The Wicked One

by Zeer

Kyd Wykkyd is released from his frozen prison by an old Titan's enemy. Together with See-More, Kyd Wykkyd fights with and against evil, to save both a villain and his friends. Watch as his untold story unfolds.

11. Kyd Wykkyd

The Wicked One

Chapter 11: Kyd Wykkyd

XXXXXXX

You strike and punch and kick and attack

But never do you guard or watch your back

As the sweet voice sung those verses the young boy felt a heavy blow strike him from behind. He spun around only to see his attacker disappear into the shadows, laughter following after him. With a smirk on his face the boy followed after him, fruitlessly trying to see through the pitch blackness.

When all is black and hope is lost

Remember what is gained when sight is the cost

With a sigh the boy forced himself to stop running. He closed his eyes and took in a few deep breaths.

At first there was only silence but as he stood there, silent and still, a soft padding began to echo in his ears. They were footsteps, soft and careful, but footsteps nonetheless. The boy focused on those steps, it took all his concentration to keep from losing those quiet steps, but as he continued to listen he could hear them growing closer.

And closer…

And closer…

And…

In a whirl of movement the boy spun around, fist held out and instantly he felt it make contact with the hard headed skull of the one sneaking on him. With a surprised gasp the attacker tried to draw back, but he had already made too much noise.

With a smile of triumph on his face the boy leapt into the darkness, his hands easily finding the boy. With a grunt the two bodies fell to the ground and an instant later the lights in the room flashed on.

"Man, your way too good at this kind of thing, I never had a chance." The thin boy said with a smile as he looked up at his friend.

The other boy smiled back down at him before standing up and holding out a hand to the fallen boy. The boy on the ground chuckled before grabbing his hand and standing up as well.

"Very, very good boys, especially you Number 36." A sweet and pleasant voice called down. The two boys looked up to see a tall, extremely beautiful woman walking down a wide expanse of stairs towards them.

"Thank you, Mistress." Number 36 spoke softly before bowing low.

"Kiss-ass." His friend whispered below his breath, smile still on his face.

"Number 73." The woman said in a voice stern yet intoxicating, "You need to work on your movement; your steps are still far too heavy."

"I was moving as softly as possible! It's not my fault 36 has got the ears of a bat!" Number 73 huffed, folding his arms in defiance. Number 36 felt a warm blush form on his face, he was very sensitive about his abnormally large ears, and 73 knew it.

"Well Number 36 has managed to best you yet again with his 'bat ears' so I suggest you work on acquiring the feet of a mouse before the two of you face off again."

"Yes Mistress." Number 73 replied with a roll of the eyes. Number 36 spared his friend a sympathetic smile before letting his eyes trail off to look back at their Mistress. He quickly and subconsciously felt himself tracing the curves of her hips to the smooth lines of her slender face. He immediately averted his eyes when she looked over at him.

"The two of you have done very well over the past year. I was not mistaken in choosing the both of you to outlast your brothers and sisters, you two have achieved far more than any of them ever could. I am very proud to have had you train under me."

The two boys gave their teacher surprised looks at those last words. In all their months of training they never once heard their Mistress express this much gratitude before. She looked back at them with a smile and a raised eyebrow and they both immediately flinched and bowed low.

"Thank you, Mistress." They both said in unison.

XXXXXX

"Do you think 26 is still waiting for me?" Number 73 asked out loud as they both lay in their cots in the small dark room.

"Yes." Number 36 responded with certainty, glancing over at his friend in the dark. It had been several months since their trio had been broken up but 73 never stopped talking about her. Number 36 knew if she had even a fraction of the affection of him that he had for her that she would wait.

"Could you imagine her reaction if she knew that we were the last two left?" 73 continued with a chuckle, 36 smiled at that. Number 26 had always went on that they spent too much time goofing off instead of training, that they should try to be more like her. Now look where they were. 26 was one of the first to be let go while one of the two 'goofoffs' were destined to be the Mistress's apprentice.

"I'll be sure to say hi for you when I see her again." Number 73 said, laughter gone now, and 36 knew he was looking at him through the darkness to.

"The tests aren't over yet." 36 assured his friend, 73 laughed at this but it was a laugh that sounded empty and dry.

"Don't try to delude me." 73 replied, his voice serious, "We both know you are way better at combat and…thinking than me, plus the Mistress always has her eyes on you. Don't think you're the only one who has noticed."

"I…"

"Look, don't sweat it." Number 72 said and this time there was a smile in his voice, "I don't mind losing if it means losing to you. And besides, when it's all said and done I get to leave this place and be with 26 again. She seems like a city person, don't you think? I'll have to check every city out there until I find her!"

Number 36 smiled to himself as his friend went on about 26. He remembered back when they all first met. He and 72 both immediately fell in love with 26 and were always bickering and fighting over her. He would always win but then always found himself unable to talk with her properly, every time his eyes met with hers his throat always seemed to close up or his tongue became too dry. He also couldn't help but notice that every time 72 had a chance to talk to her 26 seemed to smile and laugh more than he could ever make her.

So one day 36 approached 72 in the cafeteria, where the 98 other teens could see them, and openly and uncharacteristically challenged him to one final fight for 26's heart. Number 72 immediately accepted and, to everyone's surprise, took out 36 in less than a minute. Through all of the shouts and cries of confusion and amazement the two enemies looked each other in the eyes and in that instant both understood as smiles spread on both their faces.

Number 36's current smile remained on his face as he began to fall asleep, Number 72 still going on about he was going to hunt down 26. He was going to miss him even more than he missed her.

XXXXXXX

I am here for you and only you

I love you, I want you, I need you

You are my shadow, my darkness

My tool and my weapon

While others withered and died, I've allowed you to ripen

Into my own special flower, so twisted and dark

A hand crafted knife, so slim and so sharp

You are my own, my one and only

I have given you the weapon and target

All you must do is know how to stick it

Into the flesh of the only one left

And then you will be my own, my shadow, my Kid Wicked.

The boy awoke with a gasp and in a cold sweat. Immediately he looked over to his friend to see that 72 was still sleeping. Number 36 wiped a hand over his cold and wet forehead. These dreams kept happening, strange and rhyming, and they filled him with a certain dread, even though he did not know why.

After his breathing finally started to settle down Number 36 finally lay back down on his cot. He wouldn't fall back asleep that night, he never did.

XXXXXX

"Today will be the last of your training." The Mistress told them as soon as she stepped down those expansive steps and immediately the two boys woke up completely, even 36.

"You can't be serious!" Number 72 exclaimed, his face awash with amazement, "It can't have been a whole year already!"

"Oh but it can, and it has." The Mistress continued, a smile gracing her beautiful face, "And you two have but one final test to prove yourselves worthy to be my apprentices."

"Wait, wait…" 72 spoke again, this time he and 36 exchanged looks, "…did you say both? As in two?"

"Yes…"

"As in…we can both be your apprentices?"

"Potentially, yes."

For the first time that day Number 36 felt himself smile as he looked over at his friend. Number 72 smiled back, but not as immediately as 36 would have expected.

"Now…as for your final test…"

The Mistress then pulled from the snug black robe she was wearing two cloaks, both the same midnight black as her attire.

"I'm sure the two of you have wondered, just like the 98 other recruits, and the thousands of other people who know of my exploits, how I have managed to infiltrate, steal, assassinate, and so many more things without being caught. How I manage to slip through the strongest of security with ease, how I can kill a man with 100 guards and none of them witnessing the death, or how I plucked up 100 troubled and disturbed teenagers right underneath their parent's noses."

Number 36 and 72 then shifted their gazes from the Mistress's face to the two cloaks she held in her hands.

"Here is your answer, boys. The result of 20 years of my own research and thievery."

"What…what are they?" Number 72 asked as he eyed the cloaks warily.

"As you can see, they are capes." The Mistress said with a smile before handing them towards the two boys, "Each of you take one."

The two recruits grabbed the capes, thought 72 did so only after 36 had, with careful, gentle hands.

"You don't need to worry about tearing them." The Mistress said in an amused tone as she watched them, "They make look fragile but I assure you that neither bullet nor fire will be able to pierce them."

"Amazing!" Number 72 breathed as he felt the fabric between his fingers. Number 36 did so as well, the black cape felt just like any other sort of fabric, he found it hard to imagine something so soft could be so deadly. Number 36 then looked up at the Mistress, subconsciously tracing her smooth and firm curves beneath the robe.

Then again…

"Go ahead and strap them on. You will need a clasp to keep them in place…"

Reaching back into her robe the Mistress pulled out two small, circular, metallic looking objects. Handing those to the recruits as well.

"What's this symbol on them?" Number 72 asked as he and 32 clasped them on the cloak around their necks.

"It's a cat's eye." The Mistress said with a shrug, "Just a symbol I used back in my more youthful days."

Once they had their capes on and secured Number 36 couldn't help but feel a little silly. He knew going into this that he would potentially end up fighting some of those costume nut job heroes out there but he never expected that he would have to look like one.

"Do these things actually have hoods to?" 72 asked out loud as he pulled his over his head. Number 36 had to stifle a laugh. The hood made him look like he had cat ears with the two pointed flaps that were on either side.

"What's so funny?" Number 72 asked as he felt the hood, quickly finding the flaps, "Is it torn or something?"

"They are…ears you could say that I personally fitted on these two cloaks. They may look a little silly but they enhance your hearing by nearly 10 fold if you concentrate enough."

"C'mon 36, let's see what it looks like on you!" 72 dared, noticing 36's failure to hold back an amused smile.

Reluctantly Number 36 did so, 72 did not hold back his laughter nearly as well as his friend did.

"Forgive me, Number 36." The Mistress said with an endearing smile, "I had to make yours slightly bigger to compensate for the natural size of your ears."

36 felt a warm blush begin to bloom on his face as 72 tried to stifle another laugh.

"Well, now that you both have become quite suited to your cloaks let's say we give them a test run."

"A test run?" 72 asked after he finally managed to control his laughter, "You mean to test the hearing thing?"

"No, no," the Mistress said with a knowing smile, "you see I have yet to mention what truly makes these cloaks so special, but I fear words fall short to what actions can prove. Now if you both will be so kind as to follow me to the roof…"

XXXXXX

Number 36 and 72 squinted as the trio stepped onto the roof of the large warehouse. It had been almost a month since the last time they had been outside, and even then they had spent most of their time within another building as they attempted to steal the valuables within.

"What I am about to show you is something that you should only do when you have no other options." The Mistress told them as they stood there, the wind billowing the two boy's cloaks around their thin bodies. "It is the ultimate utility of these cloaks and is to be used with extreme caution."

As she spoke she continued to walk backwards, towards the edge of the roof until finally she was only one step from falling. The two boys looked on in wonder, though Number 36 grew slightly nervous to see his Mistress so close to falling.

"Do I make myself clear, boys?" She asked, giving them a stern look. The two recruits instantly nodded their heads, the Mistress smiled. "Good."

Then, with a quick movement, the Mistress pulled her robe from her body, revealing very tight, leather skinned clothing beneath with her own cloak flapping in the wind behind her. Her smile widened as the two boys continued to stare in amazement.

"See you on the other side."

And with that their Mistress fell backwards from the roof. Number 36 and 72 immediately let out cries of shock and horror and quickly ran to the edge of the roof.

"Where did she go!" 72 asked out loud as the two of them peered downwards, seeing nothing but the trees and the grass that surrounded the warehouse, "I don't see her anywhere!"

Number 36 only continued to scan everywhere that he could see below them, panic quickly starting to take over, when he heard a soft clearing of the throat somewhere behind him. Very slowly Number 36 turned to see the Mistress, standing just where he and 72 had been seconds ago, smile still on her face.

"And what are you two looking for way over there?"

At the sound of her voice Number 72 immediately spun around, face white and eyes bulging.

"But you…I…saw you…fall…off…roof…"

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" The Mistress asked as she cupped a hand to her ear, "You look like you have just seen a ghost, speak up!"

"We just watched you fall off the roof!" Number 72 blurted out, pointing an accusing finger at her, "How did you fall from there but then manage to end up behind us!"

"Isn't it obvious?" The Mistress asked, her smile growing wider. Number 72 and 36 shared a look before looking back at her and, both still wide-eyed, they shook their heads. The Mistress laughed a cool, airy laugh before looking them dead in the eyes and said:

"I teleported."

"You…teleported." Number 72 repeated, looking at the Mistress like he was expecting her to suddenly change her mind. Number 36 couldn't but look at her in the same way.

"Yes." She simply replied, staring at them still.

"…How?"

"Like this." And, in a split second the Mistress pulled the cloak around her and disappeared from sight. Number 72 let out another surprised yelp, before turning to his friend.

"36, please tell me you just saw-." But Number 72 was cut off when his eyes fell on the Mistress, standing right behind 36, and letting out a third cry he jumped back several feet.

Very slowly Number 36 turned around to see the Mistress standing there, looking at him with a quizzical smile.

"You believe it now?"

Number 36 slowly nodded, face still full of wonder and amazement. When she looked over at Number 72 he looked back with wide bug eyes, face still as white as chalk.

"I'll just take that look as another yes." She said with another airy laugh. "Would either of you like to give it a try next?"

The two boys remained silent for a long time as she looked between them. Finally Number 72 let out a feeble attempt at a cough.

"I'd be more than happy to, but not before Number 36 tries it first."

Number 36 shot his friend a dirty look before feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked over at the Mistress to see her giving him her sweetest of smiles, already he could feel a blush forming.

"It's really as simple as it looks," she spoke in a soft, patient voice, "Simply think of where you want to be, another part of this roof for instance, and pull the cloak around your body, before you know it you will be there."

Number 36 simply nodded and the Mistress stepped away from him. He stood there for several minutes, thinking of where he wanted to be, but found that simply gripping the cloak was proving more of a daunting task than it seemed.

"Don't be afraid of the power." He heard his master call to him as the stood there, "It may seem strange and…creepy at first, but use it enough times, get to know it, and you may find out that you actually like it."

Number 36 looked over at her and found that the Mistress was smiling at him again. He quickly averted his eyes and face before she could see him blush again. Was she talking more of the cloak…or him?

With a deep sigh, Number 36 grabbed the hem of the cape and without anymore hesitation he pulled it around his body. A sensation of extreme darkness and cold was all he had time to notice before he was back out into the world, colliding with a body soft and warm. He heard her let out a small exclamation of surprise, immediately he heard 72's laughter assault his ears.

"I did not know you desired to be so close." The Mistress said softly, looking down at 36 as he felt himself pressed against her, his head buried between her…

"I'm sorry!" Number 36 immediately apologized, literally jumping away from her, "I did not mean to…"

"It's quite alright, it is hard to control exactly where you want to go the first few times." she said with a forgiving smile. Number 36 merely nodded, keeping his eyes fixed to the ground, he could still here his friend snickering.

"Number 72." Mistress called in a pleasant voice, immediately the snickering stopped, "now that you see Number 36 has teleported and come back just fine, perhaps you are more comfortable with trying it yourself?"

"Uhh…" 72 replied, looking just as uncomfortable as Number 36 did now.

"Try it." Number 36 encouraged with a soft smile, "It's not so bad, just cold."

Number 72 looked back in silence for a moment before finally breaking out into a smile of his own.

"Yeah, ok, if 36 can do it then so can I, no problem!"

"Good." The Mistress said, "Now, just think of a spot on this roof you would like to teleport to and pull the cape around you, simple yes?"

"Yeah, simple…" Number 72 breathed, closing his eyes he immediately looked to be in deep concentration. After a few minutes his eyes snapped open and his eyes met Number 36's. The two friends shared a look for only a second before 72 smiled and, gripping his cape, he pulled it around him and vanished.

The seconds ticked away very slowly. Time went by even slower as they became minutes. Number 36 looked all around the roof but his friend did not appear. Glancing over at the Mistress he noticed that she was still staring at the spot that 72 disappeared from, arms folded and smile gone. When it began to feel like they had been up there for hours the Mistress let out a sigh.

"Number 36," she began, turning to face him, "have you-."

But she was cut off as a figure suddenly appeared between them.

"72!" Number 36 called out as he began to approach his friend, but felt himself come to a halt when his eyes caught a glimpse of his friend's face. In that moment it looked more miserable than 36 had ever remembered seeing it look before, but as soon as that look was there it vanished beneath a wide smile as Number 72 stood up straight and looked at his friend.

"I did it!" He exclaimed, laughing lightly. Number 36 forced himself to smile back.

"So you did." The Mistress spoke, arms still folded, "And you took a bit longer than expected."

"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Number 72 quickly replied, turning to face her, rubbing the back of his head, "I think I teleported to the wrong rooftop or something."

"I see…" the Mistress spoke, looking at 72 square in the face, the two of them looked at each other like that for several seconds before she broke out into a smile, "well then, I think that's enough training. Get a good night's rest boys, tomorrow one, or even both, of you become my apprentices."

The two boys shared a slightly surprised look at such a short training session but after seeing the raised eyebrow of their Mistress they immediately got back in line.

"Yes, Mistress." The two boys said in unison, bowing low.

XXXXXXX

You alone will rule all

While the world around you crumbles and falls

Your power and strength will have no foe

But the demon will take you, and you will know

As you watch yourself twist and change

And the world around you finds it strange

Too late will they find that you need to die

For it will be when they burn and fry.

Number 36 awoke with a terrified cry. It was the first time a dream had affected him in such a way and he remained sitting up in his bed for a few seconds taking in deep breaths as he felt the cold sweat trickle down his forehead.

It wasn't long that he sat in the darkness that he realized that his scream should have woken up 72, he was always a light sleeper. He looked over to 72's bed and wasn't surprised to see that he was not sleeping there. 36 looked around the small room but, still unsurprising, there was no 72. With a sigh 36 lay back down in bed, maybe his friend stepped out to use the bathroom…although there was a small bathroom connected to their bedroom…and he wasn't in it.

He wouldn't choose this night of all nights to stay up late, even if he was so sure he was not going to be chosen. What if he left? Number 36's heart began to race. He wouldn't leave without saying good-bye, would he? No, they were too close, he couldn't do that, he just couldn't.

So Number 36 continued to lay there. But as the minutes dragged on he began to feel the sense of dread sink lower and lower. After almost 30 minutes of waiting 36 couldn't take it anymore, rising from his cot he began slipping on his black and gray combat clothes, they were a bit tight, but Mistress always insisted they weren't like superhero's spandex.

Number 36 had just fitted on his boots when he heard the crack of a whip, and a horrid scream follow soon after. 36 felt a chill run down his spine, the yell was definitely male.

"Number 72!" He shouted, running through the doorway. He ran through all the hallways, all of the expansive rooms, calling out his friends name and doing his best to keep the shout in his head, where it had come from, how deadly it sounded.

After running for a few minutes 36 was starting to believe he lost the sound until a faint noise began calling in his ears. He immediately stopped moving, doing his best to focus on the noise through his heavy breathing. The deeper he concentrated the louder the noise seemed to get, he pushed back his breathing, the creaking noises of the old warehouse, and in that almost silence he could hear the sounds of soft moaning.

Number 36 looked to where the noise was coming from and saw a single door was standing in his way. Immediately he knew where he was, his searching had taken him to almost the very top of the warehouse, he found himself standing before the door that would take him the rest of the way. The door leading to the roof.

With a single deep breath, 36 ran through the door. Standing on the roof, heavy wind screaming in his ears, blinding darkness assaulting his eyes, he could no longer hear the moaning, or see the person calling out.

"72!" Number 36 screamed against the wind, "Number 72, are you out here!"

At first there was no reply, and as 36 stared into the darkness only the howling wind answered his call. With another calming breath Number 36 began walking through the darkness. He didn't want 72 to be here, he didn't want him to be here and in pain. He couldn't be here, he just couldn't.

"Number 72!" 36 called into the growing storm. He was growing desperate; he couldn't keep searching through pitch darkness on top of a building, but if 72 was up here…

"Please! Number 72! Are you here!"

Still no answer, just the wind and the storm.

"NUMBER 72!" The boy shouted louder than he ever shouted before. He felt his throat strain with the effort. He shut his eyes and clenched his fists in frustration. He was about to turn around, he was about to find his way back inside and keep searching the rest of the building. But as he had his eyes closed all of the noises of the storm slowly began to fade away.

First the thunder…then the howling wind…then the light sounds of the rain…and finally…

"Number 36…"

It was a moan, a plea of help, so soft and so weak 36 had almost missed it. The boy ran as soon as his eyes flashed open, rain beginning to pelt his face. As his eyes finally began to adjust more to the night he saw a dark shape lying on the ground, growing ever closer as he ran towards it.

"Number 72!" 36 exclaimed as he fell to the ground beside his fallen friend. Number 72 was shirtless as he lay in the rain and as 36 touched his back he could feel a number of cuts etched deep and bleeding into him.

"Took you long enough." 72 said, and although his voice was full of pain there was also a hint of an amused smile.

"Who did this to you?" Number 36 asked, his voice growing shaky, his eyes began to hurt to keep back the sudden tears, "Who!"

"The…Mistress…"

All at once the entire world seemed to turn off. The coldness of the storm was nothing compared to the sinking feeling that dropped deep inside of him.

"No…no! You're lying, it couldn't have been…it couldn't have been the…the…"

"Mistress?" A sweet and sultry voice asked. And before 36 could turn around a tight and constraining force wrapped its way painfully around his neck and pulled him into the air. Number 36 let out a painful gasp as he was slammed back down.

"Oh Number 36, why did you have to be a little hero?" The sweet voice continued as Number 36 gripped the whip tied around his throat, trying fruitlessly to pull it off, "You should not be here, this is between 72 and myself."

"Why, Mistress?" Number 36 asked the tall shadowed figure that held the whip, his voice pleading, desperate, "Why are you doing this to 72? What did he do?"

"He tried to escape me. He tried to escape his fate."

Number 36 looked from the shadowed figure holding the whip to the other figure lying on the ground.

"She's right, Number 36; I did try to run away."

"But…why?" 36 now pleaded with his friend, "You didn't…you didn't even say good-bye…"

To his surprise Number 72 laughed a genuine laugh. It never felt more out of place.

"I'm sorry, 36, that was just the last thing I expected, I didn't know you cared." Number 72 then let out a sad sigh and 36 knew he was now looking at him through the darkness, "Earlier today, when I teleported on the roof, I didn't teleport to a different roof…I…I teleported to Number 26."

Number 36's throat seemed to dry up almost instantly, he didn't even feel the burn of the whip around his neck anymore. 72 went to see 26…so why did he sound so sad?

"Number 72-."

"She didn't wait for me!" Number 72 burst out, his voice suddenly wracked with tears and misery, "I went to where she was, it was a party, at some other warehouse, and I saw her, she was with some guy in stupid colorful spandex, she was with a hero!"

Impossibly Number 36 felt his throat close even tighter. His heart ached for his friend and for the first time in his life he felt the cold tears trickle down his face.

"I waited so long for her!" 72 continued to cry, his voice a mixture of anger and grief, "I- we went through so much to prove her wrong, so that she could see that we were worth something…that I was worth something…"

"72…please…" 36 said through a chocked sob. He didn't know what to say to his only friend, his grief was over whelming.

"…but it's too late." Number 72 said with a tone of finality, "Number 26 forgot about us. Forgot about me. And now…now I've lost everything."

"Regrettably, you are correct." The Mistress broke in, and suddenly the burning vanished as the whip released itself from 36's neck. But Number 36 simply sat there in the rain, consumed by his own grief. He only barely flinched when something dropped to the ground beside him.

"You are the winner. The sole winner, Number 36." The Mistress said evenly, Number 36 could feel her presence as she stood beside him in the dark. "Now wear your mantle and finish your final test."

In a half-hearted movement 36 reached out to his side and almost immediately felt the familiar yet strangely warm and dry fabric that rested on the ground beside him. Confused, Number 36 looked up to where he believed his master's face was.

"Mistress…?"

"Number 72 tried to escape before final judgment." The Mistress stated simply, "He knew the rules going into this, and you both know the consequences for breaking those rules."

"So, what?" Number 72 asked, his sadness suddenly masked with rage, "You're going to have 36 kill me like you killed all the other recruits who failed?"

Lightning struck as soon as 72 had finished speaking, and in that brief flash of light 36 could see the fury and hate in his friend's eyes as he glared at the woman who stood across from him, while the Mistress had a mixed look of shock and anger.

"…how long have you known?" She asked, her tone indicating it was more of a demand than a request.

"As long as 26 knew." Number 72 breathed, and instantly realization sent a deep, cold chill down 36's spine. "That's why she was one of the first ones to fail. She was smarter and tougher than anyone in this place, smart enough to realize what was going on…and apparently tough enough to escape from the likes of you."

"She was nothing but a mouse that scurried away the first chance she got!" The Mistress spat in a tone that was far from her usual, voluptuous voice, "She ran and left you and all the other recruits to die! A woman after my own heart, to be sure. But you are right, she was too smart for her own good, but thankfully she was kind hearted enough to leave behind two perfect, obedient recruits to do as I please...well, almost perfect."

Number 36 then felt a strong hand take hold of his arm and bring him up to his feet. Those same hands gripped the cape and quickly tied it around his neck, securing the buckle with a sharp snap.

"Now, Number 36, sweetie, be a dear and finish with Number 72 for me."

Number 36 stood there, in the cold and the rain, hands clenched at his sides, body shaking from more than just the wind. Lightning flashed once again and he could see his friend still laying on the ground, body beaten and bleeding, his eyes full of pain, regret, sadness, and…fear.

"No."

"I'm sorry…" Mistress asked, and Number 36 could imagine her cupping a hand to her ear, "I didn't quite catch that…what did you just say to me?"

"I said…" 36's hand began to ache as it clenched even tighter, "NO!"

He then let his fist fly to where the Mistress was standing, only to have the blow connect with nothing but air.

"Ungrateful bastard!" He heard her curse from behind him, but even before he could turn around all the way he felt a powerful kick connect with his side, sending him sliding through the slick ground.

"I gave you everything!" The Mistress shouted, and Number 36 let out a cry of agony as he felt her boot ram into his stomach, "I took you away from you drunk and negligent parents, I took revenge on all those children who teased you. I took you into my home; I gave you a second chance, a chance to be something great, something bigger than yourself. And after all that…YOU…DO…NOT…TELL…ME…NO!"

Number 36 cried and coughed out blood as each kick assaulted his body. He began to see red and black fill his already dim vision. He felt inches away from oblivion when a furious cry broke through the storm and his master's accusations.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU BITCH!"

Number 36 heard the Mistress let out a surprised gasp as Number 72 plowed into her. He continued to hear them struggle as he slowly rose from the ground, his body throbbing with pain. He had finally managed to stand up when he heard his friend let out another howl of pain.

"72!" Number 36 shouted into the night, but all he could see was the rain. Instantly he closed his eyes and concentrated on hearing something…anything, he didn't have to wait long.

"Number 36! We're on the edge of the roof!" He heard 72 shout painfully into the storm and instantly, 36 found them.

Number 36 gripped his cloak as he heard 72 let out a final scream as the Mistress dropped him from the roof. Time almost seemed to slow down as 36 pulled the cape around him. He felt his body disappear into blackness even colder and darker than the storm, but just as quickly he reappeared, falling down the warehouse beside 72.

"Grab my hand!" Number 36 called as he reached for where he hoped his friend was.

"36!" He heard 72 call back in a very weak voice. The moment 36's fingers wrapped around his friend's arm he used all his strength to pull him against his body, and then angled his back to hit the ground. He was really hoping his last ditch idea wouldn't kill them both.

Sure enough instead of dying he felt them both sail through his cape and immediately back onto the top of the roof, right where he wanted to be. Dropping his friend, Number 36 leapt into the air and reached out; hoping that choosing a target to teleport to was a good idea. It was.

His Mistress let out a surprised yelp as he tackled into her.

"You can't hold me here!" The Mistress shrieked as she struggled against 36's weight, "I've been teleporting for years; I've been doing this since before you were born!"

"Not…a lot of good…that'll do you…without this…" He heard his friend call out, and even though he wasn't able to see Number 36 knew what he had gripped in his hands, for it was the same thing the Mistress seemed to lack tied around her neck.

"You sneaky little rat!" The Mistress shouted.

"Just like…you taught me…to be…" Number 72 replied with a weak laugh.

"So what are you going to do, huh!" The Mistress shouted as she fought against 36's grip on her arms and legs, "What is a creepy, weirdo, low life going to do to his all powerful Mistress!"

Number 36 felt all other feelings pushed aside as contempt and anger filled him over the woman he used to love. Very slowly he lowered his head so that he could whisper in her ear over the howling wind:

"Get closer."

Then, in a blink of an eye, his cape was suddenly draped over his Mistress's chest and without thought, without feeling, Number 36 dropped his hand through the cloak and into the woman's chest.

His master let out only a single gasp of surprise and pain as Number 36's hand tightened around her heart, then in one simple move the student clenched his fist and his teacher's heart burst in his palm. He slowly removed his hand as the Mistress fell still, the blood that coated his glove dripped unto his exposed cape, though the blood merely vanished as it made contact.

"Number 36…" He head his friend call and immediately 36 stood up and walked over to Number 72, though he was still unable to see him clearly through all the darkness of the storm.

"Come on…" 36 said wearily, grabbing his friend around the shoulders, "let's get you inside."

"36…please…don't bother." 72 spoke as 36 struggled to drag him across the roof, "I'm dying, that bitch had a knife, and she got me with it, pretty close to my heart to."

36 stood there stunned for a moment, before reaching out to his friend, only for his hand to hit the hilt of the knife.

"Ouch! Don't touch it!" Number 72 demanded.

"I'm sorry…" 36 said miserably, though it was sadness conflicted with anger, "…I wasn't pretty close to striking her heart."

Number 72 let out a laugh that was soon followed by a coughing fit and groans of pain.

"I'm glad to hear it." He said, his voice strangely happy and carefree. Number 36 couldn't help but smile sadly in return as he sat down beside his dying friend, already the rain seemed lighter.

"Listen 36, I'm not sad that I'm dying." Number 72 said, smile still in his voice, "My life may have been pathetic and miserable for the most part. But that all changed when I met you…and 26, you guys made it better, you guys made everything worth it again…and please…if you ever see 26 again, say hello and tell her I…tell her…tell her I said hi to."

Number 36 laughed softly and 72 did as well.

"I'll tell her, 72, I'll find her and tell her everything." 36 replied, tears threatening to spill from his eyes again.

"Thanks 36...and do you think you can do me one more favor?"

"Anything, what is it?"

Number 36 felt his breath catch when he felt a gentle hand rest against the side of his face.

"Don't ever change."

Number 36 sat there with 72's hand rested against his face long after the storm had moved on, long after the sun appeared in the sky, and long after his closest and only friend passed away from this world.

XXXXXXX

To Be Continued…