WIP Amnesty part 4: The Superhero AU Volume 1
This is what would be Volume 1 of The Superhero AU. It deals with Linkara, his past with Insano/Spoony, and the shadowy organization that's after them.
We open with Linkara and Insano, just after the defeat of Lord Vyce. Linkara was only able to win with the assistance of his former friend.
Linkara grabbed Insano’s arm to keep him from leaving, and Insano sighed in frustration.
“Save it, hero. I know what you’re going to say and I don’t need to hear it again,” Insano said.
“Well, I need to say it, so tough luck,” Linkara said.
Insano rolled his eyes behind his goggles. “Get it over with, then,”
“Please don’t do this. I can get you help. You could be normal again and we wouldn’t have to fight,” Linkara pleaded.
“You don’t get it, do you? I don’t want normal. I wouldn’t exist if you got your precious Spoony back, and life is not something I’m just going to give up,” Insano said, stepping closer.
It was best to let him think there was nothing left of his childhood friend. If he thought for even a moment that Spoony was still there, if he had anything more than foolish hope, Insano would never have a moment of peace again.
“Besides. I think you’d miss me if I was gone,” Insano whispered, pressing close to Linkara. “After all, you never got this close to him, did you?”
Linkara made a surprised choking noise, staring at Insano, and Insano used the advantage to disappear into the night with a smirk.
Linkara thought dimly that he hadn’t had the chance to thank Insano for his help against Vyce, and that he really needed to work on not letting Insano distract him.
Things stay like that for a while: Insano is still a villain, but he's not as soul punchingly evil as some of the other people Linkara faces, and even helps Linkara from time to time, if the stakes are high enough. But he always leaves, and refuses to let Linkara help him.
Things were exploding all around them.
“You know,” Insano yelled from across the room as he ducked one of the energy attacks. “I had planned on a quiet evening of thievery! But then you and your friend here just had to show up,”
“Sorry about that!” Linkara yelled back, diving behind a convenient wall. And it was even mostly true, he hadn’t meant to get Insano involved in this. It had been pure coincidence that Insano was at the same place the latest Villain of The Week was attacking.
The villain of the week who just happened to be standing next to something explosive and highly flammable.
“I have an idea!” Linkara said.
“Oh, goodie! Do share!” Insano yelled, firing an electric beam at the baddie to keep him away.
Linkara moved himself into position, and began to call forth his magic. “Do you trust me?”
“What?” Insano asked, distracted.
“Do you trust me?” Linkara repeated.
“Are you insane?” Insano asked, shooting Linkara an incredulous look. “Now is not the time for this, hero!”
“Do you trust me?” Linkara yelled.
“Fine! Yes! I trust you! Now do whatever it is you’re planning, please!” Insano yelled back in frustration, rolling his eyes.
It only took split seconds. Linkara channeled his magic through his gun and shot as he sprinted across the room. He grabbed Insano tight and the two of them were jumping out the window and falling through the open night air as the explosion happened behind them. Insano yelped and clutched Linkara tighter.
“Jesus fuck, you are insane!” Insano yelled.
Linkara laughed, his magic slowing their descent and landing them safely on the ground, the grass soft and springy beneath Linkara’s back.
“I told you I had an idea,” Linkara said breathlessly, adrenaline still pounding through his veins.
“That was the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard!” Insano said, shoving Linkara’s shoulders into the ground.
“Worked though, didn’t it?” Linkara asked, grinning up at Insano.
Insano shook his head, exasperated, and Linkara’s hand trailed up Insano’s arm of its own volition.
“Thank you,” Linkara said, staring into Insano’s goggles.
“What for?” Insano asked, frowning.
“For helping. For trusting me,” Linkara said. Their faces were so close together, it would just take an instant to reach up and…
Insano took a shuddery breath and stood, the goggles masking his expression. “Don’t let it go to your head, it was a very specific set of circumstances,”
Insano left, and Linkara sighed. It seemed like he was getting closer each time, but then Insano would pull away and Linkara was left back at the start.
Linkara knows that something is going on with Insano, something more than the obvious. Sometimes he mentions things, or side-steps certain topics, and it's clear that something's going on that Linkara doesn't understand. He tries desperately to get Insano to reform, he wants Spoony back. Though sometimes he finds himself thinking that Insano isn't so bad, and is immediately consumed with guilt. He tries to confess his feelings for Spoony like he couldn't when they were younger, but Insano shuts him down every time, like he already knows and can't stand the thought of actually hearing the words.
“Spoony,” Linkara said desperately. “I know you’re in there, somewhere. I hope you can hear me,”
“Don’t bother. It’s not worth the effort,” Insano said. Linkara ignored him.
“There’s something I’ve needed to say to you since we were fifteen. Hell, since the day I met you,” Linkara said.
Insano froze, staring at Linkara in horror. “No. Don’t you dare say it. Don’t you dare,”
“Spoony, I lo- mmph,” Linkara was cut off by Insano clamping his hand over Linkara’s mouth.
“Shut up,” Insano hissed. “Shut up, shut up!”
Linkara reached up and gently removed Insano’s hand. Insano offered no resistance.
“I love you. I have since…forever. I need you to know that, even if you don’t feel the same way,” Linkara gave a short breathless laugh. “Is it weird that I feel like some huge weight’s been lifted?”
“I hate you,” Insano said, brokenly and without heat. “I hate you, you don’t understand anything. How can you just say that?”
Linkara removed Insano’s goggles and saw the conflict in his eyes.
Insano and Linkara have a fight, then, and Linkara once again asks Insano to trust him. Insano wavers, but closes his eyes and composes himself. He gives Linkara a sad but determined look and says that he can't trust Linkara or anyone else. Linkara is stunned, and Insano takes back his goggles and is gone before Linkara could even put up a fight.
It's not until later, when he's replaying the incident in his mind for the 100th time, that he realizes it wasn't Insano speaking, wasn't Insano rejecting him. It was Spoony.
Linkara is devastated for multiple reasons, until he remembers something that happened not long after Spoony disappeared for the first time.
Linkara was surprised to come back one day and find Harvey sitting tensely across from two strangers. Linkara could tell from the expression on his face that Harvey was trying very hard not to snap and throw them out of the house.
“Linkara. These men want to talk to you,” Harvey said tightly.
One of them smiled pleasantly at Linkara, and Linkara had to suppress a shudder of revulsion. His mental alarm bells were ringing loudly.
“Hello, Linkara. We wanted to talk to you about your…nighttime activities,” Smiley said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Linkara said.
“Oh come now, we’ve been watching you for a long time. There’s no need to hide from us,” Smiley said.
“What do you mean, watching me?” Linkara asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Exactly what I said. It’s our job to watch people with…certain abilities, like yourself and Mr. Finevoice here. Normally you’d never know we were even there, but we’re concerned about you, Linkara,” Smiley said.
Harvey didn’t bother to hide his snort of derision, and Smiley’s silent partner looked over at Harvey, but Smiley remained unfazed.
“Your desire to help people is admirable,” Smiley said. “But it’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”
“I know what I’m doing,” Linkara said.
Smiley nodded, and gave Linkara a grin meant to placate him. “Oh, I’m sure you do. But I wasn’t talking about the danger to you, you’ve thought that through many times before now, I think. I meant the danger to other people,”
“What do you mean?” Linkara asked.
“Well, it’s just that it’s a bit conspicuous, isn’t it? And it won’t be long before people start to take the reports of you using ‘some kind of voodoo magic shit’ seriously,” Smiley said, using airquotes around the testimony of one of the criminals Linkara had stopped. “And that would be bad for the innocent people with powers like yours who are just trying to live in peace. You understand why, of course,”
Linkara had read X-men comics and read about the Salem Witch Trials, he knew exactly what Smiley was getting at. And he also knew that Smiley was trying to scare him back into place.
“You’ve already broken the rules once, do you really want to do it again?” Smiley asked.
Linkara’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Smiley sighed sympathetically. “Your friend Spoony, of course. You were young, it’s to be expected that there are slips at that age, and granted he hasn’t done anything yet to betray that trust, but still… Exposing him to that, it puts such strain on people’s minds trying to understand it…He was never quite well after that day on the playground, was he?”
Linkara’s fists clenched at his sides. Smiley was not implying what Linkara thought he was implying, he wouldn’t dare.
“I did not hurt Spoony by telling him about my powers,” Linkara said forcefully.
“Keep thinking that, if it will help you sleep at night,” Smiley said.
“Get out,” Linkara said, pointing to the door. “I don’t care who you think you are, you’re not going to get me to play your game,”
Smiley stood, and so did his partner, and they gave Linkara a pitying look. “It’s a shame you wouldn’t listen to reason. Maybe when people start getting hurt you’ll realize how dangerous your actions could be. Especially to your loved ones,”
Linkara slammed the door shut behind them as they left and locked the door. Then he turned on Harvey.
“What the hell, Harvey? Who were those jerks and why did you let them in?” Linkara asked.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Harvey said bitterly, lighting a cigarette. “But believe me, kid, the wards on this place are getting improved and replaced ASAP. As for who they are, they’re smug goons who think they know how things should be run,”
Linkara sighed and flopped down onto the couch, rubbing his face tiredly. “They knew about Spoony,”
“They make it their business to know things and be invasive,” Harvey muttered.
After a long moment, Linkara looked up. “They were lying, right? Just trying to scare and guilt me into behaving. I didn’t…I didn’t hurt Spoony, did I?” he asked, lost and child like. “I didn’t make him -“
Harvey kneeled down and looked Linkara eye to eye. “You didn’t. Sometimes people don’t take the revelation so well, but Spoony wasn’t one of them. Anything that was wrong with Spoony was all his own brain and you had nothing to do with it,”
Linkara buried his face in Harvey’s jacket. “I miss him,” he muttered, voice muffled.
“I know, kid. I know,” Harvey said, hugging him.
Linkara realized that Smiley had revealed - intentionally or not, Linkara couldn’t be sure - that they’d been ‘watching’ Spoony, too. And once he'd figured that out, things suddenly made a lot more sense. That was why Spoony/Insano felt like they couldn't trust anyone: he KNEW about the shadowy observers. THAT was why he'd disappeared after the explosion and...maybe they had even caused the explosion in the first place?
Linkara tries to find Spoony/Insano and talk to him about it, and eventually manages to track him down to a warehouse. They fight again, Insano refusing Linkara's help. He has it under control, the observers have no idea where he is, he gave them the slip ages ago. In his rant, Insano says something that jogs another of Linkara's memories.
“I used to have this imaginary friend when I was really little,” Spoony said, leaning heavily against Linkara. He was drunk, having thoroughly enjoyed himself at one of the Alpha Gam’s parties.
“Oh really?” Linkara asked, amused. Spoony would probably be embarrassed to have told him in the morning.
“Yeah. I called him…The boy in the mirror. Cuz that’s where he lived, you know? And he would tell me things. Like…Like Leslie’s phone number, the day my parents…hell if I know how I actually knew it, but the boy in the mirror remembered and told me, and they called Leslie and he came,” Spoony said.
“That’s good that he remembered it for you, then,” Linkara said. They were getting close to the apartment they shared just off campus.
Suddenly, Spoony stopped walking.
“Sometimes…Sometimes I still hear him,” he said quietly. He grabbed Linkara’s hands tightly. “I’ve never even told my therapist that, you can’t…you can’t say anything, Linkara, please,”
He sounded so desperate, and looked so afraid, Linkara couldn’t help but pull Spoony into a hug.
“Shh, it’s okay, I won’t tell. You’ve kept my secret, I can keep yours,” Linkara said, petting Spoony’s hair and trying to be reassuring.
Spoony calmed quickly, relaxing against Linkara and practically purring.
“You’re awesome, did I ever tell you that?” Spoony asked from where he’d buried his face in Linkara’s neck.
Linkara swallowed heavily, wishing that he’d gotten drunk too. Maybe then having an affectionate and relaxed Spoony clinging to him wouldn’t be so awkward.
“I could always hear it more,” Linkara said eventually. “Now come on, let’s get home, okay?”
Linkara realizes that Insano is Spoony's old imaginary friend. But before he can say anything, their argument is interrupted by a polite cough. Smiley and his men are there, having apparently followed Linkara. Or maybe Insano hadn't hidden as well as he thought. Smiley is his usual not so charming self, and says that he hopes Spoony will be more cooperative this time. Linkara is confused by that. Smiley's goons step forward, and the fight begins. Linkara is preoccupied when Insano is thrown hard into the wall, hitting his head and knocking his goggles clean off. Linkara quickly deals with the goon he's fighting.
“I am sick and fucking tired of running,” Spoony said harshly. “You can’t scare me off this time,”
Linkara couldn’t believe it. That was really Spoony standing there. Insano must have been knocked unconscious, or maybe Spoony had just had enough and woken up.
“Spoony…” Linkara said, barely above a whisper, and Spoony turned to look at him.
“Hey,” he said, smiling a little. Spoony glanced back over at Smiley and his men. “Do you trust me?” Spoony asked.
Linkara laughed.
“Of course. I’ve trusted you since the fourth grade, I don’t think anything could change that,” Linkara said.
“Good,” Spoony said, and then he leaned in and crushed his lips to Linkara’s.
Linkara’s eyes widened in surprise, but he melted into it quickly. He’d wanted this since he was fifteen years old, and now it was happening. Linkara felt suddenly like all the warmth was leaving his body and flowing into Spoony, and his eyes shot open again just as Spoony pulled away.
Linkara felt tired and weak. Spoony gave him a wry smile. There was a spark behind Spoony’s eyes now that hadn’t been there a minute ago.
“Sorry. I needed a boost for this one,” Spoony said, caressing Linkara’s face before turning back to Smiley.
“That was touching, really. Are you finished? We wouldn’t want to interrupt such a happy moment,” Smiley said.
“I figured something out while I was away,” Spoony said. “I figured out that I’m not crazy. Insano was never a delusion, or just a voice in my head. He’s as real as I am. It turns out that hearing spirits and beings from other dimensions just makes you feel crazy when you’ve got no one to explain it,”
“And you say you’re not delusional?” Smiley asked, full of fake concern.
“Oh no. Because I don’t just hear them. I can summon them,” Spoony said viciously, and then he closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he wasn’t quite Spoony anymore.
“I just needed a little extra power,” Spoony said, and his voice had an otherworldly echo to it now. “So I borrowed some from Linkara,”
So that was what Spoony had done, Linkara thought tiredly. He’d siphoned off Linkara’s magic and used it to summon…whatever it was that was currently sharing his body.
It was obviously powerful, and as Spoony stalked over to Smiley and his men, shrugging off bullets and magic, clearly a predator.
Linkara watched as Spoony massacred them, breaking them and reaching into their chests to pull out their hearts. He should probably stop him, Linkara thought, because he was supposed to be a hero, and heroes didn’t kill. But honestly Linkara was having a hard time getting worked up over Smiley and his men getting torn apart. So he let Spoony work and sat down on the floor, closing his eyes against the drain of not having his magic.
A few minutes later, Linkara heard familiar footsteps approaching him and opened his eyes. Spoony was covered in blood and unconcerned by it, even going so far as to lick some of the blood off his hands, shivering in pleasure at the taste. Spoony stood over Linkara and fell to his knees, which landed on either side of Linkara’s stretched out legs so that Spoony was straddling him. Spoony leaned forward, bracing himself on his hands and leaving blood smears on the floor.
There was something almost feral about Spoony in this state. Spoony caught Linkara’s lips with his and Linkara couldn’t tell if the rush he felt was because he was kissing Spoony or because his magic was coming flooding back.
When Linkara broke the kiss, Spoony was back to normal, once again alone in his body. They stared at each other for a long moment before Linkara pulled Spoony even closer and hugged him tight.
“You are never allowed to leave me ever again. Those were the worst years of my life,” Linkara said, laughing breathlessly in sheer relief.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t safe there anymore, we had to leave. To protect ourselves and you,” Spoony said.
“I have to ask,” Linkara said. “Is Insano…?”
Spoony smiled reassuringly. “He’s still in here,” he said, tapping his temple. “I don’t think I can send him away, not like the others. The explosion probably did something. But…I don’t mind. He kept me alive, a little timesharing is the least I could do,”
“You and I are going to have a serious talk later,” Linkara said. “But I think we need to clean up the mess you made first,”
Linkara and Spoony stood by the edge of the building’s roof, watching the people and cars below them.
“So what are you going to do now?” Linkara asked.
Spoony shrugged. “Not sure yet. I’ve been running for so long…”
“I’m sure Leslie would let you move back in for a while. After he yelled at you,” Linkara said, and Spoony laughed.
“Yeah. Shit, he’s going to kick my ass, isn’t he?” Spoony said.
“You’re lucky I didn’t, honestly,” Linkara said.
Spoony grinned. “You love me too much for that, you hero,”
“Speaking of…” Linkara said, turning serious. “Tell me you’re going to make Insano stop being a villain,”
Spoony’s grin turned wicked, and he leaned in close, his body heat cutting through the night chill and his lips nearly brushing Linkara’s. “Now why would I do that? It’s fun,”
And then he shoved Linkara back and took off in the other direction at a sprint.
“Catch me if you can, magic man!” Spoony called with a joyous laugh, leaping to the next roof.
Linkara grinned and gave chase.
END VOLUME 1
And no comic book would be complete without the extra chapters at the end. It's OMAKE TIME, backstory edition. The first is Leslie trying to cope with suddenly having to raise a small child.
They’d had to go shopping for clothes because most of Spoony’s were destroyed in the fire, and Leslie had winced inwardly at every price tag. Luckily Spoony seemed content with the limited wardrobe that Leslie could afford to buy him.
“LESLIE, you’re late!” Josh yelled as soon as Leslie and Spoony stepped foot in the Video Store, and then he stopped and tilted his head, looking between Leslie and Spoony.
“Well excuse me for having more important things on my mind at the moment Joshua,” Leslie said tiredly. “I’ve been having a fantastic day, by the way, thanks for asking. I know you care so much,”
“Who’s the kid?” Josh asked, ignoring Leslie’s sarcasm.
“This is Spoony, he’s my cousin and I rather unexpectedly became his guardian. I have no idea where to even begin looking for a babysitter, so he’s going to be around for a while,” Leslie said.
“What do you mean, you’re his guardian?” Josh asked.
Leslie rolled his eyes, and kneeled down to look at Spoony. “Why don’t you go pick out a movie and I’ll show you how to play it in the back room. There’s a couch and some video games back there, too,”
Spoony grinned and went off to explore the shelves, and Leslie turned on Josh after Spoony was out of sight.
“I mean that his parents died in a fire two days ago and I’m his only relative,” Leslie hissed.
There was a long pause where Josh was clearly at a loss for words. He and Leslie had never really gotten along, but this was a big deal. Should he try to be sympathetic or not? Leslie could see the wheels turning in his head.
“You? Raising a kid? That’ll end well,” Josh said eventually, clearly deciding on keeping their usual snark levels.
“For once, I agree with you. But I don’t really have a choice. He doesn’t have anyone else,” Leslie said.
“…He can hang out here, I guess. As long as he doesn’t make a mess or disturb customers,” Josh said.
“That’s very generous of you, Joshua,” Leslie said, and it may have come out sarcastic because he didn’t know any other way to talk to Josh, but he meant it. Being able to bring Spoony to the store would make things a lot easier until he figured out things like enrolling him in school and babysitters.
“Yeah, well, I figure if he’s here than I can keep him from growing up to be a humorless tightass like you,” Josh said, trying to shrug it off.
“What’s a tightass?” Spoony asked, holding a VHS tape in his hands.
Leslie closed his eyes briefly to gather strength before glaring at Josh. Josh at least had the grace to look embarrassed.
“It’s language you shouldn’t use until you’re older,” Leslie said.
“Go show him the back room, I’ll get everything set up out here,” Josh said.
Leslie got the feeling that today was going to be the first in a long line of long days.
Linkara and Spoony are 16, and fortune telling is an accurate but vague and unhelpful magic.
“Harvey’s been teaching me fortune telling,” Linkara said, laying upside down over the edge of his bed.
Spoony laughed incredulously. “Really? Fortune telling? Does that…work?”
Linkara shrugged. “Sometimes. The future’s hard to see,”
“So is it like tarot cards or what?” Spoony asked.
“Yeah. And palm reading and fire reading,” Linkara said.
Spoony sat upright and held out his hand with a grin. “Do me,”
“I don’t know…I’m not very good at it yet,” Linkara said, frowning.
“No, do it. Tell me my future, magic man. I dare you,” Spoony said.
Linkara sighed and nodded, sitting up and taking Spoony’s hand in his. Spoony’s skin was warm, and Linkara glanced up at Spoony’s face quickly before staring studiously at his palm.
“What do you see?” Spoony asked.
Linkara’s eyes went unfocused, and he traced the lines on Spoony’s skin.
“It’s…strange. It’s almost like you’ve got two different but intertwined futures,” Linkara said, blinking and focusing again.
“Yeah?” Spoony asked, intrigued.
“Yeah. There’s…a lot of turmoil, it seems. Other than that…” Linkara trailed off.
“Sounds about right. Does it say anything about my love life?” Spoony asked, grinning.
Linkara looked back down at Spoony’s hand. “Oh,” Linkara said.
“What? What does ‘Oh’ mean?” Spoony asked, sounding a little unnerved. Apparently vagaries from the person reading your future were upsetting.
“Nothing. It’s just…I…” Linkara bit his lip lightly. “It says that there’s going to be some heavy roadblocks along the way, but…you’re going to be happy in the end, I think. With someone who knows you better than anyone,”
“Someone who knows me better than anyone, huh?” Spoony asked thoughtfully. “Well, that’d be you, wouldn’t it?”
Linkara turned bright red. “I…uh…it’s not clear and…!”
Spoony laughed. “Relax, I’m just kidding. And anyway, I don’t even believe that people can tell the future. It’s too open ended,”
“Yeah. Yeah, you’re probably right,” Linkara said, letting go of Spoony’s hand.
We open with Linkara and Insano, just after the defeat of Lord Vyce. Linkara was only able to win with the assistance of his former friend.
Linkara grabbed Insano’s arm to keep him from leaving, and Insano sighed in frustration.
“Save it, hero. I know what you’re going to say and I don’t need to hear it again,” Insano said.
“Well, I need to say it, so tough luck,” Linkara said.
Insano rolled his eyes behind his goggles. “Get it over with, then,”
“Please don’t do this. I can get you help. You could be normal again and we wouldn’t have to fight,” Linkara pleaded.
“You don’t get it, do you? I don’t want normal. I wouldn’t exist if you got your precious Spoony back, and life is not something I’m just going to give up,” Insano said, stepping closer.
It was best to let him think there was nothing left of his childhood friend. If he thought for even a moment that Spoony was still there, if he had anything more than foolish hope, Insano would never have a moment of peace again.
“Besides. I think you’d miss me if I was gone,” Insano whispered, pressing close to Linkara. “After all, you never got this close to him, did you?”
Linkara made a surprised choking noise, staring at Insano, and Insano used the advantage to disappear into the night with a smirk.
Linkara thought dimly that he hadn’t had the chance to thank Insano for his help against Vyce, and that he really needed to work on not letting Insano distract him.
Things stay like that for a while: Insano is still a villain, but he's not as soul punchingly evil as some of the other people Linkara faces, and even helps Linkara from time to time, if the stakes are high enough. But he always leaves, and refuses to let Linkara help him.
Things were exploding all around them.
“You know,” Insano yelled from across the room as he ducked one of the energy attacks. “I had planned on a quiet evening of thievery! But then you and your friend here just had to show up,”
“Sorry about that!” Linkara yelled back, diving behind a convenient wall. And it was even mostly true, he hadn’t meant to get Insano involved in this. It had been pure coincidence that Insano was at the same place the latest Villain of The Week was attacking.
The villain of the week who just happened to be standing next to something explosive and highly flammable.
“I have an idea!” Linkara said.
“Oh, goodie! Do share!” Insano yelled, firing an electric beam at the baddie to keep him away.
Linkara moved himself into position, and began to call forth his magic. “Do you trust me?”
“What?” Insano asked, distracted.
“Do you trust me?” Linkara repeated.
“Are you insane?” Insano asked, shooting Linkara an incredulous look. “Now is not the time for this, hero!”
“Do you trust me?” Linkara yelled.
“Fine! Yes! I trust you! Now do whatever it is you’re planning, please!” Insano yelled back in frustration, rolling his eyes.
It only took split seconds. Linkara channeled his magic through his gun and shot as he sprinted across the room. He grabbed Insano tight and the two of them were jumping out the window and falling through the open night air as the explosion happened behind them. Insano yelped and clutched Linkara tighter.
“Jesus fuck, you are insane!” Insano yelled.
Linkara laughed, his magic slowing their descent and landing them safely on the ground, the grass soft and springy beneath Linkara’s back.
“I told you I had an idea,” Linkara said breathlessly, adrenaline still pounding through his veins.
“That was the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard!” Insano said, shoving Linkara’s shoulders into the ground.
“Worked though, didn’t it?” Linkara asked, grinning up at Insano.
Insano shook his head, exasperated, and Linkara’s hand trailed up Insano’s arm of its own volition.
“Thank you,” Linkara said, staring into Insano’s goggles.
“What for?” Insano asked, frowning.
“For helping. For trusting me,” Linkara said. Their faces were so close together, it would just take an instant to reach up and…
Insano took a shuddery breath and stood, the goggles masking his expression. “Don’t let it go to your head, it was a very specific set of circumstances,”
Insano left, and Linkara sighed. It seemed like he was getting closer each time, but then Insano would pull away and Linkara was left back at the start.
Linkara knows that something is going on with Insano, something more than the obvious. Sometimes he mentions things, or side-steps certain topics, and it's clear that something's going on that Linkara doesn't understand. He tries desperately to get Insano to reform, he wants Spoony back. Though sometimes he finds himself thinking that Insano isn't so bad, and is immediately consumed with guilt. He tries to confess his feelings for Spoony like he couldn't when they were younger, but Insano shuts him down every time, like he already knows and can't stand the thought of actually hearing the words.
“Spoony,” Linkara said desperately. “I know you’re in there, somewhere. I hope you can hear me,”
“Don’t bother. It’s not worth the effort,” Insano said. Linkara ignored him.
“There’s something I’ve needed to say to you since we were fifteen. Hell, since the day I met you,” Linkara said.
Insano froze, staring at Linkara in horror. “No. Don’t you dare say it. Don’t you dare,”
“Spoony, I lo- mmph,” Linkara was cut off by Insano clamping his hand over Linkara’s mouth.
“Shut up,” Insano hissed. “Shut up, shut up!”
Linkara reached up and gently removed Insano’s hand. Insano offered no resistance.
“I love you. I have since…forever. I need you to know that, even if you don’t feel the same way,” Linkara gave a short breathless laugh. “Is it weird that I feel like some huge weight’s been lifted?”
“I hate you,” Insano said, brokenly and without heat. “I hate you, you don’t understand anything. How can you just say that?”
Linkara removed Insano’s goggles and saw the conflict in his eyes.
Insano and Linkara have a fight, then, and Linkara once again asks Insano to trust him. Insano wavers, but closes his eyes and composes himself. He gives Linkara a sad but determined look and says that he can't trust Linkara or anyone else. Linkara is stunned, and Insano takes back his goggles and is gone before Linkara could even put up a fight.
It's not until later, when he's replaying the incident in his mind for the 100th time, that he realizes it wasn't Insano speaking, wasn't Insano rejecting him. It was Spoony.
Linkara is devastated for multiple reasons, until he remembers something that happened not long after Spoony disappeared for the first time.
Linkara was surprised to come back one day and find Harvey sitting tensely across from two strangers. Linkara could tell from the expression on his face that Harvey was trying very hard not to snap and throw them out of the house.
“Linkara. These men want to talk to you,” Harvey said tightly.
One of them smiled pleasantly at Linkara, and Linkara had to suppress a shudder of revulsion. His mental alarm bells were ringing loudly.
“Hello, Linkara. We wanted to talk to you about your…nighttime activities,” Smiley said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Linkara said.
“Oh come now, we’ve been watching you for a long time. There’s no need to hide from us,” Smiley said.
“What do you mean, watching me?” Linkara asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Exactly what I said. It’s our job to watch people with…certain abilities, like yourself and Mr. Finevoice here. Normally you’d never know we were even there, but we’re concerned about you, Linkara,” Smiley said.
Harvey didn’t bother to hide his snort of derision, and Smiley’s silent partner looked over at Harvey, but Smiley remained unfazed.
“Your desire to help people is admirable,” Smiley said. “But it’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”
“I know what I’m doing,” Linkara said.
Smiley nodded, and gave Linkara a grin meant to placate him. “Oh, I’m sure you do. But I wasn’t talking about the danger to you, you’ve thought that through many times before now, I think. I meant the danger to other people,”
“What do you mean?” Linkara asked.
“Well, it’s just that it’s a bit conspicuous, isn’t it? And it won’t be long before people start to take the reports of you using ‘some kind of voodoo magic shit’ seriously,” Smiley said, using airquotes around the testimony of one of the criminals Linkara had stopped. “And that would be bad for the innocent people with powers like yours who are just trying to live in peace. You understand why, of course,”
Linkara had read X-men comics and read about the Salem Witch Trials, he knew exactly what Smiley was getting at. And he also knew that Smiley was trying to scare him back into place.
“You’ve already broken the rules once, do you really want to do it again?” Smiley asked.
Linkara’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Smiley sighed sympathetically. “Your friend Spoony, of course. You were young, it’s to be expected that there are slips at that age, and granted he hasn’t done anything yet to betray that trust, but still… Exposing him to that, it puts such strain on people’s minds trying to understand it…He was never quite well after that day on the playground, was he?”
Linkara’s fists clenched at his sides. Smiley was not implying what Linkara thought he was implying, he wouldn’t dare.
“I did not hurt Spoony by telling him about my powers,” Linkara said forcefully.
“Keep thinking that, if it will help you sleep at night,” Smiley said.
“Get out,” Linkara said, pointing to the door. “I don’t care who you think you are, you’re not going to get me to play your game,”
Smiley stood, and so did his partner, and they gave Linkara a pitying look. “It’s a shame you wouldn’t listen to reason. Maybe when people start getting hurt you’ll realize how dangerous your actions could be. Especially to your loved ones,”
Linkara slammed the door shut behind them as they left and locked the door. Then he turned on Harvey.
“What the hell, Harvey? Who were those jerks and why did you let them in?” Linkara asked.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Harvey said bitterly, lighting a cigarette. “But believe me, kid, the wards on this place are getting improved and replaced ASAP. As for who they are, they’re smug goons who think they know how things should be run,”
Linkara sighed and flopped down onto the couch, rubbing his face tiredly. “They knew about Spoony,”
“They make it their business to know things and be invasive,” Harvey muttered.
After a long moment, Linkara looked up. “They were lying, right? Just trying to scare and guilt me into behaving. I didn’t…I didn’t hurt Spoony, did I?” he asked, lost and child like. “I didn’t make him -“
Harvey kneeled down and looked Linkara eye to eye. “You didn’t. Sometimes people don’t take the revelation so well, but Spoony wasn’t one of them. Anything that was wrong with Spoony was all his own brain and you had nothing to do with it,”
Linkara buried his face in Harvey’s jacket. “I miss him,” he muttered, voice muffled.
“I know, kid. I know,” Harvey said, hugging him.
Linkara realized that Smiley had revealed - intentionally or not, Linkara couldn’t be sure - that they’d been ‘watching’ Spoony, too. And once he'd figured that out, things suddenly made a lot more sense. That was why Spoony/Insano felt like they couldn't trust anyone: he KNEW about the shadowy observers. THAT was why he'd disappeared after the explosion and...maybe they had even caused the explosion in the first place?
Linkara tries to find Spoony/Insano and talk to him about it, and eventually manages to track him down to a warehouse. They fight again, Insano refusing Linkara's help. He has it under control, the observers have no idea where he is, he gave them the slip ages ago. In his rant, Insano says something that jogs another of Linkara's memories.
“I used to have this imaginary friend when I was really little,” Spoony said, leaning heavily against Linkara. He was drunk, having thoroughly enjoyed himself at one of the Alpha Gam’s parties.
“Oh really?” Linkara asked, amused. Spoony would probably be embarrassed to have told him in the morning.
“Yeah. I called him…The boy in the mirror. Cuz that’s where he lived, you know? And he would tell me things. Like…Like Leslie’s phone number, the day my parents…hell if I know how I actually knew it, but the boy in the mirror remembered and told me, and they called Leslie and he came,” Spoony said.
“That’s good that he remembered it for you, then,” Linkara said. They were getting close to the apartment they shared just off campus.
Suddenly, Spoony stopped walking.
“Sometimes…Sometimes I still hear him,” he said quietly. He grabbed Linkara’s hands tightly. “I’ve never even told my therapist that, you can’t…you can’t say anything, Linkara, please,”
He sounded so desperate, and looked so afraid, Linkara couldn’t help but pull Spoony into a hug.
“Shh, it’s okay, I won’t tell. You’ve kept my secret, I can keep yours,” Linkara said, petting Spoony’s hair and trying to be reassuring.
Spoony calmed quickly, relaxing against Linkara and practically purring.
“You’re awesome, did I ever tell you that?” Spoony asked from where he’d buried his face in Linkara’s neck.
Linkara swallowed heavily, wishing that he’d gotten drunk too. Maybe then having an affectionate and relaxed Spoony clinging to him wouldn’t be so awkward.
“I could always hear it more,” Linkara said eventually. “Now come on, let’s get home, okay?”
Linkara realizes that Insano is Spoony's old imaginary friend. But before he can say anything, their argument is interrupted by a polite cough. Smiley and his men are there, having apparently followed Linkara. Or maybe Insano hadn't hidden as well as he thought. Smiley is his usual not so charming self, and says that he hopes Spoony will be more cooperative this time. Linkara is confused by that. Smiley's goons step forward, and the fight begins. Linkara is preoccupied when Insano is thrown hard into the wall, hitting his head and knocking his goggles clean off. Linkara quickly deals with the goon he's fighting.
“I am sick and fucking tired of running,” Spoony said harshly. “You can’t scare me off this time,”
Linkara couldn’t believe it. That was really Spoony standing there. Insano must have been knocked unconscious, or maybe Spoony had just had enough and woken up.
“Spoony…” Linkara said, barely above a whisper, and Spoony turned to look at him.
“Hey,” he said, smiling a little. Spoony glanced back over at Smiley and his men. “Do you trust me?” Spoony asked.
Linkara laughed.
“Of course. I’ve trusted you since the fourth grade, I don’t think anything could change that,” Linkara said.
“Good,” Spoony said, and then he leaned in and crushed his lips to Linkara’s.
Linkara’s eyes widened in surprise, but he melted into it quickly. He’d wanted this since he was fifteen years old, and now it was happening. Linkara felt suddenly like all the warmth was leaving his body and flowing into Spoony, and his eyes shot open again just as Spoony pulled away.
Linkara felt tired and weak. Spoony gave him a wry smile. There was a spark behind Spoony’s eyes now that hadn’t been there a minute ago.
“Sorry. I needed a boost for this one,” Spoony said, caressing Linkara’s face before turning back to Smiley.
“That was touching, really. Are you finished? We wouldn’t want to interrupt such a happy moment,” Smiley said.
“I figured something out while I was away,” Spoony said. “I figured out that I’m not crazy. Insano was never a delusion, or just a voice in my head. He’s as real as I am. It turns out that hearing spirits and beings from other dimensions just makes you feel crazy when you’ve got no one to explain it,”
“And you say you’re not delusional?” Smiley asked, full of fake concern.
“Oh no. Because I don’t just hear them. I can summon them,” Spoony said viciously, and then he closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he wasn’t quite Spoony anymore.
“I just needed a little extra power,” Spoony said, and his voice had an otherworldly echo to it now. “So I borrowed some from Linkara,”
So that was what Spoony had done, Linkara thought tiredly. He’d siphoned off Linkara’s magic and used it to summon…whatever it was that was currently sharing his body.
It was obviously powerful, and as Spoony stalked over to Smiley and his men, shrugging off bullets and magic, clearly a predator.
Linkara watched as Spoony massacred them, breaking them and reaching into their chests to pull out their hearts. He should probably stop him, Linkara thought, because he was supposed to be a hero, and heroes didn’t kill. But honestly Linkara was having a hard time getting worked up over Smiley and his men getting torn apart. So he let Spoony work and sat down on the floor, closing his eyes against the drain of not having his magic.
A few minutes later, Linkara heard familiar footsteps approaching him and opened his eyes. Spoony was covered in blood and unconcerned by it, even going so far as to lick some of the blood off his hands, shivering in pleasure at the taste. Spoony stood over Linkara and fell to his knees, which landed on either side of Linkara’s stretched out legs so that Spoony was straddling him. Spoony leaned forward, bracing himself on his hands and leaving blood smears on the floor.
There was something almost feral about Spoony in this state. Spoony caught Linkara’s lips with his and Linkara couldn’t tell if the rush he felt was because he was kissing Spoony or because his magic was coming flooding back.
When Linkara broke the kiss, Spoony was back to normal, once again alone in his body. They stared at each other for a long moment before Linkara pulled Spoony even closer and hugged him tight.
“You are never allowed to leave me ever again. Those were the worst years of my life,” Linkara said, laughing breathlessly in sheer relief.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t safe there anymore, we had to leave. To protect ourselves and you,” Spoony said.
“I have to ask,” Linkara said. “Is Insano…?”
Spoony smiled reassuringly. “He’s still in here,” he said, tapping his temple. “I don’t think I can send him away, not like the others. The explosion probably did something. But…I don’t mind. He kept me alive, a little timesharing is the least I could do,”
“You and I are going to have a serious talk later,” Linkara said. “But I think we need to clean up the mess you made first,”
Linkara and Spoony stood by the edge of the building’s roof, watching the people and cars below them.
“So what are you going to do now?” Linkara asked.
Spoony shrugged. “Not sure yet. I’ve been running for so long…”
“I’m sure Leslie would let you move back in for a while. After he yelled at you,” Linkara said, and Spoony laughed.
“Yeah. Shit, he’s going to kick my ass, isn’t he?” Spoony said.
“You’re lucky I didn’t, honestly,” Linkara said.
Spoony grinned. “You love me too much for that, you hero,”
“Speaking of…” Linkara said, turning serious. “Tell me you’re going to make Insano stop being a villain,”
Spoony’s grin turned wicked, and he leaned in close, his body heat cutting through the night chill and his lips nearly brushing Linkara’s. “Now why would I do that? It’s fun,”
And then he shoved Linkara back and took off in the other direction at a sprint.
“Catch me if you can, magic man!” Spoony called with a joyous laugh, leaping to the next roof.
Linkara grinned and gave chase.
END VOLUME 1
And no comic book would be complete without the extra chapters at the end. It's OMAKE TIME, backstory edition. The first is Leslie trying to cope with suddenly having to raise a small child.
They’d had to go shopping for clothes because most of Spoony’s were destroyed in the fire, and Leslie had winced inwardly at every price tag. Luckily Spoony seemed content with the limited wardrobe that Leslie could afford to buy him.
“LESLIE, you’re late!” Josh yelled as soon as Leslie and Spoony stepped foot in the Video Store, and then he stopped and tilted his head, looking between Leslie and Spoony.
“Well excuse me for having more important things on my mind at the moment Joshua,” Leslie said tiredly. “I’ve been having a fantastic day, by the way, thanks for asking. I know you care so much,”
“Who’s the kid?” Josh asked, ignoring Leslie’s sarcasm.
“This is Spoony, he’s my cousin and I rather unexpectedly became his guardian. I have no idea where to even begin looking for a babysitter, so he’s going to be around for a while,” Leslie said.
“What do you mean, you’re his guardian?” Josh asked.
Leslie rolled his eyes, and kneeled down to look at Spoony. “Why don’t you go pick out a movie and I’ll show you how to play it in the back room. There’s a couch and some video games back there, too,”
Spoony grinned and went off to explore the shelves, and Leslie turned on Josh after Spoony was out of sight.
“I mean that his parents died in a fire two days ago and I’m his only relative,” Leslie hissed.
There was a long pause where Josh was clearly at a loss for words. He and Leslie had never really gotten along, but this was a big deal. Should he try to be sympathetic or not? Leslie could see the wheels turning in his head.
“You? Raising a kid? That’ll end well,” Josh said eventually, clearly deciding on keeping their usual snark levels.
“For once, I agree with you. But I don’t really have a choice. He doesn’t have anyone else,” Leslie said.
“…He can hang out here, I guess. As long as he doesn’t make a mess or disturb customers,” Josh said.
“That’s very generous of you, Joshua,” Leslie said, and it may have come out sarcastic because he didn’t know any other way to talk to Josh, but he meant it. Being able to bring Spoony to the store would make things a lot easier until he figured out things like enrolling him in school and babysitters.
“Yeah, well, I figure if he’s here than I can keep him from growing up to be a humorless tightass like you,” Josh said, trying to shrug it off.
“What’s a tightass?” Spoony asked, holding a VHS tape in his hands.
Leslie closed his eyes briefly to gather strength before glaring at Josh. Josh at least had the grace to look embarrassed.
“It’s language you shouldn’t use until you’re older,” Leslie said.
“Go show him the back room, I’ll get everything set up out here,” Josh said.
Leslie got the feeling that today was going to be the first in a long line of long days.
Linkara and Spoony are 16, and fortune telling is an accurate but vague and unhelpful magic.
“Harvey’s been teaching me fortune telling,” Linkara said, laying upside down over the edge of his bed.
Spoony laughed incredulously. “Really? Fortune telling? Does that…work?”
Linkara shrugged. “Sometimes. The future’s hard to see,”
“So is it like tarot cards or what?” Spoony asked.
“Yeah. And palm reading and fire reading,” Linkara said.
Spoony sat upright and held out his hand with a grin. “Do me,”
“I don’t know…I’m not very good at it yet,” Linkara said, frowning.
“No, do it. Tell me my future, magic man. I dare you,” Spoony said.
Linkara sighed and nodded, sitting up and taking Spoony’s hand in his. Spoony’s skin was warm, and Linkara glanced up at Spoony’s face quickly before staring studiously at his palm.
“What do you see?” Spoony asked.
Linkara’s eyes went unfocused, and he traced the lines on Spoony’s skin.
“It’s…strange. It’s almost like you’ve got two different but intertwined futures,” Linkara said, blinking and focusing again.
“Yeah?” Spoony asked, intrigued.
“Yeah. There’s…a lot of turmoil, it seems. Other than that…” Linkara trailed off.
“Sounds about right. Does it say anything about my love life?” Spoony asked, grinning.
Linkara looked back down at Spoony’s hand. “Oh,” Linkara said.
“What? What does ‘Oh’ mean?” Spoony asked, sounding a little unnerved. Apparently vagaries from the person reading your future were upsetting.
“Nothing. It’s just…I…” Linkara bit his lip lightly. “It says that there’s going to be some heavy roadblocks along the way, but…you’re going to be happy in the end, I think. With someone who knows you better than anyone,”
“Someone who knows me better than anyone, huh?” Spoony asked thoughtfully. “Well, that’d be you, wouldn’t it?”
Linkara turned bright red. “I…uh…it’s not clear and…!”
Spoony laughed. “Relax, I’m just kidding. And anyway, I don’t even believe that people can tell the future. It’s too open ended,”
“Yeah. Yeah, you’re probably right,” Linkara said, letting go of Spoony’s hand.