Chibiyu: Hehehe, so you can blame the anime "Death Note" from here on out. This entire plot line was inspired by a simple scene in one single episode.
Nick: You're crazy, you know that right?
Chibiyu: Yup.
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"He may be the first four Villains," Nick whispered as Necrophere stood tall, clawed hands outstretched towards the war, "But I am the Bane of all existence."
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"Including his," at these final words, Nick turned his back on his family and began his journey to the Villain's side.
"Wait…!" Joe yelled as he tried to follow his brother, but the arm of their father blocked his path. "Dad?"
Tom Lucas didn't respond. He only stared at the retreating form of his Normal son, a look of both pride and fear on his face.
And Nick was never more thankful for their father holding Joe back. He didn't need the voice of reason to convince him away from this insanity. Besides, the longer he waited, the more tempting the thought of using the Bane became.
His feet carried him across the burned carnage, the heat burned through the soles of his shoes, but he paid no mind. He stepped on Florice's plants, over the injured, and through the blasts of weapons and powers as if nothing could hit him. His presence made the Heroes cheer, the Villains pale, and the Normals stare. Despite all of the eyes, he kept his head low, eyes high, and face clear. To Nick, this was it.
"I see my ace has arrived as well," Necrophere smirked as the Normal approached his side. "Enjoying the sights?"
Nick said nothing, only glared.
"Oh, I see you're mad because of the whole Normal thing, aren't you? Or perhaps it was because the other Villains wanted to greet you personally before they gathered. Well, the deal is still on and is in the works. Or haven't you seen the signs?"
"I've seen them," Nick whispered before his own smirk curled his lips. "But I'm afraid that you have not."
Necrophere's eyes didn't even have time to widen behind his mask as the Normal's hand lunged forward and gripped the Four. He didn't have time to push the boy off before pain erupted from his lower stomach. He didn't have time to take one more breath before he fell to the ground at the Normal's feet.
The Normal just stared at the corpse of the man as the Four flashed red and the body disintegrated into ashes around the vine which impaled him.
"Florice," the Normal called, "Great work."
Never before had a war been so silent.
"N-Nick?"
The addressed turned to see his older brother staring at him in fear.
"Please drop the Four."
The Normal looked to his hand, as though surprised to see the black pendant dangling at his side. He lifted it up and examined it, confused at the silence of its spirit.
It is cautious, the Bane whispered to him.
Nick only smirked to this as he quickly reached out to the Four and told it of his plan.
'Don't test me, boy!' shouted the hideous voice of the serpent. Everyone clapped their hands over their ears, save for the teen that held the pendants. 'This is already a disgrace. If it weren't for my counterpart, you would be nothing more than a corpse.'
"Oh shut up," Nick told the Four while he rolled his eyes.
'Something about you seems different,' the Four whispered only to Nick. 'You've chosen your path.'
Nick nodded once, aware of every eye that was on him. "Are you in?" he breathed so nothing other than the Four could hear his voice.
'We will see.'
Nick jumped back as the Four glowed impossibly bright and something smacked him across the face. Once he gained his balance back, he lifted his head and his heart jumped into his throat.
'Your path may be chosen, but your side is not.' The snake whispered, straight into his ear. 'Though your desires have grown strong and though your intentions have greatly changed, I will still answer to you.'
Careful, young one.
'You could have all of our powers, child. You could be the greatest Villain the world has known. You could do anything.'
"Nick?" Joe called as he watched his brother stare at the small shadow-like snake which rested on his shoulder. He could see the fear in Nick's face and the want to listen to whatever it was saying, but the uncertainty in his entire frame spoke out louder. "Don't listen to it! Just drop it on the ground!"
But Nick's hand wouldn't obey him.
The snake hissed loudly at the futile attempts and Nick let out a pained cry as he fell to his knees.
"Nick!" Kevin tried to get to his brother, but Joe held him back.
"We can't interfere. The Four could kill us."
"What about Nick?"
Joe was quiet for a moment. "We can't, Kevin. We can't break Nick's concentration. We can't help him."
Kevin fell back, having to concede to the Joe's point. "So we can just watch and wait?"
Joe nodded once, hiding the frustration of feeling utterly useless.
"He still has the Bane," Paragon pointed out as she gripped the brothers on their arms.
True to her words, the crystal hanging from the Normals neck glowed lightly. A dove pulled itself out of the gem and landed easily on its master's shoulder. The snake glared at the dove. The dove nuzzled Nick's cheek.
I believe in you, young one.
'With us, together, you will be unstoppable.'
Power is not everything. You can be great without it.
'Only with us can the world change to your desires.'
Young one, you are strong enough without this.
'Without this, you are nothing.'
No one besides Nick heard this conversation, this fight. But they all did hear Nick gasp out and touch his temples with wide eyes.
To Nick, it felt as if everything had torn itself apart and then righted itself. He felt warm, and yet, so devastatingly cold. He shook from the rush of the Four's influence and power, and he wanted it gone. This feeling the darkness that came with it, it was heavy. His mind was sluggish from it, his heart slow, and breathing strained.
'Power,' whispered the Four from the deepest confines of his mind, 'Is something earned only be those great enough to fear the use of it.'
Nick whimpered lowly as the Four stabbed into his consciousness and brought forth the images of everything that he wanted achieved, and of him doing it. He wanted so badly to reach out and make those moments a reality; to lose himself to the dark weight that filled his head, but he couldn't.
The Heroes watched as the Dove on Nick's shoulder fluffed out his snow-white feathers and gave a long, eardrum shattering squeal.
The snake recoiled and Nick's fingers relaxed in the dirt.
Enough is enough! He is just a boy! The Bane screamed at its counterpart for the world to hear.
'A boy who wants what I do,' the Four sneered right back. 'And what you want as well. Or is there another reason you allow him to wear you like a girly neckpiece?'
"Stop it," Nick ordered the two and surprise skirted around the battlefield as both spirits fell silent. "I won't be a puppet."
The snake's tail flicked across Nick's neck which gained the teen's attention. 'You will not be a puppet to me, but rather I would be to you.'
I've never controlled you and I will not, Nicholas, but that snake will.
'Don't listen to it, child. Together, you and I will be able to change this world to your design. I know you want that. I can feel your longing.'
Nicholas, just let it go. It can't hurt you if you let it go.
"Shut up!" Kevin suddenly yelled to the two ancients. "Both of you just leave my brother alone!"
"Drop both of them, Nick!" Joe added in, voice calmer than Kevin's in hopes to convince his brother. "They're not worth it."
'Your desires are always worth it,' the Four whispered in Nick's mind. 'He is a fool to think otherwise. You've always lived in his shadow. Always. Now is the time to break free.'
"Mom!" Joe turned to his mother when he watched Nick close his eyes as if in pain from whatever the spirits were telling him. "Can't you do anything? Read his mind or something! Or dad, protect his mind! Do something!"
"We can't," they both whispered with tears on their cheeks. "We've tried, but they are too strong for us."
"No…" Joe breathed out when he realized that his brother was truly alone. "Please Nick, please just drop the pendants."
But despite the pleas, the Bane stayed around Nick's neck and the Four still laid on the ground, its chain wrapped around his fingers. So the group was forced to watch the dove skip nervously from foot to foot as the snake continued to stare unblinkingly at Nick. They were forced to see Nick turn his head to meet the snake's gaze.
'You have a plan,' the Four hissed, 'It's time to put it to action.'
"Just drop them both, Nick!" Paragon yelled as she glared at the Villains who looked smug. After all, how could anyone expect a mere Normal to overcome both pendants? One was bound to win out. And they all knew which one it would most likely be. "It's not worth it, Nick! Think of the consequences! Use that giant brain of yours!"
She is right, Nicholas. Is this really worth it?
Nick glanced to the dove and sighed heavily. Yes, it was.
You still can let it go. It isn't too late.
'You're asking him to let go of something you've agreed to. Are you backing out?'
Perhaps it is the better of the options.
'He knows what is best for himself and his kind, you ignorant dove.'
What is best for him? He doesn't think for himself so it's time someone did!
Nick closed his eyes at their bantering. Just shut up already, he ordered them. You both agreed to the plan. You both know the consequences.
That means nothing. Walk away from this, young one. This route will only lead you astray. Please listen to me. You don't need the Four to be strong. You only need yourself.
'Fool; it means everything. Heroes never could understand commitments. Don't feed lies to the boy. You want control just as badly as he does. You want a perfect world. You will use him and then cast him aside.'
And you will not?
Nick growled lowly at the two, forcing them into silence from the sheer aggravation in the one sound. Though alarmed by the way the Bane didn't bother to correct its counterpart from the accusations, he held fast. He had a plan. It needed to be done.
"Nick, please, just let them go," his mom tried as she stepped closer to her younger son. "Please, sweetheart, just stop this."
Nick looked up to her, finger's slowly twitching as he tried to get them to open and release the Four's chain. His hand also rose so it was tugging on the dove around his neck.
But they wouldn't have it.
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Chibiyu: This chapter got away from me, but it was still fun to write. Until Next Update!
Written on 6/27/12
