Sidekicks
By MaryKent
I don't own it; I just hope you enjoy my musings.
Chapter 1: Roy
Life is a battle in the Glades. It is not the kind of battle that they describe in history books where there are orderly lines of soldiers marching in time to a drummer waiting for a signal from their general with brass buttons and seated on a white horse. Life in the Glades was probably more like some kind of covert military mission where a single brave man infiltrates the enemy's lines to steal government secrets all the while under the threat of discovery.
It is not a place to raise a family, but Roy would not say he was raised so much as he had to grow up in the Glades. Grow up and steal to survive.
The Glades were full of people like Roy. Each one doing whatever it took to survive and none wanted to stay.
Half of the residents had to leave. The east end of the Glades was destroyed by a manmade earthquake. The rest of the residents suffered all the more. Countless sums of money were being funneled into rebuilding. The new construction would be glorious if the proposed line drawings could be believed.
But Roy would never live in one of the new high rises. His neighborhood continued to be purely low income housing now fighting over items stolen from the rubble of east Glades.
The Glades were supposed to be receiving money from relief organizations and the government, but it was not helping the residents themselves. Crooked politicians red tape continued to hold up the money while crime lords and thieves ruled the streets. And one man, Malcolm Merlyn, succeeded at murdering half the Glades.
But the vigilante was the Glades redeeming hero. Even before the destruction of the Glades he targeted some of the Glades slum. Not everyone agreed on the Hood's controversial behavior, but Roy knew it was true: the Hood was a hero. People needed to stop the corruption in the Glades and elsewhere in the city. He did not care how it was done – by fear, intimidation, bow and arrow – just so long as he had an opportunity to help.
His diligence paid off. Roy discovered Oliver's secret. Now Roy filled his nights fighting crime instead of holding up fast food restaurants.
That is what he wanted to be doing at night.
But life never handed him any favors.
"Roy, why did you stop?"
"This is stupid," Roy glared up at Oliver.
Oliver glanced over at Roy. Roy slapped the water in a bucket again. Roy was humiliated. He was soaked. The water splashed every time he hit it sending another wave of liquid over his body and the floor. No one could fight crime with a particularly well placed water slap. "I am wet. The water is making a mess, and this is stupid. Why do I have to do this?" moaned Roy.
"You are the one that wanted to help. Why don't you figure out how this can help," Oliver said before turning around and climbing the salmon ladder.
Roy slapped the water in frustration. It splashed further but not far enough to hit his target: Oliver. Oliver was training, building speed, endurance, and agility that would keep him faster and stronger than his opponents. Roy could only hope that he was wet enough to slip out of someone's grasp like a slick fish if he had to fight.
Roy filled the bucket again and kept slapping the water. With every slap his frustration grew.
"How is it going over there?" Oliver inquired.
"Wet," Roy responded. He glared up at Oliver for a moment before taking another swing at the bucket. He wanted to help Oliver fight but he did not want to be constantly humiliated in the process.
While Roy was trying to remind himself why he was there in the first place, a loud splat startled him and a wave of water doused his already soaked body. Roy had not even noticed Oliver walking up to him.
"Are you paying attention to your surroundings?" asked Oliver. "You need to be alert while fighting."
"But I was not fighting. I was slapping water," Roy said, stating the obvious.
"Really?" responded Oliver. "I thought you said you said you wanted to train to fight crime with me. That means you need to be alert." Oliver turned and walked away again but continued talking to Roy while doing some target practice. "I was a worthless fighter once." Oliver rapidly drew an arrow, took aim, and sent and arrow straight into the bull's-eye. "The same person who taught me how to do that," Oliver gestured to the target, "had me slap water until she was pleased. Now get back to work."
Roy returned to his water slapping. Surely Oliver was not creating some massive practical joke. Oliver did not seem like the joking type. He was single minded on his mission while utilizing utilitarian ends. There was nothing comedic in Oliver's method.
Ultimately, Roy's resolve steeled him and he methodically slapped water while maintaining his vigilance.
Oliver walked over to Roy but stayed out of the splash zone. "What kind of skills do you have?" he asked, "other than dragging my sister into trouble."
Roy rolled his eyes before stating, "Whatever kind of fighting could keep you alive in the Glades. I didn't have many options other than learning to defend myself and quickly grab some cash or food." Roy gave the water an exasperated slap.
"So why go from being a thief to tracking down a vigilante determined to take down this city's thieves?" asked Oliver.
"You saved me," Roy responded. His eyes blazed with hero worship. The same passion that convinced Thea to search for the vigilante with him. Now I need to make my life matter. I want to stop the crime lords and mob men from destroying more lives. And now I want to help you right the wrongs done by Malcolm Merlyn," said Roy determinedly.
"What makes you think that you would actually be of help to me?" questioned Oliver.
Roy's eyes shown with excitement. He could almost feel the thrill of helping Oliver fight crime on the streets. "Batman had Robin at his side and Captain America was supported by Bucky."
Oliver dryly chuckled at Roy's response. Trust some kid to try make reality into the plot of a comic. "I don't need a sidekick and this is not a fantasy. There are real problems to deal with and each problem comes with its own real danger."
"I know. The disasters in the Glades have almost killed me before, repeatedly. I just want a chance."
Oliver saw that Roy was still caught up in searching for his own meaning and thought becoming a hero would provide him with fulfillment.
"The world has seen it a thousand times before," began Oliver, "a boy overcomes hardship, he gallantly fights for his valiant cause, and all the while he is tempted by a beautiful woman and manages to overcome his own desire in order to finally win a thrilling battle over the evil forces he encountered. Then the hero returns victorious and filled with satisfaction over his accomplishment. You will not do this so that the world will praise you though. If you are going to join me, you need to achieve self-submission. You are not in this for the glory. You will not be a martyr. You are committed to justice for this city. If legal justice incriminates you, you will go to jail. You will submit to justice just like I force my foes to submit. Do we have an understanding?"
Roy held out his still wet hand to Oliver and resolved, "Agreed."