Lucas paused at hearing Hawkins' remarks. She then seemed to remember something, and recomposed herself.
"Huh. Yeah. Guess my secret with you is toast. Ah well. I'm not worried about that anymore." - She smiled - "Good game."
"Thank you." - Said Hawkins, smirking.
"Anyways, it's no biggie. You and I are still on the same side regarding realpolitik, you know I have a nice rapport with gods and you still need me to grant the access anyways." - Said Lucas - "Basically, even if I didn't trust you, and believe it, fighting together a being that wants to eat time is one heck of a trust-building exercise, my plans don't change. Congrats on outwitting me on this one, though. I... Well, I suppose I secretly want to tell people."
"Lucas, when we first met, you wanted to tell this to the news. Of course you want to tell people. You want to tell everyone and make those you dislike furious at you. While this was, indeed, harmless, you must overcome your drive to reveal things. Even your unconscious one..."
"I know." - Sighed Lucas - "Trust me..."
A bit later
"So, there I was, in the Origin of Time, dead man walking. Hawkins appeared and began firing at it. Once he found out I was gonna die, he went nucking futs! He jumped on the being and began firing these dark energy shots at it. It didn't take, though, you can't really cut or pierce through an amorphous mass. So, he went 'what do we know about the Enemy', and then it clicked. I began shouting definitions at the thing. Hawkins caught on and began doing the same, and our hits now caused way more damage. That's right, I and Hawkins defined the thing to death! So, anyways, Hawkins looked like he decided to give me one last moment of awesome, so he charged my lance with his shadow energy. I charged at it, yelled 'Shadow Impaler!' for the sake of awesomeness, and the being was no more..." - Said Lucas, as if recounting a trip to the supermarket.
"You saved our lives. You know that, right? You saved the entire universe!" - Said Cass - "Why are you so casual about it?"
"Well, I DID put the entire universe in risk once. I suppose I owed it this much?" - Said Lucas, anime-rendered at the moment - "That and, well, shock. I don't know, really. I was scared shitless, too."
Maxwell stood on Earth, on the other side of a nearby portal. The tree was also animated by Cass's aura.
"Somehow I would deem it quite normal to be afraid in your situation, Lucas. You said you thought to yourself that you weren't Superman or Jack Sparrow. True. You fought for existence without any of Superman's invulnerability or Jack Sparrow's plot invulnerability. As far as you knew, that fight might have killed you. Under some aspects, it did."
"Well, it'd be that or getting killed along with everyone else..." - Said Lucas, blushing.
"You saved the world! If you were that 'Chaotic Neutral', you'd be asking the government for a parade. Or at least a huge check, if things must be kept secret." - Said Cass, giggling.
"Lucas, no one will ascribe to you any obligation to save the world again if you take your due credit for saving it this time." - Said Maxwell, patiently - "While I would not think it your style to demand a reward, Cass does have a point in that you are giving yourself too little credit."
"I suppose. It's just... I don't know. I... I don't... I'm not sure I want to deal with it. It's a LOT of responsibility..." - Said Lucas.
"The woman that wanted to talk to gods and to force the hands of entire countries, and actually succeeded in doing so, is now afraid of a little responsibility?" - Said a voice behind them.
Lucas turned.
"Oh, hey, Hermes. These are Cass and Maxwell..."
"Charmed..." - Said Cass.
"Pleased to meet you." - Said Maxwell.
"I came to thank you, Lucas. I am, after all, in your debt. And so, for that matter, is everyone else. That is kind of a big list, is it not?" - Said Hermes, smiling.
Lucas blushed. "I... Well, yeah, but... I can't quite walk into a bakery demanding credit for that. I don't want to be like... I don't know, like someone entitled or something."
"The word you're looking for is 'corrupted'. You don't want to let this debt corrupt you. Good. And you don't want to give yourself too much credit for fear of the responsibility. Too bad, you have that responsibility now. You sought the rapport you now have with deities, Lucas." - Said Hermes - "You are not obligated to do anything, but now you will know much more. And that knowledge will compel you to interfere. You know that. Now. Tell me. Would you have it any other way? This was your dream. Do you accept your dream with all that it entails?"
Lucas smiled lightly.
"I see your point. Yes. Thanks. Say. Does that mean I can call in a favor from you?"
Maxwell smiled lightly to Cass.
"I think Hermes succeeded in restoring Lucas to form..."
Cass smirked.
"Thank you for that, Hermes..."
