Chibiyu: I completely forgot that I wrote last chapter haha.
Nick: I fail to find that possible. You made Joe into a total douche.
Chibiyu: I have my reasons! YOU were hanging out with a villain!
THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER!
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"She didn't do anything wrong." I whispered, turning my back to my loved ones. "How are you a Hero," I raised my voice, speaking to the road in front of me though it was well known that they were meant for my brother's ears, "When you're the one throwing stones?"
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Nick's PoV
The cold wood under my hand sent shivers through down my spine. I knew what was waiting for me on other side of this door and I knew that it wouldn't even involve the nuisance that were Joe and Kevin. I swallowed down my already rising irritation and managed to blow out the flame that was dangerous close to my fuse before I pushed the rest of the door open.
I instantly ducked, feeling shoes brush the top of my head and hearing laughter as my mother screamed for Frankie to get back in the house and finish his training. I eyed him, glaring slightly as I pointed back inside the renovated firehouse. Frankie, who was currently hovering about ten feet in the air, stuck his tongue out at me before zooming back inside, purposefully shoving me over. I really hope his prejudice against people without powers was just a phase.
"Nicholas? Is that you?" I sighed at Mom's voice and walked out of the doorway and into her view. "I'm so glad you're safe!" My teeth pressed together tightly as I awaited the long since memorized speech.
"I'm fine, Mom," I stressed, leaning on the marble countertop and looking her squarely in the eye. "This dude was a complete joke. It was easy to deal with him."
"Deal with him?" I blinked, confused at her question, her brow furrowing as she felt the confusion enter my normal carefully guarded mind.
"Yeah," I was uncertain about this answer, saying it almost like a question. "Joe and Kevin showed up late again and I took care of the idiot and broke out before they even entered the lair." I willed her to see the truth in my thoughts.
Mom stared at me, her brown eyes wide and her fingers lost in their plethora of red hair. I waited for her to process this information. I had no doubt that my brothers had been lying to her all of these years, telling her that they always got to me in the nick-of-time and saved my sorry butt. I bet she thought I was a groveling weakling from their stories. I wonder what it was like for her to be slapped in the face with the truth. I bet they fooled her with thinking all too hard on their lies. So much for 'a mother always knows.'
"You did that?" She whispered, her hand falling her hair. I nodded, causing her to smile and pat me on the cheek. "Of course you did, sweetie."
I felt my eyes widen in horror and my mouth opened slightly as I gawked at her. "You don't believe me?" Her smile of understanding and pity said it all. "Why would I lie? Joe and Kevin are the ones lying to you!" She didn't even believe me when I opened my mind to her, when I allowed her to read the truth in my thoughts. She only believed the lies my brothers have been feeding her.
Mom laughed lightly and shook her head, turning back to the sink and throwing a wink over her shoulder. "Ok, hun. I'll let you be the Hero for today."
My entire frame shook with anger at her words. "I'm more of a Hero than your insolent sons will ever be."
If she turned at my words and opened her mouth to yell, I would never know. I was already sliding down the golden fire pole and into my brother's own lair. I would get punished for that, but it didn't matter. I only spoke the truth and deep down, my mother knew it too.
"Nick?" I turned, trying to crush the anger that riddled in my trembling fists as I regarded the large eyes of my younger brother. "Am I an insolent brother too?"
I closed my eyes his words slamming into me and making me catch my breath. "No, Frankie, I didn't mean you."
Frankie, who normally wouldn't take the energy to walk over to me, actually used his two feet to reach me and touch my arm. "I don't mean to so bad. You know I love you, right?"
I knelt down so I was at his eye level. "I know that and I love you too. I'm just so frustrated at everyone treating me like I'm useless."
"But you're not!" Frankie cut across me and shook my arm lightly. "You may not have powers like us, but you're still an amazing big brother and the best role model I could have!"
I smiled at the youngest Lucas, a genuine smile that felt like the first one I had achieved in years, truly touched by his words. "Thanks bro." I hugged him briefly before pushing him towards the fire pole. "Go finish your training."
Frankie scoffed and rolled his eyes, not liking the idea of getting extra homework. "Fine. You're lucky you never had to do this."
"No I'm not. I taught myself through experience. You don't want to have to do that." Frankie's face fell at my words; at least he believed in me. I stood and began to walk away, wanting to leave him with those words to think about. But his voice had me stopping and nearly made it impossible to take the next breath.
"Did you ever get hurt because Joe and Kevin didn't come?"
Should I lie to protect him or tell the truth to let him be warned to what is coming? I turned back to him, and refused to meet his gaze. "Yes, Frankie. I did."
"How bad?"
I shrugged, not wanting to give him nightmares. "Not bad enough to be killed." I forced a smile before pointing upstairs. He nodded, message sent, and took off, leaving me in seclusion.
"Yo Nicholas!" I nearly growled at the call from Dad as I stormed over to the intercom.
"Yes?" I didn't bother hiding the aggravation; he knew to not extend the conversation when I was like this. I loved my dad, but he could be a total pansy.
"Don't go out tonight. There's word that a lot of them are going to be out and about tonight."
I blinked; this was interesting news. "Do you know why?"
There was a pause as Dad read the memo, the shuffling of papers filling the static. "Something about a search party."
"A casualty?" I guessed, already feeling terrible for the family on the lost life.
"Oddly enough, no," Dad told me, his voice just as lost as my thoughts. "We don't know what, but with that much evil out on the streets, everyone, even Heroes, are told to remain indoors."
"Good to know. Thanks Dad." I walked away from the intercom, stopping for the millionth time tonight as Dad's voice called me back.
"You should thank Joe and Kevin. They just gave me a very insightful account on how they saved you. They want to come to the Lair when they get back and requested, as a thank you, to clean it up a little. That's all."
What am I, a cleaning lady? I knocked the keyboard off the desk, feeling no satisfaction when I heard the dull thud. I tried to control my rage, curbing into the rapid clenching and unclenching of my fingers and kicking the desk chair. I watched it roll away, banging into the plaster on the opposite side. Joe and Kevin wanted a clean Lair? I'll give them something they will talking about all night.
I picked up the keyboard, smirking in a way that Paragon would be proud of as my fingers danced across the black keys. I hit the 'enter' key, and stood straight. Let's see how Joe and Kevin get into the 'newly cleaned' lair when all of the security passwords are changed? Now for some 'cleaning.'
I will be killed when they find out. Too bad it will worth it.
I grabbed my leather jacket and threw it over my shoulder, walking out of the emergency escape door with a little swagger in my step. I know Dad said to not go out tonight, but what does it matter? I can outsmart any of the villains on the street and besides, if this reconnaissance mission is as important as Dad implied, then why would they be bothered by little old me?
I whistled loudly, hoping that my friend would be able to hear it. I looked up, smiling when I saw a bat waving one wing at me.
"You never were a subtle creature," I commented, stopping and looking up at her furry face.
"Where's the fun in that?" She responded, her little feet letting go of the flagpole. "Anyway, I'm sure you've heard, but you shouldn't be out here after the sun sets."
We both looked towards the horizon, me cocking an eyebrow. "Well I'm not going to make it back inside in three seconds."
"You'd better." The sun set behind her and I just crossed my arms and rolled my eyes, putting all my weight on one foot. "It's not a night for anyone to be out."
"And why might that be?"
She looked nervously over her bat shoulder – do bats have shoulders? – and shuddered. "I can't tell you and I have to say that I'm not going to be involved. It's too weird and too dangerous, even for me."
"And we all know that you can't be tamed," I commented, not liking that everyone was trying to order me around.
"Please, Nick," she begged, her eyes going timid as something bolted across the street a few houses down.
I shrugged, neither saying yes or no. "What if I told you that I'll be careful?" She glared at me and stiffened, her eyes going wide. "Paragon?"
"Go!" She urged, taking off quickly and turning her head to scream the word "run" towards me again. I took her advice and bolted down an alley, not stopping until curiosity got the best of me. I sunk low in the shadows, looking just in time to see a silhouette dragging along the street. Its back was hunched; its left foot dragged across the pavement, something dripped from its mouth and the stench was enough to have me gagging. What the heck was that? [i]Who[/i] was that?
"Hideous, isn't he?" I nearly jumped out of my skin from the male's voice. I squinted through the darkness, my mouth opening as I tried to ask for this person's identity. A hand was slapped over my mouth and we both waited for the thing to pass. I could hear his breathing, hushed but strangled in fear. He removed his hands after twenty seconds after the things passing. "Never cross him, but this will probably be the only time you'll see him. He remains hidden as his appearance is…"
"Hideous?" I echoed him from moments earlier, hearing him nod. "Who are you?"
The guy laughed lightly and stood, the light above his head flaring. "Many people say that I turn them on; it's a joke in bad taste." The guy laughed, offering me his hand. I took it, allowing him to pull me up. Everything about this guy screamed 'Villain,' but I didn't care. He wasn't attacking me so why should I provoke him?
I sized him up as he was doing to me. Glinting dark eyes, black neatly trimmed hair, defined muscles and a darker skin tone; those should be enough traits to identify him to anyone if he decides to turn mean. My brow furrowed when he stepped back from me, the glint in his eyes turning dark.
"You're Nick Lucas, aren't you?"
"And you're a Villain."
The guy nodded. "Technotron."
I shook my head and crossed my arms. "No cover names. It's not like I can kick your ass anyway."
He smirked, showing off his pearly whites. "It's Tony. And I know that you [i]can[/i] kick my ass."
I spread my arms and let him see my normally suppressed ego. "What can I say?"
Tony nodded in amusement before holding out his hand again. "Well before I try and take you down, how about have a little bet?"
I eyed his hand briefly before raising my skeptical gaze towards his. "I'm not gullible." I knew that if I would have taken his hand, I would be fried corpse. Now there's a lovely image. The guy laughed, shifting his golden sad-eyed mask before chuckling.
"They always did say you were smart, along with strong." He laughed, louder this time. "But with the Stone, then I will be able to beat you. I will be able to beat everyone! I can finally say SCREW YOU to the higher order and do what I want to do!"
"Don't you guys do that anyway?" I always knew that the Heroes had a higher order, a ruler of sorts, but I had no idea that Villains had the same.
Tony shrugged, lowering his hand. "We do as we see fit. If it is too out of order then we are punished."
"That's awful," I tried to sympathize, hoping that a fight could be avoided. I did not want to get my eyebrows fried off.
Tony shrugged, not taking my bait. "Unfortunately, the leader has made it a number one priority to deliver your head to him."
"Attached?" I joked with confidence.
I watched his smirk grow to one that was similar to that on my face earlier in the night. "He prefers the neck to be out of the equation."
"Cute," I dryly commented, done with this conversation deal. "Now act instead of talk."
Tony smirked, his mouth closing – a happy change of events considering the last blabber mouth who tried to take me down. Now, you can make lights flare up and there are poorly constructed puns about you turning them on. Figuring out his power was easier than boosting a Hero's ego; electricity. That was why I didn't take his hand before.
"I can beat you without the Stone," he whispered, cracking his neck. But my mind was far from his so-called intimidation technique. That was the second time he managed this stone. What was it and why were all the Villains searching for it?
I could hear his heart beating, thundering with a mix of anxiety and excitement; ready to face the one who lived all this time. But even his heart couldn't overpower the shrill screech of his smirk; boisterous, ready for anything, and a touch of uncertainty. People always tried to make themselves look overly confident when they weren't sure of their abilities. Tony wasn't sure he could beat me. But why is that? It can't be because I am 'so powerful,' no; it had to be because my brothers could come bursting through the mouth of the alley at any given moment. Tony needn't fear them however – the true threats are often those suppressed and demeaned, a someone perhaps, like me.
I heard the air crackle, the sound just a whisper of the night an impossible to hear it you had not have been listening. My eyes flicked up and over towards the only electrical source in the vicinity; the overhanging lamp Tony had previously lit. My gaze found a frayed wired, uncapped and sticking out from behind the blackened-with-rust metal. I lowered my gaze, looking into his dark eyes and wondering how far his ego would go before it burst.
A cackle of a crow broke the silence as the beast landed on a window sill, ruffling its feathers nervously. Paragon. I flashed her an inconceivably small wink before putting on my own scared façade.
Tony chuckled lowly, the air filling with the unmistakable tingle of static. The hairs on my arms rose and I had to force myself to remain still, acting ignorant to the danger of my surroundings. This man could kill me with a single shot if I wasn't careful – and I had to make him think that I wasn't wary of him at all. The more I run, the more excited he will become to catch me and 'play' with his prey instead of outright ripping off my head. And that means more time to create a better plan.
I stumbled back just as the electrical charge in the air became almost too much to bear. I pretended to fall, landing hard on my butt and withholding a smile when I thought that I did a perfect imitation of my brother Joe. I let out a terrified gasp as a flash of white nearly blinded me, scorching the spot where I had been standing moments ago.
Tony was laughing again, approaching me slowly. He hopped over a puddle and leaned over me, a taunting look on his face. But my eyes were glued to the reflection on the water. That was the answer.
"I guess all those over Villains were just wimps and sugarcoated. You will be easier to take out than my dog." Great comparison Tony, I am sure the girls just love you. "Well I won't be as nice. I won't even give you last words." The air fizzled again and I took a slow breath, knowing that this wouldn't be the end.
I had to smirk as Tony, with a very disgusted look on his face, started shaking in utter rage when he noticed the now dripping white substance on his baggy gray shirt. I had to bite my tongue to keep back the laughter when the teen whirled around and started cussing at my friend on the window sill. She, for once, acted like a regular crow and chose to ruffle her speak feathers and cock her head to the side.
"It's a bird. They crap on things," I stated, using this time to push myself to my feet and plunge my hand into my pocket in a seemingly nonchalant manner.
Tony lowered his head, and glared at me, as if I had just been the one to soil his shirt. "You did this!"
"Normal," I labeled, pointing to myself. "Last time I checked, I cannot control the bladder functions of crows."
Tony growled, stepping forward, but I stood my ground. "I know that that crow isn't a bird."
It was my turn to title my head to the side as I stared at the Villain in false confusion. "Then what species is that crow? My vote is arachnid." He scowled at my smart aleck responses, giving me enough to time untangle what was hidden in my pocket.
"Well my vote is that you're going to pay."
"For the shirt or for you being the unlucky target?"
"Shut it!" His arm flew out, his fist colliding hard with the side of my face. I rolled away from the blow, not wanting there to be an obvious bruise. I would call it a battle scar; the world would look upon it as a sign of my naivety. Could I have avoided the blow? Yes. But I needed Tony to get into range.
"One hit?" I mocked, shaking my head slightly. "Lame."
He should have known that he was being goaded. He should have known better than to fall into my trap. But he didn't. I held my hands in the air, opening my palm but the object was still hidden for my opponent. Paragon, however, instantly knew my plan and took it. Tony would only see an idiot bird flying too close to the one she pooped on.
For the third time tonight, the air thickened and static danced along my exposed skin. I stood my ground, eyes on the puddle, rising slowly to Tony's face, then to the cord where the sparks would jump. Something cracked and popped and the smell of sizzling plastic burned our nostrils. Tony looked over to where my gaze was so adamantly placed and he gasped. Paragon was quick to drop the other end of my iPod headphones, which she had chewed off to expose the wiring, into my hand. She dived at the other, giving me a chance to thread the cord through one of his belt loops and touch his exposed backline.
Tony screamed when he felt he wires searing touch and he tried to move fast enough to get it away from his skin, but nothing moves faster than electricity. I turned my back, cruel as ever, and walked down a side alley, listening to Tony's screams fade as the distance between us increased. He would live, but he would not be without memory of this incident. He will find me again and next time, he won't hesitate to kill me. I will have to be on my toes from now on.
"Thanks for that, Para," I called out, knowing the bird-girl, wherever she was, would hear me.
I stalked about the night, always looking ahead of me and never once looking over my shoulder even when I become victim to the prickle of someone's gaze. If you want to survive in this world, always look like you have a purpose to your actions and never look shifty or paranoid. The second you show vulnerability, you're doomed.
My eyes flicked, uninterested, into shop windows. I paused when something small skirted across my path, causing me to follow its movements in a reflection of the shop window next to me. But the thing didn't hold my attention. I turned, looking into the candle lit window; dark burgundy curtains covered the bottom half and above lay shelves upon shelves of books. In front of the window treatments were novels on display. I smirked at the title on a white and red book: "Well…Just Beware."
I turned towards the door, finding it odd that the shop name was not imprinted on the glass. Slowly, as if trespassing, I pushed open the door. Bells hit the glass, causing me to jump out of my skin from the sudden chime.
"Hello?" a younger female voice called. "Enter, please!" The door shut softly behind me and my single footstep echoed strangely on the wooden floor. "Over here," she giggled, drawing my attention to the small round table. I walked over, smiling slightly and sat opposite of her, looking out the window for a moment and choosing to study her reflection instead of her actual features.
"I'm Lilly," she introduced, pushing her long deep red hair over her shoulder as her slender fingers separated the pages of the book in front of her. She turned her light hazel eyes towards me and leaned forward, studying me intently. "Who are you?"
I turned to the teenager, thinking that she couldn't be older than 19, but I wasn't fully convinced on that. "I'm Nick. This is your book shop?"
She nodded, looking rather fondly at her large collection. "I have no place in this war except to aide those who can find me." She smirked at my inquisitive face. "This store can only be entered by a certain group of people." She leaned forward even more, whispering the last part even though we were very much alone. "It can only be seen by those who are on the same side as I."
"Villains." I hazarded a guess. She pulled back, leaning smugly back in her simple kitchen chair.
"Villains." Lilly nodded in affirmation. I wasn't fazed by this – I wasn't a Hero and I didn't want to be after I've seen the way they act to those 'inferior.' Villains saw everything in a different light; everyone was equal to one another. This was why many challenges broke out among them and the Heroes; someone always wanted to be better, higher up on the 'evil' scale: more of a threat towards the ones who suppressed. "But not every Villain. Ones who can see passed the hatred and see the truth behind this society."
"That it's messed up."
She nodded at my statement, her eyes growing dark. "Heroes will never be able to see a thing. Blind fools they are, ignorant and suspended by the thin thread known as their pride. Stubborn street rats; filth, the lot of them are." She slammed her fist onto the thin papers bound in leather. "They will never know and never care that they share the world with other humans."
I nodded slowly. "Everyone is only human here. We have families and loved ones even if we don't have the genetic mutation or are on their side."
Lilly turned her head, wiping away her tears, but I saw them glisten in the light. "You speak the truth, Nicholas. They don't understand a thing. Hyperion didn't even bat an eye when he left my sister in my old Lair to die. He didn't care that she exploded. He didn't care that I was willing to go with him without a fight if he'd only let me save her. He just carted me off. And all because,"
"You had kidnapped me," I interrupted, remembering that day five years ago. I looked the girl up and down before reaching over to the lamp. Hawk eyes traced my hand as I flicked the switch, casting darkness into the flickering of the few candles. My eyes adjusted and the sight in front of me was a shock even though I had seen it coming.
Lilly was gone and in her place was an older woman. Wrinkles lined her forehead and her heavily lidded eyes. Her wispy black hair floated around her head like a ghost, weeping for the vibrancy it used to have. Her skin was taunt and pale, her fingers long like spiders and her eyes were a black iceberg.
"Lilith," I whispered. Her face had haunted my nightmares for years on end. Out of all of my kidnappings, hers had been the one I feared the most. I recalled sitting in a dark room, hearing her cackle and feeling her nails scrape against the nape of my neck. Her whispers were snakes spinning the air and the candles she would light would burn deep unto my skin. But she wasn't that person anymore – if she was then why was she sitting across from me in this cordial manner?
"Hello, Nicholas." Her eyes twinkled as she stood, her black dress unfolding and dusting the ground. "I'm so glad you're on our side."
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Chibiyu: So there was another two scenes for this chapter, but I decided to cut it up and stick them into next chapter. Until next Update!
Written 10/6/11
