codenamehazard

[codenamehazard]

.:Classroom Truths:.

[TRIGGER WARNING: BODY HORROR]

Chapter 39: Classroom Truths

HELLO EVERYONE!!! Holy hell it has been a while!

I promise I haven't forgotten, life is just getting in the way a lot and I was stuck in a little bit of a rut, but hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait!

Enough of my rambling, let's jump in!

“Ghuh… Fucking hell...”

I grumble as I return to the classroom… Classtent? Whatever the fuck this is. My face glistening and sparking after splashing absurd amounts of water onto it just to keep myself from making a mad-dash to the nearest porta-pit to puke. The water had stung and itched, but it was better than the taste of bile on my tongue and the memory of that one Mardi Gras party me and Zeke went to years ago. The jungle-juice at that party was fucking foul and the box I was stuck yakking in was even more so. I shudder at the mere ghost of that memory, shaking my head to dislodge it. Last thing I need is for that memory to force me back to the fountain again.

Mako steps inside sometime after me, still pale, but composed. I take my spot on a log and we continue with the 101. Told me about how when the Wildlanders discovered how to use Blast Cores to power vehicles and firearms, it was a major game changer. It lessened the amount of RFE the average Conduit needed to use on the regular. Very handy when in dead-zones and with the added bonus of not drawing in those damned Warped like moths to flame.

“Speaking of those bastards.” I huff as I cross my arms, eyes narrowing at the Shark. “How many of them are there, ‘cause it seems like every time I turn around, there’s another form of fuckery ready to scar my nightmares and I’m getting damn tired of it!” Mako gives me a semi-defeated look before sighing. “That’s the thing, Cole.” She mutters low, her hand fiddling with the eye bracelet on her wrist. “Nobody knows how many there are. They’re like viruses; every time you think you got them pinned and pegged, a new one shows up like a big, fat middle finger to the world.” She shakes her head in frustration before wildly gesturing in the air. “Hell.. Last week, an ally Conclave in the left arm of Storm’s Pass got ambushed by Warped that looked like someone stretched human skin over the skeleton of a monstrous frog, had a split jaw and could spit a rapid hardening resin!” Well, that’s a visual I didn’t need. I scoff loudly. “So you’re telling me is even the road rebels here are fucking clueless.” I growl as I get up to pace. “Just my fucking luck.” “Look…” Mako states quietly. “I’m trying my best, but I can’t tell you what even I don’t know.” I sigh before pinching the bridge of my nose. “Alright, then let’s go a different direction.” I growl in annoyance. “What’s this “Storm’s Pass” bullshit about?” I look at her as my arms start to spark. “Last time I checked a map, there was no such thing as a “Storm’s Pass” and where we’re standing is Oklahoma City.”

She pauses, the kind of heavy pause that tells me I just opened up Pandora’s box.

“You’re right.” She stares solemnly. “This.. Was Oklahoma City.” She takes a breath and pops her neck, her nervous tic, before continuing. “When I first came here with Kes, I asked that same thing… The Sisters told us that during the “Great Awakening,” what John and you were doing to try and save humanity, it wasn’t just the cities closest to the chaos that were feeling it.” She looks up at me. “People were getting scared because to them, it looked like the end was nigh and when the people start getting panicky, the government gets desperate.” My frown deepens because I know when the government is ever involved, it’s going to end badly.

What I didn’t expect was what comes out of her mouth next.

“They made something, tested it, experimented on it. When the government saw the way the wind was blowing. Boom. All that was left of the Tinker Air Force Base was nothing but a fucking crater and…” She gulps hard. “The Warped.” History repeating itself, now with damn zombies. Something doesn’t make sense though. “Where the hell’s the crater?” I ask. “If it’s the birth place of those Warped monstrosities, how come the place ain’t crawling with them?” One more question I wanted to ask, but didn’t say. “How the hell did they get the instructions to build a damn Ray Sphere?” “You can thank the Sisters for that.” She states. “The three of them worked together to clear the area of the Warped before remodeling the land and building the Big Tent over it. You were in the crater.” I can feel a bitter chill flood my veins. Another damn Ray Sphere, another reminder of that bastard. My best guess is that before Moya drowned, she sent some of the information to her fed buddies at DARPA. Also wouldn’t put it past that decrepit hypocrite Bertrand to have sold First Sons information to the spooks for extra cash. Why stop at Forced Conduits when you could have the machine that makes them?

“The chaos destroyed a good part of OKC.” Mako continues. “As if the state of everything wasn’t bad enough with you trying to stop the Plague through the Great Awakening, now with Conduit Zombies running around, life became hell for the normal Conduits that awakened.” She turns her head out to the entrance of the tent. “People started to treat Conduits like shit, even those who were genuinely trying to help. Didn’t matter if the Conduit was a complete stranger or if they were family, fear got the better of people.” Her head shakes as she sighs. “Some still tried to help, others got fed up and decided to rage against the world, finishing off the rest of the city.” Don’t that sound fucking familiar.

Still, something ain’t adding up.

“So, what you’re saying is that what happened here was a botched Ray Sphere detonation?” I ask. She nods her head. “Then explain the sheer number of Conduits runnin’ around.” I cross my arms and narrow my eyes. “There’s a shitton more Conduits here than a single blast can make. Where did they come from?”

“There was something else discovered from that blast.” She starts. “There’s another way a Conduit can activate. Extreme fight-or-flight. The kind that screams ‘You’re going to die if you don’t do something NOW.’” Well ain’t that something. I’m not sure to be impressed or pissed off. Probably both. “Most of the Conduits you ran into out there? Are these “Epizons” as the Wildlands likes to call them.”

A flicker of a memory stirs in my mind like a spark jumping a gap. Of scornful glares, disgusted sneers, judgemental eyes and seething words. Of Fracture, the first Conclave I entered. “I bet he’s one of those 'charity cases.'”

 “Don’t get near that plague rat, you’ll catch something!”

The words echo in my mind like a ghost. Those names? They ain’t petty playground bullshit, they were specific, targeted. If what Mako’s saying is true and those fucks are these…The hell they called themselves? Epizons? My God, what a pretentious fucking name, not calling ‘em that.

If these bastards are these “fight-or-flight” cases, there’s a reason they chose those specific words.

“You know, talking about that reminded me of something.” I grunt, a small spark jumping off of my arm. “Back in Fracture, before you and Pangolin picked me up. Those bastards in the Conclave called me things like ‘charity case’ and ‘plague rat.’ Know anything about that?” The look on the Shark’s face, the way her eyes darken in pain, told me everything without saying a word.

“I was called those names.” She starts, popping her knuckles. “Conclaves like Fracture? They don’t take kindly to those awakened by the Beast, be it you or John.” My eyes narrow as I listen, shifting my weight and tightening my jaw. “We’re seen as… Lesser. Weak and inferior because ‘our powers were handed to us by a savior. We didn’t have to suffer.’” I scoff loudly. That’s a crock of bullshit if I ever heard one. That’s Kuo-level logic there, that somehow the way powers activate changes the pain in inflicts.

“No you don’t, MacGrath, you don’t know! We’re not the same! You got your powers in an explosion; it was over in a flash! What they did to me, was slow!” My eye twitches at the memory of the ice-harpy’s voice. Still grating even though it’s been years.

“What a load of crap.” I growl. “How the hell do they even know who is activated how? Last time I checked, Conduits don’t go carrying around neon signs that announce it to the world.”

“You remember the Energy Scan Dr. Simms had you do?” The Shark asked, I nod in confirmation. “There are some Conduits that can basically do that, read a Conduit’s energy signature. Turns out that those awakened by the Beast carry a sort of ‘mark’ in their energy that these ‘Aura Readers’ can sense.” Again, another pretentious name. Feels like I’m back in High-School again.

“The Conduits in Fracture? They have Aura Readers in droves and they and those who think like them believe that this mark as a beacon for the Warped.” She continued. “Most simply shun, others…” She pauses before licking her lips nervously. “They actively hunt down Beast-Awakened. It’s… What happened to me.” “What…?” I growl, sparks jumping off of my arm.

She nods before taking a breath. “I was hunted down like I was a rabid dog. Even with everything you taught me, they had numbers and zealotry. If it wasn’t for Kestrel showing up when she did, I would have been bleaching bones or worse.” She shudders hard and I can feel my blood seeth under my skin.

Conduits hunting Conduits because of how they got their powers? That’s stupider than Bertrand’s bullshit!! Makes me wish I had turned Fracture into a crater when I was there.

I can feel my curiosity burn, wanting to ask for more details about everything, but by the look in her eyes, even telling as much as she did took a lot out of her, so I don’t press. “Sounds like I should pay Fracture another visit once Pango’s back on his feet.” I snarl. Mako shakes her head. “It wouldn’t be a good idea.” She warns me. “They have some nasty tricks up their sleeves. I know how bull-headed you can be, but please take these two things to heart if nothing else.” She pauses as she starts to gather her things and I move to get ready to leave. “1. Never go into a situation blind. The Wildlands have many dangers both familiar and unknown and the Conclaves may have their own unpleasant surprises.” She turns her head to look my dead in the eye. “2. Never assume that you’re the top dog in the Wildlands…”

“As they’re always a bigger fish.”

[codenamehazard]

[codenamehazard]

pokèmonize yourself!!!!

spin this wheel to see your pokemon type

spin this one to see how you'll look like

[codenamehazard]

.:Wildlander 101:.

[TRIGGER WARNING FOR MENTIONS OF BLOOD, GORE, BODY HORROR, ARACHOPHOBIA, CREEPY CRAWLIES MENTIONS OF SQUIDGY BITS, GROSS SOUNDS AND VISUALS]

Chapter 38: Wildlander 101

Hey guys!

I finally found some time and energy to get a chapter out! Sometimes being sick has its perks in the form of forcing me to stay at home and sit somewhere to rest, so why not put that time to good use?

Don't worry though, I'm on the mend and back on my feet, even if I'm not 100%

Without delay, let's jump in!

I glare up at the sky and the scorching hot sun as I walk to the tent were Bear told me Mako had set up a sort of “Survival 101” class for the Wildlands, shit that I was supposed to know way before I even jumped into the jeep with them when she and Pangolin found me outside of Fracture, apparently. I had given them the report and results of the energy test thing and now they’re gonna bring in Dr. Sims to talk about next steps.

At least I’ll have something to do other than sit around with my thumb up my ass and now I can finally get some answers about what the new Great Plains is all about, no more fucking surprises… I still shudder at the thought of the Summoner and now… Those things…

I walk through the crowd as I search and I can’t help but to feel so… Strange. I’m used to people running, screaming, trying to attack me or parting like the Red Sea when I walk around, even when I’m not flexing my power or making a show of force, but here? People just walk by and I slip right in like I was just another person. It’s weird, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was a… Nice change of pace. Nice to move among people without someone trying to throw rocks at me or scream when I do so much as ask a question.

I soon find the tent and I take a deep breath. It's been years since I was anywhere near anything that resembled a classroom and I’m not looking forward to being reminded of my high-school or college years in tent form, but this is something that needs to be done. Especially if I want to no longer be blindsided by whatever horrors are still out there. So I brace myself and step inside.

Instead of desks, there were picnic tables. Instead of those uncomfortable ass chairs, there were camping chairs, logs and even some beanbag chairs and… Is that a pull up bar?

Okay, less classroom, more circus summer camp. Not what I was expecting… Probably should have though, this entire place is a damn circus. Still, better than a classroom.

I look around a bit more and I see a projector pointing at the white wall of the tent as well as books, pictures, slides and so one scattered about on one of the tables. I grab one of the logs and pull it up to sit down. Just as I do, Mako walks in.

“Oh! Hey Cole!” Mako greets. “Glad you could make it.” I nod my head in acknowledgement after sitting down. “Well, this has been long overdue, something we’ve talked about before. Several times in fact.” I remind her with a firm tone. “I’m hoping with this “Wildlander 101” class, we won’t be having this issue anymore.” A spark flickers off of my arms, a subtle warning that I was done being kept in the dark.

“Okay! Okay!” Mako utters, putting her hands up. “Yes, this will go over everything you need to know about life in the Wildlands from A to Z. No more blindsiding.”

“Good.” I growl with a glare. “I’ve been more patient with you than most, but even that’s wearing thin.” Mako sighs softly before nodding. “Like I said, this will go over everything.” The tension lingers as Mako pulls up the first slides: talking about the Warped, Corrodium, the dangers of using powers in areas known for high Warped Activity, the buddy system… Shit I already know because of incidents in the past. I try my best not to interrupt, but the pins and needles in my arms and legs from inactivity are starting to drive me up a wall and I just want to get this shit over with.

“Yeah-yeah-yeah. I know this shit already.” I finally snap, waving my hand dismissively. “Why don’t you actually tell me something I don’t know.” I pause for a moment before the perfect question pops up into my head. “Like what in the name of God are those squishy centipede things?” That question gave Mako a look like she’s about to gag. I don’t blame her.

“Why did that have to be the first question you ask?” Mako groans before shuddering again, I shrug while she collects herself. “So those bastards are technically called “ticks” around here, but Kes and I call them “facehuggers from Hell.”” I try to suppress a snort. She ain’t wrong about that.

“Those things… They’re pretty much another way a human can become a Warped and I mean any human. Conduit or not.” My face turns a pale that’s sicklier than the pale it was back in Empire. Those squiggy centipedes can infect normal humans too?! Turn them into zombies?! Christ in a handbasket, as if shit couldn’t get worse. “They either try and cram their way down your throat or they try and burrow into your back, regardless of how they get in, they’ll attach to your spine and corrupt you from the inside out and if you happen to have a Conduit Gland, then they’ll eat that too before replacing it.” My mind spins at the mental images in my head, the memories of the video I watched, then the thought of those poor bastards having these “ticks” shove their way into their bodies and they turn them into zombies and God knows what else, it was starting to make me ill. And that’s saying something as I’ve don’t my fair share of fucked up things just for shits and giggles.

Mercifully, as the words replay in my head, something stands out… Something that sounds fucking stupid if I’m to be frank. “Woah, woah, woah. Back the damn truck up. The hell’s a Conduit Gland?!” I question as I narrow my eyes at the Shark. “You pulling shit out of your ass?”

Mako sighs softly. “No I’m not, Cole.” She mutters. “There’s no official scientific name for it, at least not that we know of, but the Medical Council of Tri-Point as well as other medical communities among the Wildlander conclaves have discovered a gland near the spinal cord and that it’s connected to a Conduit’s power, though how is still being researched.” A memory flickers in my mind before I let out a quick radar pulse, the familiar sight of the bright yellow cluster near her spine glows in my mind’s eye. So that’s what that is.

“Basically, those Ticks are what becomes a Warped’s Conduit gland after death, they-”

“Yeah-yeah, Dr. Funshine Bear showed me that bit of nightmare fuel.” I cut her off gruffly before she can continue. My head starting to hurt and my stomach starting to do backflips. “As much as I love to finally be in the loop about this shit for once, I think I need to give my brain a break.” I mutter out. Mako nods rapidly.

“Good call.” She agrees. “We’ll pick up later, lest we both end up losing our lunches over those… Things.” She shudders as she spits out the last word. “It’s not like we’re in much of a hurry anyways. The convoy ain’t mobilizing until Pangolin’s fully recovered and your Amp is fixed up.”

We both exchange a quick nod before I head outside to go find the nearest water fountain so I can splash some cold water on my face.

I know a situation is several shades of fucked if I’m chosing the stinging of sparks on my face over my stomach threatening to pull the eject button.

[codenamehazard]

.:Eyes Open:.

[TRIGGER WARNING FOR BLOOD, GORE, BODY HORROR, ARACHOPHOBIA, CREEPY CRAWLIES, THING-LEVEL HORRORS, MENTIONS OF SQUIDGY BITS, GROSS SOUNDS AND VISUALS, MENTIONS OF GUNFIRE]

Chapter 37: Eyes Open

Hey guys! Long time no speak!

I can't believe that the end of the year is upon us once again and it went by in a hurry. I'd like to thank you all of sticking with me through the year, your support means more to me than you will ever know.

We continue on with @one-n-only-cedar's own Ezra Sims dealing with Cole's hot headed attitude and showing him just what he's talking about. Check out InFAMOUS: Equilibrium and tell Cedar Xeno sent you!

Without further ado, let's jump in!

“Here, take a seat.”

The doctor offers as we step into his office, Erza gesturing to one of the two chairs sitting in front of his desk, I let out an annoyed huff. “I’m fine standing, thanks.” I hiss out as Ezra sighs and walks around and sits at his desk. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut. I can see Ezra shuffling some papers around like he’s about to give some damn lecture. Time to cut that off at the pass.

“Okay Funshine bear, before you go yapping on about whatever the fuck. Tell me, why the hell did you pull me aside to tell me something that I already know and not the results of my damn test?” I snarl out as I put my palms on the desk and glare, sparks popping off. Erza sighs while pinching the bridge of his nose before looking at me with that disappointing dad look.

“I can see you’re not one for beating around the bush.” Ezra mutters as he taps the papers and folders on the desk. “First, let me clarify that I didn’t pull you aside to tell you that you’re dangerous. Anyone who isn’t completely off the grid knows that you’re dangerous, even before you became the Beast.” He takes another breath before continuing. “I called you in here to tell you just how dangerous your powers truly are.”

I can’t help but to scoff and roll my eyes. “Right, and what makes this “how” bullshit more important than the results of my damn test?!” I snap. “All I came here for was a physical and a test, that’s it. Not some fucking lecture from a goodie-goodie two-shoes.”

I can see the muscles in the doctor’s jaw tighten as he lets out a breath through his nose, normally I’d get a bit of joy out of getting under somebody’s skin but right now, I just want my damn results so I can uphold my end of the bargain. Without another word, he pulls out three pictures from one of the folders and places two of them on the table.

First one was labeled with my last and first name; looked like some sort of spectrometer result with some very impressive spiking. The second one was labeled “LaVoie, Thomas”, must be Pangolin’s. Ezra set them next to each other and I grimace a bit, a small pit forming in my stomach. Not a match. Damn. Oh well, I got my answer. I could leave right now, but my curiosity got the better of me. “Aight, I’m not a match… So what’s the third picture about?”

Erza, without saying a word, puts down the third picture. I look it over, it’s a perfect match to mine, but the labeling on it has me narrowing my eyes. “Control.” I mutter out. Ezra puts my results and the control results over each-other to drive the point home how much of a match it was. Point for point. “The control signature was taken from the purified Blast Cores we use for the scanners.” Ezra points out in a stern tone. “MacGrath, you don’t just control RFE, you are RFE.”

I can feel the fire in my chest sputter a bit as I stare, gobsmacked at what I am seeing. I’ve always had a feeling that there was something more to those Beast powers than meets the eye, probably even more than John even knew. With just how seamless the transfer happened and how John died after he shirked his powers onto me. The possibility of that very statement being true always lingered in the back of my head, but seeing it in black and white like that? It hits harder than a pissed off bull. I pull up one of the chairs that was originally offered to me and sit down as I even attempt to process yet another information bomb.

As I sit down, the doctor pulls up a small laptop and places it on the desk before turning it so that the screen faces the both of us. With a couple of clicks, a video begins to play. It looked like the battle of Droptown all over again, throngs of Runners and Shamblers running in a mad frenzy as Conduits fight back to defend the border- Oh god, there are MORE of those tumor gorillas?! I recognized their misshapen forms, as they plow through some of the barricades.

They all shared something in common, they were absolutely feral, more so than expected. I look at Ezra, ready to ask for an explanation, but the doctor spoke before I could.

“This was what was going on while you were rampaging around recklessly with your Beast Powers, trying to catch the Jackalope.” Ezra grunts. I just continue to watch as the madness continues to unfold on screen.

“Do you get it now, Cole?” Ezra states, his voice firm and low. “Your Beast powers draw these bastards like moths to a flame.” I can hear him talking, but I wasn’t paying attention as I can’t tear my eyes from the screen as I watch the video turn to look at a couple of Shambler corpses. 

The thin skin on their backs, it starts to… Writhe. Memories of me and my cousin stumbling upon a rotting raccoon body flicker in my mind, remembering how the skin and fur moved and bulged as the maggots underneath fed on the decaying flesh, but this was different. It’s not just wriggling around, it’s bulging and distending. Like something was trying to get out.

There is no sound, but I didn’t need it as I watch the skin of the zombies split and…

Jesus Christ in a handbasket… What are those… THINGS?!

I don’t even… Words can’t truly do justice to describe what the hell I’m seeing. It’s like something from “The Thing.” The viscera seemed to be coming to life, nerves and blood vessels reaching out and even tearing bone off the bodies to give it a scaffolding. The mess of body bits slowly pulls themselves out and reveals what all of that is attached to. Some sort of sack or gland or something. At first these…I don’t think I can even call these things creatures… Are slow and sluggish. I can practically hear the squelches and other sloppy sounds in my head.

As soon these afronts to anatomy were able to lift their saggy gland bodies off the gr- GOD!! They move like those fucking house centipedes but floppier and they are fast!!

I can’t help but to feel nauseous and from the looks of it, the doc ain’t looking too hot either as the video shows those abominations sloppy scuttle towards the Conduits and lunge at them. The other Conduits panic and start shooting at the things before Erza turns the video off.

We both sit in nauseated silence to allow the both of us to recover from the things that I know for damn sure will haunt my nightmares. A merciful respite before the doctor can speak again.

“And that… All of that, how your Beast powers brought those things in droves. That’s not the part that scares me the most, Cole.” The doctor utters, a heaviness giving his words a weight that’s crushing. “The thing that scares me the most? The reason why I pulled you in here…” He pauses to let those words linger before speaking again. “That test? The results not only told me the nature of those powers, but the fact that you haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of them.”

I put my hands onto my head and my elbows on the desk as I just sit there, my head reeling from the nuclear information bomb that was just dropped into my lap and promptly exploded in my face. I know that I’ve been told about the RFE thing by Kestrel and confirmed by Mako and the others, but to see it right in front of me. Proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. Everything now makes perfect sense. Why the Warped when apeshit trying to get to me when I used my Beast-Powers, how the Summoner healed after being blasted with a juice up Hellfire rocket, even the Sparrow-bitch’s radiation hamster-ball makes sense!

For the first time in a long ass time, I feel like I’m starting to get a small inkling of understanding.

As my mind works to sort through this information, I can feel a hissing in my mind. A hunger start to make itself known. Ezra said that what I have on offer is just the tip of the iceberg. That I wasn’t at my peak, I could get stronger. My mind can’t help but to indulge my dark imagination. “Doc says that I haven’t hit my limit yet. My full potential. What the hell is that gonna look like…

…And how do I get there?”

[codenamehazard]

Mood

Yellow Bittern (Botaurus sinensis)

© Kuan Chia Hsiu

[codenamehazard]

.:Sun Peeks Through:.

Chapter 36: Sun Peeks Through

Hey guys! Sorry again for the long wait. Writer's block is a bitch and a half and with a new job, it's not helping any. That being said, I think I'll have to say that my slower upload speed is gonna be my new norm. But fret not! I haven't abandoned this story and I'll keep writing until the story is done!

Also, might see a familiar face if you've read @one-n-only-cedar's InFAMOUS: Equilibrium! Tell him Caper sent you! But with that being said, let's jump in!

-------

“About fucking time.”

I growl to myself as I leave the Exam room with Dr. Sims. God I hate physicals, just sitting there on the uncomfortable bastard child of a counter and a shrink's couch, answering uncomfortable questions and being poked and prodded. Silver lining is that the doc said I have a clean bill of health, so that’s good.

Ezra’s trying to explain what an Energy Read is and all the mumbo jumbo that goes into it, but I couldn’t really give a rat’s ass about how it works and why, so I’m not really paying attention. Something else, however, does catch my attention. Something much more interesting.

A Blast Core, a damn powerful one at that. I could feel it. The energy coming off of it, I’ve only felt something similar once before when I spied on Kestrel making the purified Core for that damned brickzooka.I could only guess that this is a purified Core too and we were heading straight towards it.

I can feel my teeth begin to itch and my fingers begin to twitch, I can feel my desire start to rise up inside. “Looks like this idiot’s leading you straight to a tasty little power boost.” My thoughts hiss into my head. “Bet you could crack whatever’s housing it and take it, then nuke the place afterwards.”

I do my best to suppress a growl as my logic kicks in. The Amp is still not repaired and if I blew this place skyhigh, I’d be out of a place to live and I was promised sanctuary here. So it’s better to play nice and… Ugh…. “Behave.” At least for now.

Mercifully, something else catches my attention, the muffled sound of two familiar voices. Kestrel and Pangolin. I remember Dove saying that Kes was taking her turn watching over him, so I wasn’t surprised about that… But how they were talking, it was making me curious. Whatever they were going on about sounded serious… Hmmm… Maybe I can get some details from Dr. Sunbeam over here.

“So.” I start, trying not to sound awkward. “I heard from Mako that you popped the question to Crow. How’s everything been going so far with the prenuptials?” Ezra’s face beams like a lovestruck goof as he plays with the ring on his finger. “Everything’s going great so far. We’re still in the early stages of planning, but as of right now, it’s been smooth sailing.” I let out a chuckle, trying not to let the sting of memories get in the way.

“You must be one lucky son of a bitch with the way you’re smiling.” I point out, Ezra lets out a chuckle before nodding. “Yeah, I am. She’s saved so many lives, we’ve even worked together on a few cases and I fall in love with her all over again when I watch her work her magic.” He gets a dreamy look in his eyes and I try to swallow back a bitter sting in my throat as I remember how I used to talk about Trish. Beaming with pride and love. Now’s not the time for pity parties, Cole.

“I remember that Crow’s in charge of Pangolin’s care, how’s he holding up?” I ask Cupid over here, it seems to snap him out of the love haze for a second before he compouses himself. “Thought about visiting or maybe taking a shift myself and giving the other three a break.” 

“Pangolin’s stable and conscious, but he’s still not out of the woods entirely yet.” Ezra responds, keeping a tone of professionalism. “Can’t have too many visitors right now and Kestrel’s currently visiting, so unfortunately you’ll have to wait a bit before you can pop in.” I nod in acknowledgement, but when has anyone saying “No” ever stopped me before? I’ll just have to find a way to sneak in.

I’m led into a room that's separated into two sections, one that's blocked off by a wall, a window and a door and the other that has what looks like a sitting CT scanner… Or at least that's what I think it is, there’s so much random jerry-rigged nonsense that it makes me question what it actually is!

I look at Ezra as if he's completely wacko, but as I stare, my impulses creep back in as I can feel that tempting Blast Core inside the machine. Now I know I could easily nab it, but I remind myself that I kinda need a place to live so I can get my head on straight.

“I know it looks a bit piecemeal…” Ezra's voice cuts through my thoughts. "But I can assure you it works and it's perfectly safe.” Perfectly safe? Yeah… I’ll believe it when I see it. "All you need to do is sit down and hold a midline charge and the machine will scan the energy and send it to the computer.”

"You know I don't like sitting in cramped spaces, right?” I huff while I begrudgingly start sitting down.

"I’m aware, but I promise I’ll do my best on my end to make sure you're in and out.” Ezra reassures as I sit down, a sour look on my face. "You know… This is a pretty selfless act you're doing… There's still some good in you yet, Cole." I roll my eyes hard.

"Just cut the sappy “good guy" shit and turn the damn machine on.” I snarl. Who does he think he is, my life coach?

The fucking sunbeam chuckles before apologizing and heading into that one room to start the machine. I charge up my electricity like I was prepping for a blast and hold it.

I try to be still, but with the cramped space I can’t help but feel the need to move. The machine turns on and it feels like my senses are in overdrive. The purified Core, I can feel it, it’s against my back. God, I can fucking taste it against my tongue. I can feel how flimsy the machine is. How easy it would fucking be to take this core… Especially since I’m currently holding a charge... I am hanging on by a fucking thread.

I hear the intercom fizzle to life and I hear the doctor’s voice over the speaker. “Hey Cole, I’m not getting a good read from the machine, can you increase your power a little bit? Not by much, just a little more juice and I can get a better reading.” Did he just seriously ask that? Is he a fucking dumbass?! Though come to think of it, while this might be midline for my electric abilities, it’s not my midline full on… Not anymore, not as the Beast.

If Dr. Funshine Bear wants a little more juice? I’ll give him juice. Just a little bit of Beast energy and….

I feel the energy from the Core against my back surge as Beast Energy starts to flow. I damn near SNARL from how good it feels... That is until I feel the metal start heat up. Shit… It’s about to blow!

*KRRRZZZZZTTT!!!*

I’m blasted forward as the energy wave throws me out of the chair, electricity arcing and jumping off of the machine to everything around and smoke filling the room. I think I heard Erza jump from surprise and I can’t help but to laugh. Just about forgot how fun it is to hear people get frightened. As the smoke continues to grow thicker, I lower myself onto the ground to stay out of it. An idea comes to me. Erza probably can’t see me, I dunno if he has a Pulse ability, but from the sounds of it, he’s busy with something else… Perfect time to sneak out.

With the smoke from the machine filling the room and the literal ray of goddamn sunshine busy, I army crawl out of the Scan Room and then start sneaking down the hallways, making sure that I don’t get spotted by any orderlies or anyone else that would want to stop me. Once I was out in the main hallway, I walk with purpose. People don’t tend to question you so long as you’re acting like you got business around here.

I focus on my hearing and follow the sound of the pinecone and the bird.. I got a little bit worried when I didn’t hear them, but soon enough they started chattering again. Thank god the explosion didn’t stop them from continuing with whatever they’re doing.

Once I was near the room where Pangolin was set up, I use a quick Radar Pulse to confirm the occupants before posting up nearby, leaning up against a wall near the door. I pull out my journal to act as a prop, making it look like I was a visitor waiting my turn and passing the time by reading a book.

At first the voices were muffled, but as I focus in, the voices become clearer. “... Pangolin, did you not think I was stressed too? That I wasn’t wondering what the hell went wrong myself?” I hear Kestrel mutter out, I can practically visualize her running her hands down her face, it causes a pang of… Something, but I ignore it for the time being. “Look, I understand you were stressed, but that doesn’t give you the right to use me like a goddamn emotional punching bag!” I hear a bang and a clatter, most likely from a fist slamming down on something.

I hear the woman sigh before continuing on. “Did you know your outburst had me tearing myself down again? Mako and Coyote had to knock sense into me because I was so out of it.” I bite my tongue to keep myself from letting out a growl. I hear Pangolin take a breath and I steel myself so I don’t charge in.

“There…” He begins. God, he sounds like hell. Weak and ragged… A cold chill shoots up my spine remembering what Crow said about those Blink Scorpions and their Corrodium venom. “There’s… No excuse, Kestrel.” He breathes out. “I treated you like shit; over a stupid prototype. I’m… Sorry.”

There was a heavy pause before Pangolin continues. “I’m sorry for… Everything. Pushing you so hard to the point you barely ate or slept. Holding what happened at the mines over your head and using it as justification for questioning your loyalty, even going as far as to insinuate that you lied about your estimation. Implying that the destruction of Firewall was your fault… All of it.” He sighs again and sniffs… Is he… Crying? “It’s been eating at me. I failed you, as a leader, as a friend… As a brother. I failed you by letting my emotions and pride get in the way and treating you horridly. I may hope for your forgiveness, but if you never do, I’ll understand… Hell, if you wanted to leave, I’d understand too.”

I shake my head as I try to process what I just listened to. He… He’s just spilling his guts to the bird. Truly remorseful. Ready and willing to take whatever consequences may come on the chin. Seems like my little talk with him back in Kes’s forge rattled him good.

Kestrel sighs softly and I swear I can hear her shaking her leg to calm down. She clicks her metallic teeth before speaking again. “Pangolin… Thomas… I don’t want to leave the Misfits. Outside of what recently has happened, you guys took me in, treated me like family. We are family.” She murmurs. “And even though we ain’t on good terms right now, I ain’t leaving you.” She sighs softly through her nose before continuing.

“Look… I know that I will forgive you in due time, especially now since you’ve given me an honest-to-god apology, but right now… I can’t forgive you; not yet. I still need to be pissed at you, still process the hurt and heal.” I can hear Pangolin hum in acknowledgement before I turn my thoughts inwards, the last thing I hear before I go into my head is Kestrel thanking Pangolin for saving her life.

I can’t help but to pause, any anger inside cooling. For the first time, I feel like my words actually held weight. I knew Kestrel listened to me when I spoke to her about the nature of forgiveness, but to hear that Pangolin took my words to heart when I ripped into him, even though it was more delayed… I start to feel something that I hardly ever got to feel. I feel that I wasn’t just heard… But truly listened to. They listened.

In this moment of quiet, memories started to seep in. Memories of Zeke, memories of my own journey to forgiving him for betraying me those many years ago. “I don’t call you brother because I like the way it sounds.” His words echo in my head as I remember that day we truly mended the bridge. A familiar dampness stings my eyes. “Shit…!” A voice rattles me out of my thoughts before they can consume me. “SHIT!!” Uh-oh. Looks like the doc’s back and has seen I’ve gone missing, best try to make my way back before he tears the damn hospital down.

Unfortunately for me, as I was making my way back to the room, Erza walks over to me. Stopping me mid-stride and giving me a look that reminded me of my father when he was about to drag me off by my ear to scold me. Great.

“Cole.” Ezra starts, his voice calm, but low. “You and I need to have a serious talk.” “Why.” I hiss out, becoming more agitated by his tone.

“Because I don’t think you know just how dangerous your powers truly are, Cole.”

[codenamehazard]

.:Waiting Room:.

Chapter 35: Waiting Room

Hey guys! Life's still hectic as hell and my brain has been refusing to brain as of late, but I managed to get this written before my brain decided to through a hissy fit.

Sorry it's a bit short, but I hope you guys still like it!

Without delay, let's jump in!

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I step into the reception area of Mercy Hospital, walking up to the receptionist lady manning the desk and taking a deep breath while I’m at it. I greet her and make some small talk with her before explaining my situation. Told her how I had came in with the Misfits when Pangolin was brought in and that I was told to ask about getting a physical and an “energy reading,” whatever the hell that was, from a “Dr. Sims.”

She asks for verification on this and I show her the letter and token, she look at me and nods before putting me into whatever system they have running in this wacko circus hospital before getting up and walking me to the waiting room the rest of the Misfits are basing in, at least until Pangolin is back on his feet again.

Once at the door, I thank the woman before opening the door and heading inside.

In the waiting room, I’m surprised to see that only a lone Misfit was in the waiting room. Dove, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. I’m already feeling uneasy about this whole thing with “Dr. Sims” and all of that, but seeing Dove like this? It makes my hackles raise. Didn’t help the fact I was expecting to see two birds in here, not just the one.

The sound of me closing the door gets the dodo’s attention.

“Oh, hey.” He awkwardly greets. I grunt in response before patrolling the room.

“Where’s your partner in crime?” I ask gruffly. “I know Mako’s out and about, though to where I don’t know. But last time I checked, Kestrel was here while you were visiting your brother.” Dove shifts nervously before finding his voice. “She’s in Pangolin’s room, it’s her turn to take watch over him. While we may be in safety, the worst threats often come in isolation.” I try to hold back a snort. Ain’t that the truth.

“As for Mako, she’s gone off to consult the Sisters Three. You know, measure twice, cut once. Make sure that she’s got all of her I’s dotted and T’s crossed for your lesson, so you aren’t blindsided again.” I can’t help but let out a loud and aggravated groan of annoyance before sit down in a chair and run my hands over my face. Of course she’s going to talk to those bitches, I should have known! I guess it makes sense, seeing as they probably know a hell of a lot more than me or anyone else, but still. After the hell those Three put me through? It makes bile sting the back of my tongue, I want as little involvement to do with them as possible.

A scoff escapes my throat. “Great, just fucking great. As if the woodland bitches weren’t finished with me.” I mutter to myself as sparks flicker off of my fingertips. “Thought I was gonna get a break from them for a good while but nooooooo. Gotta deal with them in a lesson plan too.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dove giving me a dirty look as I continue to grumble. It’s honestly kinda funny to see. Someone trying to mean-mug me when I know that all I would need to do is flex my powers a bit and he’d be running scared, after all, he has been on the receiving end of my power before.

An awkward pause lingers in the air as the dodo continues glares at me. Not surprised seeing as I was talking shit about his mother, but I can’t help but feel the way I do and if I think someone is a jackass, I don’t hold back.

I break the pause with a sigh. “You know… Pango’s lucky… And not just in the fact that we got him here in time.” Dove’s glare softens and he tilts his head before I continue on.

“He’s lucky to have you all. You, Kestrel, Mako… Got a team that actually gives a shit about him.” “Well… Yeah.” Dove murmurs softly as he starts to pick at his nails a bit. “He’s not just our leader, he’s our big brother.” He looks down at his nails as he fidgets some more. “He may be my brother by blood, but he’s a brother to us all. We’re kin, and kin always watch each-other’s backs, even when we aren’t on the best of terms.”

Hearing Dove talk about family, how everyone in the Misfits watches each-other’s back, it causes my heart to ache. Jealousy and a bitter sadness rings out in my head like a church-bell. A painful reminder of the truth.

That I am alone.

My bio-family sucked ass. Mom and dad only wanted me to be the perfect son. A prop they can brag about to all of their fake-ass friends. Only people that were worth caring about were my cousin and my younger brother… Everyone else could rot.

Then there was my chosen family. Trish and Zeke… The people that honestly, truly mattered to me… And they’re dead. One of them I couldn’t save and the other… Dead by my hand…

Before my mind could go too far into wallowing in my pathetic self-pity, I notice Dove sit down in the chair next to me. I can see it in his eyes, he wants to say something. What he wants to say, I don’t know, but it seems like Mako probably told him about what happens when people try to pry and get me to talk before I was damn good and ready to. A breath of relief to me, to be honest.

The silence doesn’t last when the bird speaks. “Hey… Thanks.”

I blink before turning my head to face him. “Thanks for… Knocking sense into me when I was losing my mind. If you didn’t do that, I probably would have slowed everything down…” I look at him surprised before I nod him, grunting in acknowledgement. “It’s nothing, Dove. You were worried about your brother, I get it.”

The door to the waiting room opens, stopping me from continuing on. I turn to look at who walked in and I see a man with sun-kissed skin and blond, combed hair in the door, all dressed in the tell-tale long white coat that doctors wear and holding a clipboard. He looks over to me with a warm smile and I raise an eyebrow at him before he speaks.

“I take it you’re Mr. MacGrath?”

[codenamehazard]

.:Walkabout:.

Chapter 34: Walkabout

Hey guys!

Sorry for the gap! Life stuff got in the way again and I'm currently rearranging my schedule to make sure things get done and all that. All the stuff that goes into adulting. So things still might be a bit sporadic for a bit, but I didn't forget!

Anyways, here's chapter 34! Hope you enjoy!

Without delay, let's jump in!

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“I can't believe I’m going through this bullshit." 

I growl to myself as I left the hell tent, promptly giving it the middle finger as I left. Once I’m on the move, I look at the folded note I was given, opening it as I go and reading it again.

There were instructions to go to Mercy Hospital and get checked out by a… “Dr. Sims?” Not sure who this guy is, and tell him I’m coming in for a quick physical and an energy reading…. Something about seeing if it could be helpful in speeding up Pangolin’s recovery? I don’t fucking know.

The note also contained a token with the face of a bear stamped in it, an indicator to others the sister I answered to and a reminder that I can “always come to them for aid.” I can’t help but to scoff. Right, aid… Like they haven't “done enough" for me as is.

The physical makes some sense, I guess. Last time I was anywhere near doctors were….

I quickly shake my head to keep the memories from sinking in. Last thing I need is to start having flashbacks of that moment.

The point still stands, however, I haven’t seen a doctor in years. Granted I don’t know how this is gonna work out but I’m guessing this “Sims” character is experienced with Conduit health and anatomy, so he’ll probably do a decent job. Maybe he can explain this energy thing too.

I can feel my blood start to seeth a little at my predicament. Here I am, back to being a fucking errand boy again. I guess the silver lining of it this time around is that it's basically my rent. So any money I earn, I get to keep. Will come in very handy since I don’t know if typical American cash will work since everything has gone to hell.

That and there isn’t some grand scheme over my head, just a simple “I can stay so long as I chip in.” Reasonable expectation, I guess. At least they aren’t tearing my life asunder or forcing grandiose responsibilities onto me.

I spot Mako and flag her down before we meet up in the middle. We catch up with some chit-chat before I ask her where Crow went off to as the last time I saw the brown-haired woman, she was with Mako.

“She had gone back to Mercy Hospital." She answers with a nod of her head towards that direction. "Duty calls and all.”

"Hm.” I grunt. "Seems like I’ll probably be seeing her again soon.” Mako cocks her head before I show her the note and the token I was given. The sight of the bear-faced token makes the Shark chuckle a bit. I raise an eyebrow. "What's so funny?”

"Oh nothing, I’m just not surprised that Bear took you under her wing. She tends to take on hotheads.” Mako replies and I groan as I roll my eyes.

“I take it you answer to a sister too?" I ask and she nods, pulling out a token with the face of a sparrow on it before we start walking.

Huh… Mako was put under the Sparrow bitch’s care? I wonder why, but that's a question for later.

"So, how did everything go?” Mako asks and I freeze before turning my head slowly to her, feeling anger starting to build.

"Woah.” I stop her. "Woah-woah-woah. I’m gonna need you to elaborate on what the fuck that’s supposed to mean.” I see her face go pale a bit as I narrow my eyes at her.

"You know…Your…Trial?" 

I growl. “Did you know about all of this?" Electricity starts to pop off of my arms as I glare at her.

"I can explain.” She starts, I growl deeper.

"Then start talking.”

She sighs before looking at me. "Tri-Point tends to attract the misfits of society… The lost, the wandering, the outcasts, you know… The types that would run away and join the circus and all that.” I can help but to roll my eyes at that, how fitting. Though I can't help but to think that all of those words are apt descriptors of myself. Wandering, outcasted and fucking lost.

“With that being said. The Sisters Three needed a system to make sure those who come to Tri-Point are who they say they are and would do w-" 

“And that mirror maze from Hell is part of that?!?” I roar out, abruptly interrupting Mako and causing her to flinch. She nods quickly before continuing.

"The Trial of Reflection is unique to whoever participates and it's something that everyone goes through. It’s what shows the truth of a person’s heart!”

“And you didn’t think to, oh I don’t fucking know, give me a heads up about this?! Just like you didn’t think to tell me about the fucking Corrodium?!?” I snarl out, rage spilling out of my mouth out of control. “Something I thought we addressed back before we left Droptown. Did you forget the little detail about how much I fucking hate repeating myself?!” I start getting in her space, electricity popping off of my arms. Mako glares and stands her ground.

“Look Cole!” She starts. “I get it! Not giving you a Wildlands 101 is on Pangolin and I, I’m not denying that! We should have done that before we left and I’m working on trying to rectify that, but when it comes to the rabbit, I couldn’t tell you!” “Why. The hell. Not?!” “Nivens is a key part of the system the Sisters Three set up.” She defends. Great, that horned menace has a name?! “‘The one who sees the Rabbit must make the choice on their own.’ If I told you the true nature of Nivens and what you were about to get into, it would make the system moot!” “Weren’t you the one that encouraged me to chase the damn thing?” I point out with a glare. “You could have still said no!” The shark retorts. “You’re a grown ass man, like you always point out! I can’t make you do anything you didn’t want to do!”

This statement stops my rage in its tracks, causing me to pause and think. Mako’s right, while yeah; she egged me on, I’m still the one who ultimately made the call to fall for the rabbit’s taunting and give into impulse. 

Speaking of choices, I remembered that was a big topic that the woodland bitches latched onto, choice or more specifically, my lack of it. My entire life was pretty much planned out before I was even a twinkle in my dad’s eye. Planned out hundreds of years in advance by the failure of a future self that bastard was and even after I broke free from his designs by siding with John, I only found myself in the chains of another grand design when John shirked his responsibilities and forced them onto my shoulders. Responsibilities that weren’t mine to bear.

Ditching the ball-and-chain that was Kuo and John’s army was the first time I ever made a choice that was completely and wholly of my own will and discretion, no bigger scheme, no grand destiny, nothing. Just a man taking back his autonomy. Ever since that day, I’ve had more freedom and choice than I ever had in my entire life. It’s only now that I’m truly and fully seeing this.

Hell, I have so much freedom now that… I’m not even quite sure what to do with it all.

I guess that I’ve become so used to my life being decided for me and my choices being as meaningful as piss in the ocean that without some puppet-master bullshit pulling the strings or some grand plan invalidating my autonomy that I’m used to it. So much so that without some outside force controlling my fate or me rebelling against said controlled fate, I really… Don’t know who exactly I am anymore. I thought I did, but now… I’m not sure.

As much as I hate to admit it…. And I really fucking hate to admit it, Deer was right. I have become disillusioned and lost.

“... Cole?” Mako’s voice penetrates through the whirlwind in my head, causing me to jump a bit in a start. The expression she wears is full of concern and worry, one I remember well back when she was part of John’s army, back when I led it. She was really the only one who'd show concern for me.

“Are you okay?" She asks, her voice tinged with worry. I open my mouth to lie, to tell her that I’m fine, but I pause. Lack of communication, lack of transparency. It's what's getting us into these messes. Seems like a common theme too, one that needs to break. Best start with myself.

"No.” I snap before taking a breath. “No, I’m not okay…” I see Mako about to say something, but I put my hand up. “With the hell I just went through in that madhouse, I need time to think… Process everything.”

Mako pauses, her eyes darting side to side before speaking up. "Well… If you need a listening ear or someone to vent to, you can always come to me or the other Misfits. We’ll be here for you.” She states, I can see she wants to add something, but she seems to dismiss whatever it was. Regardless, I nod.

"Appreciate the offer, Mako.” I mutter slightly. "But this is something I need to sort out on my own." She nods in understanding.

“Anyways, I need to be heading to the hospital. Marching orders and all.” I state simply. She nods before beginning to walk off.

"And Mako?” I stop her before she gets too far. "When you make that ‘Wildlands 101’ class, make sure you cover everything. And I mean everything. No more surprises. I will not repeat myself a third time." I warn, my eyes glowing red. “I mean it." 

“Right, I’ll confer with the others to make sure everything gets covered." Mako sheepishly murmurs before rubbing the back of her head. I nod at her and we part ways.

As I walk, I rub my calloused hands over my face tiredly before looking at the sky, noticing the sun was nearing the horizon. I sigh loudly and shake my hands, venting off arrant sparks before continuing on. I don't know what to expect with this hospital visit, but what I do know is I can kiss any hope of getting any sleep at all goodbye. 

Because with the hell I just went through? There's no hope of getting any sleep tonight.

[codenamehazard]

.:The Sisters Three:.

Chapter 33: The Sisters Three Hey guys, did you miss me? I deeply apologize for the long hiatus, my life had turned upside down for a spell and it had left me mentally and creatively drained. So I took the time to rest and now I think I'm back in the saddle and ready to get this show back on the road! And I have a very special treat in store for you guys. You all are familiar with @rogueshadeaux, the beautiful person who not only gave me the push to even start No Man's Land, but also helped me out so much and has been a huge support ever sense I rambled off the idea to her the first place, she's also the creative genius behind her own fanfiction, "InFAMOUS: Erosion"! If you haven't read it, go check it out. Well, she and I collaborated in making this chapter and what an absolute riot it was! I'm forever grateful for her patience and for wanting to do this collab. It was such a grand time and the shenanigans that went down while we worked together left me in stitches! So, big thank you and shout out to her for collabing! Hopefully now life has settled some so I can get back to telling Cole's tale in the Wildlands, but for now, I hope you enjoy this special chapter! Without delay, Let's jump in!

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“It’s about bloody time you showed up!”

I snap my head around, my eyes glowing crimson, to see where the voice came from. The sight I see is three thrones stacked like the points that are on top of this topsy-turvy nightmare house of a circus tent. In the seats were three women, one who I remember, the other two I’ve never seen. First is the giantess of a woman in the bear mask, then there was a… Plain jane looking chick who looks more like my auntie from Georgia than a proper road warrior wearing a sparrow mask and dead center is a woman wearing a crazy looking dress made out of what looks like raw leather with bright colors painted all over it and looking shredded to hell on the bottom, the shredded bits had spent bullet casings and beads that were as bright and wild as the colors on the dress, on her face was a deer mask.

“Where the fuck am I now?! The council of woodland creatures, what is this shit?!?” I growl out as I pick myself up and dust off the dirt. The woman in the bear mask chuckles hardily at me as I glare at the three of them.

“Pangolin wasn’t kidding about that temper of yours! Like a wildfire out of control.” The bear-masked lady bantered with the other two before looking at me. “Took you long enough to come out considering all that fire you’re spitting!” I roll my eyes and growl.

“Cut the shit!” I snap, electricity popping off of my arms as a warning to these three that I am in no mood for games. “I want answers and I’m going to get them even if I have to fry some skulls! Now, tell me what the nine circles of Hell was that mirror maze horror show?!”

“Cole James MacGrath.” A calm and steady voice butts in, I slowly turn my head to face the one who addressed me, the Mad-Maxed Wonderland denizen. “Son of Shannon and Robert. Demon of Empire City, Beast of New Marais.” If my eyes weren’t bugging out before, they were now as she cocks her head to the side. “Or have you grown attached to ‘Kessler’ yet?”

She DID NOT just fucking call me that.

“..... How. The fuck. Do you know all that?” I hiss out as I step forward towards the deer-masked woman, my blood boiling in my veins and my teeth bared. “ANSWER ME!!”

“We’re the Sisters Three,” The deer states, cool as a cucumber and not even acting like they’re talking to The Beast. Not taking seriously the threat I am and the damage I can do, I tighten my fists in rage as she continues to talk. “We make it our job to know who steps foot within our conclave.”

“I don’t give a shit who you all are or what you all do in this goddamn circus, you’re not answering me!” Fury drips from my words as I growl. What is with these bitches, especially antler-chick? “I asked how you know all this shit? My full name, my parents’ name and that damned name?!” The last part I practically spit out with all the venom I can muster. “The only people who knew that outside of me are dead.”

“Is that temper of yours burning too bright, boy?” The bear-masked woman chides like she’s talking to a child, causing my teeth to grit against each-other. “Are you so blind as to think you were the only one that could see?” “Call me ‘boy’ one more time.” I warn with a snarl. “I fucking dare you.”

“Don’t like being treated like a child?” Bear jests. “Then stop acting like one, boy.”

That's it.

My skin pales and the black veins creep across my skin as I charge up a Hellfire Rocket with a nice dose of Beast energy before firing it off, only for it to literally blow up in my face, sending me flying backwards and slamming into a wall that wasn’t there before. “What the hell…?” I groan out as I get up and see- Oh what the fuck is this?! I’m surrounded by a bubble of yellow-green energy that tingles my nerves and makes my head hurt. The hell is this?? I look up to see Plain-Jane Sparrow holding her hand out, the same bubbling glow coming from her hand…. Fuck… A Radiation Conduit. 

“We will be having none of that now.” The bird-faced woman drawled. “This little tantrum of yours is not only ill-fitting of someone your age, but also will attract the Warped and that simply isn’t going to do.”

I run up to the barrier and put my hands on it before beating on it with an electrified fist. Nothing! A feeling of dread starts creeping up my back as I realize that I’m well and truly stuck, I can’t do anything so long as I’m in this bubble, I’m at their mercy. “What kind of game are you fuckers trying to play, huh?!?” I roar out, my eyes glowing bright as I try to drown the fear with rage. “You already locked me into that mirror nightmare and put me through psychological hell, now you lock me in here?!” I bang my fists against the barrier as I try to resist the feeling of hot tears pricking my eyes. “Cole, Cole, Cole…” The Bear-bitch chides. “You’re acting like you were forced at gun-point to go into the maze. You had full autonomy to walk away up to the point you stepped past the threshold. You made the choice to walk into the maze, knowing the risks.” I growl loudly at that. She is right, I did make that choice even though I had doubts… Still don’t excuse the mental hell they put me through.

“Then explain that hellscape! You got me with walking in, but that?!? That was pure and utter torture to such an extent I wouldn’t even wish it upon my worst enemies!!” I balk, still beating on the radiation bubble.

“And yet you inflicted it upon yourself.” The sparrow points out with a raised eyebrow, only serving to infuriate me more. “What are you getting at, woman?” I snarl, electricity all but pouring off of my arms and back.

“Mirrors can only show what you present them, young man.” She tuts. 

“Enough with the riddles!” I roar out as I beat both of my hands against the barrier. “What is that supposed to mean?!”

“A mirror is nothing but a reflection.” The deer-woman interjects, still keeping that bullshit air of calm. What is she, some sort of mastermind or something, thinking she has me all figured out?! “Everything that you are, everything that you were. We needed to know the man we were meeting, and if I’m not mistaken—you needed to look that same man in the eye and confront him.”

I glare at her, growling and baring my teeth, but I can’t do anything and as much as I hate to admit it, I don’t have anything to say in retort.

The deer leans forward to look me dead in the eyes, but the sight I see shocks me. Behind that mask stares at me eyes that reflect mine, almost like a mirror. “Do you know who you are, Cole MacGrath?”

I rack my brain for something, anything, to retort back with. To tell her that I know damn well who I am, but as much as I search my mind, I come up empty handed. Empty handed with only a belly full of fire and frustration mounting, but I don’t say anything. I’ll die before saying anything, especially to someone like her.

“Aye Awee, he’s more bull-headed than a bison with an attitude problem.” I hear the Bear-masked woman jests as I turn my head, ready to snap at her.

“He’s disillusioned.” The Deer butts in before I could even say anything. “And, because of that, he is lost.” Lost?!?

“Indeed, like a ship without a sail or rudder; caught in the storm that is his heart.” I hear the Sparrow reply to the Deer. Great, now they’re talking about me as if I’m not even here!! Best I give them a reminder. “Y’all just gonna keep shitting on me or is there an actual point to this?” I snap while crossing my arms, glaring at the three woodland bitches.

“Well, at least you’re not one for beating around the bush.” The Bear chuckles as she smiles at me, I glare at her and growl.

“I’ve been fed enough bullshit to fill a manure pit, I’m sick and tired of the run-around.” I snap, black and red bolts popping off of my arms as my leg start to bounce. I can’t stand being trapped, can’t stand being still. I want this over and done with.

“You seek truth.” The Deer-woman states as she folds her hands over her lap. “A taste of freedom, a chance at it. You’ve been forced to bare burdens that were not your own, and you’ve grown tired of having the chance to choose ripped from you. Fought battles that weren't yours and lived a life of circumstance beyond your control. That anger, that grief…it's why you abandoned your old troop, is it not?”

“Were they even mine when I had no say…?” I muttered under my breath, answering the Deer-lady. After all, the Conduit Army wasn’t originally mine, it was John’s until he decided to shirk his responsibilities along with his power onto me. How can I abandon something that wasn’t mine to begin with?

Deer-lady nods her head, looking almost… Sympathetic? “You’ve never been allowed to make a life of your own. To follow a path that wasn’t manufactured before you.” Her calm voice takes a gentle tone to it that definitely speaks of understanding, I’m not quite sure what to make of this shift.

“Shackled before you even knew what choice was.” The Sparrow-lady pipes up as she looks over to me. “Bound to fates not your own before you even came into the world.” “Aye.” The Bear murmurs softly. “A life chosen for you is no life at all.”

I start to pace as they talk, eyebrows furrowing. They’re hitting the nail on the head with… Everything and their tone, they sound like they’re wanting to help me somehow, but with that mirror nonsense, I don’t know if I can trust them. I still don’t buy that they didn’t have any involvement with that bullshit, but seeing as I’m in an impenetrable bubble, I don’t have much room to protest… Not to mention that if they are wanting to help, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take them up on it. The question is what’s their angle? “You know all this fate talk is all fine and dandy, nice to know that people seem to get how many levels of fucked up my past is and all but…. Can you get to the point?” I huff out while still pacing. “Tired of being inside a cage and all.”

“Point we’re getting at is we’re thinking about giving you a place to stay around here ya bloody jackass.” Bear groans as she rolls her eyes before looking at me. “Can’t do any good deep thinkin’ when you’re constantly on the run.”

“A place where you can find the answers you’re looking for or, at minimum, peace while you dwell.” The Deer hums in that annoyingly calm tone.

“But do not think you will be living here without putting in any work.” The Sparrow bitch chides, of course there was some sort of catch to this “place to live” shtick. “Everyone in the conclave pulls their weight. Beast or not, you are not exempt. You will be expected to contribute to Tri-Point in some way… Especially considering the bedlam you caused earlier.” I groan at this and roll my eyes.

“If you two don’t take him as your charge, I’ll take him.” Bear chortles. Hold on! What the fuck is that supposed to mean?! “I’ve raised two rowdy boys and taken on quite a few firebrands, I can handle him.” “Hold on lady!” I balk. “I’m a grown ass man! I don’t need a damn babysitter!”

“Your actions speak otherwise, MacGrath.” Sparrow points out while pointing at me with her non-glowing hand. “The amount of collateral damage you caused speaks volumes.” I grumble at this. Of course that’s biting me in the ass now.

“All residents have a Sister they answer to,” The Deer begins coolly, waving her hand towards her fellow woodland cohorts. “Someone who ensures your needs are met, and who you take any issues to. You will receive regular instruction from Bear as well as work detail—as I’m sure you can agree, no one in a single conclave should live there without putting a little work in. In return, we’ll provide you sanctuary.” 

“Uh-huh, right.” I huff with an impatient tapping of the ball of my foot on the clay dirt. “And what the hell are you going to make a literal apocalypse on legs do, huh?”

The Deer lady cocks her head to the side, almost seeming… Curious about my retort. “You’re here in search of answers, right, Cole?”

“Yeah, been searching for them ever since my entire life was torn asunder, what’s it to you?” I interject with a grunt, crossing my arms and venting sparks off of my back.

She stands from her throne, making the beads and bullet casings jingle as she straightens her posture. “Because perhaps, with your help, we can find some answers of our own.”

[codenamehazard]

.:Jabberwocky:.

Chapter 32: Jabberwocky

[TRIGGER WARNING: PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, TORTURE AND TRAUMA]

Hey guys! Sorry I'm a bit late with this chapter! The character voice was giving me serious hell! (Writer's Block, my behated)

Though it's not surprising considering all that I have in store here! Good god, I had to fight to get the words on the document but boy howdy is it worth it!

I hope you've got some water as this is gonna be a doozy. I hope you like this chapter!

Without delay, let's jump in!

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“No…”

My blood freezes in my veins and my heart races as I stare with wide eyes at the mirror behind me. I’m looking at it, I’m seeing it, but I don’t want to believe it. I refuse to believe it. I refuse to believe that the bastard is here in this hell-maze with me, that he’s here at all. I can deny it all I want, but the mocking smile in the mirror. I know what’s in front of me, replacing my reflection and confirming a fear that I always dread…

Kessler.

“Look what the rabbit dragged in.” The decrypted echo sneers as he begins to circle me in the mirrors that surround me, stepping in front of the other reflections as if they were spectators about to watch a fight. “The coward who denies the truth, even though it’s staring him right in the face.”

“So says the murderer that took everything from me just because he was too much of a fucking coward to face the Beast himself until it was too fucking late.” I snarl back at the twisted reflection, trying to use my rage and hatred to thaw the frozen blood and shake the fear away. “You took away everything I held dear, that we held dear; You killed Trish, you made Zeke betray me! You made my life fall to shambles and even fucking lied about what the Beast was actually doing, all for what?! All because you were too chickenshit to actually protect your family and fight the Beast.” The bastard fucking laughs at me like I was just a yapping ankle biter.

“Oh that is rich coming from you, Cole.” That fucking crone cackles with that sneer. “The one who kills for shits and giggles calling me a murderer. All the pain I caused was done for a purpose while you inflict pain because you are broken inside.” I can feel my blood seeth as he talks, energy gathering in my hand as I keep my eyes on Kessler. “Face the facts, Cole. I would say you’re no better than me, but I dare say you’re worse. All that I did was for a reason while you lash out like a pitiful, sniveling rabid dog who bites and scratches at all who get too close.” I could swear I can feel his stinking breath on my neck as he stops behind me.

“Try as you might, MacGrath… You will always end up alone and you will have no-one to blame but yourself. Because it will always be your fault.”

My rage flares red hot and an Alpha rocket rips from my hand towards the old fuck, but I damn near get blown to bits. In my fury I had forgotten the nature of the very place I’m in. The rocket just bounces off the mirror and I barely have enough time to get out of the way of a direct hit. I curse to myself as I feel the pain from the blast radius, why the fuck did I even think that was a good idea in the first place?! Kesslar cackles at me as I stagger to my feet.

“Still as predictable as ever, Cole!” The crone scoffs as he seems to grow bigger, like a looming shadow. “Lashing out when you know I’m right.” As much as my anger bubbles under my skin, the fear, it creeps back in. Feeling so small, being so helpless. There’s only one thing I can do. I turn and run down the closest hallway to get away from this specter and start looking for a way out.

I can hear the bastard laugh at me over the thumping of my boots and the rapid beating of my heart. Mocking and sadistic.

“There you go! Running away again like the cowering mutt you are! Running from the truth and running from responsibility when it comes to take its due! Breaking the promise you made to yourself so long ago!” I curl my lips at the barbing words, but I have to keep running. I can’t fight, not without obliterating myself in the process! “Maybe it’s for the best that Trish is dead. She isn’t here to see the whimpering coward the man she once loved has become!”

My rage claws inside my chest as I want to scream.

The mirrored halls, I swear they’re messing with my head. I think I could see things changing, I look at one shifting reflection, watching it change into a sight disturbing and familiar. It was myself from years long past, but something’s not right. It’s faded, black and white. Almost like I'm staring at a fading memory, but the eyes I can see, clear as day. They look tired, but also full of pure hatred.

Another reflection, this one more vivid and crisp, one I’m more familiar with. The reflection that greeted me every time I looked into glass windows or puddles back in Empire City. God, I looked like I was walking dead with how pale my skin was, and the black marks that decorated my body didn’t help either. I liked it that way, people left me alone, but now being on the receiving end of that malicious gaze and cruel smile? I’m having second thoughts.

“You!” I hear a new voice ring out as I run. It’s not Kessler’s but mine! It sounded clearer, less gravelly and tired. Oh please don’t tell me the other reflections can talk too!  “I see you, running away, running from the truth! The truth that you’re just as responsible for the destruction of my life! Actually, more responsible!!” I growl at that lie. I didn’t do jackshit to destroy the life I once had, if anything, I was trying to get it back! The blame is Kessler’s and his alone.

“I can hear your thoughts, Cole!” The faded echo barks out with loathing and hate. “You weren’t trying to get life back on track, you were just acting on your own selfish impulses! If you had just sucked it up and been a half-way decent person, Trish would have loved you in her dying moments! But no, your own ego was more important than the woman you claimed to love so much!” I do my best to tune out the venom, but the words cut like knives as I feel a familiar pricking against my eyes. No! I can’t cry, not now! Not when Kessler’s chasing me.

As one voice is tuned out, another erupts in cruel, callous laughter… This voice, it sounds more like how my voice actually is.

“Oh how the mighty has fucking fallen, o’ so called “Demon of Empire City!”” I hear the doppelganger’s voice call out. “Once on top of the world sitting on a throne of scrap, now you’re nothing more than a sniveling weakling running around helpless.” Rage flares in my blood, but I have to keep moving. I can’t fight here, I have to get out! Get away!

“You sicken me. You know that, Cole?” The echo sneers. “You’re a failure. You failed to protect Empire City from the Beast, you were too weak. Running with your tail between your legs to New Marias. Then you bow the knee to the Beast himself just because of some pathetic notion of “the right thing” or some shit like that. Now look at you, you have the power of the Beast yet you’re running scared when you could simply blow this whole place to cinders.” I want to scream at the voice, tell him to shut up, blow up the mirror that the doppelganger hides in, but I know I have to keep going. Doesn’t make the words any less infuriating and painful.

“Why don't you unleash all that power, Cole?” The taunting continues. “Are you too scared? Are you not as powerful as you claim to be or…. Perhaps… Are you getting soft, you pathetic failure?” Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!!

I pick up the pace, my hands covering my ears to drown out the cruel words and venomous barbs as they start to swirl around in my head. Now I am being hunted by three, making my heart frantic. The fear and pain, it was like I was losing Trish with the magnitude of it all. I want to get out of this hell, even if it means disappearing! I just want it to stop!

I think I see something, but I refuse to look at the reflections. I think I hear something, but I refuse to uncover my ears. Enemies everywhere even though they wear my face. All thirsting for my blood and tears. Such things I refuse to give despite the stringing at my eyes. Soon my own voice joins the hellish cacophony, screaming at these demons as that is all I can do.

The more I yell, the more I run around practically blind and deaf, the more confused I get. At this point I’m not sure where I’m running. I can faintly hear laughter every time I clip myself on a corner, ram into a wall or run in circles. I’m lost, so hopelessly lost in my desperation for freedom. My voice is going hoarse from shouting and screaming. The idea of just going fucking nuclear and unleashing hell in the form of the Beast’s Rage is becoming more and more appealing, but with the nature of this hell, that would surely kill me in the process.

I stop at a dead end and fall to my knees, my eyes welling with tears that spill over as I rage inside this mirror nightmare. I just want it all to stop. I want this to be a night terror that I’ll wake up from but I know this is reality. My arms growing tired from holding my hands over my ears, they go slack. I am now exposed to the full brunt of the devils’ venom….

Wait… Who said that?

A voice I didn’t hear before screams with a similar force that I did, but the words they speak aren't venom and hate, but…. Instructions? Directions? I can’t tell at this moment, but it’s something that isn’t loathing and malice. At first I don’t believe these words, thinking them to be a trick or a trap, but with the hateful sounds closing in and with no other option… I follow the directions.

It’s then I see who the voice belongs to. Another faded and blurry reflection, but this one looks unfamiliar. It’s still me, but he shares my tanned skin, his scars barely visible, his shirt grey and white, Amp shining like silver and the sparks off of his hands a brilliant blue… This is what Kessler wanted me to be… A hero.

The blue sparked reflection continues to point and shout directions, seeming to be trying to help me, but why?! I make it no secret, I am not a good person. If this is the hero Kessler wanted, he should be hurling abuses at me just like the others. I’d even go as far as to say he’s the one with the most right to hate me as I am the reason he doesn’t exist. Yet here he is, trying to help me.

I open my mouth to question, but my blue twin snaps. “Not the time, Cole! They ain’t gonna stop for you to ask questions.” I get the message loud and clear and keep running.

I follow the instructions, focusing on that as it’s better than the miasma that I’m being subjected to. I have so many questions to ask, what is happening? Why is it happening? Why are you helping me? Just anything to make sense out of this fucking madhouse, but I keep moving, hoping that I’m not falling into another trap.

My heart sinks as I see that I’m at a dead end and I’m about to bolt, but I notice something… At the end of this hallway is another mirror, but with a very different reflection.

I cautiously walk towards it and squint my eyes, it looks… Fuzzy, almost like a photo that hasn’t been developed. On closer inspection, I can see some things that make it look more like a reflection of my current self, black pants with kneepads, my vest. Visible, yet blurry… The only thing I can see clearly are the eyes of this copy. They’re closed, as if sleeping. What could this mean?

As I look over this mirror, I notice something else. The cruelty of the three devils hunting me, it’s gone. This area is quiet, still and peaceful. Here with my heroic twin, but why is this so? At this point, I care little for the question as I slam my back onto a reflective wall and slide down into a sitting position, hands holding my head as my chest shudders and heave with tears I’m fighting back.

“Not giving up on me are you, Cole?” My blue reflection asks. I sniff a bit as I struggle and shake my head. “Nah…” I reply in a voice that’s more strained than I’d like. “I just….. Need a breather.” The white clad hero nods his head and simply sits in a way that mirrors mine, back to back. “Take your time, Cole. Catch your breath.”

This peace is strange, but compared to the hell I was subjected to? It’s a soothing balm on my mutilated soul and I let some of the tears flow freely. A small relief to keep the dam intact, for now at least.

When the peace has passed, the heroic MacGrath pipes up. “I know you have a lot of questions, but since it’s just us, best get them out of your system.” I turn my head and I can see the blurred reflection turn in kind. I start off with a simple “Why?”

“Why what?” My blue twin asks. “Just… Why? Why is this happening? Why am I being tortured? Why are you helping me?” I ask back in kind. The hero frowns and shakes his head. “As much as I want to answer the first two, all I can say is your guess is as good as mine as I have no clue either… But I can answer the last question. I’m helping you because I can’t stand this suffering.”

“But why?” I continue to question. “You out of all the reflections have the most reason to hate me. I’m everything you would stand opposed to, hell I’m the reason you don’t exist. Why help me when you could come after me as some sort of punishment?”

“And subject you to this hell?” He balks “I wouldn’t even wish this on Kessler, let alone myself. Good or evil.” His eyes stare off into whatever silvery void the mirrored world has. “Besides… I got to see where my path leads to. Got to see that even though I did everything right, it meant jackshit in the end.” He turns to glance at me again. “That all I did was pointless. Utterly pointless”

I’m about to ask him to elaborate, but he shakes his head. Something must have gone completely fubar if he doesn’t want to talk about it even if it’s to bitch and vent.

“So…. Where’s the exit out of this hellhole?” I ask, the heroic twin turns his head and points to the mirror at the end of the hallway. I turn to look at him like he’s crazy. “Um, that’s a wall.”

“It’s the way out.” He simply responds. “It’s the only way out. The reason there’s a wall is because you believe there’s a wall.” I shake my head at this crazy talk. “How do you know if that’s a wall or not?” I question the reflection. He looks at me. “You’re going to have to trust me and by extension, trust yourself.”

“I don’t do trust fall-type bullshit.” I point out bluntly. “You should know this as much as I do.”

“Why would I lie to the only one of any of us in this damn mirror hell that has a future at all?” My blue twin points out harshly. “It’s a cold hard fact, Cole. Out of all of us here, you’re the only one who has a chance at living.” I stand and he stands in kind; both of us staring at each-other, man-to-man.

“While you are right, you are everything that I stand against. You’re selfish, egotistical, ruthless, sadistic, irresponsible, downright dangerous and destructive to the point of senselssness, but you’re also fucking honest about it.” He points out. “Then there’s also the fact when it came time to choose between a gamble that if it fell short would leave everyone to suffer slow and agonizing deaths or go with John and the method that was proven to give humanity even the slightest sliver of a chance to come out the other side. You chose what you felt was right. It may not be what Kessler wanted and there may have been selfish motivations behind it, but you still made that choice.” I look at my twin puzzled, but he’s right… Right about everything, good and bad.

“This is your ticket not only to escape this hell, but to escape Kessler for good.” He continues. “That bastard already took two futures away from you, your future with Trish and my future. Don’t let him take this one away from you too.” His words ring out in my head like a gunshot as I look towards the blurry mirror. “I know it’s a leap of faith, but please take it! Take it and get the hell out of here! Live the best life you can… For the both of us… Please…” The last words fall like a pleading whisper. Looking into the same blue eyes we share, I can see it. The same eyes I have, the eyes of a broken man.

I stare at my good twin for a moment longer before I nod my head.

With that, I turn to face the blurred reflection. I step back a few paces and charge up a polarity wall to act as a battering ram, hoping that this won’t backfire. Unleashing all of my emotions in one, booming battle cry, I charge.

I swear I can hear the ghost of a whisper in my mind. A soft “thank you” as I make contact only to fall through thin air.

I roll through the tumble and onto my feet before looking around, panting hard. He was right… It wasn’t a wall, it was an illusion… Was that whole maze and the horrors within an illusion too??

Once I’m not disoriented as shit, I start to look around this new place. I see bleachers, a trapeze and a barrier… Am I in the center stage of this fucking circus? Before I can start to explore, I hear a familiar female voice ring out with an Irish accent.

“It’s about bloody time you showed up!!”

[codenamehazard]

it’s been an honor making the notifs page unusable with you all

[codenamehazard]

boop!! :3

[codenamehazard]

Reblog if you are okay with people giving you lots of boops!

[codenamehazard]

.:Down the Rabbit Hole:.

Chapter 31: Down the Rabbit Hole

Hey guys!

Time to keep following Cole on this rigmarole of a rabbit chase and see what happens next now that he's in the big top that gives Tri-Point its name!

Without further ado, let's jump in!

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“Alright, you damned rabbit. This game’s gone on long enough!!”

I rip random shit out from their places as I search high and low for this antlered thorn in my side, not really caring what it is or who it might belong to. I don’t know what it’s trying to get at, but it’s only going to make things so much worse for it when I get my hands on it. “How do I see myself?” What kind of mind games is it trying to play; Especially with asking that while I was literally looking in a damn mirror? The answer is literally staring me in the face! I’m me! Always have been.

That damn question though… It circles in my head more than I’d like, fucking vultures riding a rising current of hot air. While yes, it is true that I haven’t physically changed much, but I have. God I hate to admit it, but so much has changed that I’m not even sure who I am anymore. Everything that made me the man I was is gone, torn asunder and ashes in the wind. Zeke’s been dead for what… Two, three years? Trish has been gone longer still. Empire City is crater, courtesy of John. Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s been deemed the US’s own Chernobyl or something.

Any ties I had to that old life is just… Gone. Save for whatever tiny scraps I managed to salvage… The life I had planned for, the life I wanted, will never come to be.

It’s not helped by the fact that I’ve been nothing more than either some kind of errand boy or a puppet on fucking strings ever since I was popped out of my mother. Any choice I made was either deemed incorrect, wrong or the choice was outright taken away! At this point, I’ve stopped trying.

Now I’m starting to understand the question and my answer is: “Does it fucking matter?”

My rampage in the big top continues on, leaving debris of knocked over furniture, confetti and dust in my wake when I think I see a plume of purple in my periphery. I turn my head to look, but see nothing, probably just glitter or some shit like that. However, I do spot another flash, another mirror. What a fucking coincidence.

I try to ignore it and focus on my task of finding that damn rabbit, but every time I see glimpses of my reflection, my curiosity grows… I eventually just say “fuck it” and walk over.

I make note of the mirror now that I’m actually looking at it. It’s one of those full, stand-up mirrors you find in those old as fuck mansions that are definitely not haunted. I know those ghost stories and while those kinds of things were more Zeke’s wheelhouse, with the “Killer Clown” vibes this place has going on? I’m not taking any chances… Especially with a circus full of Conduits.

I walk to the mirror, making sure I’m far enough away that should some fucking “Ringu” or “Grudge” thing be hiding in the mirror tries to grab me or some shit like that I can jump back out of reach, but close enough to see my full body in the reflective glass.

Damn… There’s a lot more change than I thought now that I look at myself fully.

My skin actually looks half-way healthy, slightly tanned from being cooked in the sun and bringing out the freckles that I had as a kid. The only hint of the pale, sickly grey that I’m used to seeing all over my body is focused on the scar that tracked across my chest like spider lightning through the clouds. First time in a long time I get to see that painful reminder.

I look at my clothes and it hammers home just how much I’ve changed, it’s honestly strange. I can see bits and pieces of someone new, yet it’s still my face, still my scars… I can almost feel my mind starting to struggle a bit. Trying to decide who this person in the mirror is even though I know it’s still me.

As I’m having a slight identity crisis, I hear something whisper in my ear. “How do you think others see you?”

A Punch Blast rips from my hands as I whirl around with a start, sending a popcorn machine and some heavy props flying in its wake. I scan the area, ready to fry the bastard that’s been toying with me ever since I stepped into this madhouse. I growl loudly as my frustration grows, seeing nothing. 

“Hey, fuzzy lil’ fucker!” I shout out, my accent starting to slip more than I’d like. “Stop fuckin’ aroun’ with me and face me!” 

All I get is crickets as I sweep the area, looking for hide or hair of the pain in my ass, but of fucking course, the rabbit is nowhere to be seen. I am getting so sick and tired of all of these games.

If I was a less stubborn man, I would have given up at this point and head back to the hospital to take a long-ass nap. Sadly, I am not a less stubborn man and I want that bunny made into a pair of leather gloves for all the grief it’s put me through.

What I didn’t know is that I’m in for one hell of a shock myself when I turn around and face the mirror again.

Staring back at me isn’t myself… It doesn’t even look human, it looks closer to a living storm, not a shred of humanity to be seen in its crimson eyes. It almost frightened me. Yet…. Somehow I knew that it’s still me.

It’s twisted and monstrous, even more so than how I am in my Beast form… Or is that not my Beast form and what I’m looking at is supposed to be what it’s actually supposed to look like? I remember John’s whole shtick was being a giant magma golem of a monster and I could never figure out how to get that.

I growl and shake my head before dismissing the reflection and walking away, remembering the question and guessing that’s what the mirror was showing; how others saw me.That I couldn’t give less of a rat’s ass about. Not surprising in the least that people saw me less as an actual person and more of a monster or a force of nature, something soulless and without care. It’s honestly nothing new to me.

I’ve been a reject of society ever since I knew what that was. Always casted aside: mocked, shunned and scapegoated in some way, shape or form. So how is this any different? Always a fuck-up, so fucking what? It’s a non-issue at this point. They can think however they want, as long as those dumb shits stay the hell out of my way, then there will be no issues.

My search for Bugs Bunny’s horned cousin continues when I think I see something else furry, a fluffy looking tabby cat sitting on a chest. Not what I’m looking for, but okay.

Though as I look at it, I can’t tell if it’s the color of my lightning or what, but I swear this cat was an odd color… Almost blending in with the hue my sparks bathed the area in, but it was definitely an unnatural color for a cat, pink? Purple? I couldn’t tell, nor did I care.

I try to get close so I can get a better look at the feline, but as I did, the cat turns to purple smoke and flits away. Are you fucking kidding me?!? First a white rabbit who can teleport, now a purple-y cat that can turn to smoke, what’s next? Am I gonna stumble across a giant ass caterpillar smoking from a hookah or something?!? I watch the wisp dart around, the sight feeling familiar for some odd reason.

I don’t have much time to ponder that before it dashes off, prompting me to go after it.

“Maybe this fucker will lead me its little bunny friend.” I think to myself before following it through the big top and find it went through a door. I narrow my eyes in suspicion, this reeks of a trap, yet something keeps telling me to push forward. Is it my curiosity? My stubbornness? Or is it me thinking that I’ve made it this far in, might as well how deep this goes?

Doesn’t matter which it is as I follow the smoke inside.

Through the door, I am damn near blinded by the amount of light my dark-adjusted eyes were subjected to, forcing me to cover them until they had readjusted. I remove my hands and my jaw falls open at the sight I see.

That cat lead me into a fucking mirror maze.

“What’s with all the goddamn mirrors?!” I growl out loud as I look around, seeing myself at damn near every conceivable angle. The scowl on my face deepens the more I see my reflections, I already don’t like seeing myself, let alone being stuck in a room that’s nothing but myself. It infuriates me to no end. It’s almost dizzying and disorienting with everything reflecting everything else. I start to step back, I’m getting in over my head. I need to get out so I can regroup and…

A voice stops my thoughts dead in its tracks as an all too familiar voice hisses in my ear, full of venom and cruelty.

“Do you want to see who you really are?”

The door behind me slams shut with a deafening “BANG” as I try to get out. There was nothing to grab hold of and no way to force it open, it’s flushed with the wall. I’m stuck in here and that damned voice laughs at my struggle and plight. I fire off an Alpha Blast to blow the door open, but it bounces off the reflection and damn near hits me in the process. I can feel my heart start to race as the fact sinks in more and more. I’m trapped in this damned maze.

I slowly turn around, knowing what I have to do, but what I see behind me… My eyes widen as I can feel the color drain from my face, my blood runs cold as I face what is my worst fear made manifest.

“No…”

[codenamehazard]