YOUR VISION WAS NEVER MINE TO SHARE

FRAGMENTS FOR THE CURIOUS - PART 1

NOT MY PROBLEM

"What do you think?" Psyvicarro asked, tearing the sheet off his latest project.

Gremlock moved in for a closer look. "Grand Sage Makbara's gift to the unfortunate is a paintbrush?"

"Makky-B wanted something retro that could bring pictures to life."

"Where do you want me to place it?"

"A second-hand store in a poor neighbourhood."

"What if a bad kid buys the brush? No telling what kind of destruction he or she might unleash."

"Simple," Psyvicarro said, "we will write the incident off as Learning Experience Number 117 and wish the human race good luck. What's for breakfast? I'm starving."

NO ALTERNATIVES

"Who do you seek?"

"Wendell Trask."

"What do you offer as payment?"

Lucio handed Death an orb.

Both Death and the orb disappeared.

Wendell came forward.

"Got to hand it to you kid – killing yourself to get out of paying your debts takes a lot of guts," Lucio said, taking out another orb, "but nobody cheats Lucio Roncetti of Sexy Boy Loan Sharks And So Much More and gets away with it. Now get in the crystal prison or I'm going to cross over to the other side and spank you silly with my 'specially made for you' Spirit Paddle!"

NOTHING PERSONAL

"I take it everything went smoothly?"

"More or less."

"Old man?"

"Dead."

"How did you do it?"

"I didn't. Somebody else got there before me."

"What about my prize?"

"The room was filled with treasure – yet all you wanted me to grab was a teddy bear. Mind telling me why?"

"He's going to be the finishing touch on my latest piece of tortured art – Things A Teddy Should Not See."

"You have quite a dark mind for an eight-year-old."

"Darker than you can ever imagine. Your gift is upstairs sleeping. When you touch her – be gentle. She's a real screamer."

GOT IT IN SPADES

"And Jokko 'The Stupid' said it couldn't be done. Yet here I am looking glorious. Take note – Screebo – for once again Joey Awe Shucks – Booty Shaking Adventurer And Dashing Scoundrel Extraordinaire has done the unthinkable. He has conquered the island far away. Though – now that I look around – who the hell would want to conquer this piece of crud?"

"Oh Dashing One – I broke the lock on the chest."

"Fantastic – what magnificent treasure waits within?"

"A bomb."

"Come again?"

"We have been setup."

"That's the problem with the multiverse – every single hunter wants the bounty on your head. I knew I should have binge watched the new season of Orange Is the New Black before setting off on this adventure. How much time do we have left?"

"A minute."

"Perfect. Just enough time to call Mother Dearest and tell her not to wash my collection of underwear. I won't need them where I'm going."

WHAT CHILDREN TALK ABOUT IN QUIET MOMENTS

"I know what you did," Jesse said, taking a seat on the opposite bench.

Alisha feigned innocence. "What did I do?"

"You slashed the tyres on Kyle's sports bike."

"Just because I'm the new kid in school doesn't give him the right to be a total jerk."

"I went one better – I set the stupid thing on fire."

"Guess we have something in common."

"Jesse Smith."

"Alisha Court."

"Want to join my crew?"

"Depends – how far does your appetite for destruction go?"

"Far enough when it comes to making a stand against bullies."

Alisha smiled. "Where do I sign up?"

JACKED!

"Uploaded," Cyberpunk said, leaving the computer terminal.

"Shouldn't it be more complex?" Dystopian asked.

"Fantasy fans will do anything to see the baby dragon," Lord Sci-Fi said, stepping into the War Room. "Once the egg hatches – all those jacked into the network are going to get fried."

"Then will the war be over?"

"Young Adult is still out there causing chaos."

"But he's just a kid –"

"That's what Horror thought and look what happened to him."

"Are any of us going to survive?" Dystopian asked, glancing at the Confirmed Dead List.

Lord Sci-fi stared into space. "Only time will tell."

This final piece is a complete story split into two sequences to show the passage of time.

LAUGH IT UP

Sucker

"Just isn't your night," J-Bomb said, opening the Collection Box.

Slap-Stick lowered his head and handed his antlers over. "You sure we can't go another round so I can win them back?"

"Rules are rules – couldn't change them if I wanted to," J-Bomb said, shrugging his shoulders. "On the bright side – you still have your heavy metal mullet to give you the edge and the type of bushy tail women would kill for. Now get in the van – we need to finish you off."

Bro Time

Slap-Stick came storming into the Man Cave and slammed the door. He couldn't help kicking over a chair and screaming.

Lazy-Eye looked up from his crystal ball. "Dude – what happened to your antlers?"

"I lost them to J-Bomb and his cronies," Slap-Stick mumbled.

"I told you not to play 'Rock / Paper / Scissors' with those guys. The Jackalope's own that game."

"Losing the antlers I can handle. It's the second part of the defeat that's stolen my happiness," Slap-Stick complained, turning round.

Lazy-Eye trotted over. "What is it?"

"A butt tattoo," Slap-Stick screeched. "Thanks to those douche bags – I'm no longer a rocking reindeer but a reject from – My Little Pony!"