Sidekick-ed Last Bout
“You know I meant it when I said we were fans,” Tether states as we revert back to circling pattern. “Glitter Bomb was one of the reasons we wanted to become heroes.”
I used to get that a lot. Everyone wanted to be Magna Angel’s one and only sidekick. It basically guaranteed a future solo hero career or leader of an all star super team. As long as you didn’t screw up and kill the world’s greatest hero.
“Yeah, everyone wanted the chance to work with Magna Angel.” I dodge a couple of her jabs.
“Nah, dude.” Tether shuffles back a few feet. “Glitter Bomb gave us the courage to live with our truths, my truth. Once I accepted myself, we decided to use our powers in any way possible to make the world a better place. I know it sounds cliche. But you were a fucking inspiration.”
An inspiration? It stings more than it feels like a compliment. I think it’s the added were. Cause it’s true. No more barriers for me to break through. No more chance of me being the first openly gay sidekick to rise through the ranks. And she’s right, it is cliche. I’m a walking example of never meet your heroes.
Tether catches the slight dip in my shoulders as I let my guard down and rushes me. She grabs my waist and tackles me to to ground. I want to teleport out of her grip, but I want the bout to end more. It’s all so fitting for the artist formally known as Glitter Bomb. I contemplate Mike’s offer to tap out when Tether holds out her hand to help me up.
“We’re ready for round two if you are,” she says with a cheeky smile. She pulls me up and gives my chest a playful punch. “C’mon. Let’s do this shit.”
God I hate taunts. Even if hers sounds more encouraging than diminishing. You know what? I’ll show her that I am every bit my old self.
We don’t even wait for Mike’s go. I teleport around, sending metal shards flying fast at her. But Tether shifts her density just as fast, so it all either phases through her or pings off. We’ll see if she can keep up. I teleport up and around even quicker. Tether responds by becoming surrounded by a hazy blue aura. Ball has finally appeared. His ghostly body shoots up at me, and I do my best to dodge him. The chase is on.
I can’t explode any faster, but luckily Ball can’t figure out my teleporation pattern. Cause spoiler alert: I don’t have one.
“You won’t be able to catch him that way,” Tether shouts from below.
She’s not wrong. Ball also seems to listen to her and stops trailing me. He hovers menacingly, as I continue to flit about to keep my distance. He omits a soft light that starts to pulse in unison with my teleports. I know firing any shrapnel bombs at him would be useless. And even though Tether is open, Ball is still linked to her with his astral chain. For a split second, I think I see Ball’s true human face during my teleport.
You teleport through an astral plain. Did you know that? It took me a minute to realize it myself.
That deeper, second voice in my head…Ball?
Sorry for the invasion, dude. This is the only way I can communicate.
I look down and see the astral chain holding me to Tether. I can’t seem to will myself to teleport anymore.
Buckle up.
We go from zero to sixty as we begin spinning around Tether like a centrifuge. I start to lose consciousness when I feel Ball leave my body. In a split second, I slam into a wall and belly-flop to the floor.