sum of their parts

[overcame_fear]

[After this.]
 
Hal is still partly stunned by what happened out on the streets, but inside the headquarters of the Doom Patrol, things are not getting much easier to digest. Whoever this Niles Caulder is, the tech he uses includes things Hal hasn't even seen on Oa. And considering how twisted a lot of it seems, GL is very glad of that.

And yet... as Hal watches Caulder grafting a bizarre metal arm to his shoulder, he wonders if they really have much choice but to depend on the man if they hope to make things right again. Even Caulder seems to think so:

"Cliff's spare Robotman parts are a poor substitute, but I'm making do."

When told he should be glad his sensory nerves aren't part of the graft, he figures Caulder is probably right. But at least operating the arm depends on willpower. Hal has plenty of experience with that. Provided he can keep the arm's energy blast from killing them all.

Comments

[overcame-fear.livejournal.com]

Hal would be the last to complain about being the heavy artillery for the group. But it bothers him to have the incredible flexibility of his ring reduced to an energy cannon, even if it's an impressive one.

This has really taken the wind out of all their sails. Hal can see it in everyone, including J'onn, even under that bizarre helmet he's wearing to give him some semblance of vision. (Hal is just as impressed as Caulder is, though, when he overhears J'onn telling him that he still has eight of his senses intact.)

But even so.... As the team steps away from the Doom Patrol for a moment, Hal finds himself saying something he normally never would:

"Guys. I'm sorry. I led us right into this... and now we're...."

"Deformed," the Flash adds. "We're deformed. Say it."

"Some heroes we are."

[raptorcanaria]

It's J'Onn who gives voice to what Dinah is sure everyone is feeling.

"We have responsibilities, nonetheless. Thanks to the Brotherhood, the people of Manchester are equally... disadvantaged. We must reclaim the genecraft device that caused all this, and reverse it."

[overcame-fear.livejournal.com]

Hal straightens, and though they might not be able to see the determination return to his eyes, his demeanor shows it nearly as well.

"J'onn's right! We can still win this!"

"If the Brotherhood could really have beaten us, they would have killed us rather than run!"

[raptorcanaria]

"Then we give it everything we have to give," says the Flash. He holds his hand out and up from his position in the wheelchair, and Dinah folds hers over the top, feeling Green Lantern lay his own (left) hand on hers, with J'Onn's on top.

"One for all and all for one, right?"

She waits for Aquaman to join them in the oath, but he never does.