Running Out of Time with You Part Four
He woke on the sidewalk as usual. 90s Kid was kneeling over him. “Dude, are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” Dan said with certainty. “I just fell through a time glitch.” He sat up. “Sorry to scare you.”
“You know about the glitches?”
“Of course.” Dan smiled. “I’m a Magical Boy, just like you.”
*
While Dan didn’t have much training or experience, he quickly got the hang of his new powers, and even when he did something wrong, Linkara was there to correct him. Now, he could go along with them and fight by 90s Kid’s side.
They did well as a team, wiping out more glitches than before. And Dan was happy to fight, happy to share this experience with 90s Kid. It brought them closer, made their relationship stronger. This time, when Dan kissed 90s Kid, the response was more immediately, more passionate, and Dan was so, so happy. Maybe this time, it would work.
But then Linkara sat them down. “The Entity is coming,” he said. “I can feel it. The greatest…the first. It will be here soon, and we have to stop it before it erases all of existence.”
“So how do we kill it?” 90s Kid asked. “Bigger guns? More magic?”
“Maybe,” Linkara said. “And that’s why I called you here. I think we can beat it…the three of us have the power. Especially you, 90s Kid.” He took a deep breath. “But…it has to be destroyed from within. Someone has to be consumed by it, and then we all three have to hit it with our full force.”
“I’ll go in,” Dan said immediately.
“Dude, you can’t!” 90s Kid said.
“He’s right, Dan,” Linkara said. “Whoever goes in has to be extremely powerful and able to keep focused enough to fight it. It only takes one minute to be erased, so we have to work fast…” He was shaking. “I hate to ask it of you, 90s Kid, but…you’re the most powerful Magical Boy I’ve ever seen. You’re the only one who’s strong enough to beat it…but…”
“But I’ll die,” 90s Kid finished. “I know…being consumed by a glitch and then hit with magic…no one could survive that.”
“Kid, please,” Dan begged. “Don’t do this…we can find another way, there has to be…”
“There isn’t,” Linkara said. “I’ve considered every option and this is the only one that might work.” His eyes were bright. “I’m sorry.”
*
“How does he know?” Dan asked 90s Kid that night. “How does he know what’s coming, and that you’re the only one who can beat it?”
“Dude, that’s his power,” 90s Kid said. “Like, we all have a special ability, right? Mine’s enhanced empathy…I feel things more strongly, and I can even sense other people’s emotions. Linkara’s power is that he can sense glitches and Magical Boys…he has instant knowledge of all of us. So if he says this is the way, you can bet he’s right.”
Dan’s face fell. “But…”
90s Kid hugged him. “Don’t cry, dude,” he said. “If this is the best way…I have to take it.”
Dan’s hand fell on his watch. “No,” he said. “You don’t.”
*
The next time, he didn’t fight alongside 90s Kid. He operated independently, occasionally going to help when he knew a fight would be difficult. He avoided 90s Kid, not wanting to feel it anymore, no matter how much he loved him.
He went to the place the Entity would come on his own. He joined the fight, and Linkara didn’t stop him. After all, they were all going for the same thing.
But then Dan pushed 90s Kid back, away from the Entity. He kept shooting at it, hoping that it would work…
It was coming too fast. Dan couldn’t stop it…
90s Kid pushed past him and jumped in. The blasts of magic disappeared as Dan turned the watch back.
He had to stop 90s Kid from being the most powerful.
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