Title: Refers to Taylor
Episode Forty-One
"Pissed Off Hero Boy"
Little Zachary Portilla wanted to be many things when he grew up.
When he was really little he wanted to be a penguin. Then he thought that maybe he'd like to be a doctor. Most recently his aspirations were leading him towards a possible career in musical theatre.
Or they were before he became Seven of Nine the Snail.
Now it seems he is nothing but a mindless drone in the service of the Ancient Ones who still possess the dead chicken whose decomposing body little Zach had made disparaging remarks about.
The very same decomposing chicken that now hovers in the waiting room of Mallard's office yet again.
"So, um, this is the list of qualities that you all desire in your vessels?" Mallard asks nervously.
"IT IS," comes the deep booming reply. More feathers fall to the floor.
Mallard gulps as he scans the list again. He has no idea where exactly to find these kinds of people, but he supposes he should start in his client files. They are all crazy anyway so it won't be a far leap for them to find themselves possessed by an Ancient God. Maybe it will even help.
Reese pushes open the door and runs out of the ruinous compound, closely followed by Pizoku and Jilan. The sight he finds freezes him in his tracks. "Oh my god."
He can barely be made out in the whirlwind. The raging funnel of storm and power emanates and encases him entirely, spreading far beyond and blocking out any possible visible horizon. Taylor is Not Happy. He has become Dark Vengeance once again. Reese feels his heart ache inside him as he once again knows that in a peripheral way, this utter violence is his own doing.
"Reese!" The three turn to see Neah and Ashlee hurrying towards them. "Jilan!"
"I think someone is having issues," Jilan says, indicating Taylor.
"Yeah," Ashlee says, then turns to Reese, whose eyes have not left Taylor. "Think you can stop him before he completely blows things to pieces?"
Reese becomes determined. "Stand back." He walks forward and into the raging winds before them.
Pizoku is utterly stunned and watches this all with wide eyes, or as wide as they can be in a desert sandstorm. "You were being figurative, right?"
Ashlee gives him a Look. "Not so much."
The winds rage around him at impossible and terrifying speeds, yet he is able to move forward with little difficulty, as if something is helping him through, some unseen power. Reese breaks through the storm wall into the Eye. And finds him.
"Taylor!" He shouts at the boy, whose appearance has gone much darker than he previously remembered seeing it. Reese grips the side of Taylor's face and forces his dilated eyes to lock with his. "You can stop now," He says calmly, willing Taylor to hear him. "I'm here, we're fine." The sounds around him die away as the winds and storms dissipate around him. "Just calm down and breathe."
Taylor's green eyes stare back into the blue eyes of Reese. Reese smiles at him as Taylor catches his breath, then stops, looking off to the side, feeling.
Reese frowns. "What is it, Taylor?"
"Something isn't right," Taylor says darkly and looks over at the other four.
He moves before anyone even can register he did and the girls recoil as Taylor slams Pizoku into the wall with a force that shakes the stone building. A reflective glint of light in Taylor's hands chills Reese to his core.
"No!" Reese yells, but Taylor runs the knife through Pizoku's belly, pinning him to the wall.
To Be Continued...
Trivia and Spoilers: I was feeling a bir of bitterness while backstage at Godspell so I made one of the cast members Seven of Nine. His fate is not necessarily sealed though.
-Yes he was the small boy at the end of List of Four
-Dark Vengeance Taylor has occurred before.
-Pizoku doesn't mention what happened with Taylor. Hmm.
-Reese is capable of braving the storm and bringing Taylor out of the darkness.
-Taylor seems to have another feeling and attacks Pizoku. Is he freaking good or bad already?
