Sonic Lanterns: Jessabel the Otter

“Jessabel...what have you done?” Axel asked in disbelief, seeing Jessabel standing with the enemy in yellow.

Jessabel looked back at her friend with a sad and broken expression. “I didn't want to do it, Axel. They made me. I was...afraid.”
Next to Jessabel, a pink skinned humanoid creature dressed in a black and yellow uniform hovered just above the metal floor. He stared at the exchange with malicious satisfaction. Looking down at Jessabel with a dark grin, he spoke in a tone of authority. “You have done well, Jessabel. Now then, do as I command. Destroy your friend, Axel!”

“But, Sinestro? He's...my friend. I...can't do it.”

“You can and you will! I know things. Do you want to know the truth...about your parents?”

“Please don't...” Jessabel began to whimper before her eyes met the terrifying gaze of Sinestro.

Sinestro towered over Jessabel and glared at her, causing her to cringe with fear. “Do as I say! Or else, not only will you never know...but you will suffer as much as they are right now!”

Jessabel thought about it in silence. She worried for her parents’ safety. They were the same parents that she never knew. They were the same parents that she desperately wanted to see, but was afraid to do so because she did not believe she was strong enough. It was when the alien Sinestro showed up in her life and secretly showed her an image of her parents that all that changed. They were in trouble and needed help. He showed her the yellow power of fear that he commanded and that she had the potential to wield this same power. All she had to do was swear allegiance to him. To her, the answer was painful but clear. “I will...do as you say...I'm sorry, Axel.”

“Don't do this, Jessabel. You're not like him...you're better than this.”

Axel’s attempts to persuade Jessabel caused Sinestro to chuckle. “You are naive, boy. It would surprise you how far some, no matter how young, will go to learn the truth.”

“Axel glared at Sinestro with a hate he had not felt in some in a long time. “You bastard! I'll SEE YOU DIE FOR THIS!”

Waving away his threat, Sinestro turned again to Jessabel. “Now speak the words...and join us completely!”

Reluctantly, Jessabel began to speak the oatht that would change her life forever. “In blackest day. In brightest night.”

“Jessabel? Please...” Axel pleaded.

“Beware...your fears made into light.”

“Jessabel, stop.”

“Let those who try to stop what's right - burn like his power –“

“Don't, Jessabel!”

“Sinestro's might!” The last part of it came to Jessabel with renewed strength. Jessabel's body glowed bright yellow and soon becomes adorned with a yellow costume baring the Sinestro Corps insignia on her chest. Her eyes looked upon Axel, but were not the eyes of the caring little otter he knew. They changed, piercing his soul like a pair of cold icicles. Axel felt like all the life had been sucked out of him, that his purpose to live was gone.

Axel stared at Jessabel in horror. She allowed herself to be manipulated by this Sinestro. Now, it was almost like she was a stranger to him. “NOOOOO!!”

Laughing triumphantly, Sinestro said, “Congratulations, Jessabel. You are now one of my esteemed Yellow Lanterns. Now destroy him!”

“As you command...master Sinestro.” Jessabel closed her ring hand into a fist and pointed the yellow piece of jewelry at Axel. Axel drew his weapon, Silvertooth, in a defensive stance. He did not know exactly what was in store, but he wanted to be ready. He would have had no problem attacking if it just weren't one of his best friends attacking him. “Wanna play ball with me!?” Her voice lacked the playfulness that Axel was used to. That was replaced with malicious pleasure. Jessabel raised her hand and a yellow ball that appeared to be made out of pure energy appeared in her hand. She threw the item straight toward Axel. Her throw was impressive, but sloppy. Axel easily stepped backward avoiding it. It rolled on the ground harmlessly toward him. Confused, Axel looked up at Jess, who now had her eyes closed and a finger in each as if to brace herself for a loud noise. Axel then heard the ticking noise coming from the ball she threw.

“Oh crap!” Axel dived to the side just in time for the ball to explode violently. While there was no shrapnel, the blast sent Axel flying into the metallic wall. He hit his head full force and stood up in a daze. He looked at Jessabel, who was now floating in the air in front of him surrounded by a yellow aura. “I wanna swing...”

Confused, Axel managed to utter a single word. “Swing?”

Jessabel pointed her ring at Axel and he felt his ankles locked together. Looking down, he saw shackles tightly wrapped around his ankles, to which became attached to Jessabel's ring by what appeared to be a yellow rope. “I wanna swing...you!”

Jessabel lifted her ring hand up and Axel felt himself flying upward. Jessabel flung him over her shoulder and brought him back down, smashing his face into the floor. Jessabel was not this strong the last time Axel checked. That's when he realized that the ring must be amplifying all of her natural abilities. Jessabel lifted him up again with the same shackle and rope. She swung him over and smashed his face into the floor again. She then lifted him up with her ring and began spinning rapidly in mid-air. Axel was being swing around and around. Just when he thought he'd be sick, he felt the shackles release him. This brought no comfort however, as he flew through the air and slammed his back into the wall. The breath knocked out of him, Axel struggled to stand. When he looked up, he saw Jessabel and Sinestro standing there. Sinestro was patting Jessabel on the shoulder and smiling approvingly*

“Very good, Jessabel. You really do have a grip on your fears.”

“Leave her alone! She doesn't know what she's doing.”

“Oh I beg to differ. All I've done is allowed her to embrace her fear and turn it into a weapon instead of a burden. I'm also the only one who knows how to find her parents.”
Interrupting, Jessabel stepped forward and spoke to Axel in a familiar child-like innocence. “You've always wanted me to grow up a little bit, Axel? Isn't that what you wanted for me?”

“Not like this, Jess. You need to snap out of this. You don't know what you're doing. I'M your friend, not him.”

“Friend's pale in comparison to family. Isn't that right, Jessabel?”

Jessabel faltered a bit at Sinestro’s comment, but she stayed strong and answered, “I...yes, Sinestro. I'll do anything to see my family safe and sound again.”

Satisfied, Sinestro stared again at Axel. “Very good. And so you shall. Now do be a dear and finish off the one who would deny you that pleasure.”

“I'm sorry, Axel. I will do what I must.”

“No, Jessabel. It's all a lie. You can't...mmm...mmmm...MMMM!” Axel's words were cut off by the feeling of a yellow band forming around his mouth and wrapping its way all around his head, keeping his mouth sealed.

“Stop trying to confuse me, Axel!” Jessabel pressed a button on the wall and the door opened, revealing the open sky outside. Normally, anyone would have been sucked out instantly, but Jessabel and Sinestro stayed in place with the power of their rings and Axel was held in place by Jessabel. Axel started to raise Silvertooth to transform it, but his arms were suddenly held tight to his body by another set of shackle bands. More bands formed around Axel's legs, which effectively and completely restrained him. Jessabel pulled backward and sent Axel careening out the door. As she did so, the yellow shackles disappeared and he found himself in free-fall, falling farther away from the airship, screaming one word as he fell with total hatred. “SINEEESSSTRROOOOOOOOOOO.....!”

“His cries went unanswered as he fell faster and faster. He looked down and saw the ground rushing up to meet him. Thinking this was his end, Axel just closed his eyes. He wanted to protect Jessabel and help her grow up into a strong person. Now he was not sure what to do. Jessabel had turned on him because of the childish dream of seeing her family again, offered to her by a madman. The air rushed around him, taking more and more of a toll on his lungs. In the midst of his fall, he began to slip into unconsciousness. He thought that perhaps this was for the better.

“I guess I...won't feel it when I...I...” The phrase never finished leaving his mouth as the blackness of unconsciousness finally took over. The last thing he thought about before blacking out could only be described in one word: Revenge