Chibiyu: Oh wait, I remember why! Because I write for myself and no one else. If I like the story then I am going to stick with it until I finish it and get it published.
Nick: Because that is the Chibi way!
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"Come on, Joe," Kevin ordered as he dragged his brother down the road. "We have work to do."
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As soon as his feet slammed into the ground, Nick knew that no matter when his brothers came for him, it would be too late. The hand on his neck and the smell of burned skin was enough for him to realize this.
The Villain flung the Normal away and watched with pitiless eyes as the teen gingerly touched his reddened neck with pain clearly visible on his face.
"Foolish boy," Necrophere sneered. He violently kicked the teen over, so his face stared into the glinting eyes behind the mask. "Did you honestly think that coming here would do them any good?"
Nick rolled his eyes and allowed none of his fear to show. "Did you honestly think that I was turning good?"
The Villain was silent for a moment before he chuckled and lifted his foot from the boy's chest.
"Protecting my family is one thing, but I have no intention of fighting with them," the teen continued as he stood and bushed himself off. "They've done nothing to deserve that." He touched his neck again and grimaced. "Was this really necessary?"
"I must say, child," Necrophere laughed, "You put on quite the show to fool even me. Though the bomb bit was uncalled for."
Nick only shrugged, "Had to. I wanted to make it seem more real. Villains are notoriously bad actors."
"And that was your only motive? To make it seem real?"
Nick only offered a smirk as an answer. "Necrophere," he moved on as the smirk slid from his face. "You have a promise to fulfill." The Bane flashed angrily at these words, but neither paid it any heed. "I can destroy you and take your power, as you have so stupidly told me, if you don't do it."
Necrophere just chuckled once more. "I will keep to our deal, Nicholas." The cloaked man was about to make his way from the dank room before he stopped. "But I did mean what I meant before: if you ever get your hands on the Four again, you will be the greatest threat of all. Don't be so naïve to think that with power comes safety."
Nick waited for the metal door of his so-called cell to close before the smirk slid back onto his face. "No," he whispered, "It only brings the fool's downfall."
And there was no question as to who 'the fool' was.
Careful, child.
Nick started at the soft voice.
Your plan is a dangerous one.
Nick rolled his eyes as he collapsed onto the bed in the corner. "You agreed to it," he reminded the four spirits which hung around his neck.
That means nothing. For all you know, you could just be a carrier for my powers.
Nick smiled. "Turning into the Four, are you? That seems like a very villainous thing to do."
He heard the soft female voice sigh before it whispered: There cannot be good without evil.
"And there can't be Supers without Normals," the teen refuted.
Nicholas...watch where you tread, young one. The ice isn't as thick as you think.
"Only for those who aren't light on their feet."
No, child. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.
"Don't I?" Nick challenged softly, the pendant now being twirled in his fingers. "I've waited so long for this. I've planned and I've prepared."
Nothing can prepare you for this.
"Maybe so," the teen continued, "But it hardly matters now. I can't walk away – not that I ever would – but I'm in too deep. If I stop now…"
Nothing will happen if you stop now.
Nick sat up, ignoring the protest of his exhausted limbs. "Nothing?" he hissed out before he forced out a cold laugh. "So even the original Heroes never cared for the Normals."
We cared. But not nearly enough.
"They were slaves to you."
Enough. If you fight me, you will lose.
"Because I'm a Nomal?"
The spirits inside the pendant seemed to sigh. No. But you are exhausted, young one, and weakened. It would be too easy to stop you.
"But you wouldn't."
My counterpart would.
Nick had to nod in agreement before he laid himself down again. He stared at the bland ceiling for a moment before daring to ask: "They will hate me, won't they?"
They will understand, child. Family always does.
Nick was silent at this.
What is on your mind, child?
"Many things," he answered vaguely. "Too many things."
You've planned enough, Nicholas, and your plan is already happening. You can do no more.
"Then why do I feel like I can?"
Humans always do. The pendant was quiet for a moment longer before Nick felt something immense stretch across his mind. He shuddered at the feeling. And a human who hates the feeling of power…they are the ones who often do the most with what little they are given. One doesn't need to be a powerhouse to change the course of fate.
"But in this battle, I do."
You do. But now is not the time to think of such things. Not on the eve of war.
Nick sighed in disbelief before he pressed his palms to his eyes, trying to rid himself of this feeling of invulnerability. Already he could feel it drawing him in; if he let it, his desires could be fulfilled. But he couldn't. Not when he had a plan. "Then what should I think about?"
The Four was quiet as its power ebbed away – something Nick was grateful for.
One thing, young one.
"And that is?" Nick questioned slowly as he turned onto his side and his eyes began to fall shut on their own accord.
Sleep.
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"You're saying Nick just left with him?" Sandy Lucas breathed out, hand on her heart. "Why would he do that?"
Joe and Kevin exchanged glances with their father before he cut in. "He has the Bane and can use it. He will be fine. He's a smart kid."
"And right now," Paragon entered the room and conversation, Frankie on her heels, "We need to focus on getting him back before being exposed to that kind of power gets to be too much."
The parents rounded on the Villain, question in their eyes. "Every power corrupts. We don't know if the Bane wants to use Nick like the Four uses it's hosts. For now, we have to assume that it is trying."
"So time isn't on our side," Kevin nodded once.
"It never is," Paragon muttered before she leaned against the counter. "Which is why we need to act. Now. Sandy," she turned to the mom, "Bring Kevin and appeal to the Council. Maybe those idiots will actually be some help with this need information." The two were out the door in a heartbeat, not thinking twice about taking orders from the Villain.
"Tom and Frankie," she pointed to the younger, "Frankie, take to the skies and alert every Hero of this. Tell them to protect their Normals and to get ready for a war. Tom, you go to your Lair and send out messages to everyone you know, Villain or Hero. This affects everyone."
She waited for the two to be out of the room before she turned to Joe. "You and I are going to get my brother, and then look for yours. Got it?"
Joe nodded.
"Good," she paused and grabbed Joe's hand. "Nick will be okay. Your dad wasn't lying."
Joe pulled his hand away from the comforting touch and just nodded again.
"Feeling guilty won't help a thing, Lucas."
"I know," Joe finally spoke. "But there was doubt in Nick's voice when he said he would see us soon."
Paragon sighed; she hated how her friend said that, but meant something else entirely. "He doesn't doubt that you'll come. He doubts himself. Not you."
Joe looked over, his face covered in confusion.
"He doubts that he will be himself when he sees you next. He's never been exposed to that type of power before. And to be in Nick's shoes, to have his desires, it would be so tempting to just give in."
Joe looked away. "And who knows what's in Nick's mind?"
For once, even Paragon was speechless, but the grave look on her face made Joe weary of her next words. "He has a plan." She looked away for moment before adding: "Have faith," was all she could say before she dragged the middle Lucas out of the door. "That is all we can have nowadays."
But even faith couldn't save them. By sunset, all of the Heroes had been notified and were as ready as they could get in a few short hours. Most sent their Normals to the streets and didn't care when they vanished from their front steps. Few kept them inside, but they too vanished without a trace. No one knew how it happened. The only one left was Paragon's brother, as she held him tightly throughout the night and never once let him out of her sight.
The few who did see them vanish said the shadows just whisked them away. One second they stood in the lamp light, the next they were in the dark hallway to go to bed. And then gone.
"Well…now what?" Paragon asked, her brother asleep in her arms.
The Lucas family just looked at each other.
"You're Heroes!" she screamed in a hushed voice. "How can you not know?"
"Paragon, it's not that simple," Sandy tried, but the Villain was just getting started.
"Not that simple? What? Were you just hoping that Nick would fly in and save the day with the Bane?" she snorted. "That's unlikely. Nick has his own plan and saving everything is probably on that list, but he needs to sort things out before he can do all of that!"
"To think," the Villain continued with a constant shake to her head, "That a Normal is probably doing more than all of the Heroes in this city combined. Pathetic."
"Is he still considered a Normal when he has the Bane?" Frankie asked, turning the conversation into something politer.
The room was silent as they tried to figure this one out.
"What about him claiming to be a Villain? How is this possible when he doesn't have powers?"
"But he does now!"
Kevin put his head in his hands and laughed. "It's not about powers!" he suddenly exclaimed quietly. "It's never been about the powers!"
"But the people who use them," Joe finished, finally understanding.
"Now do you see why Nick was so open to Villains and closed to Heroes?" Paragon asked with a low voice.
The room was silent.
"It's so obvious and yet you all have been blind to it for way too long. It's a wonder Nick can even look at you all. It's time you all started seeing this from his eyes. "
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"Normal brat?"
Nick turned at the call which had sounded some hours later and instantly pushed himself to a sitting position at the Villain's appearance at his door.
"Florice," he smiled through his fingers as his chin rested in his hands. "How nice to see you."
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Chibiyu: Like Paragon said, Nick has a plan. Until Next Update!
