VAGARY (A Flinx Story)

Episode 4

Telling him how to defeat a metahuman was one thing. But helping him to do so was something she would never do. Never. 

She shook her head for the tenth time, looking directly at him. He had an indecipherable look on his face, and it was the first time she had ever felt confused while looking at him. He was always so easy to figure out, so predictable.

He was acting oddly, there was no doubt about it. Ever since she had gone to live with him, he had fought at least three metas, all of them put up in jail without her help. So, what did he need her for this time?

She kind of got it. Match was no easy enemy, but he could not be so desperate that he had to ask her for help. He was Keystone's hero, after all. And a real hero did not need a mediocre sidekick.

He sighed, again, "Jinx, I'm begging you", he said, desperately. "If I didn't need your help, I wouldn't be asking you".

Duh.

"Kid, I already told you: I am no hero", she said, already getting bored of her go-to argument. Or was it an excuse? "Besides, how the hell am I supposed to help you freeze him?", she gave him a questioning look. "Last time I checked, Killer Frost was the one with cold powers, not me".

She had a point, Kid Flash thought. But he was not going to ask one of his Uncle's allies to work with him. Maybe if the situation had been different.

"Let me worry about the plan later", he said, still trying to persuade her. "I just need to know that I can count on you".

Jinx shook her head discretely, guiding her gaze to her black boots. The last time she had helped him, she had put every single one of her old friends in jail. Match was not her friend, but somehow it felt the same. She would be lying if she said she did not feel good after fighting alongside the Titans. But a once-in-a-lifetime experience was all she needed, really.

"I'm sorry", she simply said.

Kid Flash tried to find her pink eyes. She was looking directly at the floor, as if someone was pushing her head down. He could not deny it: he was hurt. Not because he was alone in his mission, that did not matter that much after all. But Jinx, he was worried about her.

It was obvious that she couldn't find her place, or she didn't want to. Part of the asking-her-to-help-him thing was so she could realize that good was an option, after all. But she was not letting herself think, feel.

He looked at her once more, hopeful. Nothing. In a flash, he was gone.

__________________

Match stood in the middle of Keystone City dumpster, both hands covering his grey ears. He wanted it to stop. He did not want to hear voices anymore. He wanted to be free, to run wild. He let out a deafening scream.

"You idiot", the voice inside his head said. He tried to block the sound, not realizing it was inside of him. "Find her, now!", demanded the voice.

"I can't!", shouted Match. He received an electric shock in response, making him drop his weight to the floor. He twisted in pain. Another scream. "I don't know where she is!", he managed to let out.

"If you don't find her today", he heard the voice say, "you will not see daylight ever again. You hear me?!"

"Y-yes, master", he struggled as he stood up on his feet again.

________________

Police sirens could be heard from the distance. Kid Flash wasn't going to let him get away this time. He needed to be there on time. To be fast enough.

And just as he had wished, in a matter of two seconds, the young speedster stood behind a patrol of at least ten police cars and twenty police officers, all shooting at Superboy's bizarre doppelganger. If only they knew.

He spotted Officer Chyre, "Hey", he said, kneeling next to him behind the police car. "Bullets do him no harm, you knew that?", he asked, kind of cockily.

Chyre rolled his eyes at him, "Have a better plan?", he asked. Truth was, he didn't. He knew that he had to freeze him somehow. That somehow was the problem.

He ran towards him, blindly. He needed time to think. He ran in circles around him, creating enough energy to shoot lighting bolts towards him, a fine technique he had learnt from Barry. Problem was, they did absolutely nothing to him.

"Where is she?", Match shouted, making the speedster stop on his feet. He gave him a questioning look, even though he wasn't looking at him. That was the weird thing: he seemed lost, like he had no target at all. He hadn't even noticed he had been shot with a light bolt, for God's sake.

"Hey, Match!", he called his attention. Probably not his best idea, yet he couldn't suppress his impulses.

The creature looked at him angrily. "Who are you looking for?", the young hero asked. In the distance, Officer Chyre mentally slapped himself. Why did all speedsters have to be like that, all talking to the enemy and no action?

Match rose his hands until they reached his ears, covering them again. Kid Flash noticed the struggle on his face, the pain. He looked at him, quizzingly.

"Kid, do something!", Chyre shouted from behind his car. "Don't just stand there!"

Just as he said that, Match went back to his own self, letting out a loud scream. All of a sudden, he hit the speedster, making him hit Chyre's car. He was caught so off-guard, that it took him a few seconds to gather his consciousness. By the time he got on his feet again, Match had already destroyed several cars and most of the pavement.

"Everybody leave!", Kid Flash shouted, in an attempt to evacuate everyone before it was too late.

"Give me HER!", Match shouted again. Kid Flash didn't understand, who was this girl he was trying so bad to get? And why did she need to get her, in the first place?

The monster turned around violently, Kid Flash barely dodging another one of his punches. With the second one, though, he wasn't that lucky.

He flinched in pain, holding his ribcage as he struggled to stand back up. Behind him, Match had just lifted a truck and was about to drop it on him. It was at that moment that he knew why his Uncle had refused to let him go by himself. Or let him go at all.

He had to admit, he had thought it would be a lot easier. He knew the real Superboy, after all. But now, thanks to his impulsive mind and incompetent way of thinking, he was going to die.

What would happen to Jinx if he wasn't around? Would she go back to thieving, or worse? He mentally slapped himself. He couldn't stop thinking about her, not even at the gates of death. She didn't like him, she had made that clear. So, why did he insist? Why did he want to protect her, see her do good so badly?

He heard a loud crash by his side, and just as he lifted his sight, he realized there was no longer a truck above him. He took the chance to run away a few meters, his ribcage preventing him from further distances. What the hell was going on?

He looked up at a nearby roof, and then he understood. Pink energy bolted towards Match, making him twist in pain. He kneeled down, unable to move back up.

"Jinx!", the speedster shouted. He could distinguish her deep pink eyes staring back at him.

"Jinx...", Match mumbled, only audible to Kid Flash's ears. "You!", he shouted, slowly getting back on his feet.

Suddenly, Kid Flash understood. Was Jinx the girl Match wanted so bad to take? No, he was not going to let that happen.

He gathered all his strength to run away miles from the city. He had only attempted that trick once before, and he wasn't so sure it would work with him. But one thing was for sure, and it was that he was not going to let him hurt Jinx.

He ran back to him, faster that ever before. Sparks of energy ran up and down his body, from feet to toe. He could feel the strength burning on his fist. He gave Match a superspeed punch, sending him flying away, collapsing against a lamppost. He was out of breath. But his city and his girl - was she really his girl? - were safe.

He looked up back at the roof. She was gone.