Razer never thought this would be part of his duty as a red/blue lantern.
He was always ready to serve in battle or meditate peace talks, but helping an emotionally unstable child? He wasn't ready for that.
It terrified him. Here was a person like him, dealt a terrible card in life. And he had to be the one to help her not do what he did.
"You are extremely nervous."
Razer jumped. "Hello Aya. I wish you wouldn't do that."
She smiled. "But I like to."
"Well, that doesn't change anything, don't do it."
She frowned.
She knew he couldn't stand making her unhappy. Not since last time.
But it wasn't like Aya ever lorded that over him, or even blamed him for what happened.
But he did.
She was definitely different from when he and the Interceptor crew had last seen her.
She had been more closed off, clipped in her speaking, reserved and controlled.
She was still like that now, but more free. Kind of like Kilowog actually. She also laughed, a sound Razer pulled close to his heart every time he heard it.
When Aya had returned to the galaxy, along with the powerful Margot, there had been a galactic-argument over what to do with her.
The guardians, except for Ganthet and Sayd, had voted on her destruction. Typical.
But the red lanterns, and most surprising, the violet lanterns had disagreed.
Margot, although not a leader at the time, had pushed the other red lanterns to support the AI who had helped free them from Atrocitus.
"She forgave us then, and we did terrible things. Let us forgive her now."
We. Even before she became their leader, Margot had taken full responsibility for the red lantern corps, addressing their past mistakes as her own as well, and not letting them forget it. Razer had always respected her for that.
But Aga'po's support had been the biggest surprise. Everyone remembered how her niece Ghia'ta had ended in large part due to Aya-Moniter.
"She was having a galactic-wide emotional breakdown. That may sound silly, but its the truth. She didn't fully understand emotions at the time. I admit I didn't help her any by constantly dismissing her free will and emotions, but the Guardians didn't either."
Larfleeze and Indigo-1 had also sided in Aya's favor, as did many green lanterns including Hal and Kilowog.
Aya was now a certified representative of the green lanterns. She mostly stayed with Razer and the couple worked together in diplomatic relations.
And battles. Just because one war was done didn't mean there weren't others.
"I will stop." Aya interrupted his thoughts.
Suddenly, Razer hugged her.
She returned it.
"What is this for?" She asked.
"For being here." He responded.
"Where else would I be?"
Razer couldn't tell if she were joking.
He pulled away as they entered Oa's system.
"You ready?" Aya asked with a kind smile.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing? You're gonna have to face the guardians who wanted to kill you?" Razer said, deadpan
Old habits die hard. Though he might have to be more peppy for the child.
She shrugged. "Did Hal ever take us someplace where we were popular?"