Sins of the Father: Part 2
Title: Sins of the Father
Author: ocelot_l
Written for the TGWTG Big Bang
Summary: Fighting villains. Protecting the world. Gambling with fate. This has been Linkara’s life for as long as he can remember, and in all that time, he’s never questioned why he’s been dealt the role of hero. Now, it’s time for Linkara to learn the truth.
The truth about why he’s always felt the need to save those around him, even if it meant risking his life. The truth about the dreams that have started to haunt his mind and confuse his senses. The truth about the little girl whose soul possesses his Magic Gun, and the connection they share.
Based on this prompt from the kink meme
Rating: R for Language, Violence, and Disturbing Themes
Warnings: Language, Disturbing Themes, Blood, Violence, Violence Toward a Child, Child Death, Suicide Attempt
Pairing: Linkara/Spoony
The creaking of rusted chains and the delighted squeals of laughter were the only sounds that came from the small swing set that evening. As the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, dying the sky warm shades of red and orange, the girl, now a young teenager, pumped her legs harder and harder. She hoped to one day soar high enough that she might take flight and lose herself amidst the wispy clouds and shining stars that gazed down over the small collection of earth and water they protected.
As she imagined her journey through the cosmos, her laughter grew even louder, not simply from envisioning how exhilarating such a journey would be, but from what a silly notion that idea was in the first place. As much as the girl longed to glide through the skies, she loved her home very dearly and knew such a trip taken by herself would end only in loneliness and the desire to return to a family that loved her.
“Is you head up in the clouds again, girl?”
She stopped her swinging at once and leapt agilely onto the large patch of grass surrounding the swing set with a giggle. She made sure to smooth out the hem of her new black dress and brush any speckles of dust from her outfit before turning around to grin up at the man standing before her.
“Yes, Papa. Sorry, Papa.”
“Oh, it’s all right,” the man answered in a soft tone as he reached out to run a hand through her short, black tresses. “I always knew my girl was a space cadet.” The girl giggled again and reached up to clasp her thin hands around his larger, broad one. “I know. Why don’t I help you reach the skies?”
Without warning, the man lifted the girl up and started spinning her high in the air. She shrieked with laughter and swiftly lifted her arms out like an airplane as she circled around her expansive backyard. The man observed her glee with a neutral expression, although his eyes had narrowed ever so slightly.
~~~~~~~~~~
Linkara pressed his back against the side of the café as he sipped from his steaming paper cup. While he normally preferred to avoid coffee, he felt a caffeinated beverage might be his best option for keeping himself awake after yet another restless night. This time Linkara knew he’d been dreaming but couldn’t remember what about, though if the cold sweat that drenched his body each time he awoke was anything to go by, they hadn’t been pleasant dreams.
Linkara did know that some of the images had definitely been flames, which he assumed had been caused by yesterday’s catastrophe. Fortunately, Phelous had seemed completely fine when Linkara checked on him that morning and was more interested in forgetting the incident entirely. Linkara had agreed and felt a wave of relief pass through him, which gave him hope that his dreams would no longer be plagued with the embers of a guilty conscience.
However, as much as Linkara tried to recall what others images had passed through his mind as he slumbered, he found he was unable to evoke more than fleeting discrete fragments rather than parts of a continuous whole. He was not a child. He shouldn’t be having dreams so scary that his mind refused to recollect more than a few paltry scraps.
“Ready to go?”
Linkara looked up as Spoony exited the building, a cup of coffee and a muffin held in his hands.
“Yep. Let’s get to it.”
Since Critic’s big plans had so quickly fallen apart and caused him to lock himself into his bedroom so he could mope, the producers had been given free range to spend the day as they chose. While many had decided to work on their videos, since the opportunity was ripe for crossovers and cameos, some had opted to explore the city.
Linkara and Spoony were two of the latter group, and were currently on their way to board a bus that would take them on a grand tour of Chicago. Overhead the sky was grey and heavy with clouds, which would splatter rain down onto the city in small spurts before pausing almost uncertainly for a few brief seconds, only to repeat the pattern moments later. Always prepared for the worst, Linkara made sure to protect himself and Spoony under a large umbrella whenever the rain felt like falling again.
“I still think we should have gone for one of supernatural tours,” Spoony said as they strolled down a crowded sidewalk. “This city is known for its gruesome history and violent massacres. It would have been fucking cool to see some of those sites, soak in some of the residual horror lingering around them, and maybe spot a few ghosts along the way.”
Spoony waggled his fingers as he spoke in a pathetic attempt to seem spooky. Linkara offered him a wry smile.
“Do I have to worry about your bloodlust rising to an unprecedented level, Spoony?” Spoony laughed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Come on, you know it would be cool.”
“I don’t know if visiting the sights of major tragedies would be what I’d call cool,” Linkara continued. “Sometimes it’s better to leave the past back where it belongs, and let the ghosts sleep in peace.”
Linkara would have said more, but from the corner of his eye, he saw a peculiar sight in one of the large shop windows they passed on their walk. He turned his head sharply to stare at a large, red image drawn upon the frosted glass and almost stopped breathing.
It was the very same symbol he had seen on that scrap of paper that fell from Critic’s book yesterday. The symbol that had shot out flames when Linkara spoke words he’d never heard before, and could not recall again despite several attempts to. The symbol that had vanished without leaving a trace of ever existing in the first place.
“Linkara? Are you all right?” Linkara snapped out of his trance at Spoony’s voice and hurriedly pointed at the window.
“Do you see that, Spoony? That symbol… I think it has to do with very powerful and dangerous magic.” Spoony peered at the glass for a moment before turning back at Linkara.
“What symbol?” Linkara looked back and realized there was nothing on the glass. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“But it was right there! I was just looking at it a few seconds ago!” He stepped forward and drew his fingers across the window, but the image failed to reappear.
“Are you sure?” Spoony’s look was skeptical. “You said you didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe your mind’s playing tricks on you because you’re so tired.”
“Maybe,” Linkara relented. He dropped his hand and stepped away from the window, but was not at all satisfied by that answer. That symbol had been there, he was sure of it.
“Oh my God!” Linkara whirled around at the shrill cry and looked ahead of him, where several people moved as a group through a crosswalk.
Thanks to the rain making the ground so slippery, a little girl had fallen down near the back of the pack. She had short black hair and wore a black dress that seemed somehow familiar to Linkara. He watched the girl’s mother turn back and stretch out her arm to assist her. Then he watched a semi truck making an illegal right turn and speeding directly ahead, not noticing that a child lay in the road before it. The terrified woman stood frozen, staring helplessly at the vehicle.
In an instant, Linkara had leapt into the street, rolled on top of the girl, grabbed her in his arms, and scrambled back onto the sidewalk.
The truck made a horrible screeching sound as the driver slammed on the brakes, and then it was quiet, save for the patter of raindrops on cement. Everyone turned to stare at Linkara, who was panting heavily and bore several scrapes on his hands. Even the child had stopped crying enough to stare up into his face in awe. Then a drop of water landed on its nose and its face crumpled.
“Mommy!”
“I’m coming, baby!”
The woman dashed over to Linkara and took the child from him while crying out ‘Thank you’ over and over.
“It was no problem, ma’am,” Linkara replied, a casual but pleased grin falling into place. “I was just doing what any decent person would.”
“God, Linkara.” Spoony clapped him on the back and shook his head a little. “I know you’re all about doing good deeds and shit, but can you try not to risk your life every time?”
“Sorry, Spoony, but heroes always put everything on the line when they need to.”
“I don’t know how to repay you enough, sir.” Linkara turned back to the woman, ready to tell her that her smile was payment enough, when he caught sight of the child in her arms. “Oh, and Tyler, you thank him too.”
“Thank you,” the young boy said shyly before hiding his face in his mom’s chest. His wavy brown hair was plastered to his head and his blue jeans and T-shirt were soaked from the puddle he’d slipped in, but he was otherwise perfectly fine.
“It’s no problem,” Linkara said after staring at the boy for a moment. “Just watch out for rainy days from now on.”
“Oh we will, we promise. Thank you again. Good bye.” The woman hurried off, clutching her son tightly to her chest, and disappeared into the crowd.
“Spoony,” Linkara said, slowly moving his gaze to the other man’s face, “did I see-was that always a little boy lying in the road?”
Spoony gave him a puzzled look. “Uh, yeah? Why, did you think it was someone else?”
Linkara thought about the little girl with the black hair and matching dress he was sure he’d seen lying before him.
“I guess I’m more tired than I thought. I think I need more coffee.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“That was fun, Papa!” when at last she was set back down upon the ground. “Thank you!” She moved to hug his waist and he chuckled, patting her head once more.
“Is my girl happy?”
“Yes!” she said with an enthusiastic nod for emphasis.
A small smile escaped his lips as he moved his hand from her head to the small of her back. “Good. I want my girl to be the happiest in the whole world.” He gave the gentlest of nudges and started guiding her toward the run-down garage that stood beside their cozy house.
“I am the happiest girl in the world!” she replied, walking along without noticing how her father directed her. “As long as I have you and Mama, I always will be!”
“Good,” the man repeated, still moving them closer to the garage. “Now, tonight we’re going to do something different. Something… special. Tonight, Mama and I are going to have a celebration.”
“A celebration?” the girl asked, her face glowing with delight. “Is it for my birthday? I’m thirteen today, so do I get a party? I’ve never had a party just for me before.”
The man chuckled softly as his eyes narrowed almost to slits. He slipped his free hand into the pocket of his coat and traced a finger along the edge of the knife concealed within.
“Tonight is the night. You’re going to be the guest of honor, girl.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The garage was almost pitch-black, save the flicker of flames from the corner of the room, where what had once been a lively blaze was dwindling down to ashes and embers. The air had grown still and heavy with smoke, while the pungent aroma of charred cloth and sickly-sweet herbs mingled with a stronger, more metallic scent that permeated the room. Every so often, a crackle from the fire escaped into the atmosphere and broke the silence.
The man kept his gaze on his wife’s back as she bent down on the dirty floor and moved her hands in intricate patterns over the cement. A sticky red substance dripped from the tips of her fingers into specific circles, lines, and symbols that matched those drawn once upon a time by an excited little girl in a black dress that no longer existed. The man watched in silence, keeping his hands tightly closed around something warm and wet, wet enough to trickle down his fingers before dropping onto the ground and pooling around his feet.
“I think that’s it.” The man stood still as his wife climbed to her feet and wiped her fingers on her grey dress, leaving dark red streaks running from her waist to her knees. She turned to him, her usually dull eyes shining, her hair loose and damp as it framed her crimson-flecked cheeks. “We are ready. Soon the others will arrive and we can finally begin.” Her thin lips pulled upwards into a smile that didn’t suit her face.” I can already feel the love of God deep in my veins, flowing through this wretched bag of flesh!”
From somewhere in the distance a low, reverent chanting started to fill the air. The woman’s expression grew joyful and she reached out, trying to clasp her husband’s hands in hers, but stopped when she realized he was still holding onto something. A harsh sound that could only just be recognized as laughter escaped her lips as she pulled his hands apart and stared down at what he held.
“It puts a new meaning on the expression ‘taking something to heart’, doesn’t it?”
~~~~~~~~~~
Spoony awoke at a quarter to three when he heard the rush of water from the bathroom.
“Mmm, huh?” He rolled over to squint at Linkara’s bed and, after noticing it was empty, turned his attention to the bathroom, as he waited for the other man to return. After four minutes he started to grow concerned, and after nine, he stood up and crept over to find out what was going on.
The door to the bathroom was opened a crack but the lights were off. Fortunately, Spoony’s vision had adjusted enough to the darkness so that he could make out Linkara standing beside the sink, washing his hands over and over again in an enormous pile of soap suds before rinsing them in water. Water Spoony quickly surmised was very hot, thanks to the steam that rose from the sink and fogged up the mirror.
“Linkara! What the fuck are you doing?” He charged in and flipped on the lights before pulling Linkara away from the sink. Spoony stared down, aghast as he realized that Linkara’s hands were blistered red and bleeding. “Holy shit! What did you do to yourself?” He looked into the other man’s eyes. “Why are you doing this, Linkara?”
“Blood,” Linkara said as if he were staring at something far off in the distance, even though his eyes were dull and unfocused. “Had to get rid of the blood.”
“You’re hands are only bloody because you were fucking burning them!” Spoony cried as he looked around the bathroom for something to help stop the bleeding. He grabbed a few towels from the rack over the toilet and started to press them gently against his palms.
“No,” Linkara replied, still staring off into space and shaking his head a little. “It was there because of me… because I was holding… I was holding…” Linkara’s voice trailed off and he lunged for the sink again, while Spoony fought valiantly to hold him back.
“Linkara! Stop it! You’re hurting yourself! You have to stop!”
“I can still see it! I can still feel it!” Linkara screamed, fighting desperately to free himself from Spoony’s grasp. “The blood, dripping down my hands! It’s my fault for holding it! Why am I holding it? Why do I have it?” He started going limp as a choked sob escaped from his throat. “What did I do? Oh my God… what did I do to her?”
Spoony was able to pull Linkara away from the sink and helped him sit on the toilet. He couldn’t stand seeing the expression of disgust and horror on Linkara’s face, or how he trembled as he stared down at his hands, allowing the towels to slide off onto the floor. “What’s wrong, Linkara? What are you talking about? I know you’re upset, but for God’s sake, you have to calm down! I-maybe I can help?” He reached out to squeeze Linkara’s shoulder in what he hoped was a soothing manner and said in a softer voice. “Linkara, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Spoony…” Linkara looked up, hands still trembling, face pale and sweaty, eyes filled with terror. “I think I… I k-killed her.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Spoony paid the taxi driver and helped pull the suitcases out of the trunk before he walked over to the open passenger-side door.
“We’re here, Linkara. Can you stand?”
Linkara blinked a few times before slowly peering at Spoony with bloodshot eyes. He hadn’t slept for two nights, ever since Spoony’d found him in the bathroom; actually, he’d refused to sleep, choosing instead to down as many caffeinated beverages as he could afford in order to keep himself awake. It didn’t matter what Spoony or the others tried to say to him. Linkara would not listen to reason and let himself rest for even a minute, no matter how it would affect his health.
With no other recourse, Spoony had volunteered to take Linkara home early and try to get him some help. The others had reluctantly agreed, figuring that among all the technology Linkara possessed there must be something to help him sleep again, and had seen the two off without much concern. None of them knew that Spoony was taking Linkara directly to his own home instead, but he preferred it that way. Getting into an argument about the safety of his living arrangements was not something Spoony wanted to do when he should be focusing on Linkara.
Spoony gingerly grabbed Linkara’s wrists, making sure to avoid touching his bandage-clad hands, and pulled him to his feet. Linkara wavered a little but Spoony managed to prop Linkara against his arm and helped steady him. He was shaking, and had been for quite a while, thanks to the lack of sleep and all the coffee he’d ingested, but Spoony did his best to keep him focused by talking softly to him. They slowly made their way up the path and into the house but before Spoony could unlock the door, it was yanked open by Harvey.
“Jeez, kid, I thought you two’d never get here.”
“Sorry, our plane got in a little late,” Spoony apologized.
“It’s fine. What’s important is you’re here now, so we can get to the bottom of this.” Linkara stared at the older man with eyes that weren’t completely focused.
“H-harvey?” His voice was raspy, since he hadn’t spoken much in the past day or two. Harvey gave him a gentle smile.
“Hey kid. I heard you haven’t been doing too good lately.” Linkara swallowed and looked down, his shaking growing worse. Harvey’s expression grew concerned and he quickly helped Spoony lead him to the living room sofa. After making sure he was comfortably seated, Harvey sat down beside Linkara. “Are you up for company?”
“Hey, dude.” Linkara looked up and watched dully as 90s Kid, Ninja Style Dancer, Pollo, Linksano, and Boffo, who was holding Bear in lieu of his horn, came into the room. Linkara stared at them for a moment, noting how their gazes inevitably fell upon the bandages he sported, before turning away.
“W-why are you all here?”
“I called them,” Spoony admitted as he sat down on his other side. Linkara shot him a miserable look but Spoony refused to turn away. “I’m sorry, but I was worried. I don’t know what’s going on with you, Linkara. You wake up one night after having some fucking nightmare, tell me you killed someone, and then completely shut down and stop talking. I panicked, okay? I didn’t know how to fix this, so I thought it might be easier for you if I had your friends here as we go through this together.”
“He’s right, kid,” Harvey said, while the others nodded in agreement. “We all wanted to come when we heard about the plan and we’re not going to leave until we’ve gotten to the bottom of it.” Linkara stared at them again as if struggling to comprehend their words.
“What plan?”
“Let’s get this over with.” Heads whirled around as Dr. Insano scurried into the room, some sort of pink bicycle helmet covered in wires and silver tubes in his hands. “Hurry up and get this on him so that I can eradicate his insomnia or whatever it is!”
“Hold it, doc.” Insano quickly found himself restrained by Ninja Style Dancer, whose glare held only distrust, and Linksano, who seemed a bit reluctant but nevertheless held tightly to his counterpart’s elbow.
“Unhand me!” Insano struggled to pull free from their grips, but shrank back nervously when Harvey stepped directly in front of him.
“I’m going to give you a warning,” he said softly, his eyes dark and ominous. “If you harm one hair on that kid’s head, or cause him even a moment of unnecessary suffering, I am going to make you regret it in ways you can’t even imagine.”
Insano gulped and nodded furiously.
“O-of course, I-I intend to do no harm to your h-hero,” he stuttered, his grip on the helmet tightening. “I only mean to use my Nightmare Neutralizer so that his evil dreams will cease! Then, once I’m successful, I will use this story to impress future customers and market my invention to the world!” The others looked down at his pink helmet skeptically.
“You’re sure you can help Linkara with that thing?” 90s Kid asked, reaching out to touch the device.
Insano stepped away, wrapping his arms protectively over it. “Of course! This brilliant creation will banish whatever hellish visions plague his mind!”
“How do you know it works?” Harvey asked, crossing his arms.
“I’ve already tested it,” Insano replied, looking slightly nervous to be speaking with Harvey again. “My son once woke up crying because of a nightmare. I could not tolerate such an occurrence, so I created this for him. Once my son went to sleep wearing this, he was able to control the nightmares, turning them into non-frightening pleasant dreams instead, which allowed him to sleep peacefully though the night.”
Insano smiled a little when he realized the others, particularly Linksano, seemed impressed with his story. Harvey, ever the cynic, turned to Spoony.
“Is that all true? Could we maybe get his kid in to verify?”
“It’s true,” Spoony said. “I witnessed it myself. That’s why I knew we should bring Linkara here. We can get Insano’s son to tell you himself about how it stopped his nightmares if you want more proof-”
“They’re not nightmares.”
Everyone paused and turned to Linkara. He looked terribly pale, small drops of sweat beading his forehead.
“What’d you say, kid?” Harvey asked in a gentle tone.
“They’re… not nightmares.” Linkara took in a shaky breath before he continued. “That helmet won’t work. I’m not having nightmares. I’m… they’re…” He paused again, taking a few deep breaths, before he finally whispered one word. “Memories.”
The room fell quiet for a moment as quick, confused glances were exchanged.
Harvey spoke first. “You mean, uh, you’re having those, whatcha-call-em, repressed memories, kid? Like from your childhood or something?”
Linkara shook his head.
“They’re not from my life. They’re from… before.”
“Dude, that-what?” 90s Kid was clearly confused. “How can you, like, have memories that aren’t from your life?”
“Memories?” Insano sounded oddly solemn as the word passed through his lips. He stared at Linkara, his fingers twitching more than ever. “What other symptoms has he experienced lately? Sudden and all-encompassing fatigue? Confusing visions that seem real, but turn out to be mere delusions? Knowledge that he never possessed before now making itself known in his mind?”
Linkara seemed taken aback by this accurate account of the past few weeks of his life. “Y-yes, those… all of those things have happened to me.”
“The symptoms fit,” Insano said, seemingly talking to himself. “He’s been suffering the exact effects described by those whose claims seemed the most valid. The way many have described it, their bodies were suddenly overcome by weariness thanks to the emergence of new, yet very familiar, memories. It can only mean one thing-that these visions and knowledge are true memories are from a previous life!” Insano’s smile grew giddy.
“I do not understand what you’re talking about,” Pollo replied, while Ninja Style Dancer held up a card covered in question marks. Linksano, however, was watching Insano with rapt attention.
“I’m talking about reincarnation!” Insano announced, igniting everyone’s confusion once again. “There has been great debate in the scientific community about the likelihood of reincarnation being at all possible. Theories abound on the subject, and experts have tried to gather evidence through hypnosis and case studies from those claiming to recall the events of past lives, but nothing truly conclusive has been discovered so far.”
“You’re certainly well-informed about this,” Spoony muttered, giving the doctor a surprised stare. Insano ignored him and looked down at the helmet he held.
“Just give me a few hours to make some modifications,” he said. “I’ve been working on my own device and I should be able to combine it with the Nightmare Neutralizer! Then we can test it on the hero and perhaps find the proof that the world has been looking for!”
“Now, wait just a minute, doc,” Harvey said, advancing upon Insano again. “We’re not here so you can turn the kid into some lab rat, so just forget any plans you have to mess with his head.”
“I won’t, I promise!” Insano insisted, holding his helmet up like a shield to protect him from the singer. “I honestly don’t wish to destroy Linkara this time! He may be my only way to prove that reincarnation exists, so I will do everything in my power to make sure I can help him!”
“Let him do what he wants.” They all turned to Linkara, who was staring blankly at the ground. “I don’t care anymore. Nothing he can do is worse than what I’ve…” He trailed off and shuddered. Spoony quickly laid an arm over his shoulders while Harvey turned back to Insano.
“Fine, doc, we’ll let you fiddle with your gizmos there. But I’m warning you: you try anything funny with the kid, and you’re gonna end up needing a doctor of your own. Capisce?”
“Y-yes, understood.” Harvey nodded and Insano scampered off into his lab.
*So, what is our next course of action?* Ninja Style Dancer held up on a card. Harvey glanced toward the couch, trying to find the hero he admired more than anyone hiding behind the desolate shell of a man currently sitting there, and pulled out his lighter.
“Now we wait.” He lit a cigarette and walked outside to try to collect his thoughts while the rest of Linkara’s team milled around the living room, searching for some way to pass the time. Spoony remained at Linkara’s side to comfort him as best he could and tried not to focus on how they were solely depending on the whims of a mad scientist to help them.
PART 3
Author: ocelot_l
Written for the TGWTG Big Bang
Summary: Fighting villains. Protecting the world. Gambling with fate. This has been Linkara’s life for as long as he can remember, and in all that time, he’s never questioned why he’s been dealt the role of hero. Now, it’s time for Linkara to learn the truth.
The truth about why he’s always felt the need to save those around him, even if it meant risking his life. The truth about the dreams that have started to haunt his mind and confuse his senses. The truth about the little girl whose soul possesses his Magic Gun, and the connection they share.
Based on this prompt from the kink meme
Rating: R for Language, Violence, and Disturbing Themes
Warnings: Language, Disturbing Themes, Blood, Violence, Violence Toward a Child, Child Death, Suicide Attempt
Pairing: Linkara/Spoony
The creaking of rusted chains and the delighted squeals of laughter were the only sounds that came from the small swing set that evening. As the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, dying the sky warm shades of red and orange, the girl, now a young teenager, pumped her legs harder and harder. She hoped to one day soar high enough that she might take flight and lose herself amidst the wispy clouds and shining stars that gazed down over the small collection of earth and water they protected.
As she imagined her journey through the cosmos, her laughter grew even louder, not simply from envisioning how exhilarating such a journey would be, but from what a silly notion that idea was in the first place. As much as the girl longed to glide through the skies, she loved her home very dearly and knew such a trip taken by herself would end only in loneliness and the desire to return to a family that loved her.
“Is you head up in the clouds again, girl?”
She stopped her swinging at once and leapt agilely onto the large patch of grass surrounding the swing set with a giggle. She made sure to smooth out the hem of her new black dress and brush any speckles of dust from her outfit before turning around to grin up at the man standing before her.
“Yes, Papa. Sorry, Papa.”
“Oh, it’s all right,” the man answered in a soft tone as he reached out to run a hand through her short, black tresses. “I always knew my girl was a space cadet.” The girl giggled again and reached up to clasp her thin hands around his larger, broad one. “I know. Why don’t I help you reach the skies?”
Without warning, the man lifted the girl up and started spinning her high in the air. She shrieked with laughter and swiftly lifted her arms out like an airplane as she circled around her expansive backyard. The man observed her glee with a neutral expression, although his eyes had narrowed ever so slightly.
~~~~~~~~~~
Linkara pressed his back against the side of the café as he sipped from his steaming paper cup. While he normally preferred to avoid coffee, he felt a caffeinated beverage might be his best option for keeping himself awake after yet another restless night. This time Linkara knew he’d been dreaming but couldn’t remember what about, though if the cold sweat that drenched his body each time he awoke was anything to go by, they hadn’t been pleasant dreams.
Linkara did know that some of the images had definitely been flames, which he assumed had been caused by yesterday’s catastrophe. Fortunately, Phelous had seemed completely fine when Linkara checked on him that morning and was more interested in forgetting the incident entirely. Linkara had agreed and felt a wave of relief pass through him, which gave him hope that his dreams would no longer be plagued with the embers of a guilty conscience.
However, as much as Linkara tried to recall what others images had passed through his mind as he slumbered, he found he was unable to evoke more than fleeting discrete fragments rather than parts of a continuous whole. He was not a child. He shouldn’t be having dreams so scary that his mind refused to recollect more than a few paltry scraps.
“Ready to go?”
Linkara looked up as Spoony exited the building, a cup of coffee and a muffin held in his hands.
“Yep. Let’s get to it.”
Since Critic’s big plans had so quickly fallen apart and caused him to lock himself into his bedroom so he could mope, the producers had been given free range to spend the day as they chose. While many had decided to work on their videos, since the opportunity was ripe for crossovers and cameos, some had opted to explore the city.
Linkara and Spoony were two of the latter group, and were currently on their way to board a bus that would take them on a grand tour of Chicago. Overhead the sky was grey and heavy with clouds, which would splatter rain down onto the city in small spurts before pausing almost uncertainly for a few brief seconds, only to repeat the pattern moments later. Always prepared for the worst, Linkara made sure to protect himself and Spoony under a large umbrella whenever the rain felt like falling again.
“I still think we should have gone for one of supernatural tours,” Spoony said as they strolled down a crowded sidewalk. “This city is known for its gruesome history and violent massacres. It would have been fucking cool to see some of those sites, soak in some of the residual horror lingering around them, and maybe spot a few ghosts along the way.”
Spoony waggled his fingers as he spoke in a pathetic attempt to seem spooky. Linkara offered him a wry smile.
“Do I have to worry about your bloodlust rising to an unprecedented level, Spoony?” Spoony laughed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Come on, you know it would be cool.”
“I don’t know if visiting the sights of major tragedies would be what I’d call cool,” Linkara continued. “Sometimes it’s better to leave the past back where it belongs, and let the ghosts sleep in peace.”
Linkara would have said more, but from the corner of his eye, he saw a peculiar sight in one of the large shop windows they passed on their walk. He turned his head sharply to stare at a large, red image drawn upon the frosted glass and almost stopped breathing.
It was the very same symbol he had seen on that scrap of paper that fell from Critic’s book yesterday. The symbol that had shot out flames when Linkara spoke words he’d never heard before, and could not recall again despite several attempts to. The symbol that had vanished without leaving a trace of ever existing in the first place.
“Linkara? Are you all right?” Linkara snapped out of his trance at Spoony’s voice and hurriedly pointed at the window.
“Do you see that, Spoony? That symbol… I think it has to do with very powerful and dangerous magic.” Spoony peered at the glass for a moment before turning back at Linkara.
“What symbol?” Linkara looked back and realized there was nothing on the glass. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“But it was right there! I was just looking at it a few seconds ago!” He stepped forward and drew his fingers across the window, but the image failed to reappear.
“Are you sure?” Spoony’s look was skeptical. “You said you didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe your mind’s playing tricks on you because you’re so tired.”
“Maybe,” Linkara relented. He dropped his hand and stepped away from the window, but was not at all satisfied by that answer. That symbol had been there, he was sure of it.
“Oh my God!” Linkara whirled around at the shrill cry and looked ahead of him, where several people moved as a group through a crosswalk.
Thanks to the rain making the ground so slippery, a little girl had fallen down near the back of the pack. She had short black hair and wore a black dress that seemed somehow familiar to Linkara. He watched the girl’s mother turn back and stretch out her arm to assist her. Then he watched a semi truck making an illegal right turn and speeding directly ahead, not noticing that a child lay in the road before it. The terrified woman stood frozen, staring helplessly at the vehicle.
In an instant, Linkara had leapt into the street, rolled on top of the girl, grabbed her in his arms, and scrambled back onto the sidewalk.
The truck made a horrible screeching sound as the driver slammed on the brakes, and then it was quiet, save for the patter of raindrops on cement. Everyone turned to stare at Linkara, who was panting heavily and bore several scrapes on his hands. Even the child had stopped crying enough to stare up into his face in awe. Then a drop of water landed on its nose and its face crumpled.
“Mommy!”
“I’m coming, baby!”
The woman dashed over to Linkara and took the child from him while crying out ‘Thank you’ over and over.
“It was no problem, ma’am,” Linkara replied, a casual but pleased grin falling into place. “I was just doing what any decent person would.”
“God, Linkara.” Spoony clapped him on the back and shook his head a little. “I know you’re all about doing good deeds and shit, but can you try not to risk your life every time?”
“Sorry, Spoony, but heroes always put everything on the line when they need to.”
“I don’t know how to repay you enough, sir.” Linkara turned back to the woman, ready to tell her that her smile was payment enough, when he caught sight of the child in her arms. “Oh, and Tyler, you thank him too.”
“Thank you,” the young boy said shyly before hiding his face in his mom’s chest. His wavy brown hair was plastered to his head and his blue jeans and T-shirt were soaked from the puddle he’d slipped in, but he was otherwise perfectly fine.
“It’s no problem,” Linkara said after staring at the boy for a moment. “Just watch out for rainy days from now on.”
“Oh we will, we promise. Thank you again. Good bye.” The woman hurried off, clutching her son tightly to her chest, and disappeared into the crowd.
“Spoony,” Linkara said, slowly moving his gaze to the other man’s face, “did I see-was that always a little boy lying in the road?”
Spoony gave him a puzzled look. “Uh, yeah? Why, did you think it was someone else?”
Linkara thought about the little girl with the black hair and matching dress he was sure he’d seen lying before him.
“I guess I’m more tired than I thought. I think I need more coffee.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“That was fun, Papa!” when at last she was set back down upon the ground. “Thank you!” She moved to hug his waist and he chuckled, patting her head once more.
“Is my girl happy?”
“Yes!” she said with an enthusiastic nod for emphasis.
A small smile escaped his lips as he moved his hand from her head to the small of her back. “Good. I want my girl to be the happiest in the whole world.” He gave the gentlest of nudges and started guiding her toward the run-down garage that stood beside their cozy house.
“I am the happiest girl in the world!” she replied, walking along without noticing how her father directed her. “As long as I have you and Mama, I always will be!”
“Good,” the man repeated, still moving them closer to the garage. “Now, tonight we’re going to do something different. Something… special. Tonight, Mama and I are going to have a celebration.”
“A celebration?” the girl asked, her face glowing with delight. “Is it for my birthday? I’m thirteen today, so do I get a party? I’ve never had a party just for me before.”
The man chuckled softly as his eyes narrowed almost to slits. He slipped his free hand into the pocket of his coat and traced a finger along the edge of the knife concealed within.
“Tonight is the night. You’re going to be the guest of honor, girl.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The garage was almost pitch-black, save the flicker of flames from the corner of the room, where what had once been a lively blaze was dwindling down to ashes and embers. The air had grown still and heavy with smoke, while the pungent aroma of charred cloth and sickly-sweet herbs mingled with a stronger, more metallic scent that permeated the room. Every so often, a crackle from the fire escaped into the atmosphere and broke the silence.
The man kept his gaze on his wife’s back as she bent down on the dirty floor and moved her hands in intricate patterns over the cement. A sticky red substance dripped from the tips of her fingers into specific circles, lines, and symbols that matched those drawn once upon a time by an excited little girl in a black dress that no longer existed. The man watched in silence, keeping his hands tightly closed around something warm and wet, wet enough to trickle down his fingers before dropping onto the ground and pooling around his feet.
“I think that’s it.” The man stood still as his wife climbed to her feet and wiped her fingers on her grey dress, leaving dark red streaks running from her waist to her knees. She turned to him, her usually dull eyes shining, her hair loose and damp as it framed her crimson-flecked cheeks. “We are ready. Soon the others will arrive and we can finally begin.” Her thin lips pulled upwards into a smile that didn’t suit her face.” I can already feel the love of God deep in my veins, flowing through this wretched bag of flesh!”
From somewhere in the distance a low, reverent chanting started to fill the air. The woman’s expression grew joyful and she reached out, trying to clasp her husband’s hands in hers, but stopped when she realized he was still holding onto something. A harsh sound that could only just be recognized as laughter escaped her lips as she pulled his hands apart and stared down at what he held.
“It puts a new meaning on the expression ‘taking something to heart’, doesn’t it?”
~~~~~~~~~~
Spoony awoke at a quarter to three when he heard the rush of water from the bathroom.
“Mmm, huh?” He rolled over to squint at Linkara’s bed and, after noticing it was empty, turned his attention to the bathroom, as he waited for the other man to return. After four minutes he started to grow concerned, and after nine, he stood up and crept over to find out what was going on.
The door to the bathroom was opened a crack but the lights were off. Fortunately, Spoony’s vision had adjusted enough to the darkness so that he could make out Linkara standing beside the sink, washing his hands over and over again in an enormous pile of soap suds before rinsing them in water. Water Spoony quickly surmised was very hot, thanks to the steam that rose from the sink and fogged up the mirror.
“Linkara! What the fuck are you doing?” He charged in and flipped on the lights before pulling Linkara away from the sink. Spoony stared down, aghast as he realized that Linkara’s hands were blistered red and bleeding. “Holy shit! What did you do to yourself?” He looked into the other man’s eyes. “Why are you doing this, Linkara?”
“Blood,” Linkara said as if he were staring at something far off in the distance, even though his eyes were dull and unfocused. “Had to get rid of the blood.”
“You’re hands are only bloody because you were fucking burning them!” Spoony cried as he looked around the bathroom for something to help stop the bleeding. He grabbed a few towels from the rack over the toilet and started to press them gently against his palms.
“No,” Linkara replied, still staring off into space and shaking his head a little. “It was there because of me… because I was holding… I was holding…” Linkara’s voice trailed off and he lunged for the sink again, while Spoony fought valiantly to hold him back.
“Linkara! Stop it! You’re hurting yourself! You have to stop!”
“I can still see it! I can still feel it!” Linkara screamed, fighting desperately to free himself from Spoony’s grasp. “The blood, dripping down my hands! It’s my fault for holding it! Why am I holding it? Why do I have it?” He started going limp as a choked sob escaped from his throat. “What did I do? Oh my God… what did I do to her?”
Spoony was able to pull Linkara away from the sink and helped him sit on the toilet. He couldn’t stand seeing the expression of disgust and horror on Linkara’s face, or how he trembled as he stared down at his hands, allowing the towels to slide off onto the floor. “What’s wrong, Linkara? What are you talking about? I know you’re upset, but for God’s sake, you have to calm down! I-maybe I can help?” He reached out to squeeze Linkara’s shoulder in what he hoped was a soothing manner and said in a softer voice. “Linkara, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Spoony…” Linkara looked up, hands still trembling, face pale and sweaty, eyes filled with terror. “I think I… I k-killed her.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Spoony paid the taxi driver and helped pull the suitcases out of the trunk before he walked over to the open passenger-side door.
“We’re here, Linkara. Can you stand?”
Linkara blinked a few times before slowly peering at Spoony with bloodshot eyes. He hadn’t slept for two nights, ever since Spoony’d found him in the bathroom; actually, he’d refused to sleep, choosing instead to down as many caffeinated beverages as he could afford in order to keep himself awake. It didn’t matter what Spoony or the others tried to say to him. Linkara would not listen to reason and let himself rest for even a minute, no matter how it would affect his health.
With no other recourse, Spoony had volunteered to take Linkara home early and try to get him some help. The others had reluctantly agreed, figuring that among all the technology Linkara possessed there must be something to help him sleep again, and had seen the two off without much concern. None of them knew that Spoony was taking Linkara directly to his own home instead, but he preferred it that way. Getting into an argument about the safety of his living arrangements was not something Spoony wanted to do when he should be focusing on Linkara.
Spoony gingerly grabbed Linkara’s wrists, making sure to avoid touching his bandage-clad hands, and pulled him to his feet. Linkara wavered a little but Spoony managed to prop Linkara against his arm and helped steady him. He was shaking, and had been for quite a while, thanks to the lack of sleep and all the coffee he’d ingested, but Spoony did his best to keep him focused by talking softly to him. They slowly made their way up the path and into the house but before Spoony could unlock the door, it was yanked open by Harvey.
“Jeez, kid, I thought you two’d never get here.”
“Sorry, our plane got in a little late,” Spoony apologized.
“It’s fine. What’s important is you’re here now, so we can get to the bottom of this.” Linkara stared at the older man with eyes that weren’t completely focused.
“H-harvey?” His voice was raspy, since he hadn’t spoken much in the past day or two. Harvey gave him a gentle smile.
“Hey kid. I heard you haven’t been doing too good lately.” Linkara swallowed and looked down, his shaking growing worse. Harvey’s expression grew concerned and he quickly helped Spoony lead him to the living room sofa. After making sure he was comfortably seated, Harvey sat down beside Linkara. “Are you up for company?”
“Hey, dude.” Linkara looked up and watched dully as 90s Kid, Ninja Style Dancer, Pollo, Linksano, and Boffo, who was holding Bear in lieu of his horn, came into the room. Linkara stared at them for a moment, noting how their gazes inevitably fell upon the bandages he sported, before turning away.
“W-why are you all here?”
“I called them,” Spoony admitted as he sat down on his other side. Linkara shot him a miserable look but Spoony refused to turn away. “I’m sorry, but I was worried. I don’t know what’s going on with you, Linkara. You wake up one night after having some fucking nightmare, tell me you killed someone, and then completely shut down and stop talking. I panicked, okay? I didn’t know how to fix this, so I thought it might be easier for you if I had your friends here as we go through this together.”
“He’s right, kid,” Harvey said, while the others nodded in agreement. “We all wanted to come when we heard about the plan and we’re not going to leave until we’ve gotten to the bottom of it.” Linkara stared at them again as if struggling to comprehend their words.
“What plan?”
“Let’s get this over with.” Heads whirled around as Dr. Insano scurried into the room, some sort of pink bicycle helmet covered in wires and silver tubes in his hands. “Hurry up and get this on him so that I can eradicate his insomnia or whatever it is!”
“Hold it, doc.” Insano quickly found himself restrained by Ninja Style Dancer, whose glare held only distrust, and Linksano, who seemed a bit reluctant but nevertheless held tightly to his counterpart’s elbow.
“Unhand me!” Insano struggled to pull free from their grips, but shrank back nervously when Harvey stepped directly in front of him.
“I’m going to give you a warning,” he said softly, his eyes dark and ominous. “If you harm one hair on that kid’s head, or cause him even a moment of unnecessary suffering, I am going to make you regret it in ways you can’t even imagine.”
Insano gulped and nodded furiously.
“O-of course, I-I intend to do no harm to your h-hero,” he stuttered, his grip on the helmet tightening. “I only mean to use my Nightmare Neutralizer so that his evil dreams will cease! Then, once I’m successful, I will use this story to impress future customers and market my invention to the world!” The others looked down at his pink helmet skeptically.
“You’re sure you can help Linkara with that thing?” 90s Kid asked, reaching out to touch the device.
Insano stepped away, wrapping his arms protectively over it. “Of course! This brilliant creation will banish whatever hellish visions plague his mind!”
“How do you know it works?” Harvey asked, crossing his arms.
“I’ve already tested it,” Insano replied, looking slightly nervous to be speaking with Harvey again. “My son once woke up crying because of a nightmare. I could not tolerate such an occurrence, so I created this for him. Once my son went to sleep wearing this, he was able to control the nightmares, turning them into non-frightening pleasant dreams instead, which allowed him to sleep peacefully though the night.”
Insano smiled a little when he realized the others, particularly Linksano, seemed impressed with his story. Harvey, ever the cynic, turned to Spoony.
“Is that all true? Could we maybe get his kid in to verify?”
“It’s true,” Spoony said. “I witnessed it myself. That’s why I knew we should bring Linkara here. We can get Insano’s son to tell you himself about how it stopped his nightmares if you want more proof-”
“They’re not nightmares.”
Everyone paused and turned to Linkara. He looked terribly pale, small drops of sweat beading his forehead.
“What’d you say, kid?” Harvey asked in a gentle tone.
“They’re… not nightmares.” Linkara took in a shaky breath before he continued. “That helmet won’t work. I’m not having nightmares. I’m… they’re…” He paused again, taking a few deep breaths, before he finally whispered one word. “Memories.”
The room fell quiet for a moment as quick, confused glances were exchanged.
Harvey spoke first. “You mean, uh, you’re having those, whatcha-call-em, repressed memories, kid? Like from your childhood or something?”
Linkara shook his head.
“They’re not from my life. They’re from… before.”
“Dude, that-what?” 90s Kid was clearly confused. “How can you, like, have memories that aren’t from your life?”
“Memories?” Insano sounded oddly solemn as the word passed through his lips. He stared at Linkara, his fingers twitching more than ever. “What other symptoms has he experienced lately? Sudden and all-encompassing fatigue? Confusing visions that seem real, but turn out to be mere delusions? Knowledge that he never possessed before now making itself known in his mind?”
Linkara seemed taken aback by this accurate account of the past few weeks of his life. “Y-yes, those… all of those things have happened to me.”
“The symptoms fit,” Insano said, seemingly talking to himself. “He’s been suffering the exact effects described by those whose claims seemed the most valid. The way many have described it, their bodies were suddenly overcome by weariness thanks to the emergence of new, yet very familiar, memories. It can only mean one thing-that these visions and knowledge are true memories are from a previous life!” Insano’s smile grew giddy.
“I do not understand what you’re talking about,” Pollo replied, while Ninja Style Dancer held up a card covered in question marks. Linksano, however, was watching Insano with rapt attention.
“I’m talking about reincarnation!” Insano announced, igniting everyone’s confusion once again. “There has been great debate in the scientific community about the likelihood of reincarnation being at all possible. Theories abound on the subject, and experts have tried to gather evidence through hypnosis and case studies from those claiming to recall the events of past lives, but nothing truly conclusive has been discovered so far.”
“You’re certainly well-informed about this,” Spoony muttered, giving the doctor a surprised stare. Insano ignored him and looked down at the helmet he held.
“Just give me a few hours to make some modifications,” he said. “I’ve been working on my own device and I should be able to combine it with the Nightmare Neutralizer! Then we can test it on the hero and perhaps find the proof that the world has been looking for!”
“Now, wait just a minute, doc,” Harvey said, advancing upon Insano again. “We’re not here so you can turn the kid into some lab rat, so just forget any plans you have to mess with his head.”
“I won’t, I promise!” Insano insisted, holding his helmet up like a shield to protect him from the singer. “I honestly don’t wish to destroy Linkara this time! He may be my only way to prove that reincarnation exists, so I will do everything in my power to make sure I can help him!”
“Let him do what he wants.” They all turned to Linkara, who was staring blankly at the ground. “I don’t care anymore. Nothing he can do is worse than what I’ve…” He trailed off and shuddered. Spoony quickly laid an arm over his shoulders while Harvey turned back to Insano.
“Fine, doc, we’ll let you fiddle with your gizmos there. But I’m warning you: you try anything funny with the kid, and you’re gonna end up needing a doctor of your own. Capisce?”
“Y-yes, understood.” Harvey nodded and Insano scampered off into his lab.
*So, what is our next course of action?* Ninja Style Dancer held up on a card. Harvey glanced toward the couch, trying to find the hero he admired more than anyone hiding behind the desolate shell of a man currently sitting there, and pulled out his lighter.
“Now we wait.” He lit a cigarette and walked outside to try to collect his thoughts while the rest of Linkara’s team milled around the living room, searching for some way to pass the time. Spoony remained at Linkara’s side to comfort him as best he could and tried not to focus on how they were solely depending on the whims of a mad scientist to help them.
PART 3