"Oh, the nebulous clouds of Oa! Such glorious and beautiful gas! And the luminous ring around Mobo, ''tis a vision that's just as grand! But when we go across the galaxy-"

"Guy, is you don't shut up, I'll let my ring take over and kill you." I groaned as the four of us circled around Earth's orbit. "Hal, can we go? Today's the day!"

"One last lap, Zaria. Bat's orders." He sighed. "I wanna lay some ground rules before we-"

"When am I joining the League? I'm stronger than Zaria!" Guy protested and John clenched his fists.

"Dude, none of us are stronger than Zar. We're human and she's Tamarenian and a Red Lantern. She'd crush us without even trying." Hal defended and I grinned.

"What I'm hearing is that I'm better than all of you and I'm only thirteen." I sung out the last part.

"Which is why I need to lay down some rules, little red."

"I know the boys already, remember? I punched Speedy once and gave him a concussion."

"Just... play nice and don't pick fights with them. It took me a long time to convince Spooky to let you tag along."

"Despite the fact that I saved his life when I came to Earth?"

"You bruised his ego, Zar." He smirked and I laughed. "Now... don't tell the boys you know about the Watchtower, please. You're not supposed to know about it."

"Do they even know I fly around Earth like twice a week? It's literally in my vicinity right now!" I pointed at the Watchtower behind me and he shrugged. "And you did promise me."

"Not now, okay? When you're older, then I can get you inside and see if you can become a member of the League. For now, just stick to the side and play nice."

"Is the Sun rising over the gentle curve... of Guy Gardner's shapely-" I interrupted Guy with a punch to the face and a string of rage plasma that he barely managed to dodge. "Hey!"

"Thank you, Zar." John said, rubbing his temples and I bowed.

"Pleasure's all mine, John."

"Time to go down, Red. You ready?" Hal asked and I nodded with a big smile. "Rage under control?"

"Safely tucked in my ring for the next time Guy annoys me." I promised and he smiled. "Now, let's go! Today's the day!"

"Alright, let's go."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

"Always making an entrance, Lanterns."

"Wouldn't be us without it, Arrow." Hal grinned as we landed beside Batman and Robin. "Ready to see the sanctum?"

"You bet I am." I said, reaching out to hold his hand when I noticed the paparazzi.

"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad called out to the sidekicks and turned to me. "And I'm glad you decided to come along."

"Have all five Sidekicks ever been at the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash questions, looking mostly towards Robin.

"Don't call us Sidekicks," Speedy commands, practically growling the first words. "not after today."

"Sorry. First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anybody ever just whelmed?" Robin asks as we walk through the doors.

"What is whelmed?" I asked and froze once we were inside and noticed the statues of the entire League. "Oh... never mind."

"You'll be up there someday." Hal whispered and I nodded trying to hide my excitement.

"Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Red Lantern... welcome to the Hall of Justice." Manhunter said and we all turned away from the statues. "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked gallery, and of course our library."

"Make yourselves at home." Flash smiled. Robin and Kid Flash literally jump into their chairs, while Aqualad and I calmly take the ones across from them. Speedy, however, remains standing. Looking directly at the mentors.

"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four Ice Villains attacking on the same day." Batman then turns to the teens. "We shouldn't be long."

Recognize:
Batman; 0-2,
Green Lantern, 0-5
Aquaman; 0-6,
Flash; 0-4,
Green Arrow; 0-8,
Martian Manhunter; 0-7,
Red Tornado; 1-6.

"That's it?" Speedy demands his anger and volume catching all of their attention instantly. "You promised a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

"It's a first step." Aquaman speaks up, though calmly. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really?" he questions, gesturing up to a group of people taking pictures on the other side of the soundproof glass. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy, you just need to be patient." Green Arrow tries as I leaned forward with a small smile.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Robin asked.

"The Ring is. It enjoys when people feel rage because I can harness it and use it against them." I waved him off and turned back to the argument.

"What I need is respect." Roy growls, before turning around to take a look at the rest of us. "They're treating us like kids... like sidekicks! We deserve better than this."

"No, they're treating the four of you like sidekicks. I, however, am an equal." I defended and saw Hal nod with a thumbs up.

"You're playing their game, Red? Why?! Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League."

"Do you want me to give you another concussion, Speedy? Because I don't even have to use my ring to give you one this time."

"Well, sure," Kid Flash speaks up, looking to the other two protéges. "but I thought step one was the tour of the HQ."

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ." Green Arrow looks mildly surprised, while Aquaman's eyes bug in shock. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching Zeta-beam teleporter-tubes to the real thing... an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

"Not a word." Hal mouthed and took a step away from Batman.

"You know about this?" Robin asked as I stood up and shook my head.

"When I fly, I don't go above the Thermosphere while the Green Lanterns go up to the Exosphere and I don't look up because it defeats the whole purpose." I lied. "Mostly because I don't want to deal with the third guy because I want to kill him... and it's not the ring talking, it's just me."

"I thought I was his partner, but not anymore." Roy said and threw down his hat before walking towards us. "Guess they were right about you four, you're not ready."

I raised my right hand, about to use the ring when a green cage sealed me in, allowing Roy to walk away from all of us.

"Let me out!" I yelled and kicked the cage, making Kid Flash and Robin laugh.

"Control it." Was all Hal said and gestured to my ring which started glowing brighter. I took a few deep breaths and sat on the floor watching as the ring turned back to normal and he let me go.

"What happens if she doesn't control it?" Robin asked.

"She'll vomit all her blood because it's spoiled as the ring fills her veins with pure rage and we'll have to search for a Blue Lantern to heal her of permanently lock her up."

"Her blood is what!?"

"The Ring renders my heart useless and constantly tries to spoil my blood so my veins will be filled with rage. I take off my ring and-"

"You die." Aqualad finished with wide eyes and I nodded. "So, you do not have a heart?"

"I do... it just doesn't beat or circulate blood. But it's there!"

"And how do you control that?" Kid Flash butted.

"With two years of practice in Oa and beating up Guy Gardner when he annoys me... which is every time I see him."

"Superman to Justice League." Superman said from the computer and we all turned. "There has been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to in-" Batman begins but is cut as another alarm comes through.

"Zatara to Justice League." this time the Magician shows up on a small screen in the lower right-hand corner. "The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Attan to blot out the Sun. Requesting full League response."

I widened my eyes and turned to Hal who just shrugged and turned back to the computer.

"It's a small fire. Local authorities have it under control." Superman said as Batman nodded.

"Then Cadmus can wait. All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out."

The four of us immediately ran up to our respective mentors only to be given a look to stay back.

"Stay put." Batman states, barely even looking at us before he gives his order.

"What?" Robin questions, shocked. "Why?"

"This is a League mission." Aquaman says.

"You're not trained." Flash continues.

"Since when?" Kid Flash demands.

"Sorry, little red. Maybe next time." Hal whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder but I pushed it away. "Little red-"

"You're joking, right? We're a team, Green! And it's the Sun!"

"You'll have your chance, Red. But it's not today." He sighed and pulled me to a secluded corner. "Just stay put for today, okay? Go have some fun with your friends and I'll be back soon."

"They're not my friends and they're not even coworkers. They're humans I'm forced to spend time with because of you."

"Then sit in a corner and sulk in your teenage angst or whatever they do on Tameran, but stay put." Hal warned and I nodded.

"Just... be careful. I'm not there to save you when you do something stupid." I smirked and Hal laughed, ruffling my hair.

"Play nice and try to make friends, please. You need to get out of the house once in a while and socialize."

"And you need to stop socializing with the human female species... or just the female species in general."

"Greenie, let's go!" Flash called out and he sighed.

"Just explaining the situation to my kid. Because it seems that I'm the only one capable in basic forms of communication and trust with our protégés." Hal sassed and I widened my eyes while Batman glared at us.

"Let's go." Batman ordered.

"Alright, Spooky. No need to twist your cape."

Recognize:
Batman; 0-2,
Green Lantern, 0-5
Aquaman; 0-6,
Flash; 0-4,
Green Arrow; 0-8,
Martian Manhunter; 0-7,
Red Tornado; 1-6.

"Okay... before all of you start drilling me, as you humans say. Why don't we find out about Cadmus?" I offered and they all gaped. "What?"

"They told us to stay put." Robin said and I scoffed, removing my mask. "Huh... so your eyes truly are red. I just thought it was the mask."

"Since when do you follow orders? Remember that time in Gotham where you almost sent someone into a coma despite Batman's orders to not pursuit?" I pointed out as he rushed to the computer. "And they were white when I was a child, but the ring turned them red. And before you all ask, Tameraneans don't have irises, just the sclera and a pupil slightly darker than our eye color and we see just fine."

"Alright. Project Cadmus... Genetics lab here in DC... That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious..."

"Oh, we're going." I grinned, standing next to him.

"Are- are you two going to Cadmus?" Kid Flash asked and we nodded "Because if you're both going, I'm going!"

The three of us turned to Aqualad with a smile and he sighed.

"Just like that?" Aqualad asks. "We're a team on a mission?"

"We sure didn't come for a play date."