Justice League Fan Fiction ❯ Kallin's Story ❯ Home Is Where The Heart Is ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
The next few weeks passed by in a blur, Hal had stopped by and agreed to check in with her family for her. Thaal made another appearance but with held his arrogant attitude, mostly. Vaalor helped her to refine her new abilities during the day and spent most nights eating dinner with her, He tried at first to get her to try his home world’s food but stopped after she told him she would if he would try spaghetti and meatballs. It was on her fifth week that Vaalor claimed her ready. “Will you escort me home, Vaalor?” she asked him. Looking slightly shocked at the question he gave her a puzzled look she quickly explained “I’m many, many galaxies away from my home world, I’m likely to fly off in the wrong direction” she joked. Vaalor laughed too “ah yes Kallin I will escort you home” his tone almost formal.


Unexpectedly sad too be leaving Oa Kallin met Vaalor high above the city. Reaching out he took her hand and lead her out into space. “So how does this work” she asked though Vaalor made no indication that he heard her, realizing he probably couldn’t hear her she focused on her wristlet hoping he would hear and asked again. This time Vaalor looked at her “how does what work?” he asked “if we’re so far away from home how do we get there before we turn a million” Vaalor chuckled “we use a worm hole.” Creating a worm hole Kallin learned was very difficult and navigating one was yet more difficult. They reached earth in no time hovering above the planet Kallin breathed a great sigh of relief. Vaalor’s ring pulsed looking up Vaalor said a quick good bye and promised to check in with her as soon as possible. Kallin felt surreal two months ago she was sitting at home with her brother and her dad trying to find a job, and now she floated above the earth a super hero, kind of.


Descending to the ground Kallin found herself above Japan wishing she had paid better attention in geography. Figuring she was good as long as she didn’t go north or south she chose to go east. Arriving home late in the evening she walked inside, Robert was sitting on the couch with Tracy snuggled up to him watching what looked like a senseless action flick. They both turned hearing the door “hope you brought pizza…” Rob stopped jaw dropping “nice tights” he joked getting up to hug her. Tracy came over and stood close to them but far enough that she wouldn’t be pulled in. so you’re a lantern now eh?” he asked laughing “couldn’t even get the color right” Tracy snickered though her words seemed to hold more angry than friendly jest. Glancing around Kallin ‘powered down’ as she called it. Kallin was torn between wanting to get changed but also wanting to catch up with everyone, Robert pushed her towards the stairs telling her something along the lines of she smelled and should shower before dad got back with the food and she ruined everyone appetite.


Running up the stairs Kallin intended on rushing but ended up using up all the hot water. Changing she walked back down stairs. Tracy had left and her father was home in the kitchen with Robert walking in Kallin hugged her dad for a good five minutes. They spent most of the night grilling her about where she had been. Kallin tried to answer them without revealing too much feeling as though doing so would be like betraying the guardians. Dale asked her to see her wristlet, examining it for a moment, he asked her to take it off “I would rather not take it off actually” she tried to say it as nicely as possible but Dale looked a little upset by the answer. Kallin tried to change the subject but her dad kept looking at her wrist every so often. The night seemed slightly more awkward after that, she tried to sleep that night but found she missed her bed on Oa, and the view. Getting up she opened her window and flew out into the night air, half expecting to meet Vaalor, and slightly sadden to realize that he was off somewhere far away and probably wouldn’t be coming back for a while. Seeing Tracy walking down the street she raced over. “Tracy, we didn’t get a chance to talk” she called landing she ran over to her friend. Tracy turned on her angry “what!” she demanded, unable to understand what could possibly be her problem Kallin asked her. Tracy grumbled some things about Kallin leaving her and finding new more important friends. Kallin tried several times to tell her she was wrong but Tracy wouldn’t hear it.


Spending the next couple days trying to get things back to normal turned out to be fruitless endeavor, her father when he was around could only focus on her wristlet and Robert seemed to resent that she was the one with the powers. Hal stopped by just after lunch almost a week later flying up to meet him above the trees Kallin thought at first it might be Vaalor. “Just here to check on you, how’s everything?” he asked “fine I thought Vaalor was going to be stopping by”. Her question didn’t seem to be that surprising to him “Vaalor is back at Oa, as one of our strongest strategist he is needed there right now.” Nodding Kallin said her thanks and good bye. “Oh wait, here” he called handing Kallin a disk like object and told her it was for recharging her wristlet. His face scrunching up as he said “wristlet” asking her why not a normal ring like everyone else, trying to look normal Kallin shrugged her shoulders and waved good bye. Landing she took the charger into her room and placed her hand over it, feeling the warm energy flowing into it.


Kallin told herself several times that she was not going to cry, but her eyes refused to listen. Her friend resented her, her father and brother were becoming more and more distant, and now Vaalor wasn’t going to be coming to see her. Feeling over whelmed Kallin just cried herself to sleep. Waking only when her wristlet pulsed in a manor she hadn’t felt before, she didn’t know how or why but she knew she had to go. Running out the door and down the street Kallin followed the pulse till it brought her to the field where she first saw the aliens. Tracy stood in the field staring at something Kallin couldn’t see, making her way over a single spaceship came into view. The aliens stood out in front of it, Kallin walked over to Tracy trying to avoid the beasts seeing her. As she got closer she could she Tracy was wearing a ring like the lanterns’ but yellow worried she called out to Tracy. “Tracy, Tracy we have to get away from here” Turning Kallin saw her eyes were a deep rusty color rather than their natural brown. Lifting her arm she sent a blast of yellow energy at Kallin, who just managed to erect a barrier in time. Tracy went at her full tilt no holding back at all, trying to fend off her friend without hurting her proved to be difficult.


Kallin took several hits knocking her around, deciding it was time for a little tough love Kallin tried to throw a ouch at her. But even though the wristlet was just recharged it wouldn’t work, gripping both hands into fists she tried for a the good old fashion approach. Which work even less, wanting to fight Kallin tried to focus on the people she loved, but could only think of how they were all turning from her. The flaw in her power love was powerful but the user needed to love and feel loved to wield that incredible power. Pulsing again her wristlet sent out a wave that seemed to do nothing at all, determined to save her friend Kallin dodged around her and ran for the aliens. Whatever was wrong with Tracy was there fault and she was going to make them fix it. She didn’t get far though; Tracy caught her up in a yellow net that brought her to the ground. “What wrong girl friend no friend now” one beast snickered at her “you catch Zoff but not us, we give friend power she ours now” terrified Kallin pleaded with Tracy to wake up. “We give her back if you give us power source.” He propositioned, “I don’t have it!” the alien laughed “you here we get signal you go, we not, you have.” He told her telling them she didn’t while trying to destroy the net around her.


Tracy sent an electric jolt through the net zapping her. It felt like an eternity passed between the time Tracy began torturing her and when she saw a green streak across the sky. Three yellow streaks rocketed of from behind the spaceship moving out to meet the green lanterns. Kallin kicked a rock at Tracy distracting her, the net faded with Tracy’s lost focus allowing Kallin to get up. “What are you doing Tracy we’re best friends?” Kallin tried to use her abilities’ but couldn’t summon the strength of will to use them, not on Tracy. “You left me, I should have been the lantern, and you don’t even care, do you, DO YOU?” Tracy screamed in rage. Kallin felt lost her friend, her family, her strength this was the weakness the turmoil of her feeling blocked her power. Dodging Tracy, Kallin tried to think of something anything, she loved everyone still, but it wasn’t enough. Taking a blast directly to her shoulder Kallin fell to her knees. “KALLIN” Vaalor’s scream shocked Kallin and her wristlet pulsed again ‘get up’ his voice was in her head ‘get up now’ Standing she felt her emotions steady out and her power flow freely. Imagining a cloud of smoke carrying all her love was passing over the field covering the yellow lanterns and incasing their rings, destroying them.           


Tracy cried out as her ring shattered, in the air her brother and two of his friends plummeted towards the ground. Saved by the lanterns they were just fighting, the aliens became enraged lashing out at Kallin. Moving as fast as she could Kallin grabbed Tracy and flew away from the blast as fast as she could. With Tracy fighting her, she wasn’t able to get far, setting her down Kallin turned to fight them. They were already on her grabbing her necklace the largest one threw it back to the ship. A blat hit the two aliens closest to them Vaalor landed in front of them, looking worried. The short alien had pulled out what looked like a oddly shaped gun that seemed to spiral around his arm, aiming the weapon he set her necklace in the center. However, it would not fit the piece was missing half of it’s self. Vaalor said nothing but looked confused; turning back he looked around and saw that Tracy wore an identical charm. Using his ring he grabbed it and took off, Tracy screamed trying to take it back. Catching onto what was happening Kallin demanded “where did you get it? WHERE?” Tracy stilled “your brother” the utter hatred shook Kallin, walking away she set her sights on the weapon.


Summoning her strength she felt her mask slip into place, Vaalor she knew was fine she could almost feel him off to her right. She went straight for the weapon making purple waves and casting them at the monsters who moved towards her, other lanterns drew off some of the aliens leaving only the short one “Scaf no scared of human girl.” She refused to respond to him, creating a pair of sais she attacked with lethal skill. Blocking his attempts to harm her and striking when she could. Creating ropes and small traps to hinder him, hoping to find a weak point, distracted by Tracy running towards them the beast got off several good hits on a row knocking her to the ground bleeding. Tracy through herself at Kallin, getting caught in a purple cage, Kallin remembered Thaal. Calmed her thoughts she formed a cage around the weapon, hardening it then shrinking it. As she tried to crush the weapon the Alien attacked from her right, she made no move to stop him feeling Vaalor racing toward her, she knew he would stop him. The weapon proved to be un-crushable, forcing Kallin to change tactics. Placing her hands on the crystal surface she filled herself with an unyielding will to never see the thing free of it prison again. Feeling a change in its density Kallin opened her eyes she could see that the crystal had changed. Not in any noticeable way but it was different.


Waiting for her to stand Vaalor lifted her up and kissed her, the other lantern pulled back to give them a moment, taking her brother, his friends and Tracy with them. Refusing to let her go, Vaalor asked Kallin to return to Oa with him, she knew her brother was probably intensely sorry he usually was after being stupid. All the same she didn’t want to speak with him just now, or her father, she simply couldn’t be his big scientific breakthrough, and Tracy she didn’t wish to see for a while. Thinking it over Kallin agreed, lifting the stone she asked Hal to speak with her father, and took off with Vaalor back to Oa, back to her new home.

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