"Get your bloody hands off me boomerang Axel!"
The blonde haired boy jumped at the sound of his name and spun around to see Digger Harkness walking into the room.
"I was only looking, I swear!" the kid claimed, discreetly dropping the weapon back on the kitchen table.
Digger snatched up his boomerang with a huff and tucked it in his belt. "This here ain't a toy, it's a weapon. Next time be sure ta look with your eyes n' not your hands."
The Trickster nodded quickly, not wanting to get on the Australian's bad side. However, he couldn't hold back his curiosity. He cautiously asked, "So, um, how does it work?"
Captain Boomerang blinked twice, not quite sure if he was being serious or not. "Like I said, it's an aduteced piece of metal here. The aerodynamics are too complicated for yoos ta understand."
Reaching into his back pocket, Axel pulled out one of his famous yoyos. Ignoring Digger's response, he asked, "Does it work like a yoyo? I mean, the reason it comes back."
Boomerang rolled his eyes. "Really Axel? Yoor smarter than that. It's the different slope of the metal. See?"
By instinct, Digger flipped out his boomerang and found himself telling Axel to feel the arc of it, an act he had just scolded the boy for doing. Without realizing it, he launched into a full on explanation on their science and his history. To his surprise, Axel seemed to be grasping the concepts with ease.
"That is so cool. Can you do any tricks?"
Digger grinned, grabbing it and hurling it across the room. It seemed to be going right towards the brand new lamp Lisa had bought last weekend! But, at the last second, the boomerang curved around. He caught it behind his back.
"Awesome," the Trickster said in admiration. "You have to show me how!"
Five minutes later, the two were down in the training room. Captain Boomerang had grabbed some of his easier to throw boomerangs, and had turned some high-powered fans Hartley had installed to maximum power to stimulate an artificial wind.
After another thorough explanation from Digger, he handed Axel one of his weapons. Axel said, "So I just gotta flick my wrist, right?"
Digger nodded. "Just be sure ta throw it vertically, not horizontally like some flamin American frisby."
Axel clutched the boomerang, held it over his shoulder, and threw it with all his strength just as he had seen Digger do thousands of times before. Despite his good form and the strong wind, it simply fell to the ground a few yards ahead. Axel's face drooped, but Digger simply laughed.
"Not bad for your first try Seppo. Only a couple hundred more throws and yoos just might get it ta come back ta you."
Axel gave him a friendly shove before running and bringing back the boomerang. "Eh, the things rigged. Did it really take you that long to get it to work?"
He thought back to old memories. Digger remembered the day he got his first boomerang in the mail. "Ahh, I got lucky the first time. Ended up gettin' hit when it came back round though. These boomerang can be dangerous without proper handlin'."
Axel nodded, and with stubborn determination said, "I'll get it eventually." He continued to throw and receive. On his fifth throw he was rewarded with a slight curve, but nothing more.
Suddenly, Digger became suspicious of Axel's intentions. "You ain't tryin' ta nick me gimmick now, are yoos Axel?"
Axel quickly shook his head no to defend himself. "It's not like that Dig. I would never give up my wicked toys." As a second thought, he added, "And I didn't steal James Jesse's if that's also what you're implying. That was different, he was my hero. I'm just continuing on his legacy."
Digger raised his hands. "I'm not tryin' ta attack your reputation boy, we all know yoos earned your place on the team. But I wood like ta know just why yoos were so keen on learnin' 'bout me profession."
Axel looked down, seeming nervous and embarrassed. Now Digger was really curious to know why, since it seemed to be bothering the kid so much. He waited patiently for the anti-hero to speak up. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, he began to talk.
"Look, I know we all got a bad backstory and shiz, so I'm not whining or anything like that. It's just that, well, when I saw your boomerang, it kinda reminded me of the time my dad tried to teach me how to use one when I was younger…" He trailed off.
Digger realized the boy was lonely, that he need comfort and reassurance from a father that most likely no longer existed. In an attempt to help, he tenderly put a hand on Axel's shoulder. "I understand Axel. I actually got me first boomerang from me dad. Of course he sent it ta me in the mail from America, and I didn't even know he was my dad at the time. Actually, I didn't find out he was my dad until after I killed him."
Axel's eyes got wide and Digger swore under his breath. "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry Axel. I don't really know how ta do this stuff, I mean. Me and the other Rogues don't know what ta do around kids…"
The blounde boy straitened his shoulders and Harkness's hand fell off. "I'm not a kid, I'm fifteen," he said with a stoned face.
Digger ran his hand through his curly red hair. "Axel, I'm not tryin' ta offend yoos. I'm sorry that yoos had ta grow up without a mother and father. And I'm sorry that the family you got in return isn't the best role model. Just know that nah matter what happens, we've got your back."
Axel looked up at the older man and softly spoke. "Rule number four."
Digger gave rare soft smile. "Yah, rule number four. The Rogues are family. We stick together, and nothin' can stop us."
Axel gave him a goofy grin in return. "Thanks Digger. It, it means a lot."
Tired of all the gooey emotional drama going on, Digger Harkness thrust a boomerang in Axel's hand one more time.
"Well, let's see it. One last throw."
Axel once again brought the boomerang to his shoulder and threw it. It did a fairly wide arch, but still fell a quarter of the way back.
This time, Axel laughed out loud. "I think I'll just stick to yoyos."