Chapter 16: I’m Back

A few months had passed after separating with Blackfire. We finally reached OA, the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps.

On the way, there wasn’t much excitement at all. It seems encountering intergalactic pirates or such aren’t really that common.

After all, the universe is so vast.

It’s a pity though, I thought I might even meet Lobo or something.

After reaching OA, I looked around to see if I could find Hal.

But this planet is so big and I haven’t memorized his heartbeat as well so I can’t find him using Superman’s super hearing.

Without much of a choice, I sighed and looked for a place to eat.

I was about to enter a bar when suddenly, another person was thrown out.

“Ahh sheesh...even on this planet, it’s just the same as Earth. They throw you out if you can’t pay! Seriously…”

“Uhuh, it seems you enjoy being thrown out of bars, Hal.”

“...Huh?”

Right, the man in front of me was none other than the one I was trying to find...strangely enough, the circumstances were the same as when we first met.

Hal Jordan.

Hal looked up at me and displayed a look of shock.

“Y-you…! Lucas Wayne!”

“Yep, the one and only.”

“B-but...how!?”

I scratched my head with a troubled smile.

“Well, let’s walk and talk. We are getting a bit of stares here…”

“R-right…”

Hal quickly stood up and followed me.

“How have you been? I see you’ve become a part of the Green Lantern Corps?”

I said as I glanced at his ring and his suit.

Inwardly, I was synching his character already.

• Green Lantern (Hal Jordan): 76%

Huh, would you look at that, already at 76%.

What powers did I gain though? It’s not like I have a ring...

Anyway, I’ll experiment later. Now isn’t a good time.

Hal looked surprised when I spoke to him.

“You know about the Green Lantern Corps? Or rather, what the hell are you doing all the way out here!? In OA!?”

“Ah, I got lost and staying put didn’t seem to help so I thought I’d call a space cop. That’s you guys right?”

“...”

Hal went speechless.

“What do you mean you got lost!? How did you even get here!?”

“Like I said, after what happened before with Darkseid, I was blasted away and didn’t know where to go. Thankfully, I managed to hitchhike on a passing spaceship and got here.”

“...”

Hal was speechless again…

I just laughed and patted on his back.

“Haha! Anyway, don’t mind it! So? Can you give me a lift back to Earth?”

“...Fine…dammit, a Green Lantern escorting a lost guy back home...if those guys heard, they’d be laughing their asses off...”

Hal muttered but I ignored it and continued to look around as Hal gives me a tour.

Hal also asked me a lot of questions regarding what happened with Darkseid but I didn’t give him too many details.

What I did find out...was that 5 years had already passed since I disappeared.

5 years...which means, I’m already 23 years old?

It felt weird to me as it didn’t feel like 5 years had already passed…

Still, it was a relief to hear from Hal that Darkseid hasn’t shown himself again.

As for Hal, he seemed to be in some kind of slump so he was drinking his worries away. He wouldn’t tell me what it is but I still gave him a few encouraging words.

After the tour, Hal created a spaceship from his ring and started to fly us off back to Earth.

It felt a bit anticlimactic to simply return like this and it felt awkward to me too so I asked Hal to be stealthy.

“Do you want to go to the Watchtower first or straight to Earth?”

“Watchtower huh? Alright, let’s go there first.”

Hal grinned and headed towards the Watchtower.

When the hatch opened, he removed the spaceship with his power and we both landed.

There wasn’t anyone who came to welcome us as they probably figured Hal is just dropping by.

Hal walked through the hallways familiarly and opened the door to the main hall where they usually gather for mission briefing.

Hal walked to a computer, typed for a bit, then spoke.

“Calling all Leaguers, please gather in the Watchtower Main Hall. Priority Alpha!”

After that, he disconnected and laughed.

“Ha! Wait till they see this!”

“...Is that okay? What if they are busy?”

Hal just shrugged.

“It’s fine, how busy can they be?”

“...”

I can only facepalm myself with regards to how irresponsible Hal is…

Since he already did this, the only thing to do now is…

Disappear!

I used Superman’s super-speed and disappeared from Hal’s sight when he was distracted.

Heh, let’s see you explain to them now!

I can already hear Hal muttering ‘I’m so screwed…’ back in the main hall.

===

Back in the main hall, Hal saw Lucas disappear and immediately realized what he was trying to do.

“...I’m so screwed…”

Soon after he said that, the zeta tube flashed and revealed a few figures.

Batman, Batgirl, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Lex Luthor.

Hal swallowed his saliva as he saw them.

Batman stepped forward and asked.

“Green Lantern, What’s the situation? Are the Yellow Lanterns attacking Earth again?”

Wonder Woman gnashed her teeth and asked as well.

“Is it Darkseid!? Has he finally appeared!?”

“U-uhh...t-that is…”

Lex frowned when he saw Hal didn’t seem to be in any hurry at all.

“What is it? Don’t tell me this is one of your stupid pranks again? I have better things to be doing.”

“Now now, I doubt even Hal would do something like that. I’m sure there’s a reason.”

Superman tried to calm down Lex.

Hal sighed and bit the bullet.

“Actually, there is indeed a reason...do you all still remember Lucas?”

“...”

The whole room was suddenly filled with silence.

It was Batman who spoke first, trying not to show any emotions.

“What about it?”

“Well...I...kinda met him. He’s here now.”

“!!!”

Everyone’s eyes widened when they heard that.

Wonder Woman quickly looked around her but didn’t see a hint of Lucas.

Batman didn’t say a word and quietly walked towards Hal.

Suddenly, as soon as he got near, he grabbed ahold of Hal’s collar and slammed him to the wall!

“Who are you and what did you do to Hal!? Did the Joker send you!? You think this is some kind of sick joke!?”

“H-hey! Dude! It’s really me! I’m not joking! Lucas was really here!”

Hal started to panic as well.

Are you kidding me!? Even Diana looks like she wants to beat me up!

“L-Lucas! Man, come on! I won’t use the Watchtower protocol like that again! Just show yourself!...I know you can hear me!”

Hearing his pleas, Lucas finally showed himself.

“You are only supposed to use Priority Alpha for any world-ending threat. You using that just for my arrival makes me look like I’m going to destroy the world or something.”

Everyone heard the familiar voice but didn’t turn around, afraid that this is just an illusion...a sick joke...a dream…

And if they turned around, they would wake up or see someone else.

Lucas sighed and walked towards Batman.

“Yo, it took me 5 years but...I’m back.”

Batman finally turned around, tears were starting to flow in his cowl as he tried to maintain his cool.

However, he really wasn’t able to hold it out.

“Lucas…”

“Hehe. Ah, psst, bro! Do they all know about your identity? Sorry, I kinda got caught up in the moment.”

Lucas asked Batman quietly which made Batman chuckle.

Everyone was even more surprised.

Did Batman just...laugh!?

Batman removed his cowl and looked back at Lucas.

“It’s fine...they know.”

“Ohh, I see, that’s good the-!?”

Before Lucas could continue, Batgirl already took off her mask as well and threw herself at Lucas!

Wonder Woman also rushed in and hugged Lucas as well.

Aquaman quickly called Mera and the next moment, she appeared in the zeta tube and dashed at Lucas!

“W-wait! Girls!?”

“You...you idiot! Where have you been!?”

“Err, I was..kinda lost in space, so…”

“Sniff...hm? Why is there a smell of another woman?”

“...”

When Wonder Woman said that, Lucas froze.

What the hell!? It has been months since he last saw Blackfire! How can she still smell her scent!?

Wait, I didn’t even do anything to her!

“T-that...I was in space! How can there be a smell of another woman on me!?”

Hal interjected.

“Ah, weren’t you bragging to me about that Tamaran chick who let you ride her spaceship before?”

“Wha-!? Ha...haha...I wasn’t...I didn’t...she only kissed me!”

This damn Hal!

Barbara, Diana, and Mera looked at each other and nodded.

The next moment, they held onto Lucas and dragged him out of the room.

“Bro! Help me out here! Brooooooo!!!”

“...”

Back in the main hall of the Watchtower, Batman and the rest were still unable to believe what happened.

In the end, they could only look back at Hal for an explanation.

“Hal...what exactly happened?”

“Well...I met him in Oa. He was asking for a ride back home since he got lost in space.”

“...”

What the heck is that!? Why does it sound like a lost kid in a mall trying to find a way back home!?

“It seems to him, it was only a few months since Darkseid attacked...he seemed surprised to hear that 5 years had already passed. After that, I gave him a lift back here, he asked to be stealthy, and you all know what happened next.”

“...I see…”

Batman nodded and sighed. It seemed as if an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he appeared to be more relaxed than before.

Superman also sighed in relief.

“Anyway...it’s good that he’s safe…”

“Yeah, when the world learns about this we can raise the morale up a few notches. We might even be able to suppress the crime rate in the world!”

Lex smiled as well. He was already thinking about how to make a big impact and produce the maximum result.

However, Batman shook his head.

“No. We wouldn't announce to the world just yet unless he is ready for it.”

“What are you talking about, Bruce? Unlike you, Lucas is a legend! How is he not ready for it?”

“Remember, he asked Hal to be stealthy and also chose to show here first. I think he still doesn’t want to show himself to the world. I’m sure he has a plan. Until he says it, do not leak this news to anyone else, understood?”

Lex sighed and nodded.

He had to admit that what he said makes sense.

Anyway, they can clear it later when Lucas comes back.

That is...if he survives the wrath of the three women…

Flash walked over to Hal and nudged him with his elbow.

“Hey, do you think they’re gonna…?”

“Yep, 100%”

“Man, must be nice…”

“...Want me to tell Iris that?”

“Dude!”

“Hahahaha!”