Green Lantern's Protégée

38: "Where's my goodnight kiss?"

"Mom!"

"Sorry, honey. Any girls you like?"

"Mom!" This time it was a groan as Cyra's head fell back.

"I'm so sorry I want to be involved in your life—particularly who is hanging out with my daughter. Fine, then tell me, have you met Superman? What is he like up close? Is his jaw really that chiseled? How much can we lift? I swear his biceps are like the size of—"

Cyra talked with her mom, having to give her a rundown of most of the League members (mostly the burly men). Kailey was disappointed to hear that Superman was taken, but found Batman's, as she put it, "Dark and naughty" personna enticing. Once Kailey hit the topic of Hal, Cyra was quick to shut that party down.

Cyra told her about her friend who made the best cookies in the world and could change her looks on will, laughed about a strong boy whose favorite TV show was static, spoke in awe about a boy from the sea who led the team. Cyra told a story of a little bird who liked to tackle as he took down crime and a magician who could do a lot more than pull rabbits out of hats.

Kailey could invision another blonde girl in a green suit, this one with a bow and arrow who would easily cut down anyone for a friend. Cyra even went into two babysitters, one who was a trained ninja and another who was a human stuck in a body of metal. Then there was the hot-headed ginger archer who authority issues and a golden speedster with a flirtatious grin.

Kailey smiled softly, nodding along as Cyra threw up her hands, her eyes dancing with fire as her words crackled in the air like whips.

Cyra spend noticeable time on a certain ginger speedster.

"He has freckles and a dumb annoying smile that he uses whenever he pokes at me, and he's a complete flirt who knows he sucks at it, but that never stops him from trying his 'skills' on anything with legs. He's a speedster who can turn into a blur and pick up the wind around you. He has this contagious laugh and even though his jokes aren't nearly as funny as mine, they can hold up alright.

"He's been a sidekick longer than me, but I'd be surprised if he isn't taken into the Justice League soon. He does all the missions and you can tell he actually believes in them, Mom. Sure, I can yell my head off to Batman about us saving someone who doesn't deserve it or having to trek through miles of swamps to get to some weird location, but he doesn't. Well, he complains a lot, but he'd never stop. He fights the good fight, every time, and the strange thing is, no matter how dark and awful things are going—he never doubts the mission."

"It sounds like you like this boy a lot," Kailey said, her voice even.

"He's one of my best friends," Cyra admitted, tugging at the seams of the tablecloth. "He's loyal to me—all of us, and I know he'd give anything for us. Even when he's mad or in the ruts, he's always so determined . . . and I learned how to be a hero for watching him—all of them, really."

Cyra sighed. "Kaldur taught me how to be patient—that I don't always have to be the first one on the battlefield. M'gann gave me kindness, and I think I'm learning some of it from her. She can always defuse a problem with cookies," Cyra laughed, the sound scratching up her throat. She went on anyways, "Connor showed me what could happen if my anger gets away from me and how much a person can grow—even if they started out in a literal pod. I think Robin handed me some of my innocence back, and I know that kid's life hasn't been a walk in the park.

"Zatanna," Cyra gulped, "she moved on, and I think I can too because of her." Her eyes flickered up at her mother, whose face was solemn. "Artemis is tough and determined, but she has trust issues, and watching her, I learned to open up to my teammates. I can trust them all with my life."