Chibiyu: :-)

Nick: Oh god, what do you have planned?

Chibiyu: Can't a girl smile because she is happy and not plotting an evil scheme?

Nick: A normal girl can, yes. But you? Unlikely.

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Nick sighed once before he turned to face her again. "To reunite me with the Four, of course."

"And why would I do that?"

Nick's gaze narrowed into a glare that caused the Villain to flinch. "Because I want it."

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"He's not here!"

"I know that, Kevin!"

The brothers bickered, throwing insults at one another as they raced to the front door.

"Where the hell is he?!" Paragon shouted as the two brothers finally pushed their way through the doorframe. "I flew around the neighborhood and didn't see a thing!"

Kevin looked around as well, concentration etched on his face. "And I can't sense him."

"You don't think the Four is...?"

"Of course it is, Joe!" Kevin rounded on his younger brother, regret instantly causing his anger to deflate when he saw both the panic on Joe's face.

"You both just need to calm down," Paragon tried, expertly dodging their parents as they filed in the car and peeled off down the street. "Nick is fine; if he wasn't then the Four would be all over the news by now. It wouldn't want to be hidden."

"And you know this how?"

Paragon turned to Joe, a glare of disbelief on her face. "Really, Joe? Are you really that stupid? A Villain always wants to be known. The Four will want it's name back out there so the Heroes panic and the Villains rejoice. Power always wants the spotlight. Always."

The brothers nodded, having no choice but to accept this logic. "Then what do we do?"

Paragon pursed her lips in thought. "You both check the city. I have my own idea."

Before they could protest, the girl raced off, her form just a blur of gold and spots.

Nick, she thought to herself as her powerful legs carried her through the streets. If you are where I think you are, I will kill you. After all, where else would you go to get information on the Villains?

She slowed as she neared the book store, a growl sounding when she noticed Nick staring at her through the window. She was quick to turn back human before she stormed into the shop.

"You're an idiot!" she yelled. She shoved him back into his chair as he tried to stand. "No, you sit and listen!"

Nick put his hands in the air, but nodded once to show he understood.

"According to your family," Paragon began, stubbornly ignoring Lilith in the background. "The Four contacted you tonight. And then you have the audacity to leave your home without telling them? To disappear off of Kevin's radar? Do you have any idea how much of a panic you've caused?"

"Do you even think before you do with kind of stuff!?" she continued, panting through her anger. "Do you even consider how much you kill us every time you sneak away? Especially right after something like this happens? We were so worried about you! Honestly, if I didn't know you so well, I would be having a heart attack right now!"

"Paragon," Lilith tried to intervene, but the shifter rounded on her instead.

"And you!" she pointed, nearly foaming at the mouth. "You, letting him stay here when you so clearly know everything that happens in the world of Villains! I know you don't care about this shit, but even you must know how important Nick is in this entire operation!"

"Yes I do, silly girl. Now shut your mouth before you shout the plan to the entire world."

"DON'T tell me to 'shut my mouth'!" Paragon screamed, eyes elongating dangerously. "And no one can hear us in here, so I can shout all I want!"

"You're acting like a child."

Paragon growled lowly, nails sharpening. "And you're just an old woman!"

"Put your claws away before you hurt yourself," Lilith waved off the girl and crossed her arms, not wavering. "And maybe if you closed your mouth, then Nicholas would be able to explain his actions to you."

Paragon opened and closed her mouth a few times before her features became normal once again.

Nick was silent for another moment before it became apparent that both of them had stopped their bickering. "First off; Paragon, I do think about that, but it is a petty thing compared to what I am trying to accomplish."

At his bluntness, Paragon sat down, eyes wide.

"Secondly, both of you will need to learn to work together if this plan is going to happen."

Both Villains shared a guilty look before they resumed staring at the Normal.

"Thirdly," he looked out of the window, pausing as Joe was seen running down the road. "Thirdly, I came here, Paragon, to discuss how to get the other Villains involved with this plan. And how to get the Four back in my possession."

"But before I say that, I must tell you that your performance, as Lilith told me, sounded spectacular at that fight."

"The burning me wasn't scripted, though," Paragon pouted before she quietly accepted the compliment.

Nick shook his head once. "The Four has a mind of its own," was his apology. "But you planted the idea in their heads. For that, I am grateful. Now we must move ahead and get the Four back into my hands. It is absolutely imperative, for the sake of the Normals and of my plan, that I remember."

"Understood. So how are we going to do that?"

Nick nodded his head towards Lilith. "A message will be sent to the Villains, and more importantly, to the Four. After that, depending on the response, of course, things will begin."

"What kind of things?"

Nick shrugged. "The more you know, the more dangerous is will be. Kevin could sense you holding something back. I can't have my family interfering with this. Not so early on."

"Why not? You could easily outsmart them!"

Nick chuckled at this. "Yes, I could. But you're forgetting something, Para."

"What?"

Nick sighed once, eyes back on the empty concrete outside the window. "I am only a Normal."

Paragon rolled her eyes. "Not this again."

Nick looked over to Lilith, as if asking for help.

"You see, Paragon, having the Heroes interfere so prematurely would hinder our efforts to get the Four back into play. After all, they are looking for Necrophere and looking to lock away the Four. Exactly the opposite of what we want."

"And them catching Necrophere would be a bad thing? They could do the dirty work for us!"

This time, it was Nick who rolled his eyes. "No. They can't catch him. I have to get to him first."

"And why is that?"

Nick sighed once, his attention now on the pattern on the table. "That will become clear soon enough, Paragon."

"Meaning," she inserted. "That you're not yet sure why."

Nick closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Meaning, I am not one-hundred percent sure yet."

"Right, because you don't have any memory of anything?"

Nick nodded. "Exactly." He eyed the street once again. "We should get out of here. As you said before, I caused quite the panic."

Paragon nodded, though she looked unsure. "Alright. But promise me something, Nick." She waited until he was looking her straight in the eye before she continued. "Promise me that you aren't planning something incredibly stupid that will hurt everyone else in the process."

Nick was quiet for a moment before he began laughing. "Para," he chuckled. "You know I can't promise that."

"Why not?!"

Nick, in the midst of his laughter, pointed to himself. "Villain, remember?"

"Oh, fuck you."

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Chibiyu: A little of a filler chapter, but enough hints were dropped to give you all an idea with where this story is beginning to head as it nears its climax. Leave your predictions in your reviews! Until next Update!