The future. Constantly changing and evolving. There will always be heroes to protect the world and be a beacon of hope for the common man. Some may choose to fight crime in their small community. Some may serve justice on a more grand scale. These people work together with like-minded ones and bring about a better future.
Sometimes, however, some wish to secure this future for themselves. They may desire to conquer the world for their own gain. Others may want to create a new world of their own.
But all of these people are not born. No, they are created. Made to destroy the innocent or destined to protect them. Several generations have since passed but the fight goes on. And, although there will continue to be many adventures, countless laughs, and heroic moments, this story begins in a different place.
The sun is hiding behind the clouds as rain begins to fall on a retirement home that has been rundown and in need of desperate repair. The musty interior invades the senses as two old gentlemen lay in bed side by side. One of them, having thick, gray hair and a lengthy body, looks over at another man whose face is covered with mustard and is falling asleep while eating a sandwich. On each of their arms is a band with their names on them: Slinky and Laughing Matter.
“Hey, bro. Keep your eyes open, old man.” Said Slinky.
Matter, having been startled awake, said “What? Oh, hey a sandwich. Nice.”
Slinky sighed and said “Wipe your face and put on some decent clothes. You know our grandkids are visiting us today?”
“Oh, is that today? Uh, what is today again?” Matter asked.
“I’m not doing this again. Here, take your meds you ol’ coot.” Said Slinky as he handed Matter a prescription bottle.
After about a half hour went by, the door to their room swung open and a young boy and girl ran inside while two older people followed behind them.
“Grandpa, Grandpa! Guess what?” Said the young girl.
“Hello! What is it, sweetie?” Slinky asked.
“Daddy got me these cool sneakers for school!” Sad the girl as she showed off her shoes.
“Oh wow! Those are quite neat indeed.” Slinky said.
The young boy approached Matter and said “What’s up, pops?”
“Hm, Oh if it isn’t my son. How are you?” Matter asked.
“Papa, I’m your grandson, remember?” The young boy said.
Matter grabbed his glasses off the table beside him and squinted as he put them on his face.
“Ah, my boy! Look at ya! Growin’ up so fast, I see.” Matter said as he ruffled the boy's hair.
One of the older people walked over and put a hand on Matter’s shoulder.
“Hey, Dad. Is this place treating you alright?” Asked Matter’s son, Theo.
“Oh, yes. I can’t believe they know how to make my favorite sandwiches.” Said Matter.
The other older person sat on Slinky’s bed and kissed him on the forehead.
“Hi, Dad. I’m glad to see you and I’m also glad you haven’t torn Matter apart.” Said Slinky's daughter, Kate.
“Ha! Not yet, anyway. Hey, how much longer did the doc say he’s got?” Slinky asked.
“Maybe two days, tops.” She replied.
“...And me?” He hesitated to say.
“Roughly the same.” She struggled to say.
After some warm conversation and some coffee, Kate and Theo told the two kids to say goodbye to their grandpas.
“Grandpa? Do you think I can be like you one day?” The boy asked.
“Well, I don’t think you could ever match my level of hilarity, but I think you’ll do just fine.” Matter said.
Slinky leaned into the girl’s ear and whispered “Can you keep a secret?”
She nodded and Slinky continued “You remember my special room that’s off-limits? When you go home, you can go inside there. I left some yummy candy in there for you kids.”
Her eyes lit up and she gave him a big hug.
Kate and Theo told their kids to go ahead and wait in the car.They gave their parents hugs and tried to hold their tears and not cry.
“Goodbye, Dad. Never stop fighting, okay?” Theo said as he wiped a single tear that escaped his eye.
“Dad…I love you. You can rest now. Your job is done.” Kate said.
Theo and Kate left the room as Slinky and Matter laid in their beds in silence.
A day later, Slinky came back from the bathroom in the morning and noticed Matter was still asleep.
“C’mon, get up. They made your favorite breakfast today.” Slinky said as he jostled Matter.
After not getting a response, he turned Matter over and noticed he felt cold.
“Bro?” He whispered.
He checked his heartbeat and, after realizing there wasn’t one, knelt down and looked at his body.
As several tears welled up, he said “Thanks for everything. You’re the best partner I could’ve ever asked for.”
He then rolled Matter’s body onto his back and tucked him into his bed.
Slinky then rolled onto his bed and ate the breakfast that was made for him as he flipped through some old photos.
As he finished eating, a cough developed in his throat and he grew tired.
He stared at a photo of himself and Matter in their younger years on one of their first missions. He gave a weak smile as a tear rolled down his face. Before he knew it, he fell asleep with the photo on his chest.
Around noon, a lady entered the room to give them lunch and as she turned to look at them she immediately stopped. She slowly walked over to their beds and noticed the photo on Slinky’s chest. She looked at it and then looked at them lying peacefully in bed.
She smiled and walked back to the food cart. Before she left the room to inform the other staff about them being deceased she looked back at them one last time.
“Heroes of the world, saviors of the universe, may you find peace. Long live Slinky and Laughing Matter.”
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