A Story of Heroes

“After a strong wind blew my fez into the Everfree Forest, so I trotted into it: I wasn’t afraid of the things inside. I had little to be afraid of during that time. The darkness was a little overwhelming at first I admit, but thankfully I had a flashlight with me that night, so I was able to conquer it. It had just rained earlier that day, so the ground seemed particularly wet that night, if I remember correctly.

“I trotted forward, still looking for my fez and what should I find but a small green ring, and what appeared to be a green lantern with it. I noticed a folded up piece of paper next to it, it had been there for a few days, with a little bit of dirt on it. Why they placed the ring there, I’ll never know. However, I still have the note with me, still to this day.”

Nerd quickly trotted upstairs and went to his closet. Inside it laid the green lantern he spoke of, and a small old looking box he had bought at an antique’s store. Inside was his green ring, made of an unknown but solid substance, which did glow a bright emerald hue. Nerd grabbed the note from underneath it and went back downstairs to his daughter’s room. He cleared his throat, and read the note aloud.

"'If you find this letter, it means I am gone.'"

The note had actually said “dead,” not “gone” on it, but Nerd felt it was better to word it way.

"'I was the guardian of your sector, a duty I now pass onto you. The objects before you are a ring created by the sheer energy of willpower and the means to charge it. I hope you use it well. If not, the ring will choose another, as I have asked of it. If you are indeed the destined being to wear it, then always remember this oath, no matter what danger or peril you will face: In brightest day, in blackest night: No evil shall escape my sight, Let those who worship evil’s might beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!'"

Nerd hoped his daughter might be getting tired at this point, but by the look of curiosity on his daughter’s face, he was in for a long night. It appeared his wife was just as curious, as she had her ears up listening to him the entire time.
“So, there I was holding this shiny green ring and so I said the oath to myself. Suddenly, the green lantern began producing this energy that I think,” although Nerd now knew exactly what it did, “gave energy to the ring.”

“Can I see it,” asked Noodle eagerly. Nerd couldn’t refuse his daughter, plus he wanted to try it on one more time for old time’s sake. He trotted up once more back upstairs and grabbed the ring, and managed to put it on his tail. He wished he was a unicorn so it could’ve been just simpler to put it on his horn like unicorns do with wedding rings. He trotted back downstairs for he felt wouldn’t be the last time into his daughter’s room.

He displayed the ring to his daughter who giggled at the fact it was stuck on his tail.

“Laugh it up, Noodle. It’s actually a lot more powerful than it looks. Want to see the costume it came with?”

“Yeah!” Noodle had never seen a real life superhero in costume before. Who better than her father than to be her introduction to the superhero world?

Nerd focused his mind and willpower, and with a flick of his tail, he now donned a new costume. It was emerald green at the chest, and jet black around the legs. Where his cutie mark had been, a green circle with two horizontal parallel bars replaced it. Wearing the costume made him feel several years younger.

“You look awesome, Daddy!” Nerd couldn’t help but chuckle at her exclamation. “I feel awesome,” he smiled proudly. Now that he was in costume and had her enticed, Nerd decided to continue the story. “When I got the ring, I tested it and tried putting it on my ear, my nose, even my tongue. The ring didn’t seem to do anything, so I tried my luck putting it on my tail, having it touch my skin at the base of it. I flicked my tail and suddenly I was dressed much as I am right now. It felt so amazing. I didn’t know what the ring could do, but I felt amazing!”

“What can it do,” asked Noodle, tilting her head as she looked at the ring with fascination.

“That’s what I asked myself when I got it. I wished I could fly out of there, and for some reason, I imagined flying, not by wings, but just floating. I hopped into the air, and sure enough, I began flying, it felt spectacular! I flew around and above Everfree with the night’s cool wind in my hair. I’ll fly you around some time Noodle, and show you how exhilarating it feels!

“Where was I? Oh yes! It was when I landed that I discovered the power of the ring. I had lost my flashlight. I wondered if the ring could give me a new one, so I focused my mind. I still can’t tell you why I was doing this, but it was like the ring was showing me, or teaching me what it could do. So I focused and, there before me on the ground was this green flashlight that shown brighter than any flashlight I ever had before. The ring had proved to me what it could do.” Nerd whipped his tail and in front of Noodle formed a green teddy bear that had materialized from the ring.

“So, you see,” continued Nerd. “I discovered that this ring has the ability to create whatever is in my mind and create it into green objects made from pure willpower!”

Noodle hugged the Teddy bear, which felt just as soft as any teddy bear in existence.

“And now, my little Noodle, it was on this night that I met your uncle, who changed my life forever.”