Sidekicks

Chapter 12: The Birth of a Villain

Ryan gave his brother the side eye. "What do you look so happy for?"

Coma stopped skipping, wiping the smile from his face. "Lina asked me for homework help this weekend. Said I could come over tomorrow."

"Hey, nice!" Ryan cheered, clapping his brother on the back. "Being a nerd paid off!"

"Oh yeah." Coma rolled his eyes. "By the way, what did you do to Henry? He told me you were being a jerk."

"What?!" Ryan gaped. "I was nothing but nice!"

"He said you guys talked yesterday." His brother lifted his brow questioningly. "But I was with you most of the day when we didn't have class. Except for at practice when you left. And Henry wasn't there. So..."

Ryan laughed nervously. "Uh... He called me and wanted someone to talk to. So I went."

"Mmhmm." Coma nodded, tapping on his phone screen. "Yeah, I'm sure. Two problems with that." Uh oh. "One: Henry doesn't own a phone. Not even a landline. And two..." Coma held up his phone and Ryan felt his stomach drop when he saw the picture displayed on his brother's screen.

There was Ryan in his bright blue suit, Fuse's mask over his face as he surfed a wave with Henry clinging to him, hiding his face from the crowd and camera.

"He's Fuse," Coma said softly. He didn't seem angry. He didn't even seem shocked. He was just smiling softly, tucking the phone away.

"I can explain that," Ryan said. He racked his brain for an explanation. "See... Uh... I stole that mask during our last fight. Because mine sucks, y'know? And that guy clinging to me like an overgrown baby is... wearing a handmade Fuse costume." Ryan tried for a smile, not even believing himself. The smile quickly fell when Coma quirked his brow. "Okay, yeah, but don't tell anyone, I really don't want to arrest him! Like, just look at his mom! She won't survive without him!"

"Why would I be the one to tell someone?" Coma chuckled. "You're the one who can't lie at all. Besides, I like Henry. And like I've said before, Repulser and Fuse aren't bad, just annoying."

"Yeah, yeah, you giant nerd fanboy," Ryan snickered. "You love having a villain as a friend but having a hero as a brother sucks."

"It does!" Coma argued. "Dad lets you off easy all the time just because you fight Repulser sometimes."

"Yeah, well, my life's harder than yours." Ryan shrugged.

"Yeah, well, my life's harder than yours," Coma mocked. "See why I like Henry better?"

Ryan couldn't help but sympathize. Sometimes even he liked Henry better than himself.

Ryan heard the cracking of electricity before he heard the harsh ringing of the alert from Coma's phone. He glanced at his brother before looking behind them. The sky was dark with clouds ready to burst with rain at any given moment.

Kilowatt was racing towards them, electricity arcing around her body, connecting with nearby metal objects, cracking like lightning. She looked like she was ready to kill.

"Ryan!" She growled. Ryan pushed his brother behind him, driving him to run. He held up his fists but he couldn't bring up any water. The ground was soaked and yet he couldn't seem to gather any of it. Kilowatt was getting closer.

Ryan turned to run but froze at the sight behind him. Coma was held in a headlock, his feet kicking in the air. Behind him was Fuse, missing his mask, his arm locked around Coma's neck. His smile was killer, a silent laugh ringing in his head.