Blindfold: First Sight

Meet Blindfold. She's already female and won't be changing. Blindfold has definitely been retconed however. She's young and like Michael Valentine Smith or Mork she may look human but... Don't worry. The prologue is very formal but the rest definitely won't be. Blame the formality on Indigo-1. The bad jokes will be mine.

The Indigo Tribe is owned by Detective Comics and gratefully used here. The RetconUniverse is created by Lilith Langtree. This is a continuing retcon of the Indigo Tribe.

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Indigo Vow Tor lorek san, bor nakka mur, Natromo faan tornek wot ur, Ter lantern ker lo Abin Sur, Taan lek lek nok -- Formorrow Sur!

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Prologue

The cry reached out impossibly louder the further it reached. Any being with the smallest bit of telepathy knew something was wrong.

The current Green Lantern of sector 2804, along with other telepaths were zeroing in on the brain ringing sound when it stopped, abruptly. The mental silence was deafening.

Just as the tension began to rise to the "Since I’m already here someone is getting a beat down" level and battle lines were forming, every potential combatant was returned to his, her or its place of origin.

When power like that touches you, it’s usually a good idea to include yourself out of what’s going on.

Stubborn and determined, Hal Jordan was ready to go back when a voice spoke, :This little one is not for you Green Lantern. She is Indigo, have no fear.

The wordless query to his ring was answered with, :Little is known of the Indigo tribe. They come and go doing as they choose. Each being chosen to be Indigo h8as a power staff instead of a lantern battery, each wears an indigo ring. Each carries symbols of Indigo painted on their bodies and their clothes look like they came out of a dumpster :"

A wordless wave of laughing whispered in Hal’s mind and faded out.

Futures changed and some vanished when Wind Whisper claimed the girl named Ruth. On Earth, more pain existed for some and others found less frustration. Still others found hatred and less understanding, and sadly others were stumbling instead of having a guide, some died and some lived because she didn’t exist on the Earth where and when she’d been born.

Indigo has never accepted anyone as young as the infant who would be known as Ruth. There was confusion and concern when Wind Whisper appeared, the newborn curled, fetal and quietly sucking her thumb inside a protective indigo bubble.

The questions and answers were short, pointed, and silent. The fact that the infant had been born without eyes was not a concern.

When the bubble receded, the child floated serene and waiting. Indigo-1 reached for the child, using yellow lantern’s ability "Fear".

Instead of screaming, crying, or retreating, a perceptible shimmering wave of compassion washed over then around the yellow light. Slowly it faded as the fear was surrounded and dissipated.

When pain appeared, the baby cried slowly and sadly. Large liquid drops of swirling rainbow tears coalesced on her cheeks and rolled down her face yet, the infant reached to surround the hurt with compassion. The missing ingredient was the color that should have accompanied the emotion.

: She cannot be Indigo there is nothing there. : Indigo-1’s voice was gentle in Wind Whisper’s mind.

: What matters the color or lack? She is Indigo proven. :Wind Whisper’s voice was gentle with humor.

: Then instruct her. When she is ready, she will face the tests of Abin Sur :"

Time is a funny thing. Subjectively time on earth runs fast, takes forever, speeds forward or races like frozen molasses - nowhere.

For an eternity of now, members of the Indigo Tribe, even Indigo-1, taught the little one they called Ruth.

Munk taught Ruth to use her skin to "see" pressure waves and learned to interpret what the vibrations "showed" her.

Wind Whisper helped Ruth use her ears with precision to understand even the softest sounds. Black Hand taught her how those sounds could enhance her sight in interpreting what was around her more clearly. Wind Whisper also taught the child how to tune out sounds selectively so they could be eliminated from her attention.

Her teachers also placed pictures in her mind to show her the outward truth of many creatures, races, and places.

She learned so very many skills and disciplines that surely a century passed instead of the fourteen years she lived in the physical world.

At that time, all the teachers agreed Ruth was ready to face the first test of Abin Sur.

She awoke the day of the test, unaware of what was going to happen. She ate with an open and accepting frame of mind, bathed and dressed. Then she waited meditating on "Why is pain necessary?"

Suddenly every sense was lost to her. She strained to hear, to feel to understand what was happening. Nothing! Her heart racing, fear entered her for the first time in her life. Her breath became shallow and fast, making her dizzy.

The fear pushed her panic to greater heights. Her heart was racing so hard that if she could have, she would have realized it was shaking her body. The more she panicked the "blacker" and more silent everything became. There was nothing and nothing made sense. There were no pressure waves to show her where she was. No one was near her for the first time in her life and the terror shredded she calm, almost emotionless state finer than sand.

Fear can only last so long. It either causes physical damage that stops the body, shuts down the mind or the mind begins to reassert itself. Slowly realization calmed her. It was a slap with gallons of cold water striking her brain and she stopped.

Years later, she began to understand that by acting blindly she became truly blind, possibly putting her in grave danger. It was hard not to be angry with herself, but gradually, she relaxed, becoming immersed in the remembered sensation of safety and peace of her everyday life.

Slowly, in direct proportion to her increasing calm and willingness to understand, awareness of her surroundings returned. The entire episode had lasted less than three minutes.

: Good. You have faced the first test of Abin Sur and succeeded : The voice in Ruth’s head was a warm alto, the smile evident in the contact.

: Thank you teacher : Two Flowers. Ruth’s tone was a soft contralto, a wisp of sound still shaky.

Two Flowers walked toward her with extended hands. Like others of hir race, ze was visibly asexual, hir body functionally capable of being female or male as ze desired.

: Come, the celebration will start soon and I desire some Earth Boston Cream delights for sweetness :

Ruth’s face became solemn, her voice serious. : That would be an unfortunate occurrence since you so rarely have your heart’s cravings for sweets fulfilled :

Her voice broke at the end, for Two Flowers was notorious for hir love of sweets and refusal to indulge the desire. It was, for hir a discipline of mind and spirit over animal desire and body.

: Why yes, I should have to settle for the sugar volcano of Merimbe instead, a tragedy of epic proportions indeed :

Laughing they linked arms and walked to a communal area. Other Indigo Tribe people greeted Ruth. Last was Indigo-1.

The mind touching Ruth was cool and impersonal. : You have succeeded in your first test. Your next test will be far more difficult and long lasting. I give you this gift. :

Ruth shivered as something cool invaded her mind and body. She identified the taste as lemon clouds and mint syrup.
She bowed to Indigo-1 and thanked her. : Is it permitted to ask what the gift is? :

: You will learn when it is required to occur. Patience is the Indigo’s friend :

Ruth felt the faintest disapproval color Indigo-1 "voice" whenever she spoke to Ruth. No matter how hard Ruth tried, the tone was there.

: Thank you for the gift and instruction : She bowed in acknowledgment, walking confidently to the low table, and sat. From years of training, her sadness stayed in its cage so no one would feel the need to help her.

She was quiet as Indigo-1's words played over again in her mind. : Your next test will be far more difficult and long lasting :

She couldn’t imagine what might be involved but she knew that Indigo-1 had probably understated the issue, as was her way.

Wind Whisper glided to her and sat with the grace of a leaf falling from a tree.

: You will be equipped for the next tests as you were for this one, little one, don’t fear. If you were not able to succeed, the trial would not occur :

As love surrounded her, Ruth knew Wind Whisper’s statement was true.

Ruth learned so much and so very little in preparing for the next part of her life, she was never quite able to remember who had taught her what piece of information at which time.

When she slept, it all whirled and danced in her brain. Little of it made sense, but she trusted that it was important and she would understand when the time came.

A century later she felt sure she knew all about Earth, it’s people, animals, foods, climates, everything. She just didn’t know why.

That was when her world was thrown into chaos.

Wind Whisper's voice sounded in her mind, this time it was hurried, excited . : It is time little one. You are returning to Earth today :

Ruth stopped abruptly. Her mind spun and whirled like a leaf dancing on the wind. Then her self-discipline to stop and concentrate on trust. Her teachers would never send her to face something she could not handle. She would abide their decisions as she always had, with acceptance.

:Are there things here I should leave or take? :

Wind Whisper's voice moderated, : Come, let us decide :

Dressed in a simple indigo shift, Ruth and Wind Whisper entered the meeting place of the tribe currently on the planet waited.

Indigo-1 placed her hands above Ruth's head, palms down.

: This is the child we accepted. Are all agreed she is prepared to return to her home? :

No being's thoughts dissented.

: Ruth, you will have two faces when you return to Earth. One will hide the other. Ruth you shall still have. If the need comes you will show your world the face of Blindfold.

An image appeared in Ruth's mind. Cloth wrapped around the place where eyes should be. An Indigo power staff was held on her right side with both hands. She wore the shift of indigo and on her arms, legs, and face body paint showed her allegiance to the Indigo Tribe in swirls and symbols only they could understand.

: Your power staff will also wear two faces :

Indigo-1 put the staff in her hand and she held it as the image indicated she should.

: When you are Ruth it will transform from this into this.

The staff twisted and turned, shrinking into a long white cane with a red tip.

: This is your Indigo ring. It will absorb the energy of your staff. It is the means of giving compassion to the universe, no matter the form that compassion should take. It too will only appear when you wear the face of Blindfold. Otherwise, it shall appear thus :

The image of an indigo power ring faded from Ruth's mind, shimmering and becoming an amethyst that encircled her forefinger.

A song of parting, longing, joy and love filled the air and ears.

: It is time :

Ruth and Wind Whisper vanished from Filemu-Loi.

Next, Blindfold: Sight Unseen