JustIce League: The Malignant Uprising

Epilogue III: Nocking the Arrow

Green Arrow stood rigid as Manhunter held him tight. He didn't really expect this kind of reaction from his friend. J'onn was never a touchy feely person, at least from what he could remember. He only really remembered phases of the past. He couldn't recall too many things before the fight with the Complex.

Arrow smiled and J'onn motioned for him to sit in his office chair. Oliver simply nodded and the two sat in silence for sometime until J'onn let out a sigh of disbelief.

"So, what happened to you? We all thought you were dead. Bruce, Clark, and I all came to terms with your disappearance. Where were you?"

He repeated himself. "We all thought you were dead."

Arrow gave a casual smirk and crossed his arms. "Well... I'm as alive as ever."

"What happened?" Manhunter leaned forward in his seat. Oliver represented a semblance of hope. If he could be saved, maybe J'onn could save the others and release the tension he was holding in his chest.

Arrow leaned forward to meet J'onn, lowering his shoulders and resting his elbows on his knees. His hands were rubbing each other. He was threatening this way; it was almost predator-like. "I'm going to tell you the truth, and I know you can read my mind to see if I'm lying, but I promise this is all the truth."

J'onn listened carefully to the sentiment and his hopefulness turned into anxiety. He knew something wasn't right. "I wouldn't read your mind. You're a friend."

"Good. Now don't ask any questions until I'm done. Deal?"

J'onn agreed, puzzled. "Deal."

Arrow leaned back again in the chair and told his story.

"I never thought that my life was going to change so drastically when my leg got burned by Tempest. Though, I think it was for the best."

He sighed with a smirk, "I remember the fight in phases, but most of it is all a blur. I know my leg was burned. Badly. I know I got moved away from the battle, but then it all goes black. When I woke up I was in the back of a van, tied up. I was struggling to get free, when the Riddler stopped the car and told me about Vestra. And yes, I know I should have escaped from him, that I could, but I realized that I had nothing to worry about. I mean at the very least, perhaps this Vestra person would give us clues as to how to defeat the Complex. "

He swallowed and paused for a moment. "Look, I know how strange that sounds, but it's true... After that, I blacked out again and when I woke up, I met her. Madame Vestra. She showed me the truth and how ignorant our reality is. I saw the world with new eyes and the so-called truth I thought I knew was really all a lie, something that depended on power and manipulation of innocents... What a real place it's all becoming. There's beauty in everything I glance at. Everything I see has a tinted violet hue, but that only makes everything more real... more like the world we were trying to make with the League. And don't laugh, but I realized that it's really a gift to have Vestra aiding me in whatever I need. She's a real tool for peace. She can make the peace we've always wanted in the world."

J'onn swallowed and sat up. He knew that something about this story wasn't right. He knew he agreed not to read Arrow's mind but he couldn't help himself. He reached out with his mind to find out if Arrow was lying, but it was as if something was blocking his reach. Something evil. He focused on Arrow's words again with more hesitation.

"... She healed my leg with her advanced medicine and she gave me new clothes. She said I would be the best shooter the world had ever seen. She explained to me how the League was attacking the innocent. How we were attacking people who were blind and just needed a chance to see the world for what it really is."

"We were fighting off the Complex."

"No, you see that's just it. We weren't. We were fighting people who just wanted to be heard and we never gave them a chance."

J'onn's tone was bitter and he was beginning to grow angry at Oliver's malfeasance. "We gave them plenty."

"J'onn," Arrow slowed his speech down and looked him in the eyes, "just listen to me. Please."

"Alright."

"I met Vestra in a garage of some kind. I was sitting in a chair and she came to me and started to explain the situation. How I was taken because she knew I could help her get her daughter back... How the ones we were fighting had her daughter because they believed her to be something that could help them explain their side."

J'onn was holding his tongue, but he was growing more irritable by the second.

Arrow continued, "She said that all she wanted to do was lead the world into a new era of peace. One where there wouldn't be fighting over simple mistakes."

J'onn stood up furious. "The Complex wasn't a mistake! They killed Beast Boy! They ruined the League! They destroyed everything we had! Don't you see?!"

Arrow stood up to match J'onn's height. "Look, the Complex ruined the League. That's a fact, but maybe it was for the better. They were going to try to help the world. We stopped them by believing that the League was helping the world. It's just a cycle, J'onn! They thought they were going to help, and so did the League, but now the League is gone and Vestra can reveal the truth about humanity."

Arrow sat down again. There was a pause as the room settled from the yelling. In a whisper he spoke, "I know what the Complex did to M'gann. I know how they hurt you for the cause."

"The so-called daughter you're preaching about hurt M'gann and hurt the team!"

"If you come with me. Vestra can help you. She can unfreeze them. She can make those young heroes alive and well again. Just come with me and I can help you."

Arrow extended his hand.

J'onn sat back down on his couch. This couldn't be happening. Right after one fight, there was just another one ready to destroy even more of the world.

But then he thought about M'gann. How she would just stay in the frozen tomb forever if he didn't help her. Guiltily, J'onn took Arrow's hand and a glowing white opening grew on the wall. Arrow walked into it, pulling J'onn with him.

J'onn whispered with defeat in his tone, "Did this Vestra call you something else?"

Arrow stopped walking as the opening in the wall closed. Both of the men were in an empty white void that echoed with their dialogue.

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know."

"Well, she said I was something knew so I didn't want to be connected to the League anymore. My new name is Bullseye."

"Of course it is."

Arrow faced J'onn. "Look, you may resent me now, but I'm trying to help the greater good and Vestra can do that."

J'onn looked around at the white surroundings. "Where are we?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Arrow looked forward and walked farther into the white space. "You won't regret this J'onn. Vestra will help you, and maybe you can help us. After all, peace is what we all want. World peace."

But J'onn scoffed at the remark. He couldn't help but think that peace was hard to come by; that maybe it didn't exist at all.