[center][color=Green][h1]G R E E N A R R O W[/h1][/color][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/oIge0QK.jpg?1[/img][/center] [sub][hr][/sub][COLOR=Green][indent][sub][B]Location:[/B] [COLOR=Green][I]Starling City, California [/I] - [I]A Week Later[/I][/COLOR][/sub][sup][right][b]Issue #1.04:[/b] [COLOR=Green][I]Fighting as Oliver Queen[/I][/COLOR][/right][/sup][/indent][/color][sub][hr][/sub] [indent]It had been a week already since the Green Arrow's first outing, and he hadn't been able to find an opportunity since. While Oliver wanted desperately to stop other such events from happening there were a few things he needed to take care of first: One, Oliver Queen was a little sore from his first real mission and needed time to get back into peak physical condition and to up his training so he'd be ready the next time. Second, he quickly realized the limitations of his current equipment and needed to time to come up with some more tools, and to find a way to create his own personal armory that could give him the edge he needed. Last but most importantly, he was working on a special program which he hoped could change the lives of many lost kids in the city. Oliver Queen's limo parked in front of the Star City Youth Recreational Center and Oliver quickly opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. Oliver was decked out in a suit and tie, a bow tie actually which made him look even more like an elite than a normal one. The flashy suit could only partially cover-up his rather fantastic physique, the shoulder pads even exaggerating his broad shoulders to almost absurd lengths. His classy look rather clashed with rather ratty looking buildings of the Star City Youth Recreational Center, and frankly he couldn't wait till everything was over so he could change into more casual clothes. Oliver strode through the doors where he was lead by some assistants to the Center's auditorium, as soon as he entered the flashes of a hundred cameras turned the gym into a light show as he made his way to the stage. It was only a short walk but each flash of a camera seemed to slow time down to a crawl until he reached his destination behind a stage microphone. Oliver gave it a quick tap, the reassuring pop of the mic telling him it was working correctly. [color=82ca9d]"Greetings ladies and gentlemen, members of the press. Thank you for all arriving on such short notice. Probably not the location many of you were expecting for one of my first major project announcements but it shouldn't take long for you to figure out why."[/color] Oliver Queen paused for a moment, making sure everyone had settled in. [color=82ca9d]"I haven't been back for very long but I can tell you Starling City isn't quite the place that I remembered it. While I can't exactly say I knew the city that well when I was younger, after I came back I've done quite a bit of digging and found a lot of rot frankly, sad though it is to say. Now I won't pretend to have all the answers but I know that there are things that I can do right here and now to help kids be able to have the opportunity to grow up without fear."[/color] Oliver Queen scanned the room and then rested his eyes on a few Police officers that had come along for security. [color=82ca9d]"First I want to thank the Police Officers who only a week ago, caught sight of a child trafficking scheme in action and were able to save five young women from their vile clutches."[/color] Cheers went up from some of the crowd and there were even some goofy grins on a few of the officer's faces. Technically of course the officers basically just cleaned up after Green Arrow but of course his involvement in the bust was being kept on the down-low to make the officers look better, especially considering the neighborhood of the bust. [color=82ca9d]"I believe two have already been released back to their parents, but the others either have no parents or their parents are unable to look after them. These are the types of kids that are being produced on Starling City's streets today and these are exactly the types of kids I hope we can save and lead toward a better future! This is why, today, I am proud to announce the creation of Starling City Youth Rescue Project!"[/color] With a click, a projector beamed the proud image of the project's new logo on the back wall of the auditorium. [color=82ca9d]"With a lot of help from the Starling City Youth Recreational Center we are going to work together to raise funds, and provide classes for all those young youths of Starling City that need our help to make it through to another day. To start us off, I will personally fund these three rescued girls through college, as the first youths to benefit from the Youth Rescue Project!"[/color] Oliver queen turned to his left and gestured to the three girls as lights and flashes quickly focused in on them, their faces a mixture of gratitude and horror at being the center of attention so suddenly. [i][color=fdc68a]"Can I go now?"[/color][/i] Mia Dearden mouthed to Oliver Queen, who mouthed back to bear with it. Mia rolled her eyes but quickly went back to smiling for the camera.[/indent] [center][color=green][h3]* * * * *[/h3][/color][/center] [indent][color=fdc68a]"Ugh, that was embarrassing, I felt like a slave out on the auction block!"[/color] Mia grumbled once things had died down and they were allowed to go back stage to wait for pickup. She was grateful for what Oliver Queen had done, but she couldn't help but feel like she was just being used by the billionaire to score brownie points with the upper class, they all seemed to love a good 'helping the downtrodden' gig to feel like they were better than anyone else. "Oh don't be like that Mia." One of the other 'lucky' girls retorted. "We should be eternally grateful someone that far up decided to help us at all. Also did you see his figure from back there? He must be really into physical fitness to have such a tight ass." Mia rolled her eyes, course she didn't exactly deny her starry eyed compatriot but hot guys were not something she really cared about right now, she had had her fill of guys for a while. [color=fdc68a]"Well let's just hope he isn't an actual ass and decides to flake out on us down the road."[/color] [color=82ca9d]"Hmm, I suppose you'll just have to judge a man by his actions then."[/color] Oliver queen smiled as he appeared from around a corner, already changed into jeans and a green hoodie, a far cry from the party boy he looked like earlier. "Glad I was able to catch you before you left." Mia bit her lip a bit, trying not to be embarrassed at almost certainly being overheard, badmouthing the billionaire. The other girl clicked her tongue at her in a disapproving matter, Mia turned away to make sure no color could be seen in her cheeks. [color=82ca9d]"Ha ha, don't worry about it, no offense taken. Believe it or not I understand why you aren't very trusting of me. You'll all had hard lives, but I hope I can stop that cycle here before it can continue any further. I'm counting on you all to do your best to make sure that happens."[/color] A ring could be heard coming from Oliver's pocket, who quickly fished out his phone and looked at it. [color=82ca9d]"Well wish I could get to know you better but I really must be going. I have a lot of work to do in order to get this project off the ground. Young maidens, I wish you a good day!"[/color] For fun he added a little cheese to that last sentence and they watched as he strode down the hall to where-ever he was going next. Mia couldn't help but think that Oliver's back seemed a bit familiar, but it had to be a trick of the green hoodie making her thing of [i]him[/i], the green archer. There was no way some rich guy, no matter what gyms he went too, that could be as good as that guy was. Yep, absolutely no way.[/indent]