Kyle never went to sleep. He remembered feeling so tired. He remembered nodding off as he walked home with M'gann clung to his back like an adolescent monkey on their favorite tree. But as his ring recharged and the circumstances of his existence swirled in the expanse of his mind, he awakened.
Suddenly, he needed to move. To chase the next goal and prepare himself for the mission that arose as the sun continued to set into night.
It had been hours since Sheyara left with her horrifying message of Darksied's interest in him. Since then, he'd been hard at work as the dynamics of the house changed.
John did in fact go to that bar with Guy. Only it was Guy who wanted the drink and John who wanted to get away from Ganthet and Sheyara's smell that lingered in the doorway like an old ghost.
That left Kyle alone with M'Gann and Ganthet.
One apartment. The last Malthusian, the last lantern and the first white-Martian to say no to war.
As Kyle sat with a pen in hand and papers laid on his desk, Ganthet hovered beside him, watching M'gann as she watched him.
"Do you not miss your people, M'gann?"
"What do you mean?" M'gann asked.
"Your parents? Who you grew up with." Ganthet said.
M'gann shook her head, "From birth we are sent into colonies where we mine and fight. The best of us become soldiers, the rest are builders or worse."
"Worse?"
"I beleive the human word is dinner." M'gann explained.
Ganthet swallowed silently as his eyes watered. "Seeing the fruits of my labor has never been so..."
The room washed in green light.
Ganthet and M'gann looked back to Kyle. He'd been drawing for five straight hours.
With his hands, he drew portraits of young girls inspired by movies playing on the tv for M'gann to learn how she was supposed to function on earth.
With his ring, a construct of another set of hands held pencils and drew comic panels— at first assumed to be for classes but as Ganthet inspected them deeply he realized something else.
"Kyle Rayner, what is this?"
"I don't know. I just have energy. I'm drawing possible outcomes for the night. I'm not a genius or holding abundant resources— I might not even make rent this month. This is all I have so... you know." Kyle never looked up or stopped drawing.
"You said you're ambidextrous, yes?" Ganthet asked.
Kyle nodded. His ring pulsed again.
"That might've been underselling it."
"What can I say? I'm not a salesman for a reason." Kyle replied. He turned to face M'gann and lifted up the paper to her.
The girl was around her assumed age with freckles a button nose and fair skin. Her hair wasn't as shaggy as Guy's but it was that same red hue, only now it was straight and flowed down to the shoulders. The girl was wispy and angular but still cute.
M'gann shifted. A construct of a handheld mirror appeared in her hand. She giggled nervously and brought it up to her face.
She smiled and poked her nose before looking at Ganthet.
"You look very…. Human."
Kyle side eyed the Malthusian. "Dude…"
Ganthet cleared his throat, "You are as pretty as the young ladies shown on the television. But most importantly, you have inner beauty— even in spite of how others have conspired against you, and that shines beyond no matter how your shape is arranged."
M'gann flashed a toothy grin, "Badass!"
Ganthet nodded, "Indeed."
Kyle's ring pulsed again.
They looked over at him as he finished drawing and stood up. Silently, he looked over his work.
"I've been reading up on Intergang. The ring— Hal and John's past run ins with them are on replay in my mind. I think I'm caught up but I don't know…."
Ganthet flew over to his shoulder to look down at the art with him, "You said you were drawing tonight's events, correct?"
"A guess."
"Is that what you see?"
Kyle grabbed one of the panels off his desk and held it up to his face. He blinked a few times before making a confused expression, "I uhh….. maybe I'm actually really tired. This is…. Nonsense."
"No, Kyle Rayner. It's Oa. Though, I'm not sure how you know it down to such minute details." Ganthet said.
"You're not sure? You're literally my sensei." Kyle yawned.
Ganthet shrugged.
Kyle finally put the pen down. "Oh well. I've got bigger fish to fry—" A construct of a shark being dropped in a giant deep fryer filled the living room.
"Ah! Dammit— cut it out!" Kyle smacked the ring and the construct popped like a bubble.
M'gann and Ganthet eyed him warily.
"Stop— I'm just tired. Don't look at me like I'm losing my mind. I'm gonna take a nap. M'gann, watch some tv. Drink some juice. Ganthet, don't feed her anything you'd eat…. Goodnight, guys."
"The night is not yet here but I pray it will be good." Ganthet replied.
Kyle flew to the couch and face planted.
Almost immediately, he was snoring. Continuing to dream of green sharks. Only now they weren't in hot oil. They swam amongst the stars.