{Superman Pic}
{Green Lantern Pic}
{Lobo Pic}
____________________________________
The Watchtower. The Watchtower. Floating majestically, a beacon of justice against the inky blackness of space, its sleek, futuristic architecture a testament to the combined genius of Earth's greatest heroes. It looked exactly as it did in the comics, even more awe-inspiring in what I could only describe as hyper-realistic 8K. My mind, still reeling from the sudden shift in realities, struggled to process the sheer impossibility of it all. I was, for all intents and purposes, a consciousness trapped within the mind of a seven-year-old, witnessing the DC Universe through his eyes. And those eyes were currently fixed on the gleaming, impossible structure of the Justice League's headquarters.
"Whoa, Hart! Look at that!" Oliver Omni's voice, a joyful squeal, resonated in our shared mindscape. "It's even cooler in real life! Do you think Superman is inside? Or Batman? Ooh, maybe Flash is running on the treadmill!"
I wanted to scream. I wanted to shake him, tell him the monumental idiocy of just showing up at the Watchtower. This wasn't a theme park, it was the headquarters of god-like beings who regularly thwarted cosmic threats. The chances of us being immediately apprehended, questioned, and probably thrown into some interdimensional prison were astronomically high.
Oliver, we can't just go flying up there! We're literally a kid. And even if we weren't, barging into the Watchtower is probably a terrible idea! Think about security protocols, alien technology, and, you know, the fact that we're essentially an unknown entity that just materialized out of thin air! My internal monologue was a frantic torrent of logical objections.
Oliver Omni giggled. "Don't be such a worrywart, Hart! We're the Omniverse! What's the worst that could happen? Besides," he added, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "I'm kinda hungry. Do you think they have Big Belly Burger up there?"
Big Belly Burger? Oliver, we're in space! They probably have… I don't know… space food! And even if they did, we shouldn't be focusing on fast food right now! We need a plan! A strategy!
"Strategy shmategy! My tummy's rumbling!" Oliver Omni whined, and with a disconcerting surge of cosmic power, our shared perspective shifted. One moment, I was looking at the majestic Watchtower, the next, the starry expanse of space gave way to… a brightly lit, neon-sign adorned establishment. A Big Belly Burger joint.
I gaped, or rather, my non-existent jaw dropped within the mindscape. How… how did you do that?! We were just in space!
"Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!" Oliver Omni chirped, already pulling open the door and waltzing inside. The smell of frying patties and greasy fries wafted into our senses, an oddly comforting aroma after the existential dread of being incinerated and reborn as a cosmic entity. "I just thought about it, and poof! Here we are! See, Hart? No need to worry about anything when you're me!"
The Big Belly Burger was bustling, filled with a diverse clientele that was a testament to the DC Universe's eclectic population. There were humans, of course, but also aliens of various shapes and sizes, some with multiple eyes, others with iridescent skin, all munching on their burgers with contented expressions. It was surreal, like stepping into a comic book panel come to life.
"Mmm, smells good!" Oliver Omni practically skipped to the counter, his bright white hair and glowing silver eyes not drawing nearly as much attention as I would have expected. Perhaps this world was just used to… unusual individuals.
"Welcome to Big Belly Burger, may I take your order?" A tired-looking cashier, a green-skinned alien with three antennae twitching nervously, droned.
"Yes, please!" Oliver Omni chirped. "I'll have… two Big Belly Burgers with extra cheese, a large fry, and a super-sized chocolate shake! And my friend here wants a… um… what do you want, Hart?"
I'm not hungry, Oliver! We literally just materializ—
"He'll have a Diet Soda!" Oliver Omni declared, cutting me off. "He's always worried about his weight, you know."
I wanted to facepalm, but I lacked a face to palm. The sheer audacity of him. I am not worried about my weight, you little brat! And even if I was, how would you know?!
"'Cause I'm you, silly!" Oliver Omni replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe. "And I know everything you think, 'cause we're linked! Now stop being a fuddy-duddy and let's get some food!"
The green-skinned cashier, clearly unfazed by a glowing, ethereal child with an imaginary friend, just nodded and typed in the order. "That'll be 18.75 credits."
Oliver Omni looked at his empty hands, then back at the cashier. "Credits? What are those?"
My non-existent stomach plummeted. Oh no. Oh no, no, no. We have no money! We're a cosmic entity, not a rich one!
The cashier's antennae twitched faster. "Credits, kid. You know, money? The stuff you pay with?"
Oliver Omni scratched his head, then snapped his fingers. A shower of shimmering, golden coins materialized in his hand, clinking together with a satisfying sound. "Ooh, like these?"
My eyes widened. The coins weren't just any coins; they were Roman denarii, ancient Egyptian debens, even what looked like a few hypothetical Atlantean doubloons. Oliver, what are you doing?! Those are ancient artifacts! Or… or completely made-up currencies!
"They're shiny!" Oliver Omni declared, oblivious to my internal panic, and dumped a handful of the ancient currency onto the counter. The cashier's eyes, all three of them, bugged out.
"Uh… kid, we don't take… those." The cashier pointed a trembling finger at a particularly well-preserved denarius. "We take credits."
"Oh." Oliver Omni pouted. "But these are really shiny!"
Oliver, just… just make some credits! You literally just materialized the building! Can't you materialize the local currency?!
"Oh, right!" Oliver Omni's eyes lit up, and with another snap of his fingers, the ancient coins vanished, replaced by a stack of crisp, futuristic-looking bills. "Here!" He handed them over, a generous amount that was probably enough to buy out the entire Big Belly Burger franchise.
The cashier, after a moment of stunned silence, numbly took the bills and made change. It seemed even in the DC Universe, inexplicable wealth was rarely questioned, especially from an adorable, glowing child.
We found a booth near the window, which conveniently offered a view of a sprawling metropolitan cityscape that I quickly identified as Metropolis. Iconic skyscrapers pierced the clouds, and the familiar golden globe of the Daily Planet building gleamed in the distant sun. It was breathtaking, a world brought to life with such vivid detail that it felt more real than my own past.
Oliver Omni, meanwhile, was utterly engrossed in his Big Belly Burger. He took a monstrous bite, cheese stretching impossibly far from the patty. "Mmmph! This is even better than I thought! You sure you don't want a bite, Hart?" he mumbled through a mouthful of burger.
No, I'm good. Just… try not to make a mess. I watched him eat, a strange mix of fascination and mild disgust. He ate like a wild animal, completely uninhibited, his face already smeared with ketchup and grease. It was utterly comical.
As he devoured his second burger, I focused on the city outside. Metropolis. The City of Tomorrow. And somewhere out there, flying high above the clouds, was Superman. The thought sent a thrill through me, a genuine spark of excitement that cut through the lingering numbness of my crushed dreams. My inner fanboy, long dormant, was slowly reawakening.
Suddenly, a massive, guttural roar ripped through the otherwise placid city noise. The ground trembled, and a distant explosion rattled the windows of the Big Belly Burger. Patrons looked up, some with mild annoyance, others with a jaded familiarity.
"Ooh! What was that?!" Oliver Omni asked, his eyes wide with curiosity, ketchup still clinging to his cheek.
Before I could even speculate, a streak of emerald green light shot across the sky, followed by a thunderous boom. Then another explosion, closer this time, sending a shockwave that made the soda in our cups ripple.
"It's… it's a fight!" Oliver Omni exclaimed, his Big Belly Burger momentarily forgotten. He pressed his face against the window, his eyes shining with pure delight. "Look, Hart! It's Green Lantern!"
Indeed. A figure clad in green and black, emanating a vibrant emerald light, was locked in aerial combat with a hulking, heavily muscled individual with a chain and hook. The fight was brutal, explosive, and utterly spectacular. Energy constructs flared, sending debris raining down on the streets below (luckily, far from our restaurant).
"And that's… that's Lobo!" I identified, a gasp escaping my mental lips. Lobo, the Main Man, the last Czarnian. A cosmic bounty hunter, an unkillable force of nature, and one of the DC Universe's most formidable anti-heroes/villains. This wasn't some minor street brawl; this was a heavy-hitter fight.
Green Lantern, easily identifiable as Hal Jordan by his cocky demeanor even from a distance, was throwing everything he had at Lobo, constructing giant fists, energy shields, and even a monstrous green bulldozer. But Lobo, with his insane durability and regenerative abilities, just shrugged off the attacks, laughing manically as he swung his chain and hook, tearing through buildings with ease.
"Wow! He's so strong!" Oliver Omni cheered, clapping his hands. "Green Lantern is super cool, but Lobo is like, super duper strong! I wanna see more!"
As if on cue, a red and blue blur streaked across the sky, slamming into Lobo with the force of a freight train. The Main Man went careening through two skyscrapers, leaving gaping holes in their sides, before crashing into a park with a seismic thud.
"Superman!" Oliver Omni shrieked, practically vibrating with excitement. "It's Superman! He's here! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"
My own excitement surged. Superman. The icon. The ultimate hero. To see him in action, to witness his raw power… it was surreal. He floated in the sky, his cape billowing, his fists clenched, an unwavering symbol of hope and power.
Lobo, a moment later, burst from the crater he'd made, dusting himself off as if he'd merely tripped. He looked up at Superman, a twisted grin spreading across his scarred face. "Well, well, if it ain't the Big Blue Boy Scout! Come to crash the party, eh, Soupie? Thought you'd let ol' Lantern do all the heavy lifting?"
Superman's jaw tightened. "Lobo. You've caused enough destruction. Stand down."
"Stand down?!" Lobo cackled, swinging his chain. "That ain't the Main Man's style, pal! I got a bounty to collect, and some puny Green Lantern ain't gonna stop me!" He lunged, a blur of muscle and rage.
The ensuing battle was a spectacle of cosmic proportions. Superman and Lobo traded blows that shook the very foundations of Metropolis. Sonic booms ripped through the air as they clashed, and the ground cracked under the impact of their falls. Green Lantern joined the fray, raining down energy blasts and constructs, trying to contain Lobo's destructive rampage. Buildings crumbled, cars were tossed like toys, and the sky itself seemed to groan under the sheer force of their combat.
And through it all, Oliver Omni sat in the Big Belly Burger, calmly munching on his fries, his eyes glued to the aerial ballet of destruction.
"This is awesome, Hart!" he said, his voice completely devoid of any concern for the collateral damage. "It's like a real-life cartoon! Do you think Superman can fly faster than a speeding bullet? And does Batman really have all those cool gadgets?"
Oliver, people are getting hurt! Buildings are collapsing! This isn't a cartoon, this is real! We should… we should do something! My internal voice was a mix of awe and genuine alarm. The scale of the destruction was terrifying.
"Nah, they got it," Oliver Omni waved a dismissive hand, still watching the fight with wide-eyed wonder. "They're superheroes! They'll fix it. Besides," he added, taking another bite of his burger, "I wanna see who wins! My money's on Lobo, he looks really tough!"
Your money? Oliver, we don't have money! And even if we did, you shouldn't be betting on who wins a fight that's destroying a city! This is irresponsible! We have cosmic power! We should use it to help!
"But that's not on my bucket list, Hart!" Oliver Omni whined, looking genuinely confused by my protests. "My bucket list is to watch cool fights and meet cool heroes! And maybe get a selfie with Batman. We can't mess up their story by interfering! That's, like, rule number one of watching a show, right? Don't jump into the TV!"
His logic, or lack thereof, was infuriating. Oliver, this isn't a show! This is reality! A very dangerous, super-powered reality!
But he wasn't listening. His attention was fully captured by the escalating battle. Superman, with a mighty roar, delivered a powerful uppercut that sent Lobo soaring into the upper atmosphere. Green Lantern immediately followed, creating a gigantic, glowing green net to ensnare the Main Man.
"Go, Superman, go!" Oliver Omni cheered, then immediately switched allegiances. "No, wait, Lobo! Break free! You can do it!"
His childlike enthusiasm, unburdened by the complexities of morality or consequence, was both endearing and maddening. He was experiencing the ultimate fanboy fantasy, completely oblivious to the chaos unfolding around him. For him, this was pure spectacle, a live-action blockbuster playing out just for his amusement.
The fight raged on for what felt like an eternity. Buildings were reduced to rubble, chunks of pavement were torn from the ground, and the sky above Metropolis was a maelstrom of green energy and red and blue blurs. Superman, with his unwavering determination, and Green Lantern, with his boundless willpower, slowly but surely began to gain the upper hand. Lobo, for all his might, was still just one being against two of the universe's most powerful champions.
Finally, with a combined effort, Superman delivering a final, earth-shattering punch and Green Lantern creating a multi-layered containment field, Lobo was subdued. He lay groaning in a massive crater, surrounded by shimmering green energy, defeated but still defiant.
Oliver Omni clapped, a bright, innocent sound amidst the distant sirens and the sounds of emergency crews mobilizing. "Yay! Superman won! And Green Lantern was super cool too! Now can we go meet them? Can we, can we, can we?!"
Meet them? Oliver, after all that destruction, they're probably going to be busy with disaster relief and apprehending Lobo! It's not exactly the best time to ask for autographs!
"But we have to!" Oliver Omni insisted, his lower lip beginning to quiver. "It's on the bucket list! Meeting Superman and Batman! And getting a selfie with Batman!"
Just as I was about to argue, a shadow fell over our booth. A very large, very muscular shadow. We looked up to see Superman, his uniform torn and singed in places, but otherwise unharmed, standing by our table. His blue eyes, usually so full of warmth, were currently narrowed in concern as he surveyed the scattered remnants of our Big Belly Burger feast.
"Hey there, kid," Superman said, his voice surprisingly gentle despite the exhaustion etched on his face. "Are you alright? It's not safe to be out here. There was a… bit of a commotion."
Oliver Omni's eyes went wide, not with fear, but with pure, unadulterated awe. He practically bounced in his seat. "You're Superman! Wow! You're even bigger in real life! And your cape is so cool!"
Superman blinked, clearly taken aback by the child's unbridled enthusiasm, especially after what had just transpired. "Uh, thank you. But seriously, you should be evacuating. It's dangerous."
"Nuh-uh!" Oliver Omni shook his head emphatically. "We wanted to watch! It was awesome! You were so strong, Superman! And Green Lantern too!"
Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, floated down to join Superman, his green energy construct of a giant crane already beginning to clear rubble in the distance. He raised an eyebrow at Oliver Omni. "Watching, huh? You've got guts, kid. Or you're just crazy."
"We're Oliver Omni!" Oliver Omni declared proudly, holding up a ketchup-stained hand for a high-five. "And this is Hart!" He gestured vaguely in my direction, causing Green Lantern to squint, clearly seeing no one there.
Oliver, he can't see me! I'm just a consciousness in your head! You're going to look like a weirdo!
Superman, ever the picture of compassion, knelt down to Oliver Omni's eye level. "Oliver Omni, that's a nice name. Look, we really need you to get somewhere safe. Your parents, are they here?"
"Nope! No parents!" Oliver Omni chirped, taking another bite of a forgotten fry. "It's just me and Hart! And we're from… um… far, far away! And we came to see you guys!"
Superman and Green Lantern exchanged a bewildered glance. The kid was either incredibly brave, incredibly naive, or completely delusional.
"Kid, where exactly are you from?" Green Lantern asked, a hint of suspicion entering his voice. His ring glowed faintly, as if scanning for anomalies.
"We're from the Omniverse!" Oliver Omni stated matter-of-factly, as if it were the most common answer in the world. "We're like, the living concept of existence! So we can go anywhere! And we wanted to come here to see cool stuff! Like you guys fighting Lobo!"
The air around Superman and Green Lantern suddenly grew heavy. Their expressions, once tired and concerned, now hardened into wary suspicion. Superman's posture stiffened, and Green Lantern's hand instinctively went to his ring.
"The… Omniverse?" Superman repeated slowly, his voice low and serious. "Kid, what exactly are you talking about?"
Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. He told them! He actually told them! This is exactly what I was worried about! My internal panic spiraled. Oliver, you can't just blurt out cosmic secrets to superheroes! They're going to think we're a threat! Or a super-powered hallucination!
Oliver Omni, however, was completely oblivious to the sudden shift in atmosphere. He just beamed. "Yeah! It's super cool! Hart can tell you all about it! He knows everything!"
Green Lantern narrowed his eyes, then his gaze swept over me, or rather, the empty space where I existed. His ring pulsed, a faint hum echoing in the air. "I'm not detecting anyone else here, kid. Just you. And a… very unusual energy signature coming from you."
"That's Hart's energy!" Oliver Omni explained, practically bouncing with excitement. "He's the older me, but he got stuck in my head when I merged with the Omniverse! It was super trippy! He gets really grumpy when I eat all the fries!"
Superman and Green Lantern exchanged another look, this one far more serious. The casual mention of merging with the Omniverse and a consciousness stuck in his head was enough to raise alarm bells even in the most jaded of heroes. This wasn't just a strange kid; this was something entirely new, and potentially incredibly dangerous.
"Alright, kid," Green Lantern said, his voice now devoid of any playfulness, his emerald eyes fixed on Oliver Omni. "We're going to need you to come with us. We need to figure out what's going on."
"Ooh! Are we going to the Watchtower?!" Oliver Omni clapped his hands, completely misinterpreting the serious tone. "Is Batman there? Can we get a selfie with him?!"
Superman sighed, a deep, weary sound. "Yes, kid. We're going to the Watchtower. But it's not for selfies."
As Superman gently guided Oliver Omni out of the Big Belly Burger, the younger me was still chattering excitedly, oblivious to the grim expressions of the two most powerful heroes on Earth.
"This is awesome, Hart! We're going to the Watchtower! See? I told you everything would be fine! This is going to be the best adventure ever!"
God help us all, I thought, as the familiar golden globe of the Daily Planet building receded from view, now a symbol of the normalcy we had just shattered. This was indeed going to be an adventure. But it was already shaping up to be a cosmic, chaotic, and utterly terrifying disaster.