Facing The Music #160

"I'm... I'm still alive...?" I muttered as I slowly opened my eyes, feeling pain all over my body. "Fucking great..." I cursed, sighing as I looked around and found myself in what seemed like a hospital room with two people standing watch over me.

"Well, that explains it..." I remarked, connecting the dots as I noticed the green energy construct that looked like a life support system. "I suppose I have you to thank..." I added, not sounding too grateful as I looked at Hal Jordan.

Have you ever fucked up so badly that you'd rather die than deal with the aftermath of your fuck up? Well, that's me right now. All jokes aside, I'd honestly prefer to get back into a coma rather than think about how to face Richard after what I did.

"Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine," the green lantern said as he raised an eyebrow at me. "I suppose you two are from the same city, so it's not surprising," he added with a chuckle as he turned to look at Batman.

I sighed as I turned to the caped crusader, feeling an urge to go comatose again. "Go on then... let's hear it; the lecture," I said as I gave Batman a blank look, sensing a lecture coming.

"There's no need. You succeeded where we failed and defeated the enemy we couldn't..." Batman blankly said. "Other than that, you've learned your lesson, and you won't soon forget it," he added as he glanced at my missing index finger.

"You don't say..." I said, my eye twitching as I raised my hand in front of my face. "Where is J'onn?" I asked as I turned back to Batman after heaving a tired sigh.

I'd had enough of this bullshit, and whether I liked it or not, having Martian Manhunter tone down my anger was the way to go. I don't have the leeway to be picky anymore.

"He's on his way..." Hal Jordan interjected, causing me to turn his way. "He said something about taking care of your furry little friend..." he added, his tone more curious than anything else.

'Well... at least now I won't have to worry about the little demon going hungry... wait...!' I mused at the green lantern's words when I realized something was wrong.

"How long was I out, exactly...?" I asked, my eyes widening as I recalled that I'd left plenty of food and water for Lil Soot before leaving the hideout to do something about Brimstone.

"Eight days," Hal Jordan replied with a shrug, and I immediately tried to get up at his words, only to freeze as I felt intense pain in my chest, prompting me to look down.

Luckily the hole wasn't there any longer, and there was only an X-shaped scar slightly to the left of the center of my chest, where my heart was. I reached to feel the scar and turned to Hal Jordan with a questioning look.

"That scar is there to stay, I'm afraid..." Hal Jordan replied, shrugging his shoulders. "And I wouldn't be so eager to move if I were you," he added with a sigh.

"Your heart is still healing... however, your healing rate has increased considerably in the past couple of hours," the green lantern explained as he scanned me with his ring before dismissing the constructed life support system.

"You'll be as good as new in a couple more, so stay still until then," he concluded, and even though I had a shit ton of things to do, I could only oblige.

I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything if I went back now, so waiting a couple of hours to get in top condition wasn't so bad.

"Fine..." I said as I leaned back into the bed, activating my personal computer power to see what I'd missed. Thankfully it wasn't much, by the looks of things.

Several assassination attempts at the Arkham Asylum and the Black Gate Penitentiary targeted Harley and the others by Amanda fucking Waller and her goons without a doubt.

'Waller...' I mused, my expression darkening as I recalled the task force x director.

Again, I had the urge to get up. I wanted nothing more than to go to Belle Reve and tear the bitch to shreds, but I knew better. It would have been possible with the ring. Still, it wouldn't have ended well.

'Time to face the music...' I sighed as I searched my name to see how public opinion shifted after my rampage, and much to my surprise, I found nothing but positive feedback.

"For fuck's sake..." I muttered a little too loud as I found a picture of myself, naked with my ass on full display for all to see, Ebony in my hand as I looked up to the gigantic Brimstone.

My remark seemed to get Hal Jordan's attention, and he gave me a weird look, which I thickened my skin and ignored. I kept digging to see why no one was talking about my rampage.

Surprisingly enough, no one even knew it had even happened. There was no footage of the battle after Brimstone's defeat. 'The energy might have fried recording devices... but why is no one talking about it...?' I wondered, frowning as I contemplated.

If there were people dumb enough to stick around and record from the beginning of the battle until Brimstone's defeat, then they definitely wouldn't be smart enough to turn tail once he was gone.

The battle might have caused their phones or whatever recording devices they might have had to malfunction, but their eyes, ears, and, most importantly, their mouths should be intact.

I even looked up the accounts of the footage's original posters, and all of them got out of it intact, with a couple of them suffering minor injuries. In other words, they'd definitely seen me fighting the Justice Leaguers.

'What the fuck is going on...?' I wondered. If those dumb fucks were desperate enough for social media clout to stick around and record a city-toppling fight, then why wouldn't they say anything about me fighting the League.

It was probably the juiciest part of the story, if I do say so myself, since I did almost kill two well-known members of The Justice League, and bringing something like that to light would bring about instant internet fame.

'I don't like this...' I mused, my expression darkening. In fact, I liked it less than word spreading out because I'd be able to salvage the situation, even if it would take some time and tarnish the heroes' reputation.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to overthink it as Martian Manhunter emerged from the ground like a ghost phasing through the floor, snapping me out of my chain of thought.

"You and my cat are friends now...?" I remarked, raising an eyebrow at the martian telepath without waiting for him to say his greetings, and he let out a slight smile as he turned to me.

"Indeed. The small feline is quite the charming creature," Martian Manhunter replied, nodding. "He woke me up shortly after you left. Because of him, I was able to travel off-world and alert Wonder Woman and the others to the severity of the situation in time," he added, waving a hand to the side.

"More importantly, how are you feeling? Are you well...?" The Martian Manhunter asked as he gave me a second, inspecting glance, alternating his gaze between the scar on my chest and my missing finger.

"I feel like shit... Mentally and physically..." I replied with a sigh as I scratched my head. "But... I'll live, I suppose..." I added, shaking my head with a grunt.

"Then all is well, my friend..." the martian telepath said, nodding as he kindly smiled. "As long as you continue to live, it's only a matter of time before you feel better again..." he concluded, to which I could only sigh.

"Yeah... I'm not so sure about that..." I replied with a grimace, shaking my head. "Not with whatever is fucking with my head still there..." I added as I took a deep breath and looked into J'onn's eyes.

"Whatever that thing is... I want it gone..." I said, having firmed my resolve. Mind fuckery or not, I needed my mind to be clear, and I was willing to compromise.

"Whatever it takes... please..." I concluded, my tone urging as I gritted my teeth and bowed.

"Your resolve is commendable... I can tell the decision was not easy to make..." Martian Manhunter blankly said as he nodded at me, and I frowned, sensing a but coming.

"However, that won't be necessary..." he added, smiling, and I barely resisted the urge to lash out. "Well, not anymore..."

...

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