This takes place during Another Day Another Crisis during which a ripple went through reality. What happens here is what would have happened if said ripple hadn't gone through. Everyone involved is welcome and encouraged to post.
His eyes had taken on a slight green glow at this point, something that usually occured when he was at emotional high points."I am offering you only one more chance at amnesty, I promise you I will not be as forgiving as the Doctor would have been. Surrender now, or I will introduce you to horrors that cannot be described as they have existed since before the advent of language!"
It was all very showy and theatrical in his opinion, but fun. And usually, it took big shows to shake people like Black Alice, or Dr. Light. He just hoped it was big enough, or that the particular creature he had modelled his constructs after would be terrifying enough.
Of course, as an added bit ot intimidation, he was preparing to slowly lower the Helm of Fate onto his own head...
It was at that moment, the world seemed to stand still. Completely stopped.
"Lantern." A familiar voice said behind him. "It's not going to work, and in either case there is something else you need to do. And quickly. Relax. Nobody can see me or hear me except you. Now do pay attention, hm? There's really no guarantee how much of this you will remember once the spell ends."
Lantern whirled around, seeing Doctor Fate... or rather, a ghostly apparition of Doctor Fate sans helmet and armor. The Doctor was in his civilian clothes, what the Doctor sometimes cheekily referred to as "chic geek". The Doctor raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"Doc, if you aren't a stress induced hallucination, i'm going to assume you coming back from the grave to tell me a plan is a good sign..." Jay said, trying to divide his attention between Doctor Fate, and the combined Dr. Light and Black Alice. "Should I also assume there isn't gonna be a cliffnotes version of the lecture today?"
"My dear boy.... I realize it's been five years since the last time we shared an adventure together.... but I would imagine by now that you'd recognize subjective linear chronality when you experience it. I'm a Time Wizard, Lantern! I'd hate to think ALL the lessons I'd taken the time to teach you, have completely gone to pot since my 'retirement'." The Doctor tsked, and wordlessly gestured for Lantern to hand over the helmet. "For starters, this is not even the true Helmet of Fate. It's a copy. A replica. The REAL one, is... safe. For now. But there IS a mystic connection here, which is how Black Alice could do what she has done. But nevermind that now, nevermind that. What matters is, that I've temporarily shunted you here... outside of the battle so you can be BRIEFLY brought up to speed. Because when you return to the battle, it will be at the precise NANOSECOND you touched this helmet. Which means everything you've just experienced, may still be able to be changed. IF you work quickly enough."
Jay relaxed a bit, he hadn't really paid attention enough to the people around him to realize they were frozen.
"Okay, well excuse me for falling into a stressful situation and focusing my attention elsewhere." He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And you know I HATE temporal physics. Oh, it's fascinating to study, but when it's all put into practice it's just really annoying...unless it's YOU putting it into practice. Anyway, bring me to speed so I can save everyone...and explain how you got all Obi-Wan Kenobi eh?"
'Well, it's probably best if you didn't worry about that last bit. Suffice it to say, it has to do with perceptions. Basic gist? The helmet replica is a portkey. It transported you literally, PHYSICALLY into another plane of existence. One that is known for being the realm for the astral and ghost road. Time and space are a bit more... fluid here, and things may look odd, from a conscious perspective. I can't even confirm or deny that I'm from your past or future. Or whether I'm in astral, or a ghost. Preserving the timeline as best as possible, even WITH the plan to change things in play. Just roll with it. In either case, it usually it takes months or years for one who doesn't have the practice, to just pop in here. I sort-of... cheated, in a sense." Fate explained, as he made a brief examination of the helmet and fiddled with it seemingly in a completely random and abstract manner.
"Which is why we have to be brief, briefer than I like in this briefing. Longer you stay here, the larger the chance you may feel... disoriented and out of time, when you're returned to the fight. Due in large part, to the means you were brought here and how you shall be returned. Which won't do anyone any favors, including yourself. Because whatever you managed to avoid for yourself, might not be avoidable if you're not at the top of your game. Let alone, any changes you need to make when you arrive. As to temporal physics... it only gets annoying if you um... compare the results against the effects of what happened BEFORE time travel. It's best if you think of it this way: it all comes down to choices. You can choose to either do nothing or something, if you find yourself a few minutes in the past. It only gets confusing when you hold your actions up against the actions or inactions you did or didn't do the first time around. My advice? DON'T think about it too hard, it'll save you the headache." The Doctor sighed, and finally finished tinkering. "Now, to business. First, there are more pieces of the puzzle in play than you're aware of. Everything up to the point you touched the helmet, was part of the gameplan. EVERYTHING. Including how you GOT the helmet replica. Anything after that... well, that's sort-of in your hands now. You need to hold the line, Lantern. Reinforcements are on the way, but depending on how Phase Two plays out both here and... elsewhere... er... let's just say it's crucial, that you follow my instructions to the letter."
The Doctor had a passingly nettled expression as he spoke, then brushed it off and continued explaining. "I'd write it out in a note, but it doesn't work that way, I'm afraid. Now, for starters... things aren't always what they seem, REMEMBER THAT. You'll need to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Er... so to speak. And the only way you'll do that is if you seek powerful help, but not for personal gain. One of my better security features, actually..." he trailed off as Lantern interrupted him.
"Uhm...not to nitpick Super-Doc, but the way things were going, and your saying it could be disorienting on my return if I stay here for too long maybe it would be a better plan for me to get the information I need instead of discussing safety features for your stuff, and your temporal physics thesis?" Lantern asked, watching him as he fiddled with the helmet and listening as he spoke.
"You said there are more things in play then i'm aware of right? Well make me aware, tell me who they are, and what I do to stop them." He shook his head, being pulled across time, Fate's lectures, mystery villains, and of course, his seeming refusal to ever just come out and spell things out, of course as he thought more on that subject he realized why that was. He was, after all, trying to change the timeline while still, somewhat preserving it. Just like the old days. He thought a smile coming unbidden to his lips, and a comment slipping past before he could think better of it.
"Mmm, it seems the game is afoot once again huh Doc?" Lantern observed, with his trademark smirk.
"Cute, Jay. Cute. Now, to business. I've hidden something inside this helmet. Something of greater value, than the power of Fate itself. It should give you an even playing field against Black Alice, and you'll NEED that. Your mission? HOLD THE LINE. Reinforcements are on the way, but I can't promise they'll be in time to prevent further death and disaster. If my former pupil has indeed fallen as far as I suspect she has... she will find you a tempting target. So be on your guard. Think back to the past, you may find your answer to saving the future. The tool I'm leaving in your care, will help you. But you have to choose wisely, the form your aid will take." The Doctor instructed tensely, finishing his readjustments.
"Now remember. You'll be returning to the minute you left, or perhaps a moment or two beforehand. Time-travel's a bit funny that way." Fate reminded Lantern again.
"Time travel always was your area Doc." Jay conceded. "Alright, so I just have to see what's in your helmet, and pick the right way to make it work...always with the cryptics. Yeah, i'll figure it out and hold the line. Just make sure as many people are still alive as you can at the end of all this."
"Well, my boy.... that rather depends on people's own choices, does it not?" The Doctor observed. He gave a very Dumbledore-ish wink at his favorite pupil. "Even with my admittedly GOOD guesses about magic and time-travel... the future is never set in stone, Jay. It's part of the grand design."
"Yeah, I think that's the only lesson of yours I've never once argued against." Jay chuckled. "Alright, unless you want to give me any more cryptic clues, I think I understand what you want me too do."
Fate gave a reassuring smile of his own. "Perhaps you do, at that." The Doctor paused, a quiet sadness at the edges of the smile still on his face. "Remember, Jay. Even under the best of circumstances, there are no guarantees. The return trip may be disorienting. I can't even tell you if I'm from your past, your future, or if I'm a ghost. Don't worry about it... I believe in you, my boy. You'll do me proud, regardless of what may come of this case. Even above and beyond that, YOU have to believe in the power of free will, because your choices count as much as anyone else's."
The Doctor stiffened up his chin, and with quiet dignity, passed the helmet back to his one-time student. "Choose wisely. And so, we must say farewell... for now. Vaya con dios, Lantern." The Doctor said as he, and the surroundings, began to fade from view and the shift began.
"And now...the fun part." Jay sighed, trying to remember where he was in the battle with Dr. Light and Black Alice, so he could best protect himself and get out the Doctor's little aid.
Jay, meanwhile, had finally returned to the realm of the living, 'although finally is a rather subjective term.' He had to remind himself. Using his ring to erect a new shield around himself, trying to keep the lights from it as dim as possible he looked down into the helmet and saw only shadows.
"Doesn't mean nothings in it. He shrugged before plunging his hand inside.
'C'mon Doc, don't let us down now...we really could use the help...so...c'mon magic something or other...' He thought, moving his hand along inside until he bumped something, he quickly wrapped his fingers around the insturment before pulling out-
"...A screwdriver..." He seemed dissapointed, until recognition lit his features. "Ooooh wow. You guys are screwed now...that was TERRIBLE pun!