I'd first like to give a big thanks to BioshockerN7 for helping me with this chapter. Seriously, he's the reason I was even able to start writing this one. So thanks dude, for helping me write this for the loyal fans for the first story update of my Multiverser stories for 2015. May I continue to be supported by you, my loyal fans, into a new dawn for a new year.

Now, as a word of warning: this chapter (as well as the next one) will be among the darkest so far. This being because the battle takes place within a mental realm, meant to fight off foreign invaders. The mental security system draws inspiration from the survival horror game The Evil Within, so prepare for the highly likely probability of some gruesome stuff.

And on that note, here's the disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN YOUNG JUSTICE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM! THE SAME GOES FOR THE EVIL WITHIN! YOUNG JUSTICE IS THE PROPERTY OF BRANDON VIETTI AND GREG WEISMAN CREATED FOR CARTOON NETWORK, AND THE EVIL WITHIN IS THE PROPERTY OF TANGO GAMEWORKS!

With that out of the way, let's get on with the show...


Voice Cast (including how I envision certain characters being voiced):

MAIN:

Michael Verser = Yuri Lowenthal (A/N: Think the voice of Peter Parker/Spider-Man from the 2018 "Spider-Man" video game.)

Rachel Roth/Raven = Taissa Farmiga

Koriand'r/Starfire = Kari Wahlgren

Victor Stone/Cyborg = Shemar Moore

Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad = Khary Payton

Richard "Dick" Grayson/Robin = Jesse McCartney

Wally West/Kid Flash = Jason Spisaks

Conner Kent/Superboy = Nolan North

M'gann M'orzz/Megan Morse/Miss Martian = Danica McKellar

Donna Troy/Wonder Girl = Emma Stone

GUEST/SUPPORT:

Akima/Lambda = Lindsay Jones (A/N: Think her actual voice)

Adam Verser = Christopher Daniel Barnes (A/N: Think the voice of Spider-Man Noir from "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions")


BGMs:

My Hero Academia - The Day [English Dub Cover] - Nathan Sharp

EVIL WITHIN SONG - Into The Mind by Miracle of Sound

Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down

YES - ROUNDABOUT (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ED1) || RichaadEB & Caleb Hyles


Happy Harbor, July 18, 19:02 EDT


"OH MY GOD!" Those words summed up the sight before me rather well.

Laying out in the field was a charred figure, his black and red coat singed from an explosion. He was lying face up, revealing blackened veins and a bloody face, combined with burns that I knew were from Negatium.

Adam's breathing was ragged, his eyes blurring out of focus as I knelt next to him and checked his pulse. It was severely weakened, and was getting weaker by the minute. Looking up in fear, I said "Someone help me carry him! We've gotta get him back to base yesterday!"

Conner and Donna helped lift Adam up while Robin activated his comms. "Robin to Red Tornado, we need an emergency zeta tube back to Mount Justice now!"

["Understood"], he replied. ["Opening zeta tube portal now"].

As the words reached my ears, Conner, Donna and I were already hauling ass toward the opened portal, desperately hoping I wasn't too late.

I ignored the zeta tube's announcing our arrival as I had sped to the infirmary and laid Adam on the bed. I pulled out my communicator and called Duncan. "Come on, Dunc, pick up, pick up," I muttered in anxiety.

Hearing him pick up the phone, I could make out some sort of background music as he answered ["S-Sorry, I can't come to the phone right now,"] with a repressed chuckle. ["Please leave a message after-"]

"I swear to GOD Duncan, if you hang up this damn phone, I will personally throw you to The Antiverser myself after shoving Samantha, Machina, AND Bright Shadow so far up your ass they stick out of your mouth!" The results of my screaming brought silence, both to the other side of the phone and to everyone present in the cave. Regaining my composure (or as much as I could), I continued "It's Adam. He's been critically injured with a lot of Negatium, so cancel your date, get your ass down here as soon as possible, and help me save his life!"

Two seconds later, I heard feet slamming the ground as I turned to see Duncan heading toward me with a worried expression on his face. "What the hell happened, Michael?!" he asked/demanded. I simply stared at him and gestured to the injured Adam as Duncan's eyes widened in shock. I did nothing as he put his hands on the suit and tried to open it, knowing he knew how to open it.

At least, I thought he did. Though the fact that he flew straight into the wall in a burst of electricity sort of dispelled those hopes.

"X'Hal!" Kori exclaimed in shock.

"Damn!" Wally yelled as he and Megan dodged getting shocked by a stray bolt alongside myself and Kaldur.

Heading over to Duncan, I shook him enough to bring him back to consciousness. "Damn, what the hell did he do?" Duncan asked himself before he got up and checked on the patient. His eyes widened as he realized what happened. "Ah, crap."

"What is it?" Megan asked nervously.

"He's changed the security system!" he exclaimed angrily. "I can't get the suit off until I deactivate the system, and I can't treat him until I get the damn suit off!"

"Let me and Victor give it a shot," Robin offered. "Between the two of us, we can crack the system in no time at all."

"Thanks for the offer, but Adam changed it to a mental one," Duncan clarified. "That means you have to go into Adam's mind to deactivate the system. Almost no one knows how his mind works, either. Except..." he trailed off looking at me.

My eyes widened in surprise and horror as I realized what his silence implied. "...No," I said. "No, no, HELL NO!"

"Michael, you're the only one who's successfully navigated his mind," Duncan pleaded.

"AND DOING SO NEARLY DESTROYED MINE!" I shouted as I glared at Adam, whose face was starting to look a bit black.

"What?" Megan asked in surprise.

Looking down for a moment, I asked "Remember when I said I had a previous mental experience?" After everyone nodded in the positive, I continued "Well, that experience just so happened to be with his mind, and the horrors within," I finished with slight disgust.

"You know it wasn't his fault," Duncan reasoned, his voice rising a bit.

"Yet he didn't do anything to stop it when it happened," I rebuked.

"But he made it so that he had to live with him inside his mind so you wouldn't!" Duncan defended, spitting the word "him" with disgust.

"It doesn't matter! I'm not going back in there, not as long as that monster is in there," I said, slightly shivering at the memories rising up. The rest of the Team looked to Adam with slight fear, wondering what kind of thing could be locked up in his mind that even Michael and Duncan were afraid/disgusted with it.

"Michael, if you don't go in there, Adam is going to die. And his death will be on your hands. Do you really want to live with the fact that you let Adam die?" Duncan asked.

Looking back at Adam, my face contorted with inner pain, knowing my answer already. "...Goddammit," I muttered. With a sigh of defeat, I said "Fine, I'll go."

"I'll go with you/I'll go with you."

I turned to see Megan and Rachel glaring at each other before turning back to me.

"We'll both go with you," Rachel said.

"No!" I said. "Let me rephrase that: HELL NO!" The last thing I wanted was to let the two of them inside Adam's mind, allowing them to see what that maniac had probably done inside.

"We're more experienced with traversing minds. We can help you."

I shook my head a bit. "You have no idea how Adam's mind works. He has many angles- many levels- of thinking. Everything he does is for a reason. Everything he says has a meaning behind it. Basically, he's the most secretive bastard you'll ever meet in your life," I said. Scary thing was, Adam was so secretive, that he might even give Batman a run for his money, and could give the Question a serious challenge.

"You'll all go," Duncan said with finality, "you might get it done faster."

"Duncan, you can't-"

"Look, Michael," he interrupted. "I know how you feel about this. But if you go in there alone, and if he's broken out, then you will not survive him again. He won't be expecting others to be with you, so Megan and Rachel will have the advantage."

"That advantage is a temporary one, and you know it!" I shot back.

"That advantage could be the difference between life and death!"

I struggled to find an argument, but came up with nothing. I knew Duncan was right, but it did absolutely nothing to alleviate my fears. "Alright!" I yelled in defeat. "They can come with. But I swear, if anything happens to them, it's on your head, Dunc!"

He nodded at that, knowing that I meant what I said.

A few minutes later, Duncan, Robin and Vic, hooked up a few headbands to Adam's suit, which connected us to his security systems. "All right Michael, once you're inside, get to the center of his mind and deactivate the suit's security system. And whatever you do, don't screw with his mind, you understand?" Duncan asked, getting a nod from me as I sat down on a bed. I looked to either side of myself to see Megan and Rachel doing the same.

"I got it."

"Well, in that case, say bye-bye to Kansas." That was the last thing I heard before my vision went black.


(Play "My Hero Academia - The Day [English Dub Cover] - Nathan Sharp")

(Flashes of light illuminate the darkness, before a large one shines brightly.)

You see the sun rise, a new day's upon you
You bit your nails as your knees start to tremble
(The camera pans back to reveal Michael Verser, kneeling before the great source of light, rises to his feet with an awed expression on his face.)

The time is upon you to show them what you can do
And soon they will know that
(In the light, a group of hazy figures appears, with Duncan Verser's hand outstretched with a welcoming grin on his face. At that point, Michael's fist clenches in determination.)

THE DAY HAS COME!
(Michael dashes forward, others appearing right behind him. As the instrumental plays, images of Multiversers w/ allies [Adam Verser, Kay Verser, Architect, Masamune] and the Team [Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg, Wonder Girl, Artemis, Aquagirl, Green Lantern IV, Zatanna, Terra, Supergirl, Firestorm, Atom II] flash by, with each hero striking a pose in front of their names/codenames. Once the final image fades away, the title appears in text not unlike what one would find on the cover of a comic book.)

YOUNG MULTIVERSER

Late into the night I hear it storming
An end to the rain is what I pray and I'm hoping
(Michael is shown standing alone in the streets of a large city, looking up at the dark and cloudy skies as people casually pass him by on the sidewalk.)

Now I feel the pressure of the city
Oh, how it eats me whole
(Closing up on Michael, it shows him sighing plainly as he walks forward gloomily.)

So many names and faces
Sleepless nights, spent in unknown places
(As Michael walks along the path, the figures of the primary Team members fade into being one by one, brightening the background and Michael's spirits noticeably.)

And every day I walk into the great unknown
(Closing up to Michael, he is handed Masamune, her spirit and all of his mental roommates smiling at him as he nods to the others.)

I'm not to blame, I'm gonna take a stand
(The camera zooms away to show morose images of Miss Martian, Artemis, Raven, Cyborg, a fractured Terra, and Starfire, with larger silhouettes of a White Martian, Sportsmaster & Cheshire, Trigon, Dr. Silas Stone, Deathstroke, and Blackfire standing behind them with their backs to each of them.)

You say my name, I'm telling you to reach out and
(The scene switches to Michael, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy and Wonder Girl, looking down at the ground while in the towering shadows of their respective mentors, before focusing on Michael.)

Finally take my hand!
(Michael, joined by the Team, boldly leap forward out of the figures' shadows. The screen is then consumed in flames, burning away into a split screen as The Author and Satan Verser, briefly cutting to The Antiverser & Lucifer Verser, Vandal Savage & The Light, and a cavalry of enemies standing in a cloudy wasteland.)

Colliding fists, they're what's gonna make you
You grit your teeth or they're gonna break you
(The camera changes darkens a bit as The Antiverser- alongside villains such as The Joker, Reverse-Flash, Deathstroke, Cheetah, and Black Adam- charge forward as one, with the intent to attack the Team. Leaping against them in defense is Duncan Verser, joined by Adam, Kay, Zack, Alexis, Dexter and LaTrell Verser.)

The time is upon you to show them what you can do
You're breaking the mold, you're gonna show them
(Facing them head on, the other Multiversers and the Justice League charge forward, each of them trouncing or holding back the villains, before taking on the next ones to clear the path, allowing the Team to power up and charge forth.)

Will we break through? I don't know, don't know
The bells are ringing, come out and play now
(Moving as one, Michael, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg, Wonder Girl, Artemis and Terra charges forward, each of them attacking villains with their unique abilities.)

The time is upon you to show them what you can do
And soon they will know that
(The Author, Satan Verser, Lucifer Verser, Vandal Savage and the members of The Light make their move, charging with their own allies behind them. Wielding Masamune, Michael leads the charge with his sword brandished high.)

THE DAY HAS COME!
(The camera closes up on Michael, showing a face of determination as he swings the blade down. Flashing with images of the rest of the Team, the final shot shows the heroes gathered together in front of Mount Justice, grinning and posed in various ways as they stand ready to protect the world.)

(End "My Hero Academia - The Day [English Dub Cover] - Nathan Sharp")


Chapter 5: Inner Demons, Part 1 (What's On Your Mind? Nothing But Evil)


Inside Adam's Mind...


I woke up feeling the worst head-ache I'd had in years. Eyes blurring in and out of consciousness, I was able to tell that I was hanging upside down. Looking down (or up, maybe?) to see the floor, my eyes widened as my heartbeat sped up.

'Shit.'

Why did we have to wake up here?

Glancing to my left, I saw Megan and Raven in similar situations, hanging upside down and looking a bit disturbed at what they saw. "Mi-"

"Shh," I said, seeing a pair of feet stop in front of me. Said feet lead up to a pair of familiar brown trousers. Without even having to look up, I knew that the figure wore a bloodied white tank top and a spiked metal mask

Without having to get a good look at the monster before me, I knew it was him.

The fucking Sadist.

I quickly play dead as I look from the corners of my eyes to see Megan and Raven looking okay, though the Sadist walks to the two of them, slowly dragging a hand across each of their thighs. They both shivered in fear at the touch, silently praying he would move on. Those prayers were answered as the Sadist picked a corpse near Megan, moved to another area, and started chopping it up.

'Oh God, I'm gonna throw up,' I thought.

Just from hearing Megan's breathing, I can tell she's about ready to. Rachel, however, was able to keep herself calm by taking slow, barely noticeable breaths.

The Sadist dragged the top half of a bleeding torso past us, where I saw a knife on a body across from me. I tried to swing to reach it, but I couldn't.

"Let me get that for you. It's the least I can do."

I look to my right to see what looked like Adam, though in his civvies with a sorrowful look on his face. He grabbed the knife, pulled it out, cut me down, and then proceeded to do the same to Megan and Rachel. He then turned around, showing a sad face instead of the normal "TIME IS ALWAYS ON MY SIDE" on his jacket, and disappeared in smoke.

"Raven, Megan, stay here, I'm going to get us out of here." I whispered, getting to cover on the wall, seeing the Sadist leaving the body and a set of keys to the door near us. I slowly walk toward the keys.

Come on.

Come on!

COME ON!

YES, GOT IT!

(Play "EVIL WITHIN SONG - Into The Mind by Miracle of Sound")

I quickly sneaked away and went toward the door with Megan and Raven following behind. Being careful to not make too much sound or catch any attention, we quickly crouched behind some gurneys and slowly waddled closer and closer to the door, silently cheering as we reached our destination. I slowly unlocked the door and opened it, causing it to squeak as it opened up.

"Go," I said quickly as Megan and Rachel went up the stairs.

*VVVRRRRRRRRMMMMMM!*

The revving of a chainsaw caused me to turn around, coming face to face with the Sadist. Though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he remembered me. I chuckled nervously and said "Hey there, Sadie. Long time no see, huh?"

He began to charge at us.

Narrowly dodging a swipe of the chainsaw, I kicked him back and shut the door, securing the lock. I turned around and screamed "RUN!" as I made my way up the stairs, catching up with Megan and Rachel.

As the Sadist slammed the door open, Megan and Raven threw out their arms to send the beast back into the room. To their shock, however, the Sadist only continued to ascend up the stairs. I grabbed the two by the hands and pulled them along with me, running like bats out of Hell.

Pushing our way past a bunch of wheelchairs, we ran down the hallway, an elevator waiting to take us to safety. I pushed Megan and Raven ahead of me, looking back to see the Sadist gaining on us.

We managed to get into the elevator, the doors slamming shut just as the chainsaw came swinging down at us. The Sadist growled in frustration as the elevator went upwards, giving us the chance to catch our breaths. Looking down at her hands, Megan softly said "My powers- our powers- they don't work in here. Why don't they work?!"

"It must be the defense system," Raven stated as she caught her breath. "It must be dampening our powers to the point we can't use them."

"Mix that with Negatium, and we might as well be fighting a sword with a twig," I solemnly noted. With a deep breath, I continued "Remind me to slap Duncan upside the head when we get out of here. Before we do anything else, though..."

*SNAP*

With a single motion, Michael ripped Raven's belt right off (accidentally taking a bit of fabric off on the side), causing her to lightly blush crimson (something Megan also did in surprise) as she exclaimed "What are you-?!"

"Trust me, better to have less things the Sadist can grab on you." Accepting that logic, she calmed down and removed her hooded cloak, while Megan shape-shifted her cape away and made her hair shorter.

With a resounding *DING*, the doors opened to reveal an empty hallway. Looking at each other, we all knew that the only way to get to the control center, was to go forward. Deeper into the madness of the system.


Outside Adam's Mind...


Third Person's POV:


"Shit, that was close," Duncan said as he leaned back, breathing a sigh of relief. The Team were currently watching Michael, Megan and Rachel's progress on a monitor, having been on the edge of their seats since the Sadist revved up his chainsaw.

"Close?!" Conner exclaimed angrily. "They were nearly killed back there!"

"But they weren't," Duncan defended. "They survived, and that's the good news."

Concerned, Robin asked "I hate to ask, but...what's the bad news?"

With a frown, Duncan answered "It's only going to get tougher on them from here on out."

"...Forget I asked."

"Recognized: Superman, 01. Batman, 02. Wonder Woman, 03..."

As the computer kept listing the names, the Team came face to face with Clark Kent/Superman, Bruce Wayne/Batman, Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Barry Allen/ The Flash, Orin, J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, and Dinah Laurel Lance/Black Canary. All of them not exactly looking too happy at the moment. "So," Batman started, "would someone care to explain why the security cameras showed footage of you bringing someone into Mount Justice?"

Face-palming, Vic muttered "Can't believe I forgot about the cameras..."

"I can explain, Batman," Kaldur answered. "A short time ago, an android named Mister Twister attacked the power plant. Apparently, he was hoping to draw out Red Tornado, in an attempt to reprogram him for who knows what. Instead, he ended up facing us while we were using Megan's bio-ship."

"He was a bit too much for the kids, though," Duncan continued. "Which is why Timeshifter- this guy here," he gestured to Adam's comatose form, the sight of which brought a wave of nausea through many, "stepped in and saved them, all while taking on Twister with the help of the Team. Unfortunately, Mister Twister was using an element that was extremely dangerous, and ended up self-destructing to try and take Timeshifter down with him. Didn't exactly work out for the bucket of bolts. No offense, Cyborg. Red Tornado."

"None taken/No offense taken."

"Well, that explains a bit," Superman said. "But not why you brought him here. Or how you know about him."

With a sigh, Duncan responded with "Timeshifter is pretty much my shadow agent. He's my eyes and ears in the world, and a good friend. Both to me, and to Michael. Kinda works, since he's our brother."

"Brother?!" nearly everyone explained.

"Is there an echo in here?"

"Oberon," Batman growled.

"Sorry. Anyway, this element is pretty much my, Timeshifter's, and Michael's equivalent to Kryptonite," Duncan continued, which shocked the hell out of the League, "and it's affecting him pretty badly. Can't treat him until we get the suit off, and I can't get the suit off until the security system is deactivated."

"To make it even more difficult, it's a mental one," Robin added. "Meaning it can only be turned off from entering his mind."

"Then we should get to work right away," Martian Manhunter stated. Then the League noticed the prone forms of Michael, Raven, and Megan. With devices attached to their heads, hooked up to Adam's suit.

Connecting the dots, Dinah looked at Duncan in shock and said "You didn't..."

"...In my defense," Duncan began, "Michael's the only one who's successfully navigated his mind before. And Megan and Raven both volunteered, especially seeing as they have more experience in the mental realm."

"That doesn't change the fact that they could be in danger in there!" Superman stated.

"Would you relax, Supes? Everything is under control," Duncan calmly stated.

*PING*

"Okay, got the audio set up," Vic said. Flicking on the audio, bloodcurdling screams filled the hall as the three young heroes ran down the hallway of a slaughter house. The Sadist was right behind them, rearing back his chainsaw as he chased them into a large, rectangular room. The room had a bloody tiled floor, with a few corpses on said floor with stationary, spinning blades on both sides.

"Everything is mostly under control," Duncan said, still calm and not missing a beat.


Michael's POV:


"AARRGH!"

I writhed in pain as I clutched my leg, slashed at the back by the Sadist's chainsaw. Raven and Megan ran back to get me, just as the Sadist slammed his foot down on a switch and slamming the gate down behind me.

'I can't believe I forgot about this part!' I screamed to myself. After we had gotten out of the elevator, we found ourselves walking through a series of halls leading to a slaughterhouse. Seeing all of those slabs of meat hanging around filled us with a sense of unease. It didn't help that we found a human arm on one of the tables.

I think it was safe to say that Megan wasn't going to be eating any meat for a long, long time after this. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if she swore off meat for the rest of her life.

Just as we were making our way to one of the doors, the alarms went off, signaling that animals were about to be slaughtered. Suddenly remembering what happened next, I spun around just in time to see the Sadist rev up his chainsaw again. As he charged at us, I blocked his weapon with Masamune, sparks flying as the chainsaw teeth tried to cut through the blade.

It was working pretty well, until I noticed that the fracture was becoming worse and worse, threatening to snap if the pressure kept up.

'AAAAGGGHHHH!'

The painful screams of my Zanpakuto spirit/girlfriend weren't helping, either.

Eyes widening in realization, I jumped backwards and out of his range, accidentally knocking Raven and Megan down with me. The Sadist made his way towards us, but Megan kicked a table right at him, causing him to clutch his leg in pain as she beat his head with a slab of meat she managed to grab. Blood flew from the slab as it collided with the spiked helmet, a few drops hitting her face.

We decided to take this chance to run like hell away from him. Unfortunately, he was soon back on his feet and chasing us down, chainsaw ready to cut into us (or more specifically, me, seeing as I was closest to him). The chase eventually led to this very room, and to our current situation.

Realizing what was about to happen, I started limping as fast as I could to the other side, pushing Rachel and Megan in front of me. "KEEP GOING, AND STAY IN THE MIDDLE!"

They soon understood what I meant as the blades spun to life, and started dragging me along with them. A corpse was soon swept into the blades, blood spurting onto me as we tried desperately to stay ahead of the blades. As another corpse met a similar fate, another gate crashed down in front of us. We were trapped like pigs for slaughter.

Raven noticed the grate in front of us and rushed ahead, opening it up for us. Megan pushed me in first, sending me sliding down a blood-slicked chute. I managed to avoid two sets of spinning blades, and soon flew out of the chute and into a vat beneath. A vat filled with dark, crimson blood and human body parts. Catching my breath, I managed to fight down the urge to vomit as I wiped as much blood as I could from my face.

I was soon joined by Megan and Raven (in that order, causing more blood to splash into my face). As both came back up, coughing and hacking up the blood, both of their eyes widened in horror as they realized what they were swimming in. Looking down to her right, Megan was staring into the dead face of a young woman, face distorted in agony.

That was apparently the last straw for her, as Megan finally threw up into the vat. Breathing heavily and coughing, tears formed in her eyes as she waded to the ladder. Rachel wasn't looking much better, though she was succeeding in keeping her lunch down at least.

(End "EVIL WITHIN SONG - Into The Mind by Miracle of Sound")


After getting out, we made our way to a nearby sink, washing as much blood off as we could. While Rachel used her power to heal my injury, I decided to talk with Akima and Masamune. 'How bad is it?' I asked.

'/Pretty bad,/' Akima answered. '/Whatever's happening in here, it's definitely having a negative effect on Ma-chan. That attack shouldn't have been able to even crack her blade, let alone leave a scratch on her./'

'It must be the Negatium,' Masamune deduced. 'It must be so potent that it's affecting me even in the mental realm.'

I sighed. 'Fucking perfect. So now I not only have to worry about keeping us alive, and saving Adam, AND surviving the horrors Adam has stored in here, but I also have to worry that my girlfriend could die at any moment?!'

Though no one could see it, I could see and feel the astral projection of Masamune as she leaned down, stroking my cheek as she brought my worried gaze to hers. 'Look, I know this probably won't help, but you can't worry about me right now.'

Eyes widening, I thought 'What are you-?!'

'Listen!' she sternly said. 'You have a kind heart, Michael. You care about others, and would put their own well-being above your own. It's one of the things I love about you, and it's one of the things that made me- and a few others- fall for you. But you have to remember that I'm not a helpless person. I was your tool first and foremost. I was meant to act as your weapon to be used as you see fit.

'This is a situation where you have to remember that fact. In this hell of a world, you can't hesitate to use all your weapons at your disposal. I am your sword, your partner. Against these foes, you must use me as such if you want any of us to have a chance at surviving. So for all our sake, nut the hell up, and start using me as a sword so I can protect us!'

I couldn't help but owlishly blink at her words. Chuckling, I thought 'Jeez, how did I become so whipped that my own Zanpakuto is talking me down?'

'/That's the power of love, baby,/' Akima replied. '/And sex. Can't forget about that./'

'Quite.'

'So, while you mull over that, I suggest talking with Megan,' Masamune said. 'God knows she needs someone right now.'

As she faded out, I turned my attention to Megan, who was propping herself up against the wall, arms wrapped around herself as she shivered. Walking as best I could over to her, I asked "You...you wanna talk about it?"

"...What kind of monster has a mind like this?" she asked softly, but loud enough for us to hear.

Sighing, I responded "Only one. And he's trapped in here with us."

"This the person you and Oberon were talking about?" Raven asked as she finished washing the blood out of her hair.

I nodded. "The very same. I just pray you never meet him. Especially since he changed the system this much." That got both of their attention. "This person, he's a master of the mind. No, a force of nature is more accurate. Adam and I ran into him a few years ago, where we got a good taste of his powers firsthand. What we experienced...I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy."

"And you came back in here?!"

Looking at the half-demoness, I said "Yeah. Because he's right: if I don't shut off this system, then Adam dies. And I won't let that happen if I can help it."

Raven simply stared in wonder at the person before her. She was genuinely surprised that I would willingly open myself up to this kind of Hell once again, all to save someone. I can chalk that up to the influence Peter has over me. Nevertheless, every word I said was my own.

After a few minutes of rest, we started to head out. I noticed Megan was still standing by the wall, shivering in fear at what lay ahead. Walking up to her, I softly cupped her chin and brought her gaze to mine, saying "I promise, Megan. As long as I draw breath, I won't let anyone hurt either you, or Raven. And I never go back on my word."

That seemed to calm her down a bit, as she softly (albeit weakly) smiled and said "Okay." With a nod, we continued onward, though for some reason Raven was frowning a little bit (which seemed to confuse her as much as it did me).


A few minutes later...


"Why did we have to come here?" Megan asked as we walked into what looked like a kitchen. There wasn't that much to it, except for one odd addition. That addition being a locker.

My eyes widened in recognition. 'Wait a minute-'

*BANG*

The three of us spun around to see the Sadist having just broken down a door. "Quick you two, get in the locker!" I whispered as I opened the locker and pushed them inside before getting in myself. Taking short breaths to try and calm down, I realized that I was stuck in a locker with two attractive women-

'NO! BAD MICHAEL! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!'

*BANG*

The door we had previously opened went flying to the other side as the Sadist walked inside. He started walking around the room, swinging his chainsaw around as I felt Megan's hands grab mine tightly.

Suddenly, he stopped, turned around and stared at our hiding spot. We held our breaths as I felt my heartbeat dramatically increase, sweat pouring down my forehead as I silently prayed that he left. What happened next showed no one was listening to said prayers.

The Sadist started walking toward us.

No.

No!

NO!

"My name is Adam D. Verser, and I...hate...TAXES!"

'Wait. Was that...?'

The Sadist looked toward the door we were going to open before charging right through it. "Woohoo! Come on baby! Let's go!" I heard Adam shout with a bit too much anger in his tone. A large ruckus followed soon after, obvious sounds of struggling coming from the fight.

'Oh God. Don't tell me we're meeting Anger.'

I slowly opened the locker as we climbed out, and when I peeked through the door, my mind went blank at what I was seeing. Megan and Raven followed my example soon after.

Adam, with an angry look on his face, was slamming the Sadist's head onto a hospital bed. Blood was flying from the spiked helmet with each hit. If I had a camera- and if I didn't just nearly have a heart attack- I'd actually be recording this.

He then turned his head toward us as he slammed the Sadist's head one more time. "The hell are you waiting for, a freaking invitation?! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" he yelled as he started running.

We immediately followed him as he vaulted over a table toward an elevator. Megan climbed over it, followed by Rachel then me as I heard a roar. I turned my head to see the Sadist charging toward us. Blood continued to run from the helmet, spurting more violently from his rage at us.

"Hey jackass! Hurry up!"

Focusing myself, I sprinted as hard as I could toward the elevator as Anger grabbed me and pulled me in, slamming me into the wall in the process as he closed the elevator.

"You sure took your sweet time," Anger said as I glared at him.

"Hey, shut up asshole. You're not the one who's been chased by that guy!" I shouted as his face didn't change a bit.

"What monster would do this?" Megan asked, tears in her eyes.

Anger then turned his head slowly toward her and grabbed her shoulders. "One who will show no mercy. That little "No Kill" policy you have? He doesn't give a FUCK about that. So let me tell you something girl: SHOW NO MERCY TOWARD HIM. In this world, it's do or die, so if you're too chicken shit to fight someone like that monster, THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" he shouted, making her flinch as her eyes grew wider with fear.

I couldn't take it. Walking up to him, I punched him in the face, knocking his shades off and twisting his head back. "SHUT THE FUCK UP, OKAY? SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BE TRAUMATIZED ANY FURTHER! AND DON'T YOU TALK TO HER ABOUT NOT HAVING WHAT IT TAKES, SINCE YOU DIDN'T HELP ME!" I shouted.

He turned to look at me, his eyes blood red. "Take a look around, Mikey. You might be surprised at what you find," he said before vanishing in smoke.

I then heard a *DING* as the elevator opened, revealing a hallway. As we started walking, my leg now felt normal, as if it wasn't recently cut. Turning to face Megan, I said "I'm sorry about that. Anger was always a complete asshole."

"That doesn't begin to describe him," Raven growled out. "When we get out of here, remind me to hit Adam upside the head, would you?"

"Remind you? I'm joining in with you!" Even in her traumatized state, Megan found it in herself to laugh a bit alongside us. That moment passed, and we walked together in an uncomfortable silence. Turning to look at her, I saw Megan was on the verge of tears again. "What's wrong?"

"...I never should've come here," she said. "I thought that my mental powers would prepare me for anything. This is...my powers are useless, I'm too terrified of that...monster, to do anything but run..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she crumpled to the floor. "He's right. What am I even doing here?"

My heart clenched as she spoke. I could understand what she was going through; I mean, despite her prowess in her mental powers, she was still a sweet, innocent girl. I knelt down and helped pick her up as I said "Now you listen, Megan. You came along because of who you are: a good person. Someone who's willing to help others, even if it means putting yourself in the line of fire. I'll admit, not always the brightest move-"

{You're one to talk.}

'Not now, Sterling!'

"-but it's something that makes you, you. The kind, caring girl I met a week ago. You're stronger than you think, Megan. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

As I spoke, Megan managed to cease her tears. Wiping her eyes, she smiled and nodded a bit, finding a bit more strength to continue on. Raven, on the other hand, continued to be more and more surprised by me. Normally, she would've suggested disconnecting Megan from the link and getting her out before anything could happen to her. But a few words from me, and she gained the resolve to fight on. Something that I noticed gave her a bit of respect in me for.


Suddenly, the whole building started shaking. Debris started falling as cracks formed everywhere.

"Ah, crap. RUN!" I shouted as I sprinted toward the door, followed by Megan and Rachel. I pushed the door open, speeding by a room full of dead bodies. The floor cracked beneath us, corpses falling into the abyss as we charged towards the door.

I then barged through the door as I saw a city currently being destroyed. Looking around for anything we could use, I saw a red Lamborghini with black stripes pull up as the door opened up to show Adam, wearing a yellow smiley face shirt underneath his jacket with a cheerful look on his face.

(Play "Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down")

"Hey Mikey! How you doing? Come on, get in!" he said in an extremely happy voice.

'Oh God, not this one,' I mentally groaned. Happy, someone who's continuously...well, happy, even in situations that don't exactly call for it. Like right now, for example. Still, he had a ride, and I wasn't going to complain about that.

Well, except for one thing. "Dude, there's only two seats!" I pointed out.

"Easy solution, you know!" he said as I stood there for a second before realizing what he meant.

"Ugh, I'm gonna regret this," I said to myself as I climbed in before motioning to Rachel and Megan. "You two are gonna have to sit on our laps," I said with a blush on my face while refusing to look at them.

Then I felt someone sit on me. I looked up to see Raven holding onto me for dear life, while Megan sat on Happy's lap with an uncomfortable look on her face. "Hold on your butts, people, because this ride ain't making any stops!" Happy said before the car sped up to inhuman speeds.

Despite being an insane driver, Happy at least managed to keep us from crashing into any of the shifting buildings. The crazy bastard even managed to drive along the side of a building, narrowly avoiding being crushed by another incoming building.

"Happy, how the hell do we get the center of your mind?!" I asked/yelled as he continuously laughed as he weaved through traffic.

"Dude, you gotta go through several stages."

"What?" Megan asked. "What do you mean by 'stages?'"

"Simple: there are a few separate areas between here and the control center," he cheerfully explained. "You've gotta fight the guardians of each stage to continue. Once you're done with that, you're good to go!"

Groaning, I asked "Are there any shortcuts?"

"Just one," he answered, "but you're not gonna like it." Another near crash avoided as he swerved out of the way, Megan's grip tightening around my neck. "In more ways than one."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What it means," he responded to Raven with a large smile, "is that if you take that route, you're gonna have to face all of the guardians at once. Ain't that a bitch?"

Masamune groaned at that. 'Nothing's ever easy, is it?'

Sighing a bit, I thought back 'Masamune-chan, since when is anything we do easy?'

In any other circumstance, I'd go with the first option over the shortcut. However, we were pressed for time. Looking at Raven and Megan, they both nodded, allowing me to respond "That's a chance we'll have to take, Happy. Use the shortcut!"

With a massive grin, he turned right and went through a subway tunnel, driving right through a huge hole in the wall. "You're ballsy, I'll give ya that. Here's hoping you can survive. Well, that's my cue to go, bye!" he said as he disappeared in smoke.

"Wait, what?"

We then came to the end of the tunnel, and came out into the middle of a waterfall.

The three of us starred with wide eyes at the sight before us, before saying in one voice "DAMMIT, ADAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM!"

(End "Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down")


Third Person's POV:


Unknown Area...


Deep within the recesses of Adam's mind, there was a room. Large in scale, there was no sign of a wall or ceiling at the moment. The entire area was dark. Cold. Eerie, lit only by the green glow of the giant metal door and the glass window built into it. The massive room was empty, barren of life.

Save for one.

(Play "YES - ROUNDABOUT (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ED1) || RichaadEB & Caleb Hyles")

Sitting on a set of stairs leading to the door, a cloaked, hooded figure remained. Arms resting against the knees, the figure waited...and looked up.

"...They're coming," the figure spoke, voice demonic and slightly reverberating. "Three of them."

"Of course they are," a voice spoke in the darkness. "With the state of being Adam's in, this is the only way to get him out of the suit."

Scoffing, the figure said "Well, took 'em long enough. I was starting to think they'd never get here...still...to think that he'd show up here again..."

"Indeed. I would've thought he'd stay away from Adam's mind after his last encounter with us. It doesn't matter, though. Do with him what you like, so long as you keep him and his friends busy."

"Oh, you can bet they'll be busy," he spoke with dark glee. "Good luck."

"You as well." And like that, the voice was gone.

A slow, dark cackle came from the figure. The stairs cracked from the killer intent, a dark substance flickering around him as he whispered two words:

"Michael...Verser..."

[=/=/=To Be Continued...]


And so, the journey down into the depths of Adam's mind continues. Unfortunately for our heroes, things are only going to get worse before they get better. Still, with all of the shit that they've encountered so far, one has to wonder...what kind of horrors will they see once they reach the center? Especially with this mysterious new enemy, waiting for our heroes in the depths of Adam's mind?

A big thanks to BioshockerN7 for his help. Without him, I wouldn't have gotten this chapter (or the next one) done at all.

Until next time, please leave a review or comment, BUT NO FLAMES!

Hero of the Multiverse, signing off!