//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3:  Back To The Past, Forward To The Future 
// Story: The Case of the Songless Sirens And The Wandering Stranger 
// by Needling Haystacks 
//------------------------------//

	"Long ago, in a distant land..."
"Does this have anything to do with a shapeshifter?" Jim interrupted, though showing some courtesty by raising his hand as he did so.
"What?  No.   Well... sort of but that's not the point," Fire said, looking confused, "Why'd you even...?  No you know what, just don't interrupt."
"So as I was saying," Fire began again, "Long ago in a distant land, there was a young woman... And just so you don't ask, yes I'm talking about me.  Well this woman was... going through a rough patch.  But then one day, an angel appeared, and offered her the chance to see worlds she had never even dreamed of.
I won't go through everything I've done since then, but let's just say I'm older than I look.  Age doesn't translate between some world.  Anyway, after a long journey and many adventures, I found an interesting world where I made some friends.  Plus I could fly.  What's not to like about that?  But then one time I visited... something else had come to that world."
Fire paused here and furrowed her brow in a grim expression.  "He said he was a god from another universe, and I guess in the polytheistic sense he'd qualify.  We fought back but..."
Fire mimed some punches for emphasis.  "It wasn't enough.  A friend of mine kind of died... long story... as did several others I care somewhat less about.  When I saw that he had won... I fled.  Since then, I've been traveling the universes, finding people or objects with powers that I think might help.  Since universes have asynchronous time flows, I should be able to make it back to that universe without too much time having passed there.  There's some restrictions, but I stayed there long enough to find out that that thing wasn't planning on destroying the universe right away.  He captured a lot of people alive, which could mean several things but mostly it means I have some time."
Fire took a deep breath and plopped down heavily on the grass facing Jim.
"Well, that's as much detail as I feel like giving," she said, "You might be able to guess the rest.  I came here to try to find a source of power that seems to be that band.  I talked to them earlier trying to figure out a way for them to help."  Fire stopped here and looked at Jim.
Jim felt that she expected him to say something.  "Wow," was what he came up with.  When she grimaced, he added, "But why are you telling me?  I don't think I can do anything to help..."
"Heh, yeah, that's true," Fire said with a shrug.  "A few reasons.  First, you gave me the information I wanted to know about those Sirens.  That was more curiosity than anything else, but I still appreciated it and it seemed only fair to tell my story since you told me  yours.  Second... Hmm..."  Fire looked off into the air thoughtfully.  "Ok, first off... I've done a lot of thinking about this myself but I want a second opinion.  What do you think will happen to the Sirens?"
"Huh," Jim said, blinking, "I... hadn't thought about it.  But they lost something really precious to them..." He gasped.  "You don't think they'd...?"
"Mmm," Fire murmured with a grimace.  "Maybe... maybe."
"Well then, I guess I should do something," Jim said, a serious expression on his face.
Fire thought about that for a moment and then her lips twitched into a smile.  "Heh...heh...hahaha!" Fire started with a chuckle and finished laughing loudly, clutching at her sides.  It was infectious, and Jim started to laugh, too, but he did not really know why.
"Heh... sorry, sorry," Fire said, wiping a tear from her eye, still grinning, "That was just... so appropriate and so ironic.  And maybe, but first, let me ask you a question.  What is the first truth of the Batman?"
"Uhhh..." Jim said, blinking uncertainly.  "Is it...to bring justice to the oppressed so that no child ever have to suffer the tragedy of senseless violence the way he did? "
"Heh," Fire chuckled, "That's again so appropriate for you and so ironic.  Also, wrong."
Jim cocked his head.  "What?  Why?"
Fire shook her head, still smiling.  "Well, because that's a GOAL, not a truth.  In this one story... Well, Bruce had this whole spirit journey thing and he had to realize what the first truth of the Batman was, one he didn't like to admit.  Back at the beginning, who was there?"
"Commissioner Gordon," Jim said immediately.
"...I don't actually know the history, so maybe?  But in continuity, not the publishing history, Alfred," Fire said, "So, the first truth of the Batman?"  Fire's face adopted a solemn expression and she looked Jim square in the eye.  "He was never alone."
Jim thought about that.  "Heavy stuff," he said, "But yeah, that makes sense."
Fire shrugged.  "Yeah," she said, "That's what life is, sometimes.  Heavy.  More to the point... Here, hold out your hand."  She held out her own hand, palm-upward.  "Like this."
Jim hesitantly complied.  Where was this headed?  Fire fished for something in her pocket, and her hand came out with something clenched tight in it.
"Ok, let's do this right," she said.  Fire cleared her throat.  "Jim Spades of Earth," she began.
Jim's eyes widened.  Wait, what...?
"You have the ability to overcome great despair."
Jim's expression turned confused.  That was... what were those words?  He was pretty sure he had not read them in any Green Lantern comics.
"I do not know if you will ever be able to use this, but..." Fire dropped a light blue object into Jim's open hand.  "Welcome to the Blue Lantern Corps."
Jim carefully held the ring up.  It seemed perfectly ordinary.  It appeared to be a well-made replica, like the Green Lantern ring he had.  But then, what was that all about?  Was she making fun of him?  Slowly, he tried to put the ring on.  But it was too small to fit on his ring finger, or even his pinky.
"Oooh," Fire said with a wince, "I was afraid of that.  It doesn't work right in this dimension, so it doesn't auto-resize."  Seeing his skeptical look, she sighed.  "Look, I know that even with all that's happened, this is a leap.  It's up to you whether you want to believe me, but that's the real deal.  It's just... objects in one dimension don't always work, or don't work correctly, in another."
"Well... Ok," he said hesitantly, casting about for what to do with it.
"Oh, hold on," Fire said.  She opened her backpack and fished around in it for a moment.  She came out with a simple metal chain necklace.  She gestured with her hand and Jim reluctantly handed over the ring.  She strung it on the chain, latched it, and handed it back to him.
"I know it's not manly or whatever," she said, "but wear it around your neck and you can at least keep track of it.  To be clear, this isn't me making a pass at you or anything."
Jim blushed slightly as he put the new necklace on.  "I didn't think it was!" he protested.
"Right, right," Fire said dismissively, waving off the notion.  "Now look, if I can make this work, and that's a big if, one day, that ring will start to glow.  When that happens, find those Rainboom girls and say the oath.  I think you know or can figure it out, but it should in theory tell you.  If we're very lucky, that will transport all of you to where you are needed."
"Oh," Jim said, looking down in disappointment, "So I'm a taxi service?"
Fire raised her eyebrows in surprise.  "What?  No, of course not.  We'll need people who can think laterally and do crazy things.  Judging by your account, I think you'll qualify.  But I do want to be clear, that's not a condition.  That ring is yours, no matter what you decide to do if and when the time comes.  Because it will be dangerous, and you're just a kid.  I'd rather not see you killed, and if it comes to it I would prefer you stay out of the thick but... Well, if that thing I ran from has it's way, it'll be on to more dimensions sooner or later.  Best to stop it before it does even more damage."
Jim nodded along as she spoke, a feeling of excitement welling up in him, even though he was not sure what to make of it.  This would be something he would have to think about.

"Now then," Fire said, standing up and brushing off her hands and bottom, "I have an appointment to make but I do believe you have somewhere to be as well?"
Jim started and stood up himself.  "I do...?  Oh!"  His eyes lit up in realization.  "I got so sidetracked I almost forgot!  But where would they even be?"  He put hand to his chin in thoguht.
"Hmmm," Fire put her fist to her chin and looked at the ground in a similar gesture.  "Well... There are two broad possibilities.  Either they would be trying to get as close to music as possible to try and regain what they lost or as far away from music as possible to avoid the reminder."  She looked up at Jim.  "I think you know them better than me, so you're on your own from there."
Jim's face looked troubled.  Come on, world's greatest detective.  This was exactly the sort of thing that meant.  After a moment, his eyes lit up.
"Ok," he said with a definitive nod, "I think I should hurry." He started off in one direction, then turned back and waved.  "And don't worry!" he said, "I'll remember when the time comes!"
"If it does!" Fire said back, "If this part of my plan doesn't work like I hope... well, if I can I'll come back and let you know how it went."
Jim walked backwards a few steps, uncertain what to say, but then settled on "Good luck" before he turned and picked up the pace.
"Good luck," Fire said, returning the sentiment, before heading off to Sugar Cube Corner and hopefully her introduction to the heroines on the other side of the portal.