Cody's newfound bravado managed to carry him through the last leg of his journey. It was a good thing it did, too. Had he been in his right mind, he likely would've frozen up at the wrong time and been crushed into paste by the walls that he had to scale as they repeatedly closed and opened.

His ability to air-dash would once again be tested when he was greeted by a series of tiny platforms each with a lengthy distance between them and deadly fall awaiting him if he failed.

He realized had no choice but to stop and plan out his every move, which in itself brought his nerves right back…

-000-

Several heart-stopping leaps later, he collapsed on solid ground, eager to catch his breath.

His brief rest was interrupted by clapping.

"What now…?" He moaned at nothing in particular. He found he couldn't get mad at the source of the noise anymore. It took way more mental energy than he had, in fact, to feel anything at all.

"Excellent work, boy. I guess I wound up taking the wrong clone after all. Either way, we'll rectify that shortly." That last sentence sounded particularly ominous. "Catch your breath and get moving. I know a certain someone who's itching for a final showdown!"

Every second hearing Lucien's voice was sheer torture to Cody, who couldn't help but wonder…

Is this how Zack feels in class…every day?

That question lit some fire under the tall boy, at least for a bit longer.

He threw himself forward and through the awaiting door off of the strength of that blaze.

"I'll…ask him myself!"

"Ask me what, Dear Brother?"

For the third time yet, the twins faced each other, with the elder having cream-colored ripples of light emanating from his body. His eyes were as red as before, but with a form of smugness within them that felt out of place even for his usual self at his worst.

Lucien's influence.

He put the question he'd had to the side in favor of the more relevant, obvious one.

It wasn't aimed at Zack.

"What makes you think I'd fall for this? I know that my brother would never willingly be your slave! He-"

"Really, Brother? Just can it with the self-righteous drivel already."

The smirk the shorter twin wore vanished into a frown. He looked at his brother with a stare that Cody never imagined would ever be aimed towards him.

It was one of sheer disgust.

It hurt. Bad. "I'm trying to help you…"

"…because you want to keep feeding your own ego. Right, Codes? It's not like you don't have everything else that people care about anyway!"

He immediately rushed the taller teen with a charged punch, which the latter narrowly avoided.

"What are you…talking about?"

After a few swings, Cody was forced to start defending himself. His shots were ducked or dodged thanks to his brother's newfound agility.

"Oh, I don't know… How about the perfect grades, the love and respect of everybody you know, the love of your life hanging off your arm…" The tonal bitterness seemed to increase with each listed item. "Every teacher and college scout just throwing themselves at you along with everyone else!"

The elder twin launched forward in a blazing tackle which the youngest managed to evade.

"People care about you, too—"

Shut up!" Cody wound up being pulled by a conjured net of electricity towards his brother's waiting fist.

He was sent flying with a punch to the gut.

Zack casually walked up to him as he was recovering.

"Care? About ME? Ha, get real. At this point, Moseby would probably throw a party if I died!" Disturbingly enough, though he remained completely monotone and brainwashed by all appearances, the emotional agony somehow shining through that statement was obvious and gut-wrenching even to witness.

That made things even more confusing. Just where was Zack in all this, exactly?

It went away as quickly as it came, replaced by a chilling glare. "The only times anyone actually remembers me is when I get my just desserts for doing the one thing I'm good at: screwing up…"

He pointed a claw in Cody's face. "…and it's all because of you. Until he came around, that is."

"Lucien…" The taller blonde got up, still on his guard. "Why would you side with him? That doesn't even make any sense! I mean, you were always a better judge of character than me…"

Maybe you don't know me as well as you thought!" A bladed slice of energy headed for his neck, but he dodged again.

A few more strikes. A few more evasive maneuvers.

"Sniveling little brat!"

With that, Cody got the confirmation he'd been looking for. That last sentence sounded nothing like Zack.

"DIE!" There, with his claws outstretched, "Zack" became a sentient rotating drill, rushing at the younger brother with insane force. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to properly dodge it.

Grunting through the pain, the non-brainwashed twin forced himself to move despite the gaping hole now in his lower left side.

He willed himself to focus on what he was really here for: his brother.

"Zack, I know you're under there somewhere…" He pled to his twin while holding back the latter's stolen fist. Thankfully, he hadn't swung at full force.

The invader finally decided to drop all pretenses. "Give it up, Twerp. Your mistake of a big brother's never com—"

His gloating was interrupted by a brutal headbutt.

"Don't you EVER call my best friend in the whole wide world a mistake!"

A growl of irritation. "Irritating little…" Then, a malicious grin. "No matter. That little brat seems to think so. Maybe he is one if he can't kill the scrawny little nerd-boy. Oh, well. I'll just take care of it for him. Say your prayers!"

With ease, Cody was sent flying via a shoulder throw. He managed to avoid a few punches that probably would've caved his face in, judging by the deep dents in the metal floor.

"You're not a mistake, Zacky. Do you hear me?"

He crawled away just as Lucien (or whatever was piloting Zack's body) stopped midway through another attempt.

A frown came across his lips. Then, a twitch and a groan, as if actively trying to force something back.

A sign of life?

Cody saw and pressed the advantage. "Ever since we got here, you've done nothing but trying to protect me. I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I…I was just scared."

Yet again, an internal struggle began to take place, the shorter of the two once again clutching his skull.

For the first time in the fight, the younger twin actively grinned.

You can do this, Bro. I know it. He can't control you!

Ultimately, the squatter in Zack's body regained control. "Stay down, brat!"

Cody knew that his movements were going to be limited (and of course, were getting slower due to the damage taking its toll), so buying time until his brother freed himself was his main objective now.

He shut out any thought of the alternative, as it was too horrific to think about.

As he dodged as best he could the deadly attacks coming his way, he used Thunder Beam, discharging just enough electricity to blind his foe briefly as he made his next statement.

"Not only…that…" He forced out the words, making sure his real brother heard what were looking more and more like last words. That's what they would be if he lost this gamble. "I can't remember…being this proud of you…Big Brother."

The struggle had kicked in again, with both personalities warring in the same body.

It would be up to the real Zack now. As his vision began to blur (or rather, digitize, complete with error sirens ringing in his audio processors), he threw in one last thing with his last reserves of energy.

"Love you… Zacky…"

-TBC-

One of my favorite chapters to write, even if the whole "fighting from the inside" thing is a cliché. Another's coming up next.

On your way out the door, be sure to ask questions, comment, review and show your support in any way available if you liked what you've read here. Also, keep tabs on this story and profile for more. Goodbye until next time!