but only one of them contacted me back," Saint Walker informed John with some worry. "It is not unusual for Blue Lanterns to go silent for months on end in their journeys to spread hope and find peace, but I am still concerned."

"Understand. Can you tell me where the two Blue Lanterns were when you last contacted them? Spike and I can go investigate for you."

"Brother Toro, the one who did not respond to my call, last contacted me on a planet that was not too far from sector 1583. It should not be too hard to find. My other Lantern said that he would investigate as well and immediately took off into the depths of space, despite my warnings. That one was always quick to action," Walker said with a small sigh.

"Alright then, we'll go to where Toro's location was immediately," John said as he stood up, but Saint Walker held out a hand and looked towards Spike with a smile. "Yes, Lantern Spike, I fully know that there is something that you wished to ask of me as well. What is it?"

"Um...there's...a certain Blue Lantern I'm looking for," Spike stammered out with some embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head and looked down. "Do you...know where she is?"

"Hmm, I am not sure. Do you know of this Lantern's location, Sister Belle?" 

The moment Saint Walker spoke Spike was tackled from the side and the next thing he knew a pony in a Blue Lantern uniform with a blue ring on her horn had her lips pressed against his, while her hooves wrapped themselves around his neck to pull him tight. His eyes went wide for a moment before he wrapped his claws around the back of the Lantern and pulled her tighter, kissing her back. John and Walker watched with smiles on their faces as the two finally broke apart, Spike casting a glance at the other Lanterns with a face redder than a Red Lantern, while Sweetie simply waved at John with a huge smile, not embarrassed in the least.

"John! It's so good to see you again!" Sweetie sang with joyful music in every word. "Man, the last time I saw you must have been seven years ago! How have you been? You hardly look any different."

"Aside from getting old, I'm doing pretty good. But clearly a lot has happened between the two of you since the last time we met, because I don't remember either of you being candidates for the Star Sapphires," John teased with a huge smile. Spike's face somehow went even brighter as he rubbed the back of his head while Sweetie placed her head under his chin and snuggled up close, causing both their green and blue auras to burn intensely.

"W-well, the two of us fought alongside each other for so long that it just kinda...happened," Spike stammered out, looking in every direction except for where John was.

"Just kinda happened? Puleeze," Sweetie butted in with a coy smile as she moved her head to look at Spike, hoofs on his shoulders as the smile grew wider. "It took him three full attempts to finally ask me out, and even then he could barely say it the third time. For a Lantern who supposedly can overcome any fear, I've never seen you so scared in all your life."

"I-I wasn't scared, I was just...distracted by work," Spike muttered as he looked to the side.

"Mm-hmm, sure" Sweetie hummed as she gently nuzzled his face, pecking his nose one last time before narrowing her eyes at the scar on his face. "That wasn't there a month ago. Did something happen to you Spike?"

"Nothing much, just got a small cut fighting evil and saving a world from certain destruction," Spike said with far more confidence as he puffed his chest out, getting a snicker out of John. "You know, hero stuff

"Aw, my brave Spikey-Wikey," Sweetie cooed as she kissed the scar softly, getting a full chuckle out of John as Spike's chest deflated and his face went back to its crimson hue. Sweetie hugged him one last time before breaking free and walking over to the senior Lanterns, giving John a look as she did so. "What?"

"Oh nothing. Spike mentioned something about you coming here to see the Blue Lantern home world, right?" John quickly said to change the topic, but Spike could see from his eyes that John wasn't going to let him go anytime soon. "So how has your first time in space by yourself been?"

"Ugh, it took so long to find this place, even with Saint Walker here giving me directions," Sweetie groaned as she looked around. "But when I got here I was struck dumb by just how beautiful it was!"

"Trust me, you weren't alone."

"Then I met Saint Walker and Brother Warth and a bunch of other cool Lanterns! And then they taught me how to master my powers even further!" Sweetie exclaimed excitedly as she floated into the air and began to show off, creating a plethora of constructs that impressed both John and Walker.

"Yes, Sister Belle has shown herself to be quite the bearer of hope. She has boundless energy and a near infinite amount of hope. All of the other Blue Lanterns speak of how they seemed to feel more hopeful just being around her," Saint Walker added with a smile before looking over at Spike, who was just then walking over to them. "And she always spoke so highly of you, Lantern Spike, constantly telling us the tale of how you single-handedly defeated a large number of Lanterns before fighting off the Black Lanterns."

"Greed and rage maybe, but for the others I had help," Spike said as he placed a hand on Sweetie's shoulder with a serious expression. "And now there are other Lanterns out there that need help, just like I did years ago. It was nice meeting you Saint Walker, but it's time John and I headed out to make sure that the Blue Lanterns you spoke of are alright."

"And I'm coming with you," Sweetie said with confidence, looking up at Spike for the objection that never came. "After all, hope and will are strongest together."

"She's right there. Alright Spike, take Sweetie to the ship and we'll head out," John ordered, Sweetie whooping in victory as she took off to the sky, leaving Spike to chase after her. "Wow, seeing those two kids in a relationship makes me feel old," John muttered as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Now that they are gone, what is it you truly wished to tell me?" Saint Walker asked as he resumed his meditative position. John looked at the Lantern with surprise before sighing.

"I was being serious when I said you should take your Lanterns and head for Oa," John said with deadly seriousness in his voice as he looked down at his ring. "Killing Lanterns is one thing, but capturing both them and their rings? That only ends in trouble, very bad trouble."

"You do not want me and my Lanterns on Oa so that we are safe; you want us there in case the Lanterns need our assistance," Saint Walker said, seeming to read John's mind.

"I do want you and your Corps to be safe, but yes, I'd feel much safer if hope and will were in unison against this threat," John clarified with worry in every word. "I shudder to think what evil atrocities could be committed with that many Lantern rings." Saint Walker nodded at John's words before his eyes opened again and he looked over at the Green Lantern. 

"I will consider your words, John. While I do not wish to abandon our home, this threat is far more serious than I first gave it credit for," Saint Walker agreed solemnly. "It would be wise to surround ourselves with friends during this time."

"Thank you for listening," John said with a sigh of relief, both Lanterns rising and bowing to each other before John took to the sky.

"And thank you for coming to warn us, friend Stewart," Saint Walker said as John flew away. "But do not worry too much. All will be well."

'Wish I could believe that. Hell, wish I could be as calm and relaxed as most Blue Lanterns. But I just can't shake the feeling that there's something big going on, something that might endanger all of us,' John pondered as he flew to the ship, entering through the ramp to find that Sweetie had already made herself right at home.

"Hi John! Ready to get this show on the road?" she asked from the Captain's chair in the Interceptor's cockpit.

"Will be, once you get out of my seat. How about you head on to the back and pick out a room for yourself?" John suggested.

"Sure, but I don't mind sharing a room with Spike," she said while smiling at Spike lovingly.

"Sweetie, do you have to say stuff like that?" Spike groaned as he looked away.

"Come on, I'm just messing with you!" she laughed before using her ring to pull her battery out of a portal. "Just let me charge up my ring and I'll go on back." She placed her ring against her battery as she said this and after clearing her throat, spoke her oath.

"Against fearful day or raging night, I will illuminate the darkness for all who fight! For with Rarity's faith and alongside Spike, I shall stay strong and burn with Blue Lantern's light!" A flash of blue shone through the room as she finished charging, causing both Green Lanterns to shine even brighter.  She then returned to normal and bounded out of the room, allowing John to smirk at Spike.

"She even included you in her oath. That's just precious," John teased Spike.

Shut up!" Spike hissed at John as the Lantern laughed and sat down, launching the ship off of the Blue Lantern homeworld and off into space. He entered the coordinates from where the missing Blue Lantern was last reported and in the next moment the Interceptor was sailing across the stars.

"Still, I'm kind of surprised that you didn't object to her coming along," John intrigued once the ship was sent in the right direction. "You know that this mission is incredibly dangerous, right?  Yet, you're fine with her coming along?"

"Every mission that the two of us go on is incredibly dangerous. And more often than not, she's the one that saves me when things go south," Spike pointed out before a small smile crossed his face. "Besides, I've been fighting alongside her for so long that it feels weird not having her beside me. We're partners...actually, more than partners at this point. We fight as one."

A blast from the room behind them caused both Lanterns to jump, yet they recovered immediately and flew through the doors into the living quarters, rings at the ready for whatever caused the explosion. What they found, however, was a destroyed computer terminal and an embarrassed Sweetie Belle.

"Okay, things might look bad, but in my defense, the fact that this ship can talk caught me off guard," she said quickly.  John rolled his eyes with a smirk while Spike held a hand to his heart, each glad that the real fighting hadn't begun yet.
> Blue Lantern's Plight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun at the center of the current Solar System had just started to peak around a large planet as John stared out into the vastness of space, sitting in the Captain's chair with his head rested against his arm. He had been sitting in the chair for hours, going over what they knew about the Manhunters and the missing Lanterns, hoping that there was something, some clue, that he had missed. But nothing came to him as he stared at the planet's two moons, causing him to change his thoughts.

'The real question here is, who is the operation behind the Manhunters? Could the Anti-Monitor be back? Perhaps the Sinestro Corps found a way to reactivate them and wanted to use them as additional forces? No, the Manhunters have taken Yellow Lanterns as well,' John silently mused, absentmindedly flipping through holographic images of the Manhunters and the list of missing Lanterns as he thought. The ship let out a beep to inform him that they were closing in on the destination and John figured it was time to wake the rookies.

"But first...ring, create a new entry," John ordered, watching as the ring created a blank image before him. "Green Lantern of Sector 2814 entry number 3 since mission began. On the trail of a Blue Lantern that has gone missing for a while with hopes that we can find him before the Manhunters do. But if my hunch is correct, he has already been taken, and whoever is pulling the Manhunters' strings now has at least one Lantern from every Corps. I currently do not know who this mastermind...man there's an old school villain...is or why he is gathering the Lanterns. But whatever the reason, it cannot be good. Stewart out."

As he finished his log entry, Stewart rose out of the chair and floated into the living quarters, where to his surprise he found Sweetie meditating in the center of the room, floating just above the floor with a strong blue aura encompassing her.

"Morning, John," she muttered absentmindedly, her eyes half open and her hooves resting gently on her knees.

"Morning. Surprised to see you up so early," John muttered before checking the time to make sure that it was indeed morning. Sweetie let out a sigh as she lowered herself to the floor and the blue aura vanished, but it was replaced by a smile as John pressed a button and a table appeared out of the floor. 

"I'm always up this early. Early morning meditation can do wonders for both the physical body and a pony's mental strength," Sweetie explained as she walked over to the lockers and drew forth breakfast for both herself and Spike. "I'm actually surprised that you're up this early." John cast a glance at Spike's door, which was still firmly closed and showed no signs of opening any time soon.

"I was part of the military, Sweetie. Sleep was the least of our concerns. But do you meditate all by yourself?"

"Well, Rarity does it with me as well, but she thinks it'll keep her younger," Sweetie explained before flicking her head towards Spike's door with a smirk. "Or if you're asking about Spike, unless the town's on fire that dragon will sleep in till noon, provided Twilight or I don't wake him up. Speaking of which." She used her ring to open the door to Spike's room and John caught the image of a blue megaphone construct right before the door closed. A smirk crossed his face before a moment later, the sound of crashing could be heard, which was followed by the door opening and one very wide-eyed Spike walking out with a giggling Sweetie behind him.

"I wish to Faust you wouldn't wake me up like that. You're going to give me another heart attack one of these days," Spike muttered as he sat down and dumped a number of gems out of his lunch container onto the table, picking them out and popping them into his maw.

"Another?" John asked in between bites of a donut.

"Almost.  Bad fight with Sombra. Put Sweetie in a coma for a week. We...weren't certain if she was going to make it," Spike answered with both rage and hints of fear, his tone telling John that the incident must have been worse than he was letting on. "I couldn't be beside her because I had to find Sombra and...it was hard on all of us."

"Fortunately Blue Lantern rings can heal, so I was perfectly fine when I woke up again," Sweetie reminded Spike, who still shook his head with anger as he thought back to the battle with Sombra. Sweetie placed a hoof on his hand and the anger dissipated, allowing Spike to smile at her a moment later.

"Well, eat up quickly and get ready, because we've...just finished entering the planet's very thin atmosphere, so we'll be arriving any moment," John ordered with a far more professional tone as he finished off his breakfast, the other two following his example. "The ship has detected hints of Blue Lantern energy down below, so we know that the Lantern was at least here once, if he isn't now."

"And here comes the 'but'," Spike muttered, getting a smirk from John before he continued.

"BUT the ship has also picked up traces of Manhunter energy as well, so I hope the both of you are ready for a fight when we get down there," John instructed the pair, who both nodded. John nodded as well before the three headed towards the exit ramp, waiting until all three Lanterns' shields were up before he opened the ramp's door. The three were greeted by the sight of white sand and nothing but white sand as the ship hovered just off of the ground, allowing the group to exit out of the ship and hover near each other as John began to scan the area, while also looking up to see the planet's twin moons above them.

"Alright, the Lantern could be anywhere, so we'll split into teams of two. I can go by myself, so Sweetie and Spike will-"

"He's this way," Sweetie said as she pointed in a direction. "I can sense him. Follow me!" Sweetie shot off ahead with a burst of speed, leaving John and Spike to catch up to her.

"Okay, here's the plan of attack," John began. "Spike and I will engage the Manhunters directly while Sweetie hangs back and provides support for us."

"What? But I want to fight!" she argued.

"Remember, the light of the Blue Lanterns can also charge the Manhunters as well as us Green Lanterns," John reminded her sternly. "If you were to directly enter the battle, it might put all of our lives on the line." Sweetie looked from John to Spike before sighing in defeat, nodding her head to show that she agreed. Before John could continue his instructions, an explosion of light greeted their eyes on the horizon, causing all three to race at full speed towards the battle.

The three immediately spotted the Blue Lantern, whose limp body was being held in the grips of one of five Manhunters. Spike looked down at the bleeding Lantern with wide eyes before he roared with rage and created  massive dragon's head that he drove into the Manhunter holding the Lantern, causing it to drop its quarry as it was sent flying.

"What's the matter? Don't want to fight when the odds are evened out?" Spike snarled as the remaining four Manhunters turned towards their new targets, each of them extending two laser rods as they began to advance. "Come on you rust buckets, I'll take you all on!" Spike roared with a dragon's fury as he tackled another Manhunter and drove it away from the others.

"Damn it, kid we're supposed to fight together!" John yelled at Spike as the remaining Manhunters split up, two walking towards Spike and Sweetie while the third advanced towards where Spike was fighting. "Sweetie, focus as much of your ring's power into me as you can. I'm going to need the boost." Sweetie nodded as she sent a beam of blue hope into John's back, causing his aura to glow with incredible power that stopped even the Manhunters for a moment.

"No man escapes the Manhunters." With the battle cry said the two Manhunters lunged at John, firing all four of their laser rods at him in unison. John growled as he constructed an emerald shield tinted with blue energy that deflected the lasers with ease.

"Oh yeah? Well after today you'll never be able to say that again!" John bellowed as he crafted twin drills that wrapped around his arms. With another battle cry he hurled himself forward, driving one of his drill hands into the Manhunter's face. Half the metal was torn off as the Manhunter staggered back, but before John could press the advantage the other Manhunter unloaded all of its laser energy into him, forcing him to create another shield under the pressure.

John was just about to counter attack when Spike slammed into the ground not far from him, struggling to push himself back up as blood trickled from his mouth. He had just about made it up, when twin blasts from the Manhunters that he had been facing struck him in the back, causing him to collapse with pain once again as the Manhunters advanced in for the kill.

"SPIKE!" Sweetie called out desperately, looking over from Spike to John with absolute terror in her eyes and no idea what to do.

"Go help him! I can hold these two off!" John ordered and without a moment's hesitation Sweetie raced over to Spike, causing the Blue Lantern's boost to wear off of John. Without the extra support, John felt his shield shatter under the strain of the Manhunters' laser barrage. He launched himself backwards as he fired shots of his own out of his ring, but under the hellfire that was the Manhunters' laser fire he was quickly struck in the shoulder and knocked down.

"No man escapes the Manhunters," a Manhunter said as it walked over to him and placed its boot upon his chest, aiming its laser rod right between John's eyes. John snarled as he moved his right arm to take aim...only to hear something in his shoulder pop and for pain to flood his right arm.

'No! Move dammit!' John demanded as he tried to move his ring arm, but it only twitched in response. With fear starting to fill his soul, John looked up to see the power in the Manhunter's weapon glowing brighter and brighter as it prepared to finish him off.

"FEEL MY MIGHT!" The Manhunter had just enough time to register the voice before a pair of massive green jaws came down and chomped the Manhunter right in half, leaving only its legs which john pushed over with his left arm. He pushed himself up with a growl of pain to see that Spike had turned into the Emerald Dragon and was proceeding to tear apart the Manhunters, ripping through four of them before all that was left was the one that he had struck first, which was now holding the Blue Lantern again.

"TIME TO PUT YOU DOWN!" the Emerald Dragon roared as it lunged towards the final Manhunter, prepared to tear it half...before a blast of red energy struck the dragon in its wing and quickly deteriorated it. All three Lanterns looked to the sky to see another Manhunter floating down to meet them, but unlike the other ones, this Manhunter had red energy coursing through its body and looked distinctly different from the other. It placed itself between the dragon and the Manhunter holding the Lantern, who quickly took off into the sky with its prize.

"NO YOU DON'T!" the Dragon bellowed as he tried to take off after the Manhunter, but another red blast of energy tore through his chest and blasted the Green Lantern Spike out of the massive construct. Sweetie managed to catch Spike as the giant dragon construct vanished, the both of them looking towards the new Manhunter with both surprise and uncertainty. The Manhunter scanned the three of them before it finally spoke.

"No man shall escape my hate." As it said this, it pointed both of its arms at Spike and Sweetie, firing twin blasts of red energy from its fists. Spike and Sweetie created a shield together that managed to deflect the blasts, but both of their eyes went wide when they felt what struck the shield.

"John! That Manhunter's power is...like a Red Lantern's!" Spike yelled before he and Sweetie were forced to take to the sky to avoid another barrage of red bursts. "What do we do?"

"Keep dodging and hold on!" John growled as he willed his ring to switch hands, clenching his left one with rage before pointing his ring at the Manhunter and shooting it in the back of its head. His plan worked and the Manhunter turned to face its new target, aiming at John with one of its hands and firing right at him. John dodged out the way while firing green bolts in retaliation, but the Manhunter's red energy caused the bolts to disintegrate right before impact. 'Damn it, the kid is right! That Manhunter is somehow channeling a Red Lantern's power!'

The Manhunter lunged forward and slammed its shoulder through the construct John created, allowing it to tackle him in the shoulder. John roared with pain when his focus was shattered and he collapsed to the ground, clutching at his right shoulder while the Manhunter slammed its fist into his chest.

"Lantern John Stewart," it said as it grabbed hold of the symbol on its chest and lifted him up, allowing John to see into its red eyes. "You are trouble. You will be destroyed," it decreed as it brought its fist back to finish John off. John swung his left fist up to defend himself, but at that moment a green missile drove itself into the Manhunter's back, hurling it off of John.

"NO! You're not taking any more Lanterns today!" Spike roared as he and the Manhunter squared off, glaring at each other before Spike turned his head to the side. "Sweetie! I think it's time we show this machine filled with rage what happens when hope and will truly work together!"

"Time to finish it off, huh?" Sweetie asked as she flew in front of Spike and smiled back at him. She then leaned back into him as Spike wrapped his arms around her, creating a field of green and blue so brilliant that John had to shield his eyes. The field then began to expand and take on a shape, creating a massive being that had dragon scales that were an emerald green.  The scales covered a pure blue unicorn that was twice as big as the Emerald Dragon. Its cyan eyes burned with power as a mane of green fire erupted along its head and tail while it let out a bellow that shook the whole plant.  Then, it looked down at the tiny Manhunter with narrowed eyes.

"No man shall escape my h-" The massive blue-green beast opened its maw and unleashed an inferno of cyan fire that consumed the Manhunter, which John could see melting into nothingness in the torrent of cyan fire. When the fire ceased, all that was left of the Manhunter was ash, causing the massive beast to let out a roar of victory before will and hope separated.

"Gotcha," Spike muttered as he caught Sweetie Belle in his arms, who gave him a tired smile before she rested her head against him and closed her eyes. Spike sighed in relief before floating down to John, seeing that John had created a green cast for himself. "You alright?"

"I'll be fine. What was that though? It looked like a more...powerful version of your Emerald Dragon," John inquired.

"Yeah, Sweetie and I call it the Cyan Kirin. Her name, not mine. It's a fusion of both of our final attacks, hers being the Cerulean Savior and mine the Emerald Dragon. And I don't need to tell you what happens when hope and will combine," Spike explained, getting a nod from John as he pushed himself back up to his feet with a grimace. "Come on, let's get back to the ship. Sweetie always gets exhausted after we execute that move and you need to get your arm looked at," Spike said as he started to fly off, but stopped a few feet later and looked back at John. "The Lantern...he's gone, isn't he? We failed."

"We might not have stopped the Manhunters from taking him, but if he's still alive then we haven't failed yet," John said with pain-filled confidence, getting a small smile out of Spike before the dragon flew back to the ship and left John alone.

'And things just get worse and worse,' John fumed as he looked at the ashes where the Red Lantern Manhunter had once stood, feeling a chill run down his spine as another piece of the plan fell into place. 'Whoever is gathering the Lanterns somehow managed to infuse a Red Lantern's power into a Manhunter. And if they could do it with one, who's to say that they can't do it with two...or ten...or an army.' John then looked up at the sky, where only a single moon rested above him. 

'We're getting pretty deep in the rabbit hole, and yet I have a feeling it only gets deeper. I hope that we can save the captured Lanterns, but at this point...I'm starting to think that all life in the galaxy will need our saving soon enough,' John thought before looking at his right shoulder. 'If we can survive ourselves.'
> Team Work
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Scans of your arm show that your shoulder was dislocated during the fight with the Manhunter,' John's ring informed the Lantern, who sat up from his chair and rubbed that same shoulder with a frown. 'I hope that properly placing it did not cause you too much discomfort?'

"I've had worse," John grunted while willing a brace around his right arm, sighing in relief when the pain subsided. "Any word from the Guardians or any trace of that "moon"?" John asked the ship's A.I.

'I am sorry, Lantern Stewart, but there are currently no messages from Oa nor are there any traces of the moon or the Manhunters,' the triangle hologram in the ships' controls said to John. The Lantern sighed in frustration as he stood up and left the room, trying to plan their next course of action. But to his surprise, when he walked into the living quarters he found Spike leaning against the wall with a grim expression on his face.

"Is Sweetie alright?" John asked with concern, fearing the worst.

"She's fine, just sleeping off the effects of our combination...it's all my fault," Spike bitterly growled as he clenched his fists, flames flickering in-between his gritted teeth as he seethed. "If I hadn't tackled the Manhunters head on and instead worked as a team, we wouldn't have lost the Blue Lantern. I should have followed your orders. I don't know if it means anything, but I'm sorry."

"Hmm," John grunted before pressing a button on the wall and bringing up the table out of the floor, but instead of sitting down he pressed a few more buttons and activated a massive hologram of space. "Sit down Spike, I think it's about time I started to properly teach you what being a Lantern means." Spike sat without a word, but he couldn't keep his curiosity contained and his eyes darted between all the planets and stars.

"This is an entire map of the three thousand and six hundred sectors," John began as he began to flick from sector to sector, showing Spike a number of bizarre and strange places. "And each sector is protected by a chosen bearer of the ring. A Green Lantern."

"I know that," Spike reminded John, but a look from the senior Lantern silenced him.

"But just because each Lantern has a sector to patrol does not mean that their duties are the exact same as other Lanterns," John continued and his words gained an eyebrow raise from Spike. "Some sectors have only one inhabited planet, which is the one that they are generally from and stay on in order to better protect it. However, other sectors may have as many as ten inhabited planets, each with their own laws and customs that the Lantern must know in order to best protect them. Do you get what I'm implying?"

"Um...that the Lanterns with more planets have a much harder job than those with one?" Spike guessed with a smile, but the smile fell when John let out an exasperated sigh.

"What I'm trying to say is, that each Lantern brings a different experience to the table and can handle a situation better than other Lanterns," John clarified as he brought up an image of a massive, monstrous beast with eight arms that was the size of a small moon. "For example, this was a criminal named Hute. He was a massive criminal that would eat entire countries to fuel his bloodlust. So let me ask, how would you deal with him?"

"Uh...? Hit him in the eye?" Spike weakly answered, yet his answer only got him a stern look from John. "Okay, I don't know! How are you supposed to fight something that massive?! How would you do it?"

"I have no idea. And that's because I wasn't the Lantern that had to figure out how to beat him when he first started to attack planets," John explained, turning back to the images and pretending not to hear Spike mutter under his breath about John's answer. "Hute was defeated by a Lantern named Mogo, who not only found a way to defeat him, but to imprison him. If I ever had to battle against Hute, which I hope I don't, I would make damn sure to ask Mogo on how to fight him first."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with us?" Spike asked with confusion as John changed the images from the massive destroyer to a number of other Lanterns from different Corps.

"I fought the Manhunters before, Spike, and alongside my Lantern brethren we managed to defeat them--what we hoped was once and for all," John muttered as he placed his hands on the table and looked at Spike with a hard glare. "You keep fighting the Manhunters your way, the way you think best, because that's what you're used to. You're used to being the Lantern who has to make the calls and figure out how to beat the villains and that's what you're trying to do now. What I'm trying to show you is that you don't have to. You have a Lantern with you who has fought and defeated these threats before and can tell you how to do it, if you would just listen to him."

"And most importantly, what I'm trying to get through that scaled head of yours is that you're part of a team, a team that has each others' backs no matter what we fight against. If you fight a foe you can't beat, another Lantern will be there to turn the tide. If you don't know how to handle a situation, there is a Lantern who can show you the solution. That is what it means to be a part of the Green Lanterns," John said with fire burning in every word as he looked down at his ring with pride. "It means that no matter the threat, no matter the challenge, you are never alone. That there are thousands of other Lanterns that are there to support you, no matter what."

Spike's mouth thinned as he looked down at his ring, John's words echoing across his mind. "You're right John, I was tackling the Manhunters thinking I was still in charge. I thought...that I was good enough to take them on, even though you knew more about them. I just wanted to show that I'm not the rookie that everyone says I am, but I guess all that did was show how green...heh...I really am. Man, you must be mad at me."

"There's no shame in being a rookie, Spike. I was a rookie at one point and so was every other Lantern in the Corps," John reminded Spike while placing his left arm on the dragon's shoulder. "But every rookie has had a senior Lantern there to make sure that their rash decisions didn't get them killed. And that's why I'm here Spike, to keep you alive and show you how to become that Lantern you want to be. So while I might get mad and frustrated with you, I won't give up on you. Lanterns never give up on each other. It's our duty."

As soon as John finished speaking, the ship beeped and gained the senior Lantern's attention. John rose and raced to the cockpit, leaving Spike alone for a moment as he went over what John had said to him. His ring began to burn with will and he let out a sigh as he turned to see the concerned eyes of his marefriend.

"You alright?" Sweetie asked from behind Spike, who nodded slightly in response as he looked back at his ring.

"John's right of course, but that doesn't make the words sting any less," Spike muttered before a dry smile crossed his face. "Heh, then again, I do have a really bad history of listening to my superiors, don't I?  Twilight, Celestia, John; I can sometimes be a stubborn dragon, can't I?"

"Sometimes?!" Sweetie laughed aloud as she sat next to him and put on her pondering face. "Let's see, there was the time you refused to guard the town hall because you were certain the changelings would come from the sky--and we saw how that ended. Then, there was that time you had no doubt that Celestia was an imposter and spent all day dogging her only to find out that it was one of the staff. Spike, you're beyond stubborn. You're so stubborn you fought against the armies of death alone and won."

"Okay, okay...I get it," Spike sighed with a small smile. "Good thing you and the others were there to help me during those times or else I might not be here."

"Like John said, we're a team. We help each other," Sweetie repeated right before the door opened and John walked back inside, the look on his face only meaning bad news. "And judging by that face, somepony out there needs our help."

"We just received a distress call from a ship not too far from here. Seems that something went wrong with their ship and now they're stranded," John informed the two before nodding at Spike. "Time to get your training started, Spike. Follow my orders and listen to instructions. Got it?"

"Sure, but why doesn't Sweetie get any training?" Spike asked.

"Because it seems she already has a firm grasp of what it means to be a Blue Lantern, whereas you still have a ways to go before you're a true defender of the cosmos," John reminded him with a smile. "Now come on, it's time to do our jobs."

|) O (|

"Man, that must have been one heck of a party," Spike muttered with a smirk as he and the other two Lanterns gazed at the giant hole torn in the side of the even bigger ship, which had a large number of strange light-generating objects floating around it. The Lanterns had parked the ship and elected to get an up close look at the vessel, resulting in the three of them floating in space just next to the freighter. "And when the party couldn't be contained in the ship, they took it into space. That's my guess to what happened."

"Try to think more positively. Perhaps it's nothing more than engine failure and their communications went out," Sweetie suggested.

"Don't bet on it, Sweetie, it's never just a busted transmission and offline engines," John muttered as he floated over to the large tear and began to scan it with his ring, frowning when the ring showed him the results. "Yup, those burns you see were caused by laser fire, and it was a laser that we've had the bad fortune to run into a number of times in the past couple of days."

"Okay, why would Manhunters be attacking...cargo ships?" Sweetie muttered once his ring finished translating what was written on the side of the ship. "Last time I checked they either killed or captured Lanterns, not go after...strobe light tubes."

"Hey, even giant killer robots need to party sometimes," Spike sarcastically remarked, but when John ignored him and Sweetie rolled her eyes he decided to give the joke a rest. 

"Come on, let's see if there were any survivors," John muttered, using the glow of his ring to illuminate the way as he and the others entered into the ship through the tear. The group floated through the eerily abandoned ship with rings at the ready, noticing strange electronics, multiple space suits, and every once in a while giant cages that were empty. None of them spoke until they came to a set of three hallways that split up in separate directions. 

"So...split up?" Sweetie suggested, but John shook his head and looked back at Spike with a smile.

"Alright Spike, we're searching this ship for any signs of survivors, so in a situation like this, the best idea would be--as Sweetie suggested--to split up. However, we also have to assume that there are Manhunters here, and since we know that in a one-on-one fight we might die, we can't risk splitting up. So what should we do?" John asked the rookie Lantern, who rubbed his head in confusion as he looked between the three pathways.

"Um...take them one at a time?" Spike muttered weakly. John motioned for him to continue explaining, which made Spike all the more nervous. "I mean, if it's too dangerous to split up, then we should stick together and search the ship one place at a time. It might take longer, but it keeps us all safe."

"Not a bad suggestion, but somebody might be hurt and we could be on the clock. No, there's a much simpler solution," John said as he focused his will into his ring, willing a massive construct shaped like himself to appear. Sweetie and Spike gawked at the construct while both Johns smiled. "Not a bad trick, eh? These copies might not be able to create constructs of their own, but they can act as a second pair of eyes and ears. Take the left."

The construct nodded before it flew down the left corridor and the others watched it go until its green glow vanished. "Alright Spike, now you try it," John instructed. "It takes a lot of will to make one of those and in the shape I'm in, I'm not going to risk another."

Spike nodded before closing his eyes and concentrating, willing for the ring to create a duplicate of himself. Both John and Sweetie watched as the ring began to craft a construct before the both of them, but both had to stifle a laugh when the construct took form. Spike cracked his eyes open to find himself looking down at a little version of himself, just as he had looked five years ago.

"Huh, I forgot just how tiny you used to be," John teased slightly.

"Argh, whatever. Um...little me, go check down the right corridor," Spike ordered. The little him shook its head and crossed its arms before sitting down on the deck and refusing to move. John began to laugh at the scene before him as Spike tried in vain to get the little him to move, yet it refused every plea.

"I was told that these constructs are like a replica of us, but I didn't know they could replicate a dragon's stubbornness as well as its form," John laughed while checking his ring, awaiting a response from his copy. "Seems that you made a perfect copy of your younger self, not just a construct.

"Great, I won't even listen to myself," Spike snarled after the construct flipped him off, debating whether he should try again or just plain strangle his construct when Sweetie stepped in.

"Here, let me try. Oh Spikey-Wikey," she sweetly said, gaining the construct's attention instantly as its eyes turned to hearts. "Would you please be a dear and go check the right corridor for us? I would really appreciate it." The construct saluted immediately and tore off down the right corridor, getting a giggle out of Sweetie when she saw the look on Spike's face.  "What? It worked when my sister did it on you, so it was certain if I tried it. Come on, let's go down this one!"

"Really tired of being the butt of everyone's jokes," Spike grumbled as he and Sweetie floated down the middle corridor, John following behind both of them after checking behind them. Their corridor led to a massive room that John assumed had once held a number of escape pods, due to both the writing and the fact that there was still a pod or two left, but what drew his attention was that out of over a hundred pods only two were left.

"Maybe they abandoned ship whenever whatever it was happened to them?" Sweetie suggested as John scanned a computer terminal with his ring.

"This ship belonged to a shipping company whose base of operation isn't too far from here," John informed the two as he repeated the information that the ring showed to him. "If we can't find anything here we should-"

'The Spike construct has discovered something. It has deconstructed, but I recommend that we head to its location immediately,' Spike's ring cut in and a moment later all three Lanterns were flying through the abandoned ship to where Spike's construct had gone, but when they reached the location at the end of the corridor, they were all struck dumb by what they saw.

Hundreds of bodies lay all around a large room that looked to be where the crew relaxed and unwound, covering the floor, walls and table all around the room. Sweetie gasped in horror while Spike clenched his fists in rage, but with a professional calm John floated forward and scanned the body closest to him. A frown crossed his face and he began to scan the rest of the bodies, while the other two Lanterns floated behind him.

"Well, found the source of the distress call," John muttered as he picked up a blinking cube off the deck.

"Is this...the crew?" Sweetie whispered through her horror before she clutched at her heart and staggered back slightly.

"Ever since she became a Black Lantern, she feels cold in the presence death," Spike explained to the confused John while helping to keep the Blue Lantern standing. "We've worked on it, but there's not much I can do."

"S-so, is it?" Sweetie asked again.

"No. These are space pirates and a notoriously bad group at that," John corrected with just as much confusion in his voice as was on Spike and Sweetie's faces. "Lanterns have run into these guys before, and while we've made some progress against them, I've never seen so many of them before..."

"What happened? Do you think the crew did this before bailing?" Spike asked, but John shook his head as he turned one of the corpses over to reveal a large burn wound. 

"No Spike, once again we know all too well who the perpetrator of this act was. These are the same laser markings we found on the front of the ship," John told the pair before frowning again. 'But there was a crew here, that much is certain. So why don't I see any of their bodies? There was no way a shipping crew could hold off such vicious pirates and a Manhunter...and then there's this energy...' John stood up and turned towards the exit, waving for the two Lanterns to follow him as he did so.

"Where we going?" Spike asked. 

"There's only so many planets in this solar system that those escape pods could have made it to, and even fewer that would support a diverse amount of life. I aim to find that planet where the crew fled to," John told the two before stopping and looking back at them with a serious stare. "But when we find them, we might also find the Manhunter that did this." 
> Mechanical Care
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"If this isn't the right planet, I'm to go insane." 

For the better part of two days the three Lanterns had been searching the planets near the derelict ship in hopes of finding what had happened to the hundred-plus crew, but they quickly discovered that John's prediction of the search being a quick one would prove incorrect. Rapidly, they had learned that one form of life or another could inhabit almost every planet in the sector, and with no way to know for sure which species the crew was, they had to check them all.

"It's alright, Spike. We'll find them soon. Stay hopeful," Sweetie said in an attempt to comfort him.

"Can't say I blame the kid for being so upset, this is really becoming a pain," John growled as he navigated the ship through the third planet's atmosphere that day. "We need to save the passengers or at least make sure that they're alright, but this is cutting into valuable time that we could be using to find the missing Lanterns. Argh, let's just hope that this one is the right one."

"Hey John, we never really did talk about what was up with that Manhunter that...was filled with the power of rage," Spike reminded John once the flames stopped burning the front of the ship.  John stared ahead through the viewscreen at the forested planet below, waiting for Spike to continue as Sweetie listened in as well. "I mean, from what I was told, only the Lantern that the ring chooses can use that ring's power, but we all felt the Red Lantern's energy coming from that Manhunter. How is that possible if the ring didn't choose the Manhunter?"

"I honestly don't know, Spike. But whatever the reason is, it concerns me," John muttered while making no attempts to hide the worry in his voice. "Whoever is behind this has shown that not only can they rebuild the Manhunters and make them stronger, but also that they can infuse the power of the captured Lantern's energy into them. If we don't find who is doing this and soon, it's not hard to believe that they might make an entire army of Lantern-powered Manhunters."

Spike and Sweetie shared concerned looks with each other at that revelation. "But...that shouldn't be possible, right? The Manhunters can't feel emotions, so how, even if they're infused with the energy, could they call upon hate or another emotion. Machines can't feel," Sweetie pointed out, but John shook his head.

"Actually, the Manhunter's are perfectly capable of feeling. The Guardians just shut off that part of them so that they would not become corrupted by emotions. My guess is, whoever is behind this turned their ability to feel emotions back on so that they could perform their twisted plan," John argued before looking back at Sweetie with a look. "And it's not impossible for machines to develop emotions. I've known a few that have become more human that some humans I've fought. Alright, we're almost there."

John piloted the ship down through the thick forest, dodging and weaving as best he could in between trees and rock faces as he searched for a safe place to land. A small clearing caught his eye and he brought the ship down there, doing a quick scan of the area with the ship's sensors just to be safe.

"Yep, this is the planet," John said to the others when the readings came back. "The sensors are picking up faint traces of a Manhunter here as well as a Lantern's energy. So either this is one of those super Manhunters, or we have another Lantern here who's in danger. Let's go see which is right."

"Oh thank Faust, we can finally get off this ship!" Spike proclaimed aloud as he raced down the ramp and off into the unknown planet, Sweetie and John following after him. "Ah, finally I can smell fresh air and not the inside of a ship!" Spike said with relief as he took in a number of deep breaths, Sweetie joining him while John started scanning the nearby area with his ring.

"Alright you two, focus. My ring indicates that there are signs of life not too far from-" John flicked his head to the side just in time to dodge a laser shot, a shot which just barely grazed his cheek. A heartbeat later all three Lanterns had erected barriers around themselves while their eyes glared into the forest around them, searching for the attackers.

"What do you think, John? Return fire?" Spike asked but John shook his head at the dragon before lowering his shield and holding both hands next to his head.

"Whoever is out there, you can calm down. I am John Stewart, Green Lantern of Sector 2814.  My allies and I are here because we are looking for the crew of a ship we found floating in space," John calmly called into the darkness of the forest. Spike prepared to blast anything that tried take a shot at John while his shield was down, but John remained firm and for a full minute nothing happened. Then, one by one, numerous beings all wearing the same uniform began to walk out of the forest, some holding lasers while others carried sticks and clubs, but upon seeing the Green Lanterns, any fear vanished from their faces and they rushed over to John.

"Whoa, that's a lot of aliens," Spike muttered as the alien crew began to pour out from the woods, each of them about the same height as him and somewhat resembling crystals or gems.

"Oh, thank the heavens!  It's a Green Lantern. We thought that the pirates had managed to track us here!" one of the aliens exclaimed to John, who lowered his arms and nodded.

"So you are all crew members of the ship that we found floating in a nearby area?" John asked, getting a numerous amount of nods from the beings. "Alright then, whoever is in charge around here, please come forward so I can speak with you." In response to his words, a strong rock being that was slightly taller than the rest stepped forward.

"Captain Deruga at your service, Lantern," the captain saluted.

"Captain, can you tell me what happened to your ship and how you ended up here?" John asked the captain while returning the salute, before he waved the rookies over to him. 

"There's not much to tell I'm afraid. We received a number of parts that we were supposed to transport to a distant moon colony where we had done business before, but about halfway to our destination we were attacked by pirates on what was supposedly a safe route. Seems that somebody didn't want us to get there," the captain said with a growl before regaining his composure and continuing.

"Well, my crew fought the best they could, but we were no match for the pirates and they managed to capture the whole ship without much trouble. We surrendered, yet those who continued to resist were blasted out the air locks," Deruga said before removing his captain's hat in respect. "Well, after one of the unfortunate stones who tried to send out a distress call was thrown overboard, we were just beginning to wonder what was going to happen to the rest of us when...it showed up."

"It?" John asked in confusion before the crew surrounding the Lanterns and their ship began to murmur.

"Aye, it. A massive metal monster the likes of which I've never seen. I believe that it heard our distress call and came to our aid, because it carved a hole in the side of our ship to get inside and the moment it did so, it started to kill all of the pirates in its path," Captain Deruga said. "Never before had I seen so many pirate weapons prove so useless, but whatever that machine was, it killed all of them with little to no effort."

"Well, after that we were grateful to have our lives, but there was too much damage to the ship to even get it moving a few sects, let alone get us back home. That's when the machine...signaled for us to get into the escape pods, which we did after some debate. It then hitched us all together and dragged the near hundred of us to this planet, where we've been for about a month now. That's our woeful tale, but at least we made it out alive."

John turned around when the story finished and found that Sweetie and Spike both wore similar looks to the one he had. "Thank you for informing me of what happened," John professionally said before walking back to the ship, waving for Spike and Sweetie to join him. "So, I take it we're all agreed that this strange savior that the Captain spoke of has to be a Manhunter, right?" he whispered.

"But if it is, why would it bother to save these aliens?" Spike asked with confusion. "Manhunters only kill things with emotions or kidnap Lanterns. They don't save lives or fight pirates!"

'Perhaps this Manhunter is different than the other ones, much like the Red Lantern one we battled days ago,' Spike's ring suggested.

"I'm in agreement with the ring. We've seen a number of strange things that, according to John, the Manhunters never did before," Sweetie piped up. "Perhaps this one managed to grow a conscious, or the being that's making them is using this one for an experiment."

"Well, if it is a Manhunter, then we need to go and destroy it immediately," John ordered and the other two nodded their heads in agreement. The three broke apart and walked back over to the group, who were looking at the Lanterns with hope.

"I know that you have something you wish to ask us, Lantern, but my crew has missed home greatly and we were hoping that you would be able to get us there," the Captain said before John could speak.

"Don't worry, I'll make a call to Oa and have them send a ship that will pick all of you up," John comforted, getting relieved sighs from the crew. "But first we'd like to meet with this machine that helped to rescue all of you. Is it still with you on this planet or-"

"No, no, it is still here. Just up ahead at the waterfall," the captain said, pointing towards the distance where the group could see a large falls. "It prefers to be alone, but every time we've had trouble, be it with finding food or wildlife, it has always come back to help us."

John nodded before he took to the skies, floating with Spike and Sweetie towards the base of the falls. Spike began to cycle through his favorite construct weaponry as he flew, but Sweetie placed a hand on his shoulder with hesitant eyes.

"You don't want me to blast it the moment we see it?" Spike asked her with disbelief. "Don't you remember what these things have done to us every time we've fought?"

"Yes, but those were regular Manhunters. This one...sounds different," Sweetie reminded him, yet Spike still gave her a skeptical gaze. "Please Spike, at least hold off destroying it until we know for certain that it's trying to destroy us. Please." Spike growled with frustration, but he retracted his weapons back into his ring and flew with his arms crossed.

"We're here," John called out before flying down, landing on a small island in the pool of water that had been formed at the waterfall's base. His guard was immediately up the moment he saw the large purple and red machine sitting cross legged at the other end of the small island, but the machine's eyes remained blank even when he constructed a large rifle and aimed it at the Manhunter's head.

"Never seen one sit so still for so long," John muttered a moment later when the Manhunter still hadn't moved, allowing the group to take it in a bit more. It was still sitting cross legged and with its right hand it was holding onto its laser staff, with the butt of the weapon planted in the ground, making the Manhunter look like it was meditating. John took a step towards the Manhunter and its eyes immediately came to life, but while Spike and Sweetie gasped in surprise at the color of its eyes, all they did for John was confirm his theory. But it wasn't until the Manhunter spoke that all doubt was cast aside.

"Noc."

"No way...that's the only word I've ever heard Owlicious say before," Spike muttered aloud, but his ring hand came up in a defensive way when the Manhunter turned its head to look at him. The Manhunter said nothing as it began to push itself up, but as it did so indigo energy began to course through its body, which allowed Spike and Sweetie to catch on.

"It's an Indigo Manhunter," Sweetie thought aloud, and to her surprise the Manhunter nodded at her. "So I was right, and this Manhunter was like the Red one we fought!"

"But I don't get it. The Red Manhunter still tried to kill us despite having a Lantern's power, but this one saved the crew and so far hasn't tried to take our heads off," Spike reminded the pair with his ring still pointed at the Manhunter. "Why?"

"I know the answer to that kid. At least, I think so," John said as he turned back to the Manhunter, who had still yet to raise its weapon. "Indigo Lanterns are fueled by compassion. So my guess is, when whoever made the Manhunters infused this one with the Indigo Lantern's energy, this Manhunter learned what compassion was. That's why it saved that crew and fought off the pirates, because now it understands compassion."

"Manhunter...no...compassion," the Manhunter replied, getting a confused look from both Sweetie and Spike. "Indigo...Manhunter."

"Wait, did it just say it knows compassion or that it has no compassion?" Spike asked.

"Maybe it can only speak using the "no man escapes the Manhunters" phrase and its emotion," Sweetie recommended, doing a little hoof pump when the Manhunter nodded again. "See? So while the word is 'no', it actually means 'know'. Ugh, that's confusing."

"Confusing as it may be, we finally have a Manhunter that doesn't want to hurt us," John said with some relief before an idea came to him. "Wait a moment, you're the answer! You can tell us who is making the Manhunters and kidnapping Lanterns!" The Manhunter looked down at John and for a moment seemed...scared to answer him before it finally spoke.

"No," it replied, confusing John for a moment before rage crossed his face.

"What do you mean no?! There are Lanterns who have been kidnapped and possibly killed and every moment counts! If you really are a Manhunter infused with the power of compassion, then you have to help us!  Please!" John pleaded with the Manhunter, who seemed torn between its emotion and its fear.

"No...man...no...Manhunter...no...compassion," it eventually stammered out mechanically, getting confused looks from all the Lanterns.

"Can you give me a name?" John asked the Manhunter, but once again it spoke the same words. "Okay, a description, location...anything?"

"Man...Manhunter...end," the Manhunter replied.

"Argh, this isn't getting us anywhere!" Spike growled with frustration. "Why don't we just take this guy back to Oa and see if the Lanterns there can learn anything from it? I mean, we can scan its brain or something right?" 

"I'm not taking a Manhunter back to Oa, no matter what kind it is," John declared without any room for debate, before a questioning look crossed his face and he turned back to the Manhunter. "But you're right about us being able to scan it. Ring, scan the Manhunter's memory banks and-"

"End." John stopped talking when the Manhunter spoke and found that the Manhunter was looking straight up into the sky. John and the other Lanterns followed his gaze to see that he was looking up at a moon, but a moment later five Manhunters descended from the sky and landed on the top of the waterfall. Each Manhunter was menacing in its own right, but it was the yellow one in the center that drew all four sets of eyes.

"Great, even more Manhunters!" Spike yelled as he and Sweetie went back-to-back, each creating separate constructs while preparing to fight. "You guys finally here for us?"

"No...end...me...end," the Indigo Manhunter clarified. The moment it spoke those words, the Manhunters hurled themselves off the top of the cliff and straight for the Indigo Manhunter.

"Sweetie, Spike! With me!" John yelled as he constructed a giant stop sign that he slammed into the Manhunters pushing them back for a moment. "I can't believe that I'm going to say this, but defend that Manhunter at all costs!"
> Piece of the Puzzle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fear-infused Manhunter was the first to walk forward, making it the first Manhunter to get shot by a bolt from Spike's ring. But to both the shock and surprise of the numerous Lanterns, the yellow energy flowing through the Manhunter caused the green construct to fizzle out right before impact, leaving the Manhunter untouched.

"Finally. The last defective model," the Yellow Manhunter said as it advanced towards the Indigo Manhunter, who held his laser rod out to the side while showing no signs of resistance. "Tracking all of you down has been taxing, but it was fortunate for us that the Lanterns learned of your location or else we would not have found you."

The new Manhunter's ability to speak in coherent sentences immediately put all three Lanterns on guard even more than they were. 'If this Manhunter can speak like that, then it's clear that this is a far more advanced model,' John thought as he began to formulate a plan of attack. 'But then again, it also looks incredibly different as well...less like a Manhunter and more skeletal.' 

"Defective model?  So this was one of the earlier Manhunters that were created," Spike whispered to Sweetie Belle, who nodded slightly to show that she had heard. "We can't wait for them to make the first move. With our powers combined we should be able to-"

"Hold on, John's telling us to wait," Sweetie whispered back, slightly moving her head towards the senior Lantern who had made the words "wait" out of green energy.

"So, we were right in assuming that someone is infusing Mahunters with the power stolen from the Lanterns that have been kidnapped, haven't we?" John spat with disdain as he walked up towards the Yellow Manhunter, whose eyes tracked him and his every movement carefully. "But not all models followed orders, did they?  Those who suddenly felt compassion--and I'm assuming love and will--didn't stick around did they? They realized their actions and tried to flee, leaving only fear, rage and greed I assume."

"And they all shared the same fate that awaits you: Deletion," the Yellow Manhunter said as it lifted its arm and fired a bolt of yellow energy right at John, but in a moment the Indigo Manhunter moved itself between the shot and John. The shot slammed into the Manhunter's back, staggering it for a moment before the Indigo Lantern turned around and fired an indigo bolt right into the face of the yellow hunter.

"Compassion...no...die..." the Indigo Manhunter declared before charging at the Yellow Manhunter. The two metal titans slammed into each other, metal frame straining against frame as they each tried to overpower the other. "Compassion...is...strong."

"But you are afraid, afraid of what the creator will do to you when he gets ahold of you," the Yellow Manhunter reminded the Indigo Manhunter, whose strength failed him for a moment. The Yellow Manhunter took that moment to drive the end of his laser rod into the indigo face of his foe and blast him back with a burst of yellow. "And that fear is completely valid."

"Well, how 'bout you tackle someone who has a history of overcoming fear?!" Spike bellowed as he crafted a mighty unicorn that tackled the Manhunter in the side, driving its green horn into the metal armor of the Manhunter. Yet, once again with a flash of yellow Spike's construct was shattered, getting a growl of frustration out of the dragon as the Manhunter turned to face him. 

"If you believe that you have overcome fear, then you have not met true terror, such as him," the Manhunter said as it began to advance towards Spike, serrated blades of a sickly yellow constructing out of its hands. "And if you surrender to your deletion now, you will not have to face that fear."

"Really, you're best attempt to get me to surrender is to threaten me with your boss?  Please, all you've done now is made me look forward to when I get to punch him in the face!" Spike roared as he crafted a massive suit of armor and charged at the Manhunter, who also charged at the dragon with golden blades shining. With one mighty swing the Manhunter cleaved the suit of armor in two with the fear-filled weapons, but the moment his armor failed Spike leapt through the helmet of the armor and pointed his ring right between its eyes.

"Your will cannot hurt me," the Manhunter reminded Spike while lifting its arms to grab him.

"Maybe not, but what if I really hope it can?" Spike asked with a sinister smile right as a blast of blue light connected with his back, supercharging his ring beyond the max. With a roar Spike fired a blast of blue and green from his ring that hurled the Manhunter across the sky and into the waterfall, where it was quickly dragged down beneath the falls. "See what happens when you stay hopeful?"

"If you're done trying to make jokes, there are still four other Manhunters!" John roared with rage as he fended off laser blasts from all four of the other Manhunters at once, practically consumed by the amount of lasers that were trying to kill him. Spike said a word that Sweetie had to hit him for saying, before they launched themselves up to assist John, the two of them merging their energies to create a cyan torpedo that blasted the Manhunters off of John. "Glad to see that the two of you remembered that I'm still here," John grunted in pain.

"Come on, John, it was only four of them. We've faced way worse before," Spike said with a smirk as he and the other two Lanterns turned to face the regrouping Manhunters. "Sweetie, if you can charge the both of us up at the same time, then we should be able to make quick work of these guys."

"Yeah, I think I...No, I know I can," Sweetie fiercely said as she channeled her power into both Spike and John, who felt their will increase beyond 100 percent. John and Spike combined their powers and constructed a massive cannon filled with their will, a cannon that they pointed right at the center of the four Manhunters.

"No man escapes the Manhunters," one of the Manhunters said as it took aim with its laser rod.

"Just shut up already," Spike snarled right before he and John fired the massive cannon into the center of the four Manhunters. The cannon unleashed a column of green energy that consumed the Manhunters on impact, causing them to fade away into nothingness within a matter of seconds. With their foes defeated, Spike and John willed the cannon out of existence before all three Lanterns turned to where the Indigo Manhunter was just getting back up. "So, what should we do about him?"

"I think that we can trust him. He did help us against the Manhunters," Sweetie reminded the pair as they floated down towards him. "Besides, if we can figure out how the indigo energy was transferred into him, perhaps we can figure out a way to cancel out other Manhunters with similar powers."

"I don't know. It's still a Manhunter and who knows if it's even free? Perhaps whoever rebuilt them is making it seem like it's nice just to lure us in?" Spike put forth, but Sweetie gave him a look in response.

"Spike, you have to stop thinking so badly of everypony. Besides, I know we can trust him. I feel it in my gut," Sweetie said with confidence as she floated down, leaving John to give Spike a look.

"She feels it in her gut? How is that grounds for being right?" John asked with a chuckle, but Spike sighed and shook his head.

"Wish I could laugh with you John, but the score is currently her gut ten and me one in terms of who's right. Come on, let's make sure this guy doesn't try anything." The two landed next to Sweetie Belle, who was trying to use her ring's healing power to repair the damage that had been done to the Manhunter's face plate. The blast it had taken had burned half the faceplate away, revealing its more skeletal-like skull beneath.

'I cannot heal non-organic damage little one, no matter how much you hope that I can,' the two Green Lanterns overheard Sweetie's ring say to her, getting a grunt out of the Blue Lantern. John patted her on the shoulder for trying before he walked forward and looked into the eyes of the kneeling Manhunter, who looked up at him with his damaged face.

"Need...me...?" the Manhunter asked.

"Yes. If we're to find this creator of yours and stop him from killing more Lanterns, then we're going to need to take you to a Lantern outpost," John said before looking back at Spike. "I'm still not risking bringing a Manhunter back to Oa, but there are a number of Lantern outposts across the cosmos that should be able to help us. We can try one of those and see what they come up with. That is, if our mechanical friend here is fine with it?"

"I...go..." the Manhunter quietly replied as it lowered its head, getting a nod from John.

"Sweet, we have a new friend! I'm Sweetie Belle, what's your name?" Sweetie asked as she hopped in front of the Manhunter, who looked down at her with no emotion. 

"Manhunter." Sweetie rolled her eyes at the obvious answer.

"Okay, I know you're a Manhunter, but do you have a name? Something that distinguishes you from other Manhunters?" Sweetie asked again, getting her another blank look from the Manhunter.

"Manhunter."

"Give it up, Sweetie, all that Manhunters were programmed to do was uphold the law before they went crazy. The Guardians never bothered to give them names," John said as he used his ring to help the Manhunter to its feet. 

"Aw, that's sad. We should give it a name!" Sweetie exclaimed happily, getting a groan from Spike.

"Sweetie, why do you name everything we come across?" Spike asked her, but she ignored him while beginning to ponder. "Ooo! How about Rex? It sounds cool and keeps some of that mechanical sound!"

"How about no?" Spike offered. Sweetie turned and stuck her tongue out at him before waiting for some kind of answer from the Manhunter, who was now looking towards the waterfall. "Look Sweetie, as nice as it is that you offered to name him, the priority right now is getting him on the ship and getting back to-"

Water sprayed forth from the waterfall as the Yellow Lantern burst from within, a long golden blade constructed in its hand as it lunged right for Spike. Spike slowly turned around to see the Manhunter lunging at him, too shocked by the sudden appearance of the machine to construct anything. Sweetie called out his name just as John raised his arm, but knew in his heart that he was too late to stop the Manhunter. The Yellow Manhunter was upon Spike in a moment and drove its golden blade at the heart of the dragon...only to watch as the yellow blade pierced through red and purple metal.

"Rex?" Spike asked in disbelief as he looked up into the shredded face of the Indigo Manhunter, who said nothing before his head turned around 180 degrees so that he could look at his yellow brethren.

"Your sacrifice will be in vain. None shall escape the creator," the Yellow Manhunter said as it lifted its other arm and pointed it at Spike. In a flash the Indigo Manhunter wrapped its arms backwards around the other Manhunter and pinned its arms to the sides, while its chest began to burn with an indigo light.

"No...Manhunter...escape..." the Indigo Manhunter stated before it looked at its shoulder and used lasers from its eyes to burn something into its shoulder armor. The light then began to pulse rapidly as John created a sphere around Spike and pulled him back, moments before both Manhunters exploded in a flash of light, forcing the Lanterns to combine their lights to protect themselves from the blast. When the effects of the explosion finished and the last pieces of debris rested on the ground, the Lanterns lowered their barriers to see that neither Manhunter had been left in one piece after the blast, and all the was left was bits and pieces of the machines scattered everywhere.

"He...died to protect us," Spike muttered weakly as he clenched his fists, looking down as Sweetie rested her head on his shoulder. John lowered his head for a moment in respect before he walked into the debris and started to shift through the parts and pieces, gaining him odd looks from the two rookies. "Geez John, not waiting a moment to start destroying what's left of them, huh?"

"You saw what Rex did right before he died, didn't you? He carved something into his shoulder," John reminded the two as he found a support column for the arm, but no armor attached to it. "Get over here and help, or are you going to make an old man do everything?" 

Spike and Sweetie joined in on the search and after ten minutes of looking, they managed to piece together enough of the machine's remains to locate his shoulder, which after they fused it back together the three discovered had four numbers carved into the metal. 

"1416?  Sounds like a sector," Spike muttered before looking up at John, who had a serious frown upon his face. "John, do you know where that sector is?" John said nothing as he stood and gathered up all of the pieces of the Manhunters into a green sphere, before he blasted them all into ash. "John?"

"Come on, we need to tell the members of the crew that are stranded here what happened. Then we'll have to stay with them until the ship that will take them home arrives," John ordered without a moment's pause, barely giving Sweetie and Spike a moment to share a concerned glance before the two of them followed him back to where the crew was waiting.

"Looks like that gut feeling of yours was right again Sweetie," Spike begrudgingly admitted on the way back to the crew. "If it hadn't been for Rex I would probably be dead right now." Sweetie let out a small whimper before she pressed herself up against him.

"I just wish that Rex didn't have to die or you almost died was what it took to prove me right," she softly said with hints of worry in her voice. "I was so scared when I saw that Manhunter lunging at you, I thought...that you might die." Spike softly wrapped an arm around her and held her tight, the two taking comfort in each other before they looked ahead to see John looking back at them with a strange look.

"What's that look for?" Spike growled.

"You know how close you two are right now? Try to keep it that way," John muttered in a puzzling way, causing Spike and Sweetie to share a look before they reached the clearing.

When the crew reappeared from the trees, John quickly brought them up to speed on what happened and how the Indigo Manhunter had sacrificed himself for them. After informing the crew he returned to the ship and sent a call out to the Guardians, who informed him that they would have a ship capable of carrying the full crew there in a day. To pass the time the Captain of the downed ship told Spike and Sweetie adventures of his life sailing the stars, but every time either Sweetie or Spike tried to talk to John he seemed lost in his own thoughts, or as Sweetie later suggested, memories.

The ship arrived the next day as promised, a massive green and white cruiser class that John informed the kids was the pride of the Guardians and that Hal would be shot on sight if he got anywhere near it. With the crew safely tucked away within the ship and safely in the hands of other Lanterns, John and the other two Lanterns returned to their own ship, after John gave one of the other Green Lanterns his report of what he had discovered.

"Okay John, time to stop dodging us. What is sector 1416 and why do you grow distant just thinking about it?" Spike demanded once they were back on board, getting John to sigh as he sat down in his chair and spun around to face the two with a hard glare in his eyes.

"Sector 1416 is the home sector of the Star-Sapphires, the Lanterns that run off love," John informed the two with anger and pain in every word. "And one of those Star-Sapphires, one named Fatality, hates me with every fiber of her being and threated that if I was ever seen by a Star-Sapphire, that they would stop at nothing to kill me. So I suppose you can say that I'm not looking forward to going to their home world."

"M-maybe we don't need to go to their home planet!" Sweetie stammered out quickly as John turned around and started to enter coordinates into the ship's computer. "Maybe it's another planet in that sector."

"I'm not that lucky," John said with a bitter smirk as the ship began to take off. "You two go take a break, charge your rings and get some sleep. I'm going to try and figure out how we're going to find what Rex wanted us to find without having to fight an entire Lantern Corps."
> A Little Thing Called Love
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three Lanterns were able to see the dark pink crystals that had essentially consumed the planet from orbit, telling them that they had reached their destination. Yet, the moment they entered the planet's atmosphere John switched the ship to autopilot before motioning for Spike and Sweetie to join him in the back.

"Alright kids, I hate to do this to the both of you, but you're going to have to solo this without me," John informed them as he leaned against the bulkhead and crossed his arms. "It's far too risky for me to even be seen in this ship, let alone seen on their home planet. So, the two of you are going to have to find out why Rex sent us here."

"Sweet, I'm finally getting a chance to show that I can be smart without your guidance," Spike said with a laugh that only caused John to worry more.

"Yes, but it's not by my choice," John grunted with some regret.

"Any advice on how we should act around the Star-Sapphires?" Sweetie asked. "Chrysalis is the only one we know, and I highly doubt that she acts like the others do."

"Star-Sapphires...ugh, they can be trouble. They're fascinated by love and proclaim that they are the defenders of love across the cosmos, but it wasn't until recently that they actually started to live up to that motto," John began to explain while memories flashed across his mind. "For centuries, they actually trapped those whom they loved within crystals on their home world so that they could always be with the ones they loved, while also infusing them with Star-Sapphire energy so that the being trapped would love them back."

"Okay, so they're all psychos. Good to know," Spike muttered as he crossed his arms with a frown.

"Well, that's how they used to be, but after Hal and his team showed up on their planet a few years back they've tried to return to their roots as defenders of love, but some of them still abide by the old ways. You'll have to be careful, especially you Spike," John warned the young dragon, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"Why do I have to be careful? I'm not the Green Lantern that they swore to destroy," Spike asked.

"Maybe not, but Star-Sapphires are powered by love, which is on the farthest end of the emotional spectrum," John reminded the both of them. "Just like what red does to the Red Lanterns, the Star-Sapphires can sometimes be consumed by the desire to be loved and it makes them go crazy. Not to mention, all of them are female. So if any of them fall for you while you're here, there's a good chance they might try to keep you here. Wouldn't be the first poor bastard that was trapped here for eternity," John muttered under his breath.

"Well, I've never had any reason to beat up a Star-Sapphire before, but perhaps today will be a new experience," Sweetie said in a calm manner, but only Spike knew her well enough to know that there was magma starting to bubble beneath her smile.

"Thanks for the warning, John, but this dragon already has a true love so none of those Star-Sapphires have a chance anyway," Spike laughed with confidence as he wrapped an arm around Sweetie, getting the mare to blush as she hid her face.

"Well be careful, according to Hal once a Star-Sapphire is locked onto you, they'll try anything to get you. I normally don't say this, but this may be a place where you might need to shoot first and ask questions later," John grumbled before lifting his ring hand and creating an image of a tall, regal looking alien lady. "This is Aga'po. She is the queen of the Star-Sapphires and an ally of Hal's. If you tell her that you're here on his behalf, she should help you with no questions asked. Just avoid mentioning me and all should be fine."

"Sure. Anything else?" 

"Yeah. Don't take any drinks or food they offer," John warned them with a deadly tone, getting the two young Lanterns to shared worried looks.

'Lantern Stewart, the ship is landing on one of the Star-Sapphire landing pads. It seems there is already a welcome committee.'

"Thanks. Alright you two, remember what I told you and try not to take too long. And don't worry about them searching the ship, I'm more than capable of avoiding a couple pink Lanterns," John said with a smirk. Spike and Sweetie nodded before the ramp to their ship opened and they floated down together onto the homeworld of the Star-Sapphires, not knowing what to expect.

"Ouch, did I just walk into my sister's place?" Sweetie half-joked as both of their eyes were assaulted by a large variety of pink and purple colors that shone from the large crystals that surrounded the area, as well as the sky which was a deep hue of purple. 

"Not even Rarity's was this tacky," Spike muttered under his breath before he and Sweetie faced forward at the sight of three Star-Sapphire's floating towards them, each alien in design. The largest of the Sapphires bowed to Spike and Sweetie before flashing a friendly smile at the pair of them, showing off rows of fanged teeth that made her look similar to a merpony.

"Welcome, Green Lantern. We have not seen one of your Corps in a while. And I do not believe that we have ever been graced by a Blue Lantern before," the Star-Sapphire said before casting a glance up at the ship. "I see that you travel in the same vessel as the one called Hal Jordan. Do you know of him?"

"He was one of my teachers when I first joined the Corps," Spike said before quickly deciding to change the subject. "Lanterns Spike and Sweetie by the way. Not to be rude, but I didn't catch your name."

"I am sorry, where are my manners? I am Lareatha, a senior Star-Sapphire," she said with a small bow before motioning to her two assistants. "These are our newest recruits. Leleah here will be in charge of making sure that the both of you are comfortable during your stay. Nattily will show you around, that is if you have any spare time. I assume that this is not just a sightseeing visit for why you are here?"

"Nope, it's business," Sweetie said in a no-nonsense tone as she walked forward slightly, gaining her three sets of interested eyes as she did so. "We've come here because the Manhunters are back and one of our leads led us here. If you don't mind, we'd like to meet with your leader so we can figure out what's going on before we have to leave." Spike did his best not to chuckle at her seriousness, which he always found cute, while Lareatha raised her eyebrows with an interested smile.

"Of course. Sadly, our leader is not here at the moment but I have been informed that she will be returning soon," Lareatha informed the Lanterns before turning to her two assistants, not seeing the concerned look Sweetie and Spike gave each other. "But until she does, you are welcome to stay here until she returns. Night is almost upon us and I would not ask the two of you to sleep in that ship while comfortable beds are available." Sweetie could barely mask her annoyance at the delay, but Spike stepped forward and nodded courteously.

"We will take you up on that offer, thank you," he said with a polite bow before Sweetie walked in front of him.

"But we'd like to share a room, if you wouldn't mind." Her face burned when the two newest Star-Sapphires began to giggle at her statement, but Lareatha snapped her fingers and they calmed down immediately.

"That will be fine. Please, this way if you will," Lareatha gestured as she led the way across the purple landscape to a large city that rested on the side of a mountain, immediately reminding Spike and Sweetie of home. Though that feeling was tossed out the window, when they saw that the buildings were made of a light pink material that made Sweetie gag, while Spike forged ahead and didn't pay too much attention to the other Star-Sapphires who had gathered at the arrival of the strangers.

"Here is your room and, just as you requested, it is large enough to accommodate the both of you," Lareatha said with a smile as she pushed open the door and revealed a large, well furnished, chamber. "But your journey has been a long one and must be tiring for the both of you. Perhaps you would like to relax and wash off first?" Sweetie narrowed her eyes at the statement, but a quick nod from Spike got her to exhale her frustrations in a sigh.

"Fine. Where's the bath?" Sweetie asked.

"Nattily will lead you to them. And I am sorry Spike, but you must wait here until they are finished. We do not have a men's bath here." Spike shrugged before floating into the room, looking back at Sweetie one last time and winking before closing the doors behind him. Lareatha bowed as she and Leleah floated away, leaving Sweetie to cast a quick glance at Nattily as she motioned for Sweetie to follow her. The pair walked in silence at first, but after a while Nattily looked back with a question in her eyes.

"What is it?" Sweetie asked her in a less-than-friendly tone, annoyed that she seemed to be the focal point of every Star-Sapphire that they walked by on the way to the bath.

"I was just...I mean if you don't...can I ask you a question?" Nattily eventually stammered out. Sweetie raised an eyebrow at this, wondering what question the slightly wood-looking lady would want to ask.

"Only if I can ask mine first. Why do all the Star-Sapphires keep staring at me?" Sweetie grumbled after staring down another Sapphire that became curious with her.

"Well, the answer to that question depends on your answer to mine," Nattily said with a giggle. "How long have you and Spike been together?" Sweetie slowly turned her head, almost menacingly, towards the Star-Sapphire with a blank expression on her face.

"Why, if I may ask?"

"Just answer."

"About three years now. Why?" When Nattily giggled again Sweetie's anger rose to the point where she was expecting a Red Lantern ring to appear at any moment.

"We Star-Sapphire's can sense how much love a person holds within their hearts, and whenever you're around him or thinking about Spike the "love energy" that surrounds you increases greatly. So naturally all Star-Sapphires around here would be curious about an energy like yours," Nattily said as the two of them reached the bathing area, which was a large room that held divine looking spring water. Sweetie hopped in without bothering to deconstruct her suit, but even her rage began to melt away as the spring water started to do its work.

"Okay, that actually feels really nice," she muttered while closing her eyes and leaning back as Nattily entered with her, though when Sweetie cracked them open again slightly she saw that Nattily was staring off into space with a look of longing on her face. "What's the matter with you?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just thinking," she said with a sad sigh before she leaned back and stared up at the sky. "About how lucky you are to find your true love at so young an age. You are young, right?" she asked and Sweetie nodded in response. "We Star-Sapphires may be the protectors of love, but nearly all of us dream about finding our true love eventually,"  She sighed, and continued, "that prince charming who will ride in on that white horse and whisk us away to eternal happiness." Her aura began to glow brightly as she said this, but it died immediately when Sweetie threw her head back and began to laugh aloud. "What? What's so funny about true love?"

"You think that's what true love is? Oh sister, you sound...like my sister," Sweetie said with another chuckle as she rested her head against the edge of the pool and stared up at the stars. "Prince Charming's and happily ever after...no, that's not how love works."

"But what about all the stories? About the princes and dragons and...happily ever after?!" Nattily argued, but all her argument did was cause a large smile to break out on Sweetie's face. 

"Yeah, those stories never showed what happened after the ride off into the sunset, did they?  Look, I'm not an expert on love, but I can tell you what I've learned about it through dating Spike," Sweetie said seriously as she looked over at Nattily. "Love is made up of hard work, of compromise and being willing to forgive your significant other. And some days you question how you even fell for them in the first place."

"Wait a moment...you've questioned...being with you're true love?" Nattily whispered in disbelief, looking like Sweetie had shattered her world.  

"Questioned it? Heck, once we stopped talking to each other for a full month we were so mad at each other," Sweetie remembered with a shake of her head. "That was not fun. If it hadn't been for the help of some experts on love we might have never reconciled."

"Was that expert your sister?" Nattily had to wait nearly five minutes for Sweetie to stop laughing and at one point the mare almost drowned herself.

"My sister! Faust, that's good. No, my sister's still sitting up in her castle waiting for her prince charming," Sweetie choked out as she wiped tears out of her eyes. "No, who helped us were a pair of ponies called the Cakes. They're the ones who told us about the whole work, compromise and forgiveness. Some of the best advice I'd ever gotten."

"So a pair of kindly..."ponies?" saved your happily ever after? How romantic," Nattily sighed happily as Sweetie slammed her head against the rim of the pool in frustration.

"You come from a world of princes and princesses, don't you?" Sweetie asked, getting a wistful nod from Nattily. "You a princess yourself?"

"No, just a lowly wood fairy who can't find love," Nattily sighed again, but it sounded more depressed than before. Sweetie nodded slightly before looking down at herself to realize that she was starting to prune up, telling her it was time to get out. She waved farewell to the Star-Sapphire after drying off, but her action was lost on the wood fairy who stared off into her dreams.

'Well that was bizarre. Still, she seems like a nice enough person, just really delusional about what love really is,' Sweetie thought to herself as she walked back to her room. 'If all the Star-Sapphires used to be that delusional, then it's no wonder they did some crazy things.' Sweetie's thoughts about the Star-Sapphires were cast aside when she came back to her room to find two large, green constructs blocking the door. 

"Spike? You alright?" Sweetie asked as she knocked against the door. The green constructs vanished a minute later and a very annoyed dragon opened the door, but the annoyance faded into relief when he saw that it was Sweetie Belle. "I take it some things happened while I was away?"

"Star-Sapphires have to be some of the most intrusive Lanterns I have ever met," Spike snarled as he let Sweetie inside before immediately barricading the door once again, though when Sweetie looked around at the green curtains that covered every room she began to understand the problem. "Nearly every minute a new one would show up. I've seriously considered taking John's advice to start shooting...ugh, how was the bath?"

"Went fine. Had an interesting talk to Nattily about her vision of true love in contrast to what love actually is," Sweetie explained as she claimed the largest bed in the room as her own by leaping onto it, getting a smirk out of Spike as he laid down on the small bed.

"So how did you shatter her illusions?" Spike asked with a smile while he brought out his battery and proceeded to charge his ring.

"I don't think I did, but I told her the same thing the Cake's told us after that really bad fight we had," Sweetie said as she followed Spike's example and charged her ring as well. "Work, compromise and forgiveness. Those are some of the best things couples can do."

"Compromise...like in the way you just took the larger bed?" Spike teased with a laugh.

"Of course. I get the large bed and in return you get to escort me to meet the queen tomorrow," Sweetie poked back. "But the Star-Sapphires don't seem like bad Lanterns, just obsessed by what they believe to be love. What do you think, Spike?" A loud snore told her what Spike thought, so with a roll of her eyes Sweetie tucked her head onto her pillow and drifted off to dream land.

|) o (|

"It's just like I thought," John muttered to himself as he flicked through the images before him on the monitor, a frown growing larger and larger as smaller pieces of the puzzle fell into place. 

'What is the matter, Lantern Stewart?' his ring asked.

"I've looked at all the information the Guardians have sent me about the missing Lanterns and there's always one constant, no matter what world it was on," John said with a growl. "That there was a strange moon in the sky that day. A moon that I've seen before."
> Things Go Wrong
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Open fire!"

With the sounds of lasers tearing through the air, the two young Lanterns shot out of their beds, their uniforms and armor forming over their bodies before they had the chance to register what was going on. The two of them staggered out of the room, trying to wake up while wondering what the heck was going on.

Their answer came when they ran out of the castle and into the courtyard, where a large number of Star-Sapphires were unleashing their violet light upon the Interceptor. Standing atop the Interceptor and braving the storm of violet bolts was John Stewart, who was yelling at the Star-Sapphires as he returned fire with twin, massive chain guns that hung from his arms. The sky was illuminated with bolts of green and violet as the sole Lantern unleashed his fury upon the violet Corps, but every time a Star-Sapphire was hit she would vanish as a burst of pink and a new one would take her place.

"What the hell is going on? Why is John fighting all those Lanterns by himself?" Spike growled as his green aura grew brighter and he took off towards John, Sweetie following him while erecting barriers of blue to try and stop the fighting. It was a futile gesture, as even barriers of solid hope couldn't hold against the sheer volume of love and will that pounded it.

"John!  What's going on!" Spike asked as he floated down next to his mentor, nearly tripping on a power cord that was plugged into the green center of the ship. The other end was attached to John's symbol, sending the will that ran the ship directly into the chest of the Lantern.

"What does it look like, kid? The Star-Sapphires found out about your stowaway!" John bellowed as he continued firing blasts of green into the sky with such ferocity that those who opposed him were forced to band together to create a shield strong enough to stop them.

"But how?" Sweetie asked when she landed next to the pair, her blue aura supercharging the already enhanced Lantern and sending his power levels through the roof. With the added power he created two more cyan chain guns which only added fuel to the fire.

"Don't know. Maybe they learned a new trick to sense people who aren't too fond of them!" John growled as he constructed a barrier to deflect a surprise attack from the side. "Did you two find out why Rex sent us here?!"

"No, all we did was talk to a few of them and that's it!" Sweetie yelled over the gunfire as she and Spike went back-to-back before unleashing their combined might to create an even bigger barrier around the three of them, one that the Star-Sapphires immediately began to shoot at.

"Well, there has to be something here, some kind of clue or something?!" John wagered as he called back his constructs, taking a moment's reprieve from the constant fighting. "Didn't Queen Aga'po tell you anything?!"

"She wasn't there! Another Lantern, Lareatha, said that she was off-world," Sweetie replied as large cracks started to form in the barrier, but even through the cracks they were all able to see more Star-Sapphires arriving to the battle. "So, any of you have a plan for getting us out of this?" John lowered his head for a moment as he began to think, but Spike's train of thought raced a little faster than his.

"We hold them off until the Queen comes back. If they all answer to her, then if we explain ourselves to her, we might be able to get out of this alive," Spike reasoned quickly before turning back to the nearly shattered barrier, never noticing the smile that crossed John's lips.

"Not a bad plan, kid; we'll go with it for now," Jong agreed as he constructed a sniper rifle. "But if all else fails, I can still turn myself over to them. They're here for me, so if they get me odds are they'll let you both go."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Sweetie added while drawing forth her hope into a large staff that she swung around herself a few times. "And instead, hope that they listen to reason. Though I'm not opposed to knocking some of these fruits out of the air."

"You really scare me sometimes, Sweetie," Spike said with a smile as the barrier held on to its last strand of life. "Are you sure that you weren't supposed to be the Yellow Lantern and Sombra got your ring by mistake?" Sweetie had just enough time to laugh before the barrier shattered into thousands of cyan shards, but the moment it fell the three Lanterns hurled themselves through the shattered construct and into the fray.

"Spike! Play ball!" John yelled as he constructed a massive bat, Spike getting the hint and wrapping himself in a reinforced sphere. John flew up behind the sphere and with a massive windup, slammed the bat into the sphere and launched it into the stationary Star-Sapphires. During mid=flight, Spike undid his sphere construct and re-forged the construct into a suit of armor with a massive war hammer clutched in his grasp.

"Come on, it's hammer time!" Spike yelled as he whipped the hammer over his head before slamming it down right in the center of the Star-Sapphires, creating a massive green shockwave that blasted them across the courtyard. "Haha! Guess I really hammered the point home, huh Sweetie?" Spike called over to Sweetie while tossing his hammer back and forth in his claws.

"Spike, I know you like to have fun but make sure you don't get hurt," Sweetie calmly said as she dodged a heart shaped arrow fired by a Sapphire, before retaliating by driving the end of her staff in-between the Sapphire's four eyes, causing the lady to stagger back as Sweetie whipped the staff around and caught another Sapphire in the gut. "And those puns were absolutely terrible."

"Guess you really hit the nail on the head, huh?" Spike called over with a laugh before divine providence decided it had enough of the dragon's puns, because it was at that moment a strong blast of violet energy slammed into his back and hurled him across the courtyard. He came to a stop only when he slammed into the side of a building upside down, where he groaned in pain while cracking an eye open. "Okay, ow, deserved that one."

"I do not believe the two of you." Both Sweetie and Spike looked up (or in Spike's case down) to see that Lareatha and her twin assistants were descending into the courtyard, hard stares upon their faces, except for Nattily, who looked from Sweetie to the downed Sapphires with confusion. "We invite you in, shelter you under our roof and how do you repay us? By harboring an enemy of the Star-Sapphires," she said with scorn while pointing a finger at John.

"Lady, I am sorry about what happened between me and Fatality, but she wasn't the only victim of that!" John roared up at the Sapphire in defiance. Lereatha scowled in response before looking at her two assistants. "I will deal with him. You two deal with the other Lanterns." Leleah let out a shriek before hurling herself at Spike, tackling the still stuck-in-the wall Lantern and driving the both of them through it.

"Hey! If you hurt him you'll have to answer to me!" Sweetie roared over the sounds of the collapsing structure before turning to see that her foe was the very Lantern that she had relaxed with yesterday.

"Sweetie...please don't make me have to fight you," Nattily said with pain in her voice as she constructed a shield and sword, yet Sweetie couldn't see a fighting spirit in the wood fairy's eyes.

"I'm not going to make you fight me. I'd prefer to avoid having to fight any of you, actually," Sweetie replied calmly as she rested against her staff and waited to see if Nattily would make a move. "But if your sisters try to hurt either of my friends, then I'll have to fight to keep them safe. It's what you do for those you love." A mighty roar echoed throughout the courtyard and was followed by Leleah slamming into the ground near the two Lanterns, with Spike floating down a moment later with a very annoyed look on his face.

"Claws off, sister, I'm already taken," Spike growled with a smirk as Leleah angrily rose back up, crafting twin scythe looking weapons as she lunged at Spike. Spike went to craft a weapon of his own, but a blue staff caught the Sapphire in the leg and flipped her onto her back, where she watched as Sweetie walked over in front of Spike with a cold look.

"Like I said: you answer to me," Sweetie said, completely void of emotion, as she spun her staff and took up a fighting stance long since taught to her by Zecora. Leleah snarled as she shot up and swung at Sweetie, who deflected the attack with the end of her staff before flipping it around and jamming the other end into Leleah's gut with force. The Lantern went down without another word, allowing Sweetie to give a raised eyebrow to Nattily that caused both her and Spike to go quiet.

Above the battlefield, two experienced Lanterns went for each other's throats with ruthlessness and every intent to harm the other. Lareatha wielded a two-handed broadsword that seemed to cleave the very sky every time she swung it at John's head, but John had constructed a full on battle suit, complete with a rocket pack, arm-mounted blade and massive shield on his left arm.

"You should have known better than to come back here Lantern!  You were given fair warning!" Lareatha roared as she swung the broadsword down right towards the crown of John's head. With a blast of green fire the jetpacks rocketed John out of the way of the swing, allowing him to tackle Lareatha in her exposed side and drive the both of them through a structure.

"All I know is there are Manhunters attacking Lanterns across the galaxy, and something on this planet is the key to stopping them!  And I also know that you're in the way!" John roared as he drove his emerald fist into the face of the Lantern, snapping her head back.  John changed his sword to a whip and wrapped it around Lareatha's legs, first letting out a yell before he swung her over his head and drove her into the ground. Lareatha slowly pushed herself up out of the dirt as John landed in front of her, pointing his ring right between her eyes with a cold look.

"No.  Either you can tell me why a Manhunter sent us here or you're going to be waking up with a nasty headache for the next month," the Lantern threatened, his ring glowing a dark green when all she did was sneer in reply. "Alright then, hard way it-"

"Enough!" The regality in the voice that appeared out of nowhere ceased all of the fighting in an instant, while also turning all eyes to the sky, where a lone Star-Sapphire floated down next to a Manhunter that was a violet color. "All of you, stand down this instant! I believed that we had settled our differences with the other Corps years ago," the new and extremely beautiful Sapphire muttered as she floated down next to Lereatha, giving her a dirty look when she landed. "And I know I told you that if any Green Lanterns appeared to treat them as our guests, not to wage war with them."

"But...Queen Aga'po...they brought him," Lareath said with disgust as the Sapphire pointed to John, who slowly lowered his ring to his side as the Queen Sapphire looked at him with narrowed eyes. For a moment to two Lanterns stared each other down while every other ring bearer in the courtyard watched with trepidation. Then, before either could make a move, the Manhunter stepped forward and placed itself between the two.

"Star-Sapphires are symbols of love and peace.  Perhaps just this once, we can extended that same love and peace to one we do not like?" it suggested, taking John's anger off of the Sapphire's and instead turning his interest to the Manhunter who looked at him with a nod.

"Very well, John, just this once," Aga'po said with no kindness in her voice, before she turned and floated over to where Spike and Sweetie were, who still hadn't moved after their fight and thus Sweetie's staff was still resting on the unconscious Leleah. The Star-Sapphire looked from Sweetie to the beaten Sapphire with a look, one that Sweetie matched perfectly.

"I'm not apologizing," Sweetie said without a moment's hesitation.

"Then let me step in before we have another fight on our hands," Spike said as he placed himself between Sweetie and the Queen, but his attention was drawn by the Manhunter who had walked over to them. "Ah-ha! So you're the reason Rex sent us to meet the Star-Sapphires!" 

"Who is Rex?" the Manhunter asked.

"Rex was another Manhunter who was infused the power of the Indigo Lanterns, similar to how I assume you gained your power?" Spike asked with a smile.

"Yes. After being infused with the violet energy, I learned what it meant to love and thus sought out the Star-Sapphires to teach me more," the Manhunter clarified with a nod. "They are the ones who helped me gain access to my...free will, I suppose."

"Awesome. Then Rex must have known that you would be able to tell us who created you and what they're planning," Spike reasoned with a smile, but the smile fell as the Manhunter shook its head.

"I cannot. That information is in a part of my internal systems that not even the Star-Sapphires' greatest scientist could unlock. I am sorry, but even I myself only have vague notions of who created us and that is...fear," the Manhunter said in a whisper before saying no more, which was the perfect chance for Aga'po to step in.

"We have taught this Manhunter here much and consider it to be one of our own. However, I do believe that I know the reason another Manhunter would send you to us," Aga'po said while she turned back to the Manhunter. "When you first came to us, you said you remembered something about a space station or an orbital base near a certain planet?"

"Wait, a space station that looks like a moon?" John cut in as he floated forward, gaining him a look of sheer loathing from the Star-Sapphire queen. "What did this moon look like up close, and are you certain that it was a space station? I need answers, dammit!"

"I...do not remember, but I can show you the planet above which I last saw it orbiting. It seemed to have some business there," the Manhunter offered. John looked back to Spike and Sweetie, who both nodded, before looking up at the Manhunter with a  grim nod. 

"Alright, but we need to move now. It's clear that whoever is behind this doesn't want anyone to know who they are and what they're up to. Spike. Sweetie. Time to move," John said as he turned to leave, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him for a moment.

"Just remember, Lantern Stewart. We are allowing you to leave just this once. But if you return again, we will not hesitate to treat you as a foe," the queen reminded him.

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual," John growled in reply before floating to the ship with the Manhunter behind him. Spike took off after him, but when Sweetie tried Nattily stopped her.

"I...just wanted to say thanks for telling me your experiences with love. It's really...made me rethink a number of things," she said with a wooden smile, and Sweetie smiled in reply.

"No problem.  If you ever come around the Blue Lantern home world, look me up. There's a lot you can learn there from a Blue Lantern." The four managed to make it onto their ship without any more trouble, but John was fully aware of every set of eyes upon him up until he was back inside the safety of the ship. He closed the ramp after the others made it on, before letting out a sigh as he slumped against the bulkhead.

"So, what did you guys think of the Star-Sapphires?" he asked with a sarcastic smirk.

"I'm not coming back here," Sweetie said with certainty while Spike had a good natured smile on his face.

"Hey, it's not the first time I've had to punch my way off a planet. Besides, they seemed nice enough if you don't mention John around them. Anyhow, some of them didn't look too bad..." Spike laughed as Sweetie tackled him to the deck, trying to choke him out while Spike still laughed away.  John shook his head at the two of them before looking at the violet Manhunter, who took interest in the two kids' wrestling match.

"That is a curious sigh of affection," it said.

"Nah, it's not that abnormal. Now come on. Time for you to lead us to the final boss."
> Empty Space
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spirals of the purest of blues, and stars that shone brighter than any sun seen before decorated the galaxy through which the Interceptor found itself floating, yet the inhabitants of the ship found themselves too focused on what was to come to pay any attention to the beauty of the cosmos.

Spike was in the lower part of the ship, practicing shifting from construct to construct. 'Practice makes perfect after all,' he thought to himself as he shifted a war hammer to a shield before crafting his construct into a crystalized cannon. 'And I have a feeling that we're going to need to be perfect if we want to stop this threat.'

The Manhunter remained in the cockpit of the ship, wanting to make sure that nothing surprised them during their flight. John was in his quarters by himself, making a full report of what had happened on the Star-Sapphires' home world while at the same time recording a message.

"Green Lantern of Sector 2814 entry number 3 since mission began. After nearly a week of being on this mission, I believe that we might finally be homing in on a definitive clue or answer," he spoke into his ring while recalling all the information that he had learned. "We have recently discovered that not all of the Manhunters that are infused with the power of Lanterns are all evil. An indigo one and now a violet one are helping us in our cause, with the latter leading us to a location where it believes lies another clue. Yet I can't shake the feeling that there's something...familiar about all this. Lantern out."

John finished his recording and walked out of his room, entering the cockpit and sitting down in the Captain's chair, barely paying mind to the Manhunter as he started a scan of the sector. The Manhunter remained silent, not wanting to bother John, yet it occasionally looked back into the room where Sweetie was meditating silently, though both John and the Manhunter could sense that she was still fuming a bit. 

"Alright, we should soon be coming up to that planet you mentioned," John muttered as he pushed a few buttons on the console and looked out the window, narrowing his eyes with a frown. "Are you sure that you have the right coordinates? I'm not seeing the..."

"How can she be like that?" the Manhunter asked, cutting off John's question and getting the Lantern to turn to look to where Sweetie was.

"How can she be like what?" John asked.

"Angry at Spike and yet still love him. Would the anger not override the love or the other way around? Beings cannot possess two such emotions at the same time, can they?"

"You have a lot to learn about living beings. We're rarely a single emotion at any given time. Besides, hating someone while loving them is normal at that age," John said with a shake of his head as turned back to the front and immediately his eyes narrowed. "Ship, we're at the coordinates that I entered, are we not?"

'You are correct Lantern Stewart. We have arrived at the destination,' the ship replied, getting a growl from Stewart as he turned on the intercom.

"Spike, I want you and Sweetie ready to leave now. Something's wrong." John swiveled the chair around as Sweetie ran into the room, followed a moment later by Spike, who wore the same look of concern that Sweetie did. "Alright you two, pop quiz: We have just arrived at the coordinates that our friendly Manhunter here gave us and we should be descending on the planet right about now. But there's a problem. Either of you two know what it is?" Spike and Sweetie both looked out the viewscreen for a few seconds before Sweetie looked back at John with confusion.

"There's no planet out there. There's nothing out there," she answered.

"That is correct. However, before you go blaming the Manhunter for lying to us, the Guardian database says that there should be a planet right here," John explained to the two as he stood up and motioned for the three to follow him. He lowered the ramp to the ship and a moment later the four were floating around in the coldness of space looking for any signs of the planet. 

"So, what happened could be that both the Manhunter and the Guardian's information was wrong, or the ship took us to the wrong place or...the planet's just gone," Spike reasoned, getting a nod from John as the four flew towards where its location was.

"That's how I see it, Spike. All of you keep your guards up and spread out.  Manhunter, you're with me. Spike and Sweetie, look around," John ordered when his ring informed him that they were near where the planet was supposed to be. "Search for any signs of what happened and call out to the others. And if you see anything that looks remotely hostile, do NOT engage without the other group. Got it?" John asked before turning to see that Spike and Sweetie were already examining the area.

"Man, there sure is a lot of debris for an area of space that's missing a planet," Spike said to Sweetie as the pair ducked and weaved through a large number of asteroids and rocks that floated around them. "Heh, that one kinda looks like one of those rock monsters that showed up in Ponyville once. You remember that day? Man, I've never seen so many ponies freak out at once."

His words didn't gain so much as a smile from Sweetie, who continued to stare ahead with a very clouded look on her face. Spike's own face fell before he flew up next to her with an apologetic look. "Hey, if you're still upset about my joke yesterday, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to offend you or..."

"I'm not mad about that...okay, maybe a little, but that's the least of my concerns right now," Sweetie said with a voice that sounded like she was in pain. Spike was beside her the instant he heard the tone in her voice and was glaring around in rage for whatever was hurting her. "Being a Blue Lantern, I can sense when beings are filled with hope or are feeling hopeless, yet...this whole sector of space feels like all the hope has been sucked dry, like an entire race of beings ran out of hope."

"But that can't be. There's no life anywhere in the universe or else that's where we'd be," Spike reminded her while keeping an eye out for trouble. "Maybe there used to be a race in this universe thousands of years ago or something, and you're just feeling the aftereffects or-" Spike stopped talking when he looked down at Sweetie to see that she looked scared, causing him to grab hold of her and hold the Lantern tight.

"It's...it's not that. All of this hopelessness and agony...it's far too recent. Almost like the beings that lost all hope were only here a week ago," she shivered in Spike's arms, the void of hopelessness washing over the Blue Belle coldly. "And I also feel death, death the likes of which I've never sensed before. Billions of lives...all gone...never to-"

"Sweetie! You're letting the death and darkness get to you again," Spike said with strength as he created a green barrier around the two of them before holding her even tighter, but he could feel every one of her shivers. "Breathe, Sweetie. Don't let the dark thoughts get to you."

"But I can feel them...all of the dead. They're...calling to me...telling me that I should be with them," she whispered with cold fear in every word. "They say...that I died."

"You did. And then you fought back. You chose to have hope instead of letting death conquer you," Spike reminded her calmly. "You did it to save your sister, to save our world and to save me. It didn't beat you then and it won't beat you now. You're far stronger than it." To Spike's relief her ring began to shine with a blue light that pushed away the darkness, calming Sweetie down and stopping her shivering. 

"Feeling better?" Spike asked her when she looked up at him with far calmer eyes than before. She nodded weakly before placing her head against his chest, banishing all the dark whispers from her mind with thoughts of hope.

"Yeah...sorry about that..." she whispered.

"You can't help it," Spike muttered as his face turned grim, and he looked around at all of the debris and rocks as if he were seeing them for what they really were. "But Sweetie...I've never seen you react like that before and the only way those...thoughts get stronger is if you're around a large amount of death. And for you to be affected on such a level..."

"Means that there was a great deal of death here recently," she finished for him as she looked around at the asteroids as well, catching on to what he was thinking. "An entire planet's worth of death."

"John, come in. I think that Sweetie and I found out what happened to the planet we were looking for," Spike said into the ring, but instead of hearing the voice of John the pair instead heard the sounds of laser fire and yelling. Spike and Sweetie shot each other the same look before they both rocketed over to where John was, spotting the Lantern firing bursts of green into the asteroids. "John, what's going on?!" Spike called over.

"Get down!" John roared as blasts of violet light erupted around him, hurling the Lantern into one of the floating rocks with enough force to stun him. Spike and Sweetie turned towards the attacker to find the same Manhunter that had led them there was now firing at them, though its eyes were no longer a violet color and instead were devoid of any color at all.

"What the heck is the matter with this thing?!" Spike roared as he and Sweetie combined their powers to create a massive bow and arrow, Sweetie using her hope-filled bow to enhance the power of the green arrow that Spike loaded into it. The arrow was hurled forth from the bow and tore through a number of asteroids on its way to the Manhunter before it tore through the Manhunter's right arm, severing the limb from its mechanical body.

The Manhunter looked from the Lanterns to its missing arm, advancing forward as if to continue the battle before it stood up rigidly. It then turned around and flew off into the asteroid field. Spike made a quick lunge towards where it had vanished, but Sweetie called him over to John and he ceased his search to help his fellow Lantern. The two escorted him back to the ship and placed him on his bed, where he started to come to after a few minutes.

"Urgh, what happened to me?" John asked with a grunt as he sat up straight.

"We were hoping you could tell us," Spike said with crossed arms. "When we ran over to you we found you locked in battle with the Manhunter. Don't tell me that it tried to carry out the Star-Sapphires' threat, or else I'm going to have some choice words for them."

"We were exploring the asteroids and suddenly it attacked me," John said as he pushed himself back up and rubbed his bruised ribs with a grimace.

"Those aren't asteroids. Those are what's left of the planet and the beings that used to be here," Sweetie clarified for John, who gave no reaction to the news except for a sigh.

"I knew it," he muttered as he walked into the cockpit, starting up the ship and taking off through the asteroid field.

"How did you know that the asteroids were the planet?" Spike asked, but John chose silence as his answer. "Alright then, how about the Manhunter? What are we going to do about that problem?"

"Don't worry, I know exactly where it's going," John said with confidence as he navigated the chunks of planet with an expert's skill, allowing him to reach the end of the space debris within a matter of minutes, where the group saw a large moon orbiting around the wreckage of the dead planet. "That's where it went."

"You mean that moon?" Sweetie asked, getting a laugh out of John.

"Yeah. Moon, space station, orbital base of death; whatever you want to call it," John said with a growl as he brought the ship to a stop and opened up the ramp to allow them to exit. "That's the same "moon" that showed up when the Blue Lantern was captured and also when the Manhunters destroyed our indigo friend. But unlike that Manhunter, the one that brought us here was still working for the mastermind behind their attacks. And whoever that is, is in there."

"So...what do we do then?" Spike asked with no effort to hide the worry and uncertainty in his voice. "I mean, that space station is the size of a small moon, so who knows what the heck could be controlling that thing? Shouldn't we call in another Lantern or a hundred? Is this a situation that requires Mogo?" John lowered his head for a long time, thinking his actions over carefully before shaking his head with a snarl.

"We need to know what we're up against and we need to know now. Every minute that that thing remains operational is another moment the mastermind gets closer to their goal. Here's the plan. I'll go in by myself and find out who or what is responsible for everything while you two stay with the ship. If I don't come back out, fly to Oa and tell the Guardians what happened. They'll know what to do," John ordered as he started to fly to the moon, but in a moment Sweetie and Spike were beside him.

"Sorry John, but this doesn't seem like a task we can leave to an old man," Spike said with a smirk that was met with a cold stare. "Look, just one of those Lantern Manhunters was enough to give you a run for your money, and we have no idea how many thousands of them may be in there! You'll need all the firepower you can get."

"This is my call, kid. You need to follow my orders," John growled before Sweetie floated over in front of him.

"Fine, then you'll go in with me instead. I'm a Blue Lantern, I don't answer to you, if you recall," she said with a smile that got John to snarl in frustration. He looked between the two rookies before surrendering with a sigh.

"Alright, but the moment anything goes wrong I want the both of you out of there," John grumbled as he started to fly forward. "And all we're doing is finding out who is the mastermind. We'll defeat them if we can, but if not we are going to run for our lives. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Spike and Sweetie both responded. The three Lanterns flew up to the massive station to find that it was completely covered in strange metal and weapons, all of which tracked them as they flew up to it. But instead of opening fire on the group, the guns remained stationary and a pair of massive metal doors opened for them, seemingly inviting the group into the bowls of the massive machine.

"So you were right. This is a space station," Spike said quietly as he took in the scope of the thing.

"Most of it is anyway," John replied as he stared down into the darkness of the entrance. "Well, at least whoever is behind this has the manners to open the door for us."  'But this all seems so familiar, as if...I've seen this before,' John silently mused to himself as a vague idea began to form in the depths of his mind.

"John? Something the matter?" Spike asked as he and Sweetie gave him both concerned looks.

"Nothing kid.  Just had a very scary thought," John replied before he shone his light into the darkness and began to descend. "Come on, let's head inside...and hope I know what I'm doing," John muttered with concern. The two young Lanterns followed him into the depths of the space station, pretending not to notice as the doors closed behind them.

'This is it, Spike. We find who is behind this, determine he's a bad guy or not and kick his ass accordingly,' Spike thought to himself silently. 'We're finally here. For better or for worse.'
> Mastermind
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is unnerving.  Scratch that, this is just plain freaky," Sweetie whispered to the other Lanterns as they slowly floated through the metallic tunnels that seemed to go on for miles. "I mean, giant fortresses I can handle. Bases made of metal that are the size of the moon, I can somewhat understand. But..." she wavered as metal paneling shifted and moved behind her. "This place almost seems alive."

"Stay focused, Sweetie. If this is where the Manhunters are being built, then we could be overrun at any given moment," John muttered as he placed his back to a corner and slowly peaked out around it, waving the other two forward when he discovered that it was clear. 

"Does it feel like this place is trying to lead us somewhere?" Spike asked the other two as they floated along, noticing how some pathways closed off while others opened up for them as they flew. "And if it's leading us somewhere, what are the odds that it's a trap?  Because this seems like a trap."

"I agree with Spike, this is not right," Sweetie agreed, but john seemed far to preoccupied with his ring to notice what the two were saying.

"Damn it all, I can't get a reading in this place," John snarled as he pointed his ring at the wall and started a scan, yet a flash of yellow light went off and disrupted the scan. "Whatever this place is made of, it's preventing my ring from scanning it or creating a map. Sweetie, can you do any better?" Sweetie unleashed her own blue light upon the metallic structure, but twin flashes of yellow and red went off and her own power was disrupted.

"Darn it, work ring," Sweetie growled as she shook her head.

"Great, whoever is behind this knows how our rings work," John muttered as he started to fly forward, before the sounds of a drill tearing through metal reached his ears. He spun around to see that Spike had used his ring to rip through one of the sealed doors with a large drill. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"This base is leading us somewhere and ten to one it's a trap. So I made a call to not follow the death trap and try somewhere else," Spike argued, getting John to clench his fists in frustration before he sighed and took the lead, flying into the newly made hole with a motion for the other two to follow his lead.

The group had barely made it ten feet before holes in the wall opened up and metal tentacles raced out of the holes, each of them trying to grab hold or straight up kill each of the Lanterns.  John was the first to react and managed to create a shield around himself that deflected the first attack. While Spike was slower to react, his first instinct was to construct a giant chainsaw that he used to rip through one of the tendrils that lunged at Sweetie. Sweetie returned the favor by pulsing her blue light through another tendril, causing it to erupt from within.

"Ugh, this reminds me of that giant octopus we had to fight!" Spike growled before one of the tendrils whipped him in the back and slammed him into the metal walls, where it slowly began to wrap around him. A blade to the tendril convinced it to release the Lantern, and a second swing from John cleaved the tentacle in two, allowing him to help Spike back up. 

"Sweetie! Find or make an exit and do it fast!" John ordered as he started blasting at the seemingly hundreds of tentacles that were continuing to crawl out of the woodwork. Sweetie nodded before concentrating her full power into a single beam that sliced into the metal wall, where she began to cut a circle through the metal. 

"Ugh, remind me never to eat calamari again," Spike groaned as he entered back into the fray, constructing a giant harpoon that speared a number of the tendrils. But for every one they struck down, it seemed that ten more took its place until the whole corridor was filled with metallic doom. "Great, I don't like it and it sure as hell doesn't like me! How's the escape plan coming Sweetie?!"

"Almost there!" Sweetie yelled back before the metal wall gave way and collapsed, allowing Sweetie to fly through the hole with the other two Lanterns following her a moment later. John and Spike lifted the cut out metal and jammed it back into the hole, using their rings to weld the sheet of metal back into place.

"Okay, that should hold them," John sighed in relief when the tendrils stopped banging against the metal. "We should be safe for now."

"Safe is not the word I would use." Spike and John turned to see that Sweetie was right and that the three of them were far from safe. They had cut their way into a room that was the size of a small city, which was filled with thousands of Manhunters that were either in sleep mode or being constructed by numerous machines. Both Spike and Sweetie looked up at John for guidance and the elder Lantern held out a hand to keep them quiet.

"Say nothing and move as silently as you can," John whispered to the pair as he slowly started to float through the thousands of Manhunters, Spike and Sweetie following behind him as quietly as they could while their eyes stayed glued to the thousands of machines. For ten minutes the three silently avoided the Manhunters as best they could, yet when they finally reached the top of the gargantuan room a flash of blue light stunned all of them beyond words.

"It can't be," John muttered as his eyes took in a large machine filled with Manhunters that each rested in separate pods, pods that were all connected to a large tube--a tube that held a familiar, blue clad Lantern that the group had seen not too long ago. "Brother Toro." 

The Lantern was trapped in a large glass tube that seemed to hold him in suspended animation, yet what drew John's full attention was the fact that he was still holding onto his ring and that his battery was floating above his head. He still seemed to be alive, relieving John while also concerning him at the same time.

"He's still alive!" Spike sighed in relief before floating over to the chamber with confusion. "But what are they doing to him?" John looked down to see at least a dozen tubes that were all connected to Manhunter pods, narrowing his eyes when he saw blue light pulsing through the tubes and into the pods. He flew in closer to investigate and immediately felt his power increase, confirming his fears.

"This is it. This is how whoever is behind this is making the Manhunters with Lantern powers," John muttered with fear as he looked inside the pod next to him to find that the Manhunter within glowed with a blue light not unlike the one that shone from Sweetie. "They're using the captured Lanterns as a power source to fuel the Manhunters within with even greater power."

"What? Then we have to get him out of here and put a stop to this!" Spike said as he took aim at the tube with his ring, but in a moment John was beside him and angled his arm away from the tube. "John, what are you doing?! We have to get Toro out of there!" 

"Who knows what kind of security measures are in place in case that happens?  If you break him out we might have every one of these Manhunters after us," John scolded as he looked around the room to make sure none of the Manhunters were moving. "Our best bet is to find out how this machine works and to shut it down, without drawing any more attention to ourselves."

"But...how are they doing this?" Sweetie asked, turning both Spike's and John's attention to the mare. "I thought that only the chosen ring bearer could access the power ring, no one else. It should be impossible for anypony to steal the power from a Lantern like this." 

"While it is unlikely, it's not impossible for the rings to be tampered with," John muttered as he placed a hand under his chin, thinking long and hard. "But the technology that runs this rings is light-years beyond anything Earth or most other planets have. There are only a handful of beings in the cosmos that have the technical know how to..." John's thoughts died a horrible death when a new, far more devastating thought crossed his mind. With horror starting to take hold of his heart he gazed at the mass production of the Manhunters, to the trapped Lantern, and finally the Manhunters that were being enhanced with Lantern light.

"John? You okay?" Spike asked when he saw the look of sheer horror taking hold of John's face.

"We need to find a computer terminal, an access point; something I can plug my ring into and confirm my thoughts," he whispered in terror before flying ahead.

"Wait a minute, what are we going to do about Brother Toro?" Sweetie called after him.

"Leave him. If my suspicions are right...it will take everything we have to save ourselves," John called back as he rocketed ahead, forcing Spike and Sweetie to abandon the other Lantern to chase after John. The elder Lantern flew through room after room, searching and searching for something with growing panic in his eyes. Finally, in one of the smaller rooms, he spotted a large computer with a holographic screen that got him to slow down. He flew right to it and started to search around for an access point, while Sweetie and Spike landed behind him.

"John, what's going on?  Why do you look so terrified?" Sweetie asked, but John didn't answer as he plugged his ring into one of the access points and started to hack into the computer. The moment the ring started to access the computer, alarms started to blare all throughout the station. 

"John!  I thought we weren't supposed to alert the enemy to our presence!" Spike roared as holes in the ceiling and walls opened up and a combination of tendrils and Manhunters started to pour in. "John, the bouncers are here and I'm fairly certain they know that two of us are under age!  We need to go now or-!"

"NO! You two have to hold them off until I'm done finding what I need!" John ordered, shocking Spike and Sweetie with his sudden burst of rage and fear. The two shared a glance with each other before they both turned and looked up at the tendrils and Manhunters that were closing in on them.

"Time for the Cyan Kirin?" Sweetie asked as she wrapped her hoof around Spike's hand.

"You know I hate that name for it, right?" Spike asked in reply as the two's lights began to merge into one.

"Well, if you hate it so much, you shouldn't have lost that game of cards we played to decide on its name."  In a blinding flash of light, green and blue became one, causing a massive construct of a unicorn and dragon fused to rise up in the center of the room. Its body was a pure blue with thousands of scales that glittered like stars, while its mane and tail burned like a fire of the purest emeralds, yet its eyes shone with a cyan that held both will and hope within. And on the center of its chest was a symbol, the combined symbol of hope and will that shone far brighter than any sun. The massive construct took up nearly half of the insanely large room and towered over everything else in it, yet without a moment's hesitation the Manhunters and the tendrils lunged for the Kirin.

"YOU CANNOT HOPE TO WIN," the Kirin said as laser fire and tendrils slammed into its constructed form, yet the massive beast barely registered the attacks from its foes. The Kirin quickly spun and whipped its tail across the air, slamming through a number of the Manhunters that had been flying near them. Cyan fire erupted from its maw and incinerated the tendrils that had started to wrap themselves around the Cyan beast, yet once again more tendrils and Manhunters began to pour into the room.

"JOHN! WE CANNOT KEEP THIS UP MUCH LONGER!" the Kirin bellowed as it crushed three Manhunters under hoof, yet roared with pain as a number of Manhunters wielding the power of Rage, Fear and Greed began to blast the Kirin with their Lantern powers. The gargantuan construct began to flicker under the endless pounding of laser fire from the dozens of Manhunters that continued to pour into the room. With one last roar the Cyan Kirin unleashed a wave of blue and green that slammed the machines and tendrils into the walls, keeping them pinned there as the Kirin slowly began to shrink back down to Sweetie and Spike.

"Dammit...we couldn't hold them off," Spike growled as he pushed himself back up before running to the collapsed Sweetie's side. He pulled her into her arms before turning and floating over towards John. But the sound of more Manhunters entering the room caused him to turn to see that the Manhunters that had just been destroyed were already being replaced. "Sweetie, you doing okay? I hate to ask this, but can you fight, because I don't think I can handle all of those by myself."

'Spike, ring charge at ten percent,' his ring informed him.

"Crap...give me a minute, we...never held the Cyan Kirin for that long before," she grunted as she struggled to her feet, Spike supporting her as the two pointed their rings at the swarm of machines that barreled towards them. But then, to the confusion of both Spike and Sweetie, both machine and tendril stopped in mid air and ceased to move, getting confused looks from the both of them before John called out.

"No..." they heard him whisper, getting them to turn towards the Lantern who was standing straight up with fear consuming his eyes. "No...we need to move! We need to get out of here now!" he bellowed before turning and hurling himself towards the nearest exit, forcing Spike to pick Sweetie up and scramble after John.  John tore through door after door in a desperate search for the exit, but when he came to a large number of tubes and corridors he was forced to come to a stop, allowing Spike and Sweetie to catch up.

"John, the hell is going on?" Spike growled at the senior Lantern, who only just then seemed to notice the other two. 

"We need to get out of here! That terminal...it had everything. Who was behind the attacks, what they're capturing the Lanterns for and...we need to get to the Interceptor. We need to warn the Corps!" John said with panic in every word.

"Whoa, slow down. You know who is behind all this?  Then tell us!" Spike demanded. John opened his mouth to answer, but in the next moment hundreds of tendrils shot out of one of the doors and wrapped around the group. John and Spike struggled as best they could as the tendrils dragged them down into the belly of the beast; a large, circular room that was filled with hundreds of screens that showed what was going on at every moment within the ship. The tendrils slammed the Lanterns into a metal circle that made up the hovering floor, where they picked themselves up while beginning to look around the room.

"Ugh, where the hell are we?" Spike asked as he gently helped Sweetie up to her hooves, letting her lean against him as he looked around. He turned his gaze to John when the Lantern didn't answer, and found that John's eyes were locked straight ahead, with a look of rage and hatred upon his face--as well as hidden fear.

"You are in the center of my brain, of my very being. You are within me." Spike and Sweetie turned their heads to see a figure floating down from above, one that was humanoid in nature yet clearly spoke with a robotic tone. It had a purple suit with silver armor on its chest and legs, but its hands and head were a bluish gray.  Yet, instinctively both Sweetie and Spike's eyes were drawn to its head, where three connected green circles rested upon it's forehead.

"John, you know this guy?" Spike asked the senior Lantern, who was shaking with rage and fear as he glared down the robot.

"As Lantern Stewart seems unable to respond, allow me. I am Brainiac."
> No Way Out
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

John bellowed as bolts of green erupted from his ring, yet Brainiac simply held out his hand and intercepted the bolts with ease. John growled while constructing a massive machine gun that he aimed right at the machine's head, yet by Brainiac's will the tendrils grabbed hold of the Lantern and slammed him into the deck.

"Do not bother with any theatrics, John Stewart. You are in my home. What can you do?" Brainiac asked as paneling slid back and a massive, silver chair rose out of the floor.  Brainiac sat down upon the chair and slightly turned his head to take in the two younger Lanterns, who had already gone back-to-back and pointed their rings at him. "Hmm, a dragon and a unicorn. Interesting."

"Who are you? And why are you collecting Lanterns?!"  Spike demanded as he and Sweetie combined their powers to unleash a blast of green and blue towards Brainiac, yet before the blast could reach him dozens of tendrils intercepted the blast for their master. Another dozen tendrils emerged from holes in the wall and began to attack Spike and Sweetie, though the two were fast enough to construct a shield around themselves that protected them from the attacks.

"If you must know before you are terminated, I am Brainiac," Brainiac introduced himself again as he rose out of his seat and walked over to the shield, the tendrils moving out of the way for him while he did so. "I was tasked with gathering all knowledge in the universe and keeping a record of it, so that, even once the species that held the knowledge fell, their knowledge would live on. You can say that I am the keeper of all knowledge in the universe."

"Yeah, but once you gain that knowledge you destroy the planet and race of people that held that knowledge before you!" John roared with fury before he broke free of his bonds in a burst of green light. "You're a murderer who has slaughtered whole universes!" With another roar he hurled himself at Brainiac with a green infused fist, but with speeds faster than the younger Lanterns could fathom, Brainiac slapped John across the room and through one of the walls.

"If Kal-El could not defeat me permanently, I fail to see how you reasoned you could do so," Brainiac pointed out before looking back to the younger Lanterns. "And knowledge is far more valuable if there are fewer beings that know of its existence. As for the other Lanterns..." Brainiac turned as the floor opened up again and six tubes rose out of the floor, each tube holding in it a different colored Lantern. Spike and Sweetie recognized the Blue Lantern and Larfleeze, but the other ones were mysteries to them.

"It did take a while to collect them all, especially as the Blue Lanterns are so few, but eventually I managed to secure each of the seven spectrums," Brainiac explained as he looked at the Lanterns with his hand's behind his back. "Larfleeze was the easiest to catch. I just promised him that there was something I had that he didn't, and he came running.  The others put up more of a fight, but fighting me is a pointless venture, as John Stewart discovered."

"But why?! Why kidnap the Lanterns?!" Spike snarled, wishing he could fight, but he couldn't take the risk.

"Because the rings interest me. How they channel will, hope and other emotions and turn them into weapons that rival the most advanced pieces of technology," Brainiac said as he pulled out a Green Lantern ring and gazed at it. "It was quite the endeavor, trying to crack the code to these rings. The hardest part was getting around the feature that only allowed the wearer to wield the ring. But they are still based on technology and all technology succumbs to me," Brainiac said as he tightened his grip and crushed the ring within his fist.

"So you rebuilt the Manhunters and poured the power of the Lanterns into them," Spike stated, getting a small nod from Brainiac.

"Yes. At first it was just an experiment with a Green Lantern's ring, but after seeing the Manhunters' increased power as a result of such an experiment, I fueled them with different Lanterns' colors. The results were...interesting," Brainiac stated as he walked over to the violet and indigo Lanterns.  "Manhunters infused with these powers became the most rebellious, became troublesome. They tried to flee, tried to warn the galaxy of my plan.  It did not work. Far away from me they might have been safe, but when the Manhunter that brought you here entered my sight it was mine once again. The rest were dealt with, and the remaining five Lanterns were used as a power source."

"Wait, I only see seven...yet according to our reports over a dozen Green Lanterns went missing," Sweetie pointed out, and her words caused Brainiac to turn around with a thin smile upon his face...as over a dozen mechanical monsters all wearing the Green Lanterns' symbols came floating down behind him. Sweetie placed a hoof over her mouth as she and Spike realized what the mechanical monsters were...or who they used to be.

"While my plan only required one Lantern from each Corps, I will admit that there was some...trial and error in learning and breaking the power rings," Brainiac admitted. "So I needed more Lanterns, ones that I could experiment on and learn more about how the rings work. The Green Lantern Corps has the largest number of Lanterns, so I never ran out of test subjects. And while they may have lost their lives in the pursuit of knowledge, they attributed to finalizing my goals."

"And what would those be?" Spike asked as he glanced over to where John had landed, doing everything in his power to remain calm as he slowly looked back to Brainiac. Brainiac's smile faded while he turned back towards the captured Lanterns, seeming to take more interest in them than the living Lanterns behind him.

"There is no point in telling you. The three of you will be dead soon and I have humored you long enough," Brainiac decided without emotion, yet as if an order had been declared the mechanical Lanterns began to float towards the pair of Lanterns. "Though it is a little disappointing that there will not be anyone around to see my plan come to fruition. But you heroes must be exterminated quickly or else you become troublesome. Farewell."

"Until we meet again!" A giant fist slammed into the mechanical Lanterns and hurled them across the room, giving Spike and Sweetie the chance to lower their shield and fly over to the now conscious John Stewart. "Time to get out of here you two, we need to get back to the ship and get to the Guardians before we get killed!" John floated next to Sweetie to increase his ring's power before cutting through the wall once again to create an escape route, leading Spike and Sweetie out of the room as Brainiac turned to watch them leave.

"Annoyances. They truly believe they will escape. Such a pitiful emotion, hope," Brainiac observed before pressing a button on his wrist. "Manhunters. Find and kill the three Lanterns that are trying to escape." He then turned back to the seven Lanterns that were being held within the tubes, another thin smile creasing his face. "The final preparations are finished. And even if those Lanterns were to warn the Corps, there is nothing they can do to stop me."

At that very moment the three Lanterns were doing their best to fight off the hundreds of Manhunters that were crawling out of the woodwork to get at the three. John blasted a red one off of Spike before Spike returned the favor by impaling another green one into a wall. Sweetie stuck close to the both of them, aiding them where she could and fueling their power when a Green Manhunter showed up.

"It was Brainiac all along! I can't believe I never thought that he could be the one behind all of this!" John roared with frustration as two Manhunters tackled him to the wall and began to punch the shield that surrounded his body. Spike wrapped two emerald claws around them and hurled them into the other Manhunters before shooting a blast into their guts for good measure.

"Any idea what this master plan of his could be?!" Sweetie asked as she turned herself into a drill and tore through the chest of one Manhunter before ripping off the head of another. "He mentioned that his plan was finalized, but he tried to kill us after we asked what it was."

"I managed to download most of his plan's information into my ring, but even then I only got a glimpse at his plan," John called to them while constructing a jet that he crashed into a number of the Manhunters that were following them through the base. "I have no idea how he plans to do it, but Brainiac wants to take-"

A massive fist burst through the wall and slammed into John, hurling the Lantern through the metal tubing and out into a large room that was filled with a number of spacefaring ships. John crashed through several of them before he tumbled to a stop in the center of the hangar, where he pushed himself up to find a giant, almost bestial version of Brainiac glaring down at him.

"Terminate Lantern," it stated as it lunged at him with one of its fists, forcing the Lantern to roll out of the way before the fist crushed him. The bestial Brainiac punched through the floor of the hangar as John rolled to his feet, firing numerous bursts of green light at the creature's eyes. The monster was hardly phased by the attacks, and with speeds faster than John thought possible it whipped its tail around, slamming its limb right into the side of Stewart and chucking him into the reinforced walls. He collapsed to the deck with pain burning across his chest and back, making it hard to breath as he pushed himself up.

"Ring? Did I break anything?" he asked before flying to the side to avoid being crushed underfoot.

'Two ribs and your shoulder were broken by that attack,' the ring replied, getting a frustrated growl out of John while he constructed a battle suit to strengthen his defenses, while also preventing anything else from being broken. The giant Brainiac was about to slam its fist into John again before twin blasts of green and blue struck it in the back, causing the mechanical terror to double over as Sweetie and Spike flew over to John.

"Are you alright?" Sweetie asked as she started to heal his wounds, but John pushed past her and unleashed all of his ring's power into the machine.

"If you have time to worry about me, then you have to take that thing down!" John ordered as the machine started to stagger back. Spike and Sweetie added their own powers into the mix and with their combined strengths, the mechanical nightmare was blasting apart into scrap metal. The three then looked around the room for any other threats, but for the moment they were safe.

"Need to...keep moving," John grunted in pain as he started to stagger forward, but his will gave out for a second and he collapsed to the deck.

"You need to let me heal you!" Sweetie demanded as she started using her power to heal John's wounds, but once again the senior Lantern pushed her away with a growl.

"We need to escape. Warn the Corps," John panted in pain between breaths. "Brainiac...he's after the home planets of the Lanterns. I think...he wants to destroy them!" Horror took hold of Spike and Sweetie as those words sunk in, neither of them knowing what to say as John pushed himself back up.

"Can he...do that?" Sweetie asked in horror.

"Before I learned what I did, I would have guessed that maybe he could destroy the Blue Lanterns' home, but the other worlds were too well defended," John growled in pain as he struggled to move. "But after seeing that army of Manhunters he has...we need to warn the Lanterns and make sure that he doesn't get the chance."

"Alright then, we need to move now," Sweetie began as she looked at the hangar door with a smile and started flying towards it. "I'll cut us a way out of here and then we can get back to the-" Her words died in terror as Brainiac floated down before her, gazing at the Blue Lantern with no emotion for a moment, before he slammed his fist into her face and hurled her across the room.

"SWEETIE!" Spike cried after her as she slammed into the wall and slumped to the floor like a ragdoll. In a moment, Spike was at her side and had a finger on her neck, letting out a small sigh of relief when he felt her pulse. With the wrath of dragons burning in his soul, he quickly turned back to Brainiac...only to find that there were now dozens of Manhunters floating in the hanger around them along with Brainiac.

"It seems that my large vessel is still not up to acceptable standards," Brainiac stated as he looked down at the giant pile of scrap that had been the monstrous Brainiac. "I thank you for testing it for me. In return, I will make your demises quick." The Manhunters began to move in as Spike floated over to John, cradling Sweetie in his arms while trying everything to keep himself from panicking.

"John, please tell me that you have a plan," Spike asked the senior Lantern who was struggling just to stand, but as John looked up at the sheer number of Manhunters as well as the being that could rival Superman floating behind them, he felt his own hope fading.

'I can't let us die here! We have to warn the Guardians! Warn all of the Corps of what Brainiac's up to!' he raged in his mind as he desperately thought of a solution, but nothing came to him. The Manhunters began to swarm the pair of them, forcing John to protect both himself and Spike as laser fire flashed all around them. The two of them were eventually pushed back to the hangar door, placing their backs against it as the Manhunters closed in. But amidst all the chaos and fighting, an idea came to Spike...an idea he did not like.

"John, if we can get out of here, how long would it take to get to the Interceptor?" Spike asked as he and John combined their powers to keep the Manhunters back.

"A few minutes, tops! But at this rate we won't even get the chance!" John stated as he blasted back another Manhunter. Spike gritted his teeth as he raged within, trying to decide what he should do. And then he looked down at the unconscious Sweetie Belle, and the rage faded as his decision was made for him.

"John! Take Sweetie for a moment!" Spike demanded as he held out the sleeping mare to him.  John looked at Spike with confusion for a second before grabbing hold of her, but the moment he did Spike turned around and created his strongest barrier around the two.

"Spike! What the devil are you doing?!" John demanded through the barrier as he attempted to break through it, but something in Spike's eyes made him stop.

"John...you guys have to make it back. You have to tell the Guardians what you know so they can prepared for Brainiac," Spike informed John with what almost sounded like acceptance in his voice. "But if we all tried to go, then Brainiac would have no trouble catching us. The only way you two can escape is...if I stay behind to distract him."

"No kid...dammit Spike, if you stay behind you'll die and I will not let that happen! I'll hold off Brainiac while you two escape! That's my duty as your senior, to give my life so you don't have to!" John bellowed as he prepared to bring the shield around him down, but Spike cut him off again.

"In the shape you're in, you wouldn't last long enough for us to escape! And only you have the information about what Brainiac plans to do!" Spike bellowed through the shield before turning and driving a blade through the chest of a Manhunter, which he then hurled to the side as he turned back. "Sweetie can't do it and you're the only one with the information we need! Can't you see...I'm the only expendable one."

"But you'll die!" John roared, but all his words did was gain a smirk from Spike.

"I'm not afraid of dying, John. Not at all," Spike said before he gazed off into the unknown for a moment and turned back to John. "But despite being a Green Lantern, there are things I'm afraid of. I'm afraid of failing to save the day. I'm afraid of not being able to protect the lives of those I care for...I'm afraid," Spike began as he looked down at Sweetie with a sad smile. "Of losing her. So please John...as my last request...go inform the Guardians. Save the galaxy. Don't let my fears become a reality. Please."

John wanted to argue. Deep in his soul he wished that there was some alternative, some solution, that could convince Spike not to do this and for John to sacrifice himself instead. But as he looked past the dragon to see even more Manhunters, including more of the yellow and red variety entering the battle, he knew that the time for talk had run out.

"Spike...I'm sorry," John whispered before he turned and pried open the doors with his ring, giving him just enough space to fly through before Brainiac's will crushed the construct and shut the doors. Spike let out a small sigh of relief when John and Sweetie got clear, before he turned to face the now hundreds of Manhunters and the being that could rival a god.

"Sacrificing yourself to save your teammate and the one you love. A pathetic gesture," Brainiac said with no emotion. "When I am done with you they shall be the next to die." Spike didn't waste time replying. Instead, he reached into his pocket dimension and pulled out his power battery, but instead of charging his ring, he rather constructed a massive warhammer around the battery--with it being the hammer. He then constructed a suit of his strongest armor around himself before he gazed up at the hundreds of foes with the will to fight in his eyes, just as the hundreds of Manhunters lunged at him.

'Power levels at one hundred percent...but I do not think that will matter,' Spike's ring said to him. 'Seems you've gotten yourself into quite the pickle. What do you have to say for yourself?'

"Just this. Against fearful day and raging night, I shall never again lose my will to fight. And though they may be stronger and wield unspeakable might, none shall ever extinguish," Spike said as he brought back his hammer and prepared to swing. "My Green Lantern's light."
> Love's Demise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Brainiac!" Sweetie yelled as she sat up, immediately regretting her decision when pain flooded through her stomach. She doubled over with a groan while she clutched at her gut, but through the tears in her eyes she was able to see that she was in her bed on the Interceptor. 'Wait, how did I get here? We were fighting Brainiac and then we ran for the exit and...pain.'

With a grunt the blue belle pushed herself out of the bed and staggered towards the door, trying to piece together what had happened and how she had gotten there. 'We must have somehow made it out. But we were surrounded, right? And Brainiac was right there...he was the one who knocked me out. Ugh, hopefully John can explain what happened to me, because it hurts to think.'

She opened the door to the cockpit a moment later, staggering inside to find the senior Lantern using his green ring to shift his bones back into place. "John wait! Let me help you!" Forgetting all about her own pain for a moment, Sweetie Belle raced over to John and began to heal him with her power, catching John off guard when she suddenly appeared at his side.

"Sweetie...you're up," John said in a pained voice with regret in every word. Sweetie looked up at him in confusion as the powers of the Blue ring mended his wounds. "After the blow Brainiac gave you, I thought for sure that you would be out for at least another hour."

"Please, I heal fast," she said as the ring finished mending his bones, allowing Sweetie to sigh in relief before she began to look around. "So now that we're all better, how in the world did we manage to escape from Brainiac? I honestly thought we were in trouble there for a minute. And...where's Spike?" 

Sweetie looked around the room for a moment before looking into John's eyes, eyes that shone with the bitter regret and hatred at his own weakness. No words were spoken between the two, but Sweetie's eyes widened in disbelief as pain began to shred her heart from the eyes' story. 

"No...no..." she whispered as her heart shattered, collapsing to the deck with tears welling up in her still wide eyes. "It can't be. Please...tell me that...no..."

"We were cornered," John admitted after a minute, defeat in his voice. "You were out, and I had broken a good number of my bones. And Brainiac summoned more Manhunters to kill us.  Spike...he knew that not all of us would make it out, but if he stayed behind to fight...that you and me...might. He sacrificed himself for us."

"No..." she cried with tears starting to choke up her voice, before she glared at John with pain and agony. "Why didn't you do it?! Why couldn't you be the one to hold off Brainiac?!  If you both knew it was a last stand, then...then you should have...not Spike..."

"Do you think I didn't try?! I practically begged him to let me do it instead!" John roared as he slammed his clenched fists into the console. "But his reasoning was too sound! I was injured and you were unconscious! Even if I did try and hold them off, in the shape I was in they would have killed me before the two of you could have escaped! He was...the only one who could..." John whispered as he reeled his anger back in before slowly looking at Sweetie with regret. "I'm so sorry."

"M-maybe he somehow survived?" Sweetie bargained, her ring glowing a bright blue as she struggled to remain hopeful. "He did manage to fight an entire army of Black Lanterns after all! Yeah, maybe he's still fighting! Or he beat Brainiac all by himself! Spike's the only Lantern I know who could..." But the tiny light was quickly extinguished, when both Sweetie and John looked out the viewscreen to see a small, green object flying past the ship...a small, green ring. Neither of the two said anything to the other, yet both knew what the lost ring meant. Sweetie slowly turn around and walked back out of the room, her ring's light going out as the door shut behind her.

"She's right," John said as he placed his face in his hands, a long sigh escaping his lips. "It should have been me. I should have stayed behind."

'I fail to see what that would have accomplished,' his ring spoke back. 'Neither you nor Lantern Belle were in any condition to take on the Manhunters and Brainiac. Spike was the only one that could hold them off long enough to allow for your escape.'

"I know. Doesn't mean I have to like it," John growled with bitter pain, before he closed his eyes and pressed a button on the console before him. "Call Earth. I want to talk to someone there." The ship did as he asked and a few moments later a holographic image came up of the Watchtower, a floating satellite he knew all too well. "This is John Stewart, Green Lantern of sector 2814. Justice League, do you copy?"

"John?" a familiar voice asked, and in a moment another green-clad hero sat down in a chair in front of the screen, a Green Lantern that John knew as well as the tower. "Wow, haven't heard from you in a long time," Hal said with a smile, but it quickly faded under the look of defeat on John's face. "What's the matter John?"

"How soon can you get Superman and the rest of the League out here?" John asked. His question caused Hal's eyes to go wide under his domino mask before Hal crossed his arms with a sigh.

"I'm sorry John, but all of the League, including myself, have been working our asses off for the last week straight," Hal tiredly said with a shake of his head. "It's like the freaking end of the world here on Earth. Hurricanes in Florida, Tsunamis in Japan and demons rising in the Middle East. Everything's going to hell and on top of it, there's rumors that Trigon may try to rise again amidst all the chaos. Everyone's completely swamped. In fact, the only reason I answered you is because I'm up here to intercept any meteors that come flying towards Earth, of which there's been plenty. We can't mobilize the League now. Why?"

"Brainiac." That one word was enough to get Hal to groan and look up at the ceiling. "He's been kidnapping Lanterns in one of his crazy schemes, except unlike the other schemes this scheme worked. He's figured out how to take the powers of the Lanterns and put them into the Manhunters that he's built. He has enough to wage war with the six Corps and maybe the entire galaxy. I don't know all of his plans, but he seems to want to destroy the home world of each Corps."

"Dammit all, that's bad...look, the moment any of us have a break or there's a lull in the catastrophes, I'll see if I can send maybe Supergirl or Shazam your way, a Leaguer that we don't necessarily need here," Hal offered, but John held up a hand with a shake of his head.

"No, if Trigon is to rise then you'll need every hero that you can get in order to fight him. As bad as this is, we're still the protectors of the galaxy. This is still Green Lanterns' territory," John said with as much confidence as he could muster, but with a another sigh he found he couldn't hold onto it. "And we'll find a way to beat him."

"John...there's more you're not telling me, isn't there?" Hal asked.

"We...we lost Spike to Brainiac," John admitted weakly, shocking Hal, who quickly masked his emotions by turning away.

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Focus on protecting the Earth. If I had to wager, I guess that Brainiac waited until Earth was like this before putting his plan into motion. The Corps have stopped beings like Brainiac before and we can do it again," John growled. "Once you're done with your problems though, I wouldn't mind seeing a Leaguer or two out here to help us. God knows we could use it."

"Understood...it was good to see you again, at least. I'll see what I can do about reinforcements. Hal out."

John sighed once again as the screen before him went dark, pondering for a moment before lifting his ring before him. "Ring, transfer the information we took from Brainiac and send it to the Guardians on Oa. Maybe they can make sense of what's going on."

'I will do that, Lantern Stewart...Lantern Stewart, there is something you should know,' his ring began hesitantly. 'I have managed to decipher a small amount of Brainiac's plan and...it seems that his first target is the Star-Sapphires' home world. He is on his way there as we speak.'

"Ship! I want us heading to the Star-Sapphires' planet ASAP!" John ordered to the ship's computer, which immediately began to make a jump through space. "If we're lucky, we can cut the bastard off and warn the Star-Sapphires in time to launch a counter attack..." John rose from his seat and left the room after giving his orders, heading into the ship's passenger quarters. He hesitantly walked over to Sweetie's door and raised a hand to knock against it, pretending not to hear the muffled sobs echoing from within.

"Sweetie?" John asked as he knocked against the door, causing the sobs to stop a moment later. "I know how much pain you're in. I've...lost those I loved too, before. But right now we need to do what we swore to do. Brainiac is on his way to the home world of the Star-Sapphires right now, and God only knows what he plans to do when he gets there. The ship's on the way there as well, but even if we get there before him, there's no guarantee that any of them will listen to my warning. But they might listen to you...I need your help. I know that you're hurting, but right now we need to make sure that Spike's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Please."

For a moment there was nothing but silence, then the door to Sweetie's room slid opened and the red-eyed mare walked out from behind the door, not even bothering to hide the tears that were still streaming down her face. "Fine, I'll help. But I want first crack at Brainiac when we finally bring him down."

"It's a deal," John agreed. The two of them headed back into the front of the ship and began to plan, until the ship came out of hyper space, showing the pair that they had arrived just in time to see the Star-Sapphires wage war against the massive moon that was Brainiac's base. Brainiac had ditched the space station's guise of a moon and now a massive, terrifying skull covered the front half of the orbiting weapon while it moved closer and closer to the Sapphires' homeworld.

Hundreds of Star-Sapphires took to the skies while hundreds of Manhunters descended upon them, lighting up both the planet and the space around it with violet lasers as the two sides collided. The Green and Blue Lantern were too far away to see what was happening, but they knew that it was only a matter of time.

"Ship, can you fly us in there while avoiding both the Star-Sapphires and that Manhunters?" John asked the onboard A.I., which hesitated for a moment before answering.

'I could, but I will not.' Both Sweetie and John looked at the spot where the A.I. rested with absolute disbelief before John, very calmly, turned on it.

"And why. Not?"

'Because your ring instructed me not to.' The rage melted into confusion as John lifted his ring and glared at it. 

"Ring. Why did you instruct the ship not to get close to the Star-Sapphires?" he demanded.

'Because Lantern Stewart, I have deciphered more of Brainiac's plan and...it is too late to help them.'

|) O (|

Unbeknownst to either Sweetie or John, the outnumbered Star-Sapphires had been pushed back by the Manhunters to the surface of their planet. As hundreds of Star-Sapphires surrounded the central battery, Queen Aga'po was giving the orders to make a last stand if needed and how love would never die.

'What a bothersome emotion,' Brainiac thought to himself from the center of his fortress, able to hear every word that the queen spoke through the Manhunters that were floating around their city. 'But it's still fascinating all the same.' Through the Manhunters' eyes, he could see hundreds of Star-Sapphires all looking up at the Manhunters who had ceased their attacks, confusion and fear rippling across most of their faces.

"It is time," he said as he leaned back in the chair, allowing numerous small tendrils to attach to his mind and make himself one with his ship. At Brainiac's command, the mouth of the skull slowly slid open as thousands of machines worked in unison to get it to move. With the jaws opened wide, there was now room for a massive, multicolored laser to push its way through and aim itself right at the planet.

With the sights aimed perfectly and all of the Star-Sapphires being held on the planet below by the Manhunters, a smile creased Brainiac's lips as he turned towards the seven Lanterns still trapped within his tubes. He then pressed a button on the arm of his chair, putting into motion his years' worth of planning. The entire surface of the space station shone with the seven Lanterns' colors as a massive beam of energy tore through space and sky, before striking the planet dead center. Greed, rage, fear and other emotions cast themselves across the Star-Sapphires and their planet, causing their powers to go into flux under such waves of emotion. And the moment their powers did so, Brainiac pushed another button.

At his command, a beam of silver energy shone down across the whole planet, bathing everything there under its rays. For a brief moment, the tiniest hint of doubt entered Brainiac's mind, making him wonder if he had calculated correctly. But then, drawing forth an even larger smile from the emotionless being, the planet's size began to decrease. It was barely noticeable at first, but then the beam's effect grew stronger.  The planet of love rapidly became smaller and smaller until Brainiac could hardly even see it on his monitors.

"At last," he muttered to himself, as he rose out of his chair and grabbed a small item from beside the throne while he floated out of his base. Where a mighty planet had once stood, now there was only empty space--empty space and a small rock that was no bigger than Brainiac's head...a rock that radiated with a violet light. "And with this, you are mine," Brainiac declared as he placed two discs around the rock, which formed a barrier around it that was similar to a glass tube. He then held aloft his prize with one hand, the prize of one of the seven Lantern's Corps that now belonged to him.

"Seven Corps. Seven emotions whose power is tied to their rings, making their homes and the wielders some of the most valuable pieces of knowledge in the cosmos," Brainiac said in a voice that would have been mistaken for joy by those who knew he held no emotions, as he gazed into his tube at the trapped planet, which still gave off a tiny violet light. "And soon, they will all be mine."

Then, very slowly and very dramatically, Brainiac turned and gazed off into the distance, where his unmatchable mind was telling him a small piece of technology was. A piece of technology that had just barely managed to escape him a few hours before. The smile fell from his face as he registered this information before he turned and floated back into his ship, planning on securing his prize before going after the annoyances.

"Manhunters," Brainiac spoke through all the collective minds of the Manhunters once he had returned to his chair, securing the trapped planet beside him while he had his station turn towards where the Green Lantern believed himself to be hidden. "There is a Green and Blue Lantern hiding near that chunk of asteroid. I believe that we have let them live long enough."

He felt the Manhunters leave the base, as well as another machine that he had sent along with them to ensure the Lanterns' destruction, allowing him to gaze at the glowing planet that was now trapped within his grasp. 'With all the knowledge of the Lantern Corps within my grasp, I will have power beyond any comprehension. Then none, not the Lanterns, not Kal-El, will be able to stop me.'
> As All Hope Dies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Across space from where the Star-Sapphires' planet used to be rested a single ship, a ship that held two Lanterns who were stunned beyond all words by what they had just witnessed. For a brief moment, all of the pain, rage and sorrow from the previous events were forgotten, as both Lanterns stared at the void where the planet belonging to a Lantern Corps used to be.

"That's...not possible," Sweetie whispered in disbelief before she slowly looked up at John. "He...he can't do that. There's...no way Brainiac could...what did he just do? Did he...kill all of them?" John remained too stunned to answer Sweetie for a few minutes before he slowly looked down at her, realization and fear starting to creep into his eyes.

"This was his plan all along...he never wanted to destroy the Lantern Corps...he wanted to collect them, to add their knowledge to his sick collection of cities that he's taken!" John snarled with rage as he clenched his fists and glared off towards the space station. "But that bastard somehow found a way to shrink whole planets down now, instead of just cities! That must be what he needed the other Lanterns for, to overpower the Central Battery!"

"So...what do we do?" Sweetie asked softly, John noticing that her eyes looked lost and afraid.

"We head back to Oa and focus all of our efforts on strengthening the defenses," John ordered as he sat down in the Captain's seat...only to realize that the skulled space station was already starting to move. He narrowed his eyes as it slowly began to turn away from where the Star-Sapphires used to be...before its course changed to right where they were hiding.

"Sweetie...we need to go--now!" John stated in a deadly serious tone. Sweetie looked out the viewscreen and realized immediately what was happening. "I need you to get to the engines and infuse them with your power. With that kind of speed we might just make it away. Go." Without another word Sweetie bolted towards the ship's engines as John stared into the hollow eyes of the station that was growing larger and larger. He didn't bother to start the engines, because he knew that even with the Interceptor's incredible speed, that Brainiac was sure to have something that could stop them.

'Our only chance is to supercharge the ship's engines and fly out of here faster than even Brainiac could reason,' John planned, not aware that he had a death grip on the controls. Suddenly, lines of blue energy began to course through the green power lines that traveled through the ship, causing the green lights to turn cyan and for the whole ship to hum with power.

"Alright John, I did the best I could," Sweetie's voice spoke through his ring, getting a small smile out of John as he gripped the controls tighter. 

"Good job, Sweetie. Sorry Brainiac, but we can't stick around," John growled as he turned the ship around...and saw that four Manhunters were floating behind them. "SHIT!" John roared right before the Manhunters unleashed their fire upon the ship, relentlessly pounding its shields and engines. He rammed his way past the Manhunters and activated the hyper drive, but his heart sank with horror when the engines didn't go off. "SHIP! What's the matter with the engines?!"

'The engines received a bad shot from one of the Manhunter's blasts,' the A.I. informed John, who cursed as more laser fire bombarded the ship. 

"Can you repair it?" 

'Yes, but it will take some time.'

'Which is something we don't have a lot of right now,' John raged as Sweetie came running back into the cockpit, looking around in confusion as more fire bombarded them. "Sweetie, the engines are offline! We need to land the ship so it can make repairs! I hope you're ready to fight, because we're going to have to hold off those Manhunters while we wait!"

Without waiting for an answer, John flew the ship down towards the nearest stationary asteroid, skipping across the rock as he crash-landed the ship for a little extra time to repair. Once the ship had stopped skidding, the two Lanterns flew outside without a moment's hesitation, where they spotted the four Manhunters quickly approaching them. 

"Sweetie, back me up!" John ordered as the Blue Lantern's light flooded into his ring, supercharging him. With a roar he crafted a massive anti-aircraft gun and began to unleash green hell upon the Manhunters, the sheer volume of fire ripping two of them apart within seconds. The other two managed to touch down on the asteroid and lunged at the pair of Lanterns. John snarled while he constructed a green rifle with a bayonet on the end, while Sweetie constructed a staff with a dragon's head on the end of it.

"No man escapes the-" a Manhunter began before John fired a bolt of green right between its eyes, snapping its head back and cutting off its infamous phrase. Sweetie bellowed with a fury never before seen, and she slammed the side of her staff into the side of the other Manhunter's head, rocking it to the side with enough force to break her construct in half. The Manhunter retaliated by blasting her point blank in the chest, but the pain barely seemed to phase the blue belle as she roared with fury and jammed the shattered construct into the Manhunter's eye. It staggered back while she created a massive, pointed gemstone and took aim with it.

"Go to hell!" she roared, and she drove the gemstone through the machine's skull, shearing it clean from its body. The Manhunter had barely begun to fall, before Sweetie grabbed it with her unicorn magic and hurled it over at the other Manhunter that was battling John. The headless Manhunter slammed into the back of the other one and brought them both to the ground, where the functional one had just begun to push itself up before Sweetie drove a spear construct through its skull.  With a twist of the weapon, she separated it's head from its body, gaining her a look from John while she looked at her prize on the end of her weapon with a snarl.

"Ship...how much longer until the repairs are done?" John muttered into his ring after a moment.

'Not much longer, Lantern Stewart. Please hold out a bit longer.'

"Alright Sweetie, all we have to do is hold out a little longer," John informed the mare as she tore the metal skull off of her weapon before punting it into space. "So as long as we work together and keep our cool, we should be able to-"

"Able to do what, Lantern Stewart?" John's blood went cold as he and Sweetie both looked up to find the emotionless face of Brainiac looking down at them, with over a dozen green-clad Manhunters floating behind him. "Do what? Escape? Even with your limited intelligence, you would know THAT is not an option for you," Brainiac said as he floated down with his hands behind his back, while the Green Manhunters surrounded the two Lanterns.

"You monster!  You were never after just a bit of the Corps knowledge!  You wanted to steal it all!" John roared at Brainiac, but the cold machine didn't even flicker at the accusation. "But you won't get away with it!  Even if you kill us, the other Lanterns will defeat you! You might have an army, but you can't defeat the entire Green Lantern Corps!"

"I will not need to. I have allowed this little quest of yours to go on for long enough, Lantern Stewart.  It is time that you die." As he said this, he lifted a hand and sent a blast of electrical energy hurtling into John's chest, blasting the senior Lantern skyward. Then, with a twitch of his head, Brainiac sent half of the Manhunters after John while he and the rest stayed to face Sweetie Belle, who glared at them all with absolute hatred flashing in her eyes.

"How interesting. Just over six hours ago you were filled with fear at the mere sight of me, yet now there is only rage within you," Brainiac observed while Sweetie snarled at him. 

"I might have been afraid of you at first, but now I'm glad that you're here. Because I'm going to tear your head off and use it as my personal football!" she roared at Brainiac while lunging towards him, but one of the Green Manhunters stepped forward and intercepted her. "OUT OF MY WAY!" she roared while she constructed her staff once again and swung with all her might at the Manhunter, but the rage turned to shock when the Manhunter reached up and snapped her weapon in half with one hand. She barely had enough time to register what had just happened before another Manhunter slammed its fist into the back of her head, sending her crashing into the rock below.

"W-what's going on?" she snarled as she sent blasts of blue into the advancing Manhunters, but all her attacks seemed to do was make their green eyes glow even brighter while they attacked. She created a shield before her that was shattered by one punch, leaving her open to be struck in the gut by a blast of laser fire. She spat in pain as another Manhunter drove its boot into her side, sending the mare skipping across the stone.

"Is it not obvious, you beast of burden?" Brainiac asked while the six Manhunters began to float towards her, all of them taking up aim with their laser rods. "The light of a Blue Lantern will increase the power of a Green Lantern simply by being in close proximity. That is why I brought only Green Lantern-infused Manhunters to deal with you and Stewart. You cannot harm them. All your "hope" will do is make them stronger, strong enough to kill you and then strong enough to kill Lantern Stewart." Sweetie spat out a bit off blood while she pushed herself back to a standing position, but her eyes didn't hold fear or hope. The was only anger. 

"It is fitting. A Green Lantern gave his life to protect you, but in the end you will be killed by the same power he wielded," Brainiac informed her with no emotion, but magma began to violently bubble beneath Sweetie's blank face. "I will never understand emotion. Despite knowing he was beaten, he continued to fight me and my army even long after he should have died--all because of his love for you. And that love was still in his eyes when I snapped his neck." If Sweetie could grit her teeth any harder, she would have shattered her teeth with the sheer amount of hate that was flowing through her.

"And in the end, his "noble sacrifice" amounted to nothing. All his death did was instill agony within you for the short time you had left. He bought you six more hours of life--life that meant nothing," Brainiac said as he pointed at her and the Manhunters lunged for the Belle, who still had yet to move. "And I find it ironic, that love, the emotion that fueled him to give his life for you, was the first to fall--and easily at that. Just another example at how insignificant emotions are. Now, die."

Sweetie was hurled across the ground as a Manhunter slammed its fist into the side of her head, but the look of absolute wrath never faltered as she slowly pushed herself back up. Another Manhunter pointed its rod at her head, but her horn flashed and her unicorn magic caused the Manhunter to turn its rod back towards its own face, which was then blasted off. She forced the rod to take aim at another Manhunter before she took a boot to the head that sent her tumbling back, where once again she slowly pushed herself back up with blood trickling out of her mouth.

"Damn...you..." Sweetie spat as she glared at the remaining five Manhunters, all of which glowed with green energy that was continuously charged by her own ring, by her own hope. Faster than she could register Brainiac appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the throat, lifting the limp mare into the air as she continued to glare at him.

"This is exactly how Lantern Spike died," Brainiac informed Sweetie, who just glared at the machine with eyes of complete hate. "But before I broke his neck, he muttered his oath as his last words. It amused me. So why not tell me yours before I send you to join him? Then you can tell him how his sacrifice meant nothing...no? Then I have wasted enough time. Die-"

At that moment, a massive blast of light went off with enough force to break Brainiac's grip and force the machine to take a few steps back. But to the brilliant machine's surprise, the light that was radiating from Sweetie was also pushing the Manhunters back, despite them being fueled by her ring. But then, Brainiac registered that the light that was bombarding them was not a blue light. It was a crimson red.

'Sweetie Belle of Equestria. You have a great rage in your heart.' 

With a shriek of fury that could be heard in all the corners of space, a column of red energy consumed Sweetie Belle. She roared while the red energy seeped into her, changing her blue outfit into one that was a bloody red. The hatred in her eyes seemed to magnify a hundred fold and red, almost blood-like energy began to seep from her mouth. And the blue ring that had once shone with the light of hope slowly burned away into space, leaving only her wrath while she glared down at the Manhunters and Brainiac with crimson red eyes.

'You belong to the Red Lantern Corps.'

"I'LL MURDER YOU!" she bellowed with unholy fury as she lunged at the nearest Manhunter, shrugging off the laser blasts like they were nothing while she grabbed hold of its skull. With a howl of pain and wrath she strained with all of her might, tearing the Manhunter's head right off of its body. She then spun and hurled the skull towards another Manhunter, stunning it long enough for her to fly right through the center of its body. With another howl she drove her hooves into the recently made hole and began to pull, causing metal to shriek before she tore the Manhunter clean in half.

"How interesting," Brainiac muttered, gaining himself Sweetie Belle's attention while she slowly turned and faced the pale machine that had caused her such pain. "Instead of holding onto your pathetic hope, you instead surrender yourself to your rage to destroy me. Blue. Red. The result will be the same. You will die."

With another howl Sweetie Belle unleashed a column of red energy right at Brainiac, who moved a hand to grab one of the Manhunters and place it before him as a shield. The red energy punched a hole right through the Manhunter's armor before tendrils of red erupted from its joints, causing all of its limbs to fly off in different directions.

"I'll kill you! Tear you apart!" Sweetie bellowed as she began to float towards Brainiac, giving off so much red energy that the very ground around her was being eaten away by her power. Yet no emotion crossed Brainiac's face while the bloody belle advanced towards him. The remaining two Manhunters lunged at her at the same time, but in a flash of motion she drove her hoof through the chest of one them. With a bellow of fury she ripped out the central structure of the Manhunter, causing it to collapse to the ground in a pile of metal as its lights extinguished. The other Manhunter backed away and started firing at her with its laser rod, but the red aura that crackled around Sweetie intercepted the shots while the attack gave her a new target. 

"To hell with you!" she bellowed as she lunged right at the Manhunter, driving herself head first into its metal stomach. With another yell she unleashed her full fury and tore right through the Manhunter with her body, leaving it to look down at the giant hole that was now in its chest. It turned to face Sweetie just in time for her to punch its head clean off, where it floated next to Brainiac as its eyes extinguished. 

"I'm going to murder you, Brainiac! Send you to hell! Then, I'll bring you back to life so I can murder you again!" Sweetie snarled with hatred as she slowly stalked towards Brainiac, whose response was to shake his head slightly, and he began to walk forward. 

"I have fought countless beings stronger than you. What can a girl with a broken heart do against a being that has bested gods?" Brainiac asked her before a thin smile crossed his face. "Spike found that out the hard way. And now, so will you." With an unholy cry to space, Sweetie lunged for Brainiac's throat with only the thought of killing him filling her mind. Brainiac took aim at Sweetie as she flew straight at him, knowing this battle was over.

"Now die."
> Desperate
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie rolled to the side to dodge Brainiac's blast while simultaneously spitting red plasma across the face and body of the machine. Brainiac looked down at his own body with interest as the metal that could trade blows with Superman was slowly eaten away by the red energy.

"I was not aware that the red plasma had such corrosive capabilities," Brainiac noted before dodging Sweetie's swing at his head. The machine reached up and grabbed Sweetie by the face, before slamming her skull first into the ground with enough force to crack the asteroid. He then lifted his boot and stomped down right on Sweetie's chest, getting her to roar with pain as her ribs cracked. 

"I...will...burn you!" she bellowed with hate before constructing a spear out of blood that she hurled right into the face of Brainiac. Brainiac took a step back, while the acidic-like red energy began to eat away at his body again, allowing Sweetie Belle to get back up and lunge right for his throat. 

"It seems that your power increases with your rage, to such a point that physical harm only makes you angrier," Brainiac noted as he dodged left and right to avoid Sweetie's blows, intrigued by her new powers. "The Red Lantern that I secured, despite having a great rage as well, did not last as long as you did. Perhaps your hate was stronger than his? Or have you completely surrendered yourself to your hate of me?"

Sweetie's response was to bellow with rage and bite down with all of her might on Brainiac's shoulder, letting the red plasma seep from her jaw and into the machine. Yet despite her overwhelming rage, one backhand from Brainiac was all it took to fling Sweetie off of him and back into the dust. Brainiac raised the arm that Sweetie had been biting to finish her off, but when it failed to move, he glanced at his shoulder to find that the red plasma had already eaten its way through his joints.

"How very interesting," Brainiac muttered while he glanced at Sweetie Belle, who was getting up once again with hate still burning in her eyes. "It seems that even my advanced armor is not entirely safe from this corrosive energy.  I must study this further." Sweetie hurled herself at the machine once again, but this time Brainiac intercepted her with a hammer-like shot to the gut that dropped her to her knees.

"You have provided me with knowledge that I had no accounts of previously," Brainiac stated while Sweetie spat out more red plasma, burning with hate as she glared up at Brainiac and tried to grab hold of his leg, while Brainiac pointed his left arm at her. "For that, your demise shall be swift."

"Brainiac! Think fast!" Brainiac turned just in time to take a shredded Manhunter to the side of the head, sending him skidding backwards as John landed in front of Sweetie. His suit was torn, bruises covered his face and one of his arms had blood running down its length, but his emerald light burned bright as he pointed his ring at Brainiac.

"Stewart. So you survived," Brainiac noted with a small nod as he looked up to see the other Manhunters floating in pieces above them. "It seems that I have underestimated you. You can still hold your own when the situation calls for it."

"And I'm more than enough to take you on," John growled with power, even though he knew that Brainiac was in a league far above his own. But he wouldn't let that stop him. Brainiac took a step forward to engage the Lantern in battle, before a thin smile crossed his face and he started to fly back up to his ship. "Where are you running to?  Face me!" John bellowed as Brainiac turned around.

"I no longer need to bother myself with you. I have far more important matters to attend to. Besides, you will have your hands full without me."  John was about to ask the madman what he meant, before a roar of fury could be heard and a blast of red energy slammed into his back, hurling him across the asteroid. With a groan he turned to see that there was only one being that could have shot him, and she was slowly advancing towards him with hatred in her eyes.

"You...you let him die..." Sweetie whispered with eyes burning like a sun, plasma dripping from her maw as she glared into the very soul of John. "You did nothing to save him. You fled and left my Spike to die."

"Sweetie, you're not thinking straight. The power of the red ring is messing with your mind," John tried to reason with her, but at the same time he knew there was only one way this was going to end. He constructed two giant fists around is arms as slowly took up a fighting stance. "You have to fight it Sweetie, you're not a Red Lantern. You were chosen to bear the symbol of hope."

"My love is gone.  My hope is dead. And my fears have been brought to life," Sweetie spat through crimson teeth as she constructed a large sickle and chain that wrapped around her body, making her glow with an unholy crimson. "And all because you fled for your life, instead of choosing to save Spike's. Now you will feel all I have left...YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH!"

With a shriek that sounded like it came from hell itself, Sweetie blitzed right at John, who slammed his gauntlets together to create a shield. Sweetie slammed into the shield head first and sent crimson lines cracking across the construct while driving the both of them across the asteroid. John cancelled his shield and switched to a large jar that he placed over the bloody belle, but with a flash of crimson she shattered the container and tackled into John once again, slamming the both of them into a chunk of asteroid that was sticking out.

"Sweetie...you've got to...fight the rage!" John tried to break through to her, but with another shriek she began to throw lefts and rights at John's head. John brought his arms up to defend himself while placing a boot in Sweetie's gut, kicking her off in a burst of strength that sent her sprawling. "Do you think this is what Spike would want? Us to be fighting while Brainiac goes off to do who knows what with the power he is gathering?!"

"I DON'T CARE!" she roared in reply as she swung the sickle with deadly intent, forcing John to roll out of the way as the blade decapitated the rock behind him. He fired a pair of restraints around the mare's legs to buy himself some time, but the red plasma burned through his will within seconds. With another burst of crimson, she wrapped the chain around his leg and whipped him over to her, slamming him into the dust before whipping her chain again and hurling the Lantern across the ground. "Spike is gone! And all that I have left is my rage!"

"And do you think you're the only one?!" John bellowed in retort as green light erupted from him, momentarily battling back the overwhelming power of the red. "Do you truly think that you are the only one to lose somebody you love in the line of duty?!  Hell no, all of us Lanterns have lost someone special to them, someone they love!  Hal has, Kyle has, and I know for damn sure that I have! You think that I haven't wanted to surrender to my pain, to just lash out at everything that makes me hurt? Of course I did! But then I would be dishonoring the memory of those I loved!"

"There is a bigger picture here Sweetie! There is Brainiac, and what he plans to do to the cosmos will make your rage and my will insignificant in comparison!" John bellowed at Sweetie, who seemed too stunned by John's rage to speak. 

"If he gets his way, then he'll be right! Spike's sacrifice wouldn't mean anything! The only way you can honor what Spike did for you is to help me stop him, to help all of space put a stop to his plan! Now, are you going to help me?! Or are you going to disrespect Spike's memory and keep fighting?"

John's words seemed to confuse the bloody belle, because she looked down at her hooves with hints of reason starting to flash in her eyes. "W-what am I...no, no! Spike must be...he died for...Spike." The moment John saw the confusion spreading across her face, he dashed forward in a burst of speed and tackled the belle, wrapping his arms around her neck as he did so.

"Sorry to do this Sweetie," John grunted as he choked the mare out, holding on tight despite her flailing. She fought against him with all of her hate, but after a few moments she slumped over unconscious, allowing John to let go of her and trap her in a green sphere. "But I can't deal with your hatred towards me right now. Not while Brainiac's on the loose. Once he's been dealt with...I'll help you deal with this hate. I promise."

|) O (|

"Free me!"

John did his best to ignore the roar of rage from the mare and the clanging of bars as she rammed herself against them, trying to focus on fixing the communication within the Interceptor. He had thrown Sweetie in the brig, which had been modified by the Guardians before to deal with Red Lanterns, before trying to send out a message to the Guardians. That was when he found that not only had the engines gone down during the attack, but that the communication was offline as well.

'And that racket going on in the back is really not helping me concentrate,' John thought as he finished connecting a pair of wires together, allowing a smile to cross his face when the console above him started to hum again. He pulled himself out from under the table and sat down, pressing a few buttons to activate the link to Oa. It took three calls, but he finally managed to make it through, though he could tell by their faces when they popped up that they were already in a bad mood.

"I hope that you have a good report for us Lantern Stewart, because we are not happy about a large number of Blue Lanterns showing up on Oa," Ali said with a cold tone in his voice. "We've had a large number of Lanterns who have never come into contact with a Blue Lantern before and now that they are supercharged, they all seem to have gained the notion that they are invincible. I hope you have a good explanation for this."

"How about this for an explanation, you old fart? Brainiac is the one who is killing Lanterns so he can use their power to fuel his Manhunters and also shrink that home worlds of Lantern Corps to add to his personal collection." To John's surprise, the entire council was struck dumb by his words and the little blue beings looked from one to another with no idea what to say for a moment.

"Are...are you certain that this information is correct?" one of them asked with a slight laugh of disbelief. "I mean, I heard of Brainiac shrinking cities, but entire worlds? Especially Lantern Corps?"

"It's already happened. I watched as he shrunk the Star-Sapphires and put them in a bottle," John said with such seriousness in his tone that all of the council believed him on the spot. "And he plans to do the same to all of the Corps' home worlds. THAT'S why I sent the Blue Lanterns to Oa. Not only are they a small Corps that need support, but they can increase all of Oa's weapons beyond one hundred percent."

"So, they would be able to increase our weapons to the point that not even Brainiac would be able to attack us. Smart thinking, Lantern Stewart," one of the other Guardians said, but John let out a bitter laugh at his praise.

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first, but then...he somehow managed to combine all the powers of the Lanterns to overwhelm the central battery that protected the Star-Sapphires," John informed the council, this time getting audible gasps out of some of them. "Brainiac found a way to tap into the Lanterns' powers and add them to his own arsenal. When we have to face him, and it will be when, he will have all our powers and more."

"Which makes it all the more necessary to stop him," Ali broke in, taking command of the situation once again. "Lantern Stewart, if what you says is true, and I have no reason to believe that you would lie, then we need to ally ourselves with the rest of the Lantern Corps as soon as possible. That is why I want you to head into the Qward and speak with Sinestro about aiding us."

"Are you crazy? Sinestro?! He hates our guts!  In fact, I'm fairly certain that he's teamed with Brainiac to assault Earth before!" John roared with fury, but Ali held up a hand to silence him. 

"Yes, but as you stated, Brainiac has captured a Lantern from all seven Corps," Ali explained while John began to catch on to the plan. "That means that Brainiac has captured at least one Yellow Lantern while killing a number more. And if we know Sinetro, and we do, he will stop at nothing until he has his revenge. And I believe you Earthlings have a saying for this situation?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," John finished, getting a nod from Ali before the Guardian began to look around the room. 

"By the way, Lantern Stewart, where is the Blue Lantern and Lantern Spike? I believe that they were with you the last time you called?" The long silence after Ali asked the question was answer enough for most of the Guardians, but John still felt the need to be heard.

"Sweetie...is now a Red Lantern. And she's being held in the brig until I'm certain that she won't tear my throat out. As for Spike," John began with a pained sigh, "he held off Brainiac so Sweetie and I could escape. He's gone. We saw his ring."

"I see. Well then, I would recommend that you move quickly to ensure that no other lives are lost," Ali stated as he brought up a map for John. "The Interceptor was created with the ability to travel to the anti-matter dimension in case we needed to reach Sinestro. It will lead you to Qward in this sector, Lantern Stewart. If we are lucky, Sinestro will not need much convincing to join our side."

"And if he doesn't, it's me against a thousand Yellow Lanterns," John pointed out with a rueful smirk. "Fine, we have our backs against the wall and need all the allies we can get. Let's just hope that we catch him in a good mood," John said as he reached out to terminate the connection.

"Lantern Stewart?" Ali said before John could switch the communications off.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about Lantern Spike.  From the little I had heard about him, he was one of our best."

"Yeah. I'm sorry too."

John cut the conversation there, before leaning forward in his chair and entering the coordinates to where the wormhole was supposed to be, crossing his arms when he finished while he leaned back and let the ship do the rest. Off in the other room, he could still hear Sweetie Belle slamming against the bars, but it was now a less frequent event than it had been previously.

'I'm going to have to tell the ponies.' John frowned with sadness as that thought crossed his mind, realizing that if they got out of this alive, he would have to be the one to tell Spike's family that he had died in the line of duty. It was a part of his job he hated the most, and thankfully he rarely had to preform it on Earth. 'But they deserve to know. They have to right to know...know that the kid was a hero, just like the rest of the Lanterns that have given their lives.'

He then reached out to the communications again, considering for a moment of giving the Justice League another call before deciding against it. 'Trigon's a much bigger threat than Brainiac, as much as I hate to say it, and they're going to need everyone they got to beat him, despite Clark having the best win-loss record against Brainiac,' John thought before another smirk crossed his face and he closed his eyes while waiting to arrive.

'Guess I'll just have to be Superman in his place and put the weight of the cosmos on my shoulders...and one of my shoulders keeps giving out. I hate getting old.'
> Planet Filled with Fear
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The beeping of the ship's computer caused John to crack his eyes open, just in time to close them shut again as light from a nearby sun blinded him. With a grunt he pulled himself out of his chair and walked out of the captain's quarters, heading to the brig where Sweetie still resided.

"Morning, Sweetie," John grunted when he approached the cell, spotting the bloody belle lying on the deck, feigning sleep. John constructed a chair and sat down on the outside of the cell, resting his arms on his knees as he sighed. "Look, I figured that even if you're a Red Lantern now, I still consider you a part of this team, and that means you have the right to know what's going on." For a brief moment, it seemed like Sweetie Belle was listening, but then she went back to pretending.

"In a few minutes, we're going to be crossing over to an anti-matter dimension, which is the base of operations for the Yellow Lanterns," John explained, hoping that this revelation would get a reaction out of her, yet it failed to do so. "The Yellow Lanterns are a fearful and vengeful bunch, and if I wasn't on direct orders from the Guardian's I would avoid this place like the plague. But Brainiac is bound to show up there sooner or later, and with Sinestro's history of working with the machine...I want him on our side before Brainiac gets the chance."

"But just because Brainiac has killed and captured a few Yellow Lanterns doesn't mean that Sinestro will work with us. He and Hal have a long standing rivalry with each other and he generally doesn't like any of the Lanterns, green or other," John explained as he rose from the chair and turned to leave. "What I'm saying is, this is the Corps that has the second highest chance of killing me on sight. And if they do, odds are you might become their captive. I wish that wasn't the case, and I'll do everything in my power to prevent it from happening, but...I wanted you to be prepared. But maybe Sinestro will just let you go. He's not a complete jerk, after all."

"Let them capture me. I'll kill them all," Sweetie spoke for the first time, yet it wasn't to the Green Lantern. John shook his head as he left the room, heading back to the cockpit to find that the ship had finally reached their destination, a part of space in the middle of nowhere with nothing around it.

"You sure this is the spot?" John asked the ship's computer while he sat down and gripped the controls tightly. 

'There is more anti-matter here than anywhere else in the universe,' the ship replied, getting a nod from the senior Lantern.

"Then let's do this." Twin beams of green energy erupted from the ship and exploded in the empty space in front of the pair, causing a strange vortex to rip through reality in front of the ship. With one last breath, John punched the ship's engines and blasted the Interceptor through the vortex and into what lay beyond. He gritted his teeth as a strange power coursed through him, but as quickly as the energy began to bombard him, a moment later the energy subsided. 

"Okay, wish I didn't have to do that again," John muttered while he looked around to find the ship floating in space...yet it was a space that seemed far different than the one he was used to patrolling. "But I guess we can thank our steam friends for helping us reach this place. If I wasn't so short on time, I'd pay them a visit. Now then, where the heck is Qward?"

'My sensors are picking up a large amount of Yellow Lantern energy coming from this direction,' the ship's computer informed John as it marked a spot on the map, giving the senior Lantern a place to go. John turned the Interceptor in the direction of the marked spot on the map and accelerated the ship towards the destination. 'Lantern Stewart, if you do not mind me asking...do you have a plan for when you reach the Yellow Lantern home world?'

"Sneak in and hopefully don't get caught before I can find Sinestro," John explained with a shrug, getting the computer to go silent for a moment before responding.

'There are nearly as many Yellow Lanterns as there are Green Lanterns, and yet you are hoping that you can sneak onto their home world and find their leader without getting caught?' the ship asked in confusion.

"That's the plan."

'That is an awful lot of hoping. Are you certain that you were not supposed to be a Blue Lantern?'

"Somebody on this craft has to be the hopeful one," John muttered as a large planet started to appear on the edge of the ship's radar, the craft confirming that it was a rocky planet that had a large amount of Yellow Energy seeping out of it. "Looks like we've finally found their home. Now, let's hope they don't mind if I drop in unannounced. Computer, lower us onto the planet as quietly and stealthily as possible.  I don't want to have to fight my way through another army of Lanterns."

The ship did as John asked and a moment later the Lantern was coasting through the planet's atmosphere, with every sense and sensor on high alert in case any of the Yellow Lanterns managed to spot the ship. They were lucky enough to find a seemingly abandoned part of the planet on which the ship might touch down, but when John lowered the exit ramp and walked out onto the planet's surface, he found it insanely difficult to keep his thin shielding up.

'Of course, the yellow energy messes with the power of even the strongest-willed Lantern, so it's no surprise that on their home world I'd be struggling just to keep my normal constructs functioning,' John reasoned while he sealed the ship behind him and turned towards a massive, city-like structure that glowed with a golden light that made John feel uneasy. 'Flying will probably get me caught, so I guess it's time to relive some of my army days and hoof it.'

John then took off at a considerable pace, running across the cracked landscape that had a yellow, almost magma-like essence flowing through the cracks. He avoided using his ring whenever possible, and if he could jump a gap or climb across something he chose to. 'All of Sinestro's Corps know the green flash of a Green Lantern, so any use of my ring would be like shining the Bat-Signal into the sky,' John thought as he continued to run.

The closer he got to the giant, industrial like area that he was heading to, the more often he had to hide beneath cracks and rocks to avoid the growing number of Yellow Lanterns that flew across the sky. John even considered removing his ring once or twice, but then he realized that the air here might not be as breathable and decided not to risk it.

'Alright, if I know Sinestro and I think I do, then he'll be either at or near the central battery, if he's on the planet at all,' John planned as he entered into the center of Qward, a large area that looked similar to an earthling smelting site, filled with magma, construction towers and a large number of buildings that were being constructed. Despite the large number of pillars and scaffolding, John could still see the huge Yellow Battery towering over all the buildings on the horizon.

"Wow, that egotist somehow managed to make it larger than it already was," John smirked with a shake of head as he turned a corner...and ran headfirst right into two Yellow Lanterns. 

"What?! A Green Lantern!" A five eyed freak yelled with surprise while he lifted his ring to shoot at John, but the older Lantern was quicker on the draw and sent a blast of green right in the center of the fear-clad being's eyes, sending him sprawling. The other Yellow Lantern, a massive monster that looked like a Yeti, let out a bellow as it football tackled John and drove the Lantern spine first into one of the structures. 

"You are not welcome here!" the yeti roared before constructing a buzz saw that it slashed right at John's face, forcing him to duck while the yellow saw blade tore through the metal behind him. John constructed a piston and slammed it right into the yeti's gut, channeling all of his will into the construct as it exploded into the yeti's stomach and hurled it backwards.

"Grr...attention, all other Sinestro Corps members," the yeti began as it started to talk into its ring, but John reacted in a heartbeat to create a green sphere around the yeti's right hand and cut off its communications with the rest of the Corps.

"Sorry about this, abominable snowman, but I can't have you blowing my cover," John growled while he pulled the yeti towards him with a yank of his green energy, constructing a giant green fist over his own as the screaming yeti flew towards him.  John added his own yell and slammed his fist into the face of the yeti and sent it sprawling, allowing him to let out a sigh of relief as he did so. "Take a nap guys, you earned it."

After moving the two Lanterns out of the way so that none of the other Lanterns would see them, John once again slowly crept along in the shadows of the buildings while he made his way towards the central battery, keeping a closer eye out for any of the Yellow Lanterns.

'I got lucky that I ran into a pair of rookies. Had they been experienced Lanterns, I might not have been able to deal with them so quickly. Then the whole Corps would have been down on me.'  After a few more close encounters and knocking out another, far more skilled Yellow Lantern, John ran into the shadows of a building that was right next to the central power battery. Peeking out from behind his cover, John glanced at the large number of Yellow Lanterns all mulling around the clearing. 'Come on you pointy-eared jackass, where are you?' Grr, he's not here? Dammit, I can't spend all my time looking for him...guys I got no other choice.'

Throwing away all sense of caution and reason, John took in one last breath before he turned the corner and walked out of his hiding space. All eyes or seeing devices turned in utter shock towards the Green Lantern while he casually strolled through nearly a hundred Yellow Lanterns before coming to a stop right before the central battery, where he turned around to face all of them with a smirk on his face.

"Hey there guys, sorry to drop in unannounced like this, but I'm looking for your boss," John Stewart began as the Yellow Lanterns all began to construct hundreds of painful looking weapons while they started to advance on John. "But since I can't seem to find him, can you guys keep me entertained until he shows up?"

All of the Yellow Lanterns roared in rage at once as they all lunged at him, getting a smirk out of John while he constructed the largest minigun that he could construct and began to unload all of his power and energy into the horde of yellow. Green light flooded the sea of yellow and fear, forcing the Yellow Lanterns back. But John's momentary smirk vanished when his construct began to crack with yellow light right before it shattered, forcing the Green Lantern to look at the now regrouped Yellow Lanterns who were all smiling menacingly at him.

'Come on Sinestro, where the hell are you?!' Stewart growled as he constructed a massive barrier around himself when the Yellow Lanterns unleashed all of their power upon the shielding, which almost immediately shattered under the sheer volume of fear. The moment his barrier shattered, John hurled himself into the sky and started firing emerald grenades into the crowd, creating massive explosions that hurled Yellow Lanterns all across the courtyard where the central battery loomed above them.

John could feel himself getting weaker and weaker as the battle progressed, with simply being in the main battery's light causing his constructs to be less that one hundred percent. He constructed a giant rocket launcher that rocketed more explosives into the Yellow Lanterns, but to John's frustration he found that more experienced Lanterns had shown up and were able to deal with his attacks.

With so much of his attention focused on the more experienced Lanterns, John was completely caught off guard by a large bluish beast that tackled John from behind and drove the both of them straight into the ground.  John took aim with his ring right at the Lantern's face, but a cord of golden light wrapped around his ring arm and yanked it to the ground, leaving him open to a mighty right hand to the side of his face.

"You should have known better than to come here by yourself, Green Lantern," the Yellow Lantern snarled with a menacing grin as it moved its fangs right next to his head. "Any Lantern of your Corps that shows up here end's up becoming a prime candidate for the Black Lanterns," he snarled while constructing a weapon with numerous pointy edges. "Can you guess why?"

"Because your yellow is so damn ugly!" a voice roared as a blast of crimson wrath hurled the Yellow Lantern off of John and back into the crowd of his brethren, giving John a moment to recuperate as another blast of red severed the cord that was pinning his arm down. With his ring free John was able to ascend back into the sky, where, to his shock, he found himself floating next to Sweetie Belle.

"Sweetie? What the heck are you doing here?" John asked as the Yellow Lanterns resumed their attack, forcing the two Lanterns to dodge and weave out of the way of the hundreds of yellow bolts. "I thought that I left you in the cell back on the ship!"

"You did! I chewed my way through the floor!" Sweetie roared before lunging forward at a Yellow Lantern and impaling his leg with her horn, roaring with fury as she hurled him to the side before blasting him down with a bolt of red. "So this was your big plan to get the Yellow Lanterns on our side? Attack every single damn member of their Corps?!"

"I'm drawing out their leader! I guess the only way he'll show up is if we cause enough chaos!" John roared as he hurled a ball and chain into the side of a Yellow Lantern's head before changing his weapon into a machine gun that knocked another Lantern out of the sky. 

"Well, he'd better show up soon, because I can feel their power increasing just by being in the same proximity to that massive Lantern!" Sweetie snarled as she vomited red plasma on all of the Yellow Lanterns that got too close to her, only to be tackled from behind and punched into the side of a building. She roared with fury as she pulled herself out of the metal, before a massive yellow wrecking ball slammed into the belle and smashed her right out the other side of the structure. 

"Wow, if this is how you treat your guests, I hate to see how you'd treat your enemies!" John growled as he punched a Yellow Lantern in the jaw before getting shot in the back and sent spiraling into the ground. He constructed a barrier to protect himself from the second salvo as he pushed himself back up and turned to face the swarm of Yellow Lanterns, who were beginning to combine their powers to overpower any construct that he created. Three Yellow Lanterns in particular combined their powers to create a massive cannon of yellow energy that they pointed right at John, who growled as he tried to move himself out of the way in time.

"Oh, hell no!" Sweetie bellowed as she reentered the fight by slamming into the back of one of the Lanterns and knocked her away from the cannon, before turning and blasting the other two off with two consecutive blasts. She then shattered the construct with a blast of red before floating down next to John, giving him a look before turning with the Green Lantern to realize that even more Yellow Lanterns were showing up, as well as--to John's relief--a red-skinned alien with a pencil thin mustache.

"That is enough! All of you, cease!" the alien roared before he floated down in front of John, the two glaring at each other for a moment before John held out a hand.

"Hello, Sinestro," John said with as little hate as he could muster. Sinestro looked at the hand for a moment before his left fist connected with the side of John's face and sent him sprawling into the ground.

"Hello, Stewart."
> They Don't Get Along
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I am surprised that you even dared to enter into the anti-universe, let alone come to MY world!" Sinestro growled before wrapping golden chains around John and hurling him into the side of the central battery, where he floated over with a very unfriendly glare. The black and yellow clad alien then wrapped the chains tighter as he scowled with rage. "You should know better than nearly any Green Lantern, what happens when Green Lanterns come to my world. They die, alone and afraid!"

"But I just get mad!" Sinestro turned to take a white mare's hooves to the face, catching Sinestro right on the bridge of his nose and bouncing his head back into the battery. She then constructed a massive crimson claw that wrapped around Sinestro before hurling him into the air, where he quickly caught himself while he stared down at the crimson pony.

"I was not aware that you had any pets, Stewart, but you would do well to keep it on a leash," Sinestro sneered, infuriating the bloody belle.

"That's it! You're losing an arm!" Sweetie roared as she lunged up at Sinestro with a wicked blade extending from her horn. But in a moment, Sinestro had sidestepped her attack and slammed a large axe into her back, shattering her red aura and sending her crashing into the Yellow Lanterns below.

"And you have lost your mind if you believe yourself able to match my light," Sinestro mocked Sweetie while she forced herself back up, the two staring each other down for a moment before a flash of green went off and John placed himself between the two combatants.

"Cut it out you two! Sweetie, this is exactly the reason I left you in the ship! You are not in your right state of mind!" John bellowed at her while constructing a brick wall around her, getting her to bellow in reply while she started to burn through it. "And as for you," John growled as he turned on Sinestro, who looked anything but impressed at John. "As hard as it might be for you to believe this, I did not come here to fight. I came to ask for help."

"I must give you some credit, Stewart, you nearly got a chuckle out of me there," Sinestro said with a look that only could be described as a smirk and a sneer combined. He then pointed his left hand right at the symbol on John's chest and created a crystal-like spike with which he debated impaling the Lantern. "The Sinestro Corps and the Green Lanterns are enemies. When will you get that through you skull?"

"Trust me, there's no love lost between me and your Yellow Lanterns," John growled as he created a missile launcher and pointed it right at the emblem of fear on Sinestro's chest. "But your Corps and the Green Lanterns have worked together before, when the situation called for it, and this is the time to do so. Brainiac is back."

"And?"  Sinestro asked without an ounce of concern in his voice. "Brainiac is your problem and your League's problem, not mine. Besides, I have more pressing matters to attend to than helping the Guardians of Oa continue their arrogant vision. You will get no sympathy from me."

"Not even if I tell you that Brainiac is the one responsible for the missing Yellow Lanterns?" John asked with a stone cold stare, getting an eyebrow raise out of Sinestro, and the Yellow Lantern leader crossed his arms with a look. "Yeah, I figured that would get your attention. Brainiac is responsible for all the missing Lanterns. He's kidnapped and killed most of them, except for a select few that he keeps aboard his space station the size of a moon."

"Dare I ask what he has done with those that have remained his captives?" Sinestro asked with narrowed eyes.

"You remember the Manhunters?" John asked, reading from Sinestro's expression that he did. "Well, Brainiac has rebuilt thousands of them and is pumping the power of those captured Lanterns, one from every Corps, into them, giving them the same powers that we wield."

"That...that cannot be," Sinestro muttered before shaking his head slightly and narrowing his eyes once again. "While this news is...disturbing, I do not see how it warrants cooperation between the Green and Yellow Lanterns. If Brainiac has attacked any of my Corps, I will deal with it personally. I hardly see the need to ally myself with you."

"That's because, you egoistical sack of crap, I'm not done yet. Infusing the Manhunters with the energy of the Lanterns was only an added bonus for capturing members of each Corps. His real goal was to build a weapon...a weapon that could nullify the power of a Corps' home world, allowing him to shrink and then capture that world." All of the Yellow Lanterns that were listening went quiet at John's words, and a few of them began to murmur to one another with concern.

"A terrifying thought to be sure, but I am certain that you are lying," Sinestro said with a smirk as he turned away from John. "There is no one, not even Brainiac, who is capable of unlocking the secrets of all the Corps' rings. Your data is most likely faulty or-"

"Data?!  Listen here, you fear-filled freak, we know what he's capable of because we saw it happen!" Sweetie Belle roared at Sinestro, who slowly turned to face the Belle with both rage and concern in his eyes. "That's right, you know the Star-Sapphires?!  Well nearly every single one of them is now trapped in a tiny glass jar because of Brainiac, including their planet!"

"You've worked with him in the past, Sinestro, you know what his goals are," John cut in when he saw doubt flash across the Sinestro Corps leader. "He wants all the knowledge in the cosmos and the fewer beings that have it, the more valuable it becomes. And what could be more valuable and filled with more knowledge than the source of power of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy?"

Sinestro went quiet for a long time after hearing John's reasoning, his chin resting on his chest as he floated with arms crossed. "So, you are telling me that Brainiac is collecting the Lantern Corps' home worlds so that he may place us in jars and add us to his twisted collection?"

"Before he uses that same power to destroy everything in the cosmos," John confirmed with a nod of his head, getting a genuine frown out of the fear-filled Lantern. "And with the Star-Sapphires already captured, we're going to need every ring in the galaxy to fight back."

"Have you contacted any of the other Corps and informed them of the imminent doom, if you are speaking the truth?" Sinestro asked.

"The Blue Lanterns are already with us, but the Guardians reasoned that with you having one of the larger Corps, we should get you on our side first," John explained. "The Guardians will contact the other Corps."

"So, the other Corps are essentially dead then," Sinestro scowled before placing his fist under his chin while he pondered for a moment. Then he opened his mouth to speak...before his gaze, along with the eyes of every other Lantern in the area, was drawn skyward by the arrival of twelve Manhunters that all shone with a blue hue. "Are those the Manhunters you spoke of, Stewart?" 

"Yeah. And by the colors they're giving off, it seems that they're not here to talk." The hundreds of Yellow Lanterns took up fighting stances as the twelve Manhunters landed in the center of the crowd, scanning each and every face before their scanners rested upon the leader of the Sinestro Corps.

"Sinestro. We are here on behalf of Brainiac," one of the Manhunters spoke as it stepped forward, getting a glare from Sinestro. "We are here to offer a choice to you."

"A choice? Are you saying that Brainiac is threatening me?" Sinestro asked with a growl.

"Not threatening. Giving you a choice because you have served him well in the past," the Manhunter clarified, yet its choice of wording caused Sinestro to lower his arms to the side and stretch his fingers. "You and your Corps can surrender to Brainiac and all of your lives will be spared. Or, you can fight a futile battle and most of you will die before he takes what he wants. What is your answer?"

"My answer?" Sinestro began without a moment to think as he walked forward towards the Manhunter. "You, my friend, have made my answer very simple." In a blur of motion a golden chain with a spear on the end of it flew forth from Sinestro's hand and imbedded itself in the Manhunter's head, where with one powerful tug Sinestro tore the machine's head clean off its body whilw he glared at the remaining eleven. "My answer is one that Brainiac will fear. Sinestro Corps, dispose of this trash."

All of the Lanterns roared in rage as they attacked the Manhunters, who all began to fire bolts of blue energy into the advancing sea of fear. Despite Hope being the strongest defense against fear, the sheer volume of Yellow Lanterns was enough to quickly overwhelm the Manhunters despite their power.

"Very well, you shall have our aid, Stewart, as the Green Lanterns can do nothing without me," Sinestro said as he turned to Stewart, whose eyes were locked on one of the Manhunters that was being ripped apart by a massive, eight armed beast. "But do not for a moment believe that this means we are allies. My Corps' goal is to destroy Brainiac. If that is the Green Lanterns goal as well, so be it. But the moment I have crushed the last bit of that machine in my grasp, things return to normal."

"Anything else would truly be something to be afraid of," John muttered before he looked down at Sweetie, who was watching the sky. "Alright, you ready to head out?"

"Nope. These idiots are going to need us in a moment." John was about to ask her what she meant, before a massive flash of green light erupted from the sky, hurling away the Yellow Lanterns from the remaining Manhunters. Sinestro and the other Lanterns watched as a Brainiac body radiating green power floated down into the center of the Mahunters, causing their already blue light to shine even brighter.

"You did not tell me that Brainiac had created bodies that could harness the Blue Lanterns' light," Sinestro snarled as he constructed yellow armor as well as a golden battle axe. 

"Just found out myself," John growled while he constructed a rocket launcher. With the power of a Green Lantern's light, the Manhunters' power skyrocketed, and they began to push back the Yellow Lanterns. 

"You're both idiots. If he's smart enough to do that to Manhunters, why not do it to himself?" Sweetie Belle seethed as plasma began to drip from her lips. "Let me make this very clear for you, Lantern fueled by cowardice. You want the Manhunters? Knock yourself out. But if anypony is going to tear Brainiac's throat out and make him swallow it, it's going to be me!" Sweetie bellowed before lunging for the machine, but a green claw grabbed hold of her and pulled her back.

"Hold it young lady, you're sitting this fight out," John ordered while he pulled the raging Sweetie back. "Blue Lanterns are also the worst kind of Lantern you can go up against. They have the power to nullify a Red Lantern's rage, and without rage you might straight up die. Let the professionals handle this."

"So, you shall be retreating as well Stewart?" Sinestro mocked before hurling himself into the battle, driving his axe right through a Manhunter's skull before twirling in the air while he fired golden spheres into the faces of the other Manhunters! "Fight! Show these machines the meaning of fear!" Sinestro ordered as spider legs constructed from his back and impaled a Manhunter multiple times before the Yellow Lantern turned to the Green Brainiac.

"Feh, you don't even have the manners to appear before me in your real body," Sinestro growled while he scanned the machine before him. "And what is this shell that you have crafted? Are you truly trying to use the power of the Lanterns against the Lanterns?  And here I used to think you were smart."

"This talk is meaningless, Sinestro. Even if you manage to defeat these simple machines, what the master has planned will be far more terrifying than even you can comprehend," the Green Brainiac said with no emotion as it raised both arms and fired blasts of green energy towards the leader. Yet, with skill that nearly no other Lantern could match, Sinestro deflected and dodge the attacks before closing in on Brainiac, constructing yellow boulders that he sandwiched the Green Brainiac in-between.

"More terrifying than I could comprehend?" Sinestro asked in a cold whisper that hid an ocean of rage beneath it. "I AM FEAR! I am the one who mastered the Yellow energy and created my own Corps to combat those who do not submit! You are a machine, capable of feeling nothing! That is why," Sinestro began before crafting a sword which he drove through the Brainiac's extended arm, severing it completely. "Even your advanced strength is no match for me."

"Fascinating," the Brainiac muttered as it looked at the sparking circuitry and hydraulics, "despite having the same power that Hal Jordan constantly uses to defeat you and your superior armor, you were still able to wound this form."

"Of course," Sinestro spat as he brought the blade straight down on Brainiac's skull, cleaving the robot's head clean in two with a growl. "You may have the power of will, but without emotion all it does is make you weak to my light. An emotionless being like you cannot possibly unlock the full power of the Lanterns rings. That is why I do not fear you Brainiac, but it should be why," Sinestro said as he pointed his ring at the center of Brainiac's neck. "You shall fear me."

One last blast of yellow light disintegrated the false will in one shot, burning it away until nothing of the body was left. Then Sinestro turned and constructed another set of spider legs that tore through two more Manhunters. Without the green light to support them, the Yellow Lantern turned and walked back over to John, who was still trying to keep Sweetie under control.

"You know that Brainiac is not going to be happy about your answer," John reminded Sinestro as the rest of the Yellow Lanterns cleaned up the rest of the Manhunters. "He'll most likely come here next, and he'll come to take your whole planet. And he'll have an army next time."

"It does not matter. We shall not be here when he does arrive," Sinestro said, smirking when he saw the confusion on John's face. "I have a number of central batteries set up all across the cosmos, in case I need to change home worlds for my Corps quickly. Why do you think you can never find us?"

"Yeah, you would be the type to do something like that," John said with a mix of respect and worry, wondering what other secrets Sinestro was keeping from them. A flash of red went off behind them as Sweetie finally managed to break through John's barrier, and in a moment she had turned on Sinestro with fury.

"HE WAS MY KILL!" she bellowed as she lunged at him, but once again Sinestro swatted Sweetie away with little effort.

"Calm yourself, if you are able, I did not slay the real Brainiac. No, the real one is still most likely aboard his ship and preparing to wage war against us," Sinestro informed Sweetie, who pulled herself off the ground with round two flashing in her eyes, before she growled and held her hooves to her head.

"Sweetie! What's the matter?" John asked as he rushed to her side.

"I...hear a voice! He's...Atrocitus and he...demands that all Red Lanterns return to the battle ship," Sweetie growled through gritted teeth while she clutched at her skull. Sinestro and John shared a look before John placed a hand on Sweetie's shoulder.

"Sweetie. Did he say anything about why he wants all Red Lanterns to return to the battle ship?" John asked Sweetie, who had fear mixed in with her rage when she opened her eyes to look at John.

"Because a large number of the Red Lanterns have already fallen. Fallen to Brainiac."
> Extinguished Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The last know location of the Red Lanterns' battleship was in the Delta quadrant of frontier space, someplace that any ship slower than this one would take days to get to," John explained to Sweetie Belle and to a spider-like Yellow Lantern named Se'rokal that Sinestro had sent along with them to aid in their fight. "You probably already know this, but the Red Lanterns are a nasty crew who generally have a vendetta against every Corps in the galaxy."

"The Red Lanterns are no allies of ours," Se growled as his fangs clicked while he scurried around the ceiling of the Interceptor and freaked Sweetie the hell out. "And neither are the Green Lanterns," he clarified as he leapt down onto the control panel in front of Stewart, but the senior Lantern never flinched at the eight-eyed Lantern who glared at him. "The only reason I dared to go with you is because Sinestro demanded it! So do not think you are the boss of me!"

"Yeah?  Well, I'll make sure to tell Sinestro that--when you get your ass killed because you tackled something you have no idea how to fight," John snarled right back at him, casting a glance over at Sweetie to find that she was keeping her distance from the Lantern.

"What's the matter girl, afraid of spiders?" Se'rokal asked with a venomous chuckle while he started to scurry over, but a blast of red to the head sent him sprawling across the floor.

"No, I'm just keeping my distance because if you come over here, we'll be scrubbing you off the windshield," Sweetie snarled back as she spat plasma at Se's legs, getting the spider to growl while he started to advance on her.

"Alright, that's enough of that!" John decided as he constructed a shield in between the two. "Sweetie, stop antagonizing him. You...try to avoid becoming a splatter on the windshield. I need to see where I'm going." The Yellow Lantern made a strange clicking sound that John didn't understand, but as the Lantern chose the chair farthest away from the Red Lantern, John figured that he wouldn't cause trouble.

"You seem to be in better control of yourself," John observed as Sweetie sat down next to him, her eyes still burning, but she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"When I first put the ring on, it brought all of my hatred and pain to the surface in an instant," Sweetie explained as she wiped some of the plasma dripping from her jaw away. "Because of that, I just lashed out at everyone that was around me, even if they were my friends. Sorry John, I was just so...angry."

"Don't sweat it, you're not the first Red Lantern to try and take my life, and I'm glad to see that you weren't the last. But still, when you accused me of abandoning Spike and leaving him to die while we fled...was any of that true?" John didn't like the fact that she went silent for a moment after that, hints of pain seeming to mingle with the wrath that all Red Lanterns held in their souls.

"I know that you didn't have a choice and that Spike was right, but...I still wondered, if we had continued to fight, if I hadn't been knocked out...could we have all gotten out of there?" Sweetie asked with pain. "So I guess in a way, I'm just as guilty for abandoning him when he needed us."

"Well, we'll be sure to make Brainiac pay for what he did. If you want, you can bring him in when this is all said and done," John offered, but Sweetie shook her head with murder flashing in her eyes in response.

"No John, I'm not going to stop until Brainiac's head is thoroughly severed from his spine," Sweetie promised as she constructed a serrated knife and began to balance it in her hoof. "Only then will I finally find peace for Spike's death." John opened his mouth to try and change her mind, but at that moment Se'rokal let out a growl and moved to a window. 

"What's the matter, spot a space fly?" John called over to him.

"There is something out there, something that is messing with my ring," the Yellow Lantern snarled as he started to scan the stars.  John was about to join him when sirens began to blare in the cockpit, right before a blast of light slammed into the ship from behind.

"Dammit, we're under attack!" John roared as he turned on the scanners to discover that a large spacecraft, about the same size as the Interceptor, had appeared behind them and was opening fire. All John needed was a glance at the skull on the front of the ship to know what was going on. "Brainiac has sent this ship so we can't aid the Red Lanterns!  We need to take care of this quickly and continue on!" he ordered as he flew out of the ship, Sweetie and Se'rokal following him a moment later.

"Finally, I get to tear some more Manhunters apart," Sweetie cried with fury. She and the Yellow Lantern came to a stop outside of the ship next to John, who had already created a barrier to protect the Interceptor from the shots of the skull-headed ship that had tendrils dangling below it. Se'rokal and Sweetie added their own shields alongside John's, reinforcing it to the point that the space lasers failed to even dent the construct. Once the ship realized this, it ceased to fire and instead the skull split in two.

"Alright, here come the Manhunters. Remember, since they cannot truly tap into the Lantern's power, we should be able to overwhelm them if..." But John's words died a horrible death, while he and the other two Lanterns gasped in shock and terror at what floated out of the ship. Numerous beings all radiating with green light floated forward, but their bodies were covered in mechanical wires and Brainiac's own technology, yet even the Yellow Lantern was able to tell who most of them were.

"These are...were Green Lanterns," he snarled with surprise before one of the mechanical Lanterns lunged forward and shot past Sweetie and John to grab Se by his neck. Before the Lantern could try anything a blade of green sliced his hand, yet the armor he wore was too strong and the blade only nicked him. Yet John's strike was enough to get the former Lantern to release his grip, where Se blasted a cannon ball of yellow light into his face and hurled him back over to his allies. "What are these things?"

"This is what Brainiac has done to the corpses of the Lanterns that he has experimented on," John clarified as the six machines regrouped and began to select their targets, two of them lunging at Sweetie while the remaining four tackled John and Se. "Sorry to do this to you," John apologized to the spirit of his former teammate, before he fired a quick succession of blasts right in between the Lantern that was once made of stone. But the armor that covered his whole body managed to absorb most of the shots, allowing the machine to grab hold of John's neck and hurl him into the roof of the Interceptor.

"Alright, a tough guy eh?" John asked before constructing two cords lined with serrated blades that dangled down to the ship, which he cracked once as the two emerald machines lunged at him. John sidestepped the first attack and whipped it in the back as it flew by, but with a growl of frustration he found that the alien armor was barely even nicked by the blades. He quickly turned to slash across the face of the second machine, yet once again the machinery that Brainiac had infused into their bodies held strong, and John was forced to dive to the side to avoid a fatal blow.

"What manner of armor is this?!  Despite their energy belonging to weak-minded Guardians, their bodies do not yield!" Se'rokal roared as he drove a buzz saw into the gut of one of his foes, but the saw construct shattered against the alien armor and left him open to a punch to the fangs that hurtled him upwards.

"Whatever it is, it's insanely tough!" John called out to the Lanterns while he switched over to a mace which he brought down dead center onto the skull of one of the mechanical Lanterns, yet as the machine slammed into the roof of the ship John was able to see that the damage was minimal at best. 'Dammit, it feels like I'm fighting Brainiac himself,' John analyzed as he drove the end of his mace into the other machine, one that used to be a humanoid, and flipped the robot over his head and into the roof of the ship. John swung the mace over his shoulder while constructing rockets for the weapon, allowing him to swing it down with far more force than before.

Yet, in a moment the machine reached up and grabbed hold of the spikey end of the weapon, stopping it in its tracks, despite the added force behind it. John stared down in disbelief before a blast of green struck him in the chest and sent him hurtling from his own ship and into the bow of the Brainiac vessel. He grunted with pain before snapping his head to the side in an effort to avoid a hammer-like punch that just barely missed his face.

"Open wide!" John roared as he pointed his ring right at the stone machine's face and poured as much of his will as he could into the blast, snapping the machine's head back and sending it flying across space. He was just starting to push himself off of the ship when the other machine he was fighting rammed into his gut and drove the both of them off of the ship.

"When will you machines learn your lesson and stay...DOWN!" he yelled with fury as he slammed his right fist into the machine's gut before unleashing all of his green light into the stomach of his foe. The emerald light shone brightly and would have blasted the foe away, had he not reached out and grabbed hold of John's arm, keeping him right next to the Lantern until the attack ceased. "You piece of-"

The machine slammed its fist into the side of John's head, sending him hurtling back down into the side of the Brainiac ship. Stewart growled with rage before turning his ring upon the ship itself, thus covering it in a green light which he reinforced, before taking aim at one of the machines and hurling the ship at it with all of his might. The machine wasn't fast enough to dodge the incoming space craft, and John couldn't help but smile at the sound of metal bouncing off of metal as one of the machines went sailing into the unknown.

"Alright, one down, one to..." John began as he turned around, but to his horror he found that his number of foes had increased from two to three when he looked behind him. When he glanced passed the three mechanical Lanterns that floated towards him, he gritted his teeth because he also discovered that his allies had gone from three to two. With a roar of rage, John constructed a massive minigun that he attached to his left arm with a piercing drill covered his right. "Alright you bastards! You want to go?! Then let's go!"

|)O(|

"All of you will fall!" Sweetie bellowed while she drove her horn right into the chest of one of the mechanical Lanterns, managing to knock him back with a combination of magic and her rage-fueled strength. A crimson blast of magic ricocheted off of the machine's chest, getting a snarl out of the belle before a sinister smile crossed her face. "That's some really nice armor you have there. It would be a shame if somepony spilled acid on it!" she roared before spitting red plasma across the chest of the Lantern.

With a laugh, she watched as her acid began to eat away through the incredibly strong armor, revealing the more flesh-like bits that was all that remained of the body. That laugh turned to a snarl as rage overtook her again, and she lunged her hoof right into the hole that she had made, grabbing hold of whatever she could before she began to tear out the machine's insides. Wires, structural support and an assortment of other items flew past Sweetie while she took out the machine's insides and put them on the outside.

"Don't worry, machine. This ends now!" Sweetie bellowed before unleashing all of her crimson might into the hole with fury, causing the green energy within the former Lantern to shine with an unholy red before her wrath overloaded the machine's sensors, and it exploded in a flash of green and crimson. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Sweetie snarled before turning to glare at the other machine, which was keeping its distance from her.

"I see. You must have been the smarter of the two," Sweetie sneered as she slowly turned upon her foe, who took aim at her with one of its laser cannons and opened fire on her. She didn't even bother to dodge as multiple blasts struck her body, yet she kept moving forward without her face ever changing from its snarl of rage. "You think those pathetic blasts of yours can hurt me? I've already had my heart torn from my chest. I no longer feel pain. All I feel...is hatred!"

She lunged at the machine and slammed her shoulder into it, knocking it over and leaving it open for her plasma. Yet, before she could spew the acid on the Lantern's armor, it reached out with a hand and gripped its fingers around her mouth. Despite her incredible strength, the mechanical monster that Brainiac had constructed was stronger still. While still holding her by her mouth, the machine began to wail away on her with its other hand, striking her again and again in the side of the head.

The machine wound up for a much stronger strike, yet when it swung at Sweetie Belle, the unicorn vanished in a flash of light. The machine was stunned for a brief moment before it felt the burning plasma burn along its back, causing it to turn around to see Sweetie smiling down at it.

"What's the matter, tin man? Didn't know that I could teleport?" Sweetie menacingly asked before constructing a spiked fist that she slammed into the machine's face, sending it flying backwards. Her red light shined brightly as she constructed a pair of whips that she drenched with the plasma, before whipping them towards the machine. Despite the machine's incredible armor, the plasma that coated the whips tore clean through one of the machine Lantern's arms and severed it completely.

"Aw, did that hurt?" Sweetie teased as the machine looked down at its missing limb before taking aim at Sweetie with the other one. Her whips flashed again and slashed the arm clean off at the elbow, leaving the machine with nothing. "Don't worry, this will all be over in a moment." She roared before hurling the whip forward, driving it clean through the robot's chest. She then drove the other one into the other side of the armored chest and channeled her red energy into the robot, causing it to burn with a crimson light.

"Wish you could stay longer, but I understand if you've got to split," Sweetie taunted before roaring while she hurled her whips to the side and carved the machine clean in two. She then switched from whips to two giant cannons that she filled with plasma quickly, before unloading the salvo into the two halves of the robot, burning it away within a matter of seconds.

"Is that all you've got, Brainiac?!" she bellowed into the emptiness of space, glaring in defiance as she expected the mechanical monster to appear at any given moment. She then heard the sounds of fighting and turned to see John struggling to hold off the three remaining machines. "Great, guess I've got to help him," she growled as she prepared to fly to his side.

"No, Sweetie Belle. That is nowhere close to all I've got."

Sweetie spun in a frenzy, preparing to rip the head off the silver and purple-clad monster that she loathed with every fiber of her being. But that fire went cold as realization struck her, realization that while Brainiac may have spoken, the being behind her was not Brainiac.

Instead, it was slightly taller than she was and wore the same armor and weaponry of the machines that she had just torn apart. But neither the green ensemble on its chest, nor its cold eyes, is what tore her apart. Instead, it was the green fins that extended from his head, the purple scales that could be glimpsed at from beneath the armor, and the smile on its face that she knew all too well.

"It can't be..." she whispered with horror as the machine floated closer.

"What is the matter, Sweetie Belle? Do you not recognize who this is?" Brainiac asked with what almost sounded like enjoyment in his voice. And the belle knew all too well who was floating towards her.

"Spike."
> Heart-Wrenching Agony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With horror flooding her veins, Sweetie Belle floated away from the mechanical dragon that floated towards her, a smile on its face that was far more menacing than anything Spike could have ever made. "What is the matter, girl?  I thought you wanted me to...how did you phrase it...come at you?"

"N-no, it can't be. That's...that's not," she whispered in agony while she continued to back away, her rage having been completely extinguished by the turn of events.

"You are correct in your unfinished statement. This is not the dragon that you knew and loved. This is only what remained of him, what I transformed into one of my own," Brainiac explained through Spike's lips with a menacing smile upon his face. "But I will admit that this one is slightly different from the others that have crafted. I am certain of that. But whatever the difference is, he...or shall I say it, still serves my every command. So if I were to order it to kill you," Brainiac stated, and a moment later the dragon lunged forward and wrapped its claws around Sweetie's throat, starting to choke her out as it did so, "then that is exactly what it will do."

The mechanical dragon hurled Sweetie Belle towards the Interceptor with incredible strength, hurling her right past John and the other mechanical Lanterns before she meteored into the top of the ship. Sweetie coughed up some plasma weakly as the dragon floated down in front of her, the smile having been replaced by the emotionless blank stare that Brainiac wore well.

"Where did all that bravado go, Sweetie Belle? A moment ago you were ready to kill me without mercy. Now, it looks as if you can barely stand." Brainiac's assessment proved true, because Sweetie was struggling just to pick herself up without breaking down. She glanced over at the mechanical dragon while desperately trying to ignite her fire once again.

"It's not him. It's just a puppet that you created," Sweetie grunted as she pushed herself up, trying to convince herself. "You...murdered him. Disgraced his last act. I'll...I'll kill you for that!" she bellowed with as much fury as she could muster, before hurling herself at the machine in a flash of red light. Yet, only a smirk crossed the face of the dragon before it spun and whipped Sweetie across the face with its tail, sending her face first into the metal roof of the ship.

"If you do not even believe your own words, then how do you expect to summon the hatred required to destroy this body?" Brainiac asked as Sweetie's red light died down to a more burnt maroon, watching with cold eyes as she pushed herself up once again. "Unless of course, you can't bring yourself to destroy what used to be the one you loved."

"Damn you!" Sweetie bellowed as she lunged at the dragon, who slammed his metal fist into her face and sent her skidding across the hull of the ship. She spat out a small amount of plasma while pain throbbed in her skull, yet the pain she felt on the outside was nothing compared to the agony she was feeling on the inside. The mechanical dragon was at her side in an instant and grabbed her by the back of her head, slamming her nose first into the ship's roof and drawing even more plasma.

"What is the matter, Sweetie Belle? Where is that hatred of yours?" Brainiac asked as he grabbed her mane and pulled her to her hooves, slamming the dragon's fist into her face and snapping her head back. "Where is the fury that ripped through my Manhunters? That tore apart my machines? The hatred that burned through even my armor?" For a brief moment, that rage flashed in her eyes once again, but when she looked into the face of the dragon, it faded away and pain took its place.

"How pathetic. Your only hope to save yourself, and you can't even get angry. Then again, your hope died when you surrendered to the rage, and even that has left you. So then, Sweetie Belle," Brainiac began as the dragon's razor sharp claws were brought back and aimed at her throat, where the red ring barely had enough power to shield her. "Anything to say before you die?"

"I'm sorry, Spike. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you...that I couldn't save you," Sweetie whispered as tears began to streak down her face. "If you're in there, and able to hear me...I love you. I always will."

'Love.'

"GAAAHHHH!" Sweetie roared in agony as it felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest, causing confusion to flash across the dragon's face while she clutched at her heart in pain. In a flash, Brainiac went through all of his knowledge on the Lantern rings and a smile crossed the dragon's face when he discovered what was happening to her.

"Is this not ironic?  Yes, this is far better than the last time I had you like this," the dragon muttered before releasing Sweetie and dropping her onto the roof of the ship, where she writhed in pain. "Yes, a Red Lantern's ring replaces the heart of its host with hate, doesn't it?  So if a Red Lantern were to feel any other emotion, especially love, then the result is quite fatal." The Brainiac-controlled dragon then knelt down next to the screaming Belle, who was barely conscious enough to glare at him through her tears.

"Ironic. The reason this body's previous inhabitant gave his life for you was because it was an act of love," Brainiac reminded Sweetie as she started to gag, clutching at her throat while her vision began to dim. "And now, because you chose hatred, that very same emotion that caused Spike to give his life will be the one that takes yours. Even I can taste the irony in that. Farewell, Lantern Belle."

"SWEETIE!" The dragon turned just in time to receive a green boot to the face that hurtled him away from the mare. The dragon caught itself quickly a moment later and turned to see that its attacker was none other than Lantern Stewart, who was desperately pressing down on Sweetie's chest in an effort to get her heart started again. "No, no dammit! I won't lose the both of you!"

"Indeed you will, Lantern Stewart," the dragon said in Brainiac's voice as it floated over to John, whose suit was ripped in numerous places and his face was bloodied, yet he only gave what used to be his comrade a glance before turning his focus back to Sweetie. The dragon delivered a sharp kick into John's gut to knock him away from the dying mare, rolling him onto his back where Brainiac stomped down with a clawed foot. 

"Brainiac, you bastard, I swear I'll-!"

"You will what, Lantern Stewart?" Brainiac asked as he slammed his foot into John's chest, getting a growl of pain from the Lantern. "You cannot stop me. The Red Lantern home world is already mine. You are trapped out here by yourself, with no one to come to your aid. Sinestro believes himself and his Lanterns safe on Korugar. And the other Lantern that you swore to protect lies dying in the icy cold of space with her heart stopped, an action caused by her own love. There is nothing you can do, Lantern Stewart. You have no hope."

"I see. Then allow me to provide some."

Brainiac's head snapped up just in time to see a wave of blue energy slam into him, knocking him off of John. The blue light also had the added effect of erasing the effects of the Red Lantern's ring, allowing Sweetie to start breathing again while her heart started pumping, and the ring of rage fell off her horn. John groaned as he pushed himself up to see a figure kneeling next to Sweetie, making sure that she was alright before reaching down and grabbing hold of the red ring. He then picked the mare up in his arms before standing up and turning towards John, allowing the Green Lantern to get a better look at his savior.

He wore a blue cloak that covered nearly all of his body except for his arms and legs, allowing John to see that a sapphire colored armor was worn on his forearm and legs. Strange blue symbols that were always moving covered his cloak, making John believe that the figure was moving even when he wasn't. Finally, there was the large hood that masked the figure's face, yet John didn't need to see the being's face to know that he was a Blue Lantern.

"I am glad that I arrived when I did. This little one would not have lasted much longer," the Lantern said as he looked down at the unconscious, but now breathing, Sweetie Belle before offering her to John, who took her into his arms with a look at the Lantern. "I assume that you have many questions for me, but let us wait until we are somewhere safe before you decide to ask them. Now please, enter into your ship."

John wasn't sure who the Lantern speaking to him was, but the urgency in his voice--plus the fact that he had just saved both of their lives--convinced John that he should listen to the being. As John took the unconscious Sweetie and flew her into the ship, the cloaked Lantern turned to face the mechanical dragon, who was now shining with a much brighter light than before.

"You were a fool to face me alone, Blue Lantern," Brainiac spoke as he prepared to kill the Lantern before him. "You should know better than anyone, what a Blue Lantern's light does to one who is powered by the light of the green, as this body is."

"Indeed machine, it is as you say. If I were to fight you, I would have little to no hope of defeating you, especially since you are right in saying that my light makes you stronger," the hooded Lantern said with no animosity while he placed the palms of his hands together and started to create a brilliant blue light. "However, I have no intention of fighting you, not now anyway. There are more important matters to attend to at the moment. Until we meet again."

Brainiac realized what the Blue Lantern was going to do a second too late, and right as he lunged forward, a blinding flash of blue light went off, blinding the machine for a moment. When Brainiac could see again, he found to his of frustration that both the Blue Lantern and his ship were gone, leaving the mechanical dragon alone in space.

|)O(|

John let out a sigh of relief after his ring informed him that the resting Sweetie Belle was going to make it, allowing him to finally take his eyes off of her and turn to the Blue Lantern, who had just flown into the ship. The Lantern held up a hand before John could ask him a question, proceeding to float over to Sweetie Belle and gently place a hand on her head.

"Thanks...whoever you are," John said, once the Blue Lantern had removed his hand and turned to face John, his face still hidden beneath the hood. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, Sweetie and I would have had no hope of getting out of there alive," John admitted. "And although I don't know how you did it, you managed to teleport the both of us--and the entire ship--out of the clutches of Brainiac. Hope that makes you a good guy."

"There is always hope, Lantern Stewart, but most are so caught up in their pain and suffering that they do not see it, such as yourself," the Blue Lantern explained with a nod to Stewart, who decided to shrug the Lantern's words off. "But I too am glad I arrived when I did. A few moments later, and one of the few bearers of hope would have been lost to the reaper."

"About that: I thought that all the Blue Lanterns were on Oa and on guard, in case Brainiac decided to show his ugly mug there," John questioned the Blue Lantern, who stared out a window for a moment at a nearby planet that was desolate, even from space. "So why were you out there all by yourself?"

"You are right in saying that all of the Blue Lanterns with Saint Walker did go to Oa, but I was not among them," the Blue Lantern spoke, clarifying a bit for John who he was.

"I see. You're the other Blue Lantern that Saint Walker mentioned to me, the one that was off in the field," John remembered, getting a nod from the hooded figure. "And that means that you found us because you too were hunting Brainiac."

"Not exactly. While I was indeed searching for the one that was responsible for the missing Lanterns, what drew me to you was Sister Belle," he explained while looking back at the sleeping pony. "When a person or being's hope dies, we Blue Lanterns can sense the death and will fly off to find who is in need of our aid. And when the one who loses their hope is one of our own Corps, then we take care to try and aid them immediately."

"However, it has not been easy to track you, as your ship is much faster than me and constantly was gone before I could arrive," he continued while assuming a meditative pose, placing his hands on his knees. "The only reason I managed to find you this time is because I too intercepted the Red Lanterns message and found the location of where Brainiac set up his ambush. By the way, the Yellow Lantern is alive. My ring managed to save his life. He is resting in your room."

"Well, at least something good came out of this," John muttered with relief before sitting down and sighing heavily. A realization then came to John and he flashed a curious look at the Blue Lantern. "Wait, I thought that only Red Lanterns were able to hear orders from the home world? How did you pick up on it?"

"It matters not. All that matters now is that I help this one restore what was lost to her," the Blue Lantern avoided as he ceased to meditate and floated over to Sweetie, where he lifted the unconscious one up before turning to Stewart with a nod. "I know that you are wary of me, but I hope that I will be able to earn your trust. But before I can do that, I must help Sister Belle."

"So, where are you going?" John asked with crossed arms. The Lantern nodded to the planet outside of the ship before turning and casting his blue aura over Sweetie Belle as well as himself. John looked to the planet before looking to the Lantern, a vague idea coming to him. "What planet is that?"

"That is my home world. A place that I have not been to in some time," the Blue Lantern clarified as his light began to glow bright. "It is a place that I rarely bring outsiders to, but in Sweetie Belle's case I will make an exception. I know that you have reserves about me taking her alone, but I hope that we will not be gone for long. However, if you do not trust me, you may come with us if you wish, as long as you do not interfere."

John thought about his answer for a long minute before he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "No, after you saved us, I guess I have no choice but to trust you. Plus, I've never met a Blue Lantern that I didn't like. But before you go, let me ask. Just what are you planning to do down there with her?"

"She has been wounded grievously, not only her flesh but also in her soul," the Blue Lantern explained as his light grew to the point where John could no longer look directly at him. "And the wounds of the soul can take the longest time to heal. What I am going to try to do is aid her in a way that was not offered to me when I was in such a state. I will help ease her pain and try to remind her what made her so strong in the first place. I do not know if it will work, but I have hope."

As he said this, the Blue Lantern vanished in a flash of light, leaving John alone on the Interceptor with both worry about what was going to happen...and hints of hope that the Blue Lantern would be able to help Sweetie with her pain. He then let out a tired sigh as he stood up and walked over to his room, knowing that he needed to check up on Se'rokal.
> All Will Be Well
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

'W-what?' With a soft groan, the belle opened her eyes for what felt like the first time in days, seeing past her blurry vision when she looked up at a red sky. 'Where am I? The last thing...I remember...was Brainiac taunting me and then...rage...so much rage...' Sweetie shook her head and glanced around at her surroundings, confused as to why she was surrounded by ruined buildings and decimated streets.

"What's going on?  John?!" she called out into the empty streets, but only the whistling of the wind answered her. "Wait a moment, my ring!" she cried out as she looked up at her horn, gasping in shock when she realized her blue ring was no longer there. For a long moment, Sweetie stood in place stunned, trying to remember what happened to her and her ring.

'Come.'

A tiny yelp escaped the mare as the voice seemed to speak inside her very mind, yet, while she looked up through the ruined streets to a house sitting on the top of a hill, she had no doubt that from there the voice had spoken. Stepping over a fallen column, Sweetie began her walk towards the house, figuring that she had nothing else to go on. 

"What...happened here?" she whispered as she looked at the red scorched walls, a red tint that seemed oddly familiar to her. Yet, despite all the carnage and the destruction, Sweetie saw that plants and flowers still sprouted through the cracks under her hooves, causing a small smile to cross her face while she walked. "Heh, seems that you guys didn't give up. But...so...cold..." she whispered as she felt the darkness beginning to tug at the back of her mind.

"There...there was death here. So much death," Sweetie whispered as she heard the faint voices of the dead calling to her, telling her that she was one of them--that she had no right to be alive. "No! I came back! I didn't die!" Sweetie tried to argue, but the voices of the dead went from a whisper to a roar, demanding that she join them. Desperately she ran forward, trying to outrace the shrieks of the damned as she sprinted towards the house.

"Leave! Me! Alone!" she yelled back at the voices, before bursting through the shattered door and immediately feeling like the darkness could no longer touch her. And when she laid eyes on the figure in the center of the room, she understood why. A Blue Lantern with a hood covering his face meditated three feet off the floor, his blue light banishing the thoughts of death and darkness that had been pulling at Sweetie's soul.

"Who...are you?" Sweetie asked as she took a step forward, but in a moment the Lantern had held out a hand and she stopped in place. He then pointed to the floor beneath her, and Sweetie looked down to see a small bug scurrying along where she would have stepped. "Oh, sorry," she apologized while she stepped to the side of the insect and sat down before the Blue Lantern, who moved his hood slightly to keep his face hidden. "So, who are you? And did you bring me here?"

"Yes, Sister Belle, I did bring you here," the Blue Lantern clarified, yet Sweetie noticed that he never spoke his name to her. "I brought you here because you are in need of guidance, in need of someone who can help you through the pain that ravages your soul. A pain I know all to well."

"Wait, what are you talking about? I know that Spike's...gone, but I..." Then, the memories started to return to her. The rage. The hatred. Her attacking both friend and foe alike, while ripping apart anything that got in her way. Had it not been for the Blue Lantern's aura, she would have collapsed to the floor in tears. "Oh Faust...what did I do?"

"You were in pain and you sought for a way to end that pain, even if it meant surrendering yourself to your hatred and abandoning hope," the Blue Lantern spoke gently to her while he held out a blackened and shattered ring that Sweetie knew all too well. "I salvaged what was left of it from deep within space, but by that point you were filled with hatred. You had become a Red Lantern."

"I...lost my hope?" Sweetie whispered as she gently levitated the broken ring out of the Lantern's hand and held it close to her chest, unable to feel the glow of hope that had once filled her with power. "And I...surrendered to my rage...I gave up the very thing that made me, me...all to destroy Brainiac. To get revenge for Spike...what kind of Blue Lantern...fallen Blue Lantern was I?" she sobbed.

"One that felt pain and suffering just like any other living being," the Blue Lantern said as he levitated over to her and gently placed a hand upon her shoulder. "And one that went down a path that I too went down once myself...the day I lost my whole world," he said as he motioned to the house around him.

"This...this was your...?"

"Yes, this was my home, where my wife and I tried to live in happiness," the Lantern nodded. "But one day my world was torn apart when she was killed, by those who waged war on each other. When I found her dead, I was consumed with grief and pain, too much for me to bear or so I believed. Then he appeared, offering me a way to seal my pain and gain revenge for her death. That was the day I became a Red Lantern."

"What...but you're a..."

"Please sister, allow me to finish. For years I worked for him, exacting his grand revenge upon all whom he saw fit. Then, after being captured, I met another. Another who reminded me of my wife, and who taught me how to feel again. Yet my rage and refusal to let go drove her away from me...and turned her into one of our greatest foes," the Blue Lantern whispered, with sadness in every word as he gazed out from under his hood at the stars that were just beginning to shine.

"So...what happened next?" Sweetie whispered.

"We fought. Then she sacrificed herself for all of us, to stop the terror that she--but in reality I--had unleashed upon the world. And she died in my arms," the Blue Lantern finished, yet to Sweetie's surprise there was strength in the Blue Lantern's voice, instead of pain, and he seemed to glow brighter than before. "And once again, I felt the same agony and sorrow that I had felt when I lost my wife before...the same pain that drove me to become a Red Lantern."

"So...what did you do then?"

"I embraced it. I had tried before to bury my sorrow and pain with rage, yet all that did was blind me to the truth, to what I needed to feel. And that, Sister Belle, is what happened to you," he said with a knowing tone. "You couldn't embrace the truth, the pain and the sorrow. So, you gave into your hate, seeking to destroy the one that had caused such pain upon you. And in turn, you nearly destroyed John and his allies."

"I...did, didn't I?" Sweetie shamefully admitted before an idea came to the mare, and she looked up at the Blue Lantern with curious eyes. "But...if you became a Red Lantern due to your hatred, why are you a Blue Lantern now?" Sweetie could see just enough of the Blue Lantern's visage to catch a small smile spreading on his face.

"Because I decided that I would not give up, would not try to bury the hatred and pain. Instead of giving up on the one I had come to love and seek revenge, I chose to remain strong. To believe that even after there was no chance of her survival, that I would find her--I would help her become whole. And all would be well." His light shone like the stars above when he said this, forcing Sweetie to shield her eyes until the light died down. "And ever since then, for years, I have continued my search. And while I have not found her yet, I believe that she is out there waiting for me. I have hope that she survived."

"And...what does this have to do with me?" Sweetie asked, hesitantly.

"It is what I am trying to teach you, Sister Belle, that no matter what happens to you, no matter how painful or devastating, you must hold onto your hope," the Blue Lantern said calmly, yet he caught hints of Sweetie's anger flashing in her eyes as he said this.

"I tried!  But just like you, I lost somepony who was near and dear to me, somepony who saved me in more ways than one!" Sweetie growled with the rage starting to flash in her eyes. "And then Brainiac went and turned him into his own personal soldier! How am I...supposed to remain hopeful, to think all will be well, in the face of that?! How can I think tomorrow will be better?" The Blue Lantern did not respond right away, leaving Sweetie to cool down before he finally answered.

"I know how much pain you are in, Sister.  I know it all too well. And you are not the first Blue Lantern to lose their hope in the face of such pain and loss," the hooded Lantern assured her before reaching out with both hands this time and placing them on her shoulder, allowing his light to calm her heart. "But what I ask you now ,do you believe that what happened with Spike and Brainiac is the end?"

"What do you mean?" Sweetie asked with a slightly hostile tone.

"I mean, do you believe that that is it? That Brainiac has won. That he has taken Spike and many other Lanterns from you and now has the power to take over the cosmos?" the Blue Lantern asked her before his grip seemed to tighten. "Or, do you believe in Spike? Believe in his will and strength? Do you believe that even after death, even after Brainiac has turned his corpse into a puppet, that you can still reach him? Do you believe that he is truly gone? Or, like me, do you believe that he can be saved? That his light can shine brightly once again?"

As the Blue Lantern said this, he released Sweetie's shoulders and held out her blackened and cracked ring before her, seemingly waiting for something. Yet ,as Sweetie looked down at the ring, she found that she couldn't feel it, she couldn't feel the hope within her as she once could. That she couldn't believe.

'That is because you belong with us,' a dark voice whispered in the back of her mind, turning Sweetie Belle cold when she felt the frigid fingers of death pulling at her mind. 'You are already dead, Sweetie Belle, you just haven't accepted that fact yet. But there is no longer a reason for you to fight. Join us. There are many here who wish to meet you, especially a certain dragon that you have longed to be with again.'

"Believe, Sweetie. In those you love and in yourself."

'But how?' Sweetie raged within her mind as she felt the darkness and death start to seep into her very being. 'Everything we've done, all we sacrificed...it's been for nothing. Brainiac has Spike, he has two of the Lantern Corps, and soon he will have the power needed to bend the whole cosmos to his will. And here I am, fighting the voices of death because of the pain, the agony in my heart that I wish to end! How can I be hopeful in this state?! How can I stay strong when fighting somepony I still love?!  How can I even hope to see a brighter day or believe all will be well when everything seems so hopeless?!'

...

...

...

'...Because I will make it happen.' Sweetie's tear-filled eyes snapped open at the faint voice that spoke in the back of her mind, a voice that seemed to push away the darkness and sorrow that had been coiling around her heart--a voice that belonged to a belle who had not given up. 'Because I have always had more than hope. I have held within my heart...courage, and above all else, the will to make my hopes become reality.'

'And perhaps that's because, more so than any Blue Lantern before me, I believed in myself. Believed that no matter the obstacle, be it my sister being consumed by greed or the army of death that sought my planet, I and my allies believed we would find a way, even when all light seemed lost to the darkness. Not only did I hope in a better tomorrow, but I also made damned sure to help make that tomorrow a reality. Maybe it's time I stop being just a Sweetie Belle who hopes all will be well, but one that will give others around me a tomorrow to believe in! To create a light that will banish their pain.'

"And that's what you were trying to tell me," Sweetie spoke in an almost soundless whisper, but a smile crossed the Blue Lantern's face when he heard the strength in her words. "When the Blue Lantern ring chose me, it chose me not just because I always had hope, but because it saw within that I would fight for my hope and the hopes of others! That is what a Blue Lantern is supposed to be! One who inspires and protects the hopes of others, no matter how unwinnable the situation or battle is!"

"And I may have forgotten those ideals when Spike died, when I believed the source of my hope died, but now I see the truth beyond the pain! I see that he is not gone, that I carry his hope and the hopes of all those who believe in a better tomorrow with me! That is what a Blue Lantern does! We hold within us the hopes and beliefs of others and make a better tomorrow!" As she spoke these words with power, the cracked and blackened ring began to glow with life, gaining Sweetie's attention. She nodded with confidence before lifting the ring with her magic and placing it upon her head, turning slightly to see that the Blue Lantern had placed a battery on the table, which she also grabbed.

"But never again. I will not allow the light of the hope I carry to ever burn out--to give into my hatred and pain.  Instead, I believe that it is not the end. That if I fight against the darkness and pain, then there will be a reason to believe! That hope can overcome! That all will be well!" And as she screamed those words, she pressed her ring up against the battery and spoke an oath, an oath behind which she finally understood the meaning--that she was just not a conduit of hope for herself, but for all in the cosmos who held a hope within them. That she would bring their hopes to light.

"In fearful day or in raging night, I will be the torch that helps hope ignite! Because when all seems lost in this war on light, I shall be the one to make things RIGHT!" A column of blue energy swirled into the sky, blasting away both Sweetie Belle's doubts and the darkness that crept at the back of her mind, allowing her light to shine brighter than any star, as she looked at the other Lantern.

"Thank you...for sharing your pain with me and helping me to see what I was blind to," Sweetie Belle said with a bow before she stood up and looked up at the stars. "But I need to go. John will need my help in the battle against Brainiac, and with our allies constantly dwindling, we need to keep moving."

"Indeed. That is why I helped guide the way of another lost Lantern to your ship," the Blue Lantern informed Sweetie, who looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "She was just as lost as you were, but hopefully, now you will be able to help her believe again. Now go, Sister Belle, go and give the cosmos someone to believe in."

Sweetie nodded as she prepared to take off, but then she stopped and turned around with curiosity. "You never did tell me your name, Brother, and after all you have done for me, I would be glad to know it." The Blue Lantern thought about her words for a minute before he slightly moved his hood back and allowed Sweetie to see a white face with thin black lines on his chin and cheeks.

"You may call me, Razer, Sweetie Belle. And I was glad to help." A blinding flash of blue shone at that moment which blinded the belle, and when she could see again it was with a smirk she found that he was gone. She bowed one more time to where he had been before turning and flying towards where the Interceptor was, belief flowing through her entire being as his voice spoke once again.

'And remember, Sister Belle. All will be well.'
> Hope Burns Bright
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle reached the Interceptor within a few moments after leaving the planet, not bothering with the ramp and opting to phase through one of the walls instead. This completely startled John, who had been sitting in the break room and going over reports sent from Oa when Sweetie appeared before him in a flash of blue.

"Sweet God in heaven, Sweetie Belle, I'm too old to get scared like that," John muttered as he held a hand to his heart while he took in a few breaths, yet a moment later a smile crossed his face when he saw the blue ring on her horn. "But I'm glad to see that whoever that Blue Lantern was, he managed to help you remember who you are. Was starting to get annoyed having to deal with angry you all the time."

"Razer helped me to remember why I became a Blue Lantern in the first place, and what the Blue Lanterns are supposed to do," Sweetie said with confidence and hope in her voice as she shined with a radiant blue glow. "And Brainiac will never break that part of me again. Because I have hope that we'll beat him. We'll make that hope a reality."

"That's all well and good, but I seem to remember you trying to kill me at one point," John reminded her with a smirk, getting a small bow from the belle.

"I'm sorry for that, but right now we need to focus on Brainiac, or more importantly, Spike," Sweetie Belle steered the conversation before glancing at the information John had been reading with a frown. "What's all this? Something about...Oa and Brainiac? And Sinestro?"

"This is new information from the Guardians. Apparently, Brainiac has skipped over Sinestro and is coming to Oa first, if the path he's traveling stays constant," John explained while, with a wave of his hand, he brought up a map that showed where the Guardians had located Brainiac. "Apparently, all the Lantern energy his ship is now generating makes him easier to track, but that doesn't mean anything if we can't stop him before he gets to Oa."

"And it doesn't make things easier, that we've received a report from Sinestro saying how a large number of Blue Lantern Manhunters attacked his planet. He managed to destroy them, but he suffered a good number of losses," John said with a sigh as he placed his hands on the table before him. "Now we don't know if he'll back us up, and even if he does, the Guardians are starting to suspect that it won't be enough. I called the League again, but things have gotten even worse on Earth and they can't help us. And then there's...what are you looking at?" John asked Sweetie while she stared at one of the doors.

"I see. So that's who Razer was talking about when he said he brought another Lantern here," Sweetie murmured with a thin smile before calling out. "I can sense your power in there, Nattily. Why don't you come out and greet me in person, though?" After she said this, the violet wood fairy opened the door and floated out, a sad smile on her face as she nodded to Sweetie Belle.

"Hello, Sweetie. It is...good to see you again," Nattily said with a smile as she sat down.

"Way to ruin the surprise, Sweetie," John muttered as the two Lanterns greeted each other. "Yeah, she showed up not too long after...Razer took you down to the planet below us a day ago. According to what she told me, she was the only Star-Sapphire to make it off of her planet."

"While I am relieved to see that you are unharmed, I have to ask, how did you escape from Brainiac's machine?" Sweetie asked the violet Lantern, whose face fell as she leaned on her arm and sighed with sorrow.

"I was one of the Lanterns sent into orbit to battle with the Manhunters as they began to assault our home. At first, we thought we were pushing them back, but then...the strange ones appeared, ones wielding the power of greed, rage, fear and will. Normally, our love protects us from the other Lanterns' lights, but against so much power the others were forced to retreat to the planet below."

"But not you?" John asked, getting Nattily to shake her head.

"Sadly, or rather fortunately for me, the Manhunters had cut me and the rest of my group off from the planet.  We fought them as hard as we could, but then one after the other we were struck down, until it was only me," Nattily said with pain in her voice as she recalled the events from the battle. "I fought as hard as I could, but I barely lasted longer than my sisters. One of the Manhunters blasted me in the stomach and horribly wounded me, so I thought that my time was up. I watched as I lay dying, how the others were shrunken down, right before the Manhunters closed in on me."

"So, how did you escape?" Sweetie asked.

"I didn't. Not by myself. I was saved," she said with a small sigh while her eyes seemed to glaze slightly. "A flash of blue light went off right before the Manhunters finished me, forcing them back as a cloaked figure wearing the symbol of the Blue Lanterns appeared before me. He told me that all would be well before he fought the machines back, buying him enough time to teleport me out of there and to the planet below us."

"So, Razer saved your life as well as helped me find myself again," Sweetie muttered under her breath, pretending not to notice when Nattily whispered Razer's name. "Guess he's been doing a lot of things to help us from behind the scenes for a while now. But despite keeping you safe, do you know why he brought you to us?" Sweetie asked the Star-Sapphire, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"All he said was to seek your team out, which wasn't that hard when your ship was parked right above the planet, and use my love to help another to return to you," Nattily recounted, getting a confused look from John--but Sweetie looked as though the final piece had fallen into place. "What? Does that mean something to you?"

"It depends. John, if we were to move now, would we be able to intercept Brainiac's space station before it reached Oa?" Sweetie asked.

"Yeah, but we wouldn't have much time. We'd have to leave immediately," John informed her after calculating the distance and time. "I'd ask why, but I figure you've got some crazy plan in your mind."

"I do. We're going to get Spike back." Nattily's jaw dropped when she heard this while John just raised a curious eyebrow, waiting for Sweetie to continue. "When I was down on the planet below, Razer asked me if I still believed in Spike. If still believed that he was in there, fighting against Brainiac with all of his will. At first I wasn't sure, but now I know for certain that I believe in him, that Spike isn't gone just yet," Sweetie said with passion as her blue light shone brightly. "I have hope that we can get him back. And maybe with Love and Hope combined, we'll turn that hope into a reality."

"B-but in order to get your friend back, we'll have to face Brainiac's forces--and it's just the three of us," Nattily argued. "And even if Brainiac does send out Spike and doesn't just blast us to atoms, how do you know that our light can reach him?!" For a long moment neither John nor Sweetie Belle spoke. Then a large smile crossed Sweetie's face.

"I guess we'll just have to hope that we can," she said with a smile of determination. Nattily gazed at her like she was crazy and John nodded slightly. "So yeah, I know this idea sounds like suicide, but we're Lanterns. We tackle unwinnable situations on a daily basis and somehow make it out alive. We'll find Spike, break him free of Brainiac's control, and then work on a way of bringing down the big boss together. What do you all say?"

"I say that you're crazy." All three heads turned towards one of the doors, where the Yellow Lantern Se'rokal was walking out of his room while blinking his eight eyes due to Sweetie's glowing light. "And that this is a guaranteed way to get all of us killed, and that no sane being would ever do this. Why is he worth it?"

"Because Spike is our ally and we don't give up on our allies. That's the Lantern way," John spoke up with confidence as he nodded to Sweetie. "Besides, I promised to protect the kid and I failed. But this time will be different. If you really think that you have a way to reach him Sweetie Belle, to bring the kid back to us, then I'm willing to take that risk."

"True love finds a way, huh?" Nattily asked with a cynical smile before sighing and nodding at Sweetie Belle. "Well, I do owe Razer my life and if he brought me here to help you, then I suppose it's my duty to him and my duty as a Star-Sapphire to help love overcome. Count me in." Sweetie smiled at her allies before looking over at the Yellow Lantern, who stood with his six arms crossed and a skeptical look on his face.

"Well, Se'rokal?  Last chance to board the crazy train," Sweetie offered with a smile, but for a long time the spider didn't answer.

"As a member of the Sinestro Corps, I'm afraid of what will happen if we do this," he finally said at last, his voice staying neutral as he spoke. "So many things could go wrong, the worst being we could die--if not turned into the very thing we're trying to save." Then Se'rokal let out a small smile before his eyes burned a golden color. "But I fear even more what will happen if I stay behind and all of you die, because then I'll be left to fight on my own. So, I guess I'd rather die with a group than by myself. Count me in this suicide pact."

"Alright Sweetie, since none of us seem to care at all for our lives, what do you have planned?" John asked the Blue Belle, who allowed a smile to cross her face as the constructs began to match her thoughts. 

"It might sound crazy at first, but you've all got to trust me with this. Here's the plan..."

|)O(|

Winds whipped across the desert-like landscape, hurling sand and debris everywhere. Normally, Sweetie Belle hated getting sand in her suit or in her mane, but the blowing of the sand barely came to her attention as she sat mediating under a large, almost inoperable communication array that had just sent a signal to the nearby space station.

A small outpost behind her gave her slight shelter from the sand and sun that beat down on the unforgiving landscape, but she chose to sit out in the open, so that Brainiac didn't suspect--or at least didn't put too much thought into the idea of--a trap.

'And then, there's still the chance that he completely ignores us and instead focuses on going to Oa, but despite him being an emotionless machine he sure doesn't seem to like being beaten,' Sweetie Belle thought as a smile crossed her face, and she opened her eyes to see a large moon that hadn't been there before slowly getting larger. 'And we've hindered him. We've annoyed him. And I bet he would just love to kill us in the most ironic way possible. Come on chrome dome, don't disappoint me.'

At first, she saw little black dots slowly getting larger, but a minute later all five of the "black dots" landed in the desert sand before her to reveal four Green Manhunters and the mechanical dragon that had nearly claimed her life the last time she met it. She said nothing to the five as they approached her, but she didn't need words to know that the dragon was scanning her with slight confusion.

"How strange. I believe that the last time I encountered you, you were dying in the coldness of space due to your true love stopping your heart," the dragon said in the mechanical voice of Brainiac, yet Sweetie's face remained neutral at his words. "I also see that the Blue Lantern who took you away from your certain demise also found a way to restore your hope. Yet all that has done has prolonged your inevitable death. So why are you here?"

"I'm here to fight you, Brainiac, and to get back what you took from me," Sweetie said in a calm voice as she exhaled and slowly rose out of her meditative state, her face emotionless, yet her eyes shone with a blue light that Brainiac did not recall being there the last time they fought. If Brainiac had emotion, he would have found amusement in the statement that Sweetie had just said. But instead he chose to shake the dragon's head.

"And how do you propose to do that? You fought the green light of the Manhunters before, and all you did was increase their power and aid in the defeat of your allies, which you will again," the dragon said as it turned its head to where the other Lanterns were hiding. "And yet, you chose to fight me by yourself. The light of your hope has blinded you," Brainiac said before motioning for the four Manhunters to attack, which they did all at once.

"No. Its light has finally allowed me to see," Sweetie replied before her horn glowed with light and the closest Manhunter to her stopped in its tracks. Brainiac raised an eyebrow in confusion before the Manhunter turned to the others and began to unleash blasts of green light into their chests. Combining their three laser rods, the others quickly made short work of the comrade that had turned on them, but Brainiac watched the whole spectacle with a nod of understanding.

"I see. You are a being that can access the technology known as magic," Brainiac realized as Sweetie Belle smirked at him before turning her horn to the other Manhunters once again, using her power to make another one of the three turn on its comrades. However, this time Brainiac made a motion to the Manhunters, and instead of attacking the other machine they started to fire on Sweetie, forcing her to cast a shield around herself and cutting off her spell. "But even if you do possess that power, it does not guarantee your victory. All it has done is prolonged this battle a little further."

"Perhaps you are right, Brainiac. Perhaps it is time that we end this battle," Sweetie Belle said. Brainiac narrowed his eyes slightly as he contemplated what she meant, before a barrage of green gunfire rained down from above, obliterating the Manhunters that were standing close together. "See, you were so worried about the four of us that your forgot about the Interceptor. And don't worry, we placed it just out of range of your station." The dragon looked at Sweetie Belle with narrowed eyes, not knowing what to make of her.

"What are you playing at, girl? You know that you cannot defeat me, and I know that you will not harm this form out of love for who it used to be. So why face me then?" Brainiac asked.

"Because you took someone from me, Brainiac, someone who I care about very deeply," Sweetie Belle said with power as she began to walk through the destroyed Manhunters, blue light shining in her soul. "And at first, I believed that somebody to be gone, that I would never see them again. But now I know that it's not over, that we can get him back. I believe that Spike can break free of you. And I believe that you've held onto him long enough."

"You are foolish, child. He is gone and this body is mine," Brainiac stated before lunging forward at Sweetie Belle, extending the dragon's claw with cold eyes as he prepared to tear the mare in two. "What in all of the cosmos could possibly convince you that there is even a fraction of a chance of getting him back?!"

"Hope, Brainiac," Sweetie said as she constructed a staff and prepared to fight. "I have hope."
> Emotionally Unstable
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

White cracks splintered across the center of Sweetie's staff construct when the dragon's fist nearly shattered it in one mighty blow, a blow that was strong enough to hurl Sweetie back, despite blocking the attack. She placed a hoof on the ground to stop her backwards slide, narrowing her eyes while she reconstructed her staff once again and took up another fighting stance.

"Hope? That is your master plan to defeat me and get your Spike back?" Brainiac asked with what almost seemed like a smile. "You have no hope...of defeating me or getting Spike back. I can feel myself getting stronger just by simply being close to your ring, though...it is not as strong as it was."

"That's because Saint Walker taught me a trick during the month I was on the home world, about how to lessen the amount of blue energy that Green Lanterns can absorb," Sweetie clarified as she lunged forward and jabbed the staff three times at Brainiac, who dodged each hit before retaliating with a massive roundhouse kick that Sweetie intercepted with her staff. This time the blow was strong enough to shatter her construct and she was sent sprawling because of the impact.

"Then you must be a poor student, because that plan of yours is not working," Brainiac said while the dragon lunged at Sweetie, claws extended to tear her throat out. She slammed her hooves together, right before the dragon grabbed hold of her, and a moment later Brainiac watched as his claws passed right through her, leaving the mare unscathed as the machine was forced to skid to a halt.

"Yeah, that technique requires utter control and mastery over oneself to properly use, but you've always known that I can be a bit of a hothead, dontcha Spike?" Sweetie asked calmly, getting a strange look from Brainiac.

"Why are you speaking to the deceased?" Brainiac questioned her while he lunged forward again, slashing with his claws at Sweetie's new construct that she made to defend herself. Yet, while attacking at the new construct, Brainiac could not fathom why she would pick the same item that offered little protection. He punched through the construct only for Sweetie to craft a blue diamond to deflect his next blow...and why did he suddenly feel like he wanted that gem?

"What are you planning? Are you trying to resurrect his memories and desires in hopes that he can break from of my control?" Brainiac asked with a frown, banishing all of the desire of the host without another thought. "It is a cheap trick, and one that will not work against me. You would be better off focusing on defeating me to save your own life instead of trying to save his."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get out of this alive. And we'll get Spike back," Sweetie chirped with a smug smile that for some reason annoyed Brainiac, who narrowed his eyes as she constructed another staff. "Unless Spike's just going to laze around like he always does, and forces his marefriend to do everything for him, like always."

"He is gone. Stop testing my patience trying to reach him," Brainiac said with irritation in his voice, getting a whistle from Sweetie Belle.

"Wow, the emotionless machine is getting annoyed? Could it be that there's a flaw in your programming? Or maybe the emotions of a certain dragon are starting to infect you?" Sweetie asked with a smile as Brainiac's face slowly returned to its blank slate. 

"It was a momentary flaw. It will not happen again," Brainiac said calmly before pointing both his arms at Sweetie and firing blasts of green energy at her. Sweetie spun her staff to deflect the blasts while flipping and rolling around Brainiac, occasionally kicking up sand as she did so to blind him. "Because when I finally finish you off, all of this body's ties to life will be severed. And do not think that something as trivial as sand can blind me," Brainiac stated before whipping one of his arms around and firing a blast into the sand, that struck Sweetie dead in the chest. She went tumbling back into the sand, but quickly rolled back up to her hooves and fired a blast of her own light right back in Brainiac's face, causing him to stagger slightly as well.

"Your blasts do nothing to me. They are as trivial as this infernal sand that you keep kicking up at me," Brainiac stated as he flew forward and grabbed at Sweetie, catching her off guard as he clamped his claws and lifted her up by her throat. "Finally, you cease your prattling."

"You know what's funny, is that Spike hates sand too," Sweetie pointed out with a smile, a smile that got her slammed back-first into the dunes by one annoyed machine. 

"Enough. This fight is over." Brainiac curled his fingers in tightly as he brought his fist back and aimed it right between Sweetie's eyes, yet instead of sensing fear in her, all Brainiac could focus on was the cocky smile that was plastered to her face. "What could you possibly be smiling about? You are beaten."

"And so are you," Sweetie stated calmly as she shrugged. "You can't beat the Guardians. With the aid of the Sinestro Corps and the Blue Lanterns, even your army won't be enough to overpower them. You might as well just give up now and surrender." Her words caused Brainiac to narrow his eyes at her as he slammed his fist into the side of her head, but the smile never faltered as she spat out a bit of blood.

"Give up? I am Brainiac, the collector of knowledge. I do not give up, because I cannot be beaten," he stated calmly for her, but all Sweetie's smile did was widen in response. "Even if you amass such a force against me, I will be victorious. I am unstoppable." Yet the moment Brainiac said this, flashes of blue off to his side caught his attention and he turned his gaze to find that images were floating around him, sapphire images of him conquering all of the Lantern Corps before finally capturing Earth, with all of the heroes that had given him so much trouble dead at his feet.

"Really? That sounds awful hopeful of you, doesn't it?" Sweetie Belle prodded with a large smile as Brainiac continued to look at the images in confusion before glaring down at the belle. 

"What did you do to me? Why do I...hope?" he demanded, but Sweetie just shrugged as she looked at something off in the distance.

"I did nothing to you. All my ring did was sense the hope in your heart and made images of it for you to see," she said nonchalantly, but a coy smile crossed her face as she gazed into some of the images and saw very familiar ones mixed in with Brainiac's. "I guess that's just the way you feel."

"NO! I am Brainiac, a being of reason and logic! I do not...feel," he snarled at her while he started to blast at the images, telling Sweetie all she needed to know.

"Well, you'll feel this! NOW!" Brainiac, who was far too distracted and destroying the false images of hope, did not register what the mare had yelled until the first blast of green struck him in the back and hurled him off of Sweetie, where he staggered to his feet before a second blast of violet knocked him down again. Brainiac roared as he turned around only to take a green fist to the jaw that sent him sprawling once again.

"You've been in the dark void of space for too long Brainiac," John began as he and two other Lanterns floated behind him, each of them pointing their rings at the mechanical dragon while he pushed himself back up. "Time you got a little light!"

All three Lanterns unleashed their powers upon him as he said this, bathing Brainiac under the unrelenting power of love, will and fear. The machine tried to fight against the power, tried to find a logical solution to the problem at hand, but slowly he began to worry that he could not win, not with this body.

"And there it is: Your fear," the spider Lantern laughed menacingly, gaining him Brainiac's full attention.

"I am Brainiac! I do not feel fear or any other emotion!" Brainiac roared back, but his resistance only increased the laughter from the spider.

"Yes you do. Inhabiting that body and fighting so many Lanterns has infused you with the knowledge of what emotions feel like...and activating your fear," Se'rokal said as he pushed harder than the other Lanterns, bathing Brainiac in golden light. "That is your fear, machine. The fear that you will develop those emotions, the fear, hatred and joy. That you become the very emotions that you seek to destroy!" 

"NO! You shall fall!" Brainiac roared as he lunged forward and grabbed both Sweetie and John out of the air, slamming the both of them into the sand as he prepared to crush their throats. "Prepare to die!"

"No, Brainiac, Spike is still in there," Sweetie said with confidence.

"Come on kid, if you're truly the Lantern that I think you are, then fight back! You didn't give into fear, so don't give into him!" John roared. For a moment they felt the metal claws tighten around their throats, but then the light in Brainiac's eyes changed for a brief moment and the claws released their grasp, leaving Brainiac open to another blast of yellow from behind that drove him to the ground.

"No. I cannot...emotions...cannot..." Brainiac let out one last roar before the eyes on the mechanical dragon went dark and the machine fell to the side. John held up his hand to cease the attack before he and the other Lanterns floated over to the motionless machine, where they were joined by Sweetie a moment later.

"Did it work?" she asked as she held the machine in her arms and looked into the black eyes for any sign.

"I believe we drove Brainiac out, but I am not certain if there was anyone to take his place," Se'rokal said with cynicism, but Nattily placed a hand on Sweetie's shoulder.

"He will be back Sweetie. Believe in the power of love."

The moment she said this, the light in the mechanical dragon began to shine again, causing the Yellow and Green Lantern to point their rings at the machine just in case, while Sweetie and Nattily moved in closer. A pair of green eyes shone where Brainiac's emotionless eyes had been, eyes that looked around with some confusion before finally resting on the belle holding him.

"Sweetie?" the dragon asked in a voice that Sweetie knew all too well, causing tears to waterfall from her eyes while the realization began to sink in. "What happened? Where did we..." His voice trailed off and he closed his eyes once again as Sweetie held the dragon close.

"Just rest for now, Spike. You're back. That's all that matters," she whispered while holding him close.

|)O(|

With a groan that was more mechanical than living, Spike opened his eyes once again to find himself staring up at the ceiling of his room on the Interceptor. The only difference was that his eyes were literally scanning everything that was in their sight, including the relieved eyes of a mare who smiled down at him from beside his bed. 

"Sweetie?" he asked her as he sat up, feeling far more different than he remembered. He looked over to see that both Sweetie and John were in the room, but that only Sweetie was sitting next to him. John was leaning against the wall by the door and seemed to have concern written on his face, but the moment Spike sat up Sweetie let out a small giggle before wrapping her hooves around him in a hug...a hug that he didn't feel.

"What's going on? Why can't I...feel...you..." Sweetie released the hug with sorrow on her face while Spike looked down at his arms, arms that looked far more mechanical than they used to be. Horror began to claw at his heart as he looked up at John, who shook his head with a sigh. "John, what happened to me? The last thing I remember was fighting Brainiac and then...why am I like this?"

"After...after you gave your life to allow me and Sweetie to escape from Brainiac, he did the same thing to you that he did to all the other Lanterns that he captured...he turned you into one of his machines," John explained to Spike, who had a look of shock on his face. Sweetie gently laid her head on his shoulder as he processed the information, looking down at his metal claws. 

"But then...how..."

"Sweetie thought up the plan to get you back. She made a guess that if a machine without emotion like Brainiac was exposed to too much emotion, it would override him and force him out of your body, so the four of us teamed up to take him on," John explained as Spike started to flex his claws. "She also figured that you were still fighting inside of Brainiac and that you would help to break free, which it seems you did. Yet, while we did manage to get Brainiac out, we...don't know how to reverse what he did to you. How to turn you back into a regular dragon."

"So, I'm...stuck like this then. A machine."

"Spike...I'm so sorry," Sweetie whispered before Spike turned his head and gently nuzzled her.  Then, he stood up with narrowed eyes as he started to figure out how to move properly. 

"This...can wait. I need to know what happened while Brainiac was controlling me and if there's any way I can help," Spike said with the will of a Lantern while he looked around. Sweetie and John spent a quick couple of minutes recapping what had happened, with Spike's face growing longer and longer as he listened."  Alright, at least now I know what we're up against. Give me a minute to...figure out how I work. And where's my ring?" Sweetie and John shared a quick look that Spike didn't miss, and he let out a sigh as he sat down on the bed again. "The ring's gone, isn't it?"

"You were technically dead. The rings are programmed to find a new host when the previous Lantern dies," John explained, expecting Spike to be heartbroken or distraught at the loss. But instead, the dragon gritted his teeth and looked up at John with fire in his eyes.

"Well, if I remember correctly the machine Lanterns that we fought were made of similar stuff that Brainiac was made of, right?" Spike began, getting a slow nod out of John. Spike then grabbed hold of the metal dresser by his bed and crushed it between his claws in one swift motion. "Well then, how about I repay Brainiac for giving me such strength by beating him with his own power?"

"Spike, I'm not sure about this," John said with hesitation. "I mean, Brainiac's attack on Oa will be in less than two days and with you stuck in that body..."

"I'm still a part of this team even if I've lost my friendship ring. And I can still fight," Spike said with no fear or hesitation--only the desire to fight. "Besides, I'm  not helpless without my ring. I'm still a fire-breathing dragon with claws and fangs, only now I have a super tough body that Brainiac built. I can fight."

"I don't know..." John muttered.

"Please, John. I'm not going to lie down when Brainiac threatens all of the Corps just because I'm a little different," Spike snarled. "I'm not afraid."

"No...you're not," John muttered before letting out a sigh, waving his hand at Spike and Sweetie. "Fine. Despite me thinking that it's a bad idea, you are a Lantern whether you wear the ring or not. And, you had the will to break free of Brainiac, something not many others have done. We're going to be heading back to Oa to plan with the Guardians what we're going to do, so...talk with them about it," John said as he turned to leave the room, but stopping at the door. "And Spike?"

"Yeah John?"

"I'm glad that you're back." John then left the room to allow Spike to get familiar with his body, knowing that he would need Sweetie there to help him. He ignored the other Lanterns, who were arguing with each other as he headed to the cockpit, leaning against the back of the chair while he stared off into space.

"Guess the rumors about the Star-Sapphires being able to return the dead to life weren't false after all," John muttered to himself with a smirk as he figured out another reason Spike had come back. " But they're still incredible, the both of them."

'What do you mean?' his ring asked for further clarification.

"I mean that, Sweetie figured out how to break Spike free despite me thinking that he was gone. And, how Spike's will was strong enough for him to actually break free from Brainiac's iron grip," John muttered with a thin smile as he looked off into the void. "They're the future of the Corps, the both of them...if there is a future left after this battle. No...I will make sure they have a future. That is my duty to them." 
> Dawn of the Final Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

John wasn't at all surprised to see that the Guardians were waiting for him in the hangar as the Interceptor touched down on Oa once again, bringing its journey full circle. The five Lanterns floated out, once the ramp had lowered, and John was surprised to find that the Guardians seemed generally pleased that Spike and Sweetie were back, although they gave the Yellow Lantern a cold glare.

"And despite a few scratches, you have brought our ship back to us in one piece," Ali said with a small smile as he gazed up at the Interceptor, before turning his focus to the Lanterns before him. "You have shown us that you were a far better pick for this mission than Jordan was."

"Thanks," John said with a smirk before Ali turned to Spike.

"And Lantern Spike...while I am glad to see that you are on our side once again, I can see that the experience has not left you without its scars," Ali muttered emotionlessly while he looked up and down at the mechanical dragon, who glared in return as Ali nodded over at another Guardian. "What do you think?"

"Yes...the technology is very advanced, but I believe within a few days we would be able to return him to normal," she said after looking  Spike over for a few moments with a nod, gaining two shocked gasps from Sweetie and Spike.

"You...you can make me a dragon again?" Spike asked with disbelief before getting tackled in the side by Sweetie, who smiled up at him as she hugged him.

"Isn't this great, Spike?!  Maybe they can find your ring or give you another one," Sweetie said as she glanced at the Guardians, but Ali shook his head as he floated forward.

"No. Brainiac is hardly a day out and he is our biggest concern," Ali interjected, getting a nasty scowl from Sweetie when he motioned for the five Lanterns to follow him. As the group left the hangar, all eyes gazed at the skies where thousands of Lanterns of Green, Blue and Yellow were flying around, setting up defenses and weapons--or picking fights with each other in some cases. "The Blue Lanterns have been well behaved here, Lantern Stewart, but if it were not for the looming threat I would have your ring for bringing Sinestro's lackeys here," Ali said with some annoyance. "They have been quite a handful."

"Well, I'll think about your feelings the next time a threat like Brainiac shows up to destroy our home," John sniped. "Besides, I thought that Sinestro would keep them in line?"

"Sinestro has not been here for quite a while," Ali informed the group when they reached the massive structure that John recognized as the command center. "News came to us that Brainiac unleashed a force upon Koruga, and naturally Sinestro took the bait. He informed us that he was able to defend his world, but he will not make it back in time to aid us in our fight." 

The massive emerald doors slid open as Ali and the five Lanterns floated inside, all eyes drawn to the massive emerald sphere that represented Oa in the center of the room filled to the brim with Lanterns. Ali floated to a seat marked specifically for him as every Lantern saluted him.  He held up a hand to silence all the chatter and turned every eye towards him.

"Lanterns of Oa!  As many of you know, a threat the likes of which we rarely see is coming to threaten Oa. His name his Brainiac and he comes for our planet," Ali began in a serious voice, yet his eyes made it clear that no one was to speak. "Normally, the Guardians tried to deal with Brainiac in the past by sending our strongest Lanterns to handle him, but it seems that this time he has an ace to defeat us."

"According to what Lantern Stewart discovered during his mission in space, Brainiac has captured a Lantern from every Corps and is using their power to fuel an army of Manhunters...in his station that is the size of a small moon, with plenty of firepower to spare." The Lanterns in the room all began to murmur to one another at this information, but another look from Ali silenced them. "That is not all. By combining the seven Lanterns lights and adding their powers to his own technology, he has...found a way to shrink Oa, and he aims to add it to his twisted collection of cities and planets that he has gathered." All of the Lanterns began to talk aloud with concern and worry, some of them even asking Ali if they had a counter measure or plan in light of this information.

"Aside from strengthening our defenses and aiding with the Sinestro Corps, we do not currently have a plan," Ali said sternly so that there wouldn't be another outbreak, before his glance turned to John. "That is why I have brought Lantern Stewart here, because he has encountered and fought with Brainiac more times than any Lantern present." John felt all eyes in the large room turn to him, all of them waiting for an answer on how to stop the threat. "Well, Lantern Stewart? Do you have a plan?"

"The Lanterns that are trapped." To the surprise of everyone in the room, the suggestion came not from John, but from Spike, whose idea turned the eyes away from John and to the mechanical dragon. "That's how he's managing to bypass the planet's natural defenses, right? If we manage to free the Lanterns that he has trapped, then we should be able to shut off his shrink ray in the process. That would also prevent his Manhunters from accessing the power of the Corps." The Lantern's in the room began to nod in agreement, and upon seeing their reactions, Ali nodded slightly as well.

"An interesting plan, Lantern Spike. But according to what John has reported to us, along with past information on the Earthlings' battles with the machine, it seems that it is very hard to penetrate his fortress," Ali pointed out, turning the talk of hope into murmurs of worry. "Do you have a plan to get inside?"

"Actually, yes. I'm that plan," Spike said as he lifted his arms and started to move his mechanical limbs. "I'm made of the very same material that shields and powers his ship. So, I will be able to breach it. Then, along with a small team of Lanterns, we can infiltrate Brainiac's fortress while his main forces are focused on the battle on Oa, where Nattily, Se'rokal and others will help lead the defense against the Manhunters."

"John, Sweetie and I are also the only Lanterns who know the base on the inside as well as the outside, so I'll be able to lead my group to where he's keeping the Lanterns," Spike further clarified, changing the mood in the room from worried to determined once again. Ali looked around at the Lanterns agreeing with Spike, before lowering his head in thought for a moment, and raising it once again with agreement on his features.

"Very well, Lantern Spike, we shall go with your plan," Ali agreed, getting a smile out of Spike as Sweetie beamed up at him with pride. Ali started to determine which Lanterns would be a part of the ground forces and which would go with Spike, but at that moment all John could do was smile at the dragon with a nod of approval.

'Look at you kid, barking orders and coming up with plans--just like an actual Lantern. Seems you won't need me too much longer at this rate,' John thought to himself with a smirk, a smirk that caught Spike's attention and he floated over to the senior Lantern. John spoke, "Not a bad idea there, kid. We'll make a Lantern out of you yet."

"Hey John...will you join me on this mission?" Spike asked hesitantly. John gave him a look of slight confusion that caused Spike to look around nervously.

"What's the matter, kid? The plan sounded great to me," John said, but Spike shook his head slightly.

"I know I made it sound like I knew what I was doing, but I still think this plan might be too much for me," Spike admitted with a sigh that caused John's face to fall. "I don't have my ring, and my body has been modified to the point that I'm still figuring out how I work. I'm still a rookie after all, and since I don't want Sweetie going on this mission with me-"

"Hell yes, I'm going with you!"

"... and with Sweetie coming with me, I'd really appreciate having you there in case things went wrong," Spike admitted. John thought about what Spike was asking for a moment, before letting out a small chuckle and placing a hand on the dragon's shoulder.

"Spike...you're right about a few things. You're body is different now, you don't have your ring, and you are definitely still a rookie," John informed Spike with a small smile before placing his other hand on his shoulder. "But there are two things you're wrong about. The first is, this mission might be too much for you. It isn't. You can do this. If any Lantern has the will to free the Lanterns and stand against Brainiac, it's you. You've proven yourself time and time again that you're a Lantern that only comes around once in a while."

"Thanks John...but what's the other thing I'm wrong about?" Spike asked as John's face fell slightly.

"It's...you don't need me with you. Hell, I haven't been a really good teacher," John admitted with a smirk, and he held up a hand when Spike tried to argue before letting go of the dragon. "I've barely taught you anything, you've saved me more often than I saved you, and I even left you to die. And you learn quickly. Look at the way you thought up a way to stop Brainiac when everyone was looking to me. It's clear that you are ready to be a full-fledged Lantern. So consider this mission...my final test. If you can do this, then I'll make you a Lantern."

Spike's eyes went wide as John said this, before John patted the dragon on the shoulder and walked by him, lost in his own thoughts while he headed out of the room. "Rest up and enjoy the last bit of free time you got, Spike, because tomorrow we're going to war."

|)O(|

The door to his room aboard the Interceptor silently shut behind him as John sat down on his bed, gritting his teeth in pain while he held a hand to his chest. He breathed in heavily a few times before sighing out the pain, regaining his stone exterior as he scanned his body with his ring.

"How am I holding up?" he asked his ring when it was done scanning him.

'You have multiple fractures along your ribs and shoulder, as well as plenty of internal damage from the battle with the mechanical Lanterns,' the ring informed him, telling John what he had already assumed. 'Why do you ask me instead of getting medical attention. In the shape you are in, you will not be much help during tomorrow's battle.'

"Don't worry, I plan to get this old man all patched up before the battle tomorrow, but...I just needed a moment alone," John said to his ring before grunting in pain while he leaned back against the bulkhead, lost in thought about the imminent battle. 'I know we can win, but I don't know what the casualties will be, and who of my friends we might never see again.'

John looked down as he said this and constructed an image of his Justice Leaguers, wishing that he could call them for help. But he knew that they were protecting the Earth. This battle...he would have to fight. Then, the construct changed from that of the League to the small, three person team with whom he had been traveling around space the last month. A smile cracked across his face as he remembered all the fun he had with them, before the smile fell when he remembered the pain and agony Sweetie had gone through at losing Spike; how Spike had sacrificed himself to slow down Brainiac only to become one of his soldiers; how much the two had suffered because John had been too weak.

'Not this time. Those two have already gone through so much despite being such young Lanterns,' John thought to himself as he felt his determination wipe away his pain, he eyes glowing green with power while his ring lit up as well. 'Consumed by Greed, getting beaten by Sombra, having him turn Sweetie's sister against her, and the Black Lanterns...and that was all in their first year of being recruited. Now they're having to deal with the potential destruction of the Lanterns and the end of the cosmos...well, not on my watch. As long I as still stand I will not let anything else happen to the both of them, even if that means having to defeat Brainiac on my own.'

John then left his room and floated out of the Interceptor, standing under the open hangar which allowed him to gaze up at the stars, the stars that he had spent a lifetime helping to protect. His right hand tightened around his ring as he thought about what tomorrow would bring, before another thought crossed his mind, one that needed to be addressed. 

"Ring?" John asked, waiting until the ring glowed again before answering. "I need you to take a message."

|)O(|

The green homeworld of the Corps that had bothered him for so long finally came into his sensors' range, but for some reason Brainiac felt a slight twinge in the back of his mind. Almost like...he was happy that he was finally there. And that thought drove the machine to the closest he could get to anger. He was Brainiac. He was the ultimate being of knowledge and power in the cosmos, the collector of knowledge. He should not be...feeling.

'And yet, I am. That much is certain,' he thought to himself as he glanced down at his hand, feeling the slightest hints of anger coursing through his mind. 'Somehow...in a way that I had not predicted, the power of those infernal Lanterns has somehow managed to...corrupt my systems, allowing me to feel the same weakness that they feel. They have infected my systems with their weakness.'

Brainiac gazed out of one of his screens at the emerald planet that floated below him, knowing that they were all waiting for him--that this battle would be one of the more difficult ones that he had, even though there was no kryptonian to frustrate him. But they would fall, that was inevitable. Yet, the question on Brainiac's mind wasn't if they would fall, it was if he should just capture the planet and the ring users.

'This is where it all started. This is the planet that created the Green Lanterns, the defenders of the cosmos...the center of the emotions that have started to corrupt me. This is the source,' Brainiac pondered as his gaze slightly turned to the side to see the captured Violet and Red homeworlds sitting beside him. He grabbed hold of the Red one and lifted it up, for a brief moment considering if he should destroy it so that the rage within him would be destroyed as well. 'No. It holds within unbelievable knowledge. It must survive,' he thought as he put it back down before gazing at the green planet with narrowed eyes.

"Attack." 

The one command echoed across the ship as hundreds of doors and platforms activated, allowing thousands of different colored Manhunters to descend to the planet below. Explosions of emerald lit up the atmosphere as the machines descended, but Brainiac had already calculated that, while their artillery would take out some of his forces, the surviving number would be more than sufficient to subdue the Lanterns. The Lanterns that were placed up in space began to engage the Manhunters that made it through the artillery strike, lighting up the sky with greens, reds and a plethora of other colors.

Yet, despite the initial strike breaking through the aerial Lanterns' defenses and gaining his forces access to the planet below, a frown still covered Brainiac's face. His problems, his corruption, would not end with the capture of the Green Lanterns homeworld. The captured Red Lantern world told him that much. And according to his calculations, there was only one way that might guarantee his release from the emotions for good.

'When the Lanterns fall, I shall capture the planet the same way I have done for the other two,' Brainiac thought before another possibility flashed across his mind. 'But if, by some improbable miracle, the Lanterns manage to defeat my forces and corrupt me even further...then I shall destroy will. Once and for all.'
> War on Will
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"FIRE!"

A volley of green fire erupted in the sky from the construct cannons that had been placed across the main city, blasting a handful of Manhunters that were flying down to the planet to smithereens. But as thousands more descended into the streets and began to unleash hell with their laser rods, John knew that it would take more than a handful destroyed to stop this war.

"Alright, first division with me! Second and third, covering fire!" John ordered as he willed a giant mecha suit to construct, bringing it down right on top of a pair of Manhunters before flying into the cockpit of the mecha suit. The moment he was in, he spun the miniguns on the robot's shoulders so that they sprayed green death into the hordes of Manhunters, who retaliated in kind with volleys of lasers the colors of the rainbow.

Hundreds of Green, Yellow and Blue Lanterns hurled themselves into the fray, unleashing their strongest constructs to fight against the hordes of Manhunters. Despite the overwhelming numbers of Manhunters, the courage and strength of the ring wielders kept the fighting even.

"Don't let them break through the lines! They get to the Guardians and we'll all be in real trouble!" John ordered into his ring before a pair of Manhunters leapt onto his machine's back and began to tear at the construct. John spun the cockpit around one hundred eighty degrees and drove twin swords right between the red Manhunters eyes before blasting the pair off. "Stop scratching up my ride."

His moment of reprieve was interrupted when another hail of laser fire struck the back of his machine, causing him to turn the giant mecha suit towards a whole platoon of Manhunters that lunged at him in a multitude of colors.  John spit onto the ground before constructing a helmet around his body, and then he charged into the laser fire, grabbing one Manhunter's body with his large claws and slamming it into the emerald streets.

"Time for a tune up!" John growled while he reached back with his other arm and snatched a Manhunter out of the sky, slamming it into its brethren before extending the piston arm back. He then drove the green fist into the machines before the piston slammed into the end of his arm, driving the fist through the machines with an even greater force. "There! Now you're perfect!" John growled before grabbing hold of the ruined robots and hurling their remains into the other Manhunters.  He next unleashed a salvo of gunfire and missiles into the remaining ones that floated there.

John barely had time to watch the machines explode before his attention was drawn away by a cry for help. His eyes quickly locked onto a Green Lantern that was being overpowered by three Yellow Manhunters, who all took aim at her with their laser rods. In a moment, John ejected himself from the cockpit of his mecha suit, which he sent into the sky to explode on another Manhunter, before constructing a pair of knives that he plunged into the backs of one of the Manhunters before ripping the knife out and driving it into the skull of the other Manhunter.

The two Manhunters turned on him and raised their laser rods to fire, but the younger Lantern regained enough of her composure to construct a strange weapon that she swung into the leg of one of the Manhunters. When that Manhunter staggered, John deflected the first shot before hurling his knife right between its eyes, slamming his boot into the hilt of the knife to impale the machine clean through its skull.

"Look out!" John had just enough time to register the cry, before a blast of yellow struck him in the back and hurled him off of the fallen machine. He growled in pain as agony raced up his spine, yet he forced himself back up and turned to find the Manhunter aiming its weapon right between his eyes.

"No man escapes from Brainiac," it said coldly before firing. The shielding around John barely held up as the bolt of yellow struck him dead in the face, dropping him to his back while more pain flooded through his senses. Aware of the danger he was in, John had barely hit the ground before he had rolled to his side, his ears informing him that he had narrowly avoided a second shot. Glaring through the pain John constructed a jet engine, which he spun towards the Manhunter and let it fly. It rammed into the center of the machine and hurled it backwards, where it was a prime target for a shot to the skull from a newly constructed sniper rifle.

"Are you...alright?" John panted in pain to the younger Lantern, who nodded weakly before looking up at the war raging in the skies. "Hey, look at me," John demanded, gaining him the younger Lantern's attention once again. "It's okay to be afraid. True Lanterns aren't fearless. Being a Lantern means that you can overcome those fears. Remember, we're the last line of defense for not only here, but all of the cosmos. So face your fears and fight!"

The moment John said this, the ground shook with terror as a massive, half-Manhunter, half-Brainiac machine landed in the square in front of them. Its red eyes scanned the entire area around it before the sensors came to a stop on John, where they narrowed and directed the rest of the massive monster towards him.

"And that?" the Lantern asked John with a shaky voice.

"Alright kid, I'll give it to you. That monster is something to be afraid of," John smirked before growling while he constructed a plasma cannon on his shoulder. "So let me handle this one and you link up with the rest of your squad! Now go!" he ordered while firing blasts of concentrated will right into the face of the machine. The giant machine fired blasts of red energy down at John, who took to the skies to avoid the fire. He circled around the back of the robot, unleashing all of his will into his foe with little to no effect.

"Come on, you overgrown scrap heap! Take a hint and go down already!" Instead of taking the hint, the machine spun around and grasped towards John with one of its gigantic arms, barely giving the Lantern enough time to construct a shield before that shield was shattered by the enormous blow from the machine. John felt himself slam into the side of a structure, wincing in pain as he started to pull himself out of the indentation he had made with his body, before the machine grabbed hold of him again.

"No man escapes from Brainiac," the machine said to him as it opened its maw, allowing John to look right into the laser cannon that was aimed right at his face.

"Yeah...heard you the first time," John growled in annoyance before he constructed a shield around himself and braced himself for the worst. Yet, before the monster could fire a blast of divine blue light erupted from the center of the machine's chest, causing it to roar as it staggered back and released John, while another blast tore through its shoulder. As John fell he constructed a pillow on which to land before remembering that constructs were hard, not soft. He then felt that as he slammed onto the pillow back first, getting him to curse with pain while he pushed himself back up. 

"Heh, nice of you to lend a hand, Saint Walker," John muttered as one last blast of blue tore the machine's head clean off, causing the giant machine to fall to the ground with a shudder. Saint Walker then phased out of the machine's chest, a sigh escaping his lips before he floated over to John. "Though I could have taken him if you hadn't interfered."

"I have no doubt about that, Lantern Stewart, I just wanted to hurry the defeat along a little so that your skills could be used elsewhere," Saint Walker agreed while holding out a hand for John, who gritted his teeth in pain as Saint Walker helped him up. "Wait a moment and my ring will soothe your wounds," Saint Walker advised John before placing a hand on his shoulder and allowing the blue light to wash over the Lantern, who sighed as the pain started to fade away.

"Glad you guys are here. I'd hate to think how badly this fight might be going if we didn't have the Blue Lanterns here to give us a boost," John muttered as he felt the tension in his shoulder vanish, but he could still slightly feel pain. 

"We are glad that we are here. We have learned a lot about the Green Lantern Corps while here, and we are also glad for the extra forces, as it seems you were right about Brainiac," Saint Walker agreed.

"Do you think that they're doing alright up there?" John asked the leader of the Blue Lanterns while he looked up at the massive moon floating above the planet.

"All we can do is believe in them, John. And hope that they will overcome," Saint Walker said with a nod before turning back to the battle. "Come John, they need us down here more than they need us up there." John knew he was right, but as the pair flew back into battle he glanced up at the space fortress one last time, wondering if he had made the right decision.

|)O(|

"Alright, I think that's the last of them," Spike muttered to the small group when it seemed like the Manhunters had finally stopped pouring out of the ship to wage war on the planet below. "But keep the invisibility up just to be safe, Sweetie. We don't want Brainiac to know that we're on his ship until it's too late for him."

"Trying...my...hardest..." she grunted from beside him, though he wasn't able to see her or any of the other Lanterns due to the blue ring's power, but he had kept a claw on her shoulder to know where she was.

"Time to get to work team, so let's put an end to this once and for all!" The other Lanterns cheered with him as they all started to fly forward in formation as best they could, with Spike helping Sweetie along since she was the only Blue Lantern with them to cast the invisibility on the group. As swiftly as they could without revealing themselves, the group flew towards the space station, where they waited until one of the hangar doors opened to unleash a strange looking machine. They seized the chance and slipped inside before the doors closed shut behind them, allowing the team to look around at the empty hangar cautiously.

"That's it. I'm done," Sweetie panted out before the invisibility field fell around the Lanterns, Sweetie falling into Spike's side with exhaustion. Spike turned around to look at the three Green and two Yellow Lanterns that he had brought with him, nodding to them before motioning for them to move up.

"You going to be able to do this?" Spike asked Sweetie when she pushed herself off of Spike and took in a couple of deep breaths.

"Oh, don't you even think about sending me back. The last time I left you here, we thought you died and then it turned out you were a robot. I leave you here again and you might be an entirely different species," she joked with a smile before panting even harder and wiping sweat out of her eyes. "Come on, let's go save the cosmos!" The pair floated to the exit of the room where the other Lanterns had already checked, catching up to them in the hallway.

"Seems like there's nothing here," one of the Green Lanterns said to Spike. "No Manhunters, no tentacles that we were warned of...nothing."

"Ha, wonder why this fool sent away all his security? Must not be as smart as I thought," a massive bat in Yellow garb cackled as he started to fly forward.

"Yeah, that's because Brainiac doesn't need security to keep him safe. Come on, let's move," Spike ordered while he lead the way, floating ahead as the other six kept up with him. He held up a hand when they came to a large room before placing his back to the wall, motioning for the others to do the same. The moment they did so a patrol of Manhunters passed by, yet they didn't seem to notice the group.

"There were only three of them. We could have taken them," the other Yellow Lantern snarled at Spike, but Spike turned on the Lantern with crimson eyes that forced him back.

"I'm not taking any chances. I already died in here once, I don't want to do it again," Spike growled before looking out into the room again, motioning for the group to follow him while he floated up. As they flew the other Lanterns noticed the thousands of pods all Manhunter-sized and empty, causing their faces to fall further and further while they ascended.

"This is where Brainiac made the Manhunters that are fueled with your comrades' powers," Sweetie informed the group from the rear, keeping up with them despite being tired from her cloaking. "And those Manhunters come in every color, shape and size."

"Does that mean we'll get a prize for destroying them all?" Spike joked to her before coming to a door that was barred shut. He signaled for the others to stop before he plunged his hands into the metal, slicing through it in one strike before pulling the door open with all of his might. "Go," he growled to the others as he struggled to keep the doors open. The other Lanterns sailed past him as he instructed, with only Sweetie stopping on the other side to lasso Spike and pull him through right as the doors slammed shut again.

"Alright team, we should be close. Now we need to..." Spike stopped talking when he found that none of the Lanterns were listening anymore and instead were far more focused on the seven massive containers that held a Lantern from each Corps within, each of the Lanterns within looking like they were on the verge of death. 

Spike was the only Lantern to look around the room instead of staring at the containers, and found that the room was far more spherical than the other ones, with the roof being a sickly green color as opposed to the cold steel of the rest of the fortress. Hundreds of screens were spread around the upper half of the room on a levitating platform, where the back of a large chair faced him. Something in his mechanical structure felt cold, being so close to the throne, so he was immediately on guard.

"Hey, where are all these tubes going?" one of the Green Lanterns asked, turning Spike's attention away from the chair and to the tubes that extended from each of the Lantern's containers. He followed each of them and found that all of them came to the end at a large pod, all seven of them connected to the pod in a different way, but they connected all the same.

"Forget about the tubes and focus on the mission," Spike ordered while he floated up to the container with Larfleeze in it, constructing a massive hammer that he aimed at what he hoped was a weak spot. "Focus on freeing the Lanterns in captivity and then start trashing the place as best you can. We need to free the Lanterns, but we'll also destroy the computers here just to be safe. Hurry!"

Spike then swung with all of his might, but right before the hammer struck glass his limbs halted suddenly, almost as if his entire body was paralyzed. He gritted with rage as he tried to move, but his body refused to listen to him because at the same time he felt a presence, a presence that made his mechanical side very afraid.

"Spike, what's the matter?" Sweetie asked before a blast went off behind her. She and the other Lanterns turned just in time to see one of the Yellow Lanterns that had been standing to close to the pod drop to the ground dead, while the door to the pod opened.

"He is unable to move, Sweetie. That is what happens when a machine tries to fight against me," a cold and calculated voice that she knew well said menacingly. Through the mist given off by the pod, Brainiac slowly pulled himself out, yet it was a Brainiac the likes of which the two had never seen. His entire body was made of silver armor, except for his hands which were now a dark green. But his face was where all eyes were drawn, a face that was barely changed...except that the three circles were now replaced with seven, multicolored symbols. Sweetie took up a fighting stance as Brainiac began to float towards them, a sinister smile crossing the machine's face as he approached.

"And for the first and last time, I finally feel something. I feel...angry."
> A Rainbow Of Death
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the Green Lanterns constructed a foreign weapon and lunged at Brainiac with said weapon lifted above his head, but in a blinding flash of speed Brainiac's hand shot out and he grabbed hold of the Lantern by his throat. A quick blast of yellow from his eyes disintegrated the weapon and an even quicker flick of his wrist snapped the Lantern's neck, causing Spike and Sweetie to boil with rage while the machine callously tossed the body to the side.

"You two...no, three if I am to count Stewart, have done the inconceivable," Brainiac seethed while he began to walk forward, glowing with a hellish red hue as he advanced. "You have found a way to interfere with my mission--My Purpose. You have introduced a foreign element into my databanks that is compromising my very core."

"You're welcome," Spike replied with a smirk while control over his body returned to him, allowing him to leap forward with a sudden boost of mechanical might right towards Brainiac.  Metal slammed into metal when Spike collided with Brainiac, causing the machine to slide back slightly as Spike strained against him. "And while I'm not happy about the new uniform, I should probably thank you for allowing me to do THIS!" he snarled before curling up his fist and driving it right into Brainiac's cheek , forcing the robot to take a few steps back.

"Indeed, it was an error on my part to try and suppress your will instead of outright killing you," Brainiac agreed while his head slowly turned back towards Spike, with a single crack running down his face that had a multitude of lights shining from within. "For the only guaranteed way to keep you heroes down...is to kill you." Brainiac drove a fist into Spike's face as he said this and sent the dragon rocketing across the room, where he slammed into one of the screens. A rain of glass and sparks followed him to the deck, where he bounced off the metal floors with a grunt.

Brainiac then slowly turned his gaze from the downed dragon to the remaining four Lanterns, each of whom was glaring at him with either fear or rage. The two Green Lanterns were the first to attack him, roaring while they combined their constructs to create a gargantuan hammer that they brought down on top of the mighty machine. Yet, with no effort Brainiac reached up with a hand shining with a golden light and grabbed hold of the construct, hardly straining as he tightened his grip and shattered the green within his grasp.

"Will falters before fear," Brainiac whispered dangerously before appearing before one of the Lanterns and driving his fist into the Lantern's stomach. Green shards flew everywhere when the Lantern's personal shield was shattered, though the blood from the wound had barely begun to seep before a massive blast of yellow light reduced the ring wielder to ash. In another flash of light, Brainiac slammed the side of his foot into the skull of the second Green Lantern, snapping him to the floor where he collapsed without a sound.

"And only now, do the rest of you understand the repercussions of facing me," Brainiac stated with an underlying tone of wrath as his head slowly turned towards the Yellow Lantern, whose face was filled with fear while he pointed his ring at the machine. He fired bolt after bolt into Brainiac, but a red aura surrounded the machine and dissolved the Lantern's shot the moment they struck his metal form. Brainiac wrapped his fingers around the Lantern's throat, allowing his red energy to burn through the golden barrier that surrounded the Lantern. "And what can fear do to someone consumed with hate?"

"They can hope." 

Brainiac roared as blue light struck his form, causing the red energy to burn, and for his brain to experience a strange discomfort, almost a pain, that coursed through him. Under such powerful light Brainiac released his grip on the Yellow Lantern and staggered back, before turning on the blue belle with a cold glare on his face.

"Your blue light remains as annoying as ever," Brainiac stated coldly as the red aura died away from around him. Sweetie noticed this while she constructed her staff, spinning it once before floating up in front of Brainiac with a blank look. Then, with an incredible effort of will, Brainiac forced his body to be fueled by the power of will, glowing with an emerald green as a result. "But all the blue light can do alone is strengthen that of a green. So once again, you shall be your own undoing."

"Let us see about that," Sweetie coldly replied before twirling her staff and thrusting it at the green machine, driving the tip of it into the center of Brainiac's chest. She followed up the blow by slamming her hoof into the other end of her staff to double the force of the blow, creating a blue ripple at the point where the staff struck Brainiac. With a snarl, Brainiac grabbed her staff and yanked it out of her grasp, shattering it with a single clench of his fist. 

"Go ahead, break my weapons. I'm not done."

"Yes. You are," Brainiac declared as he lunged forward towards her, only to be tackled in the side by a being as strong as he was that drove the both of them through the metal deck. Brainiac turned his head towards his attacker only to receive a metal fist to the face that snapped his skull back.

"Back from the dead, jackass!" Spike roared with a mechanical fury while he unloaded lefts and rights into the metal face of Brainiac, caving it in with each blow and causing more cracks to run down his skull. Yet, in a moment Brainiac lifted his arm and fired a blast of energy that didn't belong to any of the Lanterns into Spike's chest, hurling the dragon back as he roared in pain and slammed into the bottom of the spherical room. 

"Do not assume that because you have some of my technology that you are able to fight me, Spike," Brainiac stated as he pulled himself out of the crater Spike had punched him into and floated over to the snarling dragon, watching with a cold glare as the sparking dragon tried to push himself up. "I invented the very machinery that keeps you alive, and with a simple flick of my wrist I could end you."

"Then why don't you shut up and just do it?" Spike snarled while he managed to push himself back up, but as he glared at Brainiac a cold smile spread across the machine's face.

"Because I am feeling...cruel," Brainiac coldly replied as a golden light began to illuminate his body. "And because I find it amusing to see what a weak and powerless creature that you are." When Spike glared up at him with both rage and confusion, Brainiac knew that he would have to elaborate. "Think for once in your life, Spike. You are weak. For all of your will and resolve, you have always had to rely on another for your strength. Be it the rings of power that the Guardians of Oa created or now, using my own mechanical form against me. But what can you do alone?"

As Brainiac said this, he sent a blast of yellow straight into the dragon's chest, staggering him long enough for Brainiac to fly down and slam his feet into Spike's face. Without a moment's delay, Brainiac followed up the attack by driving his fist into Spike's jaw, hurling the dragon upwards and through the platform above them. Spike slammed into another monitor and had just begun to fall, when Brainiac shot out of the floor, finishing his attack with an elbow to the back of the head.

"Everything that has made you special, that others admire you for, is because you rely on others for your strength," Brainiac continued while he grabbed the back of Spike's head and lifted him up, so the dragon was forced to gaze into Brainiac's golden eyes. "You are nothing by yourself."

"And what's so wrong about relying on others to be strong?" Spike asked with a smirk before his eyes narrowed and a devious smile crossed his face. "And it's clear to me that out of all the worlds you stole, not one of them had any information on dragons. Or else you'd know...that we've all got a certain trick up our sleeves!" Right as he yelled this, Spike opened his maw as wide as he could before unleashing an inferno of magical green fire into the face of Brainiac.

"GRAH!" Brainiac roared while the magical nature of the fire bypassed his armor and burned his very being, forcing him back as Spike rose to his feet. The dragon ceased the inferno for a brief moment to take in a breath before he roared in fury once again upon Brainiac, who staggered back under the unrelenting flame. Yet, Spike's moment of offense was over quickly when Brainiac pointed both of his arms at Spike and unleashed twin blasts of his own, twin blasts of yellow light that pushed back the dragon's flames before striking Spike in the face.

"I will admit Spike, that it has been a learning experience having these emotions for the first time," Brainiac said with a sinister smile while he slammed his fist into the side of Spike's head and sent him sprawling to the deck next to his chair, where Spike groaned as he struggled to push himself up. "The...rage that I feel towards you and your team has been most interesting. But in the face of such rage, I wonder what it will feel like...to watch you finally die," Brainiac growled when he planted his foot on Spike's throat.

"Doesn't...matter...we've...won," Spike spat out from under Brainiac's boot, confusing the machine for a moment before his eyes widened with realization.

"The Blue Lantern," he growled before he spun around to find that all seven of the Lanterns that had been trapped within his containers had been freed, assumedly by the blue belle who was helping to heal all of their injuries and to get them into fighting shape. A cold realization washed over Brainiac, a realization that he had just been outsmarted by a dragon and a mare, both of whom were hardly that bright to begin with.

"See what I mean about working together? Funny thing about emotions, especially for someone who's just learning what they're like...if you don't keep a close eye on them they can really narrow your field of vision," Spike taunted with a smirk as he managed to push Brainiac's foot off of him. "Especially rage. Rage can turn even a smart guy like you into an idiot who overlooks little details." Spike rolled out from under Brainiac and quickly dashed over to the other Lanterns, who were just starting to snap out of the fog.

"Where...are we?" the Violet Lantern asked as she blinked her eyes a few times.

"All I remember...were these machines...and..." the Red Lantern began before his eyes narrowed on Brainiac and his wrath burned back to life. "You! You are the one who captured us!"

"That's right Lanterns, this is the guy that's kept you imprisoned and has been draining the power out of your rings to use against your Corps," Sweetie explained quickly while she turned to face Brainiac with a snarl, Spike floating down beside her a moment later. "But now's our chance to get back at him, to put a stop to his plans once and for all. Are you with us?"

"If he is the one who captured us, then indeed it is time for some pay back!" the Yellow Lantern growled as he stepped forward.

"He glows with the power of all the rings! I want his power!" Larfleeze snarled while he scurried around the group.

"I know not who you are mechanical dragon, but I sense a great deal of compassion in you," the Indigo Lantern stated as he stepped forward with narrow eyes. "And emotion...that I hardly sense in the being before us." One by one the formerly trapped Lanterns stepped forward to join Spike and Sweetie, each with their reason to do so.

"Let's tear him apart."

"All shall be well."

"His death belongs to me!"

"Hey Lanterns, this is Brainiac's first time feeling emotions in his life," Spike informed the others as Brainiac narrowed his eyes, his whole form beginning to crackle with power. "So let's make sure that he feels every single blast we hit him with. LANTERN'S, LIGHT 'EM UP!"

Spike lunged forward after roaring the battle cry and slammed his shoulder into Brainiac's chest, staggering the machine long enough for the other Lanterns to take to the air and unleash their lights upon Brainiac, who staggered backwards under the sheer combined power of the Lanterns' light.

"No...you fools! My form...cannot...!" Brainiac tried to yell over the roaring of the Lanterns, but all eight combined their blasts with a roar that drowned out everything else. The massive blast of light hurled Brainiac into the wall of his fortress, crushing the metal wall and nearly blasting the machine into the vacuum of space. More and more cracks began to form along Brainiac's metal exterior as the lights began to overload him, preventing him from even lifting an arm to defend himself.

"Now! While we can!" Spike roared as he and the eight other Lanterns lunged forward with all of their respective emotions fueling their rings, combining all of their power into one massive attack. The nine Lanterns slammed into the machine and drove him right through the side of his ship, bursting forth on the outside of the ship and right through the metal skull of the space station. 

With one final push the nine Lanterns slammed their lights into Brainiac and drove the machine down towards the Green planet below, Brainiac's being starting to burn away as they entered into the planet's atmosphere. Yet, despite the unyielding power of the Lantern rings, Brainiac still had the power and intelligence to keep on fighting. And he knew that the only way to defeat the power...was to absorb it.

|)O(|

With a roar, John drove his green blade through the back of a Manhunter's head, tearing the blade out of the side of the Manhunter's head to make sure that it was down for the count. As the machine fell to the ground without another sound, John let out a sigh of relief while he took a moment to look around. Despite the Manhunters having outnumbered them, the combined strengths of the multiple Lantern Corps had managed to fend off most of them.

'Things seem to be going better down here--more so than I expected,' John sighed before turning his eyes to the sky, a worried look crossing his face. 'So, maybe I should go after them. To make sure they're...' But John's thoughts, along with the thoughts of the rest of the Lanterns who looked up at the sky, were completely derailed when they all laid eyes on a rainbow meteor that was crashing down towards the planet.

"Get down!" John roared to the Lanterns nearby while he constructed a barrier around himself as the meteor came crashing into the very heart of the city's center. An explosion that shone with a multitude of colors erupted in the sky and the ground shook from the impact, until the shaking and the burning lights finally came to a stop a few moments later. Being one of the closest Lanterns on the scene, John lowered his barrier and floated over to the crater while preparing himself for battle. But he never expected what he saw.

In the center of the smoking crater lay seven different colored Lanterns, all of whom John recognized from Brainiac's ship. None of them were moving and even one of them was dead, since his ring had abandoned him and was flying off into space. But despite the sudden appearance of the captured Lanterns and the meteor that appeared in the center of the Green Lantern home world, what made John's heart go cold was the being that was walking out of the center of the crater.

The being was made of a silver metal, but that metal was cracked and shattered beyond belief while a rainbow of lights shone from the cracks and fractures. But John's eyes were drawn to what the machine held in each hand, because in each hand the machine held Sweetie Belle and Spike, neither of whom was moving. 

As Brainiac came to a stop and glanced around at the Lanterns who were watching, his eyes rested upon the Green Lantern that had caused him so much pain and hatred. With a small smile crossing his face, he dropped the pair of Lanterns that he was holding as he walked up to John.

"John Stewart. Finally, I can put an end to you," Brainiac said maliciously, his head twitching slightly as he glared at Stewart before glancing at the other Lanterns. "And put an end to the Green Lanterns. And when I'm done with you," Brainiac began as he slowly floated forward. "I will destroy all emotion in the cosmos. And the very last emotion you shall all feel is..."

"Hopelessness."
> Where There's A Will...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

John hurled a shield construct in front of him the moment Brainiac lunged forward with a hand outstretched, yet cracks spread across his defense the moment Brainiac's fist slammed into his barrier. The force of the impact skidded John backwards, where he fell to one knee with shock spreading through his mind.

"What's the matter, John? You seem...surprised by my new attitude," Brainiac said coldly while he extended a hand, firing yellow bolts of lightning towards the Green Lantern. John reinforced his barrier before deflecting the blast, but even with the shield deflecting the majority of the blasts, John still felt the electricity course through his limbs. "Emotions...are such a foreign concept to me, but I believe that I am starting to comprehend them more."

"And yet, you're just as egotistical as always!" John snarled before slamming his shield into the ruined ground before constructing a sniper rifle and taking aim at the machine, firing high velocity, armor piercing shots into and through Brainiac's chest. To John's surprise, the shots actually went through Brainiac's armor, yet they also caused more chunks of his armor to fall out and more light shone from within.

"Come now John, you know that fighting me is pointless. This isn't even my body anymore," Brainiac stated with a  smile that was as broken as his body, the smile slowly growing larger while he walked forward with a hand extended. "The moment I sensed that emotions had permeated my form, I moved my true conscious to another body and shut nearly all of my technology off from this one. Call this a "faulty form" of mine."

"You always were harder to kill than a damn cockroach!" John snarled as his will burned and a spear of an emerald hue materialized in his grasp, allowing him to spin quickly and thrust the weapon into one of the already cracked areas of Brainiac's armor. The impalement temporarily slowed down the machine.  "So then, why bother keeping this "faulty form" around?!" John snarked.

"Call this...a learning experiment," Brainiac replied with another cracked smile before he took aim at John in front of him. Yet, bolts of green rained from the sky before he could destroy the Lantern, so with a face that shifted from smiling to rage-fueled, the machine took aim at the Lanterns floating around them and unleashed golden hellfire upon them. "To find out what the effects emotions have on machines such as myself."

"And what have you discovered so far, you psycho?!" John demanded while he constructed football armor around his body and flung himself shoulder first into the machine, knocking off his aim while tackling him to the crater. The stray shots from Brainiac's arms struck a number of buildings that were still standing, bringing them down around the two as John unleashed all of his will into Brainiac's skull.

Yet, the green light of will quickly found itself overpowered by a combined blast of red, yellow and orange that erupted from Brainiac's eyes, blasting John in the chest and skyrocketing him upwards. Despite the searing pain in his chest, he managed to catch himself in time and willed to remain floating above the battlefield as Brainiac got up.

"I have discovered...that emotions are problematic," Brainiac stated with a cold tone, a tone that John recognized as Brainiac's true voice. "That they impair thought and reason...and somehow allow you heroes to overpower and defeat me time after time after time." And for a moment, Brainiac seemed to regain control of himself, regain control of the superior intellect that he was. He looked around at the hundreds of Lanterns floating around him with narrowed eyes, making a decision in his mind.

"Whatever you're thinking, it ain't gonna happen!" John bellowed as he rained green missiles down upon Brainiac, while other Lanterns of varying colors floated beside him, adding their own lights in the bombardment of the destroyer of worlds. But when the lights died down and the dust settled, the Lanterns found to their horror that Brainiac not only still stood safe under a barrier, but he had also seemed to reach his decision.

"Yes...I see it clearly now," Brainiac stated to himself as he looked around at all of the Green Lanterns. "Will. That is the source of all my problems. You heroes, when defeated, when beaten, find the will to rise and oppose me time and time again. Will is the source of your powers. Conclusion, the only way to truly destroy you heroes," Brainiac began as his body began to glow with an unholy light. "Is to destroy will itself."

"And the hell we'll let you!" John roared while he led the charge with the nearby Lanterns against Brainiac, who turned his head upwards to glare at the hundreds of Lanterns all plummeting towards him. Yet in a move that confused the Lanterns, he plunged one of his own hands into his chest. He then ripped his own hand out of the hole to show a sphere that shone with a multitude of colors. Brainiac then pointed the sphere at the sky and began unleashing blasts of combined light that struck down any Lantern who fell under its light, forcing John to duck and weave as fast as he could to avoid the shots.

"RRRAAAGGGHHHH!" John brought his fist back and slammed it against Brainiac's own hand when he got close enough, generating a green shockwave that rippled for blocks across the ruined city. Brainiac retaliated by firing blasts of red out of his eyes and straight into John's chest, but the Green Lantern held strong while he slammed his other fist into Brainiac's skull to change the angle of his shots.

"You think that just by killing the Green Lanterns that you'll kill all of the will in the galaxy?! Hell no Brainiac, even if you manage to do away with us there will still be millions...no, BILLIONS of beings that will fight you!" John roared as he channeled all of his will into his right fist and swung at Brainiac for all he was worth. Brainiac followed the motion by driving his left fist into John's right, but when the fists collided, to Brainiac's shock, his own hand was crumpled under the sheer power of John's will. 

"Interesting," Brainiac stated as he backed away and looked at his crumpled fist before turning his eyes on the glaring Lantern. "Yet, by choosing to face me alone, you have sealed your fate. You should have listened to your reason instead of your emotions."

"That's always been the problem with you, Brainiac. You've always viewed living beings as weak, that our emotions hinder us and that our morality will be our downfall," John said with power while he concentrated his will once again and drove his fist into Brainiac's chest, unleashing all of his green light into the plate while tearing chunks of metal off the machine. "But even now that you have the same emotions as us, you can't tap into the same power! Because you have no heart. Because you have no WILL!"

John unleashed more of his ring's power into Brainiac's shattered chest, but in the blink of an eye Brainiac appeared before John and slammed his fist into the Lantern's gut. John doubled over while Brainiac lifted an elbow over his back and drove the point home, driving John into the ruined streets as he hit with enough force to bounce back up, where Brainiac kicked him in the gut and laid him out.

'Dammit...think I...broke a few bones there,' John thought weakly while he fought to push himself up, glaring at Brainiac as the destroyer was attacked once again by even more Lanterns. Brainiac fired into the sky, but was completely overpowered by the sheer number of Lanterns that were shooting at him. "Get it now, Brainiac? You've lost. Even you can't defeat every Lantern on this planet. Your laser is gone and you're alone now. It's over."

"Indeed it is," Brainiac agreed before constructing a barrier around both himself and John, deflecting the Lanterns' fires as he turned his attention to the single Green Lantern. "This battle is pointless now. You cannot defeat me and I no longer wish to deal with you. So it is time I put an end to the source of the heroes' strength." 

"The hell do you mean by that?" John was just about to beat Brainiac's meaning out of him, when his ring answered his question for him.

'Lantern Stewart, Brainiac's vessel...it is falling towards the planet.' With horror filling up his heart, John and the rest of the Green Lanterns looked up to see that, indeed, the massive skull on the face of the fortress was growing larger and larger as it slowly began to fall towards the planet.

"Damn it! All Lanterns to me, we need to stop that station!" John roared into his ring, but all of his attention was brought back to Brainiac when rays of strange light cast themselves over him. John turned to find that Brainiac was radiating a light, the likes of which he had never seen, made all the more unnerving when he saw the smile on Brainiac's face.

"Time for one last experiment. How strong is the will of a single Lantern?" Brainiac asked before his entire being shone with light, forcing John to create a shield around himself as the metal body of Brainiac exploded in a brilliant flash of rainbow light. His shield held as the light washed over him, but when he turned his head to watch the shockwave of light, he saw that every Lantern it struck let out a cry of pain before their rings failed them. With horror in his eyes, he watched as Lanterns fell from the skies, forcing him into action while he constructed a massive catcher's mitt that he used to catch as many of them as he could.

"What's the matter with them?" John asked when he had saved as many as possible and safely put them on the ground, watching with disbelief as they all tried in vain to get their rings to work. 

'It seems...that this version of Brainiac used the last of the Lantern light that he had stolen, along with his knowledge of the rings to temporarily depower the rings of the Lantern Corps,' the ring explained to John. 'The only reason I still function is because of your will, which was enough to fend off Brainiac's wave of light.' Sickly horror clawed at John's heart as he slowly turned and looked up at the falling space station, which was getting closer and closer by the second. 

"You bastard..." John whispered in horror as realization dawned on him, finally realizing what Brainiac was planning to do. "He's not just trying to destroy the Corps, he's trying to destroy the entire planet! And with all of the Lanterns out of commission, there's no way to stop his fortress! What would happen if that fortress strikes the planet?!"

'While it does seem to be smaller than most moons, no more than one hundred miles in diameter, with all of the technology and weaponry based inside of it, there is no knowing what kind of destruction it will cause if it strikes the planet,' the ring explained before making a guess. 'And since Brainiac has planned this, I have no doubt that the space station is programmed to destroy the whole planet when it explodes.'

"And...how long will the other Lanterns' rings be down?" John asked weakly while he looked around at all of the rescued Lanterns, none of them, be they Blue, Yellow or Green, able to tap into their power. 

'I do not know the specifics, but if I were to wager a guess...long enough.' For a long moment John didn't know what to do. Despite being the only Lantern that was still operational, he knew that he didn't have the kind of power to destroy something so large, much less stop it from crashing into the planet.

'There's...nothing I can do,' John thought silently, vaguely remembering how Brainiac had told him that the last emotion he would ever feel was hopelessness. 'And he knew it. This was all planned from the beginning. He planned to cripple the Lanterns, to make sure that they didn't have a chance! Damn it all!' he roared with fury, a fury of helplessness as he clenched his fists.

Then John looked around him, looked around at all of the other Lanterns who were gazing up at the falling station with the same hopelessness and defeat in their eyes. Then, his gaze slowly fell upon the crater, the crater where Spike and Sweetie, along with the other freed Lanterns still lay. In a flash of green, he flew over to the pair of them and scanned them with his ring to find that they were both still alive, albeit unconscious. 

'I'm sorry, you two. After everything the pair of you went through, all the obstacles you both overcame...we couldn't do it. Brainiac won,' John gritted with rage. Yet, as he looked down at the two Lanterns that he had spent nearly a month training, exploring and laughing with, his ring spoke to him once more.

'Lantern Stewart. Do you know why I picked you out of all the other people on Earth? Above Superman? Above Batman?' his ring asked him, getting John to look away from the kids and towards his ring. 'It is because I saw a will in you that I did not see in anyone else. I saw a will that wasn't devoid of fear, that wasn't the most noble, or perhaps not even the strongest. But the will I saw was a will that, if the time came, would move the very heavens themselves to save the world.'

John took the hint and looked up at the falling fortress, knowing what the ring was asking of him. "And you really believe...that I have the will to move that? That alone, I can stop something that massive?"

'Lantern Stewart, I thought you knew better than that. When you are a member of the Green Lanterns, you are never alone.' The words struck John harder than he ever believed possible and as he looked around once again, he knew that his ring was right.

'They all are depending on me. I'm the only one who can do something,' John thought before looking down once again at Spike and Sweetie, who were both sleeping peacefully next to each other despite the impending doom. 'And I made a promise to the both of you, that I would teach you what it meant to be a Lantern, and if necessary die to protect you. But I couldn't protect you, Spike, from Brainiac and I couldn't protect Sweetie from the pain of losing a loved one...but this,' John thought with a fire welling up in him that caused his whole body to begin glowing. 'This is something I can protect you from.'

"Thanks, the both of you. I had to admit that I was hesitant to have the both of you come with me on this mission at first," John admitted before smiling down at the pair as he stood up, ignoring the pain. "But the two of you have given me hope for the future. But now, it's my turn...to make sure the both of you have one." 

Then, with a burst of emerald light John Stewart shot into the sky, the lone light that flew towards the falling space station. Despite the enormity of the task and the size of the object hurtling towards him, he allowed no doubt or fear to enter his mind. He came to a stop in front of the space station, taking in the seemingly impossible task of what he was about to try to do. 

So, with a roar of fury John unleashed his strongest blast of green light into the falling fortress, yet the ray of green crumbled under the weight and girth of the falling chunk of metal. Undeterred, John fired another beam of concentrated will into the space station, yet the result was hardly any different than before.

"Dammit all! I have the will, so why doesn't it work?!" John bellowed as he concentrated all of his power into a massive blast that he fired into the center of the skull, trying to slow the space station down to no avail. "You said I could do this!"

'I did. I also did not say you should attack it head on. Also...I cannot exert the force necessary to stop it from here...without putting your life at risk,' the ring explained, causing the rage to leave John's face and instead be replaced with understanding. 'If I were to exert the full capabilities of this ring, the strain it would place on your body would be far to great. There must be another-'

"Do it," John cut the ring off. "Unleash the full power."

'Lantern Stewart, if I were to do that with the shape you are in...you would not survive,' the ring warned him. John thought about his answer for a moment, knowing that there were people on Earth who needed him, who depended on him and wanted him to come home. But then, he remembered that others needed him now, how the entire universe depended on the Green Lanterns to remain safe. And as a Lantern, he couldn't let them down.

"Do it." 

Green light surrounded John as he felt the full power of his will finally brought to light. With the newfound power flowing through him, he gazed up at the falling station and pointed his ring towards the center of the machine. 

"LIGHT IT UP!" he roared before an emerald typhoon of power erupted from his ring, hurtling itself towards the space station and striking it dead in the center of its forehead. And with all of his will being unleashed against the falling space station, for a brief moment the fortress seemed to slow down. But in the next moment a sickening snapping sound could be heard in his arm and with a cry of pain he canceled the attack as his arm dangled at a strange angle.

'I warned you, Lantern Stewart. If we try dismantling it from the inside-'

"No time!" John grunted in pain as he constructed an exoskeleton around his body that set his arm straight, gritting his teeth while suppressing the pain. He switched his ring to his other hand and fired at the moon again, once again able to stop it for a brief moment before the sheer weight of the moon shattered his construct. "Damn it! If I don't use full power the construct isn't strong enough, and if I used full power my body can't take it...so I guess there's no choice."

'What are you planning?' his ring asked before John hurled himself skyward towards the falling fortress, reinforcing the exoskeleton with all of the will he held within.

"If my beams can't stop it and my body can't take it, then there's only one thing left to try," John stated right before he slammed into the side of the massive, metallic structure, slamming his shoulders into it while he created green rockets to fire with all of his will. "I'm taking a page out of Clark's book!" 

Then, John began to strain with all of his will and might, pushing against the moon with such force that his exoskeleton began to crack under the strain and weight. But despite pouring his everything into stopping the plummeting meteor, it was a futile battle as the emerald city below grew larger and larger. John roared with all of his might while he continued to plummet with the metal fortress, barely slowing it down even as the crushing weight of the fortress began to crack the bones in his body.

'Got to...keep...pushing...can't...let them down!' John roared within his mind, but his thoughts barely added any more power to his efforts and the fortress continued its disastrous descent down into the city below. The tops of the tallest skyscrapers were crushed underneath the massive fortress as they were the first to be impacted by the metal station, which began to push them flat as John continued to struggle.

'It's...not enough. Even my...full power...couldn't...' John weakly thought as everything started to go black. But then, out of the corner of his eyes despite him barely being able to see, John spotted something he didn't expect to see. Tiny bolts of green were bouncing off of the metal around him, green bolts that could have only come from the planet below. And despite them doing nothing, the green bolts kept coming.

'It is the other Lanterns. Those whose rings are just beginning to work are trying to help you,' the ring explained for John.

'They haven't given up.' That single thought pierced through the pain and agony that the Green Lantern was going through. None of the Lanterns had given up. None of them would accept defeat. Instead, they were choosing to fight. 'That's right...Lanterns never give up on each other! No matter how hopeless the situation seems! That's why we wear the ring! Because we choose to face fear and defeat and overcome!' And in that moment, despite the pain, agony and soul crushing weight of the task at hand, John found his true strength. 

And he knew exactly what to say:

"In brightest day...in blackest night...no evil...shall...escape my sight," he began, blood beginning to trickle from his mouth as his green aura shone brighter than it ever had before. The fortress had crushed the taller of the buildings and was hurtling down towards the center of the Oa, where all of the Lanterns were gathered. John looked down and realized that he had seconds before impact, seconds before the fortress crushed him and every other Lantern there, before possibly destroying the planet. But that only made him stronger.

"For all those...who fight with me still...if you lend me your strength, then I might...no...not might!" John roared as he felt his feet be driven into the ground, shattering the emerald road beneath him as the fortress decimated the buildings around him and all of the other Lanterns. But even as buildings collapsed and the planet was shaken to its very core, the fortress moved no further. For underneath the fortress stood a single man, a man who glowed with the light of the Green Lanterns.

"I WILL!"

With that one proclamation, the light surrounding John shone as bright as a star and his body took on the full weight of the station. The green exoskeleton that John had placed around himself shattered under the strain of lifting an object of such gigantic proportions, shattering every bone in the Lantern's body under the weight of the space station. Yet, despite the weight and despite the pain that seared across every nerve in his body, the light of the Green Lantern remained strong. Blood poured from his eyes and mouth and his body shook horribly under the soul shattering weight, but the station fell no further despite its desire to do so. And for a moment, the other Green Lanterns watched on in awe as the single Lantern stood strong. For a moment, billions of tons rested upon a single being. For a moment, no one knew how it was possible.

For in that moment, John was strong enough to lift the world.

Then, all at once, hundreds of beams of yellow light began to attach themselves to the fallen space station and all eyes looked to the sky to see hundreds of Sinestro Corps members descending from above, using their light to lift the burden from the single Lantern's shoulders. Sinestro and the rest of his Corps then began to fly the station back into orbit, smirking down at the Green, Yellow and Blue Lanterns who cheered for him all the while.

But for a single Lantern, he never heard the cheering of the crowd. Nor did he know that the weight had been lifted from his shoulders or that his world was safe. The white eyes of John Stewart saw none of the lights that helped to lift the fortress, nor could he hear the triumph and cheering. And as his body finally gave out, finally surrendered to the strain and devastation, it fell forward and collapsed to the ground with barely a sound. The green light died around him as the light returned to the ring on his left hand, but a moment later the ring removed itself from his finger and took to the air, seeking out its next member. It did not have to go far.

"Spike of Equestria," the ring stated as it floated down onto the unconscious dragon, landing in the opened palm of his hand. "You have the ability to overcome greater fear."

"Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."
> Lantern's Never Retire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike always hated waking up with bright lights shining into his weary eyes, and what he hated even more was when the light blinding him was an emerald color, because it usually meant trouble. With a groan, he lifted his hand and moved it in front of the light, barely seeing the back of his hand through blurry eyes. Yet, the weariness and exhaustion melted instantly when Spike realized that he was looking at the back of a scaled purple hand. His hand.

"My hand's back!" Spike cried excitedly as he sat up swiftly...and subsequently got punched in the face when he slammed his skull into the knuckles of the hand that had been dangling over his face. With a groan of pain, Spike clutched his hands to where he had been struck, rubbing away the pain before blinking his eyes twice and looking around the room.

He was sitting in a strange bed in a large room that held many numbers of Lanterns within it, most of whom were horribly hurt or covered in emerald bandages. But his attention was focused mostly on the two beings that sat on his right and left at his bedside, one of them being the Blue Lantern who had always been by his side, and now had tears running down her face. But the other was a figure that Spike hadn't seen in five years, but he knew him still, because he wore a green mask over his face and was a Lantern that none forgot.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Spike, both figuratively and literally," the Lantern said with a sigh of relief while he lowered his white gloved hand and got the light out of Spike's eyes.

"Hal...? What are you doing here?" Spike weakly muttered as he started to sit up, only to feel a wave of nausea wash over him, and he nearly threw up on the bed. But while he clamped his hands to his mouth in an effort to stem the vomit, Spike looked down at himself to realize that his body was one hundred percent normal dragon. "And...I'm back to normal! Those Guardians did it!"

"Yes, they did," Sweetie said in a voice that was half happy and half sob, before she rested her head against his chest, her blue light helping to ease the nausea that plagued Spike. "Despite three days of not knowing whether or not they'd do it, you're back to normal. All of Brainiac's influence over you is gone." The moment she spoke the machine's name, Spike's eyes went wide and he started to glance around the room, hurting himself slightly while the Lanterns calmed him down.

"That's right! Brainiac!" Spike cried as he tried to get up, but Hal's light was more than enough to keep the weakened Lantern in bed. After a few moments, he calmed down to the point where he stopped trying to fight and Hal released his grip on Spike. "The battle!  I remember...we freed the Lanterns...did one last push against him and then...what happened after that?" Hal and Sweetie shared a quick look that Spike didn't like, before Sweetie pressed herself even closer to Spike while Hal prepared to explain.

"From what I've heard from the Lanterns who were there, Brainiac was...overflowing with the Lantern energy that he stole," Hal began, but Spike was more focused on how deadpanned Hal's voice sounded. "John battled with him along with other Lanterns, but eventually Brainiac and John battled it out in the center of the city streets." Hal took a pause, which gave Spike a chance to glance down at Sweetie to find that there were tears flowing from her closed eyes.

"John...managed to get the upper hand on him," Hal continued, drawing forth a stunned look from Spike. "Yeah, a lot of the times we forget that of all the Earthling Lanterns, he has the strongest willpower. But after knocking each other around for a bit...Brainiac gave up. Or I suppose, stopped caring is the better word choice. He said something along the lines of the body he was using...being an experiment and that he would destroy the source of will, or something like that. Then...he dropped his space station on the planet."

"What...then how?" Spike began, but Hal held up a hand.

"Getting to that. So with his space station falling to the planet, Brainiac used his other trump card. He destroyed himself to unleash all of the light within his body at once to neutralize the rings of all the Lanterns except for John, whom many assume managed to shield against the blast in time. That left him as the only Lantern who could possibly do something to stop the fall of the station."

"So...what happened?" Spike dared to ask. Hal lowered his head at that moment and remained silent, almost like he was trying to regain control of himself before speaking.

"John caught it." Silence was all that could be heard among them after Hal spoke those three words, with Spike sitting in complete awe. 

"He...he caught that massive station?" Spike dared to whisper a moment later, getting a nod from Hal who worked up the strength to continue.

"Yeah. All by himself, he managed to lift something that large and keep it from crashing into the planet, which was apparently Brainiac's plan to destroy the world," Hal clarified softly. "Some say that he held it for what felt like hours, but in reality it was barely a minute. That's when the rest of the Sinestro Corps showed up and helped to lift the burden, throwing the station back into space. And thus, the day is saved." Spike could hear the pain in Hal's voice when he finished speaking, but at that moment Spike was too amazed by the knowledge that John had managed to lift such an massive object on his own.

"He...he lifted it all by himself?! That's incredible! The amount of will and mental fortitude needed to do that would be..." But then a question entered Spike's mind, a question that he hadn't thought of until he looked at Hal, who continued to stare at the floor, and then to Sweetie, who had yet to stop crying.

"Hal?" Spike began as his heart started to sink into his stomach. "What happened to John?" For the longest minute of Spike's life, Hal stared at the floor to avoid the answer. He then slowly raised his head to look at Spike, but all Spike needed to do was look into Hal's eyes, which held the answer for him. "No..."

"He's gone Spike. He's dead," Hal confirmed. Spike said nothing while the news washed over him, but he fell back onto his pillow as if he had been struck down by a hammer. For a minute he just stared down at his legs, trying to wrap his mind around Hal's words but found himself unable to believe them.

"It...it can't be! He's too strong to have died," Spike stammered out, but Hal simply shook his head at Spike's reaction. "There has to be some mistake! Did...did you check his ring? If it's still on him then that means that he's-"

"Spike, haven't you noticed yet?" Sweetie spoke this time, gently motioning her head towards Spike hand. Slowly Spike looked down at his right hand to see a ring of emerald light resting upon his middle claw. Tears began to stream down Spike's face as he gazed at the ring, knowing that his ring was too far gone for this one to be his.

"It chose you almost immediately after John died," Hal clarified for Spike, looking down again as the dragon bit his lip to prevent himself from sobbing. "And if I knew John as well as I did, I bet he knew that it would choose you as well. It made a good choice, one worthy of the man who wielded it before you."

"How...how can you be so calm?" Spike choked out, trying to fight his pain with rage, but was unable to do so.

"I've lost plenty of friends in this career, Spike. Many whom I've had the honor to fight alongside against the forces of evil. But that's just the way this job goes," Hal said with bitter venom in his voice. "A Green Lantern never retires, because there's only one way out of this job. And John knew that when he took on Brainiac. I just wish...that I could have been here sooner. Maybe, then this wouldn't have happened!"

For a moment Hal seethed with rage, but only a moment because he regained control of himself and glanced over at Spike. Spike was holding Sweetie Belle close to him and was doing his best not to sob loudly, while Sweetie comforted him softly, not bothering to try to hide her tears. Hal's face softened as he extended his hand and gently placed it upon Spike's shoulder, joining the pair in their sorrow: In Spike's sorrow for his lost mentor; Sweetie's sorrow for the loss of an ally; and for Hal, who lost one of his closest friends.

|)O(|

Spike, Sweetie and Hal stood in respectful silence next to the emerald coffin, while the rest of the Green Lanterns trickled out one by one, eventually leaving those three as the only beings left in the chamber where John had been laid to rest. It wasn't a fancy coffin, nor was it particularly large, and Hal had informed the two young Lanterns during the small funeral that that was the way John would have wanted it.

"Still can't believe that none of the Guardians showed up to pay respects," Spike spat with a cold venom while he glanced around the empty room for the little blue men. "It's not like John saved their whole stinking world or anything--oh wait, that's exactly what he did!"

"Calm yourself, Spike. Now is not the time for rage, especially not here," Sweetie spoke calmly to the dragon, whose rage fizzled out as he glanced down at the emerald coffin, tears streaming from his eyes once again. "Try not to cry, Spike...all will be well."

"That's why you're a Blue and I'm not Sweetie, because I don't know if I could say that with a straight face right now," Spike muttered back somberly. Another ten minutes passed in silence before Hal let out a sigh and lifted his right hand, constructing a platform upon which he placed the coffin before turning to the younger Lanterns.

"I'm going...to be taking him back to Earth. Bury him back home, y'know?  He...he deserves that much...and so much more. If the two of you want, I can drop you off on Equestria before I head back to Earth," Hal offered. "The new warp-speed system they installed in the Interceptor should make it a quick journey in case you...don't feel like talking that much." Spike and Sweetie nodded somberly as they followed Hal Jordan out of the small chamber with the emerald coffin in tow.

The pair floated slowly through the streets towards the hangar where their ship rested, their eyes drawn to the damage and rubble that had resulted as the fortress nearly crushed all of the city. Many of the tall skyscrapers that had once reached towards the emerald sky had been laid flat, and all that remained of their might were craters filled with debris.

Numerous Manhunter remains were strewn across the entire city and needed to be cleaned up as well.  Many Lanterns were hard at work either collecting or straight up destroying the remains of the Manhunters, all of which had gone offline the moment that Brainiac had exploded, Hal informed the two.

Yet as they observed the destruction, the three were also aware that all of the Green, Blue and even Yellow Lanterns that they passed all either bowed in respect or, in the case of the Yellow Lanterns, nodded as they passed by.

"Don't worry, Spike. Even if the Guardians won't acknowledge his sacrifice, all of the Lanterns who were here know what happened...and who saved all of Oa...and maybe the cosmos," Hal comforted Spike. "And don't worry, I'll make damn sure that the heroes of Earth honor him for what he did."

"At least Brainiac went out before John did," Spike growled. "Glad that that sick freak is finally gone for good." The sigh that Hal let out caused Spike to sigh as well and he glanced up at Hal, who was shaking his head slightly. "Let me guess, the bastard isn't dead."

"That's the problem when fighting Brainiac, Spike, he never truly stays beaten. As long as a piece of him survives somewhere, he'll come back and he'll probably be stronger than he was before," Hal growled with rage in his own voice. "Why is it that the villains never stay dead?"

"Because evil never truly dies," Spike snarled, before shaking off his rage as the three of them finally reached the hangar, one of the few buildings that had escaped any damage from the assault by Brainiac. Yet, to the mild surprise of the Lanterns, they found a number of other beings waiting for them at the base of the parked ship. 

"Nattily, Saint Walker, Razer and...Ali?" Sweetie asked in confusion when the three approached the strange beings that were gathered around the Interceptor, and who ceased speaking with each other at the arrival of the three Lanterns. "What are you all doing here?  I thought that you and the other Blue Lanterns were going to head home?"

"We are, Sister Belle, but first we wished to catch you and your friends to...pay respects one last time to the one who helped to save us," Lantern Razer stated as he gently rested a blue hand on the top of the emerald coffin.

"But we also wished to thank the two of you as well, for you fought Brainiac just as hard as John did," Saint Walker added before bowing to both Sweetie and Spike, then looking at the former with a large smile upon his face. "I am glad to see that you were able to find your hope once again. And I have hope, that you will be able to spread that hope across the cosmos for those who have none."

"That's what we do, isn't it?" Sweetie replied with a half-smirk before she bowed in response to Saint Walker.  She then turned towards Razer with a smile as well. "And thank you for helping me to reclaim what I had lost. Without you, I would still be a slave to my rage...or most likely dead."

"I am just happy to help," Razer replied before bowing to her, then raising a curious eyebrow while Spike walked up to him with a look. "Yes Lantern Spike, how may I be of aid to you?"

"You're...the one who saved Sweetie's life when she was a Red Lantern, right?" Spike asked before letting out a sigh when Razer nodded in response. Spike then seemed to swallow hard before he bowed in front of Razer. "Thank you for saving her!" he quickly said before standing back up and crossing his arms while looking away.

"It was my pleasure. And, I am glad to see that I was able to prevent the two of you from suffering the same pain that I endured," Razer replied before slightly bowing to Spike and then turning to bow to Saint Walker. "I will see you soon, teacher," Razer said before a blinding flash of blue light went off, revealing when it faded that the Lantern was gone.

"And I must be getting back as well, though for different reasons," Saint Walker stated before holding out the bottled battleship of the Red Lanterns. "I must return those who have been trapped to their homes. Fortunately, the Green Lanterns learned of how to reverse the effects. But I must leave soon, for it is a bad idea to bottle up rage. Are you ready?" Saint Walker asked the Star-Sapphire beside him, leaving Nattily to walk forward and awkwardly rub the back of her head.

"Well...guess this is goodbye for now," she said behind them while holding another bottle with a violet planet inside. "I need to get back to my sector and return the Star-Sapphires to normal."

"Need any help?" Spike asked, but Nattily shook her head before looking down at the small planet that she held in her fingers. 

"No, Saint Walker was kind enough to offer to escort me there and help me fix my home," Nattily informed the two of them with a small smile. "But it was nice to meet both of you. The two of you have been really good friends to me. So, I guess this is...goodbye for now. But if you're ever in the sector, come see us!" She floated over beside Saint Walker while she said this, waving to both Spike and Sweetie as a flash of blue light went off and sent the two on their way. That left the Guardian Ali as the only being that stood between the Lanterns and their ride home.

"Before the three of you go, I would like to congratulate you on the success of completing the mission. You both did well for such young Lanterns," Ali praised in an emotionless voice while he nodded to both Spike and Sweetie before casting a glance at Hal. "Try not to crash it this time, Jordan, we're tired of having to build new ones."

"Yeah, I'll remember that the next time I have to save all your bald butts," Hal snarked in reply. Ali shot him a glance before floating past the three as he headed towards the exit, but then he came to a brief stop beside the coffin and looked down at it. Yet, Spike was the only one close enough to see Ali's eyes, and for a brief moment he saw what looked like...sorrow in them. But then Ali blinked and the emotion was gone, leaving the Guardian to nod to them all one last time before floating away.

"Well, whaddya know? Maybe he wasn't such a jackass after all," Spike muttered with a small smile. Hal caught Spike's smile and shot a curious glance at Ali, before shrugging his shoulders as he turned to the Interceptor and used his ring to open the ramp up onto the ship.

"Come on guys, it's been a long day. Let's get you home."
> The Emerald Torch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The emerald light of the green ring bathed Spike in its glow while he sat confined in his dark room, gazing down at the only item that Spike had left of his mentor...his friend. Despite nearly all Lantern rings looking the same, Spike could see nicks and scratches on John's ring that had not been on his.

'Guess that shows how many harrowing adventures he survived,' Spike thought to himself with a downcast look. 'All the battles, the wars against the forces of evil...so, why did he have to die here?! Why did his adventure with me have to be the one that finally did him in?!...Was it because I wasn't strong enough?  Had I been a better student, a better Lantern, would he have survived?'

Spike leaned against his fist as he thought along those lines, with guilt creeping into his soul. To him, the emerald light made him feel sick, made him feel like he had failed one of his friends when they had needed him most...that one of his fears had come to light. Yet, those thoughts were dissolved into feelings of peace when the door to his room opened and a blue light mingled with the green to cast a feeling of calm over him, yet his expression did not change when he glanced towards the blue belle who entered.

"Hey Spike," Sweetie said softly as she walked inside, instantly reading the look on Spike's face as she sat down on the bed beside him. "Hal asked me to check up on you, but I would have done so regardless of whether he asked or not...I know this probably sounds like a stupid question, but are you alright?"  Spike wanted to say no, wanted to shout about how he'd never be alright again, but he let his rage go in a sigh, and instead wrapped his left arm over Sweetie's shoulder.

"I don't know, Sweetie. I know that I feel terrible, but that's about all I know," Spike muttered weakly with pain in his voice. "And I also know that I'm partially responsible for why he's gone. If I had just been slightly stronger...if I had managed to defeat Brainiac-"

"Spike, don't," Sweetie said sternly as she placed a hoof on his hand, derailing his train of thought. "Don't blame yourself for John's death. It wasn't your fault that he gave his life to save ours ,and it wasn't your fault that you couldn't beat Brainiac. Besides, you heard Hal. Even the heroes of his world haven't been able to stop Brainiac for good. It was John's choice to sacrifice himself for us and he did that so that we could live."

"But...but what if I-?"

This time Sweetie placed her hoof on his mouth, preventing him from speaking any further as she shook her head. "Remember what you always told me when the voices of the dead spoke to me, and I asked you if I should be with them?" Sweetie asked him with a stern, yet sympathetic look. "You told me there's no point worrying about the past, so instead we should try to make a better future. And I think that's what John would want you to do. Instead of focusing on his death, focus instead on honoring his memory by helping others the same way he helped us."

Spike let out a sigh as her words pierced through his doubt and anger towards himself, allowing him to think far more clearly than before. "You're right as usual, Sweetie...but it still hurts. And I still wish that I could find a way just to...talk to him. To thank him for all he did."

"There's nothing wrong with thinking like that Spike," Sweetie softly comforted while she leaned her head against him and joined Spike in looking at John's ring with sad eyes. "We'll all miss him. But don't worry. No matter how painful things get, tomorrow will always be brighter. And all will be well."

"Heh, since when did you get so wise and mature?" Spike asked with as much of a joking tone as he could muster, getting a small smile out of the belle.

"Ponies mature faster than dragons. Not to mention all the Blue Lanterns I met seemed to be wise gurus--kinda like Zecora, so I guess it rubbed off on me," Sweetie chuckled slightly, gazing up at the blue and green stars that the two Lanterns were constructing without thinking. "I am glad that you're back to normal though. I'd hate to have to explain to Twilight why her son looked like a vending machine all of a sudden."

"Heh, knowing her she'd be upset for a few minutes, then she'd start working on a way to get me back to normal herself while studying the machinery that I used to be," Spike added on with a small chuckle, one that seemed to help the pain in his heart slightly. "Man, we've been away from home for too long, haven't we?"

"And yet, I bet when we get back there, practically nothing will have changed. Not unless Sombra somehow managed to take over the world in the month we were gone," Sweetie reasoned, getting Spike to shudder slightly.

"Ugh, don't say things like that. Sombra's been a big enough pain in our flanks when we're actively looking for him. I'd hate to think what evil he got into while we were gone."

"Maybe he went and got himself captured? That'd be a nice welcome home gift." Both Sweetie and Spike chuckled a bit at that thought, but both knew that the dark king was far too crafty to get caught. Spike then let the smile fall slightly as he looked back down at the ring, causing Sweetie to follow his gaze to it as well. "That's right. When we get back home there will hardly be time for a break. We're going to have to get right back to work."

"What, you wanted to take a break? We're superheroes Spike, we don't get breaks," Sweetie teased Spike slightly before taking on a more somber expression. "But...if you really need to, I'm sure the ponies wouldn't-"

"No. It's like you said, heroes don't get breaks," Spike said with a fire in his voice that Sweetie knew well, a fire that told her Spike was starting to find his strength again. "John wouldn't let the death of a comrade get in the way of protecting others. And if I'm going to honor him, to be the Lantern he wanted me to be, then I won't let it either. Yeah, I'm going to miss him and still mourn...but he'd want me to help others. And that's what I plan to do."

Sweetie smiled with pride at Spike as he said this, but before she could commend him on his decision a flash of light went off from Spike's ring, causing both Spike and Sweetie to glance down at the item with shock in their eyes as the ring constructed a miniature...

"John?" Spike and Sweetie both asked in disbelief as a construct of the human looked up at them.

"Hey, Spike. If you're getting this message, then that means that you've survived the battle with Brainiac, hopefully, and that my ring chose you to be its next wielder, which I figured it would," John's construct spoke with a smile before the smile fell. "And if that's the case, then that also means that I finally 'kicked the bucket' during the battle. Hopefully I died stopping Brainiac. If not, I'll settle for hopefully going out saving as many as I could. Who knows?"

"I do. And you did far more than that," Spike whispered softly as the construct continued.

"So, if you're getting this message and the day has been saved and all that, then I can probably guess that you're upset right now with my passing," the recording said knowingly. "You're probably kicking yourself for not helping out more, or you feel guilty for letting me die. I just wanted to tell you this, kid: don't. It may feel like you were helpless or that you abandoned me, but in all honesty...you helped me more times than I helped you." Sweetie and Spike both shared a confused look at these words, but neither said anything as the construct continued.

"See, most heroes, especially those on Earth, have a similar fear. That fear is, what happens when we're gone?" John continued, looking to the side off into the unknown as he said this. "What would happen if one day guys like me and Superman and Flash all died, and the cosmos was left without its heroes? Would crime suddenly skyrocket? Would there be no one left to protect the universe? Would the next generation of heroes be up to the task? It's thoughts like that that keep us up at night."

"But now we get to you, Spike," the construct said as it turned its head back to the pair, though it was only looking at Spike, "the Lantern who fought off nearly every color of the rainbow in the first month of getting his ring. The Lantern who managed to overcome his greatest fears at twelve years old to save his loved ones. A Lantern who remained a burning light in the Blackest Nights."

"I saw it then, and I saw it when we traveled across the cosmos, unlocking the secrets of the missing Lanterns. I saw a Lantern who was fearless, who would stop at nothing to save the lives of those in peril, and who was so damn stubborn that he wouldn't listen to a single order. Much like a certain pilot I know that became a Lantern," John said with a chuckle while he shook his head. "When we first started out, I believed that you needed to be taught, that I needed to show you how to properly use your powers. But you're like Hal in so many ways. Your introduction to the Green Lantern Corps was a baptism by fire. You learned everything you needed to on your own planet, so by the time you got to me I had really nothing to teach you."

"But I sure as hell learned from you. I learned many things, but the most prevailing was how determined you were to protect others, and that there were no lengths that you would not go to in order to make sure people were safe, be it disobeying my orders, throwing yourself in the line of fire or taking on one of the most dangerous foes the Justice League has ever fought to make sure we got away," John reminisced with a smile as he shook his head again. "And perhaps I had gotten too...negative over the years, started to let the years of fighting the never-ending battle wear me down. But when I was fighting alongside you...I remembered what it was like to be a younger Lantern; remembered what it was like to have the will to win any situation, no matter the odds."

"So, what I guess I'm trying to say is...thanks Spike. Thanks for dispelling my greatest of fears that there would be no tomorrow without the heroes of today," John said with the most genuine smile that Spike had ever seen before. "I write this message knowing full well that I might die tomorrow, but for the first time, I'm not worried about 'going into that good night'."

"Because I know that you'll be there to pick up the slack, kid. That even with me gone, the cosmos will have you there to defend it in my place. That there is a hero who will replace me," John spoke softly with tears in his eyes for a brief moment, before he stared up again with pride in his eyes. "So that's why I know if I die in the fight tomorrow, that my ring will pick you. Because you are the Lantern that's going to create a brighter tomorrow. And that's why I can face the idea of death with no regrets. Because I know I can pass on my mission of helping save the worlds to you. I can pass on the torch--my emerald torch...make me proud, kid."

"I will..." Spike whispered softly, trying (and failing) to fight back the tears in his eyes as the message played. Sweetie gently patted him on the chest while she leaned her head on his shoulder, casting some of her blue light onto the ring.

"And this message is only supposed to play if Sweetie's in the room with you when you get the first message kid," John continued, forcing Spike to wipe the tears out of his eyes. "Sweetie, if it's really you who's there, make sure you don't leave Spike's side for a moment. If he's anything like the headstrong Hal, then he's going to need a levelheaded and rational thinker like you, for the most part, to keep him from going to wild. And don't forget, either of you, that no matter how strong a Lantern's light shines by themselves, their light will always shine brighter alongside other Lanterns."

The image flickered out for a moment, but then John returned with a smile on his face. "Oh, make sure to tell Hal that he owes me twenty bucks when he gets to the afterlife. Seems I was the first to go after all...unless you get back to Earth and that damned daredevil has gone and gotten himself killed before me," John requested with a smirk. "And then, tell him thanks for being such a good friend all these years. John Stewart of sector 2814, signing off."

The Lantern saluted the pair of them before the recording faded, leaving Spike and Sweetie sitting in the darkness with tears streaming down their faces, both of them struggling to keep themselves from outright sobbing. Yet for a strange reason, they both had smiles on their faces.

"Don't worry John, we'll protect the cosmos in your place. In brightest day. In blackest night," Spike promised on the ring, Sweetie nodding her head in agreement due to her sobs preventing her from speaking. And unbeknownst to the two, another Lantern leaned against the wall near the open door with tears misting up in his eyes as well, forcing him to reach under his mask to wipe them away.

"And I'll keep an eye on them, John. I promise you that," the Lantern vowed before heading back into the cockpit, heading towards Equestria, heading to those two Lanterns' home.

|)O(|

The gentle breeze carrying the faintest hints of magic blew past the two Lanterns as they floated far above the ground, happy smiles on their faces while they looked at the familiar landscape of the planet that they called home. Yet, the moment was interrupted when the sound of engines roaring alerted them to the departure of the ship, and they turned to see that the Interceptor was about to leave the planet, with Hal waving at them from within the cockpit. The two smiled as they waved farewell to him as well, before closing their eyes as the ship's engines roared to life and in a flash of green it was gone, leaving the pair to watch its green trails vanish.

"Come on, let's see the damage," Spike said with a smirk after the trails vanished and he turned in the direction of Ponyville.

"Come on Spike, try to be optimistic. Maybe nothing happened and they're all just waiting for us with huge smiles!" Sweetie suggested with a huge grin, but Spike turned to look back at her with a smirk on his face. 

"Everything perfectly okay? Sweetie, this is Ponyville we're talking about." 

"You're right. But still, try to be positive. Maybe only half of it burned down," Sweetie optimistically sang as she sailed past Spike, getting a chuckle out of the dragon while she sailed away. Spike shook his head with a smile before glancing down at his ring once again, remembering John's words and what the ring on his hand was.

'It's more than a ring now. This is John's will, hopes and courage all in one ring-shaped object. This is his torch,' Spike thought with a serious nod of his head before the carefree smile crossed his face and he flew off after Sweetie. 'And I'm here to make sure that his torch burns bright even with him gone. I'm the Emerald Dragon, wielder of the Emerald Torch and...why do I hear screaming?'

Spike floated down into Ponyville to find upturned buildings, ruined city streets and ponies running in every direction with terror written clearly on their faces. Yet, the strangest sight amongst the chaos, destruction and the stunned Blue Lantern who floated not too far from him was the giant, five head dragon that was battling it out with his mom and the Elements of Harmony...along with a certain pony wearing a uniform he knew all too well.

"Is that...Applebloom?" Spike asked Sweetie when he floated over to her, unable to mistake the green bow that was attached to the back of the Lantern's mane.

"Sure looks like it. And I think that's your ring she's wearing," Sweetie added as Applebloom created a giant, green apple that she slammed into the monster's head, yet Spike narrowed his eyes at AB's hoof to find that it was indeed his ring. The dragon heads roared in fury in reply before slamming one of their heads into her and hurling the new recruit into a building.

"We should go help her, shouldn't we?" Spike asked as AB pulled herself out of the rubble she caused and flung herself back into battle.

"Quick question. Why does Applebloom get a ring from you before your own marefriend?" Sweetie asked Spike with a smirk on her face, a smirk that grew even longer when she saw his face redden slightly. "Ah, we'll talk about it after the fight. Come on, evil never rests and neither do we!" she cried before flying into battle, leaving Spike to shake his head.

"What did you call it, John? The never-ending battle?" Spike asked before casting a green light around himself as he flew into battle. The mob of ponies stopped running when they saw the green light and all eyes turned skyward as he flew overhead, causing the crowd to begin to cheer for him when he lunged straight at the dragon and AB, who both also turned their heads to face him.

"Out of the way! Better let a professional handle this...rookie," Spike smirked when he flew past Applebloom while a construct began to wrap around him. "And as for you, its nice to meet you, Mr. Dragon," Spike said before he brought back his fist that was wrapped in a massive, emerald claw.

"I'm the Emerald Dragon!"