-1A Cynical Shade Of Green

Chapter 1

As usual, Daria and Jane were supposed to be studying, as usual the distraction of a new episode of Sick, Sad World was too strong.

"Space Aliens - here to conquer us or here to sell their junk on eBay? Next on Sick, Sad World!"

Daria killed the sound and flipped the remote onto her bed. "Well, I guess it makes as much sense as coming to take our skins."

"I don't know, I think you'd look good as a jacket," said Jane, as she stretched out on the floor.

"If there's enough left of me for a pair of boots, I'm sure that your butt can give them a good home," Daria replied. "What's that?" A sparkle caught her eye through the sawed-off bars of her window. She swung her feet onto the floor and stared while the green glow became an orb that floated through the window.

The glowing emerald sphere stopped a foot from Daria's face, hovered a moment, and before the pair could react, faded, and left a small green object that bounced on the carpet.

"What is it?" Jane said, the first to recover.

"I don't know," Daria replied. "It looks like a…ring?" It lay near her left boot. She knelt to examine it.

"Don't touch that!" Jane exclaimed. "You don't know where it's been!"

"Clichés I don't need," said Daria, poking it with a finger. "I dunno… it looks harmless." She picked it up. "It is a ring," she mumbled, rotating it between thumb and index finger.

She had never seen anything like it before. It was dark green, smooth like plastic but fairly dense. The design on the face was a hollow circle with one short bar on either side, overall it looked like a stylized version of an old-fashioned railroad lantern.

"It is kinda cute, in an abstract sort of way," Jane said. "Why don't you try it on?"

"Yeah, right. Like I always wear rings that drop out of green UFOs," Daria replied. "Oh, what the hell." She slipped the ring onto her right middle finger.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then Daria noticed the ring getting warmer. A green glow erupted, filling the room with emerald brilliance, dazzling her. When her vision cleared, she noticed Jane staring at her, jaw agape. "What is it?" Daria said.

"Look in the mirror."

Daria's clothes were gone. Instead, she was wearing a one piece black skintight bodysuit, that covered her from neck to hands to feet. The torso and feet were green, her hands covered with white gloves. The green ring symbol was duplicated in a white circle on her chest. She looked at her face. She couldn't feel it, but there was a black domino mask over her eyes.

Daria's eyes dropped to the ring. "What the hell is going on here?" she said. The ring started to glow again, and to her utter astonishment, it spoke.

Daria Morgendorffer of Earth, the ring reverberated, You have been chosen in this emergency as one who is worthy. You are henceforth to be known as Green Lantern of Sector 2814.

"Green what?" Daria said. Jane smiled, then chuckled, then burst out loud in laughter, in mixed amusement and relief. "What's so funny?" Daria said. "I look like a damn circus clown. What happened to my clothes?"

"Oh my poor dear Daria," replied Jane. "You've just had an origin!"

"No I didn't, and keep my personal life out of this!"

"No, no," Jane said. "I mean you've just become a Superhero! You're wearing tights and a mask, and you've got a talking ring. I went through a Superhero phase in my art; I should know what one looks like. I've got sketchpads full of guys and gals in capes. Though I must admit that my Heroines usually fill their costumes out better than you do."

Daria's face reddened for a moment. Then the rest of what Jane said began to sink in. 'You mean I can fly?"

You can fly, and anything your mind can imagine, the ring can create. Obviously the ring was programmed to answer questions related to her powers.

"Cool," said Jane. "Why don't you give it a try? Fly around the room. Have the ring sprinkle fairy dust, or whatever."

Daria really couldn't believe she could fly...but the thing had transformed her clothes. Without helping it, her mind started to wander…she closed her eyes and concentrated, imagining herself floating, drifting through the air…

"Woo-hoo! Go girl!" erupted Jane.

Daria's eyes snapped open. Sure enough, she was two feet off the carpet and drifting toward the television set. The ring was again glowing. She stretched out her hands. They were glowing; indeed her entire body was surrounded in an emerald sheath.

Her concentration broken, she felt herself falling forward; throwing out her hands in panic, she stopped, and again hovered.

"How about a real test?" said Jane. "Here, I'll open a window." She started forward; but before she could reach it a green hand shot from the ring past her, unlatched and pushed up the window.

"Wow!" said Daria. "I just thought about it, and the ring did it! Hmmm…" A wicked little smile played across her face. "Be right back."

Daria floated across the room and out the window. Jane went to it and tilted her head to see her drifting upward, arms outstretched, moving faster and faster - stopping suddenly about fifty feet up - then she suddenly streaked off toward Lawndale High, a fading green trail behind her.