Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock.
Thank you Worker72, gwen araujo, and 7 Deadly Sinz for reviewing the last chapter!
Author's Notes: Just a few things to share:
1) Personally I'm a huge fan of Virgil/Daisy pairings (yet there are so few despite the fact it was the closest to canon on the show, Virgil obviously liked her). I'm not that big a fan of the Virgil/Shenice coupling, I actually can see her with Hotstreak of all people (see my story Last Thoughts for this pairing), but I decided to try out a bit of Virgil/Shenice in this story.
2) The stranger's identity will be revealed in this chapter! Who can it be? Read to find out!
3) WARNING: This chapter is more horrifying than the previous ones. Please let me know what you think of the horror. Is it scary enough? Does it need some work? Were you even shaking at all? Are you intrigued, or is it just boring? Either way I really want to know.
On with the story!
Static stepped back allowing the cloth to fall from his hands. Gear and She-Bang joined in with wide-eyed stares. Static shook his head and rubbed his eyes before taking a second glance at the man sitting before him.
"Is that really him?" Gear asked barely able to speak.
Shenice placed her hand over her mouth to hide the snickering.
Static blushed a bright crimson as the fact of the matter presented itself before the trio. If not for the sheer humiliation he would have joined the female in her laughter. This was the ghost he had been dreading for the past few days? This was the man that he had been losing sleep over?
Upon accepting the reality of the ghost Static's surprise switched to anger. He stepped forward and grabbed the phantom by the collar of his hoodie. The bound ghost writhed while Static yanked him up to eye-level.
Static yelled, "You have one minute to explain what you're doing or—"
"Or what?" he asked with a shrieking chuckle. "You gonna take another life?" The ghost stared deep into Static's eyes. The eyes matched those of someone with a history of psychotic behavior, bound forever in a padded room. He inhaled deeply before speaking again. "Yes, that would be perfect for you. Why not kill everyone who gets in your way?"
Static glared into the face of the meta-human known on the streets of Ferret, none Static had ever met spoke his human name. Ferret's dark eyes were blank and almost completely rolled into the back of his head. His laughter echoed in his throat emitting the vocals of a shadow gurgling liquid. His lips were bloodied and chapped, and dark rings lined his eyes. There seemed to be healing scratches lining the bang babies face, no doubt caused by his own claws.
Static raised his fist, circled in blue sparks. The bang baby giggled, shaking violently in the superhero's grip. The blood on his mouth splattered in Static's face. Static allowed the electricity to die down. He looked down to realize when he lifted Ferret the metal around his wrists and ankles sliced deep into his skin. The once black puddle now shone under the wall lantern as a bright as the ripe apples being made into pies. Static nearly let a word slip out as he noticed the warm, red liquid dripping on his shoes. He zapped the spiked metal away from the teen's body. Through it all Ferret never seemed to take notice of the pain.
Ferret let out one last loud laugh, his throat spewing blood onto his shirt. His eyes then shut and his head fell backwards. Static caught him before his neck broke. He called his name several times, breathing being the only response of life. He placed the meta-human softly on the ground then growled at his now bloodstained jacket.
"Static, is he okay?" Richie asked switching his gaze from Ferret to Static and back.
"I don't know," Static said kneeling by the meta-human. He remained on guard. Although Ferret was not among the most dangerous bang babies, in his current state he was likely to cause more damage to himself. Ferret's behavior bothered him, it was weird even by Ferret's standards. Static sniffed for any trace of alcohol only to come up negative. The blood continued to pour at a steady rate. He glanced back at the woman in pink. "She-Bang, hand me your cape," Static ordered.
"I don't think so," she replied.
"She-Bang, he'll die if you don't," Static pleaded. He looked away and said silently to himself, "I won't let another one die."
She-Bang huffed then ripped the pink blanket from her costume and threw it to Static. He turned around and ripped it into thinner pieces. Shenice winced at the sound of her colleague shredding her favorite blanket. He firmly wrapped the sliced cloth around Ferret's wounds. Once finished he handed the tattered blanket back to She-Bang who gingerly accepted it. She tied what was left around her neck, holding the edge in her hands, not hiding the frown on her face. Static looked down at his hands, wrinkling his nose at the now blood-stained gloves.
Static stood over Ferret's body shaking his head. Ferret's hands twitched while the rest of him lay still.
"We have to get him to a hospital," She-Bang finally said.
Static kept his gaze on the body, barely hearing her words. His head swiftly jumped up as she finished her sentence. He turned to the face of She-Bang and gave a weak smile followed by a slight nod.
"That's been your ghost all along" Gear laughed.
Static sighed, his cheeks becoming pink for the moment. The longer he hung on Gear's statement the more a smile grew and soon he joined in the laugh.
It startled Gear when he suddenly stopped. "Wait, if he's been the one following me then he knows who I am."
The sudden movement made the three jump in shock, Gear and She-Bang releasing a shriek. Static powered up and She-Bang moved into a defensive stance. Gear reached into his pocket to grasp a zap-cap. The meta-human sat up, his face appearing woozy and lacking color. His eyes were bloodshot and his breathing irregular. He shook his head, immediately grabbing his forehead and squeezing his eyes shut, releasing a small moan. He looked up at the three heroes with a confused and nauseous look on his face.
"Ferret," Static said softly.
Ferret didn't acknowledge his name at the moment. He touched his aching stomach followed by his spinning head. He fell backwards, squeezing his hands into fists. He coughed, turning his head to the side to spit out blood.
"Ferret," Static said kneeling beside the bang-baby. He helped lift Ferret back into a sitting position. Ferret slumped over, his head falling forward. "You okay?" Static asked lifting Ferret's face to meet his.
Ferret's sore eyes gazed in emptiness. He blinked and sharply turned his head. He opened his eyes again, taking in a deep breath.
"Hmm…wha?" Ferret shook his head. "What's going on?" he managed to ask.
"Why don't you tell us," She-Bang growled crossing her arms.
Ferret, who was at the time leaning on Static, grasped his head and gave her a blank stare.
"What?" he asked before spitting out more blood-filled spit. He gripped his stomach then leaned over to rid himself of formless bile.
She-Bang cringed at the sight, fighting the urge to vomit herself. Gear and Static exchanged glances. Upon regaining her composure She-Bang and Gear nonverbally voted that Static be the one to gather the information.
"Did I pass out here?" Ferret asked. "I don't remember."
Static's eyes widened for a second. He turned to the others and whispered, "He's in no condition to be interrogated."
"Static, he's been following you for the past few days, we deserve an answer!" Gear snapped.
Static nodded and cleared his throat. He grasped Ferret tightly by the jacket sleeves and pulled him close. Ferret slightly wiggled, eventually giving up.
"Now I'm going to ask you once," Static warned. "If you don't cooperate you'll be in a worse condition than you are now."
"Please, not so loud," Ferret begged softly. He yawned then said, "I feel like I have a hangover or something. But I don't remember drinking anything." He turned to face Static with half shut eyes. He managed a small chuckle before moaning. "Is there nothing more exciting going on that you have to check on me?" He stretched his arms and fell backwards. "If so, goodnight." He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath of air.
Static's cold exterior broke. "I can't," he whispered to Gear.
"Well I can," Gear said putting the cap back in his pocket. He pushed Static out of the way and forcefully grabbed Ferret by the hair. The meta-human howled in pain only to be slapped in the face by Gear.
"Gear!" Static yelled.
"Stop it!" She-Bang shouted at the same time.
"Wake up, 'cause I'm not leaving without a few answers!" Gear yelled.
Ferret's eyes were open wide and his body trembling.
"What's your game?" Gear hissed.
"What game?" Ferret shrieked. "You're the one intimidating me."
"Why've you been following us?"
"Why would I waste my time following you?"
"I said enough with the games!" Gear yelled, raising his hand again.
"What's wrong with the three of you?" Ferret yelled backing away before Gear had the chance to strike him a second time. He tripped over his own feet and fell to the pavement.
She-Bang and Static grabbed Gear's arms. Ferret looked up at him them with eyes of horror. Ferret's arms stung. He looked down at the bandages and shrieked. He noticed his ankles were also wrapped tightly with what used to be She-Bang's cape.
"What? What?" Ferret gasped. "What happened to me?"
"Ferret, calm down," She-Bang said trying to move forward. Ferret leaned over on his sore feet, his hands threatening to push her back if she came any closer to him. She-Bang added, "Ferret, we had to stop you, there's no need to go berserk." She-Bang moved in closer to the meta-human. Ferret released his claws threatening with a growl in his voice to slice her face if she came within another inch. She-Bang lifted her hands in surrender and backed away.
"So you're the ones who did this to me?" Ferret asked, falling down. His palms slammed into the pavement, skinning up the thin skin.
"It was an accident," Static explained. "We'll get you to a hospital, just calm down."
"Calm down!" Ferret yelled as he leapt to his feet, ignoring the intense stinging in his ankles. He shakily pointed his fingers at the three. "You're the ones who team up and hurt me and you expect me to be calm!" He stumbled a time or two then placed his hand on the brick wall for support.
"Don't make me do this," Static said using his electric field to raise the broken pieces of metal that used to be a part of a fence.
"Just go ahead and injure me worse," Ferret said. He waved his fingers in a way that was almost daring the hero to go through with his threat. "It's not like anyone'll believe you did it." Ferret gave Static a sadistic grin. "Come on, kill me, just like you did to Talon."
"Talon's death was not my fault!" Static screamed grabbing Ferret's collar. Gear advanced to aid Static only to be restrained by She-Bang.
"Angry?" Ferret asked with a laugh. He looked up with an expression that matched Static's. "So it's true then? You really killed her?"
"No!" Static yelled.
"That was a quick reply," Ferret said with a small chuckle. His laughter ceased upon the eruption of coughs.
"Don't you go spreading that lie," Gear said breaking free from his She-Bang's grasp.
"That's not what I heard," Ferret replied. "Word on the street is you pushed her off the roof. The great hero...a murderer."
"I didn't murder her!" Static shouted. "She fell! It was an ACCIDENT!"
Ferret's smirk fell. He listened to the heavy breathing escaping Static's lips. After a few seconds of silence he nodded. "Alright. I just might believe you."
"Then you won't tell anyone what happened?" Static asked in a hushed voice.
"I won't," Ferret said.
"How can we trust you?" Static asked.
Ferret lowered his eyes to signal Static to release his grip on him. Static complied and Ferret grasped the wall that barely held him upright. He stumbled forward, trying to keep from falling. Static caught Ferret's limp body then helped him to stand straight.
"You don't have to worry about that," Ferret said with a cough and a laugh. Out of curiosity the three allowed him to speak. "Let's just say if I were as low as you believe me to be, I'd've revealed your identity years ago," Ferret said with a cackle. "Virgil Hawkins."
"How did you find that out?" Static asked tightening his grip on Ferret's arm.
"Did you forget?" Ferret asked. Static gave him a blank stare. "Hyde forced me to hunt you down. Three years ago, remember?"
Static's temporarily stopped breathing. The memory of being tracked down by that freak covered sent chills down his spine. All this time was certain his identity was safe only to have the unpleasant reality spit in his face.
"I wasn't given a choice," Ferret said. "But I haven't told a soul. Not even Kangor." He looked up at the sky with a frown of sorrow on his face. His hand clenched as if he were holding a small, precious item. "She was a friend, you know. A good friend who treated me kindly." Ferret scoffed. "Not many do that, you know. She didn't consider me a burden."
Static let out a breath and motioned with his hands for the others to relinquish any threats that may be lurking in their minds. The superheroes finally accepted that they were at the mercy of Ferret's silence and backed off. Static's fists unclenched and he placed his hands in front of him in the form of surrender.
"Look, I didn't kill her," Static explained in a soft voice. "She fell." Ferret's cold eyes rose to meet his. Static's heart skipped. Although he would never admit it out loud, Ferret was one of the meta-humans he feared would be the first to snap into a coldblooded killer under the right conditions. That glare did nothing to ease those thoughts. Static slowly stepped forward. "Yes, I should've done more to help her, but it was a complete accident."
Ferret's sharp eyes pierced into Static. "That's not what she thinks," he said. He returned his gaze to the sky.
"You've seen her?" Gear asked pushing past She-Bang.
"Every night," Ferret replied not making eye contact.
"How is she?" Static asked, a smile slightly forming. He looked at the other two who shared Static's relief.
Ferret returned his eyes to the heroes immediately removing their smiles. He gravely answered, "If you're truly the ones who killed her...I fear for you."
"But—but you just said you've seen her," Gear stammered. "She's alive, right?"
Ferret shook his head. "I'm afraid it's too late for her. But she haunts my dreams every night." Ferret cracked his neck. "She comes to me at night crying, covered in blood, and burnt, begging for help." He stared into the faces of the heroes. "I can't bare the sight. It rips my heart out. Be glad you can't see her. Hear her wailing. Scratching at the doors, pleading to be heard." He gripped at his own arms. His pleading eyes burned deep into Static's soul. "I want to ignore her, I don't want to believe. But I had pity on her and she won't leave. Not until…"
"Until what?" Static asked grabbing Ferret's wrists. Ferret hissed in pain. Static released his grip as Ferret touched the cloth covering the tender, damaged skin. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Static said. "I forgot."
"Don't be sorry for me," Ferret said as the pain subsided. He massaged his sore wrists. He lifted his eyes to meet the ones belonging to the heroes. "She wants to leave, but she's stuck. She won't go until the blood of the one responsible is spilled."
"You mean?"
"Retribution."
Static's eyes widened. She-Bang gently touched Static's shoulder, trying her best to hide her shaking legs. Static placed a comforting hand on the female's shoulder. Her lips quivered.
Static was about to ask another question when Gear began to clap sarcastically. Static and Ferret both forgot their fear as they looked upon Gear's odd acts. She-Bang also raised an eyebrow at her friend.
"Someone give this man an Oscar," Gear said as he placed his hands on his hips. He walked towards Ferret. "You really had me fooled for a second."
"What are you talking about?" Ferret asked.
"Drop the act, Ferret, I know you're faking this, this 'help me, I'm being haunted by ghosts,' thing."
Ferret smiled in a way that sent a chill through Gear's body though he'd never admit it. "I wish I were that good an actor," Ferret replied. His smile faded as he said, "But I know better than to lie on the dead."
"You don't give up," Gear scoffed.
Ferret grasped Gear's shoulder. "You know what happens when you lie on a ghost? You become cursed."
Gear forced out his laughter louder than needed to be.
"You hear this loon?" Gear asked pointing to Ferret. "And to think he scared you for so long."
Static sighed. He glanced over at Ferret. He almost formed a smile to laugh at Gear's reasoning when Ferret's eyes suddenly widened. He backed up causing Gear and She-Bang to whip their heads in his direction.
"No, no," Ferret cried.
Static stepped forward. "Alright, let's go," Static said taking hold of Ferret's arm.
"No. No! Don't!" Ferret screamed.
Static began, "I'm just…"
"Don't do it again!" Ferret screamed. "I gave them your message! Please!" Ferret fell to his knees, tearing at his hair. Static stepped back, bumping into Gear. The three watched the meta-human with wide eyes. "Please, leave me alone!" Ferret yelled. "I told them what you wanted! Don't put me to sleep again! Please! Teresa! NO!"
Static jumped at the mention of her name.
"Let me go!" Ferret screamed. "You promised!"
Static grabbed Ferret's shoulders. Ferret's face fell back as his eyes went back into his skull and he began to croak out inaudible words. His left nostril spilled blood. His head jerked forward then back once more and he fell free from Static's grip. Static backed up trying to keep from screaming. Ferret yelled as he shook wildly, sprawling all over the pavement. His fingers twitched and coiled. His nails dug into the wall, falling swiftly, leaving white streaks in the brick.
Static approached him, trying his best to calm the episode, only to be clawed in the face. He yelled out in pain holding his bleeding cheek. Static jumped back watching on with the other two as Ferret looked as if he was shouting at an invisible person. His left hand seemed to be clasping at what appeared to be an invisible person's bicep. His right hand was down where the person's stomach would have been. His arm was pushed out forward with his palm facing the three. His fingertips pushed with all their might against a transparent being.
Static looked at his two partners who stared with an equal amount of shock. Ferret screamed out. He pushed forward then was thrown against the pavement. Both hands clutched what would have been a person's shoulders had there been anyone standing above him.
"Please leave me alone!" Ferret screamed.
He lifted one knee that stopped just below the abdomen of the invisible force. He lifted his knee in a vain attempt to kick off the person hovering over him. Ferret's eyes were focused on the figure above him. His head shifted from left to right and back again. He suddenly went silent and still.
Static looked at the others then back at the motionless meta-human. He took a deep breath and walked towards Ferret. He softly spoke his name and went down to check if he was still alive.
Ferret swiftly sat up, his shoulders up to his ears. "STAY BACK!" he hissed in a voice that was not his. The iris stayed near the tip of the top lid revealing the blood-lined whites to the heroes. He growled, clawing at the air. Ferret rose without any difficulty, allowing his arms to fall loosely by his side. His once hunched over spine straightened and he lifted his arms a bit, his eyes remaining in the same position.
He smiled and cackled in a similar laugh belonging to Talon. His voice was now a higher pitch, speaking in Talon's accent. "Static. We meet at last."
How was that? Creepy, huh? I rewrote a majority of the possession scene. Please let me know what you think.