Guy's heart had hardened overnight. Maybe it was bad luck, maybe it was fate. But one way or another, the wheels had been set in motion. All that was left was to hope it all paid off, once and for all. Maybe he'd finally get his victory.
He was sat in an old dive bar in Munich, Germany. Nobody else had been inside for days, except for the bartender, and the dust coated everything in a furry layer of grey. A flagon of ale made a perfectly circular imprint in the dust, while his left elbow made an imperfect indent further along. Cupping his face in his left hand, he stared apathetically at the television.
Breaking news from Central City: the Rogues are on the loose.
Guy realised he was holding his breath, as the anticipation grew. Soon, the hero would arrive on the scene, resplendent and feminine, and the whole world could laugh at him the way the League had been laughing at him and Booster. He only hoped he hadn't gone too far, that Flash would still win despite the inconvenience of a fashion makeover.
He squinted at the screen, as the reporter asked the same question going through his mind: where was the Flash. It normally took him just seconds to get to the scene. If he'd sat this one out because of a harmless prank, Guy would really make sure he never heard the end of it. The Lantern's grip clenched tighter on the flagon's handle.
A moment later, the speedster arrived, hiding at first in a hurricane of speed, running circles around his enemies. Guy smiled. He couldn't keep that up all day, no matter how much he wanted to hide the new suit. Sooner or later, he'd have to face the music. And the camera.
But then it struck him. The hurricane of speed was red and yellow.
Guy grunted and sighed, and the sounds together were like a grizzly bear keeling over. The embarrassment that would come out of pranking someone too late would almost be worse than shame he'd already been through. Skeets be damned, they'd have to get the ring back. Even if it meant stealing all of them from Central City. Even if it meant a full-on confrontation with the speedster.
And after that, it would be back to the drawing board for another year.
The battle on TV was over almost as quickly as it had begun. What else would you expect from the fastest man alive?
Suddenly, Guy became aware of the bartender chuckling. Guy looked at him askance, and the bearded man laughed heartily. Then he took his phone out, and began to take a picture...of Guy.
Once again, Guy felt a tightness in his chest, but this time he wasn't holding his breath. He looked down, and was almost blinded by the sparkle of his costume - not his GL uniform, but the garb he'd planned for Flash. A bright pink and baby blue recreation of Supergirl's outfit, complete with a pink domino mask to hide the speedster's identity. But the corset crushing his ribcage? That was a new addition, courtesy of the Flash. Guy didn't even want to think about what that meant for his personal boundaries. He only hoped he was still wearing the same undies.
With a loud rip, the corset broke open and Guy relaxed a little in the chair. The German burst out into hysterical laughter, still filming the Lantern on his phone. Resigned, Guy reached for a bottle of whisky, one of Booster's remaining sponsors, and sat drinking to the sound of laughter. What an April Fool.
