Chibiyu: I finally get to the emotional bits. Yay!

Nick: And I am out of the picture so I am safe.

Chibiyu: Are you? Are you really?

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He was pulled around the corner and up the emergency staircase before he could even think to scream two simple words: It's gone.

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Kevin watched his brother collapse, holding his head, elbows resting on knees. He knew of the biting disappointment, of the shame nipping at his heels. He sat next to his brother, putting his hand on Joe's arm, waiting for their front door to open. Waiting for Nick to walk in, pissed and bruised, but alive. Waiting for something he knew wouldn't happen. He felt Joe shaking beside him, but he couldn't even bring himself to lie to his younger brother, to say everything was going to be fine. Saying it out loud, it almost seemed to be the beginning of a curse and the end of all hope. A lie they would all see through. But when one can't lie or tell the truth, what can be said?

Kevin closed his senses, focusing tightly on the thorns piercing his skin, on the nails the pressed deep into the soles of his feet, of the rope tightening around his neck. He couldn't not see his brother, getting kicked, falling hard to the floor with a defiant glare on his face, getting killed for just a pendant. For all the power in the world, and to doom it. And it was his fault that his brother was on some forsaken floor, locked away and waiting for his last breath, if he still had it.

He didn't notice when his hands began tearing through his curls, gripping and ripping. He should have been more observant, should have been constantly watching over his brother, sensing every move he made and every flicker of discomfort he must have been going through. He should have known that something was wrong.

"It's my fault," the eldest managed to breathe out, his voice collapsing along with his dams. His vision blurred as tears cascaded down his face. The salt dripped into every crack in his armor, every crevice in his heart and flooded the indents of his soul. Everything tasted of failure; bitter and overpowering. "We j-just got him b-back and now he is g-gone!"

Joe was at loss for words. He could only stare at his older brother and listen to him say what he could not bear to utter. Joe too was feeling the bone crushing depression, keeping him motionless and making his lungs compress painfully.

"We should never have let him out of the house. Never have let him keep that pendant."

"And sitting here will fix a damn thing?" Both brothers jerked as a female spoke. They turned to see Paragon, knowing they weren't the only ones distraught about this. "When he didn't come out with you, I feared the worst."

They both nodded. From the surface, everything had looked normal. There was no sign of the chaos below. The only thing that told madness were the people spilling out of the doors, unable to stop the fire from destroying everything they had worked for. Through it all, the two brothers had heard their fellow Heroes yelling about the two necklaces, one in blame and willing to let burn in the flame, the other everyone wanting to save. But no one ran back into that building.

She pointed at Joe, sending Kevin a slight glare at his incompetence to act. "Talk."

Joe slowly began to explain what they had seen, starting with the separation with their brother and ending when they got here.

"So there is a way to destroy it," Paragon mused, tapping her chin as she looked out the window. "And that single way is now somehow in the hands of the enemy." The Villain rounded on Joe, her finger now pointed at him. Joe went cross eyed as he stared at the impossibly sharp nails. "You just said that a person had to pure of heart and have its blessing to hold the Bane. So therefore it is impossible for the Villains to have it."

Kevin lifted his head. It hadn't been news to him that the Bane was gone – Joe had told him earlier – but this piece of logic was intriguing.

"If the Villains couldn't take it, then there are two possibilities." Paragon walked so she was in the dead center of the room, one finger in the air. "One, they found someone, probably a Hero or Normal, who fits the description." Another finger went into the air. "Or two, they had Nick take it."

Silence met her idea as both brothers tried to grasp the likelihood of this. The girl just sighed and plopped down, her butt meeting the floor. "It's not that hard to believe," she sighed flicking her hair from her now green eyes.

"Yes it is."

The shifter growled in aggravation, glaring at the commenter. "Why, Joe?"

Joe blinked and gestured to his neck. "The Four. He had it."

"And that constitutes him being evil?"

Joe dropped his head, not willing to admit he was just as affected by the stereotype as all the others. "It's just…the Four chose him to carry it. It had to sense something. And besides, the Bane probably wouldn't let the Four near it."

Paragon stood, shaking her head, a deep scowl on her face accenting her premature eye wrinkles. "Good and evil are two sides to the same coin. One cannot exist without the other."

"Meaning?"

Paragon pursed her lips and stared at the eldest. "Figure it out." Her heels clicked on the wood floor s she began walking across the room. "While you sit there and tug at your beards, I am going to do something productive." She paused at the window, speaking over her shoulder. "And don't let me be the one who finds him." They watched her launch herself into the open air and fly away, her wing still giving her difficulties from earlier.

"She's right," Joe whispered, pushing himself up and trying to dust himself off, to wipe away the events that could have, should have been prevented. "We need to find him. Sitting here and pointing the finger in blame won't do a thing."

"I can't sense him, Joe," Kevin's quiet voice cut through the false strength, leaving the middle brother speechless. "I could sense him and the Four before, but now…nothing." Kevin lifted his head, trying to regain even an ounce of hope, but it kept slipping through his fingers like sand. "I suppose the Four could be concealing him, but if Paragon is right about the Bane, then what?"

Joe took a breath, fingers clenching tightly. "Then we keep looking."

Kevin looked up, unable to not feel in awe of Joe's determination. Though he could sense the waves of despair threatening to sink his middle brother, he was amazed that Joe could keep himself afloat.

"We look until we find him. Dead or alive."

Kevin stood, nodding as he stared at his brother with misted vision. "We look for him?"

"No," Joe grabbed his elder brother's shoulder and forced a reassuring look on his face. "We find him."

Kevin nodded, a steely look appearing in his eye. He felt Joe's sheer tenacity and allowed it to inspire him, to let him be able to stand on his own. "We find him," he agreed. "You and Ray look in the City, watch out for any weird actions. I will take Frankie out and search around town. Mom and Dad can get together what is left of the Council and convince them to look for the Bane."

Joe looked pleased at this, nodding fervently. "Because where the Bane is,"

"The Four is there too." Kevin pulled Joe all the way to the downstairs floor and to the front door. "Come on, Bro. It's time to be a real Hero."

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(Small time skip)

Though the breeze was warm, the chill had settled within his bones. He had not known them and yet his eyes were littered with tears, one managing to climb over the barricade and exist in the real world. A world, he realized, that was like this tear. It made it over the hardships, lived for moments on warmth, and fell to its death, only to give a new life;to let another have a chance at survival when it had none.

He watched the few stand on the hilltop, their dark figures bowed and shaking. Some were kneeling in front of simple stones, pulling at the grass in hopes to ease their pain. Others just stared at names they would soon forget, their hearts bleeding on their sleeves. No one spoke to one another. No one turned to see the young man kneeling by the trees, watching them. They were all too caught up in their grief.

Names like Simon, Erika, Tammy, Josh; they glared at him. Accusing him of their deaths, of him trying to lead them to safety when in reality, it was just a poor decision of doom.

The last casket lowered into the earth, the last flower was thrown on top, and the last shovel of dirt had been spread. One by one, the Heroes and Villains stood, walking slowly down the hill and thrown the iron-wrought gate. The man watched them go their separate ways, hating that they were too selfish to see passed their viewpoints and comfort each other in their losses.

Only when the last silhouette had faded, did the man rise and walk, his fingers grazing over the top of the rough stones. He memorized their names, wanting to shove them down their murderer's throat when he next faced her. But right now, just seeing their names, the ones he didn't know when he was trapped below the earth, was enough to drop him to his knees. Two had been lucky. Two had lived. He had too, but this, this kind of life, it was hardly living. He was surviving; forcing himself to stay down when the boot crashed upon his lower back, playing dead for the amusement of those stronger than him.

He was kidding himself before – he wasn't strong. Not enough for this. Not enough to break the chains that wrapped tightly around his neck, denying him air until it felt like allowing him to breathe. He was a puppet, the strings cutting into his string every time the master yanked him another way. He was cut, broken, and he finally had to admit it. He wasn't strong. He wasn't a Hero. He was just a Normal. . .Used. Nothing.

"Did you feel this way as well?" he asked the dead, knowing the answer before he even spoke it."Things will change though. It can't keep going on like this."

"Will you quit groveling?" The man stood, back rigid. He turned, facing the girl with nothing less than a glare on his face. "You're lucky that I'm weak right now or else I would tear off your little Normal head."

Nick didn't respond, choosing instead to turn his back and stare at the horizon.

"Oh come on, brat. It's not like Tac's gun will help you without a charge."Nick didn't even flinch when a vine wrapped around his ankle. "And don't even think that your brothers will find you."

"What if I don't want them to?"

Florice laughed, an evil smirk curling her lips. "Smart boy," she mocked, her fingers stroking the tree bark. "As soon as they step foot in his lair, they will be eliminated." The girl giggled, the high pitched sound making birds take flight. "Did you really think you could escape? Did you really think that the Four would be yours?"

The Normal's hand rose and touched the empty spot where the dreaded pendant used to hang. "No," he answered, voice void. "I saw this coming."

"We all did," the girl walked forward, feet dancing over the weeds on the path. "As soon as the Four showed itself, we all knew this day was coming." She stopped, poking him the back. "And with the Bane as well…"

Nick bowed his head, unwilling to fight in the face of this terrible knowledge. With the Four and the Bane…nothing could stop them. It was all over.

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Joe and Ray carefully maneuvered their way through the crowds, eyes scanning each face. The two had spotted Macy, sitting on a low wall, one of Nick's books in hand. Stella had been next to her, eyes slowly staring into every building, seeing through the walls in vain hope. Deep down, they all felt the ache of hopelessness. They all knew they had lost. They knew a new era was readily approaching and they knew that they were closer to the grave then they had been in the morning.

But Joe had made a promise. He wouldn't just sit and wait for the apocalypse to happen. He needed to fight. For his people, his family, and for the wouldn't make the same mistakes with them, not again.

Joe gripped Ray's hand tighter as he watched a Normal jumping rope alone in the park to their right. Ray stared straight into the downtown area, watching some girls cheat in hopscotch so the Normal in their midst would lose. They both only sighed. This was what Nick so vehemently spoke about almost every time he went outside. What Erin often came home crying about. What they had been too blind to notice.

"We are terrible siblings, aren't we?" Ray asked with her voice so full of self-hatred.

Joe lowered his head, eyes dropping to the cracked pavement. "We can't be a good Hero and a good sibling at the same time."

"It sucks."

"Yeah," Joe laughed, not humor in his voice, "It really does."

It was quiet for a moment, them going back to watching. "You know, there is a good chance Nick is still alive."

Joe's head whipped around at Ray's statement, needing some hope to cling onto.

"Florice was weak. It takes a lot of energy to kill, especially if it's your brother and if he was armed."

Joe looked away, not wanting Ray to see his smile. He didn't want her to blame herself for giving him even an ounce of false hope. But she right. He could still be alive. He did have the Four and Tac's gun.

Ray turned back to the street when Joe's phone pinged. He opened the message, eyes widening.

"Crap."

"Well, hello Hyperion." Both whipped around, glaring at the balding man. "Missing your brother?"

Joe growled, fist clenching. "Tac," he spat out, taking one step forward. "How did an idiot like you manage to get out during a prison break?" A break, thanks to Kevin, that he just found out about.

The Villain just smirked, his pale eyes shining with unshed laughter. "You would be surprised what inspiration does to Villains."

"What are you talking about?" Ray fired, thoughts going to her home and her brother sitting alone. "What inspiration?"

Tac rolled his eyes, arms crossing. "And I'm the idiot?" He chuckled, face insulting them with every twitch. "The Four, my dear, it is back in the hands of us. We shall rise again and be victorious. The Villains are about to have their day."

"And it will only be a day!" Joe retorted, feeling dumb that this was the best come back he could come up with it.

Ray stiffened, feeling someone poke her lower back. "Oh, it will be much longer," the quiet voice whispered, causing her to jab her elbow back. She stumbled, meeting open air. "With the Bane in our hands as well, nothing can stop us."

"Miraged," Ray hissed, facing her nemesis with nothing less than hatred coating her features.

"Hello Ray, how's your brother?" The Villain smirked, pushing up his already spiked hair. "I must say, you're easier to look at with the mask on." Ray touched her uncovered face, scowling all the walked slowly forward, fingers now pulling at the monotone patterned tie that he always wore over his grey graphic tee. "Dress for success, Saint, and you shall be successful," he taunted.

"What do you want?" Joe took the initiative, not wanting a fight to break out in the middle of a crowded street.

Tac sighed, pulling at the iron gate that separated to the face from the street. "We want nothing more than to give you slight trouble. Nicholas may be able to beat me, but I was…ignorant then of the Normal's capabilities. With you, on the other hand, I know exactly what to expect."

"Nick was right," Joe stated, forcing down all of his heart ache at just hearing the name. "You do talk too much."

Tac just laughed again and cracked his knuckles. "Well maybe I will keep this message to myself…and I was so looking forward to seeing your face."

Joe's eyes darkened, hating the oily words this man dared to manipulate him with. "Talk then. And then I will see if you deserve to have atongue."

"Now now, no need to for mean words." Miraged laughed, skirting around Ray's futile punches. He was too fast for her right now. He wasn't the only person could get away in the blink of an eye.

"The message is simple: you have two days before all Hell breaks loose," Tac relayed, pulling the metal fence easily from the ground. "And two seconds to defend yourselves."

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Chibiyu: I know, you hate me. Until Next Update!
Written on 1/15/12