[center][h3][b][color=#00ff00]K A I - R O[/color][/b][/h3][sub][b][color=#00ff00]T A L E S   F R O M   T H E   G R E E N   L A N T E R N   C O R P S[/color][/b][/sub][hr][hr][sub][b][color=#b6d7a8]ACT I: AD ASTRA PER ASPERA[/color][/b]
[i]Part 3: “Al-x”[/i][/sub][/center]
[indent][color=silver]The young Tibetan’s eyes seemed even larger and more expressive than they already were.

Mouth agape, the black and green clad youth marveled at the landscape before him. It was a city unlike any he could have imagined. The violet hued sky above shimmered with sparks of green, as figures moved through the air as if propelled by the verdant light that radiated in streaks that vanished into the sky, or trailed through the streets of the alien cityscape.

A vine-like tendril looped around the child’s wrist, as the bulbous alien literally took the boy by the hand as the two emerged into this brave new world of Oa.

But for the guiding hand, the young monk would have walked into any number of people or objects along their path, as the child’s eyes marveled in sheer awe and wonder at the world in which he was being led. 

[color=#b6d7a8]“It’s really another world,”[/color] the boy uttered, the first time he had spoken since the two had left the room in which the monk had awoken. For that matter, the first time that he’d shut his jaw, which had been virtually dragging behind them at his surprise.

[i]“There are many worlds, child.”[/i]

The voice in his head -- that is, the voice of the person who was talking to him without actually talking -- was named [b]Apros[/b]. [i]“Each is unique, though some may remind you of somewhere you’ve been.  No one world is ever truly like another.”[/i]

From the street, the pair started up a winding stair that led them to a large structure that resembled the iconic form of the lantern sigil that the boy saw on the front of the strange attire that he was now garbed in. Variations of which seemed to reside on the clothing of everyone that they had encountered thus far.

[i]“This is the Book of Oa,”[/i] Apros’ voice spoke, each word seeming to become Kai-Ro’s own thoughts. Entering inside, the walls seemed illuminated in green light, with all manner of shapes, sigils, icons, and other forms of writing tracing up and down the walls. [i]“The repository of all knowledge that the Guardians of the Universe have shared with us.”[/i]

Craning his head around, the boy looked up at the tall, thin gourd. [color=#b6d7a8]“The... guardians of the universe?”[/color]

[i]“The architects of our future,”[/i] the voice replied. [i]“Highly advanced lifeforms who seek to maintain harmony and balance among the various aliens that inhabit what you would think of as space. They created the ring that found you. Sent out among the stars to find rare individuals possessing extraordinary willpower.”[/i]

For some reason, that last statement seemed to trigger a memory for the boy. [color=#b6d7a8]“It said that,”[/color] the young monk began, trailing off there as the recollection solidified for him. Finally, then, he turned his head back up as he recalled, [color=#b6d7a8]“It said that I had the ability to overcome fear.”[/color]

[i]“That is the first step.”[/i]

[color=#b6d7a8]“The first step to what?”[/color]

Gilding the boy around the corner, Apros offered only, [i]“For that question, I will leave you with a more appropriate companion.”[/i]

Confused, Kai-Ro turned his head and found himself staring at an alien who seemed roughly the same height and build as he was. He would have said that it was another kid his age, except this one had purple skin and pointed ears that seemed to stick out from the side of his head. And his eyes were large, almond shaped pools of pure white. 

[i]“This is Al-x,” [/i]Apros said, supplying the introduction as the vine at last unwrapped itself from around Kai-Ro’s hand. 

Withdrawing from the two, the plant-like alien disappeared with a cryptic, [i]“Al-x has waited to meet you for a long time.”[/i]

What was that supposed to mean? [color=#b6d7a8]“Hi,”[/color] Kai-Ro said, turning his head back toward the other... boy? Maybe? 

Did aliens even have genders like, well, [i]people[/i] did?  [color=#b6d7a8]“I’m...”[/color] the monk began, though quickly found himself speechless as the purple kid leaned forward. Staring intently at him, the violet kid seemed to study him like a specimen of some kind [color=#b6d7a8]“...uh...”[/color] Kai-Ro stammered, fumbling awkwardly, even as he took a step back away from the other kid.

“You look like a Graxian, except you’re the wrong color,” the purple kid stated flatly, slowly walking in a circle around the monk. Then, pausing back in front of Kai-Ro, noted “And, I’ve never seen a Graxian with brown colored eyes before.”

What was a Graxian? [color=#b6d7a8]“I’m Tibetan,”[/color] the boy stated.

“Your planet is named Tibet?”

[color=#b6d7a8]“Well, [b]no[/b],”[/color] Kai-Ro amended, fumbling for a moment. He wasn’t used to thinking in terms like this. [color=#b6d7a8]“My planet is called Earth.”[/color] That [i]really[/i] didn’t sound right. Was this how conversations in space went?

The purple kid’s head tilted to one side, an expression of what seemed like confusion apparent as he (?) asked, “So, you’re Earthian?”

[color=#b6d7a8]“No, we’re humans.”[/color]

“But, you said you’re Tibetan?”

[color=#b6d7a8]“I’m [i]from[/i] Tibet,”[/color] Kai-Ro affirmed, with a nod.

“But you said you’re from Earth,” the purple kid quipped back.

[color=#b6d7a8]“Tibet is a country on Earth,”[/color] Kai-Ro answered. Then paused there. [color=#b6d7a8]“Well, it [i]was[/i] a country on Earth. I guess I’m actually Chinese, except that’s, like, [b]super[/b] offensive where I’m from.”[/color]

“Fascinating,” the purple kid uttered.

Seriously. What kid talked like that?

“You’re describing a system of division based on geo-political boundaries.”

Expressive brown eyes just blinked.[color=#b6d7a8] “I’m..."[/color] Kai-Ro began. Then stopped. He blinked a second time. [color=#b6d7a8]“...wait, what?”[/color] the monk asked, even as he tried to make sense out of what he’d just heard. [color=#b6d7a8]“Are you [i]really[/i] a kid?”[/color]

The purple kid’s head tilted over to the other side, as though contemplating this as a new question. “Are you?”

[color=#b6d7a8]“I’m ten,”[/color] Kai-Ro stated.

“Ten?”

Yeah, ten. [color=#b6d7a8]“Ten years old,”[/color] the monk clarified, pointing to himself and then gesturing toward the purple kid as he asked, [color=#b6d7a8]“How old are you?”[/color]

“In order to have meaning, this ‘year’ requires a spatial or temporal context.” 

These were words.

Kai-Ro understood that these were words. He even understood that these were words being spoken in what seemed like it was perfect Tibetan.

And he had no idea what any of these words meant.

Seemingly perplexed at his conversational companion’s speechlessness, Al-x touched a spot on the wall. As he did, the green light seemed to become malleable in his hands. Responding to his fingertips, soon there was a green construct of what seemed like an approximation of a planet and some writing in a script that Kai-Ro didn’t recognize.

[color=#b6d7a8]“How did you do that?”[/color] the monk asked, in awe.

“What is a year, exactly?” Al-x asked.

[color=#b6d7a8]“A year? Like, twelve months,”[/color] Kai-Ro said, though it likely sounded more a question. [color=#b6d7a8]“Three hundred sixty-five days?”[/color]

“What is a day?”

[color=#b6d7a8]“Like, one day to the next?”[/color] Kai-Ro responded, quite confused that the conversation had taken a turn for the, well, even more confusing. [color=#b6d7a8]“Twenty-four hours, I guess?”[/color]

Consulting the various green icons, the purple kid gave a nod. “I think I understand now, your concept of time is connected to your planet of origin,” Al-x remarked finally.  Glancing up, the purple kid stated, “You think in terms of orbital revolutions. Very well. If I understand your orbital mechanics, then I am one hundred and five of your years old.”

[color=#b6d7a8]“One... what?”[/color] Did he just say one hundred and five? 

“As for how I accessed this data, this is an archival data retrieval point for the Book of Oa,” Al-x noted, giving a wave of his hand. As he did, the planet and writing vanished. “You can use it, if you wish, to look up the relevant historical data regarding the Green Lanterns.”

[color=#b6d7a8]“What’s a Green Lantern?”[/color]

“You,” Al-x answered. Then, amended, “Or, rather, you are a candidate. As am I.” Turning back toward the monk, the purple kid noted, “With your arrival, there remain two other candidates who will join us so that our training may commence.”

[color=#b6d7a8]“Training?”[/color] Kai-Ro echoed. At some point, all of this was going to start making sense. Right? [color=#b6d7a8]“Training for what?”[/color]

Tucking his (?) chin between the thumb and finger of one hand, Al-x seemed to ponder that question for a moment. Then, looking up, asked, “Does your planet have a concept of hierarchical governmental authority that is centrally controlled, but decentrally executed?”

Kai-Ro just blinked, again. [color=#b6d7a8]“You keep using these words,”[/color] the Tibetan monk stated flatly. [color=#b6d7a8]“I have... [i]no idea[/i] what they mean.”[/color]

Re-phrasing the question, Al-x posed, “Are there authority figures on your planet whose role is the maintenance of society’s rules?”

It wasn’t a lot better than the first question. [color=#b6d7a8]“Authority?”[/color] Kai-Ro echoed. [color=#b6d7a8]“You mean, like, the police?”[/color]

“Policing?” Now it was Al-x’s turn to echo back a word. A slight nod, and a flicker of a smile -- as if what Kai-Ro had said was, in some way, funny. “A quaint societal mechanism,” the purple kid decided, finally, as he looked up and affirmed, “Yes, the police.”

Kai-Ro’s head went back. [color=#b6d7a8]“Where I’m from, the police are the bad guys,”[/color] the child stated, in a surprisingly matter-of-fact tone.

Now, it was Al-x’s turn to be surprised. “You are an anarchist?” Then, the purple kid paused. “Or the product of a system of government oppression,” Al-x stated, amending his original theory with a few other snippets gleaned from the conversation. Turning back to Kai-Ro, the purple kid said, “Fascinating, but no. Green Lanterns seek to maintain peace and order among the various alien cultures which coexist. Like your Earth, space is also subject to many political boundaries that can be cause of conflict. And criminal elements may exceed the ability of any one planet to sufficiently address. These are the functions for which the Green Lanterns exist.”

The monk just gave a blank look, finally blinking before blurting out, [color=#b6d7a8]“Are you [b]really[/b] a kid?”[/color]

“I feel as though we have already addressed this,” Al-x stated crisply.

[color=#b6d7a8]“I feel as though I have [i]no idea what you’re talking about!”[/i][/color][/color][/indent]