Letter to Katou

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

Katou,

Hey!

What's the haps?

Virgil

Comments

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

V,

How you doing? Want me to come over?

- Katou

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

Katou,

Sounds good. Bring some pizza?

Virgil

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

Virg,

Can do.

-Katou


A few minutes later, true to his word, Katou showed up with a large pepperoni pizza (already warmed up, since he didn't trust Virgil to do it).

"Pizza's here," he called when he stepped into the garage.

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"I think I called it in over a half hour ago. So it's free, right?" Virgil called from the back of the garage. He was sitting on one of the 'beanbags' they'd made out of some pillows and a bunch of clothes, frowning to himself and generally looking mopey. When Katou came in, though, he shot him a sad smile.

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Katou said. "But I still expect a tip." He sat down next to Virgil, and softened his voice a little. "How you holding up?"

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"This really sucks," Virgil replied, grabbing a piece of pizza.

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"He came back once before," Katou said, also reaching for a piece. "Maybe he'll do it again."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"I know, I know," Virgil said. "And even if not, when I get home, I'll see him again. But it just sucks." He took a bite of pizza. "Man, he's been so distant the past couple of months? Like distracted, kinda out of it and stuff. I just thought it was like, stir crazy? Sometimes those crazy genius thoughts kind of bottle up for him. But now I feel like I should have noticed something was wrong."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

Katou sighed. "I doubt there's anything you could have noticed," he said. "Don't beat yourself up over it."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"I know, I know," Virgil replied. "But man. Hey, I have a crazy theory. What if he was on to something? Before he disappeared last time, he'd been working on a way to get us out of here. Then when he came back, we mostly focused on stuff like video games since he didn't think he could do it? But what if he's been so distracted cause, like, he had a major brain wave, and they turned him into a duck so he wouldn't figure it out."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

Katou frowned to himself. "That might be it," he said. "You don't think the park is going to let us figure stuff out?"

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Well, could be?" He shrugged. "I mean, there's gotta be some reason we're all here, right? I don't know, maybe they're busy harvesting our organs and they don't want us figuring things out while they do it!"

Virgil maybe watched too much sci-fi.

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

Katou paused, and then snorted. "They've got robots here," he said. "I don't think harvesting organs is high on their to do list."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

Virgil laughed. "Spare parts? Speaking of which, know what else is weird? Backpack and Richie's techno stuff are still here." He glanced at Katou. "Eever wanted to be a superhero's sidekick?"

He was joking-- Richie's gear wasn't workable by anyone who didn't have a supergenius brain, and Virgil didn't really need a replacement Gear anyway.

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Have I ever!" Katou said, grinning like a loon. He was really only half joking - when he was younger he did want to be a superhero of some sort.

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Weell, okay, but you need a better superhero name than just 'Katou.'"

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"I could be the Great Masked Avenger," he said grinning widely and striking a pose. "But I'll need a mask..."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"And a marketing advisor, cause that is the dumbest name ever."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, like 'Static's' so much better," Katou snorted. "Fine, what about Super Junkie?"

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Static is a great name. And no Super Junkie. I have a squeaky clean image to maintain."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Fine, fine, I'm new at this whole superhero naming thing," Katou said, rolling his eyes. "What do you propose I call myself?"

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Uhm," said Virgil, who had never been as good at this as Richie. "Iron Man? No, that's taken. What about Shapeshifter...Lad..."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

Katou paused, and then burst out laughing. "Oh, you thought my names were bad?" he asked, grinning. "Those are terrible."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Shut up," Virgil mock-grumped. "Or I'll make you be Static Boy."

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Now that's an even dumber name," Katou said, rolling his eyes. "I don't have Staticy powers. That's just misleading. Quit lying to your fans, Staticman."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Sparky, the Non-Electric Wonder? Actually, that name's taken. Sparkles? It fits the theme, and it doesn't imply electricity powers, just that you have pretty wings!"

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Are you serious? Who the hell would take that name before us?"

He sporfled at Virgil's second post. "Do you want everyone to think I'm a faggot?"

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"Some disco superhero's sidekick from the seventies. I am totally serious about this."

"Heh," Virgil replied. He felt kind of uncomfortable about slurs like that, but he knew from experience Katou didn't really have much of a problem with gay people, so he didn't say anything. "Maybe I just don't want you to have a cooler name?"

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

He snorted at that. "My god. Wow. The seventies were... a magical time, I guess." He grinned. "Let's just go with Katou. I bet my name could double as a superhero name or something. No one expects superheroes to use their real name."

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"That's one way of putting it. And okay, Katou it is. Why were we talking about this again?"

[katoustheshit.livejournal.com]

"Because I'm replacing you," he said. "I'm gonna be... Uh... Gotham City's newest baddest superhero."

Fuck, where the hell was Virgil from anyway? Katou was sure he'd been told before.

[superherogifted.livejournal.com]

"I'm from Dakota, genius. But yeah, good luck showing up Batman."